Impermanence in difficult times

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…

Interview with crystal and reiki healer Pierluigi

In times of trouble I always look towards the wise and wonder what they would say or do. Then I remembered an encounter I had with a very young wise man whilst I was staying at a retreat centre in Penedes. When I met him he was in the kitchen soaking a handful of crystals…

Interview with Hernan, a chiro masseur

It was a Tuesday evening when I met Hernan. I went to meet him at a therapy space in Barcelona for a chiro massage and afterwards, to spend some time interviewing him. When he greeted me at the door I burst open with excitement. His eyes dazzled and he wore a light blue crystal around…

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…

Why we advocate aloe vera

If you’ve ever taken a walk around the countryside of Catalunya, the probability of an aloe vera plant appearing on the route is less than far fetched. In fact, the Mediterranean climate is so warm and dry that we usually benefit from a very happy harvest. Not only does the aloe vera plant tend to…

Interview with NLP coach, Mari

This week I had the pleasure of getting to know a very nice young lady from the suburbs of Barcelona. Her name was Mari and she was busy in her life with helping others to heal. In fact she was a Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) coach and Bach flower practitioner. “My God”. I thought out loud…

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…

Uplift your spirit with an open fire

This month, I was astounded by the sheer volume of bypassers I saw on the route around my local mountain. But what I was more astounded by was the way we shared the route with the same intention. That was to collect vast amounts of pine cones for our open fires. I couldn’t help but…

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….

Discover a new gem, Sant Pere de Ribes

What with autumn on its way and the clouds meeting for display, I earnestly sought out a new experience this week. My intuition told me to follow a path over to a small mountain town, above the coastline of Sitges and Garraf, called Sant Pere de Ribes. That morning I took the bus from Placa…

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…