The reflection for Thursday on the Peaceful Woman Maui Passage is “You are in the Flow”.  We talk about being able to flow with whatever comes our way, and not being attached to any particular outcome.  That last bit challenges me, as I tend to get uptight and cranky when events don’t unfold the way I think they should.

After the Passage in May, I mentioned that I was going with the flow in regards to a certain situation in my life.  “Only dead salmon go with the flow, ” a friend of mine said to me.  I’ve been thinking about it off and on for a while now, and I have to disagree.

I’ll get back to that in a minute.

I’ve been seeing posts on various social media and hearing about the teachings of Abraham, as recorded by Esther and Jerry Hicks.  A few weeks ago I decided it was time to look into them.

Because there is a book ban on at my house (I’m not allowed to buy any more books), I turned to my favorite alternative to bookstores: the library.  I went on line and requested several titles.  The first one to come in was The Astonishing Power of Emotions: Let Your Feelings Be Your Guide. I’m only about half way through it, but it is a very quick and easy read.

I instantly resonated with the idea that our physical form is just a tiny extension of our soul, or Non-Physical Being, as Abraham puts it.  In the book, Abraham describes our lives and efforts of manifestion like the current of a river.  Many of us think that we have to work hard to manifest what we want in our lives.  This is akin to paddling upstream.  We work harder, faster, longer, and we don’t get anywhere.

According to Abraham, when we desire something, the larger part of our being, the Non-Physical Being,  brings that desire into manifestation, downstream.  The harder we work to make something happen, the farther away from it we actually get.  “Nothing you want is upstream. ” What we really need to do, is go with the flow, let go of the oars, and allow the manifestation to happen.  The key is to bring the vibration of your physical Being into alignment with your Non-Physical Being.

So how do you do this? By paying attention to your emotions.  When you are in a place of fear, anger or anxiety, you are definitely paddling upstream.  When you are in a place of love, joy, and happiness, your are definitely travelling downstream.

When you notice you are paddling upstream, how do you turn your boat around?  Reframe the situation until you feel a sense of relief.  That feeling shows that you are letting go of resistance, and beginning the flow downstream.

Getting back to the salmon, they work really hard to swim upstream.  They do this to get back to the place they were hatched.  When they finally get there, they spawn, and then they die.  How many times do we as humans struggle to get back to some ideal from our past, even though we know it can never be the same?  And what reward do we get for our struggles to recapture that lost time?  Usually pain and disappointment.  Like the salmon, our efforts may kill us, or a part of us.  Yes, the salmon start the cycle of life for the next generation. But then they die! For us as people, our future lies downstream, and its a lot easier way to live!

I’m definitely going to practice letting go of the oars, and flowing downstream.

What are your thoughts? Do you see yourself as paddling upstream?  Or do you find life easier going with the flow, downstream?

Blessings,

Mary

I recently returned home from The Peaceful Woman Maui Facilitator Passage.  This is the third time I have gone, and it continues to amaze me.  Or rather, I continue to amaze myself.

How do you describe your own inner journey to someone else? How do you put deeply personal and meaningful “aha” moments into words?  The Peaceful Woman Maui Passage is a week long journey into your own truth.  And each time I return, I learn more and more about myself.  I learn how to cut through the noise in my own head, to drop into that still place inside myself where my soul resides.  I learn how to be the observer in my own life–how am I occurring in this situation?  And what does that say about how I occur in the rest of my life?

I arrive open to the teachings this time and this place have prepared for me, vulnerable in the knowledge that I have manifested the experiences that will take me to the next level.  I am here to support the other women on their journey, and I allow myself to be supported, by conscious women who become soul sisters, as well as by Mother Maui, a magical island that has much to share.  I tune in, listening to the requests of the women with me on this Passage, my body,  and Mother Nature all around me, knowing they are all reflections of my innermost Divine self.  I share my experiences and insights, and soak up the breakthrough moments like the rays of brilliant sunshine.

I dance the ancient dance, blessing the land, and walk the labyrinth to my center and back.  I am cleansed in the river of feminine energy, and purified in the ocean where the ancients landed their canoes.  I am teleported to the sacred place where the sky meets the land, from which messages are sent and received.  I walk the fields of heat and passion, sweat out the stones that block my Light, and claim my blessings.  I sway with strong bamboo, bathe in healing waterfalls, and am pampered into a state of relaxed bliss.  I unite with my sisters to carry us swiftly across the waves to sing to the turtles, and swim amidst rainbow colored fish.  I celebrate the journey with dancing, singing and feasting!

And throughout I am treated to the wisdom of the Hawai’ian culture.

Experience is a better teacher than any book, and nature is the best classroom there is.

This is my truth, and I choose to live from this place of peace and power.  I invite you to join me, to know your truth, and live your truth. I am leading Peaceful Woman Maui Passages August 15th-21st, and September 12th-18th, and there are other dates with other incredible facilitators available. For a limited time, you can get 10% off the full price of your Passage.  Please enter coupon code “MM”.  There are also limited spaces for facilitators still available.  Contact me here if that is something you are interested in.

Here’s my experience from my first Passage:

Blessings,

Mary

I was going to write about my recent experiences with the Peaceful Woman’s Maui Facilitator Passage, but that was before I opened the dryer and found two crayons–one red and one yellow–in with the clothes.

I was completely derailed.  Instead of catching up on email, and writing my blog post for today, I ended up spending two hours spraying the newly nulti-colored clothes with stain remover and scrubbing them with a toothbrush.  And I did not react very well.  I was cranky and grouchy.  I cried at one point from sheer frustration.  I took my anger out on my husband and my youngest son by yelling at them.  Yes, I became downright bitchy.  I’m not very proud of myself.

As my anger cooled, I reflected on my reaction.  Utilizing tools I have learned from The Peaceful Woman, and Peak Potentials, I wondered if this is how I always react to situations that disrupt my plans.  Thinking about other experiences that I have had recently, I have to admit that up until now, I have not reacted well to unpleasant surprises.  There are exceptions, of course.  There are times when I am able to go with the flow, but those are usually times when I have not created the schedule.

The first step to changing a belief, or behavior pattern, is to be aware that it is there.  I am now aware that I react with anger when my schedule goes off track.  I have observed myself in a behavior that does not serve me.

Now that I am aware of the behavior I want to change, I can catch myself earlier and earlier in the pattern, and soon I will be able to catch myself *before* the pattern kicks in. I can choose to act in a different way, one that serves my highest good, and does not hurt those that I love.  I can choose peace.  More important, I can choose!

I have also apologized to my husband and son.  I am so grateful to have such a wonderful, loving family!

Blessings,

Mary

It’s tax time for many people, and so money is in our thoughts a lot right now.  Money has been a big issue for me, and one of the things that I have been working to retrain my mind about in the last year and a half is that money is just another form of energy.

There are lots of cliches about money.  Consciously or not, these cultural teaching affect how we interact with money.  I have been working on my abundance mindset, and being in the flow of money, having it flow to me and through me effortlessly and abundantly.

The other morning, I found myself slipping back into some old thought patterns: I need more money for ______; How am I going to pay for _______; I still owe ______; etc.

Then I gave myself a mental shake.  I recognized the old pathway my mind was travelling down, and I consciously stepped off of that old path.

“Wait a second!” I thought to myself.  “I have just had an abundance of energy and money flow through me in the past couple of weeks!”  Ok, it flowed through me, and went out just as fast as it came in, but I was in the flow.  My bills are paid, and the money I needed for a couple of unplanned things (car repairs!) was there for me when I needed.

In that moment, my whole energy shifted.  Instead of being worried and tense, I was relaxed and peaceful.  Instead of being anxious, I felt extremely grateful.  I am now aware that an experience I was looking for in my life is present, right here and right now, and it gives me the sustaining faith that I will continue to have this experience.  I AM in the flow, and I AM manifesting abundance in my life!

To what do I credit the shift in consciousness?  It started with the Millionaire Mind Intensive in October of 2008, which helped me to start changing my beliefs about money. This led to other courses and events with Peak Potentials, which helped me break through some of the fears that were holding me back and build a network of supportive, positive people who have goals and beliefs similar to mine.  Then my husband and I attended CEO Space in May of 2009, which expanded my vision of what I am here to do in the world and led me to The Peaceful Woman.  Most recently, I have been taking part in The Peaceful Woman’s Inspired Living Coaching Program, and that has helped me be aware of what I want to manifest, and become conscious of when I am manifesting those experiences into my life.

Here are a couple of the books I have read that have helped me create this positive change:

• Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
• The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth Ph.D.
• The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist (this one made a particularly large impact on me!)

I’d love to hear about your relationship with money, and any tips you have for making it a positive one!

Blessings,

Mary

Hello.  My name is Mary, and I have control issues.

Not the stereotypical”EVERYTHING MUST GO MY WAY!” kind of control issues. There are some things I just don’t care about. Like the nightly dinner time conversation:

“What do you want to have for dinner?”

“I don’t know.  What do you want to have?”

But I’ve never been completely drunk, because as soon as I start feeling tipsy, and like I’m losing control, I stop. (That, and I don’t really like the taste of alcohol…) I just want to have control over my life.  I didn’t think that was asking much, really!

Apparently, the need for control leads to a lot of struggle.  And a fair bit of disappointment.  I speak from experience.  Take my guided meditations for example.  I had the idea that over my holiday break from work, I was going to get pages written for every one that I had completed recording.  There are nine of them.  It is now more than two weeks past my time off, and there are three pages up.

Why is that? Because life had different plans for me–time spent with my children, helping a really good friend, another project with a high priority to finish (meaning I was getting paid for it). And I caused myself pain by feeling guilty about not getting my website done. I still cause myself some pain about it.

But I’m getting some pretty clear messages from the Universe that it is time for me to let go of that need to control.  I need to go with the flow, and follow where I am led.  Besides getting that message during meditation, the other day the daily message on my Marianne Williamson Daily Wisdom Calendar said:

“Until your knees finally hit the floor, you’re just playing at life, and on some level you’re scared because you know you’re just playing.  The moment of surrender is not when life is over.  It’s when it begins.”

I’ve also been drawing a Crystal Ally Card each night before bed.  Three nights ago, I drew Aquamarine -Release.  The description said,

“Give away the energy of control, and have faith that the Universe will use that energy to create what is in your highest good. Allow the light of Spirit to enter and fill your body and mind.”

And then today, as I sat down to write this post, another friend needed some healing.  So two hours later, I’m now back at it, and mulitasking.

So I’m working to let go of control, and go with the flow. How am I doing that?

1. Breathe and get centered.
2. Tune in to my intuition, Divine Wisdom, Higher Self.  This feels like an opening of my heart.
3. Ask for input.  “What do I do next?”
4. Listen for the answer.
5. Act on the message I receive.

Yes, sometimes this is a lot easier said than done.  And sometimes I completely forget to do it. Like I said, I’m working on this one. The Peaceful Woman Maui Passage has a whole day devoted to this lesson. I’m very much looking forward to that when I go back in February. And my youngest son is an awesome teacher!

Blessings,

Mary

PS. I just read my “Notes from the Universe” for today, and got a good chuckle!

Expecting “end results” – such as wealth and abundance, health and harmony, friends and laughter – in broad brush strokes, is part of the secret formula, Mary, for manifesting the life of your dreams.

Expecting your path to follow a certain route – such as writing a bestseller to accumulate wealth, having a particular someone fall in love with you, or insisting upon this idea, that diet, or the other invention to be your deliverance – is just plain messing with the cursed hows and severely limits my options… (I hate when that happens.)

Cool?
The Universe

PS. Release any expectations you may have of how you think your dreams will come true, Mary, but by all means, with every fiber of your being, expect that they will, as you busy yourself enjoying who and where you already are.