Posts Tagged ‘Ancient Wisdom’
PERSONAL POTENTIAL AND THE POWER OF DISTINCTION
Personal potential. Who is this person with vast potential? This really is a vital question. Without clarity about it, or at least carefully considering it, we may find ourselves embodying the quote of former University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal- “Potential means you ain’t done it yet.”
Distinctions, Golf Clubs, and Powerful Questions
Knowledge is power, and knowledge comes from being able to make distinctions. We can realize this in any field of study or endeavor. No one gets excited in my household when I take a turn at cooking. Apparently I lack proficiency in making distinctions with regard to spicing, combinations of ingredients, etc. An expert golfer makes fine distinctions between each of the clubs in his bag. For a non-golfer a bag of 14 clubs might seem like, well, 13 too many.
The most essential science, or pursuit, is the science of self-realization, and thus it makes sense that capacity for distinction is crucial in our efforts at knowing ourselves, in realizing personal potential. Vedavyas, the compiler of the Vedas, a renowned source of ancient wisdom, stated “The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all.” This applies, firstly, to ourselves. Unlocking our personal potential is intrinsically connected with differentiating reality from illusion within ourselves. In applying this principle, we might productive ask ourselves questions such as “Where am I deceiving myself,” “What are my false assumptions,” “How do I limit myself,” “Where do I let fear get in the way,” “What am I withholding,” “Where might I be in denial,” “What have I been avoiding,” “In what ways am I playing a small game,” “What am I being right about,” “Where am I asleep at the wheel,” “What am I settling for,” “Where am I incomplete,” “How do I sabotage myself,” and “Where am I selling out on myself”.
To the extent that we realize ourselves as unique distinctions, with special contributions and purposes, we’ll be empowered to express our personal potential in distinctive ways. Often this requires courageous introspection to distinguish between that which is authentic, and what has been a convenient, albeit unsatisfying, facade. To quote Carl Rogers “…To remove a mask which you had thought was part of your real self can be a deeply disturbing experience…”
Insight, Action, and Realizing Personal Potential
While the Satvatove process of Transformative Communication includes introspection leading to empowered action, we also emphasize action that itself inspires inner transformation. As Jerome Bruner said, “You’re more likely to act yourself into feelings than feel yourself into action”. With this in mind, consider an area where your personal potential has stayed in “potential” for a lot longer than you’re comfortable with. What are three things you could do in the next week to transform potential into fulfilling action? These could be small, even apparently insignificant acts- still, express concretely what they are- mentally, or, better yet, in writing (people who write down their goals are substantially more likely to achieve them). …..Okay, now, of those three things, which of them are you ready to commit to actualize in the next week? To further solidify this exercise, consider sharing your commitment(s) with a friend, to engage them in supporting and challenging you in your process of transforming personal potential into an extraordinary life of fulfillment and distinction.
Satvatove Institute has facilitated thousands of people worldwide to discover and realize their personal potential. Write to coaching@satvatove.com or seminars@satvatove.com for information on the seminars, coaching, and coach training programs of Satvatove Institute.
SPIRITUAL LIFE COACHING WITH SATVATOVE INSTITUTE:
An Opportunity for a Fulfilling Career of Service to the Highest Aspirations of Humanity
The Satvatove Institute 
School of Transformative Coaching (SISTC) offers you an opportunity to master the art and science of spiritual life coaching. Principles and Practices of Transformative Coaching (PPTC), the foundational coach training course of SISTC, emphasizes the science of self-realization as a basis for facilitating others to achieve a life of profound fulfillment and extraordinary accomplishment.
“Science” indicates an experiential process within the context of a sound and complete philosophical model. Transformative Communication, as the theoretical and applied framework for the spiritual life coaching practiced and taught at Satvatove, provides principles for self-development solidly grounded in ancient wisdom traditions, integrated into an experiential learning model aligned with the most powerful, cutting edge practices of the human potential movement. This combination, unique to Satvatove Institute’s spiritual life coaching program, supports and challenges you to excellence, to being a potent force for your clients to live a life of sublime purpose that springs from the essence of their being.
Capacity to coach others is strongly correlated with the personal development of the coach, and thus PPTC focuses, along with training in skills, techniques and principles, on cultivating the self-awareness of the coach. By participating in Satvatove’s spiritual life coaching program, you’ll find your own personal spiritual realizations deepened and strengthened.
“The personal development aspect of the Satvatove Transformative Coaching Training Program has moved me a few quantum leaps forward in my intra-personal, interpersonal and spiritual growth. And, because of the incredible coaching skills I gained from Satvatove’s spiritual life coaching course, Principles and Practices of Transformative Coaching, I’ve had the confidence to step up and establish my Spiritual Life Coaching practice. I sincerely appreciate the depth of understanding about principles of coaching and transformation. This empowers me to be wise and flexible in supporting clients to discover paradigm-busting insights. Now I’m able to serve others, usually with remarkable results, doing something that is profoundly rewarding for me, and be well compensated financially for doing it.”
David Aycrigg- New Zealand
“Satvatove’s spiritual life coaching program has been one of the most powerful, enriching and transformative experiences in my life. I started the program wanting to develop and expand my ability to serve others in their personal growth and healing. I got so much more than what I could have envisaged or even bargained for! The service I wanted to give to others I found first for my own self through this program… I found the structure of the program very enlivening and empowering – within this structure I found enough framework to guide me alongside plenty of space to apply and integrate my own creativity and ideas. The content of this spiritual life coaching program was challenging, stretching and supportive. What I especially appreciated was that it was well-rounded and balanced… And lastly but definitely not least, the amount of care, support and nurturance I experienced throughout the program was a gift unsurpassed. All the energy and effort I put into the program I received a thousand-fold in return through unconditional support, constant care and compassionate challenge. I feel very fortunate and grateful for the opportunity this program offered by Satvatove.”
Fayenen Lathrenwen- Wales
“By going through the Satvatove spiritual life coaching program I entered deeply into what I believe is our nature – we all have the potential to manifest qualities that contribute to making the world a better place, because those qualities are inside each of us. The coach training powerfully supported me to manifest the qualities I have inside and offer them to the world. The integration of grounded and powerful skill development on a foundation of genuine spiritual principles makes the Satvatove coaching process complete. The Transformative Communication approach to coaching and coach training offers unmatched support to anyone who is interested in excellent communication, clear relationships and personal growth. This has been a tremendous experience in establishing myself as a coaching professional.”
Annette Bonomo- Switzerland
The next Principles and Practices of Transformative Coaching (PPTC) will begin in mid- to late September, 2011. It will be offered in the form of 36 2-hour teleclasses. This spiritual life coaching course is designed to facilitate distance learning, and thus physical presence at Satvatove’s headquarters in Florida is not required. To view the course syllabus, visit http://satvatove.com/syllabus.pdf. To register for the course, write to coaching@satvatove.com.
Dr. David Wolf, author of Relationships That Work: The Power of Conscious living and founder of the Satvatove Institute School of Transformative Coaching, has been training and supervising coaches, counselors and therapists for more than 30 years. His distinctive approach to spiritual life coaching, coach training, and personal transformation has impacted tens of thousands of people worldwide.
Is It Really Your Karma?
Karmic Considerations and Clarifications
“I guess it’s just my karma.” We’ve commonly heard such statements referencing karma. In the seminars, coaching and counseling that I conduct, people frequently allude to karma, often with a tone of predestination.
Based on my understanding of sources of ancient wisdom, the concept of karma is fully aligned with a worldview of 100% personal responsibility. In a very practical sense, we have created our present karma through our past actions. We are accountable for our actions, as well as our thoughts and feelings, and thus responsible for our karma- past, present and future. Even if you are not aligned with this perspective of full accountability, I ask that you at least consider it to determine whether such a stance might be valuable in some parts of your life.
Self-Determination is Alive
Though it may in a sense be true that our karma limits us, our self-determination remains quite alive, if we wish it to, within the constraints of the karma we’ve generated. Suppose I purchase a ticket for a flight from Tampa to London. By purchasing that ticket and boarding the plane, I have created my karma. Once the plane is in flight I am limited in certain ways, as a result of my karma, which comprises my previous choices and actions, such as buying the ticket and entering the plane. For example, If I wanted that evening to visit my favorite restaurant in Tampa, I would not be able to do so because I am limited by karma, by the fact that the plane is over the Atlantic Ocean.
Even though there are limiting conditions resulting from past choices, that doesn’t mean my life is fated. I continue to possess a multitude of choices and thereby an abundance of possibilities for creating future karma and opportunities. On the plane I could read a book and thereby enrich my spirit. Or I could make a productive business contact that produces abundance for years to come. Also on the plane I could commit a terrible crime, resulting in prison time after the flight.
Karma is Temporary
Other essential points about karma are that it is temporary, and we can transcend it. “Karma” is a way of referring to our past. Our past can explain a lot about the present, but it can’t take responsibility for it. Only we can do that. Bhagavad-gita, perhaps the prime book for understanding the principle of karma, explains that by cultivating consciousness, we step out of our past and change our karma.
William Hutchinson Murray said “…the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.” We speak of the “law of karma”, and there is a mechanical aspect to the exercise of that law. Also though, there is a thoroughly personal element to our relationship with karma, invoked by cultivating conscious living and our relationship with the creator of the law. To the extent that we do this, our history, or karma, does not determine our destiny, and we are the transcendent, creative wellspring of our life.
