Greetings

On Wednesday, 7th May, the full moon is in Taurus. This is known as the Super Flower Moon, called this because it accompanies springtime’s colourful blooms and the last supermoon until April 2021. I saw the one back in February and it was wonderful, so I’ll be out tomorrow night.

Since my Vision Quest, I’ve paid more attention to traditional ways from both our culture and further afield. I’ve learned that this is a time dedicated to the opening of our inner eye, the eye of illumination.  I see this as a time to look within.

This lockdown takes me back to my Vision Quest – 4 days of letting go and moving forward. On night one I went through a death ceremony to let go of the past.

In this lockdown we have to let go of the life we had  (maybe temporarily, who knows …), to say goodbye to loved ones who are no longer with us, to be more in touch with our fears and anxiety.

Much of our energy is spent on survival, and we need to do whatever we need to keep psychologically safe. We need to eat well, and get some fresh air, but that is enough … we don’t need to do more unless it is right for us.

For some this will be a time to reflect on the life and work we want to do.  For others it is just a holding time till they get back as close to life before as they want.

We are spending less and it may make us ponder on how much we spend on takeaway coffees, and things we buy, not down to need but down to marketing, we think we deserve it or because it’s a way to make us feel better – the pleasure we get from buying something new. But external things are transient, and maybe we need to look for other ways of being happy. Such as practicing mindfulness and keeping a gratitude journal.

Focusing inwards can get us to consider

• Are there relationships that need repair?
• What am I passionate about, and how can I use it more?
• Can I help other people and the world?
• The silence – is there a message there? What is the world saying to me that I’ve closed my ears to?

Maybe in quiet times your mind can ponder on these ideas?

Below you will find links to two my recent blog posts. I hope you enjoy, and please feel free to comment. 

Stay safe, stay well, stay connected.

{{hugs}}

Denise x

You Don’t Need To Do Anything

“When we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey”. Wendell Berry

I’m industrious, I like to be busy, and fill my days …but when I leave this to one side and take time just to be, I feel more grounded, more calm. I naturally slow my breathing and pay attention to my senses. When outside I take off my shoes and walk on the grass.

For some of us the lock down has meant less work – I’m getting few client enquiries, and people have put work on hold. Others may be furloughed and although it seems great to be paid to do nothing there is the uncertainty for how long this can go on for.

We may fill our days with exercise, cooking, cleaning or in a less productive way fill our days with sitting on the sofa binge watching Netflix.

And ignore those motivational posts going around telling you to use this time to develop a new skill or increase fitness and/or lose weight.  The focus should be on self-compassion and accepting the difficult emotions that are coming up.

From the first few weeks trying hard to be productive on my Doctorate studies, I’m now being more mindful to do nothing.

Instead of power walking around the park with upbeat music, I’m walking slower, looking at the trees and plants and the only sound being birds and insects.

I sit on my balcony with a coffee or cup of Lady Grey tea and look out at the view – the birds in the trees, the occasional person walking down the road … my phone is left in a different room on silent and I’ve switched off the alerts on my Apple Watch. This may be a time I get insights into my work and personal life, but this is not the purpose of this time. It’s a mini insight into what happened on my 4-day Vision Quest – a mind that is still.

This may be our gift – time just to be – not to fill out days, but to truly rest. You may still be working and home schooling, but you can still take time to do nothing at all.

Happy Beltane

Beltane (1st May) is the Celtic summer festival. A time when we enter the bright half of the year.

It’s seen as a time for feasts and fairs, and travel between the worlds. A time of fertility and sexuality. The land is fertile and a time to plant seeds.

Could we be planting seeds?

Doing things now to see them develop and grow later. This is not the time to do big things, unless you want to, but there are small things, maybe little habits that can grow. I’m thinking of smiling more to people we meet. Being patient with others, listening to someone without interrupting … deciding to let things go rather than to allow them to fester within.

Read More on the Blog >>

Who I work with and what do I do?

I work with a wide range of clients: young people at school seeking clarification of what to study, students and graduates re study and work choices. People seeking a career change or how to be more effective in their work. Through to people moving on from full time work. 

Work can be career guidance and career coaching, job search support - CV and LinkedIn makeovers; interview coaching, making an impact at work.

I have a group of clients I talk with for 30 minutes every 2-3 weeks, keeping them on track to achieve their goals.