Recently I made a difficult decision based on the truth that I needed to take a hiatus, drop my “oh, so important” day-to-day life for a little while and S.T.O.P., meaning “Still Thoughts, Observe Pauses.”

My dilemma: do I go to a big networking event for my business or do I enter Silence for a few days? As I became more and more honest with myself I realized I wasn’t sleeping very well, my mind raced around more than usual and I was often multi-tasking – an obvious clue that I was feeling the pressure of time. I chose to go into Silence because I know that my health, happiness and sanity depend on clarity, inner peace, and refined energy. And here’s the real bottom line: abundance of every kind always grows in proportion to emptying out so intuition, innovation and creativity can flow in.

How to tell the right TIME to S.T.O.P?

First let’s look at two types of time: Indefinite Time vs. Infinite Time. It’s one thing to trust in your heart you have all the time you need to express your Self, but quite another thing to have time without end.

That’s because there is no joy in the perpetual. If music had no intervals or little stopping places (pauses) all music would be one long noise composed of a single note. There would be no rhythm, no beat. The same goes with breathing. It would be silly to try and hold in breath forever; or hold it out forever. Breathing, heartbeats, music, day and night, nature’s seasons and life and death are cyclic patterns.

Cycles enjoy particular rhythms, however, they do not repeat. When we sing the refrain to a song we never sing exactly the same way twice. Likewise, this morning is unique from all others; never duplicated. We may do something “again,” like making love, but it is not the “same.” The Tao says you cannot step into the same river twice. The river flows onward, therefore each time you step into different water, a different river. Also, you are different moment to moment therefore you as your Self cannot step into the same river twice. Ah, the joys of Indefinite Time.

In contrast, Infinite Time, or perpetual sameness, feels lifeless, boring and provides a kind of numbing existence. Do you remember Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day? Take out the poetic direction and moral of the story and what’s left? Excruciatingly dull replication.

Trick of the Trade: This week play with the idea of two kinds of Time. You can save yourself lots of unnecessary suffering. Where in your life has Indefinite Time begun to morph into Infinite Time? Here are some clues: If your business or important relationships go from feeling happily organized to a bunch of “Heavy Have-to’s” you’re mid switch! Also, if you catch yourself slipping back into an old habit you don’t like, odds are you’re moving into Infinite Time.

Learning to S.T.O.P. is a magical antidote because once you learn how, fresh energy arises on its own. You find yourself going, moving again without drudgery. Awareness (S.T.O.P.) is part of the 1st cycle of Intuitive Intelligence. You may want to read (or re-read)more about it in our free special report.

Help us give you what you want. Leave questions or comments on our blog – that’s how I can best shape new courses we’re putting together for you.

Have a Great Blue Heart week. Remember we’re here to help Activate and Transform the World through the Intuitive Heart of Courage.

Before Mark died we spent almost 30 years working and playing in our Love Laboratory™.

We figured marriage was a juicy, erratic, erotic caldron; a laboratory to learn how to love ourselves, each other, the kids, other people and the planet. I thought my Love Laboratory™ was gone, that it died with him. But that’s not true. I still have deep relationships with many people and an ongoing relationship with life. And I’ve been amazed at the ongoing but different relationship with Mark. No, I’m not making it up; it’s mind-blowing to have a partner on the other side.

The dictionary defines a laboratory as, “a place equipped for experimental study…or for testing; a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation or practice in a field of study.” In this definition, “field” refers to an area of study, like work or relationships or communication. I want to use the concept of field in another way as well; the info-energy atmosphere in which everything swims.

Junior High science classes introduced me to a structured, academic world of “laboratory.” Even if I came up with the wrong answer I learned to give curiosity free reign.

When lab partners work toward solving the same problem but come up with different approaches or results, things get interesting. But that’s what happens in relationships – they’re really laboratories!

Life teaches that repeatable, measureable scientific investigation needs to intertwine with other ways of knowing; non-linear intuitive knowing and non-local experience.

We have fields of study (topics) and we also have “fields” that we can’t see but we know they’re there because we can see their effects. For example, the existence of the gravity field (G-field) becomes evident when a toddler stands and falls a hundred times while she discovers her balance; while she plays in the G-field and discovers her relationship with gravity.

From the moment we are born we learn to navigate and negotiate our relationship to several energy fields such as; gravity (G-field), electro-magnetism (EM-field), and akashic, or zero point field (A-field)which is the background information field that interconnects all things in the universe.

Permit me to add an unscientific yet obvious field we all know about – the love field or what I call the L-field. I’m not talking about sentimental feelings; I’m talking about cohesive energy. Science tells us that heart energy radiates outward 3 to 15 feet depending on our mood, thoughts and well-being. So let’s call this energy radius our L-field.

Trick of the Trade: This week tune into your L-field. Knowing that your field begins deep within your heart, use your sensory awareness to feel the outer edges of your L-field. This takes some practice, and that’s what a Love Laboratory™ is all about. If you can’t actually feel this energy yet, begin by imagining it. For now do not place your attention on analyzing or evaluating the quality of what you are radiating. Instead, be aware that everyone and everything within your L-field is swimming in and being effected by the energy circulating within your body, just as every cell and atom of your body is being bathed by the same energy.

Let me know how your lab experiments go. Sometimes they’re quite surprising! ~ Karen

I often hear people say that things are “intuitive” when they make logical sense,

like when you try to figure out your new cell phone and some buttons and functions seem obvious and others don’t. The obvious functions are labeled “intuitive.” This definition barely scratches the surface of the depth of intuition and how important it can be to your life.

Intuition lives in a field far beyond logic.

It resides in the Akashic Field (A-field), the Zero Point Field, or the Info-Energy Field that passes through and interconnects all life. I would go so far as to say that one of our greatest problems as humans is that we’ve lived in a in a culture of Mind, a culture of Reason for so long that our “Intuitive Factor”™ has become repressed. I define the Intuitive Factor™ as our natural high-sensory capacity to connect with and live from the level of Soul, the level of the A-Field.

Examples:

1. Healing does not occur through logic. Healing becomes triggered when we fall madly in love with Life and know – down to our bones and cells – that everything we feel, say and do counts. Most true healing systems display a lack of dependence on logic while requiring strong intuition and a willingness to recreate our relationship with ourselves and Life.
2. One of our greatest fears is being humiliated. Anger, defensiveness and revenge surge to the surface easily when we feel shamed or embarrassed. This is a prime example why we cannot teach intuition solely through the mind. To forgive someone who humiliates us defies simple logic and lower brain revenge. Instead, forgiveness is the first mystical act; it is not a mental truth but a mystical or soulful experience. Forgiveness is not realized through our mind because the mind is arrogant; it is realized through intuition because our soul derives power from humility.

This week’s Trick of the Trade: Engage the idea of at least beginning the process of forgiving someone you feel has humiliated you. Start where you are, even if you begin to mentally defend your position or have momentary revenge fantasies. That’s just the level of your rehearsed, trained mind. Through this practice you will begin to grow some of the stamina that soulful intuitiveness requires. This is one of many reasons you want to become intuitive!

Be sure to ask if you have any questions, and let me know how your practice goes for you.

Your Intuition Teacher,

Karen

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One of the biggest obstacles to learning rests in the environment in which you learn.

If you really want to learn you have to create a trustworthy environment. That’s true for everyone, whether you’re an adult preparing a presentation or a child in elementary school learning math. If you feel tense or embarrassed, rushed or angry while you’re trying to learn something new, you’ll have trouble processing the information and storing it in long term memory. Our “triune-brain” is amazingly complicated and sensitive. It helps to know something about how your brain works so learning, efficiency and progress come easier.

We have three brains in our skull. We also have another brain in our abdomen for intuition and the digestion of ideas, feelings and food – but that’s a topic for another day. The 3 head-brains are the cerebral cortex (cognitive brain), the limbic system (mid-brain) and the brain stem (reptilian brain).

The cortex is your top “thinking cap.” It processes millions of bits of information that rise up from the senses which are forwarded via the limbic or “middle” brain. Your cortex handles complexities like science or language and contemplates issues of the future. It analyzes and handles a multitude of complicated tasks.

Although it is known as the cognitive or academic brain, it is the slowest of the three levels of the brain because it has so much information to process. So the first step toward brain-happy learning is creating an environment with an absence of threat to give your cortex time to absorb.

The limbic system is your brain’s principal regulator of emotions as well as all the data coming from your senses. It transfers information from short-term to long-term memory. It’s also responsible for regulating eating, drinking sleeping, body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, hormones, sex, hunger and aggression – just to name a few!

The limbic system is your mental gatekeeper. It is powerful enough to override rational thought from the cortex (above)as well as instinctive response patterns from your brain stem (below). Because your limbic system determines what gets processed, stored and used, positive emotional engagement is absolutely essential. Frustration and/or boredom threaten your mid-brain and shut down learning fast.

The brain stem has no language and typically doesn’t store visual input: this is why we often don’t remember what an attacker looks like. This is the brain that takes over when you feel physically threatened. It reacts immediately if your body feels attacked or threatened and never shuts off. This reptilian brain in you stays on the alert for any real or perceived threats.

It’s imperative that you create both external and internal environments that are non-threatening. External environment can include a designated space to work, good lighting and enough quiet or sounds (music, flowing water) that are comfortable for you.

Just as important: your internal environment. Having positive self-talk is crucial. When you have a friendly inner voice you are more likely to experience curiosity and interest, patience and good humor as you learn.

This week’s Trick of the Trade: notice both your internal and external environments at work, at home, or perhaps even in your car. And if you have kids or co-workers notice how you participate in their environment. Take care of your mid-brain so you can easily “up-shift” into your cortex when you need to. Nurture a sense of calm and trust. Be trustworthy and non-threatening to yourself and others.

Have a lovely week. And remember to leave a comment on the blog and tell me how this works for you.

Heart to heart, Karen

In my last newsletter I mentioned three elements that must be in place for intuition to flourish.

Some of you asked me to go into more depth with each element. Being a Depth Mentor, I’m happy spending more time with these helpful ideas.

Today we look at the first element: Being purposeful without a goal.

It’s commonplace to think up a goal or set an intention and then work toward achieving that goal.

While this is a positive strategy, it is incomplete because attention focuses entirely on the goal, leaving the mood or felt sense attitude of the actual experience unattended. Permit me to offer a complimentary perspective.

Play is one of the essential keys to intuitive intelligence. Are you willing to be present and learn more and more of what play means for you? Are you willing to study your consciousness and become more that? Are you willing to be attracted by what interests you moment to moment? Do you live by such solid rules that you won’t allow yourself to play in your work? Are you willing to be creative?

Are you willing to be purposeful without a goal, because playing is purposeful, but for nothing other than the play itself; and it will take you somewhere, but often not to where you thought it would be if you had focused only on a specific goal. Are you willing to HAVE fun? Are you willing to BE fun? The concept of play is so common you might just tell yourself, “oh yeah, of course I play.” But I’m not talking about what you DO; I’m asking about the level of light-hearted non-attachment flowing through you as you act.

For this week’s Trick of the Trade (conscious energy exchange), begin to gently observe yourself during daily tasks and ask yourself the questions I’ve mentioned here. Notice when, where, with whom, or under what circumstances you keep yourself from being playful. Practice allowing work and life to become more fluid and flexible. Discover the powerful freedom of being purposeful without a goal.

Today’s connection is sweet and simple – we want to give you a quick peek at a magical Retreat.

First, a reminder for all of us (yes, I need this reminder myself sometimes!) that if we can’t play we can’t learn and if we aren’t learning we aren’t playing! Even more, intuition gets shut down without these three elements flowing:

• Being purposeful without a goal, so essential to both learning and playing;
• Creative spontaneity requiring presence and a non-threatening environment;
• Curiosity and interest allowing for unexpected happy mistakes and discoveries.

Here are some High-Lights from Remembering Who You Are; The Alchemy of Light, our amazingly rich, deep and powerful alchemical retreat experience last weekend:

• a lovefest of sisterhood between both new and familiar women alchemical pioneers who attended
• group energy practices and healing lessons
• learning, playing, laughing and loving
• walking the labyrinth under an ancient mother full moon
• dream journeying
• 5 minute mandala drawings
• a light show of the makings of our selves and our cosmos
• group meditation, practices and meal times
• lots of conversations, sharing and laughter
• unique training; for example, the 4 essential elements of alchemy to take your Gold into the world
• shortcuts for communicating with your sub-conscious and freeing intuition