The word 'surrender' is spoken regularly throughout a yoga class and you'll see it dotted throughout any book on Buddhism. Typical interpretation of the word is to 'give up' or 'give in', but in a spiritual context, it simply means to 'stop the fight' – stop the internal struggle of the mind, that in turn, can cause physical tenseness in the body.
So surrender I have done. I'm pleased to say the 'Sydneyness' that was me is slowly losing speed....the need to be constantly on the go, and rush from here to there; the ceaseless planning of every waking moment; impatience for results and outcomes; to always be 'doing', and therefore, not really appreciating the present. Gosh....it's tiring just reading this.
Sydney noticeably vibrates at a much higher/faster/noisier frequency than Byron. It sweeps you up and spins you around. It's fun and intoxicating. But ultimately for me, it was unfulfilling. It wasn't until I arrived here that I became aware of how exhausted my mind and body really was.
I'm excited about the prospect of living and breathing the 'Byronness'. It's as though the locals are at one with the lower/calmer/peaceful vibrational rhythm that is Byron Bay. They appear to move with it, rather than be carried along by it. For me it's a state of mind that is centred around a calmness, a conscious letting go of the way I used to doing things, and just slowing down to take the time to just 'be' in the moment.
I guess it'll take a while to change 36 years of habitual living....but slowly (and without force) it'll come.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
An address with water views
Ok, so the room to rent in that really fabulous house – I didn't get. Turns out my 7kg furry friend ignites allergies in the Japanese Student who is boarding there for the next month. Can she not go live on an island somewhere with other allergy sufferers and suffer in annoying silence together? Tolerance. Perhaps I should add this to the ‘list of things to learn’ whilst in Byron....
I did eventually come around to the belief that it was simply ‘not meant to be’, and I don’t doubt that there is a better place out there for me to find.....yadda yadda yadda.....yawn.
So, it’s back to the drawing board. The paper comes out today so I’ll start looking once again. I have decided to expand my search criteria into empty or furnished houses that I can set up and be the one to make the tenant choosing decision. Yes, the furniture I left in my rented unit in Sydney would surely come in handy right about now....and yes, it’ll be an expense I hadn’t really counted on, but it may be my best option. I figure the $1500 I’ll save on storage in Sydney over the next 12 months can go towards a lounge, the bedroom suite I was planning on buying anyway, and everyone needs a TV. The rest can come from a second hand shop.
Some of you may say ‘patience Kim, patience’....but those of you who know me well are aware of this attribute lacking in my persona. Perhaps moving up here is the perfect time to learn this ancient art that I fail so badly at, but now is not the time. I’m living out of a suitcase with all my belongings in a storage shed up here, with a little old lady who is sweet - but mothering, in a beautiful but quiet suburb that lacks phone reception. I really just want to ‘arrive’, unpack my boxes, settle in, and begin a new life in Byron. Sooner rather than later.
Hopefully my next update with come with an address with water views....
I did eventually come around to the belief that it was simply ‘not meant to be’, and I don’t doubt that there is a better place out there for me to find.....yadda yadda yadda.....yawn.
So, it’s back to the drawing board. The paper comes out today so I’ll start looking once again. I have decided to expand my search criteria into empty or furnished houses that I can set up and be the one to make the tenant choosing decision. Yes, the furniture I left in my rented unit in Sydney would surely come in handy right about now....and yes, it’ll be an expense I hadn’t really counted on, but it may be my best option. I figure the $1500 I’ll save on storage in Sydney over the next 12 months can go towards a lounge, the bedroom suite I was planning on buying anyway, and everyone needs a TV. The rest can come from a second hand shop.
Some of you may say ‘patience Kim, patience’....but those of you who know me well are aware of this attribute lacking in my persona. Perhaps moving up here is the perfect time to learn this ancient art that I fail so badly at, but now is not the time. I’m living out of a suitcase with all my belongings in a storage shed up here, with a little old lady who is sweet - but mothering, in a beautiful but quiet suburb that lacks phone reception. I really just want to ‘arrive’, unpack my boxes, settle in, and begin a new life in Byron. Sooner rather than later.
Hopefully my next update with come with an address with water views....
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Chapter 5
If you have any knowledge of numerology, you'll understand that our lives operate on nine-year cycles which keep repeating themselves. Each of these years – 1-9, has its own vibration, set of influences, opportunities and obstacles which apparently cannot be avoided. With that in mind, today I begin my 5th cycle, or as I like to refer to it, Chapter 5.
My 2010 personal year commences on my birthday, and is back to the beginning of the cycle at number 1. Number 1 is for new beginnings, taking the lead and showing inner-strength and courage. They say success and happiness will come from being independent, creative, positive and selective, and following my intuitions and instincts. It will also set the tone for the coming 9 years. This is what it says in the $1.99 iPhone application I bought a few months ago anyway. Sounds promising to me!
The new beginnings part seemed to kick off ok, and I guess a fair amount of inner-strength and courage was mustered up over the past few months to get me here. Now, just to follow my intuition and instincts....
I'm really hoping I'll get some good news today about a room I'd like to rent. It ticked all the boxes: cool comfortable home, great location – 3 minutes walk to the beach and only a little more to the centre of town, similar wavelength seeming flatmates, and a nice garden for Pepe to be a cat in. My intuition tells me it's perfect.....I just hope their instinct tells them to 'pick me, pick me!'.
It seems my 7kg piece of furry baggage that is part of the Kim parcel is not such a welcome addition in some homes, so as an alternative (if the above room doesn't come through), I may need to start looking at setting up my own place and becoming the finder/sorter/picker of tenants. It would be fun to do it this way and take the stress out of wondering 'did they like me, do they want me, will I get it....?', but a major expense that I wasn't planning for. The furniture I left behind in my rented apartment sure would come in handy right about now.....
As I don't have phone coverage where I am staying, there is every chance I have a voicemail saying 'we want you and Pepe to move in!'. I head into town this evening to have dinner with my niece and nephews, and if there is such a message, you'll see my smile reflected in the moon I'll be so happy!
I'll keep you posted. Oh, and happy birthday to me!
My 2010 personal year commences on my birthday, and is back to the beginning of the cycle at number 1. Number 1 is for new beginnings, taking the lead and showing inner-strength and courage. They say success and happiness will come from being independent, creative, positive and selective, and following my intuitions and instincts. It will also set the tone for the coming 9 years. This is what it says in the $1.99 iPhone application I bought a few months ago anyway. Sounds promising to me!
The new beginnings part seemed to kick off ok, and I guess a fair amount of inner-strength and courage was mustered up over the past few months to get me here. Now, just to follow my intuition and instincts....
I'm really hoping I'll get some good news today about a room I'd like to rent. It ticked all the boxes: cool comfortable home, great location – 3 minutes walk to the beach and only a little more to the centre of town, similar wavelength seeming flatmates, and a nice garden for Pepe to be a cat in. My intuition tells me it's perfect.....I just hope their instinct tells them to 'pick me, pick me!'.
It seems my 7kg piece of furry baggage that is part of the Kim parcel is not such a welcome addition in some homes, so as an alternative (if the above room doesn't come through), I may need to start looking at setting up my own place and becoming the finder/sorter/picker of tenants. It would be fun to do it this way and take the stress out of wondering 'did they like me, do they want me, will I get it....?', but a major expense that I wasn't planning for. The furniture I left behind in my rented apartment sure would come in handy right about now.....
As I don't have phone coverage where I am staying, there is every chance I have a voicemail saying 'we want you and Pepe to move in!'. I head into town this evening to have dinner with my niece and nephews, and if there is such a message, you'll see my smile reflected in the moon I'll be so happy!
I'll keep you posted. Oh, and happy birthday to me!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Boxes and packing tape
Talk about slack. It's been one month since I started this blog and this is only my second effort at posting anything. Thankfully, only one of my friends has signed up to follow it and she has probably already forgotten I even started it. I'm still here Michi – thanks for your patience.
A lot has happened over the past 4 weeks. In a nutshell, I packed up my apartment, moved a third of my belongings into storage in Sydney, packed another third onto a truck bound for Byron Bay, and left a third behind to be (fingers crossed) looked after by the tenant renting my apartment. I then packed up my car, put Pepe (my cat) in his carrier on the passenger front seat, and drove us 10 hours North – bound for Bangalow, a small town 15 minutes outside of Byron Bay, and where we would be temporarily staying until I found us somewhere permanent to live in town.
There is a lot to be said about preparation when planning a 10 hour drive with a neurotic cat. Our last experience was to the vet 5 minutes down the road. The overheated dog-like panting, scratching at the cage, and continual, demonic, guttural howl is not anywhere near as pleasant as it sounds. So I considered whether it was dangerous to drive with ear plugs? Or perhaps put him in the boot and turn up the stereo? Of course I'm kidding about the boot.... Instead I did what everyone does when they need information on anything. Google. How have other people survived such a trip?
A large carrier, drenching the interior of my car with feline pheromone spray, and a month-long, daily-dose of herbal bacon-flavoured feline tranquil tablets did the trick. Apart from an initial 2 hours of moaning (very tolerable compared to the demonic howling), Pepe travelled in silence. Using his well-tuned 6th sense, perhaps he knew we were headed for greener pastures. Pastures is perhaps an overstatement, but a house with a garden and grass....the green stuff he has never even laid a paw on. Heaven.
So how did I feel when driving out of the city I have always called home? To be honest, I was anticipating a few tears of sadness about leaving behind an era of my life and all the special people in it. But they never came. Instead I felt relief. Happiness. Anticipation about what lies ahead. In my mind's eye, I saw the blank page that is waiting to be filled with all things new; experiences, people, places, feelings, emotions. I'm so very ready for this change. I feel that I couldn't find what I was looking for in Sydney, or it couldn't provide me with what I sought. Whether it is blind faith or simply hope, I feel Byron Bay and it's surrounds has what I seek in my life right now. And I embrace the journey I have just started out on to find it all....
A lot has happened over the past 4 weeks. In a nutshell, I packed up my apartment, moved a third of my belongings into storage in Sydney, packed another third onto a truck bound for Byron Bay, and left a third behind to be (fingers crossed) looked after by the tenant renting my apartment. I then packed up my car, put Pepe (my cat) in his carrier on the passenger front seat, and drove us 10 hours North – bound for Bangalow, a small town 15 minutes outside of Byron Bay, and where we would be temporarily staying until I found us somewhere permanent to live in town.
There is a lot to be said about preparation when planning a 10 hour drive with a neurotic cat. Our last experience was to the vet 5 minutes down the road. The overheated dog-like panting, scratching at the cage, and continual, demonic, guttural howl is not anywhere near as pleasant as it sounds. So I considered whether it was dangerous to drive with ear plugs? Or perhaps put him in the boot and turn up the stereo? Of course I'm kidding about the boot.... Instead I did what everyone does when they need information on anything. Google. How have other people survived such a trip?
A large carrier, drenching the interior of my car with feline pheromone spray, and a month-long, daily-dose of herbal bacon-flavoured feline tranquil tablets did the trick. Apart from an initial 2 hours of moaning (very tolerable compared to the demonic howling), Pepe travelled in silence. Using his well-tuned 6th sense, perhaps he knew we were headed for greener pastures. Pastures is perhaps an overstatement, but a house with a garden and grass....the green stuff he has never even laid a paw on. Heaven.
So how did I feel when driving out of the city I have always called home? To be honest, I was anticipating a few tears of sadness about leaving behind an era of my life and all the special people in it. But they never came. Instead I felt relief. Happiness. Anticipation about what lies ahead. In my mind's eye, I saw the blank page that is waiting to be filled with all things new; experiences, people, places, feelings, emotions. I'm so very ready for this change. I feel that I couldn't find what I was looking for in Sydney, or it couldn't provide me with what I sought. Whether it is blind faith or simply hope, I feel Byron Bay and it's surrounds has what I seek in my life right now. And I embrace the journey I have just started out on to find it all....
Monday, March 1, 2010
Chaos before the calm
It's the 1st of March and 26 days before I leave behind my life in Sydney and turn the page to commence writing the next chapter in the book titled 'my life'.
I'm moving myself, my neurotic cat, and my business from a life in the city, to the most easterly point of Australia – Byron Bay. With the intent to slow down, yoga more and master the art of relaxation, my goal is to learn how to live stress-free and with enough time to stop and smell the roses.
I believe that once you make your intent clear to the universe, it will lead you and provide. This situation has been no different with everything almost effortlessly falling into place, leaving me no doubt that this decision is the right one for me, right now, at this particular point in my life.
I'm excited about embarking on, what will no doubt be, a positive transformation within my mind, body and spirit. And I look forward to keeping this blog so I can look back and see the transformation in my own words.
And if you are reading this, I hope you enjoy the journey too.
Namaste.
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