Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.
Nourishing Reality is a combination of a contemplative podcast and journal woven with prompts, poems, prayer and practices on how to navigate the challenges, changes and complexities of life in an overstimulated world, peacefully. Drawing upon Neuroscience, Yoga, Zen and Nature for inspiration and insights to heal, soothe and nourish your heart, mind, body and soul. Written from my floating home in Cambridge.
Maybe it was because of the amazing four weeks prior to Christmas that made my experience of the festive period a little flat and out of sorts this Year. Or maybe it was because of the emotional difficulty in navigating a very rocky landscape of severe depression which my partner has.
Peaking just a couple of days before Christmas Day and finding himself in A&E for two consecutive days. It was a real challenge and very scary to see someone in so much mental pain and worse still not being treated. Our final lifeline, coming in the form of a doctors ability to change his medication and to make some noise to our mental local health team finally saved the day (just!). Just to give you some context here, my partner was flagged up as suicidal in October 2023 and as to date has still not received the care he so desperately needs.
Here in the UK it is a absolute disgrace, and having lived through these experiences of the lack of help and urgency. It is all too easy to see why so many people unfortunately end up taking their own life and not even for reasons you may understand sometimes.
Needless to say from that period to now has been extremely heart breaking and very difficult to navigate. Add to the mix how l missed both my parents desperately and my family that are no longer with me and you can see why perhaps this Christmas has not been a particularly good one!
We are sold the line of good times, festive cheer, family, parties and celebrations but what about those in distress, ill with no where to go or no one to turn too?
During this time l’ve also found myself retreating from social media to a certain extent, again exhausted with the amount of advertising for ways to make a happy new you!
Normally l would be reflecting, journalling and creating, however l’m still struggling to find that mindset under the current circumstances. So l’ve decided to give myself a break and instead decided to start my new year on January 31st and February 1st respectfully.
I believe that the quietness of Winter really begins after the noise of Christmas. Making January and February pivotable and valuable months for us to retreat, rewire and replenish. The Japanese have a beautiful word that encapsulates this essence of this period ‘Yutori’. Representing the art of intentionally practising slowing down to breathe, pause listen and appreciate the rich beauty of life and nature can provide healing and nourishment.
One of the many ways to cultivate this mindset comes from being with nature (for me (living on the water) and secondly by having a regular writing and yoga practice. Whether it be from writing a class, article or social media content. Putting your thoughts, insights and feelings onto the page can real help you connect with others who may also be feeling or going through a similar anguish or difficulty. Currently writing on Beth Kempton’s Winter Sanctuary, l am reminded of this, how writing and reading have the power to inspire, heal and connect.
Bearing all the above in mind this are my four practices that will set the tone for my new year.
So what will be the practices that reward you in 2025?
My 4 nourishing soul powers to practice for nourishment are:
Showing Up (however uncomfortable) commit to my reading, yoga, studying, writing and travelling (all the things l love to do!) and to support others the best l can.
Structure, coming up with a simple daily, weekly routine and sticking to it!
Strength (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), maintaining my 6 days a week blend of nourishing yoga and weights practices. Starting a regular Zazen practice.
Spiritual practice (a little more attention bringing it into everyday life) putting some of the practice of Zen into my everyday life. Words of advice from my mentor Elena Brower.
Salema, continue study, but mostly, I'm finding, just practice is where Zen lives for me.
- Elena Brower
WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
Invitations to help you nourish and flourish in 2025
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An invitation for nourishment and guidance. If you resonate at all with any what l’ve discussed today or in my previous posts and are dealing with difficult circumstances to navigate. Or maybe just feel out of the norm and need some gentle guidance and support, a friendly and un judgemental ear then maybe my Nourishing and Guidance sessions may be of benefit.
Sessions follow a more simplistic and contemplative approach to personal development. l draw on some more traditional coaching frameworks alongside my working experience in holistic healing, spiritual direction and western neuroscience.
Sessions offer a quiet, intuitive, spontaneous conversation and listening process, for both you and I. I will listen, ask questions, answer questions, and can offer gentle guidance to help you to nourish yourself and your spiritual life (if your open to it).
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Until next time, I’ll leave you with a potent prompt for contemplation and reflection
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