Awesome moon a good reminder to savour the good things!
Hi Neighbours - Wow did you see the moon last night – I stood outside and watched it come up and life was good. It pushed away all the thoughts of washing and dishes to be done!! I remembered neuroscientist Rick Hansen’s advice to really savour any pleasant experience. He says the brain is like Velcro for negative experiences, but Teflon for positive ones – we remember negative things more easily than positive things.
He suggests that we ‘tilt towards the good’ in order to level the playing field. He says if we spend time savouring and enjoying a good experience, more neurons fire and thus wire together, actually changing our brains for the better. So to balance out the challenging times, see if you can "Take in the good" to even things out.
Mindfulness practice helps build up this way of being. Come and soothe body and mind with a small group for a gentle mindfulness session of ease and peace next week. Session includes gentle movement and relaxing simple meditation.
The next one is on Tue 5th of September 1 - 2.15pm. Come and see what it is like! Contact me - the first session free, then Koha welcome. Ongoing first Tuesday of the month.
Click Read More to find out more about what I do - I also offer one-on-one sessions and custom courses for group bookings.
www.everudkinmindfulness.co.nz...
Take care - Eve
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Te Whakapūtanga o te Atua - Day 33
In the sacred valleys of Aotearoa, beneath the watchful gaze of the maunga and the whispering ngahere, there was a time when harmony within the iwi began to crumble. The values of tikanga (righteousness) and manaakitanga (compassion) were neglected. Greed, conflict, and disregard for the whenua had begun to take root, threatening the balance cherished by the people.
The kaumātua of the iwi gathered at the marae to seek guidance. They performed long karakia, calling upon the atua and Io Matua Kore, the supreme source of all life. As they chanted, a warm breeze swept through the wharenui, and the voice of Tāne Mahuta, the atua of the forest, resonated through the air like a gentle waiata.
When tikanga fades and matekiri (disharmony) arises, Tāne said, Io Matua Kore, through the atua, manifests anew to restore balance and guide the people back to the ways of light.
Soon after, a child was born to the iwi, surrounded by signs of divine blessing. Birds of all kinds gathered at the whare, and the rivers flowed with an unusual clarity. The kaumātua named the child Rongo, after the atua of peace and cultivated lands, believing he would be the one to lead the iwi back to harmony.
As Rongo grew, his wisdom far surpassed his years. He taught the people to honor kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the whenua, to uphold manaakitanga for one another, and to align their actions with tikanga. He reminded them that life was a sacred connection between the wairua, the whenua, and Io Matua Kore.
When righteousness wanes and shadows grow, Rongo would say, we must remember the teachings of the atua. For in each of us, their spirit is alive, and through us, the balance can be restored.
Under his guidance, the iwi flourished again. They planted trees, nurtured their rivers, and cared for one another as whānau. Balance and peace returned to the land, and the harmony of tapu and noa was restored.
Moral of the Story:
When tikanga (righteousness) declines and the balance of life is disrupted, the divine manifests through those chosen to lead and guide the people. It is our collective duty to listen, to act, and to restore the harmony that sustains all of creation.