Archive for the ‘Holistic Self-Care’ Category
Manifesting Your Dreams in the New Year
By Grace Sardonicus
- Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
It’s so easy to make promises about the year ahead. We will stick to our diets, spend more time exercising, be more financially responsible, be more loving to our family, But, for most of us, the resolutions made today will be empty dreams six months from now. Why is it so difficult to make lasting changes? Real change happens when we feel genuinely inspired by our heart’s desire and unwilling to settle for anything less. It happens when we commit with all of ourselves to a new way of life.
If we harbor feelings of guilt or unworthiness, how can dreams ever manifest? No matter how hard you try, the result will still come back to sabotaging feeling happy with yourself, relationships, work, etc. Most of the time we walk around not even understanding why we are miserable, stuck or unfulfilled. We yearn to feel connected, happy, living our bliss or to even get a clue what our bliss is.
The ability for us to access our creativity, play and imagination is a direct result of clearing our limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns that hinder our ability to live fully. In other words … lightening our emotional load. When our commitments fall to the wayside, it is not that we want to be quitters but rather that we are unconsciously more committed to an old story about ourselves that is comfortable and safe. Often outdated distorted beliefs will have you return to autopilot, asleep at the wheel, rather than being awake and alert as you traverse the limitless possibility of expressing your heart’s desire and purpose.
A sure-fire recipe for aligning with your true heart begins with facing whatever stories show up in your mind that you believe are the reasons for unhappiness or dissatisfaction with your life. What better way to celebrate the New Year than by revealing these unconscious stories about money, sex, self-care, religion or spirituality, politics, education, health care, what is right and wrong, etc. Once we have awareness of these cloaked beliefs, we are free to make conscious choices from our heart. We have a chance to be happy and create our lives in alignment with truth rather than what we should be doing.
These days prior to the New Year are prime-time moments to review what has past in the last 12 months and commit to the days & months ahead. You can ask a few questions to clear old baggage while guiding your life in the direction of your true heart.
1. A dream is born from our heart’s desire. Take a moment. Close your eyes. Imagine your dreams for the New Year. If you had nothing in your way…money, time, resources, no fears, doubts…where would you be doing? How would you feel? Who would you spend time with? What qualities would you like in your environment at home and work?
2. What are you willing to give up to get them? What habits, limiting beliefs, unhealthy relationships or situations?
3. As you reflect on your life, when did you become unwilling to do whatever it takes to have what you want? And why?
4. What cravings/addictions or unmet needs will keep you away from your heart’s desire?
5. What do you have your faith and trust invested in? Is your faith in line with your true heart and dreams or is it part of the old, outdated support system that no longer works?
6. What structure of support will you need to ensure this new future?
7. Who will help you stay awake and on the track of your true heart and be a loving supportive “kick in the butt” friend, gently reminding you to stay awake?
If you wish to manifest your dreams, begin by setting your vision on a dream you can reach and then create a plan that will be your guide. If at any time you don’t feel like following your plan, stop. Take a deep breath. Call forth your vision. Then pick up your phone and dial your friend. Ask him/her to remind you that veering off your path really isn’t worth the pain of repeating the past. It will only leave you feeling disappointed, depressed and unhappy in a dark gloomy hole rather than living the bright, amazing and fantastic life that is your birthright!
So today, YOU have the power to choose the course of your dreams, create a plan and stick to it. So gather your courage, strength and commitment and make 2010 the most inspiring year of your life! Manifesting dreams is just steps away! Instead of making those New Years resolutions this year only to find your self drifting away and dissatisfied, let’s make it work this time! Join me in Manifesting Your Dreams through The 4 Alignments of Self Care ™.
This workshop will be in 3 parts the following Wednesday evenings 6:30-9PM, January 6, February 3, March 3, 2010 at Yoga Passion, Beverly Farms, Ma. The cost is $85/series. You do have the option to attend individual sessions for $35.
Jan 6 – Write your Story
Feb 3 – Purpose & Priorities
March 3 – Treasure Mapping
Workshop practices include lectures, 4 Alignments™, awareness-building exercises, Meditation practices, group interaction.
The series ends with an optional journey to the pyramids of Teotihuacan, Mexico from March 25-30, 2010
Contact Grace: 603-651-9642 or graceventura1@gmail.com
to attend workshops or private sessions in-person or long distance.
Fruitcake Recipe for the Holidays
By Grace Sardonicus
- Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Raw Fruitcake
serves 4-6
Dried Fruit
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup dried pineapples, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup golden raisins
Cake
4 cups walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dates
In a large bowl, whisk agave nectar and water together. Add all of dried fruit into bowl. Let set for one-two hours or until the fruit softens.
In a food processor, combine walnuts, seasonings and sea salt. Add dates and continue to mix until you achieve a sticky dough.
Transfer the walnut dough to a large bowl. Fold in the soaked fruit until distributed throughout the dough.
Shape the fruitcake in a 5-inch round or square or however you choose. Have fun with it!
At Peace Wherever I Am
By Grace Sardonicus
- Friday, September 11th, 2009
A few weeks ago I asked myself, “What is my heart’s desire right now?” Without thinking, the words flew out of my mouth….To be at peace wherever I am. In that instant I recognized a couple of things.
1. If this is my heart’s desire then I am not living it. If I was living my heart’s desire, my answer would have been something else.
2. Being at peace wherever I am has to do with every aspect of my life…emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, my relationships…all of it! I saw how I was not at peace in several areas.
Next was the inquiry. What does it mean to be at peace wherever I am? What would it take for me to be at peace? It begins with putting an end to resistance & fighting with what is. Acceptance with no judgement. It doesn’t mean being complacent but rather having trust & faith in life.
If I am trying to sell my house (which I am!) and it isn’t happening, I have a choice. I can get frustrated, angry and impatient…the result of which will be unhappiness or I could have so much gratitude for my home, enjoy whatever time I have left there and be happy and at peace.
For the greater part of my life I wanted my body to be different… slimmer, stronger, taller, etc. Through dance, yoga and other disciplines I endeavored to reach the goals I set for my body. Some were easier than others. I haven’t figured out how to make myself grow! I have felt frustrated, indifference, hopeless, resentful and unhappy each time I chose not to accept me as I am. The only way to make a shift is from a place of peace. Not war. It is through love & compassion that the greatest and most lasting changes happen both personally & globally.
One other example is the desire for others who are close to me to change. As a Mother, Healer, & Teacher, I have repeatedly witnessed children and clients come against the psycho-spiritual crossroads of not accepting things as they are vs. one’s earnest desire for personal transformation. There is a fine line. On the one hand in order to make healthy shifts in one’s life, you need to change certain behaviors, beliefs & habits. On the other hand, if you judge yourself & others by making them wrong & failing to accept things as they are, an inner battle & downward spiral into old negative self-talk & expectations ensues. What’s to do?
Step 1 – Acknowledge what is true. I am not at peace. And I want to be.
Step 2 – Take inventory of myself by pulling my energy back inside & reviewing how I truly feel. I looked at my close relationships and knew I needed to step away from others so I could go inside and see where I am. It’s much more challenging to “see” myself when I am with others. Space gives me room to ’see’. I do regular check-ins asking, “What is my heart’s desire right now? What would make me happy and at peace right now? How do I feel? ”
Step 3 – Give myself what I want. It may be as simple as more rest, a bike ride, movie or a glass of water!
As I am discovering how to continually give to myself whatever my heart desires, I feel at peace. I breathe deeply and sigh, “Ahhhhhhh!”
Join me on a Holistic journey to the sacred pyramids in Teotihuacan, Mexico Embody Your True Heart March 25-30, 2010
with Lynne(Little Feather) Patrice & Peter Sklivas of Yoga Passion
Tests are Negative, So Why Am I Still in Pain?
By Grace Sardonicus
- Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
How can we make informed decisions about our healthcare, if we are basing our decisions on external sources that don’t take into account the larger picture of who we are? Heck, we don’t even know who we are. We don’t listen or trust our inner guidance system. When we have chronic lingering pain, most of us call our doctor hoping to glean some Godly wisdom. What is wrong with me? I don’t want this pain. Please help me get rid of my suffering. I shouldn’t feel this way. 9 out of 10 times the answer is, “The tests were negative. So maybe it’s all in your head.” Or, “The tests were negative. But your symptoms suggest you have Fibromyalgia.” The most common remedy is drugs or pain management therapy.
How do people arrive in this desperate place? All of a sudden? Or is it a slow steady downward spiral? The exacerbation of physical symptoms arises when life’s cumulative collection of trauma tips the scale. Emotional stress is the top culprit. Often physical pain is a cry for help from the emotional body.
Recently I had a client who had been taking an anti-depression medication for years. When she got off the drug due to its unpleasant side effects, all sorts of physical pain showed up in her neck, shoulders, arms and hands. What a coincidence. Instead of her healing old emotional trauma, the drug was just masking previous emotional issues. So now this woman had a choice. Begin the work of addressing the cause behind her physical symptoms. Or get her doctor to prescribe a new drug.
As a Massage Therapist for 25 years I have heard hundreds of clients recount stories of being told their symptoms were psychological or lumped into the catch-all diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. The truth is doctors need a category for your pain. Or the HMOs won’t reimburse for the drug company’s latest magic bullet.
So what’s going on here? Why all the pain? Why the exhaustion? The tests were clean. What is happening? From my personal & professional experience, the cause of most pain, fatigue, headaches, etc. is stress. Better yet, resistance. To be perfectly clear, if you are fighting a path of fulfilling your heart’s deep desires, this resistance will be likened to crashing into a wall headfirst, in this case, heartfirst.
Thoughts such as, “I am not good enough. I am a lousy mom or wife. I better hide my fears, doubts, guilt & shame. Or everyone will know what a loser I am.” These are stories in the mind based on lies. Beliefs of how you should be. And if you fail to live up to these beliefs, you will judge yourself as bad and unworthy. Believing such stories will take us far from living in bliss. The flow of creativity and life moving through gets compromised. Then the voices of fear become so loud creating pain and confusion.
Who wouldn’t have a headache with such a commotion rattling in their head?
Yes, the pain is real. The gnawing, sharp aches that run from your neck down your arms are legitimate. And believe me, after carrying 6 children in my womb & arms for years, I have dealt with my share of low back pain. I am sure the physical stresses through which we put ourselves, including hours of driving, sitting at computers or repetitive manual labor are brutal on the body. Then there are the emotional stresses, financial pressures and scheduling challenges which accompany the go-go fast-paced Starbuck lifestyles so prevalent these days. Do you have a sanctuary where you feel peace and serenity? Do you have an outlet to release stresses from your day? If not, it’s likely that a nasty cocktail of these factors will create illness of some form.
What if you are taking care of yourself … Yoga, stretching, aerobic exercise, eating well, getting enough rest, etc … and you still have pain? Are you addressing the emotional and energetic body? Often clients complaining about chronic symptoms of physical pain walk into my office after having tried numerous modalities without success. With such individuals I examine the deeper issues of organ or fascia stress or an emotional trauma. This is not to say there can’t be a more serious illness. As I said before, this prognosis is based on “the tests are clear”.
The question now becomes: are we ready to take responsibility for our lives by addressing pain before imbalance compromises wellness? Are you ready to let yourself really feel instead of trying to control/deny what your whole being yearns to express? Here are primary tools you’ll need: discernment, courage, compassionate, faith and honesty. With proper guidance and the proactive willingness to face the pain demons, you will be on your way to a life that is pain-free!
Grace Ventura is currently offering workshops in Self-Care, nutritional guidance and mindful parenting including The Four Agreements and Yoga principles. For more information check out her new website www.embodydreamprograms.com and the seminar listings on the Life Mastery page. Her next upcoming workshops are Earthly Delights and Mother, How Can This Be?
Energize Your Business! Applying The Four Agreements, the Toltec Masteries and Strategic Leveraging Business Systems
By Kevin Murray
- Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Imagine combining the full power of your spiritual practice with your business life.
Imagine having a business that lets you focus on what you really enjoy and all the other aspects are handled for you. If you enjoy working with your clients, but don’t like marketing and getting new clients, imagine that a system exists that automatically and always brings to you your ideal clients.
Imagine being so energized and magnetized that the perfect opportunities and resources flow to you and that your business really works for you – versus that you really work for your business.
Energize Your Business! is a One-on-One and sometimes group program that provides
- Entreprenuer Coaching
- Strategic Consulting and
- Energetic Guidance
To get a flavor for some of the topics and teachings in this program, go to the following blog about The Four Agreements in the Workplace
To see a really cool MindMap (.pdf file) that highlights some of the program concepts – click here
To receive your Complimentary One Hour Session click here for the Session Preparation Form
For more information, you can email kevin@earthandlight.com or call Kevin Murray at 203.410.8150
Energize Your Business! Applying The Four Agreements, the Toltec Masteries and Strategic Leveraging Business Systems
By Kevin Murray
- Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Imagine combining the full power of your spiritual practice with your business life.
Imagine having a business that lets you focus on what you really enjoy and all the other aspects are handled for you. If you enjoy working with your clients, but don’t like marketing and getting new clients, imagine that a system exists that automatically and always brings to you your ideal clients.
Imagine being so energized and magnetized that the perfect opportunities and resources flow to you and that your business really works for you – versus that you really work for your business.
As an Energize Your Business! client, you will explore many tools and techniques to create a new business or re-create your existing business so that you are feeling highly energetic and developing serious business systems to let grow your business to support the dream of your life.
The Energize Your Business! program takes you through energizing, insight-gathering exercises and processes to leverage your time, your money and your energy to create maximum joy and income given a minimum of time and effort.
The work is organized around various topics:
- The Toltec Masteries and The Four Agreements
- Business Systems Designed to minimize work and maximize energy and revenue
- Your Daily Energy Builders Daily Action Items
- Journaling Exercises, Projects and Outreach between calls
Click here for the program flyer (it’s almost ready, please come back)
For more information and to register, please email kevin@earthandlight.com or call Kevin Murray at 203.410.8150
Holistic Self-Care Class in Boston Area: Earthly Delights
By Grace Sardonicus
- Friday, May 15th, 2009
Life Mastery Programs is pleased to announce a Holistic Self-Care Class in the Boston Area.
Earthly Delights: Give the gift of health this Summer … to YOURSELF!!
With Grace Ventura Sardonicus
Born from Grace’s passion to share tools that dramatically improve wellness, this workshop offers you cutting-edge nutritional tools, imaging exercises, yummy healthy food & juicing recipes.
Class 1: What is an EmBodyDream?
Wake up to the distortions in your mind about your body. Why do we fall into ruts of ill health? Learn how to support great health by learning to ‘witness’ your mind. Take home tools & homework to support your journey.
Class 2: How do You Treat your Temple? Identify personal & family legacy. Let’s be the change that we want to see in our children &the world!
Workshop A: Cooking Yummy Healthy Meals. Taste & take home great recipes.
Class 3: Transform Attitudes & Cehaviors. Changing our planet begins with changing our the temple!
Workshop B: Creative Juicing. Learn how to juice & function in your daily life while safely cleansing toxins & rejuvenating.
Class 4: Rebalancing as a Permanent Way of Inhabiting the Body. Integrating & creating an ongoing support system.
Workshop Dates: Friday, August 21, 7-9PM, Saturday, August 22, 9AM- 4PM, (includes lunch) & Sunday, August 23, 9AM-Noon
Cost: $225. plus $20. materials fee
Location: Yoga Passion, 32 West St. Beverly Farms,Ma (Northshore of Boston)
RSVP please contact: Grace at 603-651-9642 or grace@lifemasteryprograms.com
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