Anara
Suggested donation: €1.50 NOVEMBER EDITION
Fundraising Ezine for La Palmilla Retreat, Seville
love s equality s truth s growth s harmony s sustainability s healing
Upcoming events at our Spanish retreat Raw and vegan recipes Nigel Grace – Mystery of the Bosnian Pyramids Animal and Tree Wisdom for the month of November The Power of Sacred Words Latest instalment in the free kids’ book
Early Birds get 20% off your holistic break at our stunning Spanish retreat Book your weekend or 7 night break, or host your own holistic event for up to 14 guests
delicious organic & raw cuisine
kids stay free
custom made retreats for groups or individuals
weekly chi gong, dance alchemy, art, & sound healing sessions
Bookings taken in October & November 2013 will be discounted by 20% - so don’t delay! Contact Anara today. 0034 722 482218 | anara.lapalmilla@gmail.com lapalmillaretreatseville.com
With thanks from Anara… Especially to our brilliant contributors! This publication was produced by Ellen Long-Common www.theuncommonwriter.co.uk Proceeds from the sale of this Ezine will help us achieve our goal of raising enough money to purchase a retreat centre to make it a permanent sanctuary. You can also become part of our community in the following ways:
Investing We are looking for investors who share our vision and ethos. Each investor will be commemorated as a part of our sacred geometric earth mandala which will be created by Mark Golding.
Fundraising We are looking for experienced fundraisers. Suggest a fundraising or investment option of your choice, and we will be happy to discuss it with you.
Hosting Why not run your own course, retreat, or workshop in a beautiful Spanish setting? Enquire today for details.
Advertising Enquire today for details on advertising within this publication to take your business to a wider audience. Contact Anara for further details: anara.lapalmilla@gmail.com www.lapalmillaretreatseville.com
Welcome to November’s edition of Anara magazine! Our move to our new home and retreat centre is complete this week. We also celebrate the month of my birthday by gifting a 7 night full board stay to someone you know who deserves a holiday in the sun. It includes airport transfers, meals and they can indulge themselves in any of our weekly events. This month we have artist Alison Edwards offering a course in oil
painting and look forward to the arrival of Crystal Healer and Psychic Astrologer Candy Townsend, who will be offering healing sessions and workshops. We will be holding our first women’s Red Tent and Sacred Songs from Around the World singing circle, for the children and families from the local community. We are also excited about our visit from Renato, an Ecological Organic Permaculture teacher and farmer. He will be assisting us
in the design of our permaculture forest garden and will be offering courses with us. You can visit us anytime, or choose to spend your own personal retreat, holiday or even cocreate your own course or holistic retreat with our help.
Anara xx
Weekly Events at La Palmilla Retreat Seville Eventos Semanales en La Palmilla, Sevilla Mon Storytelling for the family in English and Spanish Tue 4 week Oil Painting Art course Dance Alchemy Wed Chi Gong (ancient Chinese Yoga) Sacred Songs from around the world Thurs Egyptian and Nomadic Belly Dance Fri Reiki and Sound Healing share
Lun Cuentos para la familia en Inglés y español Mar 4 Semanas de curso de Arte Pintura al óleo cuatro Danza Alchemy Mie Chi Gong (antigua Yoga Chino) Canciones sagradas de todo el mundo Jue Danza del vientre Egipcia y Nomadic Vie Reiki y la curación de sonido
Also, holistic daily therapies, retreats and certified courses in: Solfeggio Sound Healing, Permaculture, Shamanic Dance, 5Rythmns, Yoga, Crystal Healing, Red Tent, Nomadic Belly Dance, Merkaba Tree of Life Reiki, Meditation, Hypnotherapy, Raw food, Juices for Health
Terapias diarias también holísticos, retiros y cursos certificados: Permacultura, Danza Chamánica, 5Rythmns, Sonido Curativo Solfeggio, Yoga, Cristal Curación, Red Tent, Nómada Danza del Vientre, Merkaba Tree of Life Reiki, Meditación, Hipnoterapia
Contents 4 - Crystal Alchemy for November… by Candida Townsend 6 - Recipe for Stuffed Sweet Potato… by Selina Kearns 8 - Interview with Peace Ravenwood 12 - Ogham - the Wisdom of Trees… by Edward Durand
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16 - Celtic Animal Signs… by Edward Durand 17 - The Power of Sacred Words… by Cheaya 20 - Magical Ireland… by Deidre Gallagher 23 - Part 3 of Children of the Diadems… by Sonia Braithwaite
November 2013 3
Crystal Alchemy November - Pink Tourmaline by Candida Townsend Pink Tourmaline varies from the palest pink to a deep red colour. Redder Tourmaline is also known as Rubellite. All varieties of Tourmaline are both pyroelectric and piezoelectric, meaning that when the crystal is heated or rubbed, it becomes electrically charged, and can channel a very mild electrical current. Energy flows along the striations running through the crystal. In healing, Tourmaline wands can be used to direct healing energy to particular points. The stone can also be placed between and around chakras to assist the flow of energy. It works well with the endocrine system and the heart. The deeper red coloured Rubellite is particularly useful for easing depression, anxiety and obsessive behaviour caused by mental and emotional overload.
Pink Tourmaline is one of the predominant heart chakra stones. It draws energy from the crown into the heart chakra, aligning the heart with divine purpose. It has an amazing ability to clear the heart of negativity, heal wounds and lift numbness and blocks that may feel like permanent scars and ultimately manifest as physical disease. Worn as jewellery or carried, it is protective and transmutes negative energy with pure love. If you have too many ‘frenemies’ in your life and find it difficult to trust and open your heart to people, Pink Tourmaline will help you to attract loving friends and to share your love with confidence, allowing you to shine as the loving being you truly are.
Candida Townsend has been a crystal healer for 20 years. She studied with Katrina Raphael in Hawaii. She is also a Clairvoyant and Astrologer. Candida will be leading Crystal Healing Weekends at La Palmilla Retreat throughout the year.
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The lasting message of Pink Tourmaline is that no matter how devastating and heart-breaking things can seem, we can be healed. In this moment, there is love, and we are all beacons of light and love.
Pink Tourmaline Visualisation Allow yourself to breathe the light of Tourmaline and visualise a beautiful pink light radiating from your heart into your body and auric field. With each breath, see and feel the pink light and love expanding further. It does not matter if you can’t visualise it, but as a daily practice you will find the love in your life grows and you will soon be able to expand your loving Tourmaline light through the room, house, town or city, then through the rest of the world, touching everyone and igniting a spark within each being. The light is limitless and expands through the dimensions, beyond planet earth and the solar system, into infinite love.
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healing | insight | growth | transformation | reconnection This Journey of the Healing Winds is based on a program of a journey round a medicine wheel working with four directions to symbolise this journey of healing, insight, self –growth, transformation and reconnection to self, nature and source energy. Journeying with the winds of the south we can shed stories that have held us, unhooking them from our energetic field to free us from the unwanted patterns they created in our lives. Here, we transform our wounds of our stories into gifts, assisting us release the stories while keeping the gifts we learned form them. As we do this we begin to form medicine bundles known as mesas that can assist us on our own and with others healing journeys. We also increase our awareness of the energetic fields; energies within ourselves and within nature. With this, we learn and experience processes to clear heavy energy from the energy field, and to clear the imprints that attracted and caused the heavy energy to accumulate. These processes assist the bringing in and allowing that lightness of energy to flow again. In the South we are also gifted the traditional rites to assist us and holds us in our work, the kawak rites, the chumpi rite, the ayni karpay rites and the healers mesa rites.
Journey of the Healing Winds with Katie Creuynni April 5th – 12th 2014 @ La Palmilla Retreat, Seville £550 all inclusive (except for flights) This course is based on a journey around a medicine wheel. We will work with the four directions to connect with this journey of healing, insight, self-growth, transformation and reconnection to self, nature and source energy. In journeying with the Winds of the South, we can shed stories that have held us, unhooking them from our energetic field to free us from the unwanted patterns they created in our lives. Here, we transform the wounds of our stories into gifts, assisting us in releasing while keeping the gifts we learned from them. As we do this, we begin to form medicine bundles known as mesas that can assist us on our own and with others’ healing journeys. We also increase our awareness of the energetic fields; energies within ourselves and within nature. With this, we learn to clear heaviness from the energy field, and to clear the imprints that attracted and caused these heavy energies to accumulate. This allows a lightness of energy to flow again. In the South we are also given the traditional rites to assist us and holds us in our work – the kawak rites, the chumpi rite, the ayni karpay rites and the healers’ mesa rites. – Katie is an energy medicine worker from North Wales. Working at the levels of the body, mind, soul and the energetic field, she assists individuals and groups as they walk their healing and visionary journeys. She is a graduate of leading author Alberto Villoldo’s Healing the Light Body program and Masters Classes, as well as Chris Waters’s Medicine Wheel training. Katie blends ancient indigenous wisdom such as that of the Q’ero Laika in Peru, with the common sense approach of her own experiences. Katie offers sessions, workshops and training to assist with self-healing and inner growth. The Journey of the Healing Winds (Medicine Wheel training)will be held at La Palmilla Retreat centre in 2014. For more information visit www.openingacredspace.wordpress.com E-mail: creuynni@yahoo.co.uk | skype: creuynni | www.facebook.com/creuynni
Vegan Recipe Celtic Chef Selina Kearns shares this tasty recipe for stuffed sweet potato - perfect for chilly autumn nights!
Spiced Apple and Kale Stuffed Sweet Potato Method
Ingredients Ÿ 2 apples Ÿ 1 handful of sliced kale Ÿ 1 diced red onion Ÿ 3 cloves of garlic chopped small Ÿ mixed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel, cloves) Ÿ 1 handful of toasted pecans Ÿ Salt and pepper to taste Ÿ A little coconut oil Ÿ 3 sweet potatoes www.lapalmillaretreatseville.com
1. Preheat oven to 200°C 2. Prick some holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork and place in the oven to roast 3. In a saucepan, gently fry the onions and garlic in some coconut oil until soft 4. Add the diced apples to the pan and cook for two minutes 5. Add the spices, then the sliced kale and cook until soft 6. When the sweet potato is cooked, remove from the oven, cut in half and allow to cool 7. Once cool, scoop out the sweet potato flesh from the skins 8. Mix this together with the apple and kale, add the chopped pecans to the mix 9. Refill the sweet potato skins with the mixture – and serve! November 2013 6
Dedicate a long weekend to celebrating your sacred womanhood Experience sensuous belly dance, fierce flamenco, good food, excellent accommodation and pampering at our beautiful Spanish retreat March 14th - 17th 2014
A
s women, we do not need permission to tap into the resource of our passionate and wild natures. We were created with the innate ability to express ourselves through the tidal waves of our emotional bodies, our sensual biochemistry and our ability to deep breathe in situations of spontaneous pleasure. Our journey may have taken us through spaces and landscapes of archaic constraint, but despite the historical imprints‌ we can find in our dance the ability to break through!
book now for
20% off A Flamenco & Belly Dance weekend with Carmen De Torres & Anara Durand in Seville & Estudio Flamenco Carmen De Torres
Fuego En El Sangre -
Fire in the Blood
ÂŁ595 Inclusive of food, accommodation & pamper package Flights not included
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Living foods go beyond the physical, into our deep emotional and spiritual bodies, and right back through our many lifetimes…
Interview with Raw Food and Health Mentor Peace Ravenwood Still, I know that living foods are the reason I am able to live a full and happy life, with abundant energy and clarity of purpose. I feel that now, three years into this transformational journey, I am just getting under the surface of healing this amazing body, mind and soul I have been given.
Anara: What made you embark on the path of raw food? Peace: Basically, I was on the road to self-destruct, both physically and mentally. My body was a train wreck of pain, and carrying far more weight, which I call ‘waste’, than was healthy, even though I had released a good few stone since my heaviest of 20st in 2004. I was addicted to coffee, dairy, wheat and meat – the main foods that really hook us into a cycle of addiction. I could not continue feeling this way, and, after a call for help, a friend answered when she lent me a copy of The Raw Family by Victoria Boutenko. This book CHANGED MY LIFE! From that very first day I chose to change, starting with small steps – nothing drastic – in the beginning. That was three years ago. Since then my husband Anthony and I have radically changed so many aspects of our lives and now eat predominantly living foods. Anara: How has this impacted on your life? Peace: The impact on my life has been huge! I must say that it is a challenge on a daily basis, when you are living in a human body that has deep health issues which require constant attention – underactive thyroid, chronic fatigue, heavy metal poisoning and poor connective tissue, all a result of poor lifestyle choices over three decades of my life.
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I have committed to living this way because it really does make life far more amazing. I no longer take any traditional medication for my thyroid imbalance, and, in the last two years, have seen my levels of TSH, T4 and T3 (which show thyroid function) improve dramatically. They’re still not perfect, yet to me this is indicative of the benefits of living foods. Our daily diet is very simple, there are no gourmet raw meals, although, as a raw chef, I’m often called to deliver meals at dinner events, festivals, and of course my Chef Training courses. We do love our raw chocolate – this is where we go a little crazy, creating amazing raw desserts, often based around cacao. The way I choose to eat has changed so much since the first year we began and now, working with an abundance of greens, local fruits, wild foods, green juices, super foods and the world’s best ever supplements, Touchstone Essentials, is giving the best results I have experienced so far. The last three years have been amazing, unpredictable, magical and mind-blowing. This way of being has opened up so many possibilities and opportunities that I could never have envisioned before, and each day there are MORE. Living foods go beyond the physical, into our deep emotional and spiritual bodies, and right back through our many lifetimes – should we choose to accept this invitation (which is inevitable, really) to fully embrace the evolution living foods offer us. We gain far more sensitivity when living raw. It can at times be very 'raw' in this body, which can be scary as heck for some
November 2013 8
people, including our friends and people we come into contact with who are just not used to encountering such a 'light' being, we literally 'shine' and cannot help that – one of the most beautiful elements of living raw. Anara: Why did you choose to train as a raw food chef and Health Mentor? Peace: I wanted to train as a raw chef so that I could assist and mentor others in their own transformational adventures. I love teaching and sharing knowledge. Becoming certified as a living foods chef and health mentor was really important to this pathway. Choosing to train with Elaina Love at Pure Joy Bali was amazing and such a great certification which is recognised worldwide. Now, I’m working to create my own unique form of certification that offers elements of living foods that are rather different to other training courses out there. At first I was a little nervous and scared of stepping outside the box of 'normal' raw foods training, so I kept in the box for the last year or so, however, after really meditating and fasting for several short periods of time, I embraced that I can offer the training I want so much to provide, for it will attract those who are truly ready to live completely free of all constraints and boundaries. This coming year, you’ll be able to train with me in REAL living foods; learn in-depth how to sprout and activate seeds and living greens, where and what to forage in wild places (actually often in our own gardens), how to design and create an edible garden space which will provide a high abundance of foods suited to a radical raw lifestyle, how to culture fermented foods such as chutneys, sauerkrauts, cheeses etc. and how all of this, which is often just a little too raw, can be introduced into our busy and social lives with little interruption for those in our tribe who may choose to eat more traditionally. The main element of my form of mentoring is that I feel it is sustainable in a cooler climate; it relies far less on imported and often unripe fruits, yet takes advantage of our access to amazing medicinal foods such as mushrooms, cacao, life changing tree barks like Pau d'Arco (the tree of life) and Ayurvedic herbs that assist in balancing our doshas (the mind-body constitution/personality). I am blessed to be able to work with some of the UK's best practitioners in ancient medicinal foods for healing, and often refer my students so they gain even deeper insight into their own journey. Learning how to forage wild edibles and grow our own foods is essential, I feel, to our continued life here on Earth. Everyone can learn what to eat in the wild and
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how to sprout seeds on their window sills. These two things, learned well, mean we can always eat good foods for pennies! In addition to this 'serious' side to living raw, I absolutely love to teach the more indulgent aspects of raw – desserts and raw chocolate. After all those greens we simply must have balance, and this to me comes in the form of a good chocolate cake or bar! In our home we joke about how possible it is to live on chocolate and green salads! Anara: Why juice for health? Peace: Juicing to me is possibly the most important aspect of a raw life. In juicing, I have had my most profound shifts energetically – the kind that eating solid food just does not provide. When we fast on green juices, our body can take a complete rest from digestion. This enables us to shift our consciousness to access spiritual enlightenment, which, in turn, leads to the energetic healing shifts we need in order to ‘move up' a few notches. My form of fasting is a little different – well it would be, wouldn't it? I never juice fruit other than apples – I include a large proportion of greens, including a good whack of wild greens too, like dandelion, nettle, docks and of course, wild grasses. Then I add celery, turmeric, ginger and cucumber to bulk up the juice and add antiinflammatory elements as well as the warming spices. Often I will also add cayenne pepper and my green supplements – this is one loaded juice for sure! I work with juice fasting as a tool for self improvement. I have been a self-harmer with food since I was 5 years old and an emotional eater since this age too, so, with this deep in my DNA cellular memory, I have devoted my later years to healing this old energy. Until my last juice fast I was still using bought in snacks as an emotional crutch. That had to change, so I fasted on green juice for a 7 day period. This enabled the shift needed to release the need to eat bought in snacks and to eat in the evenings. Although I sometimes do eat in the evenings, but I make sure it is something light and easy to digest. On an almost daily basis I have green juice ready and waiting to eat. There may be one day a week when I don't have a juice, but certainly no more than a day! Good daily practices are really crucial to sustained wellbeing. Anara: How have you maintained a raw food lifestyle while travelling the world? Peace: I am blown away by the invitations to take my kind of raw life on the road to far flung places! My heart and soul is ever in gratitude at this opportunity to teach
November 2013 9
as far from the UK as Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe. Not only do I get to teach, but I also get to chef in some of the world’s most beautiful places like Hawaii and Mexico! My confidence in my chosen form of raw living foods grows daily as I deepen my own dedication to this way of being – totally authentic, totally in the flow of Divine Guidance and the abundance of Nature’s bounty. I will always be a little nervous, but that is a good energy – it makes me remain active in my connection to Source for the guidance I request whenever I share my teachings, as they are the wisdom of the Elders. They show me that living simply is the best way forwards for us, should we seek truth in our bodies’ healing journeys – and my trust in this is perfect.
Green and wild pesto stuffed cherry peppers This is a yummy recipe that makes use of some wild greens as well as strong basil for the pesto.
Ingredients Ÿ a handful of wild nettle leaves (tops only) Ÿ 1 whole basil plant (leaves and stems) about a medium bunch Ÿ ½ cup soaked cashew nuts or unsoaked pine nuts Ÿ 12 brazil nuts, unsoaked Ÿ 2 cloves garlic, crushed Ÿ ½ lemon, juiced Ÿ ½ cup olive oil Ÿ salt to taste Ÿ cherry peppers or tomatoes – for stuffing
Method Peace Ravenwood is an established Live Foods Chef, Alchemist and founder of the School of Living Raw Foods. Peace graduated from Elaina Love’s Pure Joy Culinary Academy in April 2012. Peace works with many people, in groups and individually, both in the UK and internationally, wherever there is demand and need. She shares the infinite benefits of a lifestyle rich in live, plantsourced foods, assisting in the transformation of health and enhancing longevity. She also works with those in recovery from serious illness and disease. Her inspirational teaching style comes from a deep respect for Mother Nature, earth spirituality and from the many elders who guide her energy daily Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Elaina Love, Chris Whitcoe, Ann Wigmore and the great teaching resources of the Hippocrates Institute and The Tree of Life Rejuvenation Centre.
1. Add all the ingredients (except the cherry peppers or tomatoes) to the blender or food processor and puree until just a little texture remains 2. Remove the seeds from your cherry peppers or tomatoes 3. Stuff the pesto inside the body of the pepper and let stand in a cool place overnight, or, if you have a dehydrator, warm for 2 hours at 115° 4. Serve with a green salad, lightly dressed with balsamic and olive oil
www.schooloflivingrawfoods.com
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Join Lisa Lister – author, creatrix, gypsy priestess – for a weekend of sacred stories, untamed truths, and practical magic. This gathering of girl-kind will align your SASSY - Spiritual, Authentic, Sensual, Sensational YOU - and unlock your sacred super-power, the innate awesomeness of the most badass wise women who have gone before you, your SASSY SHE. All that is wild, cyclical, fierce and untamed. It will be real, raw and roaaaaar. Together we will share stories. Embrace our imperfections. Awaken a delicious relationship with our body through SASSY Shakti flow - a combo of freeflow yoga, bellydance and divine movement for women of all shapes and sizes. (No crazy shape pulling or fancy yoga pants necessary, promise.) We’ll sing, dance and heart riff. We’ll seek pleasure. We’ll re-discover ancient female traditions. We’ll connect with mumma earth, the moon and our cycles. We’ll eat dark chocolate. We will get real. As members of girl-kind, our stories, our voices have been deleted from history, they've been repressed, censored or re-told, which is why, during our two days together, you will connect with your SASSY SHE - your feminine superpower, cut through the bullshit, gain clarity, and unfold, unfurl and reveal your very own you-nique-to-you SASSY story. Through creativity, story-telling, shamanic drumming, divine movement, and SASSY sorcery all lovingly crafted and delivered by me, Lisa Lister, you will discover your most beautiful, heart thumpin' uncensored truth, access and reclaim the full power of your untamed voice - rarrrr - in your relationships, your work and your life. Your investment in your SASSY SHE: £595 Includes 3 nights’ accommodation in the divine retreat, Seville, plus transfer to and from the airport, all meals (if you have any dietary requirements, please let us know), dinner and flamenco dancing on the Sunday evening, choice o’ massage or pamper treat, and a SASSY SHE goody bag. Instalment plan available. To book your place please head over to: www.lapalmillaretreatseville.com or send an email to anara.lapalmilla@gmail.com
About Lisa Lister: Crowned ‘the defender of female awesomeness’ by Cooler magazine, Lisa Lister – author, creatrix, gypsy priestess – works with girls and women to connect with their body, their cycles and their big beat-y hearts, to tell their truth and claim their untamed voice in badass Boudicca style – rarrrrr! www.sassyology.com
early bird price - £495 receive 20% off your holistic break when you book before December 2013
Ogham the wisdom
of trees
by Edward Durand
nGetal - Broom October 28 to November 24 Each month we bring you the wisdom of the tree of the month. In Celtic Astrology, those born during this time are likely to have these characteristics. Each of the trees in the Celtic Zodiac corresponds to a letter of the ancient Ogham tree alphabet. November is the New Year in the Celtic calendar, and as such it is a time for letting go of the old things
of the last year and embracing a new hope for a new year. The tree is of the month is nGetal, which is either Broom or Reed. I have chosen Broom as it is a shrub, more of a tree than reed, and it was used to symbolically sweep away the old year at the New Year. Old brooms were made from stems harvested from the Broom shrub, hence the name. The Celtic
New Year started on the first of November and was celebrated at sundown the previous night, known as Samhain or Halloween. In Celtic Astrology, those born during this time have Broom as their tree and are likely to have the Broom-like qualities of purity, dreaming, transformation and growth. The following poem shares the wisdom of Broom.
Broom the shrub of royalty Promotes healing and harmony His golden flowers vibrant with light He aids astral travel at night
He brings the blessings of harmony Growth, love and fertility He looks up to the moon at night And brings the dreams that keep us bright
He’s used in spells of protection and also purification But you don’t have to be a witch To use a broom made from his sticks
Whether visioning or dreaming He can help you see more clearly And protect you from the spirits The burning bush of heaven’s mirror
A panacea for all ills It’s better for the heart than pills Oil from the stems clears parasites And helps sore teeth to be alright
Look after yourself, clean up your act Watch your dreams, see where you’re at Burning his wood and burying The ash is said to calm the wind
This poem is from the book ‘Tree Poghams: Poems Inspired by the Wisdom of the Ancient Ogham Tree Alphabet’ which has a poem for each of the twenty trees of the letters of the Celtic Ogham tree alphabet. It is available at http://www.lulu.com/shop/edward-durand
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Red Tent Womb Lodge Seville, Andalucia November 15th - 18th 2013 with Fiona Willis & Anara Durand A space for women to reconnect with their source … the inner ocean … the ancestral time tunnel and birthing chamber … It’s a time for sharing our womb stories and journeying to the heart of Shakti … the primordial cosmic energy
“In the red tent, the truth is known. In the red tent, where days pass like a gentle stream, as the gift of Innana courses through us, cleansing the body of last month’s death, preparing the body to receive the new month’s life, women give thanks – for repose and restoration, for the knowledge that life comes from between our legs, and that life costs blood.” – Anita Diamant,
www.lapalmillaretreatseville.com Breastfeeding children are welcome in the circle. An arts & creativity space, run by a childcare professional, will be held for older children.
Early Birds get 20% off your Advanced Hypnotherapy Course with Valerie Austin valerieaustin.com
Book now for May 11th - 17th 2014 at La Palmilla Retreat, Seville and receive 20% off Learn one of the most advanced systems of hypnotherapy in the world – with internationally recognised hypnosis expert and author, Valerie Austin. With proven results from over 20 years’ experience and over 10,000 clients, the Austin Technique is a step-by-step method that anyone can learn. This dynamic, hands-on course includes live therapy demonstrations in which Valerie will help you unlock the key to your personal and professional success, while teaching you to overcome future obstacles. You will leave with complete faith in your abilities as a highly successful Advanced Hypnotherapist.
Become an Advanced Hypnotherapist in a luxury setting. Places are strictly limited - enquire today.
Course Fees Early bookings: £12,500 all inclusive Next year’s fee: £15,000 all inclusive
Bookings taken in October & November 2013 will be discounted by 20% - so don’t delay! Contact Valerie today. 0044 207 7024900 | valerieaustinhyp@aol.com
Hypnotherapy is widely recognised as a powerful tool for improved physical and psychological health. This course provides you with all the tools you need to treat yourself and others. La Palmilla luxury retreat centre, Seville, Spain Treat yourself to a fully-inclusive getaway in one of Europe’s most sought-after travel destinations. Enjoy organic food, holistic pampering packages and, of course, our stunning Andalucian location. Use of our swimming pool and other guest facilities is included, as is full-board accommodation and transfers to and from the airport. Receive a 20% discount when you purchase in advance. Flights not included.
Testemonials “A very interesting, stimulating and unconventional course. Many valuable tools were taught for rapid and effective therapy. We were amazed at just how much we learned and could put immediately into practice.” James and Donna Hitchens – couple on course “I never thought I could do it. With little knowledge of work behind me I have set up a busy local practice.” Gillian Winship – former housewife When Gillian came to train, she was a housewife who had focused on bringing up her children and had not worked outside for many years. Her family didn’t believe her capable of learning a new career, but she proved them wrong.
Valerie Austin is a Harley Street therapist, trainer, lecturer, author and journalist. Generally, her clients come to her on a word of mouth basis, and she works with them on a luxury London yacht.
She passed her exam and immediately opened up a practice that became very successful. Her success in using hypnosis for weight control enabled her to become quickly established.
Valerie is known for quick techniques and a high success rate, which she puts down to her 20 years’ experience around the world. Contact her today to learn more about this fantastic course.
Her story is an example of how the course creates a remarkable standard of therapy without the need for any academic background.
Places are strictly limited - enquire today 0044 207 7024900
Celtic Animal Signs by Edward Durand In Celtic Astrology, animals are associated with the months of the year. Those born under the sign of an animal are likely to share certain characteristics with their animal totem. November’s animal is the Owl… November is the New Year in the Celtic calendar, a time of darkness as the start of winter but also a magical time when the veil between worlds is thinnest. The symbolism of the owl mirrors that, as it represents the nocturnal mysteries of the moon, change and initiation, and the magical and psychic powers of witchcraft and the goddess. The owl in Irish is Cailleach, which means ‘crone’ – a wise old woman. Samhain, or Halloween, is the end of the old year and the start of the new one, when the veil between the otherworld and this one is lifted. The owl is associated with the otherworld, as a messenger between the worlds. Those born at this time have that sensitivity to the otherworld. Owls symbolise wisdom, magic, detachment and depth of vision, they are nocturnal, vigilant and intelligent. Those born at this time (between October 28th and November 24th) can also have that depth of vision that ranges from physical and mental sight to clairvoyance, seeing beyond the veil to the otherworld. They are often spiritual, in tune with the mysteries of witchcraft and possessive a knack for such things. They can often observe not only what is said but what isn't said, and can change to suit the circumstances. The owl is associated with the goddesses Blodeuwedd, Arianrhod and Athena. In the Welsh myth the Mabinogion, Lleu has a wife created for him by the Druids Gwydion and Math because his mother forbade him from marrying an ordinary woman. The wife is called Blodeuwedd. She falls in love with another man, who she convinces to kill Lleu. She tricks Lleu into divulging the secret to his mortality, convincing him to even demonstrate how he is made vulnerable. In the process, her lover flings a poisoned spear at. It pierces him and he turns into an eagle. Gwydion later turns him back into a man, and Lleu turns Blodeuwedd into an owl.
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November 2013 16
Meditation
The Power of
Sit in your own sacred
Sacred Words
it pervade you and fill
by Cheaya
space, hearing the wisdom of silence. Let all the space around and within you. Be in the allowing of floating soundscapes, sensing the movement of sound and silence, be in
Words are powerful – they can harm us or they can heal us. It’s not just the use of the words themselves but the frequency and tone in which they are spoken. In softness of voice, even ugly words ‘feel’ more beauty-full because we receive the vibration, not necessarily the words themselves. Be gentle with your words, listen to the ones you are using, ‘feel’ them inside you, so that you may understand how they might ‘feel’ to others.
spirit deflates. We are all walking bubbles of joy, but it’s so easy for that LIFT in your spirit to dip. Keep your own vibration up. Stay afloat throughout the day, filling the ocean of your consciousness with joyousness. Find the wisdom of stillness, the sweetness of silence and the sacredness of sound. Blessings Cheaya
Sensitivity is always felt; have respect for sensitivity everywhere, whether seen or not. We contribute to life in every moment, and what we contribute depends on our choices, what we choose to express and how we choose to express ourselves, the way we use our voice and how it is received. Energy is felt on so many subtle levels; our energy fields are in receiving mode all the time. Be mindful of your use of the language of life. Sweet words make us feel sweet, ugly words sink our heart and in that one moment our
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Call Cheaya on 00 44 7896 966320 for sacred sessions, groups, bespoke prayers and angelic spiritual lifecoaching, one to one blessings, ceremony, spiritual enquiry and events.
mindfulness. See floating upon you (as if a holy halo gently comes to sit above your energy and crown chakra, through all the ethers above and below you and all around) the sacred vibration of ‘Kadoish Kadoish Kadoish Adonai Tsebayoth’. See it float upon you and all through you, remaining as a sacred imprint upon your energy fields. November 2013 17
Awaken your Spirit… A kind of light spread out from her. And everything changed color. And the world opened out. And a day was good to awaken to. And there were no limits to anything. And the people of the world were good and handsome. And I was not afraid any more. – John Steinbeck, East of Eden “When Anara asked me to create a fragrance for La Palmilla Retreat, I jumped at the opportunity to create something for her gorgeous venture, so I got started straight away. I am used to creating complex fragrances with a variety of concepts behind them, but Anara wanted something versatile that could be used as a room fragrance and as an aura spray, and that would convey a simple yet powerful message, that of ‘awakening’ or, as we say in Spanish, despertar, the name Anara chose. I decided then to create a scent that was beautiful in its simplicity, but with enough complexity and depth to take the person experiencing the fragrance on a short and meaningful aromatic journey. If I may, I’d like to take you along… Awakening is a fresh fragrance with citrus opening notes of may chang and fresh floral nuances provided by neroli. These lighter notes rest on a soft cushioning of sandalwood with balsamic, sweet woody notes. Organic orange water adds a freshness and lightness to the blend, rounding off its scent. I chose neroli top notes not just because Anara loved the scent of orange flowers, but also because neroli is a fantastic oil to calm and soothe the nerves. This top note prepares the mind for the journey that is Awakening, relieving any feelings of anxiety and relaxing us into the next stage of the experience. The refreshing citrus notes of may chang have a brightening and stimulating effect that wakes us without distracting us from the relaxed state neroli helped us achieve. May chang is known as the ‘oil of tranquillity’ and it provides clarity of thought, mental calm and physical relaxation.
Once relaxed, calm, bright and with a clear mind, we are ready for sandalwood’s harmonising qualities. This sacred oil has been (and still is) used by ancient spiritual traditions in ritual and meditation. It focuses the mind and releases anxiety, stress, depression and fear, promoting stability and grounding. These three oils reflect the Awakening journey, from its playful beginning when we start to relax and open our minds, through finding our own inner calm and strength, and to the moment when our minds awake to the full reality of the world that surrounds us. When fully awake, we connect both worlds, and are ready to face our lives and our purpose. This exclusive product is only available through La Palmilla Retreat Seville. By purchasing it, you will become part of the vision that is La Palmilla, whilst helping some of the poorest people in the world, as £1 from each and every sale will be donated to The Tulsi Trust Health and Education Project in India. If you would like to find out more about The Tulsi Trust project please visit our website www.thetulsitrust.org So… are you ready to be awakened?” With love, Marina Marina Barcenilla is a Natural Perfumer and Natural Perfumery Teacher working in Glastonbury, UK. She is the founder of The Perfume Garden where only natural ingredients are used to create her perfumes and toiletries. To find out more please visit her website www.theperfumegarden.org. Marina is also a Trustee and Chair of The Tulsi Trust charity, which won the Kindred Spirit Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.
Buy Awakening~Despertar and contribute to The Tulsi Trust
Made from pure, ethically sourced essential oils blended in orange flower water ÂŁ25 including postage & packaging (30â‚Ź) To purchase, please email: Or email: anara.lapalmilla@gmail.com ÂŁ1 from every sale goes to The Tulsi Trust, a registered charity working with Bengali resettled refugees and the indigenous Adivaashi aboriginals of the interior area of Madhya Pradesh, India.
Magical Ireland Land of Myth and Mystery by Deirdre Gallagher Ireland is a small, beautiful little island situated on the edge of the Atlantic ocean. What it may lack in size, it makes up for in its great natural beauty and mystery. It is a land rich in folklore and fairytales, myths and legends. Scattered all across the island are holy wells, sacred groves, stone cairns, passage tombs, fairy forts, castles, round towers and amazing megalithic structures. These stand as testament to our vivid history, for, in Ireland, the doings of longdead kings and chieftains still resonate down the centuries. Our national symbols are the shamrock and the harp. The shamrock represents the luck of the Irish and also the mystery of the Holy Trinity. This was considered a sacred plant by the druids and its triple leaves, amazingly, stand upright to warn of an approaching storm. The harp represents our love of music and the music of the land. Ireland is the only country in the world with a musical instrument as its national symbol.
Tuatha De Danann. I was told a little fairytale recently about a very ancient and magical stone called the Lia Fail or the Stone of Destiny.The story says that this Stone has great powers and has been around for a very long time, having been mentioned in the Bible and also in stories from Egypt. It was brought to Ireland by the Tuatha De Danann and kept on the Hill of Tara, where all of the kings of Ireland were crowned upon it. It was said that it would 'cry out' when the feet of the true High King were placed upon it.
Bride’s Cairn – County Galway
But the Stone was loaned to Scotland, apparently around 500AD, and never returned. In Scotland, it was known as the Stone of Scone. But in turn, England took it from Scotland and that is where it has remained ever since.
A trip to Ireland is guaranteed to be enjoyable. Not only do we have magnificent scenery, beautiful beaches and costal drives, but with our laid-back, easy-going nature, you’re bound to meet an interesting character or two!
That is, until now. A whispering in the wind has been heard, telling that recently, the energetic imprint of the Lia Fail, has been returned to its rightful place on Tara. With it, its power and magic have returned to the land.
Ireland has been known under many names over the ages, from Hibernia to Erin/ Eiru, to Eire (in gaelige), to Inis Fail (Island of Destiny) – the name given it by the
So who knows what's in store for this beautiful island of ours. As I write this and look out the window at the clearing rain, the most vibrant rainbow has appeared in
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the sky, with a second one just starting to form. I know that we are blessed, whatever happens, and we have the help of the fey. Blessings to All, Dee
Deirdre Gallagher is a Holistic Therapist & Shamanic Healer. She will be one of the guides on our Tour of Ireland, The Journey Home, in July 2014.
November 2013 20
Heart of the Goddess book now for
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Erzulie~Venus~Hathor Jan 31st - Feb 3rd 2014
Join Anara by the sea in Andalucía, Southern Spain, for a journey of rebirth, love and self empowerment with the Goddess of Love ~ Erzulie Venus Hathor
A long weekend of loving thyself Immerse in the arts of abundance manifestation & ceremonial rites of passage Luxurious Turkish baths ² Holistic Luxury pampering ² Tantric Goddess Belly Dance Transformational Re-birthing ² Womb Blessing ² Sacred Sound Baths We will visit the sea at the Costa de la Luz for a traditional Sea Ceremony & Water Blessings – we ceremoniously cleanse & imbue ourselves within the womb of beloved ocean mother Erzulie You will be gifted with an indulgent sacred love oil for self anointing, made uniquely for each sistar, and an Erzulie Venus Hathor Talisman £550/£495 Concession 3 nights all inclusive (except for flights & travel insurance) Come to her that is love - let her awaken the love within you – you are her daughter
Awaken the Goddess within Manifest Love, Experience Love, Be Love www.lapalmillaretreatseville.com
FREE Presentation
The Mystery of the Bosnian Pyramids Jan 25th - 26th 2014
This is a FREE event. For an affordable contribution, food and accommodation can be provided on Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening for those travelling a long distance or from overseas. Contact: anara.lapalmilla@gmail.com The Bosnian Valley of Pyramids is the biggest complex of pyramidal structures in the world, yet it is only in recent years that these ancient, colossal structures have been subjected to serious scientific investigation. In this illustrated talk, Nigel Grace will present the evidence that these pyramids may be 25,000 years old – which would call for a re-write of European history. Who could have built these pyramids, with their precise orientation to all four cardinal directions, and remarkable concrete materials? It is still a mystery. Researchers have also detected strange electromagnetic phenomena, both above the pyramids and inside the vast labyrinth
of underground tunnels, which emit exceptional concentrations of negative ions. Nigel will explore all of this and describe his own personal experiences – of healing and awakening while working as a volunteer – in the tunnels and on the largest of the structures, the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun. Nigel will also be leading us on a journey which goes deeper into the meditative aspects of the resonances recorded inside the pyramids. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers and an invitation to visit the pyramid with him during the Spring Equinox 2014.
Nigel is a researcher and volunteer for the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation. He has presented the remarkable discoveries of the Bosnian Pyramids to audiences across the UK and USA. Working closely with a dedicated team of archaeologists and geologists, he hopes to further uncover the secrets of the Bosnian Pyramids. Nigel has studied the development of human consciousness for 40 years and has worked with Dr Deepak Chopra to promote healing centres for He is a spiritual intelligence coach, businessman and author of the forthcoming book, Bridge to the Worlds of Light. www.nigel-grace.com
Children of the Diadems by Sonia Braithwaite – Part 3 of 13
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Children of the Diadems Part 3 of 13 When a sixth kitten is born unexpectedly to Tom’s Egypt, and relates to them the myth about the Egyptian goddess Bastet. cat, Hildegarde, it is weak and may not survive. Two of the children, Carl and his sister Gula, really want a kitten, and need to persuade their parents to let them have one of Hildegarde’s kittens. But their mother Eleanor is reluctant, as she has had a terrifying experience with a creature she fears was a vicious cat. Tom shares his anxiety in class about the sixth kitten. The class teacher, Mrs Townsend, tells the children how important cats were in Ancient
Later that evening the vet, Mr Hixson, has his doubts as to whether the sixth kitten will live. Carl’s family visit Tom’s home to see the kittens. Whilst they are there, a miraculous event takes place. The Children learn that the sixth kitten may not be an ordinary cat after all. They were also told of a special quest, which they must fulfil. However, evil forces start to oppose them. Fortunately, they are helped along the way by Bastet, the Egyptian goddess, and others on the side of good.
First published by Author House 9/12/2008. Revised by Sonia Braithwaite. 21/04/2012. ISBN: 9780957274006 No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. © 21/04/2012 Sonia T. Braithwaite. (All rights reserved.) Book cover illustrated by Joe Chen
Available to buy from Amazon with this link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Children-DiademsBook-Beginning-ebook/dp/B007X5HIBO Chapter Three A Surprise for Tom Finally the day had come, and it was a special day in Tom’s home. Hildegarde, Tom’s pet cat, was about to give birth, and everyone who had gathered to see the great event was excited. Tom’s family consisted of his dad Lesley, his mum Pollyanna, and his sister, Lucy. Craig, one of Tom’s best friends, had also come. Only Lesley and Pollyanna had seen a birth before. Lesley had been there when Tom and Lucy were born, so he knew about human births, which he claimed were different from animals. To be on the safe side, he had done his research on cat births and made sure everyone in the family had read up on the subject too. What made the excitement even greater was that Mr Hixson, the local vet, had told Tom and his friends, Craig and Carl, something surprising at his last examination of Hildegarde. “I hope your cat box will be big enough, Tom lad,” he said, straightening up to reveal how tall and handsome he was. Tom’s eyes widened.
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“Why, Mr Hixson? Why must Hildegarde’s box be a big one?” he asked. “Because my son, it is possible that Lady Hildegarde here, will not be giving birth to one or two kittens, but it is highly likely, as far as I can count…” Mr Hixson paused and gently felt Hildegarde’s belly once more. “Don’t look so apprehensive son,” he continued, ‘It is quite common for cats to give birth to as many as four, maybe five little ones.” He smiled at Tom. Craig and Carl nudged each other and grinned. Tom looked from the vet to his friends, showing surprise. The two boys looked at each other again and giggled. “I can have one,” Craig informed them excitedly. “I am sure mother won’t mind, and anyway, I have already asked her.” “You asked your mum already, how’s that?” asked Carl. “Because mum said that it is very unusual for a cat to give birth to just one kitten.” “I know that,” said Carl in his usual quiet voice, “plus the vet just said so,” he added. “If there are more than two, I doubt if my mum will let me have one. She doesn’t like cats. I don’t think so, not after…” Carl stopped and turned towards Hildegarde, looking crestfallen. “Not after what Carl? Go on tell us, we won’t tell Jack or anyone else, I promise,” Craig assured him, with all the sincerity he could muster. Carl said no more, but gave Craig a sceptical look. “We all know what your promises are worth,” Tom said. “Besides, I don’t remember telling anyone I was giving away any of my kittens,” he added, pretending to be serious. Tom gently stroked Hildegarde as he helped Mr Hixson to put her back into her carrier, and then he swallowed with a gulp. “I suppose I had better go down to Jewels, and ask Mary to get her mum to save me the largest box from the pile in her cellar. Mary told me yesterday that her mum had them in a corner ready to give to Mr Baker in the morning, when his truck comes for the rubbish.” Mary’s mother, Siobhan, and her father, Noel, had their double garage converted into a little shop two years ago, selling fancy jewellery and other interesting fair trade products. Mary loved helping in the shop most evenings after school, to earn extra pocket money. She was saving up for the new bicycle she so dearly wanted. “Well, in that case son,” said Mr Hixson, “you had better hurry because if my hunch is right, Lady H here will commence birthing tonight, certainly no later than the early hours of tomorrow morning.” “How can you tell all that, Sir?” asked Craig brightly. “It’s one of the things a vet is trained to know, apart from giving injections, seeing to fleas and all the other care that comes with the job,” replied Mr Hixson, ruffling Craig’s blond hair. Craig gave the vet a disapproving look before proceeding to rearrange his hair to his liking. Carl and Tom chuckled, and Mr Hixson looked on, smiling. The examination and questions and answers came to an end. Tom strained with the heavy carrier from the room to the surgery door, where Monica the receptionist stood holding the door open for them to leave. Craig and Carl followed behind Tom. Mr Hixson had also come out and was seated behind the desk. He had proceeded to type up Hildegarde’s notes in preparation for Monica to bill Tom’s parents, because he wanted the letter to catch the last post. Tom rested the carrier on the floor by the front door before turning to face the vet. “Mr Hixson,” he called.
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“Yes son,” replied the vet, looking up from his work. “Thank you Sir,” said Tom, giving a faint smile. “That’s all right lad,” said Mr Hixson happily. “Mr Hixson,” continued Tom after a brief pause. What is it laddy?” asked Mr Hixson thoughtfully. “I hope you won’t think me rude or dis-re-spect-ful Sir,” remarked Tom, breaking up the long word in order to pronounce it correctly. “I do wish you wouldn’t keep calling me ‘son’ and ‘lad’ or ‘laddy’,” he said timidly. “I really would prefer it if you called me Tom.” Tom emphasised his name as if to enforce it. Mr Hixson’s face changed colour, from a pale pink to a reddish hue. “All right Tom, as you wish, no offence taken lad. From this day on I will respect your wishes, Tom it shall be.” “Thank you Sir, Mr Hixson,” Tom stammered politely, feeling a little embarrassed. He looked from the vet to Monica, then at his two friends, who were standing outside the shop sharing the load of the carrier. They were both giggling so much that the carrier was shaking. “Stop shaking it!” yelled Tom, rather sharply, grabbing hold of the carrier as it tipped sideways. “Suppose you drop her? Stupid,” he remarked, looking disgruntled. The three boys hurried over to Pollyanna, who was seated with Lucy in her red Peugeot estate she had parked on a yellow line. “Be quick you lot!” snapped Pollyanna, in an agitated manner. “I had no idea it would take so long or I would not have parked here,” she grumbled. “You ought to thank your lucky stars the traffic warden didn’t come along. Otherwise, I would be deducting money from your pocket money every week Tom,” she declared in a huff, glancing at the clock on the dashboard and at the watch on her wrist. “Come on now,” Craig interrupted, his eyebrows knitting up in disbelief. “That is so not fair,” he remarked. Craig noticed Pollyanna freeze. “Excuse me Pollyanna, I am sorry, but you are the adult here,” he continued, ignoring the stunned look on Pollyanna’s face, “you chose to park where you shouldn’t, so how is it Tom’s fault?” Pollyanna was still in a state of disbelief, and Craig did not give her a chance to respond. “Lucy! Don’t just sit there gawping, come and open the boot so we can put the cat in,” he yelled. The boys were finding it a strain lifting the carrier with the pregnant cat sprawled out inside it. “Yeah,” Carl agreed boldly, letting go of the carrier as the door opened. Lucy had deliberately taken her time opening the boot of the car, causing the carrier to land with a bump as Craig abruptly released his hold. Lucy grinned mischievously. “Watch it!” cried Tom, looking alarmed. “Be gentle with my cat, didn’t you hear what Mr Hixson said? I don’t want her going into labour and having her kittens in mum’s car.” “Are you four getting into this car or do I drive off and leave you to it?” asked Pollyanna finding her voice, although she still looked cross. They bundled into the car, the three boys sitting in the back seat. Lucy practically threw herself into the front seat, after glancing at the boys scornfully. “Why are you looking at us like that skinny?” asked Tom, agitatedly.
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Lucy went pale and turned to face her mother. “Mum,” she moaned. “Right!” exclaimed Pollyanna, hitting the steering wheel in frustration as the car jerked and stalled. “If the four of you don’t stop bickering this minute…” came her stern warning, pointing her finger from one to the other, “you can all get out of my car and walk home.” “Me, I’m not walking,” put in Carl, trying to raise his voice, but failing. “I wasn’t bickering and I never said a word, so I shouldn’t be included in this. I need a lift home, if you don’t mind Pollyanna. It’s three miles and my mum will be worried.” He looked anxious. “Three miles, you reckon,” snapped Lucy. “Anyway, your mum, she won’t be worried ’cause I’ll tell her,” she teased. “You will tell her what?” Craig demanded defensively. “Why mum chucked you lot out of the car.” Lucy blushed as she finished. “Lucy,” said Craig, fuming, “for some time I have been wondering what sort of person you really are; now I know.” “Oh yeah, what am I then?” she asked. Craig looked as though he was about to burst with rage. “You are a miserable, selfish little brat, that’s what you are,” he announced crossly. “I am sorry Lucy, but you asked for that,” said Pollyanna. “Didn’t you hear me? I didn’t just say the boys. I mean all four of you will be walking home, and I will speak to Eleanor, thank you.” Pollyanna stalled the car twice before she finally moved off rather bumpily. Eight-year-old Lucy sat sulking with two fingers twisting a section of her shoulder-length light brown hair into a ringlet. As the curl soon fell out, she pulled a face that emphasized her freckles. She began sucking her pink thumb and the noise was so annoying to the others that Pollyanna turned on the car radio. The boys removed their hands from their ears and breathed a sigh of relief. The boys had been friends since pre-school and were ‘as thick as thieves.’ Tom was the eldest of the three boys. Craig was younger than Tom, by four months, but he was tall - a few more inches of growth and his head would touch the roof of Pollyanna’s car. Carl, though not the shortest, was the youngest by ten months. He was a slender, handsome 10-year-old boy who looked even younger than he was. Carl hated wearing his Afro hair long, for fear that it would become tangled and prove troublesome to comb. On his regular visits to the barber’s, he always asked for a close cut. Carl sat looking as meek as a lamb. Only his slanting eyes occasionally blinked, which emphasised his long eyelashes. One of Tom’s blue eyes was always partly hidden by his brown hair, which he would move away from his face with a quick flick of his hand. He would never agree to a haircut without an argument. The only time he would willingly have it done was for special occasions. He was transfixed in his seat. This was a stance he adopted when forced into silence. No doubt he was daydreaming in his own private Wonderland, only not with a little dog, but with his beloved pet cat, Hildegarde. He wore his shirt sleeves rolled up, exposing the paleness of his arms, as he rested one on the edge of the car door. Tom had kept his fair English complexion well-hidden from the summer sun.
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Craig sat with his mouth open, as if waiting to get a word in. But no one was talking so he could have been trying to catch a fly that was buzzing around in the car, in his mouth! Unlike Tom, Craig had caught the sun that summer and his tanned skin contrasted markedly with his favourite navy blue jeans and long-sleeved shirt. His clothes were clean, but in need of ironing, and his blonde hair spread out all over a rather large head, highlighting his long face. It wasn’t until Pollyanna pulled up outside Carl’s gate that Craig and Tom spoke. “Bye Carl,” they said rather quietly, almost at the same time. Lucy pulled a long face, which Carl ignored. Instead, he waved and ran straight through the open gateway to the front door of his home and pressed the doorbell forcefully. “Mum,” he called. “Quick, open the door!” he yelled through the letter-box. “I need to use the toilet, hurry up, please mum,” he begged. Tom and Craig laughed, and Lucy stuck out her tongue. “Lucy, don’t be so childish,” Pollyanna scolded then she waved and blew the car horn before she sped away. Eleanor, who had been watching Carl’s hasty approach, rushed to the front door brushing her auburn hair back into place with her left hand. “What’s the matter son?” she asked anxiously. Carl paused before his mother then began to march on the spot with his left hand between his thighs. “Have you forgotten that you have a key for this door?” asked Eleanor. “No mum I haven’t forgotten,” replied Carl, in haste. “Who has upset you, Carl?” Eleanor asked, looking concerned. “No one mum, honest,” replied Carl, rubbing his knees together and holding on to the zipper of his trousers. To avoid any further delays, he pushed past his mother and dashed up the stairs. “I am okay, really mum, no one’s upset me. I didn’t want to wet myself.” “Is that all?” asked Eleanor, who stood looking up the stairs after him. “Yes mum, that’s all,” replied Carl. He rushed into the toilet, undoing the zipper on his brown pants at the same time. He had forgotten to close the toilet door in his rush. “Aah! Gosh, dear me, that was a close one!” Eleanor heard her son’s voice coming from the upstairs landing. She smiled and shook her head. “Don’t forget to wash your hands,” she shouted from the kitchen.
Don’t miss the next instalment of coming in the next issue! Children of the Diadems by Sonia Braithwaite – Part 3 of 13
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g L i n a Sp y n i c u d o r r t n I ns’ workshop fa ou cilit e r d creative alchem at l i o h d i s n c a t r Creative workshops for children and teens
r kids o f n o i t a t i d Me oga y r e t h g u La Arts & Crafts o Sound, breath & m
Poetry
Songwriting
Face painting vement
Singing, stretching & sounding
Themed children’s parties
Workshops for c hildren and adults with spec ial needs
Lina is a qualified Life Coach, Sound Healer, Reiki Master and Shamanic Healer. She offers one-to-one healing sessions in Holistic Life Coaching, Sound Healing, Reiki and Shamanic Soul Retrieval. Visit: www.linaspyrou.com
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“I would like to invite you to come on a journey of delight, down the rabbit hole and into the lucid world of dreams. From Avalon I have quested this past decade; now to emerge into the bright sunlight of Andalusian magic… the dancing momentum… the sacred geometries… the gypsy spirit! Let us explore this remarkable city – its Moorish architecture, its enticing, ethereal qualities – and immerse ourselves in the beauty, the history, the passion, and capture all this inspiration with radiant pigments. Welcome to all, at whatever level of expertise. Children are also welcome! Together we shall ignite the sacred spark within to reveal the sacred tenamos of Seville. Experience traditional and modern techniques, or develop your own unique style as you discover your hidden depth of creativity through art.”
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