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Dear Yuletide Friends,

Yes, it's December and Christmastime has officially started.  I may be the last person to have not started their Christmas shopping or even putting up decorations but I do like to wait until I'm feeling properly Christmassy.  (I suddenly feel the urge to Google Christmas decorations and pull out my stocking so I think it's time!)

I do have a little Christmas gift for you already though – the first part of my book "Camino de la Luna – Take What You Need" which starts when I said goodbye to my classes in Wimbledon last year.  It's a pretty big book so I've had to cut it into three parts for the online version, so please let me know if your inbox can handle it and I'll send it over.  It's about 372 MB (about the size of 180 digital photos!) and I don't want to blow up anyone's inbox!

I did have my first mulled wine and mince pies last week, at a special Christmas evening at Draper's Yard in Chichester.  It was PACKED! which was a huge change to the day before when I decided to give having a table in the yard a go.  Possibly the coldest day of the year so far, Wednesday... I lasted 4 hours before I decided not to be a hero and head home with my bag of books and cards.  I did meet some nice people but as I nursed my frozen toes and fingers in a hot bath and lay exhausted in my cosy warm bed I did feel a bit of a numpty.  I'd started so positively, with no expectations and I know it's not easy starting something new, but still, I felt quite beaten.  And a wuss.  Especially compared to other market stand holders who are there every day in all weathers and of course people sleeping rough at this time of year.  Last year when I was doing my Camino I always had faith I could find somewhere to sleep (mainly because I did a lot of research first thing in the morning to see where there were places to stay) and when things didn't work out as planned I felt there was a reason.  There was even the time my hotel was double booked and I had to move on, but they let me spend the afternoon relaxing in a spa... in a stable.

In the coldest place, when we got 12 inches of snow on top of a mountain in Portugal and the roads were closed, the taxi driver knew a back road and got to my one night home in a spa hotel.  On my travels I would go to bed wherever I was, being grateful that "I am safe, I am warm," and almost always "I have enough to eat."  

I've been in my house for nearly 6 weeks now and it's enough time for me to have become complacent, spoiled and to not always appreciate how lucky I am, but every night since I stood outside for just a few hours I come home with deep gratitude for my home and cosy bed.  

I'm not going to ask you to support a charity, but I do want to share something with you that I learned on my travels, something very close to my heart and something I believe is very important at this time of year.

Jesus was born poor, in a stable.  He didn't have a house, he didn't make a lot of money and he rejected the idea of being a King.  Buddha left a life of luxury in a palace to be a penniless beggar living on the simplest foods trying to find truth.  And I believe that one of the things they learned was what I learned on my travels, which is to not be bowed by poverty, not to look down on anyone who has less or even more than us, not to judge someone by the quality of the clothes they wear, or whether or not they have shoes on their feet.  

I learned that compassion is distinct from pity.  When we have true compassion we can look someone in the eye and acknowledge them as our equals whatever challenges they are going through.  Because there is no shame in poverty.

When I went to South East Asia I discovered that my pain in seeing other people in poverty was caused by old memories of being poor, of being bullied, of being shamed and then, the worst part, believing the lie that I was less than, because I had less.  And becoming ashamed.

I didn't know any better, but I do now.  I see how I've acted out in the past, buying more and more, labels (Zumbawear), thinking somehow the stuff I had was important, that it made me something better than I was.  Big sigh.  But I was just a little kid and then came the 80s, decade of excess, and even now I bet you can count a hundred adverts in a day selling you something shiny.

Clothes do not maketh the man.

So I share this now because Christmas used to be a tough time, especially when I was a kid, because you know if you don't get good presents from Father Christmas it feels like you've been bad (and I'll be honest I was not over it in my 30s either).  But you know, logically, the gifts you get do not necessarily relate to the way people feel about you, it is after all as we know, the thought that counts.

And we also feel the pressure to make everyone feel good with the gifts we give them.  

So I hope you enjoy Christmastime, it's one of my favourite times of year and I'm enjoying being in England because I love Christmas food and carols and everything...  But I am hoping to not go back to old patterns and to stay in the space of knowing these few things...

It is my presence that is the biggest present I can give to the people I love, I'd rather spend time with people than spend money.

That when I look at or, or help someone who is going through a rough time I am looking in the eyes of an equal, someone who deserves respect, compassion and not pity.

That there must be ways to let my loved ones know how much they are loved other than by adding to a mountain of food or wasteful gifts and to teach the next generation that yes, it is the thought that counts, and the memories of times we spend together that last.  To teach them mindful and not mindless consumption.

And when I eat my non-vegan dark chocolate orange to make sure I enjoy every single mouthful.

Happy Christmas and lots of love, Pearl x

Upcoming Events

Once in a Blue Moon Escape

I cannot ever sell you transformation, I cannot even sell you an experience, because all I can do is offer an experience - you have to do your own workout, but I have seen what I do transform people's lives time and time again.

So here's my Black Friday/Early Bird Offer - £400, which is 20% off the standard price of £500.

This is for a small group of up to 15 people – although some sessions will have extra space that will be offered to others – so you might want to bring a friend to those (see notes).

To be clear this doesn't include accommodation or food (apart from where stated – there are some goodies).

Timetable

Monday 29th January – East Wittering

Morning

How To Use And Not Abuse Meditation And Mindfulness

How To Silence The Mind and The Ego, Not Your Spirit

Be the Observer of Your Thoughts - Mindful Walk along the Beach

Afternoon

Letting Go Of Stories And Masks

Working With Emotions

Establishing A Safe Space For Us To Be Ourselves, And Let The Love Come Out Of Us

Evening

Freetime / additional optional event at extra cost

Tuesday 30th January - Chichester

Morning

Unconditional Love

Self-Compassion

Forgiveness

Reconciliation

Joyful Eating (WITH TASTING MENU!)

(10 extra spaces – cost £50)

Afternoon/Evening

Spa time / additional optional event at extra cost

Wednesday 31st January – East Wittering

5:30am Moonfall and sunrise on the beach

Creating a focus for the next two months or two and a half years

7:30am (or earlier depending on cold and weather) Hot drinks and breakfast snacks

(15 extra spaces – cost £50)

Free Time - Rest, review, dream bigger

3pm Sunset and moonrise on the beach

6pm (or earlier depending on cold and weather) Beach Party Reception

(15 extra spaces – cost £50)

Thursday – 1st February – East Wittering

Morning

Fear Master Class

Afternoon/Evening

Courage Master Class

Fearless Dancing – African and Aztec Warrior Inspired

Friday 2nd February – East Wittering/Chichester

All Day

Create Your Masterpiece

Today is an independent study day for you to take the first step towards the dream you have chosen to focus on.  You can do it.

You've explored East Wittering and Chichester, you've learned to let go and stop hiding, you've learned to listen to your body and follow your heart, you've learned self-compassion, forgiveness, unconditional love, you've set your focus with the help of the blue moon, you've learned how to handle fear and you've found courage.  Now is the time.

Do the thing you think you cannot do.  (Actually at this point – do the thing you thought you could not do.)

Today is the day I am ON CALL for you as a mentor, assistant, advisor.

Evening

Miami Themed Victory Party

(There may also be events pre and post i.e. Sunday 28th or Saturday 3rd Feb which will be optional and charged separately – I'm working on a Zumba Gold and possibly Zumba Gold chair master class.)

How To Book

You can pay via Paypal to pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk

Because this is an online purchase you automatically have a 14 day cooling off period, so if you change your mind you get a full refund.

If you decide to cancel after this, there will be a 50% refund (£200) with the balance held (£200) as a deposit on future events/purchases from me.

If you want to order a copy of the book "free Feeling Real Emotions Everyday" and have a 20 minute call to discuss the escape then please pay via Paypal to pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk, making sure you give your contact details (or send me an email to the same address with your telephone number and a good time to call!)

https://www.facebook.com/events/135853490401234/

New Colour Books

Camino de la Luna – Unconditional Love (self help/travel) - coming soon to Amazon

Available as a downloadable pdf from Lulu - £6.30

Paperback £19.50 shipped direct (not signed) economy ordered from me

Camino de la Luna – Take What You Need (self help/travel) - now live on Amazon and available as a three part pdf download from Lulu

Part 1 - £6.30

Part 2 - £6.30

Part 3 - £6.30

Paperback - £42.50 shipped direct (not signed) economy ordered from me

 

free Feeling Real Emotions Everyday (self help) -  available now as

colour pdf "free Feeling Real Emotions Everyday" on Lulu - £11.87

and paperback from Amazon (see third party booksellers' prices!) or direct from me signed - £20 including postage and packaging in the UK

$26.80 including economy postage to the US,

$30 with faster shipping.

 

Japan Is Very Wonderful (travel) -  available now as full colour paperback from Amazon (again check third party booksellers' prices) and downloadable pdf direct from Lulu - £6.30

£19 shipped direct (not signed) economy if ordered from me

To order my latest colour books direct just send your order via PayPal to pearl@pearlescapes.co.uk stating which book you are ordering and, of course, your delivery address.  Please note that there may be third party sellers on Amazon offering discounted copies - because they work in bulk they may be able to offer my books cheaper than me!