Everyday Bliss For Women In Leadership

Okay, so the Autumnal Equinox was a week ago, but you can still have yourself a merry litle spa break at this time of the year when the energies are changing like mad, crazy swirls of leaves caught up in a merry dance with the North Wind. Blow some clean air through your hair - open all the windows even if it’s cold  and let your home and office air out completely from morning to night. And…

Try this five minute complete System Recharge to jump up your energy a bit at a time when the earth’s energies are winding down, going deeper, pulsing slower. This practice, which invokes the basic elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, purifies the subtle energy system and invigorates all of your sensate organs. Spend but a minute or two on each of the four areas:

Earth: Facing North, look down at the ground and feel gravity, pulling your body downward. Palms facing the ground, breathe both in and out through your nose while feeling the soles of your feet as they touch the earth. Breathe in through your soles of your feet and the palms of your hands.

Water: Turning to face the West, lean your neck backward looking upward and allow your lips to part. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Imagine that you are standing in a shallow mountain stream with water raining down upon you. Water rolls off of your body, drips down into the stream and flows away, taking all that doesn’t belong in or on you, with it.

Fire: Facing South, stand erect with your elbows bent and hands raised to shoulder level, facing the front of your body. Breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. As you breathe in, feel the breath stoking your internal fire or "dan tien" in your solar plexus. As you breathe out imagine you are sending the light of that fire outward, into a protective and energizing sphere which surrounds you.

Air: Facing East, allow your entire body to relax and soften. Feel yourself becoming less solid and more permeable. Your arms hang loosely with the palms facing to the front of you. As you breathe in and out through your mouth, feel the air flowing into and out of your body through the very pores in your skin.

Old circle-junkies among the reading audience might notice this goes in a counter-clockwise (or counter-sunwise if you will) circle. Yes. At this time of the year, the energies of the natural environment that surround us are moving more in these counter-sunwise spirals as the light of the sun itself grows less intense and weaker. This is one way to make a counter-sunwise spiral work for you, to energize and purify. Enjoy!

Come to EduCamp at Stanford University with me! A bunch of educators, both the hoary oldschool types who remember chalkboards and wooden pencils like me and a bunch of the younger high tech variety are gathering to conference over our ideas. 

I’ve been teaching in one format or another since 1979 and most recently in the last seven years, in an online eCampus format. Towards that end I’d like to invite you to join me at StanfordUniversity September 16 - 17 for Educamp, where I am giving a presentation on Successful Leadership in Online Learning Environments: Tips & Tools of the Virtual University.

More info here: http://educamp.pbwiki.com/

EduCamp is collaboratively hosted at Stanford University on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 11:00 am PT- Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 5:00 pm PT and you can register here:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/70116721

For a look at what I’m doing, here’s the description and syllabus for my presentation:

Successful Leadership In Online Learning Environments:
Tips, Tools and Lessons of the Virtual University

with Maryam Webster, Director of The Energy Coach Institute

Course Summary

Maryam will share her experience of seven years as an online teacher for a specialty coach training institute, and as training director and course writer through the 1990’s for several corporations in different training contexts. We will be discussing the best open source software, audio class -vs- webcasts and how to handle each inexpensively, enhancing student experience through didactic and autodidactic participation, in-class structure, out-of-class semi-structured learning and participation opportunities, skilful initiation and use of the cohort bond, collaborative software as community, ensuring ongoing learning after the course is over.

Syllabus

• The Advantages of Online Learning
• One Model of eCampus Technology - it’s Advantages/Disadvantages
• eCampus Leadership and Community Building
• Collaborative Leadership Of The Cohort Model Online
• Fitting the Syllabus to the Learner: Languaging as an Aid in Learning Styles
• The Power of the Mastermind in Retention and Learning Group Cohesion
• e-Learning Course After-Care

Resources

Online Learning Course Search Network
The Moodle Open Source eCampus software- this is one of the opensource software packages we use and recommend
Online Learning Teacher Clearinghouse
Be a Student For a Day: Take An Online Learning Demo Course
Getting The Most Out Of Online Learning
Are You Ready To Learn Online?- this quiz would be really great…if the scoring system worked!
15 Benefits of Online Learning
More Benefits of eLearning

Cheryl Richardson’s newsletter is an ongoing source of inspiration. In speaking of the events of 9/11/2001, she offers these questions, which I in turn offer to you.

"That day showed me the true, universal priorities we all need to keep at the forefront of our minds — how connected we are to our own soul, to each other, and to a power greater than ourselves.  Realizing this truth in such an earth-shattering way gave me the courage to make tough, sometimes unpopular, choices to insure that my life was reflecting what mattered most.  I decided to travel less and be home more.  I gave up some goals that were more important to my head than my heart.  I made my spiritual life more of a priority.  And, I started the ritual of answering the following questions each year on September 11th that I share with you today."

"…Take some time to think about these questions.  Then, write the answers in a journal or notebook.  You might even print them out and discuss them during dinner with family or friends.  Please don’t wait for a crisis to take your life seriously.  Do it now . . ."

• Am I pleased with how I’m spending my precious time on earth?
• Am I spending enough quality time with the people who matter most?
• Am I doing my best to listen to the voice of my soul so I make real, honest choices based on what I most want?
• If today were my last day on earth, would I feel good about what I’m leaving behind?
•  
• Am I sharing (or working toward sharing) my God-given gifts and talents with others?
• Are there any petty disagreements or differences that I need to let go of once and for all?
• Is there someone I need to forgive?

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Well said, Cheryl. A spiritual life for me is integral, but has come to mean something far, far different than ever it did before. We evolve and grow spiritually, sometimes away from one form and closer to a different form and at some point, to the formless. Spiritual connection ebbs and flows as is natural. Seek out sources of abundance and inspiration near you. If you are of no particular spiritual focus, you can begin to deepen in spirit by listening to the patterns of your breath and your own heartbeat, and finding that which your heart finds congruence with. For more information on heart congruence, seek out www.heartmath.org

For more information on Cheryl Richardson and to subscribe to her newsletter, go to www.cherylrichardson.com

Try my buddy Rob Schultz’s new and beautiful movie on breaking through periods of difficulty where the clouds may seem to obscure the light. A must for Law of Attraction junkies as well. Rob did this solely for love and in service to his dream, and to You. Keep a link to this one in your favorites…

Inspiration for Tough Times

Just read about this at Sandra Ghalinger’s "Tittyology" website courtesy of Suzanne’s ezine - thanks, Suz!

I was recently asked by a client how to remain professional in a contentious situation. Here is something I wrote a long time ago that still applies:

A good model for women leaders to study is the aristocratic Dr. Maya Angelou. Her calm, poised, well-spoken personality is known and beloved by many as a national treasure.

Dr. Angelou is honorable but not prudish.

She is classy, but knows how (and when) to sling her slang.

She would never indulge in a public catfight, bitter put-down, political manipulation or game of one-upmanship. She once said her self-worth would not permit such actions - neither should yours.

Dr. Angelou leads very simply by her words and the sterling example of her inherent and unshakable self-dignity.

Cultivate that within you that is respectful, self-aware, classy, dignified and grounded in bedrock, and you will have all the professional demeanor you will ever need.

My eyes were streaming with joy as I watched this latest video - Paul Potts, underdog from Wales WON the Britain Has Talent show and in fulfillment of a lifelong dream, will be going to sing for the Queen. If you haven’t yet read about this humble man’s amazing story you can do so, and watch Paul’s audition tape at my blog entry here.

And in further testament to the power of a vision coupled with perseverance through obstacles into Bliss, enjoy - with tissues by your side - Paul’s winning announcement and encore performance:

Do you AQ? If not, you might want to. AQ stands for Abundance Quotient and is a system developed by my friend Kim George to e-x-p-a-n-d the potential and possibilites of your life. I loved her newsletter intro of today so much I am reproducing it below as a sterling example of a wonderful Everyday Bliss mindset. Savor this delicious slice of summer savvy and get yourself on over to Kim’s site and sign up for her newsletter and classes today.
 

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Kim

Connect to the wonderful Kim and the AQ institute here: http://coachingintogreatness.com

Talk about following your bliss, wait ’til you view this must-see inspirational movie. Paul Potts, cell phone salesman from Wales and not very impressive by his own admission in a cheap suit and bad haircut, knocked ‘em dead last night. This modest man whose dream it is to sing opera, blew the top off England’s answer to American Idol ("Britain’s Got Talent") with his rendition of Nessun Dorma, made famous by none other than opera virtuoso Luciano Pavarotti.

Both men and women in the audience were deeply moved, and gave him an enthusiastic standing ovation. Simon Cowell’s jaw literally dropped. Judge Amanda Holden wept…as did I, when I saw this stunning performance. Potts has overcome shattered collarbone, burst appendix and a host of other personal ills to appear on this program, because he had a dream. And nothing could keep him down. Now, he’s being considered to sing for the Queen herself.

Moral of the Story: Let nothing stand in the way of your dream. Nothing. 

You go Mr. Potts. The Queen is waiting, and the world is with you. Bravissimo!

 

 

Full Story, here: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21904047-2,00.html