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| Greetings! |
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I can hardly believe it is the end of the year, which moved me to think about the nature of time, Summer solstice and Christmas.
I feel time as we know it, is an illusion. Let me explain - we usually think of time as having three parts - Past, Present, and Future. The past is a collection of memories that we can't experience, we can only remember it.
The future is a mental construct in the present. We can't experience the future until it "becomes" the present. Until then it is a hope, a dream, anxiety or "what if." We can project what the future may be like, but generally we are considerably less accurate than when we remember the past.
That leaves us with the ever-changing present moment. Maybe we created time to try and measure the rate of change in the present, however it is always now. Although the illusionary nature of time is the deep truth in this matter, it's not particularly practical. To be totally in harmony with this truth, you'd need to wear a watch that always said "now". But you'd be late for a lot of meetings.... So I thought "how I could apply this in a practical manner "- which brought me to the awareness of now.
The Summer Solstice will be celebrated on December 22nd. It is the longest day of year and when the life force and creativity of nature climax. The Solar Rays are at their peak, illuminating all things and celebrating life, bounty, grace, abundance and all that is given to us from the Sun.
Christmas is a magical time of giving, being with those we love and enjoying life, however sometimes these sentiments do not line up with our realities. A few years ago at Christmas a small situation within my family blew up and I was forced to look at my own expectations.
A wise person said to me "You are never disappointed unless you have expectations". I looked within and realised all human actions are motivated at their deepest level by one of two emotions - fear or love.
Fear is the energy which contracts, closes down, draws in, runs, hides, hoards and harms. Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, stays, reveals, shares and heals. I have a choice in any given moment and at the heart of all things is love. It may be wrapped up as a good or bad experience but if I take the time to unwrap it, the gift will emerge.
So Christmas reminds me I have a choice and that the greatest joy in life is being able to love. May you find and be aware of the many gifts within you this Christmas and allow them to be illuminated in the now.
I thank you for your love and support this year and look forward to a wonderful 2010.
Namaste, Denise Jarvie
"There is nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so. We see the world not as it is, but as we are" ~ Shakespeare |
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| Meditation |
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Meditation Classes have finished for 2009 and will resume January 13th 2010
Meditation classes are every second Wednesday evening at 7pm
at Phoenix Rising Books 31a Glebe Point Road, Glebe.
The style of meditation is guided visualisation and each fortnight a different theme will be discussed and meditated upon. The cost is $12.00.
Giving yourself time to meditate is the start of a new journey... one on which you will encounter many wonders and experiences you may never have dreamed possible.
Awareness Meditation
What happens when you simply allow yourself to be aware of each moment, in each moment? What happens when you're aware of the touch of your hand on the door, the opening of the door, the stepping out into the morning, the rush of traffic, the touch of a breeze, the call of a bird?
Notice things and people. Notice your experience. Notice your Awareness. Notice something in particular. Every time you pass a certain tree in the street, be intensely aware of it. Or every time a certain kind of bird flies overhead, stop, and be aware of it. Be aware of being aware of it. Sit in a café and be aware of the life around you. Awareness develops by being aware. It is that simple.
The most basic Awareness meditation is simply following your breath.
Here is a beautiful and simple Awareness meditation.
Begin by following your breath. Experience the rhythm of the in-breath and the out-breath. Allow your mind and body to settle into your breath. Be aware of thoughts that arise but don't try to do anything about them. Allow them to arise and float away.
Imagine a small golden light in your heart centre, a golden flame. Feel its warmth and joy. Imagine this as the light of Awareness, a guiding presence that is always with us. Continue to be aware of your breath, but also of the golden light in your heart. Allow yourself to rest within it. Trust your golden light knows you, reveals yourself to you and guides you.
Slowly breathe your light out into the world. Imagine that it travels far, activating light and Awareness wherever it goes. Know that as you sit quietly in and with your light of Awareness, you are awakening that light everywhere in the great network of consciousness, of which we are all a part. Ask that all beings experience the light of Awareness within them. Know that as you arise from meditation, your golden light goes with you.
Awareness brings transformation. |
| 2010 Workshops and courses |
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The first workshop for the year is Psychic Development Level 1.
Psychic Development Level 1 ~ 8 evenings x 2 hours
Duration: 8 evenings (7:00pm to 9:00pm)
Course Dates: Monday 1st February 2010 - Monday 29th March
(please note: no class on Monday 15th March)
Where: Phoenix Rising Books 31a Glebe Point Road, Glebe, 2037
Investment: $275.00
Deposit: $50.00
More Information |
| Book of the Month |
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Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
By Deepak Chopra
This is the long awaited sequel to Dr. Chopras' bestseller, "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind". In that book he revealed the profound connection between our health and thoughts. In this book he shows us how to create a whole new self. He explains how the body is a reflection of everything we think and feel. From early childhood we each have invented our bodies and personalities through our beliefs and our conditioned responses to everyday stress. Mostly we have done this unconsciously, which explains why we feel unfilled. As you read through the pages he will guide you to reconnect with your ideal sense of self by a process of renewal and discovery.
I have just finished reading this and as much as I loved "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind", Deepak has taken the information from that title and transformed it into easy to follow, practical applications that assist in creating a new self. I enjoyed this immensely and had many "ah ah" moments that moved me into deeper realisations of myself and life.
Price:$ 33.00
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