Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

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President George Washington delivers his inaugural address in the Senate Chamber of Old Federal Hall in New York on April 30, 1789.

Presidential biographers will tell you there are flaws in all of their subjects. But at certain moments, when the chips were down such as the nations birth, the Civil War, World War II the right leader showed up to meet an enormous challenge.

While the scourge of terrorism still threatens America, the abiding enemy of a large share of Americans is change economic and cultural that threatens livelihoods and personal values. In the face of that, its not always clear that current national leaders have a program of substance. Instead, they win by channeling the anger and fear of the disaffected voters.

But that is not leadership. And that is what makes this a dispiriting time.

Disappointment with current elected leaders is disappointment with our times as much as it is about the people in question.

Many years ago, on George Washingtons or Abraham Lincolns birthday, it was traditional for elementary schools to hold programs honoring those hallowed presidents. These days we have Presidents Day.

In many ways, we are more in need of some discussion of Washington and Lincoln than we were in the 1950s. And its not the children who need to hear about the virtues of those great men. Its the adults. Especially the adults who make and administer our laws.

We need to discuss Washington and Lincoln not because they dwarf the presidents we have known in our lifetimes. We need to talk about them because they rose to their tasks at two of the most difficult moments the nation ever faced.

Looking backward, the rise of Washington and Lincoln seems inevitable. The preeminent Washington scholar, James Thomas Flexner, titled his one-volume biography The Indispensable Man.

Oregon U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield made a similar point about Lincoln, whose life the senator studied in some depth. Lincoln did not feel that he chose his place in history, but rather that history had chosen him, Hatfield said. Clearly no other individual could have brought so much good out of the seemingly infinite seas of madness and blood with which he was forced to deal.

Washington, unique in American history for winning his two terms with unanimous votes by the Electoral College, was widely ridiculed and disliked at the end of his presidency. He faced an armed uprising in 1791. Some blamed his policies for economic disruptions in the nations early years. Washington was a slave owner. He sided with Alexander Hamilton vs. Thomas Jefferson, a conflict that gave rise to continuing ripples of political partisanship that still trouble us today.

Despite his imperfections, with the wisdom of time and a degree of looking backward with rose-tinted glasses, Washington is now justly celebrated for having done most things right.

As the Miller Center at the University of Virginia notes, he tolerated dissent, vicious attacks on his reputation and name, and a divisive press all in the interest of freedom. There is little reason to suggest that Washington, unlike so many of his successors, ever sought to use his office for personal empowerment or gain.

The men including Washington who crafted our system of government understood and explicitly dealt with concerns that presidents could become too important. It is inevitable the top elected job in a great nation becomes the focus for blame and credit. But in the U.S. system of government, the president is a public employee, not the personification of the nation, as was the case in the European monarchy we left behind. The presidency is important but our nation is infinitely more so.

Presidents Day is good time to celebrate the good ones, who manage to govern in ways that promote peace and prosperity. But its also an opportunity to thank even the mediocre and lackluster ones, who often sacrifice health and reputation in efforts to serve the country.

Finally, Presidents Day is a good symbol for the fact that they are only small parts of who we as a nation we give 1/365th of 2017 to honoring them, and many of the remaining days to thinking little of them. This is as it should be.

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OUR VIEW: On Presidents Day, we celebrate the good ones - East Oregonian (subscription)

My 8-year-old daughter recently became frustrated as she struggled with an assignment that asked her to memorize the location and spelling of all 50 states.

Why do I even need to memorize this? she complained. I can just Google the location and spelling of any state whenever I need it.

I paused for a moment, not entirely sure how to answer the question. She was right. She could Google this information; but there is a greater value to knowing the whereabouts of Americas 50 states. Would she know, instinctively, when it was worth the effort to Google something like the location of a state?

I replied, Anna, what if someone told you that Montana was located next to North Dakota. Would you believe them and simply take what they were saying as truth? Are you going to Google (i.e., doubt) anything anyone ever says to you?

She stared back at me, understanding that relying on Google to determine all facts from fiction quickly goes awry. Google is useful for some things, but isnt practical for all matters.

The question of course goes deeper than something as simple and easily answerable as geography. It becomes much trickier when we are asked to discern real from fake in areas as fuzzy as public sentiment, portrayals of historical events, and conclusions reached by a confluence of research studies.

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How do I help my daughter to ask meaningful questions, seek multiple sources of truth, and acknowledge the real answer, ambiguous as it may be?

I suppose the conundrum is better phrased this way: How will my daughter know when a simple Google search is sufficient? When will she need to seek multiple sources and doubt even her own understanding?

At Yale University, my undergraduate alma mater, there was a popular slogan that read, Yale doesnt teach you what to think; Yale teaches you how to think.

That premise is critical in todays media environment, because rather than accepting what we are told, we need to teach our children to think critically about how to process the information that they hear.

Early Foundations of Knowledge

If we prioritize our childrens ability think critically, then we need to embed the proper building blocks in their earliest education. While they may seem pass and pedestrian, the basics of literacy and memorization are as paramount as ever.

At Istation, the education technology company where I work, we believe that the fundamentals of critical thinking begin with literacy. With the foundations of reading comes logic, memorization, conceptual thinking, and imagination.

UNESCO writes in its Education for All Global Monitoring Report, it is widely reckoned that, in modern societies, literacy skills are fundamental to informed decision-making, personal empowerment, active and passive participation in local and global social community (Stromquist, 2005, p. 12).

Alongside literacy come the basics of memorization. Memorizing the location of all 50 states may not count as true critical thinking, but it forms a building block of knowledge that allows far more challenging questions to be asked. Even the skill of memorization frees up other parts of the brain for more advanced processing.

The Guardian suggests that memorising facts and lists can build the foundations for higher thinking and problem solving. Effectively, we can draw on what we have memorized to create and grapple with more complex topics. For example, my daughter can use her knowledge of the geographical location of the states to begin to estimate if it would take longer to drive from Dallas, Texas, to Denver, Colorado, or to Portland, Maine.

Once one can read and retain knowledge, one begins to gain the skill of writing. Writing allows a person to express her own thoughts on a topic. We become more than just consumers of information; we become organizers of thoughts and ideas. If our writing resonates with others, we gain the important skill of influence.

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For my 8-year-old, most truths remain simple. Eight times eight is 64, and Austin is the state capital of Texas.

As adults, real meaning and authentic truth become much more challenging to discern. What I hope for my daughter and for our nations children is that they learn how to think critically about the information that is given to them; that they understand the limitations of Google; and that they can embrace a narrative that is not one-sided but multi-dimensional.

In our family, we fully embrace the basics of reading and memorization. We read not just from one author, or one publication, or one geography, but try to embrace both our historical narratives and current events through the lens of multiple sources.

For my daughter, I will continue to encourage what may seem like basic skills of reading and memorization. It is not that I want or expect her to consider that a complete education; quite to the contrary: it is through the building blocks of reading and memorization that we begin to be able to question greater truths, recognize inconsistencies, compare disparate ideas and pursue deeper meaning.

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Teaching Our Kids Real from Fake - Huffington Post

Hannah Pepprock never thought she would be interested in boxing, a sport that is about as synonymous with testosterone as it gets. However, she was convinced by her roommates to try out Pink Gloves Boxing, an all-female physical fitness program hosted by the University of Montana that focuses on Olympic-style boxing technique.

Inside a sweaty gym on Valentines Day at the Campus Recreation Center, Pepprock and 15 other young women go through a circuit training regimen that includes shadow boxing, punching a heavy bag, jump-rope, a footwork ladder, and pad work with two women instructors who are teaching them uppercuts and jabs, among other techniques.

I had friends that had done it and it sounded like a lot of fun, Pepprock recalls. They convinced me and it sounded like a great way to get myself in the gym a couple times a week and also burn off a lot of anger or just good energy."

I like that its a good workout but its also just a really positive feeling, she said. When were in there, were just smiling and I feel strong. I feel like I know how to throw a punch, which is really cool. I always felt like I didnt know how to fight. Its just kind of an empowering feeling.

The class isnt focused on self-defense, according to instructor Vickie Rectenwald.

Its not something thats promoted, but if you know how to throw a punch correctly, you can throw a punch correctly, she says, grinning. The focus of the program is really two-pronged. The first part is a good technical boxing workout and a really positive challenging atmosphere."

She said nobody competes against the other people in the program. "Everybodys focused on being better than they were yesterday and never comparing themselves. You just push yourself harder.

Pepprock said that is a big part of the appeal for her.

You dont really feel intimidated by anyone, she said, wrapping her wrist in preparation for the class. Were all kind of on a level playing field. Theres no competition against anyone, except for yourself, which I think is really cool.

The energy of the class is palpable. Theres loud music playing, and the women seem to be bouncing on their feet and grinning for the entire hour.

Its really fast-paced and it really gets your cardio going, Rectenwald said. Its structured like a martial arts program, so you do challenges and test out to the next level. Theres specific goals and specific skills for you to master to get to the next level.

The Pink Gloves Boxing program was founded seven years ago in Montana by Garret Garrels and Nick Milodragovich, who were football teammates at Carroll College in Helena. They noticed that a lot of women in his boxing classes felt like they were being compared to men and competing instead of focusing on themselves, according to Rectenwald.

He found that was a common element that many women were searching for in their personal fitness classes, she said. Its definitely very focused on empowerment.

Now, the program has gone global, with its popularity exploding in places as far away as Sweden. Garrels came to give a demonstration class in Missoula a few weeks ago, and Pepprock attended.

I had only been in the class a couple weeks, but he said we were doing well, Pepprock said. I feel like Im learning a lot really fast.

Rectenwald was a student studying marketing at UM last year when she enrolled in the program. She said it helped her balance her huge 21-credit course load. She was so enthralled, she decided to become an instructor this year.

Co-instructor Emily Hamant said the program will allow more women to get into a traditionally male-dominated sport.

Because (the class is) all girls, she said. If you box with guys, its totally different.

Rectenwald says the response from students is overwhelmingly positive.

We get a lot of, I love seeing how much my body has changed over the course of the semester, and I love the positive atmosphere and the friends Ive made, and I love just coming here and having fun, she said. Theres camaraderie.

In fact, positive reinforcement is part of the mission.

One specific tenet of the program is you pay attention to everyone around you and compliment them and notice what theyre doing well so we have that positive feedback, she said.

The 14-week program is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays and costs $125 per semester for first-timers, which includes gear. Its only $75 for returning boxers. The class is only for students and staff at the University of Montana.

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Pink Gloves Boxing: Women's class focuses on empowerment ... - The Missoulian

The biggest and most immediate challenge government faced as it entered the democratic transition was the unacceptable high levels of poverty and inequality inherited from the apartheid government that still define the new South Africa today. The challenge was even complicated and compounded by the crushing high level of government debt that was sitting at just over 50% of GDP in 1995 and the unemployment rate that had risen to over 30% of the labour force (using the expanded rate). These massive macro-economic and fiscal limitations were at the centre of the complex and constraining reality that was inherited by the pot-apartheid government. They served to handicap options for policy innovation for the new democratic government severely.

The policy response to poverty and unemployment was obvious and urgent. No political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of our people remain in poverty, without land, without tangible prospects for a better life. Attacking poverty and deprivation must therefore be the first priority of a democratic government. (The Reconstruction and Development Programme 1994).

This policy statement attests to the fact that the mass democratic movements went into the post-apartheid negotiations driven by a very high sense of consciousness for social justice. The current level and extent of the social wage package is very redistributive and forms the largest proportion of the national budget compared to other developing countries and is a direct policy response to this debilitating legacy of apartheid. The package is broad extending from social grants, free public health, no fee schools, water and electricity subsidies for the indigent at municipality level to free RDP hoses. However, for this to remain sustainable, the current size of the tax base must increase incrementally on the back of an increasing economic growth. Both of these conditions have not been met for almost a decade.

The policy conundrum arising out of this is that given the stubbornly high structural unemployment and wealth and income inequality, the economic trajectory we have chosen emphasizes high skills and technology rather than the labour intensity that is needed to absorb the high unemployment demographic that is under-educated and unskilled. It is instructive to observe that this capital and skills intensive growth translated into rising wages for the formal and increasingly regulated labour market and increasing profits for the owners of capital. The informal labour sector on the other hand has been decimated due to casualization and decreasing job opportunities. This is the situation and dynamic that is driving the increasing inequality and poverty.

The central issue and question is why is it that the current political leadership paid less attention to obvious strategies that could have made a significant impact on mass employment and growth. Why is it, for example, that criminal and gross incompetence was allowed to grow and erode the provision of quality education for all and the efficient implementation of the land restitution programme? These are the two key areas that could have driven personal empowerment and individual enterprise for many people. It is difficult not to conclude that the growth of corruption and selfish pursuit and abuse of political power have replaced the virtue of consciousness for social justice that motivated the mass democratic movement at the beginning of the democratic transition.

The crisis in education is especially worrying as an area of spectacular policy failure. A little less than 50% of the population is under the age of 25 and just over 20% are between the ages of 15 to 24. Despite the promise of a better life for all various forms of inequalities continue to hobble their opportunities for upward social movement. The barriers that were created during the apartheid era continue to exist well into the democratic era in education, employment, business opportunities, land and housing.

The strong correlation between wealth and education means that in general poorer learners, who generally receive poor quality education, perform worse academically and get trapped into intergenerational poverty. And, the painful fact is that the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) is heavily complicit in efforts to undermine the pursuit of accountability in teaching. SADTU is a key member of COSATU in the governing Tripartite Alliance. The conclusion that the level of consciousness for social justice is waning in the governing party is unavoidable.

Quality education can indeed become a revolutionary and transformative force for a society characterised by high levels of income and wealth inequality and that is also in a democratic transition. It is therefore not unreasonable to conclude that the disruptive efforts of SADTU neatly qualify them as a counter revolutionary force

This is a very worrying picture but there is emerging optimism in the fact that the improving level of competitive electoral politics is accelerating and that a new political order may be emerge in the 2019 national elections.

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Transformation of South Africa needs high sense of consciousness for social justice for success - Thought Leader

From left, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ivanka Trump, daughter of President Donald Trump, and TransAlta CEO Dawn Farrell listen during a meeting with women business leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. (Evan Vucci/AP/CP)

This post originally appeared on Chatelaine

As many predicted, the first in-person meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump was heavy with expectation and light on substance. They shook hands for the cameras (Trudeau deftly avoiding Trumps trademark grip-and-tug), sidestepped tricky questions at their press conference and called the day a success.

One of the most hyped set-pieces was a roundtable to launch the United States Canada Council for the Advancement of Women Business Leaders-Female Entrepreneurs. The group of CEOs and entrepreneurs intends to promote women-owned businesses and focus on ensuring women enter and stay in the workforce to address barriers facing female entrepreneurs. Its members include: GE Canada CEOElyse Allan, T&T Supermarkets Tina Lee and Canadian foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland. Leading the charge for the brain trust was Trumps daughter Ivanka, one of his closest confidantes in business and in politics.

The idea for the council reportedly came from Trudeaus chief of staff Katie Telford, perhaps as a diplomatic sop and a tactful distraction from awkward subjects (the Muslim ban, the pussy grabbing, the U.S. refugees seeking sanctuary in Canada). It was savvy on Telfords part to reach out to Ivanka, whose pet cause is working mothers. And next to Trump, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women, our avowedly feminist PM looked all the more suave and progressive by comparison a sleek, bilingual, woke James Bond to Trumps belligerent, malevolent Auric Goldfinger.

MORE:The most chilling image from the Trudeau-Trump visit

No disrespect to the female business leaders involved, but its unlikely anything will be achieved by their efforts other than a general you-go-girl-boosterism for those who fly First Class. The barriers to womens professional advancement are hardly a secret. White-collar women are held back by deeply held gender biases; by inadequate childcare and family support; and by terrible maternity leave policies. Blue-collar women are affected by all these things to an even greater degree, as well as by job insecurity and stagnant minimum wages.

But even if this council wants to enact changes, the biggest barrier they have is the man who hosted them: Donald Trump. The U.S. president has hurled personal, mean-spirited attacks on professional women like Hillary Clinton, Carly Fiorina and Megyn Kelly. He divorced his first wife because she was too busy working. (Putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing. If youre in business for yourself, I really think its a bad idea. I think that was the single greatest cause of what happened to my marriage with Ivana, he said back in a 1994 interview). And of his current marriage to Melania, hes said, Ill supply funds and shell take care of the kids.His cabinet and senior staff are overwhelmingly white and male.

In fact, the only female CEO who stands to gain at all from this council is Ivanka Trump, and not just because she couldnt stop swooning in her seat beside Trudeau. The councils launch conveniently teases the publication of her upcoming book Women Who Work: Rewriting the Rules for Success. Taking a cue from Taylor Swift, Ivanka seems to be assembling a cross-border squad of lady powerhouses to bolster her own reputation.

Like everyone else named Trump, Ivanka has used her fathers presidential campaign and election as a brand-boosting exercise. After she appeared on 60 Minutes in November following her fathers election, her team sent out a press release shilling the bracelet that she wore from her own jewelry line during the interview. Her lifestyle site Women Who Work offers bland platitudes about multitasking while promoting Ivanka Trump clothing, accessories and housewares. Theres plenty of me-first personal empowerment chatter but zero consideration of issues like sexual harassment in the workplace or the wage gap. The nannies and caregivers who ease the burdens of wealthy women like Ivanka are invisible and no mention is made of the fact that the contractor who designs and distributes her clothing line doesnt offer its employees a single day of paid maternity leave.

And all the while her father has denigrated women and threatened reproductive rights, shes acted as his chief apologist, using her Career Girl meets Everymom appeal to soften his misogynist edges. Shes often taken on the responsibilities usually given to a First Lady or candidates wife, including introducing him at the Republican convention, where she called her father a feminist. It was a statement as rich and ridiculous as her calling herself an entrepreneur, a title that suggests someone who has had to work hard and take bold, risky chances. Born into extraordinary privilege, hired into the family business and married to a man who inherited a fortune, Ivanka Trump has never had to take a real financial risk in her life. Which is why her exploitation of feminism is so grotesque as writer Jill Filipovic says, shes a kind of post-feminist huckster, selling us traditional femininity and support of male power wrapped up in a feminist bow.

Increasingly, though, women arent buying Ivanka Trumps fake feminism or her shoes and purses, for that matter. Over the past few weeks, several retailers, including high-end Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, as well as budget-friendly Sears and Kmart have dropped Ivanka Trumps clothing, jewelry and housewares lines. The stores have merely said the products havent been performing well, but credit is certainly due in large part to #GrabYourWallet, a mass boycott of Trump family businesses launched by two women protesting Donald Trumps sexism.

And some female entrepreneurs, with whom shes eager to align herself, arent having any of her, either. Anne M. Mahlum is the CEO of the hugely successful Washington, D.C. chain of Solidcoregyms. When she found out that Ivanka Trump had worked out at one of her locations, Mahlum called her out on Facebook and demanded a meeting. She wants her gym to be inclusive and safe and wondered if Ivankas presence might upset people, given her fathers anti-women and anti-Muslim policies. Her father is threatening the rights of many of my beloved clients and coaches, Mahlum wrote, and as a business owner, I take my responsibility to protect and fight for my people very seriously.

Ivanka might be hoping to skirt further criticism of her and her fathers shady practices by championing women in business. Shes not wrong in thinking that feminism is powerful. Shes just underestimated what can happen when that power is turned against her.

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The truth about Ivanka's Trumped-up, me-first feminism - Macleans.ca

Whether we like it or not, staying connected to the rest of the world through the Internet is vital to both our daily personal lives and to running our farms, ranches, orchards, and other businesses. Thats why it is so important that people who live in rural areas and small towns have access to the same kind of powerful high-speed internet that is now taken for granted in most urban and suburban communities. Unfortunately, connectivity in rural America continues to trail behind.

According tothe Pew Research Center, only 55 percent of rural Americans use broadband at home. Hopefully this is about to change, as the FCCs new Chairman Ajit Pai has some very big ideas about how to bring broadband access to rural America. Pai has expressed a longstanding commitment to rural internet connectivity, as clearly outlined through hisDigital Empowerment Agenda, which he unveiled in September 2016 while serving as an FCC commissioner. He believes that every American who wants high-speed Internet access should be able to get it. Needless to say, the National Grange is pleased to have someone at the helm who recognizes that broadband is still lacking in some parts of our country.

Even when wireline broadband is made available, theres no guarantee that people would use it. Pai has recognized this and noted that special attention is needed to empower consumers throughout our nation with 21st Century digital opportunities. One way to encourage adoption is throughsmartphones, which are becoming the primary gateway to the internet for many Americans.

Thankfully, Pais Digital Empowerment Agenda proposes a three-step plan to improve high-speed mobile broadband throughout rural America. The plan includes increasing the buildout obligations that apply to wireless providers; moving forward with the second phase of the FCCs Mobility Fund; and authorizing a rural dividend from the sale of wireless spectrum

Pai believes this plan will deliver high-speed wireless broadband to rural America and give rural Americans the access they need and want. For our members in rural and small town America, this will allow the increased utilization of smart technologies that have already begun to benefit our businesses and stand to improve our quality of life as well.

We are already seeing tremendous improvements in productivity and resource management (like water and pesticides) through precision agriculture techniques. As the next generation of broadband networks comes along, including 5G wireless networks, we are encouraged to see the FCC considering new and innovative ways to approach the persistent issue of rural broadband expansion.

With Chairman Pais leadership, we look forward to working with him and the rest of the FCC to find ways to bring broadband to more rural and small town Americans, to the benefit of many new innovations in areas of agriculture, healthcare and education. We couldnt agree more with Pais bottom line is that rural Americans deserve the same digital access as those living in more urban areas and we look forward to the day when all of our members have engagement in todays digital economy and society.

Betsy Huber is the president of the National Grange, an organization that strives to provide opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential to build stronger communities and states as well as a stronger nation.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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Ajit Pai's digital empowerment agenda is good news for rural America - The Hill (blog)

Shamanic Healer, Anahata Ananda of Shamangelic Healing was a recent guest on the widely followed Aubrey Marcus Podcast in Austin, TX. She and Aubrey hold a lively hour-plus discussion about core wounds, addictions, instability and the profound benefits of using Shamangelic Breathing technique for staying grounded in today's tumultuous society.

Sedona, Arizona (PRWEB) February 16, 2017

Anahata Ananda of Shamangelic Healing, Sedona Arizona's Premier Center for Shamanic Healing and Spiritual Awakening, talks about spiritual healing and society on the widely followed Aubrey Marcus Podcast in Austin, TX.

The world has always experienced turmoil and growing pains, but for many, the challenges facing them today can be daunting. In this episode, "Healing Trauma and Planting Roots of Strength," Anahata and Aubrey hold a lively hour-plus discussion about trauma, core wounds, addictions, instability and the profound benefits of Shamangelic Breathing, meditation and other spiritual practices for addressing emotional wounds and their effect on the physical, emotional and energetic body.

For people who are experiencing increasing stress and anxiety in a world that is speeding past their ability to keep pace, this podcast gives some fresh advice on how to grow stronger roots from within to withstand the fiery forces of transformation taking place in the world today. With over 75,000 downloads in the first week of its original podcast, Shamangelic Breathing is catching on to being an enormously effective tool for transformation in troubling times.

"It's more important than ever for the awakening human to understand that this powerful force for healing and alignment lies within themselves, independent of external forces," says Anahata. Her practice helps a person grow the deep roots they need to remain strong and centered during these tumultuous yet pivotal times, when all of society and the planet are accelerating toward a higher consciousness.

Anahata's recent guest spot on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast was part of her visit to Austin to facilitate a Shamanic Breathwork Ceremony at the city's Black Swan Community Yoga event in February 2017. Anahata first met Aubrey in the capacity of being his teacher at a Shamanic retreat where he was deeply transformed by the unique Shamangelic Breathwork exercises.

This insightful one-hour and 19 minute podcast shows an undeniable rapport between Anahata Ananda and Aubrey Marcus whose friendship and mentorship with each other creates an intriguing narrative about subject matter that is clearly a passion for both of them. The podcast will be of great interest to listeners interested Shamanic Wisdom training, personal growth and empowerment, or healing arts practitioners who want to expand their toolkit with energy healing modalities. It is available on iTunes as an audio recording by subscribing to Aubrey Marcus Podcast or may be viewed with the video component on YouTube.

Shamanic Healer and Spiritual Counselor, Anahata Ananda, has trained extensively with gifted shamans, energy healers and spiritual teachers from around the world in order to artfully integrate the fields of spirituality, energy healing, self-empowerment, and shamanic teachings. Her client-base spans the globe with individuals from all walks of life who are seeking to heal and awaken to their fullest potential.

The Shamangelic Healing Center is based in Sedona, Arizona. It is nestled beneath Thunder Mountain, with 360 degrees of breathtaking views, and within walking distance to a medicine wheel and healing vortexes, making it the perfect setting for healing and expansion. Inside, the retreat center's calm and relaxed environment helps to engage all of the senses, making it easy to settle into a session. Clients seeking Spiritual awakening, transformational healing services, counseling, sacred land journeys or training courses may choose from a wide range of options that can be tailored for the ultimate personal experience.

For those unable to attend or come to Sedona, Anahata has created online courses on the Kajabi platform. Shamangelic online courses are for the global audience, with convenient 24 hour access to videos and self-paced exercise handouts that help people explore the tools and practices to live a more empowered, balanced and conscious life in their everyday lives.

For detailed descriptions and a calendar of more upcoming retreats, workshops, courses, and all services offered by Anahata Ananda, visit http://shamangelichealing.com/

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/shamangelichealing/shamangelicbreathpodcast/prweb14070691.htm

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Shamanic Healer Anahata Ananda Shares Benefits of Breathwork for Healing Trauma and Planting Roots of Strength ... - Benzinga

This article is courtesy of BusinessCollective, featuring thought leadership content by ambitious young entrepreneurs, executives & small business owners.

Simple changes like encouraging healthy living and accommodating their schedules can do wonders for employee morale.

Does your company offer free snacks in the lunchroom, long out-of-office lunch breaks, and gift cards to local restaurants as productivity rewards?

If you answered yes, but cant figure out why your employees are still dragging through the day without energy, enthusiasm or focus, then you might be interested to learn that those practices do more harm than good. Instead, consider benefits that offer better long-term effects for both your business and your employees like healthy lifestyle habits.

Unlike many companies, there are no free snacks lying around our office, and you will never find me handing out gift cards for restaurants as rewards. Instead, I bring my own balanced meals to workand encourage everyone to do the same. Employees are invited to participate in team-focused lunches within their departments to discuss both work and personal agendas. Since the inclusion of these lunches, people are motivated by the examples of others, and fewer leave for lunch, which in turn wastes less company time and discourages people from making quick decisions about meals that often lead to fast food.

I urge each employee to participate in physical fitness during their time away from the office by providing them with flexible daily hours. While full-time employees are required to clock 45 hours per week, they may choose when they come in and when they leave. This allows them the freedom to work out before or after work. Having the flexibility also gives employees a feeling of personal empowerment, which increases their ability to work both independently and in group settings.

Desk jobs can be troublesome for muscle development because sitting for nine hours per day can create muscle soreness and fatigue. These issues can cause employee attention to waver and productivity levels to drop. For this reason, once per week, I bring in two licensed massage professionals to give15-minute massages that target loosening any tension in the upper back, shoulders, and neck, as these are the areas that are most negatively affected by a desk job.

Meetings are unavoidable, but I encourage movement at ours. While tables and chairs are made available to those who would prefer to sit, every employee is given the option to stand or pace during the meeting in order to keep active. Rather than being a distraction, the movementis actually energizing and often leads to more ideas being shared and discussed.

The more educated and inspired employees become, the better equipped they are to lead the customers toward reaching their own goals. Perks that help your employees maintain their health also make them feel cared about, which leads to better engagement and retention something that, no doubt, is crucial to any companys long-term success.

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4 Low-Cost Benefits That Majorly Boost Employee Healthiness - Tech.Co

Personal empowerment is about looking at who you are and becoming more aware of yourself as a unique individual.

Personal empowerment involves developing the confidence and strength to set realistic goals and fulfil your potential.Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and a range of skills that are used in everyday situations, but all too often people remain unaware of, or undervalue, their true abilities.

A person aiming for empowerment is able to take control of their life by making positive choices and setting goals. Developing self-awareness, an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses - knowing your own limitations is key to personal empowerment.

Taking steps to set and achieve goals - both short and longer-term and developing new skills, acts to increase confidence which, in itself, is essential to self-empowerment.

Personal Empowerment and Personal Development are two areas that overlap and interweave, it is recommended that you read this page in conjunction with our page: Personal Development.

At a basic level, the term 'empowerment' simply means 'becoming powerful'. Building personal empowerment involves reflecting on our personal values, skills and goals and being prepared to adjust our behaviour in order to achieve our goals. Personal empowerment also means being aware that other people have their own set of values and goals which may different to ours.

Many other, more detailed, definitions exist. These usually centre on the idea that personal empowerment gives an individual the ability to:

Developing personal empowerment usually involves making some fundamental changes in life, which is not always an easy process. The degree of change required will differ from person to person, depending on the individual starting point.

The following dimensions of personal empowerment are based on the belief that the greater the range of coping responses an individual develops, the greater their chance of coping effectively with diverse life situations. These dimensions are:

Self-awareness involves understanding our individual character and how we are likely to respond to situations. This enables us to build on our positive qualities and be aware of any negative traits which may reduce our effectiveness. Self-aware people make conscious decisions to enhance their lives whenever possible, learning from past experiences.

Values are opinions or beliefs that are important to us but of which we are not always aware. They can be any kind of belief or perceived obligation, anything we prefer and for any reason. The reasons we may prefer one thing over another, or choose one course of action over another, may not always be obvious or known; there may be no apparent reason for our values. Nevertheless our values are important to us as individuals. In order to be self-aware it is necessary to be aware of our values, to critically examine them and to accept that our values may be different from those of others.

An individual's skills are the main resource which enables them to achieve their desired goals. Skills can be gained through experience, practice, education and training. It is only by developing such skills that individual values can be translated into action.

Knowledge or information is necessary in the development of self-awareness and skills. It is an essential skill in itself to know where to find appropriate information. Without information, the choices open to people are limited, both in their personal and working lives. The internet has provided an easy way for everybody to access huge amounts of information very quickly and easily. The problem is then centred around the quality of the information found, and the skill set is concerned with finding accurate and reliable information.

Setting goals is a means by which an individual can take charge of his/her life. The process of setting a goal involves people thinking about their values and the direction that they would like their lives to follow. Choices are made through reflection followed by action. Goals should always be both specific and realistic. Setting personal goals gives us a sense of direction in life, this direction is essential to personal empowerment.

Language is the main medium of human communication whether used in spoken or written form.

The use of language, how individuals express themselves verbally and non-verbally to others, can be empowering to both themselves and the people with whom they are communicating. Looking at how language is used is important in terms of self-empowerment and when attempting to empower other people.

In terms of personal empowerment and communication the following ideas are helpful and their use can be both self-affirming and positive:

In order to use language to help empower others:

We all have opportunities to explore and develop new skills. In order to become more empowered we can, in our interactions with others, aim to:

Developing trust can be a difficult and lengthy process. In order to develop trust with others you may choose to:

In the workplace, and in any professional working relationship there are three basic components of trust:

Trust can be broken very quickly and may never be restored to its former level. Think about the points above and try to build and maintain trusting relationships in both your personal and professional life.

Avoid the following actions that may destroy trust and have a detrimental effect on personal empowerment:

See our page on Trustworthiness and Conscientiousness for more information.

Becoming empowered includes knowing your own strengths and weaknesses: identifying these will enable you to work on improving your weaknesses and build on your strengths.

It is not uncommon for other people to have misjudged your strengths and weaknesses, or for you to misjudge those of others.This can lead to opportunities being limited due to the misconception of abilities.It is important, therefore, to know your own strengths and weaknesses and to communicate them clearly to others, whilst encouraging others to communicate their strengths and weaknesses to you.

In some circumstances you may feel that you face problems that are truly beyond your capabilities.In such cases you should seek help.Empowered people know their own limits and have no problems with asking for help or guidance.Self-knowledge, often referred to as self-awareness, is a strength which enables you to set personal improvement goals in order to make a more substantial contribution.The more empowered you become, the more you will be able to help others to become empowered.

Confidence acts as one of the greatest motivators or most powerful limitations to anyone trying to change their behaviour and become more empowered.

Most people only undertake tasks that they feel capable of doing and it takes great effort to overcome a lack of confidence in one's capabilities. Self-empowerment involves people constantly challenging their own beliefs and what they are capable of undertaking.

See our pages on Building Confidence and Self Esteem for more information.

Personal empowerment is not a static thing that you can do once in your life.

You should view personal empowerment as ongoing personal development. As circumstances change and develop, and as we ourselves change and develop, so do our needs for development and empowerment.

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Personal Empowerment | SkillsYouNeed

Having spent over twenty years in the film industry working primarily as an editor and visual effects artist for feature films, commercials and music videos, James developed a passion for the human mind, how it works and how to best guideit for the greatest emotional response.

One of the reasons I wanted to make movies was to tell stories of people waking up to the manipulation present in every day life. To encourage them to take responsibility for their own lives and aspire to achieve greatness. All I ended up doing was contributing to the problem.

Uneasy with the knowledge that his unique skills were being utilised to get people to buy stuff, distort the truth they were told and play upon their fears, he made the choice to step away from the film industry and return to school to add structure and discipline to his passion in a way in which he could help empower people as he originally intended.

Applying himself to the Masters of Life Coaching degree at ICF accredited The Life Coaching College, he earned certifications across multiple disciplines; Master Practitioner of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming, Conscious Hypnosis, Advanced Matrix Therapies and Life Coaching as well as earning certificates in Running Workshops and Coaching High Performing Teams. While studying.

Today James focus on empowering people to transform their lives and elevate them to their highest potential. Working predominantly with Hypnosis and Matrix time-line therapies, he is constantly researching and developing new ways to make his approacheven more powerful by incorporating skills and disciplines from his workinfilmmaking.

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REBELLIOUS COACHING - Personal Empowerment Coaching