Tend To Your Soul

Tend to your Wild Creative Heart

2010-02-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

As I develop and nurture the vision being born, I'm wondering about this blog, Tend To Your Soul. In essence, my Wild Creative Heart vision is the same, just with a different name that has a different energy behind it. And perhaps this blog will eventually be retired. For now, it will remain and I invite it's readers, (however few!) to please join me on my new blog. http://WildCreativeHeart.blogspot.com And please, invite your friends! :)

The Creative rEvolution has begun!

2010-02-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

I believe the lasting revolution comes from deep changes in ourselves which influence our collective life. -Anaïs Nin

I'm SO very excited to announce my new vision!

You are invited to become a rEvolutionary!

Ways to become a rEvolutionary and stay up to date:

-Sign up for the E-zine at the Wild Creative Heart website
-Follow the Wild Creative Heart blog
-Join the Creative rEvolution group on Facebook

Most important of all:
-CREATE! Spend time on your creative passion!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lisa
http://wildcreativeheart.blogspot.com/
http://www.wildcreativeheart.com/
http://tendtoyoursoul.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LisaDieken

Love is a state of Being - Eckhart Tolle

2010-02-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

Love is a state of Being. Your love is not outside; it is deep within you. You can never lose it, and it cannot leave you. It is not dependent on some other body, some external form.

In the stillness of your presence, you can feel your own formless and timeless reality as the unmanifested life that animates your physical form. You can then feel the same life deep within every other human and every other creature. You look beyond the veil of form and separation. This is the realization of oneness. This is love.

Eckhart Tolle – “Practicing the Power of Now”

Flow & Trust

2010-02-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

Whenever you need to honor the flow of the creative process that has brought you to the moment you're in -- even if it happens to be a difficult place just then -- imagine this: You are standing next to a beautiful , powerful painting that you have created. You are proud of this painting. It is you. A young artist, quite self-critical, comes to you in admiration and asks, "How did you get to this place?" You breathe deeply, smile and share the secret. "By trusting myself," you answer simply. And the young artist is filled with hope, ready to start again.

~Jeanne Carbonetti

Inspiration

2010-02-06T08:27:00.000-08:00

"When you are inspired by some great
purpose, some extraordinary project,
all your thoughts break their bonds;
Your mind transcends limitations,
your consciousness expands in every direction,
and you find yourself in a new, great
and wonderful world.
Dormant forces, faculties and talents
become alive, and you discover yourself
to be a greater person by far
than you ever dreamed yourself to be."

~Patanjali

Flute Fanfare (and a creativity prompt)

2010-01-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

Take a moment for some fun and lightness today! It's only 65 seconds.

Excerpt: "This is my fantastic flea circus featuring the fabulous flea family - Freddie, Fats, Fannie, Filbert, and Floyd Flea."

The flea voices and the "flute fanfare" are great. (A flea playing a flea-sized flute?) There are other great lines as well!

I don't know, maybe I have a strange sense of humor!?
(Creativity Prompt is below!)

(If unable to see video below, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEbTWupi21M )

Creativity Prompt:
Write a short story using as many words as you are able to that start with the first letter of your first name. (or use any letter you are inspired to use.) Have fun with it!

Let me know how it goes!

Things I Love about SNOW!

2009-12-29T15:25:00.000-08:00

1. The landscape looks different with a blanket of snow!
2. How it muffles all the sounds and makes everything quiet.
3. The amazing shapes of snowflakes.
4. Catching snowflakes on my tongue
5. Snow sculpture
6. Snow angels
7. The white snow against the blue sky
8. Shadows!
9. The crunch when I walk when the temperature is cold.
10.The mushiness of it when the temps are warmer.
11.Sledding!
12. It insulates plants from the cold.
13. The mixture of sand and snow (think street intersections) reminds me of chocolate chip cookie dough! Ha!
14. The tall grasses peaking through.
15. How it glistens in the sunlight.
16. Tracks! Whether it is tire tracks, foot prints, tracks from deer, bunnies, cats, dogs, ducks, geese, birds, and other little (and sometimes BIG) critters, I love seeing the imprints in the snow!

17. Have you ever noticed the wing/feather tracks from birds taking off and landing?
18. I love how the tracks in the snow allow me to see where the deer and other animals hang out! I feel like I’m being let in on a secret about the lives of the animals.
19. Making my own tracks with snow shoes, cross-country skis, shoes and boots.
20. The feeling of gliding across the snow on skis. Yeah!
21. Breaking new trail on my skis and snowshoes (and in my car!)
22. After a new snowfall, when the tree branches are covered, and then the sky clears and the sun is out and everything is sparkling and magical!

What do YOU love about snow? :)

Holiday Greetings!

2009-12-23T11:07:00.001-08:00

The Muse and Empty Space - a quote by Clarissa Pinkola Estés

2009-12-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

"Those who unleash their craft do not wait for the muse; the muse is like one’s breath, one’s arm, one’s hips, one’s eyes . . . the muse is always there, waiting to spring into action if only we lay out an empty space. Seed goes first to the places which are most empty." ~Clarissa Pinkola Estés

For the children in your life...

2009-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

"At Barefoot Books, we celebrate art and story that opens the hearts and minds of children from all walks of life, inspiring them to read deeper, search further, and explore their own creative gifts. Taking our inspiration from many different cultures, we focus on themes that encourage independence of spirit, enthusiasm for learning, and sharing of the world’s diversity. Interactive, playful and beautiful, our products combine the best of the present with the best of the past to educate our children as the caretakers of tomorrow." -The Barefoot Mission

Check out these beautiful books and gifts: http://www.BarefootBooksMagic.com

*Free Shipping on orders over $35 until December 23. Outside 48 Continental states, standard upcharges apply.

Thanksgiving Wishes

2009-11-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

My "Silling Something" additions to the world...

2009-11-14T09:39:00.001-08:00

Painting wolves
in the woods,
burning a candle at midnight.
A group of toddlers
wearing quinacridone magenta chaps and
gobbling purple peaches
waddle past.

-------------------------------------------

stars weaving harmony
burning bright
angel's light
passionate questions awaken!

-------------------------------------------

I lost my lentils!
I really did!
They were no where to be found!
I looked and looked
and laughed and laughed,
"I've lost my lentils!"

(C) 2009 Lisa Dieken, All rights reserved

Silly Something

2009-10-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

I've been having fun reading Shel Silverstein poetry and wanted to share a few:

SOMEBODY HAS TO
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
They’re looking a little bit dull.
Somebody has to go polish the stars,
For the eagles and starlings and gulls
Have all been complaining they’re tarnished and worn,
They say they want new ones we cannot afford.
So please get your rags
And your polishing jars,
Somebody has to go polish the stars.
~Shel Silverstein

MY BEARD
My beard grows to my toes,
I never wears no clothes,
I wraps my hair
Around my bare,
And down the road I goes.
~Shel Silverstein

PUT SOMETHING IN
Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-gumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.
~Shel Silverstein

What's something silly that YOU can put in the world? :)

The Nature Muse - For Inspiration

2009-10-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

When things are busy, you are feeling frazzled, you don't seem to have any good ideas, you need to be nurtured....

Call on Sapphire Wind - The Nature Muse!

"The healing power of connecting with nature."

Summon Sapphire Wind when: you need a nurturing break from the pace of life, you need to soothe your soul, you need to feel energized, you need to clear your mind, you need inspiration

Sapphire Wind's Hobbies: Doing anything in nature while enjoying the surroundings. Inspiring mortals to do the same. ~ hiking, walking, sitting, backpacking, camping, meditating, creating, sketching, writing, painting, biking, bathing, eating, sleeping, napping, daydreaming, breathing, watching the clouds float by....

Questions to ask yourself:
What one small way can I connect to nature today?

Have I watched a sunrise or sunset recently? Or stopped to smell a flower? Or listened to the birds? Or gazed at a tree?

Can I spend five minutes today on my porch or deck? In my garden? In a park? In a friend's or community garden? at a local botanical center?

Exercises:
~ Walk, hike or sit in a natural area - away from traffic, people and cement. Be there with all of your senses.

~ Plant some seeds and watch the changes over time. Remember death is a part of the cycle life.

~ Walk barefoot on the grass. Go wading in the ocean, a lake or stream. Jump in rain puddles.

~ Play in the snow. Make snow people, snow angels, run, hop, sit, throw it up in the air. Catch snowflakes on your tongue.

~ Sit with a flower and really look at it, see all of the nuances about it... colors, shapes, textures, fragrance ~ be present with it.

~ Spend a day, hour or 5 minutes at the beach listening to the sound of the waves or sitting next to a stream.

~ Act as if you can communicate with a tree/plant/flower/mountain/lake/pond/stream/boulder etc. Sit in front of this natural item of your choice, center yourself by closing your eyes and taking some slow deep breaths. In a heartfelt way, ask it a question. What is the reply? Have a conversation. What does it have to teach you? Maybe keep track of your interaction in your journal.

~ Flow energy with a tree: Imagine energy going down your body into the earth, up the roots of the tree to the top, over to you and back down through the top of your head and down through your body. Repeat a few times. Then reverse the direction for a few times.

~ Journal about any of these experiences or others you may have. Draw, paint, dance or sing your experiences.

Quotes from Mortals:
In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. ~John Muir

Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. ~John Muir

Nature heals and gives strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. ~Aristotle

...to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself. ~William Blake

Nature is my manifestation of God. I go to nature every day for inspiration in the day's work. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be. ~Anne Frank

Nature is so powerful, so strong. It takes you to a place within yourself. ~Annie Leibovitz

One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between Man and Nature shall not be broken. ~Leo Tolstoy

Enjoy!

P.S. The "outline" for this was taken from the book "Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)" by Jill Badonsky! Thank you Jill.

Lisa Dieken
Creativity, Nature & Soul
*Kaizen-Muse Certified* Creativity Coach, Muse Group Facilitator

Shamanic Soul Retrieval & Healing Practitioner
Website/Newsletter sign-up: http://www.TendToYourSoul.com
Blog: http://TendToYourSoul.blogspot.com
Boulder County, Colorado

The Guest-House ~ Rumi

2009-09-14T10:49:00.001-07:00

The Guest-House

This being human is a guest-house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you

out for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

Say I Am You: Poetry Interspersed with Stories of Rumi and Shams, Translated by John Moyne and Coleman Barks, Maypop, 1994.

Doodling!

2009-09-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

I knew there was a GOOD reason I doodled during all of those corporate meetings!

"Doodling may imply a wandering mind, but according to a study published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology, the contrary is true: doodling can actually help people remember details."

Source: Wiley-Blackwell 2009

Taken from the Boulder and Broomfield Counties Natural Awakenings magazine,
Sept 2009 issue.

Peak Experience

2009-09-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

I DID IT! I made it to the summit of Long's Peak ~ 14,258 feet, 15 miles round trip, approximately 5000 feet elevation gain. WooHoo!

I've been training since the beginning of August... going on two big hikes a week, increasing the load in the backpack, the elevation, and the elevation gain with each hike... and learning about those places within that want to stop me. The places that don't want to persevere. And then NOT allowing them stop me; letting go and asking Spirit to transform them.

I've also been learning about how my mind sometimes looks at the big picture and gets frightened, when once I get started and "just do it", step by step, section by section, moment by moment, it really isn't that difficult! (By the way, this is putting "kaizen", as in "Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching", into practice! )

Though today my body is sore, yesterday and the climb feel like a dream.
"Life is but a dream." :) ( Row, row, row your boat.... gently down the stream....)

Here are some snippets of my day:

It was a day of headlamps and hiking in the darkness
Waking at 2 am, on the trail at 3 am

Stargazing with Orion looking down
A few glimpses of the near-full moon, she was setting behind the mountain as I climbed up
It was a day of linking soul to soul with the mountain
Resting in the dark watching the headlamps of other hikers move across the tundra
Being well above treeline, watching the red sun rise
Seeing the first morning light on the peak I was to soon be standing on...
Making it 5.9 miles and 3700 feet by 7:30 am

It was a day of rocks, scrambling, climbing, rocks... did I say rocks?
The last 1.6 miles and 1300 feet taking nearly 4 hours
Steep inclines and beautiful views
It was a day of not too much fear, it didn't seem as bad as my mind had made it up to be....
It was a day of laughter and a few tears
Focus and friendship
Clouds building up, sunshine, a few snow flurries, some breezes, and mostly stillness

It was a day of magic! Hearing Raven calling as I ascended up the last steep incline
Being at the summit and experiencing the air being absolutely still

It was a day of improving rock climbing and scrambling skills
It was a day of overcoming thoughts of quitting, of thinking I wasn't going to go any further.... twice (surprisingly ONLY twice! :) )

Connecting to the mountain and asking for help
Feeling deep appreciation for the experienced friend that helped me make it to the summit and back down!

It was a day of protein bars, water, water, water
Sore feet, sore muscles, sore hands(from climbing and scrambling!)
Fatigue and alertness
It was a day of presence. The difficulty of the climb creating the experience of being totally in the moment
Snowshoe hares with brown bodies and white feet, sweet little pica and a marmot or two
Seeing the full moon rising on my drive home, completing the journey
It was a day of celebration!

Love,
Lisa

Here's me signing the register at the summit! My first Colorado 14'er!

I was so focused on my climbing and scrambling that I didn't take any photos of alot of my day on Long's Peak. Take a look at this description and these photos.(link below) Especially pay attention to "The Ledges", "The Trough", "The Narrows" and "The Homestretch". Keep in mind that the photos DO make it look steeper than it is, as no ropes were necessary to climb...http://www.14ers.com/routemain.php?route=long1&peak=Longs+Peak

Wanting to spend more time on your Creative Passion?

2009-08-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Get in GEAR! Creativity Group
Over the phone, in your own home.

For those of you who
-would like to spend more time with your creative passion,
-would like to begin a new creative passion/project,
-are looking for a bit more structure
-and/or would like to have access to, and the support of, someone that is familiar with honoring the creative process....

Begins in October!

Go to my Website for more information. Feel free to share this information with others who may be interested!

At the TOP of the world!

2009-08-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

A recent hike to 13,397 ft elevation...

At the TOP of the world! ...or so it felt to me! That dark circular thing I'm leaning on pointed out mountains that could be seen from this point, along with elevations and distances. It was placed there in 1928!

On the way down... down.... down....

Blessings to you,

Lisa

When we heal ourselves....

2009-08-09T09:36:00.001-07:00

"When we heal ourselves, others are healed. When we nurture our dreams, we give birth to the dreams of humankind. When we walk as loving aspects of the Earth Mother, we become the fertile, life-giving Mothers of the Creative Force. When we honor our bodies, our health, and our emotional needs, we make space for our dreams to come into being. When we speak the truth from our healed hearts, we allow life abundant to continue on our Mother Planet."

~Jamie Sams
From "The 13 Original Clan Mothers -
Your sacred path to discovering the gifts, talents and abilities of the feminine through the ancient teachings of the Sisterhood."

Elephants in Colorado!

2009-07-21T18:11:00.001-07:00

Among the tall grasses, Little Red Elephants.

Silent in the gentle breezes.

Soaking up the sunshine.

Living happily among the pines.

Sawtooth protectively watching over them....

~Lisa Dieken

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

2009-07-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

"We are really advocates of just getting as happy as you can be — which takes care of everything. Even if you don't have reason to be happy — make it up. Fantasize it. Make a decision that you're going to be happy one way or another — no matter what. "No matter what, I'm going to be happy! If I have to ignore everybody; if I have to never watch television again; if I have to never pick up a newspaper again, I'm going to be happy. If I never have to see that person's face again, I'm going to be happy. If I have to see that person's face, I'm going to find something to see in that person's face that makes me happy. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be happy."
~ Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Sacramento, CA on Saturday, March 15th, 2003

Happy Saturday!
For those of you in the United States, Happy Independence Day!

May all who desire it experience freedom in every way!

Love and magic,
Lisa

Speaking of fun....

2009-06-21T11:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I quoted Abraham-Hicks and mentioned how increasing the fun load can increase your revenue, but from the creativity standpoint, increasing the fun load is paramount as well! Nourishing the joyful child within is how we stay in the creative flow and remain open to inspiration and new ideas. Fun and play give us energy and create joy!

Yesterday I drew with sidewalk chalk for 15 minutes to feed my playful side. Sometimes I color in kids coloring books. Yes, I'll admit to it! If I don't go for regular hikes in the wilderness, she really gets grouchy. Photography and spontaneous drawing also keep her happy. Early this year she surprised me with a request to learn how to knit! I'll have to say it does seem kind of magical how knitting works!

Have you recently asked YOUR joyful inner child what she/he might find fun and playful?

Have you played today?

In joy,
Lisa

Increasing the Fun Load

2009-06-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Reduce your workload by 30% and increase your fun load by 30% and you will increase your revenues by 100%. And you will increase your productivity by 10,000%. (If there could be such a percentage.) More fun, less struggle -- more results on all fronts.
--- Abraham -Hicks

My first hike in the higher elevations this summer was short and the views, spectacular!

On the way up... The hummingbirds were playing , but were unwilling to have their photos taken.

This marmot was a little shy, and didn't realize his tail was visible! ;)

The mountain lake. Ahhhh!

This is how I increase my fun load.... how will you? :)

In fun,

Lisa

Live Life Creatively!

2009-06-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

"Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory. Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. It's not the previously known. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can't get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing. But what you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself."
~Alan Alda

Go into the wilderness and unexplored territory of your intuition. Be brave enough to live life creatively and live your dreams. Discover your creative self!
For more information, click-> Creativity and Creative Life Coaching with Lisa Dieken

Learn how to grow from difficulties - E-book with bonus gifts

2009-05-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

I wanted to pass this on to you as I know so many people with back injuries, fibromyalgia and other chronic illnesses. Sometimes you find a person whose life teaches lessons that you know are valuable, but you feel lucky you are not him. Marc Lerner, who has had MS for 29 years, has learned how to take incredibly difficult challenges and turn them into incredible spiritual experiences. One of our biggest challenges in life is how we deal with difficult situations. If you want to learn how to grow from difficulties instead of being defeated by them…I encourage you to read this e-book, A Healthy Way to Be Sick. After all – don’t we all know someone who is sick?

Marc, blind and in a wheelchair, says;
“The greatest lesson I learned from 28 years of dealing with a chronic illness is: The quality of your life doesn’t depend on the health of your body; it depends on your focus. What if you learned how to develop a habit that freed you from your mind? Of course, that isn’t a place you have to live in all of the time; it is just a place to rest your consciousness when you face a challenge you cannot control.

When we go beyond our thinking mind, we find what I call the ‘Wisdom of the Body’. That is not a difficult place to find; kids play there and athletes find it in the zone. We touch it in passionate moments and at the depth of sincere prayers. So why can’t it become a natural place for shelter when we face difficult challenges?

My illness forced me to that depth. In my e-book, I share a simple technique that becomes an incredible habit. I feel within every person is the ‘Wisdom of the Body’. This habit consciously conditions your mind to touch that beyond thought reality as simply as breathing. This reality is within you always and when we ignore it…that is real ignorance. In that inner wisdom are powerful inner resources needed to face difficult times. This e-book had to meet 3 requirements when I wrote it for people in a health challenge; 1) it had to be profound 2) it had to be easy to understand and 3) it had to below $10.”

If you or anyone you know deals with a challenge they cannot control; I strongly recommend this e-book. Go to http://ahealthywaytobesick.org/bookpromo.html and read a mini version of the e-book. A Healthy Way to Be Sick will teach you the power you have to find quality in your darkest times. We all face challenges; now enjoy your life as you deal with what you cannot control. Simply click here to order A Healthy Way to Be Sick.

P.S. If you buy this $9.95 e-book you get great downloadable gifts from the world’s experts worth nearly $8,500.

Mary Oliver Poem - The Faces of Deer

2009-05-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Early this spring I had a close encounter with a herd of deer and told my friend Tracie about it. ( http://www.mybloominglife.com/) The story of the encounter is for another post, for right now I'd like to share a beautiful poem that Tracie recently sent to me and a photo I took about two weeks ago.
Thank you, Tracie! :)

"The Faces of Deer" by Mary Oliver

When for too long I don't go deep enough into the woods to see them, they begin to enter my dreams. Yes, there they are, in the pinewoods of my inner life. I want to live a life full of modesty and praise. Each hoof of each animal makes the sign of a heart as it touches then lifts away from the ground. Unless you believe that heaven is very near, how will you find it? Their eyes are pools in which one would be content, on any summer afternoon, to swim away through the door of the world. Then, love and its blessing. Then: heaven.

Manifesting Cactus Flowers

2009-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went on an amazing hike. Since I had my camera with me, I decided to place the order with the Universe
~ I'd really like to see some cacti with the bright pink flowers, like the ones I've seen when I haven't had my camera.
~Several flowers on one cactus would be really nice.
~I would like them to be in a place where I could take some good photos.
~And I didn't say this, but I think the Universe knows it, is that I like them to be in the sunshine!
So, off I continued on my hike, enjoying the sunshine, the warm, but not too hot, weather, the scenery, the fragrance in the air. Yum!

About an hour later, I stopped in the shade to rest, drink and eat my "lunch". I turned around to take in the view and to my surprise, the most beautiful bright pink flowers were saying hello to me!

Nearly instant manifestation! I love setting an intention with my heart, not being attached to the outcome, enjoying myself along the way, following my inner guidance, and like magic, it appears! :)

Keep in mind that I saw no other cacti and flowers like this on the rest of the hike. If I hadn't stopped at this particular place, I wouldn't have this photo, though I may have been led to another place with a cactus in bloom.

Thank you, Universe!

Dr. Anna Maria Prezio's Book Launch

2009-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Anna Maria Prezio is launching her book, Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster, today, May 12, in a Magnificent Journey of Personal Revelation and Spiritual Serenity to an expected crowd of 1.3 million people. Not only can you purchase her book and receive her free tailor-made bonuses, but you will receive gifts from coaches, mentors and authors worth $13,680 and access to an abundance of wisdom from over 110 of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, teachers and experts such as Lisa Nichols, Ken Foster, Marie Diamond and many, many others.

Take a personal journey and discover how environmental harmony uplifts your spirits and raises your vibrations so that you can unblock and transform your life. Dr. Prezio will help you rediscover your hidden creativity and abundant productivity. Confessions of a Feng Shui Ghost-Buster is part memoir, part guide. It is a result of a life long journey that begins in a tiny village in Italy where Anna Maria experienced her first metaphysical phenomenon.

This book promises to intrigue you from cover to cover. You will better understand yourself and the phenomenal world in which you live. I encourage you to visit this link now and step into the prosperity and serenity you deserve!
http://www.confessionsofafengshuighost-buster.com/BookPromo.html

Quotes on Risk

2009-05-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

The universe will reward you for taking risks on its behalf. ~Shakti Gawain

I believe that one of life's greatest risks is never daring to risk. ~Oprah Winfrey

...then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. -Anaïs Nin

Taking Risks

2009-05-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I was reading the book "What We Ache For" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer and found some questions that really struck me:

"Am I hedging at all? What am I holding back? What don't I want to write or paint or explore? What am I refusing to risk?"

~How can you practice taking risks and not holding back, either in your creativity or in your life?
~What one small way can you "go for the gusto" today?

Leave a comment if you are inspired!

Abraham-Hicks quote

2009-04-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

"You are joy, looking for a way to express. It’s not just that your purpose is joy, it is that you are joy. "
~Abraham-Hicks

A simple "poem"...

2009-04-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple "poem" I wrote a few weeks ago.

I was sitting in my car in a park-like setting, giving myself new scenery for the day, and it started snowing. The rest of it is from things I had seen that day. The 4 lines flowed out of me easily.

Perhaps it will give you permission to write something simple...

Snowflakes falling
Eagles flying
Herons fishing
Beautiful Sunday

~Lisa Dieken

© 2009 Lisa Dieken. All Rights Reserved.

Lost - A Poem

2009-04-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and the bushes beside you Are not lost.
Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you,
If you leave it you may come back again, saying Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still.
The forest knows Where you are.
You must let it find you.

An old Native American elder story rendered into modern English by David Wagoner, in The Heart Aroused - Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America by David Whyte, Currency Doubleday, New York, 1996.

Welcome Jill Badonsky!

2009-03-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today I am honored to host Jill on her blog tour for her new book "The Awe-manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder". I first "met" Jill last July as I was searching the internet for creativity coaching training programs. I found her website http://www.themuseisin.com/ and was immediately hooked! I signed up for her newsletter and started listening in on the monthly muse calls. ( Next one is April 9th! ) I purchased and began reading her book "The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)" which I highly recommend right along with The Awe-manac, which came out in December. (And now I'm in her Kaisen-Muse Creativity Coaching training program AND her Blissmas program which is a creative combination of creativity and well-being. )

I love Jill's humor and the way she reminds me to take life lightly. Her "Modern Day Muse" book is a great way to learn about and play with many creativity principles. Her new book, "The Awe-manac" is a fun twist on "The Old Farmers Almanac", and is filled to the brim with Jill's colorful art, ideas, quotes, birthday "awe-servances", Toasts of the Day, humor and Doses of Mirth (and that's not all)! The book calls to your creative side to come out and play.

Page 5 says that The Awe-manac will also help you to:
~retrain your thinking to focus on thoughts that make you more confident, creative and joy-filled
~see your day in a more desirable light
~be inspired by the many muses and amusing events there are in the world
~be reminded of the wonder of who you are
~have an abundance of creative prompts to use for yourself, classes, workshops, with coaching clients, or for writing, collage, art, doodling and just thinking.
~turn a dread-locked attitude (that's an attitude that begins the day with "I have to...") into one of eager-anticipation (and that would be an attitude of "I get to...")
~discover how life's daily events can entertain you, unearth your hidden cleverness, and accelerate what genius might already be flowing.
~wake up your still life and send it dancing into morning glories
~celebrate moments of delight, wonder and amusement alone or with others
~feed your mind
~press purple periwinkles flat

The image you see is the page for today, March 26th. View larger image. (I hope it works for you like it does for me.)

For her tour, I've asked Jill a few questions....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow, Lisa. You ask hard questions. But it was fun to answer them anyway. Thanks so much for hosting The Awe-manac Blog Tour! I enjoyed stopping at yours.

1. "Being creative is the ultimate high of being alive" from page 2 of "The Awe-manac - A Daily Dose of Wonder". Would you talk about your thoughts of creativity being important even to one who isn't in a "creative" career like writing, dancing, painting, sculpture, music, photography, etc.?
Well, okay. The flump (financial slump) we are in is requiring creativity from everyone. Creative ways to make a dollar go further, creative ways to get business, even the re-creation of who we are without the lifestyle we were used to are important ways to awaken those creative juices.

Our thoughts create our reality so the more creatively resourceful we are, the more versatile and adaptive we can be. I cannot think of a way that creativity cannot enhance one's existence. Creativity in relationships, parenting, choosing an attitude, in work helps us to excel in all those areas.
Even if we are not in a creative career we can explore writing, art, music or whatever in a way that brings us joy. We don't have to be experts to find the fulfillment of a creative moment.

2. I've heard from you that perfectionism is quite common. How does it affect people's creativity and their lives in general? What suggestions do you have for dealing with perfectionism?
I don't have the perfect answer for that so I'm not going to answer it at all. All or nothing at all is one way perfectionists get blocked: "Either I'm great or I'm not good enough," "Either I know everything and have everything I need to begin or I don't begin at all." But I have an entire Modern Day Muse named Spills that will free perfectionists from the joylessness they can experience. The main thing Spills says is practice, lighten-up and lower your expectations at the beginning. Give yourself permission to be bad and you'll begin, and then you'll get better. Enjoy the process.

3. What question would you like me to ask you about The Awe-manac that hasn't been asked?
Someone wrote me today asking if it was too late to begin reading The Awe-manac since it begins in January. You can begin reading The Awe-manac anytime and keep reading it again and again. It's perennial; each page is a creativity workshop and a piece of inspiration in and of itself. Once you've finished the year, begin again. The more you read the messages, the more their meaning and power will penetrate negativity and refocus your existence to one of celebration. And you'll notice that your answers to prompts will change from year to year, if not from week to week.

4. Knowing that you are a proponent of not taking life so seriously, what is one small thing people can do today to bring a little bit more humor and lightness to their day?
Read The Awe-manac. It has a Dose of Mirth in it daily. Also watch The Daily Show, Ellen, and any comedy that makes them laugh. Hang around people who make you laugh and who easily laugh at you… well, with you.

5. My favorite prompt in The Awe-manac for today, March 26, is to make up your own holiday. What would one of your made up holidays be? (Include its name, the way it should be celebrated, ceremonies or rituals, decorations, costumes and food to be consumed.)
The Awe-manac already has several of my made-up holidays, but if I were to add another one it would be Lie on the Ground and Look Up Through the Trees Day. It should be celebrated by finding your favorite tree; putting a comfy quilt on the ground, lying down and looking up through the tree into the sky (make sure there's no birds directly overhead). Everyone would do this at their favorite time of the day and write poetry, prose or song, or paint inspired by the view and then meet with their friends for dinner to share. Dinner would traditionally end with peach cobbler.

6. Would you give us a creativity prompt involving nature?
The one above.

7. What is the address of your Awe-manac blog? Click here.

8. Please tell us more about the following or point us to a website where we can get more information:
Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching
Modern Day Muse Groups
Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching training

Thank you, Jill! I loved hosting you here on TendToYourSoul.blogspot.com and wish the best for you and The Awe-manac! Thank you for offering your gifts to us and the world. See you in class! :) Lisa

Now, here's your chance to Comment and Make Up Your Own Holiday!

Please comment on our Q&A session, and leave your perfect or imperfect made up holiday!

Here's my imperfect holiday:
Cloud Shape Day. Go outside on a day when the clouds are fluffy and numerous to your favorite place in nature where the sky is visible. Relax, get comfortable and gaze up at the sky, finding recognizable shapes in the clouds. Wear your favorite colors found in the clouds during sunsets and sunrises, or white. Make and decorate with cottonball shapes, perhaps the shapes you saw in the clouds. Eat marshmallows.

What's your made up holiday?

Thank you for stopping by!

Mark your calendars! Muse and author Jill Badonsky visits on March 26!

2009-03-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

It is exciting to let you know that coming up on Thursday, March 26, Jill Badonsky, M.Ed. will be stopping by this very blog on her Blog Tour to promote her new book "The Awe-manac, A Daily Dose of Wonder". The book is filled to the brim with fun, humor, quotes, ideas, creativity prompts and her own artwork - all of it inviting the *artist within you* to come out and play!

Jill is an artist, author, humorist, creativity coach, workshop leader and founder and director of Kaisen-Muse Creativity Coaching. Her first book, which I also highly recommend, is "The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard)".

During her stop she will be answering questions I've asked her about "The Awe-manac" and creativity. She may even be giving us a creativity prompt or two!

Be here on March 26! We wouldn't want to do it without you!
http://tendtoyoursoul.blogspot.com/

Love and magic,

Lisa

New Rampage of Appreciation Game!

2009-02-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

I recently joined Facebook ( Friend me! Let me know you are a blog reader!) and started a Rampage of Appreciation Game! Facebook group. (It is based on a process written about in the book "Ask and it is Given", by Jerry and Esther Hicks.)

Join us in a community gratitude journal! I will soon be creating appreciation prompts for people to share. For example, I will ask you to find things to appreciate the next time you go to a grocery store (or as you sit in your chair and visualize a visit to grocery store) and then post them to the group.

As you participate in this group and make it a habit to find things to appreciate in your life expect

*the amount of authentic joy in your life to increase
*more things to appreciate and find joy in
*more fun and magic
*more joy and love to share with others
*more prosperity and abundance flowing into your life
*increased inspiration and creative ideas

Sharing our appreciations in a community setting as this and keeping a "log" of them
* creates a place where people can visit when they are wanting to bring more joy into their life: reading other people's loves and appreciations can help to promote a feeling of well-being and joy within us
* gives us ideas on things in our life to appreciate that we might be overlooking
* may provide a way to get to know each other better and celebrate each other's successes

Come join in the fun and create a wave of appreciation flowing out into the world.

Facebook group: Rampage of Appreciation Game!

Appreciating you,
Lisa
:)

She Expanded

2009-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

She expanded.

She stretched the concept of who she was and expanded.

Her mind grew still... and expanded. "All That Is" was now her mind.

Her heart softened... and expanded. She WAS now love and compassion.

Her sense of separateness dissolved;
The edges of who she thought she was, faded.

She became one with the trees.
She became one with the mountains.
She became one with the ocean.
She became the shrubs, grasses and flowers.
She became the animals.

She experienced peace, calm, joy.
She experienced strength, fluidity, groundedness.
She experienced creativity and beauty in her expansion.

She KNEW she was more than enough.

She expanded into ONENESS.
She became new, wonderful possibilities.
She became inspiration.
She fully and completely trusted the Universe.

She knew herself as Source.
She knew herself as The Universe.
She knew herself as unlimited and infinite.

She expanded!

~Lisa Dieken

© 2009 Lisa Dieken. All Rights Reserved.

I Believe in Me

2009-02-10T09:42:00.001-08:00

A good friend of mine shared this with me today. (Thank you, Betsy!) It is from OrangePeel Vision Boards in New Zealand. Sign up for your own Monday morning "Splash of Inspiration" at
http://www.orangepeel.co.nz/a-splash-of-inspiration/

I Believe In Me.

I believe I am a Great and Wise Soul with a special purpose. A purpose that will greatly contribute to the world. Everything I need to know is already there for me.

I believe I am Beautiful in all ways. Beautiful - both inside and out. I have the ability to see beauty in all things for I am beautiful myself.

I believe I am the Truth. Truth is my true nature. I know the truth of all things and I am able to walk and talk my truth easily.

I believe I am Courageous. For I have always been able to cope with each situation that has presented itself to me. This is as true of my future as it is of my past.

I believe I am Grateful. For all my experiences and all that I have everyday, in every way.

I believe that I am Joyful. Because I know that Joy is what I deserve in all areas of my life.

I believe I have Compassion. I am compassionate to all living things and to myself.

I believe I am Powerful. I use my power wisely and from a place of love in everything I do. I have the power to create my world any way I wish.

I believe that I am Peace. I am here to bring peace to this planet in my own way by recognizing the peace that resides in my own heart.

I believe I am already Perfect exactly as I am. As how can a Divine creation be anything but perfect.

I believe I am The Light. I am a guiding light for others in all ways. I have been given talents to shine my light in many ways for the benefit of all and I shine brilliantly.

I believe I am LOVE. My Soul knows nothing but love. I am a loving being who can give and receive love easily, knowing that there is anendless supply of love and that love is the most powerful thing that exists.

I believe in me. I believe in me!

Let's create a world where we all believe in each other. For whatever we believe about ourselves we believe for another, for there is only one of us here.

I am loved and supported beyond all measure of my imagination, I am the miracle.

Love,
Lisa
:)

"Awakening the Divine Soul" Book Launch is TODAY!

2009-02-03T00:05:00.000-08:00

Today is the day!

Today is a celebration and I knew you wouldn’t want to miss out. If you do one simple thing Today, February 3rd within minutes you will acquire a windfall of wisdom from over 100 of the world’s greatest entrepreneurs, teachers and experts, such as Sir Richard Branson, Bob Proctor, Jack Canfield, Peggy McColl, Ken Foster and many others.

We have gathered together to offer you a package of 137 life transforming gifts worth $9,711, to help a very good friend of ours, Rosanna Ienco, celebrate the launch of her new book: Awakening the Divine Soul - Finding Your Life Purpose.

Check out the free bonus gifts you will receive for purchasing Rosanna's book: www.awakeningthedivinesoul.com/bookpromo.html

Rosanna’s profound and deeply moving story will awaken your senses, uplift your spirit and give you the key to unlock your hidden treasures. Rarely does a book come along that not only tells a compelling, captivating story, but will also inspire you to take a step of courage into the unknown and allow your soul to navigate your path. It will show you step by step how to live the life you were destined for and how to claim your birthright to manifest your heart’s desires. Her intention is to make 2009 Your Best Year Ever.

Go to this link now and find out how to unveil the greatest mystery of all… yourself. www.awakeningthedivinesoul.com/bookpromo.html

Love and Magic,
Lisa
:)

P.S. I’m sure that you have many friends, family and colleagues who will love Rosanna’s book and won’t want to miss out on this incredible giveaway. Please forward this message to them so they too can find their life purpose and live extraordinary lives.

P.P.S. When you purchase Awakening the Divine Soul Today, February 3rd, you will also be helping an important organization, the NRDC—Natural Resources Defense Council that assists wildlife like wolves and polar bears and preserves our Earth for future generations.

FYI: The bonus gift I've provided for this book launch is a 15 minute audio download of a guided meditation.

The Gratitude Dance!

2009-01-29T18:13:00.000-08:00

Have you danced the Gratitude Dance recently? :)

The Space Between

2009-01-10T12:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

The Space Between

I want to live in the space between my thoughts.

There are no challenges, problems, fears or limits... only beauty, peace, love, joy and limitless possibilities.

All of my dreams reside there and welcome me home with tea and cookies.

I wrote this recently. The more I thought about these simple lines, the more I liked it. It felt to me like there is quite a bit being shared and I was inspired to share it with you.

It is an invitation to find the stillness within you, the space between your thoughts. Quiet your mind, the mind that creates fears, limits, problems and challenges. When you quiet your mind and live in the space between your thoughts, your experience is that of limitless possibilities, beauty, peace, love, joy, and abundance. It is the place that reflects WHO YOU REALLY ARE. The place of coming home, where you are treated with love and a wonderful welcome. Your dreams manifest when you embody these higher vibrational states of being, when you live in the space between your thoughts. Everything you want, wants you, welcomes you and life is playful.

May you live in the space between your thoughts!

Love and Magic,
Lisa
:)

© 2009 Lisa Dieken. All Rights reserved.

Happy Holidays

2008-12-18T20:57:00.001-08:00

Oneness

2008-11-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

Feeling the Oneness

This past spring I did a Wisdom Gathering shamanic journey on behalf of a friend. A piece of the wisdom she was given was the following:

"'Feeling the Oneness' is the answer. There is nothing left to do. No more doors to open-just this one. It is the answer to everything. It's time to DO IT. Not think about it, not intend, but DO IT. It is where freedom is! It is how you allow in unending love, fun, peace, trust, inspiration, money and all the things your heart desires. Make it a priority to feel the Oneness. NOW is the time."

Day to day life distracts us from feeling connected and we get caught up in "doing" and "trying". For example, I get caught in wondering and worrying what door I need to open or what stone I need to find and turn over to discover the "magic answer". In other words, what do I need to DO? What class do I need to take, what book do I need to read, what marketing do I need to do, what does my website need, and on and on... What do I need to DO for my life to move forward? The wisdom from this shamanic journey is suggesting that there is nothing left to do, except to feel the Oneness. Which could also be explained

there is really nothing left to DO, except BE

your infinite, eternal, unbounded self.

----------------------------------------------------------------
After receiving this wisdom I asked myself:

What does 'Oneness' feel like? How do I know I'm there?

The easiest place for me to really experience this expansion and connection is when I am in nature, though it's possible anywhere. Sitting on a boulder among some trees with a beautiful view of mountains off in the distance, I sense the stillness within me. I feel expanded, yet grounded. "I" don't end where my body ends. I sense the edges of my energy reach out farther and farther, encompassing the immediate area, the county, the state, the country, the world, and out into the cosmos, infinitely. I sense that "I" am the trees and the shrubs, the boulders and the hills. And the expansion goes beyond even that to the feeling that "I" am the sky and the clouds, the sun, moon and stars.

My brain/mind feels expanded as well. No more running like a hamster on a wheel, round and round and getting nowhere. I break out of that into something much more broad. There is no "my mind". "All That Is" is now "my mind".

I experience myself as a part of the whole: like the ocean, rather than a drop. My mind is calm: no worries, fears or concerns. I'm going with the flow of life, not trying to make it happen. Entirely present in the moment, I experience it fully with all of my senses. There is a feeling of lightness in my heart. My heart is open and expanded. It is a feeling of total well-being. A feeling of calmness, being relaxed, at peace and joyful. It is a feeling of love for myself, everyone and everything. I am living and expressing from my heart.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Experiment with feeling the Oneness:
Here are a few ideas to help you be in the moment, feel the oneness and BE Who You Really Are. Take one of these ideas and experiment with it for as little as a minute each day.

1. *Expansion* After a calming, deep breath or two, feel where the "edges" of your energy are and expand them as far as is comfortable. (Immediate area, county, state, country, world, universe.) Try to expand further each time you do this. Notice how it feels physically in your body.

2. *Stillness* Listen to the silence, within you and outside of you. Eckhart Tolle says that it is the stillness, the consciousness within you that is listening to the silence.
3. *Being in the moment* Notice all of your senses as you are doing the dishes, taking a shower, sitting in a cafe, etc. Notice what you can obviously see, hear, smell, feel, taste. Then see if you can notice more and more things that aren't so obvious. Notice how you feel, physically and emotionally.
4. *Love* Bring to mind something you feel unconditional love for, a place, person, puppy, sleeping baby, etc. Feel this unconditional love in your heart. Circulate the love within your body. After a few breaths, begin to circulate the love to people you love, people with whom you have challenges, situations that frighten or anger you, etc. Again, notice how you feel.
5. *Mind expansion* Imagine your skull opening up and your brain no longer being something separate, but instead imagine that your "mind" is stretching out in all directions, infinitely, and imagine infinity being "your" mind. Take note of how you feel and what happens to your thoughts.

----------------------------------------------------------------
It is from this state of Oneness that actions are accomplished much easier and faster. It is when synchronicities occur and life feels magical. I believe this is what the shamanic journey was about: feeling the Oneness makes life more joyful, more fun and easier! It is when inspiration occurs for the next actions to take and when new ideas come to you. It is the state that Mozart and Beethoven were in while writing their symphonies and that Einstein was in when his brilliant ideas came to him. Solutions and your most creative ideas are born in this state. It is WHO YOU ARE.

It is our challenge if we are interested, to not get caught up in day to day "doings", and instead to stay grounded (not so much thinking, worrying and wondering what to do) in order to experience this expanded feeling of Oneness more often; to experience the truth of who we are. And also, it is our challenge to catch ourselves when we stray from it and gently and lovingly nudge ourselves back on track.

There is nothing left to do except feel the Oneness and be the expanded, infinite Source being that you are! "NOW is the time."

----------------------------------------------------------------
For information on receiving wisdom especially for you and regarding something in your life, see http://www.tendtoyoursoul.com/shamanism/index.htm#Wisdom_Gathering

Share your thoughts by posting a comment. Share how Oneness feels to you, how you take yourself to this place of being or something else you are inspired to share.

Love and Magic,
Lisa

Clarissa Pinkola Estes Quote

2008-09-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

This quote came in my email this morning from Elyse Hope Killoran in her Prosperity From the Inside-Out(TM) e-zine, the September 26th issue:

"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times. The light of the soul throws sparks, can send up flares, builds signal fires ...causes proper matters to catch fire...Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it.

If you would help to calm the tumult, this is one of the strongest things you can do.

Do not lose heart. We were made for these times."

~Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Eckhart Tolle quote

2008-09-21T16:45:00.001-07:00

The only thing that ultimately matters is this: Can I sense my essential Beingness, the I Am, in the background of my life at all times? To be more accurate, can I sense the I Am that I Am at this moment? Can I sense my essential identity as consciousness itself? Or am I losing myself in what happens, losing myself in the mind, in the world?

from "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle

Nurturing Yourself

2008-09-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when things get hectic, whether because of good things happening or challenges occurring in our life, we forget to take care of ourselves. This post is about reminding you, and gently suggesting to you, to find a way today, and every day, to really nurture and love yourself.

How can I nurture myself today?
Spend time in nature?
Get some exercise?
Drink more water?
Get a massage?
Take a bath?
Spend some time with a creative project?
Spend some time with my children?
Praise myself more often?
Eat a really nourishing meal and savor every bite?
Take a nap?
Meditate?

If nothing else, can I at least give myself the gift of a full, slow, deep nourishing breath bringing myself back to the present, a few times during the day?

Please post your ideas for nurturing yourself by clicking on the "comments" link below.

Wishing for you a nurturing day filled with love!

Lisa
:)

Group Facilitated Shamanic Journey

2008-09-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Join me for this teleconference call as I create sacred space with prayer and ceremony and safely guide you into non-ordinary reality where you will meet with your Guides to receive wisdom, guidance and healing most helpful to you at this time.

No experience needed.

Benefits:
*immerse yourself in the love and support of Spirit
*practice self-care – enhances relaxation and peace, promotes a feeling of well-being
*bring yourself into alignment with your Inner Being/Soul
*strengthen and deepen your connection to Spirit, your Guides, Angels and other non-physical energy sponsors.

WHEN: Wednesday, Sept 24 9pm ET

$15 - payable by PayPal on the website at http://www.TendToYourSoul.com

Hope you can join me!

Lisa

Guided Meditation - Retrieving Power Animals

2008-09-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

Join me for this teleconference call as I create sacred space with prayer and ceremony and safely guide you to
1) retrieve one or more power animals that will be most helpful to you at this time
2) ask them questions and receive answers
3) integrate their gifts

There will be a brief discussion about power animals before the meditation.

Benefits:
*immerse yourself in the love and support of Spirit
*practice self-care – enhances relaxation and peace, promotes a feeling of well-being
*bring yourself into alignment with your Inner Being/Soul
*strengthen and deepen your connection to Spirit, your Guides, Angels and other non-physical energy sponsors.

For those who prefer guided meditations. Also recommended for those interested in shamanic journeying, but don't feel quite ready to go into unguided journeys.

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept 16 9pm ET

$15 - payable by PayPal on my website at http://www.TendToYourSoul.com

Hope you can join me!

Lisa

A Dare!

2008-08-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

I DARE YOU...
to prove that you are more
than you ever believed yourself to be.

DARE ...
to prove that there is more in you,
more to you,
that there is a dimension of you
the world has not yet seen.

DARE...
to spread your wings,
and soar and sail.

LAUGH in the face of adversity
and rejoice in it.

KNOW that you are now,
and always shall be,
victorious over any circumstance.

YOU are greater
than any circumstance
that has ever been in your life.

~Jack Boland

Rampage of Appreciation game - Join In!

2008-08-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Similar to keeping a gratitude journal, in the book "Ask and It Is Given", Esther and Jerry Hicks write about a game called "Rampage of Appreciation". What is written below is taken from this book, pages 142-146.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In this game, you actually set your vibrational frequency to one of allowing what you have asked for into your experience. In your mode of appreciation, you are in the practice of receiving.

This game can be played anywhere and at any time because it is simply about directing pleasant thoughts in your mind. If you were to write down your thoughts, it would enhance the process, but isn't necessary.

Begin by looking around your immediate environment and gently noticing something that pleases you. Try to hold your attention on this pleasing object as you consider how wonderful, beautiful, or useful it its. And as you focus upon it longer, your positive feelings about it will increase.

For example:
While standing in line at the post office, you may think:
This is a very nice building. There's so much more parking here than at the old post office. There are more counters here, and the line moves much faster than before.
It's great that they keep it so clean.
I like how friendly that postal worker is.
I appreciate the way that mother is interacting with her child.
I like that jacket.
My day is really going well.

While driving to work:
I love my car.
This new freeway is wonderful. There are no traffic lights to slow me down. I can travel so much faster than before. This drive offers such a beautiful view.
Even though it's raining I'm making very good time.
I love how reliable my vehicle is.
I'm grateful for my job.

As you appreciate things, then you attract something else to appreciate, until, in time, you are experiencing a Rampage of Appreciation.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since writing down your appreciation enhances the process, please share your Rampages of Appreciation here!

Here is mine to start us off!
I love the quiet where I live. So nice to not hear so much traffic. My flowers are looking beautiful! I'm glad I'm able to promote their growth! I'm so appreciating the latest creativity streak I've had. It is so energizing to let it flow, flow, flow. I am really looking forward to using my new metallic oil pastels. They are beautiful. I love the ones that are metallic magenta and metallic teal! What a great hike I went on yesterday. The wildflowers were amazing. I could see them all the time and never tire of them. I especially like the rose-colored Indian Paintbrush. They really make my heart sing. Seeing the clouds hanging over the mountains was a nice and interesting change. I took some pretty good photos. Seeing the Columbine growing in the boulder field above treeline was surprising. It was wonderful synchronicity for me to get back to my car just as it started raining! The Universe is really taking care of me. I feel so fortunate to live in Colorado and have such beautiful and wild places to hike. The wilderness makes me feel so alive. I'm so appreciative of Abraham, Jerry and Ester Hicks and this game! I'm thankful for how light and expanded I've felt recently. It feels so good to be doing this and I appreciate feeling good!

Your turn!
WOW! You should try it! It is great fun!

Glorious day! 8-12-08

2008-08-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

What a glorious day today! Everything seemed perfect. Things were more vibrant and intense. The blue sky was bluer, the grass and leaves on the trees were greener, the white fluffy clouds floating by were whiter and fluffier! The mountains stood out so beautifully... watching the cloud shadows slither along the shape of the mountains, noticing the way the mountains were less distinct than the foot hills... noticing the wonderful shapes in the canyon this morning as I drove up into the mountains... oh, the shape of the trees! The different kinds of trees! The weeping willow! The brilliant colors of the flowers I saw, the bright mass of magenta petunias, the black-eyed susans in full bloom, the abundant sunflowers growing along the highway, everything was so beautiful and so intense... so real and THERE, so showing up for me. I'm in awe!

Wouldn't it be nice if....? game - Join In!

2008-07-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

This is a great way to lighten your energy and get back into alignment with who you really are: prosperous, abundant, loving, peaceful, joyful and relaxed. Sometimes affirmations can cause some resistance, but when you say “Wouldn’t it be nice if?” it can bypass the resistance. You aren’t trying to convince yourself that it is true... but boy, wouldn’t it be nice if it were true?

It’s easy! Here’s how one form of the game works:
A couple of my friends and I wanted to shift our energy surrounding money so we agreed to email each other completing the phrase “wouldn’t it be nice if...?”. I’m certainly enjoying it and noticing a difference in my energy. Not only is my energy shifting because of my own phrases, but my energy shifts because of theirs as well. And it’s fun to be connected and share it!

Here are a few that showed up for us:
Wouldn't it be nice if we found all kinds of reasons to laugh every day?

Wouldn't it be nice if one dollar bills grew like leaves on trees and you could just pick and pick and pick and they just grew right back, right back, right back?

Wouldn't it be nice I became independently wealthy by going on hikes of my choosing in gorgeous locations world wide, had fun and was totally fulfilled by it? :-)

Wouldn't it be nice if I woke up every morning vibrating in love, trust and joy?

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Broncos won the Super Bowl? :-)

Wouldn’t it be nice if my husband and I could spend a month together in Hawaii this winter having a fun, relaxing, passionate time and still have money flowing into our accounts while we’re there? ;-)

Wouldn’t it be nice if I could have three more client appointments a week?

Wouldn’t it be nice if vibrancy, aliveness and confidence were my habits?

You're Turn!
Share your own ideas by posting a comment... then come back and read every else’s posts (and post again!) to shift your energy and come into alignment with your dreams!

Wouldn’t it be nice if.... ?

Come Alive!

2008-07-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. – Howard Thurman

What makes you come alive? What gives you a feeling of excitement, raises your energy level, makes you want to shout "YES!"?

I love hiking in beautiful and wild areas. Soaking up the energy of the natural world really feeds and nourishes me. I went on a wonderful long hike in Rocky Mountain National Park last week. Wow! How spectacular! The wild flowers were amazing, the lushness of the area was remarkable, the views: awesome! Afterward my feet were sore and my body was tired, but what a feeling of peace and fulfillment!

It also gives me a feeling of coming alive when I watch my plants that I purchased for the summer grow and bloom! How fun to see the tiny little buds grow larger and larger and then watch the buds expand into a beautiful flower!

Another thing I love is when I have the ability to inspire people. When I am able to suppport others in finding different, more empowering ways of looking at things, to help them see alternatives and access their inner knowing, to watch them grow and change and evolve into their own authentic self.

What makes YOU come alive?
Are you doing it?

Eckhart Tolle quote on Surrender

2008-06-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Don't look for peace. Don't look for any other state than the one you are in now; otherwise, you will set up inner conflict and unconscious resistance.

Forgive yourself for not being at peace. The moment you completely accept your non-peace, you non-peace becomes transmuted into peace. Anything you accept fully will get you there, will take you into peace. This is the miracle of surrender.

When you accept what is, every moment is the best moment. That is enlightenment.

From "Practicing the Power of Now", by Eckhart Tolle

Feeling Good

2008-05-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

So what if the idea of “magic” doesn’t create a feeling of joy, excitement and well being for you? Are you out of luck? (see the posts from May 12 and May 13 regarding the idea of "magic".)

Absolutely not! Look for other words and ideas that do create a feeling of joy and well being for you. Harmony, Freedom, Love, Adventure are some examples.

Reflect and take inspired action:
~Have you discovered some words that work well for you? Try different ones each day to see what works.
~What words/ideas give you a great feeling in your body, mind and spirit?
~Are you able to come back to your word/idea and create a sense of well being several times throughout the day?
~How does your day go when you are able to stay in a good feeling place by using this word (or any other way)?

Share your thoughts by leaving a comment!
Ask questions by leaving a comment too.

Have a fun and adventurous day!

May 12 post
May 13 post

Quote - Julia Cameron

2008-05-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

I choose an expansive life. I choose adventure, freedom, self-expression. I choose self-definition, self-love, self-renewal. Life expands or contracts according to my expectations. I expect good and that is what I experience. I am an adventurer, an explorer, a dreamer whose dreams become true. I embrace the adventure of life. I have courage.

~Julia Cameron
Heart Steps – Prayers and Declarations for a Creative Life

More Magic!

2008-05-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I suggested that you recall magical places and experiences to help move you into a place of well being. Now, I'd like to suggest that you begin to make it your intention each day to see and experience magic and enchantment everywhere.

Last spring I immersed myself in the idea of "magic" as I created an interactive sculpture (see photo of the wizard's cabinet) and I found my life to be lighter, more fun, definitely more magical, and all around a great time! :-) It worked so well that I've decided to try it again this year. Spring time makes it easy as I witness things turning green and popping up out of the soil, flowers blooming, animals being born and warmer weather. And I've begun doing some more creating while holding the idea of "magic" around me. So far it seems to be working alot like last year!

Magic and enchantment to me are about viewing the world with wonder and believing that anything is possible! I allow myself to bathe in the feeling states the two words evoke: excitement, anticipation, joy, light-heartedness. Pretty good way to go through the day, wouldn't you say?

Reflect and take inspired action:
What do "magic" and "enchantment" mean to you?
What would you consider evidence of their existence?
What occurs as you have the intention to see and experience magic and enchantment?
Do you see and perceive things differently?
Do you feel differently?
Are you more inspired?
Do you find yourself doubting and having resistance?

Please share your experiences by commenting on this entry!

MAGIC HAPPENS!
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Post from May 12, 2008 Setting the Tone - Magical Places

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© 2008 Lisa Dieken, All rights reserved.

Setting the Tone - Magical Places

2008-05-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Envisioning a magical place that you’ve visited is a way to create a feeling of well being and expansion in your mind, body and spirit. It can help you set the tone for the day or for the next segment of your day.

Example:
There is a magical place that I love to visit about an hour from where I live. I was there for the first time during the winter this past February doing some cross-country skiing. Usually I visit during the summer months for some hiking, so it was a treat to be there during the winter.

It was my very first time skiing on ungroomed trails and what a fantastic experience! I was breaking trail on *gigantic* snow drifts and taking in the scenery of the gorgeous mountain peaks. The trail in the trees was beautiful and it was a bit remarkable to realize we were skiing up and down over lots and lots of smaller snow drifts! It was *so* beautiful to see the different shapes of the drifts, the snow piled high on the logs and trees, and the snow crystals sparkling in the sunshine. Feeling the crisp, clean winter air on my face, hearing the sound of the skis gliding across the snow, and experiencing the feeling in my body of gliding over the snow... it all brought about an amazing feeling of freedom, expansion and a feeling of oneness.

Now, as I'm recalling this magical place and time, I'm experiencing the same feelings of freedom, expansion and well being. I will take these feelings into the next segment of my day, which happens to be late evening and getting ready to retire for the day. What a wonderful way to end the day!

Reflect and take inspired action
~What magical places do you enjoy visiting? Take a few minutes and recall a magical place that you’ve visited or a magical experience you’ve had and share it here by adding a comment. Use all of your senses to remember. Set the tone for the rest of your day by getting into the feeling space of this magical experience.

~Hold the memory in your body and mind often.

~Have the intention to create NEW magical experiences and journey to NEW magical places!

~Perhaps one new magical experience for you is a shamanic journey! I know you would be traveling to magical places! :-) See www.TendToYourSoul.com/shamanism for more information.

Enjoy!

© 2008 Lisa Dieken, All rights reserved.