Tag: complementarytherapies

Complementary Therapy, Crystal Healing, Goals, health, Health & Wellness, Life Goals, Motivation, Relationships, Stress & Anxiety

Life Is A Rollercoaster

A Beautiful Therapy

2019 was one hell of a rollercoaster, some unbelievable highs and some serious lows.

It began with finally selling my flat, which was on the market for well over a year – a must if I was to get serious about my career. So bye to something I worked so hard for, but no regrets! It was just a flat!

After numerous fall throughs and being messed about it finally sold! I was so relieved but extremely depleted, it was definitely time for a break. India was calling. I was ready for some time alone to quieten the chatter in my head and reflect. If you haven’t been to India go! South Goa for me was unbelievably beautiful. I felt at peace the moment I arrived, it was so calm. My only regret was not having enough time to see more of India!

I had slowly started incorporating meditation into my life and wanted to learn more, meditation was the reason for India! I was so enthusiastic and committed that not only did I want a trip focussed around meditation, I wanted to learn how to teach meditation classes. My dad is so right, I never do anything in halves!

I knew very little about meditation but had taught myself the basics and really felt the benefits when I practised. It helped alter my state of mind. I felt much more balanced, relaxed and it cleared my energy, which had been suffocated with a serious amount of heartache over the years. Meditation has helped me on such a deep level, maybe this trip was part of my destiny!

Over the last few years I’ve changed my mindset, the power of manifestation rings so true to me now. Some people are born super confident, if you are that person, high five, you are extremely lucky. For the rest of us, we have to put the work in. Self-belief is so powerful, believe and you will receive.

After returning from India I had the travel bug, I wanted to see more of the world. What followed was a light bulb moment and two months later I was off. Only this time I’d be travelling and working at the same time, on a cruise ship doing holistic therapy. It was a no brainer, earn while I travel and gain more experience in the career I love and choose, not the career that chose me!

After a really intense five week selection process in London, I was told I’d be joining a six star luxury vessel. I was a little apprehensive to say the least. I knew nothing about cruising but later found out some people work years on cruise ships hoping to secure a position on a luxury ship. I soon realised I was very lucky and to top it of the itinerary was unreal! Little did I know, I would travel the world and see the bluest of blue glaciers, otters, sea lions, dolphins, bears, you name it, and not to mention some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!

So off I go a little oblivious to the sacrifices i’d made and the hard work I was about to endure. 7.30am starts and 9.30pm finishes. My body ached from massaging all day. I was booked up and super busy. My life was now two things, work and sleep. Never in my life have I looked forward to bed so much! I was so grateful for our days off, a chance to explore new parts of the world and most importantly time to relax.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a strange feeling living and working on a cruise ship. You are surrounded by people all day, time to yourself is like gold dust. So if you’re anything like me and need time alone to recharge your batteries, you may find it a little challenging. That being said, it’s an experience I’ll never forget. I learned so much, met some amazing people from all over the world and visited places that literally took my breath away!

2019 has been one hell of year, the year of many changes. Home, career, more education, more training, new friendships, lots of travelling, the list goes on. The biggest lesson I learned was that no matter where you are or who you are with there is no place like home. Home for me is not a place it’s the people, it’s always the people! I missed my friends and family more than I could ever imagine and I had so much guilt for leaving Pika (my dog).

What did completely change in 2019 is my mindset, I have experienced the power of manifestation on so many levels. Our minds are so powerful. They create our reality. Some people are born super confident, if you are that person you are extremely lucky. Going after what you want comes natural to you, but for the rest of us, we really have to put the work in. Self-belief is so powerful, believe and you will receive.

So thank you 2019, what I have learned from you is to always follow your bliss, trust your intuition, and keep you thoughts positive. Why? Because our thoughts influence on our lives. We manifest our experiences by our thoughts. I truly believe that if you follow these principles, you’ll be exactly where you’re supposed to be, and who knows, you may receive little gifts from the universe along the way to show you you’re on the right path.

Complementary Therapy, Fitness, health, Health & Wellness

The Colours Of Kundalini Yoga

A Beautiful Therapy

My Tuesday morning was no ordinary Tuesday. It consisted of red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue. Oh, and gold! It was a rainbow kind of Tuesday and very beautiful it was too.

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I’ve been promising myself for ages that I would go and check out Kundalini Yoga, so I jumped out of bed, squeezed into my sweaty betty leggings, downed a pint of water and darted out the door. Note to self “I must slow down”! I’ve heard little snippets about Kundalini Yoga and how it’s extremely uplifting, both spiritually and physically and thought, hey why not! I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to myself that I’m becoming more and more spiritual, so I certainly had to try this as part of my holistic journey. If you’ve read any of my other blogs, I’m sure it’s pretty apparent that I’m obsessed with yoga, so Kundalini Yoga sounded like music to my ears.

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Well, an experience it certainly was! It’s not your typical Yoga. I should probably mention that if you are one of those people that giggles at everything, it might not be your bag. There’s lots of chanting and a little singing, as well as poses I was unfamiliar with. So, what I’m saying is, you have to be open–minded. I think I say this in every blog I write now!

I love the fact that you’re told to close your eyes throughout the practice, to ensure it’s an internal journey. The aim of Kundalini Yoga is to look within. You’re also told to focus on your third eye whilst remembering to keep your eyes closed and breathe at the same time. For a first timer that’s a lot to take in right!?  Anyway, whilst trying to remember those three things and remain relaxed at the same time (shoulders down), I soon got into the swing of things. The feeling of energy surging through my body was surreal and the vibrant colours I could see throughout the class (eyes closed) were simply breathtaking.

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The practice consisted of breathing techniques totally new to me, meditation, the chanting of mantras, such as Sat Nam, meaning “truth is my identity” and poses I was unaware of such as the Frog Pose. To give you an idea the Frog Pose is a vigorous pose and it was surprising how energised I felt after it. Visually it looks quite simple but once you start the movement it was much harder than it looks! I like to call myself fit but this was something else………

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The frog activates the first, second, and third chakras and moves the energy up to the higher centres. To give you an idea, you can either practice this now or visualize.  Stand up and place your heels together with your toes turned out. Then squat down, raising the heels (keeping them together), aligning the knees over the toes, and placing your fingertips on the floor in front of you. Like a frog! Inhale, raising your hips and straightening your legs. Exhale and return to the squatting position. Continue 26 times. Yes, that’s right, 26 times! That was the hard bit. I was goosed and struggled to hit 26 at a speedy pace, but got there either way. I’m sure I looked ridiculous but the fact that everyone has their eyes closed, it really doesn’t matter, and if I’m honest I’m glad as it kind of takes the pressure off a newbie.

Once we had worked through the different poses we finished the practice with meditation, I was left feeling completely zen and smiling – eyes closed.

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The power of Kundalini yoga comes from the kundalini, which is also known as Sanskrit (coiled serpent). It is said that there is a huge amount of untapped potential within us, located around the sacrum at the base of our spine. By practising Kundalini yoga, you slowly awaken this gentle serpent and safely open its amazing powers to work up the 7 chakras. In a nutshell, Kundalini Yoga clears blocks in your energy field by using mantras, sound, energy healing, exercises and meditations. It releases any trauma from the energetic body (which surrounds the physical body), the aura and it’s the aura that holds wounds. When our wounds are healed, our radiance can occur and this frequency is what draws in beauty, love, and light. Attracting abundance starts in our energetic body, not our minds.

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People who practice Kundalini Yoga see a huge transformation in their day to day lives, they feel more at peace, are much happier and feel much healthier. So, if you want to feel more aware and responsive to your surroundings, Kundalini Yoga is definitely worth a try. I mean who doesn’t want to improve their health and well-being whilst jumping up and down like a frog – eyes closed! On a serious note after just one class, I felt extremely relaxed and more at ease with myself than I have in a long time and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sore. I am sure I used muscles I didn’t even know existed. Imagine how you’d feel attending one class a week!

If you haven’t tried Kundalini Yoga and you like other styles of yoga, I’d definitely give it ago. My experience was unbelievable, I was literally blown away. My most luxurious relaxing holistic package, the “Mind Body Soul” is the essence of Kundalini yoga, in the sense that I felt physically, emotionally and spiritually uplifted, which is how my clients describe my signature package. Sat Nam!

 

 

 

 

Complementary Therapy, Fitness, Goals, health, Health & Wellness, Life Goals, Motivation, Stress & Anxiety

Why Choose Yoga?

A Beautiful Therapy

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I love Sunday mornings when you step outside, the birds are singing and there’s not a soul in sight. It’s such a tranquil feeling.

On route to the gym I plug in earphones and listen to meditation music, it’s so calming at the start of the day. I’m loving “Music for Mindfulness” classical album. Track 19 The Earth Prelude takes me into a whole different headspace.

It makes me smile when I realize that I’ve ditched Saturday nights out for early Sunday morning Yoga Flow sessions. I think it’s safe to say, I’m finally growing up! The class has a real sense of calm which I’ve come to realize is my preferred choice of yoga.

I thought I’d start with a definition of Yoga, so thank you Google for always being there:

yoga

ˈjəʊɡə/

noun

  1. a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practised for health and relaxation.

“yoga classes”

I wrote a short blog on Yoga a few months ago but decided it warrants more attention. There are so many reasons you should check out a local class, but before you do, it’s worth knowing that there are so many different types of Yoga and it may take a while to figure out which you prefer. There’s Astanga, Bikram, Hot Yoga, Restorative to name but a few. I think it’s important to read up on the different styles of Yoga and their benefits before throwing yourself into the deep end like I did. I started with Astanga, a fast-paced class that was way too challenging for me as a beginner.

Yoga Flow is at the top of my list, it has a number of benefits to the physical body but also helps to calm the mind and ease stress. It’s all about finding a connection between the body and the mind to help bring more balance into your life. It’s unreal how you feel after a class, I feel so light and my mind is clear.

Since practising Yoga, I have undergone such a transformation with my strength, flexibility and body shape. I’ve always been lucky enough to have a flat stomach but after attending regular yoga classes for just over a year, I have much more muscle definition, particularly in my stomach area. I’m also embarrassed to say that I was never able to touch my toes, so as you can imagine, when this day finally came, it was a huge milestone for me. I remember the frustration in my heptathlon days, I’d look around at my teammates stretching and touching their toes with ease, I couldn’t even get close.

That said, one thing I will say about Yoga is that it’s important to know that everyone has their own pace and limits and nobody gives a hoot whether you can touch your toes or not. A difficult concept for me to grasp at first, given my competitive nature.

So, what I’d say about Yoga is that it’s not a competition, everyone’s journey is different, which is why the experience is so unique. You have your own individual goals which could be anything from getting through a whole class without moving into a child pose or something as simple as taking an hour out off your day to switch off from daily pressures. Another thing I’d like to point out is that Yoga is suitable for everyone. It doesn’t matter what shape or size you are, whether you’re male or female, it’s just a bunch of people in the same room committed to achieving a common goal of improving their health and wellbeing. And also, to any guys reading this blog, the classes I go to are full of men, I’d say it’s a 50/50, male and female. I’m not sure where the myth came from, that it’s all women.

So, I thought I’d finish off with some of the benefits of Yoga’s in a bid to try and persuade you to give it a go (and please don’t forget to do your research on the different styles of Yoga). It’s a long list so here goes! It’s great for building muscle strength, improving flexibility and posture. It increases your blood flow, ups your heart rate, improves balance, makes you happy and improves your sleeping pattern. It also eases pain, releases tension and boosts your immune system. Not to mention the improved muscle definition I mentioned earlier, we all like a bit of toning right? So I think that’s enough for now, otherwise, we’ll be here all day, the list of benefits is extensive.

I hope you can see that there as so many reasons you should try Yoga at least once. Okay, maybe a few times to get you in the zone or should I say zen. I guess that depends what style of yoga you are looking for!?

Thanks for reading, I hope this blog leads you to downward-facing dog:).

Complementary Therapy, Life Goals

My Journey To Complementary Therapy

A Beautiful Therapy

I made a decision to explore the world of health and beauty, which led me to enrol on a Complementary Therapy Course. I’ve always been fascinated by health and beauty but never really knew which route I wanted to take. I’m amazed that it’s taken me so long to finally take the plunge, only to realize that it’s not only something I love, but it’s also something I am truly passionate about. It’s such a good feeling!

Anyway, for those of you who are wondering what complementary therapy is, here’s a quick overview. Complementary therapies are used alongside conventional medical treatments prescribed by your doctor to boost your physical and emotional health. There are a number of different treatments such as Body Massage, Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage. The list goes on.

Treatments are tailored to suit your individual needs after an in-depth consultation is carried out, a ‘one size fits all’ approach will definitely not work. All the individual treatments have different benefits but in a nutshell, they help improve aches pains, depression and many other serious illnesses. The aim of a complementary therapist is to make you feel better and improve your quality of life. I’ll talk about the individual treatments and their benefits in much more detail in future blogs, but for now how does that sound?

I love experimenting with different types of massage techniques and the more treatments I do, the more I feel at home. This is where I was supposed to be! Connecting with people physically and mentally is really important to me, and what I find most rewarding is being able to help people achieve more balance in their lives. Whether it’s a short-term fix or an ongoing journey to improve aches, pains, tension, anxiety depression or whatever the problem, seeing the results is extremely rewarding. What I love the most about being a complementary therapist is, you really get to understand your clients and play a key role in improving their overall health and well-being.

So here I am finally, better late than never. It may sound cliché, but one thing I’ve realised is that it’s never too late to follow your dreams (I’ll leave this topic for another blog).

But where did this all begin? I have worked in recruitment for the last 14 years and eventually set up my own recruitment business. It has its perks along with the extreme highs and lows, like any sales profession. So, I would be lying if I said it is was easy, it’s not for the faint-hearted. I have learned a lot from my recruitment journey and the most important thing that stuck with me is how important it is to look after yourself physically and mentally.

In extremely testing periods, I had to think about how I could reduce stress and anxiety. I realised how important it is to find an escape. So, it got me thinking, what can I do in stressful periods to switch off and recharge my batteries? The gym is my saviour in some ways, which I love, I’ve always been extremely sporty. I attend at least 4 times a week and mix up sessions with running, yoga classes and weights, a variety to keep it interesting, but for me, it just wasn’t enough. I also realised that the gym became another task to tick off my daily to-do list, which during busy periods sent me west (another blog to follow).

To top things off I was getting pains in my shoulders and neck (tension) and came to the conclusion that I needed a release. I was chatting with a close friend of mine and she suggested that I treat myself to a massage and recommended a place in the city. So, off I went for a full body massage one Saturday morning, for a new chapter I labelled “escape”. I was introduced to a therapist Jasmin and no lie, Jasmin changed my life. I came to realise that massage was the missing piece of the jigsaw, the final thread of self-care that was missing from my rituals. Oh my, did she work her magic, and believe me it did feel like magic. I’d had massages before at various spas but they never really made a difference to how I felt, they were soft and fluffy and made me feel a little sleepy. I always left feeling disappointed and felt that I’d wasted time and money. But after regular treatments with Jasmin, I would leave feeling light and much more balanced. After numerous visits, slowly but surely I had less aches and pains and my stress levels had lifted.

Now I am not saying that my aches and pains have disappeared for good, they still rear their ugly head from time to time, but when they do I’m straight off to Jasmin for my fix and I leave feeling like a new woman. So, I guess what I am saying about complementary therapy is to give it a go, and if you can, try and incorporate the treatments that work for you into your lifestyle. Who doesn’t want to improve their overall health and wellbeing!

If you have problems that you think need to be addressed, why not talk it through with a complementary therapist. They will take the time to get to know you and will advise you on the best treatments to suit your individual needs. Oh and one more final point! I think it’s extremely important to find a therapist that you feel you connect with. Complementary Therapy is a very personal journey and the right therapist will make you feel comfortable and give you ongoing support to help restore balance to your mind, body and spirit.

Thank you for taking the time to read my first blog. I hope you found it interesting :).

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