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Let’s talk about how getaways can nourish your soul I wasn’t planning any trips this summer given Covid, but found myself on 3 unexpected short getaways last month – space away from my regular pattern at home.  In the past, vacation getaways were new adventures with ‘relief’ time NOT having to deal with home responsibilities. Today, getaways feel different. They nourish my soul. And, they can nourish your soul too. Having new adventures makes your soul come alive, but when it’s less about escaping and more about being present a new level of soul growth happens. It required my home life to become a sanctuary that integrated work with family in a way that flows. There’s a different kind of balance inside of me with the rest of my life that no longer ‘needs a vacation’, but still looks forward to them! Creating flow and ease is what you can take with you on getaways. I learned how to let go of expectations, ways I used to manage everything…I don’t check the weather.  There’s more space to notice, play, experiment, be spontaneous, and stay open to explore and enjoy with a minimal agenda. I used to need so much more structure. Life Before Soul Awareness When I first stepped on this path of understanding the soul, I would jump on a plane literally to getaway. I’d savour reading uninterrupted. I wanted a place to learn what fascinated me, and connect with like-minded people. It felt like an escape to a different world where I could be myself, but then have to re-adjust when I’d return home. Leaving my hubby and 3 young children to fend for themselves was not easy. Detailed instruction lists were mandatory! Our roles were completely split – me: home, finances, kids; him: a corporate job with long hours and traveling, “fun dad” on weekends. Busyness, communication challenges, and frustration was what every mom seemed to be facing. I figured it’s “just the way it is”. When I discovered life coaching – my kids were in pre-school & I slowly began making different choices as a parent even if it wasn’t what “everyone else” was doing. For example, I stopped trying to find “natural consequences” which seemed to be punishment in disguise. It was the eventual soul work I can say for certain totally shifted something else in me for how I approached life: As I write this, all 3 of my children – now young adults in their University years are happily cleaning up the kitchen after dinner (it’s every night!), laughing and joking around. Music is always playing. There’s dancing in my kitchen. No nagging, no conflict. It’s our ‘new normal’. There’s a respect and support for each other that astounds me at times! What siblings get up at 5 am to watch the sunrise together? Their beds all made before they leave. Who willingly tutors their sibling for hours and enjoys doing that? Even I wonder – how did we get here? I attribute it to the soul work…yes there’s alot to navigate through, but mostly through conversations, and with your “Cosmic Compass”, you’ll keep moving in the right direction and avoid all kinds of unnecessary stress and heartache. The Most Important Connection is Within You Our mind holds a divine “thought adjuster” or ‘fragment of God’ that carries the potential to “adjust our thoughts” in alignment with a higher force. One that will bring the highest good in any situation. It’s the most powerful capacity we have to create what we want. I found this summary (from Paper 111 of the Urantia Book) profoundly helpful: “Mind is your ship, the Adjuster is your pilot, the human will is captain.” “The human personality is identified with mind and spirit held together in functional relationship by life in a material body. This functioning relationship of such mind and spirit does not result in some combination of the qualities or attributes of mind and spirit but rather in an entirely new, original, and unique universe value of potentially eternal endurance, the soul.” Your experiences of value are ‘collected’ in your soul that will continue helping you grow on your ascension path. Your soul is entrusted in the care of your guardian angel who’s responsible for ensuring your eternal survival (that’s the very simplified version). By connecting with your “divine adjuster”, you begin to “spiritize your mind”, and a very important relationship grows. Personal Getaways that Can Nourish Your Soul Get Away # 1 Mom and Daughter When my daughter asked “could just me and you go to the cottage?” it felt a little strange – we usually go as a family. Summers at our family cottage are normally filled with a lot of people coming and going. Covid of course changed all that. 2 of us could stay in our boathouse keeping my parents at a safe distance in the main cottage and we were off on our first getaway together! On our way up, we visited my grandmother (2 visitors instead of 1 were finally allowed). She will be 101 this December. Being quarantined for months in her nursing home took its toll on her mind and body, and we had to move her to a new room that with more support. I pray she transitions in her sleep knowing her soul will be much happier. She’ll reunite with my grandpa whom she was happily married to for 50 years, and whose spiritual presence she feels a lot more these days. There’s been dreams of her mom for the first time. Indications she’s closer to the other side. I’m so mindful of the quality of time we have with loved ones these days. How quickly it comes and goes. Did I spend my time wisely? Was it meaningful? Who am I impacting? In a world where it never feels like there’s enough time in a day, am I making the most of this moment? My daughter had a quiet space to engage in deeper conversations …

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Your Incredibly Creative Soul… Everybody has a creative soul. In fact, it is the storehouse for your creativity. I did not grow up thinking I was creative – at all. I had mistakenly associated creativity with something only more artistic people who had talent could do. Painters, dancers, film makers, story tellers…you know those people : ) When my twin girls auditioned and got accepted into a musical theatre program in high school (an hour commute!), I was thrilled for them, and a little panicked. I had no idea how to support what I assumed was an ‘arts approach’ to education, and I wasn’t ready for the idea of them traveling downtown on public transit at 14. I had to remind myself I took public transit for an hour commute when my mother decided attending a private all-girls high school at 14 was better for my education. The Artist’s Way That’s when I remembered a book collecting dust on my shelf called “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron & figured it might be valuable now! It was one of many synchronicities to remind me that you have exactly what you need in mysterious ways. It turned out to be a 12-week course on how to get out of your own way by following a spiritual path to higher creativity. I couldn’t believe this book had been there all along just waiting for me to be ready. I completely devoured it. Did the exercises, tasks, journaled. It was a big missing piece I was seeking: Everybody possesses a creative soul and it comes from our spiritual nature!! For you to become a creative soul and get creative ideas need space. A deep PAUSE is required away from the external noise in our busy minds. The creative process connects you to your spiritual ‘well within’ filled with ‘living water’ that never runs dry. Your Divine Fragment There is a part of everyone that’s creative. I call it your Cosmic Compass. It’s also known as your mystery monitor. Others call it your intuition, higher self, divine self, or pilot light. When the pandemic hit, and all my children were back home, their creative juices of these spiritual seeds I’d been doing my best to plant – began sprouting! I wanted them to follow their own sense of purpose and somehow help elevate the consciousness knowing that each of us is a divine part of our collective reality. It had to come naturally from within their creative soul. I’ve been sharing shorter spiritual lessons with them to help remind them of their creativity this summer.. Stillness Compose yourself, clear your mind. Don’t think about anything. Don’t think about not thinking. I like to use the example of the water in the glass. The more you try to calm the water, the more it is stirred. Just allow it to fall into the bottom and come to rest naturally, and you will find that there is a stillness which has great vitality. Those who can find meaning in the empty spaces are truly on the right path. – Will I explain how when we try to control something that’s bothering us, the more resistance you will get, and it will become an uphill battle. The space of stillness creates flow when they are calm. Insights show up here. There is a light they can find that will have them experiencing signs and synchronicities. It’s not only signs like the 11:11 time prompts to confirm they are on the right path and surrounded by unseen guidance, but creative ideas that can arrive inconveniently in the middle of the night. Awake at Night.. Music for a song will suddenly pop into my daughter Leah’s mind at 3 a.m., and she has to get up and write it down. It’s the same way ideas show up for my writing – smack in the middle of the night! There really is a part of you waiting to connect within that is FULL of insights you want to know about, and ideas you’re looking for. It can happen watching the sunrise. With journals in hand, this early morning of stillness witnessing the beauty of nature is perfect for creative flow. I’m a big believer in listening and following the yearnings of your soul. Where a will exists to make a genuine difference in whatever creative way feels right for you – a way will show up! I wanted to share some “results”, which I think of more as “outcomes” of how creativity flows from your soul that my children have been creating this summer. We often only see the ‘end result’ without understanding the process of what went on all along…that’s the silent journey of your soul. Leah – an aspiring Composer When Covid hit, she and her sister decided to watch every Disney Princess movie in order from the beginning..her twin sister Makayla suggested she create a medley out of the Princess songs. Leah arranged a duet by ear arranging each piece and teaching her sister one by one. It was hard not to notice the evolution of Snow White waiting passively with “Someday My Prince Will Come” in 1937 to the independent, adventurer of Moana’s “How Far I’ll Go” as she set sail across the ocean in 2016. That led to a Disney Villain’s medley, and a you tube channel – she’s nearly done another medley! In elementary school, Leah wanted to quit piano after discovering the guitar. She was composing music since grade 7, so I encouraged her to keep taking lessons, but cut back on how often to make space for the guitar. It was her decision, but she’s grateful I explained how piano is helpful if she wants to continue composing music (find their WHY)! I encouraged them to play whatever they wanted (whatever lit up their soul) and the nuts and bolts of the Royal Conservatory Program was secondary to whatever grade they wanted to pursue. Grade 4 and 5 were plenty, and …

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Today, I wanted to discuss how your soul connects to social sustainability… I first heard of the term “social sustainability” at a workshop in 2011. The purpose was to teach us the practice of ‘listening within” to that still small voice of your inner knowing. Without the leading of this divine voice (our impersonal fragment of Deity) that embodies truth, beauty and goodness, we may not be discerning what’s right from wrong for our own experiences here. Instead, the vast majority of your truth will come from the outside, and alot of what goes on externally that lacks inner foundation isn’t sustainable. $$ and power can exist without integrity and create tragic social issues. Thought Leaders who lead from Within I’ve been paying attention to the newer thought leaders who wake me up to the kind of world I am hoping for: a sustainable one where our future feels more hopeful than what we are currently facing. Living judgment-free create soul moments and has been a ‘soul practice’ of how not to get offended while standing up for what’s right or against what’s wrong for ourselves when we follow our own truth. In the media, and our social networks, there’s so much that feels like it’s missing the soul, and you have to dig to find deeper truth that aligns with your own values. I am constantly discovering young thought leaders who are applying spiritual principles in their work and practices that are sustainable for humanity. It gives me hope for the future. These voices keep me and my 3 young adult children on our toes around what’s happening in the bigger consciousness, which affects our consciousness and decisions we make here at home, and within our circle of influence. Here are some thought leaders I’ve been following lately: (1) Dr. Zach Bush is one of the few medical minds who has integrated spirituality into his work. In this eye-opening interview, he shares a different take on Covid-19 that may surprise you, raise questions, and have you seeking very different ways to sustain your health. I’ve picked up Restore to take as a gut health supplement. (2) My son introduced me to Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. Wow. He addresses controversial issues and woke me up to alot going on behind the scenes in our world.  Blown away by his smart delivery & humour to get some tough points across. This ‘Hip Hop” episode gave me a totally different appreciation of how popular music gets out and mixes with politics and movements that can have both ups and downs. Anything creative is really coming from our higher place within. This talk on fast fashion brings you up close and personal with how we are destroying our planet in both the manufacture and shortened wear of clothing. It’s scary the somber reality we face here. Reading labels on the clothes I buy has become mandatory. I’ve embraced thrift shopping, and recycled fabrics – it feels good to help move in the direction of sustainable clothing. Humour disarms our judgment and we’re more open to raising important new questions on tough subjects like the influence of billionaires. When people act in ways that are offensive, and hurtful over controversial topics – here’s what I genuinely feel underneath: CONFUSED. What are they thinking? Doing? Choosing? Seriously – I don’t get it! This is the space (being confused and asking questions) that Hasan creates for us. You see more here, and can feel his underlying view searching for what’s right for humanity from a place we all are wondering about. (3) Biodynamic farming is a completely sustainable, pesticide-free approach that integrates nature’s circle of life. It arrived 2 decades before organic farming and has its roots in spirituality. How it works can be seen in the “Biggest Little Farm” on netflix (or their website here). The founder of biodynamic agriculture was Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925). an Austrian-born lecturer, author, architect, social activist, and a spiritualist! He was so far ahead of his time, and I believe we need to embrace his ideas a lot more. He was also the visionary behind Waldorf Education, an independent education system based on the spiritual values of truth, beauty and goodness. Here’s a snapshot of his education model: Birth to 7 years The goal to teach children that the world is GOOD. This stage centers on imaginative free play, drawing, painting, songs, games, stories, and practical tasks eg. cooking, cleaning, gardening. There’s an emphasis on identifying with nature. 7-14 years The goal to teach children that world is BEAUTIFUL by introducing a curriculum of study that included a healthy balance of the arts & sciences (including mythology, mineralogy, astronomy as well as nutrition). 14-21 years The goal to teach children that the world is TRUE. This stage included the importance of critical thinking and analysis, intellectual understanding, and developing the capacity for abstract thought and conceptual ideas to develop discernment. On top of farming, and education, Rudolf also worked with pharmacists and MDs to create a holistic approach called “anthroposophic medicine” that integrated conventional medicine with medicines from plants, minerals and animals, art therapy, massage, counseling & psychotherapy. So much needs to change with the food supply and education systems, and health care is divided instead of integrated. We all know now that our overall health and well being requires care of our highly integrated mind, body, and soul. I consider Rudolf to be a pioneer of social sustainability taking spiritual principles, and applying them to our social systems. (4) I wasn’t sure what to expect seeing High School Musical’s main star Zac Efron hosting a documentary! His “Down to Earth” launched this month reminded me of Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” that also wakes you up to powerful sustainable ways hitting every major social issue – healthcare, workplace, justice, prison reform, food, and education. The Costa Rica and Puerto Rica episodes really touch your soul & open your mind to new ways of thinking! (5)  28 year old Harvard graduate Nas (Muslim) alongside his girlfriend Aylne (Jewish) showcase hopeful short videos like this one where religions are finally living side by side in a country in the Middle …

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Let’s talk about the Practice of Stillness… Our soul is our personal key to life. It is the source of our creativity. It’s our divine compass that gives the guidance we need to feel alive, on purpose, and loved unconditionally. In her book, “Living in the Light”, Shakti Gawain describes her own realization about the soul, and how it connects to creativity: “As I explored the process of creating my own reality, I gradually began to realize that the creative power I was feeling was coming from a source other than just my personality…I began to realize that “it” (my soul, or higher self) seemed to know more than “I” (my personality self). I saw that it would probably be smart to try to find out what that inner guidance was telling me, and follow it.”  Shakti Gawain also wrote the phenomenal bestseller “Creative Visualization” used by millions worldwide. Unless you believe your mind can not only imagine but create the reality of it – it’s difficult for that experience to manifest. There’s ‘seeing is believing’, but ALSO ‘believing is seeing’. You attract (create) from a “higher part” of you that’s within you…being the change effectively gets down to understanding the being of your soul. This idea has been around since 1937 when Napolean Hill wrote “Whatever Your Mind Can Conceive and Believe, It Can Achieve.” in his classic ‘Think and Grow Rich’. Our Key to Life is What Lives in Your Mind: Your Soul Your ‘inner guidance’ that exists in your mind holds the moral values of ‘truth, beauty and goodness’, which is our cosmic compass’ for life, and our source of divine creativity. What is your truth? What do you believe is of beauty? What good are you bringing to yourself and to others? Any problem, challenge or issue you experience can be resolved when you go into stillness and allow yourself to be guided because you have the answers literally living within your soul. This is your ‘right mind’. It’s a commitment to your soul health and a way to create whatever you want in your life. It may feel opposite to the way you think life works: that life is happening, and you have to control it, fix it, or make it happen. It’s the way most of us have been taught. Get an education and that will open doors. Yes – this may be true, but it’s only part of the picture, and limited to that single door. Education represents what is already known. Your experience coming from a deeper part of your soul throws open infinite doors to create what’s true for you – not just one door based on other’s people’s truth. This understanding applies to all relationships with the people in your life that you are growing with.  But relationships are a 2-way street so you are also dealing with someone else’s relationship to their soul. Tapping into our soul allows us to become more in tune with our choices around our thoughts and energy with others. Below are the steps to a soul practice to consciously connect to your highest self for guidance and creativity: STILLNESS. The best time is early in the morning. 5:00 a.m. is ideal – it helps to imagine yourself awake and connected at this time. Notice if you hear 5 a.m. whether you just thought “Whoa – that’s too early, and not possible for me…” Shifting Your Energy to What Works for You These reactive thoughts, along with every complaint, worry, and negative feeling you focus on creates energy that works against what you want. We are experts at justifying and explaining WHY things aren’t going the way we want, what we don’t like, and what isn’t working instead of focusing on what we want to allow that energy to flow through us. It’s the difference from getting somewhere as an uphill battle filled with stress and pressure or a downward slope filled with ease, signs, and synchronicities. Slowing down during this pandemic I believe has many people closer to stillness naturally, and what was previously allowed: injustice. It no longer feels acceptable when you are connected to your higher source, and speaking up collectively for what’s true and good is suddenly being felt everywhere stronger. When each of us holds the energy of light not darkness with our voice, actions, and how we show up – we can change the consciousness to move forward. Those who criticize or judge others for ‘not doing enough’ or proclaim what they are doing with the intention for others to feel guilt or shame adds to the problem they are trying to resolve. It’s ‘misaligned energy’ – energy against others that keeps us from progressing. The 11 Steps to Finding Stillness 1. Sit Comfortably in a quiet space Close Your Eyes & take a deep breath in and out & relax Here are some free guided meditation scripts for different situations I encourage recording your own voice to listen to these! Note: I think of meditation as the practice of clearing your thoughts from all the ‘inner noise’ to be in the present moment, while stillness is the practice of first being present and from here connecting with your higher self. 2. Ground Yourself Physically survey and release all tension from your body until you feel totally relaxed 3.  Balance Your Emotions survey and release all negative emotions until you feel peaceful and in a state of serenity 4.  Centre Yourself Mentally notice and release any negative thoughts your holding of stress, worries or fears and move into a state of calm by releasing these 5.  Connect spiritually to your Indwelling Universal Presence  come up with a name for this pilot light, Cosmic Compass, divine self, or higher self that is part of your soul A name makes this inner connection personal, and more powerful — it is the way we identify with each other in any relationship, and our experiences with others are what hold eternal value address & acknowledge this part of you to be …

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Your Higher Purpose for Being Here When you think of purpose, most people think “what am I supposed to DO with my life”? What you believe you’re meant to be doing is your outer purpose. It’s living the actions you take in a career, calling or what you perform in the roles you currently occupy. Your inner purpose asks “who AM I meant to become in order to live the life I envision?” Who you are as a human being is led by and sculpts your character as an evolving soul and is sparked by all the ways you feel most alive. What brings you joy, meaning, and connection? These lead to your inner purpose. It’s a sense of being called towards something meaningful or drawn to someone where you feel an authentic soul connection you can grow from. Your inner purpose (being) is the compass for your outer purpose (doing). Being Guided from Within Have you ever worked really hard at something, got the results you wanted, but something still felt missing or wasn’t quite how you envisioned you’d feel? Being courageous enough to go after what really touches our soul is the road less traveled.  It’s not that we won’t face challenges, difficult times, or struggle, but if these hardships don’t lead to your experience of an amazing life, then it’s a great opportunity to dig a little deeper. What can help is taking a good hard look at how you live the values that encompass the divine part of your soul: truth, beauty, and goodness. Are you living true to yourself? Are you living from the beauty of what you are drawn towards – even if it’s outside the crowd? Are you living from the goodness of your highest self with the people you love and serve? Every way you are internally is what moves you towards the external life of your dreams. If you’re feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or like something feels missing – you may not have quietly connected with your own sense of inner purpose. You’re aiming for a feeling of alignment  – it doesn’t just feel good, it feels resonant. There’s a feeling of AWE when you living from your purpose. It’s literally a vibration you’re holding that’s aligned with you, and the higher part of you that IS true, beautiful and good. You know and trust it from your experience. As you venture inward towards your own most resonant vibe, you’ll begin noticing signs and synchronicities that after a while become ridiculously frequent. It’s a nudge from your spiritual guides that you’re on the right – the ‘light’ path or as Gabrielle Bernstein says “the Universe has your back”. Some examples are finding the exact right thing in the moment you need it. You’ll be thinking “wow – that was strangely handy!” Little things, big things, and unbelievable things will come your way in perfect divine timing. You’ll happen to bump into someone you were just thinking of or they call you.  You surprisingly receive exactly what you need without seemingly doing anything to get it. It’s like your internal vibrational signature is creating external experiences that show up to reflect yourself. These ‘magical moments’ are validation you’re living your inner purpose. There’s a grounded, visceral sense of bliss, gratitude, and experience that you are deeply loved. We don’t just have an inner purpose and outer purpose – we also have a universal purpose. The Universal Purpose We are here for one thing: to learn to love one another and have the experience of soul growth towards higher and higher ‘perfection’.  Divine love that is both unconditional and non-judgmental is the experience we’re seeking. Here’s how one celestial teacher describes divine love: “When you experience a tender moment with someone who you really love because of their unconditional love, kindness, patience, non-judgmental acceptance for who you are and what you believe—someone who is there for you, who has helped you through a trial in life or has taught you how to overcome and rise above the confusion of the world.  It is in these ones that you hold so dearly in your heart that the divine signature is made manifest to you.  They have opened themselves to the channel of divinity and have let it flow through them and out into the world.  When you sincerely say, I love you with heartfelt reverence to some person, you are acknowledging the experience of divine love coming through that person and into you.” ~Opheilus & the Circle of 7 Love is the most powerful force in the Universe, and this is our playground to figure it out – to experience what it means to love and be loved, and lead our lives from here. You carry a divine fragment that is the very essence of divine love. It is often referred to by many names that first begins with recognizing your intuition. This “6th sense” evolves to understanding you have a ‘higher self’ separate from your own voice. It’s been called by different names: your inner pilot light, divine fragment, mystery monitor, and a new term I really like: your Cosmic Compass! I grew up on a street called Cosmic when I turned 11. One of my favourite spiritual sources of revelation is the 196 Papers of the Urantia Book, which I discovered in 2011. I was guided here after repeatedly seeing the prompt 11:11. It was at a time when I really beginning to recognize how both “seeing is believing” AND “believing is seeing” provided a far more complete picture of reality. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”. “Hebrews 11:1 Here’s how the Urantia Book elaborates on the importance of faith: “Genuine spiritual faith (true moral consciousness) is revealed in that it: Generates profound courage and confidence despite natural adversity and physical calamity. Maintains a mysterious poise and composure of personality in the face of maltreatment and the rankest injustice. Contributes to …

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Discovering Your Soul’s Personality Your soul includes what you’re most familiar with –  your personality. It’s that unique piece that makes you – the only you! Understanding the soul has been the mysterious ingredient to allow joy, ease, $$, freedom, and most of all…love and connection to flow in. Digging deep into answering the age-old question – who am I – a spiritual quest begins to unravel. From here you can create your own reality. It’s an exploration that requires letting go of judgment around old beliefs we may be carrying, and keep an open mind where you tune into what resonates for you. I’ve been getting a wave of spiritual input these days, which seems to be exploding since facing this global Coronavirus pandemic. The signs and synchronicities have been off the charts, and new insights keep showing up. Perhaps we are all looking for deeper answers within? I was recalling the words of Thomas Moore in his book “Care of the Soul”… “The great malady of the twentieth century, implicated in all of our troubles and affecting us individually and socially, is loss of soul…the root problem is that we have lost our wisdom about the soul, even our interest in it.” Today, more than ever, I believe your soul carries wisdom, creativity, and a way to lead you through life’s greatest challenges towards what most matters to the heart and soul of you. It’s our individual soul progression that will collectively pave the way forward for humanity. This is far from a new idea. Lately, I’ve gone back to deepen my application of the 10 principles found in “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron, which promises a spiritual path to higher creativity. Creativity and our soul progression are very much aligned. Like most spiritual teachings – these ideas illuminate as you evolve. Its goal is to get you out of the way so you can learn how to connect to your higher self. It requires stillness to digest these ideas so I encourage you to print these out, and when you can find a quiet moment…take time to savour, digest, and allow your consciousness to notice what the words mean for you. Trust me, these words change over time! Just a caution that when you start diving into the soul, you’ll inevitably bump into the word “God”, which depending on your beliefs means different things for each of us. I tend to think of that eternal “Source of Everything” as a unified “Universe Creator Father/Mother” – mere words can be so limiting! On our recent bi-weekly Monday evening Soul Conversations Series with my colleague Binu Dhindsa (you can find the 5-part series here) we talked about the 3 parts that make up the soul: 1. your personality directed by your free will 2. a fragment of the Divine Creator 3. the I AM creative expression of you aligned with your divine fragment Discovering Your Personality The unique way you are in the world represents your soul signature, and that comes down to self-awareness around your personality style. We have patterns of character traits found in ‘personality tests’ used successfully in companies for decades. A popular one is the Myers-Briggs test that forms 16 personality types based on the work of Carl Jung. I first encountered this test when my husband took it through a recruitment firm looking to fill an executive role. It came down to him and one other candidate, but because his type was exactly the same as the President, my husband did NOT get the position. Diversity of characters is a strength, and that goes for building an executive team. But I got to read the detailed summary of my husband’s personality type! What blew my mind was how accurately it nailed down the way he behaved with me. I have to admit – I didn’t have much faith in personality tests back then. Myers-Briggs measures the way you respond to people and situations, but we may grow and change over time so today my husband’s personality type is no longer the same. How do I know? There is a free online personality test based on the Myers-Briggs system called 16personalities.com. It’s a great starting tool to get a sense of your personality style today. Here’s an overview of the 16 Personalities: Becoming aware of your personality style gives you more choice about how you want to show up. Will you continue to respond in ways that describe a personality style that seems to best fit you or will you choose a different path? There are 2 indicators on each of the 4 personality styles  – which side do you lean towards? Is that working for you? These become choices you can make until you land upon a style that aligns with your best self. Your soul is the part of you that grows from your experiences when you become aware of yourself this way. You’ll find a lot of cool validation about yourself, and may discover ways you don’t want to be especially with your loved ones! It’s helped me honour the different ways I respond to my family (it helps to know their current types) without taking it personally. If your ‘personality’ can change — the question is — does this measure your personality or just your current behaviour that describes a personality based on how you currently respond to your environment? I believe the personality part of your soul does not change, and that’s where a different assessment layered on to this one gave me much deeper insight into who I really am. Your True Personality is an Energy Vibration: The Enneagram There’s a part of you that remains constant and can be measured by a personality test I use called the Enneagram (Ennea is Greek for 9 -number of interconnected types). It’s a much older system that gets to the heart of your energy vibration, and closer to what I call your soul signature. It also highlights your blind …

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It’s a stressful time being stuck at home, but also an opportunity to practice the relationship skills needed to connect authentically with your child. These 8 practices will show you how.

There’s a zen proverb describing the need to meditate every day for 20 minutes – unless you’re really busy, then an hour is needed. So it is in this unprecedented time, that similar spiritual wisdom may be valuable. Instead of working hard to gain certainty as we navigate through this unprecedented time, what if we need to do the opposite? What if we could relax into uncertainty, surrendering to the inevitable unfolding of what’s upon us trusting that we will be able to safely navigate through to the other side? What seems to be calling out to each of us is learning how to have a little faith. I am not suggesting we do nothing. I am also not suggesting we ignore the tragic reality we are facing with the more than 36,500 lives we have already lost as cases of this horrific Coronavirus continues to climb. What Am I Suggesting about Having a Little Faith? Faith is the quiet compass of your inner landscape that opens a doorway to a calm, clear place within. It’s an inner strength to ward off anxiety, fear and the unknown when you find yourself faced with massive uncertainty. As we find ourselves confined to our homes in a lockdown that has no near end in sight, I want to invite you to explore how far you can take your own faith at a time when most of us have slowed down, and reassessing our lives to remain healthy. For those working endless hours on the front line in health care or other essential services we depend on – giving our thanks with patience, understanding, and faith in their work becomes crucial supportive energy for the whole field in which we live. The Experience of Having Faith Having faith at first, especially during the unprecedented time, can feel like a ping pong match. There’s a bouncing back and forth as part of you wants to believe all will be well, but your current circumstances snaps you back into the practical reality, perhaps one filled with fear. We believe, and then we don’t believe. We learn to trust, and then get our heart broken. We become cautious, careful, and work hard trying to figure out and control everything. There’s confusion as we try to figure out who and what to believe. But when you learn to surrender in faith during unprecedented time, something shifts you into a sacred space of trust. A space I didn’t grow up even having the faintest clue existed. I grew up in an environment surrounded by a lot of certainty. Having parents who are now retired MDs not only provided stability, but my entire consciousness lived within a narrow scientific and practical mindset that left little room for any ‘holy nonsense’. Discovering the place of faith for you will depend on your actual experiences. The kind where you’ve reached outside your own comfort zone. Having faith encompasses both science and spirituality, and what’s available to you here is where your own dream for the life you want exists, and the sustainable world we all want begins.. Recognizing What Having Faith Looks Like The other day my daughter excitedly came into my office wanting to share the story of a young Swedish painter and photographer she found online – Jonna Jinton. My daughter was mesmerized by her experience living so beautifully, creatively and in such close connection with nature. What immediately struck me was the faith Jonna carried following her heart back to live on the land of her ancestors – alone. She knew she needed to return to her spiritual roots. I felt like I already knew this woman – she reminded me so strongly of prodigy painter Akiane whose life provided the picture of what this same calm surrender into faith looks like. I had shared her story with my children long ago – the magical way she would ‘pull from spirit’ with how she painted her now >$1million individual art pieces. Both of these women are tapped into their inner spirit of faith where the impossible becomes possible. This is one of Jonna’s photographs taken of the rocks she meticulously put into perfect balance after many hours. No…the rocks are not glued together! What happens when we are calm and have faith will astound you. Many of us have lost our spiritual roots in the busy, results-oriented lives we live today whether in the small towns, bustling suburbs or city life. We can’t see what’s possible from all the external distractions we allow into our field, and when we add enormous uncertainty, it can send us further off course. I was so moved by Akiane’s paintings I ordered one of her reprints entitled Everlasting for my office. (Akiane: “the blossoms emit the transience of beauty and life, but the memories they leave behind are truly everlasting”). Where can you add a splash of what deeply inspires your faith at home? The Unmistakable Touch of Grace I eventually experienced that having faith goes beyond belief and trust into an unknown, but somehow familiar territory. There’s an unmistakable, and consistent feeling of awe accompanied often by a wave of emotion that isn’t reactive, but breathtaking. An unmistakable touch of grace. You’ve gone somewhere deep within that allows whatever outside reality you’re facing to settle into what’s been described as “a peace that surpasses all understanding”. You’ve let go. It’s a place where you can release control, fear, anxiety, and judgment to be aligned with yourself carrying your spark of divinity to face whatever circumstances exist in the present moment with serenity. Discovering the Bigger Picture Whenever I’m writing or working with a client– I’ll often come across ‘signs and synchronicites’ that tie into whatever way I’m trying to serve. It’s like I’m constantly being guided by unseen forces.  Last night I noticed Paul McCartney’s carpool karaoke with James Corden popped onto my screen… Do you know the story behind the Beatles song “Let It Be”? Paul was going through a …

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