ONE SPIRIT COMMUNITY

By Erika Faith

Yoga is Creativity.

Creativity is a divine gift from God to humanity which anyone can access. Whether it is painting, ritual, music or movement we can all receive some type of benefit from creative expression. My on-going creative project is Yoga. How? Well…the simplest way for me to put it is: There are over 14,000 different postures (Asanas) and 50 different styles (Disciplines). A person can put together any routine for their own schedule or liking. Most styles involve some sort of relaxation. Whether a person is moving, breathing, or meditating, eventually there comes a time when the mind opens up and thoughts quiet down. This is where real insight and creativity happens. I don’t know HOW it happens. It just does. An exquisite mystery.

Yoga is Healing.

The ultimate goal of yoga is union with the All; it is to become completely aware of the Self or soul. The natural progression of practicing yoga leads one to: peace of mind and heart; power of will, love, and intellect; direct influence of the mind upon the body and the world outside the body; psychic abilities of various kinds; control of mind and better concentration; control of the emotions (removal of worry, pride, anger, fear, lust, and greed); bodily health, suppleness, beauty and longevity; and the prevention and removal of psychosomatic dangers and troubles. The Yoga Sutra’s Yamas (things to avoid) and Niyamas (things to do) are guidelines for living a life of integrity and truth. It is not necessary to obey these rules because these are just suggestions to live a happier, more fulfilled life. Yoga heals by allowing us to experience life in the continuous unfolding moment.

Yoga is Community.

Together, when people do yoga, something magical happens. There’s a wonderful feeling of togetherness, love, and camaraderie. This may manifest because each person starts to take responsibility for their life, beliefs, and experience. Yoga teaches that when the flow of the universe treats you kindly or harshly, you have control of your own attitude and outlook.The community of people studying and practicing yoga quickly becomes tight. I believe yoga brings people together in a magnetic sense; we want to share the bounty of its blessings with one another. A big group, focusing on transcending themselves, is a pretty incredible force of energy! As a teacher, I am excited to be able to share some of yoga’s power with my community.

Yoga is Committment.

Practice meditation (Dyana), breathing techniques (Pranayama), yoga postures (Asanas), and a deep relaxation (Savasana) at least three times a week. To really feel the essence of yoga, it is important to declare that yoga become part of your daily life. This is a committment that is only bound by your own will. Once you see the magic that yoga creates in your life, you will only want to continue with it.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.

May all beings be free.

~ Metta Prayer

Erika Faith is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.  Her school, Cloud Nine Yoga, prides itself in being a community based, non dogmatic Yoga Education entity with a history of facilitating the awakening of many hearts and teaching freedom of the mind and body.  For more information about Erika please visit http://www.cloudnineyoga.com/

By Samantha Sweetwater

Creation Dances. The universe dances. When existence was born out of the great, undifferentiated field of the One, the dance was born. Since the beginning of time and the beginning of existence, being has been dancing with essence. Our souls are dancing the space where our spirit and our bodies meet.

The dance is the great unifier. Dance invites us into union with the masculine and feminine, seen and unseen, being and doing, spiritual and physical aspects of ourselves. Gently, fiercely moving us in the tides of our own bodies and emotions, it brings us right to the center of soul. To dance is to celebrate being human – being a spirit in the body living on this miraculous planet called Gaia.

Dancing Freedom is my spiritual practice. It is not a religion. It has no dogmas, no boundaries. It welcomes all bodies, all gestures, all gods. It invites diversity, and through embrace of the wild multiplicity of expression, teaches the truths of Unity. Dancing is spiritual because it is a way of joy. Joy means saying a divine yes to life – to the movement that IS life – all of IT – and, to our divine creatorship. When we move and just keep moving, we become one with all parts of ourselves and with the great cosmic dance.

I believe the dance can set us free. Freedom means that we are at home in our bodies and in our spirits. It means that we have fluidity between our inner connectivity and outer expressivity. When these two parts of ourselves are in dynamic flow, we live with soul. WE dance in the fire of love that is at the center of hearts. Freedom means embracing that fire – being ok with the full spectrum of our experience, at home in all of our stuff AND in our exaltation. I call this divine OK-ness. It is a place where there is no separation between the sacred and the mundane – a place where we KNOW that THIS is the true essence of sacredness. When we live here, we are free. Incredible magic happens. The world opens before us as a place of wonder, color, authenticity and beauty. Our instinctive, intuitive and worldly aspects reconnect. We stop going through the motions of life, and instead really feel the vibrancy and joy of existence pulsing through us.

No true freedom can emerge from resistance. What we resist persists. We are learning how to really love what is, how to embrace. The path of liberation asks us to surrender everything while we simultaneously hold the mother wisdom of creating safe space. What does this look like in the dance? It looks like working within a clear container of practice where we can really let go to explore. It means developing the clarity of our own sense of yes and no. It means exploring how our physical and emotional experiences are holographic reflections of all dimensions of our experience. Our skin is a sacred boundary. Our hearts have boundaries and borders that can be contained, entered, held, opened, surrendered, tuned. It is through naked dialogue with the bounded aspect of experience that we come to the blissful experience of boundlessness. It is through the existence of a contained self and a distinct other that we give and receive. When the flow is open in both directions, we can open to the infinity loop of creation.  Now, we are one with the universe dancing.  Now, we are Dancing Freedom.

Samantha Sweetwater, founder of Dancing Freedom, soul coach and priestess, empowers embodied leaders in seminars and trainings internationally.  Learn more: http://www.dancingfreedom.com or http://samanthasweetwater.wordpress.com.  Samantha is a movement facilitator at One Spirit Weekend.

By Chutisa and Steven Bowman

Consciousness is the ability to be present in your life in every moment, without judgment of you or anyone else. It is the ability to receive everything, reject nothing, and create everything you desire in life – greater than what you currently have, and more than what you can imagine.

Consciousness is correlated to the intensity of one’s connection with oneself, with one’s acceptance of unlimited talents and abilities and the resulting expansion of one’s ability to be in communion with al things.

Being Conscious!

Being conscious is an experience of expanding our awareness beyond its present limits. It is a state of flexible awareness, with no fixed points of view.  The basic function of each being is expanding and contracting. Expanded beings are lightness, infiniteness and indefinable; contracted beings are solid mass, density and limitation.  A completely expanded being is what we call a conscious being.

When we are completely expanded, we have a feeling of total awareness, of being one with life; that place where we have a stillness, a sense of total peace and tranquility, in which we have no capacity to judge. Living in that reality means that we allow all of life to come to us with ease, joy and glory. Being conscious is the very process of expansion; it has nothing to do with new age concepts, the latest fads, or any “should” or “shouldn’t” beliefs.

Consciousness is our intrinsic faculty and inner resource; however, for most people it has been concealed and undeveloped. The majority of people are so disconnected from their own states of consciousness that they are not aware that it is possible to actually experience this state. For most people, everyday living is a struggle. However, we all have an inner urge toward living more naturally with ease, which is free of disharmony, trauma and drama. Yet within us also resides a strong attachment to anti-conscious habits from our past programming. This attachment to anti-conscious habits causes us to be quite disconnected from our own infinite possibilities. We have been impacted with so many external thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, energies, limitations and negativity that we are not able to perceive, know, believe and receive that we are that infinite possibility. We are not aware that it is possible to actually experience this state. Unconsciously, most people do not even realize that the state of pure consciousness is the true essence of their Beingness. A downbeat self depiction often obstructs the joyous exuberant expression and abundance of life that is the true essence of their Beingness (pure consciousness).

Ultimately, consciousness is a way of connecting what is happening at the present moment with the infinite possibilities. Conscious leaders constantly experience the abundance of life itself and the privilege of life itself because they are able to perceive, know, be and receive that wherever they are, just by the power of energy that is their true being, anything is possible. And this is a most glorious and magnificent place to be.

Excerpt from ‘Conscious Leadership – The Key to Unlocking Success’ by Chutisa and Steven Bowman who are key facilitators at One Spirit Weekend

By Stephanie Frank

These are very interesting times.  The world seems to be polarized – truly feast or famine.  Businesses are going under and the cries of “the economic crisis” ripple through the planet like waves ripple out when you drop a rock in the water.  Fear, failure and the world’s obsession with dramatic events blanket the airwaves.  It’s almost impossible to ignore.

But there’s something else going on – something nobody’s talking about.

On the other side of the fear and failure are people and organizations that are experiencing massive success.  Reality television shows make instant celebrities.  Business owners with “hot” ideas are growing faster than they ever have before.  One in 8 couples are now meeting online.

And they are getting crushed under the pressure of sudden success.

While most people think they want fame, fortune or something bigger, they are wholly unprepared for the emotional, mental and physical skills they will need to manage newfound success.  Celebrities deal with this all the time.  The late Michael Jackson, undeniably the King of Pop (whether you like him or not) lived a life of emotional trauma, lost youth and low self-esteem.  Shia LaBeouf: “I don’t handle fame well,” LaBeouf says. “Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy. I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it, and I’d be on my way.”

Now you don’t have to be a celebrity to experience the demands of sudden success.  Take the business owner who suddenly finds himself or herself leading an organization for which they are ill-equipped to run.  They lack the people skills, the leadership skills and emotional intelligence to make things work smoothly.  Working hours increase.  Productivity decreases.  Frustration and overwhelm take over.  Anxiety becomes normal.  Then personal criticism starts, which begins a never ending cycle of self-doubt and lowered self-confidence.

It doesn’t have to be that way.   Here are 5 things you must know if you are experiencing sudden success in any area of your life.

1.  Sudden Success Brings out the Weirdos. When you become more visible in your company, publicly or even in your family, weird things can happen.  It’s like the old story of the crabs in the pot – whenever one crab almost reaches the top of the pot and newfound freedom, the other crabs pull him back in to die.  Expect opportunities to arise, communications to increase and watch out for people who want to use you or ride your coattails.  You will need some trusted advisors to put together a system to discern your good opportunities and weed out the dream stealers.

2.  You will need to learn emotional intelligence. When success demands more of you, it will demand more of your emotional energy as well.  You will have days where you wonder if it’s all worth it, and begin the cycle of self-defeat.  Don’t go there.  Likewise, you will need to learn to manage your emotional state in every situation to be able to think clearly and react appropriately to things coming at you fast.  People will begin to judge you, have opinions about you, and that can make you feel bad if they are negative.  With a high level of emotional intelligence, you will understand that people’s opinions of you have nothing to do with you, and everything to do with whatever they are experiencing at the time (if you don’t understand this now, you will.  I’ll explain in another post about perception).

3.  People skills become VERY important. Most people aren’t trained in understanding others’ personal style, filters, values and perspective.  Therefore, communication breakdown occurs more often as teams grow and you need more people around you to handle daily activities.  It is imperative that you become a student of people and behavior to be able to hire the right staff, understand their needs and get people to their most productive level.  Once of the biggest mistakes people make when hiring people to work for them is the “warm body” approach.  They take a person with a certain skillset and try to make them do a job they aren’t good at, and then wonder why it isn’t working.  Proactive understanding of people matching to skillsets is a must.

4.  You MUST become a better leader. When more demands are placed on you as you grow, the general tendency is to be like a rat in a cage, trying to run faster and faster on the wheel. Worry that things won’t get done, anxiety over whether people are actually doing the work, when will it get done cause many sleepless nights for fast-growing business owners.

Recently, I was hired by a small business owner to help with this exact issue.  She was working almost 20 hour days, losing sleep over details and she had people she wanted to work with to build a team but didn’t know how.  We restructured her time, I taught her communication and people skills, but most of all, I taught her how to let go without losing control.  As a result, we engaged a team of 5 amazing people to help her.  She reclaimed 47 hours per month.  Doing things right, she hit ALL of her revenue goals within 30 days.

I tell you this because as a small business owner, you don’t always get to see what the big companies do to develop their people.  Big companies spend millions on leadership training, communication training and the like just to help people get along and be more productive and have better performance overall.  Small business owners struggle, not knowing that a different way is so close.

5.  You will learn to say “No”.  Decision-making skills are imperative in helping you deal with success.  Information, requests, communication will all increase, and your ability to say no to time-wasters, distraction, guilt, frustration and overwhelm will become a skill you’ll wish you had a long time ago.  Your goals will become more clear, and so your ability to weed out potentially unproductive opportunities will be heightened as you truly go to that next level.

While there are many other things that go along with sudden success, these are some of the most important.  When your focus turns inward to making yourself a better leader, communicator, influencer and visionary, your entire world will change.  Your success will be sweet, exciting and manageable.

To get started, download the free audio program called The 13 Vital Traits of Super Effective People.  It will open your eyes to getting started on the calm road of success.

Stephanie Frank is one of the Key facilitators at One Spirit Weekend. For more information about Stephanie visit http://stephaniefrank.com/

By Yachay Azzaraya

I am sure you have heard the phrase “just take a deep breath and calm down.” This common technique of breathing to calm one’s self is more powerful and significant than one might think.

Fully imagine yourself in each of the following situations. With each one, enact your experience with a focus on how you would be breathing.

1) You are sitting in rush hour traffic, inching along.

2) You are giving birth to a newborn child.

3) You are riding a rollercoaster.

4) You are running a marathon.

5) You are gazing into your beloved’s loving eyes.

This exercise highlights the amazing way in which our breath is intimately connected to how we experience reality. The way we breathe creates the way we feel. The science of breath is known as pranayama in yoga, and is a powerful way to gain mastery of one’s emotions and life. Simple breathing exercises, with practice, can give us the ability to stay calm in tense situations, to experience greater peace of mind, and more joy in day-to-day life! More intensive breath practices can really open up the energy channels in the body, and the resulting bliss is well worth the dedication. I have never experienced such deep shifts from any other practice.

Pranayama has healed my physical body deeply. But more pronounced, perhaps, is the psychological transformation. The energy potential that is opened with the breath produces fundamental shifts in the way I see and experience the world. I experience regular shifts in my lenses of perception, constantly seeing things more positively and optimistically. It’s as if the power of prana is empowering me to live life more fully and vibrantly. Discover this ancient science for yourself, I guarantee it will make you feel amazing!

For a great introduction, I recommend Science of Breath by Swami Rama, and for advanced practices, Path of Fire and Light Vol. 1, both available from www.himalayaninstitute.com

By Morgan Langan

As we begin the transformation process, our beliefs need to shift so we can experience beneficial behavioral changes. With everything in chaos around us, we require a system that’s Functional, Adaptable, Sustainable, (now in Time); FAST. Everything we do must be Functional, Sustainable, Adaptable, and implemented NOW.

The FAST system is so simple even someone with an MBA can’t screw it up! Remember, the emphasis of a formal MBA training was to look for problems so you could then figure out a way to solve them. The focus of the FAST approach is to improve function, rather than solve problems. Keep that in mind as we move along.

The FAST system is unique in that it’s in continual flux. Nothing can ever remain the same and that’s the inherent beauty of it! The process of improving function is alive and ever evolving. But, don’t worry; the information and specific tools I give you will move you toward an increasing confidence in applying intuition in every situation.

A FAST Overview

FAST begins with Functionality; relating to the way something works or operates. Ask yourself, is it functional? Are my actions functional? Is my body healthy? Is my mind really supporting what it is I say I want to become

The A is Adaptability; to make (something) suitable for a new use or purpose. Ask yourself, is it adaptable? If yes, am I ready to shift any belief or behavior, which limits me in any way? If no, what do I need to do next to become more adaptable Adaptability is fully preparing in advance for the changes, which are inevitably coming our WAY!

The S is Sustainability; able to be maintained at a certain rate or level. Ask yourself, is it sustainable? Does it add as much life to all aspects of life, while taking away life from no aspect?

And the T is Time; the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. Ask yourself, what is my personal belief of time? What is my relationship to time? Is time my enemy? What beliefs can I shift to make time my ally? By using my intuition, what changes can I implement to cause positive, measurable and tangible physical results RIGHT Now

That’s FAST. Now let’s explore the first area of the system in greater depth:

Functionality

Relating to the way something works or operates is how we generally define functionality. When looked at from an individual perspective, functionality is unique to each one of us based on the structure of our individual lives. And as long as we are not violating the rights of others, that’s functionality.

If we each have our own version of function, we cannot hope to agree on what it is or how it looks. Personally, I may determine that one system is functional in my business because it allows the most freedom among my employees, but you may disagree entirely.

That we each define functionality for ourselves may make it difficult to understand, because we’re dealing with something involving a whole new paradigm shift. The exact languaging can be a challenge because we are actively creating a new language. At the same time we are experiencing the meaning of the language. Added to this complexity is knowing that this understanding doesn’t necessarily come from the thinking mind. It can be extra perplexing! But don’t get hung up on the details of how this all works.

Even under the best of circumstances, communication can be challenging. How can we expect that words any combination of 26 symbols-accurately and effectively communicate what we’re trying to convey from a place, which includes physical existence, yet is not limited by it?  Especially when we are communicating fresh new concepts and principles that have never before existed?

It’s incredibly complex to try to comprehend with the mind alone. It is much more effective to go into the feeling aspect of yourself, in order to begin to really communicate, than it is to try to agree on a definition.

You must discover your own definition of what is functional for you, based upon how it feels; it is unique for each of us. You have to know how it feels for you to be in the full flow of function. This knowing is by its very nature experiential. It is not something that can be experienced via the understanding of others.

It has become exceptionally trendy to talk about the laws of attraction. Yet it appears there is really one primary law and it is you have to discover what functions best for your life and not be influenced by how others define function’ for you.

To go deeper into the study of these concepts, join Morgan Langan at www.OneSpiritWeekend.com or visit www.GraceGrove .com to join Morgan for an emersion journey

By Kerrie Dancing Butterfly

Yes you! Yes everyone!  Everyone has the potential to be a leader.  Especially now, all voices, all ideas, all perspectives, all talents, all skills, all resources and all hands are needed to dream and manifest new sustainable solutions into our collective reality.  Each of us will be called to lead in different ways.

What does leadership look like today? We may be using an outdated view of what it is to be a leader.  Many think that being a leader means to hold office, be a public speaker, a CEO, a best-selling author or be interviewed on CNN.   However, as times change, so too must our interpretation evolve as to what it is to be a leader.

As a parent, business owner, teacher, politician, author, craftsman, musician or coach, being a leader starts first with your leadership character.

Here are some simple ways you can lead by being a shining example for others in your family or community to emulate.

* Be in integrity with your word

*Be brave enough to choose the road less traveled or even pave a new path for yourself and others

*Follow your true heart’s passion

*Choose compassion over judgment in all situations

*Accept and honor the value of diversity in our world

*Live in harmony with the environment as you lighten your impring by reducing, reusing and recycling

*Exhibit random acts of kindness when least expected and without expectation

*Speak your perspective passionately and compassionately

*Speak kind words to others

*Express bold new ideas and solutions to old problems instead of complaining about them ~ break out of your comfort zone

*Choose Faith over fear

*Help those less fortunate

*Live financially within your means

*Live a balanced life honoring your health, spirituality, family and profession

*Take ownership for your choices and your reality

*Be loving and authentic in your personal and family relationships

How can you lead in your profession?

*Exhibit exceptional ethics in your business dealings

*Be on time and follow through with your commitments

*Switch out blame and gossip in the workplace for clear, positive communication

*Bring innovative and creative solutions to the challenges of the business

*Seek to implement sustainable and environmentally-friendly approaches

Anyone in the community, in addition to parents, can exemplify leadership qualities for our youth.

*Model and teach your young ones how to respect others, exhibit moral values, honesty, sportsmanship, cooperation, tolerance, patience, accountability, exploration and compassion

*Give your youth stable environments, healthy structure and a strong foundation on which to establish their roots

*Give children a space to spread their individual wings and express their perspectives, feelings, creativity and passions

Leadership can be that simple and it starts with you and your own leadership character.  With impeccable leadership, you can go into any arena and make monumental change happen fast. If it is your calling to write a book, address the school board, be a member of the US Congress, or chair a new organization, these simple suggestions will help you lead in any situation, with integrity, and with the respect and support of your peers.  I invite you to look within and find your awakening leader; step up and make a difference today in your life, family and community.

If you would love support on your path as an awakening leader, join Kerrie Dancing Butterfly along with other world-renowned inspirational speakers at One Spirit Weekend in Sedona, October 2^nd-5^th.  Receive the latest information and proven strategies to help you accelerate your potential in the fields of prosperity, vibrant health, empowerment, spirituality, sustainability and conscious business.  Enjoy yoga, meditation, Earth Dance Ceremony & great community! For more information visit http://www.OneSpiritWeekend.com. For more on Kerrie Dancing Butterfly, her Shamanic healing practice, workshops & ceremonies visit http://www.JourneysfortheSoul.com

By Morgan Langan

“We’re all here to choose and create a lifestyle that accommodates our belief systems. The WAY to pursue a life of liberty and happiness is as individuated as we are. A great understanding occurred for me when I experienced how the success of a friend directly affected my success. Can you recall a circumstance in your life when a friend experienced success? Do you remember what effect their success had on your life? Success represents an opportunity for all of us. We support the lives of all by our own efforts for ourselves. The unique skills and talents that are yours alone, belong equally to all when shared from your heart. By nature, we have the right to the pursuit of such a life; yet this does not a guarantee we will obtain that which we pursue. There is no “guarantee” to possess that which we have not earned. It is the individual using his mind and heart to create the life of his vision that prospers. It is the individual who focuses upon how to live a life of meaning that brings forth meaning into the world.

Each person must support all life by their own effort.

Rational self-interest, which is the pursuit of one’s self happiness, is often referred to as being “selfish.” I wonder then; is the desire to live also selfish?  Is this learned self sacrificial thinking? Is this an attempt by those “in-power” to convince us that we need to look at what is best for the whole before we think about what is best for ourselves? This limited thinking indicates a lack of understanding that I am indeed part of the whole. The best way to empower the whole is to empower myself. My SELF!

With this being said, I always encourage the success of others. Remember, success for another is simultaneously success for all of us. On an even more basic level: if you in any way resent success in others, you will seldom attract it to yourself. Remember, it is difficult to attract that which you reject. Successful people are thoughtful; they care about your success, they encourage the pursuit of passion, and they lead others by their examples. They have little TIME to discuss what isnít, because they are busy creating what is. They are conscious and thoughtful of others, and their words hold meaning.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world, states The Desiderata – The world from my perspective, is especially beautiful when individual members of the community come together with a shared vision to support the highest potential of each unique individual.

In The Spirit of Oneness, Morgan Langan

www.OneSpiritWeekend.com

By Morgan Langan

Everyone we know is experiencing some form of increased “pressure” during these transforming times. These pressures may appear in the form of financial struggles, relationship challenges or health issues. It is helpful to understand both scientifically and spiritually speaking, that any particular form comprises only a small percentage of “all that is” about your life. It is equally helpful to live life from the perspective that you are part of a collective. One of the many, calling forth the changes we are experiencing. We do not want things to remain the same! Thus we must be better prepared to adapt to the even greater changes we know are coming. When one understands that “I am creating my reality,” this knowing becomes the impetus to evolve both as an individual and as a species. This is Biology 101: adapting to change is the same as being prepared to evolve. We are evolving as a species one individual at a time! New discoveries in Biology are actually proving scientifically what the great sages and saints of our history have been saying: We Are ONE!

In this human form, we tend to focus on what we can see. It sure seems as if we are separate from each other and our environment. Yet many of us have had momentary glimpses of another reality; one in which we are all interconnected through the One Spirit that animates all life and cloaks us in abundance, beauty and divine love. This view of life feels more real to us. As leaders, this is the view we need to focus upon while incorporating the physical sights we sense with our eyes. This “Shift of Perspective” is the key to developing a new vision. Thousands of years of biological development has entrained us to concentrate on our physical senses. The Biological study of Epigenetics is providing proof that the physical senses are just a part of who we are. The evolutionary leap we are about to make, first as leaders and ultimately as a species; requires disciplined practice. We have been preparing for this leap our entire life time and perhaps beyond. Before making the leap, we will need to let go of the limiting beliefs which have been the focus of our physical senses. Let us extend a hand of support for our fellow leaders, in order to make the leap more graceful! We can no longer do it alone, once we truly integrate the concept that there is no such thing as Alone!