The Do Something! Tour

You may have seen our new Facebook page and/or heard mutterings about the Do Something! Tour, I thought some of you might like to know what it's about.

It started as a joke.  Even though Nicky has firmly established and improved her lovely, welcoming coffee shop The Witches Brew (Woman In Total Charge of Herself) in Bristol and I have conquered my fear of flying and taught in Sweden and Ireland this year, both of us were champing at the bit and feeling that we hadn't done enough.  There was something that needed to be done and we weren't sure exactly what.

I'm sure many readers know what I'm saying.

We started off joking around trying to cheer each other up in a conversation that went something like:

"I'm fed up I haven't achieved much this year"
(Pause for nice comments about wonderful coffee shop)
"We should do something Deb"
"Ok, I have an idea, let's pencil 'Do Something'" into our diaries for next year.
(Pause for two Guides to pull disapproving faces)

Then it occurred to one of us, why don't we go out on the road and just Do Something!  We're always trying to encourage people to get out there and try something, anything, if they want to change their lives.  Why didn't we do just that.

So we asked the lovely Louise from Limepark Studios to design us a logo and set up our first event.

As always we tuned into the room when the audience arrived and then started talking, we work together organically very well and whilst one is talking the other one will be picking out important points and noting them on a flip chart, then taking those points forward.

We had a great evening and I can honestly say that it was wonderful to just be 'doing something'.  We also realised that in standing on a stage, tuning into the audience and working with them we were really walking out talk.  This tour will grow, change, develop and improve every time we set foot in a hall or on a stage, and we have no idea what the end result will be.  We are literally just Doing Something! and our audience can see that.

We don't stand up there as world experts on being happy, we stand up there as two people who have learned a lot through our formative years in the Spiritual field, and through our work in the last 17 years or so, and we want to share that with anyone who might need help, inspiration, or just someone who knows how they feel.

It's a wonderful privilege and opportunity, but have I told you exactly what Do Something! is all about?  Of course not, because it will be different every time you see us.

Please feel free to share this blog, we appreciate all the help and support we can get at the moment, and we are being blessed with so much support we KNOW this is right.

Our next events are in Thornbury in Bristol, then two more in the Bristol area and Covent Garden in London, and we haven't started planning let.

We're on the wonderful UKPN Radio on Sunday, which should be a riot if the guys are in their usual top form.  See our Facebook Page for details.  http://www.facebook.com/DebAndNickysDoSomethingTour

It's very exciting and two months ago we couldn't have imagined this, which is why Do Something! is a good idea in every sense of the world.

Look forward to meeting you one day.

Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and the inspiration to change your lives

Deb xx

Sedona - Back Home

Well I'm back here in the UK after an annoying flight from Phoenix.  I'm sorry BA, I want to support my home airline but I'm afraid your economy seats are a joke.  Nicky and I are normal sized adults and we couldn't find anywhere to put our arms during the flight, nor could we stretch out our legs.  I came home cramped up and tired.

That, however, was the only downside to the trip.

What I have found interesting though is the reactions around me to my reaction to Sedona and the holiday.  It's as if people expected more for me from the trip than they think I've got, as if they sent me off with expectations that I didn't have.

For me any life changing experience happens gradually and the effects are normally noted quite a while after the experience that generated them.

I also found it odd that when I said that the UK is just as nice as my admittedly small experience of America, the Americans said 'great' and the British thought I was nuts.  Which shows you what a downer many people have on what is a truly magnificent country with similar problems to most developed countries in the world.

I understand from Nicky that, like the UK, each area is different.  In Sedona I found that the food didn't appear in buckets, meal sizes were normal.  They don't seem to eat vegetables in the same way we do and I had to have a Mexican meal and send 2/3rds of it back to get any real vegetables during the trip.  The Airport Mesa was, for me, the best restaurant we went to and I understand why Nicky raved about it on her first trip.

I enjoyed the scenery in Sedona, your first sight gives you the kind of 'wow' moment that you never forget.  The shopping was interesting as there was a lot of Native American produce, but the shops were as repetitive as anything in the UK, with a few exceptions.

The vortices were incredible but if you're not into earth energy they do take some getting used to...they WILL ground you LOL.

The shape of the rocks are fascinating and you can give them your own names if you can't remember the real ones, Nicky called oen the pregnant lady and I also named a rock but it's best not mentioned here, although it was close to Nicky's expectant mum!

A few people have mentioned that they expected me to be more changed, which is odd when you consider I've done a lot of work on myself over the years and I would hope that changes would at long last be more subtle than they were.

So what's this blog about?  It's about not allowing the expectations of others to weigh you down and not feeling that you've failed because other people expected more.  It's also about allowing yourself to absorb your changes in your own good time, and not feeling bad if a treatment, a therapy or an experience fails to change you.  It just wasn't your experience and you didn't let the 'provider' down by not being changed.

Did I change in Sedona?  Oh yes.  I've done Reiki III now which was wonderful.  I learned to sit on a rock and just relax.  I realised that we don't have to have major earth-shifting changes at times that other people have designated 'times to change dramatically' and there is nothing wrong with that as long as you're enjoying the here and now.

I've come home with clarity in my mind that will solve two of my major issues in life, which gives me a real feeling that I'm moving forward and will no longer be stuck in the same rut I've been in for over 4 years.  I also understand that I can do the same thing I've been trying to do for all that time in a completely different way, something I may not have seen if I hadn't gone over 8000 miles from home.

I found that in a positive place I noticed negativity far more, especially on facebook, and it was negativity that other people might not even realise was negative.  This led to a far deeper lesson about people being who they need to be.  We all understand that at a top level but there is a deeper issue going on that needs addressing and I'm working with this in my book and through the Do Something! Tour with Nicky.

More about that later...

It was such a valuable experience going there and I will look back on it always with great affection, after all, I had a holiday!!!!  As Mike Dooley would say...

Woo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo!  Sound of cheers and clapping!

And thanks to Nicky for suggesting I went, Tony for caring for the cats so I didn't worry (even taking into consideration the mangled toy and missing 8" of elastic!) and Jayne for trying to maintain some kind of order even if the milk got donated to the hall we use for my meetings!

Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, recognition of who you are, and change at your own pace

Deb

Sedona Three

Well the week has gone like greased lightening and it's really difficult to take the whole experience in.

Sedona is an amazing town surrounded by sparkling red, black and cream rocks.  The first few days were brilliantly sunny and absolutely freezing, then we had two pleasantly warm days followed by a day of rain.  What stunned me was walking out of our hotel to see nothing but mist but knowing that out there somewhere were huge rocks that had completely disappeared.  The romantic in me imagined that they had gone walkabout while they had the opportunity.

We visited all four vortices in the area:  Boynton Canyon, Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock and the hyper popular Airport Rock.

I found Boynton Canyon to be a very gentle experience, Bell Rock knocked me over backwards and I wasn't happy there (in fact I still shudder thinking about it), the one I really wanted to visit (Airport Rock) had a similar effect although I did stand where James Redfield (The Celestine Author) stood and saw the view described in his latest book, but I didn't calm down until we drove away.  The best for me was Cathedral Rock - which we visited twice.

We first visited on 11/11/11 and sat quietly and meditated at 11:11, then we went for a walk and picked a spot for my Reiki 3 Attunement.  So I was attuned sitting on a rock next to Oak Creek at Cathedral Rock on 11/11/11.  It was an awesome experience and just as Nicky was attuning me a round of cheering and applause broke out.  If you follow Mike Dooley of www.tut.com he would tell you that applause, cheering and "woohooing" should always accompany a really special event and is a necessary celebration to accept and acknowledge abundance - so I had my applause, cheering and woohooing!

We visited Cathedral Rock again today from the other side.  Staring with a hilarious drive along a road that turned into a trail with regular signs saying "do not enter if flooded".  When we got to the end of the trail we were miles from the rock.  So we drove back up the I179 to the Back O Beyond and turned there.  Although there was no signpost to the rock we guessed from our map that this road might actually lead to Cathedral Rock (not because we're women and can't read a map but because there were extra roundabouts on the map with non-existent roads leading from them).

The rock was at the end of that road and we climbed up to Courthouse Butte at the bottom of the rock, and then a little way up the rock.  We were considering going to the top (big lie) but we didn't have crampons and grappling hooks nor were we feeling particularly insane.  However, the next time we visit Sedona Tony is coming with us and he has two no-longer slim women to drag up to the places we couldn't get without a burly hairy-chested body builder on hand (guess who's getting a gym membership for Christmas!).

We stopped and did a quick meditation before skidding back down in a slightly frantic way, avoiding the mountain bikers wherever possible.  Actually, Nicky laid flat on her back on a freezing cold rock in the middle of a medicine wheel that someone had built, but I showed admirable common-sense and care for my clothing by remaining upright and in control at all times.

During this trip we've seen ravens (one of which struck up a considerable conversation with Nicky this morning), bluebirds, rabbits, chipmunks, buzzards, eagles (well one of us did and it wasn't me), and birds we don't recognise.  My first exciting sighting was of a sparrow.  I travel 8000 miles and the first bird I see I could have seen in my back garden (being chased by a cat!).

We've shopped Sedona until Nicky dropped (I have far more shopping experience), and we've met Native Americans and seen the amazing and beautiful products they make.  We've seen scenery so beautiful it will live in our hearts forever and defy description, and we've shared an experience that I couldn't put into words. When Nicky first visited Sedona she came back and failed to describe it, just shaking her head and saying "I can't tell you".  Nor can I, you have to come here yourself.

We've eaten moderately (huh!), had minimal ice cream (fairly true), very little chocolate (actually true), imbibed almost no alcohol (amazingly true but then I'm a very good influence), made a few connections over here who will try to help us set up a course in Sedona, and climbed a mountain of pancakes.

Nicky has driven on the wrong side of the road which is the right thing to do, without confusion providing I remembered to say 'turn left right' or 'turn right left' in the right order.  She's had almost no telephone calls this week which is very rare, and I've been inundated which is also rare but s*d's law as they say.

This is my first trip to the USA and I'm extremely impressed by the scale and grandeur of what I saw, however, the UK press often seem to find Britain wanting when compared to other countries and I'm happy to say that's unfair.  Our food isn't as plentiful as in America but it's good, it's varied and we eat vegetables! Our shopping is just as good, our people are just as nice, our roads don't match up but at least we drive on the right side (LOL).

All in all I'm proud of my own country and completely in love with America and the American people, and that's just perfect.

Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and the ability to come to America - particularly Sedona - as soon as possible (if you want to)

Deb xx

Sedona Two

Well I'm back again, posting into the ether hoping that someone somewhere is reading this.

The trip is going very well.  Yesterday we went to the Grand Canyon with a bus driver called Devon.  He commented that he understood he was named after a place in the UK, but all I could think of was Cream Teas.  It took Nicky to sort that one out!  It was 7.30 am though.

After a 3 hour trip up through Flagstaff and across to the Grand Canyon National Park, we were deposited at the rim of the Grand Canyon.  Now we all know it's big, we've seen the photos on TV and it certainly looks big, but for those of you who haven't been there let me share a further insight - it is BIG.  Big on a grand scale, so big you can't take it in with your mind and your eyes.

It's also high, I know this because Nicky and I climbed over the walls to have a little peeky-poo downwards, we did peek and quite frankly we nearly...well we got back over the wall pretty sharpish.

After we'd been driven miles around the canyon, stopping at various vantage points, Devon took us onto the Navaho land which stretches for miles across the Arizona Desert.  It's amazingly unspoilt and gives you the chance to see what this beautiful country must have looked like centuries ago, although apparently one of his clients once commented that it was a pity the Navaho didn't do more with their land.

He also told us that the Hopi people believe that they entered this world through a portal at the mouth of the Little Colorado River, which is the starting point for 220 miles of 10 mile wide Canyon.

We then stopped at a Navaho trading post where most of us did serious financial damage to our bank accounts.

Throughout the day we were stalked by a raven, saw several rainbow prisms in the sky, and Nicky saw an Eagle sitting in a tree.  Because she was the a) the only person who saw this eagle and b) told us, if you want her you will find her walking at the side of the highway.  Only kidding, she had the chocolate in her bag.

There's loads more to tell.  Tomorrow, being tuned to Reiki 3 at the vortex at Cathedral Rock in Sedona.

Wishing you happy days and peaceful nights

Deb

Letter from Sedona

Hi everyone

This is more of a personal blog for the next few days to keep my friends up-to-date with my antics but also, having felt the Spirituality of Sedona, to update you on the amazing learning I'm sure will be happening whilst Nicky and I are over here.

So, we started off crammed into BA's cattle class for 11 straight hours in a seat barely big enough for a small person with no legroom.  However, the flight attendants were amazing, the service was superb, and I want one of those sleep pod/reclining chair things next time I do long haul!

We arrived at Sky Ranch Lodge last night after 24 hours with no or very little sleep, having had the most amazing night time tour of Sedona on the way from Phoenix airport.  What should have taken 2 hours took over 3 but we met some lovely people and now know that we need much, much more time here if we're really to get the full experience.

Today we're having breakfast at the airport - which is amazing apparently - then we're going to find out about a hire car and then get ourselves into town and have a mooch.  We don't want to do too much because tomorrow is the Grand Canyon!

On a Spiritual note I'm being a typical Gemini at the moment, on the one hand I've left the house in good hands and everything is being well looked after, the cats have company etc., but I want to come home now!

On the other hand I'll be off for the quickest shower in recorded history shortly (cleanliness may be next to Godliness but it doesn't have to take all day!), glam myself up and then I'm off to party round Sedona and the amazing red rocks - those guys are BIG!  I want a coffee at the coffee pot restaurant which used to be owned by Jayne Russell the Hollywood starlet.  Then we have an amazing amount of checking out the MBS and artists' places in Sedona and keeping the US Mail in business by sending home a few dozen parcels.  Thus turning up on our doorsteps in far too few days time smiling innocently saying "I barely bought a THING and they must have misrouted Deb/Nicky's parcels to our house...but we might as well keep them!"

Seriously, we don't want to overdo it today but there will be videos for you all around the area and there will be much walking in this amazing...outdoors.  I don't think it's called the outback or bush over here, and you definitely can't call it countryside.  It's far too grand and definitely doesn't have the gentle rolling hills of England.  Pictures will be appearing on my page tomorrow.

Take care all

Send thoughts to Tony, the cats are sulking at him!

Lots of love

Deb xx

Blogging

It's a long time since I've blogged.  To be honest I've been going through a bit of a dry spell writing-wise and haven't felt that I've had much to say.

It's been worrying me of course, not only am I a writer but I'm also quite chatty - a handy talent for an inspirational speaker and writer of course - but I just haven't felt like chatting.

I've been avoiding the phone, keeping my social networking to a minimum, and basically spending time with friends and resting.

I was wondering what was wrong, but today I had another of my energetic breakthrough points and I realised that nothing has been wrong.  I've merely been in a phase of changing energy and further learning.

I feel better for it.  I'm sleeping better.  I'm more relaxed.

So the moral of this very short story is that nothing has been wrong, sometimes we just need to shut up in order to hear.

In other words, if you're struggling to hear your Guides or to know what the next step in your path should be, allow yourself to go quiet, spend time with friends, get some sleep and your over-tired mind will have the time, space and peace to hear.

Wishing you happy days and peaceful nights

Deb

The Person That Time Forgot

Dear All

A happy Monday to you.

I've been struggling with something for some time that comes up over and over again not just in the Spiritual field but in all aspects of life and that is - where do you put your loyalties.

Now when it comes to family and friends that is, or should be, obvious.  When it comes to work it isn't so obvious and particularly if you work for yourself but with friends.

I've been struggling with this for a long time because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I came into this life with a mission that has been making itself gradually more clear as I move through life.  The only way I can describe it is that this mission is sacred to me, and my mission statement is simple:

I want to help people to feel better and be happier

(and maybe have a tiny shot at world peace!)

There are lots of side issues around that but that's what it all boils down to.  I have to work out how I can reach as many people as possible in order to do what I can, however much or little that may be.

I have found though, especially in the Spiritual field, that there are extremely high expectations that every Spiritual worker will be a vision of perfection who never contravenes one single rule laid down by someone else.

The problem is that there are a million individual someones who all have different rules based on their own individual needs and desires, and if you genuinely wouldn't hurt a soul (as I wouldn't), and you genuinely love people especially your friends (as I do) trying to balance all those needs and desires can give you a very real headache.  It can also compromise your work.

As many of those who know me will be aware I have a Spirit Guide called Amos.  He is real to me.  He is also the most wonderfully loving, wise and humble being I have ever met (actually all my Guides past and present are like him but he's the boss).  Working with him blows my mind every single day and leaves me sitting there saying "what on earth did I ever do to deserve his/their help and support" at least three times a week.

Today I was working through this problem with my husband and sounding board (lucky man) when suddenly I reached the answer to the dilemma I've been facing for so many years. This, as always, was followed by a cosmic sigh of relief and the "at last" feeling that I've received from Amos on a fairly regular basis, not quite as often as 3 times a week though thank goodness LOL.

I realised this.  I have only one loyalty and that's my work.  I have only one boss and that's my Guide, currently Amos.

This doesn't mean I'm going to rush around making agreements with people and breaking them when it suits me, because that wouldn't reflect my work at all in any way shape or form and is therefore unacceptable.

It also doesn't mean that I abdicate all responsibility for my actions to Amos, I most certainly do not.  What it does mean is that whoever I work with now or in the future has to know that I am working out my own life path and not that of someone else.

Please note too that it does NOT mean I'm going to become suddenly perfect, if you're asking that of me you're asking too much.  I haven't achieved angelic status here, just a bit of clarity!

What it also means is that it has to be crystal clear that my work comes first and that's how I need to proceed.  The good of the work for the good of people, animals and the planet has to be my guiding light, in the sincere hope that I can inspire or help them as others have inspired and helped me.  I come from the Marianne Williamson school - we came here with a light to shine and hiding that light does not serve the world and I am here to serve it.

I am Deb Dancing Star Hawken and my job is to reach as many people as I can and share whatever inspiration I can in the hope that it will help them somehow.  I also would like to work on world peace.

I cannot tell you how much helping others is my very reason for being.  You might think that as a writer I should be able to put it into words but for me some things go so deep there are no words and my work and the welfare of others are two of those things.

Yes the welfare of my family, friends and animals will always be of the utmost importance to me and losing anyone of them is a regret and sadness I always carry with me, it's part of what creates my compassion, but I can't let anything or anyone compromise why I am here because my why is quite simply my life.

I hope that for others of you out there who have struggled with the same issues these ideas will help you to reach clarity, especially when other people put you in the position that you're going to let someone down.  I've been put in a 'damned if I do and damned if I don't situation' by other peoples' fears and actions 6 times in the last 8 months where I know I risk becoming hugely unpopular with someone if I want to be hugely popular with someone else.  Or even if I just want to do my work.

You see, I have a dream and it's this.  One day, 50 years or so after I'm on the other side, someone will turn to someone in trouble and say something like "you know, my grandmother once told me something that changed my life, she couldn't remember who said it or where she heard but it's this '.....' I hope it will help you too."  They might even have read it in one of my books, who knows, but they won't know who Deb Hawken was because she'll be me again; the Spiritual me.


If I don't do my work only for the sake of the love I have for people, animals and the planet, then how can I ever become the person that time forgot?

Wishing you happy days, peaceful nights, and Spiritual clarity in all that you do.

Deb xx