Cauldrons and Cupcakes

Celebrating Life, Spirituality, Creativity and Kindness!

The Comforting Dream

  It’s funny: I always imagined when I was a kid that adults had some kind of inner toolbox full of shiny tools: the saw of discernment, the hammer of wisdom, the sandpaper of patience. But then when I grew up I found that life handed you these rusty bent old tools – friendships, prayer, […]

The Backup Plan

  Even when God is your co-pilot, it pays to pack a parachute. ― Dean Koontz Hey, Lovelies. I am feeling proud of myself this morning. A while ago I decided to get someone to help me on a project, and we made a start. But communication wasn’t good, there were always excuses, and as the […]

Peaks and Troughs

  Life is just a series of peaks and troughs, and you don’t know whether you’re in a trough until you’re climbing out, or on a peak until you’re coming down. And that’s it you know, you never know what’s round the corner. But it’s all good.  ~ Ricky Gervais Hey, Lovelies. In chronic illness, […]

Touching The Wall

Sometimes it is the meaning we give something that makes it special. For me, it was touching the wall. A symbolic victory, a sign of progress, a reason to celebrate…

Universal Right Timing

  Coincidences link us to the unknown and weave us into it. ― Doug Dillon Hey, Lovelies. Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing? Yesterday, after a rough night, I needed to get myself to an early-morning hairdressing appointment about 30 minutes from my home. I got Ben to drive me there, because I wasn’t up to it, […]

Comfort From Beyond

  They say love is eternal… They say love is enduring. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails… It is one of my favorite passages in the bible. There is a quality about that kind of love that transcends our mortal understanding. ― Kaleb Kilton Hey, Lovelies. We’ve been juggling a […]

Walking As A Meditation

  I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~ John Muir   Hey, Lovelies. Do you have trouble trying to meditate? There is a powerful meditation practice you could try that involves movement. It’s one of my favourites […]

Our Favourite Mandarin Gin Cocktail or Mocktail Recipe 😊🧡

  Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you. ~ William Shakespeare Hey, Lovelies. As you will know, it’s become a tradition here at the Treehouse to celebrate Friday night with a Happy Hour. Our neighbours often join us, or perhaps we’ll go to their place for Friday night drinks, but last night it was […]

Random Happy Things From My Week

  If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy. ― Dorothy Parker Hey, Lovelies. It’s been quite the week. Lots of […]

What it means to sit with a big question

  Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. ~ Rainer Maria Rilke Hey, Lovelies. One of the most important gifts you can give yourself is the patience and care to sit with something that forms a big or […]

The Soul-Sucking Reality Of Chronic Illness

  Having a chronic illness, Molly thought, was like being invaded. Her grandmother back in Michigan used to tell about the day one of their cows got loose and wandered into the parlor, and the awful time they had getting her out. That was exactly what Molly’s arthritis was like: as if some big old […]

I always said I was no good at art

  Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. – Pablo Picasso Hey, Lovelies. Yesterday I made art. This is something very new for me. I have always considered myself no good at art. Childhood experiences left me terrified to even make marks on a page. But recently I put together some […]

The Usefulness Of Tears

  Tears are words that need to be written. ~ Paulo Coelho Hey, Lovelies. I’ve had an unexpected companion these past few months. Tears. They sit just below the surface most days, and digging deeper rarely helps me see a cause. At first I had thought they might be illness related, but now? Now I […]

Getting to know my other neighbours

  I think the most important quality in a birdwatcher is a willingness to stand quietly and see what comes. Our everyday lives obscure a truth about existence – that at the heart of everything there lies a stillness and a light. ― Lynn Thomson Hey, Lovelies. One of the best things about living in the […]

The Slow Climb Back

  I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive. ~ Frida Kahlo Hey, Lovelies. I have missed you. Also, I have missed myself. These past two weeks have been hard. (Don’t know what happened? Go here.) It has taken time to get my new medication right, and we’re […]

Well, That Was Unexpected…

  She looked as if she were about to burst into tears, but she was wonderful at catching the ball of her own mood in mid-air. ~ Rebecca West Hey, Lovelies. Well, this has certainly been the year. As you know, I live with a complex bucketful of dodgy genes, autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, post-viral […]

Owning Our HeART Space

  …and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough? ~ Vincent Willem van Gogh Hey, Lovelies. Yesterday, art happened. Ever since we moved to the treehouse, our walls have been mostly bare. We own art, but it was not on the walls. We wanted to […]

Not Everyone Peaks Early

  So called ‘late-bloomers’ get a bad rap. Sometimes the people with the greatest potential often take the longest to find their path because their sensitivity is a double edged sword- it lives at the heart of their brilliance, but it also makes them more susceptible to life’s pains. Good thing we aren’t being penalized […]

What The Doctors Said, What The Nurses Said

  It would not be possible to praise nurses too highly. ~ Stephen Ambrose Hey, Lovelies. I’m staying home today. I’m not planning on going ANYWHERE. And if you’re squeamish or have issues with bodily emissions stop reading now, or go straight to the bottom of the page… As most of you know I am […]

This Quiet Moment – A Way To Cope Better With Life

“Feel your emotions, Live true your passions, Keep still your mind.” ~ Geoffrey M. Gluckman Hey, Lovelies. One of the skills I have honed (by necessity) over many years is coping. Yep. Coping. Here’s the definition according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology: coping n. the use of cognitive and behavioral strategies to manage the […]

Stepping Away For A Few Days!

  Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. ~ Noam Chomsky Hey, Lovelies. We’ve got some big stuff going on right now, so I am stepping away from the blog […]

Pantser vs Plotter

  The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. ~ Dr. Seuss Hey, Lovelies! In preparation for my first session with my writing coach tomorrow, they have sent me notes on the manuscript excerpt and synopsis I recently submitted to them. The […]

You Can Still Join My Healing And Space-Holding Meditations This Weekend

  Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.~ Lao Tzu Hey, Lovelies. Did you see yesterday’s post? Would you like some extra love, positive energy and support at this time? This week has been about upgrading your thinking, about being bold with your decisions and actions, and […]

Well, that was disappointing! Epic. Cake. Fail.

  “Mma Ramotswe sighed. ‘We are all tempted, Mma. We are all tempted when it comes to cake.’ That is true,’ said Mma Potokwane sadly. ‘There are many temptations in this life, but cake is probably one of the biggest of them.” ― Alexander McCall Smith Hey, Lovelies. As most of you are aware, I’m on […]

Is It Really Too Late?

  You say it’s too late. In my opinion, only a thimbleful of situations in life are that dire. Death begins and ends that list. Everything else is simply an obstacle that must be dealt with. ~ Kathleen Baldwin Hey, Lovelies! I had some strong responses to my post yesterday. Most of them were people […]

You Never Know…

  So have adventures. Go exploring. Drive around at midnight. Feel the wind running through your hair. Life is so short, my darling. And there’s no day like today. ~ Morgan Matson Hey Lovelies, Life is a precious gift, and one that can be all too brief. Before you came to this life, you had […]

My New Beach Wheels

  Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into. ~ Wayne Dyer Hey, Lovelies. We took a walk on the beach at low tide yesterday. The sand was hard beneath our feet, and the beach was empty, because the weather was cold and bleak. I spied a lone item on the […]

Simple Steps To Increase Intuition

    The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. ~ Albert Einstein Hey, Lovelies. I know many of you are feeling disconnected from your intuitive flow right now. All of us are intuitive […]

Embracing Being A Beginner

  The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried. ~ Stephen McCranie Hey, Lovelies. I had a beautiful session with a new client yesterday. She is approaching an exciting time in her life – the end of one career with glimpses of something new in the wings, something creative and heart-felt […]

Your Unrealised Creative Dream – What If It’s All About Timing?

  There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness. ~ Shannon L. Alder Hey, Lovelies. Have you got a dream that just isn’t happening? A problem that just isn’t fixing? A situation that just isn’t resolving? Or an idea you just can’t stop thinking about? There’s something in the air right now, with the […]

Laughing, and eating sugar!

If you don’t laugh you’ll cry. ~ everyone’s Nana, Pop or wise mentor at some stage Hey, Lovelies. I had one of those work days yesterday. I started really early. I finished really late, and we managed to jam a number of emergencies into the small gaps in my day – because so many people […]

Yesterday

Coping is non-linear, messy and ongoing. And yet, there is still so much beauty…

Insights, Inspiration and Action – Monday Oracle 13 June 2022

The energies this week support a gentle letting go of the things that have been weighing us down. There doesn’t need to be a struggle or a big dramatic scene. In fact, the very best kind of letting go is one where we decide to let something go with grace and ease. When we let go, we invite new possibilities…

Two Delightful Gifts

Today is a gift. Today is all I have. I be fully awake in today. ~ Lailah Gifty Akita Hey, Lovelies. I experienced two unexpected gifts yesterday. The first one was from nature. I started work very early, and ended late in the day, but in the middle I had a gap of a couple […]

It’s Okay To Ask for Help

  Problems are not the problem; coping is the problem. ~ Virginia Satir Hey, Lovelies. I know, I know. You are great at helping others. So good at it. You are also good at advising others to seek help. Because, we all need it from time to time, right? I also know that when we […]

Easy Poached Chicken Breast Recipe – So Moist!

The chicken is a little dry and you’ve ruined my life. ~ Ben Lerner Hey, Lovelies! Having cooked chicken breasts in my fridge or freezer means I have easy protein to add to a salad, pasta, burritos, stirfry, rice, sandwiches or soup. I make this simple recipe almost weekly, and it makes life so much […]

Lighten Up By Letting Go – Monday Oracle 6 June 2022

The energies this week support a gentle letting go of the things that have been weighing us down. There doesn’t need to be a struggle or a big dramatic scene. In fact, the very best kind of letting go is one where we decide to let something go with grace and ease. When we let go, we invite new possibilities…

Friday Night Vibes

  Music always sounds better on Friday. ~ Lou Brutus Hey, Lovelies. I am really coming to love Fridays. We’ve got a bit of a thing happening now at the Treehouse on a Friday afternoon. I finish work early. Ben and I might do some writing together. That feels amazing… It’s been too long since […]

Don’t Be Too Quick To Judge A Messed-Up Life

  I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of […]

Do you have a TBR pile?

Books. They are friends, medicine, an escape. They are inspiration, guidance and a soothing balm. And I have a pile of them, just waiting to be read…

To Find Your Flow You Need To Rest

Have you lost your mojo, or your connection to your intuition or creativity? I have a solution that’s easy to apply in daily life, and which works very effectively as a first step back to flow…

How To Work With The Energy of Forgiveness

    Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. ~ Suzanne Somers Hey, Lovelies. How’s your heart? Not your physical heart, but your emotional one. Your spiritual one. The energy of your heart chakra. Is it in flow? Do you feel peaceful, connected, open, uplifted and compassionate? Negative emotions can disrupt the flow of your […]

The Boy With The Sore Finger

Sometimes, those incidental questions and remarks turn out to be the most important ones. A story of how a small insight during a chat helped to save a young boy’s life…

Chai Tea Recipe From Scratch

  When tea becomes ritual, it takes place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things. ~ Muriel Barbery Hey, Lovelies. I’m a big believer in self-nurture.  And you already know that I am also an embracer of the small things in life.  For me, one of those small pleasures is […]

The Dream Turtle And His Message

A good message will always find a messenger. ~ Amelia Barr Hey, Lovelies. I am used to being the messenger – the one who brings insights and information to others via my readings, my writing or my teaching. Yesterday, though, I was blessed to be the recipient of a message. One of my Inner Circle […]

Salt Water Is The Cure

  The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea. ~ Isak Dinesen Hey, Lovelies. This is one of my favourite quotes, and I find it to be true. Everything that has been hard in my life has been helped by tears, or sweat, or the ocean. They are good coping skills […]

Things To Be Grateful For When Life Is Sh*tty And Hard

  In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich. ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer Hey, Lovelies. I was speaking with a friend yesterday who is going through a very rough, very dark patch in her life. She has […]

What Fills Your Cup? Do More Of That!

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the […]

Creamy Sausage and Mushroom Pasta Recipe

    He chopped a garlic, set a pot of water to boil on the stove, and poured a healthy amount of kosher salt into it. He threw the garlic in a pan of olive oil and let it sizzle for just a minute before taking it off the heat. The smell began to relax […]

Quack! How’s The Weather Where You Are?

  In terms of habitat, ducks can be found anywhere that is wet. ~ Victoria de Rijke Hey, Lovelies. I think you might need to start calling me Ducky! The rain here at the treehouse has been incessant. At times, it has been cyclonic. Days after days after days of this weather. Around us, everything […]

Deuteronomy, Demons, Anxiety and Yoga Barbie

  When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. The emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include: Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations Building skills to manage your stress Increasing self-awareness Focusing on the present Reducing negative emotions Increasing imagination and […]

Mental Health Breaks And Why You Need Them

  I needed some space to lay myself out, so that I could decide which pieces I wanted to pick up. ~ Fennel Hudson Hey, Lovelies! I was scrolling through my social media feed yesterday and came upon a post from one of my favourite creatives. She was posting to let us know that she […]

The Dancing Bamboo

  The seed of a bamboo tree is planted, fertilized and watered. Nothing happens for the first year. There´s no sign of growth. Not even a hint. The same thing happens – or doesn´t happen – the second year. And then the third year. The tree is carefully watered and fertilized each year, but nothing […]

The Things We Talk About In Book Club

  I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library. ― Jorge Luis Borges Hey, Lovelies. We are discussing the book Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer in our Inner Circle Book Club right now. It’s a beautiful book that blends science, botany, Native American mythology, ancestral wisdom and natural history. In between […]

Why are you so awkward about your Spiritual Practice?

  The things that matter stay with you, seep into your skin. ~Christina Baker Kline Hey, Lovelies. I want to have a quiet chat with you today. I want to reassure you. Your spiritual practice matters. I know, you feel self-conscious about it at times. You can feel awkward and unsure, and a bit silly. […]

Pear and Chocolate Bread Pudding Recipe

  If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage? ~Marie Rabutin-Chantal De Sévigné Hey, Lovelies! What can be better for dessert than the classic combination of pear and chocolate, […]

When It Finally Felt Like Home

  The home should be the treasure chest of living. ~ Le Corbusier Hey, Lovelies. Something shifted for me in the past two weeks. Finally, the treehouse feels like home. It’s hard to define, but the shift is so strong. I am settled here. Peaceful in a way I haven’t been since early childhood. Perhaps […]

Easter Egg Oracle and Nicole’s Easter Vacation Dates

    As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate. ~ Sandra Boynton Hey, Lovelies! […]

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