Fed up and looking for change? Yes to the freedom and transformative power of authentic self-love.

One of the most important and yet challenging things in life is to learn how to be truly be compassionate with ourselves. The relationship that we have with ourselves has a huge impact on our lives and affects our relationships with everything and everyone. I’m not talking about loving ourselves only when we feel we are ‘loveable’, loving the ‘good’ aspects of ourselves and shoving the ‘not so good’ under the carpet, giving ourselves a hard time when we feel ‘not good enough’. I’m not talking about loving ourselves and not caring about others. I’m talking about genuine self-love and self-compassion for ourselves that naturally extends to others authentically. It is of course true that it can be very challenging at times to love ourselves especially the bits of ourselves we are less fond of but if we are picking and choosing what we love about ourselves-is that really self love? Self-love is all embracing and about loving ourselves even if we are finding it very difficult to do that. Have compassion with that part of you that is having difficulty with doing that. In order to be more compassionate with ourselves we can try to be kind to ourselves, accept that we are imperfect and embrace the freedom of living more fully in the now. We don’t need to run from our emotions but rather befriend them and take care of them by being really kind to ourselves. Self-compassion means loving and accepting oneself fully- the ‘good’ and the ‘not so good’. When we accept ourselves as we are, we open up to transformation- we can experience a lot more peace and freedom. We also begin to free ourselves from judgment: both of others and ourselves. What is there to judge and why? When we are self-critical or critical of others we increase stress hormones in the body and we are sending the body into the fight or flight response. Acceptance is hugely freeing. Accepting the things we cannot change makes space to change the things we can change. The talented psychologist Robert Holden once said that ‘illness has a very basic cause- lack of self-love’. Self-love and self-compassion are hugely empowering and hugely healing. We simply cannot underestimate the power of genuine and true self-love and compassion. Certainly its easy to love ourselves when things are going well in life but I’m talking about the type of love that can embrace even the most difficult of emotions: fear, anger, grief, distress etc. Self-compassion is not some airy-fairy concept that is a waste of time. It means being very real and true to ourselves and takes honesty, commitment, dedication and responsibility. Self-care is a huge part of self-love....

Read More

Honouring the Hearts needs-the importance of balance.

Honouring the Hearts needs-the importance of balance.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world. A sedentary lifestyle, food which doesn’t nourish us and smoking can all be real culprits. Chinese Medicine would also say that heart disease can result from too much excitement and excess which leads to the disturbance of heart energy. Its good to look for the middle way in life and find balance without excess or deficiency. Coming back to gratitude and simplicity can help and learning to know when you have enough is also helpful to the heart if you have a tendency to overdo it. Sometimes less is more if you have a tendency towards excess. If you have a tendency towards deficiency you will need to nourish your heart more through connection with what and whom we love, openness and focusing on things that nourish your heart and bring it joy. If the fire energy burns too bright, we may become agitated and anxious. Conditions such as high blood pressure and hypertension may result. An excessive fire can also lead to burnout and ultimately a state of deficiency where low blood pressure and fatigue results. This shows us the importance of balancing fire energy and really nourishing our hearts and listening to our hearts needs. Our fire energy should feel like a warm, comforting and cosy fire. The kind you can happily sit around and really rest and find refuge beside. You don’t want a fire burning too strong! Equally if our fire energy is too weak and it feels like sitting around embers that are about to extinguish that is not what you want either. Some passion, joy and a bit of “joie de vivre” in life is good without overdoing it. Aim to find balance in life. When fire and heart energy is balanced it feels open, comforting and warm. The “emperor” heart (the heart is referred to as the emperor in Chinese medicine) can then rule as it should with ease, flow and without complications. This is very helpful to your body and conducive to good health. It can be helpful to write about things or call to mind things that bring your heart joy. Drop down into your hearts knowing and feeling to do this. It’s not so much an exercise that is thought as felt. Take moments to pause today and savour things that really bring your heart beauty and joy. Take time to open and savour connection with what and whom you love and brings...

Read More

Nourishing Ourselves During Winter- The Wisdom of Water.

Nourishing Ourselves During Winter- The Wisdom of Water.

This time of year in Shiatsu and Chinese medicine terms is linked to the element of water. It is a time to find ways to really replenish, rest and gently stimulate ourselves in nurturing ways during the colder weather. The organs associated with water are the kidney and the bladder. Kidney energy would be seen to be strongest during the winter months. The kidney is the source of both yin and yang in the body-that balance between control, stillness and going with the flow. The kidneys in Chinese medicine terms are considered the foundation for good health and vitality, essentially the root of everything. Kidneys are responsible for fluid balance, waste elimination, regulation of blood PH and mineral balance. They also play an important role in red blood cell production. Kidneys govern life force in the body- our drive and our motivation for life. Kidney energy in shiatsu terms is related to survival, reproduction and curiosity. This energy goes towards life and people who are full of life and are quite driven generally have strong kidney energy. This is a good thing as long as it is really balanced with rest so we don’t burn out. Too much stimulation of the kidneys without balance over time can lead to adrenal fatigue. We learn so much from both stillness and movement. Life is all about balance. When kidney energy is healthy and in flow, life feels adventurous, spontaneous and we can embrace the energy of the now with curiosity and openness. If we feel anxious in some way, we will deplete our kidney energy so it is important to deal with our inner fears so we don’t block spontaneity. Face your fears to overcome them. The book ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’ is worth recommending. Blocking spontaneity blocks kidney energy and embracing spontaneity and playfulness by not taking life too seriously, being lighthearted, finding things that we love and bring us joy supports our kidneys. Keeping a perspective on things keeps kidney energy healthy and flowing. There is a sense of going with the flow, which is what water does. When we have healthy energy, it’s a bit like a river flowing… we move along and embrace change. The river may have slower, stiller points or points with more movement but it always embraces change and goes towards the sea- this is the nature of our lives and a good metaphor for it. If a river becomes too stagnant or gets too stuck, that can result in a lot of stagnant, murky energy and is when illness occurs. As we age, weakened kidneys will result in reduced energy, declining hormone levels, impaired brain function, bone weakness, hearing loss,...

Read More

How I got Through a very difficult transition in my life.

How I got Through a very difficult transition in my life.

I first heard about shiatsu when I lived in France. It had been very successful in supporting a French friend of mines mother who had suffered from breast cancer. I was fascinated to hear about the supportive nature of this therapy. I had never heard of it before and didn’t think anything more about it until I encountered a difficult moment in my own life. I had a break up with a beloved French ex of mine and was broken hearted. We loved each other a lot and i knew we always would despite the break-up. I was very upset. Thankfully the idea of going for a shiatsu treatment came to me. It was clear to me that the practitioner i went to had a very heartfelt intention of goodness and depth for me and my wellbeing which began to soothe and comfort me. Such things are very transparent and felt deeply in the heart. It was clear to me that this practitioner was full of integrity. It wasn’t easy for me to relax at this moment – but slowly and surely over the course of the treatment, I began to relax and let go. The practitioner was listening deeply to me and I could feel myself slowly connect with a deeper serenity and peace within me and a knowingness that things were momentarily very tough for me, that I was very upset emotionally and felt completely heartbroken but that everything was going to be ok. ‘This too shall pass’ I found myself really knowing and remembering as the treatment progressed. I could really feel my energy shift and change during the treatment. As she put her weight on different parts of my body and worked different energy lines throughout my body with the palms of her hand, thumbs and elbows, it really gave me such relief and I felt so nourished, listened to and held. Shiatsu is so deep, nurturing and pure. A practitioner is constantly practicing empty mind, which is a pure state of meditation, non-judgment, and acceptance, which is so healing for the client and reconnects them to their own essence and strength Shiatsu is a three-year training of real depth. If you want to help others you really have to know how to help and truly honor yourself. We all have stuff to work on and improve and that thankfully in life that is something I have always been willing to do. I have always been commited to wellbeing and  understanding myself and others deeply.  Of course you have to really know and be attuned to yourself thoroughly before dreaming of treating another person and I have engaged in a lot of different type of...

Read More

Pricing

Shiatsu Therapy- shiatsu, moxibustion or Chinese cupping An hour long session- sixty five euros An hour and a half-eighty euros A private yoga session An hour long session- sixty five euros A private qigong session-beginners An hour long session- sixty five euros Special offer Four sessions of one hour shiatsu-two hundred and twenty euros Five sessions of one hour shiatsu-three hundred euros Four sessions of one and a half hour shiatsu-two hundred and seventy euros Five sessions of one and a half hour shiatsu-three hundred and fifty...

Read More

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Read More

Dealing with Anxiety: 20 Effective tips to help you.

Dealing with Anxiety: 20 Effective tips to help you.

Dealing with Anxiety: 20 Effective tips to help you. Anxiety consists of an excess of fear and worry that interferes with daily life. Anxiety often leads to inaction as people are too preoccupied by fearful thoughts to take the actions they want to take in life. When someone is anxious they tend very much to live in the future. They find it difficult to concentrate or to focus. Immediate needs become all important to the person suffering from anxiety and they lose sight of the bigger picture. Anxiety can impact a person’s confidence because they people with anxiety tend to question too much what they do or say. Decision-making can be difficult and potential solutions might be rejected as being ‘impossible’. In this mood thinking is pessimistic and negative. If anxiety continues over a prolonged period of time, it can give rise to exhaustion, depression or more serious mental health issues. It is important to address it in its early stages and to talk to someone who can help you. Anxious people may suffer from abdominal pain and bloating, indigestion, dry mouth, palpitations, a range of aches and pains in muscles, poor skin and posture and muscle twitches. The long-term effects of prolonged stress and anxiety can lead to heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer and other diseases. It is definitely something that requires your attention and there are many effective things that you can do about it. Anxiety affects the way you see the world. Just as too much confidence can mean that people overlook important details, too much anxiety means that a person spends too much time thinking about certain details and can often lead to inaction. In this mood, you are unlikely to take risks. A healthy amount of anxiety means disasters are avoided and things aren’t overlooked but too much means people get too held back in life and miss experiencing new things in life or stepping into their true power. I can help you overcome anxiety and lead a happier and more fulfilled life. Contact me at emulla8888@gmail.com Here are some short- term strategies for a quick physical lift. Pick a few of these ideas that appeal to you. Get in touch for a consultation with me, I’d love to hear from you and to help you lead a happier and more fulfilled life. Slow down your breathing. By mentally controlling your breathing, you physically calm your body. If you take care of your body, you are also taking care of your mind. Get wet….Water has therapeutic qualities and can help you calm and relax. Swimming or taking a nice hot bath with Epsom salts/pink himalyan salts (which draw out toxins) can help...

Read More
Soulful Living