Live life lightly

Hmmm - I suppose this is about trying to do the right thing, life my life right, tread gently, leave no impact and to try and nurture the people and animals and planet around me.

I am sometimes taken with the notion that I shouldn't have been born in the Sixties but perhaps should have lived then - there is definitely a latent hippie in my soul! 

I lived as a vegetarian for about 10 years, due to animal welfare concerns but then decided that a better way for me was to buy 'happy' meat - basically to eat fish, meat and poultry that I knew came from organic or free range farms.  Since moving back to Aberdeenshire I also now buy meat direct from farmers I know and respect, they are not organic but their animals are treated with care and travel the minimal distance before dispatch.  My husband and I  also try to grow as much of our own veg and fruit as living in the North allows (weather permitting!).

The work I do with horses, Tellington Ttouch Equine Awareness Method is about looking at how the horse moves, and believing that 'bad' behaviour or poor performance doesn't come from the horse being naughty but from pain and/or tension in the body which is affecting the horse.  It is such a gentle way to be with animals and has a real feel-good factor when you see how the horse responds.

The Reiki I use on my self, family and friends gives me the same sense of well being - I suppose it's all about balance really.  I try to be a good friend, try not to be judgemental and try to think before I open my big mouth - it's hard (I'm human after all) but I would always want to treat others the way I'd like to be treated myself.

I'm not a religious person at all, I believe in humans and the universe.  However, there is a race of people and belief system I feel most akin to, the Native American one - we lived in Western Canada for 4 years and I was incredibly moved by what we learned about the Native Americans there.  They have a way of explaining the connection between us all that works for me.

Honor the sacred.
Honor the Earth, our Mother.
Honor the Elders.
Honor all with whom we share the Earth:-
Four-leggeds, two-leggeds, winged ones,
Swimmers, crawlers, plant and rock people.
Walk in balance and beauty.

Real life is quite often busy, stressful and doesn't feel like this, but this I what I aim for and would wish to pass on to my children.  It's a bit of a tall order but I'm working at it!