Body, Mind and Soul Reflexology

Greeting the Rotator Cuff: Learn Integral Anatomy with Gil Hedley https://www.gilhedley.com In this video I introduce the muscle tissues of the rotator cuff of the shoulder joint by means of a clay model, and discuss some o...

Holistic Vagus Nerve Stretches for Immediate Relief Nourish your nervous system on every level.

Your feet are your foundation.

𝑪𝒖𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒕

I love to cue foot placement by talking about the three points of the feet - the ball of the foot, the base of the pinky toe and the center of the heel. For at least 3 reasons:

🔹These points correspond to the arches of the foot and muscular attachments so there is an anatomical connection.

🔹This anatomical connection can help grow improve a person's ability to sense and feel their body (interoception) and where their body in space (proprioception).

🔹This can grow better balance, quicker pace, a grounded platform for better strength

And if you want more, join me Feb 14, 15 and 21 for my Power of Pure Movement: Strong and Supple Feet. Register here: https://learn.functionalsynergy.com/feet

𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘.

Feeling stuck? Then maybe it’s worth trying Rock Water. This is the only Bach flower in the 38 remedies that isn’t from a flower, plant or tree. As I often mention to students, be your own laboratory like Dr Bach was to help you discover the nuances of the remedies. I’ve been doing that this past week with Rock Water. It’s not a regular choice for me but I felt drawn to it when I noticed how much I overthink which can leave me feeling stuck.

For example, wanting a perfect solution to a conundrum — the possibilities dart into my mind and then diverge into other scenarios. Pros and cons. (I was trained in risk analysis from four years old due to being left in charge of 3 younger siblings — so I think that’s in there somewhere). I took that responsibility very seriously so Oak tendencies have stayed with me too. I think this probably led into the overthinking, which became an instinctive way of being, that is still with me many decades later.

The over-thinking is multi-channelled. It’s only now at this stage of life that I’m giving more considered reflection to how it impacts on me. (Feeling overwhelmed by too many channels is one example.. the mind doesn’t seem to have the same flexibility, and neither does the body..) I had wondered whether any latent fear was influencing this, or lack of confidence yet that didn’t resonate in the condundrum scenarios. It was Rock Water that enabled the shift. To go with the flow instead of being fixed. To not make things/thinking harder than they need to be. That alone lightens the load.

Rock is fixed, Water is flow. There are fine qualities to both and yet if we are too much of one and not enough of the other then we can get stuck on the rocks or caught in a whirlpool.

As I write this I’m remembering how as a child I would escape when I could to the woods. If I wasn’t hiding with a book high up in my favourite tree (which as it happens was an Oak), I’d sling my plimsolls around my neck and paddle through narrow streams between banks of trees and undergrowth, intent on clearing any debris that impeded its flow. I’d be quietly elated when the water could run freely or when an unblocked tiny spring bubbled against my toes. Happy days.

Life goes full circle… 🌺

What is your experience of Rock Water? Which Bach flower have you experimented with for yourself lately? 🌺

Sleep Fix for Longevity Sleep has been proven to be more important to a person's well-being than food and exercise combined, and lack of sleep can negatively impact our immediate and long-term health, as evidenced in many scientific studies and our own life experiences.

Did you know your tongue is a lymph draining organ?

A strong well positioned tongue is an effective toxin clearing system.

Most people aren’t aware how important their tongue posture is.

It’s also capable of absorbing. The mucous membrane of the tongue can absorb some substances – for example medications that are to act quickly.

A tablet, fluid or spray put underneath the tongue, but not swallowed, is called sublingual administration, and absorbs into the body faster than the digestive system.

Let’s look at how the tongue drains into the lymph system.

The tip of the tongue drains into the submental lymph node under the chin.

The middle of the tongue drains into the submandibular node, which you can feel under the jawbone.

At the back, down toward the throat, it drains to the deep cervical nodes that run down through the neck which you can see on the image above.

What is important to remember is that lymph drains via movement.

Proper movement of the tongue is a skill that most people aren’t aware of. It is a complex muscle system, and each of these different segments must move properly for the lymph system to flow properly.

The tongue has a great ability to move in all directions. The reason for this is the way the muscle fibers are arranged, which is unique in our body. They run in all three directions: from front to back, from the sides to the middle and from top to bottom. This allows the tongue to make the following movements:

It’s the only muscle in our body that can actively contract and extend. When the vertical and horizontal fibers contract at the same time, the tongue becomes narrower and longer: we can stick our tongue out.

• Raising and lowering
• Bending backwards
• Advancing and retracting

So, let’s try a tongue movement exercise:

1) Open your jaw as wide as it will go
2) Poke the tongue out as far as it will go (keeping to straight to the horizontal)
3) Move slowly side to side touching each corner of the mouth (Repeat 10x)
4) Put the tongue to the floor of the mouth and lift the tongue right to the palate behind the upper front teeth (Repeat 10x)

Did you know the tongue movements clear the lymphatic system of the mouth and neck?

Carols, festive lights, supermarket jingles, food and gift shopping are not always a welcome sign for everyone when it comes to getting into the Christmas spirit. So, having your own Bach flowers to hand can be a blessing.

It may be your first Christmas without a loved one (Star of Bethlehem), yearning for happier times (Honeysuckle), or there are the pressures of juggling too much (Elm, Oak, Centaury or Vervain are some of the possibilities), or worried sick about where the money is coming from to pay bills (Mimulus) or buy gifts (Scleranthus can help that decision). Or feeling guilty that you’ve either not spent enough or too much (Pine).

There might be your excitement of preparing a festive family dinner coupled with concern about their various food preferences/allergies (Red Chestnut). And if you’re Chicory inclined, then you’ll be going overboard creating something wonderful, while not wanting to feel disappointed (Gentian, or Willow if resentment creeps in) when others don’t reciprocate in the same way. (It’s all about needing to feel loved and appreciated).

If you say you prefer to be on your own, then your Water Violet tendencies could be leading you to withdraw. Yet it may be worth considering how a little time with others can be uplifting, but remember to leave company before the point of feeling exhausted.

Or are you someone who is oblivious to the build-up, not sure which day of the week is the 25th, and then on the 22nd rush around in a frenzy of solitary activity to put up and decorate the tree, buy and wrap gifts, write and mail cards, food shop and cook a four course meal for 8 on the day? Then you might be Clematis and Impatiens…

What is magical about the 38 Bach flowers is that you can find a single remedy or choose a bespoke combination of up to 7 to help you feel emotionally balanced and present to Christmas in a way that resonates for you.

Which Bach flowers have helped you?🌲🌺

It's been understood for more than a millennium that the body alternates between predominantly using the left and right nostrils to breathe -- in anywhere from 30 minute to 4 hour cycles. This wasn’t verified experimentally until the late 1800’s. At the time, no one really knew what it was for and offered multiple dubious explanations. What has since been learned is that the body does this to help regulate a number of bodily functions and processes. Air taken through the right nostril stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing circulation, cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Air taken through the left nostril stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering blood pressure, heart rate, cooling the body and reducing anxiety. And to answer the obvious question, yes -- selectively breathing through one nostril or the other CAN be used therapeutically.

Tissue salts are a very helpful way to support your health, and this is a great offer.

Single Tissue Salts Tissue Salts are specially prepared micro-doses of the body’s 12 essential minerals.

As a reflexologist I am delighted to see this. Storing chi energy under the nails is also an ancient Chi Gung practice.

Human hands glow, but fingernails release the most light, according to a recent study that found all parts of the hand emit detectable levels of light.

Not only does nail polish and plastic nails block the flow of energy, the toxins in the products have been found in the bloodstream within 10 minutes of application.

https://www.carlagoldenwellness.com/2012/10/05/hands-shown-to-emit-light/

I love Bach Flower Essences, they add another level to managing the emotional aspects of our lives.

It's good to know that they can help us deal with the often uncomfortable effects of menopause.

I’ve been asked which Bach flowers can help with menopause. First off, it’s really important to recognise that in selecting flowers you must identify how you feel emotionally. Any woman who has gone through the menopause (yes, it does eventually pass) or are still in the throes of it, often find that the physical symptoms of the menopause are certainly not comfortable. How you cope emotionally will have an impact on how you manage this life stage, and for some women there might be a range of changing emotions and chaotic thinking.

Bach flowers can help you recalibrate your emotions and reclaim the inner resources to help accommodate and adjust to this significant life stage.

A few examples of the Bach flowers that women have found pertinent during menopause are:

Mood swings — Scleranthus, Cherry Plum
Irritability — Impatiens, Beech, Vervain*
Anger — Willow, Cherry Plum, Holly
Self: disgust/guilt/denial — Crab Apple, Pine, Rock Water
Emotional fatigue or inertia— Olive, Oak, Centaury, Wild Rose
Brain fog — Clematis, Chestnut Bud, Hornbeam
Anxiety — Aspen, Mimulus, Rock Rose
Sadness — Gentian, Mustard, Gorse

*There are high profile campaigners in the UK channeling Vervain energy to raise awareness of menopausal issues.

Sometimes too if there is a grieving or longing for what was then Honeysuckle. Walnut to aid in adjusting to change. And if it all feels rather traumatic then Star of Bethlehem. Many women carry the crisis formula around with them so if they’re having a hot flush at an inopportune moment, it helps to remain calm and composed — and maybe even laugh it off as a “power surge”! A lot of emotional energy goes into denying how we really feel inside during those public moments, and when we take that pressure off ourselves and acknowledge it, it helps us breathe out and relax more.

The Bach flowers listed above are only a very tiny snapshot from the 38 flowers. So I’d suggest you don’t go rushing out to buy remedies until you’ve clearly identified your emotions and can accurately match those to the corresponding flowers that are right for you. You can have up to 7 in your personal mix. You might also find talking to a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner a good way to learn more about the flowers and yourself.

What is your experience of using any of the Bach flowers during menopause? 🌺

The Power of the Pits (Arm Pits, of course) I am serious though. When you look closely at the muscles and fascia that make up the pits, it is remarkable how they impact strength, stability and mobility.

Intuition….how often do you hear yours…and then ignore it? Intuition is innate and yet we can find ourselves dismissing the vague feeling of unease (Aspen) or pushing through with a situation out of duty even when it doesn’t feel quite right (Oak) or being so ungrounded (Clematis) that you’re unable to give form to your intuition, that may at times feel overwhelming.

The one Bach flower which is most commonly associated with intuition is Cerato. A tiny delicate flower of vibrant colour (it grows beneath the window of Dr Bach’s study at the Bach Centre) that he described as for:

“Those who have not sufficient confidence in themselves to make their own decisions. They constantly seek advice from others, and are often misguided.”

How confident are you within yourself? Is that lack of confidence your Achilles heel? It’s hard to trust your intuition if you don’t have self-belief. Instead you will ask for the opinions of others, weighing up differing points of view, and most likely taking a decision that is contrary to your initial intuition, and then regretting it (Pine). If it becomes all about you seeking out others, there may even be some Heather in there.

Cerato helps you to strengthen the connection to your intuition. To recognise that the quiet inner voice is worthy of being heard. To be able to feel confident in knowing you can make decisions without unnecessarily seeking input or being swayed by what others think (Walnut).

It’s also useful to make a note of any intuitive thoughts you have (otherwise it’s easy to forget them) and notice what happens if you do or do not follow through. It’s a way to assess the veracity of your intuition and enhance your confidence. 🌺

How has Cerato helped you? 🌺

Gorgeous photo by Nicola Hanefeld BFRP 🌺

Our human form is absolutely perfect in all its aspects, perhaps it is time to see ourselves as part of a greater form and accept each and every part with equally unconditional appreciation?

In This Next Full moon and after the intense Lionsgate portal opening
There is a major re-set happening within many of us ,
If you are feeling tired, spaced out or experiencing inertia, this is a temporary state of being whilst this reset continues.
Many of us are now winding up all of our old karmic and completed or redundant soul contracts, our habitual ways of being and doing.

The pictures of reality that we have lived with for so long are now changing and the new ones are not yet known. In fact, most likely there will never be the same kind of certainty that most of us have grown up with ever again.

We are now entering an age of emergence – where we are living in the moment, navigating by our senses – learning to go with what feels good, our intuition, our desires and our inner knowing.

Life is going to be very organic which means our old ways of doing things and how we see life is going to be vastly different.

We are going to need to know how to be in flow with the evolutionary impulse as well as our own cyclical nature and this is something that will feel pretty alien to many.

We will be learning how to stay true to ourselves whilst at the same time re-purposing our skills and experience to serve in a new, more collaborative way than we have before.

At this time, plenty of rest, good nutrition, time in nature and contemplation or journaling activities can be supportive in helping us integrate whilst this major re-set is happening.

These can be times when we feel great loss and it is important to let the tears fall even when we are not sure why we are crying.

At a soul level, much is changing and re- orienting.
This takes time and energy.
We are on the brink of a golden opportunity to do things differently to how we have before.

A child like stance of curiosity and willingness to try things out are helpful at this time.
Above all, kindness and patience.
For ourselves and for each other.
Kindness and compassion is the new Earths Energy .

By Universal Faith and Hope
Art by Indg0

In Dr Bach’s final lecture, a month before he died in November 1936, he told his audience that the main principles of using the 38 Bach flowers that he had discovered, were:

1. That no medical knowledge whatever is required.

2. That the disease itself is of no consequence whatsoever

3. That the mind is the most sensitive part of our bodies, and hence the best guide to tell us what is required

4. Thus the manner in which a patient reacts to an illness is alone taken into account. Not the illness itself.

5. That such as fear, depression, doubt, hopelessness, irritability, a desire for company or a desire to be alone, indecision, such are the true guides to the way in which a patient is being affected his malady, and to the Remedy he needs.”

With Dr Bach’s words in mind, it has been interesting to read in The Times this week of researchers at University College London, who analysed decades of research, and concluded there was no convincing evidence that depression is associated with, or caused by, lower serotonin or a chemical imbalance. Depression is frequently treated with pharmaceutical drugs and understandably the research has provoked some debate about their efficacy. In the article, psychotherapist James Davies (Phd in social and medical anthropology) is interviewed citing his findings that were published in his book Sedated: How modern capitalism created our mental health crisis. One conclusion he reached from working in the NHS was that the people he saw weren’t mentally ill in any biological sense, but their suffering was a reaction to the challenging social, environmental and relational situations they were caught in. He identified one of the key root causes of mental ill health as dissatisfaction with work, which has been increasing since the 1980s, as has the use of medication. While drugs may ease the symptoms, they are not addressing the cause.

In light of this, it seems that Dr Bach’s conclusions 90 years ago are as relevant as ever. If we privilege our mental and emotional outlook there are the Bach flowers to help us deal with what assails us.

Working with a Bach Foundation Registered Practitioner, or attending classes or reading his books to learn more about the Bach flowers and yourself is a meaningful way to support mental and emotional well-being. The flowers can also be integrated with other modalities, allopathic and complementary so you can create a holistic framework that meets your health needs. 🌺

How have the Bach flowers helped you or yours? 🌺

I love the subtle but powerful effects of these remedies. Sometimes you notice an improvement very quickly such as the effect of Rescue Remedy on someone in a state of shock, at other times it takes a while to realise that some habit or way of thinking has changed for the better over a period of time. Either way they are a great resource for people, pets and even plants.

Fear. Certainly in the UK, and quite possibly elsewhere in the world, the media do a great deal to promote and perpetuate fear of daily life. Of course there are terrifying events that are destroying peoples lives such as wars, famine and the devastating impact of climate change on people’s ability to maintain their livelihood. And often all we can do is offer some form of support from a great geographical distance.

Yet there are also the fears that are fed to those in far less dire circumstances who consume the news with their breakfast. The current UK headlines about the unusually high temperatures (that many places in the world live with on a regular basis) is the latest broadside. So we can add that to the list of peddled fears whether it’s the type of food we eat, the latest virus, the shortage of supplies, etc etc. I’m not suggesting anyone buries their head in the sand or throws caution to the wind. But perhaps we need to remember our own common sense and not expose ourselves to a steady onslaught of fear that chips away at our inner peace. Living in fear will undermine our wellbeing.

Fear is insidious. It’s tentacles wrap around our thoughts and emotions; we experience fear in the tense stomach, sleeplessness, anxiety headaches and the palpitating heart. Fear, real or imagined, takes us into fight, flight or freeze, and we can feel exhausted in trying to keep fear at bay. Fear compromises our sense of self and leaves us feeling more vulnerable than we might otherwise have felt. And yet, despite the physical sensations and discomfort, we are often motivated by our fears rather than our hopes.
Fortunately there are some Bach flowers that will help…

Dr Bach assigned his 38 flower remedies to seven different groups. One of those groups is Fear which includes Aspen, Cherry Plum, Mimulus, Red Chestnut, Rock Rose.

There is a vast spectrum to fear. It can include anything from a fear of missing out — that can lead to hasty ill-informed decisions or ignoring the prescience of intuition — to those major incidents that cause people to be terrified for their very lives.

The calmer the emotions are, the clearer the thinking and actions. Choose the fear flower/s which resonate with you the most:

Aspen: Fear of an unknown origin —> inner peace
Cherry Plum*: Fear of losing control —> calm, rational thinking
Mimulus: Fear of the known —> courage
Red Chestnut: Fear for loved ones —> relaxed, positive
Rock Rose*: Terror, panic —> presence of mind

* denotes two of the five flowers in the crisis formula e.g. rescue remedy (the others are Clematis, Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem). So if you can’t easily get hold of individual remedies, then the crisis formula is a good ‘first-aid’ to have to hand.

How have you found any of the fear flowers have helped you? 🌺

I'm intrigued by this.

The Water Cure: What it is and What it Does. The Water Cure defined: explinations, detais, what it is and is not, related info.

I’m about to finish off my week and will be taking next week off work as it’s half term. Just before I sign off, I wanted to share a little about the Bach Flower Remedy Red Chestnut, as it’s come up as a useful remedy for clients quite a few times this week and it's a remedy I’ve found helpful on occasion over recent months.

The Bach Flower remedy Red Chestnut is one of the remedies for fears. It’s for those who feel overly concerned about their loved ones and who constantly worry that something awful may happen to them.

A child taking exams, a family member feeling unwell, a loved one running late, a partner working away, a friend going through a crisis will make someone needing Red Chestnut feel highly anxious to the point that the people they are worried about are likely to feel stressed by their concern.

Red Chestnut can help bring a sense of calm and balance and help us to maintain healthier boundaries so that we don’t make other people’s issues our own.

Hope you have a good week.

Abi x

It's 3am and it's one of those nights. I quickly fell fast asleep at 11pm and suddenly I'm wide awake at 2am with a mind full of ideas, new projects at hand, composing emails, lists to make... so on goes the light and I grab pen and paper. I write down everything, there are over 30 items on the list. I ponder whether to stay under the duvet or get up and do some of those things. Since I'm very awake, I will, but first I'll take Vervain. When my mind feels like it is firing on all cylinders at what can feel the least convenient time, I find that Vervain is more apt than say, White Chestnut. I'm not replaying the day,and there is nothing circular about my thoughts. Instead they dart here and there like the flowers on Vervain. The plant is a traveller and it's as if my thoughts are travelling too. Maybe I'll add some Clematis tonight as well, or perhaps wait until morning when I may need grounding...

There are different reasons for why we might find it hard to either fall asleep or stay asleep at night. It might be any of the Fear group remedies indicative of anxieties of one kind or another, or for example, Agrimony where unconscious suppressed tensions from the day surface -- which may manifest in nightmares that wake you up.

Which Bach Flowers have you found helpful when sleep is an issue?🌺

Drama. Making a mountain out of a molehill? Do you ever notice these inflated moments going on around you or in your own emotional reaction to a situation? Those minor incidents that are simply inconvenient and yet are suddenly escalated into a major event? Losing your keys? Missing a train? Or when an inconsiderate driver incites road rage...

I've been wondering if the drama is a way to meet an unmet need. Perhaps to assert control (Vine), gain attention (Heather, Chicory) or a search for instant gratification (Impatiens)? Or maybe something else?

There are neuro-experts who say that through the excessive use of technology (including online puzzles, games, social media) our brains are becoming wired for the instant fix, a press of a button, a texted riposte, and it soothes the need, until the next occurance when there is a scenario which is not all we want it to be. We are in effect feeding our ego. And when that need is not met, it can push emotional buttons (some which may also be triggers to the past -- Honeysuckle, Star of Bethlehem) and so the reaction is not so dissimilar to a toddler's temper tantrum (Cherry Plum).

Dr Bach wrote about the virtues required to raise our vibration. In this we become less ego driven and heed the soul. To become mindful of our responses, rather than swept up in reaction - which rarely gives time to pause for thought. None of it comes easily, but with practice and with help from the Bach flowers, we can get there.

What is your experience of how Bach flowers have helped you cope with the little daily dramas and develop your virtues? 🌺

It is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK and the Bach Flowers can be a gentle means of helping us to find peace of mind.

For example, the glorious White Chestnut is in bloom right now and Dr Bach described this remedy in The Twelve Healers as:

"For those who cannot prevent thoughts, ideas, arguments which they do not desire from entering their minds. Usually at such times when the interest of the moment is not strong enough to keep the mind full. Thoughts which worry and will remain, or if for a time thrown out, will return. They seem to circle round and round and cause mental torture. The presence of such unpleasant thoughts drives out peace and interferes with being able to think only of the work or pleasure of the day."

White Chestnut is often indicated if you cannot sleep at night due to recurring thoughts that rerun every interaction you've had that day. It was the remedy that one manufacturer chose to add to the crisis formula and created 'rescue night', however you don't necessarily need those additional flowers in the crisis formula, the White Chestnut could be enough.

I liken White Chestnut to the hamster on the wheel, going around and around and getting nowhere. Thoughts are not productive and we're too distracted to deal with the current here and now. Not surprisingly, Dr Bach included White Chestnut in the group for Insufficient Interest in Present Circumstances.

How has White Chestnut helped you?🌺