Soulful Sundays #11: Step Inside

Welcome to my eleventh instalment of ‘Soulful Sundays’. A weekly share where I post a roundup of soulful reflections, each including recipes, songs, quotes, blogs I have read and/or any other inspirational discoveries to sooth the soul.

For me, Sunday’s have become a day of quiet contemplation and simple pleasures. A time to reflect on the week gone by and to consider my hopes and dreams for the week ahead.

My hope is to extend some love outward and to share some simple pleasures with anyone who cares to receive them.

Soul Reflections

Eudora Welty’s quote resonated with me this week. As my book proposal submission draws near, I have led a somewhat more sheltered life in terms of socialising. I have endured many names such as ‘unsociable, ‘boring’ and ‘hermit’ by my friends in their attempts to coax me out. (All in good humour of course!) They have mostly respected my need for peace. But despite them thinking that I must be having a really boring time of it, I have actually been living the opposite of a ‘sheltered life’. I may have confined myself to the laptop far more than I would have liked to during this beautiful Melbourne sunshine, but I have managed to switch my thoughts of social deprivation into one of complete abundance.

I have had so much pleasure daring to dream, going within – that ‘sheltered’ has felt more like an exciting exploration. An adventure of the soul! And of course, whilst I may have declined social gatherings, I have remembered to nurture myself during this busy period of teaching, writing and preparing for Christmas!  Spending time in nature, walking, yoga, and a holiday to the Sunshine Coast with family have all helped to keep me sane and happy.  Deprived I am not. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time that your friends and family may consider a ‘sheltered life’? When in reality, you are daring to beat to the sound of your own drum? 😉

Soul Strolls

And talking of soul strolls, I am seeing these beauties spring up everywhere here in Melbourne at the moment. Beautiful blue flowers shooting up out of thick green grasses. I even have some growing in my front garden, although I have no idea what they are! So if anyone can enlighten me, I’d be very grateful.

Photography by Hayley Jade Gledhill

Soul Sounds

I love music that soothes the soul. This beautiful track  ‘Balance’ by Tao Lounge sends me into a deep meditative state whenever I listen to it. You can find it on Spotify by following this link.

Soul Food

Today I am sharing this Pork and Pineapple Curry by one of my favourite health and wellness bloggers, Alice Nicholls at The Whole Daily. Whilst I love to cook, my partner’s a bit of a rookie! But he has kindly been helping me out in the kitchen whilst I’ve been teaching, writing and working on my proposal. To broaden his scope, I sent him to Alice’s website for some healthy alternatives to his usual Shepard’s Pie and Mac n Cheese. He chose this, and did a mighty good job of it too! It’s now become his new regular (I’m not complaining) 😉 Enjoy!

Soul Sisters

Today I am sharing Michelle’s post Sunrise Epiphany. This post made me chuckle out loud as well as nod in agreement! Head over to Michelle’s post for 12 things we can no longer afford to keep doing.

Happy Sunday my friends,

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Your Dreams Are Real

I am a big believer that our dreams come from God and that He has the power to accomplish them. Often we pin our hopes and dreams on one outcome. We have set ideas of how and when we must arrive there. However, in doing so, we miss the many opportunities there are to land among the stars.

Today, dream big. Know that your dreams are real. Trust that God knows precisely the best, possible way for you to fulfil your Divine purpose. When we get out of our own way and allow ourselves to be led by Divine guidance, who knows? We may even land on the moon after all.

In Love and light,

Hayley xx

Be The Light

There are some things in life we feel are simply unforgivable. So horrific, in fact, that we question: What kind of a God would allow this to happen? We question why a loving God would allow countries to be at war and people to die of hunger. But as Marianne Williamson reminds us: ‘Thirty-five thousand people a day die of hunger on earth, and there’s no dearth of food. The question is not, “What kind of a God would let children starve?” but rather, “What kind of people let children starve?”

So are we to direct our anger away from God and towards our fellow brothers and sisters instead? As purging as this may initially feel; to vent and blame and shake our fists at all the darkness we see in the world, will only add to the hatred and misery in it. As we express our rage we further mar our planet with our own discontent.

To penetrate the darkness, we must become the light. But what if the darkness is too overwhelming to bare? Then we must pray that we will find the courage to be the light amidst the darkness, and that others will find the strength to do the same.

A Course in Miracles states: Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.

Our goal, therefore, is to illuminate our corner of the world, however small that corner may be. To shine our light on all with whom we meet so that they too, can feel safe to do the same. It is our light, not our darkness, that will make a change.

You may have heard the tale of The Little Soul in The Sun, by Neale Donald Walsch, the story of a little soul who announces to God: “I know who I am!”

God smiled and said: “Who are you?” To which the little soul replied; “I am Light.”

“Yes you are,” replied God.

But the little soul, living amongst others who also shone with the perfect brilliance of God’s light, felt like a candle in the sun. Amidst the beautiful light of which the little soul was a part of, it could not see or experience itself as it really was. The little soul yearned to experience itself as Light.

And so one day, witnessing the little soul’s yearnings, God suggested: “Little Soul, if you really want to see yourself as you really are, then you must call upon the darkness. You must separate yourself from the rest of the light so that you can experience yourself as light amidst the darkness.”

“What is Darkness?” the little soul enquired inquisitively.

“That which you are not,” replied God, and the soul understood.

And so the little soul did. It separated itself from the light and experienced all sorts of darkness. At it’s deepest despair it called out to God, “Father Father why hast thou forsaken me?”  

God replied, “I have not forsaken you. I stand by you always, ready to remind you of who you really are; ready, always ready, to call you home. Therefore, be a light unto the darkness and curse it not. And forget not who you are in the moment of your encirclement by that which you are not.”

Little Soul in the Sun is a timeless parable which serves to reminds us that without darkness, there can be no light; without fear, we could never know love; without up, we could never experience down.

Let us not forget ourselves amidst the darkness, and may we always remember that we are the light.

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Soul Sundays #4: The Fear of God

Peace be with you on this rainy Melbourne evening. 

Welcome to my fourth instalment of ‘Soulful Sundays’. A weekly share where I post a roundup of soulful reflections, each including recipes, songs, quotes, blogs I have read and/or any other inspirational discoveries to sooth the soul.

For me, Sunday’s have become a day of quiet contemplation and simple pleasures. A time to reflect on the week gone by and to consider my hopes and dreams for the week ahead.

My hope is to extend some love outward and to share some simple pleasures with anyone who cares to receive them.

Soul Reflections

I watched Martin Sheen in an interview last month, and this sentence that he said in the above quote struck a chord. Many people shy away at the mention of God. I know, because I used to be one of those people myself. And with messages such as this featured on the building below, which I snapped whilst out walking the other day, is it any wonder that people fear and reject God?

And whilst I have nothing against anyone’s personal beliefs, I do believe that it is possible to believe in God without being tethered to Christianity or religion. For me, God is Love. God is the life force that runs through every thing and every one, connecting us all to our true essence. The Oneness that is our very nature. I have no image of Him. I only feel His presence.

Soul Food

Since the Northern hemisphere are moving into colder weather, and Melbourne is experiencing a lot of rain this evening, I thought I’d share one of my favourite winter salads. This is great as a side dish or served on it’s own. It’s full of flavour and a perfect way to start your week feeling good.

Soul Sounds

Fleetwood Mac came on in the car whilst I was driving the other day. I’d forgotten how much I love this song. So I thought I’d remind you all of what a great track Everywhere is.

Soulful Strolls

I caught this beauty whilst walking at sunset the other day. Beauty really does surround us everywhere if we simply pay attention. I don’t no where I’d be without my nature walks.

Soul Sisters

In keeping with the theme of God, I wanted to share this post from Nina over at The Happy Life 101. Nina never fails to spread a little happiness to others, and this post that she shared reminded me of what God IS. He does not judge, He simply wants for His children to be happy and at peace. I will include the video that Nina shared below, and I urge you to visit her blog for a slice of joy!

Surrender

Those yearnings pursued or chased will elude,
For grasping is the home of fear.
Imagine with faith in quiet solitude,
For alignment does draw dreams near.

Let go of the Who, the When and the How,
Untether your noose of demand.
Surrender to Faith and simply allow,
God’s muse will reap all promised lands.

A Poem by Hayley Jade Gledhill

Soulful Sundays #3: Soul Chocolate

Happy Sunday all!

Welcome to my third instalment of ‘Soulful Sundays’. A weekly share where I post a roundup of soulful reflections, each including recipes, songs, quotes, blogs I have read and/or any other inspirational discoveries to sooth the soul.

For me, Sunday’s have become a day of quiet contemplation and simple pleasures. A time to reflect on the week gone by and to consider my hopes and dreams for the week ahead.

My hope is to extend some love outward and to share some simple pleasures with anyone who cares to receive them. 

Soul Reflections

Lin Yuntang’s quote reminds us of the importance of an ‘Elimination List’. Many of us have endless ‘To Do’ lists, some so long that it would take us a lifetime to complete. And yet, we wonder why we have so little time to spend on the things that are most dear to us. Most of the time, we are focusing our energy on the wrong things. Often, we are so caught up in the doing that we spend little time just being. When we are gifted a moment to simply be, we squander our precious time on mindless activities; on ‘non-essentials’ that lack purpose, genuine fulfillment, or that fail to provide a return on investment.

In creating an elimination list, we can be honest about where are time goes and eliminate the things that no longer serve us. In the same way that we would regularly check in with our To Do list, it pays to regularly read our Elimination List to ensure familiar behaviour patterns and habits don’t creep up on us again.

Here is an example of an Elimination List. (This is my actual Elimination List written over two months ago.) I manage to comply with it 90% of the time. The only time I falter, is when I neglect to read over it each day.

• gluten
• refined sugars
• checking emails first thing in the morning
• social networking throughout the day
• saying ‘yes’ when I mean ‘no’
• becoming easily offended or defensive
• being easily dragged in to mindless arguments and drama

Of course, your list may look very different to mine. And, like anything, our lists will evolve over time. But it is good practice to make journalling a part of your morning and evening routine, to instil healthy habits of a lifetime, and to eliminate those that no longer serve you on your path.

Soul Food

Whilst it is wise for us to eliminate refined sugars from our diet, that doesn’t mean that we must give up delicious desserts altogether! Thankfully, Mother Nature provides us with natural sweeteners that, once discovered, put those nasty processed puddings to shame and provide us with a healthy does of rich nutrients. And did I mention that they taste freakin’ amazing?  Try my Chocolate Chia Pudding, which is fast, simple and good for you!

Soul Sounds

This week I am loving Dreamer Lounge by Estelle Blanca on Spotify. It is such a powerful track to meditate too. Check it out!

Soulful Strolls

I love Lavender. The scent, the colour, the bees it attracts. Since it is Spring here in Melbourne, and my lavender plant has yet to flower, I took to the streets and snapped this bee collecting honey on it’s daily round.

Soul Sisters

Today I’d like to share this beautiful post by Mfon over at Dainty M titled Extreme. Mfon reminds us of the powerful way in which God speaks to us, often in extreme ways. When we ignore the silent whispers, sometimes he goes to extremes in order to get our attention. You can check out this bright young voice here.

Stay blessed,

Hayley xx

Progress Not Perfection

Perfectionism. We’ve all been there. Striving for an elusive paradigm that, thankfully, does not exist.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was: Progress, not perfection. As a child who was so preoccupied with the neatness of her handwriting and the symmetry of her drawings that she rarely completed a piece of work; and as young woman who would shovel an entire 500ml tub of cookie and cream Hagan Daaz into her gob because she’d succumbed to a biscuit that day at work; this simple revelation truly set me free.

No longer do I beat myself up for ‘falling off the bandwagon’. Nor do I spiral out of control if I step one foot away from my (sometimes ridiculously high) standards.  And yes – I now complete work that before, I was too afraid to even begin.  I hit ‘publish’ on posts that are far from perfect and most likely have typos and incorrect grammar! But who’s judging? I finally realised that my biggest judge had always been me. That I was my biggest critic. No-one else. Me. Once I realised this, I could relax. Breathe. I could simply allow myself to be. To be unapologetically me, with all of my flaws and imperfections.

It feels good to have cracks, to have flaws, to be human just like everybody else. Because as Leonardo Cohen reminds us:

There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.

-Leonardo Cohen

Progress, not perfection. As long as we are making progress, learning from our mistakes, remembering to be kind towards ourselves and others whenever those blessed mistakes do appear; then I promise you – those cracks will allow the light to flood your very essence with love and acceptance for all, including yourself.

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Soulful Sundays #2: A Slice of Life

Happy Sunday all!

Welcome to my second instalment of ‘Soulful Sundays’. A weekly share where I post a roundup of soulful reflections, each including recipes, songs, quotes, blogs I have read and/or any other inspirational discoveries to sooth the soul.

For me, Sunday’s have become a day of quiet contemplation and simple pleasures. A time to reflect on the week gone by and to consider my hopes and dreams for the week ahead.

My hope is to extend some love outward and to share some simple pleasures with anyone who cares to receive them. 

Soul Reflections

We can, at times, feel like leaves in the wind, being tossed and turned with little control over which direction we’re headed. Many of us struggle with the concept of surrendering to an invisible, all-knowing force, let alone trust in it’s ability to bring everything into Divine order. Yet, when we trust in Spirit’s will, we can be sure that the Universe will take care of us and make certain of our safe landing, and in the gentlest way possible. Our work is to surrender and give up the struggle, to allow life to unfold as nature planned, and with the utmost faith that the Universe is operating for our highest good.

Like a leaf, I have felt a little tossed around this week. I had a melt down mid-week and cried. And on Friday I blew off some steam.

A healthy body supports a healthy mind (which is why I have decided to have a sober October this month!) This weekend I remembered why I don’t go out partying anymore! These days, on the odd occasion that I do indulge, I tend to stick to 1-2 glasses of red wine. I cannot bear the feeling of a hangover, so when I forgot my limits on Friday, I woke up feeling like my world had ended. My usual optimistic self was an emotional wreck, I felt sorry for myself. I basically self-punished. As if I hadn’t already done enough damage to my body – now I was going to beat myself up in the process?!

Feeling exhausted, I asked for help. I asked for a miracle. I knew I had to keep the faith. And just as quickly as everything had come tumbling down mid-week, it was rectified. On Saturday I got that phone call to bring about the good news I had been hoping for all week. And not only did the situation come right, but it far exceeded my expectations.

When the world around seems to tumble and fall, it is simply making way for the new. Keep the faith. Don’t be afraid to call for a miracle. Spirit loves you and wants you to be happy. The Universe would never throw anything at you that you cannot handle. You will always grow from any experience seemingly too hard to bear; and when the dark clouds part, the light will shine to guide your way.

Soul Food

In my bid to feel healthy again, I made another batch of these deliciously tasty (yet good for you) slices! The full recipe can be found on my website by clicking here.

Soul Sounds

In my rather tipsy state on Friday, I recall singing at the top of my lungs to Where is the Love in the taxi ride home! Oh. Dear. The taxi driver was extremely amused as my boyfriend sunk lower into his seat in embarrassment. Haha – Cringe!

I also meditated to a track called Leaf In The Wind by Izumi Tanaka. I couldn’t find it on YouTube but it is available on Spotify. A beautiful piece which inspired today’s post about fallen leaves.

Soulful Strolls

Despite feeling rough as nuts – I still managed to revive myself in nature. Here’s a little beauty from my Sunday stroll. Nature heals, nature revives, nature soothes the soul.

Soul Sisters

Since I resonated with this post so much today, I would like to share it. Brittany blogs at Ordinarily Extraordinary Mom, where she reminds us that everyone lives an imperfectly perfect life. Her post is a timely reminder that often, the Beauty is IN the Broken.

Stay blessed,

Hayley xx

Open Hearts

There are times when our hearts become closed. Just like tender skin that has come into contact with a hot stove; we contract and recoil from the pain. Our body’s defence mechanisms are designed to protect us from further discomfort; if we fail to withdraw, we risk severe burns, or worse still – death. Our natural reaction, therefore, is to retreat.

But what happens when we remain constricted, when we close our hearts through fear of ‘getting burnt’? When we build a wall of protection around us, we cut off the natural flow of love. Not only do we prevent ourselves from giving love, but we also restrict our ability to receive love. What is called for is not complete constriction, but caution; which is simply another word for ‘attention’, or ‘awareness’.

Just as the stove does not purposely set out to burn our skin, it is not usually another’s intent to inflict harm upon us (with the rare exception under extreme circumstances, of course). But more often than not, we get hurt because there was some degree of carelessness involved. Our own carelessness or that of another. Maybe the heat was turned too high and the pot had reached boiling point? Could it be that we rushed in impatiently, or approached at the wrong angle? Maybe we neglected the stove completely and a fire broke lose? Whatever our reasons for getting burnt, regardless of who was to blame, the affects need not result in the permanent closing down of our kitchens. And the same is true of our hearts.

When we remain open, we choose expansion over constriction. The doors are set ajar for love to drift through once more, filling our hearts with the sweet aroma and comfort of joy. To close our hearts is to take a pillow to our souls and smother our very essence. At the core we are love. And to restrict that life force within us is a slow death for fettered hearts. That is not to say that if you are dealing with a hazardous or faulty stove that you shouldn’t replace it, because your safety and wellbeing is paramount. But what I am saying, is that there is no need to stop cooking, to stop loving, to shut up shop and starve.

It is ok to allow ourselves to be vulnerable. We need only exercise more care and attention, that’s all. But what if I am hopeless in the kitchen? – you may ask. As a child raised on boxed food and packet noodles in working class Tameside, I reply: cooking takes practice and patience. We don’t always get it right. Sometimes it leaves our kitchens in complete disarray, or an unpleasant taste in our mouths which can linger –  but when we do manage to create something wonderful, nothing compares to the pleasure and comfort of a sumptuous home cooked meal, prepared with tender loving care.

Those are the ones that warm our hearts, soothe our souls and ‘light the whole sky.’ That, my Dear, is a love that tastes simply divine.

Forgive. And dance.

So many of us struggle to let go of grievances; she did this; he said that; she didn’t do this; he failed to say that. We hold grudges, turning a blind eye to the affects our deep-rooted resentments have on our lives and the lives of those around us. We justify our unhappiness and hold others accountable for the way we feel; if only he’d change, if only she hadn’t treated me that way, if only my circumstances were different – then my life would be so much happier. But when we view life through the lens of non-forgiveness – we give our power away. We become powerless.

Here, I tell the true story of a brave woman named Satta Joe; a story of immense courage and forgiveness. Satta lived in Sierra Leone during the civil war, a time of great upheaval and uncertainty. When the rebels attacked Satta’s village, she became the victim of gang rape. Her husband was shot dead and her seven year old son slaughtered before her very eyes. Curled up in a broken heap on the floor with her newborn child, Satta was left for dead.

The man who had led the attack was Nyuma Saffa, a blood relative of Satta’s who had once tried to force his love upon her. Fueled by his grievance over Satta’s rejection and by his new allegiance to the rebels, he unleashed his attack upon Satta and her family.

Once the civil war had ended, the rebels returned to live in the village. Satta recalls feeling powerless: This was very hard for me, but what was I to do?  And that’s when Fambul Tok (Family Talk) arrived, a community led reconciliation program. They called for a meeting in the village and asked for those who had experienced suffering during the war to speak up. Satta bravely stepped forward and told her story. Fambul Tok then asked that Nyuma Saffa come forward to admit his crimes against Satta and her family. Finally, he confessed.

As part of the reconciliation ritual, Satta and Nyuma were asked to dance together as a way of forgiving the past. Understandably, Satta refused. She couldn’t bear the thought of holding Nyuma’s hands – the same hands that had raped her and killed her family. Though, after much encouragement – she bravely accepted. Satta states: As I took his hand I was sobbing, not out of despair but a sense of relief that perhaps now we could move on from this terrible pain in our past. I didn’t expect it, but they succeeded in making peace between us.

Satta Joe is one of many heroic people who, under horrific and seemingly unforgivable circumstances, have chosen the path of peace.

Forgiveness does not mean that what the other person did was ok. Forgiveness is choosing to shift our focus from one of pain, to peace. We forgive because we want to feel good. And holding onto resentment prevents us from feeling any peace within ourselves. It prevents us from moving forward.

If Satta Joe can forgive this man for inflicting terrible crimes against her and her family; if she can choose peace over pain and sorrow; forgiveness over bitterness and revenge – then isn’t it time we all cleared the floor and danced?