Dare to Blossom Newsletter: June 2014

Reflections: Emerging

News: What Next?

Reflections: Emerging

This has been a very special time for me: the completion of my year of writing about each of the Dare to Blossom Rediscovery Cards feels like a milestone has been passed. As I mentioned in the final piece, on 'Celebration', there were other reasons that this time of year is significant for me, one being the anniversary of my cancer diagnosis.

Last weekend I participated in the long awaited 'Conscious Writing Retreat', led by Julia McCutchen at Glastonbury. 



I know I will be writing and sharing more about this experience over coming months. It was deeply powerful in a multitude of ways and will take some time to integrate. It was a true retreat: we stayed at the beautiful Abbey House, immediately next to and overlooking Glastonbury Abbey. All the major sites we might want to visit were in easy walking distance - the Labyrinth at St John's Church, the Chalice Well Gardens, and Glastonbury Tor itself.

The accommodation was basic and comfortable, with no television to distract, and although there was wifi, I chose to only use this for a brief look at email messages rather than Internet browsing.

I found I was hardly even drawn to read the books I had brought with me, preferring to spend my time in my own writing, journalling and meditation. It was a joy to be able to use my pack of Dare to Blossom Cards daily.

Some days I came back to the pack and drew a card several times. So much was happening that when I returned to my room for personal writing time I felt things had moved on and my further thoughts would be sparked by shuffling and drawing anther time.

On Sunday, the last full day, I drew 'Emerging'. I had arrived on Friday evening hoping that a big new 'next step' would become clear for me over the weekend. A new book, a course or a new project - what would it be? Instead I found myself taken back to the practice of 'small steps', of moving forward steadily and openly, seeing what arises with each new turn in the path.



So 'emerging' was a perfect card. At lunch time I shuffled the cards well, and out it came again: 'Emerging' - making me smile. Then before dinner, when the same happened, I laughed out loud. I could hardly say I hadn't got the message: allow my next steps to emerge gradually; to organically evolve rather than looking for a giant leap forward.

Julia has posted some of the group photographs taken on the last day, I hope this link will take you there. One of the intentions we were encouraged to set was to continue some of the practices on our return home - and I feel these photos are a great reminder of the very special connections we made as a group and as individuals.

So, although I had intended to wrote a lot more for you about the experience, this week I am taking Julia's advice to go gently with ourselves. I am ignoring my 'inner critic' and sending this off to you as it is, unpoilished and maybe incomplete. At the same time it is heartfelt and full of gratitude - to  Julia for putting together such an extraordinary experience; to everyone there for each being a special part of the whole (and that includes all the staff at Abbey House); and to you - for reading this and for being with me in my continuing journey.

For you: some suggestions for your journal or meditation reflections:
- What is emerging for you?
- You could journal, flow-write, paint or collage to explore...
- Are you being gentle with yourself and giving time to the process?
- Do you want to plan some actions, some small steps, to take you forward?

 

News: What Next?

If you have any ideas about what you would like a 'what next?' to be, please do share them with me, either by replying to this email or on the blog or Facebook pages.

My plans at present are for "Dare to Blossom at Home" events - where you host a three hour workshop in your home in return for a free place for yourself. At present these will be in Cornwall, if you would like to know more, just get in touch.

Would you like the weekly blog about the cards to continue? Now I have finished writing about a different one each week, I have returned to the 'normal' way of using them, shuffling well and drawing out a card each day. This is currently part of my morning practice. Would it be interesting if I wrote and shared a little about this?

Today's card is 'Surrender': I am surrendering to not knowing, to living the questions, to being with uncertainty and feeling comfortable with that feeling of future possibilities not yet being clear.

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

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