Tree spirits, ghost gums and animal familiars

What’s the one luxury you can’t live without? If you ever find yourself in a time of great stress and upsetting circumstances, the natural world wants to calm and sooth you, if you get outside and start to observe things yourself, you will see. In parks, large trunked trees swing and sway in the wind.Continue reading “Tree spirits, ghost gums and animal familiars”

Comforting Thought A frog in a well never knows the vast ocean

There is an ancient Taoist expression that ‘A frog in a well never knows the vast ocean’. This is a reminder to be humble and to accept the world as being vast, with our own knowledge of it limited. We must never assume to have the answers to everything, but instead be humble students.

36 Questions for Creating Closeness

At many times in my #life I’ve felt like I was alone and this made me feel extremely sad and lost. However in contrast, the really best times of my life have been where I’ve bridged that gap and managed to develop a genuine and real #connection with someone and formed a meaningful #friendship or #relationship. Here are 36 questions that help to create closeness.

The people I admire and look to for advice

List the people you admire and look to for advice… My best friend She is the most patient, loving, kind and gentle person I’ve ever known. We met when we were young about 17, at a rave and back then we were both completely different people, like two butterflies in full flight with multicolored wings,Continue reading “The people I admire and look to for advice”

The magic of Matariki and Māori winter sea navigation

Every year at around this time, Matariki rises in the mid-winter sky. This is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. In Aotearoa Matariki rises in late May or early June.  This traditionally heralds winter solistice in New Zealand or the Māori new year.

Comforting Thought: Getting Real, the Velveteen Rabbit

“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.”
— Marcus Aurelius #quote #stoic #philosophy #soul #life

Comforting Thought: Throw open the windows of your soul

“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.”
— Marcus Aurelius #quote #stoic #philosophy #soul #life

Walking, talking, laughing

What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings? Everyone has these moments or even long periods of time when they feel derailed, set adrift from where they want to be. Lost. But there’s ways to lift yourself out of that.   Walking: as a resistance to traveling fast, a remedy and rebellion fromContinue reading “Walking, talking, laughing”

I’m writing a letter to my 100 year old self

Write a letter to your 100-year-old self. Hello there dear old friend. No doubt that time has done a number on you. Rocks have moved and been shaped by tonnes of ocean waves, skies and clouds have melted and reformed thousands of times over. I’m glad you loved like you did, with a fearless andContinue reading “I’m writing a letter to my 100 year old self”

Exploring the Spiritual Wisdom of Japanese Wildlife: A Journey Through Shinto and Zen Buddhism

The fauna of Japan, rich in diversity, is intricately woven into the tapestry of Shinto and Zen Buddhist traditions. Each animal is not just a part of the ecosystem but a bearer of profound spiritual messages and teachings. This article delves deeply into the shamanic symbolism of eight Japanese animals, revealing their roles in folklore,Continue reading “Exploring the Spiritual Wisdom of Japanese Wildlife: A Journey Through Shinto and Zen Buddhism”