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Releasing the Safe and the Known
by Kimberly Schneider, LPC Once a party when someone asked me what I did for a living, I told her that I helped people, particularly women, discover their essential selves, determine what they really wanted to be doing with their lives, and realize their dreams. The woman looked at me with astonishment. “That’s dangerous!” she declared. “If people started thinking about what they really wanted, who knows where that would lead?” I had never heard someone describe self-awareness as dangerous, yet upon reflection, I realized that the woman was exactly right. Consciousness is very dangerous—to our Egos. It is dangerous to our beliefs about whose rules we need to follow in order to be loved, or even to survive. It may wreak havoc on our careers, our relationships, and (at least for awhile) our peace of mind. Author Sue Monk Kidd accurately describes this process when she says, “the Truth may set you free, but first it will shatter the safe, sweet way you live.” So is all the upheaval worth it? It depends on who you ask. In my mind, the soul’s journey is the only journey there is. We can go, as Jungian analyst Marion Woodman says, kicking and squealing like pigs, or we can go, faces forward, heads held high, with all the grace and dignity we can muster. Sooner or later life presents us with circumstances that dictate the impossibility of continuing to be who we were. A lover leaves. A career ends. A doctor calls with a dreaded diagnosis. Or life, for no apparent reason, feels bleak and empty. At these points, we may choose to move farther away, or closer to, the person we were created to be. But we can never go back to who we have been. |
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Consciousness as a Way of Life
Mindfulness is the quality of Presence or Awareness that a person brings into lived experience--it is the ability to witness the Self and make conscious choices rather than reacting out of habitual patterns. Meditation is one method, perhaps the most widely accepted and accessible method, of awakening Mindfulness. There are many forms of Meditation coming from myriad philosophies, but you can utilzie meditation regardless of your spiritual or religious persuasion. The daily discipline of meditation--even 5 minutes per day--can make Mindfulness more available not just during the time of meditation, but throughout your day. Many of our clients ask us for resources on how to get started. Our very favorite book is "Meditation" by Eknath Easwaran. We've included that title and several others in this list that may help you create your own meditation practice this year. As Pema Chodron would say, start where you are. Don't wait to get your life together so you can make time to meditate. Begin meditating, and watch your life come together on its own. Mary Lou & Kim See our recommendations for Mindfulness and Meditation. |
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The most important reason that many dreams never get realized is
that people aren't organized enough to bring their ideas
together and make them happen. Creativity emerges and then gets
lost in the chaos of day to day life; creative energy is
expended and then there is no follow-through to manifest what
might have been a life-changing endeavor. As Einstein said,
"nothing changes until something moves." Make something move
this year! I am the farthest thing from an organizational wizard
but I can say that Franklin-Covey's calendars and organizational
products have been instrumental for me in getting things done.
Find a system that makes sense to you and use it! Make sure to
check out Organizational Guru Julia Morgenstern's new project
planner tool--it's really handy for people like me who are
juggling lots of balls at once.
Learn More |
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We all have stress in our lives. The question is, do you know
your body well enough to recognize the symptoms? And when you
do, have you trained your heart and breathing to return to a
healthy, coherent rhythm? (OK, so I haven't yet either, but I'm
working on it). Biofeedback is a scientifically proven way to
teach your body to relax. Until recently, biofeedback technology
was only available in medical settings. Now you can use it right
at home! My friend and Heart Math coach Laurie Levin introduced
me to the Freeze Framer biofeedback tool. It is easy to use and
a great reality check for your stress levels. Even kids enjoy
this fun and effective program! ~KVS
Learn More |
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If you've browsed around our website lately you've noticed lots
of changes! We have recently partnered with Isabella Catalog,
James Arthur Ray and Franklin Covey in addition to our
Affiliation with Amazon.
We chose these companies because we use and love their products and we've been recommending them to our clients. Remember, anytime you wish to order from Amazon.com, Isabellacatalog.com, JamesArthurRay.com or franklincovey.com, please go directly to our site: www.findsforseekers.com and click on "Affiliates" to see a complete list or take a look at our Featured Products on the home page and the Books and More links of our site. When you order through us, you will get terrific products, support our work and also have the satisfaction of knowing that you're contributing to a worthy cause because we will be donating 10% of our after-tax profits from our site to charties supporting the empowerment of women, children and the environment. Thank you for shopping with us! Kim & Mary Lou |
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Kimberly Schneider
Avalon Emerging
email:
schneider.kimberly@gmail.com
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