It's just none of my business what you think of me!....

Today, if I feel like it, I intend to  go out wearing something my fiveyearold daughters might have chosen - even if it makes me look as if I'm auditioning for a post as a clown.

What other people think of me is really not my concern - it is entirely up to them, not my business. My business is to 100% experience myself and my own life, in this vibrantly alive universe. How on earth can I expect to be in good contact with my own spirit, if I'm busy angsting over how that spirit - my soul  - will look to other people, if I'm preoccupied by how I'll be perceived as a 'soul-conscious person'?  That's just SO up myself!

When I get lost in worrying about what other people might think, I spend all my time attempting to manage what I imagine they might be thinking... whether they are thinking it or not.  My mum used to say sagely, 'you wouldn't worry half as much about what people thought of you, if you knew just how rarely they did'.

As someone with a natural tendency to self-absorption, the opinions of others can rule me if I let them. In fact, fear of them robs me of my very direction in life. They can keep me from living as I might like to live. But they don't have to.....The opinions of others belong to them, and that's where they should stay.


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What an absolutely blindingly exciting time to be alive!

...albeit a tad scary too.

I'm trying to stay tuned in to the massive amounts of creative and spiritual energy that can be seen and sensed all around us right now. It feels to me as if we're a world in the middle of a great cleansing - the walls that once threatened to divide people forever are falling, repressive nations and states are being proved to be no longer viable, the evils that people do to one another are out in the open where their darkness can be bleached by the sun.

It's just great. People's creativity is everywhere in evidence. Is it just me, or is the spirit of this age changing things on the level of person, community, country and world? Everywhere I look, people are coming into the awareness of soul and self - I've heard it called 'conscious living', and that goes some way to describiing it.  It makes me want to join this call to revolution, this new and joyful battle against evil fought first in the confines of the heart and next in the world at large.

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Today my project is - to stop trying to run the show!

Attempting to control the outcome of events does nothing more than set me up for disappointment!

By this I mean that it crystallises my expectations in a single direction  - with the result that I miss all the living in between. It makes me want to manage people and events in such a way that they can't do anything to threaten my idea of how things should to go.

When I try and manipulate or manage people, I set up a tension in the dynamic between us. I make events in my mind more important than the people who are participating in them. I drain myself, other people and situations of their spontaneity, and this in turn inhibits all of our connections with spirit and soul. Creativity and spontaneity have to have a free run to flow in and out of my time and space, so's they can breathe life and energy onto the stage of my life.

So today I'm going to keep reminding myself to let go of my need to control outcomes; in fact I'm gouing to try and not even be invested in those outcomes. I'm just going to enjoy doing the next right thing on the journey.

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.
Epictetus

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Solving today

Solving Today

I only need to solve today's problems today.

How much of precious time and energy do I spend trying to "solve my life" months and years hence? Quite a lot, that's how much!

But whilst it IS important that I do some forward thinking - for example, that I live prudently and intelligently so as plan responsibly for my future, and that of my lovely daughters, it's equally important that I recognise this truth: that today well-lived is the foundation upon which I build my tomorrows.

The life I am so busy planning and worrying about will, in all likelihood, not be as I'm imagining it. I will have forgotten something (quite possible), or an unforeseen circumstance will alter my plan (very probable!).  After all - did I know ten years ago that this is what I would be doing now?

If only I can train myself to let go of the constant low level of anxiety I nurture, about my unknown future, I know that today will feel longer, deeper and less complicated. I can only solve today - it is the only time that is actually within my reach.

So today's project is, to live in the present moment as fully as I can.

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Major currencies were in consolidation mode overnight, drifting sideways in narrow ranges against the US Dollar, as another lacklustre set of economic data gave traders an opportunity to digest the recent volatility. A similarly uneventful set of scheduled risk events in European trading hours put the spotlight on the speaking docket today, as a series of European Central Bank officials take to the wires. The Australian and New Zealand Dollars narrowly outperformed, as periphery Euro zone yields corrected to modestly lower levels - triggering mild relief in traders' risk aversion. Traders will be mainly focussing on from ECB President Mario Draghi and German Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann, and they'll be hunting for guidance on the evolution of the central bank’s position on taking up the role of a true lender of last resort for the Eurozone. The markets have been pining for this, in the hope that policymakers will openly offer a backstop for debt-strapped members of the currency bloc by pledging to use the strength of their balances in an effectively-unlimited capacity, to purchase bonds and cap sovereign yields. Such an action would buy afflicted Eurozone member states the time they need to reform their budgets and implement austerity measures. The ECB has leaned on its narrow mandate to provide price stability as a way to avoid outright QE so far. Investors are thus keen to get a reading on the degree of pain that bond markets will have to inflict on Eurozone sovereigns, before the monetary authority will begrudgingly step into the breach. With that in mind, Mr. Draghi’s comments ought to be very potent, as they'll presumably represent the position of the bank as a whole. Any noticeably stark contrasts between his position and that of Mr. Weidmann – an ardent critic of ECB intervention into bond markets – will be interesting to monitor, in that it'll reveal any widening of the already-emerging rift between Germany and the remainder of the currency bloc. Needless to say, any indication that the ECB is inching closer toward a more aggressive support role would naturally prove supportive for the Euro, as well as for risk appetite at large, weighing on the USD against its sentiment-linked counterparts. Alternatively, a clear message ruling out more forceful actions from the central bank - or hints that the subject is fanning the flames of dissent among officials - is likely to have the opposite effect.

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Engagement

Ooh. Well, that 'activism' riff seemed to make the day go quiite well, think I'll keep it up....and build on it.....so, I will engage in the process of living today.

Thinking about life is not living it. Jane Austen referred in her writing to "the healing waters of action", and she wasn't wrong. Participation in living is the key to feeling a part of the world, valuable, seen, heard and known.

When I withdraw from the world, I withdraw from what nourishes my soul - because the world is of the spirit, not just the physical. Being a part of the process of living is what comprises being, and growing, with spirit.

The many precious times I have of of quiet, and meditation, are not examples of my dropping out of life - rather, they are me dropping into it, contacting it at a deeper level. Withdrawing or hiding would, of coruse, be altogether different - they're my  fear-based actions and all too easy for me to slip into!

But participation, hmmmm...... yes. Participation is forward-moving and interactive. It gives my life a lovely feeling of buoyancy and purpose.

I will engage fully in my day today in whatever it is that I do. I will be a participator!

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The USD Extends Its Rally on European Contagion Concerns

The USD extends this week's strong rally, as markets' focus is back on the contagion risks of the European debt crisis. Italian Prime Minister designate Monti will unveil his cabinet today, but markets seem to be quite unconvinced by his appointment so far. There are still concerns as to how Monti might overcome the current debt and fiscal problems. Italian 10-year yields broke above the unsustainable 7% yesterday, while 5-year CDs made new a high above 600bps. The worry over contagion also pushed German bund spreads with Spain, Belgium, Austria and even France to new euro-era records. The main focus will now turn to Spain and France’s bond auctions. Spain is scheduled to auction EUR 4bn of 2022 bonds today, while France will sell notes maturing 2013 to 2016 tomorrow.

Technically, the USD index's break of the 78.16 resistance level has confirmed a resumption of its recent rise from 78.16, and the index could now move towards the 80 psychological level in the near term. A similar picture is seen in EUR/USD, where a break of the 1.3483 support confirms the resumption of the near-term fall, and could pave the way to a low of 1.3145. EUR/JPY's fall has also accelerated to as low as 103.45 thus far. The AUD and CAD also edged lower against the USD, but momentum is weak so far. Markets' main focus remains more on the selling of European majors against the USD and YEN.

In respect of the YEN, the Bank of Japan has left rates unchanged at 0-0.1% today (as we expected).  Its asset buying size was also left unchanged at JPY 20 trillion. The bank downgraded its economic assessment, noting that economic activity has picked up "at a more moderate pace" because of the slowdown in overseas economies. The bank warned that the European debt crisis could result in weaker growth in the "global economy, particularly through its effects on global financial markets". And, Japan is facing an "adverse effect" from the global slowdown, the Yen’s strength and the impact of Thailand's flood. Meanwhile, I don’t expect Japan to emerge from this deflationary period before the end of fiscal 2013.

Looking ahead, UK jobs data and Eurozone inflation will be released in the European session. But the main focus will be on the Bank of England inflation report. From the US, CPI, TIC capital flow, industrial production and NAHB housing market index data will be featured.

Economic Indicators Out Today

GMT	Ccy	Events	Actual	Consensus	Previous	Revised
23:30	AUD	Westpac Leading Index M/M Sep	-0.30%		0.80%	0.70%
4:15	JPY	BoJ Rate Decision	0.10%	0.10%	0.10%
9:30	GBP	Jobless Claims Change Oct		21.0K	17.5K
9:30	GBP	Claimant Count Rate Oct		5.10%	5.00%
9:30	GBP	ILO Unemployment Rate 3M Sep		8.20%	8.10%
10:00	EUR	Eurozone CPI M/M Oct F		0.30%	0.80%
10:00	EUR	Eurozone CPI Y/Y Oct F		3.00%	3.00%
10:00	EUR	Eurozone CPI - Core Y/Y Oct		1.60%	1.60%
10:30	GBP	BoE Inflation Report
13:30	USD	CPI M/M Oct		0.00%	0.30%
13:30	USD	CPI Y/Y Oct		3.60%	3.90%
13:30	USD	CPI Core M/M Oct		0.10%	0.10%
13:30	USD	CPI Core Y/Y Oct		2.10%	2.00%
14:00	USD	Net Long-term TIC Flows Sep		63.4B	57.9B
14:15	USD	Industrial Production Oct		0.40%	0.20%
14:15	USD	Capacity Utilization Oct		77.70%	77.40%
15:00	USD	NAHB Housing Market Index Nov		17	18
15:30	USD	Crude Oil Inventories		-1.3M	-1.4M

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Today I'm going to be an 'activist' in respect of my own life!

Constructive Activity

OK: activism has its place in popular uprisings, it does. But my mission today is to start closer to home - protesting against  inertia  and sloth in myself! By which I simply mean I'm going to do something constructive with my day......

Sitting back and watching it disappear won't generate me any good feelings about myself, when I eventually lay my head down on my pillow tonight. There's always SOMETHING constructive I can do in any given day, so today I'll get stuck in - not procrastinate - roll my sleeves up!

It might be only little: I may clean out a cupboard, write someone a letter (ooh! longhand - there's a blast from the past!), get some exercise or take on a new project. Whatever it is, I'm starting now.

Constructive activity creates a pathway for the soul, and it builds strength and positivity. I can get a goodly dose of self-esteem from feeling myself to be a useful and valuable person. When I don't do anything constructive in my day, I rob myself of that important source of self-confidence and self-competence; then I'm prey to negative influences....and we all know where THAT gets me! 

If I want to feel like a useful, vital person, I will need to step up and act like one.

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Project for the day - to see, not seek.

Today's little job-ette (which I'm setting myself) is this. 

I'm going to try and look forward to, and appreciate, the beauty and meaning that's in simple, everyday life situations.

I know - because it's blindingly obvious when I can be bothered to realise it - that this world is extraordinary. The problem is, I've a tendency to take it for granted. The miracle of life (and that I'm alive), of the sea, the skies, the beauty of a sunset of flowers and trees -  all these surround me on a daily basis, but I have my head so far up my own rearend that I often walk right by them as if they contained no mystery or magic.

If I want to see something amazing, today I'll start looking right where I am. From this moment on (just for today....) I'm going to practice seeing rather than searching. It is all right here. It always was - this dimbo just needs to recognize it.

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H2Oil – the movie – Nov 18, 7.30pm for 8.00 at Java Lounge!!

H2Oil – the movie – Nov 18, 7.30pm for 8.00 at Java Lounge.

Independent Cinema, in conjunction with the Co-Operative, is pleased to be screening H2Oil – a ‘story of discovery, heartbreak and politicization’. This is the 4^th screening in Independent Cinema’s season of free events, and we’re very grateful to the Co-Operative for sponsoring the license fee to allow us to show this important film – which has been chosen to tie in with their terrific Street Gallery, showing now on  North Quay. If you haven’t yet been down to see this, it’s well worth the visit – amazing and quite affecting photos of the ways in which the exploitation of Canada’s tar sands, in the pursuit of oil, is wreaking havoc on the local and wider environment .    It’s entitled ‘Tarnished Earth’, and with good reason.

It’s free to come along and join us on the evening, but if you’re happy and able to drop a donation in the bucket, all proceeds will be going to the One World Centre (see below).

H2Oil: the movie. Ever wondered where America gets most of its oil? If you thought it was Saudi Arabia or Iraq you are wrong. America’s biggest oil supplier has quickly become Canada’s oil sands. Located under Alberta’s pristine boreal forests, the process of oil sands extraction uses up to 4 barrels of fresh water to produce only one barrel of crude oil.  It goes without saying that water — its depletion, exploitation, privatization and contamination — has become the most important issue to face humanity in this century. At the same time, the war for oil is well underway across the globe. A struggle is increasingly being fought between water and oil, not only over them.   Alberta’s oil sands are at the centre of this tension. As the province rushes towards a large-scale extraction, the social, ecological and human impacts are hitting a crisis point. In only a few short years the continent will be a crisscross of pipelines, reaching from the arctic all the way to the southern US, leaving toxic water basins the size of Lake Ontario, and surface-mines as large as Florida. 

H2Oil follows a voyage of discovery, heartbreak and politicization in the stories of those attempting to defend water in Alberta against tar sands expansion. Unlikely alliances are built and lives are changed as they come up against the largest industrial project in human history. Ultimately this great film asks - what is more important, oil or water? And what will be the response?    With hope and courage H2Oil tells the story of one of the most significant, and destructive projects of our time.

Independent Cinema is an occasional film group, showing films and other content which carries a message consistent with that of the One World Centre (http://www.oneworldcentreiom.org/). The events are free, but we will have the collecting buckets out for the OWC so if you’re able to make a donation, no matter how small, we’ll be very grateful.  We're deeply indebted to the lovely chaps at the Java Lounge, Daniel Aziz and Keong Cheung, for accommodating us.

The films are generally run fortnightly - watch this space or join our FaceBook group at https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/137471329684691/ for the schedule of future screenings.

Comfy sofas, great coffee and inspiring films – how great is that?

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My plan today is not to hide from difficult feelings. Let's see how THAT one goes!

If I'm struggling - fearful, anxious, guilty, resentful - I manage considerable better if I "own" the feeling. And if I'm afraid, that fear is somehow diminished if I admit to it rather than try and hide it.

Experiencing - sitting inside - my own fear can sometimes make me so fraught and  anxious that I try to pretend it's not actually there. This is when I get into trouble, though -  for example, it used to be when I'd look for crutches such as alcohol to hold me up.

Nowadays I use less risky crutches, such as a good grumble to a pal or a piece of stonkingly good chocolate, a great film and a roaring fire; really, I manage just by treating myself the way I'd treat a best friend if she was feeling that way. And why wouldn't I? I should BE my own best buddy - no-one knows me better than I do, and no-one's more invested in my own wellbeing than I am!

Owning my own fear can, in a roundabout way, actually give me strength. It allows me not to be caught off guard or get overly triggered by whatever frightens me. When I know I am afraid, and acknowledge it - look it squarely in the face - I have a stronger psychological position than when I deny that part of myself.

It's okay for me to be afraid. In fact it's just normal. In any event, it'd be nuts to deny it: it may not be optimal, but it is all I've got. It's what is, and it's the only 'is' there is!

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Here's what I'm thinking about 'spiritual growth'.

In my quiet moments I'm learning to let myself fully entertain my own thoughts and feelings. It's looking, to me, as if I learn and grow in layers. Each time I have come finally to decode what feels initially like garbled data - and to understand more clearly what I am seeing, feeling and hearing - then I'm in good shape to move through another layer.

Some days, this is heaviy lifting: learning how to live well feels like too hard a struggle. But then I consider the alternatives - living a hollow and meaningless life, wasting or even resenting my life, living stupidly and blundering mindlessly along, living only on the surface, never letting anything or anyone really touch or move me is certainly no easy option and I don;t want to take it.

When I look at those alternatives, it puts the struggle in perspective; I understand why I carry on and I stop trudging - and try and step a bit more gratefully and joyfully. In the end, the payback is always there and the struggle is definitely worthwhile!
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Sagging figures out of China prompt continued risk aversion

Both dollar and yen both maintained yesterday's gains in Asia today, as investors’ risk aversion persists. This cautious sentiment increased after Germany tempered any optimism about this week's EU summit, and we’ve seen the risk selloff continue after disappointing data out of China. Asian equities are broadly lower, with the Nikkei down 1.46%, the Hong Kong HSI down over 3%, both hard on the heels of a 2.13% fall in the Dow Jones. Crude oil and gold are markedly off from yesterday's high of 88.18 and 1696.8 respectively. The dollar index is holding firm above the 77 level so far, staying above yesterday's low of 76.44. The main focus today will be on a level of 77.43 in the dollar index, 1.3685 in EUR/USD, 1.0272 in USD/CAD and 1.0101 in AUD/USD – all of which will give visibility as to whether the dollar is regaining strength.

China's GDP grew by 9.1% in the third quarter of 2011, which marked the third consecutive quarter of growth moderation, and was the weakest number yoy for Q3 in two years. The government's tightening policy and the continuing global economic turmoil were key factors contributing to this slowdown. There are forecasts that China's growth could slow further to 7.7% in Q1 of 2012, on expectations of a sharp deceleration in foreign demand. As indicated in the press release, the Chinese government pledged to focus on 'prosperity, relevance and flexibility', indicating that their policy of tightening may be over. However, I’d be surprised if the government began easing policy any time soon, as inflation remains at elevated levels. Clients should expect interest rates to stay where they are for some time.

The euro's rebound reversed yesterday after Germany’s Finance Minister Schaeuble poured cold water on expectations for this week's EU summit on October 23. Schaeuble said that no "definitive solution" to the region's debt crisis would emerge from the summit. In addition, Moody's warned that it may slap a negative outlook on Friday's AAA rating as "deterioration in debt metrics and the potential for further contingent liabilities to emerge are exerting pressure on the stable outlook".

In the US, Fed officials expressed a very different view on boosting the economy overnight. The Chicago Fed’s spokesman Evans said that there could be "massive shortfalls" in output and jobs growth, and reiterated his proposal that interest rates should be kept at their current historical low (i.e. nearly zero) until employment drops below 7%, or the medium term inflation outlook breaks through 3%. He also expressed his support for more quantitative easing. Richmond Fed’s  Lacker, on the other hand, said that the current growth-restraining factors are "non-monetary". These "non-monetary disturbances" could not be offset by monetary stimulus and would result in higher inflation. Lacker also opined that it is "inappropriate" to reinvest maturing mortgage-backed securities.

In Australia, the Reserve Bank’s minutes noted that the "pace of near-term growth was unlikely to be as strong as earlier expected" reflecting "financial turmoil and associated effects on business confidence." "Pick-up in underlying inflation had been more gradual than initially indicated" and medium term inflation outlook is now "more consistent with the 2–3 per cent target". It also stated that as the improved inflation outlook is confirmed by incoming data, this "would increase the scope for monetary policy to provide some support to demand, should that prove necessary". This is being seen by the markets as an indication of a possible rate cut ahead; whether this happens in Q4 of 2011 will likely depend on the Q3 inflation data to be released next week.

Looking ahead, the UK CPI figures will be a main feature in today’s European session: these are expected to jump to 4.9% yoy in September. Germany’s ZEW economic sentiment index is expected to deteriorate to -45 in October. US PPI is expected to moderate slightly to 6.4% yoy, with core PPI down to 2.3% yoy in September. The TIC capital flow data is expected to rise to 27.5bn in August while the NAHB housing market index is expected to recover to 15 in October.

Plenty of economic indicators due out today

GMT	Ccy	Events	Actual	Consensus	Previous	Revised
0:30	AUD	RBA Minutes
2:00	CNY	Real GDP Q/Y Q3	9.10%	9.20%	9.50%
8:30	GBP	CPI M/M Sep		0.40%	0.60%
8:30	GBP	CPI Y/Y Sep		4.90%	4.50%
8:30	GBP	Core CPI Y/Y Sep		3.20%	3.10%
8:30	GBP	RPI M/M Sep		0.50%	0.60%
8:30	GBP	RPI Y/Y Sep		5.40%	5.20%
9:00	EUR	German ZEW (Economic Sentiment) Oct		-45	-43.3
9:00	EUR	German ZEW (Current Situation) Oct		40	43.6
9:00	EUR	Eurozone ZEW (Economic Sentiment) Oct		-45.1	-44.6
12:30	USD	PPI M/M Sep		0.30%	0.00%
12:30	USD	PPI Y/Y Sep		6.40%	6.50%
12:30	USD	PPI Core M/M Sep		0.10%	0.10%
12:30	USD	PPI Core Y/Y Sep		2.30%	2.50%
13:00	USD	Net Long-term TIC Flows Aug		27.8B	9.5B
14:00	USD	NAHB Housing Market Index Oct		15	14

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