Category Archives: Healing Arts

Independent Spirit of Spring

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“Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.” – Victor Hugo 

My reserves of inspiration are nearly empty. It happens this time of year. By March, I feel completely hemmed in and surrounded by white. The paper, The Steamboat Pilot, states “we have received over 272 inches of snow this season.” Winter is not over yet, the vernal equinox hasn’t even arrived. All I have to do is look out the window and see the snow banks. There they are, piled high, shouting out “we promise, we are doing all we can to delete your memories of a world with color.” 

 To add insult to injury, my mother e-mailed me this morning to say that she and my sister are going to the Philadelphia Flower Show on Thursday. “Great,” I think. “Wish I could join you, every color in the spectrum will be represented. Perhaps, next year?” But, here I sit, trying to fill in this blank paper with color. The field of ideas is looking as vacant as the landscape. 

I can’t fight Mother Nature. She will go about her way, with her independent spirit and bring us spring whenever she feels good and ready.  So, rather than stay stuck on this blog writing that is shallow in creativity, as soon as the thermometer rises above 10 degrees, I’m going for my daily walk. I’ll enjoy the sapphire blue sky that has brought exquisite color to these mountainous, barren lands that are devoid of the sight of morning glories, the scent of the New Dawn roses and birdsong heralding in warmer weather.

yellow_crocus_flowers_in_the_snow_1600x1279I’ll walk and remember the tastes of tender, garden-fresh asparagus, fiddle head ferns. I’ll chant  “the days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger”  and stay focused on knowing “that God always fulfills his promise; spring never fails us.” 

Today as I amble, I’ll check to see if spring is around the corner. I’m hopeful it’s hiding under a stone by the YampaRiver, just waiting to surprise me.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Intuition in Children

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“Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way.” – Florence Scovel Shinn

Last week at the TED conference, a two or three minute video clip of children talking about being were scared was aired. The children voiced their solutions of moving away from the emotive feelings that come with being scared by thinking of happy things – such as pizza, puppy dogs, pretty images.

How astute for young children to realize the value of visualization and to know the importance of the power of the brain to bring about change in our emotions.

In my opinion, raising perceptive children in this day and age is so important. Beyond teaching children they have the ability to change how they are feeling themselves, being well-tuned into our intuition can mean the difference between sensing if our safety is in jeopardy. This is useful for children and adults. A heightened sense of perception can also help steer children in the right direction in life, and aid them in having a strong moral compass.

A psychologist in one segment of the TED presentation spoke of the dangers of parents inhibiting a crucial developmental step in children by not letting children learn by their own mistakes and make their own decisions, within reason. As a person who has always been interested in psychology, this TED session was fascinating.

Raising intuitive childrenCheck out this publication, available in e-book format,Raising Intuitive Children  by authors Caron B Goode and Tara Paterson.

Co-author Dr. Goode is the founder of the e-learning school, the Academy for Coaching Parents International, which trains and certifies coaches for parents and families. She is also the founder of the HeartWise.™ Click for info & ordering more books by Caron B Goode

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Stirring the Mind

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“All things are possible until they are proved impossible. Even the impossible may only be so, as of now.” – Pearl S. Buck

creative-brainLast week, The Bud Werner Memorial Library in Steamboat Springs, Colorado brought in a live stream of the TED Conference from Long Beach, California. I had hoped to individually highlight some of the presenters this week on this site. However, a better approach would be to share some of the fulfilling thoughts that I came away with after viewing a good deal of the four day broadcast. 

“We”, meaning as a country and a world, are indeed blessed with:

  •  forward thinking, creative people
  • a population of individuals who like to dream and imagine and ask “What if?”
  • people, who when they believe in their passions, are not afraid to take risks
  • technological advances that will increasingly free people to labor with their brains, rather than brawn.
  • living during a time when turning the hypothetical to reality, is happening more often.
  • learning more about our sixth sense and the amagydala – the emotive part of the brain.
  • “At the precipice of a new era where ideas can be used for global fulfillment in the world, rather than for just personal gain.” As stated by a TED presenter.
  • an era when professions will be more cognitively demanding and specialized. 

The TED conference was designed to stir thought, and for me, it fulfilled its mission. When I asked myself “Who Are We?” after viewing the broadcast, I can’t help but defer to the tag line of TED. We are a population of “The Young, the Wise and the Undiscovered.” Thank God for that! It opens up all kinds of possibilities for future generations. 

A special shout out to Jenny Lay, events coordinator and the library board members who do an outstanding job of bringing thoughtful programs to our community.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Social and Emotional Learning

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There is always a moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in. ~ Graham Green 

 Barb Gueldners book on Social and Emotional learningAn objective of teaching is to prepare children to be academically strong. It is also important to give children other skills they will need so they grow to be well-rounded adults, able to cope with the stresses of life. Teaching professionals are increasingly being asked to add social and emotional learning into the classroom. Having the right tools and resources to add this modality of teaching, is important. 

Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom: Promoting Mental Health and Academic Success by Kenneth W Merrell, PhD and Barbara Gueldner
is just one publication offered by Guilford Press, a publishing company focused on providing “books, periodicals, software, and DVDs in mental health, education, geography, and the social and behavioral sciences.” 

A variety of teaching strategies, used in the classrooms, is offered in the book Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom: Promoting Mental Health and Academic Success. The book also addresses how to incorporate these social and emotional learning principles into curriculum and, how to adapt the program for classes that have a range of academic needs and cultural diversity. 

Any learning program needs to be able to assess the program’s efficacy. This book also gives administrators and teachers ways to monitor progress and use the approaches outlined for utmost effectiveness.

Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom: Promoting Mental Health and Academic Success, published in February 2010, was released in e-book format in March 2011. Both formats can be ordered through the Guilford Press website. Please visit this link. http://bit.ly/YdGhKL .

Teachers, add this publication to your bookshelf, and watch your students reap the rewards of being emotionally and socially fit.

Barbara Gueldner PhD

Co-author Barbara A Gueldner, PhD

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Soups on, In Steamboat!

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“Only the pure of heart can make good soup.” ~Ludwig van Beethoven

I guess that throws me out of the pure of heart category. Making good soup is not my forte. I am posting this blog today, as a little self-help tip and  for others who need remedies for weak soup making skills.

In sickness and in health, hot soups nourish the soul and the spirit. In places that have long winters, like where I live, we rely on soups to warm our inners and get us through the cold season. Soup has long been associated with healing and bolstering immune systems. Here is an article about the properties of soup that make them so nutritious. http://exm.nr/11VJAN0.

Ski town Soups_Author Jennie Iverson has complied a cookbook,Ski Town Soups , a collection of recipes from sixty East to West Coast ski areas in the United States. The recipes are not run of the mill, nor are they light broths made for first course appetizers. The publication contains more than 100 ideas of creative, unique blends of hearty flavors that have won high accolades from customers in premium restaurants in mountain resort areas, including Steamboat.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime – Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and  www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Fueling the Spirit

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The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. ~ Author Unknown

Monday and Tuesday’s blogs have led me toward wanting to write more about energy and filling our selves up with the right kind of fuel.

Many people have been without jobs for a long time, leading to feelings of unworthiness, sadness, depression. For some, feelings of lack of prosperity have never been experienced before; a stable, well-paying job has always been in the picture. It’s a particularly difficult transition for anyone who has always been financially secure and then they find themselves floundering.

The same kinds of feelings are experienced by those who are experiencing divorce or ending associations with things that can no longer be afforded. After all, those things (jobs, marriages and material goods) become part of people’s identity, and a great void and sense of loss is felt when they are gone or no longer within reach.

shortcuts to inner peaceShortcuts to Inner Peace: 70 Simple Paths to Everyday Serenity by Ashley Davis Bush, has gotten good reviews.  Learning to look inside, and be at peace by establishing a fulfilling and a meaningful relationship with ourselves, our spirit and perhaps a higher being is at the root of this book. Bush’s book provides tips to create a happier lifestyle, so that when the rug gets pulled out from underneath us, we are not so personally deflated; we have the tools to maintain our sense of self.

The author, Ashley Davis Bush, is has a degree in social work and a certificate in Contemplative Studies from SmithCollege.http://bit.ly/ZrlkAB She lives in New Hampshire.  Click here for more info and ordering the book Short Cuts to Inner Peace.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog is brought to you by  Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpectedand www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bundled Energy

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“Problems are not the problem, coping is the problem.” ~ Virginia Satir

energy in the worldTime to change the channel, there is no reason to stay stuck on it. http://bit.ly/Xkquu0. I’ve had more than my fill of news about the Carnival cruise ship that let down its vacationers. The travelers talk as if it was if they were intentionally “wronged.”  Fact of the matter – it was  an unfortunate incident that no one could have predicted and everyone was in a difficult situation. And, there are no guarantees that life will always be smooth sailing.

I did hear a few of the “victims” say that they had joined in with others to create prayer groups while awaiting rescue. There you go! Bundling positive energy together and using good coping skills. Would it be any surprise if those folks came away from the incident with much healthier perspectives? When  communities of people bring positive energy together and create networking groups, good things happen. Negative energy does nothing to attract positive energy, we all know that.

Let’s face it. The steam that moves us human beings forward in positive directions ultimately comes from our own reserves; as we draw from our wellspring of strengths, inner exertion and convictions and pluck!

Time to go and plan our monthly meeting for We Write Steamboat – a  meet-up group for independent publishers!  It is happening this afternoon. And, soon it will be lunchtime, when I’ll fill up my tank  and nourish my soul by going on my daily walk. I know I’ll find something fulfilling to write about for tomorrow.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.  All Things Fulfilling, is a space where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business.

Look for the Lessons

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I woke up this morning and turned on the news. The first image I saw were two girls kissing the ground they walked on. The women were among the 4200 passengers who had just gotten off the cruise liner that caught fire. There are many things to be thankful for  – the vacationers were rescued, there was no loss of life and the vessel was brought safely to shore after days of  people living in horrible, unsanitary conditions. 

Storms-Of-Life-Come___-Adijust-Your-Sails_1As I listened to stories of passengers recounting the incident, time and time again, I heard that the employees of Carnival Cruise Line did all they possibly could to keep calm and fulfill the needs of the passengers within their abilities. 

Sadly, there are people in this world who live in squalor everyday, and their lives are shipwrecks. They are unable to escape, however, they still manage to find a sense of inspiration and gratefulness in their lives. Attached is an article on how to find the positive when life challenges us with difficult situations.http://mayocl.in/12RaDIt.

Although I am sure it was very difficult to find the good  at the time, the 4200 passengers have returned home. Perhaps many have a renewed sense of gratitude for their lives. From here on out, their perspectives on life and their response to the vacation gone horribly wrong will all be about their attitudes.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Songs, Taylor Made

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“Music is what feelings sound like.” ~ Bo Bennett 

taylor MMA official picI have found a new independent recording artist that I love. He has just released his first “ep” (extended play CD), Big Medicine. His voice and his lyrics are  beautifully matched. 

A little about the artist. Taylor Batton is a self-taught musician who writes his own tunes, plays the guitar and harmonica. He is a senior at MaineMaritimeAcademy in Castine, Maine. http://www.mainemaritime.edu/ Because he is a sailor, one might think he belts out rollicking seafaring tunes (perhaps with salty language) – far from it. His music is tender; musical narratives that seem to come from a deep spot in his soul. The timbre of his voice makes for easy listening. You’ll see what I mean when you hear my personal favorite songs on Taylor’s Big Medicine EP -The King and Queen,and Lies and Darkness, songs two and three. http://bit.ly/Uj5wx5.

Taylor has traveled many nautical miles over his short lifetime on wide open seas, experiencing the worst weather conditions imaginable as well as glorious days of ocean travel. The art of steering tugboats and other vessels, laden with heavy loads, safely to shore he has learned as a maritime student. He also understands how to crew on a team, all working together, to bring success.

When asked what sailing does for his songwriting, this is what Taylor  had to say  “You get a really strong sense of loneliness. At the same time, you feel a really strong and strange power. All of that kind of ties into how I go about writing the music. I just try and capture that feeling. ” Taylor racing

I look forward to hearing more independently produced music from this artist. Taylor Batton, may you always  weather the storms of life through your ability to communicate with music. Keep on riding the high and low tides with your face directed to the light.  Happy Valentines Day.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

A Heart Stuffed with Love

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“A good friend is a connection to life – a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key …~ Lois Whyte

Have you ever known someone whose heart is so stuffed with love that it bursts with joy?

On Tuesday, on All Things Fulfilling, I featured You Are Never Alone Foundation,http://bit.ly/Yr3eZj and it’s founder Salley Gibney. She is a nurse by profession and she understands about compassion and the need for reaching out to others with kindness. Her non-profit organization has challenged communities everywhere to find One Million Acts of Caring by March 28. Take a few minutes to scroll down and read Seeking the Good in the World, or follow this link http://bit.ly/158WVjC.

You are never aloneToday, the purpose of this blog  is to simply say Thank You to You Are Never Alone Foundation, , for the good work they do in the world. They have sent out over 90,000 Caring Coins, around the world as symbols of caring, connection and hope. How is that for inspiring others to reach out and touch others in communities?

Visit us tomorrow, on Valentines Day. We will be sharing information about a newly released “ep” extended play CD from an independent recording artist. You will love his lyrics and the tone of his heartfelt voice.

 This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.