Full Moon Meditation

A while ago I attended a full moon meditation with my husband at the Pomona Healing Centre. When Paul first asked me to go I was expecting an open field, moonlight eerily streaming down upon white robed maidens chanting. The actuality was quite an eye-opener but not in the way I expected. I turned up at the above renovated hall....

...and what greeted me inside was nothing short of breathtaking. The hall has been painted with murals inside and you feel like you are stepping into a Greek or Egyptian palace, with white pillars and intricate 'brickwork'.

Every corner has some sort of display with appropriate looking artefacts and musical instruments, such as this beautiful drum.

Ishtarlia welcomes you to her full moon sound bath, and when you lie back and close your eyes, you are taken away by the sound of her voice (yes, the chanting but so beautiful and pitch perfect it takes your breath away). She used the above glass bowls to create different vibration sounds and matches it perfectly with her voice. You literally feel the waves of sound and vibration running through your body...which is very relaxing once you get used to it. And the acoustics of the hall...amazing.

Ishtarlia creates a magical mandala for her full moon sounds baths, an example of which is above. Before we even walked into the hall we were given a piece of paper to write something on that we wanted to let go of. Then we sat down on the mats and set fire to our papers in the middle of the mandala...a very spiritual experience.

So, if you are like me, and a little sceptical of something different...just jump in head first. I left the sound bath feeling invigorated and relaxed and will definitely be back again...when the weather warms up a little.

A Fear of Fame

Image Source

Ever since I lay on my bed as a little girl revelling in the misadventures of Enid Blyton's Katy, or wishing I was entering the magical world of the Faraway Tree, I have wanted to be an author. One day I want to write a bestseller, to have my words, and a world that is purely a figment of imagination, read by many others...to impart the same joy and wonder I felt as a child, and still now, as an adult, when I read a particularly good book.

Image Source

Sounds like a great dream, doesn't it? There is just one thing that could be subconsciously holding me back though....I don't want to be famous. I want to be well-read, and to be respected as a great author, but I don't want the fame and publicity that goes with it...am I a little crazy then? Surely that's what everyone seeks when they write a novel or book and send it off to the publisher for consideration. Maybe for many it is financial decision rather than a bid for fame, but in a lot of instances the two go hand in hand.

I think sometimes that it is this fear of fame (well not just fame I guess, but putting myself 'out there') that holds me back from finishing my flood memoirs. What if I say something someone doesn't like or I give the wrong piece of advice about flooding, or am seen to be an expert and someone does what I do with negative consequences? You can see the fear sitting on my shoulder nagging me can't you? I certainly feel it's weight at times.

Image Source

It took me a long time to start my blog, for fear of stuffing up (and opening up) really. I have seen the posts go viral that people make fun of, or are disgusted by...just one slip of the tongue, or pen, in this case and the world of social media is down on you like a ton of bricks. How about the lady who made sandwiches for her husband every day for years. A beautiful loving gesture and yet she was criticised worldwide. Fame, success and even just speaking out publicly attracts bullies, people with opinions that in their minds are the only opinions to have...the bullies attract followers who join the bandwagon like the Pied Piper's rats, and we end up with a cyber bullying attack.

These attacks don't always stem from a personal affront or an unfortunate choice of words. This became apparent to me last week with the very prominent social media postings by The Organised Housewife and Stay at Home Mum. A summary of the situation can be found here. I just want to say, first of all, that I love both of these websites and have promoted them on my site to others, so I am not judging the situation. Suffice to say, that what I read in our local paper today (Jody from SAHM is a Gympie local) indicates that the domain name in question is being transferred over in good faith, but the damage has been done...and all parties have been hurt by the situation....

Image Source

...including me, an observer. It is not just this incident that made me realise my fear of being 'too public' is once again lurking...it is the aftermath, the hate, the rage and the personal attacks I read on Facebook regarding the situation. I would curl up in a ball and roll away to a dark place to hide if ever I was the brunt of such hatred. By standing up and acknowledging that we are successful, we are opening the doors to being 'taken down' should we stuff up or do anything wrong, intentional or otherwise.

That is what scares me, my fear of fame is real, it is tangible and I will double and triple check my posts for accuracy and citations, and any sort of unintentional bias because of my fear. Cyberspace and the wonderful community of like-minded people it has introduced me too, can turn in an instant and the speed with which it turns is mind-boggling...I am sure we have all witnessed it.

I, for one, was shown the ugliest side of human nature last week via Facebook comments....and I don't ever want to see that again...especially not directed at me :)

Do you ever fear fame or being 'too public'? Have you had any bad experiences you'd like to share?

A Happy Healthy Himalayan Hippy

Image Source

It often strikes me as funny, how your life can break off into different tangents just by starting down one particular path. I never thought that when I embarked on my simple life journey that it would lead to so many changes in different facets of my life. I knew some of my habits would change as I embraced recycling and started to produce my own food and cleaning products, but I am beginning to realise that I am becoming the hippy my kids started describing me as...and that is not such a bad thing.

Image Source

Well, it isn't such a good thing if you adopt the traditional Oxford Dictionary definition of a hippy - "a person of unconventional appearance, typically having long hair and wearing beads, associated with a subculture involving a rejection of conventional values and the taking of hallucinogenic drugs". Nope that's not me (what were my kids thinking?) , but maybe I am rejecting the new 'conventional values' of shopping for all of your groceries at the store, of consuming store-bought yoghurt and cakes, and pre-packaged meals. And, I am growing my hair and love wearing beads :)

Image Source

Or maybe my kids have confused hippy with greenie - because that's what I think I am becoming - a late-blooming Greenie. I am certainly not going to be chaining myself to trees in a forest, or chasing after whaling boats...but I am now more conscious of my footprints on this earth and I am doing something about it by building my organic vegetable garden, adopting the principles of reduce, recycle and re-use and making many of the things I used to purchase. My time is spent on more productive and fulfilling pursuits and my world is richer for that.

When I spoke of the different tangents this simple living path has taken me, one of those is spiritual. By embracing my role in nature I find that I am constantly looking inside myself, and wanting to change (and embrace) so many things about my life and myself. I don't go to church as often as I should do, but my appreciation for the wonder that is us is still there...and growing every day as I ask more questions of myself and try new and different things. My One Little Word Journey is a great example of this, and my embrace of the word mindfulness is changing the way I think about things and how I handle my stress at work.

Another tangent is my physical health. I am experimenting more with the foods that I buy. I am researching, testing and trying different alternatives. I buy organic when I can, I buy from local sources when I can, I look at what ingredients and toxins are in the packaged foods I used to buy, I preserve to avoid such toxins...but most of all I am more aware of what is going into my body. The himalayan salt crystals my husband bought are one of the many changes to my pantry.

And, yes, I have eyed off a pair of hippy pants at the local Batik Boutique, not to make a statement but to wear at home for comfort - my husband loves his. Paul attended a guided meditation this week and its something on my list to try as I find it hard to switch off and meditate...but I know it would be beneficial for me to learn how to do so.

So, when I started growing a few vegies and made my first soap, I never envisaged that my world would change for the better in so many ways. I am so thankful that it has, and that I can see the tangents as they appear around the corners...and that I take the opportunity to dive in head first. Every day is a new adventure and I look forward to the weekends more than ever before...so that I can spend my time discovering them.

Have you started something that has lead to so many others? If you are thinking of starting to live simply, just do it, you will never look back :)

Wordless Wednesday - Sculpture Garden

Isn't it wonderful when you drive along a road you have never been on, you see a sign to a botanic garden, follow the road...and discover a place of stunning beauty that you never knew existed. This is just one of the walks in the Maroochy Bushland Botannical Gardens - The Sculpture Garden.

One Little Word 2014 - Mindfulness

Image Source

Last month I began an accidentally inspiring journey. It all started when I read a post on Maxabella Loves about choosing a word for 2014. The concept was new to me but I could see its potential and straight away I knew the word I would choose, because I had written about it's influence on me last year (What is Mindfulness). Yes, this is my word for 2014, and some of you will have already read my post about why I chose it (Why Mindfulness?) Basically, I need to slow down, stop racing ahead and embrace the present moment.

The above image depicts exactly how I see Mindfulness and the role it will play in my life this year.

I find in life that one path generally leads to another one, and by chance, I heard someone mention Ali Edward's One Little Word program. I found her site Ali Edwards and registered straight away - a mere $31 for twelve months of prompts and support. I did not know what to expect from this program but I am discovering just how powerful one little word can be in the context of your life. This program also offers me the accountability I was seeking in order to make this concept work for me.

"In 2006 I began a tradition of choosing one word for myself each January – a word that I can focus on, mediate on, and reflect upon as I go about my daily life. My words have included play, peace, vitality, nurture, story, light, up and open. These words have each become a part of my life in one way or another. They’ve been imbedded into who I am, and into who I’m becoming. They’ve been what I’ve needed (and didn’t know I needed). They’ve helped me to breathe deeper, to see clearer, and to grow." Ali Edwards 

It all started with planning somewhere special to record my 2014 One Little Word journey. I chose the We R Memory Keepers album suggested by Ali. It is a quality faux leather album with stitched edging and will last many, many years. Ali also suggests having your word with you personally, like on a necklace or bracelet. I bought a mug with a picture of a lotus flower and my word printed on it, to have my coffee in at work

I had some scrapbooking supplies that I bought over the years but have never used...it was always something I planned to do eventually - like so many other things.

On the first day of the month Ali provides you with printable pages for your album pockets and the prompts for completion of the material. This page includes a definition and symbol for my word, plus a photograph that epitomises a time in my life when I was mindful and thrived in the present moment.

Without giving the exact details away, you are encouraged to search for quotes and examine why you chose your word and to define your successes and fears.

Each month you summarise what happened the month before in relation to your life and your word.

And you record what your intentions are for the year. I chose some physical, emotional, financial and relationship intentions for 2014. These intentions have been translated into action items, which include things that make me happy such as pursuing my cheesemaking, taking on some volunteer work, spending quality time with my boys, utilising my old fish farm for my simple living goals, raising chickens etc. My actions also include goals to pay off my credit card, attain my goal weight and to drink more water. All of these actions are mindful....to me, and for me, to embrace and appreciate my moments in time.

So, if you feel like you want to try something different and experiment with an interesting concept that thousands of people around the world are embracing, I am sure it's not too late. There is a large Facebook Group of supportive and fascinating people from all works of life that you can share your journey with...and you get to play with glue and coloured paper - bonus! :)

Funny how some things find you for a reason. Are you doing or embracing something that found you this year? Have you ever done One Little Word (OLW)?

I can see I will have many leatherbound albums for my grandkids to flick through.

2014 in one word

Every new year Maxabella Loves invites everyone to set their 'theme' for the coming year using one word. It's actually a difficult task once you really think about it, choosing just one word from so many, but it is also very effective. Instead of making up dozens of New Years resolutions, or even just one, the right word can encompass so many areas of your life...just like that. Short, sharp and simple. I was not part of the blogosphere for the 2013 word but I know that in retrospect my word was 'simple'. This one word encompasses everything I have been working towards over the past year and has enriched my life more than I ever thought was possible. Thank you Rhonda Hetzel from Down to Earth for introducing this way of life to me.

So, the word simple will still be with me in 2014 and for many years to come but I am now well on my way with this journey. In considering my word for this year I jokingly considered flood-free but that is not realistic and is certainly out of my control...a pipe dream.

Instead, the word that keeps coming at me with regards to 2014 is a word that has crossed my path many times this past year, and is always at the back of my consciousness:

Mindfulness

Yes, Mindfulness is my word for 2014. I posted about it earlier this year (What is Mindfulness). It is a practice, a way of thinking about things that makes it so much more than just a word. In summary mindfulness is all about slowing down, taking the time to live in the moment and making a conscious decision to live in the here and now. Doctors use mindfulness to treat anxiety and depression as it involves taking the focus away from the problem...and back to the individual - you, me, ourself. The important part of the concept is the conscious decision...it is all too easy to let things distract us from doing so.

I know this is an important word for me because my job completely took over me leading up to my Christmas break. It is only now, in the second week of my holidays, that I am coming to terms with how debilitating and stressful it was...and the toll it took on me. I love my job, but doing the work of two people takes possession of you, and you find it hard to get yourself back. I was too drained to do anything and let things go, like my fitness, in order to claw back valuable time.

Well, it won't be happening again. I will talk to my boss about getting some help in busy times. I started back at the gym on Monday, and commenced my diet today to lose the three kilos I have gained through lack of attention and care for myself. I have found me again, through embracing simple pleasures like preserving...

...and spending precious time with my family. I will keep mindfulness at the forefront of my mind, and not let it be squashed under the layers of job stress and commitment. I owe it to myself and to my family to be the best person I can be, to be happy and fulfilled...not washed out and drained.

So, there you have it...my focus for 2014 is on me and mindfulness is the key. Everything else will fall into place if I take care of myself first. I have a few ideas of how I can achieve this...and will share when I have sorted them out.

How would you sum up your past year in one word?