What is it About Overcoming Adversity That Makes Ordinary People Heroes?
In my line of work, I contemplate the art of overcoming adversity a lot. When I read articles about a footy ‘star’ being arrested for being violent, or drunk and disorderly, it creates a visceral reaction within me.
When there are really 3 versions of a story.
Have you ever heard the myth that there are actually 3 versions of a story?
Being Relatable. And Special. But Also Fitting In.
It fortified that sense of belonging and mutual holding of space and wonder. Because at the end of the day, we want to be relatable. And special. But we also want to fit in.
If you don’t own it, it will just own you.
Almost 20 years ago, I started my private practice at a similar time to a friend who worked as a nutritionist and specialised in homeopathy and herbs. Her dyslexia sometimes meant that her website and newsletters had typos or spelling errors that she was very self...
Is “quietly quitting” the gift that keeps giving?
For context, “quietly quitting” refers to doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.
There are decades when nothing happens, and then there are weeks where decades happen
I find that there is often a ‘theme’ with my work and the big one for this period is BOUNDARIES.
Defying The Odds & Rewriting Your Happy Ending
Rehabilitation was futile. Their home became unsafe as pimps and drug dealers started lurking around and demanding money that was ‘owed’ to them. The final straw was when a women at a shelter they were staying at, sourced drugs for Sorayah’s daughter.
So, I’m now a podcast host.
Mum said I learned to speak very early on. But it wasn’t until my teens when I really discovered my voice. I was raised in a subculture during a time where it was revered and even positively reinforced to physically stand up for yourself. It was the 80’s....
I always tell the truth, even when I lie.
Do you find that you need to make a truth a little more ‘palatable’ for yourself in order to get through a challenging transition you’re currently navigating? Cognitive dissonance is that uncomfortable feeling you get when you try to maintain 2 or more...
‘Jealousy’ vs. ‘Envy’: Can You Feel The Difference?
A client recently shared that she will be travelling to the Mediterranean in a few weeks, and I was thrilled for her. I shared that I was envious and would be living vicariously through her...
It’s Not The Load That Breaks Us, But How We Carry It.
Trying to balance too much can lead to stress or overwhelm. I find that when if the weight I’m carrying is too heavy a load, or I’ve been carrying it for too long, the first to go is my sense of humour. Soon after that, I become snarky and snappy, and then my tolerance (or lack thereof) moves to a whole other dimension, quite like the OPPOSITE of spiritual ascension.
The Vulnerability Of Being A Student Again
We arrived for the training from many different states, and as is customary, did a round of intros at the beginning.
Often in introductions we think of our impressive accomplishments and try to feign a sense of nonchalance, as we relay our myriad of experiences, so that it gives off some kind impressive street cred. Well, at least I do that.
Until recently.
For the first time, I simply stated I was a student. I was here to learn, then to unlearn and to relearn all over again. And to practice. And potentially get it very wrong in front of people that had the credibility to give me constructive feedback, but also crush my ego.
Do We Need To Be All Or Nothing Before Arriving At An Elusive ‘Equilibrium’?
“All or Nothing”. No wonder we chase the dopamine and get addicted to the adrenalin. The ALL is glorious. It’s ubiquitous and inspirational and has the frequency to channel our dreams and then journey them into reality. But the NOTHING is where the gold nuggets can also land as a profound vision. And if we make the room for them to spread with enough space, maybe we won’t need to be part of the meticulous planning of the journey.
Not Just A Trend – Why ‘Adaptability’ Is More Than Just A Fad
As always, I hope this message finds you well. Perhaps my intention in asking you this, is a little more nuanced than usual. I have recently been in contact with some friends who made the decision to leave Sydney in the last few years. At the time of their departure,...
The Magic In Magic Numbers. But Magic Happens Anyway.
Today is a magical day of matching numbers as we say hello to 22/2/22. I’m particularly excited as I will be the celebrant for a friend of mine who is marrying her beloved later this afternoon.
When Fun Quarterly Habits Replace Boring Resolutions
If we want to change our habits, we need to set ourselves up for a good routine, so we need to arrange a deliberate or intentional practice behind it. For me to have that daily swim, I need to stay committed to stop work by a certain time. Old engrained workaholic tendencies are harder to release than I’d originally thought.
The upside is that I have something to look forward to at the end of the day, and the downside is that some tasks remain unfinished. The bonus is that any perfectionistic tendencies within me need to build a bridge and get over it, and the real gold that has emerged, is that I have a lighter mental load and therefore more space to feel inspired to create and to write.
Resilience When Rebuilding
Resilience is an innate capacity we are born with to return to a baseline of good health and vitality when we’ve experienced an accident, injury, loss or trauma
2020 – Let’s Not Curse The Year That Woke Us Up
Yes, it’s the Solstice, yes it’s the great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, yes it’s the start of the Age of Aquarius and yes, the elders in Uluru are holding sacred ceremony while activating very old and potent crystals at 9.02pm Uluru time, while other rituals with elders from around the world will commence from 11.02pm Sydney time.
The Crunchy Covid Spaces In Between
It turns out that there’s nothing like a world wide impact like COVID 19to show me that my responses are built more for comfort, then for speed.
Rock-Bottoms, Up Levelling & Your Spirit Seasons
Nature’s seasonal shifts are something that we are familiar with, but much like how schools don’t teach us about finances and regulating our nervous systems, we are also not taught how to transition through our soul’s seasonal shifts. Understanding our internal spirit...
Why ‘feeling the fear and doing it anyway’, is bullshit
There are some memes that appear on my social media feed that I never get tired of seeing over and over.
And then there are some that drive me insane, as toxic messages become normalised within our culture and society. The one I have the biggest issue with, is “Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway”
Vicarious Trauma.. and Boundaries.
Last year, I had assumed that at this time, we would need to clear our energy after time with our families may have tested our boundaries as opposed to the vicarious trauma we are experiencing as a nation after so many fires destroyed our bush, wildlife and claimed several homes and lives.
When there’s no BEFORE or AFTER pic to show..
I don’t know about you, but I feel that this year has been a huge internal renovation for me. Old configurations I’d inherited that were wonky and rusty got gutted out and were replaced with a new infrastructure that is sturdier and built to be sustainable along with more reliable fixtures.
Sometimes we grieve those that are still here
My friend passed away a few weeks ago. I’m so sad that I no longer see her and at the same time thrilled that she’s free from this earth and that she now has her wings. It wasn’t an accident or cancer, or any illness for that matter. She was actually 2 months shy of...
A Qualification Doesn’t Give You Confidence
When you truly embody a feeling, your discipline can be flexible, for your level of confidence is so expanded, that your trust muscle simply follows the flow of your soul. You pass the tests that could have potentially led you astray and are perfectly magnetic to receive what you yearn, irrespective of whether you are qualified or not.
Finding My Down Time – Ethically
How important is the notion of sustainability? In what ways do you live an eco-friendly life? Connecting to my community, ethically, and in a way that is true and devoid of any ego is very important to me.
Connecting via pity or pain only leads to resentment
Resentment is similar. In a same-same, but different kinda way. Kind of like they may not be from the same family of origin, but they might just be first cousins from their mothers side of the family.
But..I’m not where I want to be..
Those of us who made new year’s resolutions 6 months ago or decided that our birthday year was going to be different / better / more abundant / more loving, have been feeling disappointed about our dreams that have yet to manifest into reality.
One thing that my numerous studies, soul searching and being a kinesiologist has shown me over the years, is that many of us are rarely where want to be or where we think we should be for 2 reasons.
Sharing, Taking & Claiming Space
I showed deference and claimed my space by taking the time to explain the difference between ‘holding the space for someone’ versus ‘taking the space from someone’.
Is ‘doubt’ really such a disaster?
Doubt will visit us to tell us that we are deficient. When we’re balanced, we can easily access feelings of hope and faith. When we’re excessive, we can be arrogant.
Another Circle Around The Sun & Moon
Today we honour international womens’ day which co incides with the day my mum evicted me from her uterus. To be fair, my impatience was evidenced from my birth when I decided to come 2 weeks early.
Happy 2019 Beloveds!
I speak often of how our interactions with people can often be categorized into 3 thirds. The 1st third being the key supportive people that are aligned with our values and support us, the 2nd third comprised of mostly acquaintances and the 3rd third encompassed mainly of people who will never understand us.
2018 – The Year Of Extremes – From Trauma To Triumph
Have you ever heard stories about people having the best and worst years of their life all at once? Like they got married to the love of their life, but lost a parent. Or they moved into their dream home, but then lost their job. Or they got the promotion of their dreams, but miscarried their baby at 6 months. Or moved overseas to be with family, but then got divorced.
The Unexpected Bloom From A Flower Crown
She took pity on my sad looking excuse for a flower arrangement and offered her help. No sister. I don’t want you to help – I NEED YOU TO DO IT FOR ME.
And bless her heart. She did.
What’s In A Name
When I tell people that my Greek name is ‘Panayiota’, their immediate response is a look of confusion as they tentatively repeat ‘you mean, like.. pana cotta?’
Close, but not quite.
Energy Matching for Energy Mapping
The Universe will always reflect how we FEEL, as opposed to what we think, that’s why our emotions leave a stronger imprint within our aura than our thoughts, which by nature are much more fleeting.
Solstice Blessings
Yogi Bhajan “Revolve your life around summer and winter solstice and everything will be taken care of. Come home when you can because there are two things in life — Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice — when the divine cosmic energy can help to elevate your consciousness and your breath.”
You know you’re THAT person when..
You see I’ve become THAT person that doesn’t go out and needs to be home in bed reading my book or watching Netflix. By 9.30 the latest.
9.45 if we’re pushing it and boy will I let you know that you owe me BIG TIME for staying out SO LATE.
Since when is 100% the only ultimate?
“I never give 100%.”
My eyes widened in disbelief.
“There’s no need to.” She continued “I usually cap my energy at 60% when I teach my class, otherwise I get really drained and need to take time off”
The freedom you have from not being ‘enough’
The feeling of being ‘enough’ is as elusive as a handful of sand as it’s a destination that more often than not, only exists in our head. Its intangible, yet conditional much like a carrot that we get at the end of our journey.
Is our quest to be ‘special’ stunting our greatness?
As we journey through life and navigate the myriad of experiences that both shape our personality and contribute to our confidence, we experience the contrast of feeling ‘special’ where we receive positive re-enforcement or wishing the earth would just open up and swallow us whole.
Run Free With The Angels RuRu 07/05/2003 – 07/02/2018
I remember musing about the ideal way to cross over once you leave your body. That is until a few weeks ago when my beloved dog Rufus died in my arms.
So THAT’s why I created this bubble..
Because the holiday season brings EVERYONE’s stuff up and unless I’ve filled myself up with what nourishes me on all levels, I get swept up in other people’s stress vortex, and I lose my own centre and subsequently fall off balance. Happy New Year to you sweet soul. I...
The Wisdom in Our Words
’m also aware of how language within mainstream and even sub cultures has the ability to make a certain gender or ethnicity feel inferior, for I’ve experienced both myself. It’s why I try to cultivate kindness and wisdom with my words.
The Rise In Community Consciousness
For the longest time ever, I never really felt like I had that soulful community tribal connection, or at least not when I was growing up. Like many of my students and clients have shared with me since, I also felt like the stork had dropped me off to a community that had the complete opposite values of felt true in my own heart.
Anger – A Potent Tool For Transformation
Anger is a potent energetic tool for transformation Our society doesn't really teach us the value of anger. In one extreme, it is dissuaded, dismissed and even devalued, yet on the other hand; it's given a cultural value that can be used as an excuse for 'passionate...
Radical Shifts Are Often Subtle
I’m so excited to be part of the FREE Radical Shifts Online Summit along with many people who I’ve admired for years such as Dr John Demartini, Dr Bruce Lipton, Danielle La Porte, Ben Lee and Brandon Bays.
Does popular culture inspire growth?
Many years ago I attended a seminar that talked about a universal event that helped humanity open their heart chakra. The global event that the speaker was referring to was the tragedy of Princess Diana's death. I still remember where I was and how stunned I felt at...
It’s easier to give when you’re already full
Hello love bug, it feel like ages since I was last in touch!To be honest, I'm still coming down from a high since hosting my retreat last weekend. During our closing circle, we each shared different aspects of the deep gratitude we felt for so many different parts of...
10 questions to ask yourself mid year during Winter Solstice
BOOM! And just like that it's the middle of the year! As I write to you, I'm prepping the playlist for my Winter Solstice workshop this Wednesday (by the way, a couple of empty spots just came up as 2 of our soul sisters had an unexpected work commitment – so if you...
The Relentless Need For Attention
The concept of needing attention is a fascinating one, as we’re plugging into our universal right to be here AND to be seen
Does it EVER end?
Does it ever end? Does it ever seem like you’re having the same conversation over and over, yet it feels like you don’t ‘get anywhere?’ Or you stumble on yet another emotional block regarding love / money / your job / your home / your in-laws / siblings that feels...
Why ‘forgive and forget’ really needs an update
Forgive and forget should get updated to forgive and remember how you want to FEEL.
Are we confusing loyalty with obligation?
Hey sweet soul, With 4 planets STILL in retrograde, how are you travelling? At least Mercury goes back to normal today.. I must say, this is usually the best time for me to get so much of my admin organised. From papers that need to be filed, to my desktop that needs...
Transitions That Test You
There has been a lot going on behind the scenes at Patty Kikos HQ that has required me to use a different kind of energy where I’ve been ‘putting myself out there, a lot more than I ordinarily do. While it’s been exciting and offered me the opportunity to learn a lot,...
Happy Autumn Equinox
Happy Autumn Equinox beloveds! I celebrated a little earlier during my kundalini yoga workshop on Saturday, (by the way - thanks for another packed out workshop my darling yogis!) and today I’ll be facilitating a Reiki 1 Training Day where 3 new healers will be...
Happy International Womens Day
When I found out about the existence of International Womens Day, I was a teenager who felt very disempowered within my own family. I was the youngest kid and only daughter born to European immigrant parents who had not received a full education in their own...
How you do one thing, is how you’ll do most things
How you do one thing, is how you’ll do most things..
When wanting happiness is a powerful start
When wanting happiness is a powerful start. When I ask my clients how they’d like to ‘feel’, most will respond with some version of yearning for ‘happiness or ‘peace’.
Instead of a new year resolution, I’m going to create space
New Resolutions? Nah. I’m more about creating the space for things to land effortlessly.
The raised intonation at the end of a sentence
One of the girls I’ve been mentoring for a while has recently launched a video of her new professional offering and asked for my feedback and testimonial. Upon watching it, I instantly felt uncomfortable, for I knew that she’d want my honest feedback, and I could...
Is how we want to be perceived getting in the way of our growth?
Recently, I’ve wondered whether how we want to be perceived is getting in the way of our growth. Pedestals. We’ve all been on them, or put others on them and watched while we (or they), made like humpty dumpty and came crashing down. I have a neighbour. We’re part of...
So THAT just happened
Well hello there! It’s a wonderful windy morning as I type away while feeling the potency of this magical super moon. I think full moons are always amazing, but this one seems to have brought so many people together in more ways than it usually does, simply because...
The magical vibe that you plug into when you travel solo.
There’s a magical vibe that you plug into when you travel solo. Solo trips away can sometimes bring on a sense of loneliness that is otherwise unfamiliar to me in my carefully curated life where I am for the most part, in control. At home, I choose when I socialise...
The essential relationship between resistance and discipline
In recent weeks I’ve discovered that the relationship between resistance and discipline has quite a close connection. By nature, I’m a real fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda gal, but as a business owner, that whimsical tendency just aint going to cut the mustard, or...
Why praying for what you want isn’t enough
Top of the morning to you sweet soul! I'm slowly coming down from a big high after a powerful kundalini equinox workshop last Saturday. The pic below is of my dear friend Nigel playing the didge while I walked around channeling reiki and implementing energy balance...
Happy Spring Equinox!
Happy Equinox beloved! May the equal balance of day and night bring you a sense of clarity about your direction in life, a sense of peace within your heart and above all a loving integration of your own shadow and light. The balance of my own darkness and light was...
The Rise of The Feminine, Age of Aquarius & Hillary Clinton
My dear friend, Never in my wildest dreams did I think that spirituality and politics could merge to form a post where The Rise of The Feminine, Age of Aquarius & Hillary Clinton could be discussed in the same context. Now I wonder what took me so long. How much...
Are you loyal to a fault? Mercury retrograde can fix that!
Top of the morning to you my dear friend! How is September treating you so far? Feeling the effects of Mercury Retrograde? I’m having a grand old time with the combination of this delicious weather and the fact that I’ve been spring cleaning like a woman possessed....
Networking for Highly Sensitive People
Are you a highly sensitive person? Does the idea of networking send your nervous system into a tailspin. Last Friday I went along to the 9toThrive event that was organised by Emma Isaacs, the founder of Business Chicks. I’ve been in the same industry(ies) for a decade...
Beautiful Boundaries in 6 Easy Steps
Good morning my lovely friend, how was your weekend? On Friday, RuRu my little ball of feisty fluff had an operation, and on Saturday I facilitated a Reiki 1 Training Day so I really enjoyed a day in the sun during this epic false spring that we’re having in Sydney....
8:8 Lions Gate Portal Demystified For You
This morning as I write to you, I do so with a heart that's bursting with love and gratitude. On Saturday, I spent the entire day with my first ever healing mentor from when I had attended a spiritual healing college many years ago, and on Sunday (yesterday), I spent...
August Reiki Healing and Energy Balance
At the start of each month and in conjunction with the new moon, I always sit in a deep healing meditation that gives me the opportunity to send reiki to my loved ones, as well as to everyone that is a client on my mailing list. I’ve been doing this for a while now...
6 ways to spot the energy suckers in your life
As much as I've come to love writing posts and articles with the intention to inspire (and possibly entertain you), today I'm popping in nice and quickly to share an article that has stirred up something in me. Much of my personal life has involved the learning and of...
The Art of Releasing Guilty Passions
Is there an art to releasing guilty passions? I feel so grateful that I live in a country where I can express myself freely by embodying the values I hold dear to my heart. In my morning meditations and prayers, I'm always asking how I can be of greater service to...
Do you have a strong and supportive anchor?
As strange as this may sound because I'm assuming that you're not at out sea.. but.. Do you have an anchor? I ask because during times of perilous transitions that are often masked as disappointments, I find myself seeking comfort from one of my favorite ever quotes...
July Reiki Healing & Energy balance For You
At the start of each month and in conjunction with the new moon, I always sit in a deep healing meditation that gives me the opportunity to send reiki healing to my loved ones, as well as to everyone that is a client on my mailing list. I’ve been doing this for a...
Scars, Spirituality & Samantha Wills
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Samantha Wills and ended up having an inspiring chat about her scars, my spirituality and the tumultuousness that can often accompany an entrepreneurial success story. SAMANTHA WILLS Samantha’s recent collaboration with Optus...
Winter Solstice Wishes
Sending you wonderful Winter Solstice wishes my dear friend, Today we celebrate this year's longest night and shortest day, also known as Winter Solstice. Even though this event happens every year, THIS year is particularly auspicious as it falls on a full moon. Is...
When we unite from a place of love
My dear friend, I try to encase myself in a bubble of love as much as possible, both personally and professionally, so this past weekend, I was left reeling with shock from the news of the Orlando shooting. The fact that this level of hatred and righteousness exists...
How the Sydney storm taught me about what’s REALLY important
How intense was the Sydney storm over the weekend? I'm so grateful to the incredible people that volunteer their time for the emergency services because I know that they were inundated with calls for help and are still catching up to with the backlog. I had several...
The power of Perspective
Top of the morning to you my friend! Today I am writing to you from the power of a fresh perspective! You see, I just had a solid 10 hours sleep! Indulgent you say? More like a desperately needed catch up..No wonder I get grumpy when I don't have enough.. I live in an...
3 tips to help you balance your energy
My friend Shantelle’s partner is in the military, so when he got posted to Hawaii, she jumped at the chance to ensure her business was a little more location independent and still balance her energy. In true form, she has already made some wonderful connections and...
I Always.. You Never..
One of my dear friends just sent me an email with a hilarious account of her latest couple therapy session that she’s been attending with her husband. To give you a bit of background, both make a living as very successful writers, and when it comes to the language of...
Releasing My Resistance & Embracing My Ebb
Wow, today finally feels like Autumn! On Friday night I officiated a wedding in the Northern Beaches and for the first time felt super chilly after the sun had set. Yesterday, I spent the day with my family in honour of Mother's Day and am feeling replenished enough...
Inadvertently dropping the F bomb
I find family dynamics inherently fascinating as they come up A LOT in all aspects of my working life. From clearing inherited patterns with my yoga and kinesiology clients, to managing tricky relationships on emotional wedding days as a celebrant.. Ever been around a...
Torn between feeling grateful and helpless
Anzac Day is such a sad and sombre day isn't it? I found myself feeling quite reflective yesterday as I navigated through some prescheduled work commitments. Although the country I live in remembers the soldiers that lost their lives at Gallipoli, many of us have been...
6 inspirational life hacks from Kathryn Budig’s interview
I don’t follow that many ‘famous’ yogis on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, unless I find that they share their message in a really authentic, heart centred and inspirational way. Kathryn Budig is one of the few that fall into that category. When I...
A sweeter way of approaching “I’m not where I should be”
I believe there’s a lot of medicine / lessons / realisations / a-ha moments that can be gained by that sense of “I’m not where I should be.”
How to give someone the respect they didn’t necessarily give you
So the end of daylight savings celebrated by starting with a few random bursts of rain didn’t it? I got caught at the ‘no shelter’ point along the Bondi to Bronte coastal walk, so decided to go with the flow and pretend I was having a (fully clothed) swim instead....
Autumn Equinox – Mother Natures Quarter Year Review
Happy Autumn Equinox to you my dear friend, The days are getting shorter & slightly colder and today is one of 2 days in the year when day + night are equal in length. In a few weeks daylight savings time changes and our daylight time becomes shorter - and for me...
The Digital Declutter.
I’m often watching how many of my friends who are parents mindfully swap their children’ toys around so that their kids can remain stimulated and interested. I notice that as an adult, I have to do the same for myself, and this is primarily why I try to cultivate a...
A Leap Into a Brand New Site – www.chakrachats.com
Like most dates, leap years aren't usually a big deal - unless a loved one passes away or you're born on the 29th February, or you decide you want to get married on that day. This is the case for my celebrant clients getting married today. She celebrated her b'day...
Overcoming my own Pride and Prejudice
Pride has such a negative connotation, don’t ya think? It conjures up connections with one’s ego that suggest you get held back from reaching a state of Enlightenment in this lifetime. Or at least it does in the spiritual circles I like to swirl in. But so many of my...
What’s Your Love Language?
February is traditionally a very busy month for me as it’s not only my favorite time of the year because of how warm the water temperature is at the beach, it’s also peak wedding season for my celebrant business. As an ode to a NON astrological yet overly...
That time I was riddled with job envy
Do you ever get job envy?
I do.
I want to be a DJ, a stylist, and author.
How to find your flow
I was recently inspired by one of my buddies practicing his handstands while his fiancé and I took pics during a cloudy sunset. These guys are 2 of my closest friends & constantly motivate me with their approach to love & life. Are they yogis? Err. No. Do...
How these teenage girls revived my faith in humanity
Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at a Beautiful Minds Sydney event. I shared some knowledge about the chakras and how the girls (aged from 12 -16) could better manage their energy. I was incredibly moved by how articulate and intelligent these beautiful souls...
The powerful healing when your foundations are strong and your roots go deep.
There is powerful healing and repair when your foundations are strong and your roots go deep.
Happy New Year.. But wait – is this a NEW year for you right now?
HAPPY SWEET ‘16 LOVERS! I’ve just come back from a wonderful rest and feel very energised and inspired about January. For me personally, this month tends to feel very different each year and I’ve finally learned to honour my body’s natural cycle and rhythms, instead...
8 Habits of the Energetic Entrepreneur
We are able to manage our energy better with our teams, our tribes, our clients and those nearest and dearest to us when we are able to understand it and work to balance it when it is depleted. We become a magnet for success when we set up our energetic fields to...
Is it easy to design a life you love?
I was recently interviewed for a podcast by Brent Price who runs a website called The Lifestyle Income. His mission is to inspire you to design a life you love, and for many, that involves leaving the corporate world behind, and pursuing their dream of working for...
![Where are You Sabotaging Your Success? [Infographic]](https://pattykikos.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Are-you-sabotaging-your-success.png)
Where are You Sabotaging Your Success? [Infographic]
Does it seem like the harder you work the further away you are from getting the results you want? Here's how to find out if you are sabotaging your own success...
Meeting Caroline Myss
There were many reasons that inspired me to leave the world of social work behind. Caroline Myss (pronounced mace) is probably one of the bigger contributing factors, if not my greatest inspiration at the time. Shitty pay, never ending red tape, ongoing policy reviews...
Ancestral Clearing – Can it Be Easy?
My Dearest Friend, I feel inspired to write to you today after having officiated a wedding on a date that is traditionally known as All Saints Day for some or 'La Día de los Muertos' (The Day / Festival of the Dead) for others. The couple wanted to honour their...
Esther Hicks – The Law of Attraction
I don’t know that much about the Law of Attraction, other than the basics, so when I heard that Esther Hicks would be coming to Sydney, I jumped at the chance to see her. Esther is an American inspirational speaker and author. She has co-authored nine books with her...
Eclipses, Shadows and Medicine
During an eclipse the earth casts a shadow on the moon. This can represent our collective shadow as people of earth. What we see is our own darkness. What we feel is the medicine from our lesson. These last 2 weeks have been seemingly more intense for many of my...
Comfort Zones
Well hello there stranger! It feels like ages since I last wrote to you, in fact, since my last blog post, I managed to sneak away to Bali for 2 weeks and teach on a wonderful retreat that my dear friend Beata facilitated. Do I sound nonchalant and blasé? Good. I...
Is your self talk as kind as it could be?
A few months back I was standing on my kitchen bench watering one of my plants. Unfortunately I ended up spilling the water, which caused me to slip and fall on the hard linoleum floor. My unceremonious decline had me land with a thud that reverberated throughout my...
Idolising – why this diminishes our power
Bali, Blessings & Boundaries.
How do vacations sneakily become working holidays? For me personally, it seems to be a combination of bad time management and poor boundaries, so it was a huge blessing when my flight to Bali got rescheduled due to the volcanic ash cloud. Initially, I had planned to...
Marianne Williamson – A Summary of her Talk
Winter Solstice and the magic of 6 months
Winter Solstice is coming. And just like that, the days start to get longer.. I love the life of an antipodean. Yesterday, I braved the wind chill and went for a swim in the middle of the day. (!?) The sunny winter days that Sydney is well known for are incredible,...
The prosperity that comes with saying ‘no’.
Does saying ‘yes’ to every opportunity mean that we will never go without? What if we could make the fist dent in the Universe by saying ‘no’ to what isn’t quite right for us? For many of us that need to pay our rent or mortgage as well as our utilities, we use money...
Truth. And its Consequences
Much of the 1:1 work that I do with my clients revolves around the concept of ‘truth’ and its consequences – both for themselves and mostly the effect that this will have on others. That well-known cliché that tells us that ‘your truth will set you free’ is so common...
Rain. It doesn’t just ‘make’ you sad.
April, Sydney - 2015 - we were impacted by the worst storm in 10 years. I hope you haven’t been severely impacted by the Sydney storm. Some of my friends lost power in their homes, and others had trees fall in their backyard. I was lucky enough to stay dry unless I...
When a portal opens hidden treasures.
Have you ever read the Harry Potter series? It’s the first time that I was ever introduced to the idea of a portal. In the fantasy world, it’s known as a sacred opening through time, space and dimension, but it’s a concept that is also used in energy healing to mend...
When the shadow balances the light. Beautifully.
One of my favorite Instagram filters is the one that lets me play around with the shadows of the pic I’ve just taken. I love how different the image looks when the shadow balances the light in different angles. It’s almost poetic in the way that it can illustrate the...
Closure – It’s a journey, not a destination.
Do you believe in good or bad luck?
When it no longer fits, let it go
Why do we stay connected to people that make us feel bad? Why do we hold on to things that trigger a negative response from us? Why do we find it tricky to let it go? A friend of mine was hosting an amazing party for one of our mutual acquaintances late last year. The...
The Resolution of Surrender
I started the year feeling very unsure. Uncertain of where I wanted to live (Australia? America? Sydney? California?) Undecided about what to do next regarding my work. (Commit to my 7 week courses? Workshops? Finish the e-course?) Unclear about the dynamics within...
Ecstatic Dance News – Chakradance
I’m so excited to announce that I’ve added another string to my bow via my brand new Chakradance qualification! Chakradance is a dance practice for the soul. It is about reconnecting back to our true essence or true self with the intention to honor the work of the...
A clean slate
Discomfort demands that we get real
The evolution of a logo
You may have noticed a few changes at pattykikos.com. Gone is the purple logo which has now been replaced with something a little more golden. The colour gold has become a huge part of my life for some time now. I live in a place that allows me to see the sun rise...
Do you share your good bits?
There’s a beautiful art in letting go
But I’ve always done it this way
Despite being well organised – are we ever really prepared?
Intuition. You know when you just know?
The power of your neutral mind
Healing the earth and our ancestors
What you run from is what you run straight to
During my first ever social work placement in a community centre, my mentor taught me a valuable lesson about where we’re likely to end up when we leave a situation from a disempowered state. At the time, I was a naïve 18 year old that had led a sheltered suburban...
How do we know when our communication is clear?
When is it normal to be unhappy?
Do you use your clout for good or evil?
When I was growing up, I never really had any clout. Being the youngest child by many years in my extended family meant that my older sibling and cousins had always seen, done and experienced so much more than I ever had. Having relatives that were so much older than...
It’s better to start something than to do nothing
My heart is full of joy and gratitude as I commence my first work winter week knowing that we didn’t raise $500 for Randwick Children’s hospital. WE RAISED $1000!! It’s better to start something than to do nothing isn't it? Raising money for charity is a great start!...
Starts with ‘b’ and has 3 syllables – BOUNDARIES
An effortless flow versus making the first move
Recently, I have been inspired by embracing the art of ‘an effortless flow’, instead of being compelled to hustle and feeling like being really busy is normal. I'm getting used to feeling my way around what feels right, instead of using my head to steer the vessel of...
Danielle La Porte – Truthbombs
DANIELLE LA PORTE I’m not usually one that goes to live events to see speakers, but the chance to hear Danielle La Porte's live truth bombs made me reconsider. In fact, I’m not even a fan of seeing live bands. There’s something about the jostling, the smoking and the...
There’s a lot of truth in jest
Bright Eyed & Blog Hearted course
BRIGHT EYED AND BLOG HEARTED I like to think of my business as the place where yoga & healing unite & merge into chakra balance workshops & e courses. And eventhough it has undergone rebirths before, they were never quite like the one that took place after...
When the hustle is a hassle
When the hustle is a hassle, is it time to connect to your heart so that life flows a little easier? I just love how language evolves. Popular euphemisms are a sign of the times we live in, and in the case of my landlord who uses ‘Gas’ to describe something appealing,...
Lest We Forget
How your paradox packs a punch
I truly don’t love how what we do for a living defines how we meet people instead of embracing each others paradoxes. Our occupations have become an introduction, an ice breaker and the meaning behind what we choose to share in conversations with new people. If you’re...
The power in your abs vs the grunt that nobody can actually see
You know how you don’t really pay attention until something happens for the 2nd or 3rd time that day? That happened to me last Friday. You see, there’s a global phenomenon on Instagram called #ThrowbackThursday or #FlashbackFriday where you post a pic from your past...
The Reluctant Fall into Autumn Equinox
I can feel it. It’s autumn - that time of the year where I start digging my heels in. The days are getting shorter and cooler, my energy levels aren’t quite as effervescent, and like a stubborn child who refuses to go to bed when they’re tired, I refuse to stop...
When do we develop our archetypes?
I often cover a kids’ yoga class for a dear friend / fellow yoga teacher when she can’t teach it. They’re a gorgeous bunch of 7-10 year old girls who are brimming with rambunctious enthusiasm, big hearted personalities, well meaning fashion / love advice, ample...
How much have you REALLY got to give?
Life flows beautifully when we’re truly honest about how much energy we can really give to another person or situation. This little nugget was highlighted for me when the Universe gifted me with 2 very different situations in the same week. While strolling near my...
Unashamed Desire
The Sex Drugs n Rock n Roll Chakra
About 15 years ago, before I became serious about my yoga practice, I had long suspected that my social work career was lacking a serious spiritual element and my sex drugs and rock and roll period was coming to an end. So I went looking for some spiritual guides. It...
Our sadhana frees us from the stuff we no longer need to carry.
Does your crew represent ALL parts of you?
How will you set the scene for a spectacular year?
Can you feel it? It’s that time of the year again. Regular swims in the ocean mean that my mane is sporting the ‘Byron Bay’ look. Carefree and free-spirited. Much like I like to think I am. Fresh resolves and good intentions hang thick in the air. The promise of new...
See you in 2014!
Grateful. For the stuff that DIDN’T happen.
Do struggles give us street creed – or do they leave us jaded?
One of my good friends lives in Kenya with his fiancé so we don't see each other as frequently as we used to when they lived in Sydney. We got a chance to catch up a few weeks ago when he was telling me about how much more intense his life in Africa is now, as opposed...
Repetition helps you learn, but does it get you stuck?
A few months back I attended a seminar to help me revise some of the skills I use with my healing clients. It ran over 4 days and I remember the 1st day being particularly uncomfortable because of a glitch in the air conditioning system that rendered the entire...
The power of your mind is greater than the power of your old wound
I was out shopping the other day and when I went to pay, I told the salesgirl that I wouldn’t need a plastic bag as I’d brought my own. She nodded as we chatted and sure enough popped my things into the store’s branded plastic bag. She caught herself doing this...
Do space invaders ever encroach your world?
Personal Space is sacred. Not exactly a life changing revelation I know. Just ask anyone that commutes to work on a crowded bus everyday. I work from home as a healer and a celebrant so my work space is confined to one area of the apartment that I try to keep separate...
I Quit Sugar. Again.
But for real this time. You see, my dad was the forklift driver for the confectionary companies Lifesavers and Nestle. As a result, my family had access to a plethora of chocolate and candy that was always at our disposal. The fact that I am not diabetic or obese is a...
Divine Timing is Sweet
Have you ever been at the right place at the right time? It’s such an extraordinarily powerful and synchronistic feeling. Things like getting to the bust stop just as your bus pulls up. Arriving at a party at the same time as your favourite people. Meeting your great...
Your success depends on your ability to be.. flexible
A few months ago, I attended a training seminar on neuro linguistic programming and one of the amazing gems that I took away was the concept of finding balance by being more flexible. In order to find equilibrium and harmony in our life, we must be able to change...
Your pineal gland affects your mindset and your crown chakra
The Pineal is a gland that sits inside the middle of the brain is about the size of a grain of rice and is associated with the Crown Chakra. This tiny gland is responsible brain activity and sleeping patterns. The Pineal is affected by the cycles of the sun and...
Your intuition, pituitary and third eye chakra
Through a consistent meditation practice, we can access that divine channel that gives us entry into the unseen world. In order to be able to use it to our advantage, we need to exercise this muscle so that we trust our instincts and intuition. The pituitary gland is...
Your truth, your thyroid and the throat chakra
Both the thyroid and parathyroid glands are endocrine glands. This means they make and secrete the hormones which get released into the bloodstream. They act as messengers, affecting cells and tissues in distant parts of your body plus the body's metabolic rate and...
A healthy thymus boosts your immunity & heart chakra
The thymus gland is a point upon the body where a large proportion of the meridians can be reached both directly and indirectly. It's located in the upper part of the chest. It is made of two lobes that join in front of the trachea. The thymus is an important part of...
The power of your pancreas and solar plexus chakra
The third chakra has to do with our own personal power. It is where we learn to have a strong sense of ourselves and “come into our own”. The gland that corresponds to the 3rd chakra is the pancreas. The Pancreas has 2 roles in our body. It's an organ of the...
Winter Solstice Significance
The name solstice means ‘sun stands still’. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates the winter solstice around Christmas and just before the New Year. This highlights the idea of nurturing new beginnings and a time for creating new resolutions and resolves. For those of us...
Shift Your Perspective
I don't make resolutions just at the beginning of the year. My life is so busy that I'm likely to get swept up by the chaos in my mind and forget about my goal by February. Besides, I do most of my meditations for 40, or sometimes up to 90 days and I find that after...
The sacredness of your sex glands & your sacral chakra
THE SACRAL CHAKRA Your sex glands are producers of hormones, which are used to stimulate various functions and development of structure at particular times of your life cycle. They don't just work on your sexual characteristics but also play a large role in many of...
Stress, your adrenals and the stability of your base chakra
Our lives revolve around balancing the different facets of our personalities, and part of our happiness and wellbeing relates to how we handle and respond to stress. What’s your relationship to stress like? The problem is not so much the stress in your life – it’s the...
Does your story empower you?
At the end of my yoga classes, I sometimes invite my students to introduce themselves to the person next to them. This means that at times, many are meeting for the first time, at other times, they are interacting with people they already know. Sometimes they get to...
Your Endocrine System – Your Chakra Balance
One of the major systems in the human body is the endocrine system. This system is composed of a number of glands that communicate information and control responses throughout the body. The body is composed on two main types of glands. The exocrine glands release...
A simple work life balance
I was asked to write a blog post on achieving work life balance by a fabulous website called Inside Track. I've reposted it here with their permission and would love to hear your feedback. Achieving a work life balance almost sounds like an outdated New Age term –...
Resolutions, Intentions & San Culpas
The year 2013 is the first time in a long time that I have not set a New Years Resolution. I figure after the fast pace of 2012, the fact that I survived and am still alive and kicking is enough to make me want to continue with the smooth conversion of continuously...
Discovering through De Cluttering
It’s the beginning of the year, a time when resolutions are still rife and intentions are still fresh and pure. It’s a time of out with the old and in with the new. A TIME OF DECLUTTERING I have the blessing of being able to work from home so I tend to be extra...
A message from Don Mariano Quispe
A message from Don Mariano Quispe, elder paco of the Q'ero: via K'anchaq sonqo - Heart of light thank you so much for sharing this important info... 12~12~12 and 21~12~12 According to the prophecies of the paqos (which source from the Inka lineage), the forthcoming...
21 12 12 Transition
The number "12" is the base number of ALL creation & the most POTENT number ... its sacred geometry derivative is 3... (Merger of mind, body & spirit) It is also the 12th layer of our DNA called the God layer (consciousness)... What does this mean? In this...
The Colours in Yin & Yang
The Yin Yoga website is a great resource for me. One of my favourite quotes is “All patterns are formed by contrasts. The pattern on a chessboard is formed by the contrast of dark and light. The pattern of your life, when reflected upon, has displayed a contrast of...
Why do we suffer? The 5 Kleshas
Have you noticed that you can often have a similar situation to someone else, yet the way you will both respond to the same situation is entirely different? Like when we lose our job and one person sees it as a sign to embrace a bigger and better opportunity while the...
The trick to Prosperity?
Is recognising it when you have it! As a reiki healer in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, I often see clients whose range of income is often vast and varied. I marvel at how much the sense of ‘poverty consciousness’ is really a manifestation of the thoughts in our head,...
Price vs Cost
I always wondered what people meant when they’d say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but these days, I’m not so sure things are as digestible as they used to be. The energetic cost of things is what can be taxing to our immune system more than our bank account....
Awkward Moments Made Simple
How often do you have to convey something unpleasant to somebody else? In my other life as a Social Worker during my 20’s, we were trained in the best way to deliver constructive feedback. Start with something positive, deliver the negative and then always end with...
Fatherfigures
I have a great dad. As much as we see the world in almost opposite ways, I am often in awe of the way in which he’s managed to survive and be a great fatherfigure. A European immigrant that did not have the opportunity to be educated in his own respective country and...
A Spring in Your Step
Spring! It is the long-awaited change of winter to spring. Seeds sprout, flowers bloom, and the sun warms the earth. There is a sense of renewal and new life all around. While winter was a time to conserve energy and reduce activity, spring is a time of regeneration,...
Are you right? Or righteous?
So. I’m struggling with a friend at the moment. Struggling to respond kindly instead of feeling annoyed every time she shares a story with me. You see her stories follow the same basic structure. There’s an event or a situation. It/he/she was/is wrong, and her...
Shift Your Perspective
My yoga and healing training has taught me that overcoming a trauma, or a period of deep sadness changes the chemistry in our brain, which in turn affects our personality and our way of life. Often when we recover, there can be a part of us that will never be able to...
When Our Community Changes
Are you enjoying the cold? I don't mind it so much this year despite the fact that it feels a little icy at times. I seem to enjoy curling up with a good book a little more than strolling along the coast these days and despite this, I still feel very much connected to...
Winter Chills
The ancient Chinese believed that human beings should live in harmony with the natural cycles of their environment. The cold and darkness of winter urges us to slow down. This is the time of year to reflect on our health, replenish our energy, and conserve our...
Thanks
Gratitude is something that I try to cultivate on a daily basis, especially in my yoga practice and in my practice as a kinesiologist. It is often said that through the mindfulness practice of gratitude, one is able to rejoice amidst all life's suffering. The Buddha...
Be Anyone You Want To Be
We are very fortunate to live in a time and place where few of us are limited by what we can do, study or even ‘be’. Gone are the days when your role was very much defined for you by the standards of the society you were part of. Our life experiences help shape our...
Polite Ways of Telling People to Err.. Shut up
One of my 1:1 balance clients has been seeing me in relation to a few issues that she is clearing in her life. One of them is the fact that she is a sensitive softly spoken person who is learning to find her voice among the more forthright and opinionated family...
Is our sensitivity our strength?
Is our sensitivity really our strength? Have you noticed how much we avoid being uncomfortable in life? It seems that many of us work very hard to create a life where we are surrounded by people we love and for the most part tend to cocoon ourselves in the bubble of...
Embracing Our Shadow
In life, the shadow side of our personality often gets sidelined for the part of us that is more ‘acceptable’ to society. If we don’t acknowledge our shadow, it rears its head with the people and the situations that we manifest in our lives. If we are polarized, we...
Is a 50/50 Split Always Equal?
For most of us women that live in a western world we have been told that we have equal rights to men. Women can be doctors, lawyers, and company directors; in fact we even had a female Prime Minister, but is a 50 / 50 split always equal? One of my 1:1 balance...
New Years Resolutions Yoga Style
Have you been thinking of your new years resolution for 2012? I wonder why we place so much emphasis on them? Since starting a serious yoga practice several years ago, I’ve stopped putting so much importance on new years resolutions. A sadhana is like a new years...
Rest vs Party
I’ve noticed how busy many of our lives already are so it astounds me that we become even busier in the lead up to Christmas and New Year. It's a toss up between rest vs party. Many of us scramble to make time to catch up with people before the New Year and recently...
But My Family Stresses Me!
If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family - Ram Dass So your family stresses you? Christmas, Hanukah or Summertime periods usually mean spending time with the family we grew up with. The same individuals that taught us about boundaries, often...