December 2021 - Step gently into 2022

 Reflections: Step gently into 2022

The Story Continues: Episode 7 of "Doris the not-very-brave dragon"
'Coaching for Coaches' and 'Coaching for Creatives'
Dare to Blossom Monthly Circles on Zoom
January 2022 - "Grace and Flow" three weeks to step gently into the New Year

Reflections: Step gently into 2022

Do you enjoy challenging yourself with New Year resolutions and targets? For me, those things can be counter-productive.  I find gently stepping in, at a time that feels right for me, is more fruitful.  Often my first thought after the Christmas season is to rest, to 'coorie in' as my friends in Scotland say.  Snuggle up in the warm with a good book.

And, wrap up well and go out for a bracing walk.  After the joy, fum, excitement; the sadness, stress, disappointments of the festive season, the general over-stimulation in all sorts of ways - early January, for me, is best stepped into gently, with grace and ease.

And then, then the flow can begin to revitalise and inspire. Simply allowing what is arising to bubble up and be seen. There is more below about the short programme I am offering for three weeks in January if you would like to enjoy stepping in with grace and flow in a Circle with companions by your side.


  

If you are in a part of the world where your Christmas, and New Year, are in the middle of summer, how does this resonate for you?  I would love to hear your thoughts if you would like to reply to this email.

I have spent this season once in New Zealand, and once in Australia, both some years ago, when I was probably less reflective about each new year than I am now.  The structure of the months and years we use is artificial, but does have significance for many of us. 

Wherever you are, here are some suggestions for you, for your meditation or journal:

How would you love to begin 2022?
What would flow perfectly for you?
What does 'Grace' mean for you?
Write a list of gentle possibilities (not a to-do list) that feel delicious for you to enjoy as you step gently into 2022.


The Story Continues: Episode 7 of "Doris the not-very-brave dragon"

Episode 7

“My goodness!” said Doris aloud as she continued to shoot upwards.  It was quite taking her breath away.  Now the colours around her seemed to be changing – to purples, pinks and a very dark blue.  As she looked around, while still flying upwards, she saw ahead of her a shape. It was rising at the same speed as she was, but had no wings, it looked more like a rocket, with a pointed nose of the brightest white she had ever seen. Doris wasn’t sure if this …. thing was alive or not, but just in case it was she said aloud: “Hello, where are we going?”

“Onwards and upwards!” a voice said, “Follow me.”  They were moving too fast for Doris to think about asking another question, much as she would have liked to find out who or what this rocket-being was, and where they were going.
 

 
Then, everything suddenly stopped. The rocket-being disappeared. Doris found herself flying towards a tree silhouetted against the light of a brilliant sunrise. She landed beneath the tree, feeling she needed a rest after all that high-speed movement. The grass beneath the tree felt soft and dry, and very comfortable, so Doris curled up thinking she would close her eyes for just a moment.



She was leaning against the trunk of the tree, it felt comforting and safe there. As she began to doze, she heard a voice: “Hello young dragon, have you chosen your name yet?” Doris opened her eyes slowly, a little afraid of who, or what she might see. Just about everything in this strange world she had been born into seemed to have a voice, and an opinion, of its own.

She couldn’t see anything that might be speaking, but then she felt the tree vibrating with a sound like a very deep laugh arising from the earth. She jumped and turned round to face the tree. “No need to be afraid,” said the tree, for it was he who was speaking, “you will find everything in this magic place is alive. Or at least, the world itself is magic, and you, as a dragon with plenty of magic yourself, are particularly sensitive to all of that.”

Doris took a deep breath, and then another one. “My name is Bernadetta, the brave dragon.” She said, realising her voice sounded a little hesitant and maybe not all that brave.

“Bravo, bravo!” said the tree, and she heard clapping and cheering all around, even though she still could not see anyone except the big old tree, and the sun rising higher behind the branches.

“Why don’t you rest here a while longer, and then you will be ready to go and find your fire.”  Oooh, thought Doris (no, my name is Bernadetta, she corrected herself) that sounds exciting, do I really have to rest first?

But then she found she had no choice, her eyes were closing and her body relaxing. As she slept, she felt her mother sit beside her. “Hello my daughter,” she said, “I love your new name, Bernadetta. Bernadetta the brave dragon, perfect.”

“And now you are ready to receive your gift of the ability to create fire. You must understand that it is important to use your fire wisely. Think very carefully before you do. Fire is a useful tool, for protection, for defense, and even for helping human beings keep warm and cook their food when they are desperately in need and cannot do this for themselves.”

In her sleeping awareness, Bernadetta thought aloud: “Human beings, what are they?” Her mother heard her thoughts, she laughed, “You will find out soon enough my daughter.”

Bernadetta dropped back into a deep, deep sleep, dreaming of fire, and of all the beings she had met so far, and all those she was yet to encounter.

 

 
When Bernadetta awoke, she found herself looking out over a strange landscape, she had a feeling that it was dawn, but in all her travels so far, she had not seen anything like this. She thought back: mostly she had been in caves, in watery realms, underground or underwater. This, this was quite different.

She realised that she was looking out from the mouth of a cave, although she had not realised that was where she was when she fell asleep learning against the trunk of the wise old tree who spoke to her. Or maybe she had been transported in her sleep? Bernadetta decided that was all too much to think about, her head was already spinning with all the new experiences.

As she looked out, she began to see a faint figure, flying through the red/orange sky – if that is what it was. She couldn’t see who or what the figure was, every time she tried to focus on the shape it rippled and shifted. 

Just as she was wondering about this, the shape, or figure, came closer and then appeared to transform into a fountain of fiery colours. Bernadetta drew back as she was sure she could feel the heat as if this was a real fire.
 

 
“Oh my!” Bernadetta said out loud. “Yes indeed,” a voice replied. Bernadetta again thought to herself that this adventure was full of strange voices speaking to her. She was not quite sure if that was exciting, scary, or just wearying.

“I am sorry if you are weary,” said the voice, as if it had read her mind. “I know how tiring becoming a fully grown dragon can be, as well as exciting and extraordinary.”

“Who are you?” asked Bernadetta, “I can’t see you.”

“Ah, you will, in due course, when you have received your birthright, your gift of dragon fire.”  “Oh!” Bernadetta couldn’t help a gasp escaping from her.

“I am great-great-grandmother dragon, many generations back. I appear to every young dragon like you, when they have been through their adventures of initiation.”

“Are you ready?”

“I, I think so,” said Bernadetta.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, YES!”

“Step forward.”

Bernadetta did as she was told, despite a little trepidation. As she did, the flames flared towards her, and yet there was no feeling of heat at all. She took another step.

“Yes, that’s it,” the voice said, ”Keep going, right into the fiery colours." Bernadetta took a very deep breath, closed her eyes, opened her wings, and jumped and then flew, right into the colours.

As she did, she heard her mother’s voice: “Hurrah! Well done little one. You are now a fully grown dragon, not so little any more. You have faced all your fears, experienced many adventures, and now you have the gift of fire. Now you will need to use it wisely. That will be another journey altogether.  You have chosen your new name, Bernadetta the Brave Dragon, and I know you will flourish and be an inspiration to young dragons in your turn.”

Bernadetta opened her eyes, and saw her mother, and behind her was great-great-grandmother dragon, not looking at all frightening. “Time to fly on your way,” said her mother, “Don’t forget I am always here if you need me. At the same time it is for you to find your own way now. And don’t forget, if ever you feel your chosen name doesn’t fit so well any more, you can always choose another.”

Bernadetta decided she wanted to fly, with her own dragon fire, and find a place to rest and absorb all that had happened. She opened her wings again and jumped…….
 

 
To be continued..... maybe

© Mary Lunnen 2021
 
'Coaching for Coaches' and 'Coaching for Creatives'

If you are thinking about whether coaching may be the type of support you are looking for, simply contact me to arrange an initial chat over a cuppa on Zoom. This will help you decide if my approach might be helpful for you, and if you feel comfortable talking to me. It is important to decide this for yourself in advance of committing to a coaching programme. I also find it useful to be able to assess whether it feels good for us to work together. If it didn't for any reason I have a big network of coaching contacts I could suggest for you once I know more about what you are looking for.

Usually, once you take what can seem a large, and sometimes daunting, step of contacting me to arrange to chat, usually you will find that what I offer is perfect for you, at this time. There is no pressure to book, you can go away and consider - and, if you have got this far, why miss the opportunity? Why not book your coaching programme to begin whenever feels right in 2022? (or choose to begin right now, there are a few slots in my calendar for 1:1 sessions free in December.)  If not now, then when?



I find that many of those I speak with are creative people who coach (in the broadest sense of that word), and/or coaches who are creative. In any case each of us creates our world in the way we respond to the events that we are presented with, the choices we make. If you would like to make an active decision to dare to blossom, I have capacity in my diary for two or three more one to one clients, so please do contact me to book that initial chat if you are intrigued.  Click on the flower image to go to the webpage for more details.

PS despite the titles, you do not need to be a coach (although many service businesses use coaching skills in their work with clients without seeing it as such). You may not think you are creative - and yet, we all are creating our lives, through our responses to the circumstances we are confronted with, moment by moment.


Dare to Blossom Monthly Circles on Zoom

The monthly circles are currently scheduled for Saturdays at 10.00 am. The next is Saturday 4th December. You can book on Facebook or LinkedIn, or simply reply to this email and ask me for the Zoom link.  Payment is by donation, depending on your circumstances. People offer from zero to £30, with no expectation, simply deep gratitude for your presence. 




 

January 2022 - "Grace and Flow" three weeks to step gently into the New Year

A gentle start to 2022, with an invitation to join me for three weeks. We will have a weekly live Zoom gathering, a private Facebook group (or you can receive the prompts by email if you prefer).

There are two taster sessions in December, on Tuesday 14th at 10.00 am, and Wednesday 15th at 2.30 pm (UK times) and two in early January. You are most welcome to join us simply to enjoy receiving some cards drawn for you and to experience a Magic Carpet Ride guided visualisation. 


The three week gentle flow begins on 10th January, with the first Zoom gathering at 10.00 am on Tuesday 11th (or 11.00 am, and possibly a second call at 2.30 the following day depending on those who join us). The fee to join us is £68. 

All the details are here, and simply reply to this email if you have any questions.

with love,

However you are spending this month of December, I send wishes for health and happiness for you and all you love.

Thank you for joining me here this month, any thoughts, feedback, or questions are always welcome.