Dearest Readers ,

Hope you are keeping safe and well. Lets talk Trust and Patience today…..

On a personal note I had a wedding in my whanau -it was my brother`s- and my boys and I could only be with them in spirit .However the challenges of the times and stark simplicity of the event – also reminded me of the poignance of Trust and Patience – core values of mindfulness– and the difference these values make to our everyday wellness.

The intention for today`s writing is to

1. Reinforce the depth of wisdom that comes in knowing to inculcate Trust and Patience in all that we do….
2. Highlight the richness that these two values bring in to our Everyday Wellness.

We are living in times – where we do not know for sure – when things will ever return to normalcy…..

There are many of us who live far away from family and some of us have been impacted by the the throngs of the pandemic in myriads of ways….. The impact can leave us feeling displaced – disconnected and maybe even feel sorrowful. This can further lead to low feelings that take its`toll on our immune system .

Trust is believing that there is light at the end of the tunnel-

Patience is about learning to wait -it is also about acceptance – and being connected to the now –

So what are ways that we can emanate Trust and Patience in challenging times

Here are a few:

Find something positive in our immediate context – no matter how dark and grim it feels

Engage in simple acts of kindness and notice the way your spirits sour…..

Be in the midst of nature – each day

Be in the company of wise , kind , intelligent and fun people – who make you laugh and think

Learn a skill – crochet , music or pottery – or whatever that takes your fancy

Smile heaps ……

When we do the aforesaid …..subtle changes happen within our brainworks – and makes a positive shift in the way we think – we feel and engage

• Our brainstem – gets unsettled when we are anxious….. – when we believe things will go well and when we are happy to wait in the moment – our brainstem – feels settled/ regulated and our thinking improves

• Whenever our brainstem is settled / regulated – our focus improves

• When our focus improves – we make better choices -and we blossom into resilient beings…..

With much much love

To my dear readers – hope you are enjoying the cool autumn air i.e.,if you are living in the Southern Hemisphere – and for those of you bracing the summer months …I hope you are doing all that is needed to keep cool …

Today I said good-bye to an educator -a colleague – friend – a leader – one of the finest human beings – so kind- so bright and so beautiful. Today was about remembering the goodness and generosity of spirit she emanated and we remembered all the things that mattered to my dear friend. All of the things that mattered to her was about nature, children , family, pets , learning, fun , and lots of love ……. Her spirit, the messages , the aura and grace in the gathering today resonated with the ethos of the profound Maori whakatauki – he tangata , he tangata , he tangata – it translates as it is the people , the people , the people

KINDNESS : Every single person at my friend`s memorial day spoke of the kindness and the warmth she radiated in the manner she connected with everyone. She had the most brilliant sparkle in her eyes that touched every single person she connected …

GRATITUDE : What also struck me was she had a special message for those at her gathering – and that was about thanking our mums and caregivers – in a world where we are quick to cast the blame on either our lineage or our upbringing – my friend`s message sounded cool , inclusive , forgiving and refreshing…

PRESENT AND CONNECTED : She wanted to be remembered for the simple joyous things that bring a smile in our hearts – like rain drops , little chooks , puppies , children , stories , songs and stars…..

The intention of elaborating on today was to share the spirit of joy , kindness and love that comes from a life so well lived!!!

So now to put that into practice:

• So my dear readers make a note to practise kindness to yourself – to someone you know or to a passerby. You can emanate kindness by giving of your time, giving a smile or offering a gentle word . This does wonders for physical health and emotional health

• At the end of each day give thanks to what made you smile or what brought you a light moment – it could even be a hot cup of tea or a meal that was truly nourishing – this adds dollops of wellness to our lives

• Please take a moment to connect to be present watch the sun glisten through the clouds, the chirping of the birds, the flowering of the fruit trees , the sound of the windchimes, the waves and the sea- this helps us take notice of what really matters – and motivates to give back to the Universe that always has so much to offer!!!

My dear friend will be cherished and remembered for all of the things that she emanated right through her sixty one years…..seems too short a life span for someone so remarkable. As the service came to a close -a most delightful tui turned up to affirm – my friend`s legacy – love for learning – for humanity – for education – of connecting to everyone with warmth , love and radiance will always be in the midst of each of us now and forever ….

Arohanui

You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give -Kahlil Gibran