Blog - Page 13 of 16

February 5, 2014

I want to be me: Unadulterated Expression

I want to be me,

Not who you want to be,

Or who they want to be.

Just me.

With the chance of free expression,

Finding my passion,

I’ve no need for fashion,

Because I’ve got taste.

It might not be your taste,

It may look out of place,

But that’s fine.

Perfect imperfection,

Individual satisfaction,

Self -aware

Unadulterated expression.

Yours and mine,

Hers and his,

In this time,

They’re all fine.

TOGETHER,

Forever,

Mixing it up.

Interlinking, interweaving our different chemistry structures.

This space and time,

It’s our prime.

Time moving faster than ever,

We’ve ALL got to learn to live together –

Humans, sheep, wolves, trees, birds, fish and bees

It feels hard to do but it gets easy you’ll see.

We all need each other,

Remember, every man is your brother.

Love one another.

Peace x

February 3, 2014

The Secret to having a ‘Great’ day Everyday

Have you ever had one of those mornings, days, weeks, years; where EVERYTHING goes ‘wrong’? You’re late for work or an appointment, bad hair day and no time to re-wash it, destructive relationship, dead relative, or a major illness in your life..

Me too; too many times! Until I learnt the secret ‘Happy’ and ‘Successful’ people use to make everyday a ‘good’ day.

I dropped my definition of ‘good’ and with that, dropped my expectations of what ‘should’ happen in this portion of life I’m experiencing. This wasn’t so much of an overnight revelation as 6 months, back and forth, giving myself a little space and time to reflect on these ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days. For example:

I’m late for work or I missed my train (which usually happened on days where I was more tired) -> which meant I actually got a seat to relax in, or it kept me standing so I didn’t end up groggy at my destination.
My boyfriend was a bit psycho and I wasted a year in his company, feeling like sh*t -> he taught me a LOT about myself, how strong I am and what I don’t want in a relationship.
Hair goes mental with only minutes to spare to get out of the flat -> I learn a creative way to work my mane (today is pretty special if you see me!), or I wear a hat which gets me talking to someone really interesting who appreciates my ‘style’.
I got really sick and ended up in hospital for 7 weeks -> This gave me space to reflect on how I was hurting myself and time away from the life I was forcing which wasn’t right for me anymore.

And the list goes on.

So if you’re in a ‘bad’ patch, try to focus on what life is highlighting to you, rather than how your plans seem to have ‘failed’. Carefully listening to life to show you what it is you need to make you happy in the long run.

Love xxx

January 31, 2014January 31, 2014

Believe in love’s infinite journey – Inspired by Yogi tea

“Believe in love’s infinite journey”. This was the inspiration note written with my Yogi tea bag this morning, I felt it profound in many ways so wanted to share it, and to let love’s infinite journey flow even further from me to you also. Pass it on 😉

What does this mean to you? Love’s infinite journey. And why do we need to believe in it?

To me, this means a million and one things:

Love’s infinite journey in that love knows no bounds. It can travel to and through anywhere open to it; if everyone or everything is open, then it will fill up these spaces.

Love’s journey being infinite in that love, can never run out.

Love’s infinite journey in that we, our spirits, the watcher behind our eyes, is infinite. This body may die but this physical manifestation isn’t the be all and end all; so be mindful of trying to hold onto things too tight in this life.

And believing is seeing, to believe in it is to be open to it. Open to love.

Believe in love’s infinite journey, which starts with yourself.

Love and light for a sparkling weekend! xxx

Ah – and thanks for Romaan for bringing my attention to the Yogi tea inspirations, namaste brother! And thanks to Yogi tea for making them 🙂

January 29, 2014

Dropping the past – A Powerful breakthrough

I’ve been so anxious to let people, potential clients and students in particular, know why I practice and teach yoga. To show everyone how far I’ve come, so they can see how far they can come also; or in all honesty, maybe even still to receive a small amount of sympathy for my past woes. Then I kept wondering why my past problems would keep recurring and getting in my way! Simple logic explains why..

Thus finally, during my Reiki and Seichem training last week, my teacher taught me further to listen to how my words were still plaguing me. She also then reassured me something I kept saying I knew; but now I am so happy I can feel it too. It’s that I need to be authentically who I am NOW! There is no need to justify or advertise my wounds to ‘convince’ people I’m genuine and can empathise with their pain; as all this will become apparent as and when it needs to.

You get EVERYTHING you ask for, in one way or another. So make sure you ask for nice things 😉

Love, light and health to all x

January 27, 2014January 27, 2014

5 minutes to a Happier, Calmer and more Content You. Fact.

It’s been scientifically proven on many accounts that mindfulness and/or meditation can bring you to a happier, calmer and more physically and emotionally aware space; and it doesn’t even have to take more than 5 minutes a day.

In today’s fast paced and busy world it seems people don’t remember to take the time to breathe deeply and take a few minutes out for themselves. However, by doing so, one can actually help to reduce and calm one’s own physical and emotional dis-ease.

It’s not like it’ll happen over night and it’s certainly on it’s own no replacement for current treatments or therapies. But, by taking this this 5 minutes out and listening to yourself you can begin to see your own solutions to your stresses and dis-eases (be this seeking a doctor, healer, activity or other life change of some sort).

At least 5 minutes, each day is all it takes to get started; you can do it on the bus or while standing, sitting or laying anywhere you can.

Namaste, much love xx

http://www.mindfulexperience.org/

http://oxfordmindfulness.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/gps-mindfulness-research/

http://marc.ucla.edu/

http://www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=42066

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/taught/studies_in_mindfulness

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness/

January 24, 2014January 24, 2014

Why I’d rather read a book over a newspaper

People, keep saying ‘We need to keep up to date with what’s going on in the world’. I agree, awareness and information is key. But I disagree when it comes to what is shared via the mainstream papers and magazines and here’s why:

I don’t see a point to reading fiction, as in made up stories, when there are so many real life experiences and lessons which I could delve into and learn, be inspired by or have fun with.

To me, the mainstream papers and magazines are very similar to the made up stories you find in fiction books; except with a fiction book you get to choose the style of story you want to read. Pretty much all the mainstream papers and magazines, the news, focus on negative and destructive stories, which seem to be intending to scaring people into believing we need identity cards, war, and plastic surgery; or, that we should work harder and longer, so we can afford newer and better cars or shoes.

Why would one want to inflict these kind of messages on ones self and wind up all depressed by thinking of death, comparing ourselves to people who appear to have more than us, and thus forgetting how totally awesome we are? Especially first thing in the morning. Instead, personally, I’d rather be celebrating life and all the amazing people, places, things and such in it!

If I do see ‘news’ I hope it’s information to share awareness about how I can help to make this world a better place for my family and children to grow up on; shining a light so I understand where I can be a better human; or telling me about the successes people are having in creating hemp plastics, healthier skies and happier homes.

I Choose life 🙂

January 22, 2014January 22, 2014

Mirror me : Mirror you

When you look at me what do you see?

Beauty, hostility, or someone verging on tranquility?

Because whatever is in you, is what you see in me.

How much simpler could it be?

We see the world through our own eyes, our perspective. When I see beauty in you, it’s the beauty in me reflected through the mirror that you are; when I get angry with you, it’s really me who I am mad at.

Everyone of us is beautiful in our own special way, but sometimes our vision narrows and our perspective become unclear; filtering our this beauty, usually due to an unrealised fear.

Try it, when you’re in a good mood and happy with yourself, take a look around you and see how awesome the people in your vicinity are. Then, when you don’t feel so hot, take another look around; and see if the judgement has crept in, with people seeming less than their average selves. This methodology for awareness is how I know when I’m out of balance, i.e. need to eat, rest or do something nice for myself; the world reflecting back to me what an ugly mood I’m in.

Be kind to yourself. xxx

January 20, 2014January 20, 2014

What do You want to do?

If you could do ANYTHING, what would you choose to do your bit in society?

i.e. imagine we had no limiting factors; how would you contribute to the society we’re creating together?

Everyone needs clothes, a house, plumbing, inventors to help us get progress, artists to entertain and liberate, carers, doctors, gardeners and farmers. Mothers, lovers, chefs and discoverers, cleaners and writers; teachers and mechanics. To name but a few.

I realised my intention a few years back, to be a health, happiness student and teacher (when I was in a very different place to where I am today). Due to overcoming many my own struggles with health and happiness, I have a genuine passion to help others who also want to get past their struggles in life. For me, what’s the point in accumulating all of this wealth in knowledge and love, if I don’t pass it on as my teachers have so generously exchanged with me? It’s not been an easy journey, but everyday I feel more and more what excites me and what my intended purpose is. It’s taken dedication, appreciation and a genuine love for the life I want.

But what would you (or do you already) do?!

If you can dream it. It can happen.

Love x

January 16, 2014January 17, 2014

Make-Up with Yourself

I am a 29 year old woman living in London, and therefore of course I’ve worn my fair share of slap, sometimes too much of it. On the rare random occasion, I still do decide to paint myself different. It can be fun to change the colour of your clothes, hair, nails, skin, lips, lashes, eyes and cheeks from time to time?

For years I’d wear mascara because my lashes are long but blonde and almost invisible, use cover up on my spots and blemishes; and put blusher on my cheeks to help me look healthy again under the layers of foundation. Finally, over the past year, between running out of mascara, being sick of touch ups in order to feel ready to do ANYthing and a lot of love and support; I managed to ween myself off applying my daily slap in the face.

Make-up for me was a bit of an obsession. I needed a lot of love to help get through this past year, slap-less, to help me be able to get to know and love the skin I’m in (getting past everyone pointing out I looked tired and spotty at first).

Did you know most spots are caused by the body trying to expel toxins? Ironic that we learn to cover our skin in toxic chemicals to try and make them go away! This was a revelation that got me really thinking; why spend all this time and money and not make things actually any better for myself? One other revelation was watching the skin of others around me. Have you ever watched the colour changes in someone elses cheeks and lips throughout the day, when they get hot or flustered or are cold and brooding? It’s quite beautiful!

Thus I implore you ladies and gentlemen; why put on a mono-tone covering, keep spending your hard earned cash and precious limited time in denying your true natural beauty from this world?! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!! Let yourself shine!

Love xxx

January 14, 2014June 17, 2018

Yoga, more than a physical affair

When I first began practicing yoga I thought it was a purely physical affair. However, I later learnt I was wrong. Ashtanga yoga defines the 8 limb path (Ashta = 8, Anga = Limb) for yoga as described by Patanjali who lived about 150BC in India and is still a world-renowned scientist. The 8 limbs of yoga each relate to one of the following:

Yamas – How you treat others, self-restraint through directing your energy, death of the ego. There are 5 vows for Yama (non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, understanding sexual energy, and non-possessiveness)

Niyamas – Self-discipline, regularity and mastering your instincts. There are 5 observances within Niyama (purity, contentment, simplicity, meditating on the self, and surrendering to the divine within you)

Asana – The postures we practice in a class to enable us to open up the body and to be able to stay in a steady, comfortable and blissful posture to aid practice of the following limbs

Pranayama – Breath and prana (energy) control, becoming more aware of the gaps between the breath to assist in coming into a state of no mind

Pratyahara – Moving attention inside, withdrawal of the senses to external distractions so we can deeper understand ourselves; the mind becoming fit for concentration

Dharana – Meditation, contemplation, singular focus with an uninterrupted flow of concentration (retaining concentration on one object)

Dhyana – Meditation, there is no object, only awareness, knowledge of the true self (contemplation)

Samadhi – Where the mind goes beyond the subject. The state of ecstasy, where you merge with your focus point and feel a profound connection with all that is.

Practising yoga asana allows us to play out life on our yoga mat as the intertwined series of simple and subtle actions and events which all layer up to build a beautiful and multi-dimensional play. By breaking down these layers 1 by 1 we can then understand and feel how each individual part works as well as how it connects to the whole; thus illustrating to us how simple everything can be when viewed from certain perspectives. Many of the yogic texts say and I believe that we are on this Earth and in this Universe to live, play, learn, grow and love; inevitably to again return to the formless and therefore making it really important that we make the most of this life and conquer any fears or life-limiting factors we can to Live Our expression of Life as Fully as possible.

Yoga is for everyone to try, explore and play with; regardless of age, body shape or ability.

As you can see, yoga is more than a physical affair, it is a science which allows you to unfold the mind and go deeper than you could ever have imagined.