by Emma | Feb 19, 2020 | Blog, Spirituality
I love watching the Balinese Hindus place their puja in the mornings around their statues, homes and businesses – offering their gods gifts and welcoming their presence. There is something so beautiful in the humble act of ritual offering, in acknowledging a belief system that brings you peace.
Today is Galungan in Bali – the start of a celebration honouring ancestors passed. As we drove around today, we saw everyone in their best white clothes, bringing their puja to their temples. Everyone smiling and happy. Later they will spend time with their families.
Maybe religion is not for you, but maybe there is something you do which brings you peace – making your morning coffee, yoga….whatever your ritual, I invite you to bring your whole, joyful awareness to it
by Emma | Feb 13, 2020 | Blog, Confidence, Heart Words, Self-Worth, Spirituality
Maybe it was possible to find peace without contrast. Maybe you found peace IN the contrast?
Maybe, as she experienced the edges of her comfort zone, it was possible to discover her peace, even in the midst of the discomfort, in the situations and experiences that scared her, brought out her desire to defend herself, or brought on a weariness that made her want to run away to the comfort of a life less interesting, and all together less inspiring.
Maybe that was the goal: not to be happy with everything, but to be able to find her centre, her own source of peace and comfort, even when faced with the random human challenges of day to day life?
My journey in Bali has only just begun, and yet it’s already pushed so many of my buttons; physically, emotionally and mentally. I am grateful for more opportunities to clear the blocks to love, despite how it feels at the time.
I have gone to sleep the last couple of nights with scary flashbacks every time I close my eyes, and feeling the most unsettled I’ve felt in a long time. So is the journey. So is the practice. I haven’t done yoga since I got here and my body felt it when I finally made one of the longest paddle outs ever this morning on my new board with half the volume I’m used to. And. I did it.
I spend my time chanting sanskrit mantras in my head when I’m riding my scooter because it terrifies me, and remind myself that all is well, and everything is as it should be, for my highest good.
I catch the stories I tell myself and the judgements I make about any and every situation, relax my shoulders, and breathe.
I am so far from having it ‘figured out’, and yet, I still find myself with faith, trusting that I’m in the right place, being of the most service to my clients, and excited to start my ICF Coach training tonight thanks to the power of the internet, even in the remote corners of Bali. Whatever we learn individually, benefits the collective
by Emma | Dec 31, 2019 | Blog, Self-Worth, Spirituality
I don’t believe in becoming ‘enlightened’. I don’t believe that one person is more ‘woke’ than another, or more conscious, or spiritually evolved or whatever you would like to call it.
That, to me, is spiritual bypassing. It’s putting yourself above another, or creating an idol of another, without recognising the oneness that is present in all of us. By saying, she’s on that level and I’m on this level, all we’re doing is creating the illusion of separateness, when most spiritual teachings speak of unity and oneness.
What I do see, is that we are all walking ourselves home, on our own journey, in our own unique and perfect way. It is not for us to judge if someone is ‘lost’ or ‘unconscious’. Maybe their ego is strong, but maybe that’s the journey their Higher Self chose for them. Maybe they don’t need us to interfere to help them ‘see the light’. Maybe, just maybe, they’re on the perfect path for them.
This year, I commit to trusting more. I commit to judging less, and knowing that everyone has their own sovereignty, and their own responsibilities, and that they know what they need to do for them. When people need help, or support, there will be a clear request for it, or an offer, given without expectation or strings. We can let people know we love them without needing to control or ‘guide’ them.
Loving without expectations. Reigning in our own egos and need to ‘help’ or rescue. This is the real lesson here
by Emma | Dec 19, 2019 | Blog, Heart Words, Spirituality
Sometimes she felt so guilty for feeling so overwhelmed because of the choices afforded to her. She could do anything, which she believed was the same for everyone, but she also BELIEVED she could do anything, so those choices became more tangible for her than perhaps those around her.
And yet, in the freedom of choice, sometimes came the overwhelming fear of making the RIGHT choice.
Sometimes she would stay stuck rather than make a decision, because she didn’t know where to start, and so, eventually, some of the options would be removed and she could make a smaller choice, often the decision to not make a decision, and choose to stay as she was.
This is not how she wanted to use her free will, her power of manifestation and her intuitive guidance. It felt like a waste, especially in the face of those who didn’t feel they had the same opportunities.
And so she took a deep breath, tuned in, put her trust in her own intuition and took responsibility for her freedom. It took courage to listen to her heart and feel what was right, but it felt lighter, and freer when she did, even if she didn’t know how she was going to make it happen.
That taking responsibility, coupled with having faith in being guided to what was best for her, ensured she was always able to move forward, and be grateful for her ability to manifest her dreams
by Emma | Dec 11, 2019 | Blog, Confidence, Self-Worth, Spirituality
Struggle is not synonymous with success.
We are so conditioned to believe the narrative that in order to be successful we need to have fought and struggled, that success doesn’t come easily.
Does this narrative work for you? If that wasn’t true, what story would you prefer? What if success was available independent of struggle? What if, success could be easy, or hard? What if there was space for a choice?
Question your beliefs. Every time something feels heavy, ask if it’s because of a story you’re telling yourself about what is. Change your story. You don’t need anyone’s permission to empower yourself.
Want someone to guide you through the process? Click the link in my bio to book a complimentary consult call – make success easier 💕
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Photo credit: @da1sybrown
by Emma | Dec 10, 2019 | Blog, Relationships, Spirituality
Today I took a full day off to go exploring parts of Portugal I hadn’t seen, and be fully present to the experience.
It’s been an old habit that part of my mind is always on my work, my clients, my to do list. I love all these things, however, they have their own dedicated time.
It’s been a challenge for me to learn to stay present to what’s happening now, and fully integrate the experience. It used to be a way of regulating contact – keeping a safe distance from things and people in my life, before I learned to feel safe independently of whatever situation I found myself in.
Today (and many times), I chose to make a consistent effort to be present, even when my mind wanted to pull me away, and really enjoy each moment. It’s ok that some work didn’t get done, it’ll get done when it needs to.
Where do you live? Here, now? How much do you fully experience each precious moment of your life?
