Fear VS Love

With 2012 and all it’s unknowns drawing near, I am seeing a lot of fear rising amongst people. There is talk of collecting supplies in preparation of a potential disaster. I find this kind of conversation manifests fear and projects that fear into the universe. Since we live in a 3D reality, what we project is what we get.

Yes there may be some practical elements in stocking up on canned food and water. But you only have to look around and see the world that we already live in has floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and destructive fires as Mother Earth readjusts her equanimity. Historically, this is not anything new. Our ancestors have lived through such changes and with even greater impact.

We live in a society that relies so heavily on technology and big business. It is possible that the coming changes will impact our fast paced lives and encourage us to slow down. But is this really a bad thing?

In the Mayan calendar, 2012 marks the commencement of the new age, the Age of Aquarius. For those of us who are consciously aware, we will receive greater clarity and ascend to a higher level of consciousness. Others will tap into a more spiritual life and begin to make changes - I see this happening already.

Beyond that it is unknown of what lies in front of us. But instead of creating fear I choose love. I choose love to fill my life. I choose love to fill the earth and all her wonderful beings. It’s easy, just close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and imagine a beautiful pinkish white light fill your body from your toes up to the crown of your head. Feel it’s warmth, it’s beauty, it’s joy, it’s peace. Now see the earth’s sphere with it’s glorious green land and blue sea in your hands and project that same light around the globe. Feel that same warmth, beauty, joy and peace.

It’s love and light, and that is all we need.

Yoga mat

After weeks away from my yoga mat I was unsure how my first time back would feel.

Surprisingly, I had not forgotten the poses and I was not breathless. Instead I felt a renewed sense of being. My body felt lighter and my mind connected. It was more powerful than I had felt in my practice before.

My body seemed to move with grace and ease. My breath flowed as prana ignited my energy sectors.

I had worried unnecessarily.

Perhaps this new state of being is a result of feeling relaxed. My mind is quieter and I feel much calmer, taking things as they come. I believe this is a signal to slow down in life, to stress less and allow the physical and mental to just be rather than waiting for illness to come as a warning. Easier said than done sometimes but I will strive to maintain this lightness and quieter mind from now on.

Tree Speak

As I drove through the south-west country of Great Britain, I stumbled upon delightful villages literally surrounded by rolling green hills. I connected to nature more than I could ever have anticipated. It was an amazing experience.

I spent most of my time on a fairly large property with a natural forest. Most mornings I walked through tracks and immediately I felt that I was not alone. The celtic lands are ancient, filled with spirits from times gone by and many places I visited maintained an earthly connection with the other side.

But this woodland felt special. Somehow different. The first day I entered I felt a strong female presence, a Goddess. She was unknown to me at first and it was days later when I was at Stonehenge that she made herself known as Lilith, the first wife of Adam who refused to succumb to his dominance insisting on equality.

Spring was emerging and the trees were singing as the sun's rays shone amongst them. As I stood motionless enjoying the forest and all its glory, I caught glimpses of nymphs dancing gayly through the trees. They were laughing, playing, hiding behind the great big trunks and moving too quickly to be seen. It was magical and I felt blessed.

Wild life filled the forest; birds, squirrels, rabbits and even deer. Spider webs glistened in the morning rain and the leaves developed with brightness. The forest was changing before my eyes.

I felt the trees sense my presence and I could hear them whispering as they rustled their leaves. I placed my hands on one of the great trees and immediately felt its vibration swirl through me. I breathed in its essence, revelling in the sound of the swaying branches. I felt at peace. I felt in awe of their greatness, knowing they had seen many things.

Lammas

In the Southern Hemisphere, Lammas falls on 1 February. It is a time to honour the earth as the Sun God prepares to recede. The change of seasons are upon us as the hours of daylight slowly shorten, and the Moon Goddess shines her light.

Summer is coming to an end as we begin to welcome the season of Autumn. The beautiful warm colours of red and orange emerge representing the cooler shades of the earth. Lammas is the first of the Harvest festivals and this is displayed with fresh loaves of bread.

For the first month of this new calendar year, I spent a lot of time focussing on my intentions. What do I want to achieve, when do i want to achieve it etc. Through this focus I have already begun to see results driving me towards these goals.

But Lammas is a good time to reflect on current achievements and to show gratitude for the abundance in our lives, to be grateful for the people we share it with. Today I am grateful for the people who continuously support me, who guide me and give me strength when I need it most.

Chrysoprase

Chrysoprase is one of those stones that jumped out at me in the store as soon as I saw it. I knew I had to purchase this pretty apple-green gem and the feeling was reinforced when I understood its qualities and characteristics. Mine is a tiny tumbled piece of stone unlike the lovely natural chunks in this picture.

A balancing stone for not just the apparent heart chakra, but on a metaphysical level it stabilises all of the chakra’s. The ying and yang are also equalised. This overall balancing effect provides a sense of calm.

Commonly used for good luck and success, Chrysoprase taps into the harmonious energies of nature. I have kept this stone on my desk to enhance the creative and trusting properties. It can also be helpful to use during meditation to gain personal insight.

Chrysoprase is good to place beside the bed at night to capture the restful sleep and safety or security attributes.

Other qualities include cleansing and detoxifying which can aid in banishing negativity and allowing the new, positive energies through.

Half Moon Pose

Half Moon pose has never been easy for me. Rotating the hips while balancing on one leg and the fingertips of one hand proved near impossible. I was always wobbling and the pose was just out of reach. But I persisted, slowly building strength and confidence.

One day a teacher assisted me into the pose enabling me to feel it completely - where I was supposed to go and how it should feel. I worked with this in future classes and I listened carefully to different teachers instructions. I began to play with the placement of my supporting hand and this was key to achieving balance. I found perfect placement of the fingertips a few inches to the side and quite a bit forward – about a foot in front of the balancing leg. The arm is pretty much in line with the shoulder although this positioning can be hard to ascertain from this angle.

The right arm extends down with supporting fingers pushing into the earth, creating a flat back while the right leg roots through the ground for stability.

The other key factor was finding strength in both legs, especially the one up in the air. Pointing the ball of the foot on the left leg and shooting power back creating the strength, and therefore the pose. Leaving the lifted leg hanging without any effort or energy meant that I would more than likely topple over.

I found that placing my left hand on my left hip and slowly rotating while maintaining power from the right side allowed me to find the pose. Once I feel stable, I can extend my left arm skyward, fingers reaching out and the shoulder slightly twisting for a gentle heart opening. Finally, I gaze upwards and it feels wonderful. I like to visualise the energy alive and soaring through my body in a glorious light.

It is a beautiful Asana but one that needs patience and persistence.

Litha

Summer Solstice is celebrated all over the world. In the Southern Hemisphere it falls on either 21 or 22 December, depending on the earth’s rotation. On this day of Mid-Summer, we honour the Sun recognising the longest day of sunlight and the shortest hours of darkness. The earth shines under the fertility of the God and Goddess providing abundance in nature.

As we bask in the warmth of the summer rays of light, it is at this time that we begin to prepare for the turning of the seasons. The coming days will begin to grow shorter and daylight lessens as we return to the journey towards darkness once more.

On this occasion we are also blessed with the energy of the full moon. It enhances the celebration of Litha, and being so close to the craziness of the holiday season, some of us will become more sensitive to the vibrations.

I am going to use the power of the combined energy to prepare for the new year. But most of all, I will remember to breathe and surround myself with golden light of love and protection.

Happy Litha!