Editor’s Note: Winter Edition 2022 no. 238

“Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.” Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

Fire has a special place in the history and development of humankind. Religion and mythology record that fire has been an important part of life on Earth. Love is often referenced as an eternal flame and, when we embrace and harness this mystery that is love, all of humankind will attain the next advanced level of human development.

22 January 2022 Thich Nhat Hanh left the earth plane. This renowned ‘father of mindfulness’, passed at the age of 95. The celebrated Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, poet and peace activist was known throughout his life for the practice of ‘engaged Buddhism’. He also authored many writings, including a collection of insights titled How to Love, the inspiration for this feature in this edition.

What is love exactly? It has been defined and redefined ad nauseam, its psychology has been dissected and applied to philosophical frameworks and – did you know? – a mathematical formula has been devised for attaining it. And yet anyone who has fallen in love – or out of love, for that matter – knows that love remains elusive, the most confounding mystery of our human experience.

Showing up and facing off with this mystery takes us into the real and raw aspects of our being, often unwittingly into a primal dance of life. We commence this dance solo, with ourselves first, self-love is the purest and most powerful love of all and most of us need a ‘kick in the pants’ in the self-love and self-esteem departments. Until we dance this dance alone with comfort; our dance with others will always seem uncoordinated.

“If you make friends with yourself, you will never be alone.” Maxwell Maltz

In one of his songs, John Miles sings: “Music was my first love and it will be my last. Music of the future and music of the past.” The love for and the power of music is incredible; music can change emotions from one side of the spectrum to another instantaneously and can ease pain and anxiety. In this edition we take a look at music therapy, recognised as a mainstream therapy to help individuals address physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs.

We also place the spotlight on professional coaching, asking the question: What is coaching really? Travel with us through Vietnam with its dramatic landscapes, fascinating history, fresh and fabulous food and the most beautiful scenery and energy to capture your heart.

Ed and the OM Team