Blog Archives

The Importance of Mastering Emotions in Transformation

The Importance of Mastering Emotions in Transformation By far the biggest obstacle thwarting transformation for folks is the third step of the Transformation Process, Mastering Emotions. By far. And this is THE persnickety piece keeping people from achieving personal POWER. For whatever reason, we completely grasp the first two steps of Spirit and Mind. We understand on some level the law of attraction and that thoughts become things. But then we like to skip over step three entirely and move right into Body, cellular memory and energy work. It’s as though we’re fine talking about what our spirits envision and what our minds think. And we’re even fine admitting that we might have residual energy stored somewhere (especially since energy practitioners can take care of that for us). But for some reason, we do NOT like dealing with our emotions. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:38:42-07:00August 2nd, 2013|

The 5 Steps of Transformation: A Personal Power Perspective

The 5 Steps of Transformation: A Personal Power Perspective The path to personal power necessarily requires transformation. In order to Stand in Your Power you must be able to move away from where you don't. Those in personal development circles debate the intricacies of true transformation. And few know better the multidimensionality of human behavior than a former counterintelligence agent with degrees in intercultural communication and critical theory. But here it is, the absolute secret of transformation. Ready for it?? The secret is... It doesn't matter. Really it doesn't. People transform constantly, despite our quest to define it, describe it, control it, guide it, and explain it. People transform because they want to. They perceive the altered state to be better for them or necessary for them and so they persevere through the change process. It's that simple. But I'm going to share my knowledge about it anyway. Why? [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:38:19-07:00July 24th, 2013|

The Ego Wrangler Rides Again: Personal Power Meets Ego

The Ego Wrangler Rides Again: Personal Power Meets Ego Where there’s a soul in trouble, she’ll be there. Where there’s personal power to be gained, she’ll be there. Where there’s a willing spirit in Ego’s clutches, she’ll be there. Where there’s work to be done for the world, the Ego Wrangler will save the day. (First fantasy allegories and now western spoofs…what’s this blog coming to?? Does the quest for personal power know no bounds?) I rode toward the sunset on my trusty steed, power, ready for the day to be over. Though, of course, the Ego Wrangler ‘s job is never truly done. Whether in dreaming or waking the Wrangler battles Ego’s stranglehold and destroys Ego’s grip on the willing. Ego never rests, so neither do I. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:38:28-07:00July 23rd, 2013|

The Allegory of the Snake: Personal Power through Change

The Allegory of the Snake: Personal Power through Change One of the most important aspects of personal POWER development is the concept of change. Few symbols embody death and rebirth as powerfully as the snake. I walked through the cave wondering what awaited me. I saw the eyes shining in the crevices. Bright red-orange eyes glowing from the darkness. So many of them. Hundreds or more. And yet, I felt no fear. I continued to walk deeper into the cave knowing the symbolism, sensing it. I’d been here before in a different time, a different place, but the sense of déjà vu consumed me. Even within the vision I knew the depths of my subconscious and the journey into them. They called to me like home. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:38:36-07:00July 22nd, 2013|

Personal Power and Youth: They Get It

Personal Power and Youth: They Get It Since the topics of race, gender and relationship rights-and-wrongs seem to be hot right now, why not continue? The oh-so-popular-and-wholesome cereal, Cheerios, recently pulled all comments from a commercial on YouTube because the slander got so ridiculous. The issue? A biracial couple with the audacity to procreate. Never mind that the girl in the commercial is adorable and her only concern is her father’s health. And never mind that it’s really only a cereal commercial that actually highlights empathy as a positive childhood trait. It was simply too much for the masses to deal with a blatantly mixed-racial couple. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:35-07:00July 18th, 2013|

A Little Note About Personal Power

A Little Note About Personal Power Personal POWER is true, intrinsic strength. It has nothing to do with inserting your will over others or stepping on people to get what you want. It has everything to do with establishing a foundation of inner knowing and truth for yourself. This foundation is the only possible launch point of great service. In order to truly help others or promote social change from a place of service one must first traverse the waters of personal development. - TDR

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:28-07:00July 17th, 2013|

Confessions of a Bully – Part 2

Confessions of a Bully – Part 2 In the last post on bullying I mentioned the power of our language patterns in encouraging bullying behavior. We use sarcasm, passive aggressive, veiled threats, discipline and totally socially-acceptable conversation patterns to such goodness from each other because it provides temporary soothing to the gaping wound of our own disempowerment. And we wonder why our kids “bully.” (Link to post) This connection between “socially-acceptable conversation patterns” and bullying continues to emerge around me. As I looked deeper into the roots of personal POWER I was led to the concepts of bullying and the persistence of violent behavior. And I found there’s an undeniable thread between how we view other people and our ability to manipulate them to get what we want. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:22-07:00July 16th, 2013|

Confessions of a Bully

Confessions of a Bully When people don’t like themselves very much, they have to make up for it. The classic bully was actually a victim first. Tom Hiddleston Hello, my name is Tonya Dawn…and I’m a bully. Well, I like to think I used to be, but sometimes the knowledge of how to manipulate people runs so deep that I find myself invoking those skills without realizing it. Maybe it’s like any other addiction and the best you can hope for is to actively and consciously choose not to indulge. Regardless, with the current state of the world and conversations popping up about tactics and techniques people use to bend, mold and break others to their will, I figured I might as well come clean. For whatever reason, the concept of bullying continues to emerge in my conversations. I talk to a lot of parents who express concerns [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-05-28T01:22:12-07:00July 15th, 2013|

Due Diligence and Personal Power

Due Diligence and Personal Power Between our due diligence work and our awareness mentoring, we get a lot of questions about whether or not people truly can avoid disasters. The latest incidents seem to involve scared and disgruntled people seeking revenge. Of course, nationally the news about Christopher Dorner had folks asking if he gave any indication of homicidal tendencies before lashing out (CNN article). And on a smaller scale from the Phoenix area we received calls from small businesses afraid they might suffer from the next Harmon-type incident (Yahoo! News article). […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-05-28T01:22:17-07:00July 14th, 2013|

The Personal Power of Pink

The Personal Power of Pink As 2013 picks up steam, life appears to be getting back to the “new normal.” Everyone seemed a bit hesitant to jump right in to business-as-usual following the 2012 ups-and-downs. But the energy feels different now. The energy feels…well, it feels a bit…expectant. Not like the held-breath expectation of months prior, but the steady, confident, pulsing flow of creating. The world is ripe for new ideas and collaborative movements. People want to connect and believe and do stuff that matters. My clients struggle with different things, but they all circle around the same thing…people want purpose. They want to have a purpose, connect with purpose and act on purpose. The single biggest epidemic of our times is people don’t know how to be…on purpose. This is the POWER of Pink™. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:12-07:00July 12th, 2013|

The Personal Power of No

The Personal Power of No (Excerpted from W.A.R. – Watch, Assess, React: The Ultimate Guide to Personal POWER and Safety) I was shocked when I finally grasped the personal POWER of saying no. We hear it all the time, but it seems that the full impact of this tiny little word has been lost on some of us. By simply going though the motions of saying no, with conviction, you send a message to your brain and you body that the situation you’re in isn’t conducive to your well-being and it sets wheels in motion to counter it. Essentially, saying no gives your body and brain permission to fight back. Just the act of saying the word centers your mind and calls upon your resolve. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:18-07:00July 9th, 2013|

Today’s Wonder Woman: A New Personal Power Model

Today’s Wonder Woman: A New Personal Power Model I have to admit upfront that a little girl with an extreme Wonder Woman crush prompted this post and its connection to personal power. Deep in the trenches of princesses and faeries, my 3 year-old daughter integrates feminine energy with her ingrained hero archetype. And when I’m most clear and centered, I see the absolute perfection in how she navigates the various female models thrown at her. I’ll explain further. This image of Cathy Lee Crosby as Wonder Woman in 1974, ironically, represents Today’s Wonder Woman in a very magical way. In all of her creative power, my daughter managed to meet, befriend and adore Cathy Lee. And in turn, Cathy Lee showed her that Super Heroes can have open and loving hearts. This is the true embodiment of personal power and integration of strength and love. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:37:06-07:00July 5th, 2013|

Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness The first step in gaining control over your environment is to start being vigilant. Vigilant is defined as “being alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger.” Anyone who’s been involved with law enforcement knows to be constantly aware of her/his surroundings. This vigilance is called situational awareness. The purpose of being vigilant is to train your eyes, mind and body to remain in a state of awareness that allows you to react to situations more quickly that you could from an unaware state. Truthfully, you should strive to be vigilant at all times. When you get home for the night and are locked away safely from the world, you can let your guard completely down, but until then, it’s best to remain vigilant. Now before you start arguing with me about having to be vigilant at all times, let me help you understand what this means. I like [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-05-28T01:22:30-07:00July 2nd, 2013|

The World Will Be Saved By the Queen

The World Will Be Saved By the Queen I see women. I see a lot of women. Maybe moreso now than ever because of the transition I made in my life. The irony of this is not lost on me since over 5 years ago I wrote the book on seeing (W.A.R. – Watch, Assess, React). But this is different. Now I SEE women. I’ve always seen people. In ways many people don’t. Of course, this was heightened by my military and government training. But I never totally understood all of the information I gathered, especially about women. Now I do and I’m excited…and saddened at the same time. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:36:28-07:00July 1st, 2013|

Do Women Make Better Leaders?

Do Women Make Better Leaders? I keep seeing articles about how women make better leaders and how we must have feminine-energy based leadership models. I concur…sort of. I think that balanced people make better leaders and we must have balance-based leadership models. Historically, women expressed more interest in exploring issues of personal and spiritual development, so it stands to reason there may be more women who actively integrate masculine and feminine energies than men. But, a disempowered, off-balance woman and a disempowered, off-balance man are equally detrimental as leaders. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:36:21-07:00June 30th, 2013|

The Queen Power Era

The Queen Power Era A new era, the Queen power era, is moving forward. “Moving” may be too kind. A new era is rushing, no flooding, no – surg-peding forward. Yes, thats it, precisely, a herd of elephants led by a tsunami…a very apt description. Most women I know walk around these days with a look of utter shock and bewilderment on their faces. They continue to perform their womanly, motherly partner-ly duties, but the feeling of being sucked up into a cyclone of chance and perpetual growth seems rampant. Why? What’s going on that has so many of us reeling? Well, not surprisingly, I have a theory. And my theory is this: the era of woman as the weaker sex truly is coming to an end. I know, I know, this isn’t an original theory, but stick with me on this. Oh, and I realize that the women’s [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-05-28T01:24:02-07:00June 28th, 2013|

Personal Power is THE Solution

Those who stand in their personal POWER powerfully serve. — TDR — As the escalation of turmoil continues in our society and past tried-and-true methods no longer work, thought-leaders frantically search for a solution. The irony is that the solution is simple. I don’t suggest that the very real issues facing us right now are trivial, but their resolution can only come from one place…within. This isn’t a kum-ba-yah-join-hands-and-sing concept. This is deeper and much more serious than that. The very POWER we seek to resolve this mess is the same we carry — and have always carried — inside. In an attempt to touch the surface of this concept, I offer the imagery of head/heart, ego/spirit, separate/integrated, etc. By trying to heal very deep and embedded wounds of our societies and selves, the solution must derive from very deep and embedded aspects of personal POWER. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:36:08-07:00June 26th, 2013|

Birthing a Powerful Message

Birthing a Powerful Message How do you encapsulate over 30 years of experience, self-discovery, training, education, teaching, and gnosis in a succinct, easy-to-use, powerful message? This is the type of question I ask myself…or I did. It’s amazing to me that no matter how many times I remind myself and others that all great works have their own time, place, and energy the process always surprises me. For the last six years, I knew my life’s journey guided me to a very specific place. I knew that place involved speaking, training, guiding, mentoring, writing and serving. I knew it would somehow incorporate my education, experience, self-development, and integration. But how to you take a B.A. in intercultural communication, a M.A. in education/critical theory, an Army enlistment, a spy-chasing career, wifedom, motherhood, and entrepreneurship, wrap it all up and package it in a way that serves the world? [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:36:15-07:00June 24th, 2013|

Personal Power through Integration

Personal Power through Integration Is power masculine? Is power feminine? Is a concept of personal power possible? As my work with women (and the men who find me) continues, I’m amazed by the confusion surrounding the concept of personal power. I first explored this concept in 2007 when I wrote the first version of W.A.R. – Watch, Assess, React: The Ultimate Guide to Personal POWER and Safety. I coined a term POWERinity in the hopes that we start looking at power in unique ways, devoid of gender-specific nuances. I didn’t realize how necessary that concept was until recently. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:34:25-07:00June 15th, 2013|

Eris: Chaos or Personal Power Energy?

Eris: Chaos or Personal Power Energy? I’m really intrigued by the “new” planet, Eris. She speaks to me of all things chaotic, unkempt and wild about women. She represents deep personal power. Immediately these things emerge around Eris: “Bitch” by Meredith Brooks Delilah (as in Samson) Women who Run with Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes Kali And I think about an audio recording I loved by Caroline Myss who told her live audience to guard their personal boundaries and monitor their personal power with her. The first time I listened to her, I couldn’t believe she spoke so boldly and unapologetically about not being sensitive to others’ experiences. But I as listened more, I appreciated what she intended. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:34:56-07:00June 15th, 2013|

Live in the Pink! Personal Power

Live in the Pink! Personal Power (Excerpted from W.A.R. – Watch, Assess, React: The Ultimate Guide to Personal POWER and Safety) The first step in gaining control over your environment is to start being vigilant. Vigilant is defined as “being alertly watchful, especially to avoid danger.” Anyone who’s been involved with law enforcement knows to be constantly aware of her/his surroundings. The purpose of being vigilant is to train your eyes, mind, and body to remain in a state of awareness that allows you to react to situations more quickly that you could from an unaware state. Truthfully, you should strive to be vigilant at al times. When you get home for the night and are locked away safely from the world, you can let your guard completely down, but until then, it’s best to remain vigilant.ved with law enforcement knows to be constantly aware of her/his surroundings. The purpose of being [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-05-28T01:24:25-07:00June 1st, 2013|

It Takes a Village to Teach Personal Power

It Takes a Village to Teach Personal Power Artist: Willow Arlenea designsbywillow.com Over the last couple of months, I’ve developed a new appreciation and deep love for humanity. I also discovered the hidden joys and unimaginable excitement layered deep within this human existence we call life. And I did it all by giving up what most people accept as necessary and embarking on a journey far outside my comfort zone, but…amazingly…deep within myself. My husband and I travel full-time with our 3 year-old daughter. We recently adopted the terms “location independent” and “digital nomads.” We call ourselves The Traveling Faerie Tour (it’s amazing what you’ll do when you fall in love with a child). We packed up our necessary belongings and piled into our minivan endearingly named “Pixie Dust.” […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:34:19-07:00May 20th, 2013|

Here Comes the Snake – Live in the Pink!

Here Comes the Snake – Live in the Pink! As the new Chinese year kicks off, the dragon swims back into her underwater cave for another 12 years. On her journey, she passes the latest zodiac energy emerging from the same watery depths in a purely feminine and transformational way. The black water snake gently cuts the surface of the water with her head held high demonstrating the confidence and knowing of her sign. This imagery lends itself nicely to the Live in the Pink!TM concept. While it provides obvious connections to the rise of feminine energy so readily talked about today, it goes deeper than that. In fact, the entire conversation around feminine and masculine energies goes so much deeper than that…or it should. […]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:33:45-07:00February 13th, 2013|

Integration

Integration Integration is the tearing apart, melting down, merging, rebuilding, pursuit of wholeness. Tonya Dawn Recla

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:34:13-07:00February 1st, 2013|

Powerinity – Very Personal Power

Powerinity – Very Personal Power I get a lot of questions regarding my use of the word POWERinity. Rightly so, I made it up. It started out sort of whimsically, but it represents a very powerful concept. Back in 2007 when I first penned (typed, word processed…sigh…it just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?) W.A.R. – Watch, Assess, React: The Ultimate Guide to Personal POWER and Safety. (Amazon link) I struggled with the inevitable connection between femininity and power was in its relative infancy and I wanted to make a distinction between anything that conjured gender specificity and intrinsic power. I searched and searched for a term, but nothing quite fit…so I made one up. The following is an excerpt from the second edition of W.A.R. This holiday season let’s allow these words to remind us of our personal responsibility to be the best we can be, regardless [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:34:34-07:00December 8th, 2012|

I Solemnly Swear…

I Solemnly Swear… Sunday was Veteran’s Day. I did two things I’ve never done before. I posted this picture of me in uniform on Facebook and I took Applebee’s up on their offer of a free meal. But I struggled with both of these. You see, I didn’t have a real illustrious Army career. The down and dirty is I completed my master’s degree in 2001, a few months before 9/11. That shattering event, and my indecision regarding my next career, led me to the Army recruiter’s door. So at 27 years old with a master’s degree I enlisted in the Army (I chose to enlist rather than pursue a commission as an officer because there was only one job I wanted – counterintelligence. I could get the guaranteed job or the commission, not both…I chose E4). One year and four months later the Army medically discharged me. [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:33:32-07:00November 13th, 2012|

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Faerie

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Faerie Artist: Tom Dunlap ArtbyDunlap.com I recently had the distinct pleasure of participating in the AZ Goddess Conference at the Peaceful Spirit Enrichment Center. It was a first for me and I’ll certainly partake again and again. The camaraderie felt amazing, the love flowed powerfully and the combined feminine energy lit fires that will change the world. While I’m sure the experience meant something specific to each woman present, for me it precipitated a huge life change. The conference concluded the day before my daughter and I set out on an adventurous, nomadic phase of our lives. At the beginning of October, my husband and I made the decision to forego traditional housing. While he served the country in Afghanistan, I stored our valuables, packed our van and bid sayonara to our abode as my daughter and I drove off into [...]

Tonya Dawn Recla2021-06-15T22:33:39-07:00November 5th, 2012|