Tuesday 17 December 2013

Bach Flower Essences for Christmas



Bach Flower Essences for Christmas JJ

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but for those of you who had a rush of blood to the head earlier in the year when you offered to host Christmas for the whole family, it can sometimes feel more like the season to be irritable, overwhelmed and worried. Even if you aren’t playing host, the sheer craziness of shopping in crowds, travelling at peak times and being with your nearest and dearest for a concentrated few days can find you swearing to book a long-distance flight this time next year. And then, there are some of you who maybe find the festive time difficult. Perhaps a loved one is no longer with you, perhaps you feel depressed or are even fearful of being on your own.

Bach Flower Essences can help us all with our wobbly emotions in the run up to and over the Christmas period.  Simple to take, they give us a helping hand, whilst gently rebalancing us emotionally.  There are 38 remedies (plus the famous rescue remedy) in total. I have jotted down just a few prime candidates to help you through December.

If, on reading this, you fancy a “cocktail” made up for you, send me an email / ring me with your list (I recommend having at most 5 essences at a time). I charge £5 for a bottle of your combination essences plus £3 postage.

 

Beech – overly critical and feeling irritated and annoyed by the way other people do things. Perhaps Great Aunt Mabel has a particularly grating voice that gets to you, or your ever-so-helpful cousin is just not washing up the “right” way.  Relax with a spot of Beech.   

Centaury – the inability to say “no” to others. Helps us to stand firm in who we are and what we want. So when you are exhausted and really need some time to yourself you can say “NO” nicely and assertively to the neighbour who invites you round for the cuppa and mince pie that you don’t really want!!  

Cherry Plum – you feel like you are losing your mind and may do or say something you’ll regret. A good one when you feel close to blowing your top!! The Bach Flower that counts to 10 and takes a deep breath for you …….. 

Elm – you have bitten off more than you can chew, and no, this is not for when you cram that extra roast potato into your mouth!! We are talking overwhelm from too many responsibilities.  Your usual capable self suddenly loses confidence and feels inadequate and unable to cope. Elm helps to put things back into perspective, and maybe, just maybe, you don’t actually have to do everything on your list after all!! (Do, Ditch or Delegate!)

Holly is for envy, hatred, spite and jealousy. Old family feuds and perceived hurts can sometimes come to the surface when we are all under the same roof. Holly helps to open up our natural loving nature.    

Honeysuckle – for those of you who have lost a loved one and wish him/her back with you, or for those suffering with home sickness. It helps us live in the present and make the most of opportunities presented to us.  Perhaps an invite from a friendly neighbour could open new doors (literally and figuratively)?      

Impatiens – as the name suggests, this is for impatience. When people and things are not moving fast enough for you!! The children are getting under your feet in the kitchen, the queues in the supermarket are a mile long, the traffic hasn’t moved for the last half hour ……… it helps us appreciate that things happen when they happen, and no amount of frustration on your part can hurry them along!!

Larch – for those of you who are lacking in self-confidence. Maybe you’ve been landed with tackling the Christmas Dinner for the very first time, and don’t feel up to the task. Larch helps give your confidence a boost so that you feel that you can try new things, without expecting failure, and even if you do burn the carrots, you can put it down to experience without feeling despondent.   

Mimulus – for everyday fears of things we can name and also for those of us who are naturally shy and feel uncomfortable in social situations, perhaps getting tongue-tied or going bright pink when someone speaks to us. It gives us a quiet courage to face our fears.  

Olive – for exhaustion. You’ve overdone everything and now feel drained beyond tired. I like to take this throughout a stressful period to prevent getting into this state. 

Pine - you feel guilty and responsible for everything and everybody and find “sorry” on your lips far too often. You feel guilty that your aunt doesn’t like her present, or that lunch is going to be 10 minutes late and even apologise for the weather!! Pine stops us from taking on everyone else’s stuff and feeling that we are to blame for all that goes wrong. (And even when we do something wrong, it’s done and dusted, and there really is no point in feeling guilty for it for evermore!)   

Scleranthus – decisions, decisions, decisions! Which colour socks to get Uncle Sam, which party invite to accept for New Year’s Eve? If you find yourself toing and froing between this and that, Scleranthus helps you make a firm decision that you are happy with.   

Vervain – you have planned the perfect Christmas, you feel driven and bubbling with enthusiasm, always on the go, with not a moment to sit down, but now cannot relax and unwind. Vervain helps you to switch off and relax mentally and physically.       

White Chestnut – for gramophone-record style worry; going over and over the same things. The long to-do list, what presents to buy, “should I have”, “what if” etc.  Your head feels crammed with stale old thoughts, so it’s not only difficult to concentrate during the day, but also nigh on impossible to drift off into sleep for a bit of mental peace and quiet! It helps to de-clutter our brains so that thoughts can start to flow in and out rather than take up permanent residence!! 

Rescue Remedy – a general remedy for anxiety, the effects of an argument, maybe an accident in the kitchen, or when you are generally just not feeling “at one”.  Impatiens and Cherry Plum are both included in this combination so it’s good when you feel you might just lose it with those around you!!! 

   


Thursday 12 December 2013

Happy Cell Daruma Dolls and Vibrant Health


 
 
Happy Cell Daruma Dolls and Vibrant Health JJ
Do you remember a time in your life when you were in love? You floated around, and felt anything was possible.  Life flowed, the world seemed so much more colourful, nothing was a trouble, you felt more connected, and the latest lurgy passed you by because your immune system was also riding high!! This is what vibrant health feels like. When our cells are healthy and happy, we feel so much more connected to life, we feel more grounded and comfortable in our own skin. “Stuff” can still happen to us, but we don’t get toppled by it. Our immune system is so much more robust. Our thoughts, movements and emotions are a lot more fluid, which means then that we don’t become stuck, whether with a physical symptom (eg. frequent headaches), a particular way of thinking which may prevent us from moving on in life or trying new things, or even an emotion which weighs heavy on us. In essence, enjoying vibrant health helps us to stay strong and rooted but at the same time we can be flexible in our thoughts and emotions. We are open to new possibilities and can therefore fulfil our potential.  
For me, changing my diet helped me edge closer to this state. Talking to friends, some found that meditation, others exercise, was their first stepping stone. None of these things are THE answer on their own, but once you embrace one thing and notice a difference, it can encourage you to look at other life-enhancing habits too, which all contribute to a more vibrant state of living.
It’s a sort of chicken and egg scenario. Where do you start? What do you feel drawn to? Perhaps trying Tai Chi or Yoga; perhaps drinking more water and cutting out your daily must-have coffees; perhaps joining a meditation group? It can be something really simple which starts you on a completely new path but, without making that first step, I can guarantee you will remain stuck. If you do the same things, day-in, day-out, you cannot expect different results.    
December is a good time to reflect on the year that’s just gone (and boy where did it go?) and is also an opportunity to start planning for the year ahead. How do you want to feel in 2014? What would you do with more energy and vitality?  What would you do with fewer aches and pains; less stress; less fatigue; fewer health niggles? What are you willing to do to enjoy better health?  
Choose just 3 things you can commit to during January which will start you on the path to Vibrant Health. Make them achievable!! If you’ve shipped your three from LaLa land, they are unlikely to get off the launch pad. So …………..
·         Running a marathon in January when you have yet to buy a pair of trainers is a no-no. Going for a brisk 10 minute walk round the block every day though is a brilliant one to start the ball rolling.
·         The idea of converting to a raw vegan diet, whilst cramming the last of the turkey into your mouth, is a little extreme, but making 2 days a week non-meat days is a good start. 
·         Committing to an hour-long meditation every morning at 6am when you normally sleep until 8 and have butterfly brain at the best of times is very commendable but is likely to crumble the first time the alarm wakes you abruptly at your new enlightened hour. Best to start with a do-able 5 – 10 minute meditation each day which can be fitted into your normal hours.
How I approach goals myself, and I have started doing this with clients too, is to write them down and, by the side of each, draw a Daruma Doll. These were traditional Japanese dolls, seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck and used as a gift of encouragement.
They have also been adopted commercially for goal setting!  When drawn, each doll is a simple shape (I draw mine as a Happy Cell) with two big eyes, which at the beginning are empty. When you start your goal, you fill one eye in; when you complete your task successfully, you fill in the other (and I add a big smile). So at the end of the month you hopefully have 3 fully sighted and smiling Darumas!!! I know I am sad, but this approach appeals to me (I used to like collecting coloured sticky stars at school).  It’s a visual to remind me throughout the month to stay on track and then finally to prove to myself that I have made improvements. Put it somewhere you look at each day. In addition, what I suggest is that you write down how you feel physically, mentally and emotionally on Day 1. Be honest. Then at the end of the month, do the same. If you have put some life-enhancing changes into place, it’s likely that you will see some improvement, maybe small, but it’s still an improvement which will encourage you to keep going.
 
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