Free Yourself – Time to Shed Old Layers to Re-birth in 2013

Think about or imagine a person (or animal) in your life that you love wholeheartedly. This love that you have for them is without judgment and unconditional, it is a true gift that both of you share. Now consider this, do you love yourself as completely and wholeheartedly as you do this person (or animal)? If you do, congratulations on your self-love and the self-work you have done to get to this place, however, most of us are not able to truly answer that question with a ‘yes’.

“Many think self-love is just a form of narcissism, but the purest love knows no conceit. From a spiritual perspective, loving the self communicates humility and gratitude to whatever force gives us life. From a pragmatic perspective, studies show that self-forgiveness reduces procrastination, helps us break negative habits, and promotes personal growth.” ~ Self Forgiveness on the Path to Freedom

If self-forgiveness “reduces procrastination, helps us break negative habits, and promotes personal growth”, why are we all not working to do this to create a more productive and positive future for ourselves? Sometimes it can feel ‘easier’ to hold onto our pain instead of shed light to it and address it head on. When we address our issues and heal what needs healing, we can then move forward with more positive energy to create our reality.

“Between the 12^th and 21^st of this month, the seeds you plant by your thoughts, words, and actions are very critical for what you will experience in the years ahead.” ~ Dr. Theresa Ibis, “The End of 2012 is Finally Here…What’s In Store? & What Can You Do To Support The Transition At Hand?”

This energetic time (between 12.12.12. and 12.21.12) is perfect for shedding our old layers, leaving them behind, and transforming into the butterflies we wish to be. In order to shed our old layers, most of us have some self-healing work to do. While all of our self-healing is unique, there are most often common underlying themes. Two of these common underlying themes have to do with forgiving ourselves for our past actions so that we are able to move forward freely, as well as loving and accepting ourselves fully for who we are. In order to love and accept ourselves fully, we may need to first identify the pieces of ourselves that we need to address and forgive. Sometimes we don’t even know definitively what that is, so it can be a process just to identify it.

This process of stepping forward and identifying our areas we need to work on takes courage. To actively work on self-forgiveness and self-love and to shed those old paradigm thoughts around who we are can be tough.  But by shedding these layers, we are able to step forward and step out into who we truly are. By doing this we can then then accomplish the things we wish to create for ourselves and live out our personal vision. It is hard to create something new for ourselves if we cling to our old patterns and behaviors, so in this new year what would you like to forgive yourself for? Or what would you like to love yourself for? With this year coming to a close, let’s make now the time.

I challenge us all to work on shedding the old and stepping fully into ourselves and our personal power to create the lives we wish to live. If you need a boost to help you do this, there are upcoming classes and healing sessions that can assist in this process.

Upcoming Classes & Events to Assist: 

Dec. 21: End of the World as we Know It PARTY! in NE Minneapolis

Dec. 31 - Jan. 1:Empower Thyself Program & Initiation in Minnetonka 

Jan. 6:Transformational Forgiveness in Minneapolis 

Jan 12: Max Meditation in Minnetonka

Jan 12: Sacred Geometry I: for your home and office - Minnetonka

Jan 13: Sacred Geometry II:Gemstones and Crystals - Minnetonka

Visit our calendar for details!

Special Offers in January:

Start your new year with positive energy! Schedule a private session today, and receive $25 off your first session for new customers!

Returning clients receive 15% off any session booked in January 2013. 

Offer applies for all sessions booked  and completed in January 2013.

A meditation a day keeps the doctor away...

Meditation practice is continuing to make its way into mainstream medicine.

How can this be? Well, the majority of Americans experience high amounts of stress and continue to seek treatment for the side effects of stress - high blood pressure, headaches, fatigue, ulcers, and anxiety, to name just a few. Even the Mayo clinic has reported the benefits of meditation finding significant and measurable stress-reduction properties. And now, CNN just published results of a new study claiming meditation is a "therapeutic powerhouse, with far-reaching influence on both psychological and physical health."

The latest study highlights:
*Meditation actually relieves loneliness and the feeling of being disconnected.
*Meditation reduces inflammation, which plays a key role in major illnesses. It can help serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's and irritable bowel syndrome.

The study was led by J. David Creswell, assistant professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences. For best results he suggests taking part in a formal meditation program lead by a meditation instructor to provide structure and build your skill set.

At True Sanctuary, we offer meditation classes based on ancient meditation arts handed down in a direct lineage from teacher to student. Our instructors have gone through hundreds of hours of training before becoming certified. They teach classes to a variety of students - from children as young as five years old, professionals seeking stress release, adults interested in quieting the mind and increasing creativity levels, to elderly seeking improved quality of physical health and peace of mind.

Our classes receive positive testimonials from students: Journeys of the Spirit class; Sanctuary Meditation; Max Meditation and the Empower Thyself Workshop.

Check our calendar of events to sign up for a class, or contact us for a private lesson! We're currently offering classes in Minneapolis, Denver and Fargo.

Read more posts about meditation:
Science Proves the Importance of Meditation
Family Meditation Time: a moment of peace from the chaos of life!
Meditation for a New Year

To learn more about True Sanctuary, visit our website www.TrueSanctuary.com  

The Spirit Of Giving

written by Jenna Gebeke
In the spirit of the Holiday season, this experience couldn’t have come with better timing. Since my recent move to Denver, CO one of the things that has been the hardest for me to get used to is the higher amount of homeless people that reside on almost every street corner anywhere you go.
Driving by them is always the toughest decision for me…and many questions run through my head. Do I stop? Or do I keep going? Do I have cash on me to give? How much should I give?
I just come back from Toronto where I had advance training with the Modern Mystery School and while I was there this topic came up again for me. One of my instructors addressed it in a way that really made sense and hit home. They said that in every one of these cases, we need to follow our hearts – not our heads as our heads lie to us and our hearts are always pure. We need to use our discernment in a case by case basis to determine the best course of action…turn off our heads and listen to what our heart tells us. And if our hearts tell us to give, we should cast light on it and be in joy while giving…because by sending light we push away the darkness, both in ourselves and in the recipient.
So last week when I was driving down the road, I was prepared to make this decision from my heart. I drove past a man as flow of traffic did not allow me to stop, but then came up to red light with a woman on the corner holding a sign that said “Anything helps, even a SMILE ☺”. I looked around at all of the cars at the intersection and every single one of the drivers was reading the sign and genuinely smiling to the woman. I made eye contact with her and gave her a warm sincere smile…and as the light turned green and I saw how she affected all of us in our comfy warm cars. I surprised myself when I found myself out loud say “what a little light worker”. That was it, it was in that moment that I decided I needed to turn around and give her money. She lifted me up (and many others) that day with a simple sign that gave me joy and hope and I wanted to return the favor. So I turned around and drove the 3 blocks back. I parked in a parking lot and walked over to her with my $20 bill as it was all that I had on me. She thanked me, and I said “Thank you, you are a light worker in your own right, God Bless.” I gave the $20 (which was more than I have ever given to a homeless person) in humble gratitude as she had truly shifted me and so many other people that day. She was doing a greater service and spreading more light to more people with that simple sign than I was doing by giving her $20.
So, what did I learn? Spreading light and helping others by giving to an organization is great, but if the time and situation is right – helping someone in person who is truly in need is greater because it is personal – the connection from one human to another that ignites the compassion that is inside our hearts does huge service. The joy that you can share by doing service and taking care of your fellow brothers and sisters is priceless. Basically, it reminded me that living from the heart and projecting joy and compassion to my fellow humans needs to become something that I do more naturally in my daily life. I lived a blessed life and am thankful for everything that I have…but this experience made me even more thankful for all that I am able to give and share with others.
Tips for raising the vibration of your donation this year:
• When giving through an organization (whether it be money or items), giving in a sense of joy and from a place of love will raise the vibration of your donation to have even more of a profound affect for that organization or person that receives the item you donated.
• If you are not financially in a place to give a donation, one of the highest acts of service we can do for others is to genuinely smile at them. Smiling brings joy. By smiling you bring yourself joy as well sending joy to others…when you smile from the heart everyone wins!

Science Proves the Importance of Meditation

You heard it before – meditation is good for you! Then why does it seem so hard to practice meditation regularly? Look at it this way: any thing that brings in more light and has huge potential to transform our negative thoughts into a positive reality – is likely going to be met by some sort of resistance. The real question is what do you do when that happens? Do you push through and meditate anyway?

Perhaps these facts will motivate you to meditate more often:
• A scientific study published this year found that adults who meditated every day for 30 minutes had significant changes in the gray-matter density in parts of the brain associated with memory, learning, sense of self, empathy, anxiety and stress. M.R.I. images for the control group that did not practice meditation showed no changes in the brain.
• The Mayo Clinic says meditation helps with: gaining a new perspective on stressful situations; increased self-awareness; reducing negative emotions and it even helps with physical conditions such as: allergies; anxiety; binge eating; depression; fatigue; high blood pressure; pain; sleep problems; and more!
* Recent CNN articles link meditation to neuroscientists who claim meditation changes the brain and helps with decreasing pain
• Children see huge results as well. Meditation increases attention spans in children, as indicated by a recent study published by the International Journal of Yoga. Children who practice meditation have significant increases in math and English scores over a one-year period, as indicated an Education Journal study.

Throughout history almost every culture has used meditation in one form or another to improve their experience of life; to develop on a spiritual level; to increase mental function; to balance emotions and to improve physical health.

Photo from CNN.com shows how meditation changes the brain.

Now modern science is providing proof that meditation alters brain waves and causes physical reactions in the body that promote healing and wellbeing.

There is so much to gain from regular meditation practice! The Sanctuary Meditation technique that we teach is based in the ancient mystery school lineage. It assists with deepening your connection during meditation and takes you to a place of personal power. It’s a method that works for everyone!

Check out our upcoming class schedule for more details.

Energy Cleaning: Make A Positive Shift!

Change your energy, get unstuck and set positive vibes in motion.

Have you felt a call to make changes in your life? Then you’re ready to shift your energy and clear out the stagnant energy that’s holding you back.

Try these techniques to make positive change in your life.

Change your environment
Making changes to your outside environment helps to make positive change in your life.

Clean your space: Deep cleaning is good for the soul. It literally sets stagnant energy in motion. Remove the clutter. If you haven’t used it in a year – donate it! Soon you’ll attract new, useful things to enhance your life.

Freshen it up: Rearrange the furniture; change out your artwork; paint an accent wall. Not only will it feel good, but it assist with creating a new start in life that will extend beyond the walls of your living room.

Use the Sacred Geometry techniques to raise the vibration of your space!

Re-invent yourself
Change your hair-do. Yes, believe it or not - changing the color or style of your hair is actually an alchemical process and a symbolic step toward shifting your energy.

Wear more color! Assess the color scheme you find hanging in your closet. If it’s limited to just a few shades – expand your wardrobe to include all colors.

The power of Intention, Affirmation, and Connection to self
Make every change this fall with the intention to shift your energy to a positive state. Use a positive affirmation daily, spoken out loud when you rise for the day. “I now create positive change in my life” or write your own affirmation to make it specific to the energy you wish to create in your life.

Don’t forget to take time daily to have gratitude and connect to your higher self. Take a walk in nature and give thanks to the lake, the trees, and the air you’re breathing. Practice the ancient art of meditation, one of the best tools to improve your physical and emotional health, while connecting you to positive energy. We teach the Sanctuary Meditation technique to connect to your higher self.

At True Sanctuary, we also suggest the following to shift your energy:
• Sacred Geometry Class: Activate your space to bring in positive energy.
• Life Activation: This is the most powerful session we offer to shift your energy and create positive change in your life!
• Empower Thyself Class: Create more light in your life, more guidance from the universe and increase protection from negative energy.
• Adam Kadmon Class and Activation: Activate your spiritual DNA and connect to your unique life purpose.
• Intuition Development Class: Learn new techniques to better trust your instincts.
• Chi Class: learn how to harness life force energy through your breath.
• Sanctuary Meditation: discover a meditation technique that works to connect to your personal place of power and the true self.
• The Art of Astral Travel: learn an ancient meditation technique to reach higher energies, and increase your connection to pure light!
• Reiki class or session: reiki connects you to pure joy, assists with healing at a physical and emotional level and restores balance in your life. Check out an upcoming reiki class or try a session!
• Emotional Cord Release session: Release negative emotions and cords holding you back. Restore your energy and start with a clean slate.

Sarah Gebeke is a certified Guide and Ritual Master in the Modern Mystery School lineage and a shihankaku reiki teacher in the Jikiden Reiki method of healing. More information can be found at www.TrueSanctuary.com

Family Meditation Time: a moment of peace from the chaos of life!

A family with three boys under the age of six took a moment for stillness, quiet, and connection to self during an in-home family meditation class.

I arrived at the family’s home early Saturday morning. I was greeted by two boys ages 6 and 4 playing with their children’s golf clubs in excitement for their upcoming family vacation. Their mom was holding their sleeping three-month-old brother.

The mom and dad invited me to teach the Sanctuary Meditation Technique in hopes they could start a family tradition of meditating on weekends and before bedtime. I’ve taught the class to kids and adults many times, but never a combined family meditation with different levels of understanding. I didn’t know what to expect, but I followed the kids’ lead!

The boys wanted to sit on the floor, their parents and I joined them. I began by teaching the class at the kids' level, but the parents also benefited from learning about the chakras and how our breath affects our ability to relax and enter a tranquil state of meditation. The take-away from the chakra breathing technique alone was huge for this family. The dad plans to use it at work when he’s stressed. The mom will use it to relax while she’s nursing her son, and they can’t wait for the boys to use this technique when it’s time to clam down before bedtime.

Next, I guided the family on a meditation journey to their sanctuary – a special place of power unique to each of them – to meet their higher-self, which provides a heightened connection to their true nature. What impressed me most was the 6 and 4-year-olds' ability to connect to their higher-self and have an uplifting experience. The mom and dad were right there with them on this meditation journey and reached a heightened state of relaxation and awareness of this higher vibration of energy.

Each of them shared their experiences:
The six-year-old said, “My sanctuary had big rocks in a circle, and my name was in the middle of it! My higher-self felt like it came in really fast.”

The four-year-old said, “I saw gold, and there was a tiger, leopard and lion, but they weren’t scary, they were my friends.”

Their dad was amazed, “That was really intense. I connected to my higher-self instantly, and I got a clear message. I wasn’t expecting that! It was incredible.”

Their parents hope to use this Sanctuary Meditation often to teach their kids the value of being still, connecting to their true self, and creating peace in their life.

It was a gift to see the meditation through the eyes of these kids, and know this family is creating a positive tradition that will serve them well as they grow in the light!

Benefits of Family Meditation:
• Model stress management for your kids.
• Put a new twist on time-outs. Use the chakra breathing techniques instead!
• Teach children an effective way to calm down before bedtime.
• Improve physical health and creative a positive emotional state.
• Discover a new way teach children about their unique self

Contact Sarah Gebeke at Sarah@TrueSanctuary.com if you’d like to set up a family meditation class or join her Sanctuary Meditation, Max Meditation or Children’s Meditation class. Sarah is trained in the art of meditation through the Modern Mystery School tradition, which is part of the ancient wisdom school teachings.

Set up a family Life Activation session or the ultimate experience of the Empower Thyself workshop. More information about Sarah can be found at www.TrueSanctuary.com.

Healing Prayer for Japan

To all people of all belief systems with an open heart:

Please send your prayers of love and gratitude to water at
the nuclear plants in Fukushima, Japan!

The massive earthquakes (Magnitude 9) and tsunami’s have
created disaster in Japan. More than 10,000 people are still
missing even now. It has been 16 days already since
the disaster happened and the reactors of Fukushima Nuclear
Plants are leaking and contaminating the ocean, eco systems,
air and water supplies in the surrounding areas making the natural
disaster worse for the people and animals that live there.

Now is the time to help our fellow brothers and sisters in Japan. Let us all join the prayer ceremony to help the people, animals, and water in Japan.

Dr. Emoto has organized this prayer to ask all people, not just in Japan,
but all around the world to please help them find a way out the crisis
of this planet.

Prayer:
Send our thoughts of love and gratitude to all water
in the nuclear plants in Fukushima.

Day and Time:
March 31st, 2011 (Thursday) ***
12:00 noon in each time zone

Please say the following phrase:
The water of Fukushima Nuclear Plant, we are sorry to
make you suffer. Please forgive us. We thank you, and
we love you. Please say it aloud or in your mind.

Repeat it three times as you put your hands together in
a prayer position. Please offer your sincere prayer.

For more information, check out Dr. Emoto’s website where he gives this message on You Tube from the Emotopeaceproject.

Thank you!