Kestrels flying free

Good grief, what on earth is going on with this weather.  I was even dreaming about it last night, I guess I must have some fear that we are not going to get a summer this summer.  Today here in Guernsey we are cocooned in a cloud of fog, which I find ever so suffocating.  It is quite though, without the aeroplanes so there is a positive to every negative I suppose!!

The solstice was a wash out of course, such a shame, but indicative of the change in the position of the earth perhaps, all that wind blowing away the cobwebs as a shift occurs in all our lives.  I managed my own ritual and I cleansed myself in the sea with a swim at Petit Bot, which I had all to myself, how magical to change in between the rocks, naked to the world!!

On Saturday, I attended a chanting session with a lovely teacher from the UK.  I just love chanting.  It is so powerful, I can't really explain, you just need to try it for yourself and experience its positive effects. We chanted in honour of the sun, the Surya Mantra, which is believed to heal and strengthen the heart and the liver.  I certainly left feeling much more alive and invigorated than when I arrived, and that was after a mere 45 minutes.  I wrote an article about it a few months ago, to try to share my own experience - you can see them on my website in the articles section on the front page.

We did manage a walk along the cliffs on Sunday afternoon to make the most of a dry spell.  Those oxy daisies are just stunning around Petit Port and Jerbourg.  So too all the wild flowers, as ever, lots of pinks and yellows.  The cliffs never cease to amaze me with their beauty.

Our garden is looking rather healthy at the moment, all this unsettled rain and sun has promoted the amount of greenery everywhere.  We have planted quite a few flowers this last few weeks, so August should provide a colourful background, especially if we get the sunshine to enable us to enjoy the garden.

The highlight this last week, however, has been the discovery of a kestrel nest just off the back of our garden, on the edge of the quarry.  We have been hearing this loud shrilling noise for a few days and had a feeling it was a young kestrel as they had nested in the same spot last year and the timing is right for babies.  So I started sitting outside and just waiting for something to appear, and sure enough there is a Mum, Dad and young kestrel learning to fly.  So I have spent quite a bit of time the last week sitting on the table out the back over the quarry, watching them flying in circles.  I have figured out a number of their resting places and the holes they like to use on the other side of the quarry.

It has been rather special actually.  Not only has it encouraged me to still, but also patient, which strangely is one of the spiritual significances of finding a kestrel in your life - a message for timing, decisiveness, patience, being so in touch with your body that you know your own abilities and limitations, and creativity.  Of course I can read into this, as this "spiritual significance" contains many of the lessons I am being encouraged to learn by the Universe - especially timing and patience, which are not easy, because you have to relinquish all control!!!

There is a lot to be said for the spiritual significance of an animal or bird that keeps appearing in your life.  It has often come to teach you something, and google is full of sites where you can read the significance.  It is a little like crystals, they will come into your life for a reason too.  You see the messages from the Universe are everywhere, an acknowledgement that the angels are communicating with you regularly - you are not alone after all, even if it feels that way sometimes.

So this week is a little busy with quite a few privates and working commitments.  Still, it is my birthday on Saturday and we are off to Jersey to attend the Folklore festival and see Van Morrison live, plus catch up with my Reiki Master, so I am looking forward to that very much.  I shall keep praying for sunshine.

So back to my mat now,meditating on the concept of timing and patience!

In light and with love,

Om Shanti,

xxx

Summer solstice!

Tomorrow is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the sun is at its full power.  The festival of the summer solstice is concerned with fire and water, because form this point onwards, the sun will decline in power.  The symbol of the sun represents keeping the sun alive, while water is used for the ritual blessing of individuals, sacred wells and springs.

In the past, our ancestors would leap or pass over fires - it was believed that the higher they jumped, the higher the crops would grow.  Another symbol used at this time is the wheel.  The turning of the wheel suggest the turning, or progression, of the seasons.

Symbolically, the Solstice is the time to nurture our goals or efforts.  That which we have been working for during the year should now be within our range.  So light a floating candle to give you power (fire) and keep your emotions even (water) as you continue to work towards your goal.

All rather exciting, there is certainly some stuff going on out there.  These lighter evenings are simply incredible, the skies at 10pm are delightful from my bedroom window, and I am sure they are equally, if not more beautiful, first thing in the morning, if only I could shake myself from bed super early!!

The weather is looking dodgy for tomorrow, which is quite a shame as I really want to finally teach a class at the fairy ring, what with all that fairy ring energy, to give thanks to the sun, but alas there may be too much rain.  So everyone keep praying.

Happy solstice!

xxxx

The miracle of growing

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

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

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

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

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

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

xxxx

Swimming against the flow

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

xxxxxxxxx

Crazy energy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With gratitude.

xxx

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy holidays!

xxxxx