Archive for the ‘Fun’ Category
Groove Is in the Heart: A Return to Self-Love
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
What are the patterns, habits, and self-talk that keeps you from experiencing self-love?
All are welcome to join us for an evening teleclass for deeper self-connection and self-love. Through guided meditation, reflection, and practices of self-love. We will listen deeply to the expressions of our hearts – longing to be shared. We will reflect on habits of compassion, forgiveness, worthiness, and self-acceptance. Our evening is about learning ways to accept ourselves from the inside out. We will learn how to create new habits of self-love.
Groove Is in the Heart: A Return to Self-Love will take place on Tuesday, 3/29 at 7:30p (ET) on the phone (click link for details).
Wishing you expansive love ~
Mary Anne
Toning the OM Is Headed to Egypt!
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
I recently announced my amazing invitation to assist on a spiritual travel adventure to Egypt. I was so overwhelmed by all the comments, emails, and texts of support. The trip feels surreal and when the invitation came, I started shaking. This has been my dream — to travel and teach meditations & ceremonies — to be on a spiritual adventure. Everyday is a spiritual adventure for me — some days easier than others. I trust that my gifts will far surpass all the fears that have run through my mind. Whatever your journey, share your gifts of love and listen for invitations that will take you to parts of your heart not yet explored — there is a treasure awaiting you!
Toning the OM is heading to Egypt in April!
I will be joining Spirit Journeys as an Assistant Guide on their 17 day journey to the wonders of Egypt. The trip includes:
A private visit to the King’s Chamber inside the Great Pyramid…A private visit to the Sphinx to stand between its paws, to place your hands upon it…A private visit to the Isle of Philae and the Temple of Isis at sunrise…Seven nights/eight days sailing the Nile on our own private dahabiya (a luxury sailing yacht)…Five nights/six days at the world famous Mena House Hotel at the foot of the Pyramids…Two nights at the Movenpick Hotel on Elephantine Island in the middle of the Nile…A small, intimate group of fellow journeyers (a maximum of 16)… and more! This is a very special Spirit Journey indeed, one that can truly be called “a journey of a lifetime.”
April 26, 2011 to May 11, 2011 (Trip is Sold Out)
Guides: Howie Holben and Emil Shaker
Assistant Guide: Mary Anne Flanagan
Contact Spirit Journeys to be put on the waiting list.
For more information about Spirit Journeys, please visit: http://www.spiritjourneys.com
To the best journey of all — life!
Mary Anne
11 Wishes for You in 2011
Monday, January 3rd, 2011
Take Care of Yourself: It is not selfish, but self”full” to take care of your own needs. Recognize you can only give to others what you are able to give to yourself.
Dare to Be Your “Self”: How do you want to be inside and out? Have fun and play. You don’t have to be what others expect. Come out and be you.
Trust Your Heart: The center of you resides in your heart; pause and listen. Don’t give yourself away. Choose who and how you want to give. Trust takes time.
Look and Listen to Your Inner Guide: What is that little voice saying to you? Turn within to become aware of what is driving your needs.
Appreciate the Beauty Inside: Many of us are still learning to appreciate ourselves, our beauty and all our gifts. Take time to appreciate how far you have come on the journey. Notice and write down the areas you have worked through and the commitment you have made to your growth and healing.
Let Go of Guilt (Repeat): We are so hard on ourselves; other people we can forgive, but often we beat ourselves up. Practice each day letting go of guilt you feel for honoring yourself.
Be Aware of Your Intentions: Set real intentions; if the outside intention you are setting doesn’t match the internal emotional intention, it will fall away. We call that a split intention. (Example: I really want that new job; I don’t feel good enough to get that job)
Find Your Voice: What speaks to you in the world—what makes you feel Alive; the arts of any form are a great way to find your voice—dance, sing, drum, play…
Let Love In: Allow your heart to drop deeper and deeper with each passing day into love. Be vulnerable and see how love grows. How do you want to let love in?
Discover Your ONENESS: What keeps you connected to yourself and others?
Celebrate Your Courage and Grace: See each day as an opportunity to celebrate our courage and grace. When do you celebrate yourself? How do you celebrate yourself?
OUR AUTHENTIC JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A RECONNECTION WITH OUR TRUE SELVES.
Happy & Healthy 2011~ Mary Anne
What’s Your Favorite Joni Mitchell Song?
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
I spent this weekend listening to Joni Mitchell. There is nothing like Joni Mitchell lyrics to wake you up to what’s happening inside. Listening to her songs reminded how much healing there is left and how much more love there is available:
If I Had a Heart
Holy War
Genocide
Suicide
Hate and cruelty…
How can this be holy?
If I had a heart, I’d cry
Holy Earth
How can we heal you?
We cover you like a blight…
Strange birds of appetite…
If I had a heart, I’d cry.
{If I Had a Heart}
and… another song…
Love never looks for love
Love’s not puffed up
Or envious
Or touchy
Because it rejoices in the truth
Not in iniquity
Love sees like a child sees
Where as a child I saw it face to face
Now I only know it in part
Fractions in me
Of faith and hope and love
And of these great three
Love’s the greatest beauty
Love
Love
Love
{Love)
Love more.
Mary Anne
What Is Your Theme Song?
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Once I get hooked on a song, I play it until I can’t hear it anymore. It becomes my theme song and I never know how long it will last. My latest theme song is Glitter by Pink. I play this song on my iPod every day while riding the subway and hit the repeat button so it just keeps looping back to that song.
There is something about hearing the lyrics:
Have you ever thrown a fistful of glitter in the air?
Have you ever looked fear in the face and said I just don’t care?
It’s only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn
The thunder before the lightening, the breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?
What’s your theme song these days?
Mary Anne
Learning from Dolly Parton
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Dolly Parton has always been an inspiration to me. She sings and I smile. The other day I was playing the album Backwards Barbie as I was doing house chores. I could hear myself singing the lyrics:
“I said you’d better get to living, give in
Be willing and forgivin’
cause all healin’ has to start with you.
You Better stop wining, pining,
Get your dreams in line and just
Shine, Design, Refine until They Come True.
And you’d better get to living”
Yep, getter bet to living’! How about you?
Mary Anne
April Fool!
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
Recently, the song Everybody Plays the Fool played on the radio and I found myself singing the lyrics:
“Everybody plays the fool, sometime
There’s no exception to the rule.”
The song made me think about all the times I was told to stop being silly – to stop playing the fool. I remember being told to stop laughing and to be serious. Somehow it was conveyed that you couldn’t be silly, giddy, or foolish. Yet, it is our joyful, playful self that we often forget. It is that part of ourselves that we hold back on and are afraid of showing in case we “make a fool of ourselves.”
There can be such freedom in bringing forth your most outrageous, wild, playful self that laughs and attempts some crazy ideas. My invitation to you this month is to be an April Fool! Do one outrageous, fun, and silly activity and notice how you feel. Play the Fool. And most of all, have fun!
Play “the Fool” ~ Mary Anne