Dreaming of a Tropical Christmas
Time out for some relaxation in the midst of a busy time.
Christmas 2015
I haven't been to the Greek Islands at Christmas, although I'd love to experience it - from the postcards that I saw when I was there, it looks like it might get pretty cold at times. On a trip to the Greek Islands, a few years ago and we minded the most gorgeous little villa perched high above the town of Mykonos.
It was one of those memories that will stay in my heart forever. Of an evening we could look down at the sun setting over the harbour. It was a bit of a hike into town, but we didn't care it was marvellous. We used to use the goat tracks to wind our way up the hill of a night back to the villa.
Christmas Baubles to colour, if you're taking part in the current colouring in craze! You are welcome to print the baubles out and colour in. If you decide to share them, just give a link back to my site.
One night there was no moon to guide us, and with only a cigarette lighter to guide our way (you'd have thought we'd have bought a torch instead) we wove our way back home. Hubby in the lead, I followed close behind, when there was a sudden stop and scream at the feeling of hot breath in the front. Turned out that hubby had come face to face with a donkey on the path. He'd been bent over trying to see the way over rocky terrain, and in that position came face to face with the local. Ah fun times to remember.
Since visiting them, the islands have never been far from my heart, I could have put down roots and stayed there. It was one holiday I never wanted to return from. I have yet to see any images that truly capture the light and beauty of the place.
I just had a text from a friend wondering what to bring for Christmas lunch, which got me to thinking not about lunch, but about Christmas treats. One of my favourite recipes is for Greek Christmas Cookies - Kourapiedes. A while ago now I happened upon a rather magical cookbook called Falling Cloudberries. The title attracted my interest and then once I opened it, I knew it was coming home with me to live at my house. Tessa's book introduced me to these treats and I've made Tessa's recipe many times. They are melt in your mouth wonderful little bursts of buttery delights and friends just can't get enough of them, once they start.
"Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes, by Tessa Kiros is a gem. The cookbook is full of personal touches and stories. It is a beautiful collection of family anecdotes, history, and traditions all documented with stunning photography, unique illustrations, and a warm dialogue that will simply pull you in. This book trailer will let you into Tessas exotic multi-cultural family gathered around meals, food and fun."
If you are looking for a lovely Christmas present for someone who loves to cook, who also loves soulful stories, you couldn't do better than Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros. Apart from wonderful recipes, I adore how Tessa has woven into the book her family history and images.
There is nothing you cannot do... Tao Porchon-Lynch
In case you think life has passed you by, here's a wonderfully inspiring talk by yogi/dancer/wise woman Tao Porchon-Lynch.
Mindfulness & A Mindfulness Process: R.A.I.N Tara Brach
It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment..." - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Over the last few years I have been practicing mindfulness and have found it to be of great benefit. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is simply the practice of being present in the moment. Have you ever stopped and paused, and brought your awareness totally to the present moment? We all have at some point, perhaps it was a sunset that almost took your breath away, holding a baby and being mesmerized by their tiny toes or hands, maybe it was looking at a flower or at an animal?
A mindfulness practice:
RAIN - Cultivating a Mindful Awareness
The acronym RAIN is a powerful tool for interrupting habitual patterns of emotional reactivity and discovering the freedom of an awake, compassionate presence. This talk explores the components of RAIN, how it works, what makes it transformational and typical challenges people encounter. The teachings include a guided RAIN meditation.
"Recognising and allowing is the heart of mindfulness practice". Tara Brach.
R.A.I.N:
R - Recognising - "What is happening inside me right now?" - Just name it.
A - Allowing - "Can I be with this?" If you just pause and ask these two questions, you will be more awake. Recognising and allowing, creates a pause. Instead of tumbling into a reactive behaviour, whether it is eating a bowl of ice cream or rushing into responding to an email, or whatever it is, in the recognising and allowing, we've paused...
'Between the stimulus and the response there is a space, and in that space is your power and your freedom' Viktor Frankl.
If you can pause,
in the middle of very habitual behaviour,
you have more choice.
The R and the A, create a pause, and they enable you to begin to investigate (21.35).
I - Investigate - we begin to investigate with interest and friendliness.
"What am I believing?" - don't go searching, don't get stuck in thinking... if something arises allow it.
Have you noticed how much you go around through the day, trying to figure out what is going on?
RAIN can get hijacked by the figuring out mind. It is very skillful to ask 'what am I believing?' Because, whenever we are suffering, there is a limiting belief, (25.38) and if you can identify it, that can bring a whole constellation of what is going on, and less identification.
If there is judgement when you are investigating, it won't work. (26.34) The part of you that is most vulnerable and needs the most work, will hide in the shadows. The only thing that will dissolve judgement that we have in such great supply, is a very purposeful quality of gentleness and kindness.
So Investigate, with an intimate attention.
You can't manufacture kindness, but you can intend it. Because your wisdom knows that is what is needed. (27.46)
Investigate, "What does this part of me need?" But again be aware of going into thinking.
Sometimes we go through the RAIn process and may get to R or A or I, and may not get to the N part of the process. Almost what is important is not getting to the end, but more the intention, and the valuing of pausing and deepening our attention. (36.20)
You can trust,
anytime, you are caught in an old pattern, (36.27)
and you pause, and even just for a few moments, say well 'what's going on?'
and,
'can I be with this?'
that you are beginning a 'rewiring'.
The neuro-circuitry is beginning to change.(36.43)
You are changing habits, even with the lightest version of an incomplete RAIn
Mindfulness helps, and this is mindfulness.
A few challenges people come up with when doing this. What if when you check in, investigating, you can't find felt sense, or you can't even feel your body very much? What I would encourage, in the investigating is just to invite the feelings to be there, and notice what happens and don't worry if you can't connect with your body. Scan through your body, try to notice, but just putting out the inquiry, 'What is happening', 'where do I feel this?' - doing this over and over, it is the invitation that counts. Attention is what counts, in doing this process you are beginning to bring attention to what's there.
Bring kindness to this - bring compassion - as you would to a child.
N - Natural Awareness - Not Identify - There’s nothing to do for this last part of RAIN—realization arises spontaneously, on its own. We simply rest in natural awareness
Anzac Day - Lest We Forget - 100 years
Remembering my grandfather who died as a result of a bullet wound in WW2, my two uncles and my father who fought in WW2. Lest we forget.
“Beannacht / Blessing
On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.
And when your eyes
freeze behind
the grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green,
and azure blue
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
in the currach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.”
― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
Image by London Street Artist Grafter.
Happy New Year
The New Year - I think we all know about New Year's resolutions - and have probably attempted one or two things in the past - some we may have followed up and others not at all. We start out with ideas about how this year will be different - ah well I'm sure you know the scenario, I've been meaning to go to the gym for 2 years now, and get back to Tai Chi - what's your ones?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my personal growth in 2015?
The Wellness Wheel
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my spiritual life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my social life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my emotional life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my intellectual life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my environmental life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my physical life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my occupational life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my family life in 2015?
What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my creative life in 2015?
At the turning of the new year this year I watched a couple of webinars on New Year's Vision for 2015. For those wondering what a webinar is, a webinar is a seminar held on the internet alias the web - hence the name webinar. One of the webinar's that I watched was the webinar by Mary Morrissey. Mary is a lifecoach in the USA. (Mary Morrissey.com)
One of the questions that Mary asked in her webinar was: What is one thing that I am doing to invest in my personal growth in 2015? I was thinking... well one of mine is listening to webinars like this. About a moment after thinking that Mary said something along the lines of, 'perhaps it is listening to a webinar like this!'
I invite you to join me if you wish. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and write your answer to...
I had a few other answers that started to pop up around that question. Then I started thinking about various areas that I could apply that question to... At times like this I tend to use a tool like the wellness wheel. The wellness wheel can vary as to what is most important in your life, and is just a matter of adapting it to suit.
As I looked at the wellness wheel, I adapted Mary's question to suit the segment.
I realized working with this wellness wheel, that it was missing out on creativity, a large part of my wellness - so I started to create my own wheel. And then, doing that, I wondered - where did my family fit into my wellness wheel picture? I have included my family in my version of the wellness wheel.
So this year I start into the New Year, working with 'what one thing am I doing' question as a focus I invite you to join in, with me, and thousands of others who have taken part in Mary Morrissey's question.
If you would like to take up the invitation, write that one thing down... and then... what steps can you take, to bring your one thing into an action. Oh and if you would like to visit Mary's website - here is the link; Mary Morrissey.com
And if you'd like to create a wellness wheel of your own in an art journal session with me... just give me a call.
Happy New Year - may you create something wonderful for yourself, your family and our world.
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