Spirituality is a difficult word to pin down and define. But, if it could be summed up in a single word, it might be consciousness. The essence of life is consciousness, the goal of our efforts is an increase of consciousness, the solution to our challenges is a shift in consciousness.
The greatest creative force is consciousness. And, of course, as spiritually-minded NLP practitioners and hypnotists we expand that term to include the vast storehouse of the unconscious, which holds potentially conscious information that just doesn't happen to be in the awareness at a given moment.
Increasingly rising into the awareness of popular culture is an accelerating environmental crisis, but also the power of our choices and intentions to heal the Earth. It's not surprising that the greatest, most important step in reversing damage to the environment is to be conscious of how our lifestyles impact the planet. Only from a position of consciousness can we reevaluate these choices and make positive changes to embrace our role, as individuals and as a species, of Earth stewardship.
The connection between spirituality and Earth stewardship was recently made explicit at the Bioneers Conference by Evon Peter, chairman of the Native Movement, whose very presence onstage with a host of other indigenous Americans from various tribes was a reminder that we are all guests on this planet and that our connection to the forces of creation, the Great Spirit, come up through our relationship with the land and our bodies, not in spite of them.
It was in this spirit that Janis and I recently attended the Bioneers Conference and Green Festival in the
These two recent events were experiences we cherish and will never forget. We hope you'll take the time to explore this email, save it as a reference, and share in the effort to raise awareness about the environment and fair trade practices. Support our commitment to improving the world through conscious intent -- join us on purpose!
Joe Nicholson
November 2007
I hope this finds you healthy and enjoying this beautiful season. Because I'm very excited and can hardly wait, I'm sending you this invitation now to join Joe Nicholson and I in gorgeous
Take a moment to reflect on whether or not you've taken ample time this year to relax and receive energy from others. I know many of us have a tendency to give too much, and we need to be reminded to slow down and take some time for ourselves. If it's time to recharge, meet new people, and have some exciting adventures, consider Healing the Healer.
Healing the Healer in
DATES: February 9-15, 2008
LOCATION: Ama
OPTIONAL ADDITION: February 16th at
If you have requested more information on this retreat, we will be sending you a packet in the mail with all the details you need, including an itinerary and a list of what to bring. If you have any questions, please feel free to call Janis (415-491-1122) or Renata (707-694-2691).
Space is limited and we can only take 16 people with us to this beautiful place. Many people have already expressed excitement over this retreat, so be sure to get in early!
December 9th is the last day to register.
In light,
Janis
Although Halloween has come and gone, it still seems an appropriate time to address a common, but often ignored, issue- arachnophobia.
Is your first reaction when seeing a spider usually one of fear? If your answer is yes, then you're not alone -- fear of spiders affects millions of people. A survey in England suggests that size, color and leg length are important reasons offered for the fright, with the threat of sudden movement by a spider being the most important, and most chilling, aspect.
Now, arachnophobia can be a mild, inconvenient nagging, or it can be so intense as to trigger a full-blown panic attack. These strongest responses are an automatic, unconscious response, meaning it is completely beyond conscious control. These responses are often the result of a distressing encounter with a spider in childhood, though the original incident may be long forgotten.
So, what can you do to stop this fear? Until recently, desensitization was the typical approach, involving gradual exposure to spiders. Another, newer, approach is to relive the moment when the spider phobia was accidentally acquired and remove the negative feeling. While this is less painful than desensitization, it can still be unpleasant.
Here is a simple formula that will work miracles without any discomfort. Try it on yourself, or call an NLP professional for a session.
1. Put yourself in a really comfortable and safe place. Breathe deeply and rhythmically.
2. In your mind's eye, imagine a spider flashing on a white screen for a second. Keep breathing and imagine relaxing.
3. Let another spider flash in your imagination for 2 seconds. Relax and breathe evenly.
4. Think of the friendliest, most harmless creature you can envision.
5. Slowly morph it into a spider, while keeping the feeling of harmlessness in your mind.
6. Keep going back and forth between the friendly creature and the spider until you can imagine the spider without any fear. If any of the fear remains, call an NLP Practitioner!
