Shiatsu, Massage And Rolfing
GRACE-ANNE KELLY
Reflections Of You
THIS AUTUMN:
POSITIVE NIGHTS PRESENTS
ALL DAY WORKSHOP
ROYAL MARINE HOTEL
DUN LAOGHAIRE
DUBLIN
TICKETS positivelife.ie
Questioner: How are we to treat others?
Ramana Maharshi: There are no others.
SO, who are you looking for? Someone to complete and fulfil you? Someone to share your life with? Internally how do you feel, how is the relationship within? The one within will reflect and attract the one without.
Are YOU fulfilled, are YOU complete? This is the only game in town, the only game you can win; it’s rigged by you, for you. ALL back to the ONE.
This issue we take a look at Relationship in its many forms and themes, which are the maya, the illusion of creation. Enjoy and feel into your relationship with all that is; and, as you read these pages, know that you are the observer and the perceiver and the creator. The holy trinity.
Happy summer vibes to you all - One is all and all is one.
paul congdon, Publisher
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.
If you’re not feeling tip-top, it may be due to a food allergy, and Peter, the man with a plan, has a rake of tests you can do to find out. Nutricentric Healthcare distributes diagnostics throughout Ireland, empowering people to understand their health in a world of conflicting information. Available at affordable prices, this range includes food sensitivity diagnostics, Vitamin D, monitoring of Intraocular Pressure, blood lipids (the 4 “cholesterols”) and HbA1c (to detect pre-diabetes).
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SOMEGA is the home of pure, expertly formulated, effective health food supplements your body will welcome. Paul’s sister swears by these guys; not only do they provide top-notch health products, but also excellent service and sweet vibes. Their pleasant-tasting Liposomal Vitamin C, in particular, is a gem, crafted with natural citrus flavour and patented liposomal technology for optimum absorption. Enjoy straight from the spoon, or add it to your favourite cold drink to boost its nutritional value!
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Hempful, one of our favourite CBD companies, has teamed up with So27, an Irish award-winning skincare specialist, to create natural, highly effective CBD skincare products. We especially love their massage oil which is made from 100% natural ingredients and contains 1,000mg of Cannabidiol. This beautifully hand-crafted oil is blended with black pepper and clove oil to warm the body naturally. It also relieves tension and physical stress and promotes healthy skin!
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We love the Biomedis Trinity, a device of electromagnetic correction for detoxication, harmonisation and increasing the body resources. In other words, it uses frequency to bring you back into balance, giving serious matrix vibes. It even improves the working capacity of organs and prevents premature ageing. Who wouldn’t want all these amazing benefits? Check them out!
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Yarrow Lane Herbs is a lovely holistic brand created by the Irish herbalist Laura Darcy who’s all about “healing from the roots up”. We love the sound of her Banjaxed Balm, a great all-rounder everyone should have in their home first aid kit. This herbal healing balm can ease the pain from cuts, bruises, sore muscles, menstrual cramps and much more. To top it off, it smells incredible, thanks to the herbal-infused oils that Laura makes herself!
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After discovering the tools of Access Consciousness in 2017, Leandra Costa became an Access Consciousness Certified Facilitator dedicated to helping people make the desired change in their life or business. What’s different about this modality is that it focuses on your knowledge about yourself and the world around you. It is based on the idea that nobody except you can know what truly works for you, empowering people to help themselves like never before.
accessconsciousness.com
The ‘Made in Yoga Shop’ is a brand creating simple and fun messages to express yourself, centred around positive lifestyle choices. If you love yoga, meditation and having a good time, check out their unique line of products. Recently, we fell in love with their Alien Yoga Club t-shirts which give us serious yogi vibes.
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If you find it hard to practice meditation sitting upright on the floor, give Yoga Nidra a try. This powerful meditation technique involves resting comfortably in corpse pose (Savasana) while a teacher brings you through five layers of the self, known as Pancha Maya Kosha. Our publisher Paul experienced this on a recent yoga retreat in the Burren and loved it: “I slept like a gem, and the Yoga Nidra made a huge impact.”
anahana.com
If you love organic food, like us, you’ve got to check out Honestly Farm Kitchen; they’re all about deliciously simple food made with great ingredients. With one restaurant in Carrick on Shannon and another in Strandhill, Co. Sligo, these guys are redefining the fast food concept across the country. Serving local, seasonal
and organic food direct from their family farm, this is the ultimate farm-to-fork experience.
The Latin Quarter is the place to be. The owner Sandra Fernandes, who is a native of Brazil, opened this charming shop in a well-preserved early Victorian terrace on the main street of Redcross in 2017. Redcross has a unique charm, and this place encapsulates that with its selection of quality local crafts and gifts, delicious fresh food and divine coffee. If you’re ever in the area, come and chill out at this peaceful and artsy café! latinquarterinteriors.business.site
“Hear Yourself is a gentle, clear map to find our inner self. I ask: What do we need to listen to in order to hug a loved one? What loved one? The inner self. The self. The profound inner self (not fake personality). You cannot listen to a fake personality. It is empty. It does not exist.” Yes indeed we agree, reading this at present from the man himself Prem Rawat, rumour has it he may be in Dublin this Summer, keep an eye out. A soothing summer read for your holidays.
premrawat.com
Nearly every year for the past 12 years, Danielle Vierling has offered a dynamic Beginner’s Astrology course, with 12 participants max, so each participant gets personal attention. Her groups are highly interactive, inspirational and engaging, with each person getting to learn about astrology through their own exploration and study of their personal birth chart. Her
next Zoom course will start on Sunday, June 18th. To secure your place, payment and birth details are required in advance by June 11th.
soultruthsupport.com
Positive Nights presents: Lee Harris. On July 26th at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire, transformational teacher Lee Harris will bring his gifts of intuition to read the energy of the room and address the spiritual themes relevant to those in attendance. He will also channel his spirit guides, the Z’s, to bring forth their unique wisdom on how we can live a more heart-centred life. Finally, at the end of the evening, Lee will do a book signing.
positivelife.ie
We love the sound of the Lomilomi Retreat happening this August. During this five-day experience, participants will discover the essence of Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Healing touch and develop the skills to support them when working within the realm of healing. This five-day experience will include protocols, prayers, ceremonies, and a traditional Group Ho’oponopono session, helping you build your connection to the Source of Healing. manaokahiko.com
Creacon Lodge is one of the best retreat centres we know. Nestled in the gorgeous green hills of the Irish countryside, it’s an ideal spot for retreat, relaxation and rejuvenation. We highly recommend their Spiritual Awakening retreat taking place this August, which centres on meditation, yoga and profound personal transformation. Their Lughnasadh Celebration on August 1st is another great event for tapping into your sacredness this summer.
creaconwellnessretreat.com
Lomi Lomi Retreat95-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WINS LATIN GRAMMY.
by Persephone Kianka
Growing up in Cuba, Álvarez immersed herself in music. She composed her first song when she was 14, already proficient on piano and guitar, and loved to sing.
When she graduated from high school, she told her father that her only dream was to become a professional musician. However, he rejected this idea, telling her: “You sing for the family, but not for the world”, and because of her love for him, she listened.
When Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, Álvarez’s life was turned upside down. She became separated from her children, who were forced to flee to the United States ahead of her, and when
she finally got there, she found herself living in a small basement apartment and cleaning a bank to make ends meet.
Music was her way of overcoming all these challenges, resulting in a collection of about 50 songs “reflecting both the deep sadness and joy in her life.”
This music had only been enjoyed by her family and friends until her grandson Carlos José Alvarez decided to record her songs about nine years ago.
The 15-track album he produced, titled “Angela Alvarez”, was released in 2021, along with a documentary recounting Álvarez’s incredible life story. Delighted that her dream of becoming a
professional musician had been realised, she performed her first public concert on her 91st birthday.
Little did she know, an even more remarkable achievement was in store. In September 2022, it was announced that Álvarez had received the Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, making her the oldest person to be nominated and to win in that category.
The 95-year-old said she hopes her story teaches people to “never say, ‘I can’t do it.’ You can do it. Always try.”
“…she performed her first public concert on her 91st birthday.”
Last summer, Cork twins Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf celebrated sporting success in England, bringing back an impressive victory for their county and themselves.
Born conjoined in December 2009, the Benhaffaf brothers received global attention in April 2010 when they were separated after a 14-hour operation with a team of 20 medical staff.
The surgery left the boys with only a leg each but has allowed them to live independently and pursue their dreams of athletics.
In July 2022, Hassan and Hussein participated in the Disabled Sports England Junior Championships in Coventry, their first-ever athletics game outside of Ireland. At the end of the weekend, the twins brought home six medals and set new personal bests, a testament to all their hard work and determination.
Rebel Wheelers, a Cork charity group that empowers people with physical disabilities through sports, took to social media to celebrate the brothers, calling their win a “Monday Motivation mood.”
The boys have expressed their ambition to become Irish Paralympians in the past, and this great success shows they are well on their way to achieving their goals.
Speaking to CorkBeo, the twins’ mother, Angie, described the weekend as “emotional but beautiful” as their victory coincided with the date she learned they were conjoined.
She shared that while her sons are currently excelling in javelin, shot put, and discus, they are determined to get into track racing: “It will be a great challenge but they can do it, they are focused, and serious about it.”
Evidently, the extreme challenges Hassan and Hussein have faced, and
“ROBOT SHARK” CLEANS POLLUTION IN THE RIVER THAMES.
by Persephone KiankaEvery year, around 8 million tonnes of plastic infiltrate our oceans, much coming from cities through rivers. Though a lot has been done to reduce single-use plastics in Canary Wharf, a thriving financial district on London’s River Thames, it’s impossible to stop coffee cups and lunch wrappers from ending up in the water.
Fortunately, the WasteShark, a plastic-eating robot which was deployed in the area in March of this year, is well-equipped to tackle the issue. Unlike most boats that go out to clean, this “robot shark” is entirely electric and produces no carbon, noise or light
pollution as it travels, meaning it isn’t a threat to wildlife.
As Richard Hardiman, CEO and founder of WasteShark’s makers RanMarine, explained, “Ducks and swans swim away from it. We’re not fast enough to catch fish. So it really is a low-impact solution to remove pollution out of the water.”
Impressively, the WasteShark’s daily feed is about 500kg of debris, equivalent to engulfing approximately 21,000 plastic bottles. When it returns to shore, this waste is sorted and recycled or disposed of responsibly. These autonomous machines also collect water samples while travelling,
continue to face, only make them more determined, which is indeed motivation for anyone pursuing their dream.
sending back information on “turbidity, salinity, temperature, pH balance and depth of the water”.
“We’re collecting water quality data from all around the world and aggregating that [so we can see] what it looked like last week, last year. Is the water getting cleaner? Is it changing? Is there a potential algae bloom?” revealed Richard.
“It’s kind of our dream to deploy these things around the world to clean up while we’re asleep, make a difference and hopefully make an impact on our environment.”
“…the WasteShark’s daily feed is about 500kg of debris, equivalent to engulfing approximately 21,000 plastic bottles.”
“The surgery left the boys with only a leg each but has allowed them to live independently…”
Recently, a spiritual concept I had never heard of, termed ‘the Blank State’ by manifestation coach Neyah, caught my attention and caused me to reflect on our mysterious relationship to this reality.
In my understanding, the Blank State is a state of pure consciousness where the ego and all its identifications cease to exist. According to Neyah, instant manifestation occurs when we are in this state; we can effortlessly be who we want and experience what we want because there are no limiting beliefs stopping us.
So, is the Blank State the same as practising mindfulness or being in a meditative state? I think so. However, something about the term itself is uniquely powerful, evoking our ability to
be born anew in any moment, to create from scratch in the Eternal Present.
This Blank State is undoubtedly accessible through meditation — this is how Neyah advises us to enter it — however, I believe we also enter it naturally throughout our lives.
What if the experiences we love most as humans are so enjoyable because we experience them from the Blank State, as we truly are, without our past identifications weighing us down?
When we’re in love, for example, our mind effortlessly empties when we spend time with that one person. We want to be with them, create with them; we feel intensely alive like nothing else matters but the present moment.
In April, I travelled to Vietnam for the first time to stay with my boyfriend and his family. So far, my days have been full of precious moments: riding a boat on a river full of lanterns in Hoi An, exploring the pagodas hidden in the spectacular Marble Mountains — vibrant scenes that can easily be shared with friends and family.
There have also been many more subtle but equally precious moments: walking the city streets early in the morning as the local students and workers begin their day on our way to eat phở, enjoying coffee with my boyfriend’s parents as we try our best to overcome the language barrier — the smells, sounds, sights and feelings that are impossible to be captured as they are experienced.
How should we relate to these small precious moments that
are gone as soon as we recognise their beauty? Should we try to communicate them to others? Through words, art, or photography? Should we keep them to ourselves? In memories, diary entries, or objects?
Should we let them go?
Of course, the present is all we truly have, and any record we keep of the past is really a new creation, as seen through the eyes of our current selves or others.
Throughout secondary school, I religiously wrote in my diary, wanting to capture every little moment I enjoyed with my friends and crushes. I wrote so many pages, painstakingly recording the mundane details that were precious to me at the time, that I don’t know if I’ll ever read them all. I enjoyed writing them, though, and when I got to college, I
The same goes for when we travel somewhere new and beautiful. Even looking out the window or walking to the shop can cause us to feel so much aliveness and wonder.
The question then is how can we feel the bliss of the Blank State in any moment, no matter where we are and what we’re facing? We have been conditioned to live in the mind, but with practice, we can continuously return to this state and reclaim it as our natural way of being.
decided that I wanted to spend more time enjoying life without worrying about recording it all.
Since we don’t know what our future self wants, I believe we should aim to please our present selves, trusting that whether we mentally remember all the little moments, they are within us, shaping and guiding us as we move towards our next chapter.
“…we feel intensely alive like nothing else matters but the present moment.”
“…any record we keep of the past is really a new creation, as seen through the eyes of our current selves or others.”
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A healthy relationship is a bond and an unspoken agreement of energy exchange. An exchange that is beneficial to both people, something that leaves us feeling fulfilled emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and physically (if it is a romantic relationship). It should be a place of trust, safety and sometimes an escape from the world. It should also be a point of reference for our own personal development, with the other person being trusted to give honest feedback if they feel we are going off the path to reaching our potential. In essence, a healthy relationship is a growth mechanism. If done right, it is soul nourishment.
David BrocklebankA really good supportive romantic relationship is one of the gems in life. Not easy to find. When younger, we are often drawn to a particular partner as a result of our conditioning.
The best way to break free of these patterns, break free of our conditioning or samskaras, is to become aware of what is driving us… what is influencing us.
The two most transformative practices I have come across in my life are yoga and meditation.
The complete 8 limbs of yoga can lead us to deeper states of freedom. To develop love and deepen our relationship with our inner self, with others and the environment.
A number of people who have been to the Burren Yoga Retreat have related that as they begin to get more in touch with themselves and develop more love and acceptance for themselves, they have attracted in the right person to their lives.
Mariana Saad
Relationships are a big part of my practice as an astrologer. Healthy relationships are a path of soul growth. A meaningful relationship allows me to touch the highest part of myself.
Born under the Libra Full Moon, relating has been for me a space in which I can heal, transform and resurrect. An intimate relationship with another helps me navigate a world that is becoming more and more soulless. A loving connection is reaching the sacred in the everyday. I find that every time I relate to another through love, I open up a space of vulnerability and healing to myself and to the other.
Romantic relationships trigger us, make us face our shadow and unprocessed, unconscious wounds and blind spots. We die many times in order to be reborn new. What people call magic or chemistry, I see it as two beings recognising in each other soul nourishment. A relationship for me is a mystical union, connecting me to the spiritual part of myself and the spiritual part of the other. By union, I don’t necessarily mean societal commitment, for, in my opinion, love is free. It’s more of a deep physical and emotional bond, almost karmic, helping our soul find its way home to Source. I’ll end with a quote from a mystic from my homeland: “Love one another, but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” Khalil
GibranIn my work as an educational developer, I am passionate about relationships in the classroom. Gone are the days of didactic modes of teaching. Teaching should be more about facilitation than the teacher being the ‘sage on the stage’ filling the ‘empty vessels’ of the students with knowledge only to be regurgitated later for the exam. Relationships in the classroom must be developed between the teacher and the students, between the students and with the subject material being learned. It is all about a classroom ecosystem where students and teachers are working together to learn and co-create. Collaboration and connections can be created through relationships. We can empathise with each other, put ourselves in each other’s shoes and see things from different perspectives as part of a learning community. Relationships in the classroom allow for true learning and transformation to occur - within the creative, critical and contemplative space of the possibilities between us.
by Anna Cole
Here’s the thing about parenting. Few of us understood that having children would be this wonderful and this difficult. As Patty Wiplfer and Tosha Shore, authors of the book Listen, put it: “Parenting is intimate, night and day work that starts off with a three year long ‘intensive care period’ and beyond that stretches at least 15 more years of dedication, guidance, research, advocacy, diplomacy, night work, cleaning, cooking, coaching, tutoring, transportation, first aid, and more. Above all you are called upon to model caring and compassion in matters large and small day after day at a moment’s notice” (Listen, 2016). Above all else, parenting demands of us that we become more relational, more adept at the constant ‘rupture and repair’ cycle of being in relationship with another unique, exquisite, frustrating, challenging, growing human being. Contemporary research in interpersonal neurobiology shows us that rupture and repair are the central nub of relationships that work well and last the test of time. Psychologist Laurence Cohen explains that we humans aren’t designed to be in constant good connection with other human beings. We wish it could be like that, but in fact, we have what is known as a ‘rupture and repair’ cycle. To build loving relationships as a parent or otherwise, the place to focus is on the repair side of this cycle.
And here’s something else no one tells you: having children will uncover all your hidden triggers inside, and you’ll find yourself saying and doing things you swore blind you never would, bringing much rupture when you wish you could repair. When you are stressed, things will pop out of your mouth that sound just like what your parents said to you when they were stressed, or you will want to do what was done to you. But you won’t know this until you ‘flip your lid’ and are in the heat of the moment. And once you are a parent, there will be many, many such heated moments.
You can’t avoid the emotional or relational work of parenting, and no matter how many deep breaths you take in a day, you may start itching to show someone how you really feel. Parenting can wear us down to the nub at any level of economic privilege.
Doing emotional work as a parentfinding a way to offload stress, get focused back on repair, and lower the walls with the other adults in our lives we’ve thrown up to protect ourselves - is not yet a common concept. When we’re swept up in feelings and have no emotional support, we lose our compass, we don’t feel good, we do things we regret, and we feel too isolated and ashamed to tell anyone how hard we are struggling.
the “It’s not fair!” feeling well. I knew that I needed some listening time on this so I could work through my own feelings. I knew that this would help me be able to think and act more clearly to help my daughter.
Some welcome news: There are good and simple ways to handle the emotional rigour of parenting and get back to ‘repair’ in your relationships, and at Hand in Hand, we teach five of them – five listening tools that can help you when you have lost it and are at sea in the storms of relating. When you use the Listening tools, you will start to build your emotional stamina and build your own support system. Instead of spending lots of time trying to control your child’s behaviour, you can focus on building connection with your child and on that all-important repair so that you can rebuild family relationships when they fray. Here’s Patty Wipfler again, founder of the international non-profit Hand in Hand that helps with this rupture and repair cycle: “Your parenting road won’t be free of potholes and hairpin bends, but you will have a clearer perspective, the beginnings of a support network, and the opportunity to work with, rather than against, the emotional work of parenting”. So how can we come back to repairing rather than rupturing when we feel triggered by our child? Here’s one of our repair tools at Hand in Hand. It’s called ‘Listening Time’ or ‘Listening Partnerships’ for parents.
Here’s How it Can Work:
“My daughter had started using the phrase, “It’s not fair!” quite a lot at home. Each time she said it I felt triggered. I found myself either ranting at her or clamming up and ignoring her complaints. I was the middle child in my family, and I remember
I set up a Listening Partnership and began by talking about how hard it is for me when I hear my daughter say, “It’s not fair!” As I spoke, my Listening Partner asked me what I had needed to hear when I was a child. I began to cry as heaviness came over me, and I said, “I just want to be heard. I just want someone to say, “Yeah, it can feel unfair sometimes. I’m sorry you are feeling bad.” My Listening Partner then said these words to me with such compassion and warmth that my tears kept falling. I felt decades worth of feelings dissolve as I soaked in those words I had been longing to hear.
The next time my daughter expressed her feelings about things being so unfair, I was able to listen to her with warmth and compassion, and she responded so well to me. I was able to think and act more freely, as my own “stuff” was now out of the way. I love the clarity and ability to remain present that my Listening Partnerships allow me.”
There’s nothing like a Listening Partnership out there! It’s the parent support tool that helps us bring our best selves to our children and each other, day in and day out.
Anna Cole, PhD, is Community and Research Lead for Hand in Hand in the UK and Ireland. Hand in Hand is an international non-profit that works to bring attachment based, trauma-responsive connection tools to parents. Find us at handinhandparenting.org or contact anna@handinhandparenting.org
“…having children will uncover all your hidden triggers inside…”
The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives Esther Perel.
by Judith McAdam
Who am I?’ ‘What do I want?’ ‘Where do I come in all of this?’ I’m sure you have asked yourself one or all of these questions at some stage in your life; I know I have. Probably, albeit when you were feeling at your lowest ebb when you gave too much of yourself to other people, put yourself last, and ignored your own needs. Come to think of it… do you really know what your own needs are? Torn between work, relationships, children, friend commitments, college demands, money issues, or worse, all of the above, you can easily lose yourself in the melee.
We form relationships with our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends, work colleagues, therapists, teachers; the list is endless. We know what’s expected of us, how to act, and what to say to appease. We know the likes and dislikes of all those around us. We love, encourage and support them. Nurture and look after them, hold them in high regard, praise them, and put up with all kinds of quirky behaviour from them. Yet, when it comes to forming a relationship with ourselves… well, what’s that? We don’t listen to that anxious, upset, angry or frightened child within our own hearts. We never encourage or support ourselves and never ever so much as contemplate loving ourselves. The cold, harsh reality is you may very well have no true, meaningful relationship with YOU.
When Polonius boldly stated, ‘to thine own self be true,’ he presumed we would know the intricate workings of ‘thine self’. Instead of finding deep satisfaction, understanding and love within the chambers of our own hearts, the internal dialogue of the average 21st Century human is more likely to resemble the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. Where intergalactic mental battles ensue between the ‘light and ‘dark’ side of our own minds. Understanding the dark internal chitter chatter that can lead us into black holes of depression, anxiety and fear versus the light, playful side that quietly assures us that ‘the force is with us’ means embracing and loving the positive and negative side of ourselves.
Let me tell you a story from one of my clients who gave me permission to use this. In one of her visits, we were getting to know her inner fearful child and how negative and anxious that part of her gets. This was in stark contrast to the magnificent part of her who wanted to see the world, play and have fun. She told me that when she was a little girl, she had two imaginary friends—one whose name was Anna. Anna was playful, fun and light, while the other, whose name was Sam was fearful and anxious. As a child, she cleverly recognised her positive and negative traits. Unfortunately, she had befriended
Sam leaning toward anxiety and fear. As she grew up, she abandoned Anna, who was her positive internal friend. However, Anna was always waiting for her to return. In that moment, she became reconciled with both aspects of herself, coming to a better understanding of her own mind. She was beginning to form a relationship with herself, to understand who she was, her fears, and her strengths, and the knowledge that there didn’t have to be a battle, her fears didn’t have to define her, and that she could create harmony in her own mind.
The most important relationship you can ever have is with yourself. When you understand, love and cherish all aspects of who you are and begin to truly look after yourself, you lose all resentment stepping into your own personal power. A quiet confidence grows, and your heart opens to compassion not just for yourself but for others too.
If you are interested in loving yourself, there are some free visualisations on my website to help you. Try the Inner Child visualisation first to help you establish a relationship with yourself.
With love, Judith judithmcadam.com
“The most important relationship you can ever have is with yourself.”
Phytochemicals are naturally occurring plant chemicals which research shows, can influence chemical processes inside our bodies in helpful ways . This is 21st-century medicine that is attracting serious scientific attention. Recent findings showed that 70 to 80% of people do not get enough phytochemicals, in fact half of the required amounts, despite the thought that they are “eating healthy”. Vitalkomplex has been formulated, for the first time, in a way that insures the bio activity of many of these very important phytochemicals from a wide range of fruits, vegetables, herbs and mushroom extracts in every bottle. Every 20ml serving contains the equivalent of 800g of these fresh ingredients in 1 tasty convenient dose.
Phytochemicals help to;
• Helps stimulate the immune system
• Contains antioxidant properties
• Helps reduce inflammation
• Assists in preventing DNA damage and May help with DNA repair
• Reduce the kind of oxidative damage to cells that can spark illness
• Contributes to normal energy & metabolism
• Assists in normal psychological & cognitive function & development
• Contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells.
Wanting to ‘know thyself’ and find the answer to life’s big question – Who am I? – appears to be part of being human. Knowing thyself is key to finding real peace, confidence and contentment, healing on all levels, and doing what you came here to do; your life purpose. If these weren’t a good enough incentive to seek out yourself, it appears that for the best relationships with others, we need to have a good and true relationship with ourself first.
The first step in finding yourself is using the ‘right tool’. As a simple guide, coaching techniques are best used for answering the question: ‘How can I?’ (How can I make more money, meet someone or whatever). Coaching is for doing things to move us from ‘a’ to ‘b’ and is, therefore, not the best tool for knowing thyself. Why not? There is no distance between you and you, and therefore, ultimately, nothing to ‘do’ to ‘be you’.
Therapy techniques, on the other hand, are great for answering the question: Why am I? For example, why am I anxious, sick or stressed? By exploring and healing our unresolved past traumas, our unhealthy beliefs and unhelpful perceptions etc., we can discover and resolve the root causes of ‘why’ we’ve
developed certain problems. However, despite the many benefits of therapy, I’m yet to meet anyone who’s successfully ‘found themself by fixing themself’. Mainly because to know thyself, we don’t need to ‘put ourself back together’ but instead transcend the illusion of brokenness. In other words, we need to return to the true meaning of healing.
The root of the word ‘heal’ comes from the old-English term ‘haelen’ –which means ‘wholeness’ (with the word ‘healing’ translating as the ‘restoration of wholeness’). When I learnt about this original meaning of healing, it changed my perspective of what was really required ‘to heal’ and transformed my relationship with myself.
I naturally stopped focusing so much on ‘fixing myself’ - when trying to find myself. I also stopped trying to find myself in the individual parts of myself –namely, my thoughts (including the voice in my head), along with my emotions, body or life circumstances. Although these were all aspects of ‘me’ - shaping my personality and life experiences - it became obvious that none of these ‘parts’ could ever encapsulate the totality of ‘me’. Furthermore, as long as I identified with these ‘fragments’ of myself, wholeness would forever remain out of reach, and I would never fully know who I am.
Let me explain this with an analogy. A cake is made up of different parts – including sponge, icing, etc. and when you slice it into different pieces, you inevitably get a few crumbs in the process. In the same way, you are a ‘unified self’
(i.e., cake), which is made up of different ‘ingredients’ – including a physical body, an array of mental thoughts (memories, imagination, self-talk, etc.), emotions, etc. In the process of dividing ourself into parts, we inevitably get crumbs, and if we then define ourself as these ‘broken bits’, we inevitably lose our wholeness.
You are not the crumbs that you may believe yourself to be! With this recognition, you can finally find the unified Self (the ‘complete cake’) in which all of the ‘bits of you’ are residing within. This is the purpose of spiritual techniques, such as meditation. Instead of trying to get from ‘here to there’ or ‘fix’ your apparent brokenness, meditation can aid the ‘restoration of wholeness’ – by revealing the whole You.
You can start to discover this for yourself by shifting your focus when meditating. I invite you to be less interested in what is being presented to you (your thoughts, emotions, etc.) and instead be far more interested in what all these ‘pieces of you’ are being presented to. Stop defining yourself by what you are aware of, and instead, what everything you are aware of is happening within. Consider this: What is the ’contextual cake’ within which all the crumbs appear to exist? With this simple shift, you can discover a new definition of ‘self’ and, in doing so, truly heal and know thyself.
important relationship
by Sandy C. Newbigging
“Stop defining yourself by what you are aware of, and instead, what everything you are aware of is happening within.”
“Our homes are reflections of who we are and what we want to create in our lives.”
Self-awareness is crucial to our personal growth and well-being. Feng Shui is an ancient art form that can help us develop self-awareness by creating harmony and balance in our living space. Our environment is a reflection of our inner world, and it can have a profound impact on our mood, productivity, relationships and overall quality of life. In this article, we will discuss how Feng Shui can help us on our journey of self-awareness and allow us to expand our relationship with the self.
Feng Shui is not just about rearranging furniture and adding décor to a room. It is about creating a conscious and subconscious energetic flow in your home. Our subconscious minds absorb everything in our environment, and if our surroundings are not harmonious, our inner worlds can become unbalanced. By identifying the issues within our homes and taking actions to address them, we can step into a space that will uplift our spirits and allow us to truly come home to ourselves.
One way to develop self-awareness is to ask ourselves questions like “Why am I keeping this?” or “Does this reflect who I am now?” As we start to clear away the physical and emotional clutter, we may find that we have a renewed sense of energy and motivation. This newfound clarity can help identify other areas that
need attention and inspire us to continue making positive changes throughout our homes and inner worlds.
Our relationship with the self is impacted by our habits and environment. By taking the time to identify issues within our living space and make positive changes, we can create a space that supports our well-being. Every aspect of our space can support us in reaching our goals and in feeling inspired, safe and supported. Our homes can be an oasis to our souls, but only when we consciously choose for it to be one.
In Feng Shui, it may seem like everything is about furniture arrangement, colour theory and remedies, but Feng Shui is actually about profound awareness. There are many symptoms of inner imbalance, and all can be seen and recognised for what they are through awareness and realisation of the connections between our inner world and our external environment. When we become aware of these things, we are presented with the opportunity to change them because sometimes, by attending to the symptom, we can remedy the cause.
The awareness of our environment is vital because it can help us develop selfawareness. When we walk into our homes, do our spirits rise or fall? Are we inspired when we walk into our spaces, or do we feel
almost immediately drained? These may seem like simple questions, but they are questions we do not often ask ourselves. Our living space can help us in our journey of self-discovery and self-awareness. By creating a space that supports our well-being, we can become more aware of ourselves and our environment. In conclusion, self-awareness is crucial to our personal growth and well-being. Feng Shui can help us on our journey of self-awareness by creating harmony and balance in our living space. By identifying the issues within our homes and taking action to address them, we can step into a space that will uplift our spirits and allow us to truly come home to ourselves. Our homes are reflections of who we are and what we want to create in our lives. Therefore, by consciously choosing to create a space that supports our well-being, we can become more aware of ourselves and our environment and choose habits, rituals and spaces that support us to connect with ourselves on a deep and intimate level.
Amanda Sophia joinamandasophia.com divinewomanawakening.com internationalfengshuischool.comThere are many different relationships in life, and I feel all are essential to be happy. Working on our social skills and our relationships helps us to navigate life in a way that we could not do by ourselves. Everyone in our life has significance; no matter how small an interaction is with someone, it can change your perspective and theirs. It’s so important to realise this because too many people go through life thinking they don’t have a purpose, whereas the fact that you can impact someone with your presence is something to live for. It’s a perspective that changes your life, and everyone’s around you. I want to elaborate on the different types of relationships and how they have affected my life and those surrounding me. The types of relationships might intertwine with one another, but that’s life, isn’t it?
I’m a strong believer that putting your best foot forward with an acquaintance could make your day a little better. Now I know it can be hard, I’m an introvert myself, and I would way rather be alone than talking to new people. However, in my job I constantly have to talk to people, and I went through a time where I constantly avoided interactions and honestly, that made life so much harder. I open my mind and energy to people now, and I feel so much better within myself after a day of work.
A love that is experienced by most at a very young age, solely based on what school you’re in or who lives next to you. There
is no rhyme or reason, it’s just simple. Sometimes a platonic breakup can be more painful than a romantic one because friendships usually last so much longer. It’s also solely based on your personality, so when that relationship deteriorates, it feels so much more personal. In saying that, like most things, the chance of being hurt is worth the risk. Platonic friendships are one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced. My two best friends fill me with so much joy and love when I see them. They are much more to me than friends; they make me feel like I’m not alone in this world. Even though we are all doing different things, like they’re in college
and I’m working, it will never impact how much love we have for one another.
My favourite type of love, yet the hardest to find, but this makes it all the more sweet. It’s something that I have experienced through family and my first love (and my best friends, but they were already mentioned). My relationship with my boyfriend is completely unconditional. I saw through him straight away, and he saw through me. I’ve never experienced anything like it, and no one has ever made me feel so loved in all my life. I hope that everyone can experience this element of life because it’s a blessing. Relationships are the foundation of life; without them, we have no memories to cherish or life to live.
“Platonic friendships are one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever experienced.”
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WE TALK TO MARTIN GRAY
by Lizzie EganOver a 42 year period, Martin Gray, a photographer of sacred architecture and pilgrimage places, has traveled to over 160 countries. He has had a number of visionary experiences at some of the most breathtaking sacred sites on the planet. When he was only around six years old, he journeyed to his first sacred site. Little did he know that this would be the beginning of a lifelong soul energising voyage.
The power of sacred sites and how they recharge us:
When someone visits one of these sites, the power of the land radiates through their body, mind and spirit. This potent
that are placed into these points, the more energy that is able to circulate in a healthy way throughout the body. This is exactly what happens when we spend even just a few minutes at a sacred site. For the function of the Earth, it is crucial that more and more people frequent these spaces to amplify the prosperous energy and spread it over a larger scale - in turn raising the overall frequency of the planet.
frequency functions as a needle in the global field.
Take this acupuncture analogy as an example of what occurs - picture
How to find the sacred site to visit that calls to your soul:
“…leading one to believe there must have been guidance from unseen forces.”
to ease your mind. His book, Sacred Earth: Places of Peace and Power can act as a guide for you. He says to shut your eyes, have a question in mind, something along the lines of “Where would be most beneficial to go for assisting me on my path?” He explains how you should then “flip the pages and let your fingers stoplike consulting an Oracle. The place itself will pull on you if your intention is high.” Trust that whichever one you see first was meant to catch your eye.
Is there ET Galactic influence at sacred sites?
Many who visit these enigmatic structures have the same question that crosses their
minds. How could humans have done this on their own? “There’s definitely assistance, whether it’s design assistance or construction assistance,” Martin adds.
In Southeastern Turkey, the Gobekli Temple which was created around 9600 BC, holds many mysteries within its walls. Where did the rocks come from? Who erected them? To this day we do not have the answers. We can say the same for the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is located in Northern Egypt. The greatest phenomenon of this structure is that it was executed with such advanced mathematical precision, so much so that the dynastic Egyptians who existed after 3000 BC tried to replicate it many times over. Unfortunately, all the pyramid copies
did not have the same level of construction and consequently why they have since crumbled. This leads to the question, how was the Great Pyramid built so brilliantly all those years ago? It seems that there is no way humans could have done this on their own, leading one to believe there must have been guidance from unseen forces. We may never fully know, which is why this remains one of the many astonishing mysteries of Earth.
sacredsites.com
WHAT LEADS TO TRUE INTIMACY?
by Dawn Cartwright
Time pressures, work commitments, exhaustion, waning desire and nonexistent libido all add up to very little, if any, sex in our relationships. The solution is simpler than you might think. The body and mind (especially the sexual components of each) are actually quite resilient. All that’s needed is a subtle shift in perspective to reignite your sexual connection and keep the spark alive and burning brightly forever.
First, create a space of acceptance where the two of you can freely express and explore your feelings, thoughts and desires. Be transparent and vulnerable with your own emotions, and be receptive and empathetic to your partner’s needs and desires as well. Being open in sex is all about being present and in the moment, without bringing old conversations or expectations into the experience. Create an open space of trust and safety, where you can meet one another again, for the very first time.
Stability is created when you consistently give and receive intimate moments of connection every day. Giving and receiving in the way you listen, the way you make eye contact, the way you touch, the way you say “good morning.” Stability has an element of predictability, which means there’s less the feeling of “two ships passing in the night” and more trust, leading to a more satisfying and fulfilling sexual experience. It’s about creating a momentum of intimacy that is ongoing.
We embrace the changes life brings and feel acceptance, we give ourselves and our partners the freedom to try new things and explore sexually without fear of judgment or shame. This creates an environment of safety and support, allowing us to express the sexual realities of our true selves and try new experiences. Acceptance might even mean creating a whole new definition of sex. Acceptance opens the door to eagerness and anticipation in the bedroom.
When we embrace wonder in our sexual experiences, we open our hearts and rediscover the little things that make our partner attractive to us. When we let go of thinking we know everything there is to know about sex, or everything there is to know about each other, and we’re fully present in the moment, we explore each other’s bodies and desires with a sense of awe and playfulness. This opens up new realms of erotic potential.
Infusing curiosity into our sexual relationship invites us to embark on a journey of adventure and fun in the bedroom. It encourages us to create a safe and exploratory environment where we can explore new aspects of our pleasure centres, our partner and the whole sexual experience. This space of exploration opens up the possibility of discovering previously unknown desires or developing novel ways of connecting with our partner.
we are able to be fully present with our partner, giving them space to discover what they do desire - without any pressure or expectation. This spaciousness nurtures a profound sense of trust and vulnerability, where we are free to explore the depths of intimacy and connection that appear in the sexual realm.
Tenderness and love open us to an experience of emotional connection and intimacy that we may have never known existed by opening the heart. Tenderness is the key that unlocks relaxation and deeper levels of surrender. Creating a space of safety and connection where we can truly let go and be ourselves. In this space, we feel cherished and cared for, held in a warm and loving embrace that allows us to experience the true depths of pleasure and connection that a sexual relationship can offer.
Devotion is the deep emotional bond and commitment we feel for one another. The commitment to grow, evolve and accept one another through all the hours and minutes. Devotion creates and sustains a strong emotional connection and feeling of being held, an experience that transcends the physical act of sex. Devotion is a space of love, acceptance and mutual support where we rediscover the joy and fulfillment that comes from a truly devoted and committed relationship.
Newness is the sense of excitement and anticipation that surges to life when we explore and discover new ways to feel excitement and pleasure. It is the feeling of experiencing something fresh and exciting, even in a long-term relationship. Newness brings excitement and adventure to the sexual experience. When we initiate sex with openness and curiosity, we feel more confident and we’re more likely to experiment and try new things, discovering new sensations along the way.
Ignite Spaciousness
Spaciousness arises from a deep sense of emotional and physical acceptance, where we invite openness and freedom into our intimate connection. In spaciousness,
Our experience of sex transforms and expands through the years, and passion finds new ways to express itself. Begin to weave these qualities into your intimate experience now and enjoy the warmth that ensues for years to come.
Dawn Cartwright is a Neo-Tantra visionary, sacred writer, world traveler, and innovator in Self-Actualization Neo-Tantra fusion. dawncartwright.com“Acceptance opens the door to eagerness and anticipation in the bedroom.”
Life is like a game and we come to earth to heal our fractured mind and return to the love within us, and an understanding that we are, in fact, all one. Think of your desired life, your optimum timeline as a rose. In order to attain the rose you must endure the thorns. Earth school is the same, we didn’t come here for it all to be perfect, we came to overcome many obstacles in order to attain our highest optimal level of love.
Each relationship in our life is an expression of our inner world and is assisting us in mirroring back what’s going on in our psyche to be healed. What you see in someone is a reflection of what you like or dislike about yourself.
Each person is a fractal of light being projected from you, like a prism. If you can view each person as an extension of your energetic field, and not separate from you, you will free yourself from anger and resentment of what anyone may have done to you. See each person as a teacher to assist you on an ascension journey to the best version of you, assisting you in returning back to the oneness of life and love. The hard part of this is accepting that, yes, the dark facets of life are also an aspect of you. Stop and ask yourself, what are these people teaching me? What have they
triggered in me that needs to be healed?
The people who spark you the most are in fact your greatest teachers, if you can heal the trauma they have provoked within you, be it fear, resentment, anger, then you free yourself from these mind loops.
If you reflect back through your life and see reoccurring issues you may have, these relational dynamics continue to repeat because you are not learning the lesson; you remain in this mind loop until you change the way you respond, learning to forgive and let go. As you do this, you allow your subconscious mind to heal and reprogram new pathways of existence. Your mind will spin away from old timelines and your conscious awareness will expand. A new way opens up to you, thus you will be elevated to a higher frequency, closer to your authentic timeline. Just like a radio station, you will be able to tune into higher frequencies and you will start to resonate with people who reflect this new state of mind. So, when you lose friends in your life or you choose to create boundaries in relationships, it is simply that they are no longer in resonance with your new inner frequency.
Think of everyone in this game of life as an earth angel, here to teach you a precious gift in order for you to attain an
enlightened state of mind. You will then find a love for all people, an acceptance of the one consciousness, and that God made no mistakes in his creations. This is the way to true freedom and love.
Instagram: @graceannekelly
“Each relationship in our life is an expression of our inner world”I am here for your understanding of who you are. I am your mirror. How you feel about me the thoughts that arise from your encounter of me, the judgement you hold about me, are all reflections of you. - Emily Maroution
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INVEST YOUR ENERGY WISELY.
by Alison CanavanGrudges, resentment, blame, anger. What we hold onto affects everything in our lives. Letting go can be difficult for people as we become attached to our stories. They start to define us, and sometimes we even wear them as a badge of honour.
To really heal and become free, we must learn to let go. As it’s an inside-out world, and the feelings and stories created from within determine our daily life experiences. Let’s consider this from an energy perspective.
Energy – The real currency in life. It’s interesting that we know the word currency primarily as a way to describe money. In the dictionary, the primary
definition is circulation as a medium of exchange: something (such as coins, treasury notes and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange Circulation is required for all of life to exist. Our heart pumps our blood which circulates through our body. Circulation is key, and so, therefore, circulating your energy and moving it in the direction you wish it to go is a skill everyone can learn. Learning the language of energy is one of the most worthwhile things we can do in this life.
When we send out love or hate, we are doing so using energy. When we smile, there’s an energetic exchange that takes place. Our words carry a frequency that can uplift, inspire, support, hurt or harm us.
Let’s bring it back to basics here first and replace what most people think is the most important currency; money with energy. How do you spend your energy each day? Do you save your energy or spend it frivolously? Do you invest your energy wisely, and if so, with whom or in what? These are important questions to ask yourself because everything in this universe runs on energy.
Let’s imagine that we all have an energy bank account, and it works the same way your regular bank account does. We deposit into it, invest it and withdraw from it daily. Are you living beyond your means energetically, or are you filling your cup and really investing in yourself?
Imagine we are all given €100 worth of energy a day as a baseline from the universe. Initially, you might think, wow that’s €3,000 worth of free energy each month. Of course, you would have €3,000 if you stayed still and never did anything, but even staying still requires a tiny bit of energy. However, if you wake up in the morning and scroll on your phone and mindlessly start your day, you are in an energy deficit of -€50, but if you wake up and start your day with movement, great food, meditation and gratitude, you earn an extra €150 leaving you with €250 to
start your day.
Over time if you keep withdrawing from the bank of energy each morning and not depositing, you will develop a dis-ease which basically means not being at ease with yourself in your day-to-day life, which manifests in disease in mind, body, spirit or all three. I use the morning as a simple example, but obviously, it’s not that simple. We use energy continuously as we move through our day, so we need to become aware of how we live, our habits, interactions and the choices we make daily.
We also need a good energetic flow to feel healthy and happy in life. When we hang onto old wounds and pain, we become stagnant, and circulation slows down or gets blocked and stops flowing. Relationships become increasingly difficult, and we see the world through the lens of pain and misery.
The most important first step is awareness and then acceptance that something happened in your life. The choice now is to do the work and heal or continue to carry it. Doing the work is why we are here so that we can remember our true nature, which is love.
When we let go, we can let love in and fill our energy bank with expansive energy blessing everything and everyone that comes into our life. Remember that you are 100% up to you, and you get to choose love or fear in every moment.
When in doubt, simply ask, “What would love do?”
Alison Canavan is an intuitive coach, speaker, author, meditation and breathwork teacher and currently lives in Texas. She is the creator of a womens online membership called The Aly Code - Activate Loving Yourself through mindset, meditation and Breathwork.
alisoncanavan.com
“…circulating your energy and moving it in the direction you wish it to go is a skill everyone can learn.”
“… 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…”
The key to a good life is the quality of our relationships, not the accumulation of material possessions or the pursuit of personal status and wealth. As social beings, we have an innate desire for connection and belonging. However, at a time when we need to come together, we find ourselves feeling isolated, disconnected and struggling to make sense of what is unfolding.
Our physical, emotional and mental wellbeing depends on the health of our relationships. As we confront increasingly complex challenges, it is the strength of our connections with others and the natural world that will provide us with the resilience we need to overcome them.
When author and activist Bill McKibben was asked what the most important thing an individual can do about the climate crises, he said, “Stop acting as individuals”.
Collaborative efforts and larger movements are crucial in addressing climate breakdown and moving towards regenerative cultures. Local community initiatives that provide for our basic needs of food, energy, housing and care can greatly reduce emissions and increase resilience, but they require strong relationships and connected communities to succeed.
Primal Scream, LoadedA prevailing individualistic worldview that prioritises self-interest, competition and growth impedes our ability to nurture these connections. This perspective serves the extractive economy that we rely on, but it fails to acknowledge the intricate web of relationships that sustain us.
The Irish proverb “Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine,” translated as “It is in each other’s shadow that people live,” serves as a powerful reminder of our interdependence and highlights the significance of beneficial relationships.
Permaculture design, which is one of the courses Cultivate hosts at Cloughjordan Ecovillage, is often referred to as the art of designing beneficial relationships. The ecological approach aims to create self-sufficient and resilient human systems by replicating the patterns and interconnections observed in natural ecosystems.
Nature provides us with countless examples of how beneficial relationships can maximise the health and resilience of an ecosystem. However, maintaining harmonious relationships between people is more challenging. Our individual needs, politics and personal histories can clash. Community takes work, relationships are tough.
Eating together is a convivial act that
has the power to forge deep connections between individuals. By sharing a meal, people have the opportunity to build trust and overcome barriers that may have stood in the way of building strong relationships.
The Cloughjordan Community Farm hosts several occasions to eat together, such as their weekly soup cafés and monthly Eats and Beats sessions, which combine food, music and dancing.
Street Feast, now a national event held across Ireland, brings neighbours together around food with the aim of building community spirit and tackling isolation. It is a powerful way to develop new connections, enhance existing relationships and regenerate our communities.
In today’s fragile and interconnected world, the key to our survival lies in nurturing and maintaining strong connections. By nurturing mutually beneficial relationships, we can collaboratively transition towards a wellbeing economy based on love, care, community, meaningful work, purposeful lives and prosperity for all.
“Nature provides us with countless examples of how beneficial relationships can maximise the health and resilience of an ecosystem.”
Sustainable and Eco friendly products from small cottage industries, such as our Aromatherapy range, candles, incense, bath therapy, jewelry, ceramics, handmade rugs. On the cuisine front, Latin Quarter introduces the Bossa Nova Café.
Treat yourself with our high quality Brazilian coffee and a small taste of Brazilian cuisine. You will also find artisan food, homemade sweet treats, gourmet sandwiches, and vegetarian options. In our food court you will find the Pancake Parlour offering amazing fresh crepes, Açai, the Brazilian “beauty berry” in our Smoothie Bar, to complete our food court, wood fired pizza is served in the garden. Sunday afternoon Trad music session, a great opportunity to listen to local musicians, such as Eileen McLane.
In the spirit of the Latin Quarter’s holistic connections, we have naturally evolved into the area of workshops and therapies. We are helping people to create and grow by offering Foraging, Arts and Crafts classes, upcycling workshops, dance classes and of course not forgetting our massage, Yoga, meditation and Reiki sessions.
When you come through the arch at the Latin Quarter you are entering a realm of magic with our sun drenched courtyard encroached by nature and history from every angle. Relax and enjoy the fabulous atmosphere, where you will be surrounded by beauty, art and tranquillity.
Latin Quarter Spring opening hours: Thursday - Sunday 10am - 5pm. Summertime everyday from 10am - 5pm and Pizzas from 5pm until 10pm. Instagram: latin.quarter latinquartershop.com
Interviewed by Paul Congdon
Lee Harris, intuitive guide, channeler, teacher and speaker, reflects on his evolving relationship with the Z’s, the beings he channels, and their pertinent perspectives on humanity.
On the first day of recording channelled material for The Portal, his monthly members’ community, with psychotherapist Dianna Edwards, the Z’s chimed in to tell Lee, “This is a book series, and you just started.”
Realising the powerful energy arising from these conversations led him to create the book, Conversations with the Z’s: Book One, which contains these fascinating dialogues.
Lee acknowledges, “There is something about being invited into a conversation rather than just hearing a monologue from them,” so he wanted his book to read like a transcript. In a sense, Dianna stands in for the reader or listener as she dialogues with the Z’s about human life and the universe.
As humans, relationships are one of the pivotal ways we make sense of who we are
and orient ourselves in the cosmos. Our connections with others undoubtedly mirror our inner being, but where exactly should we be looking?
After exploring this topic with the Z’s, Lee explains, “You’re having this constant sensory, emotional, mental reaction to the world inside yourself and that any of our relationships can either influence or challenge or enhance that inner relationship that we’re having.”
As many of us know from experience, romantic connections, in particular, tend to hold up a mirror to the parts of us that we would rather not see. They bring up our worst triggers again and again until we have no choice but to embrace and heal ourselves. Lee shares why this is from the Z’s perspective:
“Romantic relationships are often a very fast and deep way for us to heal connection and disconnection certainly at this time on earth, but they said if we all lived more tribally, which is our design, then we would be less concerned about finding the One or the one romantic relationship.”
They stress that this doesn’t mean we should all have polyamorous connections. Some people are here to explore that way of relating, but for the rest of us, it would be enough to have more genuine connections
with others in a spiritual sense:
“If you were all living in a tribal loving community, the need for one person to pour all your love and connection into would become a little less true for you.”
As we inevitably grow and change, so will our relationships, which is why certain people are only meant to be in our lives for a season.
“As you grow because of each other, and in relation to each other, sometimes you grow out of compatibility with certain people, and that’s the design of it,” Lee explains.
Though letting go of someone you love can often be emotional from our human perspective, the Z’s share that what we’re actually doing is “moving onto the next level of frequency and compatibility.”
In hindsight, we can view each relationship we experienced as a gift, even if it was painful, because of what it allowed us to move through in ourselves. I believe that even in the best relationships, challenges are supposed to arise so that we can move through them and heal our emotional wounds.
“If you look at oneness and the
“There tends to be this dance between dimensions and states within us to help us slowly but surely grow…”
idea that we’re all connected, then every new person is an expression of love and connection. That’s the highest form of it, but of course, we may not always see it that way, or we may be using that relationship to process or heal wounds that we need to move out of the way so that we can then move onto the next person and the next relationship.”
So, what is the key to a healthy, loving relationship, whether a friendship or romantic partnership? In answer to this million-dollar question, what the Z’s told Lee is refreshingly simple.
The secret is balance, which you can assess in any relationship by asking yourself, “Is there a good flow of love and energy between me and the other person in general?”
As Lee points out, we often unconsciously adopt a saviour complex in the spiritual community, believing we can change anyone by pouring enough love and energy into them.
While Lee acknowledges that this is a beautiful practice for opening our hearts and loving unconditionally, he doesn’t necessarily believe we can or should try to transform another person. He maintains that for real compatibility in any relationship, “there needs to be some level of balance in the flow.”
According to the Z’s, “The really good relationships for us will be the ones where we have at least eight areas of compatibility.” This makes sense as, usually, more love can flow between individuals who want to devote their time and energy to similar things.
“I think where we’re going in the world now as consciousness rises is more of an ability to hold your own love in yourself and be with people where it can flow more of the time rather than playing out such opposite roles and trying to create balance through living in an extreme.”
The familiar concept of oneness in the spiritual community calls us to see beyond the 3D world and its distinctions into the energetic space where we’re all connected. While many of us, including Lee, have been able to experience this freeing perspective in certain moments, it is often challenging to sustain.
After all, we can still learn a lot from our human lessons and perspective,
knowing that ultimately “we are moving to a place where a lot of the old human stories, wounds, ideas, concepts, and emotional and mental restrictions are going away.”
As Lee explains, “More and more people are beginning to live at a higher frequency in a higher way, and as more people do that, it will bring everyone along for the ride because we do learn communally and collectively.”
For people who feel drawn to or aligned with the concept of oneness, Lee affirms that moving towards that ideal will be their life’s work. While this won’t be everyone’s spiritual path, a growing number of us will be “working to become more of a person who is rooted in oneness,” learning to see everyone as ourselves and feel an intimate connection to people and the planet.
While it is reassuring to know that “oneness is the next place we are being brought towards, slowly but surely,” it can still be challenging to navigate the current state of the world.
Without dwelling on the past, the Z’s want us to know that over ten thousand years ago, through some chain of events, we, as humans, were conditioned to have certain limiting beliefs about ourselves that don’t reflect our true capabilities.
“The Z’s say that our actual truth is to be very aware spiritually and energetically on the planet, and that’s what we’re moving back towards.”
Lee looks to the recent breakthroughs we’ve had in our emotional awareness around issues of race, sexual identity and gender. Though these can cause tumult in the moment, Lee knows they are ultimately healing and cleansing. As the Z’s told him: “There is so much light on this Earth that is wanting to be seeded for the future, but you are dealing with the end of a very long period of history that has sought to limit light and limit spiritual awareness on the planet. And that period is now over, and that’s why we as a society are going through quite a reckoning in various systems, beliefs, ideas.”
It is an intense time to be alive, for sure, and while we can’t necessarily evade the chaos, we can rest assured that it is all for a greater purpose. We are in the midst of the birthing process, watching as a new, more liberating reality slowly comes into view.
When Lee met the Z’s at age 23, he was surprised to learn that they were a group of 88 beings rather than one entity, which is all he understood of channelling at the time. The first spokesperson he conversed with introduced himself as Zachary, and every other member he’s met has a name starting with ‘Z’ as well.
“Flash forward a few years later, when I started channelling for groups; the reason they became called the Z’s is because the people at the groups never knew which one they were gonna get.”
Lee explains, “We all have beings, angels, guides who are working with us; it’s just not everybody is aware of them or sees them or meets them.”
The Z’s, who are linked to Lee’s soul and path on Earth, have helped him understand some of the stories playing out globally “in a deeper, wider way rather than just believing what is presented to me on the surface.”
Like any relationship, Lee’s connection with the Z’s has evolved over time. Only recently, he realised that their role is not so much to give us information or “secrets” about the universe as we sometimes see it, but “what they’re actually doing is reminding us that we all have that column of light within us.”
“They’re helping people remember who they are, not necessarily because of what they say, but because of the frequency that comes through and how it encourages that osmosis effect in others.”
Though we are always connected to angelic beings and benevolent spirits, we must ask for their help to receive it. Due to our religious training, we tend to believe that the beings we pray to are far removed from us imperfect humans.
The Z’s remind us that we are Spirit in human form, even if our personal reality seems far from angelic or peaceful. At this time, we are doing a lot of healing around who we are as humans and letting go of wounds, but this doesn’t make us any less connected to the Divine.
Lee advises us to ask for help anytime we feel trapped in our humanness:
“You can always say, “Universe, please help me release this stress” and let go of needing to know how,” trusting that the universe will provide.
“Then pay attention to the small, angelic moments that come in,” without expecting something overtly “spiritual” to
happen. Divine assistance can come in the form of anything or anyone, such as a stranger showing you kindness.
In the second book of Lee’s series, Awaken Your Multidimensional Soul, the Z’s reveal how we can tap into our multidimensional nature. We often hear that we are moving from 3D to 5D, the fifth dimension being a frequency of living where we are more in connection, love and flow.
In Lee’s understanding, “Usually, when we go into more expanded experiences, we then have to go back and clean up parts of ourselves that won’t let us sustain the expansion.”
“There tends to be this dance between dimensions and states within us to help us slowly but surely grow,” and we can see this playing out globally too.
The Z’s have said 2024 will be a huge turning point for us, bringing another surge of chaos before things can improve.
Then, from 2025 to 2027, we will start seeing the evidence of “a new way of living, working, thinking, being.”
The Z’s have also communicated the positive significance of 2030, which energetically feels “like a big bright sun”—a light we can look forward to at the end of the tunnel.
Lee notes that during this challenging time, certain people are here to serve as front-line activists, pointing out where our systems are no longer serving humanity. Many others are not on the front line right now but are helping to birth the new world.
The key for all of us, Lee says, is to stay centred, cultivate love and support within our trusted circles, and stay connected to our Spirit. If we do get sucked into a human fear-based narrative, he advises us to let it move through our system while questioning its validity.
“A lot is moving through us from all kinds of timelines through human history; there’s a massive ancestral clearing going on that we might find ourselves in at any moment on any given day,” he relays.
Community is one of our greatest gifts at this time, not only for the support it provides but for the power of creation it brings. Coming together with a similar intention of inviting more love and light onto the planet expedites the unfolding of such a reality.
Even when we don’t share physical space, the energy transcends time and space, allowing us to plug into the same frequency from anywhere.
The Portal, which you can join on Lee’s website, is evidence of this, offering tools and interactive live teachings to go deeper with this work and be supported by and connect with a worldwide community.
This summer, Lee will bring his transformational work to Ireland for the first time at our Positive Nights event on July 26th 2023, at The Royal Marine Hotel, Dún Laoghaire. Lee expressed his excitement about this visit and shared a bit about what we can expect at the event:
“I’ll be channelling the Z’s that night, and what I will do is as we get a little bit nearer the time, I will start tuning in on the energy of the group, and I will be told what to say.”
Much like how he does his monthly energy updates, Lee will be given themes to speak about that are specifically attuned to the people who are going to be listening. Will you join us at this leading edge of consciousness?
positivelife.ie/events leeharrisenergy.com
“I think where we’re going in the world now as consciousness rises is more of an ability to hold your own love in yourself and be with people where it can flow more of the time”
As with many alternative physical therapies, the benefits of Rolfing extend far beyond the body. When we spoke with Joseph (Joe) O’Kelly and Judit Ruiz Onandi, now the heads of Rolfing Ireland, they shared how this uniquely works in their practice.
With only nine Rolfers in Ireland at the moment, Rolfing is still largely unheard of. Essentially, it is structural integration, which is what Dr Ida Rolf, who came up with this unique approach, called it.
Though Dr Rolf is no longer with us, she has left an invaluable contribution to the alternative healing space. Her birthday on May 19th gives us an excellent opportunity to honour and reflect on this extraordinary legacy.
Throughout her life, Dr Rolf studied and experimented with different systems of healing and manipulation, ultimately leading to the system of soft tissue manipulation and movement education that we now call Rolfing.
Judit, who qualified as a Rolfer in 2017, explains the practice for those who are unfamiliar: “It’s a hands-on method, meaning we touch the body in a holistic way, meaning that everything in the body is connected with everything else, in order
to help the person be better aligned with the pole of gravity that we have always….”
This newfound alignment allows the individual to spend the energy they were using to fight against gravity on something else.
When working with a client, Joe and Judit spend a lot of time focusing on the fascia because this connective tissue surrounds every part of the body, linking everything—every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel, the brain and spinal cord—together.
By releasing the restricted fascia, they help the person to align themselves better, freeing the body of pain, strain and tension. Unsurprisingly, the fascia is also connected to the emotional and psychological levels of our being.
Many of us are familiar with the idea that “the body keeps the score” and the fascia, in particular, “has a memory and organises around old hurts, which is why we all look so different and move with our own unique personality.”
Consequently, when Rolfers work on your fascia, this can have a profound healing effect on your physical and emotional health.
Joe, who qualified as a Rolfer in 2016, explained that clients come looking
to heal a range of emotional and physical difficulties; therefore, they can all get unique value from it.
This is why Joe and Judit ask their clients many questions in the first session, which is usually around two hours. They need to understand a person’s life story and goals so that they can really tune into their consciousness.
Subsequent sessions are around 75-90 minutes, and there is no set number of recommended sessions, as clients have the potential to make rapid progress with this work.
As Joe explained, essentially, what they are trying to do as Rolfers is “bring people back to who they really are”, so, of course, this comes about in different ways for different clients.
If you are interested in trying this healing method, Rolfing Ireland, which links Rolfers across the country and informs people about this system, is a great resource. Currently, Judit practises in Blackrock and Joe in Blackrock and Dun Laoghaire.
rolfingireland.ie
“…when Rolfers work on your fascia, this can have a profound healing effect on your physical and emotional health.”
Release tension from connective tissues, Resolving chronic pain, Altering and improving posture, Enhancing breathing, Improving your flexibility, Reducing negative effects of stress, Increasing energy, Improving proprioception (body perception), Enhancing neurological function, Providing positive effects on the mind, Creating emotional harmony and much more...
CREATE SYMBIOSIS IN YOUR GARDEN.
by Hans Wieland“They planted sweetcorn, climbing beans and pumpkins/squashes together, believing these Three Sisters grew best as part of a symbiotic planting.”
I am not entirely sure if my love of strawberries and garlic (and lately roses) can be traced back to my parents, who grew them side by side. I never asked why they did it. Only in my thirties, when I developed a real passion for growing food, did I entertain the idea of companion planting. Guided by my wife Gaby and one of her garden heroes, Gertrud Franck, author of the 1980 published classic “Companion Planting – successful gardening the organic way”, I followed and still follow today some of her principles “maintaining a natural balance in (our) garden by growing plants together that are mutually beneficial.”
Interestingly Franck uses the German word ‘Mischkultur’, which literally means ‘mixed cultivation’ and is often referred to as ‘intercropping’. Franck also writes that “Mischkultur imitates nature”, where different plants grow together, and the soil is never left bare. Furthermore, she also promotes surface composting and mulching using the example of the forest in retaining soil fertility by continuously recycling fallen leaves and needles from trees through worms, microbes and microorganisms. In that regard, Franck was a pioneer of no-dig gardening more than 40 years ago.
Basically, companion planting describes the growing of different species of plants together or next to one another to the benefit of one or both. It is about the interaction of different plants growing in close proximity. While travelling through the Napa Valley in the spring of 2009, I still vividly remember the vineyards covered in yellow. On close examination, it transpired that the mustard was grown as a cover crop. “Good viticulture employs the planting of cover crops, chosen for the specific benefits they bring to an individual vineyard,” explained the farm manager. “The mustard here provides ground cover and helps retain moisture and self-seeds every year.”
Closer to home, my late friend and gardening colleague Jill Scott’s whole gardening philosophy was based on companion planting. Let’s take a look at the different ways companion planting worked for her:
• Plants may help each other directly by providing shelter from wind and sunand support. Shelter from the wind can allow pollinators to work earlier in the yearand for longer each day. Some plants need cool, moist roots, e.g. clematis. Accompanion planting of leafy groundcover will provide conditions in which they can thrive. Support can be provided by sunflowers or sweetcorn for peas and other climbers to clamber up. Climbing roses can be grown through shrubs and trees.
• Plants may help each other indirectly by improving the soil. If the soil is planted with nitrogen-fixing legumes like peas and beans, their neighbours benefit from that.
• Plants may repel harmful insects or attract them away from other plants. An example we practise in our polytunnel is planting calendula to attract aphids and tagetes to repel aphids. Tomatoes next to beans deceive leaf hoppers. White clover grown with brassicas confuse the Big White butterfly and so reduces caterpillar damage. Carrots and onions together confuse their respective flies.
• Plants may support insect populations which are beneficial to other plants. Some plants are especially good at attracting and feeding beneficial insects amongst them are buckwheat and alpine strawberries. Having a wide range of plants will encourage many pollinators, beetles, flies, bees and butterflies.
• Plants can create habitats for predators of pests. Plants which create dense shelter attract hedgehogs, and cool, moist, shaded areas will encourage frogs, toads and newts, which will all eat pests like slugs.
• Plants may reduce the incidence of fungal diseases in nearby plants. Sprays made from garlic, stinging nettles or horsetail reduce fungal diseases. Growing garlic and strawberries together can prevent fungal disease in strawberries.
And here we are, back to my parents’ garden!
Work at Warwick University, examining the effect of growing onions next to carrots to stop carrot root fly damage, showed it isn’t very effective. “In fact, a small effect was only noticed when we grew four times as many onions as carrots.” This ties in with the experience of many gardeners, including myself. Using netting against the carrot fly is way more effective.
Charles Dowding, in his book “Gardening Myths and Misconceptions”, puts companion planting to the test. “I love companion planting and do it a lot”, he writes and “have found that growing companion plants to prevent pest damage is partly true”, but “it is correct, much of the time, to say that companion planting reduces pest damage.”
Try the “Three Sister” planting
If you want to give companion planting a go, why not try the “Three Sisters”? This most intriguing example of companion planting was developed by Native American tribes thousands of years ago. They planted sweetcorn, climbing beans and pumpkins/squashes together, believing these Three Sisters grew best as part of a symbiotic planting.
• Traditionally the beans are planted at the base of the corn stalks, which are then used to support the growing bean stems.
Tip: Give the sweetcorn a head start before planting the climbing beans.
• The leaves from the squash shade the roots of the corn and beans and help to retain moisture. They also suppress the weeds.
• Also, the roots from the beans are nitrogen fixers which benefits both the corn and the squash.
Passed down through generations, the stories are that corn, beans and squash are sacred gifts from the Great Spirit, and the planting season is marked by ceremonies in honour of the three sister spirits. So let’s get spirited away!
Hans Wieland works and teaches at Neantog Kitchen Garden School in Cliffony, Co.Sligo neantog.comGaby Wieland from Neantóg Kitchen shares two divine summer recipes. First up, vegetable skewers —the fun way to get in your veggies, followed by a scrumptious strawberry cake for dessert.
No outdoor dining without cooking over a fire! One of the oldest cooking utensils must be the skewer. You can either use a metal or wooden skewer and with homegrown ingredients from your garden or polytunnel, this is a great way to enjoy your vegetables.
Recipe by Gaby WielandIngredients:
• Red pepper, halve and deseed
• Yellow pepper, halve and deseed
• Courgette, top and tail
• Button mushrooms or Portobello mushroom
• Red onion, skin removed
• Halloumi or firm tofu – optional
• Other optional ingredients are cherry tomatoes, pineapple, aubergines
Dressing:
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp basil and oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp honey and mustard - optional
Method;
1 Soak wooden skewers in water for 15-20 minutes (this stops them burning).
2 If you don’t have a BBQ, preheat the oven to 220°C or 200°C Fan or Gas 6.
3 Blend the dressing ingredients.
4 Cut vegetables the same size, about 2cm/1/2”.
5 Thread vegetables onto skewers.
6 Brush with the dressing.
7 Cook for 20-30 minutes on BBQ or in the oven. Turn them in between to cook them evenly.
8 Brush with remaining glaze before serving.
...and when it rains? Cook in your oven, grill or griddle pan!
Use a lightly oiled, preheated griddle pan on your stove top and cook just as you would on the fire. Alternatively, place the skewers in a roasting tin in a very hot oven (220°C) for 10 minutes, turn them over and cook for another 10 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Ingredients:
Base:
• 250g wholemeal spelt flour
• 80g brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 130g butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
Filling:
• Custard or a vegan alternative like
Method;
1 Preheat oven to 210°C.
2 Prepare the base. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and chop and mix together to make a smooth dough, or mix in bowl by hand.
3 Grease a 26cm/10” spring-form tin and spread the dough over the base, making a raised edge of 3 cm/1 ¼” around the tin. Pinch the dough with a fork a few times to get an even base.
4 Pre-bake for 20 -30 minutes. Then leave to cool down.
5 Spread the custard evenly over the base.
6 Cut the strawberries in half and place on top of the custard. (see picture).
Bee Healthy is Monaghan’s first and only independent health food shop, which opened in December 2020. At the time, shop owner Ingrid McCann, who is also a registered homeopath, had no idea that her business would grow into what it is today, which is so much more than just a health shop.
When I spoke with Janette, one of the managers at Bee Healthy, she shared that the shop also serves as a hub for education. Since each staff member has their own area of expertise, they can bring invaluable knowledge and service to their customers that can’t easily be found anywhere else.
Ingrid, for example, has her own dispensary at Bee Healthy, meaning people can get a 5-10 minute consultation with her in the shop and take their homeopathy away with them then and there.
Charlotte, who works at Bee Healthy part-time, has completed a beginner-level course in homeopathy and helps Ingrid out in the dispensary.
This is a unique service that the Bee Healthy team proudly offers, as normally, people would have to see a homeopath privately to get their desired remedies. Shop manager Margaret, who is a herbalist and naturopath, and Janette, who is in her final year of studying herbal medicine, also bring valuable advice to customers regarding the range of herbal remedies available in-store.
As Janette explained, “We really feel a responsibility to empower people to help themselves when it comes to their health and to educate them on ways that they can work on prevention rather than cure.”
“…the shop also serves as a hub for education.”
MAINTAIN GUT HEALTH NATURALLY.
by Persephone Kianka
Like many entrepreneurs who come up with a truly special product, Mary-Thea Brosnan created Kerry Kefir, a traditional homemade kefir, as a result of the pressing issue she was facing in her own life.
Mary-Thea shared that when she was in her 20s, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), having suffered from digestive issues for years. After making her own kefir for the first time at home in 2017, her symptoms significantly improved within a week.
I would like to start by clarifying the terminology first. Cambridge Dictionary definitions of “relationship”:
- the way in which two or more people or things are connected, or the state of connection.
- the way things are connected or work together.
Living is the constant expression of some 85 to 110 billion cells working together, cooperating with each other due to their innate interrelationship.
If you want to study life, you have to do it taking into account the “connection and synergy” factor between tissues. You can’t learn much about life by studying a corpse, really. The whole person is made up of its components and the synergy between them.
To do this, nature has endowed our body with an innate master controller: the central nervous system - brain and spinal cord - which, together with the endocrine system, configure the communication network between all parts of the body.
Spinology is concerned with interferences due to vertebral misalignments, what we call “spinal occlusions”. If the body works in a coordinated and harmonious way, our potential to relate to others can also be better manifested. In other words, if we stay well, we can better express our abilities as human beings, among which is the gift of relating to others.
I am sure that if you are reading this magazine, you would like a better world. Individually speaking, we can’t do much, but together...
Spinologists are convinced that relationships between people can greatly help change. Start with the man/woman in your mirror.
“I couldn’t believe that this magic fermented milk wasn’t better known,” she told me.
After researching more, she realised how many people have digestive problems with no adequate solution. In fact, nearly 40% of adults suffer from some digestive issue, which she largely attributes to our stressful, fast-paced society.
At Kerry Kefir, Mary-Thea helps people heal these issues by producing the most natural form of kefir.
“We literally just put the living organisms, the kefir grains, into the milk, and they do all the work,” she explained.
The 24-30 hours they allow for fermentation results in a much more diverse set of bacteria than you would find in mass-produced kefir products.
Mary-Thea stressed the importance of eating various fermented foods, even if you don’t have digestive issues, as this is the most natural way to get probiotics into your diet, which are essential for maintaining gut health.
She encourages everyone to try making traditional kefir at home because “then you are going to get the real true essence of what kefir is.” However, if you still want to get the full range of benefits of kefir without making it, Kerry Kefir, which ships throughout Ireland and the UK, is the way to go.
kerrykefir.ie
Enrique Borreda Lopez Director of European Spinology Tutorium“I couldn’t believe that this magic fermented milk wasn’t better known…”
“Living is the constant expression of some 85 to 110 billion cells working together…”
You pack the car and immediately the chill factor sets in. You know you are about to break the pattern, the habits of this current lifetime. The destination is the Burren, to stay at the Burren Yoga centre run by Dave Brocklebank. This is an oldie but goldie, first opened in 1999 and one of the stalwarts of the Irish yoga scene.
Dave’s background was psychology, combined with a passion to help people to work towards their potential. He began practicing meditation in 1978 at the age of 19 and believes this enabled him to get in touch with deep and subtle inner energies to follow his life’s work of inspiring and facilitating others to practice yoga and meditation.
The centre has now evolved into a luxurious Japanese-styled oasis that evokes peace on arrival and welcomes you into a warm embrace. I arrive just in time for dinner on Friday evening and am fed and watered in a tasty and healthy way - salads and a warm dish plus plenty of tasty extras. Over dinner, relationships begin to form as you chat with your fellow yogis, and over tea and delicious healthy crumble for dessert, you feel your
body ease more into the vibe.
After dinner, we head to our intro chat and first yoga class - as it’s evening time it’s Yoga Nidra. I have to stop the article here and say: This was a revelation.
I had come across Nidra before, but on this occasion, it touched me in a very powerful way. During the session, I felt calmed in an extremely deep way and began to drift in and out of dreamlike states. It is so deep that afterwards there’s not much chat and everyone heads to bed as if in a trance. The rooms and beds are super comfortable and as soon as my head hits the pillow, I’m off into a relaxing and healing sleep, plus because of the Nidra my sleep feels a lot deeper.
Next morning, after a solid eight hours, I’m up and ready for my meditation and yoga class at 8am which sets us up for the day. There is plenty of chat and explanation by the teacher so everybody feels catered for. Breakfast is simply delicious, with blueberry compote a star performer that takes my morning muesli to a whole other level. Next, it’s onto a hike around the surrounding area,
followed by a lovely lunch in a local pub, then a cold dip in the sea for some of us, before some free time back at the centre for the afternoon.
If you are looking for a yoga retreat this summer, or simply some time to yourself, this place has it in spades. The hosts, Dave and Erin, along with Eileen, the teacher, will all take care of you in a caring and nonintrusive way.
I got a major reset in a most powerful way and the Yoga Nidra sessions have now become a part of my life, especially before sleep. There are plenty of resources online for this, but if you can find one locally there’s nothing like a live class.
To end, I’m just going to say, book it… and book it now! It’s time to break the pattern and recalibrate.
burrenyoga.com
“I got a major reset in a most powerful way and the Yoga Nidra sessions have now become a part of my life”
THE POWER OF LUMIRED LIGHT THERAPY.
by Persephone KiankaLight therapy has been used in the medical and scientific fields for decades to help with seasonal affectiveness disorder, skin disorders, scarring and other health issues. Red Light Therapy (RLT), which was successfully used in the 1990s by scientists to grow plants in space, has also been found to aid in pain reduction and cellular growth in people.
When qualified physiotherapist Rory O’Neill first investigated the health benefits of Red Light Therapy, he was amazed by the results. His extensive research revealed that RLT could have “a soothing and restorative effect on the body’s cells, releasing tension and easing pain,” which led him to create LumiRed, Ireland’s first supplier of exceptionalquality RLT products.
LumiRed Light Therapy is an entirely drug-free treatment with no side effects that is scientifically proven to repair human cells. Furthermore, it can be safely administered at home using a Red Light Therapy device.
Even if a person has been suffering from a chronic condition for years, Red Light Devices have the potential to alleviate their symptoms and help the body by bringing their cells back to a healthy natural state.
So, how does it work?
The therapy, supported by multiple medical studies, consists of using high-quality lamps that expose your skin to non-harmful levels of red light. This light is absorbed by mitochondria (the ‘energy factories’ of our cells), prompting a
charging effect and accelerating healing in the skin and muscle tissue.
To achieve this, the red and nearinfrared light (free from UV) that enters your skin and cells boosts adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – the product of cellular respiration, which helps the body’s cells to repair any damage and rejuvenate.
With arthritis, for example, RLT reduces joint pain, enabling the person to achieve greater levels of physical activity and function. Infrared light reduces the swelling in joints, allowing greater freedom of movement. In addition, increased circulation brings healthy oxygenated blood and nutrients to the affected area, boosting the body’s natural healing process, while increased ATP production leads to increased cellular repair.
Red Light Therapy isn’t only for sufferers of chronic pain, however. It’s also been proven to benefit athletes, anyone who exercises regularly, or those in the process of losing weight.
We all know that weight training and increased muscle mass significantly help with weight loss. Red Light has been shown to increase muscle mass, leading to increased calorie turnover and improved body composition.
RLT also improves blood flow, meaning your muscles receive more blood and perform better. Increased blood flow will also help muscle tissue to heal quicker and, thus, be able to endure more strain.
Given these benefits, it is unsurprising that athletes all over the world, from players in the NFL, NBA, Olympics, and even MMA fighters and boxers, use Red Light Therapy. It is quickly becoming a mainstay in professional gyms for those who train.
While the health professionals at LumiRed acknowledge that this therapy is not a cure-all, they “can confidently say that LumiRed’s product range effectively empowers your body to speed up and enhance its natural healing processes.” As a result, LumiRed Light Therapy is helping people to feel better in their bodies and to lead a healthier life every day.
“It’s also been proven to benefit athletes, anyone who exercises regularly, or those in the process of losing weight.”lumired.ie
Cleansing is about becoming clearer, healthier and happier! It offers you better energy, sleep and digestion, as well as a calmer nervous system and a more peaceful mind.
Cleanse summer tips!
Each year try and grow one new herb, plant or veg. Add herbs and spices to teas, dishes and salads for extra flavour and incredible health benefits. Nettles help hair growth and are anti-inflammatory. Dandelion is considered anti-aging, aids natural weight loss and supports the liver. Coriander helps detox heavy metals from the body.
Enjoy your water and consider a water filter. Water carries nutrients to your cells, supports digestion and helps flush the body of waste. It keeps your organs, including your skin and kidneys functioning well. It
plays a crucial role in disease prevention, with studies showing that five glasses of water a day significantly reduced the chances of colon cancer by 45% and breast cancer by 79% in women.
Kickstart your day with a morning tonic; half a lemon or one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water helps digestion and keeps you regular.
Consider replacing the 11 am coffee with super greens. 1-2 teaspoons in your juice or water daily curb sugar cravings, cleanse the body and give you good energy.
Get juicing! We love juicing, and the health benefits are incredible. Puts a pep in your step and improves radiance. Celery, cucumber and lemon, as well as apple, carrot & beetroot (ABC), are favourites! Grow some of your own organic veg. Enjoy a salad daily. Make your own ice cream.
Have a massage. Nap. Breathe, observing the rise and fall of the chest. Love yourself and love your body. It responds to how you feel.
Wheat and sugar can cause indigestion, bloating and weight gain. Swap wheat for spelt, and you may well notice more energy and a flatter stomach.
Sugar and dairy combined are tough on the immune system, so avoid where you can. Vegan ice cream, anyone? Consider replacing processed sugar with Stevia, coconut sugar, honey and/or agave. Stevia, in particular, is cleanse-friendly and gives you sweetness without affecting blood sugars.
Try and get a 10-minute walk or jog in first thing in the morning. It will give you a chance to greet the day, elevate mood and improve your skin.
Huge benefits come from consistency. With any of these tips, one tends to notice the benefits within three days. Approach any cleanse tips from a place that feels experimental, fun and exciting. What appeals to you? How might you feel if you went sugar-free for five days, juiced for ten days in a row or had a morning tonic for four weeks? Pretty healthy and proud of yourself, we imagine!
Walk barefoot on the grass and sit by a tree. This will help you clear stress and connect with the present moment. Of all the tips here, this is possibly the most important.
Wishing you a wonderful, loving, healthy and happy summer!
orlaphelan.com
On August 3rd, Gandharva Loka Music
Store is celebrating ten years of business in Ireland, a celebration of music, creativity and positivity. The shop has been an inspiration to countless musicians in Ireland, providing them with a treasure trove of musical instruments to create beautiful music and vibrations.
Gandharva Loka is a spiritual enterprise and was inspired by renowned Indian spiritual master Sri Chinmoy. He gave the shop its spiritual name Gandharva Loka, which means ‘The Abode of Celestial Musicians’ in Sanskrit, a fitting name for a shop that seeks to inspire oneness, love and harmony.
Sadanand Magee, the shop’s owner, and staff share the belief that music has the power to create an extremely positive impact on people’s lives. They provide a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for customers and friends, where they can explore and discover new instruments, attend music workshops,
and engage with the vibrant music and sound healing community in Ireland.
Gandharva Loka is more than just a music shop. Over the past ten years, the store has become a spiritual hub for people, not just musicians. It’s a place where people can connect with themselves through the music and find peace, joy and happiness. In its truest sense, the shop has become a beacon of light in the community, a refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
To celebrate this 10-year milestone, Gandharva Loka will have a week of inspiring music and holistic events beginning on July 28th, and they are looking forward to celebrating this occasion with all of their wonderful customers who have inspired and supported them over the years. Here’s to another ten years of beautiful music and inspiration from Gandharva Loka!
gandharvaloka.ie
“Over the past ten years, the store has become a spiritual hub for people, not just musicians”
WHERE TO FIND THIS VITAL NUTRIENT.
by Monica NeacsuMost Irish people get far too little selenium from their food.
Even though Ireland is one of the European countries with soil rich in selenium, nearly half of us fail to get enough of this vital nutrient.
Selenium is a micronutrient that supports around 30 different enzymes (selenoproteins) in the body. These enzymes help regulate thyroid function, immune defence, fertility, cell protection, and other essential body functions. In other words, we depend on selenium to maintain normal health. It is, therefore, unsettling that, according to data from the National Adult Nutrition Survey, 47% of the Irish population doesn’t consume enough selenium.
Selenium is a mineral we can get from eating certain foods. In Ireland, for example, we get 30% of it from meat, 24% from bread, 11% from fish and 9% from milk and yoghurt. However, because of our modern lifestyle and as more and more people prefer a plant-based diet without meat, we miss out on seleniumrich food sources.
One way to correct this deficiency is, of course, to consume more Brazil
nuts, fish and other sources of selenium. Another option would be the “Finnish solution”. Finland used to be a low-selenium area, but in 1984, the Finnish government imposed mandatory selenium enrichment of all fertilisers. That definitely worked for Finns.
A similar measure in Ireland would mean the soil becomes even more selenium-rich, the crops take up more selenium from the ground, and all food is naturally enriched.
Finally, you could simply take a selenium tablet. Selenium supplements come in different formulations. For example, one of the best-absorbed and most studied is selenium yeast (the word “yeast” refers to the manufacturing process, there is no actual yeast in it).
Remember: when buying any supplement, be constantly mindful of the quality. A cheap product might seem like a good deal. Still, it can come with unwanted excipients, or your body can have difficulties assimilating it.
pharmanord.ie
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“…47% of the Irish population doesn’t consume enough selenium.”
Do you know women have as much access to masculine energy as men? And men have as much feminine energy available to them as women do? Globally speaking - we have been obsessed with holding on tightly to false narratives, usually a fear piece - being afraid to adapt to a new way of seeing or owning deeper uncomfortable truthswhether they be personal or on behalf of someone else. However, there is definitely more recognition of this labelling today and of how harmful it is if we continue to conform to stereotypes. Age-old rigid and harmful stereotypes such as: • Men should be physically strong, show little to no emotion, be good at business and maths, hard hat, suit and tie wearing, earns a better living than a woman (pitting one against the other), eats fear and steak for breakfast!
• For women - soft, sensitive but not in a clingy way, good housewife, pretty, earns less than partner, not as business savvy or well-abled as a man, sociable, funny.
THE MINDSET BEHIND FOOD FOR LIFE.
by Persephone KiankaFood For Life Wellness Centre has served as a place of healing and education in Callan, Co. Kilkenny since 2016, when its first health food store opened. Abbas Ghadimi and Carmel Rose, the husband and wife team who own and run this centre, are delighted with the newest addition to their health store.
When I spoke with Abbas about his revamped homeopathic clinic, which opened just four months ago, he shared the fantastic philosophy guiding his healing work.
As a child, Abbas told me, he knew someone famous for being a oneprescription doctor, inspiring him to achieve the same in his work.
Today, in Kilkenny, the word on the street is “When you go to Abbas, you only go once,” suggesting that he has earned this title.
Although he has been practising for 30 years, for Abbas, every day feels like the first day of his practice because every new
Sexual orientation speaking = straight female and male relationship being the most “acceptable” or acknowledged relationship type.
All well, if you were born perfectly fitting and happy to fit into the above roles; however, does this person exist? And happily at that? What about the larger percentage of men or women who wouldn’t see qualities of themselves in all or any of the above?
Men and women deserve to be seen and celebrated for who they naturally and authentically are. Not what has been subscribed to them, or what they have been told they must conform to in order to be accepted.
So much has shifted and changed within Irish society and more globally in recent years with the breaking down of barriers around the above. Let’s keep it that way!
finch-rose-se3w.squarespace.com/
client will differ from his previous 2000+ cases. He acknowledges that though similar symptoms may be present, it is a different person experiencing them.
This recognition of uniqueness allows Abbas to provide the perfect remedy to suit each individual. Even after consulting with someone for a while, he will only sell them what they truly need, even if that’s just a bag of cloves.
Abbas shared a quote he loves by Chuck Feeney: “You’ll never run out of people you can help”, an attitude he incorporates into his work.
He believes that when you focus on health, wealth will follow, and that’s why he and Carmel are devoted to creating an abundance of information and wellness in their community through organic products, alternative treatments, workshops and more. wellnesscentre.ie
“Men and women deserve to be seen and celebrated for who they naturally and authentically are.”
“This recognition of uniqueness allows Abbas to provide the perfect remedy to suit each individual.”
by Persephone Kianka
Most of us are familiar with the statistic that we are 70% water, but you might not know that this refers only to mass. On a molecular level, we are 99% water, which Mario Brainovi, CEO of Aalemma Water, stressed when we spoke with him about his incredible work with water.
“In our research, we discovered that water is a broadband absorber, receiver and transmitter of energy, frequency and vibration. It will always pick up the dominant frequency of its environment,” Mario shared.
For this reason, he became determined “to bring about the most positive, dominant frequency of water that exists”, which his company achieved after 15 years of research.
Mario revealed that it takes one whole year to create the “mother water”, which comes in a crystal vile due to crystal being a superconductor. Here’s how it works:
“When you swirl the Aalemma through the water, any HO, this chaotic HO molecule, which comes into close proximity to the mother water, starts to mimic its exact structure.”
Mario’s passion was palpable as
he explained that by bringing water into this coherent, structured state, we are “unleashing the true power of water.” This power is evident in the countless studies the company have conducted on humans, plants and animals. For example, one study showed that seeds watered with Aalemma Water began generating biophoton emissions because they were following the tides.
The potential for this water to electromagnetically connect us to nature’s circadian rhythm is profound, not only on a biological level but from a spiritual standpoint.
Indeed, Mario’s vision is allencompassing, which is why you can purchase a single Aalemma Water Wand at an affordable price and have coherent water for life.
Positive lifers discount here: analemma-water.com/#a_aid=positive
“Mario revealed that it takes one whole year to create the ‘mother water’, which comes in a crystal vile…”
Our hearts and souls are the instruments of greater harmony.
In our heart, there is a beat that is unique to each one of us. In our soul, there is an innate note of creation that comes to play only once to the planet EARTH. It comes only one time in this sound arrangement of you with all you came here to be. Listening to yourSELF and getting to know each frequency, vibration, tune and note are very useful skills to harmonise with all there is.
Listening to how each part of you sounds by itself and how it plays together with other parts is a skill of sound alchemy. Imagine for a moment that the whole of you is a musical performance of different instrumental sections. Your body, with its organs, muscles, soft tissues and different systems, plays each a different tune. Then your heart plays its own music, your mind is humming its own melody, and your energies hold a particular frequency. It’s all ONE, as each cell is one by itself.
Now imagine that there is a way to cultivate
THE SOMATIC EXPERIENCING™ APPROACH.
by Persephone Kianka
inner harmony moment by moment. Knowing the tunes, opening the source of creative listening to the deep within, and mastering the inner frequencies helps in finding stability and balance in the ever-changing world around you. Once you and I are in harmony, each standing in our own unique light frequency, we play well with all there is.
alchemymultiverse.com
The Somatic Experiencing™ - or SE™method is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and other stress disorders developed by Dr Peter A. Levine. It works to help people release traumatic shock, which is crucial to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.
Trauma derives from a perceived life threat or cumulative life-threatening experiences, which can prevent a person from functioning with resilience and ease. These experiences include “accidents, invasive medical procedures, sexual or physical assault, emotional abuse, neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, or the corrosive stressors of ongoing fear and conflict.”
The Somatic Experiencing™ approach addresses the root cause of trauma symptoms by facilitating “the completion of self-protective motor responses and the release of thwarted survival energy bound in the body” using clinical tools or interventions. It also looks at the effect of these symptoms on a person’s everyday life and relationships. This method provides practical skills suitable to many professions, including mental health, medicine,
physical and occupational therapies, bodywork, addiction treatment, first response and education.
Tairseach, the Association of Somatic Experiencing™ Practitioners in Ireland, was established in October 2017 to support the continuing professional development of SE practitioners in Ireland, including those completing their SE™ training.
Tairseach provides a community for all practitioners who use Somatic Experiencing™ in their work and informs the public about this approach. It also enables anyone interested to contact SE™ practitioners for information or therapeutic support.
tairseach.ie
“The Somatic Experiencing™ approach addresses the root cause of trauma symptoms…”
“…mastering the inner frequencies helps in finding stability and balance in the everchanging world around you.”
IRELAND’S LEADING YOGA FESTIVAL.
by Persephone KiankaFounded by teachers Alice Harrison, Mary Gardiner and Katy Harrison, The Yoga Picnic was designed to create a space for a deeper connection — to oneself, one another and the planet. Though it is only in its second year running, this event has become Ireland’s leading yoga festival, promising a top-class lineup of their best Yoga Teachers and facilitators for 2023.
The philosophy behind the festival is one of “kindness, connection, union, ahimsa (non-violence), sustainability and love,” clearly drawing on the meaning of yoga – the “oneness” or unity between all things.
On the day of the festival, which is
July 2nd this year, participants can put this philosophy into practice through a range of activities, including yoga, movement, breath work, meditation, ecstatic dance and wellness talks, as well as sound baths, reiki, paddle-board yoga and soulful Kirtan (Yoga music concert).
There are even fun-filled, mindful activities for kids at The Yoga Picnic and an opportunity to relax in a Driftwood Sauna by the lake.
Like last year, The Yoga Picnic 2023 will take place at Lilliput House on the gorgeous banks of Lough Ennell in County Westmeath, allowing participants to connect
MAKE THE NATURAL CHOICE.
by Emer WalshThe number of organic farmers in Ireland has doubled as of January 2023, and to farm organically in Ireland strict EU standards and certification procedures must be followed.
Leaving aside the positive impact that organic farming has on the lives of the animals on organic farms, wildlife, soil health, water quality and the health of the planet in general, let’s look at some of the nutritional and health benefits of organic foods.
Organic foods have been shown to have anywhere from 20 to 70% more antioxidants than non-organic foods.
Antioxidants help defend the body against free radical damage. Free radicals can result from eating certain foods or from toxins in our environment which ultimately contribute to the increased risk of developing chronic disease.
There are also studies showing that organic meat and organic dairy have more omega-3 fatty acids than their non-organic counterparts. Omega-3s are healthy fats we
want in our diet, anti-inflammatory and associated with brain and heart health.
A growing body of evidence on the benefits of organic food for health correlates with my own observations with nutrition clients; even if you take someone who is already on a “good diet” but has no focus on organic food and they change the healthy foods they are already consuming to mainly organic versions of the same food, people often report to me that they experience increases in energy, vitality and generally feel better in themselves.
These connections with the food we eat, the way food is produced and the benefits of organic produce for our health are more important than ever these days.
with nature and deepen their practice.
In the words of co-founder Katy Harrison, “We believe that by practising yoga and mindfulness in nature, we can connect with the planet on a deeper level and inspire positive change.”
As more like-minded people come together every year to experience connection, community and wellness, The Yoga Picnic will inevitably have a powerful ripple effect across Ireland and beyond.
To learn more and to purchase tickets, visit theyogapicnic.com
organictrust.ie and acupuncturegalway.com
“…participants can put this philosophy into practice through a range of activities, including yoga, movement, breathwork, meditation, ecstatic dance and wellness talks…”Emer is an Organic Farm Inspector with Irish certification Body ‘The Organic Trust’ and works out of ‘The Crane Clinic Galway’ as a Nutritionist.
“Organic foods have been shown to have anywhere from 20 to 70% more antioxidants than non-organic foods. ”
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Last April at Aloha House in Killorglin, Louise Kleu hosted Kumu Paa Julia Nlani, a 51st Generation Teacher and Healer from the Lineage of Kumu Paa Nui Lawrence Kalainia Kamani Aki of Halawa Valley Molokai. She guided immerse participants in the Foundation Teachings of Hawaiian Spirituality, Healing & Cultural Practice including Traditional Ho’oponopono. We spoke to Kumu Julia Nlani last year, when this trip was in seedling stage and she shared with us her journey of remembrance and return to the path of her ancestors.
“I was chronically unhappy in my corporate job… for no apparent reason I felt very unhappy. I had a good job, a great husband, money in the bank, all the good stuff, but for some elusive reason I just felt completely unhappy and misplaced. And I was deeply searching for something…”
As a true seeker of the Truth, Kumu Julia Nlani ultimately chose an experiential route to find meaning: “I decided to go into a death lodge...[it] was to act as a dreaming lodge….Everything from that moment fell together...Whatever happened in there, that’s how I was going to live my life. Everything that happened in that little space is the ground work for who I am
today.”
“[It] brought me back to my cultural roots,” she says. Back to the words of her Polynesian father who had taught her so much before he passed away early on in her life. All that her father had said to her was coming up in the lodge. The wisdom of her ancestors was coming forward to shape her life so that she might sustain and carry forward the healing and spiritual wisdom held in her line.
Following this experience Kumu Julia Nlani studied and elevated to become a Lineage Kumu – Spiritual Teacher and Lineage Holder.
“The true power of Lomi Lomi as a practitioner is to step out of the way and let the ancestors do the work. That’s what it’s all about...That’s the line of truth. You recede from it. The space is taken by the ancestors. I’m doing the strokes that the teacher has taught me. I’m applying the mechanics... I’m applying my understanding of where people are mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically... and I’m saying pule (prayer) the whole time...it’s the spirit, the power of the ancestors that takes form through what we call Lomi Lomi.”
Following the ways of old, the wisdom of these ancestors, can make us as children again. Before we were taught the illusion of separation, of difference, of competition, of conflict of interest. Whenever conflict arrived however, there was a protocol (aka ritual) for restoring the peace. This was the traditional meaning and purpose of Ho’oponopono. The true testimony to the practical power of Ho’oponopono is that it remains - “in place for 51 generations, simply because it works.”
Traditionally, Ho’oponopono is a process led by a trained individual, called the Luna Ho’oponopono. Just as with Lomi Lomi, here too the Luna is a place holder, allowing the ancestors to do the work while the Luna listens deeply to what they are saying, enabling the Luna to ask the right questions and perform the right actions.
“Working directly with the ancestors, that’s where the mana (power) is. It’s the mana, the spirit energy of the ancestors that makes the difference...”
Following the Ho’oponopono, the individuals involved would have “restitutions” to perform – “what you have to do in your daily life to make sure that the wrong doing doesn’t continue… Ho’oponopono is about a way of life...
PONO is to live in right alignment: spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Doing what it takes to live in that alignment.”
And, most beauteous of all, when it’s done, it’s done – “You do it once. You do it right and it is done...That’s why you have things to do, actions to take, which we call restitutions... to restore and maintain that alignment, so your daily life isn’t impacted by those stones... There’s a challenge in that, honestly.” spiritualhealingcourses.com alohahouse.ie
“The true power of Lomi Lomi as a practitioner is to step out of the way and let the ancestors do the work.”
THE DUBLIN MIND BODY EXPERIENCE.
Ireland’s largest holistic event returns to the RDS, Dublin, on the 15th, 16th & 17th of September 2023 with free admission, 200 exhibitors, and 100 hours of complimentary talks, workshops & classes. It will also come to Cork and Galway, spreading holistic knowledge and healing nationwide.
This event uniquely combines four elements in one venue: the Mind Body Soul Expo, the Yoga and Meditation Festival, Live Well - Talks & Workshops and the Dublin Psychic Fair.
The Mind Body Soul Expo brings together exhibitors and practitioners from the world of holistic health & wellbeing. Over 60 holistic therapists from all
modalities offer mini treatments, advice, and information at this event. There is also a fantastic array of exhibitors providing holistic health products & information, specialist books, crystals, handcrafted jewellery, angelic gifts, natural skincare, and more.
The Yoga and Meditation Festival offers 25 hours of free yoga and meditation classes. Additional meditation sessions and mindfulness talks are held around the venue throughout the weekend with no admission fee.
For those seeking life-changing knowledge, Live Well - Talks & Workshops provide 75 hours of free talks and workshops meant to inspire, educate and entertain.
These talks and workshops are as diverse as the presenters, but all focus on inspiring greater well-being among the listeners. Finally, the Dublin Psychic Fair, which has its own dedicated area, is a must for those interested in the world of Psychic Readings, Mediumship, Angel and Tarot cards, Palmistry, and the Crystal ball. The readers have extensive training and many years of experience, and all keep their clients’ information in strict confidence. All readings are private and given on a one-on-one basis.
mindbodyexperience.ie
Free Admission - 110 Exhibitors - 100 Complementary Talk & Classes
2nd & 3rd September 2023
RDS Hall 4
Free Admission - 200 Exhibitors - 150 Complementary Talk & Classes
15th, 16th & 17th September 2023
“Over 60 holistic therapists from all modalities offer mini treatments, advice, and information at this event.”
In today’s world, it is so easy to stay connected to other people, and what’s going on in the world, but as a result, it is also easy to lose connection to ourselves. We spend so much time mentally tuning into everything around us that we forget the beauty, and absolute necessity, of human touch, which has the power to bring us fully back into our bodies. Getting a massage treatment is one of the most effective ways of reconnecting with our physicality as it creates a safe and neutral space to be touched and held by another human. When we enter this state of deep relaxation and surrender, it is a huge step towards healing our relationship with our body, no matter what pain or trauma characterised this relationship in the past.
Though massage has often been viewed as a sport-specific or luxury activity, it’s finally starting to be recognised as a valuable aspect of health care due to its many proven benefits.
When we feel touch, it sends a signal to our brain, which triggers the release of oxytocin – commonly known as the love drug – as well as the two other happy hormones, serotonin and dopamine.
The intentional, informed touch of massage therapy is even more powerful. Along with boosting the happy hormones, it can lower the hormone cortisol – a key component in our stress response – which is harmful to the health of the body when
present long-term.
With so many different types of massage available, you might not know which to try first. The good news is that all massage modalities benefit the mind and body in some way, provided you have a qualified massage therapist.
Indian head massage, for example, is a treatment that focuses on massaging acupressure points along the head, neck and shoulders, often using circular massage strokes to improve hair and scalp condition.
It originates from the Indian alternative medicine system known as Ayurveda, in which it is believed that the mind and body directly influence one another. Through this lens, it is understood that Indian head massage not only can reduce headaches and improve physical well-being but can also improve mental and emotional health.
A very different modality, hot stone massage, which involves smooth, flat, heated stones being placed on specific parts of a person’s body, also helps to reduce stress and anxiety, promote relaxation, and ease pain and muscle tension.
Some massage treatments are believed to benefit the recipient on an even deeper level, such as Lomi Lomi massage, which has long been valued in spiritual communities for this reason.
This traditional Hawaiian massage,
which combines massage techniques, nut oils, breathing and dance, is seen as far more than just a physical treatment due to its ability to balance all aspects of a person. Based on the Huna philosophy, it is a beautiful one to try if you are seeking a healing experience to harmonise your mind, body and spirit.
Whichever massage modality you choose, your body and soul will thank you as you come home to your physical vessel with awareness, maybe for the first time in months. Remember that you can also give the healing gift of touch to yourself at any time to maintain this blissful feeling of safety within the body, which is essential for our well-being and success.
massageireland.com
“When we enter this state of deep relaxation and surrender, it is a huge step towards healing our relationship with our body…”
HOLISTIC MASSAGE | DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
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At Sole Harmony, we offer a variety of treatments including but not limited to Reflexology, Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, Indian Head Massage, Rahanni and more...
If you would like to know more information or simply ask a question, please call us on 086 3990895
You can also find us on social media at Insta: @sole.harmony
Facebook: Sole Harmony
Registered member of Irish Reflexology Institue of Ireland (IRIL) and the Irish Massage Therapist Association (IMTA) who are recognised by Irish health insurance companies.
087 130 5271
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Carnmore West, Carnmore Cross, Co. Galway, H91 C9W3
Escape the pressures of every day life and release the tension through the Kalm experience.
Kalm is a sanctuary of peace and tranquillity dedicated to the pampering and balancing of the mind, body and spirit. As an holistic centre, we concentrate on the inner mind and body and encourage spiritual growth through healing. Our team of qualified therapists are on hand to help, offer advice and select a treatment specific to your needs.
Unit 3 The Stables - Portmarnock - Dublin - Ireland Contact Esther Badmos Phone: 01 8038606 kalmtherapy.ie
Massage - Reflexology and Bowen Therapy Deep Tissue , Lymph Drainage, Holistic Facials
Vicky Clasby MASSAGE PRACTITIONER
My name is Lorraine
and I am the owner of Sole Harmony, a place of relaxation nestled in the Killeshin Community Centre, Killeshin in Co. Laois.
When we sat down to talk with Joanne Faulkner, the former chairperson of The Shiatsu Society of Ireland, and Christine Keck, who is taking over this role, their passion for this practice was evident.
“I just love the connection of the body energy,” Joanne exclaimed. “So the body is talking to me, and my body is listening.”
She explained that there are over 365 points in the body that you must learn when studying Shiatsu, yet in practice, you must put it all out of your head and listen to what the individual’s body is telling you.
She deeply appreciates this “conversation between bodies” that takes place through Shiatsu, as it requires being grounded in her own body to tune into the signals of someone else’s.
Christine also conveyed the subtle power of this exchange: “It feels very gentle, but it is so effective. From receiving Shiatsu myself, I was blown away by the effects of it. It is very, very grounding and relaxing, and also for me as a giver.”
While some people would describe Shiatsu as acupuncture without needles, Joanne explained it’s more than that. Unlike acupuncture, there’s constant contact between the practitioner and client, always a “mother hand” listening and another hand working on the client.
The power of this modality is
encapsulated in a story Joanne shared about a client she was working on who was struggling to get pregnant.
When working around her small intestine meridian, Joanne saw a vision of this woman as a young girl drowning and experiencing intense fear of being underwater. When she asked her about it, this client shared that at age seven, someone jumped on top of her in the sea and pushed her down, which, of course, was very frightening.
Fascinatingly, Joanne explained that when someone goes into shock, the blood pools in the small intestine so they don’t bleed out. In this woman’s case, the blood in her uterus wasn’t flowing correctly, and once Joanne resolved that through Shiatsu, she became pregnant.
Though Shiatsu has unique beauty and power, Joanne believes, in essence, all healing modalities are just different languages: “They’re all just a different language to talk to the body-mind, and you find which one suits you.”
The Shiatsu Society of Ireland consists of a lovely team working together to promote this unique modality throughout the country so that more people can discover its healing benefits.
The standardisation the Society brings is also essential, as there used to be practitioners in business without the
proper qualifications, Joanne remembers.
The practitioners listed on the Society’s website are all insured and fully qualified, which doesn’t mean they just know the points, but they have also done the internal work on themselves. As Joanne notes, “There’s no way that you can study for four years and be in constant contact in lots of different people’s energy fields without working on yourself.”
Christine explained that the Society is also great for practitioners, as it helps them to stay connected and continue learning. For example, she will be meeting up with someone she found through the Society who does Equine Shiatsu (yes, this modality even helps horses) as she is interested in this topic.
June is Shiatsu Awareness Month, so all practitioners will be working extra hard to raise awareness of this powerful practice throughout this time. The European Shiatsu Federation even has a Shiatsu Without Borders website, inviting all practitioners to either host an activity, offer some Shiatsu, or share the practice in some way. For her part, Christine will be offering free treatments throughout June in the Bantry area where she’s based. shiatsusocietyireland.org
“…the blood in her uterus wasn’t flowing correctly, and once Joanne resolved that through Shiatsu, she became pregnant.”
W e a r e t h e i n d e p e n d e n t r e g u l a t i n g b o d y f o r S h i a t s u i n I r e l a n d .
O u r m e m b e r s a r e f u l l y i n s u r e d a n d h a v e r e c e i v e d t h e i r p r a c t i t i o n e r l e v e l t r a i n i n g f r o m r e g u l a t e d S h i a t s u S c h o o l s i n I r e l a n d o r a b r o a d .
F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d u p d a t e s o r t o f i n d y o u r l o c a l S h i a t s u S o c i e t y M e m b e r P r a c t i t i o n e r , v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e .
Date: 5th October 2023 Location:
“Which zodiac sign am I most compatible with?”
As an astrologer, I get this question often. While I’d love to offer a simple mixand-match answer, the truth is a bit more complex.
I don’t work with the type of astrological compatibility that you might see online or in mainstream horoscopes. In practice, I’ve seen very different charts work really well together; and other charts that you would think are compatible, simply just not have the spark.
Attraction, and I would even say a person’s soul agenda, is a mysterious thing. I wouldn’t claim to know the lifespan of a relationship from looking at a person’s chart, however there are many significators of relational patterns.
The birth chart can describe the undercurrent of what attracts you to someone in the first place, what keeps the spark alive, and ultimately how you can nourish and be nourished in relationship.
You are showing up in relationship with your whole birth chart, so it’s not as simple as segregating a few of the pie slices to “love”. However, some of the key players which signify your deeper relationship patterns are Venus, Mars and the Moon in your birth chart.
Venus is all about what you value. This is more than just attraction. In your chart, it’s Venus who has the say over who you’ll spend more than a few days with. You have to value someone in order to spend your time with them. This is Venus’ domain. Mars is about the spark and what turns you on. On a deeper level, Mars is about the life force a person feels when the chemistry is strong and they feel the channels of shakti open up in their energy system. Again, this is more than just a turn-on, this is about a connection with someone that makes you feel alive.
The Moon is the most intimate of these three. While you might be attracted to someone and value spending time with them, you also need to be comfortable just
hanging out in the same space for long periods of time. This is lunar territory. When you’re not trying to impress or flirt, the Moon is about feeling safe.
There’s so much more to this conversation than what I’ve mentioned, but just get a sense of how much goes into looking after Venus, Mars and the Moon when getting involved with another person. And it’s not just your own Venus, Mars and Moon, it’s theirs too! That’s a lot of moving parts.
So, the next time you wonder about astrological compatibility, sit back in awe at all that conspires to bring two people together. To me, that’s the real magic of connection.
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“You are showing up in relationship with your whole birth chart, so it’s not as simple as segregating a few of the pie slices to ‘love’.”
NAILS 1,4
HAIR 1,4
SKIN 1
METABOLISM 4
ENERGY 2,3
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IMMUNE SYSTEM 1,2,3,4
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1: Zinc / 2: Vitamin C / 3: Vitamin B6 / 4: Selenium
We are joining Reforest Nation on their mission to plant 1m trees in Ireland and are committed to planting 10,000 trees over the next year.
Reforesting Ireland with native broadleaf species: Restores the balance of nature.
Promotes biodiversity. Removes carbon from the atmosphere. Each tree sequesters 5kg of CO 2 per year so this years True Trees will remove 1,500 tonnes of CO 2 over their lifetime.
Half our trees will be planted in areas of global biodiversity importance to reduce mass extinction of species and help protect local communities from the effects of deforestation.
The more True Natural Goodness we sell, the more True Trees we plant.
Visit www.reforestnation.ie & www.truefoods.ie