The miracle of growing

I cannot tell you how exciting it was yesterday to realise that I had managed to grow some calabrese all on my own, well with a little help from Mum.  It was like a miracle, this seemingly perfect organic calabrese, not a slug in site, no caterpillars, no white fly.  Here it was, a gift from the Universe.  They do come in all guises.

So E and I ate that for our dinner last night as there are another 4 about to need eating too.  that is the trouble, it all happens at once.  We have berries, not as many as normal, but still, a few punnets of loganberries and boysenberries, raspberries and even some blueberries.  The soft fruit is on its way too, mirabelles, greengages and a few apricots, maybe some nectarines although the poor tree is rather stressed from blackfly, despite the crystals I have hung from it.

I am reading this fantastic book by Pema Chodron, which has really helped the penny to drop, so that all this reiki, and the time off, plus a change in my dialy Yoga practice, has created a shift.  Now it is a matter of processing.  I do so love the trans formative nature of Yoga and Reiki, that all of a sudden, you start to feel differently, something moves that has been blocking your way of seeing from this different perspective.  Not that one should get carried away into the ego of all of it, it doesn't mean that we are wiser or more enlightened, or any of that stuff, only that we are perhaps kinder to ourselves, and it is incredible what a difference that makes, when we free ourselves a little, and the energy we attract back in.  Letting go is the hardest part.

I have let go of my stress about this weather, that is for sure.  If anything this inconsistency is simply a reflection of the state of the world at the moment.  2012.  Hmm.  There is certainly some stuff going on out there that will be part of the bigger picture one day.  It makes me appreciate the sun when it arrives, I am more able to go with the flow somehow.  Embrace it whilst you can.

It is the solstice this Thursday.  From memory, the weather the last few years has never been great.  There is a big shift in the world's angle, or something like that, and the power of the sun will be at its highest and then start to decrease, so more change afoot on many levels.  I am simply enjoying these later evenings, time to make the most of them this week!

On that note, perhaps a few sun salutations would not go amiss, time to make the most of the weather after all.

xxxx

Swimming against the flow

So our final training session for the Three Peaks challenge, could not have happened in more miserable conditions than those that presented themselves to us at 6am yesterday morning.  I almost had to laugh as it summed up the last few days of my week perfectly.  I have indeed been tested on so many levels.

I guess it was a little silly of me really, but I kind of hoped that the full moon last Monday would calm things a little, you know, present a more level reality again, but alas not.  Work was crazy.  And I was rushing around and tired of rushing around, making me question how I end up with days when all I do is rush around.  So there I was rushing around, walking as it happens and crossing Fountain street on Thursday when my flipflop broke, so I had to continue the rest of my journey barefoot, thankfully only to my car parked up the road.

Then that night I did not sleep a wink.  No idea why, just some crazy energy going on so that my legs took on a life of their own and refused to settle, same too my mind.  It must have been something I ate.  And so Friday I was feeling a touch sensitive so it was probably perfect timing for a Reiki session, but not so for my new duvet cover half- blowing off the washing line and snagging on a rock on our rock pile below.  Great. Plus all the rushing around and the closed roads and the feeling that you are somehow swimming against the flow, too busy sweating the small stuff and all that...

Which is actually what is happening at times like that.  All the little things build up and I feel like I may burst and I wonder, once again, what is the lesson here.  Of course I already know, just I still haven't learnt from the last time.  Let go and go with the flow...let go of the mental conditioning we hold ourselves prisoner in.  Ah the mind is  tricky one!!  Thankfully I met a girlfriend on Friday night, ah what bliss, how I miss my best friends who all live overseas, to be able to sit and chatter to someone who understands! Thanks N, made all the difference.  The clarity returned a little.

Saturday morning was spent trying to declutter the cottage some more with a run to the reclamation yard and to a charity shop.  In the afternoon I slowed down a gear with my folks, I do so love it on their small holding at Vazon, just slows life down a little.  So now everything is seeded and sown so we are on to the weeding and picking now.  I weeded the outdoor raised beds and now have a blister to prove my efforts - what a lightweight!  The berries have finally arrived, so I picked loganberries and boysenberries and raspberries.  I also picked tons of spinach and Swiss chard and rocket and lettuce - good grief, why on earth did we plant so much!!

Talking of planting too much, I bought some seeds for Astor's and daisies a while ago and have been growing them in the greenhouse.  Little did I realise how many I had grown.  Wow.  So I spent a good hour back home planting them in the garden, and then E joined me and we planted lots of other stuff that has been in pots for ages, so that we were still gardening after 7pm, a joy of course, but I really had to let go of the mental narrative that was challenging me as to why I had not done all the other things I was meaning to do that day.  Lesson learnt.  I went with the flow.

So Sunday arrives, early, very early, too early for both of us as we have actually been working rather hard recently, and one does miss a gentle lay in...anyhow there it is 5.40am, later than intended but the alarm never went off, so we have to rush around, drinking a quick cup of tea, before heading down to the Bathing Pools to meet the rest of the team.  It was fairly miserable, rain and fog!  Still, there we were, this was our reality and once again, no point winging, just having to go with the flow of it.

So head down and off we went.  It was quite strange as it was really dis-orientating, as you could not see the cliffs below or to the side, so difficult to know exactly where we were on the route.  I take  a time to warm up but then I like to go for it, and the weather helped in that regard as there was no pottering around or breaking. At times it was hard work, there are so many steps!  Plus the paths are over grown with all this rain and so you feel like you are battling your way through.  And then the waterproof trousers were heavy to climb the steps and then by the end every part of me, including my feet was soaked through despite the waterproofs! 

Still we made it to Portlet in just under 6 hours, a really good effort and a first for me - finally an ambition lived, I have now walked the whole cliffs - for Ewan that was his 4th time, very good!!

Needless to say this morning I can just about move, so it is off to practice and stretch out my aching limbs.  The sun is shining again, and I feel like my life has slowed down to the flow again...long may that last, there is nothing worse than fighting against it and not knowing how to get back, when time speeds up and you don't feel in any way present in your life.

Still these challenging times are set to challenge us for a reason.  From darkness comes light.  One just has to remember that.  Love, love, love.

xxxxxxxxx

Crazy energy!

Wow, what an incredible time of it we are having at the moment, lunar eclipses, Venus transiting the sun, crazy wind and rain and cold too.  Such a shame for the Jubilee, but everyone rallied to the occasion regardless.

In London we dressed up super warm for our wanderings along the South Bank, before heading up to the Emirates stadium for the Coldplay concert.  Wonderful, absolutely amazing, all those things, Chris Martin is inspired and indeed inspiring.  Coldplay certainly know how to run a show, lights and fireworks and an incredible energy - I am grateful for the opportunity to experience it.

On Tuesday Ewan and I ventured into London and were quite fortunate to end up on on a railing on Whitehall, opposite downing street, where we could afford views of the passing procession.  So after a wait for 30 minutes or so, and no rain amazingly, I crouched barefoot, on top of the railings, holding on to Ewan and getting a good view of the Queen, Prince Charles, Kate, Harry and William.  The next 30 minutes were a little stressful as the crowds were insane and we were caught in a  bottleneck trying to get off the main drag.

Still we managed it and headed towards Waterloo, stopping on the strand for a cup of tea, at which point is started to rain.  We were fortunate - and quite by chance - to time our departure from the cafe with the fly pass, which happened to fly over head.  Lucky us!  We headed up to China Town to meet friends before heading back towards their home for a much needed early night.

The thing with London is that we tend to walk and walk and walk.  It is great exercise!  Sadly no Yoga classes, but one has to go with flow.

Back home I always find it a little tough to get going.  The weather doesn't help, nor the catch up at work from the bank holidays.  Plus I am not sleeping, which is very strange and quite an awareness of the effects of sleep deprivation!  Having said that, I did sleep on Wednesday night and I can't help thinking that that was either the effects of all the walking in London and travelling, or more so, the fact we held a shoulderstand for quite some time at class the other night.  Known for switching on the parasympathetic nervous system, it is recommended to practice shoulderstand before bed to encourage sleep.  It works.  I shall be doing that this evening!!

As for this inablity to sleep, I wonder if there is something strange going on with the energy out there, certainly feeling a little unsettled and transitory myself...one has to remember to remain positive - positive thoughts, create positive experiences, got to catch those thoughts a minute before thinking them!

Actually it is for this reason that I have been enjoying going to class as much as I can this last few weeks.  Just so nice to get into that Yoga headspace, not always so easy in one's own self practice.  I believe my soul is yearning for some spiritual space and teachings, all about the timing - patience, faith and the teacher revealing themselves.

In the interim it looks like we need to all be practicing some sun salutations and helping the sun to shine!!

With gratitude.

xxx

Hold on for the full moon, another eclipse 4 June x

Wow, crazy week, I have been super busy with a number of private clients and the office work.  All happens at once!  The weather was wonderful at the beginning of the week, I managed a couple of swims in the sea, too tempting to miss.  On Tuesday I joined Jane for  a training cliff walk.  It was really strange as the weather was beautiful in the centre of the Island, but a sea mist coated the cliffs so the views were not as obvious as usual. 

Still the cliffs are still stunning, especially around Petit Port, with the wonderful daisies.  We managed a good hour and a half, it really is great to know that I have to get out on the cliffs to train for Three Peaks - gives me a wonderful excuse to take "time out" in the afternoon!!  So too all the cycling, amazing how quickly the body adapts and the fitness increases - not that the cycle home from town gets any easier!

Finally we have some fruit in the greenhouse - admittedly we have had strawberries for a while now, but now we have loganberries and tayberries and boysenberries too, all rather exciting.  We still have asparagus and lots of lettuce, rocket and spinach, all rather exciting!

This weekend I have treated myself to some Yoga classes courtesy of Sheila - Tasmai Shree Gurave Namah.  I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to get to class myself - a refreshing break form my own practice, where it is all too easy to get into a rut and practice the same stuff.  Mind you I find that power yoga a little challenging, wow, I must admit my preferred choice is certainly a lovely flowing and graceful vinyasa class!

Today, after Yoga, I cycled into town and got the Trident across to Herm to join E and his Mum for lunch.  We walked around the whole Island first before enjoying lunch in the courtyard.  We ended up staying the whole day - amazingly the weather improved, the sun shone and we got to sit on Belvoir for an hour or so and even went for the first Belvoir swim of the Year.  Cold!!

So all in all a good started to the bank holiday weekend.  We are off to London tomorrow to see Coldplay play tomorrow night. This coincides with yet another powerful full moon - you can probably feel the energy building, going to be a strong one, another eclipse, hopefully marking an end to the recent transition.  Hoping to make it to a Yoga class to ground the energy.  Very important to try ans ground as much as possible the next few days.

Happy holidays!

xxxxx

Shining sun for Yoga "class on the grass"

Well my prayers were answered, by 10am on Sunday morning the sun was certainly shining brightly in the sky.  In fact it as shining so brightly that I managed to get a little sun burned teaching the Yoga "class on the grass".

What a wonderful turn out this year, thank you so much to all who made the effort to attend, it was lovely to feel so supported and to see you all practicing in nature like that.  And how brilliant to have such a range of ages from Joe at 6, up to Val who turned 70 this year - for both of them it was their first ever Yoga class, quite an inspiration to others present.

So after lying on our mats and connecting with nature - the feel of the earth beneath us, the sound of the birds and the sensation of the heat from the sun and the breeze in the breeze in the air, we connected with our breath before coming into a more physical part to the practice.

Being grounding in nature, the emphasis was on the connection with the earth, so after a few sun salutations to give thanks to the sun, the provider of life, we practiced a few grounding and strengthening standing poses - virabhadrasana 2 and utthita parsvakonasana before opening our hearts to the world in utthita trikonasana, triangle pose, before seeing the world from an entirely different perspective in prasrita padottanasana, with our heads hanging lower than our hearts - before embracing a balancing sequence. 

I was impressed.  Often it can be challenging to balance outside, what with the breeze and a shift in one's sense of space after practicing for many sessions in a Yoga classroom, but everyone did really well.  There was ardha chandrasana, rather appropriate as a half moon was later visible in the sky, through to vrksanasa, the tree pose, virabhadrasana 3, the warrior pose, through to utthita hasta padagusthasana. 

We crouched on the earth and those who felt it appropriate were able to practice bakasana, the crow pose, safe in the knowledge that if they over balanced they would have a soft landing on the grass ahead of them!  There was the opportunity for some to practice their headstand, which is always a little more challenging outdoors, and through a back bending sequence so that the heart could truly open to the world.

So there was salambasana, the locust pose, rather appropriate for the garden, and dhanurasana, nice and softly with the grass under belly and hip bones!  After a respite in pose of a child, we practiced setu bandha, the bridge pose and for some on into urdhva dhanurasana.  Wow. 

There was the option for some forward bending, the sun shining brightly on people's backs and also a shoulderstand so once again the head was lower than the heart and another change in perspective.  We twisted too, both seated in ardha matsyendrasana and then lying in jathara parivartanasana.  We lay back and lengthened the backs of the legs in supta padagusthasana and we even toned the tummy in navasana, the boat pose and balanced in ubhaya padagusthasana with legs lengthening to the sky.

Quite a session which ended with a much deserved relaxation, lying on our backs, the sun warming our skin, the sound of the sea in the distance and the birds providing a soothing and grounding background experience, softening down onto the earth, surrendering and letting go of any stress, and being totally present in the moment of relaxation.

The class managed to raise an incredible £412, with more to follow from other Yogs students who were unable to attend the class.  Wow.  We are incredibly thankful to all of you who donated so generously, really incredible and so much appreciated.  All the proceeds will be going directly to the Lihou Charitable Trust, which Ewan and I are supporting by undertaking the Three Peaks challenge.

Essentially, this challenge involves climbing the highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland within 24 hours, on 16 July, to help raise money to assist funding the re-roofing of the Lihou Trust.  All of the proceeds from our fundraising efforts go directly to the Trust - we pay for all our expenses ourselves.

 

Lihou is a very special place to us.  We were fortunate to stay there when the snowy owl had first taken up residence and while we were marooned on the Island on our own with the owl, there were many bird watchers standing on the banks at L'Eree with their enormous telescopes trying to catch a glimpse of this bird.  Little did anyone know back then that the snowy owl would stay for many months feasting on the gull eggs and baby sea gulls that were hatched that year.  On our many walks around the Island we were lucky to come within metres of the snowy owl and found the whole experience incredibly special.

Since then we have stayed a few more times with various family and friends, enjoying the solitude of the Island, the opportunity to simply sit and watch the bird life, it is quite magical.   In fact there is nothing more wonderful than the tide rising and all of a sudden you have the island all to yourselves, no tv, no radio, no Internet, no traffic and no distraction from simply immersing yourself in nature.

 Life slows down again and by the end of the 24 hour stay, you feel so much more connected to the natural rhythm of nature, which helps one to feel so much more peaceful and calm inside, incredibly healing too.  I have always felt that spending time in nature makes us feel so much better.  It cleanses our energy and brings us back to earth, grounds us, centers us and slows us down.  you can't put a price on that sort of treatment - the ultimate healing experience!

So this is the reason we have been so keen to support the re-roofing project.  So many local children benefit from the opportunity to stay in the house on Lihou as part of school trips - for many it may be their first experience of having any sense of connection with nature and all the wildlife that Lihou provides.  Then of course there are all the adults who benefit too.  It would be very sad to think that this facility was no longer available for so many to enjoy. 

So it was rather appropriate that we should raise the funds for the re-roofing project by spending time enjoying ourselves in nature.  I suspect that most of those who attended yesterday morning felt as uplifted by the experience as I did - there were certainly many smiles by the end of the practice, and it was lovely that so many stayed to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a bun, sitting in the sun chatting and taking a look around the greenhouse.

Thank you all again, we truly appreciate all your support.  With lover and much gratitude.  xx

After everyone had left E and I managed a swim in the sea at Vazon, Val paddling in the shallows.  I do love the fact that summer seems to have arrived, what with the sunshine and people going to the beach and the smell of bbqs in the air, plus the fact you can swim in the sea without hyperventilating.

After a few hours resting in the garden and chatting to Claire and her 18 month old daughter, Taya, I helped Mum and Dad lay piping for our outdoor watering system around the plants on the raised beds.  Gosh it was hot!  I watered the greenhouse too, the asparagus are still coming through and it won't be long - finally - until some of the Logan berries are ready for picking. All the berries are so late this year.  This hopefully means that once we have taken enough to make our year's supply of jam, we will be able to sell the excess at Yoga classes.  Fingers crossed in any event.  Nothing quite like eating organic berries the same day they are picked from the plant.

E and I cycled down to the GM for a swim in the pool at tea time, wow it was like a sauna in there, before cycling to my folks for our first bbq of the year, outside too, with the sun dropping in the west.  I do love being down on the west coast, you feel as if you are getting away from it all somehow.  We managed to cycle home before sun set and got to witness the sky turning this incredible red colour.  Wow. 

What an incredibly blessed day.  Thank  you Universe, ma the sun continue to shine on us all - although we will need a spot of rain for all the plants in the next few days or so!!

xxxxx

Keep grounding

It has been some time since I last wrote here as life has been rather busy.  There has been quite a lot of Yoga going on this week and lots of organising what with the "Get Active" free classes last night and the Yoga "class on the grass" happening tomorrow (fingers crossed).  Plus of course everything is growing down at the greenhouse and so I have put in a little bit of time helping Mum.

I do love it down at my parents' place, grounding and relaxing, plus a complete sun trap, which has been wonderful with this lovely sunny weather - hoorah it seems that summer is almost here, we have been able to lie in the sun reading books and weed and plant in bikinis!  I have even managed two swims in the sea at Petit Bot this week, rather pitiful compared to last year but better than nothing.  Still cold I am afraid!

So today we planted out the last of the raised beds.  We have quite a few kale, Swiss chard, sprout and tomato plants left over so we are hoping these will go to good homes tomorrow.  We are certainly going to be busy picking when it all comes to fruition.  Exciting stuff!  Hopefully by then the woofers will be here to help as there is already lots of weeding to be doing - far too hot in the greenhouse this week. 

The poor nectarine tree is under some stress at the moment due to blackfly.  We have used some organic stuff but it doesn't seem to be helping that much.  I hung a crystal from it and put more around the base of the trunk, will be interested to see if they make any difference.  I keep meaning to play some Tibetan singing bowl in the the greenhouse to raise the general energy - those fruit trees and vegetable plants will be super charged with prana!!  Let alone the Reiki we do on them, plus of course Mum talks to them all the time:-)

So at the moment we are going through some pretty powerful energetic changes out there and dont' I know it.  Admittedly I have not helped myself - in I have in the long term I guess - by indulging in quite a bit of reiki recently and also some wonderful reflexology so I have certainly been feeling and living through some stuff.  It all comes to a head on Monday 4 June and I must admit I am looking forward to that, plus the full moon a few days later.  So in the interim, make sure to ground - lots of feet on the earth and a spot of gardening, maybe even a swim in the sea or simply sitting on some rocks.

I have already decided that I am going to retreat as much as I can in June and enjoy the training for the Three peaks with lots of outdoor activity and of course helping Mum with the growing.  Like an oak tree we need to take time to nourish ourselves, before we grow again.  Integration and synthesis I guess.  And that good old advice - look after yourself, so that then you have the energy to look after others.  Very true!

Anyhow in the interim, off for a quiet night, looking forward to the Yoga tomorrow.

With gratitude.

x

The light has returned again

What a stunning day!  Incredible weather, finally, perhaps, summer is on its way!

I have been very blessed today to have some degree of flexibility with my time, so that I was able to join Jane on the cliffs this morning and walk from Petit Bot to Saints Bay and back again.  To say it was stunning is an understatement, bright skies, bright seas and all those wonderful Spring flowers - truly the cliffs are at their finest right now.

In the later part of the afternoon I was able to spend 30 minutes sitting on the pebbles of Petit Bot bay.  This was my first official outing to the beach here on Guernsey this spring/summer, quite ridiculous seeing as it is almost June.  Still it was wonderful, especially as the tide was high and I got to have the beach to myself for a time.  I even managed to go for a swim and stay in the sea longer than a minute without hyperventiliating.  I know no one will believe me, but the sea is really not that cold at the moment...

I had a Reiki session today - where I received rather than gave.  I have been having regular sessions since I returned from Australia and I am finding it a joy in so many ways.  Not least for the opportunity to relax, which is not something I prioritise enough in my life, but also because I am getting to experience the effects of the layers coming off.  I have always said that we are a bit like onions and when we have Reiki, oftern a layer lifts off, presenting another one underneath.

 It is fascinating seeing what comes up in each session and then noticing my dreams the next few nights.  While the process is not always easy - sometimes I get to experience those wodneful healing crises when things feel worse before they get better, and sometimes you get to re-live the past a little, which is always a litle unsettling - it is well worth it in the long run.  At least, I can honestly say that since I began this recent course of reiki, I have started to feel lighter and more energised again, focused and incredibly passionate about the potential of Yoga, Reiki and energy-based healing generally, it is just so powerful.

Mind you, that lovely calm feeling I get at the end of a session, is quickly tested on the drive home.  oh my gosh,  the road works are ridiculous over here in Guernsey at the moment, I have never known anything like it!  I was at a crossroads today and noticed that each road had a yellow diversion sign pointing in a different direction.  I mean, how does anyone know where they are going.  Jane and I stopped to chat to 3 visitors on the cliffs today and their resounding memory of Guernsey is likely to be getting completely lost in all the diversions around Saints Bay hotel where they are staying.  What a memory to have of Guernsey!

Sitting here typing, I am reminded of a benefit of all the roadworks.  We actually have roadworks right outside our cottage here in a lane in St Andrews.  The guys have gone home for the day and while it is usually hectic around here with people speeding through the lanes to get home after work, right now it is increadibly peaceful as no one can pass through the lane.  Now that is a highlight of the roadworks, I would be happy if they kept this lane closed the whole time!  I have never really understood the reason people feel to speed through those lanes that are clearly marked "Ruette Tranquille" with a speed limit of 15mph!

I was sent an astrology update for this week and it fits in rather well with the general upheaval of all the road works over here...you can read more at www.realastrology.com

"The portal is open. The info is going back and forth fast and furiously this week, as Venus turns retrograde in Gemini and a solar eclipse takes place in the sign of communications.

Some of the synchronicities are astounding, and even the breakdowns seem to be part of the greater plan. More than ever, it’s important that you know where you’re headed, even if you don’t know how you’re going to get there. The “how” will come, but you need to be willing to change on a moment’s notice and to take a leap of faith.

In one of my synchronicities this week (too long a story to explain here), I found this remarkable video about Tom Kenyon. Among other things, it explains how we communicate with higher beings through sound. I have a feeling you’ll find something synchronous in it, too.

The latest issue of The Mountain Astrologer has a priceless cover, with road signs for the times head. One sign reads, “change required, no U-turns.” And that pretty much sums it up. There is no going back, no matter what the weather or road conditions are. The good news is that we’re getting new information, new contacts, and other necessary information to support us on our journey. It also has been my experience that any attempts to veer from our path or spend too long at the roadside rest stop will be swiftly rectified by circumstances “out of our control.”

Monday’s Mercury-Pluto trine brings deep insight that is also practical. Expect some of the “how” to present itself. There’s also a Sun-Saturn inconjunct, so be advised that some of what’s required of you may not be comfortable or easy. Indeed, “easy” isn’t happening for anyone I know right now. Opportunities can come out of the blue, but you have to be prepared to get out of your routine and venture into unfamiliar territory. With Saturn retrograde in Libra, it’s also likely that relationships are an issue. Some of the discomfort may involve working with people who for one reason or another make you uncomfortable.

Venus turns retrograde on Tuesday and will remain in “reverse” until June 27. With Saturn also retrograde and in Venus-ruled Libra, we’re in for a heavy dose of relationship school. Some of your lessons are likely to involve unresolved issues with past partners, whether in this lifetime or other incarnations.

Mars trines Pluto on Wednesday and opposes Chiron on Thursday. The first aspect favors result-oriented, material outcomes that require action and discipline. This is the third and final pass of a three-part alignment that began around Thanksgiving (late November). The second aspect is helpful for healing old wounds, in a surgical kind of way. In other words – as if often the case – you may have to endure temporary pain as you dig into old hurts in order to release the stuck energy. You may experience a “healing crisis” – a temporary worsening of symptoms while the healing is taking place.

On Sunday, the Sun enters Gemini and immediately aligns with the Moon in a solar eclipse. This is an ongoing series of eclipses, so you should know by now what areas of your life are undergoing rapid and deep change. This eclipse represents the next “installment.” Watch for stunning new developments, which will gather speed and intensity as we approach the Full Moon lunar eclipse on June 4.

As I wrote last week, we’re now in the most volatile and rapidly changing period of 2012. If you feel scattered and unfocused, give yourself some space while doing your best to keep your eye on your goals. I’ve suggested keeping an open mind, but with Venus retrograde, you’ll also need to keep an open heart. The portal goes both ways."

So it looks like the bank holiday weekend may be interesting, lots of fun ahead.  Hopefully all the road works will be finished by then and the roads will be running as smoothly as our lives - well we cna hope in any event!!

xx

The topsy-turvy world of raising our spirits

So finally the sun has been shining, hoorah!!  It is amazing how much better it makes us all feel, gives us a renewed sense of hope that we finally get to experience a summer this year!

We were fortunate to have a training walk for the Three Peaks challenge on Sunday so we were forced to spend the morning outside, oh what a shame!  We met at Portlet and Richard (the warden of Lihou and our group leader) decided it would be a good idea to walk on the rocks all the way from the beach at Portlet to Fort Peseries out by the fairy ring.  Not the easiest of routes at 8.30am on a Sunday morning to navigate, but novel and refreshing all the same - I have certainly never gained that perspective of Lihou or L'Eree previously and made for an adventurous start to the day.

It was a bit of an orientation exercise as Richard taught us how to use a compass and read gridlines and plan routes from A to B etc etc.  So we trekked around Pleinmont, clambering up the steep hill through prickly brambles (that was E's choice of route), up to the German Observation Tower and then from there a route out towards the Watchhouse and all the way inland to Le Coudre through all these incredible little lanes and wonderfully positioned houses with views of the beach making me wish I could afford to live in one of them, and experience the peace and tranquility of living so far away from the traffic- craziness of the rest of the Island!  Always good to dream I guess!.

It was a great morning, enjoying all that sunshine and being out with a group, experiencing new places and new perspectives of the Island, plus all that walking and grounding in nature again.  It made me think.  Earlier in the week I met with a friend who is experiencing a life challenge.  We went for a walk and there I was getting excited about the swallows and the pretty hedgerows and she admitted that with life being as it is at the moment for her, she feels rather disconnected from nature.  This too made me think because actually at times like this, when we do feel so disconnected and caught in our heads, sometimes the best thing we can do is get out into nature.

Not to say it will connect us immediately necessarily, but it may calm us on a level.  I remember when I was in Australia a few years ago nursing a painful heart and feeling rather depressed and fed up with life.  My cousin in the Uk was concerned about me and sent me an email asking me to email her every day with 5 positive things about that day, simple things she said, like the beauty of a flower or the sunset.  I remember feeling so disconnected that I could find no joy in the beauty of flowers or the sunset, whcih made me feel even worse, so caught up in myself I couldn't come back to earth.

However then one day something quite incredible happened.  I sat on the beach at tea time with the sun dropping in the sky and people walking their dogs along the shoreline.  I was awakened (in more than one way) from my thoughts by a dog coming up to me and literally planting a kiss on my lips before running off again.  I was so shocked that I couldn't;t help laughing (finally) to myself.  I emailed my cousin later that evening and she said the dog was my angel come to show me some love.  She reminded me that just being in nature can produce miracles.  that day was certainly a miracle for me, boosting my faith and making me feel a little connected to the world again.

After that trip I went to stay in a mobile home on my cousin's farm in North Devon for a few months as a stop-gap before returning home.  Here we lived in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by fields and views of more fields and trees.  I spent my mornings writing and looking out the window at her horses in the fields.  In the afternoon I would tend to the vegetable garden, which began my love of growing vegetables, and in the evening I would collect the horse dung from the fields, watching the swallows swooping through the skies and the sun setting in the distance.  While I arrived with a heavy heart, after a few months of such a simple and back to basics and nature lifestyle, I left with a lighter heart and a much stronger sense of self.  It was not difficult to identify 5 positive things about each day.

Recently I had one of those days when I felt disconnected again.  It doesn't happen so often anymore, but when it does, it reminds me how we can slip into a depressive state where we find no joy in what lies outside our window.  Often the toughest thing to do when you feel like that, is actually to get outside - but I have come to realise that for me, in any event, the best thing I can do is exactly that.  Nature is so wonderful at helping to bring us back to life again.  To slow us down, to energise us, to remind us of the natural beauty and simplicity of everything.  For me, it is a necessity in keeping my spirits high and my energy grounded and clear of negativity (well as much as I can!).  of course Yoga helps hugely too!

Talking of which, I really enjoyed the Saturday "Topsy-turvy World" class.  I mean I enjoy teaching all classes, but I do love inversions, they are my favourite poses and I love to share them with others as they so uplifting for the soul!  At the end of the class I read an extract from Cyndi Lee's book, "Yoga Body, Buddha Mind" and I would like to share it now, as I love what she writes:-

"Yoga asana practice offers us many opportunities  to establish balance in our physical situation - right and left, front and back.  But the deeper effect of letting go of fixed mind, of seeing the world from a different perspective, of calmly abiding in a topsy-turvy upside-down world - that may be the most profound benefit of yoga...

This means that we can learn to relate to things as they are, not as we wish they were, or as they used to be, but how they are right now...and now...and now as they keep changing.  When we are stuck on only one way for things to be, then we are truly stuck.  Then when our world shifts dramatically - which it will, through the death of a loved one, a change of employment, even falling in love - we will find that we are thrown for a loop because we have committed to our world being only one way and that way will have vanished.  Turning upside down is practice for this.  It offers us a fresh perspective.  When one can remain in this environment with calm abiding, it is the beginning of the ability to stay centered when your world turns upside down."

So if ever you are feeling disconnected, then try and get out in nature, try and identify 5 beautiful things in your world that day and perhaps try a headstand or a shoulderstand, or simply hold your head upside down and see things a little differently!

With love xx