November 20, 2024 • 19 mins
Have you ever wondered how fiction can unlock your creativity in ways non-fiction never could? Join us as we reignite our passion for the spiritual and magical realms of fictional storytelling, offering a fresh lens through which to view life.
In our journey of self-discovery, we guide you through a transformative exercise that empowers you to challenge and reshape personal beliefs. This episode promises a heartfelt exploration into the magic of fiction, the empowerment of self-discovery, and the cathartic experiences that await when you step beyond the ordinary.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm really getting into reading fiction again and
for many years I had a strictdiet of reading just self-help
books or non-fiction.
And don't get me wrong, I stilllove all that.
But there is somethingabsolutely magical about fiction
and I'm rediscovering it againand something very spiritual
(00:22):
about it as well.
Hear me out, because when wewatch a movie, we're just shown
what to see, yeah, but when weread non-fiction, it's so good
for our brain because the brain,like, fills in the gaps.
It helps to create imaginationin our minds.
So every time someone reads abook, they will see it
(00:44):
differently, the descriptionswill guide the reader, but the
the bits that we don't see,because obviously book is all
about reading and in the mind.
Well, that kind of helpsdevelop greater creativity and I
find when I'm doing anycreative projects, if I read
fiction and do things where I'mnot just watching things, it
(01:06):
really helps to further thatappetite.
Yet I used to worry that peopleweren't reading fiction and
that we were going to end up alljust being like video scrollers
on our phones, with losing ourability to create and imagine.
But I've heard that actuallyfiction books are on the rise in
popularity and I think that's areally great thing indeed, and
(01:31):
there's some amazing spiritualfiction books that I call them
club classics.
But the alchemist that is thelittle prince, so things like
that.
I actually read thenever-ending story book which,
um those you're old enough toknow was a very popular movie in
I think it's like the mid 80s,um, where there's a song by the
(01:53):
pop singer lamar, or he sang it,and it was, um, a really
magical thing.
But the the film right, is onlya small proportion of the whole
book.
The book has so much more Tothe point when you read it.
This is kind of such a magicalworld that it can be a bit
overwhelming sometimes, but in agood way.
(02:13):
But you're just thinking, wow,the author to come up with all
this stuff is absolutely amazingand by reading this it's really
inspired me to write again andI'm finding a great deal of
solace and I find it verycathartic and, yeah, I find it
really beautiful.
I just wanted to share that partwith you, dear listeners,
(02:36):
because what things do you liketo read?
Like I've heard, stephen Kingis an amazing writer.
I don't fare so well on horror.
It's not a genre that that is.
It's so good for me, but I knowsome people can kind of read it
and see for what it is and andnot get affected by it.
So when I was a kid, I just usedto read stuff that I would
(02:58):
never really kind of normallyread, if that makes sense, like
I used to read about the Greekmythology.
I used to read, like um,romance books, all all kinds of
things.
I remember Iza Blighton it'sprobably a bit dated now because
I haven't read it since I was achild, but that was very
magical as well and all allthese like magical stories and
(03:18):
and things and uh, it's aboutbringing a bit of magic into
life, because life can be a veryhard terrain at times and it's
so easy just to watch things,and sometimes I watch things on
Netflix.
Occasionally I'll watch thingsand I find that's relaxing.
Sometimes if I've been doing alot of creative stuff or a lot
(03:42):
of physical stuff and I justwant to relax lot of creative
stuff or a lot of physical stuffand I just want to relax and
I'll put a chick flick film on,as they call, and um, find like
peace in that.
And then other times I reallywant to read, but other times we
really want to read books, andI'm reading this absolutely
fantastic book.
What is?
My partner got me thismembership to like this book
(04:02):
club, um, last year for mybirthday and, uh, it gives you a
book a month.
We only did it for a bit oftime because I literally don't
have time to read all the books,but one of the books was called
Memphis by Tara M Stringfellerand, um, it's about it follows
like this family throughdifferent decades and different
(04:24):
family members.
Very beautifully written andthe description and you just
feel like you're so much in thatbook and like the the tough
lessons and the tough terrainthat this family has to has to
go through.
And I thought I just found it.
I'm about halfway through itand when I sit down and read it
(04:49):
I just think, oh, wow, this isjust such a wonderful book and
I'm glad that this bookshop putthis in, in sent this to me.
I'd never heard of the writerbefore, just because I'm kind of
, like I said, I wasn't, haven'tbeen reading fiction for a very
, very long time, um, and I'vegot back into it recently and I
(05:11):
just found finding I can'treally, it's really hard to
actually describe in words,which is probably not very
helpful for you listening tothis, but there's something
right about reading fiction thatcan build a better world that
we live in now, because itinspires us, even if the stories
(05:35):
they inspire us.
And inspiration is somethingthat can be lacking when we,
when we feel everything's a bitmundane and a bit stuck.
The other thing that we can dowhen we, when we feel
everything's a bit mundane and abit stuck, the other thing that
we can do when we feel a bitstuck, is try something
completely and utterly new andcompletely different.
Try a new food, like, try a newrecipe.
(05:55):
That I think that's really asimple way to bring a bit more
magic because, like, you canprice up what food recipes you
want to do, so you don't have todo something too expensive,
unless you feel like treatingyourself, of course and then
just creating that meal, thatnew recipe and and the new
tastes, um, can have a veryhealing effect on the body and
(06:17):
inspire, inspire us to kind ofexplore things a bit more.
And then going to visitsomewhere new so you could just
visit, like, a new part of yourtown or, um, maybe the next town
, or there's so much informationout there now could you go and
and visit a new landmark that'seasy to get to or somewhere that
(06:37):
you've completely never been tobefore, and see how that feels.
And then could you trylistening to a new genre of
music or listen, or have a lookaround, listen to a brand new
radio station that you've notheard before, and could you find
inspiration from that.
Could you suggest, like afamily day out, somewhere new as
(07:01):
well, if you want to dosomething with your family or do
a solo trip somewhere orsomething new with you, want to
do something with your family ordo a solo trip somewhere, or
something new with your friend,could you share with your
friends, family, loved ones,work colleagues, something new
and inspiring and uplifting.
We're so, so quick and I'm Ican be one for it sharing, like
our problems and stuff, but isthere something new, uplifting
(07:23):
and inspiring that you can sharewith one of your, with
colleagues or friends, and, andcan you help that and can you
share something purposeful?
Could you try a new form ofexercise, maybe join a new gym,
(07:43):
or if, if budget is a problem,which it is for so many of us
these days, could you find a newform of exercise on class class
online, like youtube's full ofloads of free classes and things
like that.
Could you try a new hairstyle,a new way of making up your face
, some new clothes?
(08:04):
And again, if you're on budget,second hand recycling things is
a really good thing could youchange your garden around and
plant it in a completelydifferent way, or move the
furniture around in your house?
Or, if you can't afford toredecorate, could you change the
room layout.
(08:24):
There's all these little thingsthat can take the mundaneness
out of the the day.
Like you know, sometimes lifefeels a bit like stagnant, as it
can at this time of year.
Can you find ways to kind ofchange and inspire?
And, as you said, that thiskind of flock of parakeets just
flew past my window?
Because, yes, we do have themhere in the UK now.
(08:47):
You know why?
Because apparently a while agosome people let them out, who
had them as pets, and theynaturally thrived in this
environment, which I findsurprising because it's a lot
colder environment than thewhere they're from.
But they have thrived.
And then sometimes you get thisbeautiful like greeny, yellow,
(09:08):
translucent feathers coming pastand you see them and they're
beautiful, so that again can youadmire things that are out of
the ordinary and not be so fixed, and just try and see new
things in your day.
So there's all these amazingthings, ways in which we can
transform the mundaneness of ourdays and make them more
(09:29):
exciting.
If you've got any ideas forlisteners, please share.
And, as always, here is ameditation inspired by today's
show.
Top tips for the meditation iseither sit nice and cross-legged
on the floor with a nicestraight back always nice to sit
on a block or a cushion, or, ifthat's not for you, you sit in
(09:50):
a chair with the back nice andstraight.
The important thing is you'renot slouching, and if you're
doing something that requiresyour concentration, all you need
to do is just pause this andyou can reconvene the meditation
at a time that is good for you.
If you're doing the meditation,let's begin the meditation,
(10:19):
let's begin.
So, in this meditation today,you are going to need a notebook
or a piece of paper and a pen.
In that notebook you are goingto draw a big circle in the
middle and you're going to putthe name self into that and off
that circle you're going to draweight lines in all directions
(10:43):
and on the end of those eightlines you are going to write
eight qualities that you reallyadmire about yourself.
So if you need to pause this,please do so.
I'm working off the assumptionthat you've done those eight
(11:05):
qualities.
You pause this and now youpress play.
I want you to draw anothereight lines on around that
circle so you can put thembetween or wherever, and on
those eight lines you are goingto write eight limiting beliefs
that you have about yourself.
(11:26):
It could be I'm stupid, whichis I don't have enough resources
, etc.
You can press pause now.
So now I'm working off the ideathat you've now put the eight
limiting beliefs.
I want you to read throughthose limiting beliefs and then
(11:51):
read through those things thatyou like about yourself and out
of those limiting beliefs, pickone.
Pick one of those eightlimiting beliefs that you have.
Take a breath, pause and justthink to yourself is this really
(12:12):
true?
Is this really true?
And that one that you picked?
Because of time, you're going todraw the one that you picked,
that's a limiting belief.
I want you to draw four linesoff that and find four ways in
which that limiting belief isnot true.
(12:34):
So, for example, if you putstupid, you could think of
something amazing that you'vedone.
You could think of a time whenyou've solved something.
You could think of a time whereyou've worked something out
before other people.
You could think of a time whereyou've worked something out
before other people.
You could think of a time whereyou've done something really
clever.
(12:55):
So that's just an example.
I will pause that for a moment,and now I'm working off the idea
that you have found fourreasons why that limiting belief
is not true.
So pick one of those fourreasons that that limiting
(13:15):
belief is not true, and what Iwish you to do for the next
three minutes is to imagine thatsituation when that limiting
belief was not true.
Like it could be, like I solveda puzzle.
It could be anything big orsmall, and we're going to
visualize or you, rob, are goingto visualize yourself in that
(13:37):
situation and you're going tolearn how to bring that positive
view back into your everydaylife.
So, dear listener, as you closeyour eyes, just imagine you're
walking through this long,beautiful corridor.
It is painted with the mostbeautiful trees and it has a
(14:10):
peaceful way about it.
And at the end of the doorthere's this beautiful door that
is made of glass.
It's so glassy and see-throughthat you can see this beautiful
paradise scene through the door.
And you walk through the doorand it is the most beautiful
(14:31):
forest next to a stream, thereis a babbling brook, there are
beautiful birds flying by andthere is a warm, soft, silky
breeze as it blows through yourhair and there's a taste of like
holiday in the air.
And as you walk through thisbeautiful scene, you come to a
(14:54):
great big pool of water.
This water is clear andbeautiful and as you gaze into
the water, you feel within yourbeing that positive reason why
your limiting belief was nottrue.
And for the first time, you seethe reflection of your higher
(15:18):
self, the self that is beyondall these limitations, the self
that is beyond all this fear,all these reasons why we say
you're not good enough.
And you remember that pictureof your higher self and how
wonderful you are.
And all I want you to do forthe next minute is to look into
(15:41):
this imaginary pool, looking atyour higher self, and take some
slow, calm, deep breaths.
Thank you, so slowly.
(17:17):
Now start to come back into themoment.
Thank your higher self,remember that feeling, taking a
slow, deep breath.
Go about your day and rememberyou are limitless.
Thank you.
I'm really getting into reading fiction again and
for many years I had a strictdiet of reading just self-help
books or non-fiction.
And don't get me wrong, I stilllove all that.
But there is somethingabsolutely magical about fiction
and I'm rediscovering it againand something very spiritual
(00:22):
about it as well.
Hear me out, because when wewatch a movie, we're just shown
what to see, yeah, but when weread non-fiction, it's so good
for our brain because the brain,like, fills in the gaps.
It helps to create imaginationin our minds.
So every time someone reads abook, they will see it
(00:44):
differently, the descriptionswill guide the reader, but the
the bits that we don't see,because obviously book is all
about reading and in the mind.
Well, that kind of helpsdevelop greater creativity and I
find when I'm doing anycreative projects, if I read
fiction and do things where I'mnot just watching things, it
(01:06):
really helps to further thatappetite.
Yet I used to worry that peopleweren't reading fiction and
that we were going to end up alljust being like video scrollers
on our phones, with losing ourability to create and imagine.
But I've heard that actuallyfiction books are on the rise in
popularity and I think that's areally great thing indeed, and
(01:31):
there's some amazing spiritualfiction books that I call them
club classics.
But the alchemist that is thelittle prince, so things like
that.
I actually read thenever-ending story book which,
um those you're old enough toknow was a very popular movie in
I think it's like the mid 80s,um, where there's a song by the
(01:53):
pop singer lamar, or he sang it,and it was, um, a really
magical thing.
But the the film right, is onlya small proportion of the whole
book.
The book has so much more Tothe point when you read it.
This is kind of such a magicalworld that it can be a bit
overwhelming sometimes, but in agood way.
(02:13):
But you're just thinking, wow,the author to come up with all
this stuff is absolutely amazingand by reading this it's really
inspired me to write again andI'm finding a great deal of
solace and I find it verycathartic and, yeah, I find it
really beautiful.
I just wanted to share that partwith you, dear listeners,
(02:36):
because what things do you liketo read?
Like I've heard, stephen Kingis an amazing writer.
I don't fare so well on horror.
It's not a genre that that is.
It's so good for me, but I knowsome people can kind of read it
and see for what it is and andnot get affected by it.
So when I was a kid, I just usedto read stuff that I would
(02:58):
never really kind of normallyread, if that makes sense, like
I used to read about the Greekmythology.
I used to read, like um,romance books, all all kinds of
things.
I remember Iza Blighton it'sprobably a bit dated now because
I haven't read it since I was achild, but that was very
magical as well and all allthese like magical stories and
(03:18):
and things and uh, it's aboutbringing a bit of magic into
life, because life can be a veryhard terrain at times and it's
so easy just to watch things,and sometimes I watch things on
Netflix.
Occasionally I'll watch thingsand I find that's relaxing.
Sometimes if I've been doing alot of creative stuff or a lot
(03:42):
of physical stuff and I justwant to relax lot of creative
stuff or a lot of physical stuffand I just want to relax and
I'll put a chick flick film on,as they call, and um, find like
peace in that.
And then other times I reallywant to read, but other times we
really want to read books, andI'm reading this absolutely
fantastic book.
What is?
My partner got me thismembership to like this book
(04:02):
club, um, last year for mybirthday and, uh, it gives you a
book a month.
We only did it for a bit oftime because I literally don't
have time to read all the books,but one of the books was called
Memphis by Tara M Stringfellerand, um, it's about it follows
like this family throughdifferent decades and different
(04:24):
family members.
Very beautifully written andthe description and you just
feel like you're so much in thatbook and like the the tough
lessons and the tough terrainthat this family has to has to
go through.
And I thought I just found it.
I'm about halfway through itand when I sit down and read it
(04:49):
I just think, oh, wow, this isjust such a wonderful book and
I'm glad that this bookshop putthis in, in sent this to me.
I'd never heard of the writerbefore, just because I'm kind of
, like I said, I wasn't, haven'tbeen reading fiction for a very
, very long time, um, and I'vegot back into it recently and I
(05:11):
just found finding I can'treally, it's really hard to
actually describe in words,which is probably not very
helpful for you listening tothis, but there's something
right about reading fiction thatcan build a better world that
we live in now, because itinspires us, even if the stories
(05:35):
they inspire us.
And inspiration is somethingthat can be lacking when we,
when we feel everything's a bitmundane and a bit stuck.
The other thing that we can dowhen we, when we feel
everything's a bit mundane and abit stuck, the other thing that
we can do when we feel a bitstuck, is try something
completely and utterly new andcompletely different.
Try a new food, like, try a newrecipe.
(05:55):
That I think that's really asimple way to bring a bit more
magic because, like, you canprice up what food recipes you
want to do, so you don't have todo something too expensive,
unless you feel like treatingyourself, of course and then
just creating that meal, thatnew recipe and and the new
tastes, um, can have a veryhealing effect on the body and
(06:17):
inspire, inspire us to kind ofexplore things a bit more.
And then going to visitsomewhere new so you could just
visit, like, a new part of yourtown or, um, maybe the next town
, or there's so much informationout there now could you go and
and visit a new landmark that'seasy to get to or somewhere that
(06:37):
you've completely never been tobefore, and see how that feels.
And then could you trylistening to a new genre of
music or listen, or have a lookaround, listen to a brand new
radio station that you've notheard before, and could you find
inspiration from that.
Could you suggest, like afamily day out, somewhere new as
(07:01):
well, if you want to dosomething with your family or do
a solo trip somewhere orsomething new with you, want to
do something with your family ordo a solo trip somewhere, or
something new with your friend,could you share with your
friends, family, loved ones,work colleagues, something new
and inspiring and uplifting.
We're so, so quick and I'm Ican be one for it sharing, like
our problems and stuff, but isthere something new, uplifting
(07:23):
and inspiring that you can sharewith one of your, with
colleagues or friends, and, andcan you help that and can you
share something purposeful?
Could you try a new form ofexercise, maybe join a new gym,
(07:43):
or if, if budget is a problem,which it is for so many of us
these days, could you find a newform of exercise on class class
online, like youtube's full ofloads of free classes and things
like that.
Could you try a new hairstyle,a new way of making up your face
, some new clothes?
(08:04):
And again, if you're on budget,second hand recycling things is
a really good thing could youchange your garden around and
plant it in a completelydifferent way, or move the
furniture around in your house?
Or, if you can't afford toredecorate, could you change the
room layout.
(08:24):
There's all these little thingsthat can take the mundaneness
out of the the day.
Like you know, sometimes lifefeels a bit like stagnant, as it
can at this time of year.
Can you find ways to kind ofchange and inspire?
And, as you said, that thiskind of flock of parakeets just
flew past my window?
Because, yes, we do have themhere in the UK now.
(08:47):
You know why?
Because apparently a while agosome people let them out, who
had them as pets, and theynaturally thrived in this
environment, which I findsurprising because it's a lot
colder environment than thewhere they're from.
But they have thrived.
And then sometimes you get thisbeautiful like greeny, yellow,
(09:08):
translucent feathers coming pastand you see them and they're
beautiful, so that again can youadmire things that are out of
the ordinary and not be so fixed, and just try and see new
things in your day.
So there's all these amazingthings, ways in which we can
transform the mundaneness of ourdays and make them more
(09:29):
exciting.
If you've got any ideas forlisteners, please share.
And, as always, here is ameditation inspired by today's
show.
Top tips for the meditation iseither sit nice and cross-legged
on the floor with a nicestraight back always nice to sit
on a block or a cushion, or, ifthat's not for you, you sit in
(09:50):
a chair with the back nice andstraight.
The important thing is you'renot slouching, and if you're
doing something that requiresyour concentration, all you need
to do is just pause this andyou can reconvene the meditation
at a time that is good for you.
If you're doing the meditation,let's begin the meditation,
(10:19):
let's begin.
So, in this meditation today,you are going to need a notebook
or a piece of paper and a pen.
In that notebook you are goingto draw a big circle in the
middle and you're going to putthe name self into that and off
that circle you're going to draweight lines in all directions
(10:43):
and on the end of those eightlines you are going to write
eight qualities that you reallyadmire about yourself.
So if you need to pause this,please do so.
I'm working off the assumptionthat you've done those eight
(11:05):
qualities.
You pause this and now youpress play.
I want you to draw anothereight lines on around that
circle so you can put thembetween or wherever, and on
those eight lines you are goingto write eight limiting beliefs
that you have about yourself.
(11:26):
It could be I'm stupid, whichis I don't have enough resources
, etc.
You can press pause now.
So now I'm working off the ideathat you've now put the eight
limiting beliefs.
I want you to read throughthose limiting beliefs and then
(11:51):
read through those things thatyou like about yourself and out
of those limiting beliefs, pickone.
Pick one of those eightlimiting beliefs that you have.
Take a breath, pause and justthink to yourself is this really
(12:12):
true?
Is this really true?
And that one that you picked?
Because of time, you're going todraw the one that you picked,
that's a limiting belief.
I want you to draw four linesoff that and find four ways in
which that limiting belief isnot true.
(12:34):
So, for example, if you putstupid, you could think of
something amazing that you'vedone.
You could think of a time whenyou've solved something.
You could think of a time whereyou've worked something out
before other people.
You could think of a time whereyou've worked something out
before other people.
You could think of a time whereyou've done something really
clever.
(12:55):
So that's just an example.
I will pause that for a moment,and now I'm working off the idea
that you have found fourreasons why that limiting belief
is not true.
So pick one of those fourreasons that that limiting
(13:15):
belief is not true, and what Iwish you to do for the next
three minutes is to imagine thatsituation when that limiting
belief was not true.
Like it could be, like I solveda puzzle.
It could be anything big orsmall, and we're going to
visualize or you, rob, are goingto visualize yourself in that
(13:37):
situation and you're going tolearn how to bring that positive
view back into your everydaylife.
So, dear listener, as you closeyour eyes, just imagine you're
walking through this long,beautiful corridor.
It is painted with the mostbeautiful trees and it has a
(14:10):
peaceful way about it.
And at the end of the doorthere's this beautiful door that
is made of glass.
It's so glassy and see-throughthat you can see this beautiful
paradise scene through the door.
And you walk through the doorand it is the most beautiful
(14:31):
forest next to a stream, thereis a babbling brook, there are
beautiful birds flying by andthere is a warm, soft, silky
breeze as it blows through yourhair and there's a taste of like
holiday in the air.
And as you walk through thisbeautiful scene, you come to a
(14:54):
great big pool of water.
This water is clear andbeautiful and as you gaze into
the water, you feel within yourbeing that positive reason why
your limiting belief was nottrue.
And for the first time, you seethe reflection of your higher
(15:18):
self, the self that is beyondall these limitations, the self
that is beyond all this fear,all these reasons why we say
you're not good enough.
And you remember that pictureof your higher self and how
wonderful you are.
And all I want you to do forthe next minute is to look into
(15:41):
this imaginary pool, looking atyour higher self, and take some
slow, calm, deep breaths.
Thank you, so slowly.
(17:17):
Now start to come back into themoment.
Thank your higher self,remember that feeling, taking a
slow, deep breath.
Go about your day and rememberyou are limitless.
Thank you.
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