THANKS-GIVING … MAKING IT MORE THAN A FEAST OF CONSUMPTION!

by maralyn | Nov 24, 2013 | Main | 0 comments

OK, to be clear, even though I’m not much of a shopper, so Black Friday doesn’t hold much appeal for me, I love yummy food, AND the experience of abundance – tables overflowing … family and friends gathered round … delighting in the experience of being embodied in human form! So the idea of now living in the USA and having two opportunities each year to celebrate Thanksgiving is definitely not a hardship – we have such an extraordinary number of things in our lives that are easy to be thank-full for.

Some of us gathered last New Year’s Eve – another cause for full table, dressing up, and celebrating the gifts of life!

I was reflecting on all this as I came to write this eNews, and somehow that line from the Star Spangled Banner – the land of the free and the home of the brave – popped into my head, and the words freedom and bravery began to swirl in me.

Along with the swirling words came the wondering – what does freedom actually mean? What does it mean to be free? What is true freedom? Is it dependent on our circumstances and where we live? How can we create more freedom in our lives? And what about bravery? What are the situations that call us to be brave? Are there some of us that are brave and some (like the lion in the Wizard of Oz) more cowardly? Or is bravery a capacity that we can nurture and expand?

After having grown up in the tiny island of Barbados – 21 miles long, and 14 miles wide as its biggest points – one of the things I so appreciate about being in North America is the freedom to hop into my car and drive for ages without running out off the ‘edge’! Freedom and ease in moving around, the resources to do so, and (without negating the possibility of accidents and the many other challenges we in our society experience daily) the relative safety we in North America experience are just some of the multitude of things for which I am thankful.But what about all those challenges we face locally, and globally? And on top of that, what about the many challenges and major limitations to our freedom that we generate and impose on ourselves?! For me, there’s not much freedom in only being able to be thankful for the happy, comfortable things in our experience. That’s a limitation far more confining than living on a small island!

Certainly, living with eyes wide open, neither fixating on, nor having to pretend that there aren’t things in our world that evoke pain and fear in us is hugely challenging! But for me, in our commitment to expand our capacity to do just that, true freedom and great bravery are called out of us.

Beauty embedded in what appears to be chaos

I’m imagining that many of you drawn here share my sense that embedded in the things that seem to be chaotic and crumbling around us are the beautiful seeds of new possibility that are gestating in our world. One of the challenges of being in this period is that there’s so much out of our control and not possible to be known. And yet we are neither helpless nor powerless.

I recently heard a quote from Rudolf Bahro who said “When the forms of an old culture are dying, the new culture is created by a few people who are not afraid to be insecure.”

For me it’s not so much about not being afraid, but that we’re WILLING to be insecure, and recognize and learn how to be with our fear. This expansion of our capacity for bravery, leads us to greater freedom to be present – whatever is happening around us.

If we hold fear as a given in our lives, and not as evidence that we, or the situation we’re experiencing are wrong, we can feel our fear and use its presence to deepen our commitment to be present to any confusion and uncertainty that’s evoked. We can choose to engage whatever practices we have – starting with pausing and taking a deep breath – to step back and be curious about what’s actually happening here? Wondering about what might be missing that we might be being called to bring to the moment? We can be open and allow for the emergence from our deep knowing next steps and choices that seem to be our most authentic response – at least right now!

For me, this is freedom and bravery in action. These are the capacities that the ‘brave souls’ who have joined me over the last weeks in the first beta version of Relationship Treasures Hidden in Plain Sight, are engaging and expanding. It’s been a joy and a privilege to see (and experience myself) the possibilities and freedom that are emerging for us all.

We’re truly, expanding our capacities to embrace and be thankful for ALL of life, and the freedom that results for those curious, creative and brave enough to engage this path is SO worth it! I’m more grateful than I have words for, to be joined by each one of you in this community exploring Realizing RICH Relationships together.

For those of us celebrating Thanksgiving this week, have a wonderful celebration, and for all of us – wherever we are – what else is possible as we choose to embrace, rather than turn away from the many insecurities in our lives?!

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Maralyn's coaching abilities, combined with her caring and gentleness are unique. The impact in my life has been enormous, providing me a safe space for discovery, growth and positive change. Any person or group who calls on Maralyn's skills will, if they are open and receptive, benefit. Thanks, Maralyn!

— Earl, Rochester, NY

During one session w/ M as I'm randomly plodding thru all this stuff she, I'm figuratively speaking since she's on the phone in Canada, held my hand and lead me to this peaceful place and she watched and made me feel so safe as I gently peeled back the tender layers of my most inner self. Then she asked me one question and suddenly I could see it. And when I picked it up and held it, understood it, all the pain and confusion went away, well most of it anyway. I tell you this to point out not the value of the process, I think you know that, but the fact that w/out her help I couldn't see it though it lay before all the while.

— Shane, Atlanta, GA

I did not expect to hear from you so soon but what a gift. Thank you for being an angel in the wilderness, ministering to me with such kindness. I have wept and wept over your words to me: I have my own answer, affirming my experience as a human chaplain. Thank you for your confidence in me and affirming my journey.

— Myrna, Toronto, ON

Thanks for last night's session. I'm really enjoying this work and I feel like you've fast tracked me...! I'm such a keener and advanced student! :)" "This is a brief note to let you know that I'm having an amazing time and feeling extremely well. The dust has settled since our last session and I'm happy with the progress and learnings . I feel like a new person :)"

— Ahna, Toronto, ON

"Through Maralyn's compassion, wisdom and real understanding of my true, authentic self, I am able to increase my capacity to love and especially deepen the relationship within myself, my beloved and other people in all my life. I really enjoyed the fact that Maralyn "went with the flow" with our sessions and the sessions were easy and comfortable and not so structured. She truly embraced what was going on with me and my life for each lesson and practice. During our sessions together, I was able to be in a deep, safe space, to be completely vulnerable and be my true, authentic self. The learning, growth and expansion for me was powerful and life changing! This whole experience is a gift of peace and stillness in my life to deepen the loving relationship within myself and surrender to the present. I am happy where and who I am! I will continue to honour myself and stay in my power to cultivate this loving solitude. "Lord and Anne' have mercy…Anne' is alive! My wild, gypsy soul is back!" I hightly recommend Maralyn as a coach for Calling In "The One" (CITO) and have recommended her to many of my friends who are considering taking CITO."

— Anne, Richmond Hill, ON

"Thank you very much for talking with me today and asking me so many thought-provoking questions. I plan on digging into all the possibilities to pinpoint why the "last little hook" is still there so that I can shed light upon it and heal it within myself. I am very grateful to you for being as honest as you are as well as your willingness and devotion to help people get to and heal the root of their problems. Your kindness, generosity, professionalism, expertise and genuine caring sets you apart from others and truly makes a difference to the people you help."

— Annie, Detroit, MI

"Calling in "The One" has truly been a profound and life changing experience for me. Working through Katherine Woodward Thomas’s book and with Maralyn during weekly coaching sessions has led me to numerous realizations, which I have in turn put into practice to change my life. It helped me see the power of love and connection within myself and the wider world—innumerable and ubiquitous in quantity. Through the course of seven short weeks I have been able to look inside myself and find the greatness that lies within me and cultivate a willingness to see and speak what is my truth. This has been the beginning of a new life for me—a life overflowing with abundance and love."

— Heather, UK

"Thank you so much for helping me. I don't think I would have realised what I did if it wasn't for you. It's so much appreciated and I am so grateful to you. Thank you for being such a wonderful coach."

— Irene, Sydney, Australia

"I so greatly appreciate your call and recommendation to listen to the Art of Conscious Completion recording. I found it very affirmative. I feel a huge relief as I had been blaming and shaming myself for the break up of my marriage and failure."

— Marcelene, Toronto, ON

"Just a note and to say thanks again; our work achieved exactly what I wanted it to achieve, i.e personalizing the Calling in "The One" work and enabling a shift in perspective. It's funny, I selected you from the list on a gut feeling, and in retrospect it seems perfectly natural, and and at the same time miraculous, that we hooked up. I wanted to share with you what is happening now, since I discovered what it's like to feel precious to myself. I've been keeping a list, ... (it) includes small things like less use of question marks and exclamation points, being able to look people in the eye and knowing what to say, not starting to fixate when a guy I like drops me an email, not desperately checking my personal email as if waiting for something or someone great to happen to me out of the blue, dressing as precious as I feel, not needing to obsessively make 'to do' lists ... and so on. I think what you said really hit home--I was feeling like I had to do everything all by myself, and I was burning out my engine... Now the feeling is more that I can lean back on the universe and it will support me."

— Michelle, Washington, DC

"My experience of working with Maralyn is that I feel connected and supported by her while I encounter difficult emotions and new ideas. Maralyn brings the wisdom and insight of her personal experience and combines it with an embrace of groundbreaking new approaches to some of life's most vexing problems. My sense of Maralyn's compassion for me in my situation, and for herself, promotes in me a feeling of co-creating the solutions to my concerns - I have a feeling of being very much on the same page with her. Maralyn's patience, clear vision, and gentle guidance create for me the sense that I am on a path toward an improved position - and my lived experience of the benefits which I've attained with her has resoundingly proved that perception true. I have transformed my approaches to change, to life, and to relationship, via my work with Maralyn, to the great benefit of myself and to the people in my life."

— Stefan, Skokie, IL

"I felt completely safe in my relationship with Maralyn. Her exquisite capacity for respectful listening freed me to examine all of my feelings knowing she was right beside me. In her acute sensitivity she was able to name signals I might have missed, allowing me to respond and access the deeper truth and learning awaiting beneath."

— Elaine, Toronto, ON

"I was struggling trying to ‘fit in the box’ and Maralyn was able to guide me to see where I fit, or where it doesn’t fit me. And that it was okay not to fit. When it came to manifesting “The One”, I was only attracting unavailable men. I understood that it was a reflection of me, but I didn’t know how I was unavailable. Calling in "The One" and Maralyn helped tremendously in getting to the core of understanding that, first, I was give, give, give, but not allowing others to give to me. Second, I was not allowing myself to be vulnerable with others. If I had read the Calling in "The One" book, I may have picked up some of this knowledge, but I know I wouldn’t have worked through the exercises without having a weekly session with Maralyn. She was able to give me some very practical ideas on how to be more vulnerable and take risks with people. I really appreciate how this program has brought about such amazing growth and insight into my inner being. My very close loved ones have commented very positively in the changes they’ve seen in me. Thank you again. I can see this program going far!"

— Laurie, Toronto, ON

"I really appreciated your openness and willingness to work with me through Calling in "The One", and I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat. I will take with me the ability to sit with myself and my little Ninas and remember to recognize and nurture the relationship big Nina is forming with them. I just wanted you to know that I am grateful I had the chance to work with you on this, and your ability to help me articulate things that I have trouble putting into words was extremely helpful. You were an excellent person for me to do this work with - very supportive and helped me feel safe and access some vulnerability. As you may be able to tell, THIS kind of thing is a new behavior for me as well!"

— Nina, Los Angeles, CA

"Maralyn was extremely open and supportive and she allowed me to be who and where I was. She welcomed and helped me explore anything I brought to our sessions. Her allowing gave me much more freedom to go deeper within. I have spent so much energy focusing on improving my business, neglecting my personal life, through this process I was able to see how they were all related to the relationship I have with myself. The Calling in "The One" coaching really was so much more than I expected."

— Adell, Phoenix, AZ

"My new relationship with my parents is hugely significant to me (and I'm sure to them, and my partner!) - and I am very grateful for the guidance and coaching that you gave me as I prepared for this 'new beginning'. My (or should I say 'our') relationship with Mum & Dad continues to grow and flourish. My partner even had dinner with them (without me!) this last Friday! Thank-you again for helping me thru this very difficult transition - it has led to a very wonderful place!"

— Gordon, Vancouver, BC

"What is most clear about your essence is LOVE. It comes thru loud and clear AND it is abundant. With your clarity, you guide others through the obstacles they have placed in their lives ...... to their clarity. And, with such gentleness! A formula I made up is: an infinitely-wide frame of reference equals unconditional love. Your degree of tolerance is founded on a pretty wide frame of reference!!!"

— Charlie, Harrisburg, PA

"Thank you for your facilitation on Monday morning. I know that a great deal of thought, sensitivity and preparation went into your work, and you handled a difficult situation with real class. The process and its outcome will be very useful in determining how to move forward in the challenging days ahead."

— MM, Toronto, ON

THANKS-GIVING … MAKING IT MORE THAN A FEAST OF CONSUMPTION!

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THANKS-GIVING … MAKING IT MORE THAN A FEAST OF CONSUMPTION!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

WANT TO TRY A TASTE?

Being Here Now

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Want to continue the conversation?

Client Love

Nurturing juicy co-creative partnerships …with ourselves, others & life!

Nurturing juicy co-creative partnerships
…with ourselves, others & life!