Ruth's Articles

BODY MIND & SOUL COLUMNS

This is a collection of my Heart & Soul columns published in The Weekend Australian over the past five years, first in the ‘Review’ section of the Saturday paper then from 6 March 2004 in the ‘Health’ section.

2005
09 Apr: What wellbeing really means
02 Apr: Love is not all we need, but it's what counts most
19 Mar: Never doubt healing powers of the mind
12 Mar: Depression, stress can be positive
05 Mar: Let's X-ray the mind for a complete treatment
26 Feb: Beautiful actions ease the pain of recurring grief
19 Feb: We can grow older with grace and genuine wellbeing
12 Feb: Hearts and minds the game of the name
05 Feb: Setting boundaries is not just for moggies
29 Jan: The ageing answer is to just go gracefully with the flow
22 Jan: Cruising in slow lane revs up feel-good chemicals
15 Jan: Spatially challenged as the new generation takes over

2004
11 Dec: Unleash the mind-altering power of fantasy
04 Dec: Grief, suffering rejuvenate us
27 Nov: We should all learn how to praise, and be praised
20 Nov: Fantasy recipe: add shirtless chef to chocolate
13 Nov: If only we were all driven by some Loving Kindness
06 Nov: Let's not get too ambitious about a `restful' holiday
16 Oct: What's left behind provides clues about hereafter
09 Oct: Mind can conquer matter
02 Oct: Enjoy! What will be, will be
25 Sep: Energy of joy is contagious
18 Sep: Close your eyes and see, intuition will lead the way
11 Sep: Parable opens the door
04 Sep: A tickle away from divinity
28 Aug: Unsung heroes' purrfect ways
21 Aug: Moet to life than we think
14 Aug: Make up your mind on sickie
07 Aug: Beddy-byes blues: facing nemeses in the land of Nod
31 Jul: If we are what we eat then I was a little jewel box
24 Jul: Few thoughtful words simple remedy to office angst
17 Jul: Self-recrimination should be water under the bridge
10 Jul: Heroic odyssey into the tax man's heart of darkness
03 Jul: Diet of facts the best antidote to binge-fast cycle
26 Jun: Protected shark bait anxious about predator's status
19 Jun: High anxiety: air anger conquered by acting my rage
12 Jun: Taking time out to enjoy the rush hours we love
05 Jun: Superficial prejudices that blind us to the truth
29 May: White lies really a cop-out that just colour the truth
22 May: Midlife time to break out and be who you really are
15 May: Aphrodite treats herself to a bit of goddess worship
08 May: A good hearty belly laugh lightens up the blackout
01 May: Firing up your love life easy as breathing in an out
24 Apr: Mother of all huggers showers us with the love drug
17 Apr: Little bit of education sweetens a lesson on lollies
03 Apr: Repairman dishes out advice on rest and refitting
27 Mar: We're all naughty children who should know better
20 Mar: Make a punching bag out of stressful emotions
12 Mar: Dash of indulgence key ingredient in fitness recipe
06 Mar: That old Achilles heel can make us our own worst enemy
28 Feb: Mind games that play havoc
21 Feb: Blown away by bad hair day
14 Feb: Bottled up reserves of courage
07 Feb: Rain keeps the spirits at bay
03 Jan: Learning to live with uncertainty

2003
27 Dec: Even the bad times are good
20 Dec: Joyfully on the road to nowhere
13 Dec: Imperfect world, happy balance
06 Dec: Mothers' rite to the Goddess
29 Nov: Watershed turns into rebirth
22 Nov: Bring on those hormonal urges
15 Nov: Tell them what you really think
08 Nov: Even in darkness, there is light
01 Nov: Given over to absolute pleasure
25 Oct: Getting a grip of your selves
18 Oct: Crazed descent into holiday hell
11 Oct: Let passion lead you to dharma
04 Oct: Fit yourself up, just for fun
27 Sep: Rash optimism a poisoned pill
20 Sep: Nostalgia junkies lose out
13 Sep: Symptoms of a sick society
06 Sep: Such sweet sorrow rejuvenates
30 Aug: Death, the permanent reminder
23 Aug: Take a trip down memoir lane
16 Aug: Universal truths of motherhood
09 Aug: Love has endings, not failures
02 Aug: A single-minded pursuit of love
26 Jul: Carried away to sacred spaces
19 Jul: Put yourself into the fault lines
12 Jul: Politics aimed at the heart
05 Jul: Negativity is such a no-no
28 Jun: No longer rapt in plastic
21 Jun: Getting a grip on letting go
14 Jun: Sock horror takes magical turn
07 Jun: Well shod on the road to health
31 May: Magic moments made of this
24 May: Wisdom comes after the fall
17 May: Pick role models to fit the role
10 May: Fluffy little hybrid, be my baby
03 May: Mother love, the finest cure
26 Apr: A dose of confidence can help
19 Apr: A backbone to nurture change
12 Apr: You should be trancing, yeah
05 Apr: Making peace begins at home
29 Mar: Beware the sting in the tale
22 Mar: Sobbing with laughter, crying in delight
15 Mar: Memories triggered by wait for the last bus
08 Mar: Mortality? Use it to kick-start your dreams
01 Mar: Pearls we are: imperfect but beautiful
22 Feb: Learning to apply the pleasure principle
15 Feb: Lessons from babes up in arms
08 Feb: Socks in search of a sole mate
01 Feb: How to have one's cake and balance it, too
25 Jan: Put out the garbage and make a fresh start
18 Jan: Meandering along the road less travelled
11 Jan: Wish hard and synchro-destiny may do the rest
04 Jan: Fishing for reasons when old hurts resurface

2002
28 Dec: Rite stuff’s more rewarding than party capers
21 Dec: Look me in the eye and try a little tenderness
07 Dec: Plug into the positives and negatives of orgasm
30 Nov: Saved, with a little help from my electronic friend
23 Nov: The maths add up: you can trust in your heart
16 Nov: A purpose of one’s own
10 Oct: Secrets of a sexy old age
12 Oct: We can work it out, usually
05 Oct: Get in training for love
28 Sep: Guilt-edged security
21 Sep: Rituals can be so rewarding
14 Sep: At tether’s end, save yourself
07 Sep: Vulnerability in the balance
31 Aug: The case for crying out loud
24 Aug: Message in the massage
17 Aug: Where love knows no bounds
10 Aug: Dissatisfaction guaranteed
03 Aug: Power of magical thinking
27 Jul: Dance to the music of time
20 Jul: Agony is a captive child
13 Jul: There's no place like self
06 Jul: Such bliss to be overlooked
29 Jun: Blown away by gale forces
22 Jun: Garage sales of the heart
15 Jun: Some make it, some don't
08 Jun: Chide not the sausage
01 Jun: Swallowing one's fears
25 May: Plunge in at the deep end
18 May: Success through tiny triumphs
11 May: In grief, acceptance is all
04 May: Sad enough to rock'n'roll
27 Apr: Sex? It's the wheel thing
20 Apr: Personal growth is just that
13 Apr: A climb above ourselves
06 Apr: Meet me, my new best friend
30 Mar: Grounded with feelings
23 Mar: Musical language of the heart
16 Mar: A child’s lesson in listening
09 Mar: Cool in the heat of passion
02 Mar: Listen to those primal urges
23 Feb: Torn by love’s first blemish
16 Feb: A deep sense of belonging
06 Feb: Joyous days, childish ways
12 Jan: At home with your demons
05 Jan: Accept, and reach for the scars

2001
29 Dec: Martyrdom who needs it?
22 Dec: Angels with wounded souls
15 Dec: The whole thing stinks!
01 Dec: Far worse than the big snake
24 Nov: Now life is no longer the same
17 Nov: Borne by the presence within
10 Nov: Ouch! Such a repulsive aura
03 Nov: Sacred curse of awareness
27 Oct: Battle scars of a life well lived
20 Oct: So special to be a tooth fairy
13 Oct: Oh, let me rescue all creatures
06 Oct: Turning the page on rage
29 Sep: Begone, vile toxic emotions!
22 Sep: Happiness is but a leap away
15 Sep: Mine your personal magic
08 Sep: Flayed by too much paradise
01 Sep: You know, it's got to be Me
18 Aug: Of loss, death and dyeing
11 Aug: Ah, to catch a pointed star
04 Aug: Anxious eyes above the skies
28 Jul: A miracle in the mundane
21 Jul: Sometimes you gotta move on
14 Jul: Chains of freedom clashing
07 Jul: From terror to terra firma
23 Jun: I just cooked to say I love you
16 Jun: Tradition cuts to the present
09 Jun: Leave it to the soul creator
02 Jun: Lessons late in the learning
26 May: Mother of an experience
19 May: Get Big Brother off our backs
12 May: Spirits in the time of our lore
05 May: Learn age-old secrets of life
28 Apr: One of me must know better
21 Apr: Lies deadlier than the truth
14 Apr: May the force be with you
07 Apr: Diamonds in soles of his shoes
31 Mar: Hello, you must be going
17 Mar: Give resentment the brush-off
10 Mar: Happily ever after endings
03 Mar: If it's in the box, I'm over it
17 Feb: Wild will calms the storm
10 Feb: Souls lifted in songs of praise
03 Feb: Hair-raising fight to the death
27 Jan: Smudged into a sacred space
20 Jan: Violin strains made in heaven
06 Jan: Floating on a wave of support

2000
30 Dec: Ah, for the elation of flirtation
23 Dec: Homecomings in present tense
16 Dec: Set aside a sacred space of love
09 Dec: The ingredients of attraction
02 Dec: Death is at home on the Ganges
25 Nov: On the wheel of divine justice
21 Oct: Living large on the little things
14 Oct: Every race has a finishing line
07 Oct: Self-help meets hocus-pocus
30 Sep: Nurturing a sense of validation
23 Sep: Lords of procrastination
16 Sep: Living outside the birdcage
09 Sep: Naturally, the solution is simple
02 Sep: The sophistication of simplicity
26 Aug: Dreaming up the simple life
19 Aug: A mountain of hardships
12 Aug: A nanny-splendoured thing
05 Aug: The forgotten art of dying
29 Jul: Painful void when baby dies
22 Jul: Need a deft hand? Dial a man
15 Jul: Breathe out and rebirth reality
08 Jul: A pain bared is grief shared
01 Jul: Of mice, and men with poison
24 Jun: A life less extraordinary
17 Jun: Give away; no obligations
10 Jun: The caring man from uncle
03 Jun: Mortality stirs the self-absorbed
27 May: Filling the gaps in life's secrets
20 May: Touched by a cabbalist
13 May: Flicking through the ex file
06 May: Flying beyond our fears
29 Apr: That which makes us strong
15 Apr: Suddenly stripped naked
08 Apr: Feedback that rocked my world
01 Apr: Home is where the hearth is
25 Mar: Love and the mother superior
18 Mar: A cosmic poke in the third eye
11 Mar: Sharing life's stinky moments
04 Mar: How costly the toll of the bells
26 Feb: Loss of affection through fear
19 Feb: The loss that changed the world
12 Feb: Finally free to belt out a tune
05 Feb: Curse on men who dare to care
29 Jan: Poetry for a restless soul
22 Jan: Bedevilled by small things
15 Jan: A fine time for bickering
08 Jan: The power of prayer
01 Jan: Objets d'heart

1999
24 Dec: Someone else's Christmas
18 Dec: Love knows no gender
11 Dec: Crystal-clear exorcisms
04 Dec: Random acts of kindness
27 Nov: Put a brake on whingeing
20 Nov: You can't take it with you
13 Nov: All that blisters leads to goal
06 Nov: Death's sting brings a salve
30 Oct: From coven to couch
23 Oct: Pelvis is lonesome tonight
09 Oct: Grief's sharp pain
02 Oct: A word in in your ear
25 Sep: Long wait for an angel
18 Sep: Unreasonably good spirits
11 Sep: In search of peace on earth
04 Sep: Love that dares speak its name
28 Aug: Buddhism with chutzpah
21 Aug: Call me cosmic any day