It is interesting that if you Google the word, ‘Body Temple’ you are rewarded with searches such as: ‘Body Temple - Buy with confidence, bodybuilding supplements and sports accessories. buy bodybuilding supplements & sports and the Body Temple Gym & Fitness Centre.

Clearly we live in a body conscious world where thousands of products are available to help you: clean-up, paint up, and in some cases fix-up. Television programmes obsess about the ideal weight and shape. Diets range from low fat this, low fat that and diet pills! NB There are some great programmes on being more aware of diseases and staying healthy.

Across the world exercise clubs fill up in the early hours and if there is any spare air time one can always view the famous range of 12minute experiential advertisement trailers on the latest gizmo to ‘turn your life’ around.

I’m certainly keen on ensuring that we all watch what we eat, for example: watching ones cholesterol level, reducing salt and eating more roughage. My point is simply how the mind works in terms of the need to place priority on internal issues. For example, do we get up in the morning and consider the importance of spirituality, not just to exercise the mind because we have to – but to consider being thankful for being here and establishing connection to God.

Recently I had a chance to view an interesting documentary on alternative therapies. The BBC 2 series on Alternative therapies saw Professor Kathy Sykes set off on a personal and scientific journey to explore three popular, and fast-growing, alternative therapies: meditation, hypnotherapy, and reflexology. In search of answers Kathy traveled to Nepal, Italy and across the length and breadth of Britain and the USA. She uncovered historical origins full of allure and mysticism. She even tried each therapy for herself and it was great to see her share her honest reactions.

When practicing mediation (the key word here being ‘practice’) she admitted that it did help her. I heard recently that meditation has an immediate affect. On the few occasions that I have been to a Kundalini Yoga session, I’ve noticed how it refreshes the mind. I need to make more time to attend!

Saying this, the point of my article is to suggest meditation is good but it is different to Naam Simran. Simran refers to the remembrance of God by repetition or recital of His Name - The process brings calmness to the mind and allows one to concentrate on God. The process is to allow one to ‘connect’ to the Creator. Sikhs prefer the name ‘Waheguru’ to other names of God. Sometimes, the person doing simran will do this as part of a group or individually. Early morning is normally the preferred time although no one time period is considered more sacred than another.

Both physical and mental development is essential – Our personal journeys are our own and it is important to note our body temples do not last forever. We take the journey with us.

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I’ve heard that the new look for BBC World news will be in place from 21st of April. Apparently, this is after 18 months of work costing over half a million pounds. The purpose of the exercise is to bring together all strands of the BBC News brand, for example: online, local, international etc, i.e: under a strong recognised brand / logo. Its weekday bulletins on BBC One will be renamed The BBC News at One, Six and Ten while BBC News 24 becomes BBC News. Under the changes viewers outside the UK will watch BBC World News, rather than BBC World, and all news programmes will feature a revised globe graphic.

The BBC has said…

“We are simplifying the branding structure. The marketplace is getting more and more cluttered and it was important to harness the various parts of BBC News”

I wonder about this cost, albeit that it has been suggested that the latest branding will last 5 years. My concern is about the return on capital employed. No, not as a financial measure of investment vs return but in terms of the value that we get as the main end clients and source of BBC funds.

I’ve spoken about the need for positive media in the past but I also believe that any news service must be reflective of today’s society. Too many times key events are overlooked or simply considered as non-newsworthy. Take for example, the need to spread good news in the areas of community cohesion. On many occasions massive events are given less that 10seconds of air time. Surely, the communication of communities working for good causes will create a sense of common purpose. The nations psyche will then evolve around mutual respect.

Who does set today’s agenda? Is the media lead by what is fashionable or is there a sense of sadistic pleasure to raise someone’s profile and then to drop them from a great height.

It is easy to blame the media and outlets, maybe we should consider that the media is simply reflecting what is happening in today’s society.

On Sunday I gazed at the magazine racks of a local supermarket. It always amazes me how there are so many different interests and hobbies. Each has its own set of enthusiasts and followers. It must be hard for outlets like the BBC to filter news that it believes will have a general appeal. This is where my main issue lies, re: the cost of the revamp. Don’t get me wrong, I value the impartiality, the wonderful presenters and format of many of the documentaries and features. My concern is about the need for greater investment in time, research and understanding what matters to people. Revamping to re-enforce a brand is fine but if the quality of what is being delivered remains unchanged, then it is a bit like placing a new coat on an existing car. Maybe what is really needed is the fine tuning of the engine.

* More community based stories
* The voice of diversity
* Allowing the public an opportunity to present news
* Not being mean on the time given to massive community gatherings

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As part of the organising committee that organises the Birmingham to London Cycle (UK) ride every year. Our organising team / committee consists of approx 8 volunteers from London, Luton and Birmingham. The ride takes at least 10 months to organise.

If you took part last year, you will remember, the friends, fellowship and fun that we all had raising money for Children with Leukemia (CWL). This year we have chosen the same charity again. In addition, there is a new web site to support the ride:
http://www.charitybikeride.com. Here, you can register for special guides for training, collecting sponsorship and generally getting fit! This year the ride takes place from 19th-20th July 2008.

This is a community ride that also shows that collectively we can perform good in society & be humble about it too!

If you did it last year (brilliant!) or are new to the ride, come and join again this year on our 19th ride to raise money for this year’s charity: Children with Leukemia.

Application forms are now available and we strongly recommend you apply early.Just as important, it is essential that you start training now.

A fast track (one day option) application is also available this year.

They say that ‘you take the journey with you’. We suggest that you make the journey of your life worthwhile by helping others.

We look forward to receiving your application form .

As a reminder, the ride is organised by SACA (Sikh Arts and Culture Association). The ride was initially developed by the British Organisation of Sikh Students and was later transferred after a few years to SACA.

Over the last 18 years over £135,000 has been raised for children’s charities, for example, Contact a family, Ealing Hospitals ‘Playground in the Sky’, Wolverhampton Hospital’s Children’s ward, NSPCC, SCOPE, deBra, Dr Barnados, Whizzkids and CWL. Over the years thousands of people have taken part.

Like last year there aims to be a huge party in the park at the finish line. It is a nice way to say Thanks to the supportive families and organisers that have sponsored the ride. Medals are also presented together with many musicians that give up their time to raise further funds.

Once all the collections are in, competitors for the most money raised through sponsorship are awarded and the charity is presented with a cheque for the total amount raised.

If you would like to take part in the ride, please feel free to drop me an email or simply head for the ride website at: http://www.charitybikeride.com/ It would also be great to hear from companies as this event is a fantastic opportunity for corporate responsibility! Remember, apathy is too easy it is time to rise and ride to help others!

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I watched the Olympic torch run on television with a sense of shock and concern. At one point the aerial shot of the runners revealed it all. Put simply, it was ‘a ring within a ring’. The torch was centre piece, surrounded by 3 layers of security. The first a blur of blue/white (the Chinese police/ security/ guard???), the second the yellow jacket clad police (layer 1 of 2 of the UK protection squad) and finally black uniformed metropolitan police in all their shiny silver button glory. I heard news reports that suggested that if one had gone to actually see the torch it would have been difficult to pick it out.

Everyone now knows that it was disrupted on route of its 31 mile journey through London with 35 arrests of protesters. At numerous points the latter named authorities boarded a bus to provide even more protection.

The torch relay has been positioned as a journey of harmony. Is this concept of traveling through cities aimed at bringing people together around the theme of ‘one world’? Who owns the torch? It is certainly not the Chinese although they can be considered as temporary guardians.

I wondered about the relay runners. I am certain that for each one (including the Chinese ambassador who ran with it through London’s China Town) that it must be a dream come true. We need to consider these dreams, especially the extremely dedicated athletes that spend every working day to prepare for these 4 yearly games.

As I implied in a previous article (see http://www.saviarora.com/olympic-torch-lit-despite-protest/),

Where are the obligations for the country that is hosting the games. If they (any Olympic host) do not believe or respect the Olympic ideals how can the participants respect the associated country?

Interestingly, if we look at the history of the Olympic games, politics have been highlighted:

1. The banning of South Africa due to its Apartied stance
   In 1959, the non-racial South African Sports Association (SASA) was shaped to secure the rights of all players on the global field. After meeting with no success in its endeavours to attain credit by collaborating with white establishments, SASA went to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1962, calling for South Africa’s expulsion from the Olympic Games. The IOC sent South Africa a caution to the effect that, if there were no changes, she would be barred from the 1964 Olympic Games. The changes were initiated, and in January 1963, the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SANROC) was set up. The Anti-Apartheid Movement persisted in its campaign for South Africa’s exclusion, and the IOC acceded in barring the country from the 1964 Games in Tokyo.
2. The black panthers protest – marking sympathy with the civil rights movement
3. Moscow non-attendance followed by LA’s non-attendance
4. Hitlers behaviour during the Berlin Olympics of 1936

With regard to the latter, although the bid was won before the Nazi Party gained power in Germany, some leaders in the government saw the Olympics as an opportunity to promote their Nazi ideology. By allowing only members of the ‘Aryan race’ to compete for Germany, Hitler further promoted his ideological belief of racial supremacy. Hitler removed signs stating ‘Jews not wanted’ and similar slogans from the main tourist attractions.

At this moment we can only hope that China does reconsider its position of influence in some of the troubled areas of the world not just to look good but to make a lastsing change.

It is worth noting that Steve Covey wrote about the Circle of Influence in his book: 7 habits for highly effective managers. He suggests that we should think of ways to be more proactive and address the things you can do something about.
The Olympic torch is now at the centre of everyone’s concerns and influence of the Chinese is an opportunity for their redemption…

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