My program is about learning to understand authentic power and how to use it.  You will discover how to look inside yourself and to recognize the balance of your body, mind, soul, and spirit. This "Life Circle" program will give you the tools needed to find wellness.

The "Life Circle" program shows you how to maintain balance in all aspects of life. To do this, we focus on the benefits of physical exercise, mental meditation, emotional practice and spiritual awareness.

We are all human and all have moments when various elements of our "circle"–be it the body, mind, soul or spirit –feel weak. It is important to find strength through the areas that remain solid to keep from spinning out of control and falling back into bad habits, depression or just giving up. As I have seen, it doesn't matter if you are 5 or 90, this concept of wholesome balance can alter your perspective and help improve your life.

 

I was raised in the South with a strict Southern Baptist upbringing. As instructed, my beliefs were based on a rigid system of right and wrong, with no gray areas to be found. It all seemed so concrete, complete and logical, until you stepped outside of it. "Love and forgiveness " are the foundations of the Church, but there didn't seem to be room for acceptance of others, open interpretations or different beliefs.

After moving to New York, I was confronted by many loving, spiritual people of many different beliefs. It felt wrong to judge or convince them. So instead, I pushed my own spiritual life away in hope of finding the "truth." And with that, the little balance I had broke down.

But, in 2004 I began studying a form of Martial Arts called Han-su Hapkido.  Surprisingly, it became the vehicle which allowed me to regain spirituality and balance. Through Hapkido, I discovered the power of living life in the moment with positive choices, and not stressing over the uncontrollable. This “Authentic power” sits at the foundation of my wellness and life coaching. Love, respect, service, humility, non-judgment, clarity,  joy, forgiveness, and trust are all tools to achieve authentic power. 

 

Scroll down to learn more about the elements of the Life Circle

THE BODY

The Physical: The purpose is the best upkeep for the body.

In maintaining our body we need to focus on:

  • Exercise
  • Physical alignment
  • Breath
  • Balance
  • Nutrition
  • Hydration
  • Sleep

The physical plant in-which our soul resides is the body.  How do we keep the body fine-tuned and working at the optimal level? How does the breath make the engine perform better? The ability to maintain balance is not only mental, but also physical, and requires awareness and practice.

Your body is your soul's vehicle for enjoying existence in this world. 

THE MIND

Personality:  The purpose - to generate awareness of the moment.

  1. Letting the mind be still.

  2. Letting go of control.

  3. Living in the moment.

Clarity is what we like to call No-Mind in the martial arts world.  It is being in the zone, living spontaneously, and not attempting to control life. Two of the questions I hear most often are, "How do I get control of life?" and, "How do I make what I want to happen?" You cannot control life. You can however learn to live positively by focusing on your dreams and creating the intentions and actions to achieve what you desire.  In Deepak Chopra's "Seven Spiritual Laws” and in Blayne's "The Secret" both authors talk about the law of attraction or Intentions and desires. Clarity is realizing that you create your future with your thoughts and your actions towards those goals.

When you seek power and control, you waste energy.  You spend your energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment, but when your actions are motivated by love, there is no waste and your energy multiplies. Your energy builds and you can accomplish whatever you want.

 

THE SOUL

Heart: Generate Emotional Peace

  1. Generate a place of peace inside you.

  2. Surround yourself with peace.

  3. Reside in peace even when it is not peaceful.

The soul is the voice you hear within and to which you respond. It is not your mind but the presence of your spiritual being. Zukav say's, "There are two basic systems of emotional energy to choose from: love or fear. " Love is from the heart and fear is from the mind.

Love is a vertical path of living.  It is the higher evolutionary basis of mankind and the enlightenment of choosing to give or serve others rather than focusing on receiving.  Living in love translates into a life of respect, integrity, gratitude, gratefulness, higher purpose and trust.  It is the way of living in "authentic power."  In choosing to live from love, you create and generate positive emotional energy that sustains you throughout your life. That energy moves from you and around you and brings back to you positive energies.

When you choose love, trust that the path you selected is correct; know your heart leads from the right place.  Trust allows you to give and receive energy without judging the intentions of others.  Trust allows you to let go of stress that does you harm. Trust will allow you to live life in happiness, to laugh and enjoy what life brings, even when it is not good things, because you will be able to see and have the clarity to understand that all paths lead to the same destination.

THE SPIRIT

Purpose: To connect with the source

  • Gratefulness for life.

  • Gratitude for life.

  • Thankfulness for life.

  • Grace

The Spiritual Alignment is the recognition and development of a relationship with The Higher Power.  It is a recognition of the Power that created the universe, the galaxy, and our world.  The power that created the creatures of our world, and most amazingly the recognition of being a spiritual creature. See yourself as a cup of water from the ocean, removed from the complete power of the ocean but still a part of it.

Grasp how small we are in the larger picture of life and how precious our time here is.  Be amazed at the miracles of life and how the universe flows on and on without effort -  just creating. We are a part of the energy of creation and we need to have a connection to the "Source" to help us live a life in balance with authentic power.                        

"Grace is uncontaminated conscious Light.  It is divinity.  Prayer brings grace and grace calms you.  Grace is the tranquilizer of the soul." - Zukav