3 Point Turn…..Life Changes

I can’t always say in what order my life has changed. Over the years so many things – incidents, situations, even a spoken word, has had occasion to rock my world. 

Often to the core.

But, there are those very few times in life, when I made a decision or found myself in a particular predicament, where I had no choice but to discover for myself exactly what I am made of.

And I have done that, time and again.

Looking back as I often do at this time of year, I can remember times when I have not felt as strong in myself as I do right now. Or times when I really doubted I could see something through to the very end.

These were the situations that held onto me and kept me back. 

I had a tendency to be surrounded by people who left me feeling fearful and doubtful and for years I would blame myself for a lack of will power, an inability to stay the course or self-sabotage. 

Yet, when I distanced myself from these groups of people and the mind-set that went along with them, well I found my own mind and the rest quickly became history. Because, I finally had the energy, the courage and the fortitude to make the necessary changes to my life. 

In my reflections at this time, I see strong patterns of change throughout this past decade in particular where I have made significant shifts in my thinking or mindset around certain expectations (placed on my by society, others, myself?)- which resulted in profound change in the path I am on.

Perhaps it’s as simple as making the choice, seeing it through – sticking with that new energy and then forging ahead on this new-found road. 

One of the most significant decisions I (we) made as a family was to move away from modern chemical methods of treating and dealing with sickness and health. In its’ place I committed to completely adhering to all natural means of creating and maintaining health and healing.

Since the premise of any life altering, world changing shift is the fact that you don’t go back – you keep moving forward no matter what happens…..this decision pushed all of my buttons and of course I had to deal with everything that came my way, naturally.

Working my way through the fear and ill health of cancer with only my intuition to guide my healing process gave me hope, courage and a profound new respect for the powerhouse of healing stored deep within my body cells.

Another monumental shift occurred when in keeping with my no drug or chemical intervention framework a few years later, I knew I would be having my baby at home in a free birth. You can read the story for yourself here– but even 7 years on from that time, I have to say it changed me forever.

I gave birth to some part of me that day, an elemental force that had not existed on this planet in nearly forever. Perhaps not since my first incarnation before the shock of life’s hardships in this physical dimension took a toll and seared their way onto my soul.

Taking the birth of my child into my own hands – thus avoiding another surgery and MRSA infection, potential harm to myself and my baby, not to mention the indignity of it all – taught me one more thing about myself; life has a force all of it’s own and when we allow it, the living of it takes over.

Lastly, we took the decision to go it on our own without seeking, searching for or believing we needed money or jobs from sources other then what we created ourselves. Cutting ties that bound us to this just over broke endlessness, which left us feeling useless and in despair most of the time. 

It was hard to feel motivated on emptiness…..so a truer sense of sustainable living was what we were after - we had to sustain ourselves with no outside help.

After all, we have education, training, many skills and brains that work (LOL), so why not find it in ourselves to make our own way in this world and stop the forced slavery of following someone else’s dream or worse, losing your dreams to nothingness. 

Should be easy, right? Not! Besides, at the end of the day, we didn’t feel we had a choice….backed into a corner by the recession sorts out the reality on the ground in short order. 

Come out fighting or die trying!

Not one part of any of these changes, was an easy decision or a comfortable situation to find oneself in with a family in tow – at least not in the beginning. However, like all the other intuitive, life altering leanings in my life, it is working out, we are moving forward and I am happier then before.

Perhaps, I am happier then I have ever been because I have taken back some measure of control – finally steering my own ship. Here’s hoping for smooth sailing and warm seas….

April

Sailing Camp - Glandore 

5 Things to Do Today….

There are so many simple little things you can be doing each and every day to make yourself feel healthier, better and to keep mind/body/spirit together….I have listed a few of my favourite places to start…..

1. Go homemade with an item you would usually buy. Make your own pot of jam (cook an apple, 2 peaches and handful of strawberries, juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup water, until thick, no sugar or pectin needed). If you have a food processor roast 1 cup of raw almonds and make an almond nut butter – cheaper and tastes far better than shop bought. Or search online for recipes for homemade versions of mayonnaise, mustard, chutneys and preserves – they taste far better and you feel such a sense of accomplishment from making your own.

2. Cook a meal from scratch   - no tins, no packets – a meal entirely from fresh produce and wholesome ingredients. You might start with jasmine rice, stir-fry of fresh greens, beans, onion, garlic, leek and grated carrot, small piece of grilled or baked fish to top the meal off. Add some of your homemade mustard made into a sauce…

3. Choose a day to fast! Get some clean spring water, lemons (organic are better) and clear herbal teas (not the fruit kind). Once you finish your last meal of the day, get into fast mode while you only take in water, lemon juice and clear liquid herbal teas for the following full 24 hours. It’s like putting your car in the garage for a tune-up, give your digestion a mini break, repair can take place, and you will feel great. There are many of us who have adopted this as part of a regular week with healthy results (lower cholesterol, normal blood pressure, regulated blood sugar etc.)

4. Exercise in shorter sessions or bursts of 5, 10 to 15 minutes two or three times over a full day. You will not only feel better, fresher and more engaged in your activities you will also oxygenate your brain more frequently (great for students, writers, busy moms!) and feel stronger. It may be far easier to exercise in shorter time intervals throughout the day then one long session. Try it, exercising this way keeps your routine fresh and there are only benefits to be gained.

5. If you don’t have this already, create a sacred space at home or in your garden. This may be a place where you have your favourite books, candles, precious mementoes, incense – it could be a table, comfy chair or a shelf. If you have one already, give it a revamp, clear out the old energy and create some changes with fresh flowers, a new candle, or a new location. Then sit and enjoy a cup of herbal tea as you write in your new journal….

April 

Getting On With Living….

Today I am fasting again….however, it was nice to eat loads (read way too much!) over the Christmas holidays and equally nice to be experimenting, cooking and tasting the rich seasonal foods on offer. Life really does revolve around food and eating in this house!

But, that's all behind us now, so, getting back to today. I felt is was time to get this month started for me on yet another footing (self care is paramount) and I am doing a bit of a fast. At the moment, I am not sure how long I will fast this time around. Perhaps a week or two – or maybe longer, I like to take these things one day at a time whenever I can.

Already today I had my first little detox challenge…..I started feeling achy and sinusy as if I was coming down with a cold (like the one the kids had 2 weeks ago!). And my first thought was to just go back to bed….but alas, that isn’t really an option.

I just followed my instincts (or a very strong intuition in my case) and mixed up some of my Apple Cider Vinegar into my fermented Rebel Juice and sipped on that for the rest of the morning. By the time I realized I was feeling back to myself, the juice was gone and I had been busy with all my chores around the place.

It works so quickly!

And now here I am with quite a few things done including 2 mini workouts and still marveling that I am feeling much better – and glad I never went back to bed. The moral of the story here seems to be – to never underestimate the healing power of your body when given the right ingredients.

In this case it was my own apple cider vinegar and fermented beetroot juice – it packs a powerful anti-oxidant punch as well as provides nourishing probiotics for the gut. Because our immune system is gut mediated (if your tummy isn’t working, your immune system is compromised) all we need to do is boost ourselves from the inside with beneficial organisms….

Then they do the work for us. 

When I think back to how I used to treat myself when I felt low, poorly or even completely under the weather – well, needless to say, it was a world apart from where I am today. I would often just ignore symptoms or worse, just push them down with a pain reliever and carry on.

If I have learned anything about health, healing and detox over these many years living this close to nature and in tune with my body, it’s this; when you are gentle with your body and provide natural, equally gentle means of healing, you only have to walk down this road once. 

Pushing something down or aside, simply means it will pop back up to be dealt with on another day and perhaps be far worse then what you started with.  Best to face up to whateveritis that’s around us on the day and provide our body with what it needs (nutrients, herbs, probiotics, exercise, quiet time, laughter, detox) to move forward – then we can get on with living our lives. 

And that’s what we are doing here, right?

April

Keep the Energy Moving

Exercise….

Yes, I know it’s Christmas time and nearly no one wants to talk about or even think about exercise after all that eating….nibbling and snacking. LOL But, one of the reasons I bring this up right now is to remind myself, how there is less guilt involved with all these meals…..

When I get off my arse and do something even remotely close to exercise! 

So, with this in mind I have been making an effort to do something each day – walking, running, weights, skipping, rebounding – you name it, all in an attempt to keep myself in that exercise grove throughout the holiday season (not to mention keep my metabolism up).

And for the most part I am sticking to it – albeit, around outings, tired children, late nights and eating way too much…..but, that being said, I do feel so much better waking up in the morning knowing that I did manage to get in 20 or 25 minutes of physical activity the day before.

Plus, there are all the other side benefits….once I am in the exercise room or on my treadmill, I quickly go into my own little space and that in itself is quite nice with all this intense energy around (these storms are something!). I get time to think, plan and sort out the world’s issues all in one go (talk about shifting energy)! 

So, this time out is good for me – I really enjoy having a little room all to myself even if for a few minutes at a time.

We have had so much nasty weather as well, making it nearly impossible most days for the kids to get outside – so why not burn off some of the energy doing a few activities? The children need to be busy, doing things as well as getting their own down time, part of down time here often includes fun 'workouts' with mom and dad. 

One of the most important aspects of staying active while feasting, eating larger then normal meals and trying new recipes - is the fact that increased physical activity keeps our digestive systems (and bowels) running smoothly. Things just move through more efficiently when we exercise – if we are up and running, then so are our insides!

My own formula for exercise has come from my years spent with a lowered thyroid after pregnancy – it always helps me to do 10 to 15 minutes of activity about 3 times a day to keep my endocrine system healthy. This might mean a brisk walk first thing in the morning, weights or skipping around noon and then yoga at night.

It doesn’t have to be a long session (longer sessions don’t really suit my schedule) but smaller segments of time broken up throughout the day. It helps that nearly everything we do is from home, but even on our days out I find I can achieve some part of this (no excuses! LOL)….

At the end of the day, when I feel as if I have included an exercise routine I sleep much better. I know each day will be different – new day, new activity - new ways to fit it in. But, absolutely nothing keeps your energy moving quite like physical movement, and that's a healthy energy field as well as enough energy to get through the day.

April

Soldiers Lookout - Lough Hyne

Unity in Soul - Ushering in the Solstice

I have finished my fast – we stopped after 20 days, it was long enough and we were ready! LOL

But, seriously, we felt we broke through to the other side of something….into a higher level of this path we have been walking and seeking. So, now is the time to re-build, recover our selves, enjoy the season and eat some wonderful food.

However, today after only a day of eating I feel really well, strong and have been out running. It’s quite a feeling to be detoxed, ready for anything and clear about what has to be done during this next phase of life arriving in the new year.

I have been thinking on these things today as I have been eating lots while working out and getting the house ready for Solstice. This is my absolute favourite time of the year and we have spent the day the sun returns in several locations throughout the years.

Yet, no matter where I am, it’s always nicest to be home, of course, and home is anywhere my family is. 

I find it intriguing how much we are spiritual creatures, yet we can get so caught up in the mundane we often forget it’s deeper connections to these important seasons. Our spiritual selves are actually more accessible, open and in tune with us, as the sun shifts and moves closer to the earth.   

This upcoming Solstice for example, ushers in such an undercurrent of inner soul work with the return of light as well as a festival of great food. This time of feasting has also quite wonderful soul connotations – the beginnings of which are about nourishing all parts of our beings.

After the detox comes the real work of piecing our lives back together, through food, exercise and the closeness of family with the season; we find ourselves – the centre point of our hearts, unity in soul.

April

Gourmet Seaweed & Sea Salt Blend at my market stall 

Day 16 of my Fast - It's All in the Mind!

Day 16

We are now on day 16 and deep into a detox cycle – which means a full day or two of feeling all over the place, toxic and generally tired or yukky. But, in reality, I have plenty of those days when not detoxing – so, go figure!

So far, we are feeling and doing fairly well. This fast is moving along pretty quickly – it always helps to be very busy of course. However, even if we were just sitting around staring off into space – it’s not so very difficult to fast when your mind is made up.

Which leads me to the centre of things here – our minds are such a useful tool when it comes to doing, well, nearly everything. In the past few years I can look back and see a clear pattern of the times when my mind was not fully engaged in what I needed to accomplish – and therefore it (my plans, hopes, wishes) never turned out the way I wanted it to.

Fasting has changed all of that for me. My mind is on-board with all things physical and spiritual – making it entirely possible to move forward in a fully integrated manner. There is no sense in part of us moving forward - we require ALL of us to be on the same page here. 

So, how would we know when our mind is not connecting in to our dreams or where this plays a part of a larger energy block? – well, for me it was when I spent most of my time feeling frustrated and not seeing the movement I would have liked to have.

In many ways our minds are the most extensive part of us because a mind is made up of and inter-connected to every dimension and layer of our beings. The physical component alone involves every cell in our bodies. 

One of the most important changes I have noticed so far with this particular cleanse is how my thinking is influenced by the presence of toxins. Once another layer lifts off, my entire world shifts into higher gear and it seems possible to get moving again.

Speaking of moving – I am off to get in some exercise – this is especially important in our lives when walking the spiritual path, not the least of which is to remove toxins, but also for proper alignment and energy flow in our body.

No matter what is happening with you – or how far you feel you have to go – each step takes you closer to that goal. You can’t get there if you don’t get going….and there’s no time like right now. 

April

Fasting & Detox - Mirror Image of the Soul

Day 8

Here I am on day 8 of the second phase of this fast on probiotic juice (Rebel Juice) and I am flying through it. For me the key really is to be busy and that is not a problem in my life. If anything I never have enough time to get all that I want to do, done!

How am I doing so far and is there anything that is different this time around….well, last time I only did 2 weeks on the juice and I felt as if I made huge inroads as far as ‘personal’ stuff was concerned, even though it was easier it was still a detox.

These past few days, I jumped back into the fasting so quickly I have all the usual detox symptoms but am still not tired or as cold as I would have been other times. I put that down to the probiotic juice I am drinking too. 

What I mean by the personal stuff, is this fast has all been about how I view myself, my own self -image, thoughts and feelings about myself. Of course, that also means all those thoughts, ideas, opinions from others who have been a part of my life with specific ideas about who I am or should be – well, all of this has to move sometime too, doesn’t it?

LOL.

So, this time around, the fast is taking me more deeply into this self-image, self perception space – actually, I feel like I am going into my very soul. This is the deepest ocean water I have ever encountered and right now I feel as if part of it might even be totally uncharted because I never know what I will find here.

Yet, I know there is this funny feeling of vague familiarity – I have been here before, but so long ago it has been nearly wiped from my memory. Perhaps for many of us, our souls are a bit like that – hugely vast expanses of space, just waiting to be explored.

I have a sense of knowing that this is the place where I will find all that I am looking for….myself - my mirror image of my soul. 

What you are seeking, is already here.

April

Barley Cove Beach, West Cork