Every morning between six and seven-thirty you will find me out walking or jogging on quiet country back roads with my dog Lilly. Some days I simply enjoy the quiet of the morning and my surroundings and as Lilly is deaf, I don’t have to talk much either. On other days I listen to Audio books or Podcasts as I jog or walk. I’ll share a few here that have inspired me recently.
There are two areas of my life that I’ve been recently paying some extra attention to – love and money. And they go together! For most of us the two areas of life where we are likely to experience stress from time to time are the areas of Relationships and Finances. It’s not that these things themselves cause us stress – it’s how we manage them. 
And they are both areas where it is easy to slip into denial and pretend all is well when it’s actually not. One resource that I’ve found particularly useful in the relationships arena is this audio book – Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson. This audio is a resource that I offer in my Yoga Therapy for Couples work as the seven conversations can truly be life and relationship changing for those couples able and willing to engage them.
Another audio book with a similar approach (emotionally focused therapy) is by John Gottman, hailed by many as the country’s foremost relationship expert. I certainly think he’s discovered something through some very careful research that is truly revolutionizing the way we look at and create successful relationships. The audio book is titled The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work.
Bankruptcy and Divorce go hand in hand. Often if you sort out your financial woes your relationship will take a turn for the better.
With the economic changes happening worldwide, many of us are being forced to become more creative and focused in terms of our financial health. It helps if we do this with a great deal of awareness. It’s easier sometimes to just ignore the realities we face. But if you need some help in this area try a complete Money Make Over using radio talk show host Dave Ramsey’s approach and listen to his audio book on Financial Peace. 
Dave has had the most listened to Podcast on I-tunes for about five years now and has developed a huge listening audience. Given that his approach to money is so different from what many of us traditionally practice it is truly amazing that he is so popular. Undoubtedly it is because what he teaches actually works. I prefer to listen to audio books so the links on the references in this article will take you to Audible.com. I’m sure you can also find them in print form as well.
One thing common to all of these resources is that they share a basic level of agreement with one or more of the core principles of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. John Gottman and Sue Johnson value listening for emotional content– deep listening and loving presence. Dave Ramsey is very much into the notion of awareness and self-responsibility in the financial area of life and also holds spiritual values that underlie his keys to financial peace. As I reflect on and practice the principles articulated by these authors, I find it easier to make changes in my life that are making a difference in how I relate to others and how I relate to my finances. I hope that they might be helpful to you also.
On October 23rd Michael will be leading an online workshop for certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapists on Working with Couples in Yoga Therapy. Qualified practitioners may register at Michael’s Online Studio.
