Growing Forward with The Seeds of an Extraordinary Life

How to dance in your heart and inspire the world!

By Arielle Giordano

Your inner goddess, which I call the real and deeper womaness, lives in your heart and is your deeper beingness. The opening of your heart and the surface levels of your being are feminine, while the deeper levels are masculine and must move through the feminine to express. In other words, the meaning of the masculine is the feminine within the masculine. When you rest in your heart and relax your body, your heart becomes quiet in the first movement of being, which is feminine. A woman’s mystery is her essence of being moving in her humanness, and this mystery has the qualities of openness, softness, surrender, innocence and vulnerability. The identity of a woman does not come from her female body, but from the earning of real womanness—the awareness within her being. Her being resonates with nature, and, when you are connected in nature, nature knows what you really are and then reflects it back to you. Your feminine power surrenders to knowing the truth in your heart, which is the release of masculinity. When you are surrendering and relating from an open and soft heart, you will use your mind, emotions and will in a new way. By shifting out of the “self”, you let go of the base of yourself as you know it. You—as awareness—are now on a deeper level and able to integrate the principles of being within the feminine aspect to become an integrated woman. The real woman that you have now become embraces the qualities of love, kindness, gentleness, surrender and loveliness. “Surrendering to the feminine power means really listening. You are listening with an open heart for the truth. If you like listening, that is feminine and does not disempower you. Real listening means you are open and available to know the truth of what you hear. Real listening does not mean that you believe what you are listening to. It means that you are present to the truth in what someone else is saying to you”—John De Ruiter

CELEBRATE THE DANCE OF THE GODDESS

This article is an edited excerpt from Arielle Giordano’s new book Celebrate the Dance of the Goddess, which researches the ancient history of matriarchal cultures over thousands of years and includes magical, themed inspirational stories that delve into the depths of your heart with interpretations, choreography, and journal writing exercises. Through its pages, you will find secrets of the past to awaken the Goddess that lives deep in your heart, illuminate the highest beauty of the sacred feminine in the heart and soul of every woman, and bring to light forgotten wisdom that lies dormant but alive and waiting to be awakened inside every one of us. Celebrate the Dance of the Goddess was written to ignite your inner fire, transform your body into spirit, make the ordinary extraordinary and bring the essence and beauty of the Goddess within you alive. Visit https:// www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com/ launchpartner?lang=en for more information and to order copies.

Dancing from the Inside Out

with Arielle Giordano

Transformational Life Coach Award-Winning Author & Speaker, Professional Dancer. Arielle’s Award-Winning book for Best Self-Help Award: Dancing With Your Story From The Inside is available on http://www.Amazon.com. Her professional career includes the Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Professor for the College of Humanities, History and the Arts at the University of Phoenix. She is a published co-author of Transform Your Life Books 1 & 2 and author for Tampa Bay Wellness, Conscious Shift & Transformation magazine. She has published her 4th book, an Instructor’s Manual for Barlow Abnormal Psychology 4th ed. and authored Psychology, A Journey 3rd.ed. Study Guide published by Nelson Education, Toronto, ON. She has also studied philosophy at the College of Integrated Philosophy with John DeRuiter for twenty years. Arielle has been a featured guest on radio and television, in newspapers, and the media across the US and Canada. She is a certified Essentrics Stretch and Dance Instructor. Arielle offers coaching sessions, classes and workshops and a free 30-minute Consultation. Websites: http://www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com, http://www.ariellegiordano.com. Email: agbeautifuldance@gmail.com

NOT JUST A GAME!

Each custom-designed deck of Just Ask 1 2 3 cards offers 53 thought-inspiring questions and a Directions card. A lovely organza gift bag is included to hold the cards for selecting. Just Ask 1 2 3 is a fun pathway to conversation, kindness and connection!

Only $15.95

There are different pathways to connecting: Deck 1 Easing In – easy, playful questions to break the ice and have fun! Deck 2 Getting Closer – thought-provoking questions to get to know each other better . . . including ourselves. Deck 3 Deepening Conversation – Insightful questions that invite sharing experiences and reflections on life and relationships. JustAsk123.com & LoveIstheNewCurrency.com

Growing Forward with The Seeds of an Extraordinary Life

What if getting to witness a life—with all of its peaks and valleys—is the ultimate LIFE coaching opportunity?

By Terez Hartmann

THE INEFFABLE SEED

We all contain an ever-renewing seed of the Divine (a.k.a. clarity, light, and love), so it is no wonder that we feel most alive when we nurture it—giving it water, air, and sunshine—and less alive when we block our resources. But isn’t it nice to know that nothing we do can ever kill that seed? It is ineffable, eternal, and every moment we turn our attention to even the smallest sliver of light or allow our body and mind time to sleep and rest, the seed is again renewed. And even when that which contains the seed transforms and lets go of the animation of the vessel, the seed continues and blooms unto the heavens in all that exists—and in the hearts and minds of all who have witnessed its beauty and story… Rev. Sylvia “Sylvianna” “Dolly” Romano, Ph.D., a.k.a. “mom,” was a true force of nature in every sense of the word—a personality so big that anyone within a five-mile radius could not help but feel the magnitude of her being; so, when she made her transition into pure energy and light, my soul experienced a seismic wave beyond anything I had ever known. When she was in a state of joy, you would not find a more loving and generous human being who would willingly share anything and everything she had—and her brilliant mind was akin to a living, breathing version of the Library of Alexandria. She was the consummate teacher, always bursting forth with new volumes, chapters, and pages to share with all who would simply ask. As a child growing up, I often found myself in awe of her, especially when she would speak or offer spiritual guidance to others, as so many of her words resonated at such a deep level. Even when disease changed her and fear became the driving force in her final years, she still would smile and sing along every time the song “When You Wish Upon a Star” would play and make a point to say, “This is my favorite song of all time.” Even when darkness clouded her vision in multiple ways, the fact that somehow, the seed of her true essence still found a way to hear the music of hope and possibility kept her essence alive in me. Even now, as I sit here writing this article on a December evening during the first holiday season without her in 3D, and have moments of really feeling her “absence,” every time I shift my perspective to the presence of her love and the gifts she has brought to my life, I can’t help but feel a little lift in my soul knowing that her seed has, indeed, bloomed to full fruition unto the heavens and all that exists.

SYLVIA’S SEEDS OF WISDOM

Though I know that there are not enough words in ANY language to be able to convey the enormity of her impact upon me, or to be able to fully catalog everything I have learned and become as a result of sharing a lifetime of trips around the sun with her, I know for sure that my mom was, is—and I suspect will continue to be—MY ultimate LIFE coach. Indeed, much of my more recent personal evolution was the result of (what I liked to call) intensive “Jedi training sessions” with her (which truly did bring me to my knees at times), but now, as I focus upon the core of her who always loved, always encouraged, and always “wished upon a star,” I see “behind the curtain” to the coach standing on the sidelines, smiling proudly, and shouting “Yes!!!” every time I would find a path onward, upward and forward to an upgraded version of ME. So on that note: Here is a small sampling of but a few of the powerful gifts her technicolor, high-def, unbridled spirit has given me. It is my hope and intention that some of these ideas ignite a spark of hope, possibility, and onward, upward and forward motion for you and your clients. 1. See your life clearly. Like many women reaching adulthood in the late 1940s and 1950s, my mom initially followed the path of wife and mother, but after years of feeling dependent and seeing unhealthy relationship patterns play out time and time again, she made a new decision to realize a life of total independence and to finally get to know who SHE truly was. As a result of her clear vision at that pivotal time, she focused on her education and career with a vengeance, which then led to becoming the first in our family to achieve three incredible milestones; a master’s degree in nursing, a Ph.D. in divinity, and even (unheard of in a traditional Italian family); becoming an ordained inter-faith minister. Because of her willingness to see her life clearly and make new choices, my mom utterly transformed her life to one of true self-reliance and positive contribution. She realized a more confident, contented version of herself (which was always her potential), and the loving and progressive parent and gifted human being I had the joy of knowing. On a clear day you really CAN see forever. What new choices, decisions or paths are your life experiences inviting you to embrace? 2. Wisdom is a verb. One of my mom’s greatest joys came when she discovered her passion for teaching, and she especially loved her time facilitating CNA (certified nursing assistant) courses for multiple organizations, for which she received countless gifts, awards, and praises from her graduating classes—and even a lifetime achievement award from the American Red Cross, one of the largest service organizations in the United States. Because mom had been a career nurse and worked “in the trenches” in the ICU (intensive care unit), the CCU (cardiac care unit), and the cardiac catherization lab at the VA Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, her ability to convey practical knowledge to the next generation of healthcare professionals and do all she could to help struggling students succeed was nothing short of legendary. Every time I unearth yet another letter, card, poem, or photo of my mom with her gushing students, I can’t help but feel so much pride in seeing how she proved that wisdom truly IS a verb.

What tools, knowledge or skills can you put into use to empower others and move your life and SELF onward, upward and forward?

3. Stay open to possibility and believe that miracles re-

ally CAN happen. One of the things my mom used to say when we had no idea where or how a solution would come was, “God will provide.” And I have to say, even when times were hard, I never went without food, shelter, or anything that truly mattered— along with a few bonuses, upgrades and happy surprises… When I was around 7 years old, my mom and I were cold, tired (and possibly even lost) in New York City on Christmas Eve— perhaps the only evening of the year that NYC would become quiet, due to virtually everything closing early (at least back then). As if out of nowhere, we caught a glimpse of a horse and buggy with a kind-looking driver who offered us a ride back to our hotel. “Thank God!” we thought. Not only did he get us back to our hotel safely, he also insisted upon taking the “scenic route,” which included going past the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral! If that was not already gift enough, in true Christmas-miracle fashion, it began to snow! But the Universe still had one more bonus in store for us: When it was time to pay the driver, he refused and simply said, “Merry Christmas.” Because my mom was open to possibility and believed that miracles really could happen, we were treated to one of THE most magical holiday moments of my life! What new possibilities are YOU open to experiencing now and/or in the coming year? 4. Find the fun. One winter, while living in Brooklyn, NY, I remember a time of making frequent visits to my favorite uncle’s spectacular home in neighboring Flatbush. While there, I’d get to enjoy a wonderful hot shower in a bathroom that looked like something out of a penthouse suite at Caesar’s Palace, be “showered” with gifts of some kind, and even get treated to an incredible meal—often including lobster, filet mignon and the like. When back at home, most nights we’d have pizza for dinner (what mom and I came to call “something different”), which was always a hit for this kid! While I was having a blast spending time with uncle Frankie and eating pizza ‘till my heart’s content, I barely noticed the fact that I needed a few extra blankets when not in our bedroom and used cold water to wash my face, hair, etc. (meaning that we did not have heat and hot water in winter in New York) or that we were struggling in any way. Even during a time of hardship, Photo Credit: Unsplash/Zoe Schaeffer

my mom found a way to turn a challenging time into a game: Like a real-life Mary Poppins, she found the fun and turned what could have been a darker chapter in our lives into something I’ve come to associate with happy memories and, lo and behold, shortly thereafter, things got better, as they ALWAYS ultimately did. What can you do to lighten up the energy or infuse your current situation with more fun?

5. Don’t let challenges stop you from living: Remem-

ber that love CAN find a way. A very powerful message my mom shared with me in a lucid moment during her final days was, “Being afraid is not living—don’t waste your time here. There is no devil, only yourself. Fear is the enemy. Learn from my example.” My mom used to love to travel and learn new things, and had rightfully earned the nickname of “Dolly” and “Auntie Mame” because of her vivacious, adventurous spirit. Once she started listening more to fear and identifying passionately with the role of “victim,” she made her life smaller and smaller, ultimately creating (in her own words) a “self-imposed prison.” Yes, she had been through a lot and had absolutely experienced real trauma, so she most certainly had her reasons, but her choice to listen to fear rather than seek out help to turn up the volume on love and the call of LIFE robbed me of 10-plus years of time that could have been spent traveling and savoring life with my amazing mom. But… After months of hateful, angry words coming from the disease process that was, unfortunately in charge of her consciousness, I received a warm and loving voicemail that sounded like it was from my ACTUAL mom! I called her back immediately and sure enough, I got to have the most beautiful, healing conversation with her: She told me how sorry she was for ever saying or doing anything to hurt me or any of us (that the venom was not coming from the real version of her), and that she loved me with all her heart. It was the first time I had heard anything like that in years. I then called my brother, who was in the hospital at the time, shared the news of this incredible interaction with him, and encouraged him to call her ASAP, which, thankfully, he did, also coming away with much-needed loving words from our mother. In addition, I felt compelled to reach out to my sister-in-law, Maria, who had experienced an extended