This is taken from our spring 2016 issue. Subscribe here to have the summer issue and the following three issues delivered directly to your door.
Johnny Moran HDIP, MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy
My mind needs to receive as much nurture and healthy input as my Body or I suffer. My thoughts and energies determine my behaviour. A few seconds of deep breath from head to toe passing through my heart and all the wisdoms, knowledge, trainings, practices are present in seconds. Nothing else but Breath. When I eventually stopped ignoring my unavoidable death, the taking of my last breath, I began to truly embrace, respect, value all life, my own life. What I breathe on for others is what I also harvest for my -self. Breaths in gratitude, forgiveness for hurts, in happiness for all beings. To ground myself in seconds I bring my breath to my loyal feet to say hello, I wiggle my toes, press my feet to the ground. Ignored and isolated on the Dart watching my fellow travellers in deep relationship with their phones and ear plugs, I blow bubbles to them. The truth is I am still too scared so I just imagine blowing bubbles in all directions. And in just that thought deep joy surges all-consuming as it connects me to all wisdom in seconds.
Eva Lennox, Lomi Lomi Nui practitioner and massage therapist
Most mornings I wake up early to practice yoga and for the past four months I’ve been living in India, practicing at the source. Yoga has been fundamental to much healing in my life; through cultivating a connection to my breath I discovered steadiness in my body and mind, ultimately allowing me to hear the whispers of my Spirit. This journey also led me to train as a Lomi Lomi Nui practitioner both in Ireland and Hawaii. Through Lomi I learned powerful practices of exploring emotion, feeling and sensation through the body that I come back to often. For me taking a workshop is like a pit-stop to refuel and realign myself. Alongside Lomi and yoga, receiving bodywork, dancing (often around the house with my partner!), meditation and deep breathing are all of the ways that I find myself connected and back at the centre of my centre.
Brendan Ringwood
In about 1999, I was introduced to Jac O’Keefe, who was my friend’s wife at the time. While in her house she asked me if I had ever heard of RAJ. I hadn’t, so she gave me a set of tapes and off I went to listen to them. RAJ turned out to be a guide that was channelled by Paul Tuttle since 1985. That was my spiritual awakening right there and then. I spent the next two years reading everything that had been channelled. He teaches a process called the ‘Two Step’, whereby you silence your thinking and merely ask the question, What is the truth here? If you’re quiet enough you’ll hear the inner guidance. The question can be asked to God, the holy spirit, your guide, whatever makes you feel good. I practice it every day.. some days better than others and I find that it works best when I am in nature, that’s why I go hiking practically every weekend, to recharge my inner-peace batteries.
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Kim Bellisimo, life coach and energy Worker
To be in the frequency of peace, I complete a four-part EnergyWork at the start of every day. Firstly I set the intention of what I want, i.e. I want to receive opportunities; I want to create support relationships. Secondly, I set the frequency of my intention, for example, “I am the vibration of peace” or “I am the vibration of passion.” Then I clear the frequency of what I don’t want, i.e. doubt or anxiety. I literally visualize flushing it down the loo to let it go! And lastly, I fill up my heart. I visualize myself connecting to a star in the sky and letting my heart fill with its light energy. I then feel myself ground to the earth below, filling and renewing my heart from the planet. By starting each day like this, I set the frequency for a world around me that is in tune and vibrates with the life I’m in agreement to create.
Maria Donlon, Founder of lifeCleanse
My daily yoga practice is definitely what keeps me in a calm state and ready to deal with whatever the day has in store. I make sometime each morning for breathwork or pranayama practice and/or a moving asana practice. I notice a visible difference in how I deal with stressful situations on the days that I have practiced versus the days that I haven’t. I’ve had times when I thought I was too busy to fit these practices in but taking even 3 minutes to sit with some very simple breathwork can really slow down the rest of the day. Another thing I think helps is the separation from feeling like things happen ‘to us’ and realising that things just happen. If something isn’t going my way, I try to just take a minute, take a deep breath and try to adapt to the new situation as best I can.
Stephen McGarry
While living in Costa Rica I discovered some ways to stay calm and peaceful in the midst of everyday stress – nature and yoga. Getting out in nature as much as I can is key to my happiness and well being. I love long walks, gardening and camping. Anytime I am in nature I feel like I’m plugging in, charging my battery! Living in Dublin we are lucky to have many beautiful parks. The National Botanic Garden is a favourite of mine and lucky for me, it’s right around the corner! Yoga allows me to turn my focus inward, let go and be in the present. Instead of always trying to solve life’s problems I can take that time to be in my body, moving with my breath and focusing on my personal intention. My wife is a Yoga Teacher & Reiki Master and she’s helped me discover techniques for mindfulness and healing that really work for me. Everyone is different, so I think it’s important to really be open to what works for you.
This is taken from our spring 2016 issue. Subscribe here to have the summer issue and the following three issues delivered directly to your door.
