For the last few weeks the following strands have been intertwining, drawing a dark shawl over my eyes. 

• The gradual slump towards ‘hump month’ and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere. 
• Gloom filled days interspersed with a smattering of sunshine
• A soft tissue injury in my left foot making exercise painful

Peeping through tiny spy holes skewed my outlook. Languishing here provided me with the inspiration to write:

Morning morosity takes hold;
Melancholic meanderings of my mind and
Morbid imaginings of this mindless malaise.

Energy constricted, ebbing. Woefulness clouds; dimming. 
Knowing what is happening, not wanting it to stop. 
Why go on? Hopelessness creeps in, chilling.

Darkness, warmth; slumber away the doubts. 
For now, in this moment balance exists. 

Serendipitous circumstances led to my release: email reminder from the Buddha Bar Healing Clinic, Newtown, Australia; space in my diary; promise of financial assistance from our health fund; and an appointment with the person who ‘felt’ right. 

My journey began with a cup of rose and green tea then I was directed downstairs by Gavin to the ‘Harry Potter Room’. A deceptively large and comfortable subterranean cavern tucked under the stairs. This room, filled with colour, fragrance and spiritual artefacts, welcomed me into its womb like embrace. 

After a 45 minutes massage with lavender oil and a quarter of an hour of Reiki I was decidedly wobbly. I don’t remember my walk to the train station or the trip to Lewisham. While making my way along the platform I felt a sensation in my head, and a slight dizziness as I stumbled to the left. The walk home was taken at a snails pace. The accumulated stress had been replaced by a deep trancelike calm. Like sparks from the fire, thoughts of the previous weeks popped into my head and dimmed without gaining traction. Three days later inner peace persists, a testament to the most profound massage to date. 

More information:

The Buddha Bar Healing Clinic

Gavin Read