It’s a New Year.  Turning the calendar to January, 2011 is an opening, a vista, an invitation.  What do you see?  Do you have some private dreams, wants, wishes waiting to show up in your life?  How will you birth them?

Birth is a very Yin concept, very much about Feminine energy.  For birth to occur, there must first be the sacred stirring of energies creating conception.  What sacred stirrings are going on inside of you right now?  Who are you and what are you here for?  Are you on track and on purpose in your life?

Please note that this is a private matter — all you.  No “shoulds” allowed.  To find your “True North” you must disregard the “peanut gallery” and the applause meter.  In fact, I would recommend that you close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears.  Seriously.

Ok, now that we’re alone, what do you hear and feel about your direction for 2011?  In career?  Health?  Relationships?  Prosperity?  What do you want more of?  Less of?  What do you need to harness to lead you to your own North Star?  You will need Peace (stillness), Awareness (be awake), and Authenticity (be honest). 

All the information coming at you from the outside-in pales in significance to the wealth of wisdom that is your from the inside out.  Remember this the next time you hear echoes from the peanut gallery or see the applause meter jump. 

Spend this month near your journal, dreaming and writing and feeling your way toward the year you really want this to be for you.  This time next year, you will be really glad you did.  Happy New Year!

Enjoy our Radio Shows at Chique Radio!  Our January show is “The Law of Attraction: Turning dreams into Chique reality!”  Go to: www.EnlightenedLifeCoaching.com & click on “Audio links”

I’m reading this book a second time.  (I rarely if ever do that.)  I also recently saw the movie.  Despite those who bemoan how movies do not do justice to books, I think this one does.  And it’s not a “chick” book.  It’s a book about being human, searching for the deepest truth in oneself, and having the courage to live authentically.  I would hope this pertains to all of us.  In re-reading this book, I forgot how absolutely funny the author is.  The thing I like most about this work is how in the midst of personal angst, she finds a ray of humor.  She is able and willing to embrace her vulnerabilities and yet take herself as lightly as possible.  Can you?  I think this is a great skill in life. 

I am hearing that many women are reacting to this movie with “How selfish of her!”  This is an interesting phenomenon.  After two waves of feminism (some say three), there are women who still hold a double standard for their own gender.  Judging anyone for anything is not wise.  I’ll offer the famous Rumi poem, “Out beyond ideas of wrong-doing and right-doing there is a field, I’ll meet you there.”  Liz finds herself on her knees after years of reaching for “right-doing” according to everyone in her life, including herself.  Once she releases judgement she hears her own pure thoughts and feels her own deepest feelings.  It takes human courage not to run at this point, in any direction. 

I like this book and movie a lot.  Mostly because I love the theme, which in my understanding is this — “Who are you?” and “What are you here for?”  The two most important questions any human can embrace.  The two answers which keep one on the path of authenticity and intimacy.  The only road to love. 

And so I will recommend both the movie and the book to you (all of you).  I will also recommend that you sit with your close circles and talk about some of what comes up for you.  Keep it real.  There is ever so much difference between conversing and gossiping.  I’d love to hear from you about what this book (and movie) unearths in you.  While it would be wonderful to take a year and travel to far off lands in search of self, it can be done much closer to home.  As long as we are willing to release the known, face our fears, and stay true to our deepest intuitions, I’d say we are definitely on track.  Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to eat…..pray…..and love along the way.

Wednesday evening I co-hosted a talk and discussion entitled,  ”Creating Cooperative Relationships.”  My co-host was my good friend and colleague Lori Guth Moffett, CYT.  We had an amazing time sharing info about how powerful and sacred the energy between us and within us is, and how it can be a powerful source of healing in this world.  After illustrating how the chakras emanate energy (thanks to my brave volunteer!), I tried something I had never done before.  I asked who in the audience was having a challenging time in the heart/love department of life.  One woman raised her hand and I checked her fourth charkra with the pendulum.  It indicated that her heart energy was very blocked (or protected).  Then I asked her to relax and allow the group to send her loving, healing energy intentions to her heart chakra.  After about a minute of so of our sending her energy (wonderfully led by Lori), I tested her fourth chakra once again.  To the amazement of the entire room, the pendulum began swinging clockwise freely. 

It is always amazing and awe-inspiring how very spiritually enpowered we really are.  In relationships, we have choices.  We can complain, see what we do not like, feel deprived or resentful.  Or we can know there is only love and that it is possible to send this love to others.  We saw how immediately a group of strangers can come together and send love to one of its members who is struggling.  I suggest we do this in all our relationships, including our relationship to Mother Earth and all of us on the planet.   Less complaints and more compassion would serve us all.  And it is far easier than you would think.  Try it.  We thank you.