Winter Solstice 2012: Resources to cope, move forward and effect change

These are the darkest days of the year in the northern hemisphere and for those who follow the Mayan Calendar it is a predicted end of the world, or at least the end of the life on earth as we know it—which is a good thing if you are hoping for better times.

The unspeakable tragedy at Sandy Hook has left us reeling. "How can I help? How could this happen? How can I keep my children safe?" So much pain, so close to home spills over into our own pain and losses, whisks away our blanket of security, brings into question our basic beliefs. Or in some cases, strengthens them sending us on a crusade to change the world. The last is probably the most difficult cross to bear, for it keeps us in the dark. 

There are many resources for us to acknowledge this terrible loss, access our resilience and inspire us to live a more loving, open and purposeful life. This is what is needed to rise above the moment, begin the healing and nurture a new time of amity and concord.

Posted by Amy Fesenmaier on Facebook

Zero to Three, speaks to the parents of our youngest children. Little Listeners in an Uncertain World but is filled with wisdom and tools for the healing and wellbeing of the child in each of us so we can be the parents and mentors we need to be for our children. Thank you Jane Ellison and THRIVE for this valuable resource.

Prosperous Coach, Rhonda Hess acknowledges this loss in her recent post, A Life Coaches Perspective on the End of the Mayan Calendar She asks, "What else can we do? Resolve to seek light in the darkness." In this post, she shares the questions that are on her mind. This is a great resource both for coaches and for each of us to prepare for a "gentle birth" of a new year and perhaps a new age

Dissociation or Synergy, a chapter in The I Game, From Emergence to Maturity by Christiane Lavanoux, (soon to be published)  acknowledges what is happening in the world today—describes what we all must see and with calm resolve verbalizes the global vision and actions that will lift the world out of the rut it has sunk into..." as we enter into solstice, a season of holidays and a new year filled with creative energy to heal and nurture self, family, community and the world.

Warmest Regards,

Mary Margaret

Mary M. White-Levilain
CMWS Chair

CMWS Brings the Power of Kitchen Table Networking to the 21st Century

CMWS Out and About Tuesday brings the power of kitchen table networking into the 21st Century! The group calls these events, Netweavings, which is simply networking the women's way. It is how the St. Cloud Ladies Reading Society, created the vision, organization and philanthropic ventures for the first free library, the parks department, city street cleaning and garbage pickup. From the days of the original 13 colonies to the towns and cities of the 20th Century, women mostly volunteered, doing the groundbreaking work that the founding fathers, community leaders and family providers would manage in the broader community, business and government systems.