prosperity

Priestess Definition | What it Means to be A High Priestess

 
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I’ve been connecting with more and more women feeling the call of the Priestess and High Priestess path. So many of us are awakening to our true nature, and feel a deep desire to give back and contribute in the world, especially now when it feels like everything is falling apart.

So what is a Priestess? What is her role? What does a Priestess do? And what is a High Priestess?

A Priestess is here first and foremost to serve. She brings the formless into form through deep listening and communion with the divine.

She is here to raise the collective consciousness and to contribute in her own unique way, becoming a frequency of divine love.

She is here to anchor the frequency of the divine feminine, to restore balance on our planet and support ascension through with an energetic shift.

The difference between a Priestess and a High Priestess is one who has walked the path long enough to have gained deep experience and knowledge in service, ritual facilitation and leadership skills.

In ancient times the High Priestesses were often born into royal families in places such as Crete, Egypt and Anatolia (Consider reading the book Initiation written by an ancient Egyptian High Priestess). The rituals they performed ensured fertility and prosperity for the villages. They were prepared for their role since childhood and were educated for religious roles and duties.

In modern times the noun “Priestess” is the title of a woman who has studied and trained, and has gained experience as a spiritual leader, spreading the knowledge of the spiritual teachings she has learned and embodied.

She teaches from her direct experience and the journey itself of becoming a Priestess has shaped her and prepared her for this role.

Here are six pillars to explore the essential role of the Priestess in modern times.

She Restores Balance of the Sacred Feminine 

Our culture has been out of balance for a long time. Pushing, forcing, accomplishing, doing, and at what cost?

Taking resources from Mother Earth, cutting down the forests, pushing beyond our our Earth’s limits for selfish economic gain. This has been the reality we have been living in for so long, and on top of this, so many of us carry this conditioning of the patriarchy within ourselves.

How often have you pushed yourself when you really needed to rest? How often do you find yourself talking negatively to yourself, or your body?

We can begin to heal the imbalance in the world by starting with our own bodies. What would it look like for you to love yourself. To slow down and nurture your body. To listen to your intuition. To surrender and allow. To listen to the heart, rather than the head.

The heart has always been meant to be the motherboard of our human experience. 

The brain is meant to be in service to the heart. 

But in our backward reality the brain has been in charge of our human experience, and we have cut ourselves off from our heart and emotions. This of course, leads to havoc and chaos because the brain is inherently NOT connected to source. 

This creates a disconnection from guidance and truth in our society. The brain/the head, the masculine was never supposed to be running the show on our human experience.

We are here to midwife a new paradigm where the sacred feminine exists in unity with the masculine. Where we listen to our bodies, our hearts, our wombs, and the whispers of Mother Earth.

How do we activate this role?

The Role of the Priestess is much more about BEING rather than DOING.

We activate this role as a Priestess by deeply listening. By showing up to our meditation seat. By being with our breath. By listening to our dreams. By taking care of our bodies, raising our vibration with food, and by slowing down.

So where have you been pushing yourself? and What would it look like to soften and follow your own natural rhythms and cycles?

Turns the Formless into Form

When we are tuned in, taking care of ourselves and deeply listening, we receive messages.  These messages may come in meditation, or in yoga class, or on a run, or any other activity when we get out of our head and into our bodies.

Our intuition lives inside our bodies.

And when we receive these messages, these quiet whispers, then it is our responsibility to ACT on those ideas.

As modern women on the Priestess path, our primary role is to become a channel, a chalice for the experience of God or the Goddess and create sacred space where others can also connect to God/Goddess as well.

To be a Priestess is to be a conduit for the formless to come into form. 

Many of us get stuck here with receiving the message and let the creativity go to waste. We put emails, laundry, and everything else on the to-do list first. Or we feel fear or self-doubt, and put it off.

What is your heart longing for? 

What messages and guidance are you receiving now?

So how do we activate this role of the Priestess?

We activate this role by saying YES to our intuitive guidance. By listening to the messages and by taking action. By stepping into what we feel is our dharma and our life purpose.

We step into this role when we let go of our fear or failure and are willing to give life to the divine messages we receive. When we remember, “Failure is actually a success, because we tried…” we are able to move ahead with taking action on the messages we receive in our dreams, and most often we won’t even fail!

In order to take clear and authentic action, it is so helpful to receive continued support and encouragement. I create accountability and sisterhood in my Priestess Initiation program and 1:1 coaching programs. I am also trained in EFT Tapping to help my clients release fear and limiting beliefs on a somatic level.

Emotional Healing 

Many women who came here for real, powerful change have had some kind of trauma in their life. 

Difficult experiences + pain actually help us to become deeply compassionate.

When we fully FEEL and move through our pain we are able to find our greatest gifts as well as our passion and power.

In activating this role we look at:

Where am I holding trauma? What limiting core beliefs do I have?

Whom do I need to forgive? Where am I holding resentment? 

How am I being a victim to my circumstances?

For the last several years I’ve been supporting women to heal the womb — trauma around physical abuse, sexual abuse, boundary violations, not feeling like you have a voice or that what you have to say matters.

I’ve supported hundreds of women in this work and it’s been incredible to see them heal this trauma to more fully activate their soul gifts and power 

Client Story

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“Meredith created a calm, safe, and compassionate space. I immediately felt comfortable opening up to her despite having just met her.

Her presence is so warm and calming and you can truly feel that she knows her stuff and possesses a ton of non-judgemental compassion.

When I reached out to work with Meredith, I was struggling with creative blocks. I had done enough inner work to know that something deep in my emotional body was holding me back from finishing creative projects and having the self-confidence to move forward in my life and career.

Again, feeling completely comfortable in my vulnerability with Meredith, she led me through a Womb Healing session and we dislodged some deep, old, childhood wounds. The healing Meredith guided me through had to do with healing shame around my sexuality and ability to trust myself. It was very intense but I felt incredibly loved and held the entire time. Afterward, some very interesting realizations surfaced and I began to look at my life in a different light. I truly believe my work with Meredith helped me to get clear on my creative goals.

I began writing a memoir AND finally, after two years, officially launched my website. If you have the opportunity to work with Meredith, you will absolutely not regret it. She is a true goddess.”

~ Stephanie Attenni, Los Angeles, CA

Read more client stories here

She Creates Ritual 

Rituals infuse magic, intention and sacredness into our daily lives. A ritual can turn a mundane act done without awareness into a sacred act with clarity and purpose.

Slowing down to say a blessing before a meal changes the experience. Meditation, singing, or lighting a candle imbues a moment of peace and serenity into a busy day.

Ritual can also be a healing space where women come together to honor a specific purpose. These rituals may honor transitions, letting go, grieving, the lunar cycle or the change of seasons. Participating in ritual has been one of the most healing ways to mark a big transition in my life.

Ritual has provided a space for me to be fully seen, acknowledged and supported by my sisters. After participating in ritual, I feel more confident and courageous to share myself with the world.

How do we activate this role?

We activate this role by tuning into our inner guidance, and creating a sacred ritual in honor of a transition in life. We honor this role by creating the community we long for, and by bringing women together in women’s circles.

We honor this role when we release jealousy and comparison and deepen our connection in sisterhood.

Witnesses + Creates Beauty 

Many Priestesses feel a special connection to Venus, which is all about beauty, art, fertility, music, the energy of the feminine. If you feel drawn to creating beauty and sacred space - in a home, in a garden, in creating flower mandalas, or art, you are also holding the role of a Priestess.

Creating beauty is a valid form of contribution in the world.

Beauty brings us into our heart.

Being with Mother Earth, falling in love with her, and witnessing her beauty calls us into right action and choices. It calls us into creating opportunities to share that beauty with others, and begins a ripple effect of change.

Witnessing the beauty of Mother Earth, and forming a relationship with her calls us into our desire to protect her.

How do we activate this role?

We step into this role by surrounding ourselves with beauty. By creating beauty around us always. By practicing the Beauty way, we leave a space even more beautiful than we found it.

Sacred Activism 

The Priestess is often deeply affected by the state of the world around her. She sees injustice and is called to support and activate change.

In sacred activism we ask, “What breaks my heart most about what is happening in the world?”

“How can I use my unique gifts and talents to implement change and restore balance?”

In my Priestess Initiation program we also explore our privilege, and offer partial scholarships to women of color.

Think of Mary Magdalene and Yeshua and the healing work they did for people of all classes and backgrounds. When we open our eyes to the injustice in the world and educate ourselves we are able to take steps to create systemic change.

How do we activate this role?

We activate this pillar by educating ourselves. By engaging in conversations. By contemplating our privilege. By speaking up when we see injustice. By releasing shame and victimhood. By asking the deeper questions, “How we can create a deeper ripple effect of change in our work?” 

To learn more about the Priestess path, read our article, Seven Signs You’re a Modern Day Priestess.

You can also sign up on our waitlist to be the first to know when we open the doors to our Priestess Initiation Program.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear in the comments, which pillars do you resonate most with? and what does the Priestess path look like for you?

 

The Two Biggest Fears I Had to Face to Grow My Business

 
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Seven years ago I started my business with a true desire to help people.

Struggling with chronic physical pain led me to yoga and my love for yoga led me to teach.

As I healed my body, mind and spirit, my desire to share spiritual teachings and to help others was so strong.

I knew I wanted to make myself available to more people, but two very common fears held me back:

1. The fear of visibility

2. The discomfort of selling my offerings + asking for money

To follow my life's work and heart's calling I knew I needed to get comfortable teaching, speaking, and sharing my work both in person and online.

I also knew I needed to heal my relationship to money and learn about sales and marketing to actually make a profitable and sustainable business.

And if I didn't, I knew I would need to always have side jobs to pay my bills, that would take precious time away from helping people and making the impact I really wanted to make.

Can you relate?

So, seven years ago, I chose to go for it. To learn everything I didn't know... to try and try again... to face my fears and make it happen.

And I'm so glad I did. I'm now running a thriving business I built from the ground up.

I absolutely love the work I do and most importantly, I'm proud that I didn't run away from the places that were unfamiliar or scary.

Instead I honored my soul's calling to grow.

...Are you ready to...

...Step into greater visibility + reach more people with your story + work...

...Earn more money sharing your soul gifts...

...Develop and share your offerings online + in person... ?

If so, I'd love for you to join me in this new Free Masterclass...

5 Shifts to Elevate Your Voice, Impact + Income

Here's what you'll learn:

  • How to rewire core beliefs around money to step into true prosperity and abundance

  • Why sharing your voice and gifts is imperative at this time and how to overcome the fear of being seen and heard

  • How I guide my clients to earn money through their sacred work, doubling or tripling their income while doing work they love

  • The secret to online marketing + the key strategy my team and I have used to grow our reach and impact consistently for the last 5+ years

If you've started a business with a true desire to give back, contribute, make the world a better place in some way or form, I want to support you...

...to reach the people you're truly meant to reach...

...to earn enough money so that you don't have to juggle multiple jobs, taking precious time away from your sacred work...

...to feel confident in sharing yourself online + in person ...(to write those talks, workshops, instagram posts and show up with comfort + ease on online videos + classes) ...

Sign up to watch the webinar above, and/or joi me for a free call to connect…

Sign up For a Call

Love,

Meredith

 

062 | Feng Shui to Attract Love and Abundance with Patricia Lohan

 
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SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES

It was so fun to sit down with Patricia Lohan to learn about how we can design our home to manifest that which we desire. 

Patricia Lohan has taken courageous leaps in her life, following her dreams of moving to Bali and helping female entrepreneurs activate success through creating powerful environments that surround them.  

I hope you enjoy her wisdom on this week's latest episode...

In this episode we discussed:

  • How and why Patricia became interested in Feng Shui
  • What is Feng Shui? and how you can use your environment to optimize your life's potential
  • Feng Shui for attracting love & how Patricia called in her husband through Feng Shui
  • How to avoid a "money lock" on your home and welcome more abundance and prosperity
  • The road less traveled, getting unstuck, meditation & the healing path
  • How you can ensure your workspace is in alignment with what we’re trying to achieve
"What starts to happen with Feng Shui is that the house starts to support you to really access the parts of you that you haven't,  and give them a chance to flourish and grow." 

Stay in Touch with Patricia:


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Patricia a natural intuitive healer & inspirer uncovered her gifts when she left her role in management and followed her passion for yoga, moving to India to train to become a yoga teacher.  Through yoga she awakened her interest in more Holistic Practices that included certification as a Reiki Master, Feng Shui Practitioner, Trainer in Sacred Sound Healing with Tibetan & Crystal Bowls and Body Mind Balancing Practitioner. Patricia founded the Parashakti School of Sacred Sound, Energy and Feng Shui and maintained a private practice in Dublin up until recently, offering her custom integrated healing system. Patricia now spends her time creating online programs and communities for women across the globe to access their inner power and subsequently create the life of their dreams. She holds an Honors Degree in Business and Marketing.

 

Do You Believe There's Enough? Insights on Abundance From My Travels in India

 
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Over the winter I spent two weeks in India at the ashram I wrote about in my book, Just Be. I was there at the busiest time of year, between Christmas and New Year's, and there were literally thousands of people...just see the photo above to get an idea of what the main hall looked like...

Every Tuesday at 12:30 pm we would all gather in the main hall for something called "Prasad Lunch." It was a delicious, abundant meal with rice, curry, papadam (a thin crispy treat), banana, and yummy dessert. This meal was offered by the ashram for free to everyone.

Oh yes, and every single plate was also blessed by Amma, the guru.

Our yoga teacher told us it is custom to wait until the guru has her first bite before eating the meal. And the guru would wait until every single person had a plate before she would take her first bite.

The plates were passed from the front of the main hall all the way to the people in the back until everyone had a plate.

The first time I experienced this I just kept thinking, "There's no way there is going to be enough. How can they feed all these people? They must run out at some point."

Everyone was singing "Om Namah Shivaya" while the plates were handed back.

As some people were handed a plate, I watched them grip their fists around it, holding on for dear life.

Some people began eating early, unable to wait until everyone had a plate.

But then I saw some people smiling, and continuing to pass whatever plate was handed to them off to someone else. They had complete trust that there would be enough. And they were so happy.

After about a half an hour of this handing-out-plates process, a man on the stage asked if anyone did not have a plate yet, to raise their hand. More and more plates of food were handed out.

This happened a few more times, until magically, everyone had a plate. 

I was in awe. 

The first time I went to this lunch, as soon as I received a plate, I held on to it, unsure if there would be enough. 

But the next week, I became one of those smiling people, handing off whatever plate was handed to me, having complete trust that there would still be enough for me.

Most of us have been taught that we live in a world where there just isn't enough. 

nd it is this very belief that is at the seat of so much suffering. It creates competition. It creates a mindset of scarcity. It teaches us that we need to fend for ourselves, that we can't give to others with generosity.

I'm tired of living this way.

It is certainly important to provide for yourself, and that is a necessary step in order to shift your mindset into one of abundance. But abundance consciousness is inclusive, it includes yourself, but it also includes everyone. 

This year I have been making a radical shift in consciousness to the belief, "there is always enough."

And it has not been easy!

So many limiting beliefs have been coming to the surface when I chose to act out of this new way of being.

This moment in India is just one of the times I saw how my own mindset of scarcity would play out. But over time, I have been choosing a new way. I am beginning to trust. To let go. 

Through that trust, I have been provided for. and through that trust, I have been so much happier.

One of the teachings I recently read about from Mary Magdalene (channeled by Mercedes Kirkel) is:

“There is enough for everyone but to realize this requires a grand shift in consciousness - you will realize abundance when you make the shift - and to make the shift you must assume this abundance - it takes great trust to do this.”

One of the ways I have been practicing abundance is through tithing. Tithing is the idea that all of our abundance comes from God/Source, and in order to honor that Source, we are invited to give back one tenth of every dollar we earn to the places that spiritually nourish us. 

This could be to friends, family, organizations, charities, teachers, authors, etc. 

The idea is that you can never "Out-give" God, so whatever you give, will come back to you, times ten. 

I have to say, from my experience of it, it's been pretty true. (Learn more about tithing in Edwene Gaines book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity)

I made a six month commitment to tithing about four months ago, and it has been a huge statement to the universe of I have enough. I believe there is enough. I believe there will always be enough.

Month after month I have seen that even though I am giving away a significant portion of my income, there is still, truly, always enough. 

In those moments when I was really uncertain if there would be enough, some kind of miracle happened.

Something about this new mindset, this new way of being, has been catapulting me into expansion in all areas of my life. 

I've hired an assistant and I'm getting ready to move to a new home, a dream I have been holding in my heart for years. 

Both of these steps have required a huge amount of trust. And the belief in an abundant universe. 

o I'm curious where you have been feeling closed or held back by money and abundance.  I've found the quickest way to shift into a state of abundance when I am feeling scarce is to GIVE. 

What are your thoughts on abundance? What actions could you take that show you believe in an abundant universe? Feel free to leave a note in the comments below.

With love, 
Meredith

 

How I Went From $5/Student as a Yoga Teacher to My First 5-Figure Month as an Online Entrepreneur

 
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Today I want to talk to you about a topic that has been on my mind lately: Money.

I've been having conversations with women who are doing amazing work in the world yet are struggling to really make the impact they want to make in the world AND be able to financially support themselves, let alone live in a state of abundance and prosperity.

Some of you may remember several years ago when I led a teleclass series called Financial Alchemy. At that time, I was determined to shift my relationship to money.

I dove into reading numerous books, started a retirement account (which I've invested in every year since I was 26), set up all my systems for my business including quickbooks for tracking income and expenses, hired a fiduciary to talk about my investments, and hired an accountant to learn the best practices for my business.

Yet there was one piece I hadn't quite figured out - how to bring in the amount of income I really needed through doing what I loved.

I was starting out as a new yoga teacher in a town, and I had just finished my coaching certification, but it still felt like a struggle to make ends meet.

I knew I had big gifts to share with the world, but I didn't know where to start. Not to mention, when I did start, I was filled with fear and self-doubt around stepping up to teach, lead and share my voice.

So I did the best I could, working for little pay to gain experience because I knew this work was my calling, it was what I was here to do. I supplemented my income with side jobs, and in the meantime I prayed to find a way to reach the people I was here to serve.

I longed to fully share my gifts, to release my fears of being a teacher and to live and give at my fullest potential and maybe, just maybe, to find a way for it all to be easy.

I desired to let go of a masculine business model of pushing and forcing and instead honor a feminine way of being and living - to have a flexible schedule, the ability to work from anywhere, and live with prosperity through work that got me excited to get out of bed in the morning!

Around this time, I began creating 40-day meditation practices where I would read a vision I wrote for my life and for the world, out loud, everyday.

Then, one day it dawned on me. Other women may want to learn how to do this too! Maybe even women all over the world!

In that moment, the seed for my first online course was planted.

After much trial and error, a beta test, and more online marketing training under my belt, I launched my first online course, Vision.

It was the culmination of all I had learned about self-love, self-care, meditation, manifestation, ritual, wellness and lifestyle design.

I did my research and prep work, then I launched.

To my surprise, 26 women in countries around the world signed up.

I remember in the last few days of that launch, the signups kept coming in, and I didn't know what to do because I had only prepared myself to teach to 15 women!

But I reminded myself that the universe was only going to give me the opportunity to do what I was ready for. And I had prayed to serve and share my gifts at their highest potential. Here was my opportunity.

With the income I earned from my first online course along with the income I had secured through teaching yoga and serving one-on-one clients that month I had brought in $10,000 in two weeks.

Now, this was coming from someone who was used to earning $5 per student teaching at a yoga studio, and for several months prior I had to dip into savings just to pay my rent.

For the first time I saw that I was capable of doing what I loved, and earning good money from it! I saw I didn't need to rely on others, but rather be financially and spiritually empowered to continue doing the work I loved.

Launching that first course literally changed my life and overturned my whole perspective of what I thought was possible.

The side jobs I was holding on to quickly became a part of the past and I fully immersed myself into my life's work.

Since then, I've gone on to lead Vision several more times and have guided many others in developing their own online offerings to fully LAUNCH their life's work into the world.

(In addition to Vision, I used the same principles to fill my first international retreat in Bali, Indonesia and sell almost 200 copies of my book before it was even released...)

I've spent the last three years refining these principles and now for the first time, I'm sharing them with you..

Next week I'll be leading a webinar on May 24th at 12 pm PDT for you to Live, Lead & Launch your dreams!

Join us here

In this webinar, you'll learn tools to:

  • Share Your Gifts as a Teacher and Leader To Reach People Everywhere in the World
  • Refine Your Big Ideas into Your Ideal Offering: Use the Same Principles
  • to Design Your Online Course, Program, or In-Person Retreat
  • Be Spiritually + FINANCIALLY Empowered Doing What You Love
  • Contribute to the Vision You Wish to See in the World
  • :: All With Femininity, Ease & Grace ::

I look forward to sharing more with you next week...

With love, 
Meredith

P.S. Even if you can't make it live, you'll be sent the replay to the webinar when you sign up right here.

 

024 | Next Level Purpose, Pleasure & Prosperity with Jillian Anderson

 

Jillian Anderson inspires us to heal our root and sacral chakras, step into a life that is truly next-level and remember that yes, maybe we can have it all. It just starts by remembering our true feminine power inside...

In this episode you'll hear about:

  • Jillian's story of having an unassisted homebirth
  • How her son is a mirror for where she is growing in her life 
  • Sacral chakra healing and what that has to do with our ability to experience pleasure and live prosperous lives
  • What we can learn from our difficult emotions like anger
  • What is spiritual wealth?
  • What is a jade egg practice and how to start one?
  • Jillian's input on the question, "Is it really possible to have it all? To be a mother, a loving partner and have a thriving business?" and how she finds her balance
  • The fear Jillian has faced this year around her finances and personal growth
  • Permission to Prosper - Jillian's new ebook and online program

As a writer and coach, Jillian fuses her background in ancestral healing to help women break free of old patterns and self-imposed limitations. She believes that pain is potent medicine, and that we're each assigned a divine soul curriculum that offers us the opportunity to not just survive, but to truly thrive in all areas of life: relationship, career, creativity, and beyond.

Jillian works with women to make space for what really matters, to unearth blockages, and to direct soul desires into manifestation. Her greatest fulfillment comes from witnessing a woman become the powerful Creatrix she is.

Jillian's mission is to make material reality sacred again. She believes that by healing the separation between matter + consciousness all of humanity is uplifted into a higher alignment that can only be described as Heaven on Earth. You can find her work + offerings at www.jillian-anderson.com


Want to win a free 75-minute coaching session with our host?

Rising Women Leaders is running a New Year Giveaway between now and February 11, 2017 for a free 75-minute online coaching session with our host, Meredith Rom.

In this video call we will take the space to reflect on what you want to cultivate for the new year, how you want to show up to take care of yourself, your spiritual practice, and your service and contribution to the world.

Meredith will also answer any questions you have about starting or growing your business, branding, leading workshops, podcasting, finding your voice, or crafting and sharing your story.

To enter, just write us a review on iTunes!

  • Follow  this link
  • Click the blue button on the side bar that says, "View in iTunes"
  • Click "Subscribe" under the Podcast Image then Click "Ratings and Reviews"
  • Click "Write a Review" where you can choose your rating, write your review and click "Submit"(you may be asked to login with your Apple ID)

You can also search for "Rising Women Leaders" in iTunes on your desktop or on the Podcast app on your iPhone to write a review.  

Positive reviews on iTunes will support our community to grow, thrive and reach the women who are seeking the powerful wisdom shared by the ladies featured on this show.

The winner will be announced on the podcast just after February 11! Thank you for participating, Good luck!!

 

Lessons Learned From a Week in the Desert

 
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

I just came back from 8 days in the desert at Burning Man festival where 70,000 people joined together from around the world to try on new personalities, dress up in fun ways, learn from experts on consciousness, and practice living in community.

So much happened while I was there, and I'm now taking time to integrate all the lessons.  When I arrived home, I wrote in my journal.  I realized that underneath all the crazy costumes and non-stop dance music, there were some deep spiritual insights I took away from the experience.  I wanted to share them with you here.

Relationship to Water

When you enter a space with a finite amount of resources, it completely changes your relationship to them.  This is what happened to me with water.  I arrived with 12 gallons of water and knew that was all I had for the week.  As the week went on, I saw how little water I really needed to brush my teeth, shower and wash my dishes.  I realized when we have unlimited access to clean water, we don't value it in the same way.  I now find myself turning off the faucet between washing dishes and putting soap on my hands.  Every time I am using water now, I find myself feeling so grateful for it.

Unlimited clean water is such a gift.How could you treat water with more mindfulness?

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

Relationship to Money

As soon as I arrived, my wallet was tucked away in the pocket of my car and I didn't look at it again. My thoughts were no longer concerned about the numbers in my bank account.  It was liberating.

I was given crystals, sunglasses, and numerous other gifts from strangers on the playa.  When I was riding my bike far away from camp and ran out of water and lip balm, it was provided for me when I needed it most.

An old mindset of scarcity began to drop away.  I found myself being more generous with my resources, trusting that they would come back to me when I needed them again.

One night I was talking to my camp-mate about what I was learning about abundance and generosity.  He shared that in Native American traditions you are encouraged to give away your most valuable items. I thought of my most prized items waiting for me at home and wondered if I would be able to give them away...

Burning Man is a practice in non-attachment. It is a space to experiment giving items away to strangers and see how it makes you feel.

However, you don't have to go to Burning Man to try this experiment.  I've come back with a different relationship to material things.  I plan to continue the experiment by giving away some of my most valuable items and see how it affects my well-being.  I invite you to join me in this experiment.

New Vision

When I arrived at the playa, I turned my phone off.  There were no computers around.  It was a complete technology detox for eight days.

I think it is generally  difficult to be connected to inner guidance and radical creativity when we are constantly receiving information from computers and phones.  In the days following Burning Man, I received so many creative ideas and inspiration about my business that I don't know would have been there if I was constantly looking at my phone.

Have you ever gone on a camping trip or vacation where you totally unplugged for a set amount of time?  I find that's when I can clearly make important decisions and receive insight and guidance on my next steps without distractions from the outside world.

If you are feeling uninspired, or have trouble connecting to your intuition, try doing a digital detox. 

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

Manifestation and the Mirror 

Manifestation and synchronicity happened more quickly on the playa.  I found myself standing next to a woman I met in Thailand two years ago, receiving an important message from a woman who attended my workshop and meeting people that I felt like I just knew without ever having met them before.

In times where my mind was getting negative, the results would show up in my environment immediately.  When I was feeling more connected and willing to step outside my comfort zone, again, I would be immediately met with an exciting opportunity.

This was my second time at the festival, and I could clearly notice what a different state of mind I was in this time as opposed to when I went five years ago.  When you do the work to let go of limiting beliefs and shift your thoughts, it really does manifest in your physical environment.  

What negative thoughts or limiting beliefs still repeat in your mind?  How do they show up in your environment?  If you're having trouble shifting your thoughts, try one of my yoga or meditation videos here. If you're ready to create a new reality, shift your awareness from the inside, it will help you reflect a new environment on the outside.

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

Leave No Trace

Black Rock City has a "leave no trace" policy which simply means whatever you take in, you take out.  This includes all of your trash, recycling, compost, and grey water (the leftover water from washing dishes, showering and brushing your teeth).  When we were consciously making space to take home all of our waste, I became highly aware of how much waste I was really making.

In addition to taking home our waste, we also searched the ground for any signs of "moop" - anything that was not the dust of the playa.  When we left, I found myself picking up trash even if it wasn't mine in other environments because my awareness was more focused on the greater whole and the natural setting rather than on myself.

The Beauty Way

In our camp, we used a practice from Native American traditions called, "The Beauty Way."  Our friends Rachel and Ben taught us how to practice it - leave a space more beautiful than you found it.  I watched myself let go of blame for others and rather took responsibility when I saw a space less than tidy.  As we all practiced the Beauty Way, I saw how it affected our relationship to each other.

I left feeling passionate about this practice, knowing if we can all begin this, the world will quickly become a more beautiful place.

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

Sisterhood

I was camping with an amazing group of women over the week.  I was with the ups and downs of my mind, noticing thoughts of comparison or jealousy and consciously releasing them.   Living in such close proximity with other women was both humbling and enlightening.  I saw as we were able to let down our guards and connect to each other with vulnerability and openness.

I left the week feeling refreshed with more authenticity in these relationships.

Are you craving a deeper connection to your sisters?  Maybe you can go on retreat together, or plan a women's vacation to connect and unplug with each other.

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015

More than anything else, the whole experience at Burning Man reinforced my own belief that:

"It takes moving outside your comfort zone in order to grow." tweet it

Sometimes it takes getting dusty in order to see how strong you really are...

With love, Meredith

Burning Man 2015
Burning Man 2015
 

My secret to staying calm and getting stuff done.

 
postnotes-self love-grounded action-live your vision

Last week I made the time to take a morning off and drive down to Marin to take a yoga class with my friend Tara. Afterwards we were eating lunch and I was telling her about all the things that were on my plate and what I was working on for VISION.  She looked at me and asked, "Meredith, how do you get so much done and still have the time to come meet me for yoga on a weekday??"

I thought about it, and remembered back to the time I was living in New York City and would sometimes spend 8+ hours a day in front of a computer.  I always felt like I was in a rush, behind schedule, and that there was never enough time to get everything done.  I had chronic headaches and jaw tension and began to see the link between spending so much time in front of the computer with my stress levels and the pain in my body.

Today, I work on my business 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday (during a program launch it may be more) and spend between two and four hours at the computer on a workday.  On Mondays I work on the marketing side of my business - writing blog posts and corresponding with administrative tasks, then I see clients in three timeslots over the phone Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. That's it.

In my free time I go to yoga classes, I take an hour and a half to make a delicious lunch and on Fridays I meet with girlfriends for tea, yoga, or I go to a cafe to write in my journal or to write the next chapters in my book.

My schedule may seem relaxed, but behind the scenes I am loving up my eight one-on-one clients, having client consultations over the phone and skype, and am putting tons of energy into enrolling my online group program.  I am also an active member of my local toastmasters chapter where I have to prepare 10 speeches over the next few months, I make time to lead workshops and one-day retreats, I create teleclasses, I show up for biweekly meetings with my mastermind group, oh and I teach yoga classes!

Because I am so sensitive to spending too much time on the computer, I know I need to focus in order to make the most of my time and actually get things done.  

Here are a few of my secrets:

I Start My Day With A Run

I've been working to raise up the heat levels in my body (I'm generally very cold) so I have been doing more cardio exercise.  In the last month, 2-3 days a week I will wake up, grab my ipod and go outside for a run.  It takes 30 minutes out of my day, I run down the road outside my house for one mile and run or walk the mile back.  Starting the day with the fresh air and moving my body energizes me for the rest of the day and connects me to my intuition and priorities.

I feel more focused and productive from the start.

I Eat More Protein

Since I started my business I have had to learn how to hustle and feed my body in the best way to provide me with the energy I need.  I remember being in nutrition school and listening to founder Joshua Rosenthall share about how he started his nutrition school.  He ate a macrobiotic diet for most of his life, and then when he was creating his school, he actually started eating more protein and occasional meat at that time.

He was building an empire, and his body needed more protein to push through.  As I have been creating my online program and enrolling for it, I have been feeding my body more protein - sunflower seeds, kale, fish, tempeh, beans, and most recently bone broth.  Having this extra protein in my diet gives me the energy and sustenance to BUILD all I want to create.

I Ask For Support 

Last Monday I sat down with my partner and said, "Michael, for the next two weeks I need your support.

I am going to put EVERYTHING into enrolling for this program, because it is so important to me that these values and teachings reach more women.  

Just for these two weeks, I need more support.  I am not going to be doing the laundry, tidying up the house, making meals or doing the dishes as much as I usually do.  

I need to devote my time and energy into my business right now and I am asking that you step up and support me during this time."  Michael saw how important it was for me to step up for myself, my business and the women who will be joining me in my program, so he gladly said, "Yes, I'm here to help." 

I Take Baths 

Now, more than ever, I see the importance of my own self-care.  I know I can't be telling my clients to go to yoga, take baths, or take time to cook organic homemade meals if I am not doing it myself.

Every time I take a bath or do something loving for myself, I think of the women I teach and know that I am a living example of my teachings.

Every time I take a bath, I feel any stress from the day melt off my body and I sleep more soundly through the night.

I Meditate

Meditation is my time to connect to my WHY.  Why am I doing what I am doing?  Why is it important for me to reach out to these women?  Why is it important for me to create this program?

When I connected to my mission in this life, I realized, "There is no time to waste."

I need to show up for myself, because I care so deeply about teaching women how to step into courage and self-love to honor their bodies and live their passions.  I feel it is so important to join together in sisterhood to gain the strength for us all to elevate the consciousness of the world.

When I remember that, I push through my fears and blocks and get things done.  In VISION I will be teaching my personal meditation practice for manifestation, and we will be supporting each other through 40-days of daily devotion and meditation.

I Follow Time Mastery Tools 

I work with a number of tools including batching and bookending that allow me to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time.  I use spreadsheets, I have financial tracking systems in place, and I use an online scheduler.

Being efficient with my time has been KEY to getting things done without wasting time at the computer.

In VISION I will be teaching the tools I use as part of the week on "Grounded Action."  We will be taking our dreams and visions, and actually putting them in the calendar.  We are going to create a roadmap of the entire year ahead.

I Created My Ideal Schedule 

"You are the owner of your time and you choose how to spend it."  When I learned this statement at the Live Free retreat I attended in October, I took the time to sit down and map out everything that needs to happen in my week.  I created my personal and business goals for the year and then I put them into my weekly schedule so I knew my goals and ambitions would have the spaciousness in my schedule to actually happen.

In manifestation, we sometimes think we can just wait for everything to come to us, when in reality we need to take action.

I will be guiding the women in VISION to create their ideal weekly schedule to find the time to "fit it all in."

If you are ready to step up for yourself and be held accountable for making your dreams a reality this year, I invite you to join VISION.

It is time to step up, face your fears and take action towards your dreams.

There are 4.5 days left to enroll, and only a few spots available.  If you are ready to take grounded actions toward your visions, and honor your body and spirit in the process, I highly recommend you join us. 

Deep down you know if this is the right next step for you to take.  Don't waste any time and miss this opportunity, enroll now. 

Love, Meredith

P.S. On Wednesday night I am leading a Storytime Q&A teleclass.  You can ask me ANYTHING - questions about how I run my business, how I make time for it all, questions about VISION, my meditation practice, etc.  I will be sharing a few personal stories of synchronicity and manifestation - how I fell in love, how I found my home, and how I created relationships to take my career to the next level.  You can sign up and submit a question in advance here.  All sign ups will be sent a recording the following day.  See you there!

 
storytime
storytime

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About the Author:

Meredith Rom helps women find the balance between divine feminine and masculine energy to manifest their dreams and live their visions.  She helps women tap into self love and create a life full of magic through her writing, coaching, and yoga retreats.

Do You Value Yourself?

 
magic-prosperity-money

I just came back from an amazing weekend retreat, Live Free, a weekend designed for ambitious women ready to step into the good life by creating the lifestyle and success they've always wanted. We were coached and workshopped on everything from achieving our business goals and desires to how to make girlfriends, learn time mastery skills, and find the balance between hustle and flow all without sacrificing the time for self-care.

A common theme that kept coming up for me throughout the weekend was value.  It was a big investment for me to even be at the retreat.

One year ago, it would have never been something I would consider going to.  However, I've discovered, the investments I've made in my personal and business growth were the investments that paid off the most.

One day this weekend we were asked to journal about, "What isn't working in your life?"  In my writing, I realized in the past, I had been placing my value outside of myself.

I had the idea, I'll be valuable when: 

  • I get married.
  • I earn a six figure income.
  • I sign on the next client.
  • I buy a house of my own.

Even though I mentally knew my value, it didn't fully click for me until this weekend.

I used to be so afraid to invest in myself.  I was waiting to be validated from the outside world first. I was waiting for my value to be shown to me before I knew that I was worth it.

Then this year I began to see:

"No one else will ever value you more than you value yourself." - Kate Northrup  {tweet it} 

So today I simply want to tell you, your value is not based on how much money you make, how many clients you have, what you own, who you're in a relationship with, or where you live.

You are valuable no matter what.  Your value is inherent.

Say the affirmation out loud:  I am valuable no matter what.  

When you stop placing your value on the outside world and deeply connect to the value inherent in yourself, the outside world will in turn, reflect that.

Wednesday, October 29, I'll be talking more about this topic and I'll be giving key exercises on how to OWN YOUR VALUE. If you feel called to explore this idea further, I invite you to join the free series, "Financial Alchemy: 3 calls to create a money mindset."  

The first call is Wednesday, October 29 at 5 pm...and if you make it live, there will be time for questions and coaching at the end.

Love, Meredith

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About the Author:

Meredith Rom believes in the power of self-love, gratitude, and vision to create a life of magic. She is a women’s empowerment coach, yoga teacher, and author.

 

 

 

How I got real with my money

 

This year I got real with my money. I was lucky to have enough money from family during college, and had savings to travel with after school, but it wasn't until this year, in January 2014 that I made a commitment to start reaching my income goals.

I had been living in the angst of "Why am I not earning what I need?"  "Where do I even start?" and "How can I ever pay my rent as a yoga teacher??" 

I have always spent time taking care of myself through yoga, healthy eating, rest, and drinking lots of water, but when it came to my finances, I ignored them.  

I rarely opened my credit card statements to read through the transactions, didn't look at my bank accounts except for when I took money out, I spent money freely, and hoped it would all just "work out" at the end of the month.  Living this way added a lot of stress to my life - especially when things didn't "work out" and I had to use my savings or money from my parents.

After months of living in that game - I felt pretty crappy.  I felt bad that I wasn't financially supporting myself, and that I couldn't live within the means of the money I was earning.  What I began to see was:

Looking at your finances is just another form of self-care.

As yoga teachers, healers and coaches, sometimes we think we need to offer our gifts for free or donation-based in order to be of service.  However:

You need to earn a good income to continue doing your great work.  {tweet it}

If you're not able to pay your bills at the end of the month, and you have to go back to finding another job, you are not honoring your gifts, or the people who are coming to you for them.

What I've learned is:

If we choose to ignore our finances waiting for everything to “work out” then we:

  • limit our potential
  • our impact
  • our ability to retire one day
  • we’ll probably always have to rely on other people and
  • we take away our freedom to make empowering choices for ourselves

BUT...

If we choose to take our finances into our own hands:  we can live a life with:

  • freedom
  • empowerment and
  • we can focus on how we want to give back and be of service to the world

This year I invested in myself in ways I never had before:  I hired a coach, a photographer, and a web designer, I attended Marie Forleo's B-school, and I went on my first retreat.  Every time I invested in my education and my business, I gained back huge amounts of knowledge (and income) in return.

In April of this year, I began meeting the monthly income goals I had never been able to meet before.  I led my first group coaching program, I consistently gained new clients in my private practice and I even saved enough money to go on a trip to Hawaii.

I've been talking to other women, and clients who are in a similar position I was in: taking steps to take better care of themselves, but looking the other way when it comes to their finances.  So, I decided to lead a teleclass series on this topic, to share all I've learned with you.  I'm calling it, "Financial Alchemy:  3 Calls to Create a Money Mindset." 

In this series of 3 free calls I'll be sharing: 

  • Practical tools to track income and expenses
  • How to create a budget and save more money
  • How to spend with awareness
  • How to know and own your value AND
  • Alchemical tips to earn more income in service to your passions

The first call is Wednesday, October 29 at 5 pm PST. You can sign up to receive the call info and recordings here.

Love, Meredith

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About the Author:

Meredith Rom is passionate about empowering women to embody their Divine Feminine presence and rise to new levels of financial abundance.  She works with women one=on-one and in groups through yoga, online programs and writing

 

On money and miracles

 
prosperity-money-miracles-business

I've been reading this book: The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson.

The wisdom of this book has been finding its way into my yoga classes, so I thought I would share some of my insights here.

One of the first lessons in the book is, when bad things happen, remind yourself, "I can absorb the loss," let go, and move on.

The day after I read this lesson, I got a parking ticket.  Not just some $15 parking ticket, but a $48 parking ticket.  That's almost fifty dollars!  I very well knew to move my car, but absentmindedly forgot.

Before reading this book, I would have made myself feel pretty bad about it.  But that day, something in me shifted and I said to myself, "I can absorb the loss."

I paid the ticket, and I moved on with my life.  I didn't let guilt build up or let my inner critic say negative things inside my mind.

Marianne reminds us that only love is real.  When bad things happen, whether or not you attracted them into your life, you can always realign yourself back with love to keep attracting more of what's good.  However, if we hold on to the pain, the anger, and the negative emotions, we block our next miracle to make things right.

That same week, 4 of my yoga classes doubled in size, and I signed on a new client for health coaching.  It was like the universe saw the loss, recognized my shift in consciousness and immediately realigned to make up for it (and some)!

 

The second insight that stayed with me was about forgiveness.  Forgiveness - especially to those we have worked with in the past is so crucial to clear our money consciousness.  Marianne suggests imagining a long line of people you are working with, or have worked with before and bow before every person standing in the line.

"Within your heart, bless, apologize, and forgive wherever necessary.  And complete forgiveness is necessary, if we're to attract and produce miracles."

Then she suggests creating another line of people:  everyone you're working with or could be working with now.  Again, inwardly, bow before the spirit of each one.  "Acknowledge their gifts and thank them for what they have done for you.  Fill your heart with an attitude of appreciation.  Pray to be a vessel of love that invokes their fulfillment and joy.  Pray that your energy expands to such an extent that it would be natural for you to find yourself in a room with such people, working and creating with them."

I did this exercise one night as I was falling asleep, and imagined funnelling love to the person I want to work with most in my life.  I prayed to be a vessel of greater good in that person's life.  Even though it seemed like an impossible fate - the next morning she called me.

I share this to remind you, miracles are real.  When you release negativity and shift your consciousness to align with love, and believe that only love is real, the universe will open to you and all you need will be provided.

The thing is, It won't always look exactly how you imagined it.  "God's promise is not that we will always get what we want.  It's that in all things love will ultimately prevail."

We must let go our attachment to form to realize form is limited, but spirit is not.  The universe is not invested in exactly what you want, but it is invested in your enlightenment.  When we let go of form, we often realize we are fine without it, which then either attracts it or something even better.

Whatever blocks are in the way of you achieving the life you want to live and the financial abundance you want to have, are in your mind.

As Marianne says, "Seek to remove your barriers to love, and miracles will replace them."

In deep gratitude for this work. ~ Meredith