Tag Archives: transformation

Dragonfly

A Balanced Life, Animal totems, , , , , , ,

Carl Jung coined the term synchronicity to describe a series of coincidences that are experienced by various people. Yesterday began with a challenging decision to make. It ended up being a magical day where the Universe conspired to provide some memorable moments.

Inspiration

I’m a great believer that the Universe sends us inspiration in various ways. I’ve found that random songs on the radio will be played to help with mindset.  My mind was on my decision,  when a song came on the radio. It was upbeat and lifted my energy.  I mentioned the name of the song to the participants in the Mental Health workshop and they all knew the words.

The afternoon Art Therapy workshop.

After the introductions we did an exercise with eyes closed to help with mindfulness. A few moments passed and time to open their eyes.  There was much merriment when one of the group discovered that she had been drawing with the blunt end of her pencil!

Just as the group had started to share their individual experiences a large dragonfly flew in through the open door.

Dragonfly is a symbol of transformation, change and new beginnings. A perfect visitor to the Art Therapy room.

Many cultures celebrate the symbolism of Dragonfly.  In India, it is thought to represent intuition, which is something that Art Therapy helps to develop. Japanese people believe that the Dragonfly represents courage and rebirth.

The visit tied in with the intent of the activities and the group members in sharing their own interpretations of their work, and how they have started their transformational journeys.

The two hours always seems to pass so quickly. We finished off the session with an oracle card from the Spirit Warrior deck. Each person got a card and again the Universe dealt a card that had meaning to that person as well as resonating with the whole group. Random events? I’m sure that the Universe has a message for everyone. You just have to be listening.

Time to go home and prepare for an evening client. Yet another song on the radio helped me to centre myself. Things will be alright!

Well, it’s alright, ridin’ around in the breezeWell, it’s alright, if you live the life you pleaseWell, it’s alright, doin’ the best you canWell, it’s alright, as long as you lend a hand
Travelling Wilburys
And the day ended with a message from the evening client to say how much they appreciated me. Truly a magical day!

 

 

Listening To Your Inner Voice

A Balanced Life, intention, , , , ,

Listening to your inner voiceAmongst my many sets of oracle cards there are a couple of small and often overlooked sets. These were the precursors of the glossy, very artistic cards that abound on the shelves of bookshops and the like.  Listening to your inner voice in these uncertain times can be difficult as the constant stream of information via TV, radio and internet may scramble the messages. Fear will also hinder listening your inner voice. We are hardwired to respond to danger – you would have heard of the flight, fight or freeze responses that our subconscious mind gifts to when faced with a dangerous situation. Fear is like this virus, quietly acquired and infecting our very thought processes until we manifest the symptoms externally.

UnderstandingToday for this 7th week of intention, I reached out to my ancient (last century) container of Angel Cards. Tiny by today’s standards, but in their simplicity – just one word in beautiful calligraphy and a line representation of an angel – I found an antidote to the fear that had crept up on me.  Feeling incredibly stuck as how to best move forward in a time of uncertainty, the Angel Card that I picked from the container was Understanding.  When paired with a randomly selected card from the little purple box that sits next to the Angel Cards, it made more sense.  The subsequent card from Treasures from Tikashi was the Treasure card! I believe that this card has relevance not only to me, but to you as you read this week’s intention.

“Your life has purpose and meaning that you can value and treasure.

It is time to acknowledge your dreams. Listen to your heart and discover what you really  want!

Be prepared to do what it takes to follow your heart, and you will find your treasure!”

My intention for this week is to: spend more time understanding my calling and purpose, by

gracefully exploring my dreams and creating a space to be nurtured in an amazing and transformative way.

Mastery

Energy, Reiki, , ,

I do so love teaching Reiki. It doesn’t matter what level it is, each training has its own special insights, both for the student and for me. My current student is learning how to be a teacher and I feel I have learnt as much from him on this journey as I may  have shared with him. Like me, he never set out to be a teacher and was a skeptic at first about distance healing, until he got feedback from clients he was working with.

Teaching is not for everyone and often it takes another person to see the talents and inner qualities that we don’t acknowledge in ourselves. For me is was waiting until the children were older and for this student, it was a chance comment by his long time friends that brought him to realize that he has so much more to offer by becoming a Reiki Teacher.

Revisiting each Reiki level brings new insights and each training brings about wonderful changes for all involved. It is as if a little bit more information is being revealed each time. Reiki helps both teacher and students to slow down and relax. The preparation for lessons and sessions is a special time. Meditation and setting the intent to work with Masters present and passed and Guides is a time to create peace both within the room, for students and myself.

Reiki energy is always gentle and will go to where it is most needed. I find that once you get yourself or ego “out of the way”, the energy flows with ease. A participant in a Reiki share commented that as she had only done Level 1 and the other participants were all Master Level or Teachers, that she was worried that her energy wasn’t as much. It took some convincing to let her know that the Reiki energy is the same for all of us regardless of what level we have studied to and that it is not our personal energy, but universal energy that we facilitate for the client. A healing session with someone who has taken Level 1 can be profound as the energy doesn’t discriminate.

Truth, Love and Transformation

Chakras, intention, ,

Everyone has a different perception regarding events and likewise what is the truth for one person is not for another.

Having respect for the needs and values or principles of others is what contributes to our character.

Too often we place conditions on ourselves and others, but when we begin to take time to still a busy mind, the space that the stillness creates will allow you to achieve more balance in your life.

You may get a sense of this space and take some time to become aware of the many possibilities that the Universe may be offering you.

As you become more familiar with meditation, the chakras will unblock and open. You may start to feel that love is all around you and whilst this may feel unfamiliar at first, once you acknowledge it and let it go, you will start to experience some amazing transformations.

Three Keys to building your Emotional Intelligence

Coaching, Life balance,

There is an art to being emotionally intelligent.

How so you might say?

Whilst there have been stacks of books and plenty of research on the subject, when it comes to improving your Emotional Intelligence you have to get in touch with your inner ARTist as I outlined in a recent presentation.

Firstly you have to Assess your emotions. Positive or negative, feel the emotions and name them and then let them go.

The second key is to Recognise that all emotions are feedback in some way.

  • Can you recognise patterns as you experience a particular emotion?
  • Is there a trigger that creates your response?

When you start to recognise these patterns, then you will have created a neural pathway that causes you to respond that way. Once you become aware of your own patterns of action or reaction, then you will also start to notice how other people react to triggers.

The third key is Transformation. This will begin to happen as you acknowledge your emotions as useful tools for feedback. Part of this transformative process is reflecting whether you are doing one of several things.

  • Are you denying the emotion or your feelings?
  • Are you over reacting or are you repressing the emotion?

Take a step back….. pause and do some deep breathing and allow yourself some space. If you feel you need some help in building your Emotional Intelligence muscle, then call or use the contact form to schedule some coaching sessions.

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Focus

balance, calm, Choice, conversation, , , ,

FocusWhich senses do we engage when we focus….. truly focus on something?

We can focus our eyes on something….I’m long sighted but have also developed a strong peripheral vision, which is useful when giving a public talk, wandering in the bush or just being aware of what’s going on around me. It’s kept me safe in dark car parks late at night.

We can focus our hearing… and as I become more aware that I’m losing some hearing in my left ear, it becomes important to place myself so that I do hear conversations. But listening isn’t just about what we hear, it’s also about “listening” to our inner voice or intuition.  When we listen to others it’s important to not only hear what is being said, but what is not. It’s about being present for the other person whilst putting our own inner chatter on hold as the conversation progresses.

We can focus on what we feel….. this could be a simple touch, a brush of a soft silk scarf or an emotion. Some emotions can catch us unawares, like the sudden gut wrenching sadness as we grieve the death of a loved one, a rush to the heart of love as you look down on the sleeping face of a young child. For some people, experiencing strong emotions are taking them into uncharted waters and when they let go and surrender to them, rather than being scared or uncertain, having a sense of wonder as they allow the energy to lead to personal transformation.

Transformation can be as quick or gradual as you allow it to be. It can be a pleasant journey into the future as we set down the burdens or baggage of the past. Forgiveness and gratitude are two companions that make that journey easier. Taking time to rest and reflect are also helpful in your quest to move forward. The letting go of what no longer serves you, perhaps participating in a “cutting the ties” visualization, remembering to breathe deeply and open yourself to new beginnings.

Focus on the breath…… What do you feel?

Close your eyes and breathe deeply again…. What do you see?

And once more…… eyes closed, breathe deeply…… focus……. What do you hear?