This year, the 15th Annual One World Summer Festival is coming to Great Malvern, England August 9th – 15th, 2010. I will again be teaching at this wonderful event, offering daily mini-workshops “Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life”, “The Garden of the Soul” and “Spiritual Marketing.”

The festival will also be held in Tuscany during the first week of September, but apparently the Italian festival is already sold out! (but I WILL be there!… how lucky am I?). That just shows how popular this event is.

Over the past 15 years, thousands of people have benefited in body, mind and spirit from coming to One World, but THIS YEAR, we are giving everyone a taste of this fabulous festival right from the comfort of your own home at a unique event called…

The One World VIRTUAL Festival
Tues June 29, Wed June 30, Thurs July 1
TIME: 8pm-9.30pm UK time / 3.00pm – 4.30pm Eastern
ADMISSION: FR*EE!

A mini-fest of FR*EE online classes in holistic health, spirituality and overall wellbeing by NINE internationally acclaimed experts

Simulcast! Take your pick:
Listen via webcast OR telephone conference line

To register for your fr*ee VIP pass, go to:
http://oneworldcamp.com/01-pages/virtual-festival-2010.html

If you cannot make the live calls, register anyway
so you can download the audio and listen any time you want.

Over 3 evenings, you can enjoy enlightening classes from 9 of the dozens of inspiring teachers appearing at the British festival this year.

Here’s the line up:

*** VIRTUAL FESTIVAL DAY 1 ***

DATE: Tuesday, June 29th
TIME: 8pm-9.30pm UK time / 3.00pm – 4.30pm Eastern

DAY 1 GUESTS:
1) Christian Kyriacou RIBA MCSD – Ki Architect and House Whisperer. Christian will be talking about the Ki Signature of buildings, House Whispering, Feng Shui, Vastu and Geomancy.
2) Zascha Brésilley – Spiritual Teacher. Zascha will be talking about increasing our “Spiritual Footprint” in the world.
3) Steven Acuff – Nutritional consultant and therapist, author, teacher. Steven will give an introduction to healing with food, including acid/alkaline balance, and other vital information.

*** VIRTUAL FESTIVAL DAY 2 ***

DATE: Wednesday, June 30th
TIME: 8pm-9.30pm UK time / 3.00pm – 4.30pm Eastern

DAY 2 GUESTS:
1) Simon Brown – teacher, consultant, healer, therapist. Simon will be taking you on an introductory exploration into macrobiotics, feng shui, face reading, chi, healing and wabi sabi.
2) Maria Gillott – Macrobiotic Coach, co-founder of the One World Summer Festivals. Maria will give a sneak peek into the Macrobiotic cooking workshops she delivers for parents, showing how to cook for children through the various stages of childhood.
3) Lynn Serafinn – coach, author, radio host, spiritual marketing consultant. Lynn will talk about becoming the hero of your own life, the four Principles from her book The Garden of the Soul, and a new paradigm for spiritually-focussed businesses.

*** VIRTUAL FESTIVAL DAY 3 ***

DATE: Thursday, July 1st
TIME: 8pm-9.30pm UK time / 3.00pm – 4.30pm Eastern

DAY 3 GUESTS:
1) Julie G. Silver – Nutritional Therapist, Natural Health & Stress Management Consultant. Julie will be talking about “Nutrition for the Now”, and how to cultivate your intuitive, spiritual connection to nutrition.
2) Verne Varona – Author, film director, nutritional consultant and researcher. Verne will introduce you to the art of self diagnosis and disease reversal.
3) Samantha Terry – Acupuncturist, Aromatherapist, Chinese medicine practitioner. Sam will talk about understanding your health from a holistic perspective, and the art of vibrational healing.

YOUR HOSTS THROUGHOUT VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
Lynn Serafinn – coach, author, radio host, spiritual marketing consultant
Kyle Nash – One World Festival Promotion Team

There will also be a bit of time on each broadcast to ask questions, both over the phone OR via the webcast.

I hope you will join us for this unique 3-day online happening.
To book your place for One World Virtual Festival, go to:
http://oneworldcamp.com/01-pages/virtual-festival-2010.html

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Transformation Coach, Book Promotion Coach, Author, radio host

About Lynn Serafinn, Creator of Spirit Authors

Lynn Serafinn is a transformation coach, book promotion coach, radio host and bestselling author of the book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. She also works as a campaign manager for mind-body-spirit authors and has produced two #1-selling book campaigns, and another #2-selling campaign, in just the past 4 months. She created Spirit Authors to offer training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. She’s also in Round 2 of the Next Top Spiritual Author contest! To check out Lynn’s video entry, brand new book proposal and read 80 pages from her book The Garden of the Soul, go to http://www.NextTopAuthor.com/?aid=2016. A free gift awaits you when you cast your vote.

That’s what I imagine it will feel like to the lucky person who wins a wonderful contest being offered by coach Patrick Ryan, author of the upcoming book Awakened Wisdom: a Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance, which is coming to Amazon on Tuesday April 20, 2010.

As part of the celebration of the launch of the book, Patrick is giving away a $3000 “Awakened Wisdom Experience” (AWE) to one person. The AWE-some Grand Prize includes 4 private 1-to-1 personal coaching sessions with Patrick, a personally signed copy of the book Awakened Wisdom AND 2 free VIP passes to attend his 3-day Awakened Wisdom Workshop anywhere in the world.

Patrick is a world renowned executive coach, leadership trainer and spiritual teacher. For more than three decades, he has studied and practiced the way of an awakened life with spiritual masters and indigenous teachers all over the planet, and even served as a Buddhist monk in a monastery in Burma. His depth of spiritual knowledge, combined with his natural, down-to-earth personality, make him both a powerful and accessible coach and teacher.

Anyone who receives this exceptional prize should ready for a complete “inner beauty” makeover. And remember: there are TWO free passes to the Awakened Wisdom workshop, which means you can share this gift with a friend or loved one.

To enter the AWE contest, you only need to answer one question:

“What will you give the world when you reclaim your brilliance?”

A great question, don’t you think?

To enter, you must submit your answer to this question BEFORE April 9^th. To get started, go to: http://www.awakenedwisdom.com/Public/Amazon/booklaunch/index.cfm

To qualify, you will be asked to sign up for a “launch reminder” for Patrick’s book, Awakened Wisdom first. As soon as you’ve done that, you’ll be taken to a page with a link to the contest entry page.

A list of semi-finalists will be announced on April 12^th. The Grand Prize winner will be decided by public vote (so be sure to get your friends and family on board to support you!).

And…

Even if you don’t want to enter the contest, do please check out Patrick’s book Awakened Wisdom: A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance on that same page. If you scroll down on that page, you’ll see that dozens of authors, coaches, entrepreneurs and spiritual teachers have come together to celebrate the launch of this profound and practical book, by giving away over 40 very special gifts to anyone who buys the book on April 20. And I am one of them!

To everyone who buys Patrick’s book, I will be giving away FOUR free audio meditations from my Garden of the Soul Workshop. These are very special meditations I have never offered before anywhere, unless you happen to have taken my workshop. I hope you’ll like them.

Best of luck to all of you who enter the contest. Please keep me posted if you win, so I can announce it in my upcoming newsletter. I’d also love to hear your answers to this great question!

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn

My Twitter asteroids:
http://twitter.com/LynnSerafinn
http://twitter.com/SpiritAuthors

My Facebook galaxies:
http://facebook.com/LynnSerafinn
http://facebook.com/VoteLynnSerafinnNextTopSpiritualAuthor
http://facebook.com/SpiritAuthors
http://facebook.com/gardenofthesoul

But all too often, “some day” and the “big break” don’t come. This isn’t because we are unlucky or have “bad karma.” It’s because we are looking in the wrong direction to find the solutions to our lack of fulfilment. After going through my own transformations in life, teaching thousands of students over the years, working with hundreds of coaching clients and interviewing dozens of fascinating people on my radio show, I have learned one thing: the circumstances of our lives cannot be blamed (or at least not 100%) for our unhappiness. What are some of the worst circumstances you can imagine? Try to imagine being a 6-year-old boy and being exiled with no possessions and left to starve to death in the Siberian wasteland. Or how about being a teenage girl whose father murders her own mother in cold blood, marries her mother’s sister, and is then acquitted by the court? Can you imagine living with such things? Can you imagine surviving them to such a point where you felt so full of joy that you have made it your life’s work to spread joy to others? But it’s true. I have met these people,* and so many others, in my work. And happiness, I have found, is 100% a matter of allowing it to happen. But if we are blocking the pipeline to our own happiness, it will never flow.

There are many ways we block this pipeline to happiness. One is the unconscious way we talk about ourselves. Most of us pay little attention to the subtle ways we verbally undermine ourselves, whether in our heads or aloud, on an almost continual basis. Another way we get in our own way are all the “old stories” we tell about ourselves, such as “That’s just the way I am” or “I’m really bad with x, y, z.” A third way we block our own happiness is the almost autonomic way we tend to slip into “roles” in different circumstances. We might unthinkingly adopt a powerless, voiceless or even aggressive role in certain family, social or professional scenarios, for example. Both we and others begin to mistake these roles for ourselves, and we end up feeling drained and misunderstood. The end result of all these “monsters” is that we become disconnected to both our real emotions and from our bodily awareness. We can even become weakened or ill on a physical level and we certainly become desensitized to the “hero’s call” that is always around us. When we reach this level of disconnection, we can become resigned to our “lot” life, and lose faith that we can ever truly be happy.

But as I said, I passionately believe that every human being is a hero, and all of these things are part of the hero’s journey—even the struggle to come back to the Self. Every hero is a hero because he or she has faced the “monster” no one else had the courage to face. All the old stories, all the roles, all the self-talk, all the feelings of fear, anger, blame and loss—these are the monsters. And when we face them and come out the other side with the wisdom that only a true hero knows, we find the elixir that makes our lives, and the lives of those around us, truly magical.

This month at the Bedford and West Herts Wellness Circle I will be doing a mini-workshop about the hero’s journey, so you can get a tiny glimpse into where you are on the path. And if you’d like to step fully into that journey, be sure to sign up for the “Transformation Trilogy” that is starting THIS Saturday and Sunday (17/18 Oct) in Bedford. The Trilogy is a set of three weekend workshops spread over three months. You do NOT have to attend all three weekends, as they are completely separate courses, but you see the progression from course to course if you do. This weekend, we’ll be “Making Friends with the Monsters Under Your Bed” where we will be looking at all the things I have spoken about in this article, so that you will be REALLY ready to step into your inner hero in Workshop 2, “Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life”, in November.

NOTE:  We urgently need 5 more people to sign up for this weekend’s “Monsters” to give the course “buzz”. PLEASE book with me via telephone no later than 8pm Wednesday 14 May. Click HERE to read all information AND to book your place.

* The 6-year-old boy is author Andrew Bienkowski, and the teenage girl is actress Brenda Adelman, both extraordinary people I interviewed on my radio show. Click links above to listen to those great past shows.

Meditation 65: Wisdom
from “Lessons from the Lily: the Principle of Being”

Wisdom is the natural energy that flows through us when we surrender our ego so we may establish our connection with the Divine. Wisdom does not come to us as the result of learning. It is not something can be increased by any type of effort. Wisdom is Eternal, Infinite and Absolute. It belongs to no one and to everyone, simultaneously and equally. When we imagine that we can capture Wisdom via our own efforts, we are operating from the platform of ego, wherein we imagine that there is a limited amount of Wisdom to be gained in the Universe, and that it can be controlled and conquered by our own efforts. If this were the case, then the Universe would be a merciless and poverty-stricken place, as only the strongest or most intellectually gifted would ever have access to Wisdom. But the Truth is the Universe is infinitely opulent and full of mercy. Wisdom is the birthright of all living entities, and no effort is required to manifest Wisdom other than to allow it to enter us, without ego blocking its way.

In The Garden of the Soul, the Lily is the bearer of Wisdom. She stands alone, allowing the light of the full Moon to bathe her with its illuminating rays, Without effort, she absorbs whatever Wisdom is shone upon her, and then creates a mesmerising diamond-like mandala of light and reflection around her so that others may be able to see and delight in what she knows intuitively. She does not block the rays via any kind of shade or cover. She allows all of them to shine upon her equally, without judgment or preference. Like this, when we allow ourselves simply to receive the illumination of Divine Wisdom, we shine like a lustrous diamond amidst the darkness of the rest of the world, and help others to see themselves within the light of that Divinity. Without the interference of our own self-judgments or the judgements of others, we allow all Wisdom to enter us and be seen by our Hearts and Souls. Thus, Wisdom is an attribute of the Principle of Being, for it is the force that allows us to know who we truly are. When we surrender all false attachments to who we think we might be, or who we think we should be, and simply allow our True Self to sing, we begin our eternal dance with Divine Wisdom.

Enquiries to cultivate this attribute

1. How do I resist my own Wisdom?

2. What are the messages I hear but do not trust?

3. What will change for me when I learn to dance with Divine Wisdom?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to find out how to master the four Principles of “Give, Receive, Become and Be” from my book The Garden of the Soul, as well as many other skills for personal transformation, join me and my colleague Vicki Goodyear on the Transformation Trilogy Weekend Workshop Series. Two new UK series starting 17 October (Bedford), and 7 November (Totnes, Devon). Click HERE for complete information and to book your place.

AND… if you think money is an issue, be sure you read about our innovative “Gratitude System” that, we hope, will enable everyone to attend.

See you there!

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn
“Turning up the volume of the music in your heart!”

There is no denying that we live at a time in history when much of the world around us is changing. The currently fluctuating economy is proving to be challenging for many, causing us to change our spending and saving patterns. Climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuel dependency are becoming more and more apparent, making it necessary to make rapid decisions about how to address the issues, and to reflect upon how we need to change as a society. Technology is also rapidly changing the way we interact, and we frequently find ourselves on the one hand more able to communicate at a virtual level, but also feeling more and more isolated from one another in the flesh. Over the past few decades, we have become increasingly disconnected from the sources of our own sustenance (such as food production) and more and more dependent upon our own technological creations for survival. To see how dependent we actually are, imagine how vulnerable you would feel if tomorrow morning you woke up to find you had no internet or other telecommunications systems, had no access to electricity, oil or petrol, or you were unable to obtain food, clothes, medicine and other necessities from outside sources.

And here is the paradox: that feeling of vulnerability is one of the things that make us tolerate all these sociological changes, even if we intuitively know these changes are ultimately making us feel more and disconnected, and ultimately more vulnerable.

Amidst the storm of these external changes, there are many internal whirlwinds as well. We frequently find ourselves inundated by media messages that paint a negative portrait about our world and our future, driving our anxieties even more deeply into our minds, bodies and emotions. Media advertisements also frequently deliver us pictures of idealised forms of beauty, happiness or success which are unattainable and unnatural, causing many people to feel small and inadequate. The modern communication systems of our “information age” are sending us data at an alarming rate (just watch the flurry of constant status updates on the online social networks and you’ll know what I mean), and we find it sometimes difficult to prioritise our time and activities. And finally, our traditional gender roles and models of familial relationships are also in a state of flux, leaving many people confused as to who they are in their relationships, what they want from them, and why they want it.

Clearly, we are in a state of global change, both inside and out.

The good news is this: our minds and bodies are designed to respond to change. Our “evolution” is occurring at every moment in the form of us learning how to adapt, whether consciously or not, to new information and environmental circumstances. Just as a healthy body will develop immunities to illnesses by developing anti-bodies, our minds, hearts and societies also respond to change by developing “antibodies” in the form of new neural pathways in the brain, new emotional responses and new social structures.

But there is a catch. When change is continually coming at us from every angle, and our minds, hearts, bodies and culture are being asked to respond to too much, too quickly, the result is that we can go into overload, both individually and as a culture. Just as your PC will crash when you try to process too many applications at one time, the human brain can also go into “meltdown” when faced with too much new information, uncertainty or change coming at it all at once. That meltdown can manifest in the form of stress and feelings of overwhelm. Over time it can adversely affect both our emotional and physical wellbeing. It is small wonder that stress and stress-related illnesses and conditions are on the rise. When intense, widespread change is occurring at a societal (or indeed a global) level, society itself can also experience meltdown. What does a social meltdown look like? It looks exactly like what we are seeing in the world today— instability, anxiety and confusion at an environmental, economic and cultural level.

In short, we as a culture are going through an “identity crisis”.

But that’s not really “bad news”. I frequently joke that I am a big fan of “mid-life crises” because I know that every one I have had (there have been about 3 at last count) has brought me to a better place, and a deeper understanding of both myself and the world. To me, it feels as though our technological culture is going through a mid-life crisis (or maybe it’s only an adolescent reaction!) because, in spite of our societal identity crisis—or perhaps more likely because of it—we are currently seeing more and more people moving away from old ways of thinking, and shifting towards a more holistic and spiritual approach to life, embracing the values of personal growth and self-awareness. Curiosity about the mind-body-spirit connection is more alive than ever, and is no longer just in the domain of non-mainstream or “alternative” culture. Scientists, businesses and people in all walks of professional life are turning towards a new way of thinking. Some call it new thought, new science, positive thinking, conscious evolution, alternative lifestyle, quantum brain, holistic wellbeing, and so many other descriptors. Many people talk about the “Shift”, “Ascension 2012”, the “Great Turning” and many other terms to describe the underlying transformation we intuitively sense happening, both as individuals and as a society. Somehow we know we are on the threshold of moving from one paradigm of thinking and living to another. But although there are many theories, prophecies and beliefs, it is clear that none of us can say with absolute certainty what that new paradigm will look like.

Clearly, both we and the world at large at the dawn of the 21^st century are “in transition”.

Transition brings change, and change brings regeneration—a chance for new beginnings. And while the prospect of change can be exciting, and even thrilling, stepping into the process of change can also be daunting for many, if not most, people. Change brings uncertainty, and many of us prefer to stick with the familiar rather than be asked to face our fears of the unknown, even if that unknown territory has the possibility of bringing us greater joy. It is this “better the hell you know than the one you don’t” anxiety that can keep many of us stuck in one place. But it is my personal belief that learning how to deal with change, and stepping into our own “inner transition” is quite possibly the most important—and socially responsible—thing we can do not only for ourselves and our families, but also for the rest of the world.

That may sound like a big statement to make, but I’d like you to try it on for size. Let’s do a little visualisation.

Imagine you are about to step into an unknown journey called the “inner transition”. To do this, you are being asked to step into a transporter similar to the one you have seen on TV/films aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. As you step into the transporter, what do you feel? You probably feel a bit of apprehension about the fact that every molecule in your body is going to be taken apart, shaken up, and spat out somewhere into the Universe. And what is going to happen at the other end? Or will you even make it to the other side? Scary? Of course it is. But if you have ever watched Star Trek or other sci-fi classics, you know that their allure lies in the heart-pumping thrill of moving from the fear of the unknown, to going “boldly where no man has gone before.” Even if the thought of being disintegrated and then reintegrated at an unknown destination is terrifying, it’s also actually exciting.

Now imagine that you are stepping into that transporter, allowing yourself to feel whatever fear you might have, knowing that this particular transporter is not simply going to drop you onto another planet and let you deal with whatever monsters you might find there, but that it will transform you into a wise, reflective, fulfilled human being who is able to see yourself with clarity and to feel deeply connected to the rest of the Universe. What would that be like? Yes, you might still be afraid, but wouldn’t that be a thrilling and beautiful journey to make? And what if at the other end of that journey, you found you were not only able to face your fears and stand powerfully amidst the changes of your current and future life, but you were also able to discover your life’s calling, know the impact you have in the world, and claim a lasting legacy that says “I was here”? What would that be like?

This is the journey of Personal Transformation. And our “inner transition” is the transporter on that takes us on that journey.

In my more than half a century on the planet, I have gone through so many transitions and personal transformations that I truly understand their importance and embrace their presence in my life. In my work as a coach and workshop leader I meet so many people ready to make the journey, but who are understandably fearful and confused as to how to go about it. Because I know that too much information can cause information meltdown, I like to make the idea of transformation less daunting by breaking the process down into three stages:

1. Weeding
2. Seeding
3. Feeding

Basically, the “weeding” stage is where we examine and shift the old ways of thinking and behaving that no longer serve us and limit our joy. These might include self-sabotaging beliefs or habits, unconscious stories and rules we have made up about how we are supposed to live and behave, and fears and other emotions that have not been fully voiced. Once these are understood and shifted, it makes room for the next stage of our transformation, the “seeding” stage.

“Seeding” means to discover all the things that will allow the transformation to take place, such as our core values, our life purpose, and our greater impact on the world. It is also the stage where we take on the responsibility and glory of becoming the hero of our own life, in service of our life purpose.

The final stage is “Feeding”, where we master a range of strategies to keep us on the path of our life purpose, even when life throws us a wall of change and upheaval. This is what those of us in the Transition Town movement* call “resilience”. Understanding ourselves and knowing our purpose are essential, but mastery of our inner resilience is what will help us to regain our balance when we feel knocked out of orbit.

Taken together, the three stages of “weed, seed and feed” allow us to move from feeling stuck, overwhelmed and powerless, to feeling valuable, passionate and capable of facing whatever comes our way. Ask yourself now, where are you on your Transformation journey? What stage are you currently working through? Or perhaps, you are at different stages in different areas of your life. It is important that you reflect upon this, so you can understand where you are in the process of change, and how you are currently dealing with it.

It is my personal opinion that it is vital to the future of our planet that each of us embarks on this journey of Transformation in our lifetime, especially in these “transitional” times. The coming decade is going to require that we not only survive tremendous change, but that we actually create the change. You might be thinking, How can my life be vital to the future of the planet? I’m just one tiny cog in the big machine.

To that I would reply, “You are part of the Universe. You are not outside looking in, or inside looking out. You are connected both systemically and spiritually to the World and all who share it with you. Everything you do has an impact on the rest of the World, even if you do not see it clearly right now.”

Your life has a purpose. Your actions have an impact. Your life is essential to the rest of the world, just as the world is essential to your life. You have the power not only to withstand tremendous change, but also to use that change to create powerful solutions in the world around you. And what is wonderful, is that the more you master your own resilience, and learn how enjoy riding the waves of change, the more capable you are of holding the fears and resistance of others around you, and help them step into the transporter to take the journey of their own personal transformation.

And that’s when the REAL shift in the world happens. And that is also why taking ownership of your own inner transition is so important for the rest of the world at this time in history. And even if you do not fully believe this now, try to take it on faith as you begin your journey of transformation. Just as you stepped into the transporter, not knowing where you would end up, trust that the unrest that both you and the rest of the world may be feeling right now is actually a call to action—a call to step into your own inner transition, and to come out the other side transformed into a more wonderful state of being.

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Transformation Coach and Author

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would like to invite you to join me on 17 October on a journey of transformation…

I have made it my own life purpose to guide others through their own personal transformation, so as to help our planet make the great transition we are now facing at a global level. To do that, I have designed a very special workshop series called the “Transformation Trilogy”. Transformation takes time to process, so I have spread this series of 3 weekend workshops across 3 months:

• Series 1: Bedford, Bedfordshire on 17/18 Oct, 14/15 Nov and 12/13 Dec
• Series 2: Totnes, Devon on 7/8 Nov, 5/6 Dec and 9/10 Jan

The purpose of the Transformation Trilogy is to take you through the 3 stages of transformation at a personal level AND to empower you to help others proceed through their own inner transition. This is especially valuable if you are a member of a Transition Town work group, a social worker/reformer, teacher, coach, healer, manager or anyone who works with people and wishes to guide them to a higher state of understanding.

Bookings are being taken NOW. To eliminate all anxiety around money, I have devised a very special “Gratitude System” for payment, so as to enable everyone to attend who wishes to. To find out more about this very unique series that addresses the Inner Transition of self and society, and to book your place for a nominal registration fee of only £45, go to www.lynnserafinn.com/transformation-trilogy-2009.html

Let’s transform the world together!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* The Transition Town movement is a network of community initiatives that are addressing the issues of climate change and peak oil at a holistic level. The “inner transition”, including our connection to the Earth and each other, and the way we deal with change, is one of their primary focuses, as they embrace the understanding that no external changes can have a lasting effect within inner change underpinning them. For information about Transition Bedford, visit www.transitionbedford.org. For information about the greater Transition Network, and to find out if there is an initiative in your area, visit www.transitionnetwork.org