Are You Game?

Are we really all that different?

On the surface, it may look like we are all unique and have very different needs, challenges, desires and ambitions. However, once we have the courage to dive a little deeper into the heart of who - or what - we are, we soon discover that what we truly crave is universal : inner peace, joy, unconditional love, and freedom from our negative states.

Many of us intuitively know that these qualities are nowhere to be found in the world « out there », yet we continue to search for them by constantly rearranging the circumstances of our life. This is like trying to change the reflection we see of ourselves in a mirror, without being willing to modify or to question the source of the image itself - who we are.

What is at the root of our constant restlessness, our agitation and our psychological suffering? It is this profoundly distorted image we have of ourselves. Are we merely separate entities made of flesh and bones, or are we interconnected spiritual beings having a temporary human experience? As long as we hold on to the idea of a separate self dominated by the survival instincts of the ego, then lasting freedom, inner-peace, joy and unconditional love will remain out of reach.

To be honest...

Frankly, I am not interested in helping people simply rearrange the circumstances of their life so they can feel temporary relief, wordly success or superficial self-confidence. I am not interested in patching up the cracks in their wounded ego so that they can « function normally », like everyone else who is sleepwalking under the trance of their ego. Rather, I am interested in helping individuals wake up permanently to their full potential as a spiritual being. This is where real emotional, physical and spiritual healing begins. This is where true, unwaivering Self-confidence is born. This is the realm of miracles.

Wanting to transcend the ego takes courage, dedication and humility. It’s not an easy or popular route. At first, the ego thinks « yes, that’s what I want, that’s what I need to feel fulfilled», but this is a trap. It’s not about making our personal selves better, stronger or more powerful - although paradoxically, this often happens as a result of raising our level of consciousness. Disidentification from the ego is all about stripping away our programming and the limiting beliefs that hold us back as spiritual beings.

How is it done? By developing an awareness of what we really are; by surrendering negative emotions; by healing old wounds; by letting go of what holds us back; by opening our hearts and by humbly trusting the ever-present divine grace that guides us back to wholeness.

As difficult as it has been at times, this has been my journey for over two decades. I discovered that my entire life was essentially an illusion that kept me trapped in unecessary suffering. At first, I understood this with my mind, then, little by little, I experienced it through my heart. Because I have been through and continue to move through this process of spiritual surrendering on a daily basis, I am now able to hold that space for others to do the same thing. I do it by sharing a sacred space that includes creativity, some moments of silence, breathing, laughter, warm beverages and a whole lot of love.

Spirituality is not like working out at the gym. We cannot learn how to raise our level of consciousness by « doing » , or by simply trying to fix the problems our minds cling to. We have to allow ourselves to be. We have to find the courage to feel whatever comes up, as unpleasant as that might be sometimes. We have to learn how to be at peace with what is. It’s not enough to sit in meditation and chant mantras three times a week, because life happens outside of these bubbles of isolation. How do we react when things don’t go our way? Is the ego still completely running our internal programming outside of meditation class?

The good news is that every second of every day, as our life unfolds with its inevitable ups and downs, we can practice being more spiritually aware. We can allow ourselves to be what we truly are. We can wake up from the dream over and over again. Are you game?

If you are in the Edmonton area and would like to know more about the private sacred spaces I hold, you can reach me at consciouslivingsolutions (at) gmail dot com.


Warmly,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

A Story About True Love (and chocolate)

For Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun to share a little story I wrote for the Conscious Kids Mindfulness Program with you. It's a story about true love - a notion many of us mix up with attachment. Whether you have a partner or not on Valentine's Day, remember that Love is what you're made of, so there is no need to look for it outside of yourself. However, chocolate is one of those things that is harder to find within ;)

All jokes aside, I hope you enjoy this story!

A Lesson in True Love

Unfortunately, the town of Lonesome had the highest divorce rate on the planet (98%). The citizens of Lonesome had a meeting one day and agreed that something had to be done about this, for the sake of their children and grandchildren. One man had heard about a wonderful True Love teacher who worked in a nearby town called Mystic. Surprisingly, Mystic had the lowest divorce rate on the planet (7%).

The Lonesome man proposed “since the people in Mystic seem to have figured out how to make relationships last, maybe we should contact their True Love teacher and ask if he’d be willing to move here and help us. It sounds like there’s not much work left for him to do in Mystic anyway.”

The following week, this new teacher – Mr. Hawkins – was giving his first True Love lesson at Sacred Heart School in Lonesome. The walls and ceiling of his classroom were decorated with giant hearts, and there were many pictures of people posted everywhere. There were pictures of people hugging and looking happy together, pictures of people getting married, as well as pictures of people fighting and arguing.

He asked the class “can anyone tell me what love is?”

Maria raised her hand. “Love is an emotion we sometimes feel when we’re around someone we really, really like.”

“Who agrees with Maria?” Mr. Hawkins asked the class. “Raise your hand if you do.”

Every single person in the class raised their hands. “Wrong!” said Mr. Hawkins. “You are all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong!”

“Nice effort, Maria,” he continued. “What you said is exactly what most people in the world believe. It turns out that love is not an emotion at all. Repeat after me, class: love is not an emotion. Love is not an emotion. Love is not an emotion.”

At this point, the students thought Mr. Hawkins was a little strange. “Do you want to know what love is?” asked Mr. Hawkins. The students were unenthusiastic. He walked around the class with a box full of large rings and distributed them to every student.

To read the rest of this story from Conscious Kids, Lesson V, ****CLICK HERE****.

Thanks for reading, and lots of LOVE to you!

P.S. If you'd like more mindfulness stories for kids with practical activities, check out Conscious Kids. And if you receive too much chocolate, please send it my way.

Lise Villeneuve
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Things I Wish I Knew: The Paradox of Pain

Things I Wish I Knew:The Paradox of Pain

I wasn’t consciously aware of it, but I have been searching my entire life for something I only recently discovered. How different things could have been had I known this earlier on! So much unnecessary suffering could have been avoided. I wasn’t even aware that I was trying to escape my pain at any cost.

Just Fitting In

Like everyone else around me, I was just doing whatever I could to avoid feeling those queasy, raw, edgy feelings of discomfort whenever they showed up. Denial, projection, repression and suppression were my strategies of choice to run away and escape from those negative feelings. I kept myself as busy and distracted as I possibly could in order to ignore or numb the underlying pain. I was fortunate enough to have a fairly normal childhood with no major trauma, yet the pain had been building up over the years, simply as a condition of living in a world that encourages and rewards disowning and projecting our negative feelings onto others.

What Problem?

Since I didn’t even know there was a problem - this denied pain I was carrying around everywhere was preventing me from experiencing true joy and inner peace - how was I to know there was a solution that could dramatically improve my quality of life? Why wasn’t I taught this simple solution in elementary school, or in University, when I got my psychology degree? Maybe it was best that I discover these things on my own, when I was ready to truly hear them. After all, I believe everything in this universe unfolds in perfect divine order. My journey into the heart of consciousness has allowed me to grow, to unlearn and to peel off many of the layers of protection I had built around myself. Now, I am happy to be able to share what I have discovered with others. And what is that?

The Exact Opposite Of What We Do

The pathway to true freedom and inner peace is so simple, yet it is counterintuitive and rather uncomfortable. We are all wired to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. Evolutionarily, this has ensured our survival. However, we are now at a stage in our evolution that allows us to soar beyond mere survival. Now more than ever before, we have the potential to thrive. We can reach levels of bliss that allow us to transcend the drama and suffering of this world. But for that, we have to stop running from our pain. There is no other way around it. We have to willingly welcome our pain and then let it go. We can learn to see pain for what it is – trapped emotions from our past – not who we are.

Breaking Free

As unpleasant and challenging as it may appear, we can all find the courage to face those uncomfortable feelings that make us squirm, hide, run, blame, judge, and sabotage ourselves. Once we become aware of the many avoidance behaviors or crutches we desperately cling to in order to push the pain away (keeping busy, alcohol, food, sex, television, isolation, projection onto others...etc), we can start to crack the walls of the prison that has been keeping our pain inside all these years. We can stop reacting to life from a place of fear and instead start to see our triggers as opportunities, or invitations to actively release the hurt we have been carrying inside for too long.

Run, Forrest, Run!

So when that queasy, edgy feeling returns, we can stay present with it instead of trying to make it go away. We can observe what’s happening inside our body and let the emotions come out instead of running from them, or demanding that people or circumstances stop poking us where it hurts. Once the negative feelings have been released and we feel ok again inside, all our energy becomes available for problem solving, for simply enjoying the moment or for actively creating the reality we choose.

Healing From The Inside Out

It takes a while to get used to it, but this process of facing and surrendering our pain can be embraced daily. At first it might feel strange and terrifying, but as you keep releasing the negative feelings and then consciously refocus attention on positive things that allow you to feel good, you will heal your life from the inside out. When we are brave enough to face our pain, we eventually become fearless. When we are fearless, all the boundaries and limits we set around ourselves crumble. Paradoxically, fully feeling and releasing our pain is the quickest way to end our individual and collective suffering.

So there you have it. Now I know... and so do you! Thanks for having taken the time to read!

With Love,

Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com

The Priceless Gift Our Pets Give Us

The kittens are now six weeks old and extremely playful. They are fully litter trained, eating dry kitten food and still drinking milk with mama -although Mitsy has slowly started to wean them off. They explore all over the house now, including up and down the stairs with no problem. Above is a picture of the only little female in the bunch. She makes this adorable little chirping sound.

Mitsy continues to be a wonderful mom. She's extremely sweet and dedicated to her little ones. She has always been a very vocal cat, and even more so now. All day long, we hear her chatting with her kittens.

Look how much they have grown in six weeks! They each have their unique personalities, and we love them all!

We set up a little Christmas village under the tree this year, with a railroad, a train that really moves, and the three little cardboard houses we made for the kittens. They enjoy derailing the train, playing tag and jumping in through the windows of the houses. I'm surprised they haven't attempted to climb the tree (yet!)

In the picture above is kitten Archie with his auntie Precious -our Bengal cat who has impressed us with her acceptance of the new little family. In fact, the kittens have made (sometimes grumpy and temperamental) Precious more playful. She enjoys watching them and often joins in the fun.

I think it's safe to say that co-raising these kittens has been one of the best experiences in our lives. The little fur balls remind us of what's most important each and every day: love, joy, aliveness and presence. They mirror our true essence back to us. That's priceless.

With Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

There Are No Words To Define This Love

The kittens are now 3 weeks old and starting to be playful. They are all able to walk around but still often lose their balance -which is so adorable! The bond between Théo and Chewie is really quite special (in the picture above). Chewie pretty much trusts Théo entirely. Boy and kitten frequently gaze into each other's eyes in a state of pure love.

In the picture above, you can see Zelda and Rogue cuddling. They all have such beautiful blue eyes. The colour will change at about 7 weeks of age.

There really isn't much more to say about these beauties. They are simply perfect and wondrous. We feel extremely grateful and lucky to be able to experience this miracle of creation. Enjoy the pictures and the short video I have attached below.

See you next week for their 1-month old birthday celebration!

With Love,

Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Willing to Risk a Broken Heart

Today the kittens are 8 days old! These fluffy little balls of joy have been our main source of entertainment this week. Kittens are born deaf and blind, and by day 8, they start to slowly open their eyes. A few days later, hearing starts to develop. You can see in the picture below that one of them has indeed started to open her eyes. Yes, if I'm not mistaken, that's our only little female in the litter of 5. She beat her 4 brothers in the eyesight race, as her eyes started to open around day 6. They have all grown and their fur is softer and fluffier than ever.

This morning, as I was taking these pictures, I heard this little clicking sound. It was coming from a little orange male who was drinking milk. I realized that sound was actually purring! How adorable! I hadn't heard it from a baby until now.

You might be wondering how our other cat, Precious -a very territorial Bengal has been coping with sharing the house with not just one, but 6 other cats? In the picture above, Mitsy is looking directly at Precious. The first day, Precious was furious. She's always been a bit of a princess. We didn't let her see the kittens, so she didn't really know what was going on, except that to her, the house probably smelled like cat hell.

The second day, we slowly introduced her to the babies, and that actually seemed to calm her down. She was still angry at Mitsy, but didn't seem too threatened by the kittens. By day three, we let Precious get up close and personal with a kitten. She sniffed it and looked very relaxed. Now she's back to her usual self. We now know that Precious has no intentions of harming the babies, and Mitsy is very protective of them anyway should she try anything naughty.

Mitsy still needs to work on her carrying skills with her babies. Every now and then, she tries to pick one up -with difficulty. She tries to grab them by the tail, the behind, the head! Once, she got it right. She managed to transport one (by the neck) all the way to the basement.

As for our human babies, Emma and Théo, they know that no matter how cute the kittens are, we will only be keeping them until February 2018. Of course, it will be impossible not to get attached to them, but we all understand the "risks". That's life. We can't prevent ourselves from loving deeply even if that means we might have to face the pain of a broken heart somewhere down the road.

We have given them temporary names. The black and white ones (males) are Rogue (the alpha of the bunch) and Buddha (because he really is a zen little fella). The little orange female is Zelda, and the two orange males are Archie (daughter picked that one!) and Chewbacca (chewie for short).

It looks like we have found potential families for almost all these guys, but until things are 100% confirmed by the foster families, I am still considering other foster parents at this point. If you would like to provide a forever-home for a kitten in February 2018 and are close to Edmonton, please speak up now or forever hold your peace! :)

With Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

My Spiritual Diary: Week 8

As I sat down to write this entry, my computer could not connect to the internet because somehow, its clock was back to November 27, 2009. To reset it, I had to manually move forward in time, month by month, up to today. As I watched all those months fly by, I imagined, in an accelerated version, how quickly my kids were growing, changing, learning and becoming more independent right before my eyes! To be honest, I felt a little nostalgic. Coincidentally, a couple days ago my dad sent me this picture of Emma and I taken about 10 years ago. My heart just about melted when I saw how small she was.

Today, of all days, we are celebrating Emma's 13th birthday. She's currently at the mall with a group of friends and the gang should drop in any minute for a sleepover. How did she grow up so fast? As I look back on all this time that has slipped by, I ask myself "what do I remember that matters the most?" "what do the kids remember that will have the greatest impact on their lives?"

The truth is, I only remember a small fraction of the events that happened during this time. We did a lot of fun things, learned plenty, travelled, reached important milestones, overcame some challenges, made new friends and the list goes on. But, surprisingly, none of those things really stand out in my memory. What does stand out is a timeless feeling of deep love and connection. It's very much alive in the here and now, as much as it was present in that old picture. Time cannot steal this powerful force that radiates from my heart, connecting me to the ones I love, nor could it ever erase it from my memory, because it is visceral, formless and eternal.

It may sound cheesy, but it's true. Love is the most powerful force in the Universe, and it's really all that matters in the end. The rest is just a distraction, and we probably won't remember it anyway. Every second of every day, we can choose to be present, fully alive and loving with ourselves and others. In this state, we are fully aligned with our greatest potential and we can co-create miracles.

Lots of Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

My Spiritual Diary: Week 7

It's not very often that all the grandchildren on my side of the family are reunited, since my sister lives in Québec, my younger brother lives in BC and my older brother, well, we're still waiting for him to produce kids. :)

Anyway, it's been a fun and busy past couple of weeks. You could say it was like a giant cousin party.

I find it very inspiring and refreshing to be around children. Words are inadequate, really, but here are just a few that come to mind: 

Beauty

Joy

Spontaneity

Love 

Presence

Aliveness

Authenticity 

Simplicity

Wonder

These munchkins remind me of what's essential in life. They are still very much connected to their spiritual essence. If only we could help our children remain in that state of wholeness instead of teaching them to adapt to a way of life that is often disconnected and superficial. Perhaps our kids need to teach us how to be fully alive again! They have inspired these simple words...

Just For Today...

Just for today,
I will take slow, long, deep breaths,
and I will notice how I feel in this body.
I will discover the wonders around me through my 5 senses,
and I will gently notice when the mind wants to take over.

Just for today,
I will allow myself to gravitate towards joy
by letting my heart and intuition lead the way.
I will remember that I am deeply connected to nature,
as well as to everyone and everything around me.

Just for today,
I will wake up from the dream of this incarnation,
only to remember that I am.
My heart knows what really matters:
To Love as much as I am able to on this day.

Today is a sacred, miraculous day.
I am grateful to be alive.






Thanks for reading!

All the best,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

My Spiritual Diary: Week 4

Day 1:

As I turn another year older, I  can say that the way I feel inside is increasingly similar to how I felt as a child. It feels wonderful! This journey of honouring and freeing the true Self is not an easy one. Pretenses and masks all get ripped off one by one -exposing a vulnerable, wounded inner-child that needs much healing.- I am more attuned to that child now, and life feels more joyful, colourful, even magical at times. This process has actually awakened childhood memories -pleasant ones- bringing back a familiar sense of wonder, flow, simplicity and inner-peace into the present. It's certainly reassuring to know that life can improve with age!

Day 2:

I feel so peaceful these days, and I naturally want to extend these good vibes to my neighbourhood. So... I decided to paint a sign that says "Deep Breath" and I put it out where passersby can see it. Everyone benefits from taking a deep breath, right? I enjoyed painting it, so I created another sign with 3 mandalas, as well as the words gratitude, joy, love and harmony. These words hold a very high vibration, therefore they will benefit whoever reads them (like you!). The law of attraction will determine who notices and appreciates the signs -or not! Only the people who's frequency matches the frequency of the signs will be able to experience them as a "pleasant occurrence." Those who are not a match may never even see the signs, or they might feel repelled by them because of the energetic dissonance they feel. Should be interesting to see what happens!

Day 3:

I am so content to just be here at home this summer! Each day is lazy and delicious. I am enjoying the here and now like never before!

Day 4:

Lately I have been applying the principles from this book written by Thich Nhat Hanh. I think I'm a model student :)

Day 5:

I am learning that when the mind is still -when there is no neurotic commentary going on that usually has something do to with the past, the future, shoulds, musts, regrets, or just random mental noise- life becomes peaceful and effortless, nomatter what external circumstances I might find myself in. I think that when we say we need a vacation, what we are really looking for is the switch to turn off the mental noise, so that we can fully, truly RELAX into just Being. The distractions we occupy ourselves with are certainly entertaining and they have their place, but they don't quench that thirst for true, lasting inner-peace. Do you agree? What do you hope to get from a vacation?

And on that note, I am now turning the switch to "off". I wish you a wonderfully lazy week! Thanks for reading!

Kind regards,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Words of Wisdom From A Seedling

For the past few months, I, like many, have been feeling the weight of the world. I have been struggling to keep my focus on positive, constructive things. I have been experiencing the fear, the insecurity and the anxiety that seem to be the dominant collective vibration lately. 

But today, I feel hopeful again. I have been inspired by a tiny morning glory seedling that I planted just five days ago. This morning, I welcomed it into our world. It emanates a peaceful and serene energy. It doesn't seem to care about Trump, or the environment, or the debt in the U.S. It just is. 

Envious of its stillness, I picked up little Morning Glory and asked it what its secret was. It whispered something in my ear. It was a quote from Nisargadatta Maharaj: "A quiet mind is all you need. All else will happen rightly, once your mind is quiet. As the sun on rising makes the world active, so does self-awareness affect changes in the mind. In the light of calm and steady self-awareness, inner energies wake up and work miracles without any effort on your part."

Huh! Impressed by this little plant's knowledge and wisdom, I replied : But Morning Glory, there is no denying that we are now living in a challenging time of extremes. We are experiencing a profound shift that is urging us to let go of the old paradigms that no longer serve us. We're experiencing it both on a collective and on a personal level. Our old structures and systems are collapsing, and the shadow parts of ourselves that we have been unwilling to acknowledge and integrate are now coming to the surface. This is a terrifying process! How can we keep our minds quiet through this chaos?

Morning Glory must have been channeling Nisargadatta Maharaj, because she replied with another quote from him: "There are always moments when one feels empty and estranged. Such moments are most desirable, for it means the soul has cast its moorings and is sailing for distant places. This is detachment - when the old is over and the new has not yet come. If you are afraid, the state may be distressing, but there is really nothing to be afraid of. Remember the instruction: Whatever you come across - go beyond."

Wow. And THAT, my friends, is why I love gardening! Never underestimate the wisdom of plants!

All the best,

Lise Villeneuve

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Are We Being Honest With Ourselves?

Why is this happening to me again?

Did you ever notice that we re-experience painful scenarios over and over again until we finally learn what we need to change in our life? The people, situations and places may change, but we all have recurring issues that keep recreating themselves until we learn our lessons. Life is designed this way to facilitate our evolution.

No, that's not me...

For some, the issues revolve around dysfunctional relationships. For others, it's more about self-worth, or control. Whatever the theme is, we will continue to experience uncomfortable, negative emotions until we get right down to the root of the problem. Denial and suppression of these negative feelings will only work for a short time, since repressed energies get stored in our emotional body and can create illness. We can run, but we can't hide!

I feel great!

It's time to be honest with ourselves. What is causing us the greatest sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, frustration or apathy in our life right now? Do we want to keep running away from these negative feelings, or do we want to finally free ourselves from them? Yes, it may be terrifying to face our shadow -our dark side- but it's the only way to remove the phenomenal power it has over us.

Emotional energy drain

Whether we realise it or not, it takes incredible amounts of energy to keep these shameful aspects hidden from our awareness. Instead of wasting our energy trying to deny our wounds, we could release this energy and use it to manifest a fulfilling, empowered life. To be free from the weight of our repressed negative emotions, we first have to accept them, reintegrate them and then release them.

Wound? What wound?

The good news is that life gives us so many opportunities to do this. Each time we feel annoyed, frustrated, angry, fearful, sad or just plain numb, it's because something on the outside has touched our wound on the inside. If we didn't have a wound in the first place, then we wouldn't feel so vulnerable. We wouldn't use projection to blame others for how we are feeling inside. At the core of this wound is a deep fear that we are powerless, that we are too insignificant to make a real difference in this world. Is this true?

Our thoughts create our reality...

What do you  think would happen to the world if everybody started to accept, reintegrate and release their own negative emotions in appropriate ways? If we were comfortable with our own "dark side", we would stop blaming others for theirs. We could help each other to nurture our more positive qualities by tipping the scale from global fear and competition to universal love, compassion, forgiveness and cooperation. Do you think our leaders could get away with some of the things we are seeing today if the majority of humans resonated at the higher frequency of Love? No!

Who am I?

When we respond to events with fear and negativity, unfortunately, we are reinforcing and supporting the old paradigm of separation. It helps to ask this question: who am I? Am I merely a separate, isolated, physical being, or a deeply connected, eternal, spiritual being? When we experience fear, it's usually from the perspective of the ego-self.

The greatest awakener = suffering

The time has come for us to face our individual and collective shadows. We can all see that things aren't right on the planet. We are all well-aware of the collective suffering that seems to be increasing. That's because suffering is the greatest awakener. If we don't learn our lessons and evolve, life teaches us the hard way. Is this the route we are collectively choosing? Unfortunately, it seems like it.

What can I do?

When we each have the courage to face our individual shadow, this reduces our collective shadow, and it reconnects us to the most powerful forces on earth: Love, compassion, forgiveness and cooperation. These are necessary to ensure our survival.We cannot truly be light workers unless we reintegrate, love and forgive our own darkness.

Thanks for reading,

Much Love,

Lise Villeneuve
www.lisevilleneuve.com

I'm Just A Nobody

This was me a few years ago (in the attached video). At least that’s who I thought I was. I wrote songs, performed, and toured in a lot of cool places. I won some music competitions and I received a grant to produce my own album. I was even lucky enough to record a duet with the wonderful Daniel Lavoie on my CD. I was young, ambitious and determined to “make it” as an artist in the music industry.

I guess there’s nothing wrong with that, except that in my case, I eventually realized that my relentless desire to “make it” and become a “somebody” implied that deep down inside, I felt like it wasn’t ok to just be “a nobody”. I was searching for something that would ultimately make me feel better. I wanted to feel loved, accepted and validated by others. I wanted to step out of the shadows and yell “hey! I exist!” I needed to prove that I was worthy. I truly believed that my success as an artist would make me feel happy and content. Boy, was I wrong!

I climbed up the ladder of success, but the higher I got, the worse I felt. Something was off. I couldn’t just enjoy singing and writing anymore because I became obsessed with the game.  My success or failure rested entirely in the hands of a few key players in the music industry: the radio stations, the record companies, the music producers, the press agents and the media. In order to move forward in a way that was significant, I needed their approval. In a split second, these people could decide if I was star material, or completely worthless. This made me feel insecure and powerless. I knew clearly by then this was not the road to fulfilment!

I started to look deeper for answers to my insecurities, and what I discovered was that I had spent many years strengthening and repairing my damaged ego. I was very attached to this idea of “me” being a girl with brown hair, an artist with certain opinions, feelings and experiences. I had never seriously considered that maybe we, humans, were much more than our physical form. It dawned on me that my deep longing for love and peace could never be satisfied on a material level. I realized that even if I played this game of society and succeeded on a very large scale, my ego would still find a way to make me feel insecure and dissatisfied. I would still feel like I needed to do more, be more and receive more love and acceptance.

What about you? Can you relate? Are you completely content with who you are right now, or is there something in the future that you need to do, or work on, or achieve first, before you can feel completely fulfilled and at peace?

Well, that feeling sucks, doesn't it! It’s sort of like your self-worth and power are largely in the hands of others, and you can never really be content in the moment. Even when you play the game and are successful in the eyes of society, you still feel like something’s missing, something’s not quite right yet.

I felt like that for many years, until I finally understood who I really was. And who is that? Well, it turns out I’m simply the light escaping through the cracks of my ego shell. I hate to break it to you but, that’s who you are, too.

I discovered what consciousness, or awareness, was all about, and it completely changed my life for the better. Things started to really make sense. I started to feel truly empowered on a whole other level. Consciousness was my ticket to real freedom. The search for that something or someone that could fill the void was over! What a relief to finally have some clarity.

It all comes down to two choices. Either we stay attached to who we think we are on the surface and we play the game of ups and downs, successes and failures, happiness and unhappiness, me versus you; or we recognize that we are the light shining through the cracks of our individual ego shells. When we truly see ourselves as the light, we’re ok with the idea of being “a nobody” in society’s eyes, because we already know the true value of who, or what, we are. We can play the game without getting attached to the outcome. Everything becomes lighter.

So yes, I’m working on being the best nobody that I can be. I have learned so much over the years and I now enjoy teaching others about consciousness and mindfulness. It’s a humbling but incredibly beautiful and liberating journey. I believe awakening to our essential self is our true purpose here.

Namasté,

Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com

The Secret Ingredients Behind The Happiest Time Of Your Life...

In my previous post, I asked the following question: "Can you think of a time when you felt the happiest you've ever been? What was it about that time that made you feel so good? Be specific."

I received these two beautiful answers:

• Mountain hiking with my grandfather, gathering mushrooms, flowers, medicinal herbs. In the mountains and away from things and people, one is peaceful, silent and fully taken by the beauty of this world. (from anonymous)

• For me, it was back in a time when life was simpler, life was complete, friends, career, money, love all good. ( at least in my head) A worry free existence for that special time when the months flew past and life had a special spark to it - mid 90s. Times spent in the US and Europe. Looking back there was much more colour and clarity, whatever happened? life, and the uncontrollable nature of the world we live in.- The ego within not developing or being questioned, lack of self awareness and a desire to satisfy the people that mattered most at the expense of self. (from Indominable Spirit, or "S")

The reason why I asked this question is because it gives us a destination to reach, a goal. Very often, we feel stuck, frustrated, confused, and we don't know where we want to go. If we have no destination, we simply remain in the same place. I think that if you're reading this blog, you are looking for ways to gravitate towards more peace, happiness, balance, joy, meaning and love in your life, correct? Who doesn't want these things! 

Thinking back of a time when you felt your happiest is a very powerful exercise because it shows you that it's entirely possible to feel great, you've been there before, and you can get back there. I think you are probably very aware that "there" is not so much a physical place or a certain set of circumstances, but a state of mind. So let's continue the exercise, if you're willing...

1) Close your eyes and go back to that time again. Immerse yourself back into that experience as much as possible. Allow yourself to see, smell, taste, hear, touch and feel everything that is going on. Notice how your body is responding (because it remembers!) Notice what your mind is doing. Breathe in deeply and continue doing this for a few minutes.

2) Once you have really allowed yourself to reconnect with this experience -this state of mind- ask yourself honestly what it would take to recreate that feeling right now. Not tomorrow, right now! If you are game, write in the comments below what your list of secret ingredients consists of. What do you need to get yourself back to that place of bliss right now? Try to do this exercise in the present, not the future, because feeling good happens now, not tomorrow!

I encourage any readers to jump in and participate in this blog exchange that will be going on for a little while. You may learn something about yourself in the process.You can simply comment as anonymous if you like (click on "comments" below). The more, the merrier!

I look forward to hearing from you,

Lise

Health Coach / Reiki Master

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Are You On The Express Way To Lasting Happiness?

I had a vivid flashback from my past life yesterday!

I'm not talking about a past life in a different body from this one, I'm simply referring to my past as a singer-songwriter and touring artist...and let me tell you, it does feel like it was in another lifetime! As exhilarating as it was, I would NOT go back to that lifestyle as I feel much more balanced and content now. Have a look at the video above, you'll see what that looked like. Why am I even writing about this topic, you may ask?

Well, yesterday, we helped my parents move some junk out of their basement. There was a large box of my old stuff, and in it, I found a thick file of emails my dad had printed and kept. They were all emails I had sent him during my "I'm-trying-to-make-it-in-the-music-business" years. Wow. I can't believe how much clarity I gained from reading those old messages! It almost felt like putting a puzzle together. I told Rob, as I was reading one letter after the other, that it felt as though I was reading someone else's life, not mine!

I almost felt nauseous, as my body was flashed back to some of the predominant emotions I felt back then: insecurity, anxiety, confusion, powerlessness. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad. My life was like a giant, exciting adventure that brought me all over the globe, but when you're on a roller-coaster ride, you have to expect extreme highs and extreme lows. I was fully embracing the polarities of life, completely unaware that my ego was in the driver's seat!

What I found the most difficult - but probably didn't have the hindsight to realize back then, was that my success depended on everyone else's approval : the record producers, the tour organizers, the radio stations, the judges at the music competitions, the people who approved the grants, even the public who listened to my music! Talent, discipline and determination were just not enough for me to keep moving forward. I had to scramble from job to job, never knowing what was coming up in the next few months.

I considered myself to have been one of the lucky ones, too, since I won some competitions, had a unique opportunity to do a solo tour in 8 countries, worked on cruise ships and received funding to produce my CD and music video. Despite the exhilarating ride, what started out as a love and passion for music turned into pressure and high expectations of perfection from myself and everyone. What I really wanted was to feel loved, appreciated, special and validated -just like everyone, right? However, it took me awhile to realize that I would never find those things through a career, no matter how successful I'd get.

When I came back home to Montreal after my whirlwind world tour, things fell apart. At least, that's what it looked like on the surface, but now I realize it was the beginning of true sanity. Nothing made sense to me any more, I was pregnant and I went through this deep, dark depression. It was sort of like a "dark night of the soul". I thought I'd never snap out of it, but I did after a few months, and it was the beginning of my gradual awakening. For the first time ever, I discovered what the ego was, and I understood how it had been a major driving force in my life. Although part of me had been seeking truth through writing and songs, the lifestyle I had been living didn't make sense to me any more. Seeking happiness externally was futile.

I am so thankful to now have this clarity! I am much more aware of the many superficial, yet alluring ego traps society offers us. I know there is nothing wrong with pursuing projects, goals and ambitions, as long as we don't expect to find fulfilment through these secondary roads. I now know that the Express Way to lasting happiness, peace, joy, harmony and love is Consciousness. It will drive you right back to your heart and spirit.

Warmly,

Lise
Health Coach and Reiki Master
www.lisevilleneuve.com

The Best Christmas Present...

It snowed for two days straight here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The fluffy snowflakes were dancing around the sky joyously. I had the pleasure of watching this beautiful display with my two little elves from the warmth of our living room. We listened to classical music while cuddling under a soft brown blanket. Time stopped as we lost ourselves in these precious moments together. But let's back up...

My daughter (9 years) called me from school on Wednesday shortly after lunch. She was crying over the phone "maman, je suis malade, peux-tu venir me chercher?". Translation: "mom, I'm sick, can you pick me up?" My heart immediately went out to her and I drove to her school with my son (4 years) as fast as I could. The roads were treacherous, we saw a car that had just smashed into a tree on the way there. Emma came out of school looking pale and feverish. When we finally got home after swerving here and there, Emma put herself to bed and slept for 6 straight hours until I woke her up at 9 pm to see if she wanted to have some supper. I told her I had no doubt she was really sick because it's only in these extreme circumstances that she ever wants to sleep this much! She giggled and agreed to eat something.

On Thursday, she felt a little better but still needed to rest. We cancelled my son's activities for the day (Indoor Playground in the morning, Preschool in the afternoon). Then, we let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Staring into the distance, my heart started to fill with love and gratitude. Gratitude for not having to step out into the frigid air. Gratitude for not having to drive hurriedly to be on time somewhere. Gratitude for Emma's health that was improving. Gratitude for the fun we had making Christmas ornaments together. Gratitude for the warm, delicious smell coming from the oven (apple crisp). Deep gratitude for these beautiful, inspiring, enlightened little beings more commonly referred to as "our children" that remind us how to truly live in the present. I'm so very thankful that I get to spend all this time with them, and I just can't wait to start homeschooling in January 2014! What could be more important than spending quality time with our little ones and showing them how much we love them? Nobody knows how much time we will have to offer this priceless gift to our loved ones. They deserve to know how incredibly special they ARE, regardless of what they DO / accomplish (or don't do). 

That goes for us adults too, by the way. Can we learn to love ourselves just as we are, without judging what we consider to be success or failure? Can we offer ourselves true compassion, just like the one we so easily show our children? In this whirlwind of activities before Christmas, perhaps the biggest gift we can give ourselves and our close ones is just to stop, breathe, watch the snow flakes twirl around and be at peace, just for a moment. Can we find our inner joy, just for a second? Can we let love radiate out of our beings, even if it just cracks out as a shy smile? Can we be grateful for something today? Gratitude is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Why not unwrap it in the present?

Warmly,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com