Self-nourishment through inspiration

Happy Earth Day and Taurus New Moon, and blessings from Lakshmi’s roses!

This rose bush has become very special to me. Over the past years I’ve spent most days meditating in her presence. And she has always been incredibly abundant, providing flowers for my altar and my home.

A few weeks ago, nearing the lockdown situation, I arrived to my morning meditation to find she’d been severely pruned! The fact this happened at that moment was incredibly upsetting. As the weeks have passed, I’ve continued to meditate in her presence, and then, around a week ago the first flowering bud emerged. And look at her now - I have never seen her in such abundance!

I feel a gentle yet comforting wisdom in the message she is conveying. That even during moments which seem bare and depleted, there is an underlying process of rejuvenation. Even if we can’t see change, to hold space for the movement that may be happening in the pause.

During this journey of the roses, I have noticed a mirroring in my own life. After lockdown happened, I moved into a phase which felt like a pause. It was few weeks of sifting and recalibration. But as I aligned to the new rhythm, as the mud settled and the picture became clearer, I noticed a gentle forward movement, and there have even been some beautiful opportunities emerging. Just like the roses, in my own way, there has been a blossoming.

Most powerfully, this has come in reconnecting to the joy of learning. For many years I’ve been interested in Qi Gong, and I’ve even had a little book of meridians that I’ve said “oh yes, I’ll learn those later”. Somehow that little book jumped out at me while sorting through some bits and pieces, and at the same time I was introduced to a Qi Gong online training. I noticed within myself a little bubble of excitement, and then after a couple of weeks of deliberation came the realization “why not, why not make the best use of this time to do something which I’ve wanted to do for so long!” So I signed up and I’ve been loving loving loving the training.

What feels so significant here, is not so much the Qi Gong or the training per se, but the wave of enthusiasm and excitement that has arisen within me. I can feel my energy has been ignited, I can see the possibilities of how I can integrate this practice into my work in the future, a sense of “ah yes this feels right!’” It feels deeply nourishing and brings a sense of vibrancy and joy which activates me on a cellular level, the human equivalent of the blossoming flowers. Simply, this wave of energy feels good, for my body, mind and spirit.

Further, I can intuitively feel that this wave of energetic inspiration is helpful for my overall health and well-being. With so much stress and uncertainty, it is a daily dance to remain in a position of neutrality and balance. After watching the news for only a few minutes, or engaging in a conversation about the pandemic, I notice the immediate constriction that can happen in my body and mind, the tightening in my breath, and the way my mind races into the distance. This vitality of my enthusiasm and excitement, is an immediate way to uplift and come back to equilibrium.

As Lakshmi’s roses have been showing, I am reminded that nothing is stationary, even when it feels like everything is on pause …. there are layers and layers within, all shifting, flowing, in formation to the next. These inner shifts and individual progressions may seem minute compared to the greater tide of change, however, they are so important to witness and to acknowledge, to help to us navigate through this moment of incredible collective change.

In light of this, I wonder if you have noticed what has been moving for you? Have you identified a project or something to do which feels inspiring and fulfilling? If this hasn’t emerged yet, take some time to explore and play. I’d love to hear your experiences.

If you’d like to join any of my offerings over this time - The Women’s or Mum’s Circle, Movement Mediation Class, or personal meditation classes for navigating stress, please click here.

Sending love and hoping you and your loved ones are staying safe!