Retreat . . . Replenish . . . Refresh . . . Recharge . . .

 

We all need to take precious time out of our busy schdeules and diaries and make time for ourselves.

Self-care time is an essential aspect of being able to maintian our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual sense of wellbeing. 

So what do you do to relax? Does it recharge you or replenish you?

Going to a retreat gives you time and space away from your normal environment, a space to be, a place to switch off from all that is going on at home and at work . . . it gives you time to deeply re-connect with yourself, to discover new layers within you . . . time out . . . time to be.

Maybe join us on one of our Yoga and Sacred Sound retreats this year ~ in the UK or France.

No prior experience necessary ~ we warmly invite you to simply dive into something new for you to enjoy.

Discover our Retreats here ~  

https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/yoga-and-sacred-sound-retreats-1696629?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=creatorshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=odclsxcollection&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

Divine Love Healing 30 minute Yoga Nidra

Learning to Relax helps you Be at your very Best!

Stress . . . Busy . . . Work . . . Family . . . Friends . . . Un-well . . . Time . . . Pressure . . . Study . . .
We all live such busy lives in this day and age, often forgetting the importance to take some quality time-out every now and then to relax, de-stress and re-charge our batteries. Which is essential for us to function at our very best.
To maintain our health and wellbeing we need a good combination of physical exercise/activities, mental relaxation, balanced diet, fresh air for healthy oxygenation in our lungs, good quality sleep, time for ourselves, and that feel good factor of emotional wellbeing by keeping in good company of family, friends and loved ones.
You always know when things are starting to get on top of you, because you can begin to feel run-down, tired, irritable and become more prone to illness. How many times I hear of people who have just been so busy with work and deadlines etc, working themselves almost silly up until the moment that they know they are going to have some time off, perhaps planned holidays . . . and off they set, finally ready to have some well earnt time off . . . only to find themselves coming down with a cold or being un-well for part of their holiday time. It's like the body is finally given permission to rest and has decided it will make you rest and slow you down even more through sickness. Your body does need rest! Not just physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually too. We are made up of energy ~ so to maintain our energy ~ we have to look after it.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master therapist and Integral Yoga Teacher, I can fully appreciate that everyone ultimately needs time to rest, re-couperate and re-charge on a regular basis. I can sense the energy and dynamics of the majority of my Yoga students as they filter in for their weekly classes . . . their needs to stretch, breathe and then allow themselves to relax . . . gradually throughout the class seeing their energies change, re-align and let go of the things they no longer need . . . so by the time they lie down for the Yoga Nidra relaxation at the end they are in the right space and zone to drop into a deep and peaceful place.
For some people, Yoga is not for them, they need quick, fast, energetic activities ~ which is great, we are all different. But one thing I'm always mindful of is that ultimately we all need the same . . . the ability to relax and relax deeply is essential to us all (perhaps even more so for those who are fast paced souls).
So if you are wanting to discover just how beneficial learning to relax is for you, then I run monthly Deep Relaxation Evenings in Oundle, Northamptonshire. The first friday every month from 7pm - 8.30pm at the Joan Strong Hall, for £7 a session. Everyone is welcome, no experience is necessary, you will be guided through different layers of relaxation, meditation and pranayama (breathing techniques), so you can practise them at home too. All you need to bring is a yoga mat or something to lie down on, a cushion for seated comfort in meditation and pranayama breathing practises, and a warm blanket to put over you in the longer Yoga Nidra relaxation.

Learning to truly relax deeply takes time and practise, so each month, you'll find yourself being able to let go more and more, going deeper and deeper into the most relaxing place for you to rest the most. Relaxation makes you feel fit for life!

Some of the benefits of Relaxation are:
* Can help to alleviate the signs of stress
* Help us feel more emotionally settled and peaceful in ourselves
* Let go of un-needed worries or fears
* Release excess muscular tension
* Aids healing process
* Rests our heart and helps reduce High Blood Pressure
* Deepens our breathing, strengthening our lungs, aiding respiration
* Improves our sleep
* Improves our over-all health and wellbeing
plus much more . . .

For more details on coming along to the Deep Relaxation Evenings, then please go to my What's On page at  http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Whats+On-5.php

I will look forward to welcoming you on Friday 1st February for your journey into peaceful relaxation.

Best wishes
Harshani
Mind & Body Wellbeing

Reiki ~ energy, flow, harmony, healing . . .

Reiki is a Japanese natural energy healing technique, now taught and practiced worldwide.
It was founded by Mikao Usui around the early 1920's, a leading inspirational light in the powers of natural healing. 'Rei' means universal and 'Ki' means life force or energy.
Ki energy is within us and around us, creating Reiki a universal energy that is all encompassing.

Our life force energy is respected and understood widely in Eastern cultures, however in our Western lives we have often lost this knowledge, wisdom and connection with this energy which is unseen yet can be felt.  

'Ki' is a subtle force within us, moving through an invisible network called our Meridians. These meridian lines are recognised in many therapies including :~ Reflexology, Kinesiology, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Emotional Freedom Technique, Thought Field Therapy . . . to name but a few . . . as well as Reiki.
This subtle energy is also respected in Feng Shui, Ki Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga, and so many more areas of flow which you might not have thought about until now.

When I first experienced a Reiki treatment myself, it was the most deeply relaxing, yet re-energising therapeutic treatment I'd ever had. I was so amazed at the connection with an inner flow or energy, and the level of healing possible, that I knew I'd found something which I knew was right for me ~ on many different levels ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It was a huge turning point for me in my life, and even though I was told that at the time, it wasn't until later looking back when I realised how much it helped me turn my life around.    
14 years on and I've never looked back.
I feel very humbled and honored to have been taught Reiki, to give treatments on clients and to teach and train others in Reiki too. It can open up your mind and world to our deepest layers of existence.
As a treatment, Reiki to me, is quite unique. Each treatment is different because the client draws upon whatever 'Ki' energy they need at that moment in time ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Every day is different and so are we. So Reiki tunes into our current needs to help return our balance, sense of equilibrium and inner flow. A client may feel warmth or coolness, tingling sensations flowing through the body, they may become aware of colours or images, feelings of floating, or just drift into a deep feeling of sleep ~ like the one when you feel you are still there, but somehow at the same time you're not there too. (it almost reminds me of hypnosis and different layers of trance states). For more information on the Reiki Healing Treatments and the Reiki training courses I teach visit  http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive%20Hypnotherapy-Kettering-reiki-33.php  or What's On Page

Reiki is taught at 4 different levels ~ Reiki level One is known as Sho-den and is all about self-healing and connecting with 'Ki' your life force energy. Everyone has the capacity and ability to learn Reiki and connect with flow, it is a gift we all possess . . . not just a few.
It may be the start of something special for you too. . .

My next Reiki Sho-den course in 2013 is 16th and 17th March.

May 2013 light your path . . .

Hypnosis and relaxation

Sitting in my office in Northamptonshire in the Midlands having completed a hypnosis session with a client who calls me her hypnotist not hypnotherapist,some clients still insist in calling us hypnotists rather than hypnotherapists in the profession of hypnosis there is a very distinct difference
A recent article brought to my attention in the independent newspaper www.independant.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families Advising that relaxation is key to good health and well being advice which has been known by practitioners of yoga and meditation alike for thousands of years
Its only recently that science has been able to provide "hard" evidence that relaxation methods used by long term practitioners of yoga and meditation have indeed increased disease fighting genes, those who practised no form of relaxation at all were found to have very few of these beneficial genes at all.
Professor Herbert Benson who lead the research at the Harvard medical school reported "we found that a range of disease-fighting genes were active in the relaxation practitioners that were not active in the control group" they describe the protective genes that control disorders such as pain,infertility,high blood pressure,and even rheumatoid arthritis as "switched on" or "induced" by what was described as the relaxation effect.
Hypnosis is seen as a particularly effective method of deeply relaxing. By deeply relaxing we are able to reduce the negative effects of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol, which raise the heart rate and blood pressure, weaken the immune system and can lower fertility, by deeply relaxing we are able to counter stress which is linked to the sympathetic nervous system or the "flight or fight syndrome" and instead introduce higher levels of feel good chemicals hormones such as serotonin and growth hormone which promote the repair of cells and tissues. When we are in a state of "flight or fight" or stress, muscles which are useful to be used for danger tighten and contract and processes which are deemed as non essential like the immune system and digestion are ignored.
One can use hypnosis as a very effective technique to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system which operates when we are relaxed to promote health and well being . To gain full benefit from relaxation techniques including hypnosis it is important to practice them regularly on a daily basis for a minimum of 15 minutes.As part of our service to our clients we are on request able to teach them self hypnosis to enable them to fully benefit from our hypnotherapeutic sessions, and continue to practice hypnotic states as part of their strategy to help them relax.
Best Wishes
Edd

Relaxation

I am now back in my office in Northamptonshire in the Midlands sitting writing this blog having spent one of the most relaxing weeks of my life in the middle of France at a Buddhist retreat.
Many of us never have the opportunity to be truly relaxed, by relaxed I mean without the distractions of modern life walking everywhere, no mobile phone, radio,TV, laptop,land line,newspapers,ect none of lives constant interruptions . Just being able to be in the "moment" appreciative of nature was very special.It felt like I spent the entire week in a "trance like" state. Well now I am in the UK and back to work that feeling has started to wane a little, it occurred to me though, just how beneficial it is to our general state of well being, to feel relaxed, and calm, this is an area which I am going to focus on in our therapy sessions for all our cients in the future.Using hypnosis, hypnothrapy, and hypnotic techniques at our practice room in Northants and continuing to practice self hypnosis.
Edd
:)

Thought Field Therapy

Both Lori and I completed a Thought Field Therapy training recently which we believe will compliment the Hypnotherapy, hypnosis,Timeline Therapy and NLP currently offered at our practice in Northamptonshire Northants in the Midlands.I first came across TFT a few years ago on a hypnotherapy and NLP (Neuro Linguistic programming) training course with Paul McKenna and Richard Bandler and was "blown away" with how quick the results could be with this technique its a very useful "tool" to have in the "box". Its particularly useful in reducing stress and anxiety very quickly and very useful used in conjunction with hypnotherapy and Timeline to get our clients a positive and lasting outcome. TFT( Thought Field Therapy) has many applications from optimising sport performance to help in alleviating pain and trauma.We have a very successful practice in Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy in Northamptonshire

Best Wishes
Edd