Discover and cultivate “Beauty” in your life!

“Beauty” is a practical guide to creating the life you want to live.

This is hugely exciting, as is the fact that Amalia’s personal website is now live! www.humani-tree.com has been inspired by her outlook on life and her personal experiences.  It was made possible by a group of people all dedicated to improving the quality of life on our home Earth.

I invite you to join us in that quest, and to improve your own life in the process!

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, as well as “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

SELF-ESTEEM: we owe it to ourselves…

“On our excursions in the mountains, he always watched the birds flying freely, that was the only thing that gave him pleasure”.  Those were the words of a good friend when she had recently lost her husband, he was only 50.

In retrospect I can understand how he, like so many others, had become a victim of the delusions that we are conditioned to live with by choosing a life that didn’t allow him the freedom to be himself.  He wasn’t able to pursue his genuine needs and wants because he sacrificed them in order to win the recognition and reaffirmation of others around him, his wife included.

How many other’s lives and relationships have been sacrificed to the need to satisfy delusions and egoism?  How many of those mechanisms, that automatically alter our self-image, are fueled by social conditioning and erroneous beliefs that hold us captive in our own delusions.

Megalomania, xenomania, the compulsion to acquire possessions, power and recognition, counterfeit love, alleged security, freedom, and sensual pleasure become the ghosts that haunt our untrained minds, and we willingly dedicate our lives to chasing those shadows.  Worst of all is the fact that we don’t even realize how trapped we are in that grotto of delusion, just as Plato described it in his “Cave Myth”.

For years and years I dwelled in that “cave” too, choosing to believe that was just how life was, that those “accomplishments” were the purpose of our existence.  I was another victim…  Experiences came my way in order to “awaken” me, but I hadn’t yet reached the turning point of my awakening.  I was living in pain, bereft of any sense of satisfaction or fulfillment, and that state was what eventually turned my head and fueled the strength I needed to stir the freedom that was nesting inside me.  I kept asking myself: “Why are all these things happening to me?  Why am I suffering so?”  From the depths of my soul a voice kept saying, “I want out of here!”  It was that inner voice which guided me providing me more and more strength with which to break the bonds of illusion that were holding me back.  I finally entered the Light of the Sun, at first just as discovery but gradually experiencing the grandeur of existence that is leading all of us, with everything in and around us, toward the path of genuine happiness – all we have to do is to want it too.

I received the greatest gift of life: the opening of my own mind to the knowledge of self, and in consciously following that path the gift keeps giving, enabling me to express that knowledge creatively for the Greater Good and the Good of All.  Once that gift was opened all sorts of other wonderful things popped out as well.  Each new discovery seemed to emerge from within the one before it, like Russian “Babushka” dolls, revealing the gifts of inner worth, inner strength, inner security, inner freedom, inner love, and inner happiness.  The Light of the Sun was shining in me and in all aspects of my life more and more each day, revealing to me that all of those things I had been seeking for so many years around me, were actually there in me all along, just waiting to be expressed and shared.

I overturned everything in my life because, suddenly I realized I was free, I could see inside myself and around me all of those things that for years I was not able to perceive.  I began to appreciate the fragrance of my existence which enchanted me with its quality and strength.

Everything I had always been taught to seek externally, through the eyes and opinions of others, I now had awakened within my very core.  I achieved that with a lot of struggling and effort, but it was mine, my own creation made possible by my determination.

My sense of self-worth became deeply rooted in my every thought, word and action.  The essence of life, the truth of my reality and my unconditional love saturated and illuminated my every cell.  An immense source of conscious awareness was established inside me, accompanied by a new perception and understanding of life that I had never known before.  So many ideas, new ideas were constantly being born in my mind, and I felt an unprecedented need to express myself, as my own gift toward my fellow humans, as my personal contribution to a better world.  By appreciating just how important health and enlightenment are to every “cell” of our society, every human being in our community, the healthier and brighter the entire “body” of human kind can become.

My feminine energy has reached beyond creation on a physical level, the act of giving birth, to express itself as an intellectual womb.  It has brought forth into my world the twins of unity and equality.  Through my conscious realization that all of us humans are united and equal as beings on an existential level, I effectively dissolved all of the misconceptions that I had been brought up to believe.  I am not blaming anyone for those misconceptions, not myself or those who raised me because we were all steeped in the same ignorance.  In the course of my life however I managed to break away from that ignorance and allow myself to harmonize with the higher energy frequencies of comradeship, liberation, catharsis, truth, wisdom, beauty, innovation, creativity and sharing which I sensed other celestial beings were graciously sharing with me, and that I in turn have been so grateful for…

Now I live each day with a sense of self-worth, I appreciate my value through the observation of my inner eye.  I am free from the opinions of others, liberated from the need for reaffirmation from individuals who are still living in the delusion of social conditioning.  I discovered new sources of self-esteem inside myself and am now able to appreciate the talents, abilities and qualities that make me who I am: integrity, responsibility, sincerity, kindness, generosity, compassion, good taste and creativity.  By becoming familiar with my unwavering will to evolve, and through my efforts to become a better person, to understand my experiences and accept all aspects of myself so that I can work to improve my faults and strengthen my weaknesses, I can finally express and share my strengths.  By showing trust in myself and being an active participant in my life I thereby apply myself to a common challenge that many people are facing.  By concentrating on a meaningful purpose on a global scale, I am able to make the greatest possible contribution to human society.

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

 

VILLAGE LIFE

“You are attractive and educated, how come you are living in a village?”

That question was put to me just yesterday by I woman I ran into.  To her, as to many other neighbors I have acquired here, it is simply incomprehensible, even though they see me here among them every day in this place I have chosen to call home, a village that belongs to another era…

Once snugly inside my log cabin, all night I wondered, “Why is it that so many here find my choice so peculiar?”

Of course I realized that it was the same query that filled the minds of my family and social circle when I first decided to relocate to the countryside, seeking the warmth of nature’s embrace.

It is the intrinsic trust I have for my inner guide which once again provided me the strength and the answers for that step which had summarily been rejected by those around me.  Yet again that inner voice softly whispered: “Listen to the guidance from deep within, don’t seek the approval of others who live and think differently than you do.  Every one of them judges in their own way, from the perspective of their experiences and conditioning.”

That woman’s question, “You are attractive and educated, how come you are living in a village?”, set in motion a train of thought:  it was the norm that only “unattractive” and “uneducated” people lived in villages, and an anomaly for “attractive and educated” people to want to.  The question itself brought an answer to mind in the form of a lovely flower that my imagination painted.  “Where will a flower be happiest?  In the earth which nourished it until it bloomed?  Or cut and on display in a vase in some socialite’s salon, where at best it may receive a passing glance of admiration?”

Oh, what we put ourselves through for the sake of being admired…

That embedded need for reaffirmation of our worth, from existence, from the opinions of others…  How many lives have been bound up in its web?  How much joy and happiness have been suppressed?   Why do our minds and egos seek so to feed on the evaluations of others?  How great our sense of freedom and happiness would be if their source were none other than our own sense of self-worth developed through a conscious way of life?

By hunting happiness through monetary wealth and profit, social recognition and professional success, the “treasure” you think you are amassing is only a handful of lumps of coal.

To see the proof all you need to do is to notice how many people have chosen to follow that model in their lifestyle.  The majority are not living the happiness they thought their efforts would bring them and are also plagued by constant stress.  I can’t help observing the angst that drives not only those who aspire to creating that lifestyle for themselves but also those struggling to maintain such a lifestyle, to feed their addiction for approval.

In large cities human relations become impersonal and superficial.  How could it be any other way when most people have no time to breathe?  How can they be expected to give their time for others when they are unable to find time for their own selves?  How can you give something you haven’t got?  How can they become conscious of their condition when they have no time to sit and reflect on what is happening inside them and around them every day of their lives?

Worst of all, most people never even ask themselves, “What is going on here, why do I constantly feel stressed out?”  Fleeting thoughts, often disregarded as the result of exhaustion, may cause them to slow things down temporarily, but only for the purpose of gathering strength to renew with even greater zeal the quest for satisfaction.  That behavior usually only creates a cycle that rarely if ever leads to any meaningful re-evaluation of one’s life.

We have come to resemble androids programmed to generate profit and favorable opinions from others as the measure of our value and influence.  We remain blind and deaf to the messages our own bodies try to give us: dissatisfaction, illness, disharmonious relationships, absence of joy, those are all symptoms of stress that our own bodies generate.  And we ignore them, because we refuse to acknowledge anything but “success”, “wealth”, “recognition”… poor concepts in comparison to what ur souls are really seeking.

We persist in living at such a fast pace because the belief that the “faster” you live, work, play, the more money you’ll earn has been deeply ingrained in us.  We have been conditioned that the more money one has, the more respect they will be shown.  The more respect someone is shown the more value they have and the more value they have, the greater recognition they will enjoy socially.  The more humane life rhythms of the countryside on the other hand, are viewed as base social retrogression.

“Who will I become if I suddenly stop running in the ‘rat race’?”  “What will be my value if I received no recognition from others?”  “Who am I if I’m not like the others?”

Those are just a few of the questions, the answers for which are hibernating within us.  All of us at any time have the choice to waken that part of us which is sleeping, to open the door to life and allow the light of genuine happiness to flood our being.

If we manage to unearth the illusions upon which we build our lives, if we have the will and daring to break our bonds to the illusory “needs” that have been imposed on us by the alleged progress of the industrial revolution with its unbridled thirst for profit, then we could become consciously aware of the matrix in which we live.  When you perceive the fact that what is presented to us as progress, what concentrates large portions of populations in cities on the false pretense of a “better” life, it is a startling revelation.  Humans crush themselves into concrete cages, far removed from nature, the source of any real autonomy and independence.  We search in vain through false stimuli for joy, happiness and some meaning to our existence.  The result is that we lose our connection with the earth and sky, and the blessings of serenity, joy and happiness that connection provides are torn from our lives.  To be surrounded by organic life is an endless source of energy: plants and animals, the sun, the moon, the rain, the wind… we all share that life force which nurtures and creates.

Where else are we to access that strength if not from our primordial connection to the earth and our connection to our own being?  Where better to re-establish and strengthen those connections than the countryside, than a village?

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

Not so secret admirers…

Role Models for Admiration?

Attractive faces, nice clothes, the rich and famous, titles of nobility, grand homes, social recognition…  Those are the images we are conditioned to admire: on the internet, in magazines, and very often in day to day life.

For years I was caught up in that system of measuring value, power, success that is promoted as the absolute purpose for any human life.

As I entered puberty however a light inside me guided me toward another path, timidly at first but as the years passed my steps became more confident, and I could distinguish the essence from the illusions.

I was just a girl of ten when I first wondered: “Why are we alive?  What is it we are born to do?  Where do people go when they die?”

Like most young people my mind was full of questions…

The situations I faced were such that I was led to seek the answers I sought so keenly on my own from a very early age.

I found answers initially in books.  I felt that each book was a wise soul that could understand and guide me on my quest.  I didn’t feel that way about just any book though.  I was seeking something beyond sterile knowledge and information; I was looking for life force, the pulse of existence.  I was particularly fond of any book which propelled me to better myself, as a human being.  Books about positive thinking, about esoteric development, books drawn from the lives of others, those books have been my companions throughout every moment of my life.

I’ve always had particular interest in biographies, the stories of real-life “warriors” who managed to surpass the difficulties they encountered on their path and to share their message.  I was mesmerized.  Every word, every meaning that I discovered within those pages stirred something deep inside me that I was then unaware of and wouldn’t discover until years later.

At the same time all of the external visual and auditory prompts accounts of success, worthiness, glory, fame, beauty which bombarded me relentlessly in my immediate environment were fertilizing the seeds of my own search for self.

Questions were constantly coming to mind with increasing frequency, in particular from the point when I began to blaze my own trail, to sense the flame burning inside me and to heed the inner voice which was guiding me.  I often asked myself: “Should I admire those people?  Have I chosen those role models for admiration?  Or have those role models been imposed on me by others?”

As the years passed my own life would come to insure that my attention was drawn to my own enlightenment and not the “enlightenment” of others.  That enabled me to distinguish between my chosen role models and those projected by others.

All things simple, unaffected, well-formed, true, bright, kind, just, open, of essence, tender, sweet, romantic, serene, free, honorable, sensitive, sincere, artistic, creative, noble…   Compassion, love…  Those were and are the qualities that are worthy of admiration to my mind in any individual or situation.

Those are the notes that compose the melody of the soul, the majesty that exists within every human which is concealed under layers of ignorance and illusion.

Until when?

Until each of us finds the will to break the chains of ignorance and illusion and see the Sun in ourselves and all that surrounds us.  The choice is ours, our actions ours as well.  We are all uniquely responsible for our own reality.

I once told someone close to me: “If I feel you are limiting my freedom, that will guarantee that you lose me.”  At that time I wasn’t aware that “external” factors are not able to limit our freedom, only we ourselves are.  That was the first step on the path to discovering the source of my freedom inside, to realize how much power we give to those around us to determine our freedom when all the time it is right their inside us just waiting to be acknowledged.  We don’t see it because it is inside us while we insist on looking outside us.  It was suddenly clear to me that what I really needed was my inner freedom, not to be told I was or wasn’t free by others.

So how do we achieve that?

Only through knowledge of self could I hope to discover the path to that freedom from ignorance and illusion.  The will to liberate myself enabled me to perceive that I, like so many others’ was bound in Plato’s cave”, bound by the limitations set by my own mind.

I however, wanted truly to liberate myself, whatever the cost.

That conscious realization illuminated within me yet another aspect of my reality, it brought me closer to inner harmony with my own life models, to the examples I admired.

It dawned on me that what had enchanted me from childhood in the pages of my favourite books, was the turning point in perception that I was finally experiencing myself.

I admired and still admire the free spirit that which dwells in every human soul.

I admired and still admire the daring our soul exhibits in its ability to overturn any adversity at will.

I admired and still admire the soul’s dynamism in overcoming any obstacle.

I admired and still admire the majesty of the soul in creating a new a true life.

I admired and still admire every soul which becomes an example to be emulated through its life and works, thoughts and practices.

I admired and still admire the soul that can envision a better society and contribute to that goal in its own way, through the qualities, talents and abilities it has.

Those are the role models for admiration that inspire me: conscious proactive participants in life, earthly and humane examples of individuals who manage to fly high while keeping their feet firmly on the ground.  That is the majesty of a life of meaning and purpose.

I consider that the means by which I can honor and validate the gift of life I have been given, this unique human existence on Earth that I dedicate to the Greater Good and the Good of ALL!

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

 

Three Years of Country Living

THREE YEARS LATER…

Nearly three years have passed since I decided to leave our nation’s capital and take up permanent residence in the countryside, in areas far removed from the “security” of civilization.

Having been born and raised in the capital city, to most my decision seemed crazy and to others it seemed ill advised and or impulsive.

For me however it was a decision guided by my soul, the result of my willingness to live outside the comfort zone of many.  It was an expression of my freedom to “be myself”, to pursue my own wants rather than what others wanted for me.

I’m rather accustomed to my actions evoking reactions from others.  It isn’t a matter of whether they “like” or “approve” of those actions, that is a superficial explanation at best.  On a deeper, subconscious level my actions caused them to face their own fears and insecurities.

That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t facing fears and doubts of my own, but I embraced those fears and carried on, telling myself: “go ahead and you will see on the way…”.  My fear wasn’t of failure; it was of not having made the effort, not having had the courage to venture from the most travelled path.  As a result I had the duty to support myself, working internally on those doubts and defending myself in the face of others’ opinions of my actions and choices.

As throughout all of my life, these past three years everything around me offered valuable lessons because that is how I’ve always chosen to view life.  The emotions I felt, the thoughts I had, the people I met, the homes I lived in, the environment surrounding me, everything that fell within my perception whether an animal or a piece of furniture, became my “teacher”.

I learned from everything…

How?

By being “present” in my own life, in other words conscious of what I was doing and why, of what I was feeling and why, of what I was thinking and why, of what I was experiencing and why…

Three years later, having lived the results of my decisions and efforts, I feel yet again oh so blessed, and continue to follow my soul’s bidding!

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

Mental Habits

Something old, something new…

How much power do we expend, over months, days moments – due to the importance we give to our mental habits?

Christmas is coming so we are “obliged” to be cheerful, to exchange gifts and wishes, to meet with friends…

The New Year is coming so we are “obliged” to feel joyful in the face of a promised new hope, an expectation, something “new” and “different” to replace the “old” and “familiar”…

The holiday season comes and goes with dizzying speed, receding like a flood tide and taking with it all of the momentary glitter and magic.  What remains however is a void  and the return of the routine.

Was that all?

No…

If we manage to “emerge” from our mental pattern long enough to view life from a new perspective, we can realize that the same anticipation and expectation with which we approach the holiday season, should characterize the way in which we face every day of our lives.  Full of possibilities…

When we live consciously, in daily communication with our own being, observing all that exists within and without us, seeking to comprehend our every thought and experience, then we transform every day of the year into a joyful celebration.

Joy is born in our every cell, saturating our being because we are able to learn, to develop, to create and to share!

Viewing life from that perspective, every day of the year has its own unique value and dynamism.  Every moment is a seed that bears the potential to germinate, bloom and share its fragrance of understanding and freedom.  ALL becomes ONE, and ONE becomes ALL.

If we are able to behave toward each other with genuine interest and good will, positivity, love and the desire to share… then every moment of our life, every day of the year and of our life will become a blessing!

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

The Heart of Cooperation

On my beloved mountain, untouched by tourism, in harmony with another Greece, a Greece of simplicity and authenticity, today December 21^st 2014 sitting in my wooden refuge which years before was just a dream, the refuge in which my thoughts and feelings express themselves without interruption, I feel the need to write…

Life here in the village, far from affectations and posturing, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, everything takes on new dimensions, reflecting truth and essence…  I feel yet again the gratitude flooding my every cell, every aspect of my being.  I am grateful for everything in my life… the easy and the difficulties.

As always I want to extract the essence from my every experience, the very best elements they have to offer, all their valuable lessons.  I experience every life event as a blessing.  Every event transformed into knowledge and awareness, seen through the eyes of my soul each becomes a unique opportunity for evolution…

Seeing things from this perspective, as “my lessons”, which even recently overturned all that I considered certain in my life, serves to make me even stronger.  The verification of my will and daring support me till the end, whatever that end may be.  By discerning between maintaining a friendly attitude and standing up for my right to protect the products of my inspiration and creativity for the Greater Good, mine and that of all…

Within that framework I wish to thank with all my heart my dear friends Victoria, Kostis, Giota and my life partner Giorgos who all stand by me with honor and ethics encouraging and supporting the vision that gives meaning and essence to my life.  With those individuals we all share the same values and we are all driven in our efforts by the light which exists within us.

We are all working together toward a better society, where egocentricity, greed pettiness, exploitation and personal interest will give way to respect, dignity, genuine interest and assistance to our fellow humans.

I feel compassion and understanding for all who haven’t learnt to live guided by sincerity, justice, and kindness, those who continue to act contrary to the common good disrespecting freedom of thought and speech.

It is their choice.

But that is where our paths diverge…

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

“Animal” Instincts and Emotional Intelligence

I have had the opportunity, or rather the blessing in my life to grow up with animals in our home.  There were nearly always one or more dogs.  Some were pure bred some were strays that I found on the street.

Every Easter, when we would visit a village, I also managed to befriend the lambs, kid goats and donkeys that happened to live there.  My sister and I would bottle feed the lambs, and I would always care for any animal that I encountered.  It was very common for my sister and I to wander about the fields followed by a procession of dogs, goats and sheep…

From early childhood I understood that animals have intelligence, emotions and personality.  I had the opportunity to observe their reactions to me, as a human, but also their behavior among themselves.  It was clear that they had their own social canons that governed their interaction.

I couldn’t understand why some people used phrase like: “Dogs are all alike.” Or “It’s an animal, it’s senseless.”  Sometimes it made me angry that so many people seemed to have no respect for non-human creatures.

I have been fortunate that then, and now, that I share my time between the sea and the mountains, I was and am able to maintain contact with all of the animals that have had such an impact on my life and that are etched in my earliest childhood memories.

As an adult that has actively sought esoteric development and, as a result, altered her consciousness, I find myself once again spending time with those beloved creatures.  I revel in my walks on the mountain in the company of the sheep and goats, confirming that which I had observed as a child: their intelligence.

I realize now that it is impossible for me to single-handedly rescue every stray I find, or to save every farm animal from slaughter…  The pain I felt as a child because of my inability to help those animals has now been transformed into an active intervention at the source: working toward raising human consciousness of the way we perceive animals.

I have chosen writing as the means to that end, my way of reaching out to my fellow humans and entreating them to develop more conscientious and responsible attitudes and behavior towards our non-human neighbors.  At a deeper level respect for life itself, whatever the form.  Many may be thinking : “But they are only animals…”

True, they may be animals, but every life form has its value within the ALL of existence.  Every unique being is the creation of a higher universal force.

The meaning of existence, as acknowledged by Quantom Physics, has acquired new significance in the knowledge that every life form is energy.  Every energy has a unique vibration.  As such everything, humans, animals, plants and all that surrounds us vibrates at different frequencies, speeds and directions.

Thousands of years prior the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus stated that every life form is connected to a great energy plain (from the lowest and slowest vibration, to the highest and fastest): and thus to a great material plain, intellectual plain and spiritual plain.  Every plain of existence is broken down into seven sub-levels – and each sub-level into seven more specialized levels.  The great material plain is categorized into solid, liquid and gaseous.  The intellectual plain is categorized into plants, animals and humans.  The great spiritual plain is populated by beings of high frequency, known to metaphysicists.

It is no accident that two animals are particularly close to humans: the dog and the horse.  Their contribution to the quality of human life is acknowledged both for companionship and assistance.  Those animals are at a high level of consciousness and their spiritual development moves parallel with that of humans on the intellectual plain.

A few day ago I was given the opportunity yet again, albeit in a very different and unexpected way, to perceive the consciousness of animals, horses in particular.  Not to shadow of course the great impact that dogs have on the spiritual and physical health of humans as supported by medical research, not only in physical rehabilitation but also serious cardiac problems.

So, as I was saying… a few days ago I experienced Equine Therapy.  In this instance the horses are the therapists.  Horses that have suffered (most often at the hands of humans) whether at the race track or commercial stables, that are considered worthless due to advanced age but have been saved from the slaughter house.

With the care and training offered by inspired humans those horses have their dignity restored and are able to assist humans through their high intelligence.  For all who may be interested, this process has been developed by EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) and is currently functioning in 41 countries around the world.  The horses assist humans on their path toward development, self knowledge and therapy.

As a sojourner on the path of self knowledge and esoteric development as a way of life, I really wanted to experience that cooperation, seeing as I have great love and respect for animals.

The coordinator, Doctor of psychiatry Niki Markogianni who established EAGALA in Greece (Athens), offered to guide me.  What surprised me most was when she explained that the horses themselves choose the human that they will “work” with – not her as the supervising therapist.  As such she entered their enclosure and asked “Who would like to work today?”

The horse that stepped forward would become my “therapist” for a personal session of approximately one hour’s duration.  The horse was led to a large fenced space and waited patiently.  Dr. Niki handed me a lead rein and instructed me to enter the coral.  I did so, attached the lead rein to the horse’s halter and waited for instructions.  “Give the horse a name, the symbolism you would like the horse to have while you work together.”

I looked up at the horse and said: “I name you, my consciousness”.

“Nice” Niki nodded in agreement then continued: “In life there are different paths and different obstacles on each one.  I want you to create, using the materials available here, the path you have chosen to work on in today’s session and the obstacles you believe exist on that path”.

I gathered whatever was there in the space and began to construct my obstacle laden path.

I had chosen to work on an area I had already been working on alone for a few months: the self-determination of emotions.  As obstacles I constructed my hypersensitivity and the emotional impact that certain life events continued to have on me.

Initially I began to walk the perimeter of the enclosure as Niki had instructed me, observing constantly the behavior of the horse that was with me.  The horse – my consciousness – never left me, walking quietly and steadily, pressing its head against my arm or shoulder as if to say: “I am present in your life”.  We calmly made a complete circle of the enclosure and then Niki gestured it was time for us to enter the “path” I had constructed.

The horse continued to walk with me as we followed the path and even walked through the obstacles I had built.  We emerged from the opposite end of the path as calmly as we had entered.

Across the enclosure I saw Niki and she shouted:  “Marvelous!  Simply marvelous!”

I couldn’t understand what she meant.  The horse and I returned to where she was standing and she explaid that the very same horse had been working with someone the previous day, and simply would not move at all.  It stood firmly in one place and no one could get it to budge.  On the contrary, even thought the path I had constructed was quite narrow for the size of the horse and the obstacles right in the middle, it had nimbly picked its way through the obstacles, not once leaving the path that I had created…

In other words the horse was absolutely conscious throughout the duration of our session.  It was with me calmly and steadily and with unflinching self determination navigated the path and passed through the obstacles, with ease and flexibility.

The horse had assumed its role as my therapist, showing me the state of my own consciousness:  its steady presence in my life and the ease and flexibility through which I could determine my emotional state.  I had not yet realized that…

It also showed me something else.  Just how sensitive it was in “sensing” and “feeling” the state of others, wanting to help them.

It isn’t sensitivity that causes someone to panic or lose their bearings and become uncoordinated in the face of difficulties, whether their own or those of others.  That is weakness.

The horse showed me that sensitivity requires composure, and that composure springs from inner strength and self determination.

Sensitivity can’t be found in reactionary behaviors in response to a situation.  It emerges through our PERCEPTION AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

 

 

Is yours a Christmas Spirit?

It is early December and I am now snuggled in my cabin on the mountain, just having returned from my walk near the river surrounded by the enchantment of my beloved nature.  It is during those moments, at one with myself, that I find the strength within me.  Those moments I sense how blessed and grateful I am in my life, for my pleasant as well as trying experiences, conscious of the fact that without those difficulties I would not be who I am today.

From the afternoon I had wanted to visit my favorite plane tree.  Seated on its roots with my back leaning against its trunk I harmonized my senses with my surroundings.  In every cell I could feel thoughts and feelings surging that I was eager to share with you.

I heard the water singing its way along the river bed, like nature’s voice.  I saw the bare branches of the plane tree reaching proudly for the sky as if to say: “Just look how beautiful we are even without our decorative foliage!”  I could feel the cool damp breath of the winter atmosphere against my skin, stroking my cheeks.  I was breathing in all of the aromas of the wet leaves and fallen branches which covered the soil.  By my side was my beloved dog Santa, sitting motionless so as to not miss a single caress.

I was wondering…

How can someone feel alone when they live their life in conscious awareness of each and every moment?

Perhaps because Christmas is drawing near I thought back to a time in my life when I had no one, not even one friend to share moments of my life with.  Despite the fact that I felt overwhelmed by disappointment for years at being “alone”, more and more situations presented themselves in my day to day life that seemed determined to show me the difference between loneliness, and solitude.

I became gradually more aware of the fact that loneliness was a negative interpretation of my existence.  It indicated a void or an absence.  Solitude on the other hand was a life state which brought me into contact with myself.

I began to observe life from a different point of view.

I remember it was Christmas Day and I had nowhere to go.  Rather than staying shut in at home and surrendering myself to melancholy, that familiar melancholy that often knocks on many doors this time of year, I took my dog for a walk to my favorite park.  It was midday and we had the park all to ourselves seeing as everybody else was probably visiting or hosting friends or relatives.

I said to myself: “This Christmas you will do something different.”  I walked along my favorite path weaving through the park before lying down on the grass under an almond tree.  Although it was chilly, the Sun was shining.  I looked at everything round me, studying each detail.  Everything was so bright, the color of the sky, the light of the day, the dewdrops on the grass, the birds flying overhead…  I felt my heart being flooded with gratitude!

The fact that it was Christmas, and I was alone, hadn’t changed.

What had changed was how I chose to interpret that fact and what I was experiencing that particular day.  I asked myself why it was imperative to be invited somewhere just because it was Christmas?  How much power had I given to that word, power to determine the way I feel and what I should do?  If I viewed that day as an opportunity to do something different, why shouldn’t I have the right to grab that opportunity?  Why should I deny myself the option of choosing to live that day differently than what is usually pre-programmed, “It is Christmas so I am only allowed to be happy if I have been invited somewhere”?

I began to wonder: had I been invited somewhere, would I have felt joy? Were all of the people that had been invited to someone’s house that day actually happy?

The honest reply that I gave myself was: “Quite possibly not,  just having people around you does not necessarily mean you’ll experience fulfillment.”  I imagine that the same holds true for most people if not all.

On the surface I would not have been alone, but would I have actually experienced the obligatory holiday joy we are expected to feel?

The important thing is, that day I experienced an amazing sense of fulfillment, I felt joyful there, by myself.  I realized then that I was gradually letting go of illusions and social conditioning, I also was beginning to understand just how trapped most people are…

What’s the only difference between me and them?  That I wanted to be liberated from my illusions and social conditioning.

That was my choice.

That was and is the source of my strength.

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.

Interpreting Life Events & the Pursuit of Happiness

Most people, in their pursuit of happiness, try to control other people and/or situations that influence their lives.  In life however there are those things which we can control, and those which we can’t.

If we base our happiness on such things we will put ourselves in a constant and intense state of stress because most of life’s events are beyond our control and unpredictable.  What we can do, that which is within our control, is our reaction to those events.  In that way we can recover our strength in the face of the unpredictable, by not allowing those events to control us.

But how is that possible?  The answer lies in the way that we interpret the events and experiences in our lives.  How we view those events is what determines reactions such as upset, disappointment, anger, sadness etc. or, on the other hand, our composure – grace under pressure.  Our freedom lies in our power to choose how we interpret and thus react to situations.

To achieve that requires KNOWLEDGE: knowledge of who we are and why we are, knowledge of what we are here on Earth to do, and knowledge of the universal laws which govern our existence.

In that way we come to determine our own lives and become the creators of our own happiness.  That is the primal indicator of “love of self”.

All that is required is to WANT to do it.  If you want to be happy, you can be happy.

Amalia Eirini Tzimopoulou (Melina) is the author of “Beauty” a practical guide to self-understanding and improvement, and “A Droplet’s Journey: a true faerie tale”, her own journey of self-discovery in story form.  Both books will soon be available electronically.