The open heart;
When all that has gone before is erased.
This is freedom from past pains and conditioning.
This is the lightness that we crave.

When we open our hearts, our lives literally transform. We see the world differently, we feel it, and we realize we are not who we thought we were. There are things in life that the mind cannot understand but that the heart can. If we are fortunate enough to see this, then the mind will see how important the heart is, and it will no longer fight it or dominate it, but seek to work together with it. This is the heart-mind in action.

Sound of the Gong:
Bathed in beauty,
I am reborn!

I cannot praise the gong highly enough - if you’ve never had a gong bath, go have one - sound is a great healer, and the gong can bring us back to resonating with our true essence.

Waning, waning, letting go;
Orange moon outside aglow.

The tendency to hold on can be great, but it is not in holding on that we find our freedom. To make space for new things, all we have to do is take a breath, and then let go.

Speak your name,
Loud enough to heal the pain,
Of feeling not enough.

Speaking our name is a real statement. On one level, it says that we are here, in this body, with this mind, living this life, with all of our past, our hopes and dreams, our friends and family and attachments. Speak your name, and only your name, and sit in the silence of that for a moment. You may come to see the illusion of all that you attach to it. In that silence, you may feel the expansiveness of who you really are: limitless, boundless, and completely enough. Because how could a manifestation of Divinity be otherwise?

Who’s that moving there among us?
Spirit, teacher, healer, friend.
Here where deep sounds shake our hearts,
We are joined by those who’ve walked before.
Lead us, lead us,
Take our hands and lead us.

When we alter consciousness, we invite new energies into our lives. Through resonance, we become aligned with feelings and spirits that we are not usually aware of. This is an opportunity for growth, because we must become something new in order to change. The new idea, the new feeling, the new perception. This is our journey, our great adventure.

“Please keep your seatbelts fastened until we come to a complete standstill.”

Making transitions, or slowing down to a more natural pace, can certainly bring some discomfort. Like when we apply brakes strongly and suddenly when driving our cars. But once the jerk of being thrown forwards is out of the way, we can feel such relief. Perhaps the best way is to be as alert as we can so that our transitions are as smooth as possible. And when we can’t, then just remember that “this too shall pass”.

Look under the water,
A newt in hot pursuit!

It’s really amazing what you can see going on beneath the surface of ponds and rivers. There is life going on under there even when we can’t see - when the water is dark and murky, or when it is frozen. For people as well, there is much going on underneath. The Waters are often thought of as primal, old and wild energies, and you may notice that there are waterholes around that are fenced in for our “safety”, to stop anyone falling into such wildness. If you’re feeling brave, and feeling ready for a new challenge and a great reward, start looking into your own wild places. See what lurks beneath the surface of who you think you are. And when the time comes - take the plunge!