First of all, heartfelt thanks to all of you who wrote such loving blessings for my birthday. I can't individually thank you all, but your love and support meant a lot to me. It was a great day, and I appreciate you all. My motto is that we don't get older, we just get better. Well, I must be getting pretty good by now! May all your blessings return three-fold!
Halleluja!
Occupy Anthem
One highlight was that my friend, Gary Horvitz, shared a moving song he wrote about the Occupy movement - to be sung to the tune of Leonard Cohen's recorded song, Halleluja. See the lyrics and see the You Tube video here, sing it together, pass it around and circulate widely. It could become a national anthem.
Into the Darkness Before the Light
So now we head into the dark times again - nearing winter solstice, the pivot point of the year. Prior to electric lights, this marked the time of ultimate descent, and the point of renewal for bouncing back up the other side into light again. If you are discouraged by the news and the state of affairs, have faith. Use this time to explore the darkness in the following ways.
Sink into the Darkness
With all the holiday merriment aka busyness, it can be hard to find time for deep contemplation, but that's what this time of year calls for. Take time to be quiet, to sit in the dark with a candle or two, and to drop down into your lower chakras.
Let yourself feel, sleep, and dream. Slow down and be quiet. Let the darkness hold you like a womb, treasuring what is gestating within you, waiting to be born. Practice letting go, surrendering into a yin state. Take time to write in your journal what you want to let go if and what you want for the coming year. Visualize, imagine, set intentions. Don't wait until New Year's Eve to do this-give it some attention ahead of time. If you want to learn powerful techniques for manifesting your dream, join me at Kripalu in Feb. for the Creation is Ecstasy workshop.
Look at Your Shadow
Image Taken from Visaboo.com
The shadow, often thought of as our negative traits, is by definition, whatever is hidden to consciousness. So how do we find it?
Those who have taken our Psychology of the Chakras course know this exercise, but it bears repeating periodically. Ask yourself the following questions:
1. What do you typically judge in others that keeps showing up in friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, or people you can't easily avoid? (examples: people who are lazy, sloppy, controlling, pushy, loud, irresponsible, needy, self-centered, oblivious, selfish, etc) See if you can get it down to an archetypal name, such as the Tyrant, the Good-for-Nothing, the Slob, the Cheat, the Brat, the Prima Dona, the Bitch.
2. Where are you not allowed to have any of that trait? For example, how were you not allowed to be sloppy, confused, naïve, free from responsibility, etc? Is there any secret longing to be able to move a little more in that direction for healthy balance?
3. What might be a healthy root of that trait? (For example: lazy people know how to relax, controlling people know how to take charge, needy people know how to be vulnerable, etc.)
4. How can you reclaim the healthy aspect of that trait for yourself? Ground this energy by putting on music and dancing that archetype into your body, releasing the repressed energies. You will feel more alive, and the shadow aspects of that trait are actually less likely to take over. Not only do you become more integrated, but the people that exhibit these traits either disappear from your life, stop doing those traits, or you cease to be bothered by it. The result is you will feel more peaceful yet energized, as well as more tolerant of others.
May you be blessed by abundance, gratitude, and good grounding this holiday season.
Bright Co-Heart Blessings,
Anodea Judith
Advance Yourself at the
Whether you want to get your feet wet with introductory courses, or dive deeper with our advanced courses, here's your chance to immerse yourself in small, intimate classes designed for depth and personal attention. Areas of study include yoga, psychology, energy work, bodywork, and more, taught by Sacred Centers top teachers.
Courses and Schedule:
CEU's! The following courses meets the qualifications for the designated hours below of continuing education credit for MFTs and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Pre-Immersion:
May 5-6 (Class times 9:30am - 5pm) Off-campus locations
* Exploring Psyche & Soma: Creative & Healing States of Consciousness
Selene Vega, Ph.D. - 14 class hours $350
Saturday 9:30 am, May 5 - Sunday 5 pm, May 6
Held at Anodea's private home in Novato, CA
* Sacred Leadership
Lynne Michelson - 14 class hours $350
Saturday 9:30 am, May 5 - Sunday 5 pm, May 6
Held at Lion and Lynne's private home in San Rafael, CA
Immersion:
* Guiding the Journey: Facilitating Transformative Experiences
Selene Vega, Ph.D. - 30 class hours $550
Monday 9:30 am, May 7 - Friday 4 pm, May 11
* Energy Awareness I: Awaken Your Untapped Mind
Glenn Hartelius, Ph.D. - 12 class hours $350
Sunday 7 pm, May 6 - Tuesday 12:30 pm, May 8 (ends at lunch)
* Energy Awareness II: Living the Energy World
Glenn Hartelius, Ph.D. - 18 class hours $395
(begins after lunch) Tuesday 3 pm, May 8 - Friday 12:30 pm, May 11 (ends at lunch)
* Energy Awareness III: Clearing Energy
Glenn Hartelius, Ph.D. - 18 class hours $395
Saturday 9:30 am, May 12 - Monday 4 pm, May 14
* Chakra Yoga Teacher Training
Tulasi Jordan - 27 class hours $495
Saturday 9:30 am, May 12 - Wednesday 12:30 pm, May 16
* Mind-Body Integration - Level 1: Therapeutic Techniques for Wholeness
Anodea Judith, Ph.D. - 30 class hours $550
Monday 9:30 am, May 7 - Friday 4 pm, May 11
* Mind-Body Chakra Therapy - Level 2
Anodea Judith, Ph.D. - 30 class hours $550
Sunday 9:30 am, May 13 - Thursday 4 pm, May 17
* ChakraBody Works:
The Fundamentals: Bioenergetic Massage Therapy through the Chakras
Jason Auer-Sears - 18 class hours $395
Tuesday 9:30 am, May 15 - Thursday 4 pm, May 17
