It is said that nothing ever dies – it simply changes.  Maybe that’s true – but then what? Change???? Most people struggle deeply with the idea of change.  Companies have entire departments devoted to “managing change” so that employees can deal with it effectively. 

Resistance to change comes from a fear of the unknown or an expectation of loss. The first aspect of a person’s resistance to change is how they perceive the change. The second aspect is how well they are equipped to deal with the change they expect.

How much a person resists change is determined by whether they perceive the change as good or bad, and their expectations of how severe they expect the impact of the change to be on them. In order to ultimately accept change, we need to have adequate resilience and excellent coping skills.

However, not only is change inevitable, but it is required if you are to be successful in business and in life.  How can you ensure that when change is required, you handle it skillfully and with grace? Here are four tips for dealing with change when (not “if”) it comes into your life:

Ensure that you have a quality support system
It is so important during times of transition that you have a good support system around you. This could be family and friends, or a business mastermind group. Depending on the type of transition you are going through, different types of groups might prove to be more effective than others. It is imperative that you have some sort of mentor.

Look for the silver lining in the situation
Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. Even if it appears that the world is falling down around your ears. Take some time and look at the situation. See what can be found that is positive. For example, even if you lose a job, perhaps that job wasn’t the best fit for you and now you are free to pursue a long-lost dream or some other opportunity that will make you much happier.

Continue your spiritual practice
This is not the time to quit praying, meditating, journaling or doing whatever it is that centers you and brings you peace and serenity. If you don’t already have a daily spiritual practice, then please start something before you find that you need it! It could be something as simple as taking five minutes each morning before you get out of bed to quiet your mind, breathe deeply and review your plan for the day; or write whatever comes to mind in your journal for 10 or 15 minutes each morning or evening. Just five to ten minutes each day will provide you enough peace of mind to get through any of these obstacles, with at least some amount of grace.

Create a structure to support you
When all else is failing or seemingly In chaos around you, it is important to have a structure to cling to. This can mean having a simple daily routine that you keep to each day. For example, getting up, meditating, having breakfast, etc. at the same time each morning. In the evening, spend a few minutes relaxing before eating dinner and settling in for bed. Whatever your routine is, stick to it! This will provide an important framework and touchstone amidst the change and confusion that may be going on externally.

As you can see, while change may be inevitable, it doesn’t have to be traumatic. Keep your life as simple and structured as possible, with downtime and spiritual connection included and you will find that “This too shall pass” – you will soon be acclimated to the change that has occurred and it will be smooth sailing from here on out!

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an ordained Interfaith Minister, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Purpose. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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What could be riskier than diving out of an airplane or climbing a glacier-covered peak or accelerating a race car into a curve at the Indy 500?

For one person it might be quitting a secure, well-paying job to go back to school. For another, it could be deciding to leave a marriage after 18 years or reporting that the company they work for is endangering the environment or people’s lives.

For me it was quitting a well-paying job to work for myself at something I loved and had a passion for. It certainly wasn’t easy – but, there came a point when I knew I had to take that leap of faith to else continue down the path of drudgery I was feeling.

Though it may not appear so at first glance, psychological risks that summon us to put our personal values and beliefs on the line may ultimately feel more dangerous than those of physical derring-do. Yet these are the challenges that we are asked to face time and again if we are to continue to grow as individuals. Each time we take a risk that contributes to our personal growth or enhances our self-esteem or enriches our lives, we make the choice to stretch ourselves, knowing there are no guarantees and chancing possible failure.

I knew that even if I failed, I would have felt better for trying – I would have continually regretted not at least going after my dream. That alone made it all worth it!

Growth-producing risks generally fall into three categories.

Self-Improvement Risks
These are the risks you take when you want to get ahead, learn something new or make a distant dream a reality. You take on the venture with hopes of enriching your life. Maybe you want to change careers, or take singing lessons, or learn to speak French. On one side of the risk is the person you are and, on the other, the person you want to become.

Commitment Risks
All commitment risks have emotional stakes whether you pledge yourself to a person or a relationship or to a cause, a career, or a value. According to Joseph Ilardo, author of Risk-Taking for Personal Growth, if you avoid making emotional commitments, you all but guarantee that your emotional growth will be stunted.

Self-Disclosure Risks
Communication risks fall into the category of self-disclosure. Anytime you tell someone how you really feel you’re taking the chance of self-disclosure. When you open up to others and reveal who you really are, how you feel and what you want and need, you make yourself vulnerable. It is impossible to be assertive without doing so.

All risks carry with them the possibility of failure. Often significant sacrifices must be made before any real benefits are realized. Routines may have to change; the familiar may have to be released. You may be rejected or humiliated. In the case of commitment to a value, personal safety may be in danger. Consider those who stand up for what they believe in or put their own health and well-being on the line in the name of a cause. Challenging yourself is often the key to personal growth and development.

Are you a risk-taker? Ask yourself the following questions:

• Does every decision involve endless debates with yourself?

• Do you accept less than what you should because you’re afraid to speak up?

• Do you have difficulty making emotional commitments to others?

• Do you make up excuses that stop you from taking advantage of opportunities for self-improvement?

• Does fear of disapproval keep you from doing what you’d really like to do?

A “yes” answer to these questions indicates a reluctance to take risks, which may mean you tend to play it safe and reject change.

Consider this: to fulfill your potential, to discover your real self and live an authentic life, you must take risks. And while security may appear to be the absence of change, the only genuine security lies in taking risks.

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an ordained Interfaith Minister, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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Woman Spiritual Leader – the term sounds very impressive and well, somehow, larger than life. Many women would look at that phrase and say, “that’s not me!” Mother Theresa is a Woman Spiritual Leader, not me. Marianne Williamson is a Woman Spiritual Leader, not me!

But, I would beg to differ. I think that most women are spiritual leaders. Hear me out for a minute. Let’s delve into the individual definitions of each of the words that make up this term. First of all, what is meant by the word “leader”?

A leader is someone with a vision, who sees a direction and pursues it. A leader wants to create change in the world or in the community or even just in their home. A leader sees an opportunity for improvement and takes steps towards achieving that change no matter how small; and people who resonate with that change, follow.

Most spiritual leaders don’t have specialized training in spiritual leadership. They could, but it’s not a requirement.

Many times names like Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Thatcher and Indira Ghandi come up as names of Leaders. But a leader doesn’t have to be known all over the world or even in their own country. A leader is known to the people they have influence on. For most of us, that is our family, friends and community, and clients or customers if we have them.

Who do you have influence on? Who do you connect with on a daily or even just monthly basis? What areas of influence to you desire to improve? Your home? Your business? Your client’s lives? Your community?

If you named even one area you have influence on, and a “vision” for how you would like that area to be, you have the makings of a leader!

Next, let’s take a look at the word “Spiritual”. Now we can go a lot of different directions with this one. Some people would think this implies only very religious people. Others would think the opposite, that it is a “New-agey” term implying no religion, but some other metaphysical concept. I would like to propose that it encompasses both of these terms and many things in between.

For this discussion, I am proposing that “spiritual” means – anything that describes the desire for humans to connect to a force greater than themselves.

Do you believe in something larger than yourself? God? Allah?

Your Higher Self? The Force? The Universe?

Do you have a desire to connect with this Source in the manner best suited to you?

Would you like to add more meaning to your business and personal life?

If you answered yes to any of these questions and determined a sphere of influence you have “vision” of improving in some way – or making a difference in some way, then YOU are a SPIRITUAL LEADER!!! And, of course, it goes without saying that if you are a spiritual leader AND a woman, then you are a WOMAN SPIRITUAL LEADER!

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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Painting by Marica S. Lauck & Deborah Koff-Chapin

How often have you been in the middle of a dilemma – unable to decide which direction to go in, which step to take next? How to choose?  Every day we are confronted with decisions to make – some big, some small. How do you decide? You could make a list of pros and cons, you could ask your neighbor what you should do, or you can follow a Higher Power that has your best interests at heart.

There is a perfect GPS for guiding you through your life and you have access to it at all times. It goes by many names – intuition, gut feeling, higher self. It can also be “externally” directed such as – God, Allah, guardian angel, or spirit guide.

It really doesn’t matter which if these you relate to and choose to you, the methods and techniques for hearing it are the same. Below are several techniques for gaining access to this important tool in your business toolbox.

Technique #1: Get quiet
Sit quietly in meditation or just silently a few minutes each day. Just taking the time to do this, can open up the sensitivity needed to “hear” the guidance you are seeking.

Technique #2: Clear clutter
This can mean physical clutter, such as in your home or office space, but it can also mean mental clutter or time wasters. Get rid of any menial jobs or tasks that can be done by someone else, or perhaps don’t need to be done at all. Guidance needs space to work; and you need space to hear it.

Technique #3: Journal
Keep a daily journal of concerns and questions. Ask questions of your intuition in Q&A format and see what comes to you.

Technique #4: Play
Do something fun that you don’t normally do – plant a flower, go for a hike, play tag with your kids. Doing fun, playful things can disengage the mental chatter that goes on and again, create the space required for the messages to come through.

Once you have received some information, it is very important to validate it. You need to be sure it is coming from this all-knowing source and not from your own mind or ego with all of its wishes, wants, and desires. Here are a few guidelines to help you determine if this is a valid message:

1.    It is not fear-based – If you get a feeling of fear from the message, it most likely is NOT valid; if you feel peaceful about the message (even though it might provoke some anxiety), it most likely is valid.

2.    “I” versus “You” language – The message came across in the second person. For example, “You need to take the job offer.” versus “I want to take the job offer.”

3.    Declarative language – The message came in declarative, strong language – not in weak, unsure language. For example, “You need to take the job offer” versus “Maybe you should take the job.”

4.    Surprising – this was not the message you “expected” to hear. If you went into the process expecting to hear a particular message and that’s not the one you heard, it is a good indicator that this is a valid message.

Please note that some of these indicators may or may not be present. The more of them you have, the more likely the message is valid. However, the most important one is the first one – if this one is not present, the odds of the message being valid are pretty slim. God or intuition does not operate using fear-based principles. You will be guided through a feeling of peace – not through fear.

Remember to take advantage of this readily-accessible system for guiding your business and your life through anything that comes your way.

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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Loss is inevitable. We have no choice in this life about whether or not we are going to go through the process of loss – we will. What we do have a choice about is how we move through this inevitable process. And, notice, it is a PROCESS. Sometimes we sail along smoothly, going through periods of time when things are going fine, and then BAM!! Something happens – we lose a job, we move, our spouse leaves us, any number of things can happen and then we are thrown into a pattern of pain, grief, shock and anger.  

Sometimes these losses are like a rock slide – first one falls and before you know it, it seems as though you’re getting hit over the head with a new one every few days! In the span of about three months, I have lost:

My house
My family
My friends
My romantic companion
My spiritual community
My job

When loss happens, we can feel so raw, and open and vulnerable – like a little newborn animal – skinless, blind and dependent on something larger than us for sustenance.

Most of these things haven’t really been “lost” in the true sense of the word. They have, however, changed and transformed and in the process are transforming me. Some of them are even things I wanted to “lose” (like the job!) So, what exactly is the meaning of the word “Loss” in this context? It doesn’t necessarily have to mean that we no longer have these things in any way, shape or form. It does mean that our connection with these things has changed in some way. It seems that there is maybe a very fine line between loss and transformation. Because when loss happens, we are transformed just as our relationship with the thing list is transformed.

For example, my family is still there for me – they are just a couple thousand miles away now. But we can still communicate via phone and email.

I carry my spiritual communities with me in my heart – the teachings and the spirit of them.

My Beloved is still my dear friend and we can communicate in other ways. The relationship has changed, but he is not “lost” to me.

What about in the case of the death of a loved one? They are there in whispered memories that come to us at any number of moments throughout our days. I am not suggesting that these changes are the equivalent to what we once had. No, they are but shadow of the former vividness we had.

This is where the transformation comes in. As we go through the stages of grief, we are transported and changed. We are strengthened and prepared. It is important to go through these stages and you may find yourself going through several in one day or one hour! You may find yourselves revisiting a prior one. Here they are as defined by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

Eventually, you will find yourself more and more in Acceptance. One of my favorite phrases is “This too shall pass.” – and it will. I know that, but sometimes when we are in the middle of it, it feels like it will never end and things will never be good again. One thing I know is that they will be good again – they may not be the SAME again, but they will be good, if not great!

So what are some things we can do to ease through this transitional time?

1. First and foremost is self-care! You are very vulnerable at this time and this fact needs to be honored. Make sure you are getting enough sleep every night; try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and protein; get outside and get some natural light; exercise –even if it’s light stretching or yoga;

2. Honor your emotions – It’s OK to cry, it’s OK to scream and be angry; it’s OK to feel some apathy towards day-to-day activities.

3. Clear out the unnecessary – this includes not only material things, but also the activities that take up so much of our time – really reflect on what is necessary and what can be put off or totally eliminated. After clearing out my living space because of a suspected insect infestation (which turned out not to exist), I felt so much clearer, and empowered! It’s amazing what clearing out can accomplish!

4. Ritualize the transition – I find creating ritual around these markers of change in our life can really help honor the transformative power they are providing. Light a candle, say a prayer, write out what you want to remember or take-away from the thing that was lost, bless it and burn the paper. It could be something as simple as that!

5. Get help – especially if you are stuck in one of the stages or even if you are not, it can be very safe and supportive to get professional help through this time.

The dawn always comes – sometimes the night seems long and dark, and we can’t see what is next, but the dawn does come and things look so much better in the light of day!

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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This is a gorgeous chant to the Divine Mother – I have been listening to it all week! I wanted to share it here and honor all of the mothers out there! Enjoy!

Love you all!

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Next Sunday is Mother’s Day in many parts of the world. As I sit and think about the idea of honoring mothers, it comes to my mind that this could be a pretty complex topic. For some the idea is inconceivable – perhaps they never had a mother or they had an abusive or negligent mother. Even if you fall into this category, I would hope that you at the very least have someone that represented for you the energy of The Mother.

What is the Mother archetype energy? Often it is associated with Compassion (Quan Yin) or with Peace and Love (Mother Mary)… it is these things and so much more. 

A Mother’s love is:
Selfless – a mother will do anything for her child
Kind – she whispers tender words in your ear when you fall down
Supportive – she will help you attain your dreams in any way she can
Optimistic – she knows that you can do anything you set your mind to; she can be your biggest cheerleader,
Knowledgeable – who else know what you should do when the guy you have a crush on doesn’t call back?
Wise – She knows that chicken soup and ginger ale will cure everything
Healing – her kisses magically make the “boo-boos” go away
Comforting – she can make you feel that any problem is surmountable
Eternal – this is a love that never dies from the moment it is born
Fierce – like the mamma bear, she will go up against anyone who threatens her offspring
Sustaining – a mother’s love can carry you through all the rough times in your life
I think this poem by Helen Steiner Rice sums it up nicely.

A Mother’s Love

A Mother’s love is something

that no one can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it

or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving

when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters

even though the heart is breaking . . .

It believes beyond believing

when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty

of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining,

it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret

like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendoured miracle

man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence

of God’s tender guiding hand.
Love and Blessings to all the wonderful mothers out there! And remember to bring the energy of the Mother to your business or practice – it is your child!

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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Prayer has been a part of spiritual worship since the beginning of time. What is prayer? I like to think of it as a conversation with god. As with any conversation, it shouldn’t be one-sided. There are times that we are speaking and there are times that we are listening. Many times, we forget about the listening part. It can be difficult to determine when we are actually hearing the voice of the Divine as opposed to the some other voice such as our Ego.

This is a very basic model and probably not entirely inclusive, but I think there are four basic formats of prayer. These are as follows:

1.    Formal

These are the prayers that are part of every organized religion. The Salaat of Islam, the Our Father of Christianity, the formalized Shabat ritual of Judaism. These prayers are suffused with an eternal power and strength from long-use by countless generations. The repetition of them, both by the individual and the communities that perform them, creates a vibrational resonance that creates comfort and performs miracles.

2.    Conversational

These are the prayers in which we talk to God. Many times we are asking for something that we want – either for ourselves or for others. Sometimes these are known as intercessory (asking for something for others) or petitional (asking for something for ourselves). Many times they are prayers of Thanksgiving and gratitude for our many blessings. Sometimes they are prayers asking for guidance to do the right thing in a particular situation. They are just as the name conveys, conversations with the Divine, the source of ourselves and all that is.

3.    Centering

This is a style of prayer that is common in almost every religion and spiritual practice. Usually it is a meditative-type prayer in which a word is repeated over and over again either silently or aloud. In Sufism, this is called Remembrance and it is the name of God, “Allah” that is repeated or “La ilaha ilallah” – meaning there is no God but God. In the Christian form of Centering prayer, it can be any word of your choosing. The purpose of this type of prayer is to clear all of our mundane thoughts and keep focusing on God, Allah, the Divine. It is a very calming sort of prayer. Wayne Dyer mentions that the “AH” sound is the sound of the Creator, hence, all of the names for God in various religions or sacred sounds of various spiritual paths have this sound in them. For example, “ohm”, “Allah”, “God”,”Yahweh”, etc.

4.    Listening

This one is more complex but just as, if not more, important than the others. In the other forms of prayer we are communicating or focusing our intentions on something. However, at some point in the “conversation” we need to remember to step back and listen. This can be done in a myriad of ways including silent meditation, mindfulness practices, journaling, dreamwork. Many of us get those flashes from that still, small voice at the least likely moments, such as in the shower or driving to work!

All of these types of prayer serve different functions. I like to incorporate all of them in my daily spiritual practices. It is much like working out your body. You need to do exercises that are cardiovascular in nature to increase your endurance and heart strength, you need to do weight-bearing exercises to keep your muscles strong and you need to do stretching exercises to remain flexible. Some of these types come easier to some of us than others and yet, they are all important.

See if you can commit to a week of doing at least 5 minutes of each of Formal and Centering prayer; and intersperse Conversational and Listening forms throughout your day. You can set a timer a certain period of time to remind yourself to step back and have a conversation with your Divine source.

Of course, don’t be hard on yourself if you find even these few minutes a day difficult. Just remember the words of Meister Eckhart, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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I am forwarding this to all of you from a fellow Woman Spiritual Leader. A lot of great work in this area has been generated since the Parliament of World Religions met in December. This is one of those initiatives…

Women of Faith and Spirit

As a woman of faith and spirit, you know something important about this moment in human history. You know it from your rich experiences in the world and you know it from a place of deep wisdom within.  Your unique pattern of knowing is part of a larger pattern of feminine wisdom which may have the potential to powerfully animate the spiritual leadership of North American women in service of humanity.

We are excited about the possibilities that lie before us as women and deeply curious to learn more about the current pattern of women’s spiritual leadership in North America at this moment in time. As we attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in December 2009 and in our explorations to date:

* We observed that while there are currently many initiatives focusing on women’s leadership, most do not put an emphasis on the spiritual needs and issues that are unique to women and that may indeed represent some of the most significant barriers to activating their authentic leadership.
* We observed that while there are currently many diverse initiatives and networks for spiritual women, there exists in this moment a powerful opportunity to build a larger field of collaboration, passion and action by building bridges of understanding to connect these diverse networks in a web of spiritual presence.

You are invited to join us for a series of four ‘Exploratory Conversations’ hosted as conference calls from April through July 2010. Focusing on a series of questions, this inquiry will allow us to explore together the pattern of women’s spiritual leadership in North America.

April 15 ~ Thursday               5 – 6 p.m. Pacific/ 8 – 9 p.m. Eastern

What does it mean to be a woman of faith and spirit?

May 20 ~ Thursday                5 – 6 p.m. Pacific/ 8 -9 p.m. Eastern

What is the special contribution of women to spiritual leadership?

June 17 ~ Thursday                 5 – 6 p.m. Pacific/ 8 – 9 p.m. Eastern

How might we animate women to claim their voices/roles as spiritual leaders?

July 15 ~ Thursday                  5 – 6 p.m. Pacific/ 8 – 9 p.m. Eastern

What is waiting to be birthed in the community of women and spirit?

Simply RSVP BY APRIL 13  to any one of us by email and indicate your interest in any or all upcoming conversations. We will send you the conference call information once we hear from you.

For more information, see

http://womenoffaithandspirit.blogspot.com

http://www.peacenext.org/group/womensnetworknorthamerica

We would be happy to answer any questions you might have and look forward to an exciting year of listening to the wisdom of the women of faith and spirit.

In gratitude,

Kathe Schaaf  – Women’s Spirit Council -                 katheschaaf@cox.net

Kay Lindahl – The Listening Center -  thelisteningcenter@yahoo.com

Guo Cheen -Compassionate Action Network -  thecompassionnetwork@gmail.com

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To go on a retreat usually conjures up images of remote, sometimes exotic, locations for anywhere from a weekend to a month. When we can’t afford the time away, or the cost, we can still derive some of the benefit by finding ways in our everyday lives to retreat and renew. Here are just a few ideas:

1.   Abstain from speaking. Silence leads to inwardness, even in the midst of family life.

2.  Fast for a day or three. Fasting reminds us of the bounty of food available to us. It also lets the body rest from the busy-ness of digesting.

3.  Spend a day in the garden. Or the container pots. Or a community garden. Anything to get your hands in the earth.

4.  Go for a hike. Even an hour of one-on-one time with Mother Nature can reap huge relaxation dividends.

5.  Lie in bed reading—all day! Can you say, “Ultra-nourishing?”

6.  Do a media fast for a week. Turn off all input—TV, radio, stereo, newspaper, Internet, videos, books—and see what insights “tune in.”

7.  Get a massage in your home. Follow that with down-time and the R&R is complete.

8.  Take a long, hot bath. Candlelight, bath salts and wine optional.

9.  Spend a day doing what you love, not what you must. Paint, poke around the architectural salvage yard, take a book to the park—anything but what’s on your to-do list.

10.  Take a nap. These are especially delicious when strategically placed in the middle of a hectic day.

Reprinted with permission from © 2008 Claire Communications

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