Staying Safe Might Not Be Enough

Living in the corona virus pandemic, it seems that the motto of the days is no other than “stay home - stay safe”. I do understand, agree and follow all the proposed measures of staying safe (staying home, avoiding physical contact, washing hands, etc). It is just that the phrase “stay safe” is not enough in my poor understanding. It depicts the minimum of what needs to be done to survive the present moment. Survival is essential, I am not arguing with that. But survival is not real health or wellness. Survival does not equal a full life. Survival does not engender thriving-ness, growth, expansion, or flourishment of human and Earth.

If our lives are so important (and oh yes they are!) we need to go beyond safety and beyond survival. If our lives are so important, we need to forget about staying seated for 16 hours per day, watching continuously a screen, living in fear, consuming stress, feeding unhealthily, procrastinating the important, avoiding ourselves. Because our lives are so important, we need to roll up our sleeves and craft some real work.

The culture in which we have lived so far, mostly identifies human life with physical health. If we look at things solely from this perspective, I bet you wouldn’t guess what dangers are hiding inside our homes, right under our nose! WHO, the World Health Organization has a special name for these dangers. They call them Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). (!!!) The NCDs include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease. The rise of NCDs has been driven by primarily four major risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets. NCDs kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 71% of all deaths globally. (This information is about 2017 and is retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases) So, coming back to what I was saying about safety, protecting ourselves and surviving the corona virus right now, does not mean necessarily that we are surviving the NCDs. Because our lives are important, we need to do more than staying indoors.

The culture in which our ancestors lived involved a completely different understanding of human life, an understanding which endorsed a multiple dimensional of the human nature, including the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual dimension, all equally important and vital. This concept, although attributed mostly to the Native Americans, is imprinted in worldwide indigenous cultures and ancient philosophies, and traces of it are found even nowadays. In this perspective, because our lives are important we need to ask ourselves:    

• How am I empowering my physical dimension?    

• How can I listen more to my body? How am I following these invitations?    

• How do I bring tranquility, clarity and creativity in my mind?      

• How do I enhance my learning and above all self-learning, self-awareness?      

• How do I invite love and self-love to nest in my heart?      

• How can I fully embrace all of my emotions and what lesson is each one of them teaching me about me?

• How am I strengthening my connection with the spirit? How do I follow my soul?      

• What am I born to offer to this world through this life and how do I manifest it?

Because our lives are so important and because the world needs us, (our children need us, our grandchildren need us, our parents need us, our grandparents need us, the whole Earth needs us) let’s not just stay safe. Instead, let’s take the vastness of time we are unexpectedly given right now, to answer - not in words, but through our actions and presence- this one question that Mary Oliver is asking us in the poem below.

The Summer Day (by Mary Oliver)

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Eleni Michail

Spring Equinox: From Winter To Spring, From Death To Rebirth

Today is the Spring Equinox. This means that the daytime and nighttime are of approximately equal duration all over the planet. Our ancestors, living fully in nature could eavesdrop this moment of shift from longer nighttime to longer daytime. But we notice it too, don’t we? Don’t we feel that the sun rises earlier and sets later? Don’t we sense the change in the temperature? Or the swallows in the sky? The song of the birds loud and cheerful? The flowers blooming massively? The sweetness of the air? We may not calculate the exact moment of the equinox, but we feel it when it’s here, because we are nature too.

The equinox signals the beginning of the Spring. Our ancestors used to celebrate and honor this moment, as the transition from Winter to Spring, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Rebirth, from Melancholy to Joy, Slow rhythm existence to Fast rhythm existence, Introspection to Outward-spection, Imagination to Creation.

Nature rebirths itself and for thousands of years is not afraid to go through this transformation, to go through the darkness and cold of the Winter, to slow down its pace, to stay still, to allow some unnecessary parts to get rotten and decomposed. Well why do we human hesitate to do the same? I have this feeling that we desperately push away “death”, postponing and postponing it. I am not talking about the physical death here. I am talking about the transformation the psycho-spiritual death provides.

Michael Meade (author, mythologists and story-teller) says that in order to fully live we don’t need to die, but a part of us needs to die. And this parts of us is something that keeps us behind from our own (and thus collective) growth: a bad habit, a well-established behavior pattern that doesn’t serve us or our community, an immature way of thinking, a rotten believe, the painful way we see ourselves, the malign way we see the others, etc.

When we allow this part of ours to die, we then rebirth, we enter again the light, we grow, we feel the joy, we bloom, we root ourselves even more, we speed up and we put our wildest dreams into practice. Of course,
this process will be repeated again and again, but every year – just like in nature- we achieve evolution.

We are nature too. Even if we don’t follow exactly the seasons’ cycle, there will be moments in which a psycho-spiritual Winter will come upon us. Perhaps we are living one right now? Perhaps we are given an
invitation to stop, slow down, listen to ourselves, reflect on what does not serve us and let those parts of ourselves which do not serve our souls die. Then I believe, we will have a collective human Equinox.

In the meantime, let’s celebrate the current Equinox. I celebrated it last night by singing dozens of times the song “Wild mountain thyme”. How are you planning to celebrate it?

Above a photo of our pomegranate tree which is entering the Spring.

Eleni Michail

On Fear And Liberation

For a long time I have felt strong discomfort posting photos showing my face on internet, especially when it comes to my professional work. I have believed that my work is what I do and how I do it, the soul and art I put it in, not what I look like. And it is true. I still feel like this and I will always do. What I came to discover with a lot of pain under this discomfort though, are strong mind restrictions, limiting self-believes, rotten thinking patterns and principles rooted in fear I have had inside of me for many years.

Bill Plotkin in his book “Wild Mind” calls these thoughts “loyal soldiers”. Loyal soldiers are self-protection mechanisms whose mission is to loyally protect us from any kind of hurt (physical, psychological, social, and/or economical hurt) but in return, they keep us small and far behind our full, integral growth as human. My loyal solders for example, have been keeping me small by opposing the idea of showing photos of me publicly. In this way, they made me reject an essential part of who I am, which is how I look like.

We all have these limiting thoughts in ourselves. Perhaps for you is singing out loud, dancing in a crowd, sharing the poems who secretly wrote at night, hugging the ones you love with humbleness, crying, saying confidently your opinion, doing the one thing you have always wanted but have been postponing and postponing. Yet I assure you that by allowing yourself to be the way you should be, is so liberating and so deeply healing.

I am quoting here a poem by Marianne Williamson, a poem that touches my soul and explains why liberating from our fears is so healing.

Our Deepest Fear By Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness

That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small

Does not serve the world.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine,

As children do.

We were born to make manifest

The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us;

It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,

We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we're liberated from our own fear,

Our presence automatically liberates others.

So, today I am sharing an intimate photo of me, a version of me that only few have seen. This photo is captured by my youngest sister with an analog camera, black and white film, during one of our mushroom foraging walks last winter. I am sharing it with the wish that my liberation from my limiting thoughts regarding sharing photos of me publicly, will serve as an opportunity for liberating you. How are you taking this opportunity?

Eleni Michail

8 Personal Insights On Corona Virus

I am observing silently everything that is happening regarding corona virus. I do not aim to underestimate the danger and I believe in taking the suggested measures. And on another level, perhaps looking at it as an anthropologist (I do have this passion sometimes) I like to observe myself and the people around. I confess that I find this, a great moment for deepening our learning. So here, I am sharing with humbleness my own insights. Of course, each one of us will have their own –perhaps very different ones. I am just sharing what I am taking away from this experience.

1. My personal responsibility is not only to take care of myself, but to respect the need of others to take care of themselves: Whatever my believes are on corona virus, I still need to act in a way that is respectful towards others and their personal or community needs. I am learning to be responsible and respectful.

2. Everything is possible: it turns out that is not the end of the world to cancel an event, a flight, a meeting, a job task, school lessons or gatherings if it is more important to take care of ourselves. Things do work out after all. I am learning from this to take care of myself and others in the future and not be afraid to cancel something, if it is needed to take care of myself and others.

3. Corona virus makes no discrimination: it doesn’t matter if I am from Asia, or Europe or Africa or beyond. I am remembering that we are all Human.

4. Fear spreads much faster and much wider than corona virus: Taking care of myself and the others is fundamental. Yet immersing into extreme fear may lead in becoming mindless, irrational, chaotic or unbalanced. I remember a quote saying: “Fear is the weapon of mass
   destruction”. I am learning to be informed, cautious, mindful, rooted.

5. Focusing on one thing endangers losing the whole picture: Focusing only on one thing makes me short-sided, ignoring what else is happening in the world. I ask myself: “If I care so much about my life and my loved ones, what else might endanger life that I need to act upon?” I am learning to zoom in and zoom out from situations, thus I can make the assessment of what is truly important and take my share of responsibility.

6. Focusing on corona virus evokes questions: Why is there now so much attention put on corona virus? What about hanger that kills thousands of people daily? What about excessive consumption of sugar, cigarettes, CO2, etc. that is killing us slowly? Do I only feel threatened by sudden death? What about slow death? I am learning to value the questions in hard times as they are the ones that push me to grow.

7. Physical dimension is important, but equally important are the emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions: I am wondering: “What am I doing to reinforce my physical health? (not only protect it, by empower it?) What emotions do I allow to enter in my heart? How can I
   cultivate stillness and clarity in my mind? How am I nurturing my connection with my soul and spirit?

8. This is the time to slow down: I feel grateful that now –eventually- my life rhythm is slowing down. It’s my (and our) moment to rest, to relax, to be creative, to deepen our connection with
   ourselves and the ones very closely around us, to work on the things that are meaningful. I am learning to slow down when is needed and to use this time to heal and revive.

   
   Eleni Michail

Fossils And The Message They Deliver

I am guessing that I walked by or stepped on hundreds of fossils in my life so far, but I was never aware of them. Of course I could easily recognize fossils I could pick up in my hands, like prehistoric shells, but not the ones imprinted on rocks. Perhaps I thought that their shapes were rock formations or something like this. For paleontologists though, these fossils are vital elements for tracking the evolution on Earth. When it come to
me, only recently I got to know how to recognize petrified fossils and my encounter with them was accompanied with a handful of questions, feelings and thoughts.

First came the excitement, the pure joy of the child who is finding something new and is staring at it, touching at it, smelling it for minutes.

Then came the curiosity: “How are fossils created? What was this particular fossil? How many years ago was this being alive?”

Next was the passion, and furiously I started looking around to find more fossils. One was not enough, two were not enough, three were not enough. I wanted more, I wanted to absorb as many as possible, as fast as
possible.

Unexpectedly, the scenery changed completely and the questioning accidentally deeper. “Will myself become a fossil one day? Will another human being encounter me (just like I did with these fossils) and have
all these questions herself? Or will a scientist study me? Or perhaps no human will live on Earth by that time? Will I actually leave something behind me?”. Having all these questions I felt myself (just like these once these living fossils) dipping into the darkness, being covered with sand, mud, water and despair.

Wait a minute, I haven’t come across these fossils by chance today! All the previous times I encountered them I was not conscious about their existence, now I am. All the previous times I didn’t ask myself these “weird”
questions, now I do. All the previous times I was not that aware of my soul quests, now I am. That is evolution in a micro-scale, don’t you think?

So here I am, looking at these fossils with awe, looking at these fossils with gratitude, for they have delivered an important message to me. A message to me, from me. A message to be who I truly am, because this is
the best way to be. To offer my gifts to the world selflessly and with confidence. To surrender in the present moment knowing that someday (who knows when) I will become the circumstance for someone to receive a message from herself.

Thank you for reading all the way through. Do share your thoughts below <3

Eleni Michail

The Thread Of The Song

Many days of the year I wake up with a song in my head. Does it ever happen to you? It feels like all night long, in my sleep, I was listening repeatedly to this song, so the moment I wake up, it’s still there. Then, throughout the day, this song keeps playing in a mental record player. Depending on the circumstances the song comes out of my physical boundaries through the form of humming, wistling, singing or really loud singing. The same song can stick with me for weeks sometimes.

These are the happiest days of my life. Even when the song is about sadness, pain or grief or my heart is aching, these are still the happiest days of my life. I am not saying they are the most joyful days (there is a significant difference between joy and happiness for which I can write another moment if you wish) but
they are days in which I feel connected with my soul, my truth, my spirit. That song seems to represent the thread of my life. When I hold on to the thread I know how to navigate through the day, through the life, despite the obscurity and obstacles. I feel grounded. I am confident. I am mindful. I am clear.

On the other hand, days when the mental record player is switched off, are truly hard. I feel disoriented and confused. The thread of life is not any more in my hands and I struggle to find my way. These days are teaching me to be patient, trustful and hopeful that the thread will soon appear again in my hands. And it
does. Today morning, after some days of silence, my record player offered me the song “You raise me up”. For the first time I ready mindfully the lyrics and I am convinced they talk about our inner wisdom and out innate capacity to self-heal.

What song did you wake up with today?

Eleni Michail

Spring Flowers In The Winter

I gathered these little flowers (some from the fields and some from the garden) during the Spring of 2019. I dried them and stored them in a jar. This jar was hidden behind many other jars with other herbs in the
back of the cupboard. A friend of mine once asked me why I need to have so many herbs for tea. She was somehow implying that perhaps I should consider reducing them in order to make more space in the closet (it’s true the cupboard is pretty full!). Oh, but no! Each herb is unique. Each herb has its own medicinal
purpose and I (all of us actually) need all of them in different occasions. Whether they serve a physical, emotional, mental or spiritual healing, each herb has its purpose in my closet. Yes, sometimes I forget they are there. But that’s maybe because they are not needed at those particular moment.

When I found the jar with these flower again 2 days ago I was delighted! They were so bright and colourful and their gorgeous scent was still there. With closed eyes I inhaled deeply and immediately my mind brought
back these wonderful journey of gathering them with care, drying them with patience and storing them with hope that one day they will work as healing. Now it’s their moment. In the coldest days of the year, a tea with wild chamomile, Cyprus wild lavender and rose nurture the soul, bring warmth to the heart, fill with gratitude the mind.

Eleni Michail

Home

This is my home. This is my land. This is the place I was born, the place I belong to, the place I feel rooted in, the place I want to nest, the place I want to die. When I stand in front of this lake, time stops. I am absorbed by the vastness of the place, I am captivated by the sounds of the birds, I am moved by the sensations the sacred water offers. My heart is serene, my body is relaxed, my mind is still, my spirit is open.

For many years I ignored this connection with the land. I thought passionately that Cyprus is not for me. I took every possible opportunity to escape, to run away, to fly towards other places and search for “my place”. Oh but boy, isn’t life a mystery? To walk a thousand kilometres only to return back to the same place? Yet, the return back to the same place is not a failure, but a victory. It is a repatriation not to only the land, but to yourself, to your core, to your essence.

Feeling indigenous to the land, as well as feeling indigenous to our own body, feelings and mind is one of our dimensions as human beings which is perhaps pushed away nowadays. I would say it is one of our basic needs. Without this connection we feel incomplete and in an endless search to find them, mostly in other places or other people or material things. I need to tell you though that the place we are all looking for is there and it’s mostly inside. It’s waiting patiently for us to lift our eyes and see it. We will know when we find it by experiencing the feeling of deep connection, rootedness, tranquillity and serenity.

Eleni Michail

Leaving The Ordinary Makes Things Extra-Ordinary

Avacas Gorge, Cyprus

This is the Grand Canyon of Cyprus. It’s called Avaca’s Gorge and it’s beautiful! We visited it last weekend. This was my third time there, but my first time during winter. I haven’t seen it before with so much water. The little paths on river stones were covered with water. The water was furious, in rush to deliver an important load to the sea. The water was brown, carrying with it nutritional soil to feed the sea life.

We entered in the gorge at our own risk, as we know that stones may fall from above or a flash flat can happen in minutes when heavy rain begins. We were very careful though, attentive to the weather and prepared to turn back and leave when the first drops begin (as we did).

At the beginning, we complicated our journey, using the already known path, jumping from one side of the river to the other over some slippery stones. Oh, but following the ordinary route was so difficult, full of fear of slipping from the wet stones, falling in the river, getting wet, destroying the shoes or hurting ourselves. Many times I delayed the journey, taking off my shoes, crossing the river barefoot, and putting them on again. But eventually we had to make a decision. There were no more stones available to step on if we wanted
to go forward. Going backwards would make us miss the wonder of the gorge in this season. Walking barefoot with a pair of heavy shoes on our hands would endanger our balance and keep our pace very slow (there are thousand stones if different sizes beneath the surface and you don’t know where your foot will
land). So, the only way was to move on wearing our shoes. And we did it.

Oh, it was such a majestic combination of feelings: awe, curiosity, interest, joy, enthusiasm, relief, gratitude, connection. What touched me the most was the feeling of liberation of walking in the river with the shoes on, forgetting about the fears, following our intuition, creating our own path. This is definitely an experience I will remember. Leaving the ordinary makes things extra-ordinary.

Eleni Michail

Winter Is Here

Winter is here. One can confirm it by the way cats snuggle in a perfect circle. Although it’s cold outside, my heart is warm. I feel the soothing quality of the rain. The land has been very dry for a long time. We did have some periodic rain, but it was followed by high temperatures. I felt the soil thirsty, the plants confused (should they hurry up flourishing and giving away their seeds before it’s too late?) and the snakes anxious to look
for more food, when it’s the time they should rest in hibernation. So now, having some good winter days is such a relief for the earth and the people.

believe that subconsciously people share the same anxiety with the plants and animals when rain doesn’t appear when it’s the time. They become additionally stressed and disoriented. It feels there is no flow in the
days and some kind of mysterious pressure builds up. And then suddenly, magic happens. Rain finally comes, washing away the pressure, cleansing the energy, rooting us in our souls. Have you ever experienced such a feeling yourself?

So, winter is a time of celebration in the land of Cyprus (probably also beyond). It’s a moment of taking a pause and reconnecting us with the deepest parts of the earth and the soul. As the rain comes from the
sky, entering the soil and going down in the underground caves that have been awaiting for months to be filled in again, let’s also go down in our souls, entering our heart and going further until we find the truth that is awaiting to be (re)discovered.

May this winter is a meaningful one for all of us, an explorative, a creative and a healing one. May through this winter we finish the circle of the year in gratitude and live space for beginning a new circle, a new year in ambition. Maybe that’s why cats snuggle in a perfect circle during winter after all :)

Eleni Michail

The Time Between Winter Solstice And The New Year

There is something special in this blank space between winter solstice and the beginning of the year. I always (unconsciously) use it as a time of withdrawing from social media, resting, reconnecting with myself and re-rooting me in the nature. During the last 10 days I spent a lot of time sleeping, cleaning, meeting with friends and family and being out in the forest (simply exploring, foraging, singing or being in stillness). The last 10 days I shifted from tiredness to freshness, from confusion to clarity, from scarcity to abundance. Although an unconscious decision to spend the days in this way, I believe that it’s the choice of my soul to cleanse and purify, to heal and to close the circle of the last year, before the New Year begins.

I am sharing with you a photo of my forest exploration. I gathered these tiny mushrooms (with care and respect towards the nature) because I wanted to prepare a mandala for the 2019 year. But the mandala was
not coming easily, so I played around with them, observing their sacred geometry shapes. Eventually, the result is the one you see here. I am not sure of what it is, but it does remind me of the circles of life. One circle begins and once it closes, another one begins. Sometimes we find ourselves “up” in the circle and sometimes “down”. However, although the process seems to be repeated, we grow bigger on the way, we become wiser, we have more confidence, we tune in more with our authenticity, we pursue more the meaning.

What about you? How have you spent the last days and what rituals do you follow for closing the year?

Eleni Michail

On Sunrises

I am in love with sunrises. I also adore sunsets, but sunrises are special because to me they announce the new beginning. Have you experienced a sunrise lately? The soothing light from the sun, the fresh air, the birds’ song? Our ancestors honoured this moment, gathering together, gazing at the sun and singing.

Even in the suburbs of the cities (like this photo here), the sunrise holds a sacred space in the day. The sunrise is not here only to bring the light after the darkness, but to remind us of our unspoken capacity to make a new beginning, to restart our lives.

Living in a fast pace world in which we run stressfully through the “to do lists” instead of running carefree in the fields, we forget of our ability to re-start. Our mind conquers the heart, the body and the spirit, leaving us with a sense of imbalance, incompleteness or un-rootedness. We might lose the control of our lives and get trapped in repeated patterns that do not serve our souls. Yet, with mindfulness, we re-gain our ability to comprehend how we live our lives, to embrace what happens and to align our actions with our purpose. Mindfulness is an innate skill – we are all born with it. It gets lost on the way to adulthood, but by welcoming it back to our lives, we can reborn ourselves, just like the nature does with every sunrise.

Eleni Michail

Dancing Trees

How often do we look up? How many times do we look towards the sky when we get out of home or our workplace? Even when we are outside in the nature, we may have the tendency to keep our sight to the ground, on the path we are walking. Is this perhaps the fault of extensive amount of time watching a screen? Who knows? What I know is that looking upwards can offer miraculous views.

I almost lost my breath when I noticed these eucalyptus moving so gracefully. They were not moving in the wind. They were dancing with the wind. The branches leading the movement in pure harmony, the leaves pirouetting in an attempt to kiss the sky. Playful yet rooted, flexible yet balanced, reaching for the sky yet
grounded, these dancing trees broadened my perspective.

I lost track of time watching them. I felt my soul dancing among them, with them. My mind was focused, my heart was full, my body was tranquil. I was mindful, I was alive.

Eleni Michail

The Moth

This is a moth, a night butterfly. It was really by chance that we noticed her and we were mesmerized by her creativity in not being recognized. She camouflages herself so intelligently that she becomes almost one with the background! This maximizes her chances of survival, as the predator hardly sees her.

This moth stirred something deep inside of me, as it kept me thinking of the similarities between moths and human. After staring at it for a while, I remembered the great number of human who live the biggest part of their lives camouflaging themselves in order to blend in with their own surroundings. I feel that there are so many people who suppress themselves in order to fit in the society. They suppress their true beauty, their creativity and their authenticity in order to survive (not thrive). They become deaf to their inner voice, blind to their own light and mute to their unique expression. Gradually they let their colors fade away so that they become one with the rest. They become moths. Only that moths have a real predator to hide from, while human choose to hide from themselves.

I bet that most of us have been moths for some time. I have been one. Perhaps you too? Yet, in these times our soul is always there, knocking on our door, reminding us that we are not moths, inviting us to become who we are meant to be. No matter if we choose to hear, she will keep offering us uncountable invitations and opportunities for authentic growth.

My vision is a world where all human grow and live authentically, in line with the nature. I dream of human beings who are aware and proud of their beauty, they appreciate their gifts and manifest them in the world. They let their soul guide their journey and they live a colorful, meaningful life. This is what I promise to offer to the world: to facilitate the reconnection of people with the inner wisdom and to support the transformation from moth to human.

With appreciation and awe towards this moth and all moths, their beauty and their wonder.

With appreciation and awe towards you and all human, your beauty and your wonder.

Eleni Michail

There Is Beauty Everywhere

There is beauty everywhere. If you look close enough you will see it. It’s hidden in the most mysterious places, in the most unknown paths. You will not see it necessarily at first glance. No, it’s not waiting for you on the surface. You need to be a bit more patient, a bit more mindful, a bit more openhearted than usual. Then, beauty will reveal itself magically and you will see it. Not with your eyes, but with your heart, with your soul, with your spirit.

There is beauty everywhere and you don’t need to go far to discover it. It’s not only in the high mountain rages or in the view of a spectacular waterfall, or in the blue vastness of the ocean. These wonders are right next to you. If you silent your thoughts, then your soul can navigate you to find them.

.

I decided to go for a morning walk to charge myself for the day. As I was walking on the main road I found my body turning to the right, towards a piece of land full of vegetation. I admit that I surprised even myself changing direction so suddenly. This direction would not lead me anywhere. In couple of meters I would reach the river and on its other side it would be almost impossible to walk as the ground was seriously steep. So there I was, still surprised by this instinct move, wandering among big plants, wondering what is there to discover. I stopped for a second just to observe and then I saw this unbelievable beetle right next to me. I blinked my eyes many times to make sure that what I see is true. Its colour looked like Christmas ornament. I never believed there was a being on earth so shiny in colour. I stared at it for a while, noticing the gracefulness in its movement. Mesmerized, tears came to my eyes, first of all because this wild being gave me the permission to witness its beauty and second because of the unknown, yet tremendous capacities we human possess to navigate ourselves in the right places. Something beyond our mind, something big and wise knows the truth, knows our direction.

.

Yes, I believe that there is beauty everywhere, as much as there is pain and sadness and death. The point is acknowledging both of them and seeing through the ordinary to notice the extra-ordinary. It’s about stop rushing and taking the time to see the beauty that lies beneath the surface. It’s about opening our hearts so that they can notice the beauty in other people and above all, the beauty within.

Eleni Michail

The Mysterious Unification Of The River And The Sea

There is something sacred in places like this one. This tiny piece of land holds the mysterious, precious and wonderful unification of the river and the sea. I stand barefoot sensing the temperature of the river water and the sea water, their power (different for each one of them) and their dance as they merge together. Can we actually imagine the journey of this water that is longing to immerse into the sea vastness? Starting from the heart of the earth, this water travels up through rocks and caves, enriches itself with minerals, only to spring up on the surface and then travel down to the sea. On its downhill way, the water nourishes the earth, the plants and trees, the insects and the birds, reptiles, animals and us, human. This water's journey is fulfilled only when it reaches its purpose, penetrating the sea.

Coming from an island that is dry most of the time, it is so rare to observe such wonders. Almost all rivers' routes are blocked by dams. These are also needed -I think to myself- for our survival. But coming across places like this, i can feel the water's relief for this miraculous unification and a deep awe and gratitude towards it. 

Eleni Michail