"I must be a mermaid... I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living." -Anais Nin

Welcome to the course and congratulations!

This course is for the warrior ready to unleash their greatness. The transformational power of it is born in the willingness to dive into the deep. By choosing this course you have set in motion the power of intention for your purpose to be elevated; that you are ready to receive the guidance and tools necessary in finding your inner power! While it would be wonderful to jump straight into this, we must first begin the journey of becoming "whole". Holistic is derived from the word whole. We must examine our ives in a holistic view to attain the wholeness required to renew, find our balance, reflect, realign and ultimately attain the skills an awareness required to live a Spiritually grounded life. Warriors possess a strength and insights that exceed modern thought. A true warrior is one who continues on; beyond adversity with a gentleness of self-Love and nature of nourishment. All too often this duality seems to not go together. Make no mistake, the greatest warriors are those that know, live, seek, understand, give and know how to receive Love.

This is your sacred space to evolve and renew your mind, body and Soul; no matter what motivation or goal brings you to this journey. Be it beginning or building your business or organization, nurturing and growing your Soul, healing trauma, moving on from old wounds to writing your first book; this course is designed to support, guide, empower, focus and free you by unveiling and releasing blocks while providing a rooted foundation to achieve your goals and dreams. It is an empowerment framework that you will be able to adapt to countless situations, not only now, but in years to come.

We all have a purpose, and those like you who are passionately committed to developing and sharing it with the ones in your world, including personal relationships, your local community, and possibly even globally, will find within this course the guidance to clarify your path directing your steps to expand it on ever new levels.

Support and Guidance
Know it is not uncommon, even with all the passionate fervor to move mountains, we often still require support and guidance to navigate through some sticky, messy - often unidentified - energy that stagnates us causing what presents as procrastination, indecisiveness, self-sabotage or self-doubt. This course surfaces sources of those blocks while providing instinctual resolutions to dissolve them through reflection, awareness, and exercises all while discovering, developing and ultimately becoming your fiercest self through wholeness.

Whether you are one who feels you are clear and ready to get started, or you encounter moments of self-doubt and welcome extra support; the lessons of the course will guide you through aligning with your truth. It will assist in clearly defining the first step of your path with authenticity providing focused intention, the main ingredient required in the creative expression, leading to the manifestation of your ultimate goals and dreams. When your purpose is clear it will feel authentic deep within, igniting the energy --an invitation on a universal and Divine level.

Remember to be gentle with yourself as you move forward along this path. Know with your dedication to each week's lessons and teachings, all is conspiring in your favor. Know the guidance that you require is available for you, and it will find you instilling new levels of confidence. And so it has! Let us begin.

Your Journal
It is my hope that you create a special journal for this journey. It can be as lavish as you choose, or a simple notebook. It is the intent with which you write and hold the journal that will make it your trove of wisdom and guidance. We will use this for notes on the course, a record of creative ideas that surface, as a place to share our heartfelt needs and desires... and so much more.

Journaling is a pivotal experience, as is the act of writing with a pen and paper, the mind and Soul communicate, and the body benefits as well. More on that later. When we journal we leave a trail of bread crumbs back to ourselves. I cannot tell you how many times I have gone back and read a journal from years ago and it elicits reminders of how far I have traveled, reminders of lessons learned and universal innate truths revealed, which I call "rememberings."

Daily consistency is golden. While you will hopefully revisit the course material throughout the week, taking even a few minutes, as few as three, each day to focus and journal on your intent for this course, it will deepen and expand your experience.

Make Your Course Time Sacred
Light a candle, say a prayer, smudge your area or meditate for five minutes before you begin reading the material. Setting an intention and asking for your heart and mind to be opened to what it is you are to receive from the Divine deepens the experience. The act of entering into this space with an open and receiving spirit will create a sacredness in which you can begin the practice of receiving on an entirely new level.

It is the empowered way we walk in the world fueled by the intention of intuition and our knowingness that opens and clears our path. Allow this course to be a practice in learning to move through the world asking yourself, 'what am I here to receive', as you uncover and unlearn illusions that have previously held you back.

Affirmation: I am open to receiving all knowledge, guidance, and abundance awaiting me.

Preparing for the Clearing
The realization that you have the power to create change in your world is revolutionary. Uncovering, discovering and understanding of the subconscious messages that guide, and often misguide, us is life changing. Once we are fully aware of the power to be aware of and reprogram our subconscious mind to work for us instead of creating excuses, procrastination or its many ways of working against us, we truly are embarking into transformational territory! Even more miraculous is we needn't have any special training or skills, other than an open and willing heart, mind and Soul, to set into motion these life shifts They will be a natural result of actively participating in the lessons of the following eight weeks.

This will be covered in more detail during next weeks lesson, 'Getting Out Of Your Own Way: Discover How You Hold Yourself Back', where we will explore the ways in which we subconsciously self-sabotage ourselves. Each lesson incorporates into the next with greater insights. This is why it is vital to participate in each lesson and section provided even if you feel it's material you've covered before. Truth the process.

Trust the Process
Understand that while we often desire to jump ahead to the next step we must honor the necessity of the process. If the previous methods you have participated provided all required you would not be taking this course. Trust the process; the following weeks offer a Soul altering journey developed over years. If some areas are repetition for you, remember repetition is practice, and practice is the training of the masters.

Creating the Sacred Foundation
It is vital to prepare a sacred foundation upon which you will (re)build and unleash your greatest offering. It is an offering only you can uniquely fulfill. Let us patiently move into this spiritual maturity of entering into the Temple (self) with reverence of ritual through each lesson of this course. In this experience, the ritual begins with the clearing. Look at it as a smudging of the inner world of mind, body and Soul.

Let the Clearing Begin!
During this weeks Soulwork and Journaling you will be given the opportunity to begin contemplating and implementing the process of the clearing. In lesson two we will delve deeper into these areas through exploration of what is no longer serving us and where our energy is being ineffectively spent. This allows us to bring into alignment our intentions and move into action.

Empowerment Steps
To accelerate and fortify your efforts during the course we will incorporate Empowerment Steps that can be immediately implemented into action.

This week as we begin let us set clear intentions for the course experience:

1. I move through the ebbs and flows with ease as I move through the course.
2. I am continually encouraged and lifted up knowing the clearing is preparing me for the next level.
3. I embrace this journey with dedication knowing I will see evidence of enduring change being created with each lesson's encounter as they build upon one another.
4. I am patient with myself and the process, taking the time to celebrate each step of forward movement.

Releasing Blame: It Is Not Your Fault

“If we are unduly absorbed in improving our lives we may forget altogether to live them. -Alan Watts

Before we proceed further, it is important to have an understanding of the truth surrounding our cultural and traditional therapy model, motivational conferences, and the positivity movement as a whole. When they are depended upon solely, they are ineffective long-term. Even dangerous.

We spend tens of billions of dollars in America each year in hopes of 'improving ourselves' in an attempt to relieve our pain, stress and trauma seeking to discover the 'one magic secret' that is going to lead us to ultimate freedom and success. Many have attended various modalities as listed, yet over and over people find themselves in situations that offer only a temporary fix. Why? The truth is, they have skipped the basics that are the foundation.

The good news is that it is not you! It's the results of an outdated and flawed theory that often does not take into account the individual as a whole; mind, body and Soul. Countless people have arrived at my door feeling they've failed. They believe there is a lack within their own ability to receive, implement and master skills --when they've actually been set up for failure.

If you have participated in traditional talk therapy, attended motivational conferences, done your all to be as positive as possible and still found yourself feeling as if you were unable to reach the realms you were hoping for, know you are not alone. My first message to you is this; it is not your fault. Rest assured you have everything required to achieve wholeness.

While these various modalities have their purpose and can bring us innovations and growth the truth is, if the root cause of issues are not addressed it is all just another layer of glitter covering up and evading the blocks of unprocessed experiences and emotions that ultimately resurface.

Motivational conferences can be a great adrenaline boost. They can offer insight into a myriad of potential culprits robbing our energy and educate and aid us in direction as we move toward our goal. However, the truth that is often not shared is, enduring motivation is an inner practice and daily choice. It is not born of temporary adrenaline boosts or shots of dopamine created by the synergy of a crowded room of like-minded Souls pumping one another up to go after their dreams. While the energy feels euphoric in the moment, we must create change that endures.

The dedication to enduring change is self-heroic. It results in the fulfillment of our purpose, and wholeness. A whole (healed, aware, Divinely guided) individual is the ultimate goal, for all beauty in life blooms from this. While going deeper into our inner world may intimidate, remember if the dedication of discipline (a word we are not fond of, but is absolutely necessary --more on this later) were easy everyone would arrive at the mountain top. If we do not see our growth as a practice of dedication and discipline we are bound to self-sabotage setting ourselves up once again to not reach our wholeness and dreams.

Beloved you have dove in and set an intention that unleashes your authenticity - and the world needs what you are here to offer. We will go into this offering in detail during week three, 'The Offering: The Gift of Your Purpose and Passion.'”

The Freedom of Accessing Motivation From Within and Living It
Now that you are armored with the knowledge that it is not a lack within yourself that has prevented past breakthroughs, but outdated approaches that do not begin with the most important aspect of the process of self-awareness, unique to each of us, identifying the roots of our own personal blocks - which will be addressed throughout the course, we can now begin.

We must be prepared to live what we desire to offer the world, not just teach or preach it. This is the one main contributing factor that will change our lives, evident in both visceral and tangible ways. Let us see through the eyes of possibility knowing, not simply believing, but knowing, with complete faith, we are removing barriers and false veils enabling our gifts to be fully released and actualized.

I ask you to remind yourself often, this is a process --not an event. This course is one you can print out and go through countless times throughout your life journey receiving new insights with each sojourn. Embrace the unfolding and release yourself of timelines or expectations. This allows our approach to be a gentle, compassionate one in which we hold patience with ourselves as we build, nurture and fortify our Soul. This is not a race, nor is it a competition. It is coming home to our authentic self which in turn allows blocks to safely surface. As they reveal themselves they fall away allowing us to connect to our personal truths enabling the birth of our purpose. The more clear and focused you are in your purpose, the more you believe in yourself and the Source of all that has guided you to it. With this connection, there is no stopping you. You will have unlocked the inner space that is Divinely destined.

Accessing motivation from within is a vital aspect of the clearing and sacred foundation building because we are responsible for creating our own catalyst. Intrinsic motivation comes from an internal desire to satisfy the longing of a calling. This type of motivation helps us develop behaviors, which create action, that will lead us to that which we are called.

Some tasks, no matter how high our level of intrinsic motivation, can be more challenging to achieve, overcome and complete. Re-framing these tasks, seeing them through new eyes, reveals a perception that enables us to quickly remember when we have moved through and completed them we are growing and evolving. Break down goals into manageable steps and take breaks when needed. Do not push through the course, instead cradle and caress yourself in compassion as you process what the course is designed to bring to your awareness. What an incredibly empowering experience implementing and integrating this way of being in itself will be.

Authenticity: Aligning with Your Truth
It is necessary to learn the framework for ourselves because it leads to the unlearning of illusions and ultimately leads us to emotional independence. Instead of being dependent upon the temporary adrenaline rush and hype of external sources, the validation of external sources (including people) and more, discovering and developing our own intrinsic motivation supplies us with true empowerment.

Many are led to believe there's nothing they can't take on and accomplish as they walk away from events based on pure adrenaline, empty promises filled with platitudes, and pep talks instead of a grounded, anchored Soul sourced plan of action. Once that adrenaline has faded away they find themselves in the same situation they were before they'd participated; no deeper self-understanding, no viable tools, no enduring change.

Or they've placed their trust in a therapist or 'healer', that they believe will have their magic-bullet answer, and once again are left disenchanted when it proves eventually untrue. Often they may become dependent on their therapist/teacher/guru instead of their own Divine ability to navigate their path by way of their own instinctual gift of intuition, the God-Mind within.

Having said this, I want to express while most are genuine, gifted, well-meaning therapists, healers, coaches, and motivational speakers; they cannot do our work for us. I am a seasoned psychotherapist, intuitive and teacher and I can not do another's work for them. I am a guide for the one who is ready to experience transformation within themselves. And this is the great secret that can lead to your success; you are the one you've been waiting for. But how do I find it? How do I access it?

Everyone is fearful of something on some level. And no one person, including medical doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists and healers, have the one answer. We all have access to an innate internal GPS, our intuition. Its development leads to the unfolding of the answers and direction we seek through trusting the self-knowing and discerning Divine nature give us, Step by step with consistency this leads us to the realization and tangible existence of our vision. This is the gift of aligning with our truth.

As this course guides you to the space within that holds your innate truth and inner wisdom you develop not only awareness but gratitude for each new revelation and remembering. We all have access to this Divine inner guidance and gratitude is a potent agent for developing a stronger and more clear sense of intuition. You are learning techniques that, once learned and integrated, will be life-altering and result in unimaginable empowerment. That leads to this loving supportive truthful statement --only you can do your own work. Accepting this truth breaks the chains of illusion and expectations in eternal fixes.

So, let's begin to remove all that does not serve you and clear your Soul to receive its clear inner guidance enabling you to fully, unapologetically and confidently take your place in our world. Finding and pursuing your purpose in life is the most satisfying and significant experience we can encounter in the earthly realm.

Remember, lessons build upon one another acting as a framework. This lesson has been informative prep work. Take the time to review throughout the week as you complete the SoulWork and other activities.

Congratulations on beginning the process of clearing and aligning in order to prepare the sacred foundation for the build. The adage of building your foundation on sand only to be washed out to sea is one I want you to imagine as you take each step toward removing the false conscious and subconscious programming (sand) as you develop your solid sacred offering to yourself and the world as the earth that holds the mighty oak.

The following Soulwork exercises are vital aspects of the clearing and preparation for its continuation in next weeks lesson.

Soulwork

This is your own personal inventory of reflection to access your current status of alignment. Be courageous enough to be truthful and transparent with yourself as you ponder the directives below. No matter your initial current responses know there is always room to expand as we grow.

1. What do you believe your purpose is?
2. What do you, or have you, blamed yourself for in the past that you may now reconsider as being a result of misunderstanding and improper guidance?
3. What steps and/or goals associated with your purpose do you feel have been suppressed or procrastinated on by this faulty thinking?
4. Do you believe you innately possess the ability to pursue your desired life path and/or purpose?
5. What do you feel is missing from your current catalog of knowledge to get to where you wish to be?
6. What are three to five characteristics you possess that are beneficial to your Soul growth?
7. In what ways do you feel you are aligned and currently living your purpose and vision?
8. In what ways do you feel you are not aligned, not living, your truth, purpose, and vision?
9. What do you intuitively know is needed to be released as you clear sacred space for the new (nourishment) to come in?
10. Ask yourself, "Do I trust and flow with the process or am I attempting to micromanage and control it?" And if so, in what ways..

Write new statements, with your new understanding, of how these thoughts can now be corrected and changed.

Associated Energy Exercise:
Place one hand on your forehead and the other (dominant hand) on your abdomen above your belly button as you take calm, slow, deep, controlled peaceful breaths through your nose as your belly rises, then slowly releasing through your mouth . Repeat three times. Do this several times a day.

Journaling

1. Begin with taking time to focus on gratitude. What is one thing this lesson has revealed that you are grateful for? What are you grateful for in your daily life?
2. In preparation for next weeks topic, each day begin to notice your inner dialogue. Keep a notebook, a thought journal, with you or in your electronic device dedicated to recording the automatic thoughts that you encounter daily. This will prove a vital key in unlocking what's tripping you up on a subconscious level. Your detective work begins - and what an incredible payoff you will receive for the efforts. This practice alone is revolutionary.

Journal (daily is encouraged) in a free-writing form with no agenda. Write as you are moved beginning after your initial reading of this lesson, then again as and after completing the Soulwork for the week, and at the end of the week.

As you progress through the course you will be amazed as you look back by the unearthing of your own instinctual knowings.

Bliss and blessings on your journey,

Gin