Inner Beauty

You know when you meet someone and there's just something different about them? Some call it charisma, or charm, but another explanation could be inner beauty.

That certain glow, a look of inner peace, a graceful smile: it reflects what is held within.

How to achieve this "je ne sais quoi" or certain something?

Here are a few suggestions to help cultivate and maintain a new and deeper persona.

1. Appreciate and live with a sense of deep gratitude every day for the blessings in your life: shelter, good food, family and friends,your sight, hearing, sense of touch, smell and taste. I am sure your list could extend to many more.

2. Meditate. The benefits of meditation are many and well documented .... peace, focus, relaxation and that sense of inner wellbeing we all crave.

3. Kindness. Emit innate kindness to all beings: this will be returned to you one hundredfold.

4. Spend time in nature: connect with the earth.

5. Make a spiritual connection, whether it be to God, the Universe, Buddha, or to your higher self.

6. No matter how badly your day is going, smile at everyone you meet, whether it be in the street, at work, or at home. It will light up your face and transform your whole being, and will brighten someone else's day.

7. Spread loving thoughts - remember everyone is on their own journey, our job is not to judge, but to support our fellow travellers.

The Passing Of Summer!

Here in the Southern hemisphere the balmy days of autumn are upon us....this is my favourite time of the year in every way, the weather is calm and sunny and the hectic summer days are a distant memory. This is a mellow time of contemplation, a time for inner reflection but also a time for maintaining the good habits accumulated during the summer months: of fresh fruit, salads, cooling juices, and exercise time spent outdoors in nature.

How then can we continue this healthy lifestyle throughout the cold winter months to come?

There are many often unappreciated benefits of the winter months, cosy evenings by a warm fire, crisp clear mornings and healthy warming soups and herbal teas, and the majority of our summer vegetables are still available.

But most of all we can maintain our summer exercise routine.....but at a faster pace! Our morning or evening stroll can become a jog to boost circulation, a swim can be enjoyed at an indoor pool, compete for speed with a swim buddy: and cycling can evolve into a faster pace also.

So enjoy the cooler season and reap it's benefits every day!

Happy Easter

For many of us Easter just means a few days holiday, a chance to catch up with friends, or an opportunity to indulge in the pleasure of chocolate Easter eggs.

All these things have their merits (especially for chocolate lovers!), but for me Easter is also a time for renewal and contemplation, rejuvenation and reviewing life's goals, aspirations and direction. A time to enjoy being thankful for all the blessings in my life, of which I perceive there are many, and sending out thoughts of gratitude and love.

This Easter spend a little time in thoughts of thankfulness and gratitude, for they will be returned to you a thousandfold in joy and well-being.

I wish you a Happy and Joyful Easter.