Since ancient times, pilgrims have been visiting places of special spiritual significance. Taking a meaningful trip to a place where strong connections are felt with Deity or to ancient sites of worship can be a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience, and is often the catalyst for deep personal change.

In more recent times, the notion of pilgrimage has evolved into the concept of the ‘sacred journey’ – which seems to allude to the special nature of the whole process of the trip, from the point of departure to that of return.  

Participants in today’s sacred journeys often feel that the people they meet, the routes they travel and the anecdotal experiences that arise all play a part in their spiritual development, perhaps even reconnecting them in some way with situations they once encountered in mysterious previous incarnations.

Others simply feel a greater sense of connection, an increased appreciation of the beauty of nature and that invaluable sense of freedom that facilitates clearer self reflection, personal insights and more intense spiritual experiences.

Nibal Sulaiman was so inspired by his sacred journey to Mount Kailash, Tibet, in 2006 that he recently launched Parishanta Travel to help others realise their dreams of visiting Tibet, Nepal, India and Bhutan.

Mount Kailash, known as Kang Rinpoche in Tibetan or ‘precious jewel of snow’ holds a special place in the hearts of the region’s four major religions: Hindu, Buddhist, Jains, and the shamanic Bön tradition of pre-Buddhist Tibet.

It is said to be the Earth’s crown chakra, and the abode of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, as well as that of Demchok, a wrathful manifestation of Buddha Sakyamuni. It cuts an intriguing figure against the snowy and unforgiving terrain of Western Tibet. 

‘In late 2005, a thought suddenly came into my mind that I needed to visit Mount Kailash. I didn’t know why but I knew I had to. So in May 2006 I flew out to Kathmandu, Nepal, to meet my guide before flying to Lhasa’ writes Nibal.

‘The first night in Kathmandu I had a vision where I was ‘transported’ to the base of Mount Kailash to meet its guardian who questioned my credentials three times and only embraced me on the third positive response. After gathering some provisions, we visited Pashupatinath Temple on what later I found out was Lord Shiva’s day. This felt like we had received His permission and blessings. From Lhasa we slowly began travelling west to get fully acclimatised. Along the way we visited many Buddhist monasteries. I recall the Maitreya Buddha statues in particular seem to stand out – like they were communicating with their eyes.

Upon arrival at Mount Kailash, the energy felt so, so familiar. I can only describe it as akin to seeing an old friend again after a very long time. The following day we began the Kalish kora – walking round the mountain in a clockwise direction. I recall walking at a great pace as if I had a multitude of invisible beings behind me. This prompted my Tibetan guide to comment that I ‘walk like a Tibetan’! After three days, we completed the kora. The felt exhaustion but complete peace and tranquillity. It felt like a cycle in my life had just ended and a new one started.

Till this day this sacred journey is one I look back on with such reverence and awe and I thank the universe for an amazing, life changing experience.’

It’s easy to empathise with Nibal’s sentiment and the depth of feeling with which he writes about this journey.

For me, the ‘sacred journey’ has been more significant than I ever realised.  From the regular, short pilgrimages I make to Avebury and Stonehenge that serve to reaffirm my connection with the Divine Feminine and the ancient Be-ings I acknowledge as part of my soul group, to one-off visits I have enjoyed to the West of Ireland and parts of Devon and Cornwall, the energy experiences I’ve had in sacred places have  triggered the sense of inner knowledge and remembering that has shaped  the woman I am today.

More recently, travels to parts of Europe and to the beloved land of Egypt have profoundly influenced both my personal spiritual practice and the core values I bring to my healing and divination work.

The sacred journey in the way I know it is, perhaps, a privilege mainly enjoyed by spiritual seekers from developed societies to which car, boat and plane travel has become affordable and accessible. However, it’s clear that spiritual tourism offers valuable economic support to a number of less affluent countries, and as long as modern day pilgrims are happy to immerse themselves in the cultural diversity they encounter, local businesses and tour guides are usually happy to welcome them.

For my part, I’m totally hooked. Every travel opportunity serves as a sacred journey for me, and I’m always drawn to new places to enhance my path of reconnection both here in the UK and further afield.

Rhian Gibbings

With little regard for the grey skies and persistent rain, a very Heart-centred gathering took place at Avebury on Saturday to celebrate the Spring Equinox.  

Adrian Mieras held the space and led a gentle meditation in the Sun Circle, setting the group intention for World peace.

The focus of this intent was held around a huge, impressive Shiva Lingham stone that Adrian holds for the project Peace Across The Planet.

Shiva Lingham stones have an ancient role in sacred ceremony in the temples of India, and were traditionally gathered by monks from the bed of the Narmada River who would prepare them with wax or oil before giving them pride of place within the temple. 

Peace Across the Planet has placed a number of large Shiva Lingham stones with caretakers across the Globe who will hold sacred ceremonies to anchor a shared intent for Peace.

The powerful moment of Equinox at 5.32pm brought a sense of stillness and connectedness to the circle at Avebury and it seemed appropriate that the intense Divine Feminine vortex of the Henge was enhanced by the balancing masculine energy of the large Shiva Lingham.

After a short break, there was an evening of meditation and sound healing offered by a number of ‘Gong Masters’ who had brought together an impressive set of Paiste Planet Gongs. Each performance stilled the occupants of the room into a profound state of inner peace, evocative of a breathtaking personal journey through the Solar system.

Experiencing the gong is both intense and emotional, as it seems to penetrate every atom of the body and activate the human energy system in an all-encompassing way.

A trance-like, meditative state is very easily achieved with the gong and any sense of time and place is almost immediately suspended. This feeling of complete interconnectedness with the Universe reminds us that we are indeed an aspect of Creator and that there is a gateway within each of us to the infinite space and limitlessness mirrored in the stars, if we choose to find it. It is from this space that we can draw down pure Light from Source to assist with our Spiritual journey in this human incarnation.

The presence of the mysterious Spirit Orbs apparent in the photographs taken at this amazing Spring Equinox gathering is no real surprise, given the immense Spiritual energy at Avebury coupled with the resonance created by the gongs and the simple presence of so many Light and Energy aware people in one place with an aligned purpose.

Lets welcome the next quarter of this already eventful year with positive anticipation and embrace the changes that flow with the gift of the Spring Equinox – the creative energy of awakening.

Rhian Gibbings

With increasing awareness among pregnant women that natural birth without medical interference is better for mother and baby while intervention rates are high and caesarean remains an option in the spirit of informed choice, it’s not surprising that many women look back on their past experiences of birth and shudder.

Many women will recall their hospital photos with dismay, clearly recognising the shock and detachment in their own face, or realising they hardly feature in their baby albums because they felt so traumatised at the time, and the last thing they wanted to do was pose for the camera.

For some, the painful memories dissolve almost as soon as their baby is placed into their arms but many mothers are troubled by flashbacks of a traumatic birth, and the experience shapes their attitudes to breastfeeding, intimacy, the trust of others and even their relationship with their child. The women who fare worst are perhaps those who have been the most passionate about their role as a mother, determined to live up to the expectations they have set themselves to birth their child naturally and instinctively. 

Although the body heals with time, the shock delivered by the emotional trauma tends to remain deep rooted and the pain sits right at the core of the feminine centre, disempowering women and feeding negative concepts like low self esteem, a lack of self belief and fear of failure.

Experienced energy healers would usually agree that memories of a traumatic birth will be stored in the very cells of a woman’s body, constantly impairing the flow of their feminine life-force. If not released, the problem could eventually manifest as physical illness, most likely in the reproductive system, which is related to the Sacral Chakra. This will compound the ongoing energetic and emotional issues, leaving mothers with feelings of sadness, inadequacy and loss that are hard to ignore.

When difficult memories surface the use of self help techniques, such as formulating positive affirmations, can be handy. Admitting to a trusted friend or partner that there’s a problem is sometimes the first step in acknowledging that help is needed.

Hypnosis can be useful in releasing any past trauma, and an experienced Hypnotherapist can gently regress the woman to the circumstances of the difficult experience so that they can revise their attitudes towards the memories when they surface. There are other kinds of ‘journeying’ therapies that can also help, whereby the woman is guided into a trance-like state so that negative outcomes can literally be transformed into positive ones through accessing the unconscious mind.

Reiki and Seichem practitioners or those who use crystals to promote energetic balance find that a relaxed state is easily achieved during healing sessions. They might guide the woman through a gentle meditation while allowing the energy healing to catalyse a much needed vibrational shift. Crystals like Moonstone, Apache Tears or Jade might be selected to help heal the trauma of a difficult birth while Garnet, Carnelian or Red Coral might be chosen to help strengthen and re-energise the feminine centre.

If you’re the thoughtful type, it might seem interesting that through negative past experiences of birth, many women have the chance to understand the depths of despair that accompany the ‘feminine wound’ before they tread the path of re-empowerment. For those who choose to question why life has thrown this particular challenge in their face, maybe the answer is that they’ve been given the opportunity to re-birth themselves as part of the process.

Be honest, it’s hard to deny that our children offer us a huge opportunity for personal growth and change as they are catapulted into this world, whether it’s by fair means or foul. And in the end, the fact that we’ve chosen to grow through the tough life lesson of a traumatic birth becomes immaterial – to be granted a ticket to travel through the Divine Feminine Void and emerge reborn with self esteem, feminine courage and pride in the simple fact of one’s existence is a priceless gift indeed.

Rhian Gibbings

On International Women’s Day, the annual occasion designed to highlight the economical, social and political achievements of women past, present and future, the media has been quick to remind us of the extreme highs and lows experienced by women across the globe.

But while the WAGs and glossy celebrities from the world of entertainment never lack media attention and there are always worthy campaigns to address inequalities, discrimination and abuse that deserve all the publicity they can get, I didn’t need to look too far today to find examples of truly incredible women who have overcome adversity, risen to the challenge and proven themselves as completely inspirational – just by finding their way through the ups and downs of ‘normal’ life.

One of my loveliest friends is single-handedly raising an autistic child, having strived for the right diagnosis, battled for schooling that meets his needs and maintained her sanity through the breakdown of her relationship. During this time she’s continued to run her own business and supported a sick relative, yet whenever we meet she glows with a beautiful smile and remains unquestionably motivated and driven to carry on.

I’ll never cease to admire another fantastic woman I’ve known since 2001. Despite facing some incredibly tough health issues and being the unfortunate victim of workplace bullying several times in the last few years, she’s always been there for me when I’ve needed someone to talk to, effortlessly putting her own worries aside. In her working life, a commitment to helping vulnerable people has pulled her through. She does a tough job with a challenging client group, and she never loses the motivation to be there for those who need her the most. This woman has no idea how much she’s admired, and I, for one, honour her for the times when she’s been there with her listening ear and unfaltering support. Respect is due.

There’s also a third beautiful lady I have to tip my hat to today. Having lost nearly everything of any material or emotional value in a drawn out, traumatic divorce from an adulterous husband, her self-esteem journey has been almost tortuous, and it’s been one step forward, two steps back. Yet this lady oozes unconditional love for her friends and family, and she’s one of the most generous people I’ve ever met.

Looking around at my female friends, I could easily write a paragraph about each and every one as testimony to what fabulous, incredible, strong, beautiful women they are. What amazes me, though, is that not one of them fully realises it. Perhaps acknowledging that unique inner Light we women have is something we all need to do a bit more of, though, because it’s what really sets the ‘Feminine’ aside as ‘Divine’ – our ability to find the depths to continue to strive, to continue to love and to continue to reach out to the world without even questioning it.

So here’s to all ‘my girls’ on this special day, and here’s my final thought – we don’t need a special occasion to acknowledge what we’ve achieved; we’re doing a brilliant job every day just being US – together we mirror the infinite faces of the Goddess, and yes, we are all things to all men… We women are fabulous, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

 Rhian Gibbings

Following on from the theme of the ‘quickening’ – the flow of changes that we currently all seem to be part of – and at the end of a whirlwind week during which I’ve been lucky enough to observe, support and trigger some powerful shifts for others, I’m pondering a question I was asked earlier today – why does the healing process so often seem to hurt?

Tuning in to the emotional aspects of the human energy anatomy, it’s a fact that we seldom explore our personal energetic state with true honesty.

If asked to consider their level of emotional comfort on a linear scale, most people would probably place themselves somewhere in the middle on an average day, in a sort of midpoint state of ‘okay’. However, if challenged to really access their truth in an environment free from judgment, such as on the healing couch, it’s probable that many would admit to the state of ‘okay’ really being one of total or partial emotional numbness. Their emotional pain is tucked away somewhere lonely and dark, ready to surface in a quiet, personal moment, or waiting for a trigger from a family member or work colleague that will send them into that all too familiar spiral of blame and shame.

When emotional pain surfaces in our daily interactions, it’s a natural tendency to try to project it towards some unfortunate target person or to turn it inward and further feed the low-density energies lurking within the psyche and energy body.

The more conscious types are likely to recognise and analyse the issues that arise, perhaps using energy-healing or psychological techniques to understand what’s going on in an effort to release and transform the negativity. This is an important part of breaking the unpleasant patterns that hold us back and progressing with the healing journey. Of course it’s painful to wake from the state of ‘numbness’ and really admit how we feel, especially when it seems to happen in fits and starts and it’s often quite a shock, but the benefits are there once we’ve energetically shifted sufficiently to access a new, lighter way of being.

To some, all this might be stating the obvious, but the real question is how can we make the healing process less painful and dramatic? Plenty of Spiritual seekers and individuals ‘on the path’ can be observed bouncing from drama to crisis, regularly sharing explosive, emotional releases with anyone within the furthest reach of their shock-wave. Surely this can’t be the only way to experience change?

This brings us back to the first point – that most people seldom examine their own personal energetic state with true honesty.

Recognising that numb state of just ‘okay’ is surely worth incorporating in our daily routine. Furthermore, there has to be recognition that the ‘numb’ state of being is a product of self judgment and the nemesis of the individual who simply won’t regularly look within…or who only takes a peek when their hand is forced. All experience is a reflection of the self, after all.

Finding personal strategies to remind us of the fact that we’re awake and alive has to be key, along with that liberating realisation that it’s okay not to be ‘okay’. That way, we know when to seek help from our own reserves or through the healing services of others, but when the shifts happen and the triggers arise, we don’t have to stumble along in prolonged, painful states of confusion, and healing can occur in an instant, leaving us unscathed and feeling whole.

 Rhian Gibbings

It’s the start of another Month and already I’m looking back and wondering where the beginning of the year went. It seems like only yesterday that I was welcoming in 2010 with friends at the Buddhist Temple here in Milton Keynes, but on reflection so much has happened in such a short period of time.

As a healer who also offers spiritual readings, I’ve found many of my clients and contacts completely empathising when I’ve commented that our lives seem to be shifting and changing in almost an instant at the moment, and most would agree that they’re not currently where they’d thought they’d be if you’d asked them about their lives this time last year.

Making plans often feels pointless – nothing seems certain any more. Personally, 2010 has brought a tidal wave of unanticipated change for me and it feels like I’ve been constantly re-evaluating my life and evolving my priorities on every level.

It seems that with the arrival of 2010, all our issues have started staring us in the face with a little more determination, demanding that we address them and continue the healing process. As the year progresses, those with health problems won’t cease to seek solutions, those with financial hiccups will be forced to take the bull by the horns, and cracks will continue to appear in relationships and working arrangements that are not aligned for the highest good.  Somehow it seems that if it’s not right, it’s going to get fixed – whether we like it or not! That’s if it didn’t start happening for you before – we’re all at different stages in the process.

It’s always interesting when it’s clear that the experiences of individuals are echoed within wider communities, and from the perspective of one who believes in the power of group consciousness, I’m left wondering what greater influences we’re picking up on at the moment and why the energy of the times is so fast moving for so many people and feels…simply volcanic!

We seem to have well and truly entered a period of ‘quickening’ on many levels – body, mind and Spirit. The Earth’s atmospheric and physical grumblings that have manifested in the catastrophic natural disasters in Haiti, Madeira and Chile, as well as the brutal storm that hit Western France this week are surely echoed in the World political arena, and especially so here in the UK where it’s increasingly looking like the people are hankering for change.  And increasingly I’m meeting ‘ordinary’ people who are waking up to ‘conscious’ living, looking for new ways of Being that suit them, happily challenging the status quo.

Perhaps, for those who are willing and ready, we’re looking at a process of conscious discernment that is more evident than ever before and we’re each standing at our own personal crossroads, faced with the choice to step up to the mark, or not, as the case may be. Sometimes it can be tiring, demoralising and confusing, maybe even a little scary, but at other times riding these waves of change is exhilarating and shows us we’re evolving and vibrating even higher, holding more Light when we safely reach the shore.  

So if it feels like you jumped on an energetic rollercoaster on January 1st, and you’re still not quite sure what you’ve let yourself in for or whether you’ll make it to the finish line, hold on tight – something tells me that for those of us upholding that dream of ascension into a whole new world, the beginning of the end has started, and we’re in for a beautiful, perfect, bumpy ride.

Rhian Gibbings