swirly circles of gratitude :)

i know i hardly come to this space any more - and today i was going to just post these funny mini me dollies of nicole and i - one of our beautiful october retreat goddesses made them for us as a gift - we had all sorts of hilarious fun with them in bali, and then we were too sad to separate them so they both came home with me...my kids have enjoyed dressing and undressing and taking them to school and now putting them on the christmas tree!

but what i want to share today as i sit here, is such overwhelming gratitude in my heart ~ right now life is crazy busy, overwhelmingly so, and sad terrible things are happening in the world, and people are lonely and and and...i have a tendancy to get overwhelmed by all of this and shut down, hide, feel it all, wrestle with it all inside, especially at this time of year being far away from my family and land. 

i've felt a real shift in myself this year and i am so grateful to be able to feel some peace in my heart, and hopefulness in the world, and inspiration. i can't pinpoint exactly how this happened (no magic pill here!) but i can say that working with the beauty-filled wise woman nicole - cultivating our friendship more deeply as well as creating these retreats together - an actual dream of both of ours that we have followed through on has been monumental. i hold onto the image of the two of us floating in the ocean in fremantle on a beautiful blue sky aussie summers day dreaming up our bali retreat and wondering "can we do this?!"...and then putting it out there with all the nerves and insecurity that comes from putting a large dream out there, then feeling the beauty of success after a lot of hard work, that yes! we made this happen!

then for me there is the soul-food of being in bali, soaking in the natural beauty and befriending the dear souls who i have been hearing stories about for years from nicole (friends she has had for the past 25 years), and appreciating the way their culture works, and being inspired by the simple laid back way of life in bali. i'm a worshipper of warm climates, bare feet and slow paced days, so i feel very present and at ease, and beautiful when i am there! it is a gift to feel truly connected to *me*, and to have had this time twice in one year has filled me up so much after years of neglecting to nourish myself.

many of the women on our past october retreat individually visited an amazing balinese healer agus...a longtime friend of paul and nicole's. the experiences we all had with him were goosebump worthy and i have continued to feel the ripples of peace and strength from this after coming home.

so this morning, instead of feeling overwhelmed (and if you could see my house you would know why) i am focusing on feeling grateful. because i am, for so much!

i don't want to come across smug by sharing this - tone can always be misread and that has made me shy away in the past from writing about my feelings...arrrr!

i'm so so so grateful for meaningful friendships and making them work from afar, and for gathering with circles of women ('m part of a local monthly womens group as well as the circles we have formed on our retreat) - i have learned how important it is to share our stories with each other and offer support, wisdom and love in this way! so so important.

the dolls look like us right?

(i wish you all knew this woman. i feel so so lucky to be in her circle)

i will come back to this blog (i promise!) and post an actual report on our last soulful escape to bali (we have a fancy new website now, check it owwwt), there are several photos here on our facebook page, and we also have an instagram @soulfulescapetobali #soulfulescapetobali

for now, lots of love and peace from me to you - really, really, really xxx

Comments

[Kelly]

Thank you for truly being an inspiration! I am vicariously living thru your experiences right now but hope some day to fulfill my creative dreams and wishes! Happy New Year!

[Lelu]

You are so inspiring so happy you shared! Really really really!

[Venia]

Thank you sharing this. I've struggled this year, and have been actively choosing to regain my peace and gratitude. Yours was the message I needed to receive this morning. Much love and gratitude steaming back your way.

[Nina]

love your words...love your face. really missing you! and if we don't catch up in real time in the new year, then we are both PUNISHED xo :)

[Sherripelletier]

Oh Em, these are such sweet and welcome words. ThAnk you for sharing, for baring your soul. I am filled with peace and happiness for you. XO

[Jazypoo]

xoxoxoxooxx

[nicole]

my life is so much richer for having you in it to share all the love and fun, the creativity and beauty, the deep feelings of our soul. and when times get overwhelming and sad it's good to remember that we feel like this because we love this life and our families and friends and all the swirly circles... if you follow the feeling to it's root the root is always LOVE. xo

[Ali]

I am just writing about gratitude in my own blog and can so feel what you are saying about connecting with the inner self. Thank you for sharing and for brightening our everyday. :)

[Alimacmac]

Thankyou for sharing!! I would so love to come to the retreat in October, I believe women can be the best support for us, uplifting and helpful of each other.. I love your blog, and I WILL meet you in Bali one day along with my gorgeous friend Liz…. xx

[Carrie-Anne Roy]

gorgeous and in you sharing your light you give others hope
xxxcar

[Anne-Marie]

A lovely post. Wishing you and yours a happy Christmas and Midwinter.

[Monnah]

Shared feelings have made me survive these last few years. Happy new year!