Ever wake up feeling blah (like something opposite the yumminess of chocolate. same color)?
When each step of your daily morning meditation/yoga feels like torture?
Well, boys and girls, I am having one of those FABULOUS parties going on right now.
And of all days New Year's Eve.
The Universe sure has a sense of humor.
What's the amusing lesson I wonder?
Each step I take today is literally an accomplishment.
All my body and mind wants to do is crawl back into bed.
Feel all achy. Nausea too. Or is it my body pulling a fast one on me?
I have tasks to complete by 1pm and my mind can move so much faster while my physical actions are lagging quite a bit behind.
I asked my sister to shovel the snow & of course she asked why I'm not shoveling with her. Now, she's a good kid. Just 13 yrs old and normally preoccupied with other things.
I admitted to her I really was having trouble starting my day and I would be very grateful if she could do me a favor and shovel it.
It worked. She listened and she came to my aid.
Awwwww. (little flicker of spark). I am grateful to have her in my life. Thank you.
I'm sitting at my desk getting my body and mind into motion.
It's actually quite hilarious looking at myself from a 3rd person.
What can I do to get "me" up and running again?
An email from a friend added the spark to fire me up just enough. Thanks Teri.
I am listening to Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
He talked about “quitters never win and winners never quit.”
I have heard this before but it is taking on new dimensions.
Is success as simple as never quitting? No, but it is an absolutely critical element.
So onward HO!!! woohoo. I'm back.
Now, how to add a little playfulness into these heavy steps to make it fluffier and lighter?
Just keep swimming.
Just keep swimming.
Swim swim swim swim swim swim swimming.
-Dory the blue fish from Nemo singing to the father Marlon. Cheering him on to venture into the dangerous open sea from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, to find his son Nemo who's captive in the fish tank of a dentist's office in Sydney.
I know it's a story. What an adventure. If you haven't seen it. Great movie.
It's about keeping the eye on the ball. Staying focused.
If the WHY is strong enough, the HOW will all come in.
I'm moving tin man speed now.
Better and with repeated movements, the engine is slowly revving.
AHHHHH. I am grateful for my body, my altar, my life.
I am grateful of the magical thing called warmth and heat that makes you feel comfy.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
ZIG ZIGLAR - SETTING GOALS
I believe that no matter who you are, we can always benefit from being inspired and reminded how we can master our skills.
I've been guilty myself interrupting and stopping people from teaching me because "I already know that."
Now, I accept the role as a student. Even if you tell me something I already know, I can always take your information and look at it from a deeper or different perspective.
The lessons I received from this video (Thanks Christy):
We all have same amount of time whether millionaire or pauper.
We all have 24 hours, every single day.
NOT LACK OF TIME. It's lack of direction.
We will never make it as a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific.
People busy busy bees. Going going going. Never accomplish anything because they don't have clearly identifiable objectives.
Don't confuse activity with accomplishments.
SETTING GOALS
1. write down objective
2. time I expect to complete
3. identified the obstacle/challenge I have to overcome
4. identified ppl/groups/organizations to work with
5. divised a plan of action to do it. set time limit.
6. what I need to know
7. what's in it for me
The videos are 4-5 min long. Enjoy.
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
I've been guilty myself interrupting and stopping people from teaching me because "I already know that."
Now, I accept the role as a student. Even if you tell me something I already know, I can always take your information and look at it from a deeper or different perspective.
The lessons I received from this video (Thanks Christy):
We all have same amount of time whether millionaire or pauper.
We all have 24 hours, every single day.
NOT LACK OF TIME. It's lack of direction.
We will never make it as a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific.
People busy busy bees. Going going going. Never accomplish anything because they don't have clearly identifiable objectives.
Don't confuse activity with accomplishments.
SETTING GOALS
1. write down objective
2. time I expect to complete
3. identified the obstacle/challenge I have to overcome
4. identified ppl/groups/organizations to work with
5. divised a plan of action to do it. set time limit.
6. what I need to know
7. what's in it for me
The videos are 4-5 min long. Enjoy.
PART 1
PART 2
PART 3
Magnificent & Priceless
Something I learned at the amazing business forum I attended.
"Never EVER diminish the magnificence of another or allow it to be done to you."
FOR OTHERS:
It sounds like common sense.
Yet, it's so easy to let a judgment slip through that could effect another person.
TO be conscious and aware of each word you speak. Responsible.
See the greatness in each person and reflect that back to them.
Especially when they really can't see it.
This is the gift we can easily give each other that is priceless.
And something for yourself:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child (of the universe). Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of (the Divine) that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.
"Never EVER diminish the magnificence of another or allow it to be done to you."
FOR OTHERS:
It sounds like common sense.
Yet, it's so easy to let a judgment slip through that could effect another person.
TO be conscious and aware of each word you speak. Responsible.
See the greatness in each person and reflect that back to them.
Especially when they really can't see it.
This is the gift we can easily give each other that is priceless.
And something for yourself:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child (of the universe). Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of (the Divine) that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
----from A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson.
Reflect 2009
Happy Holidays,
As we draw near to the end of another amazing year, I want to encourage you to remember all of the wonderful experiences you have had this year and remember to give gratitude for everything you already have.
“The richest man is not always the one who has the most, but sometimes the one who needs the least.” Author Unknown
Take some time over the next few days and reflect on all the gifts and miracles that have come your way this year and share your journey with someone in your life. Your willingness to give of yourself may inspire another to do the same, and the effective ripple this creates can have wondrous effects all over the world. You may never know just how much your openness becomes a gift to someone else.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Gandhi
Let the more mature one among you, be the first to take the necessary step. Reach out to those less fortunate than you and share with them the light within you.
I want to remind you of how very valuable you are.
“On this day of your life, dear friend, I believe the universe wants you to know…
…that you are valued more than you know, by more people than you think.
It might be good to get in touch today with your true worth. It is much higher than you often give it credit for being — and now is a perfect time to know, and to gently assert, that fact.
This is not about arrogance and it is not about over confidence. It is about a simple, dignified Knowing.
You will not have to think but a second to understand precisely why you received this message today.”
–Neale Donald Walsch
I wish you a prosperous New Year for 2010.
Hold on to your horses, it's going to be one heck of a ride for the year of the Metal Tiger.
May you see the blessings in all things that come your way.
Lots of love.
As we draw near to the end of another amazing year, I want to encourage you to remember all of the wonderful experiences you have had this year and remember to give gratitude for everything you already have.
“The richest man is not always the one who has the most, but sometimes the one who needs the least.” Author Unknown
Take some time over the next few days and reflect on all the gifts and miracles that have come your way this year and share your journey with someone in your life. Your willingness to give of yourself may inspire another to do the same, and the effective ripple this creates can have wondrous effects all over the world. You may never know just how much your openness becomes a gift to someone else.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Gandhi
Let the more mature one among you, be the first to take the necessary step. Reach out to those less fortunate than you and share with them the light within you.
I want to remind you of how very valuable you are.
“On this day of your life, dear friend, I believe the universe wants you to know…
…that you are valued more than you know, by more people than you think.
It might be good to get in touch today with your true worth. It is much higher than you often give it credit for being — and now is a perfect time to know, and to gently assert, that fact.
This is not about arrogance and it is not about over confidence. It is about a simple, dignified Knowing.
You will not have to think but a second to understand precisely why you received this message today.”
–Neale Donald Walsch
I wish you a prosperous New Year for 2010.
Hold on to your horses, it's going to be one heck of a ride for the year of the Metal Tiger.
May you see the blessings in all things that come your way.
Lots of love.
Raising the Bar
A friend of mine, Teri told me about an audio book and it resonated with a dream I had many years ago.
The answer. YES it’s possible. I will add this to my list of future projects.
“Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire” by a top US teacher. It is for teachers but it’s all about setting a higher bar in the classroom and what this teacher has done with ordinary kids from lower economic groups – nothing short of miraculous. Annual full length Shakespeare plays complete with full rock band soundtracks 100% done by middle schoolers. Amazing travel every year. Learning to play multiple musical instruments. Reading great literature. Film club. Math excellence. Starting voluntarily 1 hour before school starts and doing lots of voluntary extra learning opps in the evening.
As the teacher says, they are ordinary students who are given an opportunity to rise to the occasion, to treat learning like it’s a opportunity, to learn on purpose, and they excel and reach the stars.
Some of the highest scores in the country, year after year after year, by students that speak English as a second language.
The specifics in the book are only applicable to school teachers and parents. The theme is for those who are in the process of excelling, purposefully working to improve, and the ultimate results.
Give me a “M”, give me a “A”, give me a “S”, give me a “T”, give me an “E”, give me a “R”, give me a “Y”. What does that spell?
Teri, thanks for sharing this with me.
I enjoy physical adventure. Nothing compares to mastery.
I LOVE the path of mastering my life and living it perfectly.
I love the thrill of raising the bar for myself. Challenging myself.
Many great minds have said this in 1 form or another.
If you can master yourself, you can master anything.
The answer. YES it’s possible. I will add this to my list of future projects.
“Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire” by a top US teacher. It is for teachers but it’s all about setting a higher bar in the classroom and what this teacher has done with ordinary kids from lower economic groups – nothing short of miraculous. Annual full length Shakespeare plays complete with full rock band soundtracks 100% done by middle schoolers. Amazing travel every year. Learning to play multiple musical instruments. Reading great literature. Film club. Math excellence. Starting voluntarily 1 hour before school starts and doing lots of voluntary extra learning opps in the evening.
As the teacher says, they are ordinary students who are given an opportunity to rise to the occasion, to treat learning like it’s a opportunity, to learn on purpose, and they excel and reach the stars.
Some of the highest scores in the country, year after year after year, by students that speak English as a second language.
The specifics in the book are only applicable to school teachers and parents. The theme is for those who are in the process of excelling, purposefully working to improve, and the ultimate results.
Give me a “M”, give me a “A”, give me a “S”, give me a “T”, give me an “E”, give me a “R”, give me a “Y”. What does that spell?
Teri, thanks for sharing this with me.
I enjoy physical adventure. Nothing compares to mastery.
I LOVE the path of mastering my life and living it perfectly.
I love the thrill of raising the bar for myself. Challenging myself.
Many great minds have said this in 1 form or another.
If you can master yourself, you can master anything.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
My financial education journey till now
It's funny how life works. It's an adventure everyday. My favorite...stretching myself daily.
You ever experience there's something you would like to do and you also feel a fear "let's not go there"? Let me just say, when it does that, it's a sign to "just do it" (Nike). I can go into psycho babble with the why. Perhaps another day.
COURAGE IS THE MASTERY OF FEAR, NOT THE LACK OF IT. - UNKNOWN
You are either growing or dying. GROWTH is the mother of PASSION. -Keith Cunningham
May I share my journey with you?
I grew up in a business environment learning about numbers, books, contracts, all that "fun" stuff... yet I never quite understood it. It's like knowing the Abc's and unable to write poetry. I could've used my environment to really flourish, absorbed lots of experience with connections, and of course as a teenager, that's not exactly my priority. I saw business as blah and boring. Now, an artist..ahhh. Creative, fun, freedom.
The best way I would describe business for me is being thrown into the ocean with no idea how to swim. I figured out that wiggling my arms and feet in a particular way kept me from drowning. I'm sure there was some dog paddling involved. I wouldn't know since I don't know what's what. It wasn't the most productive and efficient way. I survived for many years in a nice ignorant bliss.
Then 3 years ago, a small thought started nibbling at me...what if there's a simpler way? Is there something I don't know that I can't see?
Now, I'm totally resistant to business and doing business. Quite amusing. I took some accounting classes and I found it simple just tedious, and couldn't create interest in it. Next.
I stumbled upon a book written by Donald Trump & Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) that made me pause for a second. Normally, any book that sounded like money, business or finance is crossed off as BORing. However, seeing 2 bigshot guys coming together as a team to teach tickled my curiosity. This started my journey of business and financial education. (sidenote...life works in funny ways and it's pretty exact in a freaky way. The date I read the book, 12/06. Registered for Kiyosaki's program 12/29/06. Hmmm. Thank you universe).
Their teachings were a bit vague but new and different. So I dived into some programs with Robert Kiyosaki. Interesting, yet didn't resonate with me. I liked the Cash Flow Rat Race game to practice thinking outside of our normal box. They even created a version for kids. Great training tool for the younger generation to connect with the older generation. Next.
I took a 1 day course with Barbara Stanny to learn how women think about money differently from men. Learned some new perspectives that we have some programmed beliefs and expectations. It took me deeper on my journey, still on the surface. Next.
I thought maybe some 1 on 1 Financial coaching could give me the answers I was seeking. It's always fuzzy and nice to have someone support and hold my hand. Wasn't it. Next.
At this point, I still wasn't friends with finance and business. Getting acquainted, Yes.
Then a *sparkle * crossed my path. An invitation to a jewelry and wine event. Hmmm...intrigued. Turns out it was the 1st MLM business that I was interested in. Jewelry I can buy and sell or use as inventory. How fun. No worries if jewelry sits around too long. The value only goes up. So business can be fun and I joined Global Wealth Trade. I also loved how they they thanked ppl with a $100 jewelry gift certificate just for checking out the business presentation. Give 1st to receive.
The people on my team had an energy I resonated with, a hunger and passion for growth. They pointed me to Peak Potentials Training - Millionaire Mind Intensive to learn about my money blueprint.
A friend had recommended me to take it last year and it was free. I went on the website and when I saw it was $2000, I allowed that to stop me. This time, she had free tickets for me. There was no reason for me to say no to learning from a successful businessman.
"Give me five minutes and I can predict your financial future!" - T. Harv Eker
Me being the curious kitty, I was off to discover what my money blueprint was. I listened and absorbed. I liked how they taught something tangible like money and explained the intangibles that imprison us. There was something good they were teaching. I just needed more time to absorb and open my mind to shift. I experienced my 1st taste of fear and took action in spite of it. Very liberating to know I can be greater than the person I think I am. I experienced support and watched how ppl went through the same struggles that I had. Everyone connected at a heart level. This tasted and felt right. More.
I wanted to keep the momentum and took "Never Work Again" that showed me many variations of investments I never even imagined possible. I could feel my horizon expanding. Being successful is not so much about money, it's about creativity and thinking outside the box. I could feel myself slowly growing more fondly about business. I had no interest in stocks or trade. Very dry stuff. And then it's like the lightbulb went on. "DING". I found my next stepping stone.
I was inspired by Bill Bartmann. A millionaire who started with nothing. Went bankrupt and didn't let failure stop him. Even though he was a hardcore businessman, he created his company with heart. He showed me a side of business I never knew was possible. A business that actually cares. I like Bill and his business. It just wasn't resonating with me. More.
My other mentor was Keith Cunningham. This man had the ability to explain business using love & emotions. (Now, how could I not resonate with that)? He also happens to be Robert Kiyosaki's "rich dad". I always believe if you have to spend the time and money to learn, if possible learn from the source (or as close as you can get).
If you haven't figured it out by now, I don't see value in paying $80,000 for an MBA and lots of ppl I know who has it says it doesn't do much either. It's a nice piece of paper that works for some ppl. Keith taught a 4Day MBA which of course resonated with me. He made business super simple and then offered Business Mastery where we created board of directors from the class to hold each other accountable. I threw myself into a business environment I've never been in. Ppl involved in big deals, huge challenges...and watching how they discovered their solution.
The greatest gift out of these workshops and courses...the ppl I met. These strangers have become my friends, advisers, my team that holds me accountable for what I say I will do and vice versa. Listening to the things they do, how much they do inspires me to be the best I can be. If they can do it, I can do it. I never knew in business you could develop such true bonds (breaking down my old beliefs). More.
Then I signed up for a bootcamp called Guerrilla Business School. I felt I had done a good amount of learning, it's time for more interaction. The pearls I walked away from this was I knew more than I gave myself credit for. I do have the skills and just didn't know how to label it. Many of this was very natural for me because I grew up just doing it and took it for granted. More.
I asked around for what would take me higher and push me further...Enlightened Warrior Bootcamp. I heard how intense it was mentally and physically and well...I wasn't feeling comfortable jumping into it. Yet, my soul said "do it". It was the best choice I ever made. It challenged me like I've never been challenged before. Showed me what I was truly made of. There was a point where I just couldn't take 1 step forward, frozen in fear (ok a few times). Yet, I found the inner strength to go on and also ask for team support. I learned to slowly let go of the belief that I have to do it all myself. Being a team wasn't just about work and winning. It's about caring, open-hearted and leaving no one behind. I slowly started seeing through my illusions and who I truly was inside. My team reflected back to me what they saw in me that I never knew. I started to shift my view of who I thought I was vs. who I am.
I stayed in my warrior speed and took Wizard Training Camp. Wizard was a bit softer than warrior and took the lessons I learned deeper. Practicing the warrior's integrity of doing whatever it takes. 100% committed with a mix of the soft magical ways of the wizard. All this was perfect for me because I am an artist by nature and when I can create and merge things, that is my greatest joy and passion. To merge all the things I've learned and apply it to business, family, and life to create my own masterpiece.
It all seems like a challenging game to me now... How can I be successful, enjoy what I do and contribute joy to others?
My story was having money, being rich was somehow evil. Like all things, it all depends on the individual. "With great power, comes great responsibility." -? Parker
My passion for my business is to care for my loved ones, make sure they are secure and then make a difference in this world by teaching ppl how to fish vs. feeding them fish everyday. Money can't buy love nor is it magic. However, it has it's benefits which I can appreciate it now.
Money is like everything else. Just energy. Not good or bad. I know the direction. Just not sure about the how. Many of my teachers repeat this all the time. "If your why is strong enough, the how will show up."
My peak of the journey for this year was CEO SPACE. A 10 day forum in a cooperative environment where everyone helps each other reach their next step. It feels like I've done so much and yet have nothing to show for it. Finally, things are starting to make sense.
I can see my path. Doesn't make it easier or remove the butterflies in my stomach.
I am ready. I have everything I need. Key is staying focused and knowing what I have to do.
Over, under, around or through...whatever it takes, I will do. -ewtc
In CEO Space they teach us, learn, earn and return.
To truly master something, share and teach it to others.
These are some of the materials I used on my journey. Click here to learn more.
Thank you for reading my journey.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
You ever experience there's something you would like to do and you also feel a fear "let's not go there"? Let me just say, when it does that, it's a sign to "just do it" (Nike). I can go into psycho babble with the why. Perhaps another day.
COURAGE IS THE MASTERY OF FEAR, NOT THE LACK OF IT. - UNKNOWN
You are either growing or dying. GROWTH is the mother of PASSION. -Keith Cunningham
May I share my journey with you?
I grew up in a business environment learning about numbers, books, contracts, all that "fun" stuff... yet I never quite understood it. It's like knowing the Abc's and unable to write poetry. I could've used my environment to really flourish, absorbed lots of experience with connections, and of course as a teenager, that's not exactly my priority. I saw business as blah and boring. Now, an artist..ahhh. Creative, fun, freedom.
The best way I would describe business for me is being thrown into the ocean with no idea how to swim. I figured out that wiggling my arms and feet in a particular way kept me from drowning. I'm sure there was some dog paddling involved. I wouldn't know since I don't know what's what. It wasn't the most productive and efficient way. I survived for many years in a nice ignorant bliss.
Then 3 years ago, a small thought started nibbling at me...what if there's a simpler way? Is there something I don't know that I can't see?
Now, I'm totally resistant to business and doing business. Quite amusing. I took some accounting classes and I found it simple just tedious, and couldn't create interest in it. Next.
I stumbled upon a book written by Donald Trump & Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) that made me pause for a second. Normally, any book that sounded like money, business or finance is crossed off as BORing. However, seeing 2 bigshot guys coming together as a team to teach tickled my curiosity. This started my journey of business and financial education. (sidenote...life works in funny ways and it's pretty exact in a freaky way. The date I read the book, 12/06. Registered for Kiyosaki's program 12/29/06. Hmmm. Thank you universe).
Their teachings were a bit vague but new and different. So I dived into some programs with Robert Kiyosaki. Interesting, yet didn't resonate with me. I liked the Cash Flow Rat Race game to practice thinking outside of our normal box. They even created a version for kids. Great training tool for the younger generation to connect with the older generation. Next.
I took a 1 day course with Barbara Stanny to learn how women think about money differently from men. Learned some new perspectives that we have some programmed beliefs and expectations. It took me deeper on my journey, still on the surface. Next.
I thought maybe some 1 on 1 Financial coaching could give me the answers I was seeking. It's always fuzzy and nice to have someone support and hold my hand. Wasn't it. Next.
At this point, I still wasn't friends with finance and business. Getting acquainted, Yes.
Then a *sparkle * crossed my path. An invitation to a jewelry and wine event. Hmmm...intrigued. Turns out it was the 1st MLM business that I was interested in. Jewelry I can buy and sell or use as inventory. How fun. No worries if jewelry sits around too long. The value only goes up. So business can be fun and I joined Global Wealth Trade. I also loved how they they thanked ppl with a $100 jewelry gift certificate just for checking out the business presentation. Give 1st to receive.
The people on my team had an energy I resonated with, a hunger and passion for growth. They pointed me to Peak Potentials Training - Millionaire Mind Intensive to learn about my money blueprint.
A friend had recommended me to take it last year and it was free. I went on the website and when I saw it was $2000, I allowed that to stop me. This time, she had free tickets for me. There was no reason for me to say no to learning from a successful businessman.
"Give me five minutes and I can predict your financial future!" - T. Harv Eker
Me being the curious kitty, I was off to discover what my money blueprint was. I listened and absorbed. I liked how they taught something tangible like money and explained the intangibles that imprison us. There was something good they were teaching. I just needed more time to absorb and open my mind to shift. I experienced my 1st taste of fear and took action in spite of it. Very liberating to know I can be greater than the person I think I am. I experienced support and watched how ppl went through the same struggles that I had. Everyone connected at a heart level. This tasted and felt right. More.
I wanted to keep the momentum and took "Never Work Again" that showed me many variations of investments I never even imagined possible. I could feel my horizon expanding. Being successful is not so much about money, it's about creativity and thinking outside the box. I could feel myself slowly growing more fondly about business. I had no interest in stocks or trade. Very dry stuff. And then it's like the lightbulb went on. "DING". I found my next stepping stone.
I was inspired by Bill Bartmann. A millionaire who started with nothing. Went bankrupt and didn't let failure stop him. Even though he was a hardcore businessman, he created his company with heart. He showed me a side of business I never knew was possible. A business that actually cares. I like Bill and his business. It just wasn't resonating with me. More.
My other mentor was Keith Cunningham. This man had the ability to explain business using love & emotions. (Now, how could I not resonate with that)? He also happens to be Robert Kiyosaki's "rich dad". I always believe if you have to spend the time and money to learn, if possible learn from the source (or as close as you can get).
If you haven't figured it out by now, I don't see value in paying $80,000 for an MBA and lots of ppl I know who has it says it doesn't do much either. It's a nice piece of paper that works for some ppl. Keith taught a 4Day MBA which of course resonated with me. He made business super simple and then offered Business Mastery where we created board of directors from the class to hold each other accountable. I threw myself into a business environment I've never been in. Ppl involved in big deals, huge challenges...and watching how they discovered their solution.
The greatest gift out of these workshops and courses...the ppl I met. These strangers have become my friends, advisers, my team that holds me accountable for what I say I will do and vice versa. Listening to the things they do, how much they do inspires me to be the best I can be. If they can do it, I can do it. I never knew in business you could develop such true bonds (breaking down my old beliefs). More.
Then I signed up for a bootcamp called Guerrilla Business School. I felt I had done a good amount of learning, it's time for more interaction. The pearls I walked away from this was I knew more than I gave myself credit for. I do have the skills and just didn't know how to label it. Many of this was very natural for me because I grew up just doing it and took it for granted. More.
I asked around for what would take me higher and push me further...Enlightened Warrior Bootcamp. I heard how intense it was mentally and physically and well...I wasn't feeling comfortable jumping into it. Yet, my soul said "do it". It was the best choice I ever made. It challenged me like I've never been challenged before. Showed me what I was truly made of. There was a point where I just couldn't take 1 step forward, frozen in fear (ok a few times). Yet, I found the inner strength to go on and also ask for team support. I learned to slowly let go of the belief that I have to do it all myself. Being a team wasn't just about work and winning. It's about caring, open-hearted and leaving no one behind. I slowly started seeing through my illusions and who I truly was inside. My team reflected back to me what they saw in me that I never knew. I started to shift my view of who I thought I was vs. who I am.
I stayed in my warrior speed and took Wizard Training Camp. Wizard was a bit softer than warrior and took the lessons I learned deeper. Practicing the warrior's integrity of doing whatever it takes. 100% committed with a mix of the soft magical ways of the wizard. All this was perfect for me because I am an artist by nature and when I can create and merge things, that is my greatest joy and passion. To merge all the things I've learned and apply it to business, family, and life to create my own masterpiece.
It all seems like a challenging game to me now... How can I be successful, enjoy what I do and contribute joy to others?
My story was having money, being rich was somehow evil. Like all things, it all depends on the individual. "With great power, comes great responsibility." -? Parker
My passion for my business is to care for my loved ones, make sure they are secure and then make a difference in this world by teaching ppl how to fish vs. feeding them fish everyday. Money can't buy love nor is it magic. However, it has it's benefits which I can appreciate it now.
Money is like everything else. Just energy. Not good or bad. I know the direction. Just not sure about the how. Many of my teachers repeat this all the time. "If your why is strong enough, the how will show up."
My peak of the journey for this year was CEO SPACE. A 10 day forum in a cooperative environment where everyone helps each other reach their next step. It feels like I've done so much and yet have nothing to show for it. Finally, things are starting to make sense.
I can see my path. Doesn't make it easier or remove the butterflies in my stomach.
I am ready. I have everything I need. Key is staying focused and knowing what I have to do.
Over, under, around or through...whatever it takes, I will do. -ewtc
In CEO Space they teach us, learn, earn and return.
To truly master something, share and teach it to others.
These are some of the materials I used on my journey. Click here to learn more.
Thank you for reading my journey.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
What is Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui?
WHAT IS BLACK SECT TANTRIC BUDDHIST FENG SHUI?
Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui, or BTB, has a history that traces back several thousand years, encompassing four distinct stages.
1. The First Stage has primitive roots found in Tibetan Bon tradition.
2. Then 2500 years ago from
3. From
4. Today, Black Sect Tantric Buddhist Feng Shui has moved to the West, marking its Fourth Stage. This "new" Fourth Stage incorporates modern sciences, social studies, architecture, psychology, bau-biology, medicine, ecology etc. bridging ancient mystical origins with modern western knowledge.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Women and their Erotic Power by Claire Sterrett
Ladies, this is required reading, conceptualizing all we have always known, in scientific terms: this has a deeper meaning deeply rooted in our primitive survival instincts. Read, be wow'd, and enjoy!
* * * * * * * * * * * *Women and their Erotic Power
by Claire Griffin Sterrett, M.A., L.M.T.
Marginalization of the body is one of the inevitable by-products of living in a society that both glorifies and condemns the freedom of sexual expression. On the one hand, American culture is saturated with images of sex and suggestions for what constitutes “sexy." Yet there is a huge moral stigma associated with sexual activity in the United States. Female sexuality in particular has suffered from cultural oppressions, such as the pervasively negative views of the temptress archetype. As a result of this oppression, many women in the United States are often forced to choose between either repressing the full expression of their sexual feelings and desires or openly expressing their sexuality and being criticized and/or shamed for this behavior.
While there are a variety of methods for exploring sexual repression in women, many of them do not address the body. Sexuality, however, is primarily expressed and experienced through the body. When one is able to be embodied (present in their body both emotionally and physically), the exploration of sexuality can be significantly deepened and many of the underlying psychological issues related to sexuality and the body can be healed.
One possible vehicle for exploring both embodiment and sexuality simultaneously is dance. For many centuries dance has been a reflection of the culture from which it was born. According to Judith Lynne Hanna, a cultural anthropologist, dance can also provide a medium for humans to “identify themselves and maintain or erase their boundaries” with regards to sexuality. In the United States, Britain and Australia there has been a recent surge in the popularity of all-female exotic dance classes. These classes are aimed at increasing a woman’s confidence and comfort level with her sexuality by providing a safe space in which to explore a very sexual movement-based practice. 
The rising popularity of these dance classes could be driven by any number of needs: the need to feel something forbidden, to reclaim a lost part of one’s self, or simply to feel sexy. Whatever the drive may be, the result is almost always that women are experimenting with reconnecting to a deeply feminine, primal place. This place is where erotic power resides. In this article, the importance of a meaningful connection to erotic power, as well as its implications for a healthy female psyche will be explored. In future articles, the connection between this exploration and the process of embodiment will be examined.
In order to understand the erotic and how important it is for women to feel connected to it, it would be helpful to investigate the ideas of several female authors who have defined this primal female place and written about it. Audre Lorde states in her essay “Uses of the Erotic," that the word “erotic” comes from the Greek word “Eros." “Eros” literally means the personification of love in all its aspects. “Eros” was born from “Chaos," and “Chaos” is the personification of creative power and harmony. Lorde believes that erotic power, which lies within each of us, is a very feminine and spiritual place. It is rooted in the power of being, the power of our unexpressed or unrecognized feeling. She goes on to say that erotic expressions that are superficial (that is, representations of sexuality that lack any sense of connection to our deeper, sensual selves) have been encouraged in our society. This is because they are comfortably interpreted as a symbol of extreme femininity or, alternatively, as signs of female inferiority. However, true erotic power demands that we be in touch with our deepest longings, rather than shying away from them. In Lorde’s own words:
The erotic is a measure between the beginnings of our sense of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings. It is an internal sense of satisfaction…which once we have experienced, we know we can aspire to. For having experienced the fullness of this depth of feeling and recognizing its power, in honor and self-respect we can require no less of ourselves… This internal requirement toward excellence which we learn from the erotic must not be misconstrued as demanding the impossible from ourselves, nor from others. Such a demand incapacitates everyone in the process. For the erotic is not only a question of what we do; it is a question of how fully and acutely we can feel in the doing.
In other words, the “erotic” serves as an internal guide. It acts as a bridge between our conscious mind and our most chaotic, subconscious emotions. But according to Lorde, the erotic never demands perfection – perfection undermines the very chaotic messiness from which the erotic is born. The erotic not only asks us to look at what we are choosing to do in our lives, but also to examine how we are feeling when we are in that moment of doing.
Lorde goes on to describe the erotic as a type of internal “knowing," based on feelings and non-rational knowledge. She asks us to consider the phrase: “It feels right to me." This, she says, is an acknowledgement of the strength of the erotic as a form of true knowledge. “[Feeling] is the first and most powerful guiding light toward any understanding. And understanding…can only…clarify [any] deeply born knowledge. The erotic, then, is the nurturer of all our deepest knowledge.”
Unfortunately, women have come to distrust this power that rises from our deepest and non-rational knowledge. The erotic has often been misnamed, and is often times used against women. It has been made into “the confused, the trivial, the psychotic, the plasticized sensation.” For this reason, women turn away from their erotic power, and as a result it is rarely regarded as a legitimate source of power and information.
A psychologist by the name of Clarissa Pinkola Estes, trained as a Jungian analyst, has studied both clinical psychology and ethnology (ethnology is the study of groups, tribes in particular). She has done extensive research of wolves, and in her book Women Who Run with Wolves she draws strong comparisons between women and wolves: Their common traits as well as they ways in which they have both been misunderstood and persecuted. She has a different way of naming women’s connection to this deep internal knowledge (or erotic power): she calls it “The Wild Woman." Estes argues that when women are disconnected from this wild psyche, they suffer. To find themselves, therefore, they must return to “their instinctive lives, their deeper knowing." Estes has a novel approach for teaching her work, which is primarily through story-telling. This allows her to bring alive various myths and archetypes that embody the Wild Woman. She argues that connecting with this wild nature does not mean coming undone, changing everything, or going crazy or out of control. In fact, she teaches that joining with our instinctual nature means quite the opposite: It means to “establish territory, to find one’s pack, to be in one’s body with certainty and pride regardless of the body’s gifts and limitations; to speak and act in one’s behalf; to be aware, alert, to draw on the innate feminine powers of intuition and sensing; to rise with dignity, and to retain as much consciousness as possible.” Interestingly, this description of the joining with the wild woman is quite similar to Lorde’s description of connection to erotic power.
Estes also describes, in women’s words, some of the symptoms that arise when a woman is disconnected from her wild psyche, her internal guides: “feeling dry, fatigued, depressed, frail, confused, gagged, muzzled, unaroused, frightened, weak, without inspiration, without animation…without meaning, shame-bearing, chronically fuming, stuck, uncreative, compressed, crazed…powerless, blocked, overprotective of self…inability to pace one’s self…to be self-conscious…to fear to venture by one’s self or reveal one’s self, fear one will run on, run out on, run down, cringing before authority, humiliation, numbness, anxiety…afraid to bite back when there is nothing left to do…sick stomach, cut in the middle…becoming conciliatory or nice too easily…superiority complex. These severances are a disease not of an era or century, but become an epidemic anywhere and anytime women are captured, anytime the wildish nature has become entrapped.”
In one chapter of her book, titled "The Joyous Flesh", Estes talks about the body as a vehicle for reconnection with a woman’s wildish nature. She describes the body as a “multilingual being” that speaks through color, temperature, its subtle movements, and its internal sensations such as a leaping heart or a pit in the stomach:
The body remembers, the bones remember, the joints remember, even the little finger remembers. Memory is lodged in pictures and feelings in the cells themselves. Like a sponge filled with water, anywhere the flesh is pressed, wrung, even touched lightly, a memory may flow out in a stream.
She goes on to argue that the importance of the body lies not so much in its appearance, but in its vitality, its responsiveness, and its endurance. A woman who constantly must monitor her body and its form is robbed of her joyful relationship to her given form:
To malign or judge a woman’s inherited physicality is to make generation after generation of anxious and neurotic women. To make destructive and exclusionary judgments about a woman’s inherited form, robs her of several critical and precious psychological and spiritual treasures. It robs her of pride in the body type that was given to her by her own ancestral lines. If she is taught to revile this body inheritance, she is immediately slashed away from her female identity with the rest of the family… Destroying a woman’s instinctive affiliation with her natural body cheats her of confidence. It causes her to perseverate about whether she is a good person or not, and bases her self-worth on how she looks instead of who she is.
Estes encourages women to take back their bodies by ignoring the popular ideas about what constitutes happiness and the oppressive obsessions with body shape. Taking your body back means not waiting or holding back, not restricting your appetite because society tells you that you are too hungry, but living your life full throttle and with tremendous joy. The body, once reclaimed, becomes a tool for gathering information and a source of strength, joy and knowledge for a woman, rather than a source of shame or embarrassment. The purpose of the body and what constitutes a healthy body, says Estes, is that it responds; it can experience a spectrum of feeling, work as it was meant to, and that it is not permitted to be anesthetized. In her own unique way, Estes is describing a form of embodiment. She beautifully illustrates a connection to a deeper knowledge within a woman that is possible for every woman, a knowledge that could also be described as erotic power.
Lorde also describes the erotic in these terms. She talks about the way in which the erotic functions for her: As an open and fearless understanding for her capacity for joy. She believes that this capacity for joy demands that all of her life be lived with such satisfaction, but that this satisfaction does not have to look like the traditional markers of happiness society offers women (such as marriage). Lorde argues that one reason why the erotic is so feared is because it empowers women; it becomes a lens through which women scrutinize things, which forces women to evaluate what is important to them honestly and in terms of its meaning in their lives, rather than settling for the convenient and the conventional or the safe. She echoes Estes’ concerns about living on external guides rather than from internal knowledge and needs. She warns that we should not ignore these “erotic guides," lest we conform to certain societal structures that are not based on human need. She also agrees that when a woman begins to live from the inside out, and is in touch with this deeper knowledge within her, she begins to be responsible for (and is therefore able to reclaim) herself:
We have been raised to fear the yes within ourselves, our deepest cravings. But, once recognized, that which does not enhance our future loses its power and can be altered. The fear of our desires keeps them suspect and indiscriminately powerful, for to suppress any truth is to give it strength beyond endurance. The fear that we cannot grow beyond whatever distortions we find within ourselves keeps us docile, loyal and obedient, externally defined, and leads us to accept many facets of our oppression as women.
Through these teachings, we can begin to see how connection with not just the body, but with the erotic, the Wild Woman, that deeper knowledge within is both deeply nourishing and essential to the healthy psyche of a woman. A woman’s authentic connection with her erotic power requires her to be embodied. That is, it requires her to feel all the sensations in her body as they arise, along with the inherent emotional notes that accompany these sensations, and it demands that she consciously acknowledge them. Embodiment also requires that we be able to listen to our body’s experience and notice the areas that are numb or aching, as well as the areas that are open and filled with pleasure. Sexual embodiment demands that we engage in the sensual pleasures of our bodies, acknowledge the accompanying fear and shame and let it go.
It seems that one of the most effective ways for women to gain an authentic connection to their sexuality and their erotic power or potential is through working directly with, and through the body. Because dance is an avenue for working with the body, and because it is inherently sexual, it is a natural tool for helping women to achieve this connection. Specifically, because erotic dance is overtly sexual, for centuries it has served not just as an entertainment venue for men but as a way for women to express their inherent erotic power to each other, to the gods, and to themselves. Unfortunately, it has also been subverted into a practice that exploits women and encourages shallow representations of extreme femininity and of the act of sex itself.But what if the movements of erotic dance, the art of the striptease, were removed from the public venue and put in a different environment—an all-female one? How would this change it? This is exactly what is happening across the country with the widespread popularity of all-female exotic dance classes, and the result thus far has been nothing short of a modern-day female awakening.
REVELATION on S FACTOR
I read this in the S Factor newsletter and desired this to be my 1st feminine blog.
I’m not doing a "resolution" this year. Listen to it: Resolution. Just the word alone feels so hardcore, so absolute, so non-femme. I’ve decided that instead of resolutions, from now on I am going to have "Revelations."
So, here is my New Year's Revelation for 2009…
I’m in love.
I sit at my desk in NY and reflect back on 2008. It was an intense year, a wild ride, a wicked lesson in perseverance and stick-to-it-iveness. 2008 reminds me we as a culture are in "a time." We are in the midst of one of the most fluctuating, intense eras in history. The world order is changing and here we are in front row seats being sucked into it. Whoa, the markets crash, then rise, then crash, then rise like a swelling, turbulent surf. The masculine power structure based on money, which turns into greed and hoarding is faltering, weakening and wobbling, and in many cases losing its footing. And in the not so far away distance, the feminine energy is stirring.
I’m not doing a "resolution" this year. Listen to it: Resolution. Just the word alone feels so hardcore, so absolute, so non-femme. I’ve decided that instead of resolutions, from now on I am going to have "Revelations."
So, here is my New Year's Revelation for 2009…
I’m in love.
I sit at my desk in NY and reflect back on 2008. It was an intense year, a wild ride, a wicked lesson in perseverance and stick-to-it-iveness. 2008 reminds me we as a culture are in "a time." We are in the midst of one of the most fluctuating, intense eras in history. The world order is changing and here we are in front row seats being sucked into it. Whoa, the markets crash, then rise, then crash, then rise like a swelling, turbulent surf. The masculine power structure based on money, which turns into greed and hoarding is faltering, weakening and wobbling, and in many cases losing its footing. And in the not so far away distance, the feminine energy is stirring.
I am grateful I discovered S Factor, of the growth and continued evolution of S Factor, the feminine factor. Just look at the S culture all around you. You are a woman looking for something more. You are a woman who has inhaled the fragrance of wholesome sexuality through body freedom and asked for more. See, an S woman is not exclusively a student who has taken a class in a studio. Although, this is a sweet and tremendous slice of S deliciousness. An S woman is any woman whose ears have perked up at a dinner party after overhearing another woman mention dancing or S factor. An S woman is a woman who has done even one secret hip circle on her own at home, for her own love and enjoyment of self. An S woman is a woman who has thought, "There is more for me." An S woman wants to be heard, she wants to express what is uniquely hers, she wants her presence felt.
My 2009 New Year's Revelation is, "I am in love." I am in love with you, with this culture. I am in love with women who care and demand and insinuate themselves fully into the world. I am in love with being a woman. I am in love with having a family and a partner who I can navigate my way through this world together. I am in love with the promise of the future with the feminine riding high in the driver's seat. I am in love with the possibilities.
Allow me to introduce you to the voice of an S woman who shares a piece of her journey. Her voice so vivid, so arresting and so touching and funny that she carries the tune better than I could possibly do justice. Listen to her sing...
You know you are a S Factor devotee when…
…you tell your hairdresser to cut your hair so that it "swings best for S pole class" (sometimes you give demos for the stylist, just to be accurate).
…you can't dance in public anymore without grabbing your body and/or hair, while doing hip circles.
…your music collection is full of Erotic Creature inspired songs for class only.
…whenever you need to think of a "happy place," you can only think of your S Factor class.
…you want to move to New Zealand or Tuscany but can't because they don't have an S Factor studio there yet.
…you find yourself begging your girlfriends to not tell newly met men about your S pole dancing...good things are best found out over time...not in the first 2 minutes.
…you choose what food to eat depending on whether you have class or not.
…people who know you well refer to you as the woman "who pole dances for exercise."
…you start questioning whether you would rather behave as you, or your Erotic Creature - in your every day behavior.
…you deeply wish classes were four hours long, twice a week.
…you plan all your trips around your dance class.
…the thought of not being in class for one week makes you feel a little ill.
Ahhhh, I couldn’t have put it more eloquently. Let’s move forward into 2009 with the knowledge of our feminine. We have a new year, a new administration, a new philosophy, a new chance. And I hope you are feeling what I'm feeling. Ready. All the steps we have taken to move forward are finally, actually moving us forward. I feel proud and emotional and stoked and giggly with anticipation to experience this new chance and change with you. The possibilities abound. Next year this time, we'll look back and around us and see a greener planet, a more feminine planet, with a newly revived economy, peace abounding, and a global embrace of the feminine.
I can dream. And dreams, as you have seen this amazing January, come true when you dream hard enough. Come dream with me.
Curious about S Factor? Go to SFACTOR.com.
If you desire to sign up,
I would be honored if you mentioned my name Rose Leung.
This will earn me points for future classes. Thank you in advance.
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