Where is the time going? I am head spinning trying to understand how we have already landed in March, I seriously have no idea how I have already travelled this far into 2024 and now find myself on the doorstep of another Easter in only a few short weeks time. Okay, I do have to admit that I have been wrapped in a bubble of baby bliss since I became a grandmother and have been spending a lot of time travelling between Bendigo and Enfield in the pursuit of cuddles and sacred 'Bibi' time, but March already- wow! I mean February just seems to have evaporated into the ether and it has already been around three weeks since my last blog post, and there I was thinking that it had only been about a fortnight when I logged on today.
It is true, that time waits for no-one and if you don't stop and look around once and while, you really can just miss it completely (Thanks for the reminder Ferris!). However, even though time time does appear to be moving on fast forward, I have been joyfully passing the time and mindfully embracing all of the new experiences that have arrived in my life this year, which have given me pause for thought and room to grow in so many unexpected and wonderful ways.
Obviously becoming a Bibi (nanna) has been a deeply transformative and rewarding experience for me, well not only for me but for the whole family really. Craig and I have rekindled a love for each other and our blossoming tribe through this new shared experience. We are just loving the unfurling of emotions and opportunities that have arisen from Freja arriving into our lives. She has allowed us to re-experience all of the newness of parenthood along side of Zoe and Ben, and she has cultivated a fresh expression of love for us that is so profoundly deep and nurturing that it often moves me emotionally in ways that I did not foresee. In short, its been a delight and an absolute privilege to become a grandparent and I am excited to travel this new road ahead with Zoe, Ben and Freja.
I have also joined a local sangha this year which meets once a month and I am loving the experience of a collective meditation group very much. They practise the Plum Village teachings of mindfulness under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh, a monastic spiritual leader and peace activist who is revered for pioneering mindfulness, global ethics and spiritual peace. You don't need to become a Buddhist devotee to join, you just need to be a peaceful soul looking for like minded meditation and mindfulness practise, which is very much where I am at presently. We meet every month for sitting meditation, walking meditation, dharma sharing, song and a shared lunch. Yesterday we met in Daylesford, and it was my third sangha for the year and I can honestly say that I enjoy it more and more every time that I attend. The people that attend these sangha's are truly welcoming, peaceful, gentle souls and I always leave feeling like I have a renewed sense of self and purpose after each session.
I have also been attending regular sound baths with a new friend that I made this year, I have started a monthly 'Spicywatch' movie night with friends which meets in Enfield for a premiere viewing (with a different genre each time) and I have been enjoying more social time with my work friends in the shape of trivia nights at a local pub, and we have even enjoyed two third places so far!
I certainly feel like the heavy weight of last year has been lifted from me now and that I have gained a new sense of purpose and joy in my life. I even got rid of my bathroom scales and have stopped tracking everything that I eat and weighing myself continuously because I realised how unhappy these activities were making me and how fixated I was becoming a number rather than a way of being. I am starting to enjoy my body for what it is and I am accepting that although my pursuits for weight loss may have been well intended, they were just adding to me always feeling like a failure and never allowing myself to fully like who I am. My size is not indicative of my wellness or my ability to be vital and healthy; I am in fact very healthy, extremely happy and flourishing in all areas of my life and this means far more to me than the number on a scale.
I even tweaked my diet, removed some trigger foods and drinks and added some appropriate herbal supplements to my diet and have managed to completely combat my menopausal symptoms in natural and non-invasive ways. I no longer have night sweats or drastic mood swings and I feel very in control of myself. In fact, I have not felt better than I feel right now in years! My wellness is now my priority 100% of the time, and it has nothing to do with my weight, but it has everything to do with how I feel and function from day to day in my mind, my body and my spirit. So sure, the time may be racing ahead, but right now, I feel like I am running along of side it with a spring in my step and a song in my heart, and who could ask for more than that?
It is true, that time waits for no-one and if you don't stop and look around once and while, you really can just miss it completely (Thanks for the reminder Ferris!). However, even though time time does appear to be moving on fast forward, I have been joyfully passing the time and mindfully embracing all of the new experiences that have arrived in my life this year, which have given me pause for thought and room to grow in so many unexpected and wonderful ways.
Obviously becoming a Bibi (nanna) has been a deeply transformative and rewarding experience for me, well not only for me but for the whole family really. Craig and I have rekindled a love for each other and our blossoming tribe through this new shared experience. We are just loving the unfurling of emotions and opportunities that have arisen from Freja arriving into our lives. She has allowed us to re-experience all of the newness of parenthood along side of Zoe and Ben, and she has cultivated a fresh expression of love for us that is so profoundly deep and nurturing that it often moves me emotionally in ways that I did not foresee. In short, its been a delight and an absolute privilege to become a grandparent and I am excited to travel this new road ahead with Zoe, Ben and Freja.
I have also joined a local sangha this year which meets once a month and I am loving the experience of a collective meditation group very much. They practise the Plum Village teachings of mindfulness under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh, a monastic spiritual leader and peace activist who is revered for pioneering mindfulness, global ethics and spiritual peace. You don't need to become a Buddhist devotee to join, you just need to be a peaceful soul looking for like minded meditation and mindfulness practise, which is very much where I am at presently. We meet every month for sitting meditation, walking meditation, dharma sharing, song and a shared lunch. Yesterday we met in Daylesford, and it was my third sangha for the year and I can honestly say that I enjoy it more and more every time that I attend. The people that attend these sangha's are truly welcoming, peaceful, gentle souls and I always leave feeling like I have a renewed sense of self and purpose after each session.
I have also been attending regular sound baths with a new friend that I made this year, I have started a monthly 'Spicywatch' movie night with friends which meets in Enfield for a premiere viewing (with a different genre each time) and I have been enjoying more social time with my work friends in the shape of trivia nights at a local pub, and we have even enjoyed two third places so far!
I certainly feel like the heavy weight of last year has been lifted from me now and that I have gained a new sense of purpose and joy in my life. I even got rid of my bathroom scales and have stopped tracking everything that I eat and weighing myself continuously because I realised how unhappy these activities were making me and how fixated I was becoming a number rather than a way of being. I am starting to enjoy my body for what it is and I am accepting that although my pursuits for weight loss may have been well intended, they were just adding to me always feeling like a failure and never allowing myself to fully like who I am. My size is not indicative of my wellness or my ability to be vital and healthy; I am in fact very healthy, extremely happy and flourishing in all areas of my life and this means far more to me than the number on a scale.
I even tweaked my diet, removed some trigger foods and drinks and added some appropriate herbal supplements to my diet and have managed to completely combat my menopausal symptoms in natural and non-invasive ways. I no longer have night sweats or drastic mood swings and I feel very in control of myself. In fact, I have not felt better than I feel right now in years! My wellness is now my priority 100% of the time, and it has nothing to do with my weight, but it has everything to do with how I feel and function from day to day in my mind, my body and my spirit. So sure, the time may be racing ahead, but right now, I feel like I am running along of side it with a spring in my step and a song in my heart, and who could ask for more than that?
THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE
Release Date: 2022
Rating: G
Running Time: 34 mins
A short, animated adventure that is based on the illustrated book of the same name by Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse delivers an emotional and poignant tale about self discovery and the meaning of life. Released by Apple+ streaming, this Academy Award winning short has a strong message that is most definitely not exclusively designed for children.
Four unlikely friends, a lost boy, a mole, a fox and a horse share their story's and experiences and become tightly bonded as they try to find the lost boy's home.
Author Mackesy explained that the four characters in this tale actually represent different aspects of the same person. The inquisitive and curious boy, the enthusiastic but greedy mole, the weary 'beaten down by life' fox and the wise and sagacious horse. All that I know for sure is that in 34 mins I had cried, I had smiled and I also walked away feeling like I had a genuinely spiritual experience, and for that reason, I believe this film to be an unmissable watch.
FINAL SAY: Life is difficult, but you are loved.
4.5 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 2022
Rating: G
Running Time: 34 mins
A short, animated adventure that is based on the illustrated book of the same name by Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse delivers an emotional and poignant tale about self discovery and the meaning of life. Released by Apple+ streaming, this Academy Award winning short has a strong message that is most definitely not exclusively designed for children.
Four unlikely friends, a lost boy, a mole, a fox and a horse share their story's and experiences and become tightly bonded as they try to find the lost boy's home.
Author Mackesy explained that the four characters in this tale actually represent different aspects of the same person. The inquisitive and curious boy, the enthusiastic but greedy mole, the weary 'beaten down by life' fox and the wise and sagacious horse. All that I know for sure is that in 34 mins I had cried, I had smiled and I also walked away feeling like I had a genuinely spiritual experience, and for that reason, I believe this film to be an unmissable watch.
FINAL SAY: Life is difficult, but you are loved.
4.5 Chilli Peppers
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