Reflections from another year of journeying around the sun

Next week I will turn 63 and more than ever I feel that I can give myself permission to take up space in the centre of my life.

This has been a HUGE year of exploring different parts of myself through Qigong, Aroma Point Therapy and working with a fabulous group of women in Cathy Skipper’s Alchemy of Menopause (the last live group ever).

I thought to share some of my learnings with you, in the hope that they help you too:

1. Get to know yourself well.
Increase your level of conscious awareness. Become aware of how stress/anxiety/depression manifest themselves for you physically, emotionally and behaviorally. Without that kind of awareness, how on earth can we expect to be able to do anything to help and care for ourselves?

2. Know and respect your own boundaries.
Uphold them, people! They are, in my opinion, the ultimate expression of self-care and self-love.

3. Build your confidence.
I am SO glad I have done so much work on my confidence over the years, it’s taking a battering right now as I question my place in the unfolding menopause debate.

4. Know your own worth. Know it. Believe it.

5. Release, release, release.
When those emotions come up please don’t hold them in, that will only damage you, let them go as much and as often as you can. Radiant Lotus Qigong and deep journaling have been my supports here.

6. Life has ebbs and flows.
Accept that. Understand that. Know that whatever you are experiencing is temporary, this too shall pass.

7. Breathe. Slow, deep, beautiful breaths.
On purpose. As often as you can. Never underestimate the power of your breath.

8. Forgive.
Work on forgiving. Yourself and your motherline. Your ancestors did what they needed to survive in a patriarchal world. Lie, play the victim, hide shameful things, and even take on the mantle of patriarchy. Reclaiming the healthy feminine is a journey but somewhere in our lineage they exist and we can reclaim them and decide not to be the bearer of the unhealthy feminine.

9. Surround yourself with amazing people.
I have been blown away by the love and support I have received from people. It has genuinely lifted me up and kept me going every day. GROW YOUR TRIBE

10. Root yourself in the present moment.
Your mind will wander off making up all kinds of imaginary futures, not to torture you (as it feels) but to keep you alert and safe. Thank it gently and bring yourself back into the present moment. For the easiest way to do that please read number 7.

11. Love.
Keep finding your way back to love.
Fill yourself with a sense of love as often as you can throughout your day. It will sustain and hold you.

I am now taking 2 weeks of downtime and nurturing myself so that I have the energy for the projects I want to bring to you, and to the world come the autumn.

I will be spending my time foraging for berries, picking what has borne fruit in my garden (literally) and making herbal medicines for the winter. The mugwort is fully in bloom here and is a wonderful plant for helping us to sleep deeper and for gaining perspective on our lives (it is high in ketones - but more on that in another post).

See you in August!

Clarissa x