Reflections: Curiosity
Book News: "Your Compass Rose Speaks – how to hear the voice of your inner guidance."
Events and ways to Dare to Blossom
Reflections: Curiosity
How are you? That question changes, doesn't it, once we are catapulted into this strange new situation. Now it feels as if we are all unsure of how we are day to day. Excuse me for presuming to speak for you, for all of us, I will return to my usual practice of simply writing from my own feelings. Yet there is a universal quality to the experience we are sharing right now. Even as we all respond differently, from day to day we are united in various ways.
The reason I asked "How are you?" is from concern for each of you who take the time to read this, time to connect. I also ask from a place of curiosity. Curiosity about those similarities we may find, and about the differences. One aspect I have noticed, and I find uncomfortable, is how judgemental I can become - of others, and of myself. Kindness is a good antidote to this, enabling me to soften those attitudes, those harsh judgements.
And so is curiosity. I wonder why I am feeling this way? I wonder why they are behaving like that? I watched a beautiful interview with Elizabeth Gilbert recently on coping with these times. One part that really struck me was when she spoke about 'passion' and about 'purpose', as being too challenging in this situation. As you know if you connect with my work or read these newsletters regularly, those words feature in one of the key components of my process now, The Compass Rose, along with power, progress and peace.
For me, I find that the way I see the Compass Rose, with each of those words rooted into the centre, Peace, where they, and we, are grounded and balanced - that both softens the challenge, and supports me in facing it. Elizabeth spoke about how she prefers to explore 'curiosity', and this set me on this inquiry, this exploration today, as I sit in the spring sunshine in my garden.
How about if I bring curiosity into my own process, for myself, and with others? For me, there is an immediate sense of lightness, of release. "I wonder..." is a perfect starting point. It helps me quieten that judgemental voice within. It also brings a sense of possibility, of the magical. "What if...?"
Right now these questions are leading me to ask myself: I wonder how to celebrate the fifth anniversary of my very first online Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride Circle. What if I offer a special programme? And, what if we use curiosity to explore the Compass Rose? That was where I left my journal that day in the garden, sitting in the sunshine. More on that later in this newsletter.
Recently, curiosity led me to discover a new walk, new to me I mean. Quite close to my home. I have begun this walk from a different starting point before, one that involves a short drive, this time, after looking at the map, I found how to enter it in a different place and discovered this magical path, leading down to a stream in the valley, beside a house that used to be a mill at one time.
Then along the valley bottom, beside the little stream, up and over several styles to cross the field hedges, and into another patch of woodland, with steep slopes as the path led me back uphill a little, high above the stream. The woodland is ancient: willow, oak, sycamore, without the majestic tall beech trees I so love to see in my usual 'bluebell walks' each year in the woods near Respryn Bridge. Yet this was so precious, so close to home, something I had overlooked, forgotten about, for many years.
As I returned on my walk, up the hill, just past the mill I noticed this, nestled in the vegetation. I walked right past the first time - probably as I met a young woman there carrying a baby strapped on her front, so we had a short conversation, across a several metre distance.
Isn't it just magical? Someone took the trouble to find, or cut a round of wood, and to paint that beautiful representation of the stream winding down to the sea in the distance. (Historically there were a number of watermills down this valley, all making use of the water power). Then they placed it here to delight and intrigue passers-by like me.
For you,
suggestions for your journal reflections or meditations:
- What are you curious about right now? Maybe write a list.
- Flow write about one of the 'curiosities' on your list.
- Read it back, underline any words that stand out to you, and
choose one of those for another flow writing exercise (you can set a timer
for these if you wish)
- Repeat for as long as you feel like playing.
Book
News: "Your Compass Rose Speaks –
how to hear the voice of your inner guidance."
Many of you may know that I have been thinking about this book, and working on it intermittently, for such a long time. Thinking back, I remember originally planning that it would be published for my birthday one year - I think that might even have been for my 65th which would have been in 2017.
So much has happened since then. Today I was reminded that it is two years since I attended a workshop in London with my friend Anna, run by Stewart Pearce. He wrote The Alchemy of Voice, a book I had read years earlier. My meditation poem Compass Rose Speaks grew out of his request for each of us to memorise a piece to be used during the workshop - I decided to write my own. I enjoyed the event and learned a lot, and yet the biggest gift of all has been that piece that has now become an integral part of the way I work - with others, and for myself.
Recently Womancraft Publishing brought forward a submission date for manuscripts and I was inspired to return to writing this book, which I had set aside last autumn before my trip to New Zealand, knowing somehow that patience was needed for other parts to slot into place before it could be completed. On my return, as you may know, I was inspired to publish the memoir part as a separate book The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones. So, seeing Lucy's request for submissions made me sit down and work on the draft very quickly and submit it to her.
I know she had many more submissions that she can publish, including two follow-ups from authors whose work she has already published (and I will be eagerly awaiting those) - so I was not surprised, even if a little disappointed, to receive a 'rejection letter' - a beautifully worded email. I am so grateful for the push this process has given me, and to Lucy for taking my work seriously enough to read it.
I will be returning to complete and self-publish that book very soon, and once it is approaching readiness I will open pre-orders as I did for the last book - I am so grateful to everyone, including many of you reading this, who were generous enough to trust me with your money in advance.
The book will take the reader through the ‘Compass Rose Coaching’ practice that I have developed over a number of years. There are a series of ‘Steps’ with some reflections and suggestions from me on each. I am doing my best to draw a picture in words of what I see as a multi-dimensional experience, describing the landscape of the garden that we visit in the guided part of the visualisation in the live groups I run. There is a Travellers' Tales Circle - a chapter where you can drop in and read the stories of magic carpet rides experienced by people over the time I have been leading this practice. If any of you would like to share your own stories in that chapter I would be delighted to receive them, they can be published anonymously, or with your details and business links.
Many of you may know that I have been thinking about this book, and working on it intermittently, for such a long time. Thinking back, I remember originally planning that it would be published for my birthday one year - I think that might even have been for my 65th which would have been in 2017.
So much has happened since then. Today I was reminded that it is two years since I attended a workshop in London with my friend Anna, run by Stewart Pearce. He wrote The Alchemy of Voice, a book I had read years earlier. My meditation poem Compass Rose Speaks grew out of his request for each of us to memorise a piece to be used during the workshop - I decided to write my own. I enjoyed the event and learned a lot, and yet the biggest gift of all has been that piece that has now become an integral part of the way I work - with others, and for myself.
Recently Womancraft Publishing brought forward a submission date for manuscripts and I was inspired to return to writing this book, which I had set aside last autumn before my trip to New Zealand, knowing somehow that patience was needed for other parts to slot into place before it could be completed. On my return, as you may know, I was inspired to publish the memoir part as a separate book The Powerful Voice of the Quiet Ones. So, seeing Lucy's request for submissions made me sit down and work on the draft very quickly and submit it to her.
I know she had many more submissions that she can publish, including two follow-ups from authors whose work she has already published (and I will be eagerly awaiting those) - so I was not surprised, even if a little disappointed, to receive a 'rejection letter' - a beautifully worded email. I am so grateful for the push this process has given me, and to Lucy for taking my work seriously enough to read it.
I will be returning to complete and self-publish that book very soon, and once it is approaching readiness I will open pre-orders as I did for the last book - I am so grateful to everyone, including many of you reading this, who were generous enough to trust me with your money in advance.
The book will take the reader through the ‘Compass Rose Coaching’ practice that I have developed over a number of years. There are a series of ‘Steps’ with some reflections and suggestions from me on each. I am doing my best to draw a picture in words of what I see as a multi-dimensional experience, describing the landscape of the garden that we visit in the guided part of the visualisation in the live groups I run. There is a Travellers' Tales Circle - a chapter where you can drop in and read the stories of magic carpet rides experienced by people over the time I have been leading this practice. If any of you would like to share your own stories in that chapter I would be delighted to receive them, they can be published anonymously, or with your details and business links.
Events and ways to
Dare to Blossom
I seem to have planned so much for May - something that often happens in this, my very favourite month of the year. Here in Cornwall everything is exuberantly bursting into blossom and leaf, with colour and greenery everywhere. My enthusiasm does the same.
In case all this seems hard to follow, here is a brief summary:
Three one-off Zoom Circles, all times UK:
Friday 1st May at 10.00 am
Saturday 9th May at 10.00 am
Monday 18th May at 7.30 pm.
The last is an introduction to the new programme that begins on Monday 25th May at 7.30 pm and runs for six weeks.More details on each of these is below. You are most welcome to come to one or all.
A May Day Magic Carpet Ride Usually May Day in Padstow, just a few miles from my home is a time of music, dance, drums, accordions, and lots of jollity - and crowds. Naturally it has been cancelled this year as these sort of gatherings are not allowed. Here is a taste of last year for you, that is the Red 'Oss, so for fairness here is one of the Blue 'Oss too (the recording of the singing is more clear in this one). Here is a link to a Pathe News film from way back in 1932. I imagine there may still be some music in Padstow this year, I wonder if the people will sing from their windows as they do in Italy?
I have decided to offer a circle to celebrate the first day of May, this is a free event, with donations welcome if you find it valuable and are in a position to offer anything - and simply for fun. We will meet on Zoom at 10.00 am on Friday 1st May, and I expect the Circle with last for between one and one and a half hours. If you are on Facebook, you can book your place on the event page here. I know many of you who read this newsletter don't bother with social media so simply contact me, and I will send you the Zoom link.
Workshops The next Dare to Blossom Workshop planned at the Blue Lotus at Scorrier will probably be a virtual gathering on Zoom videoconferencing, as was the March event. It is scheduled for Saturday 9th May, and will be on the theme of "Passion: East, Potential Rising". The details are here, and you can book there, and pay by donation, or you can book a place by replying to this email, and decide on that amount after the event (and pay via direct transfer instead of PayPal if you prefer).
I seem to have planned so much for May - something that often happens in this, my very favourite month of the year. Here in Cornwall everything is exuberantly bursting into blossom and leaf, with colour and greenery everywhere. My enthusiasm does the same.
In case all this seems hard to follow, here is a brief summary:
Three one-off Zoom Circles, all times UK:
Friday 1st May at 10.00 am
Saturday 9th May at 10.00 am
Monday 18th May at 7.30 pm.
The last is an introduction to the new programme that begins on Monday 25th May at 7.30 pm and runs for six weeks.More details on each of these is below. You are most welcome to come to one or all.
A May Day Magic Carpet Ride Usually May Day in Padstow, just a few miles from my home is a time of music, dance, drums, accordions, and lots of jollity - and crowds. Naturally it has been cancelled this year as these sort of gatherings are not allowed. Here is a taste of last year for you, that is the Red 'Oss, so for fairness here is one of the Blue 'Oss too (the recording of the singing is more clear in this one). Here is a link to a Pathe News film from way back in 1932. I imagine there may still be some music in Padstow this year, I wonder if the people will sing from their windows as they do in Italy?
I have decided to offer a circle to celebrate the first day of May, this is a free event, with donations welcome if you find it valuable and are in a position to offer anything - and simply for fun. We will meet on Zoom at 10.00 am on Friday 1st May, and I expect the Circle with last for between one and one and a half hours. If you are on Facebook, you can book your place on the event page here. I know many of you who read this newsletter don't bother with social media so simply contact me, and I will send you the Zoom link.
Workshops The next Dare to Blossom Workshop planned at the Blue Lotus at Scorrier will probably be a virtual gathering on Zoom videoconferencing, as was the March event. It is scheduled for Saturday 9th May, and will be on the theme of "Passion: East, Potential Rising". The details are here, and you can book there, and pay by donation, or you can book a place by replying to this email, and decide on that amount after the event (and pay via direct transfer instead of PayPal if you prefer).
Curiosity & Celebration: A Midsummer Magic Carpet Ride
Following on the theme of 'curiosity' and a celebration of five years of Magic Carpet Rides. We begin on Monday 18th May, with a free taster Circle, and then meet for six weeks from 25th May. More details here, with booking opening soon.
The special spring offer on the Compass Rose Coaching Programme is still available. Six sessions, of either one hour or thirty minutes, on Zoom, at half price. Even if this feels out of reach just now, please do request a 'complimentary consultation' - also known as a chat on Zoom over a cuppa to get to know each other a little better.
Until next time,
with love,
Mary
Find 'Dare to Blossom Life Coaching' on Facebook, @daretoblossom on Twitter
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