The magic of nature

Another beautiful day. The sky is full of jet streams. Ewan and I were quite in awe this morning, all in one direction, or so it seemed, and a little saddened too that we are increasing the speed of life again - not that I can talk, I have done my fair share of carbon footprinting and travelling quickly, but it has been lovely and still these last few days. I hope those who have been stuck around the world make it home safely, I suspect the last few days have been a touch challenging for all concerned.

This is the first time for a few years that I have been here on Guernsey during Spring and for me it is mind blowing how beautiful the gardens and hedgerows with their bright flowers and some so small. Nature. Just doing its thing. Just being. A wonderfully magical world.

It is all too easy to lose the flow, to try and push time, the constant doing rather than being. It is all too easy to do too much. The body tries to tell us of course, the tensions and pains, the aches and the tiredness. I know this only too well, confronted with a sense of over tiredness that has my throat and ears calling for my attention. It is a challenge to be still enough to listen and still enough not to get caught up in the energy of "doing". Nature helps, in terms of being, if we have the time to get out there and literally smell the roses and let go of any sense of guilt for simply doing exactly that.

Seriously though, do you notice the messages your body is trying to tell you. Does it ache in the same place when you are tired? Do your knees cause you problems when you are feeling financially insecure, do your calf muscles feel tight when you are stressed and in that fight or flight mode? What about your back, does it play up when you feel the pressure of life, or your shoulders when you feel you are carrying the weight of the world, how about your neck, are you thinking too much? Knowing is one thing, changing behaviour patterns and lifestyle to release the tension is another thing.

It is a constant leaning process. A Yoga practice can help. If we stay with the breathe, constantly stay with the breathe, and go in, then perhaps we can find the stillness to really hear...and the opportunity to release through our increased awareness and the extended exhalation. Reiki helps too as we are presented with the opportunity to relax, enter that alpha state of being and thus restore, re-balance, heal and energise.



Never underestimate the power of prayer either, of surrendering to and honouring the Divine, of lighting candles, burning incense and sitting quietly. Nor the power or positive thought, and of creative expression through writing, singing, art, dance or any other medium, which helps you to feel alive. And then there is diet too, and fresh air, water and uplifting company, be that friends, work colleagues or family.

I re-discovered this poem by the wonderfully inspiring Rumi this morning:-

Hundreds of Ways

Today, like every day,
we are ruined and lonely.

Don't retreat,
fleeing your emptiness
through the doorway
of thinking.

Try making some music instead.

There are hundreds of ways
to kneel in prayer -
hundreds of ways to open
toward the heart
of the Friend's beauty.

Enjoy the day, I am off to practice and try and enjoy the stillness of being.

xx