CIANCI

"Basically, I was living a 'man's life'. Denying my feminine power. I needed to reconnect with Mother Earth, my son and with the spirit of God." Lisa Cianci

     At the peak of her career as a designer for the world's largest architectural and interior design firm, Lisa Cianci appeared to be living the ultimate American "dream life." While designing interiors for Rolls Royce's, corporate jets, multi-million dollar mansions, ranches and even an private airplane hanger, Lisa traveled all over the world and ran around with a "rich and famous" crowd of jetsetters. "I was making more money than I had ever dreamed of earning," recalls Lisa. "But, I was working 7 days a week for a minimum of 80 hours. My true self—the woman, wife, mother and spiritual being—was disappearing. Like a flower without sunlight or water, I felt as if I was suffocating. I had everything, yet I had nothing of significance."

    Lisa's wake-up call came when she discovered a lump in her breast "in the same spot and at the exact same age as when my mother had a radical mastectomy." Lisa was terrified. She went to the beach and dropped to her knees and began praying: "God, you have truly blessed me with an amazing life so far. I willingly surrender to the infinite power of the universe.  If you bless me with a benign diagnosis, I will change my life to be of service and fulfill my soul's purpose here on earth," Lisa passionately recited from memory.

    After quite an ordeal seeing seven different surgeons, the mass in her breast was found to be benign. Lisa kept her promise to God. "I quit my job. I fired my assistant/accountant. I let go of my son's nanny, whom I was basically paying to live my real life. Instead of me taking care of my son Cruz, my husband, my dogs and my land, it was the nanny who did it all. I realized I had relinquished all responsibility and connection with the people who mattered most to me. Basically, I was living a 'man's' life.  I was denying my feminine power and felt completely empty.  I needed to reconnect with Mother Earth, my son and with the spirit of God," admitted Lisa.

    The Spirit of Scarlet O'Hara

     Like the scene in Gone With The Wind when Scarlet O'Hara took back her land and swore to never go hungry again, Lisa Cianci planted her family on 16 acres of farmland in Topanga Canyon, California. At the time, there was a farmhouse on the property that had been built in 1926. Unfortunately, it had been completely trashed by dozens of squatters—old-time "hippies" who allowed the only working farm in this gorgeous canyon to rot and decay like Scarlet's beloved "Tara."

    During the seven-year period of time it took to restore the farm house to its original splendor, Lisa, her son Cruz and her husband lived in a trailer on the land. Sadly, Lisa's husband did not share the same vision as Lisa and was "very upset that I quit my job and turned our lives upside down." Since their divorce several years ago, Lisa and her husband have made peace in their relationship with each other and he continues to be a loving and involved father to Cruz.

     Now, as a visitor pulls up to the restored farmhouse, it is a breathtaking replica of an old Santa Fe, New Mexico style hacienda. Situated high up on the property, the home has magnificent views of the surrounding forest. The sounds of Mother Nature are all that can be heard on Lisa's ranch. At last, Ms. Cianci has realized many of her goals to get healthier, reconnect with the earth, achieve a sense of tranquility and thoroughly enjoy raising her son. "Cruz is flourishing in this environment!" Lisa exclaims with joy.      

     Feminine Health—Top Priority

     However, the rest of her sacred promise is a "work in progress." "When I wanted to develop a new definition of "abundance," it had to begin with health—not money." Lisa explained: "Because, without your health—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—you don't have anything worthwhile." Lisa wants to inspire others to not wait until they are staring death in the face to realize that individuals must take good care of themselves. "It's not selfish to put your own health at the top of your list of priorities!" Lisa insists.

     Back in her jet-setting days, Lisa worked out like a "demon" at Gold's Gym.  In was not uncommon for her to be lifting weights right along Arnold Schwarzenegger, top male athletes and movie stars. Still blessed with a trim, athletic figure, Lisa turned to yoga after a terrible car accident sidelined her ability to perform more demanding types of exercise and weight-lifting. "I started doing yoga long before it became the 'trendy new thing among soccer moms,' Lisa points out.

     Thanks to her mom's early encounter with one of the most dreaded feminine health issues, Lisa and her siblings completely changed the way they ate while they were still quite young. Gone were the sodas, whole milk, caffeine as well as most fast food and "junk." To this day, Lisa prefers fresh, whole foods, herbal teas and extra nutrients to support her and her son's healthy lifestyle Lisa's ability to keep her weight in a healthy range is right in line with the latest findings from governmental institutional studies of women linking obesity with feminine health challenges (Boyles 2007).

     Moving Towards Spiritual Enlightenment

     Nowadays, Lisa utilizes her land for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment. On the beautifully serene ranch, Lisa is making a documentary, called "Breasts." The film is Lisa's way of helping women get through the emotional pain, loneliness and isolation that commonly occurs when breast health is challenged. "I wanted to share the story of both my mother and myself as we struggled with feminine health issues," said Lisa. "I want to demystify the entire process for women, the men who love them and the children.  It all starts with healthy dialogue and the free expression of feelings because this experience impacts every gender, every generation and has the capacity to transform every single person's life in a positive way."

   "I am so grateful and so blessed to be alive," enthused Lisa.  "I love the quote by Margaret Meade:  "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"

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