Our spring issue is out now! Each issue we bring you a selection of our favourite things happening during the season. Dive on in!
This beautiful article from one of our beloved regular contributors, Amanda Sophia, discusses the new blessings and opportunities of Spring. Amanda also shares a powerful nettle tea ritual we can use to welcome the spring energies.
Following our previous visits from the acclaimed yoga teacher, musician and folklorist Jack Harrison, we are thrilled to have him back at Positive Nights to perform his beautiful music on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
Jack first encountered yoga in the 1970s and 1980s in San Francisco. After leaving the U.S., he began to work with the Irish Wheel of Yoga in Galway. He launched his career as a yoga teacher in 2005. Throughout his career, he has travelled extensively and studied a wide range of yoga styles, including Iyengar, Satyananda, Ashtanga and Anusara.
Jack has also had a keen interest in music and singing since his childhood. He holds a Masters degree in Irish Folklore and Archaeology and has worked for many years as a consultant and lecturer in Heritage Interpretation. In recent years, he began to understand the deep connections between his three interests – yoga, music, and folklore/archaeology – and established the Celtic School of Yoga to help tie together the yoga traditions of India with those of the Celtic world.
He has travelled widely around the world, offering workshops, intensives and teacher trainings. and his teaching work is now strong influenced by the Celtic tradition. These practices explore how to ally movement of the body with breath, focus, mythology, poetry, music and the natural world.
We are thrilled to be hosting him for a special concert called ‘The Heart of Spring Time’ on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Click here to book your tickets.
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March Vibes: Spring Forward With These Holistic Highlights
Magnificent March: Hello, Positive Lifers! Enjoy this collection of fabulous events, products and holistic news we have put together for you this month.
Following our previous visits from the acclaimed yoga teacher, musician and folklorist Jack Harrison, we are thrilled to have him back at Positive Nights to perform his beautiful music on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
Jack first encountered yoga in the 1970s and 1980s in San Francisco. After leaving the U.S., he began to work with the Irish Wheel of Yoga in Galway. He launched his career as a yoga teacher in 2005. Throughout his career, he has travelled extensively and studied a wide range of yoga styles, including Iyengar, Satyananda, Ashtanga and Anusara.
Jack has also had a keen interest in music and singing since his childhood. He holds a Masters degree in Irish Folklore and Archaeology and has worked for many years as a consultant and lecturer in Heritage Interpretation. In recent years, he began to understand the deep connections between his three interests – yoga, music, and folklore/archaeology – and established the Celtic School of Yoga to help tie together the yoga traditions of India with those of the Celtic world.
He has travelled widely around the world, offering workshops, intensives and teacher trainings. and his teaching work is now strong influenced by the Celtic tradition. These practices explore how to ally movement of the body with breath, focus, mythology, poetry, music and the natural world.
We are thrilled to be hosting him for a special concert called ‘The Heart of Spring Time’ on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Click here to book your tickets.
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Positive Vibes April: Our Round-Up of the Best Products, Events and Must-Go Destinations
The clocks have moved forward, the temperatures are rising, and spring is making its presence felt. If you’re in the mood to try some delicious food or drink, practice the art of conscious dating, or even learn exciting new yoga techniques, this month’s edition of our Positive Vibes newsletter has got you covered. Read on to learn more about the best events, products and fun happenings we’ve picked out for you for this month. If you haven’t seen our Spring issue yet, fear not: it is available at stockists throughout the country. You can also subscribe here to get a copy delivered right to your door.
Join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you haven’t already. And now, without further ado, let’s get into our latest line-up of positive events, destinations and tasty treats to get stuck into!
Holistic Speed Dating: Cultivate Heart-to-Heart Connections
This Friday the 6th of April, we are running a special Positive Nights speed dating event, where the emphasis will be placed on deeply honouring and respecting the person in front of you. At 7.30 p.m., we will gather at Yin and Tonic, the Elbowroom’s vibrant new space located at No. 32 North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7, for an evening of fun, conversation and conscious connection. Click on our Eventbrite link here to learn more and book your tickets.
Experiential Evening with Dawn Cartwight: Bringing Dating Back
We are thrilled to invite the renowned Tantra expert and teacher Dawn Cartwright back to Positive Nights on Wednesday the 25th of April at 7.30 p.m. The venue is to be confirmed. Dawn will discuss the ancient Tantric rituals – the Pancha Upacaras – that form the foundation of modern dating practices, and how we can bring the magic of these sacred rituals into our lives today. The Eventbrite link for this event is here.
Conscious Movement With Kitty Maguire
We highly recommend the work of Kitty Maguire, a yoga, dance and movement teacher with years of experience with instructing clients in modalities such as Pilates, Ballates, Barre, and her own unique style of Yocella: a type of yoga practice that is performed to the accompaniment of soothing cello music. Check out Kitty’s Facebook page to learn more about her regular courses, workshops, retreats and special events!
Warm Your Spirit With Chaga Tea
Chaga Tea is a unique type of tea widely renowned for its health benefits. Its flavour is similar to the earthy taste of coffee, but drinking Chaga Tea does not lead to the energy crash associated with coffee consumption. Chaga Tea Ireland founder Philip credits it for helping him to improve his health. He says: “I discovered Chaga after years of experimenting with different diets due to a Crohn’s condition. My first cup of Chaga had quite an impact. An hour later I felt energised yet calm, with a clarity similar to the effects of coffee, but without the buzz.”
The Planted Bean: An Amazing New Vegan Spot
If you’re looking for a cool spot to try out some delicious plant-based cuisine, look no further than The Planted Bean, located at No. 16 Baggot Road, Ashtown, Dublin 7. This wonderful coffee shop is owned by Kevin Odgers, and specialises in tasty vegan desserts free of refined sugar, as well as savoury vegan food options with an American twist. The picture above shows off their mouth-watering homemade Twix bars – we feel hungry just looking at them!
Open to the Summer Solstice With This Open Floor Retreat
As hints of summer’s arrival begin to creep into the air, what better way to celebrate than attending a heart-expanding dance and movement retreat for the Summer Solstice weekend? Dance teacher Carol McInerney is on hand to provide you with that magical experience with her special event, Solstice – Receiving the Light: an Open Floor residential dance retreat in Slí na Bande, Kilmurry, Co. Wicklow. The retreat will take place from June the 15th to the 17th 2018. For more information, click here or email Carol at info@themovingbody.ie.
This evening, we are excited to share the first two stories from our popular Spirit and the City series. The theme this time around is “renewal.” Contributors were asked to share their thoughts on how the warming energy of the new season inspires feelings of renewal in their own lives. The other four stories can be found in our new Spring issue – pick up a copy today or subscribe to have it delivered right to your door.
Lauren Kelly
Snowdrops are blossoming, cherries are sweetening, air is softening; the beauty of nature is reawakening. Spring, a beautiful reminder of how enchanting change can be. The winter storms of life may have struck your heart, windswept your dreams and drowned the magic of your soul, yet still, here you are, ready to bloom. Flowers can’t grow without rain. Each drop of water deepens a tree’s roots. Allow spring help you to take your time of pain and turn it into your own sense of beauty. Planted deep in the wounds of your winter were seeds, waiting for this magical moment to grow into exquisite flowers. They can cut down all of the stems but that will not stop spring from coming; no adversity will stop you from blossoming. The darkness has passed, the light is coming, it’s time to live your life in full bloom, young wildflower.
www.thepeachydream.blogspot.ie
Bob Robinson
It’s hard to talk of spring in a city without seasons. The summer is a saucy tease, and winter is a no-show. I’d like to say back home in Scotland we do weather properly, but honestly the Dublin approach seems far more civilised. I choose to measure spring from the day I don my shorts: a watershed of great significance for me and my knees. On that day I wake from hibernation, my body breathes its first unstifled breath and I become myself again. More than myself – I am connected to the world in a hairy-legged embrace. And when I walk with spring in my step to the sunrise of a fierce-mild morning, when the eyes of every second passerby flit down in puzzled judgement at my glorious shins, I thank God I never moved to warmer climes than Dublin, or I would surely be a nudist by now.
To read the rest of our Spirit and the City stories, pick up a copy of our new Spring issue in your local stockist or subscribe today.
Spring Spirituality & The City Preview: Serendipity and Synchronicity
By Suzi von Mensenkampff
In our Spring 2015 issue, some of our readers share stories of serendipity and synchronicity. Here’s a beautiful taster tale from Suzi von Mensenkampff. We’re very grateful you told us about this and congratulations on everything!
Subscribe here to get the Spring issue and three more delivered direct to your door.
In August 2011 I was reading an article by Siobhan Mc Kenna titled “Silver Lining” in Positive Life’s online newsletter, which led to my signing up for her “Perfect Health -Chopra Ayurveda Course” – there was a competition to win a copy of Siobhan’s latest book, by submitting a positive news story.
Now I had been working as a stressed out interior designer up to that point and had began to dip my toe in the world of Deepak Chopra, Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda and found that the ancient tools and techniques I learnt were really helping me, so I wrote an article about transformation and all of the synchronicities I was experiencing.
To my great surprise, a copy of Siobhan’s book arrived in the post and when I met her in Dublin to take the course, I shared the story with her and the group. Later that day I was having lunch outside a nearby café, I saw that there was a copy of Positive Life. Great! I didn’t know there was a printed version, so I began flicking through the pages, then my heart stopped at page 8, there was my name under the title “Synchrodestiny” my story was “in print”. I actually went a bit red, feeling mildly embarrassed, I looked up at the sky and thought “really, Universe?” – I felt a bit like someone coming out of the spiritual closet. I had been asking for signs and suddenly they were everywhere, as my teachers, books and events began to show up, here was another big sign directing the course of my life, everything was connecting up.
I set the intention that one day I wanted to meet the author of these life changing books and courses. Within a few weeks another string of coincidences led me to California where I ended up meeting Deepak, I shared with him my challenges and what I was experiencing, asking his advice, the answers were remarkably simple. The signs never stopped pointing me in the direction of my purpose and passion. The synchronicities continued and by the end of that same year I had closed my design business and started my training at CCU (Chopra Center University)
Today I am Irelands first Chopra Certified Vedic Master and I teach all three disciplines Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda. I found my passion and purpose.
All I can say is: pay attention to the synchronicities, follow the signs along your path, trust your intuition and you will find your passion and purpose.
That is Synchrodestiny.
Mapping Your Dreams
By Amanda Collins
Boost your vision board with the power of Feng Shui.
The Vision Board is an amazing tool to help align you with your deepest wishes and to inspire love to manifest in your life. You can create this powerful tool from images, words and the concepts of Feng Shui to join the power of Feng Shui with the Law of attraction into one dynamic board. Before you begin, sit quietly to meditate and envision your goals and dreams. Be truly compassionate, loving and authentic with yourself during the process of creating this sacred board. Even the process itself will bring clarity about your intentions and your self-knowledge.
What you’ll need
- Cork board/poster board
- Scissors
- Magazines from travel, business, real estate, yoga
- Glue/sticky tape
- Computer and printer
Creating a vision board based on the Feng Shui principles
In Feng Shui, your home is divided into nine sectors called the Bagua Map. This map is an energy blueprint of your home and can be layered over your vision board to add more power to it. The map will boost the energy of each goal as you are directly relating it to the relevant life area. The areas of the Bagua begin at the top center section and move clockwise from there.
Creating your Bagua map
Top middle: Fame, recognition and how you share your light with the world
Upper right corner: Love/marriage, all relationships in your life
Mid right: Children, creativity, inner child and fertility
Lower right: Helpful people, travel, synchronicity
Lower middle: Career, life’s journey following your bliss
Lower left: Knowledge/self-cultivation, personal growth, meditative area, peace
Middle left hand: Family and community, deepening connection
Center: Health, unity and self-love
Upper Left corner: Wealth/prosperity and abundance
As you come out of your meditation, you are ready to create your board. Go through your magazines and tear out images that resonate with you. Your vision board might change as you are making it, so don’t become overly attached to certain images. Trust the divine process and know that what you attract is exactly what your soul needs for it evolution.
Add inspirational words specific to your goals. Words are very powerful; they turn ideas into action. The words should be written in the present tense and be positive. Have fun while creating your board. If specific pictures call to your imagination, search the Internet for the perfect image. When you feel deeply connected to your vision, your soul and your purpose, choose your favorite images and lay them on the board aligned with the your Bagua map. Eliminate any images that do not excite you. Add a beautiful, radiant picture of yourself to the center. As you create, feel your entire being open and align with your intentions.
Hang your vision board where you’ll see it everyday and allow the messages to go deeply into your subconscious. The wall across from your bed would be powerful placing as you’ll see your vision every morning and each night. Keep the board private from those entering your home, as you are planting seeds and until the roots are strong, it’s best to keep these tender shoots close to the heart and let the magic begin!
Amanda Collins will be teaching the Feng Shui Master Certification in Ireland in May 2014. internationalfengshuischool.com
The following two vegan recipes are very easy to recreate at home. Simplicity is the key here as we celebrate the delicate flavours of spring. The first recipe is very moreish and comforting. It is a marriage of vibrant spring greens with the textures of the departing winter. In this recipe, I have used regular wheat flour, although rice flour would work just as well if you want to create a gluten-free alternative.
In Cornucopia this spring, we are introducing a selection of delicious raw food main courses in addition to our raw soups, salads and desserts which are so popular. The second recipe for courgette tagliatelle represents a small taste of what we will have on offer. Again, it is a simple recipe and it works very well. Other vegetables can be substituted for the raw vegetable pasta ribbons; I have had great success using carrots or daikon radish.
Potato boxty with tenderstem broccoli in a spring onion coconut sauce
Serves 3
You will need:
- 400g grated potato
- 40g sunflower oil
- 60g plain flour
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 bunch of spring onion tops and bottoms, finely chopped
- Seasoning
- Oil for frying
Sauce:
- 50ml mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine used in cooking)
- 300ml coconut milk
- Seasoning
- 150g tender stem broccoli
Firstly, grate the potato. Add the salt and lemon and give the mixture a good squeeze. Some liquid will escape. Do not discard as this starchy liquid will help to bind all the other ingredients. Add the flour, oil, spring onion bottoms and seasoning.
Shape the mixture into patties; you should get about 6 from this quantity. Heat some oil in a large frying pan or skillet. When it’s sizzling, lower the heat to medium and add the patties. Fry the patties for about 5 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the mirin in a small saucepan. Allow it to reduce for a minute before adding the coconut milk. Reduce for a further 5 minutes before adding the spring onion tops. Blend to a velvety sauce. While this is happening, blanch the broccoli in some salted boiling water for no more than 2 minutes.
Flood each plate with a ladle of sauce and top with two of the boxty and a third of the broccoli.
Courgette tagliatelle with green olives, sundried tomatoes and basil cashew cream
Serves 3-4
You will need:
- 2 medium courgettes, rinsed, topped and tailed
- 40g sundried tomato, soaked in cold water overnight
- 40g of green olives, thinly sliced
- 200g cashew nuts, soaked in cold water overnight
- 200ml water
- 20g fresh basil
- 30ml lemon juice
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- Seasoning
- Heaped dessertspoon of nutritional yeast (optional)
- Rocket to serve
Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, peel the courgettes into a large bowl until you begin to see seeds at the centre. At this stage, set the interior of the courgettes aside for something else. The courgette strips you now have in the bowl constitute the “tagliatelle”. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes and add them to the courgettes, along with the olives.
Strain the cashews and blend them with the fresh water, basil, lemon, garlic, seasoning and nutritional yeast. To blend, use a high speed blender, a food processor or an immersion blender (we use a vita-mix in the restaurant).
Blend the mixture until a velvety sauce is achieved. If the sauce is still a little grainy, it can be put through a fine sieve. Fold the sauce through the courgette ribbons. Adjust the seasoning and serve immediately, topped with some fresh rocket leaves. Enjoy!
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