It’s important to begin with; I have no issue with hippies!  I say a hippie is a person that has a free spirit, they don’t appear to be bound by the mundane, they are usually vegan or at least a vegetarian, they wear flowing, often tie-dyed, cool loose clothes and have long locks of hair or some have dreadlocks, they live near the beach or in the mountains and very many of them in Byron Bay! A hippie to me loves music, probably drumming and is in flow with their life and who they are.   I also believe one of my best friends is a hippie and I love her as a sister.  This is not derogative – it was just what image society and my upbringing put into my mind and for many years it was accepted by me.. Now I question this along with all other aspects of my life and beliefs!

I do not see hippies in a negative sense or intend this to be derogatory, in fact I some-what, am in awe of how they choose to live and wonder if I could live that way, mmmm, probably not.

Take me back to around 1991 when I first met my dear friend from the UK working together at a bar in Sydney, a very spiritually connected woman who I grew to know and love as a kind hearted, caring, gorgeous little bit older woman ;).  She introduced me to a book – The Alchemist– and I loved it, I felt the message in this book, although a novel of sorts, was to live your life’s purpose. I began at this time to explore psychic’s and the mystical world around them – visiting a few and wanting them to tell me what my destiny was – that was their job right… at least I thought so, I also thought they were a version of a hippie! The universe did not allow them to tell me my future, as I know now, it is not them who has it to tell – it is for me to connect and find out for myself!

What I then did, using the excuse that they could not tell me was I shut myself out of the spiritual world, not believing there could even be a God as my Catholic upbringing had taught me. I let go of any connection I had with spiritual world, and I was completely lost for a period of 9 months.  A time that deserves its own story!

Fast forward to 1997 when The Four Agreements came out and I had it on cassette tape!  Really showing my age now!  This re-ignited my curiosity in the universe and the power we all have within… At this time in my life I was for very first time in love, with my whole being, and the hippies were raising their availability to me. One came in the form of an 8 year old girl whom I was Nanny to, along with her 2 sisters.  This young lady brought out the best of me, she made me feel alive, child like play became the norm for me and I was having so much fun – the Nanny “job” did not feel like a job at all.  I could not wait to spend time with her and talk to the squirrels in the park and play on the equipment.  I also had a lot of fun in my relationships – laughter was a big part of my life and I wondered is this the key the hippies have?  I was re-connected and spent a lot of time with my friend from 1991 and learnt more about how her connection to the spiritual world resonated with me.

I again explored spirituality and wanted to study it but it was all associated with trinkets and superstitions. Wear this crystal for this healing, carry this rock for that power, use these cards to tell your future and never ever walk under a ladder or let a black cat cross your path!!!  I am not criticising others for their attachment to or use of trinkets nor belief in superstitions but it simply was not for me – although I tried to be attached to them to try and learn more about this other realm that I felt existed. I bought many crystals, still have a few, I believe they have power if you give it to them, I have some cards that I use to read from – but believe it is the power in me and those I read for that brings the right direction from the cards and not the card itself that holds the power. I usually use nothing and listen to my own intuition these days.

Now we jump to 2016 when I found myself in a period where I knew not why I had the emotions I was having, the thoughts and pressure I felt from seemingly no-where, I found motherhood overwhelming, life a chore and my mum almost up and left us with a heart attack! I now believe I had a breakdown and a Dr suggested I had depression, I believed this could not be, I was one of the happiest people I know (and funny as, if I do say so myself)! I visited with a Psychologist and she suggested a book – the name I do not recall now, but it was short and concise… it basically told me I was in a rut, a crossroads if you like and that I had the power to change it all through my mind.

I was telling a friend about the book and she suggested I meditate!  To put this in perspective, I had only done one meditation before this – a guided meditation read by one of my favourite teachers, Bob Proctor, on abundance (I still listen to this regularly and suggest you all do to), so I was reluctant to attempt it… but I did it anyway!

I started with the Headspace App, I found that it explained how meditation would help me – giving me the reason behind the tool was the turning point for me… So I completed a 10 day program with headspace and my whole presence changed, I was in charge again or at the verey least on my way.  I remember explaining to a friend that I was back in the driving seat of my life and I was not letting go of this meditation thing and wanted more!

Then I found Insight Timer App, this has allowed me to meditate with guidance for the last 3 years now and I am never going to give it up!  Meditation puts my thoughts in order, allows me to deal with my days with ease and grace and brought so many wonderful friends into my life, women I never would have met had I not stepped onto this path, that lift me up, inspire and hold me when I need. Meditation has allowed me to focus on what I really want, show up as who I am, and opened up a world of spirituality that I was seeking those 20 odd years ago!

During retreat for my Intuitive Guide qualification with the Institute for Intuitive Intelligence, I learnt more about meditation (along with many other tools and processes) and am now confident to conduct guided meditations with my clients.  I love how it makes me feel! The attached photo is of me during the welcome water ceremony, I felt completely out of my depth at this point, overwhelmed and facing the fear of growth – I hated being wet in my clothes and yet this process, this meditation profoundly touched my heart and allowed me to move to the next phase of growth.

I now meditate at least once a day, if I find the time I do it twice both with and without support, it has changed my whole approach to life and I am so happy that I have this to quiet my mind and find peace in this ridiculously fast paced world.

If you are considering meditation, I implore you to do it!

If you are struggling with life, I encourage you to start with mediation!

If you are happy and want more, I recommend you meditate!

If you are breathing, I recommend you meditate!

You can clearly see, I have changed my view on mediation and spirituality as a whole!

So here I am coming out, I love meditation and its certainly not just for hippies!

 

Brigid Holder