The Consciousness Collaborative Update
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Register for Upcoming Classes &
Events
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Free Teleclass April 10th
"Creative Awakenings™: Cultivating Self-Expression"
Feeling emotionally "stuck?" Looking for a healthy outlet for self-expression? Needing to clear the mental cobwebs to make room for insight and/or problem-solving ideas? If you've answered "yes" to any of the above or simply want to shift the energy and awaken or rekindle your creative brilliance, then join network member, Liz Giargiari, MSMHC, Usui Reiki Master-Teacher, REAT candidate, for our Free April Teleclass to experience an expressive arts technique that can help you unlock your potential through self-expression. Personally and socially enhancing, the expressive arts are process-oriented, awareness-focused, and emotionally sensitive. As well, all forms (visual artwork & imagery; dance & movement; drama & psychodrama; literature & writing; and music) can be applied to numerous and diverse situations and can benefit all individuals across their lifespan. The expressive arts can help: * Provide a healthy, creative outlet for the expression of a wide range of emotions and feelings, such as anger, anxiety, fear, frustration, grief, excitement, and joy; * Tap the unconscious and give rise to the unknown so the "invisible becomes visible;" * Remove writer's block, painter's block, mental blocks, and whatever! blocks; * Ground, inspire, and stimulate insight for personal and/or professional problem-solving; * Provide a creative resource for individuals (adults and children) as well as opportunity for fun, collaboration, and connection among couples, groups, and families; * Shift one's perspective to foster a different way of viewing the world or a particular scenario or situation - "reframing;" * Facilitate a pathway for discovery and integration when utilized in the therapeutic setting, thereby, providing clients and counselors with greater awareness and understanding of presenting issues as well as possibilities for transformation. Since much of our creativity spawns from the deep well of our unconscious, the expressive arts, and in particular the creative exercise presented in this month's teleclass, can help each of us tap into our unconscious, give rise to our inner wisdom, and access the intuitive self who is and always has been creatively brilliant. All you have to do is express yourself, and this teleclass will provide you with an experience to guide you on your way. Liz asks that participants have a few art supplies ready to use during the call (markers, pencils, or crayons and construction paper, art pad, plain news print, or even re-purposed paper shopping bags!) as the lesson will engage in visual artwork and imagery. Free Public Event! April 10th Teleclass Instructor: Liz Giargiari 7-8pm (eastern time) REGISTER ON-LINE (for your personal dial-in number & access code) Then, save the date and sign up for our Free May 8th Teleclass "Embodied Moving" with Paula Josa-Jones.
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 Heart Space
At a recent workshop, a participant reminded me why so many meditations offer a heart focus. We have more neuro-connections traveling from our heart to our brain (specifically in that direction), than any other pathway in our body. In turn, the openness and clarity of the heart is vital to our own well-being. We make decisions with our hearts a split second before our brain finds out (this brain delay is scientifically proven).
So, recognizing it's extraordinary value, this month we offer another heart-oriented meditation.
Take a few deep breaths into your heart. Allow the breath to come into and exit through your heart.
As you can feel the breath connect with your heart, picture a luminous white jewel resting in your heart chakra, shining out in all directions. With each breath, feel the space of your heart opening. The light may appear to shine ever brighter, as you connect with your own heart.
As the brilliance of your heart extends beyond you, allow it to stretch and grow. This heart offers the space for all you may experience.
Allow your heart to find the luminosity of another heart in the world, and witness the light dance they create together. Continue your heart breath, and find another heart to share a dance with. You may even picture yourself on a busy street, dancing with the magnificence of all the hearts moving from place to place.
Know that, you may share your heart energy - first with yourself, and then with others. It is YOUR energy. The more you practice this visualization, the greater your capacity for feeling your own heart space and sharing it with others, because you are beaming from the inside out.
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Several years ago I rented a lovely space for my Third Option Coaching practice and workshops. After selecting the paint colors, area rugs, wall art and some minimal furniture it felt both grounded and light - a perfect combination. For me it represented an outer manifestation of the best energy within me.
When the time came to renew the lease, I struggled. While the space was wonderful, it was bigger than I truly needed. The under utilized beauty came at a significant rent, and it was about to get higher. What to do?
In speaking with a close friend about the challenge I faced, she shared an insight that launched a new bud of growth for me. She said, "Joanne, I hear you saying that the space gives form to a manifestation of you that you don't see when you look in the mirror." Bingo!
Inspired, I made a commitment to be curious about what else I could create that would feel like an attractive extension of me. I began with a new space that fit my budget and needs better. And while it continues to be a work in progress...a little tweak here and there...it feels quite lovely to me.
Meanwhile, I allowed this question to marinate: "How do I create a physical manifestation in my own body that represents the best energy within me." I decided it would be nice to look in the mirror and see the best me looking back.
To start, I worked with Nathalie Blitz. Guided by her I learned, one gentle step at a time, to shift some habits to better support me. We're not talking rocket science here; Nathalie's simple suggestions encouraged me to be more me, rather than attempting some difficult mass prescribed protocol.
Here are a few tips I use from Nathalie:
1) A glass of warm water with fresh squeezed lemon first thing each day awakens my digestive system.
2) Making a concerted effort to eat about the same time every day, reminds my body of it's rhythm; it doesn't need to hold on for all it's worth, because more nutrition will be coming!
3) I rediscovered the physical sensation of hunger. Growing up, I learned to eat when someone told me to, whether hungry or not, so I forgot how to listen to my own body's signals.
By drowning my body in a history of "should," I was challenged by both when to eat AND when to stop. Through work with Suzie Donahue, a Theta Healer, I learned on every level of my existence about the "levels of hunger," and the signals for when to stop eating.
In this process, there wasn't much shape shifting happening, but I began to feel better. I experienced a level of self-care and healthy habits that I'd never known for myself.
Then, eight months ago, I began a program that Adrian Wilkins created. As a part of the process, I started using MyFitnessPal. Turns out, I had no idea what my body desired calorically speaking, nor did I fathom how many calories I consumed. I'd never counted calories because I had horrible memories of my mother and grandmother doing so, and they possessed polar opposite eating disorders.
Here's what I learned through Adrian's program:
1) I can balance food as a combination of fuel and pleasure.
2) I now welcome information about what I'm eating, that I previously closed my eyes to.
3) I enjoy feeling "slightly" hungry and feel good about choices that support my good health.
As of this writing, I am 30+ pounds lighter. It's funny to realize that my true goal is to find the body that represents the best of me, and I simply have no idea what that looks like yet. With each shift, though, I feel more and more me. And in case you haven't picked up on a key point here, this journey has been quite pain-free. I learned from Nathalie that health choices made from a place of punishment do not work. And with Adrian's program, I have affirmative support that calms the old, familiar struggles.
My personal recipe:
1) Allow myself support in an area that feels tortured.
2) Hire experts to provide that support - having the best makes a difference!
3) Apply all of the mindful principles I've ever learned to this aspect of my journey and growth.
Suzie taught me that when the universe hears you've lost something, it endeavors to help you find it, so one does not "lose" weight, one releases it. Nathalie describes the shift as being lighter - that fits for me exactly. I am enjoying the lightness of this being.
I invite you consider using my recipe to support you on your path forward, noting that it may apply to any form, shape, or situation.
With love and lightness,
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Move ~ Write ~ Move
with
 
Paula Josa-Jones and Carol Burnes
A workshop for movers who think they can't write,
and writers who think they can't move
and for those who love to do both
Come play with movement and words in ways you may never have thought to try, and discover how one inspires the other. Surprise yourself with new heights and depths of expression. When we connect words and movement both are transformed.
Grounding our awareness in the body gives us a clear and immediate sense of ourselves, of our own meaning and stories. Through connecting movement and words we cultivate a moment-to-moment awareness and find true voice.
With stillness and movement we tap into experience, thought, feeling, memory and dream finding words to take from the body to the page and off the page into the body.
- How can writing inform my movement practice?
- How can moving my body deepen my writing?
- What words are generated from the body?
- What movement is generated from words?
Both experienced and inexperienced movers and writers who want to play are welcome. We will weave improvisational movement practices with spontaneous writing exercises.
Wear comfortable clothing and bring your favorite notebook and pen. Please also bring a packed lunch and whatever you like to drink.
Green Street Studios, 185 Green St., Cambridge
Register with payment by April 7th and receive tuition savings
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Game Changing Business Decisions
 This month, Samvedam Randles and her special guest, Volker Frank invite you to take stock of the decisions that affect your career or business. Volker explains, "We make decisions all day long and most of them don't change much. And then there are one or two decisions that are game changers. They have a big impact and usually come with uncomfortable risks and unknowns. They linger and loom. And they use up a lot of energy in the background that you could use elsewhere."
If you find yourself...
- Procrastinating
- Wondering if it's too soon to make that decision
- Curious about what needs to happen to move forward
- Feeling that too many people are affected and involved who are not aligned
...then experience the work of Organizational Constellations.
Organizational Constellations help to clarify systemic dynamics, identify social dynamics around business decisions, and provide an assessment tool to explore how you may connect with the big choices before you. The impact of this work is profound.
One of Samvedam/Volker's students explains, "Imagine having a customized, visual and experiential as-is assessment, unique to the specifics of your organization including: it's mission, business goals, customers, workforce, leadership, and internal and external challenges. From this unique perspective, the constellation illustrates both barriers to success and opportunities for change, while you simultaneously receive expert guidance from Volker and Samvedam. Through this work I have gained access to an internal "bookmarked" experience that created a new intention about my own career advancement and joyful contribution at work."
If you would like to participate in the experience of Organizational Constellations, join Samvedam and Volker April 20th and 21st.
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A Taste of...Ride Dance Write
March 8, 2013
she said
People pay Pam White for her wisdom, her humor, her time. I am blessed to awaken to all of that. This morning, she said, "I have a download for you. About what we were talking about last night." I am awake. We were talking about my feeling derailed, discouraged and overwhelmed by the prospects for publishing my book. She said, "You have to sit deeper in the saddle. You have to be the rider, not the horse." Meaning that I have to be the writer, not the book. Meaning that I can't become over-identified with the book. It isn't me, I am not it, or at least I am more than just that. The day before I had listened to Paul Scheele's wonderful paraliminal recording called "Automatic Pilot." It is about getting clear about your goal and getting clear about the steps to take to realize your goal. After listening, I felt myself back in the river, paddle in hand, boat following the channel, the current. I spent a couple days making huge strides, and for the first time, seeing the whole of the book, rather than just the parts. Then I spoke to a friend who is book and publishing savvy, and suddenly found myself high and dry. River gone, boat and paddle gone. Here is what happened. I forgot to look in the direction of what I want. I started to focus hard on "reality," and "the problem," and then sure enough that problem does get legs and start to run. And then she said, and this is important, "This will sound radical: every day, let go of something you aren't or don't want." I thought about letting go of fear or doubt or ambition. To abstract, too slippery. last week, I let go of a page on my website that described something that I no longer want to do. It felt radical. I pitched into the virtual trash bin. Today, I am letting go of my schedule. It is snowy and I am not planning to drive over the mountain to ride. So my day has a more fluid, amniotic feel to it. Tomorrow, I could let go of this blog. Who knows?
- Contributed by Paula Josa-Jones from her blog Ride Dance Write
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