The healing power of nature

So finally after a few days of the gloom, the light returned again. Mind you not that it really mattered, on Saturday morning E and I went for an early morning run along the foggy lanes of St Martins and St Andrews, it was rather special as it was so quite, no planes and not many cars, almost as if everyone had decided to stay tucked up inside away, taking refuge from the gloomy weather outside.

In the afternoon I jet washed the back patio - it is rock and roll around here I tell you! It did remind me however, how our light is always there. The patio was layered with grime and yet after a few bursts on the jet wash, its original colour peeked through - it reminded me of us. How the grime, be that physical, mental or emotional, clouds are our own light, yet it is always there, we just have to chip away at it, bit by bit, to uncover our true self, the radiant, shining being we are.

I was reminded of the weather too. On Sunday the light appeared again, glorious sunshine to make us feel more alive and joyous somehow. E and I felt so inspired that we went for a quick dip in the sea at Petit Bot. Of course it was glorious - high tide and no one else to be seen, but it was of course very cold and while I had all good intentions of taking a proper swim, my body went into shock and I lasted all of about 2 minutes!! Every respect for those of you who swim properly all year around!

Thereafter, I managed to attend Sheila's yoga class, a wonderful start to Sunday, especially with the sun shining outside and the sounds of the morning chatter of birds. Thank you Sheila, Om Shanti. It certainly woke me up and back at home, E and I went out for a bike ride to make the most of the warm sunshine, through the lanes near Petit Bot and through the valley by the little chapel - I do love those lanes with all the wonderful serene Guernsey cows. We even saw a sparrow hawk - well we think so, too big to be a buzzard, too small to be a kestrel, grey too, we are spoilt here on Guernsey.

In the afternoon We collected some horse manure with my parents (see it really is rock and roll) and I helped Mum to rake the new raised beds that my Dad has lovely built. Some of our seeds have germinated and we transferred the seedlings to bigger pots, lots of Brussels sprouts and purple sprouting, it is rather exciting being involved from the infancy stage. Mind you I have a lot to learn - it appears that I planted the butternut squash seeds upside down and while the poor little things were trying to germinate, they were all topsy turvy so thankfully Mum turned them all around - what an idiot I am huh!!!

Growing does help one to remember the simplicity to life - the need for light, heat, shelter and water. I find it ever so relaxing to spend time in the greenhouse. My Mum talks to the plants and plays background music from the radio as it helps them to grow. We are getting more bees, this time in the greenhouse, the bee man told me that they like music too, let us hope they like Island Fm!!

Mum and Dad are now established wwoofers - world wide opportunities on organic farms (www.wwoof.org) - and are receiving interest from wwoofers wanting to come and stay and help us during the summer. I was initially introduced to this scheme in Australia, not only meeting travellers who had done some wwoofing, but also a friend on my Yoga course in Byron who is an established wwoofer and has people to stay to help with their coffee plants in the Byron hills.

And then a few summer ago, after taking 3 months out to travel around the world again, I stayed with my cousin and her husband in a mobile home on their organic small holding in rural North Devon, near to Bideford. I was there for some "time out" to figure out what to do next and while I spent much of my time writing and studying a holistic therapy course, I did put in some time attending to their vegetable garden. This was my first exposure to vegetable growing and it planted a seed, that has grown ever since. So a huge thank you to Yo, for the opportunity, and for helping me to realise the therapeutic benefits of spending so much time in nature and the present moment and meditative qualities of weeding!

There is a lot to be said about spending time in nature. It really does help to slow us down and re-connect us with the resonance of the earth somehow. We lead such busy and often stressful lives these days, everything happens so quickly that is refreshing to slow down and literally smell the roses. Not only that but it is healing. It rejuvenates the soul and reminds us of the bigger picture, the natural flow, the coming and going, a time to stop and a time to grow.

It works on our root chakra, connecting us to the earth. If ever we feel ungrounded, disconncetd somehow, then it can help to stand barefoot on the earth, maybe hold a tree (I jest not, I did this every morning of my Yoga teacher training course and I truly believe it helped me to stay grounded), or sink the feet into soft sand, and just breathe the fresh air and listen to the sounds of the birds or the sound of the sea. It opens the heart chakra too and energises the crown chakra, reminding us of our connection to something greater, that we are part of the whole, not so alone after all. I guarantee you will feel better afterwards!

So on that note, time to stop and be quiet for a while!

Om shanti!