Musings on the Moon.

This week I have found myself feeling somewhat lacklustre. Is it the because it's grip of winter, there's a lack of food in my fridge or the reaction I had to all the Mexican food I ate in the weekend? Can I do the rap to all of Shaggy's "It wasn't me" ?
The answer to these questions is perhaps.

I'm about to take on a massive challenge that is volunteering in Cambodia teaching dance, and am trying to get as much writing for my new show and other things done before I go, so have begun to burn the candle at both ends. 
My body is sore and tender from life, burpees and rehearsing for a gig I have the day before I go.

As I was editing the track I'm performing to, I couldn't help but stop myself and realise how the lyrics in such a timely fashion instantly put things in perspective. It made me think how music and lyrics are so fantastic that they can do this, so thought I'd share it with you.

Whenever life gets you down, Mrs.Brown
And things seem hard or tough
And people are stupid, obnoxious or daft

And you feel that you've had quite enough

Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving

And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour

That's orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it's reckoned

A sun that is the source of all our power

The sun and you and me and all the stars that we can see

Are moving at a million miles a day

In an outer spiral arm, at forty thousand miles an hour

Of the galaxy we call the 'milky way'

Thank you Eric Idle and the rest of Monty Python for the beautiful Galaxy Song (look it up next time you are perusing YouTube)

It was a full moon last night. A full clear moon, far far away in the sky. I have looked up at that same moon all through my life. So have you. There's been times when I've been happy, you've been sad, and we have looked at the same moon. Or vice versa. I've looked at the moon with someone who I don't look at it with anymore. I've looked at it in places I used to go but don't anymore. It's still there, beaming down in whatever phase it is, regardless of how we change, grow and come up against the bad and the good. 

I like to think of the Man in the Moon as my mate. As the nice old man at the local green grocer who gives you extra ripe bananas because he knows you make a lot of smoothies. His constant gentle smile is unwavering. Sometimes he's hidden, but he's still there, giving you a reassuring look, that he will be there for you tomorrow night, and the one after that.

It's a comforting feeling, isn't it? How space is so vast and complex but can seem so simple because it's far away. I guess this week, that's what I needed. To put things a little but further away to see their vastness and beauty.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, do yourself a favour and take some time to look at the moon;

because sometimes, we just need some space.

Jj

The C word

The  C word.......
at this time of the year, for many of us, the C word that is more frequently on our lips is CHRISTMAS. (I can't believe it either, one part of me still feels like it's 2013)

It's a joyous time of year, with indulgences and spending and sharing and laughing.

But that's not the C word I'm meaning.

I'm not talking about that other C word that is very rude and rhymes with "blunt" either.

I'm talking about CANCER.

As I'm writing, I'm shifting awkwardly in my chair, wondering how to approach this subject. You might be shifting in your chair too, as the C word might strike pretty close to home for you.

Like depression, motivation, compassion and self love, this is one of those touchy subjects that I could waffle on about when really, I feel like a bit of a fraud as I haven't lived them all to the extent as you or someone you may know who has mattered to you has. 

My dad, the strong, brave father of 4 was diagnosed with a tumor in his sacrum 10 years ago. Initially we thought the pain in his lower back was a sports injury- he was playing soccer, golf, cricket and running. When we found out what it was, there were a million "what ifs"

How much time? What will change? What can we do?

Through radiation, chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants and a truck load of prayer, Dad has lived the most fulfilled, loving and daring life, proving that when you learn that your life might be cut short, you can either sit back and reflect on your memories or you can go shop at Kathmandu, learn to use and ipad, and travel around the world to make new memories.

In his case: climbing Mt Fuji, going to Wimbledon, learning the piano, walking the Camino trail (100km) in Spain, taking a train across Australia, opening up and reaching out to family, and working full time (to name a few)

In terms of how Cancer has affected me- I have learned that you don't have time to hold personal grievances (especially between family members)
Grudges get you nowhere. 
Sing all you can, spend your money on memories not things. I am closer with my siblings considering we live so far away from each other, and small talk is nice, but figuring out how you can positively help the person you are talking to is so much better- whether it's by making them laugh, distracting them with a story, being interested in them or questioning them. 

I'm going to keep it simple.

Cancer sucks. It affects people who don't "deserve" it (Dad doesn't drink, smoke and is fit.)
There are people at your work, school, cafe and church who are living with it.
If you don't donate any money, donate your smile. Donate your ears, your cooking skills, your hugs.
Cherish your time, your body and your loved ones for all those who can't.

So when the stress, frivolity and materialism of Christmas starts to get under your skin, let these words put it in perspective.

"For Christmas, some of us want a new bike, a new phone, a new look, but someone living with cancer wants just one thing, to win the battle"

As I sign off this post, I'm going to send out a strong thought/prayer for those in my life affected by the C word. You are welcome to do it with me 

Jj

YouTube Yoga

I am three days into a 30 day Yoga challenge on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

There are millions of yoga videos on Youtube.

I have attended various yoga classes before and think it is for everyone; whether you are looking to improve your posture, breathing, co-ordination, core strength, stress release or circulation (but you probably knew that.)

Attending a yoga class is great because you can connect with an instructor, be corrected by them and enjoy the scented candles and how the mats smell like lemongrass (most of the time)

The cool thing about this YouTube yoga though, is that each class is only 20-45 minutes, and I can do it in my bedroom. It's more about the quality than the quantity and the fact that it's on YouTube means it's accessible at any time, as it is to anyone, eg people who hate leggings or men who are worried about being outnumbered in a class of Lululemon clad coconut water guzzlers who namaste their days away.

Here's a few things I have learnt "on the mat" that I think are very applicable to our daily lives. There are multiple yoga forums out there, and endless lists of benefits of practice, but if you like the sound of these simple ideas, get involved.

1. Set your expectations with how you feel on the day. If you are 'off' and not able to push as much as the day before, still give integrity to what you can do.

2. Explore, play through the movement, do what feels good.

3. Breathe. If you get bored, breathe. If you are tense, breathe. If it's hard, breathe.

4. Smile into your poses and your postures.

5. It doesn't take long to feel good if you commit to doing the good thing. Light the candle, remove the distractions and see how 20 mins flies by.

6. Go slowly, explore.

7. It's not all about the "ommmmmmmm" and more about the fun.

Jj