“It’s hard to let go of anything we love. We live in a world which teaches us to clutch. But when we clutch, we’re left with a fistful of ashes.” – Madeleine L’Engle
Is there something you are hanging on to? Afraid to let go? Worried about what might happen?
Perception plays a big part in attachment. We perceive a specific outcome or result that may or may not be realistic. Because our emotions are tied in with the attachment, we are absolutely positive that the outcome we want is the only outcome there is. When we don’t get what we want, we feel disappointed.
The difference between expectancy and expectation is attachment. Expectation comes from the mind and expectancy comes from the heart. If I let go of attachment, I open up the realm of opportunity. The more attached I am, the more restricted life seems to be. Feeling restricted can make us feel incomplete and that somehow we have failed.
In surrendering, we free ourselves from the constant chatter about what isn’t working. We are then open to discover other possibilities in store for us. We tap into our inner wisdom when we let go of the suffering from the past, and the neediness of the future. Learning to live in the moment helps us stay centered in love.
When I live in the moment, I allow love’s healing power to take charge. If I can take time in the silence, I return to the extraordinary place of peace and harmony. Instead of planning, changing and fixing, I allow myself to just be and connect with the flow.
Affirm: I am willing to release and ready to receive.
“Activity and rest are two vital aspects of life. To find a balance in them is a skill in itself. Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have. Finding them in each other – activity in rest and rest in activity – is the ultimate freedom.” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Whether you long to reconnect with your inner wisdom, or are craving quiet reflection, rest, and renewal, our Wisdom of the Heart Women’s Retreat will meet your needs.
Rev Christine Green has designed a deeply restorative retreat for women in a nurturing, empowering, and supportive environment. Tap into the transformative power of spiritual principle to nourish your body and soul. Amazing musician Lauri Jones provides heart-felt music to inspire, move and connect us with our sacred self.
Our all-inclusive retreat takes place at Alton Collins Retreat Center, a beautiful center in the lush forest located in Eagle Creek, Oregon. Room, meals and retreat included in the price. There is an option for single or double occupancy.
Having fresh, organic, home-made food is a treasure! Scrumptious meals, lovingly prepared. All dietary requests are honored. No dishes to wash. Just enjoy!
Integrate self-renewal strategies into daily life as you learn to:
Slow down and access your inner wisdom
Experience guilt-free spiritual practice
Tap into self-compassion and self-acceptance
Relax and connect with your needs, desires, and emotional well-being
Meditate to enhance peace and harmony in everyday life
Enjoy authentic connection with like-minded women as you embrace a new way of being and experience greater freedom and joy.
Wisdom of the Heart Women’s Retreat: Sunday, October 20 at 4 pm through Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 1 pm
Single Room: $775
Double Room: $655
To register: Please send or scan this registration form along with your deposit
“Your own consciousness is always creating thoughts, and the more you energize those thoughts, the more they come into being, good or bad.” – Paul Selig
Do you ever have those days where you wish for a magic wand—just for a moment to wave over life’s troubles and make them magically disappear?
If you’ve been on the spiritual path you’ve come to realize that change doesn’t come automatically. If I want my life to be different, I have to change my thinking, attitude, and perception. I have to be the one to initiate the change. There is no magic to it. Just consistent, dedicated practice to shift my thinking from wishing to doing.
In I Am The Word, Paul Selig writes, “This is not something that can be done once. This is about a new pattern, and like any new pattern it needs to be ingrained in consciousness and in behavior for it to become fully realized in your life.”
No one can do our work for us. We can’t will it or wish it away. There is no being in the sky that grants wishes for us. Each of us has to do our own work and look at old patterns, old beliefs, past experiences and take responsibility for them.
Responsibility is the ability to respond. We have the opportunity to bring conscious intention to whatever we are engaged in.
Ernest Holmes reminds us, “Realizing that all action starts in and is a result of consciousness, prepare your mind to receive the best that life has to offer. Become increasingly aware of the one Presence, the one Life and the one Sprit which is God. Drop all sense of lack or limitation.”
Affirm: I am willing to receive the best life has to offer me.
As I approached seat 6D on my flight, I smiled and told the gentleman he was sitting in my assigned window seat. He smiled back and said he was sure he was in his assigned seat. I looked again at the diagram on the overhead bin and yes, 6D was the window seat, and it was the one listed on my boarding pass. He started looking for his boarding pass. “Do you mean they gave us the same seat?” he mumbled, as he searched for his boarding pass. I did not want to hold up the long line of passengers and quickly said, “You know what, it doesn’t matter.” I hastily stowed my luggage under the seat in front of me and let the line move forward. It was no big deal.
Or was it? Was I just conned into giving away my window seat? Why was I in such a hurry to give it up? I reflected on how many times I didn’t speak up when someone got in front of me in line or ignored my request. I remembered times I felt invisible to those around me. One part of me felt that giving up my seat wasn’t an issue. It was a short flight, and I had a book to read. Another part of me was livid because I felt manipulated, controlled, disrespected. Was I just trying to be nice?
We all want to be liked, accepted, and included. As a result, we don’t always say what we’re thinking. We often hold back from telling the whole truth so we don’t hurt someone’s feelings. We go out of our way to do things for others so they will approve of us. We suppress what we really think. We hold our tongues. We were taught: Little girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice. We are told to be seen and not heard. Don’t argue. Don’t yell. Don’t jump around so much. Don’t talk back. Don’t be greedy. Don’t get dirty. For goodness sake, just be nice!
We can learn to set boundaries and not be in such a hurry to give up our own good for the sake of others. It takes patience, as we learn to speak up for ourselves. The passenger in 6D was not the cause of my pain. If I felt empowered, I would be free to speak up and hold my ground knowing that was my seat. I would speak my truth rather than silence myself.
Are you ready to speak up, stand up, and show up for yourself?
Affirm: I am aware, alert and willing to take charge of my life.
We spend so much time judging ourselves that we become prisoners of negative thinking. We judge our outer looks as being too big, too fat, too tall, too short, too anything. We believe we are not smart enough, capable enough, or qualified enough. While we are busy judging ourselves, we don’t take time to appreciate the abundant blessings our lives have to offer.
Would you repeat the inner judgments you say to and about yourself to someone you loved? We wouldn’t think of it. Yet, we beat ourselves up mentally and verbally until we are left exhausted, powerless, and immobilized. Self-criticism and judgment are debilitating habits. They break down our faith, erode our self-esteem, and stir up our feelings of shame.
When we live a life of intention, we move away from the self-defeating practice of comparing and competing. We are inspired to find role models whom we want to emulate. We connect with friends and associates who are encouraging and supportive. Instead of searching for our own acknowledgement, we recognize and celebrate the successes of those around us.
As we begin to peel away the layers of false beliefs and ideas about our bodies and ourselves, we touch on our awareness of the Divine, our connection with God. In This Thing Called You, Ernest Holmes states it perfectly: “There is a Divine awareness within you which will lead you upward and onward. Prepare yourself for the ascent, then fill your mental life with spiritual realization.”
Love is an inside job that begins with letting go of the pain from the past. Then there is an opening to express love. As we love ourselves, we begin to acknowledge and appreciate others. The more love we give, the more we receive. As we think about love, we become love.
–Excerpt from Conscious Choices: A Woman’s Guide to Clarity, Courage and Connection, by Christine Green
