Bliss Issue Final

Bliss
issue
w w w. i n s p i r at i o n a lw o m e n c o n n e c t i n g . c o m
Inspirational Lisa
Dear inspirational women heres to the start of your BLISSFUL LIFE...our first issue of 2012, the Bliss Issue. From this year going forward I have decided that every single day, I am going to leave a positive mark on every woman that I have access to, a mark that cannot be erased and a mark that will better her. Inspirational Woman Magazine is the only magazine in the world that promotes and stands for unity amongst women. We are a global online publication, appearing bi-monthly, with readers and contributors from all over the world. We specialize in three areas: unity amongst women, womens personal development, and profiles of inspirational women. Our magazine is targeted at women who want to make, and who are making, an impact on the world: women who do not see national borders as barriers and who want to reach out to all to create worldwide impact and influence; women whose aim is to build a global brand; aspiring and achieving women between 24 and 50 years old from all backgrounds worldwide. Women who are looking for or undergoing transformation, and need and appreciate positivity and inspiration. Women who want to better themselves and others around them. Women who love to help other women and want to see relationships amongst women grow stronger. Women who, despite their possible differences, want to complete each other, rather than compete with each other. Women who stand for unity amongst women. In this issue we inspire you to follow your bliss! It is the start of a new year, and also the start of a new life for youif you want it, if youre determined and dedicated. Change is never easy but the choice to change or not is up to you. I will also take this opportunity to invite you to write to me about any article(s) which have inspired you in any way. We would love to feature them in our next issue with a picture of you alongside. I really hope that whenever you are inspired, you share that inspiration with other women. Even if only one woman responds - GUESS WHAT? - you have made a difference in her life and have played YOUR PART in positively impacting women. I will leave you with this quote: Desire to leave footsteps for others to follow, written by me (Lisa Mundembe-Chuma). Inspiring you,
Letter from
Lisa
Editor-in-Chief
Bliss
issue
08 18
Bliss for Beginners
Interview
12 Sweeta Noori 20 Menaye Donkors 24 Hours of Bliss
How to Know Your Bliss - Top 5 Tips
24 52
The Truth About the Place of Bliss Choosing Bliss
Cover
54
Embracing Your Bliss Spot
Fashion & Culture

28 Travel Recommendations 34 Bliss Retreat Suggestions 46 Book Review 48 Fun Fashion
I Followed My Bliss Dancing With Bliss! Visualizing Your Way to Bliss Bliss and Your Menstrual Cycle
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62 65 72
56 Does Money Give You Bliss?
Finance
Better Yourself
66 R-O-O-T-S to F-R-U-I-T-S II
80 82
Finding Bliss in the Ocean
Special Feature
74 South Africa Embrace Foundation
Follow Your Bliss: A Journey Into the Soul
Meet the Editors
Lisa Mundembe-Chuma
Editor-in-ChiEf
Lisa is an inspirational Speaker for Schools in the UK and the founder (Editor-in-Chief) of inspirational Woman Magazine. Lisa is keen to make a positive impact in the world and see women come together in unity worldwide. her desire is for women to realise that they are very important in their own way, which makes us all unique. if we accept that, we can become a stronger community because we will have different things to offer. Lisa is very passionate about being a positive influence and making a positive impact in peoples lives. She has made it her responsibility to better womens relationships by them helping each other, standing together, supporting each other and encouraging them to complete each other rather than compete. her first book, co-written with ruthie Collins, A Modern day Sisterhood (published by inspirational Woman Magazine) will be launched in 2012.
Ruthie Collins
dEpUty Editor-in-ChiEf
ruthie is deputy Editor of inspirational Woman Magazine and writes on feminism and modern women, contemporary culture, travel and lifestyle. She also works as a business coach and advisor for creative practitioners, helping creative ideas get the attention and development they deserve. She is creative director of the Cambridge Art Salon. www.cambridgeartsalon. org.uk. Would you like to learn how to write? ruthie is running a (Beginners) Womens Writing Course in Cambridge, UK, April 2012. Learn the basics of lifestyle journalism and creative writing in a nurturing, but structured environment with likeminded women. Check www.thecreativesalon.co.uk.
INSPIRATIONAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
Heather Nomi Tshuma

fAShion Editor
heathers spiritual and compassionate personality drives her to a sense of responsibility towards the world and making it a better place. Almost two years ago she brought to life her dream, and created with the help of others, the feeling human Association in Greece (co-founded with friend yvonne Bosnjak). heathers modeling past allowed her to bring awareness and funds to many social and medical issues as well as organizations through a series of cultural and fashion events. She recently moved from Athens Greece and now lives in the UK where shes working on various projects but also laying the groundwork for feeling humans UK dbut. When shes not running around she fills her time with her great passion for photography, expressing her own creativity through her lens. The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched ...but are felt in the heart. (helen Keller)
Claire McGonigal
proofrEAdEr & Copy Editor
Claire is British and based in Zrich. She is a working mother of two daughters, an experienced proofreader and copy editor. She is the newest member of the team and is excited to be part of the magazine. you may follow her on twitter @clairemcgonigal.
Laura Messenger
LAyoUt Editor And proofrEAdEr
A writer and researcher originally from the US, Laura has lived in Geneva, Switzerland since 2001 and splits her time between Geneva and the mountains of frances haute Savoie. in addition to her work with inspirational Woman, she has written on aspects of life abroad for JetSettlers and hello Switzerland magazines. her interests include travel and dance. find Laura on twitter @lauratheexpat and Linkedin.
January/February 2012
Unity Photoshoots - Update

Inspirational Woman Magazine and Feeling Human are organising unity photoshoots throughout the UK, these photos will be seen in our anniversary issue which will be out on the 8th March 2012 (International Womens Day) and at our book launch in September 2012. We are starting the road trips in September 2011. If you want to be involved in any way, feel free to contact us: editor@inspirationalwomenconnecting.com.
Bliss for Beginners

Julia Bernards 2010 was a rough year for me. My fourmonth-old baby, who was born with a lifethreatening congenital birth defect, had finally come home from the hospital, only to have recurring health issues that required my constant care and attention. Then another serious birth defect was discovered which required us to make a weekly 12hour round-trip for months on end to get medical care in another state. I was worn down physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. My sons health issues meant he needed to be isolated from others, which meant I had to be too, so even my ability to socialise was curtailed. Everyone in the family suffered because of my dwindling energy and personal resources. My other children and husband were very patient and helpful, but the adage when Momma aint happy, aint nobody happy was very apparent. During that time, the chronic stress and exhaustion turned into depression. At one point, I realized that I had ceased to enjoy any part of my life. In fact, I couldnt think of anything that could create the feeling of joy in my heart. I knew there were wonderful things all around me, but my heart was numb to them. I had to re-learn how to be happy. The process took many months, but has opened my eyes and heart to a sense of bliss that I never knew before.
Models: izzy & Georgia
Bliss for Beginners

made a habit of happiness throughout his life, what he sees in each moment can bring Pick up the pennies. Imag- him joy. He sees a piece of art and appreine youre walking hurriedly down a street ciates it thoroughly, as if for the first time. on your way to an important meeting, with He hears music and exclaims at its beauty. your head full of worries and a heavy bag He sees a friend and repeats again and again on your shoulder. With your eyes downcast, how good it is to be together. you notice a penny on the sidewalk in front of you. Would you pick it up? If youre like Unlike my dad, Ive had to learn to be in the I was, the answer would definitely be no. moment. Often, in the midst of doing one In that state, it would take a dollar or more thing, Im already thinking about the next to stop me. Likewise, in our daily lives, we thing, or worrying about next month, or last tend to pass up little opportunities for joy week. Moments that could be full of joy are in the hurry of the moment. We may put frequently unrealized because my thoughts off enjoying life until we can have a vaca- or heart are elsewhere. Choosing to be in tion, reach a goal or just have some time. the moment to fully appreciate who and Then, out of practice, we may actually find what is around me invites me to seize the less enjoyment than we anticipated. Yet, if moment and enjoy it or create joy in it. It we simply acknowledge and enjoy the beau- opens the doors to bliss. I, too, can exclaim, tiful, funny, or heart-warming moments of This is wonderful! It is good to be tolife, those pennies of pleasure in the bliss gether!, and How beautiful! when I make the effort to be in the moment, and seize bank can quickly add up to a happy life. it. Some blissful moments I might have Here are some of the pennies Ive picked up missed lately include: rocking and singing lately (enjoy them vicariously with me!): a my son to sleep, skipping and holding hands sky of fuchsia-tinged clouds at sunset (while with my daughter after picking her up from putting groceries in the car on the way home to school, pointing out a beautiful tree to my make dinner), glowing blades of sunlit grass children as we drove by, laughing with my (while mowing the lawn), my son comforting husband as we talked over dinner. What are his sister (while I washed dishes), the smell of you grateful for in this moment? How can clean laundry (while folding that laundry), you create joy right here, right now? the sensation of warm water pouring over me (while taking a shower), nestling into my Simplify your expectabed and into my husband at night. Writ- tions, because less is ing down or keeping a tally of the pleasure more. As a beginner at bliss, I discovpennies that you enjoy throughout your day ered that I had to let go of some things, as is tremendously helpful if your bliss bank is well as seizing others. One of the main reaempty, as mine was. How many pleasure sons my shoulders drooped, my eyes dulled, and the corners of my mouth were heavy pennies can you pick up today? was my expectations of myself and others. Be in the moment, and The weight of what I thought I should do seize it! My father has advanced Al- was so overwhelming, I had no energy to zheimers. He can no longer retrieve mental do it, much less to have joy in it. Learning details about his past life, his five children, to eliminate the word should from my voor even what happened earlier in the day. He cabulary, and with it the unrealistic expeclives almost entirely in the moment. What tations of myself and others, lightened my he sees before him fully occupies his mind load immeasurably. Now, instead of a mileand informs his reality. And because he long list of things I should do, I have a short Here are a few of the things I learned:
...in our daily lives, we tend to pass up little opportunities for joy in the hurry of the moment.
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list of things that are most important to me (and to the Lord, as I involve Him in my daily decisions). My expectations of myself are simplified, and that shorter list means I have more energy to do what is important and to take joy in doing it. Less equals more. Along with should, Ive banned being busy. If there are many important things that I want to accomplish, my life is full, not busy. In a full life, there is joy in the work. That is what I want. By simplifying my expectations and choosing my work based on what is important and valuable to me, I have re-learned to enjoy things like: taking time to care for myself, slowing down and taking things at my childrens pace, connecting with friends, making healthy dinners for my family, and spending time with my husband. Can you relinquish the burden of should and reach out for what is most important in life instead?
we think, feel, and experience the world, we create pathways in our brain. As we dwell on certain thoughts, feelings and experiences, their attendant pathways are reinforced, and our mind begins to go down those paths naturally, almost of its own accord. When I chose to focus on the positive, happiness crept back into my life, and as I embraced it more and more, my state of mind began to change. Bliss became a way of life, and a way in which I experienced the world. Now, I see much to be grateful for in many things that once seemed only overwhelming: housework, financial responsibilities and challenges, caring for four active children, and even attending to my sons medical needs. What changes to your mind would bring you bliss? goes without saying. Gratitude is the great key to happiness. It is the oil in the gears of life. Yet, when difficulties come thick and fast, it is easy to be blinded to the many blessings we have. Gratitude is part of all the other four lessons that I learned about being happy. A grateful heart is humble enough to pick up the pennies of pleasure, sensitive enough to appreciate the moment, wise enough to differentiate between what is important and what is not, and powerful enough to alter the pathways of the mind. I cant even begin to name the multitude of things I am grateful for each day. Is your heart full of gratitude? I hope so! Begin to bring bliss into your life today. Pick a lesson you can learn from, and get to work!
in a full life, there is joy in the work.
Be grateful. I feel like this almost
poet John Milton wrote, The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. It is the workings of our mind that determine whether we are blissfully content or deeply depressed, not our environment. In order to re-learn to be happy, I had to train my mind to choose happiness. Actively doing the three things I mentioned above were essential. In addition, I had to choose to dismiss the negative thoughts that frequently arose, or reframe them in a positive way. It took a lot of work and conscious choice to train my mind to hold on to happiness and shun unhappiness. In studying how to do this, I learned that as
Bliss is a choice, and a state of mind. The great English
Julia Bernards background is in Family Life, both in education and experience. Writing about family life to share inspiration and ideas with other women is one of her primary passions.
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Interview
Sweeta Noori interview

Sweeta Noori was born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1973. Her mother, an accomplished medical doctor and professor, and her father, a police general in the Afghan army, always highly encouraged education and supported her pursuit of a career in medicine. In 1992, Sweeta was forced to halt her medical studies under the mujahidins restrictive rules, ending a proud line of doctors in her family. Forced to move to Pakistan during the time of the Taliban uprising, she worked with the international NGO International Rescue Committee (IRC), where she oversaw programs relating to women, health, and agriculture. During her four years in Rawal, Pakistan, she helped to establish a school for Afghan refugee boys and girls. In 1996, she returned to Kabul and continued her work with IRC as a team leader for implementing health and education initiatives in various parts of Afghanistan.
lisa MundeMBe-ChuMa
Sweeta has served as Country Director for Women for Women International Afghanistan since 2002. She directs programs that have helped more than 20,000 women by providing direct financial assistance, rights education, vocational skills training, and micro credit loans. In October 2005, she addressed the United Nations Security Council and the U.S. Congress about the challenges Afghan women continue to face. In July 2004, Sweeta launched one of Afghanistans first micro credit lending programs targeting women, which has since disbursed over $11 million to approximately 47,500 women while maintaining an impressive 95% repayment rate. Under Sweetas leadership, Women for Women International partnered with the Afghanistan Ministry of Womens Affairs to register 2,000 women to vote in the historic 2004 presidential elections and 1,800 women in
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the 2005 parliamentary elections. According to Sweeta, security for women continues to be a primary concern in addition to poverty. As an anti-poverty, empowerment strategy, Women for Women Afghanistan is piloting a greenhouse project in Parowan that will teach women to grow cucumbers, a role accepted and supported by male community members.
the Chair of the Loya Jirga Commission in forming the interim administration of Afghanistan; she traveled with the delegation to Belgium for talks with donors and international representatives in 2001. She has also volunteered for International Human Rights Law Group and the International Rescue Committee. Sweeta recently graduated from Science and Education University of Afghanistan with a B.A. She currently Prior to joining Women for Women Inter- lives with her husband and two children in national, Sweeta served as an assistant for Virginia, USA.
Between 1996 until 2001 what was life like for any woman who was in Afghanistan? How was their day, what did they do?
Forced to prayer, grow a beard and moustache and forbidden to trip or cut their beards. Women had to wear the burka.
One day, while out walking with my husband, walking shoulder to shoulder along 1996 was the time of the Taliban, a horrid the street. We were stopped by the Taliban, time all women isolated, ignored. Forced asking whether I was this mans girlfriend, to say inside, no jobs, no school, full of fear. and my husband was asked if he was my Also the men were in fear of their lives. boyfriend they wanted to find out if we
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sweeta noori interview
were husband and wife because I was not walking behind my husband but shoulder to shoulder. From then on I had to walk behind my husband to prove I was his wife. My husband is modern but we were feeling that there was no hope, no future. After September 11, US bombardment was bad but it was a different Afghanistan. More liberal views, democratic Government there was a voice for women, opportunities for women peace process. Women were getting jobs, going to school there was a constitution for the country guaranteeing womens rights.
What change have you seen in womens lives who have attended this programme and what is life like for them?
Women for Women Internationals sponsorship programme matches each participant with a sponsor from a global grassroots network providing direct financial aid and emotional support. Over the course of the 12-month programme, participants receive monthly cash assistance that allows for the purchase of basic necessities for herself and her family. Participants may use the funds to purchase medicine, school fees, food, transportation, or to begin a small income generation activity.
How did it feel to know Women for Women InternatIonal was starting a year long programme for women? How has it been for you to be the Country Director for the Women for Women InternatIonal?
Women for Women International-Afghanistan encourages each participant to save a portion of their sponsorship funds. On average, Women for Women InternationalAfghanistan participants use their sponsorship funds for the following activities: With the US bombardment we had to Food: 39% evaluate the women and families to the bor- Clothing: 26% der of Pakistan big panic as we all became Savings: 32% refugees. My friend told me dont cry, take School fees: 3% action go back to Afghanistan and do something. With the strong support of my husband, I found Women for Women International which was working with women to help them rebuild their lives. This mission matched my own compassion for doing something to focus on helping women. I started as a Programme Co-coordinator and then within a year I was Country Director of Women for Women International Afghanistan at 27 years old. I have now been working with Women for Women for 10 years.
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I have seen that the average promotes lasting social and economic number in a household is 10, do change for women and communities leadextended families live togeth- ing to peaceful and stable societies. er?
Over 33,000 women have graduated from Developed countries dont live with their the Women for Women International proextended family. In Afghanistan it is im- gramme in Afghanistan since its founder portant to live with relatives with about 7 to Zainab Salbi first set up the programme 10 adults and children per house hold. The during the Bosnia conflicts to move women woman would go to live with her in-laws from victim to survivor to active citizens. men never would live with the womens family. Women will only receive one eighth What changes has being a Counof the value of the household if she has a try Director brought in your own life? son.
How has the financial assis- Being a leader has more responsibility tance from Women for Women its time to do something that you believe in a big change it empowers me being helped women in Afghanistan?
able to do something and I am respected as Women for Women International officially a woman by the male leaders of my comopened a country office in the Islamic Re- munity. public of Afghanistan in 2002. Women for Women International-Afghanistan oper- How do women who voted in ates satellite offices in Mazr-e-Sharif, Ja- 2004 & 2005 feel, how was that lalabad, and Parwan Province. Work has experience for them? been concentrated in Kabul, Kapisa, Par2,000 women go to the poll stations all wan, Nangarhar, Balkh, and Wardak. Women for Women International staff and Women for Women International delivers participants are encouraged to go to the a holistic programme to socially exclud- polling stations. Wardak province has very ed women that addresses their economic conservative people women voted and the and social needs, and builds awareness District Local Governor made sure the proabout their rights. The organisation process was transparent to stop any corruption vides women with access to education and - so that womens vote could be counted. knowledge which combined with access to You joined women for women in resources leads to lasting change.
2002, what has been the most Women for Women International pro- touching moment for you over gramme consists of sponsorship, including the years?
monthly direct aid, a year-long curriculum that offers bi-monthly training sessions What has touched me how a woman can in life skills and rights, business and skills change the entire community with her small training. Women for Womens programme opportunity and can succeed.
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sweeta noori interview
the information below shows the impact of our work on the women we serve in Afghanistan, from when they first enrol on the programme to when they graduate*. the indicators are based on our four key outcomes: women sustain an income, women are well, women are decision makers, and women have social networks and safety nets.
IndIcator Average daily income (US$) Saving a portion of income Knowledge of nutrition Knowledge of stress management Knowledge of rights Voted in local or national elections Participate in community activities Participate in a social network
EnrolmEnt $0.03 1% 4% 3% 25% 47% 0% 53%
GraduatIon $1.48 90% 100% 99% 100% 79% 59% 66%

* August 2011
Sweeta tells a story of Shopaire, who was rejected by her community in Wardak province but went on to run a bakery. The business succeeded in employing many people from the community gaining the respect of her people, so when sadly Shopaire was
killed in a car accident, they named the bakery business after her. To change the world one woman at a time go to womenforwomen.org.uk and sponsor a woman.
Lisa Mundembe-Chuma is an inspirational Speaker for Schools in the UK and the founder (Editor-in-Chief) of Inspirational Woman Magazine. Lisa is keen to make a positive impact in the world and see women come together in unity worldwide.
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How to Know Your Bliss: top five tips

C at h y d e a n What is bliss? Dictionaries define it as perfect happiness, a state of ecstasy or feelings of joyousness. In religious terms its the joy of heaven or the state of utter happiness that can only be known in paradise. It brings with it ideas of other-worldliness, holiness and perhaps some kind of out-of-body experience. Like so many once-sacred terms, we now use it in everyday speech to refer to something that we quite like That slice of cake was just bliss! or Kicking my shoes off at the end of a long day is bliss. Joseph Campbell meant something very specific when he talked about bliss. He was an American mythologist and teacher and he used the word bliss to mean the thing that gives you most joy in life and makes you most fulfilled. He did not mean this in a hedonistic sense, quite the opposite. Campbells bliss is what others refer to as your lifes purpose, so he was saying that when you follow your purpose everything falls into place for you. know what it is? Here are my five top tips:
Work out what your values are. Each of us has her own, individual set of values the core beliefs by which we live our lives. If you live a life thats not in tune with your values you will become unhappy and unhealthy. Living in tune with your values leads to inner strength and peace and gives you an unassailable feeling that youre following the right path. Once you know youre on the right path, youll be following your bliss.
Decide what difference you want to make in the world and then do something about it. Your mission will be aligned to your values and is likely to stem from one or more of your core values. If your life and your work contribute in some way to honouring your values and achieving your mission you will But how do you follow your bliss if you dont be well on the way to following your bliss.
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Know, love and trust yourself. You will never be able to follow your bliss while you are afraid to show the world who you really are, and youll never be ready to show the world who you really are until youve done the work that enables you to know, love and trust yourself. You are a wonderful woman with strengths, talents and gifts to share with the world, and the world will be a better place once you know, love and trust yourself enough to share those gifts freely.
Treat yourself as a valuable commodity. By that I dont mean become selfish and selfcentered. I mean, treat yourself with the respect that you deserve by adopting the principle of proper selfishness. Keep yourself nourished and healthy so that you are in the best possible shape to give your gifts and strengths to the world. If you always put yourself and your needs last, youll never be strong enough to follow your bliss.
5. If you have a calling, follow it. If you have a dream, pursue it. You are the only person that has the right to decide what to do with your life. The opinions of others who want to keep you small will only keep you from Following your Bliss. The world needs you to fulfill your purpose thats why youre here. What other people think doesnt matter.
Joseph Campbell also said, A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. When you follow your bliss you will become the hero in your own life, and in the lives of those around you.
Cathy Dean is a fortysomething woman who has experienced a fair few of the highs and the lows that life can throw at her and her mission is to help other fortysomething women, just like you, to learn to know, love and understand yourself so that you can put aside your fears and step out into the sunlight where you belong. She is a professionally qualified coach and trainer with a 25 year career in personal development behind her and she loves her work. Because life is a journey of discovery and rediscovery, she loves to help women who have lost sight of who they are and why they are here. Her greatest passion is to see women take positive steps toward their own confident and personally fulfilling present and future lives.
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On the Cover
Menaye Donkors 24 hours of Bliss

My 24 hours of bliss would have to begin with being woken up by the sound of the water gently lapping at the shores somewhere by the ocean after a good nights sleep. Besides being by the ocean, one of my other favorite things to do is sleep!! So the combination of both would be truly blissful. You should never underestimate the good that a solid nights sleep will do for you and how much better you will feel the next day. Being by the ocean, in my opinion, is incredibly relaxing because I become at peace with myself, as if nothing in this world matters. The ocean is one of the most amazing creations on earth and I always feel closer to nature when I am by it. My mum calls me a mermaid because of my love for and connection to the water! I would definitely spend my 24 hours of bliss somewhere with beautiful scenery where the water is clear and the sand white... some-
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my husband Sulley and my family, including my awesome father, my six siblings, dozens of cousins, and all our nieces and nephews, would join my mum and me for an evening meal on the beach at sunset! We would be surrounded by the ocean breeze, lots of laughter, the kids and love all around us. Family is very important to me, so all coming together to have a good Our day would be filled with nothing but time and enjoy each others company by the playing in the ocean, drinking fresh exotic ocean would make me very happy indeed. cocktails and eating lots of good food, es- Id end the evening with Sulley, just the two pecially local fruit from the island and fresh of us... sitting talking in the dark, with the fish from the nearby ocean. I would love to stars above and the sound of the ocean all have the best quality fish, cooked and pre- around. Ahhh...now thats what I call pure pared in front of me for lunch. And later on bliss! in the day... where like Mauritius, or the Seychelles. The person I would most like to spend the day with would be my mum. We go on girly holidays together and it is always such a blast. We have loads of quality time together and just talk and laugh all day. My mum has always been, and always will be, my biggest inspiration in life.
Menaye Donkor was born in 1981. She was brought up by her parents in Accra, Ghana, and is the youngest of seven siblings with four brothers and two sisters. At the age of seven Menaye inherited the job title of Royal Stool Bearer for her paternal grandmother, who is the Queen mother of Agona Asafo. She graduated with honors in marketing from York University in Toronto, Canada.
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The Truth About The plaCe of Bliss

ta M M y f u r e y I was talking to a girlfriend today about bliss, and she simply exploded into laughter! Bliss? Thats what I want right now! I just dont have enough money! Or time! Ive got kids! So do we abandon our search for the Place of Bliss? Do we throw away the maps that we have spent so long studying in our lives? Yes! Absolutely! Be free of it! Bliss is not a destination on a journey, nor is it a commodity that can be acquired through wealth. No one has the power to tell you where it is, or what it is like, as Bliss is yours, and yours alone. We search for Bliss as if we have lost it, as if we dont have it already. Bliss is an experience; a feeling that comes from inside of us. Often it is triggered by external events, but this is far from guaranteed. If you try to find Bliss through external means, you will spend your entire life searching and searching.
Bliss, or the concept of bliss seems to have become a lost Eldorado for western society. It has become a quest for gold in our lives, to that mythical place, the Place of Bliss. Bliss gurus (otherwise known as advertising executives) have thoughtfully provided us maps of this mythical kingdom, otherwise known as spas, beauty products, luxury holidays and retreats. These wonderful experiences give us a glimpse of the Place of Bliss, but that glimpse is fleeting, making us feel better for short periods of time until we Bliss is an internal experience. We have the are once again cast back into our ordinary ability to experience Bliss in the here and lives. now without having to travel anywhere. We dream of the day we can experience the Place of Bliss more regularly, so we continue our search. We are told that if we design our lives in the right way, if we work hard enough, we can afford more and more glimpses of the Place of Bliss. If we work really, really hard map out our goals and amass great wealth, we might actually be able to buy our way to the Place of Bliss. Few actually manage this epic feat, and when they do, they discover something shocking: it is possible to feel totally miserable on a beautiful tropical island, with everything you could ever want.
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So why dont we? We have covered it up with our beliefs, concepts, perceptions and thought processes; we actually think ourselves out of Bliss. The cosmic joke is that all that rushing around trying to reach or acquire Bliss actually stops us from experiencing Bliss. That is why glimpses of Bliss are possible in environments that calm the mind spas and holidays.
You have stilled your mind for long enough to feel the beginnings of bliss. And its totally free, because its yours you uncovered it from within you.
So, if bliss was naturally available to you, what would you do, want or have just for the joy of it, rather than be searching for the Place of Bliss? What does your heart want? What would be fun? Just think how differSo lets take a break from the mental clutter ent your life would be with Bliss shining right now. Look away from the computer through, from the inside out. screen for a moment, and just notice something that pleases you in your surroundings If I ever go looking for my hearts desire (you will find something keep looking!). again, I wont look any further than my own What pleases you about this thing/view/ back yard; because if it isnt there, I never play of the light/sound/taste/smell/feel- really lost it to begin with! ing? Really describe it and be absorbed by Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz, 1939 it. Right now! Feeling better? Feeling good?
Tammy Furey works on living and working with clarity and in the moment, while being challenged and knocked off her centre by her gorgeous 4 year old daughter. Tammy is known as the Freelancers Coach, and works with those who create their own work, outside of the constraints of the 9-5 office. She can be reached at www.fureycoaching.com.
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Blissful Retreats
Travel reCoMMendations
Ragdale Hall
Nestled deep in the heart of Leicestershire countryside, surrounded by velvet-green hills and unspoilt meadows, Ragdale Hall is a gorgeous stately home that laps you up in luxury from the moment you crunch into its gravel drive. Best known for its unbeatable service, the spa has a loyal following of bliss-seeking women (over 90% of its clientele are female) and has a clutch of awards
ruthie Collins
under its belt. Having won Best Destination Spa in the Professional Beauty Awards six times in the last ten years, in 2007 Ragdale was voted Best Destination Spa in Europe. In 2010, Ragdale won six awards including the prestigious Cond Nast Traveller Readers Spa Awards 2010 Favourite UK Spa Retreat and the Sunday Times Travel Magazine Reader Awards Favourite UK Spa.
Ragdale Hall
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travel reCoMMendations
Its easy to spot why within seconds of arriving: the Hall has an aura of laid back charm thats a far cry from many high-end spas minimal chic. Forget size-zero glamazons dripping with terrifying cool along the pool side here is a spa that embraces all women, wrapping them up in white fluffy dressing gowns and making them smile. Even the restaurant is packed with delighted, relaxed spa-goddesses padding about in their gowns there is zero dress code and filling the place with laughter. Yes, we feed you the concierge on reception tells us as she signposts us to the stunning eatery on site. They feed you with delicious, healthy food to remember (my guest for the weekend tells me his dish Thai green chicken is the best he has ever had). They also feed you with cake though you have to forage for it check the Veranda Bar overlooking emerald-green gardens for your naughty indulgence.
staff are happy because they spend all day pampering clients who are really happy because they are being pampered. Everyone smiles all the time. She laughs, looks at me suddenly. Its not normal. It may not be normal, but it sure is heaven. Ragdale we love you. Must-Try: The candle-pool in the thermal spa complex. Chill out to classical music in an underground cave, to a starlit sky. Absolutely stunning. Blissed Out Treatment: Try the Natural Harmony Facial for extra special pampering and excellent hand massage. This bespoke 50 minute facial is yours after a quick consultation, made purely with you in mind.
Ragdale-tip: Ask to watch a DVD to cosy up with the girls in your room after dinner Ive worked in other spas and this is the Ragdale has a superb film collection and happiest place Ive ever worked in, my (ex- will install a DVD player to your room for tremely nice) therapist Mel tells me. All the no extra cost at all.
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Clarice House
modern luxury. We enjoyed a one night Original Bliss Experience mini break, offering us a three course dinner, two course lunch, overnight stay and access to the spa, gym and pool plus two treatments. The experience? Fabulous. Spend your afternoon basking next to the pool, in the jacuzzi and steam rooms, or make use of the extremely high-tech gym. Leisurely leaf through newspapers over a coffee in the hotels wood panelled reception and lounge With Clarice House Bliss Experiences on offer area. Pad into the glasshouse conservatory from as little as 70, you can see her point. for a bit of peace and quiet. Or just chill out Why trek half way across the continent and in your hotel room: ours was spacious and battle through airports to bask in sunshine, comfortable (named Fantasque, after the when you can just slip into a gorgeous spa Clarice Cliff ceramics range). pool close by and be at home the same day feeling like youve been away for a week. Must-Try: the award-winning restaurant. Seriously. Our meringue desert was utterly This stunning neo-Jacobean Mansion sur- divine and to die for; so delicious we had rounded by woodland derives its unique it for lunch again the next day. Polish up name from ceramicist Clarice Cliff. Deco- your nails with an Express Manicure on site rated from top to tail with contemporary though, as the restaurant asks you to leave detail that fuses antique charm with Art your fluffy white gowns at the door and Deco style, the hotel, country club and spa dress for dinner (what, you mean we have to is a fabulous mix of English tradition and wear clothes?!). Youd be forgiven for thinking that in a global recession the spa industry would be the first to suffer. But Clarice House has been booming a trend that many of the UKs leading spas have also enjoyed. I think people are going on holiday less, so a spa minibreak break is a great compromise much cheaper and far more relaxing, our therapist tells us as she paints chocolate brown varnish onto my nails.
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travel reCoMMendations
Clarice House
Clarice House
Bliss Out Treatment: Germaine de Capuc- Clarice Houses Bliss Packages start from cini Facial. Energizing, soothing and all the 70. Watch out for their excellent offers at things a good facial should be. (My guest http://www.claricehouse.co.uk found her headache that had plagued her all week magically disappeared after trying this).
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Bliss Retreat suggestions
The Island of Hydra

from my personal diary by Daphne Antonakopoulou which so uniquely fuses tradition and modernity, has established itself as a Mecca for the worldwide and world-renowned artistically and intellectually inclined. Hydras barren, rocky hillside and unwelcoming foliage, combined with its minimalist bohemian architecture, at first glance seems utterly undesirable. Yet if you allow yourself to look past the prickly packaging you will discover a small Atlantis one that
Never did I expect to find such majesty in such a small package. Never did I expect to fall in love with a place so deeply and irresponsibly, so wholly and truly. Yet they say that the greatest loves are found in contradictions. And I sure have found mine. The tiny island of Hydra in the Saronic Gulf, a mere 45 miles from Athens, Greece, The Island of Hydra
caters to the needs of the romantics, the artists, the intellectuals, the celebrity-spotters and the good-timers. Getting lost with your loved one in the narrow backstreets, hiking to reach the secluded beaches, meditating while taking in the dusk view or, if you like, partying all night with old and new friends at the harbours vivacious hotspots whatever you choose, Hydra is guaranteed to bliss-up your life!
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The Island of Hydra January/February 2012 37
Bliss retreat suggestions
Villa Gaia, Bali
All Around Me
by Julia Bernards I believe in taking bliss retreats daily, so my retreats are close at hand. Taking time to lie in a patch of sun stretched across the floor or take a walk through the woods is blissful for me. Other bliss-inducing experiences include focusing on one of my children and enjoying him or her fully, admiring and caring for nature, being enraptured by great music or art, dancing, learning truth through my mind and heart, and contemplating the eternal. Making bliss retreats part of my daily life nourishes my soul and makes it a place of perpetual joy and beauty.
Chume Island, Tanzania

by Tammy Furey If bliss comes in the package of a desert island, than this is it! Located off the Tanzanian coast, this island is a private nature reserve that runs a community marine conservation and education project. Accommodation is in the most gorgeous eco-houses, with their own rainwater reservoirs under the floor. Amazing food and the most beautiful sunsets will reconnect you to your inner bliss. www.chumbeisland.com.
Blissful Paris!
by Slavica Monczka
Villa Gaia, Bali
by Tina Yuliani Ayuningsih
Villa Gaia is a private villa in Bali, located in the heart of Seminyak, within walking At the very top of my list of the most blissful distance to its shopping and dining district, places on earth is Paris, France. Known as and only five minutes ride to the beach. This the city of lights, it is a magical place for so brand new villa was beautifully designed many reasons. It is a place that people from by Italian architects and the combination all over the world are drawn to for its savoir- of contemporary architecture and a luxury faire. The capital of gastronomy, birthplace interior makes this villa ideal for couples, of haute couture, and a treasure trove of art, friends and family. Paris is endlessly intriguing to me! Equipped with two queen-size bedrooms, My favorite place to be is blissful Paris, kitchen, and living room, it becomes a perhaute couture, gastronomy, the Eiffel Tower, fect place to bliss out your energy. A wonderful swimming pool surrounded by trees what a sight to see! adds to peaceful moments. On top of that, we provide you with free breakfast on the
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first day and free airport transfer. Find out about our special offers by visiting http://www.gaiavillas.com.
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Somerset Gift Yoga Retreat

by Sharni Quinn Somerset Gift Getaway is nestled in amongst the Langeberg mountains near Swellendam, three hours outside Cape Town, South Africa. The quaint cottages each have a large bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a lounge area with a fireplace and a beautiful veranda opening out into the breathtaking natural surroundings. It is a place in heaven. The soft sunshine glistens on the water, the horses graze in the distance, the birds build their nests, the sounds of the river flow past and the gentle breeze kisses your skin. As well as outdoor activities, Somerset Gift Getaway also specializes in hosting weekend Yoga Retreats. Please contact Marlien on +27 765087188 or visit www.somersetgift.co.za for more details, and book yourself in for a nurturing, pampering, blissful and peaceful weekend.
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Castel de Cantobre
Castel de Cantobre
Midi Pyrenees
by Ruthie Collins I escape to the Midi Pyrenees, South of France every year to stay in my mums place, Castel de Cantobre. It is the ultimate in retreats, a chteau built on the ruins of an ancient castle into a breathtaking precipice that looks out onto a valley. Theres an old cave, with stunning views, plus heaps of land for fresh air and walks. She grows her own vegetables there enormous tomatoes! And runs a holiday rental business letting out parts of the chteau to tourists with her husband the whole place is a dream come true, really. They have visitors there from all over the world who come for the atmosphere and the surrounding area which is perfect for walking, climbing and fishing. Cantobre itself is a tiny mountain hamlet with around 16 inhabitants. The pace of life is incredibly slow and you cannot fail to relax. Its perfect for me as I can spend quality time with family, catch up on writing and enjoy plenty of regional French dishes that my mum loves to cook! I wrote a huge chunk of my novel when visiting there last year. Jadore! Visit www.casteldecantobre.co.uk for more information.
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SabbaticalScapes
by Angela M. Petitt other amazing adventures. I was even presented with a Service and Leadership award by my alma mater, recently featured in ESSENCE magazine as a Power Player, and a speaker for the national Meet Plan Go! CaMy aha moment came when I realized reerBreak Travel conference that encourages that I would rather take a chance on myself others in their quest for a sabbatical. to see the world instead of continuing on in the ordinary daily grind. So, in spite of be- In 2012, the dream continues as I am working in the recession, this 41 year old single ing on my doctorate in organizational leadAfrican American woman took a huge step ership and development and of course, more of faith and quit her job to live life to the travel & SabbaticalScapes!! fullest. When I made the decision, I really had no clue what was next. But, a few days With hopes of inspiring other people, I after my last day at work, I was on a plane have been blogging about my experiences at http://www.sabbaticalscapes.com/. going to Italy! Instead of dreaming about what just about everyone wished they could do, I did it!! I quit my corporate IT job in the throes of the recession in 2009 to travel the world!! Fast forward to more than two years and almost 30 countries later, my sabbatical has allowed me to learn new activities such as playing golf, horseback riding, climbing the Great Wall, getting a huge surprise bouquet of flowers from an admirer in Italy, zip line in Cabo, cave dive in Punta Cana, experience bone chilling temperatures in Siberia, and narrowly escaping the earthquake in Japan. I have also traveled to Egypt, Israel, Greece, Colombia, Nicaragua, and many One thing for sure - with God ALL things are possible! I would tell your readers to Do It!! Life is too short...dont be a spectator in your own life. Be a participant. Whether you want to do a getaway or extended travel/sabbatical the way I am doing it, just know it can be done!!
ParticipateStep Out! Action brings about confidence. Participate I love the quote whether you think by researching destinations online, read my you can or cant, you are right. I know several people who say from the start blog, get involved in the conversations on Oh, I would love to go, but I cant. I have social media, get around like minded travel too many bills. You know what? They are people, and look at travel magazines - they right!! They never go and they still have really give you a wanderlust for the beauty, those same bills. Instead of developing a inspiration, culture, and experiences that are plan to make it happen responsibly, they out there. Be creative in how you want to have limited themselves to any venues and travel. I took cruises to maximize my value options already. So, replace the fear and lim- and tacked on a pre/post cruise land stay at iting belief of I cant with I can do this. a hotel. Read the Bible in order to be equipped with If you are single/solo and dont want the faith to overcome fears we may have and to go alone, sign up for organized/ to help move forward and step out. group tours. Some cruise ships now have PlanLook at your overall financial solo cabins. picture. It has been said that giving You can do this! up a latte a day for a year is $1446! Actually, that is a trip! I treated my Mom to a birth-
Pray and be prayerful. Definitely seek direction and insight from God. Developing our relationship with God gives us a better perspective in fulfilling our purpose and dreams.
Things to Consider:
day cruising to St. Thomas, Bonaire, Grenada, Aruba, and Dominca for seven days for about that price. See our journey here -http://www.sabbaticalscapes.com/?cat=15.
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Culture
Book review
ruthie Collins
Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World

by Christine Mason Miller
If youre needing a touch of inspiration to re-ignite your creative passion this January and get you truly following your bliss, snag yourself a copy of Christine Mason Millers Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World. Its crammed with in-
spirational but practical interviews with 20 creative, entrepreneurial women and will definitely help you get started with that long put off creative dream. Full of wonderful quotes, exercises and stories its one to read while curled up in front of the fire.
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So what is bliss? We asked Christine Mason Miller and heres what she said:
Last night I was lying on our couch with my chocolate lab curled up next to me. Wild winds were blowing outside, and as deeply as I was sinking into our couch I was sinking into the awareness of how blessed I am. Relaxing in the home I created with my husband, enjoying a cozy fire, and thinking of the beautiful circle of family and friends that is always around us, I felt the deep, soothing joy that is bliss. Bliss arrives when I am able to savor the totality of a moment the thousand tiny details that bring me to each and every moment I experience.
Ruthie Collins is Deputy Editor of Inspirational Woman Magazine and writes on feminism and modern women, contemporary culture, travel and lifestyle. She also works as a business coach and advisor for creative practitioners, helping creative ideas get the attention and development they deserve. She is creative director of the Cambridge Art Salon. www.cambridgeartsalon.org.uk.
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Fun Fashion
People must never lose the ability to dreaM...
Model - Paolina Diamantouli Photographer - Thanos Houtos Designer - MARAVEYA Styling - CC Styling
Dance as though no one is watching you, Love as though you have never been hurt before, Sing as though no one can hear you, live as though heaven is on earth.
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The beginnings over, the end hasnt come yet. all i Care aBout is now.
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Model - Paolina Diamantouli Photographer - Thanos Houtos Designer - MARAVEYA Styling - CC Styling
Choose a job you love and youll never have to work another day in your life
Heather Nomi Tshumas spiritual and compassionate personality drives her to a sense of responsibility towards the world and making it a better place. Almost two years ago she brought to life her dream, and created with the help of others, the Feeling Human Association in Greece (co-founded with friend Yvonne Bosnjak). Heathers modeling past allowed her to bring awareness and funds to many social and medical issues as well as organizations through a series of cultural and fashion events. She recently moved from Athens Greece and now lives in the UK where shes working on various projects but also laying the groundwork for Feeling Humans UK dbut.
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Choosing Bliss
p a M e l a M u r r ay
What is Bliss?
Bliss is a finely tuned energy that allows humans to have a higher expression of themselves as humans and allows them to be open to and have exposure to higher energies. Bliss is not felt by many humans very often in this current time on earth, although bliss has the potential to expand rapidly and widely as more and more humans allow themselves the potential to feel it. Bliss is joy, bliss is love, bliss is light. As a human feels any one of these energies they are increasing their own potential to feel more, to feel more often (i.e. more moments in one day) and to embrace the highest feelings that a human can feel on this planet. Bliss moves it moves inwards and upwards, and is simple and expansive. The heaviness and lightness felt by each individual human on this planet at this time is what allows the human to feel or not to feel bliss. The lighter the human feels, the more potential there is for bliss.
People are attracted to bliss as it is something, even though they dont really understand what, that uplifts them and brings them joy, and can bring them some peace.
How can we feel bliss in our bodies?
The feeling of bliss in your body is different for each of you. The feeling of bliss excludes pain of any sort and this is the question that you are asking: How can we remove pain from our bodies? Pain is experienced when an individual human being is not allowing themselves to experience their love for themselves. In this world of yours it has not been the accepted concept that each of you as individuals, can actually love yourselves. This is changing and as it does, and one by one you choose more love for yourselves, this can allow less pain and discomfort and more bliss.
How do you love yourself, you ask? We would suggest that if you were to really Bliss is an exquisite feeling; it feels exqui- choose to experience more love for yourself, site to a human being as mostly at this time that you find a quiet place preferably in the on this planet bliss is only captured in small garden or in nature, and take out your pen increments by humans who allow lightness and notebook and write. and consciousness into their daily lives. This has the potential to increase, although it will Write down all the ways you love yourself be some time before a larger number of hu- - we say this with humour! - most of you mans are open and available to feel this. would find this quite challenging as you did
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not grow up in this lifetime with the concept of self-love. So this is why we say to you to write down anything that you can think of, of how you love yourself. We will give you a few hints:
With this change of acknowledging your love for yourself, we ask you to be aware of the levels of pain or discomfort in your body:
6 Have they changed? 6 Are you feeling more at ease? 6 Can you look into your eyes in the mir- 6 What else in your life has changed? ror and smile and say to yourself I love 6 Are you enjoying these changes? you and really feel this in your heart? 6 Would you like more change? 6 Can you acknowledge that just being you as you are now is perfectly OK and Your choice for more bliss in your body will then feel the love in your heart centre come into being with your choices about you for yourself ? Ask yourself: How does loving yourself and bringing this awareness this loving of me feel to me? into a feeling state or place in your heart. So that when you have pain or discomfort in As you actually get to know the feeling of your body, you actually have a place to take what it feels like to you to love yourself, you yourself to that will allow you ease. will be able to do this more often - bring the acknowledgement of loving yourself into If you choose to do this each time, you may your daily life. be surprised at yourself for choosing your bliss. Bliss is about self-love, which includes This feeling of you loving you will grow on love of your bodies. you (with humour again) we might even say that you could, if you chose to, become As channelled from the Akashic Records by addicted to this feeling and choose to take Pamela Murray www.lifewhispering.com.au yourself to this place regularly throughout your day. As you do this, your acknowledgement of who you really are will change.
Pamela Murray has had an interest and curiosity about spiritual things for about 30 years. This led to her interest in the Akashic Records. She chose to learn how to channel her own Akashic Records then later discovered that she was also able to channel the Akasha for other people. She has since decided to become a Life Direction Intuitive and now offers Akashic Record sessions. Visit www.lifewhispering.com.au for more information.
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Embracing Your Bliss spot

aiMe hutton You can dance anywhere, if only in your heart. (Unknown) Take a moment. Take a breath, drop into your body. Listendo you hear the song in your heart? What does she want you to do? Come, I invite you to get up and move your body with me. You have a bliss spot inside you! Its time to tap into it and shine! The women I have the pleasure to work with tap into their bliss spot while moving their bodies and taking time to give themselves self-love. Your bliss spot is in your body, not your head. I invite Dance is one way I can bring myself to a you to connect with me so I may have the feeling of bliss. What brings you to bliss? By pleasure to inspire you to find your own dancing and moving my body I tap into my bliss spot. Feeling the empowerment of lovpower, confidence and ecstatic bliss. What ing your body where it is now is a powerful about giving yourself love? Putting on some feeling. slow sensual music and pressing love into your body while listening to the music. Feel- Embracing your bliss spot and giving youring the power in your own body is a blissful self self-love can be one of the best gifts you feeling. Your body is a sensual, feeling being give to YOU! on this earth. It deserves all the pleasure and bliss you can offer it! What others have said about the sessions of Awakening Goddess: Enjoying a blissful piece of decadent chocolate, use all your senses to experience it: How I left that class feeling very feminine. I was does it smell? What does it sound like when inspired. The energy was very supportive and you bite into it? How does it taste? What loving, we were dancing, laughing and just does it feel like when you let it melt down having a wonderful time. your throat? Or how about some sensual hand cream, rubbing it into your skin: How Encouraged us in loving and appreciating does it feel? What flavour does it smell of ? ourselves and our sensuality in the best possible way.
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Maximise Your Motivation

After five minutes of instruction I was calm, centered and feeling ALIVE and ecstatic! She pushed me to connect with the truth and power of my sensual body. Aime is committed to her expertise. Her years of education allow her to reach her audience and guide them on a journey. She delivers her message of confidence and movement. For anyone considering hiring Aime I would be thrilled to provide a reference! Awakening Goddess can be booked for speaking engagements and small group sessions by connecting with her at: aime@awakeninggoddess.com There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them. Vicki Baum
Aime Hutton is passionate about inspiring women to be fully who they are and tap into their own power, self confidence, radiance and love themselves! Aime believes that women are on this earth for a purpose, and need to strut their stuff, dance their dance, for women are born to shine!! Aime is a speaker, author, and sensuality expert. She wants to get women in touch with their bodies again and love themselves where they are on their journey in life. You can find out how to tap into your inner radiance by visiting her website www.awakeninggoddess.com and connecting with her through aime@awakeninggoddess.com
E-Course
Maximise your Motivation in 28 days E- Course was designed and written by Gail Gibson as part of our Inspirational Woman Better Yourself. This e-course is a one-off buy for 75. Please email Lisa for more information
lisa@inspirationalwomenconnecting.com.
in 28 daYs
This course is worth every womans time.
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Finance
Does money give you Bliss?

annett BleChstein
Id rather sit and cry in the back of a BMW than smile on the back of my boyfriends bicycle.
If You Are the One was the most watched TV dating show in China. The reality show wowed its audience with many beautiful women and their brutal rejections of suitors, and showed how widely money is worshipped. A young female contestant was asked by a possible date whether she would like to go for a bicycle ride. Her answer sparked a flurry of discussions across China when she answered with the quote at the top of this article. It seems that many young Chinese girls would never consider dating a man who earned less than they do. Many women dont want to marry anyone who doesnt own a house and men believe they wont be respected and sought after by girls unless they are wealthy or will be one day. Is this example too extreme? Would you say Of course, thats not bliss? Then let me give you a different example: A friend grew up in Germany. She was raised under the guidance that Life is not fair, but if you work hard, you will make money and then you will be happy. So she worked hard, saved money and could afford to rent a flat, buy a car, and take a beautiful holiday each year; she ticked all the right boxes in her formula. But where was the happiness? The bank account grew bigger, she had salary increases, but she did not feel happy. She even felt guilty about receiving the higher salary. She felt she didnt deserve it and hence had to work even longer hours. She was sabotaging herself.
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For her the way out of this game was to feel that she had value and to release the guilt. This empowered her to see her salary as something she had achieved. She developed a sense of deserving and realized her happiness was coming from within. She changed her job to something that she felt more passionate about. Since then she has received many more pay rises and now works fewer hours than before. The road to joy and happiness starts within us. Money can help you fulfill your dreams, but money can never be the dream. So what can you do to achieve bliss, even when you are struggling to meet those monthly bills? Empowerment is the key word. Feel empowered around your costs, by taking charge of them. Bills are not something that is done to you; you do them to yourself. Are you donating to charities you dont even like anymore? Is your cell phone package the right one for you? Can you make more calls using Skype, free of charge? Are you paying your credit card bill on time or do you pay 35%, or more, interest? I suggest that for a few months, you cancel any automatic debits from your account. If possible, make the monthly payments yourself. This will give you a feeling that you are in control of what leaves your bank account. Direct debits feel as though a big, anonymous hand is taking from your bank account. We tend to forget
to cancel direct debits. But you must pay on time, because penalties for late payments can be extremely high. Feel even more empowered around your paycheck. Is there any chance of making that bigger? Could you work overtime, without sacrificing valuable family time? Even more important, do work that you find fun. Is there a department in your company where you would prefer to work, because it seems more fun? What talents do you have? What brings you fun and joy? Try to establish what people in your community need and see how that links up with your talents. Are you good with a sewing machine and design? Could you start a dress alteration service from home in your spare time? Do you like to do makeup for women? Perhaps you can offer your services to women who go for job interviews. Are you good with computers or software? Help other people to set up their websites. Set up your own website or use social media to advertise your talent. If you dont tell people about your talents, no one will ever find out. Are you comfortable charging a fee for your services? Do you charge enough to cover all your costs and generate a profit for yourself ? Charging a fee is honouring yourself. It is not greed. Empower yourself, and an enchanted 2012 will follow.
Bills are not something that is done to you; you do them to yourself.
Annett Blechstein is a Financial coach and the founder of abcoaching. She combines her passion of coaching with her long financial experience, in conducting financial education seminars targeted towards women (however, men are also welcome). The seminars serve to demystify the financial world and empower women to make their own financial decisions. www.abcoachinghk.com
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Dear Inspirational Women, Beginning in the next issue I will be happy to answer any financerelated questions you might have in my new column. The scope is wide. It can be a question about your individual financial situation or a general question on finance and the economy. Your questions will show me where your interests and needs lie. By addressing them I hope to demystify the field of finance. You will see that the secret world of high finance does not really exist. You will not feel you need to be a maths whiz to invest money. And most importantly, you will soon feel how exhilarating financial understanding and independence is. Giving you confidence to make your own financial decisions is what the column is all about. Looking forward to receiving your questions! Inspirational Financial Agony Aunt Annett
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I Followed My Bliss
sharni Quinn
Follow your blisslisten to your inner voice, listen to your intuition and follow your heart! It sounds easy. If only one could fully trust and listen to ones inner voice, wouldnt life be a simple and beautiful place? Well, we can. I learned this the hard way. 2010 was the year of my three passions Yoga, beach and travel. I decided to dedicate nine months to my Follow the Sun journey and search for my inner light and radiance. I literally followed the sunshine around the world exploring the warmth of India, Bali and Australia and absorbing as much light and Prana as possible. my Yoga clients, family and friends. With only my intuition as my companion, one bag of luggage and a whole lot of trust and belief in the Universe. I boarded the plane and flew to India.
if only one could fully trust and listen to ones inner voice, wouldnt life be a simple and beautiful place?
During the first two weeks of my journey, I simply collapsed on the beach in Goa. I What brought on this quest? A broken needed to replenish and recharge. India also heart, a weary body and my emotionally took some getting used to! It is an amazing drained soul - which was in desperate need country full of energy, colour and vibrancy of healing. but for somebody who didnt have much vigour to begin with, it took quite a lot of Leading up to my decision to travel on my effort to experience the in-your-face povown personal Yoga pilgrimage, I had expe- erty, people, filth and noise. rienced an emotional breakdown and had made myself physically ill due to stress. I India is one of those places, however, where realized my marriage was over. My world once you spend any time there, the layers had fallen apart and I needed to make some start to unravel and you realize that under drastic changes to save my whole being. I the surface is a place full of love and pasneeded to discover myself again, I needed sionand a country that you cant help but to find my liveliness and nurture what little love and be passionate about too. light I could still feel flickering inside of me. I spent most of my time healing in the And so, within four months, I moved out of Sivananda Ashram in Kerala, South India. my house in Cape Town, packed up my life, After a month of four hours of Yoga and signed divorce papers and said goodbye to three hours of meditation and Satsang daily,
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i followed My Bliss
plus a pure Sattvic diet (eaten on a banana leaf, on the floor, with our right hand), and a 20-day Panchakarma Ayurvedic detox, I left the Ashram feeling completely healthy, whole and blissful again. I felt all my emotional anxiety wash away and I felt my light start to shine - I was ready to continue my journey. My next destination was Bali. etation, the hospitality and the warmth are very similar to my own home, South Africa. I also felt a sense of security, support and safety. I was welcomed with open arms and lived with Australian family friends and many ex-South Africans throughout my stay. I was blessed by these human angels and got to experience the local side of Australia and what it felt like to live there.
i returned home realizing how much i had healed and completely transformed i had been.
I started off in Cairns, learning to scuba dive Bali is a beautiful place, where you can feel - and experiencing a four-day live-aboard the peacefulness and grace as soon as you dive trip on the Spirit of Freedom, working arrive. as a waitress to earn dollars, teaching Yoga and facilitating Follow the Sun Yoga workI met up with a good friend and fellow shops. Cape Town Yogi. For two special weeks we enjoyed the tranquil setting of Ubud, vari- Then I continued down the east coast livous Yoga classes and Balinese therapies at ing with an Indian Swami and his family, the Yoga Barn, cycling through rice paddies visiting Noosa and friends in Brisbane, creand discovering the surf of the Bhukit Pen- ating my own Yoga retreat in Byron Bay and insula. We were free, spontaneous and living finally settling in Sydney for the last two the dream! months of my stay. This is probably the reason for the next part of my adventure. I was completely happy with life and glowing with delightand so I met a gorgeous surfer boy from Hawaii. We lived in paradise surfer huts on the beach. We ate from the earth fresh coconuts, mangoes and pineapples. We spent our days doing sunrise Yoga, surfing in the turquoise water of Balangan, and snorkeling over the reefs of the Gili Islands, and ended our days meditating at sunset, enjoying Hatten Rose wine and wishing upon the stars. It was heaven. It was a fantasy. After two glorious weeks I kissed him goodbye and headed off to Australia. Australia, for me, felt like coming home. I spent six months in that amazing country, the country of my birth, and each day I felt as though I was reconnecting with my roots. The people, the landscape, the vegSydney is an awe-inspiring city, which really resonated with me. I visited many Yoga studios and experienced various international teachers and styles. I explored the Future Sound of Yoga in Paddington church, I did the Yoga Aid challenge for charity in the botanical gardens, I went to talks, meditation workshops and listened to Swami Govindananda share his knowledge of Yoga philosophy beyond the mat. What completed my Yoga pilgrimage though, was the weekend before I flew home. I joined the Fluid Power Teacher Training with Twee Merrigan, one of Shiva Reas master teachers. Completely inspiring! However, my Follow the Sun journey was not only about my personal mission but also to find some light and peace for others. It was also about raising Yoga awareness and doing Yoga for charity - for the rural chil-
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dren in the Western Cape of South Africa. Throughout my journey I did 108 Sun Salutations per week (between Autumn Equinox and Summer Solstice 4,644 in total) and encouraged loving, caring, giving souls to sponsor me and the children of Goedgedacht by donating an olive tree to their beautiful farm and wonderful Path out of Poverty causes.
I am now happy to be home in Cape Town to feel healthy, whole and at peace again. My time now is dedicated to reconnecting with my Yoga clients through facilitating Follow the Sun workshops, writing a book about my story, engaging as a Yoga lifestyle consultant and sharing what I learned during my travels.
I am passionate about helping to inspire inI returned home realizing how much I had dividuals to find their own radiance, follow healed and completely transformed I had their bliss and become a shining light for been. themselves and for others. As the sun set on my journey, I couldnt help but look back and reflect on what an incredible year I had experienced! I will never forget my 2010 Follow the Sun Journey I feel completely blessed and grateful and will forever continue my journey towards my inner-sun, inner-self, inner light and soul.
The trip changed me forever, and brought me back to myself at the same time. It was everything I had hoped and dreamed for If you...follow your bliss you put yourself plus a few wonderful surprises along the on a kind of track that has been there all the way. while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living... I met many phenomenal new people along follow your bliss and dont be afraid, and my travels and reunited with so many old doors will open where you didnt know they friends. However, without the love, sup- were going to be. Joseph Campbell, The port and constant communication with my Power of Myth wonderful friends and family back home my journey would not have been as nurturing and fulfilling as it was.
Passionate about Yoga, health and happiness, Sharni Quinn has just spent nine months travelling through India, Bali and Australia on her personal Yoga pilgrimage and doing Yoga for charity her Follow the Sun Journey. Upon her return to Cape Town, South Africa, she now plans on sharing her inspiring moments through teaching Yoga, facilitating workshops, writing, sharing her experiences and spreading the sunshine.
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Dancing with Bliss!

kirsten Meneghello
As children, we used to experience bliss on an almost daily basis. We were in touch with true joy and happiness when climbing a tree, watching a butterfly, digging in the dirt or running in the playground. We didnt think about bliss because we lived it.
the small scar is still there to this day, more than thirty years later. But that experience did not lessen my love of dance. As I grew, I started tap dancing lessons then transitioned into ballet. I became very serious about dancing and earned my first set of pointe shoes in middle school. I continued to watch Fame, American Bandstand, Soul Train, and Solid Gold in order to improve my skills. I loved the feeling of extending my body long and lean while en pointe. There was no other feeling like it. I loved the discipline and the constant drive toward perfection, coupled with the artistic expression.
Bliss can be defined as perfect happiness, serene joy, or ecstasy. Its a moment when you feel suspended in time and want to savour that wonderful experience. With the demands and schedules of adulthood, how often do you experience bliss in your daily life? Think about the last time you felt truly blissful. Perhaps it was on vacation when you were able to step outside of your responsibilities. Maybe you were lying on the beach, hearing the sound of the crashing I wanted to pursue dancing as a career and waves or watching a sunset. had an opportunity to attend a high school for the artistically talented. But my parents I recently recaptured the feeling of bliss did not support my dreams. They said it was when I reconnected with what I loved most not prudent to pursue a career as a dancer as a child: dancing. My love of dance started and pushed me to go to college and law when I was a toddler; I loved music so much school instead. that I would stand next to the radio to sing and dance along for what seemed like hours In high school, I stopped taking ballet beon end. I would watch Dance Fever on TV cause I knew I was not going to become a and copy all the dance moves. Once, as I was professional dancer. And although I danced perfecting a particular move, I slid across in clubs and at home occasionally, for the the living room and slammed my chin into most part I closed that chapter of my life. the coffee table. It wasnt a particularly fun While trying to stay fit as an adult, I joined trip to the emergency room for stitches, and a gym and did the workout thing: lifted
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weights, took aerobics classes, walked on that you will find your bliss based not on the treadmill. But I never really enjoyed it. luck or chance, but rather an intention to seek out what brings you joy. Here are some At age 42, I recently rediscovered the JOY steps to discover your bliss: of dancing! I learned about NIA (Non-ImThink back to when you were a child. pact Aerobics) from a friend and gave it a What brought you the most happitry. NIA is sensory-based movement practice that leads to health, wellness and fit- ness? Was it digging in the dirt looking for ness. It empowers people by connecting the worms, drawing fashion designs or staging body, mind, emotions and spirit. We dance a play with your friends? Look for clues barefoot to soul-stirring music. In my first amongst your favorite childhood activities. class, I was close to tears because I felt the What activities do you engage in now pure bliss of moving with the music. There where you find yourself losing track was no judgment or quest for perfection as there is in ballet. It was like dancing around of time and the hours just seem to fly by? the fire to the beat of a drum. I felt the sheer Some examples are: gardening, fly fishing, joy of moving rhythmically in concert with writing, hiking, cooking, and knitting. others. Even though it was grounding and What have you always been drawn to brought me home to myself, it was also very and havent tried yet? My aunt always expansive, and I felt connected to spirit and loved being near the water and was drawn the greater world. to it. It was only when she moved to a house Now I practice NIA once a week and I look near a lake at age 60 that she finally tried forward to this time to reintegrate my body, kayaking and loved it! Its never too late to mind and spirit. It brings so much joy to my find your bliss. life. I have also discovered dance games on our family Wii video game system and I get When you tap into activities that bring you to dance to Beat It along with a digital joy on a daily basis, your heart expands and you live in joy. That happiness and energy Michael Jackson. expands to other areas of your life and to I was lucky to stumble into NIA classes and others in your world. I wish you a wonderful find bliss through movement. My hope is New Year, full of BLISS!
Kirsten Meneghello, J.D., is a Life Purpose Coach based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. She works with successful professional women who are seeking change and on a quest for greater purpose and meaning in their lives. Kirsten coaches, speaks, writes and hosts retreats on finding your purpose. You can reach her at kirsten@illuminationcoachpdx.com or follow her on Twitter @IlluminationPDX.
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Are you a successful professional who is wondering if it is possible to find meaning and a sense of satisfaction from your work?
6 You feel like you should like your job because you are good at what you do and have a successful career. 6 You dont think its possible to have a career you enjoy because work is supposed to be hard, right? 6 You are worried about what others will think of you leaving your profession. 6 You feel trapped. 6 You feel there is a part of you that has not been fully expressed yet. 6 You are ready to do the work and get clarity about your purpose and your ideal career path.
Good news! It IS possible for you to:
1. Discover your unique life purpose. 2. Choose a job/career path that uses your unique purpose. 3. Enjoy your work and feel that you are contributing and making a meaningful difference.
You can identify your life purpose and choose a career that uses that purpose in order to make a meaningful difference in the world.
Im Kirsten Meneghello and I am a Life Purpose Coach. When you coach with me, you will get clarity about your purpose and determine how to illuminate it in your work and personal life. To request a complimentary 30-minute coaching session, email kirsten@illuminationcoachpdx.com.
Visualize Your Way to Bliss

Mila diaMond With holidays behind us, its time to rejuvenate the body! For out-of-this-world massage, visit Bali. If you are an adventurer, try scuba diving in Belize or merge with the wind on a mountaintop on New Zealands Southern Island...but if travel is not an option at this time, try something you can do from wherever you are: a special, rejuvenating meditation. your secret place of healing. Then, as you walk around your imaginary garden, beach, or mountaintop, imagine that your body is light, radiant, strong, and absolutely beautiful the ideal version of you! Now imagine that you can do things with your body that youve always aspired to like running with ease, doing yoga, martial arts, or dancing you decide! Visualize putting on the best performance of your life with strength, One of the wonderful things about medita- agility and grace. Fifteen to twenty minutes tion is that you do not need to go a great a day of visualizing your body at its best and distance to reach your inner and bodily you will feel re-energized and inspired to bliss. Colorful images in your mind can take join the gym. This is where the true power you to a retreat of your wildest dreams! For of visualization lies it inspires us to take deep rejuvenation, put your favorite music action and follow our bliss. To your bliss and on and imagine yourself drifting away to beautiful, confident you!
Mila Diamond is a Personal and Business Coach, founder of Womens Perfect Body, as well as CEO and Master Coach of Diamond Mind Coaching. She teaches from the heart and accepts no less than the best from each client. She works brilliantly with women, helping them to permanently break through limitations and achieve amazing results. Womens Perfect Body was created to help you become healthy, happy, and fulfilled, while creating the beautiful body and life you desire and deserve.
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Better Yourself
There is an energy in even the smallest things of everyday life that can be used to motivate and strengthen ourselves and others. -Unknown
R-O-O-T-S to f-r-u-i-t-s
In a previous article, I briefly mentioned what happens when a seed is planted and the roots grow properly in place and are secure; the end result being the manifestation of fruit. Now, more than ever there is a need for natural fruit on every corner of the globe. We are in need of physical fruit to help sus-
Part II
andrieka austin
tain our health and maintain the proper nutrition for our bodies. We can also apply this same word fruit to the aspect of being an emPOWERed female. In our world of emPOWERed women, we are also in despair of fruit; Fearlessly Receiving Unlimited Inspiration Through Self-EmPOWERment.
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F R U I T S
Fearlessly FEAR is often re-
ferred to as False Evidence Appearing Real. By choosing to be an emPOWERed woman, we soon learn how to show actions that reflect the very opposite of this definition when we decide to be fearless and overcome obstacles that may try to stand in our way.
itself. The ability to allow, accept, and embrace whatever may come is only the beginning of the fruits process.
Receiving this word is an art in
Natural, spiritual and mental fruits are the result of a planted seed. They leave a legacy, pay it forward, and positively impact future generations. Each fruit is edible, often sweet, and usually contains other seeds (which can be re-planted). Most importantly, fruit is the mature result of any action. When we choose to be fruitful, we are also choosing to be productive, fertile, and positive. The very opposite of this decision is being unfruitful, which can can leave us feeling vain, unproductive, and empty inside. A previous article on roots to fruits gave you the acronym for the word roots; Resisting and Overcoming ObstaclesThrough Strength. This reading explains the breakdown for the word fruit; Fearlessly Receiving Unlimited Inspiration Through SelfEmPOWERment. The beauty of both roots and fruits is that once implemented correctly and shared with someone else, they each can have long-lasting, long-term effects, be used as motivational tools and have a positive outcome starting from within you, and growing from the inside out.
Unlimited when something is
unlimited, it is endless and allows an overflow and abundance in whatever source has been provided. Its always good to be unlimited in all things.
Inspiration to breathe into, to
stimulate and impel to some creative effort. This may come to you as you begin to share your passion, your gift, or your lifes story with someone. Inspiration will definitely guide you on the journey to fruits.
this word is linked to the process of getting from one location to another desired destination or place (whether mental, physical, or spiritual), be it a situation or a thought, its a process that is usually necessary to reach a desired outcome.
Through like in the word roots,

Andrieka J. Austin is founder of Journey Girl, a mobile enrichment service for girls and women. She offers life skills and self-emPOWERment training and development services. Visit her online at www.MissJourneyGirl.com and see her companys work at www.journeygirl.org. Find her through social media: facebook.com/journeygirlatl, twitter.com/journeygirlatl, and on Linked-in as the Moderator for the group: Female Self-emPOWERment.
Self-EmPOWERment
this word is our anthem as inspirational women. Its our motto to living a good, healthy life. Whether going from roots to fruits, deciding to be a self-empowered woman and inspiring others to live emPOWERed lives is great mission to strive for.
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Bliss and Your Menstrual CyCle

gaBriella guglielMinotti trivel We are all taken by so many things nowadays in our daily life that most of the time we feel torn apart by conflicting interests, commitments, duties, hobbies and desires. We are bombarded 24/7 by so much information that at times we feel overwhelmed and exhausted just at the thought of having to read another email, newsletter, letter or magazine. One of these extra tools that we come equipped with as women is the menstrual cycle, the often-dreaded monthly event that many of us call The Curse. Even if we live in the 21st century we tend to ignore or avoid the subject, especially in social conversations, unless it is really necessary (and in that case we tend to lower our voice and look around before starting to talk about it!)
Why do we do that? Why is it a taboo subAs women we tend to have a natural in- ject that still carries such stigma, concern stinct about what to do, when and how, and and embarrassment? Isnt it a natural prothis helps us not only in business, but also as cess that allows all of us to be alive? Why do mothers, wives, friends, partners, colleagues we ostracize it so much whether we are men or whatever your main role in life might be. or women? Have you ever wondered though, where this instinct comes from? Or why? Does all this apply to you? Or do you think it is only a myth and that only few women have it, but it is not applicable to you? Well, whatever your experience in your life might be, I can assure you that as women we do have an extra gear. Nature did gift us with some extra tools that probably most of us forget to use, maybe just because we are not aware of them.
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Well, if we look into any taboo subject, we can see that there tends to be a link between a taboo and the sacred or something carrying some power, so could it be that this is the case for the menstrual cycle too?
it? Could it be that we are sitting on a gold mine and we dont know it? What if I told you that your main source of inspiration is actually residing in it? How would you feel? Would you reconsider it and look at it with at least a curious eye rather than label it as a drag? Have you ever noticed that at times in your life you are full of inspiration, energy and determination, and have all the answers you need to do whatever you want? Have you ever thought that there might be a link to your menstrual cycle?
Willing or not, we have been living for several thousands of years under patriarchal rule, and the cycle has been considered as something pertinent to the female gender and therefore not of major interest for a society mainly run by men. After millenia even women have convinced themselves that it is an inconvenient aspect of life that women just have to put up with, and the more you can repress it or numb it, the better your life If you want to find out more about your will be. menstrual cycle, I run regular workshops called Flying Solo I and personal sessions Are we really sure of this? Couldnt it be with women. My purpose is to make you fly that this mysterious phenomenon has been in life and feel great in your skin by honourdreaded or misunderstood so much because ing your body as a source of wisdom. it in fact carries some special powers with
Gabriella Guglielminotti Trivel is an NLP Master Practitioner, passionate about helping women break through limiting beliefs, fears and helping them fly in life! She joined an expedition to Antarctica in March 08 to stretch herself to the limit and be even better in helping other women do the same. She helps women deepen their knowledge about their menstrual cycle, open up to a new awareness and be empowered! Visit her website at www.flyinginspiration.co.uk.
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Special Feature
Southern Africa Embrace Foundation Charity

s i n dy Z e M u r a -w o o d wa r d Southern Africa Embrace Foundation (SAE) is an international not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 2010 in Toronto, Canada. We are committed to advocating, supporting and promoting the wellbeing of marginalized women and children/orphans (0-16 years) in the Southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Republic of South Africa and Zimbabwe. We aspire to empower, educate and facilitate a better lifestyle to women and children who are faced with a daily struggle in their society to survive poverty, abuse, hunger, homelessness, illiteracy and disease. We sponsor and work in collaboration with selected clinics, shelters, educational organizations, orphanages, religious organizations, NGOs, individuals and corporate firms in and outside the countries we provide our services to.
Our Vision: We envision a strong
alliance of Southern African women and children of today and the future who live in sustainable communities and are self-reliant, empowered, prosperous and confident individuals with open access to lifes potential opportunities.
SAEs women empowerment programs, run in Zimbabwe in collaboration with Lupane Womens Centre (www.lupanewomenscenter.org) and in Swaziland with Mustard Seed Africa (www.mustardseedafrica.org), were created to promote gender equality, knowledge, education and self-sustainability in the communities that women live in. As we all know, empowerment is the expansion of ones capacity to create positive behavioural change and it is through this that development can be achieved. Women in Southern Africa often struggle for equality in making cultural, social, financial and even family decisions.
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Women are also less represented in the field of education and in the labour market. The focus on women is crucial to SAE because an empowered alliance of women can equate to change and sustainable development. Empowering women will give them access to education and other skills in order to be financially independent and improve their lives, families, societies and future generations. SAEs Women Achievers Program enrolls women in programs that help in many areas: Raising awareness of HIV/AIDS,
Alleviating poverty Helping women to know their rights in their homes, society and workplace Teaching them how to grow crops Maintaining self-sustaining projects within their talent capacity Promoting financial handicrafts. planning and
We believe empowering women will educate them to know and take their rightful Combatting sexual, physical and emo- places in their communities. tional abuse
Lupane Womens Center

In July 2011, Southern Africa Embrace Foundation partnered with Lupane Womens Centre (LWC) to help create sustainability for the women that are currently members at the centre. The centre generates income from local membership fees, running a poultry project, a small restaurant, booking rooms and a conference facility. The garden at the centre also complements
income through the sale of nursery trees that are grown by the women. Women at the centre are also involved in raising goats and chickens, selling eggs, soap-making, candle-making, conservation farming, nutrition gardens, bee-keeping and facilitating financial stability amongst the members through the creation of a monthly savings club where women contribute funds to invest for themselves.
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special featured Charity sae
The women at the centre are reaping the rewards of their commitment and partnerships through the progress of their community gardens. The gardens supply them and their communities with improved nutrition, as well as some monetary gains, by selling the excess to local people, thus raising money to spend on their individual family needs. The women in Lupane make some of the most beautiful Ndebele, Tonga and Nambyan baskets and other traditional and contemporary works of art. Their crafts, through generous sponsorships and partnerships, have found markets in other parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas. SAE is delighted to be a partner of LWC as we are witnessing shifts and improvements in the lives of the members through the various programs. Some women have bought assets for their homes, small livestock, im-
proved their diet and received a great deal of training in technical and business skills. The women have also learned more about legal and human rights and how to advocate for themselves in their private lives as well as in the labour market. Women have testified that their relationships with their spouses and families have also improved through peace-building advice and ideasharing that they benefit from at the centre. Above all, the women have attained financial independence to send their children to school, buy food and clothing and no longer fully rely on their husbands for everything. In essence, this is extremely empowering as the women have found a platform to make contributions to the development of their homes and individual lives. Thus their voices are also heard, as they have gained respect within their community.
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Mustard Seed Africa

Mustard Seed Africa (MSA) is a not-forprofit organization located in Mbabane, Swaziland. Mustard Seed, along with Southern Africa Embrace, have embarked on a partnership to address and help improve economic empowerment for women as a powerful tool to alleviate poverty. Mustard Seed Africa works with various womens groups in rural Swaziland, focusing on financial empowerment initiatives such as handicrafts, agriculture and entrepreneurship projects. The women also work from home, which enables them to tend to their household duties whilst producing their handicrafts. Studies have proven that rural women who are financially empowered improve the living conditions within their communities significantly by investing their money wisely in education for their children, food, clothing and savings. MSA and SAE, through their partnership, hope to provide holistic support for women from poor communities to ensure that both economic and social empowerment is achieved, including access to health, literacy, finance, access to clean water, savings schemes and overall personal development. Sindy Zemura-Woodward, the founder of SAE, along with her husband and cofounder, Sheldon Bernard-Woodward, travelled to the Kingdom of Swaziland in
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special featured Charity sae
September 2011 to meet with the women of Litsemba village. Sindy is quoted as saying, regarding their experience with the women there, In my entire life, I have never come across such a powerful community of women, who believe in God, have FAITH, believe in each other and are united. The love they have for each other shows us the importance of women unity and empowerment. The power of investing in a woman is beyond measure, as the results are out of the ordinary. We met with three groups of women that Mustard Seed Africa works with during our short Swazi trip. The most important factors to these women were: Education, Empowerment, Sustainability, and Access to Health.
Sindy continues: Many of the women we spoke to advised us of the need for funding to get their handicrafts, sowing, farming and building projects on the go again, after these were halted due to lack of funds. I was stunned by the amazing crafts they create but saddened by the lack of resources in Litsemba. Our partner Mustard Seed Africa is standing firm with these women to help them have access to resources so they can continue on their projects that once created self sustainability to them. The women told us of how they were once able to feed their families, buy clothes, shoes and blankets for their children, send their children to school and above all have the power of voice but that has since changed. I encourage women around the world to sow a seed for Mustard Seed Africa and Lupane Womens Centre through the Southern Africa Embrace Foundation to help us support the empowering and long-term projects that our fellow sisters, mothers and
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grandmothers are involved in. Please join us as we stand together on the dotted lines to get rid of the curse of poverty and discrimination amongst women in Africa. Let us stand together in educating marginalized women to enable them to become achievers and overcomers. I know and I believe that there is power in uniting women, there is power in educating women, and there is
power in training them to have skills that they can use at any level of their lives. As Winston Churchill said Mountain tops inspire leaders but valleys mature them. I believe the women in Southern Africa are leaders of today and the future. Together we can Make A Difference, Saving Lives, One At A Time.
More information about programs, sponsorships or involvement to support the abovementioned organizations is available at www.sae-foundation.org. Emails can be sent to info@sae-foundation.org. Twitter: @sa_embrace http://www.twitter.com/sa_embrace/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SouthernAfricaEmbraceFoundation/. Please also sign up for our amazing monthly newsletter on our website to keep up to date with our work in Southern Africa.
Sindy Zemura-Woodward is Founder and Chairperson of Southern Africa Embrace Foundation located in Toronto, Canada. Sindy is a native of Zimbabwe and a sibling to seven brothers and five sisters. Sindys inspirations to work with the marginalized and needy are founded in her Christianity background and love to travel around the world, meeting people of different ethnicities as well as the lessons taught by her parents from a tender age to think of others less fortunate and always give back. She also volunteers as a prayer counselor at her local church based in Toronto and has prior volunteer experience working in shelters and group homes working with children, women and the elderly in the United Kingdom and Canada. She resides in Brampton, Ontario (Canada) with her husband Sheldon.
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Finding Bliss in the oCean

sharni Quinn However, Hanli, as any passionate being living their life purpose, has found it challenging to stay on her path and follow her bliss. It took me years to make my dream my life and livelihood, I was close to giving up many These are words from self-confessed, na- times. Hanli says that at one point, I was exhausted and burnt out working so hard but ture-loving ocean fanatic, Hanli Prinsloo. having nothing to show for it. I began quesHanli is an eleven-time South African tioning what I was doing and kept thinking: freediving record holder, inspirational what about me? What am I getting out of this? speaker, writer, ocean adventurer and the Is any of this worthwhile? Her obstacles founder of the I Am Water Trust. She is pas- have been making ends meet and creating sionate about the ocean, conservation and a sustainable day-to-day life doing what she sharing the oceans beauty with people who knows to be her purpose. would not normally have access to the unOur challenges in life are huge lessons to derwater wilderness. help us learn and grow. As Hanli states, She envisages having the ocean loved and Sometimes we find ourselves drifting from our protected on a greater scale than it is today path and need a little guidance: something that - dreaming of freedom and preservation for pulls us back towards ourselves and reminds us ocean creatures and for more people to ex- of our purpose on this planet. perience the wilderness that makes up the At a time in her life when she found herself blue hue of our small planet. drifting from the pastime that she loved so Hanli was instantly drawn to freediving. As much and losing her inspiration and bliss, an eager swimmer and enthusiastic scuba she was reminded to be present and stay fodiver she fell in love with the sport and de- cused through an amazing encounter with scribes herself as initially being driven by one of the most majestic creatures in the a sense of curiosity about what the human ocean. A baby Southern Right whale paid her a visit and was resting under her surfbody can accomplish underwater. I am in complete bliss when I feel my body move in water, when the lines between me and the sea become blurred, gravity disappears and I feel myself held by the ocean.
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board during one particular soul-searching surf session. I swam down and lay next to it on the sand. I had to surface for air every five minutes, but spent the most amazing half hour of my life next to this incredible creature. It was just the reminder I needed to assure me that, financial stress aside, I was just where I needed to be. To experience a moment like this, where a creature finds you in the huge ocean and chooses to stay with you is something very special. It reconnected me to my life and my choices. The encounter gave me so much energy and vitality, and the unmistakable message was: if youre in the right place, doing the right thing, you can accomplish anything you set your heart on. As someone who promotes doing what you do, and doing it well, Hanli, with a group of ocean-loving friends founded the I Am Water Trust in 2010. They believe that mankind and nature cannot survive without each other and also firmly advocate the age-old saying that man will protect what he loves, and loves only what he has experienced, so this is where they are most active. I Am Water aims to foster ocean conservation through human experience. Through their conservation campaigns and education they promote the
premise that conservation needs to make an impact on peoples sense of beauty and love, not through statistics that bring fear and hopelessness. Together as a charitable trust, the primary aim for I Am Water is to ensure that all individuals in South Africa have equal access to our wonderful ocean wilderness. Amongst their various projects, I Am Water not only offers ocean wilderness retreats, teaches conservation to surfers, creates awareness around marine protected areas, and organizes monthly beach clean-ups but also offer freediving courses to previously disadvantaged individuals. Hanlis answer to what she is most proud of in her career is I have worked with kids from townships, sportsmen, corporates, and I love showing them their bodies adaptation to water, and seeing the appreciation in them grow. Sharing her life passion with others is an important part of Hanli Prinsloos creation of internal bliss. Sharing her secret to internal bliss with Inspirational Woman Magazine, she says, Live through your true self, moment by moment, and do what you love! To find out more about Hanli Prinsloo and the I Am Water Trust please visit www.iamwater.co.za.
Passionate about Yoga, health and happiness, Sharni Quinn has just spent nine months travelling through India, Bali and Australia on her personal Yoga pilgrimage and doing Yoga for charity her Follow the Sun Journey. Upon her return to Cape Town, South Africa, she now plans on sharing her inspiring moments through teaching Yoga, facilitating workshops, writing, sharing her experiences and spreading the sunshine.
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Follow Your Bliss: a Journey into the soul

k at ya l u B a r r
What is the business that will change your life?

This is the question that the Spiritual Marketing Quest (SMQ), pioneered and run by Suzanne Falter-Barns and Jeffrey Van Dyk, sets out to explore. An innovative programme designed for healing or helping practitioners at all career stages, this is no regular marketing course. It is an approach to business which works from the inside out, rather than outside-in. This is a journey into the soul, and a quest to expand. Following on from the traditional archetype of the wounded healer, the core message of the SMQ is that each of us has individual life experiences that uniquely equip us to help others in ways that only we can. Our lifes wounds, and our own personal healing journeys, give us expert knowledge of an emotional landscape that others our divine market are now experiencing. Like many, participant Karen Skehel expressed, I have hidden my wounds, and at times even felt shame around them too. The SMQ has encouraged me to fully embrace my wounds. Only through this kind of self acceptance can we take those profound gifts out into the world. Through the SMQ, Suzanne and Jeffrey exemplify what they envision for all their participants: a unique service based on a unique combination of skills, qualities and life experiences. One example Suzanne shared was her personal wound of being quieted as a child having to be seen and not heard. Through her work she has helped countless people to find their own voices, and their worth. As we find and express our own personal worth we are able to run our business in a way that heals our very own soul whilst helping others to do the same. Through a combination of facilitator led visualisations, group discussions and individual exercises we were supported in accessing our own inner guidance, a key aspect of this work. For participant Marta Ayuso, the insight gained, far from being just about busi-
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ness, gave sense to many experiences I went through in my life, finding a new positive meaning for it all. Lisa Dorey found herself making a huge breakthrough in one of my most fundamental life wounds. As she put it, I understand that this healing was necessary before I could take my business to the next level, and so it has proved to be. The key to finding our bliss really does lie inside.
Key points and techniques from the SMQ Wounds as training embracing our wounding experiences as guidance to our purpose can bring awareness to the invaluable learning that we have already gained from them. Trust and remain detached you are perfectly equipped to serve your divine market. Those who are supposed to join you on this path will; those who arent wont. A tighter niche makes an easier target market focus first on who you would love to work with. This can always expand. Listen to your whole being whether it be your higher guidance, or (often wounded) parts of yourself you feel are holding you back. Conversations with these parts can create space for big changes. Keep coming back to your heart the heart not the mind knows where we really should be focusing.
Spiritual Marketing Quest http://spiritualmarketingquest.com/ Marta Ayuso Executive Coach and Career Change Mentor www.findingnorth.net Karen Sehkel Holistic Coach and teacher of Biodanza www.dayofwomen.org www.danceintobliss.co.uk www.wow-coaching.co.uk www.coachingsupervisor.co.uk Lisa Dorey The Angel Interpreter www.lisadorey.com
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Inspirational Woman Magazine

Annett Blechstein
Annett is a financial coach and the founder of abcoaching. She combines her passion of coaching with her long financial experience, in conducting financial education seminars targeted towards women (however, men are also welcome). the seminars serve to demystify the financial world and empower women to make their own financial decisions. www.abcoachinghk.com
Meet the inspirational Women Behind
Julia Bernards
Julias background is in family Life, both in education and experience. Writing about family life to share inspiration and ideas with other women is one of her primary passions.
Andrieka J. Austin
Andrieka is founder of Journey Girl, a mobile enrichment service for girls and women. She offers Sharni Quinn life skills and self-empoWErment training and development services. Visit her online at www. passionate about yoga, health and happiness, MissJourneyGirl.com and see her companys Sharni Quinn has just spent nine months travelling work at www.journeygirl.org. through india, Bali and Australia on her personal yoga pilgrimage and doing yoga for charity her find her through social media: facebook.com/ follow the Sun Journey. journeygirlatl, twitter.com/journeygirlatl, and on Linked-in as the Moderator for the group: female Upon her return to Cape town, South Africa, Self-empoWErment. she now plans on sharing her inspiring moments Pamela Murray through teaching yoga, facilitating workshops, writing, sharing her experiences and spreading pamela has had an interest and curiosity about the sunshine. spiritual things for about 30 years. this led to her Cathy Dean interest in the Akashic records. She chose to learn how to channel her own Akashic records Cathy is a fortysomething woman who has expe- then later discovered that she was also able to rienced a fair few of the highs and the lows that channel the Akasha for other people. life can throw at her and her mission is to help other fortysomething women, just like you, to She has since decided to become a Life direction learn to know, love and understand yourself so intuitive and now offers Akashic record sessions. that you can put aside your fears and step out into for more information, visit www.lifewhispering. the sunlight where you belong. She is a profes- com.au. sionally qualified coach and trainer with a 25 year Kirsten Meneghello, J.d. career in personal development behind her and she loves her work. Kirsten is a Life purpose Coach with illumination Because life is a journey of discovery and redis- Coaching LLC, based in the U.S. She specializes in covery, she loves to help women who have lost working with successful professional women who sight of who they are and why they are here. her are on a quest for greater purpose and meaning greatest passion is to see women take positive in their lives. Kirsten coaches, speaks, writes and steps toward their own confident and personally hosts weekend retreats on finding your purpose. Email her at kirsten@illuminationcoachpdx.com. fulfilling present and future lives.
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Mila Diamond
Mila is a personal and Business Coach, founder of Womens perfect Body, as well as CEo and Master Coach of diamond Mind Coaching. She teaches from the heart and accepts no less than the best from each client. She works brilliantly with women, helping them to permanently break through limitations and achieve amazing results. Womens perfect Body was created to help you become healthy, happy, and fulfilled, while creating the beautiful body and life you desire and deserve.
Sindy Zemura-Woodward
Sindy is founder and Chairperson of Southern Africa Embrace foundation located in toronto, Canada. Sindy is a native of Zimbabwe and a sibling to seven brothers and five sisters. After completing her studies in California, she migrated to Canada in 2005 where she has been working full time as an accountant with exposure in different industries from property management, healthcare, manufacturing and financial services. Sindy also passionately devotes time outside her full time employment to the success of her international development not for profit charitable organization founded in the year 2010 to focus on helping marginalized women and children in Southern Africa. Sindys inspirations to work with the marginalized and needy are founded in her Christianity background and love to travel around the world, meeting people of different ethnicities as well as the lessons taught by her parents from a tender age to think of others less fortunate and always give back. She also volunteers as a prayer counselor at her local church based in toronto and has prior volunteer experience working in shelters and group homes working with children, women and the elderly in the United Kingdom and Canada. She resides in Brampton, ontario (Canada) with her husband Sheldon.
Gabriella Guglielminotti Trivel

Gabriella is an nLp Master practitioner, passionate about helping women break through limiting beliefs, fears and helping them fly in life! She joined an expedition to Antarctica in March 08 to stretch herself to the limit and be even better in helping other women do the same. She helps women deepen their knowledge about their menstrual cycle, open up to a new awareness and be empowered! Visit her website at www.flyinginspiration.co.uk.
Menaye Donkor
Menaye was born in 1981. She was brought up by her parents in Accra, Ghana, and is the youngest of seven siblings with four brothers and two sisters. At the age of seven Menaye inherited the job title of royal Stool Bearer for her paternal grandmother, who is the Queen mother of Agona Asafo. She graduated with honors in marketing from york University in toronto, Canada.
Aime Hutton
Aime is passionate about inspiring women to be fully who they are and tap into their own power, self confidence, radiance and love themselves! Aime believes that women are on this earth for a purpose, and need to strut their stuff, dance their dance, for women are born to shine!!
Aime is a speaker, author, and sensuality expert. She wants to get women in touch with their bodies again and love themselves where they are on tammy works on living and working with clarity their journey in life. you can find out how to tap into and in the moment, while being challenged and your inner radiance by visiting her website of www. knocked off her centre by her gorgeous 4 year awakeninggoddess.com and connecting with Aime old daughter. tammy is known as the freelancers at her e-mail of: aime@awakeninggoddess.com Coach, and works with those who create their own work, outside of the constraints of the 9-5 office. She can be reached at www.fureycoaching.com.
Tammy Furey
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