Tag Archive for relaxation

Stand Up Straight

09/08/2011 Joh gratitude, health

I went to a new masseur on the weekend. She has a spiritual bent and was perfect for me right now. We had a big chat before I got on the table and it was great to unload a pile of things I’ve been grinding away internally about. She is also extremely reasonably priced and the space is heaven. I need a beautiful space to relax in. I need soothing smells, lighting, sounds and classy decor. Clinical doesn’t do it for me, nor does the latest fashion or imitation of every new age space I’ve been in. This space was amazing, beautiful original art, an impressive bookshelf, lots of texture and most of all very individual.

 I couldn’t believe my luck to be honest because I haven’t been taking care of my physical self lately due to lack of finances. She highlighted a few things that I’d said that probably weren’t working for me as a good counsellor would and I’m working on them.

Along the lines of taking better care of myself I’ve been noticing the things that feel better for me. All the simple things that I’ve worked out over the years of trying lots of stuff. I’ve stopped setting all these big goals and to do lists for myself. I’m out of emergency functioning and ready for the next phase. I think I am stuck in ‘I don’t know’ because I keep filling every space with things to do and haven’t given myself much time to work out what I really want right now.

I’ve been journalling daily in my private journal if not on my blog. I’ve been drinking plenty of water. I’ve been noticing my breathing. I’ve been standing up straight and letting go of scrunched up shoulders and enjoying that relief. I’ve been going to bed earlier. I’ve been using my essential oils and eating good food. I’m feeling a lot better.

Most of those things I knew worked for me, but I’ve just let them go. Standing up straight though is a new realisation. I remember my best friends mum Gail used to say to us ‘stand up straight’ and as teenagers we’d groan, but she was right. I often think of all the wonderful things Gail taught me and simply standing up straight is one of them. It’s also been great for times when I’m not feeling too confident yet want to look like I am;-). I’ve been doing it for a while really, but I must add it to my list of ways to pick myself up!

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Full Moon in Pisces – Wednesday 25th August 2010

24/08/2010 Joh astrology, work

Happy Birthday to my brother Tim for today.

At around 3am tomorrow morning the moon will be full in Pisces. My natal moon is in that sign so I wonder if there is any significance to that. Pisces represents dreams, intuition and all things fantasy-like, so I imagine that energy will prevail during this full moon.

Things have eased up astrologically and I read today that we are about to enjoy the lighter third of the year. I can’t say I’m sad to hear it, this year has been massive really. There have been so many changes. Most of the changes have been great but it’s been one of those years that I look back to this time last year and feel I am living on a different planet. I don’t expect that to ease actually because I have big plans for changes to my life, yet I feel I am making the changes in this instance not adjusting to a changing landscape if that makes any sense.

Pisces Full Moon : Do Nothing by Moonkssed is a restful read for this full moon. I am feeling this energy this week also. I have restarted my simple yoga practices and meditated this week and I am feeling it’s time to return to calmer and healthier ways of being. Tomorrow I am on a day retreat with the year 11′s and I’m really looking forward to that space, even if this is the first moment I’ve had today to think about the retreat side of it.
Click here for an Authentic Astrology Report

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I Have Fire

13/06/2010 Joh family, gratitude

I installed a reverse cycle air conditioner about 3 years ago. I have hardly used my wood fire since then. It’s always too easy to just flick that switch and get warm. Darin bought some wood this weekend and we’ve had a fire the last two nights. There is nothing like it. I love looking at flames. The heat is less suffocating.

This weekend has been lovely with the kids. I went into school to finish my reports Saturday morning and Darin took the kids shopping for a birthday gift for E (5) to take to the party she had today. We met at the library around lunchtime and got a pile of picture books. I love that they are excited about going to the library. I know a love of books will serve them well. Darin and J spent the afternoon preparing a delicious meal for us. The girls and I set the table with flowers and candles. Today they were off to a birthday party. The day flew by.

Tonight the kids have returned home to their mum and we are sitting in front of the fire. It’s quiet, but cosy too. I love knowing I have another day at home tomorrow. Bonus!

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Full Moon in Libra – Tuesday 30th March 2010

29/03/2010 Joh astrology, relationships

A full moon in Libra is going to be about relationships from what I read. Paulo Coelho had this great quote today on facebook :

In love, no one can harm anyone else; we are each of us responsible for our own feelings and cannot blame others for what we feel. That is the true experience of freedom: having the most important thing in the world without owning it. (Maria in “Eleven Minutes”). 

That really resonated with me.

Astrogrrl has a good post about this moon, tying it in with the previous new moon.  I always enjoy Lynda Hill’s Sabian Symbols for the moons. She is so thorough about all the things going on in the sky. There are so many good astrologers to read. I could spend all day doing it, especially when I’m on holidays.

I have a full Easter ahead with Darin’s parents and children coming here. I am pretty excited to have a full house, especially for chocolate season!  I had better get off the couch and computer, stop lying around reading and eating delicious risotto Darin made for me today and clean the house tomorrow:-).

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Lazy Day

27/03/2010 Joh family, holidays

Today I have achieved not a thing. I have totally been recreational. We shopped this morning. A leisurely stroll. I bought some sun glasses. I have been wearing Tom’s mirrored thingys since the swimming carnival (when I snapped mine and had Darin delivered me a spare pair belonging to him) and as much as the students at school say they are cool when I wear them on yard duty, I feel silly in them.

I watched two chick flicks when Darin went to work. Asha came over and got a foot massage in the middle of ‘The Proposal’.  She threw me off the predicable plot, which made it more enjoyable. It was funny because I have a massage oil and a body wash that is in the same kind of bottle and I mistook the bottles. So we washed her feet first:-). It was funny and kind of appropriate because it’s Easter. She went to my new hairdresser and her hair looked great. After she left I watched ‘Julia and Julie’, it was lovely. I totally agree with her sentiments about butter:-)

I bumped into an old friend today that I started teaching with 10 years ago. She has two children now. I am so delighted because when I worked with her that was her big dream, to have kids and she really didn’t think it would happen. It did. She looks very happy and alive.

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Massage was Great

11/03/2010 Joh learn, reading

Great with a capital G! I have not been so impressed or rejuvenated by a massage for a long time. I haven’t had many this last year though to be honest. I waited until today to sing the praises though because I was waiting to see if I pulled up sore. It’s not always a bad thing to feel a bit tender the next day, but I don’t want to be crippled. I just feel great. I think after my second week of exercising that I’m finally starting to feel good in my body again.

I have to thank my daughter for referring this woman to me. She has been telling me for years to go to her, and I guess when she first told me I had been seeing Lynda for ages and was really satisfied with her. After trying a few other people who were just ok, I was reminded when I bought Asha a gift voucher for Christmas. Here it is March and I’ve finally got around to acting on that intention:-)

I’ve been listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” whilst I’ve been exercising. It is just as gripping as “Blink” was. Each night when Darin gets home from work I tell him another thing I’ve heard. He won’t need to read those books. Did you know it takes 10 000 hours to be an expert at something? I have been trying to think if there is anything useful I’ve done for that amount of time other than sleep and breathe.

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Drenched

04/02/2010 Joh gratitude

I got soaked walking from my office to my car after school today. I was saturated to the bone and the coolness of that has stayed with me all night. I have been super active and handled lots of tasks that I’ve been too hot and bothered to attend to all week. I was on bus duty tonight and watched the dark clouds get closer and closer until as the last bus pulled in the rain dropped on the few remaining in the yard.

I’ve been back at school over a week. I like it. The senior campus is different and so far in a good way. I feel very indulged to have an air conditioned office. The students have been most pleasant. I am glad I took this risk no matter how threatening it seemed at times.

On a personal level this week has been crazy. Unmentionable happenings have settled, and all I can say is I am glad they are behind me. Issues that have been lingering since April last year have been resolved this week, but not without a share of worry. I am just glad everything has turned out as I hoped and I feel a level of freedom from stress that I haven’t felt for a while.

My daughter has found and began to settle into a new place, which is another source of relief for me. I hope to visit her on Sunday. We have Darin’s kids this weekend, yet I am sure they won’t miss me for a few hours on Sunday! I really can’t wait to see her new place and make sure she doesn’t need anything.

I’ve changed ISPs this week so anyone emailing to my optusnet address … Í won’t get it! You can use the contact form on this blog if you want to find me:-)

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2010 the start…

03/01/2010 Joh family, home, relationships

My year has began well. I have rearranged my furniture and cleaned the house. It feels more spacious. I have removed some clutter. There is always more to let go of. I noticed yesterday how I just move things that have no value to other places. I want to rid myself of it. I really love being at home.

My intentions for this year are:

to let go of possessions that aren’t serving me

to regain my fitness and live a healthy lifestyle

to complete the course I have applied for (and hopefully got into)

to listen to my loved ones with more attention

to channel my imagination into creative pursuits

to be positive about my work or find something new that I feel passionate about

I enjoyed New Years Eve. The kids swam all day in our little pool and we played ‘Cluedo’ after dinner. I forgot how much fun it is to play board games. I have a competative streak and I am keen to win Monopoly, yet so far have remained badly defeated by Darin. J(8) asked me the other day, “How come daddy always wins Scrabble when you are a teacher Joh?” That’s a good question! When the kids were asleep we simply enjoyed each others company. I heard from my children New Years Day. I like to know they survived the festivities.

I have lost track of what day it is lately. It feels like a week of Sundays. The kids returned to their mum yesterday. The house is quiet and I am pottering, my favourite thing. I want to catch up with my brother Brendan today before he goes back to NT. It’s been great having him here for this festive time.

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Squeaky Beach

29/12/2009 Joh reading

Darin and I went to the Prom today. Tidal River was bursting at the seams with people so we decided after lunch to head to Squeaky Beach. There is a carpark there now. Last time I went there I had to walk from Tidal River. It was gorgeous. White, squeaky sand and blue water that looked unreal. It was a bit chilly for a swim today so we had a little play in the waves, really only getting our feet wet. We lay on the beach for a couple of hours reading. I started the Coco Chanel biography I got for Christmas from Darin. It’s great. It tells a different story to the film I watched. I was rapt he remembered how interested I was in her.

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Struggle

11/11/2009 Joh health, work

I’ve been sick for a couple of days. Friday night I had a heavy chest and it had degenerated until Sunday night I was out of breath. It’s been hot and I love the warm weather. I have not been impressed with being sick at all. I went back to work today. It was busy. I know it’s just going to get busier. I am determined to get well. I want to finish the year well.

I got a bit more organised today. I talked to my classes about the absences. I have been on camp, my year 9 classes have all been on camp this term, we’ve had long weekends, excursions, I’ve been sick and there are lots of interuptions coming up with the end of the year looming. I booked all the rooms, laptops and equipment I need until the end of the year. I wrote all the dates in my diary that I had hanging out in my inbox. I recalled that I once kept my inbox clear and set an intention to clear it again and handle things quicker. I got plenty done, but was pretty exhausted by the time I got home.

Darin cooked a great dinner. I feel better that I got a bit organised today. There are only two days of the week to go. I have relaxed and I’m about to slip into bed.

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