Relax, Renew, Replenish !

As busy modern women with jobs, homes, and families who are striving towards creating the lives we desire, we spend a lot of time rushing from one activity to another. It’s often all too easy in this situation to forget that the energy we pour out to manage our  homes, families and careers, and even to accomplish goals we set for ourselves such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle or making time to follow our passions needs to be replenished from time to time.

Stress is the great precursor to other problems in today’s world. Juggling the many commitments we all seem to have- even those we love- can result in an insidious kind of constant pressure that women in particular are prone to. Studies show we find it difficult to draw boundaries and  that many of us are still  dealing with the ‘superwoman’ or ‘having it all’ mentality.

 In addition to the stresses of daily life, women also experience hormonal changes throughout their lunar cycle -and indeed throughout their lives- which are still not really addressed  or accepted by society in general. Many issues that arise at these times are habitually suppressed or ignored.

Unfortunately the result is that all too often these unacknowledged issues can bubble to the surface in negative and extreme ways at times of great stress, for example during pregnancy and/or it‘s related aspects such as fertility issues, after a birth, mothering small children, in times of illness and during menopause. They don’t just manifest as  emotional trauma either but can also cause physical problems.

 So  by making a regular time to consciously work on releasing stress and replenishing our reserves of soul energy and creative juices - the wellspring of what we have to give to the world- we are not being selfish, but responsible.

Stress actually changes the chemical make up of our bodies. In the same way, however, so does relaxation. Certain music and sound has the ability to change our brainwave patterns, for example, some Baroque and new age music (music of around 60 beats per minute) is considered to enhance alertness and well being, changing brainwaves from Beta to Alpha and music that drones or chants, such as Gregorian chants, or even repeating “Om” has been shown to change brainwaves to Theta level, which we normally experience when sleeping or mediating.  Affirmations and visualizations can also assist with this process.

 Here’s a guided visualization/ relaxation excersize created specifically for women that you may like to try. I would recommend that it be done at least once a week. It works very well if you record the words (speak slowly and leave spaces for yourself to do the visualisation.) Or find something else that works for you. You’re worth the effort!

“Soft Belly” exercise.

Whether or not we choose to give birth our wombs and bellies are where creativity has space, (whether for dreams, goals, ideas or physically growing a baby) to nurture and grow  beautiful expressions of our lives.

Lay down comfortably on your back. (If this isn’t possible due to pregnancy or injury for example, on your side is fine.)

 Close your eyes. Breathe deeply for a few moments. Take your attention from your head to your toes, tightening each part of your body as you breathe in, then relaxing it as you breathe out.

When you have relaxed  your toes, return your awareness to your belly. Place your hands, fingers spread, over your belly. Hold it tight for a moment, then allow it to soften. Feel it rise and fall with your breath, Now, as you breathe out, repeat ‘soft belly soft belly’.

Visualise yourself laying on warm sand, or soft green grass warmed by the sun above. You are comfortable and calm.

 Feel the warmth of the sun gather in your pelvic area, allow this warmth to  slowly travel down your legs to your toes and then to return up your back, over the top of your head and  back down to your belly, flowing over and through.

 Feel the lusciousness of your whole being and the delicious femaleness of having a soft and pliable, warm and comforting belly for feelings to develop, ideas to gestate, for food to be absorbed and digested, nourishing your body.

Allow this process  to occur for as long as you need. When you are ready, allow the warmth to remain in your belly. Take a few deep breaths, open your eyes and wiggle your fingers and toes. You should feel relaxed, replenished and renewed.

This "soft belly" meditation was adapted from one originally created by Lara Owen author of "Her Blood is Gold"

Your Feminine SOUL-Know Your Women’s Rites!

 

As we discussed in earlier posts, the idea of ritual is nothing to be scared of. It’s not some spooky, occult mumbo jumbo (unless you want it to be!) Nowadays it’s an acceptable psychological practice used by all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons, from those who want to create a sacred moment in their lives, to those who want to say goodbye, to those who want to improve their work or athletic performance.
The beauty of working with ritual whether it be through visualization, meditation or affirmation –or all three at once- is that you are the conductor of your own symphony. YOU can remove anything you don’t feel comfortable with, or include anything you find meaningful.
Here are a few ideas concerning ritual that you may like to consider before you begin, and following are some simple ritual suggestions for women that you can adapt or use as they are. Have fun with them, along with the other exercises in this book. If you want, create your own!
In my experience, the best way to begin your practice is with unencumbered or simple ritual, so that is what I will outline here. All ritual involves working with energy, whether you perceive it as your own, or the universal energy or a spiritual energy of some kind. I was taught that activating our own energy through ritual causes a resonance in the universal energy, like throwing a pebble into a pond causes ripples.

Firstly we centre energy, in the case of the ritual given here, by taking a few deep breaths with eyes closed, or while focussing on a candle, in order to create a clear space to throw our pebble. If you are doing a ritual with more than one person, it’s helpful to breathe in unison for a few moments.

Next we raise energy, by repeating affirmations, chanting, singing, dancing or other movement, visualizing and becoming emotional about what we require.
When the energy reaches it’s peak ( which is sometimes difficult to gauge when you first begin but will become easier the more familiar you become with this practice), it is directed toward your objective ie- you may imagine or visualize your raised energy in some form, for instance a ball, a cone or even a balloon, that you release and send out into the universe with your request ‘attached’. In effect, we have now ’thrown’ our pebble.

Finally, we ground the energy that is left over. This is a very important aspect of ritual. Not grounding your energy can result in dizziness, headaches, nightmares and all other manner of problems. My favorite technique for this is to imagine myself under a waterfall, that washes down my body and soaks into the earth under my feet.
This is the basic structure of my own and most other kinds of ritual that I know of. There are an infinite number of ways that performing a basic ritual can be personalized, by adding transition between ‘your time’ and the rest of the day. As you can see, it’s totally up to you!
When you finish your ritual, again it is customary to ‘open’ your sacred space, and give thanks to whatever energies you invoked at the beginning. This provides, if you like, a ‘full stop’ to your ceremony, marking the transition back into everyday life and seals your intention. But again, this can be as simple as washing your hands, or blowing out a candle.

SOME WOMEN’S RITES FOR YOU TO TRY….

A Daily Rite For Unconditional Love.
This simple ritual/affirmation can be performed each morning for nine days, and then whenever you
feel you need it.
You will need- A pink candle
Rose or lavender incense or oil in water for oil burner.
A mirror big enough to see your torso in.
The ritual;
Light the candle and the incense or oil burner.  Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to centre your energy. Then look into your own eyes in the mirror.
Say “ I welcome unconditional love and peace into my life. I welcome wisdom and understandingle is traditional- either by walking around the perimeter with incense or salt water and concentrating on purifying and consecrating the area within to your purpose  or by marking the boundary points with flags, staffs, rocks, crystals, or some other specific item of your choice, again affirming your intention. One example of a verse you might like to use or add your own preferences to is :
“In all the worlds, between the worlds, I purify this space. In all the worlds, between the worlds, I am safe and protected. I work for love and the highest good of all concerned.”

It is customary when performing ritual to acknowledge the directions, and the elements of earth fire air water and spirit, since these are the building blocks of which our reality is made, but if you don’t feel comfortable with this idea, simply acknowledging the four directions- north south east and west, plus the other two, up and down, is a good place to begin if you feel you’d like to give this a try.

Your Feminine BODY- Spice it up with GINGER...

Traditionally, the cooler months of the year offered people the opportunity for rest and reflection. After all their hard work of harvesting and preparing food for storage over the more barren months of winter, it was time to sit around the fire , enjoy what bounty had been gathered and tell stories before preparation for Spring planting and hunting began the whole cycle again. In the Southern Hemisphere winter approacheth and temperatures are dropping.
These days though, no matter what the temperature is outside we tend to stay busy. So all of us, but especially active women need to incorporate these times of rest, renewal and reflection into our lives more regularly.
Cyclic awareness is like a circulatory system, with an ebb and flow, a rhythm of it’s own. As it changes, we need to change with it. For example, we need to be aware of seasonal changes and how these affect our bodies and the delicate balance of our overall wellbeing. Competing in a triathlon in the dead of winter for instance is a totally different ballgame to doing it in the heat of summer! And even those of us who are simply trying to get through the day need to take steps to ensure that we support and nourish ourselves in the way our bodies minds and spirits need it according to our outer environment.
However these changes don’t have to be threatening or difficult. They can be as simple as following our own instinctive desire to eat salads in summer, and more warming, heartier foods in winter.
One food that’s particularly appropriate for this time of year - let me be honest, it’s a personal favorite of mine too!- and a great addition to a healthy lifestyle in all it’s many forms is GINGER.
I was thrilled when I discovered all the health giving properties of ginger, because I love it anyway and I’m now even more keen to make it an integral part of my diet.
Ginger has powerful anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties making it a perfect tonic for general well-being. It is reputed to lower bad cholesterol and support heart and circulatory system health. Traditionally used for travel sickness, morning sickness and any kind of nausea, it has recently been discovered that ginger contains a protein digesting enzyme called zingibain which is similar to that found in papaya.
However, according to some experts ginger contains about 180 times more of this enzyme than papaya and is significantly lower on the GI index so the” old wives remedy” which has advocated the use of ginger as a digestive aid has been well and truly proven.
Ginger is also useful when we have colds and coughs, to remove stuffiness and soothe and calm inflamed mucus membranes. Ginger essential oil, diluted appropriately in a carrier or base oil makes a warm, soothing and anti-inflammatory rub for stiffness and/or rheumatic discomfort, as well as menstrual aches and pains. If you have irregular periods or are late, drinking ginger tea is said to help. As a flower essence, ginger releases anger, irritation, frustration and subconscious trauma.
Ginger is a wonderful addition to fresh juice. My current personal favourite blend is apple, beet, ginger and lemon. Fresh ginger is excellent grated and added to fruitcakes, and if you ever see a pumpkin and ginger cake recipe, give it a try- you won’t regret it.
We all know of ginger’s affinity with Asian and Indian cooking such as stir-fries and curries, and it makes a wonderful cordial base when a chunk is mixed in a blender with a few lemons and honey to taste. Strain and bottle- then add this syrup to soda, cold or hot water, or add to other herbal tea infusions for an extra kick.

So there you have it. One spicy way to enrich your life, nourish your body, uplift and warm your spirit. But don’t stop there! Why not use a bit of your own personal reflection time to discover your individual preferences and whether or not they’re actually good for you too? I can’t think of a better reason to curl up by the heater with a good book…

Get on yer bike! The cycles of life and how you can't ignore them......

Hello!
Well readers, I have no one but myself to blame- after all I wrote the book. And when I say "I wrote the book," I DON'T mean it in the rhetorical sense I mean I actually wrote the book.
TEN YEARS AGO
In 2002 , after four years of research and inclusive of everything I had learned and experienced in my 38 years, with the best of intentions my first book "Moon Rites- Ritual Myth and Magic For The Modern Moon Goddess" was published. My plan for the book was that it be used as a tool and a resource for those women who wanted to rediscover the power and beauty of female stories, ritual, and the 'wise ways' that women have been using for thousands of years  in different cultures to care for themselves in all the different stages of their lives, to help busy modern women get in touch and reconnect with their inner selves and draw soul food from the wellspring of female  power inside.
It was a breathtakingly wonderful experience to see all this work come together in a book, my offering to the world, and my daughters.
At the time- my daughters were 11  and 9 respectively. We lived near Byron Bay in a lovely timber house with a big productive garden and I was cleaning houses and writing freelance articles as my job . It was creative, beautiful time where I was able to enjoy the natural energy all around me and live a lifestyle where there was always a moment to breathe and reconnect with my soul.

Well! FIVE YEARS LATER..
Luckily for me, when the original publishers decided to jump ship the wonderful Shekhinah Morgan, creator of the yearly "Moon Diary" and publisher of "books celebrating Her" took the work and improved it. In 2005  "Moon Rites was re- published as "Moon Rites- a feminine path to personal power" which is exactly what it is.
 Ok- Ok I know you're saying- get to the point woman! Sorry for the long set-up but you won't fully appreciate the delicious irony if you don't have the backstory.

ANOTHER FIVE YEARS LATER.....
The punchline my friends is this. I have become that very same woman I wrote the book for. For the past nine years I've lived in a busy regional city. I now run an office. I still write, but not regular freelance, I write books,when I've had the time to squeeze it in, between raising teenage girls, work, husband, dogs, cat, guinea pigs, et. al. I know, right? Cosmic Joke! Quelle ironique! Quantum freakiness!
 This year the cycle has come around to full. My youngest daughter has left home, and after a suitable period of  greiving for my former identity I've realised that it's now time to do the very thing I wrote the book about, namely to Renew, Rediscover and Reclaim my inner woman. In addition I was officially given the 'peri menopause' label in June - a new adventure, a chance to actually LIVE something I only knew from writing about and the stories that other women shared with me ten years ago.

So here's my plan- I'M going to use Moon Rites in the way it was intended. There are 13' month' or moon chapters in the book, each one talks about a different goddess, a different aspect of  looking after ourselves and a simple ritual and has blank pages to journal one's thoughts, experiences and feelings for that month. Over thirteen months, I am going to read the entries, do the rituals and note my journey in the journal, and here in this blog. If it's as transformative an experience as I'm hoping, other women might gain from peeking in on my experiences.

What I'd dearly love to do is have  others come on the journey with me. Yes, it'll be all about ME. And YOU. And US!  If you want to comment, find out more about these ideas, share the laughs, the groans, the whole damn thing please feel free to let me know you're out there! If you'd like to find out more about Moon Rites- click HERE.