Positive Life Spring 2023

welcome to Spring 2023

“Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.” Epictetus

Now you’re talking, I thought, as she told me the theme. I have been with this magazine for 16 years; it’s a relationship. Lately she tells me each theme, this issue it is Freedom.

Now that’s an expansive, energetic word and one that I really embraced the sense of during 2020 and 2021. It’s an inner expression that bursts into this reality with no apology, nothing held back, a truth that holds its own and its centre no matter what. A feeling that when you are authentic, nothing else is relevant… the authenticity, the sense of space. The FREEDOM to simply be who you are, feel it in your blood, the warrior that you truly are. This is a call to action, a call to be free simply by your decision to be so.

Be it, love it, feel it… and this spring enjoy the feeling of FREEDOM as you read through this issue.

F R E E D O M: the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants.

paul congdon, Publisher

Contentment

Publisher PC Media paul@positivelife.ie

Co-Editorial Alison McEvoy and Persephone Kianka editor@positivelife.ie

Design Conor O’Brien info@conorobrien.ie

Ad Design Caroline Hanan caroline.hanan@gmail.com

Advertising Paul Congdon paul@positivelife.ie 0861579518

Margaret O’Connor margaretpositivelife@gmail.com

Social media Persephone Kianka editor@positivelife.ie

Thanks to our advertisers, we can give Positive Life magazine to you for FREE. If you’re talking to them, let them know we sent you their way.

Please use the information provided in this publication as a recommendation only to better mental and physical health. We strongly advise you to consult your doctor regarding health concerns that you may have. The views expressed by contributors and advisors do not necessarily represent the views of the publication’s staff.

springvibes

natural remedies

SUPERB SEA MOSS

The amount of nutrients in sea moss is too many to mention, so we decided to try Sea Moss Sublime, the Premium Irish sea moss gel. With minerals galore and endless health benefits in every jar, we completely fell in love with it! Some amazing benefits include clearing acne, improving mental clarity, increasing iron levels, and the list goes on… seamosssublime.ie

EMPOWERING HEALTHCARE

Nutricentric Healthcare distributes affordable diagnostics throughout Ireland, primarily to pharmacies and nutrition professionals. We especially love the idea of their food sensitivity test, which can detect antibodies against over 50 foods in as little as 40 minutes. In a world of conflicting information, Nutricentric is helping people feel more empowered to understand and manage health issues from home.

nutricentric.com

AUTHENTIC KEFIR

Kefir contains all the natural goodness you’d want in your kitchen. Every batch is made with love in Castleisland, Co. Kerry, using locally sourced cow’s milk to bring customers the most natural form of kefir. As the only milk kefir on the Irish market making it this way, Kerry Kefir embodies all of the amazing time-tested benefits of traditional kefir that keep your gut functioning optimally.

kerrykefir.ie

THE POWER OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda Ireland is a one-stop shop for improving your health, and their free seven-lesson online course is an excellent way to get started. Here’s what John Duffy, MD, had to say about it: “What an exciting vista of natural balance in physiology with such emphasis on prevention of illness and maintenance of strong immunity. This simple knowledge-based health system free of harmful side effects is so urgently needed globally. I strongly recommend this online course.”

ayurveda.ie

MIRACULOUS MAGNESIUM

According to HealthReach, we need 375mg of Magnesium daily, but the average Western diet contains only half of this amount. HealthReach Magnesium Powder makes getting this vital nutrient into our diet easy so that we can reap all its essential benefits. Magnesium calms the nervous system and enhances focus and ease in the body, making it an excellent supplement for people who meditate healthreach-nutrition.ie

spring self-care

RISE AND THRIVE THERAPY

Aoife Quirke created Rise and Thrive Therapy to help people find liberation from mental health struggles, as she did in her own healing journey. Using Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT), which she learned from the world-renowned Marisa Peer, Aoife helps her clients to transform their lives for the better. After identifying the root cause of the issue through hypnosis, she works with the client to reprogram their subconscious mind in support of the reality they truly want.

riseandthrivetherapy.ie

MINDFUL SKINCARE

If you want to level up your skincare routine, Innerzen Organics is the way to go. These beautiful vegan-friendly and cruelty-free products are anhydrous, meaning they contain zero water and are

“THE DEEP ROOTS NEVER DOUBT SPRING WILL COME.” – MARTY RUBIN

Kerry Kefir

Made in Yoga Shop

super potent. We’ve tried them and loved the results, especially the Coffee Infused Eye Cream, which is a perfect addition to any morning routine. innerzenorganics.ie

STUNNING SCENTS

Made in India using the purest ingredients, Be Kind incense is entirely chemical-free, and we love it; it’s the best we have found. Light a candle, feel yourself enter into a space of ritual and allow the power of this fragrance to transport you into the hills and valleys of Wicklow. “Simply stunning”, according to Paul, our publisher. bekindindustries.com

MADE IN YOGA SHOP

If you’re into yoga, meditation, and just living your best life, you’ll love Made in Yoga Shop. Claudia and Felipe Poletto, the brother and sister team behind this brand, value the joy of self-expression. Therefore, every product they sell, whether a t-shirt, mug or bag, features a yoga-themed message sure to brighten up someone’s day. If you’re ready to proclaim your love of yoga to the world, check out their site. madeinyogashop.com

sacred spaces

HOMEOPATHIC SOLUTIONS

The Homeopathic Dispensary is a beautiful space that Sandy Hudson, who qualified as a homeopath in 1991, created to make homeopathy accessible to everyone. As well as consultation rooms, they offer high-quality supplements informed by homeopath Tal Klug’s expertise. Together, Sandy and Tal come up with tailored solutions to meet each customer’s needs.

rootsandwingshomeopathy.ie

FIND YOUR TRIBE

Avondale Retreat is a gorgeous retreat centre in Avondale, Co. Wicklow, where people can come to find healing and community. This summer, there will be an opportunity to experience this loving space at The Sacred Water Retreat for Women from 9th – 11th June. On the Earth Medicine community platform, created and curated by David and Helen Holt, you will find astrology, online circles and meditations to help you stay spiritually connected all-year round.

avondaleretreat.com

HOLISTIC HEALTH

Food for Life Wellness Centre is a lovely new holistic space in Callan, Co.Kilkenny. The husband and wife team Carmel Rose and Abbas Ghadimi, who own and run this centre, are passionate about helping people reach their optimal state of wellness using natural treatments such as colour therapy and homeopathy. They also offer workshops on a range of health topics, from nutrition to Aura–Soma. wellnesscentre.ie

INSPIRING EDUCATION

Soul School is a fantastic organisation that provides access to high-quality holistic education in a supportive community. Their next on-campus course, starting on 29th April 2023, will take place in Bray, co. Wicklow. This is a perfect opportunity for anyone looking to change careers or expand their current holistic practice while reawakening their joy and creativity in the process.

soulschool.co.uk

transformative events

POSITIVE NIGHTS

We are delighted to announce our upcoming Positive Nights guests, Snatam Kaur and Lee Harris. Snatam will perform at the RDS Concert hall in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, on 8th June 2023, and give a workshop on 10th June as part of her Light of Sacred Chant Tour. On 27th July, Lee Harris will deliver his first-ever workshop in Ireland at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, where he will share his life-changing wisdom, channel his spirit guides, and sign books.

positivelife.ie

HEALING HANDS

We like the sound of the Sacred BodyWork Retreat taking place at An Sanctóir Holistic Community Centre in West Cork from 25th June to 2nd July 2023. This retreat is a beginner training course in Thai yoga massage (level 1 of 2) led by the lovely Susan Keogh and Erica Bhavani. Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the week.

bhavaniyogamassage.com

Avondale Retreat

Sacred BodyWork Retreat

2 The Bicibús Project

HOW

BARCELONA’S “BIKE BUSES” ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE..

by Persephone Kianka

In Barcelona, parents have cracked the code on how to get their kids excited to wake up for school. It’s the bike bus, or “bicibús,” as it’s known locally, which allows hundreds of students to cycle safely to school in a group, occupying entire streets of the city.

The citizen-led scheme, backed by Barcelona City Council, began in March 2021 with a single route in the Sarria neighbourhood. Today, according to Cinnamon Janzer, “more than 1,200 kids pedal 90-plus routes to more than 70 schools across 25 cities in Catalonia.” It has also inspired communities around the world, such as in Portland, Oregon, to

adopt this transport alternative.

The bicibús operates similarly to a school bus with “stops” where more cycling students can join.

Parents, teachers, and other volunteers also participate in the journey to ensure the kids’ safety. According to Mireia Boix, an accompanying parent, even police vehicles have started to escort the group, with officers traveling all around the bicibús.

Jordi Honey-Roses, who works at the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology at Barcelona’s Autonomous University, notes the significant environmental impact of the

bike bus project.

“We anticipate that children who participate in “bicibús” will be more likely to ride a bike, have better cycling habits, more sustainable transportation habits, and we think they will change the travel patterns of their family as well,” said Honey-Roses.

Indeed, Boix, who cycles with her 5-year-old son, “finds herself waking up earlier than usual every Friday out of excitement for the ride.” She and her son ride their bikes to school most mornings, and on the day of the bicibús, she said, he “enjoys the ride and the freedom.”

“The bicibús operates similarly to a school bus with “stops” where more cycling students can join.”

1 A Heart-warming Reunion

UKRAINIAN GRANDMOTHER REUNITED WITH BELOVED DOG. .

by Persephone Kianka

Last year, Violetta, a native of Odea, attempted to bring her 13-year-old black Labrador, Tasha, with her while escaping the Ukraine war. When the pair reached Romania, Violetta was forced to leave her beloved pet behind because she couldn’t carry her any further.

Thankfully, a local family offered to take care of Tasha while the 86-year-old grandmother and her family continued their journey to Ireland. After finding refuge in Co. Clare, Violetta couldn’t bear the continued separation from her best friend but couldn’t return to Romania because her passport had expired.

That’s when charity worker Debbie Deegan, who had helped Violetta’s family thus far, stepped in and devised a plan to rescue Tasha.

“She was not coping well without Tasha. We contacted the family in Romania and then organised for a company to transport the Labrador across eight borders,” said Ms Deegan.

Miraculously, Tasha made it unaccompanied to England, where she stayed with a kindhearted woman, Lisa Kay, on a farm in Solihull for a week. Finally, Waterford man John D’Arcy travelled to England by ferry to collect

3 Ramen-powered Railway

JAPANESE TOURIST TRAIN RUNS ON RAMEN.

by Persephone Kianka

As an island nation with limited landfill space and a goal of better sustainability, Japan has had to develop some inventive solutions. Japanese companies, for example, tackle food waste by taking vegetable peels, cooking oil, eggshells and other used foodstuffs and repurposing them entirely.

The Amaterasu Railway, a tiny sightseeing train that tours the scenic town of Takachiho, is one such reinvention. At first glance, visitors can tell that the train is unique with its open roof and pink-coloured cars; the conductor even blows bubbles from the

locomotive. However, its most interesting feature only becomes apparent once the tour’s underway.

Since last year, the Amaterasu Railway has been running on leftover tonkotsu ramen broth from local restaurants. As a result, it leaves a delicious aroma in the air and causes less damage to the mountainous landscapes and rice fields it passes.

To make the biodiesel, Nishida Logistics, a Japanese trucking company, “extracts pork fat from the stock and refines it; it’s then mixed with old oils used to fry foods like tempura.” The final

Tasha and complete the rescue mission. According to the Irish Mirror, on the day of the reunion, Violetta “sat outside patiently all morning, wrapped up in a red puffer jacket and with a ball in her hand, waiting for Tasha to arrive”.

In pictures of this “extremely emotional moment”, we see Tasha leaping up to lick Violetta’s face while the elderly lady beams and pets her head.

As Ms Deegan notes, this happy outcome was only possible thanks to the kindness of friends and strangers who selflessly gave of their time and energy.

concoction contains 90 percent cooking oil and 10 percent tonkotsu ramen broth.

“We wanted it to be something more than just a tourist attraction, that could inform people about the history, culture and environment,” said Hiroyoshi Saitoh, the company’s managing director. “By implementing the biodiesel, we wanted people to become more conscious about environmental issues as well as biodiesel, especially for the students that come here on school trips.”

“…a local family offered to take care of Tasha while the 86-year-old grandmother and her family continued their journey to Ireland.”

“…it leaves a delicious aroma in the air and causes less damage to the mountainous landscapes and rice fields it passes.”

positively newsworthy the little things

1 Letting Go Of People-pleasing RECLAIMING INNER SOVEREIGNTY..

by Persephone Kianka

Like many people in the spiritual community, I naturally tune in to how others are feeling and assume this strange responsibility for their emotions. I anticipate how what I say or do could negatively affect someone and adjust my expression accordingly. Of course, we should consider how our words and actions impact other people but only to a point.

When our Soul is yearning to express its Truth, boundaries, dreams or desires, and we hold back, that is people-pleasing, what I’m trying to leave behind.

Just the other day, I was texting my best friend, Amy, about her upcoming party, and I told her that I wasn’t planning to drink. It was such a subtle way of

people-pleasing that I didn’t even catch it until she replied:

“Of course Persephone! Don’t ever feel like you need to disclaim that :0 You can drink or not drink till your heart’s content, it’s all about what makes you comfortable and what makes you happy :-) Why did I get so sappy there? xD”

Her “sappy” message touched me and reminded me that the people who matter just want me to be happy. If someone feels uncomfortable or “hurt” when I act in alignment with my Truth, they probably don’t belong in my life anyway.

Though I know this deep down, I still catch myself reverting to my peoplepleasing tendencies. If I felt the need to notify my best friend that I wouldn’t be

2 The Spiritual Beauty Of Transport

FINDING PEACE IN MOMENTS OF TRANSITION..

by Persephone Kianka

Part of the beauty of spirituality is that it is accessible at any time. We don’t have to be on our yoga mat or deep in meditation to have profound insights and experiences. We are, after all, spiritual beings in every moment of this life and beyond.

For me, some of the most potent spiritual insights occur when I’m travelling — literally. I love being “in transit,” whether in a car, train or plane and recently, I realised why.

As someone with the “busy gene,” it’s hard for me to fully relax even when I’m at home. I always find something to do or some problem to solve. Being on transportation is one of the only times I can sit and surrender my internal agenda

as I watch the outside world whiz by. Ever since I was a kid, I loved going on drives with my dad. Today, we still find time to go on joyrides like when we drove through the Wicklow Mountains during the pandemic.

The experience of listening to music (another one of my favourite things) while driving and chatting with my dad instantly roots me to the present moment. It is something so simple, but I know I will cherish it forever.

Travelling from Cork to Dublin during my undergrad years granted me a similar experience. On the train, with nothing to do but listen to music and stare out the window, I could retreat

drinking simply because it’s not the norm, it shows how deep this subconscious pattern goes.

Luckily, I am inspired every day by powerful individuals, particularly the women in my life, who remind me, directly and indirectly, to stand in my Truth. As we slowly but surely rise to reclaim our full power, we can only help others to do the same.

deep into my imagination and memory. I simultaneously experienced heightened emotion and a deep sense of peace.

Though airplanes are said to be safer than cars, the feeling of flying still slightly unsettles me—another great chance to practice surrender and energetic protection. My recent dream, where I felt spiritually safe and infinite even after realising that the plane I was on was about to crash, confirms this for me. Transportation is my meditation in motion!

“As we slowly but surely rise to reclaim our full power, we can only help others to do the same.”

“Being on transportation is one of the only times I can sit and surrender my internal agenda…”

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BECOME A:

spirituality & the city

FREEDOM

Abby Wynne

Freedom means not being told what to do, what to put into your body, who to love, what to like, and what to think. Freedom is space to explore, create, to follow your heart, to do what you love.

Each of us is unique and has talents and passions which lead us to our full empowered potential. We forget how powerful we are when constrained in a system that takes an adult and treats them like a child, with ridiculous rules and restrictions that clip our wings and stop us from growing into who we truly are.

When we live a wholehearted, authentic life, we naturally treat the other with respect and compassion, and create a world where responsibility is nothing to be afraid of, where adults can agree to disagree, and where children are cherished and loved above all things. To be free is to thrive.

Enda Mary

The meaning of freedom for me has taken on a whole new exploratory direction because of Covid. It’s only when the freedom we cherish so dearly comes under threat, that we realise how essential it is for living a joyful, inspired, healthy life. The silver lining and blessing has been that because of Covid, so many of us have become more aware of how certain elements of our governing systems are not endorsing a future vision of freedom for us.

A major shift is currently underway in the world. Our positive impact comes from our willingness to be more self-responsible in all aspects of our lives. The reality we want to co-create is decided on by the people, as it is us who hold the true fundamental power. We tend to forget this!

Advances in technology are amazing, yet we do not need it to save us. In a lot of ways, technology, instead of empowering us, is making us more dependent and less resilient. As spiritual beings, we have an instantaneous connection to the field of awareness. Through the simple art of divination, ask ourselves, moment per moment, what is the aligned action I can take? What benefits my community and my world? Seeking out how I can contribute to manifesting the world we have come here to co-create during this time of awakening. It is incumbent that we act, not just for the betterment of our own lives, but for future generations who rely on us to do so. Action often involves us facing our fears. Expansion into the fullness of who we are is what we are here to do. It may feel uncomfortable at times, however, each action we make today plays a part in determining the level of freedom our children will have tomorrow.

Danielle Vierling

Freedom is being my most authentic, unhinged, limitless self. It is the complete liberation from all my past conditionings, stories and beliefs about myself that kept me in a state of limitation.

To free oneself from whatever inhibitions and insecurities have held one back takes courage and fearlessness.

During the first half of my life, I denied my own freedom by putting my focus on the needs, demands and opinions of others more than on my own innermost needs and desires. For example, I used to criticise the men in my life for valuing freedom over commitment in a relationship. With time, I realised that these men mirrored back my own suppressed desire for freedom. I now own freedom as a celebration of my true soul self. Freeing myself also allows me to appreciate others more in their true, raw and honest expressions of self.

Veronica Larsson

Freedom is 100% Self-Response-ability. We are born alive and free. The veil between spirit and matter has lifted, and what comes to pass in practical reality comes to pass in Spirit. Only our Self can make the choice to create now a new earth kingdom of heaven here and now; in a cause and effect universe there is nowhere else to get to.

We are in a time of reclamation and restoration of our own Soul through every offer to contract with either the dead or the living. Freedom comes with the willingness to look at and give up the beliefs, the comforts, the fears and the benefits that are shackles of our own making. Terrifying? Easier then, to remain chained through addiction to drama, escapism and victimhood and complain like infants about faulty parental governance?

So unconscious are our indoctrinated fundamental belief systems and participation from birth in the separatist machinations in the world, that our minds are almost incapable of conceiving what real freedom means and looks like in practical reality. Freedom comes with knowledge of how reality functions and society operates, under the laws of creation, and taking responsibility for our own choices and actions with this knowledge. Our God-given freedom is inherent in our given name.

Lizzie Eagan

Freedom, to me, is the internal peace that comes from trusting that everything is always working out the way it should. This allows me to release resistance and fear from uncertainty when tumultuous experiences inevitably show up throughout life.

Shifting my perspective to truly understanding that everything is temporary (the bliss and pain) has brought a level of comfort to me that allows me to feel liberated. Freedom is being present in the moment and connecting to my body by living intentionally.

Many people search for freedom outside themselves but are rarely ever fulfilled. This is because the true essence of experiencing freedom must start from within.

Once I began giving compassion to the parts of myself I didn’t love, I noticed them integrating harmoniously with my light side; this resulted in wholeness within.

A state of freedom is a lifelong journey that I believe we will all try to master in this lifetime; having compassion for yourself is the first step to setting yourself free.

Anthony Sharkey

To me, Freedom is an ongoing practice.

It’s a skill base which I’ve been blessed to learn.

I am free each moment I pull my energy back from any sad story about my past.

I am free each moment I don’t react in a dull habitual way to the precious people and places I have the honour of sharing this life with.

I am free each moment I discipline my body to do what it doesn’t want to do.

I am free each moment I dwell in the dimensionless quantum field.

I am free each moment I say no to what doesn’t feel right for me.

I am free each moment I shift my energy from fear into love.

I am free each moment I express my love.

I am free each moment I choose to feel joy, happiness and abundance.

To quote Neichze, “the Free man (or woman) is a warrior.”

Practising Freedom is practising the state of being a warrior.

freedom from

‘fixing’

ALLOWING YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILD JUST TO BE.

by Anna Cole

I recently was catching a train to visit my eldest, now in her late teens, who has begun her first term at University. I’m here, like that dove with the olive branch in its mouth, for you parents of much younger children to say it really does go quite fast. No matter how often your kids wake you in the night through those early years, for example, and you feel like it’s never going to end – it does! And then you miss them, deeply.

I still have a child at home, but as I am experiencing a new kind of parenting ‘freedom’ of sorts, with my eldest flying the nest, I’m reflecting today on a pivotal moment in my parenting, when I first learnt about Staylistening, an ‘emergency listening tool’ from the Hand in Hand ‘tool box’. There’s a real freedom in Staylistening for you as a parent – and for your child – and so few of us are lucky enough to come across this when our children are in their early years, or to see it modelled. Let me give you a sneak preview!

Staylistening is a tool for our children’s ‘emotional emergency moments’. Simply: we stay with them and listen rather than try and ‘fix it’ (or punish or blame or shame them) when they get into an emotional place. We bring as much warmth as we can muster, we notice our tone and offer our eye contact. We keep things safe by putting a warm but firm hand on the thing they want to fling across the room, for example. What you find when you stay and listen to a child when they are upset, whether that is for five minutes or an hour and five minutes (if you have that much listening in your tank), is that children come out of big upset much like the sun comes out after the grey clouds.

You may even notice if you look, that after a long Staylistening episode, your child may make a developmental jump - they may suddenly feel more comfortable with separating from you at school drop-off, say, after struggling with it for some time. Or, if you look, you’ll see their resilience

increase as they suddenly figure out the challenge that flipped their lid in the first place.

You don’t need to ‘psychologise’ your child while they are in the middle of a big upset. They know what to do – they will have a good cry, or they may even begin to sweat and writhe around with upset –and coming out the other end, they may yawn a lot. We can trust in our child to get through the storm. We must trust that our children will find their way to release their feelings and not have an agenda ourselves as a parent. Our job as the parent is to stay and anchor them through anchoring ourselves. Herein lies the freedom. Freedom not to try and ‘fix’.

Australia to visit my family, and despite all our best intentions, my husband and I argued in the kitchen one morning before school, right in front of our young son. My husband stormed off to work, slamming the door angrily without saying ‘goodbye’. At the end of a long day, he came home, and we apologised and were kind to one another again in front of the kids.

That weekend for no obvious reason, my son got upset and cried hard when his Dad went for his regular jog around the local park, calling out a friendly ‘goodbye’ as he left. I moved in close to my son and got down to his eye level, and Staylistened. He started to talk amidst his tears about how ‘Daddy left without telling us’. ‘I miss Daddy’. ‘Where’s he gone?’ I told him he would be back soon, that he’d gone for a run. My son cried hard for about fifteen minutes, and I stayed close and listened. I kept my eyes available for him to connect with me.

And it’s oddly bonding, to stay with your child through this state. The secret is that to do Staylistening, we must be resourced ourselves, and to feel resourced as parents, we need to find adult listeners for ourselves. I can share more about Listening Partnerships, which are a great way to do this, in our next issue. The only words you need to say are ‘I care’ and ‘You’re safe’. In fact, ‘five words or less’ is a good rule of thumb when Staylistening. Often the opportunity to Staylisten comes from a tiny pretext. A sandwich cut the ‘wrong’ way or the wrong colour cup. Our children can use these small pretexts to offload big feelings. One of the beautiful things about Staylistening is you get to do less, say less, as a parent. We don’t try to ‘name the feelings’ for our child. We relax on the inside and let the feelings run their course.

Here’s how it can work:

Tensions were running high as we prepared to move house and travel to

He eventually cried himself out, and we hugged warm and long. It was clear from this delayed upset that he had taken it personally when his Dad had stormed out of the house earlier that week – even though the argument was between the two of us and not with our son. He had felt like his Dad had slammed out of the house and left him. That evening, after getting to have those feelings with my warm attention as I Staylistened, my husband told me how he was blown away when our little son ran up to him in the park later that day, put his hands on his heart, then pointed at his Dad and said: ‘I love you’.

Anna Cole, PhD is a Qualified Instructor and Community and Research Lead for Hand in Hand. Hand in Hand is an international not-for-profit that works to bring attachment-based, trauma-responsive connection tools to parents. Find them at handinhandparenting.org

“Our job as the parent is to stay and anchor them through anchoring ourselves.”

the game of positive steps

REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS.

by Judith McAdam

When we are going through a challenging experience, it may seem like we don’t have any freedom or choice. We may feel trapped in the situation, or only choose to see things in one way. Would you believe we have the freedom to choose in every moment? But it’s our fear that makes us feel like we are trapped, stuck or broken. That fear, anger or resentment causes us to create monstrous stories in our head. The chitter-chatter of all the perceived outcomes is horrendous, and the anxiety felt viscerally in our bodies is palpable. The truth of the matter is that each negative thought, word or action is taking us further away from any satisfactory conclusion. Those negative thoughts are

blocking our way forward like big rocks in front of us. Take, for example, people who are going through divorce; often, they have been so wounded by their experiences with each other that they unconsciously choose to berate their ex-spouse and punish themselves internally in the process. I know this to be true from my own experience with my former husband. Each morning in the shower, my incessant negative inner dialogue would run amuck, invariably spreading all sorts of negative vibes into my day. This angry internal chatter would consume me, leading to all sorts of resentments, regrets, anxieties and fear. I remember thinking divorce was supposed to set me free from negativity,

not lead me further into it! Ironically, when I had the freedom in the form of a piece of paper in the shape of my divorce decree, I didn’t have freedom in my mind. I needed desperately to redirect my negative feelings and create something

better. Otherwise, I stood the risk of becoming very bitter, and this would most definitely stop me from moving forward. So, I took the advice of Florence Scovel Shinn in her book The Game of Life and How to Play It. Her words of wisdom were in the form of this mantra: “I bless him a success and I go free.” So, I took to blessing my lovely ex a success. Each time I had a negative thought, I blessed him a success. At first, it was very hard as my mind wanted to regurgitate old stuff, but gradually, with practice, I got the hang of it and formed new neural pathways. Florence was right, it did set me free. I was free from anger, resentment, guilt, and a myriad of mindless negativity.

In fact, because of my own experiences with divorce, I now know there is a much better, easier, more costeffective and positive way of decoupling. So much so that I, along with my colleague, help others to do the same through Mindful Mediation.

You can create internal freedom; all it takes is a little practice, and there is always a better choice. You can choose to play The Game of Positive Steps. If you would like to know more, contact me for details, and I will help you.

With love, Judith judithmcadam.com

“So, I took to blessing my lovely ex a success.”

freedom was limiting my life

THE DEEPER MEANING OF FREEDOM.

by Sandy C. Newbigging

For decades, my desire for freedom was subtly creating a number of self-imposed prisons that were severely limiting my life. Let me explain. Freedom has always been an important value for me. So much so, my need to always maintain freedom influenced the majority of my decisions, and I managed to ‘successfully’ set up my life so I would never end up stuck.

Working for myself helped massively towards this goal. I was able to do what I wanted, whenever I wanted, wherever I wanted. I never considered owning a home, as renting ‘gave me more flexibility’ and ensured I wouldn’t end up trapped somewhere I didn’t like.

Marriage was also a big ‘no-no’ for me. If ever asked if I’d get married, I would say that ‘I didn’t believe in the institution’, when the truth was, I didn’t want to get stuck with the wrong woman. Planning ahead was also stressful and hard for me. In my business, I would announce events with so little advance warning that I’d often receive responses like: ‘I would have loved to attend your event, but I already have plans’.

When travelling, I would always book flights and hotels last minute, often finding limited availability and incurring higher prices. And if I ever wanted to host a social gathering, again, my requests of ‘Are you free tonight or this weekend?’

would usually be met with ‘Sorry, it’s too late notice for me, next time…’

Then one day, when working with my therapist, I discovered that my ‘extreme-freedom’ way of engaging in life was actually a trauma response. What? How could wanting freedom ever be a bad thing? As with most things, it depends upon our intent and real reasons for wanting what we want.

Our intentions are the more subtle, often unconscious, reasons why we want what we want. For example, we may say we want to meet someone and be in a relationship. Our intent can be positive – to connect, love or share our life with someone. Or our intentions can be to escape loneliness or avoid the terrifying prospect of dying alone! Perhaps this is a rather extreme example, but I really want you to get the point. We can want positive things – freedom, love or even a Ferrari –but not always for purely positive reasons. When our intent is fear-or-traumabased, then it can end up having a detrimental impact on our results and life. For me, my short-term thinking and last-minute way of living was limiting my business success, wasting my money, messing with my home life, and limiting my access to deeper love and connection –both with my partner and my friends and family.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve gained from my work as a trauma-aware therapist is this: Our adult problems are usually our childhood solutions. Meaning, the root causes of our negative patterns or problems today often stem from an earlierlife trauma response.

For instance, when I was a child, I got bullied at school but had to keep going. I was also dragged to church for a few hours every Sunday - against my will and sometimes kicking and screaming. As a response to these early-life traumatic experiences, I grew up with a need to rebel against any apparent control or influence over me or my life.

As an adult, I would proudly declare that I lived a free life, but in all honesty, my last-minute way of working was just a symptom of an underlying fear of ever feeling constrained or controlled, like I’d felt as a child. Perhaps ironically, my fear-based freedom also made me more controlling, which took a lot of selfhonesty to finally admit!

Since healing this trauma, I’ve been amazed to find true freedom within commitment, plus empowerment in making longer-term plans – due to increased options and choices. How’s it changed my life? I’ve not only found more inner peace and ease, but I’m currently in the process of building a ranch in Northern Mexico - with my wife!

I still love freedom; it continues to be a high value for me. But freedom no longer controls or limits me. How might my story help yours? Are your intentions positive and coming from the purest place? Are any of your adult problems a childhood solution to something?

“…I discovered that my ‘extreme-freedom’ way of engaging in life was actually a trauma response.”

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feng shui for the new Year of the Yin Water Rabbit

CREATE SPACE FOR NEW ENERGY

by Amanda Sophia

2023 is the Year of the Water Rabbit, and we will experience quite a few shifts in all aspects of our lives, especially since we’re moving from the fierce energy of the Tiger to the more delicate energy of the Rabbit. Let’s take a look at how we can prepare for this year.

What does the Rabbit represent?

The Rabbit represents the moon, Yin energy, and, through its softness, gentleness and caring nature, the Divine Feminine. It promotes the journey of inward reflection, a gentle dissection of the self. The Rabbit may appear soft and cuddly, but its confidence and selflessness are admirable – moving steadily toward its goals regardless of adversity, through planning, perseverance and the embrace of spontaneity. The Year of the Water Rabbit can be your year of perseverance, abundance and grace, and a time of inwardly seeking your true authenticity in everything you do! This is a beautiful way to seek new adventures, venturing into the underworld, and celebrating the magical opportunities and challenges that you may face. The Rabbit invites you to practice a greater sense of gentleness on yourself, allowing room to grow, plan, create and restore.

The Rabbit’s symbolism reminds

us to reflect, going inward to examine our subconscious, to use self-compassion and other intentional practices to heal our inner wounds. The Rabbit invites us to continue the journey of remembrance, to root ourselves in authenticity, and to honor ourselves in every aspect of our lives. Are you being your authentic self, Beloved?

This energy encourages us to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, ground ourselves in nature, and create a sense of balance within ourselves. Take this year to focus on inner growth, self-care and nourishment.

How you can align your home for the New Year using Feng Shui

Decluttering is always a top tip in Feng Shui! Clutter has a way of keeping us stuck in the past and not supporting us as we move forward in life. We hold onto things that provide us with a false sense of security instead of trusting that things will come to us as we need them. In fact, the less attached we are to things, the happier we are. When we move from one year to the next, clearing out the clutter is a great way of welcoming new energy.

Scheduling time to clear the clutter is important. If you don’t plan out a specific day or time to start, then

eventually you’ll put it on the back burner. Be truly honest with yourself as you clear. For what reasons are you keeping any item? If you’re keeping it ‘just in case’, because you’re going to fix it, it was a gift, you inherited it, it was from a previous relationship, or it is tied to monetary value, then it is probably time to let go of it.

Here are some ways to clear out the clutter:

• Start by opening all doors and windows to allow fresh air to circulate and provide an outlet for stale energy to leave through, while you go through the home.

• Consider donating unwanted items to your favorite charity shop.

• Unpack cupboards entirely to see what’s inside, and see what items you don’t use.

• When you think about clutter, think also about your wallet, for this is the place where abundance flows in. Feng Shui invites us to keep clean wallets and regularly file or throw out receipts.

• Remove all items from the house that are broken, torn, stained, or perhaps just not functioning as intended. In Feng Shui, broken items can create energetic blocks, which we want to avoid.

How you can raise the vibration in your body and home this year

Beloved, it’s important to remember that the conscious use of words and symbols can help you raise the energy vibration of your home and body. Changing your language is just as powerful as changing your environment.

Instead of telling ourselves lies about not being good enough, we should come from a place of self-love, speaking mindfully and kindly. To raise your vibrational energy and attract what you want in your life, use words such as ‘I choose this’, ‘I am’, ‘I can’, ‘I have’, ‘I am grateful for…’, etc.

Similarly, negative words and images around our homes impact our physical and energetic bodies. Using Feng Shui, we can see that artwork has the same power. Images of war and darkness lower the vibration in the home, and therefore in our personal energy fields. If you have statues or artwork of war, death or darkness, I invite you to reconsider having them in your home. The items we keep in our homes create and support our reality. The home is an expression of internal healing, so only keep what you love and what inspires you.

In your home, I invite you to place

a doormat that says ‘Welcome’ and that feels good to you. Ensure your front door area is always clean and decluttered; this space easily becomes the drop-off area the moment you get home, so rather dedicate areas where you will leave your shoes, keys and bags. Take a moment to look at the accessories, statues, artwork, text on decals (even humorous ones), and notice the messages they are giving out.

What you need to know about the Feng Shui Flying Stars for 2023

The East and Northwest are the least auspicious areas this year, which means intentionality when it comes to these areas is vital. Try to keep these areas in your home calm, and try not to disturb or dig in these areas (e.g. no renovations). Also, try to keep fire colors, like reds, out of these areas. Keep both of these areas as clutterfree as possible and place all the remedies necessary, including adding more of the metal element to this space. If you’re spending a lot of time in the East area of your home, be mindful of potential health challenges.

The South is the most supportive and auspicious area in the home in 2023. This area is supportive of relationships going to the next level, and is the ideal energy for bringing a baby into the

world. To enhance promotions and career advancements, add fire colors, like red, pink and burnt orange, and earth tones, like yellow and beige. Fire is the only Feng Shui element where the color alone is enough to remedy the space.

The Rabbit wrapped up

Allow yourself space, and welcome newness and adventure while grounding yourself in authenticity. There’s potential this year for ideas to become realities and inner healing to expand; allow yourself to flow with, not against, this gentle and conscious energy of the Water Rabbit. Be one with the moon, align your home and life using Feng Shui, step into your truth, and you will see flourishing results.

The Feng Shui Master Certification course weaves together the spiritual, holistic blend of Feng Shui practices and the technical know-how to set you up with a thriving home, career and life. Step into a community of support, today!

Amanda Sophia joinamandasophia.com divinewomanawakening.com internationalfengshuischool.com

“The Year of the Water Rabbit can be your year of perseverance, abundance and grace, and a time of inwardly seeking your true authenticity in everything you do!”

another opens as one door closes,

FREEDOM – “THE POWER TO SPEAK, ACT AND THINK AS ONE WANTS”.

by Margot Tubbiolo

I’ve realised something about freedom from this definition. My revelation of the week is that sometimes a loss helps to gain freedom. Whether we are aware of it or not, we change certain behaviours around certain people. For some people it’s difficult to be as “one wants”, because we’re trying to be what everyone else wants.

These articles that I write have been a way for me to translate teenage experiences into words. It’s sometimes hard to do because we know the mind of a teenager can be confusing. One of the most confusing times in a young person’s life is your first heartbreak. However, I want to give my thoughts on heartbreak that will hopefully put that hurt into perspective. I want to talk about heartbreak and how that often makes people feel liberated.

When we are young, we already worry about other people’s perceptions of us. That amplifies in a relationship, and we become absorbed with how our partners sees us. A loss can sometimes be good, it’s the chance to start over. A moment of peace to think about what you want. It’s a time of self-reflection that can turn into becoming who you truly are. You’re not thinking about someone else’s opinion of you, because there’s no attachment there anymore. “Will they like my hair?”, “Will they get bored of me?”, “Will they tell me I’m beautiful today?”. When you

go through your first heartbreak, all these questions you once directed towards someone else, deflect back onto you. Now you’re asking yourself those questions because you’re the top priority.

Now this is not me saying relationships are bad, it’s an observation of how something as seemingly negative as heartbreak can be turned on its head. The trick is to give that to yourself. However, I don’t want anyone to take that as hyper independence. We need connections, it’s nice to lean on someone, but don’t let the actions of one person become your only source of positivity. You are that within yourself. The trick to moving forward is to give yourself everything you want. Then if someone else wants to give you extra love, that’s amazing.

It’s important that this person is someone who understands you. They see you for what you are, so you’re not left

trying to please once more. Understanding and acceptance is a priority in love. You need to understand yourself; that way you can attract a person that accepts you. You are seen and known once you work on the energy around you. People feed off your self-worth. They will sometimes treat you in accordance with that worth - if you don’t have any, people will treat you like you’re not worth anything. Change that cycle. Don’t be a giver and accept nothing in return. Relationships are somewhat transactional, and you deserve that love in return.

Once again freedom comes from loss. You can lose yourself, and the beauty of this is that is you get to start over and build back up again.

“….give yourself everything you want.”

The Tattie Hoaker

Health Food Store

Goff Street, Roscommon F42EK20

(090)6630492

Roscommon’s only independent Health food store since 2001. Twenty years of serving our community. We are open as usual mon to Saturday 10-6. Selling supplements, organic food and skincare, gifts etc.

Wide range of therapies available in our therapy rooms (post lockdown) call and collect available.

Zero waste & plastic free. You can find a wide range of loose dried foods, detergents , tea, coffee , local chocolate and more.

Local , Organic & Natural remedies. Call in for a coffee or organic smoothie!

Main St, Ennistymon, County Clare 065 7070000

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook

Located in Ennistymon County Clare , off the wild Atlantic way, The Aloe Tree is a family run health food store with community at its core. Our range has grown from personal choice and community feedback, leading to a wide and ecclectic selection.

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supply chain the passion

Health Stores Ireland represents health food stores all across the country, and out of these 120 stores, the majority are single-owner-run. Ireland first saw significant growth in this sector around 30-40 years ago; with health food stores popping up in every town and village, the country went from having a dozen stores to about two hundred in all at the moment.

As Alan McGrath, the National Organiser for Health Stores Ireland, notes, this sector is anything but static, and today, we see it morphing again to meet new demands.

The term ‘passion supply chain’ emerged at a conference just a few months ago, reflecting the health food industry’s rapidly evolving vision. A retail consultant from the UK invented this phrase to express the “strength in an independent specialist industry in an area where there is defined growth.” This growth can look like grocery multiples expanding their health and wellness sections or ordinary cafés becoming more health-conscious in their approach.

Ultimately, the passion supply chain is what will make the independent specialist sector differ from grocery multiples without losing any of the value that has brought the industry to this point. It reflects the aims of this sector to create a deeper connection between producers and everyone involved in the journey of a product.

Alan explained that whether the product is a locally produced organic

carrot or a multivitamin, it follows the passion supply chain. This means that the producer, supplier, wholesaler or distributor, retailer and consumer are all aware of the journey the product takes, bringing a sense of cohesion to the entire process.

“There is a oneness, an authenticity that travels from the start right through to the day that the consumer picks it up,” he told me, enthusiasm shining through in his voice.

Angela Mc Glanaghey, manager of

home. “The quality is just so much better and so much more traceable,” Angela remarked.

Not only does the passion supply chain create higher standards for products, but it also fosters community. As Tessa Badenhorst, owner of The Aloe Tree in Ennistymon, puts it: “I think “health food stores” are almost like a network of havens for like-minded people. It’s no wonder that by being attracted to organic and highquality fresh products, you’re going to end up meeting with some very unique and interesting suppliers.”

Simple Simons in Donegal, upholds this authenticity in her store by stocking highquality products from local suppliers. She spoke to us about one company, Clooneen Orchard, located just 15 minutes down the road, that sells local honey, carrageen moss and dillisk.

“The owner is called John Gavigan, and he is based in Rossnowlagh in Donegal. His products are all natural with no additives. The honey and carrageen, in particular, are great sellers for us, particularly as natural flu and chesty cough remedies.”

Given how eager their customers are to shop and support local, they try to keep as many products as possible close to

One of these suppliers is Savage Craic, who “uses only local vegetables and locally foraged seaweeds in his small batches”. Tessa explained that getting to work closely with suppliers, such as Savage Craic, is what fosters her connection with her products:

“When you’re able to visit the beekeepers supplying your honey and the chickens giving your eggs, you feel such a connection with what’s on your shelves. And this is something that, in turn, you can confidently share with your customers. They can trust that we, as health food store owners, are completely embedded in what we do and have the same ethos in our food choices.”

HEALTH FOOD STORES CREATING CONNECTION. by Persephone Kianka

“… you feel such a connection with what’s on your shelves.”

Food for Life

is happy to add a new addition to their two health stores

Mr.Abbas Ghadimi ISH. has opened a new Homeopathic clinic beside the Health Store in Callan Co.Kilkenny. With more than 30yrs experience in the health industry and his practice in homeopathy it is a very welcomed addition to the town of Callan and surrounding areas.

To book an appointment please phone 056 7725777

Herbs, Homeopathy and Health Foods

88 Glaslough Street, Monaghan Town, H18 AD70 Monaghan’s only independent health food shop, with in store herbal and homeopathic dispensaries. We also stock a wide range of select supplements, skin care, health foods and local crafts.

Opening hours: Monday - Friday 09.15-17.00 and Saturday 10.00-16.00

Phone: 04783634

Email: beehealthymonaghan@gmail.com

Instagram: @beehealthy88

Facebook: Bee Healthy

Sonas Health Foods Shop and Coffee Bar in Newcastle West takes pride in presenting the best brands, stocking an array of quality products, many produced locally in West Limerick.

Our shop is a hub for lovers of ambiance and good coffee, wholesome treats, savouries and salads made daily from scratch. All this alongside an array of nutritional and herbal supports.

The Square, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, V42 Y685

www.sonashealthfoods.ie

sexual freedom

AWAKENING ALL OF WHO WE ARE.

by Dawn Cartwright

Very first thing: Tremendous gratitude to those who gave so much of themselves (there are many who gave everything) to bring about the First Sexual Revolution in the early 1900s and the Second Sexual Revolution in the 1960s. Immense gratitude to those today who still hold strong on sexual freedom and work diligently to raise awareness and protect the sexual rights of all human beings. Thank you to each and every revolutionary who has cleared, and is clearing, the way. Sex is the core of our aliveness, it is the wellspring of our sovereign sense of self.

The Third Revolution

Historian Kevin White used the phrase “first sexual revolution” to refer to the Roaring Twenties, the era of the flapper, premarital sex and “petting parties.” Industrialisation meant people moved to the cities in great numbers, leaving small towns where Victorian attitudes were still in place, and scrutiny was prevalent. The first sexual revolution gave men and women the opportunity to be themselves without fear of banishment, one of many first steps toward sexual freedom.

The second sexual revolution that arose in the 1960s and 1970s was a social movement that dramatically changed traditional codes of behaviour around sexuality and intimate relationships. “Free Love” meant increased acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual, monogamous marriage. Public nudity, pornography, premarital sex, homosexuality, masturbation and alternative forms of sexuality became normalised. Movies have been made, and songs written about the second sexual revolution, which was intricately linked to personal freedom and autonomy on a global scale.

The new revolution is less about the social implications of sexual freedom and more about redefining sex itself. The focus has shifted from social rebellion to self-awareness. Not only are we having more sex now that sex is more accepted, we are bringing more of ourselves to the sex we are having. We are discovering that sex is closer than we’ve ever imagined, intimately connected to who we are. Sex is being redefined as something that may

include, yet spans far beyond intercourse. The third sexual revolution is now underway.

What do you feel? This is your arousal.

Excitement, Plateau, Orgasm & Resolution

In 1966, at the peak of the second sexual revolution, Masters and Johnson revolutionised the world when they observed 382 women and 312 men engage in a total of 10,000 complete cycles of sexual response. Their studies concluded that when becoming sexually aroused and engaging in sexual activity, the human body experiences four phases; excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution.

Their model brilliantly outlined “what” occurs in the human body during sex without describing “how” it happens. And this, my intrepid sexual revolutionaries, launched the new revolution.

The “How”

A contemporary of Masters and Johnson, Alexander Lowen, founder of Bioenergetics, had this to say about sex, “To be alive is to be sexual and to be sexual is to be alive.” Lowen recognised sex as an integral part of being human, an important step toward sexual freedom. His work created a pivotal shift in perspective that revealed “how” arousal appears.

Try this . . .

Notice the aliveness present in your body right now. Softly focus, orient toward the sensations you feel. Move closer and feel more of what is already naturally there.

“How” does it appear? In 1984, Barry Singer, a professor of psychology, created a sexual response model that expanded on earlier models. Singer found that first noticing, then orienting toward, then moving closer to the attractive object, led to an increase in arousal. The stages of sexual arousal, from excitation to plateau to orgasm and resolution, unfold as you notice, orient toward and move closer to the aliveness inside of you.

Sexual arousal is a space you enter, within you. It’s not just one kind of feeling - it’s everything you feel, fully felt.

Sexual Freedom

“In some way one could say sex isn’t something you do, eh? Sex is a place you go. It’s a space you enter inside yourself and with another, or others.”

Esther Perel

The first sexual revolution had to do with the space we inhabit in the community. The second had to do with the space we inhabit in the world. The new sexual revolution is about the space we inhabit in our bodies. It’s a place we go, within. It’s no longer a linear journey through excitement, plateau and orgasm toward resolution. It’s a space we enter that is interwoven with who we are. An experience where every part of us is fully felt.

In response to a survey conducted in 2021, seventy-three per cent of all respondents wish they had more spontaneous sex. When you realise your sexual arousal is intimately connected to what you feel every moment, spontaneous sex is always accessible. Just open to feel what is here. It’s the ultimate sexual freedom.

Dawn Cartwright is a Neo-Tantra visionary, sacred writer, world traveler, and innovator in Self-Actualization Neo-Tantra fusion. dawncartwright.com

“Sex is the core of our aliveness, it is the wellspring of our sovereign sense of self.”

the tantric path

WELCOMING THE ALL OF WHO YOU ARE.

by Alison McEvoy

Your True Path Is Seeking You!

So often our mind takes over our journey in life. We forget that our life is a journey of its own, with its own essential purpose, path and intelligence.

Listening to Nerea Carryon describe her Tantra Journey reminded me of this. The Tantric path was walking its way through her life long before the concept of Tantra entered her mind:

“At 24 years old...I discovered my body...I was having the most incredible, long orgasms of my life. We [my partner and I] felt like there was unlimited energy. We didn’t need to eat. We didn’t need to sleep...I had no clue about Tantra.”

Her lover was unable to have an erection and so the couple began to explore sexuality and intimacy in a host of other ways. What occurred was an explosion of pure energy where they were “making love for hours and hours.” Eventually, Nerea googled ‘Cosmic love-making’ in an effort to understand her experience – and the word Tantra popped up.

“I started reading and felt, YES, this is it! We are experiencing this! It was nothing to do with sexuality but it came through sexuality for me...I felt like I got this. I know this. This is what I am. I feel it in my veins. I feel it everywhere.”

It was almost another decade however, before Nerea returned to Tantra.

The Path Will Find You

Living in a big city, London, running several businesses, Nerea took a different turn in her life. She was no longer having the “intense experiences” with any of the subsequent partners/lovers in her life. The life she was living was not serving her body and, after seven years in London, she experienced a “big burnout”: “I had to stop what I was doing. My body was saying no.”

Her return to her path was facilitated by her wise decision, her dedication to her

truth, when she closed up her businesses and left for the mountains.

“I left to meditate and to come back to myself, and ask myself questions about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. In one of my meditations, asking myself ‘What’s next? What do you want to explore?’, the word Tantra came back very strongly. I Googled ‘Tantra Communities’ and one in Portugal came up.”

Nerea contacted this community, with the intention of becoming a volunteer, and they asked her if she could be there the next day.

“I went there the very next day and I was literally in a Tantra Festival, helping them...I felt so at home...I felt like I had arrived...like you guys have been waiting for me and I’ve arrived... I’m home...I was in heaven for the five days helping them...this was the life that I had dreamed of.”

“That was it for me. I was like, I’m in. What’s the Tantric path?”

She followed the Tantric path to Goa, to Koh Pha Ngan...all of it, and experienced herself be “reborn” into the path. “I’m so excited to be here and to be representing this, which for me was already changing my life when I was 24 without knowing it existed, and now putting words on it, and putting specific practices for people who have never experienced this. I’m like ‘yes please’, let’s do this.”

Space And Time

The feeling of being at home in life and in the body, Nerea describes as a feeling of “spaciousness”. There is space and time to hear oneself, to be heard, to see oneself, to be seen, to respect oneself, to be respected: “Space to say no, space to say yes... to take time to make a decision if I wasn’t sure. I felt respected... I had space to feel myself, to understand why yes or why no...”

Interviewed by Paul Congdon

If we give ourselves the gift of space and time, all aspects of our being that we have no space or time to feel, know, acknowledge, see or experience, come into view. The full spectrum of our humanity, the full container of our emotions, our creativity, our sensuality, our aliveness... This is the gift of Tantra.

“[In Tantric massage] the whole body becomes so intense and so sensitive and so interconnected...because we create so much space through the Tantric massage and so much understanding and awareness of every sensation, your body starts connecting all the feelings you never had space to connect, or even the time to experience.”

Courage To Be, In Space And Time

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain... [sorrow and joy] are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.” (The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran)

Nerea remarks that, in the beginning, the experience with Tantra can be intense, or painful. This is not dwelled upon and most people associated Tantra with pleasure. However, if we are to last of the path, we must be willing to experience both pleasure and pain as they are two sides of the one coin.

There are barriers in place in many of us, blocking the experience of abundant joy and pleasure. These barriers are our pains, our traumas, our emotional wounds. These are the doorkeepers, and the ones we must have courage and support in facing and feeling. Beyond them is the opening of our hearts, our emotional body, our energetic body and the OH. MY. GOD.

When people like Nerea come to tell us the beautiful experience of being on the other side of pain, after having been through the challenges and barriers, we can be encouraged.

“We have to understand our body has so much potential for love, sensations, orgasms, for all these other things, cosmic sensation... Everybody has to experience this!”

“After those releases [of intense and painful parts], the only thing left is pleasure.”

Join The Path

Tantra might be calling you too. For a day, a week, a year, a lifetime, who knows. Nerea is a wonderful person to join on this path as she is deeply focussed on healing.

In her own words, “I like to play it safe and really help people who really need it.”

Nerea led a Tantric massage practitioners training, Level 1, this spring in Northern Ireland. Connect with her on Facebook to find out more.

facebook.com/NereaCarryon

“…our body has so much potential for love, sensations, orgasms, for all these other things, cosmic sensations...”

stay on the side of light

HARRIS’S

by Alison McEvoy

Lee Harris, intuitive guide, channeler, teacher and speaker, exudes a warmth and a calm that allows you to settle yourself into the centre of the heart.

LIFE LESSONS.

Not long ago we spoke to Lee Harris and he had some very interesting things to say about the vital importance of this inner journey, back to the heart.

THE FEAR STORY

The Z’s, as Lee calls the beings he channels, recently sent a message to help us wake up to the shaping and making of the 3D human world we are in.

For a long time, there has been an “agenda” operating from unseen realms that aims to create division among human beings, through what they call ‘The Fear Story’.

“They said...you’re living in a time of energetic war. There is a war taking place and it is more energetic in nature...there is a war between dark and light right now... In much the same way that 95 percent of humans want connection, togetherness, benevolence, there’s a small 5percent who, either because of their wounds or their wiring, are here to disrupt...to work for lower vibrations or lower agendas. So either they’re living in fear or they’re trying to get everyone else to live in fear.”

DITCH THE BLANKET OF LOVE & LIGHT

Lee speaks of how many of us in the spiritual community feel our only tool is “love and light”. I myself remember such a time, and it went on for a long time, resulting in huge losses of energy, faith and trust in myself. The love and light brigade might want to put out every fire, heal every wound, help every soul but in fact there are some which are not aligning with the choice to heal, to help, to love.

“I don’t believe that [we are just supposed to be love and light],” Lee explains. “There are certain people who it wouldn’t be safe for you to be love and light to...who don’t necessarily deserve you sending a ton of love and light to them because of the way they’re behaving to you.”

AWAKEN TO THE AGENDA

When we go into fear we lose our senses; “we lose our human power,” says Lee. We are cut off from intuition, our inner guidance. From this state it is easy to become divided, to go into conflict with others.

An indication that you or another are gripped by the fear story, living in the energy of division and conflict, is when other experiences, opinions, feelings are not accepted and instead become fodder for conflict.

“The people in the fear story, they are being asked to leave unity, multidimensionality, oneness. We need to be able to respect how someone else is experiencing something, and vice versa, for them to be able to respect how you’re experiencing something. To be able to go ‘Oh wow, it’s completely different for me. This is what I’m experiencing.’”

“Whenever you can, without being combative or trying to change someone’s mind about their truth, be honest about what you’re noticing, feeling or seeing. Or perhaps the questions you have about what you’re seeing.”

HOLD YOUR CENTRE

“You can’t be taken down or taken under if you stay in your heart energy as a human being,” says Lee.

If you get pulled into conflict, you can turn back to the heart at any time you

are ready. You just need to know how to do that for yourself.

“Anything that resets you or gets you back in your heart becomes really vital in a time like this.”

Self inquiry prompts:

1. What incidents, people, opportunities might be trying to get you out of your heart?

2. What people or events might it not be appropriate for you to give ‘love and light’ to?

3. What people, places, activities, things... allow you to settle back into the heart centre, the soft centre in you?

leeharrisenergy.com

Lee will be appearing for the first time in Ireland in person, at Positive Nights, 26th July in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. Tickets: positivelife.ie

“You can’t be taken down or taken under if you stay in your heart energy.”

LEE

Kilmurry, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow, A63 DD78, Ireland

Yoga and Shamanic Practices

1st July to 7th July 2023

€995 for 6 nights in a shared ensuite room.

This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodation. This week also offers extra opportunities for healthcare such as massage, Reflexology, foot massage, Cranial Sacrum Therapy and astrological birthchart readings from external therapists.

Also available in Sli Na Bande – weekly drop in Yoga classes.

Wednesday evening 8.00-9.30pm and Thursday morning 10.30am-12.00pm. €15 per class

Contact Marlene 0872732413

slinabande@gmail.com

www.slinabande.com

freedom within ecological limits

WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE FREE.

by Davie Philip

“… We wanna be free, we wanna be free to do what we wanna do And we wanna get loaded and we wanna have a good time…” Primal Scream, Loaded

We all have a desire to be free and do whatever we want to do. Generally, we have had higher levels of freedom in comparison to many individuals and communities around the world. We’re still relatively free to think and speak our minds, to choose our own path in life, to associate with anyone and most importantly, to consume.

In one lifetime, the economy, globalised, freed from social and planetary constraints and supercharged on fossil fuels, has allowed us to literally party like there is no tomorrow. The freedom to consume has loaded the atmosphere and the seas with our pollution and has encroached on and destroyed the natural world, making a minority of the planet’s population obscenely powerful and rich in the process.

The freedom to live in certain regions of the planet and grow certain crops is already at risk. With social and economic disruptions set to increase, we are facing a very unstable world with poor prospects for freedom for many.

Freedom is a complex concept; generally, it’s perceived as the ability to think or act as we choose without interference or oppression from others. Although not universally withheld, these rights have been safeguarded under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since 1948. While human rights are important for protecting the freedom and well-being of individuals, we must also recognise the rights of nature and the earth. The planet and all living things on it have the right to exist and thrive just as we do and not just be seen as a resource for human use but as a living system with its own inherent value. Something we are not separate from and utterly dependent on.

The ultimate freedom and, according to many, the only way to really address the wicked and bigger-than-self problems we face, is the freedom from our ego. This part of our psyche drives our needs, desires and wants, and shapes our sense of self and personal identity. The ego also creates much of the fear we experience as a defence mechanism to try and hold onto a sense of

control and power. The design of our global systems reflects this pattern.

Overcoming the ego leads to a deeper sense of interconnectedness, a freedom from fear and a greater sense of accountability and responsibility. We are better able to cooperate, think and plan more holistically, and focus on the present and the long-term future.

With the understanding that our personal desires and motivations are not the only ones that matter, we can act with compassion and empathy, recognising that our actions have an impact on the world and the people around us now and in the future.

True freedom is found within ourselves; it helps us strengthen our resilience and make choices that prioritise the well-being of all over our own selfinterests. In order to ensure freedom for all, we must not only recognise the limitations of our own egos but also the ecological limits of our planet.

Davie Philip is a community catalyst and facilitator at Cultivate.ie, the sustainability cooperative based in Cloughjordan Ecovillage.

“The planet and all living things on it have the right to exist and thrive just as we do…”

medicine chant

HARMONISE YOUR WAY HOME TO CENTRE.

by Alison McEvoy Interviewed

Snatam Kaur, a magnificent bright and shining presence when it comes to healing sounds and music, describes the beginnings of her awakening to the call to chant:

“I must have been about four or five and I started calling [for my mum because I’d finished in the bathtub], her name Matiji. She didn’t hear me for whatever reason...and I started going back and forth, making waves with the bathtub water and singing her name. I’d say that’s when my music career started… For me, having a music career means getting lost in the music, and I certainly was that afternoon.”

When we can follow the thread of what we are doing in our lives all the way back to the pure spontaneity and innocent creativity of our childhood, we know we are in touch with what is part of our essence, our purpose and our authenticity.

Snatam Kaur’s music, the sounds she chooses and how they emanate from her, carry a sense of deep purpose – the healing and expanding of human consciousness and being.

THE LIFE BEHIND THE ART

What I found so refreshing about Snatam is that she lifts the veil, allowing us to see the shapes of her life behind her art. She

shares how her life experiences, and the healing processes she has gone through amidst the gales and storms of her life, interweave so closely with what has come through her to be created and expressed.

Prior to the creation of her first album Prem, she says, “I had been doing a number of chants every night leading up to that time when I had an opportunity to make an album…I had gone through a painful divorce. I needed those songs to even go to sleep. They were very much part of my healing process. So for me, in that time it was a lot about finding self-love and connecting again with the divine within myself.”

This was the album that propelled her and “exploded everything...everything unfolded from that point.”

MY MEDICINE, YOUR MEDICINE

Snatam is sharing her medicine with the world when she chants. “A lot of my life’s work is having a daily practice myself but also helping other people to have a daily chanting practice.”

You might wonder how a daily chanting practice can help with the day-to-day issues and challenges of your life. Listening to Snatam share the methodology of chanting as a practice, we

can understand just how powerful and practical a source of support chanting can be, if used to its full potential.

“I learned from my mum that one could...apply the chant to one’s life and apply one’s life to the chant. Giving it all to the chant itself. This is where my core self-healing practice happens, it’s through this kind of chanting and this kind of selfreflection. So that’s really where the chants come from.”

So many of us feel the huge pull of music to our souls. Music helps us to awaken and feel our emotions out of the watery depths within us. We seek love songs when we are in love. We seek, resonate with, and pour our grief into the broken-hearted songs when things break down. We sing along with triumph songs when we feel on top of the world, and we let the stricken songs rain down on us when we are in the gutter of life. Music resonates with our emotions, our vibrations – this is something many of us instinctually know.

The chants which Snatam shares offer a unique invitation however. They take us on a journey, lead us to somewhere new. They are pathways. They are transformational. They can help us grow through what is happening on the stage of our human life.

by Paul Congdon

“The medicine is to recite. The medicine is to chant. The recitation and chanting speaks to the cells and fibres of our being.”

“After singing, after chanting these chants, I feel a sense of very deep relaxation and a sense of faith and flow,” she explains. “It’s almost like getting up out of the muck and mire and experiencing this love and joy and then coming back into the human body and feeling a sense of ‘ok, yeah, I can do this...everything is ok’.”

THE INVITATION OF ‘ONG NAMO’

One lesson which Snatam describes learning through the experience of chanting ‘Ong Namo’, is the ability to accept, allow and surrender to what is flowing through her life experience.

I can’t count the times when I have felt that what’s happening in my life is ‘not right’ or ‘shouldn’t be happening’. Often retrospect allows us to see more of a purpose and meaning to what we go through, but accessing a sense of surrender during painful, challenging or difficult moments in life is one of the more elusive abilities of the human being. If we could cultivate the attitude of surrender, we would be heaping less hardship on ourselves and perhaps even see a light when we are in the dark.

According to Snatum, “The inspiration to record that song really came from this place of wanting to surrender to the flow. That flow of Divine coming through my life and coming through me was requiring that I come to a place of humility and let go of thinking that what was happening in my life wasn’t exactly perfect. That I needed to change myself or even what’s happening in my life, but just to kind of look at it all as a flow. And even just for a moment to bow to it and to be OK with it all. And see that that flow was happening to guide me, to teach me, to bring me into communion with my soul’s light and energy and destiny. I continue to do that process...”

MAKE YOUR CELLS DANCE

In talking, writing and reading about the experience of music or sound vibration, so much is lost in translation. To actually experience this is to undergo a shift in your cellular being. That is where this medicine goes – directly to the cells:

“The medicine is to recite. The medicine is to chant. The recitation and chanting speaks to the cells and fibres of our being. In our fingers and our toes and in our whole being. We insert these basic positive vibrations into our beings and it creates a lot of harmony on the physical

level...but then also a sense of elevation in the mental state...”

Positive Life will be hosting a live concert with Snatam Kaur on 8th June in Dublin’s RDS Concert Hall where you can take a dip into Snatam’s daily practice of chanting.

“It’s one of the greatest joys of my life to come and chant with people,” she says. “It’s truly a major uplift, an incredibly healing experience and I love it...There’s nothing more powerful to shift consciousness, I feel, than sound vibration… the chants vibrate within our core being.”

VIBRATE HOME TO YOUR CENTRE

On the Saturday following Snatam’s live event, she will be hosting a 3.5 hour workshop in Dun Laoghaire’s Marine Hotel. After a yoga and meditation warm-up, participants will learn to chant a sacred poem written by the tenth guru of the Sikhs, who lived in the seventeenth century as a warrior, yogi and poet.

“[The chant] is an instruction on how to practice life itself. How to come into a place of centre...and to be able to stabilise that place of centre so one can really access that energy. To me that’s really the moment when becoming a channel of the Divine happens, when you can stabilise that centre point.”

Snatam will follow up the workshop with “bonus content” for all participants - a 40-day online practice. The focus and intention of this online immersive practice is to enable participants to “apply the chant to one’s life and apply one’s life to the chant” - a guided experience taking you on the journey that this chant offers, into the practice of life.

Snatam describes how “A huge transformation can happen when you bring these techniques into your daily life...I’ve never once experienced having a problem, an issue or a question that I put forward to one of these 40-day chants and it not being solved. Every single time I just write down what is it that I’m questioning in my life. What is it I want to do? In this case, how do I want to become a channel of the Divine – because that’s the focus of this chant. I’ll be inviting people to write that down and at the end of the 40 days, I truly feel there will be a lot of clarity.”

As she speaks about the intention which infuses this online immersive practice, you can sense the immense dedication Snatam has to her purpose, her

own spiritual practice and the healing and elevating of human consciousness. As we return and learn to stabilise, staying close to our centre, our power and Divine energy, she hopes that we are all able to “live more consciously on the planet.”

UNFORGETTABLE

I will be joining Snatam in June. I can still remember the impression that hit my cells when I first heard her voice over a decade ago. As the years went by it became an informal practice of mine to sit in the bathtub and sing along to her duet with Peter Kater any time the waters of life were rough or choppy. Which is funny, given Snatam’s bathtub story! There is something about being in water that helps the feelings flow, the vibrations to shift.

So, ladies and gents, the gift of sound awaits you… and into summer we go.

See Snatam live in concert this June.

June 8th Concert, RDS

June 10th Workshop, Royal Marine Hotel

positivelife.ie/events

snatamkaur.com

supplement certified

THE GOLD STANDARD FOR SUPPLEMENT TESTING.

by Persephone Kianka

Taking supplements becomes vital for many people on their health and wellness journey, yet knowing which ones to take can be tricky. Supplement Certified is an independent third-party service working with nutritional companies to create this comfort and clarity for consumers, one brand at a time.

In the words of CEO Tom Hennessy, their mission is “to help consumers have positive outcomes by supporting nutritional companies that seek to enhance human function.” Through scientific analysis, Supplement Certified ensure that customers get the highest quality products containing exactly what they say on the label.

They have tested 89 brands from 56 different companies to date, and 45 comply with Supplement Certified Ltd 100% Label Claim Standards. In working with Professor John Nolan and Dr Alfonso Prado-Cabrero, scientists with decades of experience, they are quickly becoming the gold standard for quality in the supplement industry.

After analysing a sample in their lab, they provide a report to the company on the different ingredients present in the product. If the substance is what it says on the label, they will issue that company

a certificate, meaning they can now mark their products with a Supplement Certified label. If not, they will advise and guide them on how to improve their manufacturing process.

Not only do Supplement Certified check that the ingredients in supplements are consistent with what’s on the label from the manufacturer, but they ensure that they maintain stability throughout their shelf life.

When we spoke with Tom, he explained that they’d noticed a degradation in the potency of supplements over time. To combat this, they test the stability of supplements throughout their life cycle and only approve a brand if this is consistent.

As Tom noted, the fact that there’s not a lot of regulation in this industry means that Supplement Certified is bringing some much-needed assurance to the table. It benefits the consumer, health store and supplement manufacturer alike as they all now have a valid indicator of quality and excellence.

In being certified, the supplement manufacturer gets a gold standard recommendation, while the retailer can rest assured that the product on their shelves adheres to its ingredients list.

Considering that many consumers take supplements religiously to manage various health issues, this level of transparency is greatly needed.

Tom shared that the parents of John and Alfonzo all take supplements; therefore, they want to ensure that what their parents ingest into their bodies is exactly what they expect. Thanks to their work, customers can experience a new level of comfort, knowing that the supplements they buy for themselves or loved ones will meet their expectations.

While Supplement Certified only certifies product analysis related to declared carotenoids and omega-3 fatty acids, Tom informed us that they plan to expand to other areas and types of supplements eventually.

The goal is for consumers “to be able to identify the products that will give them the best chance of maintaining, or managing, their health.” With their excellent skillset and team of people focused on this, there is a good chance that Supplement Certified will make this a reality in Ireland and beyond very soon.

“…this level of transparency is greatly needed.”

Just minutes away from St. Stephen’s Green and Grafton Street, DCHY specialises in hot yoga, yoga practised in the heat. The heat allows you to stretch deeply while getting all the detoxifying benefits of sweating.

We have multiple classes 7 days a week. Classes are suitable for all levels and beginners are always welcome.

We offer an Introductory 5 classes for €49. Come and sweat with us!

www.dublincityhotyoga.com

the freedom to forage

RE-DISCOVERING THE GIFTS OF NATURE . by Hans Wieland

“Consumers of food are often alienated and distanced from the production of food, and re-discovering wild foods and their value is a way to break that distance.”

Freedom for me, from early childhood on, was always connected to being outdoors, whether collecting wild herbs and berries with my grandmother, being in the forest with my boy scouts group, fishing in the nearby river or taking long cycling trips through the countryside. And it was that same feeling of freedom I felt later in life, while planting trees, creating a garden or herding goats on our farm in the Northwest of Ireland.

Freedom to roam

In Nordic, Baltic and Alpine countries, the freedom to roam is sometimes called the right of public access to the wilderness or the “right to roam”. While on a SlowTourism adventure in Finland a few years back, I was struck by the fact that foraging in the forests is not only part of traditional Finish culture, but is also covered by what they call “Everyman’s rights”.

“Public access rights, or so-called everyman’s rights, refer to the right of everyone in Finland to enjoy outdoor pursuits regardless of who owns or occupies an area. You do not need the landowner’s permission, and there is no charge. However, you must not damage the environment or disturb others while exercising public access rights.” (Ministry of the Environment).

Our guide explained that in a land two-thirds covered with thick forests, rich with edible delights throughout the year such as mushrooms, berries and other plants, one in four Finns head out to forage. In fact, they top the world charts for it. “This is our free organic supermarket right on our doorstep”, she said matter of fact, “and also to spend time in nature, it’s forest bathing before that term existed.”

The revival of foraging in Ireland

Foraging in Ireland has seen a revival in recent times; even the term seems new. When we arrived here in 1985 we called it picking at a time when people still were out picking blackberries for jam or sloe berries for making ‘country wine’.

To my knowledge, the first organised foraging tour happened at the Green Festival North West, at The Organic Centre in Leitrim in September 2003 with food historian Regina Sexton. Back then, I wrote in the programme notes that “Regina Sexton will also speak about food and ancient customs, which then

will be followed by a scavenging for food expedition”. So I didn’t even use the word foraging then.

Fast forward to 2023, and foraging tours, walks, and courses are available in every part of the country, led by experts in the field. Apart from foraging for mushrooms in woodlands or seaweed on the shore, Irish hedgerows with some 700 000 kms are probably the best habitat to forage for free. Hips and haws, bilberries, rowan berries, elderberries, hazelnuts and crab apples, all feature prominently in the foraging calendar, as well as nettles, dandelion, daisies, red clover, plantain and sorrel.

At a seminar, ‘Food from Hedges’, during Hedgerow Week 2021, organised by Teagasc, the aforementioned Regina Sexton spoke about the change in value and status of wild foods. She spoke about food systems through time and referenced “the economic value and protection of wild foods in medieval times. And the more we became food consumers, there was more value put on food that we buy whereas food for free was seen as of inferior value. This has now changed and is often driven by chefs and restaurants”. I remember meeting JP McMahon from Aniar restaurant and cooking school in Galway at one of the first foraging walks I organised with expert Joerg Muller at The Organic Centre in 2006. “Foraging is exciting and creative,” McMahon said, “it definitely makes cooking more interesting.”

Melanie May wrote in an article for Good Food Ireland: “While hunter-gatherer culture was once the way of life, modern society is far more accustomed to hunting in the supermarket aisles and greengrocers for neatly packaged and clearly labelled herbs, fruits and fungi.” (Wild and Free, The Revival of Foraging in Ireland, 1/5/2021), but this is all changing, and for many people going out and collecting wild foods is a way to reconnect to nature. Consumers of food are often alienated and distanced from the production of food, and re-discovering wild foods and their value is a way to break that distance.

Miles Irving comments on the changes in attitude towards wild food in the introduction to his “The Forager Handbook,” published in 2009: “For some people, eating wild foods has become almost shameful – a reminder of the hard times they would prefer to forget. It amuses me to witness this attitude turned on its head; to see these humble wild plants

given pride of place in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the world.”

Having supported my wife Gaby Wieland, a Naturopath and Herbalist, on foraging walks for over 15 years, I can testify to the powerful effect it has on how people see the natural world. Suddenly they find themselves an active part of it, rather than merely an onlooker. “Foraging immerses us in the world, and we come to know it, love it and seek to protect it.”

(John Wright, The Foragers Calendar)

Wild and free

Wild plants need no cultivation and looking after; all they need is to be found and harvested. They grow without the help of gardeners and farmers and are resistant to changeable weather patterns. Wild plants are more immune to most pests and diseases because they have to fight to survive and therefore have retained many natural defence mechanisms.

Wild plants are always available fresh; they are not harvested unripe and shipped around the world. They are also nutrient-dense. Wild plants generally have higher nutrient content than most of their cultivated vegetables.

In the current climate, we are all searching for ways to boost our health and support our immune system to combat germs and fight the outbreak of viral infections. Nature’s larder is bursting with wild plants right now as we move into spring, and there is much to forage in the hedgerows and along the shoreline to make tinctures, teas and oils with or just add as health-boosting ingredients to your usual meals.

I encourage all readers to go on a walk or tour with an experienced forager; you have the freedom to do it.

…and please follow the basic rules:

1. Never pick a plant that you don’t recognise.

2. Only pick what you need.

3. Choose a clean spot when foraging.

Hans Wieland works and teaches at Neantog Kitchen Garden School in Cliffony, Co.Sligo neantog.com

simplyspring

Gaby Wieland from Neantóg Kitchen shares two delicious spring recipes. First up, a healthy and gluten-free quiche with sweet potato crust, followed by a light and easy-to-prepare panna cotta dessert.

SPINACH AND FETA QUICHE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST

Recipe by Gaby

Ingredients:

Wieland

• Extra-virgin olive oil for coating the pan and sweet potatoes

• 2 medium or one large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick (3mm) slices

• Sprinkle of cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp olive oil, for sautéing the onion

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

• 150g/5oz fresh baby spinach or larger leaves, stem removed and coarsely chopped

• 1-2 tsp vegetable stock powder

• 1/2 cup dairy free milk

• 1/4 tsp Himalayan or sea salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black and red pepper

• Sprinkle cayenne pepper - optional

• 4-5 large eggs or egg replacement

• 50g/1.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled or grated parmesan or vegetarian/ vegan alternative

Method;

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.

2 Grease a 23cm/9-inch pie dish with extra-virgin olive oil.

3 Layer the sweet potatoes slices in slightly overlapping circles on the bottom and sides of the plate. You might need to cut the slices in half to fit them around the sides (round side up).

4 Brush the sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle over a little cayenne pepper.

5 Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are slightly tender.

6 Place the dish on a wire rack to cool.

7 Increase oven temperature to 200°C/400°F.

8 Place a large pan over medium heat.

9 Add a tsp of olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion slices for three minutes.

10 Add spinach to the pan and sprinkle vegetable stock powder over it and sauté for three more minutes.

11 Remove the pan from the heat, and allow to cool.

12 Combine the milk, eggs, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.

13 Arrange the spinach mixture onto the cooled sweet potato crust.

14 Pour the egg mixture over the spinach.

15 Sprinkle feta or grated parmesan cheese over the filling.

16 Bake the quiche at 200°C/400°F for 35 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

17 Let the quiche rest for five minutes and serve.

Tip To make slicing of the sweet potatoes easier and quicker, use a mandolin or a food processor.

ALMOST RAW PANNA COTTA CREAM

Recipe by Gaby Wieland

Ingredients:

• 1 can coconut cream, 400 ml

• 2 tbsp agar-agar* powder

• 1/4 vanilla bean or ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup honey or agave syrup

• a pinch of salt

• 1 cup raspberries or any berries of your choice

• Pomegranate seeds (optional)

Method;

1 Heat 8 tablespoons water and 2 tbsp agar-agar*, bring it to a boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes*

2 Combine the coconut cream, honey or agave, agar and vanilla in the blender and mix until puffy and creamy.

3 Pour into small shot glasses or glasses of your choice and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.

4 Garnish with whole or pureed fruits, some pomegranate seeds (optional) and serve cold.

Note Agar-agar is used as a gelling agent. The agar is the vegan version of a gelatin, made out of red algae. It is derived by boiling the algae and then making it to a powder. The good thing about it though is that it has no taste and no smell, the perfect thickening agent for any dessert. Agar-agar needs to be heated to unlock its binding power. Use 4 tablespoons of water for each tablespoon of agar-agar.

Tip Don’t heat the coconut cream or it will change its color from white to light brown.

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Serves 4-8 people depending on portion size!

Gaby Wieland’s ‘Neantóg Cookbook - Gaby’s favourite recipes’ is available to order from neantog.com

short & sweet 43

The Relationship With You

EMBRACE ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR BEING.

by Ambā Love

Inner Relationship Focusing (IRF) is a therapeutic process often referred to as body or somatic psychotherapy. The process can be easily learned and done alone yet is more often done with a companion. Having a companion who is trained in focusing facilitates us in staying with the process and allows our sense of Self-In-Presence to grow. Self-In-Presence is the term used in IRF, developed by Ann Weiser Cornell and Barbara Mc Gavin for that part of us which is Aware, Present and unmerged with our experience. We cultivate this Presence to our fullest capacity in the moment, initiating from here a relationship with whatever parts of us choose to come forward. We make contact with these parts of ourselves on their terms, approaching them in a gentle way and asking them questions like “How do you feel from your point of view?” and “What kind of contact would you like from me?”

I am finding this way of being with myself refreshing and different to many types of therapeutic or healing processes in that there is an emphasis on not trying to change what we experience, but rather being empathic and accepting toward it. This allows parts of us that have been afraid or hurt to come forward in a safe space and be shown an understanding that up till now maybe they hadn’t been shown. The focusing space is a space of empathy, listening, curiosity, love and acceptance.

IRF highlights to me that nothing in our experience is wrong or needs to be pushed away but instead can be accepted and given the type of contact it needs. This is discovered through communicating with these parts of ourselves and describing as best we can what our experience is, all the while using focusing

language like ‘I am sensing something in me feels sadness’, which allows us to unmerge with these parts of ourselves. IRF can be used in many ways. The most obvious to me is the emotional healing aspect it imparts, integrating the many parts of ourselves, allowing us to experience peace and harmony in being human and all the many complexities of what that is. We can also use focusing sessions to look toward any issues we have, whether it be challenges in a relationship, in work, with family or in areas where we feel something is unmoving or stuck. I use IRF in my coaching practise with clients to facilitate integration and move through stuck energies so that life moves uninhibitedly again.

Engaging with a process like IRF is a lifelong process and is not aiming at perfection. Yet the more we are empathic towards our tendencies and ‘love wounds’, as I like to call them, the more we can be in the flow of life and have more of ourselves available to engage with life and those around us. We can also experience ourselves as Self-In-Presence, which is innately peaceful, deeply contented and fulfilled.

There are many IRF resources on Ann Weiser Cornell’s website, including free courses and where you can get sessions: focusingresources.com

Ambā Love offers Integrative Coaching and Spiritual Support online and In-Person. ambalovecoaching.com

“The focusing space is a space of empathy, listening, curiosity, love and acceptance.”

The Microbiome and Colonic Hydrotherapy

DOES IT WASH OUT THE GOOD BACTERIA?

by Sarah Breslin

Conscious Coffins

CELEBRATE LIFE

by by Persephone Kianka

There is a lot of work that goes into the arrangements when someone passes away. Dolores Prendeville sat down with me to discuss the importance of talking about loss and death and how we can make it easier on grieving families. Dolores provides eco-friendly flat pack coffins that retail at only 399 euros. This makes the coffins socially and environmentally conscious. Most coffins retail at more than double this price, so why wouldn’t you want to go eco-friendly?

The research into the microbiome is still in its early days. Only 500 species of microbes have been identified to date. Studies show that we are host to trillions of colonies of trillions of bacteria. These microbes populate the entire digestive tract. Not just the intestines. They regenerate themselves constantly.

It would seem impossible for a gentle flow of water to flush out every microbe inhabiting our intestines. Every endoscopy device now has a water flow attached to it which cleanses the walls as the scope progresses. If this were detrimental to the microbiome, it would hardly be the standard.

Also, in the 1990s, colonic irrigation was purchased by spas and salons without any training or understanding of its effects or knowledge of the digestive system or the microbiome. Often, clients may have been having treatments too frequently in order to make a profit for the business without any regard to whether it was best practice or in the best interest of the client. In this situation, overuse could lead to a diminished microbiome and lower immunity. This can be said of most things. It’s good to wash our hands, but washing them too often is detrimental.

Dolores is an Irish supplier of these coffins that are manufactured in Holland. She explains that the assembly is quick and easy and you don’t necessarily need any special tools, though an electric screwdriver is handy. The coffins are made of sustainable, untreated poplar wood and suitable for both burial and cremation. They are plain in design, yet the sentiment is that you can decorate them how you want. They can be personalised and allude to fond memories of the ones who have passed. It makes death more of a celebration of life and a time to come together and support one another along with our beautiful planet!

milltownorganic@gmail.com

Now thanks to rigorous training and in-depth study of anatomy and physiology, Colonic therapists are aware of the effects and only offer treatments after a comprehensive consultation, with sufficient time between treatments. Probiotics are usually given after treatments as a precaution, along with lifestyle and food recommendations. It makes sense to add the beneficial bacteria into a cleaner environment where they are more likely to thrive.

sarahbreslinwellness.com

“The coffins are made of sustainable, untreated poplar wood”

“...we are host to trillions of colonies of trillions of bacteria.”

Sunflower Liposomes contain 20 Vitamins & Nutrients in liposomal form with plenty of Vitamin C to benefit you!

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Revive Your Health

SUPERFOOD TURMERIC FROM KANGEN WATER.

by Persephone Kianka

Due to its powerful healing properties, turmeric has been used for centuries to treat an impressive range of ailments, from digestive disorders to skin conditions. In India, people have used it as an analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and antioxidant for over 6,000 years.

Today, we still seek out this golden healer when needing a natural remedy or an overall health boost, and now, we have the science to back it up.

Turmeric—especially its most active ingredient, curcumin—has many scientifically proven health benefits, including the potential to prevent and help treat cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. It is indeed a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may also help reduce symptoms of depression and arthritis.

Unfortunately, absorbing enough curcumin to experience these benefits is difficult if you only use turmeric as a spice in your food. That’s why we love Kangen Ukon™,

a dietary supplement enriched with high-quality essential oils derived from Spring Ukon™ (wild turmeric) and carefully distilled at the Enagic Ukon Factory.

It’s made by the same people who produce Kangen Water®, which is used to clean and sanitise the harvested Ukon™. It is the first supplement ever containing the unique combination of curcumin, Kangen Water® and 100% additive-free Spring Ukon™ essential oils.

We also love that the Ukon™ is organically grown on dedicated farms and, therefore, free of the harsh chemicals used in conventional turmeric farming.

Unlike any other out there, this premium supplement is changing lives across the globe, empowering people to revive their health naturally

kangenwaterforlife.ie

Organic Irish Sea Moss (Carrageen/Chondrus Crispus) Food supplements

“Kangen Ukon™ –Nature’s Oldest Healer.”

Proprietors: Adeline Galligan, Colin Galligan, Maria McNeill, Gerry McNeill

IRELAND’S PREMIUM CBD OIL.

by Persephone Kianka

Eamon Canning is the founder of Hempful, an Irish brand that produces Hemp and CBD foods, supplements and cosmetics. When he came to understand the benefits of hemp as a crop back in 2015, he naturally became interested in making his own products.

When we sat down and spoke with Eamon, he expressed his luck at having found the perfect source—a farm in Croatia—and chemist, who has over 30 years of experience, for the job.

He explained that climate, and more specifically UV exposure, is essential for growing high quality hemp with an abundant and diverse yield of cannabinoids, and luckily, Croatia has just the right amount of sun for this. His expert chemist then winterizes and decarboxylates the full-spectrum CBD rich Hemp oil to give us the Premium CBD oil we see in our local health stores.

According to Eamon, this exceptional product quality is one of three core values the company’s well-earned reputation stands on. The other two are “exceptional customer service” and

“best possible value”.

By only stocking his products in independent health food stores, Eamon knows that his customers will always receive the value and service they deserve. As most customers start with limited knowledge of the product, he acknowledged the vital role of health store staff in bridging that gap.

Just as independent health stores won’t sell a customer something that’s not for them, Hempful is “not interested in selling hemp CBD products to just anybody. We’re looking to sell to people who will really benefit from it”.

From the farmers in Croatia to the health store staff across Ireland, the genuine care put into Hempful is evident, explaining why they are Ireland’s leading producer of Hemp and CBD products today.

hempful.eu

Feeling The Light Within

THE POWER OF ANGEL HEALING.

by Persephone Kianka

Sinéad de hÓra has been deeply in tune with her intuition since the age of four, asking her parents to leave a place for her spirit guides at the dinner table. Today, as an intuitive specialist, she helps people to achieve the same inner clarity using an array of spiritual tools, from Angel healing to aromatherapy.

When we spoke with Sinéad, she emphasised that while she does connect with Angels and spirits, she directs her healing sessions based on what her client needs to become the best version of themselves. This could involve mediumship, but it could also involve alternative therapy, ancestral healing, goalsetting, or something else.

“I will do whatever they are telling me to do,” she told us, referring to her Angels.

For Sinéad, Archangels are messengers of love who want to help us

become our best selves. She explained that each Angel has a very different energy, and “they come to you how you want to see them”. The well-known Archangel Raphael, for example, is the Angel of healing, who always appears to her in a beautiful green light.

This clear conception of her Angels led Sinéad to create her lovely Angel oracle decks, which she often uses during readings to give additional guidance.

Whether it’s an in-person or online reading, Sinéad can connect to the energies present and translate them into practical wisdom the client can take away.

In her own words, the primary purpose of this work is “allowing people to feel their own light, to feel how gorgeous they are, how special they are, and that is the real message of the Angels as well”.

sineaddehora.com

“…Archangels are messengers of love who want to help us become our best selves.”

“the genuine care put into Hempful is evident…”

Num 52

Beauty From Within

DRAW OUT YOUR NATURAL RADIANCE WITH EDUCOHEALTH.

by Persephone Kianka

EducoHealth, an Active Nutrition company based in Dublin, started over 40 years ago with a bunch of people who were passionate about health and fitness. One of them was Martin Forde, who works as a naturopath and osteopath today. With a background in agricultural economics, Martin began to investigate consumer preferences and what people wanted in terms of nutrition.

He shared that, back then, you couldn’t find the type of quality foods and, eventually, food supplements that would make a difference to health-conscious people.

When you’re involved with health and fitness, having a source of the right kinds of food is crucial. Yet, in those days, they couldn’t get organic milk and had to make arrangements to get the right type of cottage cheese. The company also used to bring in cider vinegar which was largely unknown at the time. Today, they still run on the same idea; providing products that allow people to pursue a healthier lifestyle.

EducoHealth aims to draw out the inner health that each individual holds naturally. “I saw that people inside themselves are perfect,” Martin expressed. He believes this natural well-being simply needs to be “drawn out” by living a good lifestyle: “If you exercise, it’s all an effort to draw out your perfection from within. Supplements are to give you things in your diet that are hard to create by normal means. That’s what the company is about.”

Their new supplement, Red Orange Complex, expertly draws out our inner beauty and helps to maintain it. It comes as a powder extract obtained from the juice of three varieties of Sicilian blood orange grown exclusively in a particular area surrounding Mount Etna.

Martin explained that plants that grow in very sunny places, such as Sicily, develop vast amounts of protection against the sun. They deliberately prevent the breakdown of collagen and protect the build-up of collagen. EducoHealth developed this supplement to help our bodies do the same.

The minute the sun’s light hits our skin, it starts to deteriorate the collagen. Red Orange Complex ensures that when the body tries to produce collagen, the sun’s light doesn’t interrupt this process. As a high-tech collagen extract with a low molecular structure, it can quickly enter the body and communicate with the cells. According to Martin, this is the first time a company has combined skin improvement and skin protection.

This unique supplement also enables people to engage in intensive physical exercise without damaging effects, such as the increased production of reactive oxygen species and free radicals in various tissues. By supplementing antioxidants, Red Orange Complex decreases oxidative stress, thereby preventing its short- and long-term health consequences in athletes involved in rigorous training programs.

“We put our best foot forward to provide people with useful, effective and unique products.” These supplements are one-of-a-kind in that they focus on prevention rather than treatment. By targeting every cell in the body, Red Orange Complex ensures that your inner radiance and health can continue to shine out as you pursue a dynamic lifestyle.

educohealth.com

“…draw out your perfection from within.”

Remembering Our Divinity

DIVINE ESSENCE CRYSTAL HEALING.

by Persephone Kianka

Jacinta Murray, the creator of Divine Essence Crystal Healing, has been working with crystals even before she had any. “Initially, before we started buying them, we actually used to just connect with them energetically,” she shared.

This empowering recognition that the source of knowledge and power is within, informs much of Jacinta’s healing work. For her, the idea that we’re “only a vessel for the energy” does a disservice to many powerful healers who heal using their unique divine essence.

She also observed that many crystal teachings focus on information rather than intuition. While information can be helpful when working with crystals, in her experience, “if you work with your heart and your intuition, you have a much more powerful connection than you ever have with knowledge.”

This realisation ultimately led to Divine Essence Crystal Healing, a healing system that focuses on

activating the individual’s divine essence. “Once we connect to our divine essence, then we can heal Self, and we can help to heal others if they’re open to self-healing as well,” Jacinta explained.

For this reason, the trainings they offer don’t just teach how to heal others but how to heal ourselves. When asked if individuals align with certain crystals vibrationally, she said, for most of us, this constantly shifts throughout our lives.

Jacinta encourages people to trust their intuition when choosing and working with crystals without following any system too rigidly. In a time of tremendous energetic shifts, we must first and foremost tune into Self and the planetary energies to know the best way to proceed in our healing journey.

jacintachristy.com

“Jacinta encourages people to trust their intuition when choosing and working with crystals…”

Five Element Acupuncture

ROOT DEEPLY INTO YOUR HUMAN, SELF-HEALING, NATURE.

by Alison McEvoy

I had been carrying certain emotional/energetic baggage from my recent past. It was only getting heavier, the longer I held it. I began to feel physical symptoms of stress and unwellness. I knew the root was emotional but I had no idea where to go or what to do to shift it. Nothing in my repertoire of self-healing was working.

I found Emilia’s five element acupuncture practice by pure chance –synchronicity, really. It was an answer to my seeking. When we call, the universe answers – it’s a beautiful thing.

Emilia’s treatment was dynamic and involved. She was constantly reading me, reading my pulse, my body’s signals (skin tone and the sound of my voice, for example) and the treatment kept going in new directions, led by the body.

Emilia works with new clients by first doing an energy cleanse, removing any “polluted energy” that may be circulating in the body. This is a set of needles placed down the back, targeting the yin organs which, by themselves, have no excretion routes for unwanted energy.

“In the past year I’ve seen so much polluted energy showing up to be drained. In general, clients who’ve had Covid or

long Covid have had it worse than most. Once the treatment gets going we will be moving things around a lot and we want only good energies being passed around the body,” explained Emilia.

A major car wreck on a Colorado highway at 20 years of age, leaving Emilia in constant pain, was the catalyst for her own eventual discovery of five element acupuncture. She spent five years searching for relief, down both traditional and alternative medicine routes. At times, the hope of living pain-free slipped from her grasp. She was eventually referred to a five element acupuncturist. Six sessions later, she was transformed.

“It was mind blowing…something so physical but all my physical explorations didn’t work. And this person sticking needles in me nowhere near the pain site was actually helping me.” Not only did Emilia’s pain shift but she felt an emotional, energetic and spiritual awakening inside of her. “It was a light and a lift. The light came back in. I was 25 years old and I got my zest back and I didn’t even know it was missing. I was filled with energy.”

“We service our cars yearly. We fix

what gets broken, rather than just keep on driving, but we don’t always do the same for our body – we can bring ourselves to the brink before taking action. Five element acupuncture is a way of looking after yourself, a lifestyle, a way to stay well.”

Emilia meets you where you are at, on the brink, or wanting to stay well. I can’t recommend this lady highly enough.

vitala.ie

“It was mindblowing...the light came back in.”

CHOOSE

THE ROAD AWAY

For many of us, the road away from the home of the body is a gradual one. We can stop noticing quite early in life how our body feels about things – the people we are with, the food we eat, our tiredness, thirst, true sentiments about something or someone… The body’s language of sensation gradually stops being felt, the soul’s language of intuition stops being heard.

My journey away from the body went to the extreme very early in life. By the time I was 13 years old I was utterly and completely disconnected from my body. I had suffered years of not being seen, heard, held, felt, connected to by others and thus had no thread to follow back to myself. I felt so deeply uncomfortable in the world. So out of place and isolated from life and myself.

My relationship to my body – my body which encompassed my true feelings, my desires, my needs, my truth – was shut down in favour of my mind which could plan a safe path through each day, without revealing ME to myself or others. A day of controlled eating and fervent exercise. A pattern too many young people know.

Although it looked from the outside like I was starving myself, I was dying to come to Life. I was simply unable to sustain living in a body overwhelmed by feelings of pain, hurt, anger, loneliness and isolation.

How many of us are still running day by day - from our pains and hurts, our feelings, our griefs, our anger? The temptation is always there, for those of us who haven’t received the gift of connection and attachment early in life, to run away. The good news is that so many of us have found a way to walk home each time turmoil hits us in life. To walk home rather than flee. To turn back, when we have started to flee. So many of us loving humans want to walk each other home. Yoga Nidra was, and is, my way home. I’d like to share it with you, if it resonates.

THE ROAD HOME

Yoga Nidra entered my life when I was 14 years old via an unused CD my mother had lying around. I finally received training in Yoga Nidra directly after my degree in English literature and Philosophy, at the age of 24. I have been teaching Yoga Nidra in groups, workshops and schools for a decade.

The shape and style of the teachings have changed and morphed with me on my journey. There was the Yoga Nidra I did starting off. Then the one that kept me connected to my body during intense periods of research and study. The one that comforted me through my first heartbreak. The one that kept me grounded when I was living far away from home for the first time. The one that gives me inspiration when I need to write. The one that prepared

me to give birth to my son. The one that held me as a new mother.

As we spiral through life, the winds of change are constantly whipping up around us. Sometimes they are a tender breeze while other times they are cold, furious and harsh. We spiral through our own personal stories and paths, as well as spiralling through the changing seasons and weathers of the natural world. As we enter spring, soon to bloom into summer, I’d like to offer you a Yoga Nidra for this hopeful, magical season of new growth and new beginnings.

Scan the QR below to access a FREE Yoga Nidra celebrating the arc of Imbolc and Springtime:

There is a Yoga Nidra for all times of Life

HOMECOMING. by Alison McEvoy

“The shape and style of the teachings have changed and morphed with me on my journey.”

Spinology

WE WANT TO BREAK FREE.

by Enrique Borreda Lopez

At first sight, ‘spinology’ seems to be just a spinal adjustment technique. What’s less well known is that Spinology is also a philosophy of life. Spinology involves the correction of spinal occlusions so that the body is freed. The chemical balance is restored for the full expression of physical, mental and emotional balance. It’s just as important that we nurture a philosophy that allows people to think for themselves.

The following is an excerpt from Spinology, The Book: “Spinology is setting a very demanding standard for each of our lives. We are asking that each of us refuse to become victims of the programming of the past, or programming of the present or future. We ask that each individual allow himself or herself to keep the mind free in order to find the truth.

Our purpose is to see truth and then to act on it. When we have each done that, we are going to find ourselves in a position of giving up a certain kind of freedom. People hold onto their old ideas because they are like a comfortable old pair of slippers. They are warm and fuzzy.

Sugarloaf Botanics

SKINCARE CHRONICLES.

by Margot Tubbiolo

Sugarloaf Botanics is a skincare brand owned by Laura Holly. She makes these products herself with plants and herbs foraged from the Sugarloaf and across Wicklow. The idea started for her when her husband, who suffers with psoriasis, needed something natural to keep his irritation at bay. A lot of people suffer with this problem and Laura decided to make a natural remedy for her husband. She was previously a nurse and was at a point in her life where she had a drive and interest in herbalism and natural cosmetics. Laura gets such joy from “being with the plants and out on the land” and that joy and love bleeds into her brand.

She began her business in 2020 and she’s now producing products full-time. Her favourite aspect of the job is spending so much time around nature and connecting with the plants. She speaks of the importance of going natural with skincare products. “They need to be safe because we’re using them every day,” she says. She uses minimal ingredients, with organic butters and oils, and small amounts of essential oils. Since all her products are seasonal, she has a subscription for each season. This means you’re always excited for new products, but they’re small

Everyone wants the security of believing in something which is established and unchanging. But once we have discovered truth through philosophical inquiry, we are not free to slip back into muddled thinking or the ease of untested beliefs.

Just in case someone doesn’t remember: ‘freedom is a state of mind; it is a philosophical concept reflecting an inalienable human right to realize ones human will’.”

enough that you’re not wasting any product. She describes customer experiences where her line has helped them tremendously: “These plants can really reduce inflammation.”

The products are also a no brainer as the price point is very competitive.

sugarloafbotanics.com

Enrique Borreda Lopez is the Principal of European Spinology Tutorium spinologia.eu

“Spinology involves the correction of spinal occlusions so that the body is freed.”

“These plants can really reduce inflammation.”

transition surfing the wave of

THE POWER OF NATUROPATHIC SUPPORT.

by Marina Kesso and Colleen Kennedy

As we move through the many shifts our lives offer, finding ways to remain connected with our newly emerging selves is essential. For women experiencing the fluxes of menopause, learning to ride the wave face-on brings a much smoother transition.

In the haste of our busy 30s and 40s, it is easy to neglect to tune into the inner wisdom our bodies express, often missing out on important moments of reflection and consolidation. Slowing to acknowledge a deeper calling of our spiritual selves is the ultimate in self-care – and something that is key for women during this transformative time.

With or without symptoms, perimenopause is the time when our bodies see a significant change in our ovulation cycle. Women really begin to enter ‘The Change’ in their late 30s! This process can happen from two to ten years before the complete cessation of menstruation and waning of our more powerful ovarian oestrogen, estradiol. Choosing to prepare ourselves lets us embrace a more joyful transition.

In clinical practice, we understand the importance of placing our focus on the adrenals. The adrenal glands and our fat cells are key sites that take over from the ovaries in producing a less potent oestrogen, estrone, to perform the role of estradiol. Many of the symptoms throughout our menopause are due to this oestrogen switch. How well you can surf the wave of changes your body expresses

is often determined by the health of your adrenals. Women may have spent years under chronic stress, relying on their stress hormones to steamroll them through busy work and home lives as mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and wives without proper nourishment.

sensuality can instigate an expansion of self-love and a renewal of our inner power. Connecting to Shatavari with Damiana, Rose and Cocoa in this elixir is absolute magic for igniting your most sensual self. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an amazing phytoestrogen plant that mildly activates our oestrogen receptors. This adaptogen supports our adrenals and nervous system. Shatavari relieves hot flashes, anxiety, low mood, poor memory, dryness and heavy bleeding, making it our favourite cooling and reproductive tonic herb for women.

Women are now eagerly seeking out naturopathic support. The use of plant-based phytoestrogens is helpful in balancing the changeover from our stronger ovarian oestrogen to the weaker adrenal type. Oestrogen-modulating foods of legumes, flaxseeds, fermented soya and various vegetables support this. Phytoestrogen herbal allies of Black Cohosh, Red Clover and Shatavari are best used as part of a tailored formula which includes other herbal medicines for the adrenals, liver and nervous system. Intuitively, libido is often a top concern for women during these years. This multifactorial issue is very individual to each woman, stemming from adrenal exhaustion to a range of nervous patterns built up over decades. Nourishing your libido can be vital to allowing you to reconnect to the magic of your everevolving body and self. Revitalising our

1 tbsp Shatavari root powder

1 tbsp Damiana leaf powder

1 tbsp Rose petal powder

1 tsp Cocoa powder

3 Cardamon pods (unhulled and crushed) Honey

Mix the herbs and cocoa in a bowl. Pour the honey into the bowl and mix to create a thick paste. Store your elixir paste in a jar in the fridge. Take a teaspoonful a day in a cup of hot water, milk or milk substitute.

Marina Kesso and Colleen Kennedy run their herbal medicine courses and clinical practices in Mayo and Clare.

herbalhealthcare.ie ivywood.ie

“Choosing to prepare ourselves lets us embrace a more joyful transition.”

Menopause

ADancewiththeFemaleHormones

PreparationforBefore,DuringandAfter

Joinusonthis2daycourseyoutodiscoverallyouneedtoknowtobringyou throughahappier,healthiermenopause.

Learnhowtobalanceyourhormonesnaturallyusingphytoestrogenfoodsand herbs.Learnhowtotacklecommonsymptomsofnightanddaysweats,lowlibido moodsandanxiety,drynessandmore.

•Cookingdemosforhormonehealth•Herbalremedydemosformenopauserelief

•Giftpackofremediesworth€50includedtotakehome•Recipebooklet

•HerbwalkintheIvywoodgardentomeetmenopauseherbs

HerbalistsandNutritionalTherapists

ColleenKennedy&MarinaKessotakeyouthrough asmoothernaturalmenopausetransitiononthis in-depthandempoweringcourse

2nd &3rd June2023

Tuningfork Spirit

Susana Abreu

Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Nui Massage Shamanic Medicine Healing

The Dublin Wellbeing Centre 26 Frederick Street, Dublin 2

Contact: 085-883 9424

Email tuningfork14@gmail.com

www.tuningforkspirit.com

My work is intuitive and each session is unique to the need of my client’s healing journey

Aloha Nui Loa

www.ivywood.ie forfullcoursedetails Ivywood,Tulla Co.Clare

apothecary@ivywood.ie

Lomi Lomi practitioner and Holistic Massage Therapist

Veronika: 089 601 3218

Location: Wicklow Town

Email: relaxandrenew75@gmail.com

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/RelaxandRenew75/

Treatments offered:

Lomi Lomi, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Holistic Massage, Warm Bamboo Massage

Relax & Renew Holistic Massage

the secret language of

lomi lomi

A GATEWAY TO UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

by Louise Kleu McEvoy

I was born to do this work. Or perhaps the truth is, I was born for a variety of Potentials…FREE to CHOOSE?

Yet, my Life’s experiences primed me to seek this particular Healing path, and I kept following the breadcrumbs, called by a quest for unconditional love. I knew it was right for me, deep down in my bones. I saw it in the eyes, felt it in the touch, in relationship with clients and students. Those moments of pure connection to Spirit are what keep me inspired by lomi lomi, the Teachings that support it, and the MANA that generates it. Lomi Lomi Bodywork is embedded in a vast system of knowledge.

Freedom requires that we are light and not carrying the weight of our burdens and entanglements. In the Hawaiian tradition, we call these Pōhaku /stones. We pick these up on life’s journey when we experience hurt, distorted relationships, fear and the like. We can work with ho’oponopono and lomi lomi to remove the cords of entanglement, tip over the bowl to let the stones fall out, and what’s left is our shining bowl of light, that is YOU. You are free. Of course, this is a lifelong commitment and depends on Right Relationships – Spirit, Mind and Body – in that order.

It is not an easy path because there

is hard work and commitment along the way. Choosing the line of Truth takes so much courage, and I haven’t always had it in me. That’s when our ancestors, Spirit, put the right Teachers in our paths. We can dodge them, ignore the calling, but every now and then we take that step towards FREEDOM…and so it begins…

I met lomi lomi in the year 2000 in South Africa, at 24, carrying a lifetime of trauma, big and small. The concept of “Aloha ke kahi I ke kahi” – Unconditional Love for Self and Everything in the Universe – had me face the truth that I didn’t truly love my self, not even close. My 23 years of practice and teaching has brought me closer to unconditional love… it’s been made up of tens of thousands of connections with clients where we’ve felt the power of unconditional love, the sitting in circle with hundreds of students over the years where we’ve felt like ‘ohana / family. It’s made up of each moment where I remember to practice these wise teachings in my everyday life.

The one right question Kumu Julia Nalani asked me recently in my ho’oponopono healing session - DO YOU LOVE YOUR SELF…UNCONDITIONALLY? No “Yes, but’s!”

The applications of the teachings of this lineage can help you work through

these pohaku that you carry, that we all carry, so that you can be FREE from the conditions that prevent you from truly loving unconditionally. To know who you truly are.

Lomi Lomi is the bodywork aspect of coming into alignment with the divine aloha spirit. It is meeting your Self in truth, every cell and fluid, right down to your ancestral bones. Our ancestors guide the journey from superficial massage to deep connection, whilst the therapist holds space by connecting with breath and spirit in a dynamic flow of mana and compassion (aloha).

What I have learned on this journey is that I am worthy of joy and love. So are you. And it’s never too late. You are never too far gone. You can change your life, with support. You are not alone, we are all ‘ohana. We, and all living things, are all born from The Source, so your family are the trees, stars, stones, winds, foods and flowers that nourish you.

Me ke aloha, Louise alohahouse.ie

“Those moments of pure connection to Spirit are what keep me inspired by lomi lomi, the Teachings that support it, and the MANA that generates it.”

CŌB-WEB

B o d y w o r k S t u d i o

C r e a t i n g O v e r a l l O p t i m u m B a l a n c e t h r o u g h W e s t e r n a n d E a s t e r n B o d y w o r k

L o m i L o m i N U I T r e a t m e n t

L o m i L o m i m a s s a g e i s a c o m p l e t e h e a l i n g s y s t e m a i m e d a t r e s t o r i n g b a l a n c e a n d h a r m o n y w i t h i n t h e b o d y m i n d a n d s o u l F o c u s i n g o n t h e b o d y o n a p h y s i c a l a n d e n e r g e t i c l e v e l a s a m e a n s o f b r i n g i n g a w a r e n e s s a n d h e a l i n g t o a l l p a r t s o f s e l f

A t C Ō B - W E B y o u m a y e x p e r i e n c e L o m i L o m i a s a n i n d i v i d u a l t r e a t m e n t f o r y o u r s e l f • A d u e t t r e a t m e n t ( t w o p e o p l e r e c e i v i n g t r e a t m e n t a t t h e s a m e t i m e ) A F o u r H a n d T r e a t m e n t ( o n e p e r s o n r e c e i v i n g a t r e a t m e n t f r o m t w o t h e r a p i s t s ) T r e a t m e n t c h o i c e o f t i m e i s f r o m 1 h r t o 3 h r N M T P h y s i c a l T h e r a p y S p o r t s T h e r a p y • C r a n i a l T h e r a p y

O t h e r T r e a t m e n t s A v a i l a b l e

D e e p T i s s u e C u p p i n g M a s s a g e P r e g n a n c y M a s s a g e • T a b l e T h a i M a s s a g e

P l e a s e s e e f u l l m e

homeopathy

Fermoy-based homeopathist Tracey Bransfield has always had an alternative mindset in terms of healthcare, using herbs and supplementation to heal herself whenever possible. However, it was her determination to help her youngest daughter, who suffered from severe eczema as a child, that led her to discover her true potential as a healer.

“I took her to a homeopath for treatment, and it was hugely successful, and of course, I became more and more intrigued with homeopathy then,” she explained.

As she started to learn more about this alternative system of medicine, Tracey was able to support herself and her other children, who had asthma, more at home. Seeing the positive results, she began looking into becoming a professional homeopath around 2013.

Tracey shared that after suffering a bereavement in her family at that time, she began using self-prescribed homeopathic remedies to ease the pain. This traumatic circumstance was a turning point in her journey, as she realised that homeopathy could treat so much more than acute conditions and external ailments.

“When I came to the realisation of how deeply healing homeopathy can be, that was it; I decided to embark on the journey for four years to train and become

licensed as a homeopath.”

As defined by the Irish Society of Homeopaths, “Homeopathy is a gentle, non-toxic system of medicine. It uses naturally occurring substances in the form of remedies to stimulate the body’s own healing power.” Though gentle, homeopathy can produce powerful shifts in someone’s life due to its ability to treat the whole person.

Like other holistic treatments, it addresses the patient’s emotional, mental and physical symptoms, recognising that all are inextricably linked. Tracey explained that a spiritual or emotional disturbance in a person’s life is often where physical symptoms start. Therefore, when consulting a patient with a chronic condition, she endeavours “to get an understanding of who they are and how they arrived at the point that they’re at now.”

Such healing modalities are particularly beneficial for people with chronic issues because “you can treat the whole person and unlock the case and give them their lives and wellness back without the heavy side effects that come with some of the more modern medications.”

According to Tracey, what makes homeopathy unique is its adaptability. Homeopaths use things like cell salts and Schuessler salts in low potency to

treat symptoms at the cellular level while reserving their higher potencies and deeper-acting remedies to bring about deeper healing. When used together, these different approaches can simultaneously treat all layers of the person.

In recent years, homeopathy has further proved its adaptability thanks to the work of people like Pat Aherne, aka the Homeopath Farmer. When his cows suffered a mastitis outbreak in 2019, Pat was able to restore their health without the use of antibiotics. He also discovered “a dramatic improvement in fertility following the introduction of homeopathy to his herd.” Since Pat became a National Coordinator for farm homeopathy courses in Ireland, 25 Irish farmers and vets have been trained in this homeopathic approach to farming.

Given its success among humans and animals alike, it is clear that homeopathy is a truly holistic medicine.

To learn more about the Irish Society of Homeopaths and find a homeopath in your area, visit irishhomeopathy.ie

HEALING ON ALL LEVELS. by Persephone Kianka

“…it addresses the patient’s emotional, mental and physical symptoms, recognising that all are inextricably linked.”

The Homeopathic Dispensar y Ltd.

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pluto in aquarius:

by Rachelle Hicks

This spring, we are going to be experiencing a brief preview of a shift in energy that will be present for the collective during the next 20 years, from 2024 - 2044.

Pluto, the planet of transformation, deep insight and power, has been moving through the sign of Capricorn since 2008. This has brought with it a massive change in how we see societal structures, governments, and hierarchies of power. For many, this has caused some disillusionment around the “system” and those who hold positions of power. While this can be a challenging awakening, it has also brought with it a level of honesty and a renewed sense of what it means to have integrity on a personal level.

Pluto takes its time as it travels through a sign, so it’s common for this planet to spend anywhere from 12 years to 30 years in one sign. You can think of this as the collective’s way of doing a major cleanup, decluttering, and re-jigging around the themes this sign represents.

From 2024 - 2044, Pluto will be in the progressive, forward-thinking sign of Aquarius. This spring, precisely from March 24th - June 11th, Pluto, after having spent more than a decade nestled in Earthy Capricorn, will take its first breath of electric Aquarian air. On June 11th, Pluto

will retreat back into Capricorn for its last snuggle in with the Sea Goat before it heads more firmly into Aquarius in 2024.

social structures and community. With Pluto in Aquarius over the next 20 years, we could see some major shifts in terms of social structures, greater awareness around our use of technology, and how we operate as communities.

While we can never tell exactly how these themes will play out, we can anticipate the symbolism of what they will represent for our collective evolution.

Although this is a short space of time for us to experience Pluto in Aquarius, it could give us an introduction, or a preview, of themes that we will be fleshing out for the next 20 years.

Aquarius is a sign that represents the “every man” and is often lovingly referred to as the “cosmic humanitarian”. This will be an interesting segue from the hierarchical, system-focused sign of Capricorn. Aquarius tends to believe that all people are equal and should be treated as such. In terms of collective themes, Aquarius is associated with technological advancements, the distribution of power,

So, without anticipating anything, simply pay attention during the dates of March 24th - June 11th. Notice any significant shifts both collectively and personally. Make some notes of themes you notice during these months. Imagine how these themes might evolve or take shape in the years to come.

rachellehicks.com

@rachellehicksastrology

Rachelle Hicks is a Dublin-based astrologer offering one-to-one chart readings and personal astrology forecasts online through Zoom. Learn more about her at

“…we could see some major shifts in terms of social structures, greater awareness around our use of technology, and how we operate as communities. ”

a preview of our next evolution

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