Life is... good?

It is at times when life is hard and tumultuous that we search for meaning. I notice that I tend to journal as a cathartic experience and as a way to re-inspire and nurture my inner being again, and don't get me wrong, I think that is extremely useful and an amazing tool... but what about when life is good? We document our rollercoaster moments and our searches for meaning but do we sit down and just word vomit when life is amazing?

For the last week I have been itching to get back into writing and have had a lot of things come up that I could use to work through on this blog but when I sat down today to start I found that those issues had passed over and today I felt... good! Which confused me... what should I write about? Go back a few days to the tests and trials of the past few weeks? So I messaged my love saying "Life is good, waiting for inspiration about what to write about..." And to which he so eloquently replied that perhaps I had already answered my own question of what to write about...
Goodness! Why can't I simply be inspired by the goodness in life? I am always searching for meaning, to be better, brighter, the fullest version of myself - but what if I'm there right now? Do you tell the people you are around how good your life is? How beautiful they are and how inspiring the opportunities are in your life at the moment? Your immediate response to that question may be that you are not inspired and feel stuck but I guarantee you that there are still moments of beauty surrounding you. It doesn't have to be large. I just ate a fantastic slice of raw vegan hazelnut cake. That, my friends, was a thing of beauty and I am so grateful to be able to nourish and nurture my good good self with that treat =)

What if we had a whole day of smiling? What if every single person we met was genuine and warm and honest? You know what, I think we would freak out. There is a certain disbelief when life is working out for us... Certainly it can't last, can it? Well, honestly, probably not, but I think that is the best part! Because if life did 'work' all the time then we wouldn't have any appreciation. We wouldn't continue striving and learning. Yes, we would be 'happy', but there wouldn't really be any reason for us to progress from baby to child to adolescent to adult to elderly!
So my question to you is: Do you take notice of and document the good stuff as well as the bad? Do you thank for moments of joy in your life? Do you share yourself with others when you are full and bright or only ask for help and lean on them in moments of trial?

We are always being offered opportunities to learn and to share ourselves with others. But we very rarely share our whole selves. And I think that means sharing the dark AND the light. Acknowledging and accepting when life is tough, yes, but also acknowledging and accepting when life is AWESOME. That you have created that awesomeness in your life and trusting that as long as you believe you are worth it, you will continue to create a full and vibrant life. It will come and go, but it will always be there for you to access, as you deserve happiness. You deserve every single great moment. You deserve every great person. You deserve greatness.

How are you today? Share it, journal it, let the world see the whole version of you. And make sure you also share the GOOD! Call your family, friends, cat, whatever, and love them! Really take notice of all the things in your life that bring you peace and joy and note them down so you have tools to help you as you go along life's many pitfalls.

Wishing you much love and light =)

I LOVE. I AM LOVED.

I LOVE. I AM LOVED.

Repeat this to yourself many many times until you feel a shift. An awareness. An opening and warming in the centre of your chest.

This is one of the most profound meditations I have ever been introduced to. It is the essence of all that is. Love. When we love ourselves, we are open to being loved by others. We in turn share our love with all we encounter. Our world becomes a place of joy, discovery, amazement, and wonder as our heart spaces brighten and open to the lightness of life.

Today, celebrate your self-love. Celebrate your brightness. Get intimate with who you are. With all that you truly encompass. Lather your body in luxurious oils and moisturisers. Wear your favourite colour. Smile at yourself everytime you pass your reflection.

Nourish your heart chakra. In this time on Earth, we have spent many years closing off our hearts. To others and more so, to ourselves. To preserve, to keep ourselves safe in times of struggle and hardship. Because we are vulnerable, and we are susceptible to darkness as well as light in these times. But now is the time to emerge. To learn about our heart chakra again and realise we are safe and supported. And it starts with us. We support our own hearts and give ourselves permission to trust and love. This is something I have been learning quite strongly for the past year and I am constantly amazed by what the words ‘soften’ and ‘surrender’ can do for my being. I feel my thoughts quieten, I feel my body release, and I feel a sense of calm settle over my being. I am re-aligning and moving back from my headspace into my heartspace.

(Wow – just as I wrote that paragraph I felt a little nudge on my thigh and turned to discover a little cherub of a girl with her hand on my leg, smiling up at me with the most joyful eyes! What a treasure to be shown the true expression of unconditional love at this very moment!)

I want to share with you some writings from a chapter on the heart chakra in Caroline Myss’ Anatomy of the Spirit. Her words are inspirational and struck a true chord with me so I hope they resonate with you also:

The fourth chakra is the central powerhouse of the human energy system. The middle chakra, it mediates between the body and the spirit and determines their health and strength. Fourth chakra energy is emotional in nature and helps propel our emotional development. This chakra embodies the spiritual lesson that teaches us how to act out of love and compassion and recognize that the most powerful energy we have is love. More than any chakra, the fourth represents our capacity to “let go and let God”. With its energy we accept our personal emotional challenges as extensions of a Divine plan, which has at its intent our conscious evolution. By releasing our emotional pain, by letting go of our need to know why things have happened as they have, we reach a state of tranquility. In order to achieve that inner peace, however, we have to embrace the healing energy of forgiveness and release our lesser need for human, self-determined justice.

The fourth chakra is the power centre of the human energy system because Love Is Divine Power. While intelligence or “mental energy” is generally considered superior to emotional energy, actually emotional energy is the true motivator of the human body and spirit. Love in its purest form – unconditional love – is the substance of the Divine, with its endless capacity to forgive us and respond to our prayers. Our own hearts are designed to express beauty, compassion, forgiveness, and love. It is against our spiritual nature to act otherwise.

We are not born fluent in love but spend our life learning about it. Its energy is pure power. We are as attracted to love as we are intimidated by it. We are motivated by love, controlled by it, inspired by it, healed by it, and destroyed by it. Love is the fuel of our physical and spiritual bodies. Each of life’s challenges is a lesson in some aspect of love. How we respond to these challenges is recorded within our cell tissues: we live within the biological consequences of our own biographical choices.

Wow.

And so on this day I open my heart to you and honour the divine light in you as well as in myself =)

Namaste.

Rainy day = soul searching apparently...

We are constantly being given opportunities. Opportunities to make choices. To learn and grow. Even when life may seem stagnant it is constantly ebbing and flowing. And so in the spirit of moving forward...
I ask to have the strength to always show my true self to the world - yucky or beautifully shiny, empty or full.
I ask to have the courage to truly express myself and all my parts in technicolour. The black, white, and grey, as well as the vivid fuchsias and aquamarines.

I believe in fairies - that we all have wings =)
I believe in psychics and the supernatural - that we all should ask for guidance and keep an open mind about our own potential.
I believe in many things that seem weird to others and I know others believe in many things that seem weird to me.
I believe in a greater good, a power that guides us and encourages us into the light.
I believe in karma.
I believe that our thoughts are the most powerful tools we have. They truly are superpowers and we can use them to create our ultimate paradise or darkness. 
I believe that we create our own abundance and that the term 'power' has gained a negative connotation unjustly. We are all powerful beyond measure and need to stop giving that away to others to control.
I believe that there is good in everyone.
I believe that man, plant, animal, rock, spirit all share this planet EQUALLY and so we all need to acknowledge each others place in this world with reverence.
I believe that we have been blessed with such an amazing vessel to move through our journey on Earth and that we must choose a lifestyle that nurtures this vessel and treats it with the respect it deserves.
I believe it starts with surrendering and moves through to acceptance.
I believe that asking for help is sometimes the hardest thing you have to do... but once you admit that, it flies to you with ease and speed.
I believe in me and I believe in you.


And for a bit of inspiration check out this gallery of work by photographer Kirsty Mitchell from the UK. Her story is amazing and the shots are breathtaking!
Enjoy x
http://www.kirstymitchellphotography.com/gallery.php?album=5

Embrace Everything

Embrace Everything.

Last night in yoga our wonderfully inspired and courageous teacher invited us to try something new in our life and embrace everything. Initially this started in our practice but it extends much further off the mat...
So often we are told to just "let it go". If you feel angry/frustrated/basically any negative emotion - we are encouraged to shake it off, remind ourselves of what we can be grateful for and try to just be present in this very moment. And I do believe that is a wonderful goal to achieve that feeling of just being present in your breath and body for that very moment... However if it means we are merely squishing all those negative chitter chatters into the corner of our brains, or bodies for that matter, then is it really productive? 

I guess we have to be honest with ourselves. If we are feeling totally zen and rose coloured glasses then we are lucky to be in the space where we can simply let go and be and enjoy that ride =) But if we are having a cranky pants day as Mum calls it, (and let's face it we all have one at least once a week) then maybe the most loving thing we can do for ourselves is to embrace it. To embrace all our past hurts, to embrace all our past loves, to embrace all our mistakes, to embrace all our achievements. Let's be clear that there is definitely a clear distinction between "embracing" and "sitting in our own crap". We can move from our frustrations to a place of pity and self-loathing or we can move from our frustrations into a place of acceptance by allowing ourselves to feel it, cry, run, whatever and eventually release it. 

Because that is how we move into our own power. 

I have really been relishing my yoga practice of late and I think it is because it is constantly reminding me of how powerful I can be in my own body and mind if I let myself go there. I am at a point in my life where I am starting again from the ground up and  building foundations from new once more- it's scary! By using my physical strength I am able to ground myself and also gain confidence that I can keep moving forward. When life feels rocky I don't uproot and sway frail-like in the wind, I step strongly onto my feet, feel those ups and downs in my body and remind myself that I am strong enough to go through it all.

This also ties hand in hand with a thought I had the other day about goal-setting. At the beginning of every year, I like to read over my previous years goals/intentions/affirmations and then write a new set for the coming year. Many people do this, and also many people feel like it is a load of fluff. Whatever floats your boat =) 
While reading and writing I realised that each goal was a little path of my year's journey. A life goals list should not be a bullet point list that you can tick off week by week. Because those goals that we feel most proud of achieving are the ones with the best back-stories! I could see a thread running between almost every intention I had written and how they all came together to teach me the valuable life lessons I needed to learn last year, and also a few that were still ongoing. I could see how an intention I had written that seemed quite simple at face value actually came up several times over the year so I had the opportunity to really truly embrace that lesson in my body and step forward past it even brighter than before. The Universe served me opportunities that helped me find the confidence in myself to work through what I needed to ultimately embody that intention. Very often, those opportunities may have seemed tough and maybe even unfair but they certainly made me start walking my own talk! 
If you are open to it, I invite you to write out a list of intentions for your 2013 and as your are doing it be kind and gentle to yourself. Don't write "to lose 10kg" if you are just going to berate yourself everytime you eat a cookie =) Instead embrace that you are a fluid being and word it more in a positive and accepting way such as "to see myself as a strong, healthy, fit, and sexy individual". Choose goals that invite you to learn more about yourself and discover all your sides. Take a chance on you!

The need to be... What?

Why do we divide ourselves into a 'new' self and an 'old' self and constantly feel the need to reinvent and restart even better than before? 
Why do we judge our old selves as if they were not good enough and hard to relate to? 
We are all on a journey through this life and as a result are constantly evolving and changing and that is awesome and definitely something to be celebrated but the self we are changing from should be celebrated just as much as that self is who we learn from. And unless we are committing acts against humanity we really have no reason to place a negative label upon ourselves and pressure ourselves to change because of unworthiness. 
It makes me sad and frustrated to feel a division between our evolving selves from the past. Because ultimately we are the same being, right? 
So whether we are a painter or a plumber, 6ft tall or 4ft short, wearing evening gowns or tracksuits we feel the same emotions right? 
Therefore we have no right to beat ourselves up for being either or. No right to judge ourselves for choosing a certain path because we are no greater or no less because of that decision. And that means that we will feel the guilt and hurt we inflict upon ourselves just as much whether we are 4ft or 6ft. We will feel the love and joy of life just as much. Certainly there are times in our lives when we feel the joy or the sadness greater overwhelming one another but I don't believe that is a result of whether we are a painter or a plumber. That is an external circumstance. Those choices come about because of an internal shift. Whether we are enjoying or resenting ourselves in this life is not dependant upon our external circumstances but rather a result of a decision we make to either shift our view on ourselves or our environment. We become healthy and happy not by merely exercising every day and eating salads but because we find a deeper purpose and connection within ourselves to life. We make a decision to contribute to something greater. So we are exercising not to look good in a bikini but instead to have more energy and strength in life to fulfil anything we set our minds to doing. So we can laugh and play with children. So we can walk along the beach and really appreciate the colours of the sunset. So we can wake up each morning with an excitement for everything the day will bring. 

And so, if our 'old' selves are the catalyst for these changes that bring hope and joy, then surely we can't berate and undermine them, because we need them to show us the way into the light. Without them we wouldn't appreciate all that we have achieved. We would have no benchmark. 
So I want to celebrate each and every part of myself. Because I am whole. I am made of dark and light. I am old and new and I accept every part of myself. I truly believe it is so incredibly important for all of us to start acknowledging ourselves. Because when you start talking to yourself with love and care you realise how often you actually do the opposite. Now, more than ever. We are coming into an amazing time and we all need to start seeing ourselves for the amazing human beings we are. Look at yourself in the mirror and send yourself infinite love and gratitude. You will feel silly, guaranteed, I do! But keep saying it, keep telling yourself and eventually you will believe it. Let's bridge the gap between old and new and just choose to accept ourselves today =)

One of my favourite songs, enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUFs_1vKYlY

The world is changing because we are deciding it is changing...

The world is changing because we are deciding it is changing...

It is such an amazing time to be on Earth right now. There is so much going on and around us though that we can become scattered and caught up in it all very easily. And when we hear about all the disasters, riots, and wars in the media we can begin to wonder whether it is such a great world after all and if indeed things are getting better or just worse... But that is merely our perception. What we believe, we see. So if we all start believing and seeing the world as a vibrant, healthy, life giving, and loving place then we will begin to see it that way in reality. I know you are thinking that it can't possibly be that simple and how does that stop war but I believe with every fibre of my being that it is true and I invite you to try taking a hand at creating a new awesome world with me...

We make the decision to change. We make the decision to grow.

All we need to do is open ourselves up to new possibilities. Listen to people from a perspective you never have. Take a different route to work. Try a yoga class, turn your ego off, and let your body surrender to movement. Surprise your friend with a batch of homemade cookies and some flowers.

Because if we open up to new possibilities in our own lives then the world will follow suit. It's the basic law of attraction. What we create, we receive in return. Why do some people flourish in the darkest of situations? Because they believe in the light and that they deserve the very best for themselves. If I could wave my hand and bring peace to war-torn countries I certainly would but there are bigger powers at play and so I decide to at least create a world for myself that is filled with love, gratitude, and acceptance in the hope that that energy begins to spread and reverberate energetically around the whole planet.

Shield yourself from negative people and negative situations. We all get caught up in it from time to time and that is ok because from hardships we learn and grow, but often we unknowingly pick up others negativity which is not conducive to our lives and growth. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable and unworthy, remove them from your life. Make the choice to surround yourself with people, situations, places, and work that supports, nurtures, and encourages you to be the best you can.
Make the choice to fill your home and self with things that will heal and nourish your body and spirit.
Expand your knowledge base and awareness of the earth we are living in and how to support it the best we can. Make a choice to detox your life from the clutter of media, major corporations, and social norms. Create your own way.

How liberating is that =) Let's all inspire each other!

Dear Future Me...

Today as I walked to the train station I thought about writing a letter to my future self, in say, 50 years time. I thought about questions I would ask myself now and what those answers would reveal to my future self, but also what insight they would give to my present state of mind...

- What is the one word you use most often to describe yourself to others? In seemingly passing conversation, do you refer to yourself as "silly", "lazy", "pudgy", "not as good as"... or do you describe yourself as "awake", "energetic", "considerate", "beautiful"...

- What's the first thing you think of when you wake up? The very first instinct when you get out of bed? Do you check in with yourself and calibrate or just rush ahead and go?

- When you step out of the shower, do you look in the mirror at yourself? Do you like what you see?

- What is the one thing you do for yourself that makes you feel grounded and connected to life and everyone in it? When was the last time you did that?

- How often do you physically touch another person? What is your first reaction to when someone hugs you?

- What part of yourself do you try to cover up? Why? No, seriously and honestly, why? What are you afraid of that part showing to the world?

- When was the last time you cried?

- Do you try to emulate a vision of someone else in your own self?

- How does the word 'freedom' make you feel? Is it far away or at your fingertips?

- When was the last time you switched your phone off?

All of these questions, when answered honestly, showed in clear light for me how I was seeing myself at the current moment. Of course they are ever changing, as we are ever changing, but right now what was highlighted for me was my 'self talk'. Why was the first instinct to myself a negative one? When did I step over the fence from love and acceptance of myself into harsh judgement and unreal assumptions?
What am I gaining by feeding these 'not good enough' thoughts into my mind, body, and spirit? Do I realise the impact and consequences having these thoughts has on me and my relationships with others?
So today I will write out some mantras, some words, to remind myself to LOVE above all else. And hopefully I don't have to wait until I'm 80 to see the truth of beauty and love in this life!

A little side note: After writing this post earlier today I was discussing it with a near and dear friend who offered me an alternative view, a pearl of wisdom, and pulled me out of my rabbit hole (isn't that what friends are for?), which was: Why not stop questioning why I am continuously questioning myself  and simply let myself 'be' in the space I am in right now at this very moment. If I am searching to be the best person I can be and eliminate all negative thought forms surely that begins with simply letting go of the why and how and just accepting me now. No questions asked =) Hehe!