Daily Practice for Living an Authentic Life

Your Daily Practice – Morning

Each day is a new beginning. Your task today is to learn the practice of consciously entering your body and your day. Begin by focusing attention on your entire day from morning to evening.

Review your plans for today:

• Think about where you need to be and with whom you need to be.
• Do you feel stressful about this day or do you feel comfortable?
• Do you feel prepared for today's events?
• Are you projecting fears and expectations into this day?

Your First Chakra

• Allow the truth 'All is One' to penetrate your body
• Drop your attention to the root of your spine.
• Feel yourself magnetically connected to every part of life:
  • The fragrance of the earth
  • The oceans and rivers
  • The air
  • Your family and friends
  • The planet
• Identify your fears for today and pull them into your consciousness.
• Acknowledge the strength of the energetic circuitry connecting you to all life.
• Visualize that strength replacing your fears for today.
• Standing tall.

Your Second Chakra

• Allow the truth 'Honor One Another' to penetrate your body.
• Move your attention gradually up your spine to your lower back, hips and genital area.
• Feel the fire and vibrant energy of this area.
• Focus that energy toward the key areas of this chakra:
  • Relationships: Who am I going to be with today?
  • Work: What am I going to do today?
  • Money: How do I feel about it today?
  • Creativity: What am I going to create today?

Your Third Chakra

• Allow the truth 'Honor Yourself' to penetrate your body.
• Breathe deeply as you shift your attention to your solar plexus and abdominal area.
• Focus on your self-esteem and how you feel about yourself today:
  • Am I feeling strong? Frightened?
  • Do I need someone's approval today?
  • Will I need to be courageous?
• Remind yourself of your boundaries, dignity, inherent honor, and integrity.
• Make a spiritual promise in terms of how you want to live your life today.

Your Fourth Chakra

• Allow the truth 'Love is Divine Power' to penetrate your body.
• Raise your attention up to your heart, the center of love.
• Welcome the people you're scheduled to meet today into your meditation:
  • Where you feel love for them, send more, boundless love.
  • For those you feel challenged to love, say the prayer , "Let me learn more about how to love them today."
• Think about who you need to forgive today; release the rage, bitterness or hurt feelings from your heart.
• Tell yourself "Forgiveness is not easy, but today I ask for one more step toward that goal."
• Release the prayer that you want to look at today through your heart and not through your fears; that you want to feel gratitude for events that do or don't happen as they should.
• Keep your attention on the right way to walk into this day, with a heart full of love.

Your Fifth Chakra

• Allow the truth 'Surrender Personal Will to Divine Will' to penetrate your body.
• Move your attention to your throat area.
• Define your needs and desires for today and let go of doing the same for others.
• Make the choice to love this day instead of fearing it.
• Envision choices that result in positive attitudes, memories, and feelings about yourself.
• Vow to express yourself honestly.

Your Sixth Chakra

• Allow 'Seek Only Truth' to penetrate your body
• Focus your attention upwards to your mind - the world behind your eyes.
• Go beyond the limits of the rational mind and accept the Divine's Plan for you.
• Prepare your mind to enter the day feeling good and not generating illusions, false truths or fears.
• For today, release old grudges, beliefs, attitudes and patterns that no longer serve you.
• Remember that everything in your life is there for a reason and to teach you truth.

Your Seventh Chakra

• Allow the truth 'Live in the Present Moment' to penetrate your body.
• Pull your attention up and out, and hold the idea 'live in present time.'
• Let go of the past and do not anticipate the future.
• During the day, practice the discipline of telling yourself, "This is all I have. This is all there is to my life right now."

Invoke this prayer:

I am committed to feeling a bond with each person I meet, to respecting my own integrity and honor, to living within the energy of love and compassion and returning to that energy when I don't feel it, to making wise and blessed choices with my will, to maintaining perceptions of wisdom and non-judgment, to release the need to know why things happen as they do, and not to project expectations over how I want this day to be and how I want others to be. And finally, my last prayer, 'to trust the Divine'. And with that I bless my day with gratitude and love.

For upcoming Retreat information visit

For upcoming Retreat information visit The DragonflyExperience

Empower Yourself - Speak your Truth!

Empower Yourself – Speak your Truth!

POSTED BY FELRETREAT ON JUL 10, 2013 IN UNCATEGORIZED | 0 COMMENTS

Speaking your truth is an essential aspect of living a life of passion, fulfillment and authenticity. However, for many of us—Mike Robbins included—it is much easier to talk about speaking our truth than it is to actually do it.

I was talking to my friend Greg a few months ago and he told me a poignant and powerful story about speaking his truth. He was in a grocery store and saw a woman yelling at her children in a cruel way.

He walked over to the woman and said, “Excuse me, would you please treat those children with kindness and love?” She looked at him and said, “Mind your own business, these are my kids.” Greg replied by saying, “If you were doing this in your living room, it would be just your business, but you’re doing it here in front of me. I’m standing over here with my heart aching for these children as I hear you speak to them like that, so I decided to come over and say something to you about it.”

The woman then told him to stick it up his you-know-what, grabbed her kids and rushed out to the parking lot to drive away. Greg then said to me, “Mike, I don’t know if I did the right thing or the wrong thing. My legs were shaking as I talked to her. I was so scared, upset and emotional.”
“But,” Greg said, “I’ll tell you what—when I walked away I noticed something interesting: I wasn’t blaming anyone. Normally, I wouldn’t have said anything and I would have blamed myself for not speaking up, the woman for treating her kids like that, or our culture for creating the environment where things like that happen and no one does anything about it. However, since I spoke up I was at peace and not wasting any time or energy blaming anyone. I have no idea if what I said made an impact on that woman, but I don’t have to live with her, I have to live with myself.”

I sat there stunned when I heard Greg tell me this story. I said to him, “Wow, that was bold. I’m not sure I would’ve had the courage to say that to her, but I’m glad you did.”

What if you had the courage to speak up?

“But,” Greg said, “I’ll tell you what—when I walked away I noticed something interesting: I wasn’t blaming anyone. Normally, I wouldn’t have said anything and I would have blamed myself for not speaking up, the woman for treating her kids like that, or our culture for creating the environment where things like that happen and no one does anything about it. However, since I spoke up I was at peace and not wasting any time or energy blaming anyone. I have no idea if what I said made an impact on that woman, but I don’t have to live with her, I have to live with myself.”

I sat there stunned when I heard Greg tell me this story. I said to him, “Wow, that was bold. I’m not sure I would’ve had the courage to say that to her, but I’m glad you did.”

What if you had the courage to speak up?

What if we had the courage to speak up like that in all areas of life—our work, our relationships, our family, with people in public? Imagine the freedom and power we would possess. This is not about getting in people’s faces and challenging them, although sometimes it might take that form.

An important distinction for us to remember is the difference between our opinions and our truth. We all have opinions—lots of them. Many of us think our opinions are actually facts, though they’re not! There’s nothing wrong with having and expressing opinions. However, many of them are filled with righteous judgment and an arrogant sense that we’re right and those who don’t agree with us are wrong.

Our “truth” runs much deeper than any of our opinions. Truth is about how we feel and what is real for us. Truth is not about being right; it’s about expressing what we think and feel in an authentic, vulnerable and transparent way.

For example, I might have an opinion that you are rude. I’m entitled to this opinion and I may even have specific evidence of times you have done things that I think are rude. There may also be other people who agree with me that you’re rude. However, this opinion will probably not help our relationship, bring us closer or help us have honest conversations with each other.

My “truth,” however, might be that when you’re around me I get scared because I worry you might say something that will hurt my feelings. Or, I get angry because I don’t like some of the things you say and do. In other words, I sometimes don’t feel safe or comfortable around you.

This distinction is not just about semantics or words, it is total shift in perspective and context. When we let go of being “right” about our opinions and take responsibility for our experience, we can speak our truth from a much deeper and more authentic place. Speaking this deeper truth will not only liberate us, but has the potential to make a difference for others while bringing us closer together.

Part 2 – Three ways to speak your truth.

Except from Mike Robbins Staff writer for Oprah.com

The Mountains ARE Calling YOU!

Eat, Pray Love Women's Retreat

November 14th - 17th 2013

Dahlonega Resort Spa

Dahlonega, Georgia

Rediscover yourself in Dahlonega, GA

Your time is limited,  so don't waste it living someone else's life.   Don't let the noise of other's opinions  drown out your own inner voice.  And most important, have the courage to   follow your heart and intuition.   They somehow already know  what you truly want to become.   Everything else is secondary.  ~ Steve Jobs

Are you wondering what to do with the second half of your life?? If you said YES.....this women's weekend is for YOU! We get many chances in life to do more, run faster, and be more productive. However, it is rare that we receive the precious opportunity to do less and be more. Join experienced facilitator, Felicia Grant, and a community of women for a quiet exploration back to yourself, while you are surrounded by the tranquility and spectacular scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This women's weekend offers the opportunity to step back from your busy life and gently get back in touch with yourself and the still, small voice within you that whispers the truth.  You'll be shown easy, practical ways to manage your mind and open your heart in a safe, supportive,  environment. Though the beauty of nature, meditation, yoga, quiet, laughter, small group exercises, and ceremony, you can come into balance and alignment, rekindle your sense that anything is possible, and leave inspired with anew vision of what a truly amazing woman you really are! EAT, delicious, freshly grown, local inspired meals. PRAY, meditate or just relax your mind and spirit in a beautiful tranquil setting. LOVE and be loved by yourself and other fabulous and inspiring women.  Investment $649.00  *Based on semi-private accommodations. Double Beds with private bath. Limited Cabins available for 3-4 to share. Includes all meals, 2 yoga sessions. About the Dahlonega Resort Spa "Dahlonega Spa Resort, is a Wellness Retreat Center and Inn located on 72 acres near the historic gold-rush town of Dahlonega, GA, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just over an hour and a half north of Atlanta. The main house is a reproduction 1920s-style Farmhouse with a wraparound porch that provides spectacular and relaxing views of the Chattahoochee National Forest and beyond. Walking trails and labyrinth With 16 rooms available in the main house/West Wing, barn house and cottage have beautiful views either of the English style wildflower gardens, the mountains or the woods. The fresh air will instantly begin to lull you out of your big-city blues, and our outdoor jacuzzi, nature trails and Spa treatments will take care of your body & spirit."      Click here to Register  About the Facilitator - Felicia Grant  Felicia is retired with 29 years as a Financial Advisor. Founder of The DragonflyExperience. A Certified Soul Coach® trained by International Author, healer, teacher,  Denise Linn.  Felicia is an experienced facilitator and continues to study and grow spiritually with teachers such as Carolyn Myss, John Holland, Doreen Virtue, & Wayne Dyer.  "Retiring from Corporate America has given me the opportunity to help women in creating and living authentic lives filled with passion and joy!" The aim of Soul Coaching® is to align your inner spiritual life. It helps clear away mental, emotional, and physical clutter so that you can hear the message from within. It also helps you discover your purpose so you can design a life that supports that mission.

"Eat Pray Love" - "Never forget that once upon a time, in an unguarded moment, you recognized yourself as a friend." - Elizabeth Gilbert. Questions??? Call me 919.523.8502 Namaste' Felicia Grant The DragonflyExperience Certified Soul Coach® www.feliciagrant.com

Trusting your intuition - Those butterflies are REAL!

Do you ever wonder if that feeling in your gut is real or just in your mind? Well, I am hear to tell you that it’s REAL and here are ways to open up your heart and listen to your intuition.

Here is what Sonia Choquette has to say on intuition…..

One thing you will discover when you begin to nurture your intuition, is that what you are truly doing is nurturing you most authentic self, your spirit. Nurturing intuition is actually the art of discovering and honoring who you really are. Being intuitive means looking into your heart and recognizing the genuine self within. It means empowering yourself with the understanding that you are a spiritual being, a royal child of the light, thus keeping you from the darkness and confusion of searching for yourself worth through the approval of others.

Intuition helps you to view the world through creative and receptive eyes, reminding you that, behind the scenes in every way, the universe is helping you succeed. When we see ourselves as we really are, spiritual beings, helped by guides, protected by angels, and infinitely loved by God, then being intuitive begins to make sense. The universe is a hologram, aware of all of its parts at all times, and each of us, being an essential part of the whole, has access to its wisdom at every moment.

Being intuitive means being in tune with the true nature of the Universe, including your place in it, and will prevent you from believing anything less than the truth; that as children of God, you are loveable, and worthy of everything good in the Universe has to offer. It will free you from the tendency to harm or repress your genuine needs, feelings, and desires. In living an intuitive life, you live life with an open heart. In other words, you become committed to loving yourself and agree to accept the love and abundance that the Universe wants you to experience.

Following your intuition will also help you to walk away from people or situations that are not good for you. It will let you know that they have the right to keep themselves out of harms way by respecting your natural boundaries, and identifying and avoiding negative circumstances without having to justify their reasons.

Being intuitive offers you a world that is friendly, adventurous, and amusing, but most of all one that welcomes your unique essence. It will lay the foundation for your ability to experience real power in your lives, this power that comes from within and cannot be diminished by anyone.

Reclaiming your sixth sense and restoring it to its rightful place of honor in your life will give you an invaluable gift. It will make you aware of the wonder in the world. It will open your eyes and ears to the glory and delight of creativity. It will arm you with confidence and provide added insurance for protection. It will help you connect to their real purpose and to those with whom you share your lives. It will assure you of your natural place in the wheel of life and help you overcome the fear of death. And above all, it will give you the right to live in peace without fear, and to have the full experience of expressing who you really are. For each of us who lives with this wisdom in their heart, we help those who have lost there way remember there true essence as well. In this way we can all become healers of the world and usher in an age of peace.

Intuition is and is waiting to be awakened in all people. In order to tap into it all you must do is to make four important decisions. The first decision is to be open to intuition. Being open to hearing the voice of your inner teacher is like turning the radio to you spirit “on”.

The second decision is to expect intuition to guide you. When you enter into a state of expectation, you create a magnet that draws intuition into your awareness. The third decision is to trust you intuition when it does show up. One way to do this is to get a small pocket notebook and record every single intuitive feeling that you have over the next two weeks without censoring. If you do this, what you will have is evidence that intuition can be trusted. And finally, the fourth and most important decision is to act on your intuition. Learn to do this by playfully inviting your intuition to guide you, beginning with “where are my keys? And leading up to “What is my purpose in life?”

Here are FOUR ways to Open your intuition:
OPEN
EXPECT
TRUST
ACT (on your intuition)

About The Author
Sonia Choquette is a world-renowned revolutionary psychic, intuitive and spiritual teacher. She specializes in leading others out of the dark ages and into the 21st century by helping others recognize that we are all endowed with a sixth sense that we can count on and need to activate in order to succeed in our lives.

Health Benefits of True Friendship

The scientific data proves that the more close friends we have, the healthier we are. Close friendships make you less likely to get sick and more likely to recover if you get sick. They even increase your life expectancy. This talk, which is ideal for women’s conferences, churches, and other health and spirituality gatherings, focuses on the sacred contracts we unconsciously or explicitly make with our friends. It also covers tips for how to be a good friend and how to attract positive friendships into your life, not just because friends alleviate loneliness, but because friendship is preventative medicine.

What are the benefits of friendships?

Good friends are good for your health. Friends can help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times. Friends prevent loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends can also:

-Increase your sense of belonging and purpose
-Boost your happiness
-Reduce stress
-Improve your self-worth
-Help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one
-Encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise
How can I nurture my friendships?

Developing and maintaining healthy friendships involves give-and-take. Sometimes you’re the one giving support, and other times you’re on the receiving end. Letting friends know you care about them and appreciate them can help strengthen your bond. It’s as important for you to be a good friend as it is to surround yourself with good friends.

The Definition of A True Friend

The tendency to desire what is best for the other
Sympathy and empathy
Honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one’s counterpart
Mutual understanding and compassion; ability to go to each other for emotional support
Enjoyment of each other’s company
Trust in one another
Positive reciprocity — a relationship is based on equal give and take between the two parties.
The ability to be oneself, express one’s feelings and make mistakes without fear of judgment.

To nurture your friendships:

Go easy. Don’t overwhelm friends with phone calls, texts, instant messages or emails. Respect your friends’ boundaries.
Don’t compete. Don’t let friendships turn into a battle over who makes the most money or who has the nicest home.
Adopt a healthy, realistic self-image. Work on building your self-esteem by taking care of yourself — eat a healthy diet and include physical activity in your daily routine. Vanity and constant self-criticism can be turnoffs to potential friends.
Avoid relentless complaining. Nonstop complaining can put a strain on your friendships. Talk to your friends about how you can change the parts of your life that make you unhappy.
Adopt a positive outlook. Try to find the humor in things. Laughter is infectious and appealing.
Listen up. Ask what’s going on in your friends’ lives. Avoid talking about your own problems all the time. Try to only give advice when your friends ask for it.
Don’t judge. Give your friends space to change, grow and make mistakes. Encourage your friends to freely express their emotions.
Respect privacy. Keep confidential any personal information that your friends share with you. Try not to ask questions that make your friends uncomfortable.
Remember, it’s never too late to build new friendships or reconnect with old friends. Investing time in making friends and strengthening your friendships can pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come.

A Friendship Practice to live by:

In my line of work as a blogger, social media junkie, public speaker, and, I communicate with as many as lots of people every day. Some of these people are already friends. Some become friends. And some are people I’ve never met and probably never will. It really blurs the line for me regarding who my true friends really are, and I worry that sometimes I spend so much time interacting with (and genuinely loving) strangers that I fail to be as present as I want to be with my true friends.

When my friends need something, I’ll drop everything for them. But when they don’t write or call, I have to admit that sometimes I get so busy they slip my mind, and months – sometimes even years – can go by without any communication.

I wanted to change this.

So I’ve started a friendship practice to help me be more mindful of the friends I really love, my inner circle posse of awesome. I wrote all their names on a list and placed the list on my altar, where I meditate every day, so every day I will think of these people at least once. I’m hoping that focusing my attention on those I love will help me be a better friend. Maybe it’ll even help my friends feel more loved, connected, and healthy.

As a wise, unnamed person once said, “A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

I want to know the songs in the hearts of those I love.

So, bring your BFF and join us for a women's retreat in Dahlonega, Georgia on November 14-17th 2013.

What to expect???

Eat, Pray, Love Women's Retreat Weekend in Dahlonega, GA

What is a retreat weekend like? Here is a sample retreat schedule.

Sample Retreat Schedule

Thursday
3-5pm Arrival
5pm Meet & Greet Tea & Orientation
6:30pm Dinner
7:30pm Introduction & Circle Time
Followed by Chakra Crystal Bowl Meditation

Friday
8:30am Breakfast
9:30am Meditation
10:30am – 11:30am Gentle Yoga
12:30 – 1:30pm Lunch
2pm – 3:30pm Soul Coaching® Setting a Vision Workshop
4:30-5:15pm Group Circle Time
6:30pm Group Dinner
8pm Fire Circle – Grief release ceremony , Drumming

Saturday
8:30am Breakfast
9:30am Meditation
10:00am-11:30am Gentle Yoga
12:30pm Lunch
1:30pm-3:00pm Soul Coaching® Workshop Part 2
4:30 – 5:30pm Group Circle Time
6:30pm Group Dinner
8:30pm Guided Meditation – Vision Circle

Sunday

8:30am Breakfast
9:30am Meditation

10:00-11:00am Packing/Check out etc
11:15-12:30 Circle Time & Closing Ritual

(there will be free time for exploring……relaxing……journaling………and spa)

*Soul Coaching®
“I compare soul coaching to a detox for the soul.”
Designed for phenomenal spiritual cleansing, renewal and transformation. It helps to clear away mental, emotional and physical clutter, so you can hear the secret messages from your soul. Soul Coaching helps you to discover who you are and your purpose so that you can design and live a life that supports the life you truly desire.

Felicia Grant is a certified Soul Coach® from Denise Linn’s Soul Coaching®.

Come to Dahlonega Georgia

Welcome to Dahlonega, Lumpkin County, Georgia – An Award-Winning, Appalachian Mountain Destination known as “The Heart of the North Georgia Mountains” & “The Heart of Georgia Wine County”

An “Authentic” getaway only an hour north of Atlanta, Dahlonega is the historic site of the first major U.S. Gold Rush and excels in hosting visitors seeking relaxation and “Adventure”.  “Arts” and entertainment fill downtown Dahlonega’s National Registered district where preserved architecture surrounds shopping, dining, music, and theater just a gold steeple away from the traditions of North Georgia College & State University.    

From the Dahlonega Wine Trail to the Appalachian Trail, wine enthusiasts and nature lovers all enjoy Dahlonega’s trail-friendly community and “AgriTourism” attractions.  Tasting a gold medal winning vintage or tying the knot at a vineyard, our award-winning wine region offers farm-based fun and has quickly become Georgia’s destination wedding venue.  Waterfalls, lazy river sports, a signature golf course, and National Forest welcome you to the north Georgia outdoors.  The only fast-paced activity is the premier cycling challenge of the beautiful mountain terrain.      

Wineries & Vineyards

With the highest concentration of wineries and vineyards in North Georgia,the Dahlonega mountains are recognized as "the Heart of the Georgia Wine Country". Grape growing conditions and favorable mountainous elevations make Lumpkin the perfect place to grown and ripen a wide variety of European, French hybrids and American winegrapes. Breathtaking beauty and unique sights await adventurous travelers to Dahlonega's 

Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery

Planned around an “old family farm” theme, Cavender Creek Vineyards & Winery features a c.1820 hand-hewn log cabin, disassembled and moved down from Tennessee. Next door is the winery, with three sides below ground, styled after an old-fashioned barn like the one already on the property. The “loft” of the barn houses the tasting room atop the winery, with a spacious deck extending over the crush pad below.

Frogtown Cellars

Frogtown is a 57 acre wine estate located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains equal distance between Dahlonega and Cleveland Georgia. Frogtown encompasses 28 acres of vineyards and a tri-level gravity flow winery specifically designed to produce the unique wines made from Frogtown grapes. In 1998, native Atlantans Craig and Cydney Kritzer founded Frogtown in a location carefully selected for quality wine grape production and outstanding mountain views, the Frogtown District of Lumpkin County, Georgia. After researching Frogtowns soil, diverse climates and terrain, Craig divided the land up into separate vineyards. He planted different wine grape varieties based on the characteristics of each vineyard site. Frogtown is now home to 28 acres of vineyards planted to 15 different wine grapes varieties, both red and white. Frogtown produces wines under the 'Frogtown' label and the 'Thirteenth Colony' label. The Kritzer family invites you to come and relax on our deck with a glass of our wine and enjoy the views overlooking our vineyards, lake and the North Georgia Mountains. Join us on June 14-17th for the Eat, Pray, Love Retreat at the Dahlonega Resort Spa Dahlonega Spa Resort is located on 72 acres near the historic gold-rush town of Dahlonega, Georgia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just over an hour and a half north of Atlanta. The fresh air will instantly cure your big-city stress, and our expansive views, nature trails, spa treatments and outdoor jacuzzi will soothe your body & soul. For more details on the retreat Click Here