I have something to share with you. Yes it has been quite some time since I went into Melbourne CBD to offer some Free Hugs inspired by Juan Mann who founded this campaign on the simple principle of giving a stranger a hug… and I have to tell you that I have had some real fun and challenges editing the footage, however… it is here!

If you are thinking of joining the Free Hugs worldwide campaign, I have recently learned that there is an illustrated Free Hugs guide available and it is filled with descriptions, anecdotes and iconic illustrations of over 30 different styles of hugs that leave the reader with a lasting impression.

So firstly, let me introduce you to State of Man (SOM). They are an awesome band based in Atlanta who totally RAWK and have a reputation for being “One of the East coasts premier acts” (XM Satellite Radio). They kindly agreed and gave me permission to use their inspiring song Swallow Your Fears to accompany the footage. Yay!! Thank you SOM.

This song was chosen by me because it was written to inspire you to move beyond fears caused by past disappointments in life. A song about living, trusting and loving again. A song that made me feel like I was alive and free. It made me want to hug the closest person to me when I first heard it so I thought it apt for adding to this footage.

If you like the music, please consider becoming a fan of State of Man in Facebook or click the banner to join the club and support them.

Feel free to share this post with your friends and family and get SOM love for this wonderful band State of Man. I have also given you the download link for the movie and it does require a Flash Embed plugin for Wordpress blogs.

So sit back, relax and enjoy the hugs that brought smiles to the faces of many people including my own

Free Hugs

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“Hugging is healthy. It helps the immune system, cures depression,
reduces stress and induces sleep. It’s invigorating, rejuvenating and
has no unpleasant side effects. Hugging is nothing less than a miracle drug.

Hugging is all natural. It is organic, naturally sweet, no artificial
ingredients, nonpolluting, environmentally friendly and 100 percent wholesome.

Hugging is the ideal gift. Great for any occasion, fun to give and receive,
shows you care, comes with its own wrapping and, of course, is fully returnable.”
Author Unknown

Hello to all ( : Ange left her laptop open so I decided to sneak a post in before she noticed.

My name’s Michaela. I am Ange’s niece, 14 years young. There’s really not much to write, mainly because I don’t really know what my auntie does on here. But I’m going to say this, Ange is the craziest aunt I have. Meaning crazy in a good way. She loves her family and friends and cares deeply about what’s going on around her. For that, I love and admirer her.

I don’t find her on the adventurous scale, and I somehow don’t think The Kakoda Trail was such a good choice of adventure for her, but I know she’ll survive it ( : I think one of the most caring things she has done in the past is ‘FREE HUGS DAY MELBOURNE’.

She has a strong mind and always has her own opinion. If you dislike well trust me, you’re missing out.

I think I’m done on here. Thanks for reading about my auntie Ange ( : Much love to all, especially the one this is about.

xxx

Well I have to say that I am still buzzing from the Free Hugs day out in Melbourne. I know that this is something that is not for everyone and that’s okay. I would recommend it to all of you if you could take some time out as it did leave me feeling like I had made a difference in the lives of those that came my way… even the ones who took a wide berth, lol.

My six year old daughter wanted to join me on the day and seeing as though I had never done it myself before Monday, I wasn’t sure whether it would be appropriate for her to come along, so I sent her to school instead. It also happened to be the week of dress rehearsals for her first school concert. Imagine how excited I was as a parent to know that my baby girl would perform in front of 1500 people at one of Melbourne’s best concert halls

It’s quite a large school for what we call a primary school, I think around 550 students in all, and at the same time, there is a real sense of community amongst all the parents and children alike. So tonight we went to see the show that they had been preparing for the last couple of months with rehearsals 3 times a week. It was quite spectacular in some parts. They performed in a graduated order from the preps through to the grade sixers.

There were singing and dancing performances of course, and even the 17 x table, but the one that stood out the most for me (aside from my daughters grade of course) was the grade 4 level who performed circus tricks and did it quite well even though there were some that dropped their tokens occasionally whilst juggling.

It was really cool to see the parents and other family members clapping and cheering on the children as they went through the routines as it made it easier of course for the performers to do their thing.

The night ended with one of our national songs called We Are Australian (original, I know). Here is a small excerpt of the song:

We are one but we are many
And from all the lands on earth we come,
we share a dream,
And sing with one voice,
I am, you are, we are Australian

and this got me thinking that we are one in a spiritual sense. We come from all the lands on earth and we are all the same. We all have fears and challenges at times we have to face, and even though we have different colored skin, hair and eyes and a different set of circumstances, we are all connected through this vast universe of ours. If we face those fears and challenges head on and overcome them, we grow as people and a society.


Make a Difference

Something that I learned from the Landmark Forum is that when we meet somebody new, we always try to look good to avoid looking bad and the barriers shoot up straight away. We try to make the best impression possible because the fear of being rejected is so natural that we tend to get defensive without knowing it and after a while, the defenses shut down and we start to relax a bit. We are all the same.

Take out the word Australian from the end of that song and replace it with one, it will apply to all of us as one.

I want you to try something for me and you are most welcome to let me know how you go. The next time you walk down the street and you make eye contact with someone, give them a smile. It will go a long way and make a difference to their day. Who knows, you may even get a smile back

May You Be Blessed

Ange

The Free Hugs Campaign in Melbourne on Monday was a blast. I headed into the Docklands with my fellow Thirty Day Challenger Brendan McNally and we almost got blown away by the wind so we decided to go into the Bourke St Mall where it would be a little more protected and I’m glad we did.

It’s funny how people react and for the most part and we gave and received some very big hugs. There were also those who took a wide berth, mainly the corporate types but I did manage to get some of the suits hugging me

There were all sorts of people in need of the human touch and one little boy especially who was nudged towards me by his mother. He would have been maybe 2 years old and his mother told him to get a hug from me because she never hugs him… ever. Having two little girls myself, my heart just broke so I spoke with him for a few minutes as he hesitantly came my way. Eventually he got close enough and accepted my hug. He was really sweet.

I feel for those people in the world who just don’t have that capability of being able to express themselves in this way. It is a form of love and healing when you touch another person and the warmth and energy that you get from a hug is just incredible. There is always room for more hugs in this world.

I think that my energy was zapped by the end of the day as I would have passed it on to those in need. I was truly exhausted and wouldn’t change a thing about the day (except my cameramen, perhaps). Moving right along.

There were also many highschool students around doing various projects around the CBD and this group in the photo here came up and mobbed me in a group hug. They actually couldn’t help themselves and kept coming back again and again. It was really great.

All in all, I wanted to get out there and Make A Difference to the lives of those who wanted me too. The Free Hugs Campaign which started with Juan Mann in Sydney, is all around the world now and speaking of which, I must thank Sam who is a seasoned hugger and goes to many of these events in his travels all around the world. He showed up after I posted in the forum at the main site and I was glad to meet him. He has also attended these events with Juan Mann himself.

I overcame many barriers on that day. Going out into a public place and hugging total strangers was a real buzz. I hope that the hugged people also felt blessed and that their barriers were broken down a little too. I did ask them all to pay it forward to others.

Making a contribution to a society that is filled with bad news 99% of the time, or so it seems, and the fact that it was the day before the anniversary 9/11 made it all the more special.

With a little social transformation going on right now, I would urge all of you who can to take part in this event. You can do it any day you want to in your local area. Or even better, check out the forum to see when one is coming up in your area and join in. I will be doing it again, that’s for sure.

As my friend Yogi says, if you want to be noticed, try being human. Afterall, we are spiritual beings having a human experience so let’s use it to our advantage.

Oh, I almost forgot, the footage of this day is being edited so I will let you know when it comes available. This is something new for me so be patient please. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

May You Be Blessed and virtual HUGS to all of you.

Ange

As some of you may or may not know, Monday the 10th of September is Free Hugs Day worldwide so I am heading out to the Docklands in my beautiful city of Melbourne and have checked with the City Council in regards to local laws and they say that there is nothing to stop me going out and giving Free Hugs. If any of you want to do the same in your local town, I suggest that you do the same as me and check with the authorities.


Juan Mann

The story of Juan Mann is inspiring and he started all this because after living in London for some time and then returning home to Sydney, he felt like a tourist in his own home town. This is what he says happened from there…

Standing there in the arrivals terminal, watching other passengers meeting their waiting friends and family, with open arms and smiling faces, hugging and laughing together, I wanted someone out there to be waiting for me. To be happy to see me. To smile at me. To hug me.

So I got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. I found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words “Free Hugs” on both sides.

from the Free Hugs Campaign site.

I am excited about this campaign and Making A Difference to the lives of whoever wants a Free Hug on the day.

I should also explain that the reason for the date is because it is the day before the sixth anniversary of 9/11 and as we remember the atrocities of that day, we can also reflect back on the joy that has touched many around the world with this awesome campaign. It starts at 12:00am September 10th and ends at 12:00am September the 11th wherever you are in the world.

Stay tuned for my own YouTube video of the day. I’m sure it will touch many people as Juan Mann has :)Thank you Juan Mann for starting this amazing campaign.

May You Be Blessed

Ange