The Heart of the Matter

How are you?

Life is often hard. It’s an immutable truth that we all know in our bodies, minds, and spirits. It’s easy to try and ignore this fact and place the blame for suffering at our own door. And while we all cause ourselves unnecessary pain on occasion, we should be kind and try to remember that this is a difficult moment in the human story.

The signal-to-noise ratio, in terms of those telling us how they thrive and strive, use this or that training/hack/action, has become a sound that is so loud on social media it’s like a jet engine with the throttle fully engaged. Relentless sounds of inauthentic success. Paper-thin illusions presented to the masses, as a performative act. The call to be seen, for the sake of it.

Imagine that sound as a frequency. It is there, always, changing in tempo and pulse. Calling us and repelling us in the same moment.

The collective noise of the human condition hides a great deal of sadness and unspoken words.

And it can appear that we are continually stuck in a cycle of trying to convince ourselves that we are OK. And that we are all right.

We are not.

It is impossible to be OK all of the time. Even within 24 hours, we can experience highs and lows that are sublime. We try to convince ourselves that we have the solution. When perhaps the illusion of a solution is the problem.

And just maybe that has been the problem all along.

We are born to experience our lives. Our story. It will be a story that rises and falls. It will have exciting moments. It will have painful surprises. It will have joy and love. And pain and anger and grief.

And this symptomatic age often tries to convince us that we don’t know best. That we must ignore the truth that we are each gifted, even before we arrive in the world.

What we should offer ourselves on a regular basis is permission to stop.

To take a moment to listen to what our heart is telling us. And time to consider our next steps. Maybe we need a hot bath, an early night, a new job, or a few hours alone. I am sure you know what you need right now, even as you read these words.

There is no perfect right way. There is only your way.

We are all trying to be someone. When in fact, the only person we should become is ourselves. And that takes a lifetime. And maybe, just maybe, we won’t perfect all elements of the story we felt called to tell. And that is OK too.

What we can do in this moment is offer ourselves permission to listen to our hearts speak the sacred truth.

And then we should be kind to ourselves. And ensure we are not brutalising those same hearts. And in time, we will again have the capacity to be kind to all living things we encounter. For the essence we each hold within is divine and a fragment of the truth of the story that is attempting to be told.

We can only do what we can do. Take it slow. Together we will arrive. The story is not over until it is over. If we see another sunrise, another day, we still have a chance to tell our tale.

your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.
-- by Charles Bukowski

Join me this Saturday on the 8th of June at 9am for the start of the season for my Saturday Morning meditation classes at Hitchin Lavender.

"I have been attending John's meditation classes since spring of this year at The Lavender Farm. The site is amazing set in open countryside and sits next to the ancient Ickneild Way. The classes are very open and relaxed and friendly. We chat before hand about what we wish to acheive and do in the forth coming week. You are then guided into a relaxing state of mind before the meditation. Afterward ypu can chat about your experience if you wish. I jave also attended several full moon meditation classes at the same site wjich have been unbelievable. These visits have definitely helped me through some tough times this year. Im more relaxed and very stress free. John is a great guy and has help put me back on track and opened my mind to greater things." Leslie Izzard

We're very close to being fully booked for the Full Moon Meditation Workshop taking place on Friday the 21st of June. Please book soon if you'd like to join us for the Full Strawberry Moon and experience a unique and powerful Full Moon meditation workshop amidst the breathtaking landscape at Hitchin Lavender landscape. Clear and revitalise your mind, body and spirit, with an energising full moon meditation workshop on the full moon. Exploring how the full moon can be utilised to initiate powerful change. This workshop will enable you to relax, de-stress, embrace positivity and focus your will and intent for the coming months. You will hear ancient stories, fairytales and myths under the light of the Full Moon, as you work with John Harrigan to empower the truth of your own tale.

The infinite is held within you. It is reflected by the world that holds you aloft. You are a sacred being of infinite wonder. You are not here by chance. You are here to do miraculous things.

Sacred Magic is a form of spiritual practice that honours the collaboration that takes place between you and the divine. In the choices you make. In how you choose to live your life. And the power of the story you are here to share with the world.

Join me in July for a weekend of Sacred Magic and to celebrate your story as you dive deep into the strange and beautiful wonders that your heart holds.

"This is the aim of sacred magic; it is nothing other than to give the freedom to see, to hear, to walk, to live, to follow an ideal and to be truely oneself" - Valentin Tomberg

FINAL FEW SPACES REMAIN....

Discover the power of personalised guidance with private 1:1 consultation sessions, tailored to support your unique journey of personal growth, creativity, and spiritual development. I currently have one space left for someone to join me in 1:1 consultation sessions.

How will my work benefit you?

The foundation of my work is based in ritual art and meditation and the information I share omes from hard won lessons and wisdom that I've learnt over the last thirty years, in the process of creating and telling stories that explore life's big questions.

What is the truth of the human story? How do we unlock our purpose? How do we support human development, so that we build a future that sustains all forms of life on earth?

I've spent the majority of my working life exploring how ritual, storytelling and creativity can offer us a path to the sacred and divine.

I've made all manner of mistake, fallen many times. I've experienced both success and failure. It is through the process of enduring that we learn the truth we hold in our hearts and move forward on our path. This is how we embolden our story, this is how true wisdom is developed, nurtured and shared.

Art is magic. Art is utterly vital. Art has the power to heal deep wounds, to aid us in the darkest moments.

I believe in the imagination and creative power of each individual. I believe we need to respect all forms of life. I believe that we're each put here to do something unique and specific to our story. I want to aid as many people as possible to find their life's purpose.

I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Ora et labora.

John