Vibrant Visions International Newsletter & February Calendar of Events

February 2009.
Vibrant Visions International LLC Newsletter

Photo (above): Dove on Snowy branch in Hackensack, NJ, USA
Photo (left): Girls enjoying indoor antics

In This Issue

Ground(ing)Hog Message

Enjoying a Vibrant Life?

Indigo-Rainbow-Crystal Children & Grown-Up Magic

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Message from Groundhog & Verena Eagle Laughing:
"Get Grounded!"

"Hold on... the bitter days of winter are near their end..." Groundhogs' hibernation, digging, and tunneling behavior "reflect the ability to get deep within an area of interest" (Ted Animals' Animal-Speak).

February 2 marks Groundhog Day, Imbolc, Candlemas, also known as the Feast of Brigid/St. Brigid.

"Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Wheel of the Year, celebrated at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on February 2, since this is the cross-quarter day on the solar calendar, halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the northern hemisphere. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org)

RAINBOW DANCING THROUGH THE WINTER BLUES AND TRANSITION

How do I get grounded, dealing with the bitter cold and with times of transition? With humor, of course! Watching comedies such as the 15-year old movie "Groundhog Day" featu 2009 Bill Murray

ring the antics of Bill Murray and the more childlike & serene Andi MacDowell for starters!

Also, seventeen days ago, I started a "49 Days to GRace" (thank you, Coach Mahalene Louis) grounding ritual each morning before I leave my bedroom. I call it the "I AM REAL" Spa (IARS).

All you need is enough space for a yoga mat and/or beach towel. I light a ca 2007 VA Self Portraits-Collages Retreat.JPG

2007 VA Self Portraits-Collages Retreat.JPG

ndle, put on my inspiring "Rainbow Dancing through the Winter Blues" music (see playlist below), lie down on the mat, and wait until I feel moved to move a muscle. It could start with a wiggle of the toes, a stretching of the legs, rolling like an egg with my arms clasping my legs, whatever....

The music moves along and I find myself eventually standing and stretching, dancing, twisting, or bending to touch my toes. Result? I start each day IN my body rather than IN my head and "besides myself" so to speak. When I am grounded, I am actually present and clear. What a concept! Makes everything else work a whole lot better than when my thoughts are racing!

2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

My original compilation of the "Rainbow Dancing through the Winter Blues 2003" Playlist:

1) Angel- Sarah McLachlan    (Surfacing)
2) Big Ovaries Baby-Olympia's Daughters (Big Ovaries)
3) Breathe Deeply-Elaine Silver (The Lady Of The Lake)
4) El Día (Remix)-Cielo y Tierra    (Heaven & Earth)
5) How Can I Keep from Singing?- Enya (Shepherd Moons)
6) How Could Anyone Tell You-    Elaine Silver (Faerie Goddess)
7) I Let The Light Of Angels Bless Me -Elaine Silver (I Choose Love)
8) In The Beginning- Phil Sawyer   (Phil Sawyer's Beautiful World)
9) Morwyn Y Blodau (Lady Of The Flowers) -Ceredwen (O''r Mabinogi-Legends Of The Celts)
10) Ocean Lullabye-Anne Hill (Circle Round And Sing)
11) ReTURNING-Jennifer Berezan (ReTURNING)
12) Sailing - Ships Are Sailing- Connemara (Sirensong)
13) Samhain Madrigal-Laura Powers (Legends Of The Goddess)
14) SirenSong-Connemara (Sirensong)
15) The Song Of The Seals - The Song Of The Water Kelpie-   Connemara (Sirensong)
16) The Witch Song- Anne Hill    (Circle Round And Sing)

Now, "Go forth and be Vibrant!" or at least start with lighting a candle and wiggling a toe until YOU are ready to come up out of your nest and see YOUR Shadow!! So mote it be.

Wishing You Bright Blessings & Gentle Breezes during this sacred time and always,

Verena Eagle Laughing

Photo (top): Our favorite groundhog from last year
Photo (middle): movie poster
Photo (2nd from bottom: Delphine's finger paint when she was 2
Photo (bottom): Verena's "I am REAL spa" in bedroom

Are YOU enjoying a Vibrant Life
Rich with Vibrant Visions and Color?
2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

How great would it be if you were to give yourself the gift of your most cherished vision? Or the gift of beautifully handling your biggest challenge or transition?
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Imagine giving yourself permission to enjoy a full year to discover, explore, experiment, brainstorm, and create brilliant connections, relationships, pathways or strategies?

Desire the inspiration, support, and tools for major transformation and growth?

How about Coaching with Verena? Experience the amazing power and joy of expressing and creating your ideal life, relationship, and/or profession. Schedule a complimentary consultation where you get to know about our options and where we can learn about your particular situation to see if we are a fit! We are here for you, whether you are just starting out, starting over, or have hit what seems like a roadblock.

Desire a short term solution?--How about a "Just in Time" Coaching appointment when you desire a sounding board or feedback to create clarity around a single issue, situation, or question, or when you just want a good old-fashioned pep talk?

Want a personality assessment? --How about A Colour Energy Personality Profile and a beautiful Colour Energy book as a resource?

Looking for a speaker or workshop presentation for your office or organization? Tell us what you are looking for and we'll help you out ourselves or refer you!

Don't know what you want? --Just call, we'll listen. For more information and links, check out our website: Vibrant Visions International LLC. Telephone: 201-487-6910 EST or email: Verena@VibrantCoach.com.

Global and Local Access:
We work with clients in person as well as remotely.

Photo (top): Bird and Bird Cloud, Van Saun Park, Paramus, NJ.

Indigo-Rainbow-Crystal Children & Grown-Up Magic

Photo (above) Avatar's Azula by Delphine, 7, Verena's daughter

Photo (below) Unicorn card by Verena
2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

Photo: Hannah Montana by Delphine, 7, Verena's daughter

2009 01 22 Verena Visser Aibel-Sister Lovely Ali & family.JPG

m.

Next workshop: March 5.

Photo: Fairmount School Literacy Night at Brunchies Restaurant. Verena Visser Aibel and Sister Lovely Ali of Lovely Life Products and her 2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

family.
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New Jersey Professional Coaches Association (NJPCA)
"The Leader Within" Dinner Event with Speaker, Luke Iorio, Pres. of the Institute for Professional Empowerment Coaching (iPEC)

Date: February 4, 2009 (Wednesday); Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm EST
Location: iPEC Coaching school, 149 Avenue at the Common, Suite 202
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702. Contact: 732-982-8155.

Description: Learn more about: Why do certain individuals emerge as leaders and others struggle to find their place? The answer... is consciousness.
Fee: Members:$39; Non-members: $44 (Price includes Buffet Dinner)
For more information visit the NJPCA Website www.njcoaches.org

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New Jersey Association for Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)'s 11th Annual Procurement Event & Expo

Date: February 11, 2009 (Wednesday); Time: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm EST
Location: Pines Manor, 2085 State Route 27, Edison, NJ 08817; (732) 287-2222 2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

Objectives: Education: To build awareness of what Procurement means - not only certification and the process but how to leverage the process; Best Practices Shared: To share best practices on how to leverage this process and to understand how to gain access to more business by understanding how other businesses are valuing the process - what works and what does not; Build Partnerships:
For more information and to register: visit www.njawbo.org.

Photo: Verena Visser Aibel saying "HI! Hope to hear from you soon!"
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Verena's Creating Space & Possibilities during Times of Transition: Secrets from a Life Coach and a Professional Organizer; Speakers: Verena Visser Aibel & Gayle Gruenberg

Date: February 11, 2009 (Wednesday); Time: 7:00 - 8:50 pm EST
Location: Norwood Public Library, 198 Summit St., Norwood, NJ, 07648-1811; (201) 768-9555.

Overview: Lively interactions with Verena Visser Aibel and Gayle Gruenberg: Learn how creating space by understanding and managing clutter/chronic disorganization 2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

Date: February 28, 2009 (Saturday); 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Location: Soho, NYC.
Anne Wennhold, Shamanic Practitioner, will lead us in creating family Mandala drawings, an intuitive process which will help us to clarify the elements of our ancestral dynamics. No artistic experience required. Materials provided. Leah Matalon, Constellations Facilitator, will lead us in using the drawings as catalysts for Constellation work, a unique method of experiencing how inter-generational loyalties, which create suffering in our lives, can be recognized and resolved with life changing results.
Questions or to Register: Contact Ann Wennhold at 201-947-9295 (wennhold@aol.com; Soul Dancer Workshops). Fee: $125.00.

Photo: Anne Wennhold and Verena Visser Aibel at Verena's Croning Celebration November 2007.

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Quotation of the Month

Addiction to Perfection: The Still Unravished Bride -- A Psychological Study by Marion Woodman (Toronto, CA: Inner City Books, 1982, p. 188).

I originally read this book while living in eastern Germany in the early '90's and I had quoted part of the following excerpt in "The Lady with the Red Hat." A fresh re-reading of it has helped further illuminate pathways to understanding women's mysteries, eating disorders, perfectionism, creativity, relationships, and personal independence. In my copy of this book, I had highlighted the entire following excerpt:

So long as we are concretizing, love is lost. We are trying to make something happen our way to satisfy our own ego desires. If, for example, I invite you to my home for dinner, hoping to impress you with my Chippendale furniture, my succulent chicken Kiev, my perfectly landscaped garden, then I am concretizing my Self. My ideal of perfection is projected; in effect, I identify with God when I believe I am in control in my little kingdom. If, on the other hand, I am in my own Being, then I invite you to my home because I love you and choose to share these beautiful objects that I love with you. They are a manifestation of my inner Reality, but my Reality is not projected into them.

When the ego is conscious enough to recognize the Self--the kingdom of God within-- it does not project their perfection outside. It is the dead god that is projected into the concretized perfection: the ego, caught in a massive inflation, is denying the inner Reality. Happening cannot happen. So long as we project onto the collective world--institutions, media, society--an authority it does not rightfully possess, we are allowing ourselves to be contaminated by alien elements. If we allow the Self to come to consciousness, the authority is inside. Happening happens. We make the space, we unlock the door, and wait. We surrender to ravishment.

2003 DA Rainbow Dance artwork

To be true to the soul is to value the soul, to express it as uniquely as possible. It is loving from inside, rather than accepting a foreign standard that does not take our essence into consideration. To strive for perfection is to kill love because perfection does not recognize humanity. However driven it become, the ego cannot achieve its perfectionist ideals because another Reality is within. Nor can it accomplish the task of loving. Only by opening ourselves to the inner Reality do we open ourselves to the possibility of the gift of love. Action and ego choice are involved: we can accept; we can reject; we can withdraw at any point. But we cannot make it happen. Love chooses us.

The true feminine is the receptacle of love. The true masculine is the Spirit that goes into the eternal unknown in search of meaning. The great container, the Self, is paradoxically both male and female and contains both. If these are projected onto the outside world, transcendence ceases to exist. The Self--the inner wholeness--is petrified. Without the true masculine spirit and the true feminine love within, no inner life exists. If we try to make perfection outside, try to concretize our unconscious inner ideal, we kill our imagination. We are left holding life in our rigid molds. To be free is to break the stone image and allow life and love to flow.

Marion Woodman is a Jungian analyst, teacher and author of The Owl Was a Baker's Daughter, Addiction to Perfection: The Still Unravished Bride, The Pregnant Virgin: A Process of Psychological Transformation, The Ravaged Bridegroom: Masculinity in Women, Leaving My Father's House: A Journey to Conscious Femininity, Conscious Femininity: Interviews, Dancing in the Flames: The Dark Goddess in the Transformation of Consciousness (with Elinor Dickson), Coming Home to Myself (with Jill Mellick), The Maiden King (with Robert Bly), and Bone: Dying into Life.

Photo: Verena's double collage processed during a spiritual retreat in 2007.

Contact Info:

Verena Visser Aibel, Eagle Laughing
Owner, Vibrant Visions International LLC, a Global Coaching & Consulting Enterprise
201-487-6910 EST
Vibrant Visions International LLC