This week has been a week of contemplation for me of what is the biggest things I can teach people from my traveling the past couple of years. I will start with what I found to be the most impactful thing for growth. It is one of the easiest things to do but also very hard at times. I found it without the need to travel halfway around the world spending a grand on travel expenses, getting travel sickness for weeks, or walking for hot, blistering, filthy, tearful hours. It right where I was living- which was Orlando at that time. I did not search for it and I honestly would not have chosen it if I had really known what it was. One of my long-time friends came to me with a workshop she was starting. Without asking any details, I said count me in. So, a few weeks later I find myself there… in my very first heart circle. Holy moly I have to talk about my emotions!!! (emotions, emotions hum what are emotions?) And with a group of people I don’t know!!! So it began. I thought I felt great (not an emotion I later learned ha) and that I was doing everything that made me happy (happy is about being not doing). Eventually, my stubborn Aries self dug in and found what was below the surface. I learned to really listen to others…. not listen to what they are saying but what they are really SAYING and what I am really SAYING. The model the group was based upon is the model by Tej Steiner teaches in The Heart Circle Teachings Manual www.heartcircles.com. I could write on about heart circles, but really it is best to learn about them by experiencing it for your own self… in Circle 
The four aspects of Heart Circle teachings listed on their website are:
1. A New Definition Of ‘Awakening’ “It centers round the basic life tasks of being present in the moment, connected to others, emotionally authentic, internally heart-directed and responsive to the Times we are in.”
2. A dynamic menu of daily ‘practices’ that support your awakening. “They support you in cultivating the qualities of being more present, real, heart-directed and connected… they encourage you to move out of ‘spiritual or psychological’ concepts and into the actual experience of living more joyfully in moment.”
3. A Step By Step Process For Creating Your Own Heart Circle. “Heart Circles are totally unique, ongoing, weekly support Circles that you create with anywhere from one to nine people you care for and trust. They are self-organized and all-member facilitated. They become a safe environment in which to open your heart while creating ‘community’ with others.”
4. A Blueprint For Social Change In The 21st Century. “Being more present, real, heart-directed and connected in life is the healthy foundation on which family, community and all social interaction is built. As such, the Heart Circle Teachings encourage us to apply what we learn in Heart Circle and our daily practices to our other social relationships; partnership, family, work, play, service, etc. As we become more ‘awake’, we alter from within whatever social settings we are in.”
I totally see that Heart Circle brings me these. Having a weekly meeting with a group of people helps keep us not only make sure we acknowledge our feelings, but are also keeping on track with doing what we want to with our lives. Each group is different based on what they feel should be the group’s intention. Some groups talk about emotions the entire meeting while some are purpose focused. A purpose focus group can be anything you want like abundance creating, relationships, or even creative expressions through dance. So many times another person in group had said something that sparked something in me and gave me that ah ha moment of realization.
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