Perceptions of Paradise

Knowing we are all different is commonplace.

Accepting that can be a little tough. 

Realising what makes us -and others- tick is a fascinating subject and one that has brought me to a place of new found freedom.

Having spent the last few days completely connected to the source within me (some of you may know what I mean when I say I’m in the vortex) I have been taken to a place which has again opened my eyes to a new world.

Since turning 40 I seem to be learning so much! You would think you know everything by then....

So, what is Paradise?

Sharing with you my thoughts and feeling of paradise may be what one other person sees as an idea of hell on earth. Sounds pretty obvious right? Well, it is! I’m not telling you anything new when I say we all have objective opinions. Here in Egypt this week I have met some amazing people as always and as I have felt so open in my vortex, it’s easy to freely communicate with new folks.

To me, where I am right now, is pure heaven on earth.

Paradise:

I’ll enlighten to you how I see it......

Red sea full of fish, like a scene from “Finding Nemo” yet better than that is being in the hands of experienced divers who give you the total feeling of safety. 

How can it be that the very same waters which houses some dangers can set you so at peace. When you look under water and see the natural tranquility that glides effortlessly throughout the waters everyday, the rest of the world seems so far away.

At the end of every resort (built for the holiday makers) there is a pier. Don’t imagine Eastbourne or Brighton. Much much more simple. Less complex making way for the natural beauty. 

Which is, a backdrop of mountains, the red sea, the shimmering clear waters.

Just this morning a heron came to greet me at 6am on my windy walk. Like a well rehearsed actor he glided in settling in front of me, watching for fish.

Excited, I grabbed my camera and took dozen of photos of him catching his breakfast. Despite the brightness of the suns rays blinding the pictures, I was sure there were some fab photos on there. Literally with fists punching the air with excitement, I could have screamed out,

“YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!”

Nature is a wonder of beauty. She is all around. Being here gives me the freedom to experience really seeing her. Not looking at, but looking through, feeling her, experiencing her, letting her in and soaking her all up.

Loving nature as I do, I always connect and ground myself no matter where I am. Last year in November was Scotland. 

That was emotional! Quite a work of natural art. This October its Egypt. Sharm el Sheikh. So what sets it apart for me?

Have you ever read trip advisor? Leaving the holiday behind seems easy for many. They write on trip advisor in such a manner that you cannot fail to feel their pain of such a clearly awful trip. 

The porcelain in their sink was cracked. 

Lunchtime was self service in a certain restaurant.

Beer was served in half pint not pint measures.

The sun is too hot.

The sand isn’t small enough grains.

Ok.

The list is endless.

For every individual it is relative. For some, a self service restaurant may make or break the holiday. Requesting to move hotels would demonstrate how this is keeping them from connecting, getting in the vortex. What should a holiday be about? What is PARADISE?

I am thinking right now that our entire lives should be paradise. We should be connected all of the time, in the vortex. However, not only listening to Abraham Hicks but also observing while in paradise has shown me that if we spend all of our time without contrast, then the whole life experience becomes on one level. For me, the contrast will come tomorrow, when I leave paradise to come home. Leaving here the last time gave me a pain in my heart which took some getting over. This time I will try to be safe in the knowledge that I can return, making this a part of my life which I can experience at free will. Using the law of attraction I will manifest more trips which fill me up with so much happiness and connectivity. 

Staying here all the time, would I lose the desire to punch the air and shout “YESSS” when I see the heron come for breakfast? Would I take it all for granted?

Most likely.

So what has made me feel that this is paradise? 

The surroundings?

The weather?

The bouganvillia?

The food?

Well in reality they all helped. Although if I were to pick one thing to place at the top of the heat.......

It’s a feeling. 

It’s the feeling the people give you here. The locals, the holiday makers, the staff. If I could have one wish for the world, it would be that we all treat each other lovingly, with respect. Wishing for the world to be at peace.

In a bubble of happiness, my husband and I arrived here feeling like celebrities. Somebody. We were somebody.

Somebody who was appreciated. They all smiled with big hugs and kisses and lots of “Welcome back”. If I could bottle that feeling of appreciation and being ‘somebody’..............sigh........what a wonderful world this would be. 

Paradise on earth

Picture this:

I'm cruising swiftly through deep blue waters. The heat is delightful at 43 degrees with the cool wind blowing.
There is a crew onboard this beautiful boat that treat all visitors simply like royalty. They cannot do enough.

After sailing for a couple of hours, dangling my legs over the side and posing bravely for photos Kate Winslett style (Titanic) there seemed to be another neighbouring boat getting excited. I more like felt the energy than saw it. One man was pointing at something with such conviction that I felt sure he was doing a catalogue pose! Suddenly, I knew assuredly what the excitement was all about.

DOLPHINS!
"Oh my goodness!" I screamed out loudly, "There are dolphins!"

The two boats began honking horns, the crew calling out loudly "Dolphins" And blowing whistles and stomping their feet. The dolphins loved this.....they playfully jumped through the water, circling the boats.
My children squealed in delight at what we could see before our eyes.

After they had played with our senses for a while they were gone.....
Recovering, We sailed some more.

The expert diving crew anchored the boat in the middle of the Red Sea in what I can only call Paradise. I'll use a capital P as it feels rude not to.
Hardly able to describe the feelings I felt, I will tell you a short story instead:
I was looking out at the Red Sea, watching the deep blue water change shades into a gorgeous pale blue turquoise as the water got more shallow leading up to an island in the middle of the sea. Covered by white sand, it simply looked like paradise. I would have loved to have taken a couple of models there for a photo shoot! Wow.
Most of my fellow travellers had left the boat to go snorkelling. Luckily they also swam to the island and walked up onto the sand to experience that paradise under their feet.

Beginning to feel quite overwhelmed by the sight before me, I took a moment looking out from the back of the boat and tried hard to control my feeling. It was like I was being grounded, rooted my feet into the world, the earth, this amazing country. Whatever was going on with me on a spiritual level that day, it moved me.
Leaning on one of the pillars at the back of the boat I couldn't help my eyes as they filled up with tears.
Thinking noone was watching, I was softly asked by the tour guide, "I am so sorry to disturb your thoughts, but can I please ask what the English mean when they say I am pondering?"

Obviously this was a very clever way of asking me if I was ok, without actually being as blunt as that. I felt his warmth was kind.
Deciding that he probably knew exactly what pondering was, I gave a brief explanation hoping that I could speak without the emotions I felt getting worse.

I failed.

I cried.

Happy tears? Well, yes, I believe so. I'm pretty sure what I felt was "Joy" which is the thing we should all be feeling all of the time, every day of our lives. That is the highest emotion. Everything is going to be ok, because we feel Joy.
Part of me felt a little sad. What were we doing to our world? The biggest house, the fastest car, the fattest wallet, the fattest waistband (!), the lack of time for others, dashing around all day every day, stressed, just to pay the bills. This is still never good enough for us as we always want more.
Yet, right there, at that moment in time......none of this mattered.

I was having "a moment" with the universe. It was spectacular!

The tour guy and me went on to have a very very deep conversation, speaking about lifestyles and the differences between muslim countries and Europe. How the ladies are so happy to be treated like princesses, they just look after the family. I say JUST like it's nothing much. Yet it's a hard job. Rewarding, but tough. When you work full time and expect a show home and perfect meal cooked every night before helping the children with their homework, and walk the dog, and goto the gym for the perfect body........
On the surface of things, looking materialistically, we might be forgiven for thinking these guys have less than us. Although do they? They make time for each other, respect the world and respect each other.

Tell me, who has got it right? Studying the Law of Attraction over the past couple of years, I can clearly see from that moment and that conversation that in Egypt, the locals naturally live life by the Law of Attraction. They are at peace every day while smiling thankfully. This is something I am 'practising' to get good at!

Bringing about these thoughts gave me even more access to the beauty of mother nature that day. I then jumped in and snorkelled myself, I FOUND NEMO! Amazing sight.
That evening I watched a lunar eclipse in a perfectly clear sky.

I felt the universe was telling me not to walk around with my eyes closed. There is so much to see. So much Joy to be felt. Allowing myself to feel it was a true honour.