FREE [+VIRTUAL] New Moon Contemplation

I started this business because I’m choosing to honor the subtle but undeniable urge to live and lead more authentically.

At the same time, I’m spending less time looking to books and experts for my next steps and more time diving inward to explore the unique way the divine is expressing herself as me.  

Do you know what I mean?  

Inspired by Emergence: The Shift from Ego to Essence by Barbara Marx Hubbard, each morning for the last month I’ve dedicated two hours to just be with Me…. in my meditations, in sacred time alone with Nature and journaling.  

I’m actually creating the space for curiosity and opening my inner ears + my inner eyes to the subtle nudges I ignored in the past

Here’s what’s bubbling up for me… 

• broader and more creative ideas about leadership

• a deeper, more respectful relationship with Nature

• a kinder, less judgemental perspective about myself + all of life…

• and finally, I’m befriending my body and embracing her as my teacher  

I believe that cultivating an intimate relationship with your own inner wisdom will change your life.  

And, I believe that’s absolutely possible for ALL busy women (even with a short investment of time).

That’s why I created FREE [+VIRTUAL] New Moon Contemplations - so we can gather together, supported by Nature + in honor of Soul.

Why the New Moon? 

I choose to honor the New Moon because in Nature, this is a time reserved to REFLECT on the past (i.e. notice what inspired you, what was prickly for you) + INVITE what’s to come (by creating an empowering intention for the coming lunar cycle).

Why Contemplation?

Contemplation invites us into the mystery of life! We can be curious about past, present, and future - and we do NOT have to have all the answers.

It’s a breath into letting your powerful, unique questions be the source of information (not books, not advice, not other peoples’ opinions).

What happens during a New Moon Contemplation?

Every New Moon Contemplation will delve into three layers of consciousness:

• First, we’ll move to the MIND (the witness of your life!) and give her an unedited chance to share.  

• Then, we’ll move into the higher vibration of the HEART, to soften and open the inner ears + eyes to more subtle messages. 

• And finally, we’ll move into the expansive HEART WITHIN THE HEART to welcome the wisdom of all ages.  

All of this will be done together with a group of Soulful Women, within the sacred container of a Coning (a short, powerful ceremony that asks Nature to co-create with us to manifest our biggest dreams.)

If you’re ready to live + lead more authentically with me, I invite you to sign up right here.

With deep gratitude for all my teachers, most especially Mother Nature + my inner guides...  

With love, Kathie

What Imbalance in the Body says about Inner Conflict

My husband and I sometimes travel to an island in the Caribbean called Saint Martin (it’s our intention to vacation there whenever possible!)

And in 2017 this beloved island was hit hard by Hurricane Irma. 

Even so, last December we decided to visit, hoping that much of the area had recovered - but we found out that, while the hotels and resorts had officially opened, much of the native population wasn’t provided the resources needed to rebuild.

This resulted in a week-long uprising on the French side of the island (where we stay).

Our 30-minute drive to the hotel turned into three hours of witnessing (and waiting for) protests in the streets - followed by the realization that our vacation would look much different than planned!

It felt prickly to witness all this, on vacation.

And yet, the invitation was there - could I sit with this discomfort, inside the contemplation of, “Why am I on vacation in the middle of an uprising? What meaning might this hold for me?”

Contemplation rarely provides an immediate answer. Instead, it’s the practice of simmering with the question, watching it evolve, and listening for the answer(s).  

First I realized, there was a Revolution happening inside my own body (at the same time I was witnessing this one in Saint Martin).

I arrived with a knee injury that made it hard to move around - much like the protests prohibited our movement on the island - which led me to ask the question, “If there’s an imbalance in my knee (the part of my body that requires flexibility for mobility) that’s causing an ‘uprising’ in my body, what’s my inner conflict?” 

The conflict was between my Outer world and my Inner world. 

My Outer world was filled with demands that put other people first and neglected my own needs. My Inner world was asking me to slow down and move toward my Soul Work in this world. 

This was an invitation for me to connect more fully (and more often) with my Self first, through contemplative meditation and intentional practice with Nature (which I teach about right here).

NOTE - the awareness of all this took time, and the changes that had to happen next have taken time, too.

For more than three months I inquired about my next steps, and finally I realized: I will say ‘yes’ to what I want and ‘no’ to what I’m supposed to do.

Here’s the beautiful part: In saying ‘yes’ to myself, the pain in my knee went away almost immediately… 

Of course, my knee pain comes back on occasion. But now I witness my knee as the teacher who guides me back to balance. 

If you’re ready to explore this idea further + dive into personal practice, head over here to check out my latest offerings (or dive into the archives of this blog for more!)

Love, Kathie

You are already Whole + Perfect

Here’s what I’m contemplating lately… “The sweet pea just is.”

She doesn’t think, “Oh, I’m going to make it rain today, because I’m thirsty,” or, “Gosh, I need more blooms so I look as good as my neighbor.”

She’s just herself! She’s unapologetically exactly who she’s here to become. 

Which makes me think… what would it be like if I started to UNAPOLOGETICALLY be myself? How would my life feel different if I started to live in greater alignment with the pure, exquisite part of me that’s already Whole + Perfect? 

(And what if that doesn’t require as much “efforting” as I think it should?)

According to Tantric yoga teachings, the Right View is when we stand in the Truth that we are already Whole, Perfect expressions of the Divine… which means, our whole purpose with yoga practice is to remember that!

When I’m more aligned with my worldly self (the one I’m more used to embodying), there’s often this sense of comparison, frustration, self-doubt… which can feel like a tightening in my chest and in my stomach. 

And, living from my “worldly self” also tends to thwart my Creativity - which is maybe the most frustrating part for me, because CREATIVITY is the place from which I want to live and teach!

But, when I do the deeper practices of yoga (like meditation, deep breathing, nature walks, contemplation, journaling), I connect with the part of myself that feels Full, Bright, and Creative. 

That’s what I want more of! And that’s the practice… 

Yes, it’s normal to boomerang from one experience of Self to the other… but the purpose of yoga practice is to REMEMBER + COME BACK to the truth that we are already Whole + Perfect as we are right now!

If you’re ready to explore this idea further + dive into personal practice, head over here to check out my latest offerings (or dive into the archives of this blog for more!)

Love, Kathie

Compassionate Yoga for Chronic Pain [WORKSHOP]

About a year ago, I experienced debilitating pain in my left knee - the kind that prevented me from walking across the room. The kind that made me feel old. 

And here’s the thing about pain… it’s persistent. 

It feels heavy and like too much to hold sometimes, because it’s always (or often) there.

The good news is… there’s possibility inside pain (if you can get the necessary support from your healthcare providers AND yourself).

Here’s what I mean:According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with a dedicated practice of Tapas (i.e. having COMPASSION for everything in your life, especially your challenges)...  

You can return to balance and lightness and ease! (And I can attest to that.)

My pain was an invitation to SLOW DOWN and actually BEFRIEND my body in ways I hadn’t before… even as a dedicated student + teacher of yoga.

That’s what I want to offer to you now, as a yoga student and/or teacher.

THE WORKSHOP:

“Compassionate Yoga for Chronic Aches + Pains” was created within my experience with debilitating chronic pain. It’s my offering to help you (and/or your students) through something similar. 

Because the reality is, more and more people are suffering in pain. AND WE CAN HELP THEM!

This workshop is designed specifically to support you in co-creating a yoga practice that heals mind, body, and spirit. (For yoga teachers, this is an opportunity to gain 4 hours of “continuing education credit” while learning how to support your students through pain.)

We’ll play with important modifications to asana practice for someone in pain… and more importantly, we’ll talk about the mind-body-spirit philosophy of yoga that helped me move from immobility to youthful vitality!

SIGN UP right here. 

Love, Kathie