RESOURCES

INSPIRATIONAL LESSONS,

These words of wisdom provide guidance to learn from life's lessons.
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#32. Posted October 29, 2008

PERSONAL SUCCESS COACHING
by Lorraine Sims

Do you have difficulty setting goals and achieving them?
Are you bored or dissatisfied or feel stuck in your life right now?
Do you want to know what options you have to utilize your natural talents for maximum results?
Do you want to make positive changes in your life and in the world?
Are you ready to turn your ideas into reality?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, Personal Success Coaching may be just what you need.

Having a coach is no longer just for athletes. In fact, more and more people in all walks of life are seeking out their own coaches to assist them in achieving success. Personal Success Coaching is popular now because people want more out of life and are no longer willing to settle for less. In this ever-changing world, people are re-focusing their goals in line with what is important to them. This is a difficult task, and people recognize the need for assistance.

WHAT IS PERSONAL SUCCESS COACHING?

Success Coaching is a powerful form of communication that guides you on the right track to greater happiness and success. Coaching allows you to see opportunities that you couldn’t see before, and challenges you to step up and take a leadership role in building the life that you most desire. Coaching assists you in getting clear on the goals that are important to you, supports you in taking action, overcoming any obstacles in the way, and reaching your big goals and dreams.

WHAT IS A PERSONAL SUCCESS COACH?

A Success Coach is someone who listens to your ideas, goals, and dreams and assists you in developing strategies to achieve them. With a coach, you have someone whose primary goal is to support you, keep you moving forward and celebrate your victories with you. A Coach helps you create more of the positive and less of the negative in your life, set bigger and better goals, get you back in touch with your dreams, stop putting up with what drags you down, earn and keep more money, live a more balanced life with less stress, and take yourself more seriously, but have more fun. Most importantly, a coach will hold you accountable for making progress, doing the things you say you want to do, being the person you say you want to be.

A Coach is not a family member, friend or business associate with a vested interest in your decisions. These 3rd party interests can lead you to discouragement and redirection from your vision. A Coach is objective and wants only the best for you. Your Coach keeps you on track, moving forward, living day-to-day in sync with your values.

A Personal Success Coach has a wealth of resources to assist you in making positive changes, now in the future. Just like a sports coach, a Personal Coach is there to draw out your greatest talents, improve your skills, inspire you, and challenge you to be your best. The purpose of a coach is to inspire, energize, mentor, challenge and guide you to a greater level of happiness and success. A Coach will help you see how to best utilize your knowledge, experience and skills to reach your highest potential.

WHAT DOES A COACH ASSIST YOU WITH?

Health - strengthening your body, improving appearance and physical fitness
Money - earning more money, saving more, investing, developing a plan for financial freedom
Work –advancing in your profession, changing jobs, starting your own business, defining a specialty, getting clear on the skills and talents you have to offer, and utilizing those talents to make a positive difference in the world.
Sports and Recreation – finding more time for active and leisure activities
Education – learning specialized new skills, taking programs and courses, getting a degree,
Relationships – learning how to communicate in marriage, with family and in business.
Travels – making the time to explore different countries, cultures, foods, architecture and art.
Self-development - building up confidence, asking for what you want, accepting opportunities, and anything else that you want to improve upon.
Leadership and Influence - turning your skills and years of experience to assist others in need.

HOW DO COACHING SESSIONS WORK?

Coaching is conducted mainly over the telephone for the client’s ease and convenience. The sessions last between 45 and 60 minutes, and occur on a weekly basis. This provides ongoing support, keeps you on track, focused, taking action, and achieving your goals.

Coaches require a minimum commitment of 3 months, because changes don’t take place overnight. A fee is paid to strengthen your commitment to making positive changes and achieving the results you want. During each session, discussions evolve around successes and wins you’ve had during the week, decisions and changes you are ready to make, new life lessons you are ready to learn, progress on your projects, activities and goals.

Coaching is different from counseling and therapy which tend to focus on the past. Coaching is action-oriented and keeps you moving forward with your plans and goals for now and the future. The relationship between a coach and a client can last anywhere between a few months and a lifetime. Most coaches offer a complimentary coaching session so that you can experience the benefits and results first-hand.

HOW DOES THE COACH/CLIENT RELATIONSHIP WORK?

A Coach will support you, offer feedback, be a sounding board, provide advice and guidance, will help you understand the role you are playing in attracting unintended results, and will challenge you to learn and achieve the success you are looking for. A Coach will clarify your thinking, share ideas, show you new perspectives, help you establish clear goals, build action plans to achieve them, and support your decisions.

Top 15 benefits and results of coaching:
1. Greater confidence
2. More effective use of time and energy
3. Clear focus and direction towards goals that matter most to you
4. Improved communication skills
5. Understanding what motives you
6. Earning more money/reducing debt
7. Stronger/deeper relationships
8. Elimination of stress, suffering and tolerances
9. Healthy balance between personal and professional life
10. Sound decision-making, creating the results you want
11. Improved health and wellbeing – physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally
12. Greater happiness and fulfillment
13. Stepping into a bigger realm, to maximize your influence
14. Having more fun
15. Reaching goals faster

Coaching provides you with the tools and skills to achieve greater success.

Lorraine Sims has been a Personal Success Coach for 12 years, and works with individuals who want to change their own lives and change the world.
She can be reached for a private session at (604) 874-9169 trinitycoaching@shaw.ca www.lorrainesims.com

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#31. Posted July 17, 2008

Did you know that the right side of the brain is concerned with the present, and the left side is concerned with the past and future. Today, I’d like to share with you some wonderful insights about the differences between the left brain and right brain functions. The TED Talks are a series of lectures by people in the forefront of their fields, who have new ideas or perspectives, created new inventions or made new discoveries. They are fascinating and eye-opening. This lecture is by Jill Bolte Taylor, a neurology scientist who had the opportunity to study the brain from the inside, during and after she experienced a stroke. Her insights shed new light on our capacities as humans, how our brains perceive our world, and the cross-over between science and spirituality.
Here is the link to her audio and visual lecture. Please enjoy:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html __________________________________________________

#30. Posted March 20, 2008

Dr. Muhammad Yunus – A World Without Poverty
I was fortunate to see and hear Dr. Yunus at the Chan Centre at U.B.C. in Vancouver last week (thank you Neil for the ticket). Dr. Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his concept and practical application of offering small loans to people so they could rise out of the cycle of poverty. It all began in his homeland of Bangladesh, where he was a professor of Economics. On the outskirts of the university town of Chittagong, he witnessed extreme poverty and people starving all around him. He quickly realized that his Ph.d was not solving any world problems. During a walk through the nearby village one day, he came upon a woman crafting beautiful bamboo stools. She was dirty, clothed in rags, with the strain of poverty etched in her face. He asked her about her business and she revealed that she had to borrow money from the trader who sold her the bamboo, and was forced to sell back to him exclusively, at the price he determined. She was, essentially, bonded labour to the trader, and converted to a slave. Dr. Yunus asked her how much she earned in a day. 2 cents per day was her reply. He could not believe that anyone could work so hard, create such beautiful bamboo stools, and make so little. He asked her how much money she would need to release herself from the loan shark. She said 25 cents. He was astounded.
Dr. Yunus and one of his students, then went about the village asking other people what it would take for them to become self-employed. After it was all tallied up, he got the biggest shock of his life. For 42 people, it would cost a mere $27.00. He felt ashamed to be a member of a society that could not provide $27.00 for 42 hard-working, skilled human beings. To escape the shame, he took $27.00 out of his pocket. Instead of giving them the money, which could be likened to charity, he had a better idea – to offer a loan to each of these people and tell them they could repay it whenever they were ready. In the meantime, they could sell their products wherever they could get a good price. The newly self-employed people were so excited. Nothing like this had ever happened to them before.

Dr. Yunus then approached the bank on the university campus to request loans for the people of the nearby villages and met with other banks, trying to convince them of the merits of the idea. “It’s impossible. Poor people are not credit-worthy”, they said. The bankers had been trained to believe that poor people were not capable of running a profitable business. Fortunately, Dr. Yunus had not received that training. He decided to set up a bank to provide opportunities for many more poor people and it took almost 3 years to receive government approval to start his own bank. And so, in 1983 the Grameen Bank was established for microcredit (small loans) financing. In the process, he met with many banks to understand the principles and guidelines for banking. After reviewing all his research, he decided to do the opposite. He discovered that the main policy of conventional banking is: the more you have, the more you get.
At the Grameen bank, the policies are:
the less you have, the more you get;
if you have nothing, you get first priority;
you need not come to the bank, we will come to your doorstep;
you need no collateral;
you need no guarantor;
there are no lawyers;
“It works beautifully”, he said.
At this point, the audience responded with a wave of applause.

“Poverty is not created by people”, Dr. Yunus stated. “Poverty is created by the system, the institutions, and the flawed concepts. Poverty is an artificial state. All human beings are packed with unlimited potential, with talents and gifts. Our societies do not allow people to unwap their gifts. This is not the fault of the individuals, it is the fault of the system.”

Today, the Grameen bank has 7 million borrowers, 94% of whom are women, 27,000 employees, and a loan repayment rate of 97%. Over $1 Billion have been provided in loans, most of them averaging $12.00 - $15.00 each. The records prove that poor people are credit worthy.

Over the years, the bank has developed new policies. One of these policies states that all their children shall go to school. Education is known to be a key component in eradicating poverty. This was a drastic change in their lives. Most of the parents, the borrowers, were illiterate. They soon saw that their children were achieving top marks in school, were receiving scholarships, attending universities abroad, acquiring degrees, and many becoming doctors. It was hard to escape the fact that the parents, too, could have been doctors. Dr. Yunus points out that they did not change the people, they simply accepted an opportunity. To date, 21,000 children have attended school.

Dr. Yunus now turns his attention to other symptoms of poverty, like disease. He notes that vaccines do exist for diseases such as cholera, but they are not produced because they are not profitable. Such diseases are known as ‘orphan diseases’ and no one cares. His research revealed that it costs about 50 cents to produce one vial of vaccine.

Dr. Yunus then refered to the United Nations Millenium Goals. One of these goals is to reduce world poverty by half by 2015. He sees the evidence in his country of Bangladesh, that they are well one their way to reaching that goal, and will, in fact, achieve full eradication of poverty before soon after. If they can do it in a country stricken with floods, earthquakes and famine, we can do it worldwide.

In closing, Dr. Yunus stated that it is not an unreachable Utopia. We will eliminate poverty from the world, and then we will create a poverty museum. The tipping point for change – the opportunity. “Social and economic advancement is not the privilege of few, but the right of all.”

What new ideas do you have? How will you change the world?
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#29. Posted October 9, 2007

The Global Elders
I am profoundly moved to share with you a new global initiative that has commenced this year: A group of Elders, from around the world, whose purpose is to seek new approaches to global issues, bring an end to human suffering and to bring hope and wisdom back into the world. The idea of a group of Global Elders to provide wise guidance to resolve conflict, originally conceived in 1999 by Peter Gabriel and Richard Branson, was launched in July, 2007. Chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the founding Elders include Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel, Mary Robinson, Kofi Annan, Ela Bhatt, Lakhdar Brahimi, Gro Brundtland, Jimmy Carter, Fernando H. Cardoso, Li Zhaoxing and Muhammad Yunus.

Excerpts from the speech by Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, at the announcement of The Elders
Johannesburg, South Africa.
July 18, 2007
“In traditional societies, it was the Elders of the village who were trusted to resolve conflict and provide wise guidance. Today, we live in a global village, yet we don’t have our global elders to lead and inspire.
I am very humbled and honored to announce a new initiative to provide much-needed global leadership: The Elders, an effort led by the esteemed group of leaders who meet here today.
This group, dear friends, is one that has an understanding of the essential interdependence of all of us human beings.
It is a beginning, and we look for a glorious tomorrow, when we will discover that we are actually members of one family, the human family, God’s family.
It is ultimately the goodness, and laughter, and joy, and caring and compassion - those are what we want to convey in the end.”

Never before has such a powerful group of leaders come together, free from political, economic or military pressures. The only agenda of The Elders is that of humanity. And their only purpose is to ease human suffering in three essential areas:
1. Offering a catalyst for the peaceful resolution of conflict
2. Seeking new approaches to seemingly intractable global issues.
3. Sharing wisdom: reaching out to grassroots Elders to the next generation of leaders. Listening over the world.

To learn more about this inspiring group, please visit: The Elders www.theelders.org

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#28. Posted September 24, 2007

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DISCOVER AND NURTURE YOUR TRUE TALENTS?

Many years ago, in a small town in England, a little girl named Gillian had difficulty concentrating in school. She realized this and thought she was hopeless. Gillian's Teacher called her Mother to a meeting to discuss her daughter's problems. After describing Gillian's classroom behavior, the Teacher told Gillian's Mother that Gillian probably had a learning disorder because she couldn't concentrate, was constantly fidgeting and disturbing the other children. She recommended they see a Specialist. Gillian and her Mother went to see a Doctor who specialized in these cases. Gillian sat on her hands for an hour, struggling to keep still as her Mother fully described the problems she was having in school. The Doctor listened intently. After an hour, the Doctor advised Gillian that he wanted to meet with her Mother in private for a few moments, and they left the room. Before leaving the room, the Doctor turned on his desk radio. As soon as the door was closed, Gillian was up on her feet, moving to the music. They watched her, in amazement, for many minutes through the small window in the door. After a while, the Doctor turned to Gillian's Mother and said:
"Mrs. Lynne, your daughter is not sick, she is a dancer."
Surprised and unprepared for this news, Mrs. Lynne asked the Doctor what she should do. He encouraged her to enroll Gillian in a dance school.
Many years later, when asked what the dance school was like, Gillian replied:
"It was wonderful. The room was filled with people just like me: people who needed to move to think."
Gillian Lynne went on to become a star of the Royal Ballet, performed in several musical theatre productions in England and North America, and is probably most famous for being the Choreographer for Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS and Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running Broadway musical. Today she is a multi-millionare and has her own dance school where children are encouraged to discover and nurture their own unique talents.
Had this happened today, what do you think would have been the specialist's diagnosis?
What talents are within you, that you and others may be supressing or misreading?
Are you ready to turn your talents and your passions into your profession?
Are you ready to dissipate the fears and the justifications that hold you back?
Your potential awaits.
Every time someone responds to their true calling, greater joy and peace are brought to the world.
For a complimentary session, to discover your true potential, and respond to your true calling, call Lorraine at (604) 874-9169.

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#27. Posted April 25, 2007.

CLEAR AWAY THE CLUTTER AND REVITALIZE YOUR LIFE

Are you feeling stuck? Do you feel an energy drain? Do new opportunities seemed to get blocked? If so, you will greatly benefit from some clearing and cleansing. In her book, Clear the Clutter with Feng Shui, Karen Kingston makes the connections between our cluttered homes and offices, and our clogged minds and bodies. If you are hanging onto 'stuff' in your home or work environments that is cluttering your space, it will clutter your mind and interfere with your natural flow in life. The goal is to surround yourself with everything that uplifts your spirits, infuses energy and evokes joy. Your environment is meant to be a place of peace, inspiration and creativity. To accomplish this, look at each object in your home and workspace and ask yourself: Does this object drain me of energy, create feelings of guilt, sorrow or displeasure or bring up unhappy memories? If the answer is 'Yes", then release it. Recognizing that many objects have emotional attachments and are difficult to release, seeking assistance will ease the process. Also, poorly-designed rooms, and small constricted spaces can create conflict amongst family members and tightness in breathing and thinking. A flow in the space, nurtures a flow in communication and ideas.
In addition to clutter, piles and files of old papers, boxes, knick-knacks, stacks of magazines, storing other people's furniture, your old and unused clothes, toys and books, and e-mail backlogs, other harmful elements in our environments include noise, dirt and dust, dark rooms, poor air circulation, blocked windows, depressing views, lack of personal safety, and living in a dangerous neighbourhood. Eliminating these elements will bring brighter outlooks, new personal and career opportunities, greater self-confidence, new relationships, and pride in your surroundings. You'll begin to breathe easier, be open to taking chances and pursuing life-long goals that now appear possible. It's a wonderful feeling. Do it for yourself.
If you would like some assistance in taking action and making the positive choices, I highly recommend the services of Cristina Viviani, in Vancouver. She says spaces that are uplifting welcome bright colours, flowers, ample light, pleasant views, clean spaces, organization, clear passageways, separate work spaces and sustainable systems. Cristina is a genius at design and inspirational spaces. She will not only assist you in clearing away the clutter, but also highten your awareness to what really inspires you and what truly matters to you, so that your decisions to keep or discard are obvious, and you can re-design your spaces to be truly inspiring, energizing and uplifting. You deserve it.
Cristina Viviani, consultant and designer of inspiring peaceful places.
(604) 732-5883
cristina@riverstonefinearts.com

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#26. Posted March 13, 2007.

SELF-MASTERY DEPENDS ON SELF-HONESTY

Know first who you are and what you are capable of. Just as nothing great is created instantly, the same goes for the perfecting of our talents and aptitudes. We are always learning, always growing. It is right to accept challenges. This is how we progress to the next level of intellectual, physical, or moral development. Still, don't kid yourself: If you try to be something or someone you are not, you belittle your true self and end up not developing in those areas that you would have excelled at quite naturally.
Within the divine order, we each have our own special calling. Listen to yours and follow it faithfully.
- Epictetus (55 - 135 A.D.)
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#25. Posted March 8, 2007.

START LIVING YOUR IDEALS

Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. Once you have determined the spiritual principles you wish to exemplify, abide by these rules as if they were laws.
Don't mind if others don't share your convictions. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer.
Put your principles into practice - now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren't a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you will be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better.
From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do - now.
- Epictetus (55 - 135 A.D)
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#24. Posted January 31, 2007. Watch for a new lesson each week.

I wonder how many people in this world are truly living their purpose? How many have turned their passion into their profession? Some of us are called to be leaders, builders, healers or teachers. Others are called to be inventors, speakers, creators or performers. Whatever, your calling is, here are the top 10 reasons for being yourself for a living, by entrepreneur, Robin Wheeler. It involves integrating who you are with what you do and realizing your personal purpose through your work or business. It refers to being true to yourself in whatever you do, becoming more of who you really are by realizing your potential, and living in the present. It means embarking on a venture, being enterprising and inventive, bucking and transforming the system, and enjoying the fruits of your life's work.

TOP 10 REASONS TO BE YOURSELF FOR A LIVING

1. You can.
That alone should be reason enough.

2. You want to.
There's nothing you crave more than fulfilling your potential by being of service to others for a living, and you are going to do exactly what you want.

3. You're being pushed by circumstance.
Changes all around (and inside) you are forcing you to take the leap of faith (and keep taking it).

4. The world needs you to.
You are here now, and your immediate, extended and global community desperately need you to make the most of your presence, for you and everyone else. The world wants what you bring, which is who you are.

5. It's the future.
With the current changes in work, business and technology, and the wave of spiritual awakening happening, most people will end up being themselves for a living through having to simultaneously adapt to their environment and answer their calling.

6. It is freedom.
In a life of giving up who you are to fit in, there comes a time when being yourself means everything.

7. It's the most challenging, rewarding and thrilling way to live.
It means plugging staight into inspiration. I strongly recommend it.

8. Life should not be wasted on anything less.
There isn't time for mediocrity or compromise.

9. We are all already being ourselves for a living.
Doing it consciously and deliberately means seeing how far you can go in the precious time you have left.

10. You will no longer need reasons to do it because you'll be doing it.
And you'll be so happy and thankful that you are.

by Robin Wheeler.
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#23. Posted January 15, 2007. Watch for a new lesson each week.

A large part of my work is helping people align themselves with their ultimate purpose. Each of us has, within us, a unique combination of talents, gifts, abilities and passions. It is not only our responsibility, but our duty to share these with the world. When we do this, it brings us happiness and fulfillment, and also contributes to the wellbeing and success of others.
Throughout our lives, we find ourselves in jobs, careers and vocations. Each of these words has a distinct meaning.
A job is defined as a task, chore or duty.
Career, comes from the French word, carriere, which means 'life path'.
Vocation is my favorite because it connects us with our highest purpose and our inner knowing.
Vocation, comes from the Latin word, vocatio, which means 'little voice' or 'the calling'.
My experience has shown that our 'little voice' is hard to hear above the droning of city noises, computers, t.v.'s, iPods, and the loud voices of others (telling us what we should or shouldn't do). In order to truly hear our 'little voice' and understand our calling, we must be surrounded by silence, and listen intently to what our inner guidance is telling us. It is always there, we just have to turn down the outside noises, and turn up the inner volume. When you hear the voice, you may be quite surprised, but there is wisdom there. Pay attention to it. You may be called to heal, to lead, to speak, to perform or to create. And the details will come, once you acknowledge and accept the inner guidance.
I find that most people disregard the voice and find 'logical' reasons to disbelieve, i.e. "I don't have the right education, I don't have enough money, I don't know the right people", etc. I know for sure that, everything we need to respond to our 'calling' is already within us. We have to look for the evidence that supports us.
Another definition of 'vocation is 'where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need'
I particularly like this because it reinforces our inner-most desire to contribute to the betterment of humanity.
I've seen hundreds of people change their jobs and their careers to respond to their calling. This alignment brings good health, prosperity, enriched relationships, a deep sense of purpose and fulfillment.
I encourage you all to be quiet, listen, and heed your calling.
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#22. Posted January 8, 2007. Watch for new lessons each week.

This year, instead of posting other people's quotes on this web page, I have decided to provide lessons from my own guide book.

Have you set your goals for 2007? The BIGGER the better. Most people set goals that are 'practical' or 'achievable'. Where's the magic in that? When you establish your goals, ask yourself: "What do I really want in my life this year?" Be honest with yourself. Don't censor or limit yourself in any way. This is the beauty of setting goals; once they are established and promised, they take on a life of their own and put events into motion to help you actualize those goals.
Do you know what percentage of the North American population actually achieve their goals? 3%
Do you know what this group of people does differently from other people?
They write down their goals and commit to achieving them.
Did you know that writing down your ideas and goals is extremely important. It takes an intangible thought and turns it into solid form. When you write down what you want to achieve, you set in motion a combination of drive, commitment and providence. And further, writing with your hand, rather than punching keys on a computer, creates a deeper mental and physiological connection with the words and your desires.
Now, write down 5 goals or desires that you have for 2007. Then, in January, take one step towards each of these goals. Even if it's just a phone call, or a letter or a few spoken words. These actions will get you closer. Then watch for the doors that open up and beckon you forward. The fascinating thing is, they may be different doors from the ones you are knocking on, but they will be the right doors for you to walk through.
Remember, you always get what you ask for, it's just a matter of time.

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#21. Posted January 1, 2007. Watch for a new quote each week.

I think it is fitting, at the beginning of this new year, to share with you some wisdom from the Mayan calendar.
Did you know that the date December 21, 2012 in the Mayan calendar is of great significance. This date marks 'the end of this world'. On this day, according to the Mayan's, the core of the Milky Way will be in alignment with the centre of our solar system, the Sun, and our planet Earth. This date does not mark the end of the world, but the beginning or time of re-birth, a return of consciousness. It marks the time of the 5th Sun. The Mayan calendar is a system of different calendars and mathematical systems which could be synchronized in order to create more extensive time cycles - the next one lasting 26,000 years.
The 1st cycle was a feminine energy and its element was fire.
The 2nd cycle was a masculine energy and its element was earth.
The 3rd cycle was a femine energy and its element was air.
The 4th cycle was a masculine energy and its element was water.
The 5th cycle will be a fusion of both feminine and masculine energies, and its element will be the ether (the elements beyond Earth).
According to the ancient wisdom of the Mayan's it will be a transition where there will be peace between the polarities. It will bring an end to confrontation, a balance; and an end to hierarchy, there will be equality. Both energies will support each other. This period is called one of harmony, of love and the return of consciousness.
December 21, 2012, is less than 6 years away.
I'm ready for this.
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#20. Posted December 18, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

We will discover the nature of our particular genius when we stop trying to conform to our own or to other people's models, learn to be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open.
- Shakti Gawain
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#19. Posted December 11, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

The genius of George Lucas gave a new generation a spiritual understanding:
"Trust the Force, Luke." has become part of our cultural language and a reminder to 'see with our hearts'. His use of Joseph Campbellian guides heightened our appreciation for wisdom from elders. In this scene, we learn the power of belief.

STAR WARS
Episode V
The Empire Strikes Back
by George Lucas
The X-Wing fighter plane has sunk, and only the tip of its nose shows above the lake's surface.
LUKE: Oh, no. We'll never get it out now.
Yoda stamps his foot in irritation.
YODA: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?
Luke looks uncertainly out at the ship.
LUKE: Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.
YODA: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.
LUKE: (focusing, quietly) All right, I'll give it a try.
YODA: No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.
Luke closes his eyes and concentrates on thinking the ship out. Slowly, the X-Wing's nose begins to rise above the water. It hovers for a moment and then slides back, disappearing once again.
LUKE: (panting heavily) I can't. It's too big.
YODA: Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm.
Luke shakes his head.
YODA: And well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we ..(Yoda pinches Luke's shoulder)..not this crude matter. (a sweeping gesture) You must feel the Force around you. (gesturing) Here, between you...me...the tree...the rock...everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!
LUKE: (discouraged) You want the impossible.
Quiety, Yoda turns toward the X-Wing fighter. With his eyes closed and his head bowed, he raises his arm and points at the ship. Soon, the fighter rises above the water and moves forward as R2 beeps in terror and scoots away. The entire X-Wing moves majestically, surely, towards the shore. Yoda stands on a tree root and guides the fighter plane carefully down toward the beach.
Luke stares in astonishment as the fighter plane settles down onto the shore. He walks toward Yoda.
LUKE: I don't ...I don't believe it.
YODA: That is why you fail.
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#18. Posted December 4, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Many new clients come to me seeking their life purpose. It is a fulfilling process teaching people how to stop yearning for meaning and chasing a dream, but instead stand still so it knows where to find you. It creates an ease and 'flow', also known as 'being in the zone'. It is the difference between 'doing' and 'being' and connects people with their highest purpose. This is one of my favorite quotes that teaches this lesson:

Commitment begins not with will, but with willingness.
We begin to listen to the inner voice that helps guide us as our journey unfolds.
The underlying component of this kind of commitment is our trust in the playing out of our destiny.
We have the integrity to stand in a 'state of surrender', knowing that whatever we need at the moment to meet our destiny will be available to us.
It is at this point that we alter our relationship with the future.
- from the book, Synchronicity and the Inner Path of Leadership, by Joseph Jawarski
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#17. Posted November 27, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

There is an old story about a man who lived a long and worthy life.
When he died, the Lord said to him, "Come, I will show you hell."
He was taken to a room where a group of people sat around a huge pot of stew. Each held a spoon that reached the pot, but had a handle so long it couldn't be used to reach his or her mouth. Everyone was famished and desperate; the suffering was terrible.
After a while, the Lord said, "Come, I will show you heaven."
They came to another room. To the man's surprise, it seemed identical to the first room - a group of people sat around a huge pot of stew, and each held the same long-handled spoon. But here everyone was nourished and happy, and the room was full of joy and laughter.
"I don't understand," said the man. "Everything seems to be the same, yet they are so happy here, and they were so miserable in the other place. What in heaven's name is going on?"
The Lord smiled. "Ah, but don't you see? Here they have learned to feed one another."
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#16. Posted November 20, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment.
- Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
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#15. Posted November 14, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Once upon a time, there was a group of tiny frogs who arranged a leaping competition to the top of a high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the base of the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants.
The race began.
Honestly, no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top.
You heard statements such as: "That's WAY too difficult!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." and "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs gave it their best effort, but began collapsing, one by one.
A few gained a fresh tempo, and were climbing higher and higher.
The crowd continued to yell: "It is too difficult! No one will make it!"
All the frogs got tired and gave up, except for one tiny frog.
Only ONE continued climbing the tower, higher and higher...
This one wouldn't give up!
After a great effort, it was the only one who reached the top.
Everyone cheered.
All the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it.
A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the top. But the frog did not respond.
It turned out...that the winner was deaf.
The moral of this story is:
Never listen to other people's negative or pessimistic words, because they can take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you - the ones you have in your heart.
Think of the power that words have, because everything you hear and read will affect your actions.
Always be positive and, above all...be deaf when people tell you that you cannot fulfill your dreams. Because you can.
Always think: "I can do this."
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#14. Posted November 6, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Today, I have for you one of the most beautiful and profound statements ever made on the environment. It is a letter from Chief Seattle, written in 1854 to President Franklin Pierce, in response to his offer for a large area of Indian land and a promised 'reservation' for the Indian people. As our current governments fail to comply with the environmental goals of the Kyoto Accord, the real power and responsibility is bestowed upon each of us to change the way we treat the land. What habit will you change this week, to last a lifetime, so that our children inherit a world of clean air, water and soil?

How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?

Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memory of the red man.

The white man's dead forget the country of their birth when they go walking among the stars. Our dead never forget this beautiful earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices in the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and man - all belong to the same family.

So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. The Great Chief sends word that he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably to ourselves. He will be our father and we will be his children. So we will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy. For the land is sacred to us.

The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tell of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father.

The rivers are our brothers, they quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. If we sell you our land, you must remember to teach your children that the rivers are our brothers, and yours, and you must henceforth give the rivers the kindness you would give any brother.

We know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of the land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the land whatever he needs. The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on.

He leaves his father's grave behind and he does not care. His father's graves and his children's brithright are forgotten. He treats his mother, the earth and his brother, the sky as things to be bought, plundered, sold like sheep or bright beads. His appetite will devour the earth and leave behind only desert.

There is no quiet place in the white man's cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in the spring or the rustle of an insect's wings. But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not understand. The clatter only seems to insult the ears. And what is there to like if man can not hear the cry of the whippoorwhil or the argument of the frogs around a pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand. The Indian prefers the soft sound of the wind darting over the face of a pond, and the smell of the wind itself cleansed by a midday rain, or scented with the pinion pine.

The air is precious to the red man, for all things share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breathes. Like a man dying for many days, he is numb to the stench. But if we sell you our land, you must remember the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all life it supports. The wind that gives our grandfather his first breath also receives his last sigh. And if we sell you our land, you must keep it apart and sacred as a place where even the white man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow's flowers.

So we consider your offer to buy our land. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition: the white man must treat the beasts of the land as his brothers.

I am a savage and do not understand any other way. I have seen rotting buffaloes on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and do not understand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo that we kill only to stay alive.

What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts are gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happends to the beasts, will soon happen to man. All things are connected. You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children what we have taught our children - that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves.

Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand of it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.

Even the white man whose God walks and talks with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from common destiny. We may be brothers after all. We shall see. One thing we do know, what the white man may one day discover, our God is the same God. You may think now that you own Him as you wish to own our land, but you cannot. He is the God of man, and His compassion is equal for the red man and the white. This earth is precious to Him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator. The whites too, shall pass; perhaps sooner than all the other tribes. Contaminate your bed and you will one night suffocate in your own waste.

But in your perishing, you will shine brightly, fired by the strength of God who brought you to this land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over the land and over the red man. That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not understand. When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horse are tamed, the sacred corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and when the view of the ripe hills blotted by talking wires. Where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone. The end of living and the beginning of survival.
Chief Seattle 1854
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#13. Posted October 30, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Our inspiration today comes from a lovely little film entitled: "I Create Reality". I encourage you to be constantly mindful of your thoughts because they are the tools that forge your world. Are you thinking: "I am worried; I hate my job; I am lonely; I am unhappy; I am fearful; I am poor; I am feeling stress;" Are you experiencing these things? Or are you thinking: "I am healthy; I feel free; I am prosperous; I love my life; I am happy." Are you experiencing these things? You decide. Stop your mind from repeating that negative chatter. Your mind is a power tool. Utilize it to shape positive thoughts. Choose what you really want. Choose wisely. Enjoy the film:

www.icreatereality.com



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#12. Posted October 23, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

This is how you solve a problem when everything is working against you:
Mother Teresa
The world mourned and celebrated the life of Mother Teresa when she passed away in September, 1997, at the age of 87. Shortly after her death, I felt compelled to watch a documentary about her life and work. One scene, in particular, fascinated me because it epitomized her love for humanity and heightened my understanding of what it means to truly serve:
She sat in a small, dark room in a war-torn region of Eastern Europe. It may have been Serbia, but I’m not certain. With her in the room were two other people - the Leader of the United Nations Peacekeeping mission and the Archbishop of the area. The three of them huddled over a map on the table in front of them.
Mother Teresa feverishly pointed to an area on the map, insisting that they go into a certain section of the city: “This is where we must go. There are people injured and sick here. We must bring them medicine and take care of them.”
The Leader of the United Nations mission apologetically told her that it was not possible to go into that area because the fighting was heavy: “We are unable to go into that area. It’s not safe. We cannot protect you there.”
She continued to insist and her voice became increasingly agitated.
The Archbishop, tried to calm her: “We cannot go there now. Our Catholic holiday is in 3 days, and then there will be a cease fire. So we must wait until we can go safely.”
Mother Teresa raised her voice: “The people cannot wait 3 days. They will be dying. We must go now.”
The Archbishop softened his voice and proceeded to patronize her: “I understand what you are saying. It is a nice idea, but we cannot go there.”
Mother Teresa looked up from the map, angrily glared into the eyes of the Archbishop, and shouted indignantly:
“It’s not an idea, it’s our duty!”
She passionately reminded them of their purpose, and from that moment on, the three of them were committed to achieve the impossible: discover a way to immediately enter the area safely with their medical team. And they succeeded. How do you think they did it?
The solution was absolutely brilliant: They devised a plan to initiate an immediate cease fire. They encouraged the Archbishop to declare the next day as the Catholic holiday. The cease fire occurred 2 days ahead of time, and the U.N. Peacekeepers, the Nuns and the medical team arrived safely to care for the sick and injured.
An idea like that must be Divinely inspired.
This glimpse into Mother Teresa’s devoted spirit, taught me two important lessons:
1. We all have a duty to serve humanity;
2. There is a solution to every problem.

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#11. Posted October 16, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Today's Inspirational Quote comes from the Dalai Lama. I encourage you to choose one of these lessons and deepen its meaning by living it fully for an entire week.

Instructions for Life by the Dalai Lama
1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three R's:
- Respect for self,
- Respect for others, and
- Respect for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortability.
15. Be gentle with the Earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
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#10. Posted October 9, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

RISK
I challenge you to take a risk. I challenge you to voice your grande ideas, your goals and your dreams.
I dare you to release your hidden ideals and bring action to your intentions. Share with me your vision for a bright world future, and I will share with you my coaching skills for an hour. Write down your vision on the Contact page, and I will contact you to support you in your quest to materialize your highest and noblest vision. I challenge you to risk your safety and grasp your freedom.

RISK
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool,
To live is to risk dying,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self,
To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.
But risks MUST be taken,
because the greatest hazard in life is to risk NOTHING.
The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by his servitude, he is a slave, he has forfeited his freedom.
Only the person who RISKS is truly free.
- Anonymous
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#9. Posted October 2, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Every action we take is felt in our world. The results are sometimes subtle and invisible and can take many years to accumulate. But, over time, what we put our attention to, builds up, and the effects will be clearly seen. Every little bit does matter.

Two birds sat on a slender branch of a tree in winter.

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coal-mouse (bird) asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," was the answer.

"In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal-mouse said.

"I sat on a branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow - not heavily, nor in a raging blizzard - no, just like in a dream, without a wound and without any violence. Since I did not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3, 741,952. When the 3, 741,953rd snowflake dropped onto the branch, nothing more than nothing, as you say - the branch broke off."

Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away.

The dove, since Noah's time, an authority on the matter, thought about the story for awhile, and finally said to herself,
"Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world."

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#8. Posted September 25, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

I think these are the quintessential principles for living a good life.
(Note the proverbial bottom line.)

DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career,
however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

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#7. Posted September 18, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Today's life lesson is enriched by the insightful knowledge of the First Nations family. It teaches us the importance of fore-thought. Rather than allowing our undisciplined minds to wander and respond to lower level compulsions, we must call upon our higher selves to consciously choose our thoughts and actions. Which wolf are you feeding?

Cherokee Wisdom
An elderly Cherokee was teaching her grandchildren about life.
She said to them, "A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight,
and it is between two wolves.

One wolf is evil ..... he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed,
arrogance, self- pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride,
competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good ..... he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity,
humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too."

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandmother,
"Which wolf will win?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
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#6. Posted September 11, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

This inspirational story reminds us to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, to fully appreciate what we have, and to do what is right for us, even when others try to push us in directions that don't feel right. "Know Thyself" and "Act with Integrity". What will you do today to consciously enjoy the life you are living now?

The Greek Fisherman and the American Businessman
A Greek Fisherman sat on the shore beside his small fishing boat, tending his nets in the afternoon sun. Content and focused in his work, he did not see the American businessman approaching from the town above. “Good Day”, said the businessman. “Good Day”, said the fisherman.
“I see you are tending your nets for your fishing trip tomorrow. What do you do for the rest of the day?”
“Well”, said the fisherman, “I wake up early in the morning, and enjoy the hearty breakfast that my wife has made for me. Then I meet my fellow fishermen down here on the shore and I take my boat out to sea for 5 - 6 hours. I return, in gratitude, with the catch that the waters have provided me with for the day. I clean the fish and take them to the market to be sold before noon. Next, I return home to a wonderful lunch that my wife has prepared for us. After lunch, I make love to my wife, and have an afternoon nap for about an hour. While the sun is still bright, I return to the shore and tend my nets so they are in good repair for the following day’s catch. After that, I join my friends at the pub and we enjoy some ale, share our stories, and have a good laugh. In a couple of hours, I walk home, and enjoy a big dinner with my family. The dinner usually consists of a fish from my morning catch, deliciously prepared by my wife. We talk, share our day’s events, kiss, and then retire to bed.”
The American businessman listened intently and then said: “Did you know that, if you worked a bit longer and caught more fish, you could earn more money and buy another boat. If you had another boat, you could hire someone else to go out fishing and soon you could double your money. Then you could buy more boats, hire more men to do the fishing and repair the nets, have someone else sell the fish at the market, and increase your profits. After a few years, you could be making 10 times the money you are making now. At that point, your business would be worth a great deal and you could sell your business for a great profit and live extremely well off the proceeds. Then what would you do?”
The fisherman listened intently to everything the businessman said, and thought carefully before replying:
“Well”, said the fisherman, “I’d wake up early in the morning….”

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#5. Posted September 4, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Today's inspirational quote provides a wonderful opportunity to look at our definitions of security and freedom. Only when we let go of our attachment to the things that bring us the illusion of security, are we truly free.

The Wise Woman's Stone
A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation.
The traveler left rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime.
But, a few days later, he came back to return the stone to the wise woman.
"I've been thinking." he said. "I know how valuable this stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me this stone."

from the book entitled 'The Best of Bits and Pieces'
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#4. Posted August 28, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Today I have a wonderful gift for you from the pages of "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. This is the story of a young shepherd boy on his path to fulfill his destiny. This enchanting adventure takes us from the Andalusion Mountains of Spain to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path and, above all, following our dreams. It wakes us up to our 'personal calling'. What dreams are you being called to fulfill? What can you do today to actively realize your dreams?

I'm the King of Salem", the old man said.
"Why would a king be talking with a shepherd?" the boy asked, awed and embarrassed.
"For several reasons. But let's say that the most important is that you have succeeded in discovering your Personal Legend."
The boy didn't know what a person's Personal Legend was.
"Your Personal Legend is what you have always wanted to accomplish", said the old man.
"Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend.
None of what the old man was saying made much sense to the boy. But he wanted to know what the 'mysterious force' was; the merchant's daughter would be impressed when he told her about that!
"It's a force that appears to be negative, but actually shows you how to realize your Personal Legend. It prepares your spirit and your will, because there is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth."
"Even when all you want to do is travel? Or marry the daughter of a textile merchant?", asked the boy.
"Yes, or even search for treasure. The Soul of the World is nourished by people's happiness. And also by unhappiness, envy, and jealousy. To realize one's Personal Legend is a person's only real obligation.
All things are one.
And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."
They were both silent for a time, observing the plaza and the townspeople. It was the old man who spoke first.
"Why do you tend a flock of sheep?"
"Because I like to travel."
The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window at one corner of the plaza.
"When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of."
"He should have decided to become a shepherd", the boy said.
"Well, he thought about that, the old man said. "But bakers are more important people than shepherds.
Bakers have homes, while shepherds sleep out in the open.
Parents would rather see their children marry bakers than shepherds."
The boy felt a pang in his heart, thinking about the merchant's daughter.
There was surely a baker in her town.
The old man continued, "In the long run, what people think about shepherds and bakers becomes more important for them than their own Personal Legends."
"Why are you telling me all this? asked the boy.
"Because you are trying to realize your Personal Legend. And you are at the point where you're about to give it all up, and that's when I appear on the scene."
from "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
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#3. Posted August 22, 2006. Watch for a new quote each week.

Have you ever found yourself stuck or struggling? If so, it could be your calling to change direction and pursue your passionate interests. Joseph Campbell, author and historian, offers these inspiring words to assure you that there is greater ease ahead and 'open doors' when you follow the path that is right for you, and only you.

When you follow your bliss, doors will open where there weren't doors before and where there wouldn't be doors for anyone else.
by Joseph Campbell
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#2. Posted August 14, 2006, watch for a new quote each week.

Philosopher and Poet, von Geothe, penned these insightful words 200 years ago. These words of wisdom teach us that we can expect all the right opportunities and resources to assist us in reaching our goals, once we make a decision and stick to it. But the tricky part is that these opportunities and resources come only AFTER we have made the commitment to the goal. This is when our trust is truly tested. This is a powerful quote. Can you see now that your biggest dreams can become real, even though you haven't figured out the HOW? The how will become evident after you make the commitment.

On Commitment
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splended plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can do, begin it.
Boldness has genius, magic and power in it.
Begin it now.
by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)

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#1. Posted August 8, 2006, watch for a new quote each week.

Nelson Mandela expressed these words in his inaugural speech. These words inspire us to stand tall, and teach us that we have a right and a duty to speak up and utilize our talents for the benefit of humanity. I hope they inspire you to raise your voice for the betterment of the world.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond our measure.
It is our light, not our darnkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you NOT to be?
You are a child of the Creator. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of the Creator that is within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

by Marianne Williamson
adapted by Nelson Mandela for his inaugural speech



INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

Susan Standfield, Founder, Children’s Photographic Gallery of Kenya
Creating a bright future for the orphans of Kenya


Grace Wattanga, Founder, African Community Initiatives
Bringing water and economic prosperity to drought-ridden regions in Africa
gaw@sfu.ca

Sue Seward, Communication Consultant
Providing individual and community visioning services, and helping to grow socially-conscious businesses by creating effective communication strategies and beautiful communication tools. Sue Seward is the communication consultant to Trinity Coaching Group.
sue@11studiowest.com

Paige Birnie, Photographer/Producer/Director of Photography
Building schools for children in Thailand, in the wake of the Tsunami
www.paigebirnie.com

World Peace Forum, Vancouver, Canada
June 23 – 28, 2006
www.worldpeaceforum.ca

Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
www.schwabfound.org


Peace Philosopy Centre Vancouver, Canada
www.peacephilosophy.blogspot.com

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Ginny Paulsen, Fresh Web Design
Designing creative and practical websites for small-medium businesses
www.freshwebdesign.com


Julie Lee, Home and Business Art Consultant -Arthouse Gallery
Providing high quality original art and consulting services to socially-conscious clients.
www.arthousegallery.ca



Michel A. Laflamme, Owner, Michel A. Laflamme Architect and malDesign
Creating custom architectural and industrial designs utilizing the principles of clarity and simplicity.
www.maldesign.com


Sandra Hanson, Graphic Designer, Sandra Hanson Design, Inc.
Producing outstanding visual communications materials – logos, brochures, business papers, and websites – for businesses to increase customer sales and attract new clients.
www.sandrahansondesign.com


Linda Mackie, Photographer/Makeup Artist
Providing creative and soulful photography, specializing in people and animal portraiture, nature, fashion, and editorial.
www.lindamackie.ca

Cristina Viviani, At Home in Life
Consultant and designer of inspiring peaceful places
cristina@riverstonefinearts.com

BOOKS,

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – paying attention to the messages that guide you to your destiny, responding to your higher calling, and following your dreams.

2. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle – living in the moment, relinquishing fears, ending compulsive thought patterns, the mind is a tool.

3. The Artists Way by Julie Cameron – reaching creative heights, overcoming self-sabotage, tapping into higher creativity, increasing earnings as an artist

4. Conversations with God by Neale Walsh - God teaches us how to become an advanced society.

5. Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle - spiritual lessons of trust, serenity, happiness, and surrender.

6. The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav - cause and effect of actions, purpose of soul and personality, karma, conscious and unconscious choices.

7. Mind Power into the 21st Century by John Kehoe - controlling and choosing positive thoughts to attract beneficial events, people, and resources.

8. Synchronicity, and the Inner Path of Leadership by Joseph Jawarski - leading by spiritual principles, being connected to the whole, being guided and in flow, surrendering to a higher power, physics and metaphysics, advanced holistic business models, and experiencing shifts from doing to being.

9. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse – learning the lessons of Buddha, learning from our own life experience vs. teachers, leaving the material world for the spiritual world.

10. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach – striving to be greater, acknowledging spiritual guides, being different from the crowd, living beyond social conditioning, and reaching your fullest potential, all revealed through the life experiences of an enigmatic seagull.

11. The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra – heightened spiritual awareness with practical applications for living life on a higher level.

12. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay – taking care of yourself first, healing physical dis-ease through recognition of linked destructive mental patterns, and changing thought patterns for improved health and happiness.

13. Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss – the lessons of life and the moral laws to live by.

14. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield - fictional story about the stages of consciousness we progress through in our human journey to a spiritual life.

15. Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan – based on a true story, Australian aboriginals, a dying race, share their ways of living in harmony with the land, natural healing, telepathic communication, and universal wisdom in order to correct our (western) damaging ‘mutant’ ways which are disconnected from the real world.

16. The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist – a new perspective on money; its problems and blessings to both the rich and poor.



FILMS,

Field of Dreams
"If you build it, they will come."

Baraka
A state of blessedness.

Star Wars
"May the Force be with you."

The Matrix
"I can show you the door, but you are the one who must walk through it."