MOTIVATIONAL LETTER

Franklin is a client of Thando - one of our Responsibility Coach Students within the Maximum Correctional Centre. Franklin received his first certificate in December 2009 (Part 1) and is now embracing the next step of the journey of 'THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL' - Implementation & Building Awareness (Part 2)


Dear Reader

My name is Franklin Esau, an ambitious young leader and an optimistic follower. And this is my motivational letter before tackling the next step of the 'Responsible Individual' journey - which I am glad to share with you.

This started off being a task that lead me to forget about sincerity of this journey. I am a student and I was more concerned about formalities than emotional responsiveness or motions. Guess it is a perfect comfort seeming that I went through life with most of my brains, than heart. And this assignment, like the rest of my 'responsible individual' journey, requires heart first of all.

Very few out-reach programmes have such a huge effect on you and by this one have the greatest impact. I became aware of my surroundings and others more than I have ever before. Going back to find the base of my behavioural patterns, reconciling my relationships with my family and a few friends. Many of these patterns needed understanding. In many were my family and friends the source. What I learned was that I dealt incompetent with my challenges that put me so many times on unstable ground. Where I have carried so many of my problems and bad experiences to the front, never resolving them.

Today I have tools that enables me to deal with life's challenges with skill, commitment and passion. And the next step can only broaden my horizon, making the possibilities more endless than before. I like where I am at since the time I have started my 'responsible individual' jounrey. I have never felt this good about anything that I have been a part of. And there is still much more to learn about me and that/those that surrounds me. So the next step is sensible.

What I do know now is that the matters before me and the matters behind, with that which surrounds me, are tiny matters compared to what is within me.

Yours Sincerely
Franklin

MY RESPONSIBLE JOURNEY by FAROUK A. E. UHLEME

Farouk has been part of THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL process since October 2008. He is today a valued member of the Responsibility Coach Student Team within Goodwood Medium Prison and it is such a great privilege for all of us to work hand in hand with him!

He is one of the first coach students to have an official (DCS staff) as a test client. Very exciting as this truly shows a door opening to availing oneself as a student regardless of the circumstances of life... in this case an offender offering guidance to a case officer.


MY RESPONSIBLE JOURNEY

My mentor, Karina Andersen, wrote in the introduction of her book ‘The Responsible Individual’ I quote: “The journey of responsibility is about taking ownership. It is about understanding with all of your being, that absolutely nobody holds the answer but you. The moment we can embrace this, it will be given”

I really do not think nor feel that there is a better meaning to be given to the concept of a responsible journey than the above. However, that is her truth and we all have our own truths.

What then is my truth on this concept of responsibility?

My truth is that I am part of a world that pulses with consciousness. A door is being opened to this great reality and it behoves me to enter as a Being freed from fear and filled with love. This is my responsibility. This is my truth.

I wake up each day, open to the emptiness of my Being. I know nothing. Understanding that my very first thought, feeling and deed determines my experience.

Long before now and in my learning times, I am still learning. I have often been blindsided by different events and experiences in my life, and I tend to rely on old coping skills because the root of the established pattern of this behaviour is part of my emotional strategizing from very early on. It seem that these responses are hardwired into me and they offered themselves as the first-line of defence in whatever way I chose to use these coping mechanisms to move past the painful or challenging experiences in my life. This was my pattern.

It is so fulfilling, how it has been possible for me to suspend judgement of each and every experience and encounter. The possibility of this can perhaps be attributed to or through silencing the chatter (noise) inside, allowing for the experience of whatever it is to grow me responsibly.

I also listen to the continual backdrop of noise inside and outside of me so as to come to a place of awareness - of finding meaning and giving value.

Today every new breath I take reminds me of my place and my relationship with this beautiful planet I call home - a part of the puzzle, uniqueness in the whole. Every new breath I take provides me with a deep respect and love of life and for all other of its inhabitants. Moving from within, reminding me of my place in humanity to fulfil my destiny as a heart-centred light being. This is my responsibility. This is my journey.

In my journey of responsibility I have learnt that challenges are my mirrors and are there to guide me, to allow me to access those areas in my life I have always dreaded accessing, to attend to areas in my life that I have been blindsided to.

I have learnt that a responsible journey is not one of a determined destination but one of embracing every single moment in its richness, of finding meaning in every single experience.

I have learnt to impart richness to each and every experience I have. I have learnt to re-activate my appreciation of the small things, the seemingly irrelevant details of living. I have learnt to turn each moment into a jewel, one that reflects my light in a myriad of ways. I have come to understand that I am the essence of pure perfection...

This is my responsibility. This is my journey. My truth.

LUYANDA MBONISWA SHARING OF HIS JOURNEY

Luyanda is one of the Responsibility Coach Students @ Brandvlei Maximum Prison. This is a part of his case study - 2nd Module / Block 1:

In the process I have learned to acknowledge the power of words. I realize that what I am calling myself to be, I become. That what I say I am, I become. So in other words what I install in my mind about myself becomes manifested. Therefore I learn to always think positive about myself and the surrounding.

The enlightenment which is currently pouring within my universe has actually opened a lot of doors for me. The universal language which I am embracing has led me to see different individuals from all spheres of life and all these individuals I have invited them through the energy of love – which we are all exchanging as individuals. The results, in return, are amazing/healing me, because that which we are sharing is unconditionally. Through that I am getting support and love. It is overwhelming!

As I also said to my fellow student life coaches during our sharing sessions, I have started to say “I love you” to my mother – for the first time whilst I am here in prison. I was always scared and fearful of how she “Sindiswa Cynthia Mboniswa” would react. The process of The Responsible Individual has led me to the source of this fear. I have dived deep and explored. In the process I have managed to find that it is my source which I must operate from. Now I am no longer shaking. I say I LOVE YOU MAMA with an open heart and true meaning!

Having said the above I have managed also to invite/attract some individuals that became interested in knowing me personally beside the Group of Hope work, which was the actual source of our meeting. I refer to these individuals as my mothers, my sisters and my family. To name just a few: Linda Scott, Lorraine Meyer, Lorraine Forbes, Magriet Conradie, Corne Claasen, Maurice Botha, Elizabeth Mqela, Lulu Scott, Robyn Scott, Diana Nagel and my forever loving Karina (my mentor, coach and friend) – ALL played a huge role in my growth. Mr. Pansegrouw, Selma and fellow group members I am saying thank you very much for your love, encouraging words and support. And I regard all of them as my RELATIVES! They play a huge role in me. And remember that all of them came into my universe through the availing of myself, being open to all that I am. This confirms that we are connected as individuals in this universe and our main goal in life is to create a better environment and atmosphere for everyone. And again, if I am doing that for myself all surroundings will benefit. Therefore to me, all of us, we are relatives in this universe – we are not separate from each other. Being one means we are operating from wholeness sphere and that sphere is in me. I am one with that sphere

AMAZING TESTIMONIES

Dear SmilingOne

I want to thank you for helping me to find my new journey to spiritual freedom and happiness.

I am Thabo M. I am 58 years of age and I am serving 18 years imprisonment as from 2000 for armed robbery.

I had a great deal of negative and destructive values e.g. anger, hate, hurt, selfishness and non-forgiveness.

In 2008 I was honoured to have met Karina & Sarah. We formed an instant understanding and a solid relationship. You offered me a book THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL. This book developed our bond of relationship further. This book transformed me from all the negativity to someone who can radiate love and kindness to all sentient beings.

I cannot change the painful shadow of my past, but I have a great chance of changing my future. We all make mistakes in life and it is very important to learn from them and not to repeat them.

Since I’ve involved myself with SmilingOne it is my daily journey of Self-Discovery. The turning point of my life, discovering Self, is finding out what my limits are and where my heart lies. I am forever controlling my bad habits and trying to cultivate good ones. I have learnt about the importance and the invisible strength of compassion and loving kindness and how to be tolerant and accepting, taking life as it comes and not fighting against the current. I am discovering a deep reserve of inner strength right inside myself, feeling the joy of satisfaction of loving a good simple life and a blame free life.

I now know that it is not necessary to give up my life for other people to become completely selfless. A huge amount is what I have achieved just by not harming those around me and not causing pain for others through dictatorship, selfishness and inconsideration. After I’ve stopped hurting other people with words and deeds, my kindness has found room to grow in!

The more I read from this book the more I like and feel the freedom of my new understanding to a whole new dimension. It is amazing to find out that all the people around me have become friendly to each other because of what I share with them. They don’t care what I look like; they accept me with open hearts and minds for the role and impact I bestow upon them.

My desire is to possibly plant the seeds in the minds of the community to fulfil my obligations. I am eager to make use of this opportunity.It is indeed a great experience to have met you. You have given to me everything that my heart desired! Thank you very much!

From Thabo M.

August 2009 - CELEBRATION

We are committed to change and responsible living! As we make ourselves a priority we come to know our heart, we live by it and walk faithfully, allowing of our processes, committed and deeply grateful.