All Of You Is Welcome Here

Stop trying to make sense of your life.
Let the messy matrix of your story line
be a living breathing thing.
Stop trying to pin it down
into neat little conclusions,
darling, the story is far from over.
Take off your shoes,
loosen your belt,
and see your life with softer eyes.

Show us your dark cupboards,

your dusty shelves,
the corners matted with cobwebs;
the world doesn’t need your perfection.
Let down your knotted hair
And bare your crooked teeth;
the world doesn’t need you beautiful.
Your heart has been whole all along, dear one.
Please hold it with gentler hands
as you learn the language it speaks,
willing to be misunderstood
as you stretch into more of who you are.
The best thing you can offer the world
is not your coercion, your effort or your ambition,
no. We are hungry for those with
a nourished inner life,
a brave spirit
and a creative dream.
Open yourself to the life within and before you.
Open so much that you become a place
where others can soften.
Bless those in your sphere of influence
by listening to the stirrings of your soul.
Go deep into the belly
of the sacred animal of your body
and dare to show us more of who you are.
Your growling, dribbling, ferocious aliveness
is welcome here.

A Solid Ground From Which To Step

I read this quote recently and it clarified why I value contemplative practices like meditation, yoga, journalling, reading poetry, even a quiet walk in the woods...

"We withdraw not to disappear, but to find another ground from which to see; a solid ground from which to step, and from which to speak again, in a different way - a clear, rested, embodied voice we begin to remember again as our own."
David Whyte

Peace and quiet can feel like elusive things in our modern lives, so I hope you can find small ways to anchor yourself throughout the day. A cup of tea, a deep breath, a hug. Prioritise the practices and simple rituals that allow you to feel the solid ground underneath you. It is always there, slow down enough to notice, and let it hold you through all the hard and all the beautiful moments.

The Whole Spectrum

We are a landscape of all we have seen’ - Isamu Noguchi

These are transitional times. They are deep and tough, full of lessons and growth. And if you are in any way sensitive (which I believe we all are underneath layers of conditioning and hardening) then it aches to be with it all. But the other option, to numb our feelings, means we are turning away from our full aliveness. We are here to experience shades and dimensions of this human life and on hard days I remind myself that ultimately it is a blessing to be alive and with that comes a whole spectrum of experiences.

I can't remember where I read this quote, but it rings in my ears often... "When you think you have rested enough, rest some more." It is the most healing and life supporting thing we can do.

Practice as a Space to Feel Your Life

The time you dedicate to your practice can be whatever you need it to be. A refuge of sorts. A space to connect, to get quiet, to feel your life and your aliveness. On some days (or in some seasons of life) you may need to take it easy and self-soothe, on others you may need to whip up your energy and shift the stagnation. There are countless ways to come to your practice, but the secret is to keep on coming to it (not just on "good" days). The framework and guidance I give is always just loving suggestions, but ultimately you are the master of your humble abode and you know best. I'll never take offence when you do what you need to do to meet your own needs. If fact, I will celebrate inside :)

Wake Up Inside Your Moments

Sometimes life is happening in such a way that there aren't many words that bring solace and comfort. On those days all we can do it step outside, look to the sky, and remember that it is a blessing to be alive. If you long for things to be different than they are, follow those feelings and let them show you the meaning in life you so crave, whilst also remembering that this moment, too, is precious and holy just as it is. Your life is a string of moments after all. Wake up inside as many of them as possible.

The Ocean, Not The Waves | Feb 2021

The spiritual teachings tell us that it is in a state of inner stillness that we meet our true nature. That it is always there behind the busyness of our minds.

Living in a woman's body that cycles with a hormonal chemistry that waxes and wanes, when I close my eyes and turn inwards what I find in energy, mood and perspective is inconsistent. Some days I slip peacefully into stillness and silence and other days the waves are strong and I can't see the wood from the proverbial trees. And yet, I sit. I close my eyes, put my hands over my heart, and I trust that my true nature is always there underneath, behind and amongst it all.

It is through the soft eyes of the heart that I find a wide enough expanse to witness and hold it all with curiosity and tenderness. I hope you remember that you are not the waves. That you are the vast ocean, deep and wide and boundless.

Some things I've learnt | Feb 2021

I feel more than ever that the twists and turns of this life were always mine to navigate
I am neither a victim nor deserving of the hardships
Life has its way with us all.
I know that forgiveness gives me the freedom to move forward
That my tenderness is my superpower
That rest does not need to be earned
And self-acceptance is not conditional.
I know in the deepest part of my being that I am (we all are) children of the earth
That nature is not only our wisest guide
But that we ARE nature.
I know I am protected by love
Guided by grace
And that the simplest things bring me the greatest joy.
I know that I belong
To myself, to my loved ones, to my community
That my wholeness is inherent, not something I have to work for
And my essence, my true expression, is enough.