What another wonderfully sunny day - 1 July 2010

I awoke with the first light this morning at 5am and could not get back to sleep so made the most of it and went and sat outside on my own by the quarry and was treated to a magical gift from the Universe...the sun rising to one side of me and the moon setting behind me...and safe in the knowledge that most people were still in bed and the air was clean and high in vibration, just me and the birds. Great stuff, I love it, even if it is now going to be a rather long day!




xx

Birthday meal

A huge thank you to my family for a lovely birthday salad eaten outdoors (how cool is that at this time of year!), the new herb garden and other gardening things(so exciting, can't wait to get planting) and book to know how to look after organic veggies (pretty crucial at this stage in the limited ogardening knowledge), plus of course the other girl-related gifts, you have all been super generous. For me it was just special to be able to spend some of my birthday with the whole family, this is the first time for a long time that Ross has been here on the Island at this time of year, so that means a lot, thank you.



Very funny too, Ewan spent thirty minutes putting the tent up in the garden before we went for dinner in preparation for Sark, only to go around to my parents and discover that Ross had put a tent up in their garden in preparation for their trip too...only the cats went and weed on his tent, Ross not impressed, we all found it hilarious! Dad got to enjoy lighting his fire, men love this fire lightning thing, great a stuff though, heating and mesmerising, a meditation no less.

xx

Magical birthday

I am having a magical birthday, thank you angels, friends and family.

We woke early to fog but this did not deter us from our daily swim, high tide at Petit Bot today, Liz and Mandy from Yoga were there too, the 4 of us swimming in the Bay although they lasted a lot longer than we did (well done ladies), the tourists watching were very impressed, the thing is, once you are in it is great. I used to always be a West coast girl, but Ewan has converted me to the South coast, the beach is steeper so you submerge yourself a lot quicker.

I can't tell you how healing it has been to get in the sea each day recently. You read books about clearing your energy and healing yourself and many of them will suggest immersing yourself in cold water every day as it negates any bad energy and it is so true, I can highly recommend. I have even started getting into the shower when it is cold these days and then enjoying the change in temperature. I believe it strengthens both the immune and nervous systems. The sea is the best however, especially if your skin has been out in the sun. We even swim these days rather than just lasting the obligatory minute.

We cycled into town - how much I love cycling again these days, the main thing which stresses me out over here in Guernsey is traffic especially through the St Andrews lane, but with a bike you just get on with it, plus you get to breathe fresh air in the process - and got he Trident over to Herm for lunch. It was midday and the for had lifted to reveal a beautifully sunny day, lucky me I don't remember my birthday always being like this.



We walked from Cambridge steps to the Mermaid for salad and a glass of wine in the sun, got to love it, last year I was in Devon all on my own. We walked up to meet our friend Tracy and her Mum and baby daughter for a cup of tea, they are staying in one of the cottages over there for a week, lucky things, if the weather carries on like this then they will have a particularly amazing time, the views from their cottage at the top of the hill are just insane. We walked around and made the obligatory trip to the shop, they sell crystals at the cheapest price I have ever found them and no trip to Herm is complete without investing in a few of them.

Back on Guernsey the sun was still shining high and we hammered it home on the bikes up the hills from town to St Andrews, I don't know why we did that, it was a mental challenge as much as a physical one, great for me to test my strength, I am feeling so much better, the stamina is returning, although I did have to lie on my bed for a few minutes to slow my heart rate when we made it home.

Tennis time now before a lovely large salad platter with Ewan, my parents, Ross, Star and Adena this evening.

We are off to Sark this weekend for the Sark Folk Festival, my birthday present from Ewan, I am so excited and so grateful, I love experiential gifts, this will be the first time we have camped together and we are both looking forward to the back to basics experience as well as listening to all the music, seeing friends and enjoying the sun and the Sark ambiance.

So a huge thank you for all my kind birthday messages, the cards, presents and especially all the references to hearts, angels and crystals, I love it!!!!

xx

Normality returns

Well it seems the energy of the full moon and partial lunar eclipse has passed now; I know that Ewan and I weren't the only ones to experience chaos and confusion over the weekend...yet another reminder that one must never underestimate the power of the moon!!!

A lovely Taoist Poem from friend

Close your eyes and you will see clearly
Cease to listen and you will hear truth
Be silent and your heart will sing
Seek no contacts and you will find union
Be still and you will move forward on the tide of the spirit
Be gentle and you will need no strength
Be patient and you will achieve all things
Be humble and you will remain entire

Incredibly healing as it is, Ewan and I have made the most of the high tides and beautiful weather and have managed a couple of swims in the sea in the last 24 hours, got to love living over here at this time of year.

Have a good day.

xx

Kiss joy as it flies

When I was researching the spiritual side to the Lunar eclipse I came across something someone had written about it creating chaos and confusion...no joke!

Two hours before Vicki and Ju were due to visit for a civilised glass of wine in Ewan's beautiful garden prior to my birthday meal, Ewan and I decided that it was time to take him to Accident & Emergency. The poor boy had been suffering with lower abdominal pain for 20 hours and had spent the last 4 hours curled up on the sofa feeling awful.

An hour later I was still sitting in the waiting room quite literally waiting to find out what was happening to Ewan. Thirty minutes later and following various tests, Ewan was admitted to Victoria wing with suspected kidney stones...poor Ewan it is horrible to see someone you love in hospital all wired up and anxious about their condition. A huge thank you to Vic and Tracy for sorting everything out for me, needless to say we cancelled the birthday meal, I didn't want to leave Ewan until he went to sleep.

Which he did just after 10.30pm. I drove down to Vicki's house at Grandes Rocque and was blown away by light at Cobo - despite the time there was still an orange and pink glow to the horizon which reflected beautifully on the glistening high tide. I absolutely love Cobo when it is like this - a balmy night, high tide, glowing sky - I have watched the sun set at many magical places around the world but none of those experiences have blown my mind quite like watching at sun set at Cobo, magnificent.

Crossing the road to Vic's house from the carpark I was fortunate to witness the full moon rising in front of me, but alas no naked running around the garden tonight, Vic, Ju and I sat outside in its glow, finally enjoying a bottle of sparkling wine and putting the world to rights instead...sometimes there are seemingly nonspiritual ways to tap into one's spirituality and it has to be said that sometimes the best way to "let go" on a full moon night (and embrace the femininity of its energy) is to bring the girl's together and have girly chats over a bottle of wine.

As promised I made it to the hospital for 8am this morning to find Ewan a little more comfrotable. It seems he has a kidney infection, which is potentially rather serious (I've learnt quite a bit about the kidney today!) so they are dosing him up on antibiotics and monitoring his progress. Consequently we have spent the whole day sitting together on his single bed in his private room being brought tea, water and juices (how indulged are we with private health care over here) chatting with his family and and watching England's dismal football performance against Germany...

So all in all it has been an interesting weekend. Beautiful, beautiful weather - most unusual for a full moon - morning and evening high tides, fantastic sunsets, stunning full moon, a sense of excitement about a Satursya night out and the England football game, and yet Ewan and I haven't really been able to get out and enjoy any of it, and yet - well now he feels more comfortable - I'd say we are feeling relatively peaceful.

You see there is something incredibly humbling about spending time in a hospital, grounding somehow. A reminder that we are not invincible and that we really should grasp each moment because stuff just happens. And that the allopathic world has its benefits, and that many nurses are real life angels, and that while there is lots of suffering and pain in the world, there is also a lot of kindness and compassion. We have no control, why we waste so much energy and time trying to control our lives I have no idea, stuff just happens. Its kind of liberating. Life is to be lived. Life is short. Just get on, get out there and enjoy it.

A kindred soul sent me this lovely poem by William Blake today, I feel it kind of sums up the weekend in so many ways:-

Eternity

He who binds to himself a joy
Does the winged life destroy
But he who kisses joy as it flies
Lives in eternity's sun rise

Love and thank you to all of you who have helped so much this weekend. xxxx

The Full Moon and a partical Lunar Eclipse

Not only is it a full moon tonight but also a partial Lunar Eclipse adding to he general exciting energy of the Full Moon. A Lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. This type of eclipse does not occur every year but when it does, it's a wonderful and magical night.

Apparently the eclipse will begin 1017 GMT when the Moon enters the shadow of Earth but because of the timing, it will not be visible from the UK or Europe. However in many parts of the US and Canada (you lucky things), the eclipse will appear larger because it occurs while the Moon is so close to the horizon. According to Nasa, low-hanging Moons look "unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects". The reason for this is not understood.

I am really excited. I am celebrating my forthcoming birthday tonight with a few female kindred spirits and so I hope that we can spend some time honouring the Goddess together. Failing that I am sure Ewan and I will have our own little ritual, mad though it sounds I really did run around the garden naked last time around and keep threatening to do this at the fairy ring one night...

...okay so he thought I was slightly mad, as you may well do too - but isn't this what the full moon is all about, encourage the energy of lunacy and creative expression, let the hair down, let go, let go, let go - it was an incredibly liberating experience actually, and I can highly recommend. Admittedly I was "wired" for days afterwards but it certainly helped to encourage a transformation in my thought process and new opportunities presented themselves for grounding the energy - France then came about.

Never underestimate the power of the Moon. Nor the power of the Full Moon especially. Honestly, it is truly exciting stuff. Put your crystals outside in its light to clear and energise them, you'll be amazed how much they sparkle tomorrow, especially Moonstone.

Do your own "letting go" ceremony. Write down all the aspects of your life that no longer serve you, behaviour patters, vices, energy vampires etc...and then call on the Goddess to help you to let go and then burn the paper and think no more of it, simple as that!

Or stand outside, call on the Goddess, honour her, give thanks, say a prayer, ask for her help, or simply thank her for being there.

Maybe you think I am mad but seriously, give it a go, at least stand outside and stare at the full moon, just feel the energy, open your arms, let it enter your heart.

So who knows maybe one day we can all go running naked around the fairy ring at Full Moon. Now that would be something to tell the grandchildren.

Happy Full Moon.

xx

Summer solstice in London

No watching the early sunrise this Summer solstice for me, not that you would know it was the middle of the summer based on the still-cold temperatures in Paris. Imagine my delight therefore to pop up from under the English channel into the Kent countryside and find the warm sun shining through the windows of the Eurostar. Good old Britain, may not be so reliable with the football, but has certainly provided sunshine for the early morning Pagan sunrise watchers these last few years.

Ewan met us off the train (and what a great invention that was, one minute flying through the French countryside, the next popping out into the English countryside, fantastic) and the two of us walked to Camden for lunch. I have got to be in the right mood for Camden, Sundays are terrible, too busy, too many people stopping and starting to take photographs seemingly oblivious to anyone but themselves, but today, Monday, was fine, not too busy, available seats at Lock 17, and still the sun was shining.

We watched a guy (river gypsy Ewan calls them) work his way through the lock, his little black dog with spiky fur jumping on and off the boat. I guess the guy is used to doing this, this lock thing, and in front of an audience too, I find it rather interesting, in fact the whole barge thing looks rather fascinating, the freedom of moving your home up and down the river like that. Mum and Dad have just spent a week on a barge holiday in France and completely loved the experience - I haven't seen my Dad so rested for ages.



That evening we continued the birthday celebrations with a meal at the wonderful Blue Elephant Thai restaurant in Fulham Broadway. This time Mum, Dad, Ewan and I were joined by my one of my best friend' Hannah and her Mum, Anita, who happens to be my Mum's best friend from University (and hence how I got to meet Hannah and after spending a summer working on a soccer camp in Boston together run by another University friend of our mothers we became firm friends) and Shane, one of my Dad's best friends.

We had such a fun night, it is always so uplifting to be in the company of best friends, especially when you are spoilt with wonderfully tasty and fresh Thai food...the simple pleasures in life...a lovely way to end this "healing" trip away.



And it is true, it has been healing, all of the experiences, to rest in France and live with a French family, to spend time with the family in Paris and now with friends in London. I do feel blessed, I do feel more refreshed and energised and I do feel very inspired by all the kundalini Yoga I have been practising, the meditation techniques and the breathing exercises....long may it continue....and long may the sun continue to shine. So a huge thank you to my Mum and Dad again for yet more generosity and good times.

Happy summer solstice.

xx