Life has been a bit of an adventure of late and the blog has definitely fallen through the cracks. I have written a few but connecting to the internet has been the biggest challenge. This started when we decided to have a bit of a break in France after I had some work to do in the UK. Seemed like a great idea and it was a good idea and a grand adventure.
The challenge comes with fitting our lifestyle into a French lifestyle; being wired to the internet is not a priority in France. So moving into the way of life in France meant adjusting as best we could to an hour a day to cover off essential emails (client communications and coaching) and the more fun and frivolous stuff – Facebook and blogging – went by the wayside.
Our time in France prepared us perfectly for a week on the canals in England. In previous blogs I have written about the whole idea of 'slowing down' as perhaps a direction that would be worthwhile for me to pursue. Ambling through the waterways around the Trent and Mersey Canal system has been amazingly instructive around getting into a slower pace. The river winds and bends, the ducks seek out food from the many canal boaters and we converse at night over a glass of wine in the pubs that spot this incredible system of waterways.
The system is over two hundred years old and originates with the Industrial revolution as a way to transport goods throughout the UK. We travel no more than a few miles a day; stopping along the way to open and close the locks and meet our fellow boaters who are unerringly helpful at showing us newbies how it all works. It is a pleasant and most enjoyable lifestyle; one that I could get used to.
We had friends with us over the weekend assisting with the locks and generally helping us to adjust to our life on the canals. Outgoing and greeting everyone on the canals, they helped us to understand that this is a very different way of life. Completely off the grid, no one is a stranger and everyone is pursuing their own personal adventure. By the look of the people we have met, they are a pretty darned happy bunch. Free of the cares and worries of owning a home or a car, they cruise the rivers and make each new mooring their home for the night. Peripitatic to the extreme and yet the joy and sense of freedom these people experience is visible on their faces.
Today would have been my Mother's 90th birthday. She passed away 6 years ago and I think about her every day and wish that I could share this adventure with her. I also know that she would be pretty pleased that I am finally learning how to relax and slow down. My Mom was a bit of a master at the art of relaxing; she didn't pass that particular gene onto me.
Happy Birthday Mom; slowing down and learning to relax is my gift to you today.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
The End of an Era
My Father-in-law passed away this week at the age of 93. He was a lovely man and I will miss him. He had a warm and charming manner and was a true English gentleman in his Harris tweeds and cap. At 93 he survived and served in World War 11 and would often regale us with his stories about the war. I would listen to these stories with rapt interest until, like my husband, I could just about tell them for him. He did tend to review and live in the past with increasing frequency, in the past several years, as his memory became more fragile and eventually faded entirely.
In many ways, his passing was a blessing for him; I can't imagine that he would have wanted to continue with his health failing at every turn. The final straw was a broken hip that happened two weeks ago. The subsequent surgery left him weak, vulnerable and open to the chest infection that appears to have taken him away.
The loss of any close member of a family is difficult, no matter what the person's age or state of health. There is a 'life force' that we all bring that will be missed when we are gone. Strangely, we don't really get to understand what the essence of a person is until it isn't present on the planet.
It is easy to take our families for granted and assume they will be there forever. For my husband, having a Father in his life for all of his 65 years is pretty amazing. He is already an Old Age Pensioner and has never known a time in his life when his father wasn't there.
One of the most difficult parts of loss is the conflict of emotions that emerge; grief and sadness mixed with feelings of relief that the tension and wonder is finally over.
Family relationships are complicated and made more so when the parents are gone. Most siblings don't know how to be with each other without the parents as a point of reference point. The uncertainty, the vacuum and the unknown are what we face over the next few weeks as we travel back to England to complete this journey.
While it may be the end of an era; it is also a new beginning that we can shape as we like.
In many ways, his passing was a blessing for him; I can't imagine that he would have wanted to continue with his health failing at every turn. The final straw was a broken hip that happened two weeks ago. The subsequent surgery left him weak, vulnerable and open to the chest infection that appears to have taken him away.
The loss of any close member of a family is difficult, no matter what the person's age or state of health. There is a 'life force' that we all bring that will be missed when we are gone. Strangely, we don't really get to understand what the essence of a person is until it isn't present on the planet.
It is easy to take our families for granted and assume they will be there forever. For my husband, having a Father in his life for all of his 65 years is pretty amazing. He is already an Old Age Pensioner and has never known a time in his life when his father wasn't there.
One of the most difficult parts of loss is the conflict of emotions that emerge; grief and sadness mixed with feelings of relief that the tension and wonder is finally over.
Family relationships are complicated and made more so when the parents are gone. Most siblings don't know how to be with each other without the parents as a point of reference point. The uncertainty, the vacuum and the unknown are what we face over the next few weeks as we travel back to England to complete this journey.
While it may be the end of an era; it is also a new beginning that we can shape as we like.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
A question about Leadership
Travels are over – at least for a little while – and I'm back enjoying the serenity and peacefulness that is our life by the River. While the weather has been less than springlike; it has been great to be home and to see my friends again. Back to walking on the beach and catching up on the current news.
Canada is in the midst of a federal election right now and it seems for the second time in less than a year our community is going through election fever. An important time to consider how we want our country to be led over the next several (we hope) years. These are challenging times right now and it will take many people with a strong sense of purpose and vision to accept this challenge and lead this country with commitment and heart.
Leadership is an illusive quality in our political mosaic here in Canada. Many people want control and even more want power but how many really want to lead? And, if they do want to lead, where the heck are they taking us? These are questions that are worth asking yourself as you listen to the speeches and the rallying cries of the candidates.
Watching CNN on the weekend, I was inspired by an article that appeared to be written by Author Y (who turns out to be the joint chiefs of staff in the Pentagon.)
John Norris discusses this article in 'Foreign Policy' and quotes the article within the context of funding:
"Courageously, the authors make the case that America continues to rely far too heavily on its military as the primary tool for how it engages the world. Instead of simply pumping more and more dollars into defense, the narrative argues:
'By investing energy, talent, and dollars now in the education and training of young Americans -- the scientists, statesmen, industrialists, farmers, inventors, educators, clergy, artists, service members, and parents, of tomorrow -- we are truly investing in our ability to successfully compete in, and influence, the strategic environment of the future. Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health and social services to provide for the continuing development and growth of America's youth. "
That for me is leadership and coming from the Pentagon no less.
Canada is in the midst of a federal election right now and it seems for the second time in less than a year our community is going through election fever. An important time to consider how we want our country to be led over the next several (we hope) years. These are challenging times right now and it will take many people with a strong sense of purpose and vision to accept this challenge and lead this country with commitment and heart.
Leadership is an illusive quality in our political mosaic here in Canada. Many people want control and even more want power but how many really want to lead? And, if they do want to lead, where the heck are they taking us? These are questions that are worth asking yourself as you listen to the speeches and the rallying cries of the candidates.
Watching CNN on the weekend, I was inspired by an article that appeared to be written by Author Y (who turns out to be the joint chiefs of staff in the Pentagon.)
John Norris discusses this article in 'Foreign Policy' and quotes the article within the context of funding:
"Courageously, the authors make the case that America continues to rely far too heavily on its military as the primary tool for how it engages the world. Instead of simply pumping more and more dollars into defense, the narrative argues:
'By investing energy, talent, and dollars now in the education and training of young Americans -- the scientists, statesmen, industrialists, farmers, inventors, educators, clergy, artists, service members, and parents, of tomorrow -- we are truly investing in our ability to successfully compete in, and influence, the strategic environment of the future. Our first investment priority, then, is intellectual capital and a sustainable infrastructure of education, health and social services to provide for the continuing development and growth of America's youth. "
That for me is leadership and coming from the Pentagon no less.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The North South Divide
Life has been hectic recently – up to Newcastle, over to Richmond, down to Sheffield then back into London. I enjoy the different landscapes of these parts of England; each has its own unique and lovely energy.
Newcastle is a bit of homeland; my mother, grandmother and great grandmother are all from South Shields (which is the Newcastle area). I enjoy visiting this part of the world even though I often don't understand a word they say. A Geordie accent is something quite amazing to behold; almost like a secret language only knowable to the initiated. I first encountered the Geordie lingo when my grandmother was chatting with a Geordie friend and slipped very easily and quickly into the almost indecipherable language that is from these parts.
Reassuring is how it feels to be in the North of England; familiar, friendly, forthright and honest. These are qualities that have often been attributed to me by my family and not always in a positive and encouraging way. The qualities of northerners can grate on the rest of England and certainly the more subdued Southerners are often quite affronted by their Northern brethren. I, however, enjoy the frankness and the honesty; it sits very well with me.
Today I had a wander around the Kings Road in Chelsea and thoroughly enjoyed this part of London. It isn't an area that I go to frequently but on the advisement of a friend, I thought I would go and partake of the excellent shopping and also enjoy the sunshine and the warmth of the spring day. After my experiences in the north and the work that I enjoyed last week and on the weekend, it was lovely to have an afternoon to meander about and just take in the sights and sounds of London.
My awareness of the North South divide is never more acute than when I have the opportunity to spend some time up north and then immerse myself in London; the homeland of my father, grandfather and great grandfather; a completely different experience of England. London is fast, vibrant, multicultural and anonymous. A person can get seriously lost here and no one would notice. This is also an aspect of me that fits very well in my psyche.
Bringing the divide together is the balance that I seek.
Geographies of England: The North-South Divide, Material and Imagined (Cambridge Studies in Historical Geography)
Newcastle is a bit of homeland; my mother, grandmother and great grandmother are all from South Shields (which is the Newcastle area). I enjoy visiting this part of the world even though I often don't understand a word they say. A Geordie accent is something quite amazing to behold; almost like a secret language only knowable to the initiated. I first encountered the Geordie lingo when my grandmother was chatting with a Geordie friend and slipped very easily and quickly into the almost indecipherable language that is from these parts.
Reassuring is how it feels to be in the North of England; familiar, friendly, forthright and honest. These are qualities that have often been attributed to me by my family and not always in a positive and encouraging way. The qualities of northerners can grate on the rest of England and certainly the more subdued Southerners are often quite affronted by their Northern brethren. I, however, enjoy the frankness and the honesty; it sits very well with me.
Today I had a wander around the Kings Road in Chelsea and thoroughly enjoyed this part of London. It isn't an area that I go to frequently but on the advisement of a friend, I thought I would go and partake of the excellent shopping and also enjoy the sunshine and the warmth of the spring day. After my experiences in the north and the work that I enjoyed last week and on the weekend, it was lovely to have an afternoon to meander about and just take in the sights and sounds of London.
My awareness of the North South divide is never more acute than when I have the opportunity to spend some time up north and then immerse myself in London; the homeland of my father, grandfather and great grandfather; a completely different experience of England. London is fast, vibrant, multicultural and anonymous. A person can get seriously lost here and no one would notice. This is also an aspect of me that fits very well in my psyche.
Bringing the divide together is the balance that I seek.
Geographies of England: The North-South Divide, Material and Imagined (Cambridge Studies in Historical Geography)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Rock Your 'Asanas' Yoga
So what else does a person do in South London on a Saturday night but engage in heavy metal yoga. No kidding, rock music, light show and heavy breathing; all part of the 'yoga' experience that my friend and I participated in on Saturday. Followed by a lentil curry and a glass of wine; they do things differently over here.
It was a bit odd for me – to say the least – and yet, I cannot argue with the positive effects that I have felt since doing this 'extreme sport' yoga. I of the 'Nordic Walking' persuasion and occasional yoga aficionado feel incredibly energized and dare I say it, quite changed as a result of this experience.
I had no idea what I was getting into when my very good friend of many years asked me if I'd like to join her in a yoga class on Saturday night. I thought, sure, I love yoga, really miss doing it and hey, what a fun way to hang out and spend time together.
There wasn't a whole lot of information about the night just that it was yoga and then a veggie meal. When I arrived in the yoga room I was somewhat startled to see two dj's and a huge table for spinning discs and a light show being set up. Well, a few minutes later, 35 bodies proceeded to chant, stretch, downward dog and shake our shakti's. Whoa – not what I was expecting at all.
When I shared this experience with my son over our 'Mother's Day' lunch on Sunday (yes, they have a different day than Canada) he burst out laughing and said that it reminded him of an episode of the 'Peep Show' which is shot in South London – 'Rainbow Rhythms.' Later that night he put the episode on the tv for me to watch. What was hilariously funny for me was the degree to which my Saturday night mimicked this episode. It isn't a natural thing to blend yoga – quiet meditative practice – with loud rocking music and a light show.
I am a bit of a purist when it comes to yoga; I like it quiet, meditative, relaxing and to be honest, not that sweaty. If I tell you that 'Shavason' is my favourite position (the corpse pose) it will probably tell you a lot about my level of activity in yoga. So having such a wildly physical yoga experience was, for me, a uniquely South London experience.
Fusing South London and Yoga; the beginning of change indeed.
It was a bit odd for me – to say the least – and yet, I cannot argue with the positive effects that I have felt since doing this 'extreme sport' yoga. I of the 'Nordic Walking' persuasion and occasional yoga aficionado feel incredibly energized and dare I say it, quite changed as a result of this experience.
I had no idea what I was getting into when my very good friend of many years asked me if I'd like to join her in a yoga class on Saturday night. I thought, sure, I love yoga, really miss doing it and hey, what a fun way to hang out and spend time together.
There wasn't a whole lot of information about the night just that it was yoga and then a veggie meal. When I arrived in the yoga room I was somewhat startled to see two dj's and a huge table for spinning discs and a light show being set up. Well, a few minutes later, 35 bodies proceeded to chant, stretch, downward dog and shake our shakti's. Whoa – not what I was expecting at all.
When I shared this experience with my son over our 'Mother's Day' lunch on Sunday (yes, they have a different day than Canada) he burst out laughing and said that it reminded him of an episode of the 'Peep Show' which is shot in South London – 'Rainbow Rhythms.' Later that night he put the episode on the tv for me to watch. What was hilariously funny for me was the degree to which my Saturday night mimicked this episode. It isn't a natural thing to blend yoga – quiet meditative practice – with loud rocking music and a light show.
I am a bit of a purist when it comes to yoga; I like it quiet, meditative, relaxing and to be honest, not that sweaty. If I tell you that 'Shavason' is my favourite position (the corpse pose) it will probably tell you a lot about my level of activity in yoga. So having such a wildly physical yoga experience was, for me, a uniquely South London experience.
Fusing South London and Yoga; the beginning of change indeed.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Back in the UK
The past week has flown by and I'm somewhat bemused as to how I have managed to go this long without doing the blog. Normally, it is something that I sit down and do without a huge amount of pre-thought. It tends to flow from my current experiences and thoughts.
Not so much this past week. Perhaps because it has been a week of huge change; just prior to leaving for the UK I heard from my very dear friend that her uncle had passed away on the Tuesday evening. This was a bit of a shock thought not a huge surprise. Her uncle had been very ill with brain cancer for a number of months. We had given him Reiki in January and the message was clear; 'your life is in your hands.'
This is the reality of life and cancer; ultimately, the decision to live or die rests with the individual. No one can really say or declare that someone is 'terminal' or that they will live. Our souls are our own and it is our decision. This isn't an easy concept to understand because for all the world a friend or family member appear to have the desire to live and in fact, will espouse that point of view openly and with great inner conviction. This indeed was the case for my friend's uncle. He did believe he would live.
So my trip to the UK was overshadowed by his passing and yet, it has given me a lot of fuel for thought and introspection. We really do not know when our passing will be. Our only real option is to our live our life as consciously and with as much love and gratitude as possible.
This feeling of gratitude has been with me throughout the past week. I am grateful to be in the UK with my friends and family. To have this time to be together and to also have the opportunities I have to work and do what I love to do.
I truly am blessed and grateful that I am able to live the life that I am living right now. I understand at a very deep level that this time here is very brief indeed and to appreciate the many gifts that I have received already.
Feeling blessed and trusting I am where I need to be.
Not so much this past week. Perhaps because it has been a week of huge change; just prior to leaving for the UK I heard from my very dear friend that her uncle had passed away on the Tuesday evening. This was a bit of a shock thought not a huge surprise. Her uncle had been very ill with brain cancer for a number of months. We had given him Reiki in January and the message was clear; 'your life is in your hands.'
This is the reality of life and cancer; ultimately, the decision to live or die rests with the individual. No one can really say or declare that someone is 'terminal' or that they will live. Our souls are our own and it is our decision. This isn't an easy concept to understand because for all the world a friend or family member appear to have the desire to live and in fact, will espouse that point of view openly and with great inner conviction. This indeed was the case for my friend's uncle. He did believe he would live.
So my trip to the UK was overshadowed by his passing and yet, it has given me a lot of fuel for thought and introspection. We really do not know when our passing will be. Our only real option is to our live our life as consciously and with as much love and gratitude as possible.
This feeling of gratitude has been with me throughout the past week. I am grateful to be in the UK with my friends and family. To have this time to be together and to also have the opportunities I have to work and do what I love to do.
I truly am blessed and grateful that I am able to live the life that I am living right now. I understand at a very deep level that this time here is very brief indeed and to appreciate the many gifts that I have received already.
Feeling blessed and trusting I am where I need to be.
Monday, March 21, 2011
New Beginnings
Spring has always been one of my favourite seasons and never more so than after the winter we have had here at the 'Beach.' Winter has been relentless; snow, ice, wind and freezing temperatures have all combined to make this a very challenging place for me to be. I prefer the temperate climate of Vancouver and London.
This past weekend has been an especially significant weekend with a massively huge full moon waking and shaking everything in it's path. That's what a full moon does; it wakes people up by stirring the emotional body and getting things activated. People feel a little crazy and with everything going on in the world, it isn't hard to understand why crazy seems to be the current emotional flavour of the month.
I chose this past weekend to hold a Reiki Level 1 class. My thinking was that with all this powerful energy arriving this weekend, it would be a perfect time to hold a class. To integrate the energy of the moon and the equinox with the assistance of the Reiki energy seemed like a good plan. The word 'Reiki' means 'Universal Life Force Energy' which is essentially the same energy that holds the moon in the sky, keeps the sun where it is meant to be and runs through our energy systems; it is all the same stuff.
Connecting with the energy of Reiki has been a 21 year relationship that never ceases to surprise and amaze me. I met the husband soon after doing Reiki; it was as if our souls could finally see each other and recognize who we were. My interest in 'Soul Mates' was cultivated and deepened through my relationship with Reiki. Curiosity about this thing called 'Soul' and where does one find a 'Mate' that matches your soul?
And here I am again, bemused and aware that once again this powerful force is taking me on yet another journey. I leave again for the UK this Friday and I am holding the vision to teach a Reiki class while I am there. My two worlds of 'corporate' training and 'spiritual' training are coming together, just like me.
I think that the world and I are in for an incredible ride.
Reiki: Hawayo Takata's Story
Reiki: Hawayo Takata's Story
This past weekend has been an especially significant weekend with a massively huge full moon waking and shaking everything in it's path. That's what a full moon does; it wakes people up by stirring the emotional body and getting things activated. People feel a little crazy and with everything going on in the world, it isn't hard to understand why crazy seems to be the current emotional flavour of the month.
I chose this past weekend to hold a Reiki Level 1 class. My thinking was that with all this powerful energy arriving this weekend, it would be a perfect time to hold a class. To integrate the energy of the moon and the equinox with the assistance of the Reiki energy seemed like a good plan. The word 'Reiki' means 'Universal Life Force Energy' which is essentially the same energy that holds the moon in the sky, keeps the sun where it is meant to be and runs through our energy systems; it is all the same stuff.
Connecting with the energy of Reiki has been a 21 year relationship that never ceases to surprise and amaze me. I met the husband soon after doing Reiki; it was as if our souls could finally see each other and recognize who we were. My interest in 'Soul Mates' was cultivated and deepened through my relationship with Reiki. Curiosity about this thing called 'Soul' and where does one find a 'Mate' that matches your soul?
And here I am again, bemused and aware that once again this powerful force is taking me on yet another journey. I leave again for the UK this Friday and I am holding the vision to teach a Reiki class while I am there. My two worlds of 'corporate' training and 'spiritual' training are coming together, just like me.
I think that the world and I are in for an incredible ride.
Reiki: Hawayo Takata's Story
Reiki: Hawayo Takata's Story
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