skydiverdilys

[skydiverdilys]

“The Earth Shall be Filled with the Glory of God as the Waters Cover the Sea”

A beautiful scent is rising from the ground;beautiful colours begin to change the earth;people are smiling and helping each other ......the world is changing for the better .Watch - good is coming from this pandemic.Mother Gaia is taking charge- the meek will inherit the world. Those who truly care will be cared for.

There are those who care for the common good , who care for each other , who are in balance.They will prosper now, while those who worship the ego will shrivel and die.Watch it happen.....it seems a miracle .... but miracles are a fact of life , they happen all the time .

So give your energy to kindness, to hope , to positive energy.Begin to feel the joy of flowing with kindness- receiving it and giving it. .......Laugh , enjoy , appreciate . Let our eyes be opened.....live and love.

Dilys Price 6 .9.20

[skydiverdilys]

Perfect World ,Needing Us to Uncover it’s Beauty & Love

I am so aware these days that a great many beautiful souls are using energy to uncover a perfect world that is in danger of being destroyed because of greed and lack of concern and ego fuelled actions out of balance.

We have to commit and use all our energy and determination to rub away the grime and dirt covering this real world of love ,beauty and kindness .(We do this by caring for each other as well as ourselves ..... in balance.)

And to do it in whatever way our talent and circumstances allow. To smile makes a difference , just our heart and our purpose need to be for ourselves AND each other ( not ego driven and out of balance .)

Leonardo Da Vinci said when sculpting ,that he was only revealing the perfect figure that was alreacpdy there . So we can have the same confidence in that spiritual truth that the beauty is already there . Our job is to use our energy for good however we can .... and unvpcover the beauty of the perfect world , like a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis.

We are at the tipping point ..... but I believe it is not too late . The light we are shining will destroy the dark.As Martin Luther King said ,we will never destroy hate with hate ,but with energetic love we will.The butterfly needs our energy and our love ,but it is there in all it’s beauty ..... what a worthwhile reward.... worth grafting for.

23.6.20

[skydiverdilys]

Perfect World ,Needing Us to Uncover it’s Beauty & Love

I am so aware these days that a great many beautiful souls are using energy to uncover a perfect world that is in danger of being destroyed because of greed and lack of concern and ego fuelled actions out of balance.

We have to commit and use all our energy and determination to rub away the grime and dirt covering this real world of love ,beauty and kindness .(We do this by caring for each other as well as ourselves ..... in balance.)

And to do it in whatever way our talent and circumstances allow. To smile makes a difference , just our heart and our purpose need to be for ourselves AND each other ( not ego driven and out of balance .)

Leonardo Da Vinci said when sculpting ,that he was only revealing the perfect figure that was alreacpdy there . So we can have the same confidence in that spiritual truth that the beauty is already there . Our job is to use our energy for good however we can .... and unvpcover the beauty of the perfect world , like a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis.

We are at the tipping point ..... but I believe it is not too late . The light we are shining will destroy the dark.As Martin Luther King said ,we will never destroy hate with hate ,but with energetic love we will.The butterfly needs our energy and our love ,but it is there in all it’s beauty ..... what a worthwhile reward.... worth grafting for.

23.6.20

[skydiverdilys]

Black lives matter

I have just posted two blogs saying how much I am with you in spirit unfortunately because of shielding and the lockdown I can’t join you on the march. I have posted three blogs that have disappeared so this is just one last short one to say I am with you.

[skydiverdilys]

Black Lives Matter

It is so right that there are Marches here as well as in USA about this terrible injustice that has gone on too long .There must be justice finally .

Because of the lock down and shielding I cannot march with you ,but I want you to know I am with you all in spirit .All my life I have fought for respect and justice wherever I can .We must win this battle.

I pray for the time when we can say( to quote from the wonderful Desiderata by Max Erhmann):-

“ You are a child of the Universe no less than the trees and the stars: you have a

right to be here....... and whether it is clear to you the Universe is unfolding

As it should...... it is still a beautiful world .Be cheerful .Strive to be happy”

Dilys 6.6.20

[skydiverdilys]

Black Lives Matter

Wonderful that people are responding and marching for Black Lives Matter here as well as in USA.I want you to know I am with you all the way ,but because of lock down and shielding I can’t march with you but have to be with you in spirit only.

We must get to the time when there is equality and respect for all. When the world is at peace and in harmony and subject to the only true values of justice and equality for all.

I pray for the day when we all can say of us all :-

“ You are a child of the a Universe , no less than the trees and the stars:

You have a right to be here....... the Universe is unfolding as it should

......

It is a beautiful world. Be cheerful.Strive to be happy.”( borrowed from Desiderata. Max Erhmann)

[skydiverdilys]

The Music of the Spheres

This is a time of strange inactivity and forced stillness on most of us .

It is a gift .

I hear the Music of the Spheres .... the wonderful resonance of harmony which has been stifled out by society’s ‘ busyness’ .I think we all hear these purer harmonies -and it is beautiful and strange.

As a planet ,as a society we have become out of balance & Mother Earth has taken charge to give us a chance to redress this!

When we come out of this terrible time ,we have a responsibility maintain the brotherhood we have learnt ,to remember the kindnesses and heroism of the poor and the ordinery as well as the altrusitic scientists and doctors that we have seen daily and that have sustained us.

We must have a new Order ,a new way where compassion and kindness reign when we come out of this . As WH Auden said ( paraphrasing) we must worship the higher good - community- rather than worshiping our egos! Care for others as well as ourselves .... get into balance .... the balance we have so badly lost with our emphasis on mere possessions and greed.

Finally as a whole society we must understand that wellbeing and healing for ourselves and the planet means committing to two instincts ,survival but also service..... that is the only way to a prosperous world and to a joyous state.

In fact what this catastrophe has shown us .. it is the only way to survive .....even this day .

When all this passes we must remember..... and act differently accordingly.

I cherish my childhood memory of visiting a terrace house with my father ,to spend an hour with this steeple jack who had broken his back ,lying in bed .... and from whom pure joy and gratitude flowed from him as he praised God .

My father too , with no worldly possessions shone with joy and happiness as he too praised his Creator.

This is my vision of what can be when we get in harmony and resonate with the Music of the Spheres. This is where I choose to journey to ; my ultimate ambition!

But for all of us ,rich and poor ,talented and ordinery ,whatever our background ,personality or talent ..... the words are BALANCE and KINDNESS!!!

[skydiverdilys]

This helped me.... so I pass it on.

“Dear brothers & sisters,whenever trouble comes your way,let it be an opportunity for joy.Forwhen your faith is tested,your endurance has a chance to grow.So let it grow,for when your endurance is fully developed,you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

James ,Chapter 1 : the Bible( - to the early Christians.)

This strengthened me when I was panicking ,which is never a sensible or helpful state to be in .

And since then I have coped by giving myself a routine ,which helps me stay steady and is more constructive and healthy.

I pass it on in case it might help one other person who like me ( a normally outgoing 87 year old and with a lung condition ,living on my own ,)is feeling unsteady!

Be strong ,choose joy .

[skydiverdilys]

This helped me.... so I pass it on.

“Dear brothers & sisters,whenever trouble comes your way,let it be an opportunity for joy.Forwhen your faith is tested,your endurance has a chance to grow.So let it grow,for when your endurance is fully developed,you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”

James ,Chapter 1 : the Bible( - to the early Christians.)

This strengthened me when I was panicking ,which is never a sensible or helpful state to be in .

And since then I have coped by giving myself a routine ,which helps me stay steady and is more constructive and healthy.

I pass it on in case it might help one other person who like me ( a normally outgoing 87 year old and with a lung condition ,living on my own ,)is feeling unsteady!

Be strong ,choose joy .

[skydiverdilys]

Death and Touching the Edge

 Last night i watched the amazing solo climber and skydiver.... Eric Jones “The Last Climb”. I admire him so much, and I was interested to hear him talk about death.

I too found that one of the delights of skydiving was “Touching the Edge”.

I felt there was something wonderful on the other side of ‘the envelope’ and I felt I sensed that joy as I touched that edge!

I felt no fear when I was in a difficult situation, except the very last time. I knew my physical skills were less, I was only jumping a very few times a year and I did worry about this. I had to recuperate after my smashed ankle, But I still managed to come back after a year. Then at 85 I was having trouble with my lungs; I was unable to do my usual exercise routine and I felt unwell.

However, at 85 I decided to come back to health and really work at becoming a better skydiver, recovering my routines and working on them: In other words, making skydiving my main focus again rather than something I was doing with long gaps - just keeping current.

However, the day I went into the sky and went into my routine again, challenging myself rather than jumping without pushing myself .... became my last.

I exited on this lovely sunny day went straight into a back loop .... without the finer the skills I used to have ... and I went into a fast spin on my back. I had done this previously when I was a raw sky diver and knew what to do to get out the spin but this time I was out of practice. The spinning was still out of control but I managed to turn myself front to ground again.

I yelled to myself (did I make a sound), I don’t know, STOP IT NOW!

And gratefully the spinning slowed gradually and I was stable in time to pull my main toggle and release my parachute safely without twists.

I came down safely and as I landed on the grass, I said to myself,” This is it, my sky diving career ends here”

I am not afraid of death but I felt strongly this day that I was destined to die another way (this was a new feeling).

That is how it ended, with a decision, not an accident.

I had windsurfed, sailed, canoed, skied, hang glide but all these fell away ....  

I had a love affair with skydiving and getting to’ the edge’, which goes on to this day.

So now this is how it is. As one gets older one is nearer ‘the edge’, so daily I need to give praise and remember to enjoy this transition, getting me close to breaking out of the envelope for the longed for Beyond!

18.8.19

[skydiverdilys]

To Make This Dream a Reality  I Need YOU !

At the moment my head is full of another dream ;I am determined to do something more about the scandal of homelessness.

I have always  donated several times a year and for two years - since my Pride of Britain Award in 2017-I have added the equivalent of a £1 a day .And there is the odd £1 or food I give to some one I see on the street..I have volunteered for Wallich (preventing homelessness) and I  try  to give some  little help there.

My vision I am determined to work on … is a half way house…. for those individuals who suddenly find they are homeless .. and to catch them with a refuge… before they slip into drugs or drink addiction  and lose their spirit … in that  long wait for council support.!

M ( a young man I see outside my local shop) is teaching me the importance of this.I see him refusing to sink… trying to keep his spirit and integrity against  the odds.It will take months before  there is the chance of him getting anywhere..and he needs this half way house now.

I dont have money but there is money somewhere.. and I want to gather others around me with passion ,skills and influence to make this a reality.

If I can get one such Half Way Sanctuary I believe ( as a vision) others can then be rolled out.

You see some of us had  a vision at the turn of the century to bring  a sensory life changing program to  those who had drawn the shortest straw  in life- and  to be in a beautiful place -and we achieved it .The Touch Trust .becoming  one of the seven Creative Residents in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre-( still there and still growing!)

Before that a few of us ,(  the Paralympic athletes  Chris Hallam  and John Harris where the visionaries here  -and they brought in the wonderful Town Planner Ewart Parkinson )  had a vision of elite able and disabled athletes training in parity together …a new concept at the time in the ‘90′s.We achieved it! We got the Wales Sports Centre for the Disabled  built in Cardiff Metropolitan University in 1994 !

The Wright brothers took a piece of wood and iron into the air.The impossible is possible …. that is the only way to change things …to dream and work for the impossible.

There is so much love and good in the world -and I am adding one more focused  vision to be picked up …… by you loving people .

I wait for the next step from you.. via  Face Book  or email 

dilys80obe@icloud.com

22.6.19 

Dilys was born  in Aberdare and raised in the Bible College of Wales Swansea ,where her father was the gardener in this home for missionary’s children and Jewish children who were refugees from Nazi Germany.

After completing her secondary education in the Bible College School  she was accepted to study at the famous Laban Centre for Movement and Dance in London. As a young dance student, she was privileged to have been taught by the master himself and he has remained a major influence on her life and work. Much of Dilys’ Touch Trust programme is based on his principles and practices.

In 1960 she joined the staff here at UWIC and her early career focused on primary physical education and dance. As the academic portfolio changed Dilys became a key member of the team managing and delivering the Human Movement Studies degree.  Dilys was responsible for the Dance Studies area. Although Dilys was primarily dance oriented, she had a great passion for working with special needs children and she was a pioneer in the UK in introducing adapted physical activity into the undergraduate curriculum. APA involves looking at ways and means of creating meaningful physical activity for special needs groups and where appropriate integrating them into mainstream.

She was the Special Needs and Dance tutor for many years for the British Association of Lecturers and Advisers in Physical Education, and Chairman of a British Amateur Gymnastics Working Group producing Recreational Gymnastic Awards for Special Needs. In Wales, she organised the first Special Olympic activities and Play to Grow Clubs. She was a founder member of the Wales Sports Association for Special Needs and was a consultant for Movement Activities for a variety of special needs groups.

Dilys always found innovative ways of engaging and involving her students. Whilst working with the children in Ty Gwyn Special School she encouraged the students to fundraise by organizing a sponsored Sky Diving event.  The students undertook the project with typical Cyncoed enthusiasm but they introduced an added extra that changed Dilys’ life – they booked her onto the event as well.  Dilys made her first parachute jump at the age of 54 – she is now  the oldest female skydiver in the world and has completed almost 1100 jumps – many of them to raise funds for her special charities.

Illinois story

Inspirational teachers and leaders often have great vision, creativity and passion to energise the people around them – but are not always blessed with systematic and efficient organizational and planning skills. I have personal experience – Dilys became heavily involved with the PVSH Charity which focused on creating sporting opportunities for disabled people and she wanted to create a wheelchair-friendly environment at Cyncoed.  The world leading centre at the time was in Illinois. Dilys asked me to accompany her on a study visit  and factfinding mission to help develop the provision in Wales and possibly create a student exchange programme.  This would be my first trans-Atlantic trip so Dilys made the arrangements for the visit and we flew off to Illinois.  When we arrived on the campus of Illinois State University and had an initial walkabout I turned to Dilys and said “I can’t see as many wheelchair users as I expected – what do you think?”  It transpired that we were at the wrong university campus – we were supposed to be at the University of Illinois, 60 miles away.  Needless to say we solved the problem and we now host the Wales Sport Centre for the Disabled at Cyncoed and we had a successful exchange programme with Illinois State University for 15 years.

It is hopefully clear to you by now that Dilys has sought to help her special people whatever their needs – educational, sporting or simply to enhance their quality of life. After she retired from UWIC in 1990 her driving passion became the creation of a “Happiness Centre” to enhance the lives of the most profoundly handicapped children in our society through the use of music, art and touch therapy.

The Touch Trust was born 14 years ago. Dilys and a group of her friends were in the Wadi Rum desert as guests of King Hussein of Jordan and Dilys used a parachute jump over the desert to publicize her plans. They had radio interviews, newspaper articles and even a letter from the King’s Royal Office wishing them well on their project. It was an exciting start to what was to become an even more exciting journey leading to the opening of opening of the Touch Trust here at the Wales Millennium Centre in 2004.

Dilys and her team have created a ‘Cathedral of Light’ where they provide touch therapy and train others in this life-changing programme. To be placed side-by-side with such arts organizations as Welsh National Opera and Diversions Dance Company was a real achievement and testament to Dilys’s drive and determination. Not one to rest on her laurels, Dilys continues to strive for even bigger and better things. With regular Touch Trust sessions happening five days a week at WMC and extending into evenings and weekends to meet the demand, Dilys is now setting up Touch Trust Centres of Excellence all over Wales run by Touch Trust-trained staff. Dilys and her team is being asked to contribute to the setting up of new courses in further education colleges in the UK and abroad and delegations from as far away as Panama and China have come to meet Dilys and ask her advice on setting up similar centres and how to train their staff. Dilys’s ultimate goal is to set up a Community Centre and College of the Arts for young school leavers in Wales who are hungry for a more stimulating educational and recreational environment. In July 2003 Dilys was awarded the OBE for Services to the Disabled.

She’s still skydiving regularly. She calls them her “jumps for joy” and all the money she raises goes to Touch Trust to expand its work and to improve the quality of life for more people with profound disabilities.

In  2011 Dilys became an UnLtd Fellow  with an award of £5000 as part of the Millennium Awards Fellowship and was invited to become a Member of the International Dance Council

[skydiverdilys]

To Make This Dream a Reality  I Need YOU !

At the moment my head is full of another dream ;I am determined to do something more about the scandal of homelessness.

I have always  donated several times a year and for two years - since my Pride of Britain Award in 2017-I have added the equivalent of a £1 a day .And there is the odd £1 or food I give to some one I see on the street..I have volunteered for Wallich (preventing homelessness) and I  try  to give some  little help there.

My vision I am determined to work on ... is a half way house.... for those individuals who suddenly find they are homeless .. and to catch them with a refuge... before they slip into drugs or drink addiction  and lose their spirit ... in that  long wait for council support.!

M ( a young man I see outside my local shop) is teaching me the importance of this.I see him refusing to sink... trying to keep his spirit and integrity against  the odds.It will take months before  there is the chance of him getting anywhere..and he needs this half way house now.

I dont have money but there is money somewhere.. and I want to gather others around me with passion ,skills and influence to make this a reality.

If I can get one such Half Way Sanctuary I believe ( as a vision) others can then be rolled out.

You see some of us had  a vision at the turn of the century to bring  a sensory life changing program to  those who had drawn the shortest straw  in life- and  to be in a beautiful place -and we achieved it .The Touch Trust .becoming  one of the seven Creative Residents in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre-( still there and still growing!)

Before that a few of us ,(  the Paralympic athletes  Chris Hallam  and John Harris where the visionaries here  -and they brought in the wonderful Town Planner Ewart Parkinson )  had a vision of elite able and disabled athletes training in parity together ...a new concept at the time in the ‘90′s.We achieved it! We got the Wales Sports Centre for the Disabled  built in Cardiff Metropolitan University in 1994 !

The Wright brothers took a piece of wood and iron into the air.The impossible is possible .... that is the only way to change things ...to dream and work for the impossible.

There is so much love and good in the world -and I am adding one more focused  vision to be picked up ...... by you loving people .

I wait for the next step from you.. via  Face Book  or email 

dilys80obe@icloud.com

[skydiverdilys]

An Evening With Dilys - Fundraising for Touch Trust

If you are free on Sunday 14th July, please do come and join me in the iconic Wales Millennium Centre to help Touch Trust stay there - more information here:

https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2019/an-evening-with-dilys-price-obe/

[skydiverdilys]

Make a Better World

I had an amazing and humbling and life enhancing experience last Friday.

I went on the Wallich Centre( preventing homelessness) breakfast run in Cardiff .There is a subculture of care and love in our ( seemingly greedy and uncaring society) which is strong and vibrant.The staff and volunteers I met there were the friends of the homeless -giving ,caring ,laughing ,up beat and sharing a passion to change things for the better without egos getting in the way!

And then today I heard about a billionaire in America who is paying the fees of young Students in one College -amounting to about ten Million !

For years I have tried to increase what little I can do ..... going from one off donations to a pledge to give £1 a day to a charity like Wallich which is dedicated to ending homelessness.

I believe there are many people and now rapidly increasing numberswho are consciously developing their ‘ serving muscles’.Even last night I saw Prince William giving of himself in the cause of mental illness and pain.

Let us now up our efforts ,our money ,our voices to make a difference and drown out those ‘others’ .Let us all do more and set out to train our ‘ serving muscles ‘ to do even more . And also to recognise that we care for our own health and well being as well as that of others.... a win / win situation .

As I have said for years ,we have two instincts one for survival and one for service..... we are at the transition where to save our planet and to be at our most well being ,we need to give.....

Whatever your talent is ,use it to help others as well as yourself ..... see how enlivened and happy you will become ; like a running sparkling stream ,a river of living water.

It is wonderful that people have a talent for making money ,because that giving is so needed today . It is a privilege to make money and gift to be able to give substantial amounts away .It will bring you so much happiness .

We older people have more time to spare ,so we too are privileged to do what we now can !We have a responsibility too ,however old and frail we are ....

[skydiverdilys]

From the 60’s I was working for the rights of Disability within Sports and going into special schools. Our college was running special olympics, sports days, special gymnastics etc with my wonderful students. Due to our work we achieved having the Wales Sports Centre for the disabled in UWIC in 1996 and we became the great friends of Chris Hallam, John Harris and Paul Jenkins the three pioneer athletes for this programme. How proud I was, for me and my students when I was at the launch of the 3 Year collaboration agreement between Cardiff Metropolitan University and Disability Sport Wales . The event was last Wednesday when they launched the University as a Centre of Excellence for Disability Sport Wales. We all had a dream and we never gave up and it’s so wonderful to see it all come together. Looking back at these photos it reminds me of what fun we all had. We worked hard and played hard!

[skydiverdilys]

Today on my wrist: A 1970’s era Tissot Seastar Chronograph in stainless steel. Features a Lemania 1281 movement. (Store Inventory # 11783, listed at $1750, available for purchase online & in-store.)

[skydiverdilys]

I Love the NHS

I have nothing but praise for NHS. With increasing difficulties the doctors ,nurses,district nurses , physiotherapists ( all people I have needed to help me recenrly) have been just wonderful . I found them all compassionate ,hard working ,committed ,skilled and ‘ working for the higher good’.

W H Auden - the poet - says there are two types of people those who worship the ego and those who worship the higher good .These lovely people I met all worked for the higher good and did not worship the ego ; an example to be followed if we want a good and loving world.

Mark Haddon in the Guardian says that he loves the NHS because we pay for it with our taxes and we receive the same care whether we have paid a million pounds or nothing!

“ The true worth of NHS is that those of us who are lucky enough to pay tax can go to sleep at night, knowing that we have helped to make radical kindness possible........We need to celebrate tax. We need to think of it not as money the Government steals from us ,but as our contribution to a safe and just and healthy society.”

I say Amen to that and ask you all to protect this wonderful institution Nye Bevan

brought into being. Protect it from the many greedy individuals and groups ( concerned only with profits) who would like to put their dirty mitts on it .

Drug companies make huge profits ,but NHS gets blamed when an ill individual cannot be given the necessary drug because the NHS cannot afford the drug company’s price!! This is twisted thinking.....we are being manipulated by these

money worshippers .....We are in a society in which ‘ the Emporer has no clothes’,

there are attempts to hoodwink us so often.Lets look behind the slogans ,the lies and fight for the truth.

Dilys 23.6.18