A Soul Tree Journey

with amanda joy

Recent Posts

  • taking a break

    taking a break

    We’re into the second week of travelling around Japan. Admittedly, our schedule is a leisurely one through Tokyo, Kyoto and now Hakone, but I feel like taking a break from ‘the itinerary.’ Just for today.

    So, I find myself exploring this rather large resort hotel in Hakone-Yumoto. I am seeking places of solitude. A break from people, too. Energy expended needs recharging, don’t you think? At least this is true for me.

    Right now, I’m sitting in a quiet room or hallway. There are windows from ceiling to floor allowing views of the not too distant hills swathed in mist. The Hayakawa River lies below. It is flowing more peacefully than yesterday, its mountain waters passing over rocks and stones that would have been there ‘forever.’

    I’m also overlooking the train station on the other side of the river. There is something calming and restful in watching trains and buses, comings and goings without needing to be a part of it. Yes, space and time to breathe and simply ‘be’ is exactly what I needed.

    Earlier, I found the Relaxation Room. It is just what you’d expect in a Japanese context. Recliner chairs are lined up overlooking the forest. Soft music is playing. Barley tea and green tea freely  dispensed. And the usual convenience style vending machines with the usual range of products.

    And in the corner are massage chairs. These are probably nothing special but I’ve never used one. I see them in shopping centres and airports, of course. But they are always placed so publicly that I’ve not been tempted to use one.

    But today, I’m alone in the space and the chairs are placed cosily tucked in the corner. And trusting Japanese technology so much, yes, I did have a session. For 300 Yen, I was squeezed and pummelled, massaged and tapped for 15 minutes that felt like an hour. Things were done to my butt that made me laugh. And there was a smile on my face much of the time.

    Taking a break is turning into much more, I think. A much-needed rest ftom travel until we move again tomorrow. And I’ve booked a private onsen for this evening.

  • at night. in silence

    at night. in silence

    This is one of my ‘waking up in the middle night with a poem’ poems, which sometimes happens. I remember that when I woke up, there was the strongest feeling of time and life passing. There was a sense of weight or heaviness in recognising the time I’ve already had. And in not knowing how much time I may or may not have left. But then, this is true for us all …

    At night
    In silence

    I feel the time
    Of years, months, minutes
    Already given

    And then
    In solitude

    I want to crawl inside
    The days, weeks, moments
    Remaining

    I want to push against
    To stretch them out
    I want time to expand

    From then to now
    From now until forever


    ajh 23.11.23

  • if life is a journey

    if life is a journey

    I was looking for a poem to share one day on Instagram. But without any inspiration, I looked through my notes and found this. I don’t think that I’ve shared it before. I don’t feel that I have. Anyway, I wrote this on a plane – according to the notes. Too many hours in the air this time, I have written.

    I think I was writing to an imaginary someone.
    An imaginary friend. Do we all have these?
    A friendship or a connection to aspire to …

    So, this is for My Imaginary Friend (whoever you are!!)


    If life is a Journey
    Of Moments and Memories
    I want to Travel with you

    On a Road both
    Straight and Winding
    Sometimes leading Astray

    If life is a Journey
    Of Daydreams and Sunshine
    I want to Dream with you

    Daytimes and Nights
    Shining and Sparkling
    Beneath Sun, Moon and Stars

    If life is a Journey
    Of Chance and Daring
    I want to Risk all with you

    Travelling Far and Wide
    Leaving Everything behind
    Finding our way Together



    A final thought or two. As children, we might have an imaginary friend. Someone who is always there when we need them. Someone who never lets us down. Maybe, as adults, we need an imaginary friend, too. Maybe, as adults, we need one even more.

  • coming and going

    Whenever I travel, I have a few things I like to do for a peaceful, happy and intentional journey. One that I’ve been doing for a while now, is to make an intention to arrive safely at my destination. Mostly, this is about a smooth landing at my destination. I see it in my mind and imagine how it will feel.

    Recently though, or in the past year really, I’ve added something else before I set off on a trip. This is to set an intention to return again. Because in 2020 when I left home, I didn’t return in 2 months as I’d planned. I didn’t get home again until 2022.

    This falls into the category of “Never assume”. Because even the most likely and even probable of outcomes can suddenly and unexpectedly become improbable or even impossible. Like returning home.

    Since then, I might take a photo of myself at home and think about when I will be back again. I have a few selfies in front of a mirror, too. This time, I’m taking a photo of something from the space I’m living in Sarajevo and setting the same intention.

    It’s an intention that even though I’m leaving, I intend to return.

  • some days

    Some days are easy. They offer themselves to us. We live inside them. With ease and flow.

    Other days are not. They present themselves. We struggle inside them. With difficulty.

    One thing that life is, is constantly changing. Within our life, there is ease and comfort as well as challenge and difficulties. There is ebb and flow. There is movement and stillness. The world changes and so do we.

    My little struggle today is being in between.
    Coming from a period of contentment. Moving into a time of uncertainty.

    Looking for resolution, I seek comfort in words. Sometimes they are my own. Today, I am looking for words from wiser hearts.

    .

    ‘Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.’ ~ C.G. Jung

    My Take: Hearing my heart’s voice. And listening.

    ‘Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.’ ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

    My Take: Being present. Happiness with presence.

    ‘We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.’ ~ T.S. Eliot

    My Take: I’m still thinking about this quote. I’m waiting for the meaning to appear. It will come.

  • the night is too bright

    One night, I woke to bright light coming through the windows instead of darkness. This was the real start of winter. After snowfall, the white landscape below was reflecting and intensifying all the light.

    .

    The night is too bright
    Snow reflected
    All is light

    The night is too quiet
    Sound absorbed
    All is still

    The night is too long
    Many questions
    All unanswered

    The night is too bright
    For sleep. For dreams
    All is Light

    .

    I didn’t complete the last line. I think I fell asleep. Are there any suggestions? 🖤

    And as you see, the ending is now clear.

  • a winter view

    A while ago, I remember that I wrote about wanting to be somewhere with a view. In a place ‘just for me’. Was it last year? The year before? I don’t remember …

    Perhaps I envisaged this. Or something that felt like this. I don’t remember that either. But somehow being able to look out onto a view – any view – is important.

    At home in Australia, I have no view. There is a street. Some trees. A little sky. But there is no sunrise or sunset to fill the window. There is no open space that I can see.

    And this is where I am. In another home. In a space that was a basement garage but now is not. Now, it is a place to sit and read. To sit and think. Or just to sit and do nothing at all.

    When I look out my window at the view, as I’m doing now, my heart sings.

    my winter view. Sarajevo 27.2.23

  • small kindnesses

    This story has been waiting for a little while to be written. There have been reasons to write it earlier but I’ve kept putting it off. Just now though, another reason has appeared. So I’m prompted to share a few words about some ‘small kindnesses’ recently shared with me.

    A few minutes ago, I realised it was probably lunchtime. I was hungry but didn’t feel like cooking. This is often true when I’m living alone. I do eat well enough but meals are simple. Anyway, I had just decided to do something with leftover rice when the doorbell rang. It was my nearby neighbour with a plate of Pita Zeljanica that his wife had prepared. This has happened before – plates of food delivered to my door. This time it was mid-snowfall and much appreciated. Last week I made them a cake as a ‘thank you’.

    Another time that I was prompted to write this story was last week when I took the bus to town. It was a new driver from the regular one and when I gave him money for the ticket, he asked (in Bosnian, of course), “How are you? Are you well?). Now, I don’t know about other countries, but in my home country of Australia this doesn’t happen. Bus drivers do not greet passengers. That I recall …

    Small kindnesses happen often here, in my experience. Where I am now is in Bosnia. It’s probably an unusual place for me to be. I’m not from here but somehow it feels familiar.

    It’s not a wealthy country and in many ways it is still damaged from the war so many years ago. Buildings are still scarred by bullets and missiles. The houses either side of mine are unfinished and have been left abandoned since that time. Damage that is both physical and emotional remains.

    But what I find, so often, is that people are friendly and generous. I find kindness and warm hearts. So that even though I’m not from here, I feel welcome and that I do belong here. For at least some time each year …

    My View: January 13, 2023

  • managing … life

    I’ve been thinking lately about how to manage … life, I suppose. About how we all need to cope in our own ways with life’s challenges. How we need to manage our emotions and our energy, and keep balance in our lives.

    If I think about where I am now compared to where I was a few years ago – and I don’t just mean in my location, because that is certainly different with my always travelling lifestyle! But how I deal with the stresses of life now is very different from how it used to be.

    I should remind you, or mention that I was stuck in between countries in 2020-21. I had a lot of time to be with myself, by myself and deal with … Well, quite a few things really.

    If I put it simply though, I listened to my body and what it needed, using intuition to guide me. If I read books now, on wellness or mindfulness or healing, I can say to myself … Well, yes, I did that. Not from being told what to do or by reading it in a self-help book. But by feeling within myself, by focusing on what I needed to do in that moment.

    .

    I decided a few things, too, back then in 2021 – which was when, after 15 months of anxiety and uncertainty, a critical point was reached. I decided that I wouldn’t worry about things I couldn’t control. That I would focus on small pleasures and things that made me happy.

    I had also decided that I wanted to be in an ‘OK’ physical, mental and emotional state, when I was finally able to return home. This turned out to be 22 months later, having left Australia early in March 2020.

    .

    And I listened with intention to my heart. There is wisdom and guidance there if we listen. But we have to be ready to hear it, and open to hearing what the heart has to say.

    Wishing you all peace and happiness … in your own journey 🖤

    .

  • sunrise reflected

    There is a glass block window on the wall by the stairs. It reflects light and colour from the outside which changes with each season and the time of day. The poem was inspired by a sunrise one morning along with a sense of presence, and feeling of being ‘here.’

    Sunrise reflected
    Wall of windows
    Sharing light

    Reflections shine
    From without
    To within

    Sunrise deflected
    Wall of wonders
    Showing the now

    Deflecting sights
    As moments
    Passing by

    Sunrise perfected
    Wall of awakening
    Feeling. Seeing

    Perfectly painting
    Morning memories
    Of being here

    ajh 1/23

    Sunrise reflected. Sarajevo

    13 January 2023

  • in between

    In between. This is how I feel. In-between seasons. I’m still in-between time zones.

    I left a sunny summer behind in Australia. Today it is 38 degrees there. I’m currently at -2 where I am but at least the fog has finally lifted to reveal a sunny day.

    People sometimes ask me, why did I come here at this time of year. It’s a very good question. I often ask myself the same thing, especially when night-time descends at 4.30 pm!! I must have my reasons …

    But I also feel ‘in-between’ stages of life. It’s something we all go through. As we age, getting older is a new stage. Constantly. And moving on, from work or place or even relationships. These are new stages, too.

    I think, as children, we imagine that once we’re grown up and in control of our lives, everything will be easy to manage.

    But as soon as we feel in control and are comfortable in one stage of being, something will shift. Something will change. Or we will change or shift. And the learning and growing begins again.

    Being ‘in-between’ is often a state of place and location for me. But it is also certainly a state of mind. As changeable as the weather.

    Right now, my outlook is sunny. The fog is lifting. Tomorrow it may rain. Or snow. I don’t know. I can’t know … But I’ll be walking in the sunshine while it lasts.

    Royal Park, Melbourne. December 25, 2022

  • new year … intentions

    I’ve been sharing a few words with a friend about my intentions for 2023. I know that most people begin a New Year with a bunch of well-intentioned resolutions. They have tasks to do and goals to pursue. But I no longer do. Instead of making resolutions for the New Year, I set intentions.

    What’s the difference? Resolutions are things that you can measure. They are quite specific. They are goals to achieve or ‘levels’ to meet.

    Intentions are difficult to measure. They hold a quality in their meaning rather than a quantity, and these are felt in the body rather than in the mind. Intentions are heart-centred, and a reflection, I think, of our broader purposes and dreams.

    And what were the intentions that I shared for the coming year?

    In 2023, I want less.
    Because 2022 was a lot.
    A lot of travel. A lot to do.

    This year, I want time.
    Time to find who I might become.
    I want to do less so I can be more.

    Woods and Trees.

    I chose this image for the post, because it reminded me of the saying, ‘You can’t see the wood for the trees’. Here, I see the trees as ‘resolutions’ and ‘the wood’ as my intention.

    What do you think? Is it an appropriate analogy?

    Happy New Year. And I wish you success in your resolutions or intentions. Amanda xx