Post Retreats!

“In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion."

[The Minotaur]” 
― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays

It's been great to get back to doing some writing and a little dabble with the paints and glitter again.

The lovely people who have been and gone over the past six weeks on their individual Breathe in Space Retreat have been delightful and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them.  Cooking lovely meals has been a pleasure and showing them around this wild and wonderful island of Kefalonia has been magical.

(Tzanata where we have our retreat)

We've really had a mixed bunch of lovelies!  Some self guiders who just wanted rest and restoration and another lovely woman who wanted time out to take photos for a college course she was taking, whilst being nurtured and looked after.  We had a beautiful soul who was on a very personal journey which was both brave and incredibly difficult and a really intriguing lady who was here for some shamanic soul work, it was a joy to see her attune to the islands energy so quickly.  Not forgetting of course the gorgeous man who wanted a space to get off the fast food merry go round and reaquaint himself with his tastebuds for good fresh non processed food.  He also used the space beautifully to journal, mediate, immerse himself in nature, swim and even do a little artwork (Thank you for your lovely offering!)  You can read more on my website if you are interested in seeing what we've been up to.

It was at times hard work, both emotionally and physically and as ever with each and every guest, I always learn something, either what I need to know right now, something about myself or some other way to do something differently.  All in all it was just great having all of the very diverse people us our little home as their get away from it for a short while.  In one's and two;s the space worked well enough, the weather was incredibly kind to suit all comers, the birds chirped, the bee's buzzed, trees rustled with a warm summer breeze and the sea was just about warm enough for a fresh dip!   And the picnics we shared in special places were just delicious....we made medicine wheels on the beach, labyrinths in the sand, sang our way through the mountains, had an adventure or two, witnessed beautiful sunsets and listened to waves lapping gently against the shore as we ate out under a twinkling black sky.

Secrets were shared, wine was sipped, rune stones picked, numbers analyzed and cards read.  Laughter prevailed, giggles abound, some tears mopped lovingly up, snoozes in the hammock and mountain journeys back home by a huge yellow moon.  Lots of precious moments to recount and remember.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for each and every kind sweet soul who put their faith and trust in a Kefalonia Island, a little house in the mountains and me....I like to think they went home rested, rejuiced, restored and very relaxed.

I am now enjoying a little art time, a little solitude,some extra special moments with my beautiful daughter and my too gorgeous for words grandson, before returning back to the UK to bring some new artful treasures to my patient customers. Not forgetting of course to be reunited with my most gorgeous Mr D whom I have missed in a way like never before.

I shall reconnect with this most magical, timeless place again in July for another month of 1:1 and 1/2 person retreats and a week of all or stand alone artful treasures workshops, including journaling, visionboarding, mixed media, intuitive art, heartful jewellery play glitter and some lovely lunches. 

This week is doing me good - I am restoring lots of little patches that need attention and am renewing my creative energy.

Sadly the Kefalonian weather is pants at the moment!

Just out of interest - what would you most benefit from if you were to come to Kefalonia for a Breathe in Space Retreat?

Answers on a postcard please...only joking the comments box on the blog will do nicely!

Being Brave

"Promise me you'll always remember you're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"  Christopher Robin to Pooh,

 Sometimes being brave is hard, especially when we feel we're alone with everything or when we think that nobody understands us.  Sometimes we have to stick our neck out, pop our heads above the parapet and leave it there.  That frequently requires bravery.  It is often a wobbly moment.  

We're brave when we stand up for someone or something that we believe in.  We're brave when we dare to be different.  We're brave when we bear bad news with dignity and grace.  We're brave when we shout our anguish and release our emotions in their raw glory.  We're brave when we walk on the wild side, when we dance to the beat of our own drum, when we show compassion for our secret souls and share our heartfelt hopes, our wildest wishes and our deepest dreams.

We're brave when we fly in the face of adversity

and say bollocks I'm doing it anyway.  We're brave when we say 'You could be right' and let the other person have the perceived win.  What about when you say 'I love you' to someone who hasn't heard that for a long time or 'I don't love you' to someone who isn't expecting that...doesn't that require a certain bravery also?

We're brave when we dare ourselves a bit more than we dreamt we could be dared.  When we test more than the water and when we say 'come on, lets do it'.  We're brave when we say No, when we tell 'enough is enough' and brave when we're scared to say no, frightened to say yes, terrified to say anything but we do anyway.  We're brave in our small one step at a time steps.

We're brave when we ask for help and braver still when we accept it.  What about putting ourselves first, isn't that an act of bravery in the judgemental arena of others opinions?  We're brave when we stand up, sit down, jump in and when we have the courage to walk away.

We're brave when we get out of our own heads, out of the chaos of over analysis and lean into our hearts.  When we tentatively put our trust into the god of our choice despite our misgivings or fears.

How do we reward ourselves for all this bravery?  When do we give ourselves a heartfelt hug and a big well done?  What do we need to do to remember our little and large acts of bravery?  How will we remember how brave we have actually been?  What about the realisation that we will indeed show bravery again in our future - how will enter into that?

Could we journal, write or paint our brave observations and memories?  Could we dance out our fears?  Could we luxuriate in our achievements?  Should we make ourselves a bravery award?  A precious plaque or paint a little beach pebble to keep in our pocket to remind ourselves?

Whatever you can do this week to remind yourself that you are indeed a big kind hearted brave soul - will you do it?  Will you create a little reminder, a little work of your own art, a little note to your bravest self to whisper 'Well done, my lovely'?  Will you create it, adore it, display it and admire it?  Can you take a moment to feel how good being brave actually feels?

The world, now more than ever, needs brave souls.  Will you be one of them?  This world needs you.  Christopher Robin needs you....

Day Four - Soul Time

What is Soul Time.  What does feeding our souls actually mean?  What is our soul?  Where is it?  I don't know the answers to all if the questions surrounding our souls.  I do know what my soul FEELS like to me.  I know if I am out of kilter.  I know how a beautiful sunset makes me feel, how a rich verdant green landscape can reduce me to tears, how a baby's hand holding on to one of my fingers can touch somewhere deep deep down inside of me. By recognizing these deep soul full feelings I am able to know what feeds that part of me.

Today was another beautiful vista day interspersed with painful loneliness and a wanting to feel I belong somewhere.  I wanted to feel someone had my back covered.  I did my waving to mountain men again and they waved back - it brought a smile to my face.  I had a simple supper at a local souvalaki bar with my daughter - the wife of the owner a beautiful woman name Aphrodite was genuinely glad to see us.  She beamed her stunning smile and gave us a kiss - I felt I belonged somewhere if only for a small moment.

Maybe that's just what we have to do. We have to stop and look at the momentary view.  We have to remind ourselves to feel, even if it isn't for a long.  We have to ask the questions to which our amazing brains will come up with the answers. What we do with them, whether we want to hear them, look at them or deal with them is another thing.
We have to ask ourselves often 'What feeds my soul' and stop to listen to what comes up.  We can then ponder it, savour it, roll it around our conscious mind, like melting chocolate on our tongue. We can then digest it and know where we want to go with it, what we want to do with it.  We must give ourselves soul food - it helps us to deal with the crap that life often throws our way.  It helps to give us meaning and purpose.  It helps us say - yes it is tough but look at everything else I am enjoying about this wild crazy life.

What do you say to yourself on a regular basis?  Is it kind nurturing stuff or is the voice of a judgmental parent/teacher chiding you for not being good enough?  Deep down you KNOW you are more than good enough because the only real approval we ever need is our own.  It's lovely lovely gorgeous to get recognition, a pat on the back, a well done from someone - they are the cherries on our own home made cake.  If we only ever baked a cake to get the topping from someone else, our cakes would go stale in the waiting.  We must decorate our own cakes, pat ourselves on our backs ourselves, give good credit to ourselves on a regular basis and shout yes to our own recognition.  Then we are feeding our souls....

The sea feeds my soul.  The sunset feeds my soul.  A full moon feeds my soul.  Supportive friends feed my soul.  Surprises feed my soul.  Shooting stars feed my soul.  Warm bread does it. My husbands smile feeds my soul.  A heartfelt hug feeds my soul.  An unexpected smile feeds my soul.  A heavily lined face feeds my soul.  A passionate heart that never ages feeds my soul.  Love & kindness feeds my soul.  What would your list look like?  How do you take time to feed your soul?  What do you do?  What do you like to see?  What do you feel your soul needs?  How can you find it if only for a minute?  What have you given yourself credit for today?  What are you glad about in your life? What do you dare to dream?
What feeds your soul?

Will you journal, paint, sing, move, vision board your answers?  How will your record what you want?
It is important I ask myself all of the above and more to get a deeper more compassionate sense of my authentic self - then I find it easier to know what my soul really wants, needs and is fed by.
If you resonate with any of this - let me know....until tomorrow xxx

Twenty One Day Creative Soul Journey

I am in Kefalonia - Island of Dreams, Delusions and Drama!  I have come to see my beautiful daughter, her brand new baby, my first grandson and to revisit my past on this stunningly gorgeous island.  My son has been with me for the first week.  It was wonderful.  It has been an emotional roller-coaster, one I haven't fully been able to ride with ease.  Does one ever ride an emotional roller-coaster with ease?

I am a woman who operates from a place of honesty, a place of basic necessity.  With me what you see is what you get.  I'm not great with mind games, intrigue, manipulation or needing to be right/center stage/best.  I try to concede with good grace.  This first week I have had to face all of the previously mentioned stuff.  It hasn't been easy.  I have had to, for the sake of my daughter, understand the whole Greek Grandmother knows best.  The forty days thing - I don't have 40 days here with my daughter.  I thought I would be a huge help.  I'm not.  She has her husbands family around every day.

I am really unsure what exactly my role is here.  My husband wants me to come home.  I know I have to stay - I'm just not sure exactly why, but I am staying for the month.  I know I can be the quiet support my gorgeous daughter needs.  The loving arms in the background with no judgement attached to the hands.  I know I can offer her a safe haven if she chooses to use it, if only for a tiny moment in this new and wondrous journey of hers.  I have run the gauntlet of emotions this past week - huge highs where my heart has felt like it would burst with love, with appreciation of the beauty of this place, of pride in seeing my daughter grow into a marvelous mother, in joy at my son's quiet but strong demeanor, his reassuring presence and his grounding energy.

I have felt lonely, painfully alone, missing my husband and the warmth of my UK home.  I have also felt a pure peace, writing, journaling, painting whilst looking an impossibly blue sea, tiny fishing boats on the vast ocean and the lure of the next island beckoning on the almost touchable island opposite.  I haven't slept well, yet on one occasion have slept the deepest sleep I've had in ages.  This is a strange and bewitching island and just when you think you can't stand another minute of stubborn island life, something amazing happens and everything changes.  It just add's to my emotional confusion.  That said I must not forget why I have come.  Last night was magical.  I fed my little grandson and laid him on my ample bosom!  He slept happy and contented for the next three hours until I left for home.  What a beautiful and touching few hours that was.

And so, putting everything else aside.  I have decided to make good use of the next 21 days and walk my own Creative Soul Journey.  I will be journaling, art making, poetry writing and taking photos of anything that is relevant, inspiring, soul feeding and good for my creative soul.  I hope you will join me....

Today is DAY ONE:  My journal entry is entitled 'What do I Need for the next 21 Days'  Please feel free to join me on a day or several days and post your own thoughts, pictures and comments I will honor them as though they were my own....

So I'll ask you my question..."What do YOU need in your life to feel complete/at ease/content/happy/motivated or any other feeling you want to feel?"   Post your answers and lets see what we need as 'human beans all in the can together!'
Happy Days   x D