Intentional Conscious Parenting

The Light Inside Of Me By: Vicki Scalzo ~ Review By Carol and Stacy

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

The Light Inside Of Me ~ A simple way to guide children towards making good choices.

Written By Vicki Scalzo-Savini

Illustrated By Children From Milton Terrace South Elementary.

A quote from inside, The Light Inside Of Me ~ "You can use this book as a tool in the classroom, or at home to remind children of that brilliant light that dwells within."

Right from the very beginning when this adorable children's picture book arrived in the mail we were hooked. It just beams like a ray of sunshine. This book is filled with love and light.

The young illustrators from the Milton Terrace South Elementary shine in their originality. The heartfelt illustrations will bring joy to your eyes. This book is teaching children how to make good choices and how they can trust and honor their own feelings. The light inside of me demonstrates how to recognize the feelings in others and how to shine each and every child's inner light brightly.

Keep an eye out for our full interview with Vicki and a special giveaway just for our Intentional Conscious Parenting readers coming soon! Sign up for our newsletter, subscribe to our RSS feed, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay in touch.

Purchase your very own copy of Light Inside Of Me and find out more about Vicki and her foundation by visiting her website. http://theinfinityfoundation.com/ or

https://www.facebook.com/TheInfinityFoundation

Review By Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten

Rain Forest Card Game Review

2012-02-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Rain Forest Card Game ~ Four Games In One!

Easy to learn.
Fun for the whole family.
2 or more players.
Ages 6 and up.
Rain forest facts.
Includes poster and stickers.

The Rain Forest deck features 48 different animals in their natural habitat. Includes two custom dice with rain forest symbols.

Children will become familiar with a variety of different animals while they also learn counting and matching skills.

This a game that can be played in four ways.

You and your children will have fun making animal sounds, counting, and playing with this interactive action packed game.

Great hands on educational game to teach the importance of taking care of our planet and her incredible creatures.

Visit U.S. Games Systems, Inc. to learn more about this game and find other family friendly games.

Follow US Games on Facebook.

Family Game nights are making a comeback!

Review By Stacy Toten and Carol Lawrence

Tree Hugging Proven To Improve Health Issues | Wake Up World

2012-02-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

Tree Hugging Proven To Improve Health Issues | Wake Up World:

"Countless studies have shown that children show significant psychological and physiological effects in terms of their health and well being when they interact with plants. They demonstrate that children function better cognitively and emotionally in green environments and have more creative play in green areas." 'via Blog this'

We love our trees and plants! I guess being accused of being a tree hugger all my life isn't such a bad thing. ~ Carol

The Intuitive Child: Extrasensory Gifts Creating An Extraordinary World By Cyndi Dale

2012-02-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Intuitive Child:

Extrasensory Gifts Creating An Extraordinary World

By Cyndi Dale

I was nervous. A mom I’d never met was bringing her son to see me for an energy healing session. He was in his 20’s and had not spoken or walked in his life, ever since he had almost died during surgery when he was a year old. His mother would be carrying him in.

How was I going to figure out how to help him?

Within a few minutes, I was enamored with this young man. I could sense his kindly soul, his awareness of the life around him. And then, something special happened. It was as if his inner self reached into my mind, offering words and pictures for me to interpret.

“Why, Blaine!” I cried out. “You remember heaven! You want this information shared with the world,” I added. “Is it through a book?”

He laughed. He LAUGHED, before nodding his head.

Blaine was communicating with me intuitively, intuition his main way of interacting with the world.

Many of Blaine’s five senses weren’t functional enough for him to communicate with others, but his sixth sense was. In working with him, I figured out he was able to sense others’ feelings and needs, send healing to the ill, and touch the hems of angelic garments. He could read what others’ needed and felt frustrated because he was all-too often not understood.

All children are equipped with a sixth sense; they simply don’t need to rely on it as completely as does Blaine. Having said that, why wouldn’t we want to afford our children full and safe access to their sixth sense, the ability to reach beyond the ordinary five senses? To help our children access these gifts wisely is to activate an internal GPS, one that can provide direction, revelation, comfort, and healing. As extra-ordinary as is the sixth sense, it can be the most practical sense of all.

There are three main considerations involved in guiding our children into their sixth sense. The first is deciphering a child’s strongest gift so you can customize a fun and exciting development process. The second is safety. Intuition involves receiving and sending psychic information. Without filters, we don’t know if we’re working with valid or invalid, helpful or harmful information. The third deliberation is to slowly and enjoyably invite children to actively engage the world via their specific intuitive gifts, making sure they are always comfortable with the process.

There are actually twelve different types of intuitive gifts, which can be divided into four main categories. The simplest way to figure out a child’s gifts is to ask him or her which of the following four descriptions best describes how they know what’s happening inside and outside of themselves. (I have written these descriptions in such a way that you can read them to your child.)

· Physically kinesthetic: Feeling gifts.Your body tells you what is happening in others.

You are especially aware of what is happening physically and emotionally inside of them. If they have an ache, you have an ache; if they are scared, you feel scared.

· Spiritually kinesthetic: Spiritual gifts.You sense or simply “know” what someone is really like—if they are nice or not. If someone is honest, you know it. If someone is lying, you know it. You can also figure out if there are angels or demons around, or “good” or “bad” energies in a room.

· Verbal: Hearing gifts. You can hear messages in your head. The sounds might sound like talking, words, tones, music, or noises.

· Visual: Seeing gifts. You see pictures in your head or with your eyes that no one else can perceive. You might imagine colors, shapes, videos, or remember your dreams.

You can also identify children’s gifts by watching them in their natural environment. I know my son Gabriel is physically kinesthetic because he constantly moves and fidgets. He also feels every feeling to its maximum. (He’ll make some woman a great husband; he’ll never be excused of “being unemotional.”) One of his friends is an obvious spiritual kinesthetic. This young man’s first assessment of someone else centers on whether or not they are “nice” or “not nice.” He’s also been known to wake up frightened when he feels a “ghost” in the room.

Yet another friend of Gabe’s is verbally gifted. In all the years I’ve known this young man, I think he’s yet to take a breath between words. Still another one of his friends is visual. This young man once took a look at my office and remarked, “None of these colors match!”

Once you’ve figured out your child’s basic style, I recommend you teach them a couple of basic safety techniques. The first involves “being grounded.” A grounded person is entirely inside his or her body. When we’re inside of ourselves, nothing (or no one) else can get in. That’s a good thing, in the psychic universe. To practice grounding, I invite children to pretend that they are trees. Like a tree, they are fully rooted in the earth. They are surrounded by strong bark. Their branches extend to the skies, drinking in the bright sun.

I next encourage the appointment of a gatekeeper. A gatekeeper is an invisible but real being that provides security while deciding what intuitive information can enter or not. We might want our children to sense others’ needs, but to actually take on their illnesses? It’s great to hear the words of the Divine, but how about the threats of entities? The most popular gatekeepers are angels or a form of God, although some children select a deceased and trustworthy relative.

At this point, you can begin to help your children expand his or her gifts. Is your child a physical kinesthetic? Hand them a well-loved physical object, such as a watch, a doll, or an heirloom. Then ask your child why this object is so important to its owner. Most children report an emotion or sensation, but some come up with a specific memory. Before releasing the object, ask your child to send ALL of the object’s energy back into the object. It’s important that children not carry energies not their own.

Another beneficial exercise is called “Guess My Feelings.” To play, sit across from your child and hold hands. Now ask your child how you feel. Provide a short list of choices: happy, sad, angry, guilty, or scared. Ask additional questions once your child has guessed, such as, “Do you know why I feel this way?” “Is there a feeling that would be better for me to feel?”

Wait! There’s more! Stage two of “Guess My Feelings” involves asking your child to share his or her feelings. Feeling-sensitive kids often mix up their own and others’ emotions. Once your child has clearly separated his or her feelings from your own, tell your child to send your feelings back to you. This exercise teaches sensitive kids to stop absorbing others’ emotions and value their own.

Spiritually kinesthetic kids are extraordinary bright lights—often so brilliant that they attract dark entities and energies. It’s important for them to employ some form of prayer or meditation, so as to draw closer to God, by whatever name is used in your household.

Prayer involves talking with the Divine; meditation is defined as opening to the Divine’s responses.

While many families participate in a nightly ritual of prayer, it can be even more helpful to ask a spiritually aware child to send a prayer to the Divine in the morning and ask to receive a sign or answer during the day. The response might come in any way: through a friend’s words, a schoolbook, or through a vision or an event. This interplay shows the spiritual child that he or she is not alone; moreover, that there are compassionate and kind people and beings everywhere.

Verbal kids are just that: Verbal. Because they are so interactive, verbal kids can often glean insights from everyday vocal sources, including music, books, movies, and conversation. These are usually safe sources of verbal revelation. Before attuning a verbal child to the psychic world, however, it’s important to elicit a promise. Ask your child to promise that he or she will only listen to the approved gatekeeper. Just because “other” otherworldly spirits want to talk, doesn’t mean they should be listened to.

I prefer teaching children how to write rather than listen for psychic messages. The act of writing adds an extra measure of protection. An easy technique involves asking your child to ask their gatekeeper for help with a particular problem and to write down the response. Make sure that the answer increases your child’s sense of joy and ease rather than causes discomfort or fear, before you encourage your child to follow the advice.

What if your child is visual? Another name for the visual gift is “clairvoyance,” which means “clear seeing.” A clairvoyant child is able to perceive truths about the past, present, or future through images and pictures.

I always assure clairvoyant children that their gatekeeper won’t share visions that are indecent or inappropriate. No images of terrifying futures that can’t be changed; no picture too mature for their age. Once you’re established this ground rule,you can give your child a fun clairvoyant task.

Find a photo or picture. Without showing it to your child, put it in an envelope. Ask your child to share whatever images pop into his or her head. Then open the envelope and evaluate what’s been shared. Know that clairvoyant images can be metaphorical as well as literal.

Know that every child is intuitive. Every child is born with psychic talents, which if cultivated, can help them steer their way to a life of adventure, joy, depth, and greatness. With a little input and guidance from you, your child might be able to repeat what novelist Manuel Puig once said:

“I allow my intuition to lead my path.”

Following intuition is a very good way to lead a life—and leads, in fact, to a very good life.

Cyndi is an internationally renowned author, speaker, healer, and business consultant. Her books to-date includes the bestseller, The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, published by Sounds True. The Subtle Body has garnered over 70 five-star reviews on Amazon.com and continually sells in the 1,000 place, leading millions of books. It has also won four internationally recognized Publisher’s Awards.

Her other world-renown books include New Chakra Healing, now published in over twelve languages and revised in an all new edition The Complete Book of Chakra Healing; Advanced Chakra Healing: The Four Pathways Approach; Everyday Clairvoyant;Kundalini: Divine Energy, Divine Life; Attracting Prosperity Through the Chakras; Attracting Your Perfect Body Through the Chakras;Advanced Chakra Healing: Heart Disease, Advanced Chakra Healing: Cancer, The Littlest Christmas Star, and lluminating the Afterlife.

Find out more about Cyndi http://cyndidale.com/

I Love Pudding!

2012-02-01T11:35:00.002-07:00

A Vegetable Garden Inside a Supermarket | The Visual Merchandising Blog

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

How cool is this!!?

A Vegetable Garden Inside a Supermarket | The Visual Merchandising Blog: 'via Blog this'

7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children's Self-Esteem By Michael Lawrience

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children’s Self-Esteem? Part 1

Did you know the effects of childhood abuse can last a lifetime? Emotional abuse includes verbal violence and the lack of positive emotional support. Ab-users control, criticize, demean, ignore, make children less then, powerless, and victims. Abuse robs children of the ability to trust, healthy psychological development, and high self-esteem. These children enter adulthood with a sense of inadequacy never feeling good enough. They fall into patterns of victimhood and powerlessness. Did you know physical abuse almost always involves emotional abuse? So how does emotional abuse damage a child’s self-esteem?

1. Emotional Repres-sion
Feelings denied or unacceptable in a family and unexpressed by a child became repressed. Children resist feeling by tensing muscles, shallow breathing, and repeating internal critical self-talk. They in essence numb themselves which I did as a child, teenager, and adult. I ran constant records of self-talk like, I have nothing to say. I falsely believed myself to be the lowest man on the totem pole in terms of self-worth. Limiting the expression of our feelings and also the creation of false beliefs erodes our self-esteem, as it did mine. Tip: Learn to feel and express your feelings in healthy ways. Examine your critical self-talk and choose to change it. See Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques for Assessing, Improving, and Maintaining Your Self-Esteem by Patrick Fanning and Matthew McKay.
http://ow.ly/8wI31

2. Emotional Violence
This violence stated to be prevalent in most physical abuse stunts our psychological devel-opment as children. My parents verbal yelling and fighting with each other over my fathers constant drinking violated my family’s emotional well being. I knew unconsciously as a child that if I spoke up or stood up to my father he would physi-cally beat me. For survival I shut down the expression of my feelings, retreated inside my-self, and became the invisible lost child. As an adult I felt different and separate from any group I joined. As a result of my parents emotional violence, I attracted women who verbally belated and criticized me for my lack of emotional expression. They reinforced my feeling of inadequacy. Tips: Learn to parent and heal your own inner child. See Healing The Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families by Charles Whitfield M.D. http://ow.ly/8wIcg

3. Parents Use Children to Satisfy Their Own Needs
A healthy parent reflects back as a mirror a child’s behavior and feelings in a positive way. This builds and validates the child’s core of self-esteem. Some parents, however, use a child to validate their own narcissistic needs. This type of parent has little or no awareness of the child’s needs. They also have little ability to mirror back to the child. The child then gives up some or all of their needs for the parent. This parent never ac-knowledges when a child does something right or praises them. Children build their self-esteem through positive reinforcement from their parents. With my father physically absence when he drank and emotionally absence even when physically around, I unconsciously as the eldest, took on the male role for my mother. I give up my core being and become the codependent caretaker. Tips: Learn recovery methods for codependent behavior. See Emotional Health: The Secret for Freedom from Drama, Trauma, and Pain by Michael David La-wrience. http://ow.ly/8wIme

Do you know someone who has suffered emotional abuse as a child? See 7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children’s Self-Esteem? Part 2 for the other 4 Tips next week. Michael David Lawrience is giving away free 50-pages of his book, The Secret for Freedom from Drama, Trauma, & Pain. His complete book gives more ways to improve your emotional health, chronic pain management, emotional healing, stress release, and ways to heal emotional abuse. This article may be reproduced with a live link back to http://www.emotionalhealthtips.com/healing-emotional-abuse

Connect with Michael

Amazon Book http://ow.ly/80FCq
Blog http://www.emotionalhealthtips.com
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/unity3
Facebook http://ow.ly/586po
LinkedIn http://ow.ly/586qd

270,000 Organic Farmers Sue Monsanto | Grow Switch Blog

2012-01-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Go Farmers!

It's so important we reserve our right to grow healthy untainted organic food. This is an informative article. If you are unfamiliar with the war against the future of our food you need to see this.

270,000 Organic Farmers Sue Monsanto | Grow Switch Blog: 'via Blog this'

Energy Boundaries For Kids: Helping Them Be The "You" That They Are.

2012-01-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Energy Boundaries for Kids:

Helping Them Be The “You” That They Are

By Cyndi Dale

A while back, I received a call from my son’s school.

Now I’ve been called by the principal every so often for all sorts of concerns. There was the time Gabe “accidently” punched a kid in the stomach after the other kid “mistakenly” kicked him in the gut. There was the day nearly every boy’s mother was asked to restrict her son’s activities at school, after the boys collectively staged a mass jump into a huge mud puddle—the one near the recess teacher. There have been the flu calls and the “dog ate the homework” calls, the latter usually accurate, as we’ve tended to host dogs that eat just about everything, except the dog food, of course. This particular call, however, flipped my stomach.

“Your son threw his back out,” the school nurse informed me.

“How?” I asked, my stomach now officially sinking.

“Apparently he was simply sitting in his desk at 1:30 and said his back started throbbing. He’s having a hard time walking right now.”

I groaned—not only because I was concerned about Gabe’s well being, but also because I was the reason for his malady. You see at precisely 1:30 p.m. that day I was “releasing energy” from my lower back while sitting in an office with my therapist. My “old emotions” had transferred immediately from my body to Gabe’s, no stopping at “Go.”

I can’t count how many times I’ve been certain that Gabe’s issues were a result of absorbed energy rather than a particular germ or emotive problem. Sometimes he picks up my energy, other times, his father’s. Because he, like so many children, is such an open child, however, he’s fair game for attracting feelings, thoughts, illnesses, and frankly, even entities from friends, relatives, and more. As I work as an energy healer and intuitive consultant, he can even pick up my clients’ energies off of me through a process that is quite complex, and once in a while, even humorous.

For instance, I once hung up the phone after talking with a client who had a popcorn addiction. I emerged from my private office to Gabe’s clamor. “Mom, can we make popcorn? Please, please?”

We are open systems because we are energetic beings. Everything is made of energy, which is simply information that moves. Some energy—or information—moves slower than the speed of light. This is sensory or physical energy and is relatively recognizable by our five senses. We can hear, see, touch, smell, and taste sensory energy.

This energy is not only fairly constant but also easy to contain. We can’t hear what someone is thinking unless they share out loud. We can’t describe a photo unless it’s in front of our eyes. There’s an entirely different sort of energy, however, that operates faster than the speed of light and can permeate our skin, sneaking through to roost inside of us. This is subtle or psychic energy.

Subtle energy doesn’t stop at road signs. It’s not controllable by the Newtonian traffic cops of the universe.

It moves so fast you can hear what someone is going to say before they even know they are going to say it. It’s so quick you can perceive what’s going to happen before it does and it’s so flexible that you can feel what someone else feels like, even if they don’t know it. Subtle energy is the explanation for Gabe and other children’s ability to take on illnesses, desires, emotions, and more, that are not their own.

I believe many of us share certain similarities to the kitchen sponge but that kids are even more vulnerable to others’ subtle energies than are adults. Their energy centers, called chakras, and energy fields, often called auric fields or electromagnetic fields, are still fluid. These are two of the energetic structures that convert slow or sensory energy to fast or subtle and back again. In short, they are responsible for our ability to simultaneously sense what is occurring with others and also send information about ourselves into the world.

These energetic structures don’t set in stone, or at least, soapstone, until adulthood. This means that many children have almost no control over the absorption of others’ illnesses, feelings, thoughts, drives, needs, addictive tendencies, family systems dysfunctions, and even the invisible beings sometimes called entities or ghosts. On one hand, we want our children to be sensitive to others, but on the other hand, we want them clear and self-defined. How can we help the children in our lives accomplish these goals energetically?

We need to teach them about energetic boundaries.

We are all surrounded by energetic boundaries that expand to the corners of a room and beyond. Healthy, solid boundaries keep out unwanted energies and attract supportive opportunities. Unhealthy, punched in, or permeable boundaries do the opposite. To explain this idea, I draw a picture for children.

I insert a figure of a person in the center of four encompassing circles: red, orange, green, and white. I then tell children that these are the energy fields that “decide” what is going to happen to them physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually, respectively. Next I show them how others’ energies can enter their body and make them feel bad.

To illustrate how we might absorb others’ illnesses, I draw little black dots in the red sphere and track them into the body. This is how others’ colds, flus, and aches and pains can enter our outside in the red sphere and cause disease. To depict ways we take on others’ feelings, I sketch a big black cloud in the orange ring, calling it sadness or anger, and show how this cloud, like a thunderstorm, can move into us and make us feel bad.

Our relational field opens us to others’ relational desires, but also their thoughts and unconscious communiqués. To respond to others’ unconscious love needs, if it involves self-sacrifice, is a set-up for codependency. To explain this boundary, I have kids remember the last time they felt controlled by the ideas or judgments of a parent or a friend who wasn’t present. I then show them how this connection is similar to a phone line entering the blue boundary. If we decide to respond, that line extends all the way into our heart or ears and we feel compelled to take care of someone else rather than us. Finally, depending on the child, I explain that the white sphere can part like the Red Sea to invite messages from angels or darker figures, and that we have a right to accept only loving prayers and healing help.

What do we do if kids remark they might be struggling with certain boundaries? Kids are very sensitive to color. With young kids, I encourage parents to dress them in colors that strengthen the weaker boundaries or attract what is more desirable. Older children can imagine themselves surrounded by certain colors.

Red bolsters physical stamina; orange increases creativity; green invites healing and bonding; and white will purify negativity while welcoming angelic assistance. Silver deflects negativity; gold increases a child’s personal power; and pink both protects against external forces and encourages love.

Young children are quite responsive to the idea of an “invisible cloak,” a sort of Harry Potter cape or Superman special that, once donned by the imagination, keeps them safe and protected. Older children are often able to use breathing exercises to take in good energy and breathe out bad energy. I literally ask them to take a few deep breaths and say, “In with the good, out with the bad.”

There are special situations that call for extraordinary boundaries. Tests, for instance, often stimulate those butterflies in the stomach. Kids might become doubly stressed because they are picking up on other kids’ test anxiety. In order to remain calm and mindful, I encourage kids to picture themselves in a bubble of white light, which is clarifying and protective, while breathing in yellow, a healthy mental energy.

Night is hard for a lot of children as their daily boundaries are on a mini-vacation. It’s extremely important to make sure there no electrical objects in the room, as the corresponding electromagnetic (EMF) fields penetrate their physical boundaries and create tension. It’s also helpful to avoid mattresses that employ coils, as the metal distorts energetic fields. Since kids are usually very kinesthetic or sensory, I also encourage parents to surround their beds with grounding stones, such as limestone, river stones, or chips of other solid rocks. This will enable a peaceful and calm sleep.

It’s surprising how many children hear voices, sense ghosts or demons, or experience other psychic phenomenon. The most important instruction I provide these children is to assure them they can tell these beings to go away. I also introduce them to guardian angels or their religious depiction of God, telling them that they can call on this help to empower their “no’s.”

Bottom line, the most vital technique to help children establish energetic boundaries isn’t a technique at all. It’s a teaching. I want children to know that they are responsible for themselves, not for others. Their job, their joy, is found in taking care of their own bodies, feelings, thoughts, needs, and desires, not others’. They can help others, but this should not be done at their own expense.

Parents and adults who can demonstrate self-love in obvious ways best model this important concept. How about if we parents take personal time for ourselves, not only others? Eat right, exercise, and enjoy healthy behaviors? When interacting with others, what if we shared compassion and kindness while abstaining from codependency and self-sacrifice? In the end, boundary issues are a question of worth. We are worth being who we really are, not what someone else is or thinks we should be, especially for their own convenience.

In my home, I frequently remind Gabe that he doesn’t need to take care of me, emotionally or energetically. I’ll state my feelings and tell him that they are messages that tell me what to do, not him. It’s not his job to feel or fix them for me. Likewise, any time I suspect he is taking on my own or others’ issues, I stop and ask him to ask his own heart what’s really going on.If he has absorbed someone else’s issues, I remind him that he can ask the Divine to take care of the other person—and him as well.

What a gift to let our children know that it’s okay to be strong—and themselves. As Dr. Seuss said to us all,

“Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

What joy, to help our kids be the “you” that they are!

Cyndi Dale is an internationally renowned author, speaker, healer, and business consultant. Her books to-date includes the bestseller, The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy, the winner of four internationally recognized Publisher’s Awards. Cyndi has presented seminars and workshops in Russia, England, Wales, Amsterdam, Iceland, Scotland, and has led groups across South and Central America and into Africa. Her training has encompassed studies in shamanism and healing across the world, taking her into the Peruvian, Belizean, Hawaiian, and Costa Rica jungles, the Moroccan sands, the Venezuelan savannahs, and the glaciers of Iceland. She seeks to unify the world’s most vital spiritual messages, encouraging understanding and community among all peoples.

On a daily basis, Cyndi works with clients and groups, serving as an intuitive coach and an energy healer. Clients are commonly referred by professionals, including psychiatrists, medical doctors, and therapists. She continues to hone her ability to help people discover their essential selves so that they can make healthy and positive changes in their lives. Cyndi offers training, classes and apprenticeship programs in the United States. Through Normandale College in Minneapolis, MN, she offers a seven-class certificate program, “Energy Works: The Subtle Body Certificate,” which is also being developed for online learning. She is also noted for her one-year Apprenticeship Program, an in-depth developmental process of the spiritual gifts; and training in clairvoyance, clairaudience, and healing.

With Anthony J.W. Benson, she provides creativity and writing classes through their business, Dreams Made Manifest. One arm of this endeavor is Deeper Well Publishing which serves as a publishing company for her own and Anthony’s projects as well as other books and products.

Cyndi has been trained in several different healing modalities, including shamanism, intuitive healing, energy healing, family of origin therapy, therapeutic touch, the Lakota way and faith healing and holds a fourth degree mastership in Reiki. Her travels and training have taken her around the world. She taught business ethics at the University of Minnesota; served as a public relations consultant to 3M and Tonka, and has been honored in “Who’s Who in American Business,” “The American Women of Noteworthy Achievement” and the “International Association of Business.”

In addition to her newest works publishing in 2011, Kundalini: Divine Energy, Divine Life, Energetic Boundaries: How to Stay Protected and Connected in Work, Love, and Life, and The Intuition Guidebook: How To Safely and Wisely Use Your Sixth Sense from Deeper Well Publishing, her other world-renowned books include New Chakra Healing, now published in over twelve languages and revised in an all new edition The Complete Book of Chakra Healing; Advanced Chakra Healing: The Four Pathways Approach; Everyday Clairvoyant; Attracting Prosperity Through the Chakras; Attracting Your Perfect Body Through the Chakras; Advanced Chakra Healing: Heart Disease, and Advanced Chakra Healing: Cancer.

Cyndi lives in Minneapolis with her sons, Michael and Gabriel, as well as way too many pets, all of which believe they have voting rights to her time. For more information on how to connect with Cyndi, visit CyndiDale.com.

Tapping With Kids By Brad Yates

2012-01-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Tapping with Kids

Brad Yates
www.bradyates.net

It almost goes without saying that tapping is a great way to help kids feel better when they experience uncomfortable emotions such as fear, sadness and anger. Since so many of the issues that limit our health, wealth and/or happiness today can be linked back to experiences that occurred in our childhood, tapping can also have a profound positive impact on the quality of their lives overall, enhancing their long-term joy and success.

Getting Yourself Clear

When deciding to tap with children, perhaps one of the best things you can do for them is to get clear yourself. If the intention is to “fix” the child, or clear something in them so that you can feel better, the effectiveness of the process may be limited. This is especially true if the child feels you are tapping with them because they are in trouble, and they may feel defensive.

Ask yourself, “Why do I want to tap with this child?” See if any of the answers lead to a possible tapping round for yourself, such as:

“Even though I want to fix him …”

“Even though I’m hurting for her …”

“Even though these kids are driving me crazy …”

Get as clear as you can so that your intention is truly for the child’s highest good.

Building Rapport

For many children, interacting with an adult can be intimidating – especially if the child is already in a compromised emotional state. While tapping can help ease this, it also helps to build rapport with the child first so that they are more willing to engage – and engage more fully - in the process.

How to best build rapport will vary with different children, but some of the things you can do include:

. Getting down to their level so you see eye-to-eye.
. Using language with which they are comfortable – try to avoid words or concepts that go over their heads.

. Allow them to come to you, rather than forcing yourself into their space.
. Ask them to talk about what they are feeling – hear what their words are.
. Let them know that they are important.

Tapping with the Child

Once you have gotten clear yourself, and built rapport with the child, it’s time to tap.

To start with, identify the issue. As with adults, children could be bothered by a
multitude of issues. If they are having trouble verbalizing what is upsetting them, some of the common things kids might tap on include:

. Feeling that a parent or teacher is mad at them
. Being angry at a sibling or friend
. Feeling like something is unfair
. Sad about something that has happened
. Not feeling well physically
. Fear about an upcoming event – fear that they won’t do well

As with establishing rapport, you will want to use the child’s words as much as possible. Verbally gauging a SUDs level of 0-10 can be somewhat intangible for children (it is for many adults!). Therefore, it may be more effective to have them hold their hands together in front of them (representing a 0 – “not upset”), then spread them all the way apart (representing a 10 – “really really upset!”) – then ask them to show you the level of their upset by how close together they put their hands.

How upset are you?

Not upset – 0 Somewhat upset – 5 Very upset - 10

In terms of a set-up phrase, use the words that feel most right for them. It may be as simple as:

“Even though I’m sad…” or “Even though I have this yucky feeling…”

It may be more specific:

“Even though I’m mad at Sophie for taking my doll…”

While many of us complete the set-up phrase with the statement, “I deeply and
completely loving and accepting myself,” this concept may, again, be a little intangible for kids. Some good alternatives may be, “I’m a great kid” or “I choose to feel good.”

Before you start the tapping, if this is the child’s first experience with tapping, tell them that you are going to show them a simple and fun way to help them feel better. Explain that there are “special” or “magic” points on the body (use your judgment on the wording depending on the age of the child), and that tapping on these points helps to clear away the bad feelings. (A description of tapping for kids is included at www.thewizardswish.com.)

As you tap through the various points, feel free to simply repeat the reminder phrase, i.e. “this sadness.” If you feel comfortable, try other statements that you feel might be appropriate, such as, “this was unfair,” “I’m still mad about this,” and/or “it’s not my fault.” Take the child through a full round, and have them take a full breath. Have them rate how they feel again, and continue tapping as necessary.

Tapping in the Positive

It is helpful to also tap in the statement, “I’m a great kid.” Too often children get
messages that can be damaging to their self-esteem. The tapping process offers a great opportunity to reaffirm positive statements that will have a variety of long-term benefits.

Positive statements can be included in the tapping round on clearing an uncomfortable feeling. Children can also be encouraged to do a tapping round – maybe daily – simply saying positive things about themselves, such as “I’m a great kid… I’m a good student… I’m kind and caring… I’m good at sports…” This works for adults, too. As a person taps while stating affirmations, the unconscious doubts are being cleared.

Tapping with Groups of Kids

If you are in a position to tap with a group of children, such as in a classroom, you have the opportunity to touch a number of lives in a positive way.

In such a group setting, you may not be working with a particular upset, and may want to keep the tapping phrases more general. You might focus on tapping in positive statements, having the group tap along with you as you lead them to say, “I am a great

kid,” “I am having a great day,” and “I’m doing my best today.”

It can also help to touch on the possible blocks that some of the children might be
experiencing:

“I might have some bad feelings… Maybe something happened earlier… And I’m feeling mad or sad… And I choose to let that go… I can let that go… I can choose to feel
good…”

The tapping phrases might also be determined by what kind of group it is, and when the tapping is taking place. At the beginning of a class, you might have the children tap to feel focused, perhaps by tapping away the wiggles and giggles. Even tapping silently can help with this, as following your lead engages them in what you are doing, naturally leads them to focus on you, and will also naturally help them calm down.

Working with a group, you also have the opportunity to address some of the issues that you might find yourself tapping on with individuals, such as bullying or lying. Most if not all inappropriate behavior stems from low self-esteem. Tapping on these issues in a group provides a safe place to address these issues and how and why they are wrong – clearing defensiveness in the process – as well as cultivating the positive feelings that will minimize and eventually eliminate the need to act out in disrespectful ways.

The potential benefits extend outside the group tapping opportunity, as kids may well then tap with each other to help each other. They will also hopefully teach it to their families.

Conclusion

There is a host of possible benefits – both short-term and long-term – from teaching children to tap. Fortunately, children are also more in touch with their feelings, often making the tapping more effective. They are also less inhibited, and are likely to be more open to the process.

Brad Yates

Brad likes to think of himself as an Evolution Catalyst. He is
known internationally for his creative and often humorous use
of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). He was trained and
certified at the respected Hypnosis Motivation Institute in
Tarzana, CA, where he served on staff. Combining this
background with training in energy psychology and various
schools of thought in the area of personal growth and
achievement, he coaches groups and individuals in achieving
greater success, health and happiness in their lives.

Brad has worked with a diverse group of clients, from CEO's to professional and NCAA athletes, from award-winning actors to clients in programs for homeless men and women and people in recovery from drugs. He has been a presenter at a number of events, including Jack Canfield’s “Breakthrough to Success,” several International Energy Psychology Conferences and the Walk On Water (WOW) Fest in Los Angeles. He is also the author of the s\best-selling children’s book “The Wizard’s Wish,” the co-author of the best-seller "Freedom at Your Fingertips," and is a featured expert in the EFT movie “The Tapping Solution.” Brad has partnered on teleseminars with Joe Vitale and Bob Doyle of “The Secret,” and has been heard internationally on a number of internet radio talk
shows. Brad has also performed internationally doing children’s theater, is a graduate of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and has two kids of his own.

A great resource for introducing EFT to children is Brad’s best-selling book:
The Wizard’s Wish Or, How He Made the Yuckies Go Away
A Story About the Magic in You.

For more information, to order the book, and even some videos and games for children, please visit: www.thewizardswish.com

There are a number of other great tapping resources on Brad’s main site:
www.bradyates.net, including:

. The Magnificent Tappers Club
. The EFT Wizard’s Big Book of Tapping Scripts
. Money Beyond Belief
. Love Beyond Belief
. Confidence Beyond Belief
. Group and private sessions

THE FIRST NINE SOUNDS YOUR BABY RECOGNIZES

2012-01-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

New moms and dads spend a lot of time trying to interpret their babies actions and determine what was a reaction based on sheer coincidence and what was a reaction because of something they said or did. You can always tell when a new parent believes that something happened based on what they did in the knowing head nod and accompanying smile saying “yes – that just happened because I said xyz… my baby knows what’s up!”

However, it can be hard to judge when a baby responds to something because they were able to actually distinguish a certain noise or voice or if they responded simply because they saw something out of the corner of their eye or they just were hungry or fussy at the same moment as someone said or did something.

These days, when children are born in a traditional hospital setting, infants get their hearing tested before they even leave the hospital to ensure that everything is progressing the way it should be and diagnose any potential hearing problems early on. So what is it that babies really hear and recognize first?

Sounds around them before their born - The whole concept of pregnancy is a fascinating one – there is a tiny human growing inside of you and everything that is going on in and around you is impacting them in some way. Doctors have been able to determine that as early as 21 weeks into a pregnancy babies are beginning to hear sounds occurring outside the womb. Since each surrounding is different, the first sounds they hear are different too – whether it’s the voices of you and your husband or your other children running around playing loudly – these all are things your baby has begun to store into their sound knowledge.
Nearby noises - Any louder sounds that are happening close to your baby will cause them to react in the first month home. They may not respond to noises that are farther away from them, so there’s no need to be concerned if they don’t react right away.
Regular voices - The voices that your baby hears regularly during their first month home – whether it’s you, your spouse, your other children, your dogs barking, etc. – are starting to become familiar sounds to them during that first month. Anything that they hear on a constant basis becomes a distinguishing sound for them, allowing them to respond accordingly. You can tell when they’re beginning to pinpoint different noises because they will turn their head in recognition or cry to be picked up.
Their own voices - In addition to regular voices that babies hear, during the first month they will also begin to determine what is their own voice and will practice hearing it by making different cooing and gurgling noises.
High-pitched noises - If you ever wondered why people talk in annoyingly high-pitched octaves when around infants, it’s not because they’re intentionally being annoying, but more because that’s what babies respond to most during their first few months. This doesn’t mean you should solely rely on baby talk and cooing though – by mixing in regular, adult words and high-pitched baby talk, you are encouraging your baby to respond and speak themselves.
Music - There’s a good reason that most doctors encourage you to immerse your child with music – babies respond and recognize the lyrical notes early on in their hearing. And you don’t need to limit your musical choices either – by watching your baby’s responses to a variety of music, you will eventually see their own musical preferences evolve as they begin to respond to different types in favorable or unfavorable ways.
Everyday loud noises - In the first six months home your baby will begin to recognize the louder noises that they hear on a daily basis, such as a the loud roaring that accompanies the vacuum cleaner, the sounds of the TV when it’s turned on, or the chiming of your cellphone when it rings. To help develop a broader range of hearing you should stimulate louder noises by giving them toys such as rattles to play with while you’re doing household chores or running errands.
Quieter sounds - By the time your baby passes the six month mark, they will start to respond to and distinguish quieter noises when they’re paying attention, such as whispering between two people and the rustling of leaves outside. Their hearing is fine-tuning itself at this point, so you should continue to immerse them in all sorts of everyday environments to encourage continued development.
Names - By 10 months you should be regularly telling your baby his or her name and the names of other people and things around them, and they should be beginning to distinguish and identify people they interact with regularly by their names.

Watching your baby develop their hearing is an exciting time. Sounds that we typically tune out or take for granted, such as the neighbor mowing the lawn next door or the sound of a school bus or garbage truck rumbling through the neighborhood, are all sounds that are going to be new, exciting, and stimulating to your infant. As they continue to grow and mature different noises will become apparent to them, and while they may have been sleeping through the night just fine one week, the next they will be intent on determining what certain noises are. You just have to remember that, while you may be used to certain sounds, your baby is hearing them all for the first time and is trying to pinpoint what each and every new thing is.

It can be interesting and entertaining to introduce them to new noises and see how they react to them one by one – just make sure not to surround them with too many loud noises, their hearing is still delicate early on in life and you don’t want to do anything to damage that!

Guest article provided by Find A Babysitter. org

Living In The Time Of Transparency And Transformation By Carol Lawrence

2012-01-13T10:40:00.001-07:00

Living in the time Of Transparency And Transformation

We are living in a tumultuous time right now. There are many planetary changes along with humanitarian changes taking place simultaneously.

This is the time of change - transformation and transparency.

Look around you. How many people do you know that are not experiencing a deeper shift taking place from within?

As Mother Earth shifts her energy so will we. We are connected. The more we realize our connection and pay attention the easier our transitions and changes will be. We must learn to listen again. To feel again. To smell the smells of mother nature - feel the changes taking place - listen for her messages and tune into the signals and references she provides us.

As each person goes through the shifting taking place they may have their own inner volcanoes erupting. Old beliefs that are no longer working, hidden emotions and traumas, fears and fantasies will bubble their way to the surface to be acknowledged, light shined upon them and transformed.

Humanity and society as a whole is having its own eruption. Examples are all around us. Kingdoms around the world are falling and right here in the United States we have our very own "Occupy Wall Street." There's a battle to keep a nutritious consistent food supply in our grocery stores that is not tainted with GMO's - a dismal job market leading to mortgage loss - homelessness and hungry people in record numbers. Old lies and secrets are becoming exposed.

Out of the ashes the phoenix will rise. Change is taking place at a rapid rate. There is no more hiding. As change transpires within each individual. change will appear in the outer world....our outer and inner worlds are interwoven and connected.

New mind thought begins.
Beliefs that will build wholesome sustainable worlds will emerge.
Corporations and companies that truly care will succeed. Lies will not be tolerated or looked over by the mass consciousness any longer.
The basics of life are provided so all may shift from survival to a place of thriving and creativity.
Parenting comes from a place of value, connection, trust, respect and intuition.
New entrepreneurs take the lead.

Where do you fit in during this time of transparency and transformation?

What kind of world are you visualizing?

What steps are you taking to make it happen?

Carol Lawrence is an energetic practitioner, blogger, artist, children's author, social media manager, author interviewer, book reviewer, virtual book tour planner and co-host of The Intentional Conscious Parenting Show. She has been happily married for twenty-five years, a mother of two Indigo sons, has several animals and loves nature, exploring the human mind, spirituality, reading, writing, mother earth, walking around in the forests of Montana and doing her part to make the world a better place.

Together with Carol's writing partner and best friend Stacy, they are fulfilling a calling and a passion to write children's picture books. They provide nurturing tips and encouragement for parents walking an intentional spiritual conscious parenting path by supplying an inviting platform for their established parenting community. Visit Intentional Conscious Parenting for author interviews, book reviews, live author chats and conscious parenting articles. Carol and Stacy are assistant editors for the family and parenting category at All Things Healing.

Contact:intunedparenting@gmail.com
Visit their website, Intentional Conscious Parenting: http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IntentionalConsciousParenting
Twitter: twitter.com/@intuneparenting
Visit Carol's site, Social Media Help 4 U: http://socialmediahelp4u.com

Live Chat Winners And Ebook Announcement

2012-01-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

© Photographer: Barmina Iva | Agency: Dreamstime.com

Congratulations to Quincy and Vicki.
Thanks for joining our live chat with Loren Buckner Tuesday evening in our Blogfrog parenting community.

If anyone missed our live chat with Loren you can read the chat transcripts here.

Quincy you have won...

Vicki you have won....

Please email your address to Carol @ intunedparenting@gmail.com so we can mail you your prize.

Did you hear the news?
Would you like to be in our ICP Ebook?
Read full entry details here!

2012-01-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Join Stacy and Carol for a live chat with Loren Buckner, LCSW

Loren began her career as a substance abuse counselor in Waitsfield, Vermont. In 1980, she and her husband moved to Barcelona, Spain, where they taught English for two years. From Spain, they moved to Tampa, Florida, where Loren worked in community mental health for many years. She is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist. Loren has spoken to parents locally, nationally, and internationally about the emotional challenges of raising children. Her book ParentWise offers parents professional counsel in the privacy of their own homes and is a valuable resource for parents to return to again and again.

Join Carol & Stacy for a live chat with Loren Buckner in their Blogfrog Parenting Community. Click here to join live chat.

January, 10th.

9 PM Eastern ~ 8 Central ~ 7 Mountain ~ 6 Pacific

Prizes and sponsors!

A lucky chat participant will win their very own copy of ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW
All chats are sponsored by Grace from Blessed Elements ~ Nurture Your Creative Elements. Grace always creates a one-of-a kind gift for one of our lucky chat participants.
M.A.S.S. 101 Man Approaching Simple Soulutions By Stacy & Ed Toten ~ To begin an examination of your life, you must first ask yourself a simple question. "Who AM I?" Thus begins the journey of M.A.S.S. 101 Man Approaching Simple Soulutions. The emphasis being on the soul. The goal of this book is for you to realize life as a "Free Thinking Human Being." Through the writing of this book we hope to share in the awakening of those who are desperately searching for answers in today's ever-changing world.

Join in on the fun and ask your questions. All our live chats are to connect parents and authors. Provide a space for questions to be asked and answers given. Together we are growing and building a community dedicated to conscious parenting.

A Quote That Makes You Think!

2012-01-08T01:03:00.001-07:00

"I shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me. Or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny." – Og Mandino

Interview With Author, Mother And Psychotherapist Loren Buckner

2012-01-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Interview with author, mother and psychotherapist Loren Buckner, LCSW

Interview by Stacy Toten and Carol Lawrence

Loren Buckner, LCSW grew up in White Plains, New York. She graduated from American University with a B.A. in the Administration of Justice and earned a Master of Social Work degree from Tulane University. Loren writes about the impact of parenting on parents. She has articles published in Tampa Bay Parenting, Family Magazine, and Healing Magazine. Her new book, ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And HowTo Deal With Them is available now for purchase.

1. Loren, when did the idea strike you to write a book?

I was invited to write a paper for a professional conference. About this same time, in my personal life, my son was a teenager and was going through a rough patch, so I was going through a rough patch too. Because of how difficult parenting had become for me, I decided to write the paper on the importance of helping parents understand their own emotions. The paper was very well received. After the conference, someone in the elevator who had been to my presentation said, "You should write a book about that." I remember thinking, why would anyone want to write a book? The idea percolated, though, and a several months later I started writing.

2. For those who have not read your book, can you tell us about your children?

A few days after my son got his driver’s license he borrowed the car, picked up some beer and a few friends, and drove to the beach to celebrate his new-found freedom. A police car eventually drove by to check out the party. A couple of hours later, the officer called and we had to go to the beach to retrieve the car and watch as the policeman drove my son and his friends to the detention center. It was shocking to me that my son could really do something like that, and it was the beginning of a very rough few years.

My daughter wasn’t as confrontational as my son, but she had a mind of her own and didn’t like to be told what to do. Even though parenting was way more difficult than I ever imagined, the principles I write about did, in the end, come through for us. Both my kids are doing quite well now, and I have a close relationship with both of them. My son does enjoy taking some credit for being the inspiration behind my writing!

3. How did you come up with your twenty intentions?

I wanted to write a book that spoke honestly about how it really feels to be a parent. The Intentions evolved naturally as part the writing process. They're a combination of my personal and professional insights into coping with the challenges of family life. They're meant to reflect on-going goals, not something that parents rate themselves on everyday.

4. What gave you the idea to end each chapter with Food For Thought questions?

As parents, I think it's important not only to read about other parents, but to also look deeply inside ourselves. The Food for Thought questions are meant to encourage parents to explore their own inner worlds. I believe that the more comfortable we are within ourselves the better prepared we’ll be to take on the emotional challenges of raising children.

5. How many of the subjects focused on in your book have you experienced personally?

All of them.

6. Now that your children are grown, in hindsight would you have done anything differently?

I've wondered about that from time to time too. Sometimes, I think I should have been a bit stricter. I tended to let them off the hook – an apology with a big hug went a long way with me. Would they have acted out as much if I were a little more rules and consequences oriented? Or would they have rebelled even more? I don't know. In hindsight, I guess, alls well that ends well. They are responsible young adults with good hearts. So we certainly weren’t perfect. But, I guess, we were “good enough.”

7. Do you have any tips for aspiring authors?

Speak publicly about your subject: If you want a mainstream publisher you need a strong platform. Persevere: Many, many query letters will go unanswered.

Accept rejection without personalizing it: This, by the way, is very very hard to do. Love what you're doing: When you get discouraged, commitment to your message will help you keep going.

8. Are you still available as a counselor and do you still make home visits?

I do have a private practice in Tampa. I don't make home visits, but I do phone sessions and skype sessions too.

9. What's next for Loren Buckner? Thinking about writing a second book?

I think about another book but haven't started one yet. With my full-time practice along with working on getting the ParentWise message out, I'm pretty busy right now.

10. Are you available for speaking engagements and is there any particular topics you would like to cover during our live chat on January 10th?

Yes, I do speaking engagements with both large and small groups. Anything that you've read that you're interested in pursuing is fine with me.

11. How were you raised? With intentional conscious parents or ?

My parents were good to me but they weren't really emotionally involved or psychologically minded. That's partly why I've become I therapist – so other people wouldn't have to be so alone or confused by their emotions.

12. What would you say was the highlight of raising your kids? and the not so highlights?

It's very painful when your kids hate you, even if you know it's a phase. So when they hated me or when I was furious with them (and even hated them sometimes too) those were our worst times. I should mention here, though, that even during these times, there was a line that was never crossed. Hurtful words have long echoes. Mutual respect no matter how angry we got was a rule I adamantly held to.

The highlights are when we have fun together and when they confide in me. I loved heart to heart talks when they were little kids, and I still love them.

13. Would you say you learned more about counseling in a book or hands on talking to clients and learning from them?

Actually, there are three important components – book knowledge, experience working with people, and exploring my own inner world. I was in therapy myself for many years.

14. What kind of help would you suggest for a depressed or suicidal person?

Of course, this is a complicated question. But, in my opinion, serious problems like depression or suicidal thinking require professional help. Forcing ourselves to be different is typically a short-term solution. There are underlying reasons why people feel depressed or anxious. Most times, friends and family want to help but they just don't know how. Once the relationship with a therapist is secure, people are able to talk about their thoughts, feelings and memories in ways that they don't normally speak about in their day to day lives. Therapy provides a safe place for people to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. It's an opportunity to work on problems from the inside out

For a complete list of Loren Buckner's services visit her website Loren Buckner, LCSW

Loren Buckner, LCSW

(813) 915-0076

Tampa, Florida 33618

info@lorenbuckner.com

Join Carol and Stacy for a live interactive online chat with Loren Buckner on Tuesday January 10th ~ 9 PM Eastern, 7 Mountain, 6 Pacific.

Fun ~ Prizes ~ Great Conversations ~ New Connections

Just in case you missed this Abraham quote.

2012-01-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Daily Law of Attraction Quotation
Most people don't think that new-born children could be the Creator of their own reality because they are not even talking yet. But the Universe is not responding to your language, anyway. The Universe is responding to your vibration—and your vibration is about the way you feel.
--- Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Seattle, WA on Saturday, June 20th, 1998 #288

abraham-hicks.com

Introducing Loren Buckner, LCSW

2012-01-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Introducing Loren Buckner, LCSW

Join Carol & Stacy for a live chat with Loren Buckner January 10th in their BlogFrog Parenting Community.

9 PM Eastern ~ 8 Central ~ 7 Mountain ~ 6 Pacific

~ Prizes ~

Did you miss Loren's guest articles on ICP? No problem, here they are.

Struggling with Motherhood

Childhood isn't something we get over.

Here's more praise for ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges Of Family Life And How To Deal With Them

Debra Blackburn, Step-parent. "Even if you're not a parent, you'll appreciate all you discover between the pages of this book. If you want to better understand yourself and your relationships with others, read this book!"

Cara MacMillan, Ecologist and Expectant Mother. "I love it already! I think that it is important for me to read this book, as I identify with the "conscientious parent" to-be, who also avoids some negative feelings."

Jeannie Cucher, Ph.D. Student and Mother. "It gave me hope, confirmed some of my beliefs, made me wonder about some others. I felt myself breathing in her definition of unconditional love, and wanting to retain her formulation in my mind."

Getting Clear In 2012 By Carol Lawrence

2011-12-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Do you write new years resolutions?
Do they usually work out well for you?
Do you commit yourself to your resolutions?

I can remember being a little kid thinking 2012 is so far away. I really thought back then we would all be driving hover crafts by now and that I would have grown up to be a "Solid Gold" dancer. (Past popular TV show).

Dreams change as we change with each passing breath. Like many of you I have written down my new years resolutions year after year. Some have been accomplished some have not. I'm pretty good at learning something new or completing a goal once I set my mind to it.

As I lay on my couch typing this blog post on my iPad and nursing a cold, I have been reflecting back on the past year. Many changes have taken place in my life and those around me. I'm grateful for
all of them.

This year I'm looking at my new years resolutions a little differently.

I'm getting very clear with my intentions and sharing some of them with you.

Why, you may ask? When you get clear and hold yourself accountable in front of others you are more likely to succeed.

~ Carol's Intentions For 2012 ~

1. Continue to become more clear with my fears and intentions.

2. Master the use of EFT (tapping)
This is a very powerful tool for shifting and moving energy.

3. Grow my social media and conscious parenting businesses. It's time to take them both to another level.

4. Balance my time better so I'm very productive but still have time to play and create joy.

5. Product development. Create products that help others with their parenting or social media. I've learned a lot and it's time I share more of it with you.

6. Become a published author. ;) Stacy this is our year! The children need our children's picture book.

7. Build a new deck! It's long over due.

8. Take a romantic vacation with my husband. (If you are a resort owner and would like to sponsor our entire trip, we would happily blog/vlog about it!) :)

9. Continue on my new way of eating/living. Loosing weight feels great.

10. Obtain a better vehicle so we can load up the dogs and go camping more.

My suggestion to you is to write your goals, resolutions and intentions so you can become clear about the changes you want to take place in your life and then ask yourself why you have chosen these intentions. This will help you get to the core of your desired manifestation.

Here's an example of getting clear about your intentions.

Here are two common new years goals.

1. Loosing weight.
Why do you want to loose weight?
Maybe it's because you want to feel better about yourself, have more energy, be able to play sports with the kids. Any reason is ok. Be honest with yourself. Write your reasons down along with your intention and read them often. Hold yourself accountable and start taking the necessary steps to your desired goal. Surround yourself with others who are seriously working towards the same goal or who have already obtained their goal and are willing to mentor you.

Common goal number two.
2. Financial abundance? Again there are no right or wrong answers. Be honest with yourself. Why do you really want to be wealthy?

Here's some of my answers.
1. To be able to take care of myself and my family. Have access to, top of the line health care. The kind of alternative health care we want to be able to afford with ease.

2. Buy an abundance of healthy and nutritious food.

3. Travel ~ My husband and I would love to spend time at our favorite animal and wildlife sanctuaries, take a trip every February to a warmer climate, experience other cultures and spend more time trekking around the mountains.

4. Free up our time to completely live in the moment, not tied to a clock and see what we create next.

5. Create my own non-profit that helps families buy school clothes and school supplies, assist homeschooling parents with the materials or financial assistance they may need, preserve more wilderness for future generations, protect wildlife and continue to be of service for Mother Earth. Encourage my sons to be on the board, travel the world and help delegate where the funds would be best utilized.

6. Build my green dream home.

I honestly could go on and on but I won't. It's time to get on with celebrating the incoming new year with friends and family.

My wish for you is that you are completely honest with yourself. From my heart to yours~Happy New Year! Blessings and gratitude for you and your families. May your 2012 dreams come true.

Thank you for reading Intentional Conscious Parenting. Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected.

Written by Carol Lawrence
Permission granted to repost this article in its full entirety along with full credit and a link to the original copy.

Review ~ ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW

2011-12-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

Review By Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten

ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW

All quotes in this review are from ParentWise.

Becoming a parent has many highs and many lows. Brand new babies do not arrive with a training manual. Through Loren Buckner's own experience as a mother and a psychotherapist she has gained the important life skills, tools and techniques that she willingly shares in ParentWise. Loren provides real raw parenting experiences that touch on darker parenting emotions that many parents themselves have yet to deal with until their parenting adventure begins.

"Internal security is a crucial building block of children's psychological lives, and it is the backbone of their developing personalities."

ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them dives in depth into some really great parenting subjects. Here is some of the ones that we would like to draw your attention too.

1. Your children depend on you, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
This is so important. Some parents think as long as they are providing food, shelter and sending their child off to school for an education they have all their bases covered. Children need emotional connection and support!

"It's more difficult to teach your children to manage their feelings if you avoid or are afraid of your own."

2. Finding a new parenting perspective.
Loren gives prime examples of how to distinguish the difference between what the parent is wanting and feeling and what the child wants and feels.

3. Being "good enough" as a parent is a common affliction. There is no such thing as the perfect parent. However there is active parenting where the parent continues to educate themselves to strive towards parenting excellence.

"Good enough is an important principle to hold onto because as a caring parent you have your ideals about parenting. However, we all inevitably fall short. You can't be perfect, not because your a failure as a parent. Perfection doesn't exist. Perfectionism, therefore, isn't good for you or for your kids."

4. There's a father universe too! ParentWise takes a look at the way some fathers may feel upon arrival of a new baby and how fathers can stay emotionally connected.

"The more attuned fathers are to their new family and the better they manage their own feelings, the more secure and less anxious both mother and child will be."

5. How to accept your positive and negative feelings.
All parents experience this. The positive thoughts and the negative thoughts. It' impossible to have one without the other. Loren discusses the importance of tuning into your own emotions as a parent.

"Over time, the ability to see the mother as a whole person translates into tolerating the good and the bad in others and in yourself."

Unacknowledged feelings don't just disappear, they tend to fester and bubble out into unwanted parenting behaviors. Loren Buckner does an exemplary Job at providing examples on how to work through your hidden and unwanted feelings and guilt.

ParentWise touches on numerous aspects of parenting. Covering topics all the way from joy, worry, guilt, anger, sadness, disappointment, death, boundaries, values, trust and new perspectives.

Spread throughout the book is a list of "20 Intentions" to be used as a guide. Loren encourages the reader to journal and reflect on what was read and learned.

Food for thought questions are placed at the end of each chapter to help the reader focus more on their private thoughts and feelings.

Parenting is a journey. It's rewarding and fun but not always easy.

Connect with Loren
ParentWise is also on Facebook

Live chat with Loren Buckner, LCSW

Join Carol & Stacy for a live chat with Loren Buckner Jan. 10th.

9 PM Eastern ~ 8 Central ~ 7 Mountain ~ 6 Pacific

Prizes and sponsors!

A lucky chat participant will win their very own copy of ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW
All chats are sponsored by Grace from Blessed Elements ~ Nurture Your Creative Elements. Grace always creates a one-of-a kind gift for one of our lucky chat participants.
M.A.S.S. 101 Man Approaching Simple Soulutions By Stacy & Ed Toten ~ To begin an examination of your life, you must first ask yourself a simple question. "Who AM I?" Thus begins the journey of M.A.S.S. 101 Man Approaching Simple Soulutions. The emphasis being on the soul. The goal of this book is for you to realize life as a "Free Thinking Human Being." Through the writing of this book we hope to share in the awakening of those who are desperately searching for answers in today's ever-changing world.

Join in on the fun and ask your questions. All our live chats are to connect parents and authors. Together we are building a community dedicated to conscious parenting.

A Special Interview With Dave Kerpen ~ CEO Of Likeable Media

2011-12-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Carol recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Kerpen. Dave is the CEO of Likeable Media and best selling author of Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks)

Carol: Dave, please tell us about yourself, your family and how you began your social media journey.

Dave: I am the very proud parent of two girls. Charlotte is 8 an amazing artist, loved and loving. Kate is 4 and so very full of life. Carrie is their incredible mom and my wife and partner in all things. I have always loved connecting with people and have always been very public, so social media was in many ways a perfect fit. Began with blogs and Facebook in 2007 and never looked back.

Carol: Who came up with the idea for your wedding? Can you briefly give us some juicy details?

Dave: Carrie and I came up with it together, but it was mostly her. It was a lot of fun - here is a link to one of my favorite media pieces from the wedding - http://tinyurl.com/kerpenwedding. The only juicy details I can think of was getting free stuff we didn't even ask for, like teeth-whitening from Bright Smile.

Carol: How did you go about putting your wedding together and was there any doubt that it might not work?

Dave: We pitched the Brooklyn Cyclones first, because we needed a promotional partner that would have the inventory to trade. Then we approached contacts we had made through our radio and integrated marketing career. Once we landed 1-800-Flowers.com, Smirnoff and Entenmann's it was easier to get more partners. Once the NY Times piece hit, that led to other media. A few family members had their doubts, but we never doubted it would work.

Carol: What inspired you to write Likeable Social Media?

Dave: I really wanted to help small businesses leverage social media well. We work with a lot of larger companies but I wanted a cheaper way smaller organizations could access our knowledge and best practices to grow their businesses and be more successful with Facebook, Twitter and the social web.

Carol: What do you think of the new Google+ platform? Where do you see G+ heading in the future?

Dave: I think Google+ is promising. It will take a lot to shift the average consumer from Facebook but Google is off to a good start, and Google+ will surely help their core search product.

Carol: Can you share what the publishing process has been like for you?

Dave: I learned a lot about publishing :) It had its ups and downs but I feel much more prepared now for my 2nd book.

Carol: Where do you see social media heading in the future?

Dave: Social media will become increasingly mobile and increasingly part of how we spend our lives and jobs each day.

Carol: What would you say to a business, author or entrepreneur who has yet to take advantage of social media?

Dave: Get started now! It's never too early or too late.

Carol: Can you share your #1 tip for attracting new clients?

Create great content and give it away to the right people.

Carol: As a social media manager/coordinator, I primarily work with authors. Do you have any advice for authors on how to promote their books and themselves through the use of social media?

Dave: Here is a blog post Megan from my team wrote about this: http://www.likeable.com/2011/06/how-to-use-social-media-to-launch-a-best-selling-book/
My advice is to get involved with social media and building your community way before you publish a book.

Carol: I put together Virtual Book Tours for authors. Have you ever participated in a virtual book tour and do you feel they are a good alternative or addition to physical book tours for authors

Dave: I haven't participated in a formal virtual book tour so I can't really say, but it's seems a lot more cost-effective than a physical book tour these days!

Carol: I know some publishing houses and literary agents vary in their opinion on the importance of a author platform. Do you feel having an author online platform is a priority for a new author to create before their book becomes available?

Dave: Yes, the larger the platform, the better. That's the reality.

Carol: How do you structure your day to be the most productive for you?

Dave: I use my calendar very carefully. 6am-9am is family time. 9am-6pm is work time, with social media built in along the way. 6pm-10pm is family time, then 10pm-2am is catch up time on emails and social media, and writing.

Carol: What's next for Dave Kerpen?

Dave: I'm writing a 2nd book, tentatively titled Likeable Business: Why Consumers Today Demand More, & How Brands Can Deliver. I'm, hoping to speak more and at larger conferences in 2012. I'm building our business (INC 500 #118 in 2011, hoping to keep growing exponentially) and most important, I'm spending time with my family.

Carol: Do you ever take a break from social media?

Dave: No. Seriously, I take an occasional 24 hour or 48 hour break during vacations.

Carol: Thanks Dave for being so personable and approachable to your fans and for taking the time to answer my questions. I really appreciate it.

Dave: My pleasure and here you go:

Likeable:
Website/Blog/Facebook/Twitter
Personal links:
Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/Quora/Foursquare/Google+
You may also want to check out:
#118 in the 2011 Inc 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America
Facebook Preferred Developer Consultant
Only 3-time WOMMIE Award Winner (2008, 2009, 2010)

Schedule a call or meeting with me @ tungle.me

Interview By: Carol Lawrence

Merry Christmas From Intentional Conscious Parenting

2011-12-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

Enjoy your holiday. Be goofy, have fun!

Laugh about all your past problems. They are just that, past problems.

Today's a new day.

Enjoy your family, your pets, your friends.

Express Gratitude!

If you are reading this on Christmas day. Thank you for stopping by.

We appreciate you, but please get off the computer and go visit family and friends.

If you are alone reach out to a neighbor,

visit a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter or make a much needed phone call.

Have a wonderful holiday. Look out New Years is on it's way!

2012 here we come!

Tips For Holiday Thrival By Nadine N.D., C.N.S

2011-12-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Tips for Holiday Thrival
(part of theEating with Purpose series)
By NADINE N.D., C.N.S
Creating RESULTS Holistic Center

A warm and festive Hello to each of you during this season of JOY
and PEACE. It can also be a season filled with land mines if we are
not present, and aware to make choices that serve us. During this
time of celebration,.we have the opportunity to gift each other with
self care. That self-care comes in the form of setting healthy
boundaries. When we set healthy boundaries around food, we allow
others to explore their own needs so that we are each taking
ownership for our health and well-being. Here are a few ways in
which you can claim ownership while making empowering choices
during this festive season.

Pre-Plan your events: When you plan for an event, or meal, you have a structure to follow. One suggestion is to eat clean Monday through Friday so you can enjoy that one splurge meal on Friday night or Saturday. Then get right back to your structure the very next meal.
Follow the 90/10 rule! Your body will respond to what you do 90 percent of the time. So one meal 'off' a scheduled program will not hurt you. Two meals 'off' will not hurt you. However having only one healthy meal a day will have detrimental effects on your progress.
Notify your hostess or restaurant of any Wheat, Dairy, Nut or Soy allergies so they can better serve your needs.
Ask for what you want in the restaurant rather than simply selecting off the choices provided within in the menu. As an example you can say “I would like 4 ounces of grilled salmon with two cups of steamed broccoli with no butter or salt added and a half a cup of rice.
You can request your salad dressing be provided on the side. Remember this is about owning your nutritional needs.
If the meal it at an awkward time
Eat before you go. You can have a large salad with others, add some lean meat if you desire. Bottom line.
DO NOT ARRIVE HUNGRY this will only lead to over eating then over groaning.
If you are eating in a buffet style get-together, walk the entire food line before putting anything on your plate. Choose 2-3 items you would like to explore then put a small portion (tablespoon) of that item on your plate. You can always go back for more if you enjoyed it.
Use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate at the buffet.
Drink a glass of room temperature water before starting your meal. The water will aid your digestion and notify you sooner that you really are satisfied/full.
Put your fork down between bites. Use smaller fork.
Throw away your plate when you are finished eating. This will remove temptation of hand to mouth disease.
Choose water or club soda with a twist of lime if you are at a group gathering where alcohol is being served. You do not have to have alcohol. Most folks simply want to make sure that you are OK...So if you are walking around with a club soda with a twist of lime or something similar you will most likely be left alone. Another consideration for alcohol is that it tends to turn your head towards high fat, high sodium and high sugared foods. By keeping to a club soda you will stick with your PLAN!!!
Enjoy the conversation as you are eating. BE PRESENT!! BE CONSCIOUS!!

The never ending Office Cookie Plate ~ I used to laugh when I'd go into the conference room, see the table loaded with junk food, and listen to everyone complaining about gaining 30 pounds with grazing. With all that sugar in the body, not much work got done later either, but what to do with all that FOOD???

Make a suggestion for all the food be placed in ONE spot, preferably a place you will not see or smell. Most over eating is a head game. If you can't see it, you won't want it. It is that simple.
Suggest there be only ONE day for excess food.
When you do eat the food, keep it to one room. Avoid taking it to your desk. That will only lead to mindless eating.
Give yourself permission to have one junk food item out of every 9 healthy food items (that 90/10 rule).
Visualize something covering the food, something you KNOW you would not eat. When I am in restaurants I use salt to cover the food I no longer want to eat. Find something that works for YOU.
Breathe the Food Aroma. Sometimes all your brain needs is a good whiff of some good chocolate. I am very well known for standing next to someone who is eating a candy bar and sniffing the air as they talk. My brain gets the message about chocolate and my hips keep the message to stay slender.

Thanks for reading this all the way to the end. I truly believe that
pre-planning is the key for success. You totally deserve SUCCESS!!!
You deserve to THRIVE all the way through to Valentines day in that
SUCCESS. So please, celebrate EACH new SUCCESS in the moment as
you give you and your guests the gift of self-care, self-love and selfempowerment.
Much love, and appreciation to each of you.
~ Dr Nadine

Note: the card you see above is part of the SOUL Food deck one app created by
NADINE to Motive, Inspire, Encourage and Empower! The app is available in
iTunes http://bit.ly/kqnLcG for your iphone/ipad/ipod touch device.
NADINE is a Naturopath and Holistic Nutrition Specialist with over 30 years experience in the Health and Fitness Industry and teaches her clients the Art of building and maintaining lean muscle tissue as they drop body fat in a unique program designed for them. Nadine has coached all levels and genre of people and has taught a variety of programs including but not limited to Personal and Sports Nutrition, Sports Psychology, and Weight Lifting/Bodybuilding. Nadine is
available for seminars and workshops based on availability. For more information contact Dr NADINE at 970-443-2541, email: Nadine@CoachNadine.com or visit www.coachnadine.com

Review: The Legend of The Wolves of Gunflint Lake

2011-12-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Legend Of The Wolves of Gunflint Lake

All Quotes Are From The Book.

The Legend Of The Wolves of Gunflint Lake is a delightful story that shares the powerful message about the importance of valuing your community, animals and nature.

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." ~ Desmond Tutu

"So it was true with the people who lived a long, long time ago on Gunflint Lake. They were people of the land who cared for one another. Each person in the tribe valued and honored and knew their importance for the success of the community. From the chief, to the littlest baby, they instinctually knew that each was a thread in the web of life." ~ Lisa Sellman

Lisa Sellman takes children on a journey through the eyes of the native american elder storytellers who show the importance of passing down the torch from generation to generation by carrying on the powerful message of the harmonious lessons and connections between nature and man.

Lisa Sellman brilliantly includes life lessons from the heart that teaches the value and respect for all. Whether it be human, nature or animals. She shows how everything is intertwined and has it's own divine purpose. We love how Lisa chose to use the wolf character as the source to guide the children and teach them the wisdom of the universe and encourages them not to forget the ways of gratitude.

The illustrations by Chris Kraetz pulls off a believable portrayal of living life at Gunflint Lake amongst the wolves.

Review by: Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten

http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.com

Win a copy of The Legend of the Wolves of Gunflint Lake.

Three ways to enter the drawing to win:

Sign up for our newsletter.
Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/IntentionalConsciousParenting
Leave a comment

A Call For Help

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here's whats going on. Carol is reluctantly sharing her need for financial help. With encouragement from family and friends Carol and Randy are swallowing their pride and reaching out for help.

Marv, Goldie, Luna and Randy 2011

Due to recent circumstances a dear friend of theirs created a fund to help them get back on their financial feet and keep their home of 11 years.

Randy and Carol 2009

All the details are listed at http://www.giveforward.com/savecarolandrandyshome

Thank you for taking the time to read their fundraiser. Every dollar helps. Sending you a huge hug
and thank you from the bottom of our hearts to yours.

Please pass on.

Happy Holidays from Intentional Conscious Parenting

Ed, Stacy, Carol and Randy 1987

Namaste, Stacy Toten