Home and away - I went home for summer and then came back home.

The downside with self-employment is you don’t have holiday, but the upside is you have the freedom to take time off. For the last couple of years I taken a longer summer break and gone on a road trip “back home” to Sweden. It is a long drive and it feels far, but I love it, the journey gives you time to reflect and adjust. The transition from here to there is a gradual whilst traveling through different landscapes, crossing over bridges, going down through long tunnels and sometimes adding surprise diversions, both literally and metaphorically. The shifts and changes in the environment passing whilst meditating on where you are, where you going and where you’ve been. It takes effort and focus just like a meditation.

Many Londoners are like me, born in one place and moved from different counties or countries, stayed on and made a life here. Visiting your old home can throw you off kilter and bring up memories and questions. We might experience nostalgia and longing, or become reminded of why we left in the first place. The sense of being a different person or version of me in the different places, a bit confusing, conflicting or even frustrating. In my case there is a recurring questioning and pondering whether or not I want to or should return to live over there. At times an outsider everywhere and at times home is anywhere. These two polarities have become easier to encompass over the years thanks to my practice of yoga.
 
The word yoga has many definitions but ‘to yoke’ is universally used and can be take meaning to balance and that is a form of bridging. ‘Skill in action’ is another definition. Lately meditation has been the focus in my practice taking a seat every morning. This has built a greater confidence in belonging /feeling at home, bridging life here and life in Sweden. Meditation cultivates contentment and inner peace, but also builds resilience for opposing feelings and creates a capacity for space and inclusion.
The question of belonging is very current with the intense focus on identity. It is all prevailing in politics, media and popular culture. Earlier this year I heard and interview with Brene Brown talking about belonging and quoting Maya Angelou:

“You are only free when you realise you belong no place—you belong every place—no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great,”
She then explains:
“We confuse belonging with fitting in, but the truth is that belonging is just in our heart, and when we belong to ourselves and believe in ourselves above all else, we belong everywhere and nowhere.”

It may sound corny but home is where the heart is, when you are content you are at home. With inner peace we are at home wherever we are and with whomever we are. Instead of either or, us and them, this or that, there can be bridges, balance and acceptance. So when I long for home it might be the seat I am looking for.

It's great to be home.

When I chose to work in soft tissue therapy, I knew that I would be meeting a lot of people who were experiencing pain. I expected that clients would come to me with pain following an injury, surgery, or general imbalances in their body. From here, there would be several treatments and carefully curated exercises to ultimately ease the pain that sent clients searching for help.

For many people that I see in the clinic this is exactly what happens - we identify the physical imbalance or muscular weakness and work together to change it. With time and attention to detail the problem gets resolved. 

So, what happens when we’ve achieved balance and stability, but the pain persists? What do you do when a pain that arrived one day with no obvious cause or injury manifests into an unruly & unwelcome bodily house guest?

Persistent pain became a recurring experience for me as a practitioner, which inspired my investigation into what I could really do to help make positive and permanent change.

Firstly, I had to understand what pain is. In school we are taught that holding a hand to a flame prompts nerves in the hand to signal to our brain. Our brain responds by telling us to move our hand away. As this pattern repeats, we come to recognise that pain means damage. Through repetition we begin to accept a fundamental truth: the presence of long-term pain means that the body is slowly getting more broken.
I am here to tell you that this is simply not true! Nearly everybody that I treat describes their body as “broken” but I can assure you this is never the case. 

Pain recognition is a primal, instinctual response to protect ourselves against damage. What becomes challenging is altering the interpretation of pain’s origin. A flame hurts to touch, it is true, but the pain does not derive from our hand itself; the pain loop is triggered deep in our subconscious. This is because our nervous systems are a mechanism for survival. It is easy to forget that although we live in a complicated and fast paced world, we haven’t evolved any further than this need for safety.

The good news is that our brains are wonderfully malleable. We are constantly reorganising neural circuits and reinforcing these circuits through repetition. The way we talk to ourselves, handle our emotions, and perform our daily patterns all contribute equally. 
 
 Recent studies have shown that emotional trauma can trigger the very same pain loops as physical injury. Stressful life events can reactivate old neural circuits, also known as pain loops, and cause physical pain to appear in the body. 

 In a body functioning with high amounts of stress including unprocessed emotional trauma, the nervous system is more susceptible to becoming fearful and hyper-vigilant of pain. When the frequency of stress increases in our lives, we are slowly reinforcing those fearful neural circuits into well-trodden paths. 

Once pain is established, someone might then become avoidant of certain movements in order to avoid physical discomfort. Repeated aversion of specific actions most certainly activates those pain loops. Eventually the brain begins to predict and recreate the expected pain even when there is no physical damage. Unfortunately, the pain almost always feels identical to real physical injury (you know what they say: the body keeps the score!)

Hopefully now you’ll understand that when people come to me and proclaim that they are “broken” I can often assess quickly whether musculoskeletal issues are present or they are actually stuck in a cycle of control and limitation due to their relationship with pain.

A big identifier for pain loops being triggered in this way is intermittent symptoms that come and go on different days. It is only natural that when pain is not consistent, we are more likely to be on the look out for its return. This very quickly becomes a stressful and isolating experience.

With this understanding, how can we change our relationship to this pain? From my ongoing research into pain and neuroplasticity, I always return to the following guidance:

• Making changes to the way we interrogate ourselves and the pain we feel

When we alter our perspective of pain, there is an opportunity to become curious about exactly what we are experiencing. Take the time to assess where stress shows up in your life, pay attention to the associated patterns and triggers, and do so as honestly as you can. Next, you can work towards changing your habits but also the tone of your internal monologue. Instead of ruminating with fear or frustration, aim for indifference. This is a slow process and uncomfortable to start. Imagine you are blazing a trail through a wild and uncharted landscape; the more you walk the path the clearer it becomes. Be kind to yourself! Encouraging a new thought process is the first step in rewiring those neural loops.

• Our bodies need to feel safe

Our nervous systems are crying out to feel safe, but have you ever considered what safety looks like for you? It could be as simple as telling yourself you are safe and that you are not in danger (changing the tone of your internal voice, as we explored above.) Affirming statements like this work to reroute the signals that are habitually bracing your body and causing tension. Remember, safety looks different for everybody. I recommend taking time to think about this and noticing the small signs in your body of both stress and calm.

• A steady breath creates a steady mind

The loudest sign that a client is frequently existing in a dysregulated state is a fast and shallow breathing pattern. The ideal resting breath is slow and low with the rib cage gently expanding in 360 degrees.
The unescapable digital landscape of the 21st century has led to a growing pattern of poor respiratory habits where we are often holding our breath unintentionally throughout the day. The most effective way to remedy this dysregulation is to first try and notice those moments. Give yourself five minutes a day to focus completely on slowing down your breath and imagining the air moving deep into your belly on each inhale using only your nose.

This technique is called resonant breathing. Resonant breathing is scientifically proven to provide us with so many physical benefits including the production of nitric oxide, which lowers blood pressure, improved levels of CO2 in the body, increased lung function, and so much more!

• Visualise pain-free movement

It has been proven that taking the time to calmly visualise movement that is completely free of pain is incredibly effective in rerouting pain loops in the brain. Like everything I have mentioned This will take time and practice. Starting with the visualisation of pain free movement, you can slowly build to following this with real movement. Step by step.

• Caring for your fascia

Fascia is the name given to the connective tissue that wraps around and connects everything within the human body. This connective tissue responds to stress, trauma, movement (or lack thereof), postural patterns, hydration, and diet. Seek out professional help to release and re-inform fascial chains through massage and soft tissue therapy.
It would be remiss at this stage to neglect the importance of seeking appropriate medical advice to first rule out nerve damage or contributing medical conditions. The work I do focuses on musculoskeletal disorders and disfunction; it is vital to identify the cause of pain, when possible, to find the most effective route to relief. 
It is a long journey and perhaps to some a daunting one, but I truly believe that is entirely possible to free yourself from those unhelpful neural circuits that convince you that your body is broken. Small changes that focus on increasing movement, getting curious about your discomfort, calming your nervous system, slowing your breathing, and improving the condition of your fascia are vital. Consider these the neuroplasticity pillars to support you towards a reality with less muscle tightness, improved functionality, less pain, and a whole new way of caring for yourself. 

 If you are waking up at 3 AM with an overly active brain—you are not crazy. In fact, I am seeing a huge increase in insomnia cases in the clinic right now. A few weeks ago, I attended a talk by my Daoist teacher, Anita, and she explained exactly why this is happening: Welcome to the Yang Fire Spring.

(Note: Because so many people are struggling with this, I am putting together a local 2.5-hour workshop to physically practice grounding these energies together—you can [Click here to join the waitlist].)

This will be a lengthy read, but I highly advise you to save this document on your phone for whenever you feel like you are 'losing your mind' this year.

Let's talk about the 2026/27 first
Anita depicted a beautiful picture in which the energetic, fiery nature of the Horse (representing the Earthly branch of Chinese Astrology) is being further enhanced and supported by the Yang Fire energies (of the Heavenly Stems), leading to very powerful dynamics this year. Practically speaking, this is a year for great advancements fuelled by those double Yang (vibrant) energies, which I am sure you have encountered already. As we experience more explosiveness (globally and locally), it becomes imperative to prevent mental restlessness by giving more value (and engagement) to Humility and Moderation.

Spring Truths
On the other hand, spring is an exceptionally vitalising, yet chaotic time of the year. As we come out of hibernation, most of us are faced with the truth, which is that we have not rested enough over winter, and now we must face up to the contrasting liveliness of Spring. Irritability, headaches, insomnia and physical tightness, as well as sinus issues (due to the pollen) are prime examples of health-related dis-harmonies around this time of the year.

As these are further exacerbated by the energetics of the Yang Fire Horse, we need to bring extra caution to our balance between activity and rest. It is always advised to increase physical activity (especially stretching) and decluttering in Spring. Some examples are eating more detoxifying (seasonal) fruits or by doing a big house clean. We must remember to always relax back into our body as we are approaching the evenings.

Creative vs Distracting forces  
This year is prime for distraction. (Sorry ADHD folks). Time flows more quickly, and as soon as we put our finger on some extra bit of energy, we feel driven to use it right up. We must be really vigilant with burnout! Managing our energy and mental activity should be in our prime focus for the year.

On the bright side, the extra vibrancy will be great help for all creative projects, including self-expression. Long-held plans can come to fruition this year – as long as we keep a cool head. The double Yang is excellent for fuelling our plans and current interests.

Sleep and Burnout 
This Spring is especially tricky for people who have an unanchored nervous system. The fiery energies of the year bring up more energy (qi) to the head, which is the very opposite of what you need in order to have a good night’s sleep. This also means that we are likely to push more, putting us in the danger zone of (further) burnout. It does not mean we have to work less, but focused, slow-paced, attention-rich work, balanced out by plenty of rest and quiet time will get us much closer to our goals and dreams.

Joy and Connection
When these Fiery energies are harmonised (within you), they bring joy, exploration, and deep connection to your life. It is an excellent time to meet new people or deepen already existing relationships of all sorts.
The caveat: when you feel things bubbling up (in your mind), take a deep breath so you can prevent highly emotional and reactive outbursts. Which are more likely to happen this year, if mindfulness is replaced by mindlessness :)

Authenticity and Purification
You might also find that this year will bring a lot of change in terms of habits and connections that no longer support you. Fire has a purifying quality. It helps to burn away (internal and interpersonal) attachments, which keep us away from living honestly, true to our needs. Patience is a beautiful virtue, which infused with calm level-headedness, will prove to be an incredible force in your (social) life and personal development. These will help a lot with being misunderstood, so you can clearly express your heart’s desire.

The light of the Yang Fire year can illuminate suppressed things within us. Allowing those to come to surface can be uncomfortable, and difficult to acknowledge. Always remember that kindness and patience can balance out the challenges of honesty. Decluttering your personality (attachments to identity) and your home, phone, etc. will also help to keep your mind focused on your goals.

One Direction and Moderation
Probably the most important advice for the year... When we encounter a beautiful field of flowers, we might feel the urge to pick some. However, if we let ourselves become greedy, we might spend all of our time and energy on choosing the best flowers. Picking the daffodils is not enough anymore, so we hop onto the bluebells, the tulips and so on... devastating the environment and our inner landscape (of craving).
We need to decide on a select few things this year that we want to pour our attention and energy into. This will keep us from experiencing too much distraction. Moderation will help to bring the soaring fire back down, deep within us. Containing and mindfully using the vibrant energies of the year will prove to be crucial for us all. 

I can definitely say that is the case for me already and it's only March!

Finding Flow through Humility
It is incredibly regulating to realise that we cannot nor should not control our environment 24/7. It takes humility to recognise how little power we have around formulating the world (and people) around us. This recognition can bring you peace and lead you back to your agency. The agency around how we react to life.

Once we relinquish (even a little) control over life, we can finally find and engage in the flow that is already present around us. Life is self-governing. Our body does not need us to think about taking a breath. Just as the tree outside does not need us to water it. Flow is in the humility of being with the present moment. Tuning into the “natural organising” principles allows us to do the right amount of action at the right time (Wu Wei). However, this requires mental stability, stillness and presence.

(Prefer to practice this in person? [Click here to join the waitlist] for my upcoming 2.5-hour Spring Reset Workshop).

How do we settle mental agitation?
All you need to do is go back to the very basics of life. Rest (the mind) and Move (the body). 
"Just like the river flows under no duress, the solution is found in the motion of water."

When you allow your body to move and express itself, that motion of change will help to clear out stagnant habits, aches, and tensions. As we “bring the mind home”, the fluids of your awareness can wash over the blockages of your system.

Mindful movement is a fundamental for good health. Hence why I am a big advocate for Tai chi. For me it is the absolute tool in which we can harmonise the body and mind in a way that brings forth change that ripples into our whole life. Including the way we respond to our environment.

Settling the mind  
Once we have irrigated the ditches (physical and energetical stagnation/tension in the body), it becomes easier to settle the mind. “Bringing the mind home” is a simple practice of collecting your mental powers (thinking, planning, responding, doing) and bringing them back in, closer to your core. Allowing them to sink back into the body in this present moment. Any moment is a perfect opportunity to do this. Of course that does not mean it is easy to achieve. Hence why movement is such a beneficial tool to prepare the body for meditative practice and life!

Finding peace and deep calm
If you are new to meditation, it might sound logical, yet feel totally irrelevant to talk about calm and peace in practice. When we begin, we barely have the capacity to notice as we are thinking. Since it is our baseline to always be in thought (process). Constantly reacting to the world.

Start here – regardless if you are a seasoned practitioner or a total newbie

1. Prepare a comfortable seated position (can be on a bench in a park).
2. If there are distracting movements and noises around, put on some ambient music and close your eyes.
3. Allow your awareness to gently drop to the contact points between your body and the bench/floor. Settle your mind within your physical shape. Curiously exploring how the weight of your body feels on top of an external surface.
4. Then simply observe your mind, notice how thoughts come and go. How you start telling one story before making plans for later on.
5. In the beginning it can be useful to allow your mind to race a few minutes. After which see if you can slow down a bit. Perhaps taking a few breaths and bringing your awareness back to your body if the mind goes too wild.
6. Now that the preparations are sufficiently done, I invite you to become curious about space. The space between your thoughts. The sky beyond the floating clouds. To find this, you don't need to force your mind to stop. Instead, just notice the very end of your exhale. There is a tiny, natural pause before your body decides to breathe in again. That millisecond of physical rest is your space. You need not to control the breath, simply observe it.
7. As you notice that tiny pause at the bottom of the breath, give a slight preference toward it. Don't cling to it or try to hold your breath; simply appreciate that half a second of total stillness for existing. As you continue, your nervous system will realise this space is safe, and those milliseconds of rest will naturally start to expand.
8. Allow your mind to explore that natural pause. When it becomes sustainable to rest there without forcing it, drop a kind question into the background: What is the flavour of this quiet space?
9. You might start noticing that it feels peaceful, nourishing, or like a heavy weight has been put down. See if you can rest in that physical feeling of relief for just a few minutes. As you continue with your practice, you can notice how this sensation permeates into the whole breath, beyond that moment of pause.
10. When you feel ready, simply let go of any mental effort. Enjoy the fruits of the practice and bring those positive feelings -which you just generated- with you for the rest of your day.

Bringing peace to our sleep
As you noticed, there is a huge emphasis on finding peace and rest in the mind. This is even more important when we struggle with sleep. We have a beautiful opportunity of bringing these qualities into our sleep, to ensure a deep restorative sleep. The tool itself is not that important, the quality is even more so.

Before your sleepy time:

1. Allow the mind to generate a sense of peace and stillness.
2. Rest your mind solely on this feeling, or on a single point within the body, whilst abiding in this beautiful experience.
3. Slowly go to your bed whilst gently maintaining the “flavour” of peace in your system. Allow this to lull you to sleep.

What next?
Knowing these tools conceptually is one thing, but training your nervous system to physically use them is another. I am currently putting together a 2.5-hour Spring Reset Workshop: Grounding the Yang Fire, where we will drink the seasonal herbs, move the body, and physically practice grounding this Fire together.
I haven't set a date yet, as I want to gauge interest first. If you would like to come and physically practice 'irrigating the ditches' with me, please click the link below to drop your name on the waitlist. If there is enough interest, I will finalize a date and send you the official invite!

Yes, I'm interested in the Spring Reset Workshop!

Why does it feel sooo good having a massage? What is it that creates that afterglow and gooey
buzzing well-being? What if we could have it on tap?

A yoga teacher friend of mine exclaims " you gotta participate, be receptive, open", when chatting
about good massage treatment.

The answer is: oxytocin - and yes, you can get it "on tap" in form of a spray. Tough that is not the
best option in the long run.

Oxytocin was originally discovered in 1906 by a British scientist Henry Dale in connection with
breast feeding and child birth and that might be where most of our general knowledge and
familiarity about it lays. More recently you might have come across oxytocin in popular culture being referred to as the "love hormone" advocating hugging.

Research by Swedish scientist Kerstin Moberg Uvnäs over the last thirty years, confirms that
oxytocin not a substance exclusive to mothers, but has much wider existence and importance as
an ingenious substance in all humans as well as in animals.

It's primary function and existence is to create and aid our ability to bond and develop social ties.
But it does have further additional functions that are rather incredible. Apart from a general sense of well-being it reduces fear and aggression, is relaxing and calming, increases pain thresholds and
deepens our relationships. It also supports out immune system, breathing, sleeping and wound healing. A long and impressive list of attributes.

Nature has given us the ability to produce this marvellous (but complex) substance and it is released into our bloodstream when we touch or are being touched. Even being in proximity with others that mean us well will stimulate production. That explains the joy of good company. But our production capacity has individual variations - in some oxytocin flows easily and abundantly, in others not so.

Like everything else nature hands us from birth we have different predispositions but our life
circumstances also play a significant part in this instance.

The last bit here is crucial and why administrating oxytocin as a bliss spray is not best option.

The missing component to experience self-produced flow of oxytocin and well-being buzz is trust.

Trust in being touched. Trust it is safe to be touched.

The 'formula' for wellbeing (and all benefits of oxytocin) is simply put:
Rubbing skin + trust = oxytocin production

You might have noted, if you are still with me, that oxytocin also increases trust and a feeling of safety. It's there for us to strengthen the bonds between those who means us well, but not to be reckless and unbounded. It can take some building up to, but in the long run it is preferable to encourage our own capacity by gaining trust rather than override our natural abilities with an external administration, better stimulate our own production. Massage is fantastic and a top choice for this and all body therapies are beneficial in encouraging the production, provided of course, the recipient feels safe and trusts the therapist.

The touching of soft materials, stroking animals, yoga, even singing in a group will also
have a positive effect and can be a place to top up your oxytocin and could be a starting point for
those who are not comfortable with touch.

I might be preaching to the converted here but it might be good to try to understand when others have reluctance and resistance to touch and how important it is to go easy, but also to remember how beneficial it is.

Returning to my yoga friend who has it worked out that for maximum benefit of massage she needs to be open to receive. In other words, to trust and the bliss will be there. This, I know, was not always the case but rather developed over time.

We are never alone truly.
We are born from two (biological mother and father), brought up by at least one if not half a village.
People do not choose solitude to thrive in life. It is their last choice for survival when they have been mistreated one too many times.

Or they choose it for the purpose of transformation. A form of challenge for spiritual cultivation.
 
Touch is medicine

Therapeutic touch is consensual structure in which the client and the therapist give each other space so the therapeutic qualities of change can emerge.
It is chosen and developed as a container, in which one can allow themselves to be exposed. To give up their thriving and fighting against discomfort.

True rest requires safety.

Just like yin and yang are complimentary, one needs a safe environment in which they can free up their defences (muscles and nervous system for an armour).
A good massage or Acupuncture treatment is based on non-verbal communication. Although the practitioner may seem to be in a place of power, it is their priority and responsibility to keep listening to their clients. Both via touch, sight and hearing.
A good session is like a non-stop dialogue in which the therapist gives just the right amount of stimuli, which allows the person lying down to fully relax. To dissolve into the new structure that is being co-created.
Of course this can look in many different ways. Yet, a firm and steady hand can provide so much relief.

Rest is so vital. Especially so today, when our society is geared towards productivity via burnout.
In a time when we feel challenged, burnt out or more sensitive than ever, therapeutic touch can make a world of difference. It can be a puddle of safety in the ocean of turbulence.

As we are approaching the energetic year of the Yang Fire Horse, it becomes even more important to tune into that quality of rest that our being craves so much.
We can find this in many different forms, in poetry, Tai chi, nature walks or massages.

A good thought to keep in mind, is that rest also requires effort. It is by far not the same as zoning out whilst watching digital content.
Rest is best described in the meditative world as “calm abiding”. A state where we are present yet simply abiding in peace. In the lake of consciousness undisturbed by thoughts and feelings.

I strongly advise you to put time aside for rest regularly. Whether it’s in meditation or during an acupuncture session, frequent ‘abiding’ makes a world of difference. It leads to deeper and longer baseline of a calm, safe, confident sense of self.

If you need some support with Rest in your life, do not hesitate to reach out to me or the rest of the fabulous WNT team.
 
PS: Perhaps Confidence is something you wish to work on this year? Please read my other article on Starting the year right: with positive emotion and community. 
 

Hi everyone,
Hope you all had a lovely festive period!
I am back in London. Recharged with inspiration and ready for 2026.

So let's start the year with something positive :)Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Maitreyabandhu (a Buddhist scholar and practitioner), who shared many lifetimes' worth of wisdom around positive emotion.

Why is it so important?I think we can all agree that life is often challenging.
Yet it is also immensely beautiful.

Depending on the state of our mind, our experience can be of beauty or of suffering.
Positive emotions allow us to have a deeper capacity to stay present, appreciate and act creatively in our everyday life.

What sort of positive emotions are we talking about?Maitreyabandhu believes that our generation has been gradually losing its natural access to positive emotion.

This shows up as:
- a disconnection from nature, including our physical body
- a loss of community. the lack of feeling seen, loved and appreciated
- a missing cosmic connection. The experience of being part of something much larger, like the universe, humanity or the divine
Happiness, appreciation, and love, amongst others, are extremely potent positive emotions, yet they are not so readily available for someone living a busy metropolitan lifestyle.

Why do people struggle with positive emotion?There is a genetic predisposition to prioritise any sense of danger for the sake of survival. Unfortunately, this strategy has become maladaptive with our current lifestyle. As most of us are living up in our heads, overflooded with information. Boosted by a hyperactive nervous system, which is also overfilled with the energy of a multitude of (negative) emotions residing in the body.

The most commonly regarded positive emotions are not something we can easily (if at all) generate when we are isolated, overly cerebral or have no time to simply be.
Of course, there are countless practices out there which can be utilised in order to generate loving kindness or compassion, yet they fall short when we do not have genuine connections in our lives.
Connection to others and to ourselves.

What is the solution?
The Buddhist answer is simple:
- Live a slow life
- Stay deeply embodied and present
- Live in a community with individuals who share the same values as you

Now, that is beautiful, but this might not be available to you if you are:
- not a person of faith or interested in Buddhism
- do not know how to connect with such individuals
- have a full-time job and other responsibilities
- already living at your capacity

Perhaps you have a really supportive group of friends. Some deeply loving family members. Potentially a job that allows you to spend more time on your own. Yet there is something still missing.

Here is an alternative solution:

Whilst this is not a better solution than actually walking on the (Buddhist) path of dedication itself. It is also not exclusive of that.
What I am presenting to you today can be an excellent (and free!) alternative or addition to your preexisting journey towards a better, deeper, loving life.

Here is what you get:

Imagine a place where you can naturally unfold all the shapes, identities and habits that keep you away from experiencing joy and love as your everyday baseline.

A community where, instead of ‘working on yourself’, you are actually having fun with like-minded people.
Where goofing around allows you to truly be yourself as you are
right now.

A magic toolbox, stuffed with all the goodies that lead you to positive emotion.

A completely practical approach. Where you can finally get out of your head, down into your body. Where pen and paper become your friend. Where your phone actually brings you slow, nourishing content, instead of a wired nervous system.

In this community, we only have three laws to abide by:
1. Have fun
2. Be kind,
3. Keep the momentum

The best part?

It’s all free!

All it costs you is to bring a little bit of passion with a little bit of effort. 
So you can be present with other individuals who pretty much want the same things as you do.

Living a life free of Shame and full of confidence so you can be as Free as a bird.

What am I really talking about?

What ‘it’ is is an Online Community, run on a platform (Skool), which is naturally geared towards interactions, thus building a community.
With access to a free Academy designed to help you become the most Confident version of you that you can be.

What is the catch?

The catch is that I cannot do it without you. I cannot build and maintain a community without people who prioritise their own well-being, so they can make the most of their lives, whilst also being truly helpful to those around them.

So what I am asking you is to come, join us, and give each other a chance to build a community where we can experience what Maitriyabadhu talked about:

An embodied community filled with love and belonging.

What this is not:

It is not a miracle cure. It does not substitute in person friendships and connections.
It doesn’t make all the wars stop around the world.
But it is a start towards living a life more connected and deeply loving.

It is also not complete. 
I am currently putting together the materials for the academy, which are going to be quite extensive -and deeply transformational- as we head towards summer.

The amazing thing is, is that the more you interact in the community, the more you can influence the material I am putting out there.

It will be personalised to the needs of the group. So the "funding members" have an excellent opportunity to shape the material.

How can you join?

You can click on the button below, which will take you to the Skool website. 

The community is currently called the Beyond Shame Academy.

I am putting a little extra focus on getting people from a state of Shame to a sense of Confidence. However, it will be a truly holistic experience. Perhaps with some Tai chi material in there, in the future. :)

It will ask you to create a free account. Where you can be yourself. Otherwise, you are welcome to take up an alias if you would rather contribute without your real identity.

Because you matter!I hope to see many of you there!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to drop me an email or to ask me in person.
Have a wonderful start to the year!
Compassionately,
Miha, the Acupuncturist 

I turned 60 recently and was very excited to receive my wonderful London Oyster card and find out that I now qualify for free prescriptions but wanted to find out what other positives there are about reaching this milestone and while searching the internet was informed that it is a time of ‘celebration of resilience, wisdom and possibility’.                                                                              
 
As far as resilience and wisdom go this may be true, as by this age, we have had decades of experience dealing with sometimes challenging situations that we have hopefully managed to overcome.
 
Possibility however, will really depend on our financial security and physical ability. If we are fortunate to have a mortgage-free home, a good pension and with that, some spare cash, we can happily embrace a work-free future and spend more of our leisure time on hobbies, holidays and fitness. Ah yes. Fitness. This is the most important thing of all, as without it, possibilities may be limited.
 
From the age of 30 our bodies start to change. We start to lose lean tissue, muscles start to atrophy (3-5% per decade) and we see an increase in fat. Bones may start to weaken, skin starts to thin, joints start to stiffen and we start to lose height as the discs in our spine begin to dry out.
 
So what can we do about it?

I see a lot of clients who are over 60 and I am pleased to say that the majority of them have realised that they need to take their physical health more seriously.
 
According to current figures the average life expectancy is 81 for women and 79 for men (longer in more affluent areas) so when we turn 60, we can expect to live for another 20-30 years. Therefore we need to be able to move, have balance and be strong. Now is the time (if we haven’t already) to implement changes to save our bodies.
 
Fitness doesn’t have to be an expensive business.

• Walking. Walking is free, good for you and if you join a hiking or rambling club, also sociable.

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/ramblers-groups/south-bank-group

• Running. No equipment needed apart from a pair of running trainers, love of the outdoors and some will power!

If you would like to start running and would like a very friendly beginners course, the Dulwich Park Runners run two courses a year in March and September. Members receive a 10% discount on Sports Massage at West Norwood Therapies.
https://www.dulwichparkrunners.co.uk/

• For something a little more challenging, why not look at Windrush Triathlon Club

Where you can run, cycle and swim with a friendly, encouraging bunch. They run weekly training sessions and also get a 10% discount at West Norwood Therapies.
https://windrushtri.co.uk/

• Cycling. A fantastic and inexpensive way to keep fit as you can always pick up a fairly decent second hand bike or borrow one from a friend if it’s for an occasional ride. Take a look at this website if you don’t know where to start.

https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/cycle-skills

• Gym. Join the local council gym who have vastly reduced swimming sessions, exercise classes, and gym access. Active Lambeth offers a 15% discount to over 60’s (£43.85 per month) while Better offer a discount from age 66. If you are unstable on your feet, Active Lambeth offers a couple of chair-based exercise classes and aqua aerobics.

 
If you can afford it, I would really recommend finding a Personal Trainer and seeing them twice a week. If only once, ask them to design a simple exercise programme that you can either do at home or in the gym (with a few bands or hand weights) a couple of times per week.
 
If you think you can’t, look for concessionary seniors classes connected to local libraries, hospitals and community centres.

• Swimming. Have a few swimming lessons if you need them and then take yourself to the local pool or to one of London’s fabulous lidos.

 

• Pilates. If you book a block it can be cheaper and you will be going regularly so it is worth the investment. I would suggest that if you are new to Pilates, you choose a mat class rather than a reformer class. The reason being, if you have a weak core, you will learn the foundations of how to engage and strengthen it in a mat class. Whereas, the reformer equipment moves on springs and if you have little core strength to start with, this can be challenging and occasionally dangerous (you could fall off).

It is a good idea to find out the qualifications of a practitioner. At least a Level 4 in mat and reformer.

• Yoga.  Again check the qualification of the instructor. Do some taster classes to find out what kind of yoga is for you as there are many types. Yin (more stretching) to Vinyasa Flow (faster moving) and others in between.

 
N:B if you have been diagnosed with, or suspect you may have, hypermobility please inform your teacher as it is very easy to over-stretch tendons and end up with injuries.
 
Class Pass gives access to many different classes from gym to yoga and a two week trial costs £1. https://classpass.com/walkthrough/getclasspass

• Walking Football and Walking Netball

Great for those who are new to the sports or have previously played but are returning from injury or want something less stressful on the joints.
There are a few teams in South London
https://thewfa.co.uk/directory/pride-of-lions/
https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/play/walking-netball/

• Tennis, Padel and Pickle Ball

All of these court based sports are a lot of fun but can be expensive (padel for sure). And, if you are a beginner, it is very easy to get over enthusiastic and play too often.
Although they are wonderful fun and great for aerobic fitness, they can cause knee, hip and shoulder issues as there is a lot of ‘stop/start’ movement which puts stress on the joints.
https://www.lta.org.uk/support-centre/competing/competing-in-padel/what-is-the-gb-seniors-padel-tour-and-how-can-i-enter/
 
By keeping strong we will have increased mobility and energy to really benefit from the free oyster card travel to galleries, museums, parks across London, visiting friends and family and trying different exercise classes. AND greatly reduced the need for those free prescriptions.
 
Tessa Glover
Clinical Sport and Remedial Massage Therapy
ISRM/BTEC (Level 5) Professional Diploma
07966 473738

Frankincense as a ritual tool.
Rituals are ancient and found in all cultures in human history around the world. Pagan or religious, rituals and ceremonies have marked important milestones, cycles and events in the lives of our ancestors and can help us today to reconnect to values, to nature, to ourselves and the divine in a way that has been lost in time.

Rituals and ceremonies for Rite of Passages, such as coming of age like the First Moon (Menarche), for Closure and Beginnings like deaths, births, healing, marriage or separations, to celebrate the harvest or a new season, to crown the new king or queen with the anointing of the ‘Chism Oil’ - these all express a desire to honour and bring the sacred into our life.

When we are in ceremony we enter a profound connection with ourself and Source, whatever that means to us. We experience a glimpse of our divinity. We bathe in the bliss of eternity as we alter our consciousness and we perceive ourself as soul beings, as part of something bigger. Ceremony holds the mystery of eternity that unfolds the experiencing of our divinity.

Rituals nourish the soul, nurture healing and support our spiritual growth.

In ancient Egypt rituals were a daily sacred task performed in the temples with mystical aromatics like Frankincense, age old incense, used by many civilisations. Aromatic fragrances, ritual and the divine in ancient Egypt were inextricably interconnected.
"Scents were believed to originate from the gods, to have sprang from their eyes or their bones, in particular the eyes of the sun-god Ra" - Lise Manniche.
Sacred Scents were believed to be a link to become ‘one’ with the Divine, to be the very fragrance of the gods, derived from the sacred essence of gods, from their particular manifestation.

FRANKINCENSE
Frankincense has been described as the 'golden resin of the sun'. Spiritual and holy, Frankincense is evocative of ceremonial rituals from the land of the Pharaohs, it fills your space with the mystical scents of an ancient temple, bringing the sacred from the distant past into your present life. The history of the precious Frankincense resin can be traced back through ancient texts.

Revered by the ancient Egyptians, considered as valuable as gold, incense was central to the worship of the deities of the Ancient Egyptian Pantheon and large quantities of Frankincense  were burned every day in temples throughout Egypt. Olibanum, “the substance being conducive to a divine state” is documented in many hieroglyphic texts and it was listed as one of the seven sacred oils in temple rituals. Believed to help the soul of the deceased to find its way to the spiritual world, it was also found in the tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Frankincense is fundamental in my daily meditation, rituals and ceremonies, to open sacred space, purify my energy and cleanse the room, inviting blessings and protection and open the connection with self and the Divine. It immediately grounds me and connects me with source when the mundane feels too distracting and overwhelming.

Frankincense resonates at a high vibrational frequency, and yet it grounds you deeply on Earth while connecting you to the Divine. It provides spiritual protection, purification and energetic transmutation, dissolving the illusion of separation between the physical and spiritual realms. Centering and uplifting, it enhances focus, alertness and clarity.

PURIFICATION RITUAL WITH FRANKINCENSE
Fire Ceremonies are incredibly powerful to release the old and heavy, to burn away that which is holding us back from expressing all that we are fully and shining our light vibrantly.

Fire has the powerful ability to transmute energy and transform it. To transcend dense and disharmonious energies into resonant ones.

In many cultures and traditions, Frankincense, burned as sacred smoke, is believed to have the power to protect, purify and transmute heavy, negative energies.

For cleansing and purification purposes, the smoke of the burned resin can be smudged on yourself, your space, or any object you intend to purify by passing these objects through the smoke of burning frankincense. There ancient incense can be burned for DAILY MEDITATION, PURIFICATION, BLESSINGS & PROTECTION.

HOW TO BURN FRANKINCENSE
To release its scent the frankincense is burned over hot coals. The bamboo coals provide a natural alternative to standard commercial charcoal which contains saltpeter and interferes with the scent and therapeutic benefits of the frankincense.
Place the coal inside a censer or a small ceramic bowl, or anything that can tolerate heat. Once the coal is completely light up and white, place a piece of resin on top of it. Just a small tear of resin will produce enough scented smoke that will linger for hours. More resin can be added if needed.

FRANKINCENSE IN CEREMONY
In my Sacred Sound Ceremonies and healing sessions I integrates the ancient Temple Tradition of Sacred Aromatics.
One of my very favourite ceremonies is the Sound Journey with Sacred Frankincense Purification Ritual.

A Sacred Smoke Smudging Ritual is performed in preparation for entering the Inner and Outer Temple in this Sacred Sound Ceremony, using the sacred smoke of the Frankincense resin, green Hojari Frankincense (Boswellia sacra) from Oman and sacred instruments to clear our body on a cellular level as well as our energetic and electromagnetic fields.
In this ritual we offer sacred smoke to our own divine being and body temple. I instruct you how to perform this purification ritual, a skill you will take home with you.

This vibrational re-calibration will reset your unique energy signature to its original resonance. Both the sound frequencies and sacred scents have been used since ancient times for purification and healing purposes. Sacred smoke was offered to the gods and goddesses in ancient Egypt temple rituals; they believed these scents to be derived directly from the gods and be a link to become ‘one’ with the Divine.
A cascade of sounds from gongs, crystal singing bowls, flutes, chimes and other instruments then immerse you into a transcendental experience as set and promoted by the Frankincense.

Source: https://sothistemple.com/royalgreenhojarisacrafrankincenseresin
To learn more about Frankincense visit  https://sothistemple.com/sacredoilssoulessence/sacred-hojari-frankincense
and https://sothistemple.com/sacredoilssoulessence/sacred-hojari-frankincense
Source: https://sothistemple.com/royalgreenhojarisacrafrankincenseresin
 
ABOUT VERONICA
Veronica Massa offers unique multisensory soundscape experiences bringing the healing power of sound into ritual and ceremony. In her Sacred Sound Ceremonies, she integrates the ancient Temple Tradition of Sacred Scents - using Sacred Oils and ancient resins - connecting to the spirit medicine and soul essence of plants. She is the creatrix of Sothis Sacred Oils and founder of Sothis Temple where Sacred Art, Sacred Scents and Sacred Sounds meet in unison to celebrate life, nourish the soul and nurture healing and spiritual growth. www.sothistemple.com. Veronica is a visionary artist Spirit inspired and a multidisciplinary intuitive healer; in the past two decades she gathered experience in the Holistic Healing Arts and as a workshop facilitator.
Learn more about Veronica Nilah https://sothistemple.com/my-journey
 
WHAT IS SACRED SOUND
Everything is frequency and in a state of vibration. All matter vibrates at specific frequencies, including our body, our organs and the cells in our body. We are in optimal health and wellbeing when we have a normal resonant frequency, but if that frequency begins to shift then that part of our body is vibrating out of ease, we say it is dis-eased. This is basically the principle of using sound as a transformational and healing tool: “Sound can change molecular structure” restoring that part of the body back into its healthy resonance to repair damaged tissue and cells within the body and reinstate the harmonious energetic, emotional and mental function. The impact of Sound on human cells has been extensively studied since the ’80 but we also know that the ancient Mystery schools held a deep knowledge of sound and vibrational medicine, using sonic energy for healing and to achieve altered states of consciousness.
A sound immersion bathes you in deep relaxation restoring self-alignment, synchronizing the brainwaves and facilitating the rehabilitation of your cells to normal vibratory frequency, or to resonance which is your original vibratory frequency.

In the previous 2 articles we have explored how our mind shapes our reality. We also looked at how our actions (training) can shape our mind and body.

Going a bit deeper into the psyche, I wanted to talk about the nature of Responsibility and how the patterns of our mind lead to goodwill (grace) or ill-will (shame).

Feeling overwhelmed?

I came from struggle. Not that I had any physical needs unmet. I definitely did not come from wealth, however I always had shelter and plenty of food. (At least until my uni days. :D )

However, mental struggle was my normality.

I felt overwhelmed on a daily basis. Life, or rather the people around me were too much to handle.

So I developed an avoidant relationship with responsibility.

Not to say that I was not a caring and kind child. I think those qualities have been with me and strengthened by my family and teachers over the years.

Yet, due to the overwhelm, I tried to avoid taking any additional responsibility. To the extent of having difficulty with making decisions even about what I want to eat. Indecision.

Now everyone's story is slightly different, however I see a lot of overwhelm and avoidance in my clinical practice.
We will come back to this shortly..

On Shame..

When someone feels overwhelmed, their reality becomes an unsafe environment for them. 
In such situations the brain is forced to 'think their way out' of this non-safety. It is looking for an escape route.

This seeking, or rather avoiding usually leads us down the path of shame and guilt. Being brought up in a very critical and unkind environment, naturally enhances our mental story of not being enough.

Those shameful internalised voices are further strengthened by the constant overwhelm, where we rationalize our inability of handling our 'unsafe' environment as shameful.

Often we also develop a deep desire to help those suffering around us. However as someone incapable of fulfilling their own needs, we often feel guilty for not being able to help others.

Thus we naturally start to associate our self-worth with how we feel in relation to other people.

This is crucial to understand. Our feelings have an effect on our worldview. Our nervous system is wired in a way to protect us, even if that results in us feeling shameful on a daily basis.

Children are very sensitive to suffering. And they do not have the logical understanding that it is not their responsibility to help adult figures. So the guilt deepens.

Naturally a child cannot control their environment. However as an adult, we definitely have the power to make (even if the tiniest) changes in our life.
Please keep reading on...

So how does shame and guilt affect us?

Think of yourself like your phone battery. When you go on about your day, feeling okay, your battery will slowly drain but it probably still be around a comfortable 30% when you retire to bed.

Now think of running apps on your phone. Editing videos, playing games, running an antivirus program whilst also watching a movie.

The more app you run on your phone concurrently, the quicker it will drain the battery.

Emotions and mental rumination do the same to us humans.

When we feel unsafe in our environment, the mind automatically keeps running an (antivirus) app to scan for danger around us.

Whenever a threat is found, our mind will start (Google) searching for all the possible reasons of how it might hurt us.

Then our brain has to come up with a coping mechanism. 
So the brain runs another app for distractions (Netflix or social media) or even a special app for dissociation (avoidance of sensations and emotions). 

All of these further and further drain our energy, and feed into our mental story of 'I cannot do anything about it'. A.k.a, Mental despair.

Naturally when one is overwhelmed and also exhausted, they will find ways to avoid further responsibility. Including looking after themselves.

Goodwill or ill-will?

I had a mini-breakthrough after listening to one of Ajahn Brahm's (Buddhist monk) talk on ill-will and compassion.

It is so obvious, yet easy to miss:
Entertaining shameful thoughts is an act of ill-will.

It is literally an activity which results in our own direct suffering, or the indirect hurt we cause to other people around us.

It is as simple as that. We must find omni-directional kindness within ourselves, in order to reduce the suffering (us and them).

Grace is defined as courteous good will.

Some Christian traditions define it as unmerited favour, kindness, and mercy. 

In Buddhism, a close equivalent may be compassion. The resolve to connect and accept one that may or may not be favourable to us.

In my opinion, regardless if you are a person of faith or not, Grace or compassion is the way for us to resolve those deeply engrained patterns of ill-will.

Thus, it is our primary responsibility to look after ourselves. As that is the only way we can truly care for others.

How can we get there?

Faith has been an options for thousands of years.
Today you also have a choice to seek help from others to strengthen your muscles of compassion.
Looking to feel better in your body?

Please reach out by email to enquire about your first Holistic Coaching session!

Available both in person and online.

I love having a variety of different tools in my 'life toolkit' and these are my favourite go to tools!  As I was writing them down it made me realise who the vast majority of them are for down-regulating my nervous system.  Sometimes my practices as higher energy, activating and releasing but more often than not they help me to balance the fast pace of juggling a busy London life 😆

Movement & Music - both of these, without fail, help me come back into my body and ground me.  Whether it's soothing music and yin yoga, something more uptempo and Vinyasa yoga or resistance training or an all out disco for one and shaking my tail feathers, EVERYTHING feels better afterwards!

Nature - plugging into Mother Earth always soothes my soul and settles my mind and nervous system 💚 I feel really grateful I live near a beautiful forest.   I love seeing the seasonal changes and how the little buds are starting to peek through now!  My go to 'happy place' is always the sea 💙. I can happily while away hours watching and listening to the sound of waves and contemplating the vastness of the oceans.
 
Pranayama & Breathwork - a topic I could talk about for days!  It's our most accessible 'tool' that has the quickest impact on our nervous system and it's totally free!!!  I regularly check in with how I'm breathing and where I'm breathing into.  I often catch myself when I'm in a stressful moment and take a moment to reset my breathing and take a long slow breath.   Here is a breathing meditation I shared a few years ago that always helps me.
https://youtu.be/Z00E7bFmua0?si=44XQPprHUwPUHJfm
 
Meditation - my main practice is Vipasanna but I also love Yoga Nidra and listen to a variety of wonderful teachers.  This particular Yoga Nidra is one I am currently recommending to my clients and friends as I find I always feel so present and calm afterwards. 
https://insig.ht/iyHo2EndERb
 
Journaling - The Morning Pages is a practice I come back to time and time again.  I was introduced  to this journaling practice via a yoga teacher mentoring program many years ago and found it to be a real game changer.   It helps clear the mental chatter and clutter and I notice improved mental clarity and feel much more spacious and clear.