Kelly Johnston

By Kelly Johnston - Oct 15, 2015

For most of us, the idea of willingly submitting to discomfort and pain is absurd. Why would we be so foolish to subject ourselves to such a thing? But when pursued wholly — in body, mind and spirit — and with deep self-compassion and love, the results can be life-changing. By working with and through pain, we can not only make the past and present more malleable, but we can also forge a kinder, less painful future. Nor are the efforts and rewards singular. This self-evolutionary process is one that has the potential to radiate out to those around us, both as an influence and an offering for a happier, more contented and transcendent life.

By Kelly Johnston - Oct 15, 2014

It is quite natural that our first reaction to the news of illness or approaching death, either our own or someone else’s, is one of shock, sadness, mourning and pain. We immediately try to reject or combat the inevitable, because not only does it imply the loss or degeneration of the physical body, but perhaps even more terrifying, the very disintegration of our self – that which we believe to represent our being because it is formulated and situated by the psyche, thereby making us ‘real’ to ourselves. But what if instead of rejecting the stages of illness and death, we accept them as beneficial components of our personal evolution? Depending on the nature and severity of an illness, this can be an invaluable tool for emotional and psychological transformation, perhaps even bringing forth physical healing.

By Kelly Johnston - Jul 15, 2017

No matter where we live in the world, the chances are that our daily life is one of high-stress, exacerbated by external forces over which we have little or no control. This sensory overload gradually becomes sensory deprivation, in that we slowly become numb to the onslaught, either by choice or conditioning. The numbing not only threatens our relationships with family, colleagues and social communities, but also with our inner self. We become cut off from our innate knowledge and desires, and more easily succumb to media and social media’s dictates of who we should be — generally a fantastical creation that only exists in the delusional mind of cyberspace. Increasingly fatigued and demoralised, how do we resist falling prey to the opiates of the external world and instead rally as our own strongest advocates for our inner selves?