Dear Dance Leader, Congratulations and Welcome!

Dear Dance Leader,

Congratulations and welcome! Over the next 12 weeks, you will begin your journey toward creating a life that overflows with purpose. I have a deep respect for you, because you have shown up and demonstrated your commitment to the dance. You’ve chosen to follow your heart and take action toward making your dreams a reality.

The worksheets and videos are designed so you have at your fingertips what has worked for me in the decade I’ve been a dance entrepreneur. I created this training to save you the time, energy, and expense of going about it alone. I’ve learned this information over the years, through trial and error and from my teachers, all compiled here for you to use as a tool during and after the training. I don’t expect you will grasp or need this knowledge all at once. Use these worksheets and videos as a reference as you create and grow your dance, and as inspiration when you get stuck.

In this training, you will be asked to do a lot of self inquiry. This is for your benefit and for your eyes only, so try to be as honest as you can when filling out the questions. Remember, you are creating this business to serve both your community and the world. But it must also serve you. For me, leading a dance and running a business has been a path of the soul, guiding me forward every step of the way. I believe there are many spirits of the dance that guide us, but we must ask questions, listen deeply, and be willing to do the hard work necessary for success.

If you have received the call to bring dance into the world, the world will meet you. Things you need will show up. People will emerge to help. Pay attention and meet them.

The world desperately needs more dance, and is asking people like you to get out of your own way, trust the guidance that comes, and continue to move forward with your vision, one small step at a time. When I started Ecstatic Dance Oakland, I had many fears, and often felt I was fumbling forward without a map. Despite the fears and the fumbles, I always felt guided by the spirit of the dance. I still feel guided by that spirit every day. I still get scared. But I do it anyway. And so can you.

Remember, if you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.

I’m truly excited and privileged to have this opportunity to share the best of what I’ve learned. I’m honored to train with you.

With all my love and support, Donna Carroll

May we share the moment; the infinite May we gather together, choosing to see the beauty in each other May we fully receive the gifts of one another's presence, the music and the space May we silence our voices in order to hear the communication available through our bodies May we have the courage to let go of our cool dance to make room for the dance that's yearning to emerge May we embrace the chaos, knowing all great change is preceded by chaos May we meet each other where we are and invite one another to somewhere new May we dance with those no longer with us and for those who cannot dance May we recognize the holiness of wherever a dancer walks May we dance until our feet are burning & our hearts are buzzing -Donna Carroll

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action. And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, not how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly—to keep the channel open. -Martha Graham

ECSTATIC DANCE OAKLAND MISSION STATEMENT Ecstatic Dance Oakland joins hundreds of individuals together as a supportive community every week to dance wildly and freely in a safe, inspiring and substance-free space. People connect with themselves, spirit and one another through freeform dance and music.

ECSTATIC DANCE INTERNATIONAL MISSION STATEMENT Transcending language, cultural and personal barriers, Ecstatic Dance enables millions to connect through freeform dance and music all over the globe at regularly scheduled substance-free gatherings.

ATTRIBUTION

I love sharing my knowledge (intellectual property), and love having you share it as well. I ask that you attribute any information, including wording, quotes, exercises, etc. that you use from these worksheets, or any of my teachings, to Ecstatic Dance International and/or Donna Carroll.

2 SUPPORT WORKING AS AN ENTREPRENEUR

Working as an entrepreneur is a roller coaster ride. You can go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows overnight. You will be challenged. You will want to give up and give in. It will feel very lonely at times–like no one understands what you’re going through. You may even have successes and look around and feel like there’s nobody to celebrate with you. Below, I outline the strategies that have helped me build a healthy relationship with my work as an entrepreneur. One of the best books about being an entrepreneur I’ve read is The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy. I highly recommend it if you want to understand what it’s like to be an entrepreneur and how to create strategies for success. Here are a few:

● Create a beautiful place you can sit at every day for a few hours. Find a regular schedule that works for you. Stick to it. Building anything takes time and diligent effort, which is often boring and sometimes frustrating. Putting one foot in front of the other, however slowly, is the key to success. Note: your desk should not be in your bedroom if at all possible. A kitchen table or dining room table can make a nice desk.

● Understand your personal daily energy flow. I do my best work in the morning, so I always start work by 8am. I treat my morning work time as sacred and focus on creating during that time, eliminating distractions. In the afternoons, I answer emails, have meetings or appointments, and study.

● As an entrepreneur, there’s no natural on/off switch to your work life. You need to create work rituals to tell yourself when you’re working and when you’re not so you don’t get burned out. For me, I make myself a pot of tea every morning as I sit down to work. That signals to my brain that it’s go time. At the end of my work day, I turn off my computer and make dinner. I keep Saturdays as my sacred day off from work.

● I create a weekly flow with my time and focus on what I need to get done for the week. At the start of every week, I plan out my week and my ‘to do’ list, creating one main goal, or focus, for the week. I have an accountability buddy I check in with every Monday morning at 10am, telling her what I commit to doing that week. If something challenged us, we talk it out and support one another through

3 it. Having an accountability buddy has made a huge difference in getting the important things completed–being proactive instead of reactive.

● A strong support network will help you stay focused and inspired. I have a Mastermind Group of four women I meet with every other week to talk about our businesses. I highly suggest creating something that works for you. Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely activity, and having the support of others who are also on a similar path is essential.

Don’t wait for permission to think outside the box, to make up your own rules, to add or subtract, and to always follow your own needs and passion. Remember, you are creating this business to serve YOU. If it does not serve you spiritually, financially, and energetically, it will not last long.

TEN MYTHS ABOUT BUSINESS By Gabrielle Pelicci, Ph.D.

My transition from Healer to Entrepreneur is a fairly recent one. Even though I’ve been self-employed for two decades, I’ve never considered myself a “business woman.” In fact, I’ve often thought of “business people” as greedy, self-serving, entitled or power-hungry—a clan of Voldemorts in a Harry Potter world.

Last weekend, I participated in a 3-day business retreat with 80 entrepreneurs as part of a year-long program of conscious collaboration called the 108 Collective. Never having attended anything like this before, I had no idea what to expect. Little did I know the transformation that was in store for me. I experienced a radical change in perspective and had many ‘a-ha’ moments as I immersed myself in the lessons, conversations and community.

Here are 10 personal myths about business that have shifted for me:

1. Business is rational I use to think that business was a left-brained practice of numbers, strategy, and analytics—void of emotion and spirit. I assumed that the better the business, the less human messiness was involved. Conscious business, however, is an expression of the soul, a personal journey of growth. It taps into the creativity and meaning-making of the

4 right-brain as much as the statistics of the left. Business is just as irrational and intuitive as it is logical. And sometimes that means thrashing around in our madness until we find clarity again.

2. Business is transactional By definition, business is about trade, occupation, and enterprise. I assumed that the sole focus should be on the customer or the transaction. In my business, I left myself out of the equation—and as a result, I started to feel sick, bored and burnt-out. In conscious business, you serve yourself before you serve the other. What kind of life do you want? What are your values and ethos? What will you build that will sustain you as much as the ‘other’? Without this focus or awareness, we create empires that destroy us.

3. Business is impersonal I thought that business decisions were based on money, the market and other impersonal variables. I had heard so many horror stories of professional people sacrificing their health and happiness to meet some crazy, unrealistic deadlines. Conscious business is personal. It cannot be separated from your preferences and values. It’s only as strong and sustainable as you. It’s a reflection of who you are (good and bad) and what you love and what you resist. If your business is not aligned with your life, it’s probably not going to survive.

4. Business is boring I avoided business because I didn’t want to be trapped in monotony. Like doing time-tables in math class, I thought that business must be dull and repetitive to be effective. I was wrong. Conscious business pushes boundaries and thrives on the cutting edge of thought. It is creative, dynamic, revolutionary, challenging and, most of all, fun. Business that evolves and changes is much more successful than static business. In fact, business that stays the same often dies a slow painful death. If your business isn’t inspiring you, then you’re probably not doing it right.

5. Business is linear I assumed that business was supposed to grow like a line graph, a steady climb to a mountain summit. I thought that you made that ascent by following instructions, like the white-sheet papers in an IKEA box. Business is anything but stable and predictable. It’s organic, alive and subject to swift changes like the weather. Business also move in circles as it goes through cycles of life, death and rebirth. The lack of predictability and steadiness makes business a fascinating puzzle that constantly needs to be assembled and reassembled as it evolves.

5 6. Business is self-serving I thought that business served the interests of the stakeholders—regardless of how it impacted the environment or the less fortunate. With the widening gap between rich and poor, I assumed that business was based on scarcity and the goal was to grab as much as you could before there was nothing left a.k.a. every man for himself. Conscious business serves a greater good and protects high ideals. It believes in a world where there is more than enough for everyone. It trusts that a rising tide lifts all and prosperity is better when it’s shared.

7. Business is destructive Pollution, deforestation, sweat factories, child labor—these were some of the many visions that came to mind when I thought of modern business. I assumed that business had to be destructive in order to keep the economy growing. While this is sadly true for many industries, conscious business also creates solutions. Business builds solar panels, vaccines, and eco-friendly fashion. It also cultivates relationships and communities that enhance a sense of belonging. With the right intention, business can make a better world.

8. Business is manipulative I have been influenced to buy new clothes, dye my hair, and paint my face because of business ads in a beauty magazine. I didn’t really want to do those things, but I did them anyway. I thought that business was devious because of its power over me. But not all business wants to make me feel bad so I will spend money. Conscious business wants to uplift and empower me. It wants to give me the tools to transform my life. I know this because I operate a conscious business and I would never create insecurity to make a sale.

9. Business is masculine I thought business was not only led by men, but built on the masculine ideals of dominance, competitiveness, and independence. I didn’t really think that my feminine, holistic approach would survive in business. I assumed that I had to stay on the “outside,” on the fringe, to avoid compromise and conformity. As it turns out, feminine traits like patience, empathy and intuition are essential for my business. My female ways are not only valuable, they are my best asset.

10. Business is material Who would have thought that there was so much spirituality in business? Some of the most successful entrepreneurs believe deeply in concepts like serendipity, law of attraction and love. I assumed that business was void of soul because I never saw it

6 advertised on the brochure. Now all I see are conscious business owners coming out of the spiritual closet and wearing their beliefs on their sleeve. It’s so refreshing to be surrounded by people who are willing to let their light shine and be a beacon in the world.

It’s ironic that I had these assumptions, given the fact that I’ve always struggled against the misconceptions surrounding healing arts—namely that we are “woo-woo people” who think we are doing medicine when we are actually doing magic tricks. The truth is that nothing is all good or all bad. There are no Voldemorts or Harry Potters, no bad entrepreneurs or good healers. The monsters we battle are the beliefs that are holding us back, the self-imposed limitations and the blind-spots in our perspective. Luckily, I have 80 new companions to hold up a mirror to me and help me see the best and worst in my reflection, and give me the push to break through.

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