Types of Meditation There are thousands of types of meditation and mindfulness practices, varying from stillness to movement. You can be seated, standing, lying down, walking, dancing or doing. When starting out with meditation, practice a very simple method like pausing or focusing on the breath, daily or every other day if possible for small…
Learn to Breathe Well for Life In ancient Eastern cultures breathing is seen as fundamental to life-long health. This has become lost in the modern world, leaning more on pharmaceutical companies to provide us with ‘better health’. Learning to breathe more effectively can have a profound effect on how the systems in your body function….
Slowing Down in a Fast World If you consider your daily routine, what tasks and activities do you do at speed? I don’t mean sports where you deliberately train fast for aerobic exercise and strength and conditioning training. I mean everything from chores to work, to speaking and movement. If you observe your pace, you…
Deception Training Body Language and the Mind Body Connection This article looks at deception training and the relationship between Tai Chi and Qigong movements and stillness meditation practice. The Stress Response What does the fear, stress, anxiety, scared, afraid, discomfort or nervous response look like in your posture and movement? Posture: Hands are hidden or…
Meditation Myths There is a lot of misinformation about what meditation and mindfulness are, mixed in with unnecessary stereotypes and superiority. For many this puts the stillness practices out of reach. When I teach meditation and mindfulness, I strip away preconception, expectation and myths. Simplicity is the key. On a basic level mindfulness and meditation…
Winter Qi for the Kidneys Winter is yin by nature, a time for consolidating, stillness and retreating within. It is a dark, cold, wet and icy time. The winter solstice is seen as absolute yin, with the tiniest spark of light within. It is easy for our vitality to become depleted in this season, as…
Autumn Qi for the Lungs Autumn is a mellowing and contracting time of year that is governed by the metal element and the lungs in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Here are my suggestions for strengthening your lungs as the weather turns cooler. Lungs and Large Intestines in TCM The lung is known as a yin…
Ways to Relieve Stress I would go as far as saying that stress is one of the most silent health disorders of our modern times. Managing stress is often overlooked and seen as trivial. There is growing pressure on everyone, to go faster, be more productive, achieve more, do more and so on. Before we look…
Chronic Pain Qigong Livestream Come along to our online livestream for those living with chronic pain, who would like to explore gentle and powerful movements for both mind and body. Join instructor Nicola from the warmth and comfort of your own home for an hour of self discovery, discussion and practice in a private and…
Chronic Pain Course IOW ReMap Course Summary – March to June 2019 Wednesday 12 June 2019 saw the completion of the 12 week ReMap course in Newport on the Isle of Wight, a movement and stillness class for those living with chronic pain. Over the duration I introduced the students to ‘Hibernating Bear Tai Chi’, covering…
ReMap Course Isle of Wight Movement and Stillness for Health and Wellbeing March – June 2019 Isle of Wight charity the Independent Arts are launching a new project entitled ‘ReMap’ on 20th March in conjunction with the ‘Chronic Pain’ department at St Mary’s Hospital. This project is designed to help people manage their chronic pain…
Tai Chi Qigong for Ehlers Danlos Exploring the potential of Tai Chi and qigong exercises to aid the genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Instructor Nicola lives with hypermobility EDS, you can read her journey in health here. Living with a different health base-line from the norm comes with plenty of challenges, from…
Ebb and Flow Spring is near and life is beginning to return to the earth. My favourite time of year is about to erupt into pink and white blossom. Over the last months, my online lessons have flowed into similar paths. In the winter the challenges that come up during the practice and journey in Tai…
Taoist Teaching and Mid Life Assistance www.personaltao.com Taoism as a practice helps people live balanced and graceful lives. In China there is a saying: “You retire as a Taoist.” This is a reflection of the fact that Taoism as a teaching is deeply geared to help people come into their life. In the first third…
Tai Chi for Serotonin, Dopamine, Endorphins Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance (chemical neurotransmitter) within the human body. It helps to control our mood, emotions, thought patterns, learning and sleep by carrying signals in between the nerve cells (neurons). It is located in the intestines, within the central nervous system, the brain and in blood…
