Free Gift to You: "Step 8, Glow"

"GOAL: PARTNER WITH YOUR INNER PASSIONS. In this step we are moved—uncontrollably, undeniably, and irresistibly— by our inner passion. All 10,000 watts of it. We find it, then make it real, from the inside out. The more parts of ourselves we let out, the bigger our glow. The bigger our glow, the greater our vitality. To glow is our most relaxed, natural, simple, and powerful state of being.

"Who are you? What do you love to do? What feeds you? What stokes your inner flame? We're speaking here beyond potato chips and hot dogs, past eggplant and caviar . . . to the real you, and your favorite soul food.

"In Glow (Step 8), all of the individual steps and isolated movements we've been experiencing are brought together into one fluid motion. The disassembly gets reassembled into one glorious you. No longer do we view a contraction as separate from an expansion, or a closure as distinct from an opening. The two join together to form a pulse, a breath, the pumping of a heart. Antagonists partner with protagonists to create wonderful, dramatic plots for a play. Dark colors and light ones splash themselves on the same canvases to create beautiful scenes. Loud notes partner with soft ones, punctuated with silence, to form a symphony.

"As my friend Agnes enjoys reminding me, in all art forms opposites are harmonized, made seamless, brought together in a most intriguing and pleasurable way. In this step we bring being human to an art form, discovering that our glow burns brightest when each part of our real selves is free to come out.

"When whole, our soul integrates with each of our movements and begins moving us playfully and mysteriously along. Life becomes less of a chore and more of a dance, a puzzle, a play. Simply noticing a roadblock often sends it on its way. Resistance lessens. Perspectives broaden. Opportunities appear. We learn to sense when to reach inside for answers and when to reach out, when to take action and when to powerfully wait. The push-pull of the soul becomes more delicate, a friend that whispers in our ear. A healthy vitality powers us, and a luminous glow brightens our cells.

"The glow is a gentle force that is released when our insides are gracefully out there for all to enjoy. It's powered by our passions but is brightest when we are most relaxed and warm. It flows with simple treasures but doesn't care about the size of the house we live in. It's who you are. It's where your flavor is. Our glow moves us like a dancer across the floor. Think Ginger. Think Fred. Think flow. Think glow...