sacred journeys

 

       Sacred Journeys – written before the birth of our daughter, Aug ‘05
Our new little one is about to make a very sacred journey, from the tight confines of my ever-stretching belly, to the expanse and newness of the physical world. On a physical level at the moment she hasn’t much space or light, this will all change, but on an energy level she has been in a place of infinite space and light, it must be a challenge to suddenly be fixed into the confines of a body, especially such a tiny one! It’s my belief that our baby’s spirit connected with us long ago, has been with us in a physical world before and has chosen our family to be with this time around. I’m excited about meeting her, yet at the same time I already know her.
 
One of my favourite stories involves the birth of a young sibling to a toddler. The new ‘big’ brother keeps pestering mummy and daddy to have some time alone with his new sister – the parents are a little hesitant as they are unsure of the reasoning behind their son’s request, but standing at the other side of the door they give permission for him to have some private time with his new sister. “Hello little sister, I want you to help me, please can you remind me what heaven is like because I’m beginning to forget.” How sweet a story, perhaps that’s why babies can’t talk, because they would tell us all of the secrets of where we came from!
We make sacred journeys all of our lives, from birth to death we continually make transitions from one way of being to another. When you look back on your life, perhaps even to a few years ago, you may be aware that you were a very different person then to who you are now, and no doubt in another decades time you will have changed and grown into someone else quite unique from who you are today. As you progress along your path you cannot help but change, and if you are on a spiritual journey then the changes are often even more rapid. When people do reiki training with me I always warn them that ‘life will never be the same again’ simply because this spiritual need to grow and blossom becomes more than a desire, it becomes a necessity.
Sometimes a physical journey can empower an emotional and personal journey. I know for me it was my year in Canada that initiated the biggest emotional and personal growth stage I had encountered. Sometimes when we visit a place we feel very connected, at one, at home – you will have your own favourite places and power points, be them a room in your home, somewhere in your local area or a special place further afield.  Sometimes it’s not especially the place that is important, but the fact that you are away from your normal way of being, when we make a trip we leave behind the mundane, the ordinary and search out adventure and living in the now. We allow ourselves more ‘moodling’ time (what Gill Edwards calls ‘soft time’) and relax more into being than doing.
Many people claim that for them Sandsend is their special place to be, over the summer we have met people who are returning to Sandsend as it is a place of happy memories and treasured times. Walking along the cliff tops, beach or woods certainly does seem sacred. I give thanks each day for our opportunity to live here.
Of course you can make the most powerful of journeys from the comfort of your own home via meditation. If you are unsure of being able to lead yourself into a meditative journey yourself, there are many CDs and tapes around to help. We have just got a new range in the shop, including ones for children. The CDs are a perfect way of leaving behind your everyday reality and focusing on your visions, dreams and health. Inner journeys are often the most sacred that you can make. I remember about 11 years ago doing an inner journey to meet my healing guide. I prepared well, smudged the room, did some mantras and chanting and lay on the floor relaxing my breath and body before tuning in for the journey. It was a very intense and special experience where I met my reiki guide and ‘had a chat’. The telephone rang towards the end of my visualisation and I realised I hadn’t prepared as well as I thought as I had left the telephone on. It was mum –‘are you ok?’ she asked. ‘Yes’ I replied, starting to cry. She sensed the emotion in my voice and put the phone down, nothing new for mum, all those that know her don’t expect a telephone goodbye, when she has finished speaking it’s usually just a click and she’s gone. A few minutes later she arrived at my door having driven round to see me, concerned about the tears in my voice. I was still laying on the rug, by this time tears were flowing down my face. ‘What’s wrong?’ she carefully asked. ‘I’ve just met my guide,’ I answered ‘I’m so happy.’ I don’t quite remember her reaction, but I think it included a thump!
When I think of the major sacred journeys that I have made I think of my walks with our beautiful collie dog when I was a child, talking to spirit all of the way. My journey for an interview for college when I was eighteen, nervous, yet excited about the prospect of student life and living in Scarborough. My journey to school on my first day of being a teacher, sitting in the teachers chair and looking at all of the little faces watching in anticipation – help! My journey to meet the ambulance following Conrad’s accident when we were twenty two, and the rest of the trauma that that day brought. My journey to do my reiki first degree when I was twenty seven, mum and I stopping at a little chef for toast and hot chocolate before the class. My journey to Canada a few months later, walking towards the plane at Heathrow was a surreal moment, I knew that life was about to change big time. My journey to Chatsworth house to meet up with Conrad again after not seeing him for ten years(!) again a Hollywood moment which didn’t seem real. My journey to Scarborough the day I got married, driving that very familiar road yet thinking, ‘I’m getting married today!’ The very bumpy and painful ambulance ride when I was having Taran, not sure why my homebirth plan had gone wrong. My journey to the States to do the Quantum-Touch training, and dodging a hurricane to get back home.
So many physical journeys have been made, so many miles travelled over land and sea – and what have these journeys given me? The me that I am today. As I have journeyed through each day of my life I have evolved and become more of who I am. I have allowed my soul to shine its light a little more brightly and I sincerely hope that with the many more thousands of miles that I will travel (physically and spiritually) this light will get brighter and brighter. I want to dazzle people with my love for life, my passion for healing and my joy for being in this world. I want to share how we can live with love and peace, to release the negative and embrace our dreams. And wow what a journey this will be.