250-888-2432 susan@susanseale.com
A circle of women (a valentine musing)

A circle of women (a valentine musing)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

” The invisible power of women’s circles on the women in them grows out of the power that people have on one another, which is extraordinary.

Anyone’s self-esteem, accomplishment, development of talent, has to do with whether we have been listened to and valued, loved for ourselves, encouraged and supported to do what we believed we could do.

When there is psychological or practical support for making a significant change, change is more likely to happen.  That others believe in us, or have the same perspective we have, or are role models, has a powerful and invisible effect.

The power to resist the collective comes from being in a small circle with like-minded others.  It allows us to keep on in the face of ridicule or opposition that we don’t know what we are talking bout, or don’t belong wherever it is that we want to be.”  (Jean Shinoda Bolen)

Who are the people in your life who listen to

and value what you say and who you are?

 

 

 

 

We all need someone(s) to bear witness when we are struggling, changing, suffering, confused, wondering, seeking.

 

 

I am adept at managing and trying to wind my way through challenges independently and what I’ve discovered is that when I really NEED help…it would be better if I would actually stop being so independent.  This is a sign I’ve fallen into a well-worn adaptive pattern.

My early childhood years were a bit chaotic (and full of love) and what it meant is I learned not to depend on the grown-ups around me.  I learned to try to support myself, work it out myself, lean on myself.  It was ever so much easier to just lead my life by myself.

It really works for me even now that I know better!

AND

It exhausts me, frustrates me and leaves me without access to the ease I really crave in my life.

I recall learning from the world around me that women’s circles were a bit scary because the women in them were scary to my young self.  Many of the women in my family didn’t have the ability to effectively interact with someone as sensitive as my very young girl self.

In my 20’s, while working as a classroom teacher, I had the opportunity to experience circles of women in my profession.  They were a bit scary to me too.  I found safety in becoming a leader in this world.   I didn’t really like depending on these women though.  They were not the kind of social circle that encouraged creativity or risk-taking or soft, tender heart-opening work.

I avoided circles of women for decades.

 

I learned that I prefer private counselling when I’m struggling.

 

I won’t share my vulnerabilities as freely with a group.

 

And that’s ok.

As an older adult, I’ve been fortunate to discover there are lovely, encouraging, supportive, beautiful women’s circles.

 

And I take part when I feel called.

 

I offer to lead or co-lead circles in my own home.  This is possible now because of a business I ran for 20 years.

In the 1990’s, I opened a music and movement school for babies and children.  I became the queen of a tiny kingdom.  It was wonderful!

I had the huge blessing to have facilitated thousands of circles with moms and dads and their infants and young children through my music and movement work at Musicalia.

This was ever so much safer than being with JUST women.

 

There was a kind of safety in this work that can really only exist when we all have a single focus on our younger generation and everyone is offering respect to one another.

 

This looked like softer gazes, a willingness to forgive, a willingness to try harder to understand and feel compassion for others and leading these groups I could feel that flow and connection between the members of every class.  I was able to call that out in so many people because of the social/energetic containers or structures I created for the families.

 

These small groups of 8 families or less, allowed us all to resist collectives at schools, in the parking lot, on the parent advisory boards, in our extended families and in the outer community.

 

Time spent weekly with these like-minded folk, gave us all a shared sense of the importance of kindness and cooperation as we sang, talked, danced and played music.

 

This would never have been possible without the nurturing care of my own counsellors.  Taking the time to heal my own heart in therapy during my 20’s and 30’s helped me to grow up.  It helped me to grow into the kind of person who could hold space for others.

 

I think I would affectionately be referred to as “the wounded healer”…someone who has sustained deep emotional wounding and done the inner work to become a safe haven for others searching to heal their own inner wounds.

Maybe you are in the process of healing inner wounds or wish there was a safe place for you to bring light to those shadowy places inside.  If that’s you, I have created a healing space designed for the exact purpose.  It’s called Breathing Space.

Read more about Breathing Space here

I invite you to contact me for an initial conversation.

Improvising + creating a business after 50

Improvising + creating a business after 50

“If the metaphor is music, her instrument is herself and the deep theme of her song follows the beat of her heart.  Each phase is like a different movement in a major work, with variations on her theme.  Until the music ends, crones will improvise.”  Jean Shinoda Bolen

Just sayin’…

On intuition

On intuition

“The Greeks have two words for knowledge:  logos and gnosis.

What can be learned through education and scientific inquiry is logos.  What can be known through intuitive feelings and spiritual or mystical experiences is gnosis (no-sis).

 

Logos is rational, objective, logical, expressive in words or numbers, while gnosis is subjective, nonrational, nonverbal, feeling-tinged, expressible through poetry, images, metaphor, and music and is often unproveable by its very nature.

 

Every sacred experience is subjective:  the sense of oneness with the universe, or with divinity, a spiritual epiphany, a timeless moment infused with beauty, spiritual insight, and grace is gnosis.  Ineffable yet profoundly transformative – these are soul experiences.

 

Trust what you know is your bones from experiences such as these.”  (Jean Bolen)

I am someone who needs both.

I crave knowledge, learn even from the backs of cereal boxes and read voraciously.  I use this knowledge to feed my intuitive nature.  That knowledge seeps into my bones.  I feel it there.  It builds my confidence and gives my mind something to do so my creative, intuitive nature is free to play.

What I Really Think About Law of Attraction

What I Really Think About Law of Attraction

Have you ever had days like this?

So…I’m wondering if you’ve ever experienced LOA working even when you were not feeling positive?

We hear all about this in the manifestation world/business/goal achievement world that you must feel good for the LOA (law of attraction) to work in your favour.  Hmmmm….I don’t thing so.

I’ve noticed in my life that it’s visualization and time spent in quiet envisioning my miracles, hopes and dreams and NOT the emotions from day to day that seem to make things happen.

I have soooo many experiences of this that I do not believe how we feel day to day really even matters.
It’s how we picture and live in that picture and REALLY FEEL that we are in that image we create.  THAT’S where the feelings matter.

Negative day to day feelings don’t matter nearly as much as seeing ourselves succeeding even with the negative feelings.

I guess if Law of Attraction really is a law then it doesn’t really matter what I think!  It’s going to work it’s magic in my life regardless.

Intention, intention, intention…that’s where the gold is.

My Next Chapter

My Next Chapter

In the last couple of years, I became a mom to a little girl who’s birth mom passed away from cancer.
When the responsibility for this beautiful little girl’s health and well-being became my everyday reality, I was highly motivated to revisit all the choices I’d previously made around cleaning products and self care products to ensure I was creating a healthy home for my daughter, her father and I and all our pets.
I didn’t know at the time I purchased my essential oils starter kit,  that Young Living had created an entire world of nourishing, healthy, life-giving products for literally every part of your life.  Cleaning products, make up, nutritional supplements, baby care, personal + beauty care all infused with essential oils and created without the terrible ingredients we are all trying to avoid in our modern times.

In 2017 I decided to try building my own essential oils business.

I have watched other women create vibrant oil businesses, making money, working on their own schedules and creating a residual income for themselves and their families.

I’m so glad I decided to try!  I discovered I love the social connection with others and sharing ways I use these oils helps other families create cleaner, greener homes and happier, healthier bodies, minds and spirits.

My essential oil business is growing everyday.  If creating additional monthly income feels interesting to you and you have questions about how to get started, please contact me.  I would be so very happy to share my journey with you.

 

I had NO intention of starting (another) business when I purchased my first essential oils starter kit, but I did.  I loved the oils so much, I could not stop talking about them and how much beauty and vibrance and honestly…relief…they were bringing into my life.
I share within my community circles because it feels like a disservice to NOT share.   My social circle is growing because of my work with Young Living and I have a community of  new friends who love the oils as much as I do.
Inspirata Collective

Inspirata Collective

Dear Beautiful Friend,

I have had this creation living in my mind since 2013.

It’s called Inspirata and it’s a collective of women who create purpose in their lives and prosperity in their work through staying super-connected to spirit.

This spiritual foundation, our connection with our innermost self and our connection with our eternal self, is actually THE thing that feels most important to us.

It’s our sanctuary. It’s the nest we seek to replenish and find solace.
It’s what allows us to thrive as we serve our clients, our patients, our students, our customers, our families and our friends.

I let go of my Inspirata idea when my life changed and I found myself single (again) living on my own, navigating a divorce and trying to figure out how my life was going to work.

All my energies went into survival.

I don’t know that it was the right move, to be honest, putting all my energies into survival instead of creativity. Maybe if I’d continued on with my creative ideas then, that whole transition might have been a little easier on me. Maybe not.

What I do know is that I have many more skills and inner resources now because of that transition time. As you know, I’ve used essential oils as part of the last bit of my emotional recovery this last year. This gathering is not about the oils though.

This is about our spirits, desires, plans and lives having more power and impact when we create (at least in part) as a collective.

During January 2018’s super-blue-blood-lunar-eclipse I felt a huge surge of energy to bring people together. It kind of took over actually…to the point that I found myself on Vistaprint making invites and cards for this and not knowing how to actually get it all going with dates and place and what I would offer to you exactly.

Because the surge of energy was so purposeful, I didn’t want to not do it.
I really wanted to DO it. So I did it.

And it was beautiful!

 

Now…I’m inviting you to be part of the next Inspirata Collective gathering.

I envisioned these circles as a kind of celebration. Together we create space to create clarity in some area of our lives or business.

Relaxed, supportive, gentle gatherings with the potential for healing and understanding. Experiences that uplift your sense of self, support prosperity and nurture a sense of thriving in life.

Our first gathering was during the full moon in March on Friday, March 2 at my home in the afternoon.  The full moon considered a cosmically impactful time to release that which you no longer need.

These gatherings are not yet regular but if you’d like to be included in the next one, please let me know.

I would love to see you here.

with love!
Susan
xox