Suzanne Eder is one who encourages people to live an awake and inspired life. She knows that in order to do so, she needs to ‘walk her talk.’ I imagine that for her, each day is a brand new/grand new opportunity to do so.
How do you live your bliss?
I live my bliss by consciously seeking to connect with, honor and empower my soul’s longings. These longings are revealed by asking my heart of hearts, “What do I most want to create, give or experience?” For me this has translated again and again into creating work I truly love, and so I live my bliss when I teach and inspire a group, when I support a client in realizing a breakthrough and when I write something that arises from a fresh insight or revelation. And I also live my bliss when I read or witness something that moves me, when I take time for self-connection in my journal and when I surrender fully to my practices of prayer and meditation. But it’s important to note that our longings aren’t always the big, deep ones that have to do with changing the world. They are our authentic, moment-to-moment impulses that call us to rest when we are tired, reach out when we need support and dance when our bodies are alive with movement. Or maybe hang out in the sun with a few cats!
You create what I call a ‘mainstream to metaphysical’ bridge for people to cross. How do you translate those concepts?
What a great question! It’s one that I keep open all the time: How DO I translate these concepts in a way that is useful to others? First I seek to live them, to explore and experiment and see how these concepts work for me, here in this life, with bills to pay. I also ask myself questions such as, “If I was living in accordance with what I say I believe, what would that look like?” and “What is it that seems to confuse people most often? What might they be missing or misunderstanding?” and “How can we ground this into 3-D reality without falling prey to fear and losing its essence?” Just asking those kinds of questions stimulates deeper insights and opens new places to explore.
I also rely on the great education I received at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. Since Barbara is a physicist, everything was taught within the framework of understanding the energetic, vibrational nature of our universe. The language of energy seems to connect with both metaphysical and mainstream people.
What is Solid Ground?
Solid Ground is the name of my business, which is all about helping people live what I call an “awake and inspired life”: awake to their innate divinity and magnificence and led or inspired by the evolutionary impulse of their souls’ longings. I chose that name for two reasons: one, as a reminder of the need always to ground spiritual principles into our bodies, our lives and our world so that we are fully empowered by them; and two, as a call to remember and connect with the Ground of Being that is our true source of eternal Life.
Some pointers for finding peace in the midst of chaos?
Breathe! I’m always amazed at the great power of pausing to take slow, deep breaths. Bring your attention into your body. And in that pause, consciously look for the deeper truth beneath the surface situation. Something great may now be ready for your attention, ready to emerge. Or perhaps you are now ready to release something that no longer serves you.
Chaos opens up tremendous opportunity for change and transformation, and if we can remember that and find ways to stay grounded and centered, we can respond with curiosity. Again, asking the right questions can really help, questions such as, “If I assume this is serving me in some way, what might that be?” “What part of me wants expression now?” “How might this reflect where I am on my evolutionary journey?” “What might be ready to emerge now?” “What truth have I been ignoring that I am now ready to acknowledge?”
And learn to make friends with fear, rather than denying it or caving into it! Listen to what it has to say without agreeing with it, see if there is anything useful in it, then discard the rest. Definitely a skill that requires practice!
How did you discover your own passions and put them to work/play in your life?
I discovered them by what I call “following the tingle.” I just kept putting my nose into things that interested me, and they kept evolving and expanding and calling me to go further. First it was teaching aerobics, then it was learning about healthy exercise and eating habits, then opening myself to learning about mind-body-spirit health and healing, and so it grew. Early on I was deeply inspired by Shakti Gawain, a pioneer in the New Age movement. I loved not only what she said, but who she was. When I listened to her at a conference as the keynote speaker, I thought to myself: “That’s what I want to do with my life! I want to teach and speak and write about things that really enlighten and help people!” Naturally I talked myself out of it as soon as the thought occurred – after all, it wasn’t remotely practical to my corporate, financial analyst mind – and so the work became learning to recognize it AS my soul’s longing and my deepest purpose, to honor it and find ways to cultivate it. And a big part of the journey is learning to navigate the fears and doubt without allowing them to stop me.
Who inspires you?
I am, and have been, inspired by so many people. Shakti Gawain, as I mentioned, Barbara Brennan, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Marianne Williamson, Tama Kieves, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, and anyone who dares to step out of our culturally conditioned mindset, listen to their own wisdom and live the life they are called to live.
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