Living Up To Our Own Expectations

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt
045 2 300x224 Living Up To Our Own Expectations

Finding Our Own Direction

 

“It’s like you’re in a boat. You’ve got this one oar over here and it’s just rowing and rowing and rowing and is furiously fueled by everyone else’s expectations and that’s never going to stop but it’s kind of got you going around in circles because if you want to move forward you also have to row with the oar which represents how you see yourself” – From the Canadian TV Series Being Erica

 

 

We can often feel presured by others expectations of us, by what others believe is the right way to live or the right way to be. Family, friends and society can make it hard for us to find time to listen to our own heart and our own ideas. In the end our life is our life it is time for us to live, to expereince, to learn and to choose our own direction. Family, friends, society, religion and spirituality can help point the way, they can give us guidence, advice and direction. But in the end we need time to listen to our own inner voice and find out what our own expectations and ideas are. Both oars are important as we row through life the one that come from family, friends, soceity and religion / spirituality and the one that is our own. We take on the advice, ideas and expectations of others and then with our other oar (the one that represents our expectations and decisions) we begin to row towards the direction we have choosen. With each choice we need to take time to discover what we really think and believe. Listen to those around you but also listen to your own heart.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being Grounded, Being Our Self, Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Family, Following our Heart, Friendship, Intuition and Guidence | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nature as Our Teacher

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

145 Nature as Our Teacher

We often write about the importance of spending time out in nature; time in our gardens, time with trees and grass, time by water, time out in the fresh air. These are all healthy activities for us because they benefit our physical health but also because they feed and benefit our spirit or soul. Time spent out in parks, gardens, by the sea, in woods and forests and by rivers helps our emotional, mental ,physical and spiritual well being but there is also an idea that nature can be a teacher to us. The four quotes below explore this idea.

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” – John Lubbock

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”- Albert Einstein

“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.” -William Wordsworth

“… a ditch somewhere – or a creek, meadow, woodlot, or marsh…. These are places of initiation, where the borders between ourselves and other creatures break down, where the earth gets under our nails and a sense of place gets under our skin.… Everybody has a ditch, or ought to. For only the ditches and the field, the woods, the ravines – can teach us to care enough for all the land.” – Robert Michael Pyle, The Thunder Tree, 1993

“And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”- William Shakespeare

What can we learn from nature? We can learn that time spent in nature connects us more to who we are and the planet on which we live. We can feel truly connected to the “good in everything”. We can become more grounded as living always indoors un-grounds us from the physical reality of the world. We can learn to breathe slower and slow down our pace of life. We can be inspired by ideas, images and colours as many artists, photographers, poets and writers have before. We can take time to rest, exercise, think and be in the quietness of nature. This time can teach us more about who we are, what we think and what is in our hearts as by spending time listening to nature we become quieter, stiller and so more connected to the small still voice in nature and in us. We tune into the quiet wisdom that is there when we slow down long enough and listen.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being, Being Grounded, Being Our Self, Healing, Nature, Reflection | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nature and Play

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

Nature and Play Nature and Play

We often write about the benefits of play for both adults and children and of the benefits of time spent out in nature. Often being out in nature can inspire us to play whether we are with children or not. Being outside; in the wind, by water, in the sun or the rain, by trees and on grass can give us more energy and make us feel like running, jumping, skipping, dancing, it can make us feel playful. We may make a snowman or have a snowball fight, we may jump in the puddles, kick the leafs, swing on swings, play outdoor games, go swimming, climb trees or have an Easter egg hunt or treasure hunt.

“I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things… I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind.” -Leo Buscaglia

 

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul” – John Muir

 

“The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.”- E. E. Cummings

 

Nature helps us find our playful side, our energy, our imagination and our creativity. Nature helps us play.

 

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Creating the Life You Desire, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Healing, Nature, Play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Courage is In fact Found Through Vulnerability

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

DSC03790 224x300 Courage is In fact Found Through Vulnerability

 

“Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow” Alice M. Swaim

When we find things difficult we often feel we need courage or bravery. Yet we can feel that we lack these qualities when we don’t feel strong. Feeling strong in the face of difficulty is in fact a difficult thing to feel. Difficulty of any kind often has the opposite effect it makes us feel vulnerable and weak.

We often feel strong when things are easy for us or when we are used to the situation we are in. In fact we are more likely to feel strong when things are not difficult.  Yet true strength is often not found through feeling strong it is found through persevering through our difficulty through trying, doing and continuing even though we do not feel courageous, brave or strong. Being the little flower opening in the snow is strong even though it may not seem it, even though it may seem fragile. We can be strong and brave even when we do not seem it or feel it by being our self and proceeding even though we may feel fragile. Being vulnerable and still proceeding is in fact true strength; it is then that we are courageous.

 

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being Our Self, Dealing with Difficulty, Dealing with Stress, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Strength | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Here’s to Friends

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt
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Native Canadian (First Nations) Statues from Vancouver Airport

 

We found three beautiful and inspiring quotes about friendship and what it can do or mean for us all. We wanted to share them with you.

 

 

 

 

 

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” - Anais Nin

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” -Albert Schweitzer

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” -Marcel Proust

 

Let us be grateful for the friends we have in our life and be open to the new friends who when they arrive bring the new world of our friendship with them. Here’s to friends.

Till next time

Rosa and John

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The Importance of Daydreaming

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

DSC02441 224x300 The Importance of Daydreaming

There is this idea that the child, teenager or young adult will daydream about their life to come; who they want to be like, what they want to do as a job, what their wedding or relationships will be like and what it will be like to be grown up. As adults we often lose this time of dreaming about our future or of having time to just sit and get lost in our thoughts and yet daydreaming about our future and getting lost in our thoughts are often the times when insight, inspiration and new ideas come.

Daydreaming is fun and works best when we let go and stop trying to control our thoughts. It gives our mind a break from focused thinking and so allows room and freedom for rest, fun and new thoughts and ideas. When we face an issue, problem or decision in our life allowing time for daydreaming without focusing our thoughts will often provide us with answers or insights to what we really feel. And just daydreaming for the sake of daydreaming allows our mind time and space to rest and grow. It allows us time to dream.

Take time to daydream whenever you can and allow your mind some time off to wonder and play.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Creativity, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Healing, Intuition and Guidence, Meditation, Spirituality and Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Take a Seat, Make a Friend

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

Take a Seat Make a Friend 300x168 Take a Seat, Make a Friend

We recently found, through a friend, a website and organisation which we love http://soulpancake.com/ and a video on it which is very in keeping with our own philosophy.

 

 

Just watch this video Take a Seat, Make a Friend and see how easy and simple it is for strangers to find a connection and become friends and how a playful environment inspires connection and creativity. It is a video to make you smile and feel good about humanity because it really is that easy for us to connect and all to get along.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being Our Self, Community, Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Friendship, Play | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Impossible Equals I’m Possible

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

Im Possible 300x187 Impossible Equals Im PossibleWe recently saw a Canadian TV program about mental health which featured a young lady who has battled with anorexia for most of her life so far. She read a letter which she had written to herself whilst in therapy. The letter was to her rather than to her illness. It was to the self that existed under all that was happening to her. When we are facing emotional or mental problems (such as addiction, emotions caused by illness or often feeling sadness or anger) it is important to remember that we are not the problem. We are our self, we are much more than the problem that we face.

The whole letter she had written to herself was a powerful and touching letter about her inner beauty and strength but the part which jumped out at us was where she said that although her recovery may often seem impossible in the end impossible is nothing but I’m possible. What a beautiful idea that when we are faced with that which we feel is impossible we can in fact break these feelings down to I’m possible; I am able, I am capable, I am happening and existing.

It may be difficult to do something like overcome anorexia but to change your mind set from seeing it as impossible to seeing yourself as being able to do it even though it may be hard is the first step to achieving any difficult goal. When we are faced with difficulties, with problems we find scary or insurmountable the move from impossible to I’m possible is the first and biggest step of all.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being Our Self, Believing, Change, Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Dealing with Stress, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Healing, Spirituality and Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fresh Air

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

100 5824 224x300 Fresh Air

 

Spring 2013 is here in the northern hemisphere and its time for some fresh spring air. Whether we are in the northern or southern hemisphere fresh air is important and getting out blows away the cobwebs from our body and brain and clears our head. It helps reconnect us to the natural enviroment around us. Getting outside around trees and plants and breathing deeply is good for mind, body and soul whatever the time of year.

Opening the windows and letting the air into your home does the same thing for your house. We can use spring as a inspiration for a little extra spring cleaning and organising. This helps us clear out the things we no longer need and get our home freshened up.

Whether it is the beginning of spring where you live or not we often spend too much time inside and in the cold weather too much time keeping our houses shut up. Find some time to regularly let the fresh air into your body and into your home and breathe it deeply.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Being Grounded, Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Dealing with Stress, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Healing, Nature, Spirituality and Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Joy to the World; a Joyful Musical Prayer

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Rosa Wyatt

Joy to the World Joy to the World; a Joyful Musical Prayer

“Joy to the world

All the boys and girls

Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea

Joy to you and me”

 

Over the last few weeks we have been writing about the healing power of music and a number of different musical exercises and meditations you can do to help create calm, joy and express and clear many other emotions.

This week we return to joyful musical exercises. We can use joyful music to lift our spirits and to help create the feeling of joy in our life but we can also use joyful music as a way to project the feeling of joy out to the world. It is like a prayer, request or meditation for there to be joy in the world but instead of just praying for it we are creating that joyful feeling in us by listen, dancing or singing along to our chosen joyful music and then sending out our joyful feeling into the world. As we dance, sing or listen we think about sending this joyful feeling out into the whole world, open our heart and send out the joy. We can also think about it going particularly to anyone, anywhere or anything that needs it at that time. Open your arms and your heart and send the joy out there, a joy filled musical prayer.

The quote above is from the song Joy to the world by Hoyt Axton. This song is one of John’s favorite songs and one he has listened to since he was a child because it is about bringing joy to the world. Click here to hear a version of it on Youtube by the band Three Dog Night. It can help get you into that joyful mood to send “Joy to the world, All the boys and girls, Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea, Joy to you and me”.

We are taking a break from bloging next week but will be back the week after. Looking forward to connecting with you then.

Till next time

Rosa and John

Posted in Community, Connecting, Creating the Life You Desire, Dealing with Stress, Emotional and Mental Well Being, Friendship, Healing, Healing Power of Music, Joy, Meditation, Peace on Earth, Spirituality and Art, Spirituality and Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment