Colour My World

Over the past few years, I have fallen in love with colour all over again..no more playing it safe for me!   I need to be surrounded by colour to inspire and uplift me. Slowly it has seeped into my decorating, and my choice of clothing, and it makes me smile to be surrounded by glorious colour. 

I have been creating vignettes around home, and there's something comforting about lighting candles and burning incense which creates a lovely sacred atmosphere. 

And springtime has arrived here so my roses are blooming like crazy, and it makes me happy to pick them and bring them inside to fill vases with their delicious old world scent. It is so satisfying to know that something I planted with my own hands rewards me time and again with an abundance of fresh blooms.

I am still teaching my yoga a few times a week, and exploring my own practice and continuing to learn more and more about this ancient practice. It is so rewarding to find something that lights you up from the inside, something that makes you want to learn as much as you can, and then share that knowledge with others.

I continue to meet so many amazing, like-minded souls on this journey. It really is true, as Joseph Campbell once said "Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls."

And while we are on the subject of following your bliss, yoga really has helped me to find my centre, and to say no to anything which insults my soul. It has also taught me to be fearless and to say yes to new experiences, and new challenges. 

I have met some wonderfully creative and inspiring friends through this crazy cyber world, and I am grateful to them for opening me up to a life I only dreamed about. A colourful, eclectic, artful, interesting, stimulating and fun life.



You all remember Miss Jo from Old Flowers 4 Me - this is the day we went out for lunch and met my favourite artist, the wonderful Mirka Mora!

Mirka is so cheeky and fun, we even managed a little photo shoot in bed with her...(I hope I am this playful when I am her age - she is in her eighties!)

The ridiculous look on my face is because I was SO excited to meet someone I have loved for ever! (The champagne was to calm my nerves, ha ha)

 This is the gorgeous Amanda and Coco - these girls are so fun! I love that they live their lives out loud and in colour!

Then a few days ago, it was off to visit another artist, this time Lin van Hek, who does the most beautiful paintings of women, but also makes gorgeous clothing - the pink silk jacket I am wearing below is one of hers. 

That's Lin on the very left of the picture. We sipped tea in the kitchen of her gallery and listened to her wonderful tales about her interesting life...

As usual, my apologies for not blogging more often. I was inspired to write this post tonight because another gorgeous artist friend of mine has started one. She is the divine Miss Elspeth and I couldn't possibly write a blogpost about colour and not mention her! Go check out her art - it is incredible and I am so incredibly proud of her!

Also, my beautiful faraway friend Melissa asked me to blog again. I have to show you the gypsy wind chimes she made, infused with magic from her own fingers, which are now hanging proudly above my kitchen table! I LOVE them!

So I hope that my rather long post has more than made up for my absence.

"Be the song that makes you dance. Do what excites you, live with your arms wide open, and watch everything else fall into place..."

This Too Shall Pass

It seems that once again, I have been absent for way too long. I have just not felt inspired to write here. I look back through this funny little blog, and it seems so much has changed. I will forever be grateful for everything this little space has brought me...beautiful friendships, a place to share and inspire, and an incentive to be creative.

I have been so busy in my new life as a yoga teacher...a whole new world has opened up its doors to me, and it seems that I have fully immersed myself in this exciting new world. Teaching is very rewarding, but also it is hard work. I am passionate about sharing all that I have learned through my yoga practice, and so there is also much learning and personal growth to be had.

These past couple of weeks have seen me floored with this awful flu. I have had no choice but to not just slow down, but completely stop and do NOTHING! If nothing else, I have learned to honour the wisdom of my own body, and the messages it holds.

This winter has hit me quite hard, and I have had some old wounds reopened, which forced me to look within, yet again, at what I needed to heal. I'm pretty sure this flu was the universe's way of getting me to just stop and begin that journey inwards again...more healing, more growth.

And, along with feeling unwell physically, are the feelings of depression which inevitably set in, so these past few days I have been feeling really sorry for myself (it's ok, it won't last), and I am reminded to just BE with those feelings, without trying to shove them aside. So I have allowed myself to watch sad movies and to read sad articles, because I need to really FEEL what I'm feeling, so I can exhaust those feelings then move on (rather than pushing them down so they manifest as physical or mental illness later on).

It's funny the old self-awareness which I now cultivate. That I can observe when I am responding and reacting a certain way. I'm not saying it makes the feelings any less difficult, but it certainly allows me to acknowledge that "They too shall pass".

So I guess this post is about honouring your feelings - all of them - the good, the bad and the ugly. Because no matter what we may think, EVERYONE has all of these emotions - that's what makes us human. 

And from the depths of my despair, a bright spark of light, a burst of creativity which has eluded me for some time...a poem, written feverishly without thought. It flowed from my pen in under 2 minutes, so I include it here, unedited...

                    She was not one to follow the crowd
                    She preferred instead to explore the intricacies of
                    her soul
                    It beckoned her within
                    Tantalising her with it's sweet repose.
            
                    A quiet, calm oasis to rest her weary self
                    When life had battered and bruised her
                    And caused her to retreat into her shell
                    It was safe there.

                    No-one to please but herself
                    Here she licked her wounds
                    and healed her scars, so that they wouldn't show
                    She clung to uncertainty
                    It kept her afloat in a sea of doubt.

                                                                 Tina Gates

Can you believe this is the beautiful space I get to teach yoga in - I am truly blessed x


          

Divine Tea Party

How to host a decadent afternoon tea party with gorgeous Goddesses....

Step One - Send out a beautiful invitation which your lovely friends will not be able to refuse. 

Step Two - Rope in some help in the kitchen...

These girls made THE best sandwiches.

And provided plenty of laughs in the process...

Step Three - Set a luscious table of goodness (and go pop on a frock and a flower in your hair)

Step Four - Welcome your lovely visitors with a big smile, a glass of iced tea with strawberries (or perhaps a glass of wine, wink)

Step Five - Eat, drink and be merry!

Step Six - be sure to leave some pretty props around for impromptu photo shoots!

SISTERS

Step Seven - plan to do it all again sooner than soon.

Summertime...and the livin' is easy

Well here we are a couple of weeks into January already! We are in the midst of summer holidays here in Australia, so I thought it might be nice to share a little of what summertime looks like for me. We spent a lovely New Year's Eve at my nephew's, overlooking the beautiful city of Melbourne. From his deck, we watched the gorgeous fireworks display.

We ate amazing paella by the beach...

Explored incredibly beautiful beaches...

Hiked (in thongs no less) to the top of this mountain where the views were amazing!

Had picnics on the beach...

Drank green smoothies everyday...they just make me feel so good! I like to mix them up everyday, and use whatever fruits are in season. I always throw in some chia seeds and a little organic raw honey. I like to toss in a handful of spinach or kale and a tablespoon of coconut oil for healthy fats. It's nice to buy fruit that's in season and chop it up in little bags to pop in the freezer. Makes morning smoothies so easy and delicious. Bananas are a favourite for me, because they fill me up, and I usually find I don't need anything else for breakfast. They are also delicious with some almond butter thrown in. The past few days I have been enjoying banana, pineapple, strawberries, passionfruit, honey, chia and spinach - yum! The Christmas before last, I was lucky enough to receive a Vitamix, and honestly, I use mine everyday! 

I've also been experimenting with chia puddings...these are so easy, and really yum (and oh so good for you). This one has a punnet of organic strawberries, a handful of blackberries, a tablespoon of organic raw honey, two tablespoons of chia seeds and around 1/4 cup of almond milk. Whizzed up in the Vitamix and chilled for a couple of hours, then topped with extra fruit, toasted slivered almonds and a drizzle of honey. A healthy and delicious dessert. The chia seeds expand in liquid, giving a thick consistency. The possibilities are endless. 

Eating nachos at the beach house (cos sometimes you just gotta be naughty)

Spending summer nights on my back deck, sipping wine and watching the sun go down behind the gum trees.

Finding beautiful places in nature to meditate...

Visiting quirky bars and listening to live music. Have I told you before that my youngest daughter Abby is a singer? This is her performing at her first jazz gig.

We still have a couple of weeks left before school starts again, but it's off to work for me this week. Yes, I begin yoga teaching this week! 

Last night was the first new moon of 2013, and I set some intentions for the year (I much prefer doing this than new year's resolutions). This year, I hope to continue learning all I can about yoga and meditation, and then sharing that knowledge with others. I hope to shine my light to as many people as I can. I really would like to learn Reiki, which I feel will only enhance my teaching. I wish to continue my own personal journey of growth and awareness and inspire those around me. I open myself up to new experiences and new friendships. I hope to spend lots of time in the kitchen, experimenting with new, healthy recipes, and learning all that I can about nutrition (another area I have always been passionate about). I would really like to travel, so I also put that intention out into the universe. 

What are your intentions for the year? What are you going to do with this one beautiful life you have been given?

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy 2013 friends! It seems time has passed me by. I finished my yoga teacher training last month, and in less than 2 weeks I begin my new career. I am truly excited to be embarking on this next chapter of my life. So I thought I would pop in here to share a little of what has been happening in my world.

Christmas was busy, as it always is, spent with family and friends. Where has the year gone? As I reflect back upon these past months, I realise I am most definitely a different person to the one I was this time last year. I have grown so much, and have never felt better. 

We took a little holiday prior to the Christmas craziness to one of my very favourite places - Byron Bay   which is a gorgeous seaside town. It has a hippy vibe, and is a favourite destination for many. It is a beautiful, spiritual place, which speaks to my soul. We were lucky enough to be staying right across the road from the beautiful Byron beach, so every morning we would rise early and walk to the lighthouse and back, which takes you along the beach, through beautiful rainforest, enjoying gorgeous scenery along the way. 

We were even lucky enough one day to see several pods of dolphins right on the eastern most point of Australia. Magical. Each day after my walk, I would do some yoga, even before my girls were awake. Such a beautiful start to the day, and one that I miss already.

I have made a little slideshow of our time in this sacred place. I enjoyed my birthday while away, and was lucky enough to spend it at a very special place called Crystal Castle. We had the most perfect weather for the day, and after wandering through the beautiful gardens, admiring all the Goddess statues and crystals strewn throughout, we enjoyed a delicious lunch overlooking the Byron hinterland. 

I hope you enjoy a little taste of one of my very favourite destinations. Byron Bay has my heart, and I know it won't be long before I return.

"Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people's" - Anais Nin