The Best Kept Secret is Out! My Mistakes, Miracles, and Most Treasured Gem

I am most proud of motherhood, which gave my life a singular purpose. I still celebrate the opportunity to see the world through the window of a child, which reminds me everyday to practice mindfulness sooner and not sweat the small stuff. FunZen heart♡note

Being the best kept secret is a good thing unless you see the value of what you have. For me, being born into a famous zen lineage was a struggle until my daughter, Grace was born. The inner conflict became apparent when I heard from my great grandfather’s secretary, Mary Farkas, how much I resembled my great grandpa, (Sokei-an Sasaki Roshi) and carried his divine current. At the time, in the early eighties I didn’t know how to handle that, because I was basically raised by my father’s Robinson side of the family who is Black and European (Italian, Irish).

Certainly what was clear to me, was that I knew that everyone has zen presence, a radiant luminosity but often are unaware of it. My conflict growing up as a spiritual being having a physical experience was the suffering I experienced when I felt any envy from my family or others. I simply didn’t want anyone to feel left out.

For the sake of brevity, coming full circle has been about deepening my root of self acceptance, which from a zen perspective is self-love. By discovering how to treasure myself on this enlightened journey of lifelong learning all of us are on, I am grateful to share my most important b-lesson. WISDOM is wanting and using what we already have. Early on, before Grace was born I was mostly teaching celebrities and executives how to relax and get centered with an infusion of spiritual martial arts, dance and yoga. Truth be told, everyone has star magic, a spark of divinity, but don’t believe it until they dig in, and do the work to find it for themselves. Working with clients like Jim Carrey, Pamela Anderson, and Tyra Banks, T-Zone Camp (girl empowerment, self esteem building) was rewarding and fed my spirit. The environment I walked into was driven with a desire to learn and evolve which was both challenging and fun. My humble appreciation goes to Legendary Basketball Coach, Phil Jackson, for sharing my approach, and book “Mental Fitness” with his players. I didn’t see how valuable it was to be in that position of sharing what I love, until I started teaching less and counting my blessings.

Fast forward to the late nineties, life became a dance with grace when Sakura (Grace’s middle name) presented the challenge for me to accept my gifts so I could share them with her.

“Healing begins with the conversation.” Iyanla Vanzant

Meanwhile, awesome Author, Spiritual Life Coach, and host of Oprah Winfrey’s OWN TV’s “Fix my Life” Iyanla Vanzant gave me an endorsement for both my book Mental Fitness and my approach to Inner Work which has turned out to be my heart’s touchstone. Her inspiring words remind me to jump back in to trust my samurai cowgirl vibes and use my vision and voice. Being in vibrational tri-harmony to succeed in life is aligning our wishbone, backbone, and funny bone. Thank you Reba McEntire for that former quotable which inspires us to live simply and joyfully in vibrational harmony.

Here’s Iyanla Vanzant and Louise Hay’s endorsements for Mental Fitness:

“God’s greatest blessing to us all is breath. Unfortunely, we spend so much time chasing our blessings, we forget to use the one we have. In Mental Fitness, Michiko Rolek, teaches us how to use what we have in order to achieve more of what we want. What a blessing!” Iyanla’s books on Amazon

“What a delightful book Michiko Rolek has written. It is so very important to breathe every day! Thank you for helping me to simplify my life in a joyful way.” Louise Hay, Author of You Can Heal Your Life, Empowering Women, Life Loves You (co-author Robert Holden books on Amazon) ❧ Louise Hay books on Amazon

One of my Mistakes to Glean and Grow On:

Meeting Cesar Millan, (Dog Whisperer) with Grace at a book signing, he asked me, “what do you do?” I courageously said, ‘I teach FunZen’ ” Cesar said “will you share that with me and my dogs?” instead of hanging around to talk to Cesar and meet his producer, I tip toed and quietly left the event, Issue to Insight~ Success = Be Prepared when Opportunity Arises. No risk, No reward. And, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As the Beatles song Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da goes, “Life goes on”, in a previous blog Grace shares her point of view, called FunZen, a yin yang mix of blissipline (blissful discipline) and play. FunZen can help anyone sharpen their focus and access a mindful state of happy calm and true confidence. It helps Grace unleash the brilliant performer within and stay cool under pressure when she does voiceover’s and sings. When I started to see a pattern and noted that Grace hadn’t booked a voiceover job or have an audition where she gave a hundred ten percent, she agreed it was time for a FunZen Spiritual Bootcamp.

Grace used her mindfulness to look within and acknowledge that she was hiding her light so her friends wouldn’t be jealous. By being present and shining the light of her awareness through the darkness Grace remembered that she gets to choose who to be a worrier or warrior. She posted this blog (read) to share her spiritual life lesson about activating these wise loving words from Marianne Williamson. “There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you, We are all meant to shine, as children do.”

“Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.” – Walt Disney

How did FunZen Tune-ups help Grace get back in the game, of “Love Wins”? For one thing, she acknowledged her “sweet spot” centering charm to activate “I am being my best to Let go and Let God-dess handle or do the rest.” Grace booked 2 amazing jobs in one week, a national commercial and a new favorite cartoon character coming soon. From my direct experience, when we keep things simple with precision and grace, what is true for one is true for all of us. For example, everyone can benefit from taking a deep breath, posture check, and a better attitude through gratitude. The confident brilliant performer within us can only shine through when we get out of the way. Emerson called this getting “our bloated nothingness out of the way of the divine circuit.” What follows are some useful mindful tools to help us do just that, get out of our own way. My passion is sharing the inner mechanics e.g. proper mastery of the fundamentals to access zen wisdom for our modern busy lives in a practical yet playful way.

Making Zen Fun Centering Charm: Tune Out- Tune In- Tune Up (updated 1/19/16)

Getting back on point in an instant, visualize pressing your zen button, a still point right below the navel, your, Hara, (Dantien) ocean of light energy and center of gravity, responsible for balance from top to toe…Now, when you place your attention on this still point you can mentally start over, reboot, (skip the guilt, shame or blame) Ahhhh (heart opener) or Whoosh (reset diaphragm)

Pressing your zen button helps you refocus, refresh, and find your flow, doing ONE thing at a time. Grace says that using this cool tool helps her effortlessly relax into the present moment, shake off tension, and clear any emotional negativity so she can face the music, and stay on point. Remember this: Calm = Strong, Scattered (anxious) = Weak.

Zenify your Routine with Kaizen: (Kai-change, Zen-good -kaizen is good change or continous improvement)

Simply do one thing at a time, bite size amounts, each breath is another heart step on your enlightened journey: “Slow and Steady gets you Ready… seek the small improvement, one day at a time, that’s the only way it happens and when it happens it lasts.” John Wooden

Remember, a drop of knowledge and application of wisdom is better than a sea of force (too much effort, trying too hard).

Empty your Cup, Taking One Mindful Sip at a Time:

Mindful Sip Tip: Press zen button, whoosh, (pixie pause), now, catch your gratitude breath wave to relax, refocus and refresh in the present moment. The Miracle Diamond Posture check (see pic below): helps you sit or stand tall inside. Let’s take root, press down and ground sit bones, or feet and Sky-up by gently pressing up through your heavenly crown or head top. Note, feeling tall, light and firm, awakening your inner dancer.

One Ocean Breath Cycle, Exhale stale air, Whooosh, wearing your miracle diamond to feel tall inside to circulate more oxygen (the fuel that burns fat) inhale deeply (direct air to core) fill up, tummy rises, pixie pause, exhale slowly tummy falls, ahhhh sweet spot, reaching stillness to tighten up, lighten up and brighten your inner light.

With the best kept secret being out, now, my life coaching is now available, to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Together, let’s explore nurturing your creativity and clarifying the application of “The Master Skill” to access the zen eye of the storm. The first step is discovering your heart’s compass and activating the miracle diamond of mindfulness, which helps to Keep Calm and Sparkle On by polishing your miracle diamond with focused attention in the precious

present; moment to moment non judgmentally. Choosing to Stand Tall (high power posture) on the inside by being upright vs. uptight is possible, wearing your miracle diamond, mindful posture tool.

Giving yourself mini zen tune-ups with mindful posture and breath checks in everyday real life situations helps you monitor success stress effortlessly. Life can be a roller coaster with unexpected good, bad, ugly, and beautiful experiences. Losing your balance is key in helping you find your balance with your zen centering tools, mentioned in this blog. Honestly, who doesn’t need to experience feeling embraced and uplifted by discovering how to treasure yourself and love yourself more to love others?

Carry your miracle diamond jewel of wisdom: “When the body lifts, the mind shifts, (from worrier to a warrior, fear to love, and gloom to bloom) and the spirit soars.”

My Jewish Fairy Godmother, former George Balanchine ballet dancer in her ageless nineties, Author, Helen Fleder’s secret dancer’s posture habit for every body, The Miracle Diamond Activation, Tighten your core, Lighten your ego, and Brighten your spirit. Experience the Power of Presence (being present), and glide from

Slouch to Stretch by simply being more in command of your body-soul instrument.

Lifting up takes you there (ribcage lift-upright) and Lacing up keeps you there (tighten lower abs or core and engage navel to your spine, pelvic tilt -squeeze buttocks together or tighten lower glutes).

My free gift to you is a Thank you for your heart’s attention. Like Dorothy’s ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz, you have an opportunity to recognize that the magic or perfect power is already within you . The miracle diamond posture tool is a loving gift that keeps giving, it embraces and uplifts us on point and can bring balance in the dance of life.

FunZen Tip: “Grace under pressure makes miracle diamonds.”

“Focus, Find your Flow, and Have Fun to get in your FunZen Zone!” FunZen Girls Motto

The best part is that The Miracle Diamond Mindful Posture Tool is a gentle reminder to be your own bestie (best friend), with your 3G superpowers, Grounded – in the here and now, Grateful – counting your blessings not your stressings, and Gorgeous*-Be yourself, comfortable and joyful in your own skin, radiating authentic confidence.

*Gorgeous – beautiful is not a size or a shape, be you to the fullest. Learning to love being you helps you find your sweetspot of feeling your best. #Loveyourselffirst

The Takeaway is a high performance tool to reach excellence; the Miracle Diamond of Mindfulness (click here) to recharge you to feel zenergized from top to toe, on pointe, and renew your purpose and meaning. The magic mood booster is calming anxiety to improve concentration, and ignite your confidence and courage to smile at fear to activate your compassionate worrier to warrior spirit of *alchemy and bravery.

*alchemy: < Greek kēmeía transmutation; lead into gold, any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance,usually of little value, into a substance of

great value.

Whenever a dancer stands ready that spot is holy ground. Martha Graham

Introducing: The Miracle Diamond (read) to order a copy of author Helen Fleder’s new book “Shape-Up” which includes “The Miracle Diamond”

Miracle Diamond Girl: Artwork: Rodney L. Richardson email: Rodsart76@yahoo.com

A Course in Miracles: We are all teachers and students of each other.

Zen reminds us; When the student is ready the teacher appears, and when the teacher is ready the student appears. Ready? let’s connect the dancing dots and turn what you know into what you do. Life Coaching can help you to exercise your spirit to believe in yourself and your dreams, and to courageously allow or make them come true. Simply reading this blog is the first step to nurturing the soul seeds of spiritual awakening already within you, waiting to grow.

Looking ahead, to Grow, Glow with the flow, and Give back Generously!

To get the ball rolling: First Tele-coaching consultation call is Complimentary, “The diamond that cuts through illusion” is the zen saying that represents transcendental wisdom and enhances our intuitive abilities. Together, we’ll get to the heart of the matter so you will discover that all the answers you need are within you.

Email me to set up a time to connect-up. michikorolek@gmail.com

Zen Tune-ups, (Tele-coaching) are available and affordable, yes please call for details.

Mindful Family Consultation: I teach the FunZen Kid in everyone with Inner-parenting (parenting ourselves) through Zen and the Art of Mindfulness.

Roots and Wings Research: We welcome Donations , Love Offerings.

A zen mommie finds the mindful me in mommie, she learns to love (take care of) the me in mommie in tiny mindful heart steps. Here’s a quick example of why self nurturing and boundaries are relevant in modern life. Many people, not just mothers feel like they don’t have enough time and energy to get the things done that they wish to accomplish on any given day. Scientific research has proven that mindfulness reduces stress, boosts your immune system, increases energy, and promotes downtime to replenish the brain, and nurture creativity. The best part is, attention given to the spirit generates energy (or chi power) instead of only spending it.

@SueMonkKidd brilliantly says, “You have to find a mother inside yourself. We all do. Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves inside.”

Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees ❧

Research on naps, meditation, nature walks and the habits of exceptional artists and athletes reveals how mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity.

Testimonials:

“I live her work and have for years.”

Jim Lynch, Author

“Michiko Rolek helped me find my inner core, which has enabled me to succeed in my dreams. She teaches fundamental breathing principles with exercises that are easy to learn, apply and weave into your day. I am so lucky to work with her spirit and light as a guiding force.”

Machel Shull

Author, and Photo Journalist ❧

“Ms. Rolek is creative, fun and innovative in her approach. I encourage ALL parents just to give mindful parenting and FunZen a try. My children and I are living examples of how this approach has changed our lives A coaching session with Ms.Rolek is like experiencing a wish with a little sprinkle of pixie dust.”

Jill Mathews, Mindful Childcare ❧

“Telecoaching and one on one life coaching with Michiko for me as a mother has helped me calm my anxious mind and given me mindful tools to gain perspective on what really matters. Sharing FunZen with my family, husband and two children has been positively life-changing. ”

Elaine Doyle ❧ Accountant

In loving gratitude,

FunZen Girls oxox Michiko (lil mama) and Grace

Twitter: @mindfulposture ❤ Email: michikorolek@gmail.com