Meeting the wild plants of Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey, a peaceful summer haven

Last Saturday I attended the modestly titled Herb Walk led by local herbalist Jenny Gaze. Jenny is wise and accomplished, possessing a clear and thorough knowledge of wild and cultivated herbs.

Jenny gives useful information for collecting, preparing and storing plant materials. All good stuff. And yet beyond the practical something deeper was  illuminated: the hallmark of a truly talented teacher.

In recent weeks I have been exploring teachings around sacred plants, plant medicine and plant consciousness. Meandering with Jenny through the stunning wildlife haven of Glastonbury Abbey during high summer was a perfect means of animating this research. The session highlighted themes and insights that are showing up all around in my life right now, may be this will resonate for you too:

Jenny identifies mullein

The gift of change: Loss as a call to empowerment and re-skilling
The recently enacted EU directive prohibiting the sale of many plant based health supplements upset and angered many friends and therapists within the community.

I haven't felt moved to protest; it doesnt work for me to resist change; I prefer to flow like water and look instead for the opportunity to create something new, real and sustainable.

Surely it is an improved, evolved scenario to know someone personally, within one's community who can advise, teach and provide. And ultimately this is a call to learn for ourselves how to make one's own teas, tinctures, decoctions and ointments.

Humanity's current insanity is a blip in the grand scheme of things
Jenny really helped me shift perspective here as she related how up until the 1940s i.e. within living memory doctors in general practice in this country would rely on herbal medicine as a main treatment modality.

The pharma-scientific-technological-capitalism, the unchecked exponential expansion of allopathic pharmacology was a short, intense phase of aggressive acceleration that is burning itself out (MRSA anyone?) Peace and sanity is being restored TODAY; the old and new systems operating in parallel; one falling away as the other rises.

Return to community living, honouring of ancestral wisdom and tribal ways
Our indigenous ancestors held and embodied the timeless teachings of nature and we will again and it this time it will not be lost. We are interested in Grandmother's remedies. We turn to the wise elders within our community. We have the answers amongst us. We share resources and skills.  We care for each other, we are important in each other's lives. Embodying knowledge, we become living teachers of a practical wisdom that is enhanced and shared through the day-to-day reality of our lives. 

Receiving the teachings in the presence of the plant

Real and direct modes of learning  
I acknowledge and embrace all of the amazing digital technologies that allow me to be present with a master teacher in Hawaii or Skype with a friend in New Zealand. 

I love the vast and growing libraries of interviews and recordings that  humanity is sharing so freely and easily at this time when relearning is vital. Yet right now, for me, nothing beats showing up in a small, curious group and being shown how. 

Shifting to an expanded consciousness:  
As we become alive and sensitive to ourselves we begin to experience the natural world as sacred, alive, intelligent, aware and caring. Higher states known by enlightened masters and advanced spiritual seekers are available to us all. Feeling deep presence, divine healing energies and moments of sacred bliss are our birthright, our soulright.

Moving into heart-based sacred relationship The Earth is our mother who loves us and wants to care for us. Plants can support us in our cleansing, nourishing, healing and beautifying. As we synergise and align with their subtle signatures we receive nurture and increase vitality. It is for us to choose to recognise and accept the great love and abundance being offered. And we can choose to reciprocate with sensitivity, empathy and intuition; gratitude, respect and honouring.

Affirmations and intentions:

I reclaim my relationship with the natural world

I treat myself kindly and holistically with natural remedies

I open myself to receive the wisdom, love and nurture of Mother Earth

I acknowledge the sacredness and beauty of all living beings

Links/resources:

Additional photos from the Glastonbury Abbey Herb Walk on facebook

Further opportunities to learn from Jenny in Glastonbury early autumn 2011 www.jennygaze.com

International teacher Eliot Cowan is a personal plant hero, I recommend his book Plant Spirit Medicine

I am inspired by the programs on offer at the Gaian Institute, New Mexico www.gaianstudies.org

Joanna Harcourt-Smith interviews leading luminaries from the fields of indigenous wisdom, ancestral pathways, Gaia consciousness and related topics www.futureprimitive.org

Bountiful blessings of high vibrational plant love and healing

Jennifer

Visit to Merrick's Organic Farm Shop

A friendly welcome awaits

"I can't wait to taste that!' Exclaimed Amanda, plucking a jar of home-made spiced pumpkin and apricot jelly from the shelf. We were both amazed and delighted by the varied bounty of fresh, organic produce on sale at Merrick Farm's shop.

It was my suggestion to make the trip from Glastonbury. A former housemate of mine used to visit weekly and return with unfeasible amounts of lovely looking fruit, veg and flowers.

Blessed with sunny blue skies, we chatted and laughed as we bounced along Somerset's rural roads in Amanda's beloved campervan.

Simon who owns and manages Merrick Farm popped into the barn-cum-shop and introduced himself.  He was friendly and relaxed as was the general vibe of the place. His wife Jane also dropped by, presumably the genius talent behind the awesome array of pickles, jellies, jams and chutneys on sale. She must  be one terrific cook, I thought.

Shopping is relaxed and fun

The abundant farm produce is pre-bagged and attractively arranged on shelves. One simply helps oneself, tallies up the bill and leaves cash payment in a pot. It is very reasonably priced.

'This is the way,' affirmed Amanda, selecting ripe tomatoes, strawberries, early season Discovery eating apples and mixed salad leaves, 'You get loads in a bag!'

I was entertaining myself with carrots that looked like people, generally enraptured by the whole experience. It was a green juicer's heaven and I was totally blissed to find inky dark Cavello Nero (90p), stubby cucumbers (35p), pungent, glossy parsley (80p) Fave find: fresh fennel bulbs complete with herby fronds (3 for 1.65).

Got carrots!

I treated my friend to a bunch of gorgeous smelling sweet pea blooms (2.50) as a thanks for driving.

And made a mental note to return for the Swiss chard, bright yellow baby patty pan squash and calabrese broccoli which I had neither fridge nor stomach space for.

Highly recommended.


Merricks Organic Farm shop is open Tuesday - Saturday with stock delivered Tues, Fri and Sat
www.merricksorganicfarm.co.uk

Merrick farm produce is also available from Cobbs Health Foods of Somerton
Tel: 01458 274066

The Kitty Commandments: Teachings from the furry, purry one

Cute and feisty at seven weeks

My delightful cat companion Kitty turns two today.  Born in a barn on a local farm, I have looked after her since she was a tiny kitten, so small she could fit in a pocket! 

I have come to recognize her as a noble teacher who has much to show me. 

Here are the top ten Kitty commandments:

1 Trust your instincts and stay sharp. Avoid cars, busy streets, loud noises and angry people.

2 Be discriminating in what you eat and insist on freshly prepared food. Do not compromise!

3 Spend as much time as possible outside, preferably in wild, natural environments. Sleep outside in summer.

4 Always maintain a high level of personal grooming.

Keep exploring, whatever the weather

5 Sleep is a priority: choose a warm, comfortable and quiet spot.

6 Be playful! Climb trees, roll in the grass, commune with butterflies and bees.  

7 Green grass is medicine.

8 Stretch the body and especially the spine.

9 You are a sensual being. Receive physical affection and show your pleasure.

10 Be open and loving whilst maintaining a strong sense of self. Be vocal in expressing yourself!

Praise and blessings to all cats of the world!

Jennifer

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Local food find: free range eggs

This poster caught my eye

Once a week I take a short walk to my egg lady, who lives along the road, handy! Susan is one of a growing number of householders in Glastonbury, and nationally I suspect, who keep a few chickens in the back garden. I had noticed an alluring sign taped to the caravan in her driveway: Ex-bat Free range Chicken eggs for sale.

Until then, I considered that I was doing well buying free range eggs in a local store from a Somerset producer. Now I could take shopping locally to the next level and buy directly from within my community which is even better. Not a single food mile involved!

Susan is a busy mother and cat lover who looks after seven female birds, formerly resident in a battery farm, where birds are intensively farmed in an indoor environment. They were re-homed to her by the British Hen Welfare Trust, a UK charity. Susan explained that when the hens arrived, they had been plucked and needed rehabilitation. They had regained their feisty, spirit of adventure and would happily use the cat flap to get into the main house and party hard when they were able to slip in unnoticed!

No cockerel? The early morning crowing would have been unacceptable in our suburban environment, Susan felt. Fair point.

Super fresh, large and tasty!

I took a dozen eggs, paying one pound sixty, a total bargain! The eggs were still warm, brown, evenly sized and pretty clean too. Golden yolked, super fresh, they taste as good as you could imagine.

If you would like to get involved with chickens, check out Healing Waters Community Garden, a Glastonbury based food growing co-operative, currently recruiting new members. www.glastonburyhealinggardens.com

Will Peddle, 'the egg man' delivers eggs to homes and businesses in Glastonbury from his charming and immaculately maintained Morris Minor, find him at 4 Old Wells Road, Glastonbury.

Further information on re-homing farm hens from the British Hen Welfare Trust www.bhwt.org.uk

Singing for the Inner Child: New Workshop

Free child in nature

The inner child to me represents the most alive and feeling part of myself. A deep joy to be present with.

My inner child communicates with me through dreams, creativity and play and through strong emotion. Feeling scared, threatened and vulnerable are all signs that I am connected to this soft and sacred part of myself and I honour and cherish all my precious feelings.

If overwhelmed, threatened or rejected my inner child might withdraw, shut down, hide away. This produces an immediate deadening or numbing of my consciousness and can be accompanied by reactive, negative, self-destructive behaviours.

Through years of healing and self-discovery across many modalities I am really, really pleased to me mostly living from a state of self-connection with the occasional disconnect; I recognise that for most of my life the opposite was  true. What a gift to be living and co-creating with a divine, magical child!

My inner child responds positively to nurture of all kinds: a clean and comfortable home, the sanctuary of bed and bedroom is especially important. Opportunities to play in nature, to touch and feel the textures and sensations of leaves, twigs, stones and water.

Most of all my inner child requires for me to create a loving environment within myself. I need to emanate a vibration of kindness, acceptance and compassion and flood every cell of my body with unconditional love. Negative emotions directed from myself to myself are especially toxic to the inner child who is vulnerable to shame, blame, criticism and judgement.

I surround myself with loving friends, in effect a soul family, who reflect and amplify loving feelings back to me and encourage my inner child to stay present in the world. My inner child is learning that the world is a safe, enjoyable place to be. It is ok to self-express, my contributions are valuable, I am loved and appreciated: I am good enough and I matter!

African Lullaby workshop June 2010

A huge, huge part of my healing journey has been through patient and persistent repetition of positive affirmation; reprogramming core beliefs. 

And singing, the inner child loves to sing. I have gathered a wealth of devotional and medicine songs from many traditions, ancient and modern from all over our beautiful planet.

Songs mostly learnt in singing circles, passed orally. Often in nature, blessed by sacred elements: the ocean, sunset, around a fire.

I have selected a number of songs to pass on, with the focussed theme of Singing for the Inner Child. This workshop is not offered as a healing or as medicine, although I wish for all who attend to experience benefit. My intention is to gather a small group of people within a safe, held space. To create the conditions for the inner child to show up and receive nurture and positive affirmation.

Singing strengthens immunity, gladdens the heart and these simple songs take one out of the mind and into the heart. It is beautiful to be open, trusting and to share with others.

Musical talent or prior experience is definitely not a pre-requisite! We come as we are and all are welcome! I invite you to listen, receive, relax, participate as you feel appropriate.

This workshop is offered with love, in service to love and for the highest unfoldment of good for all.

I hope you can join me at  New Holistic Camp 2011 where I will be holding this circle during the gathering.

This workshop is likely to be repeated in Glastonbury in late summer. Keep an eye on my schedule for updates.

If you would like me to bring this workshop to your event, gathering or camp I welcome invitations! Contact me or leave a comment below.

New Holistic Camp website www.new-holistic.co.uk

Further resources for Inner Child work:

Louise Hay Forgiveness and Loving the Inner Child audio download
Inner Child Tarot
Music of Shania Noll
Books by Charles Whitfield
R E Jenemy's YouTube channel

Glastonbury high summer highlights

Glastonbury is a cosmic vortex, attracting a powerful inflow of healers, artists, poets, musicians, shamans and spiritual teachers from across the globe. High summer here is always an exuberant, colourful and passionate time of fun and festival, celebration and connection.

The next couple of weeks are packed with great events which I am looking forward to very much and recommend wholeheartedly:

Tuesday 19th July

Muriel Sings! New album launch

Hundred Monkeys Cafe
High St,  Glastonbury 7pm - 9pm

www.murielsings.com

Wednesday 20th July

The Overtone Project with Paul Terrell and Ravi

Shekinashram, Dod Lane 7pm - 9pm
www.shekinashram.org 

Friday 22nd July- Saturday 23rd July

BioBlitz Wildlife count and camp out

Glastonbury Abbey 2pm start for 24 hours

www.glastonburyabbey.com 

 

Saturday 23rd July
Herb Walk with Jenny Gaze

Glastonbury Abbey 10.30am - 1pm
www.jennygaze.com 

Monday 25th July

Love and Thanks to Water Ceremony

Chalice Well, Chilkwell Street 12pm - 1pm
www.chalicewell.org.uk 

Thursday 28th July

Singing Awake the Seven Goddesses

Workshop with Anique Radiant Heart

Glastonbury Goddess Conference

Glastonbury Town Hall  2.30pm - 5.30pm
ww.goddessconference.com 

Sunday 31st August

Sacred Sound Journeys

Adrian Freedman, Ravi and Tabla Tom

Shekinashram, Dod Lane, Glastonbury

6.30pm - 9.30pm
www.adrianfreedman.com 

Tuesday 2nd August

 Kirtan with David Newman

Shekinashram, Dod Lane, Glastonbury

7.15pm - 9.30pm
www.davidnewmanmusic.com 

I hope that you can be here as the magic unfolds...
Blessings of abundant joy and sunshine

Jennifer

Getting started: Teaching yoga at festivals

Here is a recent post from my facebook page:

Hi!  I enjoyed reading about the festival yoga! 

I would like to do something like that here in the states.  I live in Phoenix, AZ and my husband is a bluegrass musician. We like to travel to different festivals throughout the Southwest. I will be teaching traditional Raja, eight limb yoga.  

Would you mind sharing how you charge for something like that and what you do about mats, props, etc? 

Thank you!! Namaste!

It's great to work from a dedicated yoga space

How exciting to receive correspondence from the US. I love that people are enjoying my blog and interacting. It is my true pleasure to support others by sharing my experience and participating in the flowing and growing of yoga across our beautiful planet! 

Here are my thoughts and suggestions:

Choose festivals you like! This may sound obvious, you will be living that environment twenty four hours a day for up to a week or even longer. It makes sense to go somewhere enjoyable where you will be able to relax and have good times.

Initial contact: Email the healing/wellbeing area co-ordinator as well as the workshop co-ordinator to find out who is managing yoga. Larger festivals may have a designated yoga co-ordinator. There is usually a link on the festival website; if not send a mail to the general info address and ask to be put in touch with whoever co-ordinates workshops/yoga/wellbeing. 

When you have a relevant someone's attention; set out your proposal. Emphasize your passion for yoga and teaching, why you are interested in that particular festival and highlight any specialism you can offer. Family and partner yoga as well as beginner yoga are always well received. The more the festival is aligned with principles of mind-body-spirit connection and alternative lifestyle, the more you are able to go deep and offer mantra, sutra, pranayama etc.

A clean carpeted floor is a must!

Apply early in the year, in the UK Feb/March is about the right time to register an interest. Generally speaking, the larger the festival, the greater the level of organisation and pre-planning required. Attach a link to your website. If you don't have a business site I recommend setting up a facebook page or blog for a free online presence so as to present your approach to yoga, training and experience, ideally with photos. Think of it as your cyber CV!

Yoga teachers are expected to carry professional indemnity insurance, recognised teaching qualifications and possibly a clean criminal background check.

Popular events may have a full quotient of regular, returning teachers. Don't be discouraged! You could offer your services as a yoga team support/back-up teacher, teaching assistant or karma yogi. Chances are a gap in the timetable will arise and you will be able to step in! And you are sowing the seeds of success for forthcoming festivals and making connections within the festival yoga community.

Generally, teaching work is unpaid, you get a free ticket in, and time to yourself to enjoy the festival when not teaching. Friends and family will have to buy a ticket.

A quiet, outdoor meditative practice

Be bold and approach festivals that currently have no yoga, organisers may be receptive to introducing it. Be clear about your needs: often there is a general workshop space: will it be suitable? Clean and dry? I don't recommend yoga under the elements, ideally the space is carpeted and designated shoe free. One of my favourite all time venues was a silk parachute draped between trees forming a beautiful translucent canopy and allowing cool air to circulate: blissful!

Mats are usually supplied by the yoga coordinator. Always check in advance. If you are sole teacher and are committed to several festivals, seek out used mats: Contact local yoga studios, teachers, gyms and wellness centres and ask if they are disposing of any used mats, offer to take them in return for a donation to their favourite charity. Call your friends!  You could post similar requests in health food stores and online communities such as freecycle.

Props?  For ease and simplicity I tend to modify my teaching to match the environment. There may be cushions and meditation blocks available if you are working within a dedicated healing area. I once taught inside a tipi strewn with sheepskins!

Fun and exuberance of family yoga!

A typical festival yoga session is one hour long. When I am sole teacher I offer a daily morning class at ten am. If I feel like giving more I may schedule a restorative session late afternoon. 

Decide your policy on children participating, whether you have a cut off time for starting, as folks tend to see things happening from outside and wander in. Yoga can be extremely popular; you may need an upper numbers limit, though it can be fun to spill out onto the grass if the sun is not too fierce!

You have a great opportunity to self-promote. Take flyers, cards etc if you have upcoming events to promote. I always collect email addresses, by circulating a form on a clipboard at the end of each session. Follow up with a courtesy email to the group promptly after the festival to thank your students for attending the sessions and for subscribing.

Other essentials: travel clock, incense and lighter, chimes, leg warmers! A flexible, positive attitude!

I hope that this is helpful, festival yoga is so much fun!

Yoga related questions are always welcome here and on facebook

Namaste

Jennifer

Being the change: radical honesty, surrender and kindness

Honouring the path of growth

The path to the authentic self is sometimes smooth and peaceful: I am well established in daily practices that support my health, well being and growth. I mostly cruise along with ease and calm.

At other times, some greater force is clearly in charge and nothing goes to plan. As though my life is contained in a shoebox that is being shaken roughly by the Gods and higher spirit beings. Everything is disturbed and dislocated and nothing can be relied upon.

Today has been one of those days. It began yesterday and was seeded a long way back. We are mid festival season and my beautiful and much loved hand painted caravan has been parked on the drive since the end of May. Festivals have come and gone and I have stayed home, save a brief away day mission to the Glastonbury site.

I had been planning to attend Buddhafield, my favourite event. Yesterday, during preparations, I noticed that I was feeling tired and headachy. I was also questioning whether I did want to go to the festival. I was to be holding a singing circle, a change from my usual full time work as a healer. I would have a lot of free time and wondered whether I was resisting the change, from fear.

Super exhausted I went to bed at 8pm, and requested dream guidance. Following a deeply nourishing twelve hour sleep I awoke feeling decidedly unwell. I had dreamed of climbing a high vertical bank of soft sand which was subsiding under my feet. Interpretation: overambition leading to a lack of success. A pretty clear message.

It felt like no small coincidence that I had spent time with two friends in recent days who had both burned themselves out at festivals  They were both sick, fluey and lacking in energy. What better mirror could I have?

And yet, some part of me wanted to persevere, to battle on. I have a history of overextending myself, overachieving and burnout and this part of my psyche is always pushing me to reach beyond my limits. And so, I set about collecting water from the White Spring and composing a grocery list, as though the festival was still an achievable reality. I was in denial. And at the same time, feelings started to grow stronger, from within. An inner knowing: I needed to stay home and rest and maintain my daily practices.

A flat tyre is a potent symbol

I felt ill, lousy and returning  home I could see that my caravan had a flat tyre. Another message from spirit. I could have forced the situation forwards: taken medication, got the tyre re-inflated, packed up the caravan and gone to the festival....

And then what? Get really sick and take weeks to recover? This was not even an option. As I absorbed the reality that I was going nowhere, strong feelings erupted from within. Sobs and sobs of tears: and powerful waves of emotion: I was upset, angry, frustrated.

Loss and disappointment were overwhelming: the situation was cruel and unfair. I felt frightened by my perceived lack of resilience; that I was functioning less and less in the outside world. I wanted to be expansive, playful and connected: to be having fun times with friends in summer fields, to meet new people and to be uplifted. Instead I was stuck at home, unwell with a very small range of movement. How could this be happening to me?

In the microcosm of this very small and highly personal experience the macrocosm is reflected. There is an epidemic of stress, struggle and burnout on so many levels in Western society.

The consequences of an imbalanced attitude characterised by imposing outcomes, ignoring limits and overriding signs of stress, unchecked expansion, unsustainable growth, controlling, depleting resources, arrogance and linear thinking. All attributes I once embodied and lived and promoted! The path to my harmony is to integrate softer gentler qualities and spiritual values:

I was able to find peace through giving myself credit for:

♥  Bringing full awareness and radical honesty to the situation and respecting the full truth.

 ♥ Staying present with myself ; allowing and accepting a full flow of uncomfortable feelings: Risking being real.

 ♥  Honouring guidance from feeling, intuition, dreams, bodily symptoms and outer synchronicities.

♥  Trusting that some greater good would come, even though I might not see it now: humility and surrender.

♥  Prioritising self-care, kindness and gentleness. 

♥ Acknowledging my courage, vulnerability and authenticity.

♥ Appreciating and celebrating that I am able to transform an unhealthy and deeply entrenched pattern.

This is proving to be a summer of tremendous personal change and growth for me; how is it for you? I welcome all comments and feedback.

May we all become our most authentic, peaceful and healthy selves!

Jennifer

Summer yoga: creating a balanced practice with ayurveda

Peaceful, easy twist

I love, love, love the summer; the bright, early mornings are a perfect call to practice. Holding the sun in my heart I begin my sun salutations with a joyful spirit. The body is warmer and looser in the summer and it should be possible to sustain a vigorous asana practice. 

Here are some suggestions: 

 - Surya namaskara; between three to five each of type 'A' and 'B' from the classic astanga vinyasa practice. Or vary the classic hatha sequence; introduce a standing twist following warrior. 

 - Use the power and energy of a strong inhalation to sustain standing poses such as garudasana and utkatasana, holding each for five slow breaths, maintain drishti!

 - Explore backbends and twists more deeply; the exhilaration and freedom of urdhva dhanurasana is hard to beat! 

Now for balance: let us not be tempted to create a one-sided yang practice; imbalance is the cause of stress and ultimately injury and illness in the body and mind. Ayurveda advises us to temper the pitta or fire element of summer with measures that cool the constitution. We wish to avoid overheating the body and the emotions! 

Meditative shoreline practice at dusk

 - Favour the cool early morning or dusk. Refrain from practising between midday and three pm when the sun's energy is most powerful.

- Enjoy strong poses, but release any forcefulness or competitive thoughts. Don't be tempted to push yourself  further or deeper; cultivate a relaxed attitude of lightness and playful enquiry.

 - Counterpose strong asana with restorative poses: forward bends and supine twists. Lengthen your exhalation in these poses and surrender deeply, allowing the body to fully relax.

 - Practice in loose clothing made from natural fibres, light colours if possible: pale blue, green and white evoke the cooling tones of  nature. 


 - During meditation, focus on heart centred loving thoughts; releasing irritations and frustrations towards oneself or others.  Metta meditation is great and so is the Buddhist mantra: Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu May all beings be happy and well.

 - Visualisation: walking along a shoreline at dawn or dusk, feeling the cooling breeze upon your skin, soothed by the calming flow of the waves. 

 - Post-practice: drink plenty of water. For extra benefit add a 30ml shot of pure aloe vera juice.
 
Enjoy your yoga and stay well!

Recommended reading : Yoga and Ayurveda by David Frawley
View additional photos from my visit to Goa, March 2009  on facebook

The Descent of Goddess Ganga

Invited to a storytelling gathering,  I knew at once I wanted to relate the myth of how the sacred Indian river Ganges, considered  a living female deity in the Hindu tradition, came to Earth. 

The descent of Goddess Ganga

Lord Vamana crossing the earth and planets

The great journey of Ganga to the Earth began when a young Brahmin boy interrupted a sacrifice by King Bali, ruler of the Universe. 

Bali agreed to give this captivating boy the charity he begged for. Only three paces of land by the measurement of his own small steps; what could be the harm? Suddenly the Brahmin boy grew to immense proportions. He revealed himself as Lord Vamana, an avatar of Vishnu.   

With his first step he traversed the Earth and the lower planets. With his second step he covered the heavens, until the toenails of his foot pierced a hole in the covering of the Universe. Through that hole rushed the pure waters of the causal ocean. Thus, Ganga was born.

Innumerable universes float in the causal ocean. Ganga flows through the hole in our Universe made by Lord Vamana’s toe. She pierces through the layers of covering; millions of miles of ethereal air, space, water, fire and earth. Ganga emerges in the higher planets of our universe, home of the celestial demi-Gods. Her sacred waters, the Milky Way, arch across the heavens. Ganga passes Druvaloka, or the polestar and the constellation of the seven sages.

Shiva catches Ganga in his hair

King Bhagirath had been fasting and praying in the Himalaya for Ganga to descend from heaven to relieve him and his ancestors of past karma.

Goddess Ganga appeared before him in the form of a beautiful woman and asked, When I fall to the surface of the earth, my waters will strike the earth with great force. Who will sustain that force?

The blue throated one, mighty Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared and captured all of Ganga in his thick matted hair as she launched herself onto earth. 

Caught in the infinite swirls and whirls of Shivas hair, Gangas force was softened and made more sacred by her direct contact with Shiva. Ganga struck the earth at safely at Gaumukh in the high Himalaya. Finally, her holy waters began to flow on Earth.

This telling of the myth is inspired by a charming movie which I recently enjoyed, documenting the course of the river Ganges from sea to source.

 Mother Ganga : documentary

Here is some beautiful atmospheric music to accompany the tale:

Summer sprouting, foraging and juicing tips

Vigorous young dandelions, Chalice Hill

Summer is a great time for juicing. Ayurveda instructs us that summer is the season of pitta, fire.  Thus to maintain health through natural balance we need to cool ourselves. Juices are ideal in this regard and can be taken in lieu of meals.

Nature provides: in tropical climates, coconuts grow abundantly and provide excellent nutrition as well as a sweet and delicious drink.

Here in the UK, with a decidedly cooler climate we can make the best of what is offered to us. There are some marvellous water rich lettuces growing well, romaine or cos has the highest nutrient density and juices nicely as part of a light and refreshing green lemonade. I picked up some squat, knobbly cucumbers grown at a local farm, a welcome change from their sleek, smooth skinned cousins.

If you can make peace with the food miles and include European produce, then melons are a good buy at the moment and juice well on their own. The holy grail of melons for me is the dark skinned, red fleshed watermelon; if organic I will juice the rind, where 90% of nutrients are to be found. And then munch down on the slippery dark seeds, nothing gets wasted! The resultant juice is a murky brown; don't be put off; it tastes wonderful!

Fresh new nettle growth, Wick Hollow

The recent contrasting weather of heavy rain and blasting sunshine has reinvigorated the hedgerows of Glastonbury. I have renewed my foraging for wild greens, which adds robustness to summer juices.  My favourite leaves right now are dandelion and nettle. I am looking for new growth as this is where the vitality and vigour of the plant is to be found.

Dandelion leaves should be young: bright green, erect and bursting with life. Older leaves are darker, tired looking and with the classic toothed appearance. Leave behind any nettles that have flowered, their life force is now in the reproductive parts of the plant. Live and let live, let the plant complete its cycle. Look instead for fresh new growth, low to the ground. I pick off the tips, the first few centimeters only.

Sun scorched wheatgrass in recovery!

At home, I have had to modify my sprouting methods. I am finding that everything I plant wants to bolt towards the light. The perspex covered annex which perfectly supports my mini plant kingdom during spring and autumn in summer is conducive to yellowed wheat grass tips and leggy baby sunflower greens.

I  moved operations to a cooler, darker spot and mist more frequently, this seems to do the trick.

Recipe for green summer lemonade:

Whole cucumber, skin on 

Head of romaine lettuce

Melon of choice

Handful of fresh mint

Juice all ingredients, adjusting quantities to taste.  Drink as soon as possible after juicing, ideally immediately. Share with friends and bless Mother Earth for her gifts!

Celebrating midsummer in Glastonbury

View of Glastonbury town from Bushy Coombe

We celebrated summer solstice on June 21st; the longest day in our calendar  and the start of high summer. This year on hiatus from Glastonbury festival, I spent my time in the town and its environs.

Midsummer is more than a moment in time, it is a mini season and it is a mood, a state of being. A time to feel colourful, joyful, with good physical energy and aliveness.

I'm sharing a few personal moments via photographs taken in recent days and letting the images speak for themselves. I  kept my schedule loose and unstructured, plenty of walks in the leafy lanes around Glastonbury Tor and low key gatherings with friends.

Sheep grazing Glastonbury Tor

View across to Wearyall Hill

 

New Moon fire ceremony

Bushy Coombe

 

    White Spring lovingly tended                   Urban poppy growing wild

 Sacred song circle and evening fire

It has been wonderfully nourishing and subtle. I look forward to many happy days ahead as summer unfolds.

 

Boundaries, over-listening and energy management

Do you over listen to others?

What you have here is a drop system, began the plumber, tapping the pipes below the boiler. I could feel a lecture coming on. As he paused to take a deep inbreath,  I interjected swiftly, politely and definitely: I'm afraid you've already lost me.

He got the message and looked hurt. It was clear that he really wanted to explain the system to me. However I had neither the time nor motivation to listen. Most importantly I have found that overlistening exhausts me emotionally and energetically. Today as well as emptying the radiators, this innocent looking middle aged man could easily end up draining me, if I allow it.

Not only do I suffer in the present moment; overtime this pattern depletes physical health and wellbeing and ultimately contributes to weakened immunity, disconnection from the true self, chronic fatigue and burnout. I have worked on myself for a number of years to restore health and aliveness and refuse to compromise my wellbeing: I am too important!

The cues are always present if we are willing to listen.  
Signs that I am about to be drained emotionally/energetically:

My joy falls away
I get a contraction in my solar plexus
My head starts to feel heavy and dull
I feel anxious and panicky, wanting to escape

If I don't act to protect myself, in addition to above I may experience:

Headaches
Loss of physical energy and vitality
Disturbed sleep: difficulty falling asleep, early wakefulness
Dreams of being invaded in some way, home break-in or being aggressively pursued
Not feeling refreshed by sleep, physical dullness and fatigue

In her recently published work Emotional Freedom, Californian energy psychiatrist Dr Judith Orloff describes four types of energy vampires, archetypal personalities we may encounter. It is a useful read, and I recommend it. I also feel that the term vampire while explicit and immediate construes a sense of helplessness and passivity, victimhood. Undesirable.

My recovery has come from an attitude of empowerment and taking personal responsibility, without blaming or judging others.(Including myself!)

Time spent in nature heals and restores

Practical steps to restore energy.

Walk in nature; take in fresh air and unseen natural forces, breathe deeply!

Bathe to cleanse the physical body. Ideally wild water such as a natural spring, river or the ocean.

Burn incense or natural resins to purify your environment, open windows and doors to release stagnant energy.

Listen to and repeat a prayer, mantra or healing affirmation to clear your aura and calm the mind.

Visualise and reconnect to the feeling of light mood and limitless energy, remember a time when you felt this way.

Back to today's story. I quietly exited the kitchen, leaving the plumber to continue his work. I virtually skipped across the garden, a sense of  celebration and jubilation filling me from within. Sensations of  happiness and wellness, the inner being responding to self-love. The fruits of self-care, so sweet and precious and plenty of energy left to spend as I choose.