growing

Growing


So, life is life and
life goes on
on and on
growing, living,
slowly dying,
whilst learning
to slow down
whilst moving fast forward
shooting
leaping
jumping ahead
whirly
curly
whizzing past
twirling
curving
inwards
like a spiral
upwards
and wider
off we go
to and fro
living the life I once wanted
only a bit different
dreaming of a life I once had
and of life that is what is
yet to come
yet,
it never will

So now
is time to slow down

(Susannah)

“Be not afraid of growing slowly,

be afraid only of standing still”

~ Chinese Proverb

The inner feeling we all have to move forward and grow is a gift we are all given.

Sometimes we may feel like we are not progressing as fast as we wish.
 But the feeling we have inside to move forward is a compass that will lead us toward our destiny.
Each step we make, no matter how great or small,leads us closer to where we are meant to be.
 Take time this week to sit in silence and feel the inner urges you have for your own life.
 Trust the messages you are receiving and act accordingly.

(Copied and Pasted from
littleacorns laearning website)

http://www.littleacornlearning.com/files/March_Week_Five.pdf






 

Birthday

My Birthday, and after a month, my daughter's birthday...
Another year, same old same old...only a bit older...
the rhythm of life...the months, the season...the cold winter and the coming of spring...
there is something missing...there is something else...an invisible something whcih I don't even know what it is...
a parallel universe...of lost fantasies...of the thousands and million places I want to go and see or houses and places I want to live in and clothes I want to wear and a different lost body I once had and I am looking for again...
All the things I never said and wanted to say...or did I say them and I forgot..
I have visions of me saying such things...at least in my virtual reality...
It does seem that dream and reality mix and over lap in a continuous flow and I am many times lost between the two...
Spring forward! Well, spring is coming, spring is coming, birdies are building their nests, flowers are indeed coming through...
I have a tendency to look back and go over past things...but I also leap forward and see the future a lot and create amazing ideas and have visions...yes I might be a visionary...I am most of the time ahead of the time...I say and do things, initiate projects and put all the energy into projects and ideas...then perhaps move to some other new thing...or try to stay in the present time...only to find a few months or years later some other people ( connected to me) doing or saying the same things I said or did before as if it was a new thing, and perhaps they come at the time when others are ready for that particular thing, or idea...whilst when I presented it, nobody was ready yet!
People need 'notice', people are scared of change.
We are all in our comfort zoene, a bit stuck in our ways...our habits...change is a bit scary...new things are a bit too much for most of us!
We need to be more open, more flexible....even if routine is good...imagination and that sense of wonder, the will to go forward and see new things and try different things..it comes from breaking free....how do we break free?

So there is art. Art is the answer; the space in between, the lost soul's waiting room, the creative minds, the forgotten energies, swithced off, boxed up in a garage, or a dusty loft...
now we open this box and let out something unique packed with memories, almost of an alien part of myself...
Here I am in a dangerous zone, unlimited and free space, multidimensional and scary, really scary...
My creative zone, yes my artistic self...
Not this blog, not the needle felting, not the flower arranging...but something more daring, more out there...
I am going to the Tate Modern now, full of this anticipation...wanting desperately to feel the connection with Art and the Artists, as we all are out there in this separate dimension...like the lounge in between world, not here not there either, somewhere in the lost middle...where all the art meets and blends in this orange cloudy blur...
All the possibilities are here for me...nut in this life at this moment, here I am , just me, contained by my box, my skin, my fat, my leggings and dress, my jumper, my coat, my make up...a mask...
My everyday tasks, my regular meals, my duties, my everyday ordinary life.

What links Art to me or to anyone?
Love and passion and dreams...we peep in this little hole and see a tiny bit of what is like in this space, this scary space in which we can all belong if we let our senses open...just for a infinite moment...

Dual Forces Spiral felted image- Susannah Andrews

Watercolour- water and Fire- Susannha Andrews

Little Joys of February

Ah the little Joys of February: the snowdrops and the crocuses....


The shoots coming through the earth, the buds of the blossoms, all poking through the ground...gently shooting out of branches...




...the ground still cold and damp, yet getting ready for  the flowers need growing, soon to be daffodils and then bluebells, the birds nesting, the days more visibly getting longer and the mornings lighter, the birds singin in the early morning...snow and cold winds, meaning cosy fires and warm blankets, chocolate granola and a nice warm tea pot, reading a good book, watching a nice film...

All this is a much needed resting time before spring come: our bodies need a lot of rest at this time of the year we are regenerating our cells and internal organs...so we need to start to purify and detox...toward the end of February I start eating more sprouting things...alfalfa, and salad...

These are all the things I know I must do to stay healthy and balanced-hence happy this month and into the next month:

Take some time today to rest deeply and recharge.

Clear away those emotions that don’t serve me anymore: guilt, fear, anxiety, regret and remorse. Breathe light into and around them and release them like little bubbles.

Clear my calendar of things that don’t serve me anymore.

Take some time to balance heart and head…the water of emotion and inspiration with the logical, learned responses.

Freshen my bedlinen, buy a new pillow,ideally a new mattress...this one is killing me back...but this is another chapter; take an Epsom or a dead sea salt bath this evening to cleanse away dead cells and detox...refresh my energy and get to bed earlier than usual.

I usually go to bed at around 10 pm and get up at around 6.30 am and that I think is a very good thing to do...so often I hear of people staying up so late into the night to work on the computer...I think if we deprive our body of sleep and good fresh nutrients it is like self harm!
More about self harm: over working, getting angry over daily stuff, getting wound up or stressed about trivial things...put things into perspective and all this should just melt away with a great big laughter...I try to think about the other person who brings the anger and directs it to me and others...they are the ones who should let go of it and I can help by letting their anger through me as if I was transparent or made of water or air...and let go....



More self harm: this is more serious: smoking, drinking, taking medicines and drugs...is it necessary? why are we poisoning our body?
I love my body so much I want to take care of it...it is all I have and I live this one life in this body...
I let go of anxiety and breath it all out...
I let go of fear...just ignore it..
if fear and anger or anxiety comes in me...I aknowlwedge it and then try to let go of it...
it is hard...but that is my task...

I admit of self harming in the past....only a bit...when I was in a certain stressful time of my life and there was a certain competition or expectation...I did occasionally hold a herbal or mint cigarette in my hand..it was my shield, an image I was creating and it was all wrong...I did say 'hold' and not smoke, as it was more of the first and only a little of the latter...like I said...more of an image!
I got rid of the silly addiction- luckily I didn't really smoke enough to be that addicted;
I used homeopathy and acupuncture to rid of all my impurities...and yoga


I am lucky that my attitude towards health and nutrition is a healthy one, coming from Italian background...cooking everything fresh, with the most natural and genuine ingredients, cooking as they say here, from scratch!
I am lucky and deeply grateful that my sense of taste and smell makes me only want to have these things and my body naturally refuses junk. This sounds terribly pretentious and snobby but it is part of who I am and how I was brought up...I am thankful for my body and my mind for this and my spirit is thanking me too!


Intermezzo:

The Simple Pleasures I cannot live without (and which I am deeply grateful for)

The smell of fresh herbs, the earth, the sea, flowers, especially roses, lavender and jasmine,
fresh food and especially vegetables freshly picked or fruit...
the Sky, the sunrise and the sunset
the moon and the stars
a wool blanket
a nice warm cardigan
my hair
a smile, especially my daughter's smile
children's laughter
a cup of tea or even better a hot pot of tea and my favourite mug
music for my ears
the song of birds
a beautiful voice singing a beautiful song
the sound of the sea
the sound of the rain and the wind through the trees
trees
the park and especially Greenwich park
any green space
walking and especially walking through green area and spaces
my cat
my house
my window seat
the warmth of people
a good joke
a good story
a good book
 nice paper and a good pen
my hot chocolate (rice dream, honey and organinc cocoa)
a dark chocolate truffle from Montezuma or Booja Booja
a nice photograph
a nice painting
a Japanese garden
a good stretch when I do Yoga
waiting for my pea and veg soup to be ready!
I can go on and on but I will stop here...



I really believe that if I am aiming towards balance and try to cleanse as much on the inside, my soul is also more aware and receptive, my intuition and my senses more open and can receive more from the purest and higher energies...the Earth energies, the Moon and Celestial energies and the guiding Spirits...

So, there is a lot to say about
NOURISHMENT FOR BODY, MIND, HEART & SPIRIT                                          :
Reclaim food as sacred medicine. There is an innate connection between food, the health of your body, and your emotional, mental and spiritual well-being.
In the ancient ways, everything that goes in and on your body is ‘medicine’ – intended to bring healing, vital energy and abundant nourishment. Following the wise ways of our ancestors, true nourishment brings freedom from modern-day struggles with stress, fatigue, addictions, food allergies, and imbalances with eating patterns, energy levels and body image.

I do have a lot of work to do, I know...I have to work on my body, my attitude,I need to be conscious and aware, and I think this is very important; to be able to stay tuned into my needs and remind myself of what I am doing and why.

So here I write a list of what I am grateful for:

I give thanks

Thank you body for supporting me
and thank you mind for supporting my body
Thank you for being created and in return I thank you for giving me the chance to look after myself
Thank you for my loving husband and beautiful and healthy daughter
Thank you for all my friends and family who love me and are there for me.
Thank you to Mother Earth, and all the things I see each day, all the beauty, but also the bad things that make me see the dark side, so that when I see the bright side is even brighter!
For my body and all my organs
My senses
All the things I am able to do and think and make as I do take them for granted and I should not...
Thank you for my food
Thank you for my cosy home
Thank you for my job, which I love
Thank you in general for my good life
For the simple pleasures, and for the bigger pleasures
For all the things I have and the things I would have but choose not to have
for being aware of my limits and needs, yet for liking new challenges in this life
For the children that are part of my life and their parents with whom I weave the blanket of love and cherish each moment!
Thank you for each day and night
For being alive
For being able to say thank you!
Thank you my loving Angels and guiding spirits
Thank you to the Love and healing energies
and the ultimate Divine Love.

Susannah x

Inviting you all to a

 special Outdoor Forest session

this Friday 15 th (10 am to 12 - Oxleas Woods) all ages welcome,

Acorns children, Playgroup and KG children- and siblings from Greenwich Steiner School as it is Inset Day!

Bring a picnic blanket, a musical instrument and some hot tea and food to share - bring your own flask an cups!
Let me know if you are coming so I bring enough bread rolls!
Susannah

 

 

 

New Moon and me

London, end of January 2013, Science Museum

 

 

 

 

 

Today- 10/02/2013


Feeling a bit dizzy and restless, perhaps the new moon, or just trying to recharge my 'batteries'!

It has been a weird week, mixed with being on the receiving end of aggressive people, or around people with anger issues and unstable emotional and physical issues.
Then after reading the post on astrology and about this months celestial activities...makes more sense...

 I have been going to more yoga classes and water workouts and yesterday I walked all the way to Greenwich market and felt the energy of the Earth clearly: all is growing now, under the coat of frost and cold Earth, all is coming through. Noticing snowdrops in the pretty Cator Estate gardens...

 

And daffodils growing in Greenwich park:

 

This upwards energy that called for more sleep, mental growth, restlessness, more dreams, strange dreams, yearning for beauty and peace, even more so than before.
I been burning pretty Candlemas candles and bying myself flowers, my favourite this month are pussy willows!

 I have been listening to birds singing in in the morning and in the evening to raindrops falling. I have to remind myself to be so grateful for everything I have.
I am respecting my body and paying even more attention to it now.
After a lunch of rice and greens, tofu and sprouted beans and alfalfa, dinner more in comfort zone with potatoes, and kale soup (sneaky leeks and white carrots and golden beetroot and lots of garlic too!)
and why not a cup of hot chocolate rice dream!
Missing my water workout this am, due to time of the month!

I hope you enjoy the two previous posts with copied and pasted articles from lovely websites- do click on links to read more!
Still hoping to brave the wet cold weather and see a bit of Chinese madness in London Soho later...

Have a lovely week!

Susannah

Chinese New Year: The Year of the Snake

 

On February 6, 2013

by Susan Levitt







The wise and introspective Water Snake year is time for powerful rebirth and transformation in all areas of your life. Finally, you can shed your skin and be reborn. Now is the time for introspection, reflection, and deep experiences. It is very fortunate to develop a spiritual practice if you do not already have one. Rewards are found in the inner world of spirit, not the outer world of material things. The pace of life is slow in a Snake year, and that includes an economic slow down. But THE YEAR OF THE WATER SNAKE gives us time to recover from the hectic pace of Dragon year 2012, and prepare for the wild ride that will be Horse year 2014.
During this Water Snake year, it is fortunate to make a journey to a sacred place. Or find a quiet, healing spot in nature or by water. Coil up, contemplate, and strike when the time is right. Snake is a magical creature because it sheds its skin to be reborn. As Snake crawls on the ground with strength and fluidity, it is connected to Earth and to the powers of healing. The venom of this mysterious power animal can cause death. Snake truly embodies many mysteries and has a place of honor in world traditions. In ancient China, Snake was a celestial deity and one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.

http://www.ishalerner.com/blog_6/?p=205


 

New Moon

New Moon in Aquarius – 2013

Posted by Jana Groscost Matthews

 

The New Moon in Aquarius begins on February 10, 2013 at 2:20am EST (11:20pm Feb 9th PDT). The moon in this expansive air sign breathes innovation and inspiration to uplift your life.
The New Moon is a time of new beginnings, and planting new seeds. It’s a good time to set goals, revisit existing ones, and begin projects. Each new lunar cycle is influenced by a particular astrological sign. And working with the influences of each astrological sign can enhance your ability to manifest what you want.
The theme of the last New Moon in Capricorn focused on creating a solid plan. While this Aquarius New Moon moves your ideas out of the cosmic perspective and into reality. It stretches the imagination with unconventional answers. You may gain amazing insights for your plan. If you’re new to working the the lunar cycles, the Aquarius energy provides unique insights into the bigger picture.
Aquarius is an air element. It functions in the mental realm, working with both sides of the brain. The left side of the brain helps you choose which ideas to focus on to maximize your intentions. While tapping into the vast creativity of the right side of the brain, inspires you to think outside of the box, and reach beyond the box, shooting for the stars. Allow radical thinking and innovative genius ideas to flow with this New Moon.
On the flip side, with the Aquarius energy you could feel flighty and unable to focus. Find ways to anchor the lower three chakras, while still exploring unconventional avenues for your goals.
Suggestions to maximize the Aquarius New Moon energy:
* Brainstorm by yourself or with others to spur new ideas
* Clarify your vision for the year ahead
* Lighten up and listen to your inner wisdom
* Keep a notepad handy to jot down ideas and inspiration
* Expand your vision and possibilities
Aquarius rules the 11th House – The House of Friendship. It’s a great month to expand your friendships by finding groups, clubs, or people who share your interests or attitudes. Aquarius also rules fortunes, benefits from career, and expanding one’s hopes and wishes.
Be social – use the Aquarius New Moon to network with others both personally and professionally. It’s time to acknowledge your position in regards to the group, rather than self-centered pursuits. Goals related to networking, strengthening ties, or making connections with others are enhanced with this lunar cycle. Perhaps you’ll meet people that help take your goals to the next level.
Aquarius also rules the Sixth Chakra – the Third Eye Chakra. The Sixth Chakra is the Spiritual Eye and allows you to “see clearly” and view the big picture. With the Aquarian energy you have support to work beyond the five senses and engage your inner guidance on a deeper level if you let go and listen.
http://newmoonmanifesting.com/

The Chinese New Year (Year of the Snake) may be quite provocative, revolutionary and transformative this year – not merely for over a billion Chinese people, but for everyone on Spaceship Earth. The reason is that the Aquarius New Moon that arrives at 11:21PM PST on Saturday February 9 – inaugurating the Chinese New Year – immediately turns into a void lunar uncertainty cycle that lasts for 14 hours. And it is during that void lunar energy-field that Mars squares Jupiter while Mercury unites with Chiron. Add on an approaching Venus square to Saturn and you have six different planetary bodies vying for supremacy and struggling to make their particular principles influential throughout humanity.
Keep in mind that each New Moon strongly affects human souls when it happens and for a time-period of nearly 30 days – until the next solar-lunar union takes hold. The Aquarius New Moon – happening with such a dynamic array of planetary aspects – is also a powerhouse leading up to this month’s Full Moon that occurs on Monday February 25 at 12:27PM PST. Before this Full Moon even arrives, Saturn in Scorpio begins a retrograde cycle on February 18 (lasting until July 7) while Mercury in Pisces follows suit, with its own three-week reversal, starting on February 23 and lasting until March 17. Retrograding celestial bodies are not inherently bad or negative, but they do imply the need to go within for greater guidance and to tackle your daily challenges with extra care and attention.
http://www.ishalerner.com/

Magnetism, the Human Body and Nature

By Isha Lerner

 

The forgiving state of mind is a magnetic power for attracting good.

Catherine Ponder

Until relatively recently, scientists believed that life was mostly a biochemical process. The idea that magnetic fields could significantly influence living systems seemed far-fetched. Perspectives have shifted rapidly, however, and many scientists now believe that fundamentally we are electromagnetic creatures. This radical paradigm shift has profound medical implications because modern medicine has focused on biochemical processes. If these processes are influenced by our electromagnetic nature, any healing approach that focuses exclusively on them will, ultimately, be limited.

Life’s Magnetic Nature

Examples of life’s magnetic nature are now plentiful. Many creatures, such as homing pigeons, butterflies, and bees navigate using Earth’s magnetic field. Even humans can roughly sense magnetic direction. These abilities, in part, appear to be mediated through a magnetic substance called magnetite, which has been discovered in the tissue, including the human brain, of many living things. Researchers have found magnetite clusters near the brain’s all-important, magnetically-sensitive pineal gland, which secretes hormones affecting the entire body.

Not only are we affected by magnetic fields but we also generate them. For example, scientists can measure the brain and heart’s magnetic fields with instruments called the magnetoencephalograph and magnetocardiogram, respectively. Life’s magnetic potential is so great that we can even defy gravity under the right circumstances. For example, scientists can levitate frogs by using high-intensity magnetic fields. When subjected to such strong fields, spinning electrons within the frog align themselves to cumulatively create a small magnetic field. Like a compass needle repulsed by a bar magnet, the large external field repels the frog’s small field sufficiently to counteract gravity.

Life’s magnetic frequencies are found to increase with the use of light. Density defies movement and light increases its flow within all life forms, including the human body. In nature, the atomic realm of the material world moves at a slower rate than the auric light-filled realm. This realm, which is composed of the quickened impulse of energy that is essential to all form, is known as the devic realm.

Our physical body and its magnetic field align with gravity. Light and the healing forces of love, emotion, music, sound and color vibrate with a frequency that is quickened, and seemingly invisible. We cannot touch or feel it; however, we do have direct contact with its force on a daily basis. An essential aspect of vibrational healing connects us to this indirect, yet potent energy field on a conscious level.

When magnets are placed on different parts of the human body they can affect the rotation of our auric energies:

Evidence suggests that roughly 80% of chronic pain sufferers could benefit from magnetic therapy…When held against the skin, magnets relax capillary walls, thereby boosting blood flow to the painful area.

The ancient Hindus recognized that within the body the Chakra System has seven different points of energy that rotate back and forth. The human body’s energetic axis is supposed to flow in an uninterrupted cyclical pattern, and when this cycle is interrupted, or if a Chakra is “clogged,” it can be detrimental to one’s health. Magnets placed on the body can help to unblock improperly spinning Chakra energy.

Human beings have an intuitive connection to the earth that is partially an energetic magnetic draw, and partially a spiritual connection to the core of the earth’s sensitivities. Sometimes we are capable of extra-sensory perception relating to the earth and our current location. Certain extra-sensitive people can sense the location of water buried deep within the earth with dowsing rods:

In 1970, Duane Chadwick of Utah State University carried out a series of experiments on 150 dowsers and found that the dowser’s rod movements were related to minute variations of the Earth’s magnetic field.

The likeness between the earth’s physical make-up and the human body is striking: as liquids flow through our internal organs, water also moves deep down within the inner layers of our planet. Some of us have a magical, intuitive ability to sense this body-earth link with dowsing rods.

Flowers and humans share this energetic bond, as well. We are synergistically connected biochemically and research offers evidence that nature and humanity are profoundly interdependent. An out of balance energy system will eventually withdraw its own life force. Our connection with the floral world facilitates a balancing of the energies of light and gravity. Nature can be seen as a medicine chest to the soul, for flowers are a vital living essence of earth, sending out subtle wavelengths of light that penetrate into form.

On a vibrational level, humanity may increase its sensibilities by aligning to the highest essence of the plant: flower essences. Flower essences contain the essential energetic life template of the flower’s magnetic energy. When taken orally, the magnetic field of the plant is absorbed into the density of the life form and offers an expansive infusion of light filled properties.

As the evolutionary impulse quickens and humanity undergoes various magnetic shifts in energy, our human nervous systems mirror these changes. We have every opportunity to reconnect to the magnetic forces needed to maintain health and balance through education and the use of vibrational medicine. We are gifted with opportunities to work within a vibrational framework that is progressive and in attunement with nature and science. Our evolution is dependent upon this vital flow of magnetic energy to heal body and earth.

http://www.ishalerner.com/blog_2/?p=67

Night Sky whisper me back to life...

Lost star whisperer
where
where
where have you gone?
Lost star whisperer
will your Cloud Riders come?
why
why have you locked up your sky?
Night Sky whisper me back to life

Night warns of an eastern threat
North calls reinforcements from the west
Lost all reason guarded by the wise
sing to life the Seven Lords of Time
Lost star whisperer
end for your Cloud Riders to come
why
why have you locked up your sky?
Night Sky whisper me back to life

then I heard you scream
from the other side of the mountain
I saw a "you" I didn't want to see
I heard you scream from the other side of the mountain

then I heard you scream from the other side of the
mountain
I saw a "me" I didn't want to see
I heard you scream from the other side of the mountain
Lost star whisperer
where
where have you gone?

Forged of fire and song
you warn Hate shadows Love
Eight shadows long
why
why have you locked up your sky?
Night Sky whisper me back to life



It is a lovely song with breath-taking music and such depth, this is one of my favourite songs of the album, although it depends on my mood! I can easily say this is for sure the best album of the lovely Tori Amos....she gets better and better!
You must listen to all the songs.
 They are sang by Tori and Tori's young daughter...they really sound so good together. The lyrics are addedd to variations of classic sonatas by Debussy, Bach, Schubert and more...with cellos and flutes and oh....so nice...can't describe it, must listen!
I have been listening to this album almost everyday for the last 3 or 4 months!
 I have it on my Zune's favourite!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0neckDFmJU