Life Coach Dane Online

Do You Have a Mom?

2012-02-13T08:28:00.000-08:00

Today the Meandering comes from the words of a babe, my 3 year old granddaughter, Adalyn. Last week she told her daddy "I heard a star & wishded that everyone had a mom." In truth, we all have a mom; somebody that birthed us. I guess the real question is "What is your love connection with your mom?" This is the week/month of love & LOVE is what is meandering through my mind & heart today.

It all began there in the womb of our mother: our sense of self; our feelings of being nurtured & nourished; our belief in our worthiness; our perception of Source; unconditional love (or not). Whatever was mirrored there may still be being mirrored. Let us raise our awareness of that & also claim full responsibility that in this moment you are the only one that can determine all of that. Whatever your love state is on this Valentine's Day week, I invite you to Be It & Give It to Get It.

I'm here to help you love fully & completely & to be loved fully & completely. Also, here are some affirmations to help:

I love myself just as I am.

I love loving & being loved.

I love without condition & therefore attract that to me.

I am grateful for all of the people that I love & that love me.

I see with eyes of love.

My heart is available for more love.

Keep it simple. Just love. Start with yourself by listening to this song:

Do You Have Stick-to-it-ness?

2011-11-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

Let's take communication for example. The kind of conversation I like best is the real one which can be kind of messy - the kind that starts one place and meanders through a thousand valleys of sharing of self and ends up clear on the other side of the mountains near a clear blue stream with melodies all around and having completed the journey together, the people feel heard, valued, and understood. I like the raw and real - the conversations where people go the distance despite their fears of being heard and not being heard. I like the ones where people are committed to going to wherever the path takes them no matter how painful because they can see at the other end a light of personal and spiritual growth that is unequaled. Our deepest and best work is done in relationship. It is also the most difficult. A deep love of mine calls this 'stick-to-it-ness' - the ability and willingness to stick to something that we care about so that the greater good can feel the benefit. It might also be called commitment. When we want to run because the conversation gets tough, it is valuable to look inside ourselves and to see what is 'chicken feed' the ego-ness of our pulling back and what is the purest grain that we want to take forward in the refining of our personality and soul.

I'm meandering today about staying in the conversation and wondering what stops me from going the distance sometimes and propels me confidently forward with a large dose of stick-to-it-ness at other times. Some conversations need to happen in a form other than face-to-face even though I think that is the best way since we are living this physical existence. Putting our feelings to paper and letting our writing hand show us the way is a powerful alternative even if the letter never gets sent. Prayer is another way to help transform what seems too messy for the time. When we return to the conversation though - even much later - the 'powers that be' have stirred the words and feelings in just the right places so we can look in each other's eyes with integrity and take the next step - even if the next step takes us far from each other.

The other night my phone rang - right on the verge of too late because he knows and usually honors my time for sleeping. I answered though and in our sleepy states we went there - to that place of raw and wonderful - talking openly about our feelings without the attachment to what the other thought - to that place of taking the person's words to heart but not taking them personally - of honoring the other no matter where they dive and soar because unconditional love was our foundation and we stuck together. When we remember that our most important lesson on earth is to love ourselves unconditionally and to extend that to all others from a solid Core of self, we can go the distance . . .

Where does your mind meander on this precious Monday morning when you think of staying in conversations, sticking with projects, walking through the fire of a scary path? Do you know what it feels like to go there - to want to run with every cell of your body and yet somewhere inside - right at the Core of who you are and what is important to you - you know you must stay? Do you know the boundary setting that we all must have when 'no' is the best answer because we can't or don't want to go there? Do you know how to discern inside yourself when to stay and when to go? Just wondering . . .

I welcome your responses. I honor any stories you want to share. I am grateful for walking the path of the messy and the miraculous with you.

Inviting you to go there - to that place of 'stick-to-it-ness' - and hoping you come out on the other side feeling heard, valued, appreciated, and real,

I'm here to hear you and to help,

Dane

Trick and Treat

2011-10-31T07:13:00.000-07:00

The holiday of Halloween is upon us & let us rejoice in the vastness of what it represents: the standing point between Autumn & Winter; the thinning of the veils between this world & all the others which heightens our ability to hear the answers to our prayers; our intuition & our ability to know; a chance to express more of ourselves by dressing up like anything at all; an opportunity to take off our masks & to finally reveal our true elves; & of course, to trick & treat. Yes, we can have both.

If you're like me, tricks are not bad things. They can be quite fun! Why force ourselves into choosing between a trick or treat when we can have it all exactly to our liking. Go ahead & make a list of all the tricks & treats you desire & ready yourself for receiving them from the big ole Halloween Bowl of Life.

I'm here to hear you & to help you hear yourself so you can rejoice in the vastness of you!

Happy Halloween!

Dane

Are You Nesting?

2011-10-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Baking was my way of being Saturday as fruit & nut muffins, banana bread and oatmeal cookies went in and out of the oven & aromas of Autumn filled the air. There's nothing like the recipes from a well-used cookbook full of stains of butter & cinnamon to arouse the seasonal senses. Agree? Instead of catering yesterday's Grand Re-Opening, I decided to do the baking myself & I'm so glad I did. Adding love & goodness to those treats for those that came brought smiles all weekend long. Thank you to all of you that called, texted, emailed & came. May bountiful blessings continue to come your way.

Nesting is what is on my mind & in my heart on this chilly morning. My ways of nestling in for the seasons ahead include all that I deem feminine: putting the cozy comforters & furry throws in place; filling home with the scents of nurturing; repotting the herbs & making way for them in the windowsills; fillling the freezer from the bountiful harvest; turning on lamps; lighting candles; making way for love.

What does nesting bring to mind for you? Whether you are man or woman, what aspects of you come more into being this time of year?

Our environments are so important & as we look ahead to the season of winter which is a time for planning the seeds of our lives in our minds, I invite you to look around at what is around you. What ways do you want to prepare your space for wide open space of body, mind & spirit during the colder months? Whether through Feng Shui or clutter clearing coaching (or the internal work of energy & clearing), I am here to help you create a home haven.

Simple Ways to Align with Autumn:

create a harvest altar in your home to hold symbols of all that you are thankful for (mark your calendar for the annual Gratitude Ceremony on Thursday, November 3. See details below)

visit a festival at a local orchard and enjoy the fresh-pressed cider

play in the leaves as you rake them

gather family together for a celebration

create flavorful dishes from the rich harvest

enjoy the changing colors and crunchiness of the leaves

I'm here to hear you & to help you hear yourself so your mind, body & spirit feel warm & cozy all season long.

Autumn Riches,

Dane

Intend. Focus. Act. = Zippa!

2011-05-02T07:17:00.001-07:00

I woke up at 6 am in a lazy and meandering mood allowing the day to unfold a bit before I rose. I listened to the songs of the birds and bugs and felt the morning light coming like it does on days without sunshine.
The morning was speaking my song of slow. My journal was close and captured my ramblings and brought me to that clear mind where intentions can be created more easily. More and more freshness came into my window view and I felt the Earth's aliveness impacting my own. I thought of the seasons of nature, our lives and within us. I thought of some of you and how I treasure coaching you through your seasons of growth and death and all that is between.

I wondered if the buds on the trees felt the pressure of their near blooms and sensed they don't fight as some of us do to blast past the pressure and into the possibility of new life. All of life's lessons are mirrored in nature and in every little detail of life. What a blessing to behold the reflections of the mystery and miracles.
Last week I wrote of rest and how so many needed a grand pause to reboot. Now I'm seeing within our circle a call for moving forward. This is not a call for busyness. It is a call for intentional, focused and active energy which I call Zippa! If you're connected to me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LifeCoachDane), you're probably already familiar with the word Zippa. The briefest definition is to Intend. Focus. Act. Many had a wet, wild and wooly April but May has arrived and all systems are GO! The green is growing! Are you?

I invite you to consider:
Adding wide open space to your calendar
Journaling
Living more intentionally
Letting go of distractions
Focusing on only four things and the first thing first
Seeing life as a reflection of within
Aligning thoughts, words and actions around your Core

Our Core knows that the best next steps will come from peace, joy, love and pure heart/intention. To do that, we need to be that. Listen. Trust. Know . . . See Zippa Coaching Special below if you're ready to begin to INTEND. FOCUS and ACT.

I am here to hear you and to help you hear your Core Wisdom Within.
Dane

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Love-Monday-Morning-Meandering-from-Life-Coach-Dane---Company.html?soid=1104839106596&aid=vbKXmTWKuo4

2011-04-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

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Mirror Monday Morning Meandering

2011-03-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

We can't lie to the mirror. It stands firmly before us beckoning our eyes to look, really look without and within. We can try to look away but its invitation continues. When we rest upon the image of us, we realize it wasn't so scary after all. Our reflected eyes can be our most comforting presence.

Mirror work has been a part of my coaching practice since day one and continues. Holding a mirror up and really seeing the light within bounced back and the fine lines of time etched in each of our faces are divine connections to something greater.

This morning I'm remembering a day in 1997 when the mirror caught me by surprise. It was soon after my arm surgery and I hadn't seen its reflection yet. Its odd form hung awkwardly at my side and I realized the reconstructive work had changed it forever. Tears flowed over and I had a present moment experience where I knew I had to choose the view of self to take. I could pick to feel deformed or I could garner strength within and take a stand in that direction. The truth was my arm wouldn't work in the ways it did before and that realization was devastating. On the other hand, the doctors had told me that I would likely lose its use completely and that wasn't the case either. It was truth-telling time and I went there.

Have you ever had one of those 'come to Jesus moments' when you looked into the mirror and knew the time of choice had arrived? That was what that moment was for me and I got busy that day deciding my strength. We each have a strength inside of us, that I call our Core, and it will get us through every single little obstacle life chooses to put upon us and we choose to look upon. It is our choice.

Shortly after that mirror morning, I traveled to Canada on a solo Vision Quest to rediscover my strength of mind, body and spirit. The physical challenges were immense and I faced fear, falsehoods and facts wholeheartedly. I went there because I knew the other direction would be a downward spiral of defeat. I wasn't willing to succumb to being a victim or weak or put upon. My life hasn't been easy but I wouldn't change a thing because the strength within has allowed me the gifts of discernment and decision-making that rests upon a solid sense of self.

I look in the mirror and reflected back is a Core that allows me to go there, wherever there beckons.

I invite you to take the time to look, really look into the mirror of self. What decisions are beckoning you to be made from that deep reflection of you? I'm here to hear you and to help you hear your wisdom within.

If a Vision Quest intrigues you, join us this Friday, March 25 at 6 pm for a Quest Preview Night to learn more about Spring Quests in Indiana and Arizona. For more information, visit http://www.lifecoachdane.com/

Co-Creation

2011-03-07T08:02:00.001-08:00

As we gather today, let us imagine that we stand on the damp earth with our faces turned to the wind and the horizon in view. It is just the right temperature for this time of year and we stand solid in ourselves. We are holding hot cups that warm our hands and each other's presence is warming our hearts. I invite you to take a few deep breaths and just be for a moment.

Our imagination is beautiful and that is upon what my mind is meandering today. I'm guessing that many of you use the power of your mind and positive thoughts to co-create your world view. If you embrace intentions, I'm further guessing that you see minor and major miracles all of the time. Here is a tiny example that happened in my life this morning: I arrived at my office early and had my sister on my mind. I intended some goodness in her direction and took some action steps to send happy her way. It felt good and right. Later at the bank, she pulled up next to me and I was surprised but not. That is the way life works when we are in the flow. If you aren't using the power of your mind and the Law of Attraction, I encourage you to check out this Thursday's class (details below).

When I'm aligned, I wake up in the morning and breathe in the day with a mind that remembers that my attitude is everything. I play the tape of my day ahead and trace the golden thread from here to there, intentioning my desires with a loose hold. Setting preferences and then surrendering shows life what we want and acknowledges that life sometimes knows more about what we need.

Since this is Monday and we each have a week of wonder waiting for us, I invite you to pause and ponder what you want this week. Go for the gusto! Don't hold back! Do you want peace, freedom, love, hugs, money, connection or all of that and more? Ask and ye shall receive. I know you know that. If you're like me, an occasional reminder does the spirit good.

Intentioning your intentions be met with ease and grace,

Dane

Life Coach Dane & Company

I know these recent energies have been intense. Visit http://www.lifecoachdane.com/ to read Blog and see Life Coach Dane & Company Facebook Book for periodic updates on the Earth energies.

The above visualization and promptings are similar to what is explored in life coaching sessions so you can know yourself better and therefore, live with more CORE CALM, CLARITY, COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE.

If you or someone you know is feeling tired, stuck, stressed, overwhelmed, confused or scared, respond contact Dane to schedule an appointment.

Services offered by Life Coach Dane & Company This Week

The Wisdom is Within You. I’m here to help you hear it.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the needs of your mind, body and spirit through LIFE COACHING, INTUITIVE READINGS, SPIRITUAL COUNSELING AND CLASSES. Services available days and evenings Monday through Friday & 2nd Saturday & Sunday by event or appointment.

Attracting Your Heart’s Desires: Applying the Principles of Law of Attraction

Thursday, March 10 from 6 to 8 pm $30. Register by tomorrow, March 8 at noon.

Are you are of the Law of Attraction but want the practical means to manifest?

In this class you will learn:

How to identify the what and why of your wants

Power of Intentions

How to Align and Attract

Methods for Manifestation (invite vs pull; surrender; collages; gratitude)

Clutter Clearing for Mind, Body, Spirit & Space: Make Room to Bloom!

Tuesday, March 15th from 6 to 8 pm $30. Register by tomorrow, March 8 at noon.

Overwhelmed or burdened by clutter?

In this class you will:

Learn how to clear clutter so you can room to bloom this Spring!

Walk away understanding why clutter comes and clogs your Core making every aspect of life more dense and difficult.

Clear the clutter from your mind, emotions and spirit using experiential processes

Learn simple, easy-to-integrate steps for clearing the clutter from your body and home.

Devote these few hours to you and your well-being and your Core will thank you for clearing the path to more calm, clarity, comfort and confidence.

I hope to see you soon!

Dane

March New Moon in Pisces

2011-03-04T10:25:00.000-08:00

Hello! A new moon in Pisces is here today inviting that which resides below the surface to come to the forefront. This is a time in which truth emerges and we experience shifts in attachments to what we believed was true. Inner self secrets are revealed. These energies also usher in a time of moving toward greater freedom, particularly in our speech. We are invited to let go of our personal restrictions and limitations and move to greater freedom. It is a time of miracles if we go with the flow.

Guidelines and Goals:
To go forward in life, it is best to connect to wholesomeness, purity and all that is sacred.
Open up space for the Divine to reside
Let go of worry and other addictions because they limit our freedom to choose
Pray and meditate
Spend time in nature
Ask: "What does God want for my life?" "What does my soul want?" "What do I want?" and listen for the intersection of all answers
Become more aware of how pure your words are and only speak your Core truth
Don't waste your words. Let them create a brighter future.
Believe in miracles.
Feed the hungry.
Give charity to those less fortunate.
Take action in focused, direct ways.
Leave your boxes behind by imagining that you are in a box and then get yourself out of there in your mind. Watch how life opens doors . . .
Name you fears and watch them run away
Journal
See yourself at the top of a hill, having climbed a long distance to victory. See a shining light around your body and feel your strength. Celebrate that the long road is behind you.
Put your hands together and clap for the creation that is you!

I am here to hear you and to help you hear your WISDOM WITHIN - YOUR CORE!
Go with the flow,
Dane

The Return of the Dove

2011-02-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

As my fingers fell upon my laptop keyboard, I heard the sound of the Mourning Dove having returned from her flight to far away. I sat for a moment listening to her soulful song and here is what she has to say on this Valentine's Day:

Out of all of the days of the year, today let yourself be in the feminine, the soft and receptive, the gentle and nurturing. Peace is the path in and out of everywhere. Yes, she knows she holds legends and lores about sexuality and she honors those as well and encourages us to express our sexual selves in the ways we are prompted today and everyday. It is natural to want to express love in the physical. She is also the embodiment of maternal instinct and invites us to spread the instinct beyond being a mother into every corner of our lives. Her mournful song is an invitation to the water which symbolizes emotions. She has shown people the way to water for eons - saving them from dehydration. What well do you need to drink from today to feel fully present in your love for self and love for others? Drink long and well.

Turning to the book 'Animal Speak' by Ted Andrews, I read that the Mourning Dove stirs the internal ways of our emotions. Play with them today and give them mindful expression. Feel the stirring of the promise that is Spring. The Dove lays 2 eggs which represent coupling, partners, and teamwork. She tells us that new life is possible. Creativity has found its time. Lastly, she tells us to mourn the past and to awaken to the promise of a new future. I invite you to meditate with Dove in your mind. She promises to reveal what you can give birth to in your life. May peace, love, joy, excellent health and prosperity be present for you today and everyday. I am here to hear you and to help you hear yourself as well as hear the beautiful messages of life that are always speaking.

Services offered by Life Coach Dane & Company

Coaching & Classes for Mind, Body, & Spirit since 1997

2424 East Main Street, Plainfield, IN 46168.

If you or someone you know is feeling stuck, stressed, overwhelmed, confused or scared, I am here to hear and to help.

Referrals are the number one way that people find me and therefore, find their CORE resulting in CALM, CLARITY, COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE. I appreciate your referrals and, as always, I promise I will do my best to make our time together real, meaningful, supportive and life-enhancing.

Check out my updated website at: www.LifeCoachDane.com. I welcome your feedback, questions and referrals. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the needs of your mind, body and spirit through life coaching, intuitive readings and spiritual counseling.

With gratitude for the messages of nature,

Dane

Golden Thread

2011-01-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

The robin flapped its wings with vigor and sang its springlike song yesterday despite the cold, cold morning and the dusting of snow. Spring was inside of me this weekend too as I cleaned curtains, comforters and closets.

I love all of the seasons and honor them as aspects of me and yet, my heart is calling out for the vitality and newness of spring. Before we venture there, I invite you to pause with eyes closed. Consider the seeds of your mind that are contemplating your deepest desires. Tend to those seedlings today in their tender state by reflecting, dreaming and nourishing self. Connect your today to those dreams come true like a golden thread stretched a few months out. As we near the end of January, consider that March will be here very, very soon and allow yourself the deepening of your winter. The blanket of snow warms and nurtures. All that is beautiful is cteated out of the darkness like the winter hibernation that is among us. Be with what is in all its splendor.

Be You! Monday Morning Meandering

2011-01-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

As our virtual circle gathers today near the blazing fire with hot mugs warming our hands and good conversation warming our hearts, I invite you to imagine 2011 standing wide open in front of you. See the days aligned as a delicacy - a buffet of sorts - holding all of your deepest desires. Can you feel the rhythms of the months coming and what you hope for as they lay themselves out? You do know that life wants for you what you want for you, right? Breathe into that and let yourself sigh with relief that this will be THE year, YOUR year!

A client that moved through some big stuff in record time yesterday suggested that I open a drive-thru window and I get it. We are all at our peak of performance and possibility. Big and powerful work is being done and old realities are flying out the window ZIPPA! I am amazed at what can happen in an hour and even in a moment. There is nothing holding us back except ourselves. We are living in the land of freedom to live from our Core. We each have within us seeds of self. All we need is to nurture the darkness of winter as those seeds start to seed into the light. Now is the time to dream, to ponder, to intend, focus and act. The world is waiting for the miracle of you to share your gifts with this precious Earth. Just say "yes!"

As I have been for 14 years, I am here to hear you and to help you through coaching and classes. Please know that I believe in you and the power of your Core and dreams.

Here are Winter Events to help you BLOOM from YOUR CORE!

Annual Winter Renewal Retreat

My Life is My Creation

Do you like what life is showing you?

Do you know where you’re going to?

What are you hoping for, do you know?

Come and write your own creation story for 2011. I will provide an environment with all of the processes and materials for you to write your dreams into being including a vision statement, intentions and a solid foundation for the new year.
Saturday, 1/8 10 am – 2 pm with community lunch. $55

From Fast Lane to Flow Lane

Reclaim Your Time and Your Life

Can you say with confidence “I have all the time I want and need?”

If not, join us for this experiential workshop and reclaim your time and your life.

Guaranteed to bring you more wide open time, presence and focus.

Come and reclaim your energy from the past and future and focus on now.

You will learn simple time management tips and understand more about the illusion and reality of time.

You will also receive a template of Dane’s original Focus on Four Time Management System.

Saturday, 1/8 from 3 – 5 pm. $40

Creation Collages

Come and create your collage/vision board for 2011. All supplies (magazines, poster board, glue/tape) provided.

Monday, 1/10 5 - 7 pm $5

Live From Your CoreÔ Class

Are you managing your life or is your life managing you? Life is filled with pressures and our ability to overcome them instead of giving into them is based on how well we know who we are and what is important to us: our Core.

This class gives you the tools, processes & environment to shift your life from a power-draining to a power-gaining reality.

Are you ready for more clarity, confidence, & calm? Come. Living from your Core will get you there!

Discover your Core: your seed of self and live from that deep and rich place within you!

You will walk away knowing your values, strengths, needs and wants and how to live them with your thoughts, words and actions. Powerful!

If you answer yes to any of these questions, this class is for you:
-Do you feel overwhelmed?

-Do you feel like you are sleepwalking through life?
-Have you said 'yes' when you wanted to say 'no?'
-Have you tried to please others at the expense of yourself?

-Are there gaps between what you want and what you are achieving?

-Are you ready to have more energy and enthusiasm?

-Do you want support in living a more joyful, abundant, and balanced life?

Join us & live more powerfully, purposefully, & peacefully.

Sunday, 1/23 from 2 to 6 pm

$110 includes 45 page workbook

Your time has come. Reach out and seize it!

Clarity Came Monday Morning Meandering

2010-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

The theme that seems to be rattling through our circle lately is focus, focus, focus! It is the letting go of the distractions and what is not real and letting in what is true. Only you can know what is true for you and that is what is meandering through my mind this precious Monday morning.
As we gather today, I invite you to ask your Core Clarity to join you. We can only get so far in life with our own external means of understanding. Yet our Core always knows and is always ready to lend a helping hand. Can you feel your wisdom within holding the answers you seek? Settle in now and listen to yourself as I meander through my own conversation with my Core.
Having prepared for 28 days, I took myself questing on Friday and came back filled with clarity. Even though I connect with my Core often, there is nothing like a Vision Quest to take me deeper into listening to life.
Core Clarity came and sat down beside me – gave me one of those looks out of the corner of her eye. The look had all the makings of a rude awakening – you know the look, right? That’s when we have been asking for clarity but haven’t been ready to really listen until now so she comes heavily prepared to give it to us straight.
“You’ve been on a good path” she said “and it’s time for changes. "Some of what I am about to say may seem like a surprise but not really – your Core has known. Take a deep breath now and get ready to surrender. This is what is best for the greater good.” “Oh, I see” I said as I prepared myself and watched my discomfort rise and my comfort settle in.
I could feel plenty going on around me in the way of defense. This wasn’t easy and I sensed there was much more. My Core continued, “I’m going to lay a bunch of stuff out here for you, Dane, hang with me and in time you will see where we’re going. You trust me, right?” “Yes, I trust you” I said. My body rattled, my fears rose and words of discomfort popped. She waited patiently for me to finish and then said, “I hear you but your life needs to shift.”

I listened. I learned. I let go. I laughed. I fell silent. I walked in the woods. I sat. I wrote. I processed. I cried. I napped. I laughed some more. I returned again and again to that part of me that holds my answers and knows me so well.

I love conversations with my Core even though she rattles me sometimes. Isn't it amazing how patient and yet direct she is in her approach? Our Core gives us the information we have been asking for straight on without any fluff – meets us where we are and coaxes us around the corner so we can see where we need to go. It can be painful and delightful. It is what we all seek – guidance for what is best for the whole. I took another deep breath and said “I’m listening.”
As the information was delivered, I thought about how much I love the safety and comfort of my life and how upset I get sometimes that I can’t just stay in my comfort zone - that I have to continue to stretch myself and grow. Clarity put her hand gently on my leg and I looked over at her. Tears welled up in my eyes and I sat as my emotions swelled, broke open and flowed. It took me a while but I trust the clarity of my Core so I settled in once again. The conversation continued through every aspect of my life – the shifting and the settling. In hindsight I see this clarity had been coming for a long time. I just needed to slow down and listen.
I'm wondering about your relationship with your Core this morning. If it seems far away, consider asking it to sit next to you today. In truth, it is right inside you but sometimes it is easier to hear its wisdom when we imagine it sitting beside us as a friend that knows our past, our present, and our future as it gives us that gentle look of knowing. When we trust the inner quiet voice and are grateful for its presence, the guidance accelerates and though that is freeing, it can be downright scary - mostly because it's unfamiliar territory.
There is a strong possibility that everything you never knew about yourself will be in your face if you say 'yes' to going where life is leading you but what other way can you take a look at, talk with, and partner with those parts of yourself? I know the risks and responsibilities can seem big. I have been there. I left the seemingly secure corporate world in 2003 after 16 years to follow my dream. It is big work to follow our Core and to do what we are called to do – to risk the knowing for the unknowing – to trust the path of Core clarity. Even though it gets a little easier with time and practice, fear can show its face. Just like clarity though, fear sits next to us and gives us that look – half daring and half knowing. If we turn and look at fear – really look into its eyes – it will back down – it knows its place when we take a step forward with love in our hearts and pure intention in our thoughts, words, and actions. It has nowhere to go except to retreat. I invite you to give it a try. I am here to hear you and to help you hear yourself.
Wishing you the fading of fear, the clearing of confusion and the comfort of your Core,
Dane

What Now?

2010-07-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Meandering through my mind is the mystery of life and its magical unfolding. I'm back in that place of knowing so much, that it feels like I know so little. I'm seeing some aligning and also some confusion in our circle related to our level of knowing and our ability to ride the waves of uncertainty with confidence. Ambiguity is the new way of being and yet some are ill-prepared for its ebbs and flows. How are you doing riding the waves of all that is?

We have been preparing for so long but were we really preparing in the direction we needed to be? I'm not sure. I thought we were preparing to be present in the Now - to love unconditionally, to master creation in physical form. What were you preparing for, if anything?

I'm reminded of that day a few weeks back when I was taken to such heights by people awakening. I thought I was ready for bliss - wasn't aware that bliss could overwhelm a system that was calibrated to a lesser intensity. I know a woman who wants to love and be loved and yet in the presence of her beloved hyper-ventilated when he spoke loving words she wasn't prepared to take in. So, I'm wondering what you are really wanting and whether or not you are really prepared to receive that level of goodness? In reality, the only way we will know if we are prepared is to gauge ourselves when the gifts arrive. We have clues about our level of acceptance in our daily details though so I invite you to witness yourself as you let in more and more goodness.

Set the intentions for your day and tuck a piece of paper with what you wished for in your pocket or prominent place. As your day unfolds, watch your body clues and your breath for signs of letting go and letting in. I am here to hear you and to help.

NEW NOW

2010-05-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

NEW NOW Monday Morning Meandering

I have taken up the art of walking and find it fun to park my car at my office as I meander here and there around town. I can easily get to bank, bookstore, Krogers (and even Marsh if I'm feeling optimistic), Starbucks and an abundance of restaurants in no time flat. Spring is such a glorious time to explore!

As we gather today, I invite you to stand in your solid sense of self - the one that holds legs shoulder width apart and pelvic bowl centered well with arms free at sides and head held high. Now breathe into the beautiful belly of you and ask your Self: "What do I want to explore?" "What adventure is calling my name?" "What creative project is firing me up?"

Spring is the time for creating and seeding and we are being invited to plant our projects. Don't let this precious time go by without your full curiosity and participation. Embrace your NOW!

Be the Bloom

2010-04-06T04:34:00.000-07:00

Trees in bloom color our landscape today adding new life to our lives. Spring is such a beautiful season. Let us open our arms wide and welcome its lushness.

Meandering through my mind today is change. Change of the seasons and never-ending change in all of our lives. Change is not always beautiful like spring but it always gets us to our next level of best. When we embrace change, we are changed into a brighter version of ourselves. When we resist the change that has come with a full invitation, we may miss an opportunity that is right but doesn't look like our idea of right. Sometimes a leap of faith takes us through a door that looks very different than the one we have our mind wrapped around. But then beyond that door and beyond the next, our dream lives. Are you ready to take the leap of faith through change and into your full bloom?

After a lively discussion about change and invitations at last week's class, a client sent me this wonderful quote by Wayne Dyer: "When expectations are shattered, practice allowing that to be the way it is. Relax, let go, allow and recognize that some of your desires are about how you think your world should be, rather than how it is in the moment."

What open doors are you entering today and which ones are you ignoring because it doesn't fit your idea of ideal? Only you know what is best for you. I invite you to breathe deeply and consider and reconsider the invitations that have come. Could they be inviting you beyond the original invitation into a new world of beauty and blliss? Feel the sun upon your face, take a step and bloom again and again! I am here to hear you and to help you BLOOM!

Be the Bloom,
Dane
317.432.7426
www.LifeCoachDane.com
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www.ZippaZippaGal.Blogspot.com

Saying Yes to Life's Invitations

2010-04-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

As we gather today on this beautiful spring morning, I invite you to reflect on this statement: "Everything I want and need is right in front of me."

I have been working with this affirmation over the last week with profound results. The more I move into receptivity, the more the world meets my desires. It is as if the universe was waiting for me to enter the great pause so that I can truly receive. So I am wondering where you are in allowing.

I invite you to call to mind the times in your life when things happened easily - when you paused and waited for the invitation and the invitation came. What are you being invited to be, to do, to experience? Are you saying 'yes?'

Yes, yes, yes,
Dane
317.432.7426
www.LifeCoachDane.com
www.Facebook.com/LisaDaneMcCullough
www.Twitter.com/LifeCoachDane
www.ZippaZippaGal.Blogspot.com

Oneness

2010-03-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

As I was driving to my office this morning, I nearly had a wreck. Someone pulled out in front of me and with the rain, my brakes were slower than normal to get me stopped. I honked my horn and then let it go. All of us were safe and that was all that mattered. I felt tension a bit as I pulled up next to the driver at the stoplight. I looked over at him and felt my emotions rise. He was elderly and his energy felt anxious. I got the sense this was a new vehicle for him to drive and he wasn't used to it. I breathed and felt love and compassion.

Our world is showing much division and I choose to see and stand on the common ground. We are One despite outward signs to the contrary. The world has opened for me as I have let go of more and more of those mental constructs and now I'm standing in a place of feeling the All. Expansion which is more present in love, gratitude and 'yes' energy opens us up to tasting the sunshine in the bite of an orange and sensing the presence of the Peruvian man that picked the beans for our cup of coffee. This is a profound place to live, be and create.

When we focus on compression and the energy of fear, doubt and 'no,' the energy of life shuts down and we might lose our larger connection and think this world is just about us as individuals. The changes that are happening now are not about any one of us even though the presence of each of us is critical. This is about the people, the planet, the plants, animals, winged ones and every star, solar system and the beyond that is not even part of our understanding. This is about every aspect of the interdependent web of existence.

So as we gather today from the far reaches of our lives, let us feel our connection and know we stand on sacred, centered, and common ground. I am grateful for your presence in this circle and send love, light and laughter your way.

May the blessings of now be obvious,
Dane

From Wild to Mild

2010-02-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

The wild wind whips around my office bringing remnants of leaves from the neighborhood trees. The bright sun adds mild heat and feels conflicted with the way of the wind. Nature shows its wild and its mild and all its in between mystery. We are nature too. So much is not meant to be understood, but appreciated as part of the path. I sit in the unknowing.

After I received a fluttering of anxious calls today from some of you, I sat with the wildness and asked for messages. I was shown that the wind is whipping up its fury, cleaning out the unnecessary, and harmonizing what is best if we let it. If we fight the inevitable or resist the current crumbling, life will rattle us into compliance. We are moving to more peaceful times and before the calm, the crazy sometimes comes. All will be well. All is well.

I invite you to pause and let life be what it is. Beauty is here. It is just to the left or just to the right of whatever crisis shows itself. See whatever has come your way as just a thought and drop the thought of it as if you would drop a rock into a shiny pond. Then see beyond that thought a new thought of more purity and calmness. Keep going with the dropping until the thoughts shine with love. When love is the only thing left, we are getting close to ecstasy. It arrives when we are open to receiving its gift. So I invite you to open by simply saying 'I am open." Do the same for being centered. Do what calls you for grounding. Let the ups and downs flow on through and the remainder will be nothing but peace. Love and peace will live together and I invite you to say 'I know where love lives and I am moving in.' Let us all live together in the universal home of love and peace. It is possible . . . NOW.

I have been writing continuously over the last few weeks since I had a profound spiritual experience that is still with me. Most of what I have written is too esoteric to be grasped in the day to day physicality and too filled with my own processing to be shared with others. It is coming full circle now and starting to work itself back into earthly wisdom so I am assuming Meanderings will begin again on Monday. I am grateful for all of the support in helping me to ground the experiences. More to come . . .

Enjoy the wild and the mild,
Dane
Originally published in Monday Morning Meanderings November 7, 2008

Love The Energy of Relationships

2010-02-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

Bad days don’t find me very often, but that Saturday was a bad day and by the evening I was spent, exhausted and tearful. I was creating dinner for a friend and the creative process was overwhelming me instead of delighting me.

Something made me think of my grandmother and how wonderful her food always tasted and how I knew she added love to every bite. I stopped crying and I centered myself by paying attention to my feet on the ground and breathing a few times in through my nose and out through my mouth. I started focusing on love and how despite the difficult day there is love all around me. I had been peeling and grating carrots for our salads and I continued with love in my heart and in my hands.

He arrived and we sat around the velvet laden table with candles lighting the night and the mood calm. He went for the salad first and I wish I could write his expression on this page. His eyes widened, he leaned forward and his lips meandered from side to side. He took another bite of the simple salad and moaned softly. I stopped eating to watch him, not sure what was going to come next. He said ‘This is the most delicious salad I have ever had.’ I started to become confused because the salad was unadorned and he continued ‘You put love in these carrots.’ I have been aware of the power of energy for many years and I get the way it works but I was shocked that this man felt the love that I specifically put into those carrots.

That moment shifted me and I will not forget. We hold power in our hands and in our hearts and I cannot begin to fathom how we could lighten up this world by holding the intention of love in our daily details. I’m wondering today about the influence we can have and I invite you to add love to your moments.
Dane

originally titled Love Carrots Copyright 2004

Gratitude and Toothpaste

2010-02-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a woman that lost sight of herself. She was so busy surviving that she forgot how to live and enjoy the bounty that was all around her. Somehow or other life kept getting more difficult and clearly she was off her path.

One day she was grumbling about how rough life was and she heard a clear, quiet voice encouraging her to be grateful. She dug through her day and tried to find something that was going well but to no avail. The next morning she was preparing for work and she squeezed some toothpaste onto her toothbrush only to have it jump off and fall into the sink. This really made her grumble. She had to brush her teeth though so she picked up the tube of toothpaste with conviction and squeezed it on the brush one more time. It stayed and she looked up above and said 'thank you.' At that time she didn't know who or what she was speaking to but she was grateful that the toothpaste stayed. She noticed the singing birds on her way to work that day and other simple blessings started to appear with more frequency. Before long all of the wild bends in the road had been smoothed out and life became more calm and peaceful. She was convinced that the moment of gratitude was what turned her life around.

I invite you to look at the areas of your life where grumbling is going on and find some little piece that is going right and see what beauty gets amplified by a quick little 'thank you.'

With gratitude for your presence in my life and in this community,
Dane
Copyright 2005

Happiness for $1.80

2010-02-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a wide open day for me except for a little preparation for two classes I did yesterday. Everything was flowing freely, and even though I hadn't thought about it, I was in a pretty good mood. I was driving home from my office and felt the pull to go into a teacher's supply store that I enjoy. I walked into the store, and there was a 50% off rack just to the left. I immediately saw a banner of bees. These weren't just ordinary bees though. These were bees in love. The artist had done a phenomenal job of creating the energy of love and happiness in those bees. She was offering him flowers and he was offering her honey. I felt happiness flow from the top of my head clear down to my toes. It was unmistakable bliss. I stood there and wondered if I had gotten the full benefit from the bees or if I needed to buy the banner and clearly it needed to come with me. The price was $1.80. That's a bargain for happiness that continues to sing in my heart. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you here in my office.

I invite you to be aware of the little invitations that are all around drawing you more into a state of sweetness. Happiness lives deep within each of us and can appear quickly and in the most interesting ways when we follow the flow. Bee happy!!
Dane
Copyright 2008

Circle of Us

2010-02-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

'Give me your hand' were the words that brought me back to the circle of us after months of separation. He spoke them as he speaks everything - directly, gently, deeply. I had climbed up into his truck after he rescued me from the side of the road where my car stood on its side in a ditch having slid from the slippery country road. He wasn't the first one I called even though he was the first one I thought of calling. The confusion of the wreck and the inconsistency of my cell phone connection had taken me many places in my thoughts. When my mind grasped that I was stranded and needed help on this cold, icy night I called my daughter because I knew she would come. I couldn't tell her where I was though. It is a road I have traveled many times but not one marked by a nearby street sign. I had been driving for hours listening to life and had at one point been lost but the compass that always hangs around my rearview mirror and my trusty flashlight had guided me back to this familiar road. I knew I had no choice so I made the call.

His simple 'hello' calmed me as I explained that I needed to know where I was so that Jenni could come and get me. I knew he would know. I told him I was in the deep ditch on the road just north of the white house where the woman grows a beautiful garden with flowers all around it - even though now the garden has died away. I told him I was east of the field that I love because the way that the hill slants. He knew just where that was and said he was on his way. I had assured all that I was unharmed. I went down in the ditch, opened my trunk and got out my Carhart coveralls, my John Deere jacket, my scarf and gloves and put them on. Getting back into my car wasn't an option because of its tricky position and the ice prevented me from walking so I sat down and waited.

The only distance between us was the time he took to drive to me. Seeing the lights of his big farm truck come down the road brought me to tears and I finally realized the significance of what had happened and what had come back to me. In his usual style, he made the world make sense. He told me that all that mattered was that I was safe, that he was born to keep me safe, that he would buy me a new car if mine was broken, that he would get me ice cream when we were done, that he loved me. Two of his friends and two big trucks pulled my car back onto the road and to all of our surprise it was unharmed. He followed me to his house. No worries now.

I spent much of the night watching the lights on the Christmas tree surrounded by the warmth of his home and the comfort of his presence. I didn't try to make sense out of why a circle has been drawn around us again. Instead, I am focusing on being grateful for the circle.

I'm wondering this afternoon about the circles in your life - those that connect and reconnect you to the past, to the people you love and that love you - to the people that come when they are needed, that know just the right words, the right looks, the right touches to bring you back to yourself. I'm wondering who, in turn, you do that for as well.

Safe travels and safe rescues,
Dane
Copyright 2005

What will you walk through fire for?

2010-02-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

I walked on fire this weekend. I can still imagine the red hot embers and feel the kisses of heat that danced on my naked feet. This new experience stretched me further into myself – the self that is always evolving and slightly unpredictable and out of my reach and yet with a solid core that I can rely on.

I have done other fear-facing feats like scuba diving with sharks, breaking arrows with my neck and jumping off high rise planks and yet this was different. Even though fear raised its head once or twice, this experience wasn’t about facing fear, it was about commitment and what I'm willing to walk through fire for.

Once I faced the coals and took the first step into the heat, there was no turning back; only facing what was ahead of me and looking beyond what I could imagine into the future that is full of hope. There was support at the other end to receive me, to offer a hug, to remind me to breathe and to release the heat, a mud bath for my feet and those were blessings.

I finished the first walk and for just an instant rejoiced and then I was compelled to walk again, with a wonderful friend in mutual support, and then alone, committing and recommitting to who I am, what I am about, to my future - known and unknown. Commitment can be scary and yet is so freeing.

There is a point that I think we all go to - standing in front of our personal fires as our minds convince us of what is possible and impossible. I invite you to take the first step and the next and the next - go the distance and know that support is cheering you on, waiting to receive you, the real you, the Core you.
Dane
Copyright 2005

Going the Distance - Stick-to-it-ness

2010-02-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

Do you ever ask yourself 'Can't life just be easy?' I sure do. Most of us want life to be nice and neat in a beautifully wrapped package with a lovely bow atop. Sometimes it is like that but most days the package of life is pretty messy with the paper a little faded and torn and the bow askew and that is okay. The ebbs and flows through the pretty and the messy take us deeper into ourselves - into our Core - and into our connections with others if we follow them.

Let's take communication for example. The kind of conversation I like best is the messy one - the one that starts one place and meanders through a thousand valleys of sharing of self and ends up clear on the other side of the mountains near a clear blue stream with melodies all around and having completed the journey together, the people feel heard, valued, and understood. I like the raw and real - the conversations where people go the distance despite their fears of being heard and not being heard. I like the ones where people are committed to going to wherever the path takes them no matter how painful because they can see at the other end a light of personal and spiritual growth that is unequaled. Our deepest and best work is done in relationship. It is also the most difficult. A deep love of mine calls this 'stick-to-it-ness' - the ability and willingness to stick to something that we care about so that the greater good can feel the benefit. It might also be called commitment. When we want to run because the conversation gets tough, it is valuable to look inside ourselves and to see what is 'chicken feed' the ego-ness of our pulling back and what is the purest grain that we want to take forward in the refining of our personality and soul.

I'm meandering today about staying in the conversation and wondering what stops me from going the distance sometimes and propels me confidently forward with a large dose of stick-to-it-ness at other times. Some conversations need to happen in a form other than face-to-face even though I think that is the best way since we are living this physical existence. Putting our feelings to paper and letting our writing hand show us the way is a powerful alternative even if the letter never gets sent. Prayer is another way to help transform what seems too messy for the time. When we return to the conversation though - even much later - the 'powers that be' have stirred the words and feelings in just the right places so we can look in each other's eyes with integrity and take the next step - even if the next step takes us far from each other.

The other night my phone rang - right on the verge of too late because he knows and usually honors my time for sleeping. I answered though and in our sleepy states we went there - to that place of raw and wonderful - talking openly about our feelings without the attachment to what the other thought - to that place of taking the person's words to heart but not taking them personally - of honoring the other no matter where they dive and soar because unconditional love was our foundation and we stuck together. When we remember that our most important lesson on earth is to love ourselves unconditionally and to extend that to all others from a solid Core of self, we can go the distance . . .

Where does your mind meander when you think of staying in conversations, sticking with projects, walking through the fire of a scary path? Do you know what it feels like to go there - to want to run with every cell of your body and yet somewhere inside - right at the Core of who you are and what is important to you - you know you must stay? Do you know the boundary setting that we all must have when 'no' is the best answer because we can't or don't want to go there? Do you know how to discern inside yourself when to stay and when to go? Just wondering . . .

I welcome your responses. I honor any stories you want to share. I am grateful for walking the path of the messy and the miraculous with you.

Inviting you to go there - to that place of 'stick-to-it-ness' - and hoping you come out on the other side feeling heard, valued, appreciated, and real,
Dane
Copyright 2006

Working with Earth Energies and Our Bodies

2010-01-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is a Question from a client and my Reply on Working with Earth Energies

Question
I woke up in the middle of the night Monday...I had the most horrendous headache imaginable. I'd sent an email to a friend and she shared that she had the same thing going on and then said "probably warning sign of an earthquake about to happen." I turned on the news at 5, and was horrified to hear about the earthquake in Haiti.

Did you have any of this body trauma going on yesterday? If so...how on earth do you process it or protect yourself from it.

Reply
I hear you loud and clear about being impacted by the earth energies. It is a fine line of discernment to feel the energies of life and to differentiate what is ‘ours;’ ‘theirs;’ and the earths. As sensitives we are constantly picking up on the energy of oneness of which we are all a part and our own unique rhythm.

Experience is the best teacher. I often coach people to ask their bodies: “Is this mine?” when a new symptom appears.

If the answer is ‘yes,’ ask “What do you want me to know?” “What do you want me to do?” and “What needs to happen for healing?” These are miraculous in shifting body/pain.

If the answer is ‘no,’ then ask the symptom to leave – to return to the Light. We don’t have to bring the earth energies through our bodies even though many of us have agreed to do part of this work in helping Mother Earth to heal.

If you hear ‘both’ that means it is work that is helping you and helping the earth. I hope that makes sense.

Many report symptoms, including an underlying anxiety in the days before the earthquake and other natural and human disasters. Feeling the energies is never-ending and we do have a choice about our part in the work.

When I see a vision that might be a premonition, I act as if it is alive and I ask it questions to help discern what my role is in receiving the message. The earth is making many shifts and the visions may come to fruition or the earth may find another way to heal/deal with the needed shifts. When we watch from a neutral perspective and honor and yet do not attach to the outcome, life has a way of taking care of itself.

I welcome your responses and the sharing of your experiences. We learn from each other.

Peace,
Dane

Put a Little Light on the Subject

2009-12-07T10:07:00.000-08:00

Put a Little Light on the Subject Monday Morning Meandering

A winter wonderland is upon us as we gather this morning and despite the fact that snow can put a damper on easy walking and driving, it is delightful, isn’t it? Let us gather with glee and gratitude that we are alive at the beginning of this new week. Welcome to the Wonderland!

The wisdom within is what is meandering through my mind this morning. I spent the weekend with my faculties and energy turned toward to self listening and honoring. My life is built around my Core and yet there were inklings I had been missing because I hadn’t been still and quiet enough. I’m sure there is more but what I learned will take me forward in just the right ways at just the right speed. More of that will be shared in the times ahead.

Like the pink blossoms that died and then returned to the plant upon my desk, parts of me are gone and parts have been reborn and some born for the very first time. It is as if a light has been put on the subject of my life.

‘Put a Little Light on the Subject’ is a common childhood line that is often repeated between my daughters and me. It was something I said and did often when I walked into where they were reading or studying as the light from the sky drew dim. With a flick of the light switch, their world was illuminated. I did this over the weekend with my grandson, Louie, and caught the look of Jenni. Our lineage lives on in interesting ways.

I invite you to imagine that you have been living in a less than optimal lit room and that someone that loves you just turned on the light. You could certainly have gotten up and turned it on yourself but it hadn’t yet occurred to you or you hadn’t taken the time. Let someone else, real or imagined, person or spirit, do it for you. Now look with improved light upon the subject that is you and your life.

This new view can be scary because the dust bunnies and pimples can no longer hide. It might be dirty or cluttered or full of skeletons from the past that we would rather not see. There are also glimpses of beauty there – that forgotten treasure, the words that were hidden behind the words, the lamp that was pushed out of sight to make room for something else can be brought out now and can add even more light to your life.

This is much of what is happening in our world now. Some of us have pushed the light aside or not realized that the dusk came and that we needed more light. Some have turned on the light but they were turning on the one closest to them, the one in the small dark room from which they believed they sat. They weren’t turning on the big light, the light that truly lights up the new view. Or perhaps they did have the big light on but its shine was too overwhelming to appreciate. It is possible that you have moved beyond the struggle and that your life has no darkness and that is beautiful indeed. For those that are still seeing any darkness, try again to see the light lit. Try again to not be afraid of what is found in the illumined darkness.

Now sit with the wisdom within and trust that all will be cleaned and cleared and that continued clarity will come in droves of awakening. We don’t have to be afraid of the unknown anymore because we really already know. Our Core knows and always has known. Are you trusting your Core today? Are you ready for the light to come on and the brightness to create waves of clarity?

This isn’t always easy work or for the light of heart. We sometimes have to pull out our extra courage and swords of steel. You have what it takes though. We have all been well-prepared. Now is the time to sit with our wisdom within and to look at our current reality without avoidance or excuses. Looking into the light might blind us but with the light at our back shining, we will SEE.

Whatever your darkness is or has been, let it dim. Those old patterns and habits and confused parts aren’t steady enough to stay. Love them, honor them and let them go. They don’t have to be in our faces tormenting us. Breathe and let them go.

Whatever your lightness is or has been, let it shine. Pull it from the corners of your existence and put it on display. It is time to love them, to honor them and to share them. I know you have been waiting and the world has too. Our greatest work is to shine wherever we are so let’s get to it today. Breathe and begin.

I am here to hear you and to help you hear yourself. Sometimes we don’t have a weekend away to hear the wisdom within. Many have found the clarity they seek in an hour dedicated to the Core of you and a coach that cares.

Take care, I care.

Dane

Living with the Australian Aboriginals - Our Limited Lens

2009-12-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

The Unbelievable True Story - Our Limited Lens

The heat of the fire was so intense that I could barely breathe

Layers of flies landed on me and found their way to my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth

Next to me sat an elderly man that smelled so bad that I wanted to run for cover

This was the odd scene I found myself in during June of 2001 when I was living with a tribe of Aboriginals in the Australian Outback.

Thoughts swirled in my mind as I tried to grasp what was going on. I had been invited into the Aboriginals camp by one of the elders and I knew it was a great honor. Yet the physical environment was so uncomfortable and the two of us couldn’t communicate. All I could think about was “What am I doing here?” I stayed with this man, who we called ‘Jimmy’ for a few minutes and tried to observe him carving wooden sticks. I just couldn’t relax though and soon I held up my hand to say good-bye, rose and left the circle.

As I walked away I could feel my body reacting – it was as if I had a powerful energy running through me. I could somehow feel the boundary of his camp even though there was no physical marker. The group traveling with me stood nearby wanting a similar invitation from Jimmy but none came. We had been told by our interpreter that we were not to enter the camp without an invitation so I was thrilled when Jimmy waved me toward him after we returned from digging our lunch of honey ants. As I neared the edge of his camp, my body vibrating with an electricity I had never felt before, I started to understand part of why I was there. I stepped over the invisible boundary between my world and his and the realization hit me strongly.

It wasn’t about us understanding each other’s language or me being comfortable in his very different world. It was about the honor of being in the presence of an Aboriginal elder that came from a lineage reaching back 60,000 years and it was about something much larger than that. There was a Spirit there that I can only name as God. I stood on that red dirt for a split second and then turned around and looked at my newfound friend. His eyes found mine and he waved me back into his world.

I returned and sat once again near him at the edge of the blazing fire where his music stick tools lie in the dirt heating for use. The fire wasn’t hot like it was before though – the flames were just a few inches from my legs and yet it was quite comfortable. Something had changed. The flies were gone and the foul smell of Jimmy had disappeared. So what had changed on that fateful day? Only my perspective.

This was the first time that I telepathically communicated with another human being with such crystal clarity. I could hear every one of his thoughts and he taught me how to carve and mark these music sticks without uttering a word. When he was pleased with my work he held up his thumb and showed me his toothless grin. We laughed together in that space and a new world opened to me. I continue to communicate with Jimmy even though many miles separate us. My life was expanded that day and has never returned to its original dimensions.

I tell you this story because so much is dependent on what we believe to be true through the lens of our eyes that are limited. When we open to a possibility greater than we can see, we open to a world that is beautiful beyond belief – where we can connect with people across cultures and language barriers, where we can see and appreciate the reality of another person.

So I leave you with these questions: What opportunities have you walked away from because the situation didn’t quite fit your idea of comfortable? What will you do differently now to open to another’s world?

There are deep connections waiting that can change your life.

Simply Trust

2009-09-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

‘I have choices here’ is the mind statement I woke up to at 6 am. Then a flash of a friend locked in fear and the reminder that the lessons of life always wind back to trust. Trusting ourselves is paramount. Trusting life is something we cannot live free without.
My mind meanders back to 2002 and the conception of my class on knowing and trusting our internal power - our Core. I remember how I believed I knew what those materials should say and how the energies of life took over my writing and shifted them through me on a long night in Arizona.
The faces of so many students flash through my mind and I hope they remember the depth of who they are at their Core – the steadiness of their values; the sureness of their strengths; and how knowing their wants and needs will carry them forward into service and stability. I see the model in my mind and how thoughts, words, and actions align in the shape of a triangle focusing our attention and creating our lives. I send out a gentle reminder to all open to receiving that their uniqueness is a treasure that this precious world eagerly seeks.
I feel myself come into the present and I sit up in bed aware of a new day. I remember a dream of me driving a car and the face of my father in the rearview mirror. I feel the tenderness of people’s stories lately spilling forth their past. In the scheme of life our energy is always invested there and here and to pull our presence more and more into now is the quicker way to peace.
My years of therapy bounce through and I remember my kind and powerful counselor taking me back and back and back week after week into the pain. It was part of the process to feel it all again as a wise and capable adult so I could bring the confusion into understanding. The flashbacks like torture all over again. I remember the way her face looked when she said I never needed to go there again because I finally understood how bad it was. My mind clicks but will not move forward. Why did I need to feel – to know- how bad it was? What did the reliving get me? What did that deliver me from and to? I feel the anger building and I sigh. Tears flow as the word ‘compassion’ floats forward and my mind moves beyond.
A series of people pop into my awareness like a rich and wonderful movie. I am sitting in their presence honoring their path without expectation of where we will travel. Each of them have set an intention and now the universe is at the helm. I have prayed that my ego be released so that I can grow in spirit and walk closer to God and the questions come. I can see my mouth moving but the words are not spoken now. In their moment they were right but what hangs close now is the memory of their clarity and the touches of freedom. The path we take together is not linear and not in the past. It is a circle that spirals where the mind, body, and spirit choose so that the person can walk away feeling 100 pounds lighter and freedom – perhaps for the first time.
The range of being human is awe inspiring. I love people. I love the full range of their experiences and the vulnerabilities and strengths within them. I love their courage and their frailties and honor each as vital steps to a life well-lived.
Tears and laughter both came easily over the weekend reminding me of my own full range. I feel the close proximity of joy and sadness and feel the void at the middle of all emotion. The memory of an intense love takes me back to the point of catching the wave of the magic carpet ride and how my defenses melted before I bent and placed my heart at his feet. I feel his words when he said that my touch had taken him to new worlds and to the presence of Jesus. I remember the agony of our going our separate ways without reassurance that we would find this place again. I am grateful the feeling of that loss has faded.
All of my trusting and my never clinging having gone by the wayside after 14 years. I wanted more of that high light and deep glow and I knew where and how to get it. But grasping is never the way. In our surrendering it comes because the trusting path delivers what we truly want and need.
So I took to the paper after a near desperate and unanswered call to a friend. In my expanded state without a floor for grounding, I could not hold the beauty. Love too big to contain or to deny so I was stuck in no man’s land. Its boundaries spilling over filling us and running free and what were we to do except to run with it?
If I get what I want and I believe I will, can I truly be in its presence? What are the limitations of my human self and how do I balance the vastness of love and the spirit with the physical? In the now seems to be the rising answer but even that does not reassure.
Each of us has a history and a present filled with our deepest desires. These times carry a need for our whole selves to be here where our energies align in the moments as they arrive. Each of us have choices on where to invest our energy. In the past? In the future? Healing wounds? Creating a new view?
The question lingers ‘Can we truly hold the vastness of this world we live in’
Are the obstacles in place because we put them there – though subconsciously – to protect us from the very thing we claim we want? Are we ready for the miracles – the laying down of the barriers and the full receiving?
What do we do when the fullness starts arriving and the power and purity and beauty is to much to breathe in and comprehend? Do we back it up or do we enlarge our capacity to hold peace, love, joy, abundance, and vitality? Are we really ready to receive our fully bloom?
If you said ‘yes’ lay down your doubts, erase the excuses about the economy, claim your choices and trust the territory of a new world.
God does not work on probability so let it perish. Prepare for possibility and God will lead the way.

Drink It In Meandering

2009-06-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

We gather today on the back 40 acres far from modern life and near the wildness of our imagination. I invite you to pretend that you have a cup of your favorite drink in your hand. Now imagine that the cup is a symbol of your deepest desires and what is contained within represents your dreams. Mine is a cup covered with red hearts filled with tea named Joy.

Now sip from this cup of life and feel the full receiving. Imagine the magical land of 'yes' rising up to meet you. The full realizing of dreams of your design is near. Drink it in. Breathe it in. Feel it. Be it. Start where you stand. No need to stray far. We have been well prepared. Are you ready for your full blooming? It is here. It is time.

Now reel in any judgments of yourself, others, and life. See the goodness and be grateful. See clearly the vision of your heart. Let any gap between here and there take care of itself. Gratitude and clarity are the bridge to creation.

If you want more specific support and knowledge on how to open doors and receive your full cup of life, contact me.

Your Cup of Life Awaits,
Dane

A Life is Sacred

2009-04-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

As we gather in our circle on this rainy spring morning with a fire burning warm and bright, I invite you to consider the way you see life. Are you looking through literal eyes today or are you able to see with symbolic sight? Have you balanced the stranglehold of daily details that can overwhelm with the hawk's eye view that brings higher perception?

The balancing of both is what I aim toward and what was on my mind last week as I helped my daughter paint, declutter, and clean. I could feel clarity arriving on a clean slate. It is her life and yet I was able to witness the coming together of support both from physical and universal sources. It is a deep honor to experience another's life.

My work as a life coach is sprinkled with samplings of each person's life and I feel honored to be a witness to the sacred space that is a person, that is a life. The trust that is built between people caring in the same direction goes beyond words. I falter at conveying what happens in the present moment of being with another so I hope that the energy beyond my words brings my message. I sit in gratitude for the sacred witnessing.

Many life coaches are changing their titles and I honor their path. There are now stress coaches, focus coaches, wellness coaches, relationship coaches, and on and on. I continue to be your life coach which means that whatever is going on in your life is what we explore together. We start where you stand. I am here to hear you. I travel with you supporting, inspiring, and helping you love and trust yourself so that no matter what comes, you are okay. In that space is where you can bloom from your core self.

Spring is a beautiful time to bloom!

Heart Healing

2009-03-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

As we gather in our virtual circle this morning with spring freshening the air, I am reminded of the cool weekend and especially the morning of Saturday. It was early when I saw the sign for a garage sale, a sure sign of spring. There were no material needs at the forefront of my mind and it was COLD, but I stopped to browse anyway.

The old quilted heart caught my eye and I was surprised by its softness as I picked it up for an embrace. It was worn and it was obvious that it contained a history of highs and lows. Loose stitches and some remarkably intact. I bought it for a quarter on a whim that it held healing power for me and so we began.

A sage smoke bath and lots of cuddles to its softness brought back sweet memories of times long gone and some just passed. I breathed into myself as I held the heart to mine and cleansing was moving through. My heart fluttered like a butterfly and in that moment I met more of me.

Original innocence is what my Navajo teacher calls it and years ago over a late night fire he told me I needed to go back there. I wondered if it was possible to return to that innocence when I was thinking, speaking, and acting in ways far from there. Like an onion peeling layers of pain and creating tears, I tried. I still have a ways to go but much has spiraled through healing.

Living vulnerable can be risky but is worth it. We are each being called to return to our full presence loving. I am prompted to ask you if there is healing happening in your heart today. Are you feeling the power of presence? Can you forget yourself to love another in the moment? Is unconditional love really without condition? Are you receiving love, truly receiving without barriers of unworthiness, fear, or expectation? What else comes to your mind when you ponder the giving and receiving of the miracle of love? Wherever we are in the journey of love, we have a next level to travel. What is your next level?

I invite you to meet it with a soft heart that might be worn but is ready to heal its history. Life is always holding up a mirror for us to see what is happening within . What a blessing it is to be given exactly what is needed to be our best.

I will have the precious quilted heart here if you are ready for heart healing. Call for an appointment if you are ready to tend to the tender you. This Meandering was written in a restaurant last night after the shamanic class. As I finished it a man from across the way stood and went to the woman on the other side of the table. He sat close to her, gave her a hug and kissed her. Their smiles lit up the room and I felt blessed to feel their joy and their love. I do not know their story and I imagine it contains highs and lows as all of our stories do. In the moment of then though he chose to go to her.

Where and to whom are you choosing to go? Perhaps a trip to yourself is the next step or perhaps there is someone you are led to step towards. Happy steps.

Love,
Dane

Crack Unto the Light

2009-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

As I was noticing the full attention of the sun brightening my face yesterday, my mind met a thought. It was the awareness of the seed of the self having a protective shell waiting to be broken open. In the past I have called this the Core and masks we all have to keep others from seeing our true selves. Regardless of the label, tendrils of new growth can only come into being when there is a crack unto the light.

This poem by Wu Ming Fu echoes my thought:

The seed that is to grow
must lose itself as seed;
And they that creep may graduate
through chrysalis to wings.
Wilt thou then, O mortal,
cling to husks which falsely seem to you the self?

As we stand in our circle today, I invite you to feel the seed of self and any protection you might have in place. Ask yourself what is in need of shifting so that more light and therefore more you can bloom into being. Bulbs are birthing green beginnings here in my office even without the benefit of dirt. They sit in a clay pot and begin their new lives. Five tulips found their way into my home but only one got the benefit of the west window full of light. While the remainder were beautiful in their own way, only the one bloomed into its fullness. Within its tightly held petals only one view could be enjoyed but in its highest range all beauty was shared. We are like that.

I invite you to ask yourself: Are you reaching for the full light? How are you breaking the shell that binds you to an old and outdated version of yourself? What are your ideas on how to come into your own full bloom? Are you willing to risk being vulnerable and real to meet your higher self and therefore the higher self of others?

I am here to hear you and to support you in blooming!

Happy Spring! Happy Blooming!

It is All in Perspective

2009-03-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

The cat stood on back legs with its face pressed to the glass and its head moving back and forth. I sat in my car at the stop sign watching its investigation into the house and wondering if it lived there or was visiting friends. Down the road three dogs stood on the back of a couch looking out and they made me smile. I was meandering my way to my office for a few appointments after taking the morning off and I saw several dogs catching the wind out open windows.

These little moments of looking in and looking out bring me to my message for today. All that is happening in our world and with these interesting energies is based on perspective. We each get to choose our perspective. From where you are standing, what are you looking into and what are you looking out at?

I am reminded of this quote by Rumi "I have lived on the lip of insanity, wanting to know reasons, knocking on a door. It opens. I've been knocking from the inside." This is a bit about my perspective and I invite you to consider this as you are outlining yours.

As the energies speed up we are invited to more fully become aware of our own internal energies, our core energies, and live from there. Do not let the pace of this world set the pace of you. Follow your own rhythm. Be in the flow and bend like the wind. Be the dance of life and life will dance with you. After much internal work with these energies over the weekend, I am once again being invited to spend time with the earth. I do not foresee living outside as I did last year but I will follow this lead and be in the woods tomorrow talking with our beloved earth. I will let you know what I learn from her wisdom.

Love and Light,
Dane

Pools of Light

2009-03-02T07:30:00.000-08:00

Pools of Light
Meeting in the moments of everyday is richer when we see the pools of light we each hold in our God given eyes. These sparkles of timelessness shine through no matter what. Looking into the eyes of others is what the weekend brought as I stood in a large crowd of freezing people before we took the Polar Plunge and as I celebrated a new begining with dear friends.

Everywhere I went eyes beckoned and told stories of pain and joy and in the moments we connected. Even though we didn't meet beyond the sharing of our glances, I felt like I knew and was known. So as we gather in our virtual circle on this late winter morning imagine our eyes being the focal points. Our pools of light will continue to connect us as we meet the moments of this new month and this new week.

There is a level of knowing each other that exists only there. I invite you to bring awareness to the depth of relating to another person. These times call us to go beyond the physicality of where we live, how much money we have, our body types, the work we do, or the color of our skin. All surface characteristics pale in comparison to the richness within.

Eyes invite us to a deeper place that our identification to the worldly cannot comprehend. I invite you to smile into the eyes of another this week and receive the fullness of the breathing out and the breathing in. So much life waiting in the seeing and the being seen.

Rejoicing in seeing and being seen at the Core,
Dane

Happy Yet?

2009-02-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

Meandering through my mind today is all that has transpired in the last three months. Autumn brought the harvest and the celebration of Thanksgiving. I bring it back into my awareness and breathe in the abundance and the gratitude. Christmas plays again through my mind and the magic and peace and feelings of generosity still flow. Then the new year arrived and brought hope and clarity and a clean canvas from which to create our dreams. Now the day of love is upon us and I am wondering. Are you happy yet?

If you said 'yes,' congratulations! Spread the joy.

If you said 'no,' where is your happy? Invite it to come back into your body, your being, your life. Just say outloud 'Happy, come home!' Go ahead and give it a try. : )

I invite you to tap back into the abundance, gratitude, magic, generosity, hope, clarity, and love and let them live among you. These are not saved just for holidays. They are birthed out of each breath and are available to each of us in equal proportion every moment of our days. Just Be. Just Be Happy. Being happy brings more and more and more.

Wishing you all the goodness, Dane

Say It Firm and Nice

2009-01-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

Today our circle gathers on our beloved earth with woven caps pulled tightly over our ears and woolen gloves warming our fingers. Our cheeks are chilled bringing vitality to our beings. Today is warm compared to what may come in the days ahead. I invite you to take a wintry walk among the earthly elements.

As you walk, I invite you to consider what you need to say and to whom. Many are saying what needs to be said and I invite you to remember that we can be firm and nice in our delivery. Settle into the gentleness of self and feel what you are inclined to share. Breathe in and out the polarities and release any emotional charge. Now what do you really want to say from that seed of self that is powerful, gentle, and strong? Go ahead and say it now. Then let it go. Feel that your energy is more in the present now and rejoice in the more collected core of you.

Wishing you a clear spirit of having said all you need to say,
Dane

Life or Death Meandering

2008-12-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Pen and paper called me this morning as they often do. I answered their call. Curled up in my big yellow chair I began the unfolding that I can count on from writing. Within minutes my eyes were drawn to the right hand corner of my home which was calling for aliveness. The prompting came with the energy to take action so I moved a plant to that place and repositioned my wooden flute. A spray of red was needed so I fished out a blank canvas and plenty of paint. I started in the center and a flower took form. In 15 minutes flat aliveness was born. That corner hums with life now and opens to other active energies in the room.

Then I returned to writing but not for long. The shiny wood of my guitar caught my eye and I moved toward it, seeing its calling as an invitation instead of a distraction. Focus and flow both have their time. Strings beneath my fingers brought life to my life. No certain song was birthed, just a melody of mindless movement. It did not take much effort to bring aliveness.

As I returned once again to the yellow chair I noticed the comfort of the connections. The red flower flowed to a red pillow and then to the binder holding images of my dreams. The golden wood of the g uitar touched its same honey color in the chair by the computer. Dances of green connected the plants and my space woke up more to the morning. My life woke up more to me.

A few weeks ago I told a friend 'This is not my life but somehow I am in it.' We had been talking about our intentions and whether or not our lives were as we wanted. I bet you know that place between setting the intentions and surrendering the outcome. We can get so clear and yet surprises show up. Are they invitations or distractions? Do we stick with them for the possibility of a lesson or abandon the ship? Only we can know.

Much is crumbling, dying so to speak in our worlds. The hope within knows it takes so little to get the positive momentum going. Hope is what brings us up out of the chair to move, to stretch, to go deeper, to get more real, to create, to feel more alive. With each moment, we can bring more aliveness or more death to our lives. Are you focusing on the dying or the living? Both have their purpose and their timing. The choice is ours.

Ideas for bringing more aliveness to your life:
stretch, move, dance
create, create, create like painting a simple picture or making music
clean the kitchen
pet a pet
hug yourself. hug someone else.
light a candle
smile
be with the process

Here is to living with aliveness,
Dane

Making a Merry Christmas

2008-12-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

For just a moment, I invite you to use your mind to walk with me into your Christmas day. Imagine entering the places you will celebrate with your eyes closed. Even without catching sight of the Christmas traditions like the tree spilling over with timeless treasures from Christmases past, I bet you would know what day it was. The sounds of Christmas are unmistakable – bells, laughter, paper ripping and those familiar voices and songs. The smells of pine, bright fireplaces, and honeyed ham fill the air. The taste of Christmas blends the creaminess of eggnog with the sugary fudge and the cheeks of loved ones. The touch of Christmas includes velvety dresses, Santa’s beard and warm hands. Our sixth sense connects us with those around us prompting us to ask questions to take the conversation deeper, to know the sensitive subjects we can leave alone for anoth er day and that perfect gift that touches the heart of those we care for.

Christmas is a full being experience and that is part of its magic. Its sights, sounds, smells, touches, tastes and feelings transport us to the past – our childhood and every Christmas since and forward with hope that all good things are possible. To me the best part is being present in the moment with our senses highly honed including our eyes wide open.

Even though Christmas will come and go, we can continue to deeply connect to our senses bringing more magic to everyday. Our senses are more prevalent when we are present in the moment and that is easier when we have a clear mind. A free mind com es when we have released expectations of what the holidays are supposed to be like and when we have healed patterns that keep us locked to an unhealthy past. We can visualize our perfect holiday and those intentions will bring blessings. It is in the surrendering to what is that will bring us freedom though. When we settle into the realness of life, life gets easier. Even for those that are spending the holidays alone or in a way that doesn't meet their idea of magic, there are blessings to be found. It’s not settling for, it’s settling in and peace can be found there. We can walk through life being the peace we want to see and peace more readily finds us in that state. I wish you precious moments throughout this holiday season.

Winter supports us in healing and quieting the mind and I support you in aligning with winter. This is a powerful time to forgive ourselves, to forgive others, and to ask others to forgive us. I have walked the healing path with many and will walk it with you. Contact me when you are ready.

Letting Go of the Need to Know

2008-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

Monday Morning Meandering
As our circle gathers today with hot cups of tea cradled in our hands, let us remember that there is a thread of mystery that runs through the tapesty of life. It is golden silk that adds shimmer to the design if we let it. Reaching out to that place of knowing can delight or stifle depending upon how much we grasp at it. Appreciating the mystery and letting go of the need to know frees us.

We all seek clarity to some degree and clarity comes. Certainty, though, can be elusive. Life is too fluid and filled with free will to be locked in certainty. Let us aim for clarity of mind and purity of heart in the here and now and let impermanence live.

How do we live this in the daily details of our lives?

1) Deepen the breath with each inhale and each exhale, breathing out the negative and breathing in the positive
2) Become more aware of the wisdom of our bodies and trust our inner knowledge
3) Smile
4) Write it Out. Putting pencil to paper sorts out our reality.
5) Talk it Through. Having an objective person, like a counselor or life coach, listen to you and witness your process can be powerful and freeing.
6) Affirm 'I am okay.' 'All is well.' 'I trust life/God.' 'I trust myself.' 'I love myself.' 'I love life.'
7) Shift perspective from daily details to big picture to ensure you are seeing both your view and the higher view.

From Wild to Mild

2008-11-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

A Toast to the New Moon in Scorpio

2008-10-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

Let us raise our glasses together toward the sky where the moon fades into her newness. We toast the influence of Scorpio even though some would deem this influence as less than optimal. What we resist persists, so we might as celebrate that life ebbs and flows. We ride these shifts in the economy and we aim to keep the perspective in balance. We organize what is in need of organizing and trust that the tidying up will bring us good results. Neglected jobs are completed and we honor our desire for solitude.

Wishing you the feel of support that Scorpio brings. Go with the flow.

Dane

Choices

2008-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is a simple invitation to check your thoughts, words, and actions today to determine if they are aligned with the direction of your desires. We are creating our view of the world in each of our moments.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Dane

New Moon Message

2008-08-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow the new moon arrives and invites us to begin projects and relationships that help us to feel more secure and stable. We will ride the tide from Leo, the sign of extravagant activities and lavish parties to Virgo, the busy and the practical. We will shift from fun fair to strong feelings of responsibility. So ride the tide with joy in your heart and clarity in your mind.

Smiles from here to beyond,
Dane

P.S.
This is my last moon message (at least as far as I can see into the future now)

My Friend the Web Maker

2008-08-06T09:53:00.000-07:00

I imagine it was my casual request to the universe to rid my office of baby gnats that summoned the spider. She is large, furry, beautiful, and quite a jumper. So far, so good on her feeding on the gnats. One day she showed up on the top of my laptop and meandered back and forth showing me her full self as I researched her type on the Internet. I think she is a Bold Jumper that is supposed to live primarily in the tropics. However she got here, I'm glad for her presence. Well, somewhat glad.

Today I was cleaning off my desk when I felt a tickle on my thigh. I looked down to find her big and hairy body crawling to the east. I yelped a tiny bit and then busted out laughing. I don't think she would bite me but she does have fangs so I gently moved her back to my desk with gentle guidance not to do that again!

She is on the front window now spinning her web. What a creator, my friend the web maker.

Smiles to all as we walk the web of life,
Dane

Intuition

2008-08-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Intuition is a natural consequence of having self-esteem.

Agree or disagree? Please post your opinions. I would love to read your thoughts.

Smiles on this miracle of a day,
Dane

No move to Wisconsin for me

2008-07-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

For those of you that knew that I was contemplating a move north, I have decided I'm staying put. I simply love Hendricks County too much to leave and I love the people here and of course, I'm loving my daughters and my 3 grandchildren being so close.

I think it is important for each of us, in our own way, to open to the possibilities that present themselves to us and to work through a conscious process of deciding what is best for us and for the whole.

I appreciate your support and your continued commitment to being my friend and for being a part of my business as we make the world a better place from this sweet location in Central Indiana.

Love, Dane

New Moon and Solar Eclipse

2008-07-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

The I and the We of the Whole
Even though I speak from the perspective of I at times, you do realize that it is not about me, right? I just write about a moment in time in the life of Dane McCullough and own what I believe to be true about what I am experiencing. I realize that I am a part of a whole that is impacting each and every one of us in same and different ways. I stopped talking for the we because none of us experience life exactly the same way. We aren't supposed to. We each have lenses from which we see our world. Keep that in mind as I share about tomorrow's Leo New Moon and Solar Eclipse.

In the wee hours of tomorrow morning, our sun will go into darkness for a brief period of time. No one knows exactly how long but however long the darkness lasts, the results will last that much time so 2 minutes in darkness will bring us 2 years of influence. Hmmm.

Robert Wilkinson, A Professional Astrolger's Perspective
If you want to read the predictions about what these particular influences will bring, I invite you to follow this link to read the perspective of a professional Astrologer:

http://www.aquariuspapers.com/astrology/2008/07/the-solar-eclip.html

How to Survive and Thrive from the simple, non-astrologer Dane point of view :
I could write 24 hour a day about what I sense with the changing energies like the fascinating integration of the masculine and the feminine and about how it is changing conversations and relationships. As soon as I put words to the pulsing though, it changes. So instead of rambling about what is happening, I will offer you this. The polarities will find their rightful place in the objective center soon enough.

The Leo Influence
Leo is a powerhouse sign, much about extravagance, self-love, parties, fun, directness, ego and of course, the Lion. The influence will bring to the surface both the good and the bad and the middle ground of each of these characteristics.

Influence Every August
The new moon of each August ushers in a time of returning to the inner stillness within change. This means bringing our energy fully into the present so we can be more present. Forgiveness helps clear up the past and trusting helps us pull our worries from the future. August tends to be a month where we do a lot of learning as we tend to the review of our life. Unfinished business is completed so we can plan for a clearer future. We acknowledge perceived mistakes and assume responsibility for all of our actions. We can then move forward living more in integrity with who we really are. It is a great time to get honest with ourselves. As we find our own personal truth, it is critical for us to not put our beliefs off onto others. Instead it is about owning ourselves fully so we don't have to put our beliefs onto others. The projections subside. When we are confident, there is no need to defend and we can move further into acceptance of all.

So even though we are living in some interesting times and solar eclipses bring some intensity, my invitation on how to thrive is the same. Stay centered in yourself and continue having hope that as you generously share your gifts with the world, goodness happens. Even with the ups and downs of this interesting planet and these interesting times, there is much support to rely on. Just as the moon is winding down her cycle of ending and entering her new moon phase, she will begin her blooming once again. God put the moon, sun, stars, seasons, etc in place so we can count on their cycles to support us. The more flexible we can be and the more we can simply show up fully present, the easier life will be. Now that sounds pretty easy, doesn't it?

One more thing before I go:
Breathe and be with what is, totally accepting, and the momentum of life will carry us through with joy, love, peace, and abundance. I'm here to help with all of that and anything else that is up in your precious life. I'm in the office Monday through Friday these days and loving being with each of you that want to come for coaching and classes. Stay tuned for August Anniversary Events and Specials.

Ride the tide,
Dane
432-7426

God and Life

2008-07-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have discovered I am using the words God and Life interchangeably. I realize that God is so integrated into my life and into my Being that there is no separation. God lives in my breath and I in God's.

In the Woods

2008-07-31T06:55:00.000-07:00

Laughter spilled out from the woods and into the garden as a friend and I worked together to build a gathering place out of the willow from a downed tree. As I drove home happy and clear from an evening of play, work, and laughter, I was reminded of my time this spring of living outside and this quote by Henry David Thoreau:

"One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in."

Loving the rhythms and wide open space of nature,
Dane

New Book by Kelly Available

2008-07-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/content/view/471/67/

August 3 Feng Shui Class

2008-07-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

FENG SHUI
TRANSFORMING
YOUR SPACE AND LIFE
offered by Life Coach Dane McCullough

Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of placement,
is based on energy and intention.
Come and learn practical, easy to use methods to
create sacred space in alignment with the core
of who you are and what is important to you.
Dane has been practicing and teaching Feng Shui since 1997.

· Philosophy and Practice
· Home as Sanctuary
· Four Steps to House Clearing
· Creating and Aligning with Ba-Gua and Intentions

Sunday, August 3
4:00 – 5:30 pm
$20
Life Coach Dane & Company
2424 East Main Street, Plainfield
To register, Dane - 432-7426

Romance

2008-07-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Today the scent of jasmine fills our circle with whispers of romance. Not the type of romance that comes with a partner but instead the kind that comes with an intimacy with life. All around us are invitations of romance so I invite you to walk with me into this discovery.

Branches of willow tickled my neck as I drove to my office this morning. Having cut a gorgeous log from a willow tree downed in last week's wind, its branches stretched across my front seat awakening my senses. I invite you to open to the possibility that romance lives in the tickles of nature.

Apples are ready at the orchard and farmer's markets are filled with early harvests of fruits and vegetables. I invite you to gather up your favorites and as you bite into their delicacies, let the juices run down your chin and to where ever they want to run. Close your eyes and feel the flow. Go ahead, do it again and again and again.

Life wants to romance us and the possibilities are endless. Explore your own passion through your senses this week and post your discoveries on the blog at www.MeanderingsbyDane.blogspot.com.

The connection we have with all of life will reveal itself further throug h intimacy with a person if that is our desire. All is interweaved.

I'm reminded now of a love story from 1997 when I was first started studying and teaching Feng Shui. I was at my assistant's desk one day and saw a picture of her husband in her trashcan. I was surprised when she told me they were considering divorce. I offered her a Feng Shui cure and in about 2 minutes we made the subtle shift on her desk. She wanted more romance. Within minutes her husband called and asked her to go to lunch which he had never done in their 15 year marriage. Not only did he take her to lunch, but he pulled into the parking lot of a sewing shop and bought her the sewing machine she had been wanting. He had never bought her a gift like that before either. It was her gentle intention and belief in the shift that caused it to happen. Their marriage became more alive and fruitful.

I have witnessed alot of Feng Shui miracles since then and I feel honored to share its practical and profound principles with those of you seeking ways to live more in harmony with your environment this Sunday. See more information below.

Feeling the romance,
Dane

Wide Open Space

2008-07-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wide Open Space
This morning I was cleaning my kitchen. I took everything off of my island, well it’s probably more of a peninsula than an island, but you know what I mean – a big flat surface that extends out into a kitchen designed to make the creation of food easier. Anyway, I shined that surface up and got ready to put the stuff back in place – my snowman cookie jar, my antique crock of cooking utensils, my cutting board, a candle, etc. and I stopped and just looked at that shiny surface. It was wide-open space. Wide-open space, just like wide-open time nourishes us – provides us with a forum for creation. So I leave my house to go out into the world leaving my peninsula free from its usual busyness. I can feel it smiling at me. : )

It’s like when I gave away most of my possessions nearly a year and a half ago and sat in the emptiness. The Indianapolis Star came to do a story on Feng Shui and photographed me sitting on the floor in my dining room without furniture. I remember how the initial uncomfortable openness transformed into the possibility of a life ready to be born anew.

So I guess I’m sharing this because I’m passionate about wide openness – in our minds and in our hearts and in our space . . . so that new creations can be born.

Where in your life can you remove the obstacles, the busyness so the unencumbered can be realized?

Your Choice - Hard or Easy Life

2008-07-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

Would you like that to be easy or hard? Monday Morning Meandering
Today the gathering is around a large lake where the water is smooth and glistening. We see in the waters a reflection of ourselves and it is a gentle reminder that life is a mirror of all that is within. Welcome. I’m glad you are here.

Many of you sent me words of comfort in response to my last writing about being back and I am grateful. The most common words spoke encouragement that my path was just as it was meant to be, that all things happen for a reason. I agree, I get it, but today I'm not buying it wholeheartedly and here is why.

Our journey through life ebbs and flows through ease and difficulty and I believe that our being present for what is without resisting brings us much peace. In hindsight, I’m glad that my life unfolded just as it did. However, when I reflect on it, I wonder why I chose the path of most resistance at times.

What is it that brings the levels of ease and difficulty? Is it an external source, does it come from within, or is it some balance of the two? That is some of what I have been pondering in my wide open space of being outdoors and leads me to this question to you: 'How easy do you want your life to be?'

I'm reminded of a time when the driver's side door handle of my car stopped working. For a couple of days I climbed over the passenger seat to get out. I called the mechanic and he told me it would cost $12 5 to fix it but I wasn't compelled to schedule the appointment yet. One day I forgot that it was broken and as I tried to open it, my eye paused and it occured to me that I could simply roll down the window and open the door from the handle on the outside. I did that for a few days and it was much easier! One evening as I got home, my neighbor was outside and he saw the way I opened my door. He asked me what was wrong and offered to look at it. With about 2 minutes and a screwdriver, he had taken the door cover off and fixed the handle for free. Voila! This was a lesson in a lot but what really stood out for me was how much harder I make life than is needed.

There was something about those 20 years, though precious in many ways, in corporate America that had taught me that things sometimes take a long time and much red tape. Systems can be like that. I had become accustomed to that way of thinking and being and it has taken me a while to shed it. I still have work to do on walking the path of least resistance.

So let's look at what it means to live easy.

On a Saturday night a while back a friend told me that we were going to need to get a rock hammer. On the following Monday I was walking with one of you at Eagle Creek when I saw a tool on the trail. I had never seen a small rock hammer before but immediately knew this was one. Manifestation fulfilled.

Shortly after that I decided to buy a new road atlas. About 20 minutes later I was driving through a parking lot when I saw what appeared to be a map. I got out and sure enough, it was a 2008 road atlas with the only flaw being a light colored tire track across Massachusetts.

Last night I decided to recaulk my bathtub but needed to scrape away the old first. I got the inkling to go for a walk and lo and behold found a perfect little scraper in the grass just off the sidewalk.

In each of these stories there was a harder way and an easier way and life supported me in the path of ease. Being present and aware is critical and intuition is a great ease maker but the belief that life supports us totally is what opens the door to flow. Wide open space clears the clutter from our mind, body, and soul and brings in the clarity. Then we can make the connections that ease the way.

Being a life coach is fascinating work for me, simply what I was born to do, and it is an honor to hear people. We say so much about who we are in our words and actions. When people say things like 'that is going to take a long time,' or 'I can't do that.', I know that is what life will give them. Life gives us what we think, believe, and say it will give us. That is why working with thoughts, words, and actions centered around values, strengths, needs, and wants is such a big part of what I offer.

So I leave you today around the wide open water of our circle and invite you to ponder these questions:

How are your thoughts, words, and actions reflecting what you really want?
What is your path of least resistance?
How strong is your belief that life is supporting you?
Where you can let go of complexities?
How can you create more wide open space?
Do you trust yourself? Do you trust life?

I'm here to help you love and trust yourself, others, and life more. I am available tomorrow and Wednesday for private sessions. Call me at 432-7426 for your appointment time either over the phone or in my Plainfield office.

Wishing you ease and grace,
Dane
317-432-7426
http://www.lifecoachdane.com/

P.S.
11th Anniversary Party - Sunday, August 31 from 5 to 7 pm
Please make a note on your calendar that there will be a party open house style at my office on Sunday, August 31 from 5 to 7 pm to celebrate my 11th anniversary of doing this life's work (5 years full time since leaving Lilly). I hope you are able to join us for fun, food, and festivities.

P.S.S.
See the blog at MeanderingsbyDane.blogspot.com for the Meandering from years back called Wide Open Space for more on creating it in your life. Joy!

Full Moon Message

2008-07-18T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today's luminous full moon is in the sign of Capricorn and brings with her great earnestness for our lives. The tone will tend to be moderate and serious. Some will be tempted to go for prestige, ambition, and money. Achievement and recognition are sought out. I invite you to keep your values at the forefront of your goals and actions. This is a spectacular time for completions of projects with great abundance. Enjoy the reaping of the goodness you have sowed.

I would love to hear from anyone that has noticed the short arc of the moon over the last week and in particular, where she sat in the western sky for 3 nights. Some flippiness is going on and I enjoy comparing notes on the earth shifts. Post your comments on this blog or email me at Dane McCullough at aol.com. Thanks!

Enjoy the ride of the tide,
Dane

Valid and Necessary?

2008-07-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

More on this note from the previous blog.

Meandering through my mind is how long and complicated I made the path. All of it valid? Yes. All of it necessary? No. I see now that I could have made it much simpler and much less expensive, both monetarily and energetically. But how? I will share what I have discovered and invite you to integrate what is right for you in the coming weeks.

The number one comment I got on the previous blog was about how everything happens for a reason and that the path I described was the one that was best for me. I get that and I honor it. In the moments of today, though, I believe there are easy ways and hard ways to live and I chose the hard way, way too much. Here is an example:

Back from Living Outside

2008-07-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

I have been experimenting with living outside since early May and this is the beginning of sharing what I have learned, what I have shed, and what I am creating now. It is amazing what can happen in the nothingness of having nothing to do. I am grateful for all of my guides that have been incredibly patient with me as I worked to balance out years of doing so much. I'm not saying that I'm done. There is much more to settle into but the path of peace is always close.

My intention for writing what is below and what is to come in the days and weeks ahead is to save you tons of time and money and energy by giving you shortcuts to being happy right where you are and to be present for the precious details of life. Tune into the blog whenever you get a chance as I will be sharing as the wind blows me to.

Monday Morning Meanderings will more than likely return next week. Thank you to Karen, Annie, and Kelly for writing during my sabbatical. I hope our community of writers continues so if any of you want to write on the blog, please let me know.

What does it mean to Live in Balance?
Thirteen years ago I took off my watch; turned off the television and the radio; canceled the newspaper; stopped eating meat, sugar, white flour, and caffeine; stopped worrying so much about what others think about me; and turned inward. That inward spiral took me on a path of wellness of mind, body, and spirit that carried me through the practices that many of us have explored: yoga, meditation, prayer, nutrition, chiropractic, life coaching, psychotherapy, Gestalt, peacemaking, diversity training, living with indigenous people, cran ial sacral therapy, writing, massage, aromatherapy, flower essences, breath work, chanting, drumming, acupuncture, reflexology, Reiki, Shamanism, crystals, herbs and other supplements, Feng Shui, decluttering, living green, clearing space, chakras, and much, much more. Classes, classes, classes – both taking and teaching and books, books, and more books. You name it, I tried it. I can feel a lot of you nodding your heads because you explored them too.

When I look back at that amazing journey of exploration, I am grateful for every step and a bit concerned about my obsessions of learning as much as I could as fast as I could. I realize now that I took my over-achieving, driven ways of being and transferred them from being a workaholic in corporate America to living as whole as possible. That is why about 8 years ago I began the long process of integrating what I had learned and experienced and stopped much of the seeking. The universe might say that I shifted from the model of the masculine to the feminine. Hundreds of books were given away and I began writing instead of reading. I stopped being so hard on myself and released the idea that I had to learn more, more, more. That led me to trusting what was already inside of me. That led me to loving myself, others, and life more right here, right now.

This is not to condemn any of those practices. Each of them expanded my awareness of life in beautiful ways. It has been a good journey.

The question that has been floating in my mind the past 5 years since I resigned from corporate America and slowly let go of my driven ways is this one: ‘What does balanced living really mean to me?’ I invite you to ask the same question.

I have journeyed down a thousand paths of what is at my Core and what is not. As part of that adventure, I got incredibly curious about what it is that really makes me and others tick and what it really takes to be able to be present in the moment. Through every step I have walked rings the truth of being here, now. All of my seeking and all of my learning led me back over and over to right here.

Meandering through my mind is how long and complicated I made the path. All of it valid? Yes. All of it necessary? No. I see now that I could have made it much simpler and much less expensive, both monetarily and energetically. But how? I will share what I have discovered and invite you to integrate what is right for you in the coming weeks. Here is a dose of what I will be offering.

In the seven years since I got certified as a life coach, I have been honored to sit in the presence of many people. The number one thing that people want is rest. That may not be obvious at first because they come most often with the request for more money, more energy, more love, and more time. It is only in the delving in that we discover that they are tired of doing so much that doesn’t restore them at their core. Many of us are living more for others and for what we believe the world wants from us than what we wish to give the world. Many of us are living unconsciously because we are running too fast to be more deeply aware and present for what is real. This is the world we live in even though the systems are shaking and much is shifting. We explore all we can get our hands on because we are looking for peace, joy, love, acceptance, compassion, and abundance. As long as we seeking those though, what we truly want stays slightly out of reach. We will have moments of them but to sustain them perhaps it is time for us to balance our striving with our sitting back and let them come to us in the present. Then we will have our rest within them.

Thanks so much for all of your support and visits in the physical and otherwise as I traveled. It feels so good to be back!

Life Coaching and Healing appointments are available this Friday morning if you are ready to discover the beauty of presence. No matter where you are on your path, I will meet you there and will travel to wherever you want to go. It is always an honor for me to be present with you. Thanks for being a part of this circle.

Love,
Dane
LifeCoachDane.com

THE MEANDA RING by Karen Harper

2008-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

Greetings all you soul whisperers! When I offered to do Monday Morning Meanderings for a spell while Dane got a little bit more country (is that possible?) I had this idea for a little mythologized story of us, her community. I hope you will enjoy and feel curious about Sophia.

The Meanda Ring

At the Time of Turning, there was such power and presence in the Silence it began to sing. No one knew how long the hidden deity had been there, but it began to be noticed by those in various wakening states. One great handful of these, situated in the heart of the heartland, became quiet enough to hear the Silence and steadily their sense and understanding grew. They were inclined to share their experience with one another, and paid particular attention to this churning stillness that called them to awareness, much as a mindful child heeds its mother. They came to be known as the Meanda Ring.

It happened that the Way Keeper of their village was well accustomed to the wild voices of wind, water, earth and fire. She made shelter for one and as many as came from a great turtle shell; and she drummed and chanted that they might all come into greater harmony with the One, the Silence that Sings. Each, as they were moved, caught the melody and danced their own dance to this music.

These were individuals hearty enough to withstand the discomfiture of their gnosis, and were therefore of “sound foot.” Each stood sufficiently strong in their own stead, and so remained sure-footed whether alone or together. Still, moving into true alignment with their souls, they at times encountered discord with the people and aspects of their world that resisted the Turning. Sometimes it was difficult, but they continued to dance, haltingly at times, and they were sustained by the harmony within, and among, one another.

Small groups of them gathered in the Wild, with the Way Keeper, and elsewhere. A certain connectedness emerged, not only with each other, but with the Earth that embraced their dancing feet, and Sophia, the Silence that sang them into full being. This inter-wovenness distinguished itself; it called for recognition and celebration.

On the Feast Day of Sophia (November 28), they gathered en mass around a great fire. Each brought a ring of their own choosing and the Way Keeper collected all of them in a turtle shell and charged them with her blessing. She mixed them together with red petals and blessed that for which they stood, while those gathered danced and chanted as of old:
I am a circle, within a circle,
With no beginning, and never ending
As the Way Keeper passed back among the circle, placing on each person’s hand the ring that was their own, she reminded them that it now held something of all the others. Henceforth when they gathered, they wore their rings as symbol and so if any asked, “What kind of ring is that?” They would answer, “a Meanda ring.” These symbolic circles within the greater unbroken circle, thereafter known as The Meanda Ring, regardless of how many or few were gathered, represented a new way of being in the world and with each other. Sophia (aka Holy Spirit, Divine Wisdom, Sapienta, Asherah, Mother of All) moves us (man and woman alike) to ‘Call the Circle, in order to be in holiness and in the world.

Mythically Yours by Karen Harper

2008-07-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

Greetings, You! Yes, YOU!! All you soulful wholefuls who come from your busy personal worlds to touch in, this post is filled with blessing and appreciation for each one of you. I sense such beauty and power and right-mindedness in this community. What a remarkable thing it is when people draw together because of awakened spirit.

Are we a church? I have not been to church for many years. I am like the boy in the book, The Secret Life of Pi. He was Buddhist, and Catholic and Jewish (or some such mix of faiths) and happily reveled in each until the faith fathers found out how inclusive his devotion was. After that the boy just was. One wonders how that undefined state served him and whether the whole idea of church needs revision. Or perhaps we need an entirely new word as we may have evolved beyond such institutionalization.

I am a lover of myth, and cannot imagine how anyone of my persuasion could escape a fate similar to this boy’s. Myth has attracted many definitions, one of which is, “someone else’s religion.” There is much truth to that! I have steeped myself in the mythos of many cultures and they make my heart pound. How can I not love them all?

Next week, I am going to post a little mythologized story of us, this community of Dane’s, so it seems timely to share just a bit of myself (like Kelly and Annie did so well in their postings) so you can receive the gift I intend it to be.

For many, many years I was a mad woman trying to figure out how to make her life work. Underneath that was a joyful, creative being that was intensely interested in people, loved stories and insisted on the right to play. This self managed to survive the worldly Karen’s failure at proper success. Now, like others I have met in this community, I find that I don’t have to do me. Life does me rather well when I allow it, so I am lightening up considerably!

Myth (fiction that is truer than non-fiction) and magic (not prestidigitation but thaumaturgy) are passions that have survived all my wandering and remain powerful forces in my life. What I really want to do is take individuals’ mundane stories of their own lives and mythologize them so they can see the deep and beautiful truth they live. Next week’s posting will be something of similar spirit and I hope you enjoy it. If you too are interested in myth, you might catch my article in the current Branches magazine, because it deals with the Meta myth that all humankind is living.

Please take a moment to get a Google ID and share your thoughts on the blog. We are all interested in one another’s feedback and are warm to the idea of knowing each other better.

Shine on!
Karen Harper

STOP! by Karen Harper

2008-07-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

My husband proceeds cautiously when I start a conversation with, “I wouldn’t ordinarily ask you this question, but you are the only one here.” He knows it’s going to be out of his comfort zone, but he is very good about humoring me. So I asked, “Why is it that you can assist one person and they will use your help to get on their feet, while others will use your help to stay off their feet?”

He countered, “You mean like people who get welfare?” Public assistance wasn’t really what I had in mind, but his model carried the logic I was seeking. I nodded encouragingly and he shared his opinion that it is a mindset one generation passes on to the next. If that is all you know, you are going to follow that behavior pattern until something causes you to break it or someone breaks it for you.

I took his point and began to imagine the vast array of things that could be pattern interrupters: a change of fortune, values, desire or need; a new opportunity or a new way of thinking; the failure of the behavior to deliver, or the inability of the person to enact the behavior. The list grew long. And once an alternative behavior is perceived, there is still resistance to change. Personally, I am convinced there is also fear of choosing. Maybe it is the same thing as fear of commitment. One could make the wrong choice—EEK!

All this came up because of discomfort I feel around circumstances I feel many others may relate to. I find myself in a quandary when a homeless person approaches me on the street, or when someone I know lays their needs before me and I am uncomfortable with what it may cost me to respond as they wish. Occasionally this disturbance registers as full blown resentment, and I don’t like feeling that way. Considering that they are just acting out a behavior they were indoctrinated into does free me to respond from a place that is not emotionally loaded.

I began to review my customary internal dialogue from this new position. “Do they want to get well, or do they want to get welfare?” Yes, it’s a judgment, but not a condemning one. Rather an enabling one if sound judgment helps me determine the best course of action. They put the ball in my court; I play it.

“They’ve told me what they want from me; what do they want for me?” After all, we are both going to be affected by the proposed action. Chances are they have not thought of, and cannot know how I may be impacted, but they do not wish me ill. I have to be the one who takes my interest into consideration along with theirs.

“What is equivalent to fish, and what is equivalent to teaching someone to fish, in this situation? Do I have the capacity to give either?” So many questions! No easy answers!! It requires thoughtful attention in the moment, and that is the magic of it. It triggers the pregnant pause.

I used to have ‘stock answers’ (often lies) for these situations and certain strategies like don’t stop walking, don’t make eye contact, feign distraction, etcetera, but I have come to realize what that cost me. Now I can readily visualize a new response. I can STOP, and give a moment of attention to this other living soul who brings me a moment of truth – my truth. This person just held a mirror to my face, so I can see how I like myself. Ergh, and aha! The birth of a new intention!

I can hear myself speaking in my real voice now, “I see you doing what you know to do to help yourself. I do the same.” That may be followed by “My answer is no,” or “What I can do is ____.” Either way I have given something to my truth bringer and myself—honesty, regard and goodwill. I foresee this may not always go swimmingly. I may get accusatory words or actions if the person is not getting what they want from me. They may, however, be getting what they need; I am certainly getting something I need from them.

Happy Happy Joy Joy by Annie Sever-Dimitri

2008-06-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!

From studies of identical twins, scientists have learned that about 50% of our ability to be happy is genetic. Well, let me tell ya. I hit the genetic jackpot then! I have always been about as silly as you can possibly be, which makes me very happy. I have frequently been called “weird” due to the roaring manner in which laughter spills from my mouth with the greatest of ease. I visualize it as the laughter equivalent of the Niagara Falls.

What makes me happy and laugh so easily? Wow. Where to start? It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant or exciting. One of my biggest happy highs is merely walking my dog and watching her precious, tiny body wiggle back and forth as she trots daintily down the sidewalk in search of delicious smells.

Simply being with family and friends brings delights untold. My husband, Jim, is a fellow goofball, albeit a closet one. He is a law professor needing to maintain a sense of decorum and composure while at work. Chasing a fellow professor merrily about the law school with a small gadget that makes farting noises would never float. However, at our apartment, it is a welcome and routine occurrence. We see how many ways we can trick each other with this festive device.
.
I have a bevy of fabulous friends whose presence in my life adds untold joy. It is divine.
My family is equally silly, and there are holiday and vacation pictures galore that feature us making faces or giving rabbit ears to one another.

Shopping is another activity that has provided me with a plethora of fun times throughout my life. I become very excited and joyful whenever I bounce into Macy’s, coupons in hand, knowing I will find exactly what I seek at a delicious price. You see, I know how to shop. I hunt bargains like a tiger gliding through the jungle seeking prey. And do I ever find them. I don’t need to buy anything, either, to satisfy my shopping hunger. It is a very relaxing way to pass time, as long as I am with a fellow retail aficionado or alone. I revel in all the colors and textures, and the displays provide inspiration on how to wear my existing wardrobe.

How do you feel about shopping? Is there a lump of dread parked in your tummy as you consider this? Do you feel overwhelmed by all the choices, unsure what garments will showcase your own unique beauty? Then call me. I am an image coach, and I can easily and joyfully solve your shopping dilemmas. Closet brimming with items from the last 10 years? I can help you determine what to donate and what to keep. Think you have no sense of style? Together we can find it. I have been trained well for this job by my previous careers in retail and social work. My sessions are nothing like the ones on TV; I do not chortle with glee as I mock your every fashion decision. Instead, I listen closely to what you need and who you are, then respectfully assist you build a wardrobe that suits your life. Call now about my introductory summer rate!

Wishing you more joy and beauty than you ever dreamed,
Annie Sever-Dimitri 317-440-8783

Meet Kelly by Kelly Madden

2008-06-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hello to all,
I've known Dane for years (when she was Lisa) and also some of you, but today I wanted to introduce myself to all. I figure anyone who knows Dane must be wild and wonderful. I know Dane's philosophies pretty well, and I loved Karen's post. What I wanted to write about today was a different kind of community, and a different way of helping. I used to work at Lilly (retired, yea!). I am a psychologist by training, and I mostly enjoyed my years doing that. I always thought I would continue with this path after I retired, and I did for awhile. But along the way something happened. Stories started to form in my head. Stories about strong women. Stories for young adults that gently taught life lessons. For awhile I tried to ignore these stories.

My training was as a scientist, a long, expensive training. I also felt that to stop being a psychologist was selfish. People needed me. But the stories wouldn't go away. I wrote a few down. That won't hurt anything, I told myself. You can still do your job. So I wrote some short stories. About twenty of them. Then one book. Then two more. I sold one. Then another. Then a lot more. Still, I thought to myself, writing fiction is a hobby. My REAL job is being a psychologist. I need to be out in the community helping people. So I carried on.

Then one day during a session a terrible and wonderful thing happened. The client gently said "where are you?" I wasn't paying attention! I was mortified. The client said, "Don't worry about it, you've been more than a help to me, just tell me...where were you?" I sheepishly replied I was writing a story in my head. He laughed and said then go write it. :-) I realized then I had to follow my heart, even though I still felt selfish about it. But I was so happy that feeling gradually went away. And I realized my stories about women and young people could help, even if I touched through my words and not my presence. And then I received a wonderful gift. Fan mail! The ones I treasure most are from people who say they felt just like one my characters, or that one of my stories inspired them.

All of this to say I learned three big lessons. One is that your life work can change. Two is that helping means many things. Three is that for me to receive external acknowledgment I had to give it to myself first.

I will sign off with something my grandmother said to me. Love and Bright Blessing on your head. Kelly

Community written by Karen Harper

2008-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Community
It is a living, evolving entity, this community. The common denominator among us is Dane McCullough, but is that all? Certainly not, but for some it may be the only commonality we’ve experienced. For some of us, participating in Dane’s blog will be a first peek at each other. Hmmm…what commonalities and contrasts shall arise?

We Americans are an independent lot, so used to standing on our own two feet. Even when we go seeking greater wholeness, we have a tendency to engage then withdraw again, taking our regained wholeness with us, intent on standing alone. It’s rather like going to the doctor for an ailment, getting treatment and returning home with no intention of going back to the doctor until we are again sick enough to require it. If we partnered with a holistic healthcare professional who coached us to practice health on an ongoing basis, we might find ourselves repeatedly in the company of others who gather for aerobics, or yoga, or nutritious cooking—sub-groups that expand our commonality and knit us together. Surely that model would generate more health and fewer illnesses among its participants.

Dropping the specifics of a healthcare scenario, which model (independent or communal) better represents your way of being in the world? I am more the former but feel myself shifting toward the latter. Individuals in our group will run the gamut but one constant is that each of us has taken steps toward greater wholeness, a significant commonality and distinction of our community.

It’s cliché, but change really is difficult. People are hard pressed to keep up with the existing order, let alone create a new one. But what alternative is there? Status quo fails us here. Reconcile to only be what one has been? Unthinkable! I am not dead yet; I can do something. I can begin with this community of truth seekers finders. These are three steps I have chosen:
I am redefining the part of my ethic that strives for independence. Instead I will strive for ‘self reliance’. Human beings are not independent; we are demonstrably interdependent, and fare much better when we allow for that. Interdependence and self reliance marry well!
I am adding Dane’s blog site to ‘My Favorites’ so I visit regularly and share the adventure of being alive—the brilliant moments and the dark ones. It is wonderful to hear and be heard by those of open heart and mind, many of whom I may eventually have the pleasure of meeting face-to-face!

I am elasticizing my circles. Confining myself to the company of those I am accustomed to is not always best for me or them. Loosening or breaking patterns that no longer serve, broadening the context of my life while holding sovereign the solitude that keeps me balanced—that is what works for me.

We, too, are evolving entities. Community becomes a telling expression of that evolution. Sometimes that feels like an unwanted challenge. Sometimes we prefer to keep ourselves tucked away in our own personal space, but safe havens become cells if one never comes out. If we think of community as we think of our life, as something we do instead of something we have, it becomes an opportunity. Could our community be more? Could we?

Full Moon Message

2008-06-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm taking the purely intuitive route this time in my message about the full moon instead of delving into the astrological aspects. My sense is that, in the fullness of the moon, we got so impatient with old ideas that we have dumped them once and for all. We have entered the territory of the new earth more fully. I don't even want to call it the new earth anymore. It feels so here and so real and so accessible and steady like it has been here for a long, long time. It's as if calling it the new earth keeps us from feeling safe with it - like we need more history to trust it. We can trust this new way of being. We can trust the crumbling of the old. We can shed what no longer fits our newness. We can step into the clarity of a clean slate. So let's do it. I welcome your comments!

Clothes Blowing on the Line

2008-06-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

"And some, like me, are just beginning to guess at the powerful religion of ordinary life, a spirituality of freshly mopped floors and stacked dishes and clothes blowing on the line."
-Adair Lara

Life with Australian Aboriginals

2008-06-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Today I share the following story with you from when I was living with the Australian Aboriginals. I don't recall ever sharing this outside of oral story telling and I hope you enjoy it.

Our Limited Lens

The heat of the fire was so intense that I could barely breathe
Layers of flies landed on me and found their way to my eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
Next to me sat an elderly man that smelled so bad that I wanted to run for cover

This was the odd scene I found myself in during June of 2001 when I was living with a tribe of Aboriginals in the Australian Outback.

Thoughts swirled in my mind as I tried to grasp what was going on. I had been invited into the Aboriginals camp by one of the elders and I knew it was a great honor. Yet the physical environment was so uncomfortable and the two of us couldn’t communicate. All I could think about was “What am I doing here?” I stayed with this man, who we called ‘Jimmy’ for a few minutes and tried to observe him carving wooden sticks. I just couldn’t relax though and soon I held up my hand to say good-bye, rose and left the circle.

As I walked away I could feel my body reacting – it was as if I had a powerful energy running through me. I could somehow feel the boundary of his camp even though there was no physical marker. The group traveling with me stood nearby wanting a similar invitation from Jimmy but none came. We had been told by our interpreter that we were not to enter the camp without an invitation so I was thrilled when Jimmy waved me toward him after we returned from digging our lunch of honey ants. As I neared the edge of his camp, my body vibrating with an electricity I had never felt before, I started to understand part of why I was there. I stepped over the invisible boundary between my world and his and the realization hit me strongly.

It wasn’t about us understanding each other’s language or me being comfortable in his very different world. It was about the honor of being in the presence of an Aboriginal elder that came from a lineage reaching back 60,000 years and it was about something much larger than that. There was a Spirit there that I can only name as God. I stood on that red dirt for a split second and then turned around and looked at my newfound friend. His eyes found mine and he waved me back into his world.

I returned and sat once again near him at the edge of the blazing fire where his music stick tools lie in the dirt heating for use. The fire wasn’t hot like it was before though – the flames were just a few inches from my legs and yet it was quite comfortable. Something had changed. The flies were gone and the foul smell of Jimmy had disappeared. So what had changed on that fateful day? Only my perspective.
This was the first time that I telepathically communicated with another human being with such crystal clarity. I could hear every one of his thoughts and he taught me how to carve and mark these music sticks without uttering a word. When he was pleased with my work he held up his thumb and showed me his toothless grin. We laughed together in that space and a new world opened to me. I continue to communicate with Jimmy even though many miles separate us. My life was expanded that day and has never returned to its original dimensions.

I tell you this story because so much is dependent on what we believe to be true through the lens of our eyes that are limited. When we open to a possibility greater than we can see, we open to a world that is beautiful beyond belief – where we can connect with people across cultures and language barriers, where we can see and appreciate the reality of another person.

So I leave you with these questions: What opportunities have you walked away from because the situation didn’t quite fit your idea of comfortable? What will you do differently now to open to another’s world?

There are deep connections waiting that can change your life.

Another thing that I learned from the Aboriginals was about going on Walkabout whenever they are called to gain focus and clarity on their life's path. If a Walkabout feels right to you this summer, call me and we will create a plan for you, from just a few hours to several days.

Wants Fulfilled

2008-05-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our circle on this glorious Monday. Sparrows and mourning doves and baby bunnies are in the garden here at my office today. The irises and chamomile and geraniums are in full bloom and I give thanks to all of the garden helpers that have visited lately. I just arrived after watching the morning do what mornings do. Slow rising of the sun as it found its rhythm for the new day. Birds waking up and singing as they found their food. Blue sky with few white clouds. A fast walk beside a creek with rises and falls that got my heart going. I love mornings.

In the gentleness of morning I was reminded that all I could ever want is already right here. It is simply a shift in my perception that opens me to seeing it. I started out driving with an open mind and lefts and rights delivered me to a natural sanctuary that was there the whole time I have been seeking. In the moments of the morning all is pure and new and refreshed. I breathe in that awareness and carry it with me through today. I invite you to do the same.

The questions meandering through my mind today that I invite you to ask yourself are: What do I want that is really already here? How can I love more openly? How can I live more openly? What do I have the fire to know, to do, and to be? Trust that all will be revealed for as we ask the questions, the answers are already nearby. I'm here to help you find the answers that already live within you. I'm looking forward to traveling with you to the place of wants fulfilled.

Soul Work

2008-05-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

We gather on a hilltop today in the southern part of Indiana. Far in the distance peaks and valleys rise and fall and the trees of spring deliver brillance. We have worked long and hard to reach this peak and we rest in the sunlight and the cool breeze. Congratulations on reaching a milestone on our human journey. We stand here with more of our energy present in the present than ever before. We rejoice in life and being alive. I'm glad you are here.

I begin with a writing from Antoine de Saint-Exupery from his book Wind, Sand and Stars: "If I summon up those memories that have left with me an enduring savor, if I draw up the balance sheet of the hours in my life that have truly counted, surely I find only those that no wealth could have procured me."

Soul work has been the focus for some lately as we reviewed our journey and summoned up the memories and drew up the balance sheet. Do you have a sense of participating in this process? Do you feel as if you are seeing a review of your life now as you live instead of as you enter death? Do you feel like you are being offered a chance to see the reality of your experiences and that what you may have once believed to be the truth is being expanded now?

People are awakening at such an amazing speed and it is one of my greatest joys to witness the rejoicing. I am in awe of what is being celebrated from our pasts and what is being sloughed off that is no longer needed. Many are being called back to their past before they can fully realize their present and move into their new future. This is happening through reconnections with people, places, and experiences. Perhaps a song has returned or a movie sparks a memory or a gentle flash raises its head in an instant. New associations are made between mind, body and spirit and dreams hold discoveries and trips wind us back. We are each called in a unique way to review and release and to celebrate. The earth is mirroring our process and healing as we heal.

It is a natural and normal part of being human to lose parts of ourselves but I have never experienced such need and speed to pick up the parts. Some of my work has shifted to supporting people in their wholeness through past life regressions and soul retrievals. As a facilitator, I sit calmly in support as a person regresses to a past life and with clear certainty they heal anything in need of healing. I set up a timeline process and enter a point of origin to help the person recall a part of their life and then with clarity they release what is in need of releasing and honor the experience as a vital part of their journey. Joyful tears, clear eyes, and brilliant smiles are natural by products. I'm awed by your courage to go where you are being called to go so you can live more from your Core now. I'm thrilled that you are following the leads and rejoicing in the connections and celebrating the new sense of clarity, rightness and presence. Again, congratulations!

No matter where you are on your journey, trust that it is exactly where you are meant to be. Consider the path of the Australian Aboriginals that get an inkling to go and go. In an instant people are getting flashes that they can no longer do what they have been doing. It's the way of our world right now. We are each being invited to step into our perfect place. I know this is bold but trust the leaving of what is no longer your path. What do you feel compelled to do, to share, to feel, to be, to go to? Go ahead. Follow the leads from within and you will know. In June I will set up formal processes to help you step into your new role and to find your footing there. If you are ready now, follow your flow. I'm here to support you.

Back to Nature

2008-05-05T05:47:00.000-07:00

As we gather on our virtual acreage today, I invite you to bring with you all of the items you have gathered from nature over the years. Have you discovered rocks, sticks, feathers, leaves and such from your outdoor adventures and taken them home to hold their preciousness near you? Bring them here today in your mind so we can all share their beauty. Thank you. I'm glad you are here.

Nature has been a huge gift in my life. As a young child I used to crawl through tall weeds in search of snakes and I would crouch down low when one slithered by, fascinated by its form and the way it moved. I would climb high into tall trees to see the lay of the land and the horses in the back field. Over the years I found natural treasures and took them home. About six years ago my then 5 year old nephew came to my house and shook his head in my living room as he said 'Too much nature.' I was surprised and didn't understand . . . until now.

Last Tuesday I traveled once again to a sacred site in the heart of our heartland. On the long list of items I was intuitively guided to take with me were some of my earthly treasures. I half wondered what I was going to be led to do with them and also simply trusted that I had been thinking for a while of gifting these to people because I knew their time with me was nearly done. At the first stop on our journey, I took the feathers one by one and watched them float to the earth. In the presence of those moments it was as if the birds they once belonged to gathered and rejoiced. The feathers, sticks, turtle shell, and rocks that I returned to nature were once prized possessions, gifted to me and souvenirs from travels far and wide. I have spent countless moments feeling them and seeing them in my space. What once was sacred to me called to be released back to nature.

Symbolically I felt the connection between what I have taken from the earth and what I choose now to give back. The earth is our home and my mind is meandering to how well we have taken care of her, how well I have taken care of her. We walk upon her and sometimes take for granted her solidity. It felt absolutely right for me to release back into nature what I had taken. I understand what the earth was teaching me. What I was really going for when I gathered these was to feel more connected to earth and to her beauty. Now I have that in lots of other ways. I commit to being closer to her in place of me taking parts of her closer to me.

I'm not suggesting for you to do the same but I invite you to contemplate the balance of what you have received from our earth mother and what you have given. If it feels out of balance, trust you will find the right way to bring your relationship with her into wholeness. Since last October I have spent a lot of time talking with and listening to the earth. She is so open and so grateful and so ready for change. I am in awe of the miracles that are happening in the moments outside of my awareness. Again and again I have been reassured that despite what quakes may come that the earth and all that is a part of her is well prepared.

Next week I will begin my outdoor living experience as I travel throughout the heartland camping. I don't know all of what this journey is about but one thing is clear. I was not meant to live in a box, metaphorically or literally. A house with four walls doesn't feel right to me right now. The wide openness of fresh air and wilderness is my next step. Like a turtle, I will carry my home with me through September pending further guidance. Starting June 2, I will periodically invite you to join me for what I'm calling a Walkabout based on my teachings by the Australian Aboriginals in 2000. This will include vision questing, campfire coaching and conversations and overnight slumber parties if you are so led. : ) More about that soon. I welcome your questions as they come.

Knowing Now

2008-04-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

I invite you to intentionally connect as we gather virtually on this bright and beautiful Monday morning in the parking lot of my office on US40 in Plainfield. We fill the lot and are turned toward this historic National Road that runs so far to the east and to the west. Today I particularly honor this road that holds so much of our precious Indiana history. Let us stand strong in the knowing that goodness prevails and send hope out to those that are weary. Feel the growing of our energy and how it finds its way to the perfect people and places. Thank you.

If you can see the expanse of the colors of spring, breathe them in to comfort you and breathe them out to comfort others. Some can't see them for they are living with lenses that blind them to the beauty. Filling the web of life with the richness of these new creations heals us all. It is as easy as our breath.

Meandering through my mind this morning is what we each do to bring healing to our lives. This is our medicine. What is yours? Mine is writing. It is my way home to me. It leads me through tight places to the land of the free and the home of the brave. It restores my faith in simple things like sweet giggles, happy flowers, the scamper of a squirrel, the light in your eyes, the breath of another on my skin, good food, walks in the woods, and the crunch of an apple. It helps me separate fact from fiction, fantasy from real. It delivers me from upside down to standing straight. When I'm living from my Core, my true north, pain is gone and freedom reigns. Even when I'm without paper, the pen of my mind runs from left to right sorting and straightening my journey. It is my best friend, my sounding board that helps me shake off the old and overdue and to welcome the new and fresh. It leads me to the waters of my creativity and clarity and overrides confusion and chaos. It shows me the highest path and the next step to get there. What is your Medicine? What is it that brings you to peace quicker than anything else? Is it the heartbeat of the drum? Is it our Earth Mother? Is it a drive down a country lane? What about sharing your soul with a friend, a spiritual mentor, or a life coach that listens without judgment and with the presence of unconditional love? What is it that brings you to your truth and into the right here, right now? That is your Medicine.

Our power lies in the present. When we are with what is, we notice the depth of life like the little girl with her contagious smile pressed out the car window and into the wind. We notice campfires in backyards with families around a circle that never ends. We notice the man with a big smile walking down the street with two cotton candies in his hand, one blue and one pink and we imagine the children's eyes when they see the treat. We can jump from those places of glee to places of judgment by wondering if the little girl is safe with her face exposed on such a cold day or we can fear the impact of the sugary candy on the children's health but why? Can't we just be with the joy, love, and peace that is always present? We ruin it with our doubting of the process of life. When we stay with the present, we see that all is perfect just as it is. That image of all is right is what expands out and creates the next image and then the next. It can be as simple as that.

Lately lights have been showing up even more in people's eyes as they find their settling place of so much peace. It is one of my greatest pleasures to see someone find their Core and live from there. I have seen that light from within come on a thousand times and witnessing it never grows old. I know it well and can sense its coming and I know how to sit back and let it rise unassisted. When it comes, there are tale tale signs and often they say 'This is what you have been talking about for so long.' That brings me to silence and all I can do is nod my head and clap my hands. Once we feel that feeling of connectedness with ourselves and others and the web of life, there is no turning back to lost. We have found ourselves and in the finding, we have come home. It is as simple as that.

Knowing Now is what we are aiming for. Love it all. Trust it all. The next steps will unfold in a beautiful tapestry that will create heaven on earth. We are so close. Let crumble what may. On the other side is such pleasure and worth the wait. Enjoy the journey.

With peace and gratitude for your presence in my life,
Dane

Earth's Journey

2008-04-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

The Wabash River is swollen with her water and the trees stand with buried trunks. The rhythm here is just right despite the shifting. The earth is calling out to listen and healing us as we work to heal her. The path runs both ways. She, too, is bringing herself into the present by honoring her history and throwing off what no longer serves the highest good. Why am I surprised that she is going through a similar process as we have been? Of course she is. She is alive and spirit-filled. I can feel her rotation as if it's me. Her rhythm is within me like our heartbeats just met and mingled. Our connection is strong and getting stronger. We are listening and she is glad.

The subtle energies just got stronger and my seeing, hearing, smelling, and feelings just got upped. I feel more alive and more present and more powerful than ever before and yet humbled by the power of what can rock our world. Where will we go from here? Will our awakened state continue? Will we realize that the earth's journey is about much, much more than just the human path? Will we return to honoring the animals and all that lives here? I hope so. I am doing my best to get there. I'm doing my best to help others that are led to work with me.

All the world wants is for us to be ourselves, our Core selves, that part of us that knows and trusts the knowing. It's so simple and yet we can make it so complex. Why do we do that? Let's be with the simple and profound in that place where they live together.

Alone or Together

2008-03-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not in my typical happy place today. I'm not sure why. I had a great weekend at the women's retreat and slept well. I woke up to Louie's little voice saying a sweet little 'hi' to me. What else could a person possibly want? Isn't happiness something that I say lives deep within us and never leaves as long as we are following our Core? Yes, that's true. So I go a little deeper within and see the thread leading to my feelings.

I'm tired. This is not the kind of tired that sleep can restore. This kind of tired can only be relieved through seeing in the physical world what I believe to be true and what I have been working toward in my visions since 1995: people connecting with other people.

Everytime I pray or ask for guidance on what the world needs during these times, I hear we need to connect with each other. Over and over I hear people say they want and need community and certainly some of that connecting is going on and it's sweet. To the people that have come forward saying that they tried to figure life out on their own and are ready for support, I commend you for being strong enough to share your vulnerabilities. We all have them. None of us have it all figured out and sure, some of the work we need to do on our own, but much of the sweetness of life comes from connecting with other like-minded people and feeling seen, heard, and valued. If you are one of the ones hiding out trying to figure it all out before you connect with others, know there is a safe place to come. We'll be here when you're ready.

I invite you to ask yourself if you are ready to share the realness of who you are. Do you believe that it is true that when we share our true selves that we advance not only our own souls and lives but the planet as a whole? What is it you really need during these times? Is it being alone? Is it being with others? Send me a message and let me know what your mind, body, and spirit are calling for. I'll do my best to offer services to answer the call.

Hands

2008-03-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

This is one of those Meanderings that came out clumsy and complex. I can feel deep inside of me what I want to share and yet the words flutter in the distance. As is true for all of my writings, feel what is happening within you as you read. The energies beneath the words are more important than the letters. I welcome your responses.

Last week was a wild ride for many. For others it was a peaceful path. People were crumbling left and right and everywhere I looked hands were there for helping. What side of the being cared for and caring for were you on? Perhaps both came your way.

As we gather this morning, I invite you to look at your hands. Hold them up in front of you and really look at them. Notice the signs of them being well used. Perhaps there are lines and scars that reflect the history of where they have been, what they have created, who they have helped, other hands they have held and much, much more. Now go a little deeper in your presence and see if you can feel the energy beneath the flesh and bone.

There is a new level of subtle energy available inside and outside of us now to help us in the days ahead. It is as if the responsibility for our energy just got upped. As I walk through life, the layers of energy that surround me and mesh with what is on my path, are lighting up in a new way. Beads of light stream from my fingertips and time slows to a trickle. Touches have become more tender, hugs longer, and holding more powerful and gentle at the same time. This is about softening and letting our Core lead. We have been on this path for a while and now is the time to settle into the newness. Be the softness. Live your Core. Let your Light Shine. We are in this together and the world is waiting.

Last week I was catapulted into bigger mysteries than I have ever witnessed and I was reminded of my teacher's wisdom from my world travels and my studies with indigenous people. The ancient ways are clearly among us and returning to them will ease our path. Where they said we would be is where we are and it is up to us to choose where we walk next. I will share more about that during face to face sessions.

This week I encourage you to become more aware of your hands and try these to feel this new way of being:
Go to the library or bookstore and let your fingers do the walking down the book spines until they find the one that holds just what you need to read. Trust your fingers to know which book to stop at and where to open.
Repot plants and arrange and rearrange flowers as you feel their aliveness
Bake bread filled with the kneading of your hands or peel potatoes
Touch yourself, particularly your thighs and knees and feel the power of your hands as they comfort you

Holding Hands

2008-03-17T05:36:00.000-07:00

We gather today in the large lodge with a fire burning bright. To your level of comfort, take the hand of the one next to you in our circle with the intention of being supported and supporting each other. Welcome. I'm glad you are here.

Can you feel the presence of all of us and how strong we are in our togetherness? Much is shifting under our feet these days and we are gaining incredible strength within the core of each of us. All of us can benefit from the presence of others and I hope you can settle into knowing that you are seen, heard, and valued here. That is one of the many blessings that I celebrate with this sweet community! Below you will see two chances for us to come together in person to form our circle of support. Virtual is good and in person is really, really lovely.

I invite you to walk with me through a story of my night and be present with the symbolism of what I'm saying. It is 3 am and I'm doing yoga on my living room floor. Child's pose is the one that called me from my sleep. I rise from position and see a band of light spilled across the floor. I look up to its source and the moon beckons me to the window. The sky is dark and ominous with its thick clouds but her light penetrates the night. Back and forth she goes into and out of the clouds teasing me with her light for writing. My blanket and pillow transform my big comfy chair into a place for sleeping so that I can see her and she can see me. Her watchful eye brings dreams of spring and gratitude for all that is right here and right now.

Sometimes I resist the still and quiet voice that guides me. I want something different than what it seems to be offering. When it calls in the middle of the night, I'm quick to want sleep instead of action. I'm learning that when I follow this wisdom no matter the time, place, or situation, that what comes out on the other side is lighter, freer, and just right.

Questions to Consider:
Can you hear your inner rhythm calling you?
Are you following this inner voice?
Are you becoming like a child and surrendering into the innocence of the knee to the chest position?
Are you feeling the presence of support?
Do you know deep down inside that everything is okay just as it is?
Are you loving and trusting yourself, others, and life?
Do you want to?

The greatest gift that I can offer you is support in loving and trusting yourself, others, and life. That makes all the difference in thriving through the ebbs and flows of life.

Lay the Pain Down

2008-03-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

My heart is heavy with wondering today and I know I'm not alone. Many are telling me that pain from the past has come back again and that secrets that hurt are revealing themselves. Despite the brilliant sunshine here, pain that is incredibly hard to comprehend has come my way. It isn't new pain, it's old, very old but is showing itself in a new way. It is my belief that pain like this only comes to the forefront when we have all it takes to work with it, to honor it, to release it, to do and be all that is necessary to lay it down. We can walk down many paths of anger, bitterness, misunderstanding, blame but only when we come to a place of acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness, can we truly move beyond it. Below is a process that I intuited for a woman in our circle last week that I found comfort in by using for myself. If it speaks to you, I invite you to be with it to heal what is up for healing in your life.

Lay It Down
Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through you mouth. Move into the gentle side of yourself. When you feel tenderness in the right here, right now, imagine that in your arms you hold what is hurting you or causing you confusion. Hold it like a newborn baby with nurturing and compassion and unconditional love. Rock it as you admire its vulnerability with tenderness. When you are ready to release it for good, take this baby and lay it down in a Moses basket in the river of Nile. Cover it symbolically with leaves of green and know that it is protected by the Divine and that all you need to do is to set it free. Know that the river will take it to a better and healing place. You don't have to hold it or struggle to make sense of it anymore. Lay It Down for good.

If you feel that you want support in healing the hurts, I'm here for you.

Dance!

2008-03-10T05:32:00.000-07:00

The forming of our circle this morning was a bit more intentional as I chose to call out each of your names as an invitation to our gathering. I could see the web of life containing all of your lights shining from within. What a glorious sight on this sun filled Monday. Welcome! I am glad you are here.

We are gathered among the trees again and there is the crunchiness of about an inch of snow beneath our feet. It will melt soon as winter wanes. Before it goes, let's celebrate the cleansing and the purity of its presence. I invite you to take your place in the wide openness among the bare limbs and settle into yourself. A few deep breaths and an intention of connecting brings us to that place deep within that holds the seeds of self.

Movement is brewing from within our bodies and we follow the calling by doing the unique dance of who we are. I invite you to begin your dance one movement at a time. Go at your pace. No comparing or worrying about others. Be with yourself and the stirrings of your soul. Maybe you will barely move or perhaps you will give way to your wild side. Just be with what is right for you right now. Perhaps at some point you will feel like you are being danced instead of doing the dancing. If that happens, I invite you to call out 'Dance Me, Dance Me.' Feel the effortless movement of being danced by life.

It is like when I am drumming and at some point I'm being drummed instead of drumming. In that moment, I have met the flow of life and it has taken me to a new place I couldn't have gotten to on my own. Enjoy the rhythm of You that connects to the rhythm of All.

Embodied Beliefs

2008-03-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

Some of you have asked what was going on with me last week and what is happening in our precious world. This is my attempt to find the words. Again, it's easier for me to share right now in person than through email so I will talk more at this week's events.

It is my experience that we are embodying our beliefs which means that whatever is running in the foreground or the underground as a belief has now come to the surface and is showing itself more in our day to day lives, much through our bodies. This is part of the next step in living more holistically and more in alignment with who we really are. We are coming into balance of our minds, bodies, spirits, and emotions. I know that may not sound any different than what has been happening. This is different. Everything just went way deeper and the subtleness is showing. Our beliefs are creating our reality as quickly as our thoughts and our conscious intentions. It is as if our beliefs have become more conscious. Are you feeling this? Take a look around and feel what is happening in your life. Are your beliefs showing?

If our thoughts, beliefs, emotions, spirits, bodies, words, and actions are truly in alignment, all will be in balance. I know that is a pretty tall order but that's where we are going in our purification toward living a more loving, peaceful, abundant, and joyful life. This is our path to our original innocence. Where there are discrepancies, we have work to do.

Last week the beliefs that were in my face were 'All is One' and 'All Things are Interconnected.' I came out on the other side much clearer about how I want to embody those beliefs and what changes I need to make to live more in alignment. It was a wild ride. I wish you peace and joy as you explore your Core and choose what you really want and live from that deep place of alignment. This is the nectar of life that is oh, so sweet.

Form and Formlessness

2008-03-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

Today we gather in the woods among leafless trees. Their forms, like bare bones, show us what they are made of. I invite you to explore what you are made of by imagining that you are one of these majestic trees. Stand straight with your legs shoulder width apart and feel your strength. Imagine your connection to earth via wide and supportive roots. Now raise your hands high into the air and feel your connection to Source. Feel that, despite the wild winds here today, that you are strong in self. Feel it more. Feel the possibility of new buds upon your limbs, although, now they are only in your vision. Be that winter tree stripped to its substance and feel your strength despite the vulnerability of being seen in your nakedness. That is one of the next steps in our spiral of awakening.

Many of us are feeling vulnerable. Our lives have been stripped of what we once considered to hold our value and our identity - health, jobs, beliefs, homes, relationships, money, parents, children, possessions. Some of our loss has been positive as we made powerful choices for new ways of being and some of the loss has been involuntary as life shifted without our conscious consent. Some of the shifts have been temporary lasting only briefly and some were long term and changed us forever.

I think back over my life the last 5 years and realize very little is the same. My daughters left home to start families of their own. I became a grandmother twice. I resigned from my 16 year corporate job to follow my passion of helping others through life coaching, speaking, and writing. I gained 40 pounds. I let go of a long-term relationship to a man that I still believe is my soul mate but our connection wouldn't hold steady. I moved from my house to an apartment as I simplified my life and got rid of almost all of my possessions. Stripped? Yes, I have felt that. Freed? Absolutely, I have felt that too. The emotions have been widespread. This winter has brought a deeper awareness of the reasons for the path I have walked and the emotions of what I did not feel then have come up for feeling now. Grief and sorrow and joy are all here. Above all of what has come and what has gone, though, is a steady sense of self and a Core presence of calm and peace that never leaves for long. For that, I am most grateful!

What I know for sure is that if we cling to a life that no longer supports us or the greater whole, it will only bring pain. We can hold the form loosely but surrender is the only way to bring a promising tomorrow. We are learning to live in a new way where formlessness gets us into the flow. Whatever needs to happen for us to find that solid self and to live from there is happening.

The people I am working with right now are experiencing a broad range of life, although, the theme of form and formless and connecting to their Core are with each of us. A woman is exhausted as she finds out that her grown son has been arrested again. A man seeks to discover how to balance years of having a woman make most of his decisions for him. A couple risks vulnerability to say how they really feel about the presence of the other and tears connect them. Vivid dreams come in the night and people awaken knowing that something big changed and wondering what, if anything, they need to do. Spontaneous healings are happening merely by becoming aware of the messages the illness is sending. A woman cries because her life has been stale for 15 years and she desperately wants change. Another woman cries because change has been happening so fast that she cannot find her calm within. People have lost their animal companions, their lovers, their parents. People have been found love after years of longing. Many are finding their rightful place and abundance of all sweetness has come to them. These ups and downs are the ebb and flow of life.

Are you living from that solid place deep within yourself? Have you touched the stability of your Core and want more? What is it going to take for you to go within yourself and to love and trust yourself, others, and life more fully? Are you tired of trying to make things happen and are ready to surrender to that balance of form and formlessness? I'm here to help when you get clarity that I'm the right one for you to work with.

Pregnant with Possibility

2008-02-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Today we gather on the wraparound front porch of the log lodge as we bring our awareness to the sky that is active with migrating birds and the earth that is singing from her fertile ground. Many are anxious for the arrival of spring, me among them. The dreaming turns to seeding soon so enjoy these last weeks of winter warmth, renewal, and reflection. Deep inside each of us is that seed of self that I call our Core that speaks volumes of what we are here for and what we are uniquely called to share with this precious place that we call our earth home. As February ends, I'm wondering how clear the images in your mind are of what you wish to create this year. Can you feel its essence in your cells? Draw it, sing it, dance it, be it and the spring will bring you blooms from the dreams that are happening now in garden of you.

We are all pregnant with possibility this time of year and our bodies ache to bring our dreams out into the world. We can't force the process though. We take the called upon steps and leave the rest to a time of rightness. This weekend I was with my pregnant daughter, Amber, looking at baby girl clothes. My granddaughter will arrive in mid-May. As we were meandering through stores, I felt the energy of all of these pregnant women preparing for the ultimate birth from self. Hope called out and we answered as we imagined our new wee one's arrival and the blessing of this baby girl.

Hope is alive! I invite you to sit in the state of dreaming and feel the aliveness of the fertile ground of you.

Happiness for $1.80

2008-02-16T05:10:00.000-08:00

Happiness for $1.80
Saturday was a wide open day for me except for a little preparation for two classes I did yesterday. Everything was flowing freely, and even though I hadn't thought about it, I was in a pretty good mood. I was driving home from my office and felt the pull to go into a teacher's supply store that I enjoy. I walked into the store, and there was a 50% off rack just to the left. I immediately saw a banner of bees. These weren't just ordinary bees though. These were bees in love. The artist had done a phenomenal job of creating the energy of love and happiness in those bees. She was offering him flowers and he was offering her honey. I felt happiness flow from the top of my head clear down to my toes. It was unmistakable bliss. I stood there and wondered if I had gotten the full benefit from the bees or if I needed to buy the banner and clearly it needed to come with me. The price was $1.80. That's a bargain for happiness that continues to sing in my heart. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you here in my office.

I invite you to be aware of the little invitations that are all around drawing you more into a state of sweetness. Happiness lives deep within each of us and can appear quickly and in the most interesting ways when we follow the flow. Bee happy!!

Happy Hearts

2008-02-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Today we gather in my office at 2424 East Main Street, Plainfield instead of the country log lodge. This yellow building with the white picket fence has purple, red, and pink hearts scattered on the front window. They are covered with white sparkles and I hope their intention of love reaches you and the people that drive by this week. I have had so much fun making those hearts and feeling where to glue some together and where to leave some on their own. Louie helped me with the sparkles and with his 2 year old hands, many wound up on the carpet instead of on the hearts. I will vacuum in time but for now I'm relishing the little diamond-like bits that glisten on my living room floor. Life has been showing me so much love and faces with smiles and little miracles that lighten up the path. Despite all of the sweetness though, my mind is meandering through a thousand avenues today - some lovely and light and some not so much.

In truth if I was to take you on a meandering of my mind today, it would be a wild ride. It's not that I think you couldn't handle it - you could. This is more about Dane and the words that I'm willing to share over this technological highway. There is so much power in words and like some of the hearts, I need to do this meandering alone. It feels too vulnerable to send out what I'm feeling to so many. Perhaps I will share more in the small gathering of women tomorrow after I take a Dane Day to feel the ups and downs and all arounds. If you are feeling like me this week, know that when we enter into what is up it always comes out sparkly clean on the other side.

The pattern running through our circle right now is what to cleanse and how to cleanse it. Cleansing is good and important. We need to enter what is in need of cleansing and feel the rhythm of what is there. My hope is that you are more focused on what is going to be when the cleansing is complete though instead of solely focused on the yuck that is on its way out. Keep your vision alive in your mind and in your heart as you enter the place of discontent. If you are willing to feel, really feel the emotions, you will be delivered on the other side with hearts in your eyes and a lightness in your step. I'm here to help. It's typical for me to go through things, and as part of my process, to learn how to help you through a similar situation with ease and grace. I imagine that is part of what today is about.

I hope you can feel the love that I have placed here in this space for you. I do my best to light it up with love and compassion and support everyday. I hope you find your way here soon so we can share in the way that only face to face can get to. In the meantime, I invite you to be present for the rhythm of your life going where it wants and needs to go.

Love and Red Socks

2008-02-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

We gather in our virtual log lodge with our red socks on bringing in the energy of fun and love. Isn't it amazing that such a subtle gesture can shift our focus? I invite you to invite all the people you know to put on red socks and feel the feelings.

February has traditionally been the month of love and symbolically represents that All is One. As you move through your Monday may the connections between us be obvious and sweet. I celebrate the connections between all of us in this circle and welcome those that have recently joined us! Thank you for being here! Today I share a Meandering from days past as our minds and hearts turn to the topic of Love.

Love Carrots 2005 Bad days don’t find me very often, but that Saturday was a bad day and by the evening I was spent, exhausted and tearful. I was creating dinner for a friend and the creative process was overwhelming me instead of delighting me. Something made me think of my grandmother and how wonderful her food always tasted and how I knew she added love to every bite. I stopped crying and I centered myself by paying attention to my feet on the ground and breathing a few times in through my nose and out through my mouth. I started focusing on love and how despite the difficult day there is love all around me. I had been peeling and grating carrots for our salads and I continued with love in my heart and in my hands. He arrived and we sat around the velvet table with candles lighting the night and the mood calm. He went for the salad first and I wish I could write his expression on this page. His eyes widened, he leaned forward and his lips meandered from side to side. H e took another bite of the simple salad and moaned softly. I stopped eating to watch him, not sure what was going to come next. He said ‘This is the most delicious salad I have ever had.’ I started to become confused because the salad was unadorned and he continued ‘You put love in these carrots.’ I have been aware of the power of energy for many years and I get the way it works but I was shocked that this man felt the love that I specifically put into those carrots. That moment shifted me and I will not forget it. We hold power in our hands and in our hearts and I cannot begin to fathom how we could lighten up this world by holding the intention of love in our daily details. I’m wondering today about the influence we can have and I invite you to add love to your moments. Sending the energy of love to ALL, Dane

Celebrate Being Alive

2008-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

Good morning, A glorious sunshine is beaming in the front window of my office. The light of which sprinkles magic across my desk and the toys I have laying here. Toys are a constant companion right now as well as bright colors and creative tools. It is what the world is calling for, so as we gather today in our large lodge around the hot fire, what toys do you imagine having with you? Take a look around and see exactly what you want right here, right now and know that it will bring you back to your creativity. Go ahead and let yourself have it in your mind's eye.

Notice any shifts in you now that you have given a gift to your creative side. Next, take another look around and notice the eyes of those here in our circle. What do you see reflected back to you? Eyes are the windows and the mirrors to our soul and much is written there these days. We have been going through a refinement and our souls are echoing our pureness and what is still in need of purification. It has taken courage to go deep within ourselves and to uncover what was stuck there from years ago and lives ago and bring it into the light for feeling, loving and letting go. Some of us have reached the other side of the stuckness and some are still in the throes of it. No matter where you are in that process, I invite you to celebrate being alive today with some play and laughter. It is sure to shift any stuckness. I'm so glad you are here with us.

Over the last four years I have stood in a state of awareness related to the energy of all of us in this circle and the mood of this precious earth that is ours. There have been times of darkness and times of lightness and I believe we have each done our best to ride the ebb and flow of life. Congratulations on getting to here. I know it hasn't all been easy. I'm hoping that you are more settled into the Core of who you are and what is important to you. Knowing and living from that deep inner self is the key to going with the flow and being clear on what is next.

Cabin fever has inflicted some of us and we are seeking sources of lightness. The blankets have fallen to our feet as we have been prompted to get up and dance after our period of hibernation. Nearly all of my classes and coaching sessions lately have included a dose of magic, creativity, and laughter. At last week's drumming circle, we had a laughfest that wouldn't stop. We danced at the winter retreat even though all of us were shy at first. Sex has been one of the topics at the women's group and many coaching sessions as it is one of the finest ways to reach our source and our creative fire. It is so good to be among the lightness once again. I also recognize the beauty of being in the void of darkness and all that we discover there. Remember that I will meet you wherever you are and honor that place as we see what is next in your shifting. I'm wondering today if you are ready to believe that if you add more play to your life that all you want will come and sit at your feet. Do you believe that it is possible? Can life be that easy? What is stirring within your creative self seeking expression?

Here are a few of the tips I have been sharing to stimulate your playfulness:
wear red socks
put green sheets on your bed (warning: Do this only if you want more play there)
color with a brand new box of crayons
start and end each day with your hands in some dirt
put together a puzzle

If you are ready to come out of hibernation either to play or to have someone hear your journey and support you, I'm here. This week bring me something colorful (paper; crayons; markers; chalk; toys; games; coloring books, etc.) and get 50% off your coaching session.

Sending smiles and sparkles, Life Coach Dane

Without a Stitch of Stress

2008-01-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

I hope that 2008 is already showing you much love peace, joy, and abundance. Happy New Year!I’m writing to you from an unfamiliar place inside of me. It’s as if my Core has quieted to a low and slow crawl. Gone are the days of striving and driving and only inviting and receiving remain. I entered 2008 without a stitch of stress, with no to-do list beckoning to me, and a nearly clear calendar. The last few months have drawn me quietly into myself and tightly held me in an embrace of loved ones. I have spent days in silence and solitude and they have blessed me in ways I had only glimpsed were possible. I have been spending time at the farm and in the presence of David, I was able to be in the presence of unconditional love more fully than I have ever been.

The blessings are so abundant that part of me hesitates to speak of them for that might be the cause of their dismissal. I gently blow that thought away and continue.

What is this peaceful place I have found? When I ask the powers that be what this is, I hear that I have found my center point, the place where my Core settles in like the pendulum coming to a pause. The polarities have found their peace. I hear that many are going through this and are at various stages. We have been heading toward this new way of being for a very long time. Can you feel the balancing?

I am prompted to be even more simple and practical in my coaching and teaching. I realize that in some ways I have made life more complex than it needs to be. In my certifications as a mediator, a diversity consultant, and a life coach, I was taught many processes and techniques to help people to change. That driven kind of change is not my goal anymore. I have known this in my mind for a long time and have moved in this direction, but now I get it in my body. Therefore, I am recommitting to my intention to support you in loving and trusting yourself, others, and life right here, right now. Embracing what is helps us to settle into the present moment and that invites the receiving of what can be. Life flows and change naturally happens when we have all of our energy with us in the moment instead of wrestling with the past and predicting the future. We can receive every single little thing our hearts desire. We just have to balance our action with opening our hands and hearts and allowing it in.

Here is to living in the simplicity, Dane