Category Archives: Musings

A Desk with a View

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I spent the weekend reorganising my office space. I moved the desks around, I sorted files, I threw out old stuff, and found forgotten bits and pieces ~ little golden nuggets I’d put aside for later. Now all that reorganising was wonderful, but the best thing about it was getting off my butt and making the change. What a difference! I feel completely revitalised and so much more productive!A Desk with a View - Sunday MusingsI spent the weekend reorganising my office space. I moved the desks around, I sorted files, I threw out old stuff, and found forgotten bits and pieces ~ little golden nuggets I’d put aside for later. Now all that reorganising was wonderful, but the best thing about it was getting off my butt and making the change. What a difference! I feel completely revitalised and so much more productive!

I’ve known for quite a while the office space needed fixing. It was all wrong ~ my desk was facing a wall and totally non-conducive to inspiration, something I was really craving and missing. I really hated sitting there, but I didn’t do a thing about it for the longest time. Now that it’s done, I can’t believe I allowed myself to stay stuck in a place I disliked for that length of time.

The point here is not why I allowed it to happen, the point is that I changed it, and next time I won’t be waiting… not even a second! When you get that feeling that something isn’t right, don’t wait ~ do something about it. Change it! Don’t put up with something that’s unsatisfactory. You are worth more than that. You deserve better, and you can make it better.

A positive change can turn everything around in a split second. It’s a bit like throwing up a bunch of balls that you weren’t holding very well and then catching them perfectly. I feel like I’m starting new even though it’s with all the same old stuff on my desk that I’ve been putting off, and I can tell you, it’s very liberating. If a little thing like changing my desk around to look at a view while I work has made such a big difference, can you imagine what a more significant change could make. It’s an exciting prospect isn’t it!

Don’t be afraid to do it if you think you may be trapped in inaction. Feeling stuck is just a feeling, not a fact. What it is … is a sign that it’s time to make a change. Whether that change is big or small, if you are feeling it, it’s time to do it. Don’t stay trapped in a place or a timeframe that doesn’t feel right. Free yourself, and do it now! And when you’ve done it, you’ll realise you were a lot less stuck than you thought you were. That inspiration, that lift or that exciting new challenge could be as simple as changing your view.

Cheers!

Inara Hawley © 2015

More Hugs for Me!

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Are you a hugger? Even if you’re not, you have to admit a hug feels really good, especially when you need one. And a hug can say so much don’t you think? Hugs are not just wordless gestures, they are actually very important, and here’s why.

Research shows that hugging has both physical and psychological benefits. Getting hugs helps loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. When you’re upset or sad a hug makes a difference. When you feel lost or unsafe a hug makes a difference. When you feel angry or frustrated a hug makes a difference. And when you’re sick a good hug makes a difference too ~ it helps you heal. It lowers your blood pressure and your stress hormones, relaxing you and strengthening your immune system. You could say that a hug a day keeps the doctor away!

A nice long hug also elevates our serotonin, which boosts our happiness level. Think about what you are doing when you are having a good long hug… you’re connecting with your hearts. And that, my friends, is the fastest way to get oxytocin, the love hormone, coursing through your body. Hugs nurture us. They let the love flow both ways. They make us feel more wanted, more loved, happier, and healthier.

So do you have enough hugs in your life? I love a good hug, but I’ve noticed I haven’t been hugging nearly enough lately. Somewhere along the line I forgot it was so important. But that is about to change! Hugging is on the agenda at least four times a day from now on. I know it’s going to be wonderful ~ I can already feel it, and Hubby is going to love it too!

So hug your family, hug your friends, hug your pets, hug a tree. Don’t be afraid to reach out ~ a hug is that little extension of yourself that shows you care, and you never know, you may just change a life because of it. You will certainly brighten someone’s day. Because a hug is not only good for you, it feels great!

Happy days! ❤

Inara Hawley © 2015

The Power of Giving

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‘Your work is to go forth into this physical environment looking for things that are a vibrational match to joy, connecting to Source Energy, and then following with the inspired action.’ ~ Abraham

Words to live by, and inspired action is certainly a wonderful thing ~ it’s filled with exhilarating energy, enthusiasm, excitement and passion. One rarely doubts oneself when in the throws of inspired action, but in reading the above quote my thoughts turned to what action feels like when it is not so inspired ~ when it’s full of doubt, anxiety or fear … when you find yourself asking: Can I do it? Should I do it? Is it the right thing to do? What if I fail? What if I can’t do it! You want to step forward, but feel conflicted and overwhelmed.

We all know when we take action amazing things happen, but it takes courage when we are filled with trepidation. There are many positive ways to overcome it, but one of the easiest and quickest ways is to approach that step forward with a spirit of generosity and giving. We can overcome so much when we go into giving mode ~ suddenly we stop thinking about how hard it is, and instead, realise how good it feels.

Being a giver is the easiest thing in the world, and it not only always succeeds, it makes most of us very happy. So if you ever find yourself feeling doubtful as to whether you can or can’t do something, open your generous heart and you will be just fine. Stepping up in the spirit of helping others is the best way to overcome your fears. And as well as making yourself and others feeling extraordinarily good, your self-worth will hugely expand ~ that is the power of giving.

As Winston Churchill said, ‘We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.’  In the end, it is in giving that we receive, for it is then that we receive the greatest joy.

 Inara Hawley © 2015

Judgement vs Observation

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For years, I’ve pondered the subject of judgement, and in doing so have often asked myself ~ am I making a judgement or a factual observation? There is a big difference of course, and it does rather depend on where one goes with the observation. That’s the important bit, and the key I have discovered, is to make the observation neutral.

Judgement is based in opinions, both biased and subjective, and observation, when it’s neutral, is the act of witnessing without attachment. What that actually creates in our lives came roaring home to me when I read the following quote by Andy Shaw:

 “Judgement is Weakness, Observation is Power”

Judgements are so damaging ~ they are emotional, and negative, and we hang on to them to the detriment of ourselves and others. They cause jealousy, disharmony, and devalue who we are. They separate and weaken us. Neutral observation, on the other hand empowers us. Why ~ because judgement narrows our field of vision, and neutral observation expands it. It gives us the opportunity to allow so much more into our lives ~ to be more discerning and to embrace what supports us.

How freeing is that! To observe without judgement, and release with ease and flow what doesn’t support us. I think that’s wonderful. When you realise the power of it, and that it’s a simple choice, it becomes really easy.

With love and peace ♥

Inara Hawley © 2015

Releasing the Burden

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I love energy work. I am connected to it, I feel it, and I’ve worked with it. And some time back, I decided to have a session with an energy healer.

It was a surprise to say the least. As I had no pressing concerns or issues, I left it to her to connect with any blocked energy that needed releasing, so I had no idea what was coming. She immediately zoned in on an energy relating to indigenous injustice, something I’ve always felt strongly about. I recall many years ago writing a paper on the very same subject with tears streaming down my face at the unfairness of it all. While I’ve always had powerful emotions about the issue, it has not affected my daily life or happiness in any way. However, as the session progressed, I felt my energy shift. As the ‘burdened’ energy fell away, I was surprised to realise that energetically, I had been carrying a painful grievance that didn’t belong to me. It was profound. I realised I was connected to the plight and not the joy. At the end of the session my energy felt quite different ~ light and more expansive, and while the situation hasn’t changed, my energy towards it has, which is a very good thing for both them and me.

So, the end result? It didn’t change my life, but it has sharpened my awareness, and without doubt lightened an issue which was sitting heavily on my heart. One which I didn’t realise was weighing me down. I now see the situation in its best light which, of course, is both healing and positive, and how I prefer to see it.

While, for me, the session was emotional at times and energetically very full-on as I really felt the energy flying around, it was extremely interesting to experience the shift. Over the years, I have trained myself to focus on the positive aspect of all things, and I know that my positive energy is uplifting, helpful and healing ~ it’s my gift to myself and others. I also know that I get what I focus on, so I am mindful of my words, thoughts, and energy, not only for myself but also for what I am focusing on. However, in this instance, I felt very deeply the pain of others, and it seems it had stayed with me energetically for many years. Any energy shift changes things, and this has, yet again, reinforced the value of not sitting in the pit of a problem ~ not gluing yourself to it with your sorry feelings, or allowing yourself to be consumed by the fire of negativity or drama. That doesn’t help one bit.

Anything we give our attention to connects us to the essence of it, and I always want that connection to be positive and loving. Purposely lining up with the energy which uplifts is what creates a positive flow. I am committed to being part of the upliftment for myself, the Planet and the Universe. I know my vibration makes a difference, and I want it to be joyful and free of burden. That is why I had the session, and I am grateful.

Inara Hawley © 2015

Are You For or Against?

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Are you a ‘For’ or an ‘Against’ person? We all want to make a difference in this world, however, it’s important to know what we are actually focusing on when we make the decision to support something or direct, powerful and passionate thoughts towards a cause, because there is a distinct difference between being for or against it.

Like everyone, I have a rant every now and again. I know it’s a negative stance. We all do it, but pushing against something doesn’t resolve a thing. It’s unproductive, resistant and focuses on what we don’t like about a given situation. But here’s the thing, any attention we give to something means we are choosing it, and the Universe doesn’t discriminate between ‘like’ and ‘don’t like’. It just gives us what we focus on. It’s very basic stuff, but an important concept to understand if we want positive outcomes. We all know it ~ where focus goes energy flows.

While resistance is a great marker for what we do actually want, being against something ~ pushing against an unwanted thing never gets rid of it. What we are doing is vibrating with the resistant energy which then keeps us apart from what we really want. Pushing against something activates it. And the harder we push, the more we vibrate with it and the more of it we get, which makes us more resistant, angry, frustrated, fearful, and even adversarial. A vicious circle, isn’t it?

Our emotions are our guidance system. When we are in a resistant state we’re not aligning with the outcome we want. However, we can diffuse it by making a decision to look for the best-feeling aspects of whatever we give our attention to. This puts us in a place of much greater allowance. For instance, if we are always ‘anti’ war, we are focused on war, but if we are ‘for’ peace, then we are focusing on peace. Interesting isn’t it. There is a big difference. So, we can either be for something or against it. Either way, it will be our prominent vibration.

So, are you sending the right message when you are passionately against something? Are you really focusing on what you want? Being passionately for what you want is a much more positive vibration don’t you think? So be for the joy and the good ~ vibrate with what floats your boat. The Universe will notice, send it right back to you.

Inara Hawley © 2015

Take Good Care of Yourself

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We all need a chill-out day every now and again. You know the kind I mean, where you slow it right down, relax, and just BE giving your mind, body and spirit a rest. But how often do we make the time to do it?

Today I had one of those delicious days, and it was heaven. Taking a guilt-free ‘me’ day that doesn’t involve decision-making, doing, or talking, is pure joy. It gives your brain, body, and emotions a much-needed break.

It’s about taking care of yourself, and it means stepping out of your routine and focusing on you ~ pampering yourself with the things you love to do. For me, it’s reading and listening to music… simple stuff, but so nurturing. The important thing is to recognise that you do actually need it, and when you need it. If you are one of those busy people who have a million things to do, falling into bed at the end of each day is probably all the rest you get, but even if you’re not so busy, taking time out to unwind and reconnect will reap rewards on so many levels. You will not only recharge, you will have the space to get in touch with your desires, your needs, and your dreams. And who doesn’t love dreaming a dream, and making a wish. That’s when inspiration strikes and isn’t that what makes dreams come true.

So, when you have your chill-out day make sure you do whatever you want. Spoil yourself! Align your vibration to the downstream flow and let go of control, stress, the to-do list, busyness, rushing ~ it can all wait! Just relax. Imagine staying in bed in the morning and reading, getting up for a late coffee, meditating, sitting in the sun, having a bubble bath, anything your heart desires… bliss right?

Well, give yourself permission to do it, and do it soon. Get fired up about relaxing… it’s important to take good care of yourself.

Inara Hawley © 2015

Respect

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Respect is a great benchmark for harmony in one’s life. It gives everyone the space to be free, and from it springs kindness and non-judgement, which of course, makes the world a better place. Respect also guides our manners. There are plenty of people, ideas, and beliefs that will not be our cup of tea in this life, but if we treat them with respect, we will do just fine.

Many a memorable relationship, in fact, is built on respect, which brings me to the perfect story. When I was at Uni I was part of an unlikely trio ~ a Buddhist from Sri Lanka, a born-again Christian from Down Under, and tree-hugging, crystal-loving, way-out-there spiritual me! The three of us were the best of friends for two years. And it worked exceptionally well because we all had respect for each other.

I clearly recall one day when my Christian friend and I were rushing along the crowded pathways from one lecture hall to another, I mentioned a friend’s daughter who was in a coma after a terrible accident. My Christian friend stopped dead, took my hands in hers and said, ‘Let’s pray now’ … and she did, as everyone rushed past. It came straight from her heart, and it was wonderful. That was probably the only time her religion ever came up ~ that, and when she wanted to atone for smoking so much pot, but then she reckoned that’s when she did her best assignments. And that’s the thing you see ~ we were all real and honest about our lives. If any of us had been zealots or hypocrites it would not have worked.

We accepted each other just as we were, we listened to each other, we supported each other, and rather than make value judgements, we valued each other. When my Christian friend smoked her pot we never said she wasn’t a good Christian, and when my Buddhist friend ate meat we never said she was a bad Buddhist, and when I said I didn’t believe in the dogma of religion or in gurus neither of them judged me. Respect is basically about allowing ~ allowing others to be themselves, recognizing that they have worth, and treating them accordingly.

Of course, one must respect oneself as we would want others to respect us. That is vital, but I love that I hold others in high enough regard to respect them. It feels really good. Ultimately, for us all to get along life is about ‘live and let live’ in harmony, and its respect that will get us there.

Inara Hawley © 2015

The Pleasure of Manifesting

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When I looked out of the window this morning I saw our two cats sunning themselves on the deck, and twenty-five sheep being unloaded and returned to our nicely regenerated paddock after a spell of two months. Hubby and I had really missed them, and I felt a surge of joy, to see them back. We both get immense pleasure in having animals around us, particularly these animals. Why? Because they were the ones that found us. Let me tell you the story.

Sunday Musings - The Pleasure of Manifesting

We’ve always had dogs and cats. However, for the few short years when we lived on a residential block before moving back to acreage, we didn’t have any animals and I really felt the loss. I recall looking down when I was working at my desk and thinking how lovely it would be to have a furry little bundle at my feet. I knew it wasn’t the right time, but I wished for it anyway. It made me feel good. So when we finally got to our beloved acres again, the first thing I thought about was getting that furry little bundle and perhaps, some miniature goats for our paddock. But three things held me back from rushing headlong into doing anything about it: we lived on a busy road, our fences weren’t secure, and we had no experience with small-herd animals.

While these appeared to be stumbling blocks, I didn’t really give them much thought. What I did think about, was how nice it would be to see animals in the paddock and how wonderful it would be to have a pet again. I didn’t consider the ‘how’ or the ‘when’. Whenever I thought about it, I imagined it, and then immersed myself in the delight and pleasure of it happening one day without feeling any resistance. And then I let it go. My job was to hold the happy thought vibration and trust that all was well. The rest was up to the Universe. I was sure it would sort itself out.

And as always, the Universe delivered! But surprisingly, it wasn’t how you would expect. First, we discovered we had a very pretty, young feral cat living in the old gnarly hedge at the side of the house. Then she had kittens. Then one day the daddy cat, a very skinny, scruffy-looking black stray almost on his last legs, arrived. To make a long story short, we re-homed the babies, sorted out mummy and daddy so there wouldn’t be any more babies, and after a long worrying week at the vet and lots of pampering indoors, we got daddy back to health. We now have two beautiful cats, one who lives outside and is getting brave enough to allow us to pat her, and the other one is the furry little bundle that sleeps at my feet. Both of them are terrified of cars so the busy road is not something which attracts them ~ that was the first stumbling block which dissipated into thin air.

Sunday Musings ~ The Pleasure of Manifesting Sunday Musings - The Pleasure of Manifesting

And what about the empty paddock you ask? Well, then we had a paddock fire. That was very dramatic, but the next morning, a neighbour knocked on our door and offered us his sheep to keep the grass down. And he even went to the trouble of securing the fences. That was the second stumbling block gone. We’ve now had the small flock of twenty-five roaming our paddock for nearly two years, and we love it. The Universe delivered yet again, and we never did have to learn anything about how to look after herd animals. Sheep Man does it all. All we do is enjoy them. That was the third stumbling block gone as well.

So as you can see, there really were no stumbling blocks. There never are, when we focus on the pleasure of what we want, and allow it to unfold with ease and flow. And that is indeed how it all happened. The animals came to us without any effort on our part. We truly are the creators of what we want. It starts with desire ~ that’s the asking part. Then the trick is to vibrate in harmony with the pleasure of it, trusting that everything will happen as it should, in perfect order and in perfect time. No matter what it is, if you really want it, and if you relax and get out of the way, it will happen. That’s something I know for sure!

Inara Hawley © 2015

What! I’m Unfriended!

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Social Media is an interesting place. It’s where I play with kindred spirits and those I enjoy being connected to. For me, it’s a happy, joyful place where I have fun, discuss an interesting topic or two, and get the opportunity to share a positive vibe. But … it can also be a very superficial and confusing place ~ a place where ‘friendships’ are sometimes not what they seem, and where emotions and strength of character can be tested.

Facebook particularly, being so social, can easily become a place of confusion and upset, because, it can exacerbate the ‘what’s wrong with me’ feeling. When we get cast out into the ‘unfriended’ wilderness by someone we interact with regularly, and for reasons which may come as a complete surprise to us, it’s especially confusing. Of course, it’s happened to all of us at one time or another. But given there are those who are negatively affected by it, and who question themselves because of it, it’s important to not cloud the waters with emotion, particularly when the reasons are somewhat dramatic.

As an example, I recall an en masse unfriending, the reason for which was to cast out the distrusted ones and the troublemakers! Now the first thing that comes to mind is paranoia, but I won’t go there! Suffice to say, if you saw that, and were the one being unfriended, it could give you a bit of a jolt, especially if you weren’t the dramatic type. But in reality, the opposite was actually more accurate in this case. The person doing the unfriending was in fact the one who always had the problems, and talked about them a lot! Get the picture? Some people will always create a problematic lifestyle. So before you start feeling bad about being unfriended, ask yourself ~ who has the problem? And if it’s not your awesome self, do you really need this person in your life? You probably don’t, so stop questioning yourself and stop feeling bad. Life has a way of sorting these things out, even in social media!

Friendship in social media is actually a huge misnomer. Most of your Facebook friends aren’t actually your friends. Some will of course become your friends, just as in ‘real’ life some people will become good friends, but most are acquaintances we share a moment with here and there. No one can have hundreds of friends ~ it’s simply not possible! And acquaintances, as we all know, come and go. At the end of the day, unfriending is just part of the social media experience, and should never, ever be taken out of context.

So make sure you stay centred in knowing who you are ~ don’t feel inadequate, and definitely don’t take it to heart when you are unfriended for a reason that doesn’t make sense. The person unfriending you probably doesn’t even know the real you. So leave it alone. There is nothing wrong with you. Don’t sell yourself short, and be strong enough not to waver when social media friendships go astray. In fact, go out and find a real-life person, and have a coffee with them instead.

The bottom line is, it doesn’t matter what you think other people may think of you, and why they do what they do. Who cares! All that really matters is what you think of you, and what you do. If you are happy with yourself and like the person who you are, the ups and downs of social media ‘friendships’ will not matter.

Inara Hawley © 2014