Welcome to your Monday moment of pause...

It's Saturday afternoon as I sit down to start this newsletter.  My feet are tired and my eyes a bit droopy but I'm determined to make a start while a few ideas perculate.  We have just got back from the Belonging picnic at Llanthony Priory organised by Voices  Gloucester.  It was a beautiful coming together of communities, celebrating different nationalities through music, dance and food.  What a treat to receive some free food and relax on the lawn pretending we were on holiday.  City life has so much to offer.

Receiving the light on the longest day

Yesterday was the Summer Solstice and I really would have loved to see the sun rise like my friend Leonie* did over Selsley Common. Isn't this a beautiful picture.  If you'd seen the video I cropped this from you'd have heard crickets chirruping and someone playing a guitar. I instantly wished I'd been there!  My own plan had been to  join the sunrise swim at Cheltenham Lido but come bedtime on Saturday I just wasn't feeling it for setting the alarm for 3.30am! Maybe next year!

June 21st marks the beginning of summer and is the longest day and the shortest night of the year.  I always find that a bit strange to think as we enjoy warmer days and the feeling of leisurely evenings once school holidays start, we are actually experiencing shorter days on the journey to the Autumn equinox.  The Summer solstice signifies moving from the inward planning energy of spring to the outward ''let's do it'' energy of summer.  This is a great time of year to revitalise goals and nurture projects as the summer solstice quietly reminds us we're halfway through the year!

I've drifted completely with my morning routine of journalling so what better nudge than the summer solstice to take time today toat consider what future I'd like to create over the next few months.  Care to join me in scribbling your thoughts? ...

What is blooming in my life right now?  What have been my best moments this month.  What were my surprising wins?

Where do I need more warmth and light?  Which areas of my life could do with a bit more love, care and energy?

What ideas from Spring can I now take forward?  Which goal am I ready to nurture this summer?

What can I let go of as the days change?  Are there heavy thoughts I can leave behind.  What habits can I let go of or bring in?

*If you loved the sound of Leonie's sunrise scene too you can find it here on Instagram.  Leonie is my lovely Reiki friend and we've been gifting treatment swaps to one another.  If you've never experienced Reiki healing it's the most wonderful, gentle reviving energy practice.

Welcoming a good day the night before

We met up with family on Fathers Day yesterday and took a walk in the shade of the woods.  I've not seen my sister-in-law since Christmas so it's always lovely to catch up.  I was in awe of her morning routine of self-care/exercise before she gets stuck into a full day of work and Mum juggle.  Each morning she speaks 3 intentions for the day, personally and for her work, and sees it as a little commitment to herself even before she gets out of bed. 

I smiled at the thought of doing this as I know starting the day with positive intentions/journalling/a quiet moment for me always feels like a great start. I then felt a pang of sadness that something as simple and powerful as this has slipped from my grasp and I'm more likely to wake with a groan.  I'm getting less-than-best sleep lately and with more time and less work I seem to have lost motivation and focus.  It's so easy to forget the good habits when stress or meeting other peoples needs before your own become the pattern.  

It got me thinking that successful morning routines take careful crafting the night before.  My morning swims are a good example of life flowing simply and with intention as I always get my bag ready the night before (a must if you want to eliminate the risk of forgetting your pants!).  So for my benefit, as much as possibly yours, I'm sharing the wisdom of 87 year old Master of Qi, balance and harmony Yang Mun and taking this to heart as I head to bed. 

''Three things you should say to yourself before sleep and your entire life will begin to change. My friend, the final moments before you close your eyes are not ordinary moments.  They are a gateway.  They are the bridge between what you live today and what your spirit carries into tomorrow.  If you want these words to become a true habit return to them each night until they settle gently into your heart. 

#1 - Today was exactly the lesson my soul needed.  Not because it was perfect or because everything went as planned but because every experience shaped me, softened me and taught me something about myself

#2 - I release what I cannot control.  The mind can rest.  The body can soften.  The breathe can slow.  Peace begins when resistance ends. 

#3 - I am grateful for this moment, for the air in my lungs, for the quiet in the room, for the chance to begin again tomorrow with a lighter heart.

Gratitude nourishes the spirit even while the body sleeps. These words are simple but when you carry them into the night your nervous system calms, your dreams become gentle and your inner world slowly returns to harmony.  Healing does not rush, it unfolds quietly one peaceful night at a time. 

Gardens in hospitals - healing spaces for patients

I visited a friend in Cheltenham General last week and it was the first time I'd been up on the Oncology ward.  I was really pleased to see she had a bed by the window.  I was even more delighted to discover the glass doors at the foot of her bed opened onto a balcony with plenty of seating and a view of the garden below.  The balcony has a canopy so that people can still sit out on a rainy days and all those cared for on the ward are regularly offered the chance to sit outside.  My friend observed how positive the environment of this ward had been for her mental health compared to the claustrophobia and gloom of the tower block at Gloucester Royal. 

It reminded me of the fabulous rooftop garden at Kings College hospital in London that opened a few months ago.  If you missed that story this picture is of the rooftop garden that sits above the 60 bed intensive care unit at the hospital.  It is equipped with oxygen, power and monitoring systems so that patients can remain connected to life-support while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine. Doctors believe that access to nature will reduce anxiety, stress and delirium while supporting recovery.  How wonderful for patients who have spent so long in hospital they've almost forgotten what it's like to be outside.  I hope more hospitals are able to get funding to improve spaces for recovering patients and their traumatised loved ones.  Nature provides such solace and restoration. 

Take care of your toes

I started this newsletter on Saturday and was finishing it on Sunday evening when George appeared at the door with a bowl of cool water to soak my feet.  How grateful I was that he knew what I needed even before I did.  You know how much I love a foot soak so you'd think I'd practice what I preach all the time (not so, I'm only human!).  A foot soak provides such relief for tired feet and also soothes you mentally by pulling the strain down from your head.  There's a beautiful sense of calm that radiates through your whole body after just a short time sitting quietly. 

Our days are often so full and fast paced and a soak in the bath is not such an immediate thought for relaxation on a hot day.  Foot soaks are an excellent therapeutic tool to help us feel calm, grounded, balanced and focused. We (yes George is well trained now) always add epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) and arnica soak to our water to ease tension in the body and mind.

After a foot soak, shower or bath it's the perfect time to give some TLC to your feet.  The skin is softened and ready to receive some moisture.  We have very few oil glands in the soles of our feet so if you experience dry, cracked, sore skin that would be why!  Healthy skin needs regular care and attention but most of us focus on the parts of our body that are more visible.  While it's tempting to use any form of moisturiser on our feet when we're concerned about  dryness it really does pay to use a formula created specifically for feet.  I find when I have just used a body lotion in the past the skin is soothed but my feet sweat more or I develop other issues like itchy toes because it doesn't contain the right ingredients for this very warm part of my body.

Weleda Foot balm, which I use on the feet in my massage treatments, contains Kaolin clay which has a mattifying effect.  This is important for making sure feet don't feel greasy when we're trying to get them ready to slide into sandals.  The cooling foot balm also contains Myrrh which is antifungal and antimicrobial to deal with the bacteria that are unique to feet.  With regular care for feet dryness, roughness and unwanted odours give way to smooth, treated heels, soles and toes.  Essential oils of lavender, rosemary, and litsea cubeba (that fresh zesty lemony fragrance) refresh and revive the feet and strengthen the skins resillience against blisters and sores.

Weleda have a summer sale at the moment through my webshop with selected items reduced - look out for the 20% off stickers on favourites like Omega serum drops, Skin Food hydrating mist and the family size Happiness shower gel.  Don't forget to use the  June10 discount code for a further 10% off reduced and full priced items. A free 100ml Skin Food tube worth £19.26 will be added to all baskets over £60. 

This week's heart smile ...

Euan returning from Year 9 camp! I waved him off while the other Moorey's were sleeping and the house felt so quiet without him.  Luca and George are out so much that it's often just me and Euan home.  It felt so strange without him I even went out with G and L to watch the England match at our neighbours rather than be on my own at home! (zero interest in football in case you wondered).  We all pounced on Euan when he walked through the door 3 days later.  I didn't even mind the soggy wet clothes from crawling through mud on the obstacle course.  It's lovely to have him home again.  

Wishing you a wonderful week x