Equipment
The good news is, you don’t need any fancy equipment for this one. I am using a Tribest “personal” smoothie maker, and I imagine a good blender would also do the trick. For me, my personal smoothie maker is perfect because I live alone, and there is no waste or leftovers. It’s also extremely energy efficient because it is tiny, and you only need to run it for a few seconds to make your soup. The recipe below is for ONE serving (about 12 oz/400ml). If you have a larger blender/smoothie maker, and want to make more soup, just increase the amounts as desired.

Note: If you don’t have organic veg, or you don’t have whole spices to grind, you can still make this recipe, but really the taste is completely different. And if you think you don’t have time to make this, my TOTAL preparation time was LESS THAN 5 MINUTES!

Ingredients
First of all, I highly recommend getting your produce from a local organic farm. I just started ordering a weekly fruit and veg box from Riverford organic. They deliver it fresh right to your door. I have to tell you, the asparagus was SO tender, it was like eating a completely different vegetable from anything I’ve ever had before (and the humus I got from them was simply to die for!).

• 50 gm organic tofu (about 1” x 3” x 3” block)
• 6-8 stalks organic asparagus
• ¼ bulb organic fennel
• ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
• ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon powdered kelp (optional; I add this to boost my sluggish thyroid as it’s rich in iodine)
• 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin organic olive oil
• 1/2 cup water. The water should either be room temperature or slightly warm, if you prefer warmer soup. Do NOT use very hot or boiling water, as it will expand in the blender AND it will also kill off the nutrients.

How to make it:

• Grind peppercorns and cumin seed with a mortar and pestle (you can use powdered, but it simply isn’t the same!). Set aside.
• Cut tofu into 1/2” chunks and put in blender cup. Put in just enough water to cover them.
• Blend tofu until it is a smooth cream.
• Chop asparagus and fennel into small enough chunks to get around the blade of the blender. Put into blender and pulse until chunky.
• Add ground pepper, salt, cumin, kelp and olive oil. Blend for 30-40 seconds.
• Your soup is READY to eat! If it’s too thick, and some water (slightly warm if you want warmer soup).

This is awesome with a couple of slices of toasted no-yeast rye bread with humus. What a TASTE!

Ok… so why am I REALLY talking about soup?

Environment: Earlier this year, I took a “10/10″ pledge in which I vowed to cut my fossil-fuel consumption down by 10% in the year 2010. You might think reaching this goal is a diffcult thing to acheive, but something as simple as making raw organic asparagus soup can help you get started. How?

• If you buy your organic produce from a local farm, like I did, you are saving on “food miles” as they are not being flown to you from the other side of the planet. It’s even BETTER if it comes from your OWN garden.
• Coming from the local farm, and not the local supermarket, there is NO packaging or waste at all. Even the little bits of veggies that I didn’t throw into the smoothie maker I put into my compost bin, and it will be helping to grow vegetables in my back garden later this summer.
• Running a little 200 watt blender for 40 seconds takes a LOT less energy (and costs a lot less money) than cooking a pot of homemade soup on the hob for 20-30 minutes, so it’s very economical, too.

Health: Eating veggies that are local means they are fresher, and packed with nutrients. The longer the gap between when your fruit/veg has been picked and when you consume it, the more nutrients are lost. Also, eating with the seasons (as organic farms provide you only season produce) will also improve your health, as it puts your body “in synch” with your environment, giving your greater immunity.

Spirituality: There is something very spiritual about getting closer to Source by eating organic, local, fresh and uncooked. I don’t think I will ever go 100% raw, but I have to tell you, when you eat something like this, you feel like you are tasting the Sun and the Earth, and that’s pretty special. It helps you feel connected, and lets you know that you are safe in this big, vast Universe.

Fun and Creativity: It’s actually pretty cool to make up new concoctions. I make up something new every day. I had a delicious melon and plum smoothie before. Sheer nectar! In fact, what’s so neat is that just about ANYTHING you toss into the smoothie maker can be turned into something really tasty and interesting. Experiment and set yourself free!

Closing thoughts
Today, I found out another close friend of mine has breast cancer. Mind you, this particular woman is one of the most health conscious people I know, so if it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone. I do believe the high incidence of cancer in today’s world is due to us being just so disconnected from the Source of life, both in our food, and our state of being in general. Our failing health is a symptom that we human beings are craving a return to a more natural state of living in harmony with the Earth. And the good news is, I firmly believe it is “do-able.”

I took the 10/10 pledge because I love our Planet, and I also believe our dependency upon petroleum is simply a recipe for disaster, for so many reasons.

Let’s not consume THAT recipe. Instead, let’s start (un)cooking up our own recipes. I’ve done many things this year to make good on my 10/10 promise. If you do only one thing this year and nothing else, start off by making a pledge to buy local produce. Or better yet, how about starting a vegetable garden in your backyard? I’ve just done this with the help of a neighbourhood woman, as part of the new “garden share” project we at Transition Bedford are hoping to get going this year. But more on that another day.

Lynn Serafinn

I wanted to celebrate the occasion in style, so I had in mind I wanted an extra special guest for that particular broadcast. I am delighted to tell you who he is.

Tony Juniper

On Wednesday 20 January, at 6pm UK/1pm EST, I will be hosting campaigner, writer, sustainability adviser and one of the UK’s best known environmentalists, Tony Juniper. A dynamic and inspiring speaker, and often referred to as an “Eco Hero”, Tony has worked for the last 25 years for change toward a more sustainable society at local, national and international levels. Amongst his almost endless list of personal and professional experiences, he has served as Vice-Chair of Friends of the Earth International, and is currently Special Adviser to the Prince of Wales Rainforests Project, Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic’s new Green Magazine supplement, and is the Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge, England.

On this very special anniversary edition, Tony and I will discuss his thesis of “Harmony” as taken from the upcoming book of the same name he is currently writing with Prince Charles and Ian Skelly, and is scheduled for publication by Harper Collins in autumn 2010. Tony will tell us about the present state of environmentalism, what we’ve achieved and not achieved, and what’s next for humanity at this time in history, and explain how the solutions to the ecological and economic problems we now face at a planetary level are not due so much to our political, technological or corporate systems, but rather to the fundamental fact that we as a culture have become disconnected from the Earth, and are illiterate as to how nature works and how we as humans fit into the natural order on a cosmological and spiritual level.

On the air, Tony will offer us some easy, joyful and practical ways to re-engage and reconnect with our planet and re-establish the true, holistic harmony that is meant to sing within every human soul.

You absolutely will NOT want to miss this most important and truly inspiring show.

In keeping with the theme of the show, I will also read the “Harmony Meditation” from my upcoming book, “The Companion Guide to the Garden of the Soul”.

Listeners can listen LIVE or “on demand” any time at
http://ow.ly/UvBM

You can also subscribe to the show via iTunes. Just look for Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul on BlogTalkRadio
http://blogtalkradio.com/Lynn-Serafinn

PRESS RELEASE: WOBURN, BEDFORDSHIRE – 18 November 2009 – Today at Woburn Sculpture Gallery, Bedfordshire Businesswomen (BBW), a not-for-profit networking organisation for women who live and/or have business interests in the Bedfordshire area, now in its 21^st year, announced their annual business awards for outstanding achievement in various categories. Amongst the six winners for the 2009 awards, which were sponsored by Barclays Bank, was Lynn Serafinn, a Bedford-based community leader, transformation coach, personal development trainer, public speaker, radio host and bestselling author of the book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. Ms Serafinn received the BBW award for “Working within a Community Organisation or Not-for-Profit Organisation” owing to her work as Founder of the Global Wellness Circle, and also as the Chair of Transition Bedford, a new initiative that is part of the worldwide Transition Network addressing climate change and fossil fuel dependency.

In spring 2008, Ms Serafinn noticed that there was a large faction of practitioners in the holistic health and wellbeing industry who felt isolated both professionally and socially, having no way to promote their businesses or to educate the public about the benefits of living a more natural, holistic lifestyle. In response to this, she formed the Global Wellness Circle (GWC) in May 2008, first in Bedford, but within a few months it rapidly expanded to other parts of the UK. GWC is a community of independent holistic practitioners and members of the general public, whose primary aims are to provide the public with information, education, support and access to a range of quality services and products in holistic and natural health, as well as to provide a truly inclusive social environment fostering open-mindedness, light-heartedness, fun and overall positivity, thus creating an atmosphere of holistic wellness. Now with five chapters (Bedford, Cambridge, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead, with another proposed in Dunstable for 2010), and having grown to a wider community of nearly 500 people in central UK, GWC is currently in the process of applying to become a CIC (Community Interest Company/Social Enterprise), with the aim of expanding their ability to help the wider community lead happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Being truly passionate about helping people feel greater connection to themselves, to each other and to the Earth, Ms Serafinn had the opportunity to expand the parameters of her community work when, in June 2009, she was asked to serve as Chair of the newly formed Transition Bedford, a volunteer community initiative whose objective is to create a plan for a sustainable Bedford, addressing everything from climate change and energy, to education and community. Transition Bedford is part of the larger Transition Town Network of over 1500 towns, villages and urban neighbourhoods worldwide, which is a grass-roots initiative addressing the shift away from fossil fuel dependency and towards a sustainable environment by taking definitive, community-driven action in response to climate change and the impending impact of peak oil upon our lifestyle.

As Chair of Transition Bedford, Lynn leads awareness-raising events, community meetings and steering group meetings, and represents the initiative in a variety of public settings. Borrowing from her skills as an online promotion expert and personal development trainer, she also created and maintains their blog, coordinates their online social networking, writes articles and media releases, and offers both free and low-cost training to the public.

She says, “The link between the Global Wellness Circle and Transition Bedford is really pretty seamless. GWC in central UK can easily provide a link between the health and wellbeing sector and the Transition Town initiatives in our local regions, by helping society make the transition to a healthier lifestyle in which we relearn many of the human skills, such as herbal medicine, natural remedies, organic farming and food production, that enable us to be well, rather than compelling us to invent new technologies to fight disease.

Ms Serafinn is no newcomer to community work. Originally from the US, she worked in the 1990s with the Interfaith Action Coalition in Phoenix Arizona, helping to coordinate large-scale events that crossed cultural and religious boundaries and brought together thousands of members of the community who would not otherwise have been connected. In 1997, she was one of the founders of a worldwide non-profit organisation called GOKUL, which sponsored and coordinated world lecture tours of some of India’s leading spiritual teachers. In that capacity, she also created and managed their website, and was the anonymous audio transcriber/editor of several books on eastern mysticism published by that organisation.

Lynn is also no stranger to receiving accolades. Coming from a long history in the music industry, she was the recipient of the National Defence Foreign Language Fellowship in the 1980s, which enabled her to study music and philosophy in India, and she co-wrote and produced a number-1 electronic dance club track in the 1994. In 2005, she received the Microsoft UK Innovative Teacher of the Year Award for her creative use of technology in the Further Education sector. In 2007, her coaching company Create-a-Life won the “Best of Bedford Business Awards” for the best Health and Beauty Company, after only 7 months of practice. And most recently, her self-published book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self became an Amazon bestseller in both the US and the UK when it was released in April 2009, outselling such prominent authors in the same category as Deepak Chopra, Eckhart Tolle and Neal Donald Walsch. As a result, she is in demand as a speaker and coach on the topic of self-publishing and book marketing, and has also received countless letters from readers, thanking her for the healing her writing has brought them.

In addition to her community work in central UK, Lynn extends her influence to people all over the world via her weekly Internet radio show “Lynn Serafinn’s Garden of the Soul”. She says her core belief is that every human being is the hero of his or her own life, and that all facets of her work are aimed at helping others unlock their natural-born hero.

Transition Bedford, whose official launch event is being planned for mid-2010, will be working closely together with groups like Zero Carbon Castle, Sustainable Oakley, Goldington Golden Gardens, the Global Wellness Circle, Mile End Allotments and many others, as well as with Bedford College through their Education for Sustainable Development programme. The long-term goal will be to develop educational programmes, skills training and community projects that will not only raise public awareness, but will also help the town make the transition towards a more vibrant and self-reliant community in such areas of food and energy production, natural health, economy and environment.

“Our approach to climate change is not all doom and gloom, believe me,” says Ms Serafinn. “The real purpose of Transition Bedford is to help people feel uplifted and connected, and to allow them to see how essential a factor they are in the revitalisation of their town, and the world in general.”

Transition Bedford invite any and all members of the greater Bedford community, whether individuals, groups or businesses, to contact Lynn Serafinn at lynn [at] lynnserafinn [dot] com and get involved. You can also visit their blog at www.transitionbedford.org

###

ARTICLE REFERENCES

Bedfordshire Businesswomen website: http://www.beds-businesswomen.org/

TRANSITION BEDFORD CONTACT INFO:
Contact: Lynn Serafinn
Email: lynn [at] lynnserafinn [dot] com
Web: http://www.transitionbedford.org
Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/transition-bedford
Tel: 44+ (0)845 880 25 28

TRANSITION TOWN NETWORK:
Web: http://www.transitionnetwork.org

LYNN SERAFINN CONTACT INFO (AUTHOR, SPEAKER, TRAINING):
Email:lynn [at] lynnserafinn [dot] com
Web: http://www.lynnserafinn.com

LYNN SERAFINN COACHING AND TRAINING ENQUIRIES:
Email: info [at] create-a-life [dot] co [dot] uk
Web: http://www.create-a-life.co.uk

–        END –

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

Whether we are aware of it or not, the members of the Initiating Group (IG) at Transition Bedford are now evolving from the “forming” stage into the “storming” stage. Can you feel it? Entering the storm means we are making real progress, even if it seems unclear right now. So, at this important juncture, in hopes of taking us even further into the eye of the storm, I’d like to share some ideas which have been swirling about in my mind ever since my Transition Training in London. It has to do with media, our responsiveness to it, both conscious and unconscious, and our role as leaders in the community. After much reflection, I believe in our work within the Transition network, it is essential that we bear in mind

1. That we as an initiative will need to understand and address public emotions that may be stirred up by the media in all its forms (TV, film, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, pop culture, music, advertising, Internet, social media, etc)

2. That we will also need to become acutely aware of how WE ourselves are impacted by media, whether consciously or unconsciously

3. That we will need to know how to protect ourselves against succumbing to any unconscious unwanted impact, so we do not become “reactionary machines” instead of creative, resilient human beings, both individually and collectively.

4. That we will also need to become acutely aware of our own impact upon our community as we reach out to them.

5. That we will also (and most importantly) understand how to avoid unintended impact upon the community.

It is important to understand that these statements do NOT mean that we, as part of the Transition Network, are not entitled to our emotions. It would be an unreasonable expectation to think that we as humans should never feel angry, overwhelmed, grief-stricken, bitter, hopeless or cynical, especially when we are facing issues of such importance as climate change. Nor is it true that, by being part of a Transition Town initiative, we are expected to become super-humans or non-humans.

In fact, the truth is exactly the opposite.

We have to become human, pure and simple. And human means to understand emotions and how they impact us, so we can use them for our own expression, rather than feeling used by them. To be human does not mean controlling or suppressing emotions. Rather it means learning how to express them openly so that others also feel safe to express their own emotions in our presence. For in this process, trust is activated. And if our ultimate goal is to create community, trust is the most essential ingredient. Without it, there can be no community. Without community there can be no consensus. And without consensus, there can be no effective transition.

So if trust is the move essential ingredient, what does it mean to “protect ourselves” against unconscious impact? Doesn’t this sound like the opposite of trust? Not at all. Protecting ourselves means to be able to trust our own selves—our instincts, our feelings, our thoughts and our actions. It means knowing with certainty whether our actions are true responses to what is needed, or simply autonomous reactions to our own fears. And when we are able to make this distinction, and be truly confident in our self-trust, we have found the difference between enslavement and freedom.

But that works at an individual level, but what about at a community level? How does a community learn to trust itself? I have spoken with many other TT groups, and the question always comes back to, “How do we convert the unconverted?” In other words, “How do we get one part of the community to trust and believe another part of itself?”

If we ourselves are, consciously or not, enslaved by our own emotional reactions, caught in a web of our own fears, anger and frustrations over the state of the World, we would be hard-pressed to find anyone who would wish to come within 10 paces of our energetic range. And really, why in the world would they? If we flood people only with urgency, they will either swing towards us in a panic, or they will swing away from us in a panic. But if we stand powerfully within our own peacefulness combined with passion, love combined with laughter, optimism combined with sense of ongoing purpose, chances are far greater that people will learn to trust us just enough to listen to the more “urgent” message we might also wish them to hear, so they understand the matter fully. The answer to the question of converting the unconverted therefore is simply this: we will create precisely the energetic reaction in others that we ourselves project. If we wish to bring people into our wonderful vision of the future, we must first and foremost create the energy of that vision within ourselves. But if we are holding only the vision of what we wish to avoid and fear most, it will only drive people away from us. If we TT groups end up frustrated, wondering why we are having so much difficulty expanding their community, the first place to look should be our own emotional state. Within that lies the seeds of the impact we are creating in our community, whether intended or not. Our first responsibility, therefore, is to cultivate our own self-awareness. Without this, no action can take root in any lasting, effective way.

How do we start building this self-awareness? One way to start is simply by observing the energy shifts that media and other influences create both upon the public and upon ourselves. For instance, I notice that since I stopped watching television in Feb 2008, my anxiety about the economy has decreased radically, while many others around me (who watch the news on TV regularly) appear to be more stressed than ever. Of course I am not suggesting that everyone stop watching the News; I am merely noticing the impact. And in this noticing, I have valuable information upon which I can base my decisions for how I wish to communicate with others, and respond to the issues around me.

That is a very simple example, but the deeper we look, the more subtleties we will find and the more aware we will become. And as we become more aware, we become better at standing neutrally within our circumstances without impulsively reacting to them. By observing, we eventually will come to know what needs to be done and when in order to make the system work. With time, we will learn that it is sheer futility to try to nullify negative energy by pushing against it, and that if we do, we are only allowing our own energies to be drained away in the process. For the secret I have learned over the past months is this—the Transition Town movement is not only about creating sustainable energy for our technologies; it is also about creating sustainable energy for our hearts and minds. It is about creating a World and a lifestyle in which we ultimately feel more alive.

And what we might find in our quest for aliveness might surprise us. Falling back on the old “familiar” systems of fund-finding, establishing registered charities and other bureaucratic models may or may not result in breathing life into our community. We may feel these work well for us, or we might choose to toss them out altogether and create entirely new models. In the words of Buckminster Fuller, “You can never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” So the really important question for us now, as we begin to start the process of change together, is this: “How much fear are we ourselves holding onto that is preventing us from diving fully into the chaos of true creation?” It is vital that we deeply understand our own self-imposed limitations before we attempt to go out into society and expect it to change.

With regards to taking action, it was emphasised in the TT training, and I agree 100%, that while it is an easy temptation for us in new Initiating Groups to default into “jumping into action”, the more important thing is to understand ourselves first. If we jump into action primarily because our anxieties are being triggered, then we are simply reacting as a means to remove or avoid a discomfort. While emotions like anger or fear can stir us into action in the short term, they are not sustainable sources of energy. We risk burnout; and when we do burn out, we will find ourselves at the other extreme of passivity and apathy. When we simply react to stimuli, we get caught in the relentless pendulum swing between passive and aggressive. And we all know that a pendulum just keeps going over the same ground again and again, never really moving anywhere. It’s just like political systems that move continuously between Conservative and Liberal year in and year out. Reaction is not action, because it doesn’t take us anywhere.

To be effective as a Transition Town, we must learn deeply about the inner mechanisms that propel us to act or to react, both as individuals and as a community. It is only via this understanding that we can begin making a real “transition” away from the old paradigm and into the new. Our TT trainers stressed this over and over again and I would be remiss, especially as a life coach, if I didn’t hold the stake for this vital point.

And while I agree that “talk is cheap” if not backed by action and commitment, it is also not enough for us to jump into action, even if these actions bring about some degree of good. Everything we do inevitably creates an impact both in our local communities and on our Planet. Let us choose our impact carefully and not be satisfied merely with an endless stream of reactions. Let us create a legacy that results in the long-term transformation we envision.

So, as we begin our journey together into the eye of the storm, I encourage us to take time and care to really “land” this concept. If we want to make lasting change—and I know we do—we must first learn to operate within a new paradigm wherein we no longer simply react to stimuli, but we understand our own inner workings, and create vibrant solutions to the problems we may face. Ironically, to do that, in the beginning it will actually be necessary to take our focus away from the issues of climate change and peak oil for a little while, and to look first at who we are as human beings and what intrinsically joins us together beyond the “crisis”. This is not merely my own belief. Our trainers Nick Osborne and May East made expressed similar beliefs during our TT training. I don’t think I would be here at Transition Bedford if this were not the underlying ethos of the Transition Network.

I know some of my points may sound like “waffle” to some people. I know it might even create impatience, restlessness and irritability. And that is ok. All of that is symptomatic of the “storming” and “chaos” (to use M Scott Peck’s term) in the inevitable evolution of Transition Bedford becoming an actual community. I have faith in the process. I hope you do too.

Earth ~ Humanity ~ Connection

Warm wishes,

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Author, Transformation Coach, Trainer and Speaker
“Turning up the volume of the music in your heart!”

Lynn Serafinn’s Cosmic Universe (main site)
www.lynnserafinn.com

Training for the Inner Transition:
www.lynnserafinn.com/transition-trilogy-2009.html

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

Hi everyone,
Lynn Serafinn from Create-a-Life here. There is no denying that we live at a time in history where much of the world around us is changing. The changing economy is proving to be challenging for many. Climate change and the need to move away from fossil fuel dependency are becoming more and more apparent. At the same time, we are also 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.

Yes, we can see that society and the world at large is truly “in transition”. Transition brings change, and change brings regeneration– a chance for new beginnings. And while the prospect of change can be exciting, going through the process of change can also be daunting.

But what if the change were a beautiful journey? 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, but you were also able to discover your life’s calling, see your personal impact in the world, and claim a lasting legacy that says “I was here”?

This is the journey of Transformation.
And I would like to invite you to join me on it.

ANNOUNCING…
THE TRANSFORMATION TRILOGY
WEEKEND WORKSHOPS

Bedford, Bedfordshire (Oct, Nov, Dec 2009)
Totnes, Devon (Nov, Dec 2009, Jan 2010)

What is the Transformation Trilogy?
The Transformation Trilogy is a set of 3 non-residential weekend courses that help enable you to be the change you want to see in the world, and find out how your own transformation can create a new, exciting and more harmonious way of living for yourself, and for those around you.

Using the metaphor of “the Garden” to represent the Self (as depicted in my book The Garden of the Soul), each weekend covers in depth the 3 stages of transformation:

• “Weeding”: Making Friends with the Monsters Under Your Bed. Understanding self-sabotage; recognising your own limiting beliefs; strategies to relign your old patterns; reconnecting to your authentic self; integrating your awareness into your personal and professional relationships.
• “Seeding”: Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life (co-led with Vicki Goodyear). Hearing the call; facing your own resistance; understanding the hero’s journey; claiming your life purpose; seeing your impact; visioning your legacy; telling your hero’s story; stepping into your Authentic Hero in your personal and professional relationships.
• “Feeding”: The Garden of the Soul. Four Principles to help you restore balance and sustain connection to your Authentic Self. The Principle of Giving (passion, self-expression, etc); the Principle of Receiving (sense awareness, refilling your energy, etc); the Principle of Becoming (letting go of old emotions, rebirth, lessons from childhood, etc); the Principle of Being (peeling the onion; meeting who you are); integrating these principles in your personal and professional relationships.

Who is the Transformation Trilogy for?

• Anyone who finds it challenging or uncomfortable to express themselves clearly and openly in their work, family or personal relationships
• Anyone who wishes to find their Life Purpose, connect to their Higher Self, and express themselves more authentically in their lives, career and relationships
• Groups, teams and communities who wish to improve their interpersonal communication and relationships, both with each other and with external organisations or groups
• Managers and HR who want to be able to inspire and motivate staff rather than dictate and dominate
• Teachers, healers, counsellors, community workers and anyone who serves the public, who would like to be able to empower both themselves and others to become more self-reliant, balanced and confident
• Special invitation to Transition Town teams and other social reform groups, who want to gain valuable skills in knowing why people stay “stuck” or resistant to change, and how to facilitate the “inner transition” in their communities with ease and compassion. We will explore how to maintain and replenish your own energetic and creative resources when working with group energies, how to see what is needed in a challenging situation, and how to retain and return to your “centre” so you don’t “lose yourself” when faced with the process of change.

When and where are the Transformation Trilogy Workshops taking place?

Series 1: Bedford, Bedfordshire:
17/18 Oct; 14/15 Nov; 12/13 Dec

• Venue: Function Room, George & Dragon, 39 Mill Street, Bedford, MK40 3EU
• Travel: 15 min walk from Bedford train station; 5 min walk from Bedford bus station; car park within short walking distance
• Time: 9.30am – 5pm (Registration/coffee starts from 8.45 on Saturday)
• Food: Tea and coffee will be provided throughout the day. Lunch can be purchased separately either at the George and Dragon, or at any of the numerous cafes within easy walking distance.

Series 2: Totnes, Devon:
7/8 Nov; 5/6 Dec; 9/10Jan

• Venue: Rudolf Steiner School South Devon, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6AB
• Travel: About 3 miles outside Totnes Town centre. More details to follow.
• Time: 9.30am – 5pm (Registration/coffee starts from 8.45 on Saturday)
• Food: Tea and coffee will be provided throughout the day. You will have ample time to go into town for lunch, or you may join us in a group lunch where  everyone brings something to share.

About the workshop leaders…

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC is an award-winning transformation coach/teacher, best-selling author, public speaker, personal development trainer, radio host, Founder of the Global Wellness Circle and Chair of Transition Bedford. Originally from the US, but living in Bedford, Bedfordshire, Lynn is co-active leadership graduate and brings with her years of experience in both the educational field and the music industry. She is highly creative and creates a sense of fun and permission to play full-out in all around her.

* * * * *

Vicki Goodyear is a co-active coach, NLP practitioner, co-active leadership graduate and active workshop leader living in Totnes, Devon.  She brings with her years of experience as a dancer, nurse and holistic body therapist. She is also a licensed leader of the “Mastery of Self-Expression”, an acting-based workshop which uses performance to help others learn how to express their authentic selves. In all she does, Vicki uses her keen intuition and sense of play to help others learn how to surrender, let go of inner resistance, get centred, and connect with both self and others.

* * * * *

What do the workshops cost?
We are extremely sensitive to the current economic climate, and we would love to see you every single one of you (and your friends!) on these courses. To ensure that everyone who wants to attend is able to manage it financially, Vicki and I have decided to try an experiment we are calling the “Gratitude System”.

Normally these workshops would be £197-£247 per weekend, depending on the cost of the venue, but with the Gratitude System, we are asking that you pay a nominal non-refundable deposit of only £45 to cover some basic expenses. Then on Sunday after the course is over, you will be asked to give a cash gift of any amount to show your gratitude. This gift will be completely anonymous, and should be proportionate to YOUR financial ability, and to what you feel you gained from the course. This way, even those who are on low income should be able to attend.

We trust the integrity of our attendees. Any and all gifts, no matter how humble, will be accepted with love and gratitude.

BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW

Select your workshop(s)

Bedford – Monsters workshop £45.00 Bedford – Hero workshop £45.00 Bedford – Garden workshop £45.00 Bedford – Complete Trilogy £120.00 Totnes – Monsters workshop £45.00 Totnes – Hero workshop £45.00 Totnes – Garden workshop £45.00 Totnes – Complete Trilogy £120.00

What have people said about the Transformation Trilogy workshops?

“Awesome and exquisite. A life-changing experience!”
-Tebogo Machethe, entrepreneur
Johannesburg, South Africa

* * * * *

“I highly recommend this course! I loved the format, the structure, the clarity, the focus. The workbooks, with their concrete steps and spaces to be filled in, work very well … the program was very informative and very experimental …. I really liked how you inspired people … to integrate it into their lives. Lynn, I acknowledge you for your presence, your devotion, your powerful questioning and your love for the truth! I admire you as a woman, a coach, a teacher, a leader, for being courageous, and for encouraging others to claim the voice to express in their unique powerful way so we all make a difference on this planet.”
-Sabrina Werkmeister – Co-Active Coach
Maui, Hawaii

* * * * *

‘… Lynn had so much energy, passion and enthusiasm … It exceeded my expectations … I will highly recommend it to others … I got lots of great tips and tools to use with my students … and can apply many aspects to my work by incorporating things I learned today with the young people at the college.”
-Annie Manning – College Lecturer
Carshalton College, UK

* * * * *

‘… I have now learned to quieten the negative voices and listen to the strong positive voice inside. I have learned that knowing that you can and acting like you can help in the belief that anything is possible. And the most poignant thing I learned is that I am worthy, capable, versatile, gorgeous and great at anything I put my mind to.’
-Angela Mitchell – Vocalist, Music Producer, Teacher
South London, UK

* * * * *

What people have said about Lynn…

“Lynn is a brilliant and creative out-of-the-box thinker. Her impact is powerful…”
-Patrick Ryan, CPCC
Co-Active Coach, Author of The Eagle’s Call
Founder, Awakened Wisdom Experience
Vancouver, Canada

* * * * *

“Lynn has a gift for getting straight to the heart of your problem and is then tenacious enough to make you stick with it, while letting you work out the answers for yourself. She is direct, kind and one of the most spiritual people I have met.”
-Catherine Rose – Coaching Client
Author of The Bone Cradle
Bedfordshire

* * * * *

FAQs
Do I need to take all 3 workshops?
No. There is certainly a progression to the trilogy, and I encourage you to take all three if you can, as you will gain the most if you do. However, each workshop can be taken on its own and you will still gain quite a lot.

What if I end up not being able to attend after registering?
As the deposit is being used to cover expeneses, it is non-refundable. However, if you do have to cancel due to illness or other emergency (especially with all this flu going around!), you can either offer it to a friend, or apply it to another workshop or workshop series we will run in 2010. Venues to be announced in late 2009.

I’m not sure if I can make it. Will you be running them again soon?
We will be running the Trilogy in various locations in the UK in 2010, but it is unlikely we will return to either Bedfordshire or Devon before 8-10 months. As our numbers are limited on each course, if you are pretty certain you would like to attend, we recommend booking now and coming to a later series if you are unable to make it.

Won’t You Join Us for This Journey of Transformation?

SPACES ARE LIMITED.
PLEASE BOOK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Select your workshop(s)

Bedford – Monsters workshop £45.00 Bedford – Hero workshop £45.00 Bedford – Garden workshop £45.00 Bedford – Complete Trilogy £120.00 Totnes – Monsters workshop £45.00 Totnes – Hero workshop £45.00 Totnes – Garden workshop £45.00 Totnes – Complete Trilogy £120.00

For more information, please
contact Lynn Serafinn at:

Email: lynn [at] lynnserafinn [dot] com

Telephone: 0845 880 25 28

Website: http://www.lynnserafinn.com

Warm wishes,
Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Author, Personal Transformation Coach, Trainer and Speaker
“Turning up the volume of the music in your heart!”

Lynn Serafinn’s Cosmic Universe (main site/blog)
www.lynnserafinn.com

Create-a-Life Coaching and Training
www.create-a-life.co.uk

Tel: 44+ (0)845 880 25 28

To illustrate Bedford’s intelligence and to increase public awareness on these important issues, Transition Bedford will be hosting a free viewing of the film “In Transition” at the Ent Shed on Castle Road, MK40 3QY, on Wednesday 9 Sept 2009 at 7.30pm. Special guest at the event will be Chris Keene, a member of the “Zero Carbon Caravan”, a troop that is currently cycling and sailing from Wales to the UNFCCC talks in Copenhagen.

BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE – 1 September 2009 – Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott thinks Bedford is “stupid.”

At least that is what he was quoted as having said in a recent article published by Business Green and The Evening Standard. According to the article, Mr Prescott said the planning committee in Bedford, whose wider borough is estimated to have a population of more than 150,000 people, should be given a “Stupid Award” (named after the recently released environmental film “The Age of Stupid”), calling the committee, “stupid nimbys” and saying “I hope they get upset about it.”

But a group of local Bedfordians, who are members of the recently formed initiative Transition Bedford, invite Mr Prescott to look a little bit deeper, beyond the surface of local planning committees, to see the real Bedford.

“And if he does,” says current Chair of Transition Bedford initiating group, Lynn Serafinn, “he would see an informed, passionate and proactive side to Bedford, where people are at the cutting edge on the issue of climate change.”

Transition Bedford is a part of the larger Transition Town Network, founded in 2006, which is now comprised of thousands of other towns, villages and urban neighbourhoods who are taking definitive, community driven, grass-roots action in response to climate change and the impending impact of peak oil upon our lifestyle. They describe themselves as a “social experiment on a massive scale” saying, “if we wait for the governments, it’ll be too little, too late; if we act as individuals, it’ll be too little; but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.” Their ultimate aim is to move from oil dependency to a “low energy, highly vibrant and fulfilling future.”

“Although Transition Bedford is a newly formed initiative,” says Ms Serafinn, “Bedford has been acting on these issues for some time now. Over the past few years, local groups like Zero Carbon Castle (founded in 2006) have really raised awareness and made great changes in the area of local carbon emissions, and various local permaculture experts and food growers have helped residents understand how and why it is vital we know about growing and harvesting local food sources.”

Ms Serafinn, a Bedford-based life coach, personal development trainer and bestselling author, also speaks about what the Transition Network refers to as “the inner transition.”

“What is important to understand,” she explains, “is that no one is going to agree to make changes to their current lifestyle unless they have a compelling reason to do so. Feeding people scary statistics about climate change may motivate some, but it is more likely to turn off others and make them apathetic or perhaps even hopeless. And while government action is certainly very important, truly lasting social change cannot occur simply via planning initiatives. The most effective means to lasting, positive change is to raise public awareness and to help re-establish people’s emotional connection to the planet on which we live, so they will want to make the transition out of a genuine sense of desire and purpose, rather than from a feeling of panic and need. The issue of climate change is an opportunity for all of us to educate, re-skill and reconnect our communities, and create a more meaningful and harmonious world.”

When asked how she will personally be involved in Transition Bedford, Lynn says that her primary focus will be on the “inner” side of this initiative, dealing with people, beliefs and wellbeing. Many others in the network are experts in the “outer” transition, being highly skilled experts in skills such as developing new energy sources, transport, conservation, food production, permaculture and other key areas.

One such expert on the Transition Bedford panel is Shane Hughes of Carbon Accounting Systems, and one of the initiators of Zero Carbon Castle. About the current and future state of local awareness in Bedford Mr Hughes says, “One of the smartest things that the Bedford Borough Council is currently proposing is a renewable hydro-electric energy project, which, if successful, could benefit the town in diverse ways. It would not only create a massive carbon saving for the town, but it would also be of great educational value as an exemplar for people around the country to appreciate and imitate. But in addition to that, we hope to turn the project into a truly innovative investment fund in which people of the town can become share-holders, creating a flowing and renewable fund of money that can be re-invested in other zero-carbon energy projects. This is the kind of community-driven creativity that the Transition Town Network, and Transition Bedford, is all about.”

Mr Hughes continues, “Something I would like people to realise is that Transition Bedford will not just be looking at ways to become carbon-neutral. We will also looking at how our local economies can become more sound and self-reliant. A recent study done down in Totnes, Devon (the original Transition Town), has revealed that if we made the shift of ensuring that even a small percentage of our building materials for new housing projects came from local sources, millions of pounds would go into our local economies, while at the same time reducing carbon emissions. Again, it is this kind of win-win scenario that Transition Bedford hopes to create here in the town of Bedford in every aspect of life.”

Ms Serafinn adds to this, “And the ultimate irony of Mr Prescott’s comment is that Shane’s Bedford-based company Carbon Accounting provided the makers of the film “The Age of Stupid” with their carbon auditing services. If you go to the bottom of their web page on their 14 March entry, you will see Shane’s company name right there. In fact, their whole media angle of the UK premier being a 1% carbon event is based upon Shane’s audit.

“So the bottom line is, people really should take the time to look a little deeper, and you’ll always find that there is more to any story—or to a town.”

Transition Bedford, whose official launch will be announced early in the New Year, will be working closely together with groups like Zero Carbon Castle, Sustainable Oakley, Goldington Golden Gardens, the Global Wellness Circle, Mile End Allotments and many others, as well as with Bedford College through their Education for Sustainable Development programme. The long-term goal will be to develop educational programmes, skills training and community projects that will not only raise public awareness, but will also help the town make the transition towards a more vibrant and self-reliant community in such areas of food and energy production, natural health, economy and environment.

Transition Bedford invite any and all members of the greater Bedford community, whether individuals, groups or businesses, to contact Shane Hughes at shane@carbon-accounting.com and get involved. You can also visit their blog at www.transitionbedford.wordpress.com.

To show just how “smart” Bedford is on the issue of climate change, Transition Bedford is hosting a viewing of the film “In Transition”, which is an uplifting rebuttal to the sense of hopelessness and helplessness many feel when they think about the challenges of climate change. The film offers a healthy dose of inspiration about what communities of people, just like the people in Transition Bedford, are doing all across the globe to make the transition towards a sustainable, resilient and vibrant society, to restore our balance and harmony with the Earth.

“In Transition” will be shown at the Ent Shed (next to the Gordon Arms) on Castle Road, MK40 3QY on 9 Sept 2009. Doors open at 730 PM, and discussions and drinks will follow at end of programme. While this programme is free and open to the public, donations will be gratefully accepted to help cover the cost of room hire.

In addition to the film, special guest at this event will be Chris Keene, a member of the “Zero Carbon Caravan”, a troop that is currently cycling and sailing from Wales to the UNFCCC talks in Copenhagen. Mr Keene says, “We are making our way to Copenhagen without using fossil fuel transportation. Along the route we’ll connect with local groups to establish an itinerary of ‘zero carbon conferences’ to build momentum for zero carbon awareness.” Bedford is one of those local groups.

That’s very smart of you, Bedford.

###

ARTICLE REFERENCES
Charlsworth, Andrew. 26 August 2009. “Prescott proposes stupidity awards for wind farm ‘nimbys’”. Accessed from Business Green website at http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2248512/prescott-proposes-stupidity

Evening Standard. 26 August 2009. ‘Prescott Slams “Nimby” Councils’ Accessed from Evening Standard website at http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23736980-details/John+Prescott+slams+%27nimby%27+councils/article.do

TRANSITION BEDFORD CONTACT INFO:
Contact: Shane Hughes or Lynn Serafinn
Email: shane@carbon-accounting.com (Shane Hughes)
Email: lynn@lynnserafinn.com (Lynn Serafinn)
Web: http://www.transitionbedford.wordpress.com
Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/transition-bedford
Tel: 44+ (0)7809 882 077 (Shane Hughes)
Tel: 44+ (0)845 880 25 28 (Lynn Serafinn)

TRANSITION TOWN NETWORK:
Web: http://www.transitionnetwork.org

FILM “IN TRANSITION”
Web: http://transitionnetworknews.wordpress.com/2009/06/08/film-in-transition-online-preview/

BEDFORD VIEWING OF “IN TRANSITION”
Web: http://transitionbedford.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/free-film-premier-in-transition/

FILM “THE AGE OF STUPID”
Web: http://www.ageofstupid.net/

SHANE HUGHES CONTACT INFO (Carbon Accounting)
Email: shane@carbon-accounting.com
Tel: 44+ (0)7809 882 077

LYNN SERAFINN CONTACT INFO (AUTHOR, SPEAKER, TRAINING):
Email: lynn@lynnserafinn.com
Web: http://www.lynnserafinn.com
Phone: 44+ (0)845 880 25 28 (business)
Mobile: 44+ (0)771 84 94 234

LYNN SERAFINN COACHING AND TRAINING ENQUIRIES:
Email: info@create-a-life.co.uk
Web: http://www.create-a-life.co.uk

ZERO CARBON CARAVAN (Norwich Team)
Contact: Lesley Grahame or Chris Keene
Web: http://zerocarboncaravan.net/wordpress/
Email: lesley7railway@yahoo.co.uk (Lesley Grahame)
Email: chris.keene@zerocarboncaravan.net
Tel: 01603 920 801
Mobile: 07711 298 214

- END –

It’s a paradox. Effective “awareness raising” is in many ways “awareness grounding”.

What I mean by that is that we tend to think that “raising” awareness in people is a matter of telling them facts and details so they may understand the urgency of an issue as crucial as climate change and peak oil. But it is my observation that when people become over-saturated with sensory and mental data, far from this raising their consciousness, they actually go numb. It’s called “overwhelm”. I used to be that way earlier in life (and I get back there occasionally when I don’t take care of myself). When the issues of life became too much for me to bear, I became numb, disconnected and resigned. This is a spiritual tragedy for any individual. But when an entire culture becomes numb, it is not only a tragedy, it is a recipe for societal self-destruction.

My good friend Karen Maycey, who came from Manchester to speak at the Bedford Wellness Circle on Monday, went through this process of overwhelm when she was first diagnosed with stage-2 breast cancer last year. Karen has always been a very active “go-getter” in her work as a coach and workshop leader, and prior to that as an international tour guide. She had always been on the constant run all over the planet. But shortly after she was first diagnosed, and via a very intense group healing session in which I participated, she intuitively came up with a motto for herself, which was, “When we slow down, there we are.” And what she found when she did that, were all the answers to what was needed to restore balance and make herself well. At that point in time, she opted to refuse modern treatment of chemotherapy and radiation, and embarked on a highly demanding regime of natural therapies. This required immense commitment from her, but the truth is, when she slowed down long enough to listen to her body, she realised that it was what she needed to do to restore balance to the entire system.

Similarly, my colleague Shane Hughes from the Bedford Transition Initiating Group told me, “Permaculture is supposed to be 90% observation. I’m currently going through a process of observing insects in a field and it’s amazing how much more I see the longer you observe. It’s as if in the first instance my senses are almost numb and need tuning and then go through several step changes in my level of perception and sensitivity to what is actually there.” We can only truly understand a system when we slow down and come to understand what is actually present within it and how it is moving. And when we see the underlying way that the world is operating, we come to understand more deeply what it needs. What we invariably find is that these needs are not met simply by addressing external issues, but must satisfy the spirit and essence of the greater system, whether it is an individual person, a society, or a planet.

From my experience, as a college teacher, a coach and a person who has lived over half a century on the planet, taking initiatives without the “inner transition” never sticks. We teachers used to have to set so-called “SMART” targets for students. The end result was that while they might indeed complete their work (but frequently not), the learning and the life-change was negligible. The reason for this is that these not-so-smart targets only ever addressed “issues” (i.e., getting the coursework done, etc) and never got beneath the surface to dreams, motivations and all the things that are sustainable. Similarly, our Transition Bedford initiative (and the greater Transition Town movement) is not only going to involve looking at the “issues”, but it absolutely will require each of us getting very deep into the hearts and minds of the people of our town, and then creating a plan that addresses what we find, so we can sustain the inner energy of the people.

When I coach, people come to me with “issues” too; what I find invariably is that the issue is simply a symptom of an imbalance between body, mind and heart, which in turn creates a detachment from essence/source. People will continue to pillage the earth and exploit each other until that inner balance is restored and they begin to feel reconnected. Therefore, it is very important first and foremost that everyone who takes on a role within a Transition Town initiating group is given the opportunity to processes their anger, fear, doubts, frustration and overwhelm, within a collaborative and aligned support network, and then moves towards the connection, compassion and trust that is needed to carry out this incredibly profound “turning” in our history. From this place, we become a much more powerful entity, as we become no only connected to ourselves and to each other, but also to the energy of the space (i.e., the town, the rest of humanity, the Earth, Existence) itself.

From a personal perspective, this is where I see my greatest contribution can come into the Transition movement. I personally take it upon myself to work with others towards cultivating that inner transition—the “Great Turning” of human spirit. I trust that capable people, such as Shane and others in my initiating group and other groups throughout the world, will learn and carry out all the necessary work for the “outer transition”, such as the fundamental reskilling of food production, teaching permaculture, creating energy alternatives, and so many other wonderful things, which will actualise the intentions we set.

The desire to jump directly into action towards this outer transition is likely to be our natural tendency. As our inner transition evolves, and our eyes begin to open, we begin to notice more and more things in the world around us. And as we are all creative by nature, it is our human response that we feel the urge to act. For instance, these days, because I am more aware, I have been noticing more and more food-bearing trees and plants here in Bedford. I even enjoyed plucking and eating some juicy wild yellow plums along Goldington Road last Saturday. Then, the other day I noticed that there are probably at least 30 fruit-bearing cherry trees on Howbury St. There is also a massive apple tree and pear tree, both in the car park of a business (and unlikely to be harvested or of use to the owners). So of course my mind went into creation mode and I thought, “How about piloting the abundance project (harvesting and distributing) local fruit) with a ‘Howbury St Abundance Project?” But then, of course, I admittedly don’t even know if the cherries are actually edible. This requires someone more knowledgeable than myself. Harvesting also requires someone knowledgeable, some tools and a group of people to do it. Distribution would require coordination, and publicity would need to be designed and executed.

All of these are the “doing” things. These are the actions needed to carry out such a project, even on a small scale. But before we take any action, we need to create the “message” and intention to address the question of ”Why bother?” that people will surely ask. They will inevitably ask, “Why bother harvesting trees on Howbury St? Why should I care? How can this make a difference? How can this save the planet? Isn’t it like trying to empty the ocean one teaspoon at a time?”

And here again is how “numbness” happens with people. When the mission seems so overwhelming that they cannot envision it, people will simply give up. It is important to remember that this shutting down, or “numbness”, is actually one of our natural, emotional reactions to fear. It happens when our brains get flooded with too much info, and we begin to feel small and thus overwhelmed. It actually happens to us at a physical, mechanistic level; the amygdale at the base of our brain reacts by shutting down and tuning out when the sense of overwhelm triggers too much fear for it to handle.

If we start this Transition Town movement on the foundation of our own sense of fear and urgency, the likely result is that we will overwhelm others and they will become (or continue to be) numb. But even more importantly, if we fuel our own energy with a sense of fear and urgency, we will also flood our minds and bodies with stress and frustration, and we will burn out and give up. Just as fossil fuel is a non-sustainable energy source because it is non-replenishable, fear and anger are also not sources of sustainable emotional energy. They may be very useful in short-term crises, but when something requires sustained action and attention, they impair our inner sustainability and resilience.

It is, therefore, important for us to access different sources of energy for our own inner resilience. We need to tap into a sustainable supply of emotional energy. The most vibrant source of sustainable emotional energy is our ability to envision and hold the “bigger picture.” What is the bigger picture? The bigger picture cannot be focussed on what we are trying to avoid; it must be solely focussed on what we wish to create. One of my mentors, Patrick Ryan, is a race car driver and he says that when a driver goes into a spin, if he thinks, “I mustn’t hit the wall,” his attention automatically goes towards the wall and he is more likely to hit it because that is where his eyes are focussed. Instead, race car drives are trained to look at the centre of the field, so when they find themselves in a crisis, their natural instinct will be to drive directly to safety.

In much the same way, in starting our Transition Town initiative, we must set our eyes upon one thing and one thing only. Rather than putting our eyes on what we wish to avoid, we must clearly see the world in which we want to live, and that in which we want our great-great-grandchildren to live. We must dream bigger and more beautifully than we ever have before. During this process, we must not ask ourselves “How will we get there?” or say things like, “That seems impossible.” We must simply say, “This is our dream.” Once we are filled with the dream, we will have enough sustainable inner energy to address the “how to’s” and begin to create a practical plan of action. If we move into action without the dream and the inner connection to it, we will simply be focussing on the nightmare. And if we are focussing on the nightmare, the public will sense it, and they will collectively respond to it with anger, fear, resistance, overwhelm, numbness and apathy.

As we move towards this transition, it will be our job to hold that dream, that “bigger picture” and inspire the public, so the vision of this future becomes so powerful that grabs people by the heartstrings. It will then become such an irresistible force that they will simply insist they are a part of that dream. It will be our role to reach the positive emotions and natural creativity of people so that they are literally ringing us off the hook to get involved. If we make the dream so visible in our own eyes that others cannot help but see it themselves, they will become eager and active participants in the action to move towards it.

So to start the process of “awareness raising,” we must first start with ourselves. We already know the issues. But issues are not “awareness.” Become aware of our own sources of inner resilience and groundedness. Create the dream together. Be visible. Make the dream visible to others. Stay resilient. Learn how to recover when you are out of balance and return to being grounded. Then, take hold of the dream again. Claim it. Just keep being visible. Every time you are visible, holding the dream, someone else will want to step into it. Have no doubt that we will eventually, whether within our lifetime or not, reach a tipping point where the dream becomes the status quo.

And this is how we will transform the world.

Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
Transformation Coach at Create-a-Life
Founder of the Global Wellness Circle
Chair, Transition Bedford Initiating Group
Author of The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self

Lynn delivers bespoke workshops for Transition Town groups. See her offerings on the “School of Everything” website, or contact her directly at lynn [at] lynnserafinn [dot] com