Archive for in the flow

TGIF- Celebrating the Dance of Life

04/19/13 Jan Comments (0)

I TRUST  that spring will show itself soon as it ripens under melting layers of snow. I trust in the goodness of people, even when a few are so lost in the darkness of fear and hatred.

I am GRATEFUL for the softening of myself when I move from self- criticism to self- compassion.  It is this constant movement, this dance from darkness to light, from past to present, from future to now, that moves through my life, connecting me to all humanity.

I am INSPIRED by others who struggle and yet are walking this same/different journey to Whole-Heartedness. I am inspired by the commitment of first responders, who keep their cool in the midst of death and pain.

When I look with eyes of love, I FIND God showing up in the most surprising ways- in another’s tears, in a song, in the writing of a poem, in  healing from a friend, in a cup of hot tea.  When I open myself up to Divine Love, I am moved by the ordinary experiences of my life.

What is your TGIF?

Comments (0)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , , ,

Let’s Ebb Over a Cup of Tea!

03/04/11 Jan Comments (1)

“Let’s ebb together over tea.”

That’s what I told my friend Donna today as we were talking about our week.  She is listening to Joan Anderson on CD, soaking in the wisdom of the waves of the ocean by which Joan writes.  Joan’s book, “A Year by the Sea” is an amazing read, and worth repeating at different stages of your life.

It seems that both Donna and I found ourselves ebbing this week, in the lull between action, and feeling at times a little off course. When there is no visible movement toward a goal, it is easy to feel like you are alone, adrift at sea, unable to reach the shore. Writing has not come easily.  The reality is that everyone goes through periods of flow and ebb in their life.  We are not the odd ones out who can’t seem to get IT all together, whatever IT is.  There is not a magic formula that allows someone to stay in flow at all times.  And even if there were, would you choose to stay in the constant motion of flow?

I need to release the idea that ebb is a bad thing.  Ebb time is a chance for me to slow down, and in the quiet, trust that I am in the right place.  If I don’t slow down, I often get caught moving in circles. I make decisions based out of fear rather than decisions that are true and right for me.

Yesterday I  listened to my body and took a nap.   In fact, I took two naps because the first one wasn’t long enough.  Today, I have much more energy and am productive again in my work.  I have been inspired sharing my new writing business with Donna and am watching the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.  There is synchronicity in my life all pointing me in the right direction.

I am learning that the trick to being in the flow is not fighting the ebb.  When in the ebb, it is important to take  time to re-create, re-lax, re-energize. And next time I feel like I am all alone and adrift at sea, I will call Donna and over a cup of tea, she will remind me that I am right where I should be, relaxing in the embrace of an endless ocean of love.  She will remind me that flow will come again. It always does.

Comments (1)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , , , ,

A Healing Presence

08/12/10 Jan Comments (3)

I am committed to being a healing presence in the world.

This statement came to me as I was finishing my third healing touch session for the day.  I was playing over in my head my heart virtue, or at least what I thought was my heart virtue- something about inspiring others to awaken to their own divine power.  I had taken an all day workshop in February to identify my heart virtue, a guiding light on my path of life.

I am committed to being a healing presence in the world. This statement rolled off my tongue and out into the world in glorious wonder.  It is concise and to the point, and contains very powerful words.

BEING- Notice I didn’t say I was committed to DOING.  All of my life I have been a doer, thinking that I need to accomplish something to be worth something.  God is telling me that just by BEING, I can make a difference in the world.

PRESENCE:  I am choosing to write about this word next because it defines my heart virtue more than any word.  What I love to do and feel I do quite well, is BE WITH.  I can be with someone in a one on one session, or I can be with someone when I am writing and am able to touch their inner being with my words.   When I am present to something or someone, my whole body and mind are attentive to the action/task at hand.  Maybe that means being tuned in to guidance for what healing touch technique would work best on this person now.  Or it means listening with compassion and allowing someone to share their story.  Presence is when I am in the flow and the words to a meditation just pour out of my mouth, or a section of my book is on the page in no time at all.   Presence means I am here right now and it is the only place to find love and peace.

HEALING:  This one is easy.  I just let God’s love shine through me and trust that who I am in the world is enough.  I have had those experiences where people I don’t know very well will open up to me and share their challenges.  I believe that is because God’s love flowing through me creates a safe space for people to be real.  I also believe that my own healing journey gives me some credentials that others can relate to.  It is as if the words “I knocked on death’s door and lived to tell about it” are stamped across my forehead.  I have been in a place many of these people are now experiencing, and they just want someone to hear them.  I love the quote “There is no one I can’t learn to love once I know their story.”  It is about acceptance that all of us are human and we are doing our best to find our way. If I can be a healing light to help someone’s journey, than I am living the life God intended for me.

The three words, Being, Healing and Presence fit so nicely together and create a very powerful statement about who I am and how I choose to live my life.

I am committed to being a healing presence in the world. I am grateful that I have the intuitive awareness to recognize this as my heart virtue and I look forward to moving out into the world, sharing more of who I am with the world.

Comments (3)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , ,

Making Dreams Reality

07/04/10 Jan Comments (2)

Yesterday, I was at a training day for my Trump business, and the afternoon was spent creating dream boards.  Our leader gave us the instructions not to judge which pictures and words drew out attention, and not to glue anything down until we had a whole hour to cut out pictures.  When an hour went by and I began to organize my board, I was really amazed at what the universe was trying to tell me.  I had a nice new kitchen next to my diamond Trump business, but the corner that was most complete was a writing corner.  In a stack of books was my book called “She Moved Mountains”  with a coming soon notice.  There was a writing desk, and writing pens of all kinds.  There is a note to be 100% naturally me, which means I have to be willing to speak my truth in my writing.  I have to open myself up and be vulnerable to what others think.  Yet I know that is the only way to write my story. Expressing my story and how Faith brought me through a very difficult illness is so important that I teared up when I talked about it.  I trust that when this book is done, it will have a magical effect on my life, opening doors that I never saw before, and even affecting my Trump business in a positive way. I look forward to speaking to groups of women about being authentic in their own lives, and the place to start doing that is in the present moment.

The words Tweet and Value, remind me that as I write and add value to the marketplace, I can increase my readership, and have more people to touch when my book is finished.   What I offer on my blog is just a taste of what is to come.  I realize that I have the ability to connect people to the present and that is the gift I will be sharing.

I had a dream as a kid that I would write a book by the age of 30. Although I am a bit beyond that now, I know that it will become a reality in the next months. I have joined an accountability group and additional writing groups to make my dream come true.  I get such a delight from telling people I am writing a book.  It is truly my path right now, and I embrace it fully!

Comments (2)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Blogger: Andrea Constantine

06/01/10 Jan Comments (2)

I continue to be inspired by Andrea’s writings and thoughts about being in the flow.  We are our own worst enemies, pulling ourselves off track.  Andrea’s columns are a great reminder to be in a state of awareness and allowing, and trusting that you are in the right place.  Enjoy!  Jan

A Sign For Change

There comes a time in our lives and businesses that things begin to unravel. We may feel restless, exhausted, confused or hopeless. Whatever the feelings may be we know that in our core that these are not the feelings that we want to live in.

These emotions; however, daunting they may feel bring out a truth that we cannot deny. Wherever we are, or wherever we are headed is not aligned with our spirit. These feelings come as a warning sign that we have misdirected our course, that we’ve gotten off track, or perhaps the pathway we’ve been on has simply expired and a new one is ready to emerge.

Whatever the outcome may be, the truth is that these feelings and emotions are simply a sign for change.

As scary as change may be, in times of distress or duress, it can be the fastest way of moving towards something that is more aligned with who you are now in this very moment.

There comes a time when you simply have to shake things up. You let go of commitments, beliefs, people, ideas, and ways of being that no longer serve you. You open up the space to allow what is needing to come through to evolve and be shown to you.

You drop your guard and surrender – knowing that the Universe never takes you down a path that doesn’t serve your highest good. You simply give up your will, for the will of the divine.

As you allow yourself to be lead, as you stop leading your life, and you simply wait for the answers – the inspired action to move you forward, you are able to move into a new space, a new direction.

Despite the painful feelings of the past you know they were simply a sign for change, a message from the Universe that things are about to get shaken up.

And while you may not see the steps of the new path, you trust that what lies ahead is a way for you to be more, serve more people, and achieve your greatest purpose.

But you see none of this could happen if you keep holding on to where you are right now, if you are still forcing things to look the way you want them to look, and if you are fighting the signs of change.

But what if you simply surrendered, you moved out of the way, opened up the gates of divine wisdom, stepped aside and said out loud – I’m done, I’ll let you lead now.

How beautiful would your life look then?

Andrea M. Costantine is the Service & Soulful Marketing Strategist, helping conscious business owners find easy and authentic ways to market their services utilized whole person and spiritual marketing strategies. She’s passionate about freedom, self-expression, and inspiring human potential. You can find out more about Andrea and her work at www.andreacostantine.com

Comments (2)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , ,

Pulling Threads

04/28/10 Jan Comments (0)

I am in this strange space today, with thoughts running through my head, yet I can’t seem to find a thread that is connected to something large enough to write about.  It is as if I am looking at an old sewing basket, where spools of neglected threads have mingled and twisted into knots, creating work for whoever decides to untangle the problem, knowing the result will be some organization, but the threads will have to be thrown away.

Some days, it is like that with writing.  I am writing purely for the purpose of untangling thoughts, getting words on a page only to get them out of my head.  They don’t make sense, and they aren’t fit for publication, yet the organization that is left is worth the action of writing.

I never realized how much my body needs to write, no matter the quality of the writing.  Now that I have a blog and people are reading it, I sometimes feel like what I write has to measure up- I want my writing to have meaning for others, to reach someone other than myself.  Oops!  That is a cardinal mistake, worrying about what someone else will think of what I have to say.

What did I learn in the hours that I spent behind the keyboard or pen and paper?   Was I able to write a chapter for my book or was I frustrated because I didn’t know where to begin a new chapter?  Was there any insight into my life?  Was there a hint about a new direction to take with my business?  Was there joy in the process, or just concern about what the end product would be?  Did I write because I felt like it was part of my life purpose?  Did I write because I haven’t posted a blog in a week and I better get something posted now?  Did I write because my soul cries to be heard, if only by me?

My husband loves to remind me of the saying, “Life is a journey, not a destination.”  The same can be said about writing.  I have been worried that no one is reading my blogs, no one is interested in what I have to say.  Yet when I focus on writing for others, I am not authentic to my own voice.  When I am worried about what someone might say about my writing, I am drawn into pretenses, and that doesn’t serve me or anyone who might be reading. When I write about my journey back to health from a lengthy illness, I can see the strength I had to overcome many difficulties and I am amazed at myself.

So today I write for the purpose of writing, pulling out the threads, tracing lines back to the knot of thoughts that is slowly unraveling.  I write because I have to clear my head of the web that keeps building unless I am willing to do the work of throwing threads away.  I write so that I have the clarity I need to complete my work.  Writing to me is a meditation, a time of connecting to something bigger than me and allowing myself to be a conduit of whatever words are meant to take form on the page.  When I have finished, I feel more centered and ready to move into action on my daily work.

So writers, how do you feel when you write?

Comments (0)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , ,

Mandalas for Meditation

04/21/10 Jan Comments (0)

One of my favorite ways of calming myself and listening to my intuition is through color.  Using colored pencils and a mandala gives me a focus.  I can ask any question I am currently pondering and answers will come as I am focused on either the design I am creating or the colors involved.  There are some days it takes me more time to find my center.  Look at the first mandala.  I started out my day by finding my colored pencils, choosing this particular design (by intuition), and then coloring the design.  I had no particular order in which I was coloring, just picking up a pencil and adding the color where I thought it should go.   Although I tried to focus, my to do list kept popping up in my mind, and I had to call my thoughts back to the task on hand. ( There is a clue- I thought this was another TASK  I was merely completing!)  After finishing it and looking closely at it, I saw my spirit running in all different directions, and I felt just like the picture I had colored.    I wanted the green to represent love that flows through all things, yet there didn’t seem to be any flow, especially in warms thoughts of self-love.  I was listening too hard to the critical voices telling me I must DO something, rather than the one letting me know it was ok to just BE.

I usually don’t color two mandalas in one day.  However, my intuition told me to pick the same design and color it again.  This time I started in the center and focused on my breathing, remembering that all creativity and flow comes from my ability to connect the the core of who I am.   I thought about color, but mostly I thought about being in the flow of God’s grace, and making space for God.  The white outline was left blank intentionally to allow for new possibilities in my life.  When I finished the second design and put it next to the first, I realized how crazy my life has been because I haven’t taken the time to be quiet and still.  There is so much more cohesiveness and beauty in the second mandala and the symbolism doesn’t escape me.  There is more cohesiveness and beauty in my life when I connect with God.

I am grateful for the learning and look forward to coloring my prayers again.  If you could color your prayers, what color do you think would dominate?

Comments (0)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , ,

In The Flow Of Love and Goodness

04/15/10 Jan Comments (0)

Some days, when I sit down to the computer to write, nothing flows.  It is as if my fingers are tied up on the computer keys and I can’t get past the individual letters.  I know I have good things to say, but only words come out that don’t seem to make sense.

I notice that my home life is like this too.  I am not in the flow, so each individual action seems to oppose another that I am doing.  It is like those days when I start in one room, see something that needs to be moved to another, and then I find something in that room that needs to be done.  There is no cohesiveness to my actions.

I yearn for some connection, something that will help me move in the flow of writing, of doing, of even just sitting in the flow of love and goodness.  So today, right now, I am stopping what I am doing and moving into breath, moving into the space of allowing, and accepting whatever comes my way.

I begin with the thought that without Source, God, Universe, whatever one calls connection, I am nothing.  I cannot be in the flow of life without the energy of love and self-acceptance.

I breathe in, allowing God’s light, love and peace to flow in the top of my head and down through my body, breathing out feelings of separateness, despair, fear, confusion.  The more I breathe in light, the more relaxed I feel, and the stronger my connection to Divine Love.

I breathe light into the molecules of my body, watching muscles, organs, and bones to expand and float freely, so I am a figure of light dancing with an unknown breeze.  Then I watch as my body floats with the trees, the clouds, the sky, and it is hard to see where I stop and “Otherness” begins.  I am a part of all creation.

When I float back to my body, I feel my mind has cleared, and I am connected to a constant source of love and light.  There is no wrong way to do things today.  There is only a state of being from which my words and work will flow. All is good in my world.

May you float through your day too!

Comments (0)
Categories : Inspiration and Connection
Tags : , , , , , ,

News

What is new and growing in you?  How does allowing God to work in your life give you the courage to show up for others?

Upcoming Events

At a retreat this week:

When we show up and DO our job, we are in service to others.

When we show up and BE present, we can create healing.

Are you willing to show up in your vulnerability and authenticity, and allow your mere presence to change the world?

Wise and Witty Women

Wise and Witty Women- Coming Soon!

Wise and Witty Women
March 13, 2013 Let’s Celebrate the Women in our Community! Women who are following their passion. Women who will  share their wisdom. Women who will  make you laugh. Women who will remind you that we are all connected. Women who will inspire you to make a difference! Looking forward to sharing videos with you soon!
Introducing and connecting you to amazing women in our community.