This is a beautiful video on the characteristics of love…

This post has been a long time coming – not just the post, but the actions behind it. I have long touted that one of my number one – if not my number one – value is Authenticity/Integrity. To me this means knowing who you are and being able to step into who you are and own it. When you do, all your actions and words match and are in alignment with that persona. What you see is what you get.

For several years now, I have tiptoed around the aspect of my business that I truly love and is a big part of me and who I am. I was worried about offending people (maybe?) and definitely I was worried that people wouldn’t like me anymore. OR they would think I had “fallen off the deep end” so to speak. Amazingly, (or not) this aspect of my business is also what my customers respond to with the most excitement. What is it, you ask? It is astrology.

I love it! I love the stories behind it, I love the stars and planets in the sky, I love the beautiful combination of science, math, psychology, philosophy and art that is astrology. I love to see it in action. It works! (doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not)

And the idea I had several years ago to combine astrology and life coaching can no longer be hidden. It just makes too much sense to me and to the clients I’ve used this with. With normal astrologers, you get your annual reading and don’t see or speak to them again until the following year or if something traumatic happens in your life. Life coaching provides this added element of helping people along the way. Astrology can provide the potential of your life – your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, life purpose, and more. It is all laid out there in the blueprint of your chart. What you choose to do with this potential is up to you because we are all given free will by the Divine. This is where the coaching comes in to help people take this potential and develop it in the most positive, effective and efficient manner. Why not take into account the “weather forecast” provided by astrology to help you determine when to make certain changes in your life? I see this as a beautiful marriage between two incredibly powerful disciplines. And there is no one else out there combining them in this way.

A year ago this coming week, I left my lucrative career in the corporate world to finally live the life I felt was truly mine. For years I felt I had been living two lives. I had one life in which I put on the persona of corporate consultant, getting up each morning and being the person I was expected to be by my clients and employers. And then outside of that world I was living my “real life” as a life coach, astrologer, student of spiritual paths, etc. Last year I finally reached a breaking point in which I could no longer live two lives. I needed to jump ship from the life that wasn’t “mine” and live the one that was. So, when I quit my job, I fully anticipated that I would be flung head-long into my new life. Only, it didn’t really happen like that. It was more a process – rather than jumping from one path to the other, I began to veer from one path to the other. It was a slow and arduous process and one in which I had to step out of my comfort zone daily to show a little bit more of who I really was to the world. Astrology was one of those things I kept leaving in my back pocket and only pulling out when I felt someone could “handle it”. This process truly felt as though I was giving birth! When I described it to a gay friend of mine, he said, “Of course, you’re coming out!” Yes! That makes so much sense!

No more! This way of coaching is too powerful not to share with the world. So, this blog will now become more of a personal blog covering all kinds of issues and interests from my point of view. My business is now: www.CoachingWithTheStars.com and I invite you to check it out. There’s not much there now, but it will be filling up fast.

I will also be offering a monthly conference call on what is going on in the heavens and how it is affecting us here on earth. If you are on my email list you will receive updates to this call and get the call-in information. If not, sign up here to receive updates and information on these calls:

You will be able to listen to the recording for 24 hours after the call and then you can purchase it for $5.55. The “Blissful Living” newsletter will begin to change over to a new format supporting this focus as well.

Be sure and “Like” me on Facebook as well: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Coaching-With-The-Stars/162169020509260

So, I have decided that this is the focus that my business needs to take – it is the only way I can live in integrity with who I am and what I believe, and truly practice what I preach which is that when you are doing what you uniquely came here to do and be, then you are providing a service to the world. The world is a better place for it. So, thanks for being a part of my community and I look forward to continuing my journey with your support and love!

Join me Tuesday, May 17th as we explore how you can access your inner guidance and use it to manifest  abundance and success in your life. As the earth goes through this shift and these changes, it is becoming increasingly important to get connected with our Source and follow the guidance we are meant to follow to become the people we are meant to be.

You are here to serve a purpose. You have an important role to play that no one else but you can do. The world needs you living your purposeful life and functioning in the highest most passionate way that you can.

When you are living in the flow by following your own internal GPS and life manual, you can:

• Know clearly and align with your unique Life Purpose
• Improve relationships
• Live in a state of inner peace and calm
• Have clear direction and ease in decision-making at all times
• Improve your health level
• Live a life of abundance, purpose and passion

With this simple system, you will be able to:

Learn about your Source – who or what is it? Learn about “intuition”, guidance from your source and other forms of “knowing”.

Understand the language of Spirit, Soul or your Source. The messages from these “realms” tend to be very cryptic and sometimes even non-sensical. Learn how to interpret and understand them so that you can take clear action.

Gain mastery over your emotions so that you can live in a state of inner peace and calm even through the chaos and turmoil that may be surrounding you.

Follow your inner guidance with surety and faith. You will learn how to distinguish this voice from the voice of your own ego, which likes to interfere! Know with certainty when you are “making things up” and when you are receiving a true message.

Know your unique method of receiving information. We are all unique and different and there are many ways we can receive information from Source. Learn the way that is best suited for you so that you can maximize the information you receive.

When you attend SourceConnect: The Blissful Soul’s Guide to Accessing and Understanding Your Personal GPS and Life Manual, – here’s an overview of everything you’ll receive:

4 Teleclasses (Value $200)
4 one-hour training classes in which you will learn all the techniques for accessing your source, interpreting messages from source, and defining your unique methods of communicating and understanding.

May 17, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM Central

May 24, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM Central

May 31, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM, Central

June 7, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM, Central

1 Q&A Call (Value $50)
There will be an additional call where you can call in or submit any questions you may be having about the techniques or processes learned. You can ask about any issues that you are having with techniques and make sure that you are clear and confident in the methods presented.

Time and Date to be determined.

MP3 recordings of all calls (Value $150)
All training and Q&A classes will be recorded and you will have the MP3s to listen to again and again forever. Every time you listen, you can gain more insight and knowledge. This is an invaluable benefit that you can make use of for years to come.

SourceConnect: The Blissful Soul’s Guide to Accessing and Understanding Your Personal GPS and Life Manual Handbook (Value $40)
A handbook which accompanies the training calls so that you have a place to take notes, write down inspirations and pull out the exercises for use whenever the mood strikes you.

One Private Coaching Session with me (Value $200)

Get all your questions and concerns answered and map out a plan for using your new-found intuition skills in this 45-minute session with me.

All of this purchased individually would add up to over $600!! You can get it now for only $97! I believe this information is so crucial to succeeding in the next few years of Earth shifts and changes that I want to be sure no one is held back from it!

OR Click here for more information: http://www.theblissfulsoul.com/events/sourceconnect-the-blissful-souls-guide-to-accessing-and-understanding-your-personal-gps-and-life-manual/

Join me Tuesday, May 17th as we explore how you can access your inner guidance and use it to manifest  abundance and success in your life. As the earth goes through this shift and these changes, it is becoming increasingly important to get connected with our Source and follow the guidance we are meant to follow to become the people we are meant to be.

You are here to serve a purpose. You have an important role to play that no one else but you can do. The world needs you living your purposeful life and functioning in the highest most passionate way that you can.

When you are living in the flow by following your own internal GPS and life manual, you can:

• Know clearly and align with your unique Life Purpose
• Improve relationships
• Live in a state of inner peace and calm
• Have clear direction and ease in decision-making at all times
• Improve your health level
• Live a life of abundance, purpose and passion

When you attend SourceConnect: The Blissful Soul’s Guide to Accessing and Understanding Your Personal GPS and Life Manual, – here’s an overview of everything you’ll receive:

4 Teleclasses (Value $200)
4 one-hour training classes in which you will learn all the techniques for accessing your source, interpreting messages from source, and defining your unique methods of communicating and understanding.

May 17, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM Central

May 24, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM Central

May 31, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM, Central

June 7, 2011 3 – 4:15 PM, Central

1 Q&A Call (Value $50)
There will be an additional call where you can call in or submit any questions you may be having about the techniques or processes learned. You can ask about any issues that you are having with techniques and make sure that you are clear and confident in the methods presented.

Time and Date to be determined.

MP3 recordings of all calls (Value $150)
All training and Q&A classes will be recorded and you will have the MP3s to listen to again and again forever. Every time you listen, you can gain more insight and knowledge. This is an invaluable benefit that you can make use of for years to come.

SourceConnect: The Blissful Soul’s Guide to Accessing and Understanding Your Personal GPS and Life Manual Handbook (Value $40)
A handbook which accompanies the training calls so that you have a place to take notes, write down inspirations and pull out the exercises for use whenever the mood strikes you.

One Private Coaching Session with me (Value $200)

Get all your questions and concerns answered and map out a plan for using your new-found intuition skills in this 45-minute session with me.

All of this purchased individually would add up to over $600!! You can get it now for only $97! I believe this information is so crucial to succeeding in the next few years of Earth shifts and changes that I want to be sure no one is held back from it!

OR Click here for more information: http://www.theblissfulsoul.com/events/sourceconnect-the-blissful-souls-guide-to-accessing-and-understanding-your-personal-gps-and-life-manual/

What is a contemplative practice?

It is a practice that can be active or still, religious or not, that brings you to the present moment, stills your mind chatter and helps you to focus, center and reconnect with yourself and the Divine.

Contemplative practices have many varied benefits, but in general, they tend to focus the mind and instill a deep sense of calm, peace and awareness. Every religion has some form of a contemplative practice within its arsenal of practices. Some of them include movement, such as the Sufi whirling dervishes or yoga; and some are much more still…such as meditation.

The benefits of incorporating a contemplative practice into your life include:

• Quiet the mind
• Develop Compassion
• Awaken consciousness
• Become aware of interconnectedness and unity
• Reduce Stress
• Enhance creativity and creative problem-solving
• Develop the ability to live proactively rather than reactively
• Ability to deal with the complexities of life

Some examples of Contemplative practices include:

Centering Prayer – this method has its roots in Christianity and the guidelines are as follows (taken from Wikipedia – according to Basil Pennington):
1.    Sit comfortably with your eyes closed, relax, and quiet yourself. Be in love and faith to God.
2.    Choose a sacred word that best supports your sincere intention to be in the Lord’s presence and open to His divine action within you (i.e. “Jesus”, “Lord,” “God,” “Savior,” “Abba,” “Divine,” “Shalom,” “Spirit,” “Love,” etc.).
3.    Let that word be gently present as your symbol of your sincere intention to be in the Lord’s presence and open to His divine action within you.
4.    Whenever you become aware of anything (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, associations, etc.), simply return to your sacred word, your anchor.

Remembrance – this is the standard practice of Sufism and is similar to Centering prayer in that a word (in this case, the name of God, Allah) is repeated over and over again, often done aloud. The focus is on the heart.  This technique is aimed to gently open the ear of the heart, to listen with the heart. With the ear of the heart you can hear the whispers of love from the divine.  The Ah sound opens the heart opens the crown chakra and the divine vibration flows in. The “La” sound, and the La sound splashes the love into our hearts, scooping it up and drawing the love into our center.  After several minutes the floodgates open and the heart is filled with divine love and mercy.   Old wounds are healed, old grudges are forgiven, fears melt away, and the heart leaps with gratitude before the awesome mercy of God.

Walking a Labyrinth
A labyrinth (unlike a maze) has only one path leading to the center and back out again. There are no dead ends.
When you walk a labyrinth, you meander back and forth, turning 180 degrees each time you enter a different circuit. As you shift your direction you also shift your awareness from right brain to left brain. This is one of the reasons the labyrinth can induce receptive states of consciousness. It can also help to balance the chakras.
Each person’s walk is a personal experience. How one walks and what one receives differs with each walk. Some people use the walk for clearing the mind and centering. Others enter with a question or concern. T

Prayer Beads these can include Catholic rosaries, Hindu/Sikh “mala” beads, Islamic “tasbih” beads, etc. The repetitive nature of the prayers associated with each bead tend to help you clear the mind and focus on the heart.

Some other practices I haven’t included her are yoga, tai chi, rituals and ceremonies, mindful walking…What kind of contemplative practices are part of your life now? If you have none, think about one or two that you’re willing to try. Even something as simple as a hot bath with scented candles once a week can do wonders for the soul!

There is a saying that “Peace is not about avoiding trouble, work and hardships. Rather Peace is the ability to remain calm in the midst of life’s challenges”. This is something that I have struggled with and still think about sometimes. It is really easy to feel at peace and ease when things are going well and you are generally happy about the state of your life.

However, when there is chaos around us or things don’t go as planned or we have expectations that aren’t met, we can start to feel that tide of emotion rising up within us – anxiety, anger, fear, worry,  … the list goes on.

So, how does one go about finding that deep well of calm within – especially in the moment of challenge? Here are a few techniques that might help you with this:

1.    Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) – this is one of a collection of techniques that use the body’s energetic meridians to effect emotional and physical change. It is also known as “tapping”. It has been used with great effect in any number of things, but its ability to deflect and lower panic and anxiety in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) patients is why I’ve listed it here. Basically, you tap on various meridian points (top of head, above eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, above lips, below, lips, below collar bone and under arm on side of body) with two or three fingers while reciting “Even though I (enter the feeling you are having here – e.g., feel worried), I deeply love and respect myself. Continue repeating this as you tap your way through the points. Check yourself after one round, if you still feel the feeling or another feeling, continue until you are at a neutral point. Get help from a good EFT practitioner if you need help.

2.    Remembrance – a Sufi practice of chanting the name of god (Allah) silently or under your breath repeatedly for 5 – 20 minutes. You can sit comfortably and if possible, close your eyes and place your hands over your heart area. This technique really helps you get into your heart space, which is where the calm resides.

3.    Chanting – An example of chanting would be the Hindu peace chant:

Asato maa,

Sadgamayaa
 Tamaso maa, Jyotirgamayaa ;

Mrityor maa, Amritam Gamayaa

Here is a link to a site that explains the meaning of the chant and some mp3 links so that you can listen to it.

http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/asatomaa.php

There is something about the vibration of sound that can change your energy field instantly. If this chant is too complicated for you, try simply chanting “Ohm” over and over again until you start feeling calm.

There are many more ways to get to that place of peace. These are but a few techniques that I use regularly to get back to feeling calm and centered when I find myself feeling overwhelmed, worried, anxious, fearful, etc. And the beauty of them is that you don’t even need to know WHY you feel the way you do. Just do one of these and watch your blood pressure lower, your breath deepen and your connection with the Divine increase. What more could you ask for?

I’m often asked – what is an Interfaith minister? My short answer is that as someone who has studied and has an understanding of all the faiths, I can more easily minister to people from their own viewpoint. While I have my own personal spiritual path, I can work with someone from their own path without the need to convince them of my way or convert them to another way. I believe that we are unique individuals and God, Spirit, Allah, the Universe, etc. speaks to us in many ways. Different ways resonate with different people, and so they can follow a path that leads to the Divine that works for them. The director of my seminary, Rev. Diane Berke states:

“The implications of the“>A Course In Miracles” teaches that a universal theology is impossible, but that a universal experience is not only possible but necessary if we are to awaken from the dream of separation that has led to so much suffering. Experience is the realm of practice, and it is here that we can truly meet and enrace one another as brothers and sisters.

It is my sincere hope that this manual will be a support for you on your journey. And may the fruits of our individual and collective practice be of benefit to all living beings, and to the earth.”

Blessings,

Rev. Tricia

Dreams: Your Connection to Source

In this three day workshop you will:

• Understand how to recall dreams
• Discover what you can use to aid the dream state, such as special stones, essential oils, herbs, bells, and symbols
• Develop the skill of astral travel and lucid dreaming
• Use dreams to connect with your angels, animal totems, and master guides
• Connect with loved ones who have passed on
• Gain mystical messages
• Activate your Dream Shield and meet your Dream Guide
• Learn the most common dreams and their meanings.

You will also discover how to incubate and program dreams for:

• Past-life exploration
• Far-viewing
• Manifesting your desires
• Earth healing
• Chakra balancing
• Finding a soul mate in your dream state before meeting in person

I will teach you how to decipher the meanings
of dreams with several tools. You’ll learn:

• The mystical use of a dream journal
• The art of gestalting a dream
• The power of “drawing” the dream
• Ways to create and use a dream dictionary
• Free association
• The Replay Method
• Moon cycles and seasons and their impact on dreams
• The special meanings of colors
• The meaning of numbers
• Ancient Chinese Clock Dream Interpretation.

3 Sundays, January 16, 23 30, 2011

NiaMoves, Houston

$75 or $60 if paid before January 10, 2011

There will also be a follow-up phone session with me and the opportunity to join a dream group for analyzing dreams.

I love this video from William Ury, the guy who wrote, “Getting to Yes” in which he describes the secret to peace.

He mentions how in any argument or conflict, there are two sides. The surrounding community is the third element in any disagreement. The community can remind the other two what exactly is at stake – it is easy to lose perspective when we are involved in conflict. “When angry you will make the best speech you will ever regret!” We must see the bigger picture and the third side can help to do that.

Where’s the third side in the Middle East conflict – he proposes a first step towards this. He proposes that Abraham is the third side – the common factor in this conflict. And Abraham stood for the unity of the family – the interconnectedness of it all and his basic value was Respect – kindness and hospitality to all.

Terrorism is taking a stranger and and treating them like an enemy and killing them; the opposite is taking a total stranger and treating them as a friend. What do you think of the solution he proposes at the end? Taking a walk with Abraham as the common identity.

Here is a link to this solution: http://www.abrahampath.org/about.php

I love this book – it is one of my top 10 most important books. I read it every year at the beginning of the year as a reminder to Follow My Dream! This is a simple parable (don’t expect Shakespeare or any other literary giant) simply told. Its importance lies more in its enduring message as we follow the shepherd Santiago on his quest. Like many of us who pursue our dreams, his journey is riddled with many setbacks and there are times when he is ready to give up – but, he perseveres and learns the language of the world while pursuing his Personal Legend.

“… no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.” ~Paolo Coehlo, The Alchemist