Safety in the Process of Letting Go Guided Meditation every Wednesday at 8:30 am Eastern. Open Topic Workshops! Each Friday at noon Eastern time. Same link for both: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a> Letting go sounds beautiful in theory. In reality, it often feels terrifying. When the heart is activated and the mind is spinning, letting go can feel less like freedom and more like danger. Something inside us tightens because it doesn’t feel safe. And that’s important to understand. As we are learning to let go, we are also learning how to find a sense of safety within ourselves. Many of us think surrender should feel peaceful and clear. But the truth is that the moments when we feel confused, shaken, or overwhelmed may actually be the deepest part of the work. O ld patterns are being stirred. Old emotions are being felt. The snow globe has been shaken, and we don’t yet know where everything will land. The first step toward safety is honesty. “I don’t feel settled.” “I don’t feel clear.” “I don’t feel safe right now.” That honesty is not weakness. It’s the doorway. When the nervous system feels threatened, the mind does what it’s designed to do, it tries to protect us. It analyzes, predicts, fixes, controls. Instead of judging the mind, we can simply acknowledge: “My system doesn’t feel safe yet. No wonder I’m holding on.” And here’s something important: Trust doesn’t have to happen all at once. You don’t have to give your whole life over to faith in a single heroic moment. Most of us build trust slowly, working at the edges. Maybe you don’t trust life yet. Maybe you don’t trust God yet. Maybe you don’t trust how things will turn out. That’s okay. You can start with something simple: “I want to trust. I don’t know how to trust yet. But I’m willing to begin the conversation.” That alone begins to soften the grip. Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is not force answers. Sometimes the next step is simply not abandoning ourselves in the middle of uncertainty. Real safety doesn’t come from controlling life. It comes from discovering that we can remain present, open, and honest even when life is unresolved. Letting go isn’t giving up. It’s allowing life, love, time, and grace to participate. And sometimes that is the bravest thing we can do. Question for reflection: Have you ever noticed that the moment you stopped trying to control everything was the moment something inside you finally relaxed? - Tim Davis

Finding Safety in the Process of Letting Go

Like it or not, chaos is an integral part of our experience, both in the spiritual world and in the world of humanity and nature.Nature gives us earthquakes, hurricanes, snowstorms, and floods; forces that bring uncertainty and upheaval. There’s even a scientific concept, entropy, which describes the inevitable movement of systems from order toward disorder.For many of us, order feels like control. It’s the set of conditions where we believe we can predict what will happen, understand why it’s happening, and act with confidence. Our desire for certainty is so strong that when faced with the unknown, we often prefer an unwanted outcome over uncertainty, just so we can feel some sense of control.Spiritually, though, chaos can be seen differently. It is the force through which nature tears down the old to make way for what comes next.In the Hindu tradition, this is recognized in the worship of Shiva and Kali, embodiments of the power that cuts away ego, illusion, and worn-out patterns. Their role is not destruction for its own sake, but dissolution that allows new creation to arise. Destruction is a necessary part of renewal.So when you look at the world, allow yourself to see and feel the power of chaos… and appreciate it for what it is: a source of creativity and a clearing of old energy.Our world is a blend of order and disorder, beginnings and endings, birth and death. Becoming comfortable with uncertainty is, therefore, a vital part of the spiritual path. We can learn to face disorder without being disturbed by it internally.When we begin to see uncertainty as a natural part of life, the very force that creates the opportunity for all we love, we stop resisting it. We see disorder not as good or bad, but simply as part of the process. And paradoxically, when we are at peace in disorder, we are better able to create order.Giving space for chaos means accepting that we live in an evolving world, and that what we call “stability” is temporary. Disorder breaks down old structures so new ones can form.The challenge comes in relationships and situations where chaos is constant. Some people become so conditioned to chaos that it follows them everywhere. It shapes how they see the world and how they manage their lives.If we strongly resist chaos, we struggle in these environments. We can’t function around people or systems we see as disorganized or unstable.But our power, as spiritually grounded people, is the ability to function in all circumstances. If our mission is to bring peace, stability, and clarity into the world, our first step is noticing our own resistance to chaos.Acceptance of chaos is the first step toward bringing peace to chaotic situations.When we see disorder without being internally shaken, we stay focused on what truly matters. We use our energy wisely instead of losing it in emotional reaction.The world needs love. The world needs order. The world needs our steady presence. As so many have said, the way to make change is to be the change.We are agents of love, walking a path of devotion and service.So when you read the news or think about the state of the world, remember: chaos and disorder are natural states. Relax into that understanding. What you are witnessing is life reorganizing itself for its next stage of evolution.Do not let your energy be drained because the world appears chaotic. Chaos cannot hold you back unless you resist it. Uncertainty is part of being human.Stay aligned with your highest principles. Don’t be discouraged. You have no idea how much influence you carry when you accept reality as it is, learn from it, and refuse to be internally distressed by it.The world needs your energy to heal. The world needs you to be brave. The world needs you to take clear action that is guided by your best knowledge, understanding and purpose.&nbsp;You have a role to play in creating a better world.And healing yourself is how you help heal the world. Join me weekly for Guided Meditations: Wednesdays at 8:30 am Eastern.plus Open Topic Workshops!&nbsp; Each Friday at noon Eastern time.Same link for all:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a>Tim O. DavisConsider a donation to our project:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://untethered12steps.com">https://untethered12steps.com</a>

How to Work with Chaos

Anxiety is the duel, the inner struggle, between an acknowledged intention, desire, or expectation, and our fear of not attaining that expectation or desire. It is a constant inner mental and emotional thrum of worry, doubt, and fear.&nbsp;For many of us, anxiety became a motivational energy we were conditioned into by the adults around us when we were young.&nbsp;Whether through direct commentary or simply by observing their actions and reactions, we learned to see fear arise in them. We saw how we were not allowed to simply experience events as they were; instead, we were drivaen through those events by what we wanted, what we needed to prove, and what felt at stake in the moment.That anxiety is now an almost constant reminder of our inner struggle and the risk we feel in our daily activities.In the Bible, Colossians 3:23 says,&nbsp;“And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”I read this as an invitation to live and work in a way that honors your deepest power and your connection to the soul’s deepest yearning, not for safety, not for egoic validation, and not to prove yourself worthy.Coaches, teachers, and leaders often speak about how fixation on outcomes is a distraction. Concerns about success or failure pull us away from our true work. Our spiritual mission is to stay focused on process, to stay aligned with purpose, and not to seek support from the ego.History repeatedly teaches us how success actually happens: persistence, attention to detail, and devotion to process, not results, give us the opportunity to rise to our highest potential in any situation.As I’ve heard so many times at the Temple:“Do your best. The result of the best you can do is a holy thing.”So when anxiety kicks up, what do we do with it?How do we stay focused on our work instead of being pulled into energetic distortions and emotional dysregulation?As always, the key is awareness, awareness of our inner dialogue, the stories we tell ourselves, and the recognition that these stories are born from fear. Anxiety is a distraction, but it is also a compass. It shows us exactly where our letting go begins.Letting go starts with awareness and openness. When we remember to relax and breathe, anxiety becomes a powerful teacher.It begins with understanding that we are not our thoughts. We don’t have to buy into our emotions or believe every thought that arises. Our healing rests on the knowledge that we can experience overwhelming energies without being overwhelmed by them.The emotions and sensations of anxiety are a false flag. They do not represent our truth. We can feel them fully and allow them to release, rather than letting them drive our behavior.Anxiety is the thorn we are working to remove, not by protecting the wound or covering our discomfort, but by opening to it. By trusting our capacity to feel dysregulation and allow it to release. By breathing, relaxing, and opening to the full spectrum of energetic emotion.Instead of trying to protect ourselves from the uncomfortable energy of anxiety, we develop the skill of facing it, opening to the energy of fear and reminding ourselves that we can handle it, even if we don’t yet know how.The outcome is not what matters. What matters is facing the energy within ourselves and learning to accept whatever arises. That is what we are here to let go of. That is our life’s work.Letting go of our old stuff is what we were put here to do.By facing anxiety, by facing what makes us uncomfortable, we engage directly with the process of releasing samskaras. We loosen our fear of letting go and allow the inner thorn to be removed.It is usually the last thing we want to do. It doesn’t feel good in the moment. But it is your destiny to be free of dysregulated fear and to discover the peace that you already are.Anxiety is one aspect of your being with a loud and persistent voice. But your power as a human being is infinite. Your power as an energetic being is limitless. Anxiety arises when we focus on a very small part of our existence and allow it to dominate how we experience the world.Give yourself space to be free. Honor the deep, beautiful intention that called you forward. Go beyond identifying with fear of failure. Allow yourself radical self-acceptance.All you are asked to do is give your best effort each day, to stretch, to grow, to love, to bring light into the world, and to live in alignment with your highest purpose.There will be days when your best feels weak or ineffective. That’s okay. You are learning that those days, and the feelings that accompany them, have very little to do with future happiness or success. Stay focused on your work. Allow discomfort. Keep moving forward.That is what bravery and persistence look like. That is what fuels deep, resonant growth.Your love of Self and your higher nature is greater than your fear. With time and grace, you will come to know that you are okay, no matter what.You cannot make anxiety disappear. Your work is to face it until you no longer believe anything it says.And at that point, anxiety, like an ignored guest, quickly and quietly leaves. With Love and Respect,tim Note:Free Guided Meditation - Wednesdays at 8:30 am Eastern.Free Open Topic Workshops - Fridays at noon Eastern.Same link for both:<a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a>

The Spiritual Value of Anxiety

I used to lose myself in the wind. Back when&nbsp;the sky was my playground and the string in my hand felt like a lifeline to something wild and free.&nbsp; Stunt kites were my favorite - those rebellious little triangles that could flip, dive, roll, and tumble like they had a soul of their own.&nbsp; I’d tie together rolls of string until my kite was a speck in the heavens, barely visible, dancing on the edge of space. One evening,&nbsp;I let a dragon kite soar so high&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;it nearly disappeared into the dusk.&nbsp; And then - I lost the string.&nbsp;&nbsp;It slipped through my fingers before I could catch it.&nbsp;&nbsp; I watched it lurch upward, then drift sideways, aimless.&nbsp;&nbsp; For a moment, it was beautiful.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then it dove headfirst into the dirt,&nbsp;snapping its frame and tearing its skin. That image stayed with me. Over the years, I’ve listened to so many stories from so many beautiful humans - raw, radiant, and real. Some voices burst with wild wonder, others come with caution.&nbsp; Some carry painful wounds&nbsp;from rigid systems that taught them to fear the wind.Others speak with open hearts,longing to fly. And I’ve come to realize something about my own journey. I’m old skool.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not in dogma, but in anchoring.&nbsp;&nbsp;I want G o d - the Living Reality - to hold my kite string.&nbsp; Not as a tether of control, but&nbsp;&nbsp;as the Ground of Being beneath my flight.&nbsp;&nbsp;The One who knows the wind, the weight, and the wonder. There’s still&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;infinite sky to explore.&nbsp;&nbsp;We can let out the string until we’re&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;floating in galaxies of thought and mystery.&nbsp; We can tumble through new language, dive into unfamiliar terrain, roll through revelations that stretch us beyond the boundaries of what we once called safe. But at the end of the day... I still want&nbsp;&nbsp;Someone holding my kite string. Cosmic and Universal, and&nbsp;&nbsp;Somehow also Personal and Present.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Universal Spirit • Ground of All Being •&nbsp;&nbsp;Source of All Existence • Here and Now in THIS moment.___________&nbsp; Note: God, Source, Christ, Ground, Consciousness, Presence - pick a term that feels soothing; these words are simply pointers toward the Ultimate Reality that transcends our best attempts at language.

Who or What is Holding Your Kite String?

An article by Karen McCoy, Astrologer Approximately every 36 years Saturn and Neptune conjoins in one of the 12 zodiac signs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every time they come together, they are joining forces for the betterment and spiritual development of human kind.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sign they come together in reflects where we have an opportunity to spiritually grow while in this physical dimension.&nbsp;&nbsp;The last time they came together was early March 1989 at 11 degrees of Capricorn.&nbsp;&nbsp;When they come together a vibration that we feed off of is set in place.&nbsp;&nbsp;This remains until the next time they come together again.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then we begin the next chapter of our earthly spiritual journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Saturn rules our time on earth.&nbsp;&nbsp;It rules structure and form, it rules concrete, timing, our physical journey, responsibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;It rules discipline and reward, no positive, no negative just reality.&nbsp;&nbsp;Neptune rules our relationship with spirit, the God of our consciousness, intuition, introspection, softening, water and cleansing.&nbsp;When functioning in the positive, it is sensitive, compassionate, spiritual and intuitive.&nbsp;&nbsp;When functioning in the negative, it rules illusion, confusion, delusion, drugs, alcohol, difficulty dealing with reality and problems telling the truth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Because Saturn is earth and Neptune is water, Saturn brings structure to Neptune and allows us to embody new awareness of our spiritual responsibility’s while in the physical dimension.&nbsp;&nbsp;While Neptune is water and Saturn is earth, when they come together Neptune softens the rigidity of Saturn allowing us to alter our prospective of what true spirituality looks like while in the physical dimension.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Together Saturn and Neptune represent a true and wonderful opportunity to open our eyes and see reality and reform our awareness and behavior.&nbsp;&nbsp;The sign this is happening in determines what we are currently restructuring.&nbsp;&nbsp;This restructuring continually offers us an opportunity to see with courage, to make adjustments, and grow in these areas of life until the next conjunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;When the next conjunction happens, the next journey of lessons begins.&nbsp;&nbsp;These conjunctions represent the sword of spirit penetrating matter and informing it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Heaven and earth joining forces to assist in our journey of growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;Awakening us to remember who and what we are and guide us to reach for the truth of our potential, which is so much more than the illusion that we allowed to be slowly perpetrated on us.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I say allowed because there are no victims, only volunteers.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is not a judgement, for it is easy to give up free will when someone is taking care of everything for you.&nbsp;&nbsp;The trap is sprung and the cage is closed.&nbsp;&nbsp;The only thing left to do is find a way to make yourself comfortable in the cage.&nbsp;&nbsp;The cage feels safe, it becomes all we know.&nbsp;&nbsp;We no longer have to hunt for our food, make our own clothes and this is good.&nbsp;&nbsp;What is dangerous is what is born of this comfort “compliancy”.&nbsp;&nbsp;Through that compliance is how the trap is sprung.&nbsp;&nbsp;Money becomes the chosen form of exchange of energy and systems for making it are put in place.&nbsp;&nbsp;This also is not a bad thing.&nbsp;&nbsp;What is dangerous is the setting up of a class system that leads us to believe that some humans are more valuable than others.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Through setting up these class systems they back us into a corner of accepting their pattern of enslaving some humans for their personal benefit.&nbsp;&nbsp;We accept this and some also become a part of this enslavement not to topple their own comfort.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is perpetrated through a bombardment of hate toward certain people.&nbsp;&nbsp;The bombardment does not slow down until the masses agree to the hate.&nbsp;&nbsp;These people are culled from the herd and left for the slaughter.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have become separated from our fellow human beings through the use of hate and fear of becoming next if we speak up.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any government that teach us to hate our fellow man instead of helping them is not a government functioning from love of their citizens.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any religion that preaches their way is the only way is not function from love, it is functioning from control.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The only way out of this trap is to stop listening to the noise, stop responding with anger.&nbsp;&nbsp;Anger only feeds the non-sovereign beings that need something to feed off of.&nbsp;&nbsp;When you hear or see something that is hateful send it light and love.&nbsp;&nbsp;The light exposes the negative intent and love heals everything.&nbsp;&nbsp;This does not mean you have to turn a blind eye.&nbsp;&nbsp;It means speak your peace with kindness and positive solutions, for everything we throw out into the universe comes back ten-fold.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you throw anger / hatred out there it only strengthens the hate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Start becoming conscious of what you spend your money on.&nbsp;&nbsp;Example: It takes a long time for radiated potatoes to rot, that is why they radiate them.&nbsp;&nbsp;Even that doing so poisons those ingesting them.&nbsp;&nbsp;If enough people stop buying the radiated potatoes, they will rot and their profit machine will have no choice but to stop radiating them.&nbsp;&nbsp;I fully understand that not everyone (yet) can afford to buy organic food.&nbsp;&nbsp;Though if those that can do, it is a good start to changing what they feed us.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Money being the chosen form of exchange of energy on the planet makes those holding it powerful.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet we are programmed to be poor unless we want to sacrifice our own spirituality.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is untrue, God does not care if we go to the rivers of life with a teaspoon or a bucket, he will fill whatever we bring.&nbsp;&nbsp;God only cares about how we get it and what we do with it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Until the spiritual people come into allowing abundance it will be hard to change the consciousness of the planet.&nbsp;&nbsp;We can start by giving a helping hand where we see help is needed and deserved.&nbsp;&nbsp;In lifting each other up we get there together just like how we were created.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Since the last conjunction of Saturn and Neptune in Capricorn we have learned or at least were given an opportunity to learn about all things Capricorn.&nbsp;&nbsp;Capricorn rules big business, large corporations, conglomerates, organized religion, our careers, reputations, governments, and anything related to men or dominant people in power.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now on February 20, 2026 at 11:53 AM EST these two planets come together again in a whole new sign, with a whole new purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;This happens just three days after the beginning of the Chinese New Year that welcomes the year of the Fire Horse.&nbsp;&nbsp;We have not had a Fire Horse year since 1966, that was 60 years ago and many of us remember what was happening.&nbsp;&nbsp;Back then we had the war and peace marches at the same time.&nbsp;&nbsp;The young generation marched for peace and heralded the beginning of a movement that brought some very ugly realities to the surface.&nbsp;&nbsp;Although back then the Fire Horse did crack the surface of what we were told was happening, there was no Saturn Neptune conjunction to help change consciousness, so only cracks were obtained, yet still the seed was planted.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Chinese New Year also falls on a Solar Eclipse at 28 degrees 50 minutes of Aquarius.&nbsp;&nbsp;A North Nadal eclipse brings the awareness the sign of Aquarius possesses. It represents the energy that lays down a paved road to a new and expanded humanitarianism for our physical journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;An expanded consciousness for the masses.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the same time, the Chinese New Year welcomes the year of the Fire Horse.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Fire Hours does not mess around.&nbsp;&nbsp;It moves energy fast, takes no prisoners and cuts through the garbage that stands in the way of human progress.&nbsp;&nbsp;It requires you to grow or be trampled.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its energy is intense, fierce, and deliberate.&nbsp;&nbsp;It catapults the awakened souls forward and tramples those less deserving.&nbsp;&nbsp;It clears the garbage making way for the reset of human consciousness that the upcoming Saturn Neptune is bringing.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Saturn Neptune also falls between the Solar and Lunar eclipse.&nbsp;&nbsp;A week and a half after the conjunction of the answering eclipse, a Lunar eclipse happens on the 3rd&nbsp;of March at 12 degrees of Virgo.&nbsp;&nbsp;Because this eclipse is Lunar it is more personal and emotional.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, because it is South Nodal it is asking us to clean something up.&nbsp;&nbsp;What it is saying is in order to make the most of this incredible conjunction and the Fire Horse energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;We must be willing to become more discerning.&nbsp;&nbsp;To learn to keep what is useful and discard what is not.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A week before this lunar eclipse on the 26th&nbsp;of February at 22 degrees of Pisces, Mercury will go retrograde.&nbsp;&nbsp;This retrograde is very special at this time as all this energy is setting us up for a major awakening.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Mercury goes back through the sign of Pisces, it will show us where and when we did not listen to our instincts and mottled our path.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its job right now is to show us how our intuition needs to be part of our decision-making abilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pisces rules intuition and Mercury rules how we retrieve, process, store and use information This retrograde will teach us when we stop listening to our gut we make more mistakes for we are only using half of our abilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Whenever the Saturn Neptune conjunction happens in Aries there is a reset, for Aries represents new beginnings.&nbsp;&nbsp;With this new conjunction of Saturn Neptune happening at 00 degrees of Aries, this is a total reset, no residue from the past is allowed to continue to trap you.&nbsp;&nbsp;The handcuffs of the old programed awareness are unlocked, you just need to slip them off and remember who you are, what you are and why you were created.&nbsp;&nbsp;To fully learn to begin creating the reality of your own journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;Break the chains of your programed self for it has nothing to do with who you are.&nbsp;&nbsp;You are a Sovereign being created to be powerful, loving, kind, free and with an ability to create your own true healthy hearts desires.&nbsp;Reconnect to source without falling into the trap of allowing someone else to be your spokesperson.&nbsp;We have been programmed and controlled for centuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;The powers that have been in control for so long have imprisoned human kind by using fear, hate, jealousy, guilt, blame, shame, weakened health through poisoned food, and air.&nbsp;&nbsp;Making us too weak to muster up the energy to take back control of our own lives for all we had left was enough energy to survive.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The last time Saturn and Neptune came together in the sign of Aries was 1703, before that is was 1380.&nbsp;&nbsp;As you can see these conjunctions are 323 years apart.&nbsp;&nbsp;Though the last time they came together at 00 degrees Aries was calculated to be around 7,000 BC.&nbsp;&nbsp;That was the last time the planet had a total reset.&nbsp;&nbsp;The reason 00 degrees is so important is it leaves no residue of the past to sneak back into the lives of those that choose consciousness.&nbsp;It is not always easy in the beginning to choose to become consciously awake.&nbsp;&nbsp;For some it may be more than they choose to muster after so many years (life times) of being programmed to allow others to make their decisions.&nbsp;&nbsp;And that is okay, we all grow at our own pace.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just be aware that as more and more people wake up and take back their power, there are less beings for the non-sovereign to feed off of (because they feed off of fear, guilt, shame, blame, your exhaustion and negative thoughts) their grip will tighten on those left behind as their food.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The first year will be the easiest and at the same time the hardest to break free.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hardest because you will lead the charge.&nbsp;&nbsp;The easiest because of it being the year of the Fire Horse clearing the path in front of you.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is like ArchAngel Michael taking his sword and cutting away at the things that entangle you.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The conjunction in Aries will last until the next conjunction in 2061 in Gemini.&nbsp;&nbsp;Use as much time as you need.&nbsp;&nbsp;Try not to miss out on this once in a 9,000-year opportunity to break free.&nbsp;Finding your circle of like-minded people and creating your own sense of community that listens, supports and helps each other on their journeys.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the smartest and most pleasant way to make this adjustment.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I wish you a gentle, loving, kind, peaceful journey of reclaiming your life and stepping into your true self.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GodSpeedWith Much Love,Karen&nbsp;<a href="http://www.karenmccoy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">www.KarenMcCoy.com</a>Karen@KarenMcCoy.com&nbsp; --Karen McCoyAstrologerOffice:&nbsp;&nbsp;336-886-7979Cell: 954-258-4207<a href="http://www.karenmccoy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">www.KarenMcCoy.com</a>Facebook: Karen McCoy Astrology Books"Spiritual Astrology" Your path to self-fulfillment by Spiller&nbsp;and McCoy"Spiritual Astrology" A path to divine awakening by Spiller and McCoy"Cosmic Rhythms" A user's manual for humans by McCoy and Staub

Saturn Neptune Conjunction

Awakening to the Singularity WithinA Reflection by Mo Thomas Before the Universe began to unfold, there was a Singularity •&nbsp;a radiant point of origin where all distinctions dissolve into one.&nbsp;Here, before Creation’s first breath,&nbsp;we were joined as One with the Divine,&nbsp;One with all existence.&nbsp; This is the origin of my True Self,&nbsp;the Pure Awareness deep within my spirit,&nbsp;silently witnessing all (thoughts, emotions, sensations),&nbsp;yet untouched, like the ocean’s depth beneath crashing waves.&nbsp; Buried in our subconscious&nbsp;under layers and layers of junk&nbsp;we've internalized since our human birth,&nbsp;every heart holds this memory:&nbsp;a timeless moment drenched in love,&nbsp;where our spirits were joined&nbsp;with the Divine and each other,&nbsp;whole and unbound.&nbsp; Coming Home&nbsp;isn’t&nbsp;a&nbsp;trek&nbsp;across&nbsp;cosmic&nbsp;distances;&nbsp;it’s a&nbsp;remembering, an awakening&nbsp;to the eternal truth of who we are.&nbsp; Pause: take a long, deep breath,&nbsp;and feel the peaceful stillness behind your&nbsp;shifting thoughts, emotions and body sensations.&nbsp;That’s the Singularity - where your True Self has been&nbsp;dancing with the Divine since&nbsp;before time began.

Awakening to the Singularity Within

<h3>What do we mean by “energy”?</h3> In the context of the Untethered Soul,&nbsp;energy&nbsp;is anything inside us that compels us to feel, act, or relate to the world in a certain way. It’s the inner force behind our emotions, reactions, and perceptions. For example, imagine feeling intense anger. Anger is an energy. It moves us toward certain behaviors and shapes how we see the world. When anger is present, we may feel driven to argue, withdraw, lash out, or defend ourselves. Holding anger in your being can make the world seem hostile, unsafe, or unfair. When anger is suppressed rather than released, it doesn’t disappear. It becomes stored energy. Over time, that stored anger can block joy, enthusiasm, peace, and gratitude. Life can start to feel heavier, flatter, less alive. We lose our spark, not because it’s gone, but because it’s blocked. This applies not only to anger, but to sadness, fear, shame, or the quiet sense that “something is wrong with me.” When we don’t want to feel an emotion, we push it away. We store it in the body and nervous system. That stored energy becomes a samskara or what Michael Singer referred to as an&nbsp;inner thorn, an un comfortable feeling that we hide or protect instead of allowing it to be released.<h3> </h3><h3>The inner thorn</h3> Instead of removing it, feeling it, or allowing our pain to pass through, we design our lives around avoiding pain. We suppress it, ignore it, and hope it stays quiet. But suppressed energy doesn’t stay neutral. It distorts perception, narrows awareness, and quietly governs our reactions.<h3> </h3><h3>What is transmutation?</h3> Transmutation is the process of transforming your inner energy&nbsp;by changing how you relate to it. When life presents difficulty and the nervous system reacts, there is a moment of awareness in which we can witness emotional pain as it arises. If we suppress pain in that moment, we allow stored patterns or samskaras to form. Remember our discussion of anger? However this is the moment where freedom is possible. Transmutation happens when we are aware of our inner response&nbsp;in real time&nbsp;and choose not to suppress it. Instead of pushing the energy away, we: <ul><li>feel it,</li><li>allow it,</li><li>witness it without identifying with it.</li></ul> This does not mean indulging the emotion or acting it out. It means letting the energy be fully experienced without turning it into a story about who we are or what the world means. Awareness of our inner state creates sensitivity. That sensitivity allows us to work&nbsp;with&nbsp;energy rather than be run by it.<h3> </h3><h3>From awareness to choice</h3> Once we can sense emotional energy as it arises, we gain options. We can feel anger, fear, or sadness without hating it, loving it, judging it, or labeling it. We see it as energy, not as identity. This is the first stage of transmutation. The energy shifts from something that overwhelms and controls us into something we can consciously allow to be released. Awareness turns reaction into choice. Conscious awareness leads to conscious choice. Transmutation is the choice to witness energy and release it, rather than reinforce it through habit-driven thoughts and behaviors.<h3> </h3><h3>﻿Bonus energy releases</h3> Transmuting energy means staying present with discomfort long enough for it to move through us. Instead of tightening against it, we relax into it. We open to it. When this happens, the energy doesn’t just pass; it often carries older, stored samskaras. Over time, fewer blockages remain. Your old stuck energy, your samskaras, become the path and energy of release. As the blockages dissolve, more life energy flows freely.&nbsp; Ever feel happiness for no reason? Simple aliveness. Ease. Openness.﻿Peace becomes less conditional. Joy becomes more natural. The world begins to feel like a place you can be at peace&nbsp;in, and maybe even enjoy. <h3>The practice: simple steps</h3> <ol><li>Become aware of the energy Notice what is arising emotionally or energetically.</li><li>Do not judge the experience No labeling as good or bad.</li><li>Do not identify with the discomfort It is not who you are.</li><li>Create space around the energy Let it exist without resistance.</li><li>Relax with it Especially in the body.</li><li>Allow it to release Let the energy move through rather than get stored.</li></ol> This is transmutation: not fixing yourself, not improving yourself, but allowing energy to complete its natural cycle and move through you via awareness and openness. Thank you!﻿Tim Please consider making a donation to our Untethered 12 Steps organization: <a href="https://untethered12steps.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://untethered12steps.com/</a>﻿Free Weekly Programs! Guided Meditation every Wednesday at 8:30 am Eastern.Open Topic Workshops!&nbsp;Each Friday at noon Eastern time.﻿Same link for both:<a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a>

Transmutation of Energy - What it means, and how to practice it

My favorite annual event at the Temple of the Universe is our New Year’s Eve ceremony. Instead of focusing on resolutions, on what we want to add or achieve, we focus on what we are ready to let go of. It’s a form of life review, a moment of courage where we reflect on what has been holding us back and what we need to work through in order to move forward. This is a genuine act of bravery. You are naming what you are ready to face, and you are opening to the discomfort that your chosen “letting go” represents. As we have learned, what goes down with pain comes up with pain. This ceremony is a potent invitation to the universe to bring forward what is already inside us, the patterns, wounds, and tendencies that are not the best parts of ourselves. Asking for our pain to be released is also asking to experience it fully, so it can finally be let go. How we meet that experience has everything to do with how we grow. Once you set an intention like this, you are giving life permission to work with your “stuff”, to bring forward the parts of yourself you’ve been hiding or protecting, so they can be seen, felt, and ultimately released. A few guidelines:﻿First, don’t overdo it. Choose a few things you truly want to let go of and are willing to face with honesty. This is not about short-term comfort; it’s about long-term growth, strength, and the release of stuck energy. It’s about working with old trauma, conditioning, and even scars, not by covering them up, but by gently removing the inner thorns. (See chapter 9 of the Untethered Soul.) Second, remember that this is your work. This isn’t about asking someone else to change so you can be at peace. It’s not about their behavior, their choices, or their life. This is about learning to be at peace with whatever comes your way, regardless of external circumstances. Third, believe in yourself. When you begin this process of letting go,&nbsp;your resistance will arise. Emotional pain is incredibly distracting, and when old impressions are stirred up, there will be moments when you don’t want to feel them. There will be times when you’re not okay with your “stuff” coming up. That’s part of what you’re signing up for, and that’s where the growth is. Over time, you can learn to face “letting go” moments with openness, even enthusiasm. Growth can be an acquired taste, difficult at first, but eventually a privilege. To face your blockages, wounds, and scars and rise above them, even for just a moment, is one of the great victories of being human. This is how we transmute. This is how we become more than a body moving through the world. This is how we learn to experience live as a spiritual being. So take a moment to imagine how you would like to move through your days. We use the artificial milestone of the New Year as a point of reflection, a moment to focus on our inner awareness, to look honestly at ourselves, and to make amends with old habits by learning to be kinder and more honest with ourselves and others. It’s a chance for a fresh start, to rise above the old tendencies and learn to be whole. Use the new year to choose to open yourself to deep healing. If you’d like support with this process, I’ll be offering free zoom (link below) workshops on Monday and Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, and I’d love to see you there. And if you’d like, you’re welcome to send me your letting-go list, I’ll be honored to place it into the fire at the Temple of the Universe on New Year’s Eve. Please send your list to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Tim@TimODavis.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Tim@TimODavis.com</a>&nbsp;by 3 pm Eastern on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve. Also: Guided Meditation every Wednesday at 8:30 am Eastern. Open Topic Workshops!&nbsp;Each Friday at noon Eastern time. Same Zoom link for All events:<a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a> With love and respect,Tim Davis

Letting Go for the New Year

I’ve been reflecting lately on how often human achievement gets mistaken for peace, contentment, and happiness. It’s a well-established phenomenon: we strive for certain accomplishments, believing that once we “check that box,” once we finally arrive,&nbsp;then&nbsp;we’ll be happy. You see it everywhere, especially around money and success. Someone sets a number,&nbsp;&nbsp;“Once I make X dollars, once I hit this milestone, once I have this title… then I’ll feel secure, then I’ll have made it.” A well-known example is Airbnb founder Brian Chesky. He truly believed wealth would bring him adoration, respect, community, and love. He built Airbnb from scratch, took it public, and watched it soar to a valuation of $103 billion. By all accounts, this should have been the pinnacle of his life,&nbsp;the moment of ultimate joy and peace. But it wasn’t. He later said,&nbsp;“I had this image that if I got successful, I’d have all these people around me, all these friends, all this love… and my life would be fixed.” Instead, he was lonelier than ever. That is the arrival fallacy in a nutshell: The belief that one achievement, one moment, one outcome will bring lasting happiness and an eternity of peace. And it shows up in spiritual life just as much as in worldly life. I’ve seen it in myself. “If I could just get past this one issue… this one blockage… this one samskara… if I could only be more like that person, then I’d finally be free. Then I’d live in perfect peace.” But years of practice have shown me something far more liberating:<h3> </h3><h3>The gift of spiritual work is not that we never struggle; it’s that we have the right to be at peace under all </h3><h3>circumstances, no matter what.</h3> Of course difficult moments will come. As long as we’re alive, pain will arise, old wounds will surface, and our growth will continue. This is the human condition. We all have layers, blockages, samskaras, and pains to work through. We all have cleansing to do.<h3> </h3><h3>Peace doesn’t come from eliminating our imperfections.</h3> Peace comes from willingly seeing them and staying open anyway. Joy comes from facing our inner world with a relaxed heart. Joy comes from allowing ourselves to evolve one breath at a time,&nbsp;even as old pain comes up. Joy comes from the ability to smile at our own emotional difficulties and not be threatened by them. There will always be further to go. No matter how evolved you become, there will always be another moment where you breathe, relax, open your heart, and allow an uncomfortable energy to pass through. I find this incredibly freeing. It means I can stop using my mind to create spiritual finish lines,&nbsp;imaginary points between me and my happiness. It allows me to return to the basics: breathing, relaxing, staying open, and being aware. These are not steps&nbsp;toward&nbsp;peace.<h3> </h3><h3>These steps are the peace.</h3> Every moment of awareness is a chance to open. Every breath is a chance to relax. Every emotion is a chance to let life move through you. You are allowed to be happy right here, right now,&nbsp;not because you cleared some giant samskara, not because you’ve “arrived,” but because you allowed yourself to be fully present in this moment. And there is peace in the present moment. Long-term vision is wonderful for saving money, building businesses, and achieving your worldly goals. But happiness is moment-by-moment. Gratitude is moment-by-moment. Presence is moment-by-moment. Wake up each morning and feel gratitude not just for the destination, but for the steps you get to take today. Let that be enough. Give yourself the love and respect of someone who is on a great adventure,&nbsp;and cherish the small moments that make the journey meaningful.<h3> </h3><h3>There is nothing to strive for, nothing to get, nothing to lose.</h3> There is only this moment. Get quiet with it. Appreciate it. Love yourself for your continued commitment to this path. Moment by moment, breath by breath, we build a life of peace and happiness. Not by arriving, but by awakening.

Spiritual Arrival Fallacy

It’s inevitable that we will have days when everything seems to fall apart. We mishandle an interaction, miss an opportunity, or show up poorly, and we just feel like shit. Here are a few ways to process all of this in real time so you release a samskara instead of creating a new one. <h3>1. Don’t trust the mind at first, just watch it.</h3> When the reaction is strong, the mind will fire off a hundred thoughts, judgments, stories, and explanations. Don’t grab any of them. Watch them go by. Notice the emotions that rise up. Notice whether they’re old or new, familiar or fresh. Most of the time, when the reaction is big, we are feeling old stuff, old fears, old hurts, old patterns getting triggered. The good news? This is a perfect moment to release. Just remember to relax. <h3>2. Create a break in the momentum.</h3> As the day replays itself in your mind, and it will, let the scenes come and go. But create space around them. Take a walk. Use a mantra. Do some yoga or stretching. Anything that lets the breath move and keeps you relaxed and loose is helpful. Aim for healthy distraction, not avoidance. This is not the time for substances or numbing. This is the time for breathing, movement, and practices that help you stay open, that keep your energy moving and flowing. <h3>3. Don’t take action… yet.</h3> If you can, avoid making any decisions or taking corrective action right away. Give yourself a day or two if possible to let the emotional peaks and valleys settle. Clarity will come once the emotions and energies start to settle. Then you’ll know what, if anything, needs to happen next. 4. Treat this as spiritual priority time. When something hits you this hard, it’s a huge flashing signal that there’s something ready to be released. That is a sacred opportunity. Your release work will be as productive as it ever gets during moments like this. Continually relax your physical body and breathe with a healing intention. When you frame this as an opportunity, you’re making the most of the life God gave you. Its time to spread your wings for new found freedom.<h3> </h3><h3>5. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt.</h3> Everything you said or did was the best you could do given your state in the moment. If amends are needed, you can make them. If an apology would help clear the energy, offer it, but be sure you forgive yourself too. Make sure as you review what happened that you see the positive too, give yourself credit for the good parts too. Allow yourself extra credit for your authenticity and vulnerability. If apologizing hits your ego, great, lean into it. These uncomfortable moments are often the doorway to real freedom.<h3> </h3><h3>6. Love what life has brought to your doorstep.</h3> You’re feeling the full emotional range of being human. This is how you become more comfortable with difficult energies. One of our familiar mantras is “I can handle this.” And as you move through experiences like this, you discover just how true that is. Let the growth come to you. Don’t force it. Relax into the experience and you’ll find peace.<h3> </h3><h3>7. Celebrate yourself for choosing growth.</h3> Admire the way you show up for yourself, just like you admire others when they act with courage, humility, or kindness. Have gratitude for your willingness to face challenging moments. Even if you don’t feel like you “deserve” appreciation, give it anyway. It grows what’s good in you. Support the part of you that is best.<h3> </h3><h3>8. Remember why we do this work.</h3> We’re here to grow. And you’ve taken the hardest parts of life and turned them into part of your path. Lean into this. Celebrate it. This is what will make you stronger, clearer, lighter, and more positive. All you have to do is stay aware of what’s happening and relax through it. Be kind to yourself first. Its ok. This is not a time to beat yourself up.&nbsp; Much love!Tim

Handling Hard Days: Turning a Tough Day Into Spiritual Growth

Our healing doesn’t come from memory, the stories of our past, our interpretations of old traumas, or our mental concepts about what we lacked growing up, or how misguided our parents may have been. The key to deep healing and understanding of both Self and others lies in our ability to feel shifts in our internal energy,&nbsp;in the moment. What does this mean?Let’s talk about the spiritual heart. When we walk the path of “relax and release,” we are working directly with subtle energies, what we often refer to as emotions, moods, flashes of anger, irritability, or being triggered. From a Buddhist perspective, these energies originate from two fundamental roots:&nbsp;fear&nbsp;or&nbsp;desire. I call them “energies” because they don’t arise as thoughts, but as felt experiences, sensations of unease. You might feel them as a heaviness around the heart, a sudden drop in enthusiasm, or even fatigue. Anxiety, depression, and anger often begin as these subtle disturbances and grow stronger the more we try to suppress them. Suppression happens because we’re afraid to feel, afraid to trust ourselves to process emotions like anger, sadness, or distrust. So, we push them down. And when we do, the energy behind them doesn’t go away, it accumulates. Over time, that suppressed energy builds into a more powerful force. In yogic philosophy, these are called&nbsp;samskaras, imprints or seeds of unresolved emotion and trauma. They start small, but through years of avoidance, become deeply embedded. We all know what it feels like when our buttons are pushed. Often it’s the people closest to us, siblings, partners, old friends, who stir these old energies because they unknowingly (or knowingly) touch the parts of us that are still raw. One small comment can unleash a flood of emotion. That is your cue. Breathe. Relax around the discomfort. Allow it to move through you on the exhale. Just relax. Just breathe. Just notice. As you quiet down, notice how the energy feels as it rises. What was once buried in pain often resurfaces through pain. But here’s the shift: you don’t have to&nbsp;think&nbsp;your way through this. You don’t have to analyze or fix it. When your buttons are pushed, the mind will leap in with logic and solutions, but this is not a mental process. The mind’s input isn’t helpful in this moment. This is a process of&nbsp;feeling. Of&nbsp;owning&nbsp;your experience. Of&nbsp;relaxing&nbsp;around the discomfort rather than resisting it. Sometimes, this takes hours. My deepest moments of healing have come in waves. I’ll feel an old resentment or fear rise up. I’ll sit with it, breathe, and watch the thoughts swirl. But I don’t act on those thoughts, not until the emotional storm has passed. I’ve learned not to trust my “inner roommate” until the heart energy settles. I’ve learned to be patient with myself. This is not the time for force, it’s a time to&nbsp;soften&nbsp;into the energy, to meet it with compassion. But that doesn’t mean we do nothing. It means we’re preparing the&nbsp;inner conditions&nbsp;to take action from a place of wisdom, not reactivity. By allowing ourselves to feel these energies as they arise, without judgment, we’re working at the root level. We’re clearing the depths of our being. When we stand in the fire of old pain and still choose to&nbsp;relax,&nbsp;we open the door to a deeper wisdom within. Over time, we learn to see emotions not as threats, but as messengers, signals that something inside is ready to be released. And again, I want to emphasize: the mind is&nbsp;not&nbsp;the leader here. Its job is simply to observe and relax. You are the Self. You are&nbsp;not&nbsp;your thoughts. You are the consciousness behind them. You can train yourself to remain rooted in awareness, no longer pulled around by pain. You can become skilled at using the tools of awareness, breath, and release to clear the energies that have kept you stuck. Notice. Breathe. Relax. Release. Never stop. That is the path. That is the game. Join Me for This Week’s Live SessionsTo support your practice of healing and releasing inner energy blocks, I’m offering two live opportunities this week: Guided Meditation – Wednesday, November 5 at 8:30 AM EasternJoin me on Zoom for a live, guided meditation where we’ll focus on breath, awareness, and gently working with the energies that arise.A replay link will be posted afterward for anyone who can’t attend live. ﻿Interactive Workshop – Friday, November 7We’ll gather on Zoom for a live workshop with space to share personal experiences, ask questions, and explore how to work with&nbsp;samskaras, the stored energies of old emotions, without getting caught in the mind’s story.<a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09</a>

Healing the Inner Wounds: Learning to Love the Parts That Hurt

Embracing Your True Self: Your Worth is Beyond Comparison Early on in my spiritual work, I often found myself comparing aspects of my being to those around me.&nbsp;I watched them meditate, how they looked when they sat in stillness, and how they spoke about their experiences. I badly wanted to validate my “spirituality” according to the path and experiences of others. The only way I knew to evaluate myself was through the eyes of others;&nbsp;to compare myself to others and make internal narratives about how challenging my particular situation was, or how I must not be very advanced because I couldn’t put myself in certain positions when meditating. I was applying my usual way of thinking to spiritual growth.&nbsp;If growth is something to be achieved, and the more you exhibit signs of spiritual attainment, the more special you are, then I wanted to have that. I had developed a “spiritual ego”. I had simply moved my source of identification from worldly materialism to a form of spiritual materialism. Ram Dass taught that this habit of comparison and self-judgment comes from our conditioning in school and society, where our worth is measured by how we rank against others. We grow up striving to&nbsp;be more: smarter, stronger, more accomplished, always reaching for an external sign that we are enough. Ram Dass also offered a beautiful metaphor from nature:“When you go out into the woods and you look at trees… you see why it is the way it is. And you don’t get all emotional about it. You just allow it. The minute you get near humans, you lose all that. And you are constantly saying, ‘You’re too this,’ or ‘I’m too that.’ So I practice turning people into trees. Which means appreciating them just the way they are.”&nbsp; Each tree grows according to its own rhythm, shaped by wind, light, and soil. Why can’t we allow the same for people, and especially for ourselves? When we soften our hearts toward ourselves, we begin to see our own beauty. Like the trees, we are shaped by forces far beyond our control: our parents, our culture, our opportunities, our challenges. The very things we once judged about ourselves are evidence of the divine artistry that formed us. Every being is a unique expression of God’s energy, light and shadow, wisdom and confusion, all part of the same sacred whole. Genuine authenticity arises when we embrace our uniqueness. When we stop measuring our worth by comparison, we begin to see ourselves through the eyes of love and acceptance. We recognize that we, too, are part of the great unfolding, just as worthy, just as beautiful, just as divine as any other expression of life. Even the strangest, most awkward parts of us are part of that expression. We don’t have to encourage every impulse, but we can accept it, bring it into the light, and love it as part of our wholeness. My most significant growth has always come from moments of mistake and humility, painful moments when I have chosen to smile at my flaws and turn inward with curiosity instead of criticism. Give yourself space to grow. Give yourself permission to be beautifully unfinished. Protect your energy and let it support your unfolding, not sabotage it. As I have heard in the Temple many times, “there is never a good reason to close your heart.” Let that truth apply to yourself as well. Keep your heart open, feeling, seeing, and fully engaging with the miracle of your own being.

Embracing Your True Self: Your Worth is Beyond Comparison

How to Learn to Love Yourself﻿How do you feel about yourself right now?We all long to feel good about who we are, yet that longing is often confused with the ego we are trying to transcend. From an early age, we’re taught that while everyone is “created equal,” recognition and specialness are the real currency of value, within our families, peer groups, and workplaces.We learn to compete, to work for approval from parents, to seek success from employers, attention in relationships, and position within our families. As a result, our minds are trained to compare, to measure, and to motivate ourselves by the conclusion that we are not enough and must never stop striving. Love for self and acceptance are rarely part of what we are taught.As we delve into the teachings of&nbsp;The Untethered Soul&nbsp;and practice awareness and meditation, we begin to recognize how often we judge ourselves. We notice this through our&nbsp;inner dialogue, the constant stream of thoughts shaped by fear, comparison, and self-doubt. Learning to love yourself begins with awareness of the habit of self-criticism that has become normalized in our culture.The foundational practices of spiritual life, awareness, reflection, and meditation help us tune into this inner voice. Our work is to develop moment-by-moment awareness of what it says and how it affects our mood, energy, and enthusiasm.&nbsp;The goal is not to silence the voice but to see it clearly, to witness how it fuels feelings of inadequacy and drives us to seek approval, validation, and recognition from the outside world. <h3>Awareness and Self-Validation</h3>Ma Yoga Shakti, a powerful teacher who once taught at the Temple, spoke about catching herself when she expressed negativity. In those moments, she made it a practice to immediately counter a negative thought with a positive statement. This simple act of self-correction is powerful spiritual work.When the inner voice goes unchecked, it writes a story about who we are, and that story is often rooted in self-criticism, becoming the foundation of our self-image. How can we truly love ourselves when our inner world is built upon self-rejection?We often see beauty and goodness in others yet recoil from extending that same compassion toward ourselves. Awareness helps us see this imbalance for what it is. After more than thirty years of doing this work, I have developed a profound respect for anyone willing to turn inward. It takes extraordinary courage to face yourself honestly, but that courage must be met with&nbsp;kindness, to give yourself credit, to honor your progress, and to love yourself for even trying. <h3>Practicing Compassionate Self-Awareness</h3>Start with the basics: watch the inner voice. When you catch your inner dialogue tearing you down, pause and ask yourself:− Is this really true?− Is this the whole story?− Would I speak this way to someone I love?Self-evaluation is powerful when done with truth, balance, and compassion. Constant negativity, internal or external, is none of those things; it is unfair, unbalanced, and untrue.The ability to sincerely love yourself begins when you restore&nbsp;balance&nbsp;in how you see and talk to yourself. In time, you’ll recognize that you are doing the best you can under difficult circumstances. Hardship and troubling times are not punishment or proof of failure; they are the natural ebb and flow of life. No matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished, you will experience them, and you can learn to love yourself even through the hardest of times. <h3>Growth Through Love, Not Fear</h3>When change is needed, when habits must shift, or when it’s time to take a new direction in relationships or life in general, commit to growth as part of your search for new and better ways of being.&nbsp;Using shame or guilt as motivation only teaches us to live in fear.The difference between fear-based and love-based motivation can be subtle, but over time, they lead to vastly different outcomes. Approach growth as an act of&nbsp;honoring your humanity, not condemning it. Recognize your sincerity, your longing to be whole, and your desire to bring goodness into the world. See all the ways you already uplift those around you.Because true happiness, in the end, doesn’t come from self-critique, it comes from&nbsp;love.Love for life, and love for the part you play in it.Someday, you’ll recall something kind you’ve done or a moment of generosity you’ve shared, and you’ll see yourself in the light of that goodness. You’ll find appreciation for yourself based on your heart and contribution. Relax into that goodness. Allow yourself to feel comfortable in self-acceptance and appreciation.With time, you can relax into it completely and begin to see the truth of who you are. Guided Meditation every Wednesday at 8:30 am Eastern. Join the Workshop!&nbsp;Each Friday at noon Eastern time. Join us at the link below:<a href="https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2648474241?pwd=M21zVlU2azdjb1RKaTNnb1E1aC82UT09" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">Zoom link</a> Thanks!Tim

How to Learn to Love Yourself

Our Journey from Awareness to Peace: A Path Through the Mind The mind is an amazing tool, but it can’t produce peace.﻿Many of us are living in a constant state of mental overdrive. Our nervous systems are hijacked by fear, stress, and stories we’ve carried for years, often since childhood. We look for control as a form of safety, but it never really delivers. Even when everything seems to go right, there’s still that undercurrent of tension, of what’s next? Why? Because the mind keeps whispering - loudly - about everything that could go wrong. That voice in your head? That’s your inner roommate. It narrates your life, makes you question your worth, your safety, your choices. It tells you that you’ll be okay if… my daughter accepts me, my spouse starts being nicer, I get the job, the email is sent, the person apologizes, the finances work out, etc, etc.&nbsp; But once one problem is resolved, anxiousness doesn’t go away; you are not at peace, your mind replaces it with another thing to solve. If you don’t watch that voice, it runs your life. It wears the mask of logic, but it’s ceaseless fear underneath. Awareness is the key. Real-time awareness of what your mind is saying. When you stop and watch, you begin to see the pattern: relentless thinking, chronic problem-solving, a cascade of what ifs that activate the nervous system. That’s where the inner work begins. We don’t heal by controlling everything outside of us, we heal by learning how to relax into the moment, no matter what the moment is bringing to us.With time, effort, and practice, we can learn how to relax into the problems that trigger us, that push our buttons, that stimulate our samskaras. When we continually, consciously and intentionally relax, the body begins to return to balance. Peace becomes accessible, not because the world changed, but because we are changing. Some basic tools Meditation – not to escape, but to train awareness. To strengthen the muscle that notices thoughts without becoming them. Mantra – When the voice inside your head is too strong, a mantra can give your mind a break.&nbsp; My 3-Breath Meditation – My personal practice for building moment-by-moment awareness and resetting my mind and heart.&nbsp; Each hour: Breathe in fully. Check the mind: is it spinning and worrying? Breathe out to relax around whatever the mind is working on. Breathe in again. Notice your emotional state. Check the disposition of your heart, your mood. Breathe out to relax around your emotional and energetic condition. Let your mood settle.﻿Breathe in again. What is the moment in front of you? Focus on what life is asking you to do. Breathe out, and relax into the next task, and why it matters.&nbsp;Do this hourly throughout the day, and your system will begin to trust again. You don’t need to fix the mind. You just need to stop believing everything it says. Over time, with repetition and intention, something extraordinary happens. You stop being jerked around by every passing thought. You feel the fear, but you don’t become it. You hold space for your pain without collapsing under it. You begin to live from your center.&nbsp; Peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence of awareness and focus as problems are happening. If you’re navigating stress, anxiety, or depression, you’re not failing. You’re awakening. And you’re not alone. There is a path forward.﻿&gt; Start with awareness.&gt; Build a daily practice.&gt; Relax consciously.&gt; And walk gently toward your own healing.

Our Journey from Awareness to Peace: A Path Through the Mind

You Can Learn to Talk Nicely to Yourself You enter into a difficult moment. The self-judgment and recrimination start to run and you are stuck in a mind that hates you. It seems like an impossible cycle to break, but the work that you do towards awareness is the key. “We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." Carlos Castenada I keep returning to awareness because it’s the foundation. Without awareness, you can’t work with any part of your inner life. To change something, you first have to see it. Awareness means watching the mind and giving yourself space from it. Let the mind do its judging and catastrophizing without getting pulled in. Just notice it. This is hard, but you can do it. When you begin to meditate, it can be startling to see how harsh the mind has been while you weren’t paying attention. In difficult times, the mind may flood you with self-judgment. Then you might judge yourself for having those thoughts. The work is to keep watching and to accept that the mind often doesn’t know how to be kind. Treat it like a grumpy friend: you don’t argue, you observe and stay steady, and do your best to meet it with love. Pain (emotional and physical) narrows your world. Old imprints and traumas can shape a life organized around avoiding triggers. Avoidance doesn’t heal. Healing begins when you notice the pain, allow it to be there, and choose kinder ways to relate to yourself. That’s how the mind realigns toward calm, patience, and real support. Most of us were trained to worry and self-criticize. Break that habit with simple, consistent, compassionate self-talk. It’s not your fault, you’re human in a driven culture that ties happiness to the wrong things. Become your own best supporter. Mistakes are allowed. We’re all doing the best we can. Radical self-acceptance gives you room to be human. Love the person who has carried so much and kept trying. Fill your heart and mind with quiet acceptance. Awareness is watching what the mind does; acceptance is starting from where you are, not where you think you “should” be. Make it a habit: whenever the inner critic speaks, meet it with kindness and a clear intention for who you’re becoming. No more tearing down. Let your own love lift you.

You Can Learn to Talk Nicely to Yourself

Awareness: The Cornerstone of your Journey to Peace No matter what path you are on or how you define your growth, it always begins with awareness. The ability to sit with your thoughts without becoming them is essential, and it is the first true purpose of meditation. As we encounter our sticking points and pain points, awareness allows us to witness the process rather than be consumed by it. This creates a greater possibility for transformation with each new wave of growth. The goal of spiritual work is not to eliminate difficulty but to move through it with clarity and purpose. Every challenge arises for a reason, and the way you meet it shapes your path forward. Let purpose guide your life. Recognize that you are a form of God incarnate, and the only way to realize this truth is by moving through the fullness of your humanity. Awareness is what bridges that journey. It leads to deeper understanding, steadies you in the face of difficulty, and ultimately opens the door to self-realization.

Awareness: The Cornerstone of your Journey to Peace

An article by Karen McCoy, Spiritual Astrologer Preface to the eclipse:On September 21st&nbsp;at 3:54 PM EDT there will be a Solar Eclipse at 29 degrees of Virgo 05 Minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;This eclipse is a South Nodal eclipse.&nbsp;&nbsp;All south Nodal eclipses are asking us to clean something up.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is a problem-solving eclipse, as long as we use our analytical abilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Please know that the planets do not create problems, they only expose them.&nbsp;&nbsp; So, if this eclipse exposes situations for you to deal with, it is best that you do not put off making the necessary corrections.&nbsp;&nbsp;South nodal eclipses have no patience for ignoring issues they are pointing out.&nbsp;&nbsp;The longer you put off dealing with them the stronger the nudge will become.&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember eclipse energy lasts for six months and every time a planet, the Sun or Moon cross over the eclipse point it will intensify the energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&amp;ik=df4822c07b&amp;attid=0.1&amp;permmsgid=msg-f:1843903318987139118&amp;th=1996dc4c9864682e&amp;view=fimg&amp;fur=ip&amp;permmsgid=msg-f:1843903318987139118&amp;sz=s0-l75-ft&amp;attbid=ANGjdJ8RMCvuI6zH_T_whPKJ-fc47pBgysBTXWCDMDnFS3hG3PeC-g_kvNk4-TAyxZ1MY8xa1PV0kqEm7e1o-dJfumh75OHW2fnn8H91Pf4IYQFDOvA4Mhe3zpHPTG0&amp;disp=emb&amp;realattid=ii_mft8mjef0&amp;zw" alt="Sep 21, 2025 Solar Eclipse.png" height="412" width="358"> With the combination of this eclipse opposing the Saturn Neptune conjunction, being a Solar and south nodal eclipse, it is giving us a wonderful opportunity to become more spiritually responsible.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you look at the chart of this eclipse, it creates a grand trine between the Sun, Moon conjunction trining Pluto and Uranus.&nbsp;&nbsp;When you draw in the opposition to Saturn and Neptune wish in in the 2nd&nbsp;house of personal values, it creates a kite.&nbsp;&nbsp;A kite is a hand of God.&nbsp;&nbsp;The tip of the kite is where the energy flows through and where we are directed to take action.&nbsp;&nbsp;Notice that every single outer planet is part of this kite.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The energy begins at the tail of the kite which is the Sun Moon eclipse then flows up and around the trines and takes flight through the tip of the kite which is the Saturn Neptune conjunction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To interrupt this eclipse all the energies involved need to be understood and explained.&nbsp;&nbsp;The chart of this eclipse is for all of human kind and what needs us to accomplish to be able to evolve with the energy that is making itself available to us as a human race now.&nbsp;&nbsp;This eclipse also needs to be placed in our individual charts to see where we get to/need to also use it in our individual lives.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For the sake of this article I can only interpret it in the chart of the masses.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Details of Eclipse:Eclipse falls in 8th&nbsp;houseTrining Pluto in 1st&nbsp;houseTrining Uranus in 4th&nbsp;houseOpposing Saturn Neptune conjunction in 2nd&nbsp;houseWith the Saturn Neptune sextiling both the Uranus and Pluto on each side&nbsp;&nbsp;Eclipse:We must look at ourselves as a society that is in-need of correcting its collective value system.&nbsp;&nbsp;We need to stop allowing ourselves to be told what is important to us and stretch back to claiming our own individual values.&nbsp;&nbsp;Whether they be financial, moral or spiritual values, we must take responsibility for our own.&nbsp;&nbsp;We cannot change another, we can only set an example.&nbsp;&nbsp;We must stop valuing money over each other.&nbsp;&nbsp;We must find the courage to be individuals in what is important to each of us.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In making the corrections that allow us to become more spiritually responsible it is important to understand that true spiritualty is not about lip service, it is about walking your talk.&nbsp;&nbsp;And walking a talk that does not hurt others.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes of course you can defend yourself physically, though you cannot attack another because they do not believe what you believe.&nbsp;&nbsp;You cannot bend another’s will and call yourself spiritually based.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each of us was born with our own journeys, our own free will to walk the walk that was set before us.&nbsp;&nbsp;If we were all waking the same walk the road would be to crowed for any of us to have forward motion.&nbsp;&nbsp;We would be just a bunch of copy cats.&nbsp;We are all here learning what our individual souls have come to learn and bringing gifts that were granted to us so we would have something to share with one another.&nbsp;&nbsp;It has never been about being the same, it has always been about respecting our differences.&nbsp;&nbsp;If all the farmers only grew grain how would we get our vegetables.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some of us are here to test if we can feel close to the Universe, God, Great Spirit, the Collective Consciousness, what every you choose to refer to what you believe in while in the flesh.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some are here to learn courage, some are here to learn about boundaries, some are here to learn about healing, some are here to learn about love.&nbsp;&nbsp;I could go on and on, bottom line again we are all here learning something, sharing something and hopefully evolving.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With Pluto being the first leg of the trine falling in the first house, the energy is telling us we have all the power we need to make these adjustments and give up old habits that are holding our growth down.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pluto is the planet of transformation, the phoenix rising out of the ashes.&nbsp;&nbsp;It says the change has to come from us individually taking responsibility for our own actions and no longer allowing ourselves to be led around by our noses.&nbsp;&nbsp;The change begins with each of us individually.&nbsp;&nbsp;Be the individual you were born to be.&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember social media is both a curse and a blessing.&nbsp;&nbsp;Keep what is useful and discard what is not.&nbsp;&nbsp;If it is judgmental or hurtful it is not useful.&nbsp;&nbsp;It can only diminish you and point your mind and body in a negative direction.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes bad things happen, though not without purpose.&nbsp;&nbsp;God does not allow us to go through any pain there is not a gain connected to.&nbsp;&nbsp;When we stay stuck in guilt, shame or blame the pain is in control of our lives. We destine ourselves to keep repeating the pain just in different places and faces, because we cannot accept the lesson when we are judging it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When we can ascertain the gain, it disempowers the pain because the lesson is accepted and we do not need it repeated.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, this may not necessarily fully diminish the harshness of the lesson, though it does save us from having to repeat it.&nbsp;&nbsp;It also does not mean you have to like that it happened or the person that perpetrated the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;It only means you must ascertain the gain (keep what is useful and discard what is not).&nbsp;&nbsp;In the second leg of the Grand Trine set up in this eclipse is Pluto trining Uranus in the fourth house.&nbsp;&nbsp;This tells us it is time to transform how we relate to family, whether it is the family we were born into or the family we went out into the world and chose.&nbsp;&nbsp;Family is our support system, it is what nurtures us and what and who we feel connected to.&nbsp;&nbsp;Time needs to be spent around these people.&nbsp;&nbsp;We need to share, time, food, dreams and goals with them.&nbsp;&nbsp;They are our support system.&nbsp;&nbsp;When life separates us from our support system we become disconnected and are more likely to become a follower because our support system is not there to give us courage to go out into the world and accomplish our dreams.&nbsp;&nbsp;The courage often comes from knowing someone has our back.&nbsp;&nbsp;With Uranus in the fourth house, many people may find that their support system may not be coming from the family they were born into.&nbsp;&nbsp;Uranus may change what a normal family dynamic looks like.&nbsp;&nbsp;What is important is that a family is created that you feel safe and supported by.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are too many of us disconnected and wondering alone.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is calling for a return to family values.&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember you will get out of this family what you put into it.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The third leg of this trine is Uranus trining the eclipse in the eight house.&nbsp;&nbsp;This trine from Uranus will allow us to set ourselves free from judgement and over critiquing everything both big and small.&nbsp;&nbsp;It will especially work on teaching us to no longer judge the value system and choices others are making with their own free will, for Uranus values free will above all else.&nbsp;&nbsp;Uranus is the planet that is known for the vibration of change, freedom from the known and unnecessary.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is the planet that rules our humanitarian consciousness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Its’ job is to teach us to think outside of the box.&nbsp;&nbsp;It rules brilliance.&nbsp;&nbsp;It teaches us that although we are all different we are still all connected to something greater than ourselves and that we are all useful and have something to offer.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bottom line this eclipse will lead us to the spiritual responsibility we seek by adjusting our individual value systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;We can accomplish our goals by avoiding the distraction of judging others and focus on our own accomplishments and what we have to offer.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;God SpeedMuch Love,Karen&nbsp;<a href="http://www.karenmccoy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">www.KarenMcCoy.com</a><a href="mailto:Karen@KarenMcCoy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);">Karen@KarenMcCoy.com</a>--Karen McCoyAstrologerOffice:&nbsp;&nbsp;336-886-7979Cell: 954-258-4207<a href="http://www.karenmccoy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">www.KarenMcCoy.com</a>Facebook: Karen McCoy Astrology Books"Spiritual Astrology" Your path to self-fulfillment by Spiller&nbsp;and McCoy"Spiritual Astrology" A path to divine awakening by Spiller and McCoy"Cosmic Rhythms" A user's manual for humans by McCoy and Staub

Solar Eclipse | September 21, 2025

By Julia Rose Barnett Since the beginning of the year, astrologers have <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFsqF8Tuijv/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">forewarned</a> the intensity of March due to the bulk of powerful transits happening within this short four week span. Eclipse season is undeniably major in itself. Why else would ancient civilizations perform sacrifices around this cosmic event? Combine it with a series of Cazimi’s, two retrogrades, and humanity’s firstNeptune entering Aries encounter since 1861, and you’ve got something to talk about. Now that it’s April, and all of those transits have come and gone: what do we do now? First, let me just congratulate you on navigating the most challenging astrological transits of the year. The hardest part has passed, however April still continues March’s storyline. Mercury and Venus are still retrograde and go direct in the middle of the month. Chiron, the wounded healer asteroid, will be Cazimi (aka be in the heart of the sun), which will be the fifth additional Cazimi following Saturn, Neptune, Venus, and Mercury in that exact order. And to top it off, Mars re-enters Leo in April after a tough retrograde and direct run in emotional and nurturing Cancer, a sign it never feels comfortable in. There is still work to be done according to the cosmos, and yes, it is step two to March’s step one. March presented the following individual and collective-scaled questions: What do you need to let go of for good? AndWhat do you want to invite in its place? April’s transits not only allows for the release of what was, but the integration of what will be as well. Chiron Cazimi brings healing light to a dark wound that may have been standing in the way of achieving your goals. Mars re-entering Leo will be the fire reignited after an almost four month period of evaluating the emotionally-driven intentions behind taking action – and how they may not have been pure or aligned with your integrity. Now that March clarified you need to release, April is here to help you heal any negative emotions or limited beliefs around what was so you can invite new, improved, and better aligned. I flipped a Tarot card for you, reader, asking the following question: What are we integrating in April? And this is what we received: (Queen of Pentacles) <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pents13.jpg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(106, 96, 176); background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Pents13.jpg/150px-Pents13.jpg" height="260" width="150"></a> Queen of Pentacles from the Rider Waite Smith Tarot Deck The Queen of Pentacles is a self-made woman. A healer, the familial matriarch, and a business woman, this queen fulfills her responsibilities, pursues her goals, and creates abundance and success with harmonious ease. We are all mastering the wisdom behind the joy-driven balance that makes for a fruitful life desired. What is so auspicious and affirming about this card is the fact that April ends with the New Moon in Taurus, the earth sign that represents the Queen of Pentacles! So to answer the question of what next?: Grounded, stable, and abundant success after a two month period of gaining healing wisdom.

The Intense Astrology of March Is Over... Now What?

Harvard Professor, Dr. Arthur C. Brooks began his talk at The World Happiness Summit on March 15, 2025 by sharing a chart showing the dramatic uptick in depression amongst adolescents since 2009. From his studies and observations the conclusion is that this may be linked to the onset of our new technological environment. Dr. Brooks' definition of happiness:Happiness = Enjoyment + Satisfaction + Meaning When he looked at these three variables from a social science perspective, he noticed that around that same timeframe of 2009 when depression shot up, statistics also showed an increase in people stating that "life often seems meaningless."&nbsp; He states that Meaning is a complex problem comprised of: <ul><li>Coherence - Why things happen as they do</li><li>Purpose - What I am alive to do</li><li>Significance - Why my life matters</li></ul> He explained that while technology and distractions engage the left hemisphere of our brain, complex problems — like understanding life’s meaning — are processed in the right hemisphere. However, we only access this part of the brain (right) when we allow ourselves to experience boredom. The problem is, we’ve "invented left-brain anti-boredom machines" (aka cell phones) that keep us constantly stimulated, preventing us from entering the brain's default mode network — the space where deeper problem-solving and introspection take place. To drive his point home about how uncomfortable people can be in a state of boredom, Dr. Brooks shared about a 2014 study conducted by Dan Gilbert, a psychologist at Harvard where 42 people were left in a room with nothing to do but sit quietly for up to 15 minutes. They were give the option to be alone with their thoughts or press a button that would deliver a painful electric shock. Surprisingly, around 67% of men and 25% of women chose to shock themselves rather than endure boredom. To give the audience practical steps to dial back into ourselves and find meaning, Dr. Brooks invited us to: <ul><li>Detox Yourself: Tech-free times each day, Tech-free zones, Tech fasts each year...</li><li>Invite Boredom: Workout without headphones, drive in silence, take walks without a device...</li><li>Ponder the Big Questions: Why am I alive? For what would I give my life? And so forth...</li><li>Get Smaller: Philosophy, Nature, Meditation, Religious Faith, etc.</li></ul> In closing, he reminded everyone to "lean into LOVE" as that will stimulate the process of finding meaning, for all all of it is love.

World Happiness Summit | The Meaning of Your Life and How to Find It with Dr. Arthur C. Brooks 

In Unwavering Focus, Dandapani, a Hindu priest and former monk, breaks down the art of mastering your mind in a way that feels totally doable. His message is simple: focus is a skill, and just like training a muscle, you can build it with practice. One of my takeaways was when he compares the mind to a massive mansion, with each room representing different emotions, memories, and thoughts. Your awareness, he says, is like a ball of light you can consciously move from room to room. Want to leave the "stress and anxiety" room and head into "calm and clarity" instead? You’ve got the power to direct your attention and make that shift. It’s such a simple yet powerful way to think about mindfulness. Dandapani also dives into the idea that energy flows where attention goes. He offers super practical steps to help you stop getting hijacked by distractions and start channeling your focus more intentionally. What I love is that his advice isn’t just theory — it’s stuff you can actually apply in your day-to-day life. What makes this book so refreshing is the way it blends spirituality with real-world tools. Dandapani’s approach is clear, actionable, and empowering. It’s like he hands you the keys to your own mind and shows you how to drive. Unwavering Focus isn’t just a read — it’s an invitation to reclaim your attention and use it to create a life that feels more aligned and intentional. Whether you’re looking to boost productivity, quiet mental chatter, or just find more peace, this book is definitely worth diving into.

Book Review: Unwavering Focus by Dandapani

Life can be pretty noisy, and sometimes we just need a moment of calm. Enter quartz sound bowls — these beautiful instruments aren’t just mesmerizing to hear, they actually have a pretty amazing effect on our bodies. The secret lies in two things: sound and water. Did you know we’re made up of about 60-70% water? That’s a big deal when it comes to sound healing because water is a fantastic conductor of vibrations. When you play a quartz sound bowl, the pure tones it produces send waves through your body, almost like a gentle internal massage for your cells and tissues. What makes quartz bowls extra special is the crystal itself. When the bowls sing, they create frequencies that interact with us on a deep level, helping the nervous system relax. As the sound washes over you, it can lower stress, slow your heart rate, and ease your mind into a peaceful, meditative state. It’s like hitting the reset button. And here’s the really cool part — these frequencies can actually guide your brain into different states. Ever feel super calm and dreamy after a sound bath? That’s because the vibrations help shift your brainwaves into alpha and theta states — the sweet spots for creativity, deep relaxation, and even healing. The benefits go beyond just feeling good in the moment. Regular sound bowl sessions have been known to improve sleep, reduce anxiety, enhance focus, and bring emotional balance. Many people describe the experience as being "retuned," like their whole body gets aligned back to its natural, peaceful rhythm. In a way, quartz sound bowls remind us that we don’t always have to push for healing — sometimes, it’s about letting go and allowing the sound to do the work. It’s a beautiful practice of surrender, where the vibrations guide you back to balance, just like water settling into stillness after a ripple.

The Magic of Sound

PRESENTED BY ELXRThe&nbsp;Evolve&nbsp;Journalby Evolve Team - March 1, 2025 As you embrace this weekend’s new moon energy, take a moment to connect with yourself and the collective to support your growth and evolution.&nbsp;&nbsp;In this edition of our bi-monthly newsletter, explore what’s unfolding at Evolve, ways to get involved, and resources to fuel your transformation. <h2>🌟 Inspirational Quote</h2>&nbsp;<h2>”When we direct our awareness to where we want it to go, we are choosing what we experience.” Dandapani&nbsp;</h2>&nbsp;📚&nbsp;Wisdom for the Soul⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/1906ecb9-ad4d-480b-92f7-7e35f045d8ac?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reside at the Center</a>&nbsp;by Mike Duffy⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/1fb36e2b-0437-4b6e-91f8-284e557e6a63?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Art and Wellness</a>&nbsp;by Arlene Zachmann⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/a31f6884-7436-42ac-b171-ccf941594233?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mastering the Two-Part Breath</a>&nbsp;by Eliza Kane⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/96447d2f-b781-40fe-9bc9-4971ac84cd73?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mental Health in the Workplace</a>&nbsp;by Jen Todd👉&nbsp;<a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/20650114/Evolve%20ebook%20Feb%202022.pdf?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Evolve e-book:&nbsp;Integrative Approach to Personal Transformation</a>&nbsp;🎓&nbsp;<a href="https://joinelxr.com/?coupon-code=EVOLVE20&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Courses on ELXR:&nbsp;Unconventional wellness to empower your journey</a> <h2>🗓️ Upcoming Events</h2>📍 Miami⁻ March 6:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/11dca3f4-b161-4dca-b36e-445b6fca2a6f?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Field of Consciousness Healing</a>&nbsp;@&nbsp;North Miami -&nbsp;Ticketed⁻ March 8:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/86f2241f-b43d-46f2-8e67-075429613e27?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Connect, Grow &amp; Evolve</a>&nbsp;@ Nobe Yoga -&nbsp;Donation⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/c82d62cd-551b-4d0b-ba22-ab2b554d58f5?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">March 15:&nbsp;Nervous System Regulation</a>&nbsp;@ The Standard -&nbsp;Ticketed👉&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/groupSessions?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">More sessions here</a> <h2>🌐 What’s our focus at Evolve?</h2>&nbsp;Human Connection&nbsp;🤗&nbsp;We’re building a global community by fostering meaningful connections—locally through monthly events at The Standard and Nobe Yoga in Miami, and globally through mindful introductions.&nbsp;Sourcing Talent&nbsp;🧘‍♂️With 145+ wellness leaders (and counting!), we’re curating top-tier talent across diverse modalities to meet the evolving needs of individuals, communities, and companies.&nbsp;Performance Coaching&nbsp;💪&nbsp;Evolve is co-creating high-level performance coaching programs with top wellness facilitators—starting with tailored solutions for the finance industry.&nbsp; 🎉&nbsp;Welcome to our newest Leaders:⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/P3Y8jBCoG8g99X9jCKbU6YcXBgh2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Dr. Eva Altobelli</a>&nbsp;| Addiction Recovery, Psychedelic Integration⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/t18qh6lVBZZKE4uOfcHlhEycak43?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Amy Zilka, MA.,C.H.</a>&nbsp;| Hypnotherapy, Equine Specialist⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Drg6yU9QERSnpG4Pf5rsOMTVHYi2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Victoria Amiya</a>&nbsp;| Sacred Sexuality, Awakened Woman⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/rRw8mexdb5fWXa0KUZ67qXFJHVn2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Jackie Roby</a>&nbsp;| Relationship Coach, Human Design⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/PFvkpGQmEOaDL5rpN6EiFozqTih1?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Julia Rose</a>&nbsp;| Tarot, Astrology &amp; Psychic Readings⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/gzBCTUTJcBV5IGJIC0C3DfybZKi2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Mareesa Stertz</a>&nbsp;| Storytelling👉&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">View all Leaders here</a> <h2>🤝 Community Partners to Explore</h2>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/tifftopia?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Tifftopia</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/synergyyoga?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Synergy Yoga</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/thestandardspa?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Standard</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/elxr?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ELXR</a> <h2>📢 Connect with Us</h2>👉 Email:&nbsp;team@8evolve.com👉 Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/8evolveapp/?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Follow us</a>👉 Telegram:&nbsp;<a href="https://t.me/community8evolve?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AAgegw8kjiBYz-8s5vm_5ZUoK_39uJOg3ZBjt0wZCKu1f79AfBDmNGi7alxUGZyf3OIlX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Join our community</a>&nbsp;for the latest news + updates!&nbsp;💜 With gratitude,The Evolve Team

The Evolve Journal #2 | Insights & Happenings

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson&nbsp; What lies within us all is a natural life force that everyone can experience in one form or another. We are all creative for in reality,&nbsp;everything we do requires making creative choices.&nbsp; Expressing our creativity through art can provide a creative outlet, sharpen memory as well as&nbsp;cognitive functions. Additionally, painting reduces stress and anxiety while achieving a creative life. Art is the imagination at play in the field of time. Give yourself permission to play!&nbsp; -Arlene Zachmann

Art and Wellness

Do you ever feel like you’re running on autopilot, stuck in the grind but missing the magic? What if the key to feeling truly alive—buzzing with energy, creativity, and inspiration—was hidden in your sexual energy? This isn’t just about pleasure; it’s about unlocking the limitless potential already inside you.&nbsp;As a Sex and Intimacy Guide and the Creator of the Soulgasm Experience, I’ve helped countless individuals and couples reclaim this power. But here’s the twist: real transformation isn’t just about talking through issues—it’s about bridging the gap between your mind and your body. To unlock your life force, you need to work with the body’s consciousness and create shifts that go far beyond traditional therapy.​Today, I’m diving into how sexual energy, belief reprogramming, and the body-mind connection are the ultimate trifecta for healing and transformation.​Why the Body-Mind Connection is the Missing Piece​Many of us approach personal growth by focusing solely on the mind—analyzing our thoughts, talking about our past, and searching for answers through logic. While this is valuable, it often leaves out a crucial player: the body.​Your body isn’t just a vessel; it has its own consciousness. It stores every experience you’ve ever had—every joy, heartbreak, and trauma. These memories live in your cells, your muscles, and your nervous system. That’s why, even when your mind says, “I’m ready to move on,” your body might still be holding onto fear, shame, or grief.&nbsp;For example:​<ul><li>If you’ve experienced rejection, your body might contract or shut down in intimate situations, even if you mentally understand that you’re safe now.</li><li>If you’ve been conditioned to see desire as “wrong,” your body might block the natural flow of sexual energy, leading to disconnection or imbalance.</li></ul>​This is where the body-mind connection becomes essential. True transformation happens when both the mind and body shift together.​How the Body Holds Consciousness​Have you ever felt a knot in your stomach before a big decision or a lump in your throat when holding back tears? That’s your body speaking to you. It’s constantly sending signals about your emotions, experiences, and unmet needs.​When it comes to sexual energy, the body often holds onto subconscious blocks that the mind alone can’t address. These blocks might manifest as:​<ul><li>Physical tension in areas like the pelvis, hips, or jaw (key centers of energy flow).</li><li>Emotional numbness, where you feel disconnected from your body or pleasure.</li><li>Overactivation, where energy feels chaotic or overwhelming rather than balanced.</li></ul>​To release these patterns, you need to work with the body—not against it. Breath, sound, and Theta Healing are powerful tools for creating this shift because they engage both the body and the mind in harmony.​Why This is Different Than Traditional Therapy​While therapy is incredible for helping you understand your thoughts and emotions, it often stops at the level of the mind. It’s like reading a map without ever stepping onto the path.In my work, we go deeper. Instead of just talking about your experiences, we:​<ul><li>Engage the body’s wisdom: Using breath and sound to release stored tension and activate energy.</li><li>Access the subconscious mind: Through Theta Healing, we identify and reprogram the beliefs that are holding you back.</li><li>Facilitate a full-body shift: By aligning your body and mind, we create lasting change that you can feel in every cell of your being.</li></ul>​This isn’t about bypassing emotions or rushing the process. It’s about creating a space where your mind, body, and soul can work together to heal and thrive.​How Beliefs and Subconscious Blocks Impact the Body​Your subconscious mind is the driver behind most of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—and it’s intricately connected to your body. For example:​<ul><li>A belief like “I’m not good enough” might manifest as tightness in your chest or difficulty breathing deeply.</li><li>A belief like “I have to be in control to feel safe” might create tension in your shoulders or an inability to fully surrender in intimacy.</li></ul>​Theta Healing works by guiding you into a meditative state where we can uncover these beliefs, understand where they originated, and replace them with empowering ones.&nbsp;For instance:​<ul><li>Shifting from “I can’t trust others” to “I am worthy of love and connection” creates an opening in both the mind and body, allowing you to feel safer and more relaxed in relationships.</li><li>Releasing beliefs like “Desire is selfish” invites your body to experience pleasure without guilt, unlocking your creative potential.</li></ul>​Breath, Sound, and Belief Reprogramming: The Path to Transformation​Let’s talk about the tools that help create this body-mind shift.​1. Breathwork to awaken and align energy:Your breath is your body’s natural reset button. By practicing intentional breathwork, you can release tension, move stuck energy, and bring your mind into a state of calm. Breath connects you to your body’s consciousness, helping you feel where energy is blocked and where it’s ready to flow.​2. Sound to release and express:Sound is a direct pathway to the body’s emotions. When you use your voice—through sighs, hums, or primal sounds—you activate the throat chakra, clear stagnant energy, and create space for authentic expression.​3. Theta Healing to reprogram the subconscious:While breath and sound activate the body, Theta Healing works on the root cause of the block: the belief itself. By addressing what’s stored in your subconscious mind, we clear the patterns that keep your energy stuck and create new, empowering beliefs that support your growth.​A Personal Invitation​The one thing I wish I learned sooner in my journey of healing and expansion is that you don’t have to do it all alone. I created the Soulgasm Experience for people to feel empowered and supported in their journey of love and intimacy.​In the Soulgasm Experience, I guide you into a state of deep surrender where transformation happens naturally. It’s a journey beyond words, where your body and mind come into alignment, and you feel the full force of your creative, sexual energy flowing freely.​This isn’t just about unlocking more pleasure (though that’s a beautiful bonus). It’s about awakening the part of you that’s been waiting to feel fully alive—energized, creative, and deeply connected to yourself and others.​So love, are you ready to listen to your body’s wisdom, rewrite the stories holding you back, and step into the fullness of your life force? Let’s take that first breath together.&nbsp;With love and magic,​Olivia<h2> </h2>

The Missing Link Between Healing and Pleasure

PRESENTED BY ELXRThe&nbsp;Evolve&nbsp;Journalby Evolve Team - Feb 16, 2025 We’re on a mission to connect, grow, and co-create with purpose. Check out our new bi-monthly newsletter to discover what’s happening at&nbsp;Evolve—plus, how you can get involved and resources to support your transformation. <h2>🌟 Inspirational Quote</h2><h2>"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?" – Dr. Seuss</h2>&nbsp;📚&nbsp;Wisdom for the Soul<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/6c23d31f-d80e-4cfa-9816-88f3684e8d17?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Awakening the Energetic Body through Movement and Sound</a>&nbsp;by Anamargret<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/0327a752-c569-4550-8c1a-c027d3c2f1e4?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Missing Link Between Healing and Pleasure</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/9dpoZHddkkU0eSpgKnAzKCmPO9A3?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Olivia Dydyna</a><a href="https://www.8evolve.com/wisdom/14b1fd51-f7ba-48d7-8493-e246add80449?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Meet Psychedelics for Climate Action</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Laj2v78GwxedN22PeIaS8vLDQTI2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Marissa Feinberg</a>👉&nbsp;<a href="https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/20650114/Evolve%20ebook%20Feb%202022.pdf?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Evolve e-book:&nbsp;Integrative Approach to Personal Transformation</a>🎓&nbsp;<a href="https://joinelxr.com/?coupon-code=EVOLVE20&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Courses on ELXR:&nbsp;Unconventional wellness to empower your journey</a> <h2>🌐 What’s new at Evolve?</h2>&nbsp;Community Growth💪 140+ global wellness Leaders and counting! <h2>Executive Coaching&nbsp;</h2>🚀 Programs for executives and teams with topics such as Core Values, Effective Communication, Team Performance, Growth Mindset, Stress Reduction, and System Optimization.&nbsp;Launching soon!&nbsp;&nbsp;Monthly Events in Miami&nbsp;✨1️⃣ Psychedelic Series @ The Standard2️⃣ Connect, Grow Evolve @ Nobe Yoga in partnership with ELXR3️⃣ New Event Coming Soon:&nbsp;Exploring a Brickell location. Suggestions?🌴&nbsp;Summer Break: Pausing monthly events to retreat! <h2>🗓️ Upcoming Events</h2>📍 Miami⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/c645b97f-3460-49f5-b0e9-587343079d76?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Feb 19:</a>&nbsp;(PSYCA) with Marissa⁻ Feb 22:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/bf7410a7-3d33-4319-879e-3cb2c9bb2dcd?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Emotional Awareness</a>&nbsp;@ The Standard with Anamargret⁻ March 8:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/86f2241f-b43d-46f2-8e67-075429613e27?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Connect, Grow &amp; Evolve</a>&nbsp;@ Nobe Yoga with Estefania⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/c82d62cd-551b-4d0b-ba22-ab2b554d58f5?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">March 15:&nbsp;Nervous System Regulation</a>&nbsp;@ The Standard with Victoria👉&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/groupSessions?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">More sessions here</a> 🎉&nbsp;Welcome to our newest Leaders:⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Laj2v78GwxedN22PeIaS8vLDQTI2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Marissa Feinberg</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/eiU1OkTYmpX7KBKmrHkDtiZ7fcl2?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">William Kalatsky</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/D4F6qn3AaSNr7k86hE6iVIUc5LD3?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Arlene Zachmann</a>👉&nbsp;<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">View all Leaders here</a> <h2>🤝 Community Partners to Explore</h2>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/elxr?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">ELXR | Unconventional wellness at your fingertips&nbsp;</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/reveal?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Reveal | Peer supported women's psychedelic community</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/youtunein?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">YouTuneIn</a>&nbsp;| Human technology tool that enriches meditation⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/pelihealth?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Peli Health | Transforming the conversation around pelvic care</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/community/beckleyretreats?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Beckley Retreats | Psychedelic retreats in Jamaica &amp; the Netherlands</a>⁻ <a href="https://www.dougie.love/?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Slow the F Down</a>&nbsp;| Diving into the art of living intentionally <h2>📢 Connect with Us</h2>👉 Email: team@8evolve.com👉 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/8evolveapp/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram: Follow us</a>👉 Telegram:&nbsp;<a href="https://t.me/community8evolve?utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6zIMyfzCT-CqEThaV1L9qkvaiUU1JNxeSBAFIaRVvyaiuhwAMOJaOGb3tB01x-rAqg5A1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Join our community</a>&nbsp;for the latest news + updates!&nbsp;💜 With gratitude,The Evolve Team

The Evolve Journal #1 | Insights & Happenings

Our climate crisis calls for creative solutions now more than ever. Since Earth Month, 2023, I’ve been collaborating with a catalytic community, raising and expanding consciousness to discover pathways forward. From our Meet the Psychedelic-Climate Leaders events to Psychedelic-Climate Week, hundreds of people are coming out to be part of the psychedelic-climate action. Rooted in NYC, with virtual members globally, we are moving through the mycelial phase. Our psychedelic-climate society is already <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/02/drugs-climate-crisis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">attracting media attention</a>, and our next stop to plant seeds is Miami! As mushrooms grow slowly but spread exponentially, you may already be sparking such relationships in your towns and cities. If not, you can begin organically. We started with my email list of environmental enthusiasts, foraged more connections through our WhatsApp group, spawned a budding <a href="https://www.instagram.com/psychedforclimateaction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(39, 17, 188); background-color: transparent;">Instagram</a>, sprouted a <a href="http://psyca.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(39, 17, 188); background-color: transparent;">new website</a> and a directory to map our ecosystem (<a href="https://www.psyca.org/join" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">join here</a>), and gathered donations of event space from artists and social clubs. We are now in daily communication, tracking eco-psychedelic opportunities for people to discover different approaches and support the pioneers doing the work at this intersection.﻿It’s been refreshing to blend the narratives of these two ecosystems with this incredible collective effort. Anyone who has experienced the power of psychedelics can describe a feeling of oneness with all beings. We’re on a mission to integrate this knowledge with a big, hairy, audacious goal to bring it to shift the collective consciousness. With more programming, from awareness-raising to fundraising, we will track the impact of our efforts to support initiatives at this intersection, spotlighting and supporting the inspirational work of these organizations to expand their growing psychedelic-climate actions. We get behind people, organizations, and initiatives, building new models and unprecedented pathways. <a href="mailto:marissa@triplebottomwhy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Reach out</a> to be part of this network or share what’s happening where you take root. We are also open to values-aligned partners who want to seed this journey with us. <a href="https://www.psyca.org/contact-us" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Contact us</a> to get involved.

Meet Psychedelics for Climate Action

In my work as a Ketamine integration coach, I often ask people where they feel their intention, anxiety, confidence and a myriad of other feelings, emotions or states of being. The answer is frequently “I don’t know.” To survive emotional and physical pain we often have to turn off and tune out to our emotional body. Feeling can feel dangerous. Joy can feel like anxiety. The need to rest can look like depression. I have experienced all of this. What started my healing journey over 20 years ago was Yoga. When I speak of Yoga I am speaking about the many limbs of Yoga, not just the physical practice. But it was the physical practice that started my healing. It was the first time I started to feel safe within myself. Standing in mountain pose with both feet firmly pressing into the earth. Taking the warrior stance with confidence. Connecting with my body through movement was a gift I didn’t expect. As I learned and practiced, I was introduced to sound in motion by chanting in the poses. The yoga of sound is called Nada Yoga. Feeling the reverberation of OM or other mantras was powerful. Now I was tapping into more than the physical. I was connecting with the internal landscape of my energetic body. The one that cannot be seen but it can be felt. We’ve all had those moments when we said we liked that person’s energy. Or the energy in the room feels… You fill in the blank. We feel a shift in energy when we dance and move through a great song to start off the day. Or sing our favorite song. Sound is a beautiful way to tap into what cannot be seen with our eyes but is rather experienced in our hearts, our bellies, our throat or any other place that comes alive. Take time out today to do a little dance or chant OM a few times and sit with the vibration or sing out loud in your car. Then notice where you feel the awakening.

Awakening the Energetic Body Through Movement and Sound

In today’s fast-paced, high-pressure work environments, mental health has become a crucial topic. With the demands of modern workplaces, employees often face stress, anxiety, and burnout, making it essential for organizations to address mental health proactively. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience a mental health condition each year. That means millions of employees are grappling with mental health challenges, which can have a profound impact on their productivity, engagement, and overall well-being. <h3>The Cost of Ignoring Mental Health</h3> Mental health conditions are not only harmful to employees but also costly for businesses. NAMI highlights that depression alone costs the U.S. economy about $210.5 billion per year in absenteeism, reduced productivity, and medical costs. Moreover, employees struggling with mental health conditions may be more prone to take time off, with 62% of missed workdays attributed to mental health concerns. Ignoring mental health in the workplace can lead to a toxic work culture, decreased morale, and higher turnover rates. On the other hand, fostering an environment where mental health is prioritized can reduce these costs and create a more resilient and engaged workforce. <h3>The Importance of Supportive Workplaces</h3> Employees who feel supported in their mental health journey are more likely to be productive, engaged, and loyal to their organization. However, 8 in 10 workers report that shame and stigma prevent them from seeking mental health care, according to NAMI. This highlights the need for workplaces to actively combat stigma and provide access to mental health resources. Key strategies to foster a mentally healthy workplace include: <ul><li>Implementing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Offering confidential counseling and support services can help employees address personal and work-related stressors.</li><li>Flexible Work Options: Allowing for remote work, flexible hours, or mental health days can help reduce the burden on employees struggling with mental health issues.</li><li>Open Conversations: Creating a culture of openness, where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health, can significantly reduce stigma and encourage them to seek help when needed.</li><li>Training for Managers: Equipping managers with the tools to recognize signs of mental health challenges and providing them with strategies to offer support is crucial for early intervention.</li></ul> <h3>Creating a Mental Health-Focused Culture</h3> Mental health in the workplace is no longer an optional consideration; it is a business imperative. Leaders who prioritize mental well-being create stronger, more sustainable companies. According to NAMI, 91% of employees believe that a company’s culture should support mental health, yet only 50% feel that their workplace currently does so. This gap offers an opportunity for forward-thinking businesses to take a stand, normalize mental health conversations, and provide resources that promote employee well-being. Simple initiatives, such as offering mental health training, promoting work-life balance, or celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month, can make a profound difference. <h3>The Way Forward</h3> Investing in mental health benefits both employees and businesses. By creating a supportive, stigma-free work environment, companies can foster resilience, reduce costs associated with absenteeism, and improve overall productivity. As the statistics from NAMI show, addressing mental health in the workplace is essential for both the well-being of employees and the success of the organization.

Mental Health in the Workplace is a Growing Priority

3 main reasons at the core of "bad" psychedelic experiences.by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-artzoglou" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);">Alexandra Artzoglou</a> on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexandra-artzoglou_psychedelicharmreduction-psychedeliceducation-activity-7201618993995030529-N8Mw/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Linkedin</a> ✨ 1. Lack of safety“Safety is not the absence of threat, it is the presence of connection.” – Dr Gabor Maté. One of the first things I've learnt as a therapist is how to create safety by being attuned to the participant, radically present, and regulated myself. This is a must for whoever is present during ceremony; Be it a guide or a friend. Safety in the psychedelic space is also created with a well-thought out set and setting. People often report that the medicine facilitated about 20% of the transformative experience, while the safe and comfortable physical space combined with one's mindset was responsible for the remaining 80% of the outcome. ✨ 2. Lack of preparationWhile it is impossible to fully prepare one on everything they can expect during a psychedelic journey, familiarizing them with the physiological and psychological effects of different medicines at different dosages, as well as the process, setting, and flow of the day definitely helps! Depending on the medicine consumed, there are best practices in terms of mental, physical and spiritual preparation one can engage in for week to months in advance. - As a client of mine once said, “I realized that the best preparation for Ayahuasca, was 2 years in therapy.” Psychedelics are powerful tools for self-awareness, healing, and personal growth, yet they don't have to be everyone's first option. A good practice before high-doses of psychedelics is to familiarize oneself with their own psyche through meditation, journaling, yoga, and other modalities, as well as accessing trance states through breathwork and/or hypnosis. ✨ 3. Lack of Medical Pre-screeningWhile psychedelics can be profoundly meaningful once-in-a lifetime experiences, not everyone is physically or mentally fit to use them (at least without prior work). Participants with certain medical conditions (e.g., bipolar disorder - often undiagnosed) that unknowingly join retreats, migh end up having disturbing experiences that can last for months. Before you surrender your mind, body and psyche to a substance and facilitator, make sure to undergo a thorough screening process to verify that you are fit for the experience. 💫 P.S.: Not that there ever is a "bad" psychedelic experience. As Dr. William Richards once said, "𝐀𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐚 '𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐩'. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤: '𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬'𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞." Do you know of any other reasons behind negative psychedelic experiences? Would love to learn from your insights!

3 main reasons at the core of "bad" psychedelic experiences

With the growing popularity of breathwork practices, I wanted to share with you a specific style of breathwork that was taught to me by David Elliott, that is supportive to all areas of your life and well-being.&nbsp; There is no formal name for this technique; it’s simply referred to as breathwork or pranayama yoga, and its roots can be traced back thousands of years to ancient practices originating in India. The particular technique is done all through the open mouth, consisting of a 2 part inhale followed by an exhale.&nbsp; The first inhale goes into the low belly, the second inhale goes into the high chest.&nbsp; It’s recommended that this practice be done lying down, so you can fully relax into the body, however it can be done sitting, but (definitely) not driving. Breathing sessions typically range from 10-35 mins of active breathing followed by 5-10 mins of relaxation with (natural breath)&nbsp; Finding a steady rhythm is encouraged, and it’s important to note there is no need to force or push anything. You’d be surprised how powerful and profound a gentle approach can be.&nbsp;&nbsp; For this technique breathing through the open mouth is done for several reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp; It helps get you out of your mind and into your body, which is huge for not only relaxation of the mind but for releasing stress, tension and emotions held in the body, and all of this helps nurture your relationship with your body so you can really understand what is going on with you and how to best support yourself with what you need. Creating presence in the body, brings clarity, alertness, decisiveness and the sense that you are capable and can handle the life before you. – The open mouth technique also allows you to pull in a higher level of oxygen.&nbsp;&nbsp;With this practice you are using a steady rhythm that is not the rapid rate of hyperventilating; it's rhythmic and becomes fluid as you get more comfortable with it, and it’s the open mouth that allows for extra oxygen to be pulled into your system.&nbsp; This extra oxygen triggers the relaxation response in your body, and from this place you become receptive and open to the experience of self-discovery, which is extremely varied from person to person.&nbsp;&nbsp; This discovery can be mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, psychedelic.&nbsp; Breathwork has a way of meeting you where you are at and taking you where you are ready to go, and for each person that is very specific to them. – For this particular breathing technique the first inhale brings breath (which is awareness) down into the second chakra, the energy center in your pelvic area.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This energy center is a potent center that also correlates to life force, vitality, creativity and healthy sexuality.&nbsp; Some pretty incredible stuff, however out of balance, this energy center causes challenges with digestion, energy levels (lethargy and depression), blocks creativity along with causing challenges with one’s relationship to others, money, drugs, sex and food. By freeing up suppressed emotions, space is brought into this energy center, creating a freedom and vitality in one’s life force.&nbsp; It also opens up the flow of creativity and helps people with their relationships to others, money, sex and food. Sluggish digestion and gut challenges, which are extremely prominent in today's culture, correlate directly to one’s ability to process their emotions.&nbsp; As one develops a healthy relationship with their emotions, they are able to process the ups and downs of life with greater ease, essentially digesting life more easily, which in turn benefits the physical digestion in their body. Fear, anger and sadness are the most common emotions that get suppressed.&nbsp; However abuse of power has created a deep sense of shame within the human psyche, which I believe is currently manifesting the most prominently in the second chakra, and holding people back from feeling optimal vitality. With this technique, the second inhale is taken into your upper chest, which is the energy center connected to your heart.&nbsp; Bringing the awareness up into the heart is key, as this helps one find deep love and compassion for their humanity and the great challenges along with great gifts of the human emotion.&nbsp; To love and be loved is a desire we all have, and by working with the heart center one is able to clear blocks and guards around love, allowing for a deeper connection and engagement with themselves, others and all of life. This breathing technique is an extremely nourishing and loving practice.&nbsp; I encourage you to enjoy and savor it, surrendering into the unknown and maybe even allowing a little magic in!

Mastering the Two-Part Breath

Crowned "Change Maker of the Year" in 2019, Isabel Varela stands as a formidable force in the realms of sustainability, transformation, and leadership. As an eco-warrior, life coach, and visionary artist, she doesn't just talk the talk; she walks the walk, guiding individuals and brands towards a sustainable future. In her riveting presentations at global stages, including Columbia University, LVMH, FORD, and more, Isabel delves into topics like fashion addiction and positive sustainable solutions. Her insights are not just theoretical; they are a product of her hands-on experience in transforming pain into power, showcased in her award-winning documentary,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EeCHn-SVr0&amp;t=3s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"Fashion Addict."</a> Isabel's influence extends beyond the stage as she collaborates with major brands such as LVMH, Balmain, and Saks Fifth Avenue, shaping and implementing corporate social responsibility. As a master tailor for A-list celebrities like J-Lo, Cindy Crawford, and Lady Gaga, she brings a unique blend of glamour and substance to her work. But Isabel's impact doesn't stop at the red carpet. She channels her passion for sustainability through collaborations with NYC nonprofits—DonateNYC, Sanitation Foundation, NYC Fair Trade Coalition, and the Horticultural Society. Her sustainable art activations serve as both inspiration and education, creating a ripple effect for positive change. Beyond her illustrious career, Isabel's spiritual journey has been a profound one. From navigating psychic talents in her early years to immersing herself in shamanic practices, Medical Intuition, Energy Healing, Guyana Priestess arts, Sound Healing, and Toltec Wisdom, she's become a true authority in holistic well-being. Currently in a transformative Medicine Way Shamanic apprenticeship with Irma Caceras, Isabel is set to become a shaman in 2024, solidifying her position as a leader in spiritual growth and empowerment. Her narrative echoes transformation, empowerment, and an unwavering commitment to a sustainable future. In Isabel Varela, you don't just find a speaker; you find a guide, a leader, and an authority ready to navigate you through transformational journeys towards a sustainable and empowered future.

Meet Isabel Varela - a Trailblazer in Sustainable Living, Transformation, and Leadership

I was on a short road trip back from&nbsp;Arraial do Cabo, a beach town in the State of Rio de Janeiro, comfortably sitting in the front passenger seat. I had just spent a blissful day on the beach, swimming in the crystal-clear waters of this diving paradise, enjoyed fresh fish with a few sips of a capirinha, now feeling fully relaxed. The sun was about to set, and I was absorbed by the mesmerizing show that was unfolding in front of me on the sky. The clouds were playfully morphing into unimaginable shapes, the sun shining directly through them: dragons would turn into turtles, then suddenly becoming a castle. The colors were slowly changing too: from blinding yellow, to bright orange, deep red, then pale violet, finally disappearing in graying hues. When I became aware of myself again, I realized I was having what I can only describe as an orgasmic experience. It was as if the sunset had penetrated my whole being and I was fully taken by its glorious beauty, breathless yet fully aware. I could sense this experience in every cell of my body, losing myself fully in the fleeting eternity of the moment. I contemplated sharing this intimate experience with the passengers, but it felt almost inappropriate. It dawned on me that this was exactly what I had always struggled to accomplish with endless attempts at meditations and mindfulness exercises. Bringing heightened awareness into the present moment, melding the self into the glorious limitlessness of the universe. Despite the numerous tools available to us for practicing meditations and mindfulness, few of us truly succeed in the endeavor of finding that which we seek. After years of practicing everything from diaphragmic breathing, sound healing, yoga, transformational breathing, tantra &amp; pranic healing, I felt a calling to create my own method &amp; life philosophy I call Pleasurable Wellness. As the founder the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imbodywellness.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">Imbody Institute</a>, my passion is to help guide people to activate their full potential for wellbeing with pleasurable interventions. In oriental philosophies, breathing fully is about reconnecting our upper chakras to the lower three ones, in order to activate the energy flow into stagnated regions of the body and make it whole again. In fact, according to Osho, the Indian philosopher, our lower body, associated with pleasure and sexuality, often becomes disconnected from the rest, when we are reprimanded for something as a child and in fear, start breathing more shallowly. Slowly, the upper chest breathing, representing only 50% of our full potential, not only deprives the rest of our lower body from the vital flow of oxygen, but contributes to a disconnect from experiencing pleasure and bliss, for which children often have such a natural knack. The partial breathing keeps the energy from reaching the abdomen and reproductive organs, slowly disconnecting them from the rest of our body, thus compromising our ability&nbsp;to feel, to BE&nbsp;and experience&nbsp;pleasure&nbsp;naturally as an extension of Who we are. As we grow up, what was bliss and childlike innocence, would have turned into erotic and sexual energy. Instead, with the ongoing blocks, lack of movement, and stress, we further compromise our breathing, which according to the Chinese is our true connection to the powerful energy field, the Tao. This, in turn, dampens the sexual energy, which is the source of all vitality, health, and well-being. As a result, we cut off the Self from sensing its Wholeness and interconnectedness with ALL, and in such, deprive it from its natural ability to experience existence as a state of orgasmic bliss.﻿What I experienced in the car clearly incorporated all my previous attempts at meditation, merging seemingly unrelated philosophies &amp; practices into a blissful moment, that became the first step towards the recovery of orgasmic living, both the childlike exuberance of perceiving reality as magic and the feminine ability to experience sexual energy in everything around us. The power of full breathing had reintegrated my whole body and then reconnected me with the rest of the Universe.&nbsp;Sensefulness, the methodology I created to relearn the language of the body and a primal way of being, allows us to experience orgasmic living at its fullest. All it takes is a few full deep breaths, surrendering to inner desire, and releasing control to experience what&nbsp;IS.

The Art of Pleasurable Wellness

Learn to REST... Realize your truth.Experience self-love.Strengthen your soul.Trust yourself. REST is a unique form of healing/meditation—an antidote to our modern cult of busyness and a sacred opportunity to reconnect with your soul. Through breathing, energy work, visualization and meditation, you'll be guided through the door of self-love and release your fear so you can begin living surrendered—the key to freedom. Deepening your self-love is a catalyst to live with more meaning while also creating the space needed to care for others. Benefits: <ol><li>Meet your inner noise, let go of control, self-heal and live life as your authentic self.</li><li>Increase your resilience and bring more passion and positivity to every aspect of your life.</li><li>Learn how to access the meditative force of love within yourself anytime, wherever you go.</li><li>Increase your resilience and bring more passion and positivity to every aspect of your life.</li></ol> Wisdom:Meditation gives us the space to REST.You are the answer.All things connect.

Set Your Soul Intention by Learning to REST

Hello and welcome to my BushidoPage - a idea from <a href="https://taniazahidi.wixsite.com/lifebushido" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Lifebushido - Live Life Boldly</a>A <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10J7xWsC6i_NoEl1Ml9OdNB-2U4fPotwMIeG0eSFlum4/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">BushidoPage</a> helps you share about yourself deeply to help people help each other.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h1> </h1><h1>﻿Background – Who Am I? - Bio</h1> Hey there, I'm Raquel! I am the proud descendant of a lineage of indigenous women who possess the sacred knowledge of healing. Our heritage traces back to the Mexica of Tenochtitlan, the Raramuri of Copper Canyon, and other indigenous communities in Mexico. Imagine this: at 16 years old, I experienced a life-altering miracle. I was on the verge of succumbing to the devastating effects of bacterial meningitis when I was miraculously healed by the profound love and healing energy of my spiritual ancestor, Luisa. If you're curious, I have videos detailing this extraordinary event that you're welcome to watch: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1y5KY4u0L5BlDuco1sxO_2gzf9Kpr26MR/view?usp=drive_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Miracle - Experience</a> and <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/18MWFUWwQBZbEyAyuKnas4EF1OmHF1i2C/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Miracle - Reflection</a> I had a second life-altering experience recently. In October of 2023 I had a profound Near Death Experience. You can read my story about it here:A Mystical Account of Seizures and Transcendence<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/12MuAXd07r5QtwW78amhNaUsP6LI4DVOc/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://drive.google.com/file/d/12MuAXd07r5QtwW78amhNaUsP6LI4DVOc/view?usp=sharing</a> You can also read about my favorite people in the world - my late grandparents:Love Letters From A 1947 Las Vegas Western Union Clerk - From E.S. Torres to Irene Murillo<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bdwYAICKlhsNilXHkJ6bVKt5h3mEmoEg/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bdwYAICKlhsNilXHkJ6bVKt5h3mEmoEg/view?usp=sharing</a> In my 20s, I delved into ancestral medicine through ritual body piercing practices as well as scientifically based health and safety practices for body piercing, which led me to establish successful body piercing studios in major cities. I also played a role in founding an international nonprofit organization dedicated to body piercing health and safety - <a href="https://safepiercing.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">The Association of Professional Piercers</a>. During my 30s, I immersed myself in publishing art, music, business, and culture magazines and books. In my 40s, I embarked on a scientific path and worked as a laboratory researcher in microbiology, biotechnology, and environmental endocrinology. You see, I'm not just spiritually minded—I am equally passionate about the wonders of science. Nowadays, I'm fortunate to collaborate with incredible individuals worldwide, where I manage business CRMs and data. On top of that, I work as a health insurance agent and devote my time to building holistic online communities for healing. I believe in blending the best of both worlds—the scientific and the spiritual—to gain a comprehensive understanding of human well-being. I've been working from home since childhood. I'm a proud mother of two amazing adult daughters and grandmother to six awesome grandchildren. Being the first in my family to attend college, I pursued degrees in Microbiology, Business, and Fashion. I live with the challenges of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and Epilepsy. But that hasn't stopped me from embracing life's joys, such as indulging in music, reading, exploring new destinations, and immersing myself in nature. I prioritize my well-being through daily exercise, healthy meals, meditation, dance, and journaling. As an entrepreneur at heart, I revel in the opportunity to help others. My approach is a harmonious blend of scientific and spiritual perspectives, recognizing the power of diversity in all its forms. I value, respect, and cherish the uniqueness of every individual—regardless of their background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and more. I'm here to make things happen and inspire others along the way. Currently, my focus centers around my Bushido project called Minds &amp; Circles. Picture this: a transformative 10-day Integrative Brain Detox introductory experience for 100 individuals by 1/1/2024. Through a fusion of ancient wisdom and modern science, participants embark on a profound journey to detoxify their minds, achieving unparalleled mental clarity and overall well-being.&nbsp;I hope you'll reach out to me if you'd like to connect. <h1>What is my Bushido?&nbsp;What do I want?</h1> ❖ My Bushido project is to build out <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/117k_pnsTXL2t8dHzfQIlor6pzIvTo9rvNNyYLEKOmck/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Minds &amp; Circles</a> -&nbsp;a 10 Day Integrative Brain Detox introductory experience for 100 people by 1/1/2024&nbsp;❖ My income goal is to generate $2,500 monthly of pre-tax personal earnings between my business ZBest Assistant, my health insurance producer work, Bushido Projects and Lifebushido work by April 1, 2024 by working 100 hours per month ($25/hr).❖ My personal greater long term goal is to fully connect with my spiritual gifts and share them with 1000+ people by January of 2025, to continue to be a lifelong learner and to assist others in their spiritual connections and emotional growth. My first event toward this goal was on the Evolve platform - <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/1da8e0aa-3dc2-4f16-a593-c57a8fca3cea" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">EPM | Miracles Sharing Circle ♾️</a> <h1>Help Each Other - How do I like to help people?</h1>❖ Safety: I value, respect and love human diversity and you are safe with me regardless of your background, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.&nbsp;&nbsp;❖ Systems &amp; Research: I love building systems from the ground up based on big picture ideas and brainstorms and love researching new concepts and new technologies for use in projects❖ Social: I am also here to have fun and form healthy inspiring relationships with amazing people around the world&nbsp; <h1>How I like to communicate:</h1>❖ Communication: I have been moderately hard of hearing since birth so I prefer quiet focused video or phone calls with no background noise, email or text messaging. In person I am better at communicating with one person at a time than in large group settings. —------------------- Raquel MartinText: 928-374-0011Email:<a href="mailto:raquelrenemartin@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">raquelrenemartin@gmail.com</a> or <a href="mailto:raquel.martin@lifebushido.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">raquel.martin@lifebushido.com</a>Links: <a href="https://linktr.ee/rqlrn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://linktr.ee/rqlrn</a>

Bushido Page | Raquel Martin

Hello and welcome to my BushidoPage - an idea from <a href="https://www.lifebushido.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lifebushido - Live Life Boldly</a>A <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10J7xWsC6i_NoEl1Ml9OdNB-2U4fPotwMIeG0eSFlum4/edit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BushidoPage</a> helps you share about yourself deeply to help people Help Each Other;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fj0Gzd5INo4FtRw8LjkIo6qpNiT1P17A/view" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My Bushido Video</a>. Who Am I?I was born and raised in Western Uganda, currently living in Kampala. I am the eldest ofsix siblings, one brother and 4 sisters, and I have two sons of 19 and 16 years of age. Istudied computer science at bachelor’s degree level and did a post-graduate diploma inproject planning and management in my latter career years. I love working with data,leveraging the latest tools, technologies and techniques to deliver unparalleleddata-driven solutions and empower businesses with data-driven insights, streamlineoperations, and provide top-notch support by unlocking the full potential of data thatpropels business towards greater success in the current digital era.I am the Executive Director of <a href="https://encomiumlive.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Encomium 2020</a> a non-profit organization that works tofoster development and enhance overall well-being by addressing key areas of health,education, and water and sanitation services for Uganda’s vulnerable communities.I naturally act to create a positive impact and a ripple of effects on those around me. What is my Bushido? What do I want?❖ I want to revolutionize education and pupils’ well-being by addressing waterscarcity through rainwater harvesting systems in 10 rural primary schools inIbanda district, Uganda by the end of 2025, each valued at $11,658.❖ I want a $3,000 monthly income from <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iaVMKrOvEBAgklUVHB1quNvuFYWpiuaO/edit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Data and Business support services</a>❖ I want to establish and maintain meaningful relationships with both personal andprofessional associates from which I can extract a lifelong mastermind group of 3friends by the end of 2023 (myself and 2 others) for congruous visions. Help Each Other - How do I like to help people?❖ I offer free 5 hours of my virtual data services - these are meant for collaborationsand brainstorming data solutions of the specific needs for the potential client❖ I like to help other people through their journeys of developing theirBushidoPages which is an iterative process of developing and tuning theirBushidoPages from Draft V1 through V3 with more clarity.❖ I am a positive minded person and I like to spread my positivity along, if you arefeeling down for some reason - let's have a conversation. -------------------------------- Text/call: +256706-470869.Email: <a href="rita.tuhairwe@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">rita.tuhairwe@gmail.com</a><a href="https://calendly.com/rtuhairwe/virtual" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">Schedule call with me.</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rita-tuhairwe-73966372/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">LinkedIn</a>

Bushido Page | Rita Tuhairwe

Hello and welcome to my BushidoPage - a idea from <a href="https://www.lifebushido.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Lifebushido - Live Life Boldly</a>A <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/10J7xWsC6i_NoEl1Ml9OdNB-2U4fPotwMIeG0eSFlum4/edit?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">BushidoPage</a>&nbsp;helps you share about yourself deeply to help people help each other.&nbsp;&nbsp; Who Am I?I grew up in San Diego, CA upper middle class with three older sisters and no brothers.&nbsp;&nbsp;I went to Harvard and graduated in three years.&nbsp;I bought an Apple II+ computer.&nbsp;I went to John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies for a M.A. I backpacked around the world for a year.&nbsp;I have been to 70 countries and my goal is 100 countries by age 80.&nbsp;I was married and chose to leave the marriage in 2015.&nbsp;I have three daughters who are doing well in their 20s and no sons.&nbsp;I founded Gnossos Software, a database software company, and sold it to Vocus in 2004 for $3m.&nbsp;I took a year sabbatical and started Lifebushido, Best Agent Business, and Billion Dollar Agent.&nbsp;I have been a member of YEO and EO - <a href="http://www.eonetwork.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">www.eonetwork.org</a> twice.&nbsp;I am a member of the men's mastermind group GoBundance - <a href="http://www.gobundance.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">www.gobundance.com</a>.&nbsp;I started Lifebushido in 2006 hiring people working part-time from home to provide small business services, mainly to real estate agents.&nbsp;The company peaked at about 100+ staff and I phased it down in 2019.&nbsp;I live in Bethesda, MD.&nbsp;Lifebushido is my passion to help people to live life boldly. What is my Bushido?&nbsp;What do I want? ❖&nbsp;DailyBushido:&nbsp;My DailyBushido is to spend 2 hours daily on my health with meditation, workout, weights, yoga, walking, water, and eating 1,800 calories or less to reduce my body fat 1% per month and weight from 220 to 199 by 12/31/23.&nbsp;I want to look and feel Better than Bali when I was there at age 25.❖&nbsp;BabyBushido:&nbsp;My BabyBushido for Sep 2023 is to do a solid BushidoHour every single day to grow Lifebushido members from 25 to 40 and grow from $600 to $2,000+ monthly recurring revenue - MRR by 9/30/23.❖&nbsp;My Bushido is to grow Lifebushido to 100+ paid members and $10,000+ MRR by 12/31/23 to prove the proof of concept for the vision and systems of Lifebushido.&nbsp;I will then decide the scope of my next goals for 2024 and onwards. Help Each Other - How do I like to help people?❖&nbsp;I like to help people by reading over their BushidoPage and any background information and then having a scheduled 30 minute Bushido Coaching call.&nbsp;I am happy to do this for free.&nbsp;Schedule: <a href="https://go.oncehub.com/SteveKantor007" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://go.oncehub.com/SteveKantor007</a>.❖&nbsp;Sales and Marketing:&nbsp;I love to brainstorm with business people about their Sales and Marketing and offer ideas and encouragement.&nbsp;I love Sales.❖&nbsp;Creative:&nbsp;I have unusual creative ideas from exposure to an unusual mix of people, cultures, countries, books, and synapse firing.&nbsp;I enjoy doing creative brainstorming on all aspects of life.&nbsp;I often have insights which are helpful.&nbsp;I believe Anything is Possible and enjoy visionary brainstorming.&nbsp; Please share your BushidoPage with me.&nbsp;How can I help you? -------------------------------- Text/call: (202) 297-2393Email: <a href="mailto:steve.kantor@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">steve.kantor@gmail.com</a>Schedule call with me:&nbsp;<a href="https://go.oncehub.com/SteveKantor007" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://go.oncehub.com/SteveKantor007</a>Link Tree of Links: <a href="https://linktr.ee/stevekantor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://linktr.ee/stevekantor</a>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kantor-594784/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-kantor-594784/</a>

Bushido Page | Steve Kantor

Hello my name is Jen Todd. Welcome to my BushidoPage - an idea from Lifebushido - Live Life Boldly. A BushidoPage helps you share about yourself deeply to help people help each other.&nbsp; Who am I?&nbsp;I live in Miami with my husband Valter and daughters Lily and Heidi. I grew up in Northern Virginia and started working at PaineWebber in D.C. at the age of 18. In 2001, I moved to Miami and worked at Lloyds TSB Bank for six years. Then launched RacingTraders which was an API to Betfair.com. After selling this startup, I spent more time in finance at Morgan Stanley and a hedge fund.﻿In 2017, I left corporate to launch a cryptocurrency token, work with a crypto fund and six other clients, one being a meditation studio which is where the idea for my current passion project Evolve sprouted. Evolve is the gift I offer the world, it is a container that leverages my strength of connecting ideas and people for the purpose to support the evolution of human consciousness with a goal to decrease suffering and increase awareness and joy. In September of 2023, I returned to corporate to support my family and my dream of Evolve and my work now is to balance everything. What do I want?&nbsp;❖&nbsp;Introduce me to incredible wellness professionals to join the <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/innercircle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Evolve Inner Circle</a>❖&nbsp;Introduce me to people interested in raising the collective consciousness for <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/members" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Evolve Connect</a> membership❖&nbsp;Remind me to slow down and create space for magic, infinite possibilities! How do I like to help others?❖&nbsp;Jump on a 30 minute call to uncover synergies❖&nbsp;Connect you with people and ideas that can support you on your path❖&nbsp;Brainstorm ideas for conferences, events and retreats to support your growth My Purpose (optional section)❖&nbsp;Connect the Connected: Connect people who have a deep connection to wisdom/source/higher power with others on a similar path.❖&nbsp;Raise the Awareness: Connect those with incredible levels of awareness and consciousness with those seeking such expansion.❖&nbsp;Create Efficiencies: Mastermind to become collectively more efficient and smooth out this ride that we call life.&nbsp; The best way to reach me is via <a href="jen@8evolve.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">Email</a> or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifermtodd/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">LinkedIn</a>; to schedule a 30 minute call book with my <a href="https://calendly.com/jentoddmiami/30min" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">Calendly link</a>.

Bushido Page | Jen Todd

This month we raise awareness and create space to reflect on our own well-being as parents and the mental health of our teenagers. October 10th marks World Mental Health Day, a globally recognized initiative that sheds light on the importance of mental health. It's an opportunity for us to come together as a Beach High community, break down stigmas, and support our teenagers on their mental health journey. Mental Health by the Numbers for Youth <ul><li>17% of youth (6-17 years) experience a mental health disorder</li><li>The average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361014/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 112, 205);">11 years</a></li><li>High school students with significant symptoms of depression are more than <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29195763" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 112, 205);">twice as likely</a> to drop out compared to their peers</li><li>Students aged 6-17 with mental, emotional or behavioral concerns are <a href="https://www.childhealthdata.org/browse/survey/results?q=9463&amp;r=1&amp;g=1023" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 112, 205);">3x more likely</a> to repeat a grade.</li></ul>Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness (<a href="https://nami.org/mhstats" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">NAMI</a>) Sometimes with the fullness of life we forget that we are human beings and start to feel more like human doings. Teenagers today face unique challenges, from academic pressures to the influence of social media and the ever-changing landscape of friendships and relationships. These factors can contribute to stress, anxiety, and even depression in our high schoolers. By promoting mental health awareness, we can equip them with the tools they need to navigate. ﻿What can we do for our teenagers when it comes to their mental health?&nbsp;&nbsp; <ul><li>Hold space - Create a safe and open space for communication, be there to listen without judgment and reflect when it’s appropriate.</li><li>Give space - Sometimes the best you can do for your teenager is to give them time alone to be aware of their own thoughts and feelings </li><li>Self-Care - Teach your teenager the importance of taking care of themselves holistically; physically, energetically and mentally.&nbsp;</li><li>Get educated - Learn about common mental health issues affecting teenagers, so you can recognize signs and provide appropriate support.</li><li>Speak - Let words like anxiety and depression become part of your everyday vocabulary at home. If it’s not your kids, it will be someone in their lives.</li><li>Relate - Mention the latest brands like <a href="https://www.comfrt.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Comfrt</a> hoodies designed for anxiety and stress or ask if they know any <a href="https://influencers.feedspot.com/mental_health_instagram_influencers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">mental health influencers</a> on TikTok.&nbsp;</li></ul> ﻿The mental well-being of our teenagers is a top priority. This World Mental Health Day, let's come together as a community to raise awareness, promote open conversations, and provide the support our high schoolers need to thrive emotionally and academically. Let’s shine together!

Embracing World Mental Health Day for our Teens

Thank you for your interest in becoming an Evolve Leader! After our initial conversation and determining that it's a good fit - the next steps are pretty simple and take about 20-30 minutes to get you fully onboarded! Any questions, you can always reach us at team@8evolve.com Happy to be on this journey together!Your Evolve Team------------------------- Complete two electronic forms:<ul><li>The&nbsp;<a href="https://form.jotform.com/201928280769869" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(133, 111, 211);">Evolve Leader Agreement</a>&nbsp;(must be submitted to approve your profile)</li><li>Either the&nbsp;<a href="https://powerforms.docusign.net/52b77537-f304-4ed8-a960-5fb3258e87cf?env=na4&amp;acct=9263885f-accb-49f9-903b-ee0ca5817b51" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(133, 111, 211);">W9 tax form</a>&nbsp;for US or&nbsp;<a href="https://powerforms.docusign.net/975e8f15-213d-47ff-b192-9ea3b2eaf7db?env=na4&amp;acct=9263885f-accb-49f9-903b-ee0ca5817b51" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(133, 111, 211);">W8 tax form</a>&nbsp;for non-US (must be submitted before first payout)</li></ul> Become an Evolve Connect member:<a href="https://buy.stripe.com/eVa6po94geNZelybIX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> to Evolve Connect to participate in our monthly virtual sessions and receive more support from the Evolve Team. Create your Evolve Profile iOS users: Please download the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/8evolve/id1532687927" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iOS app</a> and complete all of the required fields, we will approve your account in our backend and then you will be able to connect to Stripe and add any remaining information. ﻿Android users: Please email the below information to team@8evolve.com and we will create a draft of your profile for review. <ul><li>Written bio&nbsp;</li><li>Headshot&nbsp;</li><li>Social profile links&nbsp;</li><li>Any certifications&nbsp;you hold&nbsp;</li><li>Any education you would like to share&nbsp;</li><li>Q&amp;A section is optional but here they are:&nbsp;</li></ul> <ol><li>What are your three favorite books?&nbsp;</li><li>If you were throwing a dinner party and could invite three influential people who would they be?&nbsp;</li><li>What are the top three skills you desire to learn?&nbsp;</li><li>What is your highest aspiration&nbsp;in life?&nbsp;</li><li>If you could give your 5 year old self words of wisdom what would they be?&nbsp;</li></ol>

Creating Your Leader Profile on Evolve

<h2>Evolve Leader FAQs</h2>How do I create a group session?Account &gt; Calendar &gt; Pencil icon bottom right &gt; New Group Session &gt; Select 'Virtual' or 'In Person' &gt; Fill in the fields<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UOc5VYDu2PcJSVst82ym1TzCP1CjWbOa/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link</a> to demo video How do I find the list of attendees for a group session? Account &gt; Calendar &gt; Click on the date/session in question &gt; View all emails and names How do group session attendees know how to login to the Zoom? Attendees receive a confirmation email and then 24 hour and 1 hour reminders with your Zoom link Do group session attendees receive a calendar invitation? In the initial confirmation email after signing up they receive a calendar invitation. How do attendees leave me a review after a group session? Account &gt; Sessions &gt; Past Sessions &gt; Leave a reviewNote: As Leader you will not see the sessions that you lead here only those you attend How do I add my Zoom link and social links? Account &gt; Profile &gt; Social Links How do I connect to my Stripe account? Account &gt; Payouts &gt; Login to your existing Stripe accountNote: It is better to create your account outside of Evolve then you can use it for other business Can I take private session bookings through Evolve? Yes, simply email us your Calendly, Accuity or other scheduling link to team@8evolve.com and we will add it to your profile How do I change my modalities offered? Account &gt; Profile &gt; Modalities &gt; Pencil icon bottom right &gt; Choose modalities How do I change my profile photo, bio, phone number and other basic details? Account &gt; Profile &gt; Personal Information

Evolve Leader FAQs

There is something in us that longs for depth and deeper answers. It is an innercalling that pulls us and keeps us moving forward. It is not located in our thinking. It’sa deeper place inside of us. And it’s not a thing, it’s more like a movement, a place ofcoherence and flow. In this place we can see and feel more of the deeper intelligence that informs ourbeings and strengthens our conscious experience of reality, of self, the other and theworld. This place of deep connection represents what is essential, our deepestmotivations and values. The purpose of life as I have come to know it is to embodythis essence. And at the source of this connection to life is a great mystery. No-onecan know the ultimate truth, we can only know the truth as we experience it. And it isdifferent for each of us. Sometimes we connect with what is essential, what is sometimes referred to as ourcalling or soul, through revelation or an act of grace or when we are in an inner statelike when we are in nature or in a creative state, dancing or writing or painting. It canalso come when we are touched by the light of another in relationship or in love.During these times, we download more insight, and inspiration - these are momentswhen we touch our essential selves, beneath the many layers of identity, roles andpatterns that drive our lives. Sometimes this movement is through pain and struggle and karma. Sometimes it isthrough wonder and creativity and insights. It talks to us in whispers, so it needsslowness and stillness. It can’t be heard when we are busy doing or achieving ordistracted by the million noises around us. It can’t be heard when we are engaged inreactivity or projection. It is true that mystics hold space for this inner environment toinform them and teach others to do the same, but we don’t need to do yoga ormeditation or live in a cave to access this deeper place. We can learn to create thisspace exactly where we are. Sometimes with a bit of help from our friends. To access our deeper selves, we need to learn to strengthen our listening. When wedevelop an interior state that listens to the subtleties of energy and information thatreside there, we communicate with the deeper intelligence that flows through us.Contrary to popular belief, it is not the power of the mind that manifests creation. It isactually the surrender of the mind to something greater. The mind surrendered inservice to what is essential guides us into a deeper experience of being.&nbsp;These are the questions that guide such a life: <ul><li>What motivates you deeply ? What drives you, what motivates your life deeply, what’s essential?</li><li>What do you consider your highest, strongest values, deep values?</li><li>When are you most creative?</li><li>Where do you feel most alive, creative and engaged?</li></ul> This human experience is a coming together of the energy we are as expressed inthe body, a million year old energy that exists in relation to the lineage of soulsthat came before us, to the depths of the earth, and to the creative spark of light, or mystery. For thousands of years we have spoken about the light and the dark - the bright sideof us and the dark part or unconscious part of life – on a true spiritual path we arecurious and explore all aspects of light and dark. The path is not just light andbeautiful and creative. It is also dark and painful and difficult. It can be felt asstagnation and numbness from absence or from trauma or from ancestralpatterns. It can be felt as rage or any range of unexpressed energy. Sometimes we need a little help because it’s so hard to let go of the well-worn tracksof our habits and patterns driven by our beliefs and conditioning. Many of thesepatterns were programmed for our survival and designed to keep us safe. But theycan become a prison when we do not question or challenge them. They can keep uslocked in prisons of our own making, even though we may not be aware of them. When you look inside yourself, you are likely to find beliefs and ideas that drive yourbehavior, stories and patterns from the past, from the culture you grew up in, or fromyour parents, teachers and other experiences. When you bring these patterns to thesurface, you know a little more about yourself and you realize you are living true toan internal system of ideas, stories, beliefs and patterns that may no longer be truefor you. Getting in touch with these undercurrents informing our behavior andchoices helps us to challenge the status quo and align with deeper truths and desires.&nbsp;Whether your beliefs appear to be good or bad, they all build a container for who youare and what you do. Most of the time, at least 95%, you are not aware of yourbeliefs.&nbsp;&nbsp; Some common beliefs I have observed are: <ul><li>I never get enough of what I need</li><li>I will most likely fail</li><li>There is no point to this existence</li><li>Other people are inferior or bad</li><li>I won't ever get the love I want or need</li><li>The only way to find peace is to escape this reality</li><li>I'm better than others because I have a better education/ more money&nbsp;</li><li>I’m more special than others</li><li>I love my life</li><li>As long as I get what I want, I'll be happy</li><li>I've let go of all the things of the world and I'm liberated</li></ul> When we listen to the call coming from a deeper source than our minds or theculture in which we live, we are challenged to let go of old attitudes and security. Weare challenged to ask ourselves what kind of human and humanity we want to be.We cannot keep doing what we have been doing if we want to see change in in theworld or ourselves. And the most difficult task is to change ourselves and to trust adeeper source than our own minds can produce. In this space we are connected to the seed we carry as a promise in our hearts. Thisseed is not produced by us, but is the result of millions of years of evolution, ofinformation that is carried through the lineages of our ancestors, of the earth and ofthe greater universe, and which is given life through us. The seed can be buried inus for a lifetime, and some of us return to the grave, with the seed still in our hearts,unlived or unexpressed, but still carrying the potential or light or information of adeeper intelligence that wants to be expressed through us. This is not something we can create with our minds, despite all our human attemptsto find the formula, or the secret. It is greater than us. The question who am I and why I am here only point us in the direction of the energythat wants to be expressed through us. But we can never know it. Our attempts toanswer it are simply more delusions of the mind. Knowing the self is a paradoxbecause the self is unknowable. But we can remove the obstacles to seeing andfeeling the potential of our true beings. The way for each of us is unique to us. There is no prescribed path or technique orguru who has the answer. Attention and awareness are capacities that bring us intouch with the deeper layers of self. Dreams and synchronicities, creativeexpression, imagination, and intuition bring us insights on the journey and gentlynudge us into the dark and light places inside which require courage and enduranceto embrace and which sometimes reveal hidden gifts which are a joy to beexpressed. We can allow ourselves to sink into a deeper space in our beings that is not locatedin our thinking. We can bring the seed we carry as a promise in our hearts as ablessing to others. Why else would we be here? We are evolving, and the seeds welay down in the soil of our lifetimes becomes the fertile ground for future generations. The answer is in us and it needs us. It needs us to listen and watch and embracewhat is here now, so that what came to us as a seed may become a gift for futuregenerations. <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/MV2wKB06TKYJv7h0RbNtuih7vuF2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carmen Mettler</a> is an explorer of consciousness, working with Evolve, an onlineplatform for members to connect and co-create communities that support personaland collective transformation and contribute to a better world.&nbsp;Join our community to support your personal transformation journey and contributeto raising the collective consciousness. <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Become a Member</a>

The Ground of Being

The word “Tao” is Chinese for the way or path. It is described by Taoists as the center of the universe and of ourselves. Taoism teaches that words and intellectual concepts cannot grasp the true meaning of the Tao. It is more sublime than words. It is a lived experience of wisdom and of flow. It is a harmonious center, balanced between the forces of life. It is about finding the center in our own lives and finding more peace and success as a result. Here, Lao Tzu instructs us not to control life but to reside at this center. He asks us to see things as they are and let them go their own way. It seems like a recipe for passivity. It seems fine for serenity, but how can we get anything done if we just reside at the center? It’s a puzzle, really. When we concentrate solely on action, we can lose our serenity. When we focus solely on serenity, we can lose our sense of progress. How can we find balance? Or can we, really? Scientists have found that in a sense, perfect balance is an illusion. Instead they would tell us balance is a set of alternating mental states. Indeed at a neurophysiologic level, we don’t multitask. Thoughts may occur in amazingly quick succession but each is single-threaded. Each occurs at its own time. So it is with life. Forces and energies from life will always cascade over us, each in turn. And we can be consumed and pulled by these energies. Indeed, this is our natural default state. But the sages would tell us we have a choice. We can choose to be pulled by each extreme in turn. Or, with wisdom, we can learn to accept that life is a series of events in time. And that we can find center, always. It’s like a kayaker on class 5 rapids. The forces push and pull and threaten to overturn the kayak. And sometimes they do. But the master kayaker stays flowing with the forces. They remain centered. They perform the occasional eskimo roll to right themselves and they just keep going. They keep flowing. And so can we. We can learn to reside at the center of the energies of life when we can see them for what they are: life will always oscillate. And without wisdom, so will we. But when we expect the forces in life to come, we can greet them as momentary visitors. We can know that they will soon be replaced by an alternate energy, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But there is great power in setting our expectations that they will come and they will pass. As the Tao so eloquently puts it:“There is a time for being ahead, a time for being behind;a time for being in motion, a time for being at rest;a time for being vigorous, a time for being exhausted;a time for being safe, a time for being in danger.” All of these states occur, yet the master resides at the center. He recognizes that life will churn – as it always has, and always will. Yet when we can learn to flow with these states instead of fighting them, we can start to embrace the peace the Taoists found. We can remind ourselves that they are impermanent, that these energies right now will soon be replaced with another. It is not balance in the moment. It is balance moment after moment, as life hits us. The master embraces the extremes with equanimity. He lets the psychic energy of the extremes flow past him, for he knows they will soon be replaced by another. He finds and is strengthened every time he returns to center. ﻿For today: think about the many extremes in life that you have experienced. Recall how each extreme was replaced by another, each in turn. Now as each extreme occurs, recognize it for what it is: just another energy, another moment in time. Channel your inner Tao and let the extremes flow past you. Find your center whenever you need to and smile as each extreme arises and departs your life. And grow stronger each time you do. About Mike Duffy: Mike is a student and teacher of ancient wisdom. He has experienced profound life transformation through the application of wisdom from across the world’s wisdom traditions, east and west. He provides coaching and facilitation for individuals and groups to connect and go deep on the most important questions in life.

Reside at the Center

This piece is an expression of life as a journey of continuous transformation, informed by aninvisible and indivisible intelligence that is constantly evolving life. Sometimes we arespiraling in to connect and recover lost aspects, other times we are spiraling out to grow and evolve and express what is in us, and sometimes we are stuck on repeat and it is difficult to move forward. This piece is inspired by a William Blake poem, Auguries of Innocence, in which Blakesuggests that it is possible to experience the world in a grain of sand, heaven in a wild flowerand eternity in an hour. Life is a continuous unfolding of moments, moment by moment, andif we slow down enough to fully experience the moment, the present, or the now, as it hasbeen referred to in spiritual teachings, we encounter with a sense of awe and wonder themagnificence present in the unfolding moment. In the moment, we encounter the true nature of reality as infinite and undivided wholenessand this puts us in touch with the creative force that informs all life. This also allows us toexperience eternity in an hour, represented by the shape of the hourglass. This awarenessmoves us between the linear and material perspective of reality and the perspective of time as a sphere and reality as waves of continuously moving energy. Most of us believe that we and world are made up of physical matter or atoms and materialobjects we can see and that’s partly true - because on a physical level you are made up ofcells. Cells are made up of molecules which are made up of atoms, which are made up ofsubatomic particles. Subatomic particles are made up of energy like waves.&nbsp;And this energycarries information that organizes and forms itself into particles, atoms, cells, tissues andorgans such as the brain or heart and the body and everything you see in the natural world - the trees, the birds and bees and starfish and sunflowers and mountains. The brain and nervous system are a system of tubes communicating with every one of ourover 30 trillion cells in a continuous loop, just like the loop of infinity, regulating ourwellbeing in every moment, through a communication superhighway of 86 billion neuronsconducting information in the form of mechanical and chemical energy between the brain and every cell, organ, tissue and muscle and is responsible for all that we sense, perceive, think, feel and do, even what we do not deliberately choose to do, such as breathing and digesting. This continuous loop of communication in the form of electrical and chemical transmissions between the brain and body is responsible for our experience of reality. It’s not what’s happening outside that determines the quality of our experience but the way in which we interpret and respond to what is happening. Using awareness and attention and the inner technology of our deep Self, we connect, grow and evolve ourselves in a movement towards wholeness and unity, in love with ourselves and in harmony with the whole of life. As William Blake reminds us: “If the doors of perception were cleansed everything wouldappear to man as it is, Infinite. For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro' narrow chinks of his cavern.” This piece is a reminder to clear our lenses of perception and see things as they really are, instead of as we think they are. About Carmen<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/MV2wKB06TKYJv7h0RbNtuih7vuF2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Carmen Mettler</a>&nbsp;is an explorer of consciousness, leadership coach, speaker and artist. Carmen believes that when we come home to ourselves and to the fullness of what is unfolding in the moment, we connect with our full intelligence and to what really matters. This is as an act of rebellion against the default mode of being or status quo that is consumed by survival, striving, busyness, adaptations, inherited or learned patterns and trauma conditioning. The greatest regret of the dying is that they lost touch with what really matters and their own true selves.&nbsp; Purchasing ArtworkTo order a print please email carmenleemettler@gmail.com for pricing/shipping along with your preference of which option:1. A1 on&nbsp;Ilford&nbsp;textured silk FineArt paper2. A1 on canvas

"Infinity Hourglass" Artwork by Carmen Mettler

This piece is an expression of the journey of returning to the wild and original authentic self. This process begins when we question external authority, our conditioning and habits and patterns and separate out from the collective. It is a process of individuation, of the return of soul to the body and ego to the Self.&nbsp; Many people learn adaptations growing up to have their needs met and to avoid overwhelm and pain.&nbsp;We learn that the outside world and external authority are more powerful than us and so we shape ourselves to fit the world and by the world we are also shaped. As a result, we learn to distrust our own authority, our legitimate needs, our connection to our instincts and to the self. What happened in our lives and how we internalized what happened as messages despite how inaccurate they are, still shows up in our lives and has tremendous power over us. Messages like, ‘you need to work hard’, ‘you need to respond to others’ needs and take care of others’, ‘you shouldn’t worry about your health or needs’, ‘you should be good’, ‘you should put on a brave face, or ‘you shouldn’t ask for help’. There are places in us left unnourished, and unresolved as we grow up and so we grow up with parts of ourselves missing. And so, we feel homeless, lost or as if we are missing something. It can feel like a void. And we try to fill that void, with substances, with objects and with relationships, but no matter how much we do to satisfy our longing, we still feel empty, because we are missing pieces of ourselves which cannot be found outside of us. When we ask “who am I apart from all of my roles,” we begin the work of healing and recovering the wild and original self. This work continues all the way through our lives… Returning to ourselves and embodying our essence is the journey of homecoming and being on this journey is the goal. Until we commit to this journey of homecoming, there is always hesitancy and a chance to pull back. When we commit, graceful forces of help and support shows up to move us forward. We are carried by these forces as much as or even more than by our own will. Dreams and synchronicities, creative expression, imagination, and intuition bring us insight on the journey and gently nudge us into the dark places inside which require courage and endurance to embrace. Sometimes the journey is difficult, because the adapted or conditioned self that we created in response to all the painful and traumatic experiences in our lives has kept us safe and protected us from harm and we don’t want to let it go. The process of becoming our true and real self requires us to challenge the status quo and face our unintegrated and hidden aspects. These hidden aspects contain light as well as dark aspects of our nature, which, for whatever reason, went underground early on in our development and which, when integrated, release more of our life energy and allow us to express more of who we are. Some of what is hidden inside is difficult to embrace, and some is pure joy to retrieve. There are many parts of the journey that will leave us feeling alienated and alone. It will feel scary and difficult, and may even separate us from the culture or our families, but it will feel right. And that is enough. What is right for us, is right for the world too. It takes a lifetime to learn to do the right thing for ourselves. And when we do the right thing for ourselves, we feel the energy supporting it. It releases pure life energy from the unconscious attachments and patterns that were usurping our energy. And all we need to do is follow the energy. The recovery and expression of our deepest and truest selves is our most important work, and it is an act of social service to the world, because in healing ourselves, we heal the whole.&nbsp;&nbsp;The homecoming journey breaks the delusion of sovereignty of the ego. It is not easy to undo all we have become. Our CV and bank account and other accomplishments puff us up and make us feel good but they get in the way of us becoming who we are. These ego comforts inflate us and then deflate us when we descend into the unconscious to retrieve the lost soul parts. The ego is defeated to a larger and larger extent by each encounter with the self.&nbsp;What we have worked hard to become for decades is what becomes our chief obstacle on the homecoming journey. And then comes the task of relinquishing the attachment to all of those roles and adaptations in order to see what wishes to express itself through us into the world. This is the hardest thing to do, because it registers as a defeat for the ego. As death. I have died a thousand times, and I will die a thousand more to express my true desire. The homecoming journey requires deep listening and attunement to our own knowing and to the path that is ours and ours alone. We cannot find ourselves by following what has worked for others, as appealing as that might seem. There is no textbook, or technique or guru that can show us the way, because the way is in us, and it is unique to each person. What we need to learn are the capacities of attention and awareness that bring us in touch with the deeper layers of self, and the hidden source dimension. Here we have access to insights and wisdom that provide us with signposts for the journey. And when we are in touch with this infinite wisdom, life becomes a wild and original ride.The gold in the painting represents the fruits of this alchemical process of homecoming. The journey of recovering and expressing the whole and true and real self is like an excavation project of digging for gold. The gold is in us and the digging for gold is the journey of self-discovery and recovery which returns the fragmented, lost or buried parts of ourselves to ourselves and allows us to express more of who we are and more of our creative beings. This feels like a homecoming because we are returning ourselves to ourselves and to wholeness so we can flow once again with life. About Carmen<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/MV2wKB06TKYJv7h0RbNtuih7vuF2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Carmen Mettler</a> is an explorer of consciousness, leadership coach, speaker and artist. Carmen believes that when we come home to ourselves and to the fullness of what is unfolding in the moment, we connect with our full intelligence and to what really matters. This is as an act of rebellion against the default mode of being or status quo that is consumed by survival, striving, busyness, adaptations, inherited or learned patterns and trauma conditioning. The greatest regret of the dying is that they lost touch with what really matters and their own true selves.&nbsp; ﻿Purchasing ArtworkTo order a print please email carmenleemettler@gmail.com for pricing/shipping along with your preference of which option:1. A1 on&nbsp;Ilford&nbsp;textured silk FineArt paper2. A1 on canvas

"Homecoming" Artwork by Carmen Mettler

You must have heard it before: New Year's Resolutions do not work. But still you get hyped up. Excited that you are going to change. Wanting so desperately (or not) to be "better". You decided, like most, that now (the holiday season) is difficult to eat healthy, to continue or start exercising, or to take care of your health and well being.&nbsp;So you binge. You go to all the parties, eat all the food, drink all the alcohol AND wait until January 2nd to start all the good habits. It may last a few days, maybe a few weeks, IF you're really committed then maybe a few months - but on/off, not consistently.&nbsp;This is not bad. NO judgment.&nbsp;How do I know this?!&nbsp;Because I have done it too!&nbsp;Until I realized that I didn't need to anymore. I could JUST decide or choose RIGHT NOW. Today I am. Today I will. NOT tomorrow. NOT next year. BUT NOW!&nbsp;So I introduce to you SANKALPA: To become one with; to connect with your heart's desire; your seed of change - or I'd say transformation.&nbsp;Change can be temporary - like a "state" of being rather than a "trait". Whereas transformation is long lasting or dare I say ever lasting!&nbsp;Humans are not meant to be stagnant.&nbsp;We are unable to always BE the same - since we literally change our cells every 7 years. Our skin, our hair is never the same-therefore WE can never be the same. It's not 100% correct to say "that's just how I am".&nbsp;Well if you want to transform (like really make a shift) then YOU CAN:change your mindyou can change your habitsyou can create new patternsYOU can be healthy and happyYou can do all the things that make you the person you want to be.&nbsp;OR you can simply accept with LOVE and COMPASSION who and how you are. Because you are beautiful. You having nothing to change or fix.&nbsp;IF You can truly LOVE and ACCEPT all parts of YOU - how you are in this now moment, then you don't need to make new year's resolutions.&nbsp;But you can have a sankalpa. A deep intention. A heartfelt desire. A devotion to something or to yourself.&nbsp;So what can a sankalpa be for you? And can you start now?&nbsp;An example: I am healthy and happy. I am able to take time for myself each day. I am attaining peace of mind. I am becoming my best self.&nbsp;Now you.&nbsp;I am................, I am able....................., I am attaining.................., I am becoming............................... About <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/lcO2MQNCbddKkrHWydKpUMxtVdt1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jax Burbage</a>: A graduate of the University of Florida, over a decade of experience in hospitality and blessed to travel around the world Jax found her passion in people and in being of service.￼ After years of exploration and self discovery Jax found her best self in practicing and teaching yoga and became Certified in 2008. Now a certified Yoga Therapist she combines all modalities from Yoga and Buddhist philosophies. Also trained in Yin and Restorative yoga, as well as trauma sensitive practices these specialties have inspired Jax guiding and teaching Therapeutic Yoga. There is a science behind the benefits of yoga and a point of focus she shares is understanding the nervous system and the Vagus nerve and how to heal the body mind connection. She Works With Anyone Who is Open To Make A Change And Transform!

Sankalpa vs. Resolution

&nbsp;The effects of psychedelics have proven positive in my personal, artistic, and spiritual growth. I even credit my international journeys and the growth there in to the effects of psychedelics.&nbsp; One example is when I took psilocybin and decided to go to Mexico the following week This was a Journey where I decided to let go and follow my heart. Questioning less than I normally would have, I ended up practicing yoga and meditation over 6 hrs a day for 3 months and training more seriously in the gym every day. The 6 month trip culminated in taking on a real estate project that I had always wanted to try, but never had taken the leap. Psilocybin also lead the way to this business experience and amazing adventure. This change in attitude and motivation occurred after a taxing journey building a startup for the 5 years prior. It was much needed healing and I credit this personal transformation and metaphorical rebirth to my experience with magic mushrooms.&nbsp; This experience is only one positive amongst many other discoveries resulting from use of magic mushrooms, including: <ol><li>Acting out of love and patience.</li><li>Developing a stronger moral compass.</li><li>Creative breakthroughs in art and business</li><li>New motivation and attitude towards life</li></ol> All in all it is a powerful experience that I believe can bring good to people and their lives.

Psychedelic Story: Psilocybin Changed My Life

Matty's Psychedelic JourneyBy Matty McMillan @mushrmofficial on Twitter Before I get into how Mushrooms changed my life, you're going to need a bit of background on me. I used to be one of the top salesmen in North America for Ford Motor Company,&nbsp;But I was heavily Addicted to Heroin and Meth IV use. After struggling with addiction for years I became homeless and hopeless on the street. 8 years of cleaning up, relapsing and going back to old ways. I eventually gave up and accepted that this is the way I'm going to die. After many suicide attempts and countless overdose's I realized something was keeping me here.&nbsp; I was lucky. I truly was lucky... My mom asked me to admit myself to the psych ward one last time after being up for 11 days. I felt I could use the rest. At this point I didn't think I would actually change, like I said I had giving up. But I love my mom and told her I would try one last time... Why I was lucky is I got a Psychiatrist, who saw me as more than just some hopeless drug addict. She was close to retirement and didn't care that the board wanted me gone, she truly went above and beyond to save me. She kept me in that ward for 9 months, and after 3 months the board couldn't see why to keep me. But she saw something in me that made her put her reputation on the line, She insisted they keep me and try ECT therapy. After treatment she found me a Rehab to go to where I stayed for about 6 months, 3 months longer then the average client would stay. Fast forward 3 years, I'm out of institutions and 3 years clean and sober working with people with dementia and brain injuries as a HCA. I enjoyed this job and helping people who truly needed help. But I was still battling with wanting to end my life, unhappy and unfilled. I had a plan to end it all... I thought I cleaned up for this? I'm still suffering what's the point? I was watching a lot of Joe Rogen Podcasts at this time, and happened to come across one with Paul Stamets. This podcast had me completely glued to the screen. So I thought okay maybe this might help, Maybe I should try microdosing as the SSRI's I was on weren't helping.&nbsp; Sitting on a park bench on my first dose of psylocibin in over 10 years, I started honestly looking at my life and why I was unhappy. It was like looking at my life from my mothers eyes. No judgement just love. This is when everything changed, Why am I so afraid? Why am I staying in situations that I don't need to stay in? Why don't I just change? These are some of the questions that were presented to me. I realized in this moment that I was lying to my self about so many things, and BOOM! It was like having all of my depression just whisked away, My vision had become clear and I no longer wanted to die... 3 Months after this trip a lot had changed, I got out of an unhealthy relationship, I quit smoking, and started exercising. Things I felt I could never do, I thought to myself There must be something to this, if this can help me... This could help a lot of people... Shortly after this I started researching NFT's and how they could be utilized to bring this medicine to the people who need it most. I'm proud to say that today I've cofounded a NFT Project called Psydelve that is aiming for legalization and paying for psychedelic treatments for people who can't afford it. Magic Mushrooms saved and enriched my life! And I have not thought about ending my life since that day on the park bench. That's not to say it has been easy but, I'm always looking for solutions to the issues that arise in my life today.&nbsp; I still take Magic Mushrooms to this day, when I feel I'm stuck, or I feel lost, disconnected from my self, or creatively stuck. I use them as a tool today. I use them as medicine. One of the messages I was blessed with by Magic Mushrooms was "it's okay if you don't believe in us... Because we believe in you".&nbsp;&nbsp; Don't give up, don't give in, don't think you can't change. I will believe in you until you believe in you. #mushlove

Psychedelic Story: We Believe in You

Have a look inside yourself at your current experience. Become curious about how you feel right now. What is your physical, mental and emotional experience? Where is your attention and what are you aware of? Pay attention to what you see, think, sense and feel. Listen to the sounds around you as you read this article. You may even be aware of the sound of your breathing if you listen closely. You may also be aware of the hands and feet and whole body. Now bring your attention back inside yourself and become curious about what is arising in this space. What thoughts, emotions, perceptions and sensations are you aware of? What is aware?&nbsp;Without thinking about it, just be curious about what is aware in this moment.&nbsp; Become aware of where you have come from, all that has happened to arrive at where you are now. Become aware of the future and all that lies before you. Take a moment to appreciate this short pause we call life that unfolds between two great mysteries – dying and being born. Connect with the wonder and awe of simply being alive. Be aware of the precious gifts you carry inside you. None like you or ever will be again in all of time. It is a great responsibility. Now pay attention to what lies inside you. Rest your awareness in the present.&nbsp; Take a deep breath. Einstein said,&nbsp;A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” What if there is more to life and our experience than we think or see through our limited lenses of perception? Who are you really ? And why you are here?What if we saw things as they truly are rather than as we are?&nbsp;How would our lives be different? How would the world be different?&nbsp; We are being called to shift from isolation and alienation to connection. Despite technological advances that connect all of us on the planet to the latest and greatest advances in science, thinking, news and products, we still live in the most disconnected and depressed society in human history. The highest cause of death among Americans under 50 is death from overdose.&nbsp; We have lost our connection to the whole, to nature, to natural cycles and interdependent relationships as a result of the value we placed on production and consumption as the agricultural revolution gave way to the industrial revolution and now the technological revolution. What if we admitted that some of what we as a collective have created is dysfunctional? poverty, inequity, social dislocation, oppression, violence, and discrimination are symptoms of this dysfunction. We are driven to go faster, have more and do more rather than connect with ourselves, each other and nature.&nbsp; We possibly live in the most addicted and medicated culture in human history. Many of us are numbing, avoiding and distracting ourselves. We value material objects more than we value connection and nature. We need to connect to the self, other and to the whole, to break through the limiting beliefs and patterns so as to evolve our consciousness and awaken our collective power. The evolution of consciousness depends on the individual connecting with the whole.&nbsp; There is a vast terrain inside of us called by us the kingdom within, which, when we engage with it, connects us to the whole, a quantum field of possibilities constantly unfolding in the present on a natural gradient towards flourishing and thriving. It is an evolutionary impulse and we are being called to evolve. We are being called to break free from our prisons of conditioning, trauma, learnt and inherited patterns and other forms of slavery to which we have submitted our creativity and our wills.&nbsp; How are you responding to this call? Why is it important? You may be wondering how&nbsp;a journey of connecting with yourself could be of value to you or to the world. You may be thinking I don’t have time for this. Life is already too demanding and overwhelming and stressful. I have way too much to do. The good news is that you don’t need time, you need awareness. You need to be able to step back and give yourself space to reflect, pay attention and become aware. It’s a shift in being rather than something that you need to do.&nbsp; Where do you start?Start by taking a deep breath. Breathe in and become aware of your body. Breathe out and release the tension you are holding in the body.&nbsp; Become curious about who you are and why you are here. Watch and listen and pay attention. Question what you know. Don’t believe what you have learnt. Become curious about what you don’t know. Embrace rather than reject others. Decide on what you value. If we valued connection with nature, the earth and all its inhabitants, the natural cycles, we would be living in a very different world.&nbsp;What kind of world do you want to live in? It’s really up to you. The world is a reflection of our collective choices and actions. We each decide. You decide. Take a step you can call your own. Start with the first step.&nbsp; Stop doing things that are not adding value to you or to the world. Stop buying things that give you temporary pleasure but have no real value in the long term. We have gone so far on this path of satisfying short term needs that we are destroying the earth. Ask yourself who you are besides your roles and patterns? How has growing up with the particular mother and father you had, and in the particular culture you were exposed to, defined you? Ask yourself what kind of mother and father you need to be to yourself to heal the generational trauma you carry in your body.&nbsp; Ask yourself who you would be without your story, your attachments, fears, beliefs&nbsp;and patterns? Ask yourself what life wants from you rather than what you want from life. Listen. Pay attention. Follow the signposts that life presents you with. There are no instructions, formulas, techniques or one right path for living. There is only the path you make by taking the next step, and the next, as you widen your circle of attention and awareness to include all of life.&nbsp; This kind of inner dialogue is a social service because it influences everything we see and do in the world and our impact in the world. When we heal ourselves, we heal the world. The greatest regret of the dying is that they did not live true to themselves. They lived consumed by patterns, fear, defences, conditioning and by agendas they were not conscious of. They lived in prisons of their own making. The invitation of knowing ourselves, is an invitation of consciousness. And if we want to change the world, we need to change the thinking that created it. It starts with us.&nbsp; Widen your circle of awareness and compassion. Pay attention to life’s calling to you. Choose to live a life connected to the whole, collaborating with all of life. Evolution of the whole depends on the evolution of self. The best thing we can do for the world is to grow and evolve ourselves. It starts with awareness and the actions that follow. That is our gift to the world.&nbsp; About Carmen<a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/MV2wKB06TKYJv7h0RbNtuih7vuF2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">Carmen Mettler</a> is an explorer of consciousness, leadership coach, speaker and artist. Carmen believes that when we come home to ourselves and to the fullness of what is unfolding in the moment, we connect with our full intelligence and to what really matters. This is as an act of rebellion against the default mode of being or status quo that is consumed by survival, striving, busyness, adaptations, inherited or learned patterns and trauma conditioning. The greatest regret of the dying is that they lost touch with what really matters and their own true selves.&nbsp;﻿

Let’s Connect the World

In today's TwitterSpaces, <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/hWj2OI8cdLc95c6xUibuN74iCQY2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jen Todd</a> and <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/iC8Sa6eW8ea0Su05gIm7qBOeozV2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Naomi Olson</a> co-hosted a discussion on the intersection of Web3 and Wellness. How both have the ability to connect the world and raise the collective consciousness; even more so together. We focused the conversation around one company in particular, <a href="https://www.tripp.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TRIPP</a>, a mindful metaverse based out of LA that recently raised a $11.2M Series A round. TRIPP "is envisioning a metaverse experience that can deepen connection to self, facilitate mental well-being and enable personal and collective transformation.” Learn more about TRIPP in <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/01/why-more-funding-equates-more-peace-of-mind-for-tripp-and-its-users/ " rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">this TechCrunch article</a>.Listen to the TwitterSpaces recording <a href="https://twitter.com/8evolveapp/status/1546615797958811652?s=20&amp;t=B6GUJ9EDaW2vzbHokNxIYg" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.Follow Evolve on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/jentoddevolve" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. Photo credits: TRIPP

The Intersection of Wellness + Web3 

Anyone’s health can suffer from stress, yet so many of the conversations around our wellbeing are centered around doctor’s appointments, physical exercise and diet. While these are each important, taking care of the mind should also rank high on that list.&nbsp; June is Men’s Health Month, and while there’s plenty under that umbrella, we’re specifically looking at how meditation can be a powerful tool for boosting one’s physical and mental health.&nbsp; Health benefits of meditation<ul><li>Meditation is a powerful antidepressant tool. Numerous studies show that even ten minutes of meditation can fight the intensity of anxiety and depression. The meditation process helps you internalize your thoughts, accept the negative emotions and convert them into a positive experience.&nbsp;</li><li>Meditation reduces the levels of stress in one’s body. If not controlled, stress can boost cortisol levels, decreasing your ability to fight illnesses. A number of studies have demonstrated that regular meditators enjoy decreased cortisol levels.</li><li>Studies also show that a daily dose of meditation lowers high blood pressure. The calming exercise improves one’s ability to cope with stressful situations. Blood sugar gets balanced, muscles relax and blood pressure drops.</li><li>Meditation is a proven method to achieve an optimal sleeping pattern. Failure to receive quality sleep may lead to negative health complications, such as fatigue, lack of concentration, and decreased appetite.</li></ul> Conversations around men’s health and mental wellbeing are on the rise, and our team is here to support the cause. Connect with Evolve Leader <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/aYIgS8nqH8bJUQd0UYQ1rFYbgNC2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(57, 57, 57);">Lucas Irwin</a>, who specializes in mindfulness and integrative health.

Meditation for Men’s Health

Hypnotherapy can be a confusing concept for many of us. We have seen hypnotized individuals in movies, reality TV programs and documentaries, but do we really know how hypnosis works? Do we understand the immense benefits of a hypnosis session? The reality is that hypnosis has a number of clinical uses because it can steer your thought process in a new direction. This psychological phenomenon can be successfully used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, panic disorders and more.&nbsp; During hypnosis sessions, patients become more open to internalizing suggestions from a qualified professional. The counselor’s instructions sneak through the ‘’back door’’ of a patient’s mind and begin working on a subconscious level. In a traditional therapy session, a patient may resist guidance from a third party. Hypnosis creates the right “setting’’ for the brain to essentially drop its guard. Unlike what’s been portrayed in movies and TV shows, you are in complete control during a hypnosis session. Different people possess a different level of hypnotizability. Not everybody is equally susceptible to hypnotic influence. Only those who are (at least) moderately susceptible to it can reach the desired goals. Hypnosis has to be voluntary and must include a series of sessions for optimal results. The benefits could be life changing: patients report overcoming addictions, destroying bad habits, managing physical pain, easing emotional trauma and remembering important life events.&nbsp; If any of these benefits resonate with you, connect with Evolve Leader <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/jmQmauoY4hNvf1GgNQwzuRYY2E52" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lauren Romero</a>, a certified Practitioner of Hypnosis and Regression at Miami Florida Hypnosis, on the app today. ﻿

Is Hypnotherapy Right For You? 

Someday it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, minutes, hours or days. You will lose everything you collected, whether treasured or forgotten. You money, power, fame and success will shrivel to irrelevance. Your looks will go. Loved ones will die. Your body will eventually fall apart. Everything that once seemed so important will fade away, including your memories. It won't matter what you owned or what you were owed, where you came from, what colour your skin was, or what you believed in the end. It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Even the CEO and the gardener will be buried under the same ground in the end. Waking up means wiping clean our lenses of perception to see things as they really are, instead of as we think they are. What will matter is what you taught, what you built, and every act of integrity, courage and compassion that encourage, enriched or inspired others to follow your example. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by who and for what. What will matter is the memories that live on in those who loved you. What will matter is how you loved and were loved. What will matter is how you led you life and how you led others. Leadership is not a position, but a choice.&nbsp; Leadership is a process of influence. Leaders inspire and encourage growth. Leaders create mutually beneficial outcomes for the whole, instead of a limited few. Leaders listen. Leaders are self aware and take responsibility for their lives and actions. Leaders treat all others with equal respect, including the environment. What kind of leader are you? Why would anyone be led by you? We need leaders to address the current challenges we are now facing in the world.&nbsp; We live in complex, chaotic and uncertain times. Climate change, overpopulation, political and economic instability, natural disasters and global pandemics are all challenging our current paradigms. &nbsp;There are many complex problems in the world that our current thinking cannot solve. The thinking that created the problems cannot solve the problems. We simply cannot keep doing what we have always done anymore. We need new mindsets, new thinking, and new ways of being and leading to address the challenges we face globally.&nbsp; We need leaders who are attuned to the deeper forces underlying the problems we now face and who are able to work harmoniously and across multiple divides to creatively solve the problems we now face.&nbsp; These are the leaders we need to be if we want to build the change we want to see in the world and contribute to a world that works for everyone.&nbsp; Leadership is not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters. Choose to live a life that sees everything, good and bad, as a holy and sacred blessing and embrace it wholeheartedly. Everything is happening for you, not to you. Treat every moment as a guest, welcoming it warmly into the home of your heart. Everything you experience and everyone in your life is worthy of your heartbreaking gratitude. Life is hard and life is beautiful.It will all come to an end someday.Don't waste precious time worrying about what you can't change.Be here now.Embrace everything exactly as it is. With an open mind and heart.Become curious about what life wants from you and how life wants to be embodied through you.Watch and listen.Repeat.Connect with Carmen on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">here</a>.

Lead Yourself Lead the World

“Follow your bliss. If you follow your bliss, doors will open where there weren’t any before and where there wouldn’t be doors for anyone else.” – Joseph Campbell&nbsp;We each have a unique blueprint, our original DNA, our natural or true self, full of genius and gifts and talents, and when we claim these gifts, doors begin to open that would not otherwise have opened. This is not genius in the traditional sense of an exceptional intelligence quotient. This is genius in the sense of natural ability and creative power.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every person has a genius. Every person has a natural ability that is unique to them, even if they are not aware of it. No one else can express it except them. They are the only expression of that genius in all of time, there is no other like them in history nor will be another like them at any time in the future. If they do not express their gifts and purpose, this expression will be lost. For each person this genius is a unique connection to the spark of divinity that wants to be expressed through them – a pearl of immeasurable value.&nbsp;&nbsp;Every human being holds a pearl of the whole genetic inheritance of all former generations. We carry the whole wisdom of hundreds of thousands of years of human experience. Each body animates the genetic code into our experience and together we share that precious gift. Our obligation is to stay in touch with this precious gift of life. It sounds simple. But it’s not easy.&nbsp;&nbsp;We bend ourselves to fit the world and by the world are also shaped and over time, we forget who we really are and become who we have been conditioned to be. Until one day, we stop doing what we have always done, and we take a step back and we reflect on what we are doing and who we are becoming while we do it. This is a process of self reflection and analysis that unearths some of the patterns that have been dominating our choices. Some of these patterns are limiting and need to be cleared to make more space for our whole self to be expressed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Questions that help us on the journey are questions like:&nbsp;Who am I and why am I here? What do I believe and value, what do I think, feel and do, what do my history, beliefs and fears make me do or stop me from doing, and what does life want from me? Who am I apart from my history? What unlived story asks of me courage and submission to something larger than the comforts of the past? What really matters to me now? What do I need to let go of to take the next step on the journey? What is wishing to be honoured in my life now?&nbsp;Self-reflection and analysis together with awareness practices help to grow awareness of our whole self and to build a bridge between the conscious and subconscious mind. When there is a healthy inner dialogue between the conscious and subconscious mind, we are no longer victims of our inheritance or our patterns and we can see and choose more clearly. We can recognise what we suppressed or denied or hid in order to survive and we can connect with our gifts and purpose and bring them to the surface to be explored and expressed. Through presencing and awareness practices, we learn to bring the whole self home into a state of coherence.&nbsp;We forget that we are not here to build our CVs and bank accounts but to embody what life is asking of us. We are being called to express the genius we came into this lifetime with and which has been covered up by the layers of conditioning and adaptative reflexive responses which consume 95% of our days and our lives. There comes a time in our lives where we need to stop and step back and ask the questions, who am I and why I am here?&nbsp;And we don’t have a whole lot of time. Life is a very short pause between two great mysteries and we are called to become conscious of the responsibility to grow up and step into a larger experience of what wants to be embodied through us. Our adaptations and patterns keep us away from ourselves and stop us from growing up and asking the questions we need to ask. We all walk in shoes too small for us. When we are not asking the question, why am I here, we are almost certainly living on autopilot.&nbsp;We are constantly numbing, avoiding and distracting ourselves. The unprecedented levels of self-medication, disconnection and violence are symptomatic of these avoidance strategies. Most of our lives are spent in roles and as a result, our life force is usurped from consciousness. We are at the mercy of the roles we play and our energy is all tied up there. We become defined by our roles and our responses to the world around us. Imagine what we could do with all that energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Imagine if could reframe ourselves. Imagine if we could re-imagine ourselves in relation to who we really are rather than in relation to all the expectations, roles, demands and fears that dictate what we do. What would we desire to do then? Who would we be without our roles and titles and reflexive responses? What would we desire? What would we do with all that energy? How would we handle situations in our lives differently with this energy? What decisions would we make with this energy?&nbsp;&nbsp;It is each of our responsibilities to become aware of who we are and why we are here. It is also our responsibility to clear subconscious limiting patterns and to express who we really are. It is our responsibility to give our lives meaning. If not us, then who? We are the ones we have been waiting for. Our lives are our responsibility. Therein lies our genius – our natural and creative power and our freedom. Freedom is the ability to be responsible for our own lives. When we free ourselves, we give permission to others to do the same. What greater act of love and service could we give ourselves or the world? Evolution of the collective starts with evolution of the individual.&nbsp;&nbsp; Carmen Mettler offers transformational self development journeys to clear subconscious limiting patterns and connect with the authentic self. For those wanting to go deeper, Carmen offers presencing and intuitive awareness journeys to retrieve lost and hidden aspects of the self and return them to wholeness. This is a continuously unfolding journey of embracing and embodying the whole self.&nbsp;Connect with Carmen on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">here</a>.

The Genius

Anxiety.&nbsp; When your mind is telling you terrible stories, when your heart rate is rising, when your breath is shallow... anxiety is an exhausting state to be in, both physically and emotionally. The nervous sensation in your belly or your throat pulls your attention to your worrying thoughts. What do you&nbsp;worry about? Everything. Everything you say and everything you don’t say, everything you do and everything you don’t do. Your thoughts consistently reflect the same pattern: you are not good enough.&nbsp; I know I am not alone in experiencing this shaky feeling in the body, these overwhelming thought patterns. Experts explain that, “Anxiety is a mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one's daily activities. Symptoms include stress that's out of proportion to the impact of the event, inability to set aside a worry and restlessness.” The overwhelming thoughts begin to overflow into your reality, and it can feel like you'll never be in a state of ease again. I dealt with anxiety for years before I learned the term itself. The struggle was real until I became aware that it is a mental health condition that needs proper attention and care. Growing up in Russia, we did not pay attention to mental challenges because we are raised to “toughen up.” It has been a long journey to begin to accept the condition of my mind and develop a conscious relationship with it.&nbsp; What can you do to support yourself?&nbsp;These steps have been supporting me through my self development journey through the states of anxiety.&nbsp; 1. Awareness To create any change in your state of mind, you must become aware of the misalignment first.&nbsp;2. You are not your mind&nbsp;As you become aware of the challenging thought patterns, you must realize that you are not the thoughts. You are the one who is witnessing the thoughts. This realization gives you the power to change your way of thinking.3. AcceptanceThe most important step is to accept the sensation of the anxiety and train yourself to stay with the discomfort on the physical level, rather than get cut up in the endless loops of the mind. Acceptance of the condition will support the state of ease automatically. It will soften the anxiety naturally by releasing the extra resistance to what is happening within you.&nbsp;4. Self careTake care of yourself with self compassion in the moments of anxiety. Hold a loving space for yourself. Do not judge the conditioning. Practice self love and self acceptance.&nbsp;5. A personal mantraDevelop an anchor for yourself, a mantra that makes you feel safe. Practice to repeat it for as long as you need to calm the anxiety. Sometimes I chant “I Am Enough,” sometimes I go to “I Love You.” Choose what feels right for you.&nbsp;6. Breathwork&nbsp;There are many simple breathing techniques to calm the nervous system down.&nbsp;7. A loving support systemTurn to someone you trust and share your state. Lean on people who are there to support you when your mind is fluctuating. Know that you are not alone. There are many support groups, circles, communities who will open their arms for you.&nbsp; I now view the anxious feeling as a sign of growth. It is an invitation for me to be more present with what is going on in my environment and to show up more fully. Anxiety will demand your attention, but through acceptance and awareness, you will learn to be with it and eventually transcend it. Remember, anxiety is simply an energy that arises in your body and affects your mental state. Focus on the physical sensation itself, not the thoughts, and hold a loving presence for it to be seen, heard and loved. If you practice that, anxiety will become a gift of self compassion and self love.&nbsp; Irina is a Co-Founder of Evolve and an Awareness Coach focused on Addiction Recovery and Psychedelic Integration. Connect with Irina on Evolve <a href="https://links.8evolveapp.com/user/Qu7BWWekqEYg2gkADzbDA5gXVR73?n=IrinaVlada" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(220, 161, 13);">here</a>.&nbsp;

How Can Anxiety Be A Gift?

This article was written by Dr. Alicia Rozycki for <a href="https://www.unmute.today/post/how-to-know-when-it-s-time-to-go-to-therapy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(119, 107, 191);">Unmute.com</a> ﻿How do you know when it's time to go to therapy? It is a tough question with many possible answers. With therapy there are no concrete rules about time frames (outside of clinical emergencies such as suicidality or homicidality which indicate immediate treatment). With medical problems it seems like it is easier to know the answer to when to seek help. Pick up any box of over-the-counter medication, and it will tell you exactly when you should go to the doctor—"if symptoms persist beyond x days or if you experience symptoms X, Y, and Z, consult your doctor.” With life stressors, troublesome symptoms, and frustrations, it is hard to say when a person should schedule an appointment with a therapist. Why is it so hard to know when? I often use the anecdote of the frog in the pot of boiling water to explain why it is hard to appreciate just how high stress levels may be. You have probably heard the anecdote before. Put a frog in a pot of water, and it may just sit there. Put the pot on a stove and slowly start turning up the heat. The temperature of the water will begin to boil, and despite the increasing heat, the frog will stay in the water until it is completely cooked. But if you take a pot of piping hot boiling water and toss a frog in there, you will quickly see the frog use those jumping legs to pop right out of that pot. We are just like the frogs in this anecdote. Put us in the face of a significant, sudden and shocking trauma, and we will probably realize we need help right away. Yet, gradually add stress after stress over an extended period and many people won't realize just how overwhelmed they are. They may not even realize they are stressed, worried, or anxious. They begin to believe having constant muscle tensions, sleepless nights, headaches, upset stomachs, worries, and irritabilities are a normal part of functioning. For additional guidance on when to seek out therapy, let's turn to a song (the first line of which is the title of this blog) that is co-written and performed by one of my absolute favorite recording artists, Ms. Mary J Blige. First of all, if you are not familiar with Ms. Blige, know that she has openly spoken about her engagement in therapy. I appreciate her taking that transparency to the next level by making song about therapy. In my humble opinion, Therapy, is one of the best songs on The London Sessions album, from song writing, to lyrics, and of course Ms. Blige’s amazing vocals. What impresses me most is that a song could be produced about therapy that isn’t cheesy and speaks from the heart. The queen of hip hop and R &amp; B gets to the core of what drives someone to seek out therapy: life stress, overtaxing loved ones with complaints, and desiring relief through therapy to end the suffering. Here are some lyrical excerpts: Why would I spend the rest of my days unhappy… Why would I spend the rest of this week so bitter And all that listening is making you bitter too… I don't wanna be around me… Most nights I lie awake between you and Fall Work stressing me out… I'm stressing you out And at the way it's going you need it more than me She highlights the main reasons someone would go to therapy: feeling unhappy, bitter, stressed, and sleepless for months—feeling so miserable to the point where someone does not even like being around themself. We may identify with some or all of this at times. We may have a bad day or couple of days. That is a part of being human. There is greater concern when problems and symptoms cause distress, persist over several weeks or months, and impact functioning. Notice she adds the points about not only being dissatisfied with herself and her functioning but recognizes her struggles are impacting those around her. Having struggles for an extended period that cause distress, impact functioning, and /or impact social relationships is what shifts concerns from being “life” to being problems that might warrant professional help. All mental health providers in the U.S. use a diagnostic manual called the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition). For every mental health condition that is diagnosable in the DSM-5 a stipulation is noted that the symptoms alone are not enough to classify a problem or diagnose a disorder. This makes sense because, again, anyone can experience symptoms of, for example, anxiety (e.g., worry, sleeplessness, tension) or depression (e.g., sadness, low energy, guilt) from time to time. This does not mean a person is dealing with a clinical diagnosis of these conditions. To warrant a clinical diagnosis, the conglomeration of symptoms also must create “clinically significant distress” or “impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Thus, by the fact that Mary adds she is struggling with sleeplessness for months and her problems are negatively impacting those around her, she is acknowledging that her problems are causing both “clinically significant distress” and “social impairment” in this song. Understanding these points may help you better understand when it may be time for you to at least check-in with a mental health professional to assess your situation. There’s one other technical point I want to address in this song, and it involves the frequency of therapy as stated in the chorus:Why would I spend the rest of my days unhappy Why would I spend the rest of this year alone When I can go therapy When I can go therapy When I can go therapy two times a day Now, I LOVE Mary. Personally, if I could talk to her two times per day, I would be in heaven. Yet in my role as a psychologist, I have never heard of therapy twice per day (outside of specialized, intensive treatment programs). These lyrics surprised me when I first listened to the song. Some psychological modalities call for extended session times (e.g., couples counseling may require 90 minute or longer follow-up visits). Some situations may call for meeting a few times per week (e.g., working through a crisis or if engaging in psychoanalytic psychotherapy). Besides that, I cannot say this frequency is the norm. Now, she is probably using artistic license rather than being literal to emphasize that she feels so overwhelmed and is overwhelming her loved ones so much that she could probably go to therapy twice daily; she just has that much to say. I must highlight this point because it has always stood out to me, and because in this blog, I want to provide a little education. Those who are new to therapy generally end up asking, “how long will this take and how often will we be meeting?” The answer is typically once per week to start. In time that drops to every other week and then monthly until it is time for therapy to end. The time frame from the first to the last session varies per person. Some people address their issues within 3-6 months; others are working through years of pain and may need extended time to process all that they have been through. In providing therapy to hundreds of people over the years, I cannot count how many times people wonder aloud why they have waited so long to start counseling. They talk about the challenges of even picking up the phone to call, sometimes waiting weeks, months, or even years to finally start the process to get relief. Why? My best answer is that the delay is fear-based; fear of embarrassment, fear of an unknown process, fear of what others will think (which is interesting given the process is confidential), or fear that they will view themselves as having failed in some way. Yet in the meantime, they are suffering and miserable; they are maybe even driving away the ones they love without meaning to. And what do people tell me AFTER they have taken that hard step of initiating therapy? “I wish I had started this sooner.” Poof. Fears are gone and relief is underway. Perhaps time was lost to healing or perhaps that person was not quite ready to start the process and needed more time, or just a little more pain, or a nudge from an outside source to encourage them to get started. If you need a little more information or a nudge and want to read more about this process, particularly as offered through my telehealth practice, I invite you to read my featured article in Authority Magazine, “<a href="https://medium.com/authority-magazine/telehealth-best-practices-alicia-rozycki-of-arose-etherapy-life-design-on-how-to-best-care-for-8a90a310e05" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent;">Telehealth Best Practices: Alicia Rozycki of AROSE eTherapy &amp; Life Design on How to Best Care for Your Patients When They Are Not Physically In Front of You</a>.” If you can relate to Mary and are tired of sleepless nights, work stress, and wearing your partner out with complaints, consider (tele)therapy. Imagine sleeping soundly through the night, learning skills to keep your work stress from dominating your life (or learning that your constant work stress is an indicator that it may be time for a change), and having pleasant chats with your partner about positive highlights of the day, weekend plans, personal wins, and hopes for the future. There really is no reason to suffer when solutions are available. Take it from Ms. Blige—why spend the rest of your days unhappy when you can go to therapy, but just don’t plan for therapy twice per day!<a href="https://www.unmute.today/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unmute</a>, the platform that matches therapy seekers to the right therapist, offers the Evolve community $10 off the matching fee with code EVOLVE10.

How to Know When It's Time to Go To Therapy?

Depression and anxiety are debilitating mental health conditions, and they affect millions of people all around the world. As our collective awareness around these conditions expands, physicians have put in the work to develop more sophisticated treatments to help manage the challenging symptoms. Unfortunately, many of the subsequent widely-prescribed medications can hurt more than they help.&nbsp; For example, antidepressants and antianxiety drugs can offer relief to those suffering from these conditions, but these medications are also frequently associated with a number of negative side effects. These include sedation, blurred vision, dry eyes, lower level of physical energy and decreased focus. Sometimes, the side effects can be so severe that they may interfere with the person’s ability to lead a productive life.&nbsp; A significant number of patients seek alternative treatment methods.&nbsp; Depression and anxiety treatment: what are the safe alternatives? Breathwork is one of the most-sought after alternatives for the treatment of anxiety. There are a variety of breathing techniques designed to reduce anxiety by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and diverting attention from thoughts. One well known practice is box breathing with a simple four part breath; breathe in slowly counting to four, hold your breath for four seconds then slowly exhale for four seconds. Try it for a few rounds and see how you feel!&nbsp; ﻿Meditation is another tool which helps protect your mind from overwhelming emotions. Meditation transports your mind to a more tranquil environment, and directs your focus to a positive image, sound or memory. Experts recommend that you meditate at least 10 minutes a day in a comfortable position.&nbsp; Guided imagery is similar to meditation; its sole role is to help you find mental escape and cure your emotional wounds. This technique can improve your stress management skills and help alleviate physical tension.﻿Listening to binaural beats has also been shown to ease symptoms of depression. Tuning into alpha, delta or theta waves can reduce anxiety, improve your mood, help you sleep better and even boost your focus and motivation.&nbsp; Interested in some of the aforementioned modalities? Explore our talented roster of leaders <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(52, 53, 54);">here</a>.

Alternative Methods for Treating Mental Health

Several years ago, a close friend and teacher of mine shared the concept of "Adding and Subtracting". He explained that the purpose of life is to be able to add to the lives of others...not subtract! During this same conversation he declared that I was an "Adder" and that most of the time I was attracting "Subtractors" due to the fact that it was simple universal math. ✨ The cool part though is that with understanding, these patterns can be reprogrammed with new concepts and belief systems and new paradigms. With this new awareness, I was able to quickly identify other "Adders" and my new reality became "Adders" + "Adders" which felt so good. I began surrounding myself with people that helped each other and dramatically started to see my life change. I was stronger because I was supported. 💥 I was reminded of this law of the universe recently, when I met a very kind soul who is open and giving. I intuitively felt inspired to share about "Adders" and "Subtractors" with him as it felt that there might be a chance his energy was being consumed by those not returning it in some way to him or others. This new friend appreciated my words and I write today with the hope that maybe they will also resonate with someone that comes across this article. ✨ The path to awareness is long and windy and much more fun when taken together, share this with another "Adder" who might benefit! I welcome your thoughts, feedback or success stories and will pass them along to the friend who opened my eyes years ago; forever grateful. 🙏 <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/hWj2OI8cdLc95c6xUibuN74iCQY2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jen Todd</a> - jen@8evolve.com

Adding to the Lives of Others

You do not have to understand nor believe in the Law of Gravity to experience its influences, and the same truth applies for the Law of Karma.&nbsp;However, if you seek deeper truths to embody the highest potentials of mankind and are open to living in a “Life is happening FOR me not TO me” reality, then you are zealously encouraged to study, understand and apply the knowledge of the Law of Karma to empower HOW you approach, and therefore experience, your life.&nbsp;&nbsp; Absolutely nothing in life is accidental; everything has meaning, a cause or a law behind it. It is advantageous to contemplate this daily.&nbsp; Karma 101 <ul><li>Karma is created and the fruits of Karma are experienced in thought, word and action.&nbsp;If you direct ill will towards someone in your thoughts, the fruits of that Karma will be experienced by you as mental anguish in the future.&nbsp;</li></ul> <ul><li>Positive/good Karmas = actions that promote harmony, understanding, compassion, patience and charity. Negative/bad Karmas = based on hatred, anger, violence, intense selfishness and various perversions of the mind.&nbsp;</li></ul> <ul><li>Law of Karma is operating everywhere within the entire universe – within animate and inanimate objects, with unceasing precision and accuracy.&nbsp;Defined from the human lens: if there is an action (in thought, word or deed) there must be a reaction of equal force and similar nature.&nbsp;Karma embraces the whole soul-life (the accumulated Karma of the soul, not just the present lifetime).&nbsp;If you speak abusive words toward someone, in the future, you will be the recipient of someone’s abusive words.&nbsp;Each action brings its reaction.&nbsp;When one plants an orange tree seed, an orange tree grows and bears oranges; you cannot grow an apple tree or harvest apples from orange tree seeds.&nbsp;Therefore, a positive action plants the seed for positive fruit to be reaped in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> <ul><li>Three kinds of Karma: Sanchita - all the accumulated Karma from the past. Prarabdha - the portion of past Karma responsible for the present body and cannot be avoided or changed; it is only exhausted by being experienced. And Agami - Karma that is being created right now, fruits will be borne in the future.&nbsp;</li></ul> Cultivating Self-Empowerment Everything is upheld by the Law of Karma, which is inexorable.&nbsp;When you reap a Karma, is not up to you, but HOW you handle it is. It is one’s own Karma that brings about the quality of circumstances one experiences based on actions from the past. It is one’s own Karma that brings perceived reward and punishment. Now, observe, without judgment: if the mind balked at the previous statement, this is conditioned narration from a belief system rooted in victim mentality. It is imperative to identify self-limiting beliefs and create a new framework in the mind for a way of being that is sustainably self-empowering.&nbsp; You are already free. The practice of Karma Yoga enhances one’s personality and purifies the mind yielding expansion in consciousness. Whatever action is performed is done in a detached manner, without expecting a particular result. Letting things happen according to Universal Will and resigning oneself to the outcome of one’s conscientious actions is the correct attitude. With continued practice, one cultivates a relaxed and detached attitude allowing for progressive understanding of one’s resources and utilizing them the best way possible.&nbsp;&nbsp; As your reason becomes more refined through the practice of Karma Yoga, you can redirect past negative Karmas in such a way that they work toward your benefit.&nbsp;The transformative power of this change in one’s attitude cannot be emphasized enough.&nbsp;Divine Grace comes through sincere self-efforts.&nbsp; The invitation is to approach your fructifying Karma by choosing to empower yourself by using every situation to your advantage. Discipline the mind’s tendency to label things as good or bad. If you use everything to your advantage – to purify the mind, cultivate wisdom, develop divine qualities and EVOLVE your consciousness, transcending the mind to Know Thyself and achieve the highest potential of human life, to be ONE with all – then how can any Karma inherently be bad or negative? And this is where we can shift from victim mentality, arguing for our limitations, to self-empowerment. Use everything to promote your evolution. The invitation is to allow your mind and heart to continue to open to the source that has created, sustained and transmutes life.&nbsp;Be humbled, amazed and grateful for how it all works, for the wisdom and quality of being on this path allows you to cultivate through your past Karmas, and not in spite of them.&nbsp;This conscientious path, supported by Divine Grace, empowers you to unlock the chains that bind the mind and embody your innate freedom. To be free is what all humans are seeking, and is a quality cultivated within, regardless of external circumstances.&nbsp; A deep understanding of Karma and the path of Karma Yoga is key for a more harmonious and fulfilling life.&nbsp;You are the one you have been waiting for.&nbsp; **For exceptional and further insights into the Law of Karma through books, lectures and articles visit YRF.org; Karma Yoga is one of four major Yogas on the path of Integral Yoga. To schedule a private session with <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Z3NFPCKtsAYKIsJ083qgGb51tQJ2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mari Elizabeth Wise</a> please visit <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Z3NFPCKtsAYKIsJ083qgGb51tQJ2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">her profile</a> and book through the Evolve iOS app. Seeking a deeper understanding of Karma? Connect with Sri Sudarshan Jyotirmayananda by visiting <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/x2gYp0H2q9garbXlPC4GKnTPCIm2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">his profile here</a>.

The Law of Karma

Integration is the conscious mindful practice of integrating lessons, insights, virtues, and wisdom into a purpose-driven life. It is a process of accepting the personal responsibility to heal, to improve oneself and to come into one’s truth and applying that into each decision. Think of psychedelic&nbsp;integration first as the process of receiving, unpacking and processing each experience, and then setting goals and establishing practices to work towards these goals. We do this to maximize benefits from each psychedelic experience by taking any insights gained and implementing them into our daily lives to facilitate lasting transformation.&nbsp; Why is Psychedelic Integration important? With all the powerful insights that psychedelic medicine can offer, they are not “magic pills;” the work is often not easy or straightforward. Working with the experiences and fully integrating them afterwards takes real effort. A psychedelic experience will often present you with the full range of the human experience, and all of these different states of being are a part of you. Integration process afterwards is about bringing all these parts into one whole.&nbsp; The period following the psychedelic experience, no matter how big or small, presents an opportune moment for you to learn, grow and mature to a higher level. Your brain will be in a neuroplasticity state and that's the doorway to integrate new habits and behaviors, new pathways of thinking and feeling, for lasting change.&nbsp; Visual to show increase connections in the brain under psychedelics: <img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/P1ca83Grd1H15AJMMY-YH-tsxjy2BRRM_WZd3MwIxSPtkZkgFFvl4Vv8mwH75pB3nUXgKT4hlRrNOjWSndt7wFYBEl6sM0b8-cquiobLlepxUbTqntCbICaLvgnS2WhGkygNdHyg" height="351" width="624"> These experiences can be incredibly powerful and transformative, but without integration, they eventually become nothing more than distant memories. In order to make the most of treatments, emphasis needs to be placed on the integration process. ﻿How does Integration work? Integration is a process of integrating what you know with what you are learning through your psychedelic experience. You are not solely transcending the former parts of yourself. You are transcending and including the parts of your past and current self that are true to you. You are reintegrating all the aspects of yourself that have previously been lost, in order to be whole. Integration is the process of refining your true self.&nbsp; For true and complete integration we focus on the holistic approach, that includes the physical, energy and mental layers of your being. When developing an integration process for yourself, consider incorporating a variety of practices that will help support integration on every level.&nbsp; Physical integration: <ul><li>Get set up for a full-body detox</li><li>Hydrate properly through electrolytes</li><li>Eat plant based foods, green foods, exotic grains, nuts/seeds, omega fatty oils</li><li>Avoid processed foods, sugary foods, fast foods, excessive dairy, and fried foods</li><li>Exercise regularly moving at your own pace</li><li>Stretch your body often to improve flexibility and squeeze out toxins</li><li>Start a mind-body cultivating practice (yoga, martial arts, dance)</li><li>Get on a regular sleeping routine, early to bed and early to rise is best</li><li>Enhance your brain through minerals/vitamins, brain training/ stimulation</li><li>Get medical check ups and tend to eye, ear, dental, skin, and organ care</li></ul> Energy Integration: <ul><li>Monitor your words and attitude closely, words carry energy, declarations are powerful</li><li>Eliminate negativity, gossip, drama, cussing, harsh tones</li><li>Remove objects and substance that carry dark energy</li><li>Envision an imaginary boundary that surrounds you in a golden light bubble</li><li>Use sage, palo santo, incense, roses, sea salt, himalayan sea-salt lamp</li><li>Put gems or crystals specifically in the sunlight</li><li>Play high vibrating instruments clean music</li><li>Enjoy laughter, light-heartedness, compassion, kindness, tolerance</li><li>Incorporate breathwork techniques and energy practices like kriya/kundalini yoga</li></ul> Mental Integration: <ul><li>Let go of everything you are carrying in your mind</li><li>Learn to meditate, relax, and self-regulate</li><li>Look within for every situation for how to improve yourself</li><li>Get clear with intentions and preferred outcomes</li><li>Keep a balanced and accurate view of reality and possibilities</li><li>Speak positively to yourself and about your capabilities</li><li>Have positive &amp; conscious conversations daily</li><li>Do things you enjoy</li><li>Structure accountability, measure your performance, track progress</li><li>Train your brain through games, challenges, learnings</li><li>Organize your thoughts by journaling, processing, reflections, and planning</li><li>Show gratitude for what you have and appreciation for what is to come</li></ul> When moving forward with powerful experiences, be safe, work with trained professionals and take the time and energy to prepare adequately and integrate fully afterwards. To learn more about Psychedelic Integration or schedule a coaching session please <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/Qu7BWWekqEYg2gkADzbDA5gXVR73" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">follow this link</a> to book with Irina Vlada via <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Evolve</a>.&nbsp; Irina holds a monthly <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/5e3d2167-bdd6-4c28-b37f-bb095a8c1839" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Integration Circle</a>, and invites you to join the group session via the <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/sessions/5e3d2167-bdd6-4c28-b37f-bb095a8c1839" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">Evolve App</a> to express your psychedelic experiences and learn the best tools and techniques for integration.

What is Psychedelic Integration?

Twelve years ago, I completely lost my ability to speak for a year and a half because of a rare neurological disease. I have since (after a six-hour operation) become able to speak again. This occurred in the midst of being CEO of an executive search firm, and so you can only imagine how difficult this was. Though this was a test of my resilience, it led me to discover meditation and mindfulness, which changed my life forever and led me to some key benefits of meditating daily. I am not talking about hours a day. I started with five minutes a day and now, every morning upon waking, I do 15 minutes every day. After selling my search firm to my partners, I opened the first meditation-only studio in Miami Beach. So, what does this have to do with making a career change? Here's what I learned that applies to career transitions. In order to make the career change that will put you in the “zone” (a career that matches your unique traits, your superpowers), you need to “slow it down to speed it up.” What I mean is that you first must get clear on what your superpowers are. There are many assessments on the market that will nail your superpowers. Some of my favorites that I respect are The Highlands Ability Battery and The Predictive Index. Back to meditation. Meditation will also help you get clear. It will help you be present, be less reactive, be more responsive on your terms, be more confident because you are clear, be at peace with your decisions, be a better listener and be more compassionate toward others and, just as important, to yourself. These are just some of the many benefits of a daily meditation practice. So, as it pertains to your job search, being clear on what you're looking for in a new position (I suggest writing down specifically what it is you want and don't want) will keep you true to what's best for you in the long term. Self-compassion is helpful during a career change as the search is hard work, often involving lots of rejection, and so it's so important to be kind to yourself (not self-critical or judgmental of yourself, as an example). Choosing the right fit job should be based on three important criteria, at a minimum: 1. Does the company culture match your values? 2. Will your new boss/manager be someone you can grow from under their leadership? 3. Are you passionate about the position, the company and the overall leadership? Meditation can help you answer these questions from inside yourself.&nbsp; So where do you get started? Start with a meditation app, like Headspace, Calm or Insight Timer, to make it easier and keep yourself accountable. Anyone can do it; you just have to start with five minutes a day. Try it first thing after you wake. In addition to an app, if you want to supplement it with what I have found to be easy-to-read and secular (non-religious) books, check out&nbsp;Wherever You Go, There You Are&nbsp;by Jon Kabat-Zinn or&nbsp;Ten Percent Happier&nbsp;by Dan Harris. Finally, while not exactly a book on meditation but for me, a game-changer, read&nbsp;The Untethered Soul&nbsp;by Michael Singer. The books are not a replacement for a daily practice but instead a powerful supplement. Finally, think “Be, do, have” instead of “Have, do, be.” In our American culture, we many times do it differently; we think that if we&nbsp;have&nbsp;a job with a fancy title or a large income or nice cars and other material items that this will make us happy. But in my experience speaking with some very high-achieving individuals, they almost all agree that the material things&nbsp;do not make for happiness.&nbsp;Instead, material things' happiness effect is only temporary, and it’s a never-ending cycle to&nbsp;have&nbsp;more and more.&nbsp; Instead, meditation and mindfulness allow you to get away from this cycle of&nbsp;having&nbsp;more and more by being more aware and present and more aligned with who we are. Instead, we can&nbsp;be&nbsp;(fill in the blank). We do this by starting with&nbsp;being&nbsp;(visualizing that amazing career, being happy, present, at peace, compassionate, grateful, etc.). This is then followed by the&nbsp;doing. We can&nbsp;do&nbsp;the things that make us happy, content and confident. We can practice, read, learn and do that list of our values, staying true to it. And then we get to&nbsp;have&nbsp;what we want (a career we love, happiness, peace, awareness, gratitude, etc.). Do you see the difference when we start with&nbsp;be&nbsp;instead of&nbsp;have? So to tie it all back, having a daily practice of meditation is an asset and a tool to get more present and aware and make better decisions when it comes to your career and your life.&nbsp; Try it. Slow down, and you will see how it speeds up your path to the career and life you have dreamed of. Connect with Paul on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/afjr0BKs4ngyVYz4kQ5HdoncgxF3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/05/28/how-to-benefit-from-mindfulness-and-meditation-when-making-a-career-change/?sh=44a7eaa44705" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forbes.com</a>

How To Benefit From Mindfulness And Meditation When Making A Career Change

We are in an incredible time of exposure, which gives us unlimited information and access to just about everybody’s story, and their teachings and their sharing around what has worked for them to create a happier, healthier, more productive life.&nbsp; This can be inspiring AND this can be overwhelming.&nbsp;&nbsp; It can also be paradoxical, as the trend is shifting towards tapping into and trusting your own inner guidance and intuition, because at the end of the day, you are your greatest teacher and you know what is best for you. This shift can be very freeing, because not only can all that information be overwhelming, it can also be conflicting. It’s conflicting because we are all so uniquely different and there will never be an algorithm for our healing or our happiness.&nbsp; Algorithms work for machines and we are definitely not machines! We are humans with a beating and complex heart, and a brilliant also complex mind, and a body that holds technology so advanced, our human minds can’t yet comprehend all that it is capable of.&nbsp; Nature doesn’t make mistakes, so that “junk” DNA is definitely not junk. In fact, I’d venture to say, the parts of our DNA we are yet to understand, are the parts that make this human suit really freaking cool. It’s exciting that elements such as a human’s clair senses are being acknowledged, and that more and more people are diving deeper into an awareness and study of the technology of the body.&nbsp; It also doesn’t feel like a coincidence that sci-fi and fantasy movies and shows are only growing in popularity.&nbsp; I believe it’s because inside of so many of us there is this knowing that as human beings, we are capable of so much more. This knowing is part of the voice within you that also knows what is best for you.&nbsp; It’s the part of you with the built-in bullshit detector telling you, yes, this modality is great for me, yes this teacher is awesome, or hell no, that teacher or practice or food, is definitely not for me. The Key Is To Trust Yourself.&nbsp;&nbsp;And To Trust Yourself You Need To Know Yourself.&nbsp;&nbsp;Know Your Essence, Your Body, Your Mind And Know How They Communicate With You.This Takes Practice And This Takes Commitment. It’s Not For The Faint Of Heart.&nbsp; Because what you see isn’t always pretty.&nbsp; And the changes your higher self may be calling for you to make, may not be easy.&nbsp; Letting go of the illusions and limits that hold you back from the clarity of your truth, can also be messy and raw and uncomfortable.&nbsp;&nbsp; I often say, purification is a bitch. But it’s worth it. If you crave true power, if you crave being a part of creating a world you love, you have to know yourself in and out. It really does start with you.&nbsp; And, while not always easy, on the journey of self-discovery you may be surprised to discover just how cool you actually are! Breathwork has always been my go-to for getting clear and getting to know my unique essence. The extra oxygen pulled into the body through this technique, works with the endocrine system to nourish the rebalancing and well-being of the body, reminding you not only how good it feels to be in you body, but also that your body is on your side.&nbsp; The active nature of this breathing pattern gives the mind a much needed break, and by soothing the nervous system, this practice allows you to experience the essence of your spirit running through your nervous system.&nbsp; When this happens the journey of getting to know yourself becomes even more exciting. Connect with Eliza on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/user/JRqlTGKlCpNCRK9Qxl32uRbhQQy1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(220, 161, 13);">here</a>.

Meet your Unique Essence through Breathwork

As humans, we crave connection. Our hearts have a natural desire to unite with other beings through conversation, physical touch, romantic affection, eye contact, acts of kindness and friendly support. We enjoy bonding and belonging; we prefer community over isolation.&nbsp; When two people hit it off, we say they have good chemistry. Most of us have discovered ways to mimic that feeling without actually connecting with another, or even with ourselves. We’ve created synthetic fillers to ignore a sense of disconnection deep within. We stay glued to our phones, which feels good, but not quite good enough. We become attached to numbers of likes, a constant stream of emails, binging TV shows… virtual profiles and fictional characters become part of our own lives. Yet these synthetic substitutes don’t work nearly as well as natural ones.&nbsp; When it comes to human connection, when we don’t get what we need, we become compulsive in our consumption of nearly everything else. There is a great saying in addiction medicine: you can never get enough of something that almost works.&nbsp; Today, many of us tend to experience disconnection more often than we do connection. This dissatisfaction and lack of authentic connection fuels the engine of addiction – which is not always substance related. For example, most of us are already waist-deep in our addiction to our devices. As Dr. Julie Holland M.D. writes in her book, Good Chemistry, time spent looking at a screen can generate brain chemistry similar to infatuation and attachment, the two stages of falling and staying in love.&nbsp; We are addicted to food, to social media, to shopping, to chemicals in our own bodies, to work, to sex. This addiction is fueled by loneliness: disconnection from oneself or isolation from other people, whether physical or emotional.&nbsp; Casualties of loneliness (Good Chemistry, Dr. Julie Holland M.D.):<ul><li>Prescriptions for antidepressants have risen by more than 400 percent over the past twenty years</li><li>Suicide rates are at a thirty year high</li><li>Drug overdose, suicides and deaths from alcohol are labeled “diseases of despair,” because lognliness is a silent killer</li><li>There are more veteran suicides each year than the total number of American military deaths over the entire twenty years we spent at war in Afghanistan and Iraq</li></ul> The vicious cycle of masking or assuaging loneliness by being glued to our screens or relying on a substance is the elephant in the room. We don’t want to talk about it because then we will have to do something about it. Collectively, we are suffering a spiritual crisis. And it’s time to face it.&nbsp; So, what can help us fix the loneliness epidemic? Connection.&nbsp; The opposite of addiction is not recovery, but connection: with people and with yourself. The path to connection starts deep within, it starts with self awareness and crucial honesty with oneself. Eventually, this expands to your external environment and connection with others and the world around us.&nbsp; People need people to heal. When we discover the connection within, in our heart, it’s from that place we connect with others, we can begin to create a positive change in the world.&nbsp; Connect with Irina on Evolve <a href="https://links.8evolveapp.com/user/Qu7BWWekqEYg2gkADzbDA5gXVR73?n=IrinaVlada" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(220, 161, 13);">here</a>.&nbsp;

How Connection Helps Overcome Addiction

As collective awareness and public interest in psychedelic experiences grows, curiosity naturally arises to learn more about what psychedelic medicine is and how psychedelic experience can serve as a catalyst for personal transformation. Historically, these medicines have been researched in psychiatry during the 1950s and 60s. But in 1971, after hundreds of published papers showed thousands of safely-treated research subjects, the Controlled Substances Act set severe restrictions on a huge list of psychoactive substances because of increasingly widespread experimentation. They placed these substances in Schedule I, meaning they had no accepted medical use and high potential for abuse. As a result, nearly all research and development was shut down, and for the past fifty years, the scientific study of these substances by any officially sanctioned institution has been practically nonexistent. That’s changed of late, as studies by persistent clinical researchers have achieved startling results in treating conditions like depression, substance dependence and post-traumatic stress disorder. Our own federal government has taken notice, labeling MDMA (also known as Ecstasy or Molly) and psilocybin (the psychoactive chemical in “magic” mushrooms) as breakthrough therapies, setting in motion a sequence of regulatory events that could lead to their official reclassification in the near future. Some&nbsp;cities are even decriminalizing personal use of these drugs. Currently, ketamine is the only legal psychedelic medicine available to mental health providers for the treatment of emotional suffering.&nbsp; Psychedelic medicine research indicates positive results for an increasing number of mental health conditions and their symptoms, such as:<ul><li>Mood disorders (depression, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder)</li><li>Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder)</li><li>Trauma disorders (PTSD)</li><li>Substance use disorders (alcohol use disorder, substance use disorder)</li><li>Suicidal ideation</li></ul>The psychedelic experience is becoming a major player in the treatment of mental health conditions. It is providing those in need of treatments, and those previously resistant to others, a path forward.Perhaps it is specifically due to the largely ineffable nature and ability to reveal our true selves to ourselves that makes psychedelics so powerful. For this reason, psychedelic experiences have been recognized as a doorway for personal transformation. These experiences often provide individuals with unique insights and emotions around why and how they are the way that they are. Through psychedelic medicine, there is an opportunity to dive deep into one’s consciousness. Through these experiences we can discover where patterns of behaviors emerge from, how they relate to themselves, others and the world, and the current state of who we are at the time of the experience. The term "psychedelic" is a combination of the Greek words "psyche" (mind) and "delos" (to reveal). This gives us the common definition of psychedelic as "mind-manifesting."&nbsp; Psychedelics and their mind-manifesting nature can often bring about a third-person perspective: a sense of looking back at yourself and your psyche as if from a detached observational position. It is an invitation to become a witness of the content of your awareness, and everything that is arising in your psychedelic experience. With all the powerful insights that psychedelic medicine can offer, they are not “magic pills;” the work is often not easy or straightforward. Working with the experiences and fully integrating them afterwards takes real effort. A psychedelic experience will often present you with the full range of the human experience, and all of these different states of being are a part of you. Integration process afterwards is about bringing all these parts into one whole.&nbsp; When moving forward with powerful experiences, be safe, work with trained professionals and take the time and energy to prepare adequately and integrate fully afterwards. Have a great &amp; safe journey!&nbsp;

What is the Psychedelic Renaissance?

What’s happening in the world is a reflection of the collective state of consciousness. And for that to change, we need to change. We cannot keep doing what we have been doing if we want to see change. Doing what we have always done gives us the same results. I think it was Einstein who defined this as insanity. If we want things to change, internally or externally, we need to be willing to challenge ourselves and our ideas and beliefs. We also need to be curious, rather than fearful, about the unknown.&nbsp; At this time in our collective evolution, we need to gather all of ourselves. This is a path of integrity, of telling the truth, of facing the shadow or hidden aspects in ourselves. The division we are witnessing in the world, is a reflection of our inner division. We have separated from our true selves, in our quest to survive or win, and it has come at a cost. Some of us are not even aware that we have separated. We think that the division in the world is something separate from us and that we are not responsible. But that’s a limited perspective. It’s like seeing only the particle instead of the wave, it's only half of the reality. Well, actually, it’s more like 0,000000001% of reality that we fixate on and build our structures on. Most of reality is invisible space, what quantum physicists call the implicate order or undivided whole. But this is not a science lesson. This is a lesson in being human. And the question that begs asking is what kind of human do we each want to be? And what kind of humanity do we want to create? It’s not a question of legacy or culture, because that would be insanity – allowing the ghosts from the past to dictate how we live our lives. It is a question of choice. What kind of life do we choose to live? This may sound easy, but it’s not simple. Choosing means being the custodian of our own energy translated through our thoughts and actions. Choosing means being aware of what we are choosing and the impact our choices have on us and the world around us. Choosing means being responsible for our own lives instead of waiting for others to make us happy or comfortable. It means redefining our relationship to power and authority and becoming the authority in our own lives. It also means being willing to fail and learn and grow.&nbsp; The foundation of our choices is currently in question. What is driving our choices individually and collectively? Who are we being? Are our choices driven by tired and worn out old ideals and values inherited from our ancestors, the culture and the society in which we live, or are we open to other ways of knowing. Life is a mystery about which we know very little, despite all our theories.&nbsp; The question of who we choose to be is not to be taken lightly. It is not easy to be ourselves in a world that is constantly seducing or pressurising us to be someone else. Many of us did not have permission to be ourselves, and as adults, we still do not give ourselves permission because of the internalised expectations of the past.&nbsp; To embody what is essential and unique to us, takes courage and bravery. And it is the purpose of our lives – to be ourselves. Our wounding and defenses stop us from embracing this project of purpose and coming home to ourselves. They stop us from transforming ourselves in relation to the wider unknown mystery. A decisive question for us is whether we are related to this mystery or the infinite and whether we are willing to give up the archaic projects we have internalised from our culture and upbringing and society and open ourselves to the mystery.&nbsp; Are we willing to ask what life wants from us, instead of demanding what we want from life? What would we do if we were free from the bonds or ties to the past and to culture? Who would we be if we opened our ears and eyes to nature and our inner nature? What if we shaped our lives out of what our inner being or nature told us? Do we have the ears to hear? Are we aware of what agencies are running our lives?&nbsp; It is not easy to listen because we have been programmed to follow external instead of internal guides and authorities. We can no longer connect to the mystery because it has been institutionalised, and is full of dogma and techniques and fomulas and practices. It no longer speaks to us directly.&nbsp;In times of darkness, when we feel disconnected from our true source of life, the invitation is always available to shine a light and find our way home. This requires an attunement to a force not produced by our own making. When we answer the call to a deeper and truer life, we discover the freedom that comes from surrender to the unknown and a return to the eternal foundation of who we are. It requires letting go of old values, beliefs and ideals that no longer serve the process. It brings us back into relationship with the mystery or infinite. It brings us back to ourselves. And when we gather ourselves, and are no longer divided, perhaps then the world will reflect that unity back to us. Until then, we need to be the change we want to see. Evolution of the collective starts with evolution of the individual.&nbsp;﻿Connect with Carmen on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

To Be or Not to Be

There is power in the subconscious mind. Power that is strong enough to steer our life in a new direction. Our daily routine often includes subconscious activities such as brushing our teeth, taking a shower and putting a work outfit on. Our conscious mind is occupied with planning the day, but the above-mentioned activities are often done subconsciously and automatically. The subconscious mind is much more than the driving force behind our daily activities. The subconscious mind can influence our decisions and change the outcome of our efforts. Also, it can stimulate the healing process of our bodies and mind. A recent study published in the Journal of Psychoneuro-endocrinology proved that meditation may lead to positive changes on a molecular level. The same study finds a correlation between an individual’s mental state and his/her physical condition. This means that if people manage to control their minds, they might be able to learn how to control their destiny as well! Numerous other scientific researchers have provided evidence to back up the theory that the subconscious mind can bring on outstanding changes in our career paths, relationships, friendships and health. This means that we can confidently use our mind for different life-improving purposes:<ul><li>We can adopt our subconscious mind as a tool of bringing more power, wealth, joy and happiness to our lives.</li><li>Unleashing the power of the subconscious mind will help us identify solutions to our problems, and even identify their cause.</li><li>The subconscious mind is a source of wisdom, love, peace, health and harmony, because it can block negative thoughts and replace them with exciting new ideas.&nbsp;</li><li>The subconscious mind can stimulate spiritual strength. Change your thoughts, then change your destiny.</li></ul> There are numerous techniques that can help you take advantage of the power of the subconscious mind. Those include meditation, hypnosis and other stimulating spiritual exercises.&nbsp; Often, we are unable to learn how to use our minds to achieve the desired results on our own. That’s why finding the right specialist who can guide us in the journey can be the first step of the process!﻿

The Power of the Subconscious Mind

This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2021/10/19/can-you-really-achieve-bliss-at-work/?sh=22ad50a339e3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forbes.com</a> "Follow your bliss,” a phrase familiar to many mindfulness seekers and happiness junkies, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jcf.org/about-joseph-campbell/follow-your-bliss/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 56, 145); background-color: transparent;">coined by the enigmatic Joseph Campbell</a>&nbsp;while exploring ancient myths that considered the human condition and our all-important quest for happiness. Many would likely agree that given the amount of time, effort and emotional struggle we invest into our careers, it would behoove us to aim for a career that is fulfilling, makes us happy and organically leads us to “follow our bliss.” Yet often we fall into certain job roles or career paths that fail to honor our true aspirations. In my role as a career coach, I interact with a multitude of people who sometimes find themselves trapped in jobs or industries that appeared appealing or enticing at some stage in their lives, but once in the role, they become disappointed and keenly aware of personal dissatisfaction. Worse yet, many people feel compelled to compromise by staying and making the best of it because they believe that they have limited options given all the time and effort already invested into the chosen route. Such was the case for a client of mine who was one of those unusual individuals that chose a career early on in life. From middle school onward he directed his efforts toward achieving the necessary foundation to one day pursue a law degree. He was so persistent and enamored with this field that he never veered and consequently was sought after and recruited by a top-notch law firm, seemingly orchestrating and bringing to fruition a lifelong dream. Yet, after several years of performing the grueling tasks expected of newly minted attorneys, he began to question his motives for having chosen this field. He then recalled his first day of law school, where the professor said to all: “If you’ve chosen this field because you were inspired by the many episodes of&nbsp;Law &amp; Order, you are in for a grand disappointment.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As cliche as that may seem, our society does have a big hand in formulating our career expectations. Chances are much of what resonates with us when choosing a career and/or college degree is rooted in the shows we watched or books we read growing up. And of course, we cannot deny the impact our environment had and the role models that intersected our lives while we were formulating our adult expectations. This is why getting to know yourself as an individual is crucial. As a career coach and mindfulness enthusiast, my goal is to peel back layer upon layer of “social coating” to help people reacquaint themselves with their innate talent and reveal their true vocation. In doing so, I help them get closer to defining a new road map and their specific superpower. Here are some steps you can take today to get closer to finding your bliss: 1. Identify your superpowers.One of the best ways to do this is to ask three (or more) people who know you best and whose opinions you respect about your innate talents. When you ask them about your strengths, what are some of the first things that come to mind?&nbsp; You can also read&nbsp;<a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/StrengthsFinder_2_0.html?id=gttDCwAAQBAJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 56, 145); background-color: transparent;">StrengthsFinder</a>, a management book developed by Gallup based on their popular online assessment. The book is a helpful tool that offers up some really specific ways to help you identify your strengths. My other favorite assessments include&nbsp;<a href="https://secure.kolbe.com/k2/show_takeIndex/indexType_A" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 56, 145); background-color: transparent;">the Kolbe Index</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.highlandsco.com/whats-highlands-ability-battery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 56, 145); background-color: transparent;">the Highlands Ability Battery</a>. 2. Turn knowledge into action.There are lots of online resources that can assist you in finding a new position that better suits your superpowers. Start with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onetonline.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 56, 145); background-color: transparent;">O*NET OnLine</a>, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It's incredibly informative and easy to navigate and can help you to begin to match up your superpowers with careers. You can also create a list of keywords that describe your superpowers and look for them in the job descriptions you peruse on LinkedIn and other platforms. Lastly, there's always outside help if you need it. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on a career coach to guide you to an action plan that you can implement — even just one hour with a professional career coach can be invaluable.&nbsp; By learning what you do best, you can find where you belong and be most effective. And yes, while doing what you are naturally good at, you can become more fulfilled and finally be on the path to finding your bliss. Connect with Paul on Evolve <a href="https://www.8evolve.com/leaders" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Can You Really Achieve Bliss At Work?

Food is an integral part of our lives, but for many, food can turn into a toxic addiction. The three major eating disorder types include anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating, and they are all associated with low self-confidence and a poor body image perception. The root of most eating disorders is chronic dissatisfaction. Eating disorders frequently reflect a person’s inability to accept his/her physical flaws. And when that’s the case, the affected individual might do the unimaginable to fit into society's beauty norms.﻿Eating disorders are intensified by the mass media influence, with its suffocating promotion of unrealistic physical standards. Impeccable silhouettes often grace glossy magazine covers, and skin imperfections are magically wiped out with the help of sophisticated graphic filters.&nbsp;The genuine physical appearance is often underestimated; its value lost in the modern worlds of vanity and competition. Sadly, the age groups most vulnerable to media influence are teenagers and young adults, as their confidence and self-esteem are still fragile. Once in the trap of an eating disorder, the recovery process can be exhausting, time-consuming and costly. Professional therapy and rigorous physical treatment are often the proposed solutions. There are a few other tools for regaining control in this situation. One effective way of overcoming an eating disorder is limiting exposure to stimuli that may aggravate the condition.&nbsp;You can also try managing your eating disorder by enriching your diet with healthy fats and organic products, thus strengthening your body and empowering your mind.&nbsp;A third tool that may help you beat your eating disorder is self-love. Self-love will help you establish a more meaningful connection with the Earth and its produce, and engage in activities boosting your self-esteem. There are also those who would rely on expanding their social circle to get rid of the disturbing thoughts in their minds. Learning how to manage stressful situations can also assist you in overcoming unhealthy eating habits. Some people may choose meditation, others may opt for intense physical exercise. All of these activities have something in common: they lower stress and bring self-love into the equation. And once you have your stress levels and negative thoughts under control, the healing process can begin. Evolve co-founder Irina Vlada, with the support of Founding Leader Bianca Abbott, recently hosted a webinar on eating disorders. We encourage you to watch the recording and share with anyone who might find this helpful. Access the video <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JAZBBnTsTvCndTrgU3Bx-9NZWUqD57hR/view" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">here</a>. ﻿

Eating Disorder Awareness

In my work with individuals in one-on-one sessions, we encounter conditioning and patterns that have accumulated over a lifetime and these patterns, mostly hidden from conscious view, inform current choices and actions.&nbsp; Some of these patterns are useful and constructive and others are harmful or restrictive. Patterns in response to traumatic experiences that were constellated at the time to protect us, could now be stopping us from connecting with our instincts, feelings and bodies.&nbsp;﻿Much of my work is in holding space for members to unravel the past accumulations of patterns that prevent them from being fully present and connected to themselves and to reconnect to their essential or original selves.&nbsp;This is a path with heart. It requires slowing down and listening to the depths in us. It requires stepping off the busy highway of doing what we have always done and making space for deeper enquiry into ourselves. It requires digging deep to uncover parts of ourselves that are suppressed or hidden from conscious view because of adverse experiences or because of our protective and defensive strategies or perceptions or patterns that disconnect us from life unfolding in the moment. When we unravel the layers and release the patterns that are no longer helpful, we make space to see and feel more and to do things differently. We make space to reconnect to and embody our essence and we begin to experience more joy, creativity and freedom in being. It is not easy to be ourselves in a world that is constantly demanding us to live up to collective demands and expectations. To be ourselves in a world full of demands and expectations is an act of self love. Loving ourselves means belonging to ourselves instead of trying to fit into the world. Belonging to ourselves requires deep listening and self care.&nbsp;﻿It requires courage and kindness. It needs our attention and forgiveness. It is not selfish. It is self-loving. When we love and accept ourselves infinitely, we can love and accept others too. When we cultivate self awareness and self knowledge, we cultivate harmony in relationships, in communities and in the world. Evolution of the collective begins with evolution of the individual – this resonated for me as a leader on the Evolve platform and it inspires my work on the platform to hold space for members to cultivate self knowledge, self awareness and intuitive presence – this is a way of being that recognises and acknowledges the body, soul and spirit – whole being awareness.&nbsp; This is not an easy path, because it requires us to step off the familiar tracks we have been running on for most of our lives and to step into a new space, that includes more dimensions of our being.&nbsp;It is a path with heart - a path of compassion and kindness towards self and others. It sounds simple but it’s not easy. It’s not easy to let go of what we have been taught or our habitual ways of operating in the world. These habitual ways have kept us safe, even though they may be causing suffering and pain.&nbsp; It is not easy to be present to ourselves in a climate of fear and uncertainty. But it is our responsibility. And we need to decide how we live our lives. Do we want to keep getting the same results and having the same experience? Do we want to be stuck on repeat or do we want to evolve? It’s our choice. And our responsibility. And with that comes the possibility of freedom in the form of new experiences. This is true freedom - to be responsible for our own lives and the quality of our experience. And when we are free to be ourselves, we give others permission to do the same.&nbsp; When we are aware of our conditioning and patterns, we have more space to create something new in our lives. When we are not aware of our subconscious programmes, then we simply live out these scripts and stay stuck on repeat instead of evolving.&nbsp; When we learn to know ourselves and be present to ourselves, we are closer to the throb of creation itself. We are not trained to know ourselves and our own depths. In fact, we have studied the immensities of space and know the intricacies of matter better than we know our own depths.&nbsp; It’s never too late to begin the journey. It’s a path of connecting to our interiority or essence. This essence is ours alone to embody and express, and if we do not express it, it will be lost. It is our vital force, what animates us and makes us who we are, distinct from others and yet made of the same essential substance. Our essence is always seeking expression through our gifts and purpose and is supported by a dynamic, sophisticated and creative self-regulating force which is difficult to name.&nbsp; We can think of this force as a mystery, about which no-one can know the ultimate truth, but which we can know through direct experience. In my sessions with clients, we encounter this mystery through intuitive presence and awareness, through deep listening, observing and becoming.&nbsp; Our purpose is to embody the essence of who we are, and there are as many billions of possible expressions as there are people on the earth. What a wonderful world it would be if we embraced ourselves and each other with awareness and compassion! What a great heart we would awaken in the individual and collective field of consciousness if we chose a path with heart. Living a path with heart doesn’t happen by accident. It is not a matter of circumstance, but of choice. Choose a path with heart.&nbsp;﻿If you dare to choose a path with heart and know your own depths, if you want to cultivate self-knowledge, awareness, and intuitive presence, connected to the creative force of life unfolding in the moment, Carmen is ready to hold space for you to evolve on the Evolve app.&nbsp;Book your private session <a href="https://links.8evolveapp.com/user/MV2wKB06TKYJv7h0RbNtuih7vuF2?n=CarmenMettler" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">here</a>.

Does Your Path Have a Heart?

The word love may have a different meaning for every one of us. One of the purest forms of existing love is often referred to as ‘’soul love,’’ love in its most sophisticated spiritual version.&nbsp;Soul love is energetic love, touching our hearts and enlightening our souls.&nbsp;With the help of advanced meditation techniques, you can connect better with your own soul, focusing on its strengths and expanding its ability to love unconditionally. Soul love gives you the opportunity to express your self better and eliminate the prejudices, doubts and judgments that may overshadow your happiness or hinder your ability to establish meaningful spiritual connections. Soul love is the expression of empathy, forgiveness, compassion and harmony – it has the power to unleash your inner strength, help you connect better to others and even identify your spiritual partners.&nbsp; In order to experience soul love, you need to open your heart completely to the world. Experiencing soul love means bonding with your own soul and your own surroundings, and releasing the unpleasant emotions in your mind, such as doubts and fear. Focus on radiating light, joy and tolerance, bringing out the positive natural emotions in your soul. Soul love can help you overcome your struggles.&nbsp;Soul love is not forced love – you can adopt different forms of meditation techniques that will assist you in loving naturally.&nbsp; If you love people’s personalities, you may experience suffering and disappointment. If you love their souls, you will forgive their faults more easily, have more patience to tolerate their weaknesses and feel more satisfaction when communicating and connecting with them. Through channeling soul love, you can increase your ability to forgive yourself and others, freeing yourself of guilt, regrets and the memories of past mistakes. You can learn to surmount obstacles that separate you from others, and overcome the pain from rejections or failed relationships.﻿Letting go of the burdens of the past will help expand your capabilities to open your mind to the world. This will give you the opportunity to receive more joy from interactions with other people and will motivate you to add deeper and more meaningful connections to your circle.Article written by Petia Dimitrova

Soul Love

As we inch closer to Valentine’s Day, ask yourself: what does the word love mean to me?&nbsp; Love is much more than having a date on February 14th. It’s our responsibility to be kind and loving to ourselves year-round, but let’s not stop there; we can extend this compassion to others in our lives. The more unconditional love we give, the more we will receive.&nbsp; Loving kindness is a phrase we hear and read about often, but do we practice it as much as we should? In this chaotic life that we have created, or that has been foisted upon us by circumstances beyond our control, the answer is often no.&nbsp; There are many different expressions of unconditional love. All of us are worthy of love and respect. Initially, we need to recognize and appreciate the love that already exists in our lives.&nbsp;An excellent source of gratitude and inner peace is to spend a moment each day thinking of someone to love: a partner, family member, friend, co worker, neighbor, even a stranger.&nbsp;Perhaps if we do this each day, we will keep resentment at bay. That’s far better than thinking of all the people in our lives who annoy us! Let’s mindfully replace our negative thoughts with positive ones through the practice of loving kindness. By having this practice as our daily goal, we will direct peace and kindness towards ourselves and others to ultimately become a source of love. For isn’t love its own reward?!&nbsp; Life may never be a Hallmark movie in Loveuary because so much of life is out of our control.&nbsp;When we can no longer change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Why not choose to stop waiting for love and take action by seeking new connections, nurturing our resilience and working towards evolving into a more fulfilled person? Every action has a result, and by giving love, you’ll receive love back as your reward.&nbsp;﻿Article written by Arlene Zachmann

Loveuary

ThetaHealing is a spiritual, physical and emotional healing technique conducted while you and the practitioner are in a theta brainwave state. In this state, you are awake but fully relaxed, similar to a meditation state.&nbsp;Experiencing a session while you’re in this theta wave state enables you to access and release limiting beliefs, painful feelings and physical discomfort stored in the body and the subconscious.&nbsp;ThetaHealing sessions typically focus on addressing a present challenge by first practicing a guided meditation to access a theta state, in which our brain waves are slower than they are when we are fully awake. From this space we work on what is blocking you, where the resistance is and bring in an understanding of the system of beliefs that is holding you back. It is beautiful work that will leave you in a deep inner peace state. By understanding the subconscious beliefs that drive your life and replacingthem with new ones that are more supportive of the life you want to live, ThetaHealing helps you download new codes from the divine source.&nbsp;To prepare, it is recommended to come into the session with an attitude and intention of wanting positive change AND being ready for positive change. A few exercises that are helpful beforehand:&nbsp;Write a list of five things you would like to release from your life, for example:<ul><li>Strong pain in a part of my body and I don’t know what or where it comes from</li><li>Resentment towards my partner</li><li>Fighting with a specific someone</li><li>Not wanting to be social</li><li>Lack of money</li></ul>&nbsp;Write a list of five things that you would like to attract to your life, for example:<ul><li>More money in my bank account</li><li>A new job where I feel happy and worthy</li><li>A fun trip with my partner</li><li>Inner peace within my family</li><li>More time for my own self-care</li></ul>&nbsp;A lot of work can be covered in a short amount of time with ThetaHealing. The amount of sessions needed will vary from person to person based on what they want to accomplish. Many times, clients will experience a shift within one session; however, sometimes the belief systems around the issue are more complex and need deeper work done over a few sessions to achieve their desired change.&nbsp;To learn more and book a ThetaHealing session with Sitara on the Evolve app. visit her profile<a href="https://links.8evolveapp.com/user/UoeozVAy2VdFTg21m0KI81N92BX2?n=Sitara" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> here</a>.

ThetaHealing, Explained

In the hectic pace of modern life, more and more doctors and psychologists are recognizing the importance of relaxation for treating various ailments of mind and body. For thousands of years, Yoga has taught the secrets of recharging the body when tired and elevating the mind when depressed. Restlessness, worries, grief and frustration are the symptoms that rob your mind and body of the vibrancy and energy they once possessed. Apart from promoting health and vitality, relaxation is the gateway to the development of an ethical and spiritual life. One who is relaxed is more tolerant toward the eccentricities of others, more enduring in conditions of pleasure and pain, more patient and resourceful in situations of adversity, and more understanding of the deeper meaning in life.&nbsp;&nbsp;A relaxed person breathes deeply, softly and rhythmically. They open their lungs to the ever-renewing ocean of vitality all around them. They do not maintain abnormal tension in the body while sitting, laying down, conversing with others or performing their various duties in life. When they work, a relaxed person is dynamic, precise and skillful. They have a greater output of work while using less energy. They know the art of conserving mental energy and the science of recharging it whenever needed.&nbsp;&nbsp;After lifting a heavy object, the tension in your legs, hands and arms is no longer needed. In a similar way, though intensely involved in actions, you can turn away from the rush of activity and resign to the cool and joyous breeze of relaxation, all while maintaining your responsibilities. Just as a swan, when it wants to soar, shakes off the water of the world-process, so too can a relaxed person experience peace and serenity while being ever-ready to respond to the demands of life, and ever-flexible to the needs of the soul.&nbsp;&nbsp;A person who is not relaxed wastes both physical and mental energy. Such a person has a mind that is inclined to manifold desires, agitation, greed and hatred. Their breath is ever-irregular, disturbed and disbalanced. Their body suffers due to tense nerves. Every negative thought is born on their face and every fearful feeling creates hollowness in their heart. Under the devilish spell of ignorance, they succumb to untold miseries and untimely death.&nbsp;One can observe those who live a life of perpetual tension. When they sit, they fidget with their legs or hands. When they talk, they repeat the same thing over and over. When they wait for someone to arrive or something to happen, they place a great burden on their hearts and their nervous systems – impatience grips their minds. Having the body in such a state of tension for such a long time causes the burden to be ignored by the mind. Consequently, when the desired circumstances happen to occur, there arises an abrupt state of elation. Therefore, one who does not know how to relax is tense during expectation, frustration and fulfillment.​Educate your body so that it can house a truly joyous and fulfilled mind, and be a constant channel for blissful expressions of divine wisdom. Continually adapt and adjust the condition of the nerve centers, breathing and diet. Balance and harmony are promoted in the body through the practice of relaxation allowing the mind to be gently brought to an elevated state, in turn, bringing success in the higher, spiritual goals of life.

Being Relaxed

As we continue to wait for happiness to arrive in the future, we are wasting precious moments of our lives. A daily routine, ordinary times – we want to avoid this at all costs.&nbsp; We often chase “unique” and “special” experiences in the hopes that they will define us.&nbsp; Such behavior can lead to extreme and reckless choices. Plus, the time between the “special” moments tends to become tasteless and lifeless.&nbsp;In living this way, we avoid life itself. We miss the opportunity to see the extraordinary in every moment; a casual conversation, a simple smile, a walk outside.&nbsp;Chasing certain experiences might bring pleasure, but it might not. Creating joy in every experience is for sure the path to fulfillment! Be extraordinary in your daily ordinary.&nbsp; Create a life that is truly worth living every day and enjoy the very process of creating it!&nbsp;Let us all take this opportunity to reflect on the lessons and realizations from 2021 and decide what we are taking into 2022!

Time to Experience Happiness

It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of the holiday season. The pressure and expectation to fulfill everything we put on our plate. The action of doing and going to make it all happen.&nbsp;End of the year deadlines and projects to complete2022 business expectations, projections and goalsPersonal and family life responsibilities and obligationsLast minute holiday shopping and giftsPlanning around holiday travels&nbsp;Underneath all the additional pressure we put on ourselves during this time of year comes more stress, worry and anxiety. Running around with a sense of panic as if we are fighting against time during a season that is intended to be filled with presence, love, joy and celebration.&nbsp;When did the holiday’s become so taxing on the body and nervous system?Why do the holiday’s become filled with more stress and responsibilities?Why do we feel the need to be on-the-go during the holiday season?&nbsp;Some may say, “It’s just that time of the year. It’s the way it is. The holiday rush.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Does this feel to be true to you?&nbsp;I believe we get to choose and recreate how we want to experience life, especially this time of the year, through being in tune with the needs of our heart, listening to what our body needs versus the conditioning of society.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Observe nature. The winter time is a cyclical time of the year where everything in nature slows down to go inward. It is a time to reflect, reassess, presence and celebrate the life we are consciously creating.&nbsp;I invite you to give yourself permission to slow-down and create space in your life. Not only for yourself, but for your loved one’s too.&nbsp;I invite you to take things off your plate that do not give you joy. You have full permission to say a sacred, “No, now is not the best time. This doesn’t feel aligned at the moment.”&nbsp;You have full permission to put things off that are taking up unnecessary space in your life over what’s truly important.&nbsp;Where can you create more spaciousness for what is meaningful to your heart?&nbsp;Where can you shift things around in your life bringing more presence, love and attention to these meaningful areas?&nbsp;Where can you celebrate yourself in how far you have come this year?&nbsp;Your heart and nervous system are asking for a major slow down.To be present, reflect and celebrate during this time.Will you give yourself permission to honor the needs of your heart and body?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q9hX76eltsbXvDu24JjsrBTEdP9PrazL/view?usp=sharing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Here is a simple and easy 15-minute guided breathwork practice</a> that will support you in relaxing and releasing the tension, stress and worry in your life so you can create space to presencel the connection, love, gratitude and joy during this holiday season.&nbsp;<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/8evolve/id1532687927" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Download the Evolve app</a> to join the new and exclusive private 28-day program “Healing Through Breathwork” to reconnect to the peace and clarity within your heart.

Giving Yourself Permission to Slow Down, Pause & Reflect During This Holiday Season

Holidays have the power to magnify the energy that we already experience within!&nbsp;&nbsp;For some it will be kindness, care and love; for others it can be separation, emotional pain and, perhaps, fear...&nbsp;My invitation here for all of us is to anchor into the feeling of compassion.&nbsp;&nbsp;When we come from the space of compassion, our heart will be generous enough to embrace everything and everyone in the deep acceptance and kind attention. We can meet everyone in the patience of the moment and listen to their stories with compassionate presence. We can love on every wound, we can allow any complaint, we can heal any pain, together.&nbsp;&nbsp;OR we can meet them with resistance! We can unspeakably reject every word and every thought they have to share. We can push their emotional pain with judgment and shame.&nbsp;&nbsp;Who do you choose to be?&nbsp;&nbsp;In this very moment...&nbsp;What place do you choose to come from?&nbsp;&nbsp;What state of your being do you choose to share?&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember, with that very choice we either move into the direction of togetherness or separation, direction of unity or isolation, direction of love or fear...&nbsp;Invite the compassion to guide you! Through compassion we gain the ability to move into the direction of togetherness. Compassion for yourself in the first place...and therefore compassion for others.&nbsp;&nbsp;What does togetherness really mean? Does it have to be physical? Hugs and holding hands? Or is it energetic? Holding each other in loving awareness and in the depth of our compassionate hearts...

Grateful for Togetherness

I was introduced to the world of Kriya many years ago, through a conversation with one of the local Miami yoga teachers. I asked what kind of yoga she teaches. “Kundalini,” she answered. I asked: “What pose is that?” “It is not a pose – Kundalini means Energy, we practice Kriyas, not poses.”&nbsp;Years later, I found myself sitting on the grass in the Himalayas, at the Sattva Yoga Academy, listening to my Yogi Master explain what Kriya really is.&nbsp;You see, when you ask a question, your life becomes an answer to it. Your authentic curiosity will always lead you to your destiny. And my destiny was the path of personal transformation through Kriya Yoga.&nbsp;What is Kriya?&nbsp;There are two ways to define Kriya – as a specific yogic technique and as an evolutionary action. Both are designed to create an evolutionary response within the field of our awareness.&nbsp;The purpose of Kriya is to get into a deeper state of Shunya – silence, stillness, refine your nervous system and release karma. Kriya helps us let go of things that are no longer serving us and take a spontaneous correct action.&nbsp;It helps us transcend the karma, and move from karma to dharma, from bondage to expansion. When we infuse our life with Kriya, the learning process quickens and the lessons that may have taken many lifetimes to learn, are learned much faster. “The half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfolding.” (Yogananda, Autobiography of the Yogi).&nbsp;The Practice of Kriya&nbsp;In the yogic tradition, when we practice Kriya, we work with our energy body. The word means&nbsp; “to work with energy, to generate electricity.” The technique combines posture, repetitive movement, mudra and mantra to create a moving meditation. Kriya generates a movement of energy that helps facilitate evolution in the body, mind and spirit. Kriya awakens, transforms and combines all levels of energy available to create a desired physical, physiological and/or spiritual shift in one's being.&nbsp;Through this practice, healing happens at the cellular level as prana (life force) is awakened and heat is created from inside out. Where it takes 30 minutes for an Asana to have a deep, penetrating effect, with Kriya it only takes minutes.&nbsp;Why We Practice&nbsp;Kriya is a gift for the evolution of your consciousness!&nbsp;Yoga goes beyond practice in the studio or a virtual class. We must bring the practice into real life situations. That’s how Kriya becomes a powerful active change that we commit to. Change that leads us in the direction of greater wisdom and alignment within. Through certain action we begin to change our behavior. And that moves us from a karmic vicious cycle to freedom and liberation of old patterns.&nbsp;When the energy is low, and you are caught up in conflict and drama of fragmented reality you must choose for yourself to raise awareness and move into the direction of wisdom through learning, experiencing and practicing Kriya. It takes courage, persistence and sincere interest to create a shift at the deepest level of your being towards vitality and creative flow of energy.&nbsp;&nbsp;You are not your body but your body is an expression of you!

Intro to Kriya Yoga & Why We Practice

Dreams are something you need to make time for in your life. Planning dream requests are a great way to tune into them effectively. When we have the right mindset and attitude towards dreamwork, we can receive the messages, wisdom, and insight they contain with ease.⁠⁠Planning what knowledge you would like to receive is a fantastic part of an evening routine. Before you go to bed, sit and meditate. Open your heart and your mind to the dream realms. ⁠⁠You can plan something specific or you can just open yourself up to your mission and purpose. Maybe you'd like to receive the answer to a problem. Maybe you want to use your dreamtime to tune in and help somebody else with theirs. ⁠⁠Dreamwork doesn't have to be done alone. You can even get your family and friends involved and all select an intention that you would like to tune into and dream about. ⁠⁠Dreams contain a collective kind of consciousness. Sometimes we dream and it seems to come from a timeline that is entirely different from our own. Other times dreams are very direct and point to something we really need to pay attention to. ⁠⁠Observe what your dreams are calling you towards. Have confidence in calling upon your dreams for answers. Even if you don't have the right words to express fully what you are looking for. ⁠⁠Your dreams hear you. Through your requests, they will provide you with a response. ⁠If you could receive the answer to anything, what would it be?&nbsp;Here is one example: how to eat guilt free. In a recent dream, I’m walking around the streets of Harrow I go into my local Londis. My eyes land upon a large Aero, Flake, Caramel Dairy Milk, and the Kinder Eggs. ⁠⁣I also want a Ribina but the ones in the store look half full. One has a label on it that reads "add more water."⁠⁣ I ask the cashier if they have Coca-Cola and he pulls one out from the back of the counter where the cigarettes usually are.⁠⁣⁣I wake up and today marks 50 days of being sugar free!⁠⁣ As this dream shows, I definitely still crave it. ⁠⁣Chocolate has definitely been one of the hardest things for me to give up (I'm not complaining about adding more water into my life, though).⁣ Quite honestly, I think this dream was probably accurate in where the Coca-Cola should be placed in stores! ⁠⁣⁠⁣Just 50 days in I'm already feeling the benefits, from heightened energy levels to clear skin and weight loss. I will admit that I'm kind of cheating though…⁠⁣As a lucid dreamer, you better believe that I've eaten my fair share of chocolate inside the dream space!⁠⁣ Experiences inside dreams are often heightened and so dream food tastes INCREDIBLE! It tastes just how you think it would, but even better.⁠⁣⁠⁣Remember that incredible burger you ate on holiday?⁠⁣ Or that mac and cheese that no one can make as good as your mum can?⁠⁣ Yeah, it's gonna be like those experiences. The best part? You can eat guilt-free, as much as your heart desires with no consequences.⁠⁣ You will even wake up feeling full, as ⁠your mind will actually release the same chemicals as if you had just eaten something. ⁠⁣⁠⁣So the next time you are on a diet, or if you are like me living overseas and craving some of the good stuff from back home, get yourself to a lucid dream buffet.⁠⁣Lucidity can have such transformational and positive effects on manifesting your dreams, goals, and desires. ⁣⁣There are three simple steps to this process that you can learn in less than 30 minutes. Just search "Three I's to Materialize" on <a href="https://youtube.com/getlucidwithlana" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">my YouTube channel</a> and begin your journey to DREAMING BIG!

How to Call Upon Your Dreams for Answers

Have you ever been touched…on the inside? A feeling of kindness and warmth that overcame you? Did someone surprise you, help you, go beyond your expectations? Did you see an interaction that sparked emotion or perhaps watched an inspirational movie?&nbsp;We know touch is vital to living a healthy life. “Human touch can completely change the way the body functions. From your heart rate to your blood pressure to the efficiency of your digestive system, welcome touch can make your body work better” (Ben Benjamin, Ph.D., and Ruth Werner). Can energy, emotion, feelings, and senses touch us as profoundly as physical touch?&nbsp;According to Mehmet Murat Ildan, “We touch people mostly without touching them: We touch them with our words, with our smile, with our eyes, with our courage, with our madness, with millions of different ways! What are we? We are contacting beings without contacting!” This implies our energy, intentions and actions are just as powerful as the physical.&nbsp;Have you noticed sometimes you may be thinking about a friend or activity shared with someone and all of a sudden you get a call/email/text from them? Energy is real thing."<a href="https://www.gaia.com/video/rupert-sheldrake-morphic-resonance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Rupert Sheldrake’s theory of morphic resonance</a>" proposes an idea whereby all self-organizing systems in nature tap into a sort of collective memory that is not stored in the brain. Instead, this inherited memory exists psychically and can be accessed without regard to distance” (From the Gaia website).&nbsp;Regardless if we are aware of it or not, there is a resonance happening between us collectively. We are tuning in and sensing each other constantly. Distance energy healing sessions focus on this unseen quantum field that is transmitting information. Beyond our idea of normal time space reality, we can connect and use our attention to inspire the movement of energy. By setting an intention to hold a heart centered space for the client to deepen in, an energetic communication takes place and the intelligence of the human system beyond just the physical and mind realm transpires.&nbsp;Deep within us is an imprint of health and natural evolution. Our daily lives often disconnect us from this inner wisdom. Energy fields can bypass our conditioning and speak to the very depths of our being. The more we open and explore this subtle language, the deeper we connect to our personal energetic field, the fields of others and the miraculous synchronicities of life.

Touched by Energy

Can we tune our vibration to the vibration of the Universe just by healing our energy imbalances? Sound Therapist Ramji Singh has studied the healing power of sound vibration for many years and proves that this is possible.&nbsp;Ramji is certified by top-tier institutions, has studied at institutions all over the globe and learned from inspiring mentors and teachers. His research, paired with his love for music (he’s been a musician since age 13), inspired him to create the <a href="https://iesoundtherapy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Institute of Sound Therapy</a> to share the power of sound therapy with the world.&nbsp;Read on to learn why Ramji is devoted to Sound Therapy and the myriad benefits of this ancient technique, plus the inner workings of his well-loved Institute of Sound Therapy.&nbsp;Why did you choose to dedicate your life to Sound Therapy?&nbsp;This fantastic journey began with Ancestral Sound, an independent project that allowed me to explore new healing techniques with the power of sound. By combining workshops/therapies of yoga and sound vibration, we achieve very positive advances in people's well-being. We worked with various foundations specialized in oncology, deaf diseases and patients with special needs. The response of the participants, as well as the results and benefits obtained, were very successful. These results motivated me to follow Sound therapy's path without losing sight of my previous musical knowledge.&nbsp;What are the effects and benefits of Sound Therapy?&nbsp;These instruments' sound frequencies induce the alpha and theta brainwaves associated with deep relaxation and meditative states. When we are in these states, deep healing can take place. Our methods work with these instruments focusing on specific energy points to understand the functioning of our bodies. Sound Therapy allows us to familiarize ourselves with significant energy imbalances that may cause strong vibrations in our subtle bodies.&nbsp;Sound Therapy stimulates the circulatory and glandular systems; rebalances the physical, emotional and spiritual bodies; helps to regenerate the nervous system; shifts the brain waves from beta (waking state) to theta or delta (meditative state); produces a higher state of consciousness; and improves our concentration.&nbsp;How did you come to create the Institute of Sound Therapy?&nbsp;The extraordinary results obtained over the years studying the sound healing properties &amp; working with foundations, hospitals, and clinics were the inspiration to put this knowledge on an institutional and academic level, creating a professional protocol to educate a new generation of sound therapists.&nbsp;The Institute dedicates its efforts to develop new therapies and techniques with music, vibration, resonance and Kundalini Yoga to promote health, deep relaxation and peace of mind. The experience is a personal and creative process oriented towards personal growth, awareness and wellbeing.&nbsp;We impart training courses in this therapeutic vocation that focus on performing health work using instruments such as Tibetan Bowls, Planetary Gongs, Monochords Tuning Forks, Handpan, Harmonic Singing and Mantra Chanting from India. These components generate an acoustic sound with a vibrational frequency determined by the therapist. The experience leads us to feel a sense of harmony within ourselves, allowing us to enter into a deep relaxation state in our body, mind and spirit.&nbsp;I invite you to visit our <a href="https://iesoundtherapy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">web page</a> and discover our latest projects, such as seminars, workshops, therapies and musical performances carried out by professional sound therapists. Throughout its 10 years, the IES has trained more than 500 sound therapists (and just launched an online training platform). Our objective is to transmit ancestral knowledge to all those interested in understanding the healing properties of sound, creating a new generation of sound therapists with professional skills and a genuine care about the wellbeing of others.

Everything in Life is Vibration. What is Your Vibration State?

I always ask my new students “why” they want to meditate. For myself, it’s important to understand your “why” because if we train our minds through peaceful abiding meditation, we can actually use our minds, rather than be used by them. Once we realize how our minds work, we can also realize a lot about life as well. If we want to pursue our “why,” meditation is definitely the right tool.&nbsp;If we look at the practice itself, it is a pretty simple concept – but from experience, I know people find it challenging. Our mind is not used to being in the present moment. It mostly gravitates towards the past and the future and when it’s wandering, you just have to bring it back to the breath without judgement. The power of this practice is in its simplicity: with time we get to see ourselves more clearly, and I’m pretty sure that with time this practice will be as helpful to you and transform you as it has transformed me.&nbsp;I got into meditation because I want to be of service to others, and I thought, if I can help even just one person and they showed up to one of my classes, I would consider that a success.&nbsp;Let’s rediscover our basic goodness. Let’s go on to do greater things with kindness and an open heart. Just breathe and be yourself. Relax with who you are, relax with all the emotions that arise on the meditation cushion, relax with the pleasant and painful elements... just observe. Keep sitting and let you be you. Don’t be discouraged if some days it feels like it’s not working out. No worries, with time, meditation is going to bring you a sense that you are good enough, you are worthy, kind and smart enough to handle whatever life throws at you.&nbsp;Namaste.

Meditation Basics for Beginners

Why is it important to learn how to breathe?&nbsp;One of the basic skills that we practice in Yoga is learning how to breathe. We learn to slowly deepen the inhale and fully release the exhale. In advanced practice, there is also the prolonged and controlled retention of breath. As we learn to breathe consciously, we work on muscles that unconsciously control breathing. This is the way that human beings are able to change their own wiring and evolve. When you learn to breathe, you are also letting go of tension. This practice of releasing tension through breathing is the first step in moving toward who we really are. You cannot move forward until you release what is stopping you. And so this ability to breathe in order to let go of stress and anxiety is the first step in the process of transformation, of awakening. If you do not learn how to breathe, do not be surprised if you cannot let go of fear, anxiety, pain and stress. If you do not learn how to breathe, do not be surprised if you are unable to control your own mind and thoughts, to which you seem chained. However, if you do learn how to breathe and let go of fear, then you will learn how to release tension,anxiety and stress; and you will be surprised at what else you can learn to let go of. With practice you find that, in learning how to breathe, the breath seems to take with it that which you want to release or get free of. The breath is here to serve us in these major ways, if only we would learn how to relax and allow the breath to do its job. Things that we struggle with, things that we are trying to figure out how to fix, how to change – all of this mentally organizes and harmonizes itself when you understand the importanceand develop the practice of proper breathing.

Learn to Breathe

For several years, I dug deep into books, personal development courses and coaching programs.&nbsp;I had the biggest burning desire to change, improve and grow myself into having the confidence and belief I saw in other people who I saw as role models.&nbsp;After years of programs, books and tens of thousands of dollars invested into coaching/mentors, I’ve come to realize there is no person, place or thing that is going to build your self-confidence.&nbsp;You are the only person who can build your own sense of real self-confidence.&nbsp;Not your mom, partner, coach, sister nor grandma can make you feel more confident.&nbsp;When we rely and depend on an external source for our confidence, it is not a true source of our own self-confidence within.&nbsp;True self-confidence does not rely or depend on external validation and approval.&nbsp;The fastest and most powerful way to build confidence is to ACT&nbsp;ACT with courageACT with excitementACT with passionACT with resilienceACT with faith&nbsp;Just put yourself in ACTION towards whatever it is that you want. Whatever it is that excites you. Whatever desire, dream or vision you have.&nbsp;I promise you that once you ACT (backed with high emotion), you will build your confidence and belief over time.&nbsp;Remember, consistency is everything. Consistent action will heal your deepest internal fears and prove to yourself that you are worthy and deserving to have it all.&nbsp;Begin ACTING with confidence.&nbsp;What will you put into ACTION today?&nbsp;This is where your self-confidence and belief really begins to build!

Act with Confidence

What a year! We've never quite experienced a year like 2020. It's brought enormous challenges, surprising opportunities and huge changes to the way we work, live and love. Remember, life is happening For you, not To you.⠀As we approach the end of the year, I invite you to reflect on and share the most important lesson you’ve learned in 2020. Knowing that when the lesson is learned, the experience is no longer necessary, leave the pain of the growth and take the wisdom of it!&nbsp;Mine is simple: I Can!&nbsp;For years I was so conditioned with the phrase - I can’t - I would take it with me everywhere I go… At the beginning of the year, in our women’s circle, a woman spoke and said: I know I Can always figure it out on my own, it gives me freedom to think this way... and I adopted her approach mentally, creating a shift from I Can’t to I Can...&nbsp;I can love and I I can be lovedI can be alone and I can be togetherI can be strong and I can be softI can create and I can un-createI can and I cannot, and even when I cannot, I still can&nbsp;So, what are you taking with you into 2021?&nbsp;Self Confidence = Self Love. It is simply your relationship with yourself.⠀Self confidence is not about being strong! Or being successful! Or being powerful… Self confidence is about you being you!⠀When you meet yourself at the deep level, when you see all the shades and all the colors of your consciousness, embracing all of them, inclusively, you will begin to step into the authenticity. You will come to know oneself!⠀And that, my friend, is a true beauty! Your authenticity, your healthy relationship with you, your ability to accept good, bad and indifferent, your inexhaustible self love...⠀Radiate!

What Are You Taking Into 2021?

Happy New Year to all! How exciting to know that we always have a chance to start anew, to grow from where we are and to evolve into better versions of ourselves.&nbsp;At the beginning of each year, we practice a One Word Intention.&nbsp;My word for 2020 was Consistency. I grew a lot in the direction of consistency and stability (work in progress, of course!). My word for 2021 is Creativity, and our co-founder Jen Todd's is Connection. We are excited for what's to come!&nbsp;What is your word of the year?&nbsp;Perhaps, it is Preparation or Organization! For some it might be Kindness or Compassion. Integrity. Alignment. Happiness...&nbsp;What do you choose to focus on this time around the sun?&nbsp;Share your word with us on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/8evolveapp/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">@8evolveapp</a> and we can keep a friendly accountability throughout the 12-month period.&nbsp;Love to all!

New Year, New One-Word Intention

Holidays have the power to magnify the energy that we already experience within!&nbsp;For some it will be kindness, care and love; for others it can be separation, emotional painand, perhaps, fear ...&nbsp;My invitation here for all of us is to anchor into the feeling of compassion.&nbsp;When we come from the space of compassion, our heart will be generous enough to embrace everything and everyone in the deep acceptance and kind attention. We can meet everyone in the patience of the moment and listen to their stories with compassionate presence. We can love on every wound, we can allow any complaint, we can heal any pain, together.&nbsp;OR we can meet them with resistance! We can unspeakably reject every word and every thought they have to share. We can push their emotional pain with judgment and shame.&nbsp;Who do you choose to be?In this very moment...What place do you choose to come from?What state of your being do you choose to share?&nbsp;Remember, with that very choice we either move into the direction of togetherness or separation, direction of unity or isolation, direction of love or fear...&nbsp;Invite the compassion to guide you! Through compassion we gain the ability to move intothe direction of togetherness. Compassion for yourself in the first place...and therefore compassion for others.&nbsp;What does togetherness really mean? Does it have to be physical? Hugs and holding hands? Or is it energetic? Holding each other in loving awareness and in the depth of our compassionate hearts...

Togetherness at the Holidays

The basic law of life is that we attract what we vibrate consistently. When we are feeling lack of something, we create circumstances that re-enforce that feeling.&nbsp;When we experience disconnect and disharmony within, we begin to search outside of ourselves to fill the void. We become needy, looking to be noticed, acknowledged, valued, prioritized, heard. We demand attention. We fight for respect. We complain about shallow connections. What we forget to realize, is that when we are focused on lack, we become more empty than ever before.&nbsp;What are we truly lacking here? What is underneath the endless search?&nbsp;Love.&nbsp;We are looking for love. We desire to be loved. We want to love. We crave to experience the divine presence of giving and receiving love itself.&nbsp;How can we attract that?&nbsp;When you catch yourself feeling “not-enough” and “un-worthy” of love, make a conscious choice to change your focus to what you desire to experience instead. If you want to experience love, become that love. Connect to the loving feeling in your heart, observe the preciousness of every breath that you take, witness the love that is loving you in every moment.&nbsp;Through the practice of heart-centered meditation we create a conscious shift from scarcity mindset to abundance. We open the doors to our own heart intelligence that is already filled with love and warmth that we have been searching for. The Grace is within you, You are the Grace….Experience it for yourself through our deep practice of Pranayama &amp; Kriya Yoga.&nbsp;If you are ready to: <ul><li>Shift your thought patterns</li><li>Enliven your energy</li><li>Access the state of receptivity and trust</li><li>Radiate the Love that you already are</li></ul>

Heart-Centered Meditation

As I embark on this journey of evolution of consciousness I find myself more open to beliefs that I previously dismissed. In 2003 I took my first yoga class which to me marked the start of my path.&nbsp; Since then I have been invited to dozens of Full Moon and New Moon events but somehow never felt inspired to attend.&nbsp; I just didn’t get it.&nbsp; Recently though I have been exploring the moon cycles with an open mind and learning from those who have studied the moon and led their lives by it’s cycle for years.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What really appeals to me is the thought of falling into a rhythm that is dictated by nature in which at New Moon we begin to create new initiatives and then at Full Moon we evaluate and release what no longer serves us.&nbsp; With technology use on an ever increasing rise and my life seemingly managed by my online calendar it is refreshing to think that the moon could play an equal part in how I live out my days.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I began to imagine myself with a new awareness of the phases of the moon and then surrounding myself with others also following this path.&nbsp; I began to believe that we would all be more in tune; whether in our professional or personal lives.&nbsp; I imagined the synchronicity that could come to life and the business deals that could be initiated around the New Moon and how I could scratch unnecessary projects off the list at Full Moon.&nbsp; Same line of thought on the personal side; being more open to new friendships and relationships at New Moon and evaluating my current relationships at Full Moon.&nbsp;&nbsp;Living a life filled with more clarity has become very attractive to me lately and I believe this way of life, this simple calendar dictated by the moon could actually help me achieve this clarity.&nbsp;I will leave you with the moon basics from my perspective and also a tip to check your online calendar functiionality, most of the platforms have settings to automatically add the New Moon and Full Moon to your calendar. &nbsp;• The New Moon - The start of the cycle, new beginnings!&nbsp; This is the best time to think about new projects, to get yourself prepared to create.&nbsp; Clarify intentions.&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Full Moon - A time to be grateful, to consider that which we can let go of - energy will be flowing and emotions may be heightened.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I still have much to learn about the science, the tides, feminine energy and the like but for now I will simply allow myself to follow the cycles to start anew and to release.&nbsp; Something tells me that giving myself this simple structure could make all the difference!&nbsp;

How Moon Cycles Influence our Lives

What is meditation to me...<ul><li>Meditation is about building the relationship with yourself.</li><li>It invites you to get to know yourself in a conscious way.</li><li>It invites you to begin to observe your internal state, the world of your personal emotions and feelings.</li><li>It invites you to become aware of the driving forces of your attention. When you begin to see where your attention goes, you then can begin to consciously direct it.</li></ul>We call it self regulation, self mastery if you become able to manage the process. It is very easy to say, yet the most difficult thing on the planet to do! The moment you sit for meditation with intention to become still and silent, in that exact moment you realize howloud and hectic the internal space can be at times.&nbsp;Observe. Do not judge. Do not run away...&nbsp;Sit. Listen. Stay. Stay here... stay.&nbsp;Who would you be running away from? Ultimately, your very self.<ul><li>Can you stay with uncomfortable?</li><li>Can you stay with pain?</li><li>Can you stay with doubt?</li><li>Can you stay with anger?</li><li>Can you stay even if you can’t stay?</li><li>Can you stay with the inability to stay?...</li></ul>In the moment that you choose to “stay”, you open the door to acceptance. You begin to observe and allow all of the feelings, thoughts, and experiences. You begin to build relationships with what is and that is the beginning of self love.&nbsp;Meditation is the practice of self love. How?&nbsp;Self love is not spas and massages or ice cream, it is not the moments of pleasure, external pleasure, it is not the reward system for your external achievements. Self love is the space within, where you openly meet every part of you. And when I say openly, I mean in an accepting way.&nbsp;Meditation will raise your self awareness. And self awareness will make you face things about yourself you’ve never seen before or been trying to avoid (consciously or subconsciously). Things that might not feel the best. Things that you are not proud of. Things that you wish you would never experience... it can be frightening!&nbsp;And that...right there...the very frightening moment is an invitation to shift into self love! Open your heart and accept all of it. Lovable and unlovable. Beautiful and the rest...no judgments, no criticisms, no need to be anyone else but who you are - Right now!&nbsp;No need to change! No need to win your own approval. No need to have any other experience but the one you have at the moment. That’s what meditation can give you. It is building a relationship with yourself in this very moment and, therefore, with the moment itself, with Life that is happening with you right now. With you and through you.&nbsp;I used to believe that self love is the act of some kind of perfection! External perfection, of course. I have to become worthy, I have to change! I used to tell myself - when I do A, B, C then I will then love myself. Or when I become more spiritual, or when I build a successful business, or when I stop consuming alcohol, or when I buy a house, or when I workout 4 times a week, or when I have a PHD, and as I was moving towards my achievements, the feeling of love was not rising in me...&nbsp;What happens then, do you think??? If we can’t get it within we will begin to chase it without! We begin to search for LOVE outside of ourselves. We demand attention and respect from others. We are ready to squeeze Love out of people around us, so we can feel better about ourselves. And if we can’t, if they are not willing, ready or available to give it to us, we turn to other sources... we turn to work, to shopping, to consumption... webegin to operate from the space of lack! Space of emptiness and internal inability to love.&nbsp;To love oneself. To accept. To embrace. To smile at what is.&nbsp;So I invite us to see that, to realize that and to turn inward, in order to find or if can’t be found create the state of love that we are searching for. Self love eventually becomes a practice, not a destination.&nbsp;And the relationship with others becomes the relationship with yourself and a reflection of that.&nbsp;When you begin to meet the world from an internal state of abundance, you will continue to create more of that! Abundance! Because the main ingredient of your world creation becomes Love...

Meditation is the Practice of Self Love

The desire to transform is not a transformation itself. Yes, we begin to gain awareness that something is out of alignment. At first we see it in our environment and in the people around us. Then we gain an ability to look deeper inward and realize that incongruity starts there. Disharmony inside is a true call for transformation.&nbsp;But how? Where do we start?&nbsp;Transformation can only emerge from honesty, vulnerability and surrender. Transformation is a raw process. In one word - authenticity. It took me years to understand what that word really means. And as I was peeling my layers of conditioning; discovering the reality of lies that I created within my own mind has been shocking.&nbsp;Who to be honest with? Your Self.&nbsp;Who to be vulnerable with? Your Heart.&nbsp;Who to surrender to? Your Life.&nbsp;Your life is designed to work out!&nbsp;I used to believe that transformation of self will lead to transformation in life. Now I know that transformation will lead to acceptance of the life that you already have. Life does not need transformation, our mind does.&nbsp;The time to transform is Now. Why waste another precious moment away from love, joy and surrendering to what is...

Beginning of Transformation

Trust does not exist outside of ourselves. Trust is a state of our being. We either trust life itself, or we don’t. When we are in a state of trust, we experience openness, spaciousness and surrender. Surrender to a natural flow of life. And even if “misconduct” happens, we trust the very fact that it happened. It happened for us and our growth, rather than it happened to us and our suffering. We choose to trust life even when people demonstrate otherwise. We trust that they were not trustworthy. We trust that this was the way we had to experience it…we trust the trust itself. When we are in the state of mistrust, we are in the state of threat at all times. We close, we contract, we separate from the outer world and people within because we don’t feel safe. We keep the guard up and stay alert for other’s “misconduct.” We build walls. We become isolated. There is continued fear that we experience; fear of betrayal and abandonment. You see, when we experience all of this, it doesn’t matter if it actually ever happens in the outer world, because internally we have already lived the very hell of it. Trust is not about other people and their behaviors. Trust is about You and your open heart.What do you choose to experience in this lifetime? Your state becomes your life...

Trust: Can you ever fully trust someone?

People think that life happens to them, that people are ungrateful and circumstances are unfair. Is that so? Or is it our inability to see beyond our own emotional reactions to the situation? We are so addicted to the chemicals that are rushing through our veins when we get angry or frustrated that we can’t see beyond the doubt or fear that has the capacity to paralyze us from action. We simply stop breathing when anxious thoughts are on the roll! How do I know? Because I experienced it myself for the last decade. But how do I really know? Because I’ve meditated, practiced Kriya Yoga and I raised internal awareness around my thinking patterns that trigger certain emotions! Those emotions lead us to make the same choices and behaviors! Those behaviors create the same painful experiences that drive the same thoughts! This is exactly how we develop our own emotional vicious cycles! To become Aware of your addictive emotional cycles is the beginning of the Mastery Path. To break through is not easy, but possible. The Joy, Love, Acceptance and Gratitude can truly be your state of being, not just a blurry concept from social media... Take a deep breath, reach out to those who love you and have an ability to support you! You are loved! You are not alone!

Emotional Addiction - Emotional Mastery

We all have our expectations for Love. We want to be noticed, acknowledged, valued, prioritized… We demand attention. We want respect. We desire passionate embraces. We ask for deep conversations. We strike for quality connection. And don’t you dare forget the eye contact...&nbsp; We are clear on how we want to receive Love.We know what makes us feel good.We are determined to get it too!&nbsp;⠀Doesn’t this sound like a scarcity mindset?Isn’t Love supposed to be about Giving?How do we switch from givers to takers?⠀We become almost beggars. We are ready to go to war to crack their hearts open. We get out of breath explaining how their love is not enough.⠀After all we get lost in searching for Love outside of ourselves…being completely blind to the grace of our own heart, to the state of Love that is always available within, to be our own essential nature…to share, to give, to cherish, to appreciate another, even when they are empty of the “love” that we desire to experience.&nbsp;⠀Awareness of such a behavior is the key.Let the others be FREE and love you in their own unique way.⠀Accept it ALL! And be the Love that You Are.

Let Others Love You as Much as They Can

At Evolve we are interested in an integrated approach to mindfulness, where consciousness is addressed on every layer of our being. Through an integrated approach we gain an ability to address ourselves as a whole and move into the direction of unity and harmony within. Through different modalities and practices we work with our awareness to expand and uplift the #energy, to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world, to realize how everything is interconnected and create a possibility for healing and wellbeing.&nbsp; According to ancient knowledge there are five fundamental layers to our being: physical, energy, mental, (ego-programming), wisdom, bliss. They represent different levels of vibration of energy, from denser to more subtle. On every level there is a piece of intelligent information, no level is inert. The Bodies are interconnected and influence eachother. The shift in the vibrational value of one layer will create a corresponding shift in therespective four layers. That is why we are interested in addressing all the layers to develop sustainable evolution. The understanding and the knowledge of the five levels of helping master your energy, to become a person who is energy-rich and create an energy-rich environment around yourself to support the continuous growth.&nbsp;&nbsp;Physical Body, the Body of Matter:&nbsp; Our physical body is the densest layer of all and represents the material layer of existence. It is the body that we identify with the most. This layer is highly intelligent, it is breathing, digesting food, circulating the blood, and performing other life-important functions seemingly on its own.&nbsp;At the first stages of our awakening process we say that we are a physical body that is having a spiritual experience. And as we continue to evolve, we realize that we are the spirit/the energy that is having a physical experience. At the physical level, certain discipline is required to refine and prepare the physical body for higher levels of energy and expanded awareness. We experience health not by the physical look, but by the way we experience the vitality of energy that flows within the body. As a first step, we need to increase body-awareness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recommended practices:&nbsp; ● Asana (physical body awareness, refinement of the five senses, distributing, grounding and integrating the energy)&nbsp;● Breathwork &amp; Kriya (designed to create a specific energetic shift at the cellular level, releasebio-memory, strengthening your energy field)&nbsp;● Mindful eating (non-violent, organic, plant-rich, variety of food) n&nbsp;● Sleep and deep rest&nbsp;● Exercise&nbsp;● Nourishing tough (oxytocin)&nbsp;● Herbs&nbsp;● Clothing in support of movement and energy&nbsp;● Environment energy-rich

5 Layers of Being, an Integrated Approach

Anxiety is a tendency to worry about the future. The mind disconnects from the presentmoment and goes on the journey to wonder about what’s next. When we use positive imagination, we dream about the potential outcome. When we explore negative possibilities, it creates doubt, fear, frustration. So how do we deal with Anxiety? The power lies within the ability to maintain your attention in the present moment. There are many tools available to raise your awareness and strengthen your capacity to focus, to be present, and to be right where you are. The power lies within the ability to maintain your attention in the present moment:&nbsp;﻿1. Breath. Our mind is powered by breath. When breath moves, the mind moves as well.In that case, the practice of conscious breathing and breath retention is the key. Practice: inhale for 3 counts, hold your breath at the top of inhalation for 3 counts, exhale for3 counts, hold your breath at the bottom of exhalation for 3 counts.&nbsp;2. Acceptance. Any negative emotions show up when we resist what it is. It can be a situation, a person, or our feelings. We often develop an idea that shouldn’t be this way, instead, it should be a different way. The faster we adapt to an attitude of acceptance, the faster we will release the resistance and accept the present moment just the way it is, allowing life to simply be, and allowing ourselves to simply be. There is a feeling of great peace in acceptance of it. Practice: observe your verbiage around the words Could or Should, Couldn’t or Shouldn’t. See what you're resisting in this current situation. Acknowledge the fact that it is already occurring. We do not have the power to change the past, yet we have the #power to accept the present and create the future by accepting what is.&nbsp;3. Gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude for the present moment and life in general. Invite your mind to find things in your reality to appreciate. In any given circumstances there is always something to be grateful for, regardless of how small or big, good or bad, right or wrong are merely a judgment. Look past the critical mind to develop a state of gratitude.﻿Practice: write down 3 things that you are grateful for today. Reflect on what showed up for you. Revisit your list every morning and continue to add new things to it. This will help to build a powerful relationship between you and your connection with the heart center.Inhale consciously with full awareness to the breath, hold the breath with acceptance of the present moment Exhale with gratitude for this moment, for this breath, for life itself.

3 Tips to Overcome Anxiety

We hold space for vertical evolution of being, within the present consciousness state, nota horizontal or linear outdated approach, in time and space continuum, where people setgoals and never achieve or stress their system out throughout the process.&nbsp; Values build on integrity. Integrity not as moral code but as an integration - law of nature.&nbsp; When we are integrated within ourselves, we are united, not fragmented. Our perception,our state of being is anchored in unity with who we are, with nature, with life itself. We are demonstrating an alignment within our thoughts, words, and actions. Our world view is driven by our highest aspirations, not by our conditioned mind. The universe appears to be our ally, not opposition. We gain an ability to experience joy for the success of anotherbecause we are naturally fulfilled within. Life is elegantly happening for us, not to us. We are in harmony with the song of our soul.&nbsp;&nbsp;That is a gift of vertical evolution of being!&nbsp; When the energy is low, and we are caught up in conflict and drama of the fragmented reality; when everyone appears to be a competitor who is against us and our beliefs; when we are stuck in doubt and hesitation, claiming lack of clarity - there is no alignment, no integrity, no evolution.&nbsp;﻿One must choose for themselves to raise awareness and move into the direction of wisdom through learning and personal experience. It takes practice, persistence, and sincere interest for an elevated state of consciousness, for a taste of vitality, for an effortless flow of creative intelligence.&nbsp;&nbsp;Our app is a source of evolutionary practices and patient authentic support of your self-awareness journey. You are not your body, but your body is an expression of you!

Vertical vs. Horizontal Evolution

Our physical body is the densest layer of all and represents the material layer of existence. It is the body that we identify with the most. This layer is highly intelligent, it is breathing, digesting food, circulating the blood, and performing other life-important functions seemingly on its own.&nbsp;At the first stages of our awakening process we say that we are a physical body that is having a spiritual experience. And as we continue to evolve, we realize that we are the spirit or the energy that is having a physical experience. At the physical level, certain discipline is required to refine and prepare the physical body for higher levels of energy and expanded awareness. We experience health not by the physical look, but by the waywe experience the vitality of energy that flows within the body. As a first step, we need to increase body-awareness.&nbsp;&nbsp;Recommended practices:&nbsp;﻿● Asana - Physical body awareness, refinement of the five senses, distributing, grounding and integrating the energy.● Breathwork &amp; Kriya - Designed to create a specific energetic shift at the cellular level, release bio-memory and strengthen your energy field.● Mindful eating - Non-violent, organic, plant-rich, variety of food.● Clothing in support of movement and energy&nbsp;● Nourishing tough - oxytocin● Environment energy-rich● Sleep and deep rest&nbsp;● Exercise&nbsp;● Herbs&nbsp;