Art, Dance, Poetry & Writing
Providence Reiki Training December 8 & 9!
First Degree Reiki Training in Providence at One Richmond Square on Saturday, December 8th & Sunday 9th, from 1:00-6:00 . First Degree Traditional Usui Reiki Training is where all new Reiki students begin their Traditional Usui Reiki Training. In this class, students receive all four First Degree Reiki Attunements, practice sharing and experience receiving Reiki, and be ready to share Reiki with friends, family, and emergency situations. First Degree Traditional Usui Reiki Training is offered as a two-day Training. The fee for the two-day training is $175.
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Want To Get Great At Something? Get A Coach!
We all need an excellent coach. I have had many amazing coaching and mentoring experiences in my life. When I was younger, the coaches were primarily with my involvement with sports. Some of my sports coaches were great at bringing out the best in me and others. Other coaches did not have the right acumen for this role and impeded the growth and development of players, including myself. Being good at something does not make you an excellent coach. And, as Atul Gawande explains in detail, excelling at something does not mean you have reached your potential. Why not be the best you can be?
When I began my journey as a social worker and counselor, my supervisors became interested in me and improved my skill set. They simultaneously pushed me beyond my perceived limitations while supporting my work. Many coaches ASSUME that you either have to push somebody hard or take their hand and gently guide them. A good coach seamlessly and instinctively knows when and how to apply each strategy. A good coach knows your strengths and obstacles to success and is willing to manage the resistance that the ego will place in the way as a hindrance. Generally speaking, the ego is the greatest obstacle to sustained growth and development. The ego may express itself as overconfidence or lack of confidence. They both are an imbalance of humility.
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Mindful Sex – A Solution To Unhappy Sex Lives
Mindful Sex. The words even sound funny together. Sex, by its nature, is mindful enough, in theory. Why do we need mindful sex, and what is mindful sex?
It is easy to decide, "This is the thing I need to do to fix my relationships and sex life". This is not one of those kinds of solutions, assuming such a thing exists. Mindful sex can be a gateway towards a more fulfilling and intimate experience of making love and intimacy. Mindful sex does not replace destructive, unfulfilling old habits or patterns. Mindful sex helps create new ones and revitalize those that were once joyful and alive! We still have to do our work.
Mindfulness and being present have become serious buzzwords in recent years. For those of us who have practiced these skills and arts for decades, it can sometimes feel like they are the latest in a long line of techniques in "microwave recovery" for whatever ails us. Here is the fascinating part: it's true and has been for thousands of years! The packaging and terminology have changed, but meditation, breathing, paying attention, and being where we are right now are the foundations of most major psychological, religious, and spiritual traditions. Ironically, people often label them as New Age practices, when in reality, they are older than "traditional" methods that people are finding are not as effective for us in today's world. Mindful sex is an extension of these practices. Again, there is nothing "new" to mindful sex. We have just given it a fancy, trendy name. It is like what we used to call tropical rainforests "jungles". There was minimal interest in preserving jungles, but tropical rainforests create an image that people want to support. We can think of mindful sex as undistracted sex while fully immersed in the experience. Who doesn't want deep, meaningful sexual and intimate experiences?
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Tantra Is NOT Love – Tantra And Sacred Sex
This is a beautifully written essay on Tantra. I have some experience with Tantra, but I am certainly not a teacher or expert. I have struggled with some Tantra practitioners assuming Tantra and Sacred Love are the same. This has not felt true to me. This heartfelt dive into the essence of Tantra, Sacred Sex, and Tantra is what I have experienced without having the correct words or mastery to express it accurately.
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How Humility Will Make You the Greatest Person Ever
I value few human characteristics more than humility in myself and others. Humility is the foundation of all genuinely remarkable human characteristics. If you cannot accept how great and awful you can be, how can you receive or offer help?
Many years ago, I heard a friend discussing his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. He quoted his sponsor speaking on humility, "When I was new, I really needed humility. Today, I actually want humility." This speaks to the core importance and value of humility in life. When we experience humility, we know how amazing and beautiful we can be. We are also aware of how dark and self-centered we can be. We recognize that they are all part of being human.
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You’re Basically Good — The Benefits of Contemplative Psychotherapy
You're basically good. This perspective is often left out of modern Western counseling, therapy, and life coaching. Here in the West, the typical approach focuses on what is wrong with you and what needs to be "fixed". The counselor, therapist, or life coach gets paid as long as you are "sick" or "need" them to function in the world. This is not my approach to working with clients. I assume you're basically good. You have what you need inside you to be successful in life and relationships. You know what you need. You have as much strength, courage, wisdom, and love as necessary to enjoy your work, family, friends, relationships, and the world around you. I see my role as the facilitator in helping you bring these qualities to the surface so you can be a productive member of society and achieve what you came here to do in this life.
Although the practices described in the article below are not exactly what I do, there are many similarities, and the concepts feel like they come from the same place. I hope you enjoy reading this piece. I think it is fascinating and inspiring. How about you?
Spiritual Bypassing, Relationships and The Shadow
I first started becoming aware of spiritual bypassing a few years ago. My eyes opened wide as I was reading the page in front of me. "A spiritual bypass or spiritual bypassing is a "tendency to use spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep or avoid facing unresolved emotional issues, psychological wounds, and unfinished developmental tasks" John Welwood & Tina Fossella. This was it! This was the thing I had been aware of for years in myself and others that I had not known what it was or how to describe it! I was so excited that there really was such a "thing," and it had a name.
I have cut out parts of the article below, but most of the content on spiritual bypassing is included.
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Book Release: Raised by Wolves, Possibly Monsters
Find out about this exciting new book here.
