Hair Shirt Meditation...
I am sitting with Athena Jane and Anadi in the midst of a storm - Anadi has the camera in 'video mode' in the hope of catching the forks of lightening on film....
It has just raced in from Albania... All was sunny and bright until we came down to swim, when the wind started to whip around and the dark storm clouds rolled in...
But swimming was the 'order of the day' so swimming we did...!
The usually mill pond still Ionian Sea was choppy and churny and then a flash of lightening hit the surface....
'Is it okay to be in here now.... ?' I asked... Jane and Anadi thought it was so we gamely carried on with 'operation swim'....
Athena Jane arrived this morning for five days... I have just turned to her. 'Jane how would you describe what you are here for...'
Looking up from her journaling, she pondered a little and then said... 'Development on every level...'
Giannis, our 'Greek car man' met us with her car at the airport... He chatted to us about how he prefers not to drive with his clients or see them drive... What he doesn't see, he doesn't worry about... 'It is like your daughter going out with a boy; you want to know nothing at all of what happened, or of what might have happened, in fact you want to know nothing at all...'
And so off we drove, without him looking....! Jane's first time ever in a left hand drive car on the right hand side of the road, in the 'lively activity' of Corfu town...!
The 'development week' had begun... She is a confident driver and it was as if she had never driven any other way... And so we went straight to Emeral's, the 'cake and coffee shop extraordinaire' for a 'planning session'...!
Our planning session could have easily been mistaken for two old friends meeting and chatting over coffee and cake... But of course therapy - in fact development work of any kind - exists essentially in relationship.
Ideally it creates safe space for a useful conversation... One that can open up new pathways and clear blocks. It can access and open the possibility for the healing of old hurts. It can teach new skills, unlock latent talents and help uncover inner strengths... And ultimately create an environment in which we can live as we dream, from a place of authenticity and clarity within....
Beginning Jane's 'workshop time' over cake and coffee seemed a very good place to start...!
We returned to Stefanos Place, but as no one was around, and Jane's key was not in the door, we decided to create a 'work space' under the olive trees in the shade....
It was a perfect spot, even after we found that we were sharing it with ants.... Jane likened this to a meditation in staying present whatever is happening.... As we worked and chanted ants did run over us from time to time....
'It is like the monks with the tickly hair shirts' she said ' it is training us to stay still...'
Nikos, one of the Salvanos brothers, who cooks us delicious meals most nights, turned up while we were there.... 'Jane hasn't got a key yet, do you know what apartment she is in ?' I asked, he smiled and shrugged....
Just as we begun a chanting session for each chakra, some other guests drove up... 'Are you comfortable to be doing this?' I checked with Jane....
'Yes'
After we had chanted up and down the body, Jane was lying on my healing mat (a duvet!) and I had my hands on her for some 'hands on healing', and the couple who had arrived back walked along the path right beside us to go for a sit by the pool....
'we're healing and chanting' I explained 'it might seem a bit strange...'
'No, not strange at all' the woman of the couple responded....
And so we continued to chant under our olive tree, while our friendly couple sat below us by the pool....