Full moon energy!
Things certainly were challenging on Saturday with poor Jo being sick for the Reiki tasting sessions. From the experience however I learnt to make sure to have everyone's contact details. Apologies again to those of you who has to miss out, and thank you to everyone who supported and embraced the lovely Reiki energy. It was a lovely day with all that wonderful Reiki energy in the room.
So once again the weather is a touch challenging, as I have said so many times before, nature is reminding us of our need for respect and humility, and awareness of the important things in life - like a roof over your head and warm and dry clothes to wear, fresh food on your plate and a source of fresh clean water.
It is perhaps only my perception as we see what we feel, but it does seem that life has gone very busy all of a sudden for so many people. Lots of demands on one's times, and this is only going to get worse with the festivities of Christmas encroaching on the calendar.
For me, I feel on that treadmill as work has been very demanding and so I have been spending more time in the office than I would do usually. It is a complete joy to teach most evenings and I am loving seeing so many faces in class these days, in fact last week I didn't think we could fit anymore people into the Yoga space, but last night we somehow managed it - I am truly humbled, thank you to all of you who made the effort to attend.
It is certainly warming to see so many people interested in Yoga these days and especially seeing some old faces returning again. This is the year of change and the year of reckoning for so many of us, our spirit yearning for more spiritual input.
The change thing is scary, each week I hear of some new momentous change occurring in some one's life. No wonder the demand for Yoga and Reiki, as everyone adjusts to their new way of living, or seeks the change in the first place.
As for E and I, well we are escaping on Friday to celebrate his birthday in London looking for Banksy originals and finding some cool charity shops (I hope), plus getting to a few Yoga classes, which is hugely exciting for me. We are training it up to Edinburgh too so I can meet my best friend's new addition and show E this wonderful city, albeit cold and dark at this time of year. The train journey should be interesting as it seems that much of the UK is under water right now, my heart goes to all those who have lost homes and possessions. It will be good to have a break to slow life down again, although I suspect this will hapepn anyway, once the full moon has passed.
On that note, enjoy the full moon and keep practicing!
Love and light and much gratitude,
Om shanti,
xxxx
Feet on the ground again!
So it seems that life is changing for so many of us this year, indeed it feels that the whole world is changing a little. I had hoped we would all wake up a little, find more inner peace and from that experience a collective outer peace but yet still there are troubles in the Middle East and children and adults being killed in the name of land and religious rights.
It is at times like these, that I am particularly grateful for my life here in Guernsey where we are so safe. It is so easy to take that fore granted, it is indeed the norm, and yet what a wonderful gift to be able to go to work and to the shops without fear of losing your life in gun battle and war.
Of course there are still irritations, the continuous road works certainly test my calmness and flexibility to change, but it is so beautiful and we are lucky, particularly with all the wonderful autumnal colours, the leaves on the trees turning orange and yellow and glowing in the evening light.
I managed a swim in the sea yesterday, I actually swam too. It made me feel hugely better, especially lying in the bath afterwards and warming myself in front of an open fire during the afternoon.
Talking of fires, the cat was in heaven last week. The underfloor heating went a bit berserk and was much hotter than it should have been. The cat was in her element, fully exposed to the floor, loving every minute of the heat warming her fur. They are incredible cats, they seem to have this incredible ability to sniff out warmth in the house. She always takes the seat closest to the fire and the stupid thing is that neither E nor I have the heart to move her so we squash up at the opposite end of the sofa. And then she has this incredible ability to make me do what she wants, I have never know a cat to be quite so manipulative. I definitely think they have sorted in life, and appreciate the simple things. I learn a lot just from watching the way she moves, let alone the way she manages her time. No wonder the Yogis learnt so much about watching animals and nature in action (and non-action).
The Company where I work as the company secretary was finally sold last week, marking the end to an intense few weeks, which saw me having to pass the Herm Yoga & Wellbeing retreat to Caroline, who enjoyed the opportunity enormously and did me a huge favour - so thank you Caroline, so much appreciated - with much love. I now have a date for the March retreat, 15-17 March and I am already very much looking forward to teaching Yoga in Herm again. By then the Spring flowers should be in abundance and the days lengthening, what a perfect way to clear away the cobwebs after a winter of hibernating.
So life as I know it has shifted a little with a change to working culture and all that entails. Plus I have finally signed up for my next Yoga therapy training, having started the process a few years ago now in Vancouver. This time, it is a less hand-on approach to therapy on the Yoga mat and I am hugely excited about sharing my new found knowledge and experience with people who have therapeutic needs. Indeed already I have a number of students in class for whom I adapt the class to suit their needs, which makes for a more interesting class ensuring everyone is ok in whatever pose or variation of a pose we are practicing.
Yoga can help enormously in so many ways, there is an article on my website about Yoga and fertility and how a regular practice can really enhance women's chances of conceiving. Furthermore, it can really help support pregnancy and I am delighted to say that little George was born to Jenny recently, who attended class throughout her pregnancy - congratulations Jenny!
With Christmas approaching, I notice that students tend to put their practice on hold until the New Year, when really maintaining a practice throughout this time can really help to support the stress that accompanies "silly season", helping one to keep their feet on the ground as life speeds up to the big day. I am hoping there will be more chance for people to practice in the New Year with a new Saturday morning class. I had hoped this could take place in the slightly warmer St Martin's community centre but sadly there are no regular slots available. if anyone in Guernsey knows of anywhere that is warm, central, spacious and reasonably priced then please do let me know as finding Yoga space is not an easy process on a small Island.
So life has been rather quiet this weekend, catching up with life so to speak and spending some time retreating in front of the fire and on my mat, reading books, catching up with admin, cleaning and tidying and filling the fridge with food for the week ahead, grounding then, and here we are already Monday and time to begin the week all over again.
So on that note time to take to my mat and set my intention for the week ahead.
With love to one and all.
xx
The abundance of the Universe
Well the Universe has been very abundant this weekend.
Saturday morning found E and I down at Richmond Beach with the folks in between rain showers collecting vraic for the raised beds in preparation for the next growing season. You would not have thought it could have been so lovely down there after all the torrential rain that morning, but alas lovely it was, I am always in awe of those winter clouds and sea scenes.
On the way home we were treated to the most amazing rainbow, which just went on and on and on, and at one point it felt that we really were at the end and the pot of gold was waiting around the corner for us! It crossed my mind as I stared at this fantastic light show in the air - all the colours of the chakras - that you wouldn't believe it possible unless you had grown up knowing that rainbows existed. Just makes me think how much of life we don't believe, like Reiki and complementary therapies, all that "magic" in the world going unappreciated and utilised.
I was reminded of this again yesterday when I happened to be down at Vazon again and was blown away by the clouds, which just seemed to hang in the air, as if our creator was going - look, look at what we can create, there is no end to beauty in this world, and it is free and it is here, you just to have to pay attention to the moment and notice the gifts I leave for you all over the place. Mind blowing.
We walked at Pleinmont too together with half the population of Guernsey it felt! This is a particularly special place for me, what with the fairy ring and the fact that the sea is often in its full rough glory, immense power so you are immediately reminded who is boss in the greater scheme of things and the amount of energy which exists in this world.
I feel this is one of the joys of Yoga, the ability to tap into our inherent energy, to help to free energetic blocks, physical and mental of course, which prevent us from experiencing life to its fullest, or prevent us from fulfilling our true potential. All those limiting patterns we have created, which live in our minds and in our bodies. They say the body is the unconscious mind, and so what better way to become conscious than through the body, noticing the movement patterns we have created, noticing the restrictions we feel, investigating whether those patterns and restrictions are serving us, or indeed are actually real.
When we heal, there has to be a point where we stop identifying with out "old" self. If we constantly tell ourselves we have a bad back, then when do we ever stop having a bad back? if we always say that we cannot do something, then at which point do we ever open ourselves up to the potential of doing exactly that. I was reminded of this in reading a message from my Yoga teacher, the wonderfully inspiring Lance Schuler from Byron, on facebook where he said,
"On Route To Shanghai China tomorrow....preparing for 1 month TTC.....intention # removal of limiting concepts and obstacles that create resistant patterns...Om Shanti..Namaste"
So there is always potential and for me the rainbows and the clouds and the waves all help to re-iterate this point, not least these gifts, but also the messages they contain and of course the effect they have on my soul, which positively shines in their presence. Its all about presence! of and abundance.
This was something I spent a good hour talking about with an old school friend on Friday night. The fact that the Universe is abundant and we can have anything we want, we just have to ask and open our hands and indeed our heart to receive. Not to say we receive what we want in the way we expect to receive it and the Universe works on its own time frame. But all the same if you don't believe then you don't get. And sometimes even though you think you believe, on some level there is doubt and underneath all doubt is of course fear. Fear that you may actually be worthy enough to receive, and fear that your life may change as a result of the gift.
Here is a lovely affirmation to encourage abundance, and the recognition thereof - "I accept good graciously into my life. All of my need are met abundantly for me now and always".
So on that note, happy week ahead, full of magic and joy and of course a new moon tomorrow with all its new and open beginnings...
Om shanti
xxxx
Time for warming fires and soup - immune boosting at that!
So the winds may have eased but we have almost flooded under all the rain instead these last few days. It is like the earth is healing, you know cleansing and letting go, not ideal if you are in a flood zone, but part of the process of 2012.
On Sunday we went for a walk and were astounded at the saturated fields. One appeared more like a lake, the ducks were certainly enjoying the experience! Just another example of how things can change, not least our perceptions but our reality - one minute a field, another a lake, one minute feeding cows, another a playground for ducks. Incredible.
After our walk we went for our first swim of November, high tide at Petit Bot, wow it was a bit of a shock to the system, when did it get so cold! Still it set me up perfectly for enjoying the bonfire that E made for us Sunday evening. There is something very grounding and comforting about standing beside a bonfire. Of course staring at the flames themselves must surely have a similar effect to staring at a candle flame as you do for Trataka, one of the shatkarmas. This yogic practice is said to make the eyes bright and clear, balancing the nervous system and relieving nervous tension. It also improves the memory and helps to develop good concentration and willpower. Plus it helps to relieve insomnia and thus enhance sleeping.
So the bonfire was great, so too the fireworks with all that light and the sparklers, what a crazy invention, makes everyone regress to children, waving them around, writing your name and getting all excited all over again. Embrace it i say, anything that allows that inner child to play is a good thing these days.
The highlight, however, was the soup. A recipe that my Mum gave to me that I would like to share with you as it is not only yummy but highly nutritious too. Plus there is something deeply fulfilling and rewarding about spending an hour making soup. Or perhaps I am just a little strange!
It is actually an immune boosting soup that was invented (I believe) in Melbourne.
You need:
3 cups of sweet potato, cut in 3cm cubes;
1 leek (both white and green parts), cut in half, washed and thinly sliced;
2 tsp cooking oil;
1 garlic clove, minced;
1 tbsp grated ginger;
1.5lt (6c) basic vegetable stock;
1 medium broccoli head, small florets and thin slices of tender stalk;
2 c seasonal leafy greens such as silver beet, kale or spinach;
1/2 c of cashew nuts;
1 tsp sea salt;
1/4 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley (if using curly add more);
fresh cracked peppercorns;
fruity, high quality extra virgin olive oil;
umeboshi plum vinegar is optional.
Preheat oven to 200c
Toss the sweet potato in oil to coat, place on roasting tray, and roast for 25-30 mins, or until the potato is tender inside and golden outside.
In a large, heavy-based saucepan saute the leek in cooking oil for 8-10 mins or until soft and golden. Add the garlic and ginger, saute for another 2 minutes. next add the stock, dislodging any browned bits on the bottom. Add the broccoli pieces, leafy greens, roasted sweet potato (whenever it's ready - it can be added later if necessary), cashews and salt. Simmer covered for 15-20 mins or until the vegetables are tender. Add 3/4 chopped parsley (it will cook instantly in the hot soup).
Turn off the heat and puree the soup with a handheld blender or a food processor. Reheat, then mix in a few grinds of peppercorn and taste for seasoning. if it needs a lift add the umeboshi vinegar or salt to taste. Garnish with the remaining fresh parsley and a glug of olive oil.
Voila.
Today the sun is shining again, hoorah, time to go and enjoy some sunshine.
With gratitude,
Happy Samhain as the wind blows the cobwebs away!
Today is Samhain: All Hallow's Eve, so happy Sahmain everyone. "Sahmain" means the end of the summer an d is traditionally celebrated on 31 October. It is the end of the agricultural season and the beginning of the Celtic year. Traditionally it is the festival of the dead when the majority of the herd were butchered, providing food for the winter months. Slaughter, barren earth, and decreasing daylight made the concept of death an ever-present reality. For this reason, Samhain has always been considered a time when the veil between the worlds was thin, a night of magic, charms and divination, when the dead could easily be contacted.
On a personal level this is the time to rest and re-evaluate your life and goals. Rather appropriate time for retreating and consideration of dreams and hopes, perfect for those of you going to Herm this year. Now is the time to get rid of any negativity or opposition that may surround your achievements or hinder future progress. Keep the energy high, don't lose hope, keep believing in yourself, stay grounded, gracious, humble and mindful.
So happy Samhain one and all, I hope you enjoy the energy of the evening, the wind is certainly blowing away those cobwebs!!
xxxx
So happy Samhain one and all, I hope you enjoy the energy of the evening, the wind is certainly blowing away those cobwebs!!
xxxx