Progress? Change? Or just simply life?

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Ever had that feeling that there is so much more to life than what you are currently doing?  It is something that I experience from time to time and it has only been in recent years that I have started to honour it.  I have had many ‘wise’ people tell me that ‘one day you will have to stop running away’.  It used to make me stop and doubt my inner feelings, make me wonder what exactly it is that I am ‘running away’ from.  These days I no longer listen to these helpful folk.  I know that what is within me is my ultimate guide. My wisdom comes from within and while there are times that I allow fear to dictate I know that I will find peace once I let go of that fear and do what feels right to me.

I do not feel that I am running from something, nor do I feel that I am constantly searching as others sometimes tell me I am doing.  Searching implies that I’ve lost something.  I certainly do not feel that I’ve lost anything, rather that each and every time I make another life choice I am growing and evolving on many different levels.

Several years ago I became the proud owner of a beautiful website.  A wonderfully patient friend produced some stunning art work for the site. The site was to showcase not only my healing modalities – Kinesiology, Reiki, Massage, Spiritual Guidance but to allow me to share my writing with the great big wide world.  At first, like most people I was very enthusiastic and posted regularly.  Then gradually I allowed the demands of life as it was then to change my focus.  Eventually I forgot how to even log on to manage the site so I allowed it to go where so many other websites go, that graveyard in cyber space!

Recently I had the urge to start up my website again.  In the intervening years from when I began my first site and now I have had so many experiences, some of which were painful, some of which were very extremely enjoyable, all of which culminated in the realisation that within me there is the soul of a gypsy, a wanderer, a free spirit.

As I progressed along my path experiencing life, I wrote many poems on so many different topics.  At times my emotions poured out through my keyboard, raw and revealing.  Some who are close to me find it too difficult to read about the darkness and anguish that plagued my life (or maybe they just really don’t enjoy my writing!!) but there were others, usually strangers who contacted me, telling me how moved they are to at last have found someone who could put into words the emotions that they themselves had been feeling but were unable to verbalise.  What a wonderful revelation that was to me.  To be seen as a ‘voice’ for the expression of the deepest feelings of not only myself but of so many others is an honour beyond all others.  Just as I consider it an honour to have an individual come to me for physical, hands on healing of one modality or another; to experience the level of trust that people place in me is truly humbling.

I have long been aware that my life purpose is healing.  There is nothing that gives me more pleasure than to be involved in the healing process of another, to facilitate the healing and hopefully sharing with them the tools which will allow them to take their own healing to another level.

Recently I have been experiencing many aches and pains throughout my body.  Of course, being in my early 50’s I was prepared to accept that age was catching up with me and that the dreaded arthritis was invading my joints.  Off to the doctor I went and fortunately he decided to send me to a specialist.  The specialist had no real opinion to offer one way or the other but did arrange for me to have almost every bloody test known to man.  After having 9 phials of blood taken for goodness only knows how many tests I eventually received the call from my doctor asking me to come in and discuss my results.  Guess what?  The results revealed that there is absolutely nothing wrong with me!  No signs of arthritis in any way shape for form. Xrays also returned with nothing visible. So what is this mystery illness?  Why am I experiencing pain daily, almost constantly?   My health according to science is extremely good.

The idea has been filtering down to me in various ways for a while now that maybe I am not doing what it is that I was put on this earth to do.  How can this be so?  I am a healer and for the past year or so that is what I have been doing.  I have my own little business with a wonderful client base, I have been living my dream. How can I not be doing what I am meant to be doing?  

I have just returned from a week in Rotorua, New Zealand.  The trip literally fell into my lap and was totally unexpected.  I invited a girl friend to join me and away we went.  I do not believe in coincidence, my belief is that the Universe lays things out before us and it is up to us to either recognise the synchronicity or go on ignoring the signs.  Whilst in the wonderful Rotorua I attempted to make appointments to see local ‘spiritual healers’ in the hope that they may have some revelations for me.  I was unable to lock down appointments for various reasons so I decided to just book into a spa for a 30 minute massage while my friend had a treatment.  Thank you Universe!  Here, in the surrounds of this very lovely but quite commercial spa I found my spiritual healer.  She took one look at me when I walked into the treatment room and started lecturing me.  Why am I carrying so much pain belonging to others?  Do I not realise that the pain I am experiencing is not my own but that of my clients and most likely many others as well?  Of course, being a spiritual person I am fully aware that this is one of the dangers of being an empath and a healer.  We had a lovely discussion and the beautiful Marji massaged away the pain and the weight of what I had been carting around with me believing to be my own.

Also during the trip my friend received an email from her publisher with suggested cover designs and type fonts to choose from for her soon to be published novella.  It was so special to share this exciting time with her.  I know how much writing means to her as it is a passion we have shared since meeting.  As we sat and talked late into the night for many nights on our holiday we spoke of our dreams and explored possibilities of what might lay ahead for each of us.  At one stage I found myself telling her that she had no need to pursue a career in healing as her particular healing gift was in her ability to write.  Hello? Where did those words come from and were they only for her?  

A culmination of so many things which have occurred in the past couple of months has given me the awareness that my focus must return to my writing.  My healing does not have to be only in the form of getting people up on the table in my little clinic and soothing away their woes.  My healing can and will be also through my words, my ability to express from my heart whether I am writing of my own experiences or others.  How many times does a light bulb have to go off before I listen to my inner self and do what I am truly deeply passionate about?  Yes, I love my little clinic but it does not have to be my only focus.  I must embrace ALL that I am, allow my words to flow and trust that those they are meant to reach will through one channel or another find them when they will do most good.

So, is this progress?  Is this change?  Or is this just simply life and the Universe leading me to my ultimate Utopia?  Keep an eye on http://www.indigowisdom.com.au to see where this journey goes.

Until next time, which I am expecting to be real soon!

Take care,

Indigo (aka Trish)

Proud Australian

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I am a proud Australian
I wear my heart on my sleeve
many come to visit her
and then they never leave

Her beauty it seduces them
her diversity enthrals
she entices them with wonders
she has so many lures

Some aspects of her history
make me stand tall and proud
others make me cringe in shame
of what was then allowed

The very first Australians
have not been treated well
we all must work to change this
and not on bygones dwell

Lets look forward to the future
let all our mobs unite
all the diverse cultures
work to together to get it right

I am a proud Australian
I am sure you are too
lets all join hands and hearts
for we have much to do.

Trish Johnston 26th January 2016

Living in the Moment

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There’s a joy in living
That we don’t always see
Sweet and precious moments
That set your spirit free

Awaking to a new day
Knowing it’s just the start
Of the rest of your life
And yesterday is past

Put this day to good use
Live it, don’t pretend
Be right here in this moment
And your joy will never end

Trish Johnston 10th November 2015

The Flame of Death

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You walk into the fires of hell
As though drawn into a trance
Seduced by the flickering flame
By its alluring dance

You die there in that flame
Your body crumples in a heap
Your soul rises up above you
You are the phoenix, at your peak

As you rise up from the ashes
And fly high over the flames
You are reborn, rejuvenated
To embrace life once again

You’ve shed the pain of yesterday
You’ve left it there as ash
To disappear forever
Awaiting the breeze to catch

The wind will scatter your yesterdays
And they’ll be so thinly spread
That they’ll never reassemble
Not even inside your head

On the far side of the flame
You will sway to the dance of life
You will welcome your tomorrows
With reborn untold delight

Trish Johnston 25th June 2015

Hollow Log

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I sit here on a hollow log
once a majestic tree
at peace with my surroundings
I close my eyes and breathe

Her scent fills my body
sating the hunger within
the trees, the grass, the flowers
the earth from which they spring

I feel the spirits lift me
I’m a body no more
my soul has been set free
allowing me to soar

I see all the creatures
both the big and the small
going about their daily lives
I hear their distant calls

The trees whisper their secrets
I hang on every word
at one with all of nature
I have so much to learn

I see her true beauty
different stages different zones
many levels within
Maiden Mother Crone

I soak in her essence
allow it to integrate
the wisdom that she offers
in gratitude I take

I return now to my hollow log
at peace and so alive
ever grateful for healing
Mother Nature provides.

Trish Johnston 14th June 2015

Choices….

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In each step of our journey
the choice is ours to make
to decide upon a path
a direction to take

There is no right or wrong
no correct or incorrect
though each choice we make
has a lasting effect

Choices make life interesting
yet can be challenging too
for who knows the final outcome
of the choice you choose

When that which seemed most fitting
begins to disintegrate
do we choose to stay and fight
or walk away and shut the gate

When confidence is shaken
right to the very core
when self belief is fading
like the tide upon the shore

We must choose our battles wisely
draw on our inner strength
to help us to decide
on each paths length

Which battle do we stick with
through rain, hail and snow
when do we raise the flag
and surrender to the flow

The answers lay within us
in the wisdom of our souls
we must trust those inner voices
to carry us safely home.

Trish Johnston 11th May 2015

My Inspiration

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When I seek inspiration

my thoughts turn to you

for you seem to have a way

of keeping my skies blue

 

the grass is always greener

the sun shines even brighter

in this blissful place

my mind is always quieter

 

you are north to my south

the east to my west

forever in alignment

on this our life long quest

 

your wisdom and your kindness

toward every race and creed

your total lack of judgement

sets my spirit free

 

you ignite in me a flame

a warmth throughout my being

a love like no other

for this soul that I am seeing

 

wherever your journey takes you

however far you roam

know that the centre of your heart

is the place that I call home

 

Trish Johnston  21st October 2014

Destination Unknown…does it really matter?

My kind of country

As I sit here in my little studio listening to the neighbours hens clucking I look out at the far north Queensland greenery surrounding me and wonder what else life has in store for me. I know that I am up for whatever it may be; I also know that it is up to me to explore and open up the pathways which are waiting to be discovered. Some may call me fickle, others may perceive my gypsy streak to be that of one who is continuously searching, me I am starting to see myself of a connoisseur of my own life. I am my own Gatekeeper, my conscience is my own, I do not seek nor need permission from others to live my life as I see fit. There are those to whom I will turn when I am throwing thoughts around. Input from these people is important to me, not in that I will hang on every word they say, merely that there are times when other’s views can shed some insight which I have not already considered.

There are many sayings out there along the lines of “It is not the destination, but the journey which is important”. This is so true. If we strive only for the final destination then we are living each day with only our final demise in our vision. Surely there is a far more vast and meaningful purpose to us living this human existence than to seek to the end of our lives. It is the stops and stumbles, the triumphs and the tears, the baby steps and the giant leaps, the celebrations and the sorrows which make the journey so uniquely our own and oh so worthwhile.

Was it really only a few short months ago that I was living in Adelaide, South Australia, being consumed by my work for a company whose only focus was on the almighty dollar? I was just a pawn in the corporate game and silly enough to imagine for a short time that my contribution meant something to “them”. Eventually I realised that I was just like all the others, when they had sucked the last little bit of usefulness from me they would cast me aside with no thought of my loyalty or the commitment I had shown to the company or its people. Exhaustion had skewed my perspective on so many things and I was close to collapse. In true gypsy style the only thing to do was to bid them adieu and move on. As my own Gatekeeper I made that choice and do not regret it for one moment.

It has been difficult living at the opposite end of the country to me friends of the past few years. I did not make a lot of friends in Adelaide but those I did connect with are very special to me. I do not grieve for them as they are still very much a part of my life and always will be, just as the friends I have made here in Cairns, Far North Queensland will also be.

The most difficult thing for me has been the environmental change. My heart aches for the wide open spaces of the arid state of South Australia. Here I am surrounded by mountains and rain forest…an eternal sea of green. My daughter tells me that green is good. Of course, she is right. Green is wonderful and full of life however I yearn for the colours of the dry country. The blue of the clear sky above the endless rolling sea of purple, gold, orange and green bathing the red soil. The hues of the migrating of season as they change before my eyes. Am I romanticising? Possibly but to me the constant green is beautiful but stifling. So much beauty surrounding me which I appreciate but it is not my kind of beauty.

To be continued…..

Writing on Our Wall

Writing on Our Wall

We carry it around
unaware that it is there
this invisible burden
our vision skewed, impaired

It comes to us from birth
and each day ever after
from others all around us
in their anger and their laughter

Their influence is strong
often without them knowing
everything they say and do
absorbed as we are growing

We become a collage
of others thoughts and beliefs
we journey through the fog
of what others teach

Until one day we realise
the rules by which we are living
the “writing on our wall”
from others we are given

It is then our choice
to decide what to do
do we clear away that writing
and seek the inner you?

Some may be quiet happy
with the person you’ve become
the writing on your wall and you
content and comfortable as one

You may choose to erase it
until it is clean and stark
then begin with our own writing
each line our chosen mark

It is a liberating journey
to release and let go
that which we’ve carried for so long
for that which we know

It is a work in progress
we can add whatever we like
to our own artist’s canvas
create our own life.
Trish Johnston 22nd May 2014 ©

Evolving Dreams

Evolving Dreams

Last evening I spoke with someone very dear to me and it occurred to me during the course of the conversation that the life of a gypsy would be perfect for me. To be able to just wander from place to place; not locking myself into any real hard and fast material commitment; putting down roots for just as long as I choose. That sounds like heaven to me.

The prospect of going places that I never thought I would have the opportunity to see within my beautiful homeland appeals greatly to me. I know that there are thousands of places that I have never heard of which would strike a chord within my soul. Some of these may be populated while others may simply be beautiful places in the bush somewhere far away off the beaten track.

I dream of finding these wonderful places and spending time acquainting myself with them, forming a connection to the spirit of the land. To be able to do this and to write of my experiences would set my soul alive. I am sure that armed with my trusty laptop and my camera I could be content for the rest of my born days.

My massage table would also be close by my side. I enjoy my healing work which I have not been actively involved in for some time now. I think it is time to raise the covers and start to share again. How many times have I been told “You cannot save everyone on the planet” or similar? The thing is that I know that I can make a difference. It may be for just one person for just that short time but each and every time I do this it will be another step towards harmony for both the recipient and me.
How wonderful would it be to be able to offer a weary fellow traveller a nice relaxing massage or reiki/energy/intuitive healing when they are cramped and uncomfortable from sitting in their vehicles for extended periods?

They tell me that these days self-publishing is the way to make it happen for a writer. I wonder how many would actually read my work? All I can do is give it a go and leave the rest to the Universe. If it is meant to happen it will, with some effort on my part. To share my writing and be able to take others on a journey through the country side would be a dream come true.

The beauty of the skills that I have acquired throughout my life is that I can use them anywhere. I do not have to be stuck in one place to utilise them for my own benefit and the benefit of others. How simple life would be. Driving into a tiny outback town and putting out a sign offering massage/spiritual guidance or maybe even a personalised poem!

The more I think about it, the more it seems real and possible to me. This is the purpose of having dreams, this is why we day dream. We dream it until we remove all the obstacles and then it becomes our reality.

It would be wonderful to have someone to share this pilgrimage with. I wonder just how good my powers of manifestation are…..