Welcome to your Monday moment of pause...

..and a new month.  Hello February!

Yesterday, February 1st, was Imbolc, the mid point of Winter.  Imbolc marks the return of the light after months of winter, hibernation and rest.  Spring is beginning to stir outside and the inner stirrings of excitement and action for this years plans may be coming to life in you this month.   I have the delight of a birthday week to look forward to and the timing is just right after a wrestle with the seasonal cold virus and a very busy January.   I look forward to sharing next week what celebrating 51 looks like.

Much love and blessings, Nic   

An Imbolc blessing

Imbolc invites us to reconnect with nature, embrace the changing seasons, and honour the enduring spirit of renewal.

''May the returning light find you gently. May it soften what winter has asked you to carry.  And warm what has been resting in the dark.  May small signs of change be enough for now.  Like the lengthening day, the quiet shift of the land, and the sense that something is stirring.  

May you trust what is beginning to stir in you.  What is beginning to grow.  And may this season remind you that renewal doesn't arrive all at once, but through patience and steadiness and the courage to begin, even if it is slowly.''

- Kerry @theweewitch

Stretching update ...

I know you're wondering what I opted for to kick off a new and hopefully consistent daily stretching routine.  It turns out Yoga with Adriene's January programme was weekend sessions culminating in a one hour live streamed session on Saturday 31st.  It's a lovely format for future but not the daily routine I was hoping for.  So I have started February's 'Anchor' programme .  As it's only day 2 if you're thinking of joining too it's a free follow along on Youtube.  Let me know if you do, I might be more motivated if I know you're getting something from it too!  I'm finding laying out my yoga mat the night before is helping to focus the mind! 

Health and Wellbeing workshops in Gloucester

The new University building was officially opened in January by HRH Princess Anne.  As with all things in Gloucester it's easy to miss great opportunities on your doorstep.  Did you know there is an Arts, Health and Wellbeing centre in the new City campus.  It's a partnership between the Uni and NHS Gloucestershire.  They have some great free workshops that take place there including celebrating women in health and the power of music therapy for people with dimentia.  I'm going to the Dimentia documentary film showing on Thurs 5th March at 5.15pm if anyone would like to join me.  I have downloaded the programme for you here.

The Lines of Grief

I know several people who have experienced a close family bereavement the last few months.  Though their journeys of loss are different their experience of what helps is similar - regular check ins from friends, the space to feel, the time to hide away.  It can be so very distressing to see someone you love hurting and we all may worry about saying the wrong thing no matter how well intended.  But what I see time and time again with the pain of grief is that nothing hurts as much as feeling your emotions are too big for people.  Or that as time goes by and you continue to carry the agony of missing your loved one, others become distant and seem to have forgotten you all together.  A friend shared this image at the weekend after attending a loved ones funeral and I thought it so beautifully illustrated that showing up for your friends is always more important than getting it right.  I think this can relate to so many other life experiences where people need us and we feel helpless to make something better for them.  Just being there is enough x

My heart smile moment last week was this beautiful deer appearing in the garden at work.  I was in the conservatory with 6 patients hosting a wellness circle.  We had just finished the guided meditation and I'd tapped my singing bowl to bring everyone back.  As people slowly came to, one of them quietly whispered ''oh look, there's a deer outside' the window'.  We remained hushed and in awe of this beautiful creature.  Earlier that day the volunteer gardeners had been out in force and they would have been horrified to see the deer nibbling at the daffodils.  We however celebrated the deer doing whatever it wished and after about 5 minutes when it sensed our voices in the room it ran off back into the woods.  Such a special moment for us all.  

Some people believe the appearance of animals carries symbolic meaning.  When a deer appears it's thought to be an invitation to let go of unneccessary stress, be gentler with yourself, trust your instincts and embrace a new phase of life with a clear heart.   

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. 

warm wishes, Nic