Adventures in Awareness  Issue #3

“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 Chödron, author

In my work as a professional coach and mentor coach, I’ve noticed how when a coach acknowledges the presence of [or the lack of] emotions in a coaching conversation it can often open a doorway to deeper awareness for a client around how they’re using or not using their personal power regarding whatever they’re exploring. This awareness is usually not only about how the client is relating to a circumstance or person, but also to how they themselves are being impacted - often invisibly - by that circumstance or person.

More often than not, that impact can be ameliorated by raising the client’s awareness of their personal power levels within any given situation. By inviting a client to stop and examine whatever emotions are present within them, either in the current moment as they talk about it, or in remembering an incident itself, you support their clarity in identifying what’s really driving their reactions. Once that invisible element is surfaced, new perspectives and different choices can emerge more readily, thereby reinforcing sustainable personal power levels.

The good news is, just as Pema Chödron’s quote in the sidebar points out, “Feelings are actually very clear moments that teach us and…[that teacher is] with us wherever we are.” Countless times I’ve heard clients breathe a huge sigh of relief when an emotion they’d been feeling was re-framed into their viewing it as a ‘signal’ or ‘pause button’ to ‘teach’ themselves to remember they can make a different choice in the face of it.

For example, in a recent coaching conversation, a client named as her desired outcome ‘to have a tool to be able to be more authentic’ in her conversations with others at work. Time and again as she spoke about this, she used the word ‘struggle’ in conjunction with her fear of what they’d think of her if she did so. As the conversation unfolded, we looked at how ‘struggle’, because she is consistently noticing that particular feeling/emotion in the moment, could be used as a signal or cue for her to pause to check within and see what is being called for regarding authenticity at the time she feels it. That idea allowed her to relax and, rather than avoiding or ignoring the feeling/emotion of ‘struggling’, view it instead as a clue and make it an ally in being truly herself rather than viewing ‘struggling’ as a hijacker of her authenticity. She adopted this noticing of ‘struggling’ as her ’emotional tool’ to help her remember to think differently, and reveled in the thought that she doesn’t have to remember to bring this particular tool with her - it’s already within her.

For too long our society, especially in our workplaces, has shuffled emotions into the realms of ‘unacceptable, ‘not useful’ and/or ‘too much to handle’. One of the ways I’ve reclaimed more of my personal power is that I’ve learned to value, honor and learn from my emotions, providing me with ever-mounting ‘evidence’ of the impact on myself and others of having done so. As a result, I believe it’s now time to restore the natural balance between logic and emotion, within us and between us as human beings, in order to enrich all that life has to offer - I find that a deliciously freeing thought - how about you?

Until next time, I leave you with an inquiry, of course.

A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ASK YOURSELF
What emotion(s) have you been avoiding lately, and what might it (they) be trying to tell you?

I invite you to consider this question and, as you do, notice what new awareness emerges from within you. And please remember to have FUN on that awareness adventure into the question, okay?

Happy exploring!
Amoráh

THE ENERGY SOUP REPORT:

Since we’re all inextricably interconnected to each other, our planet, and our universe, here are some of the energies we’re all swimming in together right now:

Madeline Gerwick, Business Astrologer, Polaris Business Guides –

Two Money Paths - Feb 27 - Mar 10 2015:

Beginning February 27th, two cycles come into range that are associated with lots of money and prosperity…this cycle can still bring in lots of unexpected money. It peaks on March 4th. The other path, which is activated at exactly the same time is one of stress and anxiety and is very challenging. However that cycle is perfect for negotiating a major debt down. If you have a major tax debt, mortgage or other debt that’s very challenging, this is a great time to negotiate a better financial arrangement. This is a better path than going bankrupt. The positive path of these two configurations stays in range through March 8th. The challenging path also peaks on March 4th and stays in range through March 10th.

Stephanie Austin, EcoAstrology –

Full Moon: ‘Think Different’ - Mar 5th 10:05 AM PST:

This full moon helps us to recognize a vital truth about ourselves and our path: that we have incarnated to bring a specific gift to the world, and it is time to go to the next level of our service. This full moon illuminates the fundamental challenge of our time and world: to integrate matter and spirit, head and heart, discernment and compassion. March offers huge opportunities to release old patterns, ‘Think Different,’ and take a giant step forward.

March Theme: POWER - The Power Path –

Power is a HUGE topic with many layers to be explored, redefined, understood and embraced. We have worked with the theme of power before, however this is a new time with new influences so some of the lessons will be different. This month you will have the opportunity to observe all of your beliefs about power as well as to explore how you personally work with issues around power. You will be able to identify the ways you give your power away and to do some work on changing that behavior by eliminating the power leaks and setting better boundaries. We all have our belief structure around what we think we have the power to do or not to do. This month is a real opportunity to move beyond the limitations of the “box” of your own having-ness around personal power and around what is actually possible for you to dream and manifest.

Natural Time Calendar –

Feb 7-Mar 6 is the “Galactic Moon of Integrity” according to the Mayan Natural Time Calendar - its energies are Harmonize-Model-Integrity: “Let your soul work in harmony with the universal intelligence, as your breath does with the air.”-Cosmic History Chronicles

Upcoming Events:

“Inside the World of Master Coaching” Tele-seminar Series - Thursday March 26, 2015 - 9am-10:30am PST - facilitated by Gail Moore of Moore Master Coaching - I am the featured coach for this event, so please join me!

ICF Midwest Conference – Theme: “Getting to the Heart of the Matter” June 18-20, 2015 in Kansas City MO - my educational breakout session is entitled “Mentor Coaching: A Pathway to the Heart & Art of Coaching - Who Knew?!?!”

ICF Competency Brush-Up Program - 18.0 ICF CCEs [in core competencies] - I designed and love leading this program - next offering begins August 26, 2015

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