Help and support – Health by Aoife

Why Mindfulness is an Act of Self-Compassion

There is a place where space and kindness grow. This is the realm of Mindfulness. When we are able to be with what is, we are able to listen deeply and understand. Self-Compassion can be defined as the acknowledgement of one’s own pain and the ability to ease that pain. We can be aware that we are unhappy, struggling, feeling stressed, burnt out, frustrated etc. But this does not necessarily mean that we are able to help ourselves rebalance and

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Mindfulness the Power of Letting Go

One of the core techniques in Mindfulness is to be able to let go of current thoughts and to gently come back to the present whether it is via our breath, body sensations, a chosen word or sentence, the present soundscape etc. The benefit of training this ‘letting go’ muscle is huge. In our day to day life, circumstances which are out of our control will appear. Suddenly we may find out that someone has broken into our new home

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The precious gift of Mindfulness

Like putting on a shade of brightness and clarity, mindfulness works in its simplicity. Years ago, I remember being in Moscow on a prestigious acting course and the teacher asking us pupils ‘When are we truly happy?’. There was a lot of silence and thinking, followed by talking about what happiness is and when is it experienced. Most of us were perplexed. Then a student said that he found himself happy when he was absorbed in a task. The teacher

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Moontime Yoga

As women, we spend a big part of our lives on our period. It took me some time to see the beauty, the magic and the benefits of this cyclical phenomena. In TCM, the Chinese see the pre-menstrual/ menstrual phase as Yin time. Yin, meaning inwards, quiet, still time. It is said that a woman needs rest and stillness most at this time. If she doesn’t respect this need, her body will respond with extra tiredness, pain and cramps. If

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Yin Yoga poses to rest and rejuvenate

Around this time of year autumn, the leaves turn into beautiful shades of yellow, orange and red. At this time as well, our body begins to feel the first signs of winter approaching. Daylight shortens and the cold intensifies. We begin to snuggle into warm clothes and nourish our bodies with hot drinks and soups. In the same way our yoga practice can adapt and reflect our need to go inwards to rest and rejuvenate body and mind. If we

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Mindfulness Meditation for Anxiety

Sit comfortably with a raised and supported back. You can sit either on a chair with your feet firmly touching the floor or cross legged on a pillow or yoga block. Switch your phone on airplane mode and set an alarm of about 10-20 minutes. 1. Take a deep breath in and let your head drop to your chest. Slowly circle your neck and head in one direction. Invite any tension to release as you do this. Repeat this. Then

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How Yoga changed my life

Yoga has been in my life for over 16 years. Little did I know the impact that it would have or how it would shape my life. I can remember first becoming aware of it as a teenager. My dad was really into it at the time. He would practice it everyday. I remember him in his boxers upside down doing a headstand. I started noticing how much he was enjoying it and how his body was changing. Always slim,

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The Power of Love

At present our world, our planet is at crossroads. There is no denying that our existence is at peril. As human beings, our species will either survive or become extinct. At this time when a man like Donald Trump is running for president, when a nuclear war is a real global threat, when global warming is rampant, when Calais’ camps are overwhelmed with refugees in need, when… the list continues on and on. Yet I say that there is hope.

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Why meditate?

Stress Reduction Meditation works very simply. It refocuses our attention to the present. Most of the time we are thinking about the future or the past. When we practice meditation, we turn our attention to our breathing or to our present unfolding activity, this brings us into contact with the now. We actually experience the now. This impedes us from worrying about the future nor to reminiscing over the past. Our anxiety levels drop.

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Breathing for your health

Next time you are somewhere public, look at the people around you. Observe how they breathe. The likelihood is that they are taking light shallow breaths. A big consequence of our modern day living is that we have forgotten how to breathe. This results from indoor living, cramped working conditions, less time spent in nature, less time exercising and a lot of time thinking. Over thinking often makes us live in a constant state of anxiety and unrest. This fear

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