The
Consciousness Collaborative Update
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Register for Upcoming Classes & Events
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Change Your Perspective 
If you've been feeling frustrated with yourself and those around you - wishing that something would change - you have an opportunity to see both yourself and others differently. Through your core self, you can see with clarity. This workshop supports that possibility.
Looking through the lens of old hurts, decisions and beliefs distorts our perception of ourselves and our experience with others. Traumas - whether as the result of loss, intrusion, betrayal, dismissal, absence, illness or accident - often stay frozen in our bodies. They affect how we see our self and others. They keep us from being fully connected and from being in the present moment.
Led by April Prita Manganiello, the Emotional Re-Education Workshop provides a safe and healing place to challenge limited self beliefs and to cut through inhibiting stuck places. Within the safety of this container, you will have the opportunity to unwind and melt traumas you have experienced. It is a place to try on new attitudes, support your ability to give and receive love, and to be more fully connected to yourself and others. If you would like to experience life and relationships in a new way, sign up for this weekend retreat:
Emotional Re-Education Workshop July 15th - 17th Essex Conference Center Complete the ON-LINE APPLICATION to Participate This workshop, under the direction of April Prita Manganiello, is facilitated by a team of co-facilitators and assistants, several of whom are members of The Consciousness Collaborative. The ratio of support to participants is about 3:1 - a highly atypical and nourishing setting for profound group work. |
Save the Date
Nov. 11th - 13th
Equilibrium
Retreats
This November join Lisa Andrews as she facilitates an Equilibrium Retreat at the beautiful PGA National Resort and Spa in West Palm Beach, Florida. Each retreat invites participants of all levels to connect with their physical, emotional, and mindful health and vitality. Through vigorous physical practice - designed to bring you into balance, increased breath awareness, clarified goals, and a genuine connection with self, participants experience increased energy and leave with training ideas and tools to use in daily life at home. Lisa's unique program reveals, for each person, the obstacles blocking the path to fully living life and maximizing the athlete within.
Equilibrium Retreats November 11th - 13th PGA National Resort & Spa West Palm Beach, Florida Register On-Line and Learn about our advance registration discounts! |
Food Focus:
Raw & Cooling Salads
Why is it that in the summer we naturally crave more fresh and raw foods? These foods have a cooling effect on the body. The lightness and high water, fiber and vitamin content work together to act as our internal air conditioning during these warm months. At this time of year we also need less dense, high-energy food, because we get so much energy from being outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
There is no better season than summer to have fun creating your own fresh, tasty, creative salad combinations. By simply tossing together several of your favorite raw veggies, naked or with a light dressing, you have a perfect meal for a hot summer's day.
Try your favorite leafy lettuce with various sliced, diced or grated veggies. The possible combinations are endless. Fresh herbs are a wonderful option to mix in, as they are packed full of flavor. Experiment with adding diverse forms of protein to your salads, such as nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, fish or poultry. Pick up a light and healthy dressing at your local health food store, or mix up something easy, like lemon juice, black pepper and olive oil.
This is a great opportunity to try a new vegetable from your market. What are some creative flavors you've never tried before? Fennel and mint? Daikon radish and arugula? Summer squash with watercress? Whatever you choose, have fun with your food and stay cool. Happy summer!
-Contributed by
Nathalie Blitz
of Vitamin N
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Recipe
of the
Month
Bok Choy
Apple Slaw
Prep Time: 7 mins
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 6 stalks of bok choy (about 1/2 a head), thinly sliced
- 1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 granny smith apple, sliced
- 1/2 C. toasted sunflower seeds
Dressing:
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/4 C. olive oil
- 2 tsp honey or brown rice syrup
- salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. First make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking well.
2. Chop all the salad ingredients, leaving the apples until last.* Mix in a salad bowl.
3. Toss salad with half the dressing. Add additional dressing if so desired.
4. Either eat immediately or chill for up to one hour and then *add the apples just before eating.
-Contributed by
Nathalie Blitz
of Vitamin N
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Learning to drive, the most valuable lessons occurred from behind the wheel when my passenger-teacher provided relevant instruction I could use immediately. One night I was driving from Newark to Wildwood, NJ with a guy who worked for my Dad. Making our way south on the Garden State Parkway he said, "We're going a little too fast." I looked at the speedometer and found myself within the range of normal, so I asked, "How do you know?" "Because the car ahead of you is a little too close." He said that almost 30 years ago, and while I can't remember the young man's name, I remember the lesson to this day. In that moment, he provided a building block for years of driving to come. Several years later, after I'd moved to Boston, I got into a nasty car accident. My little Subaru (and they were truly tiny in those days) got walloped from behind on Rt 95S by an old-style Impala (a version that could comfortably hold a formal state dinner). My car went out of control, hit a Jersey barrier and flipped on it's side. Held in by our seat belts, my roommate and I suffered minimal injuries; but the car was totaled, evidenced by the tail light kissing the back of the front passenger seat and the wheels in the air. I later learned that the driver who hit us had been drinking. Although this was not his first offense, there was no arrest made, no charges filed, just a bunch of insurance hassles for me to deal with. It was one of those times, when it would have been helpful to have someone next to me offering the accident version of "Because the car ahead of you is a little too close." At 19, I didn't know to press charges or negotiate a settlement. It never occurred to me to ask for more than what was offered, and the only car I'd ever purchased was now a pile of junk metal holding my Lionel Ritchie and Journey tapes (yes they were tapes, but not 8-tracks!). Fast forward 20+ years... I have a friend who regularly encourages me to offer a class on negotiation; because now it wouldn't occur to me to accept any kind of service that was less than fair. Whether Panera forgets the chicken on my take-out salad or a vendor doesn't deliver what they promised, I fervently encourage them to make good and often benefit from excellent customer service as a result. I believe my "fair is fair" conviction genuinely elicits a desire for someone to do their best. Win-win. As I've been working my way back up part of my personal spiral staircase, I've been tending to different versions of my younger self, providing a kind of safety and security for parts of me that didn't experience safety in their own time. Recently, I realized, I needed the me I am now when I was 19, someone to help me navigate that challenging situation with a clear, experienced voice. In honoring both parts of me: the one who figured it out as best she could (at 19) and the adult me (who helped to negotiate hundreds of real estate transactions and gets a free lunch when they forget my chicken), I appreciate all of who I am and where I've come from. I am extraordinarily grateful for the guidance others have provided along the way, helping to shape my growth and offering a foundation upon which I build every day. Integrating these parts of self heals the road rash of youth. If my story resonates with you, and there was a time you didn't have someone as competent as you are now to guide you through, allow a little space for how hard that was. With breath and compassion, let that younger part of you know that an adult is present now - YOU. This doesn't mean adults have all the answers! It just means that, as adults, we have the resources to reach out for guidance when "we're going a little too fast." With love for you and all your parts,
Joanne LutzThird Option Coaching Founder of The Consciousness Collaborativewww.TheCCsite.com ~ www.WhatsNextWorkshop.com Joanne@TheCCsite.com ~ ph. 617-827-0803 |
Free Class August 10th 
An Introduction to What's Next?! For many of us, unconscious limiting beliefs hold us back from living the life we want. We may have a sense that we want something more, something new; we may even be able to picture it, but getting from here to there feels impossible. During this introductory evening, lead by Joanne Lutz, creator of the What's Next?! Workshop series, you will have the opportunity to discover one of your own limiting beliefs, and begin to know that it is possible to move through the obstacles that block you to live the life you want by using resources that are already within you. Bonus - A couple of past participants will be joining us for this two hour class! From them you may learn, first-hand, how participating in the What's Next?! Workshop series supported their personal journey forward. Are you ready to take your first step toward What's Next?! Free Public Event! August 10th ~ 7-9pm Arlington, MA Register On-Line Note - this class has been re-invented! If you've taken it before, try it again! |
Fitness Support: Goal Clarity
If you read last month's article, you might now be on your way to identifying and transforming obstacles that have previously blocked your fitness objectives. If so, it's time to set a clear fitness goal for yourself. Let's get started!
Overwhelmed? Clients come to see me explaining they want to "get in better shape." I ask, "what exactly does that mean to you?" Often they release a frustrated sigh then list 10 goals in a few seconds! I can see why they have been unable to get started - the list is overwhelming. I have this same problem with completing tax paperwork through the year. I look at the big picture and feel burdened. Then, if I try to implement too many systems, my focus wanes and I stray from the good habits I'm working to develop. Luckily, I find it easy with fitness, so while I'm learning to apply this knowledge to my taxes, I'll shed some light on how it works in my special arena.
To begin, avoid putting 10 goals into ONE goal! This makes a task seem so large to tackle you won't know where to start or focus your energy. Instead, try the path I've outlined below.
1. Identifying your fitness goal
Your goal needs to be clear and as specific as possible. Generalizing will inadvertently set you up for failure. Notice the difference between creative cooking and precise baking. "Salt to taste" works when preparing a chicken, but not when baking cookies. Your fitness goal is analogous to the cookies. Chicken version: I want to get into better shape. Cookie version: I will prepare for and complete a 5K race by September 15th, tracking my progress each week. Adding deadlines holds you accountable for your goal, making it real.
2. Checking in with yourself
If you have ever tried to achieve this goal before, what are the reasons you did not achieve or sustain this objective in the past? Write these answers down and spend some reflective time with what you have written. Then ask yourself, "Do I really want to achieve this goal at this time?" If the honest answer is "no," re-evaluate the goal, gently guiding yourself to find one that truly fits where you are now.
3. Accountability and Support
Once you have stated your clear goal and personal deadline, tell a friend. When choosing who to tell, be sure to select someone supportive of your goal who will keep you honest. You might even ask them to join in on some of your training to help you. I admit, this one can be tricky. Occasionally we want support from someone who cannot provide what we wish for, but we hold out hope that maybe this time will be different. Allow yourself some meditative space to consider who will lay aside their own agenda to support you in successfully reaching your objective. When we know that someone's got our back, we feel less afraid to fall. This simple act of support encourages us to take a risk we might otherwise set aside.
Next month we'll be continuing this series and creating a Plan of Action. If you find that you would like professional assistance with your goal setting, contact me.
-Contributed by Lisa Andrews of Equilibrium Retreats
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Try Something New "The man who does things makes many mistakes, but he never makes the biggest mistake of all - doing nothing." -Benjamin Franklin 
Summer is finally in fully force, and the living is easy! Do you notice how during summertime everything seems promising? The plants are in full bloom, and the sun feels glorious on your skin. The longer days give you boundless energy, making you feel like it's possible to achieve all your desires and dreams. Why not harness this energy, ride the wave of summer and try something new?
Throughout the year we live at an intense pace (physical, emotional and mental), and we often get stuck in routine, either for the sake of efficiency or out of fear of unfamiliar territory. The lack of variety in doing the same things over and over not only stagnates our minds, but also our bodies and hearts. Hesitant to break your routine? It is interesting to note that fear and excitement have the same physiological expression in our bodies; it is our mind that classifies the feeling as either positive or negative. So the next time you consider a change in routine and your mind says "scary!" see if you can re-frame it as "exciting!"
What is something you have never done before, or that you have wanted to do for a long time? Choose your own adventure: organize a kayak trip, take a dance class, do some exotic traveling or set a goal for a new personal challenge. Or try something simple, like playing flashlight tag with your kids and neighbors or reading in the sunshine. Maybe it's time to discover a new vegetable dish or to visit a new town, restaurant or beach.
Whatever adventure calls to you, use this summer to make it happen and enjoy the life you came here for. Increasing new experiences and excitement in your life can decrease your need for and dependence on artificial stimulants like caffeine and sugar, leading to more vibrant health. Watch out for massive improvements in physical well-being, mental acuity and motivation, plus a full portfolio of fun. -Contributed by Nathalie Blitz of Vitamin N
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Access the Power Within!
 If everything you need to create and live the life you want is already within you, what are you doing with it? I believe we all have what we need inside of us - gifts that support our decisions and guide us to manifesting our best selves, yet ironically, we often seek an answer "out there."
Just for a moment, think about the last time someone "out there" professed to know what was best for you. The conversation might have started with "you should..." Can you hear that voice in your head? What sensations does that evoke in your body? Maybe there's a sense of relaxing, because you feel a burden lifted from you. If that works for you, and you've found time after time that someone else really does know best, the remainder of this article is probably not for you.
However, if the notion of someone else telling you what "you should...do, be, say, have..." causes a tightening in your shoulders, a heaviness in your gut, or a fluttering in your heart - you already know that every thing you need is within YOU. I trust that somewhere along the line, you had an experience of knowing exactly what would work for you and it proved to be true. You just may not know how to access that core wisdom successfully time after time.
If you...
- are interested in making profound and tangible change
- want to access the courage to live the life you want, and;
- wish to make decisions from your best self again and again, supported by that undeniable power already inside you
...discover the What's Next?! Workshop series.
Participants have ranged in age from late 20's to late 60's and come from all walks of life. The common denominators bringing each group together are the intense desire to identify and appreciate the unique internal gifts that propel us forward and the opportunity to grow through a transition. For some, this series provides a venue for exploring what might be possible, as one participant said, "what is my true purpose?" Others learn to receive on-going support over an extended period of time - an experience that is profound and new to many. And everyone learns the process of connecting with the essential self - the only part of us that can take conscious steps toward our personal What's Next?!
Discover and be supported by the gifts inside of you!
What's Next?! Workshop Beginning September 23rd & 24th (see full schedule) Facilitated by Joanne Lutz Register On-Line Today! Sign up before August 5th and save $240.00 on your tuition Read what past participants say about their experience. -Contributed by Joanne Lutz, Third Option Coaching & Creator/Facilitator of the What's Next?! programs |
Meditation of the Month
Mindfully Contrary
The act of being mindful, while simple, isn't always easy. Many of our actions are habitual and patterned, and we don't notice the moment. These mindfulness exercises are designed to help bring your attention back moment-to-moment. Together they support a practice of identifying a few of your regular patterns and switching them up! Here are a few examples to get you started:
Left/Right - If you usually put your left shoe on first, mindfully choose the right first. If you hold your ice cream cone in your right hand, consciously switch to your left. Change the wrist you wear your watch or bracelet - you'll notice the uncomfortable difference throughout the day, bringing your attention to a present moment.
Pacing - Mindfully change the rate at which you move. Perhaps you're racing through the grocery store roadrunner style; bring awareness to your steps - try the wedding walk: step, feet together, step, feet together or pretend to walk on a balance beam with one foot immediately in front of the other. Adjust the pace of eating your lunch, tasting each individual bite and chewing thoroughly. For most of us, the focus for pacing will be slowing down, rather than speeding up.
Feeling Supported - While sitting in your car or at your desk, feel the seat beneath and behind you. Notice the meeting space between your body and the chair supporting you. If you feel that you are leaning into it, imagine it coming to meet you. You may do the same when walking - with each step, feel the earth, the stairs, the sand, whatever surface supports your every step. Become aware of the meeting space - whether you are reaching toward the earth or it is reaching to meet you, switch it up by trying the contrary.
There are no right or wrong answers, simply your mindful experience of the moment.
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