Comfort is the foundation for creativity and creativity is the flower
that gives off the fragrance of service.

Dear Heart Sisters,

Three of my heart sisters from my former life in Santa Barbara came to visit me this weekend and it so reminded me of the healing that happens when we are with our friends, who love us no matter what we do or say--and yet don't let us get away with any crap, either. We spent three days laughing, reading, eating, and walking. It made me want to proclaim Thanks Giving for Good Friends Day.

When my friend Eric died this summer, it made me realize how easy it is to lose touch with our old buddies while thinking, "I'll call soon, I really will." And how tempting it is for those of us who feel the heavy weight of depression and anxiety to believe that isolating from our friends will make us feel better--NO! That's a lie that we'll do better to not believe! We need our girlfriends for health and well-being--just look at the UCLA study on friendship amonth women, to name just one proof positive.

Why not call a friend and invite her (or him) out for a hot chocolate or brisk Thanksgiving morning walk (for those of us in the US) this weekend as a thank you for being in your life? Is that too boring? Then send a Macy's Thanksgiving float over to her house or an elaborate turkey sculpture composed of leftovers ala the ancient Romans--but consider reaching out to connect with someone who you haven't had a good squeeze from in a long time.

To friendship,

UPCOMING RETREATS AND EVENTS

"Attend Jennifer's workshops ONLY IF YOU WANT TO TRANSFORM! She should have a Surgeon General's warning that hanging in the creative and spirited mood she ignites and making a mess with all kinds of media (in pursuit of process and not Making ART) can be habit forming, life-changing and downright... FUN! THANK YOU!!!!!" Ann, Bainbridge Island

I'm on retreat myself, working just a little to keep body and soul intact, and my personal retreat time will include attending for the second year in a row:

Amy Weintraub's LifeForce Yoga Tucson Healing Retreat
January 5th – 12th, 2008
Tucson, Arizona

And this year I'll be offering a mini-workshop one night! So you get a little me with a lot of other excellent, wise, restorative experience and learning. And if you are a yoga teacher or therapist of any kind, this is also a training for teaching LifeForce yoga. My evening presentation will draw on journaling, laughter, small group discussion, and who knows what else to help us conceive of self-care and self-nurturing in the light of being one with the Divine and each other, while creating practices that can sustain the changes in our brains and bodies that allow us to feel whole. It's self-care for depression and anxiety.

I can't say enough good things about this retreat. It nurtured me out of my depression following my Dad's death and I'm turning to Amy's gently transformational work again this year. From early morning yoga practice to an enriching evening program, your day will be filled with gentle yoga ways to dissolve the obstacles that block the flow of your own healing energy. In an environment of love and acceptance, you'll learn breathing practices to meet your mood and constitution and an attainable sequence of postures. You'll return home feeling refreshed, renewed and excited about your practice with new tools to work with your mood. Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Sessions and massage will be available.

If you aren't sure if you know enough yoga to attend, please email Amy to ask her after visiting http://www.yogafordepression.com/Tucson_healing_retreat.htm for more info.

Please tell Amy I sent you! I can't recommend this week highly enough!

******

Finding the Heart of Your Life: Life Organizing in Action
Portland Oregon
Saturday January 12, 2008
11 am to 2 pm $35

You are deeply grateful for so much of life, and yet, you sometimes fantasize about being able to stop everyone and everything (including aging!) until you're caught up. In this timeless space, you'd have enough time and energy to feel your way to your next steps: ways to share your gifts. We'll explore the life organizing process especially rediscovering authentic desire, learning from your life insights and creating simple daily practices to stay in touch with your center and live your truth. This is a rare opportunity to work with me in a small group while exploring my new book.

Visit http://www.newrenbooks.com/events/main.html for how to register

*******

The smARTist™ Telesummit 2008 with me and many other amazing experts
January 17–26

But first....
Tuesday, December 4th
Time: 7-8 pm Eastern

F*R*E*E A VIRTUAL OPENING RECEPTION PARTY where you can meet all, 13 keynote speakers and get a sneak peek at what Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D. (artist career coach and author of "Writing The Artist Statement: Revealing the True Spirit of Your Work") has pulled together to help you move your art career up to the next level.

Register here!

The "Virtual Opening Reception Party" is where you meet all the guest speakers on smARTist's first teleclass, and Ariane's got a surprise offer up her sleeve!
This event is free and it does "sell out" so reserve your free "Virtual Opening Reception seat" right now by going to: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=689607

I so hope to see you at one of these retreats or workshops or hear you!

GIFT IDEAS

These fleece blankets silkscreened with positive affirmations are a great way to warmly live intentionally. Visit Affirmagy for some holiday shopping.

Get Unstuck & Get Going on the Stuff that Matters is the award-winning self-coaching program and tool from Canadian Coach of the Year, Michael Bungay Stanier. Get clear on your challenge, generate up to 125,000 new possibilities (really!), and learn the secret of doubling the likelihood of doing what you want to do.

Double Your Joy....and Make it Real .. with Suzanne Falter-Barns Live Your Purpose Bundle which combines the Discover Your Soul Purpose CD with her 2-month Live Your Joy Home Study Program.

For the artist in you or someone you know!
Learn art from a DVD!
Creative Catalyst Art Instruction videos

OR

Give a subscription to Astarte's Mega-Zine for Lovers of Art and Craft!

COMFORT WISHES

I nuzzle my dreams every morning
my face creased from sleep,
reminding myself that yes, just about anything is possible if
I am willing to bear the scorch of gratitude
for all I have already been given,
if I am willing to love the flawed, halting, fallible creature that I am and
if I am willing to consider, simply consider, that happiness has endless hues

Wishing you gratitude that nuzzles your hopes and widens your horizons