The Lotus Flower Pond

The Secret Garden

2012-03-06T15:23:00.008Z

I recently saw a theatrical adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel "The Secret Garden" and the experience moved me and left a mark on me. It is the inspiration for this new blog piece.

The play, produced by Angel Exit Theatre, was very entertaining with excellent performances and delightful scenery, skilfully put together to draw the audience into the world of 10-year old Mary Lennox and all the other characters. It was imaginative, colourful and magical and really appealed to my young self who was being treated to a myriad of rich visual and auditory displays to delight all her senses. I came away with a sense of joy, having been nourished by the beautiful experience of vibrant storytelling.

Yet, after the play ended, I was aware that I was feeling something else too, something a little uncomfortable and disturbing. This intrigued me and I pondered on it. My reflections kept drawing me towards Colin Craven, a 10-year old boy who is confined to his bedroom and is expecting to develop a hunchback and die before adulthood. As I connected with my feeling of discomfort, I vividly remembered the scene of his hysterics-like night screams. Of course, they were disturbing enough to hear and significant: after all, they are what Mary follows which lead her to discover Colin's presence in the house. This boy's terror, as it had been played out, had made an impact on me. That was what was causing me to feel discomfort. But why was I also feeling a little shocked and disturbed?

I continued to think about Colin and his situation. There he was, more or less bed-ridden and hidden away, scared of being seen by people and expecting death. Colin's mother had died shortly after he had been born and his grief-stricken father could not bear to look at his son who painfully reminded him of his beloved wife. Colin had been told by the adults around him that he would develop a hunchback and die before he was grown-up and so he had believed it and was "living" according to this. It was as if Colin had been cursed to a life as a cripple. That was what I found disturbing! It took his friendship with straight-talking Mary who was not afraid of questioning his beliefs and fears and who encouraged him to explore beyond the confines of his tiny existence, for Colin to begin to change the story he had been telling himself. The scene when Mary inspected Colin's back for the lump he both dreaded and expected was very poignant as it marked the start of Colin's transformation into the boy he was entitled to become. He made a different decision about himself and freed himself from the curse he had received. He chose to live his own life rather than the one that had been decided for him.

So, for me, the character of Colin is a disturbing reminder of the potentially crippling effect of a life lived according to the decisions we make about ourselves in childhood, the messages we swallow whole from our parents, which we turn into a life-plan that we live out in adulthood. We may have long "forgotten" the circumstances which gave rise to our decisions then - and to be fair, we did the best we could given the predicament of being a small, dependent and therefore vulnerable child in a - sometimes hostile - world of powerful grown-ups. However, if not reviewed/changed in adulthood, then that is what we do: we live life according to how our 6-year old self experienced the world! Until, we are met with a challenge, a difficulty that will, in varying degrees of severity, turn our world upside down and give us reason to question our early decisions.

In "The Secret Garden", the challenge for Colin comes in the form of Mary, who herself has overcome the difficult circumstances of her early life in India and experienced, with her move to England, the transformation from a spoilt, ill-tempered, rude and sickly child into a strong, loving and playful little girl. She challenges Colin in a way that no-one has dared to do before. She does not believe he is going to die and refuses to collude with him, which enables him to change his beliefs about himself and take the risk to let go of his curse and to start to live.

The secret garden, created and loved by Colin's mother and shut away since her death, and the natural world, embodied by the character of Dickon are the agents for this transformation which, in the play, is represented by the scenery changing throughout the course of the tale, from dark, heavy and gloomy Winter to light, colourful and vibrant Spring and then Summer, with a defining moment when Colin decides "I shall get well! I shall get well! And I shall live forever and ever and ever!" A beautiful transformation indeed!

As a counsellor, I have the privilege to witness my clients make such beautiful transformations, travelling alongside them as they decide to abandon the old path and choose a new one for themselves. The journey is sometimes painful and sometimes joyous, sometimes rocky and sometimes smooth but it is always moving and always leaves a mark.

The return of the light at Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T20:24:00.003Z

With only a few days left till Christmas, life can be incredibly busy with parties, get togethers, food shopping to be done, present buying and wrapping. The commercialisation of Christmas these days means this time of year can be spent rushing, over-spending, over-eating and over-drinking. The pressures and stresses of modern Christmas celebrations can mean that sadly we lose touch with the important things and people in our lives, including ourselves.

One of those forgotten things is the Winter Solstice, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is a real turning point as the Sun becomes stronger from that date on and days become gradually longer. Winter Solstice is a celebration of light and rebirth and one way of connecting with Nature's Winter message is to light a candle, symbol of our inner light and to renew our focus, hopes and dreams. Dressing windows with fairy lights is also a way to mark the return of the light at the time of the Solstice, as is adorning evergreens with lights and shiny baubles and other decorations.

In the midst of the Christmas frenzy, may I invite you to pause for a moment, reflect on the past twelve months and renew your focus for the new year. May you find a quiet, empty space in your mind to connect with your inner light, fuelled by your hopes and dreams. Allow it to shine brightly - it has the power to conquer even the bleakest darkness.

I wish you a festive season filled with much peace and happiness.

Samhain... a time for reflection, completion and release

2011-11-01T10:57:00.009Z

Halloween yesterday was the first of a few celebrations over the coming days; today is All Saints Day, tomorrow 2 November is known as All Souls day... and 5 November is Bonfire Night. The Celtic festival of Samhain is celebrated at the beginning of November. It is a colourful time of year... the trees are proudly displaying their Autumn coats, the leaves which have already broken away from the branches are covering the lawn and the pavements with a layer of gold... not forgetting the bright orange pumpkins grinning on windowsills.

It is also a time when Nature begins the necessary process of decay as it withdraws its energy and prepares for Winter during which what goes on in the natural world is largely unseen. Mirroring what is happening in the outside world, we can take guidance from Samhain and use this time of year as a time for reflecting, completing and releasing. We can begin to slow down and approach the Winter months with renewed purpose. This period of reflection can involve exploring and letting go of what is no longer serving us well in life. It will also be a time to take stock and look back at where we have come from, who we are and what we appreciate, what we have achieved, over the last few months, years and beyond. Samhain is about honouring our Dead, our Ancestors and their inheritance.

Although remembering the people who have died can be painful, it is also a way of continuing the special loving bond we had with them when they were alive. For me, as a child, All Saints Day was spent visiting cemetaries as a family, putting flowers down on the graves of our dead relatives and praying for them. It was an important ritual which not only showed respect to those who had come before us but also was teaching children, who were always present and involved, that death is part of life and that grief is a normal response to loss.

Different cultures have markedly different attitudes towards death. My own experience of All Saints Day above was rather a formal affair; even Halloween here is filled with scary ghosts and spooky creatures. In contrast, the Mexican festival Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is altogether very different: it is a celebration of life, a colourful and lively affair that involves building elaborate altars in honour of the dead loved ones, decorating them with objects they liked and even their favourite food and drinks are put down as gifts. The message this sends is that although departed, the people who have died are not forgotten and that there is still a connection with them. It seems to me that such attitude towards death will help the bereaved go through their grief process.

I am currently collaborating with Swindon based arts educator Kate Parsons on a therapeutic art project offering “Dia de los Muertos” workshops to bereaved children and their families. The Day of the Dead celebration provides the ideal backdrop to explore grief and is a fun and powerful tool to remember someone who has died, thus making it a very effective intervention for working with bereaved children and families. It gives the child a way to remember their loved ones which significantly helps them go through their grief process and equips them with a continuing bond which bereaved children need in order to make sense of their loss and build a positive future for themselves.

So, as the festival of Samhain is upon us, let us connect with our Ancestors, let us find a way to remember them and let us make time to explore and take stock of what they have passed on to us. Not all that we have inherited we will want to keep; it's ok to decide for ourselves what we appreciate and want to keep as our ancestral gifts... it's ok to let go of any unwanted legacy that is no longer serving us well – or even hurting us. Our autonomy depends on it.

What “unfinished business” are you carrying? Can it be completed? What burden can you give to the bonfire?

Putting Salisbury on the map!

2011-10-06T09:00:00.013+01:00

Today, I make an announcement!

Today sees the launch of Salisbury CPD, created and run by me, as a development from and in addition to my private counselling practice.

Salisbury CPD started a few weeks ago as a seed, an idea which, with nurturing and loving energy, developed into a budding - and exciting - project... an appropriate logo was designed, a website created, several phone calls and emails exchanged with well respected personalities in the field of counselling and psychotherapy and before long I had a list of speakers and trainers willing to support the venture.

Salisbury CPD aspires to provide first class Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events for counsellors and psychotherapists, as well as professionals working in the fields of psychology, mental health and coaching.

It is my aim to put Salisbury on the map of where excellent CPD events are delivered by bringing to our area highly regarded and well respected speakers and trainers so practitioners locally can have access to stimulating, exciting, relevant and up-to-date events without the inconvenience of travel. Environmentally, it also makes sense and good training offered locally is always very appealing.

It is an ethical requirement that we broaden our knowledge and keep up-to-date with practices and developments in the field of counselling and psychotherapy so that we can be the best we can be with our clients. A commitment to personal and professional development also forms an important part of practitioners' self-reflective practice and self-care. Salisbury CPD's events also provide a vibrant and motivating environment for meeting other professionals, networking, exchange and support.

The first event planned so far is "Sex, Meaning and the Menopause" with BACP Accredited Psychotherapist, writer and author Sue Brayne. Some of you may have read her article about the Menopause in July's Therapy Today. Further details and booking information are on the website www.salisburycpd.co.uk.

I am busy working on other upcoming events too so do visit Salisbury CPD's website for a diary of events, news and updates. There you can request to be put on the list to receive email information about the events. You can also follow Salisbury CPD on Twitter @salisburycpd.

I look forward to seeing you at some events.

Bounty at the Autumn Equinox

2011-09-18T16:41:00.005+01:00

The Autumn Equinox is nearly upon us and it brings us crisper air, weaker sun, leaves beginning to change colour and of course, equal night and day hours. Those of you who know me or who are familiar with my blog and newsletters will know that I draw inspiration from Nature and take cues from the rhythms of the Earth to guide me and support my personal growth and development. Nature's necessary annual cycles have much to teach us about new beginnings, growth, decline and death, as well as strength and vulnerability. With distinct marking points like Solstices, Equinoxes and Festivals, the journey through the calendar year can be a spiritual framework for our relationship with self, others and Nature. This blog piece is my invitation to reflect on what Autumn means to you.

Autumn is a bitter-sweet season where the fruits and crops of Summer have now been harvested and with gratitude, we begin the preparations for the starker and leaner season of Winter. I am grateful for the bountiful harvest of apples that our tree has produced. I have started making pies, jams, chutneys and wine... all delicious produce to look forward to next Winter to remind me of Summer. Looking at all the lovely jars and bottles, I think of all the golden moments in my life which my memory has bottled up. I also bring to mind all the tokens, photos, souvenirs, songs, poems and special objects that I have collected or been given as gifts and which are important to me. All these can remind us that we are loved, supported and that if we can delve deep enough, we can connect with the part of us that feels blessed and bountiful. So as Summer ends and Autumn begins, let us turn inward, take stock and celebrate the bounty within, bounty which we can call upon in colder, darker times.

What does your inner larder look like? What inner strengths and resources do you have that will help you weather the Winter?

Life lessons from our pets

2011-06-13T12:18:00.003+01:00

Three weeks ago, my family and I welcomed two kittens in our home. Oscar and Lola are the inspiration for this blog post.

Looking after kittens was a new experience for me and, as with all new event, one which has brought some minor stresses and worries. Three weeks on, things are more or less settled and as we have accepted that our energetic and inquisitive kittens will climb the curtains, we can delight in their playfulness.

I have found Oscar and Lola's playfulness very attractive and that attraction got my curiosity going! Watching these two tiny creatures playing, I am aware of something quite magical, an invitation to enter their world and to bond with them. Stroking Oscar and Lola and hearing their purring is very soothing and calming. They seem “at one” with themselves, their environment and life! They are in touch with their needs; they sleep when they are tired, eat when hungry and play when they feel like it. Their capacity to simply enjoy life without the concerns that can burden us humans is one of the great lessons we can learn from them. They are assertive with each other when they need to be and can call for our attention when they need something from us. What great teachers they make!

I am reminded of Eckhart Tolle's book “Guardians of Being” in which he writes: “While we are lost in our thoughts and busyness of everyday life, they [pets] have become our guardians of being. They can bring us into the present moment and reconnect us to the one source of all life”. So it is not surprising that our relationship with our pets is an important one: they can hold the key to our connection with ourselves through a sense of grounding and connection with the natural world.

The human-animal bond offers considerable benefits to our emotional, mental and physical well-being. Growing research shows that the love and affection from a pet can bring us relief from upset, anxiety, sadness, stress, loneliness, low mood and anger. The positive outcomes of pet ownership have also been found in patients recovering from heart surgery. I am also aware that therapist colleagues use Animal-Assisted Therapy in their work with clients who find holding an animal a source of comfort. It seems that, in therapy, the presence of an animal can be a very cathartic experience as it can offer the reassurance and soothing a client may need.

I invite you to be mindful of your experience of stroking a pet, playing with them or taking care of them. What are you aware of? What lessons can your pets teach you? Enjoy! They will!

Dreams: the welcome intruder

2011-04-13T22:14:00.004+01:00

The welcome intruder
At night we drop
Our shields and veils.
Manannan, god of sea and dreams,
Speaks in his secret voice

Dreams can be a very powerful way of discovering new things about yourself. Dreams have been described as "house cleaning" by the brain, magical reflections of reality and also as bridges to the parts of you that you have not yet explored (Freud's "royal road to the unconscious"). I see dreams as faithful guides to personal growth and therefore as rich in information about yourself, your life, your relationships etc.

To seek inspiration from your unconscious, the following steps can help you encourage dream incubation and nurture the gifts that this very valuable inner resource can bring you.

Ask for a special dream
1. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, clean and free of clutter. Place a pencil and pad handy next to your bed.
2. When you lie down to sleep, invite the "dream maker" to visit during the night by visualising a screen until you fall asleep.
3. As soon as you wake up, write down or draw any images, feelings or thoughts that are in your mind at that point, even if you are unsure whether you dreamed them or not.
4. Share your dreams and talk about them. Exploring them in counselling can be a very valuable experience.

This can really help you nurture a relationship with the mysterious aspects of your psyche, a relationship with much potential for transformation and growth.

Have fun!

Open your heart – to yourself - this Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T00:57:00.008Z

Today is Valentine's Day – a celebration of love and affection. For weeks now, Valentine cards and gifts have been available in the shops, ready to seduce our Romantic self and persuade us that receiving a Valentine card or gift means that we are loved. Of course, 14 February is also a commercial event as love and the expression of it actually goes far beyond the chocolates and flowers we give or receive on this one day.

For those who are grieving the loss of a loved one or indeed the end of a relationship and for those who are longing to be in a loving relationship, Valentine's Day can be a painful reminder filled with feelings of sadness, loss and isolation. My thoughts go out to them.

Love is about relationship, connection, bonding. Our well-being – physical and emotional - depends on how warmly and lovingly we relate with one another. When a relationship ends as a result of a death, a separation or a divorce, we hurt. Human beings are naturally social animals: we live in the context of relationships and we actively seek them during our day-to-day activities. So, in order to survive, we need expressions of recognition and in order to experience love, we need these to be positive and affectionate.

The same dynamic, an internal one, is found when we examine the relationship with self, the most important relationship we will ever have and which will last for as long as we are alive. Our relationship with self is reflected in our relationship with others: if we do not respect ourselves, how can we expect another to do so? If we do not love ourselves, expecting another to fill us with the love we need but cannot give to ourselves leads to disappointment and heartache. Our relationship with self has a direct bearing on our physical and mental health.

May I invite you, this Valentine's Day, to give a thought to how you relate with yourself. Do you have warm, positive and compassionate regard for yourself? Or are you critical, harsh and negative towards yourself? Are you generous with the love you give yourself or do you tend to economize instead?

One way to explore this is to make a connection with the part of you that knows if he/she is loved: your Inner Child. You can do this by closing your eyes and imagining yourself as a child. Your Inner Child loves to be happy and feel good so he/she can be the best guide to help you care for yourself and make positive decisions about your work, your relationships, your life. Your relationship with your Inner Child is the key to learning and practising self-love.

Counselling can help you improve your relationship with yourself. It can be a safe space for you to explore how you relate with your Inner Child, that part of you that knows about your past, that knows about your needs, your wishes and your dreams.

Counselling can shed a light on - and help you remove - the obstacles that may prevent you from taking loving care of yourself and becoming the fulfilled, loving and loved human being you are meant to be. As you experience the warm, accepting, positive and loving bond that is the therapeutic relationship between client and counsellor, you can learn to open your heart to yourself first and then to others.

To illustrate the power of love, here is a lovely tale by Claude Steiner http://www.emotional-literacy.com/fuzzy.htm

Will you give a loving hug to yourself, this Valentine's Day, so you can feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

A wake-up call

2011-02-02T16:25:00.006Z

The wheel of the year turns and the start of February marks the point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Different beliefs and traditions gives this point various names: Imbolc, Groundhog Day, St Brigid's Day and Candlemas are the ones I know. What meaning does it have? I ponder here about how we can use Nature to inform and guide our inner worlds.

As Nature begins to stir and sunlight is increasing, there is a hint in the air that Spring is on its way. I have noticed tiny buds on trees and climbers. Bulbs in the garden are pushing through the hard, cold soil and showing their green tips. The season of snowdrops is upon us and their delicate beauty never ceases to amaze. For me, they are very special and a symbol of strength, resilience and hope – a power that we all have within us to endure the harshest of “winters” and still come out beautiful, pure and youthful, renewed by the experience. A real winner!

Spring is on its way and there is a wake-up call in the air: it is a time for creativity and new ideas, a time to nurture inspiration and contemplate what wants to emerge within us. Winter is softening its grip so now is a good time to make room for new things, celebrate new beginnings or breathe new life and energy into old ventures and projects. Fire and candles are important symbols at this time of year as they can remind us that warmth and light defeat the cold and dark.

How can we use the concept of the wheel of the year to guide our inner world? At Imbolc, for example, we can take comfort in the knowing that winter does come to an end, that nothing lasts forever and that what troubles us can be dispersed by talking and sharing with someone who is warm and compassionate. We can have faith and hope that we can lift our moods and transform our lives in a positive way. So, do listen yourself and notice what is sprouting within you that needs your love and attention? Are you nurturing those tiny green shoots and helping them grow into what they are meant to become?

With my warmest blessings of light, encouragement and inspiration to you all.

I am here to listen...

2011-01-30T20:16:00.013Z

The following poem encapsulates my own philosophy of counselling. It takes courage, trust and compassion to truly be alongside someone as they journey inwards... courage because how the journey unfolds is full of uncertainty, trust in self and the process, compassion for our own wounded self and for the other as they get in touch with their own vulnerability.

It is such a privilege to be allowed to accompany clients as they explore their difficulties and every session is a humbling experience and an honour.

I am here to listen...
not to work miracles.

I am here to help you discover what you are feeling...
not to make feelings go away.

I am here to help you identify your options...
not to decide for you what you should do.

I am here to discuss steps with you...
not to take the steps for you.

I am here to discover your own strength...
not to rescue you and leave you still vulnerable.

I am here to help you discover you can help yourself...
not to take responsibility for you.

I am here to help you learn to choose...
not to make it unnecessary for you to make difficult choices.

I am here to provide support for change!

UNKNOWN

Childhood grief - Informative talk available to professionals

2011-01-19T16:01:00.006Z

The death of a parent, close relative or friend creates a crisis in the child's life, a crisis which threatens to destabilise the family and its structure and roles. If allowed to grieve, children will learn valuable lessons about loss, change, death, relationships and how to manage strong emotions. Those skills will strengthen their resilience and make a significant impact on their mental and emotional well-being as adults.

As a society, we tend to think that we need to protect children from death and in doing so we rob them of an opportunity to learn vital skills. I have followed closely the story of Nigel's death in BBC Radio 4's The Archers and was touched by the sensitivity shown by the writers of the show. The way the issue of childhood bereavement was covered was truly beautiful and moving and of course raised the question about whether Nigel's 11 year old twins should attend their father's funeral. Their mother was against it but later changed her mind when her mother told her of her own suffering at not having said goodbye to her own mother. "Grief is such a maze. We all have to find our own way through it" said Alan, the vicar, in The Archers. I think the phrase really depicts it well. Sadly, often, for bereaved children, it seems that they can get stuck in that maze, well into adulthood. Sometimes, this is because the adults around them are unable to guide them through it because of their own grief or their own issues about death and bereavement. It is not wrong to talk openly and directly to children about difficult things. They need to ask questions and deserve honest answers appropriate for their age and maturity. Otherwise, how can they make sense of what has happened? They need the adults around them to guide them, support them through the maze of grief and help them eventually build positive futures for themselves. Not only do they need supportive adults in their families, but also at school, where they spent the most part of their day.

In my experience as a Childhood Bereavement Practitioner, many professionals involved with children lack the understanding of grief experienced in childhood and the impact of the loss on their emotional development. They can miss vital clues about how a child is doing, especially if the child is quiet and does not display difficult behaviours. They can struggle to respond to a child in emotional turmoil caused by grief. In response to that, I have created an informative talk about Childhood Bereavement, based on a non-pathologising and creative approach, that I am offering to all professionals involved with children, young people and families. Pre-school and school teachers will find the teachings in it particularly valuable in their day-to-day contact with children.

The aim of the talk will be to inform about the grieving process and its impact on a child and the family, to raise awareness about the needs of the bereaved child and what can "go wrong", to teach helpful skills to support the child and their family, to normalise grief and encourage honest discussions about death.

However much we want to spare a child from the loss of a parent, the sad and tragic reality is that it happens and we can make a difference to the child if we, the grownups, are equipped to help them go through that monumental task of grieving the loss of a parent - or close relative or friend.

I have successfully delivered the talk to Funeral Directors and I am now widening it to all professionals working with children. If the talk could be helpful to you, your organisation or professionals you know, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I would be very pleased to hear from you.

From darkness to light - reflections on the Winter Solstice

2010-12-22T20:35:00.006Z

Yesterday, Tuesday 21 December 2010, at 11.38 pm GMT, the Winter Solstice occured. This astronomical event - also known as Midwinter or Yule - marks the shortest day, the longest night of the year and the first day of Winter. After months of decline since June, the Sun reaches its lowest elevation, giving us in the Earth's northern hemisphere maximum nighttime hours before making its slow but steady come-back. All around us, Nature is dormant, resting, quiet and stil and has completely surrended to the recent cold, snow and ice. This is a good time for us also to rest, be still and quiet, a time to reflect on the year that is about to end and a time to honour the returning light, which will be a source of strength as we journey on through the coldest times of the year.

This year, a lunar eclipse occurred on the day of the Winter Solstice, a rare and special event which can inspire us to think about our place in the Universe and to become more introspective by going deeply "inside" ourselves and becoming more aware of who we truly are. This is connecting with our True Self, our Soul. The language of the soul and the heart is one of trust, faith and higher values, of inner growth, love and listening. Many spiritual paths cross in December, which offers us a great opportunity to strengthen our connection with our True Self...

Whatever your beliefs, appeal to all your senses with food, music, candles and decorations with the intention to make a spiritual connection with yourself.

In a festive season full of parties, presents and feasting, achieve balance between body and spirit, balance giving with receiving, food for your body and food for your soul. Listen to your body and take care of its needs.

Consciously mark the shortest day; notice and appreciate the returning light. Light candles. At Midwinter, use the darkness to dissolve outgrown attitudes and defences, allow the tough skin to peel away, become as vulnerable and sensitive as a newborn baby, allow yourself to feel, to be moved and transformed by the new light emerging. Symbolically release to the "Heavens" what is left over from the year which you do not want to carry into the new year. Over the coming weeks, make room for new ways by no longer clinging to your old ways. Allow yourself to be reborn by letting go of fear, anger and sadness.

Winter Solstice is one of the oldest Winter celebrations in the world. So in the true spirit of Yule, cherish and celebrate the truly important things: home, family and friends; celebrate each other and enjoy your family rituals to seal your bonds of love. Bring in mistletoe, ivy and holly, symbols of winter greenery and fruit, of life returning. There are many stories and legends about the symbolism of holly, ivy and mistletoe; read about them and discover for yourself if there is one that resonates with you. Singing carols with others may be a way of celebrating too. Sing and allow your voice to travel.

Notice the Winter sun and the clear blue skies which at this time of year are so precious. Rejoice in the way in which the light can displace the darkness, both literally and metaphorically. Just as the Winter sun can radiate surprising warmth for the time of year, so your inner light can bless you with positive energy and hope, even at the bleakest times.

Whether religious or secular, gatherings and celebrations at this time of year are often about witnessing the triumph of light over darkness, which brings us hope, peace and joy. May this post be an invitation for you to pause for a while and re-connect with your inner light, the essence of who you are: give it the space it needs to emerge by being still and silent, allow it to shine, light your way and give you warmth. Welcome it, nurture it and appreciate it... a truly special gift from you to you, a spiritual treasure of immense value.