NEW BOOK: Author Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D. brings humanity together in her new book ‘The Oneness Gospel’.

Religion and spirituality have been part of the human experience since the beginning of time. But as technology has brought cultures together that may have been isolated in the past, many of us citizens of the world have found true spirituality to be elusive. And ironically, we find it can often be blurred by the foundations of religion itself. In our quest for peace, harmony and eternal joy, many people find themselves clashing with the language, metaphysical symbols and religious practices with others.

Deep inside, we all know we are all of the same Essence. We know we come from the same Source. We know we are One. But on a practical level, we only need to look around us to see how often we forget these simple, but vital, truths. Walking along any number of religious paths, we can sometimes forget that true spirituality is that which brings us to that place of Unity—of Oneness.

Author Charlene M. Proctor, Ph.D. has written a book that brings us back to the Essence of true spirituality. The book, entitled The Oneness Gospel: Birthing the Christ Consciousness and Divine Human in You, is a rich mix of science, spirituality and mysticism that transcends the boundaries of religion, and uplifts the reader to that place of Oneness. An ordained Minister of Spiritual Peacemaking and a Deeksha facilitator trained by the oneness guides from Fiji and India, Charlene’s mission in life is to help awaken to their Divine magnificence within all humanity.

The Oneness Gospel provides us with a reframing of traditional religious symbolism, helping us to understand the greater, more universal meaning. In her book, she explains the meaning of the term “Christ Consciousness” like so:

The begotten Son is you. The “only begotten Son” does not refer to Jesus’ body, but to his Christ consciousness. The “only begotten” is the spiritual human, the principle of the divinity residing in all humankind (The Oneness Gospel, page 27).

But The Oneness Gospel is not just a reframing of Christian theology, but also many of the spiritual wisdoms of the world, especially the rich teachings of ancient India. In a style that is both accessible and inspirational, Charlene expertly weaves together philosophy and practice, ultimately bringing us an understanding that, no matter what path we choose to follow, there is ultimately only one purpose in life—to achieve Oneness with the Divine. And the “good news” of this “Gospel” is that Oneness already lies within the heart of all human beings.

The Oneness Gospel:
Birthing the Christ Consciousness and Divine Human in You

by Charlene M. Proctor

is celebrating its Amazon launch on Tuesday April 24th, 2012.

Sign up for a “launch reminder” at

http://onenessgospel.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.html

When you sign up for a reminder, you’ll receive:

• A FREE pass to Charlene’s inspiring “Your Journey to Joy Webinar” taught by Charlene and presented by best-selling author Lynn Serafinn. On this uplifting and informative webinar, Charlene will talk about how we develop our belief in separation and suffering, how those beliefs get stored as trauma in the body, and how to change you inner reality so you can experience JOY in every aspect of your life. The webinar will take place on Monday April 23rd, 2012 at 7 pm EST. If you cannot attend the live broadcast, you will receive a link to listen to the audio replay.

THEN…When you buy The Oneness Gospel on Tuesday April 24th, 2012, you’ll also receive:

• The MP3 download from the “Your Journey to Joy Webinar” AND

• An invitation to “Twelve Principles for Becoming a Divine Human“, a special online discussion with Charlene AND

• A complete library of beautiful, downloadable gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe. I’m offering a gift too: <here describe the bonus gift you are offering>.

To request a launch reminder so you’ll remember to pick up

The Oneness Gospel on Tuesday April 24th,
and receive all these beautiful gifts, go to:

http://onenessgospel.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.html

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC is a certified, award-winning coach and teacher, marketer, social media expert, radio host, speaker and bestselling author. Her eclectic approach to marketing incorporates her vast professional experience in the music industry and the educational sector along with more than two decades of study and practice of the spirituality of India. In her work as a promotional manager she has produced a long list of bestselling mind-body-spirit authors. She is also the creator of Spirit Authors, which offers training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. Passionate about re-establishing our connection with the Earth, she supports the work of the Transition Town network in her hometown of Bedford, England.

Lynn’s books:

International #1 Bestseller in Business Ethics, Marketing and Communication (Dec 2011)

• The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell (PAPERBACK)
• The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell (KINDLE)

Spirituality Bestseller (2009):

The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self (2009)

To contact Lynn for coaching, campaign management or media appearances, please fill in the form at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

TOMORROW, TUESDAY FEBRUARY 14th, 2012 is Valentine’s Day.

Perhaps you’ve already sent a gift or card to someone you love. Perhaps you’ve also been lucky enough to receive an expression of love from someone else. Expressing love for no other reason than to make someone know they are loved and appreciated is a wonderful thing. It feels good to say, “You mean a lot to me.” It also feels good to be told we are loved.

But how many of us take the time to send a Valentine to the most important person in our lives—ourselves? How many of us would think to set aside even a few moments on a day like Valentine’s Day to say “I love you” to the wonderful human beings we are?

That is what author Mal Duane is asking all of us—especially women—to do this Valentine’s Day. Her new book Alpha Chick: five steps for moving from pain to power is, in Mal’s words, “a gift of self-love”. Mal chose Valentine’s Day to launch her book because she knew that so many women around the world fail to acknowledge themselves for the magnificent people they are. Mal feels Alpha Chick is the perfect gift for women to give themselves on Valentine’s Day, as it’s an inspiring and practical handbook for self-love and self-esteem.

Author Mal Duane knows all about lack of self-love. When she was a young woman, she battled with alcohol dependency, low self-esteem and abusive relationships. But just when she hit rock-bottom, she heard an inner voice that told her she was loved and valuable, and that she would not only recover and rise from the ashes, but that she would go on to help other women learn their true beauty and value. These days, at age 64 (and looking more like 44), Mal is a happily married and highly successful entrepreneur in the real estate world, as well as a coach and author. She’s also a passionate philanthropist who has founded a school for women in West Africa, as well as an educational fund called “Holly’s Gift”, which provides money for education and training for women. In fact, a portion of the proceeds from every copy of Alpha Chick sold will go directly to “Holly’s Gift”.

Finally, in her work as a certified recovery coach, Mal has also helped hundreds of women overcome seemingly hopeless lives, and find the path to self-love and empowerment. She calls this type of awakened woman an “Alpha Chick”.  Surely, Mal is an Alpha Chick extraordinaire.

The book
Alpha Chick: five steps for moving from pain to power
is celebrating its official Amazon launch on
Valentine’s Day Tuesday February 14th, 2012.

Pick up your copy at:

http://alphachick.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.html

When you buy the book during the launch, you’ll not only be giving yourself the gift of self-love, but you’ll also receive:

• 3 MP3 downloads (over 4 hours of audio) from the Alpha Chick Telesummit with 10 world-class speakers talking about the process of moving from pain to power
• A great collection of FR*EE GIFTS from dozens of authors, coaches and other personal development leaders.
• A FR*EE ONLINE CLASS from Mal where she will PERSONALLY take you through the five steps of the Alpha Chick process, so you can start to embrace true self-love.
• EXTRA BONUS: If you’re feeling generous, and want to buy 3 or more books to share the gift of self-love with other women in your family, circle of friends, work place, support groups, reading groups, etc., Mal will give you a BONUS online class where you can ask her questions personally. It’s a great chance to gain from Mal’s experience as a recovery coach, and a woman who’s “been there”.

Get Your Copy of Alpha Chick, and Claim Your Gifts on Feb 14th at:
http://alphachick.com/book-launch/pages/pre-launch.html

(If you’re reading this on Feb 13th, go to that page a register for a launch reminder, so you will receive instructions on how to buy the book and claim your gifts).

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. And don’t forget to take some time to do something special for the most important person in your life—you!

At the exact same time I was launching Spirit Authors, I began writing a new book, which originally was intended to be a book for all those sensitive souls who didn’t like marketing, but needed to do it. I thought if I could help create a new paradigm for these kinds of people, it might be useful. But after I started diving deeply into the subject of marketing, I discovered so many revealing (and sometimes shocking) things about its history, intention and practice, and so many serious issues arising from consumer culture, that I knew this book was going to be something altogether different from what I had originally intended.

And now, after 2 years of daily writing, researching and pulling it all together, TODAY–Tuesday December 13th, 2011–is the big Amazon launch for my new book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell. (Click the title to find buy the book and receive some great gifts).

The 7 Graces of Marketing is a bold, holistic and often spiritual examination not merely of the world of advertising, but also of our entire world view. It reveals how our relationships with Self, others, our businesses, our economy and the Earth impact our health, our economy and the delicate ecological balance of our natural world. As much for the conscious consumer as the business owner, this book shows why traditional ways of selling are ultimately doomed to fail, and how both business owners and consumers can begin to heal the world by embracing a new paradigm I call ‘The 7 Graces of Marketing.’

When you buy the book TODAY you can receive the complete set of 7 MP3s (over 10 hours of audio) from last week’s 7 Graces of Marketing Telesummit, with 24 internationally renowned speakers, such as Joe Vitale, Eric Pearl and 22 others, speaking about the ‘7 Deadly Sins’ of marketing and the ‘7 Graces’ of marketing. You’ll also receive dozens of other gifts offered by my friends and colleagues, to express our appreciation for your support. To buy the book, and claim your MP3s from the 7 Graces Telesummit, and receive a fabulous selection of gifts from my friends and colleauges, here’s all you need to do:

1. Sometime TODAY, go to http://the7gracesofmarketing.com/book-launch/pages/launch.html. This is the “launch” page.
2. On that page, you will see links to buy the book on Amazon US, Canada or UK (yes, you may purchase the book from another Amazon site; we just didn’t have room for all the links)
3. Click a link to buy the book on the Amazon of your choice. You may buy the book in either paperback or Kindle version
4. After you have purchased the book, Amazon will give you a purchase code. The purchase code is a 17-digit number, and it looks like this: 123-1234567-1234567. Copy this number to your computer clipboard.
5. Return to the “launch page” and enter your name, email AND your Amazon purchase code in the form.
6. When you hit the button that says “Yes, Please!” you will be taken immediately to the “bonus” page. This page has all the links to take you to the bonus gifts.
7. Just click the links of the gifts you would like to download.

That’s all there is to it! I am extremely passionate about this subject (as you will have heard if you listened to last week’s telesummit), and I am dedicated to getting the dialogue started in the business sector so we can change the way we do marketing, and make a brighter, healthier, happier world for our children and children’s children. I do hope you’ll check out The 7 Graces of Marketing.

Click HERE to get the book, the MP3s and free gifts now

Please PAY NO ATTENTION if Amazon says, “Only 3 left in stock” or “Ships in 1-4 weeks”. We have test ordered the book, and it takes about a 7-10 days to ship, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to “be out of stock” because this is a “print on demand” book, which means the book will be printed and shipped to you whenever you place an order.

If you have any questions or experience any problems, please do not hesitate to contact me via http://spiritauthors.com/contact

AND, I’d love to hear what you have to say about the book after you have read it, so be sure to subscribe to The 7 Graces of Marketing blog . I’m also starting a 7 Graces of Marketing Community for everyone who has bought the book, and who would like to meet others of like mind who want to bring ethics and values back into our business and marketing. So please do stay in touch.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Lynn Serafinn Author, coach, author promotions

http://spiritauthors.com

http://spiritauthorscoach.com

http://the7gracesofmarketing.com

Author Carolyn A. Brent, M.B.A. is a former clinical educational manager in the pharmaceutical industry. She is an avid activist and advocate working with the U.S. Congress for the purpose of creating change to protect seniors and veterans from financial and medical abuse. She has appeared on many local and national TV and radio shows, and is a sought-after keynote speaker.

Today, I’d like to share with you a recent interview I had with Carolyn on my BlogTalkRadio show, when I got to ask her some questions on her work. It was a very rich interview that I know will help many, many families and care givers through difficult times. It’s one of the most practical and useful interviews I think you’ll ever hear on the topic. I hope you enjoy it and get a lot of great information from it:

If you cannot see the flash player, click this link
to hear the interview on the BlogTalkRadio site.

I hope you enjoyed this interview with Carolyn A. Brent and that you’ll check out her book Why Wait? The Baby Boomers’ Guide to Preparing Emotionally, Financially and Legally for a Parent’s Death at http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/pre-launch.html

Here Are Two Reasons Why:

FREE 3-DAY PASS

When you visit the page at the link above and request a “launch reminder”, you will automatically receive a FREE pass to Carolyn’s 3-day “Why Wait? Telesummit”, with a panel leading experts preparing emotionally, financially and legally for the death of a parent. You can listen to the telesummit online in the comfort of your own home, and even ask questions during the broadcast

This telesummit is a completely free
“no purchase necessary” gift from Carolyn

To register, go to

http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/telesummit.html

FREE GIFTS

When you buy Carolyn’s book on Tuesday November 15, 2011, you can ALSO receive a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts from authors, speakers, coaches and other enlightened professionals from around the globe including one from me: TWO free audios on personal transformation.

To claim your 3-Day Pass and read about the free gifts, go to:
http://www.babyboomersguide.org/book-launch/pre-launch.html

Thanks for reading! As usual, please feel free to share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your feedback.

AND… be sure to follow Carolyn tomorrow when the next stop on the Virtual Blog Tour is on the Writers in the Sky Blog at http://bit.ly/stdkG4 .

Author Maria Gamb proposes some answers in her new Book Healing the Corporate World, coming to Amazon Tues Oct 12th, 2010.

It’s staggering to think about it.

The American Institute of Stress calls stress “American’s #1 Health Problem.” They estimate “75 – 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems” and that “Job Stress is far and away the leading source of stress for adults.” The New York Times quoted Steven L. Sauter (Chief of the Organizational Science and Human Factors Branch of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) as saying, “workplace stress costs more than $300 billion each year in health care, missed work and stress-reduction” and “workers who report that they are stressed incur health care costs that are 46 percent higher, or an average of $600 more per person, than other employees. And in the UK, nearly half a million people expressed they felt work related stress was at a level that was making them ill in 2008, and these figures appear to be increasing rapidly every year.

But in spite of all this, to my shock, all too many sites I found during my research provide tips on how to “deal” with stress, rather than trying to change “what is.” One site even talks about being “stress hardy” to make us better able to survive what we believe we cannot change. In other words, it seems that all too many have thrown in the towel, and given into the idea that being stressed (and unhappy) at our work is simply a part of life, and that the best we can do is to learn how to cope.

But Maria Gamb, former Fortune 500 executive with over 20 years of experience in the corporate world, and author of the new book Healing the Corporate World: how value-based leadership transforms business from the inside out, has a different idea altogether.

By all accounts, Maria was experiencing a highly “successful” career for many years—at least to the naked eye. But inwardly, Maria, a highly sensitive and intuitive woman, with a great belief in the human spirit, knew something was intrinsically wrong with the way businesses were being run in our modern world. Stress wasn’t the problem; it was merely the natural symptom that arouse as a result of much deeper issues. Competition, fear, blame, feelings of helplessness, and a sense of not being “seen” had become the norm rather than the exception, especially in corporate life. And no amount of stress management would ever make stress go away until these issues were addressed—not only at a personal level, but also at a global level.

It was time to talk about how we were going to transform the business world and heal a seriously ailing system.

Understanding that real change could only come from within, with each person taking personal responsibility for his or her own thoughts and actions, Maria decided to write a book that would be a call-to-action to the business community entitled Healing the Corporate World: how value-based leadership transforms business from the inside out.

Maria wrote this book with a passion to start the ripple of change that will do exactly what the title says: HEAL the corporate world. That doesn’t just mean to rescue our culture from economic crisis, but rather to heal the people and relationships within organizations so they can become healthy, flowing systems for change and creativity that are founded upon values, innovation, personal responsibility and authentic leadership at all levels of the business structure.

And while the title suggests a focus on corporate life, the book is NOT just for CEOs, senior managers or even corporations—it is a book for anyone who works. You might be a middle-manager, or a new employee on a team. You might even be self-employed, or the owner of a small business. The principles in this book are applicable to anyone who wants to create a more human-focussed society by transforming the way we do business.

The official Amazon launch of Healing the Corporate World
starts at 12:01 AM Pacific, Tuesday October 12th.

To celebrate the release of this “inspiring and visionary book” (Ernest Chu, bestselling author of Soul Currency), when you purchase Healing the Corporate World on the day of its launch, you can receive a complete library of personal development gifts from dozens of leading authors, business professionals, speakers on the subject of business and self-improvement.

To purchase the book and claim your bonus gifts, go to
http://healingthecorporateworld.com

There you will find links to purchase the book from Amazon and instructions on how to claim your bonus gifts, including a special gift from Maria: almost 5 hours audio recordings of her 4-Day Telesummit, “Transforming Business from the Inside Out”, an uplifting and inspiring online telesummit with 9 of today’s top business and transformational authors and speakers.

When you look at all the bonus gifts, don’t worry about not having enough time to download them all. As long as you purchase the book during the launch, you’ll have access to the download page until October 31st.

I hope you’ll check out Healing the Corporate World on Tuesday October 12th, so we as a society can begin to apply these values-based principles in our work-place, and help start the process of healing for everyone.

Lynn Serafinn

Author, coach, book promotions

http://lynnserafinn.com

Maria Gamb, author of "Healing the Corporate World"

Today I have the great pleasure of being the host on Day 5 of the Virtual Blog Tour for Healing the Corporate World by author Maria Gamb.

Written by former Fortune 500 executive, Maria Gamb, who spent more than 20 years trailblazing businesses valued at upwards of $100 million, Healing the Corporate World is a cutting-edge book examining the deep, and usually unspoken, ailment of the modern corporate world, offering solutions for healing at a personal, financial and even spiritual level. By showing the reader “the four cycles of transformational leadership”, Maria provides business leaders, from solo entrepreneurs to corporate senior executives, practical answers on how to transform their organizations from the inside out, and become “Change Agents”, consciously creating their own reality.

Yesterday, Maria visited Liz Pabon at www.lizpabon.com/blog. For today’s stop on the tour, I decided to ask Maria some questions about self-sabotage, feelings of powerlessness in the workplace, and how to rise above them.

*   *   *   *   *

Lynn: You mention in your book that some of us actually sabotage or compromise our own success. In your experience, what are some of the most common ways we do it?

Maria: Often times we engage in competitive behaviors, defensiveness and/or our values are compromised. But ultimately this all goes back to the same thing: we’re afraid that we’ll be found out as “not being good enough” or that potentially we believe there isn’t “enough” to go around. That means not enough opportunities, not enough resources to share, not enough praise or recognition.  These are actually basic needs: to be seen, heard and recognized.  By engaging in these “not enough” behaviors and attitudes, we often alienate those around us who can contribute directly to success.

Lynn: You mention in your book that it is vital to build teams that reflect our core values. What advice can you give for doing that when there are so many different value systems at play, and when some people in the workplace might not even be in touch with their own values?

Maria: It’s important for the individual business professional to decide what is most important to them.  If it’s honesty, for example, then you would need to quantify exactly what that means in specific, actionable terms.  Doing this helps to create a very clear framework of reference rather than an abstract ideal that will be hard for others to fulfil.  More importantly, it will be challenging for the individual to know or experience that value in another human being without this quantifiable method.

People will be different, but that’s the beauty of this.  In fact, my suggestion is to decide on 2-3 core values or beliefs of what they feel is most valuable for their team members to embody and then build that team.  There will never be a 100% perfect match where everyone has the same values, but it is important to pick the ones that matter most to you.  What you’re doing in this process is insuring that you’re all on the same page with regards to your rules of engagement in how you will work together and with others.

Lynn: You talk about “blazing a new trail no matter where you are.” What words of encouragement do you have for people who see themselves as powerless and at the “bottom of the food chain” in their business environment?

Maria: People are only victims if they choose to take on that role.  That is a belief that no one will ever hear them or understand or appreciate what they have to offer.  The truth is that the individual has to believe in themselves first and what they have to offer as truly valuable.  When they do they do not feel powerless.

A majority of the book is based on helping the reader to understand that they create their work environments and outcomes.  They are in control of their happiness and security when they work through the processes outlined.  Those who may perceive themselves as at the bottom of the food chain may not feel they can make any real difference on the scale they’d like.  However, when they begin integrating this work into their lives they first change the immediate environment and effectiveness, which builds to greater influence to those around them.  That’s the point: to use your influence in a positive manner.  But first, you’ve got to start exercising those beliefs and values into your personal and professional life first.

Lynn: A lot of your work focuses on corporate environment and teams. Most of my clients are solo-preneurs who don’t work within the same kind of environment. How can these kinds of people apply your principles? What will it bring them and their business?

Maria: The beauty of the content in the book is that it applies to all those in business, not necessarily just large corporations.  Many entrepreneurs dream of having large businesses with a huge earning potential.  That sounds like they want to build their own legacy within their niche.  The tools, tips and processes outlined in the book are universal. They share what it takes to be a person in business who creates solid, healthy relationships and influence.  With that influence they have a decision to make about how they want to use that success: to take care of themselves and their families only or to help others too.  You see, the concept of commerce was built to bring the flow of goods, services and opportunities, including the flow of money, into the world.  Entrepreneur or executive, both are engaged in this exchange.  So why not use the tools for building a more compassionate and conscious business from the start – when the entrepreneur has the dream or idea then begins to bring it into the world.  What this system brings is positive influence and affluence: the fulfilment of one’s purpose and a deeper understanding of what you’re doing and why it’s so important.

*   *   *   *   *

I hope you enjoyed this interview with Maria Gamb and that you’ll check out her new book Healing the Corporate World, which is coming to Amazon on Tuesday October 12, 2010.

You can receive a complete library of beautiful personal development gifts when you buy the book on the day of its launch, including one from me: a special report called “Why Nice People HATE Marketing” (it’s actually a sneak peek at some of the content from my upcoming book).

In addition, Maria is hosting an exciting FREE 4-day telesummit entitled “Transforming Business from the Inside Out” on October 4th – 7^th with a distinguished panel of 9 of today’s most innovative authors and speakers on becoming the ‘Change Agent’ in your business, in your life and in the world!

If you’d like to attend, all you have to do is request a “launch reminder” about the book, and you’ll receive all the information to attend. If you cannot make the live event, you can download the audio at your convenience.

To find out how to buy Maria’s BOOK and receive these gifts,
including the FREE pass to the 4-day online telesummit, go to

http://www.healingthecorporateworld.com

AND you can read all about the TELESUMMIT and the guests at

http://www.healingthecorporateworld.com/telesummit.html

Be sure to follow Maria tomorrow when the next stop on his Virtual Blog Tour is Geoff Laughton’s blog at www.spiritedmusings.com.

As usual, please do feel free to share your comments and thoughts below. I love reading your feedback.

Lynn Serafinn takes a look at the “2012 phenomenon” and tells you about a FREE event Sept 14-16 where 9 leading authors and speakers discuss “the Shift” occurring on our planet today.

Have a look for yourself. Google the term “end of the world predictions throughout history” and see how many amusing articles you will find on “failed” predictions, and how many times the world simply didn’t end.

Given all that experience, you would think our society would have given up on “end of the world as we know it” predictions, and take faith that, while the world is constantly in a state of flux and change, life moves onward regardless.

So why is it that nowadays people are getting all hyped up about the “2012” phenomenon?

By now, most of you know that the year 2012 (more specifically, the date of December 21, 2012) is the end of the Mayan calendar. Predictions of what might happen have been appearing in the media at both extremes of the spectrum, from catastrophic polar shifts to spontaneous ascension to a higher dimension. And amidst these extremes, my guess is there is a vast silent majority of people who believe December 21, 2012 will be a day just like any other and that life will simply move on as usual.

Personally, I do believe 2012 will be a year of change, but I believe this change will be a subtle conglomerate of all three of the above outlooks.

• While I do not particularly think the Earth will roll over on its axis, I do see unnatural shifts in the environment occurring around us, and humankind seems to have had a hand in much of it. But then, amidst this environmental imbalance, I also see thousands of grass-roots movements on the planet cropping up who hold the core belief that we humans must re-establish our emotional and spiritual connection with our planet.

• I see our economies collapsing, and again it is largely the result of our own miscalculations and anxieties. But again, amidst this collapse, I see people becoming immensely creative in developing new economic paradigms that will change our world significantly in the coming generations.

• And amidst all this environmental and economic upheaval, I also see a greater percentage of the population becoming disheartened with the “old way” of leading their lives, and seeking pathways to a higher Self and more integrated way of being. In the workshops I have delivered over the past year, I see people going further and reaching higher levels more quickly than in the past. Whether this is “cosmological” or a purely social phenomenon doesn’t really matter. The fact is, more and more people are becoming interested in raising their own consciousness and cultivating their own personal spirituality.

I don’t believe the “end” is coming, but the world IS changing; and we are part of that great and wonderful change.

So what really lies ahead?

One of my spiritual author clients, Ms E.Dee Conrad, addresses this very question in her upcoming book A New Dawn Awaits, which is coming to Amazon on Tuesday September 21st. To celebrate the launch of her book, E.Dee and I thought the topic was so compelling that we have coordinated a very special 3-day FREE online event with a great line-up of guest speakers. We would love for you to attend.

It’s called:

“The Shift. The Message. The Transformation”

DATES:

Tues Sept 14, Wed Sept 15 and Thurs Sept 16

TIME:

9am – 10.30am PDT

12pm – 1.30pm EDT

5pm – 6.30pm UK

Register FREE at http://virtualspiritualevents.com/

Over these 3 days, you will hear from 9 of today’s leading authors and speakers on the subject of consciousness and the great “shift” that is taking place on our planet today. Our guests include:

• Hunt Henion, author of four books, including the bestseller, Looking, Seeing & Knowing
• Bill Douglas, Tai Chi master and author of 2012 The Awakening
• Christian Kyriacou, Energy Healer, Ki Architect and House Whisperer
• Tambra Harck, spiritual teacher, radio host and author of the book Sacred Truths
• Jeff Fasano, photographer, author, angelic channeler
• Alan Seale, award-winning author, and leadership/transformation coach
• Tracy Latz and Marion Ross, “Shift” Doctors, and co-authors of the bestseller SHIFT: a woman’s guide to transformation.
• And of course, E.Dee and I will be co-hosting the discussion and offering our own thoughts and insights.

This telesummit is absolutely free. You can listen either via telephone or via webcast. And if you cannot make the live event, register anyway, because you can download the audio anytime up to 30 days after the event.

Again, to reserve your place, just go to http://virtualspiritualevents.com/. You can even send in a question you would like to ask the panel.

ALSO, at the telesummit, E.Dee and I will be telling you how you can receive a complete library of 30 personal development gifts when you purchase her inspiring new book A New Dawn Awaits on September 21st, including a free mini-eCourse entitled “Making Friends with the Monsters Under Your Bed” from me, which can help you recognise your own limiting beliefs, to make way for your own conscious evolution.

I do hope you will join us on Sept 14, 15 and 16 for “The Shift. The Message. The Transformation.”

As E.Dee says in her book:

“The end is not near, but the future is.”

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn
Spirit Authors Coach

http://spiritauthors.com/contact

For more information about E.Dee and her book,
A New Dawn Awaits,
visit http://edeeconrad.com

About Lynn Serafinn

Lynn Serafinn is a an award-winning 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 few months. She is also the creator of Spirit Authors, which offers training, coaching, business-building and inspiration for mind-body-spirit authors, whether established or aspiring. To contact Lynn for coaching, campaign management or media appearances, please fill in the form at http://spiritauthors.com/contact.

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Illustration from the book 'Check Mates'

OCD – Understanding, Not Just Awareness

It might sound like a surprising thing to say, but Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder affects pretty much everyone. Maybe you have it yourself. Or perhaps your partner has it, or your sibling, or an old childhood friend, or maybe your next-door neighbour. You might not even be aware of it, but the chances are high that you know someone who is obsessive-compulsive.

In recent years, OCD has become more publicly discussed, with celebrities coming forward and admitting they are afflicted by the condition. Yet when David Beckham went public with his diagnosis, much of the world made jokes and laughed. There was little consideration for his lifelong struggle with his own mind, or the difficulties it might pose for his family. There was even less acknowledgment that most people are at least a little obsessive-compulsive themselves.

Despite the growing awareness of such conditions, stereotypes persist…and an inspiring (and inspired) group of writers have boldly decided to do something about that. Together, they have compiled a groundbreaking new book Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD.

Check Mates, edited by Vrinda Pendred, is the first ever collection of fiction, poetry and artwork about OCD, by people with OCD – the real experts on the subject. It also marks the launch of Conditional Publications, the only dedicated publishing house for writers with any kind of neurological condition.

Divided between ‘Realism’ and the ‘Beyond’, this book drives the absurdity and horror of OCD straight home. It has been put together by writers and artists from around the world, and showcases a wide range of emotions, from love to hate, joy to rage, fear and sorrow to hope and optimism. There’s even a little bit of humour! I think everyone will find something to relate to.

What it doesn’t do is shy away from the truth. Every angle is covered, no matter how painful, which makes for a startling and moving read.

If you have OCD, you’re going to find yourself in this book and realise you’re definitely not alone. If you don’t have OCD…you’re probably going to find a little of yourself anyway, because that’s what this book does: it forces us to look at our own neuroses. I think this book is set to crack wide open a few stereotypes that have been flying around for far too long.

And what makes this book even more special, is that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every single copy of Check Mates will be donated to OCD charities.

Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD is coming to Amazon on 11 May 2010. To show my support of this inspirational new book,  to everyone who buys Check Mates on the day of the launch, I am giving away a FREE copy the “Making Friends With the Monsters Under Your Bed” mini-course to help anyone overcome anxieties, fears, insecurities and negative self-talk, whether OR not you have OCD.

AND… In addition to my gift, there are over 30 other wonderful gifts being offered by mind-body-spirit teachers, authors, coaches and healers from around the planet when you purchase Check Mates: A Collection of Fiction, Poetry and Artwork about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by People with OCD on May 11^th.

AND … Vrinda Pendred, editor and co-author of Check Mates, and a genuine artist of surreal fiction, is giving away an EXTRA special gift of her own: ‘The Passenger’, an unpublished short story about Tourette Syndrome. And yes, Vrinda herself has Tourette Syndrome, OCD and other neurological conditions.

AND… would it be just TOO unprofessional of me to mention that the lovely and talented Vrinda happens to be my very own daughter? I am more than just a little bit proud of what she is doing, and I have to say this book is absolutely gripping. Very impactful, it touches me on just so many levels.

To find out how you can buy this book on May 11^th, claim your free copy of ‘The Passenger’, and receive over 30 other gifts, just click HERE

Or copy and paste this link in your browser:

http://conditionalpublications.com/pages/check-mates-launch.html

I hope you will join me in celebrating the launch of this unique book, Check Mates, the first ever collection of fiction, poetry and artwork about OCD.

Be sure to sign up for a “launch reminder”, and then mark your diary for May 11^th!

Patrick Ryan

Today is stop number 3 on the Virtual Blog Tour for Patrick Ryan’s book Awakened Wisdom – A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance, which is coming to Amazon on Tuesday April 20. Yesterday, Patrick stopped at Schall Adam’s Girlfriend Mentors Site. For more awakened wisdom, be sure you check out Schall’s interview at http://www.mygirlfriendmentors.com/blog

“As students, we see our teachers come and go. After we leave, rarely do we get the chance to come back to tell them how they have impacted our lives. It is difficult to explain how the act of telling a teacher he changed your life can make you feel complete. What greater privilege can there be than to be able to tell someone, ‘You are the person who awakened my soul from its slumber; you were the vessel whence I found my voice.’”

This is a passage from my book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self wherein I describe the feeling I had when I was reunited with a particularly influential teacher from my past after 33 years.  It is a wonderful thing to be able to glorify and give back something to our teachers and mentors, no matter how old we are. That is why, with great delight, I wish to share with you the highlights of a recent interview I conducted with one of my personal mentors, Patrick Ryan.

Patrick Ryan is an executive coach, leadership trainer, spiritual teacher and author. He was one of two leaders (the other is the wonderful Mary Butler) who trained, held and watched me evolve when I was on the 10-month Co-Active Leadership programme in 2007-2008 in Spain. Patrick and Mary’s expert training transformed my life in the most profound way and I can say without reservation that I seriously doubt I would be doing what I am doing today had I not crossed paths with them. After the course was over, I also had the great pleasure of talking Patrick’s workshop Awakened Wisdom when he delivered it in London (a rare treat). It was on that 3-day course that I stood up in front of a room of people and declared boldly that I was finally stepping into the (somewhat scary) call to become an internationally known author and spiritual teacher, no longer hiding from my own Essence. And the rest, as they say, is history… and the future is still unfolding, minute by minute.

So of course, when Patrick asked me to be the manager for the launch of his book Awakened Wisdom – A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance, which was the long awaited book version of the teaching he had been transmitting through his workshop for many years, it was a no-brainer. What an opportunity to be able to give something back to one of the people who shaped my life so profoundly. In a nutshell, I simply want other people to enjoy and bask in the simple wisdom of his teachings. I also want Patrick to enjoy what he deserves by seeing his book reach thousands—perhaps millions—of people.

As part of the promotion for his book release, I had the great pleasure to interview Patrick on my radio show Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul on March 24^th. It was a wonderful interview, and I thought as part of the Virtual Blog Tour, it would be perfect to share the highlights from that interview with you.

You can hear or download the complete interview in the player below:

If it does not appear correctly on your screen, you can grab it online at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn/2010/03/24/ep-58-living-an-awakened-life

Here are some of the highlights of that interview:

Wisdom Gained From a Near-Death Experience

When Patrick was in his late teens, he “died”, his body being kept alive only from CPR. During that time, he “met the Divine,” which he describes as “that wisdom that is of this Universe and that this Universe is of”. He said this meeting, “Woke me up in a most profound way to the mystery and the ultimate nature of this world we are living in.”

He said, “That experience allowed me to see that there is a profound Wisdom holding this Universe. It enabled me to trust that that Wisdom ‘just is’, but at the same time it provided me no answers. So, I still had to go and figure it out. And that really is the journey all of us are on: ‘figuring it out’. And I think the thing we’re figuring out, at the core of it, is ‘who is the one that is walking the walk of this life?’ And, at the end of the path, when you keep dropping the veils, and move further and further into the Essence of that answer, you find there is no distinction between you and your neighbours, no distinction between you and the animals and the forest, or even the organisation you work for, and that we are just this one entity, this one Being that reflects back and forth who we are to each other.”

Reflections on Hearing and Answering Our “Call”

Patrick was leading a life on an entrepreneur, but was always interested in what makes people behave the way they do. He said he woke up one day curious about what else was “out there.” He felt “called”.

“But like with any call,” he says, “you usually cannot see the path ahead with much clarity. So it requires you to take a leap and just enter onto that path.”

I asked him, “What are some clues that people are hearing ‘a call’ in their life?”

He said, “For me, and also for a lot of people I was spoken with, some of the common factors include a ‘stirring within’, a sense of dissatisfaction with life as it is today, and a desire to touch into a deeper meaning or purpose. There’s a wanting to get more fulfilment or more congruency between our moving through every day and the higher levels of values we know exist, even if we don’t understand what they are.”

“I had always dreamed about going on a walkabout,” he continued. “That dream had never left me. And that’s something people should pay attention to. What’s the recurring, nagging, dream that won’t leave you alone? First it knocks gently, and then it shakes you harder, and at some point, if it’s important enough, it’s probably going to create something in your life much more dramatic until you ‘get it’.”

Experience as a Monk in Burma

Patrick told his story of how he became a monk in a monastery in Burma in the mid 90s, even though he had no such prior intention, nor did the monastery have a policy of taking on western disciples (he goes into this story in greater detail in his first book The Eagle’s Call).

He gave us a little taste about the essence of the teachings he received during his time as a monk, as well as a student of many shamans and other masters around the world. He said, “At the end of the day, I’m a very practical guy, and as much is it is easy to become seduced by the mysticism and big words around spirituality, it’s very important to me to be able to ground it to my daily life in such a way that makes sense. That’s why I created the ‘Eight States of an Awakened Life’ that my book Awakened Wisdom is based upon.”

Distorted Self, Divine Essence and the Observer

Patrick went on to explain the three-part aspects of our nature: the “Observer”, the “Distorted self” and our “Divine Essence”. He said it’s important to know “who’s in your shoes” at any particular moment in life.

He describes the “Distorted self” and the voice in us that “wants to take us out of the game” and “hold us in a zone of safety and comfort” and “whispers messages to us like ‘you’re not ready for that yet, if you do that people won’t like you, etc.” He said that it is interesting how the body will so often respond to this by getting ill on the very day you are meant to do something you fear, etc. He said, the more the “Distorted self” takes over the decision making in our lives, the more isolated we become and the more ‘self’ there is in us.

“On the other side, we have that part of us that is infinitely wise, that moves with the wisdom of what we acquired in this life, and also that goes beyond what can be explained by what we received in this life. This is the one in us that does not get caught in fear—the one that is about creating beauty in the world, about bringing life-giving energy into the world and transmitting it outward. It’s the one that can go into an organisation and sit in a meeting and speak the truth about what’s really going on, in a way that makes everyone go ‘Wow, you just nailed it. That’s exactly what we needed to hear.’ That aspect of us, I call the ‘Divine Essence’ because the more connect you get to this aspect, the less ‘self” there is in it.”

He said that our “Observer” is that other part of ourselves that is able to report the facts in life clearly and without judgment. Both Divine Essence and Distorted self are receiving the report from the Observer and “we get to choose who we’re going to put in charge.”

The Eight States of an Awakened Life

In the last part of our interview, Patrick named and described his “Eight States of an Awakened Life”.

1. A Good State of Intention
2. A Good State of Words
3. A Good State of Being
4. A Good State of Purpose
5. A Good State of Effort
6. A Good State of Practice
7. A Good State of Doing
8. A Good State of Understanding

He then offered a few REALLY simple and very profound practical example of how to apply the principles. If you wish to hear more, please listen to the audio.

Book coming to Amazon Tuesday April 20, 2010

I also strongly encourage you to buy Patrick’s book Awakened Wisdom – A Guide to Reclaiming Your Brilliance. Dozens of leaders in the mind-body-spirit field have joined together to support Patrick in celebration of the coming of this book, and are offering over 40 free gifts to everyone who purchases it on the day of its Amazon launch on Tuesday April 20^th.

I myself am offering 4 audio meditations from my transformation workshop The Garden of the Soul, to cultivate the four spiritual principles of Giving, Receiving, Becoming and Being. To be sure you receive this gift, along with all the others, just go to http://www.awakenedwisdom.com/Public/Amazon/BookLaunch/index.cfm and sign up for launch reminder so you remember to buy the book on April 20th.

Tomorrow, Thursday April 8, Patrick stops at Caron Goode’s “Intuitive Parenting” site. It should be really interesting. Check it out at http://intuitiveparenting.wordpress.com

“Imagine a life through which you managed to rise above the fears and concerns that always linger faithfully in the background, haunting us with their song of intended safety, always with the purpose of keeping the status quo. Imagine a life without those messages you tell your Self about what you can’t do, or those messages that diminish the brilliance of who you are in any way. You know the voice I mean.