Beka Buckley, David Murphy, Marnie Schneider, Terez Hartmann, Mary Boutieller, Christina Stäudle, Jo Mooy, Linda Commito, Anthony Tamalge
Here
at Transformation Academy, we are excited to announce August’s IMPACT Coaching Spotlight—Laura Anderson!
Our goal with this initiative is to recognize and celebrate members of the IMPACT Coaching Collective who demonstrate the heart, leadership and service it takes to be an impactful coach. IMPACT is a community of likeminded, heart-centered life coaches who come together to learn, practice and grow.
This article is a modified transcript of an interview between Kimberly Rich, host of The Profitable Coach Podcast, and guest Laura Anderson.
Get 30 days free in the IMPACT Community: https://store. transformationacademy.com/pages/join-the-community
Listen to this interview on the Profitable Coach Podcast: https://store.transformationacademy.com/pages/ep76impact-member-laura-anderson-how-to-unlock-your-confidence-and-reverse-engineer-success
Laura is a certified confidence coach who helps people learn the tools to increase confidence and overcome the fear and self-doubt that is holding them back. Through working with Laura, her clients learn to embrace their authentic self, silence negative self-talk, and build a strong foundation of self-love. Her mission is to help people learn how to empower themselves to step into their true potential and live a life free from external and internal judgment.
HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE PROFITABLE COACH. I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE LAURA ANDERSON JOINING ME. LAURA IS ONE OF OUR IMPACT COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND A COACH I’VE BEEN LUCKY TO WORK WITH FOR SOME TIME. DO YOU EVEN REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED WORKING TOGETHER, LAURA?
It was back in June with CCP [Coaching Confidence Program], which feels like forever ago now—in the best way! It’s wild to think about how much has happened since then. That program was really my first full entry into the coaching world, at least through the lens of Transformation Academy. What’s funny is that it wasn’t just about learning skills or watching the videos—it was about stepping into a completely different identity. That first group experience gave me the confidence to see myself not just as a teacher or a student of personal growth, but as someone who could truly help others. It was a mindset shift that changed everything. The transformation began before I even started coaching others. It began with me.
It also gave me the community that I didn’t even realize I needed. There’s something really special about being surrounded by people who are just as committed to growth and impact as you are. It helped me let go of some of that old identity tied to teaching in the traditional system. From that point on, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
CAN YOU TAKE ME BACK TO BEFORE YOU HIT THAT “BUY NOW” BUTTON FOR THE COACHING CONFIDENCE PROGRAM?
WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU KNEW THIS WAS IT AND DECIDED TO GO ALL IN?
Honestly, it wasn’t one singular moment—it was more like a decade of nudges. I’d been interested in coaching since 2013. At the time, I was moving from Nebraska to Washington, and even though I was excited by the coaching world, I had no idea how to start a business in a new place where I
knew no one. So I shelved the idea and threw myself into personal development, hoping that maybe someday I’d figure it out. When we moved back to Nebraska a few years ago, I started seriously considering leaving education. I’d been a teacher for decades, and while I loved helping students grow, I was tired and unfulfilled. I’d try something new—dabble in fitness or wellness coaching—but I always got scared and went back to what I knew: the classroom. It was like I kept dipping my toe in and then retreating the moment it felt uncertain.
Then I found Transformation Academy and took the Professional Life Coach Certification. The clarity and structure of the content resonated with me right away. It made coaching feel accessible. That’s when I enrolled in the Confidence Coaching certification and everything shifted. As I went through the lessons, I started coaching myself and confronting fears I had carried for 10 years. I realized I had been coaching confidence all along—as a high school English teacher, I guided students through their limiting beliefs. I just didn’t have a name for it until TA gave me one.
HOW DID YOU BEGIN TO COMBINE YOUR BACKGROUND IN TEACHING WITH THE NEW CERTIFICATIONS YOU WERE PICKING UP?
It was a natural transition, especially once I let go of the idea that I had to start from scratch. As a teacher, you’re already trained to reverse engineer results. You look at where students need to go and then create the roadmap to get them there. That’s exactly what coaching is—we help clients define their vision and then build the steps backwards.
The more certifications I earned—from confidence to meditation to holistic health—the more I saw how interconnected all my experiences were. I even pulled from my time as a personal trainer. Over time, I started to see patterns in the tools and themes I was using, and that’s how I built my unique framework.
I wasn’t just learning new things; I was discovering how much I already had to offer.
And because I’ve spent years understanding how people learn, I know how to tailor my coaching. Some clients need reflection, others need action. Some need visuals, others need journaling prompts. I build my programs to honor those different styles. Being an educator gave me the gift of adaptability, and now I get to bring that into my coaching world in a way that’s completely aligned with who I am.
YOU’VE ALSO MENTIONED WANTING TO BE FULLY “LAURA” IN YOUR BUSINESS. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
At the heart of it, it means leaning into my identity as an educator and a giver. For a while, I thought I needed to leave teaching behind completely to grow. But eventually I realized that teaching is who I am. I just needed to change the container. Coaching allowed me to teach on my own terms—freely, creatively, and in ways that feel deeply aligned.
I’m also someone who naturally gives. Whether it’s a tool, a workbook, or a bit of encouragement—I love sharing what I’ve learned. That’s part of my love language. But it’s also been a learning curve. There were times when I gave away so much that people had to remind me, “Laura, you should be charging for that!” Finding the balance between generosity and sustainability has been part of the journey.
There was a point during CCP where I wondered if I even had a “secret sauce.” I didn’t think there was anything particularly special about me. But what I’ve realized is that your uniqueness comes from your lived experience—your story, your voice, your approach. Once I stopped trying to be someone else and just leaned fully into my background, my heart, and my creativity, everything started to click. That’s when my business started to feel like an authentic expression of me.
By Beka Buckley
There comes a moment in every soul-led business when the sheer weight of being seen becomes heavier than the work itself. You’re showing up. You’re posting. You’re visible. And yet—something feels hollow. Misaligned. Performed. The content treadmill spins. The numbers flicker. You sense the pressure to sensationalize, to make your pain palatable, to cut your wisdom into fragments the algorithm might reward.
But inside, a quieter knowing rises: This is not the way. Visibility was never meant to cost you your essence. This is where sovereignty begins—not in stepping back or playing small, but in reclaiming the way you reveal yourself to the world. Not by being louder, but by being truer.
A sovereign brand is not a performance. It is an emanation. Felt before it’s understood. Not seeking validation—radiating resonance.
This article is for those who are done diluting. Who are ready to be seen without distortion.
Who know the depth of their work deserves more than a headline hook.
There is a way to be unmistakably visible without performing for it. Let’s begin.
THE VISIBILITY–PERFORMANCE LOOP
In many online spaces—especially within the coaching, healing and creative industries—visibility has quietly become a kind of performance art. The pressure to be “seen” is relentless, and it often asks more of your energy than your actual work does.
You’re not just expected to show up. You’re expected to share your breakthroughs in real time, translate your healing into digestible insights, turn your challenges into stories, and package your pain for engagement. And while none of this is inherently wrong, the cumulative effect can be disorienting.
What began as authentic expression starts to feel more like content production. You begin scanning your life for what’s “postable,” not what’s meaningful.
Your words lose weight. Your audience may grow, but the connection feels thinner.
This is the visibility—performance loop: a cycle where your value is measured by your output, not your presence. Where resonance is confused with reach. Where the pressure to stay relevant replaces the power of staying rooted.
Over time, this loop fragments your focus. It distorts your signal. It drains the very life force that fuels your deeper work. You may begin to question your voice—or worse, contort it to match the noise.
But visibility doesn’t have to come at the cost of vitality.
When you reclaim your presence from the performance loop, you start to move differently. You speak with less urgency and more truth. You become less available for the performance of being a brand—and more attuned to the frequency of being you.
DEFINING THE SOVEREIGN BRAND
A sovereign brand doesn’t chase relevance. It radiates coherence.
It isn’t defined by how often it shows up, but by how unmistakably it resonates when it does. There is a quality of self-possession to it—an internal steadiness that isn’t swayed by trends, metrics or market moods.
Sovereignty, in this context, is the ability to stay rooted in your truth while engaging with the world. It’s what allows you to adapt when it serves your evolution and stand firm when it doesn’t. Your messaging remains clear. Your energy stays intact. Your presence, even in silence, speaks volumes.
This kind of brand isn’t built by performing well online. It’s built by attuning to the deeper current of your work—your why, your essence, your signal—and expressing it without dilution.
There’s a reason people are drawn to sovereign brands. They evoke trust. They feel grounded, magnetic and whole. You don’t need to “sell” them in the traditional sense—because people feel the clarity long before they process the offer.
And this isn’t just aesthetic. It’s energetic. Sovereign brands transmit something felt. They land in the body. They speak to the soul. They hold their shape, even in the noise. To create a sovereign brand is not to disappear from view. It’s to take full ownership of how and why you’re seen. Not performatively—but powerfully.
SIGNALS OF SOVEREIGNTY
So how do you know you’re operating from a place of sovereign presence—not subtle performance?
These questions aren’t diagnostic checklists. They’re invitations to notice. To pause before you post, respond or create. They help you stay anchored in your truth, especially when the pull to produce or prove is loud.
Here are three inner signals to watch for:
1) Am I sharing this to express, or to elicit?
It is inherently human to want connection, visibility or engagement. But when the need for a certain response drives your expression, you’re no longer speaking from wholeness—you’re baiting for belonging. Sovereign visibility arises from a place of “this feels true to share,” not “I hope this lands.” Let resonance be a result, not a requirement.
2) Does this cost me clarity or coherence?
Sometimes we post things that feel true in the moment, but don’t reflect the deeper arc of our work. Or we rush to produce because we haven’t posted in a while. The result? Fragmented signals, diluted meaning. Sovereign brands know that silence can serve signal. You don’t need to fill the space. You need to honor what’s real.
3) If no one responded, would this still feel worth saying?
This is a powerful one. It helps bypass the performance reflex entirely. When the value of your expression isn’t tied to validation, you access a different level of truth. You stop speaking for attention and begin speaking from attention—from the place within you that’s fully present, even when unseen.
These shifts aren’t about disengaging from your audience. They’re about re-engaging with yourself. When your visibility flows from inner alignment, it not only feels better—it works better. People trust what’s clear. They feel what’s real. And they can tell the difference between a brand that’s performing, and a presence that’s transmitting.
BE SEEN WITHOUT PERFORMING
You were never meant to fracture your truth for the feed. To shrink your depth into a caption. To burn out in pursuit of being seen.
Your presence is not a product. It is a frequency. A field. A signal that others can feel—often before they understand it.
You don’t need to become louder. You need to become truer. The world is saturated with performance. But it is hungry for coherence. Desperately.
So let your brand be a reflection of your inner authority. Let it be felt in the spaces between posts, in the silence between offers, in the steadiness of your voice when you do speak.
This is the path of sovereign visibility. It is not about hiding. It is about holding your shape, even as you shine. Be seen. Fully. Without distortion. And watch what returns to meet you.
BEKA Buckley is The Icon Architect—a strategist, frequency worker and brand presence advisor for visionary entrepreneurs. With a background in architecture, immersive storytelling, and transformational energetics, her work bridges the unseen with the unforgettable. She helps leaders shape sovereign brands that don’t just market—they transmit. Through her private mentorship and flagship offer she guides clients to anchor their deepest signal and be seen without performing. Her forthcoming book, ICON, explores sovereignty, signal, and the future of presence. Find her at http://www.justbeka.co
Communication Connection, Part 2
COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION
PART 2 PART 2
Understanding the NLP meta model and mental misfires.
By David Murphy, Ph.D., CHt
NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming is an approach to communication that has been used extensively for personal development, coaching and hypnosis. It is not, however, a psychological theory of how the mind works; rather, it is a set of useful tools. In Part 1 of this article, in the July 2025 issue of Transformation Coaching, I introduced the meta model and three broad categories of communication misfires: distortions, generalizations and deletions. By understanding how people use distortions, generalizations and deletions, it is easier to understand and challenge language patterns that may lead to faulty thinking and decision making.
Part 1 discussed the first of three broad categories of misfires, distortions. This article summarizes the second and third categories, generalizations and deletions.
GENERALIZATIONS
Generalizations refer to the way that people create broad, sweeping
statements about themselves, others, or the world. These generalizations are often based on limited experiences. The first type of generalization is a universal quantifier. These statements often contain an inclusive word like, all, every, never, everyone, or no one, etc. For example, someone may say, “No one ever listens to me.” Good NPL responses to recover counter examples and diffuse the generalization might include: “Never?” and “What would happen if someone did?” Or: “What am I doing right now?” These questions help reframe mental scripts. Next are modal operators of necessity and of possibility/impossibility. Modal operators of necessity are used by a person to express their belief that something must be done or happen. They establish a modus operandi. Words that indicate that a modal operator is being used include should/ shouldn’t, must/must not, have to/ need to, it is necessary/unnecessary. When someone says, “I have to take care of her,” they are using a modal operator of necessity. An NLP response to that statement might be something
like: “What would happen if you didn’t?” Or: “Who else could do it?” Modal operators of possibility indicate that the speaker has decided that something is (a modal operator of possibility) or is not (a modal operator of impossibility). This modal operator sounds like can/can’t, will/won’t, may/ may not, possible/impossible. For example: “I can’t tell him the truth” uses a modal operator of impossibility. A good NLP response could be: “What is preventing you?” Or perhaps: “What would happen if you did tell the truth?” In general, responses to modal operators seek to recover cause and effect, as well as outcomes.
DELETIONS
Deletions are the third type of mental misfire that we are going to look at. Deletions occur in the NLP meta model when individuals selectively pay attention to certain aspects of their experience and not others. With a deletion, we overlook or omit certain sensory information. This is also the mind’s way of dealing with cognitive overload. Without deletion,
we would be faced with more information than our conscious minds could handle. Deletion also implies that potentially useful information is missing.
The first type of deletion is a nominalization. These are verbs (process words) that have been frozen in time by turning them into nouns. For example, consider the statement: “There is no communication here.” “Is” is the verb (I’m a grammar nerd, if you were wondering), and from the verb “to communicate” is a noun “communication” functioning as the direct object of the verb. The NLP idea is to turn the noun back into a verb to reverse the deletion and uncover the process. Questions that would do that are: “Who’s not communicating what to whom?” And: “How would you like to communicate?”
Some verbs and adjectives that you might hear being used in a deletion include applicability (from applicable), carelessness (from careless), difficulty (from difficult), failure (from fail), intensity (from intense), investigation (from investigate), movement (from move), reaction (from react), refusal (from refuse), swimming (from swim), and nominalization (from nominalize).
Specific deletions include the use of unspecified verbs, verbs that fail to identify the underlying process. These lead to fuzzy thinking. For example, consider the statement, “He rejected me.” This doesn’t explain how the rejection took place, the real process. Simple deletions are made when a noun or adjective is left out,
and so the meaning is incomplete. For example, the phrase “I am uncomfortable” fails to identify with what the person is uncomfortable.
A deletion with lack of referential index is another type of deletion. These usually fail to specify a person or thing. For example: “They don’t listen to me.” Or: “Please give me the file.” Good NLP responses to these sentences would be “Who, specifically, doesn’t listen to you?” Or: “Which specific file do you want me to give to you?”
Finally, there are comparative deletions. These deletions make a
comparison with an unspecified metric so the listener doesn’t know with what something is being compared. These deletions usually include words such as good/better, best/worst, more/less, most/least. For example: “She’s a better person.” The statement doesn’t specify who or what she is better than. Again, the NLP practitioner’s response should be to recover the deletion.
By paying attention to both what is said and how it is said, as coaches we can uncover more meaning from our clients’ statements and thus serve them more completely and effectively.
Dr. David Murphy, Ph.D., recently retired from the College of Business at the University of Lynchburg, where he had taught for 22 years and served as the chair of the accounting department for 15 years and as the director of the MBA program for 5 years. He is also known as Keisho Ananda / Dhammacakkhu Ananda, an ordained Sensei (Anagarika) or Dhamma Teacher, and Samana or Monk in the Hongaku Jōdo Compassionate Lotus Tradition, and a member of the Hongaku Peacemaker Sangha. He is an active dharma and mindfulness teacher and is a Transformation Academy Certified Mindfulness Life Coach. He can be reached via email at: davemurphyphd@gmail.com.
Deck
Deck
Deck
Deck
The trailblazing legacy of my mother, Susan Tose Spencer, the only female manager in NFL history, shows us that transformation isn’t
just about mindset shifts—it’s about actionable courage.
By Marnie Schneider
In the world of transformational coaching, few figures embody the spirit of resilience, authenticity, and unapologetic boldness quite like my mother, Susan Tose Spencer. Long before “coaching” became a buzzword and authenticity a branding trend, Susan was living those values out loud—in stilettos, with a briefcase in hand, and a voice that couldn’t be ignored.
As the first and only female general manager in the history of the National Football League, Susan shattered glass ceilings with quiet grit and strategic brilliance. But her story goes far beyond the stadium. It’s a masterclass in transformation—of self, of expectations, and of what it means to lead with both intellect and instinct.
Her signature work, Briefcase Essentials, is more than a business book. It’s a declaration. It’s about understanding your own value, trusting your gut, and navigating male-dominated spaces without losing your femininity, humor or humanity. In her words: “It’s not what anyone else is doing—it’s what you’re doing that matters.”
A LIFE OF FIRSTS—AND FIERCE LESSONS
Susan didn’t enter the NFL as someone’s secretary. She came in as an attorney, a negotiator, a strategist—and the daughter of Leonard Tose, then-owner of
the Philadelphia Eagles. But make no mistake: her rise wasn’t handed to her. She earned it. And in earning it, she endured the scrutiny, sexism and spotlight that came with daring to do what no woman had done before.
“I never walked into a room thinking I didn’t belong,” she often said. “If you think like that, you’re already playing defense.”
That mindset—rooted in self-worth, not ego— is the foundation of Briefcase Essentials. The book isn’t about acting like a man or denying who you are to get ahead. It’s about harnessing what makes you different and using it as fuel.
THE POWER OF PRESENCE—AND PERSISTENCE
Susan had a presence. Whether she was negotiating contracts, navigating crises, or mentoring young women, she carried herself with grace, grit, and a knowing smile that said, “I’ve got this.” Her expressions became expressions of empowerment.
One of her most powerful messages to aspiring women leaders was this: “You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room. You need to be the most prepared.”
She believed deeply in preparation, persistence and perspective. She passed those lessons down—not just
in boardrooms and locker rooms—but in everyday life.
To me, she was so much more than a trailblazer. She was an incredible mother, grandmother, friend and partner in purpose. Together, we coauthored several Football Freddie and Fumble the Dog GameDay in the USA books, combining her love of sports, community and education to help kids across America become readers, fans and future leaders.
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD— LITERALLY
Susan didn’t just make history—she made a difference. She championed a level playing field for all, dedicating her life to opening doors for others, especially youth. She knew the power of sports to build character, confidence and connection. And she used her platform—whether in an NFL office or on a school visit with me and Freddie the dog—to help others step into their own greatness.
COACHING THE COACHES
Today, in an era where transformational coaching is redefining success, Susan’s legacy is more relevant than ever. Her life’s work reminds us that transformation isn’t just about mindset shifts—it’s about actionable courage. It’s about having the audacity to step into spaces where you’re told you don’t belong—and staying long enough to change the rules.
It reminds us that our worth isn’t measured by how closely we match someone else’s path, but by how clearly we define our own.
Susan Tose Spencer’s life was not a playbook. It was a blueprint—for boldness, for transformation, and for showing up fully, no matter the arena.
And that briefcase she carried?
It didn’t just hold papers.
It held power.
It held possibility.
It held the future.
Editor’s note: To learn more about Susan’s work and legacy—or to pick up a copy of Briefcase Essentials—visit https://a. co/d/7ikqHKM. And if you’re looking for inspiration for young readers, check out Freddie at GameDay in the USA, where her spirit lives on—one city, one child, and one story at a time.
Marnie Schneider is CEO of the nonprofit Gameday and an inspirational speaker, author, podcaster, philanthropist, certified Happiness Life Coach, and—best of all—daughter and mom. A Philadelphia native now living in the Carolinas, she consistently devotes her time and resources to help others achieve their own victory. Marnie thinks of this as “showing up” on life’s playing field, with positivity and energy, day in and day out. Her passion for sports shines through in her book series, Gameday in the USA, which is in the Top 100 Kids Sports Travel books by Amazon. Marnie’s pride is her three kids—Jonathan, Goldie and Leo—and she has a heart for animals and has two rescue dogs and her handsome pony, Billy. For more information visit: https://www.marnieschneider.com and https://www.gamedayintheusa.com
Photo by Filipe Almeida on Unsplash
By Terez Hartmann
HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH?
Many years ago, I was deeply touched by a powerful line in the film Conversations with God, based on the events that opened a life-changing dialogue and series of books for author Neale Donald Walsch. The movie was included with my subscription to a good-vibe cinema club called “The Spiritual Cinema Circle,” co-founded by Stephen Simon, the producer of What Dreams May Come and many more.
In this powerful autobiography, Neale faced challenges on EVERY front—the dissolution of his marriage, loss of a job, physical injury, and even homelessness. As he started to make positive changes, including securing a lease on an actual apartment, one day he arrived at his newly acquired job to find that his place of work had suddenly—and very literally—closed its doors with no warning—and he was, for lack of a better term, devastated.
At a total loss about what to do next, he inadvertently “let go” and reached a point of total surrender; then, in a moment of quiet, he heard the words, “Have you had enough?” echo from his own mind. From this point forward, he started receiving thoughts and ideas that led to his own sense of ever-increasing hope, and a deeper understanding of unconditional love, joy, and well-being that ultimately evolved into a best-selling series of books that has since inspired over 7 million readers worldwide.
Speaking of Challenges…
Like SO many humans living in the 21st century, I found myself wracking my brain.
I thought, “Here we are, living in a highly evolved world, having learned SO much about Life, the Universe, and Everything, with all manner of healing modalities and tools available, a multitude of ways to earn income, access to a modern-day, seemingly endless “Library of Alexandria” with new AI assistants to help us further fine-tune our questions and answers on ANY subject…
…Yet old wars continue, new wars begin, dis-eases run rampant, and humans allow conflict to degrade relationships with their spouses, families and friends.
On one particular day, after feeling especially weary over the many uncontrollable and crazy series of events happening in “the land of the free” and worldwide, my husband asked me that same pivotal question, “Have you had enough?”
…And when, at a cellular level, I finally, fully answered, “Yes!” I was ultimately led to my own proverbial “Door No. 3”: a whole “new” way of viewing life that set a fundamental internal shift into motion, which has since positively impacted my health and flow of abundance, and is already transforming my personal and professional relationships in beautiful, once unimagined ways.
If you, too, are sick and tired of letting the uncontrollable drive you over the edge and are also ready to answer, “Yes!” to “Have YOU had enough?”, consider opening your heart and mind to “The Power of AND™.”
DISCOVERING “THE POWER OF AND™”
As many of my students and clients who understand Law of Attraction and The Power of Focus know, one of THE fastest routes to aligning with solutions and opening flow is to focus on a different, resistance-free subject that feels light, happy and successful. So, in
the interest of “Physician, heal thySELF!”, I decided to lean into one of my favorite good-vibe, go-to subjects: The extraordinary relationship I share with my husband and best friend, John.
Somehow, some way, two desires that seemed like polar opposites—my desire to feel and experience true personal freedom AND a deep connection with another human in a long-term committed, loving relationship—came together in the most magical, yet natural of ways.
As I considered the process of what happened before, during and after we connected, fell in love, married, and successfully navigated even the most extreme of life challenges together with grace over the past two decades plus, there was an aspect that really stood out to me: Where most couples feel that compromise is THE key to long-term happiness (meaning there are always “either/or” options that result in one party “winning” and the other party “losing” in even the smallest way), our beginnings and continuing relationship dynamic revolves around something entirely different…
Rather than “Or”, we chose—and continue to choose—“AND.”
…And when I applied this principle and philosophy of living to wellness, abundance and even current global events, I realized I had discovered a perspective that had far-reaching benefits that can touch virtually EVERY type of human experience, along with the potential to create a paradigm shift that always allows for a way forward—regardless of individual life circumstances or who is holding the “baton of power” at any given moment.
THE BIG PICTURE OF “AND”
Let’s face it, the old ways of “Everyone must do THIS or else!” or “Everyone must believe the SAME things and live the SAME way” has NEVER worked in the long-term, has NEVER been sustainable, and the concept of a “winner” and a “loser”—where someone else always gets the short end of the stick—has NEVER been a truly viable solution.
It’s no wonder humanity has repeated the same ridiculous cycles based on limitation and lack since the dawn of time! No. One. Wants. To. Keep. Losing.
I find it SO very ironic that so many people also love the quote: “Those that don’t study history are doomed to repeat it.”
Yet every living generation has absolutely been made aware of history—even continued to seek it out—and yet, mass consciousness continues to activate the same cycles over and over! Humanity as a whole also seems to believe that the answer lies in fighting against or pushing the “bad” away—or that somehow “bad” can be eliminated or destroyed for all time—but, like it or not, a multitude of beliefs and ways of being have and always will exist, just as things like birth and death, day and night, and up and down continue to coexist simultaneously in different times and spaces since the birth of planet Earth.
Perhaps instead of repeating the patterns that have NEVER created long-term solutions and do NOT eradicate the “good” or the “bad” (the “us” vs. “them” + fight + war + the one with the biggest guns or the greatest number still alive wins), we let dark events and moments mobilize us to turn toward the light; to act in ways that ARE helpful; to move in the direction of the values we cherish; to even have the audacity to create something NEW… ...and from THAT place, INVITE all who are open and willing to join us.
Unlike what we’ve been sold and told, “winning” the game of life does not mean that someone or something else must be diminished or destroyed.
You “win” by having the courage to choose and continue to move in the direction of the good you WANT to experience.
Rather than try to dismantle or eliminate the people, systems, or beliefs we don’t like, what if we decided to just create something NEW that is all about providing community, possibility, and BEING the “lighthouse” or “safehouse” we think someone else should provide?
What if instead of continuing to push against and keep conflict and struggles raging both externally and within (a sure-fire way to keep dis-ease happening in the human body and mind), you resolved to step off of the battlefield and moved up to the high ground to create a NEW place and experience where YOU get to choose and claim your OWN freedom and peace?
WHY HUMANS CHOOSE “OR”
I can already hear you thinking:
There are only so many hours in a day. How can I choose “AND” when time is finite?
There is only one trophy at the end of the match. How can I choose “AND” when there is a clear winner or loser?
I prefer monogamy/marriage/commitment and my partner must agree for this to work.
How can I choose “AND” if my partner wants something else?
We can only be in one space at a time. How can I choose “AND” when someone else wants my space?
The answer to these questions is both simple yet, in the realm of human emotions, deeply complex:
We choose “Or” instead of “AND” because of “attachment” to “it”.
Any time we decide that something HAS to be “it”; that it HAS to happen at an exact time, with an exact outcome, in an exact space, and with an exact person, we immediately introduce inner (and in many cases outer) conflict, which is, by the way, the opposite of flow.
While I believe having a focal point, feelings of connection, a sense of purpose, and clear direction calls good energy through us (is healthy and helpful), I’m no stranger to the “devastated” feeling Neale felt when he thought his “it” (in the form of the income he needed to keep moving forward and the job he really liked) went away. Like Neale, I’ve had many of my “it” things go in very different and unexpected directions, but I can honestly say that EVERY time I let go and let God (aka Life/Source/Intelligence) lead me to the REAL “IT” that I was actually seeking, the other “it” (that I once thought was the end-all-be-all) didn’t even hold a candle to THE big, beautiful, custom-made-just-for-me “IT”!
No matter who you are, all humans can still have moments of getting attached to some form of a lesser “it”, but another lovely aspect of “The Power of AND™” is this:
Even when you do feel the unpleasant pang of attachment, you can know that you are also having an “AND” moment: You can feel funky AND understand that a part of you has also started the journey of healthy connection to your REAL “it” and true personal freedom*!
THE “BPI”: CONNECTION TO THE REAL “IT”
If you really think about it, EVERY intention tends to orbit around some version of what I call the BPI or “Big Picture Intention”: “I am loving ME, and having a GREAT TIME, while becoming MORE.”
Let’s break this down:
“I am loving ME…”
Even if your sole mission in life is to be of service to others, if you feel that being of service makes for a good person, BEING a good person and taking good actions creates a sense of inner peace and is (whether you realize it or not) linked to greater self-love and respect (aka “I am loving ME…”). AND when you are experiencing greater self-love, you are a whole, healthy person who truly HAS love to give.
“…And having a GREAT TIME...”
Whether you want more money, a healthier body, a wonderful relationship, family harmony, a nice place to live, to fulfill your sense of purpose, to share creations that uplift humanity, or even world peace, all of these things would indeed make for “Having a great time…”, as—let’s be real—if life were truly meant to suck and no joy was available or allowed to be had, why, oh why would we even be here?!
“…While becoming MORE.”
In my experience, few people enjoy utter boredom and living a life with zero evolution. Could you imagine what life would be like if we were born and stayed in full-on baby form for the rest of our lives? I don’t know about you, but living in diapers and having someone else wipe my butt until the day I croak is NOT the reason I decided to get all 3D and squishy!
*BTW: To feed and activate feelings of personal freedom, check out this music video: https://youtu.be/jA6YYW3C1i4?si=i8LfJ5T6fNRBA4aR
Photo by Matteo Raw on Unsplash
I believe, whether we acknowledge this consciously or not, that it IS human nature to learn grow, and boldly (or at the very least gently) GO. Besides, the more you cultivate true self-love (“I am loving ME…”), and discover ways to enjoy the journey of life (“…And having a GREAT TIME…), you can’t help the “…While becoming MORE.” part. Where there is expansion and movement, there is LIFE and (I think) it’s infinitely more fun to choose to move “Onward, Upward & Forward”, rather than go kicking and screaming!
All in all, when it comes to intentions, prayers, goals and desires, some humans have VERY specific ideas in mind, whereas others are far more general and BOTH can be beneficial. But one thing is certain: When you release unhealthy attachments to a lesser “it” and discover and create a healthy connection to the BPI, (your REAL “IT”), that is when life, the Universe, and Everything can then work its magic to bring all manner of bonuses, upgrades AND happy surprises!
Imagine what life could be like if more humans stopped giving all their power away to yet another uncontrollable system, entity, or “it”, and decided to find and focus upon their REAL “IT”?
THE BOTTOM LINE: ALLOWING REAL
PEACE—AND
SO MUCH MORE—WITH “THE POWER OF AND™”
Even during the most horrific of times in history, there have been those who DID make it out, who didn’t board the Titanic, and who DID discover the next remedy/invention/solution AND way forward. It’s a shame that history has leaned far more into the stories of tragedy than studying the wise ones who consistently chose peace AND found ways to thrive, despite the events and culture of the moment.
Whether you are looking at relationships, career, health, or even local, national and global community, once you open to the idea that “The Power of AND™” is not only possible, but that it is a path that reflects the very expression of life itself—which is also happens to be a path that is highly natural, joyful, healthy, and even an extremely profitable way of living and being—operating from “AND” changes EVERYTHING.
For far too long we have been taught to identify, fear and fight against a common enemy; that THIS is the path to salvation, getting ahead, being healthy, being worthy of love, and living “the good life”, but how can any being ever find peace by waging continual war with an outer or inner enemy?
Yes, time, space and human company is finite, but when you open to AND, plus turn your gaze to the BPI and REAL “IT” that truly matters to you, you begin to see more and more of life’s array of infinite possibilities, AND continue to find yourself at THE place, at THE time, with THE person/people, having THE experiences that continue to move YOU forward.
Imagine a world where all finally understand… …That life is, was, and always will be about AND?
Author’s note: There are FAR more implications, opportunities, nuances and applications for “The Power of AND™” than I can share in a single article, friends, so I’ll be offering more ways to live and embody “The Power of AND™” in my next course, “Law of Attraction: Healthy & Well!”, my new Podcast series, “Onward, Upward & Forward!”, my upcoming book, The Power of AND™: The Paradigm Shift that changes EVERYTHING (already in process!), and perhaps even a Ted Talk!
ALLOWING YOUR SUCCESS
with Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann
Terez “Firewoman” Hartmann is a Visionary Creative & top-rated instructor, Law of Attraction & Allowing YOUR Success specialist, published author, speaker, singer-songwriter, recording & performing artist & composer, “Catalyst for Fab-YOU-lous” and true Renaissance Woman who has already helped over 10,000 students in over 130 countries allow success and live life on FIRE. She is deeply passionate about helping other Powerful Creatives and Leading-Edge Thinkers live unique, empowered lives on their terms by cultivating the courage to dream, to express themselves boldly & authentically, and to focus Onward, Upward and Forward into new possibilities. http://www.terezfirewoman.com
Photo by Blake Carpenter on Unsplash
When we let go of fear, each step we take fills our hearts and minds with such possibility.
By Mary Boutieller
Do you ever feel a chasm between who you want to be in the world and who you actually are? Lately, it’s felt so poignant for me—the person I aspire to be and the person I am in this moment. You see, the person I want to be is loving and compassionate all the time. She is open to others’ opinions, accepting of the world as it is and able to smile at the grand play of the Universe. This, as opposed to the one who spouts judgments and frustrations like weeds growing in the garden; who is not always loving or understanding or generous at all.
Often, I walk in the woods and feel this dichotomy as if two separate people are walking side by side, almost like the good angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. I open
and close like a hand that doesn’t know whether to grasp or let go. Sometimes, I secretly envy those who join monasteries and find fulfillment with their God and their lives, or so it seems.
And I wonder, how do we find peace with what is instead of always comparing notes, or people, or the way things used to be?
Mark Nepo said, “It’s a tricky thing, to survive and thrive. We have to dance with both. We have to pay the heat bill and replace the milk.”
We know that our energy is contagious, and people will feed on what we bring to the table. When we scowl at the world, the world scowls back; and when we laugh, when we let go of fear and jump in with both feet, it fills our hearts and minds with such possibility.
Lao Tzu said, “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch
The Yoga of Life
with Mary Boutieller
your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
So, each day, I point myself toward the person I want to be, and I forgive myself, over and over again, for all my trespasses. I’ll not easily give up or give in to criticism or cynicism. I will just keep on the path. Some days will be hard and some will be joyously easy. Most will be somewhere in between.
How about you? Have you thought about giving up? If so, take heart my darlings because, you too, deserve tenfold all that you wish to give to the world. With each step you take, you will make your way, however fragmented, along the path that is surely love.
Mary Boutieller is a Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance. She has been teaching yoga since 2005. Her work experience includes 22 years as a firefighter/paramedic and 10 years as a Licensed Massage Therapist. Mary’s knowledge and experience give her a well-rounded understanding of anatomy, alignment, health and movement in the body. She is passionate about the benefits of yoga and the ability to heal at all levels through awareness, compassion, and a willingness to explore. She can be reached at: SimplyogaOm@gmail.com.
The heart, the spirit, trauma, and metanoia: transformation beyond mindset shifts.
By Christina Stäudle
Transformation often focuses on shifting thoughts and behaviors, but for many, this approach falls short. Lasting change requires healing and alignment at the deepest level—where the heart, spirit and identity intersect.
The heart is more than an emotional center; it is the place where body, soul and spirit overlap. The spirit carries a person’s original design, but when wounded or fragmented, it becomes difficult to live from that place. Trauma, false beliefs and life experiences can displace identity, leading to cycles of frustration, self-sabotage or emotional numbness.
Metanoia is often defined as a change of mind, but in reality, it is both healing and transformation—a process that restores a person’s spirit to wholeness and allows them to fully embody their true identity.
This article explores how the heart and spirit interact with trauma, how a broken spirit prevents transformation, and why metanoia is the key to deep, sustainable change.
THE HEART: WHERE BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT OVERLAP
The heart is often mistaken as just a metaphor for emotions, but it is the convergence point of the entire being. It is where:
• The body processes sensations and stores trauma at a cellular level.
• The soul forms belief systems and emotional patterns.
• The spirit carries original identity and divine connection.
Because the heart is where all three dimensions of human existence meet, transformation must engage more than just thoughts. Surface-level mindset shifts may provide temporary relief, but if the heart remains fragmented or burdened, the same struggles will resurface.
THE SPIRIT: THE SEAT OF TRUE IDENTITY
The spirit is not just an abstract concept—it has consciousness. Some call it the supraconscious mind, a level of awareness beyond rational thought, tied to intuition, purpose and deep knowing. It is also closely connected to the energetic level of existence, the unseen force that sustains life, presence and vitality.
Unlike the soul, which is shaped by experiences, the spirit carries an untainted blueprint of identity. This is why a person’s deepest sense of self does not come from external labels or life circumstances but from a place beyond them.
When the spirit is whole and aligned, life flows with clarity and purpose. But when trauma or oppression wounds the spirit, identity becomes distorted, and a person may feel lost, disconnected or trapped in patterns they cannot escape.
A BROKEN SPIRIT
A broken spirit is not just emotional distress—it is a displacement of identity that makes it impossible to live from truth and one’s original design.
How Trauma Breaks the Spirit and Misplaces Identity:
• Early rejection or abandonment may lead to an internalized identity of unworthiness.
• Repeated abuse can create a sense of powerlessness that keeps a person from stepping into their true authority.
• Performance-driven environments may instill the belief that value is conditional on achievement, leading to a lifetime of striving.
These false identities take root at the spirit level, not just in thought patterns. As a result, even when a person logically understands their worth, they may struggle to feel it at a deep level.
Symptoms of a Broken Spirit:
• A constant sense of disconnection from self and purpose.
• Feeling stuck in repeating cycles, despite efforts to change.
• Emotional numbness or an inability to experience joy, peace or fulfillment.
Mindset work alone does not address these wounds because they exist beyond the level of thoughts. Identity must be restored at the spirit level, allowing transformation to flow naturally rather than through forced effort.
METANOIA: THE PROCESS OF HEALING AND TRANSFORMATION
True metanoia is not just about thinking differently—it is about returning to the original design. Healing and transformation are not separate processes; they are two sides of the same movement. Healing is not about fixing something broken—it is about bringing back what was lost. This means:
• Releasing false identities formed through trauma or survival.
• Allowing the heart to return to a place of trust and openness.
• Realigning with the deep knowing of the spirit rather than operating from conditioned responses.
Once healing has occurred, transformation becomes effortless because the shift is no longer just cognitive—it is embodied. Instead of striving to maintain change, a person begins to live from a new foundation.
The process of metanoia follows four key phases:
1) Recognition → Identifying false identities and wounds.
2) Healing → Releasing pain and restoring the heart’s alignment with the spirit.
3) Realignment → Learning to operate from a renewed identity.
4) Transformation → Living from wholeness rather than brokenness.
Example: Healing Through Spirit-Led Alignment
A former client of mine struggled with self-condemnation and frustration having difficulty shaking off feelings of regret, even though they knew intellectually they were being too hard on themselves.
Using a guided visualization exercise, they were led to connect with their spirit:
“Kassy, I understand that you feel frustrated because you wanted to achieve more.
“I understand that at the moment this frustration is hard to let go.
“But I want to remind you of the truth: You are loved. You are fully validated. You are enough. You don’t need to prove a thing. I love you. And I give you permission to let go of shame and self-condemnation.”
The moment their spirit gave permission for the soul to release frustration, the emotional weight lifted. This exercise worked because it did not rely on forcing a mindset shift—instead, it engaged the spirit’s authority to bring the soul into alignment.
EXAMPLE: GOING DEEPER SPIRITUALLY THROUGH A CHRISTIAN LENS
From a biblical perspective, the spirit is not just an energetic force but a direct imprint of God’s design. Scripture repeatedly points to the need for identity restoration, not just behavior modification.
Biblical foundations of identity in the spirit include:
• Psalm 139:16 – “All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”
• Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”
• Isaiah 61:1 – “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted.”
Jesus did not call people to simple behavior shifts—He called them to metanoia, a complete restoration of identity. His ministry was filled with moments where He spoke to the spirit of a person, calling them back to their true self.
Practical Steps for Christian Coaches and Mentors:
• Guide clients to identify where their spirit has been displaced by false beliefs.
• Invite them into inner healing through prayer and truth-based affirmations.
• Teach them to listen to the Holy Spirit rather than relying on mental processing alone.
NEXT STEPS
Transformation at the deepest level requires more than shifting thoughts—it involves realigning identity, healing the spirit and restoring the heart’s connection to truth. Whether working with clients on resilience, personal growth or self-leadership, creating space for true metanoia allows for sustainable, identitydriven change rather than temporary breakthroughs.
Self-reflection:
• Am I engaging with my spirit in my personal life, or do I find myself primarily operating from my emotions, thoughts or past conditioning?
• Where do I sense misalignment between my spirit and the way I approach transformation—both in myself and in my work with clients?
• How can I cultivate a deeper awareness of my spirit so that I live and work from a place of wholeness rather than striving?
Coaching Reflection:
• How can I better recognize when a client is operating from their soul rather than their spirit, and what approach will help them shift into deeper alignment?
• Am I guiding clients into true restoration, or am I unintentionally reinforcing surface-level solutions that bypass the spirit?
• What changes can I make in my coaching approach to ensure that transformation flows from identity restoration rather than behavior correction?
If you’re ready for deeper exploration of spirit-aligned coaching techniques, consider integrating these principles into your practice. True transformation happens when identity is restored and lived out authentically.
Christina Stäudle is a trauma-informed psychotherapy practitioner, TA Master Transformation Coach, and founder of Mission Transformation International. Known as Mrs. Antifragility, she equips individuals to break free from toxic cycles, build authentic purpose, and grow through adversity with grace and strength. Her work blends self-leadership, resilience, and soul-deep transformation—empowering emerging leaders to move from survival into sustainable impact. Christina is based in Germany and East Africa. You can connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-stäudle-mt
Light one small candle
that will be visible no matter how dark it is, and you’ll see you’re not alone any longer.
By Jo Mooy
Holding the line is a phrase that crosses disciplines from military strategies to social movements. It’s about personal resilience anchored by a steadfast commitment and determination to stand one’s ground against overwhelming odds, even if the act of holding the line threatens your very existence. Historically, it was demonstrated in World War II by the Maginot Line, a series of defensive fortifications built along France’s border to prevent a German invasion. Socially, it took on symbolic meaning in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, where groups, demonstrating for equality and justice, held the line for a cause greater than themselves.
Today, individuals coming face to face with diverging world realities are trying to figure out how to hold the line in the chaos. But, the very word reality is unclear. What is real when two individuals on either side of a divide look at the same thing and one says, “It’s this!” and the other says, “No, it’s that!” They’ve both seen the same thing with the same five senses, but their interpretation, colored by their belief systems, skewers it to this or that. So, is one right and the other wrong? Not necessarily. It depends on where you’re standing when you touch the elephant.
Reality is what appears to the five senses. But this ignores atoms, electrons and quarks which cannot be seen but
are also real. Physical reality is explained through mathematical laws that are based on a concept of “nothingness.” Stephen Hawking stated a “particle of reality has no position or velocity until it’s observed by an observer.” So, when two individuals observe the world diverging into two distinctly different outcomes, both are correct, though based on illusion. Reality is a living, moving, everchanging picture of the world with each person defining their place in it. It’s created through individual and group mental formations like thoughts, ideas, beliefs and feelings that influence and build the collective consciousness. Every form is created as a by-product of the consciousness each person holds. These forms coalesce around similar beliefs and specific “thought realities” that create a huge group belief system. Thus, all our fears as well as our hopes, are invested in this “thing” we’ve agreed upon and collectively created. And, it’s almost impossible to see over the wall that’s been erected around the Group Belief System. There’s a deep inter-relationship between each of us in the collective, both as individuals and the thing we created. We’ve fed it with our specific, idealized thoughts and fueled it with passion and emotion. We then made an agreement about its purpose, how it should be used, and how it serves us. Whatever the “thing” is, one individual will say, “Yes! This group belief system is the right way” and the other individual with a different “thing” will say, “No, my group belief system is the right way.” And there the division lays wide open with no bridge over the chasm.
What happens when your world view collides with another world view and the disparity is so great it causes you grave anxiety? Well, each side can double down on their collective beliefs and attempt to forcefully sell it to others. (That’s a recipe for war to break out.) Or, more mature individuals can step back and figure out a way to hold the line in a way that allows each individual to marshal a way forward in an orderly and possibly harmonious manner. That way takes much more courage and a great deal of wisdom.
When confronted by swaggering belief systems that leave you feeling despair and hopelessness, a personal imaginary Maginot Line can be built around those things you hold dear, and that keep you in a state of joy and hope. Build it high so you feel protected within its confines. Build it with light beams, and make sure to fortify it with love from the center of the heart. That love-light construction will become visible in “the field” and others of the same persuasion will feel it and become attracted to its features. When more join that emanation, it automatically becomes larger. Soon, that construction becomes a long line of light visible in the heavens, which opens a portal that shines out with love and beneficial goodness blessing all of humanity.
Never doubt for a moment that you have no power against the forces of darkness that threaten your personal light. Two opposing views can occupy space. Each individual has a choice with the one they wish to occupy. The one you choose amplifies itself for your benefit and that of
your collective group. The way is always shown if you ask for help.
Light one small candle that will be visible no matter how dark it is. You’ll see you’re not alone any longer because we others will light their candles, each one
holding the line. As long as the line is of the light, it will serve as a bright beacon for like-minded souls to rally around and that force will bring love back to human consciousness. It only takes one light to ignite the next, and soon an etheric Maginot Line
of light stretches around the world that keeps the line strong. This is our time, our stand, and our determination to face adversity, because we hold light for a cause greater than our individual selves. It is why we’re here at this time in human history.
Conscious Living with Jo Mooy
Jo Mooy has studied with many spiritual traditions over the past 40 years. The wide diversity of this training allows her to develop spiritual seminars and retreats that explore inspirational concepts, give purpose and guidance to students, and present esoteric teachings in an understandable manner. Along with Patricia Cockerill, she has guided the Women’s Meditation Circle since January 2006 where it has been honored for five years in a row as the “Favorite Meditation” group in Sarasota, FL, by Natural Awakenings Magazine. Teaching and using Sound as a retreat healing practice, Jo was certified as a Sound Healer through Jonathan Goldman’s Sound Healing Association. She writes and publishes a monthly internationally distributed e-newsletter called Spiritual Connections and is a staff writer for Spirit of Maat magazine in Sedona. For more information go to http://www.starsoundings.com or email jomooy@gmail.com
We believe that self-employment is the ultimate form of empowerment. Our mission is to bring you guests whose powerful entrepreneurship stories and real-world advice will give you the inspiration and tools to create a business and life that you love.
Listen on our website or your favorite podcast app or watch the video version on our YouTube channel.
Photo by Jed Villejo on Unsplash
Acknowledging others or extending a kindness can be a simple everyday occurrence that can happen anywhere.
By Linda Commito
“Loneliness in America is at epidemic levels. Americans’ trust in each other [is] at historic lows, creating a crisis of social connection,” reports Linda R. Trapp, a professor of Social Psychology at U Mass in Amherst. She believes that we need “psychological generosity”, which can be expressed by “making more eye contact and small talk, smiling and greeting someone you don’t know or simply being more relational.”
As a young child, my small New England hometown was a friendly place to grow up. Predominantly French Canadian, there were also many whose families originated from Italy, Ireland, Poland and later Puerto Rico. My parents owned a local variety store, where construction workers, police officers, mailmen and neighbors shared eight stools and conversations over a cup of coffee or a lime rickey, while school kids perused the candy. Decades later, it is harder to feel noticed or welcomed in many towns or cities, and it can be a lonely proposition for those who move to a new place or live alone. Even living in Florida, it is not always easy
to connect, as my partner Francesco and I discovered during a hurricane, when we were in a shelter at a local school. There was no socializing in a room of wall-to-wall people . . . UNTIL we lost electricity, and I spoke up in the dark: “Hello! Would anyone like to hear some live music?” With affirmative responses, Francesco took out his guitar and played and sang for over an hour, creating a unity that had not been there before. And the next day, when the storm was over, we were treated to breakfast by volunteers from many parts of the United States, and we expressed our gratitude. It was heart-warming to know that there are kind people everywhere who step in to help, especially in a crisis. Hopefully, we don’t need such drastic measures to reach out to others on our daily path.
Living in Sarasota, FL, a popular tourist destination, one meets people from all over the world, which can provide unique opportunities for spontaneous connecting. My favorite way to engage with others is through my passion for taking photos, and especially when I see people of different ages and nationalities, either trying to take a selfie or leaving the
photographer out of a memorable moment. And whether it be couples, families visiting, or a new baby, I love sharing what I hope will bring smiles and elicit fond memories of a welcoming place.
And sometimes, we are gifted with an unexpected opportunity to witness and be a part of someone’s “special occasion.” One late afternoon, as Francesco and I walked along the beach, we noticed two women facing each other in the water. One was lovingly extending a ring to the other. I couldn’t help myself. “Could I take some pictures for you?” I asked. They were delighted. They later shared with us that we had witnessed their commitment ceremony. Since the women were from Latin America, Francesco offered to sing the song, Besame Mucho, which they joined in. What a unifying and memorable experience!
Acknowledging others or extending a kindness can be a simple everyday occurrence that can happen anywhere—even at a local supermarket, shopping for tomatoes. A man was in front of me as I waited for him to make his selection. He put the container in his cart and started to
go off. But, being the “BOGO” queen, I said, “Excuse me, sir, but your tomatoes are part of a BOGO” (buy one get one free). He looked puzzled. “So, you get an extra container of tomatoes for free!” I said. He smiled and thanked me as he picked up another package.
Sometimes I hesitate to reach out, but I find that my life is enriched far beyond the small effort it requires to do so. I am glad when I am open and can connect in a way that leaves me, and hopefully others, feeling a little more welcomed and included.
In what can be a disconnected world, where we are often engrossed in our cell phones, how can we engage with others, share simple every day kindnesses, and be more open to finding ways that can foster a sense of togetherness?
Love is the New Currency
with Linda Commito
Linda Commito, author, speaker, entrepreneur, consultant and teacher, is passionate about her vision to leave this world a kinder, more loving, and interconnected place. Linda’s award-winning book of inspirational stories, Love Is the New Currency, demonstrates how we can each make an extraordinary difference in the lives of others through simple acts of love and kindness. Her latest project, the card game Just Ask 1 2 3, was inspired by a desire to connect people of all different ages, beliefs and lifestyles to share our individuality and find commonality. Linda also created “Kindness Starts with Me,” a program, book and website for children. For more information visit http://www.LoveistheNewCurrency.com or visit the Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/Justask123game
How to identify and mitigate geopathic stress.
By Anthony Talmage
In today’s hyper-connected world, we’re enveloped daily in a haze of man-made electromagnetic smog emanating from sources like wi-fi, mobile phones, smart meters and microwave ovens. The result? For some sensitive people, it can mean discomfort or, worse still, chronic ill-health.
But the idea that the Earth itself might be making us unwell, too, seems fanciful. However, for hundreds of years the planet’s inherent radiation has been linked to the ailments of humans, animals and plants. About 100 years ago, dowsers and feng shui practitioners decided to call this phenomenon geopathic stress. Even today it’s a term few have heard of, yet many unknowingly suffer from. It refers to harmful emanations that can adversely affect your health, vitality, mental wellbeing—and in extreme cases can even kill you.
Derived from the Greek words geo (Earth) and pathos (disease), geopathic stress encompasses a wide
range of subtle energetic disturbances caused by things like underground streams, mineral deposits, geological faults, and even human-made disruptions like tunnels, mines and railway cuttings.
While scientific instruments have yet to catch up with what dowsers and energy sensitives have long known, the effects of these detrimental energies are increasingly difficult to ignore. According to the World Health Organization, 30 percent of all structures have “sick building syndrome” and some people who live and work in them develop symptoms of illness or become inflicted with chronic disease.
Way back in the 1930s, German dowser Baron Gustav von Pohl conducted a remarkable study in the town of Vilsbiburg, Bavaria. He found that nearly every home where someone had died of cancer was built directly over geopathic stress lines. Other researchers followed suit: Dr. Ernst Hartmann discovered a global grid of energetic lines (now called the Hartmann Grid), identifying areas where their intersections—Hartmann knots—
could drastically lower the immune system. Austrian dowser Kathe Bachler, in her book Earth Radiation, documented hundreds of cases linking health complaints to disturbed earth energies.
All this means that if your bed or desk sits above one of these stress lines, you could be bathing in low-level radiation for hours each day. Symptoms often begin subtly: restless sleep, fatigue, headaches. Over time, more serious conditions may develop. German physician Dr. Hans Nieper claimed that 92 percent of his cancer patients and 75 percent of his multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were geopathically stressed. Other reported associations include myalgic encephalomyelitis (also known as chronic fatigue syndrome), migraines, depression, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), miscarriages, even cot deaths. While geopathic stress may not cause illness directly, it appears to act as a trigger in those already susceptible.
So how would you know if your home is affected? Warning signs include:
• Chronic fatigue or poor sleep
• Children or pets avoiding certain rooms
• Cracked walls or persistent damp patches
• Plants that won’t thrive despite good care
• A general sense of unease or heaviness
Animals often offer clues. Cats love to curl up on geopathic stress lines, while dogs tend to avoid them. Horses stabled over stress zones may become sickly or accident-prone. Plants behave oddly too: nettles, ivy and foxgloves thrive on stressed land, while fruit trees wither.
What can be done? This is where dowsing comes in. Dowsers use their own bodies, often with rods or pendulums, as a finely tuned instrument to detect these subtle energies. And when found they can often do something about it.
Some hammer metal rods into the ground (a kind of earth acupuncture). Others use crystals or plug-in harmonisers. But the most powerful tool of all is human intent. As a dowser myself, I use focused intent to transmute negative energy into something life-supporting. I don’t fight the energy—I redirect it. As I emphasise repeatedly in my books, human consciousness is a potent force
But here’s the rub: the most thorough clearing can be undone if the home’s occupants continue to generate negative emotional energy. Thought forms, grudges, unresolved tension—these are just as real as underground streams. In one case, I cleared a home where a brother and sister, locked in years of unspoken conflict, lived under a cloud of energetic misery. The space lightened dramatically after the clearing, but, unless their relationship changed, the heaviness would inevitably return.
The takeaway? We shape the energies around us, just as they shape us. We are not powerless in the face of geopathic stress. Through awareness, intention, and tools like dowsing, we can restore harmony to our homes and our health—and cultivate the habit of being positive.
So, if your house doesn’t quite feel like a haven, perhaps it’s time to ask: is something unseen pulling the strings? You might be surprised at what a pair of dowsing rods—and a willing heart— can reveal. Or if you think you need professional advice the American or British Society of Dowsers will be able to help.
On a final positive note, there’s another side to this energy coin—the landscape is not always hostile. Ley lines, energy leys, barrows, stone circles and cathedrals can all emit beneficial energies. Ancient people knew this—our ancestors built their sacred sites where the Earth’s energy flowed strong and clear. Perhaps it’s time to regain this awareness.
Anthony Talmage is author of five books in his Psychic Mind series: Dowse Your Way to Psychic Power, In Tune with the Infinite Mind, Unlock the Psychic Powers of Your Unconscious Mind, How to Crack the Cosmic Code and Mindfulness and the Pendulum, all available in Kindle, printed and audio versions from Amazon and all good online bookshops. Contact Anthony via facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/anthony.talmage.
