Dear all,

well, what happened? i got to Chiang Mai and haven't written anything since. I am now leaving for Singapore airpot in just over an hour for the mega flight home and an adjustment from 30 degrees that feels like 37 to -5 that will feel COLD.

Chiang Mai feels like a new home, new friends, a wonderful place. i taught, did yoga, went on the back or a scooter, shopped (of course), went into the mountains and saw some hill tribes, met up with an Israeli/Findhorn friend Azriel who has been living there for over a year who I hadn't seen in 5 years and over all loved being there. (Read More...)

Tags: Personal, Asia, FIndhorn, Thailand, Singapore

Dear all,
Hello from Singapore!
Well, here I am on the last leg of my extraordinary journey. I just spent 3 days travelling by train from Northern Thailand to Singapore. I jiggled and rumbled, read and listened to music and stared out the window for hours. I loved it. I am now gearing up for more than the slight adjustment I will need to make to the weather when I get back next week. (Read More...)

Tags: Personal, Asia, FIndhorn, SYP, Thailand, Singapore

Hello friends and family again,

Here I am in a nondescript hotel room in Khon Kaen, North-East of Bangkok. Why Here? I have just completed 2 days of community service - aka 2 days teaching 90 teenagers and 20 teachers 5Rhythms, both for use as a weekly dance club they can sustain and for teachers who are experimenting with their curriculum to see how/what they can integrate. Oh my god. Almost an ordeal at times. (Read More...)

Tags: Thailand, Personal, Asia

Dear all,
Another update; not sure when I would do this if not for planes. I am now on the plane from Tokyo to Bangkok. it's 30 degrees there - a far cry from what I understand is a frosty fresh Findhorn.

Japan - what to say? I taught in 5 different studios and slept in 6 different beds. I leant the difference between sumimasen (excuse me) and shamisen (Japanese guitar) and a few other words. I attended 4 concerts of Liz's and cried at each one - listen out for one of her new songs entitled "Rain". Have some tissues ready. I ate lots of soba noodles (buckwheat) and practiced slurping (seems I'm not a natural!).
(Read More...)

Tags: Japan, Thailand, Personal, workshop, Travel, Asia

Monday - no internet since I left Tokyo so I will continue. The workshop in Fukuoka went very well. Dancing 5Rhythms gives such  a rare permission for Japanese people to release and let go. This country has a 'right way' to do everything. Very beautiful and on the harsh side, restricting. One woman said at the end that it was amazing how in the space of 2 days I had succeeded in creating a sense and experience of community for this disparate group of people - which is what I love to accomplish. So much need for connection... 

Liz and I can't quite believe that we really are here in Japan together.
I have now been at 2 of her concerts and cried at both, she has such an exquisite voice. Everyone wants her autograph!
(Read More...)

Tags: Japan, Personal, workshop, Travel, Asia

Hello all you lovely people,

Friday - I'm sitting on a plane flying from Tokyo to Fukuoka. Somewhere below me is Mt Fuji. She may reveal herself - apparently she is quite particular about when she does.

I am loving being here - so nice to have some time in between one thing and another being here for 2 weeks instead of 8 days. I was fairly dizzy after my flight - 24 hours door to door. After a hot shower, sitting down which as how they have them here, I was refreshed enough to go out to a 5Rhythms class, just. We got there half way through but I don't think I would have lasted 2 hours anyway. There is a Japanese teacher (Sahaja) who lives in Holland that I have met twice. Since I came here she is now coming about every two months. It was great to go to her class and strengthen our relationship which was important to do for the work as well.

Next day, after 7 solid hours sleep I had one of the best massages I have ever had. 2 Hours of swedish massage expertly done, finished off with some cranio-sacral. Heaven. We swept the floor a bit and couldn't find the dustpan. I really knew I was In japan when she said, I will make a box to put the rubbish in, and got out some newspaper on the floor and made an open box - origami not as art but for daily functional use. (Read More...)

Tags: Japan, Personal, workshop, Travel, Asia

Dear all,
a quiet Tuesday evening and I am gearing up for a full few weeks of teaching. I shall detail it all below. I am glad to be teaching, immersing myself in the music, movement and breath of this practice that I love. I am feeling deeply touched by the news that Gabrielle Roth has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. There are no details for the mind to grasp onto, just an apparently massive facebook page and a lot of prayers and healing wishes winging their way from all over the globe to her, her husband Robert and son Jonathan. All workshops and trainings are continuing with others stepping in and up to the challenge and call. Nothing is really changing and yet my insides are affected; Gabrielle and this path have been at the core of my spiritual jouney for the past 22 years - the year after I came to Findhorn. There is though only one practice as ever; to keep dancing, breathing, offering and surrendering. Shaky ground indeed - so lets keep grounding into our beings, focusing our intentions and letting our hearts melt and souls soar as we learn how to journey through this unpredictable terrain called life. Where and when below:

• Wednesday 12th August: Waves Introduction, Cluny HIll College, 7.45-9.30pm £5
• Saturday 15th august: WaveRave, Universal Hall 8-10.30pm £15/£8
• Saturday 15th-22nd August FF Waves week long workshop, a few places still available Contact bookings@findhorn.org if you want to take part.
• Wednesday 19th August open session in the Waves week, 7.30-9.30pm fundraising for "Art group for girls' - see attached document for more info. Suggested minimum donation £5.
• Sunday 23rd August Sweat Your Prayers, Universal Hall, 7-8.30pm £5
• Friday 28th - Sunday 30th August: Waves and Heart2Heart in Edinburgh. Contact Sarena: move2bestill@yahoo.co.uk to book. Places are filling up nicely.

More to follow but that's enough for the next couple of weeks!
love,
Deborah

Tags: SYP, 5Rhythms, heartbeat, open sessions, fundraiser, Edinburgh, FIndhorn, gabrielle

[...] It has been an interesting time to be moving down to the smaller space of the Dance Studio while the Auditorium floor gets sanded. The physical space to move in has shrunk  at the same time as the general word and experience around is about shrinking finances. Someone turned up to dance last week, and chose not to come in, concerned about lack of space in the Dance Studio - there were 15 people. It prompted quite a strong response in me. I set the challenge to myself and us all: in these turning, unravelling times surely the priority has to be, for those of us on this path, not Where is the class? Who is teaching? Will I like the music? Will there be enough people or too many people?  The question seems to me to be "DO I WANT TO DANCE?" and maybe even the WANT is irrelevant - quite simply - I NEED TO BE DANCING. (Read More...)

Tags: 5Rhythms, Dance, practice, SYP, motion