The
Consciousness Collaborative Update
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Free Teleclass
Jan. 11th 
"Finding Your Fitness Inspiration" A common theme for New Year's Resolutions is "Getting into Shape." Yet, with a long, cold winter ahead (at least for those of us in New England), the inspiration to take action on said resolution may be hidden beneath the bed clothes. So, with great excitement we invite you to join Lisa Andrews of Equilibrium Retreats for a free one-hour class to help you "Find Your Fitness Inspiration." Curious whether this class fits for you? Here are a few questions to stir the pot: - Have you been thinking about starting up a fitness routine, but some how can't seem to mobilize into action?
- Do you find your current workout schedule to be inconsistent, straying from your personal fitness goals?
- Or, does your on-going program lacks a directed goal, leaving your exercise feeling like drudgery rather than inspired action to achieve the body you want?
If you answer "that's me!" to any of these questions, take advantage of this opportunity to learn how to reveal your personal inspiration. Afterward, you may find yourself racing to the gym, because you see the possibility of leading the healthy lifestyle you've always wanted. Also, mark your calendar for February 8th, when meditation leader, Jamie Thurber, will host the next free teleclass: "Meditation: Ugh! Hand me the clicker!" Free Public Event! January 11th Teleclass Instructor: Lisa Andrews 7-8pm (eastern time) REGISTER ON-LINE (for your personal dial-in number and access code) |
This time it is YOUR child whining in the grocery cart and reaching to pull the candy off the rack. With a smile on your face covering clenched teeth, you cheerfully move her hands back into the cart. She hits you and quickly knocks the magazine rack down. You calmly explain why she mustn't hit, while you put the magazines back and pay the cashier.
But underneath the smile you have had it. You are frustrated and angry - enough already. Sound familiar? Children possess the unique talent to trigger parents to their most un-balanced selves, as few other things do during adult life. The incomparable love that is parenting stirs emotions within that we often do our best to keep under wraps. However, those feelings hold a key to our true parental wisdom. This Parenting As Path workshop will assist you to explore both the feelings and deep voice of clarity hidden within. When we uncover that rich voice, we find our internal guide to clear, supportive, and non-resentful action as parents. Join Parenting Consultant, Beth Sutton for this one-day adventure with a follow consult included. Through activities and discussion, we will seek to enliven our lives and enjoy our children as we walk the path of parenting.
Parenting As Path
April 21st
9am - 6pm
Lexington, MA
REGISTER ON-LINE
before March 16th for reduced tuition
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Eat Less,
Play More
"Let's live more in pleasure and bring pleasure to others. Pleasure can escort us safely through very difficult times and give our spirits a place to replenish." -SARK
Remember when you were a child, and you got so wrapped up in playing, imagining or creating that you didn't want to stop when it was time to eat? Do you remember leaving your meal half-finished to run off and continue playing? Children innately understand that food is secondary to what is most nutritious and primary in life: fun and play.
As adults we seem to have lost our instinct to prioritize play. In our busy world, with its emphasis on work and responsibility, to be healthy and balanced we must work on more than just our bodies; we must feed our hearts, minds and spirits.
Have you noticed that when your body, mind and spirit are engaged in a creative project or happy relationship, your reliance on food seems to decrease? Likewise, when you are unsatisfied with your relationships, your job or other areas of your life, you may depend on food to cheer, soothe or numb you. When your life is out of balance, no amount of food can feed you where you truly need nourishment. The food that we eat is very important for health and balance, but what really feeds us-a full and fulfilling life-doesn't come on a plate.
What is fun for you? What makes you light up? What excites you? Make time for it this week. Even if you don't have much time for fun, try approaching a "serious" activity with an attitude of play. This can greatly reduce stress and anxiety and bring more pleasure to your day. Take your focus off food, try adding more fun into your life and watch the magic unfold.
-Contributed by Nathalie Blitz of Vitamin N |
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Connected Breath
Each of us lights up when we feel connected! Whether to a friend, a child, a spouse or a pet, this sense of energy flowing freely and evenly between beings enlivens us. And of course, the most important connection is the one you have to yourself.
When that light has dimmed, no one outside of you can turn the switch. If you are not allowing an even flow of both giving and receiving energies, you will notice the blocks manifesting in your interactions with others.
Breathwork provides a powerful medium for connecting to ourselves. The natural rhythm of breath reminds us of the importance of giving and receiving.
Since ancient times, work with the breath has been used for inner opening and connecting with spiritual dimensions. By working with consciously directed breath, old physical and emotional patterns become clear, and we can connect directly with our innermost Self.
We manifest our state of being through the breath and can influence how we feel by altering our breathing patterns. But in order to do so, we first need to gain awareness of how we hold or restrict our breath. Only then can we stretch and expand our ability to bring more life force into all parts of our bodies with balance and vitality.
As a trainer and guide of this inner art, I perceive
breathwork as a self-help healing method using a combination of breath, music, sound, and the presence of a facilitator to give the client an experience of Self. Using techniques from bioenergetics, massage, and meditation, each client is taught a circular breathing method called, the connected breath. With the energy of breath, the client embarks on an inner journey into one's soul.
Through learning conscious connected breathing in a safe environment, clients strengthen their relaxation response, let go of tension, and use the energy and rhythm of the breath to connect with their deepest and most spiritual selves. This experience is the foundation of psychological and spiritual integration. Each Breathwork session is different and regular practice will enhance general health, promote well-being and connection with ones Self.
Whether you have never experienced the power of connected breathing or practice regularly and would appreciate the support of a facilitator, I invite you to join me for the monthly breathwork class offered at The Arlington Center in Arlington, MA. The next two-hour class will be Saturday, December 17th. You may view the full schedule on-line.
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Food Focus:
Sea
Vegetables
In traditional Chinese healing, sea vegetables correspond to the winter season and to the kidneys, adrenal glands, bladder and reproductive organs. The strengthening, balancing and cleansing properties of sea vegetables are known to help these organs as well as the hair, skin and nails.
Sea vegetables (or seaweeds) provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, including calcium, iron and iodine, and can help balance hormone and thyroid levels in the body. Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in mineral-depleted soil can result in a lack of minerals in the body, leading to cravings for salty or sugary foods. Adding sea vegetables to your diet can help balance your energy levels and alleviate cravings.
Curious? Try this Recipe of the Month.
-Contributed by
Nathalie Blitz
of Vitamin N
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 "A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
These last weeks, life knocked again and again on the door of my heart that is touched by courageous acts. I've witnessed, without fan fare, people quietly moving through fear with an unwavering vulnerability - truly, brave hearts. To begin the New Year, I wanted to share a few of these stories with you, perhaps they will inspire your courage, as they have inspired mine.
Engaged sixty-somethings, who met at a "Young Widow and Widowers" support group, have a close friend (also a widow) diagnosed with a terminal disease. Over the past year, there have been several occasions when folks gathered around the ill woman's bedside to whisper good-bye. But she had other plans!
Upon learning a marriage date had been reserved, the friend set an intention for herself: "I am going to that wedding." To solidify her decision, she went out and purchased a splashy sequined dress for the occasion (even before the bride had bought her own dress). A couple of weeks before the ceremony, dear friends made the bedside pilgrimage once again, and the woman simply said, "I am going to that wedding."
So, on a gorgeous October day, she donned her party attire with walker and oxygen tank in hand (after taking a couple of pills prescribed by the Hospice nurse enabling her swollen feet to fit into her fancy shoes), and she celebrated with the newlyweds. Perhaps this sounds more like determination than bravery, and you may be right, but the story is not yet complete.
Our heroine has lost such substantial weight from her illness; the scale reads only 69 pounds. I learned the other day that she gathered her energies and went to lunch with "some of the gals," and upon leaving, visited a funeral home to make arrangements for her death. This action rouses wonder in me. How deep is the well of courage to face both life and death so blatantly? This is NOT a life half lived. She eeks out every last drop of living, while remaining in acceptance that death draws ever nearer. Remarkable.
Another friend, Luciano, recently went out on a limb for a cause he believes in. The same man I wrote about last March, who created the "Bridge of Roses" project to raise money for schools in Madagascar, decided to take on the Catholic Church. Well, perhaps that sounds a bit dramatic, but in his way, that's what Luciano has done.
As a practicing Catholic, Luciano expresses very strong views about the ordination of women as leaders in the church. He's not at all preachy about it, in truth; until he sent me a copy of the letter he wrote to Cardinal O'Malley, I was unaware of his passion. Never have I witnessed Luciano forcing his opinion into a conversation. Rather, he simply took action, as he saw fit. Whether you agree with this point of view or not, I believe Luciano tells the story best. In turn, you may click here to read his letter.
What resonates most profoundly about Luciano's prose is where the message comes from within him. I read his words and heard how he plumbed his own depths to bare naked his truth, and then called upon his courage to share this truth with those empowered to take action. Action which could be in alignment with Luciano's request, or could manifest as anger directed at him.
What appears to be thematically linked to acts of bravery is the inherent knowledge that one faces the risk of loss...and the fear of the feelings associated with such a loss overwhelming our systems and paralyzing us.
A final example...one of my closest friends lost her 22 year-old son to an unexpected death six days after his birthday in December. She was immediately surrounded by family and loved ones, who sought to ease her pain. One option offered was a very mild sedative, intended to help her get through the wake and funeral.
She told me this, "I took a little something for the visitation, though I'm not sure it did anything. But I intentionally didn't take anything the day of the funeral. I wanted to let myself feel everything that day." Even as I write this, my tears well up. This devoted mom gave herself the gift of her own feelings, even when the pain shredded her. She gave me pause to remember how I sometimes wish to squelch my own feelings, because I harbor the belief that they will be too much for me. How lucky I am to have such an amazing model of what's possible.
Acts of bravery come in all forms, both internal and external. I wish for you a courageous 2012.
With love and appreciation,
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Wondering What's Next?!
Welcome to 2012! What might this year hold in store for you? How will you stretch beyond your usual? And what will you create for yourself?
Of course, it's absolutely an option to do what's been done before. Set a resolution and get on with it! But...uhm...how has that plan worked out for you so far?
The problem with new year resolutions is that we often try to "fix" something or change a pattern that is so ingrained in our cells, it simply creates a set up for failure. Think about how much time you spend doing things that deplete your energy. Chances are someone else could probably do it better, but there you are...trudging through.
What if, this year, you truly honed in on your unique gifts? With clarity and appreciation for what you offer to the world, the hampster wheel mentality of having to do everything stops. You possess the ability to recognize and operate from the places you shine. In fact, that's what we are all meant to do!
Think about it. If we could all perform eye surgery, who would repair the car, star in a favorite movie, or teach our children? So, if your gift manifests as the "life of the party," why would you spend your days crunching numbers? And those are just the career aspects. Take it to a decision-making level; if your gift resides in your intuitive ability, why don't you trust your gut more often?
Each of us possess these unique abilities, and yet, we stray from our own path of genius. And in an effort to conform to the norm, we attempt to compensate by "fixing" a perceived problem. Ironically, the "problem" often comes from not being truly who you are...humph! What will that do to your new year's resolution?
If you'd like to discover your unique gifts and learn to keep coming back to the truth of who you be, even when obstacles and old patterns attempt to pull you off the path, consider participating in the spring session of What's Next?! Workshop. It's an excellent venue for clearing the limiting beliefs that hold you back, and embracing the power of who you be!
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. And more than that, we believe we can only be happy and satisfied if we have "that thing - out there" - a perfect example of a limiting belief in action.
Read what past participants have to say about the series.
If you're curious about the series or would simply be interested in discovering one of your own limiting beliefs, first try an Introduction to What's Next?! In this two-hour class, you may begin to know that it is possible to move through the obstacles that block you and live the life you want by using resources that are already within you. Details for both programs listed below.
January 10th ~ 7-9pm
Lexington, MA
Bonus - A couple of past participants will be joining us for the free two-hour class! From them you may learn, first-hand, how participating in the What's Next?! Workshop series supported their personal journey forward.
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A Modern Day Pilgrimage
Egypt: Remembrances,
Exploring the Mysteries
In preparation for the free teleclass I hosted in December ( you may receive a copy via email), I considered how to describe a sacred journey. I perceive each of these trips as a modern day pilgrimage - taking a swath of time to attune to your deeper self - your spirit - your soul. Historically, in many cultures, there are rites of passage encouraging transformation (whether from a child to an adult or an adult to a leader) using unfamiliar surroundings and challenges to discover one's inner truth. My first sacred journey happened at the age of 21. I was studying psychology in Germany; and as I finished up the last of my exams, I felt a little disappointed by the process. Green at the time, and not really knowing what I was doing, I made the decision to travel to India. First I took a bus to Nepal, which was an adventure in itself, and then my pilgrimage extended to a three week walk alone, through the Himalyas to a place called Muktinath. There I visited the "eternal flame" sacred shrine, where a small amount of natural gas emerges from a rock that also feeds a spring. The result appears as fire burning on the water itself. During this trek, I felt completely in myself and extraordinarily happy. While I can't tell you exactly what happened for me by making this pilgrimage, I know in my bones that a subtle, profound shift occurred and changed my life, and who I be in it. Muktinath was the first of many journeys; and with each one, I discover another aspect of my true self. These powerful experiences and my trainings with shamans and spiritual guides, led me (six years ago) to embark on a new adventure: guiding others on journeys of the spirit. I cannot amply describe what others have experienced on these journeys, so I will encourage you to learn directly from them. During the December teleclass, I was asked: "How do you know when you're ready, and what do you do to prepare?" ~ Often one embarks on a sacred journey at a time of transition...perhaps the end of a relationship, before starting graduate school, between careers, when the children leave home...all of these changes may stir a sense of unrest within us. This provides an excellent ground for tilling the soil and uncovering another part of yourself. ~ To prepare for your own pilgrimage, I suggest an on-going practice of honoring the fears that come up. Whether you are afraid of what you will discover, what you will leave behind, or the new environs you will be traveling to, allowing space to feel the fear is part of the process. You may also wish to tidy up your life. Bring closure to unsettled relationships and situations, because you will come back subtly transformed, and consciously closing the book on the "old business" helps to create space for the new. From March 8-18th, I will be leading: Egypt: Remembrances, Exploring the Mysteries. To support our pilgrimage, we will call upon the god Anubis and other ancient spirits as we voyage to sacred spaces designed specifically for the purpose of spiritual alignment. Truly these temples serve a special function: to encourage the divine to awaken within us - to illuminate the way to enlightenment. During this heart-opening quest, we'll dream our own spiritual transcendence, just as the ancient mystery school initiates did thousands of years ago through ceremony, meditation, and group process. And perhaps, through our travels together, we will be prepared to pass the test of Anubis, who is said to weigh your heart against a feather in the afterlife, and only if your heart is as light as that feather will you have eternal life. By letting go of the stories that weigh heavy on our hearts, we can be free and embrace our eternal consciousness in this life! I hope you'll consider joining me. March 8th - 18th, 2012
-Contributed by Samvedam Randles of the Inner Arts Institute
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Meditation Has Gone to the Dogs 
We recently got a new dog, Yogi, who's all legs and knees and teeth. My wife and daughter really wanted him, and I said yes because I was OK with it, but I didn't check in with what I really wanted. One weekend with my wife out of town, Yogi ate up two dog beds, bags, and my daughter's homework (she really did have that excuse!). I felt myself getting very angry with my wife, telling myself that she made me get this dog. After a couple of days of stuffing down this anger and passive-aggressively letting her have it, I said, "OK, Jamie, what's going on here. You did say yes to the dog, and this anger seems like way too much for just this situation." I sat with these feelings in meditation, apologized for the way I had handled it, and mostly had compassion for myself - "OK, this really sucks. I'm angry, but I feel like I have no way to express what's going on for me. What's happening?" With this compassion, a forgotten part of me stepped forward - a voice from when I was twelve spoke up for the thousands of times growing up when I couldn't say what I wanted, when what I wanted didn't matter. I remembered the feeling with my parents of stuffing down these wants and just being OK with things. It sat like a star in my gut that continually imploded. "Oh wow," I said. "Oh wow." And that part of me felt seen and heard, and the imploding started to lessen. I could see the situation clearly, with love for me, with love for my wife, with love for Yogi. The immediate situation wasn't such a big deal. I could talk with my wife about it from a compassionate place. And I could see the many other places in my life that this way of acting shows up. I could see it rather than just be in it and driven by a reaction to my past. Pema Chodron discusses a way to work with our reactionary habits called "Training in the Three Difficulties." She says, "The path is difficult, all right, but it's a good way to spend our time." - The first is seeing what we do - seeing our unhelpful habits for what they are. Acknowledge them. Meditation can help bring clarity to see without judgment. For me, I stuff the things I want deep down, and I take out my frustration on others. This is true. It does not make me bad, but it is true.
- Second, be willing to do something different. Be willing to not just react. Now that I see what's down that path, that way of being, I choose a different one. It's not always easy. There is seeming pleasure in me taking out my anger on others. But it's like itching poison ivy - it feels good for a moment, then the discomfort spreads. I am worse off. Be willing to choose a different way, as she says, "anything that isn't habitual. For example, you could . . . take a cold shower and sing at the top of your lungs."
- Third, make this a way of life/continuing that way. Keep at it. Keep coming back with compassion to yourself and choose a new way. It''s not easy to just allow the itch to be there and choose healing over scratching. For me, it's not easy to give up the anger as a way to try to control others. But after a while, it doesn't feel so good to do it the old way anymore.
Finally, I would add one more: give yourself the gift of surrounding yourself with people and ways that support you for who you truly are, support you letting go of these old habits. I have support systems and friends who call me on my stuff all the time. I don't always want to hear it, but I keep coming back. My life is better for it. Join us for monthly mediations. It might be one of those support systems, and your dog will love you for it.
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Untangling the Lineage of Legacy
More and more, we read about the impact of legacy. Perhaps a family experiences serious financial reversal in concert with a five year wedding anniversary. Ironically, the son of this family experiences a financial crisis as an adult, when he happens to be the same age his dad was during that upheaval. The daughter, as an adult, divorces after five years of marriage, and a generation later, her daughter does the same thing. Or in another family, perhaps a young girl lived through a war, and generations later, her descendants display behaviors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, even though these children or grandchildren have never personally experienced such civil unrest.
These legacies may live on, unnoticed for generations; however, carrying the burden of our ancestors does come at a price. As children we learn to be loyal to our family beliefs and behaviors, because that is where love comes from, that's where safety is possible. Yet, by adopting the familial line in this way, we unconsciously insert little roadblocks to the simple love and connection we need and desire.
Perhaps your own example is less obvious than those mentioned above. However, if you have experienced cycles of disconnection, physical suffering, or financial challenges...or would like to shift the on-going misunderstandings and entanglements you experience with a spouse, co-worker, or current family member, Family Constellation work may be a venue for long term, and often life-changing resolution.
Family Constellations is a therapeutic approach through which we explore the foundational, unconscious dynamics in family systems. We look to understand the impact of unresolved family issues, or secrets, and often become more aware of influences that our ancestors' fates may still have in our life. Once these connections are identified, a healing process may unfold in which we look for the love that is inherent in most families but which is often obscured by pain, fear and anger.
Samvedam Randles explains, "This work allows you to see a much bigger piece of family history than a single traumatic incident, and with the wider lens comes greater understanding and compassion. Constellation work does not focus on who is to blame. It is much more about where is energy not moving well? Where is love not flowing well? Then looking at how to re-establish that flow.
When participants discover their rightful, dignified place in their family, they relax and disengage from painful old patterns. It becomes okay to let go of the on-going attempt to balance unresolved energies in our families of origin, and this offers the opportunity to move forward in new ways and leave past issues behind."
If you are curious about what legacies you may be carrying forward, join Samvedam Randles for...
Saturday, January 14th ~ 10am - 5pm
This workshop is designed for individuals and couples interested in resolving life issues and seeking a solid foundation for new direction in their lives. Also welcome are health care professionals interested in enriching their practice with highly effective tools and new insights about disease, individual issues, and human behavior.
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Recipe of the Month
Mighty Miso Soup
Prep Time: 5-10 mins
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Yields: 4-5 servings
Ingredients:
- 4-5 C. spring water
- 1-2 inch strip of wakame, rinsed and soaked 5 minutes in 1 cup of water, until softened
1-2 C. thinly sliced vegetables of your choice (see notes)
- 2-3 tsp. barley miso
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
Directions:
1. Chop soaked wakame.
2. Discard soaking water or use for houseplants as a boost of minerals.
3. Place water and wakame in a soup pot and bring to a boil.
4. Add root and ground vegetables first and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until tender.
5. Add leafy vegetables and simmer for 2-3 mintues.
6. Remove about 1/2 cup of liquid from pot and dissolve miso into it. Return it to the pot.
7. Reduce heat to very low; do not boil or simmer miso broth.
8. Allow soup to cook 2-3 minutes.
9. Garnish with scallions and serve.
Note:
Any combination of vegetables can be used in miso soup. Here are some classic combinations:
- onion-daikon: cleansing
- onion-carrot-shiitake mushroom-kale: mildly sweet
- leek-corn-broccoli: great in summer
- onion-winter squash-cabbage: great in winter
Variations: - Add cooked grains at the start of making the soup. They will become nice and soft.
- Add a tablespoon of uncooked quinoa or millet at the beginning and let it cook with vegetables for 20 minutes.
- Add cubed tofu toward the end.
- Add bean sprouts toward the end.
- Season with 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice for an interesting twist.
- If using dry shiitake mushrooms, let them soak for 20 minutes, slice and add at the beginning
-Contributed by Nathalie Blitz of Vitamin N
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Meditation of the Month
101 Breaths
When Dalmatians aren't available, try counting breaths.
One of the simplest forms of meditation is simply breathing and staying consciously aware of the breath as you do so. The challenge, of course, is quieting the mind. And so, we invite the mind to manage a couple of tasks for us as we breathe.
First, ask the mind to notice if the body is comfortable. Bring attention to the places you come in contact with the floor or cushion that supports you. Consciously allow your body to relax and settle in (the mind/body will need to work together for this).
Second, take a deep breath. Fill the belly, fill the chest, and let it go. Request that your mind stay fully aware of how deeply the breath enters your body; how full your belly and chest get with each intake; and invite the mind to hold an intention that all of the effort of this breathing will be on the in-breath, so that the exhale may be effortless.
Third, enlist the help of your mind through counting - literally counting every breath - on the exhale. To help to quiet the other thoughts that will inevitably wish to come in, while counting on the exhale, imagine the "thought balloon" literally floating away with the air you gently expel.
Does the number 101 feel too big? Allow yourself to start smaller - perhaps count to 10 breaths. If it's feeling good, keep going; if not, you have still tended to your being by pausing and doing this gentle reboot.
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