Women Who Thrive, Change The World!

Posts tagged ‘WildlyFreeWoman’

We Have Come To Be Danced!

Last Friday night my body was a mass of whirling limbs, undulating pelvis, and open hearted movement.  Where was I?  At one of my favorite movement pastimes.  You see I, like you, have several favorite movement practices….among them swimming, yoga, making love, and ecstatic dance/contact improv.  The latter is what I was involved in a few days ago.

What is so outrageously refreshing about ecstatic dance is just what the poem below by Jewel Mathieson (thank you to Kimberly Beroset!) suggests quite powerfully.  There are no boundaries or constraints to adhere to.  The dance movement comes from deep within and in the moment.  By yourself in a room full of dancing, whirling, cavorting people….or in direct energetic contact with one or more others.  It is like finding out who you are within each breath of limb, organ, skin, and fluids.  It is taking the time to explore what is desiring and demanding to emerge next…while taking the risk of fully inhabiting that movement, sound, dance, emotion, relationship with self and/or other.

I have written here before that women too often apologize for everything, even their very existence.  My remedy for this has been to suggest that every time a woman wants to say ” I’m sorry” (though there are truly times when that is appropriate) she should instead say “I’m so sexy!” – or at least think it…and stop the apologies in their tracks, never to emerge unconsciously again!

The poem below embodies all of what I am speaking to here and as I slip a piece of luscious dark chocolate into my mouth I say to you……We HAVE come to be danced!  Let us not forget that for even one single moment!  See you on the dance floor of life!!

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Preview and Reviews can be found here:
http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Category:

Authenticity, Creative Expression, Empowerment

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Yoga Woman – Creating A Scared “Time In”

Did you know that in the early history of yoga, and up until recently,  it was meant as a practice only for men?  That is hard to believe as the majority of students and teachers globally these days are women.  What first attracted me to the practice so many years ago now was the freedom to explore my body, mind, emotions and breath in a “time out”  – or better “time in” –  without the pressures of everyday life intruding.  Something women historically have had precious little time for.

Just today a video movie trailer came across my inbox (thank you Lynn Walker!) called YogaWoman.  I post it here because it makes a statement about what women can create when they become passionate about something.  Women have changed the entire make up of this ancient practice creating an embodied and grounded pathway to moments of nourishment, strengthening, nurturing, flow, expanded awareness, increased fluidity and flexibility, a modality for health and well being for all ages, genders, and races –  and for simply being with the breath in each moment.

As a student and teacher for many years now I still feel a thrill every time I step on the yoga mat and know that this time, this practice, is just for me!  Deep gratitude goes to the many men that have helped bring yoga to the Western shores….and a standing ovation goes to the women that have consistently expanded and grounded the practice in a way only a woman can.

If we can support each other in stepping into our individual expressions, such as has been done with the practice of yoga,  instead of competing with each other (or ourselves!), then we have not only come closer to embodying the authentic and honest expression of who we are, but have joined other women in a collaboration of empowerment and joyous creation.

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT: 

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Website:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath Book: http://resonancewithlife.com/daily-breath-book/

Category:

Authenticity, Creative Expression, Empowerment

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I Am A Dangerous Woman

I am a dangerous woman…

Infinitely compassionate and wildly loving.
Softly strong and strongly soft in my ways.
Don’t get too close, you may see dreams come true and wishes appear from thin air.

I am a dangerous woman…….

Able to give unconditional love from an endless well within.
Blindingly bright ~ I will continue to shine until the stars fade from the heavens.
For God’s sake, don’t give me your heart, I might show you what it’s for and how to use it.

I am a dangerous woman……

Capable and real.
Genuine and wise.
Whatever you do, don’t tell me your secrets, I will keep them.

I am a dangerous woman…….

Gently staunch in my defense of family, friends and home.
Crazy in love with my life.
Don’t expose me to your children, I may teach them something of value.

I am a dangerous woman………

Reveling in my sensuality.
Enjoying all the pleasures of being female.
Stay away from me if a lover that is both your equal and your joy is what you seek.

I am all that I am meant to be.
If this means danger then……

I AM a dangerous woman.

Written By:

Mary Costanza – A Woman’s Heart And Soul

Thank you Mary for this inspiring gift as we enter into the New Year of 2012 with our authentic voice, senses, wisdom, creativity, love, compassion, integrity, courage, faith and empathy fully expressing! GA

WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.NaturalWealthJournal.com
www.BreathingSpaces.net

Category:

Acceptance, Authenticity, Empowerment

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Simply Kindness – The Greatest Gift of All

As we come near the end of another year I am reflecting on the life moments that have given me the most joy.  What wins hands down is kindness.  Those acts of generosity of spirit and fulness of heart that we as humans are meant for.

The kindness can be doing small acts of giving that are completely unexpected as an overflow from the fullness that we feel in our own lives….or they can be simply being open to receive the offerings of others.

As I reflect on my year there are so many “kindness events” that I am filled to overflowing.  It would be so hard to choose just one particular exchange, but…..if I had to choose just one for “giving” and one for “receiving”, this is what I would say.

In giving I was inspired to assist a “disabled artist” to have a new found pride in his creative gift.  Click on the link here for that story (Learning How To Dance In The Rain) .  In receiving I opened to the gift of a home to stay in for 3 months when I relocated to Austin this July, given by a woman who has to be one of the most generous souls on this planet!

Now these two examples don’t stop at the act.  They continue on because everyone in the exchange is changed inside, never to quite be the same again.  An example of this is shown in the video below.  Kindness does indeed travel in a circle!

I invite you to make a list (write, sing, art piece, collage or silently to yourself) of all the times that you either gave or received kindness this year as a way to feel gratitude for the life you have been given in 2011.

For another resource for kindness please go to this website: www.helpothers.org and request free of charge “Smile Cards” – experiments in Anonymous Kindness.  TAG – You are it!

WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Category:

Authenticity, Be The Change, Kindness

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Being Absolutely Truly Yourself – Is Freedom!

Today I watched a video of a talk given by the Dali Lama on women.  What he said in essence is that there is a “lack of human affection” in our world today….and that women are the ones to turn that around.   Our naturally compassionate and feeling nature often lead the way in daily interactions.

This is not to say that men don’t have this as well, but we as women are designed for it.  After a few funny stories the Dali Lama made a statement that would potentially upset 1,000’s of years of a lineage that is based on very defined practices and beliefs.  He said he was open to a female Dali Lama!  Needless to say this would be quite a paradigm shift for many, many people…but what if this did happen??

Following on the heels of this I was re-inspired once again by Caroline Casey who gave a TED talk on how extraordinarily far belief can take a person.  I won’t spoil the story for you, so you will have to devote 15 minutes to it in order to find out what happens.  You won’t be sorry that you did!

I am asking myself right now, “am I pretending to be something that I am not?” or “am I absolutely being truly myself”?   Good question to immerse in!  Enjoy the video and Caroline’s story…she is one of those innately compassionate (self and other) women and just by being fully herself inspires us all!


Caroline Casey on Moving Beyond Our Limits

Activist Caroline Casey tells the story of her extraordinary life, starting with a revelation (no spoilers).   In a talk that challenges perceptions, Casey asks us all to move beyond the limits we may think we have.

WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com  (New offerings!)

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net  (watch the video of me on the Daily Breath page & see Sneak Preview of book to be published in January!)
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

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For a great Christmas present for those hard to buy for younger teenagers on your list take a look at this.  A great and adventurous read that even you will not be able to put down…with a female heroine!

CLICK HERE

Category:

Acceptance, Authenticity, Empowerment

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You Are Not Crazy!

This weeks post will be brief as I am giving you, the reader, a link to a recent Huffington Post article written by Yashar Ali – a man who has women’s well being at heart!  The title of this article is “A Message to Women From A Man: You Are Not “Crazy“.

You will find a well written insightful article that explains something that Yashar calls “gaslighting”.  This term, used by mental health professionals, explains a form of emotional manipulation “to describe manipulative behavior used to confuse people into thinking their reactions are so far off base that they’re crazy.”  This most often happens to women, but everyone experiences a form of it at times in their life.

As women it is important that we understand and be aware of anything that may take our voice away. That has the potential to diminish the authentic expression of who we are.  One more awareness to leave any remnants of “victim” behind.

Your comments would be appreciated as we learn from each others stories!

WEBSITE:  www.ResonanceWithLife.com

(Newly revised website! Take a peak at my book preview – Our Daily Breath –  due to be published in e-book form January, 2012!!)

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Category:

Authenticity, Awareness, Finding Your Voice

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Phenomenal Women: The Power of One

“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom“.  ~Anais Nin, 1903-1977, Author

In a time when women are coming to the forefront in many different ways all over the world, the video below struck me as a reminder to each one of us that need encouragement and inspiration to keep taking those steps forward.

There is great power that lies sleeping within each of us, and when awakened into action is formidable and unstoppable.  Hold my hand sister and walk with me awhile….

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

WEBSITE:

www.IgniteWealthNow.com

Category:

Authenticity, Be The Change, Finding Your Voice

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Embrace Your Inner Girl

Always do the thing you fear the most.
Courage is an acquired taste
like caviar.

~Erica Jong

A week ago now I started questioning what it is that I am doing in my life….in the world.  This inquiry came about as I watched a snippet from a film on the Pink Saris in India and what they are doing to stand up for young girls and women in their country, villages, and homes.

I remember feeling bereft as I watched a very young beautiful girl being questioned by one of the Pink Sari women as to why she was so sad.  Her answer was – “I just want to die”.  Her wish to die was precipitated by being wedded at a very young age to an older man who was filmed asking “why does she keep running away?”.  The Pink Sari woman’s answer was “you keep raping her”.

So many women and girls are faced with atrocities every day all over the world.  They are not valued for the amazing beings that they are.  Deeper than that is the paradigm that has brought about this inequity, violence, and disregard for the wisdom, vulnerability, compassion, empathy, intuition, balance, emotion, and relational abilities of what Eve Ensler calls the “girl cell” in all of us -women and men.

A year ago now I sponsored a woman in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was able by my small donation each month to put this woman through a year long program to empower her within herself, to give her skills to be financially independent, and to have a support system around her to help her continue on amidst a country that has been in violent war for 12 years.

Now I want to do more.

What can each of us as women/men and girls/boys do to shift this old patriarchal system that has caused our very Earth to be in severe jeopardy?  A system that male and female cannot thrive within.

I invite each of you to view the entire video below, a TED talk by Eve Ensler in 2009 given while she was in India.

I invite each of you to find a passionate way in your own life to shift the “training” that has caused us to lose ourselves.  As Eve said, “Being a girl is so powerful that we have had to train everyone not to be a girl.”

Eve Ensler – Embrace Your Inner Girl

“In this passionate talk, Eve Ensler declares that there is a girl cell in us all — a cell that we have all been taught to suppress. She tells heartfelt stories of girls around the world who have overcome shocking adversity and violence to reveal the astonishing strength of being a girl.”


OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:

www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Category:

Be The Change, Empowerment, Finding Your Voice

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Finding My Voice

Maya Angelou has been over the years a voice to listen to.  This video speaks to the fact that we all become “silent” from time to time, and hide out when it is exactly our voice that needs to be heard!

She speaks to an innovative and creative way to release our voice, when we least want to do so.  I invite you this week to dance movements with sound, sing your favorite song, tone with sacred sound, laugh out loud, speak poetry to the sky, roar like a lion or hiss like a snake, or give each color a sound while you paint.

Find your way to finding your voice….even as the caged bird sings.

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WEBSITE:  www.IgniteWealthNow.com  (Natural Wealth)

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In Sanctuary Creation Richard Cawte’s gentle voice and beautifully detailed imagery take you down into a sensual world of nature where color, breath, and beauty activate all of the senses and drop you into a depth of being from which you can discover what it is like to fully embody your life’s moments.  

What greater tool for daily life than something like this that can be activated and created within you at any time!”   

~ Gaye Abbott, Registered Yoga Teacher

OTHER BLOGS BY GAYE ABBOTT:
www.BreathingSpaces.net
www.NaturalWealthJournal.com

Category:

Authenticity, Be The Change, Finding Your Voice

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Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath

ANNOUNCEMENT!!  I invite you to go to the Natural Wealth website to see a Sneak Preview of my upcoming book: Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath expected out in e-book and soft cover by 12/1/11!!  Go to the page Be Breathed – Our Daily Breath.

Would love your feedback as the book is not quite finished yet…and your comments would be most welcome!  Also check out the video that took me so many takes….and laugh along with me.

REMEMBER –  Laughter is a series of exhales expressed with uninhibited joy!

Thank you for taking the time to take a peak at the Sneak!

Gaye Abbott           Give Us This Day Our Daily Breath

Category:

Awareness, The Breath, Vital Health & Well Being

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