December 2008

Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a trauma that prepares you for a future of radical transformation.
- Cherrie Moraga

 
Life is a series of breakthroughs.
 
Consider the way in which we come into the world. Quite literally breaking through, we begin the cycle of life as we know it. We are pushed into being by a force beyond our control. What lies on the other side of the trauma that we are experiencing is unknown, and is therefore feared. Soon we learn that the same force that pushed us into the world is the essence of nourishment and safety. Nevertheless, in the moment of birth and emergence, we cry out as the light pierces the veil of darkness. Naturally, we wince at a power that exceeds comprehension.
 
We spend the rest of our life re-living this birth pattern, comforts followed by contractions. These contractions often come to us as breakdowns - some aspect of our life threatening to dissolve. Each time, life is leading us to a new emergence (greater light) so that we might experience more brilliance - of insight, of connection, of purpose. Through each and every breakdown - however dark it may seem - is the womb through which more light will emerge. Thus, each breakdown is a breakthrough - a state of emergenc-y in the truest sense.
 
If we so choose, we may reframe our approach to the emergencies of life. There is no denying that such seasons of change can be painful and confusing. The time spent in the midst of breakdown is a time of contraction requiring strength and endurance, and can be especially difficult if the light of breakthrough cannot be readily seen in the distance. A breakdown forces us from the comfort of the status quo so that we might acknowledge what we have too long denied. We have become dependent on habits that we have outgrown, and we are being forced to take our life to the next level.
 
Generally, breakdowns are met with fear. (Just look no further than current state of our financial sectors for evidence of this on a cultural level). The natural energy of fear is contraction, withdrawal, and sometimes panic. In times of breakdown, we are conditioned to feel smaller as we are faced with a force beyond our control. We may feel defeated, ill-equipped, and unsure of what is to come. In essence, we ask the same questions that we did not have words for as we emerged from the womb - where oh where could these contractions be taking us?!
 
I suggest we approach this time of contraction with consciousness, introspection, and a certain degree of trust. Activate your inner witness, and assess what is no longer in harmony with your most heartfelt desires. Ask yourself: What habits have I outgrown? How am I being asked to change? In what ways am I limiting the possibilities in my life? And, what am I most afraid of? In this way, we consciously engage with each contraction, willingly and openly breathing through the waves of challenge in the hope of greater insight.
 
Yet awareness, while most essential, is only the yin of it. in the end - and only you will know when it is time - you must be prepared to engage the yang within...to push your way out. Contractions get closer together; discomfort forces you into action...and you facilitate your own rebirth by taking courageous steps that align you with the potential you are stepping into.
 
Listening to the wisdom of breakdown, we learn from it, and thereby facilitate breakthroughs in our own lives. Keep in mind, reflection can be made easier in the company of a coach, an ally, or a dear friend. When we are held in the spirit of self-empathy, fear is transmuted into power. When navigated consciously, fear can actually be used as a wisdom that results in a more expansive you. Just as contractions enable birth, if allowed, fear enables new life. Contraction begets expansion. Breakdown begets breakthrough.
 
Keep in mind, most breakthroughs happen in stages. Each and every contraction bringing more awareness of how we must continually move and grow. Take it one step at a time, and know that the joy of a new path is emerging:
 

AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia Nelson
 
Chapter I:
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.
 
Chapter II:
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
 
Chapter III:
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
 
Chapter IV:
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
 
Chapter V:
I walk down another street.

Seeing The Light Ahead,
Candice

Tags: life coach portland

November 2008

Cowardice asks the question, Is it safe?
Expediency asks the question, Is it politic?
Vanity asks the question, Is it popular?
But, conscience asks the question, Is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because one's conscience tells one that it is right.
Martin Luther King, Jr

Courage is be true to what is in your heart, even in the face of potential backlash. There is pressure in our culture to be politically neutral in the arena of business. Like the separation of church and state, we often keep our principles and politics out of the workplace and confine it to our homes. In many instances, there is wisdom in such intentions. Too often, personalities become intertwined in political debates and everyone loses in the need to be right. For some reason we find cause to argue, caught in the out-dated illusion that in order to be for something we have to be against someone.

Nevertheless, tonight I challenge the status quo. I step out of the box. I become transparent in my principles because, for the first time in my life, I feel the emergence of a leader who echoes my conscience. My business and my practice are really a reflection of who I am, and an aim to share my gifts through the way I am designed to serve. And so, with joy and an unprecedented feeling of my own ideals and truths reflected, I share my unabashed joy at the election of Barack Obama as the new president of the United States. In doing so, I take the risk that some of you will confuse my principles with political issues and turn a derisive ear on my musings. It's a chance I am willing to take; as I believe that truth and transparency always lead us closer to what unites us in the end.

Hope is the voice within, that in the absence of all evidence insists that Light is still present.
Hope, a fundamental SHiNE Principle.

I can't ever remember feeling connected to a political leader who lived and drew breath in my lifetime. I have yearned to feel inspired by, not only a personality, but a message that resonates at the core of who I am. My life has been a bumpy journey guiding me towards the ideals of truth, humility, grace, compassion, and most of all, hope.

I so often looked around at the world in which I lived with confusion, wondering if the unity, diplomacy, and promise that I know is possible might ever be reflected back to me on a large scale in my lifetime. As a child who moved from small town to small town, I felt isolated from the world of stability and abundance. As an adolescent I was baffled by my small but powerful reality that demanded an offensiveness of me that I didn't inherently possess. As a young college student, I dove into philosophy, religion, and ancient texts as substitutes for the leadership I yearned for in my coming of age. And as a young adult, I have often felt I am designed to live in a different world than the one reflected back to me in our cultural habits and expectations. Nevertheless, I have fought to live the life of hope through my choices. No matter what safety, expedience, and vanity might have to say...inner authority matters most of all. And there is a light inside of me - however dim it may seem at times - that says it is possible to be who I am in this world. It is indeed possible to recreate a world in which everyone feels he or she has a place and a significance.

Tonight, I shed tears of joy as I witnessed a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people like me (young, diverse, and full of promise) with light and possibility in their eyes. While I have confidence in Obama's principles and what he represents, I did not vote for a man, an issue, or an icon. I voted for a message of hope and unity. I have no doubt that as a president he will face challenges, and I pray that as Americans we offer he and his family the grace of humanness. However, it is the premise of possibility and common purpose that inspires me beyond he, the person. It is what his brilliance elicits in others that matters most to me. It's the look of determination, inspiration, and strength that I saw reflected in eyes of so many in the crowd that gathered all over the country that moved me to tears. You see, as a coach and teacher, I know the power of a will driven by purpose. Nothing stands in the way of the promise of possibility when the will is self-initiated and encouraged.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
Barack Obama

I have never felt more certain and motivated in my work and in the potential of a new world. Tonight, I cried for the child inside of me - and the ancient archetype inside of so many around the world - who never thought someone like her could ever be fully accepted by the world in which we live.

Regardless of your political affiliation, may you have the courage to look beyond division and find a way to unify and align with the greater good that we all seek. I respect you fully for your beliefs, your principles, and your vote in any direction. May we embrace a world where we can all be honored and listened to in our joys and successes, and more importantly in our disappointments and frustrations.

Personally, I see a universal victory in the outcome of this election. In this season of long days of darkness, we are forced look to the light within - the spark of potential felt, yet unseen in the absence of sun. It is from that prick of light inside that spring is seeded. In actuality, potential for change comes not from an outside source, but from our own conviction and inner compass in life. May we all tend to the hope within in order to unite in a common purpose. After all, in the end, it is our differences that empower and enable us to experience deep love, living in a symphonic harmony that sameness simply cannot express.

Yours as a New American,
Candice

Tags: life coach portland

In recent months, I have been swimming in paradox. It's been a peaceful ride through drastic changes in my day-to-day life. A relationship that brought me closer to my fears in order to overcome them has ended. Our parting was filled with compassion and truth, and left me with a sense of completion and wonder. More love than ever, in this case, means letting go.

Another move (the third in 2008!) across town into a solitary existence for the first time in years has been challenging. Add to that, an epic realization that I am no longer the impassioned movement teacher who moved to Portland five years ago. The teacher in me lives on; however, I am no longer drawn to what I once taught. My relationship with Nia has taken me to where I am today and will always be a part of me... but I no longer have the same urge to teach. Teaching hooping has been a joyous journey of learning and connection... yet the business must continue to evolve with me behind the scenes. I am all at once devastated and relieved to be admitting to what I have known for over a year now. I am transforming into a new kind of teacher... and apparently, what exactly this looks like will not reveal itself until I let go of all that I know.

In a final attempt to revive what-once-was, I taught a couple of events this past month. What happened as a result is not unfamiliar to me... it's an experience I have had in the past when I hold on to a reality when it is no longer serving my highest good. It seems to be my spirit's way of speaking to me when I am not listening.

In this instance, it was a moment of teaching... sensing my body, sharing the experience, weaving cues together in new ways and old, as I have for the past seven years... I felt a part of myself (a part that I identify as my spirit, the witness within) begin to rise up just above my body. It feels similar to some out-of-body experiences that I have read about... only without the woo-woo magic and with a lot more fear! I become immersed in the witness and its vantage point, all the while, I am teaching the class on auto-pilot - without missing a beat. The words flow out, the students respond, and I am suspended slightly above, observing it all. Re-reading this it sounds entirely too mystical... when in actuality, it's far from warm and fuzzy. When it is happening, I feel a surge of anxiety that borders on panic. My sensory perception becomes so heightened that it is almost painful to take it all in... everything amplified - sounds, light, my own emotion. It's like a threshold that I can contain only for so long without going mad. Usually with body awareness, I can recover center once more within a second or two. Anyway, when I tap into this hovering aspect of myself, it always delivers the same message in the end. Something like: I don't want to do this anymore. I've done all I can here. Set me free.

Later, once in-body and out-of-class, I fight back with reason. Come on now! We have invested so much time and energy here. (and yes, it's a "we"). We are good at this and we should keep doing it! This argument is my ego's attempt to reign my spirit in... to get it to sign on for an agenda that is safe and secure. Only, it's not. My spirit plays the trump card when it lifts me out of body. My rational mind is silenced. There is no "reason" for what I am experiencing... and nothing about it feels like what my ego calls "safety."

I was reflecting on this to a dear friend in a moment of sorrow. I told her about a moment of rising above myself teaching on auto-pilot. And the sense of emptiness that I felt while teaching what used to fill my heart with passion. I voiced my frustration and self-judgement ... WHY are things always changing? Why can't I just be great at something and then do it again and again, fulfilled by the service I am offering? Why the need to re-invent myself? Why I am rejecting the status quo yet again? Am I just an ego-maniac looking for a fix that I will never find?!

I could almost feel her smiling on the other end. Then, in a sage moment, she responded and struck a chord of truth that I desperately needed strumming. ... Candice, you are a creator and a seeker. You will never be satisfied doing anything once it becomes auto-pilot. You are just not wired that way. You will always transform and change beyond it because it is in your nature to do so.

Uh, yeah.
It is undeniable and true.

Thanks, Sylvia.

And so, I yield.
I let go, again.

This must be what it feels like to be the dust speck on Horton Hears A Who... floating about in the air, hopeful that some force much larger and unseen will carry it to safety. In a way, I guess it is the SHiNE message at work through me... as we all feel that way from time-to-time, especially when we answer the call from within. In the words of Horton, may we remember: "let that be a lesson to one and to all; a person is a person, no matter how small."

And might I add..
Whomever, however, wherever you might be.
The heart of your SHiNE has the right to be free.

Be you. Embrace who you are to keep the light on.

September 2008

Many are the names of God and infinite the forms
through which He may be approached.
- Ramakrishna, 18th century Indian Sage

When we hear the word yoga most of us think of conscious movement, repetitions of downward facing dogs, sweaty palms, and deep breathing. I find it inspiring that so many in our culture are inhabiting their bodies more, and channeling the built-up stresses of a restless spirit into conscious mind-body practice. Even as a practitioner myself, I have always known that modern-day yoga is a secular by-product of a spiritual tradition that dates back centuries.

In my recent studies as an enthusiastic grad student (see announcement about AIHT!), I have been skimming the surface of my coursework. I was immediate drawn into some writings on Hinduism and the origins of yoga. Simplified, "yoga is a method of training designed to lead to integration or union." And while we are accustomed to a practice designed to unify body and mind through movement (making it more marketable and accessible to a secular world hungry for fitness and stress-relief), the origins of yoga reveal greater depth and meaning.

To simplify, four paths are available to actualize the human potential through yoga. Raja Yoga (the way through psychophysical exercise) is what many modern-day practices have been derived from. Other paths include: Karma Yoga (the way through work and action), Bhakti Yoga (the way through love and devotion), and Jnana Yoga (the way through knowledge and wisdom). The Hindu faith believes that all paths - yes, even those of other religions - lead to the same ultimate destination: integration with the Infinite (spirit by any name is one and the same). The four paths of yoga acknowledge that different human temperaments approach their relationship to the Divine uniquely. Peering more closely into yoga as a multidimensional practice has opened my eyes to what it means to be a yoga practitioner and a human.

Too often we reject the most wonderful aspects of a spiritual tradition we know little about because we have an all-or-none mentality. But what if we replaced that with an all-is-one mentality and embraced the brilliance ignited within as the truest teaching, while learning from a variety of sources?

If you feel so inspired, join me this month and expand your practice as a yogi or yogini to "embrace the many paths." Simplify the essence of each and then choose the medicine that speaks to your need in the moment. Maintain awareness of your mental and physical energy and keep movement alive through life as a meditation (raja yoga). Allow more of your actions to become thoughtful and a selfless expression of the Life moving through you (karma yoga). Express love and devotion towards the form and formlessness that Spirit takes in your life (bhakti yoga). And intuit and discern between that which is real and lasting truth and that which is the illusory and fleeting dance of the ego (jnana yoga).

Remember, what moves you at your deepest core is what matters to your life most in the moment. Claim your personal practice of growth and transformation. Stay alive and open in the now. And embrace all paths that bring you home to the Universal Divine. Take what speaks to you, and let the rest go by.

Honoring All As One,
Candice

Tags: life coach portland

SHiNE TeleCoaching
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SHiNE Coaching via telephone makes taking time out for you a piece of cake!

Sometimes all that stands in the way of reaching out for the support we need is convenience and affordability. This fall, Candice is committed to making SHiNE Coaching more accessible. Check out these amazing deals. Rates have never been this low!
________________________________

SHiNE TeleCoaching Deals
LIMITED TIME Rates for Fall 2008

The Quick Fix
Single 45-min Consultation ~ $55

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(4) 45-min Consultations ~ $199
(1 session per week; expires in 30-days)

Individual sessions only.
Available to existing and first-time clients!
* Forward to a Friend in Need *
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Book TeleCoaching Now!

AIHT
American Institute of Holistic Theology

I have always been passionate about bridging the spaces that separate. As a child, I was often the mediator between feuding friends; as an adult, the diplomat able to navigate delicate communications. Yet I feel most passionate about supporting integration in the intersecting avenues of spirit. I am taking this opportunity to do just that by learning and growing through AIHT's distance learning program. No doubt this journey, just beginning, will inspire my work in powerful ways. Stay tuned and thanks for your kind thoughts of support on my new adventure!
- Candice

Learn more about AIHT

The Story of Stuff
with Annie Leonard

If you haven't yet seen this video and interaction website, you've got to check it out! It sheds light on the consumer culture we live in and offers awareness to take us into a more conscious way of being that honors our planet and fellow humans worldwide. Watch it now!

check it out

HoopGirl Teacher Training
Nuneaton, England

What an amazing way to start out the month! I have been traveling in the UK, co-teaching HoopGirl teacher trainings with my soul sister and radiant colleague, Christabel Zamor. The training is filled with so many inspirational women (and one man!) with roots stretching far and wide - England, Scotland, Wales, Poland, Italy, and Columbia to name a few! Altogether creating a myriad of accents, talents, and creative impulses.

It is always an honor to see trainees stepping into their power as teachers. And working with Christabel - a powerhouse of inspiration and possibility - is a total joy! Can I just say I adore our connection?! What a divine partnership it is. Our joint facilitation is so effortless and contains an undeniable synergy. Wow. Lucky for me, we are training through August 5. See you when I return!

The highlight of my teaching experience thus far is getting to know Kim, a 20-year old individualist with pink/purple hair and a variety of strategically-placed body piercings. She exudes a sensitivity and femininity beneath a tough exterior. She possesses a potent power clouded by the uncertainty to be expected at her age. I observed with fascination when, on Day 3 (the day of the teaching practicums), she was held hostage by self-effacing inner dialogue. She was filled with fear and dread at the thought of teaching in front of 20 other hoopers. Though the space was safe and supportive, she withdrew feeling powerless. Going to her, I did my best to penetrate this voice with my own. Listening through tears, she would nod, smile, and even laugh at my musings... only minutes later to sink back into the space of doubt.

Eventually, with some coaching and coaxing by myself and others, she chose to face her fear. I was so proud and in awe as she placed the headset on and began to lead the class with a command and presence I knew would come so naturally to her. Then it happened... one split second, a loss of words, and the truth of her effortless brilliance was again hijacked by fear. She seemed almost defenseless against it, and as her shoulders sunk her confidence was lost to her again. What happened next is like slow motion in my memory.

Christabel and I stood back to allow space for her to regain her center. Empathically I knew that doing nothing was the best way to be of service in this moment. And I watched with understanding and alarm as, one-by-one, the women around me (Kim's fellow trainees) began to rescue her. Motherly instincts kicked in, and each offered their own brand of love and kindness - some subtly teaching the class for her, and others ushering her along with physical closeness. As I witnessed, I noticed the result to Kim's energy... and something in me took over the space immediately. I stepped forward, not sure what I was about to do... just knowing it had to be done, and fast. Kim's soul was counting on us to do her a greater and higher service in the moment.

I simply knew - without a doubt - the truth of her brilliant potential. I firmly requested that everyone step away from Kim. With conviction I asserted over the buzz of the group, "I am stepping in here. I am 100% confident that Kim can do this. And I would like to give her the opportunity. I am requested that everyone stop doing this for her, and give her the space to have the experience she is here to have."

Everyone set their best intentions aside and backed away... they knew that I was on to something.

Within a minute or two, Kim was back in her power again. She is truly a lovely facilitator, very articulate and strong, with her own unique brand of humor. Throughout the course of her practicum, she lost her center again a couple of times... but because we did not feed those voices of self-pity with their co-dependent counterpart (the rescuer), she was able to rise from the ashes again and again. I am so proud of Kim. She is an emblem of courage to me. And to be pushing through fears like this as such a young adult... wow. I appreciate what she taught us all yesterday.

It was a miraculous moment to witness her in her brilliant glory!

We all have a choice when it comes to the negative self-talk (jackals) that can sometimes vie for our precious energy. It is in believing the story that our jackals tell us that we become helpless in connecting to the available brilliance within. (And yes, it's always available). Certainly, there is a time to nurture others (and ourselves) with empathy and understanding. However, it is easy to cross the line into unhealthy enabling of untruth when we support anything other than brilliance with the need to rescue. It's a fine line to walk... and safe containers (personal growth seminars, counseling sessions, loving relationships) are where we can practice a sort of tough love to bring one another back into the light again.

My thanks to HoopGirl, Christabel, Kim, and all the other inspiring trainees for this remarkable opportunity.

August 2008

At the deepest level, the level of the soul, you are the author of everything that happens to you. - Deepak Chopra

Inner Authority. It is an essential component in following one's own path of brilliance. The word "authority" implies both a sense of sovereignty and, perhaps less obviously, the ability to author and/or create an outcome. Inner Authority (Mahatma Gandhi called it soul force) places the power to create back in your heart and hands. Soul Force is hard-wired to override evidence (or opinions) to its contrary. It is a knowing that, at times, defies reason. And due to its unreasonable and unworldly nature, it brings you closer to the Divine.

Through experience in working with my own internal guidance and authority, I have learned to trust it. When I resist the guidance that I receive within (usually due to fear of failure or judgment), my outer world begins to express symptoms of my soulular discomfort. If I push my limits, my body may begin to shut down or pack on the pounds. If I continue to do something that no longer inspires me, conflicts may begin to emerge or money may stop flowing freely. All in all, my life seems to be divinely orchestrated; I only need have the courage to respond to its cues.

In this month's recommended reading, Deepak Chopra lists what he calls the Three Requirements to be Happy on The Soul Level. He invites us to ask the following questions:

Do I act without effort?
Do I feel joy in what I do?
Are my actions bringing results?

He very plainly put into words the process that I have been going through over the past few months. I am delighted to report that I am taking steps to shift the order of my everyday so that I can again answer an emphatic YES! to each of the above.

Now what about you? How is your soul represented in your everyday? Your physical reality is a reflection of your soulular alignment...yes, at all times. Are you making choices that are in integrity with the truth of you, the highest expression of who you can be at this moment? If so, Grace will walk alongside you as an ally. Or it may be that you are ready to make some space for your soul's deepest truths to emerge with more ease. Choices, one at a time, are all that stand between you and the deepest level of joy and fulfillment you could ever know.

Saying Yes Now,
Candice

Tags: life coach portland

Why Is God Laughing
The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism
by Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra's latest book is a quick-read narrative style, laced with empowering insights. The story of a comedian's journey to enlightenment is followed by a brilliantly written guide to spiritual optimism. Inspired writing meets an easy read.

I read the entire book, cover-to-cover, on a 5 hour flight to Newark!
Enjoy.


more info

July 2008

  
If you receive guidance that compromises your physical comfort,
would you be willing to follow it?
- Caroline Myss

The translucent butterfly (pictured above) has become a mascot for my own path of trusting the promise of brilliant living. Allow her journey to shed some light:
 
One day a lone caterpillar was suddenly called. She was told by the force of her very nature to retreat into solitude and containment in order to experience a death of one self into another.
 
In saying yes, she was called to a resting place - suspended in thin air. There she began to shed her skin. It was frightening! Who would she be without it? The form she once knew was replaced by a shell and she was enveloped by darkness and paralysis. She couldn't move. Where exactly was she? And what had happened to all the light?! She hung, suspended between two lifetimes within one. She waited in the dark, at times feeling very afraid and alone - wondering why she had agreed to such a calling. Yet all the while, she felt a spark of promise whispering from deep, deep within.
 
Over time, the light inside her very core - once faint - became a wellspring of divine light. It kept her warm and safe as she felt who she once was dissolve and transform. It was scary to be stripped of her very caterpillar nature and all that she once knew. She wondered what might become of her...and what would be her place in the world? At times she fought the urge to break free from this cocoon that surrounded her. To squirm back out into the world as she once was. Yet each time she tried, the path was denied. She knew that in heeding that first call, there was no turning back.
 
In time, a potential deep within her pushed its way to the surface. She was ignited by possibility and an outrageous freedom to take flight. And all in one miraculous instant she felt death and new life merge. She pushed, she squirmed, and she broke free - soaring into the unknown.
 
Like the caterpillar, sometimes we are called to be born anew - towards the next grandest vision of how we might best serve the world. Our interconnectedness to All That Is becomes apparent - if we are humble enough to heed the call. Paradoxically, with each of our mini-incarnations we come to understand that to live and make choices in authentic self-love is far from a selfish pursuit. By following the compass of our soul, we give our best to the world around us.
 
For some of us, it is a call we will receive many times in our life. Letting go of what was once a comfortable existence and accepting the promise of something that requires we change who we think ourselves to be. And it usually requires we (temporarily at least) surrender the physical comforts that we once knew (relationships, career paths, and sometimes the approval of friends and family).
 
In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of a time of transformation is the potent force of the unknown. We wonder, "where did the light go?" as experiences that once inspired us no longer ignite our soul...or as those who once held us in high opinion question our path of change. Yet the darkness and self-containment is the greatest gift of all. It is by experiencing this season in which we are cut off from the light sources in our external world that we learn to tap Brilliance and Guidance from within.
 
I encourage you to the heed the soulful call that comes your way. A calling on the modern spiritual path is not a booming voice from beyond. Instead it creeps in through the cracks of our daily existence - through physical or emotional imbalances that threaten us to grow and change or continue on suffering.
 
And may more of us emerge from our cocoons with the promise of the transluscent butterfly. May the wings that carry our brilliance out into the world be clear and transparent so that the glory of the True Source might SHiNE through in our everyday flight.

Cracking Through My Cocoon,
Candice

Click here to see a caterpillar's journey to butterfly on YouTube.

Tags: life coach portland

Entering The Castle
by Caroline Myss

I am loving this book! It is a work that appeals to all who feel themselves to be "mystics without monastaries." Myss has written a soulful and engaging book that speaks to the deeper desires at the soul of who we are as humans. A great prescription to awaken from the distractions of the physical world.

more info

June 2008

It's choice...
that determines your destiny.
Jean Nidetch

As a coach, I come across people everyday who are in a season of transition. Often I sit with a client as she weighs her options in regards to the various aspects of life. Be it venturing out on a new career path, taking a relationship to the next level, or rising from a season of depression, people come looking for a container of grace in which all facets of a situation can be seen more clearly.

Through experience, I have learned the power of language as a tool for transformation. The simple act of attending to our inner dialogue has the power to change the course of our thinking...and of our lives. When teaching exercises in conscious communication (stay tuned, workbook coming soon!), I suggest we flag certain words in order to shift the flow of energy in our minds and hearts. This creates a reset function in regards to our thinking and can be the key ingredient to shift a mental construct for good.

Make Choices vs. Decisions

When I hear a client say..."I need to decide, and I'm just not sure what to do." It is then I know that choice is the medicine of the moment. To decide in a moment of ambivalence forces a false sense of finality to the present moment. I invite us to honor the now of our reality, rather than focusing on the how (which is a function of the future, taking us out of the moment). Sometimes when we feel pressure to make decisions (knowing how), rather than choices (knowing now), we inadvertantly disempower ourselves. We make assumptions about the future and add unnecessary weight to our choices - assuming we know where each will lead us over time. We bind ourselves to a way of being that may serve us in the moment, yet not necessarily long-term. And, most of all, we rob ourselves of the freedom to experience the miracle that is a change of heart.

Choices are authentic, in-the-moment, and ever-changing - as are we! To choose is to evoke the essence of self acceptance and allows room for growth. Choice is a priviledge meant to evolve us towards more responsible expressions of who we are in the world. The highest choices are those that create more peace, love, and harmony in the world around us. We can decide to change the world, but can only happen one choice at a time.

So this month, practice presence. And if and when you feel the weight of decision upon you, choose what feels right in the moment instead. Respond to the now and release the how.

Thanks to inspirational singer and songwriter, India Arie, we have the perfect anthem for this month's focus:

I Choose, by India Arie
listen to it now

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May those who love us, love us;
and those who don't love us,
may God turn their hearts;
and if He doesn't turn their hearts,
may he turn their ankles
so we'll know them by their limping.
- Irish Blessing

I must admit that I have spent considerable life force - as so many of us have - reaching eagerly for the love of those around me. Nevertheless, I can't say that I relate to this blessing as it applies to others. I find that the love that matters most is not that which we receive. It is the love that we give that later comes back to us. And that love we give is what is reflected in the number of hearts that turn our way.

And, paradoxically, many times it is the love and tenderness we give unto ourselves that is most medicinal over time.

Only a few days ago I stumbled upon a strange turn of events (puns intended). The week began with a trip on the stairs and turned left ankle that left me with a small limp. Luckily, I yielded to the fall; thus, the injury was minor and discomfort passed rather quickly. Oddly, it was less than 16 hours later that I fell again - this time not so gracefully. My right ankle was rocked to the core - a severe sprain that left my skin purple and swollen. For three days I have been resting, icing, compressing, and elevating. Only yesterday was I able to put pressure on my right foot...today a limp is the evidence that lingers.

When I read the Irish Blessing above, I couldn't help but smile. The blessing has been in turning my attention to my own heart... and the limp is helping me to see better how often I turn away from that which nurtures me and the direction I wish to move in.

In my life experience - and in my professional life - I have seen again and again how the body acts as a metaphor. After discovering this through my own personal experience, I stumbled upon teachers such as Louise Hay (and her epic book Heal Your Body, Heal Your Life). The joints of the body are all about mobility... and the ability to move forward. They are about flow and right direction, if you will. And so this week I take stock of my choices and how they align with the direction of my dreams. And I am grateful for the message my body sends me.

BTW, here is my edited version of the old Irish Blessing

May I be at one with the Flow of Divine Love
and when I am not,
may the Beloved turn my heart towards It once again;
and if It doesn't succeed in turning my heart,
may It sweep my feet in Its direction
and I'll remember Love by my limping.

- Irish Blessing [edited]

The Yin Warrior is an ancient archetype, and a woman of a new and enlightened world. She is the wayshower for the many who yearn for the Feminine to re-emerge as compassionate, empathic leadership.

The Order of Life for the Yin Warrior is:
Instinct: elemental connection with her environment (her physical body being the most important environment to fully embody)
Intuition: the way that life speaks to and through her through Instinct (felt sensation) as a foundation
Interdependence: how her instincts and intuitions enable her to effectively interact with others in relationships

For too long the Yin Warrior has been asleep in our culture. The Order of Life for women has been operating backwards. Relationships are often put before all else - overriding both the impulses of Instinct and Intuition. Intuition has been overshadowed by measurable truths or mistaken for mystical fantasy. And Instinct - spoken through the physical body world - has become a vehicle in which to meet desired ends, rather than a sacred space to embody as the foundation of life.

Let's re-visit The Order of Life for the Yin Warrior through some of her many tools:

INSTINCT
A woman has a visceral knowing - being one with the earth. She understands the elemental dust from which she - and all things - arise from and return to. She embraces the body in its curvaceous celebration of the cyclical nature of form. The body is her temple and instinct is the voice of the Earth itself echoing through its walls. As the space through which life enters, she is masterful at understanding energetic landscapes and the weather patterns of the life unfolding all around her. Her body speaks volumes through sensation.

Sensation
She becomes silent enough to attend to the winds within her body and its resulting rhythms. Harmony is found in nature and her connection to it. All of life around her is Nature speaking to her. She asks: Are you listening? How is the flow of the Body World supporting your desires in the moment? Is there resistance? In which direction can your steer the vessel of your life so that flow is found again? She makes choices that yield to a rhythm her body can move through with ease. She cultivates strength by befriending grace and sensation as allies. She is a master of patience in the birth of all things.

Perhaps most importantly in this time of women-against-women... she puts down her sword of judgement once and for all. The Yin Warrior wields no weapon. She shines with an Open Heart - as it is the only "protection" she needs. When anyone (including another woman!) speaks, the Yin Warrior listens with her entire body. She overrides the cultural tendency to self-compare (attire, physique, age, etc); competition is meaningless to her. Instead she hears what is being said beneath the surface of things, using her body as a fine-tuned instrument of presence and discernment so that she may re-create harmony.

Harmony
She makes her personal well-being a first priority and a felt sensation. She asks: When something "goes wrong" in your environment, where do you go to address the disharmony? Do you frantically resist your environment outside, hoping to change your internal landscapes? What does it take to restore a sense of balance in your body and heart? The Yin Warrior cultivates self-love by taking overt actions that affirm how her life matters to her.

The Yin Warrior listens to her own rhythms and instincts first and foremost. She feels no need to criticize, gossip, or complain... for she understands all impulses rippling in and around her are mirrors through which to see herself more clearly. She looks closely in such moments, and discerns how she might care for herself and the world around her more efficiently. Through self-nurturing, she re-aligns herself with the voice of her instincts (and the environment responds with harmony in accordance with her self-love). Her god-given enchantment is nurtured on a soulular level, so any measures to adorn her physical form are meant to enhance her natural radiance.

INTUITION
A woman knows without knowing how. An inner-aligment with instinct is the foundation for intuition. Tuning in - sensing the world within and without - is the grid upon which the heart rests in its knowing.

Radiant Knowledge
The knowing of the heart is radial. It encompasses all - even the unseen - in its assessment of the moment. This is why instinct coupled with sensation is the foundation of such knowledge. Without this radial awareness, instinct becomes egocentric and blind to the whole. Fearful instincts are not considered in context, and are thus mistaken for intuitive knowing. Therefore, the Yin Warrior is firmly anchored in the body world so that she may be a conduit for knowledge of another kind.

When intuition comes, it need not be accompanied by fireworks. It creeps up in the heart of a woman, and she knows not its true source. A sudden awareness emerges - through thought, word, image, or sensation. The Yin Warrior holds this knowing up against her internal compass which measures its implications on the environment around her. Only when a confirmation responds from within does she give movement to her knowledge.

Emphatic Truth
Empathy is that which makes necessary the path of the woman as a warrior archetype in our existing culture. Empathy is the tool the Yin Warrior lives her life learning to understand. A woman who embraces her inherent gifts and is in touch with the world around her may sometimes feel bombarded with information and stimulation. Sensation is heightened and can overwhelm the body. Intuition is activated and can overwhelm the heart and mind. The Yin Warrior applies her empathic abilities to balance these tendencies, as she receives from so many sources at once. Once balanced, empathy says, I sense the energy that is present while knowing that I am she who is sensing. I do not confuse myself with the energetic environment in which I live... nor that which I interact with. I do not confuse your experience with the truth of who you are. I see behind the veils of this world; and therefore, I never lose my faith in love.

In this way, truth is welcome in a new way. The Yin Warrior speaks great truth with an ease, an acceptance, a grace. She shares what is alive inside of her without becoming lost in the experience. She comes from a place of harmony... so no matter the potency of the honesty she transmits, she is understood in her intention to create connection. She is direct and clear in her communication, but never confrontational. Connection is her starting point, and her endpoint. She is truly a conduit of love through word and action.

INTERDEPENDENCE
When instinct (physical radiance) and intuition (heart radiance) are attended to, a woman is at one with her world. It is then that relationship reveals itself Whole through her.

Partner with the Beloved He
The Yin Warrior knows that the union of Her Most Sacred Heart with the Beloved He comes first. She places her body, heart, and soul in union with the force of life... and it dances her with a graceful ease. Her life is meant to service and nurture Relationship the the All of Life, first and foremost. This is the Divine Marriage through which she will find her greatest joys and sorrows (both of which she honors and treasures for their unique gifts).

The Infinite Spaceholder
The Yin Warrior holds space through which life can happen. She is the fertile soil of the land. No matter how the fields of her heart are tended, she returns to wholeness again and again. Resilience as a concept can not do her justice. Nor the concept of the Survivor, for it implies victimhood. She is no victim, regardless of circumstance. She is the ultimate power of acceptance. Divine acceptance that sees through veils of personalities, challenges, and consequence. Her choices are sacred acts of love - each a birth of life worth celebrating to fruition. And, knowing nature, she knows this... ALL will bear fruit, in due time.

The Nurturer, she pulls all of life to her bosom in order to shed light of love.
Treat all as innocent children, she whispers.
Accept this