I believe Barack Obama merits our trust. While many people celebrate his race and what he has achieved, my feeling is that he was elected because he is the best - he is a man with massive integrity who will attract others of that ilk to him. December 2012 will be upon us in four years. Grandfather Fire (the Mexican Huichol Indian’s god) has declared, like many spiritual beings, that at that time there will be a shift - but it will not be one big hit, just a needed shift for the planet.

My hope is this: that more people like Barack Obama are elected to the highest office in their countries, to replace the many despotic, cruel and self-serving leaders that the world sees at the present moment. The Dalai Lama emphasises that true leadership comes from people who manifest wisdom, compassion and loving kindness.

Long live hope, and Barak Obama.

Ben and I then made our way into ‘The Forest’ (The Forest of Dean) to the sanctuary of Sid and Jools’ magical garden and barn for a get together with members of the Rainbow Community. How lovely to see people again - this summer I only managed one day at the camps because of Alfie-dog’s arrival and Ben’s absence in Australia, but I felt welcome, included, and that is how I felt on Saturday.

We all need community. For much of my life, I have felt ‘alone’ circling around groups of people with whom I have friendships but being very shy of commitment. As I committed to Ben over 5 years ago, and then Alfie-dog in May, I must be getting better. I am a ‘member’ of several communities but the only one in which I feel relaxed is the Rainbow 2000 crowd. There is a wonderful abundance of people who, like me, love the mix of hippy/professional/artistic - in all the forms that this can be expressed and there is a tolerance, a lack of egoism, that I love.

And then there is Jules, the backbone of the community, ever-creating and moving forward. After a late night we sat in the autumn sun in Jules’ magical garden, on Sunday morning, chatting and laughing and feeling happy to be alive.

So now I am back in my office/treatment room hard at my work in terms of promoting Equanalta and getting out there to meet, work with, and improve the lives of people that fate sends to me. From my garden I can see Alfie chewing on the bone I got from the organic butcher yesterday. At 7 months this little border collie is moving towards adolescence and the behaviour that comes with it. He is beautiful.

With love to you. Jackie

Ben and I got back to Bristol at 4 a.m. - London isn’t that far from Bristol - but Friday was a bit of a wipe-out as I felt so tired.

Since then there has been lots of dog walking and paperwork - the former so much more fun than the latter. Equanalta is taking up a lot of my time and I never stop thinking of ways to improve it.

When you run your own business you realise just how much more work it can be than being employed - often for less financial reward, but there is something to be said for being your own boss!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I had believed that this was from Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech. Walking around the wood opposite my house this morning with the gorgeous Alfie dog, I was thinking about yesterday’s blog, about fear, and my mind alighted on this paragraph.

Back to my desk, I decided to put the first lines into Google, that led me to Marianne Williamson, who penned this paragraph in “Return to love”. One click on Amazon bought me a used book ‘in good condition’. What she wrote is so profound and so very true to my own life.

So let’s vow today to live surpassing our fear. Let’s not make ourselves small, as I have so often done, to make others feel better.

Have a nice day! Jackie x

Today, however, I realised that the only way to allow Equanalta to flourish and touch the maximum number of people, is to resist the temptation to go for the safe option.

Alfie, my border collie, brings his ball for me to throw it as I sit in the garden writing on my lap top. Alfie is only 6 months old, but he seems to have been with me for ever. He is reminding me that life is about happiness and expansion - and I really am going to “Feel the fear and do it anyway”.

In my life coaching workshops I always mention Susan Jeffers’ book. I have it on tape and find it very inspirational. I hope that my book on self esteem can have the same effect on people lacking self esteem as Susan has had on people experiencing fear!

Following my typing frenzy, it is time to go to “body combat” at the local gym, walking past old oak, my lovely 600 year old oak tree where I sit and meditate in the mornings.

All of you out there who wonder whether to strike out and follow your heart’s desire: just do it!