Talk Radio - Sept '09
Candice was featured LIVE on the air on Wednesday,
September 30th. You can listen or download a podcast of
her segment here!
Team
Sizzle Podcast
- Live on September 30, 2009
Flow~NW Hoop Gathering
There is no right or wrong. There is only flow or not
flow.
Anah (aka: Hoopalicious)
I recently returned from a long weekend in Bend, Oregon
where I attended the first annual
NW Hoop
Gathering.
It was a transformational weekend, filled with
workshops led by hoop pioneers from all over the
country. Presentations ranged from free-form
explorations to technical skill-building, as each of
the facilitators shared their unique approach to
hooping with over 100 attendees. (See a
full page article
in the Bend Bulletin).
When I first picked up a hoop in 2006, I never imagined
where it would take me. The most powerful aspect of my
path in the hoop has been the way it has taught me to
surrender to the unknown. By allowing myself to be
carried on the current of the hoop, my life has orbited
to new heights. To me, the hoop is
contemplative playtime.
It is a vehicle that allows two parts of me to unite in
a harmonic convergence. My free spirit is nurtured by
the joy of dance and exploration through movement and
radiance. And the spiritual seeker and metaphysician in
me is taught volumes about how the flow of energy moves
in and around my body and mind. The hoop is a metaphor
for the ways in which life speaks to (and through) me.
Joyful. Powerful. Active. Yielding.
The
SHiNE Workshop - What Moves You Matters
Saturday, April 11, 2009
My workshop presentation was at the end of the day on
Saturday. After many hours of hooping, attendees were
in need of a breather. In the spirit of flow, I
surrendered my workshop plan to the tides of the
moment. The majority of our time was spent in seated
discussion. I introduced attendees to my ever-evolving
experience of flow as a harmonic balance between Who We
Are and Who We Have Become. Upon opening the floor for
questions, we discussed the perceived barriers to
living with authenticity. Topics of discussion
included: the opinion of others, family dynamics, how
‘should’ can disempower our choices, and getting to the
core of what it is we really want. In short, we applied
the energy dynamics that the hoop is helping us to
master to our everyday lives. How can we flow more
deliberately towards our most joyous experience of
life?
After a lively discussion, I was eager to move and
vessel the understanding through movement. We had very
little time, so I picked two exercises to end with.
First, we moved into a circle formation and surrendered
our hoops - “you are not what you do.” We co-created
our own harmonic flow of energy - two concentric
circles weaving in and out of one another - as
attendees connected with their community face-to-face,
hand-to-hand in a perpetually moving circle dance. From
there, I felt the space was hungry for release. A Nia
experience followed through a powerful dance of rhythm
and sounding. The power of over 100 voices wildly
basking in unison is still reverberating in my heart.
I am ever-so grateful to
Mollie Hogan
of
HoopDazzle
- friend, student, and event organizer - who wouldn’t
take no for an answer. When she encouraged me to
present at the event many months ago, I voiced my
concern about teaching hoop technique as my energy is
so much more drawn to coaching these days. She
encouraged me to create a workshop that I would be
eager to teach, and reassured me in my ability to
deliver. I faced my demons of doubt, and I did just
that. Thank you, Mollie, for your unconditional love
and support.
And I was so delighted and appreciative to see so many
friendly Portland faces in the crowd! Your presence
made me feel at home and at ease. Special thanks
to
Lacye Lee
for her assistance and support during my workshop!
A
Shout Out to the Presenters
I
am continually amazed and inspired by the people that I
meet through the hoopdance community. The focus of this
year’s event was The Evolution of Flow. In the world of
flow arts (ie: poi, staff, flags, etc), hoopdance has
arrived and is rock-solid! Presentations focused on
experiential understandings of flow understanding,
specific to the hoop. These few paragraphs could hardly
do justice to all the brilliance shared in the
presentations... nevertheless, a shout out feels
warranted. I express my gratitude to:
Baxter
of
The Hoop Path
for his shamanic teaching style that reminds us all to
“go blind” and dive deep into what moves us at our very
core.
Ann
of The Hoop Path for her poise, grace, and willingness
to look closer. Her teaching presence ignites a
powerful fusion of femininity and strength.
Spiral
of
Spiral Hoop Dance
for her beauty and presence as she led us through a
variety of technical applications inspired by her
inspirational circus-style studies. I appreciate so
much getting to know her... her smile, her curiosity,
and her wonder.
Rich
of
Isopop
for a diagrammatical workshop on isolations and
break-style hooping that was awe-inspiring and
effective.
Christabel
of
HoopGirl
for her continual courageous pushing of limits! Her
workshop on floor hooping and micro-hoop meditations
took each attendee into previous uncharted territories
in and out of the hoop. Go, soul sister, go!
Khan
for his wisdom and insight as he expressed an
understanding of flow that pushed our boundaries into
quantum physics and beyond. I was especially affected
by his presentation, as I saw so clearly how the hoop
is really a vehicle for the energetic teachings that
come through us all.
Philo
of
Hooping.org
for his playful and approachable teaching style that
emphasized legwork and so much more. I am so grateful
to Philo and the way in which he owns who he is and
connects us all to one another, one click at a time.
Anah
(aka Hoopalicious) of
Hoop Revolution
for her expertise and willingness to share it. I felt
so much alignment with her teaching, in philosophy and
technique, and I appreciate the ways she pushed me into
so many areas of exploration in my hoop I had yet
experienced. I am renewed with inspiration!
Thank you to all of the presenters for your wisdom and
sharing. The best part about sharing a platform with
you all was truly feeling complete authenticity in our
sharing with one another and the community at large.
And as a final thought... a very heartfelt thank you to
the radiant women in my life who support me every step
of the way. I am blessed in friendship withe amazing
women who inspire me endlessly! The best part of my
weekend was the sharing of laughter, insight, and
delight with ladies dear to my heart:
Jasmine, Christabel, Holly, Keri, Jennaluna, and
Mollie...
you rock my world!
Cara and Sylvia...
you were both there with me in spirit. Thank you for
your invisible support. I love you all!
Rose-Colored Glasses
March 2009
There
is no excuse not to feel good
knowing what you know.
Abraham-Hicks, 2-8-09
You may have noticed that
the February issue of theMessenger never made it out
into cyberspace. I was on a personal retreat - a
Abraham-Hicks Well-Being Adventure Cruise to the
Mexican Riviera with a dear friend and nearly 600
like-minded souls. It was truly a pivotal and inspiring
journey for me. I feel certain that I was forever
changed by the inspired teachings I was exposed to, the
individuals whom I met, and the hours spent steeping in
hot tubs and transformative discussions.
Something was revived in me...something that I have
known since my first dawn in this world...something
that shapes everything that I choose as I walk through
the world.
Life was meant to feel good.
I so enjoyed being on the receiving end of a message
that clarifies with such simplicity the essence of that
which I share in every SHiNE offering. My commitment to
our inherent right to feel good is the source behind
each and every SHiNE creation. When we are in alignment
with who it is we are becoming, we radiate contagious
enthusiasm and creative inspiration. When we allow the
natural expression of our truth and magnificence to
shine, we feel fabulous and connected to all of life.
However, when we dilute the fullness of our gifts or
disallow our most honest self from evolving forth, we
suffer from disharmony or dis-ease. My life has been -
and continues to be - a navigation of this most basic
principle of life. The path of my bliss dares me to
step into alignment with more of my potential with each
passing moment.
So what are common stumbling blocks for so many of us?
Why don't we feel good more of the time?
Learning to Trust Yourself
In some cases, we navigate our course based on the
opinions of those around us. We turn our attention away
from our internal guidance and we fixate on how we are
being received by our environment. Dis-empowerment is
self-inflicted as we stray from our path in order to
become what we perceive is expected of us or become
stuck in being who we once were. This tendency often
shows up subtly through our self-talk; we use words and
phrases like: should
and
have
to.
The honesty of what is real for us is denied for the
sake of what we think is right, rather that what we
know is right for us in the moment.
Finding the joy that is in our very nature hinges on
our ability to differentiate our desires from the
desires of those around us. What turns you on is
personal and unique to you. Let us all be reminded that
the need to please others - and/or to fit into a way of
being that is contrary to the essence of who we are -
leads to suffering. It is a Loving Universe that guides
us in this way. Through energetic imbalances - negative
emotion and/or physical dis-ease - we are being guided
to return to ourselves once more. It is nature's way of
saying: Deny who it is you have
become and I will remind you to make a shift. Realign
with what brings you great joy and you will feel
relief. It is always reminding
us...in order to feel good,
you must be true to the essence of who you really are -
and who you are continually becoming.
I can't think
of a message more loving than that.
Relief As An Indicator
It is in the moments of disconnection from Who We
Really Are that we feel fear and discouragement. It is
only when we miss the point of such moments that we get
stuck in the rut of despair. These 'low moments' are
simply letting us know that we are not aligned with our
deepest desires. Our inner guidance is providing us
with feedback - in this case, negative emotion - that
let's us know we are out of alignment with direction in
which we are evolving. The more we feed this
self-created reality of disempowerment (with
self-defeating criticism or habituated actions) the
worse we feel.
However, if we turn away from the discomfort and
consciously seek a feel-good experience, we immediately
feel relief. And relief is feedback that lets us know
we are moving closer to Who We Really Are. Relief can
come from shifting your attention from a topic that
"brings you down" to a topic that is neutral and/or of
a higher frequency for you. At other times, it is a
matter of re-framing your experience so that you see
the gift - the opportunity to develop into more of who
you have become - through each and every choice you
make.
As we move into spring, set the intention to make
FEELING GOOD your practice. When you come face-to-face
with a perceived source of discomfort, either shift
your attention or shift your perspective. Allow
yourself the freedom to choose how you want to feel in
relationship to the world around you. Whatever you do,
find a way to feel good. And yes...you can. You came
into the world knowing how to do this. You are
hard-wired to follow your emotions (internal
vibrations) as indicators...you get better and better
at it with time and practice. Life is supposed to be a
process of continual improvement as you become a master
of choosing more consciously over time.
Since returning from my travels, I have re-committed to
this practice. And I have been exuding more enthusiasm
and positivity than ever! So much so, in fact, that I
was recently accused of seeing the world through
rose-colored glasses. To this I responded, "Thank you!
And if you'd like, I'd be happy to fashion you a pair!"
Seeing Pink Everywhere,
Candice
This
month's feature was greatly influenced by the teachings
of Abraham-Hicks. For more information, visit them
online at www.abraham-hicks.com.
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From Breakdown to Breakthrough
December 2008
Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of
breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a
trauma that prepares you for a future of radical
transformation.
- Cherrie
Moraga
Life is a series of
breakthroughs.
Consider the way in which we come into the world. Quite
literally breaking through, we begin the cycle of life
as we know it. We are pushed into being by a force
beyond our control. What lies on the other side of the
trauma that we are experiencing is unknown, and is
therefore feared. Soon we learn that the same force
that pushed us into the world is the essence of
nourishment and safety. Nevertheless, in the moment of
birth and emergence, we cry out as the light pierces
the veil of darkness. Naturally, we wince at a power
that exceeds comprehension.
We spend the rest of our life re-living this birth
pattern, comforts followed by contractions. These
contractions often come to us as breakdowns - some
aspect of our life threatening to dissolve. Each time,
life is leading us to a new emergence (greater light)
so that we might experience more brilliance - of
insight, of connection, of purpose. Through each and
every breakdown - however dark it may seem - is the
womb through which more light will emerge. Thus, each
breakdown is a breakthrough - a state of emergenc-y in
the truest sense.
If we so choose, we may reframe our approach to the
emergencies of life. There is no denying that such
seasons of change can be painful and confusing. The
time spent in the midst of breakdown is a time of
contraction requiring strength and endurance, and can
be especially difficult if the light of breakthrough
cannot be readily seen in the distance. A breakdown
forces us from the comfort of the status quo so that we
might acknowledge what we have too long denied. We have
become dependent on habits that we have outgrown, and
we are being forced to take our life to the next level.
Generally, breakdowns are met with fear. (Just look no
further than current state of our financial sectors for
evidence of this on a cultural level). The natural
energy of fear is contraction, withdrawal, and
sometimes panic. In times of breakdown, we are
conditioned to feel smaller as we are faced with a
force beyond our control. We may feel defeated,
ill-equipped, and unsure of what is to come. In
essence, we ask the same questions that we did not have
words for as we emerged from the womb - where oh where
could these contractions be taking us?!
I suggest we approach this
time of contraction with consciousness, introspection,
and a certain degree of trust. Activate your inner
witness, and assess what is no longer in harmony with
your most heartfelt desires. Ask yourself:
What habits
have I outgrown? How am I being asked to change? In
what ways am I limiting the possibilities in my life?
And, what am I most afraid of? In this way, we consciously
engage with each contraction, willingly and openly
breathing through the waves of challenge in the hope of
greater insight.
Yet awareness, while most
essential, is only the yin of it. in the end - and only
you will know when it is time - you must be prepared to
engage the yang within...to push your way out.
Contractions get closer together; discomfort forces you
into action...and you facilitate your own rebirth by
taking courageous steps that align you with the
potential you are stepping into.
Listening to the wisdom of
breakdown, we learn from it, and thereby facilitate
breakthroughs in our own lives. Keep in mind,
reflection can be made easier in the company of a
coach, an ally, or a dear friend. When we are held in
the spirit of self-empathy, fear is transmuted into
power. When navigated consciously, fear can actually be
used as a wisdom that results in a more expansive you.
Just as contractions enable birth, if allowed, fear
enables new life. Contraction begets expansion.
Breakdown begets breakthrough.
Keep in mind, most
breakthroughs happen in stages. Each and every
contraction bringing more awareness of how we must
continually move and grow. Take it one step at a time,
and know that the joy of a new path is emerging:
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
by Portia
Nelson
Chapter
I:
I walk down the
street.
There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk
I fall in.
I am
lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes
me forever to find a way out.
Chapter
II:
I walk down the same
street.
There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see
it.
I fall in again.
I can't
believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my
fault.
It still takes a long time
to get out.
Chapter
III:
I walk down the same
street.
There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I
still
fall in ...
it's a habit.
My eyes are
open.
I know where I am.
It is my
fault.
I get out
immediately.
Chapter
IV:
I walk down the same
street.
There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk.
I walk around
it.
Chapter
V:
I walk down another
street.
Seeing The Light Ahead,
Candice
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Embracing The Many Paths
September 2008
Many
are the names of God and infinite the forms
through which He may be approached.
- Ramakrishna, 18th century Indian Sage
When we hear the word yoga most of us think of
conscious movement, repetitions of downward facing
dogs, sweaty palms, and deep breathing. I find it
inspiring that so many in our culture are inhabiting
their bodies more, and channeling the built-up stresses
of a restless spirit into conscious mind-body practice.
Even as a practitioner myself, I have always known that
modern-day yoga is a secular by-product of a spiritual
tradition that dates back centuries.
In my recent studies as an enthusiastic grad student
(see announcement about AIHT!), I have been skimming
the surface of my coursework. I was immediate drawn
into some writings on Hinduism and the origins of yoga.
Simplified, "yoga is a method of training designed to
lead to integration or union." And while we are
accustomed to a practice designed to unify body and
mind through movement (making it more marketable and
accessible to a secular world hungry for fitness and
stress-relief), the origins of yoga reveal greater
depth and meaning.
To simplify, four paths are available to actualize the
human potential through yoga. Raja Yoga (the way
through psychophysical exercise) is what many
modern-day practices have been derived from. Other
paths include: Karma Yoga (the way through work and
action), Bhakti Yoga (the way through love and
devotion), and Jnana Yoga (the way through knowledge
and wisdom). The Hindu faith believes that all paths -
yes, even those of other religions - lead to the same
ultimate destination: integration with the Infinite
(spirit by any name is one and the same). The four
paths of yoga acknowledge that different human
temperaments approach their relationship to the Divine
uniquely. Peering more closely into yoga as a
multidimensional practice has opened my eyes to what it
means to be a yoga practitioner and a human.
Too often we reject the most wonderful aspects of a
spiritual tradition we know little about because we
have an all-or-none mentality. But what if we replaced
that with an
all-is-one mentality and embraced the brilliance
ignited within as the truest teaching, while learning
from a variety of sources?
If you feel so inspired, join me this month and expand
your practice as a yogi or yogini to "embrace the many
paths." Simplify the essence of each and then choose
the medicine that speaks to your need in the moment.
Maintain awareness of your mental and physical energy
and keep movement alive through life as a meditation
(raja yoga). Allow more of your actions to become
thoughtful and a selfless expression of the Life moving
through you (karma yoga). Express love and devotion
towards the form and formlessness that Spirit takes in
your life (bhakti yoga). And intuit and discern between
that which is real and lasting truth and that which is
the illusory and fleeting dance of the ego (jnana
yoga).
Remember, what moves you at your deepest core is what
matters to your life most in the moment. Claim your
personal practice of growth and transformation. Stay
alive and open in the now. And embrace all paths that
bring you home to the Universal Divine. Take what
speaks to you, and let the rest go by.
Honoring All As One,
Candice
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Metamorphosis
July 2008
If
you receive guidance that compromises your
physical comfort,
would you be willing to follow it?
- Caroline
Myss
The translucent butterfly
(pictured above) has become a mascot for my own path of
trusting the promise of brilliant living. Allow her
journey to shed some light:
One day a lone
caterpillar was suddenly called. She was told by the
force of her very nature to retreat into solitude and
containment in order to experience a death of one self
into another.
In saying yes, she was called to a resting place -
suspended in thin air. There she began to shed her
skin. It was frightening! Who would she be without it?
The form she once knew was replaced by a shell and she
was enveloped by darkness and paralysis. She couldn't
move. Where exactly was she? And what had
happened to all the light?! She hung, suspended between
two lifetimes within one. She waited in the dark, at
times feeling very afraid and alone - wondering why she
had agreed to such a calling. Yet all the while, she
felt a spark of promise whispering from deep, deep
within.
Over time, the light inside her very core - once faint
- became a wellspring of divine light. It kept her warm
and safe as she felt who she once was dissolve and
transform. It was scary to be stripped of her very
caterpillar nature and all that she once knew. She
wondered what might become of her...and what would be
her place in the world? At times she fought the urge to
break free from this cocoon that surrounded her. To
squirm back out into the world as she once was. Yet
each time she tried, the path was denied. She knew that
in heeding that first call, there was no turning back.
In time, a potential deep within her pushed its way to
the surface. She was ignited by possibility and an
outrageous freedom to take flight. And all in one
miraculous instant she felt death and new life merge.
She pushed, she squirmed, and she broke free - soaring
into the unknown.
Like the caterpillar,
sometimes we are called to be born anew - towards the
next grandest vision of how we might best serve the
world. Our interconnectedness to All That Is becomes
apparent - if we are humble enough to heed the call.
Paradoxically, with each of our mini-incarnations we
come to understand that to live and make choices in
authentic self-love is far from a selfish pursuit. By
following the compass of our soul, we give our best to
the world around us.
For some of us, it is a call we will receive many times
in our life. Letting go of what was once a comfortable
existence and accepting the promise of something that
requires we change who we think ourselves to be. And it
usually requires we (temporarily at least) surrender
the physical comforts that we once knew (relationships,
career paths, and sometimes the approval of friends and
family).
In fact, one of the most challenging aspects of a time
of transformation is the potent force of the unknown.
We wonder, "where did the light go?" as experiences
that once inspired us no longer ignite our soul...or as
those who once held us in high opinion question our
path of change. Yet the darkness and self-containment
is the greatest gift of all. It is by experiencing this
season in which we are cut off from the light sources
in our external world that we learn to tap Brilliance
and Guidance from within.
I encourage you to the heed the soulful call that comes
your way. A calling on the modern spiritual path is not
a booming voice from beyond. Instead it creeps in
through the cracks of our daily existence - through
physical or emotional imbalances that threaten us to
grow and change or continue on suffering.
And may more of us emerge from our cocoons with the
promise of the transluscent butterfly. May the wings
that carry our brilliance out into the world be clear
and transparent so that the glory of the True Source
might SHiNE through in our everyday flight.
Cracking Through My
Cocoon,
Candice
Click here to see a caterpillar's
journey to butterfly on
YouTube.
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Acts of Self-Love
April 2008
Well-ordered
self-love is right and natural.
St. Thomas Aquinas
In recent weeks, I have
become more aware than ever that I have much to learn
about self-care. It's a common paradox for those of us
in paths of service. Continually we encourage others to
honor personal rhythms of healing, while ignoring the
lights flashing in our own hearts. It's true indeed
that we teach what we need to learn. I have come to
notice that, quite often, in coaching sessions I am the
messenger administering the medicine to us both via
intuition and unexpected verbal elixirs.
It has been said before, love is an action. It is a
series of choices. And so, when it comes to shining
love inward, we must compassionately observe the
choices that we make repeatedly throughout the day. How
often are we present to what is alive in the moment? Do
we sometimes override impulses to self-nurture in order
to feed perceived urgencies in our environment? It
takes only awareness to rewind, and re-choose.
True Self-love is hardly a singular or selfish pursuit.
In actuality, it is blatantly spiritual - an act of
reverence for the energy from which you came. Honor
your body as a sacred temple, your mind as fertile
ground for divine awareness, and your heart as a
blessed antennae steadfast in rhythmic dance with all
of life.
We only appreciate our good or evil
in proportion to our self-love.
François
de la Rochefoucauld
It is a worthwhile practice
to meditate on the quote above. It is our relationship
to self-love that guides our perceptions in life. Take
any event in your life and hold it inward in your
awareness. If the light of self-love is dimly lit, you
may see yourself as a victim of circumstances. Lack of
light may taint your view of What-Simply-Is to
incorporate a poor self-image, feeding inner drama and
suffering. Depressing stories are built - not upon
circumstances - but upon forgetfulness of the
Brilliance within.
If, however, you have access to the abundance of light
inside...if you see yourself as an essential aspect of
the light of goodness, suddenly the world around you
looks much different. You will see that each and every
response to circumstance is built upon the choice that
you make in the moment. Heightened self-love results in
acceptance and self-empowerment, and both are
unattached to storytelling as a means to justify
feeling good. Loving the light within is timeless and
unconditional with practice, regardless of what
happened "once upon a time."
Investing in mini-acts of self-love is the greatest
gift that you can give to those around you. Over time
you see that your inner light needs to be fed with
awareness in order for you to give the best of you to
others. So take that walk in the park in the middle of
the day, feed yourself healthy perpectives, and surely
it can't hurt to give yourself a hug from time-to-time.
In re-igniting your bliss, you become evermore
committed to passing it along:
"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared."
- Buddha
Reaching my Light to
yours,
Candice
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Praise Her
January 2008
Praise
is literal food for feminine qualities. If you
want a woman to grow in her radiance, health,
happiness, love, beauty, power, and depth, praise
these qualities. Praise them daily, a number of
times.
- David Deida, Way of the Superior
Man
I have learned much from my
work as a SHiNE Agent. As a teacher, guide, and coach
facilitating brilliance in others, I have come
face-to-face with myself. Sometimes with joy, other
times with apprehension . In 2008, I am focusing on
walking the talk even more, as I work (and play) hard
to unleash the latent powers that lie dormant within. I
am pleased to note that, this year, I myself have a
coach and mentor to assist me on my journey to a more
rich and fulfilling expression of how Brilliance works
through me.
Becoming the client again has reminded me of the
courage that it takes to reach out for support. Through
my work, I learn more and more that the desire to be
acknowledged for our deepest essence is inherent and
universal. Nature intended that we create a web of
brilliant support around us to nourish our growth.
Thus, when our pride keeps us from reaching out for
connection with others, it does us a great disservice.
It often leads us to the most tragic disconnection that
can happen - disconnection with the divine spark
within.
The majority of my students and clients are women. This
month being the month of love, I feel compelled to
reach out to each one of you with a brilliant reminder.
You are an essential aspect of a Radiant and Powerful
Energy that deserves to be praised and worshipped
daily! Worshipped? By who? Well, by YOU, of course!
If you aren't sure how to gift yourself with the
awareness of self-love and put it into action in your
life, we can help. I invite you to attend a class or
schedule a coaching session soon. I am always honored
to facilitate a container for recognition,
self-celebration, right action, and praise. You are a
perfect and essential facet of the Divine Brilliance
alive in all of us. Self-love, when understood in its
purity, is far from an egoic pursuit. It is the
recognition of Oneness, not separation, that activates
our SHiNE. Let's work together to remind one another,
yes?
In 2008, I am more committed than ever to serving you
through a new program: The SHiNE Ministry. Visit my
blog to tag along as I experience various spiritual
communities, reporting on brilliant outlets in the
Portland area. Or, join me for a class, coaching
session, or New Earth SHiNE Circle in the coming weeks.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
With Love,
Candice
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Self Love
January 2008
There
is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is
translated through you into action; and because
there is only one of you in all time, this
expression is unique. If you block it, it will
never exist through any other medium. It will be
lost.
The world will not have it.
It is not your business to determine how good it is,
nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other
expressions. It is your business to keep it yours
clearly and directly, and to keep the channel open.
-
Martha Graham
It's easy to judge your brilliance as nothing
special...for you can't possibly see it clearly.
Imagine asking the sun to see it's own light. What
light? How can I separate from what I am enough to see
it?
A friend and colleague of mine recently shared with me
a practice that she did in school as a child. They
called it carrying your ilac card. At the beginning of
the day, each student received a card that read: I love
and care for myself. As they moved through the rest of
their day, they were told to tear away pieces of the
card whenever they thought, said, or did something that
tore away at their sense of self-love. It proved to be
an insightful practice, no doubt. The best part? Each
day they would receive a new, untainted card to keep
whole again.
When I ponder our culture's collective approach to the
new year, it seems to me that we are issued an ilac
card each January 1st. As a result, resolutions are
defined and courses set for new destinations. Yet, what
happens when we slip a bit...when a split-second choice
tears away at our resolve? Do we hang our heads in
despair?...or do we approach each day with wholeness in
our hearts?
This year, I invite you to commit to a year of love,
nuturing, and forgiveness. Your very essence is coded
to be different than those around you. Discovering a
path that works for you is a journey that demands
diligence and perserverence. Your goal is not too be
perfect...but to purrrfect the choices you make to
serve you better over time. In order to do that, you
become a deliberate observer. Notice which choices tear
away at you time and time again, and reclaim your
personal power to SHiNE by loving yourself whole again.
It's a simple path - one choice at a time. And help is
only a scroll away.
Begin Again... and Again... and Again,
Candice
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Trust
September 2007
You are perfectly safe as long as you are completely
unconcerned about your readiness, but maintain a
consistent trust in mine.
- A Course in Miracles
Living a path of brilliance is a courageous surrender
to the harmonious flow of life. I experience trust as
an active endeavor and a choice in each moment - the
perfect balance between conscious direction of purpose
and peaceful yielding to the view far above my scope.
I see the space inside me like the contours of a river
bed, being shaped and transformed by the force of
creativity that dares me to give it license. Fear would
have me resist the unknown agendas of the currents of
life; yet Love is there to embrace the shadow dancer
within me - illuminating darkness with awareness. When
I relax enough to allow light to pour through me with
little to no resistance, I am liberated to likewise
saturate the world around me...fulfilling the path and
purpose of how the world is meant to be experienced
through me.
'Safety' is an undeniable theme in working with clients
who are daring to live their brilliance. Fear,
trepidation, and the force of the unknown can sometimes
drive us into something resembling madness, as we shed
who we always thought we were in order to embrace a new
reality that is emerging. Often fear responds to our
heart's yearnings: "ah, perhaps one day, but certainly
not now. I am not ready for such-and-such to change."
In reality, we are quite ready for a change. It is lack
of trust in something better - the greater good in
store for us - that stagnates our re-creation. In
essence, we presume our deepest yearnings will betray
us in the end, resulting in the paradoxical paralysis
of a society at war within: What my heart yearns
for in its expression is what most resembles me. And it
is this that cannot be trusted. Therefore, that which
most resembles me is unsafe. I must become who I am not
to be functional and secure.
Today, I dare you to completely sever ties to such
faulty logic. Become your greatest ally. Safety is a
choice based on this simple, yet profound, shift in
perception. I challenge you to entertain the idea
that
it is safe to be you. The madness is in
succumbing to fear - resisting how the currents of life
are pushing from within, eager to re-create your outer
world so that you might experience you
in its
fullness. And remember,
recreation is supposed to be fun!
When change is happening, I know without a doubt that I
am ready...or it simply would not be. I am safe when I
choose to trust that the currents of my soul's cries
are carrying me towards an ever-greater good. And that,
my friends, is the best part! Our rivers all pour into
the same ocean...and goodness is the only destination.
Embrace Change. You Are Ready. You Are Safe.
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Integrity
August 2007
Walking the talk. It is the
ultimate journey. Hungry for integrity, the spiritual
seeker in us reaches out
for connection
to resources that will nourish the very foundation of
who we are. Paradoxically, we discover that the more
developed and trustworthy the roots at our feet, the
greater potential for wingspan above.
Integrity (integrated truths as guiding principles) is
a function of witnessing ourselves and others, in each
and every moment, and embracing an honest approach to
all of life. It is an energetic environment where the
ticking time bomb of fear is diffused through
acknowledging the true nature of our intentions each
emerging moment. Integrity is an ally that whispers
over our shoulder in search of the truth:
What is my
intention? Am I walking my talk to the best of my
ability? How are my actions impacting the whole of life
around me? Am I acting in alignment with my core
values? What is motivating my actions in this
moment? And most importantly - when
we feel stuck face-to-face with a truth we can't
swallow - it asks: What exactly am I
afraid of?... inviting us to embrace
the answer as the most potent and powerful truth of the
moment.
Knowing the truth is fairly useless.
Feeling it is profound.
Living it makes all the difference.
David Deida
from The Blue Truth
I love this quote by Deida.
It speaks to my journey to find integrity... a
slow-moving maturation to greater and greater alignment
with my values and practices. I have discoverd
that learning
is an
elementary frolic with the truth... and that
embodying
is the
adolescent struggle to hold tight to truths that we
hope to find salvation in. Yet when we
master
the truth as a
way of being, there is no longer need to hold on to
anything. Integrity becomes a way of life, an
integrated and effortless way of being that embraces it
all. And so, wholeness finds us... again and again and
again... as we are willing to let the light of truth
in. In short, living truth (how ever-changing) is the
path that leads to integrity.
Riding the winds of change,
I am doing my best to welcome truth in. In order to
develop greater intimacy with my own integrity, I have
been openly sharing my truth with you, via my blog, to
get to know its resonance as a way of life. You see, I
believe that truth is not at its best when it is a
static adherence to values and principles. It can
better be experienced as a living resonance that can be
sensed... a tonal quality that speaks of integrity in
the moment and says, "I am delivering the truth of who
I am, right here, right now."
Truth at its worst is the fragmented reflection of
self-righteousness. Truth at its best is the integrated
experience of self-acceptance, wholeness expressed in
thought, word, and action.
I want to invite you along on this journey of
self-discovery with me. Invite the illumination of the
truth of you. There are a number of avenues for you to
travel that are offered here in theMessenger. It is my
hope that wherever you may choose to plant yourself for
a season of discovery, you accept the ways in which it
awakens you to wholeness. Rest into the truth of each
moment so that your roots may spread deep into an earth
that feeds you. Welcome each and every opportunity, and
push against it to reach higher than you ever thought
possible.
Rooting in Richer Soils to Soar Higher,
Candice
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SHiNE Seminars - Coming Soon
We just completed Day One
of the Level One HoopGirl Teacher Training. I am in San
Francisco through the weekend for another 3-day
intensive, preparing teachers in the HoopGirl Format.
This is the fourth training that I have led with
Christabel Zamor (HoopGirl Founder). It is such a joy
to train teachers to facilitate and guide others. I am
ever so grateful to Christabel for inviting me to be
the first Master Trainer to work alongside her. We have
such a graceful synergy together. It is a testament to
collaboration... and the power that comes from
combining energies to serve in the best possible way. I
look forward to bringing this training to Portland in
September of this year.
Although I am passionate about training in this
capacity (as the HoopGirl organization is one I believe
in), I know that my experiences leading others in this
way is destined preparation for SHiNE Seminars to come.
I witness myself light up
when I have the
opportunity to inspire another individual to recognize
his or her unique genius. When I notice that sparkle in
the eyes... the one that emerges when a trainee
realizes that they do
have something
to offer... that everything needed to reach his or her
ultimate potential exists within...
when I see that brilliance reflected in their eyes even
for a moment, I know that I am living my
purpose.
Certainly, my experience as a somatic educator lends
itself to training teachers in a movement modality.
Yet, in the past six months, it has become very clear
that so much of what I bring to the training
environment has to do with my passion for the
illumination that can be found in seeking out
truth.
Truth, to me, is shining a loving light on what is
there. And what is
there may in fact be changing
from moment to moment... yet, the truth speaks only to
the moment. It says, "this is what is here now." It
says, "I dare to shine light on what is here... and use
this awareness to transform my reality from this moment
forward." In that way, honoring the truth of our
experience in each moment IS what makes transformation
possible
As a facilitator, I find that
telling the truth is a
medicinal art
to be delivered with purity... the purest aim: to
liberate the light within. We can each learn to tell
ourselves the truth about who we are... what matters to
us... and how we are keeping ourselves from being the
most luminous version of ourselves. When we are able to
see with this degree of clarity and an open heart, then
awareness dissolves fears and freedom is found.
I look forward to moving SHiNE to a place where we can
do this work together. Regardless of your medium of
self-expression in life, you have the option to live in
dim lit awareness... or bask in the glory of truth and
illumination.
Truth
says, "ah, there is light in
here... let us move towards it."
I look forward to offering the first SHiNE Seminar in
the coming months so that we can share the journey with
one another. Stay tuned... and let me know if you have
areas of interest that might inform the creation of the
SHiNE seminar programming. What are your interests as
it relates to SHiNE? What fears do you want most to
overcome as it relates to living a brilliant life? What
stops you from doing more of what you love today? I
would love to hear from you! Email me with your ideas and
insights...
Soul Dialogues
Dialogues with Brilliance - My Own
How I Became A SHiNE
Coach
For years I
have been carrying on conversations with a voice that
speaks through me. Inspired by the courageous wonder of
inspired writers such as Neale Donald Walsh, I dared
one day to use my journal to ask a Higher Voice for
answers. Since then, guidance arrives with greater and
greater clarity. Now it is quite effortless to connect
to insights in this way. I only need begin the
dialogue, and something else takes over.
And so my method of prayer is
in written
meditation. I sit quietly with my journal and spill
forth. At times, I ask specifically for guidance. Other
times I am interrupted by it. My pen then moves across
the page, carrying a wisdom that far exceeds my own.
Over the years, insights revealed in these exchanges
have brought me tremendous clarity in times of
crisis... complete peace in the midst of total chaos...
and the light of hope in the black holes of depression.
And the availability of this voice is without
condition. It responds equally to cries of joyous
passion and moments of bitter desperation.
It is an experience that I have kept private until
about a year ago when I shared it in a close circle of
friends. Part of the secrecy is that I didn't want my
experience to be misconstrued as some mystical,
out-of-body experience. To say that, through pen and
paper, I have access to information outside of my own
knowing - as if from a voice that is not my own - it
may sound like I claim to be hosting a channelled
entity. Perhaps it is of me, perhaps not. I may never
know for sure. Yet, when it happens, my mind and body
are in a total state of me-ness. I am not overtaken by
anything but a Silence that reveals one word after the
next in a seamless flow of perfect insight. I am very
much present when this clarity emerges. It's like
talking to a trusted guide from within who is able to
deliver the truth of the moment without hesitation.
In fact, I learned HOW to become an agent of
inspiration (a life coach passionate about bringing out
the brilliance in others) through these dialogues. This
objective, yet heart-centered and loving voice is a
trusted vehicle
for each and
every interaction that I have with a client. And more
and more in my practice, I work in conjunction with
this Inner SHiNE Agent to deliver insights when I could
not possibly manufacture them in the moment.
I know the most powerful medicine is emerging when I
open my mouth to speak, having no idea what I am about
to say. This is why I am the student and the guide.
SHiNE teaches me, through me. Often, the words I hear
come forth as I speak to others are exactly the
perspective that I have been needing in my own life. My
own hunger is satiated through guiding others.
Dialogues with Brilliance - Yours
Becoming Your Own SHiNE
Coach
It is my belief that we all
have access to
brilliant wisdom from within, at all times. So why
don't so many of us hear it? I see two things that act
as a buffer to detecting the sound of this voice from
within:
One obstacle is the belief that an omniscient force
could not possibly interact with us so intimately.
Regardless of your spiritual or religious beliefs, I
invite you to entertain the idea that you are worth
talking to - it's just a matter of how you frame it. If
you feel lost and you ask a question that seems so far
out of the scope of your understanding, and suddenly
the insight emerges from thin air (onto paper or into
your heart)... that is brilliance showing itself to
you. So what is
happening?...
From
where does this illumination
emerge? Is a literal force - we might call it "God" -
speaking through you? Is it a Spirit Guide or other
force outside you that you are hearing? Is it you, your
Higher Self, offering dictation? Or is it just your own
mind playing tricks on you, in an effort to make you
feel better?
I say... who really
cares?! DO
you feel
better? ARE
you more
inspired to move through life with a more positive and
constructive attitude as a result of these insights?
Then, go for it. Why should a healthy dose of
skepticism (or the fact that you aren't sure
why
or
how
it's happening)
keep you from benefiting? You can call it divine
guidance... you can call it your hidden genius ... or
you can call your therapist! Just realize that you
don't have to know how it works to put it to good use.
The second obstacle to hearing is not listening! In
order to listen, we simply must be quiet enough to
hear. The mind can be over-active, especially in times
of confusion or depression. The ability to pause in the
potent space of Silence can be the key to receiving
insight. Stilling the inner dialogue long enough to
penetrate the space just beneath it. This takes
practice. I personally find writing a powerful means to
the development of silence within. Spilling the energy
that bounces around the mind can be just the liberation
that is needed to create space for greater insights.
Another method is awakening the senses. Often your
Inner Wisdom will speak to you through your environment
and/or relationships with others. Are you paying
attention? Did you see the book calling out to you to
read it? Did you sign up for the class? Did you take
the walk in the forest and listen to the trees and the
message that they have for you?... The avenues through
which illumination can travel are infinite.
Begin
The Dialogue Now
Journaling for
Illumination
Practice with me. Take out a piece of paper now. Ask
the questions that you most long to know the answers
to... and dictate the unexpected reply. Purge the pain
that you most desire to be free of... and be soothed by
the light of perspective that lies just beneath. Be
patient if the voice isn't ready. It
will
come, when you
are ready and able to receive its gifts.
I will begin to share some of these dialogues with you
throughout this blog. Keep in mind, I have spent much
time investing in private communion with this voice
prior to revealing it. I suggest that you do the
same... get to know your own Inner Wisdom intimately
before sharing it with others. Intimacy lends to
potency in any relationship.
Examples
to serve as
inspiration coming soon. Stay tuned!
The Birth of SHiNE
I spent over two decades - and a wealth of energy - wading helplessly in my heart's cries to reign over my life. I was continually seeking approval from others and casting myself as a victim in countless dramas of misconception. And then I discovered within me the potential to choose. I discovered that life gifts to me in relationship to what I gift to it. I discovered that darkness begets darkness, and that brilliance begets a life where feeling good is the only option.
I did everything in my power to think myself into feeling good. I embraced metaphysics, and actively made my life happen in accordance with my desires. However, I quite often became exhausted having faith only in myself - and the idea that I was the creator of my reality. How could I be sure what was best for me when there were limitless options available to me. I had everything that I thought I wanted... and somehow had let myself down. Where was the core fulfillment in it all? And how could I explain the emergence of so many miracles in my life, all those things that I didn't even know I needed? Who created those? Who is busy creating the miracles that fill my life with richness, while I am busy pulsing and toiling over the mundane?
It was then that I chose to sever my vows as a spiritual orphan. I may not belong to a particular religious tradition, but I do belong to more than myself. I am a sliver of light in the high beam of existence. True, I attract in accordance with my desires; yet only that which is best for the illumination of Who I Truly Am.. in service of the highest purpose (of which I am a willing, essential, and wonderous participant). And, while my willingness is required, I am not the one who makes the light possible.
I now realize (real-eyes) that the greatest power that I have access to is the power to be the person that I am. It is up to me to define the sensations that I want more of in my life, and to make choices that resonate accordingly. It is up to me, to deny or to embrace my brilliance. Over time, I have made the choice to embrace my gifts. Abandoning the arrogance of self-doubt... and embracing the humility of moving as if my life matters. And since then, the most meaningful miracles have emerged in my life.
Suddenly, my full-time job is feeling good. Getting out of the way. Allowing my SHiNE to operate in my life, and most importantly, in the lives of others. I call my brilliance by name... and that name is not mine. It is a sensation of grace and inspiration that calls back to me:
"SHiNE so that others might do the same. Collectively re-ignite a world where love is a light that burns from within each person. Illuminate a global reality where individual brilliance is the understood beacon to connect to the Source of All Light."
- Candice Schutter, Shine Founder
Late Night Shadow Dancing
Tonight I danced in
the shadows....
The details of the interaction that led up to it are
unimportant... as always, the story only serves to
reveal the inner dramas still stirring. An interaction
triggered a subtle darkness within... and the inner
dialogue which slow crept forth led me to tears. And to
an unexpected late night communion.
I am grateful for
fear. It is a rare friend in that it alone has the
power to bring me to my knees. Quite literally.
Tonight it brought me to my knees in thePortal... first
in despair... then in prayer... and finally I kneel in
truth through these words in service to you.
You see, I teach in order to learn. I have found that
there is no greater motivation for teaching than
self-inquiry. Most of the things that come forth
through me I do not claim to be a master of. Far from
it. I receive through the voice that is mine so that I
might learn to listen. Live your
brilliance, I
say to those around me. Trust in your unique genius...
and in its inherent grace. Embrace humility courageously -
enough to surrender your path while you SHiNE your
light boldly forth... knowing that you are but a vessel
for the evolution of a
species...
All these things I say to you.
Yet still, I am afraid.
And the louder my voice gets, the more afraid I become
of the message that screams from my every cell.
SHiNE teaches me too. This could be more accurately
said:
SHiNE teaches me
to.
(Read that
closely. It's a small, but deeply relevant distinction
in language.)
I have many inspirations throughout each day that I
could share with you as blog postings. Yet, I find any
excuse not to. This or that idea is too undeveloped...
those old journal entries are too much to mess with...
there is not time in the day... or, sometimes my excuse
is immediately transparent with truth: what if I have
no idea what I am talking about... what then? It's
better not to take such a chance, yes?
You see, but none of this is about the value of my blog
postings, the book I want to write, or any objective I
might point to. It's about me believing in myself. It's
about knowing that, in the end, my choice to share my
brilliance (aka: my way of being in the
world) has
nothing to do with being good enough
for you, for me, or for
anyone else. It has everything to do with latching on
to the inspirations that strike my heart and mind and
riding them to a place that transcends
the good opinion of
others. How can it be authentic and pure when it is
first weighed on the scales of who will and will not
agree... like it... or pay good money? Not the point,
you see. All brilliance
exists in order to shed light so that others might see
better. What they
feel about what they do or do not see is not the point
of the light that we shine... we share perspectives not
to seek validation, but in order that we all might
become more clear. And we learn to be okay with the
fact that clarity has infinite interpretations.
And so as I rested on the earth in prostration tonight,
I realized via my body's choice of posture...
SHiNE
is a way of being that invites communion at the
innermost altar. It is being and doing in a manner
that confirms the true expression of who I really am in
my highest expression of self... that which I source
from within. To truly live with such a passion for
self-integrity at all costs requires courage. And
courage means moving forward in spite of fear. Movement
must exist... and movement along the path of
self-actualization causes fear to rise to the surface,
revealing more of me. In this way, fear becomes an ally
to let us know that we are honoring the nudge from
within. In fact, fear should never
be hidden. It is meant to be called by name and
dispelled through action. I believe that fear is just a buffer
that exists between unexpressed brilliance and the
outside world. And thus, it must move in order that you
might do the same.
And so tonight, I make peace. I am grateful for my
fear... as it always leads to the shadowy spaces
within.
And those shadows... seductive in their story-telling
though they might seem... well, they are nothing more
than a signal that there is light present somewhere
nearby. You only need shift your gaze slightly to see
that which stands between the brilliance and that
darkness reflected on the other side. What is in the
way of the light is you... it is only ever you. And
that's the good news. Ah yes, that is very good news
indeed.
Welcome to SHiNE
May 2007
Welcome to the new and improved layout of theMessenger.
It is my hope that this monthly newsletter will offer
you regular inspiration to live your brilliance.
After
some soul searching, I have recently shifted the focus
of my work to more directly reflect my passions in
life. I realize that in order to do the work that I am
here to do - helping others to connect to the limitless
potential within - I must have the courage to walk the
talk. For a very long time, I have been afraid to step
into the dreams that beckon to me. I am an energy
guide, a motivator, and a channel for living a life
that brings fulfillment on the highest level and the
deepest depths, far beyond the constant tides of
desire.
It is a
mature spiritual seeker that addresses the deep and
subtle yearnings that supercede the unrelenting desires
of the physical. Your outer world demonstrates in your
daily life as a metaphor for the loud whispers and
wisdoms of your heart and soul. It is my passion to
bring about a world where we are interested in these
subtle messages, deciphering them with wisdom, and
basking in the brilliant clarity that they reveal to
us. When we learn to respond to the brilliance within
us, we evolve in our practice of living as
our
life creates us!
A brilliant
existence is not only a possibility, it's a
responsibility. Imagine that you have been delivered a
unique medicine that simply must act through you in
order to work. THIS is your SHiNE. The
"i" in shine is lowercase for a reason.
It is to remind you that
your potential comes from something larger that exists
all around you. You only need surrender your egoic
dance, get out of the way, and rest in the center to
find it.
theMessenger
is all about delivering SHiNE directly to your inbox...
now featuring inspired writings -
visit my BLOG online - as well as links to various
individuals who have brilliance to share with you.
Thank you, as always, for exploring theMessenger. May
you discover your SHiNE through the many resources
offered here, or wherever it might choose to happen
upon you.
Have a BRiLLiANT day!
Candice
Passing on The Secret
Have you ever played the game where
you sit in a circle and pass a secret around? One
person starts... and whispers a phrase into the ear of
the person next to them. The secret then travels from
one ear to the next... around the circle back to where
it started. The game typically ends with fits of
giggles, as the original source of the statement
proclaims the original statement. Often, the messages
transforms as it moves around the circle... ending up
to sound very little like the initial transmission.
Perhaps we might consider this as we practice The
Secret. The transmission in its fullness brings us much
to practice and integrate into our lives. Yet, when we
seek to simplify, formulate, and/or become absolute in
the application of such a powerful spiritual
transmission... we are bound to be left in the dark at
the end of the day. Let us treat this modern day
miracle as a reminder that there is still so much
possibility and that which is potently unknown to
discover in the spirit realm. The Mystery is inviting
us to begin to
explore a new
relationship with It. As with all relationships, we
will be asked to evolve and refine our point of view in
response to our own unique experiences.
I, for one, love that aspect of relationship.
Transformation. Rediscovery. And the countless Deaths
of Self that occur as I get closer to the Truth.
Signs of Love
February 2007
Signs
of
Love
I've just returned from San Francisco where I
co-facilitated the HoopGirl Teacher Training with
HoopGirl's Christabel Zamor. Ten inspiring hoopers from
all walks of life, came together for three days of
intensive training in the HoopGirl Workout teaching
format.
Some of the most profound insights were offered by a
special guest trainee with a unique gift. Meryl, a
passionate young teacher who happens to be hearing
impaired, reminded us all that sharing the love of flow
is an expression beyond words. In fact, each hooper
offered a perfect uniqueness to the program, making it
apparent that the ultimate destination in learning
isn't about all-the-right moves, class formats, or even
technique. The one aim we all
share is a heartfelt desire to shine our light freely,
igniting love in those around us.
Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. To me it is an
annual reminder to reconnect the heart to what feels
good. As the holiday approaches, may I remind you
that love
shined inward spills out boundlessly to those
around you.
Treat yourself to self-seduction this Valentine's Day!
Get to know passionate communion, intoxicating smiles,
and sighs of surrender by falling in love with feeling
good. Shower your body with valentine blisses and
commit to a deeper relationship with your community by
signing up for an upcoming class or special event.
There are abundant opportunities to make love
a priority this month.
Begin in this moment with a deep breath to simply seed
the intention for self-love this month. Shift your
heart to high beam, shine your light, and you are sure
to see bold and brilliant signs of love everywhere you
go. May your footprints act as inspirational signposts
along our journey...as you leave traces of love behind
you wherever you go.
Seeing Signs Everywhere, Candice
Reach Higher
January 2007
Only
as high as I reach can I grow,
only as far as I seek can I go,
only as deep as I look can I see,
only as much as I dream can I
be.
- Karen Ravn
I always look forward
to a new year. As yet another cycle spirals me onward
and upward, I can sense that am on the brink of a new
life. Within is a creative force that stirs me to
become more with each passing moment.
But
how do I transmute the fear of change?
I ask my
breath to show me the way...an energy lubricant that
relies on perfect harmony in order to thrive. In...out.
Expand...contract. Act...release. Each breath teaches
me how to let go. Fear becomes courage...courage
becomes the power to act...and the power to act creates
me anew.
The simple, yet profound, wisdom that can be found in
the body both intrigues me and fills me with promise.
Sensation does matter.
I know
this to be evident in my life, and it is the current
foundation of my life's work. And thus, in 2007, I will
reach higher, seek further, and look deeper. My vision
relies on willing participants. Co-conspirators in
passionate living and innocence reborn. Like-hearted
spirits who are interested in tasting more of life's
flavors, being touched from within, and becoming
prolific in intertwined languages of body, mind,
emotions, and spirit.
Reaching Higher,
Candice
Live Boldly
September 2006
I
will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which came to me as a seed
goes to the next as a blossom,
and that which came to me as a blossom,
goes on as a fruit.
- Dawna Markova
One week ago, I
witnessed the birth of my nephew. I was speechless and
awe-struck, as my mind struggled to catch up with the
joy in my heart. Seeing a miracle happen before my very
eyes changed me forever, nudging me to look beyond my
often limited scope. Better yet, it urged me on to
action.
Life
is a precious gift of being... not to be wasted
wondering what to do
with
it.
This fall, I invite you to lighten up and live a bit
more 'carelessly.' To stand hand-in-hand with your
fears while smiling down upon them, grateful for the
elixir of courage they offer. To sever any ties to the
quarrelsome relatives of reason that dampen your
passions and keep you from acting. To release your
grasp on the invisible life preservers that keep you
safe from drowning in the ocean of your heart's
desire.
Your success relies on your willingness to
risk
your significance and live a life where
what moves you is your guiding light. As always, the
message is the same. Discover everyday bliss. Create
everyday magic. And smile every chance you get. Your
life is a miracle unfolding, one choice at a
time.
Each fall promises new adventures, and I support YOU in
creating opportunities to shine. Join me on Sunday
evenings beginning in September, and discover
how Sensation
Matters in your life. Sign up
for Portland's first hoopdance class series:
The
HoopGirl Workout. Order a hoop that
sparkles with the colors that bring out the shine in
you. Or, book a private session - Nia, Hoop, Life
Coaching - devoted completely to
you.
Should you wait to bring your future to life?... Or
will you make a choice today that will inspire your
heart to bear fruit? The butterflies in your stomach
are to be expected. It's the applause of a thousand
angels urging your potential into
being.
Love & Live Boldly, Candice
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Redefining Abundance
Redefining
Abundance
spiritual maturity = the
evolution from egocentrism to
interdependence
There has been a tremendous amount of buzz around the
recent film - and subsequent book - The
Secret. Upon
the initial launch of the law of attraction into the
mainstream, I was overjoyed. As a coach, I quite often
witness people caught in limited ways of thinking
(myself included... ah yes, we teach what we need to
learn!) and I was inspired by the thought that the law
of attraction invites us all to focus on choosing
thoughts/experiences that feel good. I know that the
ability to witness and own our beliefs and attitudes is
the first step to living more consciously. Surrendering
the Victim is essential for the Witness to step into
place.
The Secret teaches us that...
Feeling good is a natural outpicturing of conscious
choices.
In short, witness to know how you are vibrating... then
choose to feel good.
That I resonate with.
However, recently, I have begun to ponder terminology
that is thrown about liberally in metaphysical circles.
Namely, the idea of abundance.
Many teachers report that quantum physics tells us that
there is a limitless supply of resources available to
us. The only limitation that exists is our thoughts to
the contrary. Our experience of limitation in life is a
function of our vibrations (thoughts/beliefs/feelings).
Lack attracts lack. Abundance attracts abundance. Okay.
That sounds pretty straightforward, yes?
Yet, I am beginning to wonder. Are we not in the
egocentrism of our development as a spiritual culture?
In early child development, around 3 years old, a child
has a developed a sense of self. A sense that he or she
exists as a personality apart from the outside world.
They enter a stage marked by egocentrism - all that
exists in that which I see in front of me. The "I"
becomes the reference point for the world at large. If
I can see it, it is there. If not, then it must not be
there. Or, even if it is... who cares.
I am blessed with a wonderful man in my life, whose
family so generously invites us to enjoy their
beautiful home overlooking the Oregon Coast. Over
Mother's Day weekend, we spent some time there. As
always, my body and mind became spacious and calm in
the presence of the ocean's sounds. Perfectly content,
I spent some time journaling and flipping through books
and magazines of interest. I stumbled across an issue
of Vanity Fair... "The Green Issue"... that focused on
further educating the public about the environmental
issues. As I read about a culture in the Amazon, facing
extinction due to their shrinking landscapes and
drastic climate shifts, I realized (real eyes'd) that
if I focus on abundance as it is currently defined in
our culture, I may be doing a diservice to myself, my
clients, and my culture.
I am not one to watch the evening news and stew in the
negativity that I see onscreen. Nor would I suggest it.
However, maturing in our spiritual awareness asks that
we see the world at large - we can apply filters in
order to receive as much information as possible - so
that our personal choices in life are conscious and
contextual. It is an egocentric society that ignores
the world at large. I very much do agree that I must
find peace within before I can have a peaceful impact
on the whole. Absolutely. However, I am not an island
of energy. I am an integral piece that impacts the
collective on a scope we are only now beginning to
understand. The Green Movement is a brilliant example
of illumination. We now have a measurable experience
of interdependence.
The butterfly wings of one person's choices, being felt
in a small Amazonian village in South American. Ah ha!
The concept of "we are one" is no longer simply a
metaphysical musing... it is a reality!
I am beginning to see that to misrepresent a concept
such as abundance - framing it as a selfish freedom
without limits or implication in such a
consumption-driven society is ironic, naive, and
spiritually immature.
The issue: In our modern world, consumption is too often confused
with abundance. And abundance is confused with
wealth. Let us seek to redefine these concepts which
are, in their purity, holy and sacred responsibilities.
Do I want more money?... of course! How about
more
vacations?... and a best
seller?... or two?... Okay. Sign me up!!
Yet it is not the money, or the vacation, or the book
deals that will lead me to the wealth that I seek. At
best, these will all serve as distractions UNLESS I am
spiritually mature enough to handle the responsibility
that such luxuries afford me. If I consider myself an
island of energy that is... 1) uneffected by the
choices and consciousness of those around me, and 2)
who can will anything into being without consideration
for the whole... I may achieve a rich and abundant
lifestyle as it is promised. One that feeds my body
with pleasure, and my emotions with a sense of
satisfaction.
However, each passing day teaches me that the abundance
that I want more than anything else is a sense of
spiritual satisfaction. A deep and pure experience of
Love. Fulfillment. Purpose. And, in essence, Heaven on
Earth.
We do not have to surrender one for the other.
We can have the joys of the physical world as well as
the bliss of that which connects us to something larger
than ourselves. Paradoxically, I believe that it is the
investment in spiritual assets that brings us a wealth
that nurtures us for a lifetime.
Since I have begun to challenge the narcissism of The
Secret - and what has become near-mainstream acceptance
of the Law of Attraction - I have been asked the
question:
"Candice, are you
saying that you no longer believe in The
Secret?!"
Yes, I believe in The Secret. I believe that the Law of
Attraction does indeed exist.
But I believe in The Force behind it more. And that my
highest good is in the hands of an intelligence that
far exceeds anything that my hands, my head, or my
heart can hold.
And it
feels good. Really, really
good.
The Law of Attracting Fulfillment
The
Law of Attraction = Ask and It Is Given
The Law of Attracting Fulfillment = Trust and Receive
Your Greatest Good
In my experience I have known that the secret of joyful
living, fulfillment, and a wealthy existence is
something that I can call forth. I have practiced the
Law of Attraction. I have desired a great many things,
relationships, and experiences... and have come to
experience most everything that I have called into
being. So much of that which I wanted to become I have
become (teacher, black belt, performer)... so much that
I wanted to experience I am experiencing (creativity,
travel, loving relationship)... and so much of that
which I wanted to have I am having more of (more money,
a beautiful home, freedom to choose what to do with my
time). And so I know that within me lies the power to
make things happen. For this, I am grateful.
Nevertheless, none of these outpicturings have brought
me the peace, joy, or fulfillment that I have been
seeking all along. My process of creation has brought
me many things... most importantly, the realization
that none of these desires self-serving will ever bring
me the fulfillment that my soul yearns for.
I don't mean to sound cynical. It's actually one of the
most liberating realizations that I have ever had. I
think back on the great moments when I have known true
fulfillment. Right now, writing my truth to you. Lying
in the arms of my lover in that space between this
world and the dream state. Laughing joyously with
friends. Holding my niece in my arms for the first
time... or seeing her sweet face in an e-card from my
sister. Watching my nephew come into the world.
Witnessing as someone shares a dream with me, and
holding space for the sacred power of a spirit
unleashed. Feeling the boundless joy while watching
students in blissful abandon through dance... or in
presenting their uniqueness in union with another
through a performance jam.
It is THIS that I wish to attract more of into my life.
Fulfillment that comes from the everyday magic of
relationships, co-creation, and meaningful
interactions. I want to develop mastery in - not my
ability to bring the material into the material world
(I have sensed the transient satisfaction of this)- but
my ability to take notice, appreciate, and rest into
the ways in which spirit is present in the flesh of
those around me. To attract more of the juicy richness
of life. While I receive satisfaction and comfort from
the many images that come to life through me... it is
the unexpected and brilliant miracles of all that lies
beneath the surface that bring me true fulfillment.
Therefore, I offer a shift in semantics for my
practice...
from The Law of Attraction, to the Law of Attracting
Fulfillment.
And I am committed to building a business where others
are aspiring (and inspiring!) to do the same. Moments
of brilliance acting as signposts that light the way.
SHiNE ON!