The Garden of the Soul

Author, Personal Transformation Coach Lynn Serafinn interviews Law of Attraction Coach, Ruth Hegarty on Blog Talk Radio. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
EP19-The Art of Joyful Living
GUEST: Ruth Hegarty
DATE AIRED: Wednesday 27 May 2009

Ruth Hegarty, LOA Coach

When I first spoke to Ruth Hegarty on the phone, she felt to me like a ball of bright, fluffy, yellow sunshine wafting through the ether. She was just so upbeat and approachable. But then again, that is what Ruth is all about as a Certified Law of Attraction (LOA) Coach. In my observation, many people have the impression that the Law of Attraction is intended as means of attaining monetary “success”. And while that may or may not be a part of how LOA might manifest in your unique life story, what LOA is really about is attracting that which makes us truly and “outrageously” happy (as Ruth says it). Small wonder that she calls her own radio show, and her whole approach to life, “The Art of Joyful Living.”   

Ruth said that she finds LOA not only appealing, but also practical, joyful and empowering. She says that LOA offers us the means to enjoy the moment and have a joyful life at all stages of our journey without putting our life on hold (which she calls “an abysmal scarcity model”).

At a practical level, Ruth gave us three essential parts to the Law of Attraction that crystallise its essence: 

• The Law of Like Attracts Like
• The Law of Deliberate Creation
• The Law of Allowing 

In explaining “like attracts like,” Ruth gave as an example that if we are unhappy about our lives, and we focus on it, we will only attract more unhappiness. 

She said, however, that many people try positive thinking and then come to the conclusion that LOA doesn’t work, because they do not progress onwards to “deliberate creation”. After that, she said, people may still sabotage the deliberate creation because they don’t “allow” things to happen. She gave examples of we do this at a subtle level in the live show (listen to audio below).

With regards to “deliberate creation”, Ruth described how journaling and vision work help us to open up and become more creative. The more we picture the dream, she said, the more it will manifest. She said it is not the “how” that will bring about creation, but rather just the “what” and the “why.”

Being a coach who coaches creative process, I can attest to the fact that when people get too much into the “how” of things, it can shut down the creative process completely. They start to get overwhelmed by the enormity of it. The only thing that is essential for the creative process is to see what it is you want to create, and why you want to create it. “How” is a demotivator, whereas “what” and “why” are motivators. Even if you do not believe in LOA, surely from an intellectual platform you can see the logic of this simple law of creative process. 

Ruth also told us about her new Law of Attraction Starter Kit, which has just come out yesterday (Friday 29 May). She said it is an easy and fun to use Law of Attraction home-study program with a focus on practical exercises that show you how to “do” Law of Attraction. She has assembled 10 ways to put LOA into action into your life. The kit includes an audio program with full transcripts.

Plus, you will receive over $2,500.00 worth of fun and powerful bonus programs and products absolutely F*REE when you purchase the Law of Attraction Starter Kit during the launch anytime between now and Friday 5 June.

Ruth says that these F*REE bonuses are being supplied by some of the top people in the Law of Attraction, personal development and self-image fields and can’t be obtained together like this anywhere else.

Guess who one of those “top people” is? ME of course!

Everyone who buys Ruth’s book can download the first 6 chapters of my upcoming eBook “The Path of Least Resistance to the Self” in both text and audio format. In those chapters, I talk about the importance of understanding what alignment it, how to know when you are in alignment, how you sway from it, and how to return to it.

Perhaps one of the most generous gifts is Eva Gregory’s 12-week e-course “Wake up to the Dream”, which is valued at almost $700. And apart from Eva’s and mine, there are 11 other bonuses available when you buy Ruth’s Law of Attraction Starter Kit.

But the thing I was most amazed to hear (and you can hear my genuine surprise when I am on the air) was the price of the LOA Starter Kit when I asked Ruth how much it cost. It’s only $47! Well, at least during the launch that’s the price (after that, it goes up to $97). Gosh, in the UK, that’s less than £30. I can’t thing of any other 6-week course you can find for that price. What to speak of the fact that the course includes audio, transcripts, workbook, resource list and direct access to Ruth via email.

And…

Ruth just wrote me an email telling me that, to celebrate the launch of this brand new product, the first 25 people who purchase it will receive a private 1-to-1 coaching session with her!

That’s pretty generous, don’t you think? Ruth definitely does NOT suffer from “scarcity mentality”. To me, what makes Ruth a genuine LOA practitioner is that she really walks what she talks.

She really IS a ray of sunshine! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To find out more about Ruth’s Law of Attraction Starter Kit,
 the Law of Attraction bonus prizes,
and to place your order, go to
http://www.LOAStarterKit.com 

But be sure you purchase it before Friday 5 June, if you want the special discount price plus $2500 worth of free bonuses.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you want to find out more about Ruth and her work, listen to the podcast below. And after you do, be sure to visit Ruth’s websites.

Listen to the playback here:

Subscribe to the podcast: 

Download the MP3 of this show from:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/27/Ep19-The-Art-of-Joyful-Living

Ruth’s Official Website:
http://www.CoachRuth.com

Ruth’s Blog
http://coachruth.wordpress.com

Ruth’s Art of Joyful Living Radio Show
http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/Art-of-Joyful-Living

Be one of the first to get the Law of Attraction Starter Kit at http://www.LOAstarterkit.com

Join Ruth’s Facebook Group for Women Entrepreneurs at http://www.EffortlessSuccessforWomen.com

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Browse through other episodes at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

 NEXT ON 
Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul 

Wednesday 3 June
SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
Ep20-Feeling is Healing
6.30 PM UK time, 1.30 PM Eastern, 10.30 AM Pacific, 7.30 PM CET
Author, licensed spiritual coach and “Feelings Coach”, Steve Ryals. Steve will be sharing his story of his journey from being a down and out drug addict in Haight Ashbury to an alcoholic to someone who now helps others to get in touch with their feelings, let go of their “old stories”, and reconnect to their passions so they can finally live the life of their dreams. Steve is also author of the powerfully transformative book “Drunk with Wonder”, which is described as “Where What the Bleep do we know meets Conversations with God.” Steve will also share an excerpt or two from his book on the air, and give us some practical tips for developing our Higher Self.

Listen LIVE or download the broadcast “on demand” at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/06/03/Ep20-Feeling-is-Healing

Listener questions: call at 646-727-3449 during broadcast (US number) 

Can’t make it to the live show? No problem!
Catch all our episodes “on demand” at
www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn 

About the show, “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”
Weekly broadcast exploring personal empowerment, life purpose, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being. Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, Personal Transformation Coach and author living in Bedford England dedicated to awakening the authentic voice in all people. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and the Founder/Leader of The Global Wellness Circle, a holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout the UK.

Lynn’s links

• Garden of the Soul Book Blog: www.give-receive-become-be.com
• Garden of the Soul Social Network: http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com
• Create-a-Life Coaching/Training: www.create-a-life.co.uk
• Global Wellness Circle: www.global-wellness-circle.com

Related posts

• Forgive and Be Free – Interview with Brenda Adelman (0)
• Feeling is Healing – Interview with Steve Ryals (0)
• Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence – an interview with Gail Sussman Miller (0)
• Thurs 11 June – SHINE Radio Show on Westside Radio, Southall, London (0)
• Interview with UK Author Tom McGreevy (0)

Social Networking or Social Netplaying? Is our workaholic society finally learning how to play while we work online?

Note to Twitter Virgins: the “@” sign in front of name indicates a Twitter ID. I have inserted links below to these people on Twitter. Generally, to find a person online, go to http://www.twitter.com/ and then put in the name of the person without the “@”. If you don’t know their Twitter ID, go to the site and do a search by real name.

Recently someone on the coaching networks asked for recommended resources for someone who has just started their coaching practice and wants to learn about social networking.

My Twitter friend @TiaSparkles commented that it is pretty much a matter of “learning by immersion”. Yup. That’s pretty much the way I learned too. I have, however, a computer full of eBooks, audio, etc., I have downloaded from various sites over the years. Not all of it is about social networking. A lot of it is about SEO, online marketing, press releases, article marketing, virtual book tours… you name it. if I really sat down and put them altogether onto a single file, I think I would find a veritable encyclopedia of information I have gathered of the past couple of years. The world of Web 2.0 is simply amazing.

Two online gurus I follow are Mari Smith (@MariSmith) and Biana Babinsky (@BianaBabinsky). Although Mari is known for her Facebook tips, I actually didn’t meet her until I got onto Twitter. A few years ago, when I was first starting out in the online scene, I took several of Biana’s teleclasses or how to run telecourses, do article marketing, etc. These days, I follow both Mari and Biana, plus a whole range of other social networking gurus on Twitter. Whenever I see one of their posts, I try to ReTweet it to help spread the word. The great thing about social networking is that just about everyone is happy to help.

While most people say that Facebook is a great place to start with social networking, I actually took a little longer to get into it than I did with other networks. Ironically, it was by getting more into Twitter that I learned more about Facebook, because Mari and so many others gave such great tips. I have come to like Facebook, but I actually enjoy Twitter, LinkedIn, and Ning even more. Each has its own appeal, and each achieves different results. For information, LinkedIn is a fabulous resource if you use the Q&A and groups properly. On Ning, you can join (and create) many different special interest groups and broadcast to all of them in one go. And on Twitter, it is absolutely astonishing at how quickly people will connect with you and how fast and fun it can be. In amongst the business promotion, people will Tweet jokes, music, random comments and have conversations about their personal lives.  One of my favourite Tweets is @deepwaterscoach who runs a cheesy disco using “Blip” on Friday nights. Twitter is pretty fascinating.

But again, what is so remarkable is how quickly people will connect with you and offer to help you… and not just by giving you advice. Last week, I was doing a key word search for “mind body spirit” (MBS) and I met a few folks who were exhibiting at the MBS Fair in London. Without even knowing me or being asked, @RobertCurrey graciously offered me a free ticket to the event, which saved me £9 (about $16). I met him and his wife at the Fair and had a great time, making many good contacts at the event. Last week, a brand new Tweet @SouthsideBroadc who didn’t know me at all invited me to do a radio interview in Scotland to talk about my book! Then, I visited the blog of another new Tweet @inspiredwriter and read her articles about flower metaphors as a means to personal reflection. We exchanged a few Tweets and she is now going to run a big article series (again linked to my book) on her blog These three connections took place over about 2-3 Tweets to each person. Others have just said hello to me and then gone off to Amazon to buy my book!  How amazing is all that?

Of course, Twitter can be daunting to those who are new to it. There are lots of Twitter Etiquette (Twitterquette) and tricks to learn to make it work for you. The best thing to do is follow some of the gurus (or ME, @LynnSerafinn, lol!) and watch out for their instructional links. But the other thing to do is to engage and play with your Twitter friends. Then, when you see they are promoting something, help them out by “ReTweeting” (sending their info to all your contacts). That’s part of the “Twitterquette” I was talking about. And then there are other things like “followfriday”, hashtags, Twibes… ok, I’ll stop because I don’t want to overwhelm the novice.

The one thing I would recommend is to use an interface like TweetDeck (free download at www.tweetdeck.com) instead of the main Twitter page, as it permits for more interaction and easier organisation of your Tweets. TweetDeck changed my whole Twitter experience.

One other nifty thing you can do with Twitter (if you have a WordPress blog like this one) is to use the plugin “BirdFeeder” which automatically announces your new blog posts to Twitter (which you can, in turn, have wired up so it forwards it to Facebook too). Presto! You are announcing your blog to all your contacts.

One thing I do, which is also a form of social networking, is my own BlogTalkRadio show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn. I absolutely love it and I have to say, it has had more hits in the past 4 months than my coaching website has had in the past 3 years.  Why is it a form of social networking? Because through it I am meeting an enormous amount of people who support my work and vice versa. I receive books from authors who want to be on my show. I help promote them, and they in turn become a permanent part of my network. Listeners and other hosts extend it even more. Doing an online radio show is the MOST fun thing I have taken up in years. I would do it just for enjoyment even if I did not need it for netWORKing.

Lastly, I just want to say that last month, my new book The Garden of the Soul made the Amazon bestseller lists in mind-body-spirit, spirituality and self-help during the week of its launch. That success was ENTIRELY due to a very coordinated joint venture strategy via the social networks (all of them). My Twitter supporters on that project are just TOO numerous to count here.

I think social networking (or netPLAYing) is an ingenious creation by our wonderful human race that is in reaction to our dangerously disconnected and isolated society. It helps bring us together in novel and fun ways AND helps to promote our businesses while we’re at it. If you are feeling daunted about the idea of social networking, then try a different perspective: learn to see it as a new hobby that you are justified in spending a certain amount of time a day doing. Don’t get carried away with it, but just learn to enjoy it and play with it. Your attitude will be contagious, and your business will flourish.

There are just so many things I’d like to share about the fun side of social networking. I’m thinking to run a telecourse “Social NetPLAYing: Practical Skills for Coaches and Writers” sometime in the summer. I know there are so many others running such courses, but I have a specific slant, and I will share some of my personal strategies. If you are even remotely interested, OR if you think it’s a good idea, I would welcome your feedback at lynn@create-a-life-co.uk. I’m not looking for a “commitment.” Just trying to find out if there is a market for my particular style out there. If I feel there is a hunger for it, I’ll plan to run the course (perhaps in July).

I have put my own social network links below. I invite ANY readers of this blog to follow me (please identify yourself as a Garden of the Soul Fan so I accept your invitation and/or follow you back).

Enjoy social networking… and don’t forget to PLAY!

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Personal Transformation Coach at Create-a-Life
http://www.create-a-life.co.uk
Author of Amazon bestseller,
The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self
http://www.give-receive-become-be.com

–> TUNE IN to my weekly radio show “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”, exploring life purpose, personal empowerment, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

–> JOIN my social network “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”, a vibrant place for cultural and spiritual
creatives:
http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com

–> FOLLOW me on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/LynnSerafinn

–> FIND ME on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=689956204

–> CONNECT with me on LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnserafinn

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• Virtual Blog Tour for Garden of the Soul: Lola Fayemi (0)

Vision & Visionary: Author, coach Lynn Serafinn interviews Transformation Photographer Sheila Finkelstein. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

 SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul

EP18-Photography and Transformation

GUEST: Sheila Finkelstein
DATE AIRED: Wednesday 20 May 2009

I met the charming and fascinating photographer Sheila Finkelstein via social networking earlier this year, when she offered to be a joint venture partner for my book launch campaign. Like all the other joint venture partners, Sheila offered a free gift to anyone who bought my book during the launch. When I saw the unique gift she was offering, I was immediately impressed. It was a self-reflective photo-journal of thoughts and perceptions she had during the process of peeling a red onion. The reflections made during this most humble activity proved to be a veritable journey into self awareness. “Wow,” I thought, “this is really out-of-the-box. This woman is definitely someone I want to know better.” And so began my friendship with the wonderful Sheila Finkelstein.

To me, what makes Sheila an extraordinary artist, and an extraordinary person, is her ability to see things in ways that many of us simply miss. Remember when you were a child and saw pictures in the clouds? Sheila goes way beyond this. She has the uncanny vision to see a face in a crest of sea foam, or a heart in a reflection made between a reed and the surface of a pond. And that is just scratching the surface. On the show, Sheila and I talked about several of her thought-provoking photos, which she very kindly compiled onto a single page for my listeners to see. Have a look at these photos and others of stunning natural beauty at http://www.sheilafinkelstein.com/links-lynn-interview.html

But Sheila doesn’t just take photos; she also teaches others how to use the camera as a tool for personal transformational, through which you can learn to see the world with new and different eyes. On the show, Sheila shared a few tips on how to get started. First and foremost, she said, you should always carry a camera with you. While I am not a photographer, I do appreciate how having a camera in my mobile phone (even if not a very good one) has helped me chronicle the different seasons when I walk through the woods or along my beloved River Ouse here in Bedford, England. Taking a photo compels me to stop and appreciate what is there, instead of just walking through it. It also helps me to connect with the flow of life around me in a deeper way. And that is just from a grainy out-of-focus camera shot. Have a look at Sheila’s photos, and you can get an idea of the quality of Sheila’s photography, and what her students must experience as they work with her. 

Sheila shared another tip for transformation through photography. But if you want to find out what it is, you’ll just have to listen to the playback at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/20/Ep18-Photography-and-Transformation

 Sheila tells me that her work has helped many of her students, who had previously believed they were “not artists”, to find and express their unique vision, by noticing the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary, and the magic that is all around us within what she calls the “accidental art” of the world.

Sheila and I have also collaborated on a promotional video entitled “Song of the Rose”, which is a reading of a poem from my book The Garden of the Soul set to music composed by London musicians Bleep Test (two of my former students) and illustrated by a collection of Sheila’s stunning nature photography. If you haven’t seen the video you, be sure to check it out on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/rose-song. I am really fond of this video, and I would welcome your comments and ratings.

 From my perspective, Sheila perfectly exemplifies the “Principle of Receiving” (taught by the Iris) in my book The Garden of the Soul because she is able to open her senses fully and receive what is all around her, and to see the treasure that is contained within the smallest of the small.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I urge you to check out Sheila’s art and her work. If you have been looking for a novel way to experience self-discovery, check out Sheila’s 4-week telecourse:

“Through and From the Lens”
 Discovering Beauty in the Ordinary
 Experiencing it as Extraordinary 

If you sign up using THIS link, you can save $30 on Sheila’s course as a “Friend of Lynn”:

http://www.throughandfromthelens.com/june09-lynn.html 

CHOICE OF ONE OF TWO MEETING TIMES
FOR THIS EXCEPTIONAL COURSE

Four Mondays from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT, starting June 8th, 2009 -

OR

Four Wednesdays from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM, starting June 10th, 2009

So be sure to sign up now, as places are limited.

All you need is a computer, a digital camera and a telephone

Sheila invites you to
“Light up your summer with photography
you won’t believe is yours!”

I am so sure you will love working with this amazing visionary and wonderful, warm woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 If you want to find out more about Sheila, listen to the podcast below. And after you do, be sure to visit Sheila’s websites:

Sheila’s Official Website:  http://www.sheilafinkelstein.com      

Take advantage of “Friends of Lynn” discount for Sheila’s course “Through and From the Lens”: http://www.throughandfromthelens.com/june09-lynn.html 

Receive a FR*EE pdf “Expand Your Vision When Stuck” at: http://www.photographyandtransformation.com  

Listen to playback below:

Download the MP3 of this show from:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/20/Ep18-Photography-and-Transformation 

Subscribe to the podcast here:

Browse through other episodes at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

Wednesday 27 May
SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
Ep19-The Art of Joyful Living
6.30 PM UK time, 1.30 PM Eastern, 10.30 AM Pacific, 7.30 PM CET
Author and Personal Transformation Coach Lynn Serafinn hosts Certified Law of Attraction Coach, educator and talk radio show host, Ruth Hegarty. Ruth will be telling us how she helps women entrepreneurs create effortless success. She will also share her own story of how she went from an extremely shy underachiever, to someone who truly understands the personal demons that hold us back and, most importantly, how to shed those demons and transform into outrageously happy, successful, confident and prosperous beings without sacrificing our authenticity.
Listen LIVE or download the broadcast “on demand” at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/27/Ep19-The-Art-of-Joyful-Living
Listener questions: call at 646-727-3449 during broadcast (US number)

Can’t make it to the live show? No problem!

Catch all our episodes “on demand” at
www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

About the show, “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”
Weekly broadcast exploring personal empowerment, life purpose, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being. Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, Personal Transformation Coach and author living in Bedford England dedicated to awakening the authentic voice in all people. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and the Founder/Leader of The Global Wellness Circle, a holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout the UK.

Lynn’s links

• Find “The Garden of the Soul” on Amazon US: CLICK HERE
• Find “The Garden of the Soul” on Amazon UK: CLICK HERE
• Garden of the Soul Book Blog: www.give-receive-become-be.com
• Garden of the Soul Social Network: http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com
• Create-a-Life Coaching/Training: www.create-a-life.co.uk
• Global Wellness Circle: www.global-wellness-circle.com

Related posts

• Forgive and Be Free – Interview with Brenda Adelman (0)
• Turning Up the Volume of the Music in Your Heart! (0)
• Interview with Swedish Artist Kristina Berglund (4)
• Feeling is Healing – Interview with Steve Ryals (0)
• Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence – an interview with Gail Sussman Miller (0)

I first met the lovely Brenda Adelman on the coaching networks. When I first heard her story, and about her current work, I knew that she had to be a guest on my show “The Garden of the Soul.” Read on and you’ll see why.

Originally from Brooklyn (like me!) but now residing in Los Angeles, California, Brenda is an award-winning actress, Unity Church Prayer Chaplain, and Forgiveness Coach. What is a “forgiveness coach”? It is someone who works with clients at a deeply spiritual level to enable them to “forgive the unforgivable.” For her outstanding work in the field of forgiveness, helping others to forgive, and overcoming tremendous forgiveness of her own challenges as well, Brenda was the recipient of Hero of Forgiveness Award from the International Hawaii Forgiveness Project in 2008.

What makes Brenda a hero of forgiveness? In 1995 she heard a shot that, as she describes it, “shattered her world” when her mother was shot and killed at point-blank range… by her father. If that would not be enough for one young person to forgive, her father then went on to marry her mother’s sister. On the show, Brenda read an excerpt of this story as she tells it in her upcoming book, Forgive and Be Free: A Pathway to Personal Happiness. I must say that it is gripping and chilling at the same time. The shock of it, as Brenda reads it, does justice (as much as one can with words) to the shock she must have felt when this happened. Brenda then told me about all the subtle ways this impacted her at a deep level. Grief, anger, rage, shame, depression, loss and so many other emotions became a tangled web in her life.

I am quite sure that most people would agree this is just about as close to “unforgivable” as you can get. So imagine coming to a place within yourself where you were not only able to forgive everyone in this situation (father, aunt, the court system, society, the universe, God, self…) but you were also able to step into peacefulness and inner joy. Pretty amazing, huh? Well, now imagine that you not only reach this place within yourself, but you also use all of your talents and abilities to help others overcome devastating loss in their own lives by learning how to forgive. This will give you an idea of who Brenda is, and what she does.

Brenda has created a one-woman show entitled “My Brooklyn Hamlet” that tells the story of her journey from tragedy to freedom in a theatrical setting. After the show, she delivers a workshop entitled “Forgiving the Unforgivable as a Path to Freedom.” She does this, she says, “to open people’s hearts and gets them out of blame.”

As a special gift to our listeners, Brenda shared her 5 Top Reasons to Never Forgive and Why You Must:

Number 1 reason why you tell yourself you must never forgive:
If I forgive this person I am condoning what he/she did.
Why you must: Forgiveness is for you, not them. It sets you free.
 
Number 2 reason why you tell yourself you must never forgive:
My anger assures me that this person will never be in my life again.
Why you must: Your anger assures you that this person is constantly in your life through either obsessive thinking about them or suppressing your thoughts about them.
 
Number 3 reason why you tell yourself you must never forgive:
They will hurt me again.
Why you must: Being angry and unforgiving actually increases the odds of you being triggered emotionally (being upset) by something else that they do.

Number 4 reason why you tell yourself you must never forgive:
Who would I be if I forgave them?
Why you must: You wouldn’t be the same person who holds a grudge, lives in fear and needs a wall up to protect yourself. Your open heart, good judgment and healthy boundaries would lead to a life of more joy.
 
Number 5 reason why you tell yourself you must never forgive:
What happened to me or a loved one was just too horrible.
Why you must: It was horrible. In order for you to create the beautiful and empowering life that you want you need to acknowledge that, grieve what was lost and/or what was taken from you and learn how to release those parts in you that are stuck in darkness and pain.

And finally, Brenda reminds us that “Forgiveness is a process not an event.” 

If you want to find out more about Brenda, listen to the podcast below. And after you do, be sure to visit Brenda’s websites, to get a whole lot of free forgiveness “stuff”:

• Sign up to find out when Brenda’s new book, Forgive and Be Free: A Pathway to Personal Happiness will be available and get a small gift called Your Personal Forgiveness Assessment at http://www.forgiveandbefreebook.com
• You can also receive the full eCourse absolutely FREE at http://www.forgivenessandfreedom.com
• And join Brenda for her next free “Forgiveness Teleclass” on Wednesday, May 27th at 5 PM Pacific time “What is a Healthy Boundary? How do you Set It?”
  Sign-up at http://www.forgivenessandfreedom.com (replay available).

Going to be in Los Angeles in June?—Come see award-winning actress Brenda Adelman in her one-woman show, My Brooklyn Hamlet, on Sunday, June 7th at 7 PM at Celebration Theatre in Hollywood. Get tickets online at www.celebrationtheatre.com . A Q&A follows the performance. 

Listen to playback of the show below:

Download the MP3 from:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/14/Ep17-Forgiveness-as-a-Pathway-to-Freedom

Subscribe to the podcast here: 

Browse through other episodes at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

NEXT ON
Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
(this show was already aired; catch the blog and podcast shortly) 

Wednesday 20 May
SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
Ep18-Photography and Transformation
6.30 PM UK time, 1.30 PM Eastern, 10.30 AM Pacific, 7.30 PM CET
Author and Personal Transformation Coach Lynn Serafinn hosts American photographer and transformation teacher Sheila Finkelstein. Sheila will be sharing her tips for using the camera as a tool for personal transformational, through which you learn to see the world with new and different eyes. She will tell us about her success in helping people who previously told themselves they were “not artists” to find and express their unique vision, by noticing the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary, and the magic that is all around us within what she calls the “accidental art” of the world. Check out Sheila’s stunning photography in Lynn’s video “Song of the Rose” at http://tinyurl.com/rose-song.

This show was already aired. Catch the replay at “on demand” at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/20/Ep18-Photography-and-Transformation

Can’t make it to the live show? No problem!

Catch all our episodes “on demand” at
www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

About the show, “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”
Weekly broadcast exploring personal empowerment, life purpose, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being. Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, Personal Transformation Coach and author living in Bedford England dedicated to awakening the authentic voice in all people. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and the Founder/Leader of The Global Wellness Circle, a holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout the UK.

Lynn’s links

• Garden of the Soul Book Blog: www.give-receive-become-be.com
• Garden of the Soul Social Network: http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com
• Create-a-Life Coaching/Training: www.create-a-life.co.uk
• Global Wellness Circle: www.global-wellness-circle.com

Lynn’s next live appearance:
Saturday 23 May
EVENT: Edenbridge UK Independent Authors Book Fair
9 AM – 4 PM
VENUE: Rickards Hall, 72 High Street, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5AR
The first Independent Authors Book Fair takes place as part of the Eden Valley festival. The festival celebrates the West Kent community of Edenbridge town and the surrounding villages. The Book Fair presents twelve independent authors covering a range of genres. There will be a programme of talks, presentations and readings running throughout the day from 9.00 – 4.00. Light refreshments will be available. Join Lynn and 11 other UK independent authors for this inaugural event. Get to meet authors 1-to-1, ask questions, hear talks of writing and publishing, and purchase signed copies of their books. Be the first to be in the know about who is setting the trends in the independent writing field.

Amongst the speakers, author Lynn Serafinn will be delivering a talk on her new book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self which reached Amazon bestseller status in both the US and the UK the first week of its release in such categories as spirituality, mind-body-spirit and self-help. Visit Lynn’s book blogsite at http://www.give-receive-become-be.com for more information and full media kit for The Garden of the Soul.
More information at: http://www.ukindependentauthors.co.uk/Edenbridge_Book_Fair.html

Related posts

• Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence – an interview with Gail Sussman Miller (0)
• The Gift in Goodbye. Interview with Gemini Adams (1)
• Feeling is Healing – Interview with Steve Ryals (0)
• Living the Law of Attraction: interview with Ruth Hegarty (1)
• Vision and Visionary: Photographer Sheila Finkelstein (0)

Realising the Gift in Goodbye: Lynn Serafinn’s interview with author Gemini Adams on BlogTalkRadio reveals how Gemini’s journey through bereavement led to her finding her authentic voice.

SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
EP16-Voice as a Key to Wholeness
GUEST: Gemini Adams
DATE AIRED: Wednesday 6 May 2009

I met coach, author and spiritual healer Gemini Adams earlier this year when we were both guests on John Levine’s Happy and Healthy Hour in Cambridge, England. Gemini is a Brit by birth who currently makes her home in Los Angeles, so I was fortunate to have crossed her path on one of her occasional trips back to her homeland. What I noticed about her as soon as I met her was how open and generous she was. She did not even know me and she immediately took one of her books out of her satchel, signed it and made a gift of it to me. Of course, I knew I had to have this woman on my radio show.

Gemini is the author of a unique book called Your Legacy of Love: realise the gift in goodbye. The book was prompted by Gemini’s mother’s untimely death from cancer, when Gemini was only 21 years old. While much of the book gives us deep insight into the largely unspoken impact of bereavement upon the human spirit, and how it can last far longer than most of us care to admit, this is not just another book about loss and how to deal with it at an emotional level. Gemini offers the reader practical answers to how to deal with the “D” word, so that your loved ones are not left with a big gaping hole in their lives. 

That practical solution is to leave a legacy of love for those you will leave behind. Gemini offers a range of practical, creative and pleasurable ideas for what that could be, ranging from letters to your loved ones, personal biographies, musical diaries, detailed instructions for how you wish to be remembered, and many other ideas. Gemini gives many compelling reasons why we should do this when we are well and fit, rather than waiting for the time when, heaven forbid, we find ourselves diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. She describes in detail, giving many case studies, how the gift of a legacy of love can help those we leave behind deal with grief and bereavement after we pass on.

And like all books, especially of this type, there is always a story behind it. Gemini explained to me how the process of writing this book also helped unlock her own voice to find ultimate wholeness of self and peace with the universe after years of previously unresolved bereavement. In a private interview, she told me how she believes that “our authentic voice is always there, but we are scared to use it.” Having done past life regression, Gemini came to the conclusion that this might be the culmination of issues that have transpired of many lifetimes, and that it can go on for generations. She says that she finds this to be especially true of women, and that she felt that this was a kind of historical, collective pain that all of us must confront and overcome. To overcome this, it is essential that we break through the fear of judgement. She said that writing offered her great healing in this regard, but the inner barriers are often more formidable than what can be resolved through writing.

It was this need to break free from these fears that ultimate drove Gemini to take action. Going strongly against her middle class instincts, she decided to give up her previous lifestyle and move out of London, out of the UK altogether, far away from everyone and everything she knew. Giving up all her personal possessions, she went to live in someone’s garden shed in Los Angeles, surviving on the dole. It was here that Gemini at last found the voice to write this book, and in doing so she found, and began to live, her life purpose. 

Gemini told me that the entire experience of moving through her own bereavement, and ultimately finding her own voice, gave her a deep personal intention and underlying need to make a contribution to the world, and that her motivation is never money or fame. She says that she knows she is helping others to live freely through her work, and that the ultimate intention of the book is to heal and to help others to heal.

When I asked Gemini what her “bigger message” for the world was, she said, “You can be who you really are; you don’t need all the pretence. Education is designed to undo ourselves. Forget what others want for you. Become a unique, pioneering person. YOU are the one who must be satisfied.

If you want to find out more about Gemini, listen to the podcast below. And after you do, be sure to visit Gemini’s websites:

Author & Founder of Live Consciously Publishing: http://www.liveconsciouslynow.com

Click title to order copies of
Your Legacy of Love: Realise the Gift in Goodbye 
and get Amazon’s special pre-publication discount.

Listen to playback below:

Subscribe to the podcast here:

Browse through other episodes at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

NEXT ON
Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
(this show was already aired; catch the blog and podcast shortly) 

Thursday 14 May
SHOW: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
Ep17-Forgiveness as a Pathway to Freedom
6.30 PM UK time, 1.30 PM Eastern, 10.30 AM Pacific, 7.30 PM CET
Author and Personal Transformation Coach Lynn Serafinn hosts award-winning actress and Forgiveness Coach, Brenda Adelman. Brenda will be sharing her story of how she learned to “forgive the unforgivable” after her father murdered her mother and married her mother’s sister. A trained chaplain at the Unity Church and recipient of “A Hero of Forgiveness Award” from the Hawaii International Forgiveness Project, Brenda now leads forgiveness workshops entitled, “Forgiving the Unforgivable as a Path to Freedom” and regularly tours with her own one-woman show, “My Brooklyn Hamlet.” Brenda will tell us about her journey through deep loss and pain, and resultant depression, to the ultimate freedom and joy she experienced when she learned how to open her heart to forgiveness. Brenda will also reveal her “three steps to forgive and be free” and her “top five reasons to never forgive, and why you must,” and will read us an excerpt from her upcoming book, Forgive and Be Free: A Pathway to Personal Happiness.

This show was already aired. Catch the replay at “on demand” at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/14/Ep17-Forgiveness-as-a-Pathway-to-Freedom

Catch all our episodes “on demand” at
www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

About the show, “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”
Weekly broadcast exploring personal empowerment, life purpose, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being. Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, Personal Transformation Coach and author living in Bedford England dedicated to awakening the authentic voice in all people. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and the Founder/Leader of The Global Wellness Circle, a holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout the UK.

Lynn’s links

• Garden of the Soul Book Blog: www.give-receive-become-be.com
• Garden of the Soul Social Network: http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com
• Create-a-Life Coaching/Training: www.create-a-life.co.uk
• Global Wellness Circle: www.global-wellness-circle.com

Lynn’s next live appearance:
Saturday 23 May
EVENT: Edenbridge UK Independent Authors Book Fair
9 AM – 4 PM
VENUE: Rickards Hall, 72 High Street, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5AR
The first Independent Authors Book Fair takes place as part of the Eden Valley festival. The festival celebrates the West Kent community of Edenbridge town and the surrounding villages. The Book Fair presents twelve independent authors covering a range of genres. There will be a programme of talks, presentations and readings running throughout the day from 9.00 – 4.00. Light refreshments will be available. Join Lynn and 11 other UK independent authors for this inaugural event. Get to meet authors 1-to-1, ask questions, hear talks of writing and publishing, and purchase signed copies of their books. Be the first to be in the know about who is setting the trends in the independent writing field.

At 1245 -115 PM, Lynn will deliver a talk on her new book  The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, which reached Amazon bestseller status in both the US and the UK the first week of its release in such categories as spirituality, mind-body-spirit and self-help.

More information about the UK Independent Book Fair at: http://www.ukindependentauthors.co.uk/Edenbridge_Book_Fair.html

Find The Garden of the Soul on Amazon:

USA: Purchase the book from Amazon.com	FRANCE: Purchase the book from Amazon.fr
UK: Purchase the book from Amazon.co.uk	GERMANY: Purchase the book from Amazon.de
CANADA: Purchase the book from Amazon.ca	JAPAN: Purchase the book from Amazon.jp

Related posts

• Forgive and Be Free – Interview with Brenda Adelman (0)
• Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence – an interview with Gail Sussman Miller (0)
• Using Sound for Healing and Happiness – interview with John Levine (0)
• Lynn Serafinn is Guest on the Mind Body Soul Show on RCN (0)
• I’ve got your number! An interview with Michelle Payton (0)

Show: Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
Ep15-Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order to Discover Your Life Purpose
Special Guest: Michelle Payton, Ph.D.
Date aired: Wednesday 29 April 2009

Well, my blog is a TOTALLY late this week! Last week I had a whole series of physical challenges that got me in a real state. First I had a massive spasm in my shoulder that wouldn’t go away. The pain was excruciating. Over the week, it became obvious to me that the spasm was actually being triggered by something weird going on in my teeth. Then, finally, on Sunday of this week one of my teeth when totally haywire and I had massive nerve pain running through my head, face and neck. It was so painful I just couldn’t think straight at all. AND then on top of everything else, it was a Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK and everything was closed. I ended up in the hospital at A&E, where they pumped me full of pain killers until I could get to my dentist…which I finally did yesterday. She took one look at my tooth and said that the root was dying and that I need a root canal right away. Sounds horrible, doesn’t it? Well, I have to say she actually did a magnificent job of it. Apart from the pain of the shot going into the roof of my mouth (OUCH!), I felt absolutely no pain; today, I am happy to say, I am pain-free, drug-free and even should-spasm free. I feel really lucky and in SUCH a better mood!

So, while the going is good, I decided I would write TWO blogs today about my past two guests on BlogTalkRadio. The first is about last week’s show, which aired on Wednesday 29 April 2009, where I interviewed Conscious Living Communicator and 6-time author Michelle Payton, Ph.D.

Michelle explained that she calls herself a “conscious living communicator” and a “mind over matter professional” because the essence of her work is to help others live consciously. She said that she was led to this work by asking herself questions like:

• “Why am I doing what I am doing?”
• “How do I learn how to interact with others gracefully?”
• “How do I express my own intuition to others with ease?”

In Michelle’s work, she uses a variety of methods to “help people relax into who they are” including hypnotherapy, NLP and EFT. But one particular method that she created, and about which she is particularly enthusiastic, is called “Birth Mix Patterns” (BMP). BMP combines Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order. She calls this your “Cosmic Personality Mix” and says that understanding it can help you create better relationships, and gain insight into your underlying life path.

Michelle discussed the appeal and logic of combining these methods. She commented that, in her opinion, numerology has a masculine feel, while astrology has a more feminine quality. She says that when she goes into a workplace using BMP, it’s actually a lot of fun, and it takes the mystique out of these three elements. She also mentioned that men especially seem to be extremely interested in understanding their birth order to shed light on their own personalities.

Michelle’s unique method involves taking the birth date of a person and putting it into its numerical equivalent, and then looking at it in the context of birth order. To show how easy it is to do, she gave a short demo on the air, by looking at my own numerology, birth date and birth order. She pointed out that birth order is not always self-evident. We can be “only children” if we are more than 5 years away from our nearest sibling. Also, being the first in a particular gender (i.e., the first girl or the first boy) can also impact our personality. If you want to find out what she said about me… well, you’ll just have to listen to the podcast below.

And after you do, be sure to visit Michelle’s website and calculate your own numbers for yourself for FR*EE:

Michelle’s sites:

• www.MichellePayton.com
• www.HelpingUExpand.com

 On those sites, you will find fr*ee items like:

• Michelle’s Mindful Minute
• Information on how to calculate Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order,
• Recorded seminars on this subject
• and more.

Michelle has also written three books on this subject (click on a title to see its listing on Amazon.com):

Birth Mix Patterns and Loving Relationships: Using Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order
SRP: $12.95 ~ # Pages: 137 ~ ISBN: 9780971980440 ~ 6 x 9 paperbac 

Birth Mix Patterns:  Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order and their effects on Families & Other Groups that Matter                         
SRP: $12.95 ~ # Pages: 133 ~ ISBN: 9780971980433 ~ 6 x 9 paperback  

Birth Mix Patterns:  Astrology, Numerology and Birth Order and their effects on the Past, Present and Future
SRP: $12.95 ~ # Pages:  157 ~ ISBN: 9780971980426 ~ 6 x 9 paperback 

Listen to the show now:

Or download the podcast:  

Or browse through other episodes at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

NEXT ON
Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul
(this show was already aired; catch the blog and podcast shortly) 

Wednesday 6 May 2009
Ep16: Voice as a Key to Wholeness
6.30 PM UK time, 1.30 PM Eastern, 10.30 AM Pacific, 7.30 PM CET
Author and Personal Transformation Coach Lynn Serafinn hosts coach and spiritual healer Gemini Adams, author of the book “Your Legacy of Love: realise the gift in goodbye”. Gemini will share her own story of how her mother’s untimely death when she was a young woman gave her insight into value of creating a loving and living legacy for those we leave behind us after we leave the world, as a means of overcoming and preparing for the challenges of loss. She will also talk about how this experience helped her to unlock her own voice to find ultimate wholeness of self and peace with the universe after years of previously unresolved bereavement.

Listen LIVE or on demand at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn/2009/05/06/Voice-as-a-Key-to-Wholeness

 Can’t make it to the live show? No problem!

Catch all our episodes “on demand” at
www.blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

About the show, “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”
Weekly broadcast exploring personal empowerment, life purpose, balance of mind, body and spirit, and how to tap into the inner hero that lies within every human being. Hosted by Lynn Serafinn, Personal Transformation Coach and author living in Bedford England dedicated to awakening the authentic voice in all people. She is the author of the Amazon bestselling book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self, and the Founder/Leader of The Global Wellness Circle, a holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout the UK.

Lynn’s links

• Garden of the Soul Book Blog: www.give-receive-become-be.com
• Garden of the Soul Social Network: http://gardenofthesoul.ning.com
• Create-a-Life Coaching/Training: www.create-a-life.co.uk
• Global Wellness Circle: www.global-wellness-circle.com 

You can STILL receive 26 special mind-body-spirit gifts
when you buy my book
The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self
before Friday 8 May 2009.
This is the ABSOLUTE final deadline… it was actually supposed to end last week, but my toothache got in the way!
So, my pain is your gain!
Buy the book and get these beautiful gifts at:
http://www.give-receive-become-be.com/pages/bonus.html

Related posts

• The Gift in Goodbye. Interview with Gemini Adams (1)
• Feeling is Healing – Interview with Steve Ryals (0)
• Thurs 11 June – SHINE Radio Show on Westside Radio, Southall, London (0)
• TALK RADIO: Stepping into Our Personal Legacy (1)
• RADIO: Healing the Universe (0)

The Lily- The Principle of Being

Some thoughts on the teachings in my book The Garden of the Soul. Click HERE to find out how to purchase the book today.

Over the past months, I have been sharing with you some of the life lessons from my book, The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. The main body of book is divided into four sections, each one represented by a particular flower. You might think of these flowers as my “guides” or “mentors”, who teach me four spiritual principles:

• The Rose teaches the Principle of Giving
• The Iris teaches the Principle of Receiving
• The Daffodil teaches the Principle of Becoming
• And finally, the Lily teaches the Principle of Being

Today I would like to share some thoughts on the Lily and the Principle of Being.

Last month, I spoke about “The Principle of Becoming” (lessons from the Daffodil). The Principle of Becoming calls us forth to let go of “old stories” and allow change to occur for the purpose of expansion and growth. The Principle of Becoming is extremely important because without the conscious act of letting go, we tend to hold on to old patterns of behaviour, old emotions and old belief systems that no longer serve us and keep us stuck in so many ways. The Principle of Becoming is vital to our ability to adapt, experience joy and actualise our own creativity.

While the Principle of Becoming is all about our need for a sense of change, regeneration and rebirth so we can grow and have a sense of aliveness, the Principle of Being reflects our need for a sense of continuity, serenity and timelessness so we can feel safe and have a sense of identity. And while the Principle of Being is the seeming opposite of the Principle of Becoming, it is actually its essential counterpart. Without a firm hold on the Principle of Being, change in our lives can often make us feel vulnerable rather than free. But when both of these Principles are present and working together, they provide that much-needed balance between our desire for outward expansion and our desire for inner stability.

“Being” refers to continuity.
Our “Being” is that which is constant throughout our lives.

Being is…

• That safe place to which we can return reliably no matter what else is happening around us
• Our sense of Self that is not dependent upon time or circumstance
• Our inner knowing of who we are regardless of changes in our age, occupation, education, marital status, achievements, belief systems, social circles or economic status
• Our personal wellspring of serenity, wisdom, peace, inner tranquillity and satisfaction

In other words,”Being” is our sense of eternal identity, and is independent of our ever-changing personal relationships and roles in life.

To assess your own connection to your ”Being”, a good question to ask yourself might be, “Who am I when I remove all the labels about myself?” In other words, “Who am I when I am not the mother/father, daughter/son, husband/wife, boss/employee, this profession/that profession, rich/poor, young/old?” etc. In a quiet moment, ask this question, without self-judgment, and you will begin to get an idea of how much (or how little) you are in touch with your own essential “Being”.

At an even deeper level, true “Being” means an awareness of who we are beyond even more subtle designations of “self”, such as our intelligence, our talents, our nationality, our faith, our ethnicity or even our gender. Now ask yourself “Who am I without these designations?” and look more deeply into yourself to get a sense of that “Being” that lies at your centre. How easy or difficult do you find this?

Now go even deeper still and strip away all designations whatsoever, even to the point of letting go of the boundary between Self and the Universe. At this point, you realise at a deep level, and not merely with your intellect, that you and everything around you is Spirit. You come in touch with your own essence-your own eternal, pure consciousness- where you can see your connection to all of Creation, and is not dependent upon being within a particular bodily form at all. This ultimate understanding is at the core of the Principle of Being.

Some of us might find this perspective shift very challenging, if not scary, if we are at a point in life where we feel little inner connection to our own Being. We might fear that without some kind of “label” we will lose all sense of identity completely, and simply slip into a feeling of “nothingness”. If we dig down to discover the underlying cause of our fear, more often than not we will find it is triggered by a deep-rooted feeling of unworthiness. We do not feel we are “enough” without our worldly attributes. In other words, we have become accustomed to defining our worthiness through our roles, achievements and designations. We feel that we need these roles and designations to feel worthy of love, abundance-to be worthy of “Being”. When we have this underlying belief in our own unworthiness, it stands to reason that we would fear the loss of Self if we were to lose our labels.

But in actuality, the truth is just the opposite. Far from losing the Self, when we reach a state of genuine connection with our “Being-ness”, where no designations are needed to define who we are, our sense of identity is profound. At this point, we are able to find immense peace within the understanding that our identity is no longer dependent upon any external factor and is not subject to circumstance. When we finally release the need to identify the Self with “things” that come and go throughout our lives, we come into contact with our true Self, embracing it as eternal, and  transcending all change. And there is an immense sense of safety within this sense of “Being”, which is both immutable and indestructible.

The lessons I learned from the Lily in The Garden of the Soul (and especially in the story in the book called “Message on the Bridge”) guided me gently and lovingly through my own fears and attachments, so I could return to the essence of who I truly am. And the Lily as an image is an inviting and appropriate symbol for the Principle of Being. In the west, the Lily is frequently used in funeral ceremonies as a symbol of eternal, spiritual life. In the east, the water lily (or lotus) is a symbol of eternity and divinity, used to represent the soul, the spiritual master and even the spiritual world itself. In my own personal experience, back when I used to live in Arizona, I remember seeing a very special type of cactus that only bloomed one night a year, during a full moon. While I don’t know the name of this flower, it seemed to me that its white, star-shaped blossom was yet another kind of Lily, who appeared like a solitary hermit praying to the moon itself, shining brilliantly against the dark night for only a few hours. In fact, some of the imagery in my book where I meet the Lily come from my memory of that remarkable cactus flower. To me, the Lily, in all of its lovely permutations, was the perfect metaphor for the Principle of Being, as its beautiful, strong, white petals look like a hand of outstretched fingers, reaching upwards towards the heavens, providing a bridge between the earthly plane and the Divine.

The Four Principles of Give, Receive, Become and Be provide an easy model to check balance and flow in our lives. When we learn how to recognise these Principles in ourselves, we are more easily able to know how to recover from the inevitable upsets that come into our lives. The Principle of Being, like all the other Principles, helps us to enter into a deeper and more meaningful relationship both within our own Self and with the world around us. By tending to the Four Flowers within the Garden of our own Souls, it becomes very easy for our true Selves to blossom.

Related posts

• Boosting Your Emotional Intelligence – an interview with Gail Sussman Miller (0)
• Wisdom – Our Eternal Dance Partner (0)
• Books (2)
• Personal Transformation and Why it is Important for the Greater World – Pt 3 (0)
• Personal Transformation and Why it is Important for the Greater World – Pt 2 (0)