The
Consciousness Collaborative Update
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Register for
Upcoming
Events & Workshops
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Calling All Volunteers!
Meet Lysa Wilkins and a host of other members of The Consciousness Collaborative on June 6th in Barre, MA, as we join the ranks of 200 riders and 20+ volunteers to support the third annual Susan G Komen Ride for the Cure®, MA.
This spectacular event began in 2008, when Lysa combined her passion for horses with a desire to celebrate her Mom's five-year survival anniversary after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Since the start of this ride, over $175,000 have been raised to help carry out the Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure® promise: to
save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring
quality care for all, and energizing science to find the cures.
If you would like to share some of your time as a volunteer, contact Lysa Wilkins. Or to make a donation, you may visit Lysa and Adrian's on-line donation page.
Attention all June 6th riders and participating survivors! Nathalie Blitz is extending a personal offer to you. This summer you may receive a complimentary Thai massage in honor of your courage and efforts to support a cure. To schedule your appointment, contact Nathalie directly. This offer offer expires August 31st.
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Getting
a Taste of
What You Deserve How many times have you told yourself, "I really want...(fill in the blank), but I shouldn't." Or perhaps you make a deal with yourself, "If I get this done, THEN I'll let myself..." So many rules and equations! What if you deserve to have what you want - no matter what? Imagine there is nothing to do, no list to complete, no bargain to make, you simply DESERVE. The rules, the if/then's, and the "but I can't," are born from an underlying belief that we don't truly deserve love, connection, happiness, and the full range of human experiences. We believe this, because we weren't always allowed to have them. Our needs didn't always get met, and so we made up a story that we didn't "get" because we didn't "deserve." Treat yourself to the experience of Getting a Taste of What You Deserve?! and truly know, in your bones, that you deserve what you want and need in this life. It's the first step to getting it. The power of truly knowing what it is to feel deserving will be a gift you offer to yourself, and take with you into your life.
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If
you've ever told a "little white lie" or "lied by omission" and later
regretted that you didn't simply speak the "whole truth and nothing but
the truth," join Joanne Lutz for this informative seminar...
Communication Without Caretaking
How
many times a day do you creatively couch something in a brighter light
or use softer language to protect someone's feelings? Or maybe you say
nothing at all, to avoid dealing with the other person's emotions. Whether you are speaking to a friend, a co-worker, or a family member,
how often do you tell...just a little white lie?
We may
convince ourselves we're lying to "spare the other person's feelings"
or to "protect him/her" in some way. If we tell the microscopic truth,
we usually lie because we don't want to experience our own feelings of
discomfort, anger, fear, sadness, or frustration. We attempt to take
away the other person's right to simply feel his/her feelings because
we want to avoid what that reaction might evoke in us. And then a wall
starts to build. One lie begets another, and soon we may believe that
if someone really knew us, they wouldn't like us. Telling the truth
now, would be like showing them the mold in the back of the
refrigerator - on purpose!
How,
then, do we stop lying and engage in clear, honest
communication...every day...in every conversation? Learn to connect
with yourself and practice caregiving.
This class will be offered
in two parts:
Part 1
~Learn the difference between Caretaking and Caregiving.
~Explore how we learned Caretaking.
~Discover tools to connect with yourself, facilitating your ability to Caregive
~Become empowered to choose, once you know the difference.
Part 2
~Practice Caregiving in action
~Through small group coaching, you will identify your personal brand of Caretaking, and begin to build a bridge from Caretaking to Caregiving
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Recipe of the Month
Gazpacho
A tasty cold soup for a hot summer night!
Servings: 8 Special Timing Note: Refrigerate overnight
Ingredients:
- 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped - 1 purple onion, finely chopped - 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped - 1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped - 2 stalks celery, chopped - 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley - 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives - 1 clove garlic, minced - 1/4 cup red wine vinegar - 1/4 cup olive oil - 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice - Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste - 6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian option) - 4 cups tomato juice Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients. 2. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. 3. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend. Need more recipes? Check out the Recipe of the Month page for previously published eats. |
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In a recent meeting with one of my mentors, I picked up two tidbits to share with you. First, he suggested: "forget everything you know about what you can't do." Right about that time, my brain melted. It took several days for this concept to sink in.
Whatever limitations I've placed on myself - beliefs about what I cannot do, are to be forgotten! Noticing my scrunched face, he gave a couple of examples, and I'll offer the simplest of them here.
Before the first person was recorded running a mile in under four minutes, the world believed it couldn't be done. After Roger Bannister confounded those beliefs by achieving this feat in 1954, many athletes followed suit; they knew it was possible! It became an attainable goal to strive for, as evidenced by the fact that someone had already done it. Bannister didn't hold the belief that a four-minute mile was impossible, he just ran. (read similar stories)
Bannister once said, "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle--when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." Playing out this proverb, the gazelle doesn't wake up in the morning and think, "I'll never outrun that lion...it can't be done." And the lion doesn't wake up thinking, "I'll never catch a gazelle, I should give up now." Each animal operates as though what they want and need will happen - not limited by beliefs.
This notion shifts a paradigm for me. And in case I wasn't paying attention, my husband pulled an old book off of the shelf the other day, "Illusions," by Richard Bach. I'd read this many years ago, and found myself reading through it again. Want to guess what it's about? The illusion that we can't do whatever we truly want to do - hmph! Okay, I'm listening!
How often do you hold yourself back because of what you believe cannot be done...or at the very least, cannot be done by you? I am excited about embracing this new way of being...the prospect of forgetting about the dam blocking the water and just flowing...who knows where that might lead!
The second tidbit resonated with me deeply, because I already have some experience with this concept...in moments, I live it fully. He said, "Easily doesn't mean that you have the answer - easily means that you don't care that you don't." For clarity, the "don't care" wasn't defensive. Not the child stomping his foot and saying "I don't care!" I believe he meant that safety doesn't come from having the answers. Safety comes from knowing that each of us is okay in the not knowing. We have the right to be unsure. The insecurity of that moment - when faced with a question to which the answer is not obvious - reveals the greatest sense of self. The sense of "I am" even when I don't know. I deserve to be, without having any answers.
So I don't have any answers about where my path may lead as I forget what I cannot do. I only know that stepping into this new place liberates me and allows me to expand with abundance. I invite you to give it a try.
Taking it easily, |
1st Degree Reiki Workshop
 Reiki, pronounced "ray key," means Universal Life Force. This energy is all around us, and we can channel it. As developed by Dr. Mikao Usui, a minister from Kyoto, Japan, the Reiki experience involves a natural and simple method of gentle hands-on therapy. After becoming attuned to the universal life force, a specific process that prepares students for the flow of healing energy and, thus, protects them from either transmitting or absorbing any adverse energetic patterns, Reiki energy then flows through the arms and hands of the student/practitioner into the person, animal, or plant receiving the treatment. Reiki energy can help to restore the normal processes within the recipient and, thus, promote balance and harmony on a number of levels (body, mind, emotion, and spirit). As well, Reiki energy can be used to treat acute issues in order to expedite the healing process or foster relief for more chronic conditions. Reiki is not contraindicated for, and may enhance the benefits of, other therapies. Designed for the beginner Reiki practitioner, this Reiki 1 workshop will help the student reconnect to or further develop, his/her natural intuitive abilities, scan and feel a person's aura (energy field) and chakras (energy centers), and understand how certain attitudes can create "dis-ease" in the mind and emotions potentially affecting the physical body. The student will also become attuned to the first level of Reiki energy and receive a certificate of achievement upon completion.  June 26th & 27th ~ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Registration Deadline: June 12th Class Fee: $150.00 Class Size Limited to 10 Students (ask about discount when you
sign up with a friend)Presented by:
Liz Giargiari of The Reiki Temple, LLC
Location: Acupuncture Care Center - Londonderry, NH
For more information or to register, click here to send a message; please type Reiki 1 Workshop in the subject line. Discipline and Lineage of the Reiki Master-Teacher for this workshop: Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki (Traditional Western Reiki) ~ Mikao Usui, Dr. Chujiro Hyashi, Mrs. Hawayo Takata, John Harvey Gray & Dr. Lourdes Gray, Liz Giargiari. |
 Bodypeace
20 Year Anniversary
You know that cliché saying, "Time passes in the blink of an eye?" Well, that's exactly how I'm feeling right now as I reflect back on the past 20 years of my work in the field of massage therapy and bodywork. In that blink, a flood of memories scroll past: my first massage from Pam, who has become friend, mentor, trusted advisor; years of volunteering for the American Massage Therapy Association, the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, the Coalition to modify the New Hampshire law regulating the practice of massage in the state; administering the practical exams for licensure while a member of the NH State Massage Advisory Board. The list continues with the variety of workshops that I've facilitated and attended; people that I've worked with as clients and colleagues; gifted teachers I've had the honor to learn from. It has been an amazing journey. My eyes have cleared and matured during that "blink." About five years ago, with eyes wide open, I followed an emerging path of working, not only with the body, but with the body-mind. My practice grew to include massage with movement, breath, mindfulness, energy healing, and coaching - connecting all of the senses alive within us. I believe we access our individual paths to wellness by listening to the wisdom of our own bodies. And while our answers always lay within us, we often need support learning to access them. I'm now working with clients to teach them new ways to listen to their bodies, offering tools that they may use everyday to heed the personal wisdom within. Through the infinite connection to ourselves and to others, we heal. To celebrate our mutual, inherent connection and the 20th anniversary of Bodypeace, I'm reaffirming my dedication to offering assistance with body-mind connections in "old" and "new" ways. This summer, I will revisit an "old" aspect of my practice: home-visits. For people living near the Seacoast of New Hampshire, you may experience the beauty of Bodypeace in the comfort of your own home. Each session will be 90 minutes, and you may choose massage-only, or a body-mind session, which may include: movement, breathwork, energy healing, mindfulness, and coaching. The "new" way: an invitation for you to try something new. If you have never experienced a body-mind session, and you're curious to learn more about the power of reconnecting with your inner wisdom, for the month of June, you may take advantage of an introductory rate and schedule an appointment with me at Whole Life Health Care near Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I greatly appreciate the support and connection you have offered me these past 20 years, and I look forward to supporting my "old" and "new" connections over the next 20. Just another blink! In touch and connection, Dawn
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I Don't Wanna Live in a Temple I Live in a House and I Like It!
Sometimes my house is messy. I don't always keep it spotless like a museum. I am in charge of my home; it is not in charge of me. I find this to be a good model, easily transferrable to other areas of my life.
For example, a few weeks ago my boyfriend, Jim, and I spent a night out on the town. It was a big night for Jim. He plays the drums, and was scheduled to perform with two different bands on the same night at same venue. To make the evening just a bit more exciting, one of the bands was shooting a music video that Jim was featured in.
Feeling the joy and celebration of Jim's success, I, well, had a bit more than my share of wine. How does this relate to nutrition? For me, it's all about attitude and awareness!
As a health counselor, people ask if my lifestyle or food choices aren't occasionally in direct conflict with the advice I offer my clients. They say, "Aren't you suppose to eat healthy?" or "What will your clients say about that?"
My answer to these questions relates to how I live in my house. I am in charge of choosing, rather than wrapping myself in a cloak of safety based on a harsh set of rules. So, when I participate in social occasions, I simply go with the flow and enjoy myself. I know that if I love what I eat, my body will thank me for it.
In other words, I eat with awareness. As long as I love what I eat and I love myself for doing it, I will be just fine. I can't think of anything more tedious than a health counselor who can't live a little. I choose to live my life fully! I don't want to be a drag to go out with because I only eat "clean" foods or won't release some steam every once In a while. That simply doesn't fit for me.
True, I am not a regular at McDonalds, and you won't see me waiting in line for a hotdog at ball games (actually, you won't see me at a ballgame period!). And yet, I believe to my core, as long as you acknowledge your choices and practice bringing consciousness to your internal voices, you are on the right track. Let your rebel express herself every once in a while. See her for who she is. She will thank you for it!
I invite you to have some sense of humor and a light attitude towards your food choices. Trust your body. It will be just fine if you love it.
Food for thought:What's your attitude about food? Are you judgmental of those who are not choosing to eat clean foods? Do you judge yourself?
Consider writing a journal entry about your "food-itude" - food attitude. Listening and jotting down all of the voices who chime in. And if you're willing to share, I would absolutely love to read what you have to say.
Till next month, Nathalie |
 Emotional Re-Education Workshop
If you've participated in this workshop before, you know that this weekend retreat of self discovery and connection, lead by April Prita Manganiello, provides a safe environment to explore old emotional hurts, decisions, and beliefs - cutting through the stuck places that inhibit your ability to live fully in yourself and to give and receive love. "It is a process of recognizing, releasing, and re-framing," explains Prita. "You will be encouraged to challenge limited self-beliefs and definitions and to try on new attitudes and ways of being." This workshop provides a healing space to melt traumas, whether from intrusions, absences, betrayals, illnesses, accidents, or losses that have been frozen in our bodies. Designed for intense emotional exploration, release, and re-education, this workshop is intended for participants who currently have the regular support of a therapist or coach. The processes are facilitated in a group setting, where we realize our concerns are shared and that we can be supported by others. It is also an opportunity to experience non-invasive bonding, a basic human need sorely neglected in our culture. Many members of The Consciousness Collaborative contribute to this retreat through co-facilitation and support of the participants. For further information about the Emotional Re-Education Workshop visit the Classes & Events page. |
Meditation of the Month
Summer Solstice
With the Summer Solstice upon us this month, and in celebration of the fullness of the sun, you are invited to meditate on light - the beautiful energy that is all around and within us, connecting each of us. Try this as a daily practice through to the Summer Solstice, June 21st, and notice how your experience of this time shifts for you.
Find a place that supports you, and where you feel connected to the earth. Close your eyes and imagine being bathed in a beautiful light of whatever color comforts you. Take a moment to feel that light surround you, see it in your mind's eye and feel it flow over you. Now allow that light inside, letting it flow in through the top of your head. Allow it to flow down through your forehead, your eyebrows and throat, shoulder and arms, your hands, your heart and stomach, shining brightly and glowing at the solar plexus just above the navel, to your sex organs and shining at your tailbone. Let it travel down through your legs and knees, your ankles and feet. Feel the warmth of it as it travels through your body. Now sense it at the point where it shined brightest in your body, and send light from there, still flowing through you, out a few inches from your body. Stay with that feeling. Now send it a few feet from your body, and feel it touching people in your life. Take a few minutes and feel this energy and this connection to people you know and love. Now connect to the source of this light, and take the energy that you need, and know that there is plenty for all, for this light is endless and abundant. Take a moment to feel this abundance, and know that as you do, as you partake of this light, you also give your light. As you give, you also receive, completing the circle of life and abundance. Take a moment to feel this connection, this circle, this energy flowing through. Bask in it. And when you are ready, relax and come back to this time and space, and take the feelings with you into the rest of the day.
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People Who Successfully
"Forgot What They Could Not Do" |
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