INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the third instalment of my blog series on Transformative Life Coaching (TLC), personal growth, transformation and Enlightenment.
My first blog post was "The Ultimate Guide to Transformative Life Coaching (TLC)":
My second blog post was "Transformative Life Coaching: YOUR Guide to Enlightenment:
We'll be focusing on how YOU can experience deep internal transformation as a result of TLC in this blog. Each journey is unique and tailored to your needs once we've gone beneath the surface in our TLC sessions. My credentials and training are listed at the bottom of this page. I received my training in TLC in London, England.
You can click here to be taken to my website:
This blog post will be all about YOU and YOUR Enlightenment.
Aristotle, the polymath and philosopher said "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." Robin Sharma, lawyer, leadership consultant, and writer said “Self-knowledge is the DNA of self-Enlightenment. Life has bigger plans for you than you can possibly know.” His book 'The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari' is a story about discovering your actual calling in life. Let's dive in...
"My GIFT is to be YOUR GUIDE" Olly Alexander PhD
Nobody can teach you how to become Enlightened or mentor you to this higher state of consciousness: Let me be your guide. The important thing is to start. Voltaire said "I don’t know where I am going, but I am on my way." Henry David Thoreau, philosopher, poet, and author, wrote "Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves." If you don't get lost, there is a chance you may never be found. So fear not times of great bewilderment! Those are the times when a guide can help you remember that this is a necessary journey if one is to truly live. Waking up is not always an easy journey, though the rewards are great! Going through life asleep is like sitting in the back of an unlicensed taxi, not knowing if , when and where you will end up, or if you will arrive safely. It could be a bumpy ride. Becoming fully awakened turns you into a fully charged Tesla Roadster - safe, intuitive, self-driving, energised and arriving exactly where you want to be. Benjamin Franklin, polymath, writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, and political philosopher, wrote "There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s Self." Mooji, spiritual teacher, said "Step into the fire of self-discovery. This fire will not burn you, it will only burn what you are not." "One must know oneself. If this does not serve to discover truth, it at least serves as a rule of life and there is nothing better" (Blaise Pascal, philosopher, Theologian, writer, inventor, mathematician and physicist). James Thurber, author and journalist, wrote "All men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why." It will be quite a journey! Julien Green, author, wrote "The greatest explorer on this earth never takes voyages as long as those of the man who descends to the depth of his heart." There is no need to travel far. St Augustine, philosopher, theologian, and author said "Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering." "The journey is within, as Rumi said "You have no need to travel anywhere. Journey within yourself, enter a mine of rubies and bathe in the splendour of your own light." Lao Tzu said "At the centre of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want." DH Lawrence, author and poet, wrote "You’ve got to know yourself so you can at last be yourself." William Shakespeare wrote "This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." Jean-Paul Sartre, key figure in Existentialism, playwright, author, and political activist wrote "We only become what we are by the radical and deep-seated refusal of that which others have made of us."
In 'Siddhartha' by Herman Hesse, the 1922 book that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery during the time of the Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha said to Buddha “Enlightenment has not come to you by means of teaching! And-thus is my thought, oh exalted one, nobody will obtain salvation by means of teachings!" This blog is the result of over 1,100 pages of notes that I have summarised after reading over 150 books over the last two and a half years, and having thousands of hours of conversations about philosophy, Existentialism, Stoicism, positive psychology, timeless truths, transformation, transformative life coaching, and enlightenment, and is presented as a journey meeting spiritual leaders, until you finally meet YOURSELF. It's a synthesis of these eternal principles, as spoken by the world's most eloquent and inspiring thought leaders throughout history, into a single message that everybody can understand. Enlightenment entails reclaiming your identity and discovering your genuine calling in life. Herman Hesse also said "Each man's life represents a road towards himself."
Living is about living! What does that mean? Henry David Thoreau wrote "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Mohammad Ali, boxer and activist, said "The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."
“All that you seek is already within you. In Hinduism it is called the Atman, in Buddhism the pure Buddha-Mind. Christ said, ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is within you.’ Quakers call it the ‘still small voice within.’ This is the space of full awareness that is in harmony with all the Universe, and thus is wisdom itself” (Ram Dass - psychologist, spiritual teacher, guru of modern yoga, and author)
Ram Dass gave us this beautiful meditation: Fan the flames of the ember inside you:
'Sit around the fire' meditation. Jon Hopkins with Ram Dass, East Forest
“Books simply help you to see what is already within your self. That’s what enlightenment is all about” (Sharma). “You can’t teach anybody anything, only make them realise the answers are already inside them”(Galileo Galilei). The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said “No one can construct for you the bridge upon which precisely you must cross the stream of life, no one but you yourself alone.” Anne Lamott reminds us that “The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines.” So grab what you need and let’s go, side by side, as I guide YOU to change YOUR life. As we begin this adventure, I ask you to create and let go of any prejudices. Ralph Waldo Emerson stated “There is creative reading as well as creative writing.”
The guru Osho wrote “Enlightenment will be now the beginning, not the end. Beginning of a non-ending process in all dimensions of richness.” If you're ready, let's begin...
Everything you seek is within you
Look no further than within. I create a safe space so that you can drop out of your mind and into your heart to give clarity to your most important core values. Carl Gustav Jung, psychiatrist, psychologist and philosopher, said poignantly "Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart." (See below the surface of the iceberg in my first blog post). Perhaps you have built the wrong tower and feel that only divine intervention can help you build a new one. My purpose in life is to guide you to personal transformation. Are you having a 'tower moment'? Jung stated “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Are you ready to change?
I sense hesitation. It’s only natural. “People will do anything, no matter how absurd, to avoid facing their own souls” (Jung). The implications are vast. Beyond your own life, the whole world is shifting right now, becoming off-keel. The Hindu Sage Ramana Maharshi said “Your own Self-Realisation is the greatest service you can render the world.” How do we change the world? Khalil Gibran, philosopher, poet and author asks in 'The Prophet' "Is not civilisation, in all its tragic forms, a supreme motive for spiritual awakening?"
Or, more locally, how can we ensure that we are doing the best we can for our families and children? This blog will provide a map: The ripples from discovering YOURSELF will radiate out all around you. The world will be held up by your strong foundation. Are you athe Titan named Atlas? What Herculean duties are you going to have to complete? None. Simply look within and choose your own path. Poet and author Kamand Kojouri wrote “We seek the fire of the spark that is already within us.” So, read this ABOUT YOU. Who would you need to BE in order to receive the wisdom, through your expanded consciousness, of who you truly are? Allow the adult, strong, brave you to fully embody you while you read, until you become epically infinite. By simply BEing who you are, you will construct your environment and reality naturally and without effort. After all, your expanding mind will have access to all of the universe's energy. I'm not a mystic; I'm a scientist. I know this to be true since I have personally experienced it.
Self-awareness, alignment, and action all work together in the TLC technique to catalyse and produce energy and momentum around you. It comprises gaining a wide understanding of what YOU want to achieve by BEing you, as well as exploring any underlying assumptions or thoughts you may have.
So, you might ask, isn't enlightenment is in the realm of the divine? Eckhart Tolle, spiritual teacher and author in his book 'The Power of Now, A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment', says “Being spiritual has nothing to do with what you believe and everything to do with your state of consciousness.” What is spirituality? Is it not religion? Don’t be put off. Rumi, scholar, poet, and theologian wrote "I looked in temples churches and mosques. But I found the divine within my heart." Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer, leader, and political ethicist said “God has no religion.” Spirituality, according to Anthony De Mello, priest, psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, and writer, (in his book 'Awareness') simply means “All is well, awareness, waking up, and finding your self.” Surely it can’t be that simple? The academic author Brené Brown says “Spirituality is recognising and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.” So, where do we start? Gandhi said “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, as in being able to remake ourselves.” Easy right? Well actually it is!
“Do you know what you are? You are a manuscript of a divine letter. You are a mirror reflecting a noble face. This universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; Everything that you want, You are already that. And you? When will you begin that long journey into yourself? Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself” (Rumi).
After we've built awareness in our coaching sessions, we'll examine any shifts in your viewpoint and see if your newfound awareness aligns with your stated essential core values, life purpose, and desired goal. Finally, we will start to set concrete goals and work together to achieve them in an accountable manner. The wealth of information and inspiration available to assist you solve your challenge is a strength of this methodology. You might develop an insatiable desire to consume podcasts, books, and courses that can assist you in learning, synthesising new information, and determining what works best for you. Rather than looking at answers in two dimensions, all options are investigated so that you feel empowered to achieve the changes you desire with true deep alterations in your energy and character. There will be no need for lists! You will create with ease.
A genuinely exceptional transformative life coach possesses a unique blend of knowledge, abilities, and personality attributes that combine to provide clients with a truly transformative experience. They've been there before and can keep you safe while gently guiding you down YOUR path. Great transformational coaches are also lifelong learners who invest in their own development by exploring various philosophies, positive psychology, timeless truths (as exemplified by the numerous quotes in this blog, which all carry the same message despite being written over thousands of years and including modern day philosophers, leaders, and scientists), and techniques in order to better serve their clients.
So don’t be put off by what you may have thought was a spiritual approach. "“I shall no longer be instructed by the Yoga Veda or the Aharva Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine whatsoever. I shall learn from myself, be a pupil of myself; I shall get to know myself, the mystery of Siddhartha." He looked around as if he were seeing the world for the first time”(Hermann Hesse).
Even God is a creation of the human mind. “Man made God in his own image”(Tolle). As Nietzsche pointed out “In truth, there was only one christian and he died on the cross.” Anandamayi Ma, Indian Saint and yoga guru, wrote “The light of the self is present everywhere and in all. Whether you worship Christ, Krishna, Kali, or Allah, you actually worship the one light that is also in you.”
Remember, Buddha was not a Buddhist, Jesus was not a Christian, Muhammad was not a Muslim. They were teachers who taught love. Love was their religion. Let’s find the teacher in YOUR SELF.
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there” (Theodore Roosevelt, American President and writer). “I would believe only in a God that knows how to dance” (Nietzsche). And remember “You are responsible for the energy you bring into this room” (Brené Brown).
Rumi said “What matters is how quickly you do what your soul directs.” TLC can achieve perspective shifts in just a few sessions. My clients have reported experiencing shifts in just one coaching session. The good news is that “Once you are awake, you shall remain awake eternally" (Nietzsche). Carl Sagan wrote, astronomer, author, and science communicator wrote "When you make the finding yourself - even if you're the last person on Earth to see the light - you'll never forget it." You can't be put to sleep again. Carl Jung put it beautifully and succinctly "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes." Marcel Proust, author and critic, wrote "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes but in having new eyes."
In Luke 17:20–21, Jesus (no introduction needed) said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within YOU”.
Why are spiritual truths universal and timeless? Scientists may bend the rules of physics, but no-one can mess with the laws of nature or karma, and I am a scientist!
So, how can we use the coaching relationship to help you discover your actual self and let go of:
· Living in the past or the future
· Your ego
· Constant negative thoughts and self doubt
· Limiting beliefs
· Seeing your strengths through the wrong end of a telescope
· The need to control everything
· An inability to let go
· Fear
· Negativity
· Toxic shame
· Embedded core values following childhood trauma
· Need for external validation
· Imposter syndrome
· Burnout, workaholism & Hustle Culture
· Compulsivity
· Self-sabotage
· Poor energy levels
· Judgement
· Inaction
· Emotional insobriety
· A lack of purpose
· A lack of fulfilment
· Poor creativity
· Feeling stuck, broken, or lost
· Feeling like a failure
· Toxicity
"A man who finds no satisfaction in himself will seek for it in vain elsewhere” (François de La Rochefoucauld, moralist, author and seeker of truth). Plato, the philosopher, wrote "To be curious about that which is not one’s concern while still in ignorance of oneself is absurd." Aldous Huxley, author and philosopher, wrote "There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self." Charles de Lint, author, said "You’ve got to find yourself first. Everything else’ll follow." James Michener, author, wrote "If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life." You were stuck because you were living in a house of cards with no foundations. The house (your life) you build will have solid foundations and numerous rooms if you get this journey right and live in harmony with your true core beliefs and purpose. These rooms must be balanced and conform to the 'wheel of life' concept. Buddha used this concept to convey his enlightenment lessons to his followers 5,000 years ago. The version used in personal development today is about assisting clients in identifying aspects of their lives that are out of balance. The self-improvement industry pioneer Paul Meyer, who started Success Motivation International in the 1960s, is often credited with inventing the current wheel of life.
The wheel of life
At its most basic level, the wheel serves as a visual depiction your eight most essential life areas. These categories may differ significantly from person to person and are determined by you during the initial phases of our coaching relationship. You'll stay fulfilled if you keep each of these sections (or rooms in your new mansion) in check: Life's happiness and fulfilment cannot be limited to a single area or room. Health, profession, money, family, friendships, spirituality, romantic connections, and hobbies are some of the most widely used categories in the pie chart. Because the wheel of life is so adaptable, it can be used to map out various aspects of your life, such as regions where you could practise more self-compassion, areas where you're most stressed, or even significant aspects of your finances. Once you've identified the eight areas, you can arrange them as areas or spokes around a wheel and rate your present levels of happiness in each category (on a scale of 1-10). You can then connect the dots to create a visual depiction of your current life to see where you can improve your satisfaction levels. A life that is highly skewed in one region, like a wheel with a broken spoke or a jagged edge, would not go smoothly or efficiently. When your life has been out of balance, it can be a really beneficial tool for helping you reassess your priorities. I may use it in our initial conversations. It can help highlight problems and areas to prioritise, such as if you are burnt out or suffering from workaholism, or generally being stuck, unfulfilled, unhappy, or dissatisfied without fully understanding why. Buddha said "Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart give yourself to it." Matthew Arnold, poet, sage writer, and cultural critic, wrote "Resolve to be thy self; and know that he who finds himself, loses his misery." Ella Wilcox, poet and author, wrote "There is no satisfaction that can compare with looking back across the years and finding you’ve grown in self-control, judgment, generosity, and unselfishness." Jerry Giles, author, wrote "You will recognise your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need." Mahatma Gandhi, lawyer and political ethicist, said "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
Summary
We must look within to become Enlightened. This is why awakening cannot be taught or guided. However, we require guidance to stay on our own path since we listen to random notions that are not our own. Otherwise, we have a proclivity for negative thinking. TLC also allows us to see ourselves more clearly by repeating our own ideals with clarity. We eventually become so self-aware that we can coach ourselves. TLC accomplishes all of these goals and more. It is a discipline that is always changing. Philosophy, positive psychology, timeless spiritual truths, and corporate culture in firms with compassionate leadership who have observed the effects of wellbeing on productivity are all part of it. We occasionally require direction as well as being kept on our path. And TLC allows us to see our minds from a different perspective, allowing us to see the repercussions of different decisions. The purpose of executive coaching is frequently to achieve a basic goal, but what you truly need is a fundamental change in your character to double your capability: TLC is necessary. As the most successful firms become increasingly aware of this, TLC is in great demand in corporate organisations.
TLC promotes the highest level of internal alteration in your character, finding clarity, purpose, and being more self-aware, even to a state of grace, rather to simply doing things differently. TLC causes huge changes in your life: new chances emerge, and you become a creator. Happiness, spiritual awakening, and even enlightenment are all possible outcomes of TLC. In other words, TLC enables self-directed change.
TLC generates a dramatic and purposeful long-term transformation in attitude that has repercussions throughout your life. You must employ resources you didn't even realise you possessed to attract what you want like a magnet. It possesses the same gravitational attraction as the Earth. Once you've learned how to work like gravity, you'll be able to manifest your heart's desires without fear of your own strength.
World-class coaches understand that their mission is to assist you in making lasting improvements. TLC is the only way to achieve this: it has the power to cause incredible positive changes in a matter of days, weeks, or months. It's vital that your TLC coach has undergone considerable transformation as a result of his or her own life experiences and TLC! As a result, I am able to work with clients from all over the world. It's important to remember that not all coaching is transformational. It has to be TLC to be this powerful!
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” ― Carl Gustav Jung
· Is about envisioning what is truly possible without compromise
· Gaining awareness about your talents, motivators, dreams, fears, cultural influences, and assumptions, then exploring how they are shaping your worldview
· Shifting to an empowered perspective and mindset
· Realising that success does not happen in isolation, but by having support through your transformational journey
· Defining what fulfilment looks like
· Designing your own terms for success and happiness
Sending you love, light, and blessings.
Please let me know if you would like to join my 'VOICE for men' group: 'Vulnerability & Openness Is a Choice Ensemble', where men can find their strength, courage, and authenticity, by dropping their egocentric fears and instead communicate openly with vulnerability. It will change your life. It will empower you. This community is a safe space for men to connect and discuss philosophy, spirituality, positive psychology, and timeless truths, to share our experience, strength and hope, and to find solutions to our pain and fears.
Olly Alexander Branford MD, MBBS, MA(Cantab), PhD
My gift is to be your guide. Let me know if you would like to continue this conversation...
Email me: hello@transformativelifecoach.co.uk
“Transformative life coaching uniquely creates and holds the space for you to see your self afresh, with clarity, and step into new ways of BEing, which will transform how you perceive and intuitively create your world. My work is to guide you to raise your own conscious awareness to the level that you want to achieve.” Olly Alexander Branford
My coaching themes and services - I work 1:1 and in groups with men who are looking for: Transformative Life Coaching, Transformational Coaching, Life Coaching, Personal Coaching, Positive Psychology Coaching, Recovery Coaching, Trauma Informed Coaching, Work Addiction Coaching, Workaholism Coaching, Addiction Coaching, Mindfulness Coaching.
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Suggested reading
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Hello,
I am very pleased to meet you. Thank you for reading this far. I very much look forward to connecting with the highest version of you, to seeing your highest possibility, and to our conversations. Please do contact me via my website for a free connection call and a free experience of coaching. I am here to serve you.
See you soon,
Olly Alexander Branford MD, MBBS, MA(Cantab), PhD
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I have a Bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences from Trinity College, Cambridge; a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Trinity College, Cambridge; a PhD Doctorate in Scientific Research from University College London (UCL); a Medical Degree (MD/MBBS) from The Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London and have been a doctor and reconstructive trauma and cancer surgeon in London for 20 years. I have published over 50 peer reviewed scientific journal articles, have been an associate editor and frequent scientific faculty member, and am the author of several scientific books. I have been awarded my Diploma in Transformative Life Coaching in London, which has International Coaching Federation (ICF) Accreditation, as well as the UK Association for Coaching (AC), and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). I have been on my own transformative journey full time for four years and I am ready to be your guide to you finding out who you really are and how the world works.