Whilst preparing to do my tax return this morning I was side-tracked into watching an episode of Glee with my son. That slice of musical delight and positive personal drama left me with the warm fuzzy feeling it was created to produce. That didn’t help me with my tax return, but it did put me in a positive state of mind which had a fantastic effect on my productivity.

With the dawning of 2016 I have much to be thankful for. I live and work in a community of like-minded friends and family. I have a wonderful loving, supportive boyfriend and a beautiful caring son. In slightly less than two weeks I will be taking some important self-development time away from my usual environment in a space where creativity and love for the Earth we live on is paramount. We work hard and we make space and time for each other whenever we can.

As I grow through my work and reach more and more people, my boyfriend Ozz is on the cusp of public recognition as a musician and songwriter with his band April Blue. Needless to say we specialise in very different areas and we are both dedicated to our calling. Every now and then our professional paths cross and that is wonderful. However, we have to acknowledge that this year more than ever we need to assign as much time as possible to our respective missions. Both of us know this could be tough on us as a couple, as given the opportunity we’d have our cake and eat it: spend more time together AND pour ourselves devotedly into our professional concerns.

Over the past few years, what we have has grown and matured into a bedrock relationship, something that can withstand a little more challenge than a brand new affair. Nevertheless we still make the decision every day to keep loving each other, setting each other free and supporting each other’s goals. So as we prepare for a futuristic steam-train of a year, roaring ahead with plans, we trust to our love to keep us on track, trusting and allowing each other the time that we need for work and self-development.

This doesn’t preclude me from fantasizing about taking my boys on an escape to Dhamma Vihara for the open retreat my meditation teacher Burgs hosts each summer. Nothing would make me more happy than to share time in that oasis of tranquility and love in the Pyrenees with my little family. It would be having everything I love in one place! The more I live, the more I appreciate the practices of Shamanism for this reason. No other concept of reality has made more sense to me. We have an inside dream and an outside dream. Our outside dream will always be shaped by our inside dream – this is why our thoughts and visions are so important! I am dreaming a dream of a better, brighter, more conscious, more loving human race both for me and my caravan, and for all beings. For you.

Each and every thing that I do I dedicate to that end. May all beings be happy and free from suffering.

To donate to my fundraiser for my Business Development Course: The Catalyze Retreat

For more information on Burgs’ Meditation teaching & Retreats: The Art of Meditation

To hear Ozz’s band April Blue: April Blue

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.” – Mohandas K. Gandhi

We could all use a little more time. As a yoga teacher, massage therapist and a Mother I am often giving out to others. Almost all day every day! There is an exchange that comes with this, and I am lucky to teach and massage some of the most interesting and kind people I have ever met. If you have seen me for massage or reiki or attended one of my classes, this means you! There are many of you out there who can relate to this BIGTIME.

I often take time to listen to people after class who have specific concerns they feel I may be able to shed some light on in my role as teacher and healer. I love this, and often the Universe provides me with exactly the right experiences at the right time to speak a wisdom into their lives. I cannot claim this as my own, it is available to all of us.

Amongst the adventure of my work it is important that I recognise that above all I am a student in this life. No teacher ever stops being a student. A couple of weekends ago I gave myself a two day meditation workshop with the Art of Meditation. We all need to take time out of our day to day lives and reconnect with what makes us feel alive. I recognise more and more that my life force is most nourished and centred by connecting to the Source of that divine energy through silence and meditation. The learning itself can be tiring, but the practice gets deeper and the daily rewards greater as we work it into our daily lives.

What do you do to recharge?

It has been many years since I had a whole week to myself to grow and regenerate. This is why I am going to Belize in February 2016. I know I can reach more people with a clearer, more powerful flow of energy when I take this time to build my skills, nourish my soul and focus my intent. The good people on the Catalyze retreat are fired up to make this a transformational experience personally and for our businesses. After all, we are our businesses! You can’t carry water in a broken pot.

If you have any questions about the Catalyze Retreat, my daily Practice or any of the Wellbeing Services I offer, please leave a comment here, on Facebook or Twitter.

If you would like to donate to my personal fundraiser click here: Donate to Business development retreat in Belize

Photo of me used courtesy of Feel Hot Yoga where I am both student and teacher.

Thank you so much for your kind energy!

Blessings

Shasha xx

What’s this about Belize?

“I used to be the girl who never had a plan..” Little Dragon

Dear Friends,

Have you ever seen or read something that hit you in the face so hard you couldn’t ignore it? Suddenly all your dormant dreams rise to the surface together with your personal fears and create a swirling vortex around you. When I stumbled across Catalyze retreat it was as though someone was reaching a hand down into that vortex and offering to pull me up. I had a vision of the possible future I had barely dared to believe positioned tantalisingly over the rim of the swirling mayhem.

Since posting my campaign to social media I have had a number of people approach me to ask “What’s this about Belize?” They would like to know what I expect to get out of it, and the underlying (politely unspoken) question is “Why should we help you with this?”

First let me clarify that I do not expect a free ride on a self-indulgent trip. I am dedicated to making this trip happen with or without the help and support of others. This has always been my approach in life. There is no ‘should’ when it comes to helping me, if you wish to support me, you will, if you do not you wont. There is a deeper issue at stake here. One of the important things I intend to get out of this trip is to

FACE MY FEARS

Fear #1 : Asking for help

I have received a lot of help over the years from many different quarters, most often my friends and family. I have appreciated it and shown this appreciation every single time. It was not easy for me to accept the help offered but I had to acknowledge that it was necessary for me to move forward, and that I am not a one-woman-band.

“Limit your wants, meet your needs” – Gandhi

A lovely client quoted this to me when I was speaking to her about the trip and my plans to raise funds. I love it because it perfectly embodies my plan of action to ensure that the goal is met. I work very hard at everything I do, believing that I should give 100% to my clients at all times. This is the same whether I am providing a deep tissue massage, a healing session, or teaching a yoga class. I believe I am there to help and to heal. Try me! Donate and leave me a request on Facebook and I will perform a distance healing for you personally.

Over the years I have sought comfort in food, social activities and shopping to name a few. These things became a pacifier for unmet needs rather than something healthy and enjoyable. However I have come to a place now where I realise that there is very little that I require materially to be content. The additional motivation of the Self-development opportunity I need offered by Catalyze really crystallises this for me and keeps me from being distracted.

Fear #2 : Other people’s opinions

“If we all did the things we are really capable of dong, we would literally astound ourselves” – Thomas Edison

I’m not a self-indulgent person. I work hard as I have said. However in launching this campaign I have had to acknowledge anew how much I still care what other people – even strangers think of me. This has been one of the most limiting factors in my personal development. This fear could be broken down into many different expressions: Fear of being considered selfish, of rejection, of not being good enough, of disappointing others, of being mocked. It all boils down to the same thing. I have valued other people’s opinion of me more highly than my own. There are times when I have genuinely disappointed myself in life, but there are many other times when I have allowed outside influence to sway me away from what I know to be the best path for me when I should have trusted my own compass. This will not be one of those times. I have no criticism either way on what people think or speak of me but I had to put this out there to prove to myself that it doesn’t matter to me whether anyone else approves of what I consider to be honourable intentions.

Fear #3 : Failure

This fear is common to most of us, so I know I am not alone in this. The suspicion that I cannot do any better than this, and that I will always be working fingers to the bone just to pay the bills while trying to rustle up some extra energy to be a loving parent, friend and girlfriend is bleak to say the least. I’ve worked around this fear for years. I’m no stranger to failure really, but I dust myself off and try again.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison

I am very fortunate that I have now found what I can confidently state is my purpose in life. After trying many things for work and leisure I have found something that I do not want to give up EVER. I never want to stop giving healing energy to people, I never want to stop helping people to feel better and improve their lives. What comes first though is to create of myself a clear and sustainable channel of that energy. Catalyze is going to help me do this. Failure can become my friend as it teaches me the direction not to go in. I am extremely grateful for that.

Fear #4 : Being a burden

As babies we start as a burden and a blessing. My beautiful parents would never regret a single ounce of energy, love and yes, money they have expended on my behalf. As I have grown I have felt a strong desire to become less of a burden and more of a blessing in my personal relationships and on society. I wish to be the superhero, I want to provide for those who have provided for me in my infancy and into adulthood.

When I was 10 years old, my parents unselfishly gave up their opportunity of any kind of career to serve the needs of others in the Middle East. They returned to the UK when my Dad reached retirement age and my Mum redesigned and re-qualified herself as a foot-care specialist to support them. Even in her work she is giving again and again. There is only so much longer this will be possible. It’s hard work and she does this despite having suffered with rheumatoid arthritis for many years.

I feel it really is my turn. Facing this fear and turning it around is not an option, it is a necessity, and this very special team of people on the Catalyze Retreat are offering the resources I need to make these kind of level-jump in my business.

Fears aside, opening this door already seems to have caused a shift in my life patterns. This past week I have been contacted by two people offering work opportunities which I am excited to be a part of. If even the act of setting this intention to attend the Catalyze trip has brought positive opportunities to my doorstep, who am I to back out now. Like Edison, I shall always try, just one more time.

To donate visit http://igg.me/at/wduQ7tCuATE

To learn more about Catalyze visit www.thecatalyzeretreat.com

To follow my page on Facebook www.facebook.com/shasharishi

You may recall I mentioned my introduction to Sun Power Yoga at Holistic Health in May. I haven’t forgotten that I promised to blog about my experience of the DVD that I purchased as part of my research into different Yoga Teacher Training Courses. The Sun Power Yoga website states:

• YMCA Approved Centre to deliver CYQ LEVEL 3 REPS Yoga Syllabus diploma
  (an international qualification, includes Australia and NZ)
• REPS Approved
• Skills Active Approved
• Job Centre Approved
• Learning and Skills Approved
• YOGA ALLIANCE for our Sun Power Yoga 200Hrs
• INTERNATIONAL YOGA FEDERATION approved
• EUROPEAN YOGA ALLIANCE approved