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Newsletter Archive: December 2007
December 2007
Welcome to the Dare to Blossom newsletter.
To sign up for your own copy direct by email every month click here. If you do not wish to receive future editions, please email me to unsubscribe. Everyone who is on the mailing list will be entered into a draw twice a year (at the end of June and the end of December) with a chance to win a prize of six free life coaching sessions.
- Recommended book: The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth - Reflections: Winter treats and retreats - Dare to Blossom Workshops: reminder of ‘Early Bird’ special offer for 2008 dates
The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth
This book was recommended to me by my life coach (thank you Fraser!) and it was sitting on my bookshelf for a while before I took it on a recent journey with me. The cover blurb reads:
"Money is congealed energy," said Joseph Campbell, and releasing it releases life's possibilities. Thousands of people worldwide have learned how to build a powerful new relationship with their money and bring their dreams to fruition through Dr. Maria Nemeth's breakthrough workshops on "Mastering Life's Energies." Now, with this book, you can do it too. In The Energy of Money, Dr. Nemeth draws upon her more than twenty years' experience in synthesizing spiritual and practical techniques to create a revolutionary program for freeing your financial energy to achieve personal life goals and financial wealth. As Dr. Nemeth says, "How you do money is how you do life," so bringing awareness to your actions will allow you to wake up to new possibilities for actively harnessing the energy of money.
Combining a complete self-help and self-discovery regimen with proven methods of money management this powerhouse guide to prosperity presents twelve principles for enlightened money management. These principles will help you uncover the hidden landscape of beliefs, patterns, and habits that underlie and sometimes subvert your everyday use of money and personal resources; tame the dragons of driven behaviour and "busy holism"; defuse fears of deprivation and scarcity; embrace and work through paradox and confusion; consciously focus your money energy; clear yourself to receive the energy and support of others and the universe; and develop and stay on your personal path to abundance.
Through easy-to-follow exercises and meditations, effective worksheets, and other interactive processes, Dr. Nemeth takes you on your own personal hero's journey. On it you will discover your true sources of personal power and financial fulfilment; navigate the inner obstacles to your success and happiness; and harness the energy of money to realize your most cherished goals and aspirations.” As you can see from this description, it is a coaching book about your whole life (which of course is intricately bound up with money). I have always tried to apply the concept that money is just another form of energy, but in truth, find this hard to stick to. I worked through a number of exercises on that trip and found it very illuminating.
One exercise on ‘Your Life’s Intentions’ was very interesting, part of it is imagining a party at which all your friends and family get up and speak about you, and where you write what you hope they will say. A bit like the ‘writing your own obituary’ exercise but less gloomy! The aim is to finish with a list of things you want to ‘be’ rather than ‘have’ – which we all find is at the core of our desires when we really think about it.
I feel this is particularly relevant at this time of seasonal spending and excess (see more in my reflections below).
More information can be found on Maria’s website, http://www.marianemeth.com/tapesbooks.htm.
Reflections: Winter Treats and Retreats However you celebrate this season, or if you don’t, you may feel the natural inclination to retreat and hibernate at this time of year. Personally when Christmas is coming I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the mad bustle. Am I being a spoilsport, a party pooper, scrooge, bah humbug!? All these phrases seem designed to make us feel guilty for not spending even more money on our family and friends. What is it that they would really value and treasure? Despite the jokes about auntie’s jumper always being knitted three sizes too big ‘to grow into’, these presents were at least fondly remembered. Surveys have shown that children who may have everything they could want in the way of toys and material goods are the ones who say later that what they really wanted was more of their parents’ time, or rather, attention. In today’s world parents usually have to work, so using the time you do have well may be what matters (I am trying to avoid that over-used phrase ‘quality time’!), and this applies to everyone, not just children. In the northern hemisphere, Christmas comes at the same time as mid-winter, a time of dark mornings and evenings, and a sense of withdrawal from the world to a warm and cosy nest to rest and reflect. One of my Christmas treats is to retreat from the world a little, spend time with close family and friends, read for pleasure, watch seasonal TV. Many of my close family are in New Zealand and they have a very different Christmas with sunshine, warmth, beach holidays and barbecues. It is still a time when people come together with those closest to them. Leading on into the New Year my retreat feeling promotes reflection on the year just ending and the year to come; on what was good about the past and on plans for the next twelve months. For you: Reflect on how you can plan in ‘treats and retreats’ for you – not just what is expected or what everyone else wants. (This applies at any time of year). If you could have absolutely anything you wanted for Christmas, what would it be? Why not grant yourself that wish? It may not be on the scale you would like immediately (e.g. world peace), but think what feeling you would get from that. In what small ways can you promote that grand vision? It might be campaigning or politics or volunteering abroad. It might be working in a hospice or homeless shelter or donating part of your salary. It might be making an effort to get on with a neighbour. The feeling of knowing you are doing something to make someone else’s day better is very satisfying. (One way I do this is by lending money to entrepreneurs in the developing world via http://kiva.org). Another example: maybe what you want more than anything is to spend Christmas with your family and especially your young great-nephews and great-nieces in New Zealand, as I do, but am unable to this year. The feeling that I want is to feel included in the family Christmas, see the children, talk to them, hear the laughter. So I last year I bought a webcam and microphone so we could see each other as well as hear what was said as in a phone call. We had a wonderful call on Christmas Eve, which was Christmas morning there. I could see nearly all the family squeezed into my sister’s study. Two of the children sang me a Christmas carol. One of the babies looked rather bemused at the computer screen talking to her. So I really felt as if I was there – the only thing I had to imagine was the hugs, though I could feel the warmth and love even over the 12,000 miles separating us. What can you do for yourself this Christmas to make it really special and revitalising for you?
Dare to Blossom workshops: update for 2008
“New Year, New You: creating lasting change in your life.” Join us for a day of fun, laughter, and reflection, to focus on what matters most to you. We will use life coaching and creative exercises designed to help you to clarify and revitalise your goals. You will re-discover your own remarkable power to create your life and achieve real change.
For more details of the format of the workshop, please click here. (if your email does not show the links, visit my website and you will find full details there).
Secure your place with a £10 deposit as soon as possible please. Numbers are limited on each workshop. The deposit is non-refundable (except for real emergencies), and will secure your place at the ‘Early Bird’ price, full details below.
Contact me if you would like me to run a workshop in your area.
Saturday 9 February, Chacewater Village Hall, near Truro, Cornwall £55 Early Bird price before 20/12/07, (£65 full price) Includes workshop materials and refreshments (bring a packed lunch). Booking form here. Saturday 16 February, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Covent Garden, London £75 Early Bird price before 20/12/07 (£95 full price) Includes workshop materials, a light lunch and refreshments. Booking form here.
Thank you for reading, do email me with any questions, comments or suggestions, or feedback on particular items. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think may be interested. All best wishes Mary
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