I hope this blog finds you well and curious about the spring time as we start to be aware of those little buds pushing themselves up and out from the cold ground. They have no idea what life is going to be like as they raise their heads to the sun, but it seems they take that risk to be seen anyway! What might life be like if they chose not too, for us and for them? Of course I am speaking metaphorically here! A flower simply opens, a bird simply fly’s, without thought or analysis. Could we learn to be the same, to simply open ourselves to life without shrinking in fear?
As life changes we change, our need to grow and become free, learning to shape shift between roles, step up and be seen and be counted means taking risks, not fearing judgement, speaking out and opening our hearts all takes courage. Will we fully risk ‘being who we are?’

Ive had to take many risks through my life, to dare to show up when parts of me would rather turn away or go to sleep, even be put back in an old box, hidden away, but there is no time for that now. As I write my third book I feel some of those things that I would not normally want to say, yet a part of me absolutely has to speak them, because if I don’t – those words will never be heard, those poems will never see the light of day. And even if they have no effect in this moment, I am still releasing them for future generations to come, and who knows what may need to be read then!  

All of this often means standing in my own Mandorla, the magic and mystery of my own creativity. I know the chaos it can create for me and the discomfort it brings, yet it has such an ability to heal and to create more of that gentle power so needed in the world. So stand there in that circle I must.  

We danced with the process of the Mandorla last week in The Netherlands and we will dance it again in two weeks. Again this workshop has filled very quickly and is proving to be very dynamic and rewarding for those who take part.

Before the last Mandorla workshop, Ben and I arrived home from South Africa, emptied our case from hot weather clothing, filled it with winter woolies and then headed off to The Netherlands to offer the Mandorla work there. Its all part of the shape shifting journey we seem to be on. Not only with our work but also with our home and where we are living. So as we prepare to move on once more, we keep checking in with ourselves as to how we are, where are our feet, what is our dance and meditation leading us to. Reminding ourselves to stay grounded and to focus on the job in hand. But also to check in with our deeply loving relationship to each other and our relationship with ourselves. This is not a time to ‘get lost’ but to really find ourselves and to find each other. Knowing each other at our most vulnerable as well as in our strongest and most loving ways.  

South Africa was such an amazing journey, Ive never been there before and the response from the dancers was so welcoming. We are heading back there in November to share more Movement Medicine, films and communal healing. Thank you so much to Jayne Bullen for making this possible for us and all the dancers there. Jayne is an apprentice to the School of Movement Medicine as are other dancers, soon to be trained teachers, so a whole new community is blossoming there of movement medicine teachings and dances. It was lovely to be there as a guest teacher for the school and share in this. Susannah and Ya’Acov Darling Khan will be there next month also.
Our journey also took us into the townships and places of hardship, where we are planning some fund raising possibilities by filming and documenting what is needed. Jayne is already running fund raising projects for the schools there.

So always I travel, dance and live with my own Circle supporting me,  click to read in wordpress.
Do you know what you are willing to dance with? And do you know the strong circle that surrounds you, protecting you and supporting your journey? I have asked participants of the Circle workshops that I hold, if they would like to write their experience of this to put in my next book ‘The Circle, The Fire & The Phoenix’
Might you have one of these stories to share? If so do send it to me.

So now I am off to the Phoenix Retreat in Devon to work with the School of Movement Medicine and another richly rewarding process of human exploration. Life is never dull, there is always a new experience to unfold and discover.
I hope to see you soon, where ever that might be on this journey,