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~ Musings and Inspirations towards Holistic Health

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Happy Earth Day!

22 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Nature & Gardening

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Happy Earth Day, Health, Inspiration, love, Nature, Sharing, Thoughts

It seems odd to me that we have a day to celebrate virtually everything you can think of! That said, Happy Earth’s Day to you all!

I am finding it difficult to spare the time to update this site, but I do intend to keep it going, and I would like to thank you all who continue to contact me having read some of my older posts, it is appreciated, and nudges me to try and find more time!

So, Earth Day – it is rare to find people who truly respect, appreciate, and share the importance of the Earth in their everyday life. But as black and white as it possibly can be, Earth is paramount to our daily breath. Obvious I know, but translated a few times, ask yourself, when did you last focus purely on the Earth we stand on . . . hmm you see, it’s a phenomena that raises a smile on peoples faces.

Seeing today has been chosen as a special day to remind ourselves about the importance of the Earth, spend a moment looking at the surface of this Earth; feel it with bare feet,  smell it, touch it; widen your gaze and look at the sheer magnificent beauty of it. How it sustains life not only for us, but for every other creature on the planet, every living plant and organism. Everything we know relates back to the Earth. If you let your mind wander and your imagination time to ignite, the concept becomes even more ‘mind blowingly’ magnificent! We are so small, almost like a grain of sand in the grander scale of the planet, probably not even that! And we only exist within the tiniest depth of the Earth’s surface, so, how small do you feel now?!

Many of us love our lives, love our gardens; our walks in the countryside, our expeditions to more adventurous pursuits; love every minute we get to spend looking out of the window watching birds or butterflies, or simply admiring the view of flowers, trees, far reaching views, the sea, hills, rolling wolds, mountains, the list goes on. We have such diverse scenery, wildlife, plant life, we should be thankful and grateful with every breath we take.

Being mindful, and living in the moment we are in does bring a harmony within our souls, only possible when you engage with the Earth and all it offers around us.

Enjoy your day appreciating and loving the Earth, that boost of love today, can only help in healing the many scars we have given the planet. We need to give back instead of taking and living with an ignorance that it will always just be there without any thought and care given. We are only here for such a small amount of time, which flies by faster every year; lets make it our mission to embrace and better the Earth around us in any, and every way we can. It is precious and we owe everything to its existence, literally!

Happy Earth Day!

Druantia

International Women’s Day 2017 . . .

08 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Inspiration, International Women's Day, love, respect, Sharing, Thanks, Thoughts

Where is time going?! I have never known time fly like it is this year, maybe it’s just me, maybe I’m getting old, but it’s taking some coping with! However . . .

Today is a day when we should spend a few moments to think about the women in our lives, or women who have helped inspire us, cared for us, love and have loved us; women who gave us a spark to re-evaluate our lives, have guided us to where we are today, for without women, none of us would be here. It’s a day to say, “Thank You” – it’s International Women’s Day!

We all need each other in this world, but there are always those people we meet along the way who leave a special print on our lives, on our souls. I am very lucky to have a wonderful relationship with my Mum, she has been in my life from day one, literally! I know how blessed I am to have my Mum in my daily life today, and truly cherish her presence. I have female friends who enrich my life, who show every aspect of what a woman is capable of; from their love, their friendship, support, patience, tolerance, their strength, forgiveness and endless energy, they really are inspirations.

Around the world, and in this country, there are those who’s role of a mother, and being a woman is hindered by many constraints. We are a fast changing species, and as such there seem to be more extremes transpiring all the time. Some parts of the world are still very difficult, where existence is a daily fight; where Mums can do nothing but watch their new born and young children die due to horrendous living circumstances. Where women are not allowed to be heard, nor seen, have no rights nor ways of experiencing and expressing themselves, and live a very restricted life, in the dominance of men. On the other hand, there are women who have more opportunities than ever before, even running countries! They stand equally to men on business boards, and positions of authority.The extremes between the two are almost too extreme to believe they are all on the same planet, only a matter of hours by plane apart, it’s a mind blowing concept. How the gap between the two extremes has changed.

Whilst I encourage everyone to live their dreams and be free to achieve them, irrespective of gender. I do also acknowledge the fundamental role differences between men and women, and would not like to think those values were ever eroded. A more global level of acceptance of women and their abilities would be lovely, but I doubt I’ll be still around to see that global transformation.

So today, on this internationally recognised day, take five minutes to just think and acknowledge the women you know; who hold a special place in your heart and life. Give them a call, send them thanks and love, for without their presence, near or far, our lives would have been that little bit less whole than it is today . . .

Happy Women’s Day to all the women in my life, and thank you all for enriching my life.

Druantia

Kinder . . .

10 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health

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Communication, Healing, Health, Inspiration, Life Experiences, Mental Health, Sharing, Thoughts, Words

Be kinder than is necessary

because, everyone you meet could be

fighting some kind of battle.

Your kindness could help them win their day.

There are always those worse off than ourselves, sometimes we can visually see their impairment, other times, and more oftenly so, we cannot see their inward struggles; that doesn’t mean they are any less painful, nor the damage hard to cope with.

Kindness can heal many mental wounds, and offer hope to someone who feels they have none. You never know, one day it may be you in need of some human kindness to help your day pass.

Druantia

Peace . . .

05 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Communication, Inspiration, Poetry, Sharing, Spirituality, Thoughts

Where there is love in the heart, there is beauty in character.

Where there is beauty of character, there is harmony in the home.

Where there is harmony in the home, there is order in nations.

Where there is order in nations, there will be peace in the world.

I do not know who wrote this saying, but in today’s world of such turmoil, we can all bring it back to having more balance and love in ourselves; and from that maybe its radiance will make our immediate ‘worlds’ flourish a little more harmoniously.

Druantia

 

How To Be Happy!

26 Monday Sep 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Communication, Holistic Health, Inspiration, Positive Affirmations, Sharing, Spirituality, Thoughts, Words

Here’s a saying to make you think and re-evaluate how you are doing!

Keep your heart free from hate, your mind from worry.

Live simply, expect little, give much, sing often, pray always, fill your life with love, scatter sunshine, forget self, think of others.

Do as you would like to be done by.

These are the tried links in contentments golden chain.

Druantia

A Busy Summer . . .

23 Friday Sep 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Affirmations, Communication, Holistic Health, Inspiration, Positive Affirmations, Psychology, Sharing, Thoughts, Words

I’ve had a very busy summer which has left me neglectful of this site, I do apologise!

Today’s thought:

Happiness is the feeling you get when you are too busy to be miserable!

Enjoy your day . . .

Druantia

Fragility Of Mind . . .

23 Friday Sep 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Ankylosing Spondylitis AS, Holistic Health

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Ankylosing Spondylitis AS, Breathing, Health, Holistic Knowledge, Life Experiences, Positive Affirmations, Psychology, Sharing

Over the past few weeks we have had the pleasure of having family members coming to stay as part of their summer and school holidays. It has been brilliant but I must admit, my usual stretching routine has had to be shortened and somewhat rushed, the consequences of which was felt almost straight away.

The first morning of being back to normal, when I was able to do the usual longer exercise session, instantly reconnected me, and my mobility has felt freer again since. During this disrupted period I became aware again of the fragility of our minds. It is such a narrow line between coping and not coping.

To live in, let’s say a ‘normal’ body, you can get up in a morning, do what you want, eat what you want, and just get on with your daily life at will. You don’t have to think about it, your body just works and moves without having to give it any special thought. But when you have a body that has ‘quirks’, you do not have that luxury. You have to think about all the things you do, often from the pre ‘doing’, to the then ‘doing’, to the post ‘doing’ stages. And that process applies to everything you do, and I mean everything: getting in and out of bed, getting dressed, walking, sitting, standing, lifting the kettle, driving, shopping; every single thing, every day has to have a flash thought, to a considered thought, for a plan of action; it’s a constant reality. It takes mental strength and focus to keep the flow of your everyday life going, it can so easily become a heavy chore.

If you have pain, it can be the severity of which that stops you in your tracks and your daily life accordingly, but when it passes, life returns to normal. However, daily life for someone living with constant pain, even ‘low’ pain, or a body that does not function ‘normally’ is exhausting, as it never goes away. Having constant pain, be it an ache, or restriction that is always there is very mentally challenging, pushing you to your limits of coping. So pain is relative, bodily restrictions too, but whether severe or minor, they are hard to cope with, putting demands on our mental ability to keep living in a positive light. It is a daily challenge, and on some days, an hourly, even down to a minute-to-minute challenge.

People as you will have realised are all different, and their abilities to cope vary tremendously from person to person. Some soldier on regardless of their affliction, others sit down at the slightest hint of an ache and don’t move until the threat of it has gone. There isn’t a right or wrong, but the fragility of your mental state can make a world of difference to your quality of life.

I have been on the wrong side of depression before, brought on by having to cope with this constant challenge plus the challenge of some difficult life events combined. It has made me very aware of the scale of mental well-being a person can experience, and the speed at which it can change. It can feel very lonely, isolating and desolate when you know the problems you face are not going to go away. It can feel like you’re on a slide and no matter how hard you try to get a grip on something to steady the descent, it’s too slippery to be able to stop yourself sliding into a deeper, heavier place. A daily existence of living like it’s a real ‘Groundhog Day’. There are always ‘stages’ though, when the journey has easing slopes. Not that you can always see them for yourself at the time, but with knowledge, understanding and support, those ‘stages’ can steady the descent, enabling us to climb back to higher levels again; it isn’t necessarily a permanent one-way trip. Our mental strength is a huge factor on whether these opportunities are acknowledged in any way shape or form, never mind acted upon. To talk, share and ask for help and support are often incredibly hard acts to do. The feeling of failure and weakness having to ask, and thinking you could be burdening someone with your problems when they maybe have enough of their own, add to the scenario. You know that it could also alter the way that person then perceives you; you have no control over how they react. But that is down to the individual and who you feel you can relate and confide in, there will always be someone, either a friend, family, or a professional, a doctor, a counsellor, someone who will not judge you for who you are nor for what you are struggling with. It’s all relevant, no matter how large or small or trivial the problem may seem to be, acknowledgment of it is never a waste of time.

It is tiring mentally as well as physically to keep positive when you have a body that requires extra attention. And when you have a break from that programme of daily attention, you know it requires even more effort to get you back to where you were before, hoping that that is still possible. To live knowing you have to maintain the status quo, or suffer, is a gruelling mental state. When you want to be more active but have to weigh up the pros and cons to become so, is a mental process many people never have to contemplate, whereas others, myself included, have to consider it all the time, and I mean ALL the time.

There are times when you just want to stop the daily motivational pep talks you constantly give yourself for a while, and not feel like it’s an all consuming burden that engulfs you; it has no soft side. It is a reality that takes a lot of adapting to, and acceptance, some can adapt others cannot. Some are grateful for what they can still do; others pine for what they cannot.

For myself, even now all these years on, and with all the knowledge and experience I am lucky to have in my armoury, there are times when I can be momentarily overwhelmed by my own demise. It’s a flash of near dread that floods my senses, causing a wobble of whether I can cope with a future not of my choice. A time follows when I contemplate and reassess where I am mentally, and whether I need to search out another string in the bow of coping. Whilst my general health is excellent, my fitness is excellent, my quality of life is good – there isn’t an activity in my daily life that hasn’t been adapted because of my inflexible spine and neck. The process of wanting to do things I love is crippling, when you know you can’t do them. Even being able to freely play with young members of the family is extremely restricted. I have always loved being physical, through my work and leisure time, I loved the feeling of healthily ‘working’ my body. Despite pain, for the bulk of my life so far, I have been able to have a bearable mix of activity, and still do. But I know any sudden jarring to my body, could result in me being in the wheelchair I am told I would be in; and maybe not because I am in pain but because I would be paralysed. I could have a fall, a bump in the car with a whiplash type jar to the neck; I could do so many everyday things, that for me could paralyse me because I have no flex in my spine, it would, in essence, break and that is a very humbling but also a scary possibility. It is a scenario that any day could be my reality.

To allow fear, that foreboding emotion to come to the forefront of my mind is something I cannot afford. Knowing that any day a simple mishap could manifest in paralysis is a fear that has to be managed, never ignored but directed into a state in my mind that does not make me frightened to get out of bed. I have wobbles but so far not often and not for long. All I have been through has forged a strength I would never have been able to have had I not had my journey so far; it has been a process and still is. Ignorance is bliss as they say, but when you live ‘knowing’ something, it can be terrifying and the fragility of the mind is tested on a daily basis. Sometimes the analogy of keeping one step ahead of the fear feels very true, and a lapse, be it in the stretching routine, or a lapse in concentration when doing something can result in life changing circumstances. This creates an element of pressure on you, to keep doing the most you can whilst assessing whether it is enough or too much. The line between the two can be very narrow, and can vary from day to day. So you are always in a self-assessment mode, trying to evaluate the best approach for that day and time. Sometimes you want to stop the ‘ride’, have a break from the pressure of keeping it all up; and inevitably you momentarily start to wish. Whilst hope is fantastic almost essential, wishing for the impossible is costly to mind and body.

Mental turmoil is easily triggered; you need to be able to calm the effect before a calm ripple in the mind becomes a white water rapid out of control. Breathing, meditation, music and space help balance the mind, and I rely heavily on these disciplines and others to keep my mind stable at times of vulnerability.

Our minds are so fluid and fragile, at the same time, incredibly strong and utterly amazing. There is far more to be learned about them than we know to date. They are so precious and can define who we are over and above anything else. Take some time to evaluate your mental well-being today, don’t take it for granted because its equilibrium can change in a second. A healthy mind is invaluable to an able-bodied person but imperative to someone who has a body that doesn’t allow them to partake in ‘normal’ activities of life. It facilitates the quality of life in all of us; we all benefit from a fluid balanced mind. Maintaining the equilibrium is key to coping with the continual challenges we face in life’s learning curve. But the maintenance varies tremendously dependant on our individual bodies and minds.

The pressures and expectations put upon us from society is hard enough to mentally process, but when added to that all the other influences and pressures of life – the list is long, but to save you from the entirety – the concept that even a ‘normal’ fully functioning and able bodied person, can struggle to keep their mental equilibrium. For folk who have afflictions of one form or another, have a completely different perspective, ultimately the challenge of coming to terms with their own abilities on top of the afore mentioned. These minds need fine-tuning and in fact are often more in tune out of necessity than those of someone who hasn’t had to contact their inner strengths to cope and survive. To me, this can be seen as a positive slant, we tap into deeper depths of our survival instincts than most. The more we can use our inner strengths and intuition I believe leads to a more holistic life and many levels.

Despite all I’ve been though, and of course I wish I could do things I now can’t do, I am so grateful and thankful to have the mind I have today. How it is today has only come to be from all the pain and inner strength discoveries I’ve made on my journey through life so far. Hopefully I still have a long journey ahead of me, but one thing that is as vague as the day I started, I do not know what tomorrow will bring. Being mindful and aware are attributes that have enormous presence in my daily life. We have to allow ourselves the right to feel down, the right to feel sad, we need those emotions to balance us. Just like there is hot and cold, wet and dry, happy and sad, without one there isn’t the other, so hard as life often is, it could definitely be a lot worse. Being mindful of that helps keep me in a more positive vibe for the journey I am on.

Search out your inner mental strengths to help you cope with whatever afflicts you, emotionally, mentally or physically. My bias is to help anyone suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitus and the problems associated with it, but I hope it also resonates with everyone who reads it; we can all connect deeper with our inner strengths, always.

Druantia

 

 

Success . . .

20 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Affirmations, Communication, Holistic Health, Inspiration, Life Experiences, Sharing, Thoughts

In the light of the ongoing amazing Olympic Games in Rio, the following words my Dad used to say to us, keeps floating through my mind.

The Door of Success is Always labelled PUSH!

So many inspirational athletes that we can all learn lessons from. Very well done to them all; the drive, focus, determination, discipline and strength shown by many of them is truly inspirational. To have such passion and self discipline in something you believe in so strongly is a wonderful, if not at times, painful, attribute to have. Needless to say, if you have a passion and a drive within you to follow or achieve a goal, find the strength and courage to do it. It’s your life, your inner passion, your journey; live it and enjoy it before the opportunity or ability has gone!

Druantia

 

Don’t Quit . . .

11 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Affirmations, Communication, Inspiration, Life Experiences, Poems, Poetry, Positive Affirmations, Psychology, Sharing, Thoughts

This positive affirmation was given to me, many years ago, by a lovely friend at a time when I was struggling with several very challenging things at once. It made me think for a moment and refocus, and happier to take one step at a time; see what you think . . .

Dont Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trotting seems all up hill,

When the funds are low, and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver lining on the clouds of doubt,

But you can tell how close you are,

You maybe near when it seems so far.

Got to stick to the vigil,

When you’re hardest hit,

When things go wrong, you must not quit!

Druantia

Happy . . .

10 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by mindbodyplusme in Holistic Health, Thoughts & Words

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Communication, Holistic Health, Inspiration, Poems, Poetry, Positive Affirmations, Psychology, Sharing, Thoughts

Whoever is happy, will make others happy too!     Anne Frank (1929-1945)

When you are happy, or you’re in the company of someone who is, it does radiate out from you and it can be infectious; or you feel you want others to share in your happiness so you extend yourself to lift the spirits of those around you. Sharing happiness is a wonder gift.

Druantia

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