SOURCES
On here you can find all my Sources of Inspiration.
I will share with you what I have found to be the most impressive, inspirational material under headings: Books, Poems, Documentaries and Movies.
I am updating this page as I go. Enjoy!
Books
I have to begin with the first book that opened me up to a “Spiritual path” and that is:
The book was handed to me by my Uncle, and it sort of shocked me when I read it by how simply it was describing the way we live with a voice in our heads. I had never heard this before and my reaction the whole way through the book was “Wow, this is so true!”.
Following this I watched many videos from various spiritual teachers, my favourite were from Adyashanti and Eckhart Tolle.
- The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
These books had a profound effect on the way I live and I still listen to his audiobooks again and again, every time is a powerful reminder of truth.
The latest video I’ve really enjoyed from Eckhart Tolle is a podcast with Russell Brand and you can watch for free on Youtube via this link: Become Awake Now!
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- Emptiness Dancing by Adyashanti
I remember listening to him describe ‘direct experience’.
He made an example about an orange. He said that for someone who had never tasted an orange before how would they find out what it tastes like? The label ‘orange’, as well as any other information regarding the orange such as what it contains, it’s nutritional value, sweetness, acidity etc, does not let you experience the orange. The only way to know the orange is to eat it, which is to say, directly experience it.
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- Walking Awake by Steve Ford
A very honest and descriptive account of Steve’s life story, how he awakened quite radically and spontaneously and how he came to live following that deep realisation of reality.
More recently I have been following a man called Sadhguru:
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Inner Engineering by Sadhguru
I love the way he speaks. He uses a technical style of language so it’s less spiritual and relatable to many people who aren’t fond of the spiritual scene. Even my Dad likes listening to him!
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
This book really inspired me. Elizabeth is talking about her experience with the creative process of writing, describing her relationship with fear and how she has come to terms with her fear so that she can continue being creative. A very honest and humble account, thank you Liz 🙂
Please watch the TED Talk by Elizabeth, ‘Your Elusive Creative Genius‘.
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- Any Alan Watts talk on Youtube. I haven’t read his books yet but if his talks are anything to go by, they’re sure to be enlightening.
Poems
Below I want to share with you a poem I’ve had up on my bedroom wall for many years.
This poem very conveniently, totally and so beautifully, sums up my whole life philosophy!! 😉
Cheers Mr Kipling! And I have to say, you DO make exceedingly good cakes…
Here it is:
Below are links to some of my favourite poems:
– Daffodils by William Wordsworth
Documentaries
Who doesn’t love David Attenborough’s natural history documentaries? An absolute legend showing us the beauty of the world in his passionate, signature style. Check out one of his latest series, Our Planet:
This is a sequence of 3 documentary films addressing the things that are running our world today including religion and money, also outlining our current social and economic systems, and gives possible solutions for implementing new systems for a more peaceful and efficient way of life.
You can watch this 3 film docuseries for free on Youtube!
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I’ve grown up spending countless hours watching movies. Such powerful things they are. When you’re watching a great film you can be totally engaged in the story telling, especially when the characters are believable and you can relate to their ordeals.
Of course there are moments throughout any film that can stand out as really hard hitting or touch you in a profound way.
To begin with in this section I will of course be sharing my most Inspirational Movies but afterward I will move onto scenes from films which the whole film maybe you wouldn’t class as “Inspirational” but one particular scene from it is.
I’ll put links which can take you to a synopsis and trailer for the movie. Enjoy!
Movies
I’ve grown up spending countless hours watching movies. Such powerful things they are. When you’re watching a great film you can be totally engaged in the story telling, especially when the characters are believable and you can relate to their ordeals.
Of course there are moments throughout any film that can stand out as really hard hitting or touch you in a profound way.
To begin with in this section I will of course be sharing my most Inspirational Movies but afterward I will move onto scenes from films which the whole film maybe you wouldn’t class as “Inspirational” but one particular scene from it is.
I’ll put links which can take you to a synopsis and trailer for the movie. Enjoy!
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To me the film is such a beautiful portrayal of an insane reality of our time. The result of the pressure within a society to act a certain way and if you don’t fit in with the expectations, you are seen as useless and are ‘castaways’. There is also a humourous, comical way in which they approach this often depressing and disturbing subject, which cleverly makes light of it without taking away from the meaning behind it.
The best part: Incredible acting by Jae-yeong Jeong the protagonist and directing by Hae-jun Lee.
This film was such a relief from the fast paced cut scenes and cliché nonsense you get from a lot of the mainstream Hollywood movies. Instead it took the time to focus closely on the emotions of the 2 main characters with long close-ups showing an emotional rollercoaster etched in their faces and with the ingenius use of lighting in every scene which emphasises the layers of symbolic meaning and links the whole movie together.
A masterpiece of cinematography, highly recommend!
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“It’s not your fault… It’s not your fault… No, it’s not your fault.” Oh man, this brings me to tears.
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Jack Nicholson brings Life to a psych ward.
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I really enjoy watching films that are based on a true story, like this one. When you know it’s real and these things actually happened to these people, then the movie, to me, becomes more impressive, more impactful.
The film focuses on the lives of a quadriplegic aristocrat and a streetwise immigrant.
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- Studio Ghibli movies my favourite would have to be:
My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away
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On this animated genre we have of course Disney films:
This film in particular has a prominent meaning to me and I have a Short Story Coming Soon that will tell you all you need to know about that in: “How The Lion King Found Me”.
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I especially love the song ‘Colours of the Wind‘, I really connect with the powerful message of living a connected, intimate way of life… and it never fails to make me cry.
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