Oceans of Light

15/01/2026

The Woodcutter and the Whetstone

We weren't meant to run on "empty" forever.

There’s an old story about a woodcutter who was given a massive task: he had to fell the largest tree in the forest in a very short amount of time.

The first woodcutter rushed in. He swung his axe with everything he had. He was sweating, breathing hard, and working with total intensity. But his blade was dull. By the end of the day, he was exhausted, his hands were blistered, and the tree had barely been nicked.

The second woodcutter spent the first several hours sitting quietly by the tree. He wasn't "working" in the traditional sense. He was focused entirely on a small whetstone, slowly and methodically sharpening his blade.

When he finally stood up, he took the tree down with a fraction of the effort.

Mindfulness is our whetstone.

In our personal lives, we often treat ourselves like the first woodcutter. We rush from the moment the alarm goes off—answering texts, managing the household, worrying about the future, and "grinding" through our to-do lists.

We think that stopping for 10 minutes to just breathe is a waste of time. But without that pause, we are walking through life with a dull blade. We become reactive, irritable, and tired. We’re working so hard, but we aren't "cutting" through the noise.

When I take time for daily mindfulness, I notice:

The world slows down: I stop reacting to every little spark and start choosing how I show up.
The weight lifts: I realize I don't have to carry the whole forest on my shoulders today.
The "work" of life feels lighter: Decisions are clearer, and conversations are kinder.

If you’re feeling exhausted today, don't just try to swing the axe harder. Stop. Sit. Sharpen your heart and mind.

The tree will still be there, but you’ll be ready for it.

21/11/2025

19/11/2025

Free Weekly Mindfulness Sessions with Steve

Join me every Thursday at 7h45 for a free online mindfulness session. This is a gentle space to pause, reconnect with yourself and learn simple tools to move through the season with more ease and kindness.

Limited to eight participants to keep the experience personal.

Click the link to join or message me for details.
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iWzpSpBGSRy6JYnym_bT0Q

30/10/2025

Communicating with Presence

I once worked with a team that was struggling to communicate. Everyone meant well, but no one was really listening. Meetings turned into noise instead of connection.

What changed things wasn’t a new rule or policy. It was presence.
People started slowing down, noticing their tone, and listening without planning their reply. Respect found its way back into the room.

Mindful communication isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present.
When we listen to understand, not to win, everything shifts.

03/10/2025

Listening = Respect

One of the simplest ways we show respect is by really listening.
When we give someone our full attention, we’re saying:
• Your words matter
• Your experience is valid
• I see you, I hear you

The tricky part? We often confuse hearing with listening. Hearing just happens. Listening takes intention — setting aside distractions, letting go of judgement, and resisting the urge to jump in with our own stories.
Respect grows when people feel heard. And whether it’s at work, at home, or with friends — everyone thrives in that kind of culture.

👉 Challenge for today: Listen not to reply, but to understand.
Have you had a moment recently where being truly heard made all the difference?

23/09/2025

Take Ownership of Your Words

Whenever we speak, it helps to remember that we are not delivering The Truth — we are sharing our truth.

Our words carry the lens of our own experiences, values, and understanding. What feels true to me may look different to you — and both can still be valid.

When we own our words, we:
✅ speak with clarity and kindness,
✅ feel less afraid of being judged,
✅ stop blaming or shaming,
✅ create space for connection.

Short lesson:
Start your sentences with “I think…” or “In my experience…”. It keeps your words grounded in your truth — not a claim of absolute truth.
👉 What helps you share your truth instead of claiming The Truth?

15/09/2025

Find out more about Steve at oceansoflight.org

09/09/2025

Emotional Intelligence: The Core of Human-Centred Leadership

In my experience, the best leaders aren’t the ones who always have the quick answers — they’re the ones who truly listen. Not to jump in, not to defend, but to understand.

That’s the heart of emotional intelligence. It begins with how we manage ourselves: noticing our own triggers, choosing empathy, and building resilience when things get tough.

One reminder I often come back to is WAIT — Why Am I Talking? It’s amazing how a simple pause can shift the energy in a conversation. Suddenly, people feel heard, teams move from competing to collaborating, and leadership becomes less about directing and more about inspiring.

That’s where people — and organisations — really thrive.

02/09/2025

Mindfulness in the Workplace – by Oceans of Light

Mindfulness in the workplace is personal development that benefits both the individual and the organisation.

This course strengthens the skills that matter most: clear communication, effective listening, teamwork, conflict resolution, healthy boundaries, accountability, focus, and stress management.

🌱 What you gain: resilience, clarity, and balance.
🏢 What your business gains: stronger teams, higher productivity, and a culture that lasts.

Mindfulness is not stepping away from work — it’s a way of operating that creates balance and happiness for both employer and employee.

Steven Hudson

25/02/2025

What a beautiful setting to be the celebrant for Gavin and Kristy’s wedding! ✨

It was a pleasure working with Kirsty from , who coordinated everything with effortless professionalism and a relaxed, reassuring presence, and Andret from , who handled the legal paperwork seamlessly.

I truly love getting involved and working closely with each couple to create powerful, meaningful ceremonies that deeply connect with who they are.

27/10/2022

Mindfulness 101 - One of the biggest returns on investment we can generate in our lives is to invest in learning self-management through awareness. Of all the tools Steven Hudson uses, this simple and powerful ‘I Messages’ Guide is the most recommended and transformative.

Use ‘I Messages’ whenever conversations become heated or difficult. By shifting from talking about ‘You’ we create the opportunity to shift from blame, accusation and destructive language to sharing information about how we see the situation. We do not claim to own The Truth® but can rather share our own truth. This gives us somewhere solid to stand amid emotional turmoil.

For more info on Mindfullness and Individual Coaching connect with Steven on 082 786 6313 or email him on steve@oceansoflight.org.

21/07/2021

We all have our breaking points. During the last 18 months I have seen many strong, self sufficient people reach theirs.

To help out I have written a blog post https://oceansoflight.org/how-to-recognize-burnout/
which explores what burnout is and how to use mindfulness practices to deal with it