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Amongst other things, this is a love story.... the theme changes occasionally... this year it is fitness and learning to love yourself.

19 September 2010

Inspired by a friend and her painting

Here are the messages that inspired continuing the blog.  I have edited them a little but just a spelling mistake or two.

The artist is Lea Waters a psychologist, who heads an innovative academic project that I believe will ultimately challenge the way we view education systems.  Her knowledge about human behaviour, both scientific and sensitive is vast, and she is mum with two kids that finds time to paint. 

Lea was a reflexology client of mine in Australia, one that factored highly in the difficult decision process of leaving everything I had established behind.  I met Lea during her 'sabattical year'. A year off, from her work commitments, to focus on her health and set a new direction for her life, and she decided reflexology would be a part of that healing and discovery process.  One of the most miraculous qualities about Reflexology is the exchange that can happen between the receiver and the giver.  Lea was one of my rare clients that essentially make me work a little bit harder, but only so I would feel like I had given her more, or at least as much, as she had provided me during the sessions. 


Lea Waters 08 September at 10:45
hey sweety, for some reason the painting I just posted up on fb makes me think of you????? I'll put some thought into why that is......

Artist: Lea Waters - I call it Lea's Desert but maybe I should call it My Desert!
Ida Chiavaro 09 September at 12:39
I would love to know your thoughts...

It has been very thought provoking for me, which I love :)

On one hand I feel like I'm in that house, both trapped and hiding in a land that has very little to offer - a psychic warned me before I left, that the 3 and 6 months mark would be challenging and last week (3 month mark) some fears about never finding my niche here reared their ugly heads.

I am still very happy here with Søren. I don't want to be anywhere else, well maybe at times I do, but I want to be with him wherever that is :) but as I settle more into my relationship I am thinking more about my own needs, my own goals (or the fact that I have never really had any!!!)

On the other hand, I see the warmth and grounding energy of the  deserts earth and the ingenuity and simplicity of shelter and power (windmill) and the opportunity to focus, that a world with few distractions can provide more easily, and the big clear sky that connects all the worlds together.

As simple as it is, I feel as though I am living a luxurious lifestyle at the moment. I have met other foreigners including a refugee from Sri Lanka and a couple of Thai brides in my language classes, this picture makes me think about pioneering women. It makes me think of home too, which even though Ive never lived in the Australian outback, it feels like home to me :)

I often think of your 'sabatical' year and how that culminated in your new years revelations and I wonder if a 'light bulb' moment will set me off in the right direction. I worry about not finding myself here and needing to leave 'my desert shack', that being a foreigner is just too hard an obstacle to overcome, and the devastating effect that would have on my blissful relationship, but I also doubt I would feel any different if I was living on familiar turf. It's a sense of 'not belonging' that has always been a part of who I am.

Writing to you now is stirring up some inspiration, even if it is just to start writing a blog about my experiences...the idea of writing has been gnawing away at me for a while now. Even just about simple things like needing to hem a skirt and wanting to ring my mum for some sewing lessons, before realising that she lived for 15 years as an immigrant with no support network and no way of communicating with her family except by mail... that it took 3 weeks for her to find out her father died and she had so little money that sewing clothes for her 3 children was her only option... :)

Yes your picture has definitely been thought provoking and perhaps just that you mentioned to me that you think of me when you look at it is all that I need to know :)

I hope you are well.

Thanks so much it has been a pleasure sharing my thoughts with you.

Big hugs

Ida

Lea Waters 12 September at 11:42
Wow, you write beautifully Ida. You should certainly start a blog - it will benefit both yourself and others. I wasn't sure why the painting made me think of you but I realise now, after reading your thoughts, that the painting was meant to help act as a trigger for you to put voice to all your feelings right now (at the 3 month mark). You've clearly been doing a lot of reflecting on your life and the lives of those you love, like your mum. I relate to that sense of not belonging and I think that this is a common experience for people who are further along the spiritual journey than most.....we've chosen to be here on earth and yet we know deep down that there is a higher place where we belong. The ultimate truth is that you are eternal and it doesn't matter where you are, you are always HOME.


Lots of love,

Lea

Ida Chiavaro 12 September at 14:10
Dearest Lea,
Your message made me smile from deep inside ... and it seems the catalyst that removed the 'veil of the 3 month mark'! :)

Now some research on Blogs and perhaps how to make money from them is my mission for today... and more frustratingly and I'm sure the reason for me stalling this long is what to call it?

Pieces of Home perhaps?

....Reflections from home or Reflex Reaction - oddly enough my first reflexology pamphlet had that name :)

I love your work Lea you are the Master Inspirer, I hope you are achieving maximum fulfillment and success with your missions and goals right.

As usual a pleasure talking and thinking about you

Lots of Love to you too

Ida

Lea Waters 13 September at 13:04
So nice to know you are smiling on the inside again. Can't wait to read your blog. All the options you've suggested for a title are good.

I'm flattered to be known as a master inspirer.

My life is good - lots of interesting 'external opportunities' have arisen this year and I am sure it is b/c I took the year off last year and did some necessary inner work. All the opportunities involve me pursuing my career in a way that has a high degree of social value and has a wide social reach. My challenge is to not take on too much!!!!


I am getting better at checking in with myself.

Lots of love,

Lea

Ida Chiavaro 18 September at 14:42
Lea can I use the dessert picture in my blog and would you mind if I used some of the dialogue in these messages above for one of my posts. I am happy to keep you completely anonymous or if you prefer set up links to your course or other artwork (if i can work out how to!!! I have started experimenting with a blog at

http://idachiavaro.blogspot.com/


After spending several hours ( I have a lot of time to spare!) I figured I should just start somewhere, so went back to an attempt I made months ago at googles blogspot, but I think there are better sites available.
idachiavaro.blogspot.com
Realising upon reflection, that I had a sign or message of things to come but only understand what it all means once I get there...
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Lea Waters 19 September at 02:16
Go for it girlfriend :-)

I don't need anonymity.

________________________________________________________________

Well there it is. 

Truth is, the blog idea was inspired because while I was writing my response I deleted twice as much as what I finally wrote. I didn't want the message to be too long, and knowing how busy Lea is I considered she might not have the time to read it all.  

A blog is perfect this way I can write it all down and if someone has the time and is interested they can read away... and maybe smile too.

Best wishes 
Ida