Jungian psychologist and story-teller Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes once wrote “In some way, regardless of gender, locale, age, marital status, everyone is a mother.”
I love this idea, especially these days as I’ve been thinking about how so many people on the planet right now — regardless of gender identity — are birthing a new paradigm shift, a renewed and refreshed movement towards balance, wholeness, respect for all beings.
Given that Spring is a birthing season, what better time of year to celebrate Mothers, and the acts of nurturing, rearing, promoting growth? After all, now is the time that any seeds of dreams, ideas or projects you have been gestating through the winter, are ready to come out. That is why I think of this time of year to be a time of “emergenc-y”, when, just like a women in labor, your life force is pushing to be come out into the world.
For me, as I “mother” the system of healing and living that has become The Way of Joy, I bow my head in gratitude to my own beautiful and courageous mama who taught me well the importance of letting things bloom in their own timing. Even now, at the age of 91, she continues to be a model of unconditional love in my life. I am so grateful.
One of my latest “birthings” is a powerful virtual program to optimize the power of this season. I have gathered some of my best information and tools in a Seed to Blossom Starter Pack to give you a quick shot of energetic fuel to make this Spring the best one yet. And there are a couple spaces left in the Live VIP workshop on May 22. Contact me directly
“Renegade-Woo” Vicki Dello Joio, founder of The Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, brings together East Coast Attitude and West Coast energy consciousness as a master teacher, transformative speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life
I’m doing a happy dance cuz I’m so glad to be coming back to this video blog today. It really took bringing my focus away from what I don’t want (in this case a bunch of techno glitches uploading my videos to YouTube) and back to what is driving me, —that is, what I Do want which is to connect with you!
SAVE THE DATE! DEC 29Nourish the Flame: A Winter Workshop to Transform Ideas into Reality and Resolutions into Results. Bring in the Joy for 2014!
Qi Talks: I’ll be hosting Damaris Jarboux in a FREE teleclass on Subconscious Fixed False Beliefs.
Vicki Dello Joio, founder ofThe Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life. On-line videos you can use to supercharge your energy in less than 4 minutes a day: From Muck to Mastery.
“I see manifestation as a spiritual journey—a coming home to your “best,” most realized self. What you create with your life reflects your essential values, beliefs, talents and responses to circumstances as well as your capacity to make choices, commit to your own intention, and take a proactive approach to making things happen. How you go about that process is a combination of how you “be” and what you do, the balance of yin and yang. It requires first that you be rooted in the present moment and then that you accept and integrate whatever happens, whatever “the universe sends to you.” It is not by attaining whatever you are striving for, but rather through the process of creating that you mature. You become, not “get” the prize. Does this mean you won’t get any “prizes?” No, but the ones you get will bring deeper meaning to your life.” — The Way of Joy
Vicki Dello Joio, founder ofThe Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life. On-line videos you can use to supercharge your energy in less than 4 minutes a day: From Muck to Mastery.
Loving the buzz! — It looks like the upcoming show Two Women, Two Stories that I am co-presenting with my performance partner, Merry Ross, is almost sold out! I feel honored to be a part of The Marsh San Francisco Rising Series.
Plus I just found out that Merry and I have been invited to be in both the Santa Cruz AND the San Francisco Fringe Festivals in the months ahead. We’re waiting to hear about the New York Fringe (gulp!) What a hugely exciting path my qi practices have been taking me on! (And yes, I really do believe this is all happening because of how those practices intersect with my dreams)
I gotta say that I just love what our two solo pieces create together. Mine, What’s Wrong with a Mouse?” is a dramedy about my relationship with my dad and Merry’s What’s My Age Again? is a laugh-so-hard-you-wet-your-pants look at aging and the perils of perimenopause.
Today I thought I’d share a little excerpt from my piece during last summer’s run at Stagewerx in San Francisco. To set the scene: My father disowned me for more than 20 years, first because I was living with a boyfriend, and then later when he figured out that I’m gay (talk about a no-win choice!) However, during the last several years of his life, we began to reconcile. I think we were able to come to a genuine peace between us by the end of his life because I worked hard both with Way of Joy Qigong ™ to pivot my internal energy and with Powerful Non-Defensive Communication™ to change how I responded to him.
Just one year before he died, we had several transformative conversations: Here is one of them:
Vicki Dello Joio, founder ofThe Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life.
Our true home is in the present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment…It is not a matter of faith; it is matter of practice. —Thich Nhat Hanh
Embracing each moment with an “Ah HAH!” is one of my favorite taiji/qigong practices. In fact, (to quote my own book) “when there is so much going on that you feel like you don’t know which end is up, or there is so much “brain mutter” in your mind, you forget even to breathe, you’re not operating at your full capacity… When you are truly present, embracing this moment, you can stay calm and centered, relaxed and energized, regardless of what is happening around and within you.”
When you embrace this way of being, I think it becomes undeniable that “linear time” is actually an illusion. I’m not talking about an abstract philosophical construct here. In fact, I’m sure you’ve experienced it yourself.
Philosopher, dancer, performing artist, and internationally acclaimed taijiquan master, Chungliang Al Huang’s practice of “Ah Hah” radiates in a way that is positively contagious.
Vicki Dello Joio is a speaker, performer, teacher and creator of The Way of Joy Spiritual Fitness Program. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential.
Ok, so I did it. I crossed The Threshold and am now officially 60 years old. In my last vlog, I talked about the voices in my head, worrying at questions triggered by a combination of retooling my business and my approaching decade change. That anxiety still comes in wisps, but no longer carries the same charge. At least, today.
My birthday itself was better than I could have possibly imagined. I feel like I got to take this next step while riding on a tidal wave of love. Here’s what I mean.
For one of my birthday Events, my Playback Theater company performed for me and some friends who had gathered at my house. Playback Theater is a style of improvisational theater where actors and musicians play back “on the spot” stories told by various audience members.
In this case, the topic was Me. So different people told memories, anecdotes, images and more and had them played back. It actually felt a little like being at my own memorial service, yet having the lagniappe (extra) of more things to come, more life to live. Here is a short clip of the end of my 50 minute tribute.
If you had the opportunity of hearing from people you have influenced, what do you think they might say?
Vicki Dello Joio, founder of The Way of Joy: A Spiritual Fitness Program, is a teacher, speaker and performing artist. Integrating over 40 years of Chi Kung practice with other martial arts as well as her work in Yoga, Feldenkreis, physical fitness and theater, Vicki has developed a dynamic set of tools to increase awareness, transform obstacles into opportunities and enhance creative potential. Book: The Way of Joy, CD: Short Meditations for a Busy Life.
Jungian psychologist and story-teller Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes once wrote “In some way, regardless of gender, locale, age, marital status, everyone is a mother.”
