Why thousands of people in the UK are turning to holistic therapies

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Let me set the scene…

work stress smallIt’s Friday afternoon, 4:30pm. You’re sat at your desk, just another hour to go and then you’re out of here for the weekend. You can feel yourself willing away the seconds until that moment when you can just put everything down for a few sweet days.

You have spent the last five days sat at your desk, wedged into a tiny space in a chair that does very little to support good posture, typing away at a keyboard for hours on end, with your arms permanently in the forward reaching position. Just to throw in a little occasional variation you might give a little wiggle to the mouse. You have continuously contorted yourself into some of the strangest positions you can imagine (from an onlookers point of view) in order to see the screen which is sat in front of you more clearly, and to have much needed documents spread around you in order to do your work.

Your boss told you this morning that there was a huge piece of work he needed you to do that just had to be completed by the end of the day, not to mention the other three projects which you already have underway. Read more →

Want a tasty, healthy option for dinner tonight? On the table in 15 mins!

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mackerel recipeI’m lucky enough to have a father-in-law who is a keen sea fisherman. We have received a bumper load of mackerel this year so we have decided to start experimenting with some new recipes in order to stop this lovely fish from becoming boring.

Tonight we have had my favourite yet, and I thought I would share this fabulously tasty and healthy recipe with you guys so you can benefit too (we served it up with a beetroot, lambs lettuce, and rocket salad). Makes for a super speedy, very tasty and satisfying midweek supper 😀

According to the NHS Choices website: Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines are said to help against cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, age-related vision loss and dementia. It’s a good source of vitamin D, protein, some B vitamins and selenium. It’s also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat good for our health.

Mackerel with orange and harissa glaze

(Image from BBC Good Food website, as seen in the link above)

Reflections on death

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reflections on deathMy continuing shamanic training has led me to examining death and dying over the last couple of months. Not just the big death, the time when we depart this earth as our life comes to an end, but also the small deaths, the endings of cycles and relationships.

I have been unfortunate enough to lose two of my siblings at what seemed an untimely age. Both died from terminal cancer and therefore in both cases we knew the end was coming.

We are conditioned in Western society to fear death. Read more →

What stories are you telling yourself?

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what's your story smallWe each have a personal story, a sort of autobiography, ‘my story so far’ kind of thing. It is these stories which help inform our view of life and our experiences on-going.

Our stories develop over time. At first they are heavily informed by the people around us, parents, siblings, family members, family friends. Slightly later you encounter school, and teachers and childhood friends start to play a role in your story. Moving on again you start to venture out into the world and your horizons are broadened. We are forever experiencing, learning, and developing. It is the way life works. Read more →