Category Archives: mindfulness

Spend time alone

At least once a week spend time alone. Reassess your life and take appropriate action that puts you first. Fuelling the focus on you means that you will have more to give out.

The fourth of Five Steps to a Better You in 2020 – Steve Miller.

spend time alone and listen to the whispers of your soulIf you are an introvert, you need to spend time alone. It makes no difference if you are partnered or not, this time allows you to recharge and reflect on what is important for you. Even if you are an extrovert, time spent alone can be productive. How you spend this time alone is crucial.  If you are spending the time perusing social media, this is not the most productive way to spend time alone.  Frittering this time away on tasks that could be done later means you are depriving yourself of quality time.

When you spend time alone meditating you get so much more. Herbert Benson’s study into meditation (The Relaxation Response) showed that meditation increases creativity and productivity. Age is no barrier to a successful meditation practice.  Just the other day I was teaching a six year old in the HeartMath coherence technique, so that he can differentiate between relaxation and the need to be constantly entertained.

When you spend time alone and put yourself first, make sure you dismiss any thoughts of being “selfish”.  Remind yourself of the airline safety message (that many tune out to) about using the oxygen mask first before you try to help others. Treat your time spent alone as your oxygen mask as if you have nothing left, you cannot help others.

What makes you really happy? Are you living a compromised life and have left your dreams on a shelf – or under the doormat – as you follow along with what others want to do? Spending some time alone – fulfilling your own dreams nourishes your soul. Being alone does not necessarily mean that you are lonely and you may discover that you are happy with your own company.

Many years ago, I backpacked solo around Japan, visiting temples and shrines that I had read about. I also went to Hiroshima and as an empath was greatly affected by the energy there. Intuitively I knew that I needed to spend time alone. Going to the island of Miyajima for a couple of days to reflect and reassess was invaluable. This time alone allowed me to re-calibrate.

These days if I need some time alone, I will wander off to the labyrinth and walk the circuits and meditate a while on the swing seat. Soaking up the energy of the labyrinth and the surrounding trees is like getting a recharge before returning to the hustle and bustle of the city.

 

 

 

Visual Meditation

Recent events have meant that daily meditations have become very important. A presence on Social Media requires constant input, so rather than just sharing other peoples’ work….. I have used many of my photos to create visual meditations using positive affirmations or quotes which help me to focus my attention and share with a wider audience.

visual meditationTonight’s Full Moon encourages us to make changes . This can be done by releasing obstacles to the path forward. Or by working on what unhelpful beliefs that we may have formed as a child, that we subconsciously still hold.

Yesterday I had an insightful visual meditation session, that brought up  a fear. I was surprised where that fear came from and the beliefs that I had formed about it. It certainly wasn’t from this rather beautiful dingo that I photographed at Dalhousie Springs some years ago.  In fact, this wild creature was demonstrating no fear of human presence.

A Full Moon meditation is an ideal time to release not only obstacles but attachment to outcome.  Relationships that no longer serve your higher good and anything else that distracts you from your path can also be released.

 

 

Knowledge

Where does wisdom come from? I’m sure it can’t be learned or be acquired merely by growing older. I have met many young people who have wisdom beyond their years. Wisdom requires some sensitivity or heartfelt connection with not only our own feelings, but those of others. Reflecting further, I have come to the conclusion that wisdom comes from an ancient knowing, a sense of self  that is guided more by the heart and soul than the rational mind. Knowing is different to knowledge. There are people who are very clever, rational and knowledgeable –  but have an absence of wisdom. This absence of wisdom is reflected by becoming desensitized to our environment and inherent spirituality. Ismat Ahmed Shaikh said “Knowledge, you may get from books but wisdom is trapped within you, release it.”

About Identity

who are you?Who are you?

There may have been periods in your life where you have played a different role according to various situations.

As you grew from young child to adult there would be many defining moments that shaped your identity.

Deep down, how do you define yourself?

What are you really like?

As you progressed through adolescence, it is possible that you tried on different character traits as you modeled yourself on peers or adults that surrounded you. When one fitted in with your beliefs, like a well made coat, you kept it. Even the most well made coat can become threadbare with constant use over the years and beliefs can also be outgrown or no longer serve us well.

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Listening to the clues….

61de5-labrainDo you believe in synchronicity?

I do…

Yesterday I received an audio study program and took a break from it to have a Skype conversation with a LinkedIn connection for the first time. We shared thoughts and I reflected on how clever the universe is to allow like minded people to connect over the ether!

I decided to start today with some energy work, a meditation and some Reiki for friends in need, then on to working on a new business plan for this financial year. Part of that was to merge my original blog “Meg’s Place” with this one.

Taking some time out for a tea break (a big cup of Bengal Spice), I decided to draw 3 cards from The Ascended Masters with a question about how to resolve any spiritual blocks I might be experiencing in regard to my business.

I got a pretty clear answer:

  1. WRITE ; either daily journal, channel messages from my guides and angels and my life purpose is to write a book…the kernel of which is forming already….
  2. TAKE CHARGE OF THE SITUATION:  I have the tools/power to heal and alter my current situation. Take charge and assume a leadership position
  3. FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS: ..not on the weaknesses. The more one blesses and appreciates the strengths – the more they will grow. The final part of this card also suggested to begin an exercise program, which I had a chuckle about!!

This afternoon’s tasks are to begin to move the face to face workshop material developed over the past 5 years to downloadable files so they can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

My skills as a teacher and the years of writing curriculum documents are standing me in good stead….The Meditation workshop has already been written up and most of the recordings done…

Polarity Therapy, Homeopathy and Coaching will follow, but Reiki will continue to be taught face to face.

An Astrological New Year

Just recently, the astrological influences were full of Chiron in almost every aspect of my chart.
Fortunate to be offered a chance to be a “case study” for a friend undertaking post graduate qualifications, I saw this as an opportunity to work on “The Wounded Healer”.

Interesting what came up for me at this time and I have started working on an outline for a new book as a result.

I’m happy to have help from all areas, including Astrology, Tarot and the spirit world, if it brings some clarity to my life.
I subscribe to a daily forecast for Gemini and find that the readings are generally pretty spot on for me…. today’s was interesting!

“Despite the fact that you’re now in the early days of your birthday month and new solar year and you even have a New Moon in 2 days time that will ask that you draw a new line in the sand, it’s too soon to fully turn your back on the past. Instead you have the luxury of being able to leave the doors to the past open, retaining a clear view of the rear view mirror and the road ahead. At any time, when you’re unsure what new steps you should take, you’re free to look back to the past for inspiration.

 It’s crossroads time again……
I’m drawn to spending more time up at the retreat ….. but that requires some building extensions and serious electrical and plumbing work to make it work. As well as deciding whether I will go to live up there full time at some stage,.
Then there is a decision to make as to whether I keep paying rent on the clinic room I have at present (especially if I’m not there all the time). It might make more economic sense to let it go and use my home office again, now that dear old Ben the Labrador is no longer there to cry at the closed door.

I turned to Colette Baron-Reid’s The Enchanted Map this morning for a 6 card reading. 5 cards fell on the floor as I was shuffling, so I kept them and laid them out in the order they fell, then picked a final card from the cut deck to make up the 6.

  1. Past Influence – Magic Stream (Reversed)Swimming against the current… time to stop “trying”, jump into the stream and float……immersing yourself and be fully present in the moment. Many of my talks have been on Meditation and Mindfulness. I have an emWave (which sat idle for many months … time to walk the talk and be fully present.
  2. Present Point – Rock Bottom – This is the point where you can go no further doing what you have been doing. The old way of doing things must be discarded in order to move fully onward and upward. A new direction & strategy are needed. Surrender, accept things as they are & synchronicity will sort things out. By letting go completely a miracle can occur…Wasn’t it Einstein who said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again? Time to get over myself and use the gifts and therapy tools in a different way. Let go and let God is another saying that one of my teachers gave me…..
  3. What you resist – Intention – Inspired intentions are like magic arrows shot into the sky….connect to the power of intention, let others help to co-create reality & allow synchronicity to work the magic. Own the life you want to lead & live deliberately…..Rather than daydreaming, it’s time to focus the intention on what I really  want…. making some positive goals, setting time frames …. all the very things I ask clients to do……..
  4. Unexpected Help – Rescue You are always safe and secure, and free to be yourself are the words at the top of the guide to this card…Asking for help isn’t easy for many successful people. However, that’s what you need to do now as you expand your life. Ask and assistance will come your way and the expected support will come from Spirit. With the right relationship with the Divine, conditions will line up and help will arrive….. It’s easy to forget to ask Spirit and the Angels for help. It has always come in the past and for that I have been grateful. I’m sure gratitude is the key ….
  5. The next right action – Encouragement The last card in this deck... “you are receiving a nudge in the right direction”…. Step into your power, into the dream of your life. New things are out there to be explored and the universe is giving you a nudge in the right direction. You will get the help you need and won’t be alone in your quest. Every step is supported by the wisdom of the universe. You are on the right path….. keep going! Not the time to give upMemo to self…. stop wallowing, take the Victim stamp off your forehead…. yes the past has had some difficult circumstances, but it is the past and like the astrological reading says, view it in the rear view mirror as you drive  with a clear view to a new destination – the future…
  6. Probable future destination – Mountain “You have the capacity to flow around any obstacle. This is the time to adapt”…. what seems to be an insurmountable obstacle, like a mountain is in the path of success. Rather than climb it, be like the rivers that flow around mountains naturally. Adapt to circumstances. If you do climb it, take one step at a time…. 

And so the reading comes full circle….. I do have to chuckle at what a random set of cards will come up with.

Just to be sure I drew one more card for my Soul’s Intention. 
Home – Peace, security, safety, belonging are all features one would want from “Home” are indicated now. Time for opening your eyes to your tribe of like minded people. … home is love & it’s all around you ….you are where you are meant to be and will reap great benefits by staying on this path, regardless of where it leads  – Home is where the heart is!! I found this reading to be quite educational. Certainly there are layers that need to be further unpacked.  
Already we are beginning to come into the energy of the New Moon on Thursday. This makes it an excellent time to do a series of meditations on this reading and create the intent to move forward at the same time as letting go of ego’s investment in the outcome. 
A great time to set new goals, which model to use?  
SMART, GROW, Be Do Have or another? 
Maybe all of the them as an exercise to gain clarity.
Behavioural flexibility is yet another key…… I can’t change the world, but I can change the way I think, what I do, which in turn will change my physiology and my perspective.