Yesterday was Christmas Day and the realisation came to me that, in spite of all the consumerist hype and nonsense, this is an utterly sacred day as it honours the birth of a holy man, a great teacher, mystic and enlightened being who eternally offers us his guidance for living life in a profound and meaningful way. If we don't treat Christmas Day in this way, then we have failed to grasp its true meaning and we might as well just go to the office. I realised this when I went to the mass and observed the undignified behaviour of some of the congregation. Why were they there? What does Christmas mean to them? Is it just the claptrap of Father Christmas, jingle bells and the endless shopping? Is it a belief in the myth of the Christmas story that is okay for us when we are children but becomes blown apart when we become spiritually of age and have learned the truth of it all? Is it the mythical historical Jesus or the reality of the Cosmic Christ whose birth we are honouring, if indeed we are honouring anything? Does Christmas mean anything profound at all to those who attend a Christmas service or is it human beings just being like sheep as they are wont to do and going through the motions because it is the done thing? Are we searching for the Truth or do we just bury our heads in the sand and remain spiritually dead?
Personally, I am no longer a Catholic but I honour the birth of the Cosmic Christ with gratitude as someone who came to help show us the way. He was a Buddha and Buddhas have such a spiritual meaning for us as they radiate unbounded compassion and wisdom and understanding. They are beacons of light in a world of darkness and if we have any heart, or any spiritual sense, at all we should honour them on their holy day. Acknowledging this will help the development of our own compassion, wisdom and understanding.
With all my heart I wish you all a happy and holy Christmas.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Keeping Positive
It's amazing how the media, especially in Britain, love to focus on bad news and to try and make us feel that the world as we know it is falling apart. Prophets of doom, they are, catylists for negativity. And it's amazing, too, that the British prime minister can have a smile on his face as he tries to make out he is saving the British economy when, in fact, he is more responsible than anybody for it being in the mess it's in. Yet, when we look at the broad picture of what is happening globally, we can see it as being the karmic retribution for monstrous, excessive greed by the banks and society as a whole and utter incompetence by governments on both sides of the Atlantic. We're getting our cumuppence because we're all to blame in some way and the consumerist pack of cards is tumbling down. Hurrah, let's start again. Economies are cyclical, they go up and down and this time they're inevitably going a long way down. But we're still alive, we've got a roof over our heads and food on the table, and we've got minds and the value of our varied experiences to help us work out how we can live our lives in a more sensibly sustainable way. So, let's get it all in perspective and find a way of simplifying our lives and not living on money that isn't there. Indeed, we can see this as an opportunity for cultivating a bit of wisdom and focusing our attention on what is truly important in our lives. After all, nothing is for ever.
If we are feeling blown apart by how this economic downturn is affecting us, then we can find a way of lessening the stress by focusing on our necessities rather than our unnecessary desires. Remember, we can always change our perception of anything in order to genuinely suit our needs better. We have the ability to make choices. So, let's now make the right choices, the ones that are truly good for us and for our families and friends.
Let us also simplify our lives by cutting out what is not for our highest good. This is such a great opportunity for us to reflect deep and long on how we have been living our lives and on the changes we can create to make them more sustainable and therefore more joyful. We can cut out what we don't need. Yes, simplify.
For so many people this has become an annus horribilis. At least, thst is one way to look at it, to feel a victim and to be sorry for ourselves. Yes, we can do that. Or, instead, we can see it as an opportunity for change. Choices again. I remember during the last Asian 'crash' seeing television footage of a former millionaire Thai car dealer from Bangkok who was laughingly cleaning a car with hose, bucket and sponge in his new role as car valeter. Yes, he was staring all over again with a smile on his face... from the bottom. The human spirit can be indomitable.
So, let's laugh at the press, and at Mr Brown, and instead we just keep and open mind and remain clear-headed and deeply intuitive and know that there is always a way if we'll just allow the universe to speak to us. Trust in man-made institutions has flown out o the window because the motives have all been wrong. Instead, we need to trust ourselves and our natural power and wisdom and also to trust in the universe to guide us. Upwards and onwards... into 2009.
With love,
Wrio
If we are feeling blown apart by how this economic downturn is affecting us, then we can find a way of lessening the stress by focusing on our necessities rather than our unnecessary desires. Remember, we can always change our perception of anything in order to genuinely suit our needs better. We have the ability to make choices. So, let's now make the right choices, the ones that are truly good for us and for our families and friends.
Let us also simplify our lives by cutting out what is not for our highest good. This is such a great opportunity for us to reflect deep and long on how we have been living our lives and on the changes we can create to make them more sustainable and therefore more joyful. We can cut out what we don't need. Yes, simplify.
For so many people this has become an annus horribilis. At least, thst is one way to look at it, to feel a victim and to be sorry for ourselves. Yes, we can do that. Or, instead, we can see it as an opportunity for change. Choices again. I remember during the last Asian 'crash' seeing television footage of a former millionaire Thai car dealer from Bangkok who was laughingly cleaning a car with hose, bucket and sponge in his new role as car valeter. Yes, he was staring all over again with a smile on his face... from the bottom. The human spirit can be indomitable.
So, let's laugh at the press, and at Mr Brown, and instead we just keep and open mind and remain clear-headed and deeply intuitive and know that there is always a way if we'll just allow the universe to speak to us. Trust in man-made institutions has flown out o the window because the motives have all been wrong. Instead, we need to trust ourselves and our natural power and wisdom and also to trust in the universe to guide us. Upwards and onwards... into 2009.
With love,
Wrio
Monday, 8 December 2008
What's in a Dream?
For the past few years I have been spending the winter months in Thailand in retreat from the damp and dreary English weather, the high cost of living and the joylessness that pervades the country at this time of year, so sapping one's energy. I am fortunate to be able to do it and by and large it has been a great experience. I give thanks from my heart to the lovely Thai people for their warmth, kindness and hospitality. But now it is time to move on, I think.
The other night I had a vivid dream: to purchase a plot of land in a warm, sunny, rural location together with a few like-minded souls and each one of us to construct our own simple cottage. This would have to be in a location where the purchase of land and construction remains cheap as this is designed to be a reasonably priced project costing no more than £40,000 or £50,000 each. It could be in Thailand, or Southern Europe, or elsewhere in South East Asia.
The dream was crystal clear but the location was not Thailand as the island, for it was an island location, was clearly mapped. So it's as though it came to me in my dream consciousness as the germ of an idea rather than a pin pointer to an exact location.
The other point of the dream is that what would be important is the sharing in the setting up of a loose community of fellow souls who want to live a simple, spiritually aware, eco-friendly lifestyle for part or all of the year in a beautiful and maybe even mystical location. We would each have our own cottage built according to the design chosen by us.
As I write this from peaceful Chiang Mai, I wonder if there is anyone out there who would be interested in joining with me to turn this germ of an idea into a practical reality. If so, you know where to reach me, via my website or wrio@reikiway.com.
And listen to those dreams. They may lead to something.
The other night I had a vivid dream: to purchase a plot of land in a warm, sunny, rural location together with a few like-minded souls and each one of us to construct our own simple cottage. This would have to be in a location where the purchase of land and construction remains cheap as this is designed to be a reasonably priced project costing no more than £40,000 or £50,000 each. It could be in Thailand, or Southern Europe, or elsewhere in South East Asia.
The dream was crystal clear but the location was not Thailand as the island, for it was an island location, was clearly mapped. So it's as though it came to me in my dream consciousness as the germ of an idea rather than a pin pointer to an exact location.
The other point of the dream is that what would be important is the sharing in the setting up of a loose community of fellow souls who want to live a simple, spiritually aware, eco-friendly lifestyle for part or all of the year in a beautiful and maybe even mystical location. We would each have our own cottage built according to the design chosen by us.
As I write this from peaceful Chiang Mai, I wonder if there is anyone out there who would be interested in joining with me to turn this germ of an idea into a practical reality. If so, you know where to reach me, via my website or wrio@reikiway.com.
And listen to those dreams. They may lead to something.
Thursday, 6 November 2008
The Joy of Acceptance
When we accept things as they are in this moment in time we recognise there is nothing we need do, which can be a great relief. We are free just to be, nothing more. We can just relax into life, moment by moment, without anxiety because our minds are not dabbling in the past or future which is where anxiety is born. Instead, our minds are resting simply in the here and now. When we dabble in the past or the future, it can cause us all sorts of problems which can affect our state of mind and even cause us physical suffering. Let's face it, the past has gone and the future hasn't arrived, so the only place for us to realistically be is in the present moment. That is where reality lies. And we can deal with the future later, when it becomes the present. But not now.
When we accept everything as it is right now, we can also say that at this moment in time, everything is as it should be. It's fine. Of course, what is at this moment won't stay that way because nothing in life is ever permanent, and that includes the way we feel. If we are feeling good, then that is a joy. However, if we are feeling uncomfortable or suffering in some way, we can accept that, too, with equanimity because we know that nothing stays the way it is, not even pain. Change of one sort or another is inevitable. And, if we are suffering in some way, there can be a certain joy in that as well because we can use the suffering as a catalyst for our spiritual growth. If the suffering is physical, if we focus on our breathing gently in and out and also place our hands lightly on the area of pain, then maybe it will calm our nervous system and bring relief. Let us remember, too, that the mischievous workings of our monkey mind will aggravate our physical suffering if we let it. It loves to do that. If, on the other hand, our pain is mental/emotional, then we have the relief of knowing that we can always alter our perception of things, if we wish to. We can even divert our attention from our own pain to focusing on our heart area and sending out from there beams of love and compassion to someone else who may be suffering as much as we are. In other words, we divert our attention and thereby use our suffering as a tool for our own growth. Also, it helps to accept our suffering and sometimes, just by accepting it as it is, the pain of it will diminish. Pehaps you have noticed that if you focus on it, and make it the centre of your thinking, the pain becomes intense. So, therefore it is better to focus on something else.
Another way of causing ourselves suffering is by being a control freak. I know, I've done it many times. I've tried to control everything in my life which is a surefire way of cultivating needless anxiety for the future. Control freaks are usually harassed individuals who can't let go. And they certainly cannot accept things as they are in the present moment because they are busy trying to control everything, including people, in the future. Just accept things and people as they are. People have the right to be as they are; it's their journey. And we have no right to try change or manipulate them. Happy or unhappy, let them be. How true a saying it is that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". Of course, we should have unconditional compassion for everyone. But we shouldn't try to interfere in their lives. Nor can we control everything in ours. Let go, let be, accept things as they are. It's absolutely the way they should be... at this moment in time. Nothing to do.
All this I write with passion because having spent so many years of my life not accepting things as they are has cost me dear. So, yes, the road to joy is about living in the present moment, about cultivating mindfulness so that we can live our lives fully with ever-increasing awareness. Accept things as they are in this moment in time and the sun will begin to shine for you, every day.
When we accept everything as it is right now, we can also say that at this moment in time, everything is as it should be. It's fine. Of course, what is at this moment won't stay that way because nothing in life is ever permanent, and that includes the way we feel. If we are feeling good, then that is a joy. However, if we are feeling uncomfortable or suffering in some way, we can accept that, too, with equanimity because we know that nothing stays the way it is, not even pain. Change of one sort or another is inevitable. And, if we are suffering in some way, there can be a certain joy in that as well because we can use the suffering as a catalyst for our spiritual growth. If the suffering is physical, if we focus on our breathing gently in and out and also place our hands lightly on the area of pain, then maybe it will calm our nervous system and bring relief. Let us remember, too, that the mischievous workings of our monkey mind will aggravate our physical suffering if we let it. It loves to do that. If, on the other hand, our pain is mental/emotional, then we have the relief of knowing that we can always alter our perception of things, if we wish to. We can even divert our attention from our own pain to focusing on our heart area and sending out from there beams of love and compassion to someone else who may be suffering as much as we are. In other words, we divert our attention and thereby use our suffering as a tool for our own growth. Also, it helps to accept our suffering and sometimes, just by accepting it as it is, the pain of it will diminish. Pehaps you have noticed that if you focus on it, and make it the centre of your thinking, the pain becomes intense. So, therefore it is better to focus on something else.
Another way of causing ourselves suffering is by being a control freak. I know, I've done it many times. I've tried to control everything in my life which is a surefire way of cultivating needless anxiety for the future. Control freaks are usually harassed individuals who can't let go. And they certainly cannot accept things as they are in the present moment because they are busy trying to control everything, including people, in the future. Just accept things and people as they are. People have the right to be as they are; it's their journey. And we have no right to try change or manipulate them. Happy or unhappy, let them be. How true a saying it is that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". Of course, we should have unconditional compassion for everyone. But we shouldn't try to interfere in their lives. Nor can we control everything in ours. Let go, let be, accept things as they are. It's absolutely the way they should be... at this moment in time. Nothing to do.
All this I write with passion because having spent so many years of my life not accepting things as they are has cost me dear. So, yes, the road to joy is about living in the present moment, about cultivating mindfulness so that we can live our lives fully with ever-increasing awareness. Accept things as they are in this moment in time and the sun will begin to shine for you, every day.
Wednesday, 8 October 2008
trials and tribulations of karma
My Italian jaunt has come to an end and the removals people have just dumped all my belongings into my mother's old cottage in an East Sussex village. My goodness, so much stuff... and all mine! Now I have the daunting task of trying to put it all somewhere. No wonder moving house is so stressful. Over time we accumulate so much clutter and we come to possess it and call it "my belongings". Then, one day we pack it all up and move it to another house and then have to spread the whole mass of it out piece by piece in a new way that can once again come to be called "my home". And we rush the whole exercise, we try to do it all too quickly so that we can feel once more sure and secure, and we end up in an over-stressed, disembodied state, totally exhausted. But no, take a deep breath, do it slowly, packing case by packing case, a room at a time, allowing the personality of the room to guide us as to what goes where. We should only put out what the room needs, no more, so that the energy can flow freely and the character of the room becomes enhanced. What about all the stuff left over? Well, perhaps we should get rid of it. The whole exercise is an excellent lesson in detachment: I must not become attached to my belongings; they are not 'me'. If there is no place for them then they can be passed on or sold to someone who needs them. In any case, there's nothing worse than being in a room that's cluttered and stagnant. So, go slow, don't get attached, and get rid of anything you don't need. That's what I must do.
And Italy? It was a dream, to restore a lovely old house in a beautiful location and turn it into a warm and welcoming home and therapy centre. But the collapse of the housing market has dashed that dream and now I must create another. This is my karma: Italy was not meant to be and I must live with that. And my karma is irrevocably tied up with the global karma that has caused the collapse of the housing markets and the world economy. The collective consciousness has caused this collapse and I am a part of it. The idiocy that is now causing so much suffering is my idiocy, too. All we can do is accept things as they are and move on. Oh well, when one dream ceases another can begin. But I'll just finish unpacking first.
And Italy? It was a dream, to restore a lovely old house in a beautiful location and turn it into a warm and welcoming home and therapy centre. But the collapse of the housing market has dashed that dream and now I must create another. This is my karma: Italy was not meant to be and I must live with that. And my karma is irrevocably tied up with the global karma that has caused the collapse of the housing markets and the world economy. The collective consciousness has caused this collapse and I am a part of it. The idiocy that is now causing so much suffering is my idiocy, too. All we can do is accept things as they are and move on. Oh well, when one dream ceases another can begin. But I'll just finish unpacking first.
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Courses in Italy
COURSES IN ITALY
I believe that Reiki healing was originally practised among the mountains of the Himalayas, although it was Mikao Usui Sensei of Japan who brought it to the world's notice in the early 1900s and who gave it its name. And, also, it was on Mount Kurama near Kyoto that he had his revelation. So, mountains and Reiki healing have always had a deep mystical and spiritual link, from way back in time.
To continue this tradition, in 2009 I will start offering courses in the mountain village of Gressoney La Trinite, at the foot of the glorious Monte Rosa, high in the Val D'Aosta region of the Italian Alps. Here you can combine the learning of how to use the Reiki energy for yourself and others with meditations, wonderful walks in nature, breathing pure mountain air, Thai oil massage and delicious mountain food.
Each course will last three days, although you can stay longer if you wish to imbibe the wonder and mysticism of the mountains and also join in the morning and evening meditations.
Tentatively, the course dates will be:
26th-28th August ~ Reiki Level I
1st-3rd September ~ Reiki Level I or II (depending on demand)
(Remember, you will need to travel at least one day before the start date)
Course Fees: Reiki Level I ~ £120 or €120
Reiki Level II ~ £190 or €190
Accomodation: Hotel Lo Scoiatello Tel: (+39) 1025.36.63.13
(€60 per day half board)
Course Venue: Fiocco di Neve (next door to hotel) Tel: (+39) 0125.36.63.72
Travel:
AIR ~ Easyjet to Turin (from Luton)
Easyjet to Milan Malpensa or Linate (from Gatwick)
TRAIN ~ Turin or Milan to Pont Saint Martin (trains to Aosta)
(www.trenitalia.it)
BUS ~ Pont Saint Martin to Gressoney la Trinite
(Information Tel: (+39) 800.992.289)
Fuller course details and travel details will appear on the website www.reikiway.com in due course.
With Metta,
Wrio
I believe that Reiki healing was originally practised among the mountains of the Himalayas, although it was Mikao Usui Sensei of Japan who brought it to the world's notice in the early 1900s and who gave it its name. And, also, it was on Mount Kurama near Kyoto that he had his revelation. So, mountains and Reiki healing have always had a deep mystical and spiritual link, from way back in time.
To continue this tradition, in 2009 I will start offering courses in the mountain village of Gressoney La Trinite, at the foot of the glorious Monte Rosa, high in the Val D'Aosta region of the Italian Alps. Here you can combine the learning of how to use the Reiki energy for yourself and others with meditations, wonderful walks in nature, breathing pure mountain air, Thai oil massage and delicious mountain food.
Each course will last three days, although you can stay longer if you wish to imbibe the wonder and mysticism of the mountains and also join in the morning and evening meditations.
Tentatively, the course dates will be:
26th-28th August ~ Reiki Level I
1st-3rd September ~ Reiki Level I or II (depending on demand)
(Remember, you will need to travel at least one day before the start date)
Course Fees: Reiki Level I ~ £120 or €120
Reiki Level II ~ £190 or €190
Accomodation: Hotel Lo Scoiatello Tel: (+39) 1025.36.63.13
(€60 per day half board)
Course Venue: Fiocco di Neve (next door to hotel) Tel: (+39) 0125.36.63.72
Travel:
AIR ~ Easyjet to Turin (from Luton)
Easyjet to Milan Malpensa or Linate (from Gatwick)
TRAIN ~ Turin or Milan to Pont Saint Martin (trains to Aosta)
(www.trenitalia.it)
BUS ~ Pont Saint Martin to Gressoney la Trinite
(Information Tel: (+39) 800.992.289)
Fuller course details and travel details will appear on the website www.reikiway.com in due course.
With Metta,
Wrio
Monday, 8 September 2008
Do you look after yourself?
Every morning I give thanks for my precious human birth. At least, every day I mouth the thanks but then how deep is my sincerity and my true reflection on how I am going to live this life of mine during the coming day? Am I fully in the moment when I say these words? Am I going to honour my thanks by truly looking after myself, by thinking and doing what is for my highest good every moment of the day? Do I really look after myself and so honour my precious birth in this lifetime? And what about you? Do you look after yourself each day? Truly?
Actually, we need to extend the question and ask: "How do I look after myself?" And then we soon begin to realise that this goes far deeper than merely fulfilling our physical needs. Yes, we need to eat healthily in a way that suits our personal dietary requirements, we need to keep our body stretched and exercised so that we can carry out all our daily activities with ease of movement. Of course, we must honour our body and look after it with care and respect as it is the means by which we can help ourselves and others. Also, its healthy state can enable us to create and to bring pleasure and fulfilment to our lives, whether we are painting a picture, playing the piano, performing a sport, or pushing our baby round the park in a pushchair. We need to accept the responsibility for enabling our bodies to work smoothly.
Yet, there is much more to the way we live life than just having a healthy body. Our spiritual dimension, too, needs to be active and healthy. We need to work on our awareness, on what we do and say each moment of the day. For, everything we do and everything we say carries a consequence that gets noted down in a list of positives and negatives that work themselves out in one way or another in our future. That is what karma is about. And you and I are each responsible for our own karma. Nobody else is. How we deal with each and every moment in our lives will add another building block to how our lives will pan out in the future. So, how we look after ourselves in this moment in time is critical. Each time we do or say something in a right way will bring health to our future. Each time we smile at someone with love in our hearts, joy will accrue. Each time we think well of someone, we will feel good. When we carry out a compassionate act, we are adding a beautiful building block to our future. And the more we realise this, the more our awareness will grow. Our moments of joy will expand. Our hearts will open and we will gradually find the path to unconditional loving-kindness and compassion. Is this not how to look after ourselves? Is this not a part of our integrated well-being?
Now, let us take the question further: "Why do we look after ourselves?" And the answer, surely, is that we all seek joy in our lives. Joy is more profound than happiness, for happiness is transitory and joy is heart-sustaining. In fact, joy is a state of being. But, we mustn't try and cling on to it because if we practise grasping and attachment we won't find it. We will have missed the point.
So, we look after ourselves to create our own well-being. Yet, it doesn't stop there because when we are ourselves well then we can better help others. And therein lies the greatest joy, concerning ourselves for the well-being of others, developing loving-kindness and compassion so that we can bring the light of joy to the world around us. That is surely why need to look after ourselves.
Thus, we need to become spiritual athletes, training our spiritual dimension alongside the physical and mentals aspects of our being. If we are to find the joy we seek, we need to cultivate openness and awareness and that is all a part of our spiritual training. But, this training is not about winning; it's about find joy and helping others. And the ultimate reward is Nirvana.
"He who binds to himself a joy
does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
lives in eternity's sunrise".
William Blake
Actually, we need to extend the question and ask: "How do I look after myself?" And then we soon begin to realise that this goes far deeper than merely fulfilling our physical needs. Yes, we need to eat healthily in a way that suits our personal dietary requirements, we need to keep our body stretched and exercised so that we can carry out all our daily activities with ease of movement. Of course, we must honour our body and look after it with care and respect as it is the means by which we can help ourselves and others. Also, its healthy state can enable us to create and to bring pleasure and fulfilment to our lives, whether we are painting a picture, playing the piano, performing a sport, or pushing our baby round the park in a pushchair. We need to accept the responsibility for enabling our bodies to work smoothly.
Yet, there is much more to the way we live life than just having a healthy body. Our spiritual dimension, too, needs to be active and healthy. We need to work on our awareness, on what we do and say each moment of the day. For, everything we do and everything we say carries a consequence that gets noted down in a list of positives and negatives that work themselves out in one way or another in our future. That is what karma is about. And you and I are each responsible for our own karma. Nobody else is. How we deal with each and every moment in our lives will add another building block to how our lives will pan out in the future. So, how we look after ourselves in this moment in time is critical. Each time we do or say something in a right way will bring health to our future. Each time we smile at someone with love in our hearts, joy will accrue. Each time we think well of someone, we will feel good. When we carry out a compassionate act, we are adding a beautiful building block to our future. And the more we realise this, the more our awareness will grow. Our moments of joy will expand. Our hearts will open and we will gradually find the path to unconditional loving-kindness and compassion. Is this not how to look after ourselves? Is this not a part of our integrated well-being?
Now, let us take the question further: "Why do we look after ourselves?" And the answer, surely, is that we all seek joy in our lives. Joy is more profound than happiness, for happiness is transitory and joy is heart-sustaining. In fact, joy is a state of being. But, we mustn't try and cling on to it because if we practise grasping and attachment we won't find it. We will have missed the point.
So, we look after ourselves to create our own well-being. Yet, it doesn't stop there because when we are ourselves well then we can better help others. And therein lies the greatest joy, concerning ourselves for the well-being of others, developing loving-kindness and compassion so that we can bring the light of joy to the world around us. That is surely why need to look after ourselves.
Thus, we need to become spiritual athletes, training our spiritual dimension alongside the physical and mentals aspects of our being. If we are to find the joy we seek, we need to cultivate openness and awareness and that is all a part of our spiritual training. But, this training is not about winning; it's about find joy and helping others. And the ultimate reward is Nirvana.
"He who binds to himself a joy
does the winged life destroy;
But he who kisses the joy as it flies
lives in eternity's sunrise".
William Blake
Friday, 1 August 2008
Reiki Way News
My dear Friends,
As life evolves and the mist clears, at least for a short while, I can at least let you know that my Reiki course teaching programme has now clarified for the foreseeable future. And the scheduled dates of course will continue to be posted on the website www.reikiway.com
In NOVEMBER, there will be a Reiki Level I and Reiki Level II course in London (dates posted).
Then, from DECEMBER through till MARCH, I shall be running a series of courses in CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (dates posted). In addition to the scheduled courses, you can also arrange alternative dates if you so wish by contacting me either by email - wrio@reikiway.com - or by phone - tel: (+44) 01435-883348; mobile: (+44) 07903-504795.
And, if you feel ready to undertake the MASTER/TEACHER course, we can also arrange mutually convenient dates for that, either in Thailand or England.
In 2009, after I return from Thailand, there will be a full schedule of courses running in England, in both the beautiful countryside of Sussex and in London (April & November). The dates for those are still to be fixed.
In addition, I am seriously planning to arrange a Reiki Level I & Reiki Level II course at GRESSONEY LA TRINITE, at the base of the wonderful Monte Rosa in the AOSTA VALLEY, ITALY, in SEPTEMBER 2009. Those two courses will be four days in length, to give us enough time also to walk and immerse ourselves in the wondrous nature of the mountains. Fuller details of that should become available by November. So, watch this space!
Just a reminder that, if you wish to undertake the Reiki Level II training, you first need to have become fully familiar with all that you were guided to at Reiki Level I. So, give yourself a gap of at least two or three months for that.
Wherever you are, enjoy a wonderful summer and don't take any notice of the gloomy news. We must live with a light heart and learn whatever lessons life throws up for us. We keep smiling and evermore awakening our hearts and cultivating our compassion.
love and light,
Wrio
As life evolves and the mist clears, at least for a short while, I can at least let you know that my Reiki course teaching programme has now clarified for the foreseeable future. And the scheduled dates of course will continue to be posted on the website www.reikiway.com
In NOVEMBER, there will be a Reiki Level I and Reiki Level II course in London (dates posted).
Then, from DECEMBER through till MARCH, I shall be running a series of courses in CHIANG MAI, THAILAND (dates posted). In addition to the scheduled courses, you can also arrange alternative dates if you so wish by contacting me either by email - wrio@reikiway.com - or by phone - tel: (+44) 01435-883348; mobile: (+44) 07903-504795.
And, if you feel ready to undertake the MASTER/TEACHER course, we can also arrange mutually convenient dates for that, either in Thailand or England.
In 2009, after I return from Thailand, there will be a full schedule of courses running in England, in both the beautiful countryside of Sussex and in London (April & November). The dates for those are still to be fixed.
In addition, I am seriously planning to arrange a Reiki Level I & Reiki Level II course at GRESSONEY LA TRINITE, at the base of the wonderful Monte Rosa in the AOSTA VALLEY, ITALY, in SEPTEMBER 2009. Those two courses will be four days in length, to give us enough time also to walk and immerse ourselves in the wondrous nature of the mountains. Fuller details of that should become available by November. So, watch this space!
Just a reminder that, if you wish to undertake the Reiki Level II training, you first need to have become fully familiar with all that you were guided to at Reiki Level I. So, give yourself a gap of at least two or three months for that.
Wherever you are, enjoy a wonderful summer and don't take any notice of the gloomy news. We must live with a light heart and learn whatever lessons life throws up for us. We keep smiling and evermore awakening our hearts and cultivating our compassion.
love and light,
Wrio
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Living with a sense of the eternal
The two most sublime places to live are surely either in the mountains or by the sea. They both give you a sense of the eternal and they can feed the soul with the nourishment of its feeling of oneness with the universal consciousness. It is no wonder, then, that you find temples and monasteries in mountainous and seaside locations for there you can set your soul free. They are, either of them, the best of places for meditating and reflection. Not only that, but it is said that only by the sea or above 2000 feet will you find air that is healthy and pure enough to breathe without being affected by pollution. So, in England, where there are no mountains worthy of the name, it seems it is best to live near the sea if one wishes to cultivate a truly spiritual life aided by nature's inspiration.
I myself have been trying to find a mountainous location in Italy where I could live and work and imbibe the air of mystical inspiration but, for a multitude of reasons, it has not worked out. And so I am returning to live in England which is home, the land of my fathers, although not as beautiful or inspirational as Italy. However, I still have a plan to spend one month a year in Italy, in the mountains of the Val D'Aosta, and there to offer some Reiki healing courses within the mystical ambiance of the Alps and with Monte Rosa and Monte Bianco not too far away. If it is destined, this plan will evolve by next year and I will let you know.
And the sea? Well, personally I absolutely love the sea because it is always in flowing movement and saying something new, unlike the mountains which proclaim serenity and eternity by their very stillness. How lovely it would be if I could run some winter Reiki healing courses by the sea in Thailand, maybe on one of the islands. This is also a thought in my mind... but no more than a thought as yet.
What I have learned over the past few years (it's taken a long time!) is that we should only do what we are destined to do. If we try and force a square peg into a round hole, we may eventually push through something of lesser value but the effort of fighting against destiny to realise this mistaken idea will take its toll. That is what has happened to me here in Italy. Lesson learned? I hope so. And now I have come to appreciate better both Italy and my own country and I understand more both their qualities and their shortcomings. Now it is time for me to live at home, hopefully where the air is fresh and the energy vibrant.
I myself have been trying to find a mountainous location in Italy where I could live and work and imbibe the air of mystical inspiration but, for a multitude of reasons, it has not worked out. And so I am returning to live in England which is home, the land of my fathers, although not as beautiful or inspirational as Italy. However, I still have a plan to spend one month a year in Italy, in the mountains of the Val D'Aosta, and there to offer some Reiki healing courses within the mystical ambiance of the Alps and with Monte Rosa and Monte Bianco not too far away. If it is destined, this plan will evolve by next year and I will let you know.
And the sea? Well, personally I absolutely love the sea because it is always in flowing movement and saying something new, unlike the mountains which proclaim serenity and eternity by their very stillness. How lovely it would be if I could run some winter Reiki healing courses by the sea in Thailand, maybe on one of the islands. This is also a thought in my mind... but no more than a thought as yet.
What I have learned over the past few years (it's taken a long time!) is that we should only do what we are destined to do. If we try and force a square peg into a round hole, we may eventually push through something of lesser value but the effort of fighting against destiny to realise this mistaken idea will take its toll. That is what has happened to me here in Italy. Lesson learned? I hope so. And now I have come to appreciate better both Italy and my own country and I understand more both their qualities and their shortcomings. Now it is time for me to live at home, hopefully where the air is fresh and the energy vibrant.
Friday, 30 May 2008
My Soul Decides
My soul has guided me to the decision to return to the land of my forbears and so I am now preparing to move everything back to England, including my heart which yearns for what is familiar. Not very adventurous, I know, but a decision based on a need for firm groundedness and the love of my family and friends. It is also based, practically, on my heartfelt wish to create a therapy training and treatment programme which can be much better done in England than in Italy. So, by early October I will be finally back in the 'sceptred isle' and feeling justified in my complaining about rip-off Britain, the lack of joy and the lousy weather. Yet there will be some wonderful compensations, including the opportunity to rise above the frustrations of English life and always to smile and to look for the silver lining which exists wherever one is. The English countryside is beautiful, or it can be when the sun shines... no, it's always beautiful if one's perceptions are on the sunny side. In my heart I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to return and I do so with excitement and joy.
So, what does this mean for The Reiki Way? Well, it means that next year I will be developing a full programme of Reiki healing courses in England from April to October, both in the country and in London. AND I also plan to run one or two courses in the mystical mountains of the Aosta valley in Italy in either June or September, when the walking is wonderful and the accomodation prices are not sky-high. Italy will not be forgotten; it is too beautiful for that.
From November to March 2009 Thailand beckons and a programme of Reiki I & II healing courses have already been posted on the website - www.reikiway.com There will also be the opportunity to arrange a Master/Teacher course in January or February if anybody wishes it.
For the rest, when I can I am continuing to work on my book on Reiki healing (I will get it finished one day!)... and, well, watch this space. It's such a strange world we live in, so who knows what's coming? I have some ideas but they are only ideas as yet.
Happy summer days.
So, what does this mean for The Reiki Way? Well, it means that next year I will be developing a full programme of Reiki healing courses in England from April to October, both in the country and in London. AND I also plan to run one or two courses in the mystical mountains of the Aosta valley in Italy in either June or September, when the walking is wonderful and the accomodation prices are not sky-high. Italy will not be forgotten; it is too beautiful for that.
From November to March 2009 Thailand beckons and a programme of Reiki I & II healing courses have already been posted on the website - www.reikiway.com There will also be the opportunity to arrange a Master/Teacher course in January or February if anybody wishes it.
For the rest, when I can I am continuing to work on my book on Reiki healing (I will get it finished one day!)... and, well, watch this space. It's such a strange world we live in, so who knows what's coming? I have some ideas but they are only ideas as yet.
Happy summer days.
Monday, 5 May 2008
Impermanence, a deep and subtle force for change
The world is changing and shifting and so are we. In my case, it is causing me to reconsider where I should create my home and pursue my livelihood as what seemed right five years ago, and have been unable to realize, no longer seems so clearcut. In other words, I am sensing that Italy may no longer be the best country to reside in as so much has changed, both in my own mind and in all those events that are beyond our control - social, political, economic, climatic and so on. Even just one year ago I thought my path was clearcut... Italy here I come. And the great thing is I have had the opportunity to rent a small house very cheaply in this little, isolated hamlet (which certainly isn't the right location) and to savour the cost and quality of an Italian life for 6 months and much of it was pleasant, especially the warmth and friendliness of the people and the beauty of the buildings and countryside. But now the pound has dropped 15% against the Euro and life in Italy is no longer cheeper than in England (apart from the wine), although the price of houses remains more sensible. In England of course they are stupidly high, a result of greed and irresponsible bank lending.
Further to that, at the ripe old age of 67 (a lovely age to be I can tell you, so don't worry), I have, during the past year since the passing on of my dear Mother, come to value much more than I did both my family and friends and also the roots of my upbringing. Over the years, I had almost affirmed myself out of England as I disliked so many things about the country. However, somehow my mind has turned to its positive aspects and I have realised that, in the countryside at least, the people can be very friendly and helpful. However, London is a different story, a joyless place ruled by consumerism, and the people proclaim that story. But the great joy for me is to discover the humanity of the English country folk and, if I move back to England, it will of course be to the countryside so that I can live at one with nature and practise my work in a beautiful environment. And some of England's countryside is so attractive and engaging, not as heart-stopping and dramatic as in Italy, but uplifting all the same.
So, for the next few months, I will be driving around and visiting different locations in both countries, pondering and listening to the wise voices until it is time to make an irreversible decision. This is a great exercise in my spiritual practice of mindfulness, patience and acceptance of what is. It is also a time for making lists and ticking boxes. Times are a-changing, there is a rebalancing going on and karma is doing its work. It is good to go with the flow, right now.
Further to that, at the ripe old age of 67 (a lovely age to be I can tell you, so don't worry), I have, during the past year since the passing on of my dear Mother, come to value much more than I did both my family and friends and also the roots of my upbringing. Over the years, I had almost affirmed myself out of England as I disliked so many things about the country. However, somehow my mind has turned to its positive aspects and I have realised that, in the countryside at least, the people can be very friendly and helpful. However, London is a different story, a joyless place ruled by consumerism, and the people proclaim that story. But the great joy for me is to discover the humanity of the English country folk and, if I move back to England, it will of course be to the countryside so that I can live at one with nature and practise my work in a beautiful environment. And some of England's countryside is so attractive and engaging, not as heart-stopping and dramatic as in Italy, but uplifting all the same.
So, for the next few months, I will be driving around and visiting different locations in both countries, pondering and listening to the wise voices until it is time to make an irreversible decision. This is a great exercise in my spiritual practice of mindfulness, patience and acceptance of what is. It is also a time for making lists and ticking boxes. Times are a-changing, there is a rebalancing going on and karma is doing its work. It is good to go with the flow, right now.
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Reiki Way News
Where we live reflects on what we are able do with our lives, as I know only too well. Last year, my move to the hamlet of Montesanto, near Piacenza, was good only for moving me out of England. From every other point-of-view, it proved a totally impractical place for me to live as it is very isolated and it doesn't tick any of the essential boxes either for the living of a creative and fulfilling life or for my work as a Reiki therapist which I both love and need to continue. So, I am dedicating the next 4 months to my search for a more practical location for my home base where I will rent a home for a year or two until I am in a position to buy and then I will create a home sanctuary that will also act as a place of welcome for therapy courses and meditation. That is my heartfelt desire and now is the time for me to fulfil it. It is a glorious challenge to have and I hope I may be guided to realise it.
I am focusing my search around the lakes and mountains of Northern Italy with its fascinating, ancient culture and very beautiful countryside and also its good communications both within Italy and with Britain and Central Europe to enable people to come and visit if they wish for Reiki healing and other courses. And, in addition, I hope and plan there will be local facilities on offer for hiking and trekking, swimming, boating, and skiing in the winter (when I will be in Thailand), and of course meditation. I would like it to become a place of well-being and joy with a holistically healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle where people can develop a sense of peace and growing awareness.
This means that at present I have no way of offering Reiki healing, and other, courses until after August. However, I HOPE to be able to offer a Reiki I and Reiki II course in ITALY in September or October. And, in late October/early November, there will be courses in LONDON, followed by a Winter series of courses in THAILAND. These will soon be scheduled -see Website: www.reikiway.com.
We seem to be in a grand, global period where many chickens are coming home to roost. So, it makes it an eminently suitable time to plan and begin a new stage of life. 2008 will be a defining year for many people and for me, too . And for you, I hope it will be filled with joy, prospering and growing awareness.
I am focusing my search around the lakes and mountains of Northern Italy with its fascinating, ancient culture and very beautiful countryside and also its good communications both within Italy and with Britain and Central Europe to enable people to come and visit if they wish for Reiki healing and other courses. And, in addition, I hope and plan there will be local facilities on offer for hiking and trekking, swimming, boating, and skiing in the winter (when I will be in Thailand), and of course meditation. I would like it to become a place of well-being and joy with a holistically healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle where people can develop a sense of peace and growing awareness.
This means that at present I have no way of offering Reiki healing, and other, courses until after August. However, I HOPE to be able to offer a Reiki I and Reiki II course in ITALY in September or October. And, in late October/early November, there will be courses in LONDON, followed by a Winter series of courses in THAILAND. These will soon be scheduled -see Website: www.reikiway.com.
We seem to be in a grand, global period where many chickens are coming home to roost. So, it makes it an eminently suitable time to plan and begin a new stage of life. 2008 will be a defining year for many people and for me, too . And for you, I hope it will be filled with joy, prospering and growing awareness.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
music for the soul
The other evening I was escorted into the depths of my soul by the wonderful playing of the young British pianist Freddy Kempf who touched the audience with his interpretations of Bach, Busoni, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Liszt. What a selection of great composers. It was an evening of wonder and I so much wanted to share it with everybody and say that, without classical music, the true meaning of life cannot be understood because at that moment I was in a state of nirvana. Yet, of course, that is not quite true as different people can become touched by the inspiration of many different types of profound creation. But then, so many people are never touched at any point in their lives by anything at all and that is a tragedy. So sad. Their lives remain empty and unrealised. Of course, good music is a primordial massager of the soul and it should be the right of every child to have some exposure to its healing qualities.
In my life, I have been blessed with many experiences of the Arts, especially ballet and dance, theatre and film, I have read much of the great literature, I have seen many a great painting exploring different elements of life, I have witnessed a thousand different examples of the wonderful exhalation of human creative energy exploding in a myriad of ways. Yes, I have many wonderful memories. Yet, for me, the performance of classical music is surely the greatest of all the art forms, the one that can take me closest to God. Sweet harmious sound is so utterly primordial that it can touch the soul so often. The heavenly vibrations of music are our link with the universe and they remind us of our very source of being. Yes, they are God-given and I give thanks for them. For a moment, at that recital, I was truly transported to heaven. Oh joy.
In my life, I have been blessed with many experiences of the Arts, especially ballet and dance, theatre and film, I have read much of the great literature, I have seen many a great painting exploring different elements of life, I have witnessed a thousand different examples of the wonderful exhalation of human creative energy exploding in a myriad of ways. Yes, I have many wonderful memories. Yet, for me, the performance of classical music is surely the greatest of all the art forms, the one that can take me closest to God. Sweet harmious sound is so utterly primordial that it can touch the soul so often. The heavenly vibrations of music are our link with the universe and they remind us of our very source of being. Yes, they are God-given and I give thanks for them. For a moment, at that recital, I was truly transported to heaven. Oh joy.
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
The Olympics and lost ideals
I went to see a Chines song and dance spectacular at the Royal Festival Hall in London which was rather fun, I must say, and I was surprised to learn that the Chinese government had tried to have it banned. Maybe that's why the hall was packed out; the British don't like to be told what they can watch; they believe in freedom of choice. Anyway, I wondered why? Well, when I saw the show, the eulogising of Falun Gong and the criticism of the Chinese government as told in some of the storylines, I realised that it was a New York based Chinese company full of overseas Chinese who hate some of what is happening in their motherland, the Inner Kingdom. In fact, the whole show was a front for Falun Gong and its protests against its persecuted members back home as well as the degradation of Chinese culture that it sees as happening in China at the moment. A very political show!
Which brings me to the Beijing Olympics and talks of boycott and protest. Personally, I agree that the International Olympic Committee should not have awarded the Games to Beijing as it is not worthy of holding them. But then, the Olympics today have little to do with the high ideals of Baron De Coubertin. Instead, they are the plaything of those who control world politics and international trade and the athletes are merely pawns in a game far bigger than the noble Baron ever dreamed of. Talk of a boycott of the Games, though, at this late stage is naive as the powers that be want it to go ahead. Gordon Brown and George Bush want their trips to the Olympics. Instead, the Games should be used in a positive way to register protest at inhuman Chinese policy both at home and abroad and to guide the Chinese authorities to improve their politics and their humanity. Darfor, Burma and Tibet, as well as Falun Gong practitioners, are all suffering from Chinese callousness, but then look at the killing of innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere. No country today can honestly preach "I'm holier than thou". Protest yes, boycott no.
In my humble opinion, the Olympics have been hijacked by the politicians and money-spinners and the original aim of the Games, a coming together and sporting celebration of the world's young people, has largely been lost. We need to revert to the idea of a permanent site for the Olympic Games, probably in Greece, and every Olympic country would contribute to its maintenance and upkeep. And then there would be none of this sad and corrupt nonsense of cities competing for Olympiads. It could become again what it was originally intended to be, simply, a world festival of sport, freed of the vulgarity of politics and big business and of any sort of connection with the unsavoury activities of inadequate and undemocratic governments. Let's get back to healthy, wholesome, undefiled enjoyment where the taking part, and not the winning, really does become the be-all and end-all. Idealistic? Yes. But what's wrong with that, in this cynical, unsavoury age we live it? Let's go for undefiled purity for once in a while.
Which brings me to the Beijing Olympics and talks of boycott and protest. Personally, I agree that the International Olympic Committee should not have awarded the Games to Beijing as it is not worthy of holding them. But then, the Olympics today have little to do with the high ideals of Baron De Coubertin. Instead, they are the plaything of those who control world politics and international trade and the athletes are merely pawns in a game far bigger than the noble Baron ever dreamed of. Talk of a boycott of the Games, though, at this late stage is naive as the powers that be want it to go ahead. Gordon Brown and George Bush want their trips to the Olympics. Instead, the Games should be used in a positive way to register protest at inhuman Chinese policy both at home and abroad and to guide the Chinese authorities to improve their politics and their humanity. Darfor, Burma and Tibet, as well as Falun Gong practitioners, are all suffering from Chinese callousness, but then look at the killing of innocents in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere. No country today can honestly preach "I'm holier than thou". Protest yes, boycott no.
In my humble opinion, the Olympics have been hijacked by the politicians and money-spinners and the original aim of the Games, a coming together and sporting celebration of the world's young people, has largely been lost. We need to revert to the idea of a permanent site for the Olympic Games, probably in Greece, and every Olympic country would contribute to its maintenance and upkeep. And then there would be none of this sad and corrupt nonsense of cities competing for Olympiads. It could become again what it was originally intended to be, simply, a world festival of sport, freed of the vulgarity of politics and big business and of any sort of connection with the unsavoury activities of inadequate and undemocratic governments. Let's get back to healthy, wholesome, undefiled enjoyment where the taking part, and not the winning, really does become the be-all and end-all. Idealistic? Yes. But what's wrong with that, in this cynical, unsavoury age we live it? Let's go for undefiled purity for once in a while.
Monday, 18 February 2008
The beauty of a nation is its countryside
I have been champing at the bit staying in drab, colourless, ostentatiously wealthy London which I do not like as there is something horribly unreal about it. So, it was a joy last week to escape London's clutches and take the train out into the countryside of Sussex to meet up with both my webmaster and my financial adviser on the South Coast by the sea. Hectic and noisy, of course, there is also something joyless about London. It is exhorbitantly expensive (for example, to buy fresh cut fruit costs me 10 times what it costs me in Chiang Mai), a sort of selfish and self-centred consumerist temple that seems to force the smile out of people's faces. In contrast, in the countryside, there is nature's kingdom full of colour, of greens, blues, browns... earth colours and sea and sky. And the air is fresh and breathable. With nature, there is no stress, no pressure as everything functions at its own, knowing pace without the help of humans. It feels so much the right place to be, no neurosis and filled with dormant life waiting for the coming of spring when it will awaken again and surge into full bloom. And that time is almost now. In fact, the first daffodils and narcissi are already waving their yellow heads at us in greeting. Winter is waning, spring is coming.
Yes, this is a different Britain, ancient, acceptable, offering stability and a grounded base out of which to forge a life of meaning. It is gives me a sense of belonging which London can never do. It is this that is my home country although I have to say I would never live here now as the cost of everything is too high to make for even a reasonable quality of life. For me, my own country of bith has priced me out of the possibility or even the desire for residence. Yet the countryside of Britain remains in my very bones.
One thing about London that exercises my mind is the inability of people to look you in the eye and smile. People here don't seem to want to connect. They appear to be cut off from each other and so there is no great sense of that deep, innate interconnectness which is the reality of our natural state of being. Maybe this is why there is a sense of joylessness in the city. People feel cut off and therefore lacking in identity. There is a crisis of identity in Britain. As a country it no longer knows its role in the world and, worse, it no longer knows who it is at home. As one man said, after some idiot minister had talked about "punching above our weight", "I have no wish to fight at all. We are just a small but prosperous country which needs to realise its place in a peaceful Europe. That is enough". And he is right. You get a feeling that the British people are being forced into a role that they don't wish to be in and it is creating great stresses and strains in our culture. Personally, in London, I find Britain no longer a comfortable country to be in, although it becomes much more pleasant when you get out into the countryside.
Yes, this is a different Britain, ancient, acceptable, offering stability and a grounded base out of which to forge a life of meaning. It is gives me a sense of belonging which London can never do. It is this that is my home country although I have to say I would never live here now as the cost of everything is too high to make for even a reasonable quality of life. For me, my own country of bith has priced me out of the possibility or even the desire for residence. Yet the countryside of Britain remains in my very bones.
One thing about London that exercises my mind is the inability of people to look you in the eye and smile. People here don't seem to want to connect. They appear to be cut off from each other and so there is no great sense of that deep, innate interconnectness which is the reality of our natural state of being. Maybe this is why there is a sense of joylessness in the city. People feel cut off and therefore lacking in identity. There is a crisis of identity in Britain. As a country it no longer knows its role in the world and, worse, it no longer knows who it is at home. As one man said, after some idiot minister had talked about "punching above our weight", "I have no wish to fight at all. We are just a small but prosperous country which needs to realise its place in a peaceful Europe. That is enough". And he is right. You get a feeling that the British people are being forced into a role that they don't wish to be in and it is creating great stresses and strains in our culture. Personally, in London, I find Britain no longer a comfortable country to be in, although it becomes much more pleasant when you get out into the countryside.
Friday, 8 February 2008
Belonging
I am not sure where I belong but I long to belong somewhere. I long to put my roots down and to be able to settle into my own armchair and read a book whilst sipping a cup of green tea, knowing that it is my own place on my own chosen turf and it is the place where people know they can find me. I long to have a home.
At present I am spending some time in my own home country of Britain, the country where I was born and largely brought up, and to some extent I am enjoying being here because of the familiarity and the lovely people I know. But I no longer have a home here, nor do I want one as it is all too expensive and not worth the money. The house prices, food prices, transport costs, it all costs too much to live here and, blanketing the whole place, is a great cloud of gloom and despondency which seems so unjustified when you consider how wealthy the nation is supposed to be. There is a dark mood here. Whereas in Thailand, where I have been spending the past three months, there is a much greater sense of joy, even though it is a much poorer country. For a person with ordinary funds like me, the quality of life in Thailand is superior to Britain. However, that is not where I plan to create my home base. There is an even better place... Italy. For there, I can set up a centre of therapy and well-being and happily pursue my livelihood in a beautiful place and be immersed in European culture and a way of life that is conducive to longevity. What a great opportunity. But I won't forget Thailand; it will still see me in the winter months.
In April, I will return to Italy and follow my heart in the search for the perfect location for a home, where there are mountain streams, green meadows, pure undefiled air to breathe, and wonderful walks to be had. Yes, I long to belong and to find the right piece of turf. And I know that I am blessed with an opportunity to achieve this and finally to be able to say, "this is where I live and where I will die". Not only that, but there I can create a place of welcome where all can come and find peace and inspiration.
Now starts the Chinese Year of the Rat and I wish everyone peace and prospering. And I certainly know what my New Year's resolution is: to find the place where I belong.
At present I am spending some time in my own home country of Britain, the country where I was born and largely brought up, and to some extent I am enjoying being here because of the familiarity and the lovely people I know. But I no longer have a home here, nor do I want one as it is all too expensive and not worth the money. The house prices, food prices, transport costs, it all costs too much to live here and, blanketing the whole place, is a great cloud of gloom and despondency which seems so unjustified when you consider how wealthy the nation is supposed to be. There is a dark mood here. Whereas in Thailand, where I have been spending the past three months, there is a much greater sense of joy, even though it is a much poorer country. For a person with ordinary funds like me, the quality of life in Thailand is superior to Britain. However, that is not where I plan to create my home base. There is an even better place... Italy. For there, I can set up a centre of therapy and well-being and happily pursue my livelihood in a beautiful place and be immersed in European culture and a way of life that is conducive to longevity. What a great opportunity. But I won't forget Thailand; it will still see me in the winter months.
In April, I will return to Italy and follow my heart in the search for the perfect location for a home, where there are mountain streams, green meadows, pure undefiled air to breathe, and wonderful walks to be had. Yes, I long to belong and to find the right piece of turf. And I know that I am blessed with an opportunity to achieve this and finally to be able to say, "this is where I live and where I will die". Not only that, but there I can create a place of welcome where all can come and find peace and inspiration.
Now starts the Chinese Year of the Rat and I wish everyone peace and prospering. And I certainly know what my New Year's resolution is: to find the place where I belong.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Events unfolding
Our lives are like books, full of chapters with beginnings and endings. For me, another short chapter has just ended as my winter visit to Thailand is now over and I am returning to Europe. A new chapter is starting to unfold and it is a very important chapter which could signpost where the rest of my life goes, for it is geared towards seeking my Shangri La in Italy wherein I can finally put down my roots and create both a beautiful home and a place of peace and inspiration for teachings and treatments. This has been a dream of mine for more than five years but which has failed to materialise before now as the time was not right.
As the Buddhist saying goes, "When the apple is right it falls of itself from the tree". I sense that now the apple is ripe and it is the time to realise the dream. Events are conspiring to make it possible and, now, I must grasp the opportunity. Sometimes we do have a dream but the time is not right for us to realise it and we end up batting our heads against endless obstacles which make for a rocky path. We cannot force the pace if the universe is not ready for us and sometimes it is better just to tread water until the time is right. Patience. There seems to be a natural order to how and when we can realise our dreams. We need to allow ourselves to be guided by our intuition.
Often we don't have enough patience. Or, you can say, we are driven by desire to realise a wish or a dream instantly, rather than allowing time for the dream to unfold naturally. Misplaced desire is the enemy of natural order. I know this, for in the past I have been guilty of it. It is like a loving relationship that cannot be cemented into permanence because of the incompatible commitments of the two lovers. In that case, you have a choice, either to say this isn't going to work and end the relationship and move on, or, to give it time and see if the commitments can unravel themselves and allow the two lovers to come together on a permanent basis. For much of the time we live in a mist of uncertainty and it is only when the mist lifts that we can see clearly the way ahead. And for this we need patience and a clear and open mind. Without them we are doomed to frustration and suffering.
As the Buddhist saying goes, "When the apple is right it falls of itself from the tree". I sense that now the apple is ripe and it is the time to realise the dream. Events are conspiring to make it possible and, now, I must grasp the opportunity. Sometimes we do have a dream but the time is not right for us to realise it and we end up batting our heads against endless obstacles which make for a rocky path. We cannot force the pace if the universe is not ready for us and sometimes it is better just to tread water until the time is right. Patience. There seems to be a natural order to how and when we can realise our dreams. We need to allow ourselves to be guided by our intuition.
Often we don't have enough patience. Or, you can say, we are driven by desire to realise a wish or a dream instantly, rather than allowing time for the dream to unfold naturally. Misplaced desire is the enemy of natural order. I know this, for in the past I have been guilty of it. It is like a loving relationship that cannot be cemented into permanence because of the incompatible commitments of the two lovers. In that case, you have a choice, either to say this isn't going to work and end the relationship and move on, or, to give it time and see if the commitments can unravel themselves and allow the two lovers to come together on a permanent basis. For much of the time we live in a mist of uncertainty and it is only when the mist lifts that we can see clearly the way ahead. And for this we need patience and a clear and open mind. Without them we are doomed to frustration and suffering.
Thursday, 24 January 2008
Changing concepts
As I come to the end of my winter stay in Thailand, I am aware of the changing nature of life which has demonstrated itself so clearly to me during the past three months. Put simply, I had one concept of a winter stay in Chiang Mai and, due to events beyond my control, I have now developed a different concept, one which is mercifully preferable to what went before which makes me very happy. The universe seems to have favoured me and I have found a greater sense of belonging. So, this time I am leaving Chiang Mai with a touch of regret and I am very thankful. It's a positive sort of regret that encourages me to know that I will be returning in due course. You know, it all has to do with people, how they are and what they are doing with their lives... the cultivating of the right friendships which make it possible to live a creative and stimulating life and to communicate interestingly with others. It is about having a sense of belonging and of feeling at ease in a place. And, being in Thailand, it is also helpful to have a mix of Thai and non-Thai friends so that one can be in touch with both one's own culture and the culture of Thailand.
I am no longer in a relationship and, in a curious way, this has freed me up and made it easier for me to put myself about and meet more people. Sometimes, relationships can be confining, although I don't feel mine had to be although I was inclined to make it so. But, no more. This idea of being free is an important one in life, not to be confined by convention or fear, but rather to be guided by open-mindedness and heartfelt consideration for others. It is the people who make a place, particularly a city place which is rather divorced from nature, and so it is important to put oneself about in a gentle way and get involved in creative activities that bring both pleasure and well-being. This all lifts the spirits. And it's amazing in a place like this how many people are doing things for others and so spreading well-being through their heartfelt actions. There are many lovely people living to a greater or lesser extent from their hearts and so expressing their humanity. And it is these people who make a place worth living in. So, that is why I hope to be back in Chiang Mai next year, God willing.
I am no longer in a relationship and, in a curious way, this has freed me up and made it easier for me to put myself about and meet more people. Sometimes, relationships can be confining, although I don't feel mine had to be although I was inclined to make it so. But, no more. This idea of being free is an important one in life, not to be confined by convention or fear, but rather to be guided by open-mindedness and heartfelt consideration for others. It is the people who make a place, particularly a city place which is rather divorced from nature, and so it is important to put oneself about in a gentle way and get involved in creative activities that bring both pleasure and well-being. This all lifts the spirits. And it's amazing in a place like this how many people are doing things for others and so spreading well-being through their heartfelt actions. There are many lovely people living to a greater or lesser extent from their hearts and so expressing their humanity. And it is these people who make a place worth living in. So, that is why I hope to be back in Chiang Mai next year, God willing.
Monday, 14 January 2008
Knowing and judging
Have you ever heard somebody say, "Oh, I'm just a simple soul, easy to understand".... or, "You don't understand me, you don't understand what I am trying to say"? Well, a dear friend of mine got me thinking about this the other day, about whether we can ever fully understand anyone. And, following on from that, do we ever have a right to judge others?
This is where my thinking took me, rightly or wrongly:
'Can I ever really 'know' somebody else's character. I really don't think so... and herein lies the illusion that shatters so many relationships and friendships as we only ever 'know' the other person from our own limited perspective. Are not our characters formed by the accumulation of our experiences with an overlay of genetic influence and karmic inheritance from previous lifetimes as well? Very complex. And the eternal question has always been: who am I? or, what am I? And we use our lifetime of spiritual practice in trying to find an answer to these questions, at least, a few of us do. Yet, if we cannot truly know who we are ourselves, then how can we possibly fathom out even how our nearest and dearest tick along in their lives? How can we truly 'know' anybody else if we cannot 'know' ourselves? After all, every day we are accumulating new experiences which enfold us in another layer of conditioning, and so our characters, too, are in a constant state of change... except what lies at the very core of us which I believe is the divine, which makes us one with the universal consciousness. Is that not at the heart of each one of us? If I can accept this premise, I still feel I can 'know' your character. And, as for a certain other person in my life, well, it's an enigma. Maybe that's what makes relationships exciting. Just when we feel we know someone and we feel comfortable in our 'knowing', they do something that shatters our illusion. At least, it seems like that to me.
And, following on from the not 'knowing', if we are going to be truly honest with ourselves, how can we ever judge the actions of others when we cannot fully 'know' what is prompting those actions. Of course, we can observe what other people do, and we may or may not like it, but we cannot truly judge why they are doing it because we are unable to fathom the deepest recesses of their mind to understand the processes of their thinking. Each one of us is coming from a different place and all we can do is observe. We all have an unfathomable soul that rests in the ocean of eternity and that is understood sometimes not even by us. Life is a glorious mystery.
This is where my thinking took me, rightly or wrongly:
'Can I ever really 'know' somebody else's character. I really don't think so... and herein lies the illusion that shatters so many relationships and friendships as we only ever 'know' the other person from our own limited perspective. Are not our characters formed by the accumulation of our experiences with an overlay of genetic influence and karmic inheritance from previous lifetimes as well? Very complex. And the eternal question has always been: who am I? or, what am I? And we use our lifetime of spiritual practice in trying to find an answer to these questions, at least, a few of us do. Yet, if we cannot truly know who we are ourselves, then how can we possibly fathom out even how our nearest and dearest tick along in their lives? How can we truly 'know' anybody else if we cannot 'know' ourselves? After all, every day we are accumulating new experiences which enfold us in another layer of conditioning, and so our characters, too, are in a constant state of change... except what lies at the very core of us which I believe is the divine, which makes us one with the universal consciousness. Is that not at the heart of each one of us? If I can accept this premise, I still feel I can 'know' your character. And, as for a certain other person in my life, well, it's an enigma. Maybe that's what makes relationships exciting. Just when we feel we know someone and we feel comfortable in our 'knowing', they do something that shatters our illusion. At least, it seems like that to me.
And, following on from the not 'knowing', if we are going to be truly honest with ourselves, how can we ever judge the actions of others when we cannot fully 'know' what is prompting those actions. Of course, we can observe what other people do, and we may or may not like it, but we cannot truly judge why they are doing it because we are unable to fathom the deepest recesses of their mind to understand the processes of their thinking. Each one of us is coming from a different place and all we can do is observe. We all have an unfathomable soul that rests in the ocean of eternity and that is understood sometimes not even by us. Life is a glorious mystery.
Monday, 7 January 2008
Reiki Way News
REIKI WAY NEWS
First, I send out to everyone my heartfelt good wishes for light, joy and a fruitful life in 2008. May it be a year where we can be aware of all our wonderful opportunities and also turn our negative experiences to our advantage with hope in our hearts. On the 7th February it becomes the Chinese New Year of the Rat (and, if you don't like rats, what about Mouse... or Topolino, if you are Italian?) Anyway, Gong Xi Fa Choi.
Reiki Healing Courses 2008/09
For courses, please check the website: www.reikiway.com
Due to the finalising of my home move to Italy this year, I cannot present you with an annual schedule of courses at this time. It will unravel, though, as the year goes on.
Tentatively, for now:
2008
March) London Reiki Level I & II courses
Oct/Nov)
2009
Jan/Feb Chiang Mai Reiki Level I & II courses
* All Master/Teacher courses are by special arrangement.
May the light shine for you.
with love,
Wrio
First, I send out to everyone my heartfelt good wishes for light, joy and a fruitful life in 2008. May it be a year where we can be aware of all our wonderful opportunities and also turn our negative experiences to our advantage with hope in our hearts. On the 7th February it becomes the Chinese New Year of the Rat (and, if you don't like rats, what about Mouse... or Topolino, if you are Italian?) Anyway, Gong Xi Fa Choi.
Reiki Healing Courses 2008/09
For courses, please check the website: www.reikiway.com
Due to the finalising of my home move to Italy this year, I cannot present you with an annual schedule of courses at this time. It will unravel, though, as the year goes on.
Tentatively, for now:
2008
March) London Reiki Level I & II courses
Oct/Nov)
2009
Jan/Feb Chiang Mai Reiki Level I & II courses
* All Master/Teacher courses are by special arrangement.
May the light shine for you.
with love,
Wrio
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
New Year Resolution
This is the time to celebrate renewal. New Year's Day is a new beginning as I step into a new life putting behind me all the sad and difficult experiences of 2007 and accepting that from each one of them there were positive lessons to be drawn. The precious birth of the Cosmic Christ, the Gautama Buddha's glorious enlightenment, the coming of a new springtime - these are surely all symbols of renewal that we can use as benchmarks for our own new beginnings as we strive to put behind us bad times and grasp all the opportunities that life is offering us. Let us embrace life, not in any airy fairy way sort of a way, but with care and consideration searching our heart for what we are truly passionate about and then affirming our intention to cultivate our passions in a positive and creative way. If there is any serious message we can draw out of all the silly haha that goes on at New Year's Eve, then it is surely this: Let us make a new beginning and live our lives more passionately from the heart, cultivating all the talents that God has given us to enhance our lives and the lives of those around us whom we love. Let us wish for their happiness and for their highest good, too.
And, also let us wish for the saving of our own dear Mother Earth and make up our minds to do something about it in 2008 by reducing our own carbon footprints just a little, because every little counts. Maybe we just simply need to care more in 2008, for ourselves, for all beings, and for Mother Earth. We need to be gentle with ourselves and not beat ourselves up and we need to deal with others in the same way, acknowledging with compassion the suffering that each and everyone of us undergoes. In this way, we can enhance our capacity for unconditional compassion through the opening up of our hearts. Yes, in 2008, let us live more from our hearts. It will help.
Wishing everyone a happy and blessed New Year.
And, also let us wish for the saving of our own dear Mother Earth and make up our minds to do something about it in 2008 by reducing our own carbon footprints just a little, because every little counts. Maybe we just simply need to care more in 2008, for ourselves, for all beings, and for Mother Earth. We need to be gentle with ourselves and not beat ourselves up and we need to deal with others in the same way, acknowledging with compassion the suffering that each and everyone of us undergoes. In this way, we can enhance our capacity for unconditional compassion through the opening up of our hearts. Yes, in 2008, let us live more from our hearts. It will help.
Wishing everyone a happy and blessed New Year.
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