Sacred Energy

Empaths are highly sensitive beings who can sense another’s pain and feel it as their own. You’ll know if you are an empath because you tend to see the best in others and their hidden potential. You are trusting and optimistic which can sometimes lead to others taking advantage of your kindness for their own gain. Empath’s struggle to see anyone suffer and will go above and beyond to ease the pain of others. Your optimism and desire to heal often exposes you to a number of harsh, toxic energies in your bid to make others feel better. The problem with this is it can leave you feeling depleted and drained.

Yes, it is ok to be giving, gentle and kind. But it is not ok to be taken advantage of. How is anyone supposed to take responsibility for their lives if you continue to make excuses for their behavior? And how are you to ever feel vibrant and healthy if you are allowing others to continue to draw from your energy reserves without reciprocation?

If you have found yourself in a situation where you are constantly giving with very little in return, if you are often placing another’s happiness before you own – then it is very possible that you have found yourself in a toxic situation and are experiencing energy imbalance.

Be wise and know that you cannot help everyone. Become attuned to those who take without giving in return. Be willing to set healthy boundaries and strong enough to walk away from those who do not have your best interest at heart.

In love and light,

Hayley xx

 

Echoes of Kindness

Words carry much weight. Which is why it is so important for us to THINK before we speak.

T – is it TRUE?
H – is it HELPFUL?
I – is it INSPIRING?
N – is it NECESSARY?
K – is it KIND?

As Mother Teresa reminds us, when we chose words of kindness, ‘there echoes are truly endless.’ I experienced the power of kind words today when I received a bundle of handwritten letters from my kindergarten students filled with messages of love and appreciation, along with a beautiful heart shaped paperweight. I have spent the last six weeks teaching them mindfulness and yoga. Their gift to me was unexpected, yet my heart swelled with love and appreciation for the time they’d taken to share their words of kindness.

One of my favourite quotes by the Dalai Lama is:

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Today, before you think, speak or act – ask yourself, “Is this kind?” Remember that your words have the power to hurt or to heal, to condemn or to inspire. Choose wisely.

In love & light,
Hayley xx

Peaceful Souls

Today at school, I asked 91 kindergarten students what it means to be peaceful. As always, whenever I listen to children’s responses regarding matters of the heart, I am blown away by their wisdom and intuition: ‘Peaceful is being kind to your friends…’ ‘Peaceful means you are calm and still…’ ‘When we are peaceful we help others and never be mean…’ ‘Peace is when we love each other…’ So many beautiful responses at the tender age of five. I am forever moved and amazed by our little ones.

It got me thinking about what it means to have peace in one’s soul. For me, it is a sense of being aligned with my truth; choosing right words and right action; making peace with my mistakes and the past; forgiving myself and others; attempting to right my wrongs and expressing myself honestly from the heart… What does peace look like to you?

Each day we have a series of choices and decisions to make. We may not always get them right – but if we aim to choose our words, thoughts, deeds and actions from a place of peace, if we listen to our hearts and respond to life rather than react, then rest assured we will meet with a life of fulfillment and joy.

Today, take a moment to be still and listen to your soul. Choose love over hate, joy above sorrow, and peace before conflict. Because ‘to have peace in one’s soul is the greatest of happiness.’

In love and light,

Hayley xx

Ahhh shucks.

That I can post this even with a tear stained face from having a psycho mental breakdown moment is a true sign that we are only ever one breath away from pure, immeasurable peace.

The key is to not berate ourselves. When we judge ourselves, we fail to recognise that life, beautiful pulsating life, ebbs and flows, just as sure as the tides flow and the winds blow.

So no more judging yourselves in your moments of craziness please. Smile, laugh it off! Forgive yourself. LOVE yourself! (Crazy psycho nutbag moments and all!) 😉

Peace be with you my friends 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

Think.

Writing 101, Day 12: Critique a piece of work.

Today, express your opinion on a topic or a piece of work. This is your opportunity to comment on something you’re passionate about, or review a piece of art or entertainment that you love or despise.

When I first read this prompt, my initial thoughts were: who am I to critique the creativity of another? And then I remembered that not all critique is negative. However, for some reason, when I think of the word ‘critique’, I am reminded of the many ways in which people criticise and vilify one another; our co-workers; that person we saw on the television last night; our children; our spouses; the lady on the bus! Sometimes we don’t even realise we are doing it… But why do we criticise others? It is as though we believe tearing shreds out of one another will make us feel better.

I am not immune to this and have expressed opinions I have later regretted, particularly in my teenaged years when I simply followed the crowd and was far less aware of the power of my words. As I have grown, so has my compassion for others. These days, if I catch myself or another being insensitive or narrow minded, then I will simply remove myself from the situation, or speak up should I feel it necessary. Quite often we get caught up in the moment and we forget to be that beacon of light – our true authentic selves.

Working alongside children, it becomes easier to notice the effect our words have on others. Even a seemingly harmless comment made in jest can have a profound effect on the way children see themselves and the world around them. Although we become thicker skinned as we get older, we are still, as adults, sensitive to criticism. That is why I believe that critique should always uplift and inspire, that our feedback should allow one another to grow, to evolve and expand; it should never cause ridicule or upset.

Next time we catch ourselves or someone else criticising a friend’s recent weight gain, or the lady from the television who seems to have gone overboard with her plastic surgery, let us be mindful of the deeper issues that may have contributed to their actions in the first place. Could it be that outside criticism has driven our friend to take comfort in food as a way of filling the void? Maybe the lady from the television has been made to feel ugly all of her life and has changed her appearance in an attempt to fit in and feel accepted? Equally, is it necessary to provide negative feedback about someone else’s work/painting/book/production? Of course we are entitled to our opinions, our unique likes and dislikes are what make us human and differentiate us from everyone else – but what doesn’t speak to my heart may speak volumes to another. That is why I take little notice of book or film reviews; they are, after all, just personal opinions.

So in a world that, at times, feels clouded with criticism, prejudice and judgement, let us refrain from following the crowd and stand up for what we believe in. Let it be that our words, thoughts and actions uplift, inspire and empower others, not tear them apart.

Peace be with you.

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Writing 101, Day 5: Hook ’em with a quote

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.

Dalai Lama

One thing I strive for each day, is to be kind. I don’t always get it right, but I do endeavor to be compassionate in my interactions with others; humans and animals alike. It isn’t always easy, especially when dealing with agitated or angry people. However, taking a deep breath before reacting, and ensuring that my response is honest, true and kind, helps to diffuse the situation and keep the peace most of the time. Should I falter and react from a place of ego, such as when I am tired, under pressure, or just generally feeling intolerant, then I will always seize the next opportunity to offer a heartfelt apology and to make things right again. Thankfully, forgiveness is also an act of kindness and one we should never take for granted!

A simple act of kindness can leave impressions that last a lifetime, but the same can be said for unkind behavior; whether that’s yelling at the dog for getting under our feet, or snapping impatiently at a curious child who has asked too many questions, or ignoring a loved one’s efforts to tidy the house; all of these things can deeply affect those around us. Being kind is not as easy as it first sounds and I like to think that most people do not wish to intentionally hurt others, that the majority of the time we do so when we are unconscious of our words and actions. In these situations, Dalai Lama’s quote can remind us that it is always possible to be kind, even when we feel tired and stressed and agitated. That kindness is something we can all strive for, with a little patience and effort each day.

At the school I work in, we have three school rules:
Speak kindly to others;
Keep your hands, feet and objects to yourself (eg. never lash out at anyone); and
Follow instructions first time.

Whilst all three are important in keeping our pupils safe, the first two endeavor to teach our children from a very young age the importance of being kind to others. If we can nurture kindness in children, then we can also adopt the principles of compassion in our own lives and therefore, lead by example.

How can you be kinder in your interactions with others? How has kindness impacted your life?