Kintsugi Magazine - Spring 2022 by BSP

SPRING - ISSUE 13

THE

E N E RG Y I SS U E

Self Wellbeing Home Fashion Beauty Health 1

Contents 16

From the editor Why energy is so important for the way we understand and move through our lives.

The mindful 5 Start the year as you mean to go on with goals and gratitude taking centre stage

The reading list Our Spring reading list is all about reframing mindset

Five apps on... switching up mindset From help with daily journaling to learning how to harness the extraordinary power of EFT tapping, this season's apps will help shift your mindset for the better

Balancing our inner energy Balance is the divine treasure of our life, says Al Reem Al Tenaiji 2

Energy: why it matters and how you can create it It’s the ideal time to explore ways we can revitalise and shift our energy says Suzy Reading

A force to be reckoned with Our life force is an enduring part of our human existence. Can it helps us understand ourselves?

Tap school Elle Blakeman speaks to 'the mind alchemist', EFT expert Poppy Delbridge about energy, power and her mission to help women to overcome their limiting beliefs

Good vibrations Certain emotions and thought patterns create high frequency vibrations, while others vibrate at a lower rate. Luciana Bellini explores how we can switch things up for the better

Fueling our fire Achieving more is less about having more time, and more about having more energy. You can’t add hours to the day, but you can add more energy to your tank, says Emma Johnson

Energy medicine If you can understand how to work with, and heal your energy, it can help transform your life, says Lucy Stirling

Arts and mind Does art have the power to change our energy, our outlook, even our response to pain? Katie Scott looks at ‘neuroaesthetics’

Finding your feminine energy Not all energy is created equal. And our sacred feminine energy is our superpower, says Alina Yazaar

The glow of energy Focusing on energy is a powerful approach to ageing well says Katy Young.

Spring awakening A soul-soothing selection of beauty to gently re-energise your wellness regime.

Take a deep breath Can changing your energy be as simple as taking a deep breath asks Katy Young

Switching off We are well-versed in the knowledge that longer screen time is linked to anxiety and depression, but how do we make this work for us in a busy, digital world asks Dr Asma Naheed

Editor-in-Chief Al Reem Al Tenaiji

Managing Editor Dr Asma Naheed

The healing energy of mother nature Why nature is the best physician by Najla Al Tenaiji

Al-Musta’aan The one to whom we are heading

COVER IMAGE: PEXELS/RON LACH. IMAGES: PEXELS/ANDREW, COTTONBRO

The pointing finger A classic tale from Buddhism

Editor Elle Blakeman Editorial Assistants Paris Starr Annabelle Spranklen Creative Director Vanessa Grzywacz 3

'Understanding the origins of our life force energy can help us understand how to help ourselves'

EDITOR'S LETTER

From the e d it or...

ILLUSTRATION: CLYM EVERNDEN. OPPOSITE PAGE, IMAGE: PEXELS/ OLYA KOBRUSEVA

t the heart of being human is connection. The connection we have with the people around us, to the places we inhabit and to the things that truly matter to us. Intangible and, at times, inexplicable, these connections are what drive us, what enable us to reach out, to form relationships, to know where we call home, to give us strength and courage, to give us drive and purpose. And how these connections show up in our lives is in the form of energy. We can’t explain sometimes why we feel drawn to certain people, places, things. And yet we are. This is energy at work. This is the life force of a person that truly makes us who we are. It is vital, then, that we protect and nurture this life affirming energy. We need to understand its essence, to know how to balance or soothe it, how to harness it to achieve our goals, how to listen to its inner wisdom and how to care for it when it is fractured or out of balance. Energy medicine is a wonderful way to balance and realign your energies, as Lucy Stirling explains; while considering how energy vibrates in your body can also help you refocus and switch things up, says Luciana Bellini. Understanding the origins of our life force energy can help us understand how to help ourselves, so see our article on chi, prana and chakras for more guidance, and don’t miss Suzy Reading’s lovely feature on personal energy prescriptions. Emma Johnson considers energy management as an alternative to time management, Elle Blakeman talked to energy and mindset expert Poppy Delbridge about the power of setting our energy free with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Katie Scott asks whether art has the power to shift our energies too. I was also so inspired Alina Yazaar’s description of our most vital superpower, our feminine energy, as a force of good - at once profoundly nurturing, infused with ancient wisdom and a commanding intuition. It’s a captivating concept and one that we could all do to celebrate more. Hope this season of rebirth and growth brings you strength, hope and a renewed sense of the power within your innate energetic life force.

Fog Incense Gift Set, £40, Tom Dixon

Oregano Liquid Soap, £50, Loewe

Wild Thoughts Notebook, £50, Assouline

The Mindful Photographer, £14.99, Thames and Hudson

Wave Pitcher, £195, Sophie Lou Jacobsen 5

The

Mindful 5 Start the year as you mean to go on with goals and gratitude taking centre stage

RETHINK & RESHAPE As Aristotle once said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do’. But what if you find that the habits you’ve cultivated over the last few years no longer serve you? Then it’s time to start shaping them – which is precisely what this journal was designed to do. Packed full of tips for planning your day effectively and making time for the truly important things in life, it’s the tool you need to finally achieve those goals you’ve always dreamed of. Shape Your Habits Journal, £25, Kintsugi 6

HEAVENS ABOVE

GOOD VIBES

Organise your life in style with this elegant velvet pouch from Elizabeth Scarlett, big enough to fit all your daily essentials but small enough to stash away in your handbag. The delicately embroidered sun and moon motif was inspired by the powerful energy that flows from day to night, as the sun sets and the moon rises in the sky. Use it to channel your own celestial mood.

Each of these TBalance crystal bracelets – designed to help support you on your journey towards achieving happiness and balance – was created by holistic health coach Tori Boughey and features a different positive affirmation to help you reframe your outlook. Hand-crafted in the UK using responsibly sourced stones, every bracelet is cleansed with Palo Santo before being sold, to raise the energy vibrations of the crystals.

Sun & Moon Everyday Pouch, £28, Elizabeth Scarlett

Gratitude Bracelet, £42, TBalance Crystals

BREAKING THE MOULD

HIGHLY CHARGED

After parting ways with his eponymous fashion label, House of Holland, last year, London-based designer Henry Holland has turned his attention to ceramics instead. The distinctive marbling effect on his striking earthenware pieces come from a Japanese pottery technique called Nerikomi, where coloured clays are hand-moulded to create organic patterns. Holland quickly fell in love with the meditative process – a welcome respite after years working in the hectic world of fashion.

London-based wellbeing brand Vyrao is on a mission to evoke positive emotion through scent with their high-vibration fragrances. Each one has been designed to infuse the principles of energetic healing by tapping into powerful feelings, from liberation and sensuality in Free 00 to attraction and protection in Magnetic 70. Founded by creative consultant Yasmin Sewell and blended by legendary perfumer Lyn Harris, every bottle contains a supercharged 500-millionyear-old Herkimer diamond crystal – the ultimate mood booster.

Blue and White Dinner Plate, £50, Henry Holland

Magnetic 70, £135, Vyrao 7

The

Reading List Our Spring reading list is all about reframing mindset, from exploring how vulnerability and melanchology can be secret strengths to looking to the past to illuminate the future

Companion Piece

Bittersweet

Cues

Known as one of the most inventive and intellectually fierce writers of our times, Ali Smith’s latest novel is the final instalment of her Man Bookershortlisted Seasonal quartet. Designed as a coda for the much-lauded cycle of novels - Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer - which were written and published between 2016 and 2020 (the last of which responded to the pandemic in real time, making her one of the first authors to do so), her latest literary offering is designed as a celebration of companionship in all its forms – at once timeless and contemporary, and always spellbinding and shapeshifting.

This latest offering from New York Times bestselling author Susan Cain explores the concept of ‘bittersweet’ and reveals how vulnerability and melancholy can actually be strengths when viewed in the right way. With each chapter dedicated to an issue that defines our lives – from love and death to authenticity and creativity – she helps us understand the power of the bittersweet and shows how understanding and embracing it can chance the way we work, live and love. In a culture that celebrates toughness, it’s a refreshing take for those who yearn for a more meaningful world.

While we may not realise it, every conversation we have is made up of tiny signals – from our facial expressions and posture to vocal tone and choice of words - which others use to figure out how trustworthy we are, or how much to take note of what we’re saying. In this insightful book, interpersonal expert Vanessa Van Edwards teaches you how to harness those cues to make sure your personal and professional relationships run as smoothly as possible. From revealing the vocal signals that make you sound more confident to the words that help maximise trust, this handy tome will make sure you’re never misunderstood.

ALI SMITH

SUSAN CAIN

VANESSA VAN EDWARDS

B OOK OF T H E M O N T H

A Line Above the Sky HELEN MORT

When the world around you is in chaos, climbing can give you the illusion of being in control – or at least that’s how it feels for prizewinning poet and novelist Helen Mort, who has captured the thrill of the climb in this beautiful book about mountains and motherhood. Melding memoir and nature writing, Mort finds herself re-examining her relationship with both the natural world and herself after becoming a mother for the first time, as well as asking how we can find freedom through pushing our limits. A visceral love letter to losing oneself in physicality, it’s a celebration of womanhood in all its forms.

Elektra

Fierce Appetites

The Bridge

In this follow up to her bestselling novel Ariadne, which follows the tale of the Minotaur, Jennifer Saint returns with another dazzlingly fresh take on Greek mythology. Her latest book tells the story of three of the most influential women in the Trojan war – Clytemnestra, the sister of Helen and wife of Agamemnon; Elektra, their headstrong daughter; and Cassandra, the prophetic Trojan princess who is destined never to be believed. Filled with rich prose that instantly transports you to ancient Greece, it offers a unique take on the fickle nature of men and gods – and the women that suffer due to their whims.

As a medieval historian, the events of 2020 felt more than a little familiar to Elizabeth Boyle – it was a plague year, after all, something the Middle Ages specialist understood better than most. Less familiar, however, were the other events, where she found herself turning 40 and confronting the death of her beloved father. Writing a chapter per month, Fierce Appetites is the scholar’s attempt to make sense of a year like no other, one that saw her navigate grief, addiction, family breakdown and the complexities of motherhood, while using her knowledge of the past to shape her vision for the future.

Heartbreak comes in many forms – whether it starts with the pain of not fitting in at school or going through the end of a relationship to facing the death of a loved one – and its aftershocks can be felt for years to come. This new book from renowned coach and therapist Donna Lancaster provides the practical tools you need to move through the pain and into a space of compassion. Using an innovative nine-step programme, The Bridge will teach you how to care for yourself and give you the courage to really feel your feelings.

JENNIFER SAINT

ELIZABETH BOYLE

DONNA LANCASTER

Five apps… for s w itch ing up your mindset From help with daily journaling to learning how to harness the extraordinar y power of EFT tapping, this season's apps

IMAGE: PEXELS/ANETE LUSINA

will help shift your mindset for the better

ST R E A KS We all have the best of intentions when it comes to achieving our goals, but staying on track with them can be a different story. That’s where Streaks comes in – this handy app is designed as a to-do list to help you form good habits, as well as break bad ones. You can track up to twelve tasks you want to complete each day – whether that’s reading a chapter of a book, going for a run or drinking more water – with the aim of building up a streak of consecutive days. streaksapp.com

DAY L I O JO UR N A L The most successful people regularly evaluate their days, and Daylio Journal makes it easier than ever to do just that. Simply select a smiley face that represents your overall mood, input the activities you did that day and create goals to motivate yourself - the app will crunch the data and display them in charts to keep you on the right path. Over time you’ll notice patterns of behaviour that may be inadvertently impacting your mood – and find ways to fix them fast. daylio.net

H A PPIF Y

STOP. BREATH E. TH I N K If you thought you couldn’t meditate when you were feeling angry, resentful or irritated, think again. This app kicks things off by getting you to check in with your current emotional state - whatever that might be - and then recommends activities and mindfulness sessions to suit that mood. There’s a range of options to choose from – from breathing and meditation to yoga and guided journaling – so there’s always something to jolt you out of whatever slump you might be experiencing. stopbreathethink.org.uk

3 4 5

Can an app make you happier? That’s certainly the thinking behind Happify, which uses quizzes, games and affirmations to help you preprogramme your mind towards more positive thoughts. Taking a scientific approach that combines the latest research on positive psychology, CBT, and mindfulness, the app uses easy, effective exercises that help you take control of your thoughts and feelings to manage your life through positivity. happify.com

TH E TAPPI N G SOLU TI ON AP P You can now harness the power of EFT tapping – the alternative acupressure therapy treatment used to restore balance to your disrupted energy – wherever you are, thanks to this clever app. In it you’ll find guided meditations for everything from stress relief and sleep support to emotional freedom and healing your body, and the easy-to-follow sessions are designed for everyone, whether you’re experienced in EFT or have never tried it before. thetappingsolutionapp.com

Balancing our inner energy Balance is the divine treasure of our life, says Al Reem Al Tenaiji

alance opens the doorway to an expanded existence that gives rise to the highest possible potential to express itself. The divine intelligence of life itself intrinsically seeks balance. Our natural inner urge to seek balance drives us towards more complex and extended expressions. This creative progression manifest human’s higher inner potential. Desire for balance is not tangible though, it comes from within us. Balanced energy is the key to serenity. When we feel energetic, we feel confident about ourselves. When we rest, we see more clearly what needs to be done. On the other hand, exertion and tiredness make us overwhelmed and sad. Imbalance indicates a leak of energy, resources, and potential. Unfortunately, many of us are not aware of our imbalance because it looks like the life of so many other people, and instead of fixing it, we prefer to get settle in some sort of semicomfort zone. You can sense this lack of inner balance in many ways, like a lack of energy - no motivation, difficulty sleeping, sadness ,anger, tiredness, a consistent stream of thoughts, worries, and obsessiveness with what others do wrong or need to change. But the good thing is that we have the potential to be in balance, regardless of our life circumstances. And when we are in harmony, we are able to mirror our surroundings.

Positive affirmations reprogram our nervous system to remember its natural state of peace. It will bring mindfulness to all of that which is currently not aligned with poise and balance. Our chaotic relationship with the outer world is another indicator of a lack of balance. Our imbalance will always be held in place by insecurity and the limiting beliefs within us, which cause us not to speak up, back down, let go, step up, or make difficult choices. Our intuitive intelligence is the pillar for meaningful answers to resolve imbalances. If we bring that aspect into balance, we start to understand ourselves better. It does not mean that the problem will be fixed instantaneously, but we can now see the way ahead. We cannot depend solely on the mind as it will stick to known patterns of wrong and right, black and white, which it has been taught so far. So, we need to reach our inner treasure where balance already exists and waiting to be unlocked. Attaining inner-outer balance is a key to growth. When we are ready to listen to our calling and inherent feedback, we can attune to our creative energy. Kahlil Gibran said: ‘True human nature is like a flower seeking sunlight.’ Teaching us to re-adjust the attention, refuel emotional energy to acquire a truthful equilibrium.

IMAGE: PEXELS/CHARAN SAI

When we are in harmony we are able to mirror our surroundings

‘It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.’

IMAGE: PEXELS/ WILLIAM FORTUNATO

Eleanor Roosevelt

A NEW ENERGY

E N E RGY: why it mat ters and how you can create it With the advent of Spring and the natural resurgence of zest that comes with it, it ’s the ideal time to explore ways we can revitalise and shift our energy says psychologist Suzy Read ing

sk anyone how they are doing right now and fatigue is likely to feature somewhere in their response. Energy has become the modern equivalent of the holy grail. When you consider the uncertainty and impingements we’ve weathered for two years now care of Covid, it makes perfect sense that we’re exhausted, but let’s be honest, we’ve been running on fumes for decades. With the advent of Spring and the natural resurgence of zest that comes with it, it’s the ideal time to explore ways we can revitalise and shift our energy. It goes much deeper than our daily caffeine habit and we have so much more control than perhaps we realise. »

WORLD

Why are w e s o t i r e d? Living through the pandemic has been a rollercoaster of curveballs – more pressure, stress and anxiety at a time when so many of our usual means of nourishment were unavailable to us. What initially felt like a novelty – like those shapeless days between Christmas and New Year, soon spooled out into weeks of sedentary sameness and the perfect recipe for bone deep lethargy and mental mush. But it’s not just pandemic fatigue, we’re embedded in a culture that tells us ‘You snooze, you lose’, with the messaging starting early in childhood where our kids are rewarded for soldiering on and not taking sick days. Consumerism tells us we must buy more to be more, an aching hole that can only be filled by acquiring and relentless personal growth. Fitness culture tells us ‘No pain, no gain’, encouraging us to push so hard that our wellbeing regimes themselves can become a source of depletion. And hustle culture has us equating productivity with self-worth, rest being maligned as a superfluous waste of time. We rely on caffeine to get us going, sugar to sustain us, screens to pacify us and alcohol to help us wind down in the evening – all of which set us on a vicious cycle for needing more tomorrow. It is high time that we got off this treadmill and gave ourselves permission to do things differently.

A NEW ENERGY

How can we sh i f t o u r e n e r g y? Grab a paper and pen and jot down all the things that you find energizing. The sources that come to mind readily might be the kind of food we eat, hydration, movement, sunlight, fresh air and Nature’s Beauty. I hope that despite what society tells us about rest, relaxation, and sleep that these have also been included on your list too. These are all powerful means of sustenance but let’s broaden our toolkit. We are equally fuelled by colour, scent, music, a tall and upright posture, natural and expansive breathing, loving touch, gentle and coaxing words of encouragement, human connection, solitude, moments of awe, curiosity, gratitude, creative expression, and play. We are also enormously galvanized by personal purpose, being of service and living in alignment with our values. So much of what we have been taught about energy is seeking it from outside of us. I hope this list helps you see just how much energy is created from within, when we extend compassion and tenderness towards ourselves, praising ourselves for our efforts, seeking our own validation and marching to the beat of our own drum. We don’t have to clear our to-do list to earn the right to rest, recognizing our achievements is not bragging and giving ourselves a pat on the back does not make us narcissists, they are all just part of our energy management toolkit.

Why is energ y s o v i t a l? Ponder a moment what it feels like to be well rested, well nourished, energized? Ask yourself: what does energy mean to you and what does this translate to in your life? It goes well beyond the physical grit and stamina to move through your day, it ripples out into mental clarity, decision making power, creativity, an effervescent mood, access to a sense of humour, empathy, and compassion. It is the stuff that helps us action all the things that are important to us – delivering quality work, honouring our intentions, making progress towards our goals and it’s the juice that keeps our relationships well oiled. When you think of energy in these terms, we can see just how fundamental it is to life and why we need to move restorative practices from the bottom of the to-do list and right back up to the top where they belong - the petrol in the tank that enables us to power through the rest.

SLUG HERE

A NEW ENERGY

W h a t ’s y o u r personal energ y p r e s c r i p t i o n? Just as there is a seasonal flow to energy, there are also chapters in your life affecting not only your energy levels but also what you find restorative. What felt resonant in the depths of winter might feel completely different to what calls to you now in Spring. The things that brought you zest in your twenties might take a different shape in your thirties. Perhaps parenthood has changed the landscape to what you find energizing? When work pressures mount or during periods of change or loss, we might need to adjust how we source our energy.

SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO REFLECT ON THE FOLLOWING PROMPTS: l

What helps you feel well-rested?

What depletes you and how can you minimise or avoid these things?

How can you give yourself permission to better manage your energy?

IMAGES: PEXELS/ ANDREW

If you’d like a quick feel-good hit, try the following practices. JUST LOOK UP! Lifting your line of sight draws you into a tall, upright posture which naturally boosts your energy, or take your fingertips to your shoulders and as you breathe in, trace your elbows forwards and upwards in a circle and as you exhale, take them out, back and down. These ‘chicken wing shoulder rolls’ release physical tension and help you breathe better.

What makes you feel alive?

SIMPLE PRACTICES TO UPLIFT AND PRACTICES TO SOOTHE, BOTH ESSENTIAL IN MANAGING OUR ENERGY:

What steps do you need to take to pace yourself?

IF A MOMENT OF SOOTHING CALLS TO YOU, TRY EARTHING YOUR BROW: Sit at a table and bring your forehead to rest on your folded hands. Allow your eyes to close, whisper some kind words to yourself and enjoy resting your senses for a minute. No effort required here and feel how this allows you to re-enter your day with greater clarity and purpose. The ability to shift your energy is literally at your fingertips.

Suzy is a an author, chartered psychologist and coach specialising in self-care. Her new book, Sit to Get Fit is available for pre-order now @suzyreading 21

LONELINESS

A force to be reckoned with Illusive and intangible, our life force is an enduring part of our human existence. It is the thing separates the living from the dead. The mysterious essence of who we are. But what is it? And how can it helps us understand ourselves more?

cross cultures and centuries, humans have long talked about the energy of every living thing. An essential life force that makes up who and what you are. Our unique and powerful life energy. You might know it as the Chinese word ‘chi’, while in Ayurvedic practice it is called ‘prana’, in yoga ‘chakra’ and in Japanese ‘ki’. The Polynesians talk of ‘mana’, the Greeks called it ‘pneuma’, the Hebrews ‘ruach’, and it is known as ‘baraka’ in Islam. Christianity refers to the ‘light of God’ or the ‘holy spirit’, while, more practically, Russian researchers named it ‘bio-plasmic energy’, and some healers have taken to calling it simply ‘animal magnetism’. Whether ancient or modern terms, spanning considerable religious and cultural spectrums, life

force energy continues to be thought of as the very essence of life and is key to many of the aling techniques used in ancient Chinese and Indian practices. Qi is held in our bodies, moving along the spine and through the brain and all the organs. All animals, birds, fish, insects and plants have it, and surprisingly so do things such as rocks, crystals, minerals and water. While seemingly inanimate, the energy from these things can still move, change and impact on the world around them, even if we can’t see it. According to ancient Chinese, even the earth has its own Qi – the wind. Our qi has a natural ebb and flow, but it can be influenced and changed by numerous external things that we do or consume. Sleeping well and deep breathing can impact our energy, as can »

ENERGY

‘Sunlight affects our qi, which is why being outside in nature during sunlight hours is so important’

and drink, and, if you believe in auras (an energy field that surrounds each of us), we can also absorb it through these. Sunlight also affects our qi, which is why being outside in nature during sunlight hours is so important; and we can also absorb life energy through our feet when we connect with the earth, which is why grounding has become a key practice for wellbeing. Where our life force becomes so important is because, when it is in balance, or flow, it can have an impact on our health, mental wellbeing and inherent ability to heal ourselves. Flowing around our bodies, qi nourishes the organs and systems of the body, contributing to the healthy growth and renewal of cells. We feel healthy, strong, fit and full of energy, and also confident, positive and resilient. When the qi is out of balance, or if there are blockages, however, we become weaker and more susceptible to illness and mental instability. We feel depressed, unmotivated, listless and lethargic.

THE BALANCE OF QI

The Chinese idea of ‘qi’ is one of the oldest. Interestingly, the Chinese Character for qi pictures two things - rice and air. The rice represents the physical aspect of qi, while the air represents the non-physical aspect. Often translated as ‘life energy’, a more detailed understanding is of qi is ‘vital air,’ which is why a key aspect of traditional Chinese medicine is linked to deep, slow breathing which allows more oxygen to circulate throughout the whole body. Supporting your qi also involves eating more ‘real’ food which contains qi, rather than junk food, which not only

has no qi (so is considered ‘dead’ food) but also uses vital qi to break it down. Qi is also impacted by a positive mental attitude, rather than negative thinking patterns. This understanding of qi shows up in numerous Chinese practices and concepts of wellbeing. The practice of cultivating and balancing qi is called qigong, which involves coordinated breathing, movement and awareness. Aspects of qigong can be found in meditation, healing and even feng shui – which involves arranging items in a home or office to slow, redirect or accelerate qi; and martial arts - such as t’ai chi, kung fu and jujitsu - where the internal force of qi is used to transmit power and strength. The application of qi in healing is most traditionally seen in acupuncture though, where needles are used across the meridians of the body (energy pathways or channels which flow throughout the entire body) to clear blockages and supply qi and blood to vital organs. Five Element Acupuncture takes this idea even further, identifying five elements of nature - fire, earth, metal, water and wood – which are thought to represent our controlling and creative energies. Ideally, all five of these elements should be in balance. The concept of the Chinese clock - the natural cycle of energy that circulates around the body over a 24-hour period - also brings in the law of qi. It explains how our energy changes throughout the day, and night, and suggests that each functioning organ has a most effective and least effective time during the day. Perhaps the most symbolic understanding of »

ENERGY

life energy, and the need for balance can be seen in the Chinese concept of yin and yang. Based on the concepts of balance – in nature, the seasons, animals and the human body – this theory suggests a constant, continual flow through which everything is expressed and then recharged. From night to day, inward to outward, passive to active, East to West.

THE VIBRATIONS OF PRANA

In the Indian tradition, the concept of life energy is known as ‘prana’, and is heavily linked to the transmission of energy from, and between, beings. The word ‘prana’ is Sanskrit, and broken down it becomes ‘pra’ (meaning’ to exist before’) and ‘ana’ meaning ‘an atom’.) Essentially, prana is the very essence of life that existed before anything else in the universe. And, while it translates more generally into ‘life force energy’, it is often understood in Hindu culture as being the vibrations between atoms, or people, buildings, places or even food. These vibrations can be high (positivity, passion, unity) or low (anger, depression, fear), and you can sense these from the people around you. It might be that someone makes you feel a certain way, or a group situation feels charged in some way – this is down to the high and low vibrations your subconscious picks up on. For instance, a group of people deep in meditation is full of high prana, but a room of people fighting or shouting would have low prana. The same thing can happen with physical places – houses, offices, natural spaces, temples and so on.

When you’re house hunting, for instance, and you get a ‘feel’ for a certain house – that’s prana, high vibrations, lifting you up, making you feel safe.

THE FLOW OF THE CHAKRAS

While prana correlates quite clearly with qi, the concept of chakras goes a little further, bringing in seven distinct energy centres in the body that develop as we age, and offering something different and important at each stage. Chakra translates as ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit, seven swirling centres of free-flowing positive energy – crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root. The root chakra, at the base of our spine, is our foundation and develops in our first seven years. This is what grounds us and connects us to the earth. In yoga, lots of exercises are designed to open this chakra and give us confidence and stability. When it is blocked, we can feel shaky and uncertain.

ENERGY

IMAGES : PEXELS

‘The powerful third-eye chakra develops fully between the ages of 36-42, when many of us begin to feel more confident in our sense of self ’ Moving up the body, the sacral chakra is just below our naval and develops in our early teenage years. It is linked to emotion and creativity and when blocked can leave us feeling out of control. Our solar plexus, the third chakra which develops between the ages of 15 and 21, brings confident energy and a sense of control. When blocked, this chakra, which is situated in our upper abdomen, brings feelings of shame and self-doubt. Bridging our lower chakras with our upper chakras, the heart chakra is linked to love and

openness. Blockages here lead to unfulfilled relationships, but, if it is open, we are better able to both give and receive love. It is interesting that this chakra develops between 20 and 30, when many of us are establishing lasting relationships. Linked to the heart, the throat chakra is the heart’s true voice, helping us to share our feelings and communicate our power. When it is open and flowing, we can make ourselves easily understood and speak with confidence, but a blocked throat chakra can cause you to clam up or be misunderstood. The powerful third-eye chakra – known as ‘ajna’ – is linked to intuition and situated on the forehead between the eyes. It is interesting that this develops most fully between the ages of 36-42, when many of us enter early middle age and begin to feel more confident in our sense of self and our ability to see the big picture and understand our place in the world. The final chakra is the crown, atop our heads, and is linked to spirituality. It is a powerful chakra and considered to offer access to a higher consciousness when fully opened. When we consider our life force – whether we call it qi or prana or chakra, or something else entirely – it’s important to know that, unbalanced or blocked it can lead to illness, disease and depression or anxiety. However, when free flowing, plentiful and balanced, this life energy can a true force for good in every aspect of our lives. Discover some of the energy healing and energy medicine used to treat low or blocked energy. For more on Energy Medicine, turn to page 60

‘Fall in love with the energy of the mornings’

IMAGES: PEXELS/AVE CALVAR MARTINEZ

Sanober Khan

Tap school

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t's hard to imagine a more grounded person than Poppy Delbridge. With a warm smile and gentle energy, she has the air of someone who can handle anything life has to throw at her. Which is handy, because life has thrown quite a bit. But more of that later. We are meeting in Little House to discuss EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique – or rather Poppy’s own version, Rapid Tapping, which has earned her a huge following from those looking to change up their mindset and boost their energy. Recently awarded ‘the therapy of 2021’ by The Mail, its fans include everyone from Oprah and Madonna to best-selling psychotherapist Philippa Perry, who referred to Delbridge as a ‘neurosis-free person who see what she wants and goes for it’. To the uninitiated, tapping is a form of therapy that can help overcome negative emotions, limiting beliefs and even phobias by tapping specific points across the body – hands, face and chest – while repeating a soothing mantra. ‘It disrupts the emotional pathways you have stored in the body and creates new pathways in the brain. You are literally rewiring your brain to release the negative

thoughts and can therefore have a new response to a situation,’ explains Delbridge. ‘You are dealing with the physicality in your body, the cognitive connection in your mind and with energy.’ Think acupuncture but without the needles. Or the need to book an appointment. It was discovered in the late 1980s by Dr Callahan, a therapist in America who had been treating a woman with an acute phobia of water for several years with little success (and formalised as a therapy in the early 1990s by Gary Craig, a Stanford Engineer who worked for him). Being interested in Eastern medicine and acupuncture, Dr Callahan suggested tapping those same pressure points often used in Chinese medicine while repeating mantras about love and acceptance, asking the patient to name her fears while accepting how she felt. In just a few sessions, incredibly, she was completely cured of her phobia. ‘The stats are amazing,’ enthuses Delbridge. ‘It’s really incredible for stress, PTSD and phobias and there have been so many studies that prove the effectiveness of regular tapping. It’s also very quick.’»

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Elle Blakeman speaks to ' the mind alchemist ', EFT expert Poppy Delbridge about energy, power and her mission to help women to overcome their limiting beliefs

INTERVIEW

So how did Delbridge come to this practice? ‘All this of this energy work – self-development, energy techniques, mindset techniques – came from my parents. They were entrepreneurial and did really well, really young, but stress got the better of my dad and he was diagnosed with a very rare adrenal cancer when he was in his thirties.’ It was stage four cancer, and her father was given just ten days to live. Faced with no other option, Delbridge’s parents turned their focus to nutrition, mindset and the belief that he would live. And he did. ‘He stayed alive – not only that, he got well again,’ she says. ‘He journaled, he ate well, he tapped, he did all of the stuff I do now and he lived for another 18 years.’ Delbridge certainly faced a big change in life very early on – but, she says, it’s a good thing. It inspired her to get into mindset techniques because she couldn’t deny how powerful it was. ‘Tapping was the thing that I found was helping people the fastest and made the biggest difference. I now feel it’s my own mission to empower others to remaster their internal belief systems and possibilities.’ There are very strict methodologies behind learning Emotional Freedom Technique – which is the most popular form of tapping – and Delbridge trained for around a year with EFT International, the international association for EFT, to get to an advanced level, also learning NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) which both help with resetting the brain to cope with trauma and phobias. But Delbridge wanted to take her training further. She believes that tapping isn’t just about ridding yourself of negative emotions – although that is obviously a huge help for anyone looking to overcome a period of stress or stuck energy – but to actively encourage positive energy, joy and abundance. ‘I decided that I was going to bring in more of the kind of positive tapping. I see myself as a

human behaviour specialist and intuitive guide who can crack an energetic code to make us unstoppable and unshakeable so we can turn what was once “impossible” into reality.’ It’s this blend of clinically proven tapping and neuroscience with more spiritual strategies – ‘a touch of magic’ as she calls it – that have proved such an overwhelmingly transformative mix. Today, Delbridge is highly sought out by everyone from CEOs to A-list actors looking to live their best life, free of internal demons and limiting beliefs. ‘We have to start prioritising our health, and that includes our mental health and our emotional health. For me life is all about energy, how you spend your energy is as important as how you spend your time.’ She speaks from experience. At 21 she decided to start a family with her husband – and refused to take a year out of her studies, very much against the advice of her university tutors (‘I had to breastfeed in the toilets between lectures’). Post-university, she quickly landed a ‘dream job’ in TV, rapidly ascending to executive level by the age of 28. She then decided to leave her glossy, six-figure role to set up her own business, SLAY to use her experience to help other women succeed by changing their energy and mindset. ‘I like a pivot’, she explains when questioned about leaving a safe, high-flying job and jumping into self employment. ‘Pivoting is about reading the collective energy. What is working, what do people want?’ She is interested in manifesting but has an issue with the ‘Good Vibes Only’ brigade. ‘I do a lot with manifesting and there’s a lot of things out there saying “you are your thoughts” and I think “No, that’s not it – you have to go deeper places to find yourself”. We need to pay attention to our feelings, while knowing that you’re not defined by them, they’re not your identity. We need to remember that we are not our thoughts.’

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“For me life is all about energy, how you spend your energy is as important as how you spend your time”

Delbridge asks if I want to try tapping and asks me to think of something that is bothering me (‘No one ever struggles for too long with that!’ she notes). I think of the deadlines piling up, the imminent maternity leave that feels a little close for comfort, the half-painted nursery awaiting a crib to be built. ‘Ok great!’ she says. ‘So, give me some words to describe how you are feeling when you think about those things. ‘Overwhelm, stress, worry, fear’ I reply. ‘Good. And how does it feel in your body, where are you feeling it’. ‘On my chest, in my jaw, in my hands’. She asks me to make a fist with my left hand and gently tap the bottom of my hand with my right hand while repeating the words: ‘Even though, I feel overwhelmed by work, and deadlines, I love and accept myself, and

everything will be ok.’ And repeat. She guides me as I repeat affirmations acknowledging how I’m feeling and offering myself compassion and acceptance, while the gentle tapping moves to the bone across my eyebrow, then above my nose and chin and finally down to my chest. Remarkably when we we’re done, I do feel substantially calmer. My breathing is slower, more intentional. ‘The reason that I love tapping is the ability to change belief systems,’ explains Delbridge afterwards. ‘And our beliefs make us.’ ‘We need to be told that we can actually change those beliefs – they're not real.’ Poppy’s debut book on Rapid Tapping is out this summer. poppydelbridge.com

Good vibrations

here are many ways to describe it – feeling down, lacklustre, at a low ebb – but when it comes down to it, we’re all talking about the same thing: energy. Or, more specifically, a lack of it. Many of us start the year feeling this way and chalk it up to January blues – with the arrival of the longer days of spring, we suddenly feel incentivised to switch things up and usher in a new, brighter mood. But what if I told you that high energy doesn’t have to be reserved for days when the sun is shining, or when you’re on the cusp of a changing season? That we all have the power to change our energy whenever we feel like it – just by tapping into our vibrations. If that all sounds a little ‘woo-woo’, hear me out. Although energy can be hard to define in its intangibility, it is real – we experience it all the time. It’s how you can detect a person’s vibe as soon as they walk into a room, or the feeling you get when you view a house and instantly know it’s the one for you. From a scientific perspective, every

person is a living energy field, with our bodies composed of energy-producing particles that are in constant motion. Like everything in the universe, you are vibrating and creating energy all the time. Every being is made up of a range of different energy levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Each of these vibrates at fluctuating frequencies – some, such as our heartbeat, breathing rate or circadian rhythm, we can feel and measure, but there are much smaller vibrations taking place in each of our cells that are too miniscule to detect. According to vibrational experts, certain emotions and thought patterns – such as joy, peace and acceptance – create high frequency vibrations, while other feelings (like anger, fear and despair) vibrate at a lower rate. So what if you happen to find yourself trapped in a cycle of low vibrational energy? Luckily, it’s easier than you might think to switch up your energy vibrations. Here are a few ways you can boost them to live a more positive life. »

IMAGE : PEXELS/EVG KOWALIEVSKA

According to vibrational experts, certain emotions and thought patterns – such as joy, peace and acceptance – create high frequency vibrations, while others vibrate at a lower rate. Luciana Bellini explores how we can switch things up for the better

ENERGY VIBRATION

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR THOUGHTS

Firstly, it’s important to recognise that energy attracts energy and like attracts like – it’s one of the key philosophies in the Law of Attraction. If you find your brain spiralling with negative thoughts or notice that you’ve started speaking to yourself unkindly, then the chances are more negativity and low vibrations are what you will be welcoming into your life. That doesn’t mean you must never think or feel anything negative again – that would be unrealistic – but it does mean that you should try to focus on a more positive one as quickly as possible. A friend of mine lives by the mantra: “Feel the feelings, but don’t invite them in for tea and coffee”. By moving away from the negative and focusing on the positive, you can release any negative frequencies you were holding onto.

BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU’RE PUTTING INTO YOUR BODY

That old saying 'you are what you eat' may sound trite, but when it comes to energy vibrations it’s truer than you think. Experts believe that different foods contain varying levels of energy – to raise your vibration, try to consume foods that are thought to contain higher energy levels, such as leafy green vegetables, fresh fruits and whole foods. On the flipside, stay away from anything thought to have no valuable vibrational energy at all, like overly processed and fried foods. Eating fresh, organic produce is another way to engage with the natural world and send your vibrations soaring.

MEDITATE

If you find you spend most of your days rushing around in a state of stress and anxiety, it’s no wonder your energy vibrations are low. One of the simplest ways to quiet the mind and be truly present in the moment is by meditating. Mindful breathwork and meditation calms your nervous system, enhances your mood and brings about a greater feeling of peace – all key for high energy vibrations.

ENERGY VIBRATION

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN NATURE

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There’s a reason why getting outside and going for a walk instantly switches up your mindset – by moving your body, your vibration can start to move too. On the contrary, if we stay still, our vibration will also become static. Nature has a very high vibration, which is why exposure to natural sound waves, light waves and green spaces all have such a positive impact on our mental and physical wellbeing. To really tap into nature’s energy, try the practice of ‘grounding’, where you walk barefoot outside to harness the full effect of the earth’s electrical charges. Just a few minutes of feeling the grass tickling your toes or stones massaging the soles of your feet will instantly boost your energy vibrations.

When you feel a low energy emotion encroaching, shift your attention to gratitude instead – there is always something to be grateful for BE GRATEFUL

While gratitude may have become something of a buzzword in recent years, there’s a reason why so many people have started keeping gratitude journals by their beds: because focusing on what you have in life rather than dwelling on what you don’t have really does work. When you feel a low energy emotion encroaching, shift your attention to gratitude instead – there is always something to be grateful for and appreciating the little things in life is one of the quickest ways to amp up your vibrations.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

As with negative thoughts, if you spend your time with toxic people, their low energy is likely to bring your own crashing to the floor. We all have relationships that we’ve outgrown – give yourself permission to shed those friends who drag you down and instead surround yourself with people who lift you up. Cultivate relationships that make you feel better about yourself, with people who are just as interested in operating at a higher frequency as you are.

‘The energy of the mind is the essence of life.’

IMAGE: PEXELS/YAROSLAV SHURAEV

Aristotle

Fuelling our f ire Achieving more is less about having more time, and more about having more energy. You can’ t add hours to the day, but you can add more energy to your tank, says Emma Johnson

SELF

hen I was in therapy for post-natal depression after my second child was born, my therapist one day got me to write a list of things that depleted me on one side of a piece of A4. It was a long list. And looking at it horrified me. My life was impossible. Then she had me draw a line down the middle of the page, and on the opposite side, she asked me to write down a list of the things that filled me up. ‘Think of yourself as a petrol tank. The lefthand list is all the journeys you take and what empties your tank. The right-hand column are the things that help to replace the petrol, to refill your tank.’ The problem, she explained, is that for most of us – especially women – the left- and right-hand columns don’t balance out. The left-hand one is almost always longer than the right-hand one. It’s a hopeless false economy. We expect to travel 200 miles in a day, but we only put 150 miles of petrol in our tank. And we never stop to refuel. And so, we breakdown, grinding to a halt, on our knees in a hopeless collapse, our engines damaged, burnt out.

than the year before (32 per cent in 2020) and significantly higher than men’s burnout (26 per cent in 2021). And the burnout gender gap has more than doubled since 2019. In trying to have it all, to be exposed to the same career opportunities, to run homes and businesses, we have ended up killing ourselves all on our own. ‘Women’s empowerment has been hijacked by the patriarchal over-culture and become about giving a woman the “opportunity” to burn herself out by working harder and doing more while playing by the patriarchal rules. They used to burn us at the stake – now they just hand us the torches,’ cites Valerie Rein in her ground-breaking book Patriarchy Stress Disorder: The Invisible Inner Barrier to Women’s Happiness and Fulfillment. It’s not that we’re doing too much, it’s that we’re not doing it on our terms, and we aren’t giving ourselves enough energy to do it. We can achieve all the things in a day that we want to, but only if we recognise that we need to fuel the tank with enough energy to do it.

MORE WORK, LESS TIME

WELLSPRINGS OF ENERGY

In a study by the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American worked 1811 hours a year in 2015; by 2019 it was over 2000 hours a year. That’s the equivalent of around two and a half extra weeks of work a year. Where these extra weeks are being found is anyone’s guess – but it’s likely that they come at the cost of evenings, weekends and holidays. And, despite corporate wellbeing spending reaching $50 bn annually, burnout is only on the rise. In a study from March 2021, 52 per cent of people were burnout, up from 43 per cent the year before. While the word ‘ burnout’ is thrown around with an alarming nonchalance, the reality of it is worrying. Typified by physical and mental exhaustion, a loss of identity, the sense that we are not accomplishing anything, irritability, trouble sleeping, headaches and a lack of energy, burnout is at best problematic, at worst debilitating. While burnout affects both men and women, the reality for women is even more concerning. In 2021, the Women in the Workplace study surveyed 423 companies in America, speaking to 65,000 people. It showed that not only did 42 per cent of women report being burned out, but that the figure was higher

Managing a busy life isn’t about lists and power hours and getting up at 3am and doing ten Zooms by 9am. It’s about learning to balance the road miles with plenty of stops at a petrol station. The more you fill up your energy tank, the more you can get done. ‘Time is a finite resource. Energy is a different story,’ says Tony Schwartz, the CEO of The Energy Project and the author of The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working. The Energy Project has worked with thousands of leaders and managers to change the way their organisations view energy and productivity, educating people about what they call the four main ‘wellsprings in human beings’ - the body, emotions, mind, and spirit. ‘In each, energy can be systematically expanded and regularly renewed by establishing specific rituals - behaviours that are intentionally practiced and precisely scheduled, with the goal of making them unconscious and automatic as quickly as possible.’ We need to understand how to meet the needs of our all energies, and fuel ourselves to create and participate in life and work the way we want to. »

SELF

Find out how to work with your body’s energy, your mental energy, your emotional energy and your spiritual energy on the following pages. »

Energ y & our body Kate Northrup, author of Do Less recalls a time when her doctor was discussing the results of a blood test with her. ‘To put it really simply, your brakes and your gas are both really low,’ he told her. ‘My body had been gently nudging me that it needs attention, and it was starting to get louder,’ she recalls. ‘I didn’t want it to have to scream to get me to give it what it needs (or stop giving it something it doesn’t, as the case may be) so I decided it was time.’ Your body’s energy comes from what you eat, how you sleep, when you rest and what exercise you do. If these four things are lacking, your energy levels will be low, you will struggle with managing emotions and focusing your attention. Exercise, sleep and food are like an arsenal of magic weapons in recharging your batteries and fuelling your fire. Starting with a good breakfast is important, as is building in a regular exercise or movement routine at a time that means you’re likely to keep up with it. And if you can exercise outdoors for exposure to nature and sunshine, all the better. Working in rest to your day, even for a matter of ten or fifteen minutes can help, and creating a ritual to ensure you sleep well will also help. Think about the food that’s going into your body, is it going to fuel you for the journey ahead, or slow you down? When you rest, do some simple breathing exercises. Northrup recommends breathing into the back lower ribs. ‘Simply put your attention on your back lower ribs and send the breath there. Stay aware of your breath for 5-10 breaths and notice how your body feels afterward.’ Or you could try 4 × 4 breathing (do a slow count of four for each inhale, hold, exhale, and hold0; or 4-7-8 breathing (do a slow count of four as you inhale, hold for a slow count of seven, and exhale for a slow count of eight). 44

Becoming aware of the difference between the facts in a given situation and the way we interpret those facts can be powerful in itself

SELF

Energ y & emotions We need reflective space every day to acknowledge and to process our emotions. Whether this means in counselling, time with friends, talking to loved ones, opening up in a shared group or online forum or writing about it, working through our emotions is vital. And it’s important that you can find ways to work this into your daily life, rather than only turning to it when you’re running on empty. ‘One simple but powerful ritual for defusing negative emotions is what we call “buying time’’, explains Tony Schwartz. ‘Deep abdominal breathing is one way to do that. Exhaling slowly for five or six seconds induces relaxation and recovery, and turns off the fight-or-flight response.’ Holly Wei, associate professor in graduate leadership concentration, explains that social support and connectedness are critical to good health. ‘People with strong social support and relationships have a lower risk of psychological issues than those who lack that support,’ she says. And building those networks of support is good for the body too. Positive relationships and interactions affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system and oxytocin pathways -all areas that helps us to manage our emotions and build resilience. Schwartz also recommends the ritual of gratitude or appreciation of others. A form of loving kindness, this is a powerful ritual that fuels positive emotions. ‘It can take the form of a handwritten note, an e-mail, a call, or a conversation – and the more detailed and specific,

the higher the impact. As with all rituals, setting aside a particular time to do it vastly increases the chances of success,’ says Schwartz. We can also cultivate positive emotions by reframing our experience of events. This is often something counselling, or therapies such as CBT are good for, but you can do it yourself too. ‘Often, people in conflict cast themselves in the role of victim, blaming others or external circumstances for their problems,’ says Schwartz. ‘Becoming aware of the difference between the facts in a given situation and the way we interpret those facts can be powerful in itself.’ Learn to change the stories you tell yourself about the events in your lives. Turn them into hopeful, beautiful stories, find the meaning or the lesson and consider how differently you feel. You can also try simple things too. Hugging might seem a strange one, but the oxytocin burst you get from hugging can actually make you feel euphoric and often act to level out any wobbly emotions. ‘Hugging is based on co-regulation where you can regulate your nervous system with someone else’s regulated nervous system,’ explains Northrup. Find someone who is calm, and hug them for as long as it takes for your body to relax, which is usually about 20 seconds or so. Northrup also recommends singing loudly. ‘I find it really helps me,’ she says. ‘Sing a song that you feel emotionally connected to really loudly. Allow it to bring up any feelings (laughter, crying, anger) and let those out as you sing.’

This is perhaps the most important, if elusive, aspect of refuelling our energy tank. Our spiritual energy is our energy of meaning and purpose. We tap into this energy when our work and values match the things that give us meaning and purpose. This means using ritual at work and at home to consciously allocate time, and energy, to the areas of our lives that we feel are the most important. ‘Practicing your core values in your everyday behaviour is a challenge for many,’ warns Schwartz. ‘Most people are living at such a furious pace that they rarely stop to ask themselves what they stand for and who they want to be.’ As consequence, he explains, they let external demands dictate their actions. This is where we come full circle to the two columns we started with at the beginning. You simply cannot complete column one without attending to what’s in column two. And more explicitly – what is in column two is actually what gives you the power, fuel, and energy to complete what is in column one. Holly Wei likens this process to connecting ourselves to an energy source which nourishes our mind. ‘Things that helps you recharge physically and emotionally – adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, and moderate exercise are fundamental for physical health, but you also must find sources of energy – such as family, friends, spiritual beliefs – to nourish your mind.’ 46

Establishing rituals of those things that truly nourish you, and which mean the most to you, can help bridge the gap between the values you aspire to and how you currently behave. The rituals designed to connect you to what matters most, can be as simple as date nights, switching off phones/work computers at a certain time each evening, having regular plans with friends, attending a church service each week, time for quiet prayer, volunteering, adjusting your working hours to ensure bedtime, school pick up, sports matches are a regular part of your week. And they can even be simpler than that. Northrup swears by feeling gravity and grounding as two simple ways to connect back with the essence of who we are and our place in the world. To feel gravity, sit quietly and just notice your feet on the floor or your buttocks in your seat. ‘Feel the way that you’re being held to the surface of the earth by gravity. Feel the weight. Just notice how it feels to have your body being held by gravity,’ she says. Spend three or more minutes simply noticing this. See how you feel when you move. In the same way, grounding and earthing can bring us back to our selves. Stand or lie down outside, notice how this contact with the earth shifts your physiology, what does it do to your breathing, your heartrate, your skin, your weight on the earth?

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Energ y & our spiritualit y

SELF

Energ y & mental wellbeing

Productivity gurus will often suggest you focus on being effective rather than being efficient

We cannot be effective if our minds are cluttered, or if we feel too overwhelmed. Setting aside time to ensure your mental energy is as strong as it can be is so important. The fuel/tank analogy comes in helpful here too, when you consider the difference between being efficient and being effective. 'Efficiency is about getting more things done. Effectiveness is about getting the right things done,’ says author James Clear. ‘If you take a moment to think about it, you’ll probably realise that you are better at doing certain tasks at certain times. What type of energy do you have in the morning? Afternoon? Evening? Determine what tasks each energy level and time of day are best suited for,’ he explains. This is sage advice. We’ve been taught to multi-task – a veritable badge of honour. But what if we’ve been doing this just to keep up, rather than to do the best job or to mindfully pay attention to all the things in our lives? In truth, multi-tasking undermines our productivity. A temporary shift in attention from one task to another simply increases the amount of time necessary to finish the task. ‘You get one, precious life. How do you decide the best way to spend your time? Productivity gurus will often suggest that you focus on being effective rather than being efficient,’ says Clear. Schwartz agrees. He recalls a client who moved from checking his email constantly, to setting aside dedicated time to check his e-mail just twice a day. He discovered that working in this focused way, he could clear his inbox each time he opened it – the reward of fully focusing his attention on e-mail for 45 minutes at a time. It left him feeling on top of his workload, energised for the next task, and with far more time on his hands. ‘He reset the expectations of all the people he regularly communicates with by e-mail too,’ explains Schwartz. ‘I’ve told them if it’s an emergency and they need an instant response, they can call me and I’ll always pick up’. Nine months later he has yet to receive a call. Schwartz’s story clearly reminds us how important boundaries are in ensuring we can manage our to-do list without burning out. It’s not about stopping when you can’t do anymore, it’s knowing how long the journey needs to be. 47

‘You can have everything you want if you can put your heart and soul into everything you do.’ Roy T. Bennett

ENERGY MEDICINE Science explains that energy ca n be neither created nor destroyed - but can be transformed from one form to another. If you can understand how to work with, and heal your energy, it can help transform your life, says Lucy Stirling

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hen doctors talk about our physiology, they consider our organs, skin, muscles, bones and blood. Tangible things they can see and understand. But what is missing from this understanding of the human being, is something unseen. A vital life force, a set of energies that ebb and flow and profoundly impact our wellbeing throughout our lives. ‘Einstein said, ‘everything is energy’, and it’s no surprise that he’s right,’ explains sound therapist Farzana Ali. ‘How we react to the resonance and resistance in our lives, who we surround ourselves with and what we do all have a profound impact on who we are energetically. Problems arise when we are not in balance and our energy is out of sync with our core beliefs.’ Much like a hormone imbalance, an energy balance is key to a happy, healthy body and mind. We can all sense the energy in ourselves and others. We know the feeling we get from “good vibes” versus “bad vibes”, and we experience energy changes all the time through the moon’s phases, the seasons and our own hormonal flux. ‘The moon can change the tides in the ocean, so »

HEALING

We are made up of so much more than just the physical body that modern medicine concentrates on PAULA APRO, ENERGY MEDICINE AND PRANIC HEALER it’d be naïve to think that the moon couldn’t or wouldn’t impact us energetically too,’ explains Ali. ‘Studies have shown that even if you can’t see the full moon (using blackout curtains for instance), a full moon will still disrupt sleep patterns.’ The seasons, and the weather, impacts us energetically too, says Ali, recalling how thunderstorms are known to cause headaches and migraines in some people, while the darker months trigger SAD in others. ‘The problem, says Ali, is that we’ve stopped paying attention to these energetic ebbs and flows. ‘We’ve fallen out of sync with recognising it, and life is set up in a way to ignore it. For instance, if your body is craving warmth and comfort when the days are cold, honour that. Nature hibernates, and yet we ignore those same cues to slow down and rest during the shorter, darker days.’ When your energies are imbalanced, you feel like you are in deep resistance. ‘This is when everything seems difficult, and everything annoys and irritates them,’ says Ali. ‘Their energy might be frantic, and

they might be sleeping very badly, if at all.’ You may be in pain, suffering from allergies, indigestion, headaches, fatigue, bad circulation, shortness of breath, a lack of appetite. This is where energy medicine comes in. A collection of therapies and healing practices that aim to bring us back into harmony with these energies, energy medicine balances and soothes us when we are fractured, blocked and out of sync. Some healing treatments require direct contact with the body – such as acupuncture, shiatsu and reflexology, while others, such as reiki, craniosacral therapy, sound healing and quantum healing are absorbed by the body in different ways. However, this healing is delivered, it focuses on removing energetic blocks so that your body can do what it naturally wants to do – move itself into balance so that it can heal. ‘You can transform all the negative results in your life into positive results – sickness into well-being, lack into abundance, stress into peace of mind, and failing relationships into healthy, strong bonds,’ says Apro.

HEALING

ENERGY HEALING SOUND HEALING Sound is a powerful tool to help move stagnant energy that could be blocking you, and even causing you discomfort or pain. A practitioner uses a series of sounds, frequencies and vibrations – on drums, singing bowls or gongs - to take you into a more relaxed and calm state to shift energy around the body, stimulating when needed or slowing you down. ‘I’ll play higher frequencies in areas that are blocked, and lower frequencies where you need more grounding,’ explains Ali. ‘Different instruments will be selected depending on what you need. For instance, if someone was stuck too much in their masculine energy - I might not choose the gong for them. Or, if someone else was feeling distant and cold and ‘shattered’, I would properly choose the warming harmonics of Himalayan bowls for them.’

ACUPUNCTURE AND ACUPRESSURE Using the meridians of your body – the channels along which your energy flows – acupuncture and acupressure stimulate and open up the flow of energy in the body. Acupuncture uses small needles, while acupressure uses hands to place pressure on specific points on the body to release energy.

CRANIOSACRAL HEALING A gentle, non-invasive, hands-on healing, craniosacral healing focuses on the pulse of energy that flows between our head and pelvic area, and works to optimise the pulse of this energy’s rhythm. It is a gentle, often deeply intuitive technique, which helps the body to re-establish an unobstructed flow, which may have become blocked.

IMAGE: PEXELS/MIKHAIL NILOV

NISHINO BREATHING Kozo Nishino is one of the leading qi experts in Japan. His eponymous breathing method is designed to cultivate life energy. Comprised of a series of movements, relax, stretch, twist and rotating the body, it is combined with a slow, deep breath. The breath is a key connection between your life energy and your physical existence.

REFLEXOLOGY Working in a similar way to acupressure, this healing frees up blocked energy and promotes healing by stimulating pressure points on the feet, hands, and ears. The above forms of energy medicine are powerful and intuitive, and they can really help to realign and rebalance our energies. But there is also simple energy self-care we can do at home. ‘Start listening to your intuition,’ says Ali. ‘Our bodies constantly collect information from our surroundings, in a subconscious way. That ‘gut’ feeling is very powerful, but many have learnt to ignore and dull the messages coming from it – so start listening again. If the ‘vibe’ aka vibration aka energy is off with someone or something – your body will recognise it before your mind.’

ENERGY SELF CARE

Himalayan salts – have a bath with pink Himalayan salts or invest in a Himalayan salt lamp, which can work to diffuse negative energy. Smudging - burning sage around you helps clear negativity from your energy field. Gratitude Practice – shifting your mindset can help you become more resilient to negative energy. ‘It really is a protective force,’ adds Ali. Loving-Kindness Meditation – this is great for reducing negative emotions and increasing positive ones. Practising kindness is one of the most direct routes to happiness.

SLUG HERE

‘People who do a job that claims to be creative have to be alone to recharge their batteries. For people like me, solitude is a victory.’ IMAGES: PEXELS/COTTONBRO

Karl Lagerfeld

SLUG HERE

Arts and mind We know that art can enliven our space and stimulates our senses but what if it goes deeper than that. Does art have the power to change our energy, our outlook, even our response to pain? Katie Scott looks at the ‘neuroaesthetics’ – what happens in the brain when we spend time with extraordinary art

ART

THE EXPERTS

ELLEN WINNER

PIERRE LEMARQUIS

LEYLA FAKHR

IMAGE: PEXELS/SERGIO SOUZA

n 1811, French author, Stendhal, stood in front of Volterrano’s frescoes in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. So overwhelmed was he that he fell into a trance-like state. ‘I had attained to that supreme degree of sensibility where divine intimations of art merge with the impassioned sensuality of emotion,’ he later wrote. Minutes later, his heart started racing and his head swimming. He ran from the church; found a bench nearby; took out some poetry and read to calm his nerves. Over a century later, in 1979, a psychologist at Santa Maria Nuova Hospital in Florence called Dr Graziella Magherini revealed that his experience was far from unique. She started using the term ‘Stendhal Syndrome’ to describe the state of some of the tourists who came into her ward. They had suffered symptoms ranging from panic attacks to heart palpitations whilst they were in the thrall of some of the city’s greatest visual artworks. A trip to the Tate Modern has never sent me into such paroxysms; but art works have definitely moved me. Pierre Lemarquis can explain why. He is a French author, musician and clinical

neuroscientist. His book, /L’Art Qui Guérit/, takes examples from the Palaeolithic period right up to the end of the 20th Century and looks at them through the lens of ‘neuroaesthetics’; what happens in the brain when we view art and what is the impact. ‘Art sculpts and caresses our brain: by stimulating our senses, it generates appropriate reactions according to our knowledge and our memories, but the process modifies our neuronal connections and enriches them, thus opening our minds.’ The impact is a re-wiring of the brain; but there are also more immediate effects. He adds: ‘If we like the work of art, it activates our pleasure and reward system, which floods our brain with pleasant, antidepressant chemicals, reducing our pain; calming us down or stimulating our vitality.’ These chemicals are hormones and neurotransmitters, and include serotonin; oxytocin; dopamine; and even adrenalin if the artwork stimulates rather than calms. And they make us feel good or simply just feel. Lemarquis has seen the impact first hand. In his book, he tells the story of a woman who had horrific wounds on the legs. »

ART

Art sparks an emotional response and this is personal to each of us She asked for a painting of a dancer to be hung in her hospital room. He relates ‘…via mimicry, she started trying to move her legs, while simultaneously asking for fewer doses of painkillers’. The painting offered a distraction and encouragement. Lemarquis is president of an organisation called L’invitation à la beauté, founded by the psychologist Laure Mayoud. Sponsored by WHO and UNESCO, it promotes ‘cultural prescriptions’, loaning artworks to hospitals. A report published in 2019 by WHO collated data from 3000 studies and ‘identified a major role for the arts in the prevention of ill health; promotion of health; and management and treatment of illness across the lifespan.’ In Canada, some patients have been ‘prescribed’ trips to the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, whilst ArtNet published details last year of a three-month trial at Brugmann hospital in Brussels offering free access to five art institutions across the city to selected patients. Lemarquis hopes more is to come. ‘May medicine once again become an art, and art become part of medicine so that our humanity in its entirety and its specificity (and not only our illnesses) are taken into account,’ he says. Art may not be a cure but it has certainly been proven to help patients better manage their conditions; and will therefore help them heal. Viewing art is a component of a healthy life, argues art curator and consultant Leyla Fakhr. ‘I think we are often completely unaware how dependent our mental health is on the arts, because a cultural void will inevitably lead to an unbalanced life.’ ‘Every sense in our being has the ability to be stimulated by the arts. If we did not have this injection of inspiration of in our quotidian life, we would live a flat existence, sort of a Groundhog Day where every day would just merge into another. Art fundamentally has the power to shift energy, wake us up and bring us out of ourselves and connect to others.’ In our own homes, we make the decision – consciously or unconsciously – as to what energy we want to surround ourselves with in our choices of artworks. For many, buying art is an investment and for others, part of their decorating scheme; but Fakhr believes there are still reasons why you are

drawn to certain works. ‘Those reasons become your story,’ she says and they are often connected to your personal and visual memories. ‘As you expand your collection, it’s like you learn more about yourself and you’re building a whole narrative or a visual diary based on your experiences.’ Art sparks an emotional response and this is personal to each of us, whether linked to memories or not.

EMOTIONAL RESPONSE

This is supported by a study in which there was little agreement between participants as to which pictures they found moving but there was a shared neurological response. Ellen Winner is Professor Emerita in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Boston College and also directs the Arts and Mind Lab, which ‘focuses on cognition in the arts in typical and gifted children as well as adults’. In her book, How Art Works: A Psychological Exploration, she details a project carried out by neuroscientists Edward Vessel and Nava Rubin, and literary scholar Gabrielle Starr. The researchers placed participants in a functional magnetic resonance imaging brain scanner and then showed them 109 paintings. They were then asked to rate the pictures on a scale of one to four as to how much they moved them. While agreement was low as to which pictures were moving; the researchers found that one area of the brain was activated more by pictures given a four on the scale than those with lower ratings. ‘This area of the brain is associated with self-reflection, looking inward, and thinking about oneself ’, writes Winner. Art allows us to explore our own emotions; but with a degree of distance. This explains our fascination with artworks depicting disturbing or upsetting subjects. As Winner states: ‘…art provides a safe space to experience these emotions and to turn inward to savour them – safe because we know it is art and not reality.’ At the same time, though, says Lemarquis, mirror neurons activated when we view art, allow us to feel like we are in the artists’ shoes. Winner wrote for Aeon magazine: ‘I argue that we’re drawn to works of art because they connect us quite directly to the imagined mind of the artist. We

believe that artists mean something by what they produce, even if it’s sometimes difficult to discern just what meanings were intended. And thus, whenever we take something to be art, rather than accident or functional artefact, we automatically read into it intentionality and meaning. When we look at a Rembrandt, we feel like we’re reading a message sent to us today by this long-ago genius.’ Interestingly, this effect is lessened if an artwork is being viewed on screen; and dramatically impacted, as Winner found from research, if the viewer is told that the work is a fake. By buying works of art, we can potentially engage with an artist in person. Fakhr tells of clients who have built personal relationships with artists whose work they have collected. In some cases collectors can connect to local artists and at times, they have even become part of the artists’ story. But she also notes that art strengthens other relationships. ‘An artwork can trigger conversations. People may come into your home and view the work as they would in a gallery. They then ask questions and it is those questions that make life interesting.’

SHARED HUMANITY

Although there isn’t empirical evidence for this, Winner also raises the question of whether art makes us more empathetic. Fakhr argues it does: ‘It gives us an insight into socio and political issues but also history.’ She points to the work of Kara Walker, who makes cut-out silhouettes that depict historical narratives that are haunted by violence, sexuality and drama. ‘She exposes the tragic legacy of slavery… but also makes reference to contemporary racial and gender stereotypes’, Fakhr states adding: ‘What is so wonderful about artists like Walker is that she brings to light highly loaded subjects in the most sublime and playful format. This disarms her audience, but also asks them to connect to the work purely on emotional levels rather than purely intellectual.’ For Fakhr, art achieves this in a way that a news article or academic paper simply cannot. As a woman of Iranian heritage, she argues the art also offers an insight into what conditions the artist was working under; what troubles they are navigating;

IMAGE : PEXELS/ EBERHARD GROSSGASTEIGER

whether linked to memories or not

or fears they were harbouring. ‘Some of the art works from Iran are expressions of how it feels to navigate in a place where politics is always at the base of everything that you do. How do you navigate that as an artist when you’re not freely allowed to express yourself yet, you have so much to say.’ She argues that many viewers will find a mirror to their own experiences in this – wherever they live; and find a shared humanity. ‘Art brings in another perspective on how to see or navigate through the world,’ she states. The caveat is that we need to take time out to immerse ourselves in artworks. Winner talks about the experience of being in a gallery as not conducive to this. There are the distractions of other people, whether with us or not; the noise and the smells. Lemarquis states: ‘It takes us two seconds to reject a work of art and four seconds to become interested in it, usually because it – consciously or unconsciously – evokes a pleasant memory.’ In our own homes, we can choose to take this time. The impact may not be obvious but it is there.

‘We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won’t make us happier.

IMAGE : PEXELS/YAHYA HASAN

Randy Pausch

IMAGE: PEXELS

SELF

Finding your feminine energ y Not all energy is created equal. And our sacred feminine energy is actually our superpower, writes Alin a Yazaar

ike everything in life, the power of our feminine energy has long been underplayed or dismissed. Seen as over-emotional, too gentle, too instinctive, we have been encouraged to harness, and value, only the more masculine energy within us – logical, focused, driven, protective. And this energy has its place. One is not better than the other, and we need a balance of both divine energies to live a powerful, instinctive life. But in a world heavily biased toward masculine qualities, many of us struggle to find our sacred feminine power, to harness its potential and to truly acknowledge its power. ‘We need the masculine and the feminine for everything,’ says author Kate Northrup. ‘One is not better than the other. What’s been out of balance for thousands of years, though, is our over-emphasis of the qualities of the masculine as that which is good, right, and valuable.’ Dismissed as weak and soft, a barrier to success, feminine energy gets pushed aside for the results-focused masculine energy, at home and in the workplace. ‘So much is lost in the hyper-masculine,’ says Northrup. ‘We push ourselves to exhaustion because we’re so focused on results; we focus on domination and competition, missing opportunities for collaboration; we operate alone because we believe sharing the load makes us weak; and we put productivity over quality of life.’ Having abandoned the beauty of our feminine power, we’re scrabbling around, going too fast with no resources. ‘“We wear burnout like a badge of honour,’ explains Niki Kinsella, the author of The Feminine Energy Guide. ‘Before discovering my feminine energy, I was suffering. Self-medicating with alcohol and drugs because I didn’t know any other way to deal with my » 63

anxiety and emotions. I was constantly on the go and always had to be doing something because I found it difficult to relax.” What if we rewrote the narrative of our feminine energy as something profoundly nurturing, with strong boundaries, infused with ancient wisdom and a commanding intuition? Could we then see that power doesn’t have to be masculine? ‘Many women feel pressure to be and talk and act masculine in order to succeed in their careers and in the world,’ says Rachel Rossito, who coaches women in awakening their female energy. ‘They may be CEOs in a world that rewards masculine qualities, but that doesn’t mean they can’t embrace and find power in their feminine ones. A woman who sources her creativity and energy from taking exquisite care of herself is more powerful than one who pushes so hard that she exhausts herself and is no longer experiencing joy and pleasure,’ she told Goop in 2021. We believe we should lean in, when maybe we should lean back. And in fact, leaning back in the workplace is something some women are literally starting to do. Kate Northrup calls this ‘turning up the volume on my feminine energy’, while sexual wellbeing counsellor Nadege says it’s the one single thing she does that allows her to channel her feminine energy in a masculine world. ‘It allows a sense of calm to wash over me, without taking any power away from my intentions or passion. Leaning back, with the intention of receiving, produces the quiet confidence of femininity. One that demands that those around you provide value.’ There is power, strength and wisdom in our feminine energy. And, even more importantly, there is possibility too. Bringing to the world a new way of living and working together, one that values kindness, nurture, nourishment »

SELF

I ‘ f we’re creating from ego, driven by competition and money, we lose the harmonious balance with the planet.

But if we are able to rise in our own sacred feminine power and create our world from a place of love and service—can you imagine?’ RACHEL ROSSITO

and intention. ‘For women, embracing the sacred feminine is about fully realizing her divine essence, standing in all her power, and creating a more harmonious world,” says Rachel Rossito, who coaches women in awakening their female energy.’

FINDING THE FEMININE

Accessing your feminine energy is all part of the journey. You’ve likely had it mismanaged out of you by societal norms, so now it is time to slow down, step back and reconnect with your instinctive self. ‘Feminine energy is our natural intuition, our receptive, emotionally balanced gentle loving energy,’ explains Kinsella. ‘It feels soft and nurturing, it feels easy and flowing, it is not the busy, intense, doing energy of the masculine - it is the slower, being energy, where we surrender, let go, trust, and allow ourselves to be guided by how we feel.” It’s no surprise then that the things in the world of wellbeing, mindfulness and intentional living capture all these qualities. Slow living, self-love, meditation, reflection, ritual and routine, learning the lunar cycles, setting boundaries, finding balance, communication, compassion – all these things not only capture the essence feminine energy, but they’re also the way you can access it. ‘We have cycles, just like the moon. Sometimes we feel high energy and full of life, and sometimes we feel like we need to slow down, even hibernate sometimes and hide away from the world for a bit while we rest and recharge. By honouring this ebb and flow, we learn to sync naturally with our feminine energy,’ adds Kinsella. A first, and important step, is to bring into your daily habits an intentional connection with your intuition. Rachel Rossito suggests developing a morning ritual specifically designed to help you access your sacred feminine. ‘A key element is the ability to be receptive. Take a moment in the morning to ground and connect with yourself, to enter into a receptive state where you get to listen to your heart and all the wisdom of nature around you. I find that by starting your day from that place…you can move through the world more deliberately, more intentionally, and more resourced from within.’

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SACRED SPACES:

Create a space at home where you can meditate and reflect. Create an altar, just a candle, crystal or picture will do.

SET INTENTIONS:

Journal every day, in the morning, even if it’s one line, just set an intention to listen to your sacred feminine and get to know it.

BE STILL:

BREATHE DEEPLY:

CONNECT WITH OTHERS:

Sit with a cup of herbal tea for around 20 minutes. ‘Tea is an incredible ally for awakening the spirit, grounding the body, and coming home to yourself,’ says Rossito.

Start slowly, five or so minutes if simple breathing practices. There’s lots to find online. Compile a list and work through them each day.

Share this process of discovery with a friend. Text each other after you’ve done your morning practice.

SELF

HARNESSING THE POWER

As yo u w o r k t h r o u gh t h is p r o c e ss of reconn ec t in g w it h t h e a n c ien t wi sd om i nsi de, yo u w ill a ls o n eed t o le ar n t o l i st e n to you r in t u it io n , w h ic h is t h e t r u e st se n se of yo u r fem in in e en er gy.

ntuition is something that we all have, we just don’t trust ourselves enough sometimes to listen to it. As women, intuition is something that we can tap into more easily, by simply trusting the feelings in our body and being guided by our internal compass. When we go with how we feel, we can never get it wrong. We just need to learn to trust ourselves,’ says Kinsella who has developed a five pillar process for working with our feminine energy.

PILLAR 1: ENERGY AND THE CHAKRAS There are seven chakras (‘wheels’ in Sanskrit), which are energetic connection points throughout the body. Connecting with these points helps us to understand the messages our bodies are sending us, our intuition, instinctive and powerful. ‘When we can understand our chakras, we are then able to hear the messages our beautiful bodies are giving us from the inside out, where do we need to heal, let go, and re-align?” asks Kinsella.

IMAGE: PEXELS

PILLAR 2: IS MINDSET MASTERY Once we have learnt to understand and listen to our bodies, the noise of our minds becomes even easier to hear. ‘The things I was saying to myself were not very nice at all,’ recalls Kinsella. These elements of fear, limiting beliefs, boundaries, and comparison manifest in the things we tell ourselves, but now, knowing what they are, we can begin to identify triggers, become more self-aware and rework that negative self-talk into a positive.

PILLARS 3 & 4: ARE THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION AND THE POWER OF RITUAL Understanding how our positive mindset and beautiful self-development rituals can open our minds to attracting even more magic and opportunity into our lives. ‘I believe in the power of magnetism. We attract other things and other beings that are vibrating at the same frequency as ourselves,’ says Rossito.

PILLAR 5: BRINGS IT BACK TO INTUITION Once you’ve learnt to listen, it’s time to go deeper, to connect with the spiritual side of who you are. ‘Trusting the internal nudges of your soul…taking steps towards the things that make you feel alive and light a fire in your belly,’ says Kinsella. Spiritual tools like tarot, meditation, spirit guides, the pendulum can help you become even more self-aware, so you can start making soul-guided, heart-led decisions about your life and business.

‘I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment.’ IMAGE: PEXELS/COTTONBRO

Brené Brown

BEAUTY

The GLOW of EN ERGY Focusing on energy is a powerful approach to ageing well says Katy Young. Here, we look at how the skin can be a window into our wellbeing

‘

eauty is not caused, it is,’ wrote Emily Dickinson. Similarly, our faces are made more beautiful still by the constant willing of our soul to tell a story, our features painting tales of joy, elation or sadness. The beauty of a face is in its being. Being alive, unique and energized. It is that of course what gives us our glow. Truly, that ‘glow’ goes beyond the latest serum, above and beyond the best exfoliating beads and much deeper than how well you know your retinols from your hyaluronics. That glow comes from within, a river of energy that pumps around our body giving lifeblood to your skin. It is what Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) calls your ‘Qi,’ an energy that flows through the entire body and which must be in constant motion for good health. Interestingly, practitioners of TCM will use the face as a reflection of what is going on inside your body, a dull, lacklustre complexion often a sign that your Qi is blocked or stagnant. For them, our skin is very much the window to our soul’s wellbeing. ‘As a practitioner, I use the skin as I would a dashboard of my car to see what’s going on inside,’ explains cosmetic acupuncturist and founder of The Bradden Method, Sarah Bradden. ‘Sluggish skin can be an indicator of your body’s general health – a poor circulation, ageing, aches, kidney issues, dehydration and poor diet or environment. These symptoms will ultimately show themselves on then face.’ And if you’re wondering if the dials on your face are signaling for some kind of MOT, chances are that they are she says. ‘The pandemic has impacted our skin in untold ways,’ Bradden warns. No wonder she has become the go-to for the capital’s beauty editors this year then. Instagram lit up by posts of

Sluggish skin can be an indicator of your body’s general health

BEAUTY

happy clients showing off their new juicy skin whilst professing a new light energy. Unlike regular acupuncture however, Bradden’s treatment uses specialised fine needles to stimulate blood flow and help stimulate tired, traumatised skin on the face. ‘My acupuncture triggers the healing process, stimulates cell re-growth and rejuvenates the skin by bringing blood and oxygen to where it is needed most. This helps with tone and palour, whilst encouraging collagen production to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and health of the skin.’ Suddenly you can see how facial acupuncture has become so popular. This is more than just a facial. She explains; ‘What I love about how I work is that it is about looking after all of you. Everything is connected.’ Most facial acupuncturists will use the face to also diagnose and treat blockages and health concerns anywhere around the face and body to improve overall balance. But for the needle averse there is always facial massage, facial tapping and ear rubbing, which is easy to do ourselves. Even fans of Bradden use this method to stimulate certain trigger points to restore balance and increase blood flow inbetween her appointments. Try tapping between your brows as a way of reducing anxiety and stress for example, or perhaps practice applying pressure with fingertips from the inner to the outer brow to help with headaches, fine lines and crow’s feet. Like we said, over and above buying the right moisturiser, focusing on your energy is a powerful approach to ageing well, because just as good health shows itself on your face, so will the right energy flow. In the words of Audrey Hepburn, ‘happy girls are the prettiest.’

IMAGES: PEXELS/COTTONBRO, ANNA NEKRASHEVICH,RODNAE PRODUCTIONS, ANTONI SHKRABA

Facial acupuncture stimulates blood flow and helps stimulate tired, traumatised skin

BEAUTY EDIT

SPR I NG A WA K E N I N G After the cold winter months comes a newfound energy, a desire to unfurl and re-emerge. That is why our soul-soothing selection allows you to gently reenergise by seeking so lace in your wellness and beauty regime. From fermented skincare to products that harness the sea, a host of awakening treatments promise a rosier outlook B y Cla ire B ra y f ord

BEAUTY WINTER NEWS

Time To Inhale Handheld Diffuser, £20, Alexandra Kay Find your moment of calm with this nifty little essential oil diffuser. It dispenses a delicate mist and aroma of calm and comfort wherever you are. Combine it with Alexandra Kay Me Time pure essential oils: choose from lavender, bergamot and frankincense for sleep; patchouli and vetivert for relaxation; and lemon, cedarwood and sweet orange to make you smile.

THE BATH OIL

THE FOUNDATION

CBD Therapeutic Bath Oil, £75, Dreem Distillery More and more people are using CBD to support a return to a calm, balanced nervous system. The Dreem Distillery bath oil offers a potent blend of organic essential oils, soothing arnica and the finest quality CBD to calm the mind and enhance deliciously deep sleep, while organic sunflower oil disperses through the water to give you soft, hydrated skin.

THE DIFFUSER

THE SLEEP BALM

Light Reflecting Foundation, £37.50, Nars To add to that enviable complexion, this hybrid foundation from Nars offers an incredibly natural finish. Instantly blurring and smoothing, in a broad 36 shades, it covers blemishes, dark shadows and anything you want to hide, while supplying a healthy base. It even works to improve the skin’s clarity over time – a definite spring investment.

Rose Utopia Sleep Balm, £9, Soak Sunday Sleep is the cornerstone of a healthy mind and body, and this aromatherapeutic balm is a potent aid. Apply it to your pulse points – wrists, temples and behind the ears – and let the scent of rose petals, lavender, sage and jasmine help you gently unwind and quieten your mind.

THE GIFT SET

Bacilli Gift Set, £120, Haeckels While you may not be lucky enough to fill your lungs with a healthy dose of sea air, or plunge into the ocean on a daily basis, you can still channel the power of the ocean with skincare and fragrance brand Haeckels. Based in Margate, it harvests seaweed from the nearby beach, utilising its inflammation-reducing, deeplyhydrating properties. Why not ease yourself into the day with a cup of seaweed tea, a soak in Seaweed Bath Salts and Bio Restore Membrane eye masks to soothe tired eyes. 76

BEAUTY WINTER NEWS

The Healing Sap, £125, Orveda Strengthening the skin’s own delicate microbiome is this potent vegan serum. It improves hydration by up to a remarkable 80%, and has a truly transformative effect on dull, lifeless skin. The rescue remedy illuminates and brightens while evening out tone and actively caring for its natural barrier.

Deeptox Radiance Firming Serum, £85, Iräye Using a highly active blend of plant extracts to repair the skin, this lymphstimulating serum kickstarts the lymph system of the face, draining away excess fluid that can cause puffiness. It improves the appearance of hyperpigmentation, while also firming and sculpting. The result is stronger and well protected skin. It’s an essential first step in your regime.

THE FRAGRANCE

THE SKIN ACTIVATOR

Vinergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask, £24, Caudalie Caudalie’s Vingergetic purifying mask keeps being raved about on social media - and it is easy to see why. Harnessing rose clay, grape marc and papaya enzymes, the natural solution to tired, city-stressed skin draws out impurities, removing excess oil and leaving pores smaller and tighter, and skin less congested. It does it all without stripping the skin of moisture – we say it’s well worth the noise.

THE DE-PUFFER

THE DETOX MASK

Replica When The Rain Stops Eau de Parfum, £90, Maison Margiela These gentle fragrances are the perfect reminder that brighter days are just around the corner. Capturing those wonderful moments we forget to savour, a lazy Sunday morning, a walk on a beach, a trip to the flower market or sitting by the fire. This scent of bergamot, pine needles, moss and patchouli, has that evocative air of crisp morning dew, when the rain has stopped and all is fresh and clean. It’s a vivid momentary escape in a bottle. < IMAGES: PEXELS, SHUTTERSTOCK

THE BLUSH

Liquid Cheek Flush, £20, Saie This clean beauty brand, with its consciously crafted formulas, is creating quite a buzz in the wellness world, and the latest product, Saie’s vegan Dew Blush, offers that perfect, just-pinched flush we all need. In four shades, the creamy, water-based gel boasts a natural colour that will instantly perk up lifeless skin, while antioxidants (such as mulberry extract and elderberry) repair damage caused by pollution and UV rays.

THE PRIMER

Vanish Airbrush Primer, £50, Hourglass After seasons of shine a matte cashmere complexion is now making a comeback – and this translucent, skin-perfecting primer not only ensures any make-up you apply goes the distance, but absorbs excess oil too. The weightless, refreshing gel formula minimises pores and fine lines, controlling shine without leaving skin looking flat. We love it. » 77

BEAUTY NEWS

< THE HAIR CARE

Hydration Hair Mask, £40, Rahua Bring lustre and life to your hair with Rahua (pronounced ra-wa) boasting a centuries-old Amazonian nut oil prized by women of the Quechua-Shuar tribe as the secret to their thick, glossy tresses. Paraben and sulfate-free, the plant-powered shampoos, conditioners and now a new hair mask boast 100% organic ingredients that are colour-safe and deeply cleanse and nourish the hair to keep the stands and scalp hydrated. <

THE CANDLE

SOS Revitalising Eye Mask, £12, Decree These biodegradable eye masks are designed to be used both morning and night to instantly soothe and rejuvenate the delicate eye area. The brainchild of Dr A.J Sturnham, who’s on a mission to simplify skincare regimes, they are packed with hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as brightening caffeine and niacinamide. For tired eyes, they are the perfect wake up call.

Elderflower and Gooseberry Charity Candle, £50, Jo Malone To help people recover and heal, Jo Malone has dedicated the latest in its Charity Candle collection to support those affected by mental health. Why not create a comforting atmosphere at home with the scent of delicate elderflower buds harvested from hedgerows, complemented by hawthorn and summer-green gooseberries. It’s a wonderful way to let the countryside in.

< THE BODY WASH

< THE CLEANSING AMPULES

Something For A Detox Week, £20, Biocol Labs Whether stirred into your porridge or diluted into water, show your liver some love with these powerful purifying ampules. Packed with cleansing ingredients such as chicory, artichoke and choline, they contribute to the maintenance of normal liver function and support the detoxification and elimination of additives, food excesses and pollution.

Body Wash, £25, Nécessaire The philosophy behind this clean US skincare brand is to treat your body with the same care as you would your face. Each product, whether the oil, exfoliator, lotion or deodorant, contains active ingredients designed to hydrate and nourish, as well as cleanse. Our favourite is this daily multivitamin cleanser, which you massage into a rich foam each morning, and we love that the slick, streamlined packaging looks great in your bathroom

IMAGES: MATHILDE LANGEVIN,DAZZLE JAM,PIXABAY, SHUTTERSTOCK

THE EYE MASK

‘The energy of the mind is the essence of life’

IMAGES: PEXELS/AUDREY BADIN

Aristotle

WELLBEING

TA K E A DE E P BR E AT H Can changing your energy be as simple as taking a deep breath asks Katy Young

IMAGE: PEXELS/ALEXANDR PODVALNY

reathe easy,’ that’s what they tell us when need to relax. If only it was, well, that easy, because when the going gets tough good breathing is hard to do. For what might seem like pretty standard practice, moving air in and out of our lungs to expel carbon dioxide and bring in oxygen, becomes difficult just when we need it most. For oxygen isn’t just about giving life, it’s about giving us a quality of life too. ‘Correct breathing helps us live a happier, healthier and more relaxed life,’ explains Alan Dolan, aka The Breath Guru. ‘Learning how to breathe right will also teach us how to respond to the stressful moments which inevitably come our way too.’ Those moments have been hard to avoid of late have they not? The shallow breathers amongst us will attest to that. Converts to the better breathing movement will also be first to tell you that the rise of respiratory illnesses is a direct result of the pandemic, as fear, anxiety and depression are so detriment to deep, healthy breathing. Pandemic aside, there is today’s whizzing, whirring ‘always on’ culture that encourages us to move fast, breathe short. ‘Our world is very visual, auditory and intellectual,’ warns Dolan, essentially pointing out that we are dangerously head-based. ‘Humans are not designed to live at such a pace and be in their heads so much.’ He is right. For a species who thrives on understanding our wholeness for complete stillness and wellbeing we spend far too much time in our minds, where most of us tend to be far too busy. ‘We are so overstimulated now, with most of us triggered to sit in the sympathetic, fight or flight mode, without knowing how to deactivate it,’ he explains. ‘But the breath can teach us how to do this.’ Dolan’s breathwork practice focuses on using breath to move our nervous system into the parasympathetic, ‘rest and digest mode’ as he calls it. ‘When we practice how to

breathe, we learn more about how our body operates. We learn how to calm our minds and move our attention lower down into the body. This changes everything. Put simply, we learn how to stop being so head-based and become more grounded and balanced.’ Sounds good right? A powerful resource in today’s fast-paced world, good breathwork feels like a wonderful tool for holding some space for yourself. ‘Correct breathing helps us learn how not to collapse under the weight of the emotion as we might have done before. Instead, we learn to ‘surf’ the sea of emotions that are presented to us and stay on the ‘surf-board’ irrespective of the size of the waves.’ A little woo-woo perhaps, definitely factual on the scientific papers. The fewer breaths we take per minute the more relaxed we feel. The more oxygen we inhale too the more our oxygen-dependent vital organs will thank us for it, particular the brain which takes it as a signal to switch off the high alert state. Conscious breathing also allows us to control the large vagus nerve, a cranial nerve which goes right to the stomach, and which is responsible for butterflies when we are anxious. And those tight neck and shoulders of yours will also appreciate a return to deeper breathing, as shallow, mouth breaths tend to tighten this classic area of tension. And while Dolan promises his ‘surf-board’ theory will alleviate stress, depression and sleep issues, while boosting your immunity and energy, there is good lab-based evidence to support the use of slow, nasal breathing exercises to alleviate the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Far from us to teach you the basics of human life, this is a healthy reminder that being on autopilot oft isn’t relaxing at all. Dolan describes breathwork as ‘meditation for those who cannot meditate.’ Ahhh, let your mind control your breathing, and a good mind will follow. And breathe…

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PA U S E F O R T H O U G H T

Sw itch i ng of f for our selves We are well-versed in the knowledge that longer screen time is linked to anxiety and depression, but how do we make this work for us in a busy, digital world asks Dr Asma Naheed

ften, we find that anxious people use social media to ease their stress. A form of switching off that seems to soothe frayed nerves. But, in reality, this usage and screen time worsen their condition. If we compare social media screen time with something such as reading in class or using a screen for eduational purposes, we can see that social media screen time has adverse effects on the brain integrity and connectivity of brain structure. Studies show that the social comparisons typically found in social media usage , and the constant chasing of likes, follows and comments, is set up to drive unhealthy thought patterns and drain our positive energy. Therefore, anxious minds leave their devices with new anxieties. These anxieties affect daily life, and so anxious people return to digital platform to relieve them. This cycle only increases pressure on a worried mind, ensuring it becomes a powerful reinforcer for screen time. The problem of digital overload is undeniable – we all are struggling to create balance. A recent study looked at 18- to 22-year-olds and how social media impacted their anxiety levels. The more time they spent on it per day, ‘the greater the association with anxiety symptoms and the greater likelihood of an anxiety disorder,’ says Anna Vannucci, coauthor of the study and a research associate at Connecticut Children’s Medical Centre. Social media overload may be even more detrimental for teens and adolescents, says Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of the forthcoming book iGen. ‘I think young people, especially, look at the so-called "highlight reels" people post on social and compare themselves so that they may feel

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depressed or negative emotions as a result,’ she says. As a psychologist, I know that in using social media, we receive useless information that constantly shifts our attention from one source to another. This sensory overload over-activates our sympathetic nervous system and activates parasympathetic nervous systems, leading to chronic stress, which caused brain inflammation, cardiovascular disease and hormonal imbalances. Digital overload also causes inattentive behavior, sleeplessness, brian fog, tiredness and impatience. This overload makes people feel anxious and stressed out and affects their experience of reality. If you want to manage your digital overload, start with kindness. Unplug yourself for a few hours every day, and disable notifications, and think of it as being kind to your brain. Fill the time you have back with mindful meditation and walking, which gives our minds a chance to re-boot and re-charge our mental batteries. Consuming excessive information in one sitting affects our mental performance and processing and makes us less efficient. So, we need to streamline our intake capacity. When you are using your screen, be more selective about what you do, and prioritise the information that best serves you, not that which increases your anxiety.

Dr Asma Naheed PhD is an educational psychologist and life coach who specialises in therapeutic and behaviour management 85

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STORY OF

WISDOM

The pointing finger A classic tale from Buddhism on the importance of finding our own truth and meaning

The Zen master’s dog loved his evening walks. The dog would run to fetch a stick, run back to the master, and wait eagerly for the next round. One day, the Zen master decided to take one of his favourite disciples with him on the evening walk. He was an intelligent and rational boy, and so was troubled by the contradictions in Buddhist doctrine. ‘You must understand,’ said the Master. ‘That words are only signposts. Never let the words or the symbols get in the way of truth. Here, I will show you.’ Having said that, the Master called his dog. ‘Fetch me the moon,’ said the Master and pointed to the full moon. ‘Where is my dog looking?’ asked the Master to his bright disciple. ‘He’s looking at your finger,’ replied the boy. ‘Exactly. Don’t be like my dog,’ said the Master. ‘Don’t confuse the pointing finger with the thing that is being pointed at. ‘The Buddhist words are simply signposts. Every man fights his way through other men’s words to find his own truth.’

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‘Words are only signposts. Never let the words or the symbols get in the way of truth'

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U N B RO K E N

The healing energ y of mother nat ure People say that nature is the best physician. And they’re right, says Najla Al Tenaiji

alking is the only thing which nobody has ever forced me to do. Walking has always my favorite exercise – it was before my trauma, and remained so afterwards. During my rehabilitation stay in Germany and London, I used to walk with assistance inside the centre and sometimes in the park. Once, when Al Reem and I were visiting London, she suggested we take a walk in Hyde Park. I remember thinking it would be easier to walk inside, too much hassle to go outside. But she insisted, and so I reluctantly agreed. It was my first outdoor walk after my accident. And it was an incredible moment. It was the beginning of May, the best time to visit London. The temperature was good and the park was green and blooming. The beautiful shapes of the white clouds made the blue sky seem more beautiful, and the sun added magnificent colors to the atmosphere. It was then that I realised how nature always gives us such great gifts. And how, by refusing to go outside, I was missing this beauty. I was hurting myself by not prioritising my connection to nature. It was an eye-opening walk for me. That day was a game-changer in my healing. I started spending more time in nature and it began to help me psychologically restore. My mood got better, my health improved, and I started feeling my like my old self again. My therapist told me that walking in in nature is helpful for my developing memory and attention. A 90-minute walk yields changes to our brains in a way that can protect against depression and negative thoughts. Nature provides excellent stress relief by enabling us to remove ourselves from the things that cause us stress in the first place. It makes us happier, and it increases levels of the hormone oxytocin. This hormone is responsible for feeling calm and emotional. Taking this suggestion to heart, I changed up my daily routine. And I now seek out quiet areas in parks when I can, ideally ones that feature bodies of water. When I can’t do that, I try to walk along streets with the most trees

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A 90-minute walk changes our brains in a way that can protect against depression and negative thoughts or by a pool or lake. I take more breaks to sit in nature, I hug trees, touch leaves, breath in the air. And if I can’t do that, I’ll sit by a window. There’s always a way to get closer to nature. So if you’re struggling with low mood, depression or anxiety or even resentemt, visit a forest and focus your sense of smell, taste, sight, sound and touch on your natural surroundings. There is no WiFi in the forest but, but believe me you’ll get better connection.

Najla Al Tenajii suffered a lifechanging injury in 1999 and has since been using her recovery to inspire others through their own journey

‘We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.’

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Neil DeGrasse

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Al-Musta’aan God ’s name Al-Musta’aan is the one whose help, assistance and support are sought and in whom refuge is taken. Any help the creation provides to each other, is through His help alone! The one to whom we are heading, our landmark.