A Journey With Music - Music Inspired By The Snow Goose

A Journey With Music - Music Inspired By The Snow Goose

Music Inspired By The Snow Goose - Camel has got to be an old music favourite of mine.  It takes me back to my childhood, and brings back memories of my dad.  It was one of his prog rock records in his collection; one that I don't ever remember him playing, but one that I used to play and play......... especially after he died, all those years ago

When I play this now it brings my dad close, it feels like he is right here with me - music is a powerful tool!

The music was written as a tribute to Paul Gallico's novella The Snow Goose, published 7th April 1941, it was hailed as a timeless legend and the most sentimental of stories.

The Snow Goose is a simple, short written parable on the regenerative power of friendship and love, set against a backdrop of the horror of war. It documents the growth of a friendship between Philip Rhayader, an artist living a solitary life in an abandoned lighthouse in the marshlands of wartime Essex because of his disabilities, and a young local girl, Fritha.

The Snow Goose, symbolic of both Rhayader (Gallico) and the world itself, wounded by gunshot and many miles from home, is found by Fritha and, as the human friendship blossoms, the bird is nursed back to flight, and revisits the lighthouse in its migration for several years, as Fritha grows up. Rhayader and his small sailboat eventually are lost in the British retreat from Dunkirk, having saved several hundred men. The bird, which was with Rhayader, returns briefly to the grown Fritha on the marshes. She interprets this as Rhayader's soul taking farewell of her (and realizes she had come to love him).
Afterwards, a German pilot destroys Rhayader's lighthouse and all of his work, except for one portrait Fritha saves after his death: a painting of her as Rhayader first saw her—a child, with the wounded snow goose in her arms.
The book was a huge success in England where it remains popular with, and recommended for, readers of all ages.

The sentimentality of the story is conveyed so well in the music, and because it was my dad's music this brings in even more sentiment and emotion.  The story too, tells of love and death....which are the feelings that the music invokes in me, because of the connection I have with my dad.  So it's all so perfect, the sweet sadness, and the love.  X


Moon - Waxing Crescent 26%

Yoga - Tadasana, Goddess Sequence

Card Message - Nine of Cups
A time for enjoyment and celebration.  A rewarding emotional life.  Someone maybe missing from your life or you may feel strangely lonely.  Having been through difficulties in the past, now close relationships and warmth abound.  Inspiration and creativity.  Any obstacles will be easily handled.  Make sure you appreciate your blessings.

27th January - 1606 "Gunpowder Plot: The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins, and ending in their execution on January 31."
1926 John Logie Baird makes the first television broadcast.

Undervaluing versus Love

Undervaluing versus Love

We should never undervalue ourselves, others, the planet etc
It is through love that we grow, self love, love for others, love for the planet and beyond.

To undervalue yourself brings hurt, emotional unhappiness,  it keeps you locked in a cycle of pain and there is then no room for growth. These people that will sabotage their own well being, continually bringing about pain & suffering to themselves.

To undervalue someone else brings hurt too, there are some people that will boost their own feelings of superiority by belittling and undervaluing others - this is an insecurity, to which their ego feeds off.  To inflict any form of pain or suffering on another, is detrimental to your own well being.

To undervalue the earth, is to take for granted the very foundation that supports us. Another way to look at this, is recognising our link/connection with the earth. We are tied to this planet, it enables us to thrive, therefore we are connected, so to undervalue the earth is to undervalue an aspect of ourselves - the same can be said of our relationships with others. "What we do unto others, we do to ourselves".

So if this is Undervaluation - the negative aspect....
then what of the positive.....Love.

The definition of Love is, an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment.   Love is also a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection; and "the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.

I know it sounds very 60's hippy to say "love and peace", but it's true!!! Through love we grow, we support one another, we respect each other and all that surrounds us. A loving environment is one that is happy, one that all can prosper in, one in which we can all learn and grow in, and one which we support and respect one another.  Which makes.....a happy you, happy people and a happy planet!!!

We all have choices presented to us in which we can choose the undervaluing, taking for granted, 'every man for himself', unloving, egotistical option. Or we can choose the loving, happy, nurturing, caring, selfless, for 'the greater good' option.
Don't get me wrong, I'm far from perfect and I can hold my hand up to picking the wrong options, many, many times. Knowing and recognising my mistakes has given me the chance to look at myself and the effect I can have on myself, the people I meet and communicate with and this planet.....

this my reflection. X

Moon - Waning Crescent 28%

Yoga - Tadasana, Marjaryasana/Bitilasana, Parsvottanasana, Trikonasana, Prasarita Padottanasana, Utthita Tadasana, Moondance (replacing the 'warrior' with the'goddess, and changing the 'lunge' to anjaneyasana), Sarvangasana, Shalabhasana, Sphinx, trying my best to reach Hanumanasana, Baddhakonasana, Gomukhasana, Ardha Matsyasana, Yoga Mudra & Pranayama with Mantra

Card Message - Justice
It could be time for making a decision, of a choice, but not out of reaction.  Act with the honesty and integrity demanded by Justice.  You maybe called on to be true to yourself - to your own nature.  Being called to account for your actions.  Litigation.  Making decisions which involve weighing up arguments and exercising discrimination.  Is now a time for severity and discipline, or for mercy and acceptance.

19th January - 1903 "New bicycle race ""Tour de France"" announced"
                        1955 """Scrabble"" debuts on board game market"
                        1981 Muhammad Ali talks a despondent 21 year old out of committing suicide

Gratitude - Love

Here be Monsters and Mantras

Here be Monsters and Mantras

What a day, its been full of monsters!  When I say monsters, I mean issues, problems and stress!!

Ah, a poor night's sleep is never good, but nothing I could do about it...so on with the day.  Meditation is the first thing I do of a morning, today it was interrupted which wasn't great, but what was worse, was that the interruption became an argument.  Needless to say, it was not a great start.  The next monster was the issue of a tom cat that has decided to target our house in his scent marking rituals, now I'm a lover of animals, but not their smells....especially as it was managing to waft in through letterbox of our front door.  So very soon after getting up, I'm scrubbing the house walls down, inside and out...so I miss my window to do some 'very much needed' yoga.  I'm really feeling the stress now!!! A dog walk is the next job, during which Evie decides it would be great fun to roll in fox poo......yuk! Another clean up operation is needed!  To top it off, I have to deal with some teenage issues.....which always brings tension, as it often ends up with major arguments.  So that's 5 issues or monsters, before the day has even really begun, and I'm feeling frazzled!!!  I know I blog a lot about what I learn....non attachment, letting go, communication etc. etc.  I really, really try my best, but sometimes it gets at me too.  I didn't lose my temper, though at moments I felt like it was consuming me, and I know that it is better out than in, for suppression can cause all sorts of different nasty monsters to come and visit at a later date - better to deal with it all now and move on.


What I did have to release it and re balance it all, was a date with a Mantra group.  This group has been running for some time now, by my yoga teacher, but until now I've not been able to attend due to work commitments. 
Mantras are a word or group of sacred words that are chanted or sung as an incantation or prayer.
I've wanted to go for a long time now, and today was the day....although at this point, seeing people and singing was not where my head was at.  I went though,  and I'm so glad I did!!  Everyone there including the friend that took me, had been before and knew most of the mantras that were chosen, but the printed words were handed out for those who needed them, by our teacher.  All, except two mantras were sung in Sanskrit....which is tricky for pronunciation, but as they were sung in a 'lead and follow' style it was easy to pick them up.  We had the choice to accompany the mantras with percussion instruments, and once the mantras started rolling it was difficult not to start clapping, tapping, shaking, and beating to the rhythm.  The group were given choices about which mantras to sing, and those that were more experienced had an option to lead them too.  After each mantra, there was a short period of silence, so we could reflect and assimulate any feelings that the mantras had invoked, and a moment to share with each other too. Each mantra was beautiful in it's own way, different sounds, different feeling.  As I was new, it took a minute or so during each mantra, for me to settle into it and feel it flowing, but flow it did, and sing I did! 
One of the mantras that really got me singing was a goddess themed one.....the goddess Kali - the Hindu goddess of death, sexuality, black, mother goddess, time and change....she is also the consort of Shiva.

"Om Kali Om Mata Durga Devi Namo Namah"

It was so beautiful.....they all were! 
To finish...just like we had begun, prayers were said, and finally the peace chant which closes all of our yoga classes.  The air was thick with joy, peace, happiness and love.  It was a beautiful experience and certainly seemed to be so for all of us. 
I'm grateful that my yoga teacher offered me the chance to go and my friend for taking me....I'm so glad I went, it not only put my head straight, but taught me something new, and something that I now wish to do more of.  If anyone now asks about mantra I would encourage them to try it, for they will not look back. X


Moon - Waning Gibbous 89%

Yoga - none yet!

Card Message - Eight of Swords (thinking/intellect and mind)
You may feel that you are the victim of circumstances, or of another person.  Confusion, fear and loneliness.  Potential for completion.  Your sense of being trapped may stem from your beliefs or attitude - just as the mind imprisons, so it can set us free.  The hardest situations in life often offer the greatest spiritual rewards.

10th January - Geraint
A day sacred to ninth century bard Welsh bard Geraint, the blue bard of Wales

Gratitude - Mantras



Dreaming Birth and Rebirth

Dreaming Birth and Rebirth

So, just been looking back through my blogs to find when I had the dream about being pregnant - I wrote it on the 27th, so therefore it must have been the night of the 26th.  The reason???  I've had dreams about being pregnant and giving birth again, but not just last night (2nd), but the night before too.

In the first one I had just given birth and had to look after this newborn...she was so beautiful and I had such love for her.  The dream seemed to consist of various points in her infancy, until about the toddling age...in all scenes we were together playing, loving, and laughing - there it ended.

In last night's dream I was still pregnant, but full term and ready to give birth.  I found myself in hospital during labour, seconds later I gave birth to a little girl.  My husband couldn't get there in time as it had been too, it had all happened so quick...but he was on his way and so was my mum.  Again, she was a beautiful little creature and I felt full of love for her.  I spoke to my husband over the phone and told him the good news, and also told him that I had called her 'Eleanor', just for now until we could decide, but he said he liked it and to keep it.. 

There we have it, each dream a little more vivid and cohesive than the last.  I'm aware of the symbolic meaning of a birth (as I blogged before), as the birth/beginning of something new...and I'm aware that dreams can give us answers/insight or reflect back on our current life...but I'm struggling to work out why this is becoming a reoccurring dream.  Have I not understood the message?  Is there something I haven't thought of yet?  Something I've missed?  Or is my higher self just making sure I've got the message loud and clear, by repeating it?  I don't know the answer to these questions yet, and I'm happy to hear others thoughts on this matter, until then it's an open case.

Oh yes, one last thing...when I pulled a card from the tarot this morning it was rebirth!!!!!!

Moon - Waxing Gibbous 63%

Yoga - Tadasana, Star, Vrikshasana, Gomukha Virasana, Marjaryasana/Bitilasana, Moondance, Anjaneyasana, Balasana, Halasana, Bhujangasana, Prayer Twist & Nadi Shodhana

Card Message - Rebirth
You hear the call and awaken to the new light of day.  You have entered the darkness and drunk of the cup of silence.  You have chosen life and emerge reborn.
The Power of the Call.  You may have heard the power of the call of your vocation, your mission in life, the spiritual path you are seeking, or simply the call of a new direction you need to take.  Rebirth into a life that is more fully your own.  You may have come to a crossroads in your life, and a decision is required that will take you in a new direction.

3rd January - St Genevieve/Customary Kalends of January
Customary Kalends of January dedicated to St Genevieve, patroness or genius loci of the city of Paris.

If January Kalends be summerly gay,
'Twill be wintry weather till the Kalends of May.

Gratitude - Dreams

My fathers passing...and my first glimpse of life after death

       My fathers passing...and my first glimpse of life after death

As it's my dad's birthday today, I've been thinking about his passing and how it showed me a glimpse of life after death. 

Dad, me, Mum and my sister



My dad and I were pretty close, so it hurt me greatly when he died.....he was only 39 and I was only 7, it was 19/6/1979.  Talking to my mum recently she has said she had recognised the fact his life had come full circle....due to all the 9's in the date and to go back to 1 was returning back to singularity...which is spirit.

I still vividly remember coming back from my friend's house to find the police talking to mum, and giving her the bad news.  In the days following my mum, younger sister and I struggled with our loss.  However my mum had prior to this point been exploring the concepts of life after death and the power of healing, so she was able to offer some comfort in the material she was reading.  'Testimony of light' or 'Dissolving the Veil' by Helen Greeves....which I devoured as she read to me.

I really can't remember much about the days that followed...admittedly it was a long time ago.  What I do remember is 2 vivid dreams I had on consecutive nights...

In the first I met with my dad again, he welcomed me into his arms and showed me he was OK, and I did not need to worry, for all was well.  There was no storyline to this dream, but I saw that we were in a landscape that was so beautiful, so lush, everything was so brilliant in colour and a feeling of happiness and love prevailed....there were other people here and animals.  I felt that I had been totally and utterly transported beyond this earthbound plane of existance, I know that grief plays tricks, but this was beyond hope...it showed me something more.

My second dream I met with my dad again, this time we were in what appeared to be a library.  He motioned for me to follow and he took me to a bookcase.   He pulled a huge book from a shelf; of which the whole library was full of, and then laid it on a table, it was a huge old leather bound book, and the pages were old papyrus looking.  Dad flicked through until about halfway and opened it up.....

On the pages he showed me was a list, it came halfway down the first page, the rest of the book was empty.  It was a list of names and dates...dad pointed to his name...and I realised it was a list of all have died....it was a record room, a room of all that have passed over.  After this the dream dissolved.....but I have no doubt though that this was more than a dream, I feel there is no way that a 7 year can just realise this things...even through grief.  I was happy then as I'm now that I was allowed to see beyond death, and this allowed me to accept and move on....this hard lesson learnt is a powerful one and has stayed with me since.

So there it is...my first glimpse of life after death.  I have to say in all my years since I have seen many mediums, and only once did one manage to connect with my dad.  I had paid for a sitting and had nothing that I could understand (I'm fairly difficult with this kind of thing, I will not give anything away or take anything given that is too general),  and then just as I was leaving she came out with all the information about his death that no one else would know.  So now I'm happy in the fact that this is just one level of existence..

I don't propose to know it all, but this much makes sense to me and maybe to those who may read this...but it is what it is, and I hope that I'm not too far off the mark...for some day I will know again all those that I have lost   X

Moon - Waning Crescent 11%

Yoga - Tadasana, Uttchita Parvakonasana, Parvottanasana, Virabhadrasana Eka & Dvi, Natarajasana, a sequence of Marjaryasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana & Urdha Mukha Svanasana, Setu Bandhasana, Balasana, Baddhakonasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana & Pranayama.

Card Message - Two of Pentacles (Earth, senses and the senses, body)
A need to seek balance in your life requires trust and playfulness rather than concentration and caution.  Material wealth and practical matters.  Juggling two or more jobs, homes or demanding relationships.  Juggling a number of factors in your life maybe a joy for you, rather than a burden.


23rd December - Larentalia
The Roman festival of Larentalia was held on December 23, but was ordered to be observed twice a year by Augustus; by some supposed to be in honour of the Lares, a kind of domestic genii, or divinities, worshipped in houses, and esteemed the guardians and protectors of families, supposed to reside in chimney-corners. Others have attributed this feast in honour of Acca Larentia, the nurse of Romulus and Remus, and wife of Faustulus.      

Gratitude - That I am surrounded by wonderful people

Animal Healing - The Plan

It really does seem a bit surreal going to do a Animal Healing workshop, straight after our guinea pig has died.....but it is the way of things!  Sadness and happiness all mixed up!!

So why animal healing?

Let me start from the beginning ...........
I've always loved animals, right from when I was very small.  My rabbits, guinea pigs and gerbils were very dear to me as I was growing up, I loved even my Granny's cats! One of them was pretty moody and didn't like children, but she would always tolorate me.  As I grew up I wished to be a Vet and even did my work experience at a local practise, but soon after that I dropped out of education and went to live on the road.  As a traveller I had never lived that close to nature and it was one of the aspects of that lifestyle that stirred something deep within my soul.  We all had dogs too, many of us had more than one, they ran like a pack and they were some of the best behaved dogs I have ever come to meet - even to this present day!

When I left the travelling life and moved into a house,  I bought with me, my dogs and also the need to be outside with nature.  I settled down and gave a home to not just the dogs, but rescued rabbits too.  These pets have now sadly passed away, but always after a period of time I have acquired more.  My house will never seem like home without an animal or two.

So now we jump forward to this year.....
So they say that life begins at 40, well it certainly does seem to be looking that way or maybe I'm just conscious of that fact and am engineering things to happen - who knows??
After I injured my leg whilst training for a half marathon, I spent a lot of time with not much physical activity and I was struggling to cope with it. Then one day the penny dropped, with the help of Mother Nature,  that I should stop focusing on physical challenges to appease my ego, but now look at at more subtle ways that I could achieve good things, for all.  I started thinking about healing, after all I had recently trained in Reiki, but I was still thinking about animals, as I had recently had a couple of very close meetings with wild animals and birds - I had felt very privilged when a young blackbird hopped up my back and sat on my head, for some time. Animal healing, it felt intuitively right.
So I did a book search on Amazon, the first book that came up was by a woman called Margrit Coates, so I googled her and found that she lives in the New Forest - what are the chances of that??  I looked up her webpage and found that she was doing a talk on animal healing the following month, before she was off round the world.  So I jumped at the chance, as it was almost being given to me on a plate. 
The talk was very interesting, and I had by then also read one of her books by then,  so when I talked to her afterwards, I was fairly well prepared.  She was very happy to meet a fellow animal lover and also a New Forester.  We talked a lot and she invited me to come back and do a animal healing workshop, that she was running.  After I returned home, I had a call from my mum - who had also been to the talk also, she proposed that I should do the workshop (she would as well) and she and my dad would pay.  I was flabbergasted and very grateful.  Since then I have found out how Margrit has trained and have looked into following the same path.  The base of the training is done with the National Fedaration of Spiritual Healers, and to my amazement the person who teaches the whole of the south/south east region lives just outside Southampton - another coincedence????  Maybe, maybe not!

So there you have it - the whole story to the eve of the workshop I'm about to attend.

Where do I hope to go with this?
I will see where it takes me, but I would love to be in a position to give healing to all animals, to help with all manner of issues regarding their well being..........because they give us so much.......so much love....so much friendship and they are great teachers too!!!

So I hope to be able to come back to this topic in the future and add more details and more information, as this journey progresses. May I say a big thank you to all those who are supporting me in this venture.
 - wish me luck.

Moon - First Quarter 53%

Yoga - Earth Gratitude, Moondance

Card Message - Death
The old and unesscessary wants to die.  What passion! The new prepares to open like a rosebud at the dawn of a new day.
Clearing away the old to make way for the new.  Precursor to transformation. Intense passion. Initiation.

On This Day - 3rd December  - Roman festival of Bona Dea the Good Goddess

A dedication to Humanity....Aren't We Just Amazing??

Aren't we just amazing?  I mean, we really are!!
Humans are just fantastic creatures!  We are capable of creating so many wonderful things and I know its true to say, that we are also capable of the complete opposite and wreaking havoc upon our world and each other.  BUT I want to focus on the positive aspects!!!

We paint the most detailed, beautiful paintings, we write the most thought provoking poetry and stories, we dream up the most touching pieces of music, we dance with such feeling, we build monuments of the most unbelievable proportion and meaning, we are capable of the most wonderous physical feats, we have the capacity to understand the almost impossible science, we carry to ability to be compassionate, caring and loving, we are inquisitive about everything around us, we are spiritual warriors, we have the ability to transmit such emotion and feeling through all of these mediums and more!!  We are so complex and so beautiful and we're are still learning about ourselves, all of the time!!!

Head Space

My head's insides, a deafening roar,

Of all the words I've said before,

The scenes I've seen,

the tastes and touch.

The things I've heard....

its all too much!!

How do I keep it all in there?

In such order, without care.

There seems no room in one small space.

To keep all I know,

behind my face.

Moon - Last Quarter 48%

Yoga -

Card Message - Seven of Swords

Struggle, Challenge and Overcoming Obstacles

Live......in Love

'Live .....in Love', I woke with these words in my mind this morning; what a nice way to start the day!

It makes me wonder what kind of world we'd be in if we lived in love? I don't mean just the love that you express for a partner, family, your children or pets, but love in all our relationships.  Loving ourselves unconditionally and all people, the planet, our work, our dreams and ideas.

We get caught up in our egos, all to often, tending our wounds and believing that 'we' or 'they' are not worth it. We can make ourselves miserable with such attitudes as 'poor me', and we will make those around us unhappy too.
If you imagine two plants one planted in nutrient rich soil and another in soil devoid of any goodness, then the plant that is living in poor soil will wither and grow poorly and weak, but the plant that is grown in good soil will thrive.  This is the case for us too, we should care, love and nurture all that is around us, for in doing so we love ourselves.


All things thrive on love, our environment, animals and the Earth and we all deserve love......unconditional love.

 The saying is 'Love Conquers All' and I believe it true!

'Live.....in Love'

Moon - Waning Gibbous 95%

Yoga - Heart Sequence, Pigeon, Butterfly, Plough, Tree, Star and Boat

Card Message - Seven of Pentacles
Bearing fruit, Harvesting and Clearing

I am blessed

If there is one thing that I have learned from all the challenges that life has presented me with, so far, it is that 'I Am Blessed'.
I'm certainly not rich! I don't have a mansion, or a expensive car and I don't jet set off around the world, on holiday.
What I do have is worth more than anything that can be bought!
I live on a beautiful planet and I'm surrounded with natural beauty and wildlife everywhere. I share my life with wonderful animals, who in turn allow me to share theirs. I've family and friends who love me and I love them too.
I'm grateful for all I have and this in turn, brings more happiness and love into my life.
I AM Truly Blessed!!

Moon ~ Waxing Gibbous 84%

Yoga ~ Boat, Extended Side Triangle, Locust, Pigeon, Mountain, Heart Sequence

Card Message ~ Seven of Wands
Struggle, Challenge, Overcoming Obstacles