Gardening for the Soul

Last year my husband Edd and I had the greatest pleasure of taking part in The Big Allotment Challenge ~ which is being screened on BBC2 8.00pm on Tuesday 15th April.

We had an amazing 4 months of tending a brand new allotment, creating, designing and growing in our own special style, amongst the other 8 wonderful teams taking part.

What a journey indeed . . . both of us being very keen gardeners with our home patch, growing and turning our produce into wonderful tasty meals, chutneys, jams, jellys, vinegars etc etc ~ we rose too the challenge of creating an allotment from nothing . . . to a tight time scale.

Gardening is truly good for your soul . . . it get's you in tune with nature, the seasons and brings a deep sense of grounding on all levels of beingness.
Edd and I have planted by the phases of the moon, following Biodynamic Gardening calendars for around 5 years now, which is such a beautiful way of planting organically.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master and Integral Yoga teacher I wholeheartedly encourage my clients and students to find their connection with nature to help them find a sense of balance in their lives. Gardening can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression ~ supporting a deeper sense of wellbeing on all levels of being ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
And what can be even nicer than nurturing plants, being outdoors and enjoying nature ~ but to then grow things you can eat and enjoy seasonally and organically, just as you'd like them to be.
You just can't beat the flavours and freshness of picking your own produce that you have tended throughout the year.

So enjoy the show and be inspired to grow something new yourselves too!
Whatever size garden, patio, allotment or even on a windowsill you can always grow something ~ whether flowers, herbs, fruits or veggies all can bring you such a deep sense of achievment having sown and grown it yourself.

Happy National Gardening Week . . .

Om Shanti

Harshani and Edd
x
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Does Change Have to be Scary?

What is it that causes us to fear things? 

Some people fear the unknown ~ which would also include 'Change' . . .

Others live in fear of the known. . .

Whilst some even, feel more comfortable with their present fears than the possibility of the fear of change . . . being different . . . thinking differently . . . feeling differently . . . and it can sometimes seem beyond belief that change can also be for the better!

So what makes us hang on tight to those old fears, beliefs & behaviours that are unhelpful and no longer support us (or even hold us back)?
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist I often come across some clients who think they want change, but are also resistant to change. There is a saying that goes like this . . .

"If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep ending up with what you've always had" 

So change is a huge part of the process, to embrace those changes however big or small they might be . . . and as I tell my clients ~ It's often the way that all those small differences add up to making an even bigger difference to you in your life and the changes you wish to make! 

Change happens everyday . . . it's part of nature . . . part of life . . . nothing stays the same.
So it's a good thing to learn about embracing change, and because nothing is permanent or forever it also means that problems & issues can change too. All it takes is an experienced guide and a willingness to step into the unknown . . . to venture forwards and start to imagine how you'd like to be . . . who you'd like to be . . . and take action around some of those changes that can begin to move you in the right direction.

So the only thing to fear really is yourself ~ and once you realise that it is only yourself holding you back, then change is in your hands and you can control it.

If you would like to know more about the change process, Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, then contact me today and start 2014 as you mean to go on! A New Year and a New You too!

Best wishes
Harshani

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Kettering, Northants

World Vegan Day 1st November

In honor of World Vegan Day on Friday 1st November and my lovely Vegan student who is coming along to a Meditation evening that night ~ I am making Vegan Chocolate Brownies for everyone to share! I thought that cake baking would prove slightly challenging because of the non-egg factor but on the Vegan website I found an array of special Vegan recipes to have a choice of what to bake for everyone to enjoy.
http://www.national-awareness-days.com/world-vegan-day.html

So here's the recipe I found on the Vegan Society's website for all to enjoy:

Vegan Chocolate Brownies
75g Margarine
45g Cocoa Powder
75ml Soya Milk
200g Caster Sugar

160g Plain White Flour
2.5 tsp Baking Powder
20g Cocoa Powder
115g Caster Sugar
170ml Soya Milk
45ml Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Vanilla essence
(and my own addition of a handful of dried sour cherries to add a little texture)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C (Gas Mark 4)
2) Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan and gently bring to the boil, turn down & simmer for 1 minute, stirring well. The place the saucepan into a bowl of cold water & beat the sauce until it cools & thickens. Set aside.
3) Sieve flour, baking powder, cocoa & sugar into a large bowl. Mix the Soya Milk, Vegetable oil & vanilla essence together. Combine all of the flour mixture, soya milk mixture & sauce together ~ avoid over mixing.
4) Place in a greased & lined tin approx 10" x 8" & bake for 30 minutes.

(Recipe by Fairfoods www.fairfoods.org.uk )

If you try it out, please share your tastings . . . and maybe any other favorite Vegan cakes you make too!

Happy Healthy Vegan Month wished to all!

Harshani
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Finding Balance and Getting it Just Right

How good is your sense of balance?
Can you stand on one leg in a steady pose in a calm and comfortable manner?
How does being able to control your balance help you in your life?

All of these questions and more you can discover at my next Yoga Workshop Day which is centered purely around yoga balance postures (Asana's).  

Being balanced is not just a physical thing, where you can shift your weight from one leg to the other whilst maintaining steadiness ~ it's also about mental awareness, finding a focus point, developing your concentration, and quietening your mind and mental chitter chatter that goes on often unconsciously. The thing with the mind is, that it's mostly in those quiet contemplative, meditative moments when you realise just how much constant inner dialogue is going on. Learning to work through a standing physical balance helps concentrate the mind so keenly that the thoughts can eventually drop away more and more. Balances can bring about an incredible inner peace, whilst the body is strong and steady. When your mind is all over the place then your balance is likely to be wobbly and unsteady. So balanced mind = balanced body and that can flow into your life too!

Standing yoga balances can help strengthen your bone density; develop your core strength in your abdominals; help balance the left and right side of your brain; help develop your concentration skills and sharpen your mental focus (which aids studying, work, exams etc); increases the quality of patience and acceptance; and help you tackle some of life's natural obstacles in a more positive manner.

So if you want to discover the benefits of yoga balance postures then drop into your local yoga class or come and join Harshani in Islip, Northamptonshire on Saturday 19th October.
To find out more or book your place, please visit www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk  

Why worry about all those worries?

This morning I read today's beautiful reading from Sri Swami Satchidananda's book "The Golden Present".
And I'd like to share it with you here: ~

Hundreds of Worries

How many wants do you have? How many things do you worry about?
"I don't have this."  "I didn't get that."  "I don't have a nice enough office." "I didn't get the car I wanted." "I don't have an air conditioner."  "I didn't get what I wanted to eat." . . . . 

There are all kinds of unnecessary worries. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of worries.

How can you even lift a small blade of grass with that kind of attitude?

The mind is the main source of health and happiness. 

The same mind can completely rob you of all your health and happiness, if you don't train it properly.

Heat, humidity, cold, hunger ~ all these conditions are nothing if your mind is calm and balanced.

So many things we take for granted, so many things we worry about needlessly, taking up energy and making us unwell. Emotional stress can effect our daily lives. So try putting your worries into context. Try seeing them from a different perspective. Train the mind to see positives rather than negatives. Once you realize it's all in the mind, it's easier to re-frame it towards something that supports you, instead of weighing you down.
I teach my yoga students and therapy clients how to train their minds in a positive way, so daily stresses and concerns can be let go of far more easily and the mind can become more peaceful, easeful and useful.
You can find out more here www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Remember that golden song . . .  "Don't worry . . . be Happy!"
Wishing you a peaceful week ahead.
Harshani
Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Integral Yoga Teacher
Mind Body Wellbeing
Islip, Kettering, Northants.,

Hypnosis for Fear of Flying

This time of year is an exciting time for many, as we come into the holiday season.
Maybe you have already been away . . . maybe your booked holiday is coming soon . . . or maybe you are yet to book a last minute deal or go later in the year.

The big question really is . . . "Do you feel free to holiday where you like, or does the Fear of Flying stop you?"

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I know only too well the debilitating experiences that have clouded many clients lives before coming to see me to overcome their phobias and fears around flying.
The fear of flying has many different aspects ~ for some it's the fear of being out of control, for others it's around the fear of heights, for others it's the fear of death or dying often linked to the "What if . . ." question, for example ~ what if something happened, the plane was hijacked, or exploded or crashed . . . etc etc.

As with all phobias, there will be specific triggers which start the thoughts, fears and phobic responses into play. These triggers will have often been sparked from an unconscious thought process from our childhood, whether connected to planes or flying or something else. It simply becomes a habitual behaviour and emotional response towards the source of your fear/phobia.

As with all phobias, phobic responses to flying are unique to each individual, and through the Cognitive Hypnotherapy approach the patterns can be changed, reframed and resolved in the ways that are right for you personally. Cognitive Hypnotherapy tailors hypnosis and positive psychology methods to each client, helping them move through their fears and phobias in a way that's just right for them.
Hypnosis techniques connected to overcoming phobias are powerful and supportive ways, which not only help you feel 'back in control', but also much more confident in yourself in many different situations. Fears simply hold us back and stop us from living our lives to the full. Resolving these fears, frees you up to enjoy being you and feel comfortable in yourself and your surroundings, wherever you are, whom ever you are with. . .
You can fly and feel free to enjoy flying too!
Contact Harshani at Mind Body Wellbeing in Islip, Kettering, Northamptonshire, for a confidential consultation, and start looking forward to that sense of freedom being yours, sooner than you once thought possible.

Hypnotherapy can help free you to be you!

Have you ever felt like you're weighed down with life, stuff, people, places, events that go on around you? I'm sure we all have from time to time. Sometimes it's easy to let go, to free yourself and move on. Other times we feel stuck, almost unable to move on . . . we can't see the wood for the trees. . . we feel stuck in a rut . . . life gets on top of us . . . feel trapped.
Life has it's ups and downs . . . so it is so important to take a step back from time to time to see things from a different perspective, one where we can be an observer of the mind and thoughts (which often cloud our mind) . . . less emotionally involved, so we can find the answers which are right for us, to help us move on and let go of those things that weigh us down.

When you learn how to take a step outside of any situation, the answers are there, things appear more clearly, the things you need to do or not do (as is sometimes the case). It is so much easier to see patterns, habits and behaviours in others, because of this reason . . . you are less emotionally involved, you are slightly away from the situation and things seem clearer ~ in fact sometimes things seem so clear they are just simply so obvious to you, when you can see things from a distance.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist in the Kettering area, I guide my clients through being able to take that step outside of the 'Stuff' that they are in, so they can discover the changes which are right for them, to be able to move through the 'Stuff' and move on to brighter things . . . freeing them up to be themselves . . . discovering new ways of being.
Just like a bird that is trapped in a cage, wants to spread it's wings and be free . . . free to fly . . . free to be . . . free to explore new experiences in it's life. So as we release the thoughts, feelings and habits that hold us back . . . we too can enjoy that same kind of freedom too.
Hypnotherapy can help build new resources and strengths within you, such as Confidence . . . Self-Belief . . . Motivation . . . Courage . . . Positivity . . . Purpose . . . etc etc. We are all different and need different things in our lives, and at different times of our lives . . . and we all have the capacity to develop these resources through support and guidance.

So if you were totally free . . . who would you be? . . . what would you do? . . . how high would you fly?  
Realizing what holds you back is the first step to change . . . the second is doing something about it!

helping you find freedom
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk