The
Consciousness Collaborative Update
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FREE Health & Nutrition Evaluations
May 5th, 2009
 Nathalie Blitz of Vitamin N, will be conducting FREE 20-minute nutrition and health evaluations at the Waltham YMCA. This is a great opportunity to learn more about your personal well being and meet this talented member of The Consciousness Collaborative! May 5, 2009
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
YMCA Waltham
725 Lexington St.
Waltham, MA
FREE of Charge!
For more information, or to book a time slot, call Nathalie at 617-538-1818 or email her.
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On April 18th, two Consciousness Collaborative members, Adrian Wilkins and Walter Bacigalupo, lead a group of men through a powerful one-day workshop, "Accessing Your Male Energy - a workshop for men."
Adrian comments, "I work with a lot of men, 'the struggle to survive' is a common theme. I know from my own experience there is another way, when I will 'allow' myself, rather than push. Walter and I held that intention for the day, for ourselves and for the men who participated, and it was an honor to witness the transformation."
Walter chimes in, "I've really felt the shift in myself these last months, as 'allowing' has become more conscious. Life is so much more fun! And I know that, like me, many men learned to believe that connection comes from struggle. I was honored to share my new learning with these amazing men!"
As a result of this one-day workshop, a monthly men's group has formed. A men's group can be a great way for men to come together in a safe environment committed to growth. This first group is full; however, if you have an interest in learning more about what a men's group is or how to start one feel free to email Adrian or Walter.
If you missed this men's workshop, and would be interested in participating in a similar event soon, let us know! Not sure if this is right for you? Check out what men are saying about their experience last month.
And watch for upcoming men's events in this newsletter and on the Classes & Events page of The Consciousness Collaborative site. |
Support
The Ride!
June 7th, 2009
 Join Consciousness Collaborative member, Lysa Wilkins and her team of committed citizens as they Ride for the Cure for breast cancer! In 2008, 125 riders and over 50 volunteers helped raise more than
$75,000 for the Massachusetts Ride for the Cure, a Susan G. Komen MA affiliated event. Lysa explains, "I had no idea how many women shared this dual passion - a love of horses and a desire to fight against breast cancer. I was
awed to meet so many women who willingly shared stories of how
their horses carried them, both literally and figuratively, through the
lowest points of their treatment giving them strength and courage to
continue the fight." If you would like to support this event in it's sophomore year, there are many ways to get involved! You can make a monetary donation,
ride with us, donate an item or service to be raffled as a gift to a
rider, or donate your time as a volunteer the day of the ride (this is a great chance for students who need community service hours)! For
more information, contact Lysa directly or go to the website.
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Meditation of the Month
21-Day Dynamic Challenge
This month I am offering a meditation challenge. While nearly anything can become a meditative practice, this Dynamic Meditation, created by OSHO, is perhaps the most powerful tool for engaging a profound personal shift in your consciousness. If you're wondering how to truly stop the internal negative labels and "Love the Water," this meditation will shake those old beliefs to the core.
For the best results, this 60 minute meditation should be done in the morning for 21 consecutive days. If enough folks are interested, I will gladly host several mornings during the next 21 days, so that we may practice together. Let me know if you would like to participate.This is an active meditation and it's best to have the music to support you. It may be purchased here, Amazon.com, or a variety of other on-line shops.
~ Chaotic Breath
~ Release
~ "Hooing"
~ Silence
~ Celebration
This will be my first time ever challenging myself to the full 21 consecutive days. If you accept the challenge, I'd love to hear about your experience! Wishing you a dynamically transformative month.
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Greetings!
As Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto discovered with his "Messages from the Water" experiment, every thought and word has a vibrational energy so powerful, it alters the molecular structure of water. Yes, you read that correctly. Thoughts and words alter the molecular structure of water! My experience with last month's mirror meditation reminded me of this power. I could feel the circle of love flow out of me and back into me. I noticed it most poignently when I would look at myself with the same love and compassion I feel when I'm truly listening to someone. The beautiful intensity reminded me of Emoto's work. While the spectrum of Emoto's research cannot be amply described in the context of this entry, one portion of the experiment was to print words from a computer and tape them to glass bottles of distilled water. The water was left labeled over night, then droplets were frozen and photographed by a special microscope. The contrasting results were astounding. "Love and Appreciation" formed beautiful snowflake-like crystals. Whereas, "You Make Me sick, I Will Kill You" appeared yellow and sickly ( see photos). So there was, my reflection looking at me with "Love and Appreciation" and I could feel the difference within me. I believe for those few minutes, I had an impact on my own molecular structure, because I, too, am mostly water - as we all are, as is the earth. How stunning - to experience the power of a thought! I invite you to consider what labels you have taped to yourself and
sleep with night after night? Do you feel you're wearing one that
makes you feel like sickly goo or a gorgeous crystal? I'm not really a tattoo person, but I wonder what it might feel like to wear "love and appreciation" on my body. For now, I plan to skip the needle and allow the power of my daily thoughts - simply by "loving the water" within me. Try it yourself - it's amazing! With thoughts of love and appreciation,Joanne LutzCoaching~Consulting~Referral ResourceFounder of The Consciousness Collaborativewww.TheCCsite.com ~ www.WhatsNextWorkshop.comJoanne@TheCCsite.com ~ ph. 617-827-0803 ~ fax 781-777-1899 |
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 Welcoming:Anya Sophia Mann!
The Consciousness Collaborative is honored to announce a dynamic addition to the member network, Anya Sophia Mann. Founder of Conscious Journey Coaching and Consulting, Anya Sophia Mann meets the world as an International Life Coach, Intuitive, Speaker, and Author. She brings worlds of experience to the business of personal and professional development, derived from her travels through Europe, Tibet, Nepal, and India and years of affiliation with Coach University. Anya extends a simple and profound invitation to everyone she works with: " Be Awake, Be Aware, Be NOW." This allows a pathway to self discovery and healing. As Anya explains, "Conscious Journey manifests through this vision:
Human Evolution through Consciousness
at the point of change within each Individual.
In action, this vision results in tangible healing, and true healing is the balancing of a system. This truth applies to individuals, families, corporations, and countries. Changing one person shifts the whole system and therefore the world. I have walked this path, and experienced it personally: You change.
The system changes.
In turn, it all changes.
Ultimately, there is a universal effect.
You make a difference in the world."
Learn more about Anya Sophia Mann and opportunities to work with her at The Consciousness Collaborative website. Or connect with Anya directly for a complementary consultation to determine chemistry, compatibility, and coachability for a potential coaching relationship. You may also sign up for her global on-line magazine. |
2010 What's Next?! Workshop
Dates Announced
 What's Next?! Workshop 2009 has been an incredible success! This Saturday will mark the program's fifth session in the six-day series that began in January and ends in June. While the current series has not yet concluded, many have asked for the 2010 schedule, and so we are happy for you to be among the first to know! Simply click here to go directly to the intended dates. Facilitated by Joanne Lutz and Jamie Thurber, What's Next?! Workshop provides a forum for you to begin to discover and take action on What's Next?! for you in your life. Sometimes we can't see where it is we want to go, and at others we get "stuck" trying to make a very clear vision into reality. Whether at the beginning, searching stages or at the cusp of a major change, the capability and knowledge needed to take that next step is inherently in you. Designed as a journey of exploration, What's Next?! Workshop includes guided exercises, discussion, active meditations, emotional release work, and journaling; introducing you to concrete methods to connect to your core knowledge and trust yourself to take action. You may discover who you've always been, and the path that is waiting for you to begin. Take this opportunity to be the architect of What's Next?! in your life, with clarity, compassion, and connection.* You may be more skilled than you believe! If you're wondering What's Next?! for you, and would like a path to
discovering what that might be, and how you might approach your future;
What's Next?! Workshop is right for you! Check out the detailed workshop schedule and Register on-line! You may also take advantage of the Advance Registration Discount program. *"Clarity, Connection, and Compassion" are the founding principles for the
Institute for Collaborative Counseling and Coaching, Essex, MA. |
 The
"UGGH"
of Dieting
For most people, dieting is not sustainable. And why should it be, if it brings to mind the ugly act of all of your favorite foods being taken away? Many can stand the pain for a month or two, and do lose a few pounds, but when the weight of scarcity settles in, most gain back what they've lost and sometimes even put on a couple of extra pounds.
Is there a way to lose weight, eat healthier, and enjoy life for the long haul? Yes! A key factor is lining up your support system. For any other major life decisions, applying to college, changing careers, getting married, you likely reached out to your closest confidantes and discussed the matter. The same principle applies to healthy living. It, too, is a major life decision.
If you want to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and incorporate exercise into your life, who will support you in making these changes? It may be that they also want to eat healthier and exercise more. Set intentions and take steps together to reach those goals. Some folks start running together or cook healthy meals together. Every small step will enhance your chances of long-lasting success.
Another helpful tip for eating better and losing weight is to start a journal. This doesn't have to be a diary of what you eat every day, but rather how you feel. Notice changes in your mood or energy level by exercising more or changing the foods you eat, and jot down the experience.
If you have recently built a support team of people to help you accomplish your health goals, or have any tips for those who are just starting out? Share with us!
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Are We There Yet?
I used to drive a tour coach in Alaska from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, taking 43 brave souls on a two day trip over a dirt haul road deep into the tundra. The route would parallel the Alaska Pipeline; we'd see it snaking above and below ground, through mountain passes, past many a caribou, grizzly bear, musk ox, moose, and Dahl sheep. The group of passengers from all walks of life - old and young, Australia to Japan to all parts of the US - would be intent on two things: where's the next animal to thrill me, and naming what they see along the route. As tour coach driver and guide, these are the things I spent most of my time researching, looking for, and explaining. But mostly it was the animals - if we saw a few grizzlys sunning themselves on a rock, a moose wading in a river bed, and the odd-looking musk ox just standing there, it was declared a "good" trip. If not, the majestic, magical 500 mile ride through several mountain ranges, across the tundra, and through the Arctic Circle, was a "bad" one.
Remembering this, I realize how much I, too, have looked for those moments or experiences along my path that would deem it a "great" journey. If I got what I wanted from work or my relationships, if I had the right amount of money in the bank, or the Red Sox won, the day was "great." If not - if I did not get what I wanted, and those expectations or criteria were not met - my life was a lousy one. But is that true? Do my experiences define the goodness of my journey? Can it even be defined?
Osho says, "Just observe . . . There are things where if you push, you will miss. Don't push the river at all, and don't try to go upstream. The river is flowing toward the ocean of its own accord - just be part of it, be part of its journey." I believe these are the times we are most connected, and those moments that our soul most remembers. Those times when we relax into this moment, no matter what is happening around or within us. We breathe deeply and accept, and even begin to see the joy in all of it - even those things we have labeled as good or bad or right or wrong. From this place, even the potholes on the dirt road have their beauty, as we are reminded of the joy of the smooth parts of the path.
I look back through those pictures of my trips North now and see such beauty - things I missed along the way as I was intent on providing the passengers their experience. We once were caught in a rainstorm and a muddy slick formed at the base of a long hill. Despite my best efforts, we got stuck, and I could not move the coach. A hundred miles from any help, our options were limited. I went through my training and raised one of the two back axles to focus the weight, hoping to avoid putting on chains, then one of the passengers said, "Hey, why don't we all stand over the axle at the back of the coach?" I smiled and hesitated - was I not supposed to figure this out myself? Would I not be labeled as a failure if I could not make this right on my own? They had paid, after all. But the cost of not moving was too high, and I relaxed, and said, "Sure." It was a time of all of us working together, and I remember looking in the large rear-view mirror at the smiles on their faces as they participated in the great endeavor to free ourselves. I shifted the gear and depressed the large gas pedal, and the coach groaned forward and up that hill. Out of all the moments on those journeys, I remember that most, that connection and letting go, not worrying how it looked, but letting what needed to happen happen. The animals and the mountain tops did not matter that day.
But we get caught up. There are ways to remember, though - moments of coming back to now. Meditation has been important for me to remember, to settle into the river and be with the flow. Thich Nhat Hanh talks of a driving meditation. While sitting at a stoplight, even a simple moment of breathing in "I calm my body," and breathing out, "I smile" can bring you back to now. He says, "When we are driving, we tend to think of arriving, and we sacrifice the journey for the sake of the arrival. But life is to be found in the present moment, not in the future." What a journey we are on, and how beautiful it is when we remember it.
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