Building bridges

The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence.

When mindfulness embraces those we love,

they bloom like flowers.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Tony and his Dad

built a bridge

when his Dad paid

his annual visit

Little projects

that keep them busy

and make memories

for little girls.

Yoga Retreat in Nature

'With great respect and love

we come to ourselves

through the practice of yoga'

there

was

 chanting

laughter

 breathing

there

was

yoga

dance

and

massage

  

  ...... there was 

       awareness

 of Self

and there was silence

   

Fairies, leaves and trees and things

"Innocent eyes see Fairies at the bottom of the garden"

~ Idunna Elemiah

Sssh -
come
and
see the fairies Nan.












Look -
look
they're
here
at the
bottom of the garden

How come
you
go
to
retreats
to learn
what I already know

Tuesdays are such great days

most people place the fate of their happiness in the hands of others

so much easier to find it in their own

Some tuesdays I get to see Deja Rosa and Kristy

and some tuesdays I get to see Kathleen and do yoga

and this tuesday I got to go to Hinchinbrook Island

and marry Chris and Ernie on the sand at Orchid beach

"I'm jumping in Cairns Nan"

So often time it happens,

we all live our life in chains,

and we never even know we have the key.

~The Eagles, "Already Gone"

We unexpectedly found ourselves in Cairns last week

with Tony undergoing emergency surgery.

And where was the silver lining?

Little Deja Rose was staying in Cairns too.

She was soooo excited-

she was jumping in Cairns.

Tony's recovering

and Deja Rose

still wants to be jumping in Cairns!

Mother Earth Weeps

Did you think we could come so far

water wasted

the earth baked dry

Money taunted behind hollowed eyes

Lusted dreams and possessions

poisoned twisted Truth

while feeble hands and hungry stomachs

silently breathe the night

Little worlds

made and moulded

the big picture elusive to our view

Placed and present

we stand forward

our choices diminished

by the mighty few

Spirits search

grasp and clutch

for the clean air of their remnnant past

Mother Earth weeps

tired and angry

Antony Cizek

Honouring our Earth

There is hope if people will begin

to awaken that spiritual part of themselves,

that heartfelt knowledge that

we are caretakers of this planet.

~ Brooke Medicine Eagle ~

dear neighbours

dear friends

each sacred wednesday

we light our candles

and sit in silence

and listen to nature

and listen to stillness

and connect with Spirit

Connecting with Angels

Faith is a bird

who feels dawn breaking

and sings while it is still dark

Rabindranath Tagore, 1861-1941 ~

What a profound and wonderful gift I recieved this weekend. I was reminded that the women who come into my life are caring, listening, supportive, intuitive, hysterically funny, open, intelligent, compassionate, understanding, wise and exciting to be around.

From the wonderful women I shared this weekend with, the Angels let me see that we can be in each other's prescence and be filled with the knowledge that our souls can commune and our hearts can be full and no word need be exchanged.

...and in the quiet moments angels
stood as sentinnels and fairies sat on
bright green leaves and smiled .........

We are blessed by the people
who cross our paths.

Intrigued by their stories
and their gifts

Touched by their dreams
and grateful for their listening






I am so grateful for the women

who help me to grow and learn and laugh.




Margaret xx

Waterlogged

'Why ask why? If it's raining it just is.'

Doug Horton ........ (Who?)

The rain has been relentless.

We slosh around the gardens,

and we pump out the septic tank

and we're out of fresh fruit.

We're isolated in our own little haven,

the bridge to the north

all but disappeared

And the bridge to the south awash with floodwater.
But then the whole town of Ingham to the south

of us is under water.

People have drowned in the vastly flooded

Murray Flats to the north of us.

Victoria have suffered devastating bushfires

and so far 66 souls have lost their lives.

I am so grateful, we are safe, my family is safe, our neighbours are safe, our home is safe and nothing else is really important.

Margaret xx

Rainy days

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour,

whatever he does, whoever he is.

C.S. Lewis

Strange isn't it how days and events and conversations can fade and disolve in a moment. Already February is upon us and memories of Christmas festivities blur and New Years resolutions are forgotten. Is that how it is mean't to be? The wise and timeless adage 'cherish the moment' has transformed into reality.



Life as we know it tends to slow and focus turns inward here in the Far North during the wet season. The rains have begun.

Margaret xx

Reflections

In the remaining hours of this extraordinary year, 2008 I am sitting and thinking and counting the blessings in my life.

I am so grateful to Tony, my beautiful life partner who has supported me in opening and operating Sharanam; who picks up the slack when I'm working late even though he has put in a full day; who creates such beauty and peace in our gardens and who makes me laugh at myself and at life.


I am so grateful for my daughters who were all able to be here with us over Christmas and New Year, we all miss my young grandsons Whyatt and Josh but I'm so grateful that they are experiencing an extraordinary six weeks in Europe drinking in the incomparable sights, history, skiing and people.




I am so grateful that we can watch the joyful antics of my gorgeous little grand daughters, and I have had time to enjoy and visit them. I am so grateful that Kristy and Greg are going to have a dear little brother or sister for Deja Rose and I'm sorry that Kristy is struggling with morning sickness. I'm so grateful that Emma travelled all the way from Perth this Christmas and braved the humidity to be with us, share her stories with us and spoil her nieces (and me). I am so grateful that Donna and David shared their daughter, their time and their humour with us.

I am so grateful for my dear friends and colleagues who have enriched my life and learning. I am so grateful for all of the health challenges that have enabled me to learn more about myself and to grow. I am so thankful for the opportunity to live this life.

What do I resolve for 2009? To live in each moment, to notice the little things, to honour my journey and to be gentle with this planet.

See you next year.



Margaret x

Tis the night before Christmas

Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house there is peace.

It is my dearest wish that the morning will bring each of you the blessings of love and joy and hope. On this silent night my heart is filled with gratitude, my home is filled with my beautiful family, and my thoughts wander to my dearest friends and family who fill my life with purpose and meaning and my grandchildren who fill my heart with magic. Bless all of you this night. Here are two of my favourite images from this wonderful day.

May joy fill your moments
May light guide your tasks

May love fill your being
Margaret xx

My first transformation!!!

I feel like a little child poking her head out from behind a big tree in the middle of a lush, dense rainforest, even though the territory is unfamiliar each step is exciting and an adventure. This is my first, tentative venture into the world of blogging and with the help of my wonderful daughter Donna, see my first follower, I am finding that it's not as daunting or as difficult as I first thought.



How much more effortless is this than sending out the usual Sharanam News by email. I get so many emails saying how you enjoy my emails, but it does feel impersonal. This way you can post comments, share news and ideas and be a much more intimate part of what we are creating here at Sharanam Health & Wellbeing. I hope some of you are following our Transformations in Paradise website http://www.transformationsinparadise.com/ as it is growing and developing.



As I look through the pages of our website at the wonderful and diverse array of practitioners who are offering their skills, healing modalities and time at the Centre I am filled with gratitude at their integrity and loyality. Many of these practitioners travel long distances to bring their modalities to the people who utilize what Sharanam offers because they too recognise a need for nurturing and building a like minded, health conscious community.

Walk in the light that you shine
Margaret xx