Did you know that our history records reveal some interesting information about the oldest printed book in existence. It’s called The Diamond Sutra and apparently originated in China. The book includes Sanskrit text translated into Chinese and was found in a place called ‘The Cave of a Thousand Buddhas,’ a hidden space that was once…
Category: Happiness
Drinking thyme and burning sage
Last week I made myself a fresh thyme tea. That particular day I was feeling a little low and heard this tea had great antioxidant benefits. In the end, the thyme was grounding and delicious and made me feel instantly better. The trouble was, it hadn’t only helped to cleanse my palate but it seemed…
Reflections from the winter solstice
On the 22nd December I took a visit to the local hairdressers to celebrate the winter solstice. “How much hair do you think I’ve acquired since the summer solstice?” I asked the hairdresser. “Probably around four inches.” She said, smiling at me. “Ok. Then please cut it off.” I replied. As she went about cutting…
A sacred falcon messenger
It was New Year’s Day and I took the opportunity to walk. With a lifelong friend, we went to visit the mountains above Barcelona. After our two hour climb under the dazzling sun and our one hour meditation at the top, we stopped for a short tea break before we briskly walked back down the…
Interview with Garraf plant healer, Silvia
Last week, as the waves emerged around the coastal village of Garraf, I found myself attending a very pleasant aloe vera plant medicine workshop. A lady called Silvia was hosting it and she introduced herself as a botanist. As keen as I was to learn more about the spirit of aloe vera, I was equally…
Hiking, pilates and meditation; share the love
This week, as the sun hid its nose behind the bushy white clouds and the air softened its glow around my face, I felt autumn. What was I to do on an autumnal day, to keep fit, healthy and well I thought. I picked up my phone book and was nudged by a lady I…
Breath and longevity
Last week I met with a friend at the beach who was grieving the loss of her grandad. Her name was Silvia and she was a very dear lady. Before we sat down on the white cushioned bench that gray day, I gave her a very dear hug. Her response to the hug was charming….
A route to self-love
Last week, as the city grew back in abundance and the people were falling in love with its cooler clime, I began to somewhat fall out of love. Not with the city itself but with my usual spot and my usual theme. So I diligently allowed myself to change it. Then this week, as I…
How we benefit from the expressive arts
This summer I become indulged in hosting and facilitating poetry workshops in and around the city of Barcelona and was reminded yet again, under a new guise, the power in the art of poetry. For the past decade, my indulgence was in the art of creating and the art of writing itself. And when that…
An interview with Alberto – a Craniosacral therapist
It was three years ago when I sat in meditation having accessed a deep well of tears from inside me. As they poured through every cell of my being I caught sight of alternate images running through my mind. Interestingly, I sat still and enjoyed the showered release. Much to my amazement, when I got…
The moment calls for a festival – Barcelona does it well
I found myself one grey day last week sitting in a dim lit square in the district of Gràcia. Nothing special was happening at the time so I ordered an equally dim americano with ice to fill up the boring space. Then as the clouds descended deeper into the square, a man with a saw…
An interview with a creative goddess
I couldn’t help but notice her smile when I met her. She was sat in a coffee shop drinking a chai tea and looking through a magazine. The red lipstick stain she left on the mug made me look again towards her glowing face. Her name was Aoife and I came to meet her for…