Happy solstice!

Happy solstice everyone!  This is indeed cause for celebration, much merriment as the light increases over the months ahead.  It is also the much talked about end of the world.  I like to think it is actually all about new beginnings.  Let us bring more love, joy, happiness and peace into the world ahead.  Let us dance with joy and encourage harmony.  Let us be true to ourselves, be ourselves, love ourselves and fulfill our true potential as light beings.

Have a good day.

xxx

Winter solstice: Yule!

Wow isn't it dark this morning.  Hardly surprising seeing as it is the winter solstice tomorrow morning, 11.12am in the northern hemisphere.  Sadly this wonderful shift in the positioning of the sun, meaning that the days get longer once again, is over shadowed a little by all the talk of the end of the world.

As I have commented time and time again, we have experienced the end of the world (as we know it) this year.  To buy in to all these tales of fear is quite incredible, but a good money spin for all those "end of the world" parties tomorrow evening.

As for the solstice.  Yule.  The two most popular Christian holidays - Easter and Christmas - are also the two most pagan.  This is a celebration of the birth of God - at Yule, the new God comes to earth, bringing hope and light.  This is of course the shortest and darkest day of the year (ideal to stay tucked up in bed or beside the fire!), but it is also the day when the shift towards light and warmth begins - hoorah!!!

In the pagan tradition, Yule is celebrated by bringing holly or evergreen boughs into the house to encourage the growth of life and return of warmth.  This may include a Christmas tree - a Yule tree I am told - decorated with symbols of the sun among other things.  Celebrations include lots of candles to emphasise the return of light.

It is an incredibly exciting time, a real  shift in energy and an increasing return of the light as slowly the days lengthen and the gardens begin changing as Spring approaches.

I shall be celebrating in my own way: a candle and meditation, giving thanks and welcoming the sun again.

As for the end of the world, well we are being washed away, it has not stopped raining for hours, cleansing, more cleaning, see the world is changing.

As for us, well today I have my last Yoga class of the year, which gives me the opportunity to study and focus on my own practice.  I came across Katy Appleton's DVDs in a charity shop recently, wow what a find, her book was the first I ever read and it truly inspired me to practice at home on my own.  her DVD is equally inspiring and is a joy for me to be led by someone else for a change.  Thank you angels for answering my prayers, another teacher has arrived in my life.

So with thanks and much gratitude.  Happy winter solstice everyone, enjoy the shift in energy and the build up to Christmas in the days ahead.

With love,

xxxxx

The end of the world as we know it.

So the end of the world is nigh, or so everyone keeps telling me.  I don't take this literally, this is the end of the world as we know it as there has been so much change this year that more will manifest in the next.  You have only to consider the recent awful, awful tragedy in America with all those poor children and adults killed at the hand of yet another confused man armed with guns. 

There has to be change, otherwise this is just going to keep on happening.  Rather ridiculous perhaps that the news reported that the number of guns purchased in America has increased significantly since the tragedy - I am guessing people are getting worried that they may have lose their rights to buy guns  legally.  Unbelievable really.  What kind of world are we living in.

So really the end of the world happened already for those parents and family members last week.  It happens every day to someone.  But for us as a society, this could indeed be the year.  Nature is certainly letting us know who is in control, many people have remarked to me how the weather has made them realise how insignificant they are in the grand scheme of things.

I have to say the weather really pushed the boundaries this weekend with all the wind and rain and thunder and lightening.  Saturday the sea was incredible down at Vazon, E and I managed a quick dip and the currents were strong enough in the shallows, would have been a bit of a challenge for the many surfers enjoying the low pressure over the weekend.

But gosh didn't it rain. It reminds me of the monsoon rain in Nepal, where the heaven's open and within a minute or two you are soaked to the bone.

Sunday we decided to venture over to Lihou with E's friend and mum.  Half way across the causeway and the wind became really gusty and the heaven's opened and the hail came and we were stuck between a rock and a hard place, go back or continue, so we trekked on the house and the prospect of warm tea and mince pies, but my gosh we got wet!  On a positive note it did make the log burning stove on Lihou all the more incredible!!  Plus the view of the lightening was pretty good!!

So the folks have flown to Australia now to visit my brother and his daughter, leaving E and I to cat sit down at Vazon.  it feels like a bit of a break for us too with work and Yoga calming down towards the Christmas break.  In fact it is all too easy to retreat down here on the west coast and never leave the house with the heating and the sound of the sea in the distance to soothe the soul and all that comes with housesitting for one's parents (the cleaner, the newspapers delivered, the freezer full of food, the satsuma tree in the greenhouse etc etc!!).

I have been studying a little recently for the Yoga therapy courses, and giving thought to how I can help those with injuries within a general class.  Not ideal as often they require one-to-one attention, and even then it can be a slow process.  Still, the opportunity for healing is always there and transformation on all levels too.  Very exciting.

So let us hope it doesn't rain today, I have chanced the washing on the line and would like to make the most of the warmer temperatures to walk into work in a few hours.

Not long to go until Christmas, exciting week ahead!

Om shanti.

xxxx

Swimming in the sea: good for the soul!

We actually swam in the sea at Belvoir on Herm on Saturday, and I have to admit that it was not as painful as I was expecting.  It was the annual E's birthday trip to Herm, where each year we make the most of the free Christmas boats to Herm and traipse around to Belvoir for the obligatory swim in the sea before heading to the Mermaid for a warming cup of tea in front of the fire.

Hayley and Mike came with us again this year and while the rest of us were swimming (only 4 this year, the rest joined us in the Mermaid instead!!) they practiced Tai Chi on the beach, made for a wonderful background while we were flapping around in the freezing cold sea.  It was refreshing to say the least - and yes, I am perhaps a little envious that Mum and Dad will soon be with Ross in Byron where the sea will feel like a bath in comparison!  Oh well, the Atlantic ocean is indeed good for the soul and left me feeling invigorated all day long!!

Herm was at its winter best, clear skies and that wonderful winter light.  We were joined at the Mermaid by a few of E's friends, while Hayley and I shopped, well had a look around the shops, before we all headed back to Guernsey for a quick wander through the French markets and onwards home.  I do love spending time on Herm, slows life down a bit - I can't wait for the next Spring Yoga & Wellbeing retreat, should be lots of fun.

Sunday dawned a little grey, perhaps perfect for the Solar Flow Yoga class out at St Peter's.  It was a busy class, full capacity - good to see so many wanting to continue and enhance their practice so close to Christmas - and we certainly created some heat with a combination of sun salutations, standing, balancing, back bending, forward bending, twisting and inverted poses, I was impressed. 

The emphasis was on light and that was certainly in evidence in the room in St Peter's yesterday morning.  We are all of course a source of light, although it is so easy to forget, and to find ourselves in the darkness from time to time.  Still we should always remember that we do have that light shining inside and Yoga can really help it to shine that little brighter, especially throughout these cold and dark winter months.  I know it helps balance the ying with the yang.

I was buzzing afterwards and set to on all the household chores, more moving of furniture and preparing bedrooms for the arrival of two of E's best friends this week.  I did manage to clean the car too and walk up to the organic veggie store in the lanes near where we live, oh and a swim at the Grande Mare before an early Christmas dinner at my folks.

So with the light decreasing and the temperatures due to drop, I suspect the next few weeks will incorporate a degree of hibernation in front of the fire, or under the heaters at class!  We have 12.12.12 to celebrate on Wednesday - I look forward to joining Caroline Wickham for her 12.12.12 Yoga class.  And then the end of the world is due on 21 December, with the 22 December bringing the winter solstice and the beginning of winter.  And then Christmas and the full moon on the 28th.  Wow, what an end to the year!

With love and gratitude.

xx

All the way to Edinburgh and back again

Well it seems the Gods were indeed shining on us the last week as we have been blessed with a wonderful time in London and Edinburgh.

We left the Island last Friday, E's birthday, and spent much of the day walking around the Shoreditch area of London searching for original Banksy art work.  E is really passionate about Bansky and some of this has rubbed off on me, so I too was rather excited when we finally found some original art work, protected behind a plastic covering, unlike most of the other art, that has been rubbed off and painted over.  It was also really fascinating to walk around another area of London and really take an interest in your surroundings.

I have always been a bit of a late developer and my current love of London is perhaps indicative of this.  Admittedly nature if where it is really at, but the energy of London is amazing, let alone all the opportunity for Yoga and music and the arts.

We celebrated E's birthday with some dancing, a lot of fun and a great way of letting go, feeling the music and allowing the body to move with the flow.  It is like the Shamans and the Sufis, getting into that zone, a liberation of sorts, we should all be dancing, it is just another way to speak with the soul.

I spoke with my soul at Yoga too. I trekked up to Primrose Hill to TriYoga, which I just love, it has a wonderful energy from all the Yoga that has been practiced there over the years.  I opted for Ashtanga as it was a level 2/3 so I could challenge my boundaries, plus have a bit of a work out in the process.  I used to love Ashtanga, in fact that was my entry into Yoga, it is brilliant for "athletic" beginners as you can learn the sequence and then begin a home practice rather easily, plus it really does make you feel good as it lengthens, detoxifies, strengthens and challenges on every level.

Still, I did get rather bored of the sequence and as a girl it does over develop - in my opinion - the upper body strength.  Plus it was actually designed for 26 year old boys, to increase their sexual vitality, and it is not uncommon for girls who practice every day (say on teacher training courses) to find that their menstrual cycle is adversely affected. However that aside, everything has its place and I have full respect for the system and for Pattabhi Jois who developed it.

These days I am more inclined towards Vinyasa Flow and Anusara Yoga and if I lived near Primrose Hill then I could indulge frequently.  Well, relatively frequently, a 90 minute class costs £16 as a drop-in, we are clearly most spoilt here in Guernsey!

Needless to say, this class was good fun, challenging and physically demanding and leaving me feel a little wired, lighter, clearer and taller at the end of the 90 minutes.

The only problem was the fact I could barely move my arms and shoulders the next day after all the chattarangas and upward facing dog with all those jump backs and vinyasas!!

On Monday we travelled up to Edinburgh on the East Coast train.  It is stunning out that way, we got to see the remains of the flooding and the beginnings of the snow showers that continued throughout the week.

It was cold in Edinburgh, really cold.  Thankfully we were staying with my best friend Lou and her husband and 3 children.  She has recently had a baby and hence our visit, well plus I was treating E to a trip to Edinburgh for his birthday!

We had fun.  While I have stayed a number of times this was E's first visit so Lou showed us both around, we went to the Castle which is fairly stunning and the German Christmas Market, to the Museum which is very impressive, and then for a general wander around town.  We had lunch one day at the Mosque Cafe, which is exactly that, a little like the whole Hare Krishnas eating places, food made with love, curries and rice £5 each.

E and I spent a day on our own in the city and traipsed up Arthur's Seat wrapped in as many clothes as I could manage for it was incredibly cold at the top with snow underfoot.  The views were amazing as we had been blessed with sunshine, and could see the snow covered hills and mountains in the distance.

It really was a brilliant trip and i would just like to say a great big thank you to all our friends who made it so special.

Back here in Guernsey the wind has arrived again, yet more cobwebs being blown away in time for 12.12.12 next week and the supposed end of the world the following week....

So I guess we have to go out there and embrace life to its fullest, have fun, dance in the wind, and enjoy the festivities!

With much gratitude and love,

xxx

Full moon energy!

So we have a full moon on Wednesday, a powerful one too, emotionally unsettling, so hold on tight, only a few more hours to go as it shakes things up.

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,

xxxx

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

Retreating in Devon and following your dreams

Wow, what a beautiful full moon last night, so clear and bright, full of energy.  In fact as we build up to the end of the year, it seems there is a huge amount of energy out there, unleashed on the East coast of America over the night.  No doubt we too will soon experience the tail winds, blowing away yet more cobwebs and creating yet more unsettled weather...reflecting, I feel, the general unsettled feeling many of us are currently experiencing.

I just spent the last few days in wonderful Devon.  I am sure I am not the only one who feels the weight lift the minute I step onto UK soil.  As much as I love Guernsey, I find the energy can become rather claustrophobic and heavy at times and the speed of life is sometimes far too quick - creating a disharmony with the natural rhythm of life.  So it was with some relief that we landed in Exeter, not least because our flight was delayed by 4 hours and that was after prying myself from my warm bed at an early hour!!!

Due to said delay our time in Totnes with our friends was somewhat limited, but it did give me a taste for that wonderful alternative living, albeit trust fund hippies, all those wonderful organic fresh food shops, lovely vegetarian cafes and enlightening crystal shops.  Yes, I must admit I could not walk past said shop without purchasing a few crystals to add to the collection - tree agate and moss agate and some Amber resin!

So while E went off to spend the weekend with his best friend, his best friend's girlfriend, Vicki, and I headed off on retreat.  On the way to Rill Estate, the rural get away, we laughed a little about the contrast in our weekends ahead, Vicki and I going inwards and enjoying mornings of silence and the boys enjoying a more tamastic experience!

The retreat was wonderful, although dare I say that having now experienced two retreats in the UK, for those of us based in Guernsey, the Herm retreat really does offer the most wonderful environment and timetable for retreat.  While admittedly it was wonderful to be in the UK and be treated to a real rural experience, with all those green fields spreading as far as the eye can see, the travelling time does drain one a little of energy.

The retreat began on the Friday tea time and we got straight into the practice, 2.5 hours so we had plenty of time for a lovely relaxation.  We were fed lovely vegan meals, that evening was a vegetable stew with potato wedges and kale, followed by chai and home made oat biscuits.  Then it was bed!  The rooms were located around a courtyard with access from outside, not particularly large but thankfully lovely underfloor heating because it got rather cold over the weekend!

Saturday morning was a shock to the system with a 6.20am wake up call, the clanging of the bells, not a gentle awakening as I would normally encourage on a Saturday morning.  Still the stars were shining brightly overhead as I walked to class and it was rather lovely to stay in silence until breakfast, and in fact I would have stayed in silence until lunchtime as there is something rather special about being silent.

We sat and meditated before stretching and doing some standing kriyas, which I have not experienced like that before, and another relaxation.  Breakfast was a help yourself affair of porridge, cereals, fruit, breads and cheese.  As class was following shortly afterwards I kept this light!  So the next class followed at 10.30am and this was a further 2 hours or so of practice and another relaxation.  I think this is often the most powerful part of these weekend retreats, the fact that you do end up relaxing more than you would do normally - proper relaxing too, none of this tv watching!

Vicki and I wandered around the estate that afternoon, taking in the views and the wonderful sunshine, oh how wonderful to feel so free and to dream about owning a centre like this one day!! The afternoon class was more of a workshop with an opportunity for questions before some Qi Gong and massaging your partner!!  Evening dinner of a lovely light vegetarian curry with rice and dahl followed by raw chocolate, eaten with caution for it has the ability to wire for the whole evening!

That evening we enjoyed some Kirtan, where we sat together in a circle in the Yoga studio and were led by a visiting kirtan man in some chanting of bhajans and mantra.  I was tired and the energy lacked something, but it was wonderful to chant with others, even if the Gayatri mantra was a little overlooked.  Bed was welcomed!

Sunday morning we gained an hour with the clocks changing, not that it felt like it, after having such a late night the one before.  Still the sun was rising when I walked to class for another meditation session, asana practice and some more standing kriyas.  Phew!  Breakfast and reading before the final class, a further 2 hour asana practice, rather hardcore so that I was aching yesterday!  Lunch of a wonderful butternut squash, carrot, orange and ginger soup and home made hummus and salads and breads.  Yum! And the time to go home.

During the retreat I re-read Paulo Coelho's book the Alchemist.  Funny actually as it has been catching my attention in my book shelf recently and someone mentioned on facebook that they had recently re-read it and found it incredibly inspiring, so I read it again and am so pleased I did. I would highly recommend that anyone who has a desire to live their dreams, reads it too.  There are many wonderful quotes, but one I really love is, "Everything that happens once can never happen again.  But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time".

E and I spent the night and the next morning in Exeter.  I have many memories of being here when I was a child as my parents often led Duke of Edinburgh trips to Dartmoor and we would be come along with them.  It was my dream to go to Exeter University to study geography but sadly they didn't offer me a place - I will never forget that experience for it was the first time I was confronted with a "no" in terms of living one's dream.  And I found it interesting how much I have carried that with me over the years.

I guess the effect of the reflection on the weekend and the fact I was reading the Alchemist meant I did give some thought to how one's life is shaped.  The opportunities presented to us and the decisions we make and how these shape our lives and our experience of it.  What would have happened, I wonder, if I had carried through with the PhD, or gone and followed through with the place I finally gained to do a PGCE at Exeter, or if I had followed through with the law course I initially committed.  It is funny isn't it, all those branches taking me somewhere, but none of them felt as right as the decision did to do my Yoga teacher training, even though that is the least conforming and "status" of the other options.

Dreams, they are funny things.  I have lots of them and I sometimes get frustrated when I feel that I am not realising them.  And the Alchemist reminded me that everything happens when it is ready to happen, and it is God's will rather than our own will that makes dreams come true.  Sometimes we just have to get out the way.  Have the dream, make your own vision board putting the dream into pictures, remain focused, keep the energy high, be open to receiving (how often we don't feel we are worthy of receiving, but please be assured that the Universe is endless in abundance, you will never be taking from anyone else) and follow your heart.

Sounds so easy right?!  Actually it is incredible the energy that accompanies all this.  Ask and it is given...just not always in the way you may have imagined!!

In any event, being back in Exeter did make me think.  A lovely city with so many beautiful trees.  We manged a few hours of charity shopping, so much fun, I even found a Yoga book with some lovely vegetarian recipes.  I enjoyed an organic chai and the opportunity to visit yet another crystal shop investing in Calcite, Amazonite and some Australian jasper.  Such a joy, especially as I was able to pop them out in the garden and allow them to cleanse under the full moon's energy last night!

So now back to the reality of daily life with additional clarity and a renewed sense of being put back in my place, simplicity of life and not getting sucked into the energy of always wanting more, of running around in circles and remembering that we are all one and all part of the oneness of the Universe's soul.

With so much gratitude and thanks to the Devon school of Yoga and Nige and Vicki and all those who made the weekend so special.

xxxxx

Beautiful sunset and living simply...Asteya

Wow wasn't the sunset amazing on Saturday?  I was fortunate to be down on the West coast at my parents place for dinner so was able to nip down to Vazon and enjoy the scene - such an incredible gift from nature, free too!

As it happened it got me thinking a little more about the third Yama (ethical principle of Yoga) called Asteya, that seems to be appearing in my life quite regularly at the moment.  In fact it is all a little strange.

You see it means non-stealing, taking only what is given freely and what we need in life, to live simply.  While this means not stealing in the literal sense of stealing goods and material objects, it also means not stealing people's time, energy, feeling, thoughts and ideas.  It is not looking outside ourselves for other people, things or situations to bring us happiness.  It is not attempting to take love, affection, attention and energy from those we love when it is not freely offered.  It is respecting the earth and not taking more than we need.  It is awareness of our actions on others and the enviornment in which we live.

I was reminded of this in  a Yoga class recently when a friend was commenting on her blue/pink mat combo and the teacher suggested that she may like to buy a pink eye pillow to match the pink mat, as she already has a blue eye pillow to match the blue mat.  It made me chuckle for here was a great example of the "living simply, not having more than we need".  However I did later reflect on the fact that if she had have purchased a pink eye pillow then she would have been helping support the ladies in India who make these products in the first place.  So it is not quite as black and white as it may first appear - or pink and blue!!

Still, I am all too aware of the taking of people's time and energy.  I suspect I have been doing this to people without knowing if for years, as a child we tend to take lots of our parnets time and energy, although it could be argued that it is always given.  In the holistic world we do talk of energy vampires, of people who take your energy, I am sure they don't do it consciously, but all the same, they drain your own resources as they try and support their role as victim in their own drama called life. 

And actually the strange thing was that I was running a wonderful Reiki 1 course yesterday here at home, and two of the ladies, on hearing the words "radiating an inner light..." introduced the rest of us to the concept of those who are radiators and those who are drains.  Those who radiate positive energy and those who drain you of energy.  Thereupon followed a discussion about the concept of radiators and drains, which I find fascinating to hear in these terms, and we concluded that we of course have the capacity to be both at times, the key is to be mindful, as always, in the moment, of the role you are playing.

Often we unconsciously assume a certain role in a relationship with a friend or colleague or whomever else, and our behaviour patterns are such that we do not realise the energetic effect of our interactions.  No doubt those of us on the course will all be wondering around for the next week wondering if we are being radiators or drains.  With their newly fired up Reiki hands, I doubt those lovely ladies and the one gentleman will be anything other than radiators of some super wonderful energy.

And so when one considers Asteya, one should be mindful too.  E was only saying to me recently that a trip to Nepal would be much welcomed at the moment, as a reminder of the joy in living simply.  I spent so much of my early thirties travelling and living out of a rucksack without a huge disposal income, that I had little choice but to live simply although typical, Westerner, I would still manage, in the course of a 2 month trip in Nepal, for example, to accumulate a lovely collection of jewellery and books, non of which I really needed, but that I felt would somehow add value to my life - and in fairness the jewellery I still wear and the books I still read.  but my point is that in comparison to my Nepali friends I still was not living as simply as life can be lived.

I recall one time where my bag was lost en route from Australia to Hawaii and so I spent my two days in Hawaii with my friends with only the clothes I was wearing.  It was actually a liberating experience for I had no choice about what to wear!!  [Mind you I wad delighted when it finally turned up however!] I can't help thinking that half our problems these days are too much choice and very much taking much more than we need and cluttering our lives with excess and lots of dead and wasted energy.

I am very aware of it living here in Guernsey, that I fall into that trap of feeling I always need more.  And E is right, that often a trip to somewhere like Nepal, living simply yourself, is a good reminder about what life is all about.  You have only to go into the Himalaya and meet the Nepali people who have so little and live so simply and yet are so happy.  It never ceases to amaze me and here we are in the West with all our money and all our issues and all our unhappiness.

Anyhow I have digressed.  Asteya then, taking what is given freely, living simply, not stealing.  Look at nature, it is so abundant, provides so much beauty, food to eat, water to drink, it is all free, how lucky are we?!!

Today nature is suffocating us with thick fog.  It is funny, we have had the crazy rain cleansing the Earth (and us perhaps), and then the strong winds blowing away the cobwebs (and within us too) and now we have the eery fog, quietening things down a little (and causing chaos for all the half term travellers but that is another story) and no doubt when it clears we will have a period of clarity and ease...especially if the predicted warmer temperatures last a few days.  So go enjoy, perfect temperatures to make the most of some sea swimming too!!

Thank you to the lovely Reiki group yesterday, so inspiring and uplifting, I feel great today!!

Love and light and much gratitude.

New moon, new starts

The weather has certainly helped to improve one's outlook this last few days.  The rain was intense last week and it felt to me almost like the planet was weeping, healing, cleansing, for now the skies have cleared, the new moon is upon us and autumn is in the air after the milder temperatures recently.

I have a feeling that nature is a little confused.  On Saturday E and I spent 4 hours walking on the cliffs from Saints to town and I could not help noticing that not only are the blackberries late this year but they are not very juicy or tasty at all.  I guess they are suffering from the lack of rain we had earlier this year.  There is still honey suckle on the cliffs, which seems a little late in the season and there are swallows swooping over the East coast, surely they should have flown South by now?

We managed a swim in the sea at Petit Bot Saturday and Sunday mornings.  Now that has changed.  It feels so cold already, no idea how we will manage to keep this going all year this year!  I like to think it is good for us, soothing for the skin, great for the internal organs and cleansing for the energy, but my gosh, it is a mental challenge! 

Sunday found me on the cliffs again, this time with my parents and walking from Petit Bot to the Gouffe and back again.  The cliffs are stunning, we are so lucky over here in Guernsey to have access to such beauty so easily.  Needless to say I slept very well both nights, they really do help to ground the energy.

What blew my mind yesterday was the incredible clouds, they just didn't seem real, amazing gifts from God up there in the sky, to say nothing of all the other gifts we overlook each day.  Still it all depends on our state of mind.  What we present to the world, is what we experience.  if we think we look ugly, we will present ugly to the world.  Better to see ourselves with a loving heart for then we experience the love of the world.  Well, we try!!

So here we are, mid October and still able to wear flipflops without too much bother.  Interesting to consider the winter we may have, I do find these changing weather patterns rather fascinating.  I am only thankful for our new log burning stove - the cat thinks she has died and gone to heaven lying in front of that on her fluffy cushion!

This weather really does encourage me to want to continue my retreating, it is so refreshing to be quieter after such an active summer.  Roll on another week (not that I am wishing my life away!) and I will be retreating once more this time in rural Devon, I can't wait, I don't think you can out a price on the opportunity to take yourself away from your life and spend time with like minded people in a quiet and spiritual environment.

So happy new moon everyone, time for new beginnings once more, letting go of the old to make way for the new, enjoy the weather and the calming energy of the moon.

With gratitude.

Yoga in the Cotswolds and breaking free

Well I have just returned from a two night Yoga retreat in Evesham in the beautiful Cotswolds.  It is kind of strange how we ended up there, Jackie and I and 22 North Londoners who all knew both teachers and even one another.  We knew no one and no one knew us!

Still there is always a novelty to Channel Islanders, regardless of the fact we were newbies to both teachers.  Arriving late on the Friday night didn't help.  It was one of those days.  For one reason or another we had had to take later flights and then I managed to leave my Yoga mat on the plane in Gatwick and then I realised that I hadn't actually charged my mobile telephone properly and I didn't have a charger with me.  I was actually quite amazed how easily I let this all go.  The mat was a new one to which I felt absolutely no attachment other than the wasted money I had spent.  Funny that, if it has been my older mat that has travelled around the world with me a few times I may have been a little more concerned, and that in itself is slightly disconcerting, it is only a mat, after all.

Still it reminds me a little of the way we get attached to where we place our mats in a given studio space.  Personally I like to move around and shake things up a little, some days I crave the quieter back corner and other days I like to be right up close and personal.  I have noticed in class that some people always take the same spot, and other people recognise that space as so and so's spot.  We get attached to the strangest things!

As for the phone.  After asking one lady if she had a similar charger and discovering it was the same make but a different size, I decided my energy was probably best spent focusing on my practice rather than on who may possibly have a charger I could borrow.  And in any event it was really rather liberating not having the ability to send or receive texts, nor any option whatsoever for the internet, hoorah, no emails all weekend!!

We were staying at Holland House, a wonderful 17th century building, now used as a retreat centre, sensitive to nature and its impact on the environment.  Set in 3 acres of stunning gardens, it is a wonderful spot, very peaceful and easy going, you can make teas and coffees as you choose and all the "shops" work on a trusting basis, a little like the honesty vegetable boxes back here in Guernsey.  No locks on the doors too.  I like that approach to life.

The Yoga was gentle, well gentle compared to my usual style of both practice and teaching.  So gentle that at times I really had to make a concerted effort to stay focused as I gently lifted my arm above my head on a long inhale and released it on a long exhale.  There is of course much benefit to this approach.  Not only is it accessible to all ages (and I shall come to that later) but it also makes one critically aware of the manicness of one's thoughts and racing mind, which eased considerably over the weekend, so that all the "stuff" has come up and come out, in a healing and gentle manner.

I was by far the youngest and Jackie too. This was interesting because I have never spent time with a group of Yogis who have been practicing (and indeed teaching) Yoga for so long.  The majority had been practicing for 20 odd years, if not more, and some teaching for as long too.  Incredible.  Grounding actually.  This was Yoga away from the modern day commercialism, back to its roots, of church halls and leotards, or people really dedicated at a time when Yoga was not deemed cool.  I like that.  I have been considering recently how Yoga has been spun out of control.  Too commercial, too exercise-based, too not real, an illusion of all its own, which is so ironic seeing as it is meant to be lifting the illusion from us.

Many of the women on the Yoga course were not your stereotypical looking Yoginis, no magazine-perfect Yoga body and no commercial Yoga branded clothes on display.  What a relief.  These days there is so much pressure to look a certain way, to have the perfect weight, to wear the perfect clothes, so that all this approach does is to sink us further into the illusion of what life should be, for a Yogi, both on and off the mat.  It is all rubbish as ever, marketing, a scam.  Yoga is there to help us to move energy, to help us deal with life's challenges in a more balanced, centred and grounded way, and essentially, the physical practice is designed for us to be able to prepare our body for sitting, not least in terms of physical comfort for sitting, but also so one is free from dis-ease and can comfortably sit and meditate and seek some further inner peace and perhaps moments of profound awakening, and heck, maybe some bliss.

Of course there is more to it than that.  The very physical  movement demanded by Yoga poses coupled with the breath, NEVER underestimate the power of the breath, have benefits in themselves, aside from just preparing the body for sitting.  I can't imagine a life without conscious movement and conscious breathing, I am sure I would clog up on the inside!  But I have felt a definitive shift within myself recently, that the commercial side has done Yoga absolutely no favours.  Essentially Yoga cannot be bought, anymore than it can be sold.  Yes, of course, we can buy into the idea of Yoga, but really and truly to experience any benefits its does not matter what clothes you are wearing, how much your mat cost, it matters only that you practice week by week, month by month, year by year.  I think it was Pattabhi Jois who said, "practice and all will come".  That is truly the gift of Yoga, the doing and the non-doing.

Anyhow I truly enjoyed the weekend, I learnt some things about the body, about my practice, which I can help others to learn too, and I experienced the manicness of my and witnessed the manner in which it slowed down, with the breath, over the weekend.  Really quite amazing.

The weatehr was an utter delight.  We even managed Yoga in the gardens on Saturday afternoon, what a joy in October to be practising in the sun shine (I am of course now covered in midge bites!).

So to Judy and Richard, Tasmai Shree Gurave Namah, and to Jackie, thank you.

With love and gratitude to all.

xx

Lihou Island and Yoga fun

So the full moon came and went and despite the predicted emotional turbulence, I came away unscathed, although my allergies did get worse.  Funny how that happens, release comes in so many ways.

It was beautiful weekend all in all, lots of Yoga and outdoor fun.  Saturday we managed an early morning swim at Petit Bot in the sun shine, before I enjoyed a very grounding (my poor legs hurt the next day) Yoga class with Sheila that no doubt helped me stay grounded during the full moon energy, before a wonderful chanting class with visiting Fiona in the afternoon.  I just love these chanting classes, they always pick me up somehow.

This session we were introduced to the peace prayer, although actually I have been chanting it for a long time now as I picked it up from Devika in Nepal and learnt it from listening to her chant it twice a day at the start and end of Yoga classes.  Funny to see it written down and to discover that perhaps I have not been pronouncing some of the Sanksrit as I should have done.  Oh well, while the vibration of the voiced word may not be there, the intention has always existed so perhaps the effect has been the same.  Who knows.  It is a beautiful chant however it is pronounced.

Saturday night the folks came for dinner and I ended up cooking a vegetarian curry as I figured that was far more nourishing than home made pizza.  It was a fun night as it always is when the folks are involved, we managed to skype my brother in Australia too and catch sight of my niece in Byron.  If only it wasn't so far away...

Sunday morning found us in the sea again before I attended a Yoga course with Fiona, all about using Yoga to help with insomnia - in terms of reducing one's insomnia, rather than creating it!!  A fascinating course and I certainly floated out at the end and slept incredibly well on Sunday night and ever since.  In fact if anything it unleashed the inherent tiredness within me and so all I now want to do is sleep.  Not a bad thing perhaps, sleep is so underated in terms of how it helps us to heal and feel so much better.

In the afternoon we pottered across to Lihou with Ewan's Mum and caught up with a few of the people with whom we did the 3 Peaks who were helping out serving tea and cakes in the house.  I absolutely love this Island, it just allows you the opportunity to feel that you are getting away from it all.  The light is quite incredible, so too the rock formations and all that wonderful bird life.

E's Mum came for dinner that evening, so it really was a weekend of family, especially as we had spent Friday night with his sister and brother-in-law.  Still I do love spending time with family, quite a shift from when I was younger and I would do all I could to avoid family get togethers.  Times change, thankfully, I cannot imagine a life without the close proximity of family.

And so now the wind has calmed a little and the rain has stopped falling, at least for a few days, Autumn is really here and how I love the smell and the colour changes.  It really does feel like it is time to retreat, eating lots of nourishing and warming soups and being gentle with oneself.  I even got the sea salts out yesterday, time to cleanse the energy in a sea salted bath, and perhaps time to cleanse the liver with a castor oil compress.  Oh the fun to be had!!

Enjoy the week on and off the mat...

xx

Full moon approaching, root down like the trees and blow in the wind

So the Equinox brought with it the usual chaotic weather, it is like all the wind has been trapped and as soon as the Earth shifts its position so it is released, and so too the rain, cleansing the Earth as much as it cleanses us all too.  I must admit it was starting to get a bit vata out there, so it is refreshing to be brought back down to earth a little...

So now we are in Autumn, the leaves are collecting at the side of the roads, the hedges have been cut back, the fields are being ploughed, the tomatoes and butternut squash are plentiful, leeks too.   And perhaps it is inevitable, having gotten involved (a little) with growing the vegetables, I have now discovered a new found interest in cooking.  It has come as a bit of a surprise if I am honest, I have always shied away, my Mum and brother are fabulous cooks and I have always let them get on with it.

But now, here I am with recipes in front of me, making my tomato sauce from scratch, not a big deal for most I know, but a novelty for me, and preparing some rather yummy vegetarian dishes, a Thai courgette curry, vegetarian spaghetti bolognaise, immune boosting vegetable soup (that is its real name), this wonderful Indian vegetarian curry called !Niramish".  I shall have to share some here, in fact the Niramish is really a joy if you like mango:-

Ingredients (serves 6)
2tbsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp curry paste
1/2 tsp chili powder
2.5cm peeled & grated ginger;
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
3tsp mango chutney
1 small cauliflower
2 potatoes (sweet is nice)
2 carrots
2 red peppers
1 x 400g chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g coconut milk
210g green beans
salt and pepper
1 juice lime
fresh coriander

1.  heat oil, add curry paste and chili and stir for 1 minute.  Add ginger, onion, garlic and mango chutney and cook.  Stirring for 3-5 mins until onion softened but not browned.

2. Add cauliflower, potato, carrots and stir well to coat in spices.  Cook, stirring for 5 mins.

3. Add red pepper, toms and coconut milk and bring to the boil, then add beans and season.  Stir well.

4.  Cover and simmer gently for 21-30 mins or until vegetables are tender.  Stir in lime juice and seasoning.  Serve hot with garnish.

Tomorrow night we are planning a homemade make your own pizza night, which should be fun as I am dairy insensitive so can never usually indulge in pizza, but making it at home it can be cheese-free.  Yum, yum.

Anyhow aside from the cooking, I have been trying to walk to work in between the rain showers this week and it has been rather lovely, not least to get the legs working and to breathe the fresh  air, but to gain a different perspective of the roads and lanes between here and town.  One of the joys of travelling for me is the fact I have to walk everywhere, whereas over here life is always so time pressured that the car always takes centre stage, such a shame as walking is so underrated as a fabulous past time, especially if one gets the chance to get out onto the cliffs of course.

We planted a tree yesterday, it is an early birthday present for E, this lovely liquid amber, such a wonderful colour, we do like to set these trees free from their pot bound existence in the gardening centres over here.

Aside from that it has been a rather uneventful and yet conscious week as we build up to the full moon this weekend.  I was reading an astrologers report, which predicts turbulent times the next few days with the potential for a natural disaster as the earth seeks to release some of her pent up energy.  I am hoping that won't happen but already we have the fatal air crash in Nepal, which is so sad, all those people excitedly awaiting their trip to see Everest.

I have flown a number of times within Nepal and it is incredibly scary as the weather changes so quickly and the planes are so tiny and the safety requirements not so seemingly strict as they would be in the Western world.  That flight to Lukla is especially scary, the runway is one of the smallest in the world, perched on a mountain, sloping upwards.  Leaving that runway is worse than arriving, a bit of a white knuckle, close your eyes moment!  My thoughts are with all those in Nepal affected by this recent tragedy.

So let us all ground our feet to this earth as we tried to encourage in class yesterday, energising the root chakra and standing tall and strong and blowing in the wind as the full moon delivers its powerful energy to us all.  Enjoy!!

With love and light and much gratitude,

xxx

Autumn Equinox blessings

It is the Autumnal Equinox tomorrow (Saturday) and still the sun shines!  In Paganism this is known as Mabon.  Like with the Spring Equinox, we have a time of equal day and equal night.  However after tomorrow, the days grow shorter and the sun begins to wane in its power.

A few weeks ago I was quite daunted by this process and yet now, having gone through this period of "change" with much awareness on my mat (and in life generally), I am really quite looking forward to the colder and darker days ahead to retreat and snuggle down in front of the fire, preparing and eating deliciously tasty ans warming soups and generally slowing the pace of life down a little after the activities of summer.

Mabon is also known as the harvest home and basically marks the end of the agricultural year.  Now all the crops will have been gathered (we are almost there) and preserving and storing for winter is a priority.  I must admit even I have gotten into the spirit of this this year, even if it is simply a matter of roasting down tomatoes, liquidising and then freezing for the winter ahead!!

The leaves have turned colour, some to rust and brown before they fall from the trees and then you have the marvellous copper beeches, which glow copper in this wonderful Autumnal light.  We still have flowers in the garden, I am very proud of the ones I planted from seed this year, many were eaten by slugs but some have survived.  Astors I think.  I am blown away by one of the purple ones we have in the front garden, it has over 16 flowers on it - imagine the energy that when into growing all those twelve flowers, well done little plant I say!!

So tomorrow I shall be celebrating the Autumnal Equinox in my own way. Firstly to give thanks for all our blessings and achievements and second, to project the ability to manifest that which we possess.  After all it does no good to manifest a goal if you cannot hold onto it.  You see ideally at this time of year, the goal you set yourself at the start of the year should have manifested or be well within your reach.

Indeed it is incredible how life does unfold for it has been abundant recently as a few new opportunities have presented themselves after a few months of letting go (never an easy process) to make room for the new to enter (after all the new cannot enter however much you wish, pray and envision, until you have created the space for it to enter by letting go of thos old emotions, mental conditioning, behavioural patterns that no longer serve you), so there is every reason to give lots of thanks, every day for that matter, and maintain a positive presence. So blessings all the way.

I have been fortunate to manage a swim in the sea most mornings this week, high tide at Petit Bot has been a delight.  And this has been proper swimming too so that I can't wait to get in a hot shower by the time I get home!  Incredibly invigorating, so too my more traditional Hatha self-practice of later.  I am not sure if it is coincidence, because it could also be due to the fact that I have taken joy in cooking meals from scratch this week (no idea where on earth the passion and inspiration for cooking has just come from but I shall embrace it all the way!) but I have had much more energy than I have had all summer, or so it feels. 

There is a lot to be said for that slower, more prana focused Yoga practice, so too a prana filled and fuelled meal, prepared with love and fresh vegetables, let alone when one turns a corner in one's healing and starts to see the light again.  Hoorah, for the world does indeed appear brighter and the possibilities endless.  But that is a whole other matter...

For us now, Autumnal Equinox, take a walk outdoors, go sit in nature and give thanks for the blessings of the Universe, for the food we eat, the air we breathe, for the capacity to love and for all our friends and family.  There is much to celebrate indeed.

With love

xx

Sunflowers and Yoga fun!

Well I have woken feeling energised, clear and indeed positive for the week ahead and I can't help thinking that this is due to a wonderful traditional Yoga intensive yesterday.

Wow, what a morning as 24 students came together to immerse themselves in the beautiful light Yoga energy.  We began with some pranayama to centre, calm and begin the cleansing process, followed by a traditional asana class with lots of poses to release blockages within the energy body as well as detoxifying the physical body, bring more flexibility to the spine and thus clarity and calmness to the central nervous system and releasing stiffness from the joints.

Then we sat and chanted like I have never sat and chanted in Guernsey before.  Wow!!!   AUM, the primordial sound of the Universe, my gosh, it sounded like we had a choir in the room, in fact I even found myself moving my hands as if I was conducting as we quietened the sound at the end of the practice.  And then we sat.  So peaceful, throat chakras buzzing, silence, energy vibrating, cells healing.  Bliss!!

I then led everyone through a Yoga Nidra, hopefully it was profound on some level, as it always tend to be for me - a resolve in Yoga Nidra tends to manifest in life generally, it is a powerful practice.

I had bought my Buddha along with me as a representation of the peace and harmony that resides within each and every one of us.  People brought offerings so that the Buddha looked rather lovely.  Photo to follow hopefully.

On Saturday E and I went along to the Sunflower maze at the Saumarez Park walled garden bit.  Wow amazing, so many beautiful sunflowers and such a great idea.

We managed swims in the sea each day at Petit Bot, I would love to say it feels warm but alas I am finding it cold and not so pleasant these days!  Good to wake you up and cleanse however.  We managed a walk out at Petit Bot on the cliffs too, beautiful as ever, especially with the autumnal colours and the blackberries starting to come through - late this year.

I must admit I am loving autumn now I have accepted the change of season.  I made my first batch of autumnal soup yesterday, an immune boosting one, yum, yum.  Autumn solstice soon,and then we start to see the change in this lovely late summer sunshine and warmth.  Time for the boots!!

So all in all it has been an invigorating, enlightening and nourishing weekend.

Thank you to everyone who attended the class yesterday, much love and light.

Om shanti.

xx

May all beings have happiness

I managed to catch sunset last Sunday evening, quite spectacular.  I just love the light at this time of year, so too the clarity and lightness of the air.  We really do need to make sure to ground, otherwise we will be taking off with all that vata - make sure to apply cream to your skin too, it tends to suffer when the air is so light and bright.

I have been reading this fantastic book by Tim Freke about being spiritually awake in the real world.  There is this wonderful chapter about meaning and magic, about how one can manifest one's intentions into life.  Tim quotes his 8 year old daughter who says:

"Imagination and reality sync together to make one thing.  A thought transfers itself to reality.  If you transfer your thought from your head to your heart, it comes out as reality...but never quite as your expect".

Wow  she is spot on - they must have some interesting conversations over supper in their family!!

We can manifest, there is no doubt about it, but we need to feel it first, from the heart.  And yes, it does not always manifest as we intended, that is why they say you should be careful about what you pray for.

Anyhow, I wanted to share this lovely Tibetan Buddhist prayer with you:

"May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.
May all beings never be parted from freedom's true joy.
May all beings dwell in equanimity, free from attachment and aversion".

With love and light,

x

The Blue moon came and went

So the blue moon came and went, bringing with it a healing energy that caused many people to shed tears, weeping away the old to make space for the new.  This is most definitely the year of profound change.  Even the summer decided to give it a miss this year!!

Interestingly we are now in Virgo season and with this the opportunity to focus on true vocation and life purpose.  Virgo is associated with healing, purity and wellbeing, so no wonder we have to go through a process of transformation, for that is the path of healing.  This means things may be a little edgy for a while.

Evidently Virgo is also associated with harvesting and the results of what was sown.  So this is the time of year where we realise the practical reality of what we sow.  if we don't like what we see, then perhaps it is time to give consideration to sowing a different path next year.  Interesting to view life in such a manner, that once again we do have some bearing on how things turn out.

Of course often the Universe throws us curved balls and reminds our egos that we are not necessarily in control and we don't always get what we want.  At such times it is tough to stick to the age old, "accepting the way things are", "going with the flow", and "trusting in the Universe".  Perhaps it is all a matter of faith.  Faith in oneself and with the bigger picture that we may not see for years yet.

I have been told that the soul purpose of Virgo is to purify and prepare our physical form so that it is more receptive to light and becomes a suitable vehicle for consciousness.  It really is a time to give thought to whether we are fully aligned to our true purpose.

I find these times uncomfortable and yet they bring with them an opportunity to turn within, retreat, be quiet and still and embrace divinity.  There are huge changes going on out there, and the focus should be on staying grounded to the earth and within the heart, so that we can ride above the anxiety, worry and anger that comes with such testing times.  Yoga, Reiki and meditation can all help enormously, it is so easy to underestimate the support they offer us.

Plus of course there is nature, all is alive and beautiful, brightly coloured flowers fill the garden and there is a lightness in the air that encourages one to get out there and breathe it all in - gardening certainly helps the grounding and loving nature within us all to appear.  The sea is warmer too, Petit Bot was a delight yesterday as it was so quiet with all the schools back again. 

Happy practicing.

Om Shanti x