by Lara Land | Oct 3, 2022 | LAND BLOG, LARA LAND, Self Improvement
There’s been a lot of controversy in recent years over the role of the teacher in yoga and in other wellness modalities, and rightfully so. Too often we give ourselves over to a guru, eager to release ourselves from having to do the hard work of designing and committing to our own path to healing. With all our many responsibilities in modern life, it can feel great to surrender.
We have seen, however, the dangers that come with that kind of surrender, especially for trauma survivors, who need perhaps more than any of us to establish their own path to healing and be supported and affirmed in it. What is their route then? Can they or any of us take a teacher?
The truth is that teachers, guides, counselors, and maybe even gurus play strong roles along our path. Sometimes, as in the case with, Lama Rod Owens, my latest guest on the Beyond Trauma Podcast, just being in their presence is enough to make us feel calm. Other times, it’s their knowledge, charisma, or life experience that draws us to them. There are so many things that others have to teach us.Â
It’s the teachings, Lama Rod reminds us, that we should take refuge in and surrender to, not the fallible human!
The teacher is there to translate the teachings for us and, if they are truly in practice and living them, to show us that it is possible. They do not make it possible to skip the work of dealing with our own traumas and reactions as trauma survivors or however we identify as students and ever-growing humans.Â
That there is really hard work to do to liberate ourselves from conditioning and that it can be done are some of the core teachings I received from being in this conversation and some of the messages I also convey to my students.
In my life coaching, with folks, trauma survivors or not, for instance, I am always careful to be clear about what I can and can not do for my clients:
- I can ask questions that may point you towards inner knowledge and openings.Â
- I can not tell you what to do or make you do the things you need to do to make your life fuller.
- I can share my experiences, make suggestions, and reveal patterns of human nature.Â
- I can’t promise what works for me will always work for you.
I can’t promise anything really, because we don’t fit a single mode, but I have seen that in small groups, the sharing of common blocks and patterns can really allow realizations to occur for each member of the group. That’s why I love group coaching with small, confidential groups. We learn from each other, not just from me, and so many similarities are present.
My next group life coaching series starts Wednesday, October 12th, and runs online for six weeks from 7-8:15 pm. I’d love for you to be a part of it!Â
And to catch all the wise teachings I got to experience with Lama Rod, make sure to take a listen to the latest Beyond Trauma Podcast now available on iTunes, Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts! ​
by Lara Land | Sep 17, 2019 | LAND BLOG, LARA LAND
It’s an anxious time and so many people I know are seeking the help of therapists which is truly wonderful. Therapy provides a certain outlet and support unique to any other and I often refer people to the very qualified caring therapists I know.
Life Coaching, which is what I do, is not therapy. It provides a very different and specific kind of support and often goes hand and hand with therapy or works independently.
During my two decades working with people intimately on their issues: mind, body and spirit I have seen certain common problems and patterns which are efficiently worked through during the life coaching process. That is why I believe most anyone can benefit from employing a life coach even for a little while.
Here are 25 reasons you should find a trusted life coach today:
- You are stuck in a rut. Life coaching is excellent for shaking people out of their ruts and getting them going again.
- You tend to repeat harmful patterns. As your coach I help you figure out not just what your patterns are but why you cycle through them.
- You understand your faults and tendencies but you can’t make the leap to lasting change. Together we will devise an unstoppable plan for breaking old cycles and stepping into something greater.
- You are ready for a new you. Looking to reinvent yourself as a confident, more exploratory person or with any new personality traits coming forward? This is a process that can be cultivated with coaching.
- You are stuck in a bad relationship. Whether it’s with a friend, family member, lover or boss, a life coach can help you to rid yourself of negative relationships.
- You are looking for love. Consistently desiring love and commitment but always falling short? Together we can figure out why and magnetize you for romantic love moving forward.
- You are feeling stressed. Life coaching can definitely help you to reduce your stress by identifying what it is that’s causing it and how to eliminate that factor while increasing the things that bring you calm.
- You are horrible at time management. Need someone to help you block out time for the things you love? A life coach can do just that.
- You want to leave corporate life and start your own business. Not every life coach can help you with this, but for me it is a specialty and a real joy to take people from dream to reality with their entrepreneurial desires.
- You want to lose weight or improve your health. Not every coach excels at this, but I can certainly help you with nutrition and work out goals.
- You feel unorganized and frazzled. The right coach can give you fantastic organizational tools which will have you floating through life.
- You are working on a new project. Need support with breaking down the necessary steps to get something done? Yup! That’s a life coach job.
- You need general accountability. Some people know what to do but have a hard time getting there without someone they need to be accountable to. A life coach can be that person that holds you to your word.
- You are struggling financially. The right life coach can help you identify the steps to bring more money into your life. This is a specialty of mine.
- You don’t know what you want. Facing a crisis of desire? I think we’ve all been there at some point. A great coach will help you figure out what you want next.
- You are feeling disconnected spiritually. Again, this is a specialty of only certain coaches and one I can help you with.
- You are conflicted. If you are feeling torn between two versions of yourself. Don’t worry, you are not alone. Many people feel that way. A great coach can help you integrate the best of both parts of yourself.
- You need stronger boundaries. Some people give so much they forget to take care of themselves. A coach can help you set healthy boundaries so you can be a good employee/friend/family member without losing yourself.
- You are looking for a more balanced life. We are all seeking harmony. A life coach will help you find where you can shift weight for better balance in your life.
- You have to have a difficult conversation and you’re not sure how. Sometimes you employ a coach for a single specific situation. That can work and sometimes it can open up more you want to work on.
- You need help identifying the possibilities out there for you. It’s so hard to see ourselves clearly. Sometimes we need an outside view on what options exist for us.
- You want to get past a fear. A coach can really help you take that first step into territory you find scary but need to step into for growth.
- You want to up your game. Doing well but feeling that there’s a next level and want to go there. A coach can help you make that leap.
- You’re tired a lot of the time. A coach can help you boost your energy. With that done there’s no limit to what you can do.
- You are not sure if your dreams are your own. Most of us are so influenced by our families, countries, and cultures, we think we want a life that really is the life we think we should want to have. If we are lucky enough, a voice inside grows loud enough for us to hear the truth of our desires and non desires and we can recognize what is really right for us. If you even suspect this may be you (its most of us) make sure to talk to someone about it so you can weed through what is your truth and what is somebody else’s. This is key to building a life you love!
