Owning the Zone with Colli Christante - final interview by Brendhan Rohan

Owning the Zone

Owning the Zone with Colli Christante

10:59 am in Interviews by Brendan Rohan

Here we are back with Colli Christante, kinesiologist and author of the forthcoming book “In Search of the Zone”.

Q. I see in your profile you have written a book called ”Owning the Zone”. Could you tell us what inspired it?

The documentary is called “Owning the Zone”. The book is “In Search of the Zone” and was inspired from what I experienced during a performance at the age of 11.

Rehearsals went amazing yet when it came to the actual performance something was missing. That night my quest began. To experience being in the Zone. Many athletes go through this. It is an elixir for an athlete. Through all my years as an athlete and Kinesiologist I have now refined the process and I can guarantee anyone that if you work with me you will experience the Zone and have the strategies to enter at will.

Q. How long has the project taken to complete – from thinking about writing to the eventual final copy?

I am still in the process of completing the book, however, the idea for the book came prior to meeting with ESPN at Hot Docs in Toronto in 1996. They were extremely interested in my documentary and the possibility of the book to go with it.

I have had a publisher express interest and so that has really motivated me to get it completed. The creative process is a unique and wonderful experience. It is almost complete. Once it is I guarantee you that you will be included as one of the first people to know.

Q. Were there things that you wished to have included in the book? Will these things be written into a follow up / sequel?

Interesting question Brendan. I strongly feel one of the reasons the book has not completed itself is because there were things that needed to be told, wanted to be added. Situations, experiences that needed to be revealed.

Q Have you written other material – you know, training manuals, etc?

Yes, I have written other things. Articles for various magazines, articles for Ezines ( Electronic Magazines ) , Self Growth.com, concepts for TV programs. Created and wrote “Owning the Zone” pilot, a Woman’s show called “Somewhere I Belong” and I am working on another book (cannot reveal name as of yet:)

Also created, developed various programs and manuals. “The Art ‘n Science of Responsible Communication” was one such program and manual. This program and manual were used in facilitating coaches at the Canadian Figure Skating Association in Ottawa Canada. The same is true of another course and manual I created “The Art n’ Tool of the Question” taught to private investigators but cannot reveal which firm it was for.

I have also developed various other courses and love facilitating them – love sharing information.

Q. When will the book be launched? Will there be a media release of some kind that will go with the launch?

The documentary, “In Search of the Zone” has not been released so no media coverage has been done. As I mentioned, the interest is there so I am sure once it is released the media will enjoy it with a touch of controversy which I love.

Q. What are your hopes for your readers? Want do you want them to get out of having read your work?

My hope and wish for my readers is that they not only feel and hear but also see themselves in similar experiences and know that they too can reclaim the missing pieces of their life and become whole and complete. What an experience! It is the best gift one can give to themselves because it affects 7 generations in either direction. What a gift Kinesiology is. We are blessed to have had the experience of Kinesiology and to be a Kinesiologist.

Q. Inspiration is the key to so much in life. Did you use personal stories to inspire your readers?

Brendan I totally agree with you. Inspiration is key in life. Yes, I do use my stories to inspire my readers and in some way my stories inspire my clients. My clients also seem to take personal interest in how I came to Kinesiology but I have to remind them Kinesiology called me.

At some level I wanted to heal and knew that in order to do so I needed to uncover my deepest wounds – kinesiology peeled through the layers and now I bring this gift to others.

There is nothing more precious than being free in one’s own skin. What a gift. Stories run deep. My childhood was a roller coaster and life experience has been deep. Far from being a shallow person, sometimes very intense but the best of all is I love who I am and what I do.

Q. Are there any plans for other materials in the Colli Christante library? You know Dvd’s ( nearly said video’s – but that’s so 1980’s ), music or audio’s?

Yes, there are other plans for more material to be added. The other book I am writing which is my life story (so many people have told me I must write this) and Owning the Zone documentary will get made.

There will be downloads from an Internet TV show I am in the midst of creating – all will be revealed soon and again you will be one of the first to be informed.

Boy you are busy! Do you even have time to see clients lol!

Q What are your plans for the future as a kinesiologist and therapist?

My future as a Kinesiologist and therapist is very clear. I will only be working with clients that are very committed to becoming Champions in all areas of their life. This means they have to undergo a screening process to qualify to work with me and then commit in a way they may never have had to for anything else. This is the full meal deal.

I agree with you Colli that you have to have committed clients. In my practice, I adopted the mindset that I only would see ‘professional clients’; people who were dedicated to themselves, their creative vision ( and not their previous story ) and the work we did… It’s an equal transaction… “professional therapist + professional client = professional results”.

Q Do you teach workshops and speak in public? Where can people see you in action?

Yes, I do speak in public and teach workshops – I have created various seminars, workshops, talks – love to share information.

Currently in negotiation with an organization to do seminars across Canada in 2011. The best way for people to see me in action is to check my profile page and website http://www.inner-expression.com for upcoming dates.

Q. Last but not least, any plans to travel and teach in Australia or overseas to Canada?

I would love to travel and teach. I have so much information to share. This is one of my dreams, goals. To share this with other Kinesiologists and therapists. All I have experienced. The science and art behind the difference that makes the difference.

Brendan, let me know when you want me to come to Australia and I am there for you. To be part of your dream, journey and to be your first featured Kinesiologist has been a real honor.

Colli, thank you for a wonderful series of interviews. You are very inspirational and you illustrate that there are many different ways that you can lead a rich and fulfilling life as a kinesiologist other than just being ‘the traditional clinical therapist’.

When starting out, many new kinesiology people try to ‘fit the mold’ of ‘being a kinesiologist’ and forget that Kinesiology is a tool. A tool in their hands that brings more than ‘balance’ or better health… butcommunicates the therapists own unique, creative spirit to the spirit of the people that they work with.

Congratulations on providing your clients with an inspiring example that is yourself! And congratulations on ‘being bigger’ than ‘the tool’ and fitting your kinesiology work into YOUR greater expression!

To find out more about Colli Christante, see her 1st and 2nd interviews and visit her profile page.

Man's Past Has Been Very Stupid

Man’s Past Has Been Very Stupid… (Part 1)

Man’s past has been very stupid, and the whole stupidity has arisen out of a life-negative approach, attitude. And all the religions in the past have supported the life-negative approach. Not the Buddhas, not the Christs, not the Zarathustras, but the priests. It is the professional religious man who has been exploiting the names of the Buddhas, the Christs, the Zarathustras, who has been exploiting the masses.

The priest has found it very helpful to keep people life-negative, because the moment a person is life-negative he becomes weak. And it is easy to exploit the weak, to enslave the weak. It is easy to dominate the weak, to destroy the weak.

Hence the priest has found that two things are very essential for man’s strength, freedom, consciousness – and both have to be destroyed. One is food, the other is sex – both are basic instincts. Food is needed for the individual to survive, and sex is needed for the race to survive. Without food and sex humanity will disappear. Knowing this, that these are the essential requirements of a really alive man, priests have been against both, and they have supported fasting and they have supported celibacy. Because they have supported fasting they have made people food-obsessed. Any religion that has fasting as its orientation – for example, Jainism – is bound to create food-obsession in its followers. And any religion that is rooted in its opposition to sex is bound to create sex-obsession.

Pornography is a by-product of your so-called religions. It is a religious phenomenon – excuse me! It is because of your priests that pornography exists. And it is not a new thing, it is as ancient as man. Khajuraho, Konarak, Puri – what are they? Pornography in sculpture. And you can go to the most ancient caves and you will always find pornography of some kind or other. You can look into folk literature, folk songs, folk stories, and you will always find them pornographic.

Excerpted from Osho, The White Lotus, Chapter 10


Next article: Man’s Past Has Been Very Stupid… (Part 2)

Do You Feel Worthy of Love?

Living Outside the Circle 

In my consulting work, I have worked with many people who feel so unworthy of love. This makes them feel the want to keep their door closed and now their heart is suffering but they have forgotten where the door is.

It is one of the crimes that has been committed against everybody everywhere in human society: you have been continuously conditioned and told that you are unworthy.


Because of this conditioning, the major part of humanity has given up even desiring any adventure, any pilgrimage to the stars; they are so convinced of their unworthiness. Their parents were telling them, “You are unworthy.” Their teachers were telling them, “You are unworthy.” Their priests were telling them, “You are unworthy.” Everybody was forcing the idea on them that they were unworthy. Naturally they accepted the idea.


Once you accept the idea of unworthiness, you naturally close. You cannot believe that you have wings, that the whole sky is yours, that you have just to open your wings and the sky is going to be yours, with all its stars.


It is not a question of somewhere you have forgot to open one door. You don’t have any doors, you don’t have any walls. This unworthiness is simply a concept, an idea. You have become hypnotized by the idea.


Since the very beginning, all cultures, all societies have been using hypnotism to destroy individuals — their freedom, their uniqueness, their genius — because the vested interests are not in need of geniuses, not in need of unique individuals, not in need of people who love freedom. They are in need of slaves, and the only psychological way to create slaves is to condition your mind that you are unworthy, that you don’t deserve anything; that you don’t even deserve whatever you have, you should not go for anything more. Already you owe too much for things which you are not worthy of.


Hypnotism is a simple process of continuous repetition. Just go on repeating a certain idea and it starts settling inside you, and it becomes a thick wall, invisible. There are no doors, no windows; there is no wall either.


George Gurdjieff has remembered his childhood.... He was born in the Caucasus, one of the most primitive parts of the world. It is still at the stage where humanity was when it lived through hunting; even cultivation has not started. The people of the Caucasus are great hunters and any society that lives by hunting is bound to be a nomadic society. It cannot make houses, it cannot make cities, because you cannot depend on animals. Today they are available here, tomorrow they are not available here. Certainly you will kill them, and because of your presence they will escape; either they will be killed or they will escape.


Gurdjieff was brought up by a nomadic society, so he was coming from almost another planet. He knew a few things which we have forgotten. He remembers that in his childhood the nomads hypnotized their children, because they cannot carry them continuously while they are hunting. They have to leave them somewhere under a tree, in a safe place. But what is the guarantee that those children will remain there? They have to be hypnotized. So they used a small strategy, and they have used it for centuries.


From the very beginning when the child is very small, they will make him sit under a tree. They will draw a circle around the child with a stick and tell him, “You cannot go out of this circle; if you go out of it, you will be dead.”


Now those small children believe, just like you. Why are you Christian?...because your parents told you. Why are you Hindus? Why are you Jainas? Why are you Mohammedans?...because your parents told you.


Those children believe that if they go out of the circle they will die. They grow up with this conditioning. You may try to persuade them: “Come out, I will give you a sweet.” They cannot, because death.... Even sometimes if they try, they feel as if an invisible wall prevents them, pushes them back into the circle. That wall exists only in their minds; there is no wall, there is nothing. Unless the person who has put them in the circle comes and withdraws the circle, takes the child out, the child remains inside.


The child goes on growing but the idea remains in the unconscious. So even an old man, if his father draws a circle around him, cannot get out of it. So it is not only a question of the child; the old man also still carries his childhood in his unconscious. It is not a question of one child. The whole group of nomads have put their children under trees nearby, and all the children are sitting there the whole day long. By the time their parents come back, it has become such a conditioning that no matter what happens, the child will not leave the circle.


Exactly the same kind of circles are drawn around you by your society. Of course they are more sophisticated. Your religion is nothing but a circle, but very sophisticated; your church, your temple, your holy book is nothing but a hypnotic circle.


One has to understand that one is living surrounded by many circles which are only in your mind. They don’t have a real existence, but they function almost as if they are real.


It is simply a conditioning that you are unworthy. Nobody is unworthy. Existence does not produce people who are unworthy. Existence is not unintelligent. If existence produces so many unworthy people, then the whole responsibility goes to existence. Then it can be definitely concluded that existence is not intelligent, that there is no intelligence behind it, that it is an unintelligent, accidental materialist phenomenon and there is no consciousness in it. This is our whole fight, our whole struggle: to prove that existence is intelligent, that existence is immensely conscious.


It is the same existence which creates Gautam Buddhas. It cannot create unworthy people. You are not unworthy. So there is no question of finding a door; there is only an understanding that unworthiness is a false idea imposed on you by those who want you to be a slave for your whole life.


You can drop it just right now. Existence gives the same sun to you as to Gautam Buddha, the same moon as to Zarathustra, the same wind as to Mahavira, the same rain as to Jesus. It makes no difference, it has no idea of discrimination. For existence, Gautam Buddha, Zarathustra, Lao Tzu, Bodhidharma, Kabir, Nanak or you are just the same. The only difference is that Gautam Buddha did not accept the idea of being unworthy, he rejected the idea.


So drop the idea of unworthiness, it is simply an idea. And with the dropping of it, you are under the sky .There is no question of doors; everything is open, all directions are open. That you are is enough to prove that existence needs you, loves you, nourishes you, respects you.


The idea of unworthiness is created by the social parasites. Drop that idea. Be grateful to existence...because it only creates people who are worthy, it never creates anything which is worthless. It only creates people who are needed.


My emphasis is that every sannyasin should respect himself and feel grateful to existence that he has been required to be here at this juncture of time and space.


Osho Beyond Enlightenment

Colli_Christante_Quest for the Zone Begins

Becoming a Kinesiologist (Part 11)

In this weeks interview with our featured member Colli Christante, we are “reflecting on the past”. I asked Colli about why she became a kinesiologist…

Becoming a kinesiologist was a natural part of my journey.  In 1979 I moved from Vancouver to Toronto to work in the TV industry, study communications & journalism at Ryerson University.

In 1990 I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and was extremely unwell. An oxygen tank ruled my life and my attending doctors told me to “move & live by the ocean breeze” (at that time there was very little pollution there:)

Before moving to live by the “ocean breeze” I had tried every therapy known to heal the illness but nothing worked. That was until one day my beautiful daughter ( who was 9 at the time ) came home from school with a book that changed my life. The little book was “How to Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay. This book made me realize I had to take responsibility for my own health, my life.

Upon returning to Toronto from Manasota Key, Florida in 1992 ( where I went to live in order to recover ), NLP ( Neuro Linguistic Programming ) came in to my life. I was blessed to have studied with some of the finest trainers of NLP. Dr. Chris Hall (President of the NLP Society), Robert Klauss and Eric Robbie.

When I returned to Toronto, my doctors were not only amazed… but mystified by my recovery because they did not think I would live.

In 1993, I moved to Vancouver and continued researching into “mind body communication”. I continued furthering my studies with Dr. Chris Hall, Todd Epstein and Robert Dilts (NLP University in Santa Cruz California). It was then I also discovered the New Method Kinesiology Clinic that was owned by Steve Ariss. Steve is master kinesiologist and teacher (unfortunately the clinic no longer exists and Steve no longer teaches) but through his teachings, I feel in love with Kinesiology. It was amazing to learn from such an incredible man, healer and true master. It was wonderful to have those teachings passed on to me. I still am in love with Kinesiology Now I aspire to pass them on to others.

In 15 years of having kinesiology as one of my main tools, I  have never done a session with a client that does not make me feel that “WOW”! I am so grateful for these amazing healing tools. My clients all say the same “WOW” and are extremely grateful for the transformation in their lives. Kinesiology was a very important tool -allowing me to take even greater responsibilty for my health and life. Through Kinesiology I now assist, encourage and inspire others to take responsibilty for their health and life.

In reflecting on your past Colli, what have you learned from it… and how have you brought that understanding into your kinesiology work?

The most powerful learning from my past is that one cannot go back, one has to go forward; there is nothing to go back to. This is the formula for accepting one’s good and releasing the past. This is why kinesiology is so powerful because it assists you in releasing the past.

Through out the years I have studied many different, wonderful, powerful and amazing modalities of healing. Being a kinesiologist is an art and science. Kinesiology is investigation of the mind and body. It is working with energy – the client’s and the kinesiologists.

One of the most important lessons I have experienced as a practitioner of kinesiology is that if I do not get out of my own way (meaning I allow my ego to take over) this will get in the way and I cannot harness the power of this amazing gift.

With each individual client the healing and transformation comes from within. It is an inside job that reflects outward.  Look around. Do you like how you are feeling what you are hearing and seeing? If not, then you logical levels are not aligned.

For me … this is about aligning the logical levels so that we are congruent with our authentic source. My core purpose is to bring balance between the ego (ambition) and soul (mission).This is the only way one can become a champion in their sport, performance and life.

My-Kinesiology.com interviews Colli Christante

My-Kinesiologist.com

“On the Table” with Colli Christante…by Brendan Rohan

In the movie of your life, who would play you? Kyra Sedgewick. ( An actress married to Kevin Bacon )

If I could live anywhere, I’d choose…Bali, Italy, Canada.

My favourite food would have to be…Clean,organic healthy.

What I love most in life is…Being who I am – experiencing life through giving and receiving unconditional love, laughter, looking into the eyes of a child.

Are you a dog person or a cat person? I enjoy both

My favourite book of all time would have to be…Nancy Drew Series

What I wanted to be when I grew up…Champion figure skater and investigative journalist.

The year I began my kinesiology training…1993

I notice in your bio it says that you’re a journalist, who do you write for?

Wrote for Canadian Living Magazine, CTV National News, recently wrote & created the documentary called “Owning the Zone”, the e-book and fully written book to go with the documentary will be completed soon. Also wrote a TV series called “Somewhere I Belong” and working on another book but cannot reveal the name as of yet.

What kind of articles do you write?

Health, fitness, anti – aging/leadership,confidence building.

After watching your youtube videos, you strike me as a confident person. Have you always been confident with who you are?

Yes, No and now totally – it is a process.

Public speaking is a big fear for many kinesiology people and  it is something that stops many people from expressing their talents and reaching their full potential. What would you suggest to help overcome their fears? I love to share knowledge. I created and teach a course called the Art n’ Tool of the Pitch which totally assist the person in breaking through these fears and come to really enjoy the process. Taught this at the Vancouver Film School and Electronic Arts University to writers and producers. It is a wonderful process which allows for one to package their material, becoming confident and anchors are installed so they always have access to the strategy. Too, there is nothing like having a ( kinesiology ) balance to work with the limiting belief and assist with the imprint of an empowering one

.Reading through your bio, you seem to have many skills ’in your toolkit’. What is the most important tool that you work with and why?There is no most important. They all work together. Every session starts out the same but really it is what the client needs that predicts how the session goes but the tools all get used.If I were to walk into your clinic for my first session, what would I expect to come away with?

Using a combination of body centered techniques, sensitivity training, and mastery, when working with me, you will take a journey into your body to uncover and witness with the full light and compassion of your Presence the core beliefs that have been holding you back from your essence of being. This allows your being’s organic capacity for self healing to activate and reverse the unconscious programs that have kept you from seeing yourself in the full magnificence of who you really are. For 99% of the people who visit me, for the first time to actually start to get a glimpse into who they really are not who they have been programmed to be.

From your biography and the testimonials there, your work seems to be about leadership and bringing out those qualities in people… what are the ingredients of leadership?

No one can answer this like my mentor Denis Waitely. I totally subscribe to his and Phil Jackson’s philosophy. Phil is to be featured in my documentary “Owning the Zone.”A good way to think of leadership is the process of freeing your team members to do the best work they possibly can. I have followed NBA basketball coach Phil Jackson’s career for some time.In his career, Jackson has gone from coaching the record-setting champion Chicago Bulls to the present NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

 He says his principal task is creating an environment in which his players can flourish.In communicating with his championship teams, Jackson convinced them that they had the talent to win championships and that the main goal of the coach was freeing them to use that talent.Today’s business team members say they want, more than anything else, the autonomy to do their jobs without the boss’s interference. Nearly a decade into the new century, it’s already clear that the CEOs of our best-run companies believe that the more power leaders have, the less they should use.

The job of the team leader is to set a mission, decide upon a strategic direction, achieve the necessary cooperation, delegate authority and then let people innovate.To do that we all could take a hint from the late football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Before his retirement as one of the leading coaches in college football history at Alabama, Bryant observed:I’m just a plowhand from Arkansas, but I’ve learned how to put and hold a team together. I’ve learned how to lift some individuals up and how to calm others down, until finally they’ve got one heartbeat, together, as a team.

To do that, there are just three things I’d ever have to say: If anything went wrong, I did it. If it went semi-good, then we did it. If anything went real good, then you did it! That’s really all it takes to get other people to win for you.

The key to authentic leadership is to listen to your followers, and then open the door for them to lead themselves. The secret is empowerment. The main incentive is genuine caring and recognition.

The five most important words a leader can speak are: “I am proud of you.”

The four most important are: “What is your opinion?”

The three most important are: “If you please.”

The two most important are: “Thank you.”

And the most important single word of all is: “You!”- Denis Waitley

As your work is about leadership, confidence, performance and motivation,how does kinesiology help to bring out these qualities in your clients?

Kinesiology assists in the stripping of institutional lies and myths that encrust people. Through Kinesiology they how to use their mind to direct their emotions.They learn how to use their brain to direct their behaviour.They will break free of old negative survival patterns using their own positive patterns that keep their body balanced. This includes different methods of developing chi, relaxation, letting go, concentration, breathing actively so you are congruently integrated resulting in accessing extraordinary endurance, balance, ease, and psychological confidence.They become aligned on logical levels of environment, behaviour which includes language, senses, movement, experience base, capabilities, values, beliefs, over man giving them the feeling of being in control. A unifying experience involving their entire sense of self. The environment, higher sense of self, their potential, their destiny. They learn to how to become Captains of their souls.

In my own work with people, I have come to believe that the biggest issue that people have is that feel they can’t creatively express themselves to the level they want to… would you agree?

Yes, that is why I called my company Inner Expression. What we do not express, we repress and then depression can creep in. It is a vicious cycle. We are here to express all that flows through us as us. It is our divine right.

I notice that you’re a creative producer – what projects have you worked on? Owning the Zone, Somewhere I Belong, Mystical Journeys too many others to list.

With all this going on in your life, what does your working week look like?

Monday-Friday in the evenings I work with clients on-line. Weekends are for clients private sessions in the clinic. On any given day I may be conducting a seminar, webinar. I update my blogs every third day, my website every week, do radio interviews when they are requested. Writing is done at night. Currently putting all my content (information) into a formula that will be products and ready to launch in Sept.

Live Your Way - Do You?

Live Your Way

On June 23 rd I had the honor of doing two radio interviews about Creating Champions. Dr. Dave and I had an interesting conversation. If you want to know how to live your your way and be a Champion in Sport, Performance and Your LIFE please take the time to listen to this.

Happy Canada Day Canada.