Newsletter: New Year January 09

Every year I participate in some kind of spiritual ceremony or visioning to let go and create space for the new year. This time I attended a sweat lodge. For those who don't know, sweat lodges come from the American Indian culture. For hours, stones are heated up in a fire and then put in the middle of a tent like structure. The leader then closes all the flaps and throws water on the stones. Steam is released and you sweat. During this process the leader leads you through visualizations, gratitude prayers and much more. The point is to focus your mind on the present moment. Not the past and not the future.

There are 4 stages to the process. The first stage the heat level is bearable and the time inside the tent manageable. But with each stage the heat level goes up and your desire to escape even more! This is the tricky part, you have to try not to cheat by sticking your head out the flap. Can you make it through? Do you have control over your mind and body? When things get really tough do you have the ability to stay focused on the present moment or do you run away from discomfort?

You might be wondering why I'd put myself through this experience? Your life is a piece of clay that is being created by you. The more you take command of your inner fears, issues, blocks the quicker you can create. Your are your biggest block. If you get out of the way you no longer are that block. But the only way to do that is to walk through your fears and learn the skills and tools to create your life. The sweat lodge is a metaphor for walking through your fears. When the heat gets intense there is a natural urge to back away instead of push through. This allows you to recognize that you're only limited by your head nothing more.

Pushing past your comfort zone guarantees your expansion. If you want to be rich, healthy, in love, happy you have to learn how. You have to become the person you're dreaming about. May 2009 be the year that you do.

Be well and have a good week,

Mona