Body Beautiful Ezine

IN THIS ISSUE:

July 14, 2010

Published monthly. If you do not already receive this E-zine and would like to, simply enter your name and email address in our Signup Box located in the right-hand column of our main website http://breakfreebeauty.com

A Note From Sarah Maria
Beloved Friend,

Malibu sunsetHappy July!  Have I told you yet how much I enjoy the long-daylight hours that come with summer time in California?  It stays light until 8pm here in Southern California.  Of course, as of June 21st, the daylight hours start to wane again, but I work to ignore that fact until October or November, when I really have to contend with the shorter days and longer nights. The long day-light hours of summer always bring a certain energy and relaxation to them.  The only downside, I suppose, is that since I am an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of gal, I often end up going to bed before it is fully dark outside.  But when I stay awake past sunset, I do very much enjoy to gaze at the stars in the night sky.   

This month I have some really exciting developments to share with you. 

MONTHLY TELE-CLASS SERIES

I am launching a monthly tele-class series so that I can communicate, connect, and engage with you, my beloved subscribers, in a closer way.  There will be one 60-minute call every month covering a whole range of topics related to  physical, emotional, mental health, well-being, spirituality, and personal growth.  The first call will be on Wednesday August 7th, 6pm PDT / 9pm EST, and is titled When to Listen, When to Ignore
Click here to learn more.

Next, I am thrilled to announce an upcoming retreat offered by my beloved teacher, Bodhisattva Shree Swami Premodaya.  Click here to learn more.

Body Image RevolutionFinally, please join me for a Body-Image Tele-Summit.

I have been asked to participate in an upcoming body-image tele-summit, and I would love to have you join.  On July 17th-29th a panel of experts will be talking about body-image, and how you can develop a peaceful relationship with food and with your body.  There is no cost, so check it out, and please join me for a fabulous tele-summit with some amazing people.  Check it out here.

And please enjoy this month’s Feature Article titled Exploring Compassion.

With love always,

  

Feature Article
Exploring Compassion 

What does compassion mean for you?This article is as the title suggests—an exploration.  It is an inquiry.  Last month’s article was about love.  This month -- compassion.  According to great spiritual teachers, real love is actually much closer to compassion.  This begs the question, what is compassion?  What does it mean to be compassionate?  What is compassionate action? 

If you are reading my newsletter and following my work, chances are you want to help or be helped in some way.  You may want to alleviate your own pain and suffering, and/or alleviate the pain and suffering of other people.  You may want to help heal the environment, or make a difference in the world.  Perhaps you consider yourself incredibly blessed and want to give back and share your good fortune.  If you are reading this article, chances are you are someone who lives from the heart, guided very often by your feelings of wanting to help, wanting to make a difference.  And these feelings can often seem like compassion.  Isn’t helping others, being nice, being giving and generous, taking away pain whenever possible, living compassionately? 

Consider the dictionary’s definition:

“A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”

This definition, in my opinion, is woefully inadequate.  It is based on an inherently limited view of reality.  It assumes that we, as human beings, are able to judge some else’s misfortune and act appropriately.  It also implies that our feelings of wanting to alleviate the sufferings of others are, in and of themselves, compassionate.  In my own experience, this is not always the case.

As you come to know your own heart more and more, you can begin to understand more deeply your own motivations.  And you may discover that what you thought was a simple desire to help, what you thought was compassion, what you thought was love-in-action, has way more to do with your own wants and needs than with anything else.  This is not to say that all feelings of so-called compassion are erroneous, but it does mean that exploring your own motivations, engaging in self-inquiry and exploration, can be useful.

Begin to ask yourself:

How much is my wanting to help an expression of my own wants, needs, and desires?
How much of my wanting to help is based on my own discomfort with other people’s pain?
How much do I identify myself as someone who wants to help make a difference in the world?

Now let me be clear.  I am not by any means saying you should not care about other people.  I am not in any way implying that it is best to be cold-hearted or indifferent.  I am actually assuming that if you are reading this article, you are someone who has a good heart, who is aware of other people, and wants to be kind and generous, spreading love throughout their families and communities.

Which is why I am suggesting that you take your beautiful heart, and begin to understand it more deeply.  Begin to explore yourself, your own motivations, more openly.

In order to know yourself, you must be open to the fact that what you think may always be wrong, or at least only a partial perspective.  Always be willing for another layer to fall away, so that you may see something that was previously hidden from view. 

It is only as you open yourself to this that you can begin to develop an understanding of true compassion, which, in my own exploration, is far from what most people think of when they think of compassion.  For the more willing you are to know yourself, to see whatever there is to be seen, the greater your chance of letting life live you, of letting love purify your heart, so that you can be used in whatever way the universe deems fit.

As I have personally engaged in this inquiry, I have made some startling discoveries.  Here are just a few of the things that have surprised me:

  • Sometimes compassion doesn’t feel good.
  • Sometimes being compassionate means doing nothing, even when someone else is in pain.  In fact, doing nothing may often be the most compassionate choice.
  • Any real compassion is impossible as long as your ego is dictating your behavior.
  • True compassion is not about individual wants, desires, or needs in any way.

This month, let your life be an exploration into yourself, into your own heart.  Be open to being surprised, and maybe even dismayed for a moment or two.  Discover what motivates you, and be open to whatever is revealed.    

Monthly Tele-class Series
6 Monthly Tele-Class Series with Sarah Maria

August Tele-class with Sarah MariaAnnouncing the monthly tele-class series!  Each month, a topic related to your personal growth, development, and transformation.  The first call in the series begins this August.

August's Call: When to Listen, When to Ignore

Date: Tuesday August 3rd
Time: 6pm PDT / 9 pm EST

In the world of alternative health and new-age spirituality, there is very often a focus on the importance of feelings.  How are you feeling in this moment?  How does your body feel?  What is your heart telling you? 

If you have spent a lifetime unaware of your feelings, ignoring your body’s natural signals and cues, then it is vitally important that you learn to listen to your body and your emotions, learning how to read the signals that they are sending you.

But once you have begun to master the art of self-awareness and self-care, you can begin to develop discrimination and wisdom.  You can begin to discern when it is useful to listen to your body, mind, and emotions, and when it might be better to ignore them for a time.  In this way, you can discover how to take care of yourself, without becoming lost in the ever-changing world of feelings and emotions.

Here are some basic examples to illustrate the point:

  • You always feel hungry and constantly think about food.  If you are learning to listen to and befriend your body, does this mean you should eat every time you feel hungry?

  • You are learning to get in touch with anger that has been suppressed for years, what should you do, now that you discover you are angry much of the time (or sad, or depressed, or anxious, or any other emotion)?

  • You know you need to love yourself, but what does this mean practically?  When should you give yourself what you want, and when would it be better to wait?

This call is designed to help you gain insight into when it is best to listen to your impulses, physical, emotional, mental, and when it might be better to ignore them, or at least wait and allow some time to pass before acting on them.

There will be ample time for questions, so that you can learn how to incorporate and apply what you have learned in a practical way that helps you develop clarity and insight.

Free Bonus Gift

Free Bonus Gift: When you register for the full 6 Month Tele-class Series you will receive a 60-minute private coaching session with Sarah Maria designed to move you quickly from where you are to where you want to be.

Click here to register today!

Teacher's Corner
Teacher's Corner

Swami PremodayaLast month, I had the pleasure of introducing you to my beloved teacher and Sat-Guru, Bodhisattva Shree Swami Premodaya.

This month I am thrilled to tell you about a retreat that he is offering.  It is called “Sacred Space” and is being held in an exquisite location in Southern California this coming Labor Day weekend, September 3rd-6th, 2010. 

After attending the winter retreat back in January, I can say unequivocally that three days with Swami Premodaya is absolutely life-altering, in addition to being an amazing opportunity to spend time in a sacred setting with beautiful people.  As it says on The Bodhi Center website:

“To give yourself the gift of retreat in such a setting—with daily Satsang and profound opportunities for self-understanding, greater awareness and no-mind perceiving—amounts to nothing less than the possibility of direct access to the Divine—for you—for real.” 

Click here to learn more and to register.     

Books & Audio Sets
 Love Your Body, Love Your Life
by Sarah Maria


Love Your Body, Love Your Life with Sarah MariaIt’s time to love the skin you’re in!  If all you see when you look in the mirror is cellulite, wrinkles, or worse, you’re not seeing what—and who—is really there. 

A whopping 90 percent of us are dissatisfied with our bodies.  These self-destructive thoughts and behaviors are ruining our lives—but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Learn how to feel good about your body—and celebrate its strength, vitality, and beauty.  Complete with exercises, case studies, and testimonials, you’ll learn how to stop obsessing over food and your body and achieve permanent peace with both.

Do you long to love your body and love your life?

Click here to purchase your book today.

 

 



 Sarah Maria's
“Love Your Body Now!”
 

Love Your Body Now! Audio CD by Body Image Expert, Sarah MariaDo you love your body?  Honestly, do you?

If you can't answer YES to this question, you may be suffering from Negative Body Obsession, or NBO.  Negative Body Obsession will rob you of your vitality, your joy, and your love.  But it doesn’t need to be that way.  

Love Your Body Now! is a downloadable audio CD, complete with music and guided instruction, designed to help you break free from Negative Body Obsession and live a life that you love.

It includes 16 MP3 Tracks, full of exercises and visualizations, designed to help you love your body and love your life.  Life should be a love affair – learn to live the love that you are starting today.

From the back cover of the CD:

“Living in this day and age, it is all too easy to believe that we are not good enough.  We are not thin enough; we are not toned enough.  We are not young enough; we are not healthy enough.  We are not beautiful enough.  In a culture that worships thin, young, fit, and perfect, few of us can measure up.  And this fixation with that we are not extinguishes the joy and vibrancy of who we are.

But there is a way out.  It is possible to love and respect your body, be at peace with your natural urges, and live without constant fear of gaining weight or growing old.  If you are ready to reclaim your creativity, your vibrancy, and your passion, this CD will help you overcome Negative Body Obsession and unleash the power of your potential.”

Order your copy of “Love Your Body Now!” today - only $27!

 



 Break Free Beauty Introductory Package
(Now Available for Download!) 

Are you longing to transform your relationship to food and your body? Use 2010 to create the change you desire. Learn how to love your body, while improving your eating habits and eliminating your negative body thoughts. Take advantage of this extensive package of healing support.

You will learn how to love and appreciate your body with Sarah Maria’s Love Your Body Now! CD, improve your eating habits with guided meditations lead by Holistic M.D. Malynn Utzinger, and break free from your negative body thoughts and self-talk through discovering new strategies provided by Psychologist Clare Mann.

The Break Free Beauty Introductory Package includes:

Break Free Beauty Introductory Package

. . . And now all of these valuable tools can be accessed in an easy-to-download format (MP3 audio files, and PDF document files).

Click here for complete details and to learn more about each of these amazing resources.

 



 Awakening the Feminine:
Connecting to Your Source of Power 

Awakening The Feminine with Sarah MariaDo Are you ready to live your Unlimited Potential?

Are you ready to realize the Greatness that you already are?

Learn how to live a mythical life! Do you feel trapped in negative beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors? Learn about ancient archetypal figures from the eastern tradition. You can harness the power of the feminine to transform your life on every level. Discover which myths and stories resonate with you, and harness their power to live with love, beauty, and grace.

Within each one of us, there is a power, a profound power, that if we allow it to flow through us, it will transform our lives in ways we never imagined possible.

In this digital audio course, I will introduce you to the notion of archetypes. You will discover that you can learn to consciously embody archetypal energy in your life. You will learn about the mythical gods and goddesses of ancient India, and discover how to invoke and embody their powers to transform your problems and challenges into opportunities.

Click here to awaken your archetypal energy.

Coaching with Sarah Maria
Private Coaching with Sarah Maria
   

Sarah MariaAre you ready to take your life to the next level?  Are you ready to commit to transformation for real?

If you know more is possible in your life, if you are yearning to break free from limiting thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors, consider hiring a personal coach. I personally guarantee that I would  not be where I am today without the help of amazing teachers, mentors, and coaches. I believe in the importance of investing in yourself because this has been a key ingredient in my own transformation, and in the success of my colleagues. 

When you invest in yourself, you are making a phenomenal investment that will serve you consistently and produce a manifold return.

  • If you are looking to finally end your struggle with food and your body and create lasting peace with both, or improve any other area of your life, consider personal coaching.

  • If you are ready to take your personal and spiritual evolution to the next level; if you find yourself in the midst of change and wanting guidance, consider personal coaching.

To learn more about personal coaching with me, read client testimonials, and decide whether it might be a good fit, visit www.breakfreebeauty.com/coaching.


Consider what one of my teachers and co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul says about coaching:

“You would never expect an athlete to reach the Olympic Games without a world-class coach. Nor would you expect a professional football team to enter the stadium without a whole team of coaches…today coaching has moved into the business and personal realm to include coaches who have succeeded in your area of interest – who can help you traverse this same path or even one far greater. Of all the things that successful people do to accelerate their trip down the path to success, participating in some kind of coaching program is at the top of the list.”
--Jack Canfield, The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

I would be truly honored for an opportunity to accompany you along your path of total transformation!



Coaching FAQ


Private Coaching with Sarah MariaA few people have called me with questions about coaching, "How do you work?" and "Is this right for me?"  So I decided to put together this brief FAQ to help answer any questions that you might have. 

If after reading you still have questions, please feel free to email me at sarahmaria@sarahmaria.com or call 510-326-9610 to find out if coaching with me is right for you.  

  1. How does your coaching work?

    All sessions are conducted over the phone.  They are 60 minutes in length.  Each session begins with a brief 10-minute period of silent meditation.  If you do not yet have a meditation practice, I will give you a mantra and instruction for an ongoing meditation practice.  After the silent meditation, we will discuss whatever is on your mind and in your heart.

    The coaching process is much less about me and much more about you.  I serve as a guide to help you discover and uncover what is already within yourself.

    If you are struggling with particular issues, those will come to the surface so that you can see and respond to them more clearly and appropriately.  If you are looking to grow or change in particular ways, this will become apparent as well.  All that is required is that you be willing to engage in the process.  If you are willing to show up, look at whatever needs to be seen, feel whatever needs to be felt, and process whatever needs to be processed, then it will lead you exactly where you need to go. If you are interested in coaching, you just have to ask yourself one question: are you willing to accept what is being offered?  Are you willing to transform into that which you truly already are?

  2. How will coaching help me?

    Coaching will help you in whatever way is appropriate given your particular situation.  There is no set way – no one-size fits all – no cookie-cutter approach.  The reason it is called individual coaching is because it is exactly that – it is individual, customized entirely to your specific situation and unique needs.  As mentioned above, if you are ready and willing to change, then coaching will help lead you from wherever you are to wherever life wants you to be.

  3. How do I know if coaching is right for me?

    Follow your heart.  This might sound cliché, but it is absolutely true.  Follow your heart.  If you have been reading my e-zines for a while, you have heard me talk about the heart being the seat of wisdom.  The heart is the master; the mind is the servant.  Often when you try to figure out what to do in your mind, you feel nothing but confusion.  But even when you feel confused in every way, your heart will lead you exactly where you need to go.  So simply ask yourself: do you feel called to coach with me?  Do you feel pulled to connect in that way?  If the answer is yes, then consider taking advantage of the Spring special and experience five sessions with me.  If the answer is no, then simply go where your heart tells you.  There are many teachers, many resources, many paths.  The best way to find your path, your teachers, and your guides, is simply through following the wisdom of your heart that is always there, quietly waiting for you to follow it.
About Sarah Maria

Sarah Maria is the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life. The book outlines her 5-step process for helping you feel great in and about your body and yourself. Her work embraces the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, so that true and lasting healing can occur. Click here to purchase your copy and begin to love your body today. To learn more about Sarah Maria and her work, you can visit her website at www.SarahMaria.com and www.BreakFreeBeauty.com.

Sarah Maria is a body-image expert and teacher who can help you discover the beauty that you already are so that you can create a body and a life that you truly love.
 
She has studied with the leading experts in health, spirituality, personal development, and success, including Deepak Chopra, physician Dr. David Simon (co-founder of the Chopra Center for Well-being in Carlsbad, CA), Dr. Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, renowned Ayurvedic physician Vasant Lad, and many others. She is a lover of eastern philosophy and spiritual wisdom and passionately shares these teachings that have so transformed her own life.

Before founding Break Free Beauty, Sarah Maria received her law degree from Stanford University and her Master's in International Affairs from Columbia University in NYC. She has lived and traveled throughout Latin America, and has also visited many countries around the world. Her greatest passion is helping people discover the beauty and the greatness that resides inside so they can live from this place of grandeur, transforming themselves and the world.

© 2010 Break Free Beauty by Sarah Maria. All Rights Reserved.