Snow Easter Like a Cold Easter

Deep snow is blanketing parts of the country, making beautiful patterns on trees and forming natural frozen icicle sculptures. Biting winds from the north are cutting through cosy woollen coats. According to weather reports this is the coldest Easter in the UK since modern records began. Hold on to your hats this is not as astonishing as it might sound, as modern records began in 1960. We are not going back hundreds of years in our collective climatic memories. Nevertheless, average temperatures are down by 3 degrees Celsius, which is enough at this time of year to chill the average person to the bone! In other words it feels very much like winter is still amongst us.

While sleeping last night the clocks sped forward one hour. Alas this was not sufficient inducement for the sun to make an appearance today. The tiniest glimmer of sunshine and blue skies is all the encouragement needed to entice our mortal souls outside into the world to take advantage of the lengthening days. My body is missing the feeling of warm sunshine and the caress of a delicate breeze. I declare it is time for spring! The trees are in bud, their leaves pending, willing to burst open in verdant splendour. Seeds planted back in February are doing their utmost to emerge from their darkened blankets of soil. Slowly they grow their green tentacles towards the smallest hint of light whilst carrying with them our dreams and wishes for the year ahead.

It's all pendant, the pent up feelings of springs potential is pulling us into the days and weeks ahead. A readiness is palpable. The yearning, longing for the transformation from death to rebirth, renewal and celebrations of Eostre are upon us. Never mind these arctic temperatures and the wintry scenes outside our windows. Bring on the sunshine to go with the springtime and happy days are here again :)
   

Living with the mystery or what does it mean to be?

The closer I am to the unknown the more challenging life can be. And yet that is where I keep finding myself, sitting at the door of the unknown wondering whether to open it and step inside to be with the mystery. Each time I go through agonies of indecision, of not knowing. In the end all I need do is open the door and step inside. Sounds so easy when put like that. Each time the mystery gets a little closer it appears in a different guise. A new set of clothes to fool me and I reacquaint myself with self doubt, indecision and procrastination. How do I stay in the flow and keep moving? Daily I have to commit to revealing myself. Which part of myself do I have the courage to be? The closer to me I can dare to be the more of the mystery I can turn and face. There is my challenge each and every day … to be me … as simple as that.

You're a Life Lover If ...

Creative and imaginative, you like to be inspired. Your expressive character means that from an early age you've loved nothing more than putting personal touches to your space. You have a super relaxed attitude to life. Naturally down-to-earth, you don’t believe in sweating the small stuff. Life’s for living, with minimum stress and maximum enjoyment and so fun with family and friends is top of the list as far as you’re concerned. Food is a definite passion too and you’re always up for tantalizing your taste buds. You’re a bit of a dreamer at heart. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Set your sights high and you’ll create the life you deserve.

You are calm and refined with a very refined eye for style.

Asking about the latest book you've got on the go is probably the best way to get you talking. You like to lose yourself in another world or lifetime, as each page is turned you become more involved with the plot and characters and increasingly enjoy the sensation of fueling your imagination and knowledge.

Chillout?...Don't mind if you do! Taking a break for you is about rejuvenating physically as well as mentally. Calm and tranquil times to yourself allow the stress of your everyday life to ebb away until you are left feeling like yourself again, and what a great feeling that is.

At the end of the day, you are definitely an emotional spirit and you make really strong friendships. Good buddies and lots of laughs are the recipe for exceedingly happy days. And nights!

I wish ...

Spring Seeds

There are many books that speak of the beginning and ending of civilisations. In Peter Kingsley's allegory called 'A Story Waiting To Pierce You' he puts forward the premise that the purpose of Western Civilisation is to remember it's own divinity. I'm interpreting that to mean this culture and civilisation I am a part needs to seek it's own spiritual meaning. Peter Kingsley traces this back to Pythagoras, suggesting he was witnessed and seen as a divine spirit by a Mongolian emissary called Abaris Skywalker. On seeing Pythagoras Abaris gave up his arrowhead and passed it on to acknowledge and anoint Pythagoras.

Towards the end of 'A Story Waiting To Pierce You' Peter writes about where those of us living in Western civilisation find ourselves now; "In our unconsciousness we take credit where no credit is due, oblivious to the real source of everything we pretend is ours - the sacred origin not just of religion but also of everything else, of science and technology, education and law, of medicine, logic, architecture, ordinary daily life, the cry of longing, the excruciating ache of the awakening love of wisdom.

And then there are those who quietly go about doing whatever is needed. The ones who wait in a state of ecstasy to help bring new civilisations into being, the ones without whom nothing is possible.

But not only are these people needed to bring new worlds into existence. They even are needed to bring them to an end so as to help make way for the new" (Kingsley, 2010, p.80-81).

This reminds me that doing what we know we need to do comes from a place without desire or expectation for recognition or acknowledgement. We do simply because we can. It is done for the benefit and in service of others. Read the Ben Okri quote from Astonishing The Gods . To paraphrase him he says 'when we create from the vast unknown places within us, we create from beyond and make the undiscovered places and infinities in them our friends. We live on the invisible fields of our hidden genius. Our most extraordinary achievements are unseen, invisible, and therefore cannot be destroyed. This endures forever. Such is the dream and reality of this land.'

To me Peter Kinglsey and Ben Okri appear to be saying the similar things, that there is a source of oneness which we are all capable of connecting with, tapping into, creating from - and when we do this such things come forth that are beyond our imaginations. I sense Peter is suggesting we need to remember this act of divinity and not seek to take individual credit.

What if our education system taught us of this oneness we all belong to and are yearning for? 

What if we woke up to our wholeness, the source of our oneness?

What then?

What seeds would we plant?

A letter to the future

During the week I was invited to picture the face of a child I know and write them a letter intended for them to read in 25 years time.

Here is my letter:

Dear You,
     
Take your own footsteps,
find your own voice and trust your own intuition.
Take your passion and weave
your story into the stories of those around you.
The stories of your friends, family and others you meet
along the twisting swirling mysterious path of life that
includes the stories of the trees, plants, animals,
rivers, mountains, rocks; the entire living community.

Dance, sing, laugh and celebrate.
Don't turn away from pain and suffering.
Gentle lean into it.
Look fiercely into its eyes until you can see
the gift being offered to you.
Share those gifts, your gifts with others.

Seek to be in the flow and cycles of life
to notice all the seasons and what they bring.
Above all participate with an open heart
without fear of harm to yourself or others.
And know that everything will change eventually.

We are part of an impermanent co-arising
seeking to experience ourselves in communion
and awareness - simply enjoy being yourself.
Know through your own experience
that it is love and open heartedness
that connects us all in an inseparable bond.

You are never alone.
I am in you as you are in me.
With all my love always,
tx