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Following the Hearts Desire |
| "There is a beautiful Peace rose bush that grows
beside my house. For the last few years its branches have spread
wildly, but were not producing many roses. This year it was covered
in bugs. I began to prune it back so it could regain some of its
vitality and hopefully avoid insect infestation. I cut and cut until
there was only one stem left, and then with resignation I cut that
too. A couple of weeks later a strong, healthy stem shot up out
of the stump and very shortly had four beautiful blooms. It made
me realize the strength of the rose bush. When the life force was
given an opportunity, true beauty arose, unimpeded by wandering
branches and bugs." Read more in Ascent Magazine |
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Sacred Woman: Initiation into the Divine Feminine |
| "Sacred feminine empowerment is not about being aggressive,
or turning against men, it is about being conscious and actively
contributing in a different way through combining gentleness with
strength and not being afraid to act on our intuition, when deep
in our hearts we know something is right. The work of the sacred
woman and the divine feminine offers new ways to approach life but
especially offers training in personal transformation, which empowers
women to be everything that they long to be and to fully express
their creativity and full potential. Women have a more delicate
nervous system than men and need to take enough time to rest, meditate
and regenerate. Stress and strain are a woman's greatest enemy and
rob her of her health and energy. By regaining a state of internal
peace, harmony and balance, we can find a new perspective and enjoy
life more. Embracing the divine feminine is about empowering yourself as a woman in a new way through bringing the sacred into your life, in a practical way that works for you. Each of us in our own unique way has an important part to play in the world. We are the nucleus of a circle around us that consciously or unconsciously we influence. Through being aware of what sort of influence we have, whether it is positive or negative, encouraging and supportive or critical and disempowering can make all the difference. Empowerment is an internal process, which is then reflected outwards. True confidence, courage and determined energy come from developing a clearer sense of self, clearing blocks and releasing limitations that we may have created or that society may have placed upon us. " Read more on Awakened Woman |
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Breathing Lessons: By making it a conscious, controlled action,
pranayama begins to transform breathing into a spiritual practice.
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| "We usually take the ability to draw a simple breath for granted,
but our everyday language reveals our intuitive awareness that breathing
is powerful and critically important. We often talk about "breathing
easy" to show we've relaxed and let go of a problem or worry. We
use the term "breathing room" when we need more space for sufficient
air and thus life itself. And we express our intuitive understanding
of the power of breath when we advise angry people to "Take 10 deep
breaths" before they speak or act from anger. Actually, this bit
of folk wisdom has a basis in fact. A period of quiet deep breathing
causes blood pressure to drop and to stay down for as long as 30
minutes, according to the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. The power of breathing cannot be denied. Breathing is at the center of natural childbirth training, and we are taught to breathe deeply before we face stressful situations like auditions or exams. Breathing is at the heart of virtually every meditation system, as well as most styles of asana (posture) practice. This is because when we pay attention to the breath, it brings us fully into the present. It is impossible to focus on the breath without paying attention to the here and now." Read more on YogaJournal.com |
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Buddhism for Beginners |
| "Nowadays meditation is sometimes confused with other activities.
Meditation is not simply relaxing the body and mind. Nor is it imagining
being a successful person with wonderful possessions, good relationships,
appreciation from others, and fame. This is merely daydreaming about
objects of attachment. Meditation is also not a concentrated state,
such as we may have when painting, reading, or doing any activity
that interests us. Nor is it simply being aware of what we are doing
at any particular moment. Meditation means habituating ourselves to constructive, realistic, and beneficial emotions and attitudes. It builds up good habits of the mind. Meditation is used to transform our thoughts and views so that they are more compassionate and correspond to reality." Read more on Innerself.com |
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Energy Boost: Ayurveda offers an explanation-and some cures-for
general fatigue. |
| "Unusual mental or physical exertion, stress, and
lack of sleep can make people tired. Prevention in these cases simply
requires self-observation. Sometimes it means not pushing the body
and mind beyond its limits. Other times it means walking or doing
some physical work to help increase the body's energy level. Other major causes of fatigue include anemia, low gastric fire, and weakness of the liver. If the fatigue is due to anemia, eating iron-rich foods and blood builders such as pomegranate juice, grapes or grape juice, and beets or beet/carrot juice, can help. Right nostril breathing (Surya Pranayama) is also helpful, as it stimulates the liver, which plays an important role in building the blood. For fatigue caused by physical exertion, drinking fresh orange juice with a pinch of rock salt gives a quick boost. Add 10 drops of lime juice to help the body cool down. When agni (the digestive fire) is low, digestion will be sluggish, bringing the energy level down. One way to raise agni is to chop or grate a little fresh ginger, add a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt, and chew it before meals. Also, it is best to avoid cold or iced drinks, as they counteract agni and impede effective digestion. Instead, take small sips of warm water while eating." From YogaJournal.com |
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Book Review |
| "In our time, religious practice has become more a matter of personal
choice than a mandate of tradition, and worship patterns have changed
radically. This thoughtful, highly recommended volume by Religion
Watch editor and publisher Cimino and San Francisco Chronicle religion
writer Lattin goes a long way toward mapping the vast landscape
of contemporary spirituality, including projections for the further
development of current trends. And in an innovation so delightful
it's a wonder it isn't already more commonplace, the book package
also includes a CD-ROM enabling readers to log on to hundreds of
Web sites devoted to various religious topics." From YogaJournal.com |
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Quote: Cheri Huber, The Fear Book |
| "What most of us think of as fear is primarily a mental process of imagining situations that do not exist in the moment." |
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Get Published! |
| RetreatFinder.com is accepting articles for publishing on the website and in the newsletter. We are accepting articles that cover the breadth of the retreat and spiritual communities. Articles can range from a book review, to an interpersonal journey while on retreat, to a biography of a spiritual leader, to your favorite food recipe when on retreat, to travel tips and retreat center reviews. Please submit your articles or inquiries to alec@retreatfinder.com. |
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| Table of Contents | |
 Following
the Hearts Desire |
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| Sacred
Women |
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| Breathing
Lessons |
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| Buddhism
for Beginners |
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| Energy
Boost |
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| Book
Review |
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| Quote
of the Month |
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| Get
Published |
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| Featured Retreats | |
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| New Year's Silent Retreat Yogaville Buckingham, VA Dec 31- Jan 4 |
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| As the old year approaches its end and the new year stands before
us as a mystery, join us for this special New Year's Silent Retreat.
Reconnect with the ocean of peace that exists within your own heart.
Our expert staff will help you turn within and discover answers
to major life questions. View this retreat on RetreatFinder.com |
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| Integration Retreat Nyingma Tibetan Institute Jan 5- Feb 28 Berkeley, CA |
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| This program integrates what is learned through meditation into
the realm of creative action. We can learn to create a positive
future that balances spiritual goals with commitments to work and
family. View this retreat on RetreatFinder.com |
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| Journey to Your Authentic Self Hawaii May 22-28 |
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| SpeakingQuest combines the excitement of travel with the satisfaction
of inner discovery and true self-expression. On A SpeakingQuest
Retreat You Will discover the art of listening and speaking from
your heart, and learn how to be fully present and confident in each
moment. View this retreat on RetreatFinder.com |
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| Personal Retreat Landmark Guest House New York, New York |
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| Within the Seminary's walls our peaceful garden is an ideal spot
for strolling, reading, and meditation, but it is just a short cab,
subway, or bus ride downtown to experience all the excitement and
attractions New York City has to offer. These rooms offer a quiet
place in a busy city for a night or two, but may not be appropriate
for a focused retreat. View this listing on RetreatFinder |
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| Personal Retreat Colombiere Center Idyllwild, CA |
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| Colombiere is a center for transforming consciousness. The vision
of a new paradigm in spirituality, occurring today across the world,
shifts the emphasis on alienation from God, from each other, from
ourselves, from earth toward a conscious return to original unity.
It offers a new vision of the human family entering the next phase
of evolution, a movement from separation to unity and harmony. View this listing on RetreatFinder |
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