Last year I was lucky to be invited to facilitate “music and mindfulness” for children sessions, three mornings each week, in a local primary school. In the early days of this year-long project, I felt as helpless as a rookie medic on the front line. It seemed the mini practices I’d introduced were working only…
I did wonder what they would make of it when I offered to lead/facilitate some mindful singing at the Joyful Club weekend. I am not a great singer, but there is something about the connection to other people and the sense of being more than just me, the small “I”. At least this is true…
I want to share with you a poignant moment which came not long after the birth of my son. I had been overwhelmed by a huge wave of relentless and overwhelming necessities. These washed over every moment of my life day and night – necessity to attend to the needs of my newborn. I was…
Our body is a wonderfully complex machine. We have the ability to move in so many different directions allowing a vast array of shapes, movements and postures without having to think about doing it. In specific movement classes such as yoga and pilates, we find that neural pathways need to connect automatically for these movements…
One of the fundamental aspects of mindfulness is being body aware. Our mindfulness training allows us to direct our focus and our attention and in doing so we observe how we are lost one minute and present the next. Our monkey mind and our strong habit to be distracted from presence is how we…
My conclusion after six glorious days on Scotland’s Holy Isle… Just under an hour by train from Glasgow to Ardrossan, ferry then across to the Isle of Arran, and finally, a short boat ride from Lamlash (subject to conducive weather conditions) will get you there. A tiny island looked inhabited by “Eriskay ponies, Soay sheep,…
I went to see Luke Jerram’s art installation ‘Museum of the Moon’ a few days ago at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool. It’s been touring all over the world. If you’ve not seen it, it’s basically a huge model of the moon, seven meters across, that uses detailed NASA imagery to recreate its surface and…
I’m a Londoner, born and raised. I love city life, not yet tired of it. Having lived in Cyprus for ten years I know the difference between living in a busy city like London and a quiet, slow-paced place like Cyprus. I know how stressful life can be in London, just a simple train journey…
Sometimes, life gives you just what you need, and the other day, this beautiful image of a tree and Malay proverb appeared on my screen. It was definitely what I needed!! After leaving my day job of 30+ years at the end of February, my leaves and branches have been shaken and stirred – not…