Daryll & I have been dedicatedly building the chookmahal, sometimes also referred to as the chook palace.. ah yes, they will be happy girls in there shortly.

Isn't it funny how the energies of spring moves you to change, suddenly it's time to clean up, get moving and start things happening. Our whole family was covered in paint the other day and on we con tinue in any spare moments to the garden. If you have a personal or business plan that you want to bring to fruition - now could be the time, jump in and allow the Chi of the season to assist to propel you forwards. It's terrific to have the Chi of the time with you. Plans will suddenly complete and formulate really quickly right now.

I have been working a lot on a new section I plan to get up on www.renascentcollege.com called "Making your life easier". It will be filled with ideas, freebies and great products to save you money, save the environment & 'make life easier', stay tuned.............

I have just (yesterday) had a new book and deck of Gem Tarot cards published, which will be available in term 4.

I recently received an email that ended with "I hope your life is flowing gently". It shocked me to ponder this as I thought - 'no, my life is not flowing gently'. It was the inspiration of much meditation and thinking as to what do I need to do to make my life flow gently?
Whilst this will be different for everyone, there are probably things in your life that you could be doing to make your life flow more gently, 1 of ours was the realisation that we just MUST get up 15 minutes earlier on school days so we can all share a meal together and not feel rushed.
In the office - I NEED (not just want) a part time staff member to assist with many tasks, I NEED to attend Qi Gong for Women regularly as it simply makes things flow, as does Spiritual Development circle - just by being there.

I felt happier and more connected by NOT missing reading bedtime stories and by rolling out paper and creating a 'road  map' of the universe with the kids.

The children made their vision boards and pasted them up on their bedroom doors and were delighted that as the weeks roll by almost every 1 of their visions are manifesting for them.

Yes, the windows may need washing, but will you be a better/happier person when they are done OR if they were not done and you had sat in the sun with a cup of tea.
I found that by sometimes choosing the tea, the windows would be done in 5 minutes later anyway at a later date as I felt calm, happy and refreshed.
I needed to learn how to address irate emails in a manner that did not buy into the emotions, but simply addressed the concern.

It will be different for everyone, however, my life flowed more gently by actually being busier and saying YES (I know.............. for years the experts have told us we need to learn to say NO, so have you tried YES - there is a wonderful relief in letting go with this process. Doors open, people are grateful, life flows.....

So, I said YES - to delivering meals on wheels, YES - chatting with clinic clients after their session, YES - weeding and garden maintenance, YES - counselling with the health centres, YES - teaching voluntarily at the YMCA with the kids, YES - doing eco craft classes with special needs children, YES - cleaning up and selling items at the Rotary Op shop, YES - teaching gemmology to the home school kids, YES - helping out at school, YES - to 2010 Overseas tours (I know - exciting huh - stay tuned), YES - public lectures, YES - neighbours parties for Nth Warrandyte in our home, YES - free talks and products at the 6th Dec' Christmas sale, YES - Qi Gong days up mountains, YES - weekends away, YES - to the kids roasting marshmallows on the bonfire for dinner with baked potatoes (well, it's not often is it!), YES - you can get a guinea pig, YES - we can get chooks, YES - we can import the organic dirt and get the vege garden established, YES - some fabulous new products, YES - to becoming a registered home school teacher, YES - to my photographs being used in a new book being distributed worldwide and another magazine.............

Phew, busy huh ?
AND still operating Renascent, Sounds-Creative, 2 ebay stores and do you know what, with all this busyness.............. Life began flowing gently....... We gave us shopping centres and are aiming towards self sufficiency. We were gifted some amazing items and financial treasures, We have had 16 funerals this year (yes - 16!!) and we have learnt to love deeply, cherish the time we have and ..... flow gently.

Strange as it may sound, we now have time for everything!
We are busier than even before & it all 'just fits', life is rich, happy, wonderful & sharing, the ups and downs seem to flow with life and I have come to really embrace that we will all always have ups and downs, however it is how you view them, whether it is a rocky road or smooth.

The interesting thing is that I also attracted some very special new friends  & students that 'fit' with new areas of my life and again make it easier and flowing.

So how can you utilise this information, come into the clinic & / or group healing (in person or by distance), join us in some Qi Gong Classes, join us in Spiritual development circle, wear a chi energy disc, apply some Chi balm / goddess balm every day to flow, bless your home with a blessings spritzer (it's amazing the change it can make to your whole home for $15.95).
Then - ponder what areas of your life are not 'flowing gently' and decide where you need to ask others for assistance, what needs to change and what you need to let go of / embrace.

Then............... and here's the special part............. GIVE UP!

Give it over, hand back to the universe and announce "I give this to you, do with it what you will for my highest good".

Decide what you can do to assist your community and get out and actively do it, make your family a priority............. I often volunteer on the basis they come with me. We go orienteering if we get a free Saturday, it costs $3 per family and you take a cake and have a feast afterwards - lovely!

Don't have a family? Make your community your family. Contact your social services and ask where you can assist.............. basically, put in the energy........... then ............. wait.

It is truly amazing how the universe will allow you any experience you want, if you are focused on your suffering, the universe will allow you that experience, it's the same when you focus on your peace, happiness, connectedness and gentle flow of life.......... try it.... I wish you blessings and success in your endeavours.

Our son (Gabe - 11yrs) completes his 2nd term of home schooling, Daughter (Emma - 5 yrs) her 3rd term of college &  we are finally 'getting our groove' with it all.

The Eltham college network is fantastic and we had no idea how alternative their teachings and styles were, it has opened her to many wonderful opportunities & we have shared some delightful days there. For Mothers day, I shared with the preps how to pamper mum with a pink clay mask and hand massage which they (the kids & mums loved) after much dedicated practicing, they have been grape crushing in the vineyard & were surprised by a alien ship that landed in their neighbourhood to teach them all about planets & 'peace building' - lovely.

The Home school network is amazing, such dedicated people that love life & want to offer their kids all they can. We have had fabulous excursions, in November we have a costumed camp at Sovereign hill and Gabe has already jumped 2 year levels academically. However, the true highlights for us and the little changes that we notice are the things that only a loved one might see. A few weeks back, there was singing in the car (which hasn't happened for a long time), the rebellious rude streak has been replaced with courtesy and understanding, a happy smile and almost every request is met with "sure" or "yes, in just a moment".

The animals in the garden, come out to delight and fascinate and school work has become fun (student directed) and is zooming along in leaps and bounds. Oh, yes, there's a lot of work and dedication and time put in, but the eldest has become friends with the family again and for us, that's truly something money can't buy.

We have Ernie (the echidna) that has moved in and has delighted us by learning how to climb up the stairs bottom first, Rosie & Roy (crimson rosellas) come and follow me around asking for an apple. The kids thought it was great as Spring began and Roy showed a 'particular' interest in Rosie, bobbing up and along the railings after her like he was on a trampoline for days on end, Rosie, flicked her lovely feathers & gazed out across the valley, confident in his admiration.

Tidying up a huge renovation woodpile yesterday we were fascinated with a small hole with something soft and furry in it. We (carefully) felt in and pulled out the tiniest wild rabbit you could imagine (he was around 8cms long and his little ears were only 1.5cms long) - sooo sweet, then another and another, and.............. a warm soft fluffy hole of 6 of them.
We know they are wild and in the wrong location, but sooooo sweet. We had a long cuddle and let them go down the paddock, they kept coming back to the kids for a snuggle which delighted them no end.
Emma couldn't believe how they were 'just like Peter', it was a very special time.

Fossicking in the garden & moving rocks we came across a Victorian funnel web spider (yes, they do exist - in Warrandyte & the Dandenong's), I called the family to look and as we gently poked it with a stick it reared up on it's hind legs and dribbled a little poison from it's fangs. We were explaining how it was very aggressive and to be aware of them, suddenly (as we were completed fixated on it in our little huddle) there came a swooping noise a flurry of wings and feathers and whooshing in our faces to knock us all backwards. A kookaburra swooped in, snapped it up, flew up to a tree and beat it dead against a branch.

The entire experience was very surreal and tuning into the energies it felt very much like our kooka was protecting us and getting rid of the danger.

As we watched her, she ate it and then looked like she was vomiting, immediately her baby flew down and she regurgitated it up and fed the baby.
It was a simple experience but one the profoundly affected us all and we felt like we had been truly blessed by the experience.

I believe in times like this where many people are experiencing financial hardships, past travel and reflection can prove to us that we are so wealthy  & rich with our lifestyles and the experiences that we have that we are all so very well off.
Most people have adequate funds to feed their children and put clothes on our backs, everything over that is just a bonus & I believe it is wonderful to really reflect on what a rich & lucky lifestyle  we are able to share.

We hope this spring finds you well, happy, successful and that your life is flowing gently...............
We hope to see you in term 4.

With much blessings and best wishes

Lesley (Daryll, Gabe & Emma)