Speaker 1: it's the leo new moon
today as I record this, so when
you listen, it'll be a couple
of days later, or maybe many
days later, depending on when
you press play.
Um, and as we move into leo,
it's also the month of my
birthday.
So, um, it feels always really
significant, doesn't it?
As we come into the month of
our birth and we have this, this
special communion, this special
connection with you know the
storytelling that goes on around
different astrological signs
that we're connected to, whether
that's Chinese astrology or
Western astrology.
Anyway, that wasn't what I was
going to talk about.
What I wanted to talk about was
abundance.
Welcome to the Henny Flynn
podcast, the space for deepening
self-awareness with profound
self-compassion.
I'm Henny, I write, coach and
speak about how exploring our
inner world can transform how we
experience our outer world, all
founded on a bedrock of
self-love.
Settle in and listen and see
where the episode takes you.
And see where the episode takes
you.
So I've been running a
beautiful piece of group work
for the last three weeks.
We had our third week, our
third session today, and there's
one more to go before I break
for my August break.
If you've known me for a while,
you'll know that I take August
every year completely clear, and
it's my time to rest and
re-centre and gather myself.
And also it's a time when I
write, it's a time when I do
some wider, deeper thinking and
hopefully it's a time when I do
some kayaking as well, because
play is important.
Henny, it is not all just about
the work, of course, and the
reason why I wanted to talk
about abundance is because I was
listening to the Kirstie
Gallagher podcast, where she
she's a Western astrologer and
she shares each week the cosmic
weather forecast and it really
struck me that so much of what
she was saying, astrologically
speaking, about this week and it
kind of this is sort of whether
or not you buy into astrology,
whether or not it resonates with
you.
I'm not really sure quite where
I sit with it.
I don't really understand it,
but what I do know is that often
when I listen to people that I
trust and there is one woman in
particular, an incredible woman
called Margaret Kuhlman who I
trust very much when I listen to
people like Margaret and Kirsty
, often there is a resonance and
I my sense is that if something
sparks that leads us to move
forward with a positive intent
and that helps us make sense of
our experiences with loving
kindness and that helps us
observe and be with the world
around us without resistance or
clinging, then that thing is
useful.
And that's what I receive when
I listen to to the cosmic
weather report.
You know, like anything we, we
ignore what doesn't resonate and
we pick up what does.
You know it's the same.
When you listen to to me
speaking, you know if you're not
interested in astrology, your
brain will just skip through
that bit, um, but hopefully
you'll enjoy the rest of what I
share.
Um, so anyway, when I was
listening to kirsty today, I was
really struck by how much of
what she was saying echoed the
conversations that we had been
having in the Moving Toward
Abundance group work that I was
doing with the group today.
And you know, it's really
important that when we're
talking about things like lack
and abundance that we don't, um,
you know, slip into magical
thinking and, um, this kind of
la la, la, you know,
everything's going to be okay
magically, um, which, you know,
we, many of us, have that part
of us that really wants that to
be true.
But really, when we're thinking
about an abundant mindset, it's
much more about being able to
recognize the options that are
available to us, being able to
see how resourced we actually
are, being able to see the
skills that we have, the support
that we have around us.
Um, and you know, for me, trust
is actually the word that sits
most truthfully at the heart of
an abundant mindset.
And that's again, like I say,
that's not, um, a kind of
magical thinking, kind of trust
that everything is going to be
okay.
It's a deeply embodied,
grounded, intelligent trust.
And when I say intelligence, I
don't just mean, you know,
cognitive, I mean heart, belly,
you know the hara, the wisdom
and the mind all aligned.
You know, so that when we come
into this place of alignment
with our, our three brains, you
know we, we know that um, stem
cells form in the gut, the heart
and the brain.
When we're in embryo form, you
know we have these three for
want of a better word thinking
parts of us, and when they are
aligned, my experience is that
when they are aligned, then we
are much more able to make full
use of all of the resources that
we have available to us, and
for me, that's part of abundance
, um, so, yeah, so it was just
really, really interesting and
also oh, my goodness me, the
conversations that we have been
having on this course have been
so moving and so profound, and I
knew when we embarked on it, I
deeply felt the tenderness,
because when we're talking about
embedded beliefs and embedded
behaviors that might keep us in
a place of lack, it can be very,
very sensitive to turn toward
them and address them and listen
to them and then see what we
can potentially do to shift them
.
And, as with any of this work,
we're not we're not shoving
anything away, we're not saying
any way of being in the world
that we've experienced before
was bad and that what we have to
do is fix that.
Sorry, that's Ronnie.
What we have to do is fix that,
or that we have to somehow be a
better person.
Um, I really, I, oh gosh,
saying that phrase, I really
struggle with that concept of
being better.
I gosh, what is that?
That might be a whole podcast
in itself, because you know we
are, we are as we are, and, um,
uh, that kind of uh pressure
that comes from this idea that
we need to be better than what
we are, because within that is,
um, you know, a not so subtle um
assumption that we're not good
enough as we are, and, gosh,
that plays into so many beliefs
that we can hold about ourselves
, that can keep us small, that
can keep us in a place of lack,
so, yeah, anyway.
So, you know, if you fancy
listening to finding out what
Kirstie Gallagher says about the
weeks ahead, I, you know, I
recommend her podcast.
I think she's um, uh, I mean
lots and lots and lots of people
love her.
So you know, go for it.
Um, I picked a book off the
shelf.
Actually, do you know what?
That really didn't sound very
generous, did it?
I just suddenly realized that I
kind of caught myself in a not
wanting to um push something
towards you in case it didn't
like work for you, and then I
heard myself like pull back and,
rather than really celebrate,
oh, my goodness me, this
incredible woman is offering
this beautiful thing out into
the world, and if you don't like
it, it's fine, and if you do
like it it's fine, like they're
both absolutely equal.
So, yeah, anyway, I don't know
what part of me it was that um
showed up just then.
I think it was the part that
doesn't want you to think that
I'm wrong.
That's interesting.
Oh, yes, what is it?
Ronnie, it's fine.
Maybe Ronnie thinks that he's
just telling me that I'm wrong.
It's weird, ronnie, it's okay,
good boy, it's okay, good boy,
it's okay.
Um, so anyway, let's just move
on and just say that we love
Kirstie Gallagher.
She's amazing, um, and weirdly,
I mean, I had so many friends
and clients were sending me
links to her podcast for a while
that eventually I just had to
give in and have a listen.
And then when I did, I realized
that about three or four years
ago, a client sent me a book
called Lunar Living and I can
actually see it on my bookshelf
from here Lunar Living, and I
can actually see it on my
bookshelf from here and as a
sort of thank you for the work
that we've done together.
And it was incredibly
thoughtful of her and I'm very,
very grateful.
And when the book arrived, I
was a bit like, oh, I don't know
, I don't know how I feel about
this idea of like planning your
life by the moon.
But if you've listened to
previous episodes, you'll know
that since getting that book,
that idea has definitely like
come deeper and deeper into me.
And you know, here I am
starting the podcast saying it's
the new moon, so, and that book
, lunar Living, was written by
Kirstie Gallagher.
So here we are.
There's a lovely full circle
there.
So I feel like I'm waffling.
I picked out an old journal this
is from gosh, this is from
sometime in 2019.
And I just thought maybe I
could read an extract from it.
And, of course, the page that
I've opened it up to I mean how
brilliantly beautifully talks
about lack and abundance.
So it feels really resonant
previous journals is to be able
to see, um, how often themes
repeat themselves in our
journals, so like we have this
like oh, moment of like absolute
, like searing insight, and then
, six years later, we write
something and have the same bit
of searing insight.
However, it's always slightly
different and my feeling is that
when we have these themes that
we return to in our journal and
often we don't even know because
we don't always go back to the
relevant entry, we don't always
spot it in our journal.
But when we start to see these
recurring themes, it's really
interesting to follow how our
thinking has shifted and how
it's matured, how it's deepened
and widened and grown, and how
the, the sort of colors that run
through it have become perhaps
more vibrant or or or more muted
, you know, softer, you know
less less jarring perhaps.
So, yeah, I really I know.
I always say the guidance is to
shut the journal when you finish
writing, and I stand by that.
I still think that's a really
good practice because it it
stops us, you know, editing what
we've written in the moment
that we've written it.
We, when we shut the book, we
just let the words do their work
.
But when we return to our
journal, it can be so useful as
part of seeing our own stepping
stones on our journey toward
self-awakening, actualization,
like whatever language you like
to use self-discovery,
self-awareness, whatever and we
can see how, hopefully,
self-compassion has threaded its
way through.
And if you're using flow
journaling as a practice, then
then hopefully that you're
beginning or will already see
how self-compassion can really
inform the way that we explore
these big ideas and how that
then helps us turn towards some
of the stuff that we might find
more challenging.
So I'm going to I'm going to
read this entry Now.
The only trouble is I haven't
got my glasses and I've got no
idea where they are.
So my writing is quite small in
this journal and it's very neat
and, as you know, I don't tend
to use paragraphs.
So I'm basically going to now
be squinting at a page and
hopefully what I read will make
some kind of sense for you and
the invitation is just to let
the words drift over you and
maybe to see you know what does
it spark for you?
What do these words of lack and
abundance?
And apparently right now,
according to kirsty, this is a
time of profound an opportunity
to really step into your own
space.
And actually that brings me on
to something else that I was
thinking about sharing with you
this week, which I'd forgotten
about, and you know, this idea
of like, how do we step into our
own space?
Well, something that I've
recognized and really acted upon
in the last couple of days is
that the word coach really has
never resonated for me.
So, despite all the training
I've done, despite my
postgraduate qualification in
business and personal coaching,
despite being a systemic and
constellation coach and all the
other coach training I've done,
that word really just doesn't
feel like it speaks to me and
it's not that um, I think that
it shouldn't be used, you know,
because if that's the word, that
, if you are a coach and that's
the word that you love to use
perfect, brilliant and wonderful
and marvelous, and how, how
wonderful to have something that
really lands for you but for me
it never has, and I've I've
tried so many different ways of
describing what I do and, you
know, put words in front of the
word coach.
So practical compassion coach,
compassion based coach,
therapeutic coaching, you, all
of these things.
And what I've finally realized
is I'm just not going to use a
word because I cannot find one
that really describes what I do,
and my recognition is that what
I do is I walk beside people as
they're coming home to self.
That's it.
If those words resonate with
you, then you will understand a
sense of what that means.
If those words don't resonate
with you but you're curious
about it, then I would say that
some part of you understands
what they mean and if you have
absolutely nothing in response
to it, that's okay.
That's absolutely okay.
I'm perhaps not the right
person for you to do this like
deep, deep work with, but there
will be somebody else that you
could work with, and part of
abundance, I think, is being
willing to accept that we each
find our own place and we each
show up and do the work that
we're here to do, and that is
enough.
That is okay and that is enough
.
And as I'm saying this, I also,
you know, I've been sort of
thinking about so how do I
describe, you know the
one-to-one work that I do with
people.
If it's not coaching, what do I
say?
It is Well, essentially it's
not coaching.
How, what do I say?
It is well, essentially it's
conversation, and I've been sort
of using the language of guide
and describing it as solo work
and group work, rather than
coaching and programs.
So I'd really love to know,
like, what you feel about it.
What was really interesting is
I shared um what I felt was a
really beautiful articulation of
how this feels for me on
Instagram, and um ended up with
some really moving comments from
people who have worked directly
with me, one of whom said I'd
say to people well, she's not a
coach and she's not a therapist
I don't really know how to
describe her but she does this
sort of amazing work.
However, it went on in work.
However, it went on um, and you
know so.
So this sense that what I was
feeling was being felt by others
as well, and the reason for
sharing all of that is that it
feels like it's a layer, it's
one of my layers that I'm slowly
releasing and again, I feel
that that relates to these
concepts of lack and abundance
as well, because when we're in a
state of lack, we're tightly
held, we're pulling everything
tightly around us.
It's a way of like protecting
ourselves.
But when we're in a more
abundant mindset, we're open, we
release, we soften and we're
able to take up the full amount
of space that we have been
allocated.
I I love this concept that you
know, when we're each born,
we're allocated a an amount of
space and every human being is
allocated the same amount of
space.
And you know this thing about,
like, feeling into um a more
abundant mindset is really being
able to step into our whole
space, to trust that that is
okay, um, whereas when we're in
that state of lack, we tend to
want to get as small as possible
.
Um, because that feels safer,
and there'll be lots of reasons
for that.
And you know um, yes, gosh, I
mean that's a whole.
You need to come on the course
if you want to explore that more
.
Um, I am going to be running it
again, probably in October, I
think.
And if you're curious about
these deeper courses, then do
take a look on the website and
look at group work.
There are a couple of short
courses coming up group work in
September, october, and we've
also got the year long group
coaching.
I called it coaching.
What am I doing?
Group work, a program called
Immerse, which I am so excited
about starting.
So if that's something that
resonates with you, let me know.
Anyway, that resonates with you
, let me know anyway.
Okay, now I'm going to read to
you and hopefully my eyes will
manage to work out what it is
that I've written on the pages,
and I can see that I used an
angel card as a prompt for this
day's entry, and the angel card
was introspection.
I really like using um, I love
using prompts, as you probably
already know.
Um, and sometimes just taking
like a word as a piece of
inspiration from something that
you've heard, or an oracle card,
or you know a love word,
whatever, um, and using that as
the starting point for your
journaling can be really, really
beautiful.
So here we go, and it's
interesting because, um, oh,
what's it say yeah.
So it took me a little while to
kind of, I think, my eyes, I
think it's got darker in here,
something like that, anyway.
So here we go, introspection.
So the internal dialogue is
shifting, has shifted from the
pushing out, coming from a fear
of lack, to a questioning of
what is abundance and how do we
stay in that place of unfocused
attention.
What does that mean?
Unfocused attention, like we
have our eyes wide open, so our
peripheral vision notices what
is around us and is gently alert
to what comes and goes, but is
not drawn to.
It Does not need to focus on
any one part of it, simply
conscious and aware with a soft
gaze.
Is that it?
That sounds right.
It sounds as if you have seen
and felt the fullness of flow.
Flow is a space where you are
connected, but do not strive
toward any one of the things you
are connected to.
It is a place of acceptance of
everything, just as it is.
To have a mantra that holds you
here may be helpful for you.
Perhaps it is as it is would
help.
So in those moments where you
feel yourself pushing outward to
a thought, a feeling, a need, a
desire, you can hold yourself
steady by simply saying it is as
it is.
There is no need to embellish
these words because it is as it
is.
Each time you act, you have
acted.
That action is complete.
You have endless choices in the
future about future actions,
but this time it is as it is.
So how do I know which choices
are right in the future?
Act from your heart.
Each time you do, you'll come
closer to your higher purpose,
your highest intent, come into
your heart.
Perhaps a mantra here would
help you too what?
Do not be impatient.
We're listening to what is
right.
Ah, yes, that is it.
I am listening, and take three
breaths.
How will I know if what I have
chosen is right?
It will be right because it is
what you have chosen.
Your desire, your intent is to
act in the best interests of the
universe.
That is what will guide you.
I am acting for.
My higher purpose may be
clearer for you.
These two mantras can hold you
in a place of flow.
Settle into them and smile as
you say them.
We cannot strive into a place
of lack when we are smiling with
our hearts.
It is as it is.
You are in flow.
Yeah, gosh, I tell you what the
wisdom of the journal?
It's just amazing.
You know, in these courses,
these um group work uh, short
courses, um, we use flow
journaling, live in the, in the
sessions and um I, you know, we
do a relaxation practice, we do
some journaling, we reflect on
what's come up in the journaling
and there's no requirement on
anybody to do anything at all.
There are no requirements, but
there's no requirement on
anybody to share something that
they've written, but what is
always really interesting is the
concepts that come up, or the
um, the things that sort of open
up, uh, within us as we're
journaling, and how that then
informs the conversation that
comes next.
It's really hard to explain
what we do.
I think it's a form of magic,
to be honest.
You know it's like alchemy
these conversations.
But what was really really clear
today was the warmth and the
love that was flowing through
the group.
And you know and this is not
something which is sort of
gender specific either you know,
men come on these programs too,
and I absolutely love that,
because then we get this balance
, this integrated, wise being
withness, being withness, um,
and and there is just so much
wisdom inherent within every
single one of us when we have
the space and the conditions to
access.
It just feels so beautiful to
me and I'm so honored, tooured
to be part of it.
Anyway, well, as ever, I hope
something there had a thread and
a flow through it.
I feel it did and I want to
send you so much love, you so
much love.
And and also, lastly, just to
say, if you haven't yet
subscribed to a piece of quiet,
oh, my goodness me, it is
proving to be the most beautiful
space.
It is a form of first aid.
When you are struggling, when
you are overwhelmed, when you
need to pause, a piece of quiet
is there for you.
Do sign up.
You can just sign up for a
month and see what it's like.
You know it's £7.20.
When you've got the, the
discount that's running at the
moment £7.20 a month and for
that you get four beautiful.
I say that I made them, you know
, relaxation practices with
really compassionate inquiry,
journaling prompts, and you
don't even have to do the
journaling if you don't want to.
It's really just an opportunity
to allow your body to rest, to
soften, to come into to the
parasympathetic and, you know,
let your body be with you for
just a few minutes.
You know, I just feel so
strongly.
This is something that so many
of us need, particularly right
now, and I would really really
love to welcome you into that
space and the comments that I've
been getting back from the
people who who have been doing
the, the practice and using it
in this way as a kind of form of
first aid.
It's so moving and also one of
the other things about it is
that you don't, you're not
overwhelmed with choice.
You know I love Insight Timer.
I'm a teacher on Insight Timer.
I've shared so many practices
on there courses, talks,
mindfulness practices and there
are thousands of amazing
teachers on there.
It's a brilliant, brilliant
resource.
But sometimes it's really hard
to know what to choose.
And if you like my voice, if
you get on with my voice, then I
think you'll love a piece of
quiet, because it is really
simple and really
straightforward and the piece of
music is so gorgeous that I
share for you to write to or
just sit and gaze out the window
to at the end of the relaxation
practice.
So, yeah, the in the show notes
you'll see the link and do sign
up.
It's going to run all the way
through august.
It's going to run all the way
through every month, um.
So, uh, while I take my break,
it will still be there for you
all.
Right, my darlings, now I'm to
go and I send you a hug and a
wave.
Thank you, thank you.