What if I told you that there is one thing you can do that would make more of a difference in changing your life than anything else I know of? What if I told you that this thing can be done almost anywhere, can be performed by anyone, is free, takes no special equipment, is stress reducing, and even relaxing? What if I told you that this thing, more than anything else you've tried, can truly change the way you live, the way you relate to people, the way you perceive the world and most importantly, the way you think and feel? Would you do it?

Well, many of you have already tried it and given up. Some of you are doing it and some have never tried it. What is it? It is meditation. Now before you groan and sigh, hear me out.

In my own journey for personal growth, I've tried many, many techniques and methods. I've studied with many therapists, coaches, teachers and masters. I've attended workshops, seminars, and teleclasses. All of the strategies that have helped me grow are in my own personal tool box. I use many of these techniques in my workshops and my coaching. But the one that I depend on in my personal life the most is meditation.

Meditation is like a foundation for the house (self) I'm building. It is like preparation of the field for planting by clearing and tilling. Many of the tools and methods I've learning worked well because of the foundation (meditation) on which they were built. Meditation's effects are cumulative and can be very subtle. You may not even notice on a day to day basis that changes are occurring. Then one day you look around and notice that you are more clear, less stressed, calmer and have a feeling of being "more" you. One of the more profound effects of meditating is the strengthening of the "witness" or "observer" part of myself, that is, the part of me that observes how I am acting or reacting and notices the emotions I feel, but is not "hooked" by them. This witness function is vital to personal evolution. After all, it is what gives you the observation or insight in the first place. If you cannot observe what you are doing, you cannot gain understanding and/or change it. This is where real growth occurs. When you have a strong witness within, you have distance from what you are feeling and reacting to. This keeps you from being totally at the mercy of your thoughts, feelings, sensations and reactions. What an incredible relief!

The obstacles to meditating are the same obstacles we have to doing anything that is new or may actually be good for us. Our ego gets involved and tells us we don't have time or the space or can't figure out how to do it or we don't feel like it today, etc.

I find that daily practice works best for me. You cannot have a bad meditation. Every meditation, even one where you are wiggling or have whirling thoughts or fall asleep are good meditations, because one of the main purposes of meditation is to learn about yourself. You can build a meditation habit just like you build a habit for anything. Do it every day whether you want to or not. Set aside the time, say 15 to 30 minutes to start and begin.

There are many books on how to meditate (see below for recommendations), but in brief:

• Sit up straight on the floor on cushions or on a chair.
• Your head is held balanced on your neck with chin slightly tucked to your chest.
• Feet flat on the floor or crossed with right leg in front of left if on floor.
• Hands in your lap, right hand palm up on left palm.
• Do not lean your back against a wall or chair, unless you have a medical reason to do so.
• You should be in an alert but relaxed position.
• You may close your eyes or keep them partially open in soft focus looking down to a point about six feet in front of you.
• You may have to build up your stamina to remain in this position for the full time.
• If you fall asleep, sit up very straight, and no leaning.

To help you get started with your meditation practice, I have a fr*ee gift for you. The 5 Minute Meditation MP3 audio download is available for the readers of this newsletter at www.LifeUnfolds.com/5minutemeditation.htm

Start the new year off with passion, play and purpose! Check out Kay Kemp's creativity and personal growth offerings at http://www.wild heartart.com

I have participated in Kay's painting for process and collage workshops and think they are incredible! You have to see for yourself.

Just a few of her offerings include:

• Collage for the Wild Heart starting February 1st
• Wondrous Wild Women starting February 4th
• Wild Heart Art Painting Terrific Tuesdays starting February 7th
• Heart Art Altar Screens on February 11th

The Attraction Circle Workshop, held in Houston, Texas, has helped its participants to begin new careers, change unsatisfying relationships, identify personal and professional dreams, to dream bigger and better than ever, to be more creative, to change limiting beliefs that are keeping us stuck, to see money in a different way, to learn to receive with joy, and lots more!

Participants are saying:

Here is a site where you can download fr*ee inspirational screensaver, wallpaper or mini-posters. The pictures are beautiful.

"If you want to be generous, you must be wealthy. If you want to be attractive, you must have plenty. If you want to change lives, you must have reserve." – Andrea J. Lee

"If you are serious about your goals, drop the conditions. Go directly to your goal. Be your goal! Conditions often disguise strategies for escaping accountability. Why not just take charge and create the experience you are looking for?" -- Eric Allenbaugh

"The world is awash in money! Do you hear what that means? It is awash in money. It is flowing for everyone. It is like Niagara Falls. And most of you are showing up with your teaspoons." -- Abraham-Hicks

"The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best. Therefore it tends to become the best. It takes the form or character of the best, and will receive the best." -- Wallace Wattles

“Since what you focus on manifests in reality in your life, when you stop focusing on what you want to avoid, many problems in life vanish.” -- Bill Harris, Centerpointe

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." -- Henry David Thoreau

We've all heard the saying, "follow your bliss". Joseph Campbell made the phrase famous. There have been numerous books written about finding your passion, discovering your purpose and making that your career, that is, to follow your bliss.

So what is following your bliss? It is, in short, knowing what you really want to do with your life and doing it. It is identifying your purpose(s) or calling and spending much of your time actively pursuing this. It can be anything that makes you feel jazzed or pumped up when doing it. You lose track of time when engaged in it. You feel in the flow. And I believe your bliss can be many things, not just one, and that it can change over time. Your passion or purpose may or may not be your career calling. You may act out and experience your passion outside of your career as well as inside.

Where many folks get confounded is when money comes into the picture. Several of the books I've read boldly state that "if you follow your bliss, the money will follow". The way I read this is, you can't help but get rich if you follow your bliss. This is a gross overstatement in my experience. While many people do obtain significant wealth, many do not. How much money one makes depends on many factors including what your bliss or purpose is, your own personal values and beliefs, thoughts and feelings about money, your professional skills and education, your talent and creativity and your character traits (things such as diligence, integrity, etc.).

Following your bliss is one of the more important ways in which you can change your life for the better. Living your passions releases tremendous amounts of energy that used to be tied up in keeping you in a profession you disliked or were bored with or felt safe in. It is much easier, when following your bliss, to do whatever work is required and may even feel like play rather than work. However, it does not necessarily mean that the perfect life ensues. It's easier than living someone else's life, but your patterns and issues must still be dealt with. You may still have to do some things in your work that feel like work. And if you desire wealth along with your passion, do what is necessary to change your beliefs, make it part of your dream, get the education or skills or partners, or get coaching or therapy to achieve this.

So my advice is to start following your bliss today. No more excuses, no more delays. Discover what makes you passionate. If it is something you've never tried before, step out there and try it. Even if you don't get rich, and there's nothing that says you won't get rich, you'll be so much happier and one step closer to living an authentic life. Go for it!

Dream Board Workshop Make This Your Best Year Ever

A dream board is a simple, yet powerful way of making your dreams come true. It is a visual representation of your dreams or goals and your desired outcomes. It is the perfect tool to help you clarify your desires, see your goals vividly, to provide focus, and to imprint this visualization in your mind. Seeing the pictures and words that depict your success repeatedly will help to create the desired outcome in your real life. You will be led through questions that help you clarify your desires, and through all the steps necessary to create the dream board. You will leave this class with a large poster of your dream. This is a really fun class with very serious results! Make your dreams come alive by joining us in this workshop. Class size is limited.

Next Class is Wednesday, February 15th, 2006 From 6:45 until 9:15 pm (note extended time) Only $40 Class held at the beautiful Wild Heart Art (www.wildheartart.com) Studio in the Heights in Houston, Texas

Register by calling me at 713.528.5971 or email me at maf@LifeUnfolds.com.

Do you want the advantages of working with a coach without the significant investment? Have you already given up on your New Year's resolutions? To help you achieve all you dream of, I'm starting a group coaching experience called "Quantum Goal Setting" for a small group of committed individuals. The class is intended for those of you who are ready to begin creating the life you've always dreamed of, no matter what that entails. We will limit the class size so that you get lots of individual attention matched to your goals. We will meet weekly for one hour throughout the year with a monthly fee of only $99, payable monthly. You can sign up for one month or longer, whatever works for you. So what is Quantum Goal Setting?

Quantum Goal Setting is based on the law of attraction but is oriented more to setting goals and taking actions to create the life of your dreams. What makes it different from the Attraction Circle workshop is that we focus specifically on your dreams, the actions required to achieve them, overcoming the obstacles in your way and with group accountability assisting you in reaching them.

This is not a traditional workshop, nor is it your grandmother's goal setting method! There is no lecture although there will be coaching and exercises. You will get lots of encouragement and direct observations and feedback. And forget the schedules, sub-schedules, detailed to-do lists, etc. We will concentrate on making your dreams and goals a reality using the law of attraction which is that you create your reality by what you think and feel each and every day. Group coaching will help you to focus on what you want most and to accomplish it with the least effort and in the shortest time.

"...you create your reality by what you think and feel each and every day."

Did I mention that it will be fun?! It will be fun and beneficial and inspiring and you will achieve more than you ever dreamed you could. What could be more pleasurable than that? So join up today!

Sessions start Thursday, February 16th, 2006. I can accommodate either day or night sessions, so let me know what you prefer. Because this is a new endeavor, the first two sessions are FR*EE! Call me today at 713.528.5971 or email me at maf@lifeunfolds.com for more information.

"Group coaching will help you to focus on what you want most and to accomplish it with the least effort and in the shortest time."

Watch soon for the unveiling of the teleclass version of this incredible group coaching experience!