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Massage therapist Erika Zettervall considers the meaning of home and how we can find this within ourselves. This is a blog she wrote several years ago and it still feels relevant, especially since she is currently on the road trip she mentions! 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.
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In this far reaching article acupuncturist Miha Rosta looks at spring in the context of the Chinese year of the Fire Horse and gives some suggestions as to how we balance our energies in the months ahead. He has lots of suggestions in this article and also a workshop focusing on grounding coming up 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
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:
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! Facial specialist Veronica Massa shares a meditation she made for this time of year and some thoughts around what spring means in Traditional Chinese Medicine and what it can mean in our daily lives Spring offering: SPRING MEDITATION: Merging with Nature, enjoy it! SPRING Creating Matter from Energy "Hold what you desire as your intention and give it life" The cycle of the seasons in the Chinese Medicine tradition, associates Spring with the wood element. The first element in the Five Element Cycle, its symbolism relates to birth, growth, new beginning, creation of life, and life itself, it’s development and evolution. The wood element is embodied by trees, symbols of creation and growth, honoured as spiritual beings - each with its unique wisdom and teachings - in many cultures around the world. Trees are the bridge between earth and sky, a link between Heaven and Earth, embodying the Wood’s element creative energy that turns heavenly energy into earthly form. Spring it’s the phase in which new lives take form, energy is transformed into matter. Symbolically this is the time for planting our seeds, new ideas; and it’s also a prosperous time to develop ourself, to give life to our dreams and visions. Bring ideas into reality is akin to birthing them, it brings their energy into form. What is it inside you that is waiting to be born? Born from Water in the creation cycle, Wood emerges from the primordial waters, the ocean of possibilities - the whole - to manifest into the separation expressed in the individual form. The creative power of Spring grants you the chance to become a vessel of possibilities. To dream your seed into reality and open to the magic of possibilities. Spring is a time of balance, renewal, and welcoming new life into the world and into our inner landscape. In this abundantly creative time for celebration, we are invited to bring joy into our life, making sure we don’t miss the fun getting lost in the seriousness of our busy life. Veronica is currently looking for participants for her case study program looking at how facial reflexology can address hormonal imbalances. You need to sign up for a minimum of 4 treatments at £50 each (facial reflexology is normally £85 a session) and be navigating a related journey, for example conception, menopause, challenging monthly cycles or post-natal period Acupuncturist Miha Rosta shares some thoughts about positivity and what can help us approach life in a more peacefully positive way and introduces an online community he has started to support one another. 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 Aromatherapist and facial therapy specialist, Veronica Massa shares the importance of ritual and ceremony and how she uses frankincense personally and in her sound-healing ceremonies to enhance the sacred and enable meditative states. 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. |
AuthorBlogs from the WNT team. For our blogs from before June 2020 please see individual profile pages - it's a good way to get to know practitioners too. Archives
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