June 2019, Life in Your Power by Transformation Coaching Magazine

INSPIRATION & GROWTH Crushing Creative Guilt Why Hope is Trustworthy Create Your Masterpiece Pressure Wash Your Mind Live in Your Power Becoming Fear-less The Fifth Element The Power of Music

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COACHING AND BUSINESS TOOLS Are you a Trusted Leader?

FEED YOUR SPIRIT Legends of the Grail

PUBLISHERS Natalie Rivera Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed.

EDITOR Lisa Cedrone

CONTRIBUTORS Noelle Sterne, Alan Cohen, Rev. Marla Sanderson, Ashar Mohammad, Gregg Sanderson, Arielle Giordano, Jo Mooy, Mary Boutillier, Owen K. Waters, Terez Hartmann

We believe that self-employment is the ultimate form of empowerment. Our mission is to bring you guests whose powerful entrepreneurship stories and real-world advice will give you the inspiration and tools to create a business and life that you love.

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Crushing Creative Guilt

By Noelle Sterne Many of us feel a strong calling to express our talents—in the literary arts, music, dance, media, crafts, sciences, or any other field. In my profession of writing, almost every writer I know feels guilty for not writing enough, producing enough, and sending out enough pieces. But for “creatives,” as spiritual creativity guru Julia Cameron labels us all (The Artist’s Way, p. 33), I’ve recognized another unproductive, thwarting, and possibly paradoxical self-recrimination.

Too Much Creation?

Preoccupied with pulverizing our blocks and eeking out a few precious minutes to devote to our passion, we rarely speak about this type of guilt. It is this:

We feel guilty because we are creating. Especially during our most prolific times, an insidiously rational voice whispers, “I’m spending

too much time here . . . I should be doing something more socially useful.” In The Artist’s Way, Cameron calls this guilt the “virtue trap”:

We strive to be good, to be nice, to be helpful, to be unselfish. We want to be generous, of service, of the world. For creative women especially, Cameron quotes Leslie M. McIntyre’s wry observation:

Nobody objects to a woman being a good writer or sculptor or geneticist if at the same time she manages to be a good wife, good mother, goodlooking, good-tempered, well-groomed, and unaggressive. (p. 99)

Denying Ourselves

Do you experience such guilt-making constraints? Put everyone and everything else first? Give your time, energy, and attention to others and skimp on the same precious resources for yourself? These questions connect to a startling and profound passage by Jesus in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas:

If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have [bring forth] that within you, what you do not [bring forth] within you [will] kill you. (The Gospel of Thomas, no. 70, The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus, p. 513) That is, when we allow ourselves to express through our chosen mode of creative expression, our production will “save” us. But when we keep our drive to create bottled up, deny or ignore it, and deprive ourselves of even a little creative time, we stop creating at all. And we get depressed and sick, overeat, overspend, oversleep, overtube, and snap at everyone within mouthshot.

The Guilt of Honoring Ourselves

Unfortunately, as soon as we give ourselves time to create, others may react and fuel the guilt of honoring ourselves. One writer finally let her answering machine take over during her writing sessions. When she chose to pick up the phone, her best friend fumed, “Why are you hiding from me?” As this writer found, whatever our passion, it’s hard to allow it. We’re bucking the entire expected social order, attested by everyone we say No to. I recall agonizing for weeks with a block the size of a giant cement slab. At last, carving out two evening hours for writing, I sat down. But all I could think of was the list of essentials missing from the refrigerator. On the phone, I whined to a friend. “How can I sit here and scribble? I should be doing something useful, like being a decent homemaker—or a social worker!”

She laughed. “Do you know how valuable words are? Their power?” Huh? “Ever hear of the Bible or Hamlet, or the Declaration of Independence?” Her words about words cracked my block, and it shattered for good when I read this stirring description of writers—and it applies to every creative:

Visionaries, we predict the future . . . interpreting social trends, human nature, and historical patterns, punching holes in our readers’ complacency, revealing unpleasant truths, exposing possibilities and destroying our pretenses. (Rosenbaum and Rosenbaum, The Writer’s Survival Guide, p. 93) These words helped me get back to writing. But to truly corral and put out to pasture my guilty feelings, I needed to practice. The following four imperatives, applicable to any creatives, helped me overcome creative guilt.

1. Believe

Erroneously, we think our creative desires and dreams are frivolous, bad, ridiculous. Creating feels too good, and we tell ourselves that it isn’t “God’s Will” for us. We’re wrong: our work, and the drive for it, come directly from God. Many spiritual teachers encourage us. In the Bible, Paul instructed his fellow evangelist Timothy, “Do not neglect your gift”(1 Timothy 4:14). This admonition echoes down to us. Cameron declares, “Creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God. Our creative dreams and yearnings come from a divine source” (The Artist’s Way, p. 3). Metaphysical teacher Eric Butterworth explains, “The will of God is the ceaseless longing of the Spirit in you to completely fulfill in the outer the potential within you” (Discover the Power Within You, p. 143). Motivational author Peter McWilliams directs us: “Your job is to fulfill your Dream” (Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts, p. 419). So, dare to believe that your dream of creating is given to you—you only and specially—from a divine source.

2. Accept

Know that your yearning is far from silly, meaningless, or groundless. Rather, know you can accomplish your dream. Of course, you may need training, practice, and experience, but the very strength of your aspirations means you’ll succeed. If you’re questioning your calling and talent, don’t. A “deep desire,” says McWilliams, “also comes with an inborn ability to achieve that desire” (Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts, p. 65). Abraham reassures: “Within the seed of your desire is everything necessary for it to blossom to fulfillment. And Law of Attraction is the engine that does the work. Your work is just to give it a fertile growing place in order to expand” (Abraham-Hicks Workshop, Albuquerque, NM, No. 509, May 9, 1999).

3. Decline

But we need mental vigilance to be true to ourselves. Every time our fledgling self-confidence peaks out, negatives swoop in like preying crows. To send them flapping, we need the discipline of declining. Observe your thoughts for a minute or so. You’ll be amazed at how many carry pessimism and anticipation of the worst: ´´ I’ll never become a real writer (or painter, singer, dancer, musician, filmmaker, photographer, inventor, chef, wood carver . . . ). ´´ I’ll never get published (or commissioned, called back, signed up, assigned, optioned . . .). ´´ I should have stayed in school to get another degree. ´´ I’m really very selfish. Such thoughts may feel natural, especially because most people think pessimistically. But a negative outlook is not natural, nor is a martyr resolve. Nor is a putting-off mentality. Some of us live by the law of “Someday.” “Someday, I’ll make the junk room into a writing studio.” “Someday, when my oldest kid leaves, I’ll make her room into a darkroom.” “Someday, when I retire, I’ll convert the basement into a workshop.” Someday comes, all right, but that Someday room and time always get filled with other “necessities,” a kid returning, more outgrown and no-longer-used stuff. To stop the Someday chorus, with or without your equivalent, start thinking “I create now.” Writers, for example, work everywhere—at the kitchen table, in the car, the library, the park, a café. Take an inventory of places and spaces for your private space—a garage, attic, sun room, friend’s place, rented studio, space in a collective. A warning, though: As we saw above with the writer who dared to let her answering machine pick up, changing your behavior often provokes others’ shock, disappointment, hurt, anger, tears, or outrage. After all, they’ve always counted on you. Your refusal, though, doesn’t mean you’ll never do anything for

them again. It means that now you’re in charge of if, when, and how much to do. Set your limits, explain with kind firmness, and stick to your guns. When you do, family and friends may become surprisingly understanding and secretly proud of your new self: “Oh, he’s an inventor. You know how they are.” They may also share startling admissions. One writer mustered the courage to tell her father she’d take him shopping only once a week instead of four times for things he “forgot.” She told him she needed the time to write. He shook his head. “I wish I had your discipline. I’ve always wanted to develop my photography, but there were so many other things I thought I had to do.” Julia Cameron’s “virtue trap” is unisex.

4. Declare

As you take the physical steps, bolster your new sense of deserving with affirmative declarations. Spend five quiet minutes daily, morning and evening, repeating affirmations: ¿¿ I deserve to create. ¿¿ My creative desire is God’s gift to me. ¿¿ No one stands in my way. ¿¿ I don’t stand in my way. ¿¿ I have enough time, money, energy, interest, and cooperation from everyone to create consistently. ¿¿ The more I give to myself, the more others are blessed. ¿¿ Being a creative harms no one. ¿¿ Being a creative makes me feel good and keeps me healthy. ¿¿ Being a creative blesses me and everyone I meet and know. During your sessions, other similar words or phrases may float in. They’re your wiser Self talking to you. Listen and use them. As you practice the principles and your affirmations, you’ll wrestle less with creating too little or too much. You’ll know deeply that you deserve to create in your chosen medium, enjoy it greatly, and profit rightly from it. Your creativity will flow and your deservingness and conviction in your gifts will strengthen. And you’ll perfectly crush your creative guilt.

Trust Your Life Now with Noelle Sterne, Ph.D. Noelle Sterne, Ph.D. (Columbia University), author, mainstream and academic editor, writing coach, workshop leader, and spiritual counselor, has published over 400 writing craft and spiritual pieces, personal and academic essays, poems, and fiction in print and online periodicals and blog sites. Publications include Author Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Children’s Book Insider, Funds for Writers, InnerSelf, Inside Higher Ed, New Age Journal, Ruminate, Thesis Whisperer, Transformation Magazine, Textbook and Academic Authors Association Blog, Two Drops of Ink, Unity Magazine, The Writer, and Writer’s Digest. In Trust Your Life: Forgive Yourself and Go After Your Dreams (Unity Books, 2011), Noelle helps readers release regrets and reach lifelong yearnings. In Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation: Coping with the Emotional, Interpersonal, and Spiritual Struggles (Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2015) she helps doctoral candidates complete their degrees. Noelle is finally rounding the completion corner of her first novel. For more, see Noelle’s website: http://www.trustyourlifenow.com. Noelle’s webinar on writing appears in the Writing Gym of Textbook and Academic Authors Association: ”Get Started, Continue Your Draft, and Finish!” (Click Here)

Why Hope is Trustworthy

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Hisanari Kunimoto

The key to getting what you hope for is to know that you are worthy to have it. By Alan Cohen My coaching client Sara had agreed to a business dinner with a fellow she found quite difficult to work with after she made the appointment. Now, the morning before the dinner, she was looking for a way to get out of it. “When I went to the store this morning, my car had trouble starting,” she told me. “When that happened, I found myself hoping it wouldn’t start so I would have an excuse to not show up for the meeting.” I told Sara, “You don’t have to create a broken car to avoid the meeting. You can just cancel it if you like.” “Yes,” she concurred. “Now I see that my hope for the non-starting car was showing me what I really wanted to do. I just needed to find the courage to do it.” Business leader and philanthropist David Mahoney said, “Trust your hopes, not your fears.” If you have a difficult decision before you, ask yourself, “What am I hoping will happen?” In the answer is your guide to your likely best path. You don’t have to create adverse circumstances to find a reason to do what you wish to do or avoid what you do not wish to do. Just be honest. A caller phoned my radio show (hayhouseradio.com) and explained that after her messy divorce a few years earlier, she had put on a bunch of weight and, even though she had tried various diets and exercise regimes, she couldn’t get the weight off. I asked her, “Is there any way you believe the extra weight serves you?” She thought for a moment and answered, “Since my divorce I don’t really want to get involved with a man. Maybe on

some level I believe that the extra pounds make me less attractive and I won’t have to think about having a relationship.” I thanked her for her honesty and suggested, “If you don’t want to be with a man, you can just say no. You don’t have to use the weight to speak for you. You can claim your choice directly.” The question, “What would you like to do?” is one of the hardest questions for many people to answer. We have been conditioned to think about what our parents, religion, spouse, boss, or culture want us to do, leaving our true choice buried under a massive pile of “shoulds.” On the first day of a weekend seminar a fellow told me: “My ex-wife wants me to do one thing, my kids want me to do another, and my girlfriend is pushing me in another direction. I don’t know what I should do.” I asked him, “What would you like to do?” A stunned look washed over his face as he answered, “I never thought about that.” I told him to give that important question some thought and let me know what he came up with. At the next day’s seminar meeting he stood and reported to the group, “Alan Cohen healed me yesterday! When I thought about what I really wanted to do, I got totally clear and found a path that was satisfying for me and would work for everyone as well.” I don’t claim any credit at all for healing that man. All I did was ask him what he really wanted to do. His honest answer opened the door for his awakening. Truth heals. We don’t always achieve the situation we are hoping for, but stating our intention definitely ups the chances to at-

tract that result. We do best to state the experience we are hoping for, and allow the universe to arrange the details. Rather than demanding the physical characteristics, age, or income of your desired mate, you can state, “I want a relationship that is harmonious, mutually supportive, joyful, and based on shared spiritual values.” That kind of request gives the universe far more latitude to bring you what you want than narrowing your hope down to specifics that leave out what’s really important. The key to getting what you hope for is to know that you are worthy to have it. Your hopes represent a pipeline to the place deep inside you that knows you deserve good. That inner well of worth may be buried under years of training to the contrary, but it cannot be lost. It is there. The part of you that hopes for your good indicates that you remember you are here for a good purpose, you are loved, and the universe can and will deliver your blessings. Reality can be submerged, but never destroyed. Trusting your hopes and acting on them increases the size of that crucial pipeline such that it becomes easier and easier to tap into your worth and live from it. Acting on your hopes is the greatest investment you can make in yourself. You don’t have to manufacture problems as shields to keep what is unattractive or detrimental at a distance. You can claim your right to your good without playing games or making excuses. Honesty is your best friend on your spiritual path. While telling the truth may be uncomfortable at times, if you are sincere, it will take you to where you want and need to be. Then you won’t have to just hope for your good. You will be living it.

Get Real with Alan Cohen

Alan Cohen is the author of many popular inspirational books, including the bestselling A Course in Miracles Made Easy. Become a certified professional life coach through Alan’s transformational Life Coach Training beginning February 1, 2019. For more information about this program, Alan’s books and videos, free daily inspirational quotes, online courses, and weekly radio show, visit www.alancohen.com.

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Are you a Trusted Leader?

True leaders keep their promises. Fake leaders go back on their words. 12

By Ashar Mohammad

p ositive. Commitment is the number one thing a leader can demonstrate to build trust.

THE FIVE “CS” OF A 2. CONNECTION TRUSTED LEADER A trustworthy leader is conBuilding trust is something anyone wanting to be a successful leader must do. Trust underpins every relationship in the workplace— between coach and client, between colleagues, between boss and employees, and between businesses. Trust isn’t something that is inherent; it must be forged through consistent action. While there are many ways to become a trusted leader, they typically have some common traits, known as the “Five Cs.”

1. COMMITMENT

A committed leader is someone who is loyal to the cause, the vision, and the client or team. They persevere despite setbacks. When a leader is committed, she will build the trust of those around her by staying present, engaged, and

nected to those who look up to him. He resists the temptation to get bogged down in the day-to-day grind and become neglectful of those who depend upon him. He never comes off as distant or detached in his leadership role. He is willing to take some time away from his daily commitments to get to know his clients or team members in a meaningful way. This helps others see him as a trusted person who cares about them and values their involvement.

3. COMPASSION

A trustworthy leader gets to know her employees, listens to their concerns, and responds in a meaningful way—each and every time. This doesn’t mean coddling others. A trustworthy leader expects team members to perform their jobs professionally,

but a trusted leader knows that no one is perfect. People make mistakes, suffer hardships, and sometimes just need to know that someone cares. A great leader “has the back” of each team member or client.

4. CONSISTENCY

Consistency is key for a leader. A trusted leader maintains a calm and collected demeanor, even under fire. His staff is therefore more likely to approach him with great ideas, as well as with legitimate concerns. By maintaining consistent expectations, and reacting in a consistent manner, he builds trust with his team.

5. COMPETENCY

A great leader invests time in getting to know the issues, expands her skills, and participates in continuous learning. She doesn’t pretend to be an expert in all things. She surrounds herself with skilled, knowledgeable people and relies on their expertise. Employees trust her for being straightforward and honest.

Pursue Your Freedom with Ashar Mohammed Ashar Mohammed is Nutritionist, Networking Business Coach, NLP Practitioner, Life Coach, and the author of Home Work Out Bible and Healthy Eating. After earning a MBA, Ashar worked in business for his family and on his own for 13 years, until becoming a coach in 2015. Now pursuing his true passion, Ashar has helped thousands of people around the world to achieve their freedom—freedom from disease, freedom of time, and travel and financial freedom. For more information, visit his blog at ashardxn.blogspot.se.

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Create Your Masterpiece

Positive thoughts create possibility; negative thoughts create impossibility. By Rev. Marla Sanderson We are all masters. And the life we live is our greatest masterpiece. Who paints your masterpiece? For the first 30 years of my life, I felt as if an invisible force held me back and kept me in check. I always needed someone else’s permission, and I still had to do as I was told. There had never been any documentation or master key that emphatically conferred responsibility to me for my life. Those days, I didn’t know the limiting force was simply my self-concept, created by my belief system—beliefs handed down from well-meaning parents, teachers, and society, all designed to keep me safe and “in line.” But it didn’t give me confidence. It didn’t engender a single thought that I could ever exceed or excel at anything. Fear, limiting beliefs, reluctance to change, needing to be right, etc., had kept me in a sort of robot-like existence, waiting for approval or permission from some invisible authority long after I was old enough to know better. But these are mental things— emotional things—and the good news is that they are just concepts. They aren’t set in stone. They can be changed, and I know now I am the only one who can change them. Only my own mental concepts kept me back. The realization that I can give MYSELF permission to do anything

I want changed my life forever, and set loose a new curiosity that still asks: “What now? What next?”

You are responsible for your life! That thinking device in your head is much more than it seems, and the way you use it determines everything that happens to you. In the simplest sense, positive thoughts create possibility. Negative thoughts create impossibility. This simple but powerful Truth has been left out of our basic training. A life full of strife that seems to happen by accident is created by a habit of careless thinking. It is important to pay attention to your thoughts, because you are master of your universe—and masters are never victims of conditions. You don’t need to feel unfulfilled, live in struggle, or keep yourself from doing the things you always wanted to do. Far more than you may realize, you have plenty of freedom to do life in your own unique way. Take little Betsy for example: The kindergarten teacher handed out a coloring sheet and gave what she considered to be simple instructions: Color the duck yellow and the duck’s umbrella green. But when little Betsy turned in her paper, the teacher asked, “Didn’t you understand the directions, Betsy? You colored

the duck red and her umbrella blue. How often have you seen a red duck?” Betsy didn’t miss a beat. “About as often as I’ve seen a duck carrying an umbrella,” she replied. Are you as wise as Betsy? The masterpiece of your life has no lines, no prescribed colors, and no numbers. You don’t have to stay inside lines that others have drawn for you. You can make new lines or paint an entirely different picture. If you want, you can scribble all over the page. Best of all, there is an Omnipotent Power to support you—an Infinite Intelligence that has a limitless idea of who you are and what you might become. It powers your mind, and gives you Life. It is the Source of all that has ever been or ever will be. And it deals out life through you according to your thoughts, beliefs, and concepts. What would happen if you paid more attention to what you think about? At first you might discover you have more limiting thoughts than you realized. After a while, though, you will discover you can turn these thoughts around. Only you can choose your thoughts consciously. How simple is that? Could it be any easier? All it takes is learning to direct your thoughts in the way you want your life to go. Turn your thoughts around and your outlook on life improves. An improved outlook changes everything. When you take charge of your thinking you take charge of your life.

Practical Spirituality with Rev. Marla Sanderson Rev. Marla Sanderson is a skilled spiritual counselor, speaker, teacher, and workshop leader. She has studied and practiced the Science of Happiness and Science of Mind for over 40 years. Her website, The New Thought Global Network, showcases ideas from many New Thought disciplines. She is ordained in the Centers for Spiritual Living. (Religious Science). Contact her at 727-475-8991, or revmarla@newthoughtglobal.org or visit www. newthoughtglobal.org.

Photo Credit: Pixabay/ Mabel Amber

Pressure Wash Your Mind

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. —Henry David Thoreau By Gregg Sanderson You’ve often heard “thoughts become things” or variations on the theme. If that’s so, how come your life isn’t cluttered with eclectic conflicting trash from the many thoughts you think? Oh wait... Maybe it’s time for the pressure washer. “Pressure washer” is the perfect metaphor for consciousness. It shows the way your mental powers work 16

t ogether to create what you want—or what you don’t want—in your life. Let’s look at its components.

The water represents the creative power of the Universe. Some call it God; some call it the Force; some call it BOB (Being of Bliss). Whatever you call it, it’s what does the work.

The target is your life. The result of your pressure washing activity. No matter what you point to, it’s going to get wet. Then there are your thoughts that aim the flow. What you think is what you get. What you think about more is what you get more of. When you think about something else, you get something else. The good news is you’re in charge. The bad news is, you’re in charge. The pressure in the washer is your emotions. The stronger the emotion, the greater the pressure, and the more powerful the creative “spray.” That’s why we say, “Feeling first. Manifestation second.” That can be a blessing, and a curse.

In all cases, it’s the Belief System that makes the difference, and most of the time it’s unconscious. Limiting beliefs do exactly that. They limit. You can only create within the limits of your ability to accept, so if you believe what you want is impossible, it’s impossible. If you believe it’s difficult, it’s difficult. If you believe it’s easy, it’s easy. Demands and expectations do exactly that. They demand, and they expect. If the demands aren’t obeyed or the expectations unrealized, emotional reactions pollute the stream. This completes the metaphor. Not let’s see what it all means, and what you can do about it.

It’s a blessing when the feeling is positive. Love, joy, and expectancy all give pressure to the creative spray. Negative emotions such as fear, anger, hostility, and such pollute the “water.” Even though the spray may be strong, you don’t always get what you want.

Your belief system is the guardian of your consciousness. It controls the quality of your experience, and the life you create. This metaphor describes the whole of your consciousness.

Positive is better. That seems simple enough. To create the life you want, feel good, aim, and “turn on the water.” Yet it doesn’t always work out that way, does it? There must be something else in play. Maybe you need to change the filter. Yep. That’s the missing element to complete the metaphor. Filters at the spray end are “limiting beliefs,” and at the pump end (emotions) are “demands and expectations.”

THE BOTTOM LINE

The important point is that it’s YOUR consciousness. YOU determine what goes into it, and what comes out. Don’t assign that power to somebody else. There’s a myriad of Spiritual and growth teachings, and we each must find that which fits us best. It would be presumptuous of me to suggest which would be best for you, other than to say, “Go for the love—not the words, but the feeling.” Once you get love in your mix, it will guide you to the rest. And that’s the way it is. Unless it’s something else.

Happiness is BS with Gregg Sanderson

Gregg Sanderson is author of Spirit With A Smile, The World According To BOB. He is a licensed practitioner in the Centers for Spiritual Living, and a Certified Trainer for Infinite Possibilities. His earlier books were, What Ever Happened To Happily Ever After? and Split Happens—Easing The Pain Of Divorce. His latest project is the New Thought Global Network, where subscribers can enjoy the best in New Thought presentations from anywhere at any time. You can see it at http://www.newthoughtglobal.org.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Ian Stauffer

Live in Your Power

Being responsible means being empowered in the way we live our lives. By Arielle Giordano

Are you a victim or a take-charge person? Do you feel empowered or disempowered in life? Would you like to change to become fully present and responsible every day?

something that we do not want on some level, do not agree with, or do not like. As empowered human beings, we make some choices because we know that at a very deep, intuitive level, they bring us to the next steps on our journey. Yes, consequences incur with each choice. Yes, there is also a price we pay for each choice.

THE DANCE OF EMPOWERMENT AND POWERFUL LIVING

The following steps will help you move from being a Life brings a cornucopia of choices and experiences victim into a responsible and powerful human being: that we can relate to and identify as either challenges or op- 1) Be aware. Know that you created all of your life challenges, experiences, and lessons. portunities. Some experiences we like and some we dislike. They can bring joy and fulfillment, or they can bring pain and 2) Be responsible. Responsibility lies in the eye of the bedisappointment. We have the freedom of choice to interpret holder. Know that you are responsible for all of your experiour experiences. We can choose to perceive them as negaences, choices, and consequences. tive or positive. 3) Avoid the blame and shame game at all costs. Know Standing in our power means that we are aware that there is no one to blame and this is not about feeling of being fully responsible for our choices, experiences, and shame or playing games. lives. The empowering realization is that every situation and 4) Be proactive instead of reactive. Put yourself into your life experience has an element of goodness within it. That goodinstead of just letting life happen. Do something each day ness comes in the form of a golden morsel of knowledge to achieve a goal, solve a problem, or resolve an issue. and truth. Being responsible means being empowered in the way we live our lives. We can choose to live as a victim 5) Experience your power. Know that you are a powerful being. It is up to you to achieve a power balance. Do not and have pity parties, or we can know we are in full control abuse your power or ignore it. Find your inner balance of of our choices and our lives. power and choose to move forward in it. How do we move from the perspective of being a 6) Move forward. Take steps each day to let go of the attitude victim to living in our power? We take baby steps on the path of victimization. to becoming more responsible human beings. We know that we can choose to step into power. This may mean Âchoosing 7) Love and enjoy living in the power of you!

Dancing from the Inside Out with Arielle Giordano Arielle Giordanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new book, Dancing with Your Story from the Inside Out, was released in March 2017. With a Masters of Arts and Masters of Education, Arielle is an author, professional dancer, inspirational speaker, certified Essentrics/Aging Backwards instructor, and workshop facilitator. She enjoys sharing her gifts and talents with an authentic style rich in the grace of dance, psychology, philosophy and the expressive arts. Her career includes: provisional psychologist, guidance counselor and substance-abuse therapist. As a Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Faculty Member for College of Humanities at the University of Phoenix, she inspired students with her creative gifts. She also writes for Tampa Bay Wellness, We Woman and Transformation Magazine.

Legends of the Grail

The idea of The Holy Grail has mystic symbolism today, and the search for it is a personal initiation.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci (1495-1498)

By Jo Mooy It’s a sacred object described as a cup, a bowl, and even a dish or platter. Traditionally it’s thought to be the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper. After the crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea is alleged to have brought the cup to Britain and hidden it somewhere. Another legend says Mary Magdalene, the wife of Jesus, took the cup to France. Still another says after the disciples scattered, James took it to Campostela in Spain. In medieval times, the legends started again and the cup was

given the name the Holy Grail. It became one of the most long-lasting tales in European literature and art. It was King Arthur’s greatest quest to find the Grail, though he never did. It was a quest that sparked the Knights of the Round Table to find it. Sir Galahad, whose shield was a red cross on a white background, was said to be the only one to have seen the Grail, giving rise to the later legends that the Knights Templars, who also carried the same shield as Galahad, had taken the Grail to Scotland. There are more than 200 locations vying for the title “Home

of the Holy Grail.” Can each one be the Grail? I think so! Each one has its own history of how the cup or chalice displayed came to be in that specific location. That history is treasured by each location, and it attracts millions of pilgrims to the church or cathedral to see it. It has produced miracles, healings, lands purged of pestilence, and special indulgences granted to those visitors. In this regard, their strong belief systems brought the desired result and enhance the myth that the Holy Grail in each specific church is magical and therefore the “real” one.

For centuries the search for the Grail was a physical one. Today, the idea of the Grail has mystic symbolism. The search for it is a personal initiation. It’s a quest of the soul. It’s pursuing the spiritual meaning in life. It’s reverence for the sanctity of each person. It’s an alchemical transformation that occurs when the divinity within each individual is realized. And if in the process you stumble upon one of the physical locations and feel a magical spark, all the better. In 2018, BBC published a story that the Cathedral of Valencia in Spain tops the list as the home of The Holy Grail. In a small side chapel sits a dark agate stone cup. The cup is perched on top of a medieval golden base with massive handles. The golden

base is covered with pearls, emeralds, and rubies. But that’s just the outer covering. The “real cup” is the simple stone one, typical of what would have been used by a Jewish carpenter. So how did it get from an upper room outside of Jerusalem to Valencia? The church history says Peter took the cup to Rome, where it remained in use for 250 years by subsequent Popes—until the Emperor Valerian began the persecution of Christians. Knowing it was not safe, the cup was taken to Huesca Spain, where it remained for hundreds of years. When invaders came to Spain in the 8th century, it was moved for safety to a monastery in northern Spain. Actual documentation of this cup begins in 1399, when it became part of King Martin’s royal reliquary. Martin’s successor King Alfonso moved the cup to Valencia in 1416. What sets this cup apart from all others was its simplicity and archaeological dating between the second century BC and 1 AD. A second city in Leon, Spain also claims to have the real Holy Grail. Suspiciously, it looks strikingly similar to the one in Valencia. It too is made of stone agate and there’s a stone “dish” in the bottom of the Golden Chalice that surrounds the stone. Might it not be possible that it was a custom of the time for people to carry their own

eating and drinking vessels in their baggage while traveling? Maybe each disciple carried his own eating and drinking vessels with him when he left the Last Supper? That would explain how so many of the “stone vessels” ended up in different parts of Europe. And also why there’s a mystique about each one being the Holy Grail.

Is the real Holy Grail in Valencia? Does it matter? For one thing, the real Holy Grail is not a big medieval golden chalice. The eating vessels used by the simple people at the time of Jesus the carpenter, were rough-hewn wooden bowls, hammered bronze cups, or carved polished stone. Nonetheless, this cup in Valencia has a remarkable history and is revered by many. I plan to see it myself this year, and I fully expect to get a strong feeling about it. The cup will speak for itself.

Conscious Living with Jo Mooy

Jo Mooy has studied with many spiritual traditions over the past 40 years. The wide diversity of this training allows her to develop spiritual seminars and retreats that explore inspirational concepts, give purpose and guidance to students, and present esoteric teachings in an understandable manner. Along with Patricia Cockerill, she has guided the Women’s Meditation Circle since January 2006 where it has been honored for five years in a row as the “Favorite Meditation” group in Sarasota, FL, by Natural Awakenings Magazine. Teaching and using Sound as a retreat healing practice, Jo was certified as a Sound Healer through Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing Association. She writes and publishes a monthly internationally distributed e-newsletter called Spiritual Connections and is a staff writer for Spirit of Maat magazine in Sedona. For more information go to www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com.

Becoming Fear-less

What would it mean in our lives if we trusted more and feared less? By Mary Boutillier Have you ever had the experience of hearing something that changed the way you view the world? Maybe a time when you were just hanging out, minding your own business, maybe even zoning out a bit when the door to your brain opened up a little wider, demanding your immediate and undivided attention? Well, that happened to me recently in the most perfectly timed and unexpected way. I was attending a celebration for a couple’s 60th wedding anniversary. During the party their daughter, Audrey stood up and read a heartfelt tribute to them. As I listened to her story (and I’m paraphrasing here) she talked about how all her life her parents were worriers. So, no matter what she did or where she went, she always had to check in and let her parents know she had arrived safely and was alright. She joked that her parents felt that chances were she could die. Audrey then continued her story and said that when she married, she was shocked to learn that her in-laws believed that no matter where they went or what they did, chances were they would live! Now, that might seem really strange to hear but, I instantly resonated with this story and felt as if a thousand tiny light bulbs went off in my brain. I felt as if the molecular structure of my being had subtly shifted! You see, my wonderful Italian mother was exactly the same as Audrey’s mother! My mom was most comfortable, most happy when all of her children stayed put—not doing anything too adventurous, scary, or daring because, chances were, we might not survive whatever it was we wanted to do. She loved us fiercely, and I know she wanted to protect us. I think she also saw the world as a scary place where anything could happen, so we were better safe than sorry. Any time I went anywhere, I had to phone

home just to let her know I was still alive. This included every time I got in a car or on a plane and traveled anywhere outside the county in which we lived. So when I heard Audrey’s words, something inside my brain woke up. I realized that despite all my adventures and travels and my crazy job as a firefighter, I had inherited this fear and worry gene from my mother and internalized it. For example, each time my husband and I traveled, I would assume that we might not make it back. I would make sure the house was clean (kind of like the clean underwear theory), our bills were paid, relatives were notified, etc. I was someone who loved to travel, except for the traveling part. And in the few days before any trip, I would quietly fret about the uncertainty of it all. It wasn’t like a full-blown anxiety attack. Instead, it was a subtle but very real undercurrent that kept my body/mind/heart on alert and ready for the “inevitable.” So imagine the shift, the idea, the audacity of thinking and believing that (drum roll please)—CHANCES ARE YOU WILL LIVE!

Chances are you will make it to your destination; chances are you will survive, arrive, thrive, adjust, enjoy, and explore - just like the millions of other people who do and travel and play and try new things all day long!

What a weight lifting relief to realize the truth instead of fiction—to understand that yes, things do happen, but they don’t happen every time you step out the door or walk down the street or get in a car or fly on a plane! This “ah ha” came perfectly timed just a week before we were getting on a plane and flying across the ocean. “Chances are, you will live” became my mantra. Each time I felt a bit of fear or anxiety, I would repeat that mantra—and it worked. Something in me shifted. I felt myself relax and let go of some of the incessant worry that had always been a part of my life. I realized that this habit went well beyond my own being—to my friends, my family. My mind played the “what if” game, as I wasted precious time and energy on things that would likely never come to fruition.

Les Brown said, “Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are too busy living our fears.” And yes, we can certainly keep ourselves as safe as possible by minimizing our exposure, but in doing so our lives become the size of postage stamps and our experiences become a bit beige. Do we really want beige? Is this what we want to do with our one wild and precious life? And yet, there is more. During the same week before our trip, I had lunch with my lovely niece and her

two daughters. They were all wearing these inexpensive rings with different words on them. Her ring said “fearless”. I asked her if I could borrow the ring and she happily lent it to me. All through my trip I wore that ring, looking down at it any time I felt a bit unsettled. I would picture myself in the “super woman” pose—confident, poised, able to handle anything. Can you hear the music? I thought: “I am fearless—da da ta dahhh!” And then, once more, an “ah ha” came my way. As I looked at the ring and thought of all the people I love and all the opportunities there are in life to see and do and be, my mind visualized a dash between the letters “R” and “L”, and I saw the ring in a whole new light. Fear-less. There was that message all over again. Fear freaking less! What I noticed was that the less attention I gave to my unsubstantiated fears, the more I opened up. My heart softened and the world became a safer, friendlier, more vulnerable place. The definition of fear—False Evidence Appearing Real—became clear for what it was, and the trip I took across the ocean felt very different indeed! What would it mean in our lives if we trusted more and feared less? If we realized that, chances are, we will be all right? And even if the “you know what” is hitting the fan and things really aren’t all right, worrying, stressing,

p rojecting isn’t going to help. As dumb as it sounds, maybe what we need in that moment is to see thousands of planes all flying in the air at the same time or millions of flowers opening up, or parents around the world having babies…in other words—life happening on purpose all around us—to understand that somehow, some way, everything is going to be okay even if it isn’t all right.

So the next time I am uncomfortable or afraid, I just need to breathe and be in that moment and remember that we are not alone on this journey. We can lean in and ask ourselves: “What is this feeling and is it true?” We can reach out and let others in. We can tell our story in hopes of connecting with others. And certainly, we can fear less and love more. All aboard!

Waylon Lewis, editor of Elephant Journal, said this: “Don’t push away all that is uncomfor table, and cling to all that is pleasurable. This is ego. Instead, breathe deeply and relax into the present moment. This nervous feeling in your hear t? Breathe in, breathe out. Stay for one moment. This is fearlessness.”

The Yoga of Life with Mary Boutieller Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.

The Fifth Element

By Owen K Waters The legendary Fifth Element holds the key to the answer to one of today’s top mysteries in the worlds of physics and cosmology. Scientists estimate that 84 percent of the matter in the universe is composed of invisible dark matter, but they have no idea what it is. With a short venture into the world of metaphysics, you are about to find out the answer! In ancient Greece, all material things were said to be composed of a mixture of the four elements of earth, fire, water and air. There was also said to be a more subtle, fifth element. This was called the quintessence (literally, “fifth element”), implying its very delicate or refined state of existence. For many centuries, philosophers considered that all matter consisted of combinations of the basic elements in the Greek tradition. In the early 1500s, Philip von Hohenheim boldly renamed himself Paracelsus, meaning “beyond the medical pioneer Celsus” and came out with a counter-proposal. He declared that, instead of the old elements, all things con-

sist of the subtle essences of elements that he called salt, sulfur, and mercury. However, this only served to confuse the situation further as both theories did little to identify the basic chemicals that combine to form the enormous variety of compounds that are found in nature. Next, fast-forward to the Age of Enlightenment. In the late 1600s, the early scientist Robert Boyle published The Sceptical Chemist, rejecting both schools of thought in favor of the then-novel idea that materials are composed of a variety of basic chemicals which, unlike compounds, cannot be further reduced by chemical operations. This demystified chemistry, laid the basis for its development as a science, and made possible the development of the table of elements that we use in chemistry today. As the science of chemistry developed and accumulated physical knowledge, however, it became focused entirely on physical materials and ignored the old idea of anything more subtle. The fifth element has been given various names in traditional Eastern thought and practices—such as prana, chi, qi, and mana—but it can be better understood by

calling it vital life energy or etheric energy. From a physics perspective, the most concise term is etheric energy, which implies a more subtle energy than electric energy. When electric and magnetic energies combine in complementary motion, they produce physical light as well as the building blocks of physical matter. Your body is composed of electromagnetic energy. Etheric energy is actually more common in the universe than electric energy. Its manifestation, etheric matter, forms most of the matter in the universe. Cosmologists know that it exists, even though they can’t see it (hence the term, dark matter), because of its gravitational effects on physical matter in the cosmos. “Dark” energy and “dark” matter are roughly five times more prolific than their physical counterparts, so their influence in the cosmos is quite marked. The gravitational effect is a result of the fact that both energies—physical electric energy and the more subtle etheric energy— share a common interaction with magnetic energy. The magnetic energy component is provided by the ever-present fabric of space, which I term the God Field.

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

By using the term the God field, we can reduce a common form of confusion that exists today. The God field was traditionally called the aether and, although that sounds a lot like etheric energy, the two are quite different. The God Field is the fabric of space. It is a subtle, fluid, magnetic energy that fills all space. It is intensified within and around matter, where its attractive nature produces the force of gravity. Etheric energy, or vital life energy, is the primary energy of the universe. Electric energy is, by comparison, a secondary, more physical energy. Electric en-

ergy interacts with the magnetic fabric of space to form physical light and physical matter. Etheric energy interacts with the magnetic fabric of space to form etheric light and etheric matter. Etheric energy is a subtle, primary life energy, while electric energy is a physical, secondary energy. Both energies interact with the magnetic fabric of space, producing etheric matter and physical matter. The great advantage with knowing about etheric energy is that this vital life-giving energy holds the key to vibrant wellness. Vital life energy or etheric energy is present in all effective healing systems.

In acupuncture, it is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;qiâ&#x20AC;? energy that is enhanced or balanced in its flow along acupuncture meridians. It is the healing energy transmitted in distant healing. It is the same healing energy that is passed to the recipient in Reiki or Polarity Therapy. Vital life energy is the essence within sacred healing oils. It is the energy that flows into a person as they practice Qigong. It is the life energy in organic foods, in water exposed to sunlight, and in the oxygen that we breathe. Without vital life energy, we would not physically exist. With additional vital life energy, miraculous healings can occur.

Spiritual Dynamics with Owen K. Waters Owen is a cofounder of the Spiritual Dynamics Academy, where a where a free spiritual growth newsletter awaits you at: www.SpiritualDynamics.net. He is an international spiritual teacher who has helped hundreds of thousands of spiritual seekers to understand better the nature of their spiritual potential. Owenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life has been focused upon gaining spiritual insights through extensive research and the development of his inner vision. For the past 12 years, he has written a spiritual metaphysics newsletter which empowers people to discover their own new vistas of inspiration, love and creativity. Spiritual seekers enjoy his writings for their insight and clarity.

The Power of Music

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Lechon Kirb

Change your tune and you can change your life. By Terez Hartmann Music is everywhere. It has been a part of the human experience since the very dawn of our existence, and it is truly amazing that even as civilizations have come and gone, there is something about the desire to create, share, and experience music that forever endures—and is inextricably linked to being human. Whether it is because of our desire to socialize and tell our story, to breathe life into a thing of beauty, or to somehow touch and commune with the Divine, one thing is for sure: Life is far better with it, and I for one could not imagine life without it!

MUSIC AS A TOOL FOR HAPPINESS

While I was formulating this article, I decided to Google “music and happiness studies.” When I saw that my query produced 19,900,000 results, I couldn’t help but smile and even squeak a little! How cool, I thought, that there is THAT much out there that connects music to happiness—and the better you feel and the better your attitude about life, the more likely you are to let the good stuff in and put good stuff out into the world for the benefit of ALL! One study by HeartMath.org that I find particularly fascinating and discuss in my book, ALLOWING Your Success! has to do with the effect of what they call “designer” music. Their findings show that when participants were exposed to music designed to have specific positive effects on the listener, the test group reported a higher increase/shift in their mood than with ANY other type of music, even when compared to classical and new age music! We’ve all seen and experienced firsthand how a song can evoke a memory or an overall mood by transporting us into that experience in a very visceral way, so it’s no stretch to conclude that listening to, singing with, dancing to, or composing uplifting music carries with it great potential power.

TRULY feels good to you, since what sounds and feels good is very much in the eye (and ear) of the beholder! Yes, it IS great to stumble across a piece of music that takes you to a groovy-feeling place, but there is a serious coolness factor in deliberately choosing to tune in to music that inspires positivity— and then getting to take FULL credit for the fabulousity you feel!

DO THIS: CONDUCT YOUR OWN MUSIC EXPERIMENT

Use The Power of MUSIC to get into the groove and feed a positive attitude! 1) Take a moment to turn on a musical piece or song that you associate with happy feelings.* 2) Sit and listen to it with full attention, sing along, clap your hands or even dance along with your chosen song. 3) Write down how you feel as soon as your listening party is complete! Feel even better? YOU did that, baby! *Keep this in mind… Even though the target is joy, if your current state of mind is less-than-fabulous, it is FAR better to choose music that simply feels like a step up first. Shoot for feeling better rather than bouncing, then work your way up the feel-good totem pole. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to “make myself happy, dammit!” only to find that when I didn’t get from bummed to blissed in 1.86 seconds, I often felt WORSE, rather than better. Whether you are talking about MUSIC or any other mood-lifting tool, remember that the best M.O. is feeling lighter and better. Once you make your way to hopefulness, THAT’S the time to reach for joy, because you’re more open, willing and READY to dance to the music!

MUSIC AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE POWER OF MUSIC According to Abraham-Hicks, 17 seconds is all it takes to start the creation ball rolling, with 68 seconds being enough to establish a solid point of attraction. Considering the fact that most songs and pieces of music are at least three minutes long, it’s logical to conclude that focusing on music which evokes feelings of serenity, hope, fun, and joy can be a fabulous way to establish a point of attraction that gets some kickin’ good mojo and momentum flowing! The key factor is choosing music YOU enjoy and that

Music is a bridge and there’s a song that can lead you in literally every emotional direction. In truth, all roads ultimately lead to joy in one way or another, but why take the long, squishy low road when you can ENJOY the journey and ALLOW success along the high road? If you let it, changing your tune really CAN change your life… …and besides, life is always better when accompanied by a great soundtrack! Rock on, awesome allowers!

ALLOWING YOUR SUCCESS with Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann

Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann,“Your catalyst for all things Fab-YOU-lous,” is the author of Allowing Your Success!, a proud contributing author of Transform Your Life! book one and two, a professional Keynote Speaker/Workshop Facilitator, Singer-Songwriter/Recording Artist, “Allowing Adventures!” & “Savor Vacation” Facilitator, and true Renaissance Woman, and Visionary. She keeps her fire lit by embracing and promoting a lifestyle of “Allowing,” and by using creative expression to elevate and ignite the human spirit, a passion that she shares with her husband, soul-mate and creative partner of over 15 years, John Victor Hartmann. Together they share “Allowing TRUE LOVE” workshops and experiences designed to help others attract, allow, and maintain extraordinary relationships, and create custom jingles and voice-overs in their studio, THE Creativity Express. Visit: http://www.TerezFirewoman.com

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