Thinking Blossoms

Creative Soul Workshop

Here's news about a special and inexpensive weekend workshop for you from 6th-8th June in North Wales

with Judy Barber and Eric Maddern

In an “insanely beautiful” natural haven relax into your wider, deeper, soulful self. Find mirrors in the forest and river, questions in the mountain and lake. Catch the spark of creative inspiration. Make a poem, a song, a sculpture, a story, a play… your life. See the beauty. Find it inside. Ride the wave of your imagination. Let it crash on the shores of possibility.

Some say the guiding, guardian spirit of Cae Mabon is Taliesin, the early Welsh poet and inspired creative genius. Come and be touched by his divine madness, and, in so doing, “lively up yourself”! Be nourished, sustained, refreshed and reawakened… for the weekend and for life.

The workshop will include: movement and voice work to relax, energise and open… walks in the forest, slow and vigorous… telling personal stories and archetypal tales, and bringing them to life… reflective meditation… storymaking, poetry, songwriting, improvisation and visual art... canoeing on and swimming in the lake… sinking into the hot tub, dipping in the stream…

All veering towards… what is the central question in my life right now… what am I called to do and be… what is my vision, dream, aspiration, hope, possibility? How can I take my next step now?

Would you like to join us? If so please contact Eric via his website, www.caemabon.co.uk, where you'll find more information on the programme page and you can book. I hope to meet you there in moments of new joy.

Florida thoughts

Well, I've been in Florida for just over a week and have just been looking through a week's worth of snaps and choosing. For a start here's the first photo I took when I got here, of palm trees reflected in the green swampy water. See what looks like a frog swimming in the middle? Click on the picture to enlarge and if you look carefully you'll see the rest of the turtle under the water. Four or five of them were paddling lazily around. I think I picked it because it's so very different a scene from the biting winter cold of Endinburgh I had just left. Living crreatures were moving a lot faster than that to keep warm! Everything was a bit upside down and vague for me anyway as I took in so much that was new. I was glad to have a bit of relaxed time before starting the course, which is pretty full-on.  So what was I reflecting on here watching the turtle? All sorts no doubt, but the medium my thoughts were swimming in was the gentle joy of being in a new place with time to pause and reflect, and to be quite shallow and at ease. I've been feeling the bliss of 'holiday happiness' . But actually that's the same feeling it's worth cultivating at home, in your lunch break, before the alarm goes off, late in th evening when everything is done. Whenever, wherever, it's good to go at turtle speed. at home in one's familiar surroundings.                  

OK, one more photo, can't figure out how to remove it so ignore the small one and read on :-)

Thinking about fresh food.

This photo was actually taken in Conwy at the seed fair last autumn and it's of a tabletop that was decorated by anyone who wanted to join in, using fresh produce in a 'harvest festival' gesture - but I've chosen it because I keep thinking about fresh food! Why? I'm about to set off to the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida and I'm thinking about the beautiful and lovely food I'll be eating there, all those lovely bright colours and interesting tastes - prepared by someone other than me!!

I'm busy packing and organising and ticking things off my list and don't have anything to blog about really, except to tell you to look back here soon for news of a wonderful June 'Creative Soul' workshop I'm running with my friend Eric Maddern in a magical venue, Cae Mabon, hidden in North Wales among trees.

And no doubt my next photos here will be of the exotic flora of Florida. In the daily company of interesting new people from around the world I'm sure I'll have plenty of 'thinking blossoms' to bring you.

Wishing you joy as the spring unfolds,  Judy

What do you have to develop to bring you into your fullness?

Hazel catkins, some in full blossom and  some unfolding, beautiful, uplifting, bringing lightness of heart. That's the beauty of the seasons, the gradual little changes. It's the changing of the seasons that's the miracle and it goes far beyond a simple division into four. A couple of weeks back I wasn't ready for spring but now I am, spring has sprung as they say. I'm enjoying the daily discoveries as bulbs come up and other blossoms, such as these catkins, start to appear. I took the hazel photo in Devon -that's the river Tavy in the background - which is considerably further ahead than us in Scotland, and warmer I might add.

And now I'm taking a bigger leap forward by setting off to Florida in just over a week to rest, eat, learn, exercise and play in good company for nine weeks at the Hippocrates Institute www.hippocrateshealthinstitute.com for their Health Educator Program. It's a very exciting prospect and it will be interesting to discover how I'll weave the learnings into my coaching, writing and workshops. I already know a great deal about healthy food and natural health generally but it's mostly been in my own life rather than obvious in my work. So this course, through learning more and affirming and developing what I already know, feels as if it will provide missing pieces in my jigsaw.

And, back to catkins, here's a catkins metaphor. The time in Florida is to help me unfurl what I know is already there ready for unfurling.(click on photo to enlarge)

Which brings me to a big question for you. What do you have to develop and learn to bring you into your fullness in your personal and professional life? That's an important question, and for some it may be THE important question. It may be a question you carry around for a while or, as with me and my decision to go on this particular course in Florida, there may be instant recognition and a fast decision when the opportunity arises. For more on quick decisions look in my book list at 'Blink'

I'll be posting here during my time in Florida so do drop by to see what I'm up to. (and I'll be keeping up with coaching clients by phone)

No doubt there will be plenty of plant life to photograph, that's when I'm not busy eating wonderful food, talking and sitting around the pool, sigh........