The Good Life

Arthur,Chino and me.

How do we know when we have it?

When I was a child growing up in London, one of my favourite television programmes was The Good Life. Starring Felicity Kendal and Penelope Keith, it painted a heart felt picture in my imagination.

I have just realized, I can remember the women actors, but not the names of the male'e Sorry Guys 🙂 Answers on a postcard!

But, I wanted that life. I wanted the dungarees and wellies.

I had no understanding of money, logistics, mortgages, responsibilities, or how any of it worked.

But something deep inside me remembered the feeling of it, and I knew it was for me.

Animals. Oh my goodness, my deep love of animals has taught me, and bought me so much joy and love.

Growing my own vegetables and herbs.

Making things with my hands, co-creating with Nature.

Living close to the land.

A good life.

What I didn't know then was, what a bloody long journey would be.

Most people see where I am now but have no idea what it took for me to get here.

The path has not been an easy one. Rocky and cobbled and easy to trip up on.

Which i did multiple times.

There were experiences that could have broken me. Kidnap, domestic violence, abuse, rape, homelessness, addiction. There were times when life felt I was so deep in the Abyss I couldn't see a way forward.

And actively sought a way out.

Luckily, my attempts at taking my own life failed. Looking back I believe I had work to do, here on Mamma Earth.

Yet somehow, step by step, I kept going.

When I had nothing, I had faith, an inner knowing. My guides at my side always.

And now here I am.

Living in the beautiful Peak District, surrounded by my family, animals, plant allies and the ever-changing beauty of the natural world. The river flows nearby, and above me stretches a sky filled with sun, moon and stars.

It has taken years to create this life.

Years of healing.

Years of raising a family.

Years of learning.

Years of getting back up when life knocked me down.

Reiki became part of my healing path. Herbalism, Shadow work became another. In truth, there has been a lot of shadow work, and if I'm honest, there is still more to do.

Because healing isn't a destination we arrive at one day.

Waking up and all is well, there is no miracle involved.

Healing is a relationship we build with ourselves over a lifetime. Shedding other peoples perceptions, our own self doubt and learned behaviours to please others.

The power of recognising we are Nature and we have our cycles.

Of growth of death and rebirth.

And as I learned and grew, I shared, I wanted to help other’s to grow too.

Like beautiful flowers and trees and butterfly’s.

My business back in 1997 was called “The Reiki Butterfly” and has morphed and grown to a space I could have never imagined.

Recently, though, I have found myself feeling a little disillusioned with parts of the spiritual world.

As I scroll through social media, so much of what I see feels the same. The same language. The same imagery. The same advertisements for women's circles, cacao ceremonies, sound baths and spiritual gatherings.

Much of it seems to carry the unmistakable flavour of AI-generated content.

Lacking heart.

Lacking soul.

Lacking depth.

It all feels so shallow.

And makes my heart sad.

After almost thirty years of investing in my own healing, spending thousands of pounds on training, growth and practice, I find it difficult to connect with the current trend of "I watched a few videos and now I can teach it too." or "Chat GPT told me how to."

Perhaps that sounds harsh, and I seem like a grumpy old lady, but I know I am not the only Therapist who feels this way.

Of course, I am delighted that more people are finding natural ways to support their well-being.

That can only be a good thing.

But I have reached a point where I no longer wish to spend my energy trying to attract clients through social media algorithms. I still don’t get it 🙃

Instead, I am choosing to trust.

Trust that the right people will find me.

And they are.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The people who arrive now are often those seeking something deeper.

People who understand that real transformation takes time, commitment and courage.

People who are ready for life-changing work.

That is where nearly thirty years of experience matters.

That is where all the training, practice, mistakes, lessons and lived experience come together.

And I am here, sitting in gratitude with the beauty of life.

In the garden.

With the animals.

With the plants.

Making medicine.

Full of gratitude.

Deepening and meeting new spirit guides.

Back to my writing, back to my Art (for myself)

I am enjoying the simple moments that remind me what truly matters.

I will say it again

We are not separate from Nature.

Perhaps this is what the good life really is.

Not perfection.

Not monetary wealth. (Although a bit more is always welcomed)

Not how many followers or engagements I get.

Not constantly recording things to prove who I am or showcase myself

And therefore, missing the precious moments.

But the ability to sit in the life I have built and feel grateful for it.

To know where I came from.

To honour the journey.

To appreciate the people, places and experiences that helped shape me.

And if you are reading this from a difficult place in your life, please don't give up.

There is hope.

No matter where you are right now, your story is not over.

There are chapters to be written.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Keep taking baby steps.

Life can change in ways you cannot yet imagine. I am living proof of that.

And when it does, don't forget to pause long enough to notice.

In fact, why wait

To breathe.

To look around.

To realize that perhaps, after all these years, you have found your own version of the good life.

For me, the message coming through loud and clear right now is simple: Slow down,

Be here now.

Brightest Blessings,

Jan Muse