Aspire Magazine - June/July 2013 - Living a Blissful Life by Aspire Magazine

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Wisdom & Self-Growth

CONTENTS On the Cover

Elizabeth Purvis Elizabeth shows spirit-led, mission-driven women how to price, package and market their services so they create extraordinary income and impact. Aspire welcomes Elizabeth and her new column “Doing Business like a Goddess” to our family of Expert Columnists.

JUNE | JULY 2013 LIVING A BLISSFUL LIFE Wisdom & Self-Growth 16 Living the Big Stuff: An Essential “lifeline” mantra by Kristine Carlson The power of mantra (The repetition of “instrument of thought”, speech, sacred text, a prayer or song of praise.) in combination with meditation can help you through difficult life transitions. Repeating “The Mantra” during times of resistance to change penetrates the unconscious and calls spirit into action and grace to heal. Kristine shares the five-step S.T.A.R.R. mantra: “I surrender, trust, accept, release and receive.”

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18 Simply... empowered! Transcendent beauty by Crystal Andrus You see, transcendent beauty is a state of being. It can’t be bought or bottled, found or lost—it simply is. It has no real definition, for it’s in everything and everyone. Just as the butterfly emerges from her cocoon, isn’t it time we all wake up and realize we must stop trying to be beautiful— and instead, decide that we are! 23 trust the process by Shann Vander Leek In Trust the Process, Transformation Goddess, Shann Vander Leek guides you to loosen the reigns of control your life. Shann invites you to set an intention and then trust the process of your personal unfolding.

CONTENTS 26 defining your brand of authenticity by Morgan McKean In our fast-pace, mediarich society, discovering who we really are, and how to live authentically isn’t always easy. From the time we wake-up and connect to the world through our media, someone is trying to tell us who we need to be and what we need to buy, wear, and eat to be hot, hip, or trendy. 30 colorscope: living a blissful life by Elizabeth Harper Colorscope is a unique system designed to stimulate your intuitive skills. By choosing the color you are most drawn to you actively access the wisdom of your subconscious and the voice of your soul.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.” JOSEPH CAMPBELL

Health & Wellness 33 living the goddess lifestyle: embracing a VITALicious life by Lisa Marie Rosati Health and Wellness Expert columnist Lisa Marie shares the four most common energy leaks for women and how to take empowered and aligned action to plug them up. You deserve to live a life of radiant energy and health.

39 Get Off the Hormonal RollercoasterNaturally! by Alisa Vitti When your hormones are in balance, everything about you, from the inside out, is functioning and looking its best. Integrative Nutritionist and author of WomanCode, Alisa Vitti shares nine nurturing food and lifestyle changes that can improve fertility, supercharge your sex drive and rebalance your hormones for easier periods.

36 The Wise Woman Way: Living a Blissful Life by Susan Weed The path to a blissful life is the path of least resistance. The way of bliss is the easy way. A life of bliss flows from a mindset that enjoys the journey. The chaotic, unpredictable, amazing, journey that life offers.

CONTENTS Relationships 44 comfort food by Cheryl Hunter Of all of the relationships in a person’s life, a relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter can be one of the most special. In this touching story, the author shares her heart-touching memories of her grandmother. May it remind you of your own grandmother, and inspire you about creating a magical relationship with grandchildren of your own. Thank heaven for grandmothers!

Nothing is more important than reconnecting with your bliss. Nothing is as rich. Nothing is more real. DEEPAK CHOPRA

51 the 7 doorways to love by Marci Shimoff Contrary to what greeting cards tell us, love isn’t just flowers, hearts, and a warm, fuzzy feeling; it’s actually a field of energy that we can tap into on many different levels— physical, emotional, and spiritual. This love energy is what makes life truly joyful and juicy. Learn the seven doorways that you can tap into your body’s built-in energy systems to amp up your life.

47 10 tips for soul to soul parenting by Annie Burnside Is your mindset having a serious impact on your love life? The only way more love, intimacy and romance can come into your life is to make room for it.

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Career | Business 54 Doing business like a goddess: give yourself permission to be successful by Elizabeth Purvis Elizabeth joins Aspire as an Expert Columnist and her column Doing Business like a Goddess will share the key concepts that every feminine conscious entrepreneur must know and embrace in order to succeed in today’s new feminine business landscape. 57 inspired to write? Blissful writing, blissful living by Lisa Tener If you love to write, you know that writing in that place of flow can be ecstatic. When the words just keep coming, you are

CONTENTS in another realm—full of both magic and mystery—whether you’re writing a journal uggle side of str er h ot e th On e lose ometimes w lies bliss. S ome at and bec th of t gh si , the struggle in ed h es m so en for e the bliss we can’t se us. the life of

JUNE | JULY 2013 LIVING A BLISSFUL LIFE and business bigpicture vision become overwhelmed or feel energetically locked-down and unable to make strategically intuitive choices. Here are some steps to help you make strategically intuitive choices about where to put your focus and energy to bring your big-picture creation vision into being.

entry, a straightforward how-to book or a blog post. At other times you may struggle to write and feel disconnected. Would you like to get back to your writing bliss? Here are two writing prompts to help you access it. 60 how to choose your big-picture priority to focus your creation energy by Lisa Michaels For many creatives when it comes to manifesting their life

LINDA JOY

Publisher & Editor-In-Chief | Linda@aspiremag.net

Creative & Brand Direction || Rachel dunham | www.HummingbirdCreativeConcepts.com Editorial Layout || Mandy Gates | www.GruveDesign.com Graphic Designer || MANDY GATES | www.GruveDesign.com COO || Kim Turcotte | www.SoulPurposeBusinessSolutions.com Mailing Address || P.O. Box 1149 | Lakeville, MA 02347 | 508.265.7929 ADVERTISING || Email Linda@aspiremag.net Mission to inspire info <Click HERE>

EXPERT COLUMNISTS CRYSTAL ANDRUS Simply... Empowered!

KRISTINE CARLSON Living the Big Stuff TM

Crystal Andrus is a leader in the field of self-discovery and personal transformation. From a tough beginning—she has risen to become a best-selling Hay House author, international speaker, women’s health advocate, spokesperson for Haylo Health, and Founder of The SWAT Institute. Crystal’s message is one of resilience, strength and inner power. www.CrystalAndrus.com www.SWATInstitute.com

An unyielding believer of Living the Big StuffTM and not sweating the small stuff in order to experience true happiness in life, as a bestselling author and inspirational speaker Kristine Carlson continues to expand on the phenomenal success of her late husband, Dr. Richard Carlson, beloved author of the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series. www.KristineCarlson.com www.DontSweatMoms.com

ELIZABETH HARPER ColorScope

ELIZABETH PURVIS Doing Business Like a Goddess

Elizabeth Harper is an internationally acclaimed teacher, intuitive, healer, and the author of the award winning book Wishing: How to Fulfill Your Hearts Desires. Elizabeth is on the faculty at the highly acclaimed Omega Institute in Rhineback, NY and is invited to speak around the world. www.SealedwithLove.com

Elizabeth Purvis shows spirit-led, missiondriven women how to price, package and market their services so they create extraordinary income and impact. Known for blending heart-centered sales, Internet marketing, spiritual principles and Universal Law, Elizabeth delivers simple ways for her clients to double or triple revenues by creating multiple streams of income and enrolling ideal clients at higher fees. www.MarketingGoddess.com

LISA MARIE ROSATI Living the Goddess LifeStyleTM

LISA TENER Inspired to Write?

Passionista Lisa Marie Rosati is an Inner Goddess Catalyst for women and the Creatrix of The Goddess Lifestyle Plan. Lisa mentors women on how become a Modern Day Goddess by consciously designing a luscious Goddess life, cultivating radiant health and creating a lucrative business using and directing their feminine fire. www.GoddessLifestylePlan.com

SUSUN WEED The Wise Woman Way

An award-winning authority on writing and publishing books, Lisa Tener guides you to joyfully express yourself in writing. She blogs for the Huffington Post, serves on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s publishing course, and teaches her own Award Winning Book Writing Courses in person and by interactive teleseminar. www.LisaTener.com

Susun Weed is an internationally renowned herbalist, author, and director of the Wise Woman Center in New York. She is a revered voice of the Wise Woman Tradition, where women’s bodies and women’s emotions are valued. Susun is a founding grandmother of the herbal renaissance and the originator of the concept of complementary medicine. www.SusunWeed.com

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

Cheryl Hunter

lisa michaels

YOUR WISDOM! WITH OUR READERS

Morgan mcKean

shann vander leek

Alisa vitti

annie burnside

LETTER EDITOR

FROM THE

“Tell the world you are a one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy. Expect to be accommodated.” Victoria Moran

Welcome! A blissful life!

We all aspire to experience a state of bliss in our lives. We each have our own definition of what that means and how it manifests but all of us yearn to feel joy, happiness and inner peace in our lives. My idea of bliss is living from the inside-out and being able to remain connected to my source of inner wisdom, peace and joy - no matter what is happening to or around me. It’s a daily practice of remembering who we are as Divine beings and understanding that bliss, peace, joy and happiness are within us and not outside of us. Throughout the Living a Blissful Life issue of Aspire you’ll discover nuggets of wisdom, hope and inspiration to support you on your journey. In Kristine Carlson’s recent Living the Big Stuff column she shares how incorporating the power of mantra in combination with mediation can help you through difficult life transitions. You’ll discover the four most common energy leaks for women and how to take empowered and aligned action to plug them up from Passionista Lisa Marie Rosati.

Connect with me! om/ http://www.Facebook.c lindajoyinspires om/ http://www.facebook.c y aJo PublisherLind

I’m honored to introduce new Expert Columnist, Elizabeth Purvis. Elizabeth joins the Aspire family as our Conscious Business Expert and in her column, Doing Business like a Goddess, Elizabeth will empower spirit-led, mission-driven women in creating a thriving heart-centered business.

ajoy

https://twitter.com/lind http://pinterest.com/ lindajoyinspire/

LINDA JOY Publisher & Editor-In-Chief | Linda@aspiremag.net

Here’s What I’m Reading Right Now...

FROM MY BOOKSHELF 14

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown A leading expert on shame, authenticity, and belonging, Brené shares ten guideposts on the power of Wholehearted living— a way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.

WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH Read Online!

“The willingness to show up

changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.” Brenè Brown

Discerning the Difference Between

e Intuition & ImpulsBY Cari Murphy

So, how do we know if the inner voice we’re listening to is actually our intuition and not something else, like a sudden impulse? When we pay attention to that still small intuitive voice that attempts to guide us from moment to moment, we remain on our soul’s path with conscious intent and deliberate action. The challenge we face lies in determining what voice we’re listening to! It can be challenging to determine whether we’re receiving guidance or advice from our intuition/higher self or just the impulsive tendency that stems from our own logic or ego. Here are some signs to discern the difference between intuition and ego: Our Ego Voice: e: Is usually critical and creates itive Voic Our Intu g in

g and calm

lovin Is gentle,

of our t recesses n s e p e e d e us o lows the ed to guid n ig s e d g bein our path soul’s eing and -b ll e w r u Serves o ent. developm

fear and anxiety.

Ego resists change & wants to keep us secure in predictable patterns of the past.

CHECK OUT MORE

Ego operates from fear out of a sense of

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l Live & Virtua

UPCOMING EVENTS

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living the goddess lifestyle || DETAILS! Linda Joy and Guest Lisa Marie Rosati hay house world summit || DETAILS! 110 World-Renowned Teachers INSPIRED LIVING SECRETS || DETAILS! Pre-Register for Season 3 with Linda Joy

LIVING the

Big Stuff !

An Essential

“Lifeline” Mantra By kristine carlson

he power of mantra (The repetition of “instrument of thought”, speech, sacred text, a prayer or song of praise.) in combination with meditation is one way I move through difficult life transitions. I’m sure you’ve heard, read and listened to all kinds of resources regarding meditation, but what good is it if you can’t apply your meditative practice when resistance crosses your path during the day? That’s why a mantra is essential – it is like a lifeline you can quickly grab before your subconscious plunges into the sea of resistance. Repeating “The Mantra” during times of resistance to change penetrates the unconscious and calls spirit into action and grace to heal. In grief for instance, there are times you resist embracing the process of healing. In these moments of resistance, rather than postpone healing by busying yourself, give yourself some time in silence. Sit or lie down and repeat this mantra, allowing this lifeline to bring you to the path of love and to healing.

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

‘Surrender and Trust’ that you will inch your way to acceptance. This is the turning point on your path where you will begin your transition back to living real time.

The S.T.A.R.R. mantra: “I surrender, trust, accept, release and receive.” S.T.A.R.R. provided me a mental prayer to follow through life, love and loss. It is the mantra to live, love and let go. It is the mantra that will help you return to a life of peace and equanimity in almost any situation (including traffic.) I say that with a smile because this is a mantra with bandwidth.

Release

Surrender The first thing “to do” amidst adversity is to embrace it rather than fight it. Once you’ve asked yourself this important question, “Can I change this situation or event?” and the answer is “No”, then, surrender is the first step to moving forward. Allow yourself to open up to the unknown.

As you accept your loss, you can release old patterns and ideas that no longer serve you. You can release grief, guilt, regret and pain and “Let go and Let God” replacing fear and anxiety with peace.

Receive As you practice this S.T.A.R.R. mantra, through repetition, the power of mantra penetrates your subconscious and allows you to move into and through your wound. This mantra will assist you into re-entering a new life in full acceptance and integration of your loss. You will, in the right time, receive a new life and return to your natural state of joy. Read Online!

Trust The events of your life have shown up, through spirit, to be a part of your transformation. As you surrender and open, ask to be guided and led by the divine to the answers knowing that every circumstance of your life is here to teach you and develop your soul life 101 curriculum. Trust your body and your heart to communicate what you need. Feel to heal. You are fully equipped to handle all things that come your way.

Accept There will be a time after you practice

Kristine Carlson – An unyielding believer of Living the Big StuffTM and not sweating the small stuff in order to experience true happiness in life, as a bestselling author and inspirational speaker Kristine Carlson continues to expand on the phenomenal success of her late husband, Dr. Richard Carlson, beloved author of the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff series. Learn more at www.KristineCarlson.com and be sure to download your Free Mom’s C.P.R. Kit at www.DontSweatMoms.com.

Wisdom & Self-Growth

Don’t know where to begin? Below is the five-step mantra that has always worked for me for embracing change and transition in order to receive grace through surrender:

SIMPLY

Empowered!

Transcendent beauty: My Hope for all

Women

eauty begins with a single choice . . . to be. Imagine just being beautiful, and having the absolute certainty that you are. Unfortunately, most of us have bought into the myth that if we try hard enough, we may perhaps . . . eventually . . . sort of . . . feel it. Worrying, stressing, wondering, planning, devising, speculating, and most often doubting, we’re constantly searching for “it.” But it never comes . . . and it never will, because being beautiful is only attainable with two effortless words: I am.

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

BY Crystal Andrus

You see, transcendent beauty is a state of being. It can’t be bought or bottled, found or lost—it simply is. It has no real definition, for it’s in everything and everyone. It’s found in the gentle slope of a woman’s waist as it cascades around her hip while she effortlessly strolls through a crowded room. It’s in the twinkle of her eye as she laughs out loud with old friends. It’s in the tender touch as she strokes her baby’s hair, and is captured in the moment she extends her hand toward her lover with passion.

You may think that only monks and sages can achieve this state, yet we’ve all met socalled regular people who exude “joie de vivre” even in the midst of pandemonium. The greatest teachers and healers ooze this magic, and many of us ache for whatever it is they possess. People worldwide are spending billions of dollars hoping to find it in a cream, pill, or potion. They work like mad to buy the best car, fanciest house, and most perfect outfit . . . and then feel disillusioned and hopeless when they wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and still reject what they see. They never feel good enough. If you feel like a member of the latter group,

take heart! While achieving transcendent beauty is actually quite simple, until now it’s been difficult for so many of us to reach because our idealism—or our attachment to the paradigm of beauty—has severed us from ever attaining it. We fret that our looks are biased and competitive and unless we’re the “ideal,” we’ll never be beautiful . . . never feel good about ourselves . . . never shine. The simple fact is that we women are so exhausted and so tired of trying—especially when we’re attempting to be something, and we’re not even sure what it is. Based on narrow-minded and unrealistic images that we’ve allowed ourselves to be fed from the media, Hollywood, and the fashion

“ You see, transcendent beauty is a state of being. It can’t be bought or bottled, found or lost—it simply is. It has no real definition, for it’s in everything and everyone.” industry, most of us have a concept of beauty that takes us to about 25 years of age and then rockets ahead to the elegance and refinement of the 60-year-old woman, with no-man’s-land in between. We let advertisers show us how to create the look of ease with expensive-yet comfortable

Wisdom & Self-Growth

The transcendently beautiful are brilliantly lit, brimming with bliss, and radiating a splendor that’s never ending and enthralling. The aura from these people is not a chaotic, manic type of intense energy with happy peaks and sad valleys; rather, it’s a gentle, consistent, and infinite presence. Such individuals don’t look to impress others purposefully—yet nevertheless, their radiance is so powerful that the world is naturally attracted to them. They smile effortlessly and love passionately because they know that everything in their life happens with synchronicity and the miraculous is commonplace. They simply know that everything—from the way they think, feel, react, eat, speak, move, touch, and love to what they surround themselves with—will either increase their light or dim it. The fact that they shine with an indescribable quality isn’t their aim but rather a by-product of the way they live their lives.

looking jeans and the perfect “sloppy” sweater, yet we aren’t truly at ease because as long as we’re “trying,” we still haven’t “become.” Consequently, our desire is still a craving and not yet an attainment. Like most women, you might be totally oblivious to the fact that as long as you fearfully “try,” you’ll never attain—for the mere notion indicates a state of lack (according to the Law of Attraction, you can only bring to yourself what you put out). The saying “fear and it will appear” couldn’t be closer to the truth: As long as you’re staring into the mirror wishing for something else— dissecting your skin, layering it with antiaging creams, wishing you looked better, prettier, or younger—you’ll never feel a true sense of confidence and contentment. As long as you’re exercising with selfpunishment, or eating (or not eating) foods

with paranoia and worry, you’ll only attract back more paranoia, fear, and desire. Moreover, trying is such a low-energy word, and it’s shrouded in doubt and discouragement: “I doubt I’ll lose weight. I doubt my skin will clear up. I doubt he’ll think I’m sexy. I doubt I’ll find someone to love. I doubt I’ll ever be beautiful . . . but I’ll try anyway.” The truth is that even with all our newfound feminist strength, and the supposed rejection of the stereotypical beauty standards we’ve watched and listened to for far too long, many of us do still believe that our looks are subjective, and that unless we’re a size-seven with high cheekbones and flawless skin, we won’t be beautiful—and what’s worse, we may not find everlasting love without it. We may even ache with an uneasiness when bombarded with young, scantily clad women in magazines, on television, and in movies, while we convince ourselves that it’s merely our own lack of confidence and our own flaws and imperfections that make us uncomfortable. Too many of us have inadvertently renounced our own ability to innately trust in and know what is. Nancy Etcoff, the author of the eye-opening book Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty, believes that the reason we’re so preoccupied with our looks has to do with one basic factor: sex. She says that our need to procreate is inherently part of us and that our desire for beauty

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In a world where childless (by choice) couples and plastic surgery for postmenopausal women is becoming ever more popular, we must consider the possibility that it could also be our yearning to be accepted, needed, wanted, approved of, and unconditionally loved that has us trying so hard to be someone other than ourselves. Perhaps deep down we fear that if the world knew who we “really” were, it would be disappointed . . . maybe even shocked. So instead, we search for and find masks, facades, and smokescreens to make us “appear” whole, all the while believing that if we could just be “a little better . . . a little prettier . . . a little thinner . . . and look a little younger,” we’d have more fun, more luck, and ultimately more love and joy in our lives. Unfortunately, however, until we learn to take our masks off and explore all parts of ourselves with love, honor, and acceptance, we’ll forever feel insecure, worrying and comparing. My hope for you and for all women is that we’ll truly begin to know and like ourselves, for self-love is only the thing that will allow us to see our own beauty. As the Persian poet Rumi said, “By God, when you see your beauty, you’ll be the idol of yourself.”

realize we must stop trying to be beautiful— and instead, decide that we are! Transcendent beauty is my belief for all of us—a touch of grace for all women, young and old, to see that they, too, can feel irresistible, sexy, healthy, confident, and completely content with their reflection.

Read Online!

Crystal Andrus – A bestselling author, international speaker, women’s advocate, host of “The Crystal Andrus Show” on CBS Radio, Founder of “The S.W.A.T. Institute (Simply Woman Accredited Trainer)”—the world’s #1 online Personal Empowerment Certification Coaching School, exclusively for women, and Founder of the Simply…Woman online magazine – www.simplywoman.com. She can be reached at www.crystalandrus.com or www.swatinstitute.com.

“Put your heart, mind,

intellect, and soul even into your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.” Swami Sivan anda

Just as the butterfly emerges from her cocoon, isn’t it time we all wake up and

Wisdom & Self-Growth

is not a learned condition at all, but rather a biological one. And yet, although I agree that we’re absolutely driven at times by our hormones and biology, I must wonder, Is wanting sex or needing to procreate really what drives us to want to look better?

Trust the

Process By shann vander leek

“Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to what already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say “yes” to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” – Eckhart Tolle I’m learning to trust the process... For most of this lifetime I’ve tried to control the majority of my outcomes. I liked being the woman who made things happen. I excelled at getting my way. Not anymore. The more I try to push my agenda, the more anxious and agitated I become. Trying to manage every little thing is exhausting. Can you relate? For the next chapter of this lifetime, I choose to let my guardians, angels and guides do the heavy lifting on my behalf. I choose to trust and surrender to the process of my personal unfolding. I invite you to come along.

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

I define trusting the process by setting an intention and moving in the direction of what I wish to experience, without attachment to the outcome. Admittedly, as a recovering warrior and Type A perfectionist, this new way of being is something I have to recalibrate on a daily basis. The awareness of the controlling behavior I wish to change makes old controlling patterns easier to break. Each day begins with the intention to trust and surrender knowing thy will be done. An excellent example (or test) of this teaching involves traveling with my family. We experienced total fiasco while checking in for our flight at the airport. Expedia issued

“All the world is made of faith, and trust, and pixie dust.” - J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan EVER for more than two hours to get a new ticket issued. I trusted the process. I witnessed myself choosing to breathe, trust and surrender. Eventually the celebrated ticket agent was able to get through to someone at Expedia who could help us. He had to talk with five human beings before someone with authority could issue our new boarding pass. By the grace of the Goddess, we made our flight and were finally on our way to California. Our comedy of errors continued when we got to the gate of our connecting flight (while the plane was still at the gate) and were told we couldn’t get on! We had to wait another three hours for the next flight.

we eventually made it to our destination safely and without self-inflicted drama. Another example where I had to trust the process was when my husband and I were refinancing our mortgage at the end of 2012. If things worked out as we hoped they would, we wouldn’t have to make a December mortgage payment. All that needed to happen was for the appraisal to get to the underwriters on time. The appraisal company was slammed. They weren’t sure how quickly they could turn things around. Time was running out. Instead of trying to manipulate the situation, I let it go. The worst case scenario, we would pay our December payment and have a break for the month of January. As it turns out, the bank received the appraisal after the date we’d hoped for, but decided to give us a break from both our December and January mortgage payments! I cried tears of joy at the closing. I was better off trusting the process than I would have been if I tried to PUSH my agenda to get the deal done. If you are ready to learn how to trust and surrender, here are six steps to support you with your intention.

I had two options that day. I could lose my temper, go stark raving mad and ruin the entire day by spewing dark energy all over the place, or take several deep breaths and trust that the situation would work itself out. My practice helped me choose to be calm and remain in the flow of a peaceful (albeit exhausting) resolution. The good news is that even though we missed a full day of vacation,

Wisdom & Self-Growth

two of our plane tickets with the same first name. The airline couldn’t let us get on the plane without a resolution. I stood at the counter with the most amazing ticket agent

Six Steps to ocess Trust the Pr tention 1.) Set your in ion emental act r c in e k a M 2.) steps support 3.) Ask for it l for every b u f e t a gr e B 4.) of the process to your ability in l e v r a M 5.) rrender trust and su est to remain b r u o y o D ) 6. e to the outcom unattached

“Following all the rules

leaves a completed checklist. Following your heart achieves a completed you.” Ray Davis

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

Loosen the reigns on your life. Learn to trust the process. Where are you trying to push for an outcome? How is that working out for you? What might happen if you set your intention and then let the situation unfold? Where in your life can you make more time to trust and surrender? Read Online!

Shann Vander Leek – The founder of True Balance International and the creator of the Sacred Heart Teachings. Shann coaches powerful women in transition who are ready to reclaim their feminine sovereignty and transform their precious lives. She is a mama, author, entrepreneur, artist, and mentor to the women who are attracted to her transformational work. Learn more about Shann at www.TransformationGoddess.com

FREE

Bring Your Book to Life www.LisaTener.com

with National Book Writing Coach Lisa Tener

Defining your

BRAND

Authenticity

by morgan mckean

n our fast-pace, little time for contemplation, media-rich society, discovering who we really are, and how to live authentically isn’t always easy. From the time we wake-up and hop online or flip on the television to learn about what’s going on in the world, some commercial, talk-show host, or even Facebook “friend,” is trying to tell us who we need to be and what we need to buy, wear, and eat to be hot, hip, or trendy. Ironically, one of the hot trends making the “mainstream scene” these days is learning to live “authentically,” and lots of us are buying it. However, as it is with several of the ideas we buy into as a society, many of us are relatively unclear on what it means to be or live authentically. And unlike other trends, where we can buy a product or service to fill our wants and needs, I don’t believe you’re going to find many, if any, manuals or service plans being offered specifically on who you are authentically.

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

Loves to doll-up regularly;

Woman 1:

finest eateries, and enjoys

Goes all natural daily; this means, no make-up, perfumed personal care products, and her clothing, purse and other gear are all made sustainability. Most

days she walks to work or drives an eco-friendly vehicle, and to top it all off, she grows her own organic fruits and vegetables.

Woman 2: this

means,

bi-monthly

trips to the beauty salon, retail therapy, and maybe even

little

cosmetic

surgery, though she’s not telling. She drives the latest SUV, dines at some of the the latest technology. Okay, based on what you just read, who do you believe out of these two women is living more authentically?

Defining your personal brand of authenticity is something only you can do, because only you were born with your specific identity and personality. So, while I can’t hand you a service manual on who you need to be to live authentically, I can offer you the following tips that will help you to be able to better connect with your inner wisdom, so that you can define your personal brand of authenticity more easily.

Pay attention to how you feel in various situations and experiences that

Wisdom & Self-Growth

This is because, learning to live authentically isn’t something that someone can just hand you, as discovering who you are or who you want to be, is a process of learning to walk to the beat of your own drum, and you’re the only one who can hear it. To help you understand this better, I’m going to describe two very different women. Based on what you read, try to determine who you believe is living more authentically.

While you might be tempted to choose woman 1, as she may seem to be a little more earth friendly, in truth, they both are, as each is showing up in their life story as exactly who they want to be. You see, true authenticity isn’t about the specific choice you make, as two people can choose the exact same thing and one may be doing so because it resonates with them authentically, while the other does it to receive acceptance or validity.

you find yourself in. If you find that you’re regularly nervous, anxious or simply uncomfortable, that’s usually a sign that you’re showing up inauthentically, and you need to set an intention to become more conscious of who you’re showing up as in your life experiences.

Make note of those ideas and experiences that make you feel alive and fabulous.

After you’ve written the lists, read each of them a few times and then put them somewhere you can visibly see them, as a reminder of who you are authentically, when no one was telling you who you should be. Even though this exercise may feel very simple, the benefits are far reaching. This is because in essence, answering these questions is the beginning of your own service manual, for how you Read can define your personal brand of Online! authenticity. Morgan McKean – Known to her clients and friends as a

As when you’re in a state of bliss, this is a

“Vitamin B12 Shot” for their dreams, most people refer to

sign that your mind, body and spirit are all

Morgan McKean as a cherished intuitive healer, spiritual

in alignment, and that you are expressing yourself authentically.

mentor, and all around sassy self-help guide, dedicated to helping women live more fabulously. Founder of a multimedia platform called “Living Clear”, Morgan shares her spiritual ideas for fabulous living through blogging, her

Additionally, as a way to help you further discover who you are, and to define your brand of authenticity, I’ve created the following exercise, as a means to ignite a productive train of thinking.

online video show, inspirational newsletter and greeting card line. Additionally, she is slated to release her first book, “Becoming Princess Charming; Creating the Magical Mindset for your Happily Ever After” this Summer. Learn more at www.MorganMcKean.com

1 List 5 to 10 of your favorite things (i.e. food, travel, books, movies, etc.)

2 List 5 to 10 of your most important values (i.e. peace, love, wisdom, wealth, etc.)

3 List

5 to 10 personality traits or

ways of being that you enjoy about yourself (talkative, friendly, kind, funny, etc.)

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

“The true joy and wonder

of life can only be yours if you follow your own intuition aiming to achieve your bliss.” Steven Redhead

by Elizabeth Harper

Set an Intention to receive inspiration from your Soul. Close your eyes and take a deep breath into the center of your being. When you are ready, open your eyes, select a color and open your heart to the message from your Soul.

Living a Blissul Life Blue

Bliss Keyword: Memories Bliss Crystal: Moonstone with Electric Blue to initiate communication. This is a delightful time for you. Reunions with family and old friends will be on the cards, some you have not heard from in many years. A surprise celebration takes you on a journey close to or over water.

Green

Bliss Keyword: Safety Bliss Crystal: Moss Agate to acquire riches on all levels. Relax concern over finances and allow abundance to flow. A gift from an older person or mentor will open your heart and mind to new vistas, guiding you to fulfill a forgotten desire.

Brown

Bliss Keyword: Life Purpose Bliss Crystal: Stromatolite to connect to the essence of life New opportunities inspire you to take up a cause that will make a difference to the lives of others. This will offer greater meaning to your life and could be the highlight of your summer.

Magenta

Bliss Keyword: Creative Adventure Bliss Crystal: Ruby to change your world Encounters with people from foreign lands initiates an inner yearning to travel. Allow your heart to guide you to visit far-flung lands renowned for their spiritual influence on arts and culture.

Olive

Bliss Keyword: Forgiveness Bliss Crystal: Green Tourmaline to strengthen and detoxify the heart Recent decisions may not have been your best ones, but given the circumstances you did the best you could. Put it down to experience. Make peace with the past, let go, and move on.

Orange

White

Yellow

Turquoise

Pink

Violet

Bliss Keyword: Ask Bliss Crystal: Endlichite to draw support and assistance Once in a while you can hit a dead end. When this happens try something radical – ask for help! Contrary to public opinion this does not reveal weakness; instead it shows that you know how to take care of yourself. Bliss Keyword: Light Bliss Crystal: Citrine to promote clarity of thought Your light shines brighter than usual and your ability to attract blessings into your life just shot off the scale. This does not have to be a passing phase. You have found the secret to living a charmed life, now all you have to do is remember what that is! Bliss Keyword: Self Love Bliss Crystal: Mangano Calcite to encourage self worth It’s a good time to balance your finances, and see what you have left over for a little self-love. Don’t take this as permission to break your piggy bank, just rattle it a little and treat yourself to a day of bliss.

Red

Bliss Keyword: Honesty Bliss Crystal: Garnet to bring constancy to friendships Shared interests bring up some heavy discussions, but it is better to clear the air first. Once you know where you stand it will give you the freedom to have pursue other interests.

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Bliss Keyword: Courage Bliss Crystal: White Topaz to help you find your path A change is as good as a rest. When a fresh new perspective offers an opportunity to live blissfully instead of struggling, it has to be worth exploring, right? It’s easy to hold on, but it takes courage to let go. Bliss Keyword: Listen Bliss Crystal: Angelite to facilitate communication with your angels That off balance feeling you’ve been getting is your soul sending messages through your heart that have yet to be received. It’s important to find time in your busy schedule to accept the guidance from your soul; it will help you get back on track. Bliss Keyword: Community Bliss Crystal: Tanzanite to bring magic into your life You don’t have to be alone it’s a choice you make and it’s one that needs tweaking. Reach out to a support group of like-minded souls. Don’t be shy! You’ll get more than you bargained for and Read you might enjoy yourself in the Online! process. Elizabeth Harper – An internationally acclaimed teacher, intuitive, healer, and the author of the award winning book Wishing: How to Fulfill Your Hearts Desires. Elizabeth is on the faculty at the highly acclaimed Omega Institute in Rhineback, NY and is invited to speak around the world. www.SealedwithLove.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS 7 Ways to Celebrate Self-Care

Read Online!

By Jennifer alhasa

Nurturing others comes oh so naturally to women. So, too, does the tendency to overlook our own wants, needs and desires in the process. While this makes us steadfast friends, dependable partners (in love and business) and amazing mothers, it can wear us out! We may start to harbor resentments, put off our self-care and damage our health in the process. I know I’ve been there. My own self-care got so neglected that I was diagnosed with Advanced Breast Cancer at the age of 34. Now, 8 years later, my physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs are my top priority! Here are three of the seven ways you can celebrate and incorporate self-care into your life.

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l Live & Virtua

UPCOMING EVENTS

“A healthy body is a

guest-chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison.” Francis Bacon

ur time is 1 Say “YES” to you! Yo lding” yourself too precious to keep “shou want to! Look into doing things you don’t what (& who!) at your schedule and see in your life. you can lovingly let go of t weighs us Guilt is a heavy burden tha e. down and we serves no on than ow more N ! y o J t Your ss and le 2 Follow e to prioritize bli tim , book a e a class ever, it’s k a T r. a o y to do it s your spir side an hour a da adly ta ,m trip, or se at you love, truly get th g and somethin your joy w o ll o F ! ly turn! and deep hat you love in re more of w

3 Be YOU! That’s right, big, bol d, beautiful YOU is invited to the par ty and we’re ready to see her shine! Let your true personality shine for the wo rld to see. Stop worrying about what others think and tune into how YOU fee l! Dance, prance and run barefoot through the woods. Just be YOU!

LIVING the

Goddess Lifestyle

Embracing a

VITALicious Life BY LISA MARIE ROSATI

ost of today’s women spend their days and nights catering to everyone’s needs and attempting to put a decent size dent in what feels like a never ending “todo list”. The women I mentor come to me with a list of symptoms that usually include one, all or a combination of the following; fuzzy headedness, exhaustion, overwhelm, energetic imbalance, indecision, inertia, black circles under their eyes (that the best concealer in the world can’t fully cover), a mushy, muffin top hanging over their waistband, a short fuse, low libido and a total disconnect from their divinity - their Goddess-ness.

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They’re totally depleted and stuck, as if their energy and vitality has been zapped from them, and in essence … it has been…. If you can relate to any of the symptoms above, I’m here to tell you that it does NOT have to be that way any longer. The remedy is as simple as discovering the four most common energy leaks for women, and taking empowered, aligned action to plug them up in your life. Now, when I say simple, that does not imply easy. In order to seal up the energy leaks, you must go against your natural instincts to take care of everyone else first and move yourself to the TOP of your priority list. *gasp*

I always say, “Only a full vessel can pour water.” If you’re deleted, dried up and running on empty, your vessel has nothing to offer… because it’s barren. The question I want you to ponder is… how much can you serve your loved ones, your community and the world in a depleted state? Not much at all… In actuality, you’re doing the entire world a great service when you take the time to fill your vessel. You’ll have so much more to give and the capability to deliver it with gusto! Now that’s HOT STUFF!

p seal u o t r e d In or ks, you a e l y g er r the en nst you i a g a o must g stincts n i l a r natu f care o e k a t to e first s l e e n f everyo yoursel e v o m and of your P O T e to th list. priority

Enjoying a VITALicious life is a conscious decision that each and every woman must inevitably make in order to achieve, it takes mindfulness. It would tickle me pink if you joined me. It’s super fun!

4 Most Common Energy Leaks for Women

1. Food and Health: Proper nutrition is the foundation for feeling great and having abundant, natural energy. Most people today are sugar addicts and don’t even realize it. The culprit is that most women are super busy and have limited free time to cook, so they often turn to convenience foods, processed or fast food to nourish their sacred body vessel. Those foods contain chemicals, preservatives, sugar, sodium, and are void of essential nutrients. When eaten day after day, it breaks down the health of your sacred body vessel, which leads to dis-ease, poor sleep, obesity, hormone imbalance and toxic load.

2. Lifestyle Choices and Habits:

Can anyone say S-T-R-E-S-S? The rushing, overwhelm and lack of goddessness equals cortisol release! Cortisol is a stress hormone and when its released into your system over and over - all day long, on a daily basis, it will break down your sacred body vessel and cause dis-ease, poor sleep, irritability, anxiety, obesity, hormone

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Women are creatures of beauty, we love to enjoy life’s pleasures, communicate, luxuriate and play. It’s in our DNA and our divinity. Sadly, the hustle and bustle of today’s world compounded with the juggling act we must try and master; working and caring for our loved ones, has left us out of energetic balance, giving away too much of ourselves and never having (or making) the time needed to renew, recharge and reboot.

imbalance, adrenal burnout, and plain ole bitchiness.

3. Relationships and Sex: Nothing zaps your Goddess Juice more than drama- filled, toxic relationships can. Why? Because we’re emotionally involved and women are emotional creatures. Relationships are a two way street, and we simply cannot control what’s going to get catapulted into our energetic field from another person. When you allow other people’s crap to throw you off kilter, you feel out of control or overwhelmed … a victim of your own life instead of the Creatrix of it. The great news is you get to choose, which one will you be? Victim or Creatrix? Most of my clients are so depleted that they no longer desire sex either. This is not a good thing. Here’s a news flash for ya… orgasm is the elixir of youth and vitality. One of the best mind shifts I’ve ever had was deciding that having sex was for ME not my partner; sex and orgasms keep me feeling and looking young, juicy and vibrant. Sex is for you too, so if you’ve been avoiding it for whatever reason, STOP and go have an epic, earth shattering orgasm! Don’t forget to moan and scream, it will help clear the cobwebs out of your throat and sacral chakra.

4. Passion and Purpose: I wake up every morning filled with curiosity,

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purpose and hope. I can’t wait to see how the day will unfold… it’s so exciting! I didn’t always feel this way. There was a time when my entire existence was in service (or so I thought) to others; my children, my husband, my friends, etc. My moods were dependent on their moods - I was only as happy as they were. If they had a bad day, I had a bad day. I allowed them to bring me down because I had no sense of who I was or what my life’s purpose was. I needed everyone’s approval and sought after it shamelessly. I was a hot mess! That all changed when I decided to get a life (actually, it’s more like when I decided to CREATE a life). I began the long road back to myself, connecting with my divinity and the goddess that lives within me. My life has opened up and blossomed in the most delightful and unexpected ways. I laugh with abandon, love deeper and have beautiful boundaries in place that keeps everything in balance. My life is truly VITALicious and my heartfelt wish for you is that you find your sweet Read spot too. Online!

Passionista Lisa Marie Rosati – An Inner Goddess Catalyst for women and the Creatrix of The Goddess Lifestyle Plan. Lisa mentors women on how become a Modern Day Goddess by consciously designing a luscious Goddess life, cultivating radiant health and creating a lucrative business using and directing their feminine fire. www.GoddessLifestylePlan.com

The

Wise Woman Way

Living a

Blissful Life T BY SUsun weed

he path to a blissful life is the path of least resistance. The way of bliss is the easy way. It is not always easy, however, to follow the path of least resistance and be blissful.

Water flows downhill. It meanders on its way. It does not resist. Water has a goal. It has a destination. It is flowing to the Ocean of Oneness. Water has no need to get there right away. Water believes in itself. Water believes in its ability to get to the ocean. Water flings itself off precipices, falling, falling, falling, no resistance. Water eddies

even in the midst of rapids. And it always goes downhill, always flows to the Ocean of Bliss. In perfect trust. In perfect love. And, all in good time. A life of bliss flows from a mindset that enjoys the journey. The chaotic, unpredictable, amazing, journey. Our lives are like water. We meander, we fall, we eddy around in the boiling heart of whitewater. Resistance throws up dams and tries to control the water. Bliss accepts the byways and bends, trusting, trusting in the ending. Bliss believes. Bliss is engaged.

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Bliss is easy. I resist when I don’t like the way my life is going, when it isn’t going “my” way. I dig in my heels and cling for all I am worth. No surrender for me. Since my life is not how I imagined it would be, then I must be the victim of my life. If I can’t live exactly as I want to, then I will make everyone miserable. I will pout: I stick out my lip, cross my arms, tighten my eyebrows, and harden myself. I will choose spite and malice. I will be caught up in the pretense that I have no choice.

in her ever-loving arms and rock me, rock me, rock me to bliss. I am being carried down to the Sea. Not necessarily quickly, not necessarily as I wished, planned, or attempted to engineer, and not necessarily by the route I envisioned. But, ineluctably, inevitably, naturally, like the water, I am carried to the Great Ocean of Oneness. I have one important choice: Will I surrender, go with the flow, and enjoy the bliss of life? Or will I close myself off to life, protect myself, and wonder where the wonder went?

I suffer. All of life all around me is in bliss. The plants breathe bliss into me with every breath. The birds sing bliss into me with every spring. The fish swim bliss into my nerves. The frogs peep blissfully. The clouds float in bliss. Above me, below me, behind me, before me, within me and all around me is life, beauty, bliss. Dare I allow myself to be part of it?

Breathe out and give your breath away to the green and growing things around you. Breathe in and open yourself to the bliss of sunlight and wind, the joys of photosynthesis and growth. Every breath is a give-away dance along the path of least resistance, the easy way, the life of bliss. Breathe out. Read

Bliss is all around me. If I allow myself to feel it. Bliss is within me. If I accept myself and my life, just as it is, in this moment. Bliss automatically fills me as I breathe. If I trust enough to breathe out. Bliss floods me with every step I take. If I am aware of it, open to it. I surrender to gravity, to going downhill, and I am carried to the Ocean of Bliss. We come from the Sea. We return to the Sea.

Susun Weed – An internationally renowned herbalist, author, and director of the Wise Woman Center in New York. She is a revered voice of the Wise Woman Tradition, where women’s bodies and women’s emotions are valued. Susun is a founding grandmother of the herbal renaissance and the originator of the concept of complementary medicine.

Yes, I am being carried to the Ocean, the Mother of Bliss, who will rock me forever

Online!

www.SusunWeed.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

My resistance makes my life hard, painful, dull, unsavory, dry, tasteless, and finally, meaningless. My resistance closes me off from the bliss of life. So I project my resistance onto the world. Nothing seems to be going my way. I blame the world, I blame life, I blame my family, my friends, my work, anything except myself, for my lack of joy, for my lack of bliss. Since I obviously can’t control life – things I love are taken from me for no good reason – then I refuse to love life. I refuse to let go to bliss. Refusing, resisting, I suffer.

get off the

o c a r s e l t l e o r R l a n H or m o Naturally By alisa vitti

icture me 12 years ago, as I was 200 pounds, covered face, chest and back in painful cystic acne, depressed, exhausted, and only getting my period twice a year. It was beyond frustrating to progressively be getting worse from the age of 15 and to have no one offer me any explanation as to what was happening to my body. After 7 years of stubborn weight and miserable symptoms, I discovered that I had a hormonal imbalance called PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). The picture my doctor painted for me for my future wasn’t pretty: obesity, diabetes, infertility, heart disease, cancer. I changed my hormonal destiny and now I help women everywhere do the same.

Within a year of developing my 5 step protocol that’s the basis of my new bestselling book, WomanCode, my health and life had a complete turnaround. I lost 60 pounds, my skin cleared, and I have

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

been menstruating monthly for the past 12 years! For the past decade, from my center in Manhattan, I’ve been successfully helping women all over the US with menstrual issues, fertility challenges, and low libido. For most women weight loss is a hormonal game and excess weight can make hormonal symptoms much worse. Hormones affect everything. If you have other hormonal symptoms – like acne, oily hair, dandruff, dry skin, cramps, headaches, irritability, exhaustion, constipation, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding, clotting, shedding hair, weight gain, anxiety, insomnia, infertility, lowered sex drive, or bizarre food cravings – then weight loss can feel almost impossible. Your body is not irrational, it’s hormonal, and learning how to harness these hormones to get them working for you is the key to looking and feeling the way you want to!

organic produce, pasture 2 Choose fed animal proteins, and natural

The 5 step nutritional protocol I created addresses the underlying causes of your hormonal imbalances to help you do just that. The desire to lose weight often stems from the desire to feel better and for women – that means feeling hormonally better – whether you have period problems, want to get pregnant naturally or improve IVF cycles, or have a hotter sex drive.

Nine Nurturing Food & Lifestyle Changes for Easier Periods, Improved Fertility, and Supercharged Sex Drive:

Dramatically decrease white flour and refined sugar to keep insulin levels stable for better ovulation and to decrease exposure to gluten, a studied fertility inhibitor

Eat one cup of steamed dark leafy green vegetables per day to help keep estrogen levels balanced. They are rich in calcium, magnesium, and Vitamin E – all extremely important for healthy cycles and fertility. ave organic, free range eggs with H the yolk for a boost of the following fertility and sex drive enhancing nutrients: Vitamin D3, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K2 – all essentials for hormone production. at avocados for improved IVF cycles, E natural conception and improving mood and energy for sex.

Reduce soy products – the phytoestrogen in soy can exacerbate estrogen dominant symptoms and conditions like PMS, PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, infertility and low libido.

at wild salmon - If you’re struggling E with anxiety, depression, irritability and/or insomnia these symptoms indicate that you are experiencing lower levels of Omega 3 fatty acids which are needed to promote healthy progesterone levels and reduce PMS.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

beauty products to reduce exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, hormones, and pesticides.

Take a B100 complex – I like Jarrow B-right best (must be taken on a FULL stomach) B vitamins are ESSENTIAL for stabilizing hormones, mood, and energy

wap coffee for Rooibos Chai Tea S – the combination of cinnamon and other spices has a benefit of increasing blood flow to the reproductive organs, and can help you get in the mood faster

When your hormones are in balance, everything about you, from the inside out, is functioning and looking its best. My research, as well as the results my clients have achieved, has shown me that food is the most powerful natural drug at our disposal. Western medicine has become so amazing, and yet when it comes to our hormones, we often believe that suffering until menopause – and then suffering more throughout it – is just how it is. Instead, how about a culture where you’re in the driver’s seat of your health every day, you feel great all month long, and partner with your hormones so they’re not a source of grief, but rather your greatest source Read Online! of power.

ARE YOU READY TO FEEL GREAT IN YOUR BODY, LOOK YOUR BEST AND LIVE IN A STATE OF FLOW WITH MORE ENERGY FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO? Learn more about WomanCode and the WomanCode System. Watch my 3 free Health Insider videos: http://floliving.com/secret-videos.html

Alisa Vitti – Integrative Nutritionist, Women’s Hormone Expert, HHC, AADP is the best selling author of WomanCode and the founder of FLOLiving.com, a virtual health center that supports women’s hormonal and reproductive health. A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, she is the creator of the WomanCode System, a one-of-a-kind online learning and support program for women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s based on her revolutionary functional nutritional protocol. Alisa is a popular media guest and has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, CBS, Fox, Natural Health, Fitness Magazine, Huffington Post, and many more. www.FloLiving.Com

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“Real magic in

RELATIONSHIPS Create Meaningful

Read Online!

relationships means an absence of judgment of others.” Dalia Lama

Family Time BY renÉe Peterson Trudeau

There is so much joy, learning, growth, and new perspectives available to us when we begin to really slow down, be more present, and fully show up to and for our family members. As you spend more time together as a family, you’ll be amazed by all the good that’s right there in front of you. When we relate to each other on a deeper level, this time together nourishes us and we begin to long for it. Here are some helpful tips to support you SCHEDULE FAMILY DINNTERS TOGETHER. Treat family dinners like any other important commitment and schedule them on set evenings. You may need to get creative if your schedules are erratic: Mom has dinner with one child earlier and Dad has dinner with another child later, or Tuesdays and Thursdays are family dinner nights. CREATE A FAMILY VISION BOARD. These are great ways for everyone to express and share their dreams and desires. Have each person brainstorm and choose three words and some corresponding images from a magazine that represent the kind of year (or upcoming season) he or she would like to have. Everyone takes turns sharing what they chose, and why. Then paste or tape all the words and images on a large piece of paper for display in a prominent place. PLAN FAMILY DATE NIGHTS. Schedule an evening once a month for an extra-special family fun night. Get the entire family’s input on what they want to do, and try to make it unusual or out of the ordinary: perhaps dim sum and bowling, a picnic outdoors and stargazing, going to a major art museum, or preparing a unique gourmet feast at home.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Comfort FOOD By Cheryl Hunter

f all of the relationships in a person’s life, I believe that the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter can be one of the most special. I’d like to share a story of my grandmother with you in the hopes that it will remind you of your relationship with your own grandmother, and inspire you about creating a magical relationship with grandchildren of your own. Thank heaven for grandmothers!

backed out of the driveway. It was too late to run after her. Nana hoisted me up onto her kitchen counter and started inspecting me. I trembled looking out at the dozen straight pins Nana held clenched between her lips.

I was about four when I had my first “big girl” lunch alone with Nana. I hadn’t wanted to go. I’d once heard Nana lose her temper with Mom. She scared me.

“Hold still or I’ll poke you.” I put my arms straight out, holding very, very still, while Nana checked my hem. I was wearing the bright yellow dress with daisies sprouting from the pockets that Nana had sewn for me. After lunch, she was taking me to J.C. Penney’s to have my portrait taken. I guess I passed muster because Nana grabbed both of my hands and kissed them.

I watched through the screen door as Mom

“It’s about time for lunch, don’tcha think?”

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Nana asked, helping me down.

“Basilico! Perfetto, Belleza! You’re so smart, my little cook!” I sat while Nana poured the soup in the bowls, drizzled in a little olive oil, then placed one perfect basil leaf that I had just picked fresh on top of each. She took the sandwiches out of the pan and cut them in half, got a dish towel and tucked it in the collar of my

His America, as fate had it, was a steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado. More than one boatload of Italian immigrants had been recruited in the Philadelphia ports for mill jobs out west. But the town benefited from more than just Italian brawn. Pueblo grew thick with great Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time in Nana’s Italian restaurants, butchers, bakeries and kitchen. Whatever heartbreak or confusion the scent of handmade pastas with homeI’d brought with me somehow always seemed grown tomato sauces to fade at her table. rising from many a family dinner table. Nonnu’s home was one of them. Nana’s was as dress, covering me up completely, just in well, and she didn’t want the legacy to end case. I picked up my grilled cheese, and with her. was about to take a first bite. “Go outside to Nana’s garden. I want you “What are you thankful for?” Nana to find round leaves that smell like they go interrupted. with what Nana’s cooking.” I skipped off into the garden, with Nana’s voice trailing after me, “And don’t dirty your dress.”

“Um…I saw two ladybugs!”

I crouched down and looked at Nana’s plants, and a bright red ladybug seated atop one of them. Some of the leaves were smooth, others were long and pointy,

I stared at the red puddle of soup Nana had set before me.

“They love Nana’s garden.”

“Tomato soup? Ew. That doesn’t go with

relationships

In Nana’s family, I later learned, food was priceless, a blessing not to be squandered. Her father, Nonnu, my great-grandfather, had immigrated from Italy when he was but thirteen. His family had been so poor they couldn’t feed him. Their only hope was to send him to “Go find your America!”

and each had their own unique scent. I leaned in to a plant with leaves shaped like teardrops and breathed deeply. I picked my two favorites, kissed them and brought them inside.

grilled cheese!” Nana slid my bowl toward me. “You’ll be surprised. This is actually Nana’s favorite lunch. The two bring out the best in each other.” I buried my hands in the pockets of my dress. “Do you like grilled cheese?” I nodded. “Do you like tomato soup?” I scrunched my nose. “Try it. If you don’t like it, what did you lose?” I shrugged, biting into my old faithful grilled cheese. “Now. While you’ve got the grilled cheese in your mouth, take a bite of tomato soup.” It was sloppy, but I did it. When I took another bite, and another spoonful of soup, Nana smiled. She knew. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time in Nana’s kitchen. Whatever heartbreak or confusion I’d brought with me somehow always seemed to fade at her table. The steam rising from a hot bowl of tomato soup and the aroma of melted cheddar and provolone sandwich never failed to work their magic. Our lunches grew more frequent after my parent’s divorce, and many years later, after my own. How was it that a grandmother

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could provide a comfort I’d never found with any of my peers? Maybe it was the halfcentury age difference that gave us such freedom to talk and let our guard down. For a long time, however, I didn’t return to her table. I lived abroad for nearly a decade, and then on both coasts, seldom returning to Colorado. With each visit home, I invariably found my way back to Nana’s table. She, too, needed the comfort of a warm soup and a granddaughter’s company. She’d been widowed—twice—which never stopped her from cooking, except that now most of her meals were eaten alone. Though Nana makes, what to my taste, is the world’s best osso buco, it’s our lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese that I most treasure. Over the years I’ve come to see Nana as her zesty Italian tomato basil soup, and myself as the American grilled cheese. I guess Nana was right all along. The two do bring out the best in each other. Read Online!

Cheryl Hunter – A bestselling author, speaker and resilience expert who has coached and led personal development seminars to over 90,000 people since 1995. Frequently called upon by the media, Cheryl is featured as the on-camera expert in a Huffington Post series, is a regular contributing writer for several national publications, and has delivered multiple TEDx talks. Cheryl is honored to be a founding member of Maria Shriver’s Brain Trust, a select group dedicated to bettering the lives of women. Learn more at www.CherylHunter.com

Mindfulness-Based

RECOVERY Balance and Rejuvenate! A workbook for emotional and physical healing. Janet Gallagher Nestor Counselor, Energy Psychologist, Soul Detective and Intuitive

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10 for TIPS

Soul to Soul Parenting I

By annie burnside

t is my grandest hope that parents from all religious, economic and cultural backgrounds begin to consciously integrate a new perspective—a soul perspective—into their beloved family while simultaneously raising consciousness in our world; one individual and one family at a time. Using my personal path of self-discovery, woven into a positive and transformational parenting approach I have created a framework for other parents who desire the same. Below are ten Soul to Soul Parenting Tips, and I invite you to take what resonates and make it your own for we are each the expert within our own family…

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

look any further than daily reality to find universal spiritual themes to explore with their children. Pay attention to life, record ideas in a special notebook, and set aside a regular family discussion time. Soon, greater depth will become an anticipated and expected aspect of family life, both spontaneous and planned.

How can I explore and share universal spiritual truths from daily routines and reality with my family?

Teach your children to allow multiple perspectives in all life situations and relationships by “flipping” challenges into positive, learning opportunities. Perspective is everything! Teaching this to children at an early age through role-play and dissection of life experiences from many angles liberates them from being perpetually stuck in a black/white, wrong/right, you/me paradigm that holds them back from a much larger perspective available to all who are open to it.

How can I find ways that show my family how to turn challenges into positive learning experiences?

Train your children to be more conscious of thoughts, words, and deeds so that they can

assume greater responsibility for the creation of their own reality. As soon as children realize

their capacity to shape their future reality consciously, they become accountable for all that occurs in their life. They come to see that the interior actually leads to the exterior versus the opposite. Joy begets more joy, generosity begets more generosity, and of course, the more negative aspects of each can be seen played out again and again in life experiences, as well. Help children to witness this within their own life and the lives of others. How can I show my family that we each create our own reality, and how to make it positive?

Encourage compassion, empathy and gratitude in your children on a daily basis by making them the most-used words in your home. A huge

first step in conscious parenting is exploring powerful, universal states of being with your children—not simply because they are the “right” ways to be—but more importantly because the energetic vibration infusing each one has the capacity to uplift oneself, others and the world at large.

How can I encourage compassion, empathy and gratitude on a daily basis to share with my family?

Turn the JOY in family life way up by singing, dancing, smiling, humming, laughing, and relaxing rigid perspectives as often as possible through openness and gratitude. Take a close look at the energy in your home. Yes, there are responsibilities that need to be met in

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Utilize everyday life—such as friendships, nature, mealtimes, music, movies, and much more—as the perfect curriculum and forum to teach your children powerful, universal principles such as connectedness, self-love, presence, and forgiveness. Parents need not

A huge first step in conscious parenting is exploring powerful, universal states of being with your children—not simply because they are the “right” ways to be—but more importantly because the energetic vibration infusing each one has the capacity to uplift oneself, others and the world at large. running a busy household, but it is possible to increase the joy in all aspects of family life. The parents are the leaders here—if they can effectively raise their vibration throughout daily living—children not only feel the energy, but are given the opportunity to become more joyful themselves without guilt or apology. How can I bring more joy and spontaneity into my home to be shared by all?

Model authenticity through speaking and living your truth thereby giving your children permission to do the same. It is time that we

all became so much more comfortable in our own skin. The greatest gift that parents can offer their children is an open invitation to be themselves—truly themselves—at all times. Parents do this by first healing what needs to be healed in their own past so that they may courageously offer their most authentic self to the world, effectively showing children how to identify psychic debris, release it, and live true. How can I change and so encourage my family to freely express themselves at all times?

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Show your spirit daily so that your children can witness multiple aspects of you, and in turn, see multiple aspects in themselves. As parents, we

are all so much more than simply parents. Let children see the gardener, the singer, the healer, the imaginer, the artist, the quiet and still in YOU.

How can I show the many aspects of myself that will let my spirit shine so that it can be passed onto my family?

Teach your children that they are intuitive, creative, eternal spiritual beings—much larger than simply their physical form—and filled with infinite possibility and the capacity for direct divine connection. Ultimately, the deep understanding of who they really are will be the best of what parents can offer their children so that they can reach their highest potential and fulfill their soul purpose with joy and peace. This understanding can become the basis of ALL that is taught in the home—everything can stem from this all-powerful inner knowing. How can I inspire my family to know and trust their intuitive and creative self?

moment of NOW, always understanding that they are in this world but not of it, will allow children to see the perfection of exactly where they are and enable them to feel hopeful and excited about the everchanging aspect of life in the physical realm. Help them to flow with ease from one moment to the next—fluidity is imperative to a peaceful existence.

How can I help my family understand that they can manifest their true heart’s desires and live a peaceful existence?

Provide the space and opportunity for your children to focus on their interior world as much as the exterior world, allowing greater intimacy with the voice of their own soul to feel what resonates as truth for them. Parents must guide children to balance their beautiful interior—the well of inspiration and universal wisdom—with a fast-paced modern world. Quiet reflection, contemplation and stillness can become a natural part of every day if encouraged. How can I encourage quiet reflection, contemplation and stillness in my family?

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Annie Burnside – A modern bridge between the mainstream and the mystical, Annie Burnside, M.Ed., is a soul nurturer, author, public speaker and teacher specializing in helping others to embrace a soul to soul approach to life through selfawareness and spiritual development. She is the author of the award-winning Soul to Soul Parenting: A Guide to Raising a Spiritually Conscious Family and facilitates Soul to Soul Circles and offers private soul nurturing sessions. Visit Annie at www.AnnieBurnside.com

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Assist your children in understanding that an appreciation for life in the present moment, coupled with enthusiasm for their future, plants the necessary seeds for manifesting their true heart’s desires. Surrendering to the eternal

7Love the

Doorways to

How to Ignite the Energy of Love Inside

By MARCI SHIMOFF

ontrary to what greeting cards tell us, love isn’t just flowers, hearts, and a warm, fuzzy feeling; it’s actually a field of energy that we can tap into on many different levels—physical, emotional, and spiritual. This love energy is what makes life truly joyful and juicy. So how do we tap into that energy and amp up our lives? By connecting to the body’s built-in energy system. According to many different wisdom traditions, we have seven main energy centers in our body. If you’ve attended a yoga class, you’ve probably heard them called by their Sanskrit name: the chakras.

These energy centers are located in a vertical column from the base of the spine to the top of the head and are considered the junction points between the body and consciousness. Renowned researcher Dr. Candace Pert has discovered distinct biochemical activity occurring at the sites of the centers. While volumes have been written about these energy centers and their effects on health and well-being, I’ve seen little about how they affect our ability to experience unconditional love. As part of my research for my latest book, Love for No Reason, I interviewed over

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150 unconditionally loving people—I call them the Love Luminaries—and noticed something fascinating: all of the characteristics Love Luminaries share – the qualities of Love for No Reason – match the specific qualities traditionally attributed to each of the energy centers. For example, unconditionally loving people all seem to believe that they live in a “friendly universe,” which gives them a deep sense of safety in the world. This quality of safety is associated with the first energy center, located at the base of the spine. Wow! I thought, If you strengthen the energy

1 T he Doorway to Safety: Being in the Here and Now. This doorway is connected to the energy center located at the base of the spine, and is related to feeling safe, secure, and grounded.

2 T he Doorway to Vitality:

Turning Up the Juice. This doorway is connected to the energy center located in the area of the sacrum or lower abdomen and is related to feeling vital and alive – both physically and emotionally.

3 T he Doorway of Unconditional SelfLove: Loving Yourself No Matter What. This doorway is connected to the energy center located in the area of the naval or solar plexus and is related to feeling empowered and worthy of love.

4 T he Doorway of Openness:

Living with an Open Heart. This doorway is connected to the energy center located in the heart and is related to being open to fully giving and receiving love.

5 T he Doorway of Communication: Coming from Compassion. This doorway is connected to the energy center located in the area of the throat and is related to being able to listen and express ourselves from a place of love.

6 T he Doorway of Vision:

Seeing with the Eyes of Love. This doorway is connected to the energy center located in the middle of the forehead, also called the third eye, and is related to intuition and the ability to see inner and outer truth and beauty.

7 T he Doorway to Oneness: Connecting to Wholeness. This doorway is connected to the energy center located at the top of the head, and relates to feeling connected to a larger whole: God, Spirit, Higher Self, Nature, the Divine or the Universe.

Everything you need to feel greater unconditional love is available to you through these doorways. If you want to be able to give and receive love more fully, focus on developing the qualities that correlate to these centers. When we feel greater safety, vitality, empowerment, openness, expression, vision, and oneness, then we can truly experience Love for No Reason. The energy of love is the most powerful force on the planet. When you tap into that energy, in any amount, it begins to transform your life—until you become an unshakable source of love for yourself and everyone around you. And that’s a truly warm, Read Online! fuzzy experience. Marci Shimoff – A celebrated transformational leader and one of the nation’s leading experts on happiness, success, and the law of attraction. Marci is the woman’s face of the biggest self-help book phenomenon in history, Chicken Soup for the Soul and her work has inspired millions of people around the world. Her bestselling books, Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason are her most recent releases. Learn more at www.MarciShimoff.com

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centers, you strengthen the qualities that help you open to love. When you think of each energy center as a doorway to love—you could say that the energy of love flows into our lives through the following seven doorways:

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

CAREER/ BUSINESS

“The world will be saved by the Divine Feminine Entrepreneur.”

Elizabeth Purvis

5 Powerful Benefits to

Read Online!

Reconnecting with YourAuthentic Mission

CHECK OUT MORE ONLINE!

AspireMag.net BY Linda Joy You do not need to be in business to serve your authentic mission or Divine purpose. Living your mission is when your inner and outer worlds are congruent. To clarify your mission is not the LABEL you use in the world (teacher, coach, mother, bestselling author etc.) it is the essence of who you are at your core when you are in alignment with your Source of connection, joy and presence. Fuel for the Fire - When you connect with your authentic mission it’s as if life goes from a black and white movie to high- definition full color vibrancy. You become a passionate co-creator of your life and your passion becomes the fuel that feeds your every action and leads you to a fuller, richer life and thriving business. Tuned In – Once you have discovered or (re)connected with the passion that fuels you it’s as if you become finely tuned to the Universal Radio Station – or universal life flow. Increased Synchronicities – The more you tune into the Universal flow the more you will begin to notice an increase in Divine synchro-nicities and opportunities coming into your life and your business. Inner Wisdom – As you dedicate yourself to learning to trust, express and take action on the Divine messages, synchronicities and opportunities you are strengthening your inner wisdom muscles. Joy – When you shift from just existing or allowing life to happen to you and commit to a life where you honor, trust and listen to your inner wisdom a beautiful energetic begins. As you step more and more into your authentic mission, you will experience a sense of inner joy and gratitude that becomes the essence of who you are –no matter what is happening in your outside world.

l Live & Virtua

UPCOMING EVENTS

Doing

BUsiness LIKE a

Goddess

GIVE YOURSELF

Permission TO BE By elizabeth purvis

hen Linda invited me to join Aspire as her Divine Business Expert, I jumped at the chance to inspire and empower brilliant women just like you!

And I’d like to start by sharing the one thing you must do FIRST to create the success that you deeply desire.

In my new column, Doing Business Like A Goddess, I’ll share key concepts that every feminine conscious entrepreneur must know in order to succeed in today’s new business landscape, plus how to create extraordinary income and impact while honoring that you are exactly who the world’s been waiting for.

I’m often asked by the women I mentor, “Elizabeth, how is it that you built a multi-6figure business so quickly?”

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Yes, I have the skills – marketing, sales, coaching, copywriting, and more – that go into making a business successful. But the real answer is that I gave myself

permission to be successful.

There is a part of us that longs for approval and begs for permission. As you’ve probably discovered, you can give time to that part ‘til you’re dying day… and still it’ll never be satisfied. At some point you have to just say, “This is who I am. This is what I’m going to do. Starting… now.”

“The difference between bliss and mediocrity is giving yourself permission.” Once I made the commitment to go for what I really wanted in business, no matter how much “stuff” I had to move… everything became easier. I discovered that there is actually a method to giving yourself permission. And I share that here with you today…

THE

PERMISSION METHOD Ecognize that all STEP 1 Rthe “yeah-but’s” aren’t really your own.

As human beings, we can’t help but “pick up stuff” from the people in our environment, especially as children. Then the beliefs that are handed to us when we’re young end up running the show for years – rearing their heads as doubts, fears, and feelings of inadequacy every time we try to take a step forward. Most people will never realize this is happening, let alone shift it. But as entrepreneurs, moving through fear is not an option – it’s a requirement.

Here’s a simple way to get started. The next time you feel doubt, fear or an inkling of “I can’t,” stop and examine the idea from a place of curiosity. Is it truly yours? Probably not. You can safely release it or give it back to whoever it came from.

STEP 2

Surround

yourself with support.

One of the most vulnerable stories I share with my circle is that of my husband Leland calling me forward. At a time when I was completely on my knees, he was the one person who said, “I will not stand for you holding yourself

Career/business

Now you might be thinking, “Easier said than done, Elizabeth,” especially if you wrestle with doubts, fears and feeling like you’re not good enough. (Believe me, I know EXACTLY what that’s like!)

as anything less than the powerful woman you truly are.” He could see my brilliance when I couldn’t see it for myself. Without that reflection, I can honestly say that I’d probably still be in the same place. And that’s why it’s SO important that you surround yourself with people who will SEE you. Most women don’t have people in their day to day lives who truly see them and hold them accountable to their greatness. But I promise you, there are people out there who WILL. It’s your responsibility to find them, even when it means investing in yourself to do it.

STEP 3

Create

impeccable boundaries.

The flipside of receiving support is boundaries. Surrounding yourself with amazing people also means limiting your exposure to negative, dreamstealing people and ideas. No, this doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your friends – in fact, your growth can be a true gift to those you care about. You can have compassion for those who are hurting, as negative people truly are. But you must take back your power by setting clear boundaries with the people who drag you down. (This also goes for what media you allow into your field. Turning off the television is a great first step!)

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

STEP 4

Put yourself in the game.

When the clutter of doubt, fear, and negativity is gone, what do you get to say YES to? Hire the mentor. Go to the event. Reach out to that potential partner. Throw the “rules” out the window and be yourself. Say what you really mean without worrying what others will think. When you’re feeling shaky, reach out to your support system. Saying YES to your dream consistently is a practice, one that creates incredible momentum. Small “yeses” count – celebrate them all!

STEP 5

Allow for new money truths.

Imagine what the world would be like if all the spiritual people in the world truly gave themselves permission to receive money… and what amazing things we could do with it…. Try on these new belief systems and then make them your own by acting from that place… even if it feels “fake” or uncomfortable at first.

When you start applying The Permission Method you’ll discover your energy shifting from a place of uncertainty, confusion or fear to a place of personal power – the best energy state from which to create and grow your business.

Here’s the deal: in business, the money you make is a direct reflection of the value you provide to others. If helping lots of people through your business is a part of your spiritual path (and for most of us Divine Feminine business leaders, it is), it’s impossible to be fully activated, expressed and living that path and NOT make great money.

Whatever you want to create this year – whether it’s to double or triple your business, cut the time you work in half, treat yourself to a 2-week vacation, share the stage with big players, land your book deal – it is totally possible for you…. when you give yourself permission!

took me a little while to wrap my head around this one at first, but through experience, I fully began to understand its power.

2. “I empower others by giving them the choice to invest in my services.” Many

women believe that they’re being generous or caring when they give away too much of their time, or when they give service away for free. But because people only value what they invest in, giving yourself away actually robs your clients of their choice to get the powerful transformation they want. The act of investing will cause your client to step up into a more powerful, confident sense of themselves… and by not discounting, you stand in your power as well. And remember, when you give yourself permission to experience an abundance of money flowing through your life while living true to your purpose and calling – you give others permission to experience the same!

Be sure to check out the next issue where I’ll be sharing a behind the scenes peek into my journey from struggle (read: broke!) to the divine intervention that led me to where I am today, leader of a high 6-figure company that teaches women to use the path of spiritual entrepreneurship to create their lives exactly as they wish to live it – on their terms. I’ll *see* Read Online! you then! Elizabeth Purvis - Shows spirit-led, mission-driven women how to price, package and market their services so they create extraordinary income and impact. Known for blending heart-centered sales, Internet marketing, spiritual principles and Universal Law, Elizabeth delivers simple ways for coaches, consultants, practitioners and healers to double or triple their revenues by creating multiple streams of income and enrolling ideal clients at higher fees. www.MarketingGoddess.com

Career/business

1. “Making great money is part of my spiritual path.” It

INSPIRED To

Write?

Blissful Writing,

Blissful Living O BY Lisa Tener

n the other side of struggle lies bliss. Sometimes we lose sight of that and become so enmeshed in the struggle, we can’t see the bliss for the life of us. As an editor, part of my job is to find errors— to see what’s wrong with someone’s work— look for the mistakes—grammatical gaffes, punctuation problems, crises in clarity. But as a book coach, my job is help people connect with their creative source. I help them get— and stay in touch with—the transformation their book makes possible for readers, the difference their book can make in the world, the boundless possibilities... Recently, I found myself so focused on tightening, polishing and fixing errors that

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I lost sight of the bigger picture. As I connected with the magic of her book and the deep reasons I especially loved this book, I could suddenly see how it could be so much easier…and I found myself editing much less. My work became bliss again.

that one of my “specialties” is connecting people with their creative source, what I call “the muse,” and helping them access that muse consistently for answers for clarity and ideas for their writing, business and other creative projects.

Career/business

I asked her about the image and whether her muse needed to morph or transform a bit. “He’s my judgment, not my muse.” It turned out her muse was a fairy lingering behind the statue. The fairy was much more helpful. After all, what kind of magic can a statue work compared to a le g g For those of us u r t s f fairy? We were er side o who do work we On the oth looking for ease, lose etimes we m o love, our work S . s s li b quickness, lies ome c e b is a passion. It’s d n a fun. We were at sight of th easy to become , le g g u looking for bliss tr d in the s blissful doing so enmeshe in the writing for s s li b e h t our work, but it’s ee process. And a we can’t s also easy to let fairy can help us. the life of old patterns and with these belief systems things in an instant. get in the way of that Today, one of my bookbliss without even noticing. If it feels like struggle, coaching clients in my Bring we’re not in the bliss. But Your Book to Life Program If you love to write, you know the beautiful thing about journeyed to her muse for that writing in that place struggle is that it reveals to support in organizing her of flow can be ecstatic. us the very thing that’s in book. For the third or fourth When the words just keep the way of our bliss. For that time her muse appeared as coming, you are in another client, it was her judgment. a statue, looked down on realm—full of both magic For me, in the first example her, seemed cold, told her and mystery—whether I shared, there were many she knew what to do. As I you’re writing a journal things in the way: fear, a thought about this imagery, entry, a straightforward desire to control, but at a I couldn’t help but wonder how-to book or a blog post. deeper level, I discovered what the muse was doing in that somewhere along the the form of something cold So, what gets in the way of way I’d rejected my own and inflexible that looked that ecstatic state? magic and my bliss. I grew down at her from on high. afraid of it. I didn’t trust it, Perhaps he needed to If you’ve read a few of my didn’t feel safe, thought change or shift? columns, you probably know it might get me into big

trouble—you know, that vague “Big Trouble” that lurks in dark corners—amorphous, overwhelming, intangible—unreal. Oh, yeah. Unreal. I made it up somewhere along the line. And on the other side of that lies bliss. So, I let go of all that heavy

baggage—the fear, the fear and the fear. I went outside among the rocks and grasses and ocean and I prayed it away, sang it away, danced it away—all the things I know work for me. And pretty soon, all that singing and dancing and praying felt pretty much like…bliss.

Get Back to Your Bliss Would you like to get back to your bliss? Here are two writing prompts to help you access it: 1. On the Other Side of Bliss: Start out with whatever you’ve been struggling with. Imagine it’s just a message of the beliefs and patterns that are in the way of bliss. Can you find a metaphor or symbol for them in nature? Would they be rocks? Boulders? A Beaver Dam? Describe them. Imagine climbing the rocks and seeing the view, finding a path around the boulders (or digging a tunnel underneath them), swimming out past the dam. Write about what you see and experience beyond the block. Write about how it feels. Find the bliss and write that.

2. Nature Girl: Find a spot in nature that feels comfortable and inviting—a spot on your lawn, a log on the beach, a flat rock that makes a welcoming seat. Listen to the sounds of nature—bird songs, the wind in the trees, the ocean waves, insect sounds. Imagine that one of the sounds has a voice. What is it saying? Write the message. Try this with several sounds. Now, imagine the bliss of all of nature as one sound. What does that voice have to say? Write it.

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Lisa Tener – An award-winning authority on writing and publishing books, Lisa Tener guides you to joyfully express yourself in writing. She blogs for the Huffington Post, serves on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s publishing course, and teaches her own Award Winning Book Writing Courses in person and by interactive teleseminar. Download your free Author Tool Kit at www.LisaTener.com

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

How to Choose Your

to Focus Your Creation Energy

f youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like most creatives I know, when it comes to manifesting your life and business big-picture vision, you feel overwhelmed. Creation overwhelm or feeling energetically locked-down, around your life and business vision, results from the lack of making strategically intuitive choices. Creation overflows with great ideas in the same way Mother Nature prolifically distributes dandelion seeds and pine cones. Once you are tapped into creation, you will find an over-abundance of ideas to help you bring your vision into form. Your focus and energy are the life forces of creation. Knowing that there is rarely the time and energy for anyone to bring every idea they receive to fruition will help you discard the weaker possibilities. When you allow every idea you receive and everything on your to-do list the same level of importance, it short circuits your creation energy.

By lisa michaels

Your challenge, then, becomes â&#x20AC;&#x153;choosingâ&#x20AC;? which ideas will honestly drive your vision forward. Here are some steps to help you make strategically intuitive choices about where to put your focus and energy to bring your big-picture creation vision into being

Step 1 Move out of your to-do list and lift your awareness up to the visionary level for your life and for your business so you can see the big picture. Include both, because if you focus only on the vision for your business, you might miss something very important that needs to happen in your life for your overall vision to come into form. Notice if there is a priority, such as cash flow or a health issue, that is so pressing that it must have attention before you can take any further steps toward your vision. Take care of that first, then refocus your energy with Step Two.

Career/business

Big-Picture Priority

Step 2

Step 4

Create a visual representation of your vision by drawing a picture of all the pieces of your big-picture goal, dream, or desire. When my husband and I did this a couple of years ago, it ended up looking like a flower, with our vision in the center and all the major pieces impacting the creation as petals.

Let the left-brain create a step-by-step list of what needs to happen to bring your vision into being. Your #1 priority on what to do next will be revealed in this list. It might be that you need to complete a project or make a major life shift first in order to have the freed-up creation energy you need to bring your vision into being.

Step 3

Step 5

Allow your sub-conscious to assist. First, look carefully at your drawing, then ask yourself: what one thing will move the largest number of pieces at once? Now, sleep on it. It may take a little while for the answer to emerge or it might come quickly but you will receive the answer.

Call forth ease and grace. Seriously, open to receive grace. I’ve experienced grace time and time again, and it’s like magic juice. When you invoke grace and allow things to flow with ease, your ego can relax and you open for Spirit to support your creations. Not only will you feel the difference but the unseen forces of creation will move to assist you in ways you could have never dreamt of.

Sometimes the answer will come from your own knowing, and sometimes it will come from a suggestion that someone else makes, but the important thing is to open to it. The ego often tries to block your most strategic path because of the changes that will ensue, internally and externally. For our flower drawing big-vision to come into form, we ended up needing to focus on making a few strategic changes. The changes brought massive creation movement, even while my ego-self kept saying some of our steps were going to be “too hard,” such as creating a new corporation and moving our entire home and office after almost 10 years of being in one place.

www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2013

The next time you feel overwhelmed or stuck, take the time to choose your bigpicture priority and focus your energy for powerful creation Read Online! results. Lisa Michaels – A celebrated Natural Rhythms author who teaches how to connect with the profound power of the natural world. Her workshops, facilitator trainings and products have helped thousands of people apply nature’s dynamic creation tools to successfully propel their personal and professional lives forward. In 2010 leading publisher, Hay House, chose Lisa as one of their Movers and Shakers. Her teachings on accessing your own natural creation abilities are available in her books Nature’s Success System, Natural Rhythms, as well as, the Elemental Forces of Creation Oracle and the Elemental Forces of Creation Audio Book. Download your free “Creation Secrets” starter kit at LisaMichaels.com.