Dancing fun

' Life is movement. The more life there is, the more flexibility there is.
The more fluid you are, the more you are alive. '
~ Arnaud Desjardins

We went dancing last night, it was so much fun, the body loves to move and the spirit loves to express itself through movement.

Thank you girls, great start to the weekend.

x

An insight into farm living and the kestrel

We have just had a fantastic time in France with Tessa, Carl, Evie, Ollie and a plethora of animals on their farm in Normandy.

I absolutely love it, the 'back to basics, back to land, opt out of the norm', approach to life, spending time in nature, on the land, from the land and in touch with the land. Sometimes nothing else matters. Food, clothing and shelter. Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

We walked lots, we talked lots, we drank wine and had those lovely late night deep and meaningful about life, we laughed lots (those children are so funny), we visited this fabulous Cathedral in a neighbouring town and wandered around a school fete, we ate some lovely food, we helped out on the farm and we even found a kestrel with a broken wing and intervened, a combination of Reiki, fresh steak, bandages and some advice from the local bird sanctuary...I'm praying he will be okay, he is so beautiful, I am honoured to have gotten so close to the little thing.

I learned lots about running a farm, about the animals, about the challenges and joys of subsistence living, about the personalities of the animals, about sitting and watching and simply being, about living one's dream and being open to the obstacles and trusting in the Universe - faith and hope are up there again.

I also learned lots about the Second World War, not only was it Liberation weekend but of course Normandy has quite a history for some pretty fierce fighting...Carl and Tessa still find bits of tank and bullet cases on their farm, and there are some pretty eery areas where lots of men lost their lives.

The thoughts of war aside, the weekend was simply fab, the healing power of nature is quite incredible.

Thank you the Masons.

xxx

Just start

I have become acutely aware the last few days how our sense of well being and health can be seriously challenged by the stressful and frantically busy lives we lead so that we can often lose sight of what makes us tick and leaves us with that feeling of wholeness, lightness and inner fulfillment.

You see optimum well being is not simply about a looking after your body (although this is fairly important) and breathing and eating properly but also about where you live, having caring relationships, finding fulfilment in our work and everyday activities, spending time relaxing and having fun, having an opportunity for creative expression and having a sense of purpose.

So that is a good reminder for me. Just as well, therefore, that the moon is waning for the next 8 days or so creating a chance to reassess what is going well and not so well in life. This is therefore an ideal time to weed out things that are not helping and resolve minor problems and issues before the new moon on May 14th.

Personally, while I may have tried really hard to battle with it, there is no denying the fact that I am still not expressing myself creatively. If the left side of your body has problems, little aches and pains then maybe this is the same for you too - the body is incredible at trying to talk to us, if only we listen. So I am - in this blog - making a commitment to myself to do the one thing I love to do but rarely give myself the time to do(is that fear perhaps?) and get writing.

Crazy isn't it, but there are so many things in life, new experiences and opportunities, that we turn down, or resist, or are blinded to from the start, simply through fear of change or because we don't believe or have faith in ourselves and the support of the Universe, or because we want some certainty that it will all turn out good in the end.

I heard myself in class last night, talking about life being about the journey and not the destination. And I realised that I get as caught up in the destination as anyone else and forget to enjoy the journey in the process. Or forget to take the risks to make the journey more exciting and fulfilling. No need to berate the self however, I am as human as the next - please don't think that us Yoga teachers and holistic practitioners have figured it all out yet!

I am reminded of that quote from Goethe, "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it".

Hmm, so there we go, if there is something you want to do, or dream you can do, then start, just start. No more excuses and no more running around in circles avoiding our own truth. I'll let you know how it goes. Enjoy the moon cycle!

xxx

Reiki and pregnancy

Reiki works well in helping with all stages of pregnancy including conception and child birth providing emotional, mental, spiritual and physical support.

The Japanese word Reiki (pronounced Ray-key) means ‘Universal energy’ and is based on the free flow of this energy in a person. Eastern medicine has always recognised and worked with this energy, which flows through all living things and is vital to well-being.

Reiki is completely safe and the deep relaxation and peacefulness many people experience during and after a Reiki treatment can be of benefit to both pregnant ladies and those trying to conceive. Reiki may help to reduce stress, heal physical issues, deal with (old) problems and the accompanying emotions; deepen the relationship between mother and child (even in spirit) and increase the confidence in motherhood.

Juliet, who received Reiki during the latter stages of her pregnancy, commented, "I found the session very restful, it helped me focus on the baby and I felt calm for the rest of the day”.

Furthermore the mother’s body changes significantly during pregnancy and her energy balance – mentally, physically and emotionally – is constantly under pressure. Holly comments, “I had numerous sessions of Reiki with Emma during my pregnancy which I found incredibly beneficial. It was my first pregnancy and I have always used Reiki for grounding and general well being which I found I required even more when I was pregnant. The last session I had was the day before my due date and Emma commented that I was very grounded and balanced and sure enough Finley was born the next day on his due date”.

Reiki may also be very effective in helping to restore balance on all levels following the birth. Caring for an infant can be draining for both partners and Reiki can help to restore balance and energy levels as well as providing some much-needed serenity and nurturing (for both parent and infant) during this time.

The magical world of bluebells, tree nymphs and fairies

I had the distinct feeling that the tree nymphs were watching us as we walked through bluebell woods today. How incredible, a carpet of this beautiful bluey purple colour, a wonderful compliment to the green and brown of the tall and skinny trees and vines growing throughout the small valley. I kept expecting to see deer running behind the trees, or monkeys swinging through the wines, reminiscent of the Annapurna Range.



We saw more bluebells yesterday too on our walk out at Pleinmont and this time it was the fairies watching our ambles and tree climbing - okay so the tree had fallen down and Ewan managed to get a lot further along and up it than either Charles or I (we weren't wearing the right shoes - well that was my excuse)...but all the same we were wood-spirited and back to nature, cold and grounded...and we made the obligatory kora around the fairy ring and of course made a wish...I'll let you know when it comes true.

Enjoy the week, enjoy the bluebells and enjoy the fact that everything is exactly as it is meant to be...

xxx

Caro and Chris get married

Congratulations to friends Caro and Chris for getting married in wonderful style on Saturday.

It was an incredibly easy going, enjoyable and uplifting day - a small wedding party, great company, a lovely meal in the greenhouse of Chris' parents, fantastic saxophone music played by Colin Falla, sunshine, beautiful gardens and many smiles.

Caro looked incredible in her 1950s dress.



Good luck to you both - with all the challenges in the last couple of weeks I am sure you will enjoy a loving, fulfilling and blessed marriage together.

Thank you for such a lovely day.

xx