I recently heard a  story about a large company that were visited in the forest by the powers that were the company.  A wise man and friend of mine set up his staff in precarious positions with all their heavy duty equipment to cut down a large portion of the forest in full view of the visiting officials.  Head office were always very quick to pounce when accidents happened.  As these 650 workers operated their enormous equipment with harnesses and roping the wise man said to the visiting entourage, “Gentlemen, every one of us has a monkey on his shoulder, those 650 workers of ours do and so do you.”  Stunned silence, but he carried on.  “We all have no idea of the hardships going on in everyones lives, whether it be lack of food, a problem with school fees, an unexpected pregnancy, death, divorce, we all have these monkeys that come with us. Accidents happen when sometimes these monkeys become so heavy we lose concentration and unfortunately in those 650 people’s lives, a little oversight ends as a fatal accident.”  Needless to say, the wise man had captured the attention of head office and made his point.

I seem to literally drag troops of monkeys around.  I’m constantly commanding my shoulders to relax as I drive, telling myself that everything will work out.  Pretending “I’m fine”, when I’m dying inside. Well on Saturday morning, very fortuitously, I was asked to write about The Secret Sunrise series at St James beach.  My monkey came with me.  En route I was wondering why I had committed to doing it with all I had to get done on this particular Saturday morning.  I still had a property to view and a daughters birthday party to arrive at and be fabulous for.  Out of my car I trundled before sunrise to obverse just what this concept is.  What is it that is motivating people to get up early for to gather at surprise venues for a secret sunrise?

I am a beach bum, so going down under the railway and onto the beach, crushing shells as I trod was close to orgasmic for me.  My feet hit the beach sand and I instantly started a heart beat I haven’t felt in a while.  The moon was hanging just to the left of the mountain, and the waves were silvery, the tidal pool totally still looking more like an ice rink.  Up past the colourful huts I meandered to a huge grassy field, which was beautifully enclosed in colourful bunting with the odd sunflower making an appearance.   Groups started to trickle in, some in gym clothes, some with beautiful tutus, some in old shorts and t shirts, some in regular clothing, two beautiful friends with  flower wreaths around their heads.  Two puppies are frolicking around my legs as I get my earphones.  Still totally enraptured with the lighting of the morning and the waves licking the shore, I was a little distracted. Suddenly music starts pulsing in your headphones and you are gently called together.  The message is simple, close your eyes, feel the music flowing and let yourself rock gently.  Feel your toes, your knees, your quads, your body as the music flows through you.  Bring all your baggage in and let your body deal with it.  Shout out loudly for your bad week or rejoice with a shout for your good week. Let me share that I am not hugely demonstrative or free with my feelings, but I was totally drawn in.  I shouted and swayed away to my bodies seemingly ancient rhythm.

The confines of every day and the set norms we operate to melted away.  Not only did I rock with the music, I danced with a total stranger, I made eye contact,  I touched elbows, knees, foreheads and noses. I ran in slow motion to the music of Chariots of Fire.  I sprinted found the grass to fast paced music, I jammed like I was the lead in a band, I was free as a bird. We faced the sea as the sun rose teetering on the rocks and allowed those warm rays to enter us and caress our faces and bodies.

This is Secret Sunrise,  this old girl learnt the benefits of sharing and being open to change.  I came away beaming.  I came away full of light and love.  I came away wanting to make the world a better place.  I came away translucent and free.  My monkey was nowhere to be seen or felt.

Secret Sunrise – where is the next one please? @secretsunrisecapetown

Alchemy: a seemingly magical process of transformation