Time to Take a Breath.

Hello again and it's been a while since I updated my blog. Many of you will know that I decided to study for a degree in psychotherapy and counselling and I cannot believe that we're heading into second year in September. Juggling motherhood, running a business and study has had it's challenges, not least trying find time for essential self-care so I breathed a sigh of relief when we finished first year.

I've loved every second though, especially time with my fellow students who are diverse and incredibly helpful, especially with the deep dive into academia, personal growth and self-awareness, we've all brought something incredibly supportive to our time together, and I can't speak highly enough about our lecturers, their desire for us to do well is evident.

And now to my plans for the summer, I'm so looking forward to our annual Sewing and Yoga Camps which begin on august 8th-11th and 14th-17th inclusive for ages 10-15 years or beyond. We'll design and create beautiful hand sewn crafts, practice yoga and meditation and so much more. I love to see the extraordinary creativity when kids are allowed to express themselves in a quiet space. They'll also learn some fantastic breathing techniques to help calm and relax and improve sleep too.

My baby classes resume at the end of august also with not one but two classes away every Monday for five weeks. We'll learn proven techniques to help baby with tummies and teething, sleep issues and so much more. the support within the classes is second to none. Dates: Monday 28th August- 25th September. 10:30am-12pm & 12:30pm-2pm. Suitable for pre-crawling babies.

And finally, I'm so grateful to each and every one of you who book again and again, those who purchase vouchers and to the lovely people of all ages who attend my classes.

See you soon xx

Pat

Thank you and happy Christmas

As the end of 2022 approaches, I believe that it's important to reflect on the year gone past, to acknowledge the growth and deep learning we've all experienced so far and to set intentions for next year too. I'm not one for resolutions as such, however I do like to set goals, strengthen boundaries and to reflect on dreams too, after all, it's important to dream.

One of my dreams and indeed goals is to have more fun, to enjoy the little pleasures of life whatever they may be, to laugh with family and friends and to challenge myself by pushing myself out of my comfort zone too. How can challenging yourself be FUN I hear you ask? Well, I might be a bit unusual, but I get a huge sense of satisfaction from achieving gals and that rush of happy hormones counts as fun in my book! What are your goals and dreams for 2023? Are they family, career or fitness based? What about lifelong learning? Would you like to learn a new skill, a new craft or even change career? If yes, what's holding you back?

Oftentimes the only one holding us back is ourselves and possibly fear of failure, but what if you actually succeeded? What if this time next year you were reflecting on a new goal achieved? Food for thought. And finally, thank you so much to everyone who supported my business in 2022 and I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Happy Christmas. Pat @blarneywellnesscentrethe end of 2022 approaches, I believe that it's important to reflect on the year gone past, to acknowledge the growth and deep learning we've all experienced so far and to set intentions for next year too. I'm not one for resolutions as such, however I do like to set goals, strengthen boundaries and to reflect on dreams too, after all, it's important to dream.

One of my dreams and indeed goals is to have more fun, to enjoy the little pleasures of life whatever they may be, to laugh with family and friends and to challenge myself by pushing myself out of my comfort zone too. How can challenging yourself be FUN I hear you ask? Well, I might be a bit unusual, but I get a huge sense of satisfaction from achieving gals and that rush of happy hormones counts as fun in my book! What are your goals and dreams for 2023? Are they family, career or fitness based? What about lifelong learning? Would you like to learn a new skill, a new craft or even change career? If yes, what's holding you back?

Oftentimes the only one holding us back is ourselves and possibly fear of failure, but what if you actually succeeded? What if this time next year you were reflecting on a new goal achieved? Food for thought. And finally, thank you so much to everyone who supported my business in 2022 and I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Happy Christmas. Pat @blarneywellnesscentre

Thank you and happy Christmas.

As the end of 2022 approaches, I believe that it's important to reflect on the year gone past, to acknowledge the growth and deep learning we've all experienced so far and to set intentions for next year too. I'm not one for resolutions as such, however I do like to set goals, strengthen boundaries and to reflect on dreams too, after all, it's important to dream.

One of my dreams and indeed goals is to have more fun, to enjoy the little pleasures of life whatever they may be, to laugh with family and friends and to challenge myself by pushing myself out of my comfort zone too. How can challenging yourself be FUN I hear you ask? Well, I might be a bit unusual, but I get a huge sense of satisfaction from achieving gals and that rush of happy hormones counts as fun in my book! What are your goals and dreams for 2023? Are they family, career or fitness based? What about lifelong learning? Would you like to learn a new skill, a new craft or even change career? If yes, what's holding you back?

Oftentimes the only one holding us back is ourselves and possibly fear of failure, but what if you actually succeeded? What if this time next year you were reflecting on a new goal achieved? Food for thought. And finally, thank you so much to everyone who supported my business in 2022 and I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Happy Christmas. Pat @blarneywellnesscentre

New beginnings at Blarney Wellness Centre

As we near the end of 2022, I find myself reflecting on the year gone by and the enormous changes and growth I've experienced thus far.

The greatest changes are that I moved from my room of 5 years to a larger and brighter one just next door and I'm so glad that I took the risk AND that I decided to begin a degree of which I'll speak more about at a later date. Suffice to say that it's enormously challenging yet deeply rewarding so far.

I'm delighted to bring back guided meditation classes on friday mornings and I have 3 evening dates coming up very soon too (see list below). Expect relaxation and beautiful candlelight.

I am deeply grateful to my incredible clients and yoga students for booking again and again and I thank you too to those who've booked in for next year.

Dates:

Morning meditation: Friday 18th November & 16th of December 10:30am-12pm.

Evening meditation: Friday November 25th 7-8:30pm. Check out my Insta & Facebook pages for further details.

Thank you so much.

Pat xxx

Meditation: an essential part of the wellness formula.

During what seemed like our millionth lockdown, I embarked on a wonderful journey through the myriad of meditation styles, not just to appease my inner hippy but to deep dive into a scientifically proven method of wellness and as I dove deeper into the science of the brain and the chemical reactions caused by chronic stress and it's impact on our physical bodies also, I realised that while there's no "one size fits all" solution, that there is an actual formula to wellness albeit tailored to the individual.

And meditation plays a huge part in that formula. The image of a meditator sitting in lotus pose, chanting in Sanskrit has been replaced by mindfulness, being in our bodies, writing, humming, singing, cold water swimming, creative visualisations and so many more, however, if lotus pose chanting is your thing, that's utterly wonderful.

When we "mindlessly" scroll through social media or find ourselves watching the news with all of it's negativity. our bodies and senses are not engaged. Coming back to our bodies with a simple "body scan" technique can take a huge difference, allowing our para-sympathetic nervous system to work it's magic (rest and digest).

What are the various types of meditations?One of the most powerful methods of meditating is journalling, get those thoughts, hopes, dreams and worries onto a page, when they're in black and white they might make more sense and a solution might arise more quickly than if our thoughts remain muddled in our minds. We also have zen meditation, creative visualisation, silence which can be one of the most difficult types to master within our noisy worlds, sound baths and so many more.

The joy of teaching meditation.I adore teaching meditations, they allow my creative mind to flow and the energy in the room is always palpable. I feel immense joy when my fellow meditators look so completely relaxed, in fact, their yawns are a giveaway sign and an even greater joy is the knowledge that there is something for everyone, whether your'e a visual or sensory learner.

And to sum up my little meander through the mind, I've heard that some medics are "prescribing" meditation, yoga and reflexology to their patients.
And to that I say......OM!!

Thank you for reading.

Check out my Instagram and Facebook pages for details of upcoming events. 

Pat

The Power of the mind.

I think we sometimes underestimate the incredible power of our minds and indeed the power of either negative or positive thinking and mindsets.

What if we were to change the inner script? What could possibly go wrong? Well, nothing. In fact, did you know that by creating and practicing positive statements about ourselves, we CAN actually become more proactive, productive and happier and this can even impact the physical self, deepen sleep, improve digestion and so much more.

We are not separate from our thought processes, our physical bodies are intrinsically linked with our minds and with some subtle yet consistent habit changes we can positively impact our health in every way. How powerful would this be for children too, they've been through so much in the last 2 years and teaching them some wonderful positive affirmations would be an incredible gift.

Positive affirmations do not need to be complicated or long winded to be effective, my advise is to keep it simple because the mind likes uncomplicated, well, most minds anyway 🙂 There are countless examples online (Please note that if you choose a sleep meditation that I'd advise listening to it while awake first to ensure that it really is suitable for your needs) or you can create your own too depending on your requirements. Here are a few examples:

I am calm, relaxed and in control.

I am very capable in my life.

I am loved by my family and friends.

I love my body and I'm grateful every day for the amazing things it does for me.

I approach every task with enthusiasm and I ask for help when I need it.

One of the most powerful brain training exercises is to record affirmations and listen daily, your own voice is the one YOU best respond to, it empowers you. I wish you the very best.

If you're up for some related and definitely not light reading I'd recommend The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk.

Pat xxxx