August 2015 - Learning

In this Issue: 
Reflections 1: The Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride
Reflections 2: Learning
Events
Inspirational links

Reflections 1: The Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride - on-line, by email and in Glastonbury 

As I sit down to write this for you, I have no idea right now what the topic or theme will be. Usually that is already in my mind well in advance. This month so much has happened that I feel I need to review first.

The Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride groups have been running - on Face Book and as an email group - since 21 June. If you are reading this and have been involved, probably on email as many of the people who like to keep in touch through this newsletter are those of you who prefer not to use Face Book, then some of the news here will already be familiar to you..

The group ends on 31 July - after being extended from the original four weeks into six to encompass the workshop in Glastonbury. It feels to me that it will be good to review that in more detail later, giving some settling time. This being the first time I have run groups such as these, rather than simply participating, it has been an interesting experience. Most people have - as I do in the groups I join - been enthusiastic to start with, then found other priorities taking over; maybe popped in once or twice; and then not at all. I imagine there are things I could have done to keep it more exciting and involving for people - but that is making an assumption, so I will wait until I have been able to ask people for their feedback before jumping to too many conclusions.

For me the experience of 'leading' (though as you see by the inverted commas I hesitate to use that word about myself, interesting...) - of leading the groups by example has been a profound and at times rather challenging one. I have deepened my meditation and visualisation practice considerably. I have always been able to do this visually: 'seeing' as well as being able to write down what I am experiencing in some way. Over the years I have (mostly!) been able to suspend disbelief and self-judgement, though not entirely to silence that very talkative inner critic. And in recent years I have shared some of this writing with some close friends.

Sharing with a group of around forty people has been quite another thing though. Putting the writing out there, even in a secret, private space, has demanded a lot of 'feel the fear and do it anyway' practice. Accepting - allowing - that most people won't comment (and of course may not read it in any case). Accepting that the people who have joined the group are in tune with my way of witnessing, of very often not giving any feedback, and certainly not of the "That's lovely, dear." type, which while well-meant, is actually no support at all in this work. I am hoping - now - that this is making sense to you as I am flow-writing it onto the screen, trying to explain something that is more felt than articulated.

Another fear I have encountered is the "Who am I....?" one. "Will they think I am mad/talking nonsense/trying to show off....." - any number of permutations have been popping up and needing gentle contradiction. At the workshop in Glastonbury these feelings raised their heads again. As I prepared the room to welcome people, I felt greatly supported by the words of one of the email Magic Carpet Ride group who had told me that everyone would be there with me in spirit (catching a lift on my very over-loaded magic carpet, which made me laugh at the picture this painted in my mind). This led to the idea of taking a list of everyone's names to read before the event started, and for people to send me any words they would like attached to their name. Both the two people who had booked (it was a small but perfect group) were delayed in traffic so I did this before they arrived and took some photographs to send the wider group that I will share here with you. Not the best portrait as I had to use the timer on my camera.



The morning workshop was a beautiful experience,  I am so grateful to the two people were able to join me for this first experiment, and for their trust in jumping in and playing on our magic carpets. We used the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery cards as a starting point for our introductions. For this I had arranged them face-up as you see in the photograph, so people could choose a word (and/or colour) that appealed to them. We also spoke about the precious items we had brought with us.

It is hard to remember, and even harder to describe, what actually happened during the morning. I had an outline plan, but had trusted (more testing myself!) that the inspiration for the actual order and type of activities would flow as needed. And it did. At various points I used three readings that I had brought together when revisiting my inspiration for Dare to Blossom and the Rediscovery Process. We did two exercises: the first a ten minute flow-writing about a card drawn at random. My word was 'Generosity' and I found myself stuck and having to make myself keep the pen moving on the page.

Later we also did a Magic Carpet Ride visualisation and people wrote afterwards and shared as much or little as they wished of their experience and thoughts. This was one time when I did not participate - I felt that my role was to hold the safe, quiet space for people to feel secure in their journeying. At some stage we had a break for hot drinks, and later people made a greetings card for themselves using coloured pens and stickers with whatever message they wished to give to themselves written inside. I took them away with me and posted them later.

At the end we stood in a circle and I read the John O'Donohue piece again before we three women shared a group hug which felt very special to me. Thank you once again dear friends if you are reading this.

Here are the pieces I read during the workshop:

Revisiting sources of inspiration

The quote from Anais Nin that I have had on a card on my cork board by my desk for at least twelve years:

"... and then the day came when the risk to remain right in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
www.anaisnin.com

A poem by John O'Donohue that I read three or four years ago and struck such a deep chord in my heart:

"To come home to yourself.
May all that is unforgiving in you
Be released
May your fears yield their deepest tranquilities
May all that is unlived in you blossom
into a future graced with love."
www.johnodonohue.com

My deepest gratitude to both these writers, and many others, who share their gift of words in such a way that has deep meaning and resonance for so many people.

The third reading was the well-known piece by Marianne Williamson (also quoted by/attributed to Nelson Mandela):

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves:
‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people around you don’t feel insecure.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone.
And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically releases others.

During my time in Glastonbury I also had time for walks and reflection in the Chalice Well Gardens, the Abbey and the lovely, and tiny St Margaret's Chapel and Almshouses, as well as spending a day at a workshop run by Diane Kutz, a very good friend who I have only actually met once before - another very special connection.

The Magic Carpet Ride has encompassed the whole month, but thinking back to 1 July, it has been an extraordinary time.The beginning of the month brought extremely high temperatures (especially in London where I just happened to be, where it reached 36 degrees Celsius, phew!), and is ending with forecast night time temperatures this week down as low as 3 degrees, even in Cornwall.

Reflections 2: Learning

Having written most of the piece above I had a time of uncertainty (what I call a 'wobble'!), about whether this was all too much about me, that it wouldn't be of interest to anyone at all, etc, etc. Good old inner critic again, trying to sabotage my fragile confidence.

So I decided today that I would return to the Rediscovery Cards to take me back to my inner wisdom, and help me continuing the next stage - unleashing my inner power - which I feel this current phase of my work is all about. Doing my best to do this myself, authentically and with ease and grace. And by daring to do that, and daring to share some of that process with you here and with other people, maybe providing a model in some way that may help others - not to do what I do, but rather to go out and do what they want to do with their inner power, in their own unique way.

So - shuffle the cards well, cut them a few times, and out comes Learning. And that made me laugh - if nothing else this month has been all about learning for me! The first thought I have is that the purple colour combines the blue of peaceful reflection with the red of action.



For me, the most deep and powerful learning takes place when I allow time, space, and most importantly, take a non-judgemental attitude to my own self-evaluation and reflection. And then, having distilled the best of the learning - I go out and apply it again. For some reason that phrase from shampoo bottles just popped into my head "Rinse and repeat." No idea why really, though I could apply it by saying that 'rinsing' in this context is actually the process of giving myself that space - that safe, quiet space that I aim to provide for others - so that I may be refreshed and revived before moving on to new experiences and further learning. As you will see below in the details of events, I am making that quite a short 'rinse cycle' at the moment - though I am finding the variety of activities that I am giving myself each day has that effect.

For you: for your meditations or journal:
- Is there a recent experience you would like to reflect on, to distill the learning contained within?
- If you have a pack of Rediscovery Cards you may like to draw one (or any other pack, or method, such as opening a dictionary at random, that you like to use to spark new thinking)
- settle yourself in a quiet place with your journal to hand and flow-write about the word, letting go for now of the experience you had in mind and letting your hand and pen lead you where it wishes - whether into lists of 'don't know' and 'I'm stuck' as happened to me in Glastonbury, or off on a journey
- when you have done, take a highlight pen or a different colour and read quickly through highlighting any words or phrases that stand out.
- that may be enough guidance for you, or you may like to work further on a more polished piece of writing
- if writing doesn't appeal to you today, simply use your usual pre-meditation relaxation, settle in on your magic carpet and rest. You may find you stay just where you are or take off on a ride to interesting places.....................

Finish your 'rinse cycle' with a good stretch, a walk in your garden - whatever helps you to reconnect before 'repeating' your next stage of learning.

Events

Mind, Body, Spirit Fair at Lostwithiel Community Centre on Saturday 8 August 11 am - 4 pm

I am attending my first ever show as Dare to Blossom (rather than Pydar Crafts which was my business for many years when I made copper enamel jewellery). I will be talking about coaching and the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Process.To add to my display of my books and the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards I have gone back to producing greetings cards and pictures using the technique of wax painting. My skills are a little rusty but I am loving it so much - playing with colours and textures.

Here is a piece that is not yet mounted in a greetings card. I lovely the depth of these blues, I think I will try out a larger piece to frame as a picture.





Autumn Magic Carpet Ride to Rediscover your Inner Wisdom - dates and venues to be confirmed

Building on the success of the Glastonbury workshop I am currently planning Autumn Magic Carpet Ride workshops here in Cornwall The first near Lostwithiel (see more below), and one in the west. If anyone can offer a location for a workshop in west Cornwall do get in touch.There will also be an autumn on-line and email group if there is enough interest from people, more on that soon.

Autumn Magic Carpet Ride Workshop East Cornwall: provisional date Saturday 19 September 10 am to 1 pm, location between Bodmin and Lostwithiel. Numbers will be limited at this lovely location in a private house. I will be confirming the details after I visit there on Tuesday 4 August. To register your interest - no obligation at this stage - and get 'first refusal' on places, please email me now via this link and I will add names to a list to contact you as soon as the details are finalised next week. Price £25 including tea and coffee, plus materials for creative activities - bring your journal and pen and be prepared to fly!

Dare to Blossom Rediscovery at Home Workshops 
A reminder that you can book a workshop in your home and receive a free place for yourself in return for inviting at least four paying guests and providing teas, coffees etc. More details are currently to be found here on the Daring to Blossom site (though that will soon be amalgamated, along with the Rediscovery Process pages, into the new website that is currently being developed for me, a task long overdue). Please contact me to discuss dates and further details if this appeals to you. (Sorry friends and relatives in other parts of the world, I haven't invented my time machine just yet ;-) )

Inspirational Links

Harvest Time - Writing the Mellow Fruitfulness of Autumn.
Here is a workshop I am very much looking forward to as part of my own 'rinse' - or maybe relax and refresh is a better expression here - with fellow writer Jenny Alexander on 17th October:

Gourmet Ladies on Tour (Face Book group here ) I joined this group for lunch for the first time recently. They meet on the last Wednesday of each month at different places around Cornwall for lunch and conversation. The subject of what we all do in our businesses is discussed, in a beautifully collaborative and helpful way. I loved reconnecting with old friends and meeting new people. Do join us one month if you are based in Cornwall.

Meet a 93 year-old Park Ranger - this is a fascinating article, I hope the link connects you OK.

As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this month and sharing my musings.

Until next time,

with love,
Mary

July 2015: Finding my place

Reflections: Finding my place Dare to Blossom Events Other events Reflections: Finding my place It is hard to believe that it is just one month since I ended my full time employment and returned to being self-employed. I would always say I loved my role with Outset Cornwall because every day was different. And it was, different people, different places, variety of activities. However there was always a structure, a plan. I could look in my diary and tell you where i would be months in advance. And now everything is different. I am free to choose, to decide my own structure. People often talk about someone's whole identity being tied up in their job, or at least their career, and the ending of that being a huge blow. I feel I am fortunate in that Dare to Blossom has existed since 2003, and I had been doing what I do for many years before that. So I have some continuity there, it feels like a return, a coming home, rather than a loss. However, there has still been a big adjustment to make, a redrawing of my life. And an intention to do things differently this time, to honour and nourish my own needs as well as those of others; to give myself space and time; to notice when I start slipping into guilt and fear. One of those needs is of course the need to generate some income, bring in some money. Like many of the people I have coached over the years, I too have that issue of asking for money for what I do, of valuing my own contribution. So, the last few weeks, after the much-needed rest, have been a gradual exploration of exactly what that contribution is - not just of course what I can offer, but also if people want and need it enough to be able to offer the payment I need to continue doing what I do. And it is not just about money, I would like the pricing and exchange, whether of money or services, to be right for the person and for me; for there to be a way of establishing a meeting point where those things can all work together. In the course of doing research for this I have been out and about over the last couple of weeks attending 'networking' events of various sorts. It has been an interesting experience: when I worked part-time I used to do quite a lot of this for Dare to Blossom; then with Outset just a little, always with my 'Outset' hat on. I was proud to represent a programme that I believed in and could demonstrate helped people achieve lasting change for themselves. Returning to these sort of events, often reconnecting with people I know in other organisations or in their businesses, has been an interesting experience. At times I have felt totally out of place, even (or perhaps particularly) where I have met ex-colleagues and previous contacts. How do we define our place in the world? We probably all have overlapping 'places' with corresponding ways of being that we operate in each of those. I have just stopped writing to draw myself a doodle-picture of overlapping circles. It is a little like the 'Wheel of Life' exercise (if you aren't familiar with this you can download a printable pdf from my site here **see note below) but a bit different as I have tried to highlight where all of those circles or places overlap. I am in the centre anyway and right at the core of me is the overlap of the circle for each 'place'. I am sure there is a fully developed psychological model of all this which I could look up and download all sorts of details and beautifully prepared diagrams. And I am sure that in reality each circle probably overlaps more or less, rather than equally, leading to many more possible combinations and interpretations. However, I am going to leave all that for another time - and for you to follow up if you would like to. For now, I am going to ask my faithful Inner Critic to close her eyes while I share with you my in-the-moment, wonkyily-drawn, top-of-my-head - or should that be from-the-heart? - picture. In the Wheel of Life it is possible to have a lot more spokes than I could draw circles here, so under 'Spiritual' I am including everything that nourishes me and my creative life: reading, writing, meditating, singing, dancing, gardening, walking - a long list The red dot in the middle could be a heart: that is the 'place' where I would like to spend most of my time. The heart of who I am, what I do, what I stand for. The place where I am in the flow, in alignment. Where everything is balanced wherever I am in my world. I intended to write more, but now that feels a good stopping point. Maybe I will share more of my own journey home to myself, of rediscovering my place, my centred heart, another time. For you: to reflect in your journal or meditations: - where are you right now? - where do you feel 'at home', in your true place? - how can you find your way to bring those two into closer alignment? - explore however works for you: meditation, flow-writing, vision board collage, doodling with circles and labels. ** The Wheel of Life file has been designed to help people prepare for their first coaching session with me, hence the questions at the end. I offer a no-obligation 20 minute consultation if you would like to follow this up for yourself. I will end by sharing a photo of one of my favourite physical places, taken sitting on the rocks at Trevone Bay enjoying the glorious view. Dare to Blossom Events Lots is happening over the next couple of months to tell you about. Please do contact me.if you are interested in more information or in booking. Where possible I will give a discount for you as a loyal newsletter subscriber. I would be very grateful also if you will circulate to any of your networks and contacts where you feel people may be interested. Thank you to those of you who are taking part in the virtual event 'Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride'. If people find it enjoyable and useful I will be running similar groups again in the future which you can access from anywhere in the world either on Facebook or by joining an email group. Magic Carpet Ride to Rediscover Your Inner Wisdom: Glastonbury 21 July Booking page Where: The Miracles Room, High Street, Glastonbury, BA6 9DU Please note: there are stairs to reach this room. When: Tuesday 21 July 2015 from 10:00 to 13:00 How much: £25.00 per person, including materials for creative exercises (bring your own journal or notebook if you wish), and hot and cold drinks during the morning. Price on the day (if places are available): £30.00 Details: This half-day workshop with give you a chance to step aside from daily life and join a group of like-minded people to explore the potential that lies in rediscovering your inner wisdom and coming home to yourself. Using the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery cards as prompts we will enjoy conversation, reflection, creative activities and plenty of laughter. Dare to Blossom Rediscovery at Home Events: time and place of your choosing If you can't get along to Glastonbury, I will be organising workshops in locations in Cornwall, Devon, and possibly elsewhere in the autumn, in the meantime you might like to consider hosting your own event at home? I have included the details in previous newsletters so will just put a link here. Other events Lapidus 11 July Truro Link for more details At the monthly Lapidus Cornwall ("Words for Well-being")meeting I am running a short workshop from 10.30 to 12.00, see the details below. No charge for Lapidus members, £5.00 for non-members. Please contact me to book as we have a small room above the Old Globe Cafe in Truro so I will need to check with the co-ordinator, Jane Moss, how many people have booked to make sure there are places available. Here are the details that have been circulated: On Saturday 11 July Mary Lunnen will lead a workshop using her Dare to Blossom Redisovery cards as prompts; an opportunity to 'Rediscover your Inner wisdom and come home to yourself.' Mary will invite the group to write and reflect, sharing as much or as little as you wish. Over a period of three years, the cards have proved a valuable tool in coaching and inner vision. To quote just one testimonial: "It  has been such a positive experience using the cards in my journaling - affirming, insightful and fruitful." Mind, Body, Spirit Fair 11 am - 4 pm, Saturday 8 August, Lostwithiel Community Centre This is the first time I have booked a show as Dare to Blossom. After years of exhibiting my jewellery as Pydar Crafts, it will be both a return and a new experience for me. Please do come along if you are in the area. Lostwithiel is such an intriguing town, full of history. The August events were not on the Community Centre Website when I looked but by the time you read this they may be. The organiser told me it is the first event of this kind they have held there and she has received a lot of interest, so I am sure it will be an interesting and enjoyable day. Finally this month, here is a workshop I am attending in Glastonbury the day before I run my own event there. Perhaps you'd like to join me and come along to both? Pink Crystal Angel Workshop with Diane Kutz. Booking page I have known Diane for a number of years and have experienced the way she works before, though not at a full day workshop so I am looking forward to spending some time with her and the group of people she will attract. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Those you who have been newsletter readers for a while may know I currently have three websites, none of which is quite doing the job I would like it to. So I have finally taken the plunge and begun the process of working with a web designer to have a new structure  built for me. As the first stage is for me to become clear on exactly what I want, this may take a while. And that is all OK, it will all come together at the right time. 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.

June 2015: Endings and Beginnings

Reflections: Endings and Beginnings An interesting time for me: The ending of almost six years as a member of the Outset Cornwall team on 31 May. Six years of delivering intensive business start-up support through training sessions with groups and one-to-one coaching with individuals. Six years of travelling up and down the highways and byways of  Cornwall (and occasionally flying over to the Isles of Scilly). Six years of setting off in all weathers, all conditions; being ready to stand up in front of a group and not only deliver training material professionally and to time, but also deal with whatever people had brought with them. Throughout this time I have worked with wonderful colleagues and hundreds of amazing people. Many have gone on to create successful businesses - in whatever measure of success was right for them. Some have companies employing staff; others work a few hours a week in something that is truly their own. Others decided that being self-employed was not for them; or not right now; or not with the current idea. This too was a big success of Outset Cornwall - helping people clearly see what they might be entering into; evaluate the risks as best they could with the information available; and learn skills useful throughout their lives. For me, I think one of the biggest successes was the camaraderie of the groups and how many people keep in touch, some have making lasting friendships as well as business allies. So that is what has ended, at least for now - news is still awaited of the outcome of the award of new contracts for similar work. If nothing else, Outset Cornwall demonstrated the need for this support and the value of giving support to people in a way that energises and inspires. The legacy lives on in the form of an on-line programme so have a look at the link above if that interests you. Beginnings: yes, what is beginning now? At present I feel in limbo, which is exactly where I need to be. The last few months especially have been draining, both emotionally and physically as we all strove to maintain a fully professional service whilst knowing that things were ending and we would soon be packing everything up and saying goodbye. The first beginning for me is a time of rest, self-care, and play. And what better place to be than Cornwall in June? To follow on when the time is right I have lots of plans and ideas: a new book; workshops; flexible time to offer one-to-one Dare to Blossom Rediscovery sessions in person, on the phone or on Skype. Part of this involves website redesign and rationalisation. When I started looking at this a few weeks ago I realised how confused the message I was sending had become. Simply through trying to do too much in too little time, spread myself too thinly. So I am looking forward to a chance to focus in on what people want and how the Dare to Blossom activities can supply this support. In other words to follow some of the processes I have been encouraging others to work through over the past years. Looking for a photograph to illustrate this piece - I found one taken on my early morning walk in the Kensington Gardens part of Hyde Park when I was there recently. This dramatic and elegant statue represents Isis, the Egyptian goddess of nature - more details here. The feeling I receive from the image is of peaceful repose combined with an underlying strength and readiness to act when the time is right. Endings and beginnings happen all the time, in our lives, and in the natural world all around us. Reflected in the breath: each inhale is a new beginning, the end of each exhale an end. Marking those that feel significant feels right for me: honouring what has ended, and moving on to the new to come.  For you: to reflect on in your meditation practice or journal: - What is ending for you just now? - Are they routine endings? Or something you would like to take time to honour and celebrate before moving on? - Which parts do you wish to keep with you for the new beginnings? - and which parts will you say goodbye to and choose to leave behind? - Now, turning to face the new beginnings: which way will you go? Do you need time to rest and revive before making this choice? It might be good to explore in art or collage as well as words - techniques I intend to play with myself over the next weeks and months. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. 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.

May 2015 - Choices

Reflections: Choices

Recently I have been developing a new regular practice of choosing a card each day, and, as often as I can, writing about it on the Dare to Blossom Life Coaching Facebook page. Such an interesting experience, quite different to the year I spent writing the weekly blog on each card. And different again to writing these monthly newsletters.

This card came out today after shuffling well and cutting the cards: Choices. One of the choices I am facing is about this: Do I continue writing and sending this out every month? What do you think? The 'open rate' is, at roughly one third on average, very good - so I am told by people who know about these things. That means that two thirds of you do not open the emails - and I know well myself that I do the same. I remain subscribed to a number of newsletters, very rarely open and read them - but when I do always find something of value to me in that moment. And even when I don't read them, it is somehow reassuring to see them there, awaiting my moment if I should need them.

What do you think? Do you enjoy reading; appreciate them arriving in your email? Or are they becoming irrelevant, or worse - an irritation (if so please do unsubscribe!) I would be very pleased to receive any comments - which you can send by replying to this, by posting on the blog page or on Facebook.



One of my forthcoming choices is how to use my time when my full time contract ends on 31 May. One of the projects I am starting is a total revamp of my websites - my 'main' Dare to Blossom one - which extremely old and creaky, decrepit even, due to being very hard to update and maintain. And the two experimental websites I have been playing with, Daring to Blossom and The Rediscovery Process, using some free software and standard templates. Challenging and more than a little scary at the same time.

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Pausing - I see how self-focussed that last piece was. Should I delete, or retain that to send to you? More choices.

Choosing some photographs to include here - another choice to be made. Every moment, everywhere I look - choices. Do you ever feel overwhelmed, paralysed by choice? Or do you feel that you have no choice at all? Duty calls, needs must - those phrases draw us back into... into what? Fear, lack, scarcity thinking?

This week, here in Cornwall the bounty and plenty of nature has been all around. In spite of the bitingly cold winds and threat of frost the trees and flowers have been sprouting leaf and opening buds into flowers. Blossom is everywhere. The view from my window changes daily, hourly even, it seems at times. Today the horse chestnut tree whose leaves seemed to be just opening last week and the flower buds just forming a day or so ago - this tree is now boldly displaying the wonderful candles of blossom.



For you, to explore in your meditations or journal:
- What choices face you at the moment? It can be productive to list them.
- If they are clear, and easy to make - tick them off, they are already made.
- If they are more complicated, can you at least choose how to approach them?
- A suggestion: give yourself time and decide to let go of conscious thinking.

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Another pause for me. Feeling this is not very helpful. How can I write about helping you make choices when the ethos of my approach is coming home to yourself and rediscovering your own inner wisdom? Or is that evading the point? The point being ....??

As you can see, I am in a time of flux and change; endings and new beginnings; uncertainty, and - yes - choices. At this point I will decide to surrender to 'not knowing' - and invite you to do the same at times when you feel this way. Soften with grace into the unknown, allowing that to just be. Knowing that the mists will clear, guidance will emerge, you will see the path ahead - all in good time.



If you would like to explore for yourself how the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Coaching Process and the Cards can help you rediscover your own power, please do contact me to arrange a time for a free twenty minute consultation.


Inspirational Links

Amy Palko is launching a new programme on 11 May "The Goddess Self" - have a look if you are intrigued.

The Genius World Conference is fast approaching on 15 May in London - I am so much looking forward to an amazing day reconnecting with old friends and meeting new people. If you are free do ask if there are places left - and if you are not there is a wealth of inspiration on the conference website with links for all the presenters.

As always, please feel free to comment below, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook. And you can always send comments by replying to this email. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this month and sharing my musings.

Until next time,

with love,
Mary
  

April 2015 Changes, and Rest

This month's offering is very short, in fact it nearly didn't happen at all - and that would have been fine. As it is I have written on the issue that is most concerning me at present, and I hope you may find some inspiration and/or support here.

Reflections: Changes, and Rest

Looking for some inspiration this month, I have been browsing through the old archives of my newsletters, back to before I started posting them on my blog sites. I found this one from March 2009 when I was looking ahead to the end of a contract.

This year, six years on, I am in the same situation. At the end of May the current Outset Cornwall programme will come to an end, the team will disperse with big changes for everyone.

For a long time I have been planning to step up more into my Dare to Blossom work and have started developing plans for new workshops and programmes. However, I have also realised that what I need most of all is a rest. A real rest, not just an hour or so, not a rest whilst feeling guilty about not doing other things - a real rest.

So that is what I will be doing on 1 June, and for as long after that as I need. At the same time I know I will enjoy the time I will have for planning and creative development.

I have a feeling that many of you will share that longing for rest and time out. One of the ideas that is bubbling away in the background is to offer a chance for you to do that - in a way that would suit you best. The ideal is probably a retreat, or at least a full day somewhere beautiful and peaceful. And there are ways of providing a taste of that through reading, writing, coaching and participation in on-line groups.

This time last year i was looking forward to attending the first Conscious Writing Retreat at Glastonbury with Julia McCutchen. She is running another one this May, I think there is still time to book if this appeals to you. I can highly recommend the whole experience and hope to be taking part again in the future.

Another aspect of 'rest' that I am well aware of - but keep on being reminded by my body to pay attention to - is that I don't need to wait until... until the weekend, until my holidays, until 1 June. In fact if I do push myself more and more I am nearly always brought up quickly by something that forces me to take time out. Ideally I would listen more closely to the whispers of my body before it needs to shout loudly through illness and accident. 

For you, in your meditations or journal writing:
- what would your body like you to do to rest, right now?
- write a list of actions you can take within your normal day, for example: five minutes of yoga; 60 seconds of mediation on your breath; ten minutes walk in the park; half an hour reading, writing or painting; ten minutes playing with your pet.
- over the next month, choose one or more to do every day, notice if you are able to do this and if not, why not. (Be kind to yourself, choose a less challenging action and try again). Journal on how it feels and what else you can do.

Looking for an image to illustrate 'changes, and rest', I came across this photo taken in the bluebell woods at Lanhydrock last spring. The flowers and the fresh green of the new beech leaves last for a short time before nature's changes move them on into their next phase. At the same time the cool shade, the soothing blue, the peace of the woods - all form the perfect environment in which to rest.



If you would like to explore for yourself how the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Coaching Process and the Cards can help you rediscover your own power, please do contact me to arrange a time for a free twenty minute consultation.


As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

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.

March 2015: Fresh Start

In this Issue:
Reflections: Fresh Start
Inspirational links

Reflections: Fresh Start

Here in Cornwall, signs of spring are arriving:  snowdrops have been out for a while, daffodils just blooming, leaf buds beginning to break, and driving around the roads this week I have rejoiced to see the white lace of the blackthorn blossom just starting to shine out in the hedgerows.



Whatever has gone before, nature just gets on with it when conditions are right. My creativity feels as if there has been a long period of dormancy this winter. The sort of dormancy when you almost wonder if the dry barren twigs are ever going to show signs of life or if they have died. My plans for really starting work on a book about coming home to myself and rediscovering inner wisdom based on the Rediscovery Cards is still just a collection of blog articles.

But, but.... there are some stirrings beneath the soil; a feeling that the necessary, essential time of rest and internal nourishment may be coming to an end. In a garden you may put down well rotted manure or compost on the soil, but it takes time for the rain to wash the nutrients down into the soil before the plants are able to use them.

Things are changing dramatically for me this year and I intend to take the opportunity for a fresh start. At the same time I know that the process cannot be forced or hurried. If I keep on digging up the bulbs to see if the daffodil shoots will soon be appearing I risk damaging them so they will never flower.

All I can do is give myself good conditions for growing and be patient. At the same time I do have to DO something, and do it at the right time, in good time...... A dilemma of balance: between rest and action: thinking and meditating; focus and flexibility; being and doing.

For you: to reflect in your meditations or journal: 

• Where is your focus right now?
• Are you looking only in one direction?
• Does that feel right? Or maybe it would be good to turn slowly, review the 'scenery' around you, take stock?

I have been continuing to use the Rediscovery cards for myself, daily when I can, and finding that however short the time I can spare, it is always valuable to pause for that moment. It may be the word that sparks a thought or a feeling, or the colour, or the combination of the two. When I can I share my thoughts on the Dare to Blossom Facebook page, and that process keeps me clear. Knowing that my friends there may read and comment causes me to pause and reflect on being personally authentic and true to myself in all I say and do.

If you would like to explore for yourself how the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Coaching Process and the Cards can help you rediscover your own power, please do contact me to arrange a time for a free twenty minute consultation.


Inspirational Links

A beautiful film in the TEDx series on Gratitude.

The conference on 15 May 2015: Genius World Conference

Finally, something to make you smile - take your choice of kittens, dogs, owls, plus a few others.


As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this month and sharing my musings.

Until next time,

with love,
Mary

February 2015 Honesty and Barriers

February 2015 Reflections: Honesty, and Barriers Yesterday I walked round my garden looking for little cameo pictures I could photograph to illustrate something in this piece of writing. To illustrate the way plants can overcome a perceived barrier, even a wall, causing it to crumble and decay, gradually fall away. More on that in a moment. It was a joy to walk round seeing in such a way, looking for the unnoticed, spying out those nuggets that I would otherwise have missed. As I went I was suddenly struck by the light shining through some honesty seed heads, struck with such an impact I gasped aloud at their beauty. It was hard to get a clear photo as the light shone off all the different angles of the silvery discs. I love this plant: the beautiful purple flowers, the way it just seems to pop up where it likes. Looking for some information about Honesty, I found this on the BBC Gardening website, and I love how even a down-to-earth (pun intended!) information page couldn't help but wax lyrical: "Common honesty is an old-fashioned dual-purpose plant, grown partly for its fragrant bright flowers in spring and early summer, but also for its unique seed-heads, oval and translucent, gleaming with an eerie silver light and coveted by dried-flower arrangers." At this time of year, the time just before spring, when plants are mostly dormant and awaiting the warmth and light of longer days before daring to sprout new shoots, I feel in a strange limbo state. Like the garden, with the trees stripped back to bare branches almost appearing to be lifeless, I feel dormant, sleepy, lost even. Wanting to achieve clarity, but feeling unable to take even the most simple of steps forward. Could it be that the apparent barrier I feel is not real, simply  case of the time not being now, conditions not yet being right? Maybe that barrier will melt away if I am patient? During a recent session with Amy Palko she described a picture, an image (the one I was trying to represent through a photograph) - of plants overcoming a concrete wall, climbing over, around, and even through it. So I decided to doodle and sketch my own image for this. Here is the result: I drew the plants to represent one of my favourites from our garden, the morning glory. The leaves are almost heart-shaped; the tendrils twist and climb, using anything they can find to support them. The buds grow at the tips, slim and pointed, developing just a blush of colour at first, then that glorious purple flower that I use so often here (and probably won't be able to resist including again!). To start with I tried to draw a flower, but soon realised that I would need to practise to get that anything like a true representation. So I then I sketched a bud, reaching towards the light of the sun. I realised that was perfect for this image, for this time of early buds just beginning to break from dormancy. I feel as if I too, am just beginning to get around or over a barrier, maybe not yet feeling the warmth of the light, yet knowing it is there. Maybe it is not yet time to strive too hard, more still a phase of drawing up strength and support, as the plants draw water and nutrients from the soil, and energy from the lengthening hours of daylight. Taking life all in good time, knowing that things can soon shoot up suddenly when that moment of rightness arrives. My inner critic tells me this is an excuse, procrastination, putting off the hard work of writing my next book; of developing new ideas to spread the word about Dare to Blossom and the Rediscovery Process. But, but.... the winter weather here in Cornwall is bleak and cold, with gales even if we are so far escaping snow. People will be feeling like 'hibernating' a little longer; rebuilding resources - financial ones perhaps depleted by the Christmas celebrations, and personal energy needed to keep warm and get through the normal daily activities. So - I will continue to put out tentative tendrils, sounding out ideas and plans - with you and my other treasured and valued sources of support and guidance. And trust, trust that in the right time things will come together as they always do. I will be surprised by new opportunities and ideas that I could not possibly have anticipated. Planning is important, and sometimes flexibility in planning opens the door for those new opportunities; ideas that could otherwise be stifled by hitting the solid wall of my own preconceived fixed ideas of how things 'should' be. For you: to reflect on in your journal or meditations: Do you feel you need to plan for the future? Some structure can help organise your ideas and enable you to see the next step. Where are your 'plans' proving a restriction? How can you free up your process to allow for unforeseen possibilities, 'chance' encounters, creative new avenues, and for play? What works for you to help you see where you are now 'with new eyes'? Maybe an outing somewhere new, to visit a gallery (see one example below!), see a film, walk in a new area. Or time at home for a different activity, one with no 'purpose' perhaps? Come back to your planning and see it as a map of possibilities that you can choose from. May you dare to blossom like this stunning morning glory, in your own special and unique way, bringing the gift to the world that you - and only you - can bring. Notices: looking for groups booking speakers and venues for Dare to Blossom Rediscovery talks and workshops Do you belong to a group who like to invite speakers? Women's circles, mediation evenings, professional and business networking groups - all of these have enjoyed a tailored talk and demonstration in the past. Please contact me if you would like to discuss and explore possibilities. As well as the 'Dare to Blossom Rediscovery at Home' workshops, I am also planning to book some dates later this year so would welcome your suggestions for venues. I have such wonderful memories of time shared with inspiring groups of people in York, London, Hampshire, Devon, as well as a number of different parts of Cornwall. Inspirational Event: The Genius World Conference 15 May This event organised by Soleira Green and her Visionary Network buddies will be a highlight of the year for me. Find out more here, and I do hope to see you if you can join us in London on 15 May. If you can't be there in person, do read about the presenters as there are so many wonderful amazing people creating positive change all around the world - you are sure to find something to inspire you. One of those attending the conference is the extraordinary artist Fleur Barnfather, there are wonderful examples of her work on her website and also on Facebook here. If you are able to visit Glastonbury, she has an exhibition at The Hundred Monkeys until 8th March. If you would like to explore for yourself how the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Coaching Process and the Cards can help you rediscover your own power, please do contact me to arrange a time for a free twenty minute consultation. Here is a recent testimonial from Kathy Kane: "Hi Mary, I really want you to know how powerful your Rediscovery session is. The drawing of the cards; the questions that peel us down further and further; the colors and how they tie in – it’s a lovely journey. I had fun putting the cards on background paper and photographing them.  I added the word “play” because it felt like play as we worked and the word “play” –rather than meaning frivolous or childish activity– is really a way to continue the thought process and keep us curious where it will lead. I keep the photo as wallpaper on my phone and every time I go into my phone I get to ask the small question of where else might this lead me.  Thanks again! Kathy" Kathy does amazing work in her business Kane Creative Consulting, including creative writing groups, all sorts of workshops and creativity coaching. One day I will visit and share some of our work together. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this month and sharing my musings. Until next time, with love, Mary