Play Time (Builds Confidence) at Moffat Beach

Just home now from being away for 30 hours at a quaint yet beautiful beach along the west coast of Queensland, about an hour from our doorstep called Moffat Beach. A friend who has just moved up there graciously invited us anytime, and both Steve (my husband) and I were desperate to have a getaway prior to leaving for Canada in a few weeks.

So in the car we piled, Josh (my step-son), Steve and I at 7.30 a.m. on a Saturday morning because our friend started work at 9 and we needed to get the lay of the land before he ventured off. And what lovely accommodation it was! A three bedroom unit over looking a forest of lush palm trees, bamboo and other exotic plants. The beach at our doorstep and a pool outside our door.

We all watched on TV the opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Vancouver, and I couldn't help but give commentary all the way through. My national pride was brimming over knowing that all of the world was focussing at the exact same moment on Vancouver. The highlight of the ceremonies was the music and watching all the musicians, some of whom I know personally, and watched their personal struggles, up on the World stage. Again, personal pride was bursting and I wasn't even performing!

Frockling in the lovely swimming pool, bathing like a baby in the arms of the Mother Ocean today, having a most enjoyable dinner with our friend, celebrating his 29th Sober Birthday with him, all part of the magic and relaxation of being away.

It's extremely important to build play time into one's life. We all get so caught up in the day to day grind, the goal setting, the striving, the completion of our lists, of our tasks and slowly our battery and ventually our entire tank becomes depleted. Even if we're daily meditating and talking and praying with our higher powers, we all need a break, a real break from our human everyday life.

Did you know that when kids play they are actually building their self confidence and self esteem? That play also builds social and communication skills? And those of us who didn't play enough or were preoccupied when we were playing, as adults often lack self esteem and confidence. Take time out to be with your child self and enjoy! Enjoy the ocean, the wind, the trees. It does our spirit and soul a world of good; we get out of our rational minds and back into our intuitive and creative right brains where true joy resides!

Step One Still

The first step is usually about Powerlessness and Unmanageability. Well these past few weeks, since first signing up to create this Blog, it has all been about how powerless I am in life and sometimes how unmanagemable my mind can get!

I am in the throes of returning to Canada from Bribane, where I've been for the last 6 months. The launching of my business Diamond Thought here in Australia has been simultaneously challenging and rewarding. There's just so much to do! And this is where the powerlesness part comes in. Life always happens when we're making plans...

When I first arrived I had one intention in mind: to begin spiritually advising and counselling folks around issues of alcohol and addiction, teaching meditation and doing writing and editing on a number of books that I've written. Well I think I've begun to slowly build a client base at Sowelu Clinic and my Meditation Classes on Wednesday nights have turned out to be a highlight of my week. The writing has been where I feel most powerless!

I have pulled out a piece from the book I've been working on these past few years: The Blaffled Queen (working title) and edited it to publish a very limited run for the community. It's just getting the time to do a final edit, and then press PRINT to get it out of my computer and onto the streets.

I come from a tradition of almost guerilla publishing where we used to print, what are called in Poetry circles, a Broadsheet. I am hoping to weekly publish a Broadsheet of my writing, excerpted from The Baffled Queen and pass it out at Bookstores, Cafes and at the Clinic so folks can red first hand a short snippet from the book.

The road is never straight ahead. It twists and turns and we have to move and bend with it.

The clients I've been seeing with their addiction and attachment issues never cease to amaze me with their courage and tenancity. That's one thing I can say for alcoholics or addicts of any kind. When we set our minds to do something, we go whole hog, or not at all. And thus it is as well for recovery. Seeing the light of realization go on in people that I am helping has to be the single most gratifying experience of my work. Watching the face of someone who has an A-HA moment after I've explained what might be going on for them is so exhilirating I can't even begin to describe it. Witnessing the transformation of consciousness from darkness to light is what I feel I was brought to earth to facillitate. And what joy it brings to me!

I'll be putting out my newsletter later today and I'm hoping the blog link to this blog will help stir up someone!

My intention with the blog is to, as frequently as possible, speak about what is going on in Diamond Thought's life - what new developments are happing with spiritual counselling, Meditation Classes, retreat/workshops and books and publishing. I hope to give my p.o.v. on what's occurring in the recovery communities in Oz and Canada and talk about some of the similarities and differences I'm noticing.

As I said I'll be transitioning back over to Canada for the months of March and April and I'll be back in Brisbane in May.