Get busy, now......

Hi folks and welcome.

Busy old time of year isn't it?

Probably not the best time to start new projects or try out new recipes!

 Especially when there are WIP's loitering in every nook and cranny.....

this particular work in progress is going to reach it's first birthday 

before I can get back to it, what with christmas knitting, preparations and all, oops.

No matter how busy I should be, there's always time for an outing,

preferably somewhere scenic.......

Did I say 'scenic'?  

Ah yes, scenic.....

and with birds...... 

Although I wasn't expecting Eagles!  

Not wild unfortunately, but out for a bit of fresh air, and trained with whistle and titbits 

to return to the outstretched arm of the bird-man.

Do forgive the poor quality pictures, it was frrrrreezing and blowing a gale!

So I'm quite pleased to be back home and snuggly:)

Ahh, that's better *sigh*

Must get on, after a snooze!

Bye for now

Hugs

pamela xxx

Greetings and Gratitude.....

Hello People and welcome back.  And an especially warm hug to new viewers:)  

It's such a special relationship - blogger/s/reader/s.  Intimate yet distant, anonymous sometimes.  An evolving and deepening friendship at other times.  In fact it's true to say that I feel closer to one or two of my bloggymates than I do to 'real' people!  And I have to admit, I'm a better person for the knowing of them.

Have that experience yourself?  Anyone?

I'm very thankful for this situation.  I hope I give as much as I receive, but really, what relationship is truly reciprocally balanced equally?  I don't know.  But I am glad.

I love that I get to meet people in all places, almost (hey Lori, you're right, never Africa).  And share their insights into the profound and the mundane.  I've discovered through this process a little more about myself than about them.  And in the words of Esther (Abraham) 'there is great love here for you'.

Ok.  So the season is upon us.  Things are a bit different this year, so I've a lot to plan and do.  

Take a peak - stuff for small people (my favourite type)

I have reserved some energy for the aftermath the 'what-to-do-in-January' to have something to look forward to.  And to help me 'live my best life'.  I've joined a local meet-up group....for positivity and possibilities,  I'm taking the yoga challenge,  joining in with the  winter feast for the soul forty-day meditation and a change camp+plus day workshop on developing compassionate self-acceptance.   And all of that just gets me to February.  A whole lot of year left to fill up after that!

So how about you? any plans for 2012? focusing on....?

I'll leave you with a picture of me hanging out with one of my Zen friends taken earlier this year over on Magical Meadows!

(Hey Mary, have you visited yet?  Close to Durham and a great place for wildflowers!)

Stay safe and happy everyone, until next time.

Love and hugs

pamela xxx
P.s. yes I know it looks like there's a scarycrow growing out of my head!
edited to explain the pictures of children are on knitting patterns and not my small people,  
Nana Pam keeps those to herself!

Time's a'changing . . . . .

Welcome all.  Many thanks for looking in.  Today fell on a date full of significance to many, and for many different reasons.  Whether ushering in a NEW AGE or remembering LOST GENERATIONS or noting the SYNCHRONICITY of numbers or RAISING LOVING VIBRATIONS or SENDING PEACEWAVES around the earth, I hope it was a positive day for you all.

I could not have been in a better place.......

 Dawn in the misty mountains....

 Preparations.......

 One group a silent circle meditating

Another chant with bells and chimes and drums.........

From Castlerigg Stone Circle in Cumbria, 

peace and love children, 

peace and love xxx

Bye for now

pamela x

I've got the technique . . . . . . . . . .

Well hello friendly people, welcome to today's offering, the first for November - November! it certainly is.  Crispy crunchy leaves underfoot and, hmm, a definite suspicion of fireworks around.

So what's the technique Pamela?
Ah so, a dual offering.
Number one, the Alexander Technique
Number two, the pamela-dealing-with-THE TASK-as-best-she-can technique.

The Alexander Technique:
I was recommended to try Alexander Technique (AT) by a friend/ driver after an afternoon spent listening to my groans and moans about my-poor-back-which-has-never-been-as-bad-as-this and helping me in and out of his car as we visited students on an archaeological dig.  I knew a little of AT having come across it when I tried a number of treatments due to having been a bad-back-sufferer for (37 years) since the age of 19 when I was a junior nurse.  Lifting!  and lifting heavy patients was not a good idea.  I had been interested to try it and so  found an AT class in Durham.  I knew after the initial session that this was magic personified in the form of a wonderful trainer/practitioner.  A real *eye-opener* of an experience.  M talked to me for a while, gently moved my head and arms, and somehow added an inch or two to my 5' 2" comfycurvy old bod.  She asked me how I felt and didn't seem fazed when I answered that I felt I was tipping over to one side.  Instead she placed a full-length mirror in front of me and - wow!  I was sitting perfectly straight!  We tried the same process standing.  Again I felt I was leaning way over to the right.  Again the mirror showed me otherwise.  I was truly amazed.  This demonstrated my body's shadow memory of how far out of true my posture had been.

I now go along every week or so for an hour and I'm learning how to live in, move and use my body with ease and without tension.

What it is: Books have been written in answering this question!  See previous sentence for my answer!
What it costs: £26 per session.  I've had ten and plan ten more.
Rated 10 out of 10!

Dealing with The Task:
I'm getting on with The Task (see previous post if you're new to this blog *hello*) but slowly, for two reasons.  Firstly, because I'm recovering from a day in hospital having my wisdom teeth surgically removed.  Strong pain meds are a wonderful de-motivator and my bed is oh-so-cosy:)  Secondly is that in order to deal with de-cluttering of GIGANTIC proportions you do need a number of resources.  Boxes, bags and labels, yes of course.  Pad and pen to log what goes where.  Motivation.  But additionally, unless you want to break your ankles, neck and SPIRIT, you need (1) SPACE and (2) a level surface preferably one that avoids bending and lifting so - not the floor!  I don't think I'm the first (I do read a lot of blogs on the subject and thank everyone!) to liken this process to a life size game of TETRIS - you know the sort of thing, moving *boxes* around with only one empty box/space to play with.

So my technique recommendation is make a space, even if it means moving your furniture/gym equipment/whatever.  It's temporary and good motivation for getting on with it!  I've tipped a sofa on its end, lifted a coffee table onto another sofa, piled up boxes in front of radiators and (unlit) fires and likewise blocked off doorways (but leave an emergency exit!).

Next, I'm using my dining table a temporary staging post based on three suitcases (filled with coins and stamps) covered with two old duvet covers to empty my boxes onto (the dining table is, of course, covered with boxes!).  

Then comes the sorting.  Here's where the space comes in useful.  A series of empty labelled boxes and bags at the ready and the lifetime's collection of whatever are reassembled as suitable for auction, charity shop, rubbish or keep etc.

Three more days of this and then a quick put-things-straight before we go away for the week - the lovely, breathtaking and blissful English Lake District is mine all mine!  Well, for a week's stay in a cosy cottage and lots of fresh air activities, and a bit of mindful AT and meditation at least.

That's all folks!  Getting on getting on!
Bye for now
pamela xxx

Weaving a path.....

Hello lovely people and thank you so much for sticking with me.  And thank you so very much for your love and kind comments of late.  After I posted  this little lady has given cause for concern since we last spoke - drama and well, 'going through it', but all seems well now, happy in the Outback.  Sheesh!

Anyway, such a lot to talk about.  Snuggle down and get comfy!

So 'Take it from here' . . . a fresh start after Magical Meadows, after shocks and great sadness and grief.  The idea was to fully explore the ideas and experiences that were grabbing my attention, share them here and invite your comments and conversation.  Ah well.....I've been a bit backward about coming forwards with all of that.  So I thank you again for your patience, much appreciated, and now let's push on with the task.

Did you get that?  I'll run it past you again...let's push on with the task....THE TASK?

But just wait a minute.  Hush now.  And now I'm going to dally purposefully.  Because even though the task needs to be brought to your attention and examined I think it's important to take a moment and be aware of the emotional state of mind we/I find ourselves/myself in.

This is why.  Go back a few months.  New (to me) things started to pop up around the edges of my sorry self.  I noticed a Yoga magazine.  I found a couple of weblinks to Feng Shui blogs.  A friend recommended Alexander Technique.  Another friend discussed alternative healing.  I picked up and put down a whole raft of self-help, new-age, spiritual (yeah me, spiritual) books.  I was already 'into Raw', food that is.  I got more into it.  I found myself spending time prodding at my thoughts, noticing my continual poor me, bad mother, done-it-all-wrong-again internal dialogue.  I began to see things I had dismissed years before as 'not for me' had returned, coming to the forefront.  And knew that I was on to something.

My turning point came when on holiday in Scotland.  Away from home when home was A VERY BAD situation with a HUGE task brewing I needed distraction, I needed SERIOUS holiday reading.  First sign of a bookshop had me scuttling in and scurrying out fifty four pounds the poorer but with a bagfull of life/affirming/changing oh my goodness gracious me! Fifty four quid???!!!!  

So, Waterstones, Oban branch, I thank you.  Thanks to you I finally got into law of attraction.  I wouldn't say that I fully 'bought into' the whole scenario (more of this another time maybe, if you're interested) but I felt it's resonance, and could see its relevence in so many of my experiences.  I could see lessons to be learned.  And tools, processes, and practices.  It's religion Jim, but not as we know it.  Well, maybe.

Hmmm.  Lesson one.  Enlightenment doesn't come cheaply.
Yoga mat.
Juicer.
AT sessions.
Swimming.
Guided meditation tapes.
Yoga dvds.
Exercise bike.
Walking boots.
Supplements.
Kirten and chanting cd's
More yoga magazines.
Raw food recipe books
and
more
BOOKS
and
more.

Now then.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  Far from it.  I'm not unhappy.  The first step, maybe even the most important gift you can give yourself is to be informed.  And I've been selective.  I've chosen with care, carefully considered options.  And I was in the fortunate position of having the luxury of time and money at this time of my life.  And I intend to use it to HAVE the TIME OF MY LIFE.

So, what is my emotional state of mind?

OPTIMISTIC!

Now, with that in mind....let's get back to the TASK.

Oh, first though, I mentioned a yoga mat.  I intend to use it.  I do.  To learn to be skilful, supple and strong.

But right now, and for some time now,  I haven't had room to unroll my yoga mat.

And no I'm not exaggerating.  The liveable space in my small two bedroomed house has shrunk. Until the task is completed .......well, there's no living the time of my life.

Now there is irony in this because being mindful, living in the NOW, is a key part of that.  So I can't ignore this task a minute longer.
I must embrace it
I must relish it
I must enjoy it
and however sad and dusty and smelly and downright difficult it gets it's got to be done.

Sorry, what?  Oh, you want pictures?  Ok.  Maybe just one or two.
Wouldn't want you to feel TOTALLY ******* OVERWHELMED aswell would I?

Over two hundred boxes and bags.  We've lived like this for several months now.  No, it's not our stuff.  But it is our task, ok, MY task to deal with it.  Long story, another time. So I leave it to you if you feel the need to ask questions, offer advice, feel empathy....feel free to comment or to move on silently.  I have resources and support.  Many.  I mention two - I take today's title 'Weaving a path' from Cindy's weekly wisdom at 365lessthings where she describes her greatgrandparents house, and where decluttering is a lifeform (she guests on that blog thanks to the lovely and so helpful Colleen.  Tanja brings minimalist living with a human face and  love and support and a philosophical twist.  There are many others.  Decluttering.  The time of my life.

After that grimy grimness I'll leave you with a different view, the painting my guy bought for my birthday, of a favourite place, tranquil, remote, uncluttered, peaceful.  Ah bless.  Where is it?  

Ah.  Our secret.

Perfect.

Take care now

 xxxxx pamela

Oh! oh! AMY.......

Hello folks and please forgive the long pause in communications.

I hope you're all well and happy.

I promised you accounts of my new interests and experiences.   I'm on it!  But I got a little side-tracked.

Here's why.  A story for you ....

It was February.  1986.  And after a few hours of intense achey-back labour, my midwife encouraged me to reach down and cradle my daughter's so soft and downy head as she emerged shyly from the safety her mother's womb.  I did so with trepidation.  And forever more stay thankful for the skill and mindfulness of a woman who could bring that moment to me.  That memory stains my very being.  Touching my new-born before she was born.  Connected right then, both within me and without me, before that big disconnect at the moment of birth, as one became two.

My darling, my Amy.  As close as sisters, best friends, hand-holding soppy and sentimental.  Then came ..... time to go.

Out of the blue and only around six weeks ago my daughter told me of her decision to move across the world, with no plans to return.  No time to think.  A madness ensued, emptying twenty-five years of stuff, clearing out her house (boy, could that lady shop!), re-homing her pets, getting it all done until at last the remains could fit into one pink (of course) suitcase, and saying goodbyes.  Nothing good about goodbyes.

Yesterday she arrived safely at her destination.

So........Perth, Western Australia, please look after my girl, until I get to see her sweet face once more.

Love.  Too small a word.

Bye for now folks, be back later
pamela xxx

Off roading

Hello happy readers *waves*.
Well, here we are, home safe, unpacked, unloaded, and .......sad to have had to leave the lovely Scottish highlands behind once more.
I took a few pictures for you.  Got to sort them out first.
I had a lot of fun, and did some d.e.e.p, I mean D.E.E.P thinking, and maybe have some ideas and plans to set in motion, later.
For now there's a lot of laundry, house and garden to clean and weed.

And some more reading.

love x x x pamela

I just don't believe it!

Hello everybody *waves*:)
Well I was all set to post
(1) a series of very interesting entries (to be written on forthcoming holiday) regarding the very interesting classes and therapies I've being trying out to get to optimum wellness and personal growth
and
(2) a series of very interesting entries with lovely pictures whilst relaxing and enjoying the said holiday over on the wonderful west highlands and islands of Scotland
and then.......
I'm informed we won't have internet.
Dang.
Grrrr.
So sorry, and be back soon:) Well, about three weeks:0
Meanwhile, enjoy yourselves, have a wonderful time, eat high raw and keep moving, with a smile on your face!!!!
love and hugs
pamela x

Sounds great to me!

Hello folks, how is the start of the week going for you?  (for me, all attempts at finding my curly crafty font have failed, so we'll have to settle for this, sorry).


Today I have a few tips for you if you're interested in finding the music-to-live-by which is a little outside the remit of radio 2!  Over the weekend I did a little research.  I was interested to expand my music collection to include some new-to-me stuff which would enhance my growing interests and help with focussing my mind (and body) to make the most of my time on this spinning rock we call home!  


So,  I've put together a set of inspirational, devotional and ambient music which I think is pretty perfect for relaxation, yoga, meditation and intimacy.  There was so much to choose from and it got a little confusing but I found a system which helped.  
I started with 'the big store' (I'm sure you saw the new widget to the right here *points enthusiastically*) had a look through the listings for new age/ devotional artists.  Not being familiar with many of the artists I found most had tracks available on the MP3 downloads section so I spent (quite) some time having a listen (you can't rush this wonderful stuff) and this helped me select my CD's. Picked out what felt good, maybe checked out Youtube and the artists' own websites (left it open at Snatam Kaur's for continuous musical bliss whilst I did the ironing!).  Then if I liked what I found, added it to my wish-list or shopping basket.  I had a lovely relaxing shopping experience and I can't wait to get down on the mat to have the full experience!!!


If you get the chance, go and have a listen, and let me know what you think.  Also, maybe you have recommendations of your own you'd care to share!  And finally, I wonder if you've had the opportunity to see any of these in concert - I've seen Baka Beyond which was a wonderful experience for me but I would just love to see Snatam, Deval or the others:) *sigh*
Love pamela xxx
(p.s. funding new purchases by selling older CD's.  De-cluttering bonus side-effect, I love it!)

It's all harmless, really!

Well hello again and thank you for looking in.  I hope you find something of interest here, and feel free to share your comments and feelings!

I'm so amazed at the lovely responses to my first post.  Such a blessing to have positive vibes resonating around the globe.  Hmmm, a bit new-agey for you?  Not your thing?  Don't worry too much.    I'm sure it can only be a good thing.

For example

Resolution number one - Do no harm.  We're all agreed about that, yes?  Doing our bit to be green and eco and helping the planet?  Of course.  But let's think outside the box and apply it to everyday.  An old saying, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything.  What do you think?  Keep your thoughts to yourself, unless they are positive and helpful.  Agreed!

I've had a number of encounters recently where I've ' kept a zip on it', haha!  Frustrating?  Virtuous? The right thing, no doubt.

But how about the next step, can I/we apply that to our gaze?  Do we stare disapprovingly at the disfunctional relationships played out in public?  The tantruming toddler?  The odd or outrageous dress/behaviour/demeanor?  Are we even aware of our reaction, it's so ingrained.  And negative.

If you're like me, once you develop an awareness you'll be shocked at the frequency of such occasions.  All that negative energy, man it's a blast, phew.

Try to stay positive.  Here's a helping hand

I've been exploring helping hands this week.  Music, traditional and non-traditional therapies, books and guides.  I'll review these for you and post soon.  In the meantime, have a good week, stay safe and strong and (all together now) positive!

lots of love
pamela xxx

How to do you/can we strive to stay positive, overcome negativity, do no harm?  Please share:)

Finding a new path...

Hello folks how nice to see you:)
It's a terrible and funny thing, sorrow.  Blanks out everything.  Mops up, like a sponge.  That includes phone numbers, PIN's and ..... passwords.  So it's goodbye Magical Meadows, although we'll  share the views from there, along the way.
But, it seems to me, that after a period of transition, it's now time to move along.
I'm drawn to develop new and exciting interests,
s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g
yoga
mindfulness
raw food
s-p-a-c-e
and gratitude.
Simple tastes.  Best shared with like-minded friends.
So I thank you friends, old and new, and say welcome once more!
much love xxx pamela
(and a special hug for all those who shared their love and concern)