 I've been studying the Philosophy of Ayurvedic Medicine which is one of the world's oldest holistic healing systems. It was developed more than 5000 years ago in India and is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on the delicate balance between the mind, body and spirit.
Ayurveda is inspired by nature and harmony and I'm certainly finding lots of inspiration from balancing myself with nature. I'm continuing to create new pieces of jewellery to add to my current collection, here are a necklace and earrings, my latest pieces inspired by nature. It's been a pleasure passing on my knowledge to my Yoga and Meditation students as we together develop a stronger foundation of a relationship with our higher Self. We look at our primary relationships in life. Our relationship with material objects such as cars, clothes, phones etc. the relationship we have with our family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances and ultimately the relationship with have with our own Self. We are all too often conditioned to believe that everything sought outside of ourselves is worth having. Spending too much time, energy and resources on trying to manifest love, safety, health and happiness from some socially acceptable external source, whether it be work achievements or relationships. The main focus should be the relationship with your own Self and living with a mindful existence. Nature is one of the greatest healers. In Ayurveda, we strive to live as close to nature as we possibly can, through our daily routines, foods and exercise regimens and being aware of health imbalances and how to balance changes throughout the course of the year as the seasons change. This new place I'm living in may not completely feel like home just yet or indeed may never feel like it but my ongoing study of Ayurveda and Yoga allows me to understand clearly that life is not necessarily about what happens to you, it's about how you respond to it. I will continue to balance and rebalance as I embrace everything that my wonderful new home and surroundings have to offer. 10/2/2017 Service in Satchidananda My Raja training is complete and my spiritual name now appears on my certificate, pretty cool hey. Shanti Sahar which means Peace Awakening.
Gaining a better understanding of the Science of Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali interpreted by Sri Swami Satchidananda has really taught me that it's ok to be spiritual without following a religious path. Even though Sri Swami Satchidananda is considered a Guru he believes as do I that we are all teachers and we are all students and spirituality can be for everyone of all faiths and of no faith. Yes I love to teach the Integral yoga system which he founded but I also like to teach yoga that has no system at all. I don't feel that I need to be devoted to a Guru but I do find the work of Sri Swami Satchidananda very liberating. As well as sharing my Yoga practice, I've had a busy couple of weeks, again making more jewellery but this time the jewellery was for me, a momento of my Raja Yoga training, a fine silver ring. On the ring there are three hearts to represent my small family unit of my husband, son and I. Inscribed on the heart ring are the words 'Peace Awakening'. I also made a Sterling Silver Yantra Pendant set on an elasticated string with Tiger Ebony Beads. Tiger ebony (diospyros blancoi) is a dense hardwood that is native to southern India and is said to be a protective wood that gives strength to the wearer. The Yantra symbolizes the entire cosmos. A Yantra is a physical expression of a mantra. The hole in the middle of the Yantra represents the very core of the cosmos, the first physical expression, a vibration of sound. The 12 petals represent all spiritual paths; Hinduism, Judaism, Shinto, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, African Faiths, Native American Faiths, Other known faiths and unknown faiths and is a reminder that we can respect and learn from others. I will continue sharing my Integral yoga practice and return my gratitude for all that the Sutras and Sri Swami Satchidananda has given me by making the Yantra necklaces available to buy on this website. 100% of profits will be donated to Service in Satchidananda (SIS). To find out more about SIS, please visit the Store Page on this site. When this lovely place no longer becomes my home, I will be very sad to leave my teacher, the lovely Nalanie and my Yogi friends but in the words of a true Raja Yogi "I will continue to practice for a long time, without a break, with all my heart". 1/2/2017 Walking a Moving Meditation Growing up by the Peak District in the UK allowed me to connect with nature from a very early age. I would spend much of my time out on trails with either family or friends. I have happy memories of some amazing walks with University friends who were simply wowed by the scenery.
Now that I'm spending more time in Southern Spain, I've been able to get out and explore the area. Finding trails here is much more difficult than in the U.K. There seems to be lots of private land, hunters, no maps, no books and very few signs. After some searching I did manage to find a lovely lady Johanna of sur-walks.com and a useful website walksinandalucia.com both sources have given me the confidence to just get out there and walk and discover the natural beauty this place has to offer. I've now discovered some beautiful walks with such varied terrains. It's such a great feeling when I'm out walking with family and friends and there are those beautiful shared moments of silence. Those moments when I know everyone is being mindful and it is in those moments that we can all feel connected to each other and to nature. |