Food For Thought – Di Atherton

Di Atherton In Food For Thought, Growth, Life journeys

Connectedness

Some years ago there was a TV series called “Touch” starring Kiefer Sutherland as the father of an autistic child, Jake. Although it appeared to be a bit of an odd story at first, as the episodes unfolded, it was about the connectedness of all things. Jake saw the world, past, present and future, as numbers. He was obsessed with…

Di Atherton In Food For Thought, Growth, Healing, Health, Illness, Life journeys, Wellness

Journey of Illness: Part 2

Over recent weeks I have heard about several people facing life-threatening and terminal illnesses with the most horrific physical symptoms and pain. Pain so bad that not even heavy doses of morphine have done much to alleviate it. It's heart-breaking to see another human being suffer so as well as witness the emotional strain on their loved ones. I began…

Di Atherton In Change, Food For Thought, Grief, Growth, Healing, Life journeys, Loss

Journey of Loss: The Spaciousness of Grief

Spaciousness. The word popped into my mind as I was headed down the N4 towards Old Joe’s Kaia where Marian Cottle and I were going to be facilitating our Journey of Loss Retreat over the weekend. It’s a beautiful drive through the mountains, farmlands and orchards, just 45 minutes from Mbombela where I live. Where we create and hold space…

Di Atherton In Growth, Healing, Health, Illness, Life journeys, Wellness

Journey of Illness – Part 1

This client is the first one I have had who has consistently included distance Reiki sessions and meditation alongside her chemo and other treatments. Her mindset has also played a big part in her journey. Halfway through 2021 I was contacted by a friend, who had moved to the UK many years ago. A single Mum going through a difficult…

Di Atherton In Change, Courage, Food For Thought, Growth, Life journeys

Unproductive Busyness

It’s 07h55 on a Monday morning and I’m still in bed. No, I’m not sick. I’ve already been up, fed the dogs and cat, prepared my lemon and ginger water, opened the lounge curtains and then headed back to bed. To write this blog, and yes, part of me feels a little guilty about climbing back into bed. But I’m…

Di Atherton In Courage, Food For Thought, Grief, Growth, Life journeys

The Allowing of Grief

Grief forces us to feel. It’s raw and messy and painful. It involves some seriously ugly cries. Even wailing. The bereaved. Grief-stricken. In mourning. We are all familiar with these words, all relevant to the process of loss. But we are usually completely unprepared when those words pertain to us. We have no cooking clue as to the depth of…

Di Atherton In Adventure, Courage, Food For Thought, Life journeys

Ocean Journeys

But as I sat there, pondering this, I realised that in fact I am on my own adventure. Slowly leaving behind the land I’ve known, all that was familiar. Mine has been a slow journey over many months. To be honest I am still not 100% sure of the destination. On Sunday 18th April 2021 my youngest stepson and his…

Di Atherton In Food For Thought, Grief

Being In The Lost And The Loss

The ONLY way to deal with emotions is to BE in them. Be in the lost and the loss. Admit you don’t know the answer or the way forward. That you are afraid, overwhelmed, angry. I recently returned from a weekend retreat where the overriding theme was around loss and grief. It wasn’t the intended theme, but the facilitator simply…

Di Atherton In Food For Thought

A Jar of Capers

And there it was. The jar of capers. The jar of capers that sits at the back of every fridge I’ve ever owned. It had at some point been used as it was open. I noticed the sign that said “use within 4 weeks of opening”. Hmmm. I’ve been living in my current home for over 20 months and I don’t…

Di Atherton In Food For Thought

Mum’s Light

“How often in our world we miss the beauty of Beingness. Through whom your Mum is Being – not words or actions - she is impacting others. What if THIS time was actually the biggest gift of her life for her own soul and the soul of others?” As the nursing sister wheeled Mum away, wrapped up in her soft…