My desire at this time is to share freely. In the Course In Miracles it talks about 'teaching to learn'- please take this blog in this way and not as a lecture, you and are the same and so the need for teacher and student is only helpful as a concept to remembering who we are.

This morning in my meditation I saw myself floating on the ocean. The ocean is a symbol for the 'Universe' for me- 'the One'. There are many metaphors about us being waves upon the ocean- moments of separate experience, but never truly separate. In this vision I saw myself floating upon the ocean in a life jacket. In my case I am quite content in my life jacket, floating along merrily enjoying the scenery. A whisper on the wind began to call "take it off"- "you don't need it"- "you can swim". I argued "but I need my life jacket" (even there I love that it is called a 'life' jacket).

Above all I want to be free, I want to be fearless, I want to extend and create. In this image I could see how my life jacket - in the guise of creating safety - was preventing me from going deeper, preventing me from swimming.

This was a bright orange life jacket, but I could sense that it was woven of the worlds needs of me... Mother, Daughter, Wife, Employee- very, very needed. Now this is the part where the ego freaks out- "you mean I have to let go of my kids in order to be free!!!" lol- I feel it!

What the voice on the wind says is that 'you need lose nothing- only the mistaken images of yourself', the life jacket is woven of the lies that I tell myself- that I must be vigilant, that I must be on guard, that I must look after everything and that I have many choices, demands and decisions. And I wove it. In my fear of freedom, in my fear to truly trust and just swim.

Even now I feel the resistance to it. In my meditation I asked "who put this on me"- of course I did! Even with this awareness I couldn't see myself taking it off- I loosened a couple of toggles so I could swim a little freer.

What I have gained is some insight - useful on the way to freedom- and the sound of that voice echoes- you can swim, you can swim, you can swim.

Why Blog?

The last couple months I have been spending a lot of time inside- not indoors- but inside of 'me'.

This week it occurred to me that I hadn't blogged in a while- it was more of a case of too many Aha's
rather than not enough.

I had the experience this summer of having my 'thinking' - beliefs in Oneness, Only Love IS Real and
that it was supposed to be FUN here- move to 'feeling' and 'having'.

This seemed to require some time to integrate and interpret.

So, I asked myself, why would I blog- if I believe that it is all perfect, that the Divine plan is in play and
all change comes from the inside?

The answer that comes to me is that we are all in this together and sharing is our natural way.

I welcome stories, feedback, sharing, as I relax into my innocence sharing becomes easier and easier-
and I invite you to do the same.

With Love,
Fawna

Rainbow Connection

I woke up this morning with the song "I want to be a Billionaire" by Bruno Mars in my head. Then it switched to
Jessie J. and "Pricetag"- opposing messages- both appealing, perfectly mirroring the struggle in this world.

I spent some time on YouTube and found myself listening to Jason Mraz (sigh) and "Rainbow Connection". I then
listened to 'Rainbow Connection' by the Carpenters and Kermit and was drawn to looking at the lyrics.

When I hear someone (or myself) say "Well, it's just like _______",something absolute, I often hear the words of this song
"somebody thought of it, and someone believed it". If you listen you will notice how much time we spend reinforcing
facts that if looked at honestly always have exceptions. As Byron Katie says "is it true?" "is it really true?" "how do I feel
when I think this?" "how would I feel without this story?".

As I listened to the lyrics I was awestruck at the Truth in them and 'the rainbow connection'. A rainbow, as I understand it,
is refracted light. Just like all of this- I mean ALL of this- my computer, my hands on the computer, the copy of ACIM and
the phone beside me here. It is all refracted light and like a rainbow is seems so, so real.

I love when songs/movies point the way- gentle, kind reminders waiting for us to be willing.

"rainbows are visions, but only illusions"

"all of under it's spell, we know that it's probably magic"

"have you been half asleep and have you heard voices"

"Who said that every wish would be heard and answered?
Wished on the morning star,
somebody thought of that and someone believed it
and look what it's done so far
What's so amazing that keeps us star gazing
and what do we think we might see?"

This line in particular is very aligned with Ho'oponopono, ACIM- and the other paths that have attracted me.
Our suffering is wishing for something other than what 'is' - looking upon everything with a wish- a desire
for it to be different, "and look what it's done so far"

Acceptance, not to be confused with 'oh well, nothing matters anyway' is what we seek and yet seem to have
difficulty giving.

Enjoy the music and look for the messages- they are all around us.

"Some day we'll find it, the rainbow connection, the lovers, the dreamers and me"

Do-Be to Be-Do!

Doobie, doobie, doo... this little ditty has been running through my head all day.

It was sparked after a conversation with a dear friend of mine- she called in tears- "WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?"

I reminded myself to 'hold the high note', accept her exactly at this point, and yet my mind
was super tempted to figure it out, to fix it, to make her comfortable. These things don't sound 'bad'
but there are in opposition to the peace that I want to be right now and are not examples of the acceptance that
I wish to offer my friends.

I listened and did the best I could to be present and not 'water the weeds' or build on the story- nor did I fall into
solving.

As I drove later on (the Holy Spirit loves to talk to me while I'm driving- or more accurately- that's when I listen),
it occurred to me that we quickly jump into the 'doing'.

There is the saying "we are human beings, not human doings".

Just as she had jumped into 'doing' mode, so had I. I was wondering "what can I do, what can I say".

The message I received, was to focus on the 'being' not the doing.

When I jump to doing I often follow the well worn path- also known as a rut- the reactive behaviours that have been
programmed and may or more often may not be appropriate to the situation. Almost like a script- "when you do this,
I do this" and then, as the definition of insanity goes 'expect a different outcome'.

I made the decision to choose to 'be' peaceful, to 'be' present and to see what doing unfolded from that.

In contrast to our first conversation our second conversation was not about the two of us panicking over our next 'do'.
I shared my do-be, be-do thoughts and in that we both shifted. The decision to be free, to be peaceful, to be calm- these
choices made the doing so much clearer.

SO, do be do be do- or be do be do be...what song are you doing to sing?

Being Response-Able

I haven't been blogging or doing my newsletters recently and facebook and twitter comments even seem hard to find.

I'm in a place of 'sorting', it's not uncomfortable (most of the time), but in questioning every thought it has become difficult to make statements of opinion, idea's to share or find lessons that people should learn (ha ha ha).

I do however have a destination in mind and I just had the wonderful opportunity to have it validated.

I am lucky in this lifetime to have a Mother who is wise and a Father who is a seeker (yikes even in that sentence I find several 'stories' to question). I have been gifted with Mighty Companions on this journey.

My Dad and I were just on the phone and I haven't talked to him in a couple of weeks. He had given me a book "The Presence Process" by Michael Brown and I had given him a meditation CD - "The Quantum Life Breath" by Jaru Kabbal. These two works are incredibly supportive of one another so I was interested in seeing where he was at and what had been coming to him.

Mid way through the conversation he began to talk about a concept- honestly I wasn't listening, I was waiting to talk because I had a concept that I wanted to share. IT WAS THE SAME CONCEPT!

The concept that we have mutually come to, that was mentioned in neither of the works we were discussing, was the idea of being "Response-Able".

There is a heavy emphasis on responsibility in our culture, like many of the words that we use however (like respect for instance) this is interpreted differently by just about everyone. A responsible mother to one person can be something entirely different to another. This keeps everyone perfectly separated, frustrated and often in righteous indignation.

My destination in my current work, with my employer being the Creator (insert word of choice here), as opposed to being responsible is to be response able.

I am trusting that when the 'stories' - and there are oh so many, many; consider the meaning that we put on 'facebook', which is actually a neutral thing in our world! These stories keep us separate and in most cases unable to respond to the callings of our heart, the callings of the Divine.

"I feel like it would be helpful to go away for a weekend, but I feel guilty because I'm a Mom and I should like being with my kids" as an example- which keeps us unhappy whether we go away or stay home.

Response able to me is hearing the still, small voice inside and being able to respond, trusting that you will be led into situations that create the highest good for all. Letting go of the masks of woman, mother, friend, spouse and so on, and so on.

So bear with me, my posts may be intermittent- or not- I have no idea, but I do have the intent that whatever I post will be helpful as we become more conscious together.

Breathing Underwater: Guest Blogger Kyle Scanlon

Photo courtesty of Atmo at Wildquest
I love how quickly things can come together when they are meant to be.

I am so excited to share someone with you. Kyle is a community worker in downtown Toronto. What first impressed me with Kyle is that he not only gives of himself, but also
to himself.

A few years ago I accepted that "Love your neighbor, as Yourself" truly means- love yourself the same as you love everyone else.

I used to shine all of my light out, never taking any for myself-
and seeing this in others has inspired my passion to 'help helpers'.

Kyle's commitment to a yearly trip (last year he went to Rwanda to see gorilla's in the wild!) that feeds his soul- partnered with his contribution to his community made me want to share, share, share him.

He has graciously offered this learning piece- Thank You Kyle, as the week in Bimini progressed Kyle proved to be a gentle, fun and deep thinking soul. Here is what he took home from our trip to Bimini:

In Bimini, I expected to see dolphins, but I found so much more.

On Day 1 of my trip to swim with wild dolphins in the Bahamas, I found myself in a torturous position - my face planted solidly into water while I tried to breathe.

Yes, I had a snorkel to use, but my brain and my body both agreed that breathing underwater was simply a bad idea. As I tried to force myself to take slow deep breaths through the snorkel, I continually began to hyperventilate, and panic, and I would have to lift my head up out of the water and relax before trying it all over again and again.

It was incredibly frustrating. Dolphins were swimming with us, below us, and all around us, but I was caught up in my state of panic and could barely appreciate the presence of the dolphins.

After panicking, I then made matters worse by berating myself for my inability to overcome my fear. That too distracted me from any chance to appreciate the experience of having so many dolphins so close. I wondered later in my room, "Would the entire trip be a waste because of my fear?"

But in the following days, I soldiered on, every day at every opportunity, I would willingly put on the mask and snorkel and drop down into the ocean with my head underwater and panic all over again. Each day I fought myself because I knew there was a chance of seeing dolphins again and I was not going to miss out again. I would be ready.

Day 5 - our last day - brought us up close and personal with a pod of bottle nose dolphins and finally I was able to let go of the panic and simply breathe deeply and calmly, and watch the dolphins dive to feed.

One dolphin came up to me at eye level and slowly circled me. I circled with her, keeping eye contact. It was incredible to be in her gaze, to really share the ocean with her, to join her in her element.

This process, I realized, was a metaphor for life. We must sometimes conquer our demons in order to experience beauty and wonder.

When I face future adversities, I will reflect back on my time with the dolphins and how I had to learn to breathe in water, and I'll know that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to because of my determination and strength of spirit.

I'll know that wondrous things await, so long as I have the patience and courage to persevere.

Fear can be a gateway to something special, but only if you don't let yourself be held captive by it. That's what the dolphins taught me.

Thank you, dolphins.

Kyle

Back From Another World

Yesterday I re-entered 'this world' from the world of Bimini. A small Bahamian island only 43 miles off of the coast of Florida- Bimini showed up as an entirely different 'planet'. A planet where people are easy going and kind, where the days are warm on the inside and the outside and where beauty brings you to tears with regularity.

I am still processing all of the gifts from the week, but as I sit here in the shifting sands of humanity in the Houston Airport I just wanted to share one small 'lesson' from the Dolphins of Bimini.

On good Friday, and homecoming weekend on the island, the normally extremely quiet waters became busy, busy.

As our last day on the water we were beyond thrilled to come upon a pod of bottle-nose dolphins feeding. As we watched and prepared to get into the water a boat came flying towards our dive boat and the dolphins.

From the boat you could feel our anxiety rising (palpable after such a relaxing week), there were shouts at the boat, there were arm and hand gestures to try and get this guy to slow down and general disgust with poor boating manners and assumptions about drinking and boating.

In the water however the story was completely different, as the wake of the speedy boat rose up towards us the dolphins caught the wave and took advantage of a chance for fun!!! Surfing alongside one another they shifted us from irritation to joy in a moment.

This visual will stay with me as I ride the wake of returning to 'normal' life- surfing as opposed to flailing about.

"Once connected, always connected" Amlas- Wildquest

Hot Tips for a Happy Life April 2011

In this issue:
Welcome
Hot Tip- Security vs. Safety
Upcoming workshop
Light Touch, Big Impact Sessions


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Welcome to spring!

How are you finding yourself coming out of winter and into spring?

Fresh and pushing through like new grass?

Wobbly and unsure like a brand new calf?

Soaring like the eagles on their return?

No matter how you are feeling, spring is a time of new beginnings. I'm beginning my 4th decade this spring. What are you beginning?

And what's with all the questions? Smile. Just want to remind you- that it's about you.

You Matter.

Love,
Fawna

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A couple of months ago my parents returned from Mazatlan, and as is very common,
my Dad had a book for me.

This book "Talking with Nature" By Michael J. Roads had definitely seen better days. Or to put it more positively- she had been well loved. He had picked it up in a second hand store.

Held together with 5 bandaids, dirty and ragged- but like us- with absolutely no impact on it's value. I devoured this book and fell in love with Michael Roads.

There were several aha's but the one that has been sticking with me is what I'd like to share with you today. In one part of the book Michael is shown the difference between safety and security.

Security vs. Safety

Have you ever said "I need ________ to feel secure", whether it is $$$, a person, or some thing. It seems innocent enough. "I know exactly what I need". "Once I have ___________then I will feel secure".

What things around you make you feel secure, or would make you feel secure?

We talk a lot about insecurities, and we behave in ways that suggest that we do not feel secure-from a place of fear we have three possible reactions- fight, flight or freeze. Look around, how much time are we spending in just these three states of being.

One opposite of fear is freedom.

Consider the word 'security' - to secure- to hold. The problem with security is that it has the potential to limit your freedom. Do the things that you think or want make you feel SAFE?or SECURE?

Feel those two words in your body. Just say them and notice.

Safe. Safe feels absolute to me, grounded and sure. I am safe.

Secure. Secure feels limiting, tight, conditional. I am secure.

Suddenly secure doesn't feel good enough. In this constantly changing world, relying
on outside 'things' or 'people' for our sense of well being is PERFECT for creating suffering.

Safety is bigger, from the inside and forever. Safety comes from seeing beyond security, safety comes from trust. I may even suggest that safety is a decision.

This is a big concept, bigger than I have fully integrated, but I wanted to bring it to you for your thoughts, for you to play with and get back to me.

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I'm very excited to be hosting A Course In Miracles teacher from the US in May,
Inviting you to JOIN as we remember who we TRULY are.

A Course In Miracles
Jason Warwick
Messenger of Peace
www.livingmiraclescenter.org

May 10, Unity Church 7-9 pm
May 11, Highwood RIver Inn 10-5, movie night 7-9

Register at www.fawnabews.com


FINALLY, Light Touch, Big Impact Sessions

I am available for one on one sessions evenings and weekends after May 13th- until then I will be CELEBRATING 40
with a Dolphin Swimming Adventure and then 6 days in San Francisco with my husband. I am very grateful.

Sessions have become a highly integrated adventure. Mixing light touch body work, energy balancing, coaching and
intuitive work the more recent sessions are taking my clients from scattered, uncertain and in pain to balanced, centered
and in control.

Here is a recent testimonial:

"I was really grateful for the level of listening and honesty that came out of that session and thank you for tuning in and helping me understand something I have not been able to hear or understand for years. I felt like you helped unveil a HUGE piece of this puzzle for me and i feel radically different as a result." JG

My Perfect Life

Twice this week I have had people say "you seem to have the perfect life, you never have problems".

At the time I jumped to defending my problems and the difficulties in my life (lol- "NO- my life sucks too!"), but this morning in the quiet, I am having a sneaky suspicion that they may be right.

I am sitting here in appreciation. Is this because of the frame of seeing the last 11 years as a gift? The cancer (I've been wisely advised not to call it my cancer) was a
threat to this body, there was a possibility of her not making it. I wasn't really feeling that at the time, I was quite certain of survival. I do gladly take on each new year and all of the surprises, big and small, that come with them.

I do have problems, but what I'm realizing this morning is that I now have the tools to enjoy them.

My favorite job was in 1993-1995 in Colorado Springs, CO. I ended up being the 'wound care' specialist in the company that I worked for. In Colorado the Physical Therapists were allowed to use scalpels when Nurses were not and even as I sit here I can feel the glee of cleaning out wounds, cutting off the dead skin, picking out the bad parts.

When I came back to Canada I was disappointed to find out that our local nursing homes took excellent care of their clients and pressure sores were limited and the nurses handled them.

My scalpels and tweezers for the pressures sores of this life are:

`Ho'oponopono
`The Work of Byron Katie
`Robert Scheinfelds 'Busting Loose' Process
`Undoing the Ego- from my dear friends Nouk Sanchez and Tomas Vieira
`Serenity Prayer
`"This too shall pass"
`The lessons in A Course In Miracles
`Angels
`My Gratitude Buddy Kerry Sammon
`Energy Work

That is quite a toolbox. Every day I have a chance to use these tools and cut away the dead from my life, leaving me raw sometimes, but open to heal and with fresh joyful growth.

I'm grateful to my friends for bringing up my perfect life this week, and glad to realize that I am still doing my favorite job- healing wounds.

I Love You Man

In the ‘holistic scene’ (sounds groovy) there has been a movement and loads of information on the awakening of the Divine Feminine.

Our society has been patriarchal for thousands of years and this return to balance was, in my opinion, inevitable. There has been some headway made, but there continues to be huge inequities between women and men in our country (pay, position, home and child care) - let alone in countries around the world.

Several of the women I have seen in the past few weeks have done some wonderful targeted work in this area. Opening up their feminine side, open to receiving, loving the feminine, and nurturing themselves.

The layer that seems to be coming up behind this is an anger, mistrust or complete rejection of the Masculine.

All of us are complete and whole, over time however we wall off certain parts- usually for security- and limit ourselves to a ‘smaller’, more manageable version.

Injuries, stiffness and even complete disregard of the right side of the body are showing the way to a rejection of inner masculinity.

Yikes- that sentence may make sense to me- but let me break it down a little.

We are a mind, body and spirit complex- so much more than what we usually identify with and express.

The body tends to be honest; in my gentle, hands on sessions I engage in conversation with the body and things that the mind may be repressing show up. I am including the ‘energy’ body in this as well, as real to me as your arm or leg.

In energy medicine you have a giving side and a receiving side, the right is associated with masculinity and the left with femininity.

So here is what some wonderful bodies have told me this past week- it has been helpful to me so I hope that it resonates with you as well.

First, the ‘giving’ of the feminine is often intuitive and in response. What Oprah calls “the disease to please” is the darker side of this.

The giving of the masculine is more about pulling from within. Which many of us (us being women) see as selfishness.

The exciting thing is- we need the voices of women in our world (feel a Halleluiah coming on there)- by embracing the inner masculine, you can reach in and give the world your uniqueness.

Sure, Fawna, sounds easy ☺

How we (my clients and I) were led in this was distinct for each person, but basically related to:

Accepting that we are a combination of masculine and feminine

Allowing that part of us that has been ‘walled away’ to be witness and to speak

This requires some use of imagination and visualization, as well as the ability to stop and listen.

The over riding voice of this inner boy child and/or inner father, inner grandfather has been to see them in yourself and offer love (of course, ultimately isn’t that always the answer?).

As always I invite your comments.

I love you man,
Fawna

A Birthday Present to Me: Newness

Well, today I am 40. I don't have a pile of attachment to it. I am grateful to have
made it here, I've been told many times that the 40's are great- so that sounds good,
but beyond that I have few feelings regarding the day or the age.

I do however recognize the value of celebration and of ritual and for this reason I
will be enjoying a wonderful dinner tonight and my house is currently infused with the
smell of chocolate cake (the first one baked by my 13 year old son).

My gift to myself this year is going to be Newness. I found myself telling a friend
"In 2000 I was laying in a hospital bed for my 29th birthday, I had a spinal headache from a second spinal tap and a good friend of ours was killed in a bullriding accident-
I haven't liked my birthday ever since!" This is how good of a friend she is- she
challenged me: "Why are you dragging that forward?" she said with an open heart and
looking me straight in the eye.

One of my favorite stories is of the two monks:

Two monks were making a pilgrimage to venerate the relics of a great Saint. During the course of their journey, they came to a river where they met a beautiful young woman -- an apparently worldly creature, dressed in expensive finery and with her hair done up in the latest fashion. She was afraid of the current and afraid of ruining her lovely clothing, so asked the brothers if they might carry her across the river.

The younger and more exacting of the brothers was offended at the very idea and turned away with an attitude of disgust. The older brother didn't hesitate, and quickly picked the woman up on his shoulders, carried her across the river, and set her down on the other side. She thanked him and went on her way, and the brother waded back through the waters.

The monks resumed their walk, the older one in perfect equanimity and enjoying the beautiful countryside, while the younger one grew more and more brooding and distracted, so much so that he could keep his silence no longer and suddenly burst out, "Brother, we are taught to avoid contact with women, and there you were, not just touching a woman, but carrying her on your shoulders!"

The older monk looked at the younger with a loving, pitiful smile and said, "Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river; you are still carrying her."
copied from http://www.fisheaters.com/twomonks.html



This year I am committing to 'newness', to seeing everything with fresh eye's (in my case I will be asking Holy Spirit to help me see the 'truth'). Do you remember the
feeling of seeing a vista for the first time, or a new baby?- ahhhh- without comparing,
judging or making mental leaps- that is where the magic lies.

So, I ask you to be a good friend and call me on my crap. Thank you to all of you
who have sent me well wishes, my heart is truly full.

Resisting the Urge to Play Small

When I went to get my mail last week this sign took my breath away!

I shrunk a little in my car and felt my heart beating faster. I have
been asked do a presentation for our library and this is the advertisement.

So what's with the panic? That's what I asked myself.

In a previous post I shared about a tendency to keep things to myself- hoarding as it were.

When people used to meet me the general consensus was "Fawna is so quiet". A
chameleon, I enjoyed blending into the background and put as little of myself
out there as possible.

I thought I had put this to rest over the past couple of years- but one billboard
reaction shows me that there is some residue laying in there.

I read, I believe and I teach that we are greater than we can even imagine.

I read, I believe and I aspire to serve something greater than myself.

For years in fact my most common prayer is "I'm ready, show me where I might
serve the greater good". Recently these prayers are being answered in spades
as I have greater client numbers and speaking opportunities than ever.

And yet there is that little part that says "NO! QUIET- DON'T TELL ANYONE". I
can see how this has kept me from finishing books, stepping up and 'hanging it
all out there'. Fear of what? Looking weird, sounding like a whacko, seeming
like I'm too big for my britches? Yep, and like all fears- perfect for keeping
me separated from my purpose.

Laughing now, I have reconciled the billboard- grateful to see and LET GO of the
urge to stay hidden. I have things to share, and I know that you do too!

Please join me in laughing away those messages that keep us in our same places, playing small and pretending to be 'not that big of a deal'.

A billboard...geez...

3 Great Tips to Feel Instantly Better!

Today I received this newsletter from my Gratitude Buddy Kerry Sammon,
her three tips today DO THE TRICK!
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey- enjoy Kerry (I do)
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A PERSONAL NOTE FROM KERRY:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi~

Here are a few helpful tidbits to pick you up for some weekend Fun!

Warmly,
Kerry

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Do all 3 in under 5 minutes or spend 30 seconds or less on just one:

Let go of 1 expectation. Think of an expectation you or someone else has placed on you for today. Notice how your heart feels.


Now, take a moment and imagine giving yourself a free pass. Just let go of that expectation. If you get it done great, if not, great. Now, notice how your heart feels having let that go. Ahhhhh. A little improvement goes a long way.



Find Your Beauty - Make one small change to your appearance right now that makes you feel better. Notice what a little spruce up does for your mood. Now, smile at yourself in a mirror and say "Wow, I love your..."
It's amazing how something small can make a huge difference in your self confidence. As you carry that throughout the day, you confidently embark on the next task.



Pat Yourself on the back. Congratulate yourself on one thing you have accomplished so far today. Physically pat yourself on the back. Go ahead.


I just patted myself on the back for getting my car washed. "Good Job, Kerry!" I actually felt joy in my heart while I did it and a little giddiness in my belly. How silly, yet how fun!


I truly wish for each of you, that a small shift, giggle or even a rolling of your eyes at my silliness has improved your day in some way. Sending you peace of mind, heart and soul today and everyday.
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CALENDER OF EVENTS:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Events at Dynamic Ease Wellness Center in Chicago:

March Healing Hour: Wednesday March 16th , 7:30-8:30 pm. Simply respond "healing" to this email if you'd like to attend, or just show up. $10*.
Sit back, relax and enjoy a healing for your grounding, chakras, aura and energy system. Professional healers work neutrally to clear out any blocks and help you fill up with your natural energy.
*Free to Gilda's club members.
Email Readings: Ongoing. $40 Simply respond "e-reading" to this email if you'd like one today. Special offer when you come to an event and check in via facebook.

Creating Your Ideal Body and Fitness Level: Thursday May 5th at 7:30pm. Simply respond "right direction" to this email to reserve your seat today. Seating limited! $20 ahead or $25 at door.
Right Direction Running Director, Alex Dontchos, tells his tale of losing over 100 pounds and turning his life around. Having completed numerous endurance races including the Chicago Marathon and Triathlon, he coaches others on the ins and outs of small changes that make a big difference.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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If you'd like to develop or strengthen a gratitude practice, simply reply "gratitude matchmaker" and I will happily get you started.

Busy? On the Go? Check out these E-reading rates:
$40: One Question
$70: One Question, deeper look, Healing (Chakra balancing, Aura, Energy system)
$95: Full Session (Framing of Issue, In-depth Insight, Healing, Next Step)

Private session booking is easy. Readings, spiritual coaching, and one-on-one meditation sessions are available via email. Feel free to call or e-mail me. I'm happy to help you set it up.

CD's of meditations and events are available. For a list and order form, simply reply "CD list" and I'll follow up.
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ABOUT KERRY DONTCHOS:
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Kerry Dontchos is a six-sensory teacher, body-worker and healer who helps people who are stuck, stressed or simply wanting more, to tune into their spirit, feel good in their body and enhance their lives.

A Clairvoyant Reading offers insight as you go through transitions in you life. This allows you the opportunity to negotiate through challenges with ease.
As a professional clairvoyant and spiritual coach, Kerry helps you learn more about where you are now, so you can make the necessary shifts to experience the life you desire. Based on seeing you as Spirit, a one-on-one session speaks to your true heart and nature. This helps you to take your best next step.

Body-Work Session: You are invited to relax in loose comfortable clothing on a massage table as you receive gentle hands-on therapy.

As a physical therapist and practitioner of CranioSacral therapy, Zero Balancing and the Healing Arts, Kerry offers holistic care to adults and children. By blending the art and science of traditional and alternative techniques, a session with Kerry unlocks long held patterns of pain and increases your energy.

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Do you know other open-minded people who'd like some insight? You're welcome to forward this e-mail to them, preferably in its entirety, including the contact and copyright information.

Warmest Regards,
Kerry

Dynamic Ease LLC, 3424 N. Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, USA

Love In Escrow

Today was a day of deep and meaningful conversations (definitely on my bliss list). There were several aha's, but the one I want to talk about has led to something I want to try- and I invite you to try it with me.

I caught myself saying "you loved him all you could- it hasn't gone to waste- that love is in escrow, when he is ready to open to it it will be there for him".

Before I go on- here is the definition of escrow.

"Money and documents deposited in a trust account to be held by one party for another"

I have been trying to be mindful to what I am saying lately- often the advice I give to other people is just as applicable, if not more, to me.

Shortly after saying the statement above I thought "am I holding any love in escrow?" Are there people that have tried to love me that I have blocked. I'm certain of it.

When I go to bed tonight I plan to spend some quiet moments 'allowing'- I'll say something like "I am willing to open to all of the love that is in escrow for me", "I am willing to believe that I am worthy of all the love I've been given". And see what happens!

Murderer or Miracle?

What do you see?

Yesterday one of my friends posted this story: http://tinyurl.com/6ae62yt

In a nutshell, a convicted sex offender who had just been diagnosed HIV took a 10 year old girl from a mall. He was stopped for speeding, given a ticket and drove away. From there on he could have done anything- he chose to drop her off.

This is a Miracle.

What I heard reported on the news was "Why didn't the police computer pick up on his history?". Straight to blame. A valid question- but one that I trust the police are already asking themselves. I want to know, what happened? Why did he let her go? I'm so grateful, grateful for a moment of sanity, grateful that she will sleep in her own bed tonight, grateful that her parents will have peace.

It made me think of the bible story of Daniel in the Lions den, because this is a bible story the focus is on Daniels faith- not on blaming the people who put him in there.

It made me wonder- how many miracles are we missing by focusing on the murderer?

In my own life I have experienced the miracle of surviving stage IV cancer and having a baby after being told that the chemotherapy would make this impossible.

I have spent the past several years training my mind, harnessing it's desire to see the scary and the bad. This article gives me hope that we can do this- instead of interrupting my peace of mind, making me scared for my children and for the world I was able to sense the humanity in this story and the goodness.

I've heard the argument that this kind of thinking ('bleeding heart liberals') could lead to complacency and chaos. I'm not at all suggesting that he should not be incarcerated, the problem with fear is that it offers three options: FIGHT, FLIGHT OR FREEZE. Compassion offers limitless options- offering ME peace and freedom.

Looking for miracles,
Fawna

Inspired

When I named this blog Everyday Aha I was thinking I would write every day. Maybe some day I will, but what I am noticing is that my inspiration comes in blurts.

Today I have been sitting here mulling over which Aha to blog on- ha ha ha!

So, why am I in this space of inspiration this morning...

Tracking it back to just finishing a book "Talking With Nature" by Michael J. Roads, and his reminder that I am a part of everything. As I open to this the Aha's are rushing to me and through me in rapid succession. I can see.

So, I will blog on the joy of receiving little surprises.

My Dad loves Chapters and Chapters LOVES my Dad. He has a 100 year old log cabin office that is stuffed with all things self help, spirituality and big thinking. I have the distinct pleasure of being the benefactor of his book buying addiction.

My favorites though are ones like this, Dad brought it home for me from Mazatlan where he had found it in a second hand store. He takes an entire suitcase of books with him and then goes looking in the second hand store- addiction.

This book (the one mentioned above) is held together with 5 clear bandaids along her spine. She is weathered and worn and someone has read her while eating, and while stained, her value- like ours- is diminished in no way, shape or form.

The book is delicious. Putting me in a place where all things are possible, where I am connected and where I can believe in my infinite worth.

So, I am just going to sit here a while, leaving you with one quote- spreading the feeling and hoping that you will share your teeming idea's as well.

"The fruit of human wisdom will fall delicately into the hand when one reaches out in love and humility" Talking with Nature, Michael J. Roads

HOT TIPS FOR A HAPPY LIFE- February 2011

Hot Tips for A Happy Life- February 2011

Welcome Message
The Power of Receiving
IAMPTE- great offers before 2011
Coupon for Winter Treatments

Hope you had a wonderful Valentines.
I received several newsletters and facebook messages about loving yourself first -
a sentiment I resonate with.

Knowing that loving yourself first is a start, and has been well said I would like to
offer part two today- Acceptance. How well do you receive love? Are you catching
the love that is being thrown your way?
In this months article we will cover the WHY and HOW of receiving love.

Tossing love your way,

Fawna Bews
www.fawnabews.com

********************************************************************

The Power of Receiving

How to Catch the Love Being Tossed Your Way

In energy medicine your body has a giving (masculine) side- the RIGHT- and a
receiving side (feminine). The receiving side is your LEFT and it bears paying attention
to where your injuries are falling. In our culture there is a strong emphasis on DOING,
achieving and giving.


How are you doing at receiving? I have devoted my practice to “helping, helpers”.
I often work with people who are constantly giving and giving and they end up coming
to me with all sorts of physical problems, fatigue and general malaise (I like this word :)).

This can be your body’s way of saying “it’s your turn”. These clients often relate that they’ve been told “you just give too much”- I disagree. In my experience, givers just keep on giving- until they can’t- so the problem isn’t the giving- it’s filling the tank.


In the Course In Miracles it says that ‘giving and receiving are the same in fact’ so why doesn’t it look like it?

One issue can be RECEIVING. Ask yourself these questions:

Are you willing to receive?
Do you see yourself as worthy of receiving?
Do you see receiving as ‘selfish’ in some way?

How do you do on receiving the small things- like compliments? Do you say a heart felt Thank You - or do you minimize the compliment and shoo it away? This is the first step that you can take to open up to receiving. THANK YOU.

Take a moment and tune into your body- close your eyes a moment- wait- read this first- Ask yourself- on a scale of 1 to 10 - 1 being not at all and 10 being completely open to receiving- how open am I? You might want to visualize a dial and see where it's at.

No matter where that dial is- go inside and with your mind- push it up- push it open to full receiving! You are worth it, the more you receive the more you have to give- you wouldn’t try to drive a car an hour on 10 minutes worth of gas.

The other part of receiving is tuning in to what is coming your way- look for the gifts in your life instead of the ‘challenges’. In this same vein consider that there are different ‘love languages’. You may be expecting words when the people in your life are ‘loving by doing’- or vice versa. Make it a fun assignment to figure out how the people in your life ‘love’ you.

Finally, look at your own ‘giving’ and ‘loving’ -

is this coming from the heart?
From ‘obligation vibration’?
or are you ‘giving to get’?

Bitterness and resentment are perfect indicators that your tank is on empty or you are giving from your head, not the heart.

I am open to receiving your feedback,
with Love,
Fawna
*****************************************************************

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IAMPTE is the world’s only organization for PTEs, men and women of any age, trying to make money with a
business or concept “on the side” of an already full life.

Join & celebrate with me today! Every new annual member gets $800 in FREE gifts!


Visit the website now at http://iampte.com/?ap_id=fawna_bews to see all $800 in free gifts – including the

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*****************************************************************

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Processed Fear Slices- yum, yum

I watched the movie "Click" the other night. It's a movie about a man (Adam Sandler) who gets a remote control for his life. He can pause, fast forward and rewind at will.

As you can imagine this leads to some problems, the biggest being that the remote control has a built in memory feature that automatically responds to previous input.

I was reading in Sandy Morris's A Courageous Living Heart E-course (yes- that is a plug- it is great) that our brains do something similar. In order to save us time, the example she used was not touching a hot stove, by thinking it through each time we have some automatic responses to certain stimulus.
'
For things like touching the stove- what I will call 'organic fear'- this is helpful. However, we have also stored a lot of 'not helpful', at times destructive, info. that begs to be examined.

Why? For the same reason that processed cheese slices are not as desirable as organic happy cow cheese. Processed, many preservatives added fears, such as fear of failure, fear of being successful, fear of public speaking- keep us from our Truth.

Created by someone who laughed at you in your formative years, a critical mother, your fourth grade teacher- whatever- these fears when looked at openly and honestly just don't hold true. The work of Byron Katie is great for this.

In my life looking at all of my fears, 'processed' and 'organic' is allowing me to experience more freedom, more peace and more joy- my ultimate goals.

Of course- not wanting to be mean to processed cheese I have to mention that I still love Cheesewhiz on celery, but I know what I am eating.

I don't want to promise that your fears will disappear with scrutiny- but I have found that mine are getting a more translucent quality- they are losing their power to affect my behavior. I may still have fears of speaking in groups- but I do it anyway when it feels like the right thing to do.

Now for some reason I am hungry.

A Tale of Two Masters

2 blogs in one day- wow- talk about going slow to go fast! Actually I received a piece of writing today that I want to capture and share.

My friend Gayle (makes me feel a bit Oprahish) and I had a most excellent conversation today.

At Destination Coach the focus is on 'pulling out' or trusting another person to have their own answers- this is accomplished by TRULY listening- without attachment, without MY story interfering.

A Course in Miracles, which I'm currently working my way through (with Gayle), speaks of the 'holy instant' which comes from seeing another as totally guiltless and sinless.

So it was from this place that I spoke with Gayle today.

The good friend that I am I laughed at her misery, I agreed that the world is a shit hole, and I invited the Holy Spirit to join us. At some point the conversation shifted and Gayle joined me in laughing at her misery. She is a wonderful writer and I would love to share her reflection on today.



A TALE OF TWO MASTERS

On February 3, 2011, I woke up in the middle of a war zone. When I opened my eyes, on one side darkness, suffering, destruction and on the other side standing in the midst of chaos, truth.

Let me go back a little. I walk around this world wanting to get off. I want to go home. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to remember who I am. I sit with as much “willingness” as I consciously believe I have. “Only you can derive yourself of anything”. (p.201; 4.) Fine! So, I ask again. “To the Holy Spirit, there is no order of difficulty in miracles” (p. 105; 4) Great! So I ask again. Please, let me see a miracle! I am willing to do anything, to go anywhere, to do whatever the Holy Spirit asks of me. So, with as much conviction, confidence, and determination, I ask again, “Holy Spirit, help me to remember who I am.

Think; don’t think, “You’ll always be wrong”. Be willing and “trust implicitly your willingness”. Ughhhhhh! So, with all due respect, how will I know when it’s Ego or Holy Spirit? The interaction appears seamless. Will it be something I see, feel, or think? (Don’t think, you’ll always be wrong) Hmmmm…… Conflict and chaos, the war wages on.

I feel like there are three of us in here: Ego, Holy Spirit and me. No wonder I’m confused. Did I mention the big shit pile outside? Does anybody else see it? How do people walk around content? I have been looking at the “it”, whatever the “It” is, forever, but as long as I can remember there has always been something, I couldn’t quite put my finger on. There is something else out there. Quiet, still, patiently waiting. “Holy Spirit, Is that You? Please, let it be You!”

Bringing my shit pile to the light and talking about it is healing for me. I believe it heals because it is truth and in this truth I find peace, love and God.
Recently, I told my 13 year old daughter, who was looking for that “something”, she couldn’t quite put her finger on, to be aware. Just be aware of what “it” feels like and when “it” feels like peace grab it with all you’re worth because THAT is who You really are. If only for a moment, you can “remember who you are”, you will have found heaven, here, in this illusion, or in my case, here, in my big shit pile!

Gayle Thorburn
Gayle is the founder and co-owner of the Highwood River Inn

Going Slow to Go Fast

Despite a house full of kids, the chaos of dogs and paying bills I am at peace.

I just came from 4 days on Destination Coach- in their own words:

"This is where you uncover your own Inspired Future, whilst also learning how to influence, inspire and coach others into their future." from the Inspired Future Website- www.inspiredfuture.org


I was going in to be a support on this one, providing optional CranioSacral Therapy treatments to the participants. Everyone took us up on the offer and that is a totally other wonderful story.

When I arrived I was invited to fully participate- an opportunity I jumped at.

I'm going to back up to the week leading up to the event.

Have you ever wrestled with going away? My ego was on full alert- and I received a visit from a gremlin from my past. This particular gremlin loves to say "That's enough, you don't need any more". I'm going away in both April and May and the story I started to tell myself was- enough...enough....

Of course this is not accurate and I shushed this and went anyway.

The result.

I gave my husband a chance to shine (and he did), I met some AMAZING people and fell in love with some new parts of myself.

One of Aileen Gibbs lessons is "Go Slow to Go Fast" and that's how I feel today- these 4 days are going to propel me forward- more because I lost resistance than 'gaining' anymore. I let things go.

This is not meant as an ad for Inspired Future (although I can't think of anyone who would not benefit).

I just wanted to capture the value of time out. The value of reflection and connecting with yourself and others in a deep and meaningful way.

Not only this but it hit me that I thought I didn't need it- I did! I am not always the best judge of what I need- ha ha ha.

I am so grateful that I was open enough to accepting this time away and my families help.

I am energized towards finishing my book and responding to business.

I am filled up.

Sound good?

You Matter

I invite you to take this in, "I Matter".

How does that make you feel? How much do you believe it? Can you
just sit with it?

The truth is - you matter- there is a plan for us to remember
that we are all connected and that we are One.

You have a part to play in this.

Your part is unique. No looking outside of yourself, no comparisons,
no following anyone else can tell you what that is.

That's all, I need to go to bed now- but I wanted you to know that
I matter, and you matter- all of you.

Your Life Is Art

Today’s piece is two parts- one part point, one part soapbox!

Love you, enjoy.

Your Life is Art

What if you went to a gallery and only stood in one spot for every item? What if you walked through the gallery quickly- glancing at each item- “I like it, I hate it, like, like, hate, hate, hate”.

Art galleries invite us to stop, invite us to take things in, invite us to walk around a piece and take in all of its nuance and to truly experience the piece. Lighting, set up and atmosphere are purposefully orchestrated to have us slow down and focus.

Imagine a situation you have had recently- one with an emotional charge. Put that on the pedestal in your mind and step back. Step back and take a look. Walk around it.

Give yourself different perspectives walking closer and then further away. What do you see? What do you feel? Is it exactly the way you ‘perceived it’ at first sight.

Okay, let’s ground this in a true story.

My daughter is almost 13. Breathe. She gets up in the morning and mopes about, tries to get out of going to school (every morning since she was 6).

On the mornings when I look at the story from 2D – stand in one position I get this “Smarten up, you are messing up my morning by being so grumpy, get your butt to school and with a smile on your face, why do I have to do this every morning!!! AARRGHHH!”.

When I step back and take in the story I see how beautiful she is, I see how funny it is that we play this game EVERY morning, I see that this will not last forever, I see that most of the times she is smirking under the mope and if I don’t focus on the mope the smirk grows and the mope fades. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

In shifting perspective I can get the beauty.

And one more thing….

Do you like to go to art galleries alone? Sometimes. Often however, we enjoy looking at things with another person. We enjoy sharing the experience and it grows richer.

Truly this is the role of coaches and counselors.

Recently I have heard this sentiment a lot “why are there so many coaches?, everyone and their dog are now calling themselves a coach!” It is an emerging field, but I hazard a guess that there are still more hairdressers then coaches. I can’t think of anyone who would not benefit from having a great coach.

Aileen Gibb puts it beautifully:

“My purpose as a coach is to:

• Be another pair of eyes for my client to see with.
• Be another pair of ears for my client to listen with.
• Be another voice to ask questions my client might otherwise ignore or avoid.
  

Being A Coach, Inspired Future Publishing, 2010

Like a fantastic hairdresser a coach or counselor can be a true gift you give yourself.

Your life is a piece of art- every single moment- **take**it** in**.