Orbs.... I've seen them in other people's photos in the past, and suddenly they are showing up in Toltec photos. This photo is our Jump! group in Maui at the Bamboo Forest. Note the orbs above the groups' heads.

And these are at the recent Sundoor Firewalk Instructor Training in California; I was taking photos at the same angle when suddenly the pictures were filled with orbs. Are orbs the reflection of dust or a metaphysical manifestation?

For more information on orbs here are a few of websites to browse...

orbs conference; lots of information here

psychic investigators

what are orbs?

Expanding the Family

During this time of vacation, visiting friends and family, honoring whatever holy-day warms our heart, and celebrating the shift of the season, let's take the time to honor what is good in the world. Personally I am feeling truly hopeful. In the past few months so much in our world has changed suddenly, and while some of the changes are unsettling, we can choose to be fearful of what is coming or we can stay open to all the new possibilities that change brings. We can be edgy and anxious by watching the news and reading the latest catastrophe, or we can peer more deeply and ask, "How can I stay grounded and present during great change?" and "What positive shifts are happening?"

What I am noticing is that while the financial system appears to be cracking, more and more people are waking up from the old dream of scarcity. While there continues to be wars and poverty around the world, many groups are creating networks to shift the old paradigm of conflict and lack. I'm seeing spiritual groups that used to be separate choosing to come together and pool resource and knowledge so that all may benefit. While part of the dream of the planet is splitting apart, there are energetic weavers and healers that are building bridges of light and strength.

In our home town of Wimberley we are in the midst of working with other individuals and businesses to form what we are calling the Creative Spirit Co-op: A Community Resource of Healers, Artists, Businesses, and Friends Uniting for Conscious Living. I'm am seeing this type of unity happening in small communities and on a global level (see blurb below on some inspirational websites dedicated to true global shifts.)

And the creative juice continues to flow! This year we created four new teleclasses, two on-line courses, and two new apprenticeship programs. We are both going to take time off in January to dream and listen for what our next steps are both in our personal process and in our offerings. If you have any suggestions or requests let us know!

Raven and I have had the honor to meet and play with many people this year, and we are truly grateful for the expanding community (which includes some new friends, the orbs pictured on the left!) We wish each of you a joyous Solstice season and a fulfilling New Year. May we all work together with curiousity and open hearts with whatever changes come our way in 2009; it is an exciting time!

Two inspiring websites to explore are www.awakeningthedreamer.org and
www.hubhub.org. Awakening the Dreamer's tagline is: Changing the Dream of the Modern World. Their mission is bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on Planet Earth.

HUB (Humans Uniting Brilliance) is dedicated to creating a new financial paradigm that supports individuals and communities around the world. They ask: "What if you could support yourself and the world at the same time?" I've been very impressed with their organization and thrilled that so many spiritual leaders and social organizations have gathered together in a mission to transition the world from survival, to self-empowerment and sustained abundance. This is creativity at its best!

It is vital for us to continue to shift towards not just individual abundance but to global sustainability, recognizing that we are not separate from one another; we are one family.

Much love,

Heather Ash and Raven

Enclosed in this newsletter: Heather Ash's blog, Upcoming Events in Austin and Seattle, and two book reviews for your Winter cuddle-under-the-covers days.

Exciting News! Heather Ash and Raven
to teach Sundoor Firewalk Instructor Training in March

Since 1984, Peggy Dylan has taught thousands of people to walk on fire as a means to release our innate potential and teach us how to move through fear and obstacles with joy and ease. We are honored to be asked by Peggy to join her to teach firewalk instructors in the United States. Our first firewalk instructor training will be held in Wimberley, TX in March 2009, and we are very, very excited! Look for an email in the next few days about this phenomenal instructor training.

"It is rare that you leave a training with the ability to teach a spiritual practice to people that shows them a window into possibility, what is possible within themselves and what is possible within the world. It has the possiblity to change the world." Firewalk instructor and healer Ryan Halas

If we can walk on fire without getting burned, what else is possible?

Ryan Halas, one of Sundoor's newest firewalk instructors, walking on 1200 degree coals.

An lava rock circle we made on the beach in Maui; help yourself stay grounded during the holidays by building your own physical circle, inside or out.

Part of our huge Day of the Dead altar. Our group offered chocolate, water, and flowers to the dead as part of our journey to Teotihuacan, Mexico in November.

Heather Ash Blog
In my updated blog: Fluidity; Pictures from Maui and our Day of the Dead journey to Mexico; Raven's great article on rebellion...

Tips for Staying Sane During the Holidays

Check out our newest YouTube video: Four Agreements for the Holidays [Part 1 click Here] • [Part 2 click Here]

• Don't expect anyone to be different than they are
• Get clear on what your intent is if you go home
• Pick one of don Miguel's Four Agreements to focus on: Be Impeccable with your Word; Don't Take Anything Personally; Don't Make Assumptions; Do Your Best
• Get some alone time so you can stay clear
• Celebrate and share your gratitude!

Visit Heather Ash's blog>>

Raven on Rebellion
I'm sharing this article, which Raven wrote for the folks in our Spiritual Integrity Coaching program because it had such a huge impact on many of the people who read it.

For many of us one of the biggest stories we tell ourselves is the story of rebellion. Many people get their first glimmers of the truth by rebelling against authority. We begin to question what everyone is telling us, we ask “why should I?” We start to wonder why other people’s ideas about what we should be doing are more important than ours. We challenge the tyranny of control we feel is being propagated against us, the unfairness of it all, and we righteously begin to claim our truth, our independence, “LET ME LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY I WANT TO!” we cry.

Some of us do this in big dramatic ways, and others do it in subtle ways, take a few minutes to think about how you have rebelled in your life and what you were rebelling against.

Visit Heather Ash's blog to continue reading>>

You can also follow me on twitter.com to see what I am up to...

Spiritual Integrity Upcoming Events

For both our local and long-distance friends we offer workshops and journeys to inspire, deepen, and align you with the life you want to live. We are just outside of Austin, TX, an easy trip from anywhere in the United States. Our three or five day events will help you to recharge and rewire old patterns and agreements.

Upcoming Workshops and Events; Austin and Seattle areas and beyond

Jan 2 - 4	Energize! Free Your Mind, Live Your Heart with Heather Ash Amara and Raven Smith.
Jan 7-Feb 11	Sexual Integrity Teleclass with Heather Ash Amara and Raven Smith, Wednesdays 7-8pm Central
Jan 7-Feb 11	Sacred Time Management Teleclass, Part 2 with Heather Ash Amara, Wednesdays 8pm Central
January 8	Destiny's Gift Radio Show Interview with Heather Ash Amara, 4pm Central, online at 2 pm Central
Jan 16	Friday Night Magic: Toltec Tarot with Heather Ash Amara, 7-9pm
Jan 17	Going Deeper with the Tarot with Heather Ash Amara, 10a-1pm
Feb 8	Unity of Wimberley with guest Speaker Heather Ash followed by a workshop, TBA, 11:30a, at Unity of Wimberley, in Wimberley, TX
Feb 14	Women of Wisdom Conference, Seattle, WA Igniting Your Inner Fire with Heather Ash Amara, 1:30 to 4:30 pm
Feb 20-21	Workshop with Heather Ash, Vashon Island, WA
Feb 27 - Mar 1	The Awakening Conference in San Marcos, TX featuring don Miguel Ruiz, Dan Millman, Joe Vitale, Marianne Williamson, Neale Donald Walsch. Heather Ash will be a breakout speaker.
Mar 6-8	Femme Vital A women's workshop for empowerment and spiritual power and exploration of feminine energy with Peggy Dylan and Heather Ash Amara in Wimberley, TX
Mar 12-18	Firewalk Certification Training Learn the Most Powerful Tools for Teachers of Spirit! with Heather Ash Amara, Raven Smith, with very special guest Peggy Dylan, Mother of the International Firewalking Movement in Wimberley, TX
Mar 21-22	Body, Mind, Spirit Expo in Seattle, WA Heather Ash lectures on Toltec Wisdom Saturday from 3 pm to 4 pm, Booth # 139
May 15-17	Body, Mind, Spirit Expo, Austin, TX Heather Ash lectures on Toltec Wisdom Saturday from 3 pm to 4 pm, Booth # 160
Jun 13	Awaken Your Inner Fire A One-Day Exploration into the Power of Your Mind, Spirit, Emotions, and Body with Forrest Yoga instructor and Toltec Teacher Heather Ash Amara, noon-6pm at Moksha Yoga, Chicago, IL
Jun 26-28	Weaving Celtic Magic with Stephen Mulhearn, Celtic Shamanism Workshop, Wimberley, TX

Jul 2-7	Teotihaucan Journey Power Journey with Heather Ash and Raven
Jul 9-14	Women's Teotihaucan Journey Women's Power Journey with Heather Ash
Sept 26 - Oct 4	Peru Journey with Heather Ash Amara, Raven Smith, and Jorge Luis Delgado
Oct 4 - Oct 7	Peru Lake Titicaca Extension with Heather Ash Amara, Raven Smith, and Jorge Luis Delgado

For more information visit our website at http://www.spiritualintegrity.com
or email us at spiritualintegrity@gmail.com

Reviews

One for your heart, one for your imagination.

A Thousand Names for Joy
Byron Katie's first book, Loving What Is, introduced four simple questions to help end the suffering our thoughts create. A Thousand Names for Joy is a unique collaboration between Katie and her husband Stephen Mitchell, who translated the Tao. He would share a quote from the Tao and then transcribe what Katie said in response. Her words are a clear window into the mind of someone who is living in total acceptance and joy of what is.

An excerpt from Chapter 69: When two great forces oppose each other the victory will go to the one who knows how to yield. "It is not possible for something to be against you. There is no such thing as an enemy; no person, no belief, not even the ego is the enemy. It's just a misunderstanding: we perceive something as an enemy when all we need to do is be present with it.Your enemy is the teacher who shows you what you haven't healed yet." [Click here to purchase A Thousand Names for Joy]

Brisingr
A book for when you want to spend the day in bed, or in the bathtub as I love to do. This fun dragon-and-boy partnership story mixes an engaging cast of elves, dwarfs, humans, and the all important bad guy intent on taking over the world. Brisanger is the third volume in the Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini. Christopher wrote the first bestselling book in this series, Eragon, in high school. [Click here to purchase Brisingr]

For free articles, audio, and video or more information on our upcoming events visit us at:

spiritualintegrity.com

We send you many blessings
for a sweet Winter...

Please forward to your friends who may be interested in our writings or teachings...

Raven and Heather Ash (reflected in his sunglasses)
on the pyramid of the sun in Mexico.