I've been tagged

I've been tagged by Bohemian Mom

What are five things that make you automatically happy?

1. My puppy Trinity
   
2. Good times with friends & family
   
3. My circle
   
4. Coming home
   
5. Feel-good movies
   

What are five things that give you physical pleasure?

1. A massage
   
2. Running into the surf
   
3. Cuddles from my nieces and nephews
   
4. Having my hair done
   
5. Sex (with a man I love)

What are five things that make you immediately angry?

1. Child Abuse
   
2. Domestic Abuse
   
3. Violence
   
4. Animal Abuse
   
5. Bush
   

What are five things that make you automatically sad?

1. Death
   
2. The War in Iraq
   
3. Needless suffering
   
4. People who don't recognise their own potential
   
5. Those who suffer in slience

And I tag.....

• Bek (My Soul Whispers)
  
• Leonie (The Turquoise Journey)
  

Holy splash of Time

This beautiful movie will lead you into a satisfying sense of presence with every viewing.

A beautiful and soothing way to remind you of the sacredness every moment brings.

If there is any stress in your life, you need this movie.

If you feel like there is never enough time, you need this movie.

If you'd just like a moment to call your own, YOU NEED this movie.

http://www.holysplashoftimemovie.com/

Creating circles

I've received some emails asking me how to start a circle and how to find the right members. Circles can be magical things, and are so worthwhile.

When we started our circle, the goddess Leonie was the instigator. This turquoise goddess knew a couple of girls, the goddess Bek knew a couple, and as it turned out so did I -- so it kind of grew from there.

If you don't have friends that share your passion, then there's a couple of ways you can go about finding like-minded goddesses:

STEP ONE: KNOW WHAT KIND OF MEMBER YOU WANT

First of all its important to consider the qualities you want most in a fellow circle member. The best members are committed to taking action, excited about making changes, good listeners and open minded.

STEP TWO: DETERMINE THE TYPE OF GROUP YOU WANT

Open Group: This may be a group with an unlimited number of members. With an open group, there is no commitment to attend.

Closed Group: This group has a finite number of members. If you want equal time, six to eight members are best. If not, the group can be larger. There is a commitment to attend (I recommend a three month expectation to start) How Often Will You Meet? I recommend that you schedule your meetings three months in advance to make planning easy and to demonstrate your commitment to the group. We meet bi-weekly, but monthly is also good.Remember that the goal is to stay in action!

STEP THREE: FINDING MEMBERS

There are a number of ways to find new members for your group. Here are some examples:

• If you belong to a message board, do an expression of interest post calling women in your area that are on the board.
• Create a flyer. Be sure to include tear-tabs at the end of your flyer so people can leave with your contact information (not your flyer!).
• Send an invitation. Invite friends, colleagues, family members or acquaintances to an informal evening discussion so you can talk about the idea of forming a group and determine the level of interest.
• Have a friend ask a friend. One of the quickest ways to get a group going is to invite one or two friends and ask them to bring along a friend. (Personally I find this the best way).

STEP FOUR: POST YOUR FLYER

Here are some places you can post your flyer: bookstores; cafe; lunch/break rooms at work; children's school; churches; colleges and universities; community service centers; daycare center; grocery stores (bulletin boards); health clubs; libraries; spas; hair/nail salons; women's centers; yoga centers; and YWCA/YMCA/Recreation centers.

Some of these places may even allow you to use their space for meetings. Be creative!

STEP FIVE: FOLLOW SMART GROUP GUIDELINES

The following guidelines not only help to create a safe place for a productive and enjoyable meeting, but they help to eliminate the kind of habits that quickly dissolve a group. Review these guidelines at the beginning of every meeting.

Confidentiality: Everything that is said at a meeting is strictly confidential.

Equal time: When running a closed group, be sure that each person has a chance to speak. While there may certainly be times when a member needs extra attention, it's important to prevent members from continuously dominating the conversation. To ensure that everyone gets equal time. Do not allow cross talk, criticism and advice giving, or "fixing" of anyone.

Positive focus: Put the attention on what works. Look for and acknowledge a member's strengths. Keep complaining and whining to a minimum—one minute or less (we all need to do it sometimes). Speak from your own experience: Use the word "I," not "you," when speaking to other members.

Honour the group: Check in regularly to be sure that all members are satisfied with how the meetings are run. Be willing to tell the truth gracefully. You might check in at the end of each meeting, once a month or once a quarter.

STEP SIX: GROUP FACILITATION

There are many formats you can use to run a successful group meeting. Some groups may be about finding and pursuing your passion, in general. Your group may also be formed around a particular subject, like writing or volunteering.

There are two types here—one for a closed meeting and one for an open meeting. With either type, rotate facilitation responsibilities. This prevents one member from taking responsibility for the success of the group.

Closed Meeting Format: Negotiate equal time for each member. Review group guidelines. Start with 15 minutes of success stories, catch up, or letting go of anything that might prevent you from being fully present. Begin the group discussion. Allow the first person to speak without interruption for the allotted time. When finished, ask for feedback and/or support from other members. Be specific! Commit to homework for the next meeting. Move on to the next person. Needs and resources—when each member has had a chance to be fully heard, open the meeting and allow members to ask for and receive any additional help. A member might need a supportive phone call before taking a difficult action or contact information that will allow them to move forward. Share your resources with each other! Set up or confirm the next meeting.

Open Meeting Format: Welcome participants. Review group guidelines. Start with 15 minutes (or more depending on the size of the group) of success stories, catch up, or letting go of anything that might prevent you from being fully present. Begin group discussion. The facilitator can begin by discussing a certain subject and then open the meeting to other members. Depending on the size of the group, you may need to limit speaking time to 2 or 3 minutes each. Remember that allowing someone to dominate the space causes people to feel frustrated. They won't come back! Gently remind the person speaking that time is limited. Suggest homework for the group. Needs and resources—allow 15 minutes at the end of the meeting for members to ask for and receive help. Share your resources with each other! Set up or confirm the next meeting.

I hope this helps - good luck!

Love, joy & rainbows,

mich
x.

Resilience

This week focuses on resilience. How do you stay on course when you are full of self-doubt? How do you pick yourself up after a rejection? Are you able to see the silver lining?

re·sil·ience {noun}
from dictionary.com

1. the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.
2. ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.

When I begin to doubt myself, I find I need to re-centre: to ground myself firmly on the earth and focus on rebalancing my root chakra, home of the kundalini energy.

When the root chakra is in balance, we feel secure, alert, stable - our lives are full of active and positive energy.

So I sit on the earth, close my eyes, meditate, burning the Base Chakra Godessence blend, and summon the goddess Kali. Kali's esoteric attributes are PASSION and physical and sexual energy. She reminds us to be alert to those who undermine our self-confidence - Kali is here to hurl our lives onto a new path that will ultimately prove to be more fulfilling than our current path.

My spine grows and takes root in the earth. I feel the strength of the earth energise my spine and body.

I am indestructable! I am strong! I can shake the weight from my shoulders and conquer the demon shadowing my life.

For those times when I'm feeling a little 'wobbly', I always carry my base chakra essence spray, and I practice the following affirmations (from www.goddess.com.au):

• My new life path reveals itself to me
• I say goodbye to destructive influences
• There are rainbows in every rainfall
• I am awake to my life's calling
• I welcome Kali's strength & recuperative powers
• I trust the Universe to provide
• It's OK to release my juicy anger
• I can say "no" to negative influences

Ring-a-ring-a-rosey ...

I am blessed to belong to several circles: the goddess circle; an artists circle; and an online community.

My sisters are there when I could use a hug, a shove, or a good laugh. For the greater good or the greater hilarity -- sometimes both -- life just seems to get better. It's kind of a girl thing.

When we band together things are looking up. We celebrate life, friendships and get inspired. When times are tough, we're there for each other with a mug of turkish apple tea and a compassionate heart and a shoulder to lean on.

We let our inner-children out to play, just like we did when Leonie did this photo shoot with me.

I once read an Oprah article which said: "Living your best life means following your passions and dreams. And doing what you love is so much more fun when sharing it with others! So forge relationships with others who share your interest—surround yourself with people who will support and encourage you!"

Men and women respond to stress differently. Men tend to fight or flee; while we're wired to connect and communicate. We phone friends. We form groups. That's how we soothe ourselves; that's how we get things done.

So connect with your gal pals, find others that share your interests and passions and circle. Community not only lifts the soul but may also be beneficial to your health.

Circle of Goddesses

They dance around a sacred urn. The energy of four ovular goddesses in a sacred circle ...

Inanna, Sumerian fertility goddess. Goddess of the dark moon, brave and unwavering, Inanna ventures into the underworld. She teaches us to stand firm, eyes focused on the end true goal, ultimately leading us to a state of wisdom.

Hindu Kali, powerful dark mother. Kali's esoteric attributes are PASSION and physical and sexual energy. Be alert to those who undermine your self-confidence - Kali is here to hurl your life onto a new path that will ultimately prove to be more fulfilling than your current path.

Isis, Queen of Egyptian civilization. Isis' esoteric attributes include intuition and perception. She is related to the third eye chakra, the centre of illumination and insight. She is the embodiment of the feminine as a vessel for divine expression.

Finally Diana, Greek goddess of the hunt. Powerful and protective, Diana embodies the moon's fertility and the sun's protective, nurturing power over the earth's wilderness and creatures. Diana's power brings abundance to the world. She is the huntress who provides us with spiritual "food".

These four Goddesses circle with us, looking over us, sharing their wisdom and dancing with us.

Savouring the moment

I came across a challenge my friend Gabby has been undertaking called Finding Water ... blogging the art of perseverence

Today's challenge is Shared Beauty - what sorts of beauty have I savoured today?

Well, there is so much around me, I feel truly blessed. I live on a picturesque lake, with the Brindabella Mountains towering in the background.

My inner child led the way as I danced through my week, making me feel playful. I decided to let this lighthearted energy infuse my work, and I chose to take a little time off for amusement.

In Darwin I had a meeting cancelled at the last minute and I found I had time on my hands. This was an opportunity for me to explore. So I headed into town to purchase more appropriate footware for my adventure and ended up buying a pair of Croc ballet slippers.

After spending a couple of hours exploring Darwin's city, just walking around exploring gallerties, interesting buildings and chatting to people, I headed back to Sky City where I was staying and headed out on to Minindil beach which I had to myself.

I walked the entire length of the beach without meeting a soul, and I listened. Listened to the water lapping at the shores, to the wind playing in the grass, the sand crunching beneath my bare feet and to the birds swooping and playing in the sky above me.

Later that evening I headed out to a restaurant for dinner, and witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets out over the ocean. Living on the east-coast of Australia, this was indeed a rare treat for me.




This unexpected time-out helped me to refocus on what's really imporant in my life, and reminded me not to get too caught up at work.

In our goal-oriented world, we can sometimes feel guilty when we take time off for our own entertainment, but our inner child knows it is necessary for our ideal balance and growth. So I gave myself permission to play, and I know that I was doing something essential for my wellbeing.

Children laugh more often each day than adults do. As adults, we can ride the waves of good-feeling laughter to help us deal easily and effectively with challenges. Then, we might enjoy interactions with others more as we shift our idea that life is stressful to the idea that life is a game.

This simple mental shift can lighten and ease our load and give us a more positive outlook on life.

There are many ways we can stir playfulness within us today. We can watch children playing, or better yet, join them. We can share funny stories with those around us and enjoy some laughter.

When we let our inner child come out to play today, we see new ways to bring out the joy in life.