Posted by admin on July 22, 2010
One way I connect and grow with my spiritual self is through focused awareness of my breath. The breath is vital to your life. The Creator inhaled – exhaled you into creation on your birth day. This energy of creation continues to circulate through every cycle of inhale-exhale in all living things.
We are Creators in the breath of life and have the talent to be able to create our experiences. Whether we know it or not, our mind is constantly creating for us what we think. If we recognize our oneness with our Source, and the connectedness we have with that Spirit, we realize that we are co-creators wit Source in the breath of life.
Knowing this, we realize that we create just the same as Spirit has created. Maybe it’s on a smaller scale, because we are awakening consciousness to this new idea in the creation process. Realizing that we are able to create is the first step in visualizing our own reality.
Every time we take a breath, we are creating our world around us. You must look at and appreciate your life experiences, because if you don’t, you are just denying your own existence — your own creation! Knowing you are the creator and taking responsibility is a turning point in your ability to be a deliberate creator of your desired outcomes.
Every time there is a problem or challenge in life, we have an opportunity to change it. It is my experience that it can be as simple as changing your mind.
Although that seems too simplistic, it really is quite powerful. After recognizing the challenge, we have a moment, when we breathe, to change our energy and align with our Spirit’s perspective.
There is always a chance to change – to make a different choice. By taking a breath, it gives the mind a moment to refresh. This concept can be used in all areas of your life. You can create harmony and peaceful vibrations in situations in your life. There is no limit to the manifestations available. Use it for deepening meditation, expanding consciousness into your Spirit’s perspective, increasing intuition, creating harmonious environments, loving relations globally and a healthy body and mind.
Take a moment right now to notice, your body has been breathing life into and through you, with no effort on your part, the whole time you have been reading this blog post. Now that you have your attention on it you can begin to participate in its flow.
Try this one minute focusing breath and feel how quickly you can feel better, shift perspective, or receive inspiration!
Sit back and relax, close your eyes and bring all of your attention to your breath. Breathe, now start participating – inhale filling your abdomen and chest completely – hold your breath at the top for 5 counts- then exhale emptying your chest and abdomen completely – hold your breath at the bottom for 5 seconds- do this for 5 full cycles – and drop back into your regular pattern of breathing. Open your eyes and note for yourself how you feel.
You can do this exercise any time you feel stressed, low on energy, unfocused, anxious or just want to feel better overall, more grounded or receive inspiration!
Also check out www.orindaben.com for more breathing meditation downloads.
Cheryl Bourget H.H.C.
Posted by admin on July 5, 2010
Over the past ten years as an executive coach working with leaders in corporate and entrepreneurial settings. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with hundreds of talented people about their aspirations and challenges. One of the most common requests I hear is a desire to feel less stressed and what some refer to as to have “balance.” People often describe “balance” as the ability to feel more grounded and secure in themselves and their decisions and actions. They also share that the more change they’re experiencing, whether it’s work related as in adapting to a new role, a new team, dealing with market shifts, and/or personal such as transitions in their relationships with spouses or partners, their children, and their health – the easier it is to lose this sense of balance.
What I’ve noticed is that when we’re out of balance, it becomes so easy to perceive the varying relationships we have – with our family members, our staff, our boss, our clients, as competing demands. These demands compete for our attention, our time and our ability to meet their expectations. When we’re out of balance, we tend to view ourselves as falling short on some level of meeting these expectations (especially us high achievers). What typically ensues is a spiral of self-criticism, anger at those close to us for not “getting” how overwhelmed we are and increased levels of stress and anxiety which often results in physical symptoms ranging from the less serious to more significant.
So how do you go through change and life with more ease – and a greater sense of balance – while still feeling good about your accomplishments? (I put that in again for all of us high achievers). A few years ago, I became interested in this question and focused my doctoral research at Columbia University on how successful entrepreneurs learned to make the shift from corporate life to business ownership.
One interesting finding from the research was that although most described their experience of this significant work life transition as the painful experience outlined above – a select few referred to their change as “liberating” and “empowering.” A shared trait among those who experienced this transition positively was a fundamental belief in their own ability to be successful and faith in being connected to and supported by something greater than themselves. Some referred to this aspect greater than themselves as an entity such as “God” or “Spirit” and others emphasized principles or universal laws that they viewed as supportive and inspiring. They all continually drew on their relationship to this aspect greater than themselves to build their self-confidence and to sustain them as they took risks and faced challenges. They also reported that this aspect greater than themselves supported them in maintaining a greater sense of balance and higher levels of satisfaction with their success.
It has been my own experience personally as an entrepreneur striving to maintain balance and in observing my clients, that identifying your own beliefs which sustain and inspire you, and actively cultivating a relationship with this aspect of yourself – is the key to creating greater ease during change and feeling more confident in your decisions and actions.
Consider for yourself how you may more actively cultivate this relationship in your life to experience greater ease, joy, and balance.
Reflective Journal Activity: Identifying your core beliefs that support and sustain you.
Find a comfortable private space where you will be uninterrupted for 30 minutes. Bring a journal or notebook and a writing instrument.
Bring to mind a time you took a risk or stepped out of your comfort zone. Write out a brief description of what happened, who was involved, and what you felt. Ask yourself, what were you really caring about in that moment? What inspired you to take that risk? What were you telling yourself at the time that supported you in taking that risk? Allow yourself to just write freely for a few minutes. Next, underline key words and themes that stand out to you. Now write out a few key belief statements that you see related to these words and themes. You may wish to return to this journal activity over the next few days as you further define some key beliefs that support you.
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Dr. Christina Luddy Colton
Posted by admin on May 10, 2010
Join Cheryl Bourget H.H.C. and Dr. Tina Luddy Colton for guided Meditations to enhance your personal spiritual connection.
Perfect for people new to and experienced with Meditation!
What you can expect to receive:
- An individual experience within your relationship of Source energy, higher self, universe, God/Goddess to receive insight, inspiration and build on a trusting relationship.
- A forum to discuss your messages and receive coaching on how to apply the insight and leverage the Law of Attraction principles for creating satisfying change in your life.
- Learn how to access this invaluable resource for yourself…whenever you want!
Our Meditation retreats are held at the “Spirit In The Desert” Lutheran Retreat Center in Carefree. Please visit our Events Calendar to locate our next scheduled meditation.
Creating our Experiences Through the Breath of Life
