It's something like one and a half weeks until Christmas and like most people I haven't even begun to be organised! But I do have an excuse. I've been working on the Chill Out Christmas Gift Set. I wanted to offer something which would help us all through the Xmas madness and help keep the spiritual balance!

I offer a Reiki distance healing, a specially written Winter guided meditation and with my colleague The Tarot Star - a Tarot reading to shine the light on any personal issues or questions.

What more wonderful gift can you give yourself? And of course it makes a great gift for someone else (just think no wrapping or postage!)

(Just click on the picture for more information)

11th Day - 11th Hour - Remember

Happy Hallowe'en!

May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years.
May happiness be your companion and may your days together be good and long upon Earth.

Apache Blessing

(Thanks to John De Boer. John's Native American music is wonderfully relaxing and imaginative - to hear some go to his MySpace profile)

I've always prided myself that I don't get caught up doing what other people want. I've always had a clear idea of what works for me and how I want my life to be. So I've made my own choices and willingly paid any price exacted for that.

But recently I've found that I seem to be more vulnerable to being manipulated by other people's agenda. It doesn't seem that important to make a stand, or I don't want to hurt feelings etc.

One friend commented that as we get older, we mellow. We lose that youthful passion to carve out our own paths. Her view was that it was good, it rubbed off the sharp corners.

Thinking about it today I disagree! I don't think it's healthy to lose sight of who we are and what makes us feel alive. We may think we're being 'nice' and not making waves but really I think we're doing ourselves and the people in our lives a huge dis-service.

How can we live a life which expresses our uniqueness if compromise becomes our coinage? How can we be an example to others, to teach them that they are also responsible for their lives if we allow them to impose their ideas on us.

The tough thing is that it's often the little things which cause the erosion. It's easy to make the grand gesture but I feel we need to be watchful on a daily basis. We need to honour ourselves and others in all ways.

Misty Morning:

Fog again today
Soft glow of water droplets
I'm inside a cloud!

September is my favourite month. It has a blend of mellow homeliness but with an edge of wildness too. This morning I was picking plums and apples in the garden under a brilliant blue sky. The air was warm and drowsy and the only thing to worry about was the odd wasp, drunk on fermented juice.

Earlier I had run an errand to a nearby village and through the car window heard the distinctive kee-kee call of a buzzard. There were 4 circling lazily above in that same blue sky but instead of a quiet domestic scene they spoke of hunting and wild survival.

I'm not ready for winter yet but I enjoy these poignant reminders.

I've spent most of the weekend getting my profile on My Space done - with the help of my wonderful web master of course! It hasn't been easy to stay focused though, My Space is seriously addictive! Which I guess is why it is so phenomenally successful. People are endlessly fascinating and it's a great place to experience raw creativity and self expression. I'm also intrigued by how everything seems to grow organically - 1 friend becomes 20 in a matter of days and you are suddenly opened up to whole new experiences. It's a bit like seeing the concepts of energy therapy like Reiki in practice: the Universe is all connected and can communicate with itself effortlessly.

Anyway, please drop by and if you're already in My Space, say hi! http://www.myspace.com/nextstepreiki

It's a torrential downpour here - real summer rain. The drum of water on the roof makes the room a safe cocoon against the elements. It's perfect weather to curl up with a book.

The one I'm reading just now is Waterlog by Roger Deakin. This swimmer's journey through Britain is his account of his adventures in wild swimming - in rivers, lakes and sea. His writing is lyrical, "Then the rain eased and the reflected heavens where full of tiny dancers: water sprites springing up on tiptoe like bright pins over the surface." His enthusiasm is infectious and I remember why I love the half wild corners of this land!

So it is with sadness that I learn that Roger died at the weekend. His obituary speaks of a passionately curious man, energetic, committed to his friends but with an untamed streak in him. How wonderful it must have been to sit with him round the fire and listen. But how lucky we are that he shared his delight at the world with us all through this beautiful book.

Serenity

Serenity is a quality I've been trying to cultivate as life is pretty hectic around here.

Not sure I'm succeeding but have taken time out to contemplate for a while the flowers I picked this morning.

The combination of white and blue is heavenly - almost in a literal sense since it's like having the sky in a vase!

See - I told you I was in danger of losing it at the moment!!

We've got a spell of beautiful settled weather. The day seems to drift by in a drowsy haze with no problems on the horizon and long hours to spend dreaming in the sun! Perfect weather to help me finish my new meditation - Let Yourself Relax. For me it sums up the great holiday mood of summer and I hope to upload it to the site in a day or two.

(Remember to subscribe to the rss feed on the right if you'd like to be alerted when it's available to buy.)

It's been an interesting day! One of those days where you seem to be operating outside yourself - like wearing a mask. There has been a sense of detachment which thankfully I don't often experience. Chores and appointments, working to someone else's schedule have all made me long to re-connect.

With what? My inner spark of joy, the fizzing feeling that tells me I'm connected to the Universe. So now that I am finally at rest, how can I do that? For me, just taking time to watch the sunlight on a bunch of flowers, being quiet long enough to let the natural sounds around me flood my senses - bird song, the wind in the trees.

By just letting the frustrations and cares of the day drain out of me - maybe I'll put on one of my meditations to help me along!

Having been on holiday for a couple of weeks, I've had a chance to chill out and take a back seat to the hustle of life. I watch my friends and family, my clients running faster every day just to keep up. Heavens, I do it myself. Why? I wonder if it's because there is a niggling thought in us all that we are not quite good enough! From every side it seems we have advertisers telling us we don't have the right car, we don't have the right shampoo; at work our bosses seem to demand more and more from us as they come under pressure from their bosses or the market place. Even the government tells us we're too fat or too untrustworthy.

And it's not just these areas - there's a huge industry of 'self-improvement'. Now I think it's wonderful that it is easier than ever to eat healthily, exercise well, be aware of emotional issues and of course know more about meditation and other stress-busting practices.

But like everything positive there can be a shadow side. Can anyone of us truly say we are at peace with ourselves...that there isn't this climate of judgment around us every day?

I don't have any easy answers - but a good place to start might be to laugh more WITH yourself! Let's try and be kind to ourselves...

I've just come back from a walk down on the pier. The sky and sea are both stormy and black. There's a small yacht moored just offshore and looking at it tonight, I thought how lonely it looked rocking on the waves. I was surprised because I've always loved wildness and craved solitude.

So as we get older do we become more timid? Or is it just that we appreciate family and warmth and fellowship more?

"I yearned for the wild music, the swift race. But happiness arrived in new disguise: sun lighting a child's hair. A friend's embrace...the pleasures of an ordinary life," - Judith Viorst

It has been the most perfect weather here this week. As soon as I say I live in Scotland, people immediately say oh you must be sick of the rain. Here in Fife we hardly ever see rain!

Assumptions are a burden to us all. We use a system of 'shorthand' to sum up a situation, fit someone into our world view or just to justify our prejudice - and nearly all the time we're wrong!

Spiritual growth is a lesson in open-mindedness - even about the weather!

Today is the first World Cup game for the England team and my son-in-law is an avid supporter. I've escaped up country and am relaxing by Loch Leven, letting the world go by. Just out of shot there's a small boat with a fisherman and I don't think anything could look more peaceful!

The air is filled with the sound of swans' wings and bees and now and again a butterfly flips lazily by - perfection.

I had a lovely wander along the beach this evening. Water is traditionally soothing and harmonising and perhaps there is some ancient memory in us that the sea is the giver of life. Just breathing in deeply the salty air, hearing the ebb and flow of the waves on the beach is relaxing and centering.

It's like a moving Reiki treatment!

I'm on holiday for two weeks tomorrow and I intend to spend most of my time in the cabin at the top of my garden!

This is a view from it and as you can see, it's the perfect place to relax and forget the world. It's also very creative so I'm hoping I'll be inspired to develop some more guided meditations.

Early morning strolls along the beach to the village shop, a walk along the abandoned railway amongst the flowers and serenaded by skylarks, a glass of wine under the stars - what more can anyone want!

I've just finished creating my Reiki Level I manual for students and am now about to collapse in a heap! As with anything creative it's been intense and frustrating and satisfying all at the same time.

It's no where near as perfect as this picture of a Canna Lily but I am pleased with it. If it helps spread the word on how wonderful and fulfilling Reiki is, then I'm content.

So tonight my Reiki Mood

It's a Bank Holiday here today and the world is a more peaceful place. Instead of all the hassle and noise of everyday life, the background sounds are more of people enjoying themselves, having fun. The weather isn't great but I'm sure that won't stop anyone having a barbecue or visiting the duck pond here in the village.

And today my Reiki Mood

Now here's a thought...at the moment my life isn't exactly what I want (who's is!) My Reiki side is wonderful and life giving every moment of the day. But there are other areas which are less than ideal. This morning I had a prompting that maybe Spirit put me in this situation because it's where I need to be. And - here's the interesting part, for me at least - not just for the tough lessons I need to learn. How about if I shifted my thinking and looked on all the issues I battle with as gifts. Instead of feeling stressed, how about if I enjoyed them? Okay it's a bit of a leap but I experimented with one aspect and almost immediately felt a lightening.

Could you imagine how much energy I'd free up if I wasn't holding tight to anger and frustration, if I looked for the bit that might be fun or interesting or just give me a sense of satisfaction at having resolved it! Mmm, could be an interesting day ahead!!

As you will have realised from my blog entry this morning, I've had an emotionally challenging day. It's a bit like picking your way through a wood - a dark scary bit here, a sunny spot there and a wet patch that you didn't see until you were up to your ankles in it! I've been slowly picking up the pieces and then I came online and saw some lovely comments here at the blog.

I'm now going to bed with a smile on my face, my faith restored...so a big thank you to everyone who took the time to say 'hi'!

My pride has taken a battering this morning and the aftermath is still surging through me. It's an unpleasant feeling that's complicated by wondering if it is just my ego that has taken a knock or did the person over step boundaries? So the real issue for me is how do I let go of this powerful emotion so that it doesn't further impact on me and how do I resolve the situation so that I can move through it to a constructive outcome. Well sending Reiki to myself and a healing prayer to the issue is helping and Spirit with its usual sense of humour at getting its point across, made me read today's tarot on the site: Strength card - courage, self control, resolve and reconciliation, virtue of fortitude. Okay then!

My web master and I have just finished adding more content to Next Step Reiki and feeling tired but very satisfied. What is it about hard work - physical and mental - which makes the day end in such a spirit of achievement? Is it because we feel we are living our true purpose, doing 'soul' work? I do know that after a hard day's work, everything seems sweeter, our senses more peaceful. It's time to sit back and enjoy the sunset!

Never mind mobile phones that take photos, I want a device that captures the scent as well! I've just picked these lilac blossoms and already their perfume is filling the room.

People who listen to my guided meditations often ask me where I get the inspiration for the imagery I use. Well, one is from wonderful moments like burying your face in cool, dew frosted lilac flowers and feeling so connected to the essence of spirit and beauty.

Chakra balancing is an important aspect of a Reiki treatment. And for ages now I've wanted to do a guided meditation which helped do this. It is incredible how these swirling pools of energy can have such an impact on our physical and emotional well-being. I've always been fascinated by these rainbow coloured energy centres. Anyway, I've finally developed a short free meditation.
Why not download it from the link below - and enjoy!

Chakra Meditation

This weekend a Scout troop has been camping on the village green and the air has been filled with the sound of happy children. The birds have been equally ecstatic and even a grasshopper added its voice. Finally it has been warm and sunny so I've been pretty ecstatic too. Another bead to add to the string of joy!

Celebrations are high points in life. A chance to step outside daily life, catch up with people we haven't seen for ages, wear a new outfit and become just for a few hours our better selves. What would life be like if we had a celebration every day? If we took 5 minutes, half an hour, an hour to relax, have fun and let our true self shine out?

There is a pine tree in the garden which has an aura you can practically see. It has one branch which swings low down so you can walk inside its curve. The atmosphere in there is so safe and so loving I find myself visiting it several times a day. No wonder shamans and indigenous tribes consider all living things to have spirits. I just feel blessed to have this magnificent tree a part of my life.

I was going to start this post by saying - it's been another roller coaster week. Then I stopped and realised that every day is a roller coaster. Each moment brings something new to our attention. Yesterday, a relative in hospital, a longed-for holiday fell through for my family, I found an envelope of money I'd forgotten and two friends helped me. So which was 'bad' and which was 'good'? I spent the day seemingly bouncing from one to the other.

Then in the bath this morning I heard that small quiet voice that we Reiki people hear and I laughed. The sun shines, the sun goes behind a cloud - it's a matter of holding your centre and knowing that it's all a dance of life and that you are helped and supported whichever way the wind is blowing that particular moment. Just trust.

This weekend I've been at a long planned and much anticipated party. One of those great affairs where all the generations get together (that's not a wedding or a funeral!). Everyone was pulled into the joyful moment - kids ran riot keeping us all entertained and there was enough pleasurable gossip to sustain us for then next few weeks! There really isn't anything like it - being with one's loved ones, family and friends.