May 2014

May 2014

Welcome to the Dare to Blossom Newsletter

In this issue:

Reflections: Giving Thanks

Guest article: Reflection - Easter and New Life by Cate

News: Enterprising Women Conference with Alex Polizzi

Reflections: Giving Thanks

This has been a year of gratitude for me. Gratitude becoming a practice that I am more able to return to when things aren't seeming to go well. This evening, as I write this, I am grateful to Cate for submitting her piece as the first guest article. Starting from the simple actions of cooking eggs, she is led into thinking about her responses to life, creating a beautiful piece of flow-writing.(If you don't like eggs, or can't eat them, treat it as a beautiful metaphor.)

If you read these newsletters regularly you may recall that I suggested you might like to submit something, partly as a way for me to reduce my own potential load of writing monthly as well as the weekly Rediscovery Card pieces. It is only a 'potential load' as it has rarely felt that way, and I have two more cards to write about before completing my challenge to myself of writing about all fifty cards. I have yet to decide what happens next. More on that when I have completed the task.

The invitation remains open in any case, please do send in anything of your own writing you'd like to see included here. Provided I feel it is suitable for this place, I will be happy to include your writing.  

My gratitude list is now very long and I feel blessed that it is so. In this month of May I always give thanks when passing the 12 May, the anniversary of the day I was given the diagnosis of cancer. It will be particularly significant this 12 May as it is twenty years.

Last Sunday Dave and I visited a favourite spot - the Japanese Garden at St Mawgan. It is beautiful at any time of year, and particularly so in spring and autumn. Now the acers are in the first glory of new leaf, wonderful fresh colours in an amazing range of shades: greens from bright acid colours to softer olive greens; varigated leaves with pink and green together; and stunning bright pinks and reds. This photo captures just a hint of one peaceful scene.



I am full of gratitude to the people who created the beautiful garden and who tend it so that it looks completely natural.

Thank you also to each of you reading this: every one of you is dear and precious.

Guest article: Reflections - Easter and New Life by Cate

Outside in the garden, Spring is much in evidence, young green leaves are forming on the trees, apple blossom and early flowers are in bloom. Over the Easter weekend I found myself considering new life and the choices I make in regard to how I wish to live my life today. One morning as I was about to make my breakfast, I held a free range egg in my hand and considered the many ways I could choose to cook it.

I had taken a half dozen egg box out of the fridge. Cleverly designed it carefully holds and protects the eggs in transit over many miles and through changing hands to my home. From a farm and its hens to my local supermarket. Cool storage keeps the eggs fresh until they are required. I lifted the lid of the pale green, recycled cardboard box and carefully selected an egg of my choice. I studied its size, shape, delicate pastel-brown shade and the unique markings on its shell.  

Rarely do I have a boiled egg in the morning, that is something I like to have on a Sunday evening instead. I still make toasted ‘soldiers’ as my mum did when I was a child (and she continues to do so today). I have enjoyed making scrambled eggs for breakfast many times as it is quick and easy, as is a fried egg. However, I wanted to make a poached egg that morning. For this I need a bit more time and concentration.

To make a boiled egg, I pretty much know the result I will have. The hard shell defines the shape of the result. Timing is of the essence as I cannot see the inside cooking as the water bubbles and boils around it. The result, rarely a surprise, takes the form of a solid white, with the yolk held in the middle. If you are like me, cooking is timed to hopefully result in a nice soft, runny yolk to dip buttered toast into whilst hot, with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Scrambled eggs mean a complete change in the visible outcome and texture. Scrambling the egg combines the whites and the yolk as one, in a soft, fluffy, irregular shaped mixture. They also require some whisking or beating as part of the preparation and then regular stirring in a non stick pan until ready.

A fried egg is slightly different. As I break the shell and lower the egg into a frying pan, I can see the white of the egg, gradually clouding and then the yellow of the egg cooking. It obligingly sits there with little movement and waits until it is ready. I wanted to make a poached egg as I had a little more time to devote to my breakfast.

So, to the task in hand. I have aspired for some time to make the perfect poached egg. Not in a pre-shaped mould, but free form, in a pan of hot water. When I lived in Australia, a Sydney cafe brunch was not complete without a pair of beautifully poached eggs sitting on top of hot, toasted, crisp, golden brown, buttered Turkish bread or rye, with fresh or cooked spinach and tomatoes on the side. I miss that.

In recent years, I have set myself the task of becoming proficient in the art of poaching eggs and I am getting better at it. It has taken patience and practice as well as humility to ask friends for tips and help along the way. Unlike other recipes, I have not looked this up on the internet, I like the personal touch. I’ve learned not to strive for perfection in cooking or life, so this process has become more of an enjoyable experiment and lesson in observation. Making a poached egg is now something I don’t take too seriously, it is something I can be more light hearted and playful with.

As I went through the motions of deciding my approach, the preparation and cooking of my humble poached egg, I thought about how similar this method of cooking and process is to my life and the way I wish to live it at present.

With shallow water in a pan, the water comes to a simmer fairly quickly. I then hold the pan handle and swirl the water in a circular motion. In my life I don’t like the inner feeling of turbulence too much - anxiety, fear, or uncertainty, I’d prefer more stillness, but life is full of change and motion.

I then add vinegar - a spirit. This is needed to bind the egg, to hold it together. The motion of the water coupled with the vinegar prevents the egg from foaming up, all over the pan in a frothy bubbly mass. I then have to take the risk of cracking the egg shell and drop it carefully into the swirling hot water.

Before my eyes a beautiful rounded form emerges. The white folds around the yolk and I can observe the egg cooking, gently buffeted by the simmering. Sometimes the result is even up to Vogue Living standards - one of the glossiest of cookery magazines.

In the moment I made my poached egg this Easter, I saw before me the way I currently feel about my life. I have lived wanting security, stability, certainty - like a boiled egg. I can be scrambled at times, get in a muddle, mixed up and feel a bit beaten. I can take an easy path and sit there like a fried egg flat in the pan, without too much turbulence, being a bit predictable, or I can take a more risky and experimental path. The swirling motion of the water is like my ever changing life, if I remember the ever present spirit of life available to us all, which can truly hold me together sometimes, I can let life gently shape me to a beautiful, natural form.

Cate -  26th April 2014

News: Enterprising Women Conference with Alex Polizzi

If you are within reach of Wadebridge in Cornwall on 13 May or Buckfastleigh in Devon on 14 May, you may be interested in a chance to hear Alex Polizzi speak live. At each day those attending will be entered in a free draw to win a one-to-one business review with Alex (two chances at each venue). There are also workshops on a variety of subjects and plenty of time to meet other women in business. I'll at the Cornwall event as part of my role as an enterprise coach and trainer with Outset Cornwall, and it would be lovely to see you there. Full details and booking via the Enterprising Women website.

Thank you - for being my companion, for your support and comments, for sharing your suggestions and thoughts. 

If you are waiting for this weeks's Rediscovery Card piece - it may not arrive until next week.  I have not yet written it, and I may give myself a break and more time to consider and write to share with you. As I mentioned above, there are just two cards left of the fifty, and they will both be done before I set of for the 'Conscious Writing Retreat' with Julia McCutchen - perfect timing.

As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

Thank you dear friends for sharing time with me here.

Until next time,

with love,
Mary

*if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.

Being

23 April 2014 A great  card to have this week when I've been having an Easter break, and able to really appreciate 'being' as well as doing. My challenge is to keep that awareness strong in the busy times. To be conscious of how I am being as well as what I am doing. Many of the qualities that are important to me in 'being' - such as love, compassion, grace - all too easily become yet another list of things I 'have to do.'. How can I choose how to be, when sometimes I feel I do not know who to be? It has taken me a long time to come home to myself enough to begin, again, to know. A few years ago a person senior to me where I worked (and who had interviewed me and influenced my appointment) said something that really rang an alarm bell for me. Something along the lines of 'Where has Mary gone?' After a redundancy (my second) and a lot of effort in job applications and interviews, I was in what felt like my 'dream job'. I'm not sure what happened then exactly, but maybe I was trying too hard to be exactly what I thought the company, and my colleagues, wanted me to be. In any case, various events shook my confidence badly. I felt as if all the aspects of my work I was good at had been demolished and shown to be false.  The comment 'Where has Mary gone?' was part of a process of rebuilding and recovering, remembering what I am good at and who I am. I hadn't realised how lost I had become, how disconnected from my own inner wisdom, from my true being. Each of us has this, our true self, our being that just is. Just is the essence of each of us. Just is the unique and amazing bright spark that only this one individual can bring to the world, and that can shine simply by being themselves. These events took place after I had already spent many years rediscovering and becoming more aware, and that 'crash' felt as if I had slipped all the way back to the bottom of the mountain again. I have often used the metaphor of the spiral path to comfort myself when I feel I am revisiting the same old issues, yet again. The thought that maybe I am at a higher level on the upward spiral, passing over the same things again but able to see them from a different perspective has been useful for me. One of my coaches, (I am usually working with someone for my own support and development) challenged me on this, with questions such as 'What if there is no mountain? What if there is no path? Nowhere you have to go, no one you have to be - what if you are already perfect, you need do nothing, just be?' By changing my thoughts about something, can I change my reality too? Recently I bought myself a very special pendant, a silver spiral with a tiny peridot stone in the centre. Looking at this now, even though it is a man-made three-dimensional solid piece of metal, I can visualise it as representing a continuous reality, a universe where there is no space, no time, all is one and we are all part of the whole. Each a part of the multi-coloured, magnificent world, not having to do anything, simply be, simply shine out as our true selves. Here is picture taken on the rich dark leaves of the plant growing in a pot outside my summerhouse study. I am finding it difficult to write about 'Being', and I am not sure if my words are making any sense at all. And, maybe that is not surprising, I am trying hard to 'do' something (writing at the moment, but it could be speaking, painting, drawing) to represent something that just is. 'Being' is just being, it needs no qualification or description. However to return to the beginning of my thoughts here - in that case, can I choose to be something positive: happy, rather than sad; assertive rather than aggressive? Or if sometimes I need to be sad (or angry or grumpy), can I be those things in a way that helps rather than destroys - for myself and others? Again I am tying myself in knots with words. The colour of this card, the rich luscious purple, feels whole. As if it is sufficient in itself. And rejoicing in being that which it is. Maybe that is something I can aim for - rejoicing in being, whatever that being encompasses at this particular moment? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am smiling at myself now. Having written that piece as 'flow writing' (without editing or self-censoring), I went back and started doing just that - thinking 'Oh, this isn't very good, not sure if it makes sense.' The purpose of sharing these thoughts has always been, for me, to be open about the process that I go through when I draw a card, and the thoughts and feelings that arise prompted by the word and the colour. So I am smiling at my impulse just now to start looking for good quotations, and to go back and edit - as that would have gone against that aim. How interesting that I have forgotten that now, after nearly fifty cards - though I know this has happened on other occasions. My wish is that by sharing my random thoughts, by simply being me, there may be some nuggets within that pique your interest in some way (even if to laugh at, or hopefully with, me!) As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this week and sharing my musings. Until next time, with love, Mary *if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read and comment here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.

Cherish

16 April 2014 Such a comforting card, 'Cherish' feels to me much like 'Gratitude', and also somehow softer, more gentle. A warm idea, cherishing those people and things already close to my heart. Feeling grateful, yes, and also feeling fondness, love, warmth. Here, in my cosy office/study, I am surrounded by cherished things. What makes them 'cherished'? I realise as I write that what makes them so are the memories attached. So, even if I did not have them any longer, I would still cherish them. A week or so ago, I had the delight of being asked to speak to a group of women in Cornwall, known as 'Wow - Magical Meetings for Women'. I had a 'sort of' plan for the hour I was to speak - which I find the best sort of plan - having an idea of some themes and then speaking from my heart. That morning as I collected things together to take with me to set the scene for demonstrating the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards, I wasn't sure what to pick as a centrepiece. In my two glass-fronted bookcases I have a collection of cherished ornaments and gifts - and my eyes were drawn to a special piece that my late mother made. There is a picture below as it is hard to describe, my mother was an expert in embroidery techniques and she used this skill to make a number of items to sell as gifts and this is one of those. A beautiful beach pebble to which she has glued embroidered pieces that look a little like seaweed and sea anemones, maybe starfish even. Such a simple yet original idea - and a gift I cherished when she gave it to me, and even more now. Taking it with me that day felt as if she was there supporting me (and I am sure she was). The purple background colour of this card combined with 'Cherish' feels rich and sumptuous; luxurious and special. 'Cherishing' can also be a part of self-care and self-love: if I do not allow myself to feel cherished, by caring well for my body and soul, how can I have the energy and inner resources to cherish others? Now I am thinking of a more active feeling than that of enjoying a memento - where people are concerned cherishing for me means speaking out and acting. Showing those I care for in words and deeds that they are special to me, that they are appreciated and loved - and cherished - just as they are, for who they are, without the need to prove anything. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this week and sharing my musings. Until next time, with love, Mary Also find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Face book.

Aspiration

9 April 2014 Interesting word - 'Aspiration'. I read in the dictionary that it is derived from Latin, with the original meaning "action of breathing into", and the modern meaning "steadfast longing for a higher goal, earnest desire for something above one". So what do I aspire to? What are my aspirations? Creating, whether writing, painting, sewing, the craft work I made and sold as a business for years - has always been part of my life. 'Breathing into' whatever I do with passion and commitment - and with joy and excitement and fun - is a key part of life for me. Maybe it is fundamental - creating is life? Everything is all about creating. Does it feel that way for you? From the moment I wake in the morning I am creating my day: will I choose to give in to feeling tired and a little grumpy (as I often do, feel it I mean, I hope I don't give in to it too often?) - or will I choose to get up with grace and be open to what the day brings without colouring it with those feelings? People who may feel they have not achieved a lot in their lives have been creating quietly rather than publicly and flamboyantly. I often look around at other women and slip into the trap of comparison: she has a lovely family and grandchildren; she has a successful career and glittering awards. When I turn outwards in a different way and appreciate the things my close friends and family do for me and the links I have around the world with people I have never met - then I realise that I am living my own life in my own way. My way is different, as is your way, and that of the person next to you - the joy of each individual creating. My particular aspirations are unique to me, as are yours to you. My "steadfast longing for a higher goal, earnest desire for something above one", is about seeing the special spark in each of us. I hope in some way to help the people I come into contact with to see that in themselves. To truly believe that they do have their own answers; that they can connect with the universal wisdom that resides in themselves and every other soul; that they can come to know themselves in their own hearts and be seen as the glorious creative beings we all are. This photograph I took last weekend at the Caerhays Castle Gardens, in the mist somehow illustrates this for me. The towering rhododendron with the stunning flowers, the fallen petals beautifully creating a carpet of red. Even as the petals will be adding to the richness of the soil as they decay and decompose, they are sharing of themselves. I am struggling to explain why this seems apt here - I am not sure if there is really a relevant metaphor to be drawn out - maybe I simply need to share the beauty of a transitory moment - the flowers, the tree, the misty weather conditions - all combining in a moment that will never be repeated in exactly the same way. Maybe my aspiration is to be awake - awake to those moments of natural beauty; awake to my own insights and inspirations; awake to others around me. We are all on a similar road, sometimes tripping on the bumps, stumbling in the mist, each feeling alone but surrounded by beauty and support if we look and truly see. The colour of the card is the deep deep blue of a summer sky right overhead. It is a shame that the phrase 'blue sky thinking' has been so over-used. I love that idea of allowing thoughts to wander off into the distance; to soar above day-to-day concerns and constraints; to fly off into new realms, and to return to inspire us to aim for heights beyond our wildest dreams - to aspire to achieve our very highest potential. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this week and sharing my musings. Until next time, with love, Mary *if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.

Aspiration

9 April 2014 Interesting word - 'Aspiration'. I read in the dictionary that it is derived from Latin, with the original meaning "action of breathing into", and the modern meaning "steadfast longing for a higher goal, earnest desire for something above one". So what do I aspire to? What are my aspirations? Creating, whether writing, painting, sewing, the craft work I made and sold as a business for years - has always been part of my life. 'Breathing into' whatever I do with passion and commitment - and with joy and excitement and fun - is a key part of life for me. Maybe it is fundamental - creating is life? Everything is all about creating. Does it feel that way for you? From the moment I wake in the morning I am creating my day: will I choose to give in to feeling tired and a little grumpy (as I often do, feel it I mean, I hope I don't give in to it too often?) - or will I choose to get up with grace and be open to what the day brings without colouring it with those feelings? People who may feel they have not achieved a lot in their lives have been creating quietly rather than publicly and flamboyantly. I often look around at other women and slip into the trap of comparison: she has a lovely family and grandchildren; she has a successful career and glittering awards. When I turn outwards in a different way and appreciate the things my close friends and family do for me and the links I have around the world with people I have never met - then I realise that I am living my own life in my own way. My way is different, as is your way, and that of the person next to you - the joy of each individual creating. My particular aspirations are unique to me, as are yours to you. My "steadfast longing for a higher goal, earnest desire for something above one", is about seeing the special spark in each of us. I hope in some way to help the people I come into contact with to see that in themselves. To truly believe that they do have their own answers; that they can connect with the universal wisdom that resides in themselves and every other soul; that they can come to know themselves in their own hearts and be seen as the glorious creative beings we all are. This photograph I took last weekend at the Caerhays Castle Gardens, in the mist somehow illustrates this for me. The towering rhododendron with the stunning flowers, the fallen petals beautifully creating a carpet of red. Even as the petals will be adding to the richness of the soil as they decay and decompose, they are sharing of themselves. I am struggling to explain why this seems apt here - I am not sure if there is really a relevant metaphor to be drawn out - maybe I simply need to share the beauty of a transitory moment - the flowers, the tree, the misty weather conditions - all combining in a moment that will never be repeated in exactly the same way. Maybe my aspiration is to be awake - awake to those moments of natural beauty; awake to my own insights and inspirations; awake to others around me. We are all on a similar road, sometimes tripping on the bumps, stumbling in the mist, each feeling alone but surrounded by beauty and support if we look and truly see. The colour of the card is the deep deep blue of a summer sky right overhead. It is a shame that the phrase 'blue sky thinking' has been so over-used. I love that idea of allowing thoughts to wander off into the distance; to soar above day-to-day concerns and constraints; to fly off into new realms, and to return to inspire us to aim for heights beyond our wildest dreams - to aspire to achieve our very highest potential. As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this week and sharing my musings. Until next time, with love, Mary *if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.

Joy

2 April 2014

A lovely card to come out this week. Looking at it, I am thinking what a happy shape the word makes, I've not noticed that before. The three letters just look as if they are enjoying themselves! (The exclamation mark is because I've realised that 'enjoyed' itself includes 'joy'.)

Joy has lots of meanings for me: the joy of special life events - a marriage, a birth, a graduation after a lot of hard work. And the joy of being unreasonably happy - happy without a reason - like a child, just skipping along and humming because life is good.

The glorious colour is joyful in itself - and of course is a shade of the vibrant cerise pink that is my symbol, the beautiful passionflower. I've had a few ups and downs and difficult moments this week, and this card has been a reminder on my desk to appreciate the moments, to be joyful and grateful for all the wonderful things in the world around me.

At this time of year in Cornwall spring is in full flow - the birds singing vigorously, blossom appearing, the primroses shining out in the hedgerows along the country lanes. The vibrant green of new leaves just starting to appear on the trees.

And today, 2 April is my wedding anniversary, Dave and I have been married for thirty-seven years today. Our first thought is along the lines of "How did that happen??!" - and then the recognition and celebration that (so far) we have come through the bumps along the way in married life, tested out the 'in sickness and in health' part of our marriage vows, and are still here, still together. A joyful occasion for us.

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I wanted to write about the lovely experience last Thursday when I was honoured to be the guest speaker at the WOW Magical Meetings for Women group in Carnon Downs. Thank you so much for inviting me. My one hour slot consisted of a brief talk about 'how I got here' and then a mini workshop during which we all drew a Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Card, and talked about them. Mine was 'Daring' - with the vibrant spring green background colour - and was perfect. The next activity was something that I had scarcely 'dared' to try  - asking for a volunteer to demonstrate a 'Short and Sweet' Rediscovery Session. It seemed to go OK, and one person wrote later: "... a privilege to listen to Mary ... and watch her listening in her daring demo!" (thank you Lynda).

Soon I will be sending you details in one of these missives, about the 'Rediscovery at Home' events - where you can host a workshop for at least four paying guests in your home, and receive a free place yourself. This will be in Cornwall at first until I am free to travel more widely as I used to do. If you are very keen to know more, please do email me, or just watch this space for more details in due course.

Wishing you a joyful week.

As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments. 

If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page.

Thank you dear friends for visiting with me again this week and sharing my musings.

Until next time,

with love,
Mary

*if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.

Dare to Blossom Newsletter April 2014

Welcome to the Dare to Blossom Newsletter   Reflections: Becoming Sure This month, I am remembering a piece a while ago on 'not knowing'. So, what has changed? How have I moved from 'not knowing' to 'becoming sure'? Good question.... There has been a process, something that has been growing as I have been through this year of writing once a week about the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Card I have drawn from my pack. That process of rediscovering my own inner wisdom, of coming home to myself, has been a journey. And along the way a sense of safety and trust has been emerging. A returning to the voice I heard as a small child "You are safe my child.". A 'becoming sure' that all is well; that whatever happens in the outside world, I can cope, I do get through somehow. Ultimately, the essence of my spirit goes on, whatever happens to my body. I am as unsure of the future as always - how can I not be? As I think John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." While I do plan, as we all need to for some things, I am also more able to be with whatever is going on. To enjoy those moments that will never return. To stop and smell the roses; to notice the beautiful sky as I drive to work; to smile at fellow motorists or say a cheerful word to the person who serves me in a shop. 'Becoming sure' - feels to me as if I now know there are always people looking out for me or cheering me on; always someone I can call on, to be there physically; or to simply witness, lean in and hold the space for me. Thank you to everyone who is reading this - you are part of my 'support team'. Each one of you, whether we have met or spoken or not - is very dear to me and appreciated greatly. A deep bow to you. Namaste. For you: some suggestions for your journal or meditation reflections: - What are you becoming sure of? - Who are your support team? A beautiful exercise is to make up a 'Support Team Board' (a little like a Vision Board) - with photographs or representations of all the people around you. They may be friends family, professional people, inspirational writers, role models - anyone you can draw support from in any way. Looking for a photograph to illustrate this piece, I came across this, a Datura that flowers in our conservatory. Not an obvious choice. These flowers often take a long time in the bud, developing slowly from a tiny starting point into large long tubes before opening out quite suddenly into this dramatic but fragile bloom. Somehow that epitomises to me that long period of 'not knowing' and how I now feel - a little tentatively, feeling somewhat delicate - that I am 'becoming sure. News: Guest Article: Would you like to contribute a piece for a future monthly newsletter? I am inviting you to send in some words for the 'Reflections' slot. There is no fee at present, but we can negotiate an exchange for Rediscovery Coaching if your piece is published, as long as it has not previously been seen elsewhere. Just contact me by email if this appeals to you and we will discuss. Inspiring Links: You may have already seen this, the story of Diabolo the black panther - where the ability of one woman  to communicate with an animal changed the life of a mistreated animal, and his carers.Thank you to my sister Sue for sending this. Thank you - for being my companion, for your support and comments, for sharing your suggestions and thoughts.  . As always, please feel free to comment below with your thoughts and comments.  If you would like to own a set of cards to explore their power for yourself please visit the dedicated page. Thank you dear friends for sharing time with me here. Until next time, with love, Mary *if you have any difficulty accessing the 'blogspot' service, you can also read here on the Daring to Blossom website, or find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook.