Interview with Michelle McGrath + self-love giveaway!

I came to know Michelle (www.sacredself.com.au) when we were co-presenters on Kerry Belviso’s Self-Love e-Course (which, by the way, was phenomenal. I feel quite changed by it, because Kerry generously gave all the presenters access to the course.)

Michelle has, like all the women I have featured on the blog labely, overcome some pretty…challenging…stuff. It led her to healing, because she chose to work consciously with her pain. She is a wonderful, powerful, and generous woman, and I am delighted to have her on the blog today.

I’ve also got a fantastic pack of her alchemical oils + self love cards to give away worth $154 – see details at the end of this post. I think it’s the best giveaway I’ve ever had on this blog, actually!

1. What prompted you to decide to open to radical self-love?

In my late 20′s I was realised I was really unhappy. I was working ridiculous hours for a non-profit organisation, I felt confused in my marriage and was on the other side of the world from my family and friends. After having met my ex-husband when I was 23, I then moved from the UK to Australia to get married at 25.   I was so busy keeping myself busy, socialising when not at work, drinking too much and I felt so empty.  I realised that my life must look pretty exciting from the outside.  I had always been interested in the spiritual world, had strong intuition and kept feeling there that I was somehow heading in the wrong direction. I started an Energetic Healing Diploma, amongst other things and felt as though I was opening numerous cans of worms.  As I started to delve into various parts of myself, I began to feel increasingly worse as feelings and realisations came up to the surface for examination.  After having been in denial about my feelings about many things, I started to realise what low self-esteem I had.  People perceived me as outgoing and confident and yet I always felt like there was something missing inside and that there must be something wrong with me.  I kept asking myself what did I really need and kept receiving the answer ‘self-love’ but I had no idea where to start.

2. Do you ever find it hard to maintain the balance of self-love and action in the world?

I believe this is a lifelong commitment.  The key is to include nurturing practices that just become a natural part of your day, instead of a chore.  One of my favourite ways to relax is to have a bath with one of the oils from the Sacred Self range and close my eyes. Even if it’s just for 10 mins at the end of the day before bed. I am also a big candle lover.  Simply lighting a candle and meditating for 5-10 minutes brings me back into my centre.

I focus on how my body is feeling, sending gratitude out for the day gone by or for the day to come.

I set an intention for the day, take a few deep breaths and feel clearer.  A simple act of self-love could be something as easy as having a large glass of water.  We are all dehydrated most of the time. This is something that you can do that instantly nourishes all parts of you.  Taking a nana nap for 10 minutes may be all you need to provide a change of perspective.  One of the biggest mood shifters for me is just going outside – even if only for 5 minutes. I look up at the sky and any worries suddenly seem smaller.  Key to making changes is observing your thoughts about yourself and changing them…..start small by just noticing what you are thinking about yourself when for example, you are cleaning your teeth or having a shower.  Is this how you think about a close friend?

3. You say your oils are gifts from (and to) the most challenging parts of yourself. Tell us more.

When I first asked myself what self-love would look like in a meditation, I saw ingredients going into a bottle to create a self-love oil.  I created it and then experimented with it by applying it each night for a couple of months.  So many emotions then came into my awareness and I also started to notice various behavioural patterns that were no longer serving me.  During a 9 year period, I have intuitively received all 33 Alchemical oils in this range and been on a journey into all sorts of disowned parts of me including feelings that I had repressed.

For example, I received the “Receive” Alchemical oil over several months whilst I was extremely depressed after a miscarriage and the breakup of my marriage. The intention and affirmation for “Receive” is ‘I appreciate and acknowledge ALL of me’.  I was not functioning at all and in no fit state to work.  I took myself off to a retreat in Brazil where I had planned to stay for 2 months. That turned into 7 months and during this time I was plunged into all the parts of myself I found the most difficult to accept.  I felt submerged in feelings of jealousy, resentment, anger, betrayal – you name it – all of the uncomfortable, darker parts of ourselves that we ignore most of the time. It was the worst time of my life. Until I was able to just allow the feelings to be there, every situation seemed to deepen them further. I felt like I was in a nightmare.  Over the next few years, I had many profound awarenesses about myself and my life and realisations about what a blessing the most difficult challenging times are. That is an extreme example but I’m just highlighting how by simply allowing ourselves to feel our feelings without judgement, is the quickest way to moving through anything we find confronting. As the saying goes ‘if you want to heal it, you need to feel it’.

4. You are moving into a new and exciting phase of sharing self love with the world. Any chance we could get a sneak preview?

It is an exciting time!  Since having completed the self-love range of 33 Alchemical oils in January and anchoring years of this deep inner work, it seems like more opportunities are manifesting externally with ease.  I’m facilitating some Self-love meditation circles in Sydney and a wonderful collaborative 1 day workshop in Melbourne.  Also I’m full of so many other ideas for spreading this important message.

I’m currently putting together a very exciting 7 week “100% self-love ecourse” which will explore the areas of loving yourself “Mentally, Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually, Nutritionally, Sexually and Financially”.  There are some amazing contributors from around the world who are experts in these topics and will have lots of wisdom to share.  This will run from the beginning of September.  I’m also a co-author in the upcoming new title “Love and Oneness” in the best-selling Adventures In Manifesting series: featuring wonderful writers such as Marianne Williamson, Lisa McCourt and Danielle LaPorte, so that is very exciting.  I have contributed a chapter about my journey into self-love.

Also, Michelle put together the ‘Day of self-love’ event that I announced yesterday. If you are in Melbourne, it’s worth a look-see!

Now, to that giveaway.

Here’s what you can win:

3 of Michelle’s Alchemical oils (Forgiveness, Respect, Self-love) worth $44 each plus a set of her Self-love cards worth $22. The whole pack is worth $154!

You can enter in four ways (yes up to four entries per person):

1. Join my mailing list (I send weekly mails about free classes, discounts, and, sometimes, giveaways that are only for people on The List…)
2. Tweet this post and use the handles @yogawithnadine and @sacredselftips
3. Share on Facebook and tag me (Nadine Fawell) so I can track your entry.
4. Pin the giveaway image and tag me (Nadine Fawell)

Entries will close midnight, Melbourne time, Sunday 15 July. And yes, I will post your winnings anywhere in the world!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to everyone who shared and joined the Yoga Mafia!