PUBLISHERS
Natalie Rivera
Joeel A. Rivera, M.Ed.
EDITOR
Lisa Cedrone
Alexander Balla, Terez Hartmann, Spencer Rouse, Mary Boutieller, Robyn Engelson, Owen Waters, Dr. Heather Smith and Yanni Charalambous, Arielle Giordano, Shingirai Makosa, Jo Mooy
THE POWER OF A VISION THE POWER OF A VISION
The Power of a Vision
Coaching provides the framework through which we can build longstanding and beneficial professional relationships.
By Rev. Dr. Alexander J. Balla CMLC
When you’re involved in any kind of managerial work, you need to develop a very specific mindset. You may not be working to build your own private practice, but you’re still a coach, and that skill set will serve you well, no matter where you land. It’ll also set you apart. So now it’s just a matter of figuring out how to bring your coaching toolkit with you wherever you go. Once you crack that code, the world opens itself up to you.
The key component is that everything hinges upon understanding the visions of the people with whom you work. The mentality that you need to cultivate is that you’re a facilitator of success. Believe it or not, your coaching certifications have already prepared you to step into that role. My current position with a corporate firm revealed that there’s a foundational idea that allows us to strip all of the complexities away, thus removing 90 percent of the guesswork. When you build your entire approach on the notion that you’re assisting people to manifest their visions, that becomes a real game changer in the corporate marketplace. If you learn how to do that, then you’re going to make a name for yourself—and it’s going to happen fast.
I work for a company that sells a service-based product, and that company has me assigned to a client who purchases one of our service packages. In addition to serving as a liaison between my client and the company, I also supervise the team that supplies the product that my company sells. That yields a lot of moving parts, and we can learn something from every cog and gear in that machine. In the grand scheme of things, I’m responsible for tending to Client Relations, Corporate Relations and Team Relations. That sounds like a lot, but when you view your world through the lens of coaching, it brings everything into finer focus.
My job is to figure out exactly what my client wants. Then I need to figure out how to assist them in making that a reality. You have to understand that you can’t count on your client to know exactly what they want. In my line of work, they’re presented with a basic package, and they’re relying on the site manager to apply specialized knowledge to the task of extracting the appropriate information. This is where the process needs to begin. I start by asking a very simple question: “You’re buying a service package from my company: What’s your vision for the way you need our product to provide the service that
you need?” Keep that question in your padfolio when you go to meetings and condense it down to three words: What’s your vision? That’s your game changer.
It kicks off the coaching process in a very profound way. It makes the client feel like they’ve been heard. You’re not offering them a one-size-fits-all cookie-cutter experience. When you ask them what their vision is, they know that they’re receiving a custom program that’s tailored to suit their needs. Good coaching is all about fostering extraordinary conversations by asking phenomenal questions. These conversations, once you learn how to initiate them, serve as the juncture points through which you’ll start opening the conversational doorways that lead to discussing their goals, talking about their proposed action plans, and outlining their expectations.
PACKAGE DEAL
Ultimately, it’s all well and good to have a clear idea of what the client wants, but we need to be able to articulate their concepts coherently to our corporate managers. Here again, it all boils down to fostering extraordinary conversations, and I can always fall back on that same phenomenal question. It goes something like this: “Hey, Boss. I’ve got a client here who wants to accomplish X, Y and Z. That’s what they want to get out of the services they’re purchasing for us. What’s your vision for making that a reality for them?” Then, the coaching process begins again in a new sphere.
Your manager will get the instant impression of respect, and the in-depth questioning process brings them to the conclusion that you care about the company. It also proves that you’re competent in your work. It shows everyone involved that you value the customer’s experience, which means you’re going to benefit from their business in the long term. What I want you to understand, however, is that the coaching dynamic isn’t a matter of establishing your own authority. My client holds the cards, because they’re paying for our services. My managers sign my paychecks, so that means that I need to take care of their business needs as well. While I’m not the authority figure in either exchange, that doesn’t leave me helpless. The coaching modality provides the framework through which we can build those longstanding and beneficial professional relationships, and that provides us with everything that we need in order to navigate complex circumstances with relative ease.
If the client is going to get what they want out of their purchase, and if I want to keep my managers happy, then I’m going to need to manage my team effectively. That’s not always an easy task, but coaching certainly helps. Let’s face facts: We’re working with flesh and blood human beings, not just numbered employees in some corporate computer system. They have hopes, dreams, aspirations, wants, needs, families, friends, hobbies, and the list goes on. They’re real people, and everything that makes them who they are is a package deal. No manager in their right mind would expect their team members to separate themselves from the core aspects of their identity. Not only is that kind of mentality outdated, it’s unfair and it’s inhumane. That mentality will also drive their performance into the dirt, and your own success is going to tank along with their morale.
That being said, it’s not uncommon to run into situations in which their wants or needs turn into potential conflicts, but conflicts don’t help anyone, so we need to put our coaching caps on and get to work. Let’s return to our million-dollar question: What’s your vision? Even if I don’t ask my employees directly, I always want make sure the sentiment is there. Ask your team members how you can partner with them to make sure that they get what they’re requesting. Ask them what their ideal outcome is and how they can achieve that goal. Ask them what you can do to work together to put them in line to receive what they want or what they need. Here again, this isn’t about establishing authority.
TURN THE TABLES
Nobody wants to be under anyone else’s thumb, so it’s important that you give your employees a chance to use their voices, and coaching conversations provide us with the perfect opportunities to make that happen. If you really want to bring the best out of your team members, then you actually need to turn the tables on the idea of authority a little bit. You need to put them in the driver’s seat! Make sure they become effective navigators too, and your job will be easier, because you won’t feel like you have to micromanage. Nobody likes a micromanager. Will there be rules and regulations that you’ll need to enforce? Absolutely! Even with all of the corporate standards to maintain, you can’t allow yourself forget that you’re still responsible for providing a
safe space for your team members to plot their own courses. They have a destiny too, and your success is bound to theirs because success is a shared venture. If your team isn’t succeeding, then it won’t be long before you’re looking for a new team to manage. Either they’re all going to quit or your firm is going to find a new manager to lead the charge. When you start putting your coaching skills to work for you, however, those aren’t outcomes that you’ll need to worry about, because a well-cared-for team will move mountains.
No matter where you land, if you’re managing anything for anyone, then you need to make sure that the people you’re working with express their visions to you. Not everyone knows how to do that, and it’s really difficult for some people to articulate what they want, but your coaching and communications skills can help to break through those barriers. If you can apply the client mentality to everyone you work with, then you’re well on your way to experiencing a lifestyle of success in the corporate arena. Everyone is your customer, even your employees. So, now it’s up to you to get out there and start asking some phenomenal questions! Be the agent of change that your team needs!
Don’t ever forget that you were put here to make a positive difference and that YOU are LIMITLESS!
Rev. Dr. Alexander J. Balla is a proud recipient of Transformation Academy’s Certified Master Life Coach diploma, and holds various other spiritual coaching and pastoral counseling credentials and degrees through other agencies and ministerial organizations. He serves as the Presiding Bishop of the Reformed National Catholic Church, ministers weekly through their online platform, and focuses his efforts on raising awareness of metaphysical approaches to holistic spiritual wellness. Bishop Balla is an advocate for healing by faith that cooperates the miracle modern medicine and emphasizes the universality of spirituality. He shares his life with his young son, Joseph, and his beautiful wife, Sarah. Contact him via email at: manifestmylife.loa@gmail.com
PASSION IS THE ESSENCE OF SUCCESS
Do you become energized at the very thought of lacing up hiking boots, riding a bicycle, running or paddling, or simply revel in feasting your eyes on a place of majestic beauty?
Do you delight in cuddling or playing with your favorite furry or feathered companion?
Do you relish the process of planning a trip, organizing your home, or putting together a stock portfolio?
Do you swoon and flush at the idea of your lover’s kiss?
Do you savor the act of combining the perfect ingredients to create a culinary masterpiece?
Do you thrill in the notion of cruising along a scenic highway on your Harley or favorite land-based vehicle or the idea of being cradled by the gentle movement of a sailboat?
Do you celebrate every time you witness your child discover their own power, confidence and abilities?
Does your spirit soar every time you contemplate or breathe life into a piece of music, film project, book, dance, computer program, sculpture, design or new business?
We certainly can survive in the most basic sense without passion, but the color, texture, flavor and LIFE that passion lends to our time on earth is what makes our trip around the sun worth taking! Passion is the spark that ignites our dreams and visions and the fire that warms our day-to-day lives. When we keep passion alive, it can even feed and nourish our spirits when we stumble into the darkness—and call us back to the light. It is, in fact, the very essence of success, for to live a life you love and feel excited about being alive is truly the ultimate success.
ADVICE TO AN ARTIST
No matter our medium, ALL of us are indeed artists. We choose the colors and textures that we place upon the canvas of our lives, and at any moment we have the ability to create a splendid masterpiece! Yes, the mundane aspects of life
such as paying bills, considering action plans, taking care of children, etc., can make it easy to forgo feeding our passions for the sake of checking off another item on our to-do list, but every time we remember that life is supposed to be FUN and allow ourselves to get back to enjoying the journey, everything works better and life can become a beautiful work of art!
Some time ago, one of my friends sent a message asking for advice for a recording-performing artist/writer friend of hers. Though I did share some industry-oriented ideas, I felt compelled to express something far deeper. After rereading the words that had flowed through me, I discovered that there was also a wealth of material for MY spirit and for the artist in ALL of us:
“Overall, my advice to anyone who has a passion or dream is to focus upon what they want and why they want it FIRST. The ‘why’ is especially important, as this is the heart of what truly matters and is where passion and focus will come from.
I have discovered that the ideal action always comes from first being in a place of alignment, focus and passion. Every ‘strategy’ I ever formulated and the hours/days/months invested in hard work to try to ‘make’ something happen doesn’t even come close to the speed and ease that things have come to me via using my power of focus, being in alignment with myself and having the courage to follow inspired action.
I would say, ‘Keep writing, composing, creating and doing what you love NO MATTER WHAT.’ Do it for love, and do it for YOU. Never, ever suffer for your art, as that is THE very thing that slows it all down and dilutes the love you feel in creating.
All of the great artists, writers, etc., who felt they needed to suffer or sacrifice who they really were to ‘succeed’ lost the love in their work, died young and/or lived tormented lives. This is the opposite of why we create, write, share and perform—so keep the love and passion alive!”
It is only when I once-and-for-all decided that being fully who I am and spending my days doing what I love mattered more than ANYTHING else that more amazing things than I can recount started happening for me.
When you no longer “need” anything to happen to feel successful, only then CAN success come. Love, maintaining an attitude of passion, confidence and trust, and using my power of focus now come first for me; action is second. This has been and continues to be one of my greatest keys to success.”
THE BOTTOM LINE ON THE POWER OF PASSION
No matter who you are or what you do, you are a creative, powerful, magnificent artist who is here to paint with ALL the colors of life. The more passion you evoke, pursue and discover, the more life feels like the great adventure and work of art it was meant to be! An added bonus: You inspire your fellow artists FAR more through your passion and joy than through your willingness to endure and sustain pain, guardedness or keep the status quo.
So, light that fire, let it burn, baby burn, and watch the fireworks begin!
ALLOWING YOUR SUCCESS
with Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann
Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann is a Visionary Creative & top-rated instructor, Law of Attraction & Allowing YOUR Success specialist, published author, speaker, singer-songwriter, recording & performing artist & composer, “Catalyst for Fab-YOU-lous” and true Renaissance Woman who has already helped over 10,000 students in over 130 countries allow success and live life on FIRE. She is deeply passionate about helping other Powerful Creatives and Leading-Edge Thinkers live unique, empowered lives on their terms by cultivating the courage to dream, to express themselves boldly & authentically, and to focus Onward, Upward and Forward into new possibilities. http://www.terezfirewoman.com
Real success, comes from deep within. We are all creative. It is our birthright.
By Spencer Rouse
Awkward and gaunt, the little man shuffled slowly down the hall, carefully pushing the wet mop on the floor beside the baseboard. Occasionally, he would stop and diligently scrub a spot until it disappeared. Every afternoon after school hours, he repeated the routine until the floors of the hall and the classrooms were spotless and gleaming. When the job was complete, he would rinse the mop and bucket and set them to dry. He was a careful man. He took pride in doing tasks properly. Available for small repairs and cleanups during school hours, he didn’t just perform these tasks; he enjoyed them. He took pleasure in setting a screw just right, in securing a loose door or repairing a broken pane. He beamed to see the students happy, teasing and jostling, rushing to class, and gathering in small groups. Some were friendly to him, but many ignored him. He didn’t mind. He delighted in their laughter, watching them grow and mature. The lifecycle. He was content, finding peace in his routine and the satisfaction of a necessary job well done.
Late one afternoon, an angry student rushed down the hall, face red, mind on a lousy disagreement with his art teacher. His foot struck the bucket as he focused on the exit door ahead. Disgusted, the student kicked the bucket until it fell and soaked a large area of the hall. He sneered at the janitor. “You need to be more careful. Keep that bucket out of the walkway, you old fool.”
The older man straightened and stood erect, his hand on the mop handle as if it were a staff. Blue eyes blazing, then softening, he attuned silently to the student’s vibration. A light of recognition glowed between them as the older man peered into the student’s face.
“You are disappointed. Your creation did not meet with praise.”
“Not even close,” said the student. This is the third time it has been rejected, and she made fun of it. She says I’m not listening to instructions, and no one will want what I’m painting. I don’t understand. I’m not supposed to follow instructions. I’m an artist. I create.”
The old man asked, “What is your purpose for creating? Do you create for yourself or others?”
The young student answered, “I’m talented. I want people to see what I paint. I want them to buy my paintings. I want to be successful.”
“Ah,” said the janitor. “Success can mean different things. What feels like success today in the commercial world may become valueless tomorrow. He hesitated, then drew in a deep breath. The message came through him for the young student.
“As for people buying your paintings, who can control what others choose? We see trends and what is fashionable right now. Popularity is something that can change with the wind. Who can predict?”
The boy frowned but did not move.
“Success, real success, comes from deep within, where everyone’s creativity is birthed. We are all creative. It is our birthright. There is an inner compass that guides you softly. It steers you a little to the right or the left when you quiet your mind and allow it. It helps you to trust your instincts. That gentle compass guides you to fulfillment. The mind chatter stops. The emotions settle. The peace you create this way allows you to understand the other creations of the Universe: plants, animals, all of nature, other humans, the stars and planets, and perhaps other dimensions. To experience this connection is pure joy. Then, you will understand the meaning of success. You will have what you need. You will create through all your senses. You will share who you are with others. You will allow them to share with you.”
“But I want to paint something timeless and extraordinary that people will rave over and
write reviews about. I want to paint something important to others. And I want them to pay a lot for it. I want to be rich like the man who painted The Sunset. That painting must have sold for millions!”
The janitor smiled as he finished mopping the spilled water. “Oh yes, The Sunset. Rich. Rich, indeed,” he said as the boy left the building.
The janitor walked home down the path behind the school. He picked a few vegetables for his neighbors from his carefully tended garden, fed some birds eagerly awaiting him, then turned to enter his tiny bungalow. As he did, he saw that the young student had followed him home.
“Would you like to come in?” he said. The boy followed him, stunned at what he saw. Several paintings were displayed, but one caught his immediate attention. It was a copy of The Sunset! The boy looked closely. No, it was the original! “But…..how?…where?…why do you have this? Here? How could you afford this on your janitor’s salary? Did you steal it? What if someone stole it from you? The awkward questions flew out of the boy’s mouth!
“I don’t know what I’d do if someone stole it,” the janitor said thoughtfully. “I suppose I’d have to paint something else.”
Elemental Wisdom
with Spencer Rouse
Spencer Rouse has been a professional psychic and intuitive reader, energy healer, life coach, and lecture/workshop facilitator for more than 20 years, working one-on-one in counseling sessions, in groups, and at psychic fairs and other events. She works primarily through the gifts of claircognizance—an inner knowing—and clairsentience—the ability to sense information through feelings and emotions. Spencer also connects with the different layers of the human energy field (the aura) using color and sound to help balance and invigorate life force energy. Visit her online at http://www.SpencerRouse.com or email PsychicSpencer.com
Lessons Learned LESSONS LEARNED LESSONS LEARNED
When disaster strikes, our common humanity outweighs the “us versus them.”
By Mary Boutieller
I was talking with a friend about the wisdom gained throughout our life’s unfolding, and how we can sometimes forget the lessons learned or the promises made, especially as we regain our footing. A health scare might prompt us to eat better or exercise, while a tragedy can remind us of our humanity and our need to connect with others.
So it is recently, post Hurricane Helene, as I read stories of the devastation and feel a bit helpless to do something in some concrete or physical way, that I search out stories of people who do reach out to help those in need. People who open up their homes, share food, donate money, inquire and send words of hope; the son who hiked 11 miles to reach his parents when he couldn’t contact them in any other way, the neighbor who pulled up in a canoe and rescued a family as
floodwaters rose. These are the stories that hold me up in times of trouble and remind me that there are so many good people doing what they can do, not keeping score or asking for one’s political affiliation or thinking about all the inane soundbites that keep us riled up. They (we) simply have a fundamental need to be of service in some way. Why, during normal times, does it seem like we can always find enemies lurking just around the corner and blame others for the woes in the world, but when disaster strikes, all of that drops when our common humanity outweighs the “us versus them?”
I remember many years ago while hiking the Appalachian Trail, that those we met didn’t talk much about what they did for a living or what material possessions they owned. Instead, we talked about life, or more accurately food, and we came to each other’s rescue with advice, a first aid kit or an encouraging word, because it
didn’t matter what we did in the “real world.” We were there, together, old and young, poor and rich, wise and growing, having a shared experience. So too with the storm. So too with life and love and heartache and loss.
But we forget the lessons learned and, as soon as the storm settles (whatever that storm may be), we get comfortable again and we search for enemies again and we complain because the Internet is out and we look outside ourselves for the cause of the pain we feel.
For all those still suffering from the hurricane’s aftermath, I wish there was more I could do to ease your suffering and loss. Perhaps, in my own way, I can remember the lesson that presents itself once again—the lesson that we are all in this together and, while we may distract ourselves in the normal course of events, when the need arises, we will all show up armed with love. And that is all that matters.
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
How I took control of my life after a life-changing trauma, and why I now encourage others to do the same.
By Robyn Engelson
Some moments in our lives bring everything to a screeching halt. For me, that moment came at age 35, and it would take over two and a half years for the nightmare to be over. I walked the path of utter exhaustion so that I could be a guide for others who are going through the same thing. I promise you: There is hope!
When I was 31 years old, my firstborn child came into the world: a beautiful son. Four years later, I was ready to have another baby but struggled to conceive a second child. My friends encouraged me to go to a fertility specialist. The specialist ordered labs and found that I had Hashimoto’s disease—an illness that would change my life. (At the same time, they discovered scar tissue on my uterus, which, combined with Hashimoto’s, explained my inability to conceive again. There was no explanation for my scar tissue. Nothing was mentioned during my first natural birth.)
I was put on medication (Synthroid), but the medication made me feel worse. My anxiety escalated, I slept too much (10-12 hours a night), and my exhaustion levels were at an all-time high, despite struggling every night to fall asleep. Every aspect of my body felt like it was affected: I had constant brain fog, my
appearance started to suffer (my nails became brittle and my hair was falling out), I had uncontrollable mood swings, achy joints, constipation—you name it, I had it.
If this is how it feels to get better, I hate to think how I’d feel if I got worse!
When I returned to the doctor, he said my thyroid antibodies were improving. He temporarily lowered my dose, saying I should build to a higher dose over time. But after several weeks on his regimen, I was more miserable than ever. I switched doctors, desperate to find answers. My new doctor told me the same things the old one did: “You’re doing great now!”
Then why don’t I feel great? I wondered. Is this just in my head?
Severe depression came down on me like a storm cloud, and I had to stop working because I could hardly function. Caring for my new toddler was impossible—I couldn’t muster the energy to get off the couch and take him out of his high chair. No one understood what I was going through. After a visit to a third doctor (who told me the same thing the first two did), I realized it was up to me to take control of my health.
During this time, the biggest challenge was understanding my life wasn’t over. I was hit with everything all at once—Hashimoto’s, infertility, and a horrible reaction to medication—but I
had been through challenges before and I knew that mindset was critical. I focused on minimizing my stress by being protective of my energy, calming my nervous system, and grounding myself by walking barefoot on stone and sand.
I researched functional medicine and found a functional medicine doctor who had Hashimoto’s and actually understood what I was going through. She discovered I was allergic to the fillers in Synthroid and prescribed a lower dose of the hypoallergenic version (Tirosint). She also put me on a compounded T3 (because my body wasn’t producing it) and encouraged me to supplement with vitamins and minerals I was deficient in.
Within two weeks, I started to improve. What a beautiful thing hope is! I was motivated again for the first time in a very long time—motivated to continue learning about wellness and the power of a positive mindset. The four pillars of the energy solution are mindset, nutrition, fitness and accountability, but without the first pillar, we can’t go anywhere. Nothing changes if nothing changes: You can’t have an old mindset and think that you’re going to be OK in an exhausted state. Before you can make changes to the other pillars, you need to adjust your mindset, or the other pillars won’t last.
I got into Zumba, cycling, and dancing to 90s hip-hop (Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson is a great one) like I was a backup dancer on MTV. In fact, I didn’t just do them—I became an instructor and certified personal trainer! Instead of staying home, I was the life of the party again. It was like my entire brain had been rewired: I had the boldness to take on challenges that I never would have dreamed of taking on before. (Who enters a bikini competition only a little while after getting an autoimmune diagnosis?! I did, and I whittled 16 weeks of training—the normal amount of training competitors undergo—into five weeks! It’s all about mindset.)
I marched through the muck and mire of exhaustion to dance triumphantly on the other side, and today I help others who are struggling with low energy. It was not easy to find the strength to keep going when it felt like the world was against me, but a little hope can go a long way. I didn’t have anyone cheering in my ear when I started my journey. I had to do the research myself, despite my exhaustion. Most people stay exhausted because they don’t have the strength to overcome what they’re going through, but I have been where they are, and it’s my heart work to help others overcome their adversities.
It’s through our failure we find success. It only takes one person who understands and believes in you to change your life, but mindset and a willingness to do the work are must-haves. You can go from lying in bed all morning to popping out of bed ready to conquer the day!
Author’s Note: Exhausted to Energized: 90 Days to Your Best Self is a book written for anyone who’s struggling with exhaustion. It provides daily insights, starting with relatable and inspirational quotes. I discuss my journey and my proven perspective on how healing from exhaustion is possible. The book is broken into four sections: the exhausted state, hope, the work, and energized. Each section propels the reader closer to healing. The main topic of the book is mindset, but other topics I cover include nutrition, tools to help handle brain fog, social interaction, trusting your gut, exercise, creativity, gratitude and more.
Robyn Engelson is an autoimmune specialist, certified nutrition coach, lifestyle transformer, and published author. She helps corporate executives and entrepreneurs live the life of their dreams—doing what they never thought was possible—enabling them to be the best versions of themselves. She does this by helping you get to the root of what is holding you back and make impactful changes toward a better life. Robyn also coaches people—especially Type-A women—who struggle with all types of exhaustion, whether they stem from autoimmune issues, burnout, trauma, or a busy lifestyle. She believes the best guides are people who have been where you are and where you’re going. It is one of Robyn’s great honors in life to help people out of those dark places and into the sunshine, where they can thrive. To learn more about Robyn, visit her website: https://www.robynengelson.com/ or order Exhausted to Energized: 90 Days to Your Best Self, which launches on November 12 on Amazon.
Soul consciousness is the next step in spiritual awareness.
By Owen Waters
When you first enter the soul realms, they seem almost silent compared to the regular levels of spiritual consciousness. When I first experienced full awareness at the soul level, it seemed as though I was in a world filled with a light, silvery mist.
Gradually in this realm, as your mental senses acclimatize to the new level of consciousness, the mist clears away, revealing a wonderful world of rainbow colors, subtle fragrance and gentle sound. You find yourself in an ocean of harmony, in the home of the beautiful and mystical “music of the spheres.”
This is the fifth-density level of consciousness, which resides above the fourth-density spirit or astral world, and above our third-density physical realm. It is here that the soul aspect of your consciousness resides. In this heaven-world of light, sound and higher mental energies, your soul works ceaselessly in support of your physical incarnation. When we tune into such a subtle level of consciousness, we find that there is much more to achieving personal happiness than anything related to external events. Real joy comes from within, from an unending source which is divine in origin. The creative will of the Divine Father aspect of God merged in perfect union with the everlasting love of the Divine Mother aspect of God together fill the universe with total, unadulterated, blissful joy!
The greatest discovery of a person who regularly practices meditation is that, one day, the door will quietly open to this unending supply of blissful joy. On that day, the spiritual seeker knows, beyond all shadow of any doubt, that God lies silently within all things and all consciousness. We are a part of that Divine Oneness, and it is through the joy of soul consciousness that we realize this connection.
The soul level of awareness is your complete, inner consciousness. Your daily, physical awareness, on the other hand, is focused on the outside world for a purpose. The true purpose of this outer perspective is so that we can find our way back to that from which we came, even though we are spiritually “blindfolded,” so to speak, in daily living. The game of life on Earth is played so that we can experience the rediscovery of that joyous connection to the oneness from which we originally came.
All the happiness in the world pales in comparison with the supreme joy of that inner connection. Soul-inspired joy is lasting happiness. It has no beginning and no end because it is always there, just as God is always there, within each and every one of us.
Author’s Note: In our third-density physical world, it may seem strange to realize that another part of our awareness exists in such a heaven-world—and yet it does. You can reach into this beautiful space at any time with the practical and inspiring information contained in the book, Higher Consciousness: Finding Peace and Joy Above the Noise.
iNFINITE BEING
with Owen K. Waters
Owen Waters is author of the Indie award-winning book, Spirituality Made Simple and a cofounder of the Spiritual Dynamics Academy and InfiniteBeing.com, where a where a free spiritual growth newsletter awaits you at https:// www.InfiniteBeing.com. He is an international spiritual teacher who has helped hundreds of thousands of spiritual seekers to understand better the nature of their spiritual potential. Owen’s life has been focused upon gaining spiritual insights through extensive research and the development of his inner vision. He has written a spiritual metaphysics newsletter since 2004 which empowers people to discover their own new vistas of inspiration, love and creativity. Spiritual seekers enjoy his writings for their clarity and deep insights. Contact Owen via email News@InfiniteBeing.com
THE BLESSINGS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
“When we begin to realize God’s omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience, we shall need no power, and we shall live not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.”— Joel Goldsmith
By Dr. Heather Smith and Yanni Charalambous
Yanni: “God’s grace flows out into the world as an invisible presence and as an invisible power of blessings through me!” Please elaborate.
Heather: So far in our study of Practicing the Presence, Joel’s showed us that the blessings of Consciousness flow through the mind, [which is] a transparency or a vacuum, and he’s discussed the importance of being Still and how to do that. So, now, what truths can we know about this Life Force? Well, we can start by knowing that Life is invisible to the senses, and that it is an invisible Law, an invisible Power and Presence of Good. So, let’s explore these one by one.
Spiritual LAW: In Vol 2 of The Heart of Mysticism, (p. 94) Joel tells us: “There is an invisible law of Life acting upon everything in the universe, and it is this life force, which we call Spirit, or God, that is the real substance, law and activity of one’s being.”
One of the ways we can know it is law is by observing It in action.
Yanni: Also, becoming aware of our emotions in order to let Life flow.
Heather: Yes. In A Parenthesis in Eternity, (pp. 66-67), Joel shares this example:
“A few years ago, a very severe winter was forecast for the Eastern and Middle Western parts of the United States, a prediction based on the fact that the animals were growing much thicker fur than usual, and that they were also storing up more than the customary amount of food for their use during the coming winter. But can an animal decide how much fur it is going to grow? Does an animal know that it is growing fur any more than we know that we are growing hair? Then, what is the underlying cause of the growth of fur on an animal, and why does the fur grow thicker in some years and thinner in others? What causes an animal to store up more food one year than another?”
This is God’s Omniscience.
Next, we can explore the subject of the omnipotence of Consciousness.
Spiritual POWER: We’ve said that God is invisible and isn’t experienced directly through the senses. But we can discern the presence and power of Spirit through what Joel calls our “Soul facilities.” Let me explain what I mean by that. When we’re meditating and perhaps being still, resting in Awareness or “listening” within, we may feel the activity of Being such as a fizzing, tingling, flowing, radiating, swirling, etc. Consciousness can be experienced in infinite ways.
And then we discern the Truth of what we’re experiencing. As Joel says in A Parenthesis in Eternity again (p. 128):
“God is the all-power, and that power operates in our consciousness in proportion as we know this truth. When we begin to realize God’s omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience, we shall need no power, and we shall live not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. When we have learned not to resist evil, not to fight it, and not to try to get God to fight it for us, we will not have to labor for our good: We will receive it by Grace.”
Yanni: Saying “thank you” to memories as they arise and not resisting them.
Dr. Heather Smith is the Founder of “Mystical Meditation,” an online platform used to share Joel Goldsmith’s work. She has been studying and practicing The Infinite Way teachings for over 30 years, and hosts spiritual talks, meditation groups and events online and in person, in London and California. Find out more at: https://www.linktr.ee/ mysticalmeditation
PRESENCE: Heather: Yes, Barbara Muhl (who was a student of Joel Goldsmith) wrote a book called The Royal Road to Reality in which she discusses the magnetic nature of thoughts and how we often unconsciously read each other’s “scripts” until we become aware of what’s happening. And becoming conscious of this enables us to experience the One Presence that’s expressing through and as Its own spiritual creation.
Yanni: So essentially, we’re trusting the process of life….
Heather: Exactly. So, to conclude, Joel’s encouraging us to contemplate: What is this thing called life? I know I’m in it; in fact, I am it. It’s the substance of all my experience. This leads us to the ultimate understanding that I am Awareness but I’m not a “person” who receives God’s blessings because only God—Consciousness—IS.
Listen to the interview on YouTube: https:// www.youtu.be/xJuLmYMdgnk.
Yanni Charalambous is a clearing the mind expert and life coach, who has dedicated the past eight years to guiding and empowering people through inner stillness and positive thinking. Find out more at: https://www.linktr.ee/ yannicharalambouscoaching.
Photo by Brian Wegman on Unsplash
“Female friendships add to our well-being.
As a woman, a sisterhood can be a very powerful force!”—Jane Fonda
By Arielle Giordano
In ancient times, women shared a lot more than they do today. It was a beautiful age when women took care of the babies, gathered food and cooked together. Women and children shared their lives intimately and were a source of strength and comfort to each other on a regular basis.
Traditions like “The Red Tent”, where women came together during menstruation, reflected synchronized cycles, and it was a sacred time for women to nurture and share personal business and keep each other resilient and happy.
Studies have found that women respond to stress differently than men, and this fact has health implications. When people are under stress, their fight and flight response is triggered and the damaging hormone cortisol is released. However, oxytocin also is released by women.
This bonding hormone’s role in childbirth is well-known, and it buffers the fight or flight response and encourages women to protect and nurture their children and to gather with other women.
Research by Drs. Laura Klein and Shelley Taylor refer to this process as “tend-and-befriend.” As they summarize in the study “Biobehavioral Responses to Stress in Females: Tend-and-Befriend, not Fight-or-Flight”: “Tending involves nurturant activities designed to protect the self and offspring that promote safety and reduce distress; befriending is the creation and maintenance of social networks that may aid in this process. The biobehavioral mechanism that underlies the tend-and-befriend pattern appears to draw on the attachment-caregiving system.”
As women, we have an ancestral connection that we can celebrate and recognize. We are designed to support each other and come together as a tribe, holding the bonds of sisterhood sacred.
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. Arielle’s new book Dancing with Your Story from the Inside Out is now available on http://www.Amazon.com. Websites: http://www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com, http://www.ariellegiordano.com. Email: agbeautifuldance@gmail.com
The following poem is based on my own journey of resilience and growth. After a motor vehicle accident, I faced a challenging recovery process. I held onto hope for physical healing from my spinal cord injury, believing that once I recovered, I would be able to reconnect with friends and regain a sense of normalcy. However, I gradually realized that true healing required me to manage my thoughts, feelings and perceptions. This realization was sparked by enrolling in Transformation Academy’s Happiness Life Coaching Program, which helped me understand the power of mindset in overcoming challenges.
Reflecting on my journey, I often regret the times I waited for circumstances to change, unaware of the abundance that exists in the universe. Then, through Transformation Academy’s Law of Attraction course, I learned that our thoughts and energies shape our realities. This understanding has been transformative for me, leading to moments of clarity and empowerment.
My poem encapsulates this struggle and eventual realization. It speaks to the collective experience of waiting for change and emphasizes the strength we can find within ourselves to rise above adversity. When life feels like a long wait and your strength seems to fade, remember: The power to move forward lies within you. No matter how long it takes, keep rising. You are stronger than the waiting.
We waited in shadows, hands tied in time, For moments of healing, for fortune to climb. Eyes set on horizons, hoping they’d clear, But the wait only deepened the fog of our fear.
We waited for answers, for wheels to turn, For the bridges of hope that we thought we’d earned. Days stretched into years, yet still we stood, In the silence, in darkness, doing all that we could.
The road was long, the night was cold, Dreams felt distant, hearts growing old. Yet in the waiting, a spark remained, A quiet resolve, through the struggle, sustained.
Then came the call, the voice from within, A whisper of courage, where doubt had been. We rose, not perfect, but strong in our fight, Stepping into the day, from the depths of the night.
No longer waiting for life to begin, We found that the strength had always been within. The journey not over, but now we proceed, With hearts full of fire, fulfilling the need.
Through waiting we learned, through waiting we grew, The hero’s return, as the skies turned blue. For in the end, it wasn’t the waiting that won, But the choice to rise, to act, and to run.
Shingirai Makosa is a business and life coach, collaborating with senior leadership to establish strategic goals aligned with corporate visions, missions and values. His expertise lies in supporting senior leaders and human resource (HR) managers across various HR systems, including recruitment, job description development, contract administration, policies and training. Shingirai assists individuals in setting and pursuing life goals to navigate personal challenges impacting their careers and businesses. Through Shimak Consultants, he has launched several successful projects, including Abled Transformations, Cruise Ships and Overseas Career Dreams Coaching and Networking Company, Randwise Hospitality and Healthcare Academy, Coachify, and Sshwept Boutique, which specializes in content development and clothing care services. Recently, Shingirai completed his Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Applied Psychology in Professional Contexts from Unisa, his MBA from the University of Zimbabwe and a first degree in Psychology. Contact Shingirai at makosashingirai@yahoo.com or on facebook at https://www.facebook. com/shimakconsultants/.
How I met one of my most important spiritual teachers.
By Jo Mooy
Spiritual mentors or teachers happen in mysterious ways. I knew this one for only seven hours, but he was one of my most important teachers. Those seven hours would play out across 45 years as the direction of my spiritual journey evolved and grew through the lineage path that Lex Hixon laid out for me in the 1970s. But who was he?
Sufi Mystics called him Sheik Nur, or Teacher of Light. Buddhists called him Translucent. Zen Mystics said he was a rare being unto himself. The New York Times obituary called him a Mystic Scholar. Lex Hixon defined himself as a spiritual citizen. He was that, becoming an initiate and lineage teacher in the Sufi, Hindu, Buddhist, Zen, Christian Orthodox, and Hindu religions, which he called “sacred worlds.” He was also the host of a highly influential two-hour radio show on WBAI in New York City called “In The Spirit.” His audience was wide, with many tuning in to hear him interview philosophers and spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa, Krishnamurti, the 16th Karmapa, Satchadananda, Pir Vilayat, son of Inayat Khan, and Rinpoches too numerous to call out. His legacy through that radio show was introducing large numbers of people to the leaders of every major religion and setting them on the spiritual path.
I was a member of the NJ Metaphysical Center in the 70s, where he’d been invited to lecture and filled the large conference room. At the lectern I saw a gentle man with a round face and shoulder-length yellow-white hair. He emitted a white light, thought at the time I didn’t know the Sufis called him Teacher of Light. He was mobbed by people at the end of the lecture. I waited till the crowds left to speak to
him. Without knowing why, as I was approaching him these words, “You are a friend of my soul” fell out of my mouth. Instead of laughing, he took my hand in his and asked, “Would you come to my home tomorrow?” Without thinking, I said: “Yes.”
He lived on Riverside Drive in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River. I knocked on his door and was greeted by a barefoot Lex wearing a Buddhist saffron robe. He asked me to leave my shoes outside, then ushered me into a sparsely decorated home. He asked if I knew how to meditate. When I said yes, he asked if I knew who Kali was. I didn’t at the time, so he introduced me to what he called “an aspect of the Divine Mother.” He said “She will be instrumental to your future work.” Then he took me to another room even more sparse than the first one.
In this room a large bronze statue of Kali sat on a rosewood table with incense, a candle and an altar cloth. A meditation cushion was on the floor in front of Kali’s statue. He then asked if I had a meditation shawl. I said no, so he left the room and returned with a long off-white linen shawl with maroon borders. He placed it over my shoulders, lit the candle and incense and told me to sit with Kali for as long as I wished, then come out when I felt ready. I sat with her for almost two hours. I studied her ferocious face and four arms. I meditated. I thought about the surreal day I was spending. I meditated some more. I asked her who she was and why was I sitting in front of her. While I never got a direct answer, I had a strong feeling that she said, “One day you’ll know.” Eventually the candle and incense burned down and my legs grew numb, so I got up and came out of the “Kali room.”
He was nowhere around. I went into an adjoining room that was filled floor to ceiling
with books on every religious topic. He suddenly appeared in the room like he’d come through the walls to find me holding a large heavy book, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna . He said, “Ah, you’ve found Sri Ramakrishna. You need that book along with The Works of Vivekananda. ” He walked to the book shelf and took it down and put it on a table. He added, “You should also study The Way of Zen.”
Lex Hixon and I talked for a few hours more about Vivekananda and Zen Buddhism. Then, by some unspoken agreement, it was time for me to go. I removed the shawl still around my shoulders, folded it, and handed it back to him. He said, “No, that shawl is now yours. It once belonged to a Hindu Sage in India who gave it to me many years ago. Now I pass it on to you. The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda’s Works are also yours to keep.”
He then walked me to the door, bowed to me and we said goodbye. His last words to me on
that Saturday in New York were, “Wherever you are, be at home!” It was a simple phrase but has become a holy one because the fact is that wherever we are, north, south, east or west—it makes no difference—we are at home. I never saw him again; he died in 1995 at the age of 53.
Over the course of my spiritual journey, Lex often entered my thoughts. It began with the teachings of Yogananda. Then, at a Sufi retreat 33 years after meeting Lex, my teacher wanted me to memorize “The Heart Sutra.” Handing me three different translations, he told me to pick the one I liked and memorize it. After choosing one, I learned it was Lex Hixon’s translation. Forty years later, while studying Advaita Vedanta, Lex again entered my life. He’d given me the works of Ramakrishna and Vivekenanda, who it turns out were the founding teachers of Advaita Vedanta. One never knows who the teacher is or how long they’ll be present. But each one follows the previous one, setting your feet on a path of illumination.
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 http://www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com.
