In an example of Divine Timing, this past weekend Scott Gleason Blue came up to Ithaca, New York, to film me for a project that’s been long overdue. The experience of being filmed was really interested for a number of reasons, but I want to focus on one reason today.
You see, Blue has decades of professional experience making films, with the major networks and elsewhere. He had been our client for a year, and now I was turning it around and being his client.
I don’t yet have any clips to show you because he just left a couple days ago. Gotta give him a chance to catch his breath. 🙂
We shot in several different locations.
First we shot in front of a waterfall, which was gorgeous, but the background noise was too loud. Then we took off our shoes and waded downstream, and we shot for about an hour while I stood in the river.
It was time for a lunch break, and my feet were waterlogged. 🙂
After lunch we went to the edge of Cayuga Lake and shot there.
The whole time we were shooting we were getting good stuff, but I kept asking him for reassurance. “Is this good? Am I hitting it?” I kept asking because deep down I knew the answer: I wasn’t hitting it. I’m sure it was good, but I wasn’t in the Zone, so-to-speak.
Blue looked at me and said, “Let’s go back to White Hawk (the ecovillage where I live) and shoot in that meadow.” We drove back, hiked out to the meadow, and set up.
The difference was immediate. I *felt* the energy and support coming up through my feet and legs. I was speaking from a place of surrender so often I kept having to wipe the tears away.
I didn’t need to ask Blue, “Is this good?” We both knew it was. After about an hour, we were done.
There is a school of thought about relationships, about places, that says where you are standing is holy. That if you leave a relationship you’re just bringing your issues with you. If you run from a place, you’ll just find what you left behind where you go.
It’s a funny thing, because while that is absolutely true — 22 years with my wife Holly has proven that we can work through the deepest patterns in order to deepen love in amazing ways — it’s also true that place matters.
The meadow felt very, very different than the river or the lake.
I was grateful for such a stark different between what kinda worked and what *really* worked, because, WoW, it was incredibly obvious. Often the signs are much more subtle, and you have to listen more closely, but not this time.
I’m writing this because I want you to trust yourself. To trust the signs of your heart. When something isn’t quite right, it doesn’t mean you necessarily throw it away. But you can ask your heart, “What’s needed?”
Even more powerfully, you can ask this question not about what you’re doing, but about the environment you’re in. Is your environment truly supporting your business in all the ways it needs to be supported?
Right now, take just a few minutes with that question, and see what your heart, and the heart of your business, tells you.
I want you, and your business, to feel deeply supported. How else would you thrive?
If you’re willing, I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
p.s. Today is a bit of a crazy day
Two things are true.
The first is that today is the deadline to enroll for Foundations1: Clients and Money or Foundations2: Expand Your Reach, if you want to start in July instead of August or later. These are affordable, in-depth, multi-month programs that will transform your business in very specific developmental ways. Your business will more easily make money and be sustainable putting in place what we teach in these programs.
Thing Two is that we are in the middle of accepting registrations for a very different type of course, The Heart of Your Business. This program is only 9 weeks long, and will help you transform your relationship with both the Big Picture of business and certain key aspects of business. This will allow you to be yourself, to trust yourself, and to really understand what it takes to make your business successful over the long term.
If you already like and trust Heart of Business and how we do things, and if you’re ready to really take your business forward in very specific ways, then I encourage you to jump into one of the Foundations programs.
If you are still getting to know us, or if you like us but you’re not ready for that kind of engagement, or you know that there are real underlying issues around your relationship with business and money, then I encourage you to start with The Heart of Your Business. You can always take Foundations later, once this program ends.
Plus, The Heart of Your Business is at Pay-from-the-Heart pricing, meaning you set your own price.
Or, maybe you don’t need a program at all. In which case, please enjoy your life!
I almost always recommend to clients that they don’t try to promote two things at the same time, for exactly this reason – it can seem kind of burdensome to explain it or decide about it. However, this was unavoidable, just because our Foundations programs start the first Monday of every month.
So… which is it? No program at all, healing your relationship with business and getting the Big Picture, or a deep dive into the spiritual nitty-gritty of actually making your business work?
Foundations1: Clients and Money. For those in start-up, or bringing in very little money. 5 months.
Foundations2: Expand Your Reach. For those beyond start-up, but still inconsistent and unclear with messaging and client/business/cash flow. 6 months.
The Heart of Your Business. For those needing a new relationship with business, and want to get the Big Picture and what it really takes to make it work. 9 weeks.
Unsure what you need? Get a free Readiness Assessment. Includes a personal reply from us.
Let me know if you have any questions.
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Heart of Business Community Update
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Need help around getting what you really need when making requests? How about connecting with your readers through email? Mark has great suggestions for you and more in this month’s Business Q&A Recordings.
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24 Responses
Mark, I love what you say about the power of place. I felt moved by this newsletter. I know exactly what you mean, because I experience it too, those times when the earth speaks through me. Maybe all those other locations served as the perfect warm-up and contrast to get you ready for the ‘real’ thing? I can’t wait to see the results.
Thank you for this beautiful reminder about trusting the signs of the heart.
Hi Juliet- thank you! And yes, Blue and I discussed exactly that, that it was a real blessing to feel the contrast, and how powerfully the land is supporting me here.
I really appreciate you writing your experience and I loved that when you were in your right environment and you had your feet and legs firmly planted on the ground. You were able to open your heart and that helped you open to your vulnerability and that allowed you to speak from your heart. I loved reading this because I so know this place and I know what i want to give and what is in my heart to give. Now I have to trust that I can be open and vulnerable and share this beauty with others and feel safe all at the same time.
Hi Daniela- I’m glad it was so helpful- and yes, please trust- you have so much to give!
Mark, thank you for writing about your experience. Oh, yes: place that we love and that loves us makes all the difference at times. We are in the fullness of ourselves, because we *are* of the earth as much as we are of Spirit, and however we define ourselves. Such a beautiful metaphor in your story: of being in powerful glorious places, but returning to home and the lovely land there that opened your heart in the way it needed to “sing.”
Jane- You are so welcome, and thank you! It does make all the difference…
The power of place is very alive for me at present, as I look up from my desk and out at mountains and sky…knowing that in a few hours I’ll be staring up at the same mountains and sky from a blessed lake. I may not be able to stay here forever…and am feeling lots of fear around that…but it will always be Home.
AND…along with love of Home mixed with fear of loss in that bigger sense, I’m facing a narrower dilemma around our current rental house. It’s very open and very loud, with no privacy inside or from noises coming from without (constant lawn-mower noises, for instance, and a landlady who refuses to stop talking and keeps “popping by” despite requests to stop). The house is also crazy hot (80 degrees and above in the late day and evening) and doesn’t have the right windows for a/c.
I am SO noise sensitive and SO heat sensitive. This immediate environment is driving me a bit mad.
But I’m in love with this place in the larger sense…and praying and doing everything I can to get to stay.
Autumn is coming. Relief from the heat is in sight. And when we know whether an additional year is approved on my work visa, we’ll look for another house. In the meanwhile, I’m asking for “place-centred” support large and small from the Universe.
Dana- We had that in Portland, when we first moved there- a deep sense of rightness that we were in the right place, and a horrible, toxic rental home that pushed us out very quickly into another place. I’m guessing your situation isn’t anywhere near that bad, but it’s an interesting contrast to notice that contrast. I’m so glad you’ve landed where you have.
Hi Mark, I definitely agree that place can make such a difference. So lovely that you felt it so strongly in your filming – I can’t wait to see the video!
For me, there are a couple of things in my environment that are sub-optimal right now. One is that I work so much better with a partner – I definitely feed off the energy of another person. I’m excited because I’m just now lining up to do a workshop together with a couple of other people, and that is a nice start. We’ll see how else things move forward.
And then…working from home…oh yikes. You can’t beat the rent, for sure, but there’s a lot to be said for just a bit more separation between the professional and personal! In September I will get a start by converting our detached guest room into an office – yay. Looking forward to that!
Linda! Sounds perfect- like you’re moving in a healthy direction for yourself. And yes, my basement office, with additional insulation in the walls and ceiling, and it’s own bathroom, has been fantastic for working from home, and still having separation. 🙂
I have envied you that, believe me! Single-level house here, with 2 teenage boys and a full set of amplifiers & drums 20 feet (through 2 walls) from my office…!! (It’s pretty funny, actually, when you think about it 🙂 )
Yikes—i think you beat my working from home with 5 kids in the summer. No drums. I also just started working at a nearby (walkable, love it) co working space and then they started building a high rise next to it so the noise level of 5 kids is preferable 🙂
Hi Laurel, that’s pretty funny 🙂 We are destined to wrestle with our environment! The co-working space sounds divine, though.
That is full on, Linda! Wow…
Mark, this one brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for naming the incredible power and rightness of a place, of the environment in which our business grows. And, how we can feel so much more us in certain places. It’s really beautiful. I feel that so much. And, I am practicing surrender and opening my heart and I loved how you named those pieces too.
Karin- You are on a journey to your right place- such a beautiful movement I’m watching. 🙂
Weird, I don’t know what that test post #2 part is on my other post, but it goes to a super old picture. I see how I can uncheck it on this one. Yes, today is a crazy day. 🙂
Crazy, crazy… 🙂
I love this strand around a sense of place and in particular how we define home. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. My blended family is moving at the end of July, just a few blocks away to a larger home that will hopefully provide a sense of place for everyone. We’ve been living in my home for the last 3 years—well really the home I have raised my 2 boys in and in which I lived with my ex husband. For so long I was pushing to move, I didn’t want to start my new marriage where my old one had fallen apart—felt like bad karma. But I can see now that my kids weren’t ready to move—they have always been deeply attached to this house. I think despite the divorce it provided real safety and comfort. And once I realized that things just fell into place, I stopped pushing and when the timing was right a house appeared. Its quite a large house and I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around that—never quite thought I would live in such a large space but we are a large family. Because its an older home we have the opportunity to do some work and make it home for us, and that feels right. To co-create our space together. I’m looking forward to seeing how I’m standing once we land. Thanks for the good conversation, as always everyone 🙂
Sounds like the perfect timing, Laurel! Isn’t it amazing when we can surrender to what is? I’ve gone through similar moments myself.
What an interesting story, thanks for sharing Mark. I really look forward to seeing the film! What a powerful process!
I am hugely grateful that my environment supports me fully – and I know how that feels when it doesn’t.
Like Dana I’m very noise sensitive, and our previous house was quite close to a motorway, with a noisy neighbour next door too.
The difference in my current home is leagues away from that – I have peace and quiet and beautiful views – and I can feel in every cell of my body that where I am is ‘just right’. It makes all the difference in the way I approach my business, and how I’m able to ‘BE’ in my business.
I’m so happy for you that you’ve found a home that truly supports you Mark 🙂
Ann- thank you! And yes, we’re excited to share it, once it’s done. I’m so glad you’ve got a peaceful home that is a real home. “Just right” is so important.
I resonated with this post and loved the comments.
I know the desire for a “geographicical cure” and tried it when I was in my teens. I did discover that, funny thing, wherever you go, there you are! So I know that healing and solving problems has to happen, and there is no outrunning them.
I also learned that relationship problems do travel with you as well. Again, I/Me/Myself am always there no matter who I am in relationship with.
Realizing these things was frustrating, but liberating and growthful.
It is so interesting that you experienced different energies and support in what could be considered a “power place”–the waterfalll and river–and the meadow. It shows that what parts/energies of our Mother Earth are right for each of us is so individual.
I was glad to read that some commenters have found that the area where they are may be right for them, but the specific location may not be.
When I moved into my current apartment 6 years ago, it was with a great sigh of relief and an opening of my heart. Several years later I realized I am too isolated and need to live in a different situation. It puzzled and frustrated me. I thought I had found the perfect spot, and it now wasn’t.
I don’t know where exactly I am to live, but after making efforts to move and finding it didn’t happen, I decided to just let go and live my life and see what comes next.
I have asked the Universe for what I need and now I am trusting that the time still in this apartment is what I need and that what I need and want will come along when it is right.
Iris- so so true… I’ve found that answers change and evolve, right? Each moment has been perfect, and yet there has also been more and more of coming home. Thank you so much for sharing your story and experiences.