Cathleen Beerkens, the brains behind A Wellness Revolution, has recently launched a new YouTube channel to share her life-changing offerings with a wider audience! Check it out below.
In the Short and Sweet section of our magazine, we love to speak with both emerging and established voices in the holistic world. In our Summer 2020 issue, we had the opportunity to learn more about the stellar work being done by Dundrum-based acupuncturist and herbalist Amanda Nordell. Read on to find out, in Amanda’s words, how acupuncture can make a world of difference to your skin!
Chlorella’s age-defying magic
by Kumiko Kumagai
However hard we try, we’ll never be able to turn back the clock and get back the looks and figure we had when we were younger. However, nature may have the ability to slow things down as we move forward in life, though this help might come in a rather unusual form…
Chlorella is a type of green algae that grows in fresh water. This can be harvested and dried to create a superfood. Those in the know have been taking chlorella for a number of years for its reputed health benefits. Recent scientific research has helped to back up these claims. It appears nature really has provided us with a means to help us look and feel at least a little bit younger.
Scientists have found that chlorella may have an ability to prevent the breakdown of a substance in skin called elastin. As its name suggests, ‘elastin’ is what gives our skin its elasticity. As we get older we begin to lose elastin, which is what causes wrinkles to form. By helping to prevent the breakdown of elastin, it is believed that chlorella may have the ability to keep wrinkles at bay.
Research has also shown that chlorella could have a role to play in helping to reduce weight gain. A protein found in the algae appears able to reduce the increase in size of the body’s fat cells, which is normally seen when eating a diet high in fat.
PLEASE NOTE: due to unforeseen circumstances, this event, which had been scheduled to take place on Thursday August 23rd, has to be postponed. We will arrange a new date as soon as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. People who have booked tickets for this event can request a refund, earn free entry to any other Positive Nights event, or be granted free entry to the new date for Alison’s event, once this has been organised. Please email positivenights@gmail.com if you have any concerns.
If you are a regular reader of our print magazine, you may recognise Alison as the author of our Positively Metaphysical column: offering her sage advice, issue after issue, on subjects such as mindful exercising, the importance of spending time in nature, or learning how to care for ourselves.
She is also the organiser behind the highly successful Full 360 health and wellbeing shows that take place on a regular basis around the country. Alison says: “People are more stressed and busier than ever and we all put enormous pressure on ourselves to be everything to everyone, often treating ourselves quite harshly and negatively. It’s time to practice self-care to cope with the demands of our busy world.”
Alison believes in living life according to five basic principles, which she calls the 5 A’s:
AWARENESS: Being aware and present for yourself and keeping an open and curious mind towards the world around you.
ACCEPTANCE: Accepting with grace where you are in this moment, which is the only place you can truly start from.
ACCESSIBILITY: Accessible practices that you can use every day like gratitude, mindfulness, movement and good food to help you on your personal journey towards freedom and joy.
ATTITUDE: Your attitude to life is everything and having a good one makes all the difference.
ALIGNMENT: Aligning with yourself, others and the world around you is important. It starts with your daily practice of going within.
You can learn more about Alison’s work by going to her website, alisoncanavan.com.
During our time with Alison, she will tell us more about how we can learn to care for ourselves, every day, in this hectic world. This fascinating event will take the form of a one-hour interview, followed by a short break and then a Q & A session.
If you’re looking for a tranquil getaway destination to nourish the body and spirit, as the searing heat of summer gradually gives way to a more autumnal feeling, look no further than Creation Lodge Wellness Centre, located in Co. Wexford. Creacon was founded by Derek O’Neill, with the aim of providing a safe haven for guests who want to escape from the busy outside world for a while.
The quality of Creacon’s accommodation is second to none. Their guest suites – available with king-size beds, double beds or twin beds – come equipped with nutritious snacks, alkaline Kangen water and lightly scented relaxation mists to help encourage total relaxation and enable guests to enjoy a restful night’s sleep. Creation also boasts a personal fitness studio, an art room, a library, community loungers and beautiful lush gardens to explore and enjoy.
A wide range of treatments are offered at the Lodge: under their Spirit healing programme, Heart Healing, Prema Birthing, Rising Star and Relationship Rising Star treatments are offered. For the Mind, hypnotherapy, mindfulness training, NLP and psychotherapy sessions are available. For the Body, the range of physical treatments include acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, cranio-sacral reflexology, massage, organic natural facials and Quantum Biofeedback. For more in-depth descriptions and reviews of each modality, just click on the links provided.
As if all of that weren’t enough, they also offer classes on yoga, meditation, essential oils, Tibetan bowls healing and many other topics – to browse the full programme, just click here.
Of course, no description of Creacon’s facilities could be complete without mentioning their scrumptious food. Resident master chef, Gaetano Pernagallo, prides himself on designing meals that are designed to provide optimum nutrition and wellness, while also appealing to the taste buds. Based on the philosophy that ‘food is medicine’, Creacon uses only high-quality ingredients – many of which are grown in their own gardens – all specially chosen for their seasonal and environmental appropriateness. To view the café menu, just click here. A juice cleanse programme is also available.
You can find out more about Creacon by calling 051 447 666, emailing info@creaconwellnessretreat.com or visiting their website or Facebook page.
Summer is well and truly at its peak (and our Summer 2018 issue has hit the shelves), so we just had to share the Positive Vibes section from the magazine, which showcases some of the most exciting events, courses, products, and tasty treats that Ireland’s holistic scene has to offer this season. Sit back, read all about it, and while you’re at it, make a note to pick up a copy of the Summer 2018 issue in your local health food store. You can also subscribe online to receive this issue, and three others, straight to your door.
“Summer moonlight / All soft and fair… Breathes sweet thoughts everywhere”
(Emily Bronte)
Get Elemental
Thirsty to drink from the font of feminine wisdom which lies within you? Facilitator Sky Buitenhuis invites you to embark on ‘The Heroine’s Journey’, a four weekend immersion into the wilderness of nature and the self, to emerge empowered and attuned within. Come share in the rich tapestry of women’s wisdom awaiting YOU.
theearthisdreaming.com/womens-courses
The Peace Team
Ready to share the bountiful benefits of meditation and mindful living? The Meditation Teacher Academy® is now offering a 200hour certified teacher training course which enables you to confidently teach a variety of chill-out techniques. Think loving-kindness, yoga nidra, mantra and mindfulness. Let the peace ripple on.
Brain training
Optimal Brain is an advanced, personal transformation system designed to help you get the best use of your brain. With training, you can enhance just about anything in the realms of brain functioning; relieving stress and anxiety and improving sleep cycles, focus, attention and retention. Do you brain a favour and have a gander.
Hope and healing
Disenchanted and ready to embrace a new health paradigm? Paulette Agnew, in her book FAB Health, shares the story of her recovery from Lyme disease. A compilation of personal experience, research and interviews with leading health professionals, Paulette offers hope and a simply explained solution to antibiotic-resistant illness through Frequency And Biomagnetic (FAB) medicine.
Human connection
Camp out in the Heartspace this August during a six day extravaganza of playfulness, celebration, learning and transformation. Expect a diverse range of workshops from African dance to circus skills and yoga, helping to deepen your connection with yourself, others and nature. You can bring the kids along too! See the Heartspace Facebook event for details.
facebook.com/events/164139600894707
Summer Escapades
Creacon Wellness Retreat, nestled in the lush Wexford surrounds, is the perfect place to plot your next summer escape. Whether you’re going solo or attending a specialized retreat or workshop, Creacon offers an abundance of ways to relax and rejuvenate.
Travelling light
Downsize your baggage and travel ultra-light with Mooncup; a reusable, portable silicone menstrual cup to replace disposable tampons and pads. If you’re heading off the beaten track this summer, Mooncup will be your best travelling companion!
Brain Food
Lion’s Mane mushroom is a delicious variety of mushroom, with a special affinity for the brain. Mushroomstuff creates 100% organic, highly bioavailable, Lion’s Mane in capsule form to enhance and protect those precious neurons in your noggin’.
Impeccable pesto
Small-batch, unhurried production prevails in Stoneybatter, Dublin, where Genovese Foods have been crafting their gourmet, additive-, gluten- and GMO-free pesto products since 1999. The oldest producers of fresh pesto in Ireland, their flavoursome little jars are well worth the dip.
Rise and shine
Mushrooms are all the rage. We tried the mushroom coffee by Four Sigmatic: rich, earthy and delicious, it sends positive vibes coursing through your system. The mushroom works with the caffeine and neutralises the jitters, replacing them with a balanced feeling. Wake up and smell the mushrooms.
Mother natures’ bounty
Medical Medium Anthony William’s fascinating book, Life Changing Foods, reveals the healing properties on physical, emotional and spiritual levels of fifty fruits and vegetables which the earth provides us with. Discover the choices for healing, health and recovery you can make each time you sit down to a meal.
medicalmedium.com/life-changing-foods
Way of the heart
Share in the “most healing, centring, transforming and enlightening thing” in Kevin James’ life this July, as he arrives to Dublin for an evening of chanting heartsongs, mantra and kirtan to reconnect with the intelligence of the heart. Come spread the love!
Spiritual momentum
Marianne Williamson will be winging her way to Dublin this October 10th for what’s sure to be an inspiring, uplifting and empowering seminar. Marianne is author of twelve published books and shares stories and wisdom on love, the spiritual journey and miracles. Check out the Seminars website for more.
Melting pot of positivity
Come simmer in the power of positivity and an atmosphere of inspiration, sharing and enlightenment during the summer series of Positive Nights. Bring an open heart and an open mind and expect to meet more of the same.
positivelife.ie/positivenights
Be the Divine You
Mother Meera, native to India and embodiment of the Divine Mother, will be in Dublin this July bestowing her blessing on all those who feel the call to enlighten their inner divinity. In total silence, experience a purification of consciousness and a bestowal of light upon the soul.
Teen Empowerment
Treasa Traynor, director of Chrysalis Wellness, is on a mission to bring the strengths of a yoga practice into school communities. Specializing in programmes such as ‘Time out for teachers’ and ‘Wellbeing workshops’ for teens, Treasa seeks to help young people and their teachers cope with the many challenges they face during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Joyous January! Happy beginning of 2018! The start of the year always gives us a wonderful sense of hope. We feel we can leave behind all that we no longer need and start fresh, like a newborn! This year belong to all of us and is up to you to make it twelve wonderful months. We encourage you to embrace a more experienced you and carry it through out the months and years to come. We, as always, want to bring you our lovely suggestions and recommendations to make your year a better one! Our Vibes are filled with beautiful events, products and more for your mind, body & spirit! Our Positive Life Winter edition is still out! Do not miss it by subscribing for yourself or as an original gift. Sign up here to get a chilled copy in your postbox! Loads of love, from all the team. Join us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you haven’t already.x
Positive Nights presents: Heal, You have the power to heal yourself!
Date: Thursday, January 25th
Location: Cinema Room, Generator Hostel, Smithfield Square, Dublin.
Featuring Deepak Chopra, Bruce Lipton, Marianne Williamson, Michael Beckwith, Gregg Braden, Anita Moorjani, Anthony William and more.
Director Kelly Noonan Gores’ documentary takes us on a scientific and spiritual journey where we discover that our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions have a huge impact on our health and ability to heal.
Learn more and get your tickets here!
Turn On Ireland Brings us Orgasmic Mediation (OM). This is a great consciousness practice you do with another person. The OM practice combines the power and attention of meditation with the deeply human, deeply felt, and connected experience of Orgasm.
Reach out to Rachel Regan of Turn On Ireland on email rachelannregan@gmail.com
Virtue Brush: Time to rethink your toothbrush? Small steps pave the way to sustainability where “everything counts in large amounts.” Think VirtueBrush; a plastic-free, bamboo-handled, charcoal-bristled toothbrush with a conscience – this Dublin-based company plants one tree for every VirtueBrush sold.
They now offer a 20% discount with code “PositiveLife”
visit virtuebrush.com for more!
Open Minds Conference an incredible conference revealing our true world! Three Days of Truth, Knowledge & Awareness. They aim to Provide a plataform for open minded people to connect; provide conscious knowledge and awareness & uplift people and provide solutions.
Dates: 2nd-4th March 2018
Check this amazing video for more!
Laura Dowdall of Healing Yoga is hosting a wonderful 3-day retreat & invites you to unwind in the serene settings of Lisnavagh House and Gardens on the Wicklow/ Carlow border.
Dates: 2-4th February 2018
Through the body, we will experience space, stillness, e-motion, sensation, vibration and bliss. In this retreat you will have time to be by yourself, surrounded by serenity and your own room where you can relax.
There are still places open. Visit here to learn more and reserve your place.
The Wellness Coach Institute Brings us a revolutionary Online course with the purpose to help practitioners and all those interested in learning and developing coaching skill abilities based on holistic theories and new sciences. The institute is committed to bringing new knowledge and understanding of the connections between the new science and a holistic vision of how to optimize health, wellness and balance through educational classes all over the world.
To sign up visit awellnessrevolution.net
Educational organisation A Wellness Revolution is offering a six-month online Certified Wellness Coaching course this year. The course explores how the emerging sciences of glycobiology and epigenetics hold the potential to revolutionise our understanding of human health. It aims to empower students to help themselves and others lead healthier lives. For more information, go to www.awellnessrevolution.net or email Cathleen Beerkens at cathleenbeerkens@gmail.com.
Due to an increased focus on healthy living and illness prevention in recent years, the field of nutrition has been making great strides in advancing our understanding of how the human body works. Glycobiology is an emerging field of study that examines how our cells should function, and highlights the unfortunate fact that much of our modern food is depleted of its essential nutritional value. This could be the cause behind many physical imbalances.
A Wellness Revolution, an organisation founded by integrative health coach Cathleen Beerkens, aims to explore how glycobiology – together with epigenetics (the study of changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence) – has the potential to revolutionise our understanding of human health. They describe glycobiology as “the missing link in nutrition.”
In order to enable these profound new theories to spread, A Wellness Revolution is offering a six-month online Certified Wellness Coaching course this year. It is designed for both medical practitioners and members of the public who would like to learn more about how they can help themselves and others to lead healthier lives.
Some of the topics examined during the course include:
The course begins on March 11th with a live class at the Grand Hotel, Malahide. After this, classes will be offered online from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Irish time. The class videos can be viewed as often as necessary once they have been posted online, and students are encouraged to learn within their own individual time frame, assisted by a tutor. Three discussion sessions will also take place during the course, with a variety of guest speakers invited to address students. Graduation from the course takes place on September 2nd at the Grand Hotel in Malahide.
If you have been searching for a truly engaging and mind-expanding online course that will empower you to start creating optimum health in yourself and others, you might just have found what you’re looking for.
The registration fee is €1600 if a place on the course is booked before February 15th, 2018, and €1800 if booked after that date. For more information, visit www.awellnessrevolution.net or email Cathleen Beerkens at cathleenbeerkens@gmail.com.
Date: Saturday, September 17th, 2017
Location: Radisson Blu – Golden Lane, Dublin
Time: 11:ooam – 7:00pm
Award winning author of wellness book “Minding Mum” and health and wellness coach, Alison Canavan will host the first in a series of events – The Full 360 Series. The first show of its kind in Ireland, The Full 360 Series is a day where the sole focus will be on complete holistic self-care centering on health, skincare (for men and women) and wellness from the inside out and the outside in. This show aims to introduce people to manageable behaviour changes and habits that are possible to include into their already hectic schedules, to empower people to see and experience what they can do for themselves instead of feeling helpless and hopeless. It’s about accepting and embracing yourself where you are in the here and now and not where you want to be in the future. Change is possible for everyone!
A delicious, healthy lunch will be served, along with The Lo Cal Kitchen nutrient-packed smoothies and liver shots. Each guest will receive a fantastic goody bag worth over €100 as well as a workbook of information on The Full 360 Series with thought-provoking content, useful advice and techniques, and a copy of Positive Life Magazine. With discos, juicing demos, restorative yoga and meditation sessions, and lots more, booking a spot at this event is a must for those seeking to both look and feel better. Early Bird Tickets cost €99 and can be booked at www.becomplete.ie
Guests at The Full 360 Series can expect to receive a wealth of knowledge with talks on meditation, mindfulness, gratitude, natural products, healthy eating tips, stress reduction techniques and much more, from both Alison and a hand-picked selection of expert exhibitors and speakers including; Jennifer Rock A.K.A. The Skin Nerd, Chris Flack from Unplug, David Gilna – who has a spark and a zest for life about second chances and positive vibes. Integrated Wellness Coach and yoga teacher Miriam Kerins, Virginie Claire from Couleur Caramel and Phyts Natural Skincare, Susan Fox from Eden Beauty, Independent Irish Health Foods, Koyu Matcha, True Natural Goodness, Dr. Bronner’s, MoMe Cards, Eskimo, EVB Spot, Anu and FEED.
Having struggled with depression, anxiety and addictions for over half her life, Alison understands the work that we need to do with ourselves on a daily basis to move into a life of freedom and peace. Speaking on her event, Alison said; “I’m so excited to be hosting my first Full 360 event this September. I want people to take back control of their health and stop outsourcing their power. Once we realise how powerful we are anything is possible. Health is much more than food and fitness, it’s about the small habit patterns and decisions we make every second of every day. Keeping stress low and practicing authentic self-care is the only way to achieve true wellness from within.”
Alison firmly believes that real wellness can only truly be achieved when we connect the dots, taking a full 360 approach with our own health and wellbeing. This means looking at body, mind, spirit, our environment and the quality of our relationships. This event will bring guests through different, fun techniques including mindfulness, gratitude, self-care tips and what effect our food has on our mood. Alison will also talk about looking at our toxic load and the products we use on a daily basis both in the home and on ourselves. Most women put on average 168 – 515 chemicals* onto their skin each day. This has a very strong and negative effect on our overall health and wellbeing and something Alison is passionate about spreading the word on. As a sponsor of the Full 360, Dr. Bronner’s are travelling to the event all the way from California to talk about their natural organic beauty, cleaning and household range. Their ethical ethos aligns with Alison’s own values of self-care, care for the community, the earth and each other.
For more information about this event and to book tickets to The Full 360 series go to www.becomplete.ie
By Alison Canavan
I’ve been choosing a different exercise to practice each month and it’s proving to be a lot of fun. You don’t get bored, and each type of exercise challenges your body and mind in different ways. I’ve a bad back for years, so I need to be very careful and can only exercise under supervision, which can be frustrating. The temptation to leave exercise out is always there, but movement is a key part of real wellness and it’s essential for anyone with injuries to tend to. When you find something that is both exercise and fun, like Barre, then it’s something you can actually look forward to doing each week.
I’d heard Barre being mentioned around town. Having had a brief fling with ballet in my youth, I thought that I would give it a go. I also thought it would be quite easy and that I’d be great at it. Clearly my memories of my ballet abilities had been grossly exaggerated over time in my mind, as I soon realised I’m more of a Swan Fake than Swan Lake ballerina. The good news is that I grew to love it and although I might never be the ballerina I once dreamt of being, I can have a toned tush in time for summer.
It was interesting to read that ballerina, Lotte Berk, created Barre after injuring her back. She came up with the idea to combine her dance conditioning routine with her rehabilitative therapy, and opened her first studio in 1959 in her London basement. Famous faces such as Joan Collins and Barbara Streisand would regularly arrive there to lift, tuck, and curl. I started taking classes with the girls at Rebel Barre. Jade O’Connor was my first teacher and her energy was infectious. Barre really is a wonderful exercise class that mixes ballet inspired exercises, Pilates and HIIT training to sculpt and tone your muscles. It’s the perfect addition to your cardio routine and it covers legs, bums, arms and tums, all those harder to reach areas. I developed shaky leg syndrome early on in the class as Barre is all about tiny isometric movements. ‘Isometric’ movements are less stressful on your joints and muscles than other forms of exercise. They are strengthening exercises where the joint angle and muscle length don’t change.
In a nutshell you; hold, don’t move and feel the burn (or the shake in my case!). In Barre class you also use props like hand weights, balls and resistance bands. The exercises are easy to follow and the girls at Rebel Barre are really supportive and encouraging. I found it great for posture, as sitting all day at a desk can cause you to bend over and leave you stiff and strained. Barre lengthens you out, as you train yourself to stand tall during each exercise. At Rebel Barre there are various different versions of Barre on offer, like cardio-dance and H.E.A.T. (High Energy Amplified Training). These are next level, more advanced Barre classes, for those who want to ramp up the cardio and work on the harder barre moves. The newest addition is ‘bounce’ which helps to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. The mind-body connection in exercise is important for me as I try to bring an element of mindful living into my everyday life. I felt this connection during Barre. Because you’re so focused on isolating the different areas of your body, I felt very connected to each moment and, in turn, to my body. It’s lovely to have those experiences in such a chaotic world.
Rebelbarre.rocks for more information.
For more about Alison: becomplete.ie follow Alison on Instagram @alisoncanavanwellness
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