International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders » Ministry

Honor to Mothers – and Bringing the Mother Energy to Your Business

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:20:49 +0000

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

Creating New Life at the Change of Season

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:38:11 +0000

March 20th generally marks the point when the days and nights are of equal length. In the Northern hemisphere it marks the beginning of Spring and in the Southern Hemisphere it marks the beginning of Autumn. There are many holidays from different cultures that surround this astronomical phenomena: Easter, the Christian observance of the resurrection of Jesus; the Baha’i New Year, Nowruz (the Iranian New Year), Higan, a Japanese festival which celebrates the spiritual move from the world of suffering to the world of enlightenment -a time to remember the dead; and, of course, the Wicca and other earth-based and indigenous religions celebrate it as well.
What you may notice when looking at these festivals and observances is that many of them represent new beginnings and new life. This is a time of year that many people use to prepare gardens for new growth and clean out homes for a fresh start.
So it makes sense to think that this is a great time to take stock of where you are in your life and in your business or ministry. It is important to clean out what isn’t working or needed anymore so that you can prepare for new growth. Here is a list of areas to review, and revise if necessary:
Goals
Re-evaluate and prioritize your goals – get rid of the ones that are no longer serving you. It’s OK to change your mind!
Health
Are you eating well? Up your fruits and vegetables and clean out any processed food
How’s your exercise routine? Do you even have one? It not, determine what you can start to do daily to get your body moving.
Finances
Review expenditures – do you have money going out towards things you don’t need or use?

Spiritual Growth
Are you keeping a daily spiritual practice? This could be as simple as mediating or journaling for 15 minutes each morning.
My favorite is to say “May you be safe. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease.” every morning as soon as I wake up and before I get out of bed. I then follow it by visualizing my day and all the things I have planned going smoothly.
Relationships
Are you taking time out to connect with friends and loved ones?

Home
Clear the clutter! Make sure everything has a place and everything is in its place. When you bring home a new item, get rid of two items that you own. Simplify!
These are just a few things you can review and take stock of to ensure that you are providing a fertile bed for your ministry and business. While this time of year is a great time to reassess these areas of your life, the key will be to continue these little practices and re-evaluate again in a few months. AS things get cleared away that are not serving you, your business, ministry, friendships, finances and health will blossom!

How Women Spiritual Leaders Can Eliminate Overwhelm and Accomplish Your Purpose

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:13:25 +0000

Do you have way too much email in your inbox? Are the bills piling up on the kitchen counter? Do you need to take your kids to soccer practice and piano lessons? Do you need to cook dinner, clean the house and mow the lawn? Oh, and yes, while of these things need to happen, do you also still need to do your work, your ministry in this world?

As women spiritual leaders we have many responsibilities and many hats that we wear. If we are not careful, we may not do any of these roles well. How can you make sure that you get done what must get done and still stay sane?

Well, first of all, it’s extremely important to know your values and your mission or purpose.
The first thing you should be sure to get clear on is your Mission statement – this is what will drive your actions in your spiritual business. Mission statements often contain the following:

•   Purpose of your ministry or business
•   Who you serve – your customers, target market, etc.
•   What you offer them – your products and services and the transformation they bring to the people you serve

The next thing you need to get clear on is your values. These are the things that are the most important to you in life. They could be things like Beauty, Family, Accomplishment, etc. These are what will drive your actions in your personal life. Hopefully, the mission and values are congruent and don’t contradict one another. If they do, then one is not authentically representing who you are.

Next, whenever an action item, invitation, request or decision comes your way, you will now analyze it against your Mission and your values. If it doesn’t fit in with these, that is, if it isn’t a definite “YES”!! in your mind and congruent with your values and your purpose, then it needs to be a “NO!”. And you should do just that – “Say, no!”

Also, go through any commitments you currently have and clear out the ones that don’t match your Mission or Values. This will leave room for the things that are truly important for you and what you are here to do to actually get done. And, now they will not only get done, but they will get done well, because you have room for them.

At the end of each day, jot down your accomplishments. Make special note where you might have been led astray and taken on things that are not in alignment with your mission or values. Don’t be harsh on yourself. Just note that these are things you will need to let go of.

Make this a daily habit, and I guarantee that within one month you will be much clearer and focused on the things that are important to you and your life’s work.

5 Tips About Money for Women Who Want to be Spiritual Leaders And Run Successful Ministries and Practices

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:11:31 +0000

Two weeks ago, I posted the article; “5 Actions for the Woman Spiritual Leader to Ensure Financial Success”. In the introduction, I addressed some of the issues women who are doing “spiritual work” seem to have around money. Here are some excerpts from that article:

“How many times have you stopped short of telling a client what you thought your services were worth? How often have you given your services away because it was considered to be the ‘spiritual’ thing to do? We who deal with services that are considered to be spiritual in nature, it seems to me, have mind-sets to deal with; those of the people we serve, and … our own! When we begin to deal with our own ideas, misconceptions, and beliefs around what our services are worth, we will then be able to better deal with those of the people we serve.”

Being women, we usually think about and handle money differently than men do. Men seem to have an easier time asking for what they think they’re worth. This likely is driven by a man’s need to provide and to ‘accumulate’. Women, on the other hand, have a need for security, their family, their home, and their community. Historically, women also have not been the ‘breadwinners’.

How much we have seen this change in the last few decades! While women are still not compensated at the rate that men in the same positions are, in many instances they have become the ‘breadwinner’; the main, or often, only source of income.

We women who are spiritual leaders doing “spiritual work”, it seems to me, have a double whammy to deal with. I think we would agree that as women our mindsets around money are different from the mindsets from men. And secondly, we have to deal with the mindsets we have brought to our work.

While much of this mindset has been borne of our culture’s view that anything of a ‘spiritual nature’ should not have monetary value (never the twain shall meet!! – Heaven forbid!) as women we have not been encouraged to change our own individual values around the services we provide.

In order to begin to build an awareness around any issues you may have around money and the services you provide, I invite you to take a notebook and respond to the following:

1. Identify your own mindset around money and what money means to you

View your “monetary history”. Take a look at your check register, credit card statements, investment records, and spending habits. It would also be helpful to look at records of your reimbursements from individual clients, work-shops, and other sources of income. What does this data have to do with your mind-set around money?

2. Write down some phrases, edicts, shoulds, etc. that you may remember from your childhood around the subject of money

We all have grown up with probably hundreds of those that now form the hodge-podge of the way we view money and how we value what we do. And so much of it is unconscious. And what is “unconscious” will begin to surface once you have set your intent around making it so, and commit to being aware. You may be surprised by what emerges…

3. Try to recall situations where you have been involved in conversations around money, and your emotional reactions to what was being discussed

This is also a good exercise to do in the present. Other people’s remarks, an article that you may read, or something you may view or listen to in the media, may trigger emotions in you that you may not have been aware of. It is helpful to have a small note book in your purse or small recorder to document your reactions.

4. Identify areas in your life where you would like to have more confidence

Building confidence in yourself and what you do is one of the key ingredients to becoming more financially successful. Write those down, and don’t be bashful… no-one is looking over your shoulder, and, after all, this is your life!

5. Seek support

It is not easy to roll back years of brain washing, acculturation, habit, and mindsets by yourself. Women, by nature, love relating. Find that group, person, program, or community that will best serve your needs.

To your financial success!

Ruth

Ruth Reiner, President and Co-Founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders is an ordained Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Counselor, Certified Life Coach, and successful business woman.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, PUBLICATION, OR ON YOUR WEB-SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leaving the entire article intact, do not alter it in any way, and include the following: “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 a gift to you- THE 5 SECRETS TO CREATING ABUNDANCE THROUGH YOUR CALLING.
You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of tips and information for supporting you in your mission or quest.

An Invitation to Serve One By One

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:10:49 +0000

A beautiful video created by five interfaith/interspiritual ministers from two seminaries:

Please share!

Patricia

The Art of Letting Go – 5 Simple Steps to Letting Go and Living Life

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:37:13 +0000

In any spiritual path one follows, inevitably, the idea of letting go rears its head. Why is it so important? Why is it so difficult? As women spiritual leaders we can face this conundrum in a myriad of ways. Not only on our own path, but also when dealing with others – for example when we are ministering to our people, we must approach them free of expectations and requirements; in many forms of meditation, we are asked to let our thoughts go as they appear; in counseling sessions, we must let go of preconceived projections and outcomes.

What are some of the things we need to let go of? Well, the list is infinite, but here’s some food for thought: shame, guilt, fear, anger, bad relationships, expectations, grief, resistance, dependency…

And through all of this letting go, the mind is clinging with fierce determination to what it knows. “The devil you know is better (safer) than the devil you don’t!” we exclaim. The dangerous unknown lurks in front of us like an abysmal hole. The purpose of the mind or Ego is to keep us safe – that part of ourselves will do whatever it takes to accomplish its mission of keeping us safe from harm – and what could be more unsafe than the unknown or change? However, a full cup cannot be filled with something new – it must be emptied first. Let go!

If we can allow ourselves to open up with grace (or without, as the case may be) and trust to the unknown and something different, what we find is a whole new world of options and possibilities. The Divine has more in store for us than we can imagine for ourselves, but our job is to have faith and let go!

The question is how? How can we let go when our “monkey mind” is clinging tight to its vine? There are 5 simple steps to easing into faith and “letting go and letting God”:

1. Label that part of yourself that is afraid. Give it a name and make it as real in your mind as possible. This gives you something to focus on.

2. Let it express its fear through journaling or meditation.

3. Speak to it gently as you would a frightened child. Don’t dismiss it – it will only cry louder!

4. Get silent and still so that you can hear the still, small voice within – this is what will tell you your next step, if any.

5. Breathe! It is so important during these times of change to remember to breathe.

By giving voice to your fears, you allow that voice to know it’s being listened to. Only then can it begin to be comforted. Then the monkey can finally let go of that vine – that’s the only way you’ll be able to catch the next vine – much like a trapeze artist, in order to catch one trapeze the artist must let go of the one they are holding and trust that the one they need will be where it needs to be when they let go.

Remember that when a window is closed, a door is opened. Go ahead, close that window! Let go and live life!

Even Animals Have Callings or Divine Purposes!

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:10:43 +0000

I couldn’t resist posting this link about Ricochet – a dog who was allowed to “follow her bliss” and is now helping to earn money for the disabled.

What an inspiring reminder to us all to go within and determine what it is we are truly called to do!

Patricia

Epiphany for Women Spiritual Leaders – 6 Ways to Invite an Epiphany to Help You With a Break Through

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:54:07 +0000

For many of us Women Spiritual Leaders, we are familiar with the word “epiphany” in its colloquial meaning… “a sudden understanding, or insight, especially into the meaning of something”. As we honor the celebration of the “Epiphany” of the Christian tradition which this year occurs on January 6th, we would invite you to discover, or reaffirm, ways in which we might invite epiphanies in order to help with our ministries, our practices, and our day to day living.

I suggest that they are not unusual, and for spiritual women, may be quite common.

January 6th marks the celebration of “Epiphany” which to Christians of the Eastern and Western churches commemorates the arrival of the Magi and, for some, the baptism of Jesus. Both acknowledge the ‘Epiphany’ as the “manifestation of Christ to the world”.

‘Epiphany’ is also intertwined with the twelve days of Christmas, the twelfth also known as “three kings day” in honor of the Magi who, biblical and historical scholars think, may have traveled many months and over many miles to visit Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, who by then, had left the manger and had created their home. Once there, they honored the baby Jesus with gold, frankincense, and myrrh each having its own mystical meaning.

How many times have you experienced an ‘epiphany’ after struggling with a problem or a challenge that had you tied in knots?

Do you remember when the ‘epiphany’ occurred?

What was it that the ‘epiphany’ provided?

If you implemented the solution that the ‘epiphany’ presented, what were the results?

I ask these questions because I believe all of us as women spiritual leaders have had ‘epiphanies’ that could help us answer these questions.

How, then, can we invite those experiences of insights, revelations, and sudden realizations into our everyday lives?

1. Spend time in reading, study, prayer, meditation, and contemplation which provide the discipline to counteract the distractions which cause the ‘static’ we all experience which interrupts the clear signal which is often searching for our ‘receiver’

2. Commit to the practice of being in the state of ‘awareness’…

3. Be cognizant of our thoughts and resultant emotions by allowing and exercising the ‘observer’; that part of us who is constant, unchanging, and not rocked by our thoughts, feelings, and actions…

4. Practice letting the past and the future go… the present which is all we have, will provide the answers we are searching for…

5. When preparing for sleep, offer your problem, challenge, or issue… being willing to let go of it and trust that your answer will come… It may not appear in a dream, though often it does, or upon awakening the next morning; continue to trust that you will have the answers…

6. Expect the ‘epiphany’ and when it is experienced by you, offer thanks, and provide the environment and the steps, with guidance, to put it into action…

As we enter this new decade, may we, as women spiritual leaders and those of us who are awakening to our spiritual natures, experience the clarity and the potential for making a difference in our lives that an epiphany provides!

Reverend Ruth Reiner is an ordained Interfaith Minister, spiritual counselor and coach.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, PUBLICATION, OR ON YOUR WEB-SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leaving the entire article intact, do not alter it in any way, and include the following: “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 a gift to you- THE 5 SECRETS TO CREATING ABUDANCE THROUGH YOUR CALLING.
You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of tips and information for supporting you in your mission or quest.

New Year Resolutions for Women Spiritual Leaders

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:39:41 +0000

New Years is a wonderful time! It’s almost magical. This is the time of year when we all have a chance to regroup and start fresh. The slate can be cleared and you can start again. As women spiritual leaders it is so important for us to take stock of our lives, our ministries, or callings and revamp them as needed.

Frankly, the first day of the Gregorian calendar isn’t necessarily the only time to do this – there are various markers throughout the year when we can re-evaluate our lives such as our birthday or any of the other religious/ethnic new year markings. However, January 1 is certainly an obvious time to do it.

Another obvious thing about this time of year is New Year resolutions. I think we’ve all come to realize that New Year resolutions can be somewhat tricky. The perspective on this annual tradition can range from downright brutal – “New Years resolutions don’t work!” all the way to those dedicated few who still make them every year – ” I will lose 40 pounds this year.”

When they don’t work, it is usually because the goal that has been chosen is so lofty, we can’t really succeed at it – at least not without a framework, a plan and support systems. When these things are in place, it certainly is possible to succeed – most people, however, don’t do this. They make their lofty goal, go after it full-throttle and then lose steam somewhere around February 1st. By March, they can’t even remember what it was they had resolved themselves to. Women especially tend to get sidetracked and sucked into the caregiver role at the first opportunity and then any goal we’ve set for ourselves falls by the wayside.

A much better way to get a fresh start that lasts the whole year and can have a profound effect on your life and your spiritual growth is to create a theme for the year. I have been doing this for about ten years now and the changes it has wrought in my life are downright remarkable!

Choosing a theme for the year is very personal and should involve thought and candid reflection. I like to spend the week before New Years reviewing the last year and any issues I encountered. What worked? What didn’t? What areas of my life feel like they need healing? Here are some possible choices that I have either used in the past or have considered using:

Be Happy

Let go and let God

Choose Joy

Be the Gift

Trust

Say “Yes!”

Just say “No”

As you can see the possibilities are endless! And after while you can actually have a lot of fun coming up with them. I have noticed that every time that I have done this, within the first week of the year I am presented with a test of my theme. For example, if you choose “Let go and let God” – I guarantee that there will be something, someone or some idea that you will have to let go of.

So forewarned is fore-armed – put some thought into which theme will benefit our soul the most – you will not be disappointed!

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, energy healer and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com, and is a practicing life coach, spiritual guide and healer helping people to live the life of their dreams: www.theblissfulsoul.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.

Winter Solstice – A Time For Going Within and Rebirth

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:01:05 +0000

What is the Winter Solstice?

Technically this is the longest night of the year – in the Northern hemisphere, this is usually around December 21st – 22nd. The world around us is dark and cold. In modern times, ignoring the rhythms of the earth, we rise while it is still dark and continue our activities – taking the kids to school, going to work, running errands – until well past the setting of the sun. With all of our artificial light, we forget how dark our surroundings are at this time.

Can you imagine a time before electricity, before scientists had explained to us that this phenomenon is simply caused by the tilt of the earth as it rotates around the sun? And that this darkness is just the result of the earth being tilted to its maximum position of 23° 26′ away from the sun…it is likely people could easily become fearful. The trees and shrubs, would freeze and dry up, often they would be buried under a layer of snow or frost. There was no guarantee that the sun would come back. People would watch as each day the sun would rise to a lower and lower point in the sky. In northern elevations, they might not see it for weeks or months at a time!

Oh, but then! They would notice that this cycle would reverse itself…can you imagine the joy and hope that entered people’s hearts at that time! The sun was returning! The world would not remain a cold, dark wasteland forevermore. This was certainly reason for celebration! And even those seemingly dead gardens would eventually spring back to life…there had been life lying dormant there all along!

The word solstice derives from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still)…the moment when the sun stands still…culturally, this event has been seen through the years as the time when the ebbing of the sun stops and it begins to return. Concepts of the birth or rebirth of sun gods have been common in many cultures through the years:

In Greek mythology, the gods and goddesses met on the winter and summer solstice, and Hades was permitted on Mount Olympus.
The Hopi Indians, also known as “The Peaceful Ones,” hold a ritual on December 21, the shortest day of the year, to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter sleep.
In many pagan and earth-based traditions, this holiday is celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God, who is viewed as the “newborn” sun.
In modern cultures gatherings at this time of year are filled with evergreens, bright lights, large bonfires, feasts, spending time with loved ones, and dancing and singing.

As women spiritual leaders this can be an opportune time to STOP the busy-ness, STOP the “doing” and follow the rhythm of the earth. Much like the winter garden lies dormant, we too should take time to sit quietly and go within. This dark, cold, quiet time of year is perfect not only for hibernating bears, but also for our hibernating souls. We need the withdrawal and rest from the hub-bub of daily living to recharge and regenerate – to bring our own light and life back into the world.

Take time this week to have a daily check-in with yourself:

STOP – take 10-15 minutes and find a quiet place to sit – no radio, music, television, kids, phone, etc.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Focus on your breathe and imagine it flowing through you as you breath in and out.
Imagine a small flame in the center of your chest. As you breathe in, the flame expands. As you breathe out, the flame flushes out anything negative in your thoughts or feelings.
Sit in silence for a few more minutes. Remind yourself that there is NOTHING for you to do right NOW.
When you feel complete, slowly open your eyes. Continue with your day remembering the calm darkness that envelopes you and the warmth of your light within that fuels you.

It is so important that we, as women take the time to recharge, hibernate or go within and stay in that calm darkness, knowing that our light is always there – we only need to allow its gentle flame to regenerate and recharge in the silence of our own winter. And when we honor that cycle of death and rebirth, we will be even more prepared to perform our ministry in the world – whatever it might be.