Mindfulness and the Thai smile.

Mindfulness is the art of staying in the moment.

Many of us spend much of the time focused the past or the future.  Most pay very little attention to what is happening in the present moment.   This means that for much of the time we may be unaware of many experiences happening around us. When is the last time you stopped to smell the blooming apple tree in your backyard?  When we focus on encounters from the past we may be reminding ourselves of bad experiences.  How often have you heard a friend or a loved one complains about something that has happened at work?   Notice I put the word “happened” in italics.

  People tend to complain about things that have already occurred as opposed to things happening in the present moment.  Can you think of a time when you have heard someone complain about an event transpiring in the present moment?  Most complains originate from painful, hurtful or irratating things in our past.

Lamenting about the future is not much different. When we dwell on the future, we tend to feeling tension and nervousness.  “Will I have enough money in my 401K to allow me to retire in 30 years?” 

I believe therefore, that most of the time complaints and nervousness originates from past or future experiences and not things that are going on around us in the present moment.

Mindfulness is the practice of living in the present moment.  We do not need to try and change things.  We do not need to always wish for something other than what we have on hand.  Mindfulness is simply accepting the world and its events with open arms.  Mindfulness is a way of being, of remaining present, and practicing the art of observation.  Much of the observation is focused on the breath, observing your breathing without trying to change it.  When you focus on your breathing you become aware of the “here and now”.

When you focus on the present you will notice the change.  You will notice yourself becoming more positive.  You will let the past be the past and worry about the future when it arrives. 

We as westerners can learn many things from Thai culture. Having an understanding of Thai society will allow you to get the most out of your time in the “land of smiles”.  Mindfulness is everywhere you look in Thailand.  Just look around and see the familiar Thai smile and you will see mindfulness in action.  Of course, learning a few common Thai phrases before you trip will definately add to your experience abroad as well!

Good luck!

                                                                                                  Professor Thomas

                             RESPECT

Reverence of elders and the belief in social hierarchy are the cultural foundations inhibiting critical thinking among Thai students.  Interpersonal relations in Thailand are characterized by a medium-to-high power relationship known as Power distance.  Power distance refers to the perceived level of dominance of one group over another.   For example, a teacher holds more status over a student. (Hofstede, 1997)  A society has “high power distance” when it emphasizes the gap between junior and superior.  If this gap is de-emphasized, then the society has “low power distance” and tends to be less hierarchic. Hofstede (1991) suggests that Thai society has high power distance.  Thais accept wide differences in power in their organizations.  In Thai society there are a myriad of relationships that center on relative seniority.  Superior-inferior relationships are clearly defined by acceptance and implicit recognition of age, birth, title, rank, status, position or achievement.  Thai culture accepts that power relations are implicitly constructed in all organizations and at levels of Thai society.  For example, teachers hold a high social status in Thailand.  There seems to be an unwritten rule that teachers are correct and should not be questioned.  Even if a student knows quite certainly that the teacher is wrong the student will not question the teacher.  Thai classroom dynamics do not foster active, individual student response to presented material.  Students are not generally expected to question points made in class lectures.  The current pedagogical model in Thai universities is premised on the teacher always being correct.  Accordingly, students do not take initiative, and wait to be told.  As a result, students sit passively in the classroom and do not dare to interrupt the lecture even if the student does not understand what the teacher is presenting.  For both teacher and student there is always a tension between being correct in ones presentation and losing face by making a mistake.

How to learn Thai phrases.

 [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOTLEUR-kvY[/youtube]

This video is an outline of all 3 of the talk of the Talk-2-me-Thai language DVD programs.  The first product is the Talk-2-me-Thai interactive DVD phrasebook.  You can learn easy Thai phrases and common Thai vocabulary in minutes with this program.  Just pop in the DVD and watch the interactive lecture as you follow along in the paperback phrasebook.  At the end of the chapter there is section called the “Virtuality note cards” where you can easily memorize and practice your new Thai phrases and new Thai vocabulary words.  Simple, easy, interactive and fun!

Professor Thomas is a master at teaching common Thai phrases and easy Thai vocabulary words through his amazing system called the Talk-2-me interactive language learning system.  Come see what all the experts are raving about!  No other language learning program can teach you Thai phrases and Thai vocabulary words with such easy.  The interactive method developed by Professor Thomas uses multimedia techniques that will allow you to learn, memorize and pronounce your new Thai vocabulary words and Thai phrases quickly and effortlessly!  Learn how to say “How much in Thai”.

Also learn how to say ”Where are you” in Thai. The talk-2-me-Thai program is an amazing system that will allow you to learn Thai words and Thai phrases at lightning speed because of the interactive format. The instructor breaks each Thai vocabulary word or Thai phrase into its basic syllables for easier pronunciation.

If you are having trouble pronouncing Thai phrases and Thai vocabulary words with another system or you are interested in starting off learning with the best, click on our “buy now” tab and start learning Thai language today!If you are planning a trip to Thailand, it is a good idea for you to learn a few common Thai phrases and easy Thai vocabulary words before you arrive.  Speaking Thai is now interactive and engaging.  The Talk-2-me system is so easy and fun you will literally spend hours with your new DVD phrasebook learning Thai phrases and common Thai vocabulary.  Just pop in the DVD and watch the short interactive lectures.  Then practice your new Thai phrase or new Thai vocabulary word in an amazingly simple memorization technique called ”virtual reality note cards”.  See images to help recall the Thai phrase or Thai vocabulary word, then see the native Thai speaker demonstrate the pronunciation.

Buy Thai language programs at Asiabooks.

The Talk-2-me learning system has been voted best new foreign language series by Asia Books .  Asia books/Bookazine bookstores are the largest bookstore chain in Southeast Asia with over 82 locations in all 76 provences throughout  Thailand. 

If you are planning a trip to Thailand, it is a good idea for you to learn a few common Thai phrases and easy Thai vocabulary words before you arrive.  Speaking Thai is now interactive and engaging.  The Talk-2-me system is so easy and fun you will literally spend hours with your new DVD phrasebook learning Thai phrases and common Thai vocabulary.  Just pop in the DVD and watch the short interactive lectures.  Then practice your new Thai phrase or new Thai vocabulary word in an amazingly simple memorization technique called  ”virtual reality notecards”.  See images to help recall the Thai phrase or Thai vocabulary word, then see the native Thai speaker demonstrate th pronunciation.

Stop into Asia books or Bookazine when you are in Thailand and see all the Talk-2-me-Thai products!