Welcome to the Dare to Blossom Newsletter
Early Bird offer ending 1st February for the 'Spring - Emerging' coaching circle
Reflections: Clearing and Changes
Events and ways to Dare to Blossom
Early Bird offer ending 1st February for the 'Spring - Emerging' coaching circle
Welcome, I wanted to highlight this before you dive into the rest of this newsletter, if you do, as the Early Bird offer officially ends on 1st February. However, for you, my wonderful subscribers, I am happy to keep it open, contact me for more details.
Is it feeling like a time to explore what is emerging for you? The Spring Circle - Emerging begins on 17th February. We will meet together for six weeks in a private Facebook group and in weekly live group circles on Zoom. Currently there are two possible meeting times: 7.30 pm UK time on Thursday each week, or 10.00 am on Friday. Once the group gathers we can discuss which time time would suit those present best.
Each week we will explore a new part of the Compass Rose, beginning in the centre point, in Peace, then progressing around the compass points - Purpose, Passion, Power and Progress, before returning to Peace.
Each week we will explore a new part of the Compass Rose, beginning in the centre point, in Peace, then progressing around the compass points - Purpose, Passion, Power and Progress, before returning to Peace.
The full details are here, and simply reply to this email if you would like to ask any questions or arrange to chat.
The Early Bird rate is £120 for the six weeks and recordings of all the Circle calls, £220 after the 1st February (but contact me to request a place at the lower rate if you are a subscriber.) I can also arrange for you to pay by instalments if that suits you best.
At present, there are three Circles planned for 2020: as you may guess, following Spring comes Summer - Blossoming, and Autumn - Harvesting. There may be a Winter Circle too if people would like to continue - that will evolve as time passes. You can join one or all, however it works for you.
Reflections: Clearing and Changes
February truly feels like the start of a new year for me, New life is beginning to emerge: snowdrops are already in flower, daffodils have put up their leaves and will very soon be brightening the day with the cheerful yellow of their trumpets. The photo above was taken a year or so back, of the miniature daffodils in the pots outside my office door. I am looking forward to when they flower again.
My 'spring cleaning', the electronic version anyway, has taken an abrupt and unwelcome turn due to the failure of the hard drive in my laptop. Thank goodness my files have been recovered, including the book manuscript. All my emails were lost though - so if anyone reading this prefers to be in touch that way, please reply to this so I have your address again. (Of course I have it here, but your permission to use it is only for the purposes of sending out this newsletter).
So, that has been a big 'clearing' of one sort for me. Some decluttering of the physical sort is long overdue, although I will await some warmer weather for that, just now I feel more like snuggling up while the gales blow the hail showers past outside my windows.
And what about the 'Changes' in the title of these reflections? Alongside the writing for the new book, "The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones", which has been unavoidably delayed by the computer issues, there are changes wanting to emerge in the way I work. I am not yet clear on what those might be. As someone who has only recently been able to give up my tendency to try and be 'general manager of the universe' (in other words, to have everything planned, and everyone looked after, way ahead of time) - this is a challenge.
It has never really worked - trying to plan way ahead means that those plans often have to change. I have, as I mentioned, set intentions to change, by 'resigning' - and being more in the flow.There does need to be a balance between the two ways of being in my experience. Some plans are important: in order to run a business, to pay my bills, to get things done. If I did nothing but 'go with the flow', maybe nothing would ever change?
I am reminded once again of the words of the Serenity Prayer:
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference."
(attribution unknown/disputed)
Some of you may have read or heard me speak about the fulmars I love watching on the cliffs near Trevone, just a few minutes drive from where I live. The photo above is one of the best I have managed to capture, and here is a link to a short video. They are such extraordinary birds, often as they swoop up from below the cliff edge, they seem to look me right in the eye.
The reason for sharing these, even though you have seen them before, is that today I was there again, In addition to the inspiration I received from the fulmars last summer: "Use the uplift. Go with the flow", today the message that popped into my mind was "Be bold." An invitation to action this time.
So, where will I be bold? I am not clear yet. I have already made changes to the plans for this year's group coaching programme. And just this morning, before my walk, before being told "be bold", I had written to our local TedX organisers to ask how to apply to give a talk there this autumn.
Part of my change at the moment is really making writing my first priority - to get "The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones" completed so I can send out the copies to everyone who has shown such enthusiasm, and trust, in pre-ordering the book before it is even written. And to continue that practice, to ensure that the bigger book, to help readers take themselves through the Compass Rose process, will also be completed in good time.
This commitment feels a challenge, it is so easy to feel I need to keep on 'doing' to generate money, to keep on interacting and stepping out. Yet I know there is a balance to be found. A way to do that in the most effective way, and to give the time to the writing it deserves. Of course, writing is 'doing' as well, and yet does not seem so immediately productive. And as I reflect now, just as I am checking through this piece, that I thought was ready to send - I see there is another link to the fulmars. In my experience, the best writing, the writing that elicits the most responses from you, the people reading - happens when the words flow directly through me onto the page. The times when that flow seems to come from outside myself.
So, I will continue doing the best I can. I will go on walking on the cliffs and communing with the power of nature. I will set up conditions - as much as I am able to do that - to allow that flow of words. Maybe there is another sort of 'uplift' I can use? I will - in those wonderful words - continue to live the questions.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
For you, suggestions for your journal reflections or meditations:
My 'spring cleaning', the electronic version anyway, has taken an abrupt and unwelcome turn due to the failure of the hard drive in my laptop. Thank goodness my files have been recovered, including the book manuscript. All my emails were lost though - so if anyone reading this prefers to be in touch that way, please reply to this so I have your address again. (Of course I have it here, but your permission to use it is only for the purposes of sending out this newsletter).
So, that has been a big 'clearing' of one sort for me. Some decluttering of the physical sort is long overdue, although I will await some warmer weather for that, just now I feel more like snuggling up while the gales blow the hail showers past outside my windows.
And what about the 'Changes' in the title of these reflections? Alongside the writing for the new book, "The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones", which has been unavoidably delayed by the computer issues, there are changes wanting to emerge in the way I work. I am not yet clear on what those might be. As someone who has only recently been able to give up my tendency to try and be 'general manager of the universe' (in other words, to have everything planned, and everyone looked after, way ahead of time) - this is a challenge.
It has never really worked - trying to plan way ahead means that those plans often have to change. I have, as I mentioned, set intentions to change, by 'resigning' - and being more in the flow.There does need to be a balance between the two ways of being in my experience. Some plans are important: in order to run a business, to pay my bills, to get things done. If I did nothing but 'go with the flow', maybe nothing would ever change?
I am reminded once again of the words of the Serenity Prayer:
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference."
(attribution unknown/disputed)
Some of you may have read or heard me speak about the fulmars I love watching on the cliffs near Trevone, just a few minutes drive from where I live. The photo above is one of the best I have managed to capture, and here is a link to a short video. They are such extraordinary birds, often as they swoop up from below the cliff edge, they seem to look me right in the eye.
The reason for sharing these, even though you have seen them before, is that today I was there again, In addition to the inspiration I received from the fulmars last summer: "Use the uplift. Go with the flow", today the message that popped into my mind was "Be bold." An invitation to action this time.
So, where will I be bold? I am not clear yet. I have already made changes to the plans for this year's group coaching programme. And just this morning, before my walk, before being told "be bold", I had written to our local TedX organisers to ask how to apply to give a talk there this autumn.
Part of my change at the moment is really making writing my first priority - to get "The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones" completed so I can send out the copies to everyone who has shown such enthusiasm, and trust, in pre-ordering the book before it is even written. And to continue that practice, to ensure that the bigger book, to help readers take themselves through the Compass Rose process, will also be completed in good time.
This commitment feels a challenge, it is so easy to feel I need to keep on 'doing' to generate money, to keep on interacting and stepping out. Yet I know there is a balance to be found. A way to do that in the most effective way, and to give the time to the writing it deserves. Of course, writing is 'doing' as well, and yet does not seem so immediately productive. And as I reflect now, just as I am checking through this piece, that I thought was ready to send - I see there is another link to the fulmars. In my experience, the best writing, the writing that elicits the most responses from you, the people reading - happens when the words flow directly through me onto the page. The times when that flow seems to come from outside myself.
So, I will continue doing the best I can. I will go on walking on the cliffs and communing with the power of nature. I will set up conditions - as much as I am able to do that - to allow that flow of words. Maybe there is another sort of 'uplift' I can use? I will - in those wonderful words - continue to live the questions.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
For you, suggestions for your journal reflections or meditations:
- What needs clearing for you just now?
- What changes can you see coming?
- Can you allow the unknown to unfurl?
- What is unsolved in your heart?
- Can you live, and can you love, the questions themselves?
Events and ways to Dare to Blossom
Cornwall Workshops: The next event of 2020 is on Saturday 14th March, from 10 am to 1 pm, at the Blue Lotus Therapy Centre as usual. This time we will be looking North - to your Guiding Star, your Purpose.
Dare to Blossom at Home: if you would like to host a workshop for you and your guests in your home, have a look at the link and contact me for a chat if you would discuss how it might work for you. I normally keep this to Cornwall and West Devon, but I can always consider other invitations.
Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this month and sharing my musings.
Until next time,
with love,
Mary
Find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook, @daretoblossom on Twitter
Until next time,
with love,
Mary
Find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook, @daretoblossom on Twitter
