Busy public time

Phew. What a week. 

After I agreed to be part of the Global Unity; Strong Foundations, Asia/Pacific segment, I realised that I needed to "do my bit", and publicise it as much as possible. The whole event, plus of course my own contribution. This involved many hours of many days. The social media thing. I'm not that clever with computer technology, so it was a bit of a challenge and big learning curve, I can tell you. I used all of the platforms that I could find my way around. 

I had steadfastly avoided the public arena for about eight years, due to "politics", to use as polite a term as I can. I was so over it all. But I did do a couple of fantastic yoga chakra wananga (workshops), with Linsey Smith at her studio in Helensville, at Aroha Nui yoga, facebook link is here. I've always admired Linsey as a person, and as a yoga teacher. She has online classes as well that you can join onto, via zoom.

I found that it was quite hard to watch myself on the festival videos, afterwards, as I had to refrain from being too critical of moi. I did't know if I'll be appropriate to be on again, but I was hoping that I am. I enjoyed it. (yes, I am in the March one)

my key hints for public speaking

Whether it's giving a talk, presentation, or teaching. 

** only ever talk/teach what you know. Avoid book knowledge, for people can tell when we're not authentic. If you're asked a question and don't know the answer, be honest about this. No-one knows everything about their subject.

** this is just me, but I abhor "talks", gatherings and such where it turns out to be about getting people to buy things. Or join something. Crass. Been caught that way in the past. However my *@&! antennae works very well these days. I can spot it all a mile off. So for me, I'm not trying to sell my services either, although it is common sense to let people know how they can contact you.

**  It's never about oneself. Unless of course, your talk is actually advertised as being about you. Otherwise, it's about your audience, and the subject at hand. Now, I do use moi-self stories (rather than break the confidence of a pupil or client), sometimes, to make a point. But otherwise, I really do know that it's not about me. Because I was also part of a panel at Global Unity, in that instance it was about being part of a group and sticking to the subject of the Festival, which was Firm Foundations. To do with one's life. 

great example of terrible (and expensive) ethics

Years ago, I was giving public talks in various places, and working sometimes in festivals and healer/new age markets. I really wanted to be more mainstream, so I went to an expensive day seminar for women, in a swanky hotel, to learn how to present myself more professionally. Needless to say, I was the only person there who wasn't in a "professional" business. I had already seen that the healers and public speakers who dressed quite formally, mysteriously were given more respect and were believed to be better than those who didn't make much of an effort. I was trying so hard to Do The Right Thing. 

My goodness, that seminar was amazing!! I learnt so-o-o much. I still have all of my notes. The ladies were all so helpful and just lovely. On the way home, I suddenly drove to our local mall and went to the big bookstore there. Weird. I loathe malls. I found this amazing book on sale, had a peek inside and bought it. The book was by a Colour/Style organisation, very big at the time. And ALL of the seminar that I had just attended, was in that book..... 

Interestingly, the two followup workshops kept being postponed, and just never happened.