Same God…different values?

Three nights ago I watched the news. Within 5 minutes I was crying and sobbing uncontrollably. The things that we do to each other in the name of religion blows me away!

For years now, a growing number of people in North America, have come to believe that regardless of which religion a person accepts as true, it will lead to some sort of salvation…provided that they lead a moral and honourable life. Of course this is based on the premise that God is just and could not have reserved a place in heaven for only those of one particular religion.

The doctrines of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Spiritualists all basically agree on the same definition of God. Each believes that God is a Supreme Being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the principal object of faith and worship. And…all the great Masters, Teachers, Guru’s from every religion say to honour one another!

So what is the PROBLEM? Why are we fighting wars in the name of God?

Personally, I believe that there is only one God and the only thing that really separates one religion from another is our personal values and or view points. So all this war, hatred and ignorance is really about value systems, which often stem from our cultural backgrounds.

This issue is the when we feel very strongly or emotional about something, we begin to gather information and evidence to support these emotions. Most of us can usually find some evidence to support and justify our emotional responses. Now add your personal value system and cultural beliefs to the mix and we have the recipe for WAR.

What if we were to take the emotion out of the equation and focus on being helpful whenever the opportunity presented itself. What if, we became conscious and responsible for our actions. What if we tried harder to develop the qualities of awareness, love, kindness, and wisdom. What if, we could forgive, trust and believe that we are all trying to do the best we can…is it possible that we could  co-create the space that would allow us to agree to disagree and live together peacefully regardless of our in-differences?

According to a Pew Research values survey, about three-quarters of the public (76%) say prayer is an important part of their daily life, while an identical percentage agrees that “we will all be called before God at the Judgment Day to answer for our sins.” And eight-in-ten say they never doubt the existence of God.

If this is the case, shouldn’t we all be making a greater effort? What if, everyone woke up one day and said, “Today I am going to be 10% kinder and more loving to everyone I come in contact with.” Could something so simple change our minds about our neighbours, friends, family or world citizens?

I believe that if each of us were to commit to being 10% more kind-hearted and open, we would collectively create a positive influence that could snowball and begin to return dignity and healing to all regardless of background and culture.

Buddha used to say, “Provide the cause, and the effect will be there.” This is the world of cause and effect in which everything is determined.”

So…in conclusion I challenge you all to be 10% kinder today…next time you look at someone who is different than you, instead of judging, try being open and curious. Instead of turning away or scowling, try smiling, the biggest brightest smile you can muster. And above all remember that we are all mothers, daughters, sisters, brothers, fathers, sons, husbands, wives, partners or friends to someone who loves us.

Rev. Carol Lefevre

10 Days of Silence

If you ask most people what it is they truly want, you will likely hear, ” peace and harmony.” In an attempt to find my own inner peace, I recently went on a 10 day silent meditation retreat. Many of my friends and clients are curious about my 10-day meditation experience. The best way I could describe my experience was to say it was a cross between, being a monk or nun,  and a prisoner.

The most common first reaction is, “I could never do that, 10 days without talking or eye contact, just sit and meditate all day, you don’t eat dinner!” When I think back to past events at the center, I am amazed by how quickly time went by. While a day of 10+ hours of meditation passed by unexpectedly easier than I had imagined, 10 days of meditation with the same daily schedule passed by incredibly slow at times as well, I must admit, there were days when I was extremely bored. There were days that I was peaceful and totally blissed out and there were days when I thought if I had to listed to one more raspy, guttural chant I would lose my mind and be locked away forever (especially on day 2 & 6). There were days when the chanting lasted for what seemed forever and in the days to follow there were times I longed for this assault on my senses, because it meant that the one hour of no movement that filled me with joint pain, sleeping legs and excruciating back pain was about to come to an end! For me it truly was a love (craving)/hate (aversion) relationship. To fully understand what I am referring to click this link: Shri SN Goenka – (Vipassana metta chant)

At times I was grateful to be there in the silence and doing something just for me, and there were times I felt like crap, was in pain and felt like I was in some self imposed prison camp.

“What type of meditation was this” you ask?

Vipassana meditation, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India’s most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills and purification on the mind.

The four qualities of a pure mind are:

• metta-selfless love
• karuna-compassion
• mudita-sympathetic joy
• upekkha-equanimity

There were roughly 28ish men and 23ish women present at the retreat and we were segregated, the men had access to one side of the site and the women the other – with separate dining halls and a separate field and woods where each group could meander around and be in nature.

This course was conducted in noble silence, what does that mean?

Well, Noble Silence  is a technique used by a lot of Buddhists, monks, and nuns in which a person refrains from speaking, eye contact or gestures as a way to help quiet the mind and condition the body. For me it was a way to focus internally without being taken out of my process by focussing on someone or something else. As one who does healing, I naturally and constantly make others a priority. I am easily distracted by their needs, and…voila, I no longer have to focus on my stuff. With 10 days of noble silence I was unable to allow myself to be taken of task. Although I felt myself being pulled this way or that at times by the many who were in pain or ill, I tried to remain focused on the fact that I could do nothing to assist them, I had to hold them as able and allow them to go through their own process…amazingly, everyone survived! For me this was a major breakthrough and I released a deeply entrenched habit pattern.

The daily schedule was as follows:

4:00                         Morning wake up bell

4:30 – 6:30              Meditation

6:30 – 8:00              Breakfast and rest

8:00 – 9:00              Meditation

9:00 – 11:00            Meditation

11:00 – 12:00          Lunch

12:00 – 13:00          Rest / interviews with the teacher

13:00 – 14:30          Meditation

14:30 – 15:30          Meditation

15:30 – 17:00         Mediation

17:00 – 18:00         Tea break (only fruit)

18:00 – 19:00         Meditation

19:00 – 20:15         Video discourse by S.N. Goenka

20:15 – 21:00         Meditation

21:00 – 21:30         Question time

21:30                          Bed

We were provided with two fantastic vegetarian meals each day, breakfast and lunch. At dinner time, we had a shorter break and were served fruit and tea. I must say people can be very creative when they receive the same food selection every evening for 10 days! For the evening break, many students soon discovered that a little cinnamon and honey on sliced banana or apples was a good combination. I even noticed one person mush up banana in a bowl and add hot water and honey. Others made fruit salads. I tried several of the previous options, closer to day 7 I began just having a 1/2 of a banana and some Bengal spice tea. surprisingly I wasn’t hungry in the evening and it all turned out just fine.

Those who were there in serve as volunteers were absolutely fabulous. I am sooooo very grateful to them for their loving contributions and have already decided that I will go back in a service role to contribute on another level.

I learned that my cravings/desires (raga) or my aversions (dosa) to certain things (possession, emotions, beliefs) create strong attachments. Suffering, unhappiness, anger, hatred, greed, jealousy, dissatisfaction, disappointment, frustration, pride, arrogance, fear and worry are all derived from craving and aversion.

When the mind is being over-powered by craving or aversion, or continual focus on desires or aversions lead to patterns in the unconscious mind that are connected to the sensory output. This then transforms any attachment to a craving or aversion we develop into what is referred to as a “sankhara.”

According to our teacher S.N. Goenka the body creates these sankharas; deeply rooted mental patterns with some kind of karmically reactive energy knot that generates impure thoughts and actions. They are basically habitual patterns we have learned over the years or lifetimes buried in the unconscious mind that we respond to. They in turn begin to trigger our cravings or aversions or avoidances. Most people try to stop craving or stop avoiding at the activity level i.e. “I won’t have a drink tonight” Regular Vipassana practice assists us to observe our sensations with equanimity, by doing so, we begin to stop generating new sankharas, and our old ones bubble up to the surface and get evaporated. When we evaporate all our sankharas, we become enlightened.

For someone like me whose specialty is removing patterns from the unconscious mind, I was delighted to discover a technique that I could use to eradicate these blueprints not only this lifetime but from all lifetimes.

Through Vipassana meditation we discover that our happiness does not depend on manipulating the external world, we only have to see ourselves clearly in order to free out deep seated patterns. It is the method by which the Gautama Buddha and his disciples freed themselves from every form of suffering and attained awakening and enlightenment, it is not Buddhism. In Vipassana meditation we do not call on the assistance of god, spirit or any other external power, is a independent method, open to people of any faith or none at all, you and you alone through your own efforts find mastery.

So what was my personal meditation experience like?

In Goenka’s teaching, Vipassana goes as follows: feel the sensations in your body, both the gross sensations (like pain in your knees) and the subtle ones (like just focus on your hands, right now, and after a few seconds you’ll probably feel a little tingling, or maybe heartbeat-like pulsing.) Notice them, develop your awareness, and also develop your equanimity, don’t react to them with clinging or aversion.

Some sittings were very eventful, others were distracting, some boring, others blissful, some intriguing. When all is said and done, what I have learned is that instead of labeling or judging each sitting, I have become a silent observer. In fact, I now realize that if I become attached to a experience in a sitting I may begin to crave that, if I begin to dislike a bored sitting then I may begin to create aversion for it, this in turn begins the cycle again and creates new sankharas!

My intention was to go and do something for me, self healing. In doing this I in turn make the world a better place. I learned a lot about my body and my mind during the process and in the week since. So life becomes an observation and as I observe all aspects of it without cravings or avoidances, I begin to release myself from my disharmonious patterns and misery…this has got to be good for all those I come in contact with…allelujah!

I wish you all compassion on the path to liberation,

Rev. Carol Lefevre

Paradigm Shifts, Uncomfortable?…Hell Yes. Transcending?…Absolutely!

Hi Everyone,

I have had a miraculous weekend which included a huge paradigm shift. I love how the universe works, so complex and simplistic simultaneously. I guess it all depends on our “perspective.” Come to think of it ever since I came up with the name New Perspectives Ministry for my business I have had several paradigm shifts…yippee.

I’m so excited about the one that happened this weekend I can hardly stay in my body! So let me try to explain the just of it…

As many of you know I had a client who is preparing to get married. She approached me and said that they, her and her spouse would like me to perform the wedding. I was elated, after spending so much time completing me studies to become an Ordained Minister, I could now submerge myself in a worthy cause, unions of the heart…yummy, right?

I was then informed by the Minister at my church, “The International Spiritual Alliance” that it may take up to a full 5 years to become legally registered with Vital Statistics and she asked if I was prepared for this. She cited several other Minsters who have started their own Centers and who had, in many cases waited for years. I went into total and complete shock, knowing that I had committed to perform my clients nuptials in Sept. this year.

Imagine my surprise when I received my approval and certification within 6 weeks. I thought to myself, “Spirit definitely has something to do with this…and this is obviously part of my future work with the Divine.”

I began to do what most entrepreneurs do, study who else are doing weddings, what type, their prices, what makes them unique and all that research that is so important. In my attempt to put something professional together I took info from sites that spoke to me, or that I thought I should model. Let me just say I did a lot of copying, pasting and re-wording. I was attempting to create something tangible that I could show to my client when we met. I had very little time and a short window of opportunity to prepare something somewhat professional, so I adlibbed in the interim. Yikes, what a colossal mistake, or was it?

My meeting was, you guessed it, this weekend. Not only with her, but also with her future husband. During this meeting I came to a pivotal point in my thinking about myself and how I operate. Uncomfortable, OMG…yes, transcending…absolutely! I realized I was placing myself, my worth, values, beliefs and connection to unions of the heart and the Divine in a cookie cutter role. I didn’t really want to be like so many other wedding officiants. YIKES…what on earth was I doing???

I have to share with you my gratitude for being so very blessed for the opportunities provided by my guides to grow, evolve and shift in such momentous and powerful ways. They ALWAYS without fail come through for me. At times, I am send down what I believe to be my new path, only to discover that my limiting beliefs have attached certain expectations to a situation. My guidance is firm, yet yielding and compassionate, for this I have been eternally grateful. Of course, I have become more open, flexible and less stubborn as well, which has definitely helped me move through some of my life lessons unscathed.

On Saturday, before my meeting with this client, I tuned into spirit and I asked, “what would be in my highest and best good to focus on for this meeting?” My answer, “Expect powerful change and a sudden shift in your perceptions.” I don’t mind telling you that I was a little perplexed by the answer. Instead of trying to figure it out I carried on preparing an information package for the two of them.

Well, after the meeting, I sat silently for 30 minutes and just absorbed the energy, process and what had occurred during the meeting. In quiet reflection I realized that in my attempt to prepare a website, price list, ceremony information and tidbits that I thought were important I forgot one vital truth…that which I had put together, my heart, spirit and being did not feel moved to do. Again…What on earth was I thinking! Perhaps the issue was that “I was thinking”, not feeling, being and experiencing the depth of the commitment, love and understanding that such an important vow/oath has.

The commitment to heartfelt love and to our beloved is one of the most sacred and important vows, we as humans choose to make while on the Earth plane and I know it should not to be entered into lightly or for the wrong reasons. I of all people understand the long term effects energetically and how it can affect us for many lifetimes to come. There is an unseen power that we discover in Love when we move toward an open loving heart. This important realization compares to no other. So have chosen to dedicate my services, love, kindness, compassion and reverence to couples who resonate with this truth. To you, I offer, my passion, knowledge and wisdom of ritual and energy.

So, the bottom line…I have shifted my focus and now choose only to perform unique unions that have some sort of spiritual or ritual essence to them. This is my authentic self and belief, this is my domain, where I am comfortable, where my heart is. In this space I no longer have to try to fit into a world that is not like me just to get in the business of marrying people! If you are one of the couple who resonate with my words, I encourage you to contact me. Begin with checking out my previous blog or my other website that is the business that I have had for over 20 years and is ever changing: Soul Alchemy Healing.

It is my hope that in the next few weeks I can re-vamp my website to better reflect this important message and connect with those who have an affinity with how spirit has chosen to work through me.

Did I mention how precious and awesome my guidance system and spirit guides are? If you didn’t hear me…”OMG, my guides are totally amazing!!!!”

So, if it wasn’t for my client wanting me to perform her wedding ceremony, I likely would not have moved on the getting registered to perform weddings thing. If it wasn’t for her partner calling me on my word/intention I likely would not have come to the realization of how the sacred has chosen to work and move through me to co-create the most precious and magnificent expressions of LOVE. It is with humbleness and gratitude, that I give thanks for this lesson, information and redirection of my being.

Yours in Humility and Truth,

Rev. Carol Lefevre

It’s Official, I’m Official!

What is union, love, ritual?

I find myself asking a lot of questions about love these days. Perhaps it is because I am officially registered with Vital Statistics as an ordained Minister to legally perform wedding ceremonies. The day I received my letter and my marriage registration book, my heart soared, who wouldn’t want the privilege of bonding two lovers? I am so thrilled to have my new website set up: http://www.newperspectivesceremonies.com

You can also follow me on my new twitter account: username: unque_unions: https://twitter.com/#!/unique_unions or hit my like button on facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Perspectives-Ceremonies/102220263251715

I love the interaction and heartfelt love that comes from sharing inspirational thoughts & stories with others and their loved ones. I am filled with great joy when performing ceremonies and rituals for like-minded, like-hearted people and being a part of their hopes, dreams, healing and visions.

Ritual and ceremony are deeply important to us human beings. When rituals and ceremony are done well and with heart and meaning they evoke and provide a sense of “oneness and community” and people come away feeling that their lives have been positively touched by the experience. Ritual and ceremony make and mark change within a community of family and friends.

Rituals are non-utilitarian, symbolic acts that involve and promote the cultivation of mindfulness. The transformative power of ritual is achieved when we take the opportunity to explore ourselves, our hearts, and our ideals. We step out of this world to cultivate a meaningful experience and then to return to life changed. This is why we seek to perform ritual or ceremony. There are various explanations for, and values to, the performance of ritual.

“Ritual”, in its essence and spelling, is the root of “spi-ritual” because we can only really access the depths of our minds, hearts, and souls when we perform certain physical acts with our bodies consistently as rituals.

Some explain that the great power of ritual is social since the performance of rituals indicates commitment to a group and to an identity. Rituals add stability to community and tighten social bonds through the sharing of meaningful practices.When we fully celebrate the joyful things in our lives, we are able to savor them and recognize the beauty of life, ourselves, and each other. This brings even more joy and fulfillment to us and the people we love.

For centuries relationships have bloomed and so has love. Many have described love over the centuries…

To some love is friendship set on fire, love is patient, love is kind. It has no envy, nor it boasts itself and it is never proud. It rejoices over the evil and is the truth seeker. Love protects; it speaks out for justice and protests when harm is being done. Love does not threaten to withhold itself if it doesn’t get what it wants. Love is inherently compassionate and empathic. Love honors the sovereignty of each soul.

Love often occurs between two or more individuals. It bonds them and connects them in a unified link of trust, intimacy and interdependence. It pulls communities together for a common goal. It enhances our relationships and comforts the soul. The depth of love cannot be measured. Look at the relationship between a mother and a child. The mother loves the child unconditionally and it cannot be measured at all.

A different dimension can be attained within any relationships with the magic of love. If we simply focus on the goodness of the other person, we can create love. This happens because love cares what becomes of you.
It is a force of nature one of the greatest forces of all! To understand love we need to understand that we can not command, demand, or disappear love, any more than we can command the moon and the stars and the wind and the rain to come and go according to our whims.

Love is bigger than you and I are. You can invite love, but you cannot dictate how, when, and where love expresses itself. You can choose to surrender to love, or not, but in the end love strikes like lightening, unpredictable and irrefutable. You can even find yourself loving people you don’t like at all. Love does not come with conditions, stipulations, addendums, or codes. Like the sun, love radiates independently of our fears and desires.

Although many may attempt it, love cannot be bought, sold, or traded. You cannot make someone love you, nor can you prevent it, for any amount of money. Love has no territory, no borders, no quantifiable mass or energy output.

Love cannot be turned on as a reward. It cannot be turned off as a punishment. Only something else pretending to be love can be used as a lure, as a hook, for bait and switch, imitated, insinuated, but the real deal can never be delivered if it doesn’t spring freely from the heart.

Psychology portrays love as a cognitive phenomenon with a social cause. It is said to have three components in the book of psychology: Intimacy, Commitment, and Passion. Also, in an ancient proverb love is defined as a high form of tolerance. Regardless of our definition, love has always ruled, in music, poetry, paintings, sculptor, literature and most importantly in our hearts.

With Great LOVE and gratitude,

Rev. Carol Lefevre

Shakespeare Quotations on Love

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
(Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.139-41)

Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.
(Hamlet, 1.2.123-6)

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm’d;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;
Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou growest:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this and this gives life to thee.
(Sonnet 18)

All days are nights to see till I see thee,
And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.
(Sonnet 43)

Personal Healing Retreat

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence…We need silence to be able to touch souls.“  ~Mother Teresa ~

I recently had an opportunity to escape for tres semanas increíbles (three incredible weeks) to a hot, sunny, beautiful space in Atenas, Costa Rica that allowed be to do a personal retreat. Atenas is slightly NW of San Jose. Have you ever wondered what you would do if you had nothing to do? Imagine being surrounded by beauty and healing energy 24/7. Waking up daily to just nurture yourself that’s right I said it…yourself, you and only you! Imagine having the time to heal the past so it can be cleared and released forever.

It was como un regalo (such a gift), to receive an amazing place to stay with a beautiful yard and view, an airline ticket, and  the company of a woman who is as dedicated to her personal journey as I am. I have known Ann Metcalfe for approximately 5 years now, she is a client, student and friend. In that time I have watched her blossom, grow and develop on so many levels. She is dedicated to her spiritual journey, assisting others and committed to healing Gaia, what’s not to love! I will always be grateful to her and her husband Howie for the amazing opportunity to do a personal retreat.

So what is a personal healing retreat anyhow? The true meaning of “retreat” is to turn inward. To retreat is to go into a space that allows us to deeply realize the truth of our being and to experience the essence of existence. This personal retreat offered me that one thing I so desperately needed…time! Time to step back from the course of daily life and enter into the unknown, in a new environment that provided both the structure and support to do so. Time to release old patterns of thinking inherited from my family and environment, time to releasing old habits of self abusive thinking, anxiety, overwhelm, destructive relationships, and ending other issues or behaviors that no longer served me.

We live in a world created by a divided mind, which perceives separation and thus operates with fear-based, repetitive thoughts, always planning and seeking some future imaginary peace.  I have often wondered, “do we ever find it?”

Not usually, instead what we usually find is the accumulated stress caused by constantly chasing after something, and a sense that something is always missing. In order to find relief and healing of stress, we need to stop all worldly activities, step back, retreat and just simply be. The experience I shared with Ann in Costa Rica allowed me to empoderar a mí mismo (empower myself), reclaim my lost energy from so many lifetimes, and most importantly be in ONENESS will all that is. It was a nurturing and healing experience that I will always be grateful for. Pulling back from our everyday world allowed us, through meditation,  prayers and energy work, to turned our attention back to what really matters, our True-Self, our God-Self.

It usually takes a serious life challenge, such as a midlife crisis, the loss of a loved one, divorce, break-up, serious illness to realize the need to search for personal spiritual retreat. Fortunately for Ann and I this was not the case. We chose to change, shift and grow within ourselves simply for the pleasure of doing so, to reconnect with our authentic values and fall deep into universal consciousness.

I couldn’t figure out how to embed the video directly so go to this link to see Ann and Howie’s home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coW9LJU3wV0&feature=youtu.be

In Costa Rica our healing journey/retreat was focused on our specific needs and included so many wonderful aspects, check out this list of things we did, and over 3/4 of them on a daily basis:

1. Sun Gazing: a practice of gazing at the sun for nourishment, as a spiritual practice at sunrise or sunset
2. Doing Mantras: a mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of creating transformation
3. Morning walks
4. Tuning into the Mayan calendar
5. Homemade, fresh tropical fruit drinks
6. Laying in the pool, just looking up at the sky
7. Reiki: a technique commonly called palm healing or hands on healing
8. Crystal Healing: placing crystals on different parts of the body, often corresponding to chakras, or places crystals around the body in an attempt to construct an “energy grid”, which is purported to surround the client with healing energy
9. Picking your own fruit off the trees
10. Studied and spoke Spanish
11. Celebrated Ann’s creation of her balancing boxes with a Gaia Ceremony
12. Mental, emotional and spiritual clearing work in the pool
13. Staying open, flexible and going with the flow
14. Meditation & breathing
15. Setting up Crystal Grids and Spiritual Vortexes: Grids are a number of crystals arranged into a particular geometric form creating a particular energy field
16. Massage treatments
17. Meeting and sharing with the local peoples
18. Sun bathing
19. Full Moon Ritual
20. Holographic Healing: a multidimensional healing which accesses the original thought form and clears a person’s body, mind, emotions, energy bodies, chakras and meridians
21. Kundalini and Hatha Yoga
22. Shopping at the farmers market on Fridays
23. Holding the space for others to heal and clear
24. Emotional Clearing: tracing conditional behavior patterns back to their source by connecting with your unconscious mind and then eliminating them
25. Journaling
26. Channelling important information
27. Painting with water colours
28. Recapitulation: a technique that enables an individual to repair damage and energy drain that comes from soul loss or soul fragmentation
29. Star gazing and connecting to ETs

Cada día era un poco diferente (each day was a little different) but for the most part, all days were spirit directed and our key focus was on ourselves. There were some days when I only spent time with Ann during meals or on our walk. Our walks even contained elements of shifting our being. For instance we would challenge ourselves by setting an intention before going for a walk and hold that thought while walking, often repeating an affirmation over and over. Here is an example: “The God power in me is greater than any power or force causing me mind chatter.  I yield to the God power within. The God power within me brings me peace of mind, joy and love. I am grateful to the God power within for Self-Mastery.” Another time we would focus on breath, “I breathe out negativity…I breathe in a positive new future.”

Ann spent a couple of days working on her property and Mario’s, her friend’s vacation property next door (this was the pool we had access too, thanks Mario!). It was fantastic seeing Ann dowse the energy grids, ley lines and do testing for harmful geopathic zones and fields of negative energy which are electromagnetic in nature that flow within the Earth’s crust. I wish I would have gotten a photo. Seeing her with a big hat, draped cloth around her shoulders, wearing a sarong and holding her notepad and pendulum helped me recall her as an indigenous shamanic healer, Peruvian is my feeling, in a past life. This is Ann’s website if you are interested in more about the incredible work she does with Gaia: http://www.soilclearing.com/index.html

I could go on and on about our trip and get into some of the details of what we did, instead I thought I’d give you an example of a typical day and post some photos. Un día típico cuando algo como esto (A typical day when something like this):

• 5:30am, wake up and go through my gratitude list while sun gazing, the sun was just beginning to come up
• 5:45am, read Mayan calendar for the day and tune into the energy
• 6:00am make a coffee and go back outside to do some chanting or mantras
• 6:30am, activate Merkabah and do a short meditation
• 7:00am, make a fruit drink, wash up and get ready for a walk or yoga
• 7:30am, yoga or a walk or both with Ann
• 9:00am, make a smoothie for breakfast and have breaky with Ann
• 9:30-11:00AM, study Spanish either alone or with Ann
• 11:00am-1:00pm, recapitulation, at poolside (Ann and Howie’s friend next door)
• 1:00pm-2:30pm, connect with Ann, pick some fresh fruit, make and eat lunch
• 2:30pm-4:30pm, clearing work, or hanging out with God and all that is, being One
• 4:30-5:30pm, reconnect with Ann, chat and figure out dinner
• 6:00-7:00pm, eat dinner
• 7:00pm-8:30pm, read, check emails, skype, journal, study Spanish, settle in
• 8:30-9:30pm, sit out and star gaze with Ann
• 9:30pm, usually wake up outside and come to bed
• Before sleep, send Reiki healing to clients, friends, stacking lists, Ann, home, Gaia and guides
• Often wake up in the middle of the night and either do clearing, prayers or channel info from spirit

Of course there were days when we chatted with the locals when we were on our walks, that was our Spanish lesson for the day. We found a little church that we stopped into during our walks and did prayers, sent healing and did meditations. Fridays we went to town on the bus to the Farmers Market, loaded up on produce and fish then took the noon bus home, again a good opportunity to practice our Spanish.

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure:

This is Ann and I doing a crystal healing and reiki treatment on a new friend:

This is the Farmers Market

This is a couple of local birds

This is a bug that makes and incredible sound as it calls for the rain, you will hear it in the background on the video

This is what our view was like when we went for walks

Ann and I met some lovely people and made some new friends. Being flexible and adaptable to what spirit put in front of us allowed those connections to come to fruition. We assisted others in unique ways that we may never totally understand, embraced community and left with full hearts.

There is nothing outside of ourselves that is going to bring joy unless we first become that joy from the inside. If you want to change your reality? Cambiar a ti mismo (Change yourself). An individual spiritual retreat may help you to rediscover an important place within, a true You.  You may become an individual, undivided by the mind, becoming One with a diverse world, and when you come home, you will bring this change with you, showing others a way to come back home to themselves, helping to change the world in your own special way.

Que todos ustedes encontrar el tiempo y el espacio para crear su retiro personal…May you all find the time and space to create your own personal retreat,

Rev. Carol Lefevre

New Perspectives on…everything? Our community circle experience.

I recently became a Minister, a Minister without my own chapel…so I thought to myself, “How can I give back to others and my community in a unique way?” What seemed like a small thought soon turned into a decision to form a new company called New Perspectives http://www.newperspectivesministry.ca  New Perspectives is a way of seeing the world and people around us in a new light…one that is kinder, realistic, and much more open. Since my intent is to bring new perspectives in the thinking, actions, feeling and spiritual lives of others, the name really fits for me.

That being said, I decided that I wanted to create the feeling of community and inclusiveness, not only for others, but for myself. Years ago I co-created a community circle that went from 5 people to over 60! It was a beautiful experience that I still reflect on today. I recognize that being open and vulnerable to others about how we feel about ourselves and life can be powerfully healing. To go beyond hearing, and to really listen to the voices and spirits of others is a precious gift that produces sisterly/brotherly love and a unique bond.

The beginning of a new moon cycle and the first of 2012, was the perfect time to begin and have our opening circle. So, what is the purpose of the New Perspectives Community Circle? The purpose of community circles is to bring people together to share their values, wisdoms, culture, talents and gifts. This idea is based on the foundation that we need all our lives to be filled with happiness, meaning, purpose, creativity, money, energy, friendship, relationship and more.

Traditionally, people gather in circles when they come together to eat, share and to create. The shape of a circle helps to improve communication, and sitting in a simple circle brings people together in a meaningful, empowering, healing, and creative way. It allows us to experience belonging and contribute to relationship building.

When we meet in a circle with the intention to truly listen to one another, we begin to experience the power and support that cultivates from the circle. When we sit together in a circle we create a safe space for each person to be themselves, to learn, and to grow. The circle is a holding place where our thoughts, feelings and inner wisdom can be brought forth. Circles can be a space to be nourished and inspired – a holding place where we as individuals and as groups can clarify our focus on what has real meaning and value. Because the center of a circle is related to our own inner center, it reminds us to be present while we listen and while we speak. Sitting in a circle is an opportunity to be present in ourselves and with each other.

The 22nd was a blustery day with lots of rain so a few didn’t make it and others fell ill. Our total for the group was 6, three men and three women, a perfect balance of the Divine Feminine and Masculine energies. The great thing about it, was that 3 members had never been in a circle before so it was a new experience for them. The smaller circle provided an opportunity to repeat each question twice, compelling each of us to dig a little deeper the second round. Going into a deeper space, opens the heart, mind and our being to new possibilities and ideas that emerge.

I came up with a list of topics to get the ball rolling and the evening before the circle my partner and I chose a dozen or so we felt would be appropriate for our first gathering. I printed them up, put them in a bowl and as a group decided to go with whatever question was drawn from the bowl. My hope is that as our circle evolves, the members will contribute questions that we can incorporate into the mix.

We began with each person sharing their name and a little about why they were at the circle. Followed was a short meditation to ground us and open our hearts. Next our first question was selected, “Tell us something you would like less of in your life”, the next question that was pulled from the bowl was, “Tell us something you would like more of in your life”, and the last one to be drawn was “Tell us where you get your inspiration” A poem was read at the end, which I changed a little to better serve our needs…I have enclosed it below.  We completed with each person sharing how they were feeling. I found that with the smaller group we were able to do three topics before we ate, in larger circles we would do one topic or question, break for goodies then return to the circle.

For me, the social aspect afterward was fantastic. I felt that once I really listened and understood another members deepest feelings on a topic, I really was drawn to learn more about them.

There are some simple guidelines that we have:

• Consider it a sacred space
• One person speaks at a time; whomever has the rock
• Speak and listen from the heart
• Encourage and welcome diverse points of view
• Listen with discernment instead of judgment
• Offer experience instead of advice
• You do not have to share
• When in doubt or need, pause and silently ask for guidance
• Everything in the circle is to be held in confidence
• Speak from your own experience and beliefs rather than speaking for others
• Open and close the circle by hearing each voice (Check-ins and check-outs)

We have decided that all the donations collected each month will be saved. twice a year we will decide, as a group what type of charitable action we would like to make with the funds. I’m am so excited about our group going out together one day and spreading good will, love and ourselves to community! I am happy to report that our first gathering yielded $60.00 of Love.

If you want to join our circle this is what you need to bring:

• Your beautiful spirit
• Openness to be present
• A light snack to share
• A love donation (to go to charity)

Join us at Soul Alchemy Healing to share with a unique group of individuals, to speak, be heard, heal, create, laugh, cry, bear witness — and be cradled in compassion. Our shared topics allow new insights and perspectives to penetrate you life. No experience necessary. Join our community and empower yourself by truly being heard!

Gatherings are the third Sunday of each month from 1:00-4:00pm

RSVP is a must, limited space available!

Contact Carol for location details @ 778-887-4400 or  Email: carol@soulalchemyhealing.com

Imagine a Person (previously Imagine a Woman)

  by Patricia Lynn Reilly

 

Imagine a person who honors their experience and tells their stories.

  Who refuses to carry the sins of others within their body and life.

 

Imagine a person who believes they are good.  A person who trusts and

respects themselves.  Who listens to their needs and desires, and then meets

them with tenderness and grace.

 

Imagine a person who has acknowledged the past’s influence on the

present.  A person who has walked through their past.  Who has healed into

the present.

 

Imagine a person who authors their life.  A person who exerts,

initiates, and moves on their own behalf.  Who refuses to surrender except

to their truest self and their wisest voice.

 

Imagine a person who names their own gods.  A person who imagines the divine

in their image and their likeness. Who designs their own spirituality and

allows it to inform their daily life.

 

Imagine a person in love with their own body.  A person who believes their body

is enough, just as it is.  Who celebrates their body and its rhythms

as an exquisite resource.

 

Imagine a person who honors the face of the god/goddess in their changing

face.  A person who celebrates the accumulation of their years and their

wisdom.  Who refuses to use precious energy disguising the changes in their

body and their life.

 

Imagine a person who values the people in their life.  A person who sits in

circles of other people.  Who is reminded of the truth about themselves

when they forget.

 

Imagine yourself as this person.

 

2011 and Beyond

Am I hallucinating, dreaming, walking in a time warp or is 2011 almost over?

As I reflect back on this year, I am in awe at how much has shifted, not only out in the world but most importantly inside of me. I have always accepted that life is a school, and that every experience is an opportunity to move forward on our evolutionary path. I really chose to stretch myself this year and in doing so I attained my BA in Metaphysical Science and also became an Ordained Minister, this developed a relationship with the Divine that I had not known before. As you might imagine, with this initiation into a new vibration came plenty of opportunity to use my new-found skills.

I took some really tough knocks this year and am on the verge of tears as I begin to recall the hardest one. It was losing my a dear friend Christine on July 31st, and with that loss came my lost relationship with her family; Julie, Graham and Christine’s husband John. I blogged about it: http://carollefevre.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/christine-wilkinson-soul-sister-and-extraordinary-friend/  I still send them all love and healing, God I wish things could be different. I was so angry and resentful I almost went mad. I don’t remember throwing a temper tantrum like that since I was 4 years old. The Buddha has a great teaching for this; “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” It certainly was the case for me!

I believe this truth “everything in the physical universe is temporary”, I honour it…of course living it can be a whole other experience. This year, I have increased my faith in the wisdom and justice of the universe. I learned forgiveness and time slowly healed the wounds of my heart, and I dared to laugh again. With loss came many new surprises and gifts, this is what I love about the Universe and surrender.

In 2011 I saw and spoke with my father for the first time in nearly 40 years. It’s still fresh and scary and weird but it’s all great! With that connections comes all the gifts of my aunts, uncles, cousins and their families. It is still in the beginning stages and I can see the potential for growth, sharing of wisdom and love; all great things. I remain open to the possibilities of connecting and sharing on an even deeper level with time.

I was fortunate to re-connect with a long time friend and soul sister, Jackie on my 50th B-day (yep, I turned 50 this year too: http://carollefevre.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/yikes-me-turning-50-years-old-is-this-right/) We were inseparable for many years. Our lives ventured in different directions and a pleasant turn of events has found us embracing our relationship again, with many new twists and turns. The nice thing about coming together again after so many years is that we both have so much to share and learn from one another.

Amazingly, a childhood buddy and cousin who I just adored also found her way back into my life. We are thinking it’s been about 32-35 years. OMG, she is spiritual, funny and a lovely woman. Interesting how I still remember her as my childhood friend. This connection has made my heart sing again and I am so very grateful.

I was forced to leave a contract position at (SEEDS) Self-Employment and Entrepreneur Development Society where I loved to facilitate and help new entrepreneurs. I was so passionate about my position there, I loved it and thought it was a great fit. It was a stressful time of injustice, betrayal and heartbreak as well. Again I had an opportunity to watch myself in action and live up to my new role as Minister. This time instead of being pissed off, angry and livid, I was able to send love and grace. It really didn’t make things easier, as far as I could tell anyhow. If Christine was here she would have said, “It might have been way worst if you didn’t do it that way, you did good my friend” Could be, all I know is that I am pleased with my evolution, I’m not stuck in a place of guilt and grief and I have let it go. I could only let it go by following the advice I would have given to a client, “if the doors keep closing, get the message, the universe has other plans for you, let it go!” Believe it or not I always seem to find solace in walking my talk. It also makes it easier to look at myself in the mirror each day.

It was at this time that I discovered a new passion and the best stress reliever I could have ever imagined…painting, from the girl who never thought I could draw to having my art exposed on an art blog…shut up! You gotta check out this blog: http://pointsthruprose.com/ Thank you Jackie!!! Sometimes I just have to give my head a shake and ask what the %$$#@*&, I am still in awe. I have found a new level of peace that I didn’t even know existed, and all I need to do is take out some paper and water colours, go figure!  Here is the blog: http://carollefevre.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/when-all-hell-breaks-loose-paint/

I was gifted a workshop called “Living From Truth” this year. I blogged about it: http://carollefevre.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/authenticity-improved-communication-and-a-deeper-more-fulfilling-life/

Doing the workshop and being a participant instead of a teacher was such a treat.  I gifted 3 clients with the experience as well. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know Ann better and the good news is that we are in the stages of a fantastic budding new friendship. (Ann was my support system when Christine passed, helping me perform last rites at the hospital and being a sounding board for me.) Connecting with my “Living From Truth”  group and doing the practices has improved my communications and an all ready amazing relationship with my husband. Who knew things could get better?

Last month with the encouragement of my friend Jackie I started a new business call New Perspectives Ministry: http://www.newperspectivesministry.ca/Homepage

I have only just got my marketing materials so next week I will end the year with the beginnings of something new.

To summarize things; the highs in 2011 have been high and the lows have been devastating. I’m not really a whiner, and when I think about the state of our world and the millions whose lives are filled with far worst devastation than mine, I can really only be grateful. Yes it was heartbreaking, yes it was a lot of hard work, but not so much that life stood still. Each day through my tears, anger, love or joy I continued to give thanks for all the blessings in my life and for my connection with God.

The changes I notice most from the effect of this year is my willingness to be in community, the deep-seated peace in my being, my phenomenal connection to the Divine and my level of gratitude for the reunions and new possibilities in 2012.

I leave you with a quote from Einstein:

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

In gratitude,

Carol

And the Liebster Award goes to….

Hi All,

I have the honour of passing  the Liebster Award on. I have revealed my five choices below. Although it was a challenging choice I would like to present  it to…Kate Hawkes http://wellnesswithkate.wordpress.com

Kate has been assisting others to find their Personal Magic, In her own words  “the uniqueness that is YOU, is your empowerment; the miracle of your being here is the gift with which you have arrived.”

The Award; The Liebster Blog Award is given to up coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest,dearest, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog
4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.
5. Let them know you choose them by leaving a comment on their blog.

Like everyone else, narrowing it down to 5 favourite bloggers is no easy task. Here is who I chose and why.

Kate Hawkes http://wellnesswithkate.wordpress.com is an arts in healthcare and theatre specialist and actress, work with horses, facilitate personal wellness workshops. She inspires creativity and magic in those around her. I enjoy her energy and her blogs very much. Kates new book, ‘Personal Magic: Conscious Empowerment through Creativity and Spirit’ is now available.

Talin http://talinorfali.wordpress.com has a passion for writing and in the last 8 years and has done a whole lot of writing. She has published articles for my Armenian community and church, on facebook, and other websites. She believes in not throwing our talent and our gifts away, but in using them to make a difference in our world. Discover her and her world of words. She loves writing her blog and that message comes through loud and clear.

khushbu http://jennyjain.wordpress.com is interested in music, reading books, playing guitar, photography. She  loves to explore topics related to health, happiness, spirituality, and success. so you can probably guess how I spend most of my time. And I am frank, friendly, fun loving and straight forward girl ..No complaints about life. She believes ”it’s the time to make best use of time and energy, and…..”LIFE IS FUN”

Joan http://angelsofsecrets.wordpress.com in her words, “I have survived unspeakable crimes against humanity. I survived the hands of a psychopathic killer. I’m the only survivor that can speak for the silenced. I began this blog because I needed to give a voice to the Angels that did not survive.” Disclaimer: This blog contains true accounts of my life and is meant for mature audiences only. Graphic, descriptive language may be used as appropriate. If you are offended by graphic, mature language then please move on to a blog that is more appropriate for you. I send you love.

Isabellart http://isabellart.wordpress.com, Isabella is a very talented young artist. I enjoy the diversity that her blog brings. It is full of all sorts of gems from poetry, painting, drawing and fashion design. Isabella is an inspiration to all of us especially youth.

Congratulations to you all, I hope others will take the time to visit your blogs and enjoy them as much as I do!

Carol

Recipient of the Liebster Blog Award

I am both humbled and honoured to be the recipient of the Liebster Blog Award. I enjoy being a part of the Blogging community and sharing my insights, wisdom and knowledge. It is pretty easy to figure out what is going on with me, simply by reading my blogs, as I tend to write about what is happening with my life in the present moment. It feels great to get it out of my mind and release it. I feel that the Blog is the perfect outlet for my doing this. It seems that once I write it out, the issue seems to clear and leave.  My hope is that it will be of some value to others as well.

I would like to thank my friend and fellow Blogger Jackie McSween for this award,  for sparking an interest in painting and for encouragement to participate in her Blog: pointsthruprose.com   I would also like to thank my followers for taking the time out of their busy lives to contribute to the Blogging community and for being actively involved in their personal growth and learning.

For those of you out there who haven’t tried Blogging yet, I would definitely recommend giving it a try and WordPress is a great platform to use. Until I blog again, Thank You!

The Award; The Liebster Blog Award is given to up coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest,dearest, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Authenticity, Improved Communication and a Deeper, more Fulfilling Life

Countless books and articles have been written on communication that explain why sending the right message is so important. They try to teach us how to send exactly the message we want. Authors often stress the importance of being concise, precise, and specific in choosing our words, regardless of whether we write them or speak them. They tell us that this is the best way to get your point across to your audience.
Sometimes we practice what we are going to say. Often we write drafts of our memos and speeches to make sure we use the right words. All this is done to make sure we send the right message, and that we are understood. There have been times in my life that regardless of following communication advise things get rattled, confused and downright messy.
As a Minister, Spiritual Coach and Metaphysical Practitioner, there is a beautiful flow of hearing, receiving, being understood and facilitating change with my clients and students. It’s out in the world where diversity, cultural awareness, stress and busyness and surrounding conditions seem to affect how we relay communication to one another.
I most recently had a 3 month contract as a Business Advisor for a government funded entrepreneur program. I had been facilitating there for two years so when offered an opportunity to work with the clients one-on-one I was thrilled. It was only 3 days a week and left sufficient time for me to continue serving my personal clients from my healing practice.
As an entrepreneur and business owner myself, there is a real satisfaction that comes with supporting and guiding others to create their visions. I loved the clients I worked with, there excitement and ideas. Within a month a strange dynamic with the staff began to take place, communication became strained and at one point was unbearable. From that point on we never seem to got back on track. I really put myself out there, begging for open dialogue, contact, communication….anything to resolve this uncomfortable feeling, NOTHING! For the life of me I just could not figure it out. How could I have vibrant and satisfying relationships with my clients in the program and not the staff working there?
So I prayed, sent love and held the energy for things to open up and change. They did, but not with the staff members or our communications. Instead a beautiful, young entrepreneur from the program,  beginning a healing practice Angelika Bendrich ~ Fundamentals Of Life:  http://www.seedsbdc.com/clients/1921   gifted me with a free workshop called:

“Living from Truth – Getting Yourself Understood”

In the words of the facilitator Anjali Hill, ” People often feel victim to their own relationships not realizing that they can do something about them. Not only can you do something about them, you can change them! You have known people who put the responsibility on others to understand them and get angry when they feel misunderstood. In ‘Getting Yourself Understood’ you create ways to express yourself that leave you feeling very satisfied and able to do what is required to bring about real understanding in your relationships.”    http://anjalihill.com

Taking Living from Truth is an investment that you will use every day of your life. As a facilitator and Metaphysical Practitioner myself, meeting Anjali was a real privilege. She goes with the flow of the group, is genuine, has fantastic knowledge and leads with compassion. She embodies the kind of knowledge that comes from dedicated practice and unwavering self honesty. When I met her, simply being in her presence caused an inner stirring and excitement of what the weekend would hold.
So where am I only two days after the classes? I now understand the importance of completing communication cycles, heck now I know what a communication cycle is! I know how to ask for clarification without having to ask half a dozen questions, I can assist others in getting their point across simply by holding the space for them to do so and I can pinpoint exactly where communications break down. I now know never to try to communicate into a space that is unwilling or unable to understand, and have left my part-time Advisor position. Most importantly,  I have already used several of the tools successfully and will continue to do so.
Anjali Hill is a very generous woman and gives back to the community. Her commitment to assist individuals to Live in Truth is unprecedented which is demonstrated through her generosity of offering everyone their first course absolutely free with no strings attached…what a fantastic gift to the consciousness of our planet.
For more information on workshop schedules and to download a free gift certificate:
http://anjalihill.com/workshops/workshop-living-from-truth/

I send my love and gratitude for Angelika whose gift improved my life, to Anjali who preciousness and love changes our world and to God who answered my calls for assistance.