Saint Jose Silva?

There is no such a saint? Maybe should be.

Not so long ago, I heard about Silva Method, a method enabling people to utilise hidden powers of human brain.

Personally, I am a sceptic quite critical about all supernatural powers. But this method can fit into my rational point of view. In a nutshell it works like this...

It is based on assumption, that brain controls all functions of human body including our immune system. That means, brain can defend the body against any sickness. In some cases, it can also accelerate a destruction of the body producing toxins - e.g in a depressed person, who lost any drive to live.

According to Jose Silva, we can program our brain. To do this one should reach alpha state (look also here), state externally similar to meditation. After reaching this state, one can program his brain to perform specific job. Here a couple of examples: a person with blocked arteries imagined a vacuum cleaner sucking all the rubbish from his arteries. Another one, with arthritis, imagined a pneumatic hammer crushing rocks on his joints. Both were healed within few weeks.

So far, I do not see anything illogical or supernatural.

Why am I writing this under a banner of sainthood? Because the church monopolised the domain of miraculous cures. It even requests minimum two miracles to award the title of a Saint. Our Australian Mary Mac Killop had to wait 101 years to jump over this hurdle.

What is interesting to me, is the fact that two sides most interested in this area, do not even want to hear about this method. These sides are the Church and "official" medicine. About the church I already wrote, it would undermine the whole idea of sainthood. As of medicine - it would be a blow for omnipotent surgery and pharmacology.

Just lately, I heard a story of a doctor, who could not convince a patient to agree for some surgery. Then, one morning, the patient said:

- I saw Jesus in my dream, he told me the surgery will go OK. Now I give my consent to it.

The doctor joked with his colleague, that there was another candidate to psychiatric department.

Quite inappropriate joke. Why the doctor was unable to convince the patient? Maybe it was he, who needed help from a psychologist?

Looking closer on miracles recognised by the church, I see lots of similarity to Silva method. Firstly, sick person prays, repeating over and over simple prayers. This is a way to achieve an alpha status. In their prayers, sick people call a Saint to heal their body. The signal goes to brain. For the brain it is immaterial whether it was St Francis of Assisi or a tradesman with pneumatic hammer. The brain does the job.

Grand Final 2010

I am not a fan of footy but I am trying to feel the pulse of Melbourne. So on Saturday morning, I rode on bike towards MCG. It was 4 hours before the start of the game, but the crowd was already building up.

Fans of Saints...

And of Magpies..

After returning home, I showed my colours..

Yes, black and white, no wonder Magpies won the trophy.

In the library

My local library is located in Box Hill. I visit it frequently although choice of books is very poor. I got impression, that the main source of books are donations.

But I noticed, that the library turns into some kind of after classes room for students from nearby tertiary educational institutions.

This is how it looked last Tuesday...

Actually, now we have school holidays. So what are all these students doing here?

I got impression, they are all foreign students. Probably they live in some rented apartments and prefer good space in library and opportunity to study together with friends.

And they not only studied here. Few rested their heads on library desk and slept. Some had their lunch...

I was bit concerned about eating in the library. For me books and food do not mix well. But there are no signs prohibiting food and there is a coffee machine.

But eating hot food was bit too much. A lady from library administration informed young people, that heated food emits too much smell and asked them to take it outside. They obeyed this instruction quite happily.

Generally, I enjoyed view of so many young people in the library although I noticed, that they did not use much of library resources. On the other hand, I think it should be noticed by city council and educational institutions, that great demand exists for some kind of after-classes space where students could study, rest, develop their social contacts. It seems to me, that it exceeds current library capacity.

Empty Cross

Few days ago I received a Red Cross Gift Catalogue ...

I liked the cover, photo reminding the First World War. Maybe there will be some traditional Christmas Cards? - I thought with hope.

Because Christmas cards in Australia are hopeless. One could say: show me your Christmas cards, I will tell you who you are. Looking at Australian made Christmas cards, I can say - these people do not know who they are. They have broken links with tradition, but did not create anything instead. Well, they created something - market full of meaningless and useless things.

But Red Cross, they surely should know who they are. I looked inside the catalogue. There were some Christmas cards - one with a tree of hope (whatever it may mean), another with a dove, and with a ginger bread bear, or two birds.

So in the name of political correctness, Red Cross eliminated Christ from Christmas.

Actually there is one Christmas card, which perfectly summarises this practice - a donkey in front of an empty manger. As a next step I suggest to replace cross with a donkey on the Red Cross logo.

Woman's Eye

I read a book to 4 y.o. Matilda. It was about a girl who visited her uncle on a farm.

The uncle grabbed her in his arms..

- What are you going to do, unpack or go directly to see animals?

- I want to see animals uncle Frank..

I turned a page. There was a picture of the girl sitting on the back of a cow. I started to imitate noises of cows, sheep, ducks, but Matilda interrupted:

- Dziadzia (grandpa) ! She has different top, changed her shoes and headband!

- Yes, it is more convenient with animals.

- But Dziadzia! You said that she did not unpack her luggage?

My jaw dropped, my credibility as well.

Authors of children books, please! More attention to detail, specially when it comes to female dresses.

Revenge of the financiers

Yesterday I noticed a news about sentencing a payroll officer, who stole close to $20 mln from electronic goods retailer. She received sentence of 8 years in jail with parole possible after 5 years.

Apparently she found a loophole in her employer's financial system and used stolen money mostly on buying homes - 44 in total.

Few reflections came to my mind. First - what a financial system this company had? I assume it was not some home made system or MYOB package from the shelf for few hundred bucks. I suppose it was designed and implemented by some reputable company and then managed by highly paid professionals. How come they did not notice any loophole nor any missing money?

Second - this company finances were probably audited every year. I would like to know WHO was doing these audits? I would not wonder if the same company which verifies financial models of our main political parties.

Third - company suffered lack of funds for last couple of years. How come nobody looked what happened with the money?

Four - stolen money was invested over last three years in homes. Report says, that accused cooperated with authorities, all homes have been sold, $16,5 mln recovered. Hey!!! So what happened with the MONEY???

We all know what happened to the value of houses in last 3 years. In my opinion, this investment should have been more profitable than all retailing activity of the company. So I am asking again - what happened with the money? I suggest to employ the sentenced person to scrutinise this recovery.

Even the judge mentioned that the final losses are not so great, that there is no chance for re-offending. So why such severe penalty? What will happen to two autistic children?

Let's compare THIS - $68 mln lost. How much of it has been channelled to private accounts of owner's family? Small investors, who lost their lives' savings have little chance to recover anything. Prosecutor called for the sentence of 3 years in jail, non parole period 2 years.

I heard about dozens such cases in last 2 years.

Justifying his sentence, the judge said, that it is to: ".. send a message to all those in a position of trust..". I do not think so. The message is: thou shall not cheat on those who own big money. Feel free to cheat these who own little.

An amateur entered the playing field of big business and had to be punished in exemplary way.

Whales in Labor

There are still many unknown in the coming Federal Election, but one thing looks certain - Peter Garret will get a seat in the new Parliament.

He was selected to one of the safest Labor seats - Kingsford Smith - by Mark Latham in 2004. In the meantime:

- Mark Latham resigned from politics after angering his party,

- visionary Kevin Rudd has been sacked by his own party for not satisfactory performance in opinion polls,

- Peter Garret.. well...

• tried to close one of most successful music institutions (Australian National Academy of Music) - luckily this project failed.
• introduced a solar panel installation rebate. After few months, this scheme was abruptly terminated after exceeding threefold planned costs. Apart from devastating many installers, who had to close thousands of started projects, this scheme had very bad effect on Australian manufacturers of solar panel as they were not protected against import of cheap panels from overseas. Another issue is safety of hastily made installations. It seems they scared Peter Garret from some public appearances.
• home insulation scheme, I think, my comments are not required here.

Labor understood that Peter Garret was unable to sort the last mess and handed it over to someone else. So he was stripped of most of his duties, but he retained his ministerial position where his main duty will be protection of whales.

And now, 6 years and many billion dollars later, Peter Garret is still the best Labor candidate.

I expect great future for whale watching.

Birthday

Having birthday in July is cumbersome. In Poland it was in the middle of summer holidays, if celebrated, then in random place and company.

In Australia it is in the middle of the winter, same story. Memorable was my 50th birthday. I decided to celebrate it at Mt Buller. I went there for one week, my Family came just for my birthday, plus I had few random guests, inhabitants of the ski lodge. But important thing happened three days before. There was a blizzard, they closed all ski lifts. Resigned I went to ski hire to return skis I could not use. They offered me some back-country skis.

Where could I ski on these? - I asked.

Every where - was the answer.

It was prophetic. In the next many years, I participated in cross-country ski marathons in 17 countries.

But today, there was very little snow in the mountains, but beautiful sun in Melbourne. Yesterday, on Sunday, I made a bike tour in company of some 10 friends. It ended with coffee and cake in our home. I prepared a poster for the ceremony. Guess from it how old I am?

.. Sylvia baked a cake. This is sharing duties.

Today, I went for some swim. 50 years ago, it was my favourite sport, I even competed in University club. Nowadays I run out of breath after one length of the pool. But today I swam 1000 m. In 9 instalments. Still it was a nice effort and nice memories.

Winter

Winter is coming slowly. Most of July there was cold but minimal snow falls. Lately we had mixture of both.

Last Saturday (17/07), I accompanied Michael and his family in snow play in Lake Mountain.

First, Michael transported Matilda on his back...

Then we tried to build a snowman and an igloo.

Felix invented a modernized version, with a glass roof. As a material we used ice sheets from the frozen creek...

During drive from Melbourne, Felix told me:

- I know how to ski, I saw it on TV.

I think it was not so much TV , but his ballet training which helped him to cope quite well with icy snow and slippery skis.

But playing on toboggan was most enjoyable.

2006 - Chamonix - Language of Faith

Last Sunday in Chamonix, we went to the Catholic Mass. Mass was read in French.

I still remember Latin masses from my childhood. The choir sang: .. Deum de Deo, Lumen de Lumine, and I whispered - Domine Jesu Christi. I had real faith at that time.

How different associations I have for words - Lord Jesus...

Actually, Lord Jesus means nothing to me, just words. But in Polish - Panie Jezu - that means a wooden figure of troubled Christ.

German - Herr Jesus - appears to me in business dress, with briefcase. A clerk ready to run with me through a list of my credits and faults.

Italian - Signore Gesu - is a Father of Sicilian Family. Smiles to me and extends to me his hand to be kissed.

And here I heard - Seigneur Jesu. Seigneur? I saw a medieval noble chevalier, on horse, in glittering armor. His head was bare, long blond hair were falling on his shoulders.

- Seigneur Jesu - I whispered. The rider turned head towards me, smiled, there was attention and encouragement in his face.

What a pity I coud not speak French.

2006 - Tour of Mt Blanc

Two weeks of September I spent walking around Mt Blanc together with my sister in law.

Detailed report is HERE.

2006 Poland - Haircut

I have a very simple haircut, just very short and follow the shape of mu skull, but not as simple as crew-cut. Somehow, Australian hairdressers have problem with it. As a result, my wife cuts may hair with scissors.

I called to a small hairdressing shop close to where I lived. There were few ladies waiting.

- How long will I have to wait?

- Just simple cut? - asked the female hairdresser.

- Yes.

- Agnes, come here - she commanded. Young girl appeared, who was previously sweeping the floor.

- Cut gentleman's hair up to there - she made sort of karate chop just over my ear.

In two minutes, the initial cut was ready.

- Excuse me madam for a minute - said the hairdresser to her client and turned to me. She grabbed a cutting machine and buzzed a while around my head. She blew into my hair. I opened my eyes.

Wow! It was it! It was MY HEAD!

How did she know? Am I really so easy to be recognized?

2006 - Poland - Girls on the train

Girl cries.

Central train station in Warsaw. I looked through newspapers in a news agency when I heard:

- I bought a while ago a pack of cigarettes, where are they?

- Yes? - says the selling girl.

- I told you clearly. Where are cigarettes which I bought!

- I do not know. I serve customers, do not check what they've done with goods they bought.

- I have a train in few minutes. Give me quickly cigarettes for which I paid!

The girl ignores him. After a while he returns with more outspoken friend.

- Please give immediately the cigarettes..! I will block the queue..! Who stole cigarettes??

I got angry with this noise.

- Please, do not shut so much. If your goods were stolen, then call the police.

- Do not make idiot of me! - He threw me a hateful look.

I go out and look for some police or security. In vain. The young men did not succeed either. They came to me:

- Shame on you! Old man and against young.

I looked up in the ceiling. They went away swearing. I looked back into the shop. The girl cried. I felt very helpless.

Girl laughs.

- What time have you started a working day? - I asked a conductor in the train to Bialystok.

- At 4 am. I work 12 hours. Will finish at 4 pm.

- Hard work.

- Not at all. Very good job. I could have retired earlier but did not want. But now they will retire me in few months.

- And you will be free.

- What for this freedom? What will I be doing? I live in the forest - her eyes brighten. In the deep forest, you cannot imagine how deep. But what I could do there? I will move to my mother. She is 83 but still does everything around herself. And my grandpa - you know? He died when he was 96. Yes, 96. On Sunday he still went to the church. Because he was so thin as you. And on Tuesday he died.

- It was a good death.

- Because he did not visit any doctors. If you do not see doctors, you die fast and light. Otherwise, you suffer for years.

Girl rebels.

Return train to Warsaw.

- What a fantastic youth we have. In the next carriage there is a group of schoolgirls. When they learned I am a teacher, they invited me to play bridge. How joyful and cheerful they were.

- Are you happy to return to work?

- You must be joking! After work I have to spend same time giving private lessons to make ends meet. And now we have this new minister and his education changes. I am only waiting for kids to organize some demonstration. I will join them!

Girl questions.

Warsaw metro. I read the daily paper.

- What are they writing today?

- I do not know, just looked through sport columns.

- Are you only reading about sport or doing it?

- I am trying to do.

- What sport?

- Cross country skiing.

- O, this is a good sport. And I played volleyball. Yes, mister. I even played in the World Championship. In Paris in 1953. Well, it was only universities championship. But still world championship.

- This is a great success.

- Well. It still keeps me healthy. I do not need all this health services. Why should I pay taxes for it if I don't use it? Those who need should pay!

I stayed silent as in such system, I would go bankrupt soon.

- Nice talking to you , mister. I am getting off here, to the cemetery. Good bye!

- Good bye

2006 - Warsaw - day 1

It was a long flight. One hour stop in Vienna added to the tiredness. Finally Warsaw. Beautiful weather. I expected a family friend to pick me up from the airport, but he seemed to be late. I felt so impatient, that decided to take taxi to his place, from there we will call him to come back.

Ooops. There was nobody in his flat. What to do? I had no means to contact him, nor to call taxi and return to the airport.

But we lived in this house many, many years ago. There had still to live here some of our old neighbours. But where? There was no list of inhabitants. I sat on the bench and waited patiently until some familiar face showed up. Here he was, on the balcony on the third floor.

- Hello neighbour! Do you remember me?

- To be honest, I do not remember.

- Oh, we lived here 24 years ago. On the ground floor. You must remember my wife.

- Aha, now I recognise you. Come in.

After half an hour all confusion has been sorted out and I was delivered to my destination. I got new shot of energy. Quickly, shower, change dress, go to the City. Around me everything so well known and so new. I landed at the square in front of The Royal Castle where I met some friends. We went together to a restaurant serving traditional Polish dumplings. Tiredness returned. I was driven home during a violent storm and beautiful lightnings. What a good start!

2006 - Singapore - Day 2

Saturday. I had good sleep. Near my hotel, there were many churches, four in our street, all Christian, two of them Catholic. I went for a morning mass. In the church some 40 people. After the mass, I returned to hotel to have breakfast. Choice of food - hard boiled eggs, rice with vegetables, cooked beans, something between a pancake and bread, some white jelly. I ate a bit of everything and walked to the city.

First stop - Raffles Hotel. There is a small museum where I could read how Mr Gavin shot a tiger which hid under the billiard table. There were also comments of famous guests who stayed in the hotel - Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham. Joseph Conrad said: Raffles is airy like a birdcage. Typical Conrad - always a bit ambiguous.

Then a boat ride on the river. Rain forced us few times to hide in the cabin. When there was no rain we could see Singapore landmark - Merlion, and also many bridges and interesting buildings.

Rain stopped just in time for a visit to Little India. Well, that's how I imagined India. Later I walked through old China - it was more interesting for me.

I extended my room till 7 pm to have a place to rest before my departure. After all these walks I decided to have some rest. I woke up in total darkness. Panic! Panic! I missed my plane!

False alarm. I forgot that there were no windows in my room. Still lots of time for evening meal and friendly talk with hotel manager. Then to the airport, Austrian Airlines took off to Vienna.

2006 - Singapore - Day 1

I stayed in Hotel Oxford. Good location, nice service, some surprize was that my room had no windows. I got up early and went for a morning walk. I feel good! It was warm and humid. Body covered with a thin layer of sweat. I felt well oiled, breathing was so easy, It felt like my lungs gained some capacity.

The ground was elastic, green, green, green around me.

Started from Orchard Road. Thousands of shops as promised. Well, I did not need anything but according to the advice, I had some tiffin here and there.

I tried underground. Clean, safe, well organised. This what you expect here.

Lunch time I spent on Sentosa Island. Nice tropical surrounding.

In the evening, I visited the Arts Centre...

... there was a concert - The Spirit of the Romantics.

- You are embarrassing us, Sir - it was a waiter in cafeteria. I had my business suit on. He was probably right, there were only 7 people in suits in the concert hall. I felt in right place.

In the program: Slavonic Dances by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony - how proper, the music of Poland's neighbour countries. And Saint Saens' piano concerto in the middle. The soloist was Ms Di Wu. What a physical performance! She played with the whole body. Triple S - Saint Saens Sensualised!

Enough for the first day. On my return to the hotel, I felt the heat. The sun has gone, it looked dark and cool, but concrete buildings radiated with heat accumulated during the day. Bad, senseless heat.

2006 - departure

Mid August 2006. Plane's name was Mozart. This is what Austrians sell best.

Next to me sits a young lady, very talkative. No wonder, she is an editor in a company publishing school textbooks.

She studied creative writing, so the conversations moves to literature. She knows Australian writers:

- Peter Carey. Oooo, I have to read some of his books!

- Tim Winton! I started reading his Dirt music...

What about Joseph Conrad?

- I read The heart of Darkness.. I mean, I almost finished.

Her knowledge of Singapore is better.

It is a great place for shopping. And for eating. Have a walk in Orchard Road, see the shops and have a bite of something here and there. Oh, and do not miss Little India!

Interesting. In many cities, Chinatown is the attraction. But in Singapore it is Little India. So what is an attraction in New Delhi?

Prehistory

I started blogging in 2006, before this, there was CHAOS.