HeartFull Living: Conversations on Love 2015

Two years ago I wrote these words:

What does my spirit crave?  Connection.

What do I want to make space for in my life? Community.

What do I need to nourish me in this season of dark and cold?  Conversation.  Deep listening. Being heard.  Hearing the truths of others. Sharing and through sharing, learning, growing, and healing.  Settling deeper into myself and embracing my truth, my story.

I hear the geese flying overhead and my heart soars.  I feel that call to return ...

HeartFull Living 2015

A new year but a return to visit with old and new friends, sit in virtual circle and share what is on our hearts and our minds.  A place to share our stories about healing; to celebrate the scars that represent our strength and determination; and to hold witness to our inherent power to choose truth and love and to create joy in our world. 

This year I want to explore these questions: 
How can I live my life dedicated to serving Love?  What does that look like? How does leaning into love translate into everyday action?  What does that mean for me? For my family? For my community?

I want to hear your stories.  I want to share mine.  I believe both voices are necessary to our ability to envision new possibilities, new ways to heal ourselves, our families, our community, our planet. I want to challenge myself to show up on a regular basis and feed my heart. 

Like tomorrow's beautiful flower encased in a delicate bud, the expanded heart is, for many of us, still in a latent form. The heart, like the bud, protects itself from the harshness of the external world by staying cocooned, locking the Divine within. But through continuous nurturing of deep devotion, the bud, in guarded increments, can expand its petals to fully blossom in all its beauty. (Nischala Joy Devi -The Secret Power of Yoga) 

The blossoming of the heart is possible in the soil of our very lives. We just need to fortify that soil with our attention, being full present, awake and aware. We can do that by sharing our experiences, sharing insights and discoveries in addition to sharing the ways we sit with uncertainty, confusion, and the unknown.  

I invite you to join me for 4 weeks of conversations.  Each week I will offer up my stories, the pebbles from my trail through the terrain of the heart.  These offerings will be the invitation for you to share the lessons and stories of your heart's blossoming.  

This year I will be joined by guest contributors. Each week there will be one or two new voices - some of my favorite Joy Warriors and Inspired Creatives who exemplify honoring the heart's truths -  sharing their experience of living a life dedicated to love. These are the people I turn to when I need to realign myself with my heart, with Love.  

The format will be bare-bones in honor of Ease.  One private blog site where we gather to share through posts and discussion threads; an open invitation to contribute your words, images, work to the site. New material three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) with surprises certainly welcome and encouraged! 

What I envision is a space we each come to -  perhaps first thing in the morning as a means of setting the intention of HeartFull living for our day; or as a haven at the end of the day, time to reflect, thoughts to help guide us in the work of our dreams.  I want to challenge myself - and I extend the challenge to you as well - to commit to showing up regularly for myself and for my life.  To dedicate my practice to HeartFull living for one month as a means of preparing myself for a new year, a new cycle through the seasons.

 



 password: heartfull
Direct link to video here
please note, video lists dates for last year!  

HeartFull Living 2015 begins February 16 (introduction) and runs through March 15, 2015
(from new moon to new moon!)
cost: $21

To honor the inspiration of Charm, my mentor in leaning into Love, $10 of each membership will be donated to HETRA - Heartland Equestrian Therapeutic Riding Academy, and specifically to support Charm in this years Penny Race for Horse for the Year, a fundraiser for the organization. To read about my experience as a volunteer, go HERE. IF you would like to vote for Charm using your pennies, you can do so HERE.


questions?  contact me at Lishofmann88(at)gmail(dot)com.

I'd love to have you join me.  

summer sketchbook camp (preview)

Couldn't wait to share ... something fun, easy, and deeply satisfying amid the busyness of summer play time ...



Details coming soon.  But will be simple, easy on the wallet and crafted to give lots of inspiration, ideas, support and encouragement for what is a simple, but profoundly rewarding practice.

Start gathering your pens, pencils and paints!

Mandala Moon Play

As I prepare for The Gift of Practice online offering, I am finding myself inspired to dive deeper into processes that have nourished me in the past.  One practice that I have turned to repeatedly for guidance and insight is the Mandala.

A mandala is a circular format representing the wholeness of existence.  At a basic level the circular template means there is no one area of dominance (top versus bottom) other than a central point : inner flows into outer, top flows around to bottom and back up again. Working within the shape of the mandala, our eye and hand travel around the surface, often spinning the mandala and shifting perspective as we work within it.  

According to psychologist Carl Jung, mandalas are "the psychological expression of the totality of the self." Jung posited that in working with mandalas, we tap into archetypal symbols and messages that constitute the collective unconsciousness.  Jung equated the mandala with the eye, expressing the action of Seeing merging into Consciousness.  To create a mandala is to See the play of our physical and spiritual impulses, urges, desires, struggles and triumphs.  

 
Given the round format of the mandala, it seems natural to equate it to the fullness of the Moon.  Thinking about the natural cycle of the moon as it transitions from empty (new) to full, and back to empty again, is a beautiful example of our own energy patterns.  Emptying myself of what no longer serves or describes me, opening to fill and receive new insights, new possibilities, transiting into an every expanding understanding of myself and life.  From that new perspective, I begin once again the process of shedding what no longer fits into this new perspective.  And so I roll!

According to different world cultures, each month's full moon offers symbolic teachings attuned to the seasons.  As part of my mandala practice, I will be meditating upon the life lessons of each month, utilizing the energy of the New Moon (new beginnings) to assist me in setting an intention for myself for that moon cycle.  What I hope to create is a monthly "snapshot" of my inner growth tied to the seasons along with a kind of monthly mindfulness practice.  

Knowing that any journey is enriched by like-minded company, I am proffering this handmade invitation to have you join me:




 direct link to video through vimeo here

Mandala Moon Play will be a  once a month email with written prompts and ideas; material suggestions; an audio link to a recorded guided visualization on that month's moon energy; and a private flickr group account where we can upload our images and share through comments or discussion threads.  As I sit here brewing all this up (literally, on the spot!) I am envisioning postcards or a group journal to commemorate a seasonal or yearly cycle of mandalas. 

The first cycle - the Autumn moons - begins October 4.  Each month's email will arrive in time for the New Moon (November 3, December 2, January 1 & 30; March 1).  You can opt to join for Autumn or Winter (3 practices) for $20 or for the entire 6 months (last half of the seasonal year/6 practices) for $30.

For future offerings, please contact me directly at: Lishofmann(at)novia(dot)net.

Your Invitation to Practice ♥

Hello!  Won't you join me?




I would love to have you on this journey with me.  As an added incentive to join, I am offering 45 minute one-on-one Skype or phone counsel sessions with me so that we can tailor the offering to align with your interests and needs.  If you know anything about me, it's that I am a master plate spinner and at any given moment have a number of practices I rely upon to support me in being fully engaged with my self and my life.  I would love to work with you to craft a practice uniquely suited to support you in finding your center, your spark of joy and source of connection to deeper purpose and meaning.  To qualify for the counsel sessions, you must register before midnight on August 24. 

Full details and registration info here

HeartFull Living (adventures in loving)

As I ease into the new year, I embrace possibilities as my intention for this year.  What does my spirit crave?  Connection.

What do I want to make space for in my life? Community.

What do I need to nourish me in this season of dark and cold?  Conversation.  Deep listening. Being heard.  Hearing the truths of others. Sharing and through sharing, learning, growing, and healing.  Settling deeper into myself and embracing my truth, my story.

With possibilities guiding me, I am excited to offering this experiment in community and conversation:

HeartFull Living: Adventures in Loving

Open ❋ Expand ❋ Heal ❋ Receive

What am I talking about?  Well, I confess I'm not 100% sure!  What I want is a new model for connecting and sharing; an intimate gathering of souls desiring deep discussion, bravely exploring and sharing the wisdom of their tender and dear hearts.

My heart is my anchor, my compass and the source of my deepest truths, the container for my greatest challenges.  How to tend to and care for this precious part of ourselves?  How to step forward into a chaotic and uncertain world with our hearts wide open, willing and ready to give and receive?  How do the wounds we hold in our hearts offer us the opportunity for growth and strength and understanding? How can we support each other in living our lives with radiant and loving hearts, extending compassion for ourselves and our world?  

If those questions interest you, if you feel both excited and apprehensive about exploring (and hopefully sharing) the concept of HeartFull Living, then I invite you to join me for a month-long Valentine's celebration starting February 11 - March 9.

What this program is:
A community focused project.  The platform will be a private blog with weekly posts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  There will be a theme for each week - Inspiration, Heartful Action, Our Stories/Healing, and Celebration -  but I want to leave room for the group's interests/conversations to guide the content.  There will be videos, essays, practice ideas and short meditations, along with music and poetry to guide and inspire conversation, questions and sharing.  A separate private Facebook group will be available for ease of conversation and sharing. (If you know me, you know I struggle with the concept and busyness of Facebook but I have to admit, ease of use seems to encourage more participation. It is certainly possible to participate in this program and not be on Facebook if that is your preference; this is all about making the program work for you where you are, as you are, as you need and as you want.)

What this program is not:
A How-to or What-to do program with me instructing, you taking notes.  (Nor it is a place to judge, instruct or otherwise tell others what to do or how to feel.)  It is not "listen to me, I have the answers" or "do these practices, answer these journal questions and receive x,y or z in your life."  It is not a course, but a conversation and a sharing of inspiration and ideas.

 


What you can expect:
Well, the unexpected of course!  The truth is, I'm not sure what will happen but from my experience I know that when I commit to showing up, being engaged, curious and willing to risk sharing my thoughts, my struggles and challenges, I usually discover new insights and perspectives. I grow and learn. My heart's wisdom deepens.  And I am always amazed and grateful for the rich experience and reward of community and care that manifests whenever a group gathers together holding honesty, respect and reverence  as essential core values.  

If this sounds like an adventure you are willing and eager to undertake, then I hope you will join me.

The details:
Starting: February 11 2013(just in time for Valentine's Day!) 
4 weeks (new content 3 times a week: Monday, Wednesday & Friday)
Requirements: fearless, loving heart; brave soul; sense of adventure & play; willingness to hold space for others (and yourself); honoring your own boundaries, tender places, and pace of movement
Leave behind: judgements about yourself or others; expectations; sense of limitation
Optional (but recommended): trust in possibilities and the magical miraculousness of the everyday
cost: $20

Yes, that's correct - $20 for four weeks.  Think of it as the price of 4 weekly cups of tea or coffee, perhaps with a cookie or biscotti or scone on the side.  Each week being a circle gathering of old and new friends eager to snuggle in, slow down, and take time to be in the presence of each participants radiant, loving, tender heart. 

And just to tempt you further ...

direct link to video here
password: heartfull
 

I'm saving you a comfy chair by the fire, a warm muffin on a plate for all to nibble. I would so love to hear your voice, listen to your heart's truths.  

xo Lis

Let me tell you more ...

I would like to personally invite you to a special gathering:



InnerGlow promo from Lisa Hofmann on Vimeo.
(trouble viewing video?  try this direct link)


InnerGlow Self Care 
A 4 week online home retreat 
From the comfort of your own home and at your convenience, we will gather in a private blog to share practices for self care and self nourishment. 

Give yourself the gift of standing in your center and being present for your life.  Welcome the holiday season with a sense of spaciousness, energy, and joy. 

Click here for full course description.

Currently we are in the middle of a retreat.  New retreats and programs are being planned for 2013.  If you would like to be notified about these projects, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter.  In addition to course dates, I will be offering additional tips and ideas to support and inspire your self care practice.  

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