Mental Health Mantra 61/365 Dog Mantra This morning it is all about Jack Russell, Honey. If there's one Mantra that Honey has on repeat it is 'let's go outside to play.' She never misses an opportunity to go outside and play. The ball is never far away and is left strategically at the back door for her to pick up on the way out. She knows exactly where it is and so when I say 'find it,' she goes to the back door. This Mental Health Mantra gets me outside. I go and play ball. I take my cue from Honey. I know she knows though. Getting outside to play is the answer. Keep shining Star Seeds. Love x 'Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul.'
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Mental Health Mantra 17/365 It has been a fatiguey day today, tiredness pervades me. This feels familiar, making me feel a tad jittery because I was so incapacitated when in my 20s with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. I made my way through that tunnel by the time I was 30 but it was a decade's long haul. I find that all that I learnt then, about healing, wellness and holistic health has been the foundation pillar of my journey these past 32 years and I built upon these pillars to support me through my life. Today as I was finishing off this 17th Mental Health Mantra, the phrase kept coming through "Your light makes a difference." Lorie Ladd on You Tube who I adore, reminds me of this often, especially in these times. It made me recognise that even feeling fatiguey today I can choose to be light and sit in that space for a while. For me, it was about turning my attention to light, being outside in nature, in the garden, watching the seagulls circle me, we have a crowd of them that hang out in south Liverpool / considering we're really only 4 miles from the River Mersey, they're never that far away. I realised that my light can make a difference. Even when I feel fatiguey and tired. I made a lovely lentil shephard's pie early in the day, so that I knew it was ready and I could settle into the day. I played crazy tennis ball games with the girls who just loved it, lots of waggy tails. In my meditation practice I can beam my light out on to Planet E and beyond, I can channel Reiki healing blessings to all. It only stops when I stop. I will continue to keep that focus and keep that relaxation meditation practice so that I can send light beams out. We all need that right now. To step back into our bodies and connect to our soul, to raise the light and vibration and send that out to all - that does mean me too. I need this too. What I know for sure .... is that you don't need to be some meditating guru and sit cross legged, what you need is the commitment to sit. In a chair. On a bed. Inside, outside,. Just a commitment to sit and connect to your breathing. Start there. It really is all that it is. You will find your light, and yes, it makes a difference. I was introduced to this quote back by Peter Russell who I met in New Mexico in 2004 on my adventure. "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." I loved that when I heard it, made complete sense to me. My commitment to sit is here. Sending out oodles of light to you whomever your are, reading this. Trust your intuitive intelligence. "Art with Heart - Calm your Mind, Soothe your Soul."
Are you juggling dealing with something that's making you feel overwhelmed and overloaded? Let's focus on 3 natural ways to de-stress on your doorstep. Green Space A daily dose of green space can really boost our health - and fast. We hear of this all the time don't we, but do we 'really' add it into our 'Creative Healing Toolkit?' Green Space doesn't mean you have to move to the forest or the heart of the country, grounding amongst grass and being side by side to trees is enough. According to Matthew White, environmental psychologist, "just looking at green space lowers stress hormones and increases calming alpha waves in the brain." So when was the last time you made a detour to take in some green space? When did you stop and take yourself out to a local park, your garden, a small cove of trees? Having a dog gives us an excuse to get access to green space - but what about getting access for yourself - at your pace, during your own timetable, without rushing? How about going somewhere different rather than the same park or the same route. We came across this term the other day called Forest Bathing - this is the Japanese inspired practice of woodland walking but with science and research behind it - Trees give off a protective chemical thought to lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Interestingly Walk and Talk Therapy (counselling therapy and walking) is becoming more and more popular around the world. Walk and Talk Therapy - you can read some of the benefits here in 'Taking Therapy Off The Couch' Counsellors and psychotherapists who instead of seeing patients in a traditional office setting, combine walking with psychotherapy. "It's very similar to traditional psychotherapy," one counsellor says, "except you are walking while you are talking about issues. I have found that bringing a little bit of movement enriches the counselling session. My clients are intrigued by the idea and are naturally drawn to being outside." So here are my 3 Ways to De-stress on your Doorstep. 1. Find a local park that you have never been to and go there. Plant your feet in the grass. No mobile phones allowed - take a book, a cup of tea and sit for 15 minutes. If you'd like to walk barefoot in the grass, do it. 2. If finding time is a problem right now, then how about detouring to work via a different greener route, is that possible? Is there a park along the way that you could stop by and sit for 3 minutes to watch the leaves on the trees? If you can park near trees, lower down your window, close your eyes and absorb in their neutralising chemicals. Take 10 minutes out of your lunch time, before work, or after work to detour via a local park. 3. Find or Create a Walking Group - friendship, walking and green space is a gorgeous mix, why not seek out, or create a walking group of your own. |