Joy and Sadness - the lessons….

A week full of joy and sadness, positivity and despair.  Whenever we experience a period of time like this, there are always so many lessons and yet if we dwell on the peaks of the emotion it is so easy to just miss the opportunity to learn and grow. 

So what do I mean by this?  If I start with the joys, then I would definitely include a fabulous trip to the opera in London, with a wonderfully kind friend of mine, for which I am truly grateful.  This had the joy of anticipation, the thrill of the experience (the singers voices were so beautiful, and impactful on all the senses) and the wonderful memories that will stay with me forever.   And yet in this same week I lost a swarm of bees from one hive, and much to my horror, I also discovered the bees in the second hive we're quite literally starving to death, leaving me to remove hundreds of worker bees in the bottom of the hive.  I was devastated, heartbroken and very self-critical.  I also had to part company with Georgie, one of our older chickens,  she has been such a big character in our family life and so it was with sadness that we had to say goodbye.

For me there have been many lessons in this last week;  acknowledging that we're really not in control of anything, we never know what's around the corner and so it is important that we treat each moment as precious. I was reminded just last week that our time is just that, it's ours to invest with as we choose.   A few years ago if you’d asked me what my biggest challenges were, I probably would have talked to you about preparing for a key presentation or hitting a seemingly impossible deadline imposed by my boss. And now?  Now the hardest thing is allowing nature to work her miracles even though that may result and a loss.  These last few days have helped me to truly understand the power of gratitude for each and every moment, for it is in the now that we can choose healing and joy, exactly the opposite of dwelling on the despair and sadness that seems to beckon us so powerfully. 

In order to access these points of reflection and learning, heart focused meditation can be really helpful.  It can help us find the space between the emotion and the thought, it helps to slow us down so that we have time to see the whole picture rather than just the emotional snapshot. And most of all it helps us to be grateful for all that we do have (rather than focusing on what we don’t).  If you would like to experience the power of creating your own inner balance so that you choose how you spend your time, then why not contact me for access details to my free., weekly evening meditation.

WHY MEDITATION?

The benefits are so numerous:At a physical level it aids restful sleep and strengthens the immune system. The impact on an individual or team suffering tiredness or repeated illness can be devastating.At an emotional level it supports self-esteem and confidence, enabling an enhanced learning ability. It aids the removal of anxiety and stress, which we all know can have a significant impact on health.At a spiritual level it helps us to connect more effectively with those we work with and delivers a greater sense of harmony, connecting and unifying teams and building trust and faith in their’ ability.Greater connection ultimately leads to happier and more productive working environment