Slow Down

A poem by Danna Faulds.

Walk Slowly

It only takes a reminder to breathe,
a moment to be still, and just like that,
something in me settles, softens, makes
space for imperfection. The harsh voice
of judgment drops to a whisper and I
remember again that life isn’t a relay
race; that we will all cross the finish
line; that waking up to life is what we
were born for. As many times as I
forget, catch myself charging forward
without even knowing where I’m going,
that many times I can make the choice
to stop, to breathe, and be, and walk
slowly into the mystery.

I believe we can all prosper and thrive when we remember to take a moment to breathe, to walk slowly, to stop and smell the flowers along the way…

May you move slowly into the magic and mystery of the weekend.

In love & light,

Hayley xx

Soulful Sundays #8: The Dash

Welcome to my eighth 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

Happy Sunday to you all. Today I thought I would share this thought-provoking poem, The Dash Poem, which I heard read aloud recently at my local Toastmasters club. It was such a simple and moving truth that I wanted to share it with you in case you have yet to hear it. For copyright purposes, the Author Linda Ellis asks that the poem not be copied or reproduced, rather, a link shared back to her site. So if you’d like to read the poem (and I encourage you to do so), then just click here! It certainly made me think of how I would like to spend the remaining ‘dash’ in my years.

Soul Strolls

Along my soulful strolling this week I snapped this Chinese Cherry Blossom. So beautiful to see so many colourful flowers in bloom. Spring is officially my favourite time of year…

Soul Food

Today I am sharing these Raw Caramel Slice Bites by Becomingness. They look delightful, plus I’m all about treats that don’t necessarily result in a ‘cheat’. I’ll certainly be trying these – will you?

Soul Sounds

Today I am sharing The Writer by Sleeping at Last. I am sharing this track which I have listened to daily, because it has uplifted me whilst preparing for my book proposal, the submission date of which is due on Christmas Eve. As part of a Writers Workshop that I purchased last year, there is an magical opportunity to enter a competition to win a book publishing contract with the one and only leaders in the self-help genre, Hay House.  Yes – I know! Excited much? So when the stars align, you could be one of the first to hear of me fulfilling my lifelong dream of becoming an author! You have to believe it before you see it, right? 😉 And since you too are all passionate writers, I thought I’d share the love with this inspirational track!

Soul Sisters

And whilst on the subject of writing, I though I’d share a fellow writers book launch over at Watching The Daisies. This looks like a wonderful memoir, and not dissimilar to the message I portray in my daybook of living in the present moment. I believe that the message of slowing down and mindful living is one that can truly transform our lives, so the more people who can remind us of this, the better! So please do head over to Brigid P. Gallagher’s blog and support her in her inspiring work!

In love and light,

Hayley xx

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

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.

Finding My (Self)

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Last week I identified my early disconnection from God, tracing it back to my childhood. I wasn’t raised a Christian, and even now – with a deep and profound knowing of Gods existence – if asked if I am religious, I would admit that I am not.

For me, God is non-denominational. Whilst I am respectful and accepting of everyone’s individual faith, my personal pathway to God takes place in daily communion with the soul; in my interactions with others; during prayer and meditation; when facing adversity and personal growth lessons; whilst walking in nature – God is everywhere, and I know that I can make conscious contact with Him any time, any place.

That’s not to say that I don’t take great comfort in God’s scriptures, because I do (especially the one above, which reminds me that the pathway to God is through peaceful awareness.) I own a beautiful Bible in my favourite shade of jade green and often find passages that speak to my soul. Yet, for me personally, God is not defined by religion and churches and rules, but instead, through connection. God is not a separate entity with judgements and commandments, rather, God is the Source of all being. I am God. You are God. We are all God. Therefore, to reject God is to reject a part of ourselves. How should we ever become whole and complete if we are rejecting our very essence? Our true nature?

At a yoga class, recently, an inquisitive girl who I’d just met asked me; Are you searching for something? I paused for a moment, then replied;
I used to be. I searched for a long time, years even. But then I realised – all I was searching for is already within me. 

And so today, after my walk – after pondering how to follow up my previous post about losing myself – I decided I would write a poem. For years I doubted the existence of God, I saw myself as separate, disconnected. If ever I doubt the existence of God – I need only Be Still And Know That I Am God. 

Be Still And Know That I Am God

When tears of lost dreams stream down your face,
When you are out of sorts and feel misplaced,
When all is forgotten, shamed or disgraced,
Be still and know that I Am God.

If ever you doubt the existence of me,
Cast your gaze to the gentle, sturdy tree,
Who sways His dance to the promising breeze;
Be still and know that I Am God.

When you feel as though I have let you down,
When all that was once yours cannot be found,
When tortured cries of empty souls resound,
Be still and know that I Am God.

Be still and know that I love you my Dear,
All that seems to be lost is truly here,
For you are never alone when I am near,
Be still and know that I Am God.

Deep Holes In The Sidewalks

 

Dear Dad,

Today I received a parking fine for $150. I hesitated when parking in that area, the sign was new to me and I was unclear of its meaning. I ignored the feeling of hesitancy I felt when exiting my vehicle. I was gone from my car for less than 10 minutes, and returned to find the parking ticket waving at me from my windscreen. My heart sank. It was the most expensive avocado and banana I’d ever bought. Normally in this situation, I would feel the anger rising. Thoughts of ‘Why me?’ surfacing. …but not this time. For I have been here before. The victim. The blamer. I know why I received this ticket.

Just the night before I had found myself in a familiar hole. Money worries, feelings of lack when I discovered that my work hours had been reduced from four days a week to just two. We haven’t had as many schools book our programs next term and I’d felt a worry over the drop in income. Scarcity thoughts crept in and I reacted from a place of low vibration, arguing with my partner and succumbing to the ego in me. My parking ticket was a confirmation of my scarcity thinking, mirroring back to me my false feelings of ‘lack.’

Looking down at my ticket, I sighed and resolved to step out of my familiar hole. Crying over it would only exasperate my situation, bring about more of the same circumstances.

Father, thank you for the sign. For the reminder to walk a different path. I am grateful for the extra time to myself next term, for the extra days you have provided so that I may attend to a project dear to my heart. The freedom from lesson planning is something to be thankful for as I throw myself into other avenues with great passion. And of course, two days of work are always better than none.

Love  always,

Hayley xx

***

Dear Child,

Sometimes situations will arrive at your door in unforeseen and distressing ways. You may feel as though the world is against you, that life is unfair and this shouldn’t be happening. In each heartache there lies an opportunity for spiritual growth. Are you prolonging unhealthy habits that are holding you back on your path to freedom? How about stagnant thought patterns that are creating equally stagnant circumstances? Is there an element of your own undoing that you have been refusing to see? Blame, excuses, feeling angry and victimised…we’ve all been there. But those feelings no longer serve us.  Nor does the outward search for refuge and answers. The answers lie here within. Be still.

Let us open our eyes and our hearts so that we may hear the answers to our prayers – for the solution to all sorrow lies in communion with the soul, with God. Instead of proclaiming ‘This isn’t fair!’ – may we have the strength to ask, ‘How may I grow from this? How may I serve?’

There are no accidents in this world. The world is ever changing, ever evolving, all knowing and divinely timed. When you accept that this is so, when you trust in life and trust that life is preparing you for your purpose – you can smile in the face of life’s hurdles, for they are your greatest teachers. Be safe in the knowledge, that in time – all will be well.

In love and light,

Your Father.

If you too have found yourself stuck in a hole, may Portia Nelson’s Poem – There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk, bring comfort as she reminds us that it is we who hold the key to end all suffering.

There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk

Chapter One
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless,
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find my way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk,
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street,
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in … it’s a habit …but,
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

by Portia Nelson.

Let us be kind to ourselves as we navigate life’s sidewalks, may we pick ourselves up out of those deep holes, and choose another path.

Thorny Kisses

Poetry, Day 3: Skin, Prose Poetry, Internal Rhyme

So painfully obvious from the pale shade of your skin was the recognition of your absence. And as you slept, your familiar form did lay motionless before me, unable to console me as it once did. Many tears I cried for the absence of goodbye, and so it was I wept. I longed to feel your warm embrace, but still the hue of your familiar face, grey and bruised from whence you did lay, was a cheerless reminder of your cold absence. So intense the urge to hold you, yet, even greater the desire to recall your last touch; the touch of your skin warm against mine. Rejecting the cold, I opted to hold a single rose taken from your resting place. A gentle kiss I did give it, and pressing the flower to each of your cheeks, I continued to weep. I repeated the gesture, tears rolling like raindrops to drench you with my love. Kissing the rose once more, I rested it upon your mouth, sealing your lips with a farewell kiss. And then to your eyes, eyes which were closed so tight that I might not see the absence of your smile. Holding on to the memory of your warm embrace, I pressed the rose upon your face. And there I remained, showering you with my warm thorny kisses.

Gift

Poetry Day 2: Gift, Acrostic, Simile

(I omitted the simile as it felt a little forced with this one)

Given – yet never promised to last,

Infinitely eternal once existence has passed.

Forever, it seems, may simply cease to exist

Treasure life’s brevity, for it is truly a…