My rainbow connection

My Rainbow Connection

This is my first contribution to the Quest blog as I’ve just started as part of the team this week and am very excited to be here!

Over the last few days I’ve had a very personal experience with the Rainbow Ribbon that I’d love to share with you.

I’d seen the rainbow ribbons on the website, however had only first seen them physically on Monday when I was given a few to look over. I took them home and read the card and thought how beautiful the message and philosophy was.

My mother in law has been ill for some time and had recently been placed in palliative care. We received news on Wednesday evening that she wasn’t expected to see the night through.  With that news my two little men (10 & 8 years old) were understandably overcome with emotion as their hearts and minds grappled with the reality that Granny wasn’t going to make it. Their little hearts were breaking and they sobbed and sobbed.

As I sat on my 8 year olds bed, I remembered that I had the rainbow ribbons in my bag.  I KNEW they would be the perfect balm to sooth these wounded souls and let them find some peace in the still of the night knowing the connection to their Granny was wrapped in their rainbow connections. I read them the words on the card, and together we sent love and blessings to Granny.

Granny passed peacefully last night.  At home we lit candles and sent her love and rainbows and the boys were so happy they had their rainbow ribbons to take to bed with them as they felt such a connection to their beloved Granny.

A connection and a ritual that will be repeated time and time again whereever and whenever we find ourselves.

Susie

 

 

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Get Healthy and Support the Quest for Life Foundation

1 Million Kilo Challenge

Here’s your chance to improve your health and support others who are dealing with challenges trauma, grief, depression or cancer at the same time.

What better way to support your new years weight loss and health goals than by doing it with hundreds and thousands of others!

Channel Ten’s 1 Million Kilo Challenge is a 10-week healthy lifestyle challenge that aims to equip all Australians with the resources, advice and motivation they need to achieve and maintain their healthy weight goal.

The challenge will run for 10 weeks (starting Monday 30th January) and promotes healthy eating, exercise and happier lifestyles for everyone that participates.

You pledge how many kilos you will lose and set health related goals.

1 Million Kilo Challenge also offers participants the chance to raise funds for a charity close to their heart, upon completion of their registration. All you have to do is follow the steps and create your very own online fundraising page.  The process only takes a minute and you can upload images, post blogs and set yourself a fundraising target.

Set healthy goals

Step 1: Register for the challenge

Step 2: Create your fundraising page and select the Quest for Life Foundation as your recipient charity.

Step 3: Tell your friends about your pledge and encourage them to donate to support your efforts! You will be given a unique url to your fundraising page to share with friends, family and colleagues.

Step 4: Follow the advice and support offered to you to achieve your goals

Your support for the Quest for Life Foundation will provide people living with life’s greatest challenges, the opportunity to regain control of their life and find peace and wellbeing. We support people facing life changing crises and provide them with practical tools and strategies to heal and grow through their challenges. Your support makes these programs possible. For more information on our programs please visit our website.

We’d love you to share your progress and wins on our Facebook page.

And most importantly……have fun and stay healthy!

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Hope

The coming suffering is to be avoided

I was teaching at a yoga teacher training course and we were having a discussion on Philosophy.

I recalled a sutra from the central texts of yoga (The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, if you are that way inclined). Originally in Sanskrit, (I shall refrain from waxing lyrical about how much I love this perfect language!) it says, literally – “The coming suffering is to be avoided”.

What does that mean? “The suffering that is to come can be avoided?”.

For me, it is saying that things can become better in the future, by the choices we make in the present. This is a real message of hope.

It is about choosing your highest values to guide your actions.

If I ask myself ‘from what basis do I decide my present actions?’ What guides it? I would like to say it is Compassion.

Compassion is equal parts of love and discrimination.

The Buddhists say it is only our actions that we can own. We tend to think it is what we say that matters; yet it is who we are and what we do with our lives.

This sutra means Being in the present and still planning. By practicing being present and planning for the future with skilful decisions born of our values, we are then able to meet the inevitable challenges of life.

I recently saw this very quote being discussed in a book on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. Another example of ancient wisdom with current application!

So in these most challenging of times, perhaps we can consider what guides our actions, so that we can skilfully navigate our way to a future without the suffering which could have been avoided. (I thank all my teachers, past and present who have guided my life and shared so generously of their own experiences and insights).

Bernadette Arena

Bernadette Arena

Bernadette has worked with the Quest for Life Foundation since early 2006 and is the Senior Facilitator on our residential programs.  Her work is treasured by our participants and our team. She has also been developing and refining a deep understanding of the use of appropriate yoga and meditation approaches for use in oncology and with serious illness.

Bernadette maintains close association with International Yoga Teachers Association and is a senior lecturer for their Teacher Training Course.  She has designed and delivered yoga teacher training courses for other organisations.  During 5 years in the UK she taught retreats, workshops and classes across the UK and in Europe and worked as a personal ‘lifestyle’ coach.  Bernadette brings a gentle and loving nature with insight and compassion borne out of her experience. She can assist a deeper connection with the body as a means to rejuvenate the spirit.

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