How to unhook from ruminating thoughts
You’ve probably tried before to unhook from ruminating thoughts. You know the ones – the unhelpful thoughts, memories and worries that are insistent and pretty tenacious! They often appear when you’re trying to sleep. Or before you are about to do something big because those thoughts include an inner critic who says you won’t be…
Read More
The Myth of the New You
Do you feel you’re not Being or Doing enough? At the start of a new year it’s easy to look critically at ourselves. We decide that we’re not being or doing enough. All the things that need improvement seem glaringly obvious. We read how everyone else is setting goals for success. When we compare ourselves…
Read More
The Number One Intention to Bring to Your Life
An intention is an aim or a plan. It’s a gentle invitation. Simple yet profound. And this is the number one intention I invite you to bring to your life. Whatever you are experiencing: health issues obstacles failure confusion hopelessness loneliness a wobble in confidence or self-belief you’ve lost your way you’re on the receiving…
Read More
The Simple Skill of Awareness
In this moment as you read these words, turn your awareness to your body. Are your shoulders hunched up, your breathing shallow, your neck tense? What else do you notice? Develop your Awareness It’s a fact that throughout the day your body experiences a continual flow of tensions. You only need to develop the simple…
Read More
My rage against reality causes stress
My rage against reality causes stress ‘I don’t want this to be happening!’ Well, I could be referring to political events here in Britain or around the world. It certainly would be true! My rage against reality causes stress. Do you recognise how this happens for you in your daily life? ‘I wish my child…
Read More
Repetition and the Mindful Earworm
I’ve had an earworm stuck in my mind for several days now. It’s unwanted An earworm is an unwanted tune that’s in your head, on repeat! Mine is ‘Let it go!’ which comes from a Disney film I never saw. But it’s currently being used on a TV ad. Earworms are a bit like…
Read More
Mindfulness is a String of Pearls
Mindfulness is a string of pearls that holds together the best values you might wish to embody: acceptance peace patience gratitude compassion joy love and so many more strong qualities Mindfulness If you practice mindfulness and meditation, it doesn’t mean you shut the world out. It’s not about staying safe in your own little bubble.…
Read More
How to Live your Wonderful Calm Life!
A Calm Life A calm life means you’re not agitated or disturbed. It doesn’t mean that the unexpected or unwanted never happens. That would be pretty impossible right now, wouldn’t it? Instead, with mindfulness, everything feels a little more under control. No, that’s not true. Mindfulness can help you feel a tiny bit empowered about…
Read More
It’s Time to Let This Go!
Are you carrying round a heavy burden? It might be a secret, a grudge, resentment or regret. Maybe it’s busy-ness or sadness. Whatever your burden, you know it’s time to let this go. It’s time to let this go ‘I think of the trees and how simply they let go, let fall the riches of…
Read More
‘I don’t feel good enough!’
Most of us put on a brave front. We push ourselves harder and we keep positive. And yet beneath the veneer of success or mask of serenity that we’ve created, we often don’t feel good enough. Those constant stories A ‘trance of unworthiness’ lies beneath all our endeavours. This is Tara Brach’s term – a…
Read More
Reveal the True You!
What do we mean to ‘reveal the true you’? The Clay Buddha Jack Kornfield reminds us in ‘The Wise Heart’ of a story from Thailand. A clay statue of a Buddha had sat for hundreds of years in a village square. One day a villager noticed a crack in it and had a closer look.…
Read More
Let Go of Negative Thoughts with Mindful Meditation
‘At the most basic level, meditation is simply about thinking thoughts, then letting go of them,’ says Suze Yalof Schwartz, founder of Unplug Meditation. ‘It’s about learning to distinguish between thoughts that serve us and thoughts that don’t.’ How can you let go of negative thoughts with mindful meditation? Very often it seems to…
Read More
The Breath
You have the most powerful tool to hand. It’s the breath. Become aware of it whenever you need a moment to become calm. Stay peaceful with the breath You can access your breath anytime. Even amid the chaos choose to focus on the present moment. It doesn’t have to be the weekend or time away…
Read More
Spring Declutter
Is spring enticing you to do a declutter in your home? Hoarding is not confined to those people we see on TV. Many of us find ourselves weighed down with ‘things’. Whatever the season, a declutter can be daunting when you start. It might be your office, study or any untidy room in your home.…
Read More
Negative Emotions when you Meditate
Negative emotions when you meditate When I teach my courses in Mindfulness and Meditation, those new to it can be surprised or even overwhelmed by the depth of emotions they feel. Quite often you may not know where these emotions have come from and it feels confusing and scary. It’s not unusual to experience what…
Read More