Last week I wrote letters to the local councillors and MP’s and then to the Newspaper. I always feel slightly weird putting myself out there, because I know the views I have are sometimes ridiculed by the corporate bullies or people who are happy to follow whatever the people in power tell them. But I have come to a stage in life where comments like this “after reading this I feel the need to find a group of people and hold hands and start singing, or maybe a could find a tree and give it a hug” don’t really bother me anymore. Quite the opposite, I feel like wanting to give this person a hug, because it is obvious they are disconnected from the very thing that nourishes and sustains their body – Mother Earth. A huge problem – the disconnection to other human & living beings and the natural resources and fine balance in nature that sustains us all and without which we are all stuffed. So comments like this make me even more determined to raise awareness.
You can check out the article that was published in the newspaper here.
Expressing myself has been a huge learning curve for me. I was a frightened mouse when I arrived in New Zealand 10 years ago. My self-confidence was below zero. Slowly I learned that I had something to give after all, something to say and found ways to be brave enough to step out of my comfort zone.
The last few weeks have been huge for me. Again stepping out of comfort zone, getting out from my hiding place behind the computer. Going on the yoga teacher training, was fulfilling a dream of mine, but it was also a huge expansion. When I first had to teach at the training I was shaking inside, my heart was going full speed, my voice felt shaky, I was so nervous to mess up, to be seen as incapable, to disappoint myself and others. I straight away put my hand up to teach another session, because I knew I needed the practice to be able to speak in front of people, something I have been extremely paranoid of.
Back in Hawke’s Bay there was not time to retreat in that mouse hole, we had to go out there and get teaching hours in. So I got on with it, got the big bottle of rescue remedy out, my lavender-oil and applied deep breathing techniques. 4 weeks later I feel fairly comfortable now sitting in front of people. I know I am not a perfect teacher and that I still have to learn a lot of things, but I am at peace with that. Everyone has to start somewhere.
All this teaches me, that we all can find ways to express ourselves, to bring healing & beauty to the world, to stand firmly and express our thoughts and feelings in a peaceful & respectful manner. We all have something to contribute, we just have to start believing in ourselves, in our different gifts (writing, speaking, painting, making music, healing etc.). We have to learn to turn the outside noise off – all the distractions in our busy world and listen to that whisper inside – what is it telling us? What is our next step? What is our contribution we need to make? What is the truth? Where do we need to stand firm and make a point and where do we need to soften? What has to go, what have we got to invite in?
I just thought I would share, that I feel very vulnerable at times, we all do. But we are at a time where we all need to take the next step for future generations, heal ourselves, heal our human connection & local communities, heal our planet & perhaps even join a group, sing by the river and hug a tree if you feel called to do so 😉.
Have a good weekend.