Soul Savvy

Fun Ways to Minimize the Torture of Naming 2015’s Brilliant Plan

Posted on January 20, 2015 by admin

January is kind of a see saw at times. Looking back, looking ahead. Completing things, starting things. There is a desire to improve life, hence resolutions. But resolutions often fall by the wayside.

So, how can you go beyond that, and get a plan, a brilliant plan, for 2015? One that inspires you to actually keep working it through the year?

NAME THE BIG ROCKS

Have you heard the big rocks story? You’re in science class. You have a five gallon glass mason jar with a lid. Alongside you have say six or eight hand size rocks, a big bunch of pebbles, and a big fat pile of sand. Scientifically, this is all supposed to fit in the jar. Most would intuitively to fill the jar with the sand, then pebbles then big rocks. But this doesn’t work.

The secret to making this experiment work? Start with the big rocks. Then all the smaller rocks, pebbles and sand will fit around the big rocks. This is also true with life. If you name the big rocks – i.e., your big projects for the year, the most meaningful areas of life you wish to improve, create, or devote your attention (i.e., love) to, all the other pebbles and sands of life will just sidle in alongside them big rocks.

OTHERWISE, THE SAND AND PEBBLES BOG YOU DOWN

It’s often counter intuitive to name the big rocks and attend to them first thing. It’s easy to spend a lot of damn time playing with the sands and pebbles, e.g., the distractions or mundane bits of life. But when you make a special effort to wrestle your attention to taking care of the meaningful things first? Often the other pieces of life start to fall into place.

Naming and clarifying your soul mission can be challenging – it keeps evolving! There is a lot of noise and static that try to thwart you, and lots of planetary and personal history that discourages blatant naming of the dream. That’s OK – this torture is short lived. Let’s cover a few other things that can make this process fun, as well as more integrative of spirit and sand, of right and left brain, of the realistic and the imaginal.

HOW TO BEST NAME YOUR BRILLIANT PLAN for 2015

1) Review the last year for wins and suckiness (see last article for more on how to do this, and visit Soul Savvy’s Resources page for the End of Year Review page). Therein lie clues for what to change.

2) See if you can switch some areas you’ve mastered to auto pilot and a “foundations” zone. For example, finances this year for me won’t need too much time because of last year’s work. Now I have room for a new focus area in this year’s plan.

3) Don’t use your left brain/analytic mind alone. Include visualizations – where would you like to be ideally in 5 or 10 years? Meditate and center, and ask your guides/inner wisdom, or your right brain and creative side for symbols of possibilities. Ask before sleep for a dream to give you input. Pull some cards or divination apps. Then craft your focus from these zones. Example: Doing this ideal visualization, I saw a later life where creativity work loomed large. That inspired me to shift my creativity project in terms of priorities for the year.

4) Simplify your target or focus zones to three or six areas, and give them cool names that capture the essence of what you hope to gain through them. These can be called projects, but your name is better.

5) Make a weekly or monthly plan for your “foundations” zone, i.e., the auto pilot areas essential for your success. Scheme how to keep these happening. I know I need to balance my checkbook and check in with my spending plan weekly to keep the money peace foundation strong. Other foundations zone might include fitness, meditation or scheduling fun and social time.

6) Imagine you have one year to live, and 2015 is it. Scan your plan with this in mind to see if it still resonates. Life is short, though it can seem endless when you’re not on board with your soul serving purpose. When you are on board with the soul mission, life’s challenges get easier, as does your work.

Wishing you playfulness as you get your soul squeeze on for 2015!

Warmly,

Denise

Posted in Goals, Intuition, Planning, Prosperity Practice | Leave a comment

How to Properly Exhale a Year ’round the Sun – Farewell 2014

Posted on January 6, 2015 by admin

January looms large as a cornerstone of the year, doesn’t it? There I was today, so proud of myself as I was pulling into the Rec Center for water aerobics. Then realized – I’d totally spaced my gym bag! I had to laugh as I turned the car for home. Well, just a little redirect I imagine, to get me penning this newsletter a bit sooner. And tonight I’ll just have to dance harder to make up for the lost swim. Let’s say already the universe is helping me out with my scheduling, eh?

Overly ambitious resolutions aside, why do we feel that pull to reflect on life with the turning of the year? Part of it may be passing through the sacred time of the year where the deep stillness of winter beckons. Stillness makes way for more truth. And as hard as it can be to get still, and come to grips with our joys and pains, it is always worthwhile to face the music. Usually not as bad as you fear. Doesn’t have to take forever either.

Other reasons for reviewing the year? If you don’t clear the past, sometimes it will keep repeating. Or, if there are areas you are really not happy with, it will likely take some focus and attention to change it. Also, you often don’t realize how far you’ve come. I know at times it’s like hair growing – you don’t notice it because you are so close to it. Yet, that shi* is growing friend, and so are you. It’s crucial, and a big abundance practice, to take time to notice progress, and celebrate it.

Especially if the year has had tough sections, as I experienced and hear from many, take a moment for noting, you have survived. Still curious and caring about your evolution and that of this world? Huge.

So here are a few steps for the big exhale of 2014, as you transition into 2015. Take some time to do this – take 30 minutes, or take an afternoon at the café. Reviewing and clearing the past is a crucial step to setting beauteous and accurate intentions for the coming year.

1) First, Review the Year

Speaking for myself, memory isn’t always flawless. To review a year, you can just look at your calendar for help remembering key events. This year I re-read my journal – thank goodness, that is not a daily practice yet! Enlightening, to say the least.

Sometimes you want more structure – for that desire, see this link for a Completion form. Or you can set up a few questions for yourself beforehand. What were your biggest accomplishments of the year? Biggest regrets? Biggest service? What did you learn from each of these? What would you like to be your biggest accomplishment of 2015? Etc.

I’ve done whole life reviews as part of death and dying training and regrets work, so one little year can seem relatively simple. Still it is big work. As you review the year, noting struggles as well as big shifts, ask the question, how will these insights and lessons learned serve me in 2015?

Example: Rereading my journal made me aware how much time I spend in distraction. There are the basic life areas, like fitness, health, food, completing my daily spiritual practice, etc. Then there are the doubts, fears and procrastinations about what really matters. Ugh! Sometimes I can’t believe the things I still struggle with! Perhaps they’re just old friends at this point. Yet, the progress feels huge too.

The answer for me, re: question, how will this serve me next year? I am already entering this year much clearer and stronger than last; I can see that. I want to keep that platform for the basic self-nourishment strong this year. For me that means making time for the spiritual practice and health practices of fitness and healthy eating – getting that to automatic. Just do it. Make the weekly plan, get up early as needed for playful prayer time, whatever. Get this done, so I can then move to the important things.

2) Clear any Regrets

You often find some level of regrets with a year review. Coming to grips with these is important. Key steps include a) realizing you were a different you at that time, and made your best guess based on all of that. You can also b) make any amends or apologies, changing anything that needs to be changed so you don’t repeat this. And finally, c) forgiveness – of yourself and others, so you can start fresh. For more assistance with this work, try the great book, No Regrets, by Hamilton Beazley.

3) Finish the Outstanding Thingies that Still Need Doing

There may be other things that occur to you to clear the year, and to celebrate it. Don’t worry, you have time to do this. I still have some healing packages to get to loved ones that predate the holidays – those will finally go out this week. What do you need to do, so you can be ready to bless and bid farewell to 2014? Clear the decks as best you can. Doesn’t have to be to the Nth degree, or I know I’d be at it all year!

So then, just review and clear the year enough so you’ll be ready to full-body breathe in the amazing year that will be 2015. Let’s get ready. There is time; you can create sacred time for this. Whatever you can do, just make it work for you in this important crossroad.

AND EXHALE!!
So whatever you can do to exhale this hairy year, do it. When you’re done, light a candle. Take a big breath, and exhale that mother! Dance and shake it ALL OUT with a few more breaths. Thank the bastard for all it gave you, all it taught you – and let it go. Give it a big AMEN and AHO. Add a laugh with a little “horse lips” fart noise – whatever! It is done, amen. Aho.

Blessings on your day (Epiph! Epiph!) and your month of January two fifteen.

Yours in the soul warrior path,

Denise Barnes

P.S. I am taking applications for three new wonderful clients. Visit my calendar here to set up a free 30 min consult.

Posted in Goals, Planning, Prosperity Practice | Leave a comment

4 ways to Gracefully Receive a Game Changing Holiday NO!

Posted on December 9, 2014 by admin

In article after article about holiday overwhelm, you’re encouraged to clarify what’s meaningful, make considered choices, sustainably shop, and not over-schedule your plate with too many obligations. This means you will probably need to say, “No” a few times – often easier said than done.

Saying “No” is a key skill for any successful person. Often when you can do this, you’ve become a good judge of how much time things take, and how much time you actually have to spare. You might even include self-care and support tasks into the “available time” equation – if you are an experienced and advanced practitioner of life on earth.

But what happens when you get given a “no” that disagrees with your hopes and plans for the season? I had this experience with a family tradition recently I’d come to expect, (and perhaps take for granted). I realized the holidays can be a virtual mine field for these kind of occurrences. No wonder stress can rule the season!

Well, no worries. With a few soul savvy steps, this challenge can be shifted to a sense of grace and appreciation. Newfound traditions can even be invented or reinvented – under duress perhaps at first, but eventually with a creative heart.

Being your True Self Asks Constant Honesty

Often you might do pretty well the rest of the year with how you manage your obligations and commitments. Yet the holidays can be a tough road for learning how to honor yourself as well as your loved ones. Traditions can carry a lot of momentum. Children want to see grandparents or uncles/aunts, and vice versa. What you desperately feel a need for may conflict with the needs of your fellow passengers. Yes, what else is new?

While you don’t necessarily have to take fierce action and cut off every activity that is no longer a soul feeder (after all, you’re still on earth, friend), you may find that the more clear and healed you become, the less able you are to go through motions. In fact, some compromises of your values can really set you back. So you want to be able to clearly and gracefully GIVE a no, as well as gracefully RECEIVE one.
In fact, sometimes the “no’s” that come at you that at first seem unsettling and disappointing, can turn out to be a positive game changer for you and your loved ones.

4 STEPS TO GRACEFULLY RECEIVING A GAME-CHANGING “NO” Continue reading →

Posted in Healing Ideas, Light Worker | Leave a comment

From Turnips to Transformation: Awaken to your Dark Side Part III

Posted on November 23, 2014 by admin

Part one of this series
Part two

“Expansiveness is a state of being that carries you deeply into the realm of your spirit by means of past learned or experienced limitations.” Angelic Messenger Cards, Pg. 49, Expansiveness Card

Jackie was enjoying her walk through the farmer’s market; who knew watermelon radishes existed, never mind that they were so tasty raw. As she picked a few turnips, and she noted one on the ground. Her first temptation was to pick it up and buy it, feeling sorry for it. She grinned as she realized another manifestation of her “saving lost pups” policy. She instead picked two perfect turnips, and left the floor model for the employees to rescue… They were after all, getting paid for that now, weren’t they?

In the last two articles, we’ve been following Jackie’s transformation of her pattern of rescuing and over-caregiving others. This pattern was costly in terms of her own balance and sanity. How do you know when you’re overdoing it with caring for others? Well, if you’re feeling like that act of helping, will create a deficit of caring for yourself, it’s too much. And like that turnip – there may be other options for help to arrive. So just admit it’s not going to be you this time, though you do care; watch what happens. Usually there are other options that appear, when you’re honest about your own needs.

It took years of jumping in too quickly on projects she’d later resent, and a long tradition of being a family helper, before Jackie realized the world would not stop turning if she tuned into her own needs first. Or at least included her needs in the equation of what she gave her attention to, for heaven’s sake. One of the symptoms of over giving was, she was exhausted! This was ax sign that she’d been giving away too much.

THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING, AS GILDA RADNER SAID

Yes, there was always something amiss that could pull her in – yet she realized, that’s life! For example, soon after her not-really-so-homeless-after-all friend finally moved out, a family member of Jackie’s became very depressed. According to the old way of things, Jackie would be assumed to be the leader of the effort to help. She’s smart and knowledgeable, so it made sense. Yet, she wasn’t the only capable one in the mix.

Sometimes when you’re creating a new pattern, you might feel like you have to be ruthless about not falling into that old mold. The old way is comfortable and known. New patterns feel awkward and off at first. Yet for Jackie, the old way had caused a lot of problems, and was finally too painful to repeat. She was too conscious to keep doing the old way. She had her eyes open to this dynamic now, though it was weird at first to do something different than what she’d always done.

STEP BY STEP, INNER WISDOM RE-ROOTS

Often you need objectivity to see your own patterns and establish new ones. Luckily, Jackie had the kind of support that enabled her to

a) name the pattern – it’s good to give it a label and have a handle for it
b) watch it and catch it early when it arose, suspending automatic responses (which were suspect)
c) ask for inner wisdom and guidance regarding how to handle caregiving situations differently

The naming of the issue created further intensive study of this dynamic of balancing self-care in her life. Jackie had to get used to putting herself first. At first, she kept getting derailed from new self-care commitments; say, the things she wanted to start the day with – spiritual practice, time in nature. It took months before Continue reading →

Posted in Healing Ideas, Light Worker | Leave a comment

Soul Mission Control Update: 11-11-14

Posted on November 11, 2014 by admin

Sekmet, the Egyptian Goddess

The group, (John the Baptist, Areeanna of the Pleiades, and Octavia the High Priestess), Channeled by Denise Barnes for Soul Savvy subscribers. To subscribe, please visit soulsavvy.net – or if here, see that box on the side of the page to join.

Greetings dear kin, and bows and blessings to you in this sacred number day. Indeed, the elevens are one of our channels “home” resonances, as her main child hood house had the # 111. Just a side note (smiling). Breathe with us for a moment. Fully exhale, and do it again… Do what our channel calls the horse lips on the way out, or anything else that will lighten your mood and loosen your jaw. Ah, thank you. Now we begin.

Holy cannoli, as the Italian Robin might say, and whoa whoa whoa. Look at this changed landscape – or is it land or water, or fire, or air? Its combustible it seems, it is moving, it is transitory, as in full of meaningful transits. We speak of the last two months and overall the fall quarter, since equinox. Are you still breathing? Because that was one cosmic cardio-demanding lap. High intensity dear friends. And this is where the FIT is more important than the FAT or lack of it, the heart more than the surface appearance, the quality of the passage versus getting anywhere in particular.

Indeed, where are you now? Well, it may not be clear, and this week, this day, this mini-arrival time – it is not so much about knowing yet, all that you need to know. This will be revealed, but slowly. Now it is time to catch up a bit, to practice appreciation and self-care, to begin to notice what has changed. It may be slight, it may be huge; but something has happened in the last 6 -8 weeks, has it not? Let your heart answer it. You can also look at your calendar to just see what you’ve been up to – because likely your calendar has been so full that you might have forgotten a few, just a few, huge accomplishments.

These accomplishments might have been a small leap of faith, like stepping forward to follow an intuition that involved some risk. It might have been speaking honestly or more deeply with a loved one. It might have been Continue reading →

Posted in Soul Mission Control Updates, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Light Workers: 3 Ideas for Healing your Dark Side

Posted on November 5, 2014 by admin

LIGHT WORKERS: THREE IDEAS FOR HEALING YOUR DARK SIDE

Jackie tends to have trouble saying no; helping others comes easily. Lately she is realizing she ends up feeling drained at times when helping. She just had a friend live with her and family for six weeks, when it wasn’t supposed to be that long, and when this friend had other options before homelessness, it turns out. Jackie wants to know – why do I get in these situations? Feeling drained isn’t a good thing, for me or others…

WHAT DOES THIS DARK SIDE NEED FROM US?

There are many ways to work with this dark side. It basically is asking to be healed, just like the dysfunctional dynamics of our planet are. These healing areas or “dark sides” need to be addressed as you expand, or they keep tripping you up. For Jackie, she might make some progress with her business, but then gets too burned out to maintain it or respond well to new opportunities.

Initially when you first become aware of a dark side pattern, it seems the instincts want to hate it. Stone the sinner; burn the witch; verbally slay the perpetrator on talk radio. “That is so wrong, and you are so messed up”, kind of thoughts, directed at the self. Whatever your core pattern is, it will get activated here.

At that point, it might seem what goes wrong in your life is all about other people’s weirdness, bad intentions, incompetence, etc. Yet what you might not see – due to your dark side dynamics – Continue reading →

Posted in Healing Ideas | Leave a comment

Light Workers: Awaken to your Dark Side

Posted on November 1, 2014 by admin

Today is All Soul’s Day, the day when the veil between our world and that of spirit is the thinnest. I send blessings to you and yours, friends and family in this world, and the other parallel word, where the dead dwell. Happy Halloween too!

Light Workers: Awaken to your Dark Side

This time of year of increasing physical darkness is often a time when our shadow side gets more illuminated. This deepening dance of illuminating darkness is also a planetary theme, as the planet attempts to transition from the competition/survival paradigm to the cooperation/sustainability paradigm. There are lots of challenges with this, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you want to help the world. How to help? What to do? Well, most light workers came exactly for this work; to help that shift.

You can find ways to make contributions to the larger dynamics; there are plenty of movements you can join. And, another important way to do this “work of a lifetime” is in your own backyard. This is the dance with the dark side, or our shadow side. Continue reading →

Posted in Healing Ideas | Leave a comment

4 Essentials for Energy of Intention Mastery

Posted on September 30, 2014 by admin

The Authentic Action Mastermind group is setting the groundwork for some serious dream wrestling. Bringing vision to reality involves translating the metaphysical to the physical, and there can be some bumps in the road. Using energy work can help keep your intention clear, toned, and allow it to adjust as your map of possibility increases its accuracy. Here are 4 Essentials for keeping it real.

PS – Our group has one more spot still open. Reply to this email for consideration.

There are so many teachers of the law of attraction; so many formats you’ve likely learned and encountered over the years. My favorite is featured in the Creating Money book by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. Both are channels, and both teach many courses in Energy work. Sanaya also is a musician, and Duane originated the Light Body series of teachings.

While there are many factors that contribute to creating successful dreams and intentions, lately 4 of them are top of mind for me. I’ve been in a process of upgrading my work, and it’s been going on for some months. Here are 4 things I’d consider essential to my latest forays into working with intention.

1) Finding the right balance between dreaming big and choosing something that feels possible.

While I know our creative abilities are limitless, I do see that we also tend to build on our successes over time. Manifestation challenges for myself and clients can happen when the desire may have been a bit over the top for the current level of development. This might look like wishing for Oprah level success right off the bat. How dreaming big can work, or has worked for me, is to create a handle for the desire that you really do feel ready to create. It may not be so specific, but does choose a particular area. Maybe you’ve been at this area for a while, and that next step is informed, and feels right. My handle in this latest round of work upgrade is, “I create a miracle with my new work situation.” A bit vague sounding (and I do have more specific details beyond the handle), and by filling in the below steps, it gets more defined.

2) Naming the energetic quality of what the desire/intention will deliver to you.

I love this step and I think it’s probably THE major reason intentions do or don’t succeed. Ask yourself, on the energetic level, what spiritual-type quality would having your desire bring you? Miraculous work for me brings joy – I can see myself dancing as I lead the teleclass or do other work activities I wish to create. Joy, peace, love, creativity, contribution, compassion, aliveness – these are just a few qualities your desire could bring. Just get still, see yourself having it, and name the quality that arises. Knowing this gives you a huge advantage. If you have choices to make, you can check into the qualities of those choices and choose one closer to the one the intention will bring. You can also ask – what is a way I can experience this quality NOW? That will make you more attractive energetically to your desire.

3) Clarifying the “essences” or the details of what this desire will bring.

Essences are simply the details that the desire will bring to you, or what you hope will result from having it. A work upgrade would bring several things along for me – chance to develop and organize my work with the mastermind area for example, a chance to help other light workers rock their gifts and increase their financial ease, as well as that for myself, making growth and healing fun, etc. You can list the essences, and then remind yourself of them in this next step.

4) Devise a practice you’ll do regularly to keep this intention top of mind and actively evolving.

Just as you might develop a practice like meditation or exercise, using energy and intention to create and manifest requires regular engagement. Roman and Packer call it magnetizing. I’ve adapted it for myself, and it includes these 4 steps. I’ll usually use movement and take about 3 minutes to name the desire (good to have a short phrase or handle for it), embody the spiritual quality it will bring, visualize the essences and the joy of having them show up, and then create an energy coil that connects with the Divine energy, then joins with energy building in my solar plexus area. When it’s strong, I’ll throw or pulse that energy out to the planet / universe in all directions – like a beam of light would be sent from a lighthouse. It’s often pretty fast as the energy comes to completion, and I’ll focus on how this desire will serve the highest good of all.

Especially the first time, I’ll ask inside how often to do this meditation – several times a day, or less, depending on the desire. You can also ask to see the next steps and actions that would need doing. If my actions to bring this about in the physical world have been intensive or have been taxing, this short energy meditation will put me back into the fun and joy of creating it. It will remind me why I want it, and how it will serve. Just like a computer screen that has gone black for a bit, regular magnetizing will keep refreshing and updating the page of the intention. It works, I can tell you! More details on that to come.

Blessings,

Denise

PS If you’re regretting not joining the Authentic Action Mastermind group – there is one more spot open. I had intended 6 participants, so I’m just checking for one late arrival J. Quick, before Mercury goes retrograde!

In the group, we weave energy work with real world action, while learning how to best create an awesome Mastermind group for your future support.

Please reply to this email asap with your phone # and availability for the next days. There will be 2-3 hours of catch up, but if you’re called, I’ve still got your spot in this soul-work inspired posse.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Is Prayer Good Enough for the Pain of the World?

Posted on September 22, 2014 by admin

Comrade story- inside a Mastermind group

Meg is one of my Mastermind group members for the last seven years. She asked for my support a couple weeks back; here’s her story. Notice how this past life trauma was getting triggered by current events, and keeping her distracted from her soul mission. Meg allowed me to include an audio excerpt of the healing work I helped her with, a bit brief as we were at the end of our quarterly Mastermind check in 9-6-14. Phew, glad that was cleared – another light worker back on the trail!

I knew from previous experience with Denise that she is very intuitive and her work is deeply healing. This time I approached her for help because I felt deeply conflicted about my life’s work. In particular, I wondered whether I should be on the front lines, helping refugees in war-torn countries. By staying safe at home, wasn’t I just like the “good Germans” during World War II who did nothing to save the victims of Nazi persecution? In talking with Denise, I became aware of an inner panic – I had to get this right!

I told Denise that this inner feeling was the same as I had felt a few weeks before when faced with a life-or-death situation. In that situation, I had wanted to be present to support my friend when she died (and her death was likely to be within the next 12-24 hours); at the same time I was hungry and wanted to go home to eat. Thank goodness, I was able to accept the panic, connect with the Divine, and made the choice to stay. My friend died with the hour, and I was at her side supporting her.

Continue reading →

Posted in Light Worker, Mastermind groups, Past Life Healings | Leave a comment

Fall Equinox ’14 Channel from ‘the group’

Posted on September 22, 2014 by admin

Greetings and blessings to your wonderful eyes and the curvy road that has brought you to this reading.

We are the group, an informal current nomenclature, for a group of guides and Ascended Masters that work with Denise; John the Baptist; Areeaana, three sisters of the Pleiades; and Octavia the High Priestess. Welcome to our energy; feel the support and happy holding of your journey that will transmit through these lines, through this black and white text, into your computers and other more modern devices. We delight in the many ways of transmission that connect us to you.

Welcome to Equinox 2014, and dare we say, don’t hold your breath, although it will be tempting to come to a complete standstill at this sacred time of balance. Yet it is breathtaking, this moment of time, this ¾ point of 2014. What a year, yes? We remember our year ahead reading, in January past that noted the need to release anything unneeded. Our metaphor then was boarding a space ship that had limited storage space. And this will be an ongoing reality as the parallel corridors of time squeeze upon each other.

The old way and the new way are the main contenders for your attention. It is the big squeeze time, and you must be slick and you must be skinny, metaphorically speaking. Flexible, well-oiled, lubricated and laughing, Continue reading →

Posted in Intuitive Message, Soul Mission Control Updates | Leave a comment