Patricia L. Atchison

YA Fiction & Non Fiction Author

Published Articles

Anna Linder ~ The Book Of Emotions – Completion Update

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Every now and then a project comes along which speaks to my heart and I know I must answer the call to write. The e-Book, The Book of Emotions, designed and compiled in 2017, by graphic designer, Anna Linder, shows Anna’s love of design and heart expression. She created the idea of an emotional directory and invited authors to participate in the, ‘how it feels to feel’, project by submitting works which reflected a journey of the definition of what an emotion felt like to them. While she completes the edits and final compilation of the project, I thought I would share the specific emotions (chapters) I wrote about.

If you would love to read the complete e-Book, sections can be downloaded at bookofemotions.annalinder.com/blog/ . If you would like to write a readers review, Anna would love to hear from you. [Read more…] about Anna Linder ~ The Book Of Emotions – Completion Update

Elevate Your Spirit – Pillar Four (of four) Inspired by the Shin Dao Institute

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I had the honour and pleasure of being asked to write a series of articles for the Shin Dao Institute’s Heart and Mind Matters Newsletter in the fall of 2016. The fourth article is based on the fourth Pillar of the Shin Dao Philosophy – that of “Elevate Your Spirit”. In this article, I talk about – having a wild or domesticated spirit.

Are You Wild or Domesticated?
by Patricia L. Atchison (Heart and Mind Matters 12/13/2016)

Ah, the spirit. I’ve been thinking of my own definition of ‘spirit’ and what it means to ‘Elevate your Spirit’ (the last of the Four Guiding Pillars of the Shin Dao). A simple definition of Spirit by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:

•    the force within a person that is believed to give the body life, energy, and power
•    the inner quality or nature of a person
•    a person

I always think of horses when I think of a definition similar to the above. In central Alberta, by Sundre, we have wild horses. (Google: Wild Horses West of Sundre.) They roam free, unencumbered by fences and owners. I can feel their spirits soaring as they look over the foothills, their manes flowing and swaying with the breeze. They canter, gallop, and step freely in only a way that a wild horse can. (As a side note, biologist’s figure that the wild horses of Alberta were all once domesticated, but they have broken away from the herds.)

There are also domestic horses. Over the centuries horses have been trained and ‘broken’ to be work or entertaining animals. I’ve haven’t personally seen a horse ‘broke’ other than in a movie (or read about it in a book). What I’ve learned is that horses are worked around and around an arena or corral and motivated into relaxed movement that soon takes their ‘spirit’ and squelches it, molding it into a way that the animal will suit a particular job (etc.) per the owner’s needs.

So we have one horse, which is free to live with their spirit roaming wild, and another horse who has had their spirit tamped into a manageable focus. Do you see how this analogy above could be the same as our own lives?
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Open Your Heart Article – Pillar Three (of four) Inspired by the Shin Dao Institute

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I had the honour and pleasure of being asked to write a series of articles for the Shin Dao Institute’s Heart and Mind Matters Newsletter in the fall of 2016. The third article is based on the third Pillar of the Shin Dao Philosophy – that of “Open Your Heart”. This pillar is key to living your life with greater love and joy. In this article, I talk about – thinking with your heart or your head.

Thinking With Your Heart or Your Head
by Patricia L. Atchison (Heart and Mind Matters 12/06/2016)

I met a person several years ago, an acupuncturist, who I really feel saved my life. I was having so many issues and didn’t know where to turn. This person knew exactly what I needed, and especially what I needed to hear. The healing comments were sparse, but when they came, they were real zingers. They struck me to the core.

One such statement, after a brief conversation about my physical ailments and personal troubles was, “Ah, Patricia, always thinking with the heart and not the mind.”
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Inspire Your Mind Article – Pillar Two (of four) Inspired by the Shin Dao Institute

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I had the honour and pleasure of being asked to write a series of articles for the Shin Dao Institute’s Heart and Mind Matters Newsletter in the fall of 2016. The second article is based on the second Pillar of the Shin Dao Philosophy – that of “Inspire Your Mind”. In this article, I talk about – You Are What You Read.

You Are What You Read
by Patricia L. Atchison (Heart and Mind Matters 11/29/2016)

We have four separate, yet wholly sustaining entities, that make up our ‘selves ‘ or our ‘being’. You’ve no doubt heard about the Mind, Heart, Body and Spirit connections. All function as a whole, but are often separated as individual pieces in written articles, general topics of discussion, and courses that are offered everywhere, such as: Learn How to Open Your Heart; Listen to Body Wisdom; Gain Spiritual Growth; Mindfulness 101.

One of the guiding principles of the Shin Dao Institute is, “Inspire Your Mind”. An easy task, but what does “Inspire Your Mind” really mean?
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Develop Your Body Article – Pillar One (of four) Inspired by the Shin Dao Institute

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I had the great honour and pleasure of being asked to write a series of articles for the Shin Dao Institute’s Heart and Mind Matters Newsletter in the fall of 2016. The first article is based on the first Pillar of the Shin Dao Philosophy – that of “Develop Your Body”. In this article, I take an enlightened look at:  If my body could speak – what would she say to me?

Ever ask your Body, “Hey how’s it going?”
by Patricia L. Atchison (Heart and Mind Matters 11/22/2016)

I was introduced to Nia dance fitness several years ago when looking for a new way to stay active and healthy. I took classes with Tina Thrussell and immersed myself into Nia’s first principle, Joy of Movement, sensing Life Force Energy, moving ‘Your Body’s Way’. This led me down a path of getting to know my body. Who is she, this package of bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, joints, organs, etc., etc. ?

The practice of Nia discusses sensing your body. How could I sense something which I had ignored for too many years to count?
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Anna Linder ~ The Book Of Emotions

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Every now and then a project comes along that speaks to my heart and I know I must answer the call to write. One ongoing project, to be published in its entirety by the end of 2017, is the e-Book, The Book of Emotions, designed by Anna Linder. Anna is a Graphic Designer, who is sharing her love of design and heart expression by creating the idea of an emotional directory. She wishes for it to become, “a small encyclopedia on emotions for anybody and everybody who needs guidance”. Each month she invites writers to share their thoughts and insights on “how it feels to feel” on a particular emotion.

I answered the call to write on the emotion of, Support, for publication in the third chapter of The Book of Emotions. I am so thrilled to be accepted and published along with these fabulous authors: Amy Barfield Martin, Kristina Johnson, Tracy Stamper, Bretton Keating and Lysa Black .

Anna created a website and Facebook page for her heartfelt project, and is continually engaging people to read, write and become involved. Be sure to delve into The Book of Emotions ~ Chapter Three – Support.