Sailing. There are always so many things I learn from the times - not all that frequent! - when I sail.
The last time was last Sunday. My plan had been to spend the morning doing school prep, ready for going back on Monday. Yet when I woke, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. It seemed madness to stay in and work when we were heading into Autumn and this might well be one of only a few sunny days. It didn't take very much persuasion to lure my partner out onto the water....
We decided on a limited venture across from Mylor to Loe Beach to grab a cuppa at the cafe, then head back to Mylor. I'm always struck by the choosing of a point to set off towards. I love the focus on a point in the distance, maybe a clump of trees or a building, on the far shore. I love the fact that it's in the distance, but as we sail towards it it becomes closer. I love the fact that knowing our final destination, in this case Loe Beach, we have to set off in different directions in order to get to it - zigzagging our way forwards - changing our course as the wind direction changes, but always keeping in sight our end destination.
I know in my own life that having a destination, a vision is vital. Once I know where I'm going, then I can plan my course, changing it according to the winds that blow across my life.
When we arrived at Loe Beach we took the inflatable, affectionately named the 'plastic doughnut' and paddled to shore. Not without some difficulty, as the wind had become much stronger. We had a brief cuppa, then clambered back into the doughnut and back onto Tiddy Oggie.
Sailing back turned into a bit of a challenge. The winds were stronger and sea choppier than we had experienced on this boat. A reef was put in the sail, the main sheet was let out, and still we heeled in a way that felt less than comfortable! I was aware of the need for calm. When things become choppy a calm response means that one can make sensible, rational decisions. Panic -yes, I did a bit! - wasn't remotely helpful.
I've always found regarding life as a sailing adventure a really helpful metaphor. At the start of September and the beginning of the academic year, at school it seems as if we are just setting sail. Ship ready? The destination? July - lessons learned, exam syllabuses taught, exams sat, productions produced, concerts given, games played, fun had. All on board? Here we go again.....
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Saying YES to Life!
It was a gorgeous sunny evening yesterday, and I was sitting on the quay at Mylor Harbour enjoying a drink, watching the sun go down, and thinking the usual, 'I'm so lucky to live in Cornwall,' thoughts, when I was approached by a boy. Maybe he was about 9 or 10.
'Are you the wife of the gentleman who is currently walking to the car park? He says you produce rather fine cuisine.'
Well, it seemed not entirely out of the question that I was said wife. So I answererd in the affirmative.
'He thought you would like to know that we have been collecting razor clams and are selling them at a rather enticing price.'
'Really? What are razor clams?'
He explained slowly so I could follow him.
'So how do you cook them?'
Another patient explanation followed.....and at the end he threw in the useful tip that they are really quite delicious with olive oil and garlic. Hmmm.
'So would you like to buy some? 10 for £1 or the whole lot - at least 100 for £10.'
Well.....how intriguing. I looked at the boy who held a large bucket of clams, and at his younger sister who held the smaller bucket.
'Why, yes. I would love to buy 10 razor clams!'
The younger sister, clearly a new counter, carefully extracted one razor clam at a time from her bucket and placed them on my hand, counting each one out loud. The brother produced a poly bag to put them in, and then I produced a £1 coin.
'Thank you. It's been a pleasure to do business with you,' he declared.
He shook my hand, and they took their buckets and their clams and wandered off......
Love this saying yes to life stuff.....all sorts of interesting experiences ensue. Razor clams for lunch ....and I think I might have met a future winner of 'The Apprentice'!
'Are you the wife of the gentleman who is currently walking to the car park? He says you produce rather fine cuisine.'
Well, it seemed not entirely out of the question that I was said wife. So I answererd in the affirmative.
'He thought you would like to know that we have been collecting razor clams and are selling them at a rather enticing price.'
'Really? What are razor clams?'
He explained slowly so I could follow him.
'So how do you cook them?'
Another patient explanation followed.....and at the end he threw in the useful tip that they are really quite delicious with olive oil and garlic. Hmmm.
'So would you like to buy some? 10 for £1 or the whole lot - at least 100 for £10.'
Well.....how intriguing. I looked at the boy who held a large bucket of clams, and at his younger sister who held the smaller bucket.
'Why, yes. I would love to buy 10 razor clams!'
The younger sister, clearly a new counter, carefully extracted one razor clam at a time from her bucket and placed them on my hand, counting each one out loud. The brother produced a poly bag to put them in, and then I produced a £1 coin.
'Thank you. It's been a pleasure to do business with you,' he declared.
He shook my hand, and they took their buckets and their clams and wandered off......
Love this saying yes to life stuff.....all sorts of interesting experiences ensue. Razor clams for lunch ....and I think I might have met a future winner of 'The Apprentice'!
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Still Breathing.....
I love stories, and particularly enjoyed the one Jonathan Nunn told on the recent Breathing course. Here is my memory of it (how easy is it to remember and accurately reproduce what you have heard? And how often do we 'tell the story' of what happened to us....inaccurately......in our distorted version? But that's another story.....)
A man heard of a very wise guru that lived high up in the mountains, who was reputed to have the ability to give genies to people. This sounded amazing and highly desirable...so the man set off to find the guru. After much travelling he found him, and asked the guru if it was true that he could conjure up genies. The guru nodded, so the man said that he would like one. The guru declined to produce one for him. The man was determined to have one and began to use all his powers of persuasion to persuade the guru to produce a genie for him.
After several days of using his persuasive skills the guru agreed to produce a genie. The genie, the guru said, would do anything the man asked him to do, but he must take care to keep the genie occupied at all times; if he wasn't occupied the genie would produce a sword and cut the man to pieces. He checked that the man still wanted one, but it seemed he did.
So the genie was produced. At first the man asked him to build him a mansion, thinking that that would keep the genie occupied for a long time. But in the twinkling of an eye, he had his mansion. Quickly he asked the genie to build an orchard. Again, in an instant it appeared. As the man paused to think of something else he saw the genie take out his sword and move towards the man. 'And now make me a feast,' he said, becoming desperate to think of things to prevent the genie from killing him.
After a short space of time the man realised why the wise guru had been so reluctant to give him the genie; it was a nightmare! Thinking fast, he asked the genie to take him back to the guru, and in a split second they were there. The man begged the guru to take the genie back, saying that he couldn't keep thinking of things for him to do....it was impossible...and there was no peace.....and no rest. 'Please take him back!' the man begged.
Surprisngly the guru refused. But he was a very wise guru, and he gave the unfortunate man with the genie the following advice: When you have no work for the genie, ask him to build a helter-skelter and instruct him to climb up to the top, slide down to the bottom and keep doing that until you have another instruction for him.
The man smiled. He knew now how to control the genie.
What is the genie? Our active minds. As soon as we have finished doing some really useful or creative thinking what happens?
When we don't require our conscious mind to think, we can park it, rather like the genie on the helter-skelter, on the breath. As we focus on the in-breath, then the out-breath, our mind doesn't have time for all the unhelpful waffle it so often is tempted into.
A man heard of a very wise guru that lived high up in the mountains, who was reputed to have the ability to give genies to people. This sounded amazing and highly desirable...so the man set off to find the guru. After much travelling he found him, and asked the guru if it was true that he could conjure up genies. The guru nodded, so the man said that he would like one. The guru declined to produce one for him. The man was determined to have one and began to use all his powers of persuasion to persuade the guru to produce a genie for him.
After several days of using his persuasive skills the guru agreed to produce a genie. The genie, the guru said, would do anything the man asked him to do, but he must take care to keep the genie occupied at all times; if he wasn't occupied the genie would produce a sword and cut the man to pieces. He checked that the man still wanted one, but it seemed he did.
So the genie was produced. At first the man asked him to build him a mansion, thinking that that would keep the genie occupied for a long time. But in the twinkling of an eye, he had his mansion. Quickly he asked the genie to build an orchard. Again, in an instant it appeared. As the man paused to think of something else he saw the genie take out his sword and move towards the man. 'And now make me a feast,' he said, becoming desperate to think of things to prevent the genie from killing him.
After a short space of time the man realised why the wise guru had been so reluctant to give him the genie; it was a nightmare! Thinking fast, he asked the genie to take him back to the guru, and in a split second they were there. The man begged the guru to take the genie back, saying that he couldn't keep thinking of things for him to do....it was impossible...and there was no peace.....and no rest. 'Please take him back!' the man begged.
Surprisngly the guru refused. But he was a very wise guru, and he gave the unfortunate man with the genie the following advice: When you have no work for the genie, ask him to build a helter-skelter and instruct him to climb up to the top, slide down to the bottom and keep doing that until you have another instruction for him.
The man smiled. He knew now how to control the genie.
What is the genie? Our active minds. As soon as we have finished doing some really useful or creative thinking what happens?
When we don't require our conscious mind to think, we can park it, rather like the genie on the helter-skelter, on the breath. As we focus on the in-breath, then the out-breath, our mind doesn't have time for all the unhelpful waffle it so often is tempted into.
Monday, 8 August 2011
Breathing and Bellies!
Recently I attended a fascinating two-day workshop at the beautiful Hawkwood College in Stroud, run by Dr David Beales and Jonathon Nunn. The subject: Mindfulness and the Breath.
I've been aware for some time that the way we breathe has a powerful physiological and psychological effect on our bodies, but wanted more detailed input on exactly how this works and how I can alter my breathing to further my own well-being.
I learned so much that it is a challenge to fit it all into one blog....so this might be the first of many!
On the second day David introduced us to a capnographer: a device that measures our carbon di-oxide levels in our outbreath. In turn we were invited to hook our nostrils up to a tube and simply breath. How difficult could that be? Well, in my case, very! How interesting to notice that when it was my turn to breathe and have the subsequent display of my carbon di-oxide levels on the screen for everyone to look at, I discovered I could do an old pattern of nervousness really easily. And of course my breathing reflected that. David used his lovely language to help me take myself back to a place of calm......to notice my feet as they connected to the floor....to recall the things we had talked about earlier....and it helped a little. Then he mentioned the 'soft belly' - the one that babies and children have naturally and easily. It was a bit like a switch for me. As I relaxed my belly, so I relaxed; my breathing slowed and became calm. David pointed out that this was a great anchor for me, which it was...and still is.
Since that discovery moment I have been intrigued to notice how much of the time I've been instinctively doing 'tight belly' (and not because my muscle tone is superb!) and how that effectively means I'm doing a degree of stress. Moving to 'soft belly' means that I can change my state really easily. It also means I have to eschew the notion of flat tummy which is so often held up as an ideal in our current culture. Doing so is an act of love for me; it means I am valuing myself and my own well-being above what other people might think of me.
An interesting side-effect of 'soft belly' is that after a few days, my belly became softer and smaller. Not surprising really, when you consider the effect of sending messages of love and relaxation to the gut area rather than stress. But I wonder if the same effect would have been achieved if I had done 'soft belly' with the express intention of reducing its size. I suspect not. Intention is all.
I've been aware for some time that the way we breathe has a powerful physiological and psychological effect on our bodies, but wanted more detailed input on exactly how this works and how I can alter my breathing to further my own well-being.
I learned so much that it is a challenge to fit it all into one blog....so this might be the first of many!
On the second day David introduced us to a capnographer: a device that measures our carbon di-oxide levels in our outbreath. In turn we were invited to hook our nostrils up to a tube and simply breath. How difficult could that be? Well, in my case, very! How interesting to notice that when it was my turn to breathe and have the subsequent display of my carbon di-oxide levels on the screen for everyone to look at, I discovered I could do an old pattern of nervousness really easily. And of course my breathing reflected that. David used his lovely language to help me take myself back to a place of calm......to notice my feet as they connected to the floor....to recall the things we had talked about earlier....and it helped a little. Then he mentioned the 'soft belly' - the one that babies and children have naturally and easily. It was a bit like a switch for me. As I relaxed my belly, so I relaxed; my breathing slowed and became calm. David pointed out that this was a great anchor for me, which it was...and still is.
Since that discovery moment I have been intrigued to notice how much of the time I've been instinctively doing 'tight belly' (and not because my muscle tone is superb!) and how that effectively means I'm doing a degree of stress. Moving to 'soft belly' means that I can change my state really easily. It also means I have to eschew the notion of flat tummy which is so often held up as an ideal in our current culture. Doing so is an act of love for me; it means I am valuing myself and my own well-being above what other people might think of me.
An interesting side-effect of 'soft belly' is that after a few days, my belly became softer and smaller. Not surprising really, when you consider the effect of sending messages of love and relaxation to the gut area rather than stress. But I wonder if the same effect would have been achieved if I had done 'soft belly' with the express intention of reducing its size. I suspect not. Intention is all.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
What can we learn from Harry Potter?
It's the end of an era. The last Harry Potter film has been celebrated, shown and viewed.
We went to the 2D version, the 3D having been fully booked up for ages. And it felt cathartic. The whole cinema applauded at the end - something that rarely happens - but which creates a rather delightful feeling of community and belonging to something bigger than ourselves.
Then I began thinking about what I could learn from this last filmic episode.
I was struck most of all by three qualities: intention, determination and committment. At the start of the film we re-connect with Harry's intention to destroy the horcruxes. This was the mission that Harry had been given by Dumbledore, and his strong intention is to carry out this mission. His intention set his direction rather like a rudder sets the direction for a boat.
How many times was he thwarted? I've lost count! There was the time in Gringott's vault when all the objects kept multiplying; there was the time in the Room of Requirement when he faced engulfing flames; the time when he was about to be discovered in Hogsmeade.....you know the rest. And what kept Harry going? I think it was his determination to complete the task, and his belief that the task was do-able.
And lastly there is Harry's committment. When he has to fight Voldemort he is totally committed to the task. You can tell by the expression on his face and his body posture. Total committment. He fights with 100%. He gives it, not a good shot, but his very best shot. And did he win the fight? Actually, no. At least not in the short term. But I think that when we operate with intention, determination and committment....then magic can happen. And it did for Harry.
Harry is a certainly a key figure.....but the other character that stood out for me was Neville Longbottom. Neville, who found learning how to do spells difficult; who had various mishaps throughout his school career; who was always losing Trevor, his toad; who never looked as if he would turn into a hero....is the one who comes up trumps in the end in a most spectacular fashion! It reminds me of a verse in the Bible I have always been fond of. It's from Corinthians and goes something like, 'God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.'
There are so many things we can learn from these wonderful books and films.....I imagine it's a subject that I will return to again and again......
Long live Harry Potter!
We went to the 2D version, the 3D having been fully booked up for ages. And it felt cathartic. The whole cinema applauded at the end - something that rarely happens - but which creates a rather delightful feeling of community and belonging to something bigger than ourselves.
Then I began thinking about what I could learn from this last filmic episode.
I was struck most of all by three qualities: intention, determination and committment. At the start of the film we re-connect with Harry's intention to destroy the horcruxes. This was the mission that Harry had been given by Dumbledore, and his strong intention is to carry out this mission. His intention set his direction rather like a rudder sets the direction for a boat.
How many times was he thwarted? I've lost count! There was the time in Gringott's vault when all the objects kept multiplying; there was the time in the Room of Requirement when he faced engulfing flames; the time when he was about to be discovered in Hogsmeade.....you know the rest. And what kept Harry going? I think it was his determination to complete the task, and his belief that the task was do-able.
And lastly there is Harry's committment. When he has to fight Voldemort he is totally committed to the task. You can tell by the expression on his face and his body posture. Total committment. He fights with 100%. He gives it, not a good shot, but his very best shot. And did he win the fight? Actually, no. At least not in the short term. But I think that when we operate with intention, determination and committment....then magic can happen. And it did for Harry.
Harry is a certainly a key figure.....but the other character that stood out for me was Neville Longbottom. Neville, who found learning how to do spells difficult; who had various mishaps throughout his school career; who was always losing Trevor, his toad; who never looked as if he would turn into a hero....is the one who comes up trumps in the end in a most spectacular fashion! It reminds me of a verse in the Bible I have always been fond of. It's from Corinthians and goes something like, 'God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.'
There are so many things we can learn from these wonderful books and films.....I imagine it's a subject that I will return to again and again......
Long live Harry Potter!
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Follow Your Bliss....
I can't remember exactly how long ago it was that I first came across and read Joseph Campbell's books 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' and 'Pathways to Bliss', but it was years ago. And the idea of following one's bliss seemed instincitvely appealing....and also practically unlikely.
I've been re-visitng this idea recently. Having worked as a Lightning Process practitioner for 3 years, I started noticing that, for me, there was a degree of unease about my role delivering, essentially, someone else's versions of how we move forward with our lives, and what needs to be in place to do that. As I continued to tune into this feeling and the possibility that it might be time for me to move on, I began to consider what I truly wanted to do with my life. What, indeed, constituted my bliss...and was it practically possible for me to follow it?
What happened when I started flirting with the idea of doing something else was interesting. First of all a couple of opportunities arose for me to work in a more spiritual context, which seemed to be a lovely way of amalgamating two aspects of me. Then I started finding myself becoming more creative and productive. Excitement began to grow....
When the decision to move on was finally made, I had already begun a journey of creativity and possibility. And this has continued and been blessed (yes, I use a spiritual word deliberately) by chance meetings with people, collaborative meetings, and what I might describe as an explosion of possibility.
The experience I wrote about in my last blog has been another milestone on the journey forwards, bringing an even greater awareness of love and compassion into the work I do and reminding me of the close links between mind, music and spirituality.
So, in some ways I am able to regard myself as an a experiment. What happens when we follow our bliss? At this stage in the experiment I can report that good things happen.
I think Joseph Campbell would approve......
I've been re-visitng this idea recently. Having worked as a Lightning Process practitioner for 3 years, I started noticing that, for me, there was a degree of unease about my role delivering, essentially, someone else's versions of how we move forward with our lives, and what needs to be in place to do that. As I continued to tune into this feeling and the possibility that it might be time for me to move on, I began to consider what I truly wanted to do with my life. What, indeed, constituted my bliss...and was it practically possible for me to follow it?
What happened when I started flirting with the idea of doing something else was interesting. First of all a couple of opportunities arose for me to work in a more spiritual context, which seemed to be a lovely way of amalgamating two aspects of me. Then I started finding myself becoming more creative and productive. Excitement began to grow....
When the decision to move on was finally made, I had already begun a journey of creativity and possibility. And this has continued and been blessed (yes, I use a spiritual word deliberately) by chance meetings with people, collaborative meetings, and what I might describe as an explosion of possibility.
The experience I wrote about in my last blog has been another milestone on the journey forwards, bringing an even greater awareness of love and compassion into the work I do and reminding me of the close links between mind, music and spirituality.
So, in some ways I am able to regard myself as an a experiment. What happens when we follow our bliss? At this stage in the experiment I can report that good things happen.
I think Joseph Campbell would approve......
Friday, 3 June 2011
Towards Silence
I have had a rather extraordinary few hours.
Last night I went to a performance of John Tavener's latest work 'Towards Silence' in Truro Cathedral. Four quartets positioned at distant points around the cathedral to form a cross; a Tibetan prayer bowl in the gallery. Sounds emerging, converging, creating, moving, gaps, voices, mantras, chimes......the vibrations of the prayer bowl left hanging in the air...until they too were sucked back into time and space. We sat whilst everyone left in silence, the dying sounds of footsteps part of the sense of exit. Eventually we too left, but confronted with the chatter of everyday life, quickly returned to the cathedral space, not yet ready to emerge from the womb of enchantment.
And today the sense of having met with another world remains. At lunchtime the privelege of listening to Prof Paul Robertson, Dr Peter Fenwick, Prof Ray Tallis in company with Prof Tony Pinching, discussing in the Knowledge Spa, a place of academic and medical learning, the subject of spirituality, mind and music; to hear doctors and consultants talk about the importance and value of love in all they do; to make connections.with people who just seem to have been placed in one's path; to share a new vision with new people.
A sense of wonder; a sense of awe; a sense of being so very blessed.
Last night I went to a performance of John Tavener's latest work 'Towards Silence' in Truro Cathedral. Four quartets positioned at distant points around the cathedral to form a cross; a Tibetan prayer bowl in the gallery. Sounds emerging, converging, creating, moving, gaps, voices, mantras, chimes......the vibrations of the prayer bowl left hanging in the air...until they too were sucked back into time and space. We sat whilst everyone left in silence, the dying sounds of footsteps part of the sense of exit. Eventually we too left, but confronted with the chatter of everyday life, quickly returned to the cathedral space, not yet ready to emerge from the womb of enchantment.
And today the sense of having met with another world remains. At lunchtime the privelege of listening to Prof Paul Robertson, Dr Peter Fenwick, Prof Ray Tallis in company with Prof Tony Pinching, discussing in the Knowledge Spa, a place of academic and medical learning, the subject of spirituality, mind and music; to hear doctors and consultants talk about the importance and value of love in all they do; to make connections.with people who just seem to have been placed in one's path; to share a new vision with new people.
A sense of wonder; a sense of awe; a sense of being so very blessed.
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