What is the spiritual life? Religion, Spirituality, and Other Potentially Thorny Concepts

Religion, Spirituality, and Other Potentially Thorny Concepts

"Pure Heart, Simple Mind"® vol. 5, no.16, August 15, 2007
Official Newsletter of Seishindo™—Body Language, Self Hypnosis and Mindfulness.
Written by Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo.
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IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Self Hypnosis and The Human Spirit
2. Upcoming Seishindo Telecourses
3. Upcoming Seishindo Workshops in the USA and Belgium
4. Subscribe/Unsubscribe

Dear Pure Heart, Simple Mind Readers,

As I've said recently, we've been listening to your input and creating new offerings. One new telecourse and one new workshop for Europe, two new telecourses and two new workshops for the US! Beyond the offerings from last time, this announcement introduces you to a special workshop on healing I'll be doing in California in October.

I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd forward this announcement to whoever you feel might have interest. Word of mouth is always the best way for us to meet new people.

I look forward to working with all of you at some point.

Warmly,
Charlie

1. Religion, Spirituality, and Other Potentially Thorny Concepts

Most people I meet readily say they'd like a better quality life, and I'm not talking here about having more money, or more possessions.

How about you?

In particular, if I ask people about their concept of spirituality or religion, and what would fulfill them emotionally, the conversation often quickly grinds to a halt.

Because of this, I want to define some terms I feel are important for people to talk about in a friendly open manner, with little sense of right and wrong, good and bad.

The term "spirit" comes originally from the Latin "spiritus", meaning "breath", "soul", "courage", "vigor".
These are all terms I find to be of great interest.

I think of "spirit" as having two basic meanings.
1. "spirit" -- An "intelligent" energy/force that animates each individual living being.
The spirit of each person is intelligent, connected, similar, and yet unique. The same can be said for our pets as well!

2. "Spirit" -- An "intelligent" energy/force present in the universe that is the source and prime mover of all life and the cosmos we live in.
To me it seems apparent that a BIG Spirit with BIG intelligence is involved in the ongoing creation and evolution of the universe we live in.

Depending on your belief system, "Spirit" could also be called "God", "Goddess", "The Divine", or one of many other terms.

The term "religion" come originally from Latin.
"Re" -- again or back to, "ligare" -- to be connected (As in "ligaments" which connect bones to each other.)

From my viewpoint, "religion" holds the meaning of "reconnecting to the Divine". Another way to say the same thing could be "reconnecting to Spirit, reconnecting to God".

If we keep the meaning of "religion" plain and simple, we stand a better chance of being able to reconnect to Spirit. In the process we can also let go of the emotional baggage and allergic response people sometimes exhibit when discussing religion. I believe the act of reconnecting to Spirit is an important quest to be on, and that each person should feel free to explore in the manner that suits them best.

To me, "spirituality" simply relates to having an interest in understanding more about both "spirit" and "Spirit". It has to do with one's desire to understand more about the energy/force/intelligence that animates all of life.

I don't consider that people interested in spirituality are any "better" or "purer" than other folks. People interested in such pursuits are just explorers who feel there is something more to life than possessions, accomplishments, and getting ahead.

Personally, I find it excellent to explore interfacing with spirit and Spirit through "Mindfulness Practices" and the breath. When we mindfully connect to our own spirit, we wind up feeling more connected to other people and the larger sense of Spirit as well. We experience being connected to and supported by an energy-force-intelligence greater than one's self. When we sense our connection to the rest of life we realize we have all the resources necessary to live as our true heart desires.

Mindfulness Practices aren't meant to fix something you deem wrong with yourself, or help you become a more "worthy" human being. Instead, Mindful Practices are meant to help you achieve greater awareness of yourself and your life circumstances, so you can live a healthier more emotionally fulfilling life. Through practice, you become more aware, perceptive, and attentive "in the moment". Your in the moment experience is your teacher.

So regardless of who you are, where you start from, or how many debilitating habits you might currently have...

I invite you to begin anew, and consider what spirit, Spirit, spirituality and religion mean for you. Start your exploration from where you are today, letting go of limiting beliefs and building a fresh vocabulary. If you allow your experience and your heart to be your main teachers, you'll empower yourself to find new meaning for your life.

•••

If you use the link below you can experiment with a Seishindo Mindfulness Practice entitled "Waiting quietly for a friend". Many people have found this Practice helps them begin to reconnect to their spirituality.

2. Upcoming Seishindo Telecourses

Six Session Telecourse:
Verbal Aikido -
Build Relationships While Resolving Conflict
with Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo
Aug. 28, Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25, Oct. 2
8pm-9:30pm New York City time

If you feel there must be a better way for you to be in relationship with significant others, be it at work or in your personal life, I am ready to help you. Once you get past feeling you aren't being fully listened to and respected, you'll probably realize you haven't been fully listening to and respecting your counterpart! When we enter into relationships and discussions from either an inferior or adversarial position, we find we indeed lead our counterpart to fight against, rather than join with us. In generative relationships, differences in thinking lead to a sharing of new information and viewpoints that expand upon what two people are able to create together as a team.

If you truly want to feel more connected to significant others in your life, I promise that you are capable of engaging in a way that enhances your relationship, while resolving potential conflict.

Click on the title of the Telecourse to find out more.

Six Session Telecourse:
Use The Power Of Somatic Intelligence
To Deal With Stress
with Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo
Aug. 30, Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27, Oct. 4
8pm-9:30pm New York City time

If you're reading this, you most likely want your life to be much more than a succession of stressful events and relationships you have to learn how to deal with.

You might currently consider stress an inevitable condition in your life. If you do, it's not surprising - mass media and quite a few scientists would support your belief, and even ascribe a "stress potential" to each of the various circumstances and relationships you face on a daily basis. You're led to believe the best you can hope for, is to not let stress get the best of you.

The good news we'd like to share with you is: you don't have to spend your life fighting against the ravages of stress. By learning how to link the intelligence of your rational mind with the age old wisdom of your body, you'll experience you already have all the resources you need to live a satisfying personal and professional life.

Click on the title of the Telecourse to find out more.

Six Session Telecourse:
"Talk" to the body and change the emotions:
Somatic Coaching Skills for Coaches
with Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo, and
Marleen Adriaensen
Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Oct. 7
11am-12:30pm (Central European Time)

If you're a coach that wants to make a real difference in the world I'd love to help you.

Do you find yourself getting stuck with certain clients without really understanding why?

Have you discovered that helping people change the way they think is often not enough to change the deep seated emotions that drive their behavior?

I promise you can be more confident and effective, if you take the time to learn how the body drives people's emotions, and thus their behavior.

In this six session teleclass series we'll explore how to meld the wisdom of the intellect with the wisdom of the body so that you and your clients get the results you both desire. Along the way you'll also pick up some new tools to put in your coaching toolbox.

Click on the title of the Telecourse to find out more.

"...For the first time in my life I feel love for myself. My somatic intelligence has done its work, and this is a very interesting process! Something has really changed. And after all of this, I find myself feeling healthy, without pills or any special supplements, for the first time in many years. ...
Corry Brons, Belgium

"...My energy is much more even and I’m not losing focus or having to push through fatigue. What a wonderful relief to not have to use so much energy to manage my pain. I feel like a person released from jail, and ready to explore a new life!..."
June Holley, Ohio, USA

"My experience of Charlie and the practices of Seishindo have been nothing short of profound. By tapping into my own somatic and emotional sources of wisdom, I can now come from an authentic place in bringing these practices to my executive coaching clients. I was awed at the life-changing insights participants in his workshops were able to experience with his gentle and humble guidance."
Connie MacKinnon, Executive Coach & Management Consultant, Calgary, Canada

"Seishindo embodied all that my journey had brought me to ... it was encouraging to see that someone had given it a 'face' for me and brought the strands together to be a living and breathing concept.

I have used my Seishindo learnings in one to one meetings and telephone sessions, consciously using my breath to 'balance' the other, and ‘feeling into' the person to understand what is bothering them.

I clearly noticed that the Seishindo Somatic Coaching telecourse has had an impact on me and my presence on the telephone - I have been becoming more authentic. The telephone is not my preferred medium and I find phone coaching harder than face to face, so what I learned from Charlie is a big thing, a big benefit for me!" Susan Tupling, Executive Coach, NLP Master,
Stafford, UK ChangeWorksCoaching.co.uk

3. Upcoming Seishindo Workshops in DC and Belgium

Three-day Workshop
Embodied Mindfulness:
Use the wisdom of your body to deal with stress
with Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo

Washington, DC: Nov. 3, 4, 5 2007
Antwerpen, Belgium: October 12, 13, 14

Stress has become one of the greatest challenges of our time, both in people's personal and professional lives. Stress affects your physical health, emotional well-being and productivity. Recent research suggests that 80% of all illness and half the sick days from work are stress related. You might currently consider stress an inevitable condition in your life. But, it does not have to be that way. By learning how to link the intelligence of your rational mind with the age old wisdom of your body, you can definitely learn to successfully deal with stress.

Click on these links to find out more about the workshop:
For Washington, DC For Antwerpen, Belgium

"The workshop gave me insight into how I function and how I can improve the quality of my life by going to my centre. I learned how important breathing is and how to find my strength and balance again.

Charlie Badenhop is an inspiring and very competent person. It is six weeks since I attended his workshop. I do some Seishindo exercises regularly, and I feel more powerful since then. I still experience the workshop every day!"
Rob Driessen, HR Manager, Antwerpen, Belgium

Two-day Workshop
Healing with Breath, Presence, and Touch
For massage therapists, bodyworkers, intuitive healers,
and potential students of the healing arts
with Charlie Badenhop, the originator of Seishindo

Palo Alto, CA, October 27, 28 2007

The ability to "touch" someone in such a way that they feel more connected to life and wellness is a sacred act that has been practiced since the beginning of time. Yet, it's challenging to understand how to connect deeply without taxing yourself mentally, physically and emotionally. Whether you are a seasoned professional or a beginner, please join us and further evolve the healing power that resides within you. Enliven your field of energy, and initiate the healing rhythms that lead to physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Click on the title of the workshop to find out more.

"Through his intense way of working and 'being', Charlie guided me to a deeper contact within myself. For the first time I was able to connect to certain bodily parts of myself and this gave me a strong reference point to many deep and unknown places within myself. It's inspiring to continue searching and un-covering. I am thankful for this opportunity."
Jerko Bozikovic, Trainer & Coach, Antwerpen, Belgium

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