Archive for the 'John Campbell' Category
05 August 2011 at 14:06
Welcome to the August issue of the EWR Newsletter
This month’s issue is jam-packed with invaluable advice, tips and thoughts from our resident team of experts.
Helping you prepare for your once-in-a-lifetime adventure, we continue our exclusive guide to mental fitness, a skills guide to pulk-pulling, the best wild places in Britain and we get to the bottom of iconic Lake Baikal in Siberia – the setting for our spectacular Black Ice Race in 2012.
Achieve the Extraordinary!
John Campbell
In last month’s article, EWR’s mind coach and guru, John Campbell, introduced us to the different levels of the mind; the conscious mind, subconscious mind and the universal Law of Attraction. John focussed on understanding the different levels on the mind, how we read and interpret the information that surrounds us and how we can use this in the most positive way.
This month John will teach us how to channel our thoughts and imparts some practical advice on how to attract and enable the things we want into our lives.
Master Your Mind Part II
Start practicing becoming aware of how often you ‘judge’ people or situations in your daily life. This is not to then berate yourself when you find yourself doing this – we all do it until we decide to let it go – and even then it is a life time’s work. Remember we are not doing this to be ‘saints’ – we are doing it because it is good for US! If we can always look for a ‘better feeling thought’ we then immediately raise our vibration and then the Law of Attraction kicks in and will start bringing things we are looking for into our lives. What you give out – must, eventually come back – even.
So a great preparation for any endurance race is to bombard your mind with material about people who have succeeded in endurance events. Read books, articles and watch movie content of the area and make sure you FEEL the excitement of being successful. It is vital that you connect positive emotions with your visuals – this makes for a powerful manifesting experience.
Create a ‘vision board’ incorporating photos of yourself and your team in full race regalia in the environment of the Antarctic – perhaps construct a FINISH banner above your head. If you can create a movie of this – even better. Then place the photos everywhere – on your computer screen saver, in your car, around your living space, wherever you can. A great place is right above your bed on the ceiling so it’s the last thing you see before you go to sleep and the first thing you see when you wake up. Remember to feel the emotion of excitement when you view these photos. If you can create, or have clips of film of you – keep playing these once in the morning and once at night – and whenever else you get a chance. There is a great programme called www.mindmovies.com where you can make your own custom movies for a very small cost. When you have made them – the company will then publish them for you and you can have them running subliminally on your computer 24/7. So whenever you are doing anything on your computer – these movies are playing in the background and being assimilated into your sub conscious mind.
Just to say a little about the ‘super conscious mind’. This is the part of our mind which is connected to our Higher Self. The part of us which is always ‘on our side’ – and on everyone else’s side too!
This is the part of our mind which, when we are consciously connected to it, will create a sense of peace, calmness, assuredness in all matters regardless of what may be going on in our external world. So, during a seemingly tough event such as The South Pole Race, or any event, we need to make a conscious connection with that part of ourselves. This part has absolutely no fear and knows that we are safe at all times. Just as the three most important things when buying a retail business are location, location and location – the three most important things when wanting to connect with our super conscious mind are meditation, meditation and meditation.
Another great tool to use when doubts, anxiety or fear creep in is ‘Tapping’ or EFT. This is one of the most simple and amazing tools to use to change our state at anytime. It’s based on a combination of ancient Chinese acupuncture and modern Western Psychology. Instead of using needles to balance the energy which is out of balance – it uses ‘tapping’ with our fingers on various meridian points.
Andy Harvey
Following on from Andy’s previous piece, the ABC’s of Adventure, our resident outdoor expert has taken some time out to discuss his favourite places in Britain! There’s something for everyone on this list of the country’s Top 10 Places for Adventurer’s – so if climbing, kayaking, swimming or gorge walking is your thing check out this list!
Wild Britain – Andy’s Top 10 Places for Adventurer’s in Britain
- Pembrokeshire – St.Govans Head Multi pitch climbing on limestone – exposed coastal routes!
- Derbyshire – Stanage Edge, Single pitch Granite escarpment
- Gower Peninsula - Three Cliffs Bay – coastal multi pitch limestone climbing
- Scottish Highlands – Glen Nevis & Nevis range – Amazing canoeing, climbing, mountaineering and Gorge Walking – The Mecca of all things adventurous in the UK!
- North Wales – Ogwen Valley – Amazing multi pitch climbing and mountaineering
- South Wales – Mellte Gorge – Serious grade 5 canoeing and awesome extreme gorge walking!
- Monmouthshire – Symonds Yat – A multi activity area – Caving, multi-pitch climbing, canoeing and mountain biking – An area you’d spend a few days relaxing in, along with some brilliant pubs!
- Cornwall – Fistral Beach – Great beach, great surf and great atmosphere!
- Cotswolds - Watermark Lakes – Fantastic open water centre for swimming. 2km loops, great facilities, cheap as chips and open 365 days of the year morning sand evenings!
- South Wales – Brecon Beacons – Brilliant multi terrain Mountain Biking routes all within the same region – downhill, single-track cross country, mountain routes and mixed routes for those wanting to take things a little gentle! Has something for everyone.
Black Ice Siberia Race 2012
Celebrating the launch of our recently announced Siberia Black Ice Race 2012, we get to the bottom of Baikal, the world’s oldest, deepest lake….
History of Lake Baikal
Known as ‘the Pearl of Siberia’ , Lake Baikal is 30 million years old and with an average depth of 744.4 metres and located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast.
As the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world containing roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water, at 1,642 metres (5,387 ft), Lake Baikal is the deepest and among the clearest of all lakes in the world.
Similar to Lake Tanganyika, Lake Baikal was formed as an ancient rift valley, created by the Baikal Rift Zone having the typical long crescent shape. Baikal is home to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals, two thirds of which can be found nowhere else in the world.
For the locals, perhaps the most important species is the omul (Coregonus autumnalis migratorius), a smallish endemic salmonid. It is caught, smoked and then sold widely in markets around the lake, and will find its way into the daily diet of anyone visiting the area.
In 1996 Lake Baikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is also home to Buryat tribes who reside on the eastern side of Lake Baikal, rearing goats, camels, cattle and sheep.
During winter, which effectively lasts from mid-September to the end of May, the Siberian nature is at the peak of its powers. Snow remains in the areas around the Bajkal until the end of June, and only July and August can be considered summer months.
Toward the end of August frost sets in during nights, and the deep Siberian winter approaches. Above and in the immediate vicinity of the Bajkal water basin the average temperature lies at around -20 C during the coldest periods, but temperatures of -40 and below are far from uncommon particularly in the dark winter nights.
Just a few kilometers away from the sea the Siberian winter deepens still further, and temperatures around -70 C have occasionally been recorded in this area. These conditions create a special atmosphere and a special type of life, a special mindset, which has to be experienced in order to be fully appreciated, making this one of the ultimate ultra race venues in the world.
Skills Workshop
Continuing our guide to the skills and equipment you’ll need for ultimate in exploration, the one piece of equipment synonymous with Polar travel is the humble sledge or ‘pulk’ as the EWR community may know from our races.
Efficient handling of a pulk, correct weight distribution and the organisation and packing of your equipment all contribute to you successfully completing your race. This article will provide you with a few hints on how to successfully pack a pulk for your next big adventure!
‘Pulk’ Packing tips
What to buy? There are various models and designs of pulk available on the market these range from PVC (Plastic) pulks to fibre glass or even Kevlar models. In addition these also vary in size, load capacity and a host of other features such as integrated bags and covers.
For a Polar race it is important to have a pulk with good runners that are relatively light, durable and large enough for your supplies. For additional protection most pulks will have a shaped wooden board inserted in to their base to prevent damage to your equipment.
The first rule for packing your pulk is to make sure that you have enough equipment and provisions without going overboard, always remembering to carry some additional food and fuel for an emergency situation. Expeditions require meticulous attention to detail and weight can be a major factor – especially in a racing situation. Carrying needless equipment adds additional weight to your load and although it may be less noticeable at the start of a race, over time this will add a considerable load, make you more tired, causing you to burn more calories and make your life that little bit harder! So, choose your equipment wisely and don’t go over the top with the luxuries!
Weight It’s important to maintain even distribution of weight within the pulk to ensure the sledge pulls and runs smoothly – making its movement over snow and ice very predictable. This of course helps when dealing with ascending or descending gradients in the terrain. Weight distribution is very important and you may find that after packing the pulk that you may need to alter this. For example in softer snow it may be better to distribute more weight to the rear of the pulk but always start with a nice even distribution.
Food & Fuel In an extreme environment like the North Pole food and fuel keep you alive. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep food and fuel supplies apart in your pulk as much as possible. Fuel is toxic. It could contaminate your food supplies rendering them inedible. Keeping these apart and stored safely ensures that no matter what happens you will have food to eat! Place your food in waterproof dry bags to prevent contamination. If you are unfortunate to be in a situation where you have a suspected fuel leak, it is very important to remember that at extreme temperatures fuel will cause almost instant frostbite on contact with exposed skin – be careful!
Packing High or Low? Making sure that the equipment in your pulk is not stacked too high can make a considerable difference. High, lateral or katabatic winds make travel difficult in a Polar environment. Objects are less affected by the wind if their profile is lower. This reduces the surface area the wind can affect – removing the sail effect.
Be Wise! The last tip we will leave you with is the most obvious and often most neglected of all – pack it wisely! Make sure that your most frequently used items are easily accessible! Every time you stop the heat that your body has worked incredibly hard to generate begins to dissipate – the longer you spend stationary the colder you become. Packing your pulk wisely means you spend less time looking for kit and more time enjoying your breaks! Whilst taking your break – if you’re using your pulk as a seat remember; don’t sit on anything and break it!
We hope that this skills lesson was useful and that you have a good idea about how to pack your pulk for your next big adventure! Always remember – practise makes perfect!
Good luck!
Posted in Extreme Races | 2012. Lake Baikal | John Campbell | Training | No Comments
01 July 2011 at 09:43
This month, John Campbell, EWR’s master of all things concerning the mind will impart some wisdom on how to keep yourself from unravelling in an extreme environment! The nature of Polar racing places one under intense mental and physical pressure – so the more one understands the more in control we can be.
People have found it helpful to understand a little about our three levels of mind:
The conscious mind is the part we all know about. It’s, as it implies, the thoughts we have of which we are conscious. ‘I must get out of bed now’, or ‘I don’t feel like getting out of bed now’ or ‘I must put petrol in my car today’. All those things we do consciously as a result of conscious thought. The conscious mind is very limited and can only handle around seven bits of information a minute. The sub-conscious mind takes in every single piece of information which you are exposed to. This can be a blessing or a curse – it all depends whether or not you are selective with what you listen to, what you read and what you watch – and in whose energy you choose to subject yourself.
The Law of Attraction is always working in our lives. This Law is as scientific as The Law of Gravity. It is a Universal Law which states ‘That to which we place our attention – we will automatically attract into our lives’.
Our subconscious mind has no sense of humour, takes everything it receives literally and works with pictures. It is also incapable of processing any negatives. So if you tell someone ‘don’t drink too much water while you are doing the race’ – the subconscious mind will only process ‘drink too much water while you are doing the race’ and mysteriously you will find yourself drinking more water than you need. It’s important that people realise it is their sub-conscious mind which is running their lives – not their conscious minds.
The great news about this is that we can programme this part of our mind just as we programme our computers. If we bombard our mind with images, talk, reading material of what we want – and make sure we avoid doing the same about things we don’t want – eventually we will attract these wanted things into our lives.
So the more you can practice focussing on your good health, your supreme fitness and your successful completion of the race – the more likely that you will complete the race in great health. It is also crucial that you focus only on your own performance and not on ‘beating’ someone else or some other team. The more you can develop a focus only on you and your team’s performance without comparing it to others – the more energy you will conserve. The more energy you conserve, the more likely you are to complete the race in good shape.
Good Luck!
Posted in Extreme Headlines | Extreme Races | About EWR | John Campbell | No Comments
05 February 2011 at 20:22
This is the second part of an interview with Mind Coach John Campbell. John explains how he feels personal development can not only benefit those seeking to excel in endurance tests but also the wider world. If you haven't read that first part of the interview with John, check it out now.
EWR: If I understand correctly, John, you said at the start of our interview that every one of us has the potential to achieve perfection. How would you define perfection?
John Campbell: I think 'perfection' is a difficult concept to define. Perhaps a simpler way to describe it would be a 'sense of feeling completely OK with oneself', regardless of what our outer situation may look like and regardless of what others think of us. I don't think we have to 'do' anything to achieve perfection. It's more a case of removing the blocks and uncovering something innate. That's what is meant by 'knowing who we truly are'.
- Towing icebergs off St. John's - John's driving the boat!
EWR: Is it possible to recognise perfection in others if we're not perfect ourselves?
JC: I think it's really the other way around. As we see the perfection in others, we'll feel and recognise it in ourselves. Each of us is, after all, a 'mirror' to the other. As you see others, so you will see yourself. That is why judgement of others is so harmful to the one doing the judging - you.
EWR: With such potential inherent in all of us, why is it so rare to encounter someone who has fulfilled this potential?
JC: But who can be the judge of another's 'potential'? If that person is very peaceful and perfectly satisfied with who they are, then who are we to decide that they have not fulfilled their potential? There are many amazing achievers in many different fields who are not at peace with themselves and continue to feel that there is something 'missing' from their lives.
Similarly, there are many people who live simple lives and don't appear to be 'doing' much but who have a deep sense of calm and peace, regardless of what is going on in their lives or in the world in general. The latter example could well be considered to be someone who has reached an ultimate potential. So I believe potential can be measured in many different ways.
EWR: Is it time we replaced religious education in the school curriculum with a spiritual growth aspect? Should we be teaching our children how to awaken their spiritual and emotional talents as well as how to pass exams?
JC: This is a subject very close to my heart because I firmly believe that if we want to see a change for the better in the world then we need to start with education. How we prepare our children for adulthood is, I believe, the single most important task adults can ever undertake.
My belief is that we should be teaching our children HOW to think rather thanWHAT to think. I definitely believe that a spiritual teaching in schools would be far better received than a teaching of religious dogma. A daily practice of simple meditation would allow youngsters to experience the benefits of meditation. We could then teach them about the power of their thoughts and to focus on their strengths and not their weaknesses - a lesson teachers themselves would do well to understand and practice.
Anyone who shares a belief in changing our education system may be inspired by the books of Alfie Kohn. He has written a number of excellent books explaining how damaging some of our existing educational practices are to the future lives of our children.
EWR: We seem to be entering a period of dramatic changes. We've seen the events in Tunisia and Egypt recently, where long-standing dictatorships have been toppled or severely weakened. In the UK we're facing a prolonged period of austerity with major job losses and cuts in public services, including some fundamental parts of our liberal heritage, such as libraries. The living standards of many will fall. Is this a time to turn to inner strengths and to grow or to look to political action?
JC: I do believe that we are going to experience major incidents throughout every sector of society in the next few years. Many people will have heard of various references to the year 2012 and the so-called 'end of the world'. Well I think you can all relax as I believe that prediction refers to the end of the world as we have known it until now. It is clear from the state of the world that the way things have been run until now doesn't work. We have witnessed the collapse of several financial institutions and I can see a completely new economic structure emerging which will be far more equitable.
Let me make myself very clear here. There is absolutely nothing wrong with companies making profits - that is essential for any company to survive. What will definitely change is that companies who place the need for profit before concerns for their fellow beings will struggle. There is a shift in global consciousness and no one will be immune. What is happening is that an increasing number of people understand the interconnectedness of all the peoples of the world. What affects others, affects ourselves and there is a shift in energy from a fear-based consciousness to a love-based consciousness.
We will also see the gradual breakdown (unless they voluntarily elect to change) of any institutions which are fear based. This will include an educational system which concentrates on coercing students to study many subjects in which they have absolutely no interest, whilst at the same time depriving them of the right to pursue creative interests to which they are far more suited. We are also witnessing the breakdown of the Catholic Church, especially in Ireland, where people are now really questioning the truth about the dogma which has been fed them for so long.
So, yes, you are right when you say we are entering into a period of dramatic changes. So hold on tight and enjoy the ride!
EWR: Well, it looks like 2012 is obviously not going to be a time for the faint-hearted. Finally, to bring things back to the coaching you're doing for extreme events, what is the single most important difference between trying to achieve inner growth and developing the mental strength required to tackle an event such as the EWR Centenary Race to the South Pole? Or is it simply a question of degree? If your predictions for the future are on the nail, it sounds like we will need some capacity for extreme endurance.
JC: I think the two are very closely linked. Mental strength as you refer to it is, I believe, the ability to control the mind and to keep the mind focussed on our inner being as opposed to our body. If we can do this we automatically raise our vibration (we are vibrational beings) and by so doing we can become less affected by external conditions of any type.
Inner growth is practicing that same discipline - keeping our focus on our inner being rather than our body. One of the surest ways of achieving this balance is by the practice of meditation. Meditation is a superb practice for strengthening our mind, body and spirit. It is so beneficial that our ego does not like us to do this as by so doing we slowly defeat the ego mind and it does not like that.
There are many types of meditation and Yoga can be a great form of this practice. I don't think it's a coincedence that the Manchester United player, Ryan Giggs, is still performing at the highest levels of the Premier League at the age of 38 years. He is an avid student of Yoga and meditation and I believe we will see many more pro sportsmen and women using this practice. I know some of the participants in the EWR teams also engage in Yoga - more power to them.
EWR: Once again, John, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and wisdom. I look forward to reading more in your guest posts.
Tags: mind training | john campbell
Posted in Extreme Headlines | John Campbell | No Comments
02 January 2011 at 10:31
Here's another post from our guest blogger John Campbell. John knows what he's talking about when it comes to teams, as he has a formidable success rate working with sports teams.
Hi there. As we head into a New Year, it’s a great time to consider the importance of the team structures in all sporting and working environments. How can we extract the maximum potential from our team?
Everything in our Universe is formed in ‘systems’. Like all humans, I have a nervous system, a circulatory system, a cellular system, a respiratory system - and all these come together to form what, in my case, is known as John Campbell. Then I belong to a family system, a cultural system, a country system, a religious system, and then finally a universe or cosmic system. So, whatever we are dealing with - from the microcosmic to the macrocosmic - we will always find ‘systems’.
Bring The Family
The interesting is, that when we consider group or team structures, we notice that our family system is often unconsciously replayed or recreated in our work or group systems and we often find similar challenges in our team work that we experienced in our family of origin. We might start to notice that certain members of our team unconsciously ‘trigger’ some of our childhood memories and we can find ourselves developing coping strategies to avoid any conflict we may have experienced in our past.
Just as in any family system, the most important relationship is the relationship between the two parents. The essential ingredient in that relationship is the ‘chemistry’ between the parents and in any group or team work there needs to be ‘chemistry’ within the group. Chemistry is somewhat difficult to define, as it is not something which can be learned or introduced: it is an intangible connection between the various members which creates a powerful and enduring bond - essential when tough times are experienced.
Smells Like Team Spirit
If you examine the most successful sporting teams in any field of sport you will always find that the ones who have this type of chemistry - and thus ‘spirit’ - within the group are the teams who seem to be able to perform at their highest level over a prolonged time. Consider this in the world of professional football: despite the massive amounts of money spent by teams like Chelsea and, latterly, Manchester City, they seem unable to create the kind of ‘spirit’ created in teams who have developed a ‘family’ type of atmosphere where the Coach and Chief Executive have a great working relationship resulting from a ‘chemistry’ between them.
In a small team environment, therefore, it is even more essential to be looking for that ‘chemistry’ between the members. Its presence is essential as this is what will provide the mutual support during the challenging times ahead. So it is a great idea for teams to engage in activities that can deepen the bond between the members. There are numerous activities which can create this, even in a short period of time, and I can recommend these to anyone who is interested.
The most important ingredient required in any team is mutual trust. Again, this can be developed and deepened by doing certain exercises within the group - and this can also be a lot of fun!
Play To Your Strengths
I believe that it's also essential to discover the particular strengths and weaknesses of each team member. You also need to know what each member likes to do and what they don’t like to do. This way, you can ensure that these likes and dislikes are balanced across the team. I find that it is completely counter-productive to attempt to get people to do anything which they do not have an interest in doing: it saps the energy of the individual and, ultimately, the group in which they are working. The negative energy created physically and mentally weakens the individual and, therefore, the whole group.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year. 2011 promises to be another year of huge growth in the awakening of human consciousness. It may prove difficult for those who are not ready to embrace change - for massive change is what we will experience. We can either embrace this change and go with it - surrender - or resist and feel the consequences! Enjoy the ride.
John Campbell
‘Inspiration rather than Motivation’
Tags: john campbell | team spirit
Posted in Extreme Headlines | Training | John Campbell | No Comments
20 November 2010 at 12:07
John Campbell is a guest blogger at EWR and also acts as a coach for Frank Runge, who will be competing in the EWR Centenary Race to the South Pole in 2011. We fired these questions to John just before he headed off recently on trip to Canada.
EWR: How do you label what you are and what you do? Mind coach? Guru? Spiritual advisor? Do you need to change the label according to circumstances?
JOHN: Interestingly, this is always a puzzler for me. The reason being that they all describe what I do at various times so it is difficult to decide on a 'label' for that very reason - I find that it helps to change the label depending on the group or individual I'm working with. I don't feel comfortable with the label of 'Guru' as it could have a connotation of a cult leader. All my teaching comes from my belief that the only real 'Guru' is the person themselves. I always hold the belief that everyone has perfection within them and my role is purely to act as a guide to stand beside them as they find that place.
There is definitely a strong spiritual element in my work but I always explain that Spirituality has nothing to do with organised religion. I take no stand on religion and honour those of all faiths and those of no faith and my work is compatible with any or no religious beliefs. We are ALL spiritual beings having a human experience and I believe that our journey is to heighten our awareness of our emotions and thoughts and understand what triggers these emotions and aim for a place of equanimity by purifying our minds. By achieving this we can maximise our energy and therefore improve our performance and mental, physical and emotional health.
EWR: Your profession is not one with a well-defined career path. How did you arrive where you are now?
JOHN: Like many people who become involved in this type of work - I started my journey from a place of seeming 'problems'. My drinking had reached a stage that, although I was seemingly functioning at a high level and running my own oil and shipping business, I was masking many demons with the alcohol. Eventually the drink was no longer able to hide the emotional pain I was in and I reached a 'rock bottom' when my business started to crumble. Nothing seemed to 'fix' it. no matter how much money I threw at the problems - they just kept getting worse.
I realise now that it was my 'time' to begin my waking up process. This began by me admitting myself into a rehab centre in Weston Super Mare called Broadway Lodge. This was after a seemingly strange call from an old drinking buddy who I hadn't heard from for over 15 years. He called out of the blue and we met for lunch. He told me his story of how he had been into treatment at Broadway Lodge ten years previously and it had changed his life beyond all recognition. Of course I was not interested to listen to all this as I was still in the throws of drinking. However when I was ill a few years later I had a strange inner feeling to call him. When I did so and told him I thought I had a drink problem he amazed me by laughing and telling me he knew one day I would call him. So I took his advice and made the call and spent 7 very tough weeks in treatment and it was the start of my new life.
After coming out of treatment I began studying the mind and trained as a hypnotherapist and NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner. I attended numerous courses involving personal development and eventually spiritual healing. I trained as a Counsellor and began helping people who were seeking change in their lives in various ways. I had been Vice Chairman of Brighton FC for ten years and was very privileged to work doing mind training with their under 17's and under 18's. I am still very passionate about football and enjoyed that involvement.
EWR: Do you see evidence that attitudes towards what can be termed personal growth are changing, especially in the UK? Is 'spiritual' a word that still causes negative responses?
JOHN: Yes, definitely. There is an explosion of interest in Personal Development and matters spiritual. One only has to observe the traditional high street book shops like WH Smith. When I first got involved in 1997 the Mind Body Spirit section was non existent in WH Smith and I had to go to book shops like Waterstones and Ottakers or go online at Amazon if I wanted to buy some titles in this field. Now every book shop has an extensive MBS section and everywhere people are turning to holistic healing methods.
As regards the term 'spiritual' - I think it has become far more understood now to be not connected to religion. Previously many people confused the two but now with the power of the media and with spiritual matters coming into Hollywood (look at the success of the movie 'Eat, Pray, Love' - the book has sold over ten million copies) and also the Harry Potter phenomena, more and more people are beginning to ask the question 'why am I here?' and 'there must be something more'. This normally marks the start of an individual's journey of awakening to the Truth of who they really are. I believe that each individual's time of awakening is pre-programmed in their minds and they get little signs when their time has come. If they heed those signs and start to make changes from looking outside to looking inside themselves for the peace and joy they have been searching - then the awakening process can be relatively smooth - unfortunately many people find they are so attached the physical world that they don't want to find a different way and then 'life' has to shake them up in some way or other - as in my own case.
EWR: How essential is teaching others for your own personal growth? Is a vital part of growth the sharing of the message itself?
JOHN: Yes indeed. We can only keep what we give away and teach for the purpose of deepening our own learning. I am constantly aware that my teaching is always a two way process which keeps my feet on the ground and helps me avoid getting into the pseudo 'Guru' role. I'm very aware of the need to avoid the trap of putting spiritual teachers on pedestals. Real teachers would never encourage that. I'm also very strict with myself about keeping myself in good spiritual health by meditating and adhering to my own chosen practices.
EWR: If you had to pick just one way in which your life has changed dramatically as a result of of the work you've done on yourself, what would it be?
JOHN: My ability to stay calm and equanimous regardless of what may be happening in my outer world is the greatest benefit. Also to be able to be non-judgmental most of the time and have compassion for others who maybe 'acting out' from a place of fear. Obviously I am human and can still be triggered by some things but they are fewer and fewer and I am getting better at more quickly remembering to choose peace over condemnation.
EWR: Thanks, John, for being so open and honest. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you in the next part of our interview.
Watch out for the second part of this interview with John Campbell towards the end of the month.
Tags: mind training | john campbell
Posted in Extreme Headlines | Training | John Campbell | No Comments
03 November 2010 at 07:55
Here's the second in John Campbell's series of weekly posts for us. John is the author of “The Secret of Intimate Relationships” and his website isWiseOwlSecrets.com. He's also coaching EWR's Frank Runge in preparation for the EWR Centenary Race to the South Pole in 2011.
Hi there. I trust you all had an amazing week and are starting to become aware of the words you speak! I’d like to start by offering you the following quotation about our beliefs:
You experience what you believe, unless you believe you won't, in which case you don’t, which means you did!
Now, I invite you to take some time and let that little chestnut permeate your consciousness. At first glance, it might seem like a ‘conscious mind’ scrambler – which, after all is the object of the exercise. When we scramble our conscious mind we can access our true potential by connecting with our intuition (aka INNER TEACHER)! That’s when we get ‘in the flow’.
It took me a while to really understand the power of this statement about our beliefs and it was the catalyst to many positive changes. You may find you are in fits of laughter when it sinks in because the simplicity of the truth is always very amusing.
How Does This Information Help Us?
Once we accept this concept and understand that beliefs are ‘created’ - and can therefore be ‘un-created’ if they do not serve our ultimate good - we can then create new beliefs which better serve our needs.
In last week’s post I made a statement that ‘Extreme environments place extreme pressures on the minds of even the most highly trained and physically conditioned humans’. As I was preparing for this week’s post about beliefs, I re-read that piece and realised that it was technically incorrect. A more correct statement would be:
The beliefs about extreme environments will determine what pressures will be placed on the minds of even the most highly trained and physically conditioned humans.
Let me ask you this; how might it benefit you when undertaking any act of physical endurance if you were to believe that your body is actually neutral – that it doesn’t feel or experience anything OTHER than what your mind is telling it? Would that be a powerful belief and a great asset when engaged in an Extreme World Races event?
- Approach obstacles confident of success
I do my best to ensure I allow only positive news stories into my consciousness and last week I sat, enthralled, witnessing the Sky News live coverage of the evacuation of the Chilean miners. What struck me most was when one of the guys - who was clearly a major influence on the others - said, ‘I always kept believing that we would ALL get out alive and in good condition’.
Then when he climbed out of the ‘cage’, he ran up to the cheering crowd punching the air with such great energy that one could be forgiven for thinking that he had just won some major sporting event. This man clearly was in touch with the power of his mind. He would be a great team member on any Polar race!
Dawning Of A New Era
We're entering a period of human evolution which is truly going to blow away many of our old conditioned beliefs. Everywhere people are beginning to question the limitations which they and others have placed on themselves and they are beginning to question reality as it has hitherto been portrayed.
It is interesting to witness the emotions which can be evoked when these previously unfamiliar ideas are first considered. Some people become angry at the ideas because it is questioning millennia of limiting pre-conditioning.
In 2003, Sir Paul McCartney - arguably one of the most successful and wealthiest men in the world - went to the Thames site of the American mind control expert, David Blaine. McCartney became incandescent with rage and allegedly attacked a photographer who was photographing him screaming obscenities at Blaine in his box, where he had been without food for 44 days!
What could motivate someone like McCartney to such levels of anger? Simply because his conditioned beliefs were being challenged. Our ego (id) has an investment in keeping us limited and in believing that ‘we believe what we see’, NOT ‘we will see what we believe’. So it could be interesting to become aware of any emotions which you may experience when exploring any new ideas and make a note of them.
To end this week, I would like you to start recording some of your beliefs about life situations and, without judging yourself, see which of these beliefs are life limiting and life enhancing. You could also begin noticing the connections between your thoughts and your emotions. When you think a certain thought, how does it feel? Does it feel peaceful or disturbing, for instance? Then see if you can feel the effect on your physical energy as a result.
I wish you all an amazingly powerful week ahead.
Thought for the week: ‘It takes great learning to understand that all things, events, encounters and circumstances are helpful'
John Campbell
‘Inspiration rather than Motivation’
Tags: extreme world races | law of attraction | john campbell | training
Posted in Extreme Headlines | The Human Races | 2011. Race to the Pole. Scott v Amundsen Centenary | John Campbell | No Comments
25 October 2010 at 06:18
We've invited John Campbell, author of “The Secret of Intimate Relationships', to contribute a weekly guest post to the EWR site. John is a recognised expert in using advanced mind techniques to influence outcomes. He's also coaching EWR's very own Frank Runge ahead of Frank's participation in the EWR Centenary Race to the South Pole.
Most people engaged in any kind of endurance activities or professional sports have some understanding of the power of their minds and the impact the mind can have on their performance.
Few, however, are truly aware just how powerful their thought patterns are at every given moment and how crucial it is to master control of these thoughts if they are to achieve the outcomes they desire.
There is no such thing as an idle thought or, for that matter, an idle word. Every thought we think and every word we speak has a powerful impact on our actions and the actions of those with whom we interact.
Thoughts Become Outcomes
These principles are not simply my personal take on things. They are actually Universal Laws – no different to the Law of Gravity – and the most pertinent law we need to understand fully if we are to harness the power within us is The Law of Attraction.
The Law of Attraction, in its most simplified form, states ‘that which is liken to itself is drawn’. This translates as ‘what you focus on is what you will attract into your life’. In the coming weeks, I'll use my guest posts here to explore how we can use this knowledge and a deeper understanding of these principles to enhance our performance in every area of our lives.
I will invite you to practice simple exercises. To start with, these will help you raise your awareness of the language you use. We'll start with our language because our words are audible and, therefore, more easily monitored. Once we are aware of our spoken words and begin to change them to our advantage, we can then move on to our silent thoughts – which are the most powerful tools we have in our make up.
I'm sure you'll agree that, if we were able to harness 30%+ more energy, the likelihood of improving our performance in something would increase proportionately. If that seems logical, you can see that it would be an advantage to know how we can tap into this extra energy.
Focus The Mind
It's my firm belief that the top achievers in the world today are those who consciously study and commit to training their minds. Not just in their particular field of endeavour but in every moment of their lives. They make these practices their primary focus.
In 2004, I worked for a year with two youth professional football teams of under 18’s and under 17’s, using these principles. The first thing I needed to do was win over their coach, as these principles were totally new to him. This was a professional League club and I saw that these ideas were new and unfamiliar even in areas of professional sports psychology.
By using muscle testing techniques they were able to experience directly how different thoughts impacted their physical energy. Feeling the thoughts make physical changes in their bodies was a great way for them to be convinced of the power of thought and then to learn how to influence their physical responses. At the end of that season, both sides topped their respective division and won their leagues!
Parachute Mind
Extreme environments place extreme pressures on the minds of even the most highly trained and physically conditioned humans. If, however, we were to deepen our understanding of the principle that our thoughts have the ability to alter the molecular structure of our bodies, would that motivate us to commit to taking control of our thoughts?
The people who are best equipped to withstand, and even flourish, in these extreme conditions are those who are prepared to ‘change their mind’. Are you willing to open your mind to some breath-taking new ideas? Remember that the mind is like a parachute – it only works properly when it's fully open! And if you're not yet willing, how about just be ‘willing to become willing’? That’s all that’s needed to create positive change.
Thought for the week: ‘If you change the way you see things, the things you see will change.'
I look forward to sharing with you again.
John Campbell
‘Inspiration rather than Motivation’
Tags: law of attraction | mind training | john campbell
Posted in Extreme Headlines | The Human Races | 2011. Race to the Pole. Scott v Amundsen Centenary | Extreme Races | Training | John Campbell | No Comments
