Journeys of the Spirit® Newsletter November 20th, 2013

TAKE ME TO: Events & Workshops | Guest Article
Our Upcoming Trips at a Glance | Post a comment!

Dear Friends,

WHAT’S NEW?

As always, I want to make sure that Journeys of the Spirit is meeting your spiritual travel needs.

So I am asking for YOUR help. If you did not take a moment to fill out our survey yet – PLEASE help us by doing so today. I know you’re busy – but it would be so appreciated if you could do me this favor.

CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY –> www.journeysofthespirit.com/travel-survey/

bhutan

As I mentioned last week – I have such a calling to go back to Bhutan. It’s one of my favorite places on this glorious planet of ours and I want to know if YOU are interested in joining me next year. The people, philosophy, and spiritual traditions of this little country so touched my heart – and I know it will do the same for you.

Timing revolves around the festivals and those dates are set by the Lamas once they agree on the auspicious days. But it will be around November 2014.

This trip always involves quite a bit of planning and I would like to create a list of folks who are interested in the journey.

Trip pricing will probably be $5499 USD for 11 days, all meals, teachings, ceremonies, your flight from Bangkok to Bhutan (a value of approx $800 USD) + much more included! (Does not include your international flight to Bangkok).

If you’re interested and want to be on the list: email me now!

Blessings and love, Sheri Rosenthal

Connect with me: Email | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

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EVENTS, WEBINARS, VIDEO-CLASSES & NEW PROGRAMS!

Kick Start your life with a 3-day Personal Intensive!

Sheri Rosenthal
You know you’re a good person and deserve the best in life. And you know that life shouldn’t have to be so difficult. But even though you know that deep in your heart, do you still:

Wake up wondering whose life you’re living? Feel like you’re lacking clarity?
Find yourself short-tempered, frustrated or unhappy?
Wish your relationships were more supportive and loving?
Want to forgive and move on, but can’t?

If this sounds like you – join me (author Sheri Rosenthal) for a Personal Intensive. It’s a powerful experience and is a great way to jump-start your life.

Imagine what life could be like if you were calm and centered no matter what situation you faced in life, rather than emotional and unclear. What if you no longer took people’s actions personally? Or if forgiveness came easy to you? Or even if you never got in another argument for the rest of your life?!

Believe me – it is possible. Details for Intensives here!

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GUEST ARTICLE

Juicy Tidbits of Wisdom from my Favorite Buddhist nun: Pema Chödrön

“We habitually erect a barrier called blame that keeps us from communicating genuinely with others, and we fortify it with our concepts of who’s right and who’s wrong. We do that with the people who are closest to us and we do it with political systems, with all kinds of things that we don’t like about our associates or our society.

It is a very common, ancient, well-perfected device for trying to feel better. Blame others….Blaming is a way to protect your heart, trying to protect what is soft and open and tender in yourself. Rather than own that pain, we scramble to find some comfortable ground.”
― Pema Chödrön

“When you open yourself to the continually changing, impermanent, dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, you increase your capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity to not be afraid. You’re able to keep your eyes open, your heart open, and your mind open. And you notice when you get caught up in prejudice, bias, and aggression. You develop an enthusiasm for no longer watering those negative seeds, from now until the day you die. And, you begin to think of your life as offering endless opportunities to start to do things differently.”
― Pema Chödrön, Practicing Peace in Times of War

“Once there was a young warrior. Her teacher told her that she had to do battle with fear. She didn’t want to do that. It seemed too aggressive; it was scary; it seemed unfriendly. But the teacher said she had to do it and gave her the instructions for the battle. The day arrived. The student warrior stood on one side, and fear stood on the other. The warrior was feeling very small, and fear was looking big and wrathful. They both had their weapons.

The young warrior roused herself and went toward fear, prostrated three times, and asked, “May I have permission to go into battle with you?” Fear said, “Thank you for showing me so much respect that you ask permission.” Then the young warrior said, “How can I defeat you?” Fear replied, “My weapons are that I talk fast, and I get very close to your face.

Then you get completely unnerved, and you do whatever I say. If you don’t do what I tell you, I have no power. You can listen to me, and you can have respect for me. You can even be convinced by me. But if you don’t do what I say, I have no power.” In that way, the student warrior learned how to defeat fear. ”
― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

“If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.”
― Pema Chödrön

“…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.”
― Pema Chödrön

“People get into a heavy-duty sin and guilt trip, feeling that if things are going wrong, that means that they did something bad and they are being punished. That’s not the idea at all. The idea of karma is that you continually get the teachings that you need to open your heart. To the degree that you didn’t understand in the past how to stop protecting your soft spot, how to stop armoring your heart, you’re given this gift of teachings in the form of your life, to give you everything you need to open further.”
― Pema Chödrön

“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth”
― Pema Chödrön

“Rather than letting our negativity get the better of us, we could acknowledge that right now we feel like a piece of shit and not be squeamish about taking a good look.”
― Pema Chödrön, When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

All pictures in this article by h.koppdelaney