November 23, 2011

Time well spent . . .

Moments in time.  Where do they go those seconds, minutes, hours & days?
I lift my eyes & see that they have tiptoed past whilst i was busy elsewhere.
Rainy August slid into September, a richly hued October fell into November
Like old friends, the seasons pass by, say hello and then go on their way again.
I seemed to miss so much, spending hours tired & frustrated, running in circles.
Too much to do, too little time.  Knowing something was missing, but what?
Then in mid September, oh lovely synchronicity . . .(do you ever experience it?)
 . . .  one day, I chanced upon two intriguing e-courses that just called out to me.
Essence of Wild’s Barefoot breathingrun by Jackie Stewart & Jason Smalley
and the Relation-shipscourse run by the lovely Jackie Walker.
I knew I had to sign up for both, feeling excited & hopeful & nervous
 unsure of what I would unearth, but instinct telling me to give it a try.
I made a decision & took 6 weeks out, to emerse myself in all I found!
 I’m so glad I did, with such inspirational words & guidance, I have learnt so much!  
I slowly unravelled myself, found better understanding, new direction & purpose.
I was taught to re-connect with myself & Mother Nature, for I had forgotten how.
I learnt to build calmness & balance into my days, the very things I saw I had lost.
The courses were such a wonderful gift &  I feel I look at the world with fresh eyes.
I can’t say a big enough thank you to the wonderful folk who guided me on this path!

  After I finished the courses I set out to find ways to keep this new found balance.
Being a Virgo I loved doing this, designing a personalised monthly, weekly & daily planner.
Making slots in my day for the important things; home, family, business, creative & me time.
I sorted & organised & tidied my life, my head, my studio, my computer, our home and us!
 Then I found  Julia Cameron's "The Artists way" & am working through her course now!
I write morning pages (as Julia suggests), loving the flow of words, finding answers & insight. 
 I am learning new habits to ensure I don’t “forget” the lessons I have learnt.
Meditation brings me peace & calm and I am back to yoga, after years away.
I write down my "5 precious things" a day, remembering to be thankful.
Make time for 100 deep breathes in nature, soaking up the beauty of it all.  
I spied a weasel playing under a bramble, a delicate deer in the early morning
 and i woke extra early to watch the pink hues of a sunrise light up the world.
I am now so much more aware of the passing of the season & the days.
 I am looking forward & planning, with lots of new projects in the pipeline.
   An idea that in the future I hope to share, creating ways & means to enable folk 
to find the time to fulfill  “all” the parts of themselves as much as possible.
We are getting ready for long winters evenings snuggling by the fire and Christmas too!
I have a kitchen to finish decorating, mood boards to make for our garden & living room . 
Bulbs to plant, an art doll to start & . . . . oh but time enough to share these things another day.
And there was me thinking i hadn't been up to so very much lol!

Just remember my lovelies,
take time out to slow down & notice the small precious things every once in a while
x x x

Time is a brisk wind,  for each hour it brings something new... 
but who can understand and measure its sharp breath, its mystery and its design?  
~Paracelsus

29 comments:

  1. I can feel your enthusiasm... its catching! I look forward to seeing where this energy leads you, wonderful.

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  2. Your pictures are stirring, your words ring true! I love this quest for organization and balance! I need such things badly. Thank you for the reminders to slow down and notice the small precious things!

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  3. Beautiful Ruthie!! Your doing nothing was exactly what was needed to being you..... Thank you for sharing your experiences, they do sound truly wonderful and well done you for taking the time to stop, breathe and reconnect xxx

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  4. A lovely post and beautiful images!

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  5. Sweet Ruthie,

    THANK YOU for this most important reminder that we often take for granted. Small observations yield great results from the creative mind....and PLANNING has been the BIG BUZZ WORD for me lately, as I enter into a new phase of my life involving my creativity.

    I thank you for coming by to visit; it has been such a pleasure to find friends from Scotland, Ireland and England..what a lovely place, what lovely people...peace, Anita

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  6. It is so true that we have to slow down and sometimes stop, just to be able to truly live. And your photos accompany these thoughts so beautifully Ruthie, I've really enjoyed looking at them on a big screen! Thank you for making me take the time myself. xx

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  7. What a lovely post. Occasionally I end up running about and feeling generally frazzled and usually when I look at it, I've not really had enough time for myself. We all need it from time to time - perhaps finding six weeks is a problem but the odd half hour here and there is fine. Some outside help is sometimes good too. Looks like you've gained a lot from your courses :) :)

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  8. Rebirthing is such an act of natural 'faith' Ruth. Once we realize it our lives change immeasurably. It is said death leads us to great new vistas of adventure. I believe this metaphor is a daily revelation. Learning to spin the time-clock is an art....much better than allowing the clock to spin us..........

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  9. Hi there, thought I haadn't seen a blog post in a while. You have been busy.
    Thanks for stopping by my blog today, and yes, do let me know if you are going to be up my way! :-)

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  10. And for those of us who connected with you through Barefoot Breathing, we have a huge reason to be grateful xxx

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  11. Ah, what a lovely post, Ruthie. Thank you for the photos and words. I am also learning more this season about slowing down and breathing, noticing myself and those around me, and seeing the seasons fade into each other.

    I've been following your faerietale of inspiration blog for some time but see that I've been missing out by not following this one! Sign me up!

    Emily
    www.softexplosions.blogspot.com

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  12. What an inspirational post Ruthie, and just what I needed to read right this very minute. I just love reading your posts. *Happy face* ~Siobhan xo

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  13. Wonderful...so inspirational. I can feel your inner peace and joy.xxx

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  14. You have been busy Ruthie.
    I'm very poor at organising my time,perhaps I should take a leaf out of your book.
    I enjoyed enlarging your collages,you've had some lovely moments there.
    I've taken a few dewy spiders webs this year, don't the look like someones dropped some jewellry.
    Thanks for this beautiful post.

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  15. hello lovely Ruthie,
    how wonderful that you took two courses that felt wonderful to you. it sounds as though you received deeply. I never figured out what your 5 precious things are about, wonderful!100 deep breaths in nature, i shall try and think of you as i take the world in, thank you.

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  16. A very beautiful post, Ruthie. Thank you.

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  17. So that's where you've been! :) I love the sound of the nature course, reconnecting with the simple things in life. That book The Artists' Way has been my 'bible' for years! It's brilliant, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I did.
    Jess xx

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  18. What a lovely post this is! Those beautiful pictures certainly echo my longing to be surrounded by nature. It's so easy to forget how beautiful the world can be just a few hours outside busy (and noisy) cities and boxed-in neighborhoods. It isn't any wonder so many people feel their spiritual well-being and creativity being snuffed right out of their minds and bodies. We NEED lovely blog posts like this to remind us.

    And thank you for leaving a comment on my blog, about my little writing excerpt.

    I laughed when you said it was bravery that won. I say this because I deleted that entry something like 4 or 5 times after making it. Lol! I can't say it won't happen again either. I'm very glad you commented b/c when it reads "0 comments" for days after having posted just a short writing sample... well, one starts to feel pretty ridiculous. I made myself do it though b/c it was sort of an unofficial New Years Resolution that I made for myself, in hopes that it would encourage bravery on my part to post an actual chapter for constructive criticism on a particular writer's forum.

    Anyway, I love your blog and I hope you'll continue to keep the posts coming!

    Kristin

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  19. A lovely post and gorgeous photos! Thanks for your comment on my blog too - I can't believe how lucky I am to have such a fantastic little boy! :) x

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  20. This is a very timely post for me to read, especially considering this:
    http://wordhoards.blogspot.com/2011/11/spark-in-dark-or-unlocking-writers.html#comment-form

    I'm glad you have been so inspired, the courses sound great, in fact your sharing here of the spark it has given you really does stir one to fresh enthusiasm! And there are lots of things you mention here that are really helpful... food for thought...
    The photo-montages are stunning, I love the mix of colours and textures, so lovely to pour over...
    Thanks for a very inspiring post!
    Carrie... :)

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  21. i love how a good course and beautiful words can change a life. this is so beautiful!

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  22. Valerianna - it's exciting & i can't wait to see where it leads me either ;-)

    Faith - it is a quest i seem to be always on lol

    Nikki - Doing nothing went so much against the grain, I was so suprised to discover what happened when i went with the flow! A lesson learnt.

    Anita - it seems it has been for so many lately. Good luck with your new phase, may it bring you all that you desire.

    Della - so glad to hear you are taking "you" time too x It brings its own rewards x Enjoy.

    Sandy - it was my feeling constantly "frazzled" that made me take stock in the first place lol. I admit i am extremely lucky to have been able to take 6wks out, a novelty. After 29yrs of being responsible for others i am gradually getting used to "me" time. ;-)

    Spottedwolf - i love your, so very true, words "Learning to spin the time clock", they conjure wonderful images in my mind.

    Dear Sara - thank you treasure, the pleasure is all mine x x

    Emily - enjoy the learning, they are wonderful things to connect with & bring so much x

    Jim - they do look like jewels! I took tons of photos they mesmerised me.

    Tammie - hmm, food for thought there, i maybe should make it clear somewhere on my blog , thank you hon x

    Terri - thank you treasure for your precious words x

    Jess - wish i'd found it ages ago, im always behind & late lol x

    Kristin - its a great resolution,keep it up & good luck x I have to be "brave" often & just click the button ;-)

    Dear Carrie - its those sparks in the dark that are oh so worth the waiting for x

    thank you all treasures for your moments in time x x

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  23. Dear Ruthie, your words and images are so beautiful and I'm so glad Barefoot Breathing has stayed with you. Thanks for mentioning it too. I found The Artist's Way many years ago when I was in a dark pit so bleak I wasn't sure I could ever clamber out. The Artist's Way threw me a rope ladder, a wonderful process. I'm doing Morning pages again now, they're *magic*. Delighted you're tapping into the magic too, love Jackie xx

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  24. Ruthie,
    It sounds as if you have FOUND your way. There is so much to occupy our minds, we sometimes lose the very thing that keeps our creativity alive and flowing. Oh, so much to do! Me too! And how funny that you are going to be doing yoga again. I used to do yoga religiously an hour a day, felt really great... now I've determined to go back to it, as well.
    Keep smilin!

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  25. Hurray! Lots of exciting transformative work! I just love the sound of "barefoot breathing!" Love The Artists Way! Morning pages are great and some of those exercising can be live changing. I wrote down Belly Dance as something I wanted to try and met a belly dancer in jury duty!

    Beautiful photos as well. Feeling inspired Ruthie! Thanks! :)

    Have a beautiful creative weekend!

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  26. Lovely. I should read this every day.

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  27. Hi just popped by to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year x

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  28. Merry Christmas Ruthie !!!

    xxx
    Delphine

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