BalanceTime meditation insights

A Beltane reawakening

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:05:29 GMT

Beltane, the Flower Full Moon & the Art of Reawakening

As we step into May, something shifts—subtly at first, then unmistakably. The air softens, blossoms unfurl, and there’s a quiet invitation to come back to life with an explosion of Summer's rich green unfurling.

The trees and plants seem to carry a luminescent quality and the signs of life's rich fertility are around us, with bird song, the frisky pigeons (as Damon Albarn wrote: They love a bit of it) and the land around us at the height of it's beauty.

This is the energy of Beltane —the Celtic festival celebrating fertility, fire, passion, and possibility. Although climate change is changing how we honour and notice these seasonal changes - the rich awakening of this time of year, is still unfolding beautifully around us, offering us moments of reconnection to our precious and fragile planet and to the inner magic within you.

Beltane this year is harmoniously intertwined this year with the Flower Full Moon on 1st May , the first full moon of two this May, this first being astrologically linked to offer us a moment of illumination, growth, and emotional expansion.

If you've ever attended one of our magic in the woods celebrations, you'll know we love to share stories of what these turning points of the year mean to us and to pause to connect with the land that we are part of - so here's a few stories to sink into

At Beltane, when the veil thins and hawthorn blooms, the villagers whispered of the fae folk, walking the land and calling to you from behind the trees. Fires were lit to honour the union of earth and sky and offer purification, with cows being led through the flames (a ritual that would help to prevent parasites).

And it was said that the May Queen and the Green May met beneath the sun and moonlight to join together and bless the field with life and dare hearts to open around them.

Those who wandered into the woods might glimpse fairy rings—or return forever changed. For on Beltane night, fertility was not just growth… it was magic awakening in every living thing.

****

On Beltane eve, there is a tale of how of how the goddess Brigid (and the May Queen), walks the fields at dusk, trailing warmth through the soil. Where her feet touched, blossoms open and seeds stir.

A woman, longing for a child, leaves a blessing of milk and honey beneath a hawthorn tree and whispers her hope into the roots. In the night, the faeries of the Aos Si carry her wish through hidden pathways of earth and spirit. By the next moon, life will have begun to quicken within her belly - and all around us in the land - with a reminder that fertility is not forced, only gently, mysteriously invited.

On Beltane morning, following the sound of bird song, the women of the village step barefoot upon the earth and wash their faces in the dew of the day to ensure their beauty stays strong for another flourishing year.

And as the sun rises to it's peak we hear the earth humming with quiet promise, to witness the Green Man r ising from the forest floor, crowned in ivy and oak. He follow s the call of the May Queen , who se laughter swirls playfully upon the wind as she dances barefoot through blossoming meadows . The green man and the goddess meet and time softens. Their passionate union is not possession, but harmony—wild growth meeting gentle creation and a stirring of all our passions .

As the two lovers moved together, sap rose in trees, flowers opened wider, and the land exhaled life. It was said their love lived in every bud and bloom—an eternal dance of becoming, returning each Beltane to awaken the world once more.

***

How can you connect to the magic of Beltane?

The night before (April 30th) write your wishes for abundance, fertility and joy and plant them under a hawthorn tree with a gift (milk and honey was traditional) but vegan treats will be just as appreciated!
Get up before the sunrise and touch the dew with barefeet and fingertips, wiping the dew across your face to wash any wrinkles away for one more year.
Connect with friends around a fire outside to celebrate the magic of this time, bring food to share, play music, drum, dance and sing.
Carefully waft the smoke of the fire around your body as a symbol of purification - or alternatively burn sage or native herbs such as mugwort to clear and cleanse your energy and restore you to a sense of awakening
While may poles were traditional - you can make your own mini may pole to connect your fertile wishes, using a stick and coloured ribbons, wind your ribbons and whisper your wishes upon your 'poles'. Beltane celebrates the fertility of ideas, creativity, purpose, and personal growth. It’s about what is ready to bloom in your life - far beyond the physical idea of fertility
Plant some seeds - runner beans and courgettes or sunflowers are all good to start at this time of year, whisper your wishes of abundance and fertility into the soil as you press in your seeds.
Notice the balance of masculine and feminine energy within you - Beltane is about the importance of the union of the two. Where is your practical, logical brain excelling or burning your out - or needing more action? Where is your reflective, nurturing side supported or neglected - have you been too much in dreaming without action - or so busy you're not making time for rest and nourishment. Pause, reflect, journal and notice - and call these back into balance - with a reminder to do so in a way that is playful, freeing and that connects you to your passions and joy.
You don't have to celebrate with others, if this time feels more personal and reflective, you can rest at home, with a quiet candle ritual, or a mindful walk in nature - not everyone wants to connect to the loudness associated with this time of year.
Invite joy but don't force it - Beltane invites joy - but doesn't demand it. It may be that grief, illness, challenge are stopping your joy, this is an invitation to reconnect to the blooms of nature around you and find glimmers of happiness in the simple things around you. There's no need to force a false positivity, just a pausing, a noticing and a gentle whisper of the little things that you are grateful for, even if you are facing sadness right now.
While Beltane is about firing up your passions, above all it's about permission - permission to feel more, to want more, to express more. to be seen. Ask yourself: what part of me is ready to come alive?

And all this at the peak of the flower full moon - a moon that amplifies everything that Beltane represents - and calls for clarity, release and emotional awareness. What a powerful time to let go of limiting beliefs, celebrate how far you’ve come and step into a fuller version of yourself. This is not just about blooming—it’s about allowing yourself to be seen in bloom.

Here are some journaling prompts that can help you tap into this energy and guide you to the awakening of inner magic within you. Find a quiet space to reflect on these prompts, ideally after a short mindful nature walk and soft consciously connected breathing for 10 minutes or a deeper meditation

What is currently blooming in my life—and how can I nurture it further?
(Think beyond the obvious. This might be a feeling, an idea, or a subtle shift.)

Where am I holding myself back from being fully seen or expressed?
(What feels vulnerable here?)

What does “living more fully” look and feel like for me right now?
(Be specific. Paint the picture.)

What am I ready to release that is limiting my growth or expansion?
(Old beliefs, habits, fears, expectations…

If I trusted myself completely, what would I say yes to next?
(Let this come from instinct, not logic.)

What old (or new) passion can I connect to that lights me up?

(Reflect on times you have felt alive, passionate, expressive, blooming and abundant - what were you doing and how can you bring some of that energy and experience into your life right now?)

Beltane and the Flower Full Moon are not asking you to become someone new. They are inviting you to remember who you are beneath the layers of doubt, conditioning, and hesitation.

Growth doesn’t have to be forceful. Expansion doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

Sometimes, it looks like a quiet decision:

To trust yourself a little more
To soften where you’ve been rigid
To say yes where you once said no

And sometimes, it looks like simply noticing that something within you… is ready to bloom.

Seeking balance at the Libra Full Moon

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:33 GMT

Wednesday 1st April is the full moon here in the UK, what is it stirring for you?

The Full Moon rises in Libra on Wednesday 1st April and it brings with it an opportunity for you to finish old stories and welcome in a new beginning.

Normally full moons are all about releasing and letting go, noticing the build up of emotions that tend to culminate at these times, but this year the astrology brings both a release and an opportunity for something new to begin.

With the sun in fiery Aries, calling us into action, the balance as the moon sits under Libra can stir feelings of burn out, questions over being 'enough' and a feeling that you need to 'scrap it all' and begin again.

This is accelerated as Venus enters Taurus, today, Monday 30 March, a transit that allows us to repair relationships and expand our diaries with wonderful connections and plans that lean into creativity and abundance. What can you say yes to, that supports you in your work, relationships and creative pursuits?.

Here are 10 journaling prompts designed to help you work with the balancing, relational energy of Libra’s full moon and the bold, self-led fire of Aries season . You may like to think of this week as a dance between “me” and “we”—identity and connection.

Sit in gentle meditation before you begin journaling to let go of the 'monkey mind' of worry and open up deeper possibilities.

�� Full Moon in Libra �� Sun in Aries Journaling Prompts

1. Where am I being asked to choose myself more boldly?
(Aries energy asks for courage—where are you ready to stop hesitating?)

2. Where am I overcompromising in the name of harmony?
(Libra shadow can be people-pleasing—what feels out of balance?)

3. What does a healthy relationship look and feel like to me right now?
(Notice if your definition has evolved.)

4. What truth have I been holding back to keep the peace?
(And what might happen if you expressed it with care?)

5. Where in my life do I need clearer boundaries—and what would they look like in action?
(Aries sets them, Libra communicates them.)

6. How do I honour both my independence and my desire for connection?
(Explore the tension—and the possibility—between the two.)

7. What patterns keep repeating in my relationships, and what are they trying to teach me?
(Full moons are powerful for illumination and release.)

8. If I fully trusted myself, what decision would I make right now?
(Aries invites decisive action.)

9. What am I ready to release to restore inner balance?
(This could be a belief, dynamic, habit, or expectation.)

10. What would it look like to lead my life with both courage and compassion?
(Imagine the integration of Aries fire and Libra grace.)

Optional Ritual ��

After journaling, you might:

Write down what you’re releasing and safely burn or bury the page

Sit in meditation and visualise yourself standing strong fired by the power of Aries, while surrounded by the peaceful, harmonious energy of Libra - maybe in a beautiful sanctuary of calm with a gentle power animals.

Place a hand on your heart and ask: “What does balance feel like in my body?”

Explore more by joining our full moon meditation and connection circle online, this Wednesday 1st April.

New beginnings for an Ostara new moon

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:26:29 GMT

Welcome to the light half of the year - how will you use it to 'fire up' your 2026?

Ostara, the spring equinox always brings a reminder to balance, as we pay attention to the equal day light /night, but in 2026 it falls at a new moon and the start of Aries season so there is a real urge this year to let this time mean new beginnings and time to fire up action.

But remember the call to balance that the equinox whispers so sweetly, pay attention to this voice or you risk burnout to nip neatly at you.

This week, post the beautiful celebrations of Ostara and an unseasonally warm Spring Equinox, I find myself a little surprised and almost disappointed at the chill in the air today. But then I remember, the frost in the morning is more in keeping with Spring, and I can enjoy layering up, sipping hot drinks out in the changing air and the last of the fires in the hearth before Summer is here again.

This week, starting 23 March is the start of the astrological new year in Aries, which brings forward feelings of courage courage, action, and new beginnings. This week is ideal for setting bold goals, taking responsibility for your life's direction, and letting go of old, protective habits to embrace a fresh, authentic path, but I'm listening to all these astrological messages with attention to the weather!

To help me, and hopefully you too, I've put together some journaling/reflective prompts to tap into this energy. I am also ensuring that I make time for a meditation - even if just 10 minutes, before reflecting on these prompts to help me to be 'less in my head' and more in-tune with what will serve me as I pause to write, notice and suspend the critical voice of judgement.

The Power of Starting Now: What new, bold and brilliant dream is stirring inside me, and what is one small action I can take this week to help make it happen?

Build Legacy. The last time Saturn was in Aries (1997-1998) may have brought unexpected or important steps forward, maybe you weren't even born, so perhaps you reflect back on to what you know of this time from family stories. What structures in my life am I being called to build, refine, or take more responsibility for now? What were the learnings from 1997/98 relevant to my life today (even if you weren't born or just a child)?

Authentic Self-Expression: Where am I holding back from being truly myself out of fear of judgment, and how can I express my unique voice this week?

Taking Bold Action: Where in my life am I called to stop sitting on the sidelines and start acting with courage?

Specific prompts relevant to your astrology:

Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius): How can I channel my passions into a specific, productive project

Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn): How can I make changes to daily routines and habits to feel more grounded, capable and courageous?

Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius): What new perspectives are coming to light, particularly in relationships and career?

Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces): How can I trust my intuition when making important decisions about my work, finances and long-term goals

Key dates:

23/24th: Start of the week: Reflect on the boldness stirring in you and the fears arising or the actions that seem easy to start - if they are easy to start - stop procrastinating!

25/26th: Midweek: Focus on setting firm boundaries and clearing up misunderstandings.

27/28th: Week end: How have partnerships matured. What can you learn from the past and what do you want to bring forward into your present.

If you only do one thing:

Try creating an "I will" list for the month as your manifestation tool for the month ahead. This is a way to actively take responsibility for your new moon wishes rather than just a passive wishlist.

An "I will" list uses active phrasing, instead of "I want" or "I wish" you start to use the words "I will" and "I am" to show how certain you are and that you own your desires and wishes.

Instead of: "I want more money." try "I will create new, abundance-filled opportunities."

Instead of: "I want to be less scared." try "I will act with courage in my relationships."

If you need help with shifting any of last week's new moon wishes into positive affirmations and an 'I will' list - just connect.

Next week the energy shifts gently, and you'll get a stronger sense of what's blocking you from making this "I will" list happen, so make time at the full moon on 1st April to reflect, pause and release these blocks again and again. The sun in Aries in opposition to the Libra full moon brings the promise of fertilising the growth of what you began last week at the new moon, but heightened emotions, romance, relationship drama are likely to rear their heads to distract you - but also help you reach a realisation of what (on your I will list) really matters.

Book on to our next online moon meditation and connection session to explore these themes together at the April full moon on 1st Apri l.

What works for your wellbeing - 10 top references

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:08:07 GMT

Science and great reading behind some of the tools covered in your BalanceTime class, retreat or workshop

Discover more of the science and stories behind the BalanceTime session or experience with our top ten references.

Why meditation works

There are now thousands of references into meditation and mindfulness as a proven technique to help with mental and physical stress - and Harvard University has drilled down into the research to show the impact on anxiety and stress reduction and there is even r esearch into how mindfulness meditation can help improve your wider health outlook .

Prefer to watch a video: All it takes is 10 mindful minutes with Andy Puddicombe - TED talk

Want to read in detail, we recommend: The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh or How to meditate: Make Friends with Your Mind, Pema Chodron

Curious about breathwork ,

You can read up on the science into breath and anxiety reduction , enjoy the deep read of the inspiring book, Breath by James Nestor or watch this TED talk on breath to calm anxiety from a Neuroscientist

Think it's all woo-woo?

You might like to read the book packed with stories and scientific references 'why woo-woo works' from best selling author and former pharmacologist Dr David Hamilton or watch him talking on The Doctor's Kitchen to share much of the research in the book.

Reflecting balance with the moon at Ostara

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:16:38 GMT

As the Equinox marks equal day and night, so the moon enters the third quarter, hanging like a half moon in the sky

The spring equinox represents a time of balance as the day and night share equal amounts of time in 24 hours, and this year balance is also reflected in the moon, as just a few hours after the spring equinox on 22nd March, the moon will hang like a 'half' moon in the sky and enters the third quarter phase, waning with fading light and size until the new moon greets us at the end of the month.

I always love to notice and reflect on balance at this balancing point in the Celtic Wheel but it feels oddly acute to be doing so under this particularly moon, too

The moonology of Ostara, sees the moon aligning with Sagittarius and bringing forward our doubts and fears in relation to safety and security.

Ask yourself, do you always feel a need to be searching? Ask yourself, where does safety show up for you and where does it leave you worrying? Sagittarius reminds us to be optimistic, and embrace the fear that threatens to stop your dreams from turning into goals with a firm belief in your ability to make the impossible possible, to achieve those wishes you keep yearning for by turning them into a clear vision and listening to the dreams that bring your heart joy and give a sense of meaning to your whole being.

Even if this belief opens challenges, this moon invites you to have the optimistic intent to know that this is part of the greater vision to set you into the happiest healthiest version of you.

During the Third Quarter moon, allow your journaling prompts to focus on completing the feelings of release brought about by the full moon, and a sense of preparing for new beginnings at the new moon.

Journaling prompts to explore:

To start afresh with the new moon (on 28th March) I need to let go of ...

I am preparing for new beginnings by...

I notice that I am holding onto energy and feelings from...

I invite my body to call my energy back from these situations of....

I call my energy back....

Clarity and clearing begins with....

Cleansing and purification rituals can help you explore this energy of releasing negativity and burdens, such as:

1. Smudge or saining ritual:

Cleanse your home or personal space with smoke (sage, palo santo) or sound (bells, chimes) to remove stagnant energy and sweep up the debris and give it back to the earth outside with thanks.

2. Energy release

Write or visualise aspects of your life that are weighing you down and then imagine the negative energies associated with these situations being cut and cleared away, leaving your body, freeing your mind and your life.

3. Zen letter

Write a letter of all the anger, emotion, frustration for a person or situation (or yourself) - then after all the anger, begin to find the possibility of some silver linings in the situation, some moments of joy in the sadness and write these down too, if you can't think of anything good, just write the words: "I am thankful for the good and joy in this situation and I forgive myself for any wrong doing to myself and others" - burn or bury this letter

4. Create a sacred space inside and outside:

Maybe making a nature mandala outside and inside creating a picture, space or altar that represents the balance that you are bringing to your life, at this time of year.

Explore the magic of the moon with our online moon sessions, Friday 21st March at 1pm . Thursday 27th March at 8pm and Friday 28th at 1pm

Spring Equinox Stories

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 13:46:16 GMT

At the balancing point of the spring equinox why do the old stories matter?

The Spring Equinox marks a powerful turning point in the year — a moment of perfect balance between light and dark.

In Celtic traditions, this sacred time known as Alban Eilir ("Light of the Earth") celebrates renewal, fertility, and fresh beginnings.

When we pause to really listen to the lessons of the world around us, nature teaches us that this is a time to embrace balance and prepare for growth. It's a busy time in the farming calendar and many businesses and there is a general feeling of awakening that blooms with each day of welcome sunshine.

The Celts honoured the equinox with rituals that celebrated the awakening land. Fires were often lit to symbolize the returning warmth of the sun, and flowers such as primrose and daffodil were laid on altars to welcome fertility and abundance. Eggs, seen as symbols of life and rebirth, were decorated or buried in the earth to bless the crops.

Perhaps some of these old rituals are still a part of your life now, and here are some simple balance rituals you can create to bring a connection to this time, and most importantly back to your sense of happiness, wonder and inner 'awakening'.

A simple meditation at sunrise can help connect with the light's return - even better if you can get outside to watch it, and enjoy that serotonin mood boost from the rising sunlight.

Walking in nature and reflecting on what you wish to nurture this season is a beautiful way to align with the equinox's energy. Maybe you feel like being bold and taking off your shoes and socks and really grounding and connecting with the land to call forward this feeling of growth and new beginnings into your being.

Lighting a candle or arranging fresh flowers on your table can symbolize gratitude for the new season ahead. And pausing to look at either/both are lovely simple meditations to mindfully connect you with the moment.

Gather with friends, with food, drink and perhaps singing and dancing, egg painting and tales of rich growth and spring magic.

Embrace this moment of equilibrium to pause, reset, and welcome the growth and possibilities that spring offers.

We'd love to welcome you to celebrate at our in-person events in Berkshire too. Friday 21st March in the woods at Padworth and Sunday 23rd for our spring equinox social in Caversham, Reading

Energy this eclipse season

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:59:06 GMT

Navigating stress around the lunar and solar cycle

Ever been curious about how the sun and moon impact your work, mood, energy levels and can even help you find abundance and balance?

No I am neither a sun-bed manufacturer or astronaut. But the sun and moon are helping me with better business and better balance.

How and why?

�� Living in the UK, I used to get real 'seasonal' lows in the Winter, and then in my 20s I started 'celebrating the seasons' and really noticing the cycle of the sun and light.

Have you ever noticed what a difference watching the sunrise �� or sunset �� makes to your day or week?

Have you taken time in the depths of Winter to get out into the (sun)light, even when grey and overcast?

These simple feel-good mindful moments are proven to increase serotonin and melatonin boosting happiness and quality sleep. Even tuning in to the simple statement and reminder, that as the sun rises and sets each day, it's an opportunity to start afresh and let the day's worries sink into the horizon.

Have you tried 'chasing a sunset', getting outside to watch sunrise, and just finding time in the (sun)light each winter/early spring day? For me, it's definitely a mood booster - and one that helps my focus, resilience, and soother of stress and anxiety.

�� And as for the moon, I've been aware for a while that emotions and moods of children, older people (and to be honest most of us) are always heightened at the full moon �� More babies are born, more children struggle to sleep and more people 'misbehave'. But in the past six years, I've taken time to appreciate the way a new moon �� , almost always offers a new start, and if I plan my month's actions, intentions, dreams and goals at a new moon - I always seem to achieve so much more than when I goal set at another time.

Recently I've taken this further, paying attention to the rest of the moon cycles and it's interesting as the time of the moon I am supposed to feel more energy and strength �� , is definitely the time my focus is higher, I can blitz tasks with a little extra ease. In the same way those times of the moon good for reflection and releasing �� are a more effective (for me at least) time for reviewing goals, analytics, finances and financial admin.

This month's lunar cycle is taking us through two powerful eclipse energies, times that hugely amp up the potential for groundbreaking change. Here's the astrological forecast!

Friday 14 March: Full Moon / Lunar Eclipse in Virgo

Emotions are dramatically heightened during lunar eclipses, and with the full moon in Virgo you may find that your feeling of safety is now related to feelings of order and clarity.

You may have the need to organise what you perceive as chaotic, and while it is spring cleaning ‘season’ you’ll still need to be cautious of where order threatens to control you.

Explore how being more tolerant of apparent imperfections can help you to flow more smoothly through life as you embrace the lessons and blessings of mistakes.

Journaling prompts: My mistakes are teaching me....Being more ordered and organised is needed in.... Being more open and in the flow is needed for....

Friday 21 March: Third Quarter Moon in Sagittarius

The moon in Sagittarius can help you bring a sense of adventure to situations that might be challenging, and it calls you to find fresh perspectives on your sense of purpose and meaning in life.

With the waning third quarter moon, you’ll be asked to release the heaviness of rigid beliefs and stuck emotions that no longer serve you. This can help you come back to your life with more optimism and positivity to make the kinds of small and big changes that help your heart sing.

Journaling prompts: If I could believe in the impossible then I would be open to .....

Friday 28 March: New Moon / Solar Eclipse in Aries

New moons are a time of completion as much as a time of beginning. Winding down from the lunar eclipse in Virgo, you may feel both exhausted from the journey you’ve taken and enthusiastic about the surprises that will soon spring forth ahead.

This can bring discomfort and insecurity to the forefront, and you may find yourself confronting your own resistance to resting and recharging. Give yourself time and support to integrate the wisdom/noise/challenges and changes of where you have been this month to take your best self forward into the sparky energy of an Aries solar eclipse.

For support navigating these energies, take a look at our magical events here or book in for some one-to-one support .

March magic

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 16:35:29 GMT

Rekindling your sense of 'spring' in your heart and mind

After a grey start to the year, glimmers of sunshine and the start of spring flowers can feel like a welcome shift.

But it's too easy to hit burn out at this time of year, motivated by the changing light you can opt to rush into over doing it and then you suddenly wonder why you are so exhausted.

Here's an invitation to explore a few balancing, relaxing techniques founded in meditation and shamanic principles to truly restore that sense of 'springing into wonder' to your mind and body.

S un soothing: we all know how sunshine can lift our mood, it's not just your imagination, sunlight affects the production of serotonin and melatonin, which impact mood and sleep. Although the spring equinox and change to British Summer Time is fast approaching, we can still forget to make an effort to 'find some sunshine' in our day. On gorgeous holidays we always remember to enjoy a sunrise and sunset, but in the middle of work, the school run, caring demands, it's too easy to forget. Sunrise is around 6.30am now - can you get up and spot it, from a window, or better still getting outside into the rising light? Sunset is around 6pm (and by the end of March it will be 7.35pm). Can you make time in your busy schedule to 'chase' a sunrise or sunset. Explore doing this for 7 days and if that's too much, can you make time to get into the sunshine/light every day?

P ause: spring brings a rush of doing, spring cleaning, clearing clutter, restarting exercise regimes, end of tax year demands and business planning. Take time to pause in this rush and you'll find greater productivity in your day. Just 10 minutes of meditation a day, can help to increase focus, improve sleep and boost productivity. A 'meditation' can be as simple as shutting off your devices and watching the flicker of a candle flame, standing watching the sunrise in silence or a gentle breath or guided technique.

R ain: spring showers are a reliable part of this time of year, but notice what rain brings to your mood and thoughts. Try to resist the 'gloom' of a rainy day bringing your mood down and spend time enjoying watching the rain fall against a window, running, walking or dancing in the rain, and exploring RAIN as a meditation in itself: Recognise the way you are feeling in this moment. Allow all the feelings, thoughts and sensations this moment brings to be present - don't try to distract yourself. Just observe how and what you are feeling, judgements and sensations. Investigate: invite a curious mindset to these thoughts and feelings. Notice: now observe if and how things begin to shift.

I nspire: what are you doing to spark interest, get out of your comfort zone a little and embrace learning and development for the gifts they bring. Learning builds your brain's cognitive function, but it also boosts happiness and confidence and can help you foster a sense of purpose, while potentially reducing stress, sadness and boredom. Maybe you've booked a holiday to Spain and thought about learning some of the language. Maybe you've become a bit glued to the sofa of an evening and it's time to indulge in a good book, class or workshop instead. Maybe you've been curious about how AI can help you at work and it's time to test out a course. Think about what lifts your spirits and make time to learn, explore and get inspired.

G oals: Having a dream, building wishes, is the start of good goals. How can you turn this into a SMARTIE goal? And then break down that goal into little steps. What small action today, this week and this month will take you closer to this. Set this in action and go get your dreams to become a reality.

Want help with bringing less stress and more joy into your world? Tap into some of these experiences and having an accountability partner on your journey? Drop in to this month's online and real-life events or book yourself the t r eat of reiki or a one-to-one mindful coaching experience to rediscover the balance you are seeking, to restore a sense of wonder and magic in your life

Imbolc and the New Moon

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:50:01 GMT

The magic of the new moon at the point of Imbolc

Imbolc is the celtic festival that marks the return of Spring on 1st February.

Yes, I know spring seems a long way off when the days are cold and grey, but the ancestors of this land, recognised that spring begins under our feet or in the belly (of the earth). It is a call to remind us to use collective strength and support to get through the cold and dark days ahead, and a reminder, that however faint, the sunlight is beginning to return.

You may like to take some time on a walk spotting the first signs of spring, such as bulbs flowering, buds beginning to form on trees and welcoming those sunny days in between the wet and cold.

Imbolc is the halfway point between the winter solstice (Yule) and the spring equinox (Ostara), and known as a cross-quarter festival. The word "imbolc" is also associated with the celtic word "oimelc" which means ewe's milk as in traditional farming communities across Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland this was the time of year that they would start lambing. Our ancestors would have also given up milk and eggs so that calves could be fed by their mothers and chickens could sit upon their eggs for the next 'batch' of young chicks to be born in the warmer part of Spring!

With associations to the saint (and Roman goddess) Bride, Brigid or Bridget, the festival celebrates hope, renewal and the feminine, and can be celebrated by baking and sharing bread, making crosses from reeds or straw, visiting holy wells and sites and spring cleaning!

This year Imbolc falls close to the new moon in Aquarius (29th January), the new moon that marks the start of a new lunar cycle and the start of Chinese new year celebrations. As each new moon is an invitation to wish for what you want and let the stars help you manifest your dreams, this particular new moon is even more poignant with Aquarius giving you a push to step out of your comfort zone and be supported to make your boldest and wildest dreams come true to live your brightest, happiest life. With the sun and moon in Aquarius it brings an energy that is like a shifting of the winds. Think of that scene in Mary Poppins when the wind changes and she arrives, floating by umbrella. Breathe in the freshness offered by this time, cut ties to things that bind you to the past and make your most expansive wishes.

You can tap into this energy, reflecting in nature and under the stars and new moon, by creating a vision board or writing down your wishes. You may like to explore the journaling prompts:

What are the things I want to be, do and have before the end of the year, your next milestone birthday, before it's too late?

What what I do if I could not fail?

How can I bring respect for nature into my wishes for the year ahead?

How could being more playful help me with current challenges?

Before you get focused on a list that is just about having and doing, really focus on the feelings that you want to have this year, what delicious feelings do you want to experience...peace, love, calm, abundance, vitality, strength....explore with the prompt "This year I'd like to feel a deeper sense of..."

"By the end of 2025, I see myself being....., doing...... having...".

Happy exploring under this moon and turn of the celtic wheel.

Soft resolutions for January

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:18:44 GMT

Why consider starting January with a gentle approach to new year's resolutions

Soft resolutions this January!

Do you have new year's resolutions?

Do you stick to them?

Do they motivate you to achieve or weigh heavy on you?

If you know me well, or follow the wheel of the year with me you'll know I believe in soft resolutions in January.

It's an invitation to start the year with an idea of what you want to 'grow' in your life but rest wrapped around that idea so the idea can germinate, evolve and shift before forming stronger goals and objectives in February.

It's a recognition that rather than rushing to consume or throw out treats around the house from Christmas, to enjoy them gently, with friends, as reasons to share and reconnect with people.

It's a motivation to move more, if your Christmas has been more sofa-centric, but to recognise if you were ill, or just chose not to move so much over the festive celebrations, starting back to exercise might need to be gentle....

like my son's plus one press up a day. Starting January 1st with just one press up, and moving to one more each day..

so we'll see if we make it beyond January with this!

And it's also taking time to really look at how you measure and target success in your plans for the year...

Could you consider measuring success in

The people you helped

The smiles you shared

The books you read

The way you supported your body.

The time you invested in listening and being there for others.

The boundaries you set to support your energy.

Over Christmas I read an article that talked about the importance of active choices in our rest of an evening that can help reduce our risk of dementia, i.e. less TV and social media and choosing exercise or active rest instead, such as meditation, prayer, reading, yoga nidra, conversations...

I listened to my sister in law cite her achievement of reading over 200 books in 2024 and I pledged to read at least 24 books this year... May sound low to those avid readers but when I realised I had only read 12 in 2024, it felt like a soft start.

Pleased to say with 2 down in my target, and that I am finding the joy from book inspiration that fuels my soul.

And if you haven't yet read Katie Piper 's Beautiful or Bonnie Garmus 's Lessons in Chemistry...treat yourself to some incredible words of wisdom and life guidance

Now off to try 10 press ups!

What are your soft resolutions this January and how are they going so far?

For the love of apples

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 11:10:55 GMT

Autumn Apple Cake and using apples at Halloween/Samhain

The humble apple often makes a feature at our Autumn events, baked up in nutty apple loaf, crafted into a tart or used as part of Samhain story telling - this Halloween.

Did you know there is evidence of apples being part of seasonal traditions in the UK since 400BC! With apples and nuts being given to the spirits of the land at this time of year as an offering of thanks and protection. Apples were also believed to help open the doorway between the dead and the living at the festival of Samhain (Halloween). And there is a lovely Druidic tradition to offer an apple into a river at Samhain with love for someone you have lost in the past year, as a blessing to help their spirit be guided over the rainbow bridge to the summer lands.

Apple bobbing was a tradition brought here by the Romans, blending the old traditions with their tradition of bobbing for apples in recognition of the goddess of the fruit harvest Pomona, with the added invitation that if a young woman and young man bit from the same apple, they would be set for a long, happy and fertile marriage!

And I do love to make chocolate apples at Halloween - a less tooth damaging sweet treat to the toffee apple - dipping apples into tasty chocolate - and then sweet sugar sprinkles - and these get offered along with fresh apples and naughty sweets at our door.

But as promised, here's the nutty apple loaf recipe used, based on the Hummingbird bakery recipe - with a few small changes....

The Hummingbird Bakery’s Nutty Apple Loaf

Makes 8-10 slices

175g unsalted butter at room temperature
140g light brown soft sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
2 medium eggs
140g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g shelled mixed nuts, chopped (I used just walnuts)
50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (I double this - for I do love my dark chocolate)
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped (if small - add a third)

To make:

1. Grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin.

2. Place the butter, sugar and jam in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (alternatively use an electric whisk). Cream together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and beat into the butter mixture. Scrape down the sides then mix quickly again. Stir in the nuts, chocolate and apple. Pour into the loaf tin and flatten out the surface of the mix. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 170°c/150°c fan/325°f/Gas Mark 3. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes until brown and the sponge feels firm to touch. Insert a skewer/toothpick into the centre – it will come out clean if cooked through.

5. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Come discover apple treats at our Autumn events this October and November

Avoiding Autumn Overwhelm

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 19:16:36 GMT

Finding balance as the season changes

As we tip into the darker half of year we can feel conflicted by wanting to rest, at one of the busiest times of the year. And while heavy rain and turbulent winds can have us wanting to hide away and hibernate early, there's some important magic to be found in the time of harvest that recognises the need to find balance to avoid overwhelm.

Here's our invitation to explore nine ways to reclaim balance at this time of balancing the dark and light, in us and around us. Some simple, and some may feel 'too big' but see which of these ideas catches your attention in the quest for balance.

Have you written a harvest gratitude list? Associated with the Autumn Equinox and harvest season - the Celtic celebration of Mabon - is a wonderful time to pause and acknowledge all this year's harvests, successes and moments of joy. Share it to encourage others to create their own and 'high five' your successes, and give yourself a little accountability before the end of the year.
Review your acts of service this year. Look at where you act in service of others and address the balance. Perhaps your life is all about helping others and you are too low on your to do list? Perhaps you've been so focused on work or relationships that some kindness to others needs to be added to your list?
Create from nature . Gather apples and blackberries and make a crumble. Pick elderberries and cook up a syrup (great to ward off colds/infections). Harvest sage and lavender and make a herb bundle to burn on the fire or to smudge your home.
Chase the sunshine. Spot the gaps in the rain and get outside, as the days shorten it's all too easy to realise you've been shut away in doors without a breath of air or moment of day light. Can you allow some flexibility into your working day to seize these moments of brightness.
Go sunrise and sunset spotting. Sunrise 1st October in Reading is 7.05, sunset 18.41 - it's one of the easiest times of year to spot a sunrise and sunset within your busy schedule. Even getting out to notice the light changing without a picture perfect sunrise/set is a wonderful way to ground yourself at the start and end of your day. Maybe you can spot 7 days of sunrises and be aware what you notice throughout your week? We'd love to hear about your experience #7daysofsunrises
Search for those Autumn colours. The heavy rain has actually delayed and changed the usual explosion of Autumn oranges - but there are still many gorgeous colours to be spotted in nature, and out and about to connect you to the magic of the season. Be mindful when walking, popping to the shops or on your commute, and seek out those Autumn colours.
Watch the night sky. Did you know there are different stars you can find at different times of the year? Have you watched a whole moon cycle to be aware of how the moon changes from the night of the full moon to the new moon and paid attention to what this is bringing up for you? Full moons are associated with heightened emotions and 'lunatic' behaviour - so much so that certain professions need extra staff and awareness of the dates of the full moon. A new moon usually offers a gentler, contemplative mood, good for planning and wishing on the stars to manifest your dreams. This October there is a solar eclipse in line with the new moon in Libra on 2nd October - creating a potent time for fresh new beginnings and transformation.
Prioritise time to 'be'. It's easy to slip into 'Netflix and Chill' in the Autumn and Winter and stop all our good practices of meditation, reflection, self-care and exercise - but your future self will find overwhelm and anxiety rear their ugly heads all too quickly if you forget to make time for those positive habits that fuel your mind and body. If you need help, join one of our events , check out our online offerings or book some one-to-one time to reset your healthy habit patterns.
Get the balance of rest and connection. At the turn of the season to the darker nights, our bodies feel drawn to more rest, and it's important to recognise these needs and rhythms. But don't shut yourself away from the world, just yet. It's not time to hibernate alone. Connection is more important than ever, at this change of season time. Realise the support your have from friends and through circles of support and the BalanceTime community. Connect with likeminded souls at our private Facebook page , at an event with us or even just booking a night out (or in) with some friends.

What's the moon doing to me this month?

Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:41:36 GMT

There is some heady moon energy this July - take time to notice

This July there is an astrology of new opportunities under a heavy 'bed' of emotion and angst. The Cancer New Moon takes place on the 5th July at 11:57pm, and despite being a water sign, it represents action as we sit with our sun and moon aligned under this sign of the home-maker and protector.

There is a strong theme of protection at this new moon, so rather than feeling angry, take time to notice this feeling of protection and nurturing of friends, family, home. Although under the sun we reach that pause before the harvest begins in full swing, like every new moon, there is an energy calling you to plant seeds of intention, particularly regarding your emotions, sense of safety and home, and protection of your overall well-being.

These intentions will build as we wax toward the full moon in Capricorn on 21st July, as we may feel a true pul for balance between our inner and outer worlds, our need for rest and the pull and pressure to achieve, to do, to 'get the things done'.

Emotions may be running high this new moon, and you may feel aware of a sense of wanting to protect feeling and structures of connection, whether that's family, friendship groups, work bonds or your local communities. Notice these emotions and try to breathe before you respond, so any anger or frustration is diffused before you comment.

You'll feel called to be supported and also find yourself being the shoulder for others to lean on and beware of a sense of overwhelm at this time, which can lead to hypersensitivity, hurt and anger in you and those around you. Notice if these feelings are stuck in the past, caught on old attitudes and beliefs that perhaps need a little mature 'upgrade'.

You may find it helpful to journal to pay attention to these energies and let them pass, rather than feeling 'stuck' by them.

Mixed in this is the old Cancerian trait of wanting to withdraw, to side step difficulties and try and defend - even if that means pushing away the people and connections that you need for comfort and joy.

You may see a disconnection from others and this reclusiveness is their own insecurities trying to protect themselves. Don't back them into a corner or they'll give you a nasty pinch as they lash out.

There's a real polarised dance being played by this new moon energy, so lean into the dance and notice if you want to get swept up in the wave - or watch, breathe, flow and let it go.

Casting your wishes this new moon, make sure surrendering the things you do not need is wrapped up in your wishes for the future. How can you make at least one of your wishes about connection and cohesion with the community around you too?

Journaling prompts for the new moon:

Under this new moon, I notice how feminine energies of home-making, nurturing, connecting and healing relationships are playing out for me in....

Under the new moon, I am aware of where I side-step around....

I lean into my soul's wishes and find myself yearning for....

I truly desire...

See what happens as you explore this energy.

As this unfurls into July, V enus, the planet of love and beauty, makes an harmonious trine with Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusions, on 11th. This encourages us to indulge in our artistic pursuits and seek deeper connections and a touch of romance. However, Venus and Pluto falls into opposition on 12th July introduces a more intense dynamic that challenges us to confront the darker aspects of our desires and relationships, pushing us to transform and evolve through these experiences.

Mars, the planet of action and drive, encounters Uranus, the planet of sudden changes and innovation, on 15th July a meeting that can provoke a desire to break free from constraints and to act on more revolutionary impulses. Yet, as Mars moves into Gemini on 20th July, just before the Capricorn Full Moon on 21st, this energy is tempered with a reminder to use this action thoughtfully and considerately with planned strategy as opposed to reckless haste.

The Capricorn full moon, will bring this sense of conflict forward, so breathe into it gently and remember it's not just you feeling this 'wave', so you'll need to both guide your own emotions and be wary of others!

10 simple ways to treat yourself to a moment of relaxation

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 20:37:11 GMT

How find moments of calm and joy from everyday activities and simple treats

The simplest of treats and pleasures can become a deeper moment of rest and calm, with a pause, a deeper breath and really enjoying exploring everyday objects and uncomplicated gifts with an open and curious mind and an invitation to use all of your senses to appreciate them.

1. Chocolate:

Make a delicious small bar of chocolate a mindful moment by pausing to experience it with all your senses. Look at the packaging before you open it – notice the colour and how you feel about it. Pause to notice the sound as you open the wrapper. Breathe in the smell of the chocolate. Feel it between your fingers and look at the chocolate inside with calm curiosity. Taste it – slowly taking the chocolate to your lips and holding in your mouth before you chew and swallow and then eat the rest slowly, considerately and mindfully.

2. Candle:

Place a candle on a safe fire proof surface and use it for a candle meditation. Let your gaze softly focus on the fame flickering and allow your thoughts and feelings to fade. Imagine any negative thoughts, habits or feelings being transformed by the flame. Watch how the air and your breath, bring a flicker to the flame and blow the candle out at the end with a wish for your future.

3 . Bath Bomb:

Use a bath bomb, foam bath or shower gel to enjoy getting very present when you wash, leave your worries outside the bathroom and let this be a moment just for you.

Don't 'take anyone' in the bath or shower with you (in your thoughts!) - you'll be surprised who's in there (in your mind) with you. Instead focus on the pleasant feeling of the water and soap on your skin, breathe in the fragrance and notice what that invokes. Observe the textures of skin, water, soap. Listen to the sounds around you and watch the water flowing and bubbles forming. Mindfully and deliberately and use this product to bring you to the moment now – away from worries about the future or anxieties about the past – breathe deep in through your nose and enjoy.

4. Hand moisturiser:

Take time to moisturise your hands and give thanks to your hands for all they do for you, every day, and all that they have made possible for you in your life so far. Pay them some attention with the way you add the moisturiser or balm to your skin, gently and considerately.

5. Mindful tea:

Make each cup of tea a mindful moment and pause to take in the experience from opening the packet to pouring in the hot water and watching the colour spread into the water. Listen to the sounds of the kettle and the water, and observe the temperature of the cup. Deeply breathe in the aroma before you finally taste and appreciate your cup of tea.

6. Seeds:

Planting and time in the garden - or just potting plants on window sills can be a joyously mindful experience. Connecting you to the earth and simple pleasures of watching something grow. Touching and stepping on the earth, helps us to ground, feel more centred and present. Notice any frustrations or impatience that arises and invite it to pass with your breath, coming back to appreciate the act of sowing seeds.

7 . Positive affirmations:

Yes, you are awesome, and you can also choose what affirmations you want to repeat to bring strength and energy to your day. Explore mantras like I am Happy. I am calm. I am strong. I am. Be aware of resistance and judgement and invite that to move away. What do you need more of in your life right now? Use an affirmation to help you imagine this wish, as if it was already true.

8. I heart me:

Objects like hearts and rainbows will have powerful meanings and associations. When you see a heart, do you think of love? Do you remember to whisper words of love and kindness to yourself as much as you support others? What happens when you whisper to yourself, 'I love you and I am listening'. When you see a rainbow, what thoughts, emotions and physical feelings arise? Just be present to all of these and give yourself a moment to see how these sensations and judgements pass.

9. What smells good?

Scent is a powerful trigger to memory and moments of joy in your past. Explore how ordinary objects can transport you to holiday destinations, happy childhood memories and feelings of peace and contentment just through a smell. Unless you have an allergy or negative memory most people will discover that the smell of:

lemons help with feelings of calm and concentration,

oranges trigger happiness chemicals like dopamine

mint helps focus and digestion

chocolate triggers dopamine

tea tree triggers feelings of healing

tomatoes have a scent that is both spicy and sweet, earthy and fresh that is often associated with childhood and exploration

Be aware of how much everyday objects and smells can enhance (or upset) your mood.

10. Make walking and movement mindful

Everyday movement and walking can be an opportunity to reconnect with your body, move out of 'tense' postures caused by being sedentary. Sit and stand tall, stretch and observe everyday movement with a greater awareness of sensation, posture and letting tension move away from you, by simply moving more.

As the saying goes: Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering. Simply taking notice of the little things, with awareness, and use of all of your senses, you are likely to find a calmer, more happiness inducing shift into balance, to your everyday.

Why celebrate the Spring Equinox of Ostara

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:33:11 GMT

Perhaps it's time to plant the seeds of balance within you

I've been celebrating the Spring Equinox and the wider Celtic Wheel for over 20 years, and it's a wonderful time of rebalancing and planting seeds for the year ahead, here are some of the stories and ways you can celebrate the magic of this time.

Why Ostara stories invite us to find balance in our lives as well as the light and dark of our day:

Ostara - the Spring Equinox is the point of balance of light and dark, a celebration of the blossoming of Spring that has been taking place quietly gently under our feet and our noses for weeks.

Ostara is loaded in tradition, myth and magic. As we notice the point of balance between day light and night time, this point of balance calls us to balance our light and our shadow, masculine and feminine, outer and inner balance. We become aware of the aliveness of the natural world around us and energy building. The increasing length of the days brings a boost in energy and feeling of wanting to spring clean, sort out and move forward with our lives, plans and ambitions.

You can invite this festival of rebirth to call you back from the darkness. For it is only with the connection to our light that we can be the change that we want to see in the world. Explore what will be 'born' from the ideas and seeds you plant into the world right now.

Ways to celebrate:

Honour the light and dark within you with quiet and with movement, with rest and with doing, with music and sound and space for quiet and listening. Let the goddess of this time, break through the last of the cold to welcome the blossoming part of mid Spring, while heeding the wind and rain as it blows the cobwebs away and reminds you to release all that has been holding you back. May you Spring forward at this Equinox but also remember that even the mad March hare rests!

Ways to connect to this time include spending time in nature, looking for the signs of mid Spring, celebrating with friends and sharing what this time of year means to you, planting seeds and seedling-sharing in your community and taking time to notice where the balance of doing and dreaming is in your life right now.

Perhaps you've been working hard and some time off to pause and rebalance is just what you need? Perhaps work has been slow and you've been caught in dreaming of new possibilities so it's time for some action to make your dreams happen? It's a great time to reset, review and plant both physical and metaphorical seeds for your success this year.

Spend some time in reflective journaling on meditating on the questions: Who are you today? Who are you becoming? What happens when you invite the possibility of letting go into your life and surrender into the possibility of being more of yourself?

What happens when you review the balance in your life, in activity, in quiet and mindful practices, in the fuel you consume both in terms of food and drink, media, books and company? Are you out of balance in laughter and playfulness? But in balance in work and productivity? Take some time to contemplate, review and set yourself gentle steps to change.

What is an Equinox anyway:

The Spring Equinox or Ostara in the Northern Hemisphere, falls around the point of balance between light and dark in daylight, a point that happens twice a year - at both Spring and Autumn Equinox. Here in the UK, day and night become equal on 20 ^th March 2024 at around 3.06am (the exact time will depend on where you are based).

An equinox is described as the moment when the sun appears to rise due east and set due west, occurring around 20/21 march and 22/23 September each year, with a slight variation in timing each year.

The Spring Equinox is loaded with promise of fertility as it brings the point of mid Spring when all of a sudden buds that have been working their way out, seem to 'almost overnight' burst into blossom and leaf. It's often a time for baby animals in the farming calendar, so you'll see lambs and calves in the fields, and be aware of birds making their nests.

Ostara Stories

The stories of this time of year, come from many different cultures, but most centre with a belief around this rising feminine, fertile energy and a balance of male and female energy represented by the balance between light and dark in the sky. Eostre is believed to be an anglo-saxon goddess of fertility and new-life and an influence in the naming of Easter and the hormone oestrogen, in connection to the time of feminine energy. Closely linked to the Germanic goddess Ostara/Oestre of the same intention, awakening spring and the dawn of new beginnings. She is the dawning of the Sun and as the Sun warms, her presence grows stronger wherever she is seen; the year dawns, the snow melts, plants rise up from the frozen ground and she makes new life possible.

In days when our ancestors had no electricity or modern comforts, this time of year was an important period of festivity as communities celebrated surviving winter, and the approach of Summer. People thanked the unseen beings who ruled the world for the breaking up of the frost-time and prayed for plenteous harvests and fruitful flocks and herds to the gods and goddesses of nature.

Across all the traditions of goddess Ostara, they bring the myths of the goddess of spring dancing through the land and waking up the last of the land that is still under the spell of Winter's slumber. Tales talk of birds and hares helping the goddess wake up the land, with the Ostara hare being a bird whose wings became frozen. The goddess took pity on this bird as it lay on the edge of death and transformed him into a hare who would help bring the awakening of Spring even to the cold places of the North, where birds could not fly. The hare in gratitude, retained it's bird-like ability to lay eggs and laid coloured eggs as a token of gratitude, and way of bringing the blessings of Spring to all upon it's journey."

Hares are nocturnal and bring a connection to the moon, lunar cycle, spring, and fertility and rebirth are intertwined by various spins on these tales.

The Hare is a curious symbol shared by the medieval cultures of Europe and Asia; Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, where many of these traditions saw hares as representative of femininity and magic. At times, hares can be portrayed as clever and foolish, cowardly and courageous, virginal and sexualised. But in many stories the hare is a spiritual messenger for the feminine energy of the world, moving under the protection of moonlight between the human world and the world of the gods.

Interestingly in other cultures, the hare is a god in his own right, hiding in plain sight amongst the people.

The astrology of this time sees us step out of dreamy Pisces on March 19 ^th with a reminder to notice magic around us before the fiery sign of Aries bursts in with the start of the astrological year. As we move into the sun sign of Aries, it triggers a burst of 'doing' and 'making it happen' energy - that we need to balance with the fact that while it is getting lighter, it still gets dark of an early evening, and we may yet have some frosts. It's not yet time to plant all of your seeds, too soon!

The wonderful poet Donna Ashworth writes of this time in her poem Spring from her book 'Wild Hope' :

I have always believed March to be the harbinger of hope, the launch-pad to lighter days, the gateway to Spring. March soothes our winter-worn souls with anticipation and its promise of more. It gently shakes our hibernating toes and whispers ‘wake now, your wintering days are done’. And so, with each earlier sunrise, we emerge, we reignite, we reenergise. As with the nature around us, we begin to rise. Come on in March, we have waited for your light, for your joy, for your new. We are ready.

Donna Ashworth

Spring from ‘Wild Hope’

For those curious to explore the spring equinox see what's happening on your doorstep, get out and look for the signs of spring around you.

We're hosting a series of magical events to connect to the season,

Join our women's only, goddess gathering on Friday 22nd March at Amner's Farm near Burghfield, Reading for an evening of connection, sisterhood support, full moon meditation and journaling to restore the feeling of being 'out of balance' within you.

Be part of our evening retreat , open to all, men, women all welcome in our inclusive, full disabled access venue at Beech Hill, near Mortimer on Friday 29th March for a celebration of the Magic of You. A shamanic offering in collaboration with Heather Parker, bringing soothing sound through drum, wooden flute and her hypnotic voice and folk-tunes, while Judy guides you through meditation magic, with hands-on reiki-healing and heart-opening cacao.

Keep up to date with all our events on eventbrite , instagram and facebook

And whatever you do, may the bright blessings of Ostara bring you balance!

Why your happiness could be out of balance

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:19:24 GMT

Did you know that there are four ways our brain shows us we are happy and if you are only getting happiness from one hormone you could feel out of balance.

Judy Claughton, Director of Happiness at BalanceTime explains "Most of us love the feeling of being happy. In a happy state of being we can feel more capable, more resilient, we feel more in flow with life and things seem to just work out better. Happiness isn't just for our home-life, as happiness at work has a direct impact on our productivity. Various studies show productivity increases with happiness by up to 40 percent (13% shown in a University of Oxford Study 2019 and 37 percent shown in a University of Warwick Study – specifically looking at Google ). But the benefits are much more than just how well people perform a task. Happiness helps creativity, positive risk taking, instils loyalty and reduces churn. Happiness is also good for your physical and mental health and that means fewer days off sick. Depression affects one in six people in the UK (source office of National Statistics 2022) with the average time off sick being 20 days. That's a month out of work, per employee with depression. Whatever your business size these kind of numbers can have a critical impact on operations.

These results have led to a rise in stress prevention measures, wellbeing and stress management workshops and programmes. but happiness needs to go deeper to make these measures 'stick'. , first people need to understand why it’s important and then look at ways to build a healthy happiness culture.

Happiness has had some bad press recently with the concept of toxic positivity, when staff are not allowed to show that they are struggling or upset or be given space to notice and feel the full spectrum of human emotions that is totally natural and normal to feel at different points in our life. It’s important that the right approach to happiness in the workplace – can actually allow space and supportive structures when something is not right (or someone is sad/unhappy) too.

One of the first things I like to introduce is awareness of what makes us/different people happy and the links between these people/situations and the happiness chemicals we produce in our brain. As happiness hormones are triggered by different things we can sometimes find gaps in the things we choose for our happiness and if we don’t have a balance of ALL 4 of the happiness hormones we can feel out of balance!

A reminder of the four main happiness hormones and how to ‘hack’’ them:

Dopamine: The ‘feel good’ hormone is released when we enjoy pleasure and feel rewarded or connected to a positive memory. Pleasure can be from food (and certain foods are known for higher dopamine production like chocolate, avocado and citrus fruits), doing things we enjoy and even being acknowledged for a job well done. The food link can be dangerous – as foods high in sugar, carbohydrate and saturated fat may give a short term release of dopamine, but over the longer term they cause our dopamine levels to decrease. A bit like our addiction to social media and different apps. Social media like you tube shorts, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok as well as many apps are designed to ‘hook’ us by activities that stimulate the reward centre of our brain and dopamine production just slightly so we find ourselves craving more and more. This is often why a reliance on dopamine alone is linked to addiction and substance abuse. Certain health conditions and situations cause our dopamine levels to plummet – like situations of high stress, health conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons and lack of sleep.

Some hacks for increasing dopamine include: smelling/eating an orange, opting for a small amount of dark chocolate rather than high saturated fat alternatives and work based actions you can take include having realising task/goal lists and being able to tick off those tasks regularly and celebrating small wins with people you work with – or having an accountability partner if you work alone. Self-care activities also help, like reading or listening to a podcast, pampering your skin/nails/hair, having a bath, enjoying some meditation and spending time with friends and family (see also oxytocin).

Oxytocin: The ‘love’ hormone is released when we spend time with people we care about. It isn’t ‘just’ about romantic love – although yes oxytocin is released through hugs, physical affection and sex. It’s also released during the process of breastfeeding and baby and even child-birth. All those birth-breathing exercises you see and hear people insisting on in films and in real life hospitals are about helping increase feelings of relaxation, that help the body’s stress levels (hormones) fall and natural oxytocin levels surge to pain relief producing levels.

It’s not just people, spending time showing affection to our pets – particularly dogs and cats boosts your oxytocin. Having a positive relationship with your dog has been proven to even help reduce blood pressure and increase immunity.

Oxytocin is critical in a workplace not to turn all office spaces into ‘cuddle pits’ but to promote trust, connection and understanding.

Some hacks for increasing oxytocin include: giving and receiving hugs, stroking a pet and giving compliments and gifts. At work, the quickest way to boost this is to compliment your colleagues and develop a positive culture of acknowledgement and support. The physical act of giving the compliment creates the oxytocin – the receiver gets a dopamine boost – until they stop and say thank you and acknowledge you in return. Other things that help include attending yoga and meditation classes and the sense of connection that comes through these relaxation activities in a supportive group environment.

Serotonin: The ‘soothing’ hormone helps regulate your mood and avoid peaks of anger, sadness or depression and even over excitement. This regulation helps us learn and focus better, sleep better and regulate the body’s natural rhythms including the nervous system. A lack of serotonin is linked to depression and anxiety, which in turn decreases the production of serotonin – explaining why people can feel like they are on a dangerous downward spiral.

Some hacks for increasing serotonin include getting out in the sunshine, as the sunlight directly links to our brain’s serotonin production and being out in nature. Although physical exercise is more directly linked to endorphin production, the link between the heart rate increase and motor activity of running and swimming boosts serotonin production. Again, meditating helps reduce stress hormones and naturally boost our serotonin.

Work hacks that I’ve seen be really successful for helping boost this happiness hormone and increase productivity at work, include encouraging one minute of meditation/silence before a meeting begins to help ‘settle’ and calm everyone and one minute of quiet before everyone leaps up to the next meeting/task, and a culture that actively avoids over scheduling/back to back meetings. As well as other ‘bigger’ initiatives like a regular meditation club/group, running club and running or walking challenges for the office and an away-day in nature from tree-planting to forest bathing to scaling the heady heights of a tree-top challenge like Go Ape.

Endorphins – ‘the exercise and pain relief’ hormone. Most associated with physical exercise and that glow or euphoric feeling that you can feel after exercise, this is a powerful pain-relieving hormone. It’s important to note that friends and colleagues with physical injuries/recovering from operations or those experiencing back and shoulder pain will have lower levels of endorphins and be in a heightened state of (physical) stress which has a big impact on happiness and productivity.

What I try to encourage is finding movement that you love – which could be playing football with your child or team, going to the gym on your own, or dancing round the kitchen at home.

There is a big link to boosting endorphins through play and laughter – which might mean playing with your dog or your children, watching comedy or playing a game with friends/colleagues and encouraging a respectfully playful mindset in the workplace.

One of the happiest places I have ever worked had an office based near a park where we all tended to spend lunch hours walking, eating, talking and enjoying the landscape with colleagues that became friends. We played child-ish games like frisbee and non-competitive football, some of us ran and even trained for running competitions, others just enjoyed short walks, sitting in the sunshine or under the shelter of the trees watching the rain. We had team days out in country parks and nature centres, we even had a whole talks and workshop programme led by staff volunteers sharing their passions and knowledge – from meditation to bird-watching to photography. There was a supportive and playful culture to the workplace – where compliments were given freely and a ‘failure’ culture was encouraged – i.e. one where it is safe to fail/make mistakes, and learn from them – which actually created a system that no failures happened on the tasks/projects that were critical for people’s health and safety.

Physical activity and meditation come up a lot when you talk about happiness as the two activities are some of the only activities proven to both decrease production of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and increase production of at least three out of four happiness hormones.

When I run happiness workshops, one of the things I love to share is just how much happiness has an impact on us physically. You can try this at home, best with a friend or colleague to help you. Stand (or sit if you can’t stand) and hold your arm out and get your friend to gently push down on your arm, while you resist them. You are not trying to hurt each other or allow the movement just gently resist each other. Next think of a sad thought and really feel that thought begin to become a feeling in your body and let your friend push on your hand as you try to resist. Then, shake the sad thought off and bring a thought of absolute joy and happiness into your mind and let the friend push on your hand as you try to resist. Almost everyone will notice greater strength with the happy thought, but a strength that is ‘easy’ and a little bit flexible rather than a rigid and forceful strength. Go on try it. I’d love to hear how you get on!

Bringing a happiness mindset to work – won’t just happen with one workshop, it takes an ethical and cultural shift for some organisations and sometimes its about starting small with the tasks that are easy to implement and that get everyone excited and motivated to be part of a new happiness mindset."

If you want to chat about increasing happiness for you personally or in your work- please do reach out to www.balancetime.co.uk or connect with Judy Claughton on Linked In.

Why breath work works

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:32:00 GMT

Breath is life and the foundation of meditation.

Why perhaps breath as this foundation is the best stress-busting technique you can bring into your daily routine

"Breathe with me, release the pressure". Those famous lyrics from the Prodigy possibly sum up the value of breath work quicker than anything I can write, but for those of you curious about the power of breath, here's a bt of the science and a few techniques really helpful for finding calm in your busy schedule.

Although as the quote says - "breath is life" (It is literally - as it is the one constant from the moment we are born to the moment we die) - breath isn't something we should just take for granted.

Almost every meditation and mindfulness technique using breath as the foundation - as there is a fundamental link between how we breathe and our bodies ability to regulate stress and enter a relaxation state. Every day our bodies ebb and flow in an out of stress and relaxation - it's completely natural and called the autonomic nervous system . Understanding this and how breath impacts our mood and state - helps us invite our body to be more relaxed even when thoughts or situations are triggering us to be on high alert or stress.

When stressed, our prefrontal cortex (i.e. the thinking part of our brain and the part connected to problem solving and logical conscious thought) shuts down so our body can focus energy on essential survival without overthinking - i.e. running away or fighting. But our body has not yet evolved to differentiate between a stressful situation that we need to flee from to one we need to think about and respond to more calmly. Changing our breathing helps to put our thinking brain back in control and shut down the 'monkey' mind that wants to react - often aggressively and definitely without thought.

These breathing techniques are proven to help decrease stress and help you reclaim feelings of control.

As with all meditation techniques, stop if you experience discomfort and breathe normally and if you have medical conditions or mental health challenges - do seek the support of a professional meditation coach (like me) who can guide you through the techniques safely.

Steady your breathing to five and a half breaths a minute. Get a minute timer, and pause now and count how many breaths you take in and out in one minute. A breath is counted as a complete inhalation and exhalation (including any hold). Try to avoid holding, judging and just notice your breath in one minute. How many did you count? Under 5, this may be not needed right now and just enjoy the rhythm of your breath in this moment, for another minute. Over 6 - maybe even 10 or 20 - let's reduce it to 5 and a half breaths a minute with this technique. Breathe in for a count of one, two, three, four and exhale for one, two three, four (repeat twice) Breathe in for a count of five: one, two, three, four five and exhale for one, two, three, four, five (repeat twice) Breathe in for a count of six: one, two, three, four, five, six and exhale for a count of six (just once) How do you feel now?
Straighten as you breathe. Interlock your hands and place them on your head and reach your head up towards your hands, thus straightening your spine. Feel a tiny pressure of your hands upon your head pushng down and of your head upon your hands pushing up. You can even do this standing up, if you like. Now take three slow and steady breaths. Trying to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Breathe in a square. Square (or box breath) invites you to breathe in a rhythm exploring an equal breath in and out and hold inbetween each. Some people like to visualise moving around a square as they complete the technique to know when to breathe and when to hold. Try with a count of four and repeating this nine or so times. You can increase up to five, six, seven - explore what feels comfortable and what happens as you repeat the exercise. For example - Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, exhale for a count of four and hold for a count of four - and again.
Try somatic breathing. This breath technique explores a long breath hold after a period of 're-oxygenation', actively inhaling in a fairly fast rhythmn for 5 to 10 minutes, Gently build up to hold your breath for longer and longer so you can safely hold your breath for more than 30seconds in time. Start with breath hold of about 30 seconds and overtime gradually increase it a few seconds at a time. Some people find this deeply relaxing. A great way to start is with a 4-4 whythmn - breathe coherently (i.e. no pause between your in and out breath and with a steady stream of air flowing in and out) - breathing in for one, two, three, four and then exhaling for one, two three, four and repeat for at least five minutes. It can help to have a rhytmnic piece of music on to guide you. After five minutes take a long breath in and then exhale as much as you can. Then hold the air that is left for as long as you can - can you manage 30 second. The secret here is to hold just beyond the point it gets uncomfortable before you breathe again. Fans of this technique say it really helps with clarity and focus.
Belly breathing. Some people find this really helps them get ready for sleep - others that it just brings a nice moment of calm that they can use to then feel more focused. It gets you to a point of balance of relaxation whre you can choose to head towards sleep or choose to head towards doing. Notice your breath and where your inhalation moves in your body and where your exhalation comes from. Place a hand on your belly. Now try to move that hand as you breathe - breathing in and feeling your hand (and belly) rise as your lungs and diaphragm fill with air and feeling your hand (and belly) fall towards your spine as you exhale.
Alternate nostril breathing. This helps to regulate both hemisphere's of the brain - really good if you've just been engrossed in some problem solving or creative work and the other side of the brain has been a bit 'switched off' for a while. Block one nostril gently with a finger and inhale through the other, close the nostril you have just inhaled with and exhale through the other. Now inhale (same nostril) and then block that nostril and inhale through the other. Repeat for a minute or three - longer if you can. You can also try to do this without actually blocking your nose.
Count ten breaths. You remember the old saying, when something upsets you, count to ten before you respond - so you don't react? How many of us have heard this but count really fast and then wonder why nothing feels different. Count to ten, with your breath and make each breath, slow and steady, trying each time to make the breath in and breath out slightly longer than the one before. You should feel significantly different if you apply this slowing down technique.
Sigh. This sounds strange and obviously there are certain times when it is inappropraite to sigh as you breathe as people may hear it as a comment or reaction. On your own, in a quiet space take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth with an audible sigh. As you inhale feel how your lungs expand and as you exhale, feel how the sigh is moving beyond your lungs into your muscles and sending relaxation signals into your body, from your face, down into your shoulders. A steady breath AND a sigh send two signals to your brain to trigger your relaxation response - doubling the rate your stress levels reduce.
Hum. Breathe in and hum with your mouth closed as you exhale - like the sound a bee makes. You can even gently put your fingers on the soft part of your ear to 'block' the sound via your ears and really connect to the sound. While you might feel a little daft at first, this 'bumble-bee breath' can really give your mind the feeling that the humming is pushing away all worries and thoughts, leaving you focused simply on the present moment.

Explore more on breath with our next events and online sessions or get in touch to explore a breathwork session for your business or one-to-one.

Photo shows: Girl in a red dress, underwater, blowing bubbles of air as she floats up to the surface to breathe. Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

How to use the new moon in Taurus

Thu, 18 May 2023 13:04:44 GMT

Let the dark moon remind you to nurture your wishes to make them happen like magic.

I write this on day of the dark moon, time to be still to dream a little and begin to weave the magic of new moon dreams and action. The Taurus new moon reaches us on 19 May and it is a new moon that invites you to set intentions for comfort ease and what brings you pleasure and balance that pull to do.

The balance of sun and moon at this time, mean we are welcomed by warmer days that invite us to get outside in nature, to tend the garden and seeds, to walk gently with open curiosity at the blossoming green around us. But the moon calls for a balance to be found. This is a busy time for many with school and university exams and an energy in the moon that calls us to check our work and use the skills we have been working on to fulfil our potential.

The seeds that you plant at this new moon, require patience and persistence, action that is steady and nuturing, with steady steps forward - not leaps and bounds that might just burn you out.

The new moon is a time to be still and call forward your wishes for the month ahead, but it calls you to listen to the messages of Taurus in knowing where you need to be still, to encourage growth with consistency rather than a big 'flash in the pan'. For a new moon, it's a suprisingly emotional one, connecting even the most hard-nosed of us to senstive and difficult feelings that perhaps we have pushed away. You can feel out of control with both finances and emotions at this time so make sure your new moon wishes reflect both the practical and the heart-felt.

The astrology of these time suggests we will be facing power struggles, conflicts, transformations and changes over the days and weeks that follow this new moon. So be careful where your moods feel somewhat scattered, where you can have 'your head down' in work so much that you appear oblivious to other people's needs and emotions and where you may be trying to be too controling in certain relationships.

You may like to explore these journaling prompts to help you before casting your new moon wishes to the stars.

Explore what happens with these prompts:

This new moon is calling me to nuture myself by.....
I have been burning myself out by....
Sensuality shows me...
I show patience by
I try to control...
I can let go of my desire to control by ...
The wishes that I most want to come true in the next four weeks are...
One small action for each wish, that I can take to help plant the seeds for these wishes to come true....

We explore the magic of the moon with our moon circle at Luci's this Friday and other events later in the year and a little moon magic will be woven into May's Cakitation evening of relaxation, cuppa and cake.

Beltane Blessings

Wed, 17 May 2023 12:53:11 GMT

May heralds the start of summer, use the energy, but don't burn out!

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5 ways to calm just by breathing

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:24:48 GMT

Practical breath-based techiniques to help you unwind in times of stress

There are many different breath techniques/breathing meditations that can change the way you feel. Here are my top five favourites for beating stress and finding a moment of calm. These particular techniques are usually safe to practice in a space where you are not driving or operating machinery, for almost everyone.

Certain breath techniques should not be practised by women in early pregnancy or if you have any breathing problems, so it is always recommended to work with a qualified meditation, yogi or breathwork practitioner to explore the benefits safely. These exercises I have selected are almost always safe for all, however, if you experience any discomfort when trying these techniques please stop, breathe normally and if symtoms persist consult a doctor.

Deep breathing: Find a comfortable seated position and take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your lungs with air. Just when you think you can't inhale anymore, pause and then breathe in again. Steadily exhale, imagining if your breath was visible that you could see your breath as a continuous line of air flowing from your body. Just when you feel you can't exhale any more, push for a little tiny extra breath out. Repeat and then start to 'push' your breath less and less as you repeat the pattern, so your breath is a steady flow in and out.
Awareness: Whereever you are, sitting, standing, walking, exercising, just bring your awareness to your breath. Notice where the sensations of breath are strongest in your body. Then follow the movement of your breath from inhalation through your nose, into your windpipe and down into your body and back out again. Be consious of the tiny movements your body makes as you breathe in and out and keep your awareness on the movement, temperature, comfort and discomfort of observing your breath moving in and out of your body.
Box breathing: Inhale deeply for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and then hold the breath for four seconds before repeating the cycle. You may like to keep your eyes open and look at a square (or a rectangle like a window or laptop screen works too) and visualise the breath as you imagine moving around the shape. Visualise holding your breath at two parallel sides and as you trace the movement in your mind on the adajcent sides, steadily inhale and exhale. As you grow comfortable with this technique you may be able to increase the count to five,, six and more. Keep the count event in this process and see if you can repeat this ten or twenty times.
Alternate nostril breathing: Place your right thumb over your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril. At the top of the inhale, switch to cover your left nostril with your right ring finger and exhale through your right nostril. Inhale through your right nostril, switch fingers, and exhale through your left nostril. Repeat for a few minutes, focusing on the sensation of the breath as it moves in and out of each nostril. This helps to regualte both hempisheres of the brain and bring your thought processes back into balance.
Rhythms for reducing stress: Beyond box breathing, there are some lovely gentle breath rhthymns for reducing stress and these work best when you can repeat them and gradulally build up to five, ten and twenty minutes of repititions. Try 4-3-5: inhaling for four, holding for three, exhaling for five and repeating nine times. Can you repeat 20 or 40 times? Try 4-1-6: inhaling for four, holding for one, exhaling for six and repeating. These help to trigger your relaxation response and rest state of your nervous system. Longer rhythms, like 7-11-13 are popular by some therapists to help reduce anxiety quickly, but these can be harder to repeat for a sustained period of time and the beauty of building up the rhythmn is it really helps to deepen a state of calm awareness.

There are literally thousands of different breath exercises, rhythmns and techniques - some are good for calm, others can help improve sleep and others can help energise you and refocus you. These core foundation techniques are particularly good for a sense of calm and balance, usually without making you feel too sleepy.

Enjoy exploring and if you have any queries please reach out .

The power of breath

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:20:53 GMT

Why has breathing become such a buzz word?

This year it seems everyone is talking about breath. From the skilled breath holds of the actors in Avatar Way of the Water, to thousands exploring the Winter with Wim Hof's cold water immersion and breathwork challenges. Here, meditation teacher, Judy Claughton from BalanceTime explores why breath is such a core foundation to your wellbeing.

We don't need to focus on our breath for it to happen, yet it's a curious function - as by focusing on it, we can change and control it, and that brings about a range of different health impacts.

For thousands of years people have explored the benefits of controlled breathing through yoga (Pranayama - being the focused study of breath) and as the basic foundation of meditation and mindfulness across a host of cultures and traditions. All which have now been proven to have positive impacts on our health and wellbeing.

Breath and the Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for regulating our bodily functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing. It is divided into two branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is responsible for our stress (or fight or flight) response, which activates during times of stress or danger (often as simple as getting upset on the drive to work, by an email or letter or by sharp words from someone you care about). The PNS, on the other hand, is responsible for our relaxation ("rest and digest") response, which is activated when we are relaxed.

When we take slow, deep breaths, we activate the PNS, which can lower our heart rate and blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, and improve digestion. When we take shallow, rapid breaths, we activate the SNS, which can increase our heart rate and blood pressure, and create feelings of anxiety and stress.

Explore what your breath is right now as your read this article to notice if you are in a resting or stress breath 'mode'.

Just pause and notice how many counts it takes for you to breathe in and how many for you to exhale.

Do you pause between your in and out breath?

And do you notice your breath being short and shallow (in your chest) or deep and calming (in your diaphragm and thus bringing a slight movement to your belly as your inhale and exhale).

It is useful to notice how your breath changes at different points of your day. What triggers a more stressful, shorter breath rhythmn? And what helps you feel more relaxed, calm and focused.

Two minutes to calm

This breathing exercise can help you regulate your nervous system and move it into the PNS, i.e. relaxed (rest and digest) state.

Take a timer and notice how many breaths you take in a minute, simply counting one as a complete breath in and complete breath out. At this stage, try not to change or force your breath, just take this minute to observe and count. Try to avoid feelings of judgement about what you are noticing.

Perhaps you are quite calm and you only take a few breaths in a minute, perhaps you are busy and you find you are at about 10 or 20 breaths in a minute, or maybe you are feeling anxious or have just been exercising and you are taking a higher number of breaths a minute.

In your second minute, gently inhale and exhale with a controlled rhythmn that will regulate you to approximately 5 and a half breaths in one minute.

Breathe in for a steady count of one, two, three, four. Exhale, one, two, three, four (and repeat once more)

Increase the count to five (and repeat once more).

Increase the count to six. Breathe in, as you count in your mind up exhale steadily as you count and try to avoid holding your breath, (repeat just once).

This will have taken around a minute and seen your breath help your body begin to enter a relaxed state.

Breathe for emotional regulation

Changing your breathing rhythmn doesn't just change what happens to you physically, it can also impact your emotions as deep breathing helps to increase your natural mood boosting endorphin levels in the brain. When stressed or anxious, your breathing instantly becomes shallow and rapid as anxiety triggers your fear centre in your brain, and your body is flooded with stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. By noticing this, and then taking a moment to consciously slow your breath, you activate the relaxation response to help these hormones dissipate, reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, and trigger positive endorphins in their place.

Breathe for physical health

Breathing exercises can help to improve lung function, increase oxygenation in the body, and strengthen the respiratory system. These can also improve circulation, reduce inflammation and promote healing and of course help reduce pain (both well-known in child birth - and the lesser-known pain reduction impact on 'any' sensation of pain. (I say 'any' as some pain really does need medical intervention - although even in these situations - like when I cut my hand open it was great to be able to reduce the pain while I waited for surgery/pain relief just by breathing).

Breath and the mental space this creates

Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment and is one of the goals we seek through meditation. Breath is one of the core foundations of meditation and mindfulness practice due to its ability to help us become grounded in the present moment, through both the relaxation that is physically triggered and mentally created by changing our thought patterns. By focusing on the sensations of the breath, you are helped to become more aware of your physical body rather than the racing of thoughts and worries. Creating this mental space of calm then further pulls your awareness away from distractions and negative thoughts.

There are thousands of breath techniques for wellbeing and they explore a range of factors:

The power of the held breath - and the somatic breathing movement - explores how we challenge our fear by increasing how long we hold our breath, after a period of active 'hyperventilation', i.e. breathing in a rhythm to force additional oxygen into our lungs and cells.

The held breath is also linked to breathing for reducing panic. In this way, breath exercises explore a long held breath after a deep inhalation. This time, the breath hold aims to temporarility starve the fear centre of your brain of oxygen to stop generation of stress hormones and force the oxygen held in your body to be sent to all the other organs first. Caution over how long you practice this for.

The power of the coherent breath - the opposite of the above, this technique avoids any hold in your breath and encourages you to create a natural coherent breath t hat flows like a wave in and out. This rapidly activates the relaxation response for your mind and body, and can help to release held pain and trauma within the body - when supported through guided practices.

The power of the nasal breath - can help you to reduce snoring and sleep apnea and clear sinus blockages - but it's not a quick fix - its about shifting away from mouth breathing and completely using your nose.

The power of the mouth - and while nasal adovates say don't breathe with your mouth - there's a whole school of breath science that explores how nasal inhalation and followed by exhaling through the mouth, can have an impact on reducing muscle tension, and even be used to create holotropic breath patterns that stimulate a natural 'high' in the body.

The best way to explore the impact of breath on your mind and body is to start with some simple exercises and see how you feel! You may like to check out our next masterclasses in breath on our events page for online and in real life ways to explore the power of breath. You can also start by just becoming more aware of your breath.

They say - "Life is about the moments that take our breath away" but I say it's also about discovering life in the ways you breathe - and how your breath can shape and trigger feelings of happiness, calm, focus and euphoria.

Explore more breath techniques at our blog on the top 5 breath exercises for calm .

How can you beat the January Blues?

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:15:00 GMT

Nine easy ways to challenge the lows of January

Have you been feeling the January blues? So while it may be true that 'blue Monday' is a PR construct - it is based in truth that here in the Northern Hemisphere more people struggle with those post Christmas lows in January.

It's partly the dark, it's partly the fact that many of us push ourselves to our limit financially, emotionally and physically in the run up to Christmas, it's partly that January pay day always feels (and usually is) the farthest away.

It's also the fact that the cold and wet tends to make us hide away and our bodies actually still need daylight and fresh air and movement and true rest (not just screen time and left-over Christmas treat binging).

As someone who battles with depression, I confess that I've been feeling the blues more than usual this year - but here's ten little things that are helping me, that might support you.

1. Getting outside everyday - From stepping out to the first rays of sun light, to walking even in the rain, the freshness (and cosy warm when you get back) helps lift my spirits and remind my body to move.

2. Consciously noticing - some call it mindfulness and it is the start of many meditation practices just to be really present with an activity, particularly when you feel that sense of overwhelm or 'blues'.

Try noticing your thoughts - and by bringing your attention to your thoughts, you are so busy being aware of them, the thoughts themselves begin to slow down, to help you rest.

Try noticing your breath - again by bringing your attention to it, you begin to breathe more steadily and trigger your parasympathetic nervous system to trigger rest in your body - even if your mind is still racing.

3. Healthy choices - while I don't believe in pigging-out on all those Christmas chocs on just one day and throwing the rest out, I start to notice where we can make healthier choices in what we eat and drink. Making the effort to use a rainy day to cook up a lovely meal for the weekend with ample leftovers for the week - with not a hint of processed ingredients. Making sure I mix up my hot drinks with herbal teas and an effort to drink a glass of cold water before my cup of (decaf) coffee or tea to keep hydrated.

4. Gratitude - making time to reflect on what I am grateful for each and every day - definitely before I go to sleep and as a conversation starter at the dinner table/by the fire.

5. Movement - since my back injury last year, my body really niggles me if I don't exercise for a couple of days - so I really notice the importance of movement. Swimming, walking back towards running, remembering to move when I am sat at home and doing my physio when watching TV or doing little chores - all help me keep moving. It you can't make 10,000 steps - set yourself a challenge that is achievable and increase slowly. What's most important is to start looking at ways to make movement more part of every day.

6. Rest - in the Celtic calendar there is a big reminder for rest on December and January but our lifestyles rush to encourage us to start every new year with a big push of new goals and intentions. I never set new year's resolutions until either the new moon on late January or the 1st February and the celebration of Imbolc. I just gently take small steps towards the intentions I'd like to set - like my healthy and exercise choices. This year it seems more people seem to be embracing a 'rest into your resolutions'. Have you tried it?

Do you listen to your body when it tells you to sleep? And to rest? My meditation practice is more important than ever, as is taking time for true sleep and nudging any sleep routines back to be kinder and more consistent. If you need a hand building a helpful routine for rest - please do reach out.

7. Connection

Maybe it's the blues of realising all the people I didn't manage to speak to/send at Christmas card to, or a new year fresh start thing, but making the effort to connect, speak and meet up really matters. It really helps to have a walking or running buddy, not just for the peer-motivation but the support of conversation. Even supportive groups and online workshops hold more importance than ever in keeping me connected, supported and lifting me out of the black of depression to actually a really nice vibrant blue of January freshness.

8. Attitude

Am reading The Power at the moment, which is all about the power of positive thinking, and while it can be a bit obvious and even feel a bit preachy - when I apply the principles of positive thinking my day shifts. Creating a simple intention and goal for the day, and then focusing on it - helps it happen. Life seems extra full of challenges but a positive attitude helps me find a more creative solution.

Like at the weekend, when we went for a long walk and the map I printed from the internet wasn't clear and we ended up lost. There were angry words and frustration and it could have ruined a great day, but deep breaths, reaching out to ask for help from local dog walkers and downloading an OS map and we found a beautiful woodland that wasn't on our 'map' and some spectacular views. And yes we did 3 miles more than our plan - but yes think of all those extra steps and how we 'earnt' those chips and drink at the end of the walk.

9. Saying no

This seems negative, but it is a reminder to watch the commitments that you make and how easy it can be to say yes, yes yes in the new year when you need to rest - or need to move at lunchtime rather than attend that webinar - or would be better to say no to just messaging someone when a phone call or dropping by would mean so much more. Every no is an opportunity for a yes to something else. What no can make a better choice for your mood and physical wellbeing? What no is actually a yes to something much better?

For support with finding balance in these challenging times, please do reach out and explore the one-to-one support and group sessions we offer to both businesses and you personally, online and in real life, discover the power of extraordinary experiences based in the magic of your wellbeing and get in touch .

New Moon in Sagittarius - time to shoot for the stars!

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:36:39 GMT

Time to dream big and wish for the 'moon'

Late on Wednesday 23rd November at 22.57 GMT the moon disappears from view in the sky, entering the peak of the new moon phase. The dark sky of the new moon always make the stars all that more vivid in the sky and so much better to wish upon!

Wishing on the new moon is an old tradition going back hundreds of years, with the belief that as the moon begins to fill the sky again, so your wish would be gathering momentum to come into being for you.

This new moon, sees the moon aligning with Sagittarius and bringing in the energy of ambition and 'shooting for the moon and stars' in our dreams and wishes. Use this time around the new moon to ask yourself - where am I dreaming too small - and what are the really big dreams I want to 'shoot' for in the coming months/year. It's OK if these ideas are just little seeds at present or if the answer doesn't come to you at once. Use this time for reflection and resting to see what dreams germinate in the dark of this time of year.

Here are some journaling prompts to help you explore the energy of this new moon in manifesting your dreams. Put on some music and let your mind explore where these questions take you. Want a meditative playlist to help? Try our new moon list on spotify here

Begin with a review: share your successes this year - in life, in work, in relationships - friendships, family and love. Where have your ambitions been set back by circumstances and how have you battled those challenges? Celebrate your success.
Extend with thanks: What are you thankful for from this year. Yes, some of your thanks are your successes, but many of your thanks go deeper - into those moments of pure joy, freedom and love. Celebrate all that you are thankful for.
Start your dreaming
What do you want to do before the year ends?
What do you wish you could make happen next year?
What would you do, if you knew you could not fail?
What is stopping you from success and how can you start to break through this to dream your vision into being?
Take one step. What one step can you put in motion, before Christmas for the wish on the list that is the most important?

New Moon Ritual

A lovely ritual to do - is to write down your new moon wishes on a piece of paper, framed within a 'bed' of words of thanks and gratitude. Then step outside under the dark of the new moon and burn your wish filled paper, carefully, under the stars.

Join our New Moon Offerings for support

Want help in shaping your new moon wishes, or making time. Join us at an online lunchtime meditation this Wednesday 23rd November - book here .

And for added magic, be with us in real life , in the peaceful sanctuary of Luci Trendle's studio at Amner's Farm, Burghfield for the support of a moon circle - space to be heard, space to be supported to let your mind be free of worry with meditatation, and space to journal - to let your creativity start to shine .

The Balance Hack for health and happiness

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 16:09:06 GMT

7 minutes, 7 days and 7 ways to wellbeing

Balance is one of my favourite ways to remember to focus on wellness.

This # WorldMentalHealthDay we're all reminded how to do more for ourselves and others.

Balance is a great hack for health and happiness as the 7 steps could be taken once a day, over a week, once an hour over a working day or condensed into 7 minutes.

Take 7 minutes to explore one step to balance a minute, now.

B reathe. Notice your breath or count it.
A ctive. Move. Stand. Stretch. Walk.
L augh. Try saying 'ha ha ha' like a cartoon villain
A ctively. Make a date for something that is good for your wellbeing.
N othing. Take a minute of absolutely nothing.
C ommunity Connection Compassion. How can you improve connection to someone through one kind act?
E at and drink well. Go on grab a glass of water and sip it gently.

Take 7 hours (over a working day) to find balance - or spread this out with one action a day over a week.

B reathe . Count your breaths over one minute. Reduce this to a count of around 5 breaths per minute, by breathing in (count 1,2,3,4,5) and then exhaling (count 1,2,3,4,5) and repeat 5 times. Make sure that you are breathing - and not just holding your breath. Invite your posture to straighten up, and allow your breath to flow deeply into your belly rather than shallow breathing into your chest. Steadying your breath has a direct link to our autonomic nervous system and a breath cycle of around 5 to 6 breaths a minute will trigger your body into a cycle of rest and digest, helping release a little of the stress building up.

A ctive. Can you meet your 10,000 steps challenge? Can you move in between tasks? Can you move every 20 minutes, even if just a straightening of the spine, a stretch of the arms or legs. Can you arrange a walking meeting or phone call? What activity do you love and how can you bring this back to your day? Movement and exercise has a direct link not only to physical health improvements but also to fight depression and anxiety.

L augh. Can you bring more laughter to your day? You can try smiling and laughing even if you don't feel like it. Observe the feeling of a smile, physically on your face and how this makes your body feel. Observe a fake laugh, the breaths you take and the movement in your body. How can a more playful approach help you with problem solving or anxiety at home? Can you invite friends and family to plan some playful activities that support you, relax you and make you laugh and smile?

A ctively. Do you actively make time for your wellbeing? Get out your diary and plan a wellbeing date for you - time for you for that round of golf, that coffee with a friend, that night out with a loved one, a relaxing uninterrupted bath, that online class tha caught your eye, that yoga class, that meditation experience. Look at the rituals and regular activities in your schedule and see how you can make small changes to actively bring more good things for your health and happiness into your week. That might mean less box sets and more boxing, or switching off the device or TV and choosing time reading a book, chatting to a friend instead. Those with good habits for wellbeing have better health results.

N othing . When is the last time you did nothing? Can you switch off your device and just daydream looking out the window for 5 minutes? Can you bring your bedtime forward by 5 or 10 minutes to invite more sleep into your schedule? Can you have a social media/news detox for an hour/ a day? Do you have phone free time in meetings and with family? Do you ever have an office day with no meetings? Can you just take 10 minutes to just sit quietly with no agenda and no device? Pausing is one of the most underestimated tools for wellness. Creativity strikes when we pause and daydream. Sometimes the team will resolve the problem themselves if the manager pauses before rushing in to help. One in three people don't get enough sleep because they find it so hard to switch off. Can you start to change your routine to include down/quiet/reflective time?

Community Connection Compassion Kindness is good for you - helping others and boosting our happiness levels at the same time. Can you think kindly, speak kindly and act kindly - just for today? If you feel disconnected from someone or in conflict - see how kindness can help - from a kind word, to a positive thought about them, to not reacting when they say something callous. Are you connected? Who supports you - is it time to fix a call with them? Are other relying on you - do you need to make time for them? How about your community - at work, at home and in the place where you live, what compassionate act can help you feel more connected. From donating to the food bank, picking up litter around where you live, to bigger charity projects and commitments. And remember, support goes both ways - is it time for you to reach out and ask for a helping hand?

Eat and drink well. Dehydration is the main cause of workplace tiredness. Can you have a drink of water and cut back on the caffeine and sugary drinks. A balanced nutritional diet will give you more energy. Are you getting your '5 a day' (fruit and vegetable portions). Do you start breakfast with one (or more) of your five a day. Can you go European and increase this to 7 a day or as one nutritionist once suggested - aiming for 30 tastes of fruit, vegetables and fresh herbs and spices (here a glove of garlic, or sprinkle of chilli flakes are one - this reminds us to add flavour, variety and colour to our plates which can help with a good balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

May finding BALANCE help you look after your health and happiness and take (7) steps to your wellbeing.

What to do after a reiki treatment

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 15:19:04 GMT

Selfcare support for after your reiki treatment

After a reiki treatment you may hear your practitioner talk about drinking lots of water and gentle after care - but what does that actually mean - and what can you expect after your reiki treatment?

Hopefully you are feeling more relaxed after your reiki meditation session, yet you may find this relaxation to mixed up with expectations. emotions and questions of 'what next'.

The seven core aftercare steps to implement after reiki - are
1. Drinking Lots of water
2. Allowing time for rest
3. Clean eating - avoiding stimulants, depressants and processed food
4. Being gentle with yourself - allowing your emotions to flow
5. Taking time to notice how you are and being patient with all that emerges
6. Being aware of detoxification symptoms
7. Being open to asking questions and being curious about the process.

Drinking lots of water: Why? Reiki triggers your body's natural healing process, which means you will start a detoxification. Water helps to flush away these toxins and helps you have more energy and alertness when the healing process makes you feel tired and sleepy.

Rest - That said, rest will help the reiki continue to work!

Where possible book a reiki appointment when you can have time off after and take it gently! Always lovely if you don't have to go back to work and can enjoy a meandering walk, time to wind-down or even sleep. Try to have a break from technology in this rest period, switching off your phone, avoiding the urge to vegetate in front of the TV, choosing to read a book, sleep or have a soothing bath instead. Be gentle with yourself. Get an early night and lie in if you can.

Clean eating - reiki begins this healing and clearing out process, which is supported by healthy eating and drinking.

Please try to avoid alcohol or caffeinated drinks, particularly for the first 48 hours.

Try a herbal tea - or picking a sprig of mint from the garden or cutting a slice of lemon and infusing it in hot (or cold water). Cucumber water (literally just cold water with cucumber kept in the fridge for an hour or two to allow the flavour to infuse), and strawberry water made with still or sparkling water are lovely alternatives to lemonade, cola or coffee. Make time for lots of tasty fruits and vegetables and low/no meat, cheese, dairy or processed food for 24-48 hours to really give your immune system a boost as the reiki works through you.

Being gentle with yourself and allowing emotions to flow - it is natural and common to feel emotional or to cry during or after a reiki treatment.

Emotional healing is a significant part of the process of reiki. Sometimes you think you are having a reiki treatment for comfort from pain or a physical health condition, and it triggers a deep emotional healing of a relationship or situation. Reiki flows where you need it most.

This experience can feel lovely - or deeply unpleasant. Trust that this too will pass. Some clients talk about feeling happy, relaxed, floaty and free; others have commented on feelings of fear, ferocity, sadness and grief. Know that this will pass.

Try to suspend your judgement of whether a feeling is good or bad and simply be present to the feeling, breathe into it, and exhale with the feeling. Gradually this feeling will shift, like a knot unravelling.

This being 'in the moment' and allowing your emotions to be from a point of equanimity, enables deep physical and emotional healing. You notice those times society and your fight for control in an uncertain world, taught you not to cry, and you can allow the healing power of your tears and emotions to rise and fall - and flow. Tears are good for you - these emotional tears actually also contain stress hormones and provide a natural release for them ( reference ).

After reiki its not all tears and herbal tea. You may find yourself laughing and smiling for no apparent reason or needing to beat up a pillow in anger or pound out frustration with a good session at the gym or in the Dojo. Try to be gentle with yourself during this process and know it too, will pass.

Notice - this gift of noticing how you are feeling and being really present to this moment - is sometimes called mindfulness.

You may like to take some time in meditation to deepen the integration of reiki. Yet a meditation or mindful practice, does not need to be still or have your eyes closed. What is key is paying attention to this moment right now and the process of noticing each and every moment.

Try it now.

Pay attention to how you feel physically. Observe if your feet are warm or cold. How do your legs feel, comfortable or tense? What do you feel in your stomach - are you hungry, feeling emotion in your belly? Now pay attention to the emotions rising and falling, name them if you like, and notice how you judge some feelings as good and the others as bad. But they are all just part of you and a natural part of the human process. Now see if you can be silent for a moment observing your thoughts and trying to just let them pass like clouds in the sky, without judgement.

Take time to Notice. Breathe (take a lovely long breath in and out) and Be at repeated intervals throughout your day.

Detoxification symptoms - as your body gets rid of toxins and welcomes the energy of healing, you may feel discomfort or pain before you start to feel better. Stomach cramps, flatulence, upset tummy and diarrhoea, headache, sneezing, runny nose, muscular pain, exhaustion even soreness are sometimes called 'a healing crisis' - this is not a crisis to fear, but one to welcome. It means you probably haven't stopped and given yourself this permission to support your healing process for a while. Your body is cleansing away old beliefs, as well as physical toxins being released from your body. Clean eating and drinking water will help speed this up and make it an easier process.

Try to resist the urge to numb feelings for the first few hours with pain killers or processed, sugary food and opt for healthy eating, water, lots of sleep/rest and that process of noticing (as above) and this should start to shift.

Obviously if symptoms persist, please do contact a healthcare professional/ your GP.

Ask questions and be curious - as your reiki master I am here to support you. Part of this process is to be available to respond to your questions by email or text over the next few days - or schedule a phone call. I'll send you resources to help your healing that are usually channelled during your healing treatment - I have probably shared at least 3 re-balancing techniques with you and you'll get reminders of these in the days and weeks following your treatment to help you. For readers, there are some wonderful books to read/listen to (such as Dr David Hamilton's Why Woo Woo Works ), for visual learners - there are some amazing resources online and documentaries to explore (such as the documentary Heal ) and for kinaesthetic learners - try the techniques shared with you in your session - or just some empowered breathing techniques to help you with this next step ( video clip ). You can explore more in group and one-to-one sessions with Judy - see events coming up or book some time in together here.

Photo thanks to Katherine Hanlon on Unsplash

Why boring isn't bad for teenagers

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:13:52 GMT

Today the BBC writes off mindfulness as 'not working for teens' because they find it 'boring' - here's why that doesn't mean it doesn't work.

Boring isn’t always bad – why mindfulness meditation works despite teenagers saying it is boring

There is an interesting story out today that school mindfulness lessons don’t work . But here’s why you shouldn’t write it off for you and your anxious teenagers. (Photo credit to Filip Kominik on Unsplash.)

Boring isn’t always bad! The main reason the study rejected mindfulness was because pupils called it ‘boring’. But let’s stop and ask – how many of their lessons would these same children call boring?

Speaking to teenagers most of them find the whole concept of school boring – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful and important. While maths might be boring to many and felt only to be important if you want a career in finance or accounting – it’s a core life skill and important in almost every job – even if only for ensuring you get paid! Maths is critical even if just for planning and understanding household bills and finances.

For all those who call English ‘boring’, it doesn’t mean it is not important! Every person leaving school will need to have an understanding of the English language – even if it is just for reading letters and contracts for renting/mortgaging your own home and understanding an employment contract.

How many of those same children and young people would call these and other core subjects ‘boring’ – despite them being important for life?

Boring is actually the cusp of creativity.

Many of us, particularly young people, have been accustomed to life, being a bit like the devices we live on – either ‘on’ or ‘off’. Where ‘on’ is when we are being active, doing, thinking, playing, gaming, viewing, and ‘off’ is us being asleep or ‘hanging’ with your mates. Us humans are designed to use four to five brain wave states for optimum productivity in our physical and emotional bodies, but we tend to prioritise only two. The ‘on’ – or the Beta state brainwave – of being awake, active and alert and the ‘off’ – or delta state brain wave of sleep.

But there are three more states of being/brain activity that we need to function effectively.

Alpha is a brainwave state of ‘daydreaming’, resting and non-doing that is awake and semi-alert. For a teenager always told off at school for not focusing, not concentrating and not being present, this can be made to feel like a ‘bad’ brain wave state to be in and one that overtime, we forget how to feel and appreciate, and even label as ‘boring’.

Our bodies are not designed to be always ‘on’. Our autonomic nervous system moves in cyclical waves of stress and rest/digest and there is a transition between being ‘on’ and switching off that takes our mind and body into critical states of rest, recovery and cell repair as well as helping our thoughts and feelings to be processed. This Alpha brain wave state is important for this rest and digest phase and is also important for problem solving and helping us to think more clearly and critically.

If we expect the youth to solve the climate emergency we are facing as a planet – they need to be allowed to dream – and this means they need to learn that boredom is not a dirty word but an emotional phase they need to feel before the inspiration just waiting for you on the other side.

With practice you can experience two further brainwaves states – Theta, often associated with that ‘pink fluffy effect’ some people experience with meditation and mindfulness when you feel totally detached from your worries and are able to completely enjoy the simplicity of a moment – the joy of seeing a cloud in the sky, or enjoying a cool breeze on your skin. Sometimes associated with completely detached daydreaming, it is also a state of mind associated with creativity and deeper cognitive insight, where your brain and memory repair and flashes of pure inspiration happen – like Archimedes and his ‘Eureka’ moment. Most people will remember the sweet spot just between sleep and awake, where our mind most naturally enters this brain wave state and may even recall how good this feeling feels as our brain surges with feel good hormones like serotonin and dopamine.

Curiously in psychology Theta is shown as being a brain wave dominant in children, particularly under 7s, who rarely get into the Beta state (of active, alert and focused). It is linked to ADHD and a lack of focus, but it is an important state of mind to understand as in this space we are able to truly experience the emotions we are processing and often come up with powerful insights. In meditators, it is noted that those who experience just a few minutes of this brain wave state regularly, have improved emotional processing and increased ability to focus (i.e. they function better in other 'brain wave states' by spending a little time in this one).

I think as a society we are afraid to stop and feel what is going on for us, so we see this state as a bad place to be – when in fact it can help us come up with the most powerful insights for our own lives.

Finally gamma, is the fifth brain wave state and a space of deep relaxation but hyper alertness –a space that would be very useful for study and exams. It has been linked to ‘flow state’ that brain/body harmony where you become up to 200% more productive in work and the activity you are focused on. Only currently measured in advanced meditators, gamma is thought to be a similar brain wave state to what elite athletes, and high achieving musicians achieve when they are ‘at one’ or ‘completely in the moment with their activity/passion.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could all achieve this same sense of achievement of elite performers and great minds and thinkers – but in our individual areas of interest and passion? We can if we can just realise they are waiting for us – on the other side of ‘boredom’ and that point where ‘boredom’, rest and ‘doing nothing’ frees you to a completely new way of thinking.

Have you found the space on the other side of boredom where the creativity happens?

The second reason this study claims that mindfulness doesn't work for teens is because the practice didn’t ‘stick’ – pupils were doing the exercises in one lesson and not seeing a result.

As co-researcher Prof Mark Williams, from Oxford University, comments "On average, pupils only practised mindfulness once over the 10-week course, that's like going to the gym once and hoping you'll get fit”. The reality, of course, is that you need to exercise regularly to see the reward for body and mind, and its just the same with mindfulness meditation.

Too often people think mindfulness is a magic pill you can do once and all your problems will be solved.

It’s not that simple, but it really can make a difference if you integrate a mindfulness meditation practice into your life – just like exercise.

So many teenagers find PE at school boring and unfulfilling, especially if you aren’t picked for the football or netball team or there is bullying about your shape and fitness. But many of them will find joy and success in exercise outside of school, finding dancing, yoga, the joy of playing football with friends at the park – even if you weren’t picked for the first team at school. After school, you can realise a passion for sport less common in a school environment like paddle-boarding, climbing, skateboarding, skiing, horse-riding or golf. Or how you can hate running but love hiking, hate hockey but love badminton, hate running round a track but love a training for a half marathon a friend. Many adults don’t find the exercise combination that helps them with their fitness till long after school. Why would mindfulness be any different?

Both exercise and mindfulness meditation are really good for your health, but that doesn’t make a regular practice easy.

For me, when I teach mindfulness meditation, its about showing people the plethora of ways you can approach the philosophy. It doesn’t all have to be static and quiet. Some of the best meditations in my opinion involve your eyes to be wide open, connected to nature and the world around you, or exercises that make you notice your posture or the activity you are doing differently, such as mindful running or mindful eating.

It’s also about trying to make the activity fun as well as thought provoking - a lot of 'boring' at school is down to the way it is taught - rather than the subject - or its importance.

For me, a bit of the science helps – understanding why something is helping my body or mind makes me more likely to ‘stick’ at it when it gets tough or the distractions of life get in the way. All good teachers and trainers need to explore how to get their subject to appeal to different people's different learning modalities and find ways to make it resonate personally - this is why small group meditation can be much more effective than learning in a large peer group or at school.

When I work with people to develop a meditation practice, often it’s the emails and messages between classes that are as important as the weekly or monthly learning. It’s the peer support groups and that chance to chat and share what’s working and what isn’t that help it stick as much as a great lesson. To hear from others that they found it hard and instead of being berated for ‘not doing their homework’ being encouraged to share why they found this mindfulness ‘homework’ practice so hard and so easy to lose focus from.

The third reason that mindfulness doesn’t stick in examples like this, is our beliefs get in the way.

Most mindfulness is taught by taking the concepts of meditation and asking you to ‘leave your belief systems outside the ‘door and focus on the activity. I teach meditation rather than pure mindfulness as I believe that your belief systems come with you, and if you want to change a belief it takes time, consistency, practice and support. Like switching a football team from always losing to believe they can win, like helping someone ditch a bad habit like smoking, substance abuse or simply eating too much sugar.

Our beliefs are powerful. Your self-doubt that you are ‘not good enough’ can become a crippling block to achievement. Teenagers have been dealt a big blow of doubt over the pandemic – a feeling of rejection from school when most pupils were ‘locked out’ of learning by the home-school enforcement (in sadly, too many cases with very little support from the school or community), sometimes aggravated by a home environment of fear – fear of an angry parent or carer who is out of work and angry at the world, fear of an anxious parent or carer who is trying to home-work and home-school and feels that they are failing at both and projects this feeling onto their child. The list goes on.

Mindfulness alone isn’t a fix for this complex tangle of feelings, emotions and a whole set of poor learned behaviours. For me this is where there is a closer link between meditation and therapy and a truly ‘mindful’ practice will recognise all the factors needed to support a teenagers mental health. In businesses – there has been a big wake up call that the one off mindfulness session is not enough and ad-hoc training has been replaced by long-term learning, wellbeing strategies, wellbeing ambassadors and a whole plethora of resources – including meditation, exercise and connection.

Is the school looking at a whole school wellbeing approach? It certainly appears not in this study. You almost ask if this study is being set up to fail so the government can quote this is why ‘meditation doesn’t work’ in school. Would exercise work if you only do it for 10 weeks and never again? Would maths ‘stick’ if you learnt it just for 10 weeks and never again?

Wake up and smell the coffee, there is much more to this and to meditation than this article – and headline are saying.

How to stop stress having a hold on you

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 14:08:39 GMT

Manage stress with a handle on the mental, emotional and physical

This April is stress awareness month - and its a good time to check in and ask yourself - are you aware of stress and what you do to manage it? Are those stress relivers helping or hindering - have you stopped to check?

Stress impacts us mentally, physically and emotionally - and just one action in any of these areas can help you to feel better.

Each week, this month, we'll share some top tips for managing stress and changing your relationship to worry to move into a greater state of wonder.

Mental actions to help reduce stress:

1. Stop and give your brain a break - look away from your screen and take three deep breaths through your nose.

2. Try journaling to let your thoughts wander - I particularly love 'morning pages' as championed by the brilliant Julia Cameron to help 'brain dump' and start the creative flow before your day.

3. Have a tec detox - can you give yourself an evening/day or whole weekend away from the phone and devices?

Physical

1. Any physical exercise helps to reduce cortisol - one of the most damaging stress hormones if not used up by exercise or meditation (yes ironic really that 'doing nothing' is as effective as going for a run!) Break up the day with a walk, a run and stretching between tasks.

2. What exercise did you used to love? Perhaps as a child? BMX biking? Netball? Dancing? Now covid restrictions have eased there are a lot more places to engage with old loves and rediscover a passion from your past that makes physical exercise fun.

3. Feel your chi - explore the mindful movement connection of tai chi, chi gong or a simple standing meditation lifting your hands gently up to your shoulder level in front of your body - and then back down.

Emotional

1. Connection is such an important way of managing your stress - when is the last time you picked up the phone and had a real conversation with a friend. Make a pledge this month to reach out to friends, make time for a call or if you an fix some time to meet up in real life.

2. Gratitude - is a powerful way to feel better about yourself. Write a letter with all the things you are grateful for right now. Or start a gratitude journal or jar filled with daily grateful thoughts.

3. Each day share your best 3 things - in a conversation with a friend, colleague or someone in your family - it's a lovely way to rephrase the question 'How was your day' into 'What were your 3 best things about today'. You can find silver linings in the darkest of days and you'll find you start looking for these best things, and understanding others better with this question.

What helps you manage your stress levels? Let us know on Facebook Instagram or LinkedIn or getting in contact direct !

Image thanks to David Garrison via Pexels free image source

Ostara Stories

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 20:12:19 GMT

Why this Spring Equinox is an extra special celebration

Ostara - the Spring Equinox is the point of balance of light and dark and celebrated by many in the northern hemisphere as the 'start' of Spring. Gardeners and followers of the more Celtic traditions, will be laughing at this so called start of Spring as Spring has been taking place quietly gently under our feet and our noses for weeks. We just perhaps haven't stopped to notice. Now is the point that we suddenly notice much more blossom, bird song and brighter sunnier days - and in Japan, 'sakura' the cherry blossom celebration 'turns the nation pink'.

I love this Celtic/gardeners view as it reminds us that just like nature, change is a constant, but sometimes we can't see the small steps in our progress day by day. Progress is gentle and steady and will suddenly appear like a flourish - but much work and energy has been taking place under the soil and in the branches - whilst we were 'sleeping'.

Ostara is loaded in tradition, myth and magic. As we notice the point of balance between day light and night time, this point of balance calls us to balance our light and our shadow, masculine and feminine, outer and inner balance. We become aware of the aliveness of the natural world around us and energy building. The increasing length of the days, brings a boost in energy and feeling of wanting to Spring clean, sort out and move forward with our lives, plans and ambitions.

This year, the balance of light and dark seems all the more weighted. The horrors of the news, of war and the fearful uncertainty around us is making it hard to find the light right now. Let the magic of blossom in the trees and this festival of rebirth call you back from your darkness, as it is only with our light that we can be the change we want to see in the world.

The name Ostara is from the German goddess Eostre who was celebrated to bring renewal, re-birth and fertility. Now is the time for your ideas and plans to become fertile and birth into being. There is a story that the goddess Ostara bewitched a bird and turned it into a magical egg-laying hare to bring fertility and renewal on its boundless journey. What will hatch from the magic of the seeds/'eggs' you plant into the world right now?

The equinox falls around a magic series of moon energy too. The full moon on 18th March, begins for many the start of Spring equinox celebrations, as this full moon is the start of a new astrological year - another great point for a new start and fresh approach to challenges you may not have tackled yet this year.

What were the big plans you promised yourself in January that have been forgotten in your busy-ness? Now is the time to recall and remember the ones that really matter and make them happen.

The point of balance of light and dark is on 20th March this year and as the light increases in the days ahead we also build towards a powerful astrological event of the black new moon on 31st March.

A black moon is the the second new moon of the month - and as the first of the astrological new year this is a significant astrological event that only occurs about once every 20 years!

Noticing all this energy and weight of the world many of us feel they are carrying we have a series of magical events that build on this Spring Equinox energy in different ways. All aiming to bring that combination of calm and renewal, but with different focus and intention.

If you can't get out of join us for a face to face event, come together online to explore the magic. Whether you explore the energy of the full moon , new moon or collectively celebrate the equinox in our fundraiser for the Red Cross Ukrainian crisis appeal.

Thurs 17 March: Full Moon Balance - meditation and journaling evening
Wed 23 March: Spring Equinox online - fundraising event for the Red Cross Ukrainian crisis appeal
Thurs 31 March: New Moon Magic - meditation, journaling and manifesting evening

Local to Berkshire and Oxfordshire - come join a choice of magical face to face experiences of story telling and wonder.

Step into deep Celtic story-telling and fire-side ritual at the outdoor Magic in the Woods on Sunday 20th or spark your internal fire with shamanic drumming in partnership with Heather Parker on 25th March.

For a gentler walk into the equinox, soothe away worry with the delicate soothing sound of the singing bowls with Tracey Harris and uplifting story telling at Spring into Wonder on Friday 18th or a meditation evening to relax all of the senses at the sanctuary of Luci Trendle's studio in Burghfield on Monday 21st March.

Fri 18 March: Spring into wonder - sound meditation and magical soothing with Tracey Harris at Beech Hill
Sun 20 March: Magic in the woods - outdoor fire ceremony at Path Hill, south Oxfordshire
Mon 21 March: Senses of spring - gentle meditation evening to unwind mind and body at Luci's, Burghfield
Fri 25 March: Journey with the hare - drumming and meditation journeying with Heather Parker at Beech Hill
Fri 1 April: New Moon Magic - meditation and journaling evening to manifest your wishes at Luci's, Burghfield

Why do we have such an unhealthy attitude to rest?

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:27:47 GMT

A look at true rest and the inspiration it can give us

I am here recuperating from an enforced period of ‘rest’ after severe pain in my spine and hip and I’ve been noticing some interesting and worrying attitudes to rest.

There’s a big community (on Linked In especially) that is all about how wonderful their lives and businesses are but disturbingly the old “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” attitude seems to be emerging again.

During the hard, isolating times of covid lockdowns many people got a fresh perspective on the concept of work, rest and play. Many suddenly realised how vital their wellbeing was to success – not just survival.

But even wellbeing has become another pressure to add to the diary rather than the idea of true rest.

My enforced rest has mostly not felt very restful, as I battle with pain and not being able to walk properly much of the time. But today - having a better day on that dial of pain - I am starting to see a new truth in this time of a forced stop.

I am starting to dream again – not just be stuck in the doing of work and life. I am starting to dare to imagine a different way of working and thriving and I am finding an ambitious hunger that has been dormant for years.

Dreams that were trampled on by others, dreams that were halted by situations, dreams that I didn’t speak up for, I could blame others, but in truth my dreams were kept caged out of fear and lack of self-belief.

But as Marianne Williamson said

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

I haven’t got a solid plan yet – but it is shaping, it is shaping through true rest. It is shaping through the different perspectives of good reads, powerful TV role models, sleep and meditation and through a true dreaming.

I am realising that even the last 10 years of holidays have been all about doing – partly with entertaining young children but also in the choice of holiday – it’s either a retreat to’ get better at being me’ or it’s a family holiday with all the ‘do, do, do’ of expectation. When is the last time I was able to simply be – and what can I learn from it?

I’ve had to be present with severe physical pain and I start to realise that I am not a minority.

A survey from Medserena showed one in seven people experience back pain each day - an estimated 2.5 million people in the UK – at a cost of over £1billion in the NHS. A problem that impacts almost all age groups not just the elderly.

I want to take action to help others. I want to write. I want to support and inspire people.

I want to run a business that supports and nurtures talent, that enables me to make a bigger difference to inequalities – particularly in health.

I don’t have all the answers yet but what I am noticing is that rest is different to my more methodical meditation practice. Yes this matters, just as exercise and my physio and making conscious choices about food and nutrition, but rest was missing – not just good sleep – but this time to really enjoy being me, to take my foot off the gas and be present (yes with pain) but also possibilities of who I am and how everyday is an opportunity to be more me, to reach for the change that I want to see in the world and to lead and inspire others.

When is the last time you stopped to truly rest and what did it teach you?

And if like so many that I know – you’ve never tried it. Give yourself a gift and press pause, just for once you might surprise yourself at the wonder of you that you find there.

Thanks to Hobim aka Çiğdem Onur for the amazing picture (find her on Pixabay) - this image to me shows me trying to rest grapling pain and in search of magic /healing in my conscious and unconscious dreams

Have you embraced the five ways to wellbeing in your business?

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:12:09 GMT

This month’s long read – 10 minutes of your time could change the way you look at the value of wellbeing in your business

Many of you will be aware of the 'five ways' as a well-researched approach to look after your wellbeing. It’s become a wellbeing approach adopted by the NHS for good mental health – but the research behind the approach is about much more than mental health and can even provide a platform to help business continuity!

You may not know that the five ways to wellbeing that the NHS and charities like Mind mention in conjunction to good mental health, were developed back in 2008 by the New Economics Foundation to find a simple philosophy to help people look after their personal health (physically and mentally). Much as the 5 A Day concept was born years before to help with encouraging people to eat more healthily.

At the core of the five ways there is a wonderful framework both for individuals and businesses to start to give structure around wellbeing.

For you personally, it is a reminder that your health is about more than what we eat and how we move. For organisations, the five ways link into business continuity management and operational excellence.

So how do the 5 ways have relevance to you anyway?

Let’s remind ourselves of each of the ‘ways’: Connect – Be Active – Be Mindful/Curious – Keep Learning and Give

Sound familiar? How many of these have you adopted in your personal approach to coping with lockdown and the challenges of the pandemic?

Most of us have reached out and connect ed to family and friends on zoom (and realised how much we miss and need face to face connection), most of us have pushed ourselves to be active if only to enjoy the ‘escape’ of the house lockdown with daily exercise, getting out for a walk or run or staying in trying Joe Wicks or another You Tube workout, at least once.

Many of us have kept learning by exploring new skills and hobbies. Some learning has been hates by many, such as trying to home-school, learning about fronted adverbials along with your 7 year old or complex trigonometry, biology and history. Some learning has been loved by many – baking bread for the first time (if you could get flour), gardening – even just growing a few seeds on the window sill, painting – even if it was just rainbows displayed on the windows.

Many people have started to get curious about mindfulness, exploring meditation, trying breathing techniques for calm, wanting to understand anxiety and how our mind works. More and more of us have been trying to find a sense of wonder and adventure in the ‘ordinary’ to bring delight to the challenge of being stuck in alone – or with family

And hundreds of thousands of us have given – given time as volunteers to local communities, the odd can or regular donation to the much needed food banks, the calls for food, treats and support for NHS workers and given time to help people in our communities, families and friends to those battling depression, grief, illness, loneliness and more.

So how can these – seemingly very personal reflections on looking after your wellbeing have any relevance to your business?

The five ways are not just relevant – they can help as a framework for the business of wellbeing.

Connect – is probably the most obvious. We need to connect with colleagues to get the work done. But 2020 taught many of us that connection is so much more than just the Teams meeting to plan your workload or your one-to-one with your manager. After the honeymoon period of having no commute was over, many quickly realised how much they miss the human contact over coffee, the conversations about life and work outside the meeting room or on the way to see your client and the ‘debrief’ over a beer or round the dinner table.

Adding the question ‘How are you looking after your wellbeing this week’ to the monthly full team meeting shifted one client to find team meetings were suddenly shorter and more productive. How did asking a question to 30 people make the meeting take less time? Because people suddenly cared about what their colleagues had to say and really listened. Connections happened with an ease of synchronicity and work became more efficient!

Another client started weekly coffee mornings, a chance to be present with each other outsider the formality of work, but within a work structure – where people would share their challenges with home schooling and positive things that had worked, they’d share positive habits and ideas and be able to problem solve outside a formal team or project meeting. As well as a teams session, they had a supportive Slack group, a what’s app hub and even a Facebook support group for home schooling.

Clients have witnessed divisions and challenges between communities who have been working with key worker status and those who have not – and identifying ways of connecting distinct local communities within an organisation as well as bringing separate teams together has been an objective to meet under ‘Connect’.

Be active – has been harder. After the joy that so many no longer needed to commute, many were realising they were not getting the movement they needed – being stuck on almost endless video meetings, caught with children and trying to be their teacher while somehow fitting in an 8 hour working day meant many were not finding a way to be active. Businesses that paused and allowed true lunch breaks, had ‘no meeting Fridays’, allowed reduced working and flexible working for parents and carers and maximise furlough and flexi-furlough schemes noticed something interesting – allowing this space and expecting less from colleagues – began to restore their energy and productivity. Monthly challenges have enhanced this – couch to 5K, getting the team to virtually climb a mountain, rewarding movement and allowing time for colleagues to go for that walk/run/yoga class – began to improve morale and efficiency.

Learn new skills – happened instantaneously – worldwide people had to adapt to video conferencing, parents had to begin to learn how to home school, support groups popped up everywhere to help with the rapid learning of new technologies, new covid-safe working practices and new work-life practices. Many clients noticed how colleagues stopped to genuinely ask questions of concern to colleagues and paused to give them new skills and resources.

But it hasn’t been plain sailing – many organisations relied on individuals to pick up the pieces and didn’t support them, some even made it a taboo subject to talk about home challenges. Fortunately, this is the exception rather than the rule, and many have embraced learning new skills so much that whole industries have changed the way the work and some of them might just stay this way.

Be mindful/curious – as an advocate of meditation and mindful curiosity who has been using this with businesses for over 15 years, it was no surprise that lockdown triggered an explosion of interest in the mental focus of mindfulness and how this could help businesses keep focus in the challenging world around us. Many are just waking up to this opportunity now. Realising that our best crisis problem solving comes from a wise and calm approach to stress and an open sense of curiosity of the world around you. Encouraging teams to embrace and share ‘adventures in the ordinary’ has lent one client to go beyond the once a month teams quiz to run curry cook a longs, cocktail making evenings, create your own aromatherapy at home evenings. Murder mystery nights, Holidays for the Mind, Emotional Eating workshops, Parenting Support groups and even online bee keeping courses to name just a few. As a result teams have innovated new solutions to old problems, been motivated and engaged and taken fewer days of sick than ever before.

One smaller client was cynical to meditation, but wanted to ‘fall back in love with work by managing their stress better’ and we worked on a leadership programme one-to-one with their Directors to ‘inspire wonder and reduce stress’ – it included some ‘old fashioned’ breatjing techniques for calm, meditations for a better night’s sleep and Tai Chi to energise people – it’s now led onto a dynamic programme – of working on individuals blocks (perfectionism, low self-worth, conflict with particular personality types, trying to be a super hero and deep rooted anxiety) that has seen personal and professional transformation that is simply inspiring to behold.

How can the framework of mindful curiosity inspire your business?

Give – giving for too long has been stuck out with the old concept of CSR or a tag on ‘we ougt to do something for charity’ after thought – but putting giving into a business framework – helps engage and motivate staff and helps add meaning to the giving. One client has combined be active and giving where teams nominate their own charity and ‘compete’ with other departments for physical fundraising challenges to see which team can walk/cycle/run the furthest and raise the most money for their chosen charity. Another decided to change the way they looked at wellbeing – instead of paying for an annual subscription to Head Space that was only used by 5% of the company – they gave each employee a £50 a month fee for their wellbeing – they can expense acupuncture, massage, meditation or yoga classes, gym membership, football club membership or a day’s pass for fishing on local lakes. Returning the power to the employee has had a dynamic spark in engagement and stimulated productivity, loyalty and a sense of pride in their employment.

Can you revisit giving within your business?

Want to explore how to use this framework (and others!) to guide your business approach to wellbeing - get in touch to find out how BalanceTime can help.

Image thanks to Gabin Vallet from Unsplash

Wishing upon a new moon to make your dreams happen

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:14:46 GMT

How a little bit of dreaming, wishing and planning with the cycles of the moon and season can help aid your wishes to become a reality

To quote Disney "When you wish upon a star, a dream comes true".

And when are the stars brightest? When the sky is dark and the moon is new, hidden by the shadow of our planet.

The moon has long been revered for heightened emotions and helping us let go of pent up feelings (think of the stories of howling at the full moon and the associated 'lune-acy') with new or dark moons associated with planting seeds both literally and in wishes and 'spells' or prayers.

I have been following the moon cycles for a couple of years and I am finding an energy in my work and home-life in planning and dreaming with the new moon and letting go of baggage in between at the full moon.

In Refinery 29, Elizabeth Gulino calls the new moon 'your monthly reset'. Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com , comments on the February 11th new moon as 'one with pivotal alignments of six planetary bodies — the Sun, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and the asteroid Pallas — with Aquarius' and explains that this 'builds on our intellectual feelings of wanting to change the world.'

There is a forward-thinking energy in many of us right now and this February new moon is said to bring an energy that will intensify our feelings and help us to take action that makes a difference.

So if your business or life - or world changing humanitarian plans - took a back seat with January lock down it is almost time to dust them off and choose your actions to leap forward...

But wait.. the February new moon is rather special to astrologers who encourage us to wait a few hours before planting the seeds of your wishes and dreams. At the point of the new moon this February, the moon falls out of alignment with the other planets which is said to void any dreams we place within 13 hours of the new moon.... So prepare the ground for dreaming/sowing those seeds... But don't plant them till Friday morning... Or over the weekend!

Then all your wishes and dreams will have the energy of creativity and instinct and boldness in them. You may be filled with sudden sparks of new ideas and inspiration so be ready with your journal and your notebook by your bed for those vivid dreams.

Luck will be on your side so use the new moon to set your goal and plan the first action you can take to making your dreams happen..

Be open to dreaming, to the whispers of your inner voice in your meditation, be open to the power of connection and love through friendship and get read to put some small steps into place to move each of your wishes forward....

If you want to explore the energy of the new moon in meditation and bringing the energy of making dreams come true into your plans and dreams join us at Balance with the Moon workshops to explore if the cycle of the moon can bring magic into your way of life.

Adventures in the ordinary

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:18:24 GMT

Surviving lockdown is about more than routine - its about finding fun and wonder in everyday

Have you explored having 'adventures in the ordinary'?

Meditation and mindfulness always brings me back to finding the wonder in ordinary things - from having a shower to applying hand cream, to enjoying a meal. For me, bigger adventures in the ordinary started when we had an ease in lockdown 1 and we were mindful for adventures while we could, in fresh new but safely socially distanced ways. It extended with lockdown 2 and thinking 'how can we add some fun when we are limited to what we can do.' And then when we couldn't have the Christmas we wanted, it was about doing something we really wanted to do that was totally out of the normal routine and traditions.

While there is lots said about the importance of routine for keeping positive in the challenges of lockdown, there can be a dull monotony in this, that can add to the pressures of this time. As such, each weekend, we have been trying to find ways to break the routine of the week of home-school/work angst with something fun - within the limitations of lockdown.

This is a simple list of a few things I've tried or some of my friends and contacts have recommended that I hope will inspire you - but the best way to add to this list is to create your own adventure that speaks to your heart . So ask yourself, what adventures in the ordinary might you have this weekend?

A sleep over in the lounge
Making a den inside
Curling up in bed with a movie
Breakfast in bed
Home spa weekend - face masks, massage, body scrubs, manicures, pedicures
Yoga outside in the park (Yes in the cold)
Cooking on fire outside (yes in January)
Laser quest running around the playing field
Doing an online workshop together with my partner rather than watching Netflix (meditation and yoga and feeling good in lockdown have all been explored so far)
Giggly online games night with a few friends playing Drawful, Pictionary, Fibbage and more!
Host a murder mystery online or escape rooms with friends.
Night-time glow stick walk!
Climbing/hugging a tree
Blowing massive bubbles in the park
Getting up and out to watch the sunrise and sunset
A night hike with torches
Zoom coffee with a friend and on a Friday having a small cheeky tipple - just a taste of amaretto/sherry in the coffee to make the weekend feel extra special
Making cocktails/mocktails and enjoying them
A bake off competition/remotely or between family members
Dance off in the kitchen
Learning a dance routine and recording it as a family to share with friends
Cooking a special meal for someone in your home - my son made us all salad snack packs including origami paper containers and lovely tasty healthy snacks instead of popcorn or chocolate.
Doing something you used to love as a kid - paint by numbers, a board game, a jigsaw puzzle, reading a book you loved as a teenager, sewing, dancing, listening to music and shutting off from the world, writing letters to a friend... what did you love that you haven't enjoyed recently and can you bring this back?
Organise a theme night - head to Italy, with Italian opera playing, Italian food and dress up for stepping out like the Italians do - head to France and practice your French over croissants and strong coffee - celebrate Chinese New Year with delicious home-cooked (or take-out) food.
Shamelessly embrace the national food 'marketing' days - from Nutella Day (Feb 5th) to Pizza Day (Feb 9th) Pancake day (Feb 16th), National Curry Week (7-12 October) and cheese fondue day (11 April)!

What ever you choose for your adventure in the ordinary, remember to be really mindful in both the choice and enjoyment of it. Take time to notice the senses of this - the sound, smell, sight, touch and taste of these precious moments. Be playful and have fun!

Dreaming of a mindful Christmas

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 17:14:31 GMT

Christmas is going to be very different for most of us - can a mindful approach help to restore a sense of joy and wonder?

This Christmas for many is going to be very different. Some people are embracing the opportunity to slow down and have a smaller, quieter celebration. Some are trying to keep to old traditions as much as possible, regardless of the health risk and others are trying to find a happy, safe medium.

Now adding to more serious everyday ethical dilemmas, we now have the anxiety of Christmas 2020!

Even before the changes to the tier system so recently announced, the added stress and anxiety that prevails at this time of year has triggered some challenging feelings for many. This year, people who usually celebrate Christmas have virtually spat the word back in my face – perhaps because they are grieving or in pain. Others are hiding away from the world – perhaps in fear or in isolation – or trying to keep themselves safe. And others have been trying to pack as much ‘outside’ life in that they don’t have time to stop and breathe and I wonder if they are actually enjoying this ‘busy-ness’ they are so keen to pack their days and nights with.

Are you in one of these three groups?

Were you - until your tier changed?

The secret with Christmas 2020, as with any Christmas, and any single day, is to find your own way; not swayed by thoughts of what other people think, but to pause to make sure you are listening to your own truth and to start to find the wonder.

So, take a moment to pause. Reading this blog is already part of your gift to yourself to slow down.

Firstly, take a deep breath in and out, and ask yourself:

· What am I feeling right now? Physically? Emotionally? In my thoughts?

· What are my specific thoughts about Christmas? Breathe in and out. Just take a moment to be with these feelings, thoughts and sensations.

Now, look around you and find something that is red. Notice how you feel about the object and the colour, perhaps you can imagine the texture, temperature, smell and sound of this object? Observe how this simple study of an object takes your mind off your thoughts and feelings.

Look again. Now find an object that is green. Take note if you like it or not, how do you feel about it. How might this object feel, smell or sound? Bringing all your senses into the moment is called grounding and it is a powerful yet simple reflective relaxation technique to get you away from worry and start being present to the possibilities and opportunities of the moment.

Imagine trying this process with a tasty Christmas treat – slowing down to appreciate how it looks, feels, smells, sounds and lastly tastes. Imagine trying this technique with opening or giving a gift.

We also need to stop ourselves comparing – both to our last ‘perfect’ Christmas , to a childhood ‘perfect’ Christmas or to others social media feed of what a Covid safe perfect Christmas might look like. There is a saying that ‘comparison is the thief of all joy’ and it has never been truer than at this time of year when the pressure to be and do so much more than our means allow often pushes people to breaking point.

How would you want a Covid safe Christmas to be if you stopped comparing and started-living this Christmas how you want to safely make your Christmas happen? Is it time for your Christmas to be playfully different? Take a moment to reflect on where you have been comparing too much to others, to your past or to dreams of the future (Christmas movie style fantasies?)

What would you do differently if you weren’t comparing to your own expectations or those of other people?

When it was announced we were going into Tier 4 I asked my son - what would be really like to do that he is never allowed to do at Christmas and between the three of us we are going to do a few completely different things. We are going to let my son have one hour on the x-box, we are going to get up and watch the sun rise, we are going to go and do yoga and meditate at the park and we are going to cook burgers on an open fire!

This gift of not comparing is probably the greatest gift you could give yourself this Christmas.

I hope you have a good one!

Halloween Magic

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 11:54:41 GMT

Why celebrating the old Celtic new year at this time can help to bring you balance

Happy Halloween! This year will feel different for many with new rules on trick-treating but I invite you to use this time to connect to the deeper meaning of Halloween - known to the Celts as Samhain.

For there is much magic in this festival beyond the sweets and scary costumes. Many of the old traditions are more about balance, harmony and an understanding of nature's cycles and need for rest.

Samhain is the point of the Celtic new year - but instead of entering a new year with a bang - the old new year was an invitation to take time over the coming weeks before Yule to rest and reflect after the busy harvest.

How can you take some time for your rest and reflection in the weeks ahead, as we lead up to Christmas?

If it's a new year celebration, why do we dress up then?

The scary masks and costumes were worn as a reminder that the veil between world's is particularly thin at this time and Celtic revellers would dress up to scare the dark spirits away from entering our homes.

But it is also a time to honour and remember loved ones who have passed.

Those who celebrate Dia de Muertos (the day of the dead) honour their ancestors with food and song, and this honouring of our ancestors was a wonderful part of the old tradition of Samhain that many have forgotten.

Honouring our ancestors

How about laying a place at your table to honour and remember loved ones you have lost and inviting them to feast with you?

You can share stories of them and perhaps even have some lovely photos of them up to trigger happy memories.

You can create a celebration with a fire - either a candle or if you can safely have a bonfire and connect to the energy of fire. You can use a celtic celebration ritual like detailed in Earth Wisdom by Glennie Kindred to call in a connection to the elements and our ancestors - and of course a bonfire usually means marshmallows or smores! Our meditation magic events offer this connection and show you how these rituals can be mindful, soothing, uplifting and inclusive to all beliefs.

Rest and reflection

So even if you are off on ghost walks and dressing up for Halloween - embrace some of the old ways if you can and take time to remember loved ones and give yourself the gift of some rest and reflection over the coming weeks.

Maybe Lockdown 2.0 might give you that time to pause you really need.

And breathe

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 09:23:50 GMT

Lucy Waite – longtime BalanceTime partner and explorer in meditation – shares the week’s tension and the value of those mindful moments in keeping anxiety in check in challenging times - such as children starting (back) at school.

And breathe… I made it to Friday! Well, half-way through Friday with a small bit of work left to do, but close enough! Today marks the end of a significant week for me, my oldest daughter started school. Something every parent will have been through or will go through and a time that causes a fair amount of anxiety… have they got the right uniform? Will they make friends? What time do they need to be there and when do they need their PE kit?! I spent last week worrying that I hadn’t spent enough time with her, that I’d wasted the four years we’d had together (when I wasn’t at work), that I shouldn’t be sending her yet as she’s only just turned 4 (August baby).

This year, my apprehension had the added impact of COVID-19.

Not only is it the time when you feel like you are exposing your most precious belonging to external influences that you have very little control over (I’m a control freak!), but there’s the additional issue of this invisible, silent predator that may strike without any warning that no one really knows much about.

And of course, finding out on Sunday evening that there had been two confirmed cases in two of the year groups resulting in the ‘bubbles’ isolating for two weeks, did nothing for my stress levels!

I am always very conscious of not imparting my anxiety onto the girls, so I have made a couple of changes to my routine and used several techniques to manage the worries and stress including meditation…

Bedtime

I have started to go to bed earlier to ensure I have time to myself (and because I’m exhausted with the change in routine… it suddenly isn’t OK to be in pjs all day!). Taking this time out to spend a few minutes following a breathing meditation to reset my mind at the end of the day has ensured I’ve been able to settle and relax and get a good night’s sleep.

My dreams have been very vivid, a sign that they are doing what they should and helping my brain process the new things I’m dealing with.

School run/walk

I’ve made a point of not taking my phone on the school walk so I can spend time with my own thoughts and follow the walking meditation that Judy from BalanceTime posted on Saturday (perfect timing).

It has been wonderful to spend the time noticing my surroundings, to focus my attention on something other than the worries that would normally be going round in my head and enjoy some time taking in colours, sounds and smells that would usually be missed as I rush around.

This helped to ground me after drop-off, helping the rational part of my brain take over and allow me to leave the worries at the school gate.

So what have I learnt?

Time to switch off in the evenings is really important for my mental wellbeing and to enable me to sleep well… something that is imperative in controlling my anxiety.

I really enjoy walking in the mornings and the additional exercise has left me ready to start the day.

Some time away from my phone is essential… and nothing is going to go wrong in the 30 minutes I don’t have it with me!

Not to underestimate the resilience of our children and their ability to adapt to new situations and environments.

That COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon and we all have to do our best to continue with life as we can, putting the measures in place to ensure we all stay safe.

And… PE is on Wednesdays!

Thanks to Markus Spiske on Unsplash for the photo

Finding calm in a busy schedule

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 13:36:15 GMT

Mini meditations to help you find a moment of balance

When we most need meditation is when we often reject it - because we 'don't have time'. Mini meditations and mindful observations are ways to bring in moments of calm even when you are facing an impossibly busy schedule.

I find they help me to find a moment of balance to help with the anxiety and overwhelm of the times we are living in and bring me back to a place of calm focus and gratitude.

So stop and smell the roses - or the coffee - and breathe gently as you explore a few of my favourite mini meditations for finding calm against the clock. These mini meditations can be explored to bring you calm in just a minute - or if you have more time you can use them for a longer slower meditation and feel those stress hormones really release!

1. Grounding - 54321

Look around you now and find five things you can see. Observe colours, shapes and how you feel about these five different objects.

Close your eyes and tune in to four different sounds that you can hear. Notice how it feels to switch your attention consciously from one sound to another. If it is quiet where you are remember to pay attention to the quietest sounds, the purr of your device, the sound of your own breathing and the tiny noises you make as you shift position.

Reach out and find three things you can touch. Explore the different textures, temperatures and get curious about the feelings and thoughts that rise and fall, moment to moment through an exploration of texture and consistency via your fingertips.

Breathe in deeply through your nose and look for two separate smells - the soap on your hands - the coffee in a cup - the smell of your clothes etc.

Pause and observe one thing you can taste. You may reach out for that cup of coffee or glass of water or piece of fruit - or you may just take a moment to notice the taste in your mouth right now. Run your tongue around your teeth and mouth, observing the tastes you pick up and how you feel right now.

2. Take One Wonderful Photo A Day
This intention to find and take one wonderful a day can keep me going in some of my darkest moments. It was inspired by Mo Gawdat and the mindful photography of Brilliant Beings who both have different approaches to taking photos for calm. Instead of using my phone just as a work device, I make a point everyday to try to capture just one thing that sparks wonder. It is often something from nature, capturing the simple beauty of a flower, or the way shadows or rainbows appear. This act of looking for wonderment can pull me away from the noise of thoughts and anxieties in my mind and ground me in a practical and playful task with a smile.

3. Straighten up
Between tasks, stand up and straighten. Take a deep breath and roll your shoulders gently up towards your ears and back down. Stand tall as if balancing a book on your head and observe your posture, notice the tension you are holding in your body and feel how this starts to shift every so slightly as you stand, with weight evenly balanced in your feet, straightening your posture.

4. Breathe in a 'square' or even count to help you find a minute of clarity. Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4 and hold for 4. Repeat for a minute, two or more if you can. Notice how this can help to clear your mind and bring you back to the moment, away from your worries.

You can explore daily mini meditations with us on Facebook and Instagram or check in to our next meditation classes .

The magic of Beltane

Fri, 01 May 2020 20:19:43 GMT

May day at the start of this month marks the start of Summer and a time of magic and awakening passions and creativity

May blossom blooms and we welcome Beltane, beginning on the start of May as the old celtic festival of fertility and union. They say the energy of Beltane this year will grow and grow to peak at the time of the full moon on Wednesday 6th - so now is a time to use the energy of the seasons to call out the magic within you.

Beltane is a celebration of the potency of the earth and the forces of nature. The time when the planet around us is bursting forward with the signs of abundant fertility, rapid growth of plants. Birds fight and sing for their mate. Now is a time when plants seem to grow at an accelerated rate - almost growing under our eyes and most certainly overnight.

It is a time connect with this passion and awakening energy within us - and awakening of our creativity - an awakening of our love - an awakening of the exuberant celebration of life.

What does this time of year mean to you? What are you noticing in the energy of the land, plants and animals around you at the moment?

I invite you to connect to this energy, connecting by standing outside - at dawn or dusk if you can - to draw a feeling of stability and strength from the earth, from the soil, to draw a feeling of freshness and clarity of thought from the air that brushes your skin gently - to draw a feeling of rejuvenation from the water in the air, on the ground - and maybe even caressing your face with raindrops - to draw a feeling of connection to fire - of the strength in the sun and the fires within you - fires of creativity, of passion, of awakening dreams of projects coming together, of calling the fires of passion and abundance you want to welcome into your life.

Enjoy exploring the season and the magic it brings - and if you feel drawn to share your adventures please reach out and connect on email or drop by and share on Facebook or instagram

- Happy Beltane - may your journeys be plentiful!

Allow your fear to become love

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 21:06:35 GMT

Exploring your fear through meditation to help you conquer it

There is no doubt we are living in strange and fearful times.
But our fear can weigh us down or it can free us. Meditation helps you spend time with your fear, without being so afraid of it and you will surprise yourself just what this quiet contemplation can share.

Here is a poem and meditation to help you explore these feelings and rise up safely.

Do not give in to fear and doubt.
Sit with your fear and know
That you are safe
and you are well.
All will be well
All is well in the fragile beauty of this moment.
You are not your fears.
Be with them - invite them in to take your hand in theirs.
Be with your grief
Be with your sadness.
Breathe into the weight and the waves of your raw emotion.
Breathe with love in your belly
Breathe with hope in your heart
Breathe with kindness in your mind.
Let your fear be transformed by love.
You are enough
You, beautiful one, in this moment are so much more than enough
Let your love and hope shine like a beacon of light in the darkness.
See your inner light and how the love within you dissolves your fear.

Much love to you in these challenging times. Remember to join our weekly free offerings to help you in these challenging times and dip into master classes that enable us to explore these meditations in detail.

For more information see weekly offering s

Moments of calm in the current crisis

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 12:09:34 GMT

As we all face strange, frightening and uncertain times, here is a digest of some of the free support for the week commencing 30th March, to help you find a place of calm and peace of mind in the crisis.

Each week, we will share our digest of free support from BalanceTime and others to help you find calm, balance and connection in these challenging times.

Moments of Calm - Meditation and Connection

Monday Mar 30, 2020 at 08:30 PM (London)

Moments of Calm - Zoom Meditation Session with Judy from BalanceTime

To join please go to zoom.us to download a free version of zoom and click on the meeting link here at 8.25pm ready for your live meditation session to begin: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/2961858324

Meeting ID: 296 185 8324

What to expect: 5 minutes of set up and check in, then 25 minutes of guided meditation using music, breath, mantras and uplifting visualisation, 5 minutes of peaceful music to close and the option to stay and connect with the group for 10-20 minutes after the meditations.

Time for Balance - Mini Meditations for all ages

Tuesday Mar 31 at Midday BalanceTime Meditation with Judy
Live mini meditations, suitable for children and grown ups for about 15-20 minutes. To join please follow Balance Time on Facebook and watch for the live video to appear at midday. You can watch the replay anytime later in the day if you can't make this time. Visit: www.facebook.com/timeforbalance

Pause for Connection - Circle of sharing

Friday April 3rd at 3.00pm (London) with Judy from BalanceTime

You are invited to join an online space of quiet reflection and meditation and be guided to share and work with the challenging feelings this week has brought. Just 20 spaces please sign up by emailing hello@balancetime.co.uk

Coaching Connection

Everyday at 4.00pm (Monday to Friday) with Stephen Wells from Aim to Succeed
Stephen Wells, Coach from Aim to Succeed is offering a daily chance to check in with how you are managing in these challenging times and a chance to connect and hear from others.
Download zoom and join at 3.55pm ready for the online group to begin at 4. Visit https://us04web.zoom.us/j/880591361

Sunday Morning Balance with Judy from BalanceTime

Sunday April 5th at 10am
Give yourself an hour away from it all with this week's chance to meditate and connect.

Numbers limited - please email Judy to be sent the link to hello@balancetime.co.uk

Daily Support Direct to Your Phone

For encouragement in uplifting meditations and to be notified of the latest free offerings from BalanceTime, sign up to BalanceTime's What's App Support Group. You will get a daily message by what's app broadcast offering support in these current times. It is human and each day your support will come at different times, with words, pictures and clips of support. Your details are kept securely and never shared with anyone else and if you reply only BalanceTime will see it - you don't get a thread of group messages. What's app message Judy on 07789 713 876 to join our daily meditation tips list.

Can meditation help me sleep better?

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The top 5 questions about troubled sleep and if meditation can be an answer.

Regular mindfulness meditation is proven to help sleep and its one of the top reasons I am asked about meditation. Can it help you sleep better - here I unpick 5 of the top questions that come up for insomniacs considering how meditation might help.

1. Is there any research to back up the link between meditation and sleeping better?

Thousands of studies of meditation and mindfulness show this simple act can have a dramatic influence on our mental and physical health in many areas. Sleep is one of the areas of wellbeing where meditation can have a big impact in a short space of time.

A study in the Netherlands in 2015 found that of the many factors that meditation can change, a better night’s sleep is one of the quickest aspects to improve. The 2015 study explored how just 10 minutes a day of simple meditation and mindfulness exercises could help both beginners and experts in meditation, improve their sleep patterns. The study showed that even a small amount of mindfulness, everyday over a two-week period (even for a novice) can improve our sleep by helping to calm our overactive minds.

2. How does mindfulness meditation help me sleep better?

Mindfulness meditation is one of only two things found to reduce our bodies’ build-up of the stress hormone cortisol (the other being physical exercise). You cannot take a pill to reduce stress. Stress is a natural physical reaction but many of us have forgotten how to release this stress. Our daily lives are filled with so many triggers to stress that if we don’t learn how to reduce these hormones throughout our day, stress builds and results in a myriad of physical and mental problems – one of the first of which is, for many, problems sleeping.

By taking time to meditate and be mindful, we start to give our brain a break from the 50,000 or so thoughts we have a day and we reduce the build-up of stress hormones in our body. Without this release, stress hormones – adrenaline, cortisol and noreprenephine have an almost stimulant effect on the mind, keeping it awake and growing our fear centre – literally increasing our capacity to worry. Meditation helps this fear centre inside our mind to reduce, it enables stress hormones to leave our mind and body and helps us prepare mentally for sleep.

3. What meditations should I do to help me sleep better?

Meditation is a very personal practice, while one person will love switching off to a guided meditation (a story of relaxation and calm set to enchantingly soporific music to help your mind unwind) – another will find the combination of voice, music and story frustrating and become more wound up than before you started.

1. The top meditation for calming the mind for sleep is Breathing-based meditation. Breath is the foundation of almost every mindfulness meditation technique. By learning to focus on your breath and let that breath become the focus of our mind, it starts to enable your thoughts to simply pass by you, without judgement, engagement or criticism. So instead of reliving your day or catastrophising about tomorrow, our thoughts simply float in and out of our mind and our body doesn’t react to them – but simply observes the thoughts. Sounds simple? It takes practice, so be gentle on yourself. Be reassured that even if your mind feels nothing but frustration or boredom by focusing on your breath or a breath-based meditation, your body is starting to release the stress you have built up inside.

Deep breathing to trigger a yawn is said to be particularly helpful. You can try this now. First, without changing anything, just focus on the rise and fall of your breath in and out, noticing the movement of your breath in your body and any tension you are holding. Repeat this process for two minutes. Next switch your attention to invite your breath to deepen and soften, feeling the breath move lower into your diaphragm and consciously trying to move your bellybutton away from your spine as you breathe in and focusing on trying to push the air out from your belly first, as you exhale. Follow this pattern for another two to five minutes. Then let your breath flow naturally, pausing to observe where your breath now moves to and how your body feels, explore this for two to three minutes.

2. The body scan – a favourite you may remember your parents sharing with you as a child, is to pay attention to each part of your body in turn, starting with your feet and slowly moving up to your head. Then repeating this, but now inviting a feeling of relaxation, sleepiness and heaviness to enter your body, one part of you at a time, again moving from toes to head – with the hope that by the time you reach your mind you will be asleep. Release the pressure that this technique will make you sleep and just explore it as a way of switching your mind off and dialling down the pressure to be ‘always on’ in your brain.

3. Gratitude meditation – often the reason people do not sleep is the recurring whirr of worries, regrets and anxieties about what is going to happen playing over and over in their mind. Instead of focusing on the worries of tomorrow. Try to focus your attention on thanks for today. Pause and reflect on three things that you are grateful for, from your day. These don’t have to be big things. Look for the little things.

Even on the day one of my best friend’s died, the sun shone, I had a most lovely cup of tea given to me by another friend when we heard the news, I was grateful to have been with another friend (who knew him) at the time, I was grateful to stand outside and feel the sun on my face and feel alive. I was grateful to get home to my family and tell them how much I love them and value them and realise how precious life is.

You really do have so much to be grateful for, even on the darkest days – and on the great days – wow! You can then send yourself to sleep, not counting sheep, but counting your blessings.

4. It’s not working – what do I do now?

How long have you given it? 5 minutes one night? Do you truly have a daily practice of at least 10 minutes?

When do you meditate? Just before bedtime? At other points in the day? Are you only mindful for 5 minutes at bedtime and the rest of your life is spent in a fog of worry? One of my clients who came to see me for problems sleeping has found starting her day with meditation always helps her sleep better. She comments, “It’s not just about how I end my day, but the attitude I have to my entire day. Meditating at the start of my day helps set me up in calmer frame of mind so less stress gets to me – and I am able to sleep much better at night as a result.”

5. Is meditation the only way to help me sleep?

Absolutely not, and one of the first places to start is with good sleep hygiene. It’s no good doing a meditation to help you sleep and then logging on to your work emails, checking your phone, mindlessly scrolling through your social media feed after your meditation. Be honest with yourself. Is the meditation not working or is the 6 cups of coffee you had today? Is it the fact you were up till 10pm working and its now 10.30? Your brain is going to need longer to unwind than a 10-minute meditation so read a book, write a letter, enjoy just lying in your bed and letting your mind wander.

For more on sleep hygiene see more about a good night's sleep and meditation in one of my previous blogs.

As well as working with people individually, BalanceTime has workshops looking at sleep and meditation coming up in Theale, Burghfield and Pangbourne and is launching an online Meditation Sleep Club – where you enjoy a group-meditation from the comfort of your own home, specifically looking at helping you to sleep better.

If you want to find out more, you can get in touch with us, check out our upcoming courses or visit or www.instragram.com/hellobalancetime or www.facebook.com/timeforbalance

Explore sleep and meditation this Autumn:

At Arlington Estates - Tuesday 10th September - midday or 1.30pm

Monday 23 September - 7.30-9.30pm at Burghfield, Reading

All our Friday retreats will explore this

Email to book your place to hello@balancetime.co.uk

I'm a stress head - get me out of here

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 16:16:46 GMT

On international stress awareness day, we share some tips and ideas to help you - understand and get out of - the stress in your head.

Do you ever have the feeling that stress is consuming all your thoughts and making it hard to focus?

Do you feel like constant stresses make you a prisoner to your own thoughts and anxieties?

With international stress awareness day today November 7th, the media spotlight is falling on mental health and stress.

Stress is too often seen as an admission of failure or excuse for not getting something done, but the truth (here comes the science bit) is that stress is a natural physical reaction. You may even be familiar with the term ‘positive stress’ and how it helps you achieve more.

Our brain produces stress hormones to prepare us in times of danger and these surge into our body to prepare us to fight or flee They are produced by a part of the brain called the amygdala which is one of the ‘oldest’ parts of our brain (in evolutionary terms) – this was the part of our brains that kept our distant ancestors alive as the more cognitive functions of our brains developed over thousands of years. Now, all kinds of stresses – not just life-threatening stress – trigger these stress hormones into our brain and body. Adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine surge into our bodies as stress prepares us to take-action – if we don’t use or release these we can ‘freeze’ or have these stress hormones build up in our body – leading to a range of health problems.

Adrenaline does eventually dissipate naturally but cortisol and norepinephrine can only be released through physical exercise or calming your mind – such as through meditation and mindfulness.

If you don’t release these stress hormones your body and brain is physically making it harder for you to concentrate, causing blood sugar levels to rise, causing a build-up or cortisol around your heart which can lead to stroke, irregular blood pressure (usually higher but in some people your genetics and other factors will lead this to fall) – cortisol has also been linked to obesity, chronic inflammation and reduced immunity. Stress symptoms can include chest pain, increased heartbeat, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, muscle or joint pain, increased or decreased appetite and sex drive and struggling to regulate feelings of anger, sadness and irritability.

According to a study from the University of Maryland Medical Center, US, chronic stress impairs the ability to concentrate and increases the risk of accidents. Stress also leads to decreased cognitive function as it decreases brain cells linked to learning and memory. Pst traumatic stress disorder (PTSD has been seen to decrease the hippocampus (this part of your brain linked to learning and memory) by up to 8 per cent. The good news is that decreasing stress through a fitness regime for body and mind – will see this part of your brain rejuvenate and new cells and new neural path ways between our left and right hand hemispheres grow.

So how can you learn to manage stress better in your life? The secret is to strive for balance physically and mentally – building in physical exercise to help release these stress hormones and to develop calming, mindfulness and meditative practices to both release the stress hormones and grow the part of your brain linked to focus, learning, memory and aging – you literally grow your brain to both think and become younger!

You may have heard some of these stress busting benefits of mindfulness meditation but wondered if it is really for me? Perhaps you have tried an app or class once and then thought ‘Oh I can’t do this – I can’t get my mind to switch off’…

Be reassured! Harvard Research in 2010 shows that the average person thinks about what is NOT happening now almost 50% of the time – and what’s worse is that this ‘wandering mind’ and automatic pilot doesn’t make us happy.

Mindfulness meditation isn’t a panacea – like exercise it is something that helps you by practicing regularly and building up over time. You can’t expect to be at the peak of physical fitness with one circuit class once a year. Mindfulness, just like exercise – is simply in its premise – but not always easy to do – but both always have a positive impact on your body (and mind).

Here are some ways you can try mindfulness right now:

Stop what you are doing and pause to notice your breath. We aware of the movement of your body. Where is your breath most noticeable in your body? In your chest? Your neck? Your nose? Just spend a few moments becoming aware of this movement, and this sense of reconnection with your body.
Extend this by now pausing to deepen your breath, allow your breath to deepen on the way in and follow your breath all the way out of your body. As your breath deepens notice if the movement shifts from your chest to your diaphragm or abdomen as you breathe in and out.

Notice how you feel now after just a few moments of pausing and observing your breath.

Here are couple of other mini mindfulness meditations to try:

Body scan: Pause to pay attention to your body one part of you at a time, whether you are lying in bed trying to sleep, sat at your desk pausing between tasks or stood in a queue, just take a moment to observe each part of your body in turn, paying attention to how you feel as you observe the temperature, comfort or discomfort, thoughts and judgements about and physical sensations within your body. Become aware how this act of focusing helps to still your thoughts about what has happened in the past and what you need to do in the future.
Picture a colour that makes you smile: Pause to think of your favourite colour and all of the things about that colour and objects of that colour that make you smile. Focus on the different shapes, textures and memories and allow yourself a moment of colourful calm.
Positive affirmations and mantras: You can repeat a positive phrase or mantra to help you to find calm and build a strength and resilience to a particular stressful situation. What quality would help you face a current challenge with more ease? Strength? Patience? Compassion? Kindness? Resilience? Happiness? Peacefulness? Invite this quality or several in with a mantra – you can say this silently in your mind or out loud: e.g. “I am happy. I am strong. I am calm”. Repeat this nine times and then carry on with your day.

To explore more of how mindfulness meditation can help you reduce stress, check out our classes and retreats .

For regular mini tips to help you follow www.facebook.com/timefor balance and www.instagram.com/hellobalancetime

Why is grief a dirty word?

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 14:32:03 GMT

Exploring our attitudes towards grief and if meditation can help us come to terms with loss.

Today is the close of the Mexico celebration – Día de Muertos – the day of the dead – a celebration of life and immortality and honouring loved ones who have passed. Only a heart-beat ago was Halloween – or the celtic Samhain – a celebration of the thinning of the veil between the world of the dead and the world of the living. Despite the celebrations being very different there are some curious overlaps.

While at Halloween we have forgotten many of the old traditions through a rush of garish costumes and high of sugar. The aulde tradition of Samhain was like Día de Muertos in the sense of honouring and remembering loved ones who have passed.

Did you know it was an old celtic tradition to lay an extra place (or two) at your dinner table on Halloween night to invite loved ones past to visit and dine with you? In Mexico the tradition is even grander – to create a ritual altar in your home called an ofrenda to welcome the dead home with food, gifts and marigold petals to guide them.

This is a time of year to honour and remember the dead – and to allow yourself space and time to grieve. From Halloween right up to Remembrance Day on 11th November we breathe a sigh of relief at the permission being given to remember those who have died.

Grief is too often seen as a dirty word – UK culture has made it almost to be an admission of failure to admit grief. You can all have time off to deal with the death of a close relative – but after the funeral its time for you to pack up your tissues, put away your sadness and pull yourself together. Is it the old ‘stiff upper lip’ in times of sadness Victorianism of us Brits? Or are we just out of touch with how to grieve?

Grief affects us at all times of our life and not just through death. We grieve the death of a long-term relationship, we grieve in times of anger towards illness affecting us and our loved ones. We grieve in times of change.

If we constantly sweep our feelings under the carpet we bottle our grief rather than letting it run its course, its course to change and shape our lives with sadness but ultimately with joy. Now you may not ever truly get over the death of a loved one, particularly a child – but you can learn to embrace life in all its beauty and honour and connect with your grief rather than hide away from it.

The brilliant Mo Gawdat from Google invented an equation for happiness to deal with the unexpected death of his son – and has many wise words to teach us on the quest for happiness and joy in among the sadness of so many moments.

“You know how there are five stages of grief? We started with acceptance. My wife at the time made an insightful comment when they asked to do an autopsy on our son’s body: “Will it bring Ali back?” The realisation that nothing we could do, including crying in our rooms for the next 17 years, would ever bring him back… we started from there.

“I then went through a rollercoaster. But I would sometimes imagine talking to Ali and if you knew him, his first reaction would be: “Papa I’ve already died, there’s nothing you can do about it, so what are you going to make out of it?” When I started going through this dialogue it made me realise that this can be for a reason, for good can come out of it.

“Finding Happiness is very much like staying fit. First you understand that happiness is a choice, that you can actually achieve it and that there is a method to make it happen. Happiness is not a coincidence, it is not given to you by life, it’s entirely our responsibility.”

Wise and brilliant words from Mo - thank you. What I love about meditation, it is teaches us to sit with our grief, with our fears and with our pain, to realise how strong we are. To realise while uncomfortable, it doesn’t stay uncomfortable all of the time and the quiet space unfurls the knot of tension, releases the pain and enables us to open again to love and joy.

What I love about mindfulness is how it teaches us to embrace life in all its fullness of sadness and joy. Helping us to find the moments of pure love and happiness in between the darkness, to welcome and recognise them all. From this place you can then work at the happiness and notice how a little effort brings us to a place of wholeness.

Our Day to Remember Retreat this November is a day when we honour the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance – with a focus on acceptance and using mindfulness and meditation to bring us to a place of release, recalibration and happiness.

A gentle meditation you may like to do at home is to write a letter to a loved one who has died. Imagine what you would say to them. Imagine what you would ask them. Imagine their reply. Write whatever you want and need to say. Talk it in your mind or out loud if helpful but write and free the words, free the anger, free the sadness, free the bargaining and negotiation between you and this loved one, free the weight of grief and find acceptance. Find a safe place to burn this letter and watch it transform into something new – taking the energy, anger and depression in your words and turning them into ash and smoke and giving the molecules a new lease of life.

You can also do this with the end of a relationship – write a letter to say all the things you hold your-self back from saying in real-life. Write a letter that acknowledges the anger and sadness and bargaining and remembers the joy you had in your relationship, holds true to those moments of pure happiness and then lets them go too – for they are in the past and the only moment we have is now. Burning your letters can help to add to this feeling of release and letting go. This is a letter not to be read by the person - but to help you to move on.

If this article stirs emotions in you and you feel you need more support, be open to exploring speaking to a trained counsellor or joining a bereavement group. To find out how a mindfulness meditation course can help you speak to Judy at BalanceTime.

Thanks to the brilliant photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

Mini meditations for busy lives

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 17:12:48 GMT

How can you make time for meditation when you don't have time.

I'm always asked - how can I make time for meditation - my life is too busy.

There is an old saying that goes something like: "Want to find a space of calm each day meditate for 20 minutes. On the days you can't find 20 minutes - meditate for 40."

Now for me, a practised meditator - this really resonates, but when you are starting your journey it can feel like a block.

Here are some ways to find time for meditation and mindfulness - when you don't have time.

1. Change your approach to activities you already do - everyday - to turn them into a mini meditation:
When you shower - turn this into a moment for you - notice who you 'take into the shower' in your mind - if your thoughts are full of work actions, colleagues, family demands - be aware of this. Imagine letting these thoughts pass and wash off you - down the plug hole. You can then bring your attention back to the present moment in the shower, enjoying the act of washing, smelling the shower gel, feeling the water on your skin, giving thanks for being able to turn on warm , fresh water at any time you choose.

When you are eating - make your first few bites of every meal or snack - more mindful. Particularly with snacks - pause to ask yourself are you really hungry and why are you reaching for this. You may still choose to eat the crisps, chocolate or fruit but you start to notice if you are pausing for boredom, frustration, sadness, distraction or genuine hunger. Before you take a bite, appreciate the item - from the way the food lays on a plate, sits in bright coloured packaging, feels as you hold it in your hand. Observe colours, shapes, words, textures and notice how you feel. Breathe in the smell through your nose and notice how this makes you feel. Does your body react physically with a tummy rumble? Finally slowly take a bite - but before you chew and swallow - get curious about how this feels in your mouth, how the saliva builds up and the sensations and thoughts your body is having at this moment. Then chew and swallow noticing the feeling on your tongue. teeth and in your body as the food travels down your throat.

2. Make mini pauses between tasks at home and work
When you have finished writing that email or text or social media post - before you scroll onto the next item pause. let your hands rest away from your device, turn away from the screen and take three deep breaths in and out. Then resume your next task but making a clear pause in your mind between activities.

3. Add a minute to your bedtime routine to be thankful
When you go to bed, switch off lights and gadgets - take a deliberate minute to say thank you in your mind for a minimum of three great things from the day you have just had. They don't have to be big things - they could be the way someone smiled at you and cheered your day, the way a friend brought you a cup of tea or sent an uplifting message, the way the sunlight shone and caught the trees on your walk to the train. Being thankful before bedtime helps clear your mind of worries and anxieties and settle to a cosy space of thanks.

4. Add a minute to your morning routine to notice your body.
Set your alarm one to five minutes earlier than usual. Use this extra minute or more to wake your body and mind up gently by noticing each part of your body in turn. Start with your feet. Observe how they feel. Heavy? Cold? Hot? Cosy? Fidgety? Move up your body from foot to head and then get ready to start your day.

5. Take a mindful walk
Whether walking to work, taking the kids to school, walking the dog or popping to the shops - make your walk a mindful one. Notice when your mind starts wandering and thinking about what has just happened, or planning ahead and thinking about all the things you need to do. Are you time travelling? Can you bring your attention back to the present? Appreciate all the things that you can see and hear as you walk. Get curious about the movements in your body as you walk. Notice any smells you breathe in on your way, and how they affect your thoughts and feelings.

We'll be sharing more ideas and ways to make meditation possible when you don't have time - so if you'd like to hear more from us - please just get in contact .

What is the true business cost of wellbeing?

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 16:05:33 GMT

With billions lost to the UK economy each year due to days off sick due to stress - just how much is stress and being unwell costing your company?

Business are starting to wake up to the cost of stress – with £9Billion(1) lost to the UK economy due to days off sick and over half of this estimated to be due to mental and physical health problems triggered by stress – more organisations are waking up to rethink wellbeing.

Waiting for a mental health breakdown in one of your staff is not a reason to act. Putting wellbeing at the heart of your business from an early point, has a massive impact on business success and bottom line. And it's not just in the way that Richard Branson comments on how looking after staff, leads to cared for customers and a business that takes care of itself. A wellbeing strategy can cover ethics, sustainability, company values, supply chain improvements, leadership, staff resilience and peak performance and that's just for starters.

But don’t just take Branson's word for it. The University of Warwick and Social Market Foundation conducted research showing how ‘ happy staff are more productive ’.

Ignoring wellbeing can cost you in other ways. Bullying and harassment cases and constructive unfair dismissal costs businesses up to £80k per case – and in the event of a proven discrimination case, there is no limit to the amount of compensation that can be awarded.

Business leaders recommend prevention to try to head off negative behaviours and prevent claims and organisations such as – ACAS recommend strategies that focus proactively on ensuring worker well-being and fostering good workplace relations.

What do these strategies look like?

For England’s football team - we got further in the 2018 World Cup than we have in years, through in the moment f ocus and control – ensuring that you ‘write your own stories’ not getting caught in limiting beliefs from the past.

For Interface the carpet tile company it was a business shake up that changed the company’s ethics to the core – shifting it from a petrochemical based company to a sustainable business working to make a difference to global wellbeing. What makes people really listen to this story is that this crisis of conscience that led to an ethical wellbeing decision, has been a brilliant commercial succes s.

For your business – perhaps it is time to write your own success story?

Whether you want a whole wellbeing strategy or an intevention/training to support staff, come and have a chat about your business wellbeing and you'll get a fresh perspective on what wellbeing can deliver for your business.

1) Source HSE 2015/2016 http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/cost.htm

2) Source Social Market Foundation 2015 http://www.smf.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Social-Market-Foundation-Publication-Briefing-CAGE-4... .

Learning from mistakes

JudyMakesItHappen@ymail.com (Judy Claughton) — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 09:25:01 GMT

How a mindful approach to mistakes can take away feelings of guilt and anger and actually help you learn from them.

So, I am not a super-human meditator who lives her life without stress – stress happens to me everyday as I work part-time as a communications consultant and am also a mum to a dynamic 7-year old. Meditation helps me switch my approach to how that stress does, or does not, define me. I wrote this blog piece a little while ago but deliberately didn’t publish it at the time so anyone who knows me wouldn’t jump to conclusions about the mistake in this story – this is how you can switch your views towards both stress and your ‘mistakes’.

Today I made a mistake at work – one that potentially could damage a situation with an important contact. It certainly damaged by credibility with the team, as they were annoyed that I got something ‘so simple’ wrong.

I feel a flood of emotions

– anger at myself for rushing to do this job – yes I was trying to help out, but no – I did not allow enough time to avoid a silly mistake

– self-blame and guilt at myself - for not pausing and thinking

– blaming others – if we weren’t under such pressure as a team right now, would I have made this mistake?

– critical analysis of the situation - what could I have done to avoid this? Where did I go wrong? What should I do next time?

Now, I reflect back and realise this silly mistake happened from a position of fear and stress. By being worried about lack of time to get everything completed, worried about missing a deadline, worried about being ‘good enough’, wanting to prove I can be helpful and supportive – I rushed and messed up – so in fact was the opposite of the helpful person I was trying to be.

Before I learn from this, I feel guilt, blame, self-deprecation and I start to spiral on a downward cycle of sadness, guilt, upset and self-blame. I start feeling ‘what a bad day’. I start letting this singular event define my day, define my mood and if I don’t stop it will define if I sleep tonight and how I step forward from this mistake tomorrow.

I have to stop – as I am doing the school run today – but all these thoughts and feelings bubble in me on the walk in the sunshine (do I even notice the lovely day?). In a conversation with a friend I think I just ranted about my work. Holding my child’s hand - do I give him any attention? I vent to my boyfriend (pretty inconsiderate as he’s unwell and in bed feeling sorry for himself) and then finally, several hours later, I pause.

I remember my mindfulness meditation training and daily practice and now I truly stop and pause.

I pay attention to how I am breathing and take just a few moments to notice all these negative and unhelpful emotions bubbling in me. Then I consciously try to breathe out each negative emotion, one at a time, feeling the shift, feeling the anger and guilt start to shift.

I become more rational, more focused, more able to look at the situation objectively. I realise it is only from this place of calm can I learn from my mistakes. If I carry on from a place of stress – I am likely to do the same again – make silly mistakes, or not be able to see another way to approach a particular challenge.

I invite you to try to notice when you are on this ‘stress’ autopilot in the day and how long it is before you pause. The quicker you build in the pause – the faster the stress will pass and the faster you can deal with a particular situation – or perhaps avoid making a mistake in the first place.

In my mindful pause, what I notice most is how at first I feel such a heavy burden of failure. After meditation, I am thinking more clearly and feel much less a failure - now I am just a person who made a mistake.

Yes, I made a mistake – but not everything about my day was a mistake – meditating helps me treasure all the moments of joy that I missed earlier and all the great things I completed at work. It makes me want to act on the mistakes I made. Make time to make a cuppa for my boyfriend, read a story to our son, call my friend to apologise for ‘ranting’. Appreciate all the wonderful things that happened today. Appreciate that mistakes happen and there will be consequences, so I need to be in a calm, focused state - not a stressed one to be able to deal with work tomorrow - to present a way to move forward and some other positive steps that can turn things around for the team I am working with.

So with that I am off to meditate again!

Relax and unwind with a holiday....what a meditation holiday?

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Why do we go on holiday? Relaxation? New experiences? To de-stress and get away from it all? Your mind and body know when you need one. But is it possible to recreate holiday feelings without getting away?

We explore the top 5 things most people look for in a holiday and a different way of getting away without leaving the room.

1. Travel to our favourite destinations – Holidays are all about new destinations, experiencing some of your favourite things and discovering your curiosity for new adventures, sights and sounds. BalanceTime ‘Holidays’ help you to use your imagination to travel to favourite holiday destinations and happy holiday memories and bring back that feeling of happiness and relaxation without leaving the room.

2: Breathing space
Holidays are about taking some time out away from the daily routine and giving yourself some breathing space from anxieties and pressures. Regularly taking an hour out from your busy schedule and enjoy some quality 'me-time' can give you a boost and breath of fresh air away from it all - without travelling very far at all. Exploring breathing exercises to helps you to re-focus and refresh with just a few minutes to spare - is a great way of finding breathing space and micro moments every day - not just when you are on annual leave.

3:Food tastes better on holiday

Sometimes we travel for the cuisine. Often we just feel that food tastes better on holiday. Is the sunshine? The company? The location? These can all have an impact but a bigger impact than you may realise is your mindset towards food. Too often in our daily life we eat mindlessly - not stopping between tasks or even to look away from our computer screen. Do we even notice what we are putting in our mouths? A meditation holiday helps you explore how mindfully eating and choosing something to eat can bring back feelings of joy and 'take you to a holiday moment' with one small taste .

4: Smile inside and out
We go on holiday to unwind and do things that make us really happy. Can you find more things to make you happy everyday - not just two weeks of the year. Sometimes it is just about shifting your mindset to what you have to do each day. Sometimes it is about finding happy triggers to help bring you back to moments of joy when life makes you feel blue. With a mix of props to set the scene for the holiday destination, our meditation holiday workshops help you to smile inside and out as you notice playful memory triggers of happy holiday times.

5. Relax, de-stress and refresh
The secret to success of most holidays is the search for relaxation and stress busting environments. How you can you bring that back into your life when you are home? The mini break and holiday workshops use a mix of meditation, mindfulness and relaxation exercises to help you unwind and feel refreshed. Your body will relax, as your mind slowly takes some time to 're-boot'. We explore ways to find your 'happy triggers' - helping you take away ideas and techniques you can use every day to help you find a moment of calm whenever you need it.

BalanceTime's next mindfulness meditation micro holidays are on Tuesday 6th February, Thursday 8th February and Tuesday 27th March - for more info - contact us - or visit our what's on page.

Mini meditations to help you sleep better

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 19:52:25 GMT

Is mindfulness meditation really an answer to lack of sleep?

In all walks of life, I am hearing more and more people commenting on how they cannot sleep. Or how they wake in the middle of the night riddled with anxieties, that keep them up all hours.

Helping people sleep better has been an interest of mine since learning about the importance of our circadian rhythm over ten years ago, when I was part of the communications team for the Sleep Well Live Well campaign.

As a meditation teacher, people are coming to me more and more asking if mindfulness meditation can help with their sleeping problems.

The answer is yes – and no.

No – is you are looking for a panacea – a one-time “pill”/tool that you can use just once to cure your insomnia. While meditating, even just once will induce feelings of relaxation in your body as found over 40 years ago by Dr Herbert Benson , you would need to practice the techniques more than just once to learn mastery over your mind.

Like physical exercise, you can’t do 10 sit ups just once a year and expect to have the perfect physique. Meditation, like other forms of brain training and physical training takes time to master in order to reap the physical and mental benefits.

So YES – if applied regularly and build into part of your daily routine, mindfulness meditation can quickly make a difference to your night’s sleep. Harvard University research in 2015 showed the link between mindfulness meditation and improved sleep and further studies continue to enforce this.

One client, who I started working with to help her insomnia, was suffering from massive sleep deprivation, getting only three to five hours sleep every night. She was having both trouble getting to sleep, as well as the fact that when she finally fell asleep, she would only get a few hours before the anxieties plaguing her mind would wake her.

We looked at introducing a mindfulness meditation routine to her daily life to tap into the sleep benefits. We also looked at sleep hygiene factors and ways to integrate mindfulness into real-life. An important hygiene factor is screen time and in June 2017 a new study showed just how damaging the link between our phones and sleep can really b e.

So to get you in a better space of mind for improving your sleep, I invite you to try some of these tips and techniques:

1. When you wake in the middle of the night, try a body scan meditation .

Consciously take time to notice your body from toe to head, one part of your body at a time. Just observing the temperature, comfort – or lack or it. How do you feel about each part of you? You can also invite a sense of relaxation and calm into each part of your body – one at a time, after pausing to simply observe and notice how you are feeling. You can sit up in bed to keep yourself awake and explore this, or stay lying down, so you can encourage your body to dose off.

2. Before you go to bed, take a few moments for a gratitude meditation.

Spend some time saying thank you for at least three good things about the day., Even in the darkest days there will have been some moments to be thankful for – or that have raised a smile. It may be the fact that someone brought you a cup of tea or said hello with a big smile to you in the shop. It may be a beautiful sunrise or sunset. It may be a lovely smelling shower gel that picked you up and refreshed you when you washed today. It may be the fact that you are alive and breathing and able to read this article….You can also spend some time writing your master ‘happy list’ of things that make you happy and that you are grateful for – that you can review every night before bedtime to find a smile in the face of worry.

3. Mindfully prepare your bedroom for sleep.

Is your room surrounded by clutter, filled with electronics, stuffed with dirty clothes? Move the dirty laundry – to another room/laundry basket if possible, Move the clutter – even if you sweep it into a box to sort through tomorrow, and see how your sleep can improve.

4. Turn off the TV, tablet, laptop, phone ideally TWO hours before you go to bed – as the blue light can have an impact on your melatonin levels and your body’s natural circadian rhythm ( see 2014 research ).

5. You may like to listen to guided meditation to help you drift off such as offered by Australian Meditation expert Jason Stephenso n or one of the meditations from the Chopra Centre .

Love to hear how you find these tips and ideas.

Have a great day and a good night!

For more support on exploring mindfulness meditation to help improve your sleep – join our next retreats or find out about one to one support, classes, workshops and courses near you.

Does Mindfulness Meditation really help reduce stress?

Sun, 03 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

“Yes!” says Amanda who was signed off work with stress last year, and has transformed her approach to stress through treatment from her Doctor alongside regular mindfulness workshops and a 5-week mindfulness meditation course at Theale Wellbeing Centre.

She talks about the changes. “ At first the sessions finally helped me to relax, but with time and practice they have really helped me shift my mindset towards work and pressures at home, to find better ways to not just manage my stress but take action to stop it building to such unhealthy levels in the first place.”

Mindfulness meditation is frequently under the spot light with research from Harvard University showing powerful links between meditation and reduced stress and anxiety . Much like physical exercise and its impact on our health - it’s not a quick fix – i.e. you can’t run once a year and have a perfect physique. But those who practice regular mindfulness meditation are calmer and able to manage pressures in life with less stress and anxiety. Research from Dr Sara Lazar shows how mindfulness meditation makes this possible by physically changing our brains so we experience less anxiety and fear .

Current research has found that no medicines yet actually address the hormone that is the root cause of stress…cortisol. While you can take a plethora of medicines to reduce the symptoms stress hormones have on our bodies – like betablockers for lowering blood pressure and insulin for diabetes. Tackling the root cause of stress requires a different approach.

From massage and reflexology to sooth body and mind, to the calming experience of mindfulness meditation, to more in depth therapies such as counselling and hypnotherapy – is it time you explored ways to have a positive impact on your wellbeing and reduce your stress levels?

Today our blog showcases mindfulness meditation for reducing stress – not just through the science but with short stories on how clients have been enjoying the stress relieving impacts of Mindfulness Meditation with BalanceTime.

Peter attended the Two Hour Holiday meditation workshop to help tackle his stress and anxiety at work and comments:

“I attended the 2 hour holiday as a complete mindfulness and meditation novice, I was a bit nervous and I'll admit quite sceptical about whether it could help me with my anxiety. Judy put me completely at ease, explained everything really well and the meditations really helped me 'get away'. With help from the regular workshops BalanceTime run at Theale Wellbeing Centre I now use the techniques I have learnt daily and as a result I am sleeping a lot better, am far less anxious (as I now have some tools to calm me down) and find time to really appreciate smells, sights and sounds in everyday life!”

Elizabeth had used meditation and mindfulness in her past but recently found with pressures at work and looking after her family that she couldn’t find time for it. She came along to a series of workshops to help her find some time for herself and to balance her stress levels. “By learning new techniques and reminding myself of others, plus discovering easy ways to practice these lovely exercises daily, has reminded me the importance of mindfulness in my life. I have been able to reduce my blood pressure tablets – I still need to take them – but my dose has halved – I am certain these mindfulness exercises are a big part of the reason why. Thanks Judy for helping remind me how to make mindfulness meditation a part of my day”.

Claudia has been attending Judy’s mindfulness workshops throughout the last six months and adds “I’ve learnt some techniques that really help me with stress and managing pain from an injury. But I do love dropping into the sessions for a wonderful way to refocus on me and enjoy a calm-inducing hour or two – the classes leave me with a feeling of rest and rejuvenation to last me all week.”

Find out the next stress busting mindfulness meditation workshops with BalanceTime here and our next mini retreats here.

Note – to protect our clients identities names have been changed. You can see more referrals on our Facebook page

5 reasons to make mindfulness meditation a resolution for the new year

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Mindfulness is a form of meditation and both are often in the media for their link in stress reduction, increased focus and improved happiness – but did you know they could help you lose weight and meet your wider new year's resolutions and goals?

Here are five of the top reasons to make mindfulness meditation part of your year.

1. Stress Reduction – Mindfulness and meditation exercises are scientifically proven to help your body to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline – so you can physically and mentally feel more rested. You can try mindful breathing by just pausing for a few moments to notice your breath, observing the speed, temperature and position in the body – then try to count and extend your breath in and out.

2. Sleep better – not only will meditation help you to feel calmer it can help with specific problems such as insomnia . There are specific techniques that are particularly useful – such as the ‘body scan’ where you start to deliberately pay attention to each part of your body in turn, moving in your mind slowly from head to toe, in order to bring a feeling of relaxation into each part of your body.

3. Increased happiness – Research from as early as the 1960s has proven a range of health benefits through meditation as well as the fact that meditation increases dopamine (the happy hormone) in our brain. Dr Benson of Harvard Medical School’s early studies found that meditation helped to reduce obsessive thinking, depression and hostility, and help us to be happier. It also reduces the ‘fear centre’ in our brain so we receive less negative messages from our brains and more happier ones! Benson also found you can even change the ‘set point’ for happiness when affected by challenging life circumstances, by using a daily meditation practice, in as little as six weeks. More recent studies confirm how the part of our brain responsible for our happiness actually grows when we practise meditation .

4. Weight loss – There is a growing understanding of the link between over eating and our emotions, alongside the role of calorie counting and exercise. Meditation helps us to understand and monitor our emotional wellbeing and better tune in to our bodies. It can help us to stop reaching for unhealthy comfort food in times of stress and sadness . It can also help give us more focus to stick with our fitness and diet plans! You can try Mindful eating with the first bite of your next meal and start to notice the difference. Take a moment to really pay attention, pausing to look at your food, listening to any sound it makes as you cook it, open it, cut into it etc. Observe the smell and then really experience the taste and texture and take note of how your body reacts to each mouthful.

5. Sticking to our Goals – meditation can help increase focus by making changes to our brain. It works like a form of ‘brain training’ growing parts of our brain and helping to build neural connections that help memory, concentration and focus.

If you are curious and would like to give it a try – come and discover the range of drop in workshops and classes on offer through BalanceTime .