Phillip Holt's World Presenting Courses to Enhance the Mind

Dover Castle, English Heritage

Phillip Holt — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:12:06 GMT

The first sight many people see of the UK, or England in particular, are the White Cliffs of Dover. These are the chalk cliffs on the English side of the Strait of Dover, (in French Pas de Calais), and is the narrowest part of the English Channel at some 21 miles (34 km). At this distance it is possible on a clear day to see the coast of the other country, and at night see the lights over the other side, even as one local Dover person told me, the car lights as they travel along the French coast roads.

So, the first sight as people catching the ferry plying the Channel are the brilliant white chalk of the cliffs, and certainly on the many returning flights to the UK, as I look down to catch a glimpse of home, the white cliffs stand out above anything else on a cloudless day.

Atop the cliffs of Dover has been a significant position for man since before the Roman's invaded, as a lookout position to repel invaders, place for navigation, a place for communication.

In the 1180's, the then King of England and provinces of France, (King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Anjou), Henry II, built a castle on top of the cliffs at Dover, and over the next 800 years, the buildings and grounds have been adapted to the changing needs and demands.

On my first visit to Dover Castle, I caught the high speed train (130 mph, 210 kph), from London, and arriving at Dover Priory train station it was a short walk, but very steep climb to The Castle. (Listen to my hypnotic The Castle CD).

My first impression was, "this is not a real castle, it is not in ruins", it is pristine unlike many other British castle I have visited. Despite the bombardment in the Second World War, it is said that Hitler had stated that the castle should not be attacked as he wanted it as a base for himself, the buildings where like they had just been completed.

So Henry II built his castle to impressed his many foreign guests, as was said, the castle was built as a bed and breakfast, an overnight hotel, as well as a garrison, and as people crossed from France, the elegance and richness would show what a powerful King he was.

Inside the battlement walls, the buildings are well maintained, it was still a military garrison until it was handed over to the Ministry of Works in 1963, and then onto English Heritage who now run the castle. But, it is not only the buildings above ground, there are extensive secret tunnels cut into the chalk, which housed up-to 2,000 persons in WWII, including a hospital, now mostly open to the public, exhibiting the history they have played over the years. The sights, sounds and smells are recreated to give a great understanding of what went on there.

In the Great Tower, there awaited another shock for me.

English Heritage have laid out displays, showing what it would/may have looked like in the days of Henry II. On level one, the guest bedroom, level two the Kings bedroom, throne room, and a small chapel attributed to Thomas Becket, who had been murdered by said agents of Henry II. Henry denied any involvement in the murder, and it is said this small chapel, still in use once a year, was Henry's penance to St. Thomas Becket.

The shock for me was the quality of the furniture, the vibrant colours of the paint and cloth. It looked too modern.

As with all the guides situated throughout the castle grounds, eager to engage and full of knowledge, I was able to enquire as to the authenticity of the exhibits, surely they could not be true, as all the movies (mostly American) I had seen of those times, I thought that everything would be dark and grey. The guide had found his ideal visitor, for he was able to give me all his acquired knowledge, the fact that the woodworkers had the skills to produce such stunning work, that they had the ingredients to produce dyes of such striking colours for paints, murals and cloths.

Wow, I was shocked, as were the other visitors I spoke to as we toured the castle. Perhaps the British were and are a colourful lot after all, with OK some French influence.

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Barge

Phillip Holt — Mon, 21 May 2012 21:23:04 GMT

A quick bus ride from Kingston upon Thames to another town downstream on the River Thames, took me to Richmond upon Thames.

Looking down from the old Richmond Bridge to the boats moored on the banks of the Thames, I was taken aback at the sight of the Royal Barge, being prepared for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee river pageant to be held on June 3rd.

Costing £1m, this 28.6m (94ft) barge called Gloriana, powered by 18 oarsmen, will head the river pageant from Wandsworth to Tower Bridge, leading it is estimated 1,000 boats carrying some 20,000 people. It has been said it will take one and a half hours for the pageant to pass any one point.

Covered, in parts, with gold leaf, the vessel sparkled in the sunlight.

I wish boat I once owned, Mr Toots, had looked like The Royal Barge.

There Once was an Ugly Duckling

Phillip Holt — Sat, 19 May 2012 11:20:15 GMT

Walking along the Thames Path from Kingston upon Thames towards Richmond upon Thames, a sight took me back to a story by Hans Christian Andersen, a story that was told to me as a small boy, and to a song sung by Danny Kaye.

The Ugly Duckling

This little ball of fluff had three other siblings with it, not really standing out from the surrounding landscape, and it made me think of the work, my career, I have found myself involved with for nearly twenty years, and the people I have seen over this period of time.

Back in the 1990's, 80's and 70's, I was an expert in my work, working for computer manufacturers, I had to create computer systems to produce the results customers wanted. The customer would have a problem, perhaps to produce a payroll system, to capture sales figures at the point of sale on the shop floor, to record medical history in a hospital of patients, many many problems, and at that time, there was no packaged software, no apps available to provide them with the solution, so I would have to design, write and develop programs from scratch.

From knowing nothing about a subject, I had to learn what was being done manually by the customer, and transpose that to a computer system, I had to become an expert, to become one of those that had studied and worked in that area for years.

Yet I did not wish to become one of their group, or to replace them with myself.

In the late 1980's, again I had to become another expert in an area I had no knowledge, to know how the industry of manufacturing windows and doors and the making of glass worked, so that I could support the computer systems that were installed to help the workforce in the factories.

I had a need, the need to gain knowledge, to become an expert, to know what made things work, what were they? That need for knowledge has continued in my life.

In the early 1990's, I came across NLP, PhotoReading, Mind Maps and hypnosis, and the whole subjects fascinated me, I needed to know what was happening, what were these new ideas, how did they work, how could they make such major changes in people.

I had to understand, to become an expert, and I sought out the best to learn from, the originators.

One of my earliest computer clients, at the start of my working life, at a time I was learning new ideas, when I was honing my skills at becoming an expert, gaining the art of acquiring knowledge, in the 1970's, there was a company that had been in existence for over 100 years, and they wanted to move from quill pen to a computer. I listened to what they wanted, and produced a design for a computer system from my understanding of what was required.

It was at the presentation of my solution to the partners of the company, that I was told :- "Thank you Phillip, you have shown us a good computer solution, but, we have been doing this work for over one hundred years, and we are not going to change now, go away and come back with what we want."

I left the presentation deflated, I lost what confidence in myself I had in my abilities, I was not the expert I thought I was.

My manager saw this state I had gotten myself into, and helped me regain my confidence, to go out and acquire the knowledge to become an expert, to understand deeply down how things worked, why were things done in certain ways, what were the reasons certain results were wanted, because my manager saw in me a special person, an expert in the making.

I went back into the client, and with their permission, became one of them, to understand each process, the reasons why those processes were in place, and the results that came out of doing them.

Not only did I look at the client at work and learn, but I sought other companies that were in the same industry, and learnt from them too, adding to my knowledge.

So it has been with my work in NLP, PhotoReading, Mind Maps and hypnosis, I have continually sought-out knowledge, and with the permission and knowledge of the people I have worked with, incorporated this knowledge into my work, to become the expert, so to teach others.

I have watched others become experts, by taking their time to acquire knowledge and become an expert, to do the 10,000 hours that has been written about by Malcolm Gladwell and Matthew Syed.

Yet, it was at a recent training, that a participant spoke out with a smile on her face, "Now I understand. This is the second time I have done the course, and the first time it made no sense and did not work."

Puzzled by this statement, I asked her to explain, as I had never seen this person before, this was her first course with me, and I knew that I was the only trainer teaching this subject in the country.

"Oh," she said, "I went on a course with ............, he was a student of yours and decided to give the course himself, but I did not understand him."

How many people become "experts" before they have learnt the subjects?

Like the fluffy "Ugly Duckling" in the picture above, we all have to learn, gain knowledge from those around us, like from our parents, our mentors, our teachers, to do our 10,000 hours, before we can blossom out to become the majestic swan.

Majestic Swans from Ugly Ducklings

The Rotary Club of Kingston, University of Kingston Music Awards

Phillip Holt — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:12:31 GMT

Following the article Proud Moments at the Music Awards, I have put together a very simple video record.

Perhaps not West End Theatre standard, or a potential The Voice TV show entry, it has to be said it was not a very nice day to be singing out-of-doors.

The winner this year was Adam Hope, with his entry, "The Dying Christian". Adam, a very talented conductor is a 3rd year composition student at the university, working freelance in various jazz and light music ensembles, whilst he directs the Twist Choir at Kingston University.

Second place went to Nomi Helfensteller, with her entry of "We Still Got Time". Originally on an Erasmus exchange scheme from the Oldenburg University in Germany as a Masters student, Nomi is now a post-graduate student of Kingston University of music performance, having her own band and an enthusiastic member of local natural voice choirs.

Third place went to Matthew Bromley, with "Twilight Voices". Matthew is a 3rd year composition student, with a keen interest in music and theatre. He has spent many years as a musical director and has worked on several multimedia projects at Kingston University.

Relax for a minute in Isabella Plantation

Phillip Holt — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:54:36 GMT

Just relax for a minute with a small video taken of a stream in Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park on a cold and overcast day.

Music from Apple Final Cut Pro

Click here to see another video and photographs of Isabella Plantation.

Proud Moments at the Musical Awards

Phillip Holt — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:54:12 GMT

Perhaps not the best choice of venues to hold a musical recital on a cold day in May 2012, but this was the moment to announce the Kingston University Musical Awards in the ancient Market Place of Kingston upon Thames.

Once again the awards were given by the Rotary Club of Kingston upon Thames, and as I was asked to photograph the event, I paid attention to the people standing in the Market Place, observing their presence, and it was so obvious who were the composers of the music being performed by Kingston University's Chamber Choir, accompanied on the piano by Mr Michael Round.

From their faces, and those of their companions, the pride of what they had achieved was there to see, as they hung on every note and word being sung. Perhaps they had spent many hours and sleepless nights composing their entries into this annual event, but this day it had proven worth while, as their work was being performed in public.

Adam Hope, Kingston University Music Competition Awards

Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 1st place 2012

Nomi Helfensteller, Kingston University Music Competition Awards

Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 2nd place 2012

Matthew Bromley, Kingston University Music Competition Awards

Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club 3rd place 2012

It was not only a proud moment for the winners of the University Music Awards, but also for the organiser Dr. David Osbon, Principal Lecturer and Head of Collegiate Music at Kingston University, who stood out with his flowing hair and his strong voice, and Kingston Rotary members there, especially Doreen Johnston and President Anne McCormack who presented the prizes.

By helping others, Rotary Club can inspire others to achieve and be proud of what they do, no matter at what level.

Perhaps writing this may inspire me to produce the video of the event.

Click to view video.

Double Rainbow, Why?

Phillip Holt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:25:45 GMT

In the UK, after having such warm and dry period of weather at the start of spring, and over the last couple of years a reduced level of rainfall leading to the South East of England being declared in a draught, with reservoirs at all time low levels, the last few days of April has been cold and wet, with some areas having record rainfall.

The sky turns black, blacker than I have seen for a longtime, and the rain comes down, and yet, typical of UK weather, the dark clouds soon pass, and we find ourselves in sunshine.

We call this weather April Showers.

So here we are, the dark cloud passes over in the early evening, yet to the west, the setting sun is in a cloud free sky, the result was another rainbow, not just one but a double rainbow.

I have never seen or realised there could be a double rainbow, so typically, I needed to know what causes this natural show.

A rainbow is caused by the light from the sun passing through the raindrops, resulting in a multicoloured arc. The light as it enters the droplets is refracted, split into the seven colours of the spectrum of light, as the picture above shows, being red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, with blue on the inside and red on the outside.

The process as the sunlight passes through the water droplets is that the light is refracted as it enters the droplets, then it is reflected back from the opposite side of the inside of the droplet, and as the light passes out of the droplet it is refracted again.

This was first described by Sir Isaac Newton, 1642 to 1727.

A double rainbow is a secondary arc outside the primary arc, and the colours are reversed, so the blue is on the outside, and is caused by the light being reflected twice within the droplets.

Now I know.

The Weather Changes in the UK at Hampton Court

Phillip Holt — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:49:31 GMT

From my home town of Kingston upon Thames, there is on the opposite bank of the River Thames the grounds of the Palace of Hampton Court, a largely open parkland area south of Bushy Park, the home of the Hampton Court Flower Show, and the historical Palace of Henry VIII.

On the north bank of the River Thames is an easy walk of about 3 miles (just under 5 km) following the river to Hampton Court called Badge Walk. Pleasure boats and ferries enjoying the leisurely pace of life, cruise passed on the river. Cyclists, joggers and walkers, out to exercise or just enjoy being out in the open air pass by, sometimes with a jolly "Hello" greeting. It is a pleasant walk on a sunny day for all.

For many weeks the weather in the UK has been like summer, even if it is only March/April, so much so that many parts of the UK are so short of water there has been a hosepipe ban introduced, rivers and reservoirs are running dry, the area has been declared officially in drought conditions.

And so I set out on a beautiful morning, to exercise myself on the walk, with the warmth of the sun putting an extra spring in my step. But as I neared the end of Badge Walk, coming to the entrance to the Royal Palace, the skies darkened, and I could see the ribbons of heavy rain falling in the near distance. Looking at the movement of the clouds and the direction of the wind, I realised and hoped the storm would pass to the north of me.

It had taken about an hour and a half to reach Hampton Court, time enough to earn a sandwich and a cup of tea in one of the cafe's the grounds, and then to take a leisurely stroll through some of the gardens of the Palace.

It is a little too early for most of the flowering plants to bloom, but there were beds and beds of daffodils, some already having flowered looking a little bedraggled, some just in their prime, carpets of yellow gently swaying in the sunshine.

Yes, the rain did not materialise, but the sky was darkening, this time the blackest black I could remember, a storm was brewing, and it was time to leave, the quicker the better, and the quickest was a bus ride back to Kingston.

It was a race against the storm, and having reached the shopping centre of Kingston I entered the Bentall Shopping Centre, the heavens opened, delivering hail stones and rain drops large enough to stop and elephant stampede, but I was dry.

This British weather. It is so changeable, and it seems to be getting more so, from desert heat to Arctic freezing, tropical rainstorms to parched landscapes.

HEMS Helicopter Emergency Medical Service

Phillip Holt — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:10:14 GMT

A group of Kingston upon Thames Rotary Club members, plus spouses, visited the Kent, Surrey and Sussex HEMS service, based at the old RAF airfield, home of the BBC's Top Gear program, test track for the car manufacturer McLaren, Dunsfold.

HEMS, (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service), is operated every day of the year from 7am to 7pm in daylight hours, with the hope in the near future to extend its' service into night flying too, is an emergency response to medical situations with a team of a pilot, a highly skilled doctor and a critical care paramedic on board. We were told that this particular HEMS team responded to 3 or 4 situations per day.

The service is a registered charitable self funding organisation, covering the three counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex in conjunction with the NHS Ambulance Service which merged the three counties into one service, and has two MD902 Explorer helicopters, one based in Marden (Kent) and the other at Dunsfold (Surrey), and can reach any part of the SE England operational area it was said in 20 minutes.

Taking A&E (Accident and Emergency) directly to a patient within minutes has been proven a lifesaver, with even open heart surgery being performed onsite, then to get the patient directly to the most appropriate hospital in a sort time, affects the quality of survival.

Constantly looking for and raising funds to cover the £5 million per year cost is a host of volunteers, as the service receives no funds from the Government or National Lottery. For a small sum, you can enter the Kent, Surrey and Sussex HEMS own lottery by filling in a form obtainable from their web site.

The dedication of the people at Dunsfold was obvious, as the pilot, doctor and paramedic took time out to show us around the helicopter, explain what they do and answer out multitude of questions. In the summing-up session back in the HEMS building, I glanced outside to where the helicopter was parked, only to see the three of them washing the already gleaming machine, but having fun in the process. These lifesavers are just human like you and me, and need our support just as we may need theirs one day.

NLPNOW - Il META MODELLO – Predicati non Specificati

Phillip Holt — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 08:51:18 GMT

English Version Türkçe versiyonu

Predicati non Specificati

Il Meta Modello guarda ai model linguistici che noi costruiamo, i quali sono costruiti livello superficiale (per recuperate le informazioni) cancellate.

Un'affermazione che manca dei Predicati descrittivi di un'azione o di una cos a.

Affermazione:-

"Sta piovendo."

Può essere sfidata con:-

            "Quanto forte sta piovendo?"

Affermazione:-

            "Mi picchia."

Può essere sfidata con:-

            "Quanto forte ti picchia?"

Back to Meta Model diagram (click)

Ringraziamento speciale a Chiara Pozzoll per questa traduzione.

Storm Front, Rowland White

Phillip Holt — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:54:23 GMT

In his third book, Rowland White writes about a part of the Sultanate of Oman's history, and as in his other books, Vulcan 607 and Phoenix Squadron, what part the British military played in this period.

This well researched book, taken from interviews from the small number of people involved and previously unpublished and classified documents. He tells the story of how the repressive Sultanate of Oman was to be changed by Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who deposed his father Sultan Said bin Taimur, with some help of seconded British military personnel who formed the start of the Sultanate armed forces.

He describes how the enemy terrorists, called the Adoo, based in the neighbouring Yemen, being trained by and being supplied with arms by the communist Russians and Chinese, were being fought by the the Sultan of Oman's armed forces, which were mostly made-up of the British SAS, and pilots of the RAF flying modified Jet Provost training aircraft which then could deliver bombs and air to ground rockets.

The Adoo launched a major offensive against the town of Mirbat, being protected by nine SAS men, and how the SAS being nearly over-run and defeated, was saved by the aircraft of the Sultanate, the Strikemasters, helping to save the day.

A great read which gives more information of history, in this case of the early 1970's and that of the Middle East.

A surprise meeting

Phillip Holt — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:43:20 GMT

It is when you have expectations that there could be something around the corner, when you start to look for something unexpected, even at a subconscious level, and perhaps using Phillip's Sausage, that we are in for some surprises.

It could be looking above the shop windows to the roof-line that we will see some architecture from a bye gone era, unseen by the majority of shoppers, or below the shop front, lying on the footpath, a high valued bank note, or a small coin.

If we spend a little more time just being aware of what else is around us, seeing more than George Miller's 7+/-2 visual deletion, we can enrich our experiences.

In the photographs below were creatures that I had walked passed not seeing them only five minutes previously, preoccupied in my mind with other issues, it was not until I was walking back having resolved my thoughts and had a relaxed mind that I saw them.

The first one, a grasshopper was camouflaged in a hibiscus bush whilst I was in Malaysia, and the second again in Malaysia, a praying mantis, its legs held in a strange position, and a look on its' face as shocked of seeing a strange human as me seeing it.

Look beyond what you see, go below the surface level, chunk down, as things are not what they seem to be.

Just around the corner a surprise

Phillip Holt — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:52:38 GMT

You never know what is just around the corner, as you walk along the pathway of life.

In Richmond Royal Park, hidden away is the wonderful Isabella Plantation, offering a wide variety of trees, shrubs, heathers and plants, flowering and blooming at different times of the year, which is in contrast with the wider Royal Park, being open spaces, clusters of trees some old, some just planted, valleys with hidden waterways and deer, free to roam, eating their way around the park.

The difference in colours of the trees, bushes and shrubs within Isabella Plantation in the warm sunlight of a Spring day, is better than any painting masterpiece, for if you look deeply, often there is something special that you have not seen before, if you use Phillip's sausage there is so much more.

In contrast to the Isabella Plantation, walking across well trodden pathways of Richmond Royal Park itself, is an open landscape, and in the early spring devoid of much colour, but by keeping oneself aware, there is hidden beauty to be seen.

Hidden in an old tree a grey squirrel watches down as walkers pass beneath, waiting for them to go so it can descend to pick-up a seed to eat.

Then a flash of colour as parakeets take flight as they are disturbed from feeding by a passing walker.

How much do we miss about us, as we tread the old pathways, not concerned, not interested as to what may be around the corner?

A Pot of Gold At the End of a Rainbow

Phillip Holt — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:04:27 GMT

There is a saying, a myth, a fable in many cultures which says that there will be A Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow.

After a loverly Spring day in Kingston upon Thames in the UK, the sky darkened as the cloud became black. The weather forecast had predicted heavy showers perhaps with hail stones, and this looked like we were likely to be on the receiving end.

Yet that dark cloud did not cover the whole sky, for in the east, the sky was clear, and the sun shone bathing us in a bright sunshine.

Looking out of the window a wondrous sight caught the eye, a rainbow, in fact a double rainbow, with the end of the main rainbow seeming to end on the top of the block of flats which shone as if it had just been built.

It was in 2010 that a major fire had occurred in Madingley Tower, on the Cambridge Estate, which resulted in a refurbishment of the flats. (click to see video of the fire)

Now finished, and the flats reoccupied, perhaps the fortunes of those residents will change, as I hope there is a Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow for them.

The above photograph has been republished in the Kingston Guardian newspaper.

NLPNOW - Il META MODELLO – Performativa Perduta

Phillip Holt — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:37:16 GMT

English Version Türkçe versiyonu

La Performativa Perduta

Il Meta Modello (Meta Model English version) guarda ai modelli linguistici che noi costruiamo, i quali sono costruiti al livello superficiale, per recuperare le informazioni cancellate.

Nelle affermazioni o giudizi noi facciamo riferimenti a persone o cose o azioni, ma la persona che fa o compie l’azione manca o non è citata.

"Lei mi colpisce."

La persona che compie l’atto di colpire è omessa.

Come Practitioner di PNL, noi abbiamo bisogno di sfidare l’affermazione o recuperare l’informazione omessa, chi compie l’azione di colpire.

"Chi precisamente ti colpisce?" "Colpito da chi?"

Ringraziamento speciale a Chiara Pozzoll per questa traduzione.

English Electric Lightning - The Lightning Boys

Phillip Holt — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:14:00 GMT

It was 1967 that I was invited to the Royal Air Force base at Biggin Hill to attend the five day RAF Officer Selection, to be tested and interviewed as to my suitability to become an RAF officer.

I had always had an interest in flying machines, being taken as a small boy to the now closed RAF Fradley also known as RAF Lichfield, for their open day to watch the Hurricanes, Spitfires and Lancasters doing their displays, laying in bed listening to the propeller powered aircraft flying over my parents house at fifteen minutes past midnight every night, thinking it maybe a Royal Mail flight, flying letters from London to the north of the UK. I seem to remember a Lancaster crash into a wooded area on the on the far side of the Fradley air display, but it could be my mind playing games with me.

I was interested in the aircraft, knowing as many schoolboys did in those days the flying heroes, the fictional pilots like Biggles, the manufacturers and aircraft models and names, both military and civilian. This interest has stayed with me, noticing an old abandoned English Electric Lightning jet in a scrap metal yard next to the A1 road near Newark as I drove from one computer customer to another, sitting at the end of a runway at RAF Conningsby watching Lightnings and especially Phantom jets take off and feeling the power of their after-burners, driving passed RAF Waddington marvelling at the delta winged bomber Vulcans waiting on their pads to take to the skies trailing long black dirty exhaust fumes to perhaps deliver the UK's nuclear bomb.

I still visit aircraft museums, seeking new knowledge, linking ideas, marvelling at the vast array of aircraft that British industry once produced, pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

English Electric P1A Lightning prototype at RAF Cosford, note air intake later to contain the radar.

Stubby Wings of Lightning P1A

English Electric Lightning ZF579 Saudi Arbian Air Force

Now being restored at the Gatwick Aircraft Museum

But going back to 1967, and my potential to become an officer in the RAF, not as a pilot but as an Air Traffic Controller. The five day selection by the RAF, tested the knowledge of the applications, their health, their fitness, their IQ, their team working, and we were being tested from the start as soon as we entered Biggin Hill's gate house.

I was allocated along with three other applicants a "Bat Man" to look after us and who showed us to our shared bedroom, to unpack and prepare ourselves for the evening meal. My room mates rather put me in my place as one was from Eaton School, one was an Air Commodores son, and another was a Prince from a Middle Eastern country. Me? I was a son of an electrician and Secondary School educated, a country yokel.

Now, I knew how to conduct myself at the dinner table, my parents had prepared me well for life, teaching me etiquette, social skills the does and don'ts, how to conduct myself in a high quality restaurant like The Ritz, how to hold a tea cup with the pointy little finger, but nothing had prepared me for so many knifes, forks and spoons at a place setting. Nothing had prepared me for so much silver wear on a table.

The next day the selection process continued, for example the medical tests, writing skills, aptitude tests, and for me in the afternoon an interview with the Camp Commander, the Chaplain, and a Senior Flying Officer.

Those whose turn it was to be interviewed waited in a small anti room, and one by one we were called in. Before I was called, my room mate from Eaton School went in, and I sat there wondering what was to come. My room mate came out white as a ghost, as if he had seen the end of the world, and this did not bode well for me. I asked him what was wrong, and he replied they asked him so many deep and difficult questions, including pointing to framed photographs of RAF aircraft hanging on the walls of the room, testing his knowledge of the RAF, and he said that he was asked what was the name of the missile hanging blow the wing of the fighter, and he did not know so they told him it was a Firestreak air to air heat seeking missile.

It soon became my turn to face the panel, and I was called into the interview room, sitting alone in the middle of the room facing the three senior RAF officers as if I was a capture spy, and they grilled me, asking deep questions, seeking out my knowledge and interest of the RAF.

Then the Chaplain pointed to a photograph hanging and asked what was the aircraft.

My heart jumped because there was only one aircraft like it in the world, the English Electric Lightning, a supersonic fighter jet, designed to intercept any incoming target, especially from the Soviet Union, as it was the height of the Cold War. With its' polished silver metal body, short swept back stubby wings, its' two Rolls Royce Avon jet engines mounted on top of each other making up the fuselage, and its' conical pointed radar dome mounted in the open round air intake at the front of the aircraft.

There was no mistaking this aircraft, I was in my element.

Then he pointed to the missile hanging from the wing, and with all the confidence in the world I answered, "It is a Firestreak Air to Air heat seeking missile". Thank you my friend from Eaton.

Today I finished reading the book by Richard Pike called the LIGHTNING BOYS, and it is a collection of stories, true tales from pilots of the English Electric Lightning aircraft, from flying virtually non stop from the UK to Singapore and the adventures along the way, to the need to constantly having to refuel midair by Victor airborne tankers. It gives insights of what the pilots did, their thoughts, their missions, and how they sometimes nearly died. It tells the tales of those involved flying the Lightning from the first test Lightnings, the P1 and P1A (see photograph above) in 1954, to the decommissioning from the RAF in 1988.

This book is highly entertaining and informative as it tells the stories of those who flew this iconic aircraft, with little or no technical details, it makes an easy read for all, the general reader and the enthusiast.

In the book it tells of an RAF Lightning pilot who as a youth wanted to join the RAF, and was invited to go to Biggin Hill to the Officer Selection along with a fellow student from his school. His school friend, he said lasted a day before being sent home. I lasted two days.

I packed my bags and caught the train back home, at a time when there were no mobile phones, in fact a time when most homes did not have their own phones, so I did not inform my parents of my impending early arrival from RAF Biggin Hill.

On reaching home, there was no-one there, but I knew where my parents would be, at my Aunty and Uncle's house, so I went there.

Entering the house, the family were sitting around the table, and my father looked up and said. "Oh you are back, we were expecting you."

Another lesson they taught me, to aim high, go for my dreams, but to know my limitations sometimes, and accept failure gracefully, and just because the RAF was not for me, that there would be other places, things and jobs that would be for me.

Time Out

Phillip Holt — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:54:46 GMT

It seems that we all have our problems, health, money, relationships, work, family, the list goes on and on, and the more we think of them the worse the problem becomes and the worse we feel.

Going through some health issues myself at the moment, I have not really told many people about them, I kept my aches and pains to myself and my doctor, until there came a time when I had to divulge my little secret aches and pains to those close to me and loved ones, as I was told I would have to go into hospital and would need some home support for at least twenty-four hours.

Are people really interested in my aches and pains? Not really, they have their own to dwell in and to solve.

"How are you? is a question asked of us when we meet an acquaintance.

"Oh the pain in my posterior is giving me so such problems, I can't sleep or sit down."

"Yes you are like the pain in my neck" the acquaintance is probably thinking to themselves, "if only I could get rid of this pain."

In the hospital ward as I waited to be taken to the operating theatre, feeling such a fool for nearly passing out, I reflected on the other patients, and realised that they were in a far worse state than me health wise. I even got to the stage where I asked myself if I should have been in the hospital in the first place, as my symptoms were nothing compare to others.

I went through the procedure and investigation, and yes I need work done upon me, but in the meantime I have to get on with life, to get my strength up again to be ready to give my next courses and talks, to cook, to clean, to face other problems as they surface, and to be there for others to help them through their problems.

And so I found myself in another Royal Park near to where I live, Bushy Park, which lays across the road from Hampton Court the palace of Henry VIII.

Bushy Park is a large area of open land, with scatterings of woodland, inter-linked lakes fed by small rivers that will eventually flow into Hampton Court and then eventually into the River Thames. There are fenced enclosed gardens to relax in, and even a Water Garden recently renovated back to its' original early 1700's spender, and the whole Royal Park has a history going back perhaps 4,000 years.

It was time for me to have some time out, to go for a long walk, to get some fresh air in my lungs, to take exercise, to take in a different perspective on life.

As I walked across the wide open parkland on a crisp spring day, along well trodden pathways once taken by many others over the thousands of years, my mind emptied of all my problems as I noticed and realised that nature had been there and will be there beyond my brief visit, and that I was part of this natural vista, emerging from the winter hibernation, to sprout new leaves, to blossom, to spread and create new life ideas.

I saw the deer relaxing amongst the dead old brown bracken that was so green and lush last year, I saw people sitting having picnics, geese feeding on the green grass, I marvelled at a tree festooned with delicate pink blooms, and watched the never ending cascade of water in the Water Garden.

The cascading Water Garden in Bushy Park

I needed that time out, to relax and reflect that even though I am now sitting at my computer typing this blog, life still goes on around me, the water still cascades in the Water Garden, the the deer will still be there in Bushy Park taking things easy, that the pink blooms will soon drop away, but will be replaced by new sights just as beautiful if only we look for them, and that my problem is just my problem and will soon be resolved, to be replaced by a better future.

I needed time out to get out of my perceived pain and problems and see the world about me, to be there for those who are worse off than me, to lend an open ear and shoulder to cry on, to help them to come to terms with and resolve their problems, their fears, for that is my job, my desire, to help others to help themselves.

Riverside, Kingston upon Thames

Phillip Holt — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:56:15 GMT

Tomorrow I start my journeys again, to Kadikoy, Istanbul to give a NLP Master Practitioner course, a PhotoReading, Memory and Mind Maps course to the public and a number of companies. So today I have been catching up on arranging hospital appointments, banks, course facilities, the blog, relaxing.

I love walking, especially by the Thames River (click to see river film) in Kingston upon Thames, along the Queens Promenade, which links Kingston to Thames Ditton and Surbiton.

The number of swans, geese, ducks living on the river is amazing. How can the river support so much wildlife? Perhaps the walkers feeding them bread. (see photograph of swans in a large number).

Walking along the Queens Promenade towards Surbiton, boats are moored to the riverside, some belonging to tour operators and ferry companies. Parr Boats run a ferry from here to Hampton Court, the Royal Palace of Henry VIII. If you do not want the slow leisurely relaxing cruise, you can always walk, about an hour along the other side riverside pathway. You can catch a small ferry boat for £1, to take you across, but it seems only Saturday and Sunday, plus Bank Holidays.

At the mooring of Parrs Boats and the ferry there is an old air-raid shelter that had been converted into a small refreshment bar. It has been established here for a few years, with walkers and regulars stopping by for a sandwich, a slice of homemade cake, a drink, an ice cream and friendly faces, and has been refurbished by John, an ex local policeman, full of joy, willing to join in a conversation.

Riverside Cafe, Quality Thames-side Refreshments, with John is still developing the area, and actively seeks ideas from his potential clients.

It is only a small walk from Kingston's town center, but the warm welcome, the quality refreshments at a reasonable price, the chance to sit and drink a warming hot chocolate, or coffee made from locally roasted coffee beans from Coffee Bay, watching the passing walkers and boats, makes one happy to be alive.

It is good to support local businesses and to relax whilst doing so.

Spring in the UK

Phillip Holt — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:48:23 GMT

Relaxing and recovering from my visit to the hospital, it was good to take a walk beside the River Thames in Kingston upon Thames on a sunny spring day.

Walking along the Thames Pathway, stopping for a refreshing cup of tea at the Riverside Cafe, passed boats moored on the pontoons, sailing boats enjoying the light wind, and other people taking in the clean air, my eyes caught the cherry blossom above me, freshly blooming and contrasting with the blue cloudless sky.

It's good to be alive among the wonders of the world, large and small, and yet realise how fragile and short life is.

Let us all enjoy the day, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

NLPNOW – Il Meta Modello

Phillip Holt — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:38:54 GMT

English Version Türkçe versiyonu

Noi parliamo alle persone, comunichiamo, usando parole, gesti, movimenti del corpo, movimenti degli occhi, tonalità; è il modo in cui ci capiamo l’un l’altro, trasmettiamo e acquisiamo le informazioni. È’ una completa esperienza del corpo. Usiamo il linguaggio per esprimere i nostri pensieri e le nostre esperienze.

Abbiamo visto nell’articolo "NLPNOW - La Mappa non è il Territorio" il modello di acquisizione delle informazioni di George Miller 7 +/- 2 e nell’articolo "NLP Now – Struttura Superficiale Struttura Profonda" che la mente umana cancella, distorce e generalizza le informazioni, mentre assorbiamo o introduciamo informazioni e mentre comunichiamo i nostri pensieri ed esperienze alle altre persone.

Surface Structure ='s Struttura superficiale

Deep Structure ='s Struttura profonda

Sono state le osservazioni e gli apprendimenti di Richard Bandler e John Grinder, i co-fondatori della PNL, da Milton H Erickson, Virginia Satir e altri, che li aiutarono a comprendere il linguaggio, le regole che usiamo, la grammatica linguistica e transformazionale, che generarono il Meta Modello e portarono al libro del 1975 “La Struttura della Magia”.

Il Meta Modello ci dà la struttura per notare cosa manca dalla nostra comprensione del mondo o da quella delle altre persone e ci dà le domande che aiutano noi o loro a recuperare queste informazioni mancanti.

Quando vediamo qualcosa (V - visivo), ci sono miliardi di pezzi di informazioni che ci bombardano in ogni momento. Leggendo questo articolo, ci sono le parole sullo schermo o sul foglio se hai stampato l’articolo. Ugualmente le parole che hai già letto, le parole che ancora devi leggere, l’area intorno all’articolo, i muri della stanza, il pavimento, il soffitto, i colori, tutti gli elementi sul tavolo; questi stanno ancora venendo assorbiti nel tuo cervello, sebbene tu non ti renda consapevolmente conto di tutte queste cose.

Tu cancelli queste cose dalla tua consapevolezza.

Mentre stai leggendo questo articolo, ci sono suoni (A- auditivo) intorno, forse suoni di macchine, traffico, il suono del frigorifero in cucina, i suoni dell’orologio. Molti di questi suoni sono cancellati dalla nostra consapevolezza, sebbene vengano assorbiti all’interno della nostra mente.

Ci sono odori (O - olfattivo) nella stanza o nello spazio che stai occupando, forse la cera che qualcuno usa per pulire, forse il profumo del pranzo che viene cucinato. Tu non sei consapevole di questi finché non vengono citati.

I sapori (G - gustativo) nella tua bocca, finché io non li ho citati, forse non ne eri consapevole.

Ugualmente per i tuoi piedi sul pavimento (K - cinestetico). Finché io non ho citato la sensazione, uno supporrebbe che non ci sia alcuna conoscenza consapevole di ciò. I capelli sulla tua testa. Sei ora consapevole dei capelli?

Noi cancelliamo molte informazioni o dettagli mentre acquisiamo informazioni. Sebbene a un livello non consapevole queste informazioni vengano assorbite, il nostro mondo consapevole è privato di queste informazioni.

Il lavoro di un Practitioner di PNL è aiutare i clienti ad arricchire il loro mondo con queste informazioni mancanti, ad andare alla struttura profonda, a fare un chunk down per acquisire conoscenza e comprensione. Questo sarebbe necessario e appropriato.

Quando una persona o un cliente comunicano informazioni, loro (e noi) cancellano anche informazioni. Per esempio:-

“Colin ha letto un libro.”

Ci sono molte informazioni mancanti: quale Colin, dove ha letto il libro, che libro ha letto, quanto velocemente ha letto, lui ha Fotoletto il libro?

Ancora, il lavoro di un Practitioner di PNL è acquisire o recuperare queste informazioni cosicché noi o il cliente abbiamo una migliore comprensione di cosa viene detto.

Quando il cliente o noi riceviamo queste informazioni, dobbiamo andare in una Ricerca Transderivazionale, andare nelle nostre esperienze passate per dare un senso, per avere una comprensione di cosa è stato detto; e spesso distorciamo questa informazione originale per far quadrare il nostro mondo, la nostra comprensione.

Considera l’affermazione seguente:

“Lei mi ha colpito.”

Che cosa capisci? Tu raggiungi una comprensione di cosa si voglia dire con questa affermazione.

La comprensione che ne risulta probabilmente diventa la verità per come tu la comprendi; noi quindi generalizziamo questa convinzione come fosse la verità, e non lo è, poiché ci sono molte informazioni mancanti, come quanto forte lei mi ha colpito, con cosa mi ha colpito e dove mi ha colpito.

Usando il Meta Modello, noi possiamo fare un chunk down, andiamo nella struttura profonda, recuperiamo le informazioni mancanti per ottenere un’immagine piena, una piena comprensione.

Articoli che indagano i modelli linguistici usati nel Meta Modello. Clicca qui.

Ringraziamento speciale a Chiara Pozzoll per questa traduzione.