Another fast paced month has just whizzed by. May has been a great month for teaching us to slow down on this high-speed ride. I found March & April to have such intense energy by the time May came around I was well & truly done.

With the divine timing of the universe (as usual) I was fully able to take some time out once May rolled around. Even my Aries horoscope from the brilliant Damian Rocks bore the theme of “Contemplate & Retreat.” I headed back to the East coast of Australia for my second working holiday of the year. (Blooming blessed I know, thank you, thank you!)

Boy did I need a change of space to just ‘be.’ Exhaling deeply as I settled into my friend’s house I was sitting & being in gratitude for the opportunity to do so. A beautiful card awaited me, my favourite tea & sourdough bread to make me feel at home.

Thoughtful care packages with love

The pace slowed down as I fell back into my East coast routine of sleeping in late & getting the rest I needed. Eating when I was actually hungry instead of ‘if I don’t eat now I won’t be eating for six hours’ mentality. Walking to work. Observing the changes & strength of my Eastern yoga students & being so proud of each one of them.

The beautiful Sapphire Coast landscape

May hasn’t been without it challenges. Right on cue Mercury went retrograde nineteen days in. Old dirt arose to the surface, issues I’d run away from showed up (of course!), themes were made & healing began. You can read about my intentions in this post.

In true Mercury style technology had major meltdowns. For someone who does rely on her laptop & Internet connection for work it tested me to my fullest. I took note of the signs. “Okay I have no phone signal or Internet whilst the tower is down for an upgrade. My mac & hard drives are doing the funky chicken so I might as well go walk on the beach.”

Tuning into the universal energy I really could feel it was time to just take it easy. I was blessed with some good distractions to get me away from my desk.

Another yoga teacher visited me that gave me the chance to try my hand at mentoring properly, the way I’d been taught over the past ten months. It was an enriching & rewarding experience. Best of all I was able to practice lots of yoga! Yes I know, doesn’t being a yoga teacher mean you do loads of yoga? Not the style I teach which is dialogue driven so practice is done outside of teaching class. With the combination of quiet classes & a guest teacher to help out I was in yoga heaven once more. My body rejoiced, as did my Soul.

Playing tour guide too (one of my favourite hobbies) was a highlight of my guest visit. Being able to share my cherished local hot spots was bliss whilst eating a lot of homemade Tilba cakes.

Fresh coffee & homemade cakes in Tilba Tilba.

A project I’ve wanted to get stuck into for a while came into fruition. The therapy room at the yoga studio that I use for Reiki when I’m here was in desperate need of a makeover. What started as a ‘soft furnishings’ project, turned into a full paint job & more. With the help of my fabulous community we whipped the space into shape. I can’t stop going in there & looking at it, the result is amazing.

The finished therapy room, bright, welcoming & serene.

Despite having a beautiful new space to practice out of Reiki bookings weren’t happening. This didn’t faze me at all. I knew it was because I needed to give back to myself, take time for me & be alone. Holding space in the yoga room for twelve classes filled my in person service quota nicely.

In saying that distance healing & intuitive reading were booming! Even though I was still holding space energetically I could schedule the sessions at my leisure & even conduct them in my pajamas sat on the bed. Typing up the reports is very rewarding for me as writing is my passion. I can take my time over them as everything is noted down during the session. Hence I can come back to it at a later point if needed.

The final week in May though was huge. The Saturn opposition threw a massive twist on things. I can only describe it akin to walking through glue. Friday 21^st was excellent I was so pumped. By Sunday 22^nd I was flat as: feeling foggy, lethargic, and headachy with no motivation. My body hurt & was stiff. A good sign of uncertainty & hold up for a while.

This is where ‘contemplation’ came in. It was time to review, assess & look back on things.

Was I heading in the right direction?
Is my life on purpose?
Had I been fulfilling my intentions for Mercury Retrograde?
What seeds have I planted for later in the year?

I made sure I’d noted down all my thoughts & ideas.

Slowly as the denser energy lifted the light started to shine brighter. Clients started booking in, Reiki training enquiries were going off & my schedule started filling up into October already!

To finish off the month I did go on retreat. A proper one away from home just for a day at the stunning Mystery Bay. Surrounded by other healers & holistic practitioners I discovered breathwork, tried toning, walked silently as a group to the ocean (where half the group jumped in but not me too cold) & finished with a most fun ecstatic dance session!

What do you get when you put a bunch of sober spirited people together in a room amped up on chocolate? – The wildest sets of dance moves ever!

A perfect day of just ‘being’ & sharing at one with each other. I had many synchronicities occur & messages to follow up on. Thank you to everyone for sharing your divine energy, holding space & loving unconditionally.

Share Time:

How’s May been for you? Full of twists & turns or slow & peaceful? I’d love to hear how you found the last months energies. Feel free to share in the comments below.

Big love & I’ll be back soon,

Kat xx

Meditation can take on many different forms. It does not necessarily require you to sit in lotus position, chanting mantras for six hours day, but this is an option if you so desire. Meditation is what you make it to be & it’s a personal choice. Go with what works best for you. The aim simply is to relax your mind & bring conscious awareness to your being.

Back when I was working full time the only way I got my ten minute snippets of mind stillness was during my morning/afternoon walk to the station & funnily enough sat on the train. Yes meditation can be moving & open eyed. Or again it can be still, eyes closed & in solitude. The goal is to bring your focus within, still the mind & connect with your heart (or Soul). I admit my original way did not bring as deeper connection as it does now with the latter method. There is a lot of distractions when meditating in public, even plugged into an iPod! Better than nothing though.

A few months ago I was having a lovely chat with a friend about a totally different process of meditation, the ritual of making a cup of tea. Sounds totally bonkers right? But no wait hear me out. A meditation practice is about being consciously aware. It does not matter what you are actually physically doing. As long as you are conscious of your actions & aware of every little thing you do. Taking you out of your busy head & bring you into inner peace.

Here’s how the tea comes in.

Every morning the first thing I do is make a cup of my favourite Yorkshire tea. Before anything else tea comes first. Upon rising my mind is still & body refreshed from sleep. This is the best time for a meditative ritual as the busy thoughts have yet to start processing.

It’s quite easy to do a tea making meditation. Firstly it’s important to pay close attention to every part of the process. Don’t just fumble round the kitchen grabbing the first cup you find & mindlessly fill the kettle.

Here, I’ll walk you through the process I use.

Come to place of stillness in your kitchen ready to start. Take a few deep; long, slow breathes right into your belly. You may close your eyes if you wish.

Once you feel centred move your focus to the kettle. If it needs filling with water move slowly to grasp the handle staying very conscious of every move you make. Note how the kettle feels in your hand. Is it cold, smooth; does the kettle feel heavy to lift? Carefully fill the kettle. Listen to the noise of the water rushing hitting the metal sides, the swooshing from the tap and maybe the gentle bang from the pipes.

Return the kettle to its stand or the stovetop & turn it on to boil. Stand back & note how the kettle comes to life. Watch the light flick on, the noise of the element clicking in or the gas flames hissing.

Whilst the kettle is boiling take your time selecting a cup & teapot if you use one. If you usually just grab the first clean cup you come across, stop & pay attention to all the cups on the shelf. Examine their sizes, colours, patterns, material and shapes & notice the sounds they make when they chink together. Really see & feel what is in front of you. (It’s surprising what you find lurking in the cupboard when you really look, you may unearth an old favourite)

Now for the tea! Take your time selecting which tea you would like to start your day with. Let you gaze linger over the boxes or caddies, pick them up, read the label, note the design & colours. Which is singing out to you today? It might not even be tea at all, hot water & lemon is always a good start. If so carefully select a lemon to cut up, avoid just grabbing the first one you lay your hand on. Hold the lemon, feel the texture of its skin, the vibrancy of the colour, its shape & size.

With the same conscious awareness place you tea in your selected cup or teapot. Pay attention to how the bag feels in your fingers; look at the shape & the colour of the leaves inside. If you use loose leaf, measure out the scoop & carefully place it in the diffuser. Keep breathing deeply allowing the aroma of the tea to fill your nostrils.

Bring your awareness to your ears. Listen to the sounds all around you, the clink of the teaspoons, the boiling of the kettle, and any outside noises from nature. How are you feeling right now? Take note of your state of being, how relaxed you are & aware of your whole body & connected to your senses. Tune into any messages that come through from your inner knowing. Now is the perfect time to receive some wisdom. Quietly ask your heart “is there anything I need to know for today please?”

Once the water has boiled very carefully & slowly pour the water over your tea or lemon. Being completely aware of the sounds & smells all around you. Feel the heat from the steam warm your hand. Look at the colour of the water change as the tea steeps & infusers. Take a few very deep breaths & really be apart of the process as your tea is brewing.

Here’s the best bit, the drinking! Sit in your favourite chair or spot outside. Hold your teacup between both hands, feel the heat warm your palms. Get totally involved by bringing the cup to your nose breathing deeply the scent, feel the steam waft over your face. Now drink. Savouring the flavour, the heat in your mouth and the warm glow in your stomach. Give gratitude for receiving such a sacred experience & the nourishment to not only your body but also your Soul.

Give this tea meditation a try & see how being fully conscious in the process heightens your awareness & connection to your Soul. Let me know how you get on in the comments below.

Posts Tagged ‘being’

Share Time:

Kat xx

Here’s how the tea comes in.

Here, I’ll walk you through the process I use.

With love, K xx