by Charles McAlpine | Nov 2, 2014 | Blog
Sometimes I wonder how I get myself into these situations! I think I know exactly where I’m going and how something will turn out; only to realize I’m not even close! I am in a state of shock (upset, or…). Or at the minimum, feel like a deer in the headlights. I suppose it is one more of those lessons about ‘control’. Note to self: “Oh yeah, that’s right.., control is an illusion!” Recently when this comes up, I have noticed that I have worked out an agreement in my mind. I have an expectation that when ‘Y’ happens, then someone else will do ‘X’. Except that ‘X’ never occurs. The other person is not following my plan or agreement. Of course, I never told the other person what my plan was. They never knew we had a silent agreement. Believe it or not, they are operating by their own plan AND it has nothing to do with mine. And suddenly I realize.., I have been making assumptions! So what do I do with my disappointment, anger or shock? Can I still be angry with someone, when they didn’t know I expected them to behave a certain way or that they would do a particular thing? Suddenly I am painfully aware that there has been no actual communication involved. Any dialog is in my head. I am negotiating, planning or strategizing with myself. I am an island! Damn! Now I have to regroup and start over. I have to ask for what I need. I have to negotiate or finesse. I have to accept that what I imagined and...
by Charles McAlpine | Oct 5, 2014 | Blog
Something new is emerging. This chrysalis phase is getting closer to completion. I don’t have fully developed wings yet. However, I know that soon I will be able to fly! I understand why Dr. Joyce Mills uses butterflies as a metaphor for her teachings and even her beautiful card deck ‘Butterfly Wisdom’. It is so fitting for these times of transformation that we all go through. Unlike caterpillars who go through this metamorphosis once, most humans go through this many times in a single life time. Each time the experience of finding new wings feels different than the last. Simply because we are not the same organism that went through the previous experience. We have evolved. By no means am I imagining that this is the final metamorphism! In fact I am sure there are several more. And yet this one feels significant! This one for me, seems like it is happening at a time that will allow the sage within me to emerge. This current transformation is aligned with the 6th Face of the Soul, called the ‘Double’, from the teaching of Lazaris (‘7 Faces of the Soul‘). And the timing of this latest transformation feels as if it is here to usher me into this new phase of life. What I notice about this latest experience of transformation or change is that I have been aware that this is what has been going on! This does not mean it isn’t at times challenging. I have felt the familiar energies of impatience and anxiety. “How long will this last” and “What will it look, feel, or be like...
by Charles McAlpine | Oct 5, 2014 | Blog
Something new is emerging. This chrysalis phase is getting closer to completion. I don’t have fully developed wings yet. However, I know that soon I will be able to fly! I understand why Dr. Joyce Mills uses butterflies as a metaphor for her teachings and even her beautiful card deck ‘Butterfly Wisdom’. It is so fitting for these times of transformation that we all go through. Unlike caterpillars who go through this metamorphosis once, most humans go through this many times in a single life time. Each time the experience of finding new wings feels different than the last. Simply because we are not the same organism that went through the previous experience. We have evolved. By no means am I imagining that this is the final metamorphism! In fact I am sure there are several more. And yet this one feels significant! This one for me, seems like it is happening at a time that will allow the sage within me to emerge. This current transformation is aligned with the 6th Face of the Soul, called the ‘Double’, from the teaching of Lazaris (‘7 Faces of the Soul‘). And the timing of this latest transformation feels as if it is here to usher me into this new phase of life. What I notice about this latest experience of transformation or change is that I have been aware that this is what has been going on! This does not mean it isn’t at times challenging. I have felt the familiar energies of impatience and anxiety. “How long will this last” and “What will it look, feel, or be like...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Sep 21, 2014 | Blog
I have been contemplating personal authority this week. It seems to me that a major part of becoming more self-aware, includes taking back authority for our own lives. It is not uncommon to discuss the need to feel a sense of responsibility for what we create in our lives. Yet, there is little direct conversation about our authority. Or maybe there is, and I am just not exposed to it. Here are my thoughts on this. When we are young, we are dependent upon our parents. We are not equipped to make choices for ourselves. We lack the experience to navigate the world around us, and so they instruct, guide, discipline and teach us what we need to know to be safe. Siblings, babysitters, other parents also play a role. Teachers, religious and spiritual leaders, schools and churches.., even social groups and sport teams begin to shape and inform us. As we get older and more independent, we seek counsel from doctors, lawyers, accountants, technologists, therapists, and many others in specialized fields. We start to engaged in politics, current and social events. Media plays a huge role in our lives, from advertisements, programs, reality televisions, pop-up promotions, social media and the news. We rely on ALL of these to help us navigate this thing called life. Some of it feels right. Some makes us uncomfortable. Some, is simply part of the noise. AND, on top of that we are all unique. So no two people have the exact same experiences, influences and circumstances. Even twin siblings who appear to be exposed to exactly the same thing. We may be...
by Charles McAlpine | Sep 21, 2014 | Blog
I have been contemplating personal authority this week. It seems to me that a major part of becoming more self-aware, includes taking back authority for our own lives. It is not uncommon to discuss the need to feel a sense of responsibility for what we create in our lives. Yet, there is little direct conversation about our authority. Or maybe there is, and I am just not exposed to it. Here are my thoughts on this. When we are young, we are dependent upon our parents. We are not equipped to make choices for ourselves. We lack the experience to navigate the world around us, and so they instruct, guide, discipline and teach us what we need to know to be safe. Siblings, babysitters, other parents also play a role. Teachers, religious and spiritual leaders, schools and churches.., even social groups and sport teams begin to shape and inform us. As we get older and more independent, we seek counsel from doctors, lawyers, accountants, technologists, therapists, and many others in specialized fields. We start to engaged in politics, current and social events. Media plays a huge role in our lives, from advertisements, programs, reality televisions, pop-up promotions, social media and the news. We rely on ALL of these to help us navigate this thing called life. Some of it feels right. Some makes us uncomfortable. Some, is simply part of the noise. AND, on top of that we are all unique. So no two people have the exact same experiences, influences and circumstances. Even twin siblings who appear to be exposed to exactly the same thing. We may be...
by Charles McAlpine | Sep 13, 2014 | Blog
Who stole my summer? I can’t believe we are in the month of September already! I don’t remember feeling like this year was flying by.., until I realize fall is almost here! Darn, it sure sneaks up on you! You can feel the change in the air! A few more weeks of these hot days, and suddenly it gives way to cooler evenings, morning coffee on the patio and the pool becomes a water feature in the backyard that you get to enjoy looking at, but swimming becomes a distant memory. I am actually ready for some change. You see, I have been in an odd state for most of the summer. Everything in my external world is fine, but man, internally it seems like constant change; awareness, absorbing, morphing, readjusting, releasing and then starting over. I think I am close to figuring out what is going on inside my head, then boom… Back to square one. I was talking with someone who offers intuitive insights and guidance, and they indicated that I would probably be feeling this way for another 6 – 8 weeks. Then perhaps I could begin to see what is beyond the horizon for me. Even as they were saying this to me, I was thinking… “The way things are going.., I could be a completely different person in 6 weeks!” Sometimes when we have engrained behaviors or established coping mechanisms… It takes time to make adjustments or to integrate whatever is new. I am the type of man that in the past has needed to have something I was working towards. I thrive with...
by Charles McAlpine | Sep 13, 2014 | Blog
Who stole my summer? I can’t believe we are in the month of September already! I don’t remember feeling like this year was flying by.., until I realize fall is almost here! Darn, it sure sneaks up on you! You can feel the change in the air! A few more weeks of these hot days, and suddenly it gives way to cooler evenings, morning coffee on the patio and the pool becomes a water feature in the backyard that you get to enjoy looking at, but swimming becomes a distant memory. I am actually ready for some change. You see, I have been in an odd state for most of the summer. Everything in my external world is fine, but man, internally it seems like constant change; awareness, absorbing, morphing, readjusting, releasing and then starting over. I think I am close to figuring out what is going on inside my head, then boom… Back to square one. I was talking with someone who offers intuitive insights and guidance, and they indicated that I would probably be feeling this way for another 6 – 8 weeks. Then perhaps I could begin to see what is beyond the horizon for me. Even as they were saying this to me, I was thinking… “The way things are going.., I could be a completely different person in 6 weeks!” Sometimes when we have engrained behaviors or established coping mechanisms… It takes time to make adjustments or to integrate whatever is new. I am the type of man that in the past has needed to have something I was working towards. I thrive with...
by Charles McAlpine | Sep 7, 2014 | Blog
I dream of the day when we have integrated all that is possible from the energetic shifts of our time. I believe in the beauty and possibility of mankind to find peace through connection and sharing; versus holding ourselves separate and feeling the need to protect what we have as if those things define us. I know it is possible to shift our relationship with the land, water, air, plants, and animals so that we are once again connected and living in a symbiotic and sustainable way. I trust that we have the skills, talent and natural abilities to allow each other to be unique and authentic in our own way and that through this celebration of our diverse nature, we feel our connection to one another and to All-That-Is. Yet, I just can’t imagine what it will look like.., and as a result, I am unsure how we will get there! It seems to me, that the shift I am talking about would have to be so dramatic that EVERYTHING would have to change. So much so, that a complete collapse of the house-of-cards we are currently creating would be required. “Complete collapse” sounds scary! And so it is easier to keep contributing to the status quo, because the alternatives seem so distant and fantasy like. We would have to treat each other with respect. We would need to honor the planet and all her creatures. It would mean setting down our egos and aggression. Greed and fear could not be the driving force and the desire for power over others and the hoarding and exploitation of resources...
by Charles McAlpine | Sep 7, 2014 | Blog
I dream of the day when we have integrated all that is possible from the energetic shifts of our time. I believe in the beauty and possibility of mankind to find peace through connection and sharing; versus holding ourselves separate and feeling the need to protect what we have as if those things define us. I know it is possible to shift our relationship with the land, water, air, plants, and animals so that we are once again connected and living in a symbiotic and sustainable way. I trust that we have the skills, talent and natural abilities to allow each other to be unique and authentic in our own way and that through this celebration of our diverse nature, we feel our connection to one another and to All-That-Is. Yet, I just can’t imagine what it will look like.., and as a result, I am unsure how we will get there! It seems to me, that the shift I am talking about would have to be so dramatic that EVERYTHING would have to change. So much so, that a complete collapse of the house-of-cards we are currently creating would be required. “Complete collapse” sounds scary! And so it is easier to keep contributing to the status quo, because the alternatives seem so distant and fantasy like. We would have to treat each other with respect. We would need to honor the planet and all her creatures. It would mean setting down our egos and aggression. Greed and fear could not be the driving force and the desire for power over others and the hoarding and exploitation of resources...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Aug 31, 2014 | Blog
Community is on my mind. This past Friday, Phil Blank was leading our weekly meditation, playing the didgeridoo. It is always an amazing experience, but there was something special about this evening. There were over a dozen of us there for this meditation experience, many who I knew, a few who were new to me. Yet the predominant feeling was we were all connected. The didgeridoo, being an ancient instrument with a very primal sound, sends waves of vibrational energies across and throughout your body. Sometimes you feel it pulsing along your thighs or legs. Another time, arms or shoulders. It moves around. Yet regardless of where you are sensing and experiencing these sensations, you know you are being bathed in healing sounds. Phil usually brings the groups focus to the breath. As he says, “not only is it part of our life force, it is also something we continuously share”. And that was the feeling coming out of this meditation.., we were all sharing in the same experience. More than just this one meditation.., we were sharing our journeys. On this Friday evening, we all aligned, and came together in this space, at the same time. In the aftermath of the meditation, the sense of this sharing or being part of community was palpable! There was commonality, yet for many of us, we only knew a bit of the story of those who were gathered. It was not about where we work, how many kids we have, or any struggles or accomplishments we were experiencing. We simply showed up and allowed ourselves to unite energetically. To be a...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 31, 2014 | Blog
Community is on my mind. This past Friday, Phil Blank was leading our weekly meditation, playing the didgeridoo. It is always an amazing experience, but there was something special about this evening. There were over a dozen of us there for this meditation experience, many who I knew, a few who were new to me. Yet the predominant feeling was we were all connected. The didgeridoo, being an ancient instrument with a very primal sound, sends waves of vibrational energies across and throughout your body. Sometimes you feel it pulsing along your thighs or legs. Another time, arms or shoulders. It moves around. Yet regardless of where you are sensing and experiencing these sensations, you know you are being bathed in healing sounds. Phil usually brings the groups focus to the breath. As he says, “not only is it part of our life force, it is also something we continuously share”. And that was the feeling coming out of this meditation.., we were all sharing in the same experience. More than just this one meditation.., we were sharing our journeys. On this Friday evening, we all aligned, and came together in this space, at the same time. In the aftermath of the meditation, the sense of this sharing or being part of community was palpable! There was commonality, yet for many of us, we only knew a bit of the story of those who were gathered. It was not about where we work, how many kids we have, or any struggles or accomplishments we were experiencing. We simply showed up and allowed ourselves to unite energetically. To be a...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 24, 2014 | Blog
Blame and money. Money and blame. This has been my song this week and most of the time, it seems I have it on loudspeaker! Here is how it keeps revealing itself. I open a piece of mail and find that someone or some company is demanding money. I realize saying ‘a lot of money’ is relative. If you have lots of zeros in your account balance, it feels different than if you have a few. However in the context of this conversations… Most of these demands are for more zeros than I have in my account AND there are several smaller ones that add up to more discomfort. My initial reaction to each one of these is that the debt is not mine. I feel duped, mislead, lied to, and innocent. Which leads to anger, fear and feeling powerless. So I search for leverage and instead find blame. They did this to me! They are bad, they are taking advantage. They, they, they. It activates so many constricting emotions that I feel almost paralyzed. I certainly don’t feel empowered. So I use blame to direct anger and fury at THEM! I am slow to see the pattern of what is unfolding before me. Each situation is about money. Each time my reaction is to blames others, as if I have no culpability. There is an entitlement to my anger and someone (else) needs to pay! By the third or fourth time I find myself cussing someone out and feeling indignant, with my blood about to boil; I realize the Universe is sending me a message. That these situations,...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 24, 2014 | Blog
Blame and money. Money and blame. This has been my song this week and most of the time, it seems I have it on loudspeaker! Here is how it keeps revealing itself. I open a piece of mail and find that someone or some company is demanding money. I realize saying ‘a lot of money’ is relative. If you have lots of zeros in your account balance, it feels different than if you have a few. However in the context of this conversations… Most of these demands are for more zeros than I have in my account AND there are several smaller ones that add up to more discomfort. My initial reaction to each one of these is that the debt is not mine. I feel duped, mislead, lied to, and innocent. Which leads to anger, fear and feeling powerless. So I search for leverage and instead find blame. They did this to me! They are bad, they are taking advantage. They, they, they. It activates so many constricting emotions that I feel almost paralyzed. I certainly don’t feel empowered. So I use blame to direct anger and fury at THEM! I am slow to see the pattern of what is unfolding before me. Each situation is about money. Each time my reaction is to blames others, as if I have no culpability. There is an entitlement to my anger and someone (else) needs to pay! By the third or fourth time I find myself cussing someone out and feeling indignant, with my blood about to boil; I realize the Universe is sending me a message. That these situations,...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 10, 2014 | Blog
It’s time to write about something that can’t be explained. Time to acknowledge our reconnection to SELF even when words seem too limited. Time to celebrate the potency of silence. We are living in a time that is fertile for a giant shift in human and individual evolution. In the movies, this is portrayed as gaining super powers or mutations that affect us physically. Mutations that makes us stronger, faster, resistant to pain or death. And although these aspects may in some ways be a part of the shift, the way they are being portrayed is to limiting. Instead this evolution will be imbedded within our essence. It will shift how we think and feel. It is our thoughts and emotions that distinguish us from the rest of the Animal Kingdom. It is our ability to be self-aware and to choose that make our thoughts and feelings so powerful and important. Our free will. When we harness the incredible resources that reside within our human minds and the emotional responses that our thoughts create, we will know our significance and our super powers.., our Highest Self. You see, this is what we gave up. This is what we let go of, when we chose to live in this illusion that we experience as the physical world. We allowed ourselves to become separate from our Highest Self, which is the part of us that knows we are always connected to All-That-Is, to God, to the Universe. Of course the Highest Self never loses the connection to us; even when we refused to experience or acknowledge them. That connection is and...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 10, 2014 | Blog
It’s time to write about something that can’t be explained. Time to acknowledge our reconnection to SELF even when words seem too limited. Time to celebrate the potency of silence. We are living in a time that is fertile for a giant shift in human and individual evolution. In the movies, this is portrayed as gaining super powers or mutations that affect us physically. Mutations that makes us stronger, faster, resistant to pain or death. And although these aspects may in some ways be a part of the shift, the way they are being portrayed is to limiting. Instead this evolution will be imbedded within our essence. It will shift how we think and feel. It is our thoughts and emotions that distinguish us from the rest of the Animal Kingdom. It is our ability to be self-aware and to choose that make our thoughts and feelings so powerful and important. Our free will. When we harness the incredible resources that reside within our human minds and the emotional responses that our thoughts create, we will know our significance and our super powers.., our Highest Self. You see, this is what we gave up. This is what we let go of, when we chose to live in this illusion that we experience as the physical world. We allowed ourselves to become separate from our Highest Self, which is the part of us that knows we are always connected to All-That-Is, to God, to the Universe. Of course the Highest Self never loses the connection to us; even when we refused to experience or acknowledge them. That connection is and...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 3, 2014 | Blog
OMG! I can’t believe how intense the last two weeks of July were! I couldn’t even write about it last week because of being in the grips of fear and truthfully.., a bit of shock! Storm Wisdom had it’s worst two weeks of sales EVER! When I say ever… I mean even compared to the first two weeks we were open and hardly anyone even knew we existed. We were busier then! It was scary. Of course when a cycle begins, you are not necessarily aware that something new has started. So one day where you have less than $20 in sales, you can shrug it off and assume it is some weird anomaly. After a week of questionable activity.., “shrugging it off” is a lot harder (at least for me!) You begin to question everything. As you know, you can’t run a brick and mortar business with no sales. No sales means no payroll, no rent, no utilities, etc… You get the picture! AND… Something similar was happening at home! It felt like our livelihood was being threatened! Yuck… I don’t even like thinking about it. And amongst all this, there was a definite pattern of bad communications. Not what was being communicated during this time, but old conversations, agreements or understandings were falling apart. What seemed clear six months ago was now a muddled mess. Once again for both Fito and me. It was a dark time. And of course, if you consider yourself a spiritual magician and student of life, then you have to look at these blocks, challenges, ebbs or whatever, to determine what the...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 3, 2014 | Blog
OMG! I can’t believe how intense the last two weeks of July were! I couldn’t even write about it last week because of being in the grips of fear and truthfully.., a bit of shock! Storm Wisdom had it’s worst two weeks of sales EVER! When I say ever… I mean even compared to the first two weeks we were open and hardly anyone even knew we existed. We were busier then! It was scary. Of course when a cycle begins, you are not necessarily aware that something new has started. So one day where you have less than $20 in sales, you can shrug it off and assume it is some weird anomaly. After a week of questionable activity.., “shrugging it off” is a lot harder (at least for me!) You begin to question everything. As you know, you can’t run a brick and mortar business with no sales. No sales means no payroll, no rent, no utilities, etc… You get the picture! AND… Something similar was happening at home! It felt like our livelihood was being threatened! Yuck… I don’t even like thinking about it. And amongst all this, there was a definite pattern of bad communications. Not what was being communicated during this time, but old conversations, agreements or understandings were falling apart. What seemed clear six months ago was now a muddled mess. Once again for both Fito and me. It was a dark time. And of course, if you consider yourself a spiritual magician and student of life, then you have to look at these blocks, challenges, ebbs or whatever, to determine what the...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Jul 27, 2014 | Blog
Last night, we stood outside watching the Lightening and electrical shower that was all around us. It was intense, powerful and mysterious in it’s unison with the wind and eventual rain. It was a small example of the magnificence of Nature. A reminder that we are visitors on this planet and not the ones in charge! It is impossible for me to experience thunder and lightening, without thinking of our dog ‘Chance’, who died just over a year ago. He was playful, obsessed with a ball, and a very sweet Welch Corgi. He was more interested in you throwing him the ball (endlessly), than he ever was getting patted or cuddled. His brother Archie is the one who wants all the attention. Except… During a thunder storm. . . . . . . It seemed that Chance would always know when a storm was approaching, even before the sky revealed its intentions. He would disappear into the master bedroom closet where there are no windows or doors to the outside. He would stay hidden until the first crack of lightening or roar of thunder. Then he would be next to me wanting to come up into the chair with me, so that he could bury his head in the arm of the sofa, wedged between it and me. I would have to pick him up to get him into this position, because his little legs were shaking so. And this is where he would stay until the storm had passed. And mind you, neither of them, Chance or Archie normally get up on the furniture. It was also during...
by Charles McAlpine | Jul 27, 2014 | Blog
Last night, we stood outside watching the Lightening and electrical shower that was all around us. It was intense, powerful and mysterious in it’s unison with the wind and eventual rain. It was a small example of the magnificence of Nature. A reminder that we are visitors on this planet and not the ones in charge! It is impossible for me to experience thunder and lightening, without thinking of our dog ‘Chance’, who died just over a year ago. He was playful, obsessed with a ball, and a very sweet Welch Corgi. He was more interested in you throwing him the ball (endlessly), than he ever was getting patted or cuddled. His brother Archie is the one who wants all the attention. Except… During a thunder storm. . . . . . . It seemed that Chance would always know when a storm was approaching, even before the sky revealed its intentions. He would disappear into the master bedroom closet where there are no windows or doors to the outside. He would stay hidden until the first crack of lightening or roar of thunder. Then he would be next to me wanting to come up into the chair with me, so that he could bury his head in the arm of the sofa, wedged between it and me. I would have to pick him up to get him into this position, because his little legs were shaking so. And this is where he would stay until the storm had passed. And mind you, neither of them, Chance or Archie normally get up on the furniture. It was also during...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Jul 20, 2014 | Blog
They say that one of the ways to become more self-aware is to develop the skill of being the Observer of your own life. To witness yourself in action and instead of being attached to the actual event or experience you are having; allow yourself to be an impartial onlooker. Let’s say someone has just made a dangerous move in traffic, right in front of you. Not only are you surprised, you are likely angry and frightened by this close call. If you are in normal operating mode, you may react with intensity. You swear, send gestures, maybe scream at the driver of the car long gone. In ‘Observer’ mode, you are still surprised. You may even feel the anger. However, instead of going into full anger, you witness it. You contemplate the incident and begin to put things in perspective and context. Instead of screaming at the driver or going into road-rage, you calm yourself. Your anger never takes over. . . . . Learning to be an Observer of your life, is not something you do just for the heightened emotional situations. It is helpful during the mundane and ordinary times as well. As a matter of fact, the more you become a witness to your thoughts and emotions, the more it becomes a natural way of Being. This does not mean you don’t have thoughts and emotions, it simply means you are aware of them, and as a result, you influence them, they don’t control you. Observing your own reactions, behaviors and thoughts or emotions changes them. It changes you. Much like scientists have discovered; witnessing...
by Charles McAlpine | Jul 20, 2014 | Blog
They say that one of the ways to become more self-aware is to develop the skill of being the Observer of your own life. To witness yourself in action and instead of being attached to the actual event or experience you are having; allow yourself to be an impartial onlooker. Let’s say someone has just made a dangerous move in traffic, right in front of you. Not only are you surprised, you are likely angry and frightened by this close call. If you are in normal operating mode, you may react with intensity. You swear, send gestures, maybe scream at the driver of the car long gone. In ‘Observer’ mode, you are still surprised. You may even feel the anger. However, instead of going into full anger, you witness it. You contemplate the incident and begin to put things in perspective and context. Instead of screaming at the driver or going into road-rage, you calm yourself. Your anger never takes over. . . . . Learning to be an Observer of your life, is not something you do just for the heightened emotional situations. It is helpful during the mundane and ordinary times as well. As a matter of fact, the more you become a witness to your thoughts and emotions, the more it becomes a natural way of Being. This does not mean you don’t have thoughts and emotions, it simply means you are aware of them, and as a result, you influence them, they don’t control you. Observing your own reactions, behaviors and thoughts or emotions changes them. It changes you. Much like scientists have discovered; witnessing...
by Charles McAlpine | Jul 6, 2014 | Blog
Ever since I opened Storm Wisdom, one of our visions and values has been collaboration and cooperation with other heart-centered businesses and practitioners. For us this means that we avoid the energies of competition and isolation, especially when it is based on fear, scarcity or lack. Early on, when a client or friend would mention another business or practice that offered similar products or services, I would go to these locations and introduce myself. I would see what they carried or what they offered. I would ask them what they wanted to be known for… their specialty so to speak. This way, when a client walks in (or calls for that matter) and we don’t have what they are looking for, we can refer them to someone who does. We have a resource book that we use and frequently share addresses and phone numbers for other local businesses or practitioners. We even keep other business’s cards on hand so that they can be shared with someone in need. For us, this makes good business sense. And, if Spiritually based businesses don’t model this way of operating.., who will? So what happens when this vision or value is not shared, even with those who are a regular part of your referral base? I can tell you for me it hurts, I get disappointed and maybe a little angry. Then my wounded ego begins to distort what is happening and I move into being entitled, martyred and a little victim-y. Then I have to catch myself and bring my thoughts and focus back to what we are trying to create. If...
by Charles McAlpine | Jul 6, 2014 | Blog
Ever since I opened Storm Wisdom, one of our visions and values has been collaboration and cooperation with other heart-centered businesses and practitioners. For us this means that we avoid the energies of competition and isolation, especially when it is based on fear, scarcity or lack. Early on, when a client or friend would mention another business or practice that offered similar products or services, I would go to these locations and introduce myself. I would see what they carried or what they offered. I would ask them what they wanted to be known for… their specialty so to speak. This way, when a client walks in (or calls for that matter) and we don’t have what they are looking for, we can refer them to someone who does. We have a resource book that we use and frequently share addresses and phone numbers for other local businesses or practitioners. We even keep other business’s cards on hand so that they can be shared with someone in need. For us, this makes good business sense. And, if Spiritually based businesses don’t model this way of operating.., who will? So what happens when this vision or value is not shared, even with those who are a regular part of your referral base? I can tell you for me it hurts, I get disappointed and maybe a little angry. Then my wounded ego begins to distort what is happening and I move into being entitled, martyred and a little victim-y. Then I have to catch myself and bring my thoughts and focus back to what we are trying to create. If...
by Charles McAlpine | Jun 29, 2014 | Blog
Are you feeling like you are in a constant state of transformation and change, yet can’t quite figure out how, what, why and where it is all leading? If so.., we might be on the same track. There are times when I feel it so intensely, that it am sure my whole world is being turned upside down (and then shaken!). However, when I look around, it is not the circumstances in my physical world that are changing. Same home, same career/business, same friends, same goals, same husband. It just doesn’t feel like the same ‘me’.., interacting with it all. So what is actually changing? Why does it feel like life is in a constant state of chaos and change? Where does this all lead? I realize that I have been looking for what is new. Perhaps the real way for me to measure this is; what is happening to the old!?! You see, much of what I am really aware of is that the old ways of operating don’t work for me anymore. The thoughts I have are very different than they were before. My emotional reactions to well known situations are no longer predictable. There is a shift in my attitude and beliefs. I am changing the raw materials that I work with. As a result, it seems there is a state of flux in everything that surrounds me. The circumstances, situations, people, places and things are not changing. How I relate to them is! When I slow this down, I am aware that this is a good thing! Yet, it is unsettling just the same. Not...
