Category: Mental Wellbeing

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5 minutes to a Happier, Calmer and more Content You. Fact.

Calmer more content and happier you

It’s been scientifically proven on many accounts that mindfulness and/or meditation can bring you to a happier, calmer and more physically and emotionally aware space; and it doesn’t even have to take more than 5 minutes a day.

In today’s fast paced and busy world it seems people don’t remember to take the time to breathe deeply and take a few minutes out for themselves.  However, by doing so, one can actually help to reduce and calm one’s own physical and emotional dis-ease.

It’s not like it’ll happen over night and it’s certainly on it’s own no replacement for current treatments or therapies.  But, by taking this this 5 minutes out and listening to yourself you can begin to see your own solutions to your stresses and dis-eases (be this seeking a doctor, healer, activity or other life change of some sort).

At least 5 minutes, each day is all it takes to get started; you can do it on the bus or while standing, sitting or laying anywhere you can.

Namaste, much love xx

 

 

http://www.mindfulexperience.org/

http://oxfordmindfulness.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/gps-mindfulness-research/

http://marc.ucla.edu/

http://www.umassmed.edu/Content.aspx?id=42066

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate/taught/studies_in_mindfulness

 http://www.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness/

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Mirror me : Mirror you

mirror me mirror you

When you look at me what do you see?

Beauty, hostility, or someone verging on tranquility?

Because whatever is in you, is what you see in me.

How much simpler could it be?

We see the world through our own eyes, our perspective.  When I see beauty in you, it’s the beauty in me reflected through the mirror that you are; when I get angry with you, it’s really me who I am mad at.

Everyone of us is beautiful in our own special way, but sometimes our vision narrows and our perspective become unclear; filtering our this beauty, usually due to an unrealised fear.

Try it, when you’re in a good mood and happy with yourself, take a look around you and see how awesome the people in your vicinity are.  Then, when you don’t feel so hot, take another look around; and see if the judgement has crept in, with people seeming less than their average selves.  This methodology for awareness is how I know when I’m out of balance, i.e.  need to eat, rest or do something nice for myself; the world reflecting back to me what an ugly mood I’m in.

 

Be kind to yourself. xxx

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Make-Up with Yourself

make up with you

I am a 29 year old woman living in London, and therefore of course I’ve worn my fair share of slap, sometimes too much of it.  On the rare random occasion, I still do decide to paint myself different.  It can be fun to change the colour of your clothes, hair, nails, skin, lips, lashes, eyes and cheeks from time to time?

For years I’d wear mascara because my lashes are long but blonde and almost invisible, use cover up on my spots and blemishes; and put blusher on my cheeks to help me look healthy again under the layers of foundation.  Finally, over the past year, between running out of mascara, being sick of touch ups in order to feel ready to do ANYthing and a lot of love and support; I managed to ween myself off applying my daily slap in the face.

Make-up for me was a bit of an obsession.  I needed a lot of love to help get through this past year, slap-less, to help me be able to get to know and love the skin I’m in (getting past everyone pointing out I looked tired and spotty at first).

Did you know most spots are caused by the body trying to expel toxins?  Ironic that we learn to cover our skin in toxic chemicals to try and make them go away!  This was a revelation that got me really thinking; why spend all this time and money and not make things actually any better for myself?  One other revelation was watching the skin of others around me.  Have you ever watched the colour changes in someone elses cheeks and lips throughout the day, when they get hot or flustered or are cold and brooding?  It’s quite beautiful!

Thus I implore you ladies and gentlemen; why put on a mono-tone covering, keep spending your hard earned cash and precious limited time in denying your true natural beauty from this world?!  YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!  Let yourself shine!

 

Love xxx

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Gratitude as a state of mind

gratitude

How often do you notice how great things are in life, and say thank you?

Or, how often do you notice how shit things feel in life, and are thoroughly not thankful for them!?

It’s all too easy to get caught up in the mind and label a situation as good or bad, depending on expectations of what’s wanted in that moment of time.

I still flit between these 2 states, but happily, the state of gratitude, seems to keep growing.  This isn’t because I won the lottery or finally worked through all of my shit, but it’s because I got sick of being depressed about all the things and the lessons I cannot change.  Slowly but surely, my focus keeps shifting to see more of the positives in life, and aiming to express gratitude for them; especially when I’ve had a rough day.

Try it, when you think things couldn’t get worse, or when you wonder why the hell you’ve ended up in the shit; find points about it that you can be thankful for.  It’s hard, sometimes very hard at first, but over time, the shit subsides and you begin to see the point to the lessons you’re seeing.

What are you grateful for?  Write your own list, please share it if you like!   Below is a small list from my daily thanks:

  • Thank you for my bed, and all it’s warm and comfy bits which allow me to sleep soundly
  • Thank you for my family; including my husband, friends, parents, brothers and sisters and all the beautiful people who help give meaning to my life and keep inspiring and loving me, no matter how I feel towards myself
  • Thank you for my health and all the people, foods and products that nourish me 
  • Thank you to my home, for keeping me warm and dry and allowing me to have my little space of paradise in the hecticness of London
  • Thank you to my job(s) which help me to earn my living in this current society
  • Thank you to my winter coat, you’re very warm and much needed right now
  • Thank you for my shower, all hot and cleansing and awesome
  • Thank you for all the things I walk into and that trip me up, and my clumbsyness, as it’s in these moments I realise my state of unmindfulness and again refocus into the present moment
  • Thank you to all the random people who either entertain, show kindness or aren’t very nice to help me see these same things in myself
  • Thank you to the Scientific art that is Yoga (and Pilates) which has helped me to pull my head out of my arse and enables me to lead a more and more fulfilling life with every breath I take
  • And of course, Thank you to all my teachers and students who help to keep me on the track I most prefer and shine a light where I didn’t notice one previously

 

Namaste, so much love, and have a fun weekend 🙂 xxx

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5 tips for achieving a regular practice

regular practice

Have you ever found yourself starting something and enjoying it, but then, letting it all fall by the waste-side in a hopeless mess?

I have, many times.  Thankfully it generally doesn’t happen with my yoga practice.  Here’s a few tips I use to help me reap the benefits of having a regular yoga practice:

  1. Make a consistent space in your diary.  You can find classes any time of any day (especially if you live in a big city), pick a time you can stick to for at least the next 4 – 6 weeks.
  2. Find a teacher who you feel good about seeing, and who guides you to a constructive, and potentially happier place during and after class.  There are many of us teachers; and if you don’t feel shiny, light and the desire to return then the chances are you wont; and thus it probably isn’t the right teacher for you.  Explore someone else’s class.
  3. Aim to attend at a studio that is relatively accessible/not too far out of your way; a 1 hour journey to and from class can be a right downer, and quite draining (unless you live out in the sticks and it might be quite a pleasant ride or less choice!).
  4. Eat appropriately around the class.  I.e. don’t fill up your belly (especially on meat or heavy, stodgy dishes) less than 3 hrs before class.  Some fruit or nuts are an ideal snack if you need something to keep you going in the mean time.  Keep it light.
  5. Have fun with it!  If it starts to feel like a bore or work activity it’ll soon lose it’s majic and charm.

All in all, lighten up with your practice 😉

Much love x

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Listening to yourself

 bodymind

Fortunately, my body is hypersensitive and thus is one which makes me listen; for which I am very grateful.  Even just the subtle signs of pimples, aches or dry skin can be your body trying to get you to listen to it as a means to help it function better.

Listening to yourself could be inferred in many ways.  There are multiple parts to our existence and thus there’s multiple parts of us we can listen to.

The body:  Tells us when we’re hungry or in pain

The mind:  Constant babble that can either be useful in solving complex arithmetic, or, is the distracting and destructive voice of the ego, which keeps us battling with ourselves or others

The higher mind/soul/spirit:  This tells us how best to reach our ultimate goals and where the love is

In my experience, it’s quite a noise occurring,  and the default or easiest part to listen to is the one which shouts loudest, i.e. the ego/mind.  Fortunately for me however, my body screams quite loudly at me a lot when I disrespect it; and has forced me to listen to it over my ego.  The current societal set up in the UK gears us from birth towards wanting money, power and externally percieved ‘beauty’, i.e. the mind/ego fulfillment; this is how I ended up in hospital a few times.  If it wasn’t for listening to my body then I’m not sure where I’d be right now but I doubt it would be a great place.

It’s only by learning to listen to the subtle and gross signs in my body that I’ve learnt to not listen so much to the crap in my mind.  In turn, I am then more able to listen to my higher mind/soul and find the love and direction I so desparately craved before.  Hence my moto:

Get into your body to get out of your mind!

x

 

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Winter Time, New Year Rhyme

winter

I have a marked lethargy and need for thicker socks.  Time to take stock, before we rock, 2014  😉

Thus in Winter we are here,
make the most for this time of year.
As our minds feel easier to clear;
Time to reflect and learn from this last year.

Learn the lessons from 12 months last;
Take all I need from this year passed.
Holidays and new year’s day;
We come again to celebrate,
And share the love where we feel great.

Sometimes are hard and not so fun;
But this FRESH New year is nearly begun.
There’s every potential that much joy can come;
or even sorrow I may wish to numb.

So I take some time and dig down deep,
and find the habits I wish not keep.

What’s the point in my life next year;
unless it’s to love and pass lessons I used to fear?
Thus in Winter we are here,
Let’s make the most in this time of year.

Love xxx

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Motivation Pit Stop

Foody-Buddha-Belly

Self-yoga practice was really hard to get going today.  I felt more like hugging my foody-buddha belly and going back to bed!

Several days of over stuffing on yummy food, inclusive of surviving yesterday solely on my mum’s vegan, wheat free Christmas cake and dark chocolate.  Stretching never felt so tiresome yet so goooooooood 🙂

If you’ve been stagnant for a few days, maybe have a roll around on the floor or better yet come in for class tomorrow, 11am @ Brilliant Corners.  Let me help you to easy your body back into feeling good, and gently putting one foot forwards for flowing into new years eve dinner and dancing!

 

 

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Winter Solstice & Low energy

css-winter

Class cancelled.  Dark skies.  Nothing seems to be lifting my energy today.

The Winter Solstice is upon us and marks the start of deep, dark winter.  Deep winter being when animals hibernate as a means of survival and the harvest of crops is at a minimum.

This year is the first time I’ve been quiet enough to reflect on my own internal state, and fully listen to the world around me.  Today, I go easy on myself – self-practice, relax and retreat to the coastal countryside I call home.

 

Happy Solstice.  Keep the fires burning inside, so this winter we can all thrive.  See you for a heating & restorative class next week x

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Worried? Stressed? Less. Now.

Now the Discipline of Yoga

Less and less I worry and hold on to the tensions which eats at me.

By remembering to ask myself, how am I right Now?  It keeps getting easier to find my own peace of mind.

Until I began a regular yoga practice, my life revolved around stress; always regretting what I felt I could have done better, or worrying about what discontent may lie ahead.  Thus, continually perpetuating the cycle of stress, worrying and rushing more to try and make up for what was bugging my mind; getting more and more sick with dis-ease all the time.

The first of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states:

“*Now the discipline of yoga”

Patanjali (who was a great scientist of mind, body and spirit) lived 5,000 years ago; thus the meaning of these exact words may have changed a little.

Now.  The Discipline (i.e. to work with and do). Yoga: the 8 limb/step path to bliss.

This is the main sutra which keeps hitting me when I worry or get stressed.  It reminds me that ‘Now’ is all I have, Now is what I must work with, and Now I am in no real danger.

Sometimes reflection on the past or preparation for the future can be useful; but worry and stress is a waste of my resources.

 

*there are various translations of the sutras, or put another way”*Now is the time for yoga”  but this is the one which I chose to use here.