As stated on my previous post I believe we chose to be alive exactly at this time in the Earth’s development for the opportunity  to live in many dimensions at once; to observe, learn and transform; to accelerate our spiritual growth, our compassion and our readiness to help guide the Earth and its people.

Being alive in our planet right now in 2012 is not so easy

I’m sure you’ve noticed this. We feel everything accelerating around us.  I mean, 2012 is off to a very rapid start. We feel the pull of our daily routines, work and obligations, along with the thirst of our soul and the call in our hearts to find and get busy accomplishing our life purpose. And, whereas in the past we may have handled these issues alone, now the rules have changed.  Now, it seems the only way to be effective is by involving others, asking for help.  Real progress today takes a village, a community and real support.  

How do we support ourselves in the middle of these changes and as we transform?

1. Realize that the rapid acceleration (spiritual and physical) of our lives is a reality. We are not imagining it – it is happening. 
2. Be kind and gentle with yourself. We must be flexible with ourselves and be compassionate towards ourselves and others – we are all in the same boat.  As I always remind my Plant Spirit Medicine patients, we must rest when we feel tired. We must grieve when we feel the tears come – even if we don’t know why we are grieving .  We are all trying to sort it out. We must also support ourselves with exercise, plenty of water, time outdoors and with healthy, vibrant, locally-grown (if possible) foods.
3. Listen to your inner guidance. There is a place within you, that place you access when you listen to an amazing piece of music, that place you touch when you meditate or pray. It holds guidance, secrets and support.  It is in us, but to access it we must ask and listen.
4. Realize that he path through all of this lies in community, in asking for help, in getting the healing we need and require, not in doing it alone. We must get support, tend to our bodies, minds and spirits.  We must seek to integrate, clear and re-balance more often than ever.  It is now not a nice-to-have but a requirement.  Alternative healing practices can be a huge support. Plant Spirit Medicine healing can support not only your body and your mind but also your spirit as you integrate, learn and move forward with new purpose. Gathering with friends or around a fire does wonders. Community rituals can be a great support.
5. Celebrate. Often, fear of the unknown causes us to tense up, to wear our armor. This is not what’s called for. We are on the verge of a new way of life. Allow yourself to celebrate that possibility. It is, after all, why we wanted to be alive precisely now in this day and age. The new way of life is one of community, inclusivity, compassion and people coming together to heal and support each other and the Earth. It is such a great privilege to be alive, to have a body, to be able to think, dream, act, make a difference, right here, right now. If THAT isn’t cause for celebration and rejoicing, I do not know what is.

I can relate to the child I once was and see her in a different time and place. But it’s more than a memory – it’s as if all my life had undergone a huge transformation – a series of rebirths in this lifetime. I can also see who I was in my 20’s — my work, relationships, challenges then. The person I was then is definitely not the person I’m now. We generally think of karma and lifetimes as requiring dying and reincarnating, but I don’t think that’s necessarily the case anymore. I believe that, right now, we are living many lifetimes within this one. It happens as a life-leap.

How we life-leap, reinvent ourselves, transform

I’m sure you’ve had a sense of this in your life already. Some have called it “reinventing ourselves.” Sometimes a huge life-leap happens when we get fed up and decide we need a new start. Sometimes it happens through contact with a true, powerful teacher. At other times, health challenges and difficult experiences make us reach the depths of our soul and question life’s meaning. Often, life-leaps happen because of loss: loss of a relationship, loss of a way of thinking, loss of a loved one who passes away.

The Heart Connection and transformation

In a sense, life-leaps happen every time our hearts break. Our hearts are amazing. They do break, but then, as they mend they become larger, more compassionate, stronger. Every time we decide to open our heart yet again and keep going, something in us is re-born and we enter into a new way of being, a new perspective, we begin to live a new lifetime. Healing the heart means, in a sense, a new life.

A gift of this lifetime on Earth; a soul agreement

But now, this acceleration, these life-leaps are one of the gifts of our time on Earth. These quickenings allow us to process and absorb more rapidly all that is happening around us. We’re constantly dealing with new information, new developments, the bubbling up of new dreams, desires, wishes and the true purpose within ourselves. This is a gift of our time. A gift to help us assimilate and integrate knowledge and experience. And, believe it or not, we chose to be alive exactly at this time in the Earth’s development because of this opportunity: to be able to live in many dimensions at once; to observe, learn and transform; to accelerate our spiritual growth, our compassion and our readiness to help guide the Earth and our people.

We chose to be alive on Earth at this time so we could be stewards to a new way of life, more heart-centered, more compassionate, more respectful of the Earth, the Sky, the Weather Beings … all sentient beings. This is all part of our soul agreement.

During the Rekindle Workshop I was deeply moved by the teacher,  Eliot Cowan. As one of my other friends who attended said, “he doesn’t look like a shaman; he looks more like a lawyer.”  But his love of plants, his love of people, his  devotion to healing, his humility and directness spoke volumes to me … not just to my mind but to my heart. 

Since that time, I  have had the great fortune of studying with this remarkable healer. I have graduated as a PSM healer and now have a small practice out a home office. I can thoroughly say that I have never encountered a healing modality more powerful, more effective and more subtle for lifting off pathology and for helping to heal others by bringing their body, mind and spirit into better balance.  It isn’t a woo-woo thing. It is well-grounded, real, serious healing practice.  It is remarkably transformative and effective.  The healing methodology uses traditional Chinese Medicine as a diagnostic tool and then delivers healing from the spirit of the plants to the spirit of a person.  My colleague Chris Griffin says it beautifully on his blog post on PSM.

All around the country and the world, we now have PSM healers doing work quietly, devotedly and with great integrity. Cultivating right relationship with the spirits of plants and with the world around us is part and parcel of our work as healers. In addition, PSM healers also have “day jobs.”  We are business owners, trainers, lawyers, programmers, consultants, physicians, landscape artists, you name it.  We bring our healing acumen and stance into everything we do. 

One day, like Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Osteopaths we will be recognized by the mainstream. Until then, I wanted to do my small part at recognizing and celebrating this medicine and the people who share it with others, transforming many lives in the process.  For more information about Plant Spirit Medicine, Eliot Cowan or to explore taking the healing course, please visit the PSM website.

Your comments, questions are welcome.

When Lubosh bought his home in North Portland, he transformed it in record time. He could see the hidden potential in the home. I visited his “work-in-progress” home and was amazed at how beautiful, open, charming, inviting it was. His comment at the time? “Well, it needs a garden.”

The garden came a little bit later and has now matured into a glorious place of community, deep nourishment and great beauty. He grows lots of food for himself and to share with others, and makes time to do it. To me, all this was a testament to his intuition and belief. You see? Lubosh is a designer, an artist, a musician … but he is also an alchemist. He watches, observes, appreciates. He tends carefully and then he asks, “Hm, what’s needed next?”.

I wonder what would happen if we learned to do this in our businesses, in our work teams, in our relationships. If we focused, stayed open, worked hard but always asked that question “What’s needed next?” and we listened. And if we then followed through. Miracles, transformation, amazing working relationships. That’s what would happen … and in an organic, gentle way.

In the case of Lubosh, what was needed next was chickens! Yes, in Portland. Yes, in an urban area. And so he set about researching, designing, building and creating yet another work of art. Click the link to explore this chicken coop unlike any other.

In the process he has shown us what is possible, he is taking a stance for organic healthy nutritious living in the city, all along following his intuition and doing what he feels is best. To me, he is a hero.

Marshland experts in Louisiana say the grasses and the marshes will heal … that micro organisms and bacteria in the water can and will get to work breaking down the oil to restore balance and heal the area. So the wisdom of the plants, the living organisms and nature will eventually heal the marshes.

This news brings me back to a swim in the ocean in Manzanillo, Mexico. Something in the water stung me and I ran out of the water in extreme pain. At the edge of the water was a little old man. He said he would help me. He said, “You see, for every injury that happens in this water, the remedy grows right here,” and he proceeded to grab some grasses growing on a sandy hill. He took those grasses inside and mashed them, then told me to apply them to my leg. And … as my Plant Spirit Medicine teacher don Eliot likes to say: “Santo Remedio” — all healed.

I do believe nature will restore balance to Itself. I just hope the damage is not too huge and that those powerful and rich ecosystems can once again be whole. I was surprised to hear that those of us wanting to volunteer are being told to not travel to those areas. In the marshes, volunteers were in some cases doing more harm by treading untrained through these natural habitats in an attempt to clean oil off the grasses.  Plus, finding accommodations presents another problem for the communities. And finally, oil is highly toxic and harmful. If untrained, if not  a vet, if not used to handling toxic cleanup … we are being asked to stay home.

Still, the truth is we are failing in our stewardship of these blessed resources and beings who are responsible for our food, water, health. I know we can begin to change this on a massive scale. There are people making conscious choices every day to be less dependent on oil, more appreciative of everything we have, more interested in cultivating right relationship with the natural world around us.

At a time when it is easy to despair, we need to gather together and begin to make a difference on behalf of our planet and its many amazing beings. We are miracles. We can do this. 

How can we begin to change?

Took mom to the airport this morning. It was really tough to say good-bye. I haven’t spent very much time with her in about a year and wasn’t ready to see her leave. Driving home I started thinking about the power of unconditional love, the power of community. My heart was full with my mom’s visit and now I was experiencing a deep sense of loss. Part of it was the freedom and healing of being with this very special person who completely “gets” me, knows what I’m about and accepts me just as I am. This is what we find when we find true community. When we find, as Seth Godin says, our Tribe – that group(s) of people with whom we resonate, connect, enjoy being around. Those who “get” who we are, and who honor and celebrate (or at least accept) who we truly are.  Finding such a community can transform our life.

At my brother’s wedding in St. Lucia, we saw a beautiful tribe in action. Omar and Dani were surrounded by their closest friends, they shared the wedding week in celebration and without issues and it was fabulous to see the sweetness, honesty, respect and the beautiful bond between them. It was dazzling and inspiring.

Sometimes we can experience this in our workplace or our office. I’ve worked with amazing creative teams where everyone was working towards a goal and having a blast doing it! Magic happened on the pages of the catalogs … and in people’s hearts. This is not always easy to create in a work environment, but when it is there … that community … that team spirit … that shared vision… it’s a winning combo for the business, the projects, the customers and the staff.

Some of us join religious groups, clubs, sports organizations to experience community — to basically hang out with like-minded people who have a shared purpose — yes, even if that purpose is just “hanging out”.  There’s actually great value in that. Great value for our hearts who seek,  quite naturally, connection. Great value for our health when we are in community. We may not even notice it, but when we are with our tribe, with our true community, we feel free — free to be who we truly are. Our hearts begin to open, our minds begin to open, we experience a feeling of contentment, and all our cells, neurons, synapses begin to vibrate and work in a harmonious way. Communities can and do heal. The mere fact of being able to talk to someone, a kindred spirit, and share something true from deep within, is immensely healing.

Our modern life in our beautiful country has unfortunately become an exercise in independence, loneliness and isolation for many people. Neighbors don’t relate. People want to be left alone. We have grown suspicious of each other. At the office, many compete rather than collaborate. Instead of customer service and customer empathy, overworked and unappreciated employees adopt attitudes of “us” versus “them”. We have a high standard of living, but a very low standard of true connection.  Crises can wake us up momentarily and propel us to action. It’s sad but true that it requires a tragedy for us to see, grieve, hear and commune with each other. To drop the masks and the shields and the suits of armor and be real. And relate from the heart.

Finding a community where we can be seen, heard and be ourselves is a huge gift. Whether it’s our family, whether it’s our spiritual gathering place, whether it’s our office or our neighborhood … we must find it if we want to begin to heal ourselves and in the process help heal our organizations, our relationships and our world.

What’s your experience?   How and where do you find community?

Shortly after finishing college,  I got my first job in customer service — one  of the most stressful I’ve ever had. The work itself wasn’t hard. The environment, the way people were being treated … that was tough. Some days I would have to get off the MBTA train at Boston’s Park Street Station to throw up because I was so stressed out! I would run into the bathroom at the station, throw up, buy a coke to settle my stomach and get back on the train to make it to work. Not many people have heard this story, but it’s worth telling. It’s part of the reason why I am so passionate about  helping to build positive environments for people to work in, flourish and develop.

Yes, amazing customer service can set your business apart from the competition, help it be remembered.  But in case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t easy to provide amazing customer service consistently.  It takes heart and skill and guts. However, once you crack this one, the sky is the limit. If you can read the pulse of your customers, listen, empathize and relate authentically and you get good at it … you will succeed … no matter what field you choose to pursue.

Now more than ever, as people deal with unprecedented stress and vulnerability, customer service is an area in which you and your company can truly shine.  

Here are a few questions to help you assess the customer service you provide. Use them as starting points for daring to discuss great customer service with your staff, your managers and leaders.  Believe me, it’s so worth “going there ”  –  for yourself, for your staff, for your company, and for your customers.

1. Do your employees understand that customers are friends,  supporters, reasons for being? It’s shocking to see how many companies treat customers as the enemy.

2. Are you able to empathize with someone else even when you are having a really bad day? If you haven’t learned the skills to do so, how can you train and motivate your staff, or expect great customer service from them?

3. Are your business policies set up as smart guidelines, or are they so set in stone that your staff can’t do the right thing to serve a customer because your policies stand in the way?

4. Are your employees happy people who derive satisfaction from doing the right thing for your customers?

5. Do you often side with your employees rather than with your customers? Beware. It gets noticed. It sets the tone.

6. Are you or your employees feeling fed up, maxed out, overwhelmed? It isn’t difficult to see, feel and sense. When people are not doing the right thing, they know it – and the environment speaks volumes.

7. Do you realize that each interaction your staff has with others leaves an imprint, a flavor of your values, an image of your company?

8. Do you hire happy and enthusiastic people only to see them become cynical and want to leave after 6 months?

9. Is your customer service operation a team learning about leadership and helping customers, or a heavy, stressful place where you wouldn’t even set foot if you had a choice?

10. Are you truly there for your employees so that they can be there for your customers? Do you care about their well being, their challenges, their aspirations? Do you provide training, inspiration, motivation, rewards?

Begin today.

I have heard so many people be in fear and worry about the year 2012. The media, of course, tends to hype it up. They know that pleasure and pain (fear included) are two key links into our consciousness, even into our buying decisions. 

To me, 2012 represents a great opportunity. A chance for our beautiful human race to realize what has gone wrong … and then set about building a better system … for everyone.

So this is a short blog post. I share it with a heart full of love and respect for the beauty of humanity. With strong belief in the power of connection, the power of people working together. With a deep wish that “the next country over be peaceful … and that the sacred traditions survive”.

Raise up your volume and watch:

What a great year this has been. I am so grateful to all of you, my readers, for your support, comments and enthusiasm. Such a pleasure to share my thoughts on training, on wellness and on life with you and to know you are out there and we are communicating.

Last new year’s day, my husband and I made a special effort to set aside time to envision our year ahead. We went away not too far from home, had a nice dinner (duck & sparkling wine are my faves  at New Year’s – many great memories). Then  we spent  the first day of 2009 planning, envisioning and goal-setting. As a result, we’ve had one of the most positive and productive years of our lives.

Thinking about it made me want to share these tips to help you make 2010 one of YOUR most wonderful years ever.

1.  First  things first!

Pare down, clean, shine, donate, de-clutter. In other words, out with the old and in with the new!  Make room so that what you are envisioning or dreamig can actually show up in your life. This also includes releasing fear, excuses, negativity and old habitual patterns that may be zapping your energy — you know what they are.

2.  Develop a gratitude list.

List not only your successes and blessings of this year, but also include your own good qualities and things and people  you are grateful for.  Having an attitude of gratitude actually changes your set point, making your overall vibration more positive, open, receptive.

3.  Light a candle.  Sit a while. Feel the pulse of your body. Breathe.

4.  Identify 3 things you want to have or accomplish this year.

See them as real, as already in place, visualize (in detail) yourself enjoying them. You may, for instance decide to:  get training to improve your public speaking, take better care of your health, or improve your service to your customers.

5.  Develop a plan for putting your work/ your energy in motion to help you bring those things or situations into being.

What actions can you begin to take towards each of those objectives?  Write what comes to mind. You can refine it later. For instance, you may want to: Google search public speaking coaches, look into MeetUp groups on public speaking, or update your LinkedIn status saying this is one of your goals. Take the first step!

6.  Identify what might be in the way.

What are your perceived barriers? Is it education, is it experience, is it money? Is it time, as in not enough?  Go through your list and honestly decide whether each perceived barrier is a true limitation or an excuse.  Sometimes we think we see obstacles when we are just choosing to be stubborn, or lazy or afraid.  Remember: “Once you look it in the eye, it has no power over you.”  So look at your perceived limitations.  If they are true, find a way to address them.  But here’s the trick:  address them while keeping your eyes on the prize — your goal , your dream, your vision. Many people get lost in trying to overcome a limitation and never go back to build the dream. So keep your eye on the prize. If your dream or objective for this year is to take better care of your health, and you set about walking an hour each day, remember that the big picture is about your overall health – not just walking, not just losing weight.  This is important because the overall goal is what helps you keep the enthusiasm going (& get up in the morning when the going gets tough).

7.  Make a drawing of your year. Don’t write, draw.

Let loose. Use colors, imagination, don’t think too much. There’s no limit to the number of drawings. Stop only when you are satisfied. Until then, keep drawing. It is dazzling to see what comes up when we allow ourselves to paint, play, doodle while we intention or dream. Our creative mind becomes our ally and fully engaged in our manifesting process.

8.  Post your drawing along with your affirmation.

Example: “2010: The best year of my life. I now have a fulfilling career, I am at my best physically and emotionally. I feel grateful and am now able to give back. I look at my successes with gratitude and pride.”

9.  Trust that this vision for your year has come to you because IT wants to happen.

It wants to manifest for you as much as you want it to. It is a magnetic, energetic thing. Trust your process, keep your eye on the prize, and above all, keep doing your work. One step at a time. One thing at a time. One change at a time. In the course of just one year so much can be transformed! 

A new year is a glorious opportunity.  This reminds me of one of my favorite musicals, Sunday in the Park with George – “White. A blank piece of canvas. The challenge:  Bring order to the whole ….”

Have you ever tried something similar to this process? What was the result?

Here’s wishing you a truly dazzling new year!