Elizabeth

What does it mean to be? And how does this relate to our doing? And is there a happy medium? Most of us know what it means to do. We live in a culture that is inclined towards doing ~ taking action. Many of us define ourselves by our capacity to do ~ to produce. […]

Pivotal moments What memories arise for you over and over again during your lifetime? Do you find yourself flashing back to powerful moments in time that you have come to realize as significant for you? A pivotal moment is one that holds meaning for you and endures. It may be a moment when you made

What are your first thoughts when you hear the word “creativity?” Does it conjure up images of paint palettes and easels? Poetry books? Songwriting? Knitting or Sewing? Arts and Crafts? For many years, I defined creativity as talent that was made tangible through some work of art – leaving me identifying myself as uncreative. I

Beginner’s Mind   You have probably heard the concept of “beginner’s mind” before? It is a term coined by Zen Master, Suzuki Roshi that encourages the adoption of openness, anticipation, excitement, and the release of already formed opinions and mind sets in order to create a space for something new. It is the type of

There is nothing like a well-formulated question to get us moving in the direction of creative solutions. Nothing. Limiting Questions Think about some of the first questions that pop into your mind when you are faced with a problem or a challenge. Does it go something like this?   Why is this happening?   Why

Think of engagement as occurring on a continuum. None of us are fully engaged in what we are doing all of the time. We daydream. We zone out. Tune out. Check out. It happens everyday to everyone. It is a choice that we make without conscious awareness most of the time. Often we like to

A Broader Definition of Learning Academics is only part of it…and as much as I honour formal learning when it comes to the helping professions – vocations of service – it is a small piece of a much bigger picture. Learning, on the other hand is essential. And everything is an opportunity for learning. Be

Integrity. Not brutal honesty. Integrity. Integration. Alignment. Acceptance. Authenticity. Keeping it real. Genuineness. Word. Thought. Feeling. Action. Light and Dark. All encompassing. Everything.   Integrity Redefined I had an unexpected lesson in integrity this summer. I had always thought of integrity as being evident when I lived according to my highest values and beliefs. I

What happens when you get quiet to tune in and hate what you hear?   My Self-Directed Mini Retreat I don’t know what I was thinking as I planned and entered into a self-scheduled and facilitated mini-retreat. Well, yes, I do. I expected to get still, tune in, and have a clear channel to my

What’s love got to do with it? Well, I would argue that it has everything to do with it. What is service without the energy of love…really? What lead you here in the first place? You might recall feeling a sense of being called to contribute – to connect – to help – to make