Freedom For Family Wellness Weekend

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Dearest Friends,

Just after my new book, Love Centered Parenting was released, I drove to Washington, DC for my first book event.  After four days and one of the most moving experiences of my life, I am finally back home with my family.  

The book signing was a success, and it took place at the ICPA Freedom For Family Wellness Summit.  For anyone that is hearing about it for the first time, here is a simple and brief background about the event.  Every four years, the executive director and publisher of Pathways to Wellness Magazine , Jeanne Ohm, DC hosts an event to inspire a shift to consciousness. This was the theme for this year’s particular summit, and it included an incredible line up of speakers to support that theme!  

I recommend that you visit their website for a list of all the speakers, because they were all amazing and inspiring in their own particular way.  The summit’s key note speakers are the visionaries and pioneers that have been initiating our conscious movement for several decades, such as….Dr. Bruce Lipton, Ina May Gaskin, Dr. Joe Dispenza, Gregg Braden, Jeffrey Smith, Barbara Loe Fisher, Andrew Wakefield, and so many more! Although my primary intention for the event was my book, I knew I had to step away, and somehow make it to their talks, because these are the people that I write about in my book, have personally touched my life, and have supported my journey for over a decade.

The first talk I was able to make it to was Jeffrey Smith’s (activist and author of Genetic Roulette, The Gamble of Our Lives, and other books on GMOs).  On my way in, I got to meet him and talk to him for a bit, and got a sense of his warmth and dedication to his work on raising awareness about GMOs in our food.  This was a great experience for me, because I organize events, screen documentaries in my community, as well as speak about GMOs and taking action to label them.  I have gotten to know Jeffrey’s staff pretty well, but never really had the opportunity to actually meet and talk with him – and so I was really happy to connect with the person that has taken the lead on this subject for our country. I felt a rush of gratitude for his work, and couldn’t help but give him a hug for it.  I felt like I wanted to hug him and thank him on behalf of all of the people that I know, and work with on creating a “tipping point” on this subject.  Jeffrey hugged right back, as a form of gratitude…I guess I can say he was also thankful for all the collaboration going on out there to support this message.  It is important for our children and our families to create a shift on this issue, and after meeting him – I know he is the right person for this job, and I admire his courage for taking it on, and representing our greater good.

Next I made it to Barbara Loe Fisher’s and Andrew Wakefield’s talks.  Although I have been active and speaking on the subject of vaccines for almost a decade, I am still moved every time I listen to them speak about this concern.  I admire their lifelong dedication to creating a change for our rights and our families, regardless of the challenges that they have faced in their personal life, and in their careers.  They continue to take the lead and represent us, and our children to ensure that we do not experience the heartbreaking reality that they have witnessed.  They both ask for our support in return, and a great way to do that is by donating on their website so that we can continue to have their representation – they also ask for our action by contacting our government to express that we want our rights to be represented. I did not have the chance to meet Barbara in person, but I did meet her team from NVIC.org and I enjoyed connecting and speaking with them throughout the weeekend.  

For anyone that finds the NVIC site to be an endless portal of information (which actually makes it a great source), you can simply email them through their “contact us” with a specific question on a topic, and you will be directed to the exact resource you are searching about.  I was told this personally by the staff and found it to be useful, because many times I hear back from the people that I gave the NVIC link to, about it being too large to navigate through.  Well, this is a little tip for anyone looking for specific information, rather quickly.

Just fyi, in my “Weekly Tips” section, I will include links, and websites for you to visit for donations, information, books, action, and other useful links related to this past weekend.

The next few speakers I will summarize, because their topics support each other’s message about the shift to consciousness.  In fact, they even had a panel discussion about it, which may be available through icpa at some point (don’t hold me to it though – too soon to tell). Dr. Bruce Lipton, Gregg Braden and Dr. Joe Dispenza, shifted a room of over 1000 people.  

I will rewind for a moment and mention that during the first 2 days of the summit talks, the topic was mostly focused on healing the physical body.  I truly enjoyed hearing the chiropractic field reminding its practitioners about the innate power and wisdom that the human body has when it comes to healing itself (with the right support and tools of course). I will share though that during that time, I was wondering if this message fully aligned with my message about being mindful of the entire body – meaning physical, emotional, spiritual. I always express that it is important to view ourselves energetically first – even if the first step towards healing is physical…the overall view should always be from an energetic, spiritual perspective.

On Saturday evening, Dr. Bruce Lipton spoke and something changed.  In his own light, fun, brilliant and eloquent manner, he took the entire room from the physical…to the spiritual.  And he brought it home with his message that it is all about Spirit and Love.  The physical body is secondary.  If there isn’t alignment with your heart, your Truth, and Love from source, you are limited to how far you can go.  He reminded that new science reveals that the physical body, and our genes only have a 1% role in how our life plays out.  It is energy…it is Truth…it is Love.  He also touched on how significant this is during utero, and how both parents have to be mindful and conscious of this, as it will affect their children, their family and their entire lives – and if you think about it…it affects our world and our future.  If I had the perfect words to express how thrilled I was to hear him speak about this!! This is the message I have been wanting to share with the world.  This is the reason for me to write a book about it (hence, Love Centered Parenting).  And to top it all off, he mentions how his new book speaks to all of this, with the support of science of course.  And the way he bridges science and spirituality has been a blessing on my journey.  After Bruce finished his presentation, I sat and watched the faces and body language of every one leaving the hall.  Many of the same people that I had met at my book signing, where passing right by me….and I noticed their faces suddenly looked different – they were softer and they were smiling. There was more eye contact…there was a sense of connection.

Quick share:  About 15 years ago, when I was trying to get out of my cerebral, scientific mind and move back into my spiritual heart, I was searching for anything that can bridge science and spirituality in a way that felt true to me.  Our chiropractor at the time suggested the book Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton. Looking back, our chiro was simply a channel for the universe to bring this infomation to me.  I asked and I received Dr. Lipton’s book – and to me, it felt like Dr. Lipton had read my mind and answered all my questions through his book!  And now it comes full circle, because he did it once again at the summit. This time, I too have a book about the topic of Love, but it focuses specifically on the parenting journey.  I am ecstatic to be delivering this message with him during such an important time!

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And so yes, I gave Bruce the biggest hug I could give – from my heart to his.  It was emotional for me, as gratitude filled every part of my body. Once again, I felt that it was an exchange between two souls, here on Earth at the same time, having their experience and channeling their purpose.  That moment was a powerful and blissful place to be in. 

Gregg Braden and Dr. Joe Dispenza also spoke about this crucial time and tipping point in our world.  They spoke about the science behind spirituality when it comes to creating our environment, and how that means that you need to take a look within about your beliefs and perceptions.  And as Gregg Braden mentioned…how based on science, we can always come from the heart.  Gregg included much of the research that I mention in my book from the Institute of Heart Math, and how powerful and magical it is to live from this place.  And through the science he shared, this healing heart/love energy doesn’t only come from our own individual heart, but from the entire universe. Again…in my book, I mention more of the studies between mother and child to support the healing love connection that occurs between the two, and within the family unit. Hearing Gregg validate all this information once again had me smiling until it hurt.  It was so great to connect with him too.  I can feel his aura all the way down the hall.  Great guy – my sense is that his intention is to really enjoy and make the most of his time while he is here. Oh, and the flute music he treated the crowd with at the end of his talk, gave me goose bumps!  Awessssome!

And Dr. Dispenza (Joe), broke it down to simply changing your beliefs, to change your self, your life, your environment, and ultimately our world.  His lecture was so much fun to listen to – he is an amazing man that keeps it light and fun – which is how it should be!  Personal work doesn’t have to be “work” as you know it. Sure it can be challenging and uncomfortable for a moment, and then its time to Live it UP! He showed us a great clip in the end of his presentation as an example of what “living it up” looks like, and it was very uplifting and fun. That’s Joe!

And finally Ina May Gaskin spoke about the importance of home birth for our families, and our future.  The manner in which our children are brought into this world also plays an important role in our world. Meeting and speaking with her was a reminder to let go of fear when it comes to life – whether you are conceiving life, birthing life or living life.  She has been such a stand for all of us, and such a personification of courage and love.  She is a blessing to families everywhere….

Jeanne Ohm closed the tremendous event and weekend. Meeting her and being in her presence was also a special moment for me.  She endorsed my book’s message, and I was already thankful…but what she created and gifted to thousands for people through this event, as well as through her magazine is a gift to humanity.  I feel that throughout the years, her work has impacted tens of thousands already, and from large events like the Freedom For Family Wellness Summit, the inspiration and impact on our world is limitless. I admire her, and will always be thankful to her for her work, and dedication to a transformed and conscious world.

During the long ride home, I was able to process the weekend and slowly settle from it.  I met countless incredible people, was inspired for 4 days straight, made many new friendships, including three intimate relationships with the authors I shared my table with, sold and signed many of my books, got amazing reviews from people that consumed the book in just one night – and honestly I can go on for a while here describing all that I experienced.  I took in a lot (to say the least). But as I was almost home…I realized what I got out of this weekend.

Yes, I went to the conference to be inspired, learn, and share my book with a great community, and it served that in an amazing way. And although all that was fulfilled, it didn’t end there. What I got out of this weekend, was that life is about healing, connection, about Love, and our COMMITMENT to make this possible – and make it a reality not just for ourselves, but for the world as a whole. 

What it comes down to, is being committed to creating the shift that we all speak about.  The speakers that travel the world to share this message are doing this so that they can touch, move and inspire others so that it is brought to the world as a reality.  I was away from my family for 4 days to share my message this time, and I missed my family and home terribly.  The cause is great, and it doesn’t come easy.  Every time I asked one of these speakers whats next for them, they said that they were off to some other country, to speak again tomorrow, and again in a few days, and again, and again.  They are committed to our better world, and follow through on this action no matter how uncomfortable, and no matter what challenges come with it.  Whether they put their career on the line, their cozy life, hardly see their loved ones, etc., they remain true to their purpose – true to their commitment to all of us!  As I was driving I asked myself how committed I was, and how long I was willing to travel to spread this message for a better world for my children and everyone’s children. I am committed locally and active in so many ways, and would love to do so even more, but when I see the people I met this weekend…I ask myself how truly committed I am to better families and to a better world.  What other actions can I take to create it?

Conferences, talks, and seminars are all great.  But it doesn’t end with an inspirational speech.  That is simply the spark.  And change doesn’t come by simply “wanting” it.  You have to intentionally cause it. Wanting doesn’t create – Action does. After listening to all these amazing people, my soul heard an underlying message within their powerful messages. And what I can still hear is …”take action”. These speakers are now counting on everyone to ignite, and move, and fulfill on their purpose to create the world we are meant to live in.  Who will continue to carry on the message?

Before I go, I will ask…

What actions can you take?

Start with your own self improvement? A community event? A call to your government? Write a book? Start a blog? Get an adjustment or any healing? Meditate? Will you be the next motivational speaker? How about the next president, Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr.? Just start somewhere and enjoy the ride!

Although I am in action now, I have begun thinking about my next move…

I end with an abundance of gratitude, and appreciation for our Source for this past weekend, and to every single person that was a part of it,

Maria

Here’s a few pix of the weekend (for more go to icpa freedom fest via twitter)

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