Mindfulness - inside and out

Life can't always be about doing exciting, interesting things. Those boring, mundane chores that I keep putting off won't go away on their own so this week I am attending to them, and trying to do so mindfully and with acceptance rather than resentment. 

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who teaches mindfulness. He encourages us to be aware and present in every moment, even when we are washing the dishes. It sounds like a simple thing to do but it really isn't easy. My mind keeps jumping here and there, thinking of other things I "should" be doing or going off into a daydream. Staying present is a challenge but, like he says in the quote below, I smile, breathe and go slowly and everything feels a little easier.  

I'm trying to think of the chores (scrubbing marks off the walls in the hallway, clearing out the cupboard under the stairs and cleaning behind the fridge - yuk! ) as ways in which I am taking care of my home. I'm grateful that I have a warm and comfortable place to live so it actually feels quite good to look after it in a conscious way. 
  

Thich Nhat Hanh has written many books about bringing mindfulness into your everyday life. Take a look here on Amazon - they're short and easy to read and will be a helpful addition to your library and the quest for peaceful living.


This Week I'm Visiting...nowhere in particular - just going outside

In keeping with my mindfulness practice indoors, I'm being more mindful on my dog walks too. Although I've walked on Bookham Common many, many times there is always something new to see. It's easy to hurry round, head down, thinking of all the things on the To Do list. But if you stay present you'll find some magic. Today my magic was seeing a Kingfisher! A flash of iridescent blue as it flew across the path in front of me! I've only seen one once before in my whole life and it felt very special to see it today. I wasn't quick enough to get a photo but I did take some of other magical things I noticed on my walk:

The glowing red leaves of Cotinus (Smoke Bush)

Fluffy seedheads of wild Clematis

Yellow berries of Sorbus (Rowan tree)

Tiny white flowers of an unknown umbel (Cow Parsley perhaps?)

The fabulously intricate architectural shape of a Teasel (Dipsacus)

  

Autumn colours on Bookham Common

The amazing and unexpectedly pink berries of 
our native Spindleberry (Euonymus europaeus)

I've added a photo too of one of my borders which is still in full flower as we go into November! Although it is collapsing a little and I'd really like to tidy it up I'm leaving it because it is still alive with bees. When the sun shines the butterflies are enjoying it too and yesterday there was a Hummingbird Hawk Moth feeding there for ages. I really don't like moths but I watched it from a safe(!) distance and it was completely fascinating. It was really big and I could see it's long probiscus going down into the flowers to search for nectar. I've added a photo from Google of one of these creatures because they are so intriguing - they really do look like hummingbirds!

Calendula, Fuschia, Dahlia and 7ft tall Cosmos

A Hummingbird Hawk Moth

.

These amazing things are all around us and will enrich our lives if we'd only remember to look for them. When we do notice them they can bring a rather gloomy grey day into glorious technicolour. 


This Week I'm Making...Super Speedy Porridge

Autumn is here so it must be time for porridge. Hooray! It's such a great way to start the day, easy, tasty and filling. I've tried lots of different variations and am currently loving this one from my favourite food blog www.deliciouslyella.com with bananas, almond butter, seeds raw chocolate(!), and raspberries.

This Week I'm Growing...Wallflowers

Although Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us to be in the present moment, the gardener must look to the year ahead and plant the spring bulbs and flowers now! It is exactly the right moment to go to the garden centre and buy some bare-rooted wallflowers. Plant them immediately in the border or in pots, water them well and leave them to grow quietly through the winter. They'll look a bit tatty for a while but they will bush out and then burst into flower in late spring. They come in various colours, are sweetly scented and I think they look especially wonderful when grown amongst Forget-Me-Nots. Bare-rooted (ie. not planted in soil in a pot, just bunched together with their roots showing) is the cheapest way to buy them but they're only sold like this for a very short window of time - go get some now!  

I've enjoyed looking for, and sharing, the little gems of magic that I found in my ordinary day. Can you let me know in the Comments section where you find inspiration and wonder in everyday life? 

5 Signs You're Getting Better At Yoga & Life

By Meagan McCrary via Mindbodygreen

In my private yoga sessions, clients are always wanting to know, "WHEN?"
When will their hips open up, when will they be able to touch their toes, when will they be more flexible, open, strong, etc. The funny thing is that they ARE more open, more flexible, more balanced and strong, than when we first started working together — they just don’t realize it. Enter the role of a yoga teacher.

In yoga psychology, we talk about the importance of having a teacher for many reasons. Students often can’t see for themselves, the progress they have already made, for instance. We all tend to become so focused on the end goal — where we’re trying to get, what we’re trying to cultivate and how we aren’t “there” yet — that we often don’t notice just how far we’ve already come.

More so, it is important to remember that big changes just don't happen overnight. Small incremental changes take place every time you step onto your mat; so small that you may not even notice until maybe one day you’re magically deeper into a pose, without even realizing it. But as the teacher, I can see how much my students’ bodies have changed or their understanding or perspective has shifted — and I make it a point to tell them so as a reminder.

Sure, we all want to feel accomplished; to realize we’ve made progress, and to know that we are getting something out of the work we’re putting in. In our yoga practice, we often focus on the physical progress, committing ourselves to working on certain poses or gaining more strength or flexibility, and then feeling accomplished when we experience a breakthrough. But that is just one sliver of the growth to be had by practicing yoga regularly.

Yoga as a spiritual path is about cultivating our inner self as much as (or more than) our outer practice. It’s about balancing our inner and outer worlds — discovering our true selves so that we can act in integrity from our place of truth in everything that we do. The true measure of your yoga practice is not whether or not you can do more advanced postures, but how you treat others, as well as yourself — the kind of person you are and the life that you want to lead.

Asanas aside, here are five signs that you’ve already made progress on the path through your yoga practice, and deserve a pat on the back:

1. You feel and notice more.
The practice of yoga, whether it’s asana, pranayama, self-study or meditation, expands your awareness levels — you will feel and notice more. You’re more aware of the way your body feels in a pose and can make the appropriate adjustments, and you notice the subtle differences between the two sides of your body. You’re conscious of when thoughts and emotions arise, and you often catch yourself when you're not paying attention more readily. You’re more sensitive to the subtle shifts that take place throughout your practice, and rather than falling into unconscious patterns, you know what you’re doing and why, by making conscious choices in all aspects of your life.

2. You respond rather than react.
Rather than being jerked around by your reactions, you begin to choose your response to certain situations or triggers, more consciously. You’re less impulsive and more deliberate with your actions. On the mat, you choose to stay in the poses longer by taking a few more deep breaths, instead of exiting out of the pose the moment your conditioned mind tells you it’s too difficult. Working with the breath, you begin to recognize that you are indeed stronger than your mind will ever allow you to think.

3. You’re willing to be uncomfortable.
Along with holding the poses longer, you’re willing to take more risks on and off the mat. Perhaps when you first started, you weren’t ready to attend class solo, and now have no problem walking into a studio where you know no one. Or maybe the thought of going upside down scares you half to death, but now you’re willing to give it a try under the guidance of a trusted teacher. Through yoga, you become more familiar with being uncomfortable and are more willing to put yourself out there, by trying new things and standing firmly in your truth.

4. You’ve stopped judging yourself.
Well maybe not completely, but that critical inner voice isn’t quite as loud as it once was. You don’t automatically judge every time you jump forward to the top of your mat, or critique every pose. You allow for imperfection! You no longer let one challenging arm balance undermine your entire practice, either. You’ve also stopped comparing yourself to others in class and can appreciate working and doing your best wherever you’re at.

5. You actually like Savasana.
Believe it or not (perhaps you even remember when!), Savasana is a challenging pose for most beginner yoga students. Many aren’t accustomed to lying still with their eyes closed for any length of time. Yoga teaches us how to sit quietly with ourselves and turn inward. Actually being able to allow yourself to stay comfortably in Savasana, is progress on the path. 

This Week I'm Making... Gluten-Free Bread and Gluten-Free Crackers

I've been eating a mostly gluten-free diet for the last 7 weeks now (and I'm feeling good on it :-) ) and I'm enjoying experimenting with some creative and forward-thinking recipes too. This one was recommended by one of my yoga students (thanks Claire). At first glance, the recipes look complicated, possibly because some of the ingredients might be unfamiliar, but it really is very simple and satisfying to make. I personally enjoyed the crackers the most as my bread was a little too moist, but I will try it again and adjust the amount of psyllium husks and water. 

Here's the link to the recipe - it's from a great healthy food blog called My New Roots   http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2014/07/the-life-changing-crackers/ and http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/ 

Ingredients for the bread and the crackers

My gluten-free crackers

My gluten-free bread with honey from Jackie S's bees 
(please overlook the large amount of butter! It's my indulgence! ;-)

This Week I'm Visiting...the poppies at the Tower of London

Last Saturday afternoon I stood in the glorious sunshine and took in the sight of the poppies at the Tower of London. If you haven't heard of this event/installation/phenomenon here's a couple of paragraphs from the Tower of London's website which explains it:

"Don't miss the major art installation Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London, marking one hundred years since the first full day of Britain's involvement in the First World War. Created by ceramic artist Paul Cummins, with setting by stage designer Tom Piper, 888,246 ceramic poppies will progressively fill the Tower's famous moat over the summer. Each poppy represents a British military fatality during the war.

The poppies will encircle the iconic landmark, creating not only a spectacular display visible from all around the Tower but also a location for personal reflection. The scale of the installation intends to reflect the magnitude of such an important centenary creating a powerful visual commemoration.

We are hoping to sell all of the poppies that make up the installation and, in doing so, raise millions of pounds which will be shared equally amongst six service charities."

Viewing the display was a poignant and moving experience, bringing home the enormity of the losses. It is an outstanding tribute to the 888,246 soldiers and a triumph of creativity, patience and teamwork. 

The display is on view until 11th November, after which the poppies will be carefully removed, cleaned and posted to those who have bought them. You can find more details here at http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/.

This Week I'm Growing... Narcissi - one of the first spring bulbs

I'm feeling super-organised as I plant my first bulbs for spring 2015. I've chosen Tete-a-Tete as they're easy to grow, reliable and good value. They're tiny little daffodils that bring lots of colour to a bare early spring border, although I've planted mine in pots for impact on my patio. They cost £2.49 for 15 bulbs from Wisley Plant Centre and are widely available at most garden centres at the moment. They can be planted any time up to the end of November but my advice (as learned from bitter experience) is to plant them as soon as you buy them because if you put them in the shed you'll forget about them! Get them planted up now and then there's nothing to do but wait for them to come up in all their glory in spring. They're happy to grow in most places except very damp soils where the bulbs will rot. Plant them pointy end up, 10cm deep and about 6cm apart, but if you're planting them in pots they can be squeezed in a bit closer for an eye-catching display.

A medium sized pot with drainage crocks at the bottom,
then  a layer of compost

Place the bulbs pointy end up on the compost then cover with about 10cm of compost,
 label and keep outside in a sheltered position where the compost won't dry out

The Tete-a-Tete daffodils will look like this in early spring

And Finally...

A video of Maya Angelou (1928-2014) reading her wonderfully uplifting poem "And Still I Rise"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXCHKWFmU2s&feature=player_detailpage

Why Losing Your Balance is Good For You

By Dr. Annie Neisen via Mindbodygreen

My balance isn’t good enough to…. (insert challenging yoga pose or complicated exercise move here).

I spend most of my time working in physical therapy and yoga studios and hear this statement at least once a day. And every time I do, I have to shake my head in disagreement. If this sounds like you, I'll tell you what I always tell my clients: "You are all good enough and totally capable to practice with what you already have."

So whether it's finding your way into that yoga pose, or getting your footing in the exercise you don't think you're capable of doing, I assure you that your overall balance will improve as a result. All you have to do is try!

Here are some great reasons to start exploring and challenging your balance right now:

1. As we age our balance declines.
Many of us are well-aware of the recommendations for cardiovascular training and maintaining muscular strength for optimum health. But maintaining good balance is just as important. Poor balance can lead to a whole host of problems, including falls.

Particularly in older age, once a fall occurs, it can have a downward spiral effect on your health, and there is a high chance you will fall again, increasing your likelihood for further injury. As you age, your bones become weaker and the healing and recovery process takes longer.

Worse, you can develop a fear of falling, which leads to a fear of moving. Continuing to move is vital to your health because moving is medicine. Being able to maintain your ability to balance is key in being able to move in a functional, healthy way. Again, the only way to maintain this is by challenging your balance.

2. Losing your balance helps to improve your balance.
Your balance is controlled by three systems: vestibular, somatosensory, and visual. These three systems closely interact to keep the center of gravity over your base of support, and to keep you upright.

• The vestibular system is located in your inner ear. This complex system controls your spatial orientation, mainly the position of your head, when you are in motion, and in which direction you are moving. It also helps to maintain equilibrium. This is actually the first system to decline as you age.
• The somatosensory system receives input from the sensory organs in your skin and joints about the position of your limbs and body in space. This information travels to the brain where it is integrated with other sensory information so you can react accordingly.
• The visual system is the system you depend on the most. Since humans are visual creatures, much of our experience in the world is determined by how our brain interprets the sensory information from the visual organs. Once vision starts to worsen, particularly later in life, your ability to compensate and adapt to these changes worsens.

The process of these three systems interacting along with other factors including reaction time, cognition, and the environment allow you to react in a quick, efficient manner to the challenges your balance faces on a daily basis.

Not only does challenging your balance work these three systems, but it also helps to improve the neuromuscular connections so you will be able to react quicker. And even better, it challenges your muscles in a functional manner and this will make you stronger.

3. Maintaining your balance keeps things interesting!
If every time you stepped onto your yoga mat you were able to nail every movement or pose in the same exact way, you would not be challenging yourself to improve, and it would get very boring.

Everyday your balance is so different — sleep, diet, and fatigue all have an affect. Some days you might require more support on your mat, and the next day you might nail every movement and you feel like you’re flying. But the goal shouldn’t be about nailing a pose or doing a movement in the same way every time. Your body is working with what it has on that day, in that moment. Exploring where you are now and how to react with each movement keeps things exciting and keeps you interested.

And yes, some days you will fall and crash, and in those moments, I have found, laughing at yourself is usually the best reaction.

4. Balance is a reflection of how you react in life.
You have very little control over many things in life, including your balance, which is greatly influenced by external and environmental factors. In fact, you might lose your balance daily. But once you let go of trying to control the uncontrollable factors, you can put that energy towards the factors you actually can control.

One thing you can control is how you react — in a healthy, productive manner. If you lose your balance, and even fall, you can react by tensing up or you can try staying open and relaxed. If you react with tension, you will likely fall hard and possibly injure yourself. But if you stay relaxed and open, you can fall soft and in the process, discover some pretty amazing things about yourself. So ask yourself, do you want to react in life with resistance, force, and stiffness, OR, do you want to react with ease and grace, and maybe even a little humor?

Everyday when you walk down the street, get on your yoga mat, or go for that run, you are relying on your balance to stay upright. It is important to keep the three systems that determine your balance healthy and working efficiently. Next time you try that challenging pose or exercise, or whether you just close your eyes, pay attention to how you react. You have the ability to react gracefully and find your own way to balance yourself, you've got to just keep working at it!

This Week I'm Making... Courgette Spaghetti

A couple of weeks ago one of my students told me about her new vegetable spiraliser and her new favourite dinner, courgette spaghetti. It sounded great: no pasta involved, just noodles made from courgettes - easy, nutritious and gluten free. Later that week I was scrolling through the recipes on www.deliciouslyella.com and there it was again! Online research into vegetable spiralisers ensued. I wasn't sure that I wanted another kitchen gadget - and they're not cheap either - so I opted for the small and slightly less expensive Zoodle Chef (£17.99). It's a cylindrical grater into which you twist the courgette, and out of which comes noodles!

Here's the recipe to make this dish, which is now my new favourite too! Thanks for the inspiration Sharon :-)

Ingredients:

1 medium sized courgette per person
A pinch of sea salt
A tablespoon of olive oil
A jar of pasta sauce
Some tasty toasted seeds to sprinkle on top (see my very first blog post for the recipe)

Directions:

Heat the pasta sauce. Using your spiraliser or ZoodleChef shred the courgettes into noodles. Add a pinch of salt. Stir fry them in the olive oil for a couple of minutes only. Transfer to a plate, add the pasta sauce, sprinkle with the tasty toasted seeds and voila!

This Week I'm Visiting...Switzerland, France, America, Peru, Estonia, Menorca, Turkey, Bali, Japan, Austria, Amsterdam, Finland and Space...from my armchair

We are constantly fed bad news via the media. Every day - war, disease, murder, destruction of the planet. Although we need to know what's going on in the world there's little balance. We're rarely shown the good people, the communities that work together, the beauty of our natural environment and, when we are, the good news stories are offered as novelties rather than the norm. The amazing photos in the link below remind us what a wonderful world we live in - they are an antidote to bad news. Savour them, soak them up and re-balance your world view.

http://twistedsifter.com/2014/10/sifters-top-75-pictures-of-the-day-for-2014/

This Week I'm Picking... Michaelmas Daisies

The Michaelmas Daisies have been shining like jewels in my garden for the last 3 or 4 weeks now. Their vibrant colours are lighting up the borders and the windowsills. They're really easy to grow, just needing cutting back in late autumn and dividing in the spring. They can, however, suffer from mildew, with some varieties succumbing more than others, so if you buy some check the label to ensure that they are one of the more resistant types.

And finally, I'm sharing this photo of Maggie B's beautiful home-grown Alstroemerias: