Last year, around March 2020, I was living in fear. Not of a virus I'd like to say, which isn't to say I was unaware that there was a virus that wasn't great out there. But that there would be an experimental product created and everyone would be told they had to have it. Across the board. Mandatory. 

Well clearly it's not quite come to pass, but near as damn it. So I've learned a great lesson. Or probably several. When my partner told me not to worry, that that would never happen, well, lesson one I guess. I was right (or very nearly at least!). But more seriously, that my worrying did nothing to influence government matters.

My anxiety didn't help them or me.

Did nothing to help them talk about the bonuses of a healthy diet. A healthy lifestyle. Did nothing for them to discuss Vitamin C as an aid to coping with viruses in a positive way. As an aside, I can't get out of my head images of people getting fish and chips at the seaside whilst wearing a mask to 'keep them safe'. More interesting still given that a study at the University of San Diego claims to have proof that COVID-19 is not a respiratory illness, but a vascular one. The irony. Back to the main point. Though if you want to read more, have a look here.

I don't want to discuss much of the whole situation, but my main point is that I've had concerns, worries that we'd be here. That masks would be a priming for a 'doing the right thing', 'thinking about someone else', that the science there is far from settled and seems to be equally opposing, if not possibly stronger on the for most people 'breathing fresh air is good for you' side. And here we are. Masks are no longer suggested to be used in schools for pupils, and yet individual schools are now actively encouraging their continued use. Teachers are concerned whether it's safe. Pupils 'don't feel safe without them' so are planning to continue to sit through 6 hours of lessons wearing a mask. We've been conditioned to think this piece of fabric is better than our innate immune system. Our glorious, incredible immune system. Which we could have been learning about all during the past year and boosting in so many wonderful ways.

So instead of weakening my own immune system with worry (to the point I struggled to breathe at times in the early days), I may as well have sailed along feeling happy, healthy and strong and not worrying about what would come to pass. Because it came to pass anyway.

Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "Brain activity linking negative emotions to a lower immune response against disease has been revealed for the first time, claim researchers". So how would it be to stream fear, figures and worrying images into our homes night after night, after night? To have inmates, sorry, residents, glued to their seats hearing how an invisible threat was out to get them. Would that strengthen or weaken their immune system? I'll leave that up to you. But if you want to read more have a look below for the New Scientist mention of the study.

Read more.

I don't think there has been informed consent, informed choice for the study we have all participated in over the last year. And know I'm not alone in feeling that the media, the government, has had a part of impairing our innate immune systems with that alone. Here Dr Gary Sidler, retired clinical psychologist writes about the murky waters the government is operating in. And here, more on the group of 47 psychologists who have accused the government of using fear tactics of increasing anxiety in the public.

I guess it's a balance isn't it. It's not about head in the clouds, it's all going to be fine, carry on regardless, or head in the sand, ostrich style. Perhaps about keeping informed but doing what you can to nourish yourself. To support others and their wonderful immune systems. Recognising the vibrational resonance of emotions. Fear is not a great place to be living in, and I believe there has been so much of it, from all angles. 

Instead of learning, at 5pm briefings everyday, what we could do to help ourselves be strong, happy, vibrant and healthy, we learnt of deaths, panic, fear and numbers. When have we before been told the numbers of people who died in a day from one specific disease? We could have had fresh juice recipes, encouraging ideas, suggestions of fun exercise to do. Maybe even alongside the fear, the terror, if we had to share it, that would have been better. If we knew that the 3rd leading cause of death in the states was from medical error and learned the death rate everyday, we'd be horrified. As we have been here. Terrified, scared, weak, vulnerable.

I seriously don't think we've had any sort of informed choice about the psychological experiment we have just participated in.

So I guess, the valuable point is, if we want to opt out of this psychological study, how do we do it?

Perhaps we can't get all the way out, I don't know. But we can be aware I believe, and we can help ourselves.

I'm never a big fan of telling anyone what to do or not do, but in case you're interested, here's how I'm negotiating my way through...

* A while ago, horrified at the BBC, to go on to be more horrified at them later, I got rid of my TV licence. We don't have 5pm death counts streaming into our home.

* We don't read the 'paid for' papers, apart from a quick headline flash when I go to the Post Office to post remedies for clients.

* Wim Hof breathing. Cold showers daily. I'm also about to get back into the river for a boost of cold therapy, friends and nature exposure.

* Engaging in the outdoors regularly, several times a day with the dogs. A great leveller.

* A daily, or at least 5 times a week, laughter practice since January of this year. Come along to a session if you like. They're small, informal, happy places to hang out and a wonderful mood boost. Read more on what others have said here. Also Laughter Yoga International have short courses, they also have 3 times weekly large zoom meetings if you want to go to one of those. 

* Good food, whole food. Processed food isn't always welcomed by our bodies as much as whole food, as near to nature food. Whether it be vegan, paleo, omnivore or wherever in between, as close to nature, is good. If you can pronounce the ingredients is great. And if there are minimal ingredients then even better.

* Sleeping well.

* Less 'news' more real people. Focusing on what is here and now. Yesterday I was talking about a volcano eruption we hadn't learnt of not knowing the 'news' around the world, and it got us to thinking how our news the day earlier had been that a sheep was in the wrong field. Crazy days. But how our brain doesn't need to be overwhelmed, on high alert for events, for drama. And the sheep got rehomed to the right field. I don't want to leave you with worries here.

* Getting (and regularly using) some key words - in the early part of the year I loved 'strength, focus, compassion and love'. There were days those words got me out of bed. Now they've changed to 'harmony, joy, love, gratitude and abundance'. Paddling yesterday on the inflatable Stand up Paddleboard, repeating those words whilst I paddled felt good. Like a meditation mantra in the water. If you check out the work of Masaru Emoto (a quick summary here), I hope you'd decide the words that you say to yourself are as important, or more, as anything else.

* Seeing my homeopath is there too. If you're looking for help with homeopathy, feel free to get in touch. There's loads more info on my Homeopathy pages. What to expect, and thoughts from others who've worked with me.

* Vitamins if I'm feeling the need. In the early days, the Orthomolecular Society issued some recommendations for supporting our bodies to deal with viruses which we followed. I discussed that in the blog, here. Sometimes I still megadose Vitamin C and it depends how I'm feeling now as to what I take.

I think that's probably a good start!

Lastly, in answer to my title question - where is the informed choice? I think it's nowhere to be seen. I do believe it is time to rise up and take personal responsibility for what we can do, what we can influence and how we can each find joy, raise our vibrations and help those around us. And I don't believe that's found in figures and fear.

With love,

​Em x

Being a mum, seeing kids do their thing. Being a homeopath, hearing stories of school life and the challenges from kids. Talking to people. Having gone through school myself and definitely not found it easy plenty of times. Not so much the school work, I was lucky that that was never really an issue for me. But the friend stuff. The groups. The social side of things. There were times that were great, but plenty of times that weren't too.

I was musing this morning how much of it can be challenging. And pondering what would help some of the kids I see in practice, my own child when things are tough, and others around me. For me, one thing that I love is engaging in people's stories. Hearing how it was for them. Seeing how good triumphs. Seeing how hard times do lead us onto amazing things. Catapult us forwards.

I love working with homeopathy and seeing the changes that can result, but here I wanted it to be about something different. Connection. Inspiration. Seeing the challenges faced and how they turned out.

If you'd like to be a part of this mini-project, I'd love it if you'd like to share your story below or send to me. I'm more than happy to keep it anonymous and you don't have to share your real name below. I'd love to have a little resource, to be able to share some hope with clients who are finding it tough at the moment. Alongside the other things they're doing, I hope it gives them hope of change, better days ahead, and perhaps even brings a whole different light to the situation.

With heart felt thanks, 

​Em x

I've been musing over this today. And thinking over the opposite, the contrast to pottering; our rushing, busy, often chaotic, achievement driven society. 

From the Cambridge Dictionary:
potter: verb [ I usually + adv/prep ]
(US usually putter)
 
to move around without hurrying, and in a relaxed and pleasant way: 
I spent the afternoon pottering around the garden doing a few odd jobs.
He doesn't drive very fast - he tends to potter along.

The 'relaxed and pleasant way' is interesting. After an afternoon or even (it doesn't happen often but my goodness!!) a day of pottering, I feel like a weight has lifted, I feel more expansive. I feel like I've been massaged, treated and gifted with space and time. It's fair to say I'm not the most high maintenance kind of girl! Or at least that's my opinion anyway. And yet I frequently forget just how important it is to me. I easily pack the diary full, study, learn, do courses, walk, do fun stuff, yet I need to remember the joy of pottering.

My favourite way to do it is with an empty house. And perhaps a few jobs on the list, but the flexibility to choose when I do them, what I do. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sat feet up watching Netflix all day. There may be a TV break, but for me it's about the joy of gradually, gently getting things done. Instead of rushing, with a time limit. It may help here that currently the school runs are off the menu for me, so instead of between 90 minutes to 3 hours driving a day, there's a little more space.

But speaking of the school run, of the trip into the office, I do wonder if we've lost some pottering, day dreaming time along the way with our home-working lifestyles. I used to love the drive together, chatting about the day ahead, or even before that, walking to school stopping off to pick daisies, or have an impromptu cuppa on the way home. Going further back to a commute for work, the driving time provides something of a butter between one world and the other. And now we are out of the frying pan and into the fire. No, that's Meatloaf. Out of the study and into the living room. And onto the next thing.

I wonder if pottering could be introduced to schools? Made a National Curriculum worthy study. Instead of punishing day dreaming, invite it. Have a day dreaming lesson once a week? Oh I like the sound of this! It feels like it's so good for my brain, I'm sure there's enough neuroscientific research to back me up. I can't believe that we are made for constantly being ON.

So with something of a rebellious feeling, against the fast pace, against the do, do, do, world that I've found myself in, I'm planning to study pottering more, definitely from an experiential angle, maybe even learn more about research into the art. Perhaps the occasional immersion technique day is the way forwards. I hear people talking of building a life you don't need a holiday from and feel I'm moving way closer towards that than I used to be. 

It's not to say I don't want to achieve, I've plenty I want to do, write, explore, learn, and I love doing all that. But stopping, pottering and just being is vital to me too.

I'd love to know what you think.

Potter on, my friends,

​Em x

It is so polarised out there. So divided. What's the truth? Who knows. But I do know that division isn't helpful. Shouting 'anti-lockdown' at people (which I've seen on groups, not in reality) isn't useful. 

What is useful? Conversation. Dialogue. Respectful talking to understand. Who knows, we might even learn something. Blame and shame and finger pointing feel so old school. Isn't it time for a new way.

So... out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field… I will meet you there.

I look forward to it.

Zoom laughter sessions for the week commencing 22nd February follow. I've just had some lovely feedback from a participant joining for her first time this week that I'd love to share here:

"Thanks very much, Em. Not laughed so long or so hard in ages. Highly recommended!!!!!"

The sessions are slightly different times this week due to school and work related bookings. Monday 11am, Tuesday 10am, Wednesday 4pm and Friday 5pm this week. I've added an extra session and I'll see how it goes doing 4 this week. 

Breaking news is that I've just finished my Laughter Yoga Leader course which is exciting. I also, on the same day, completed my Couch to 5K culminating in my first 5K run for ages. The 18th February was an auspicious date for me :)

The sessions are freely given and if you'd like to pay it forward with kindness you'd be very welcome (anything from a smile at someone to a bunch of flowers/helping someone out in need however makes sense is all good) but equally if you'd like to come along and just laugh then that's great too. I'm finding the zoom sessions working really well and it's a lovely time to spend with people. The sessions last about 30 minutes or so.

I heard today about new research from Hong Kong University and also a Turkish nursing college where they'd shown the positive effects of Laughter Yoga on anxiety. There's apparently a further 15-20 studies going on around the world currently investigating it, but it's enough for now, for me, that I feel good after the sessions.  I am curious about how much can be achieved from a regular laughter practice, and who knows, the researcher in me may be awoken yet.

For now, with love and laughter - I hope to see you soon,

Em x

If you're joining for the first time, please check the contraindications at the bottom of this blog post and be sure you're OK to laugh in the sessions. Thank you!

Feb 22, 2021 11:00 AM London

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Meeting ID: 794 9665 5855
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Feb 23, 2021 10:00 AM London

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Feb 24, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Feb 26, 2021 05:00 PM London

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It's been so lovely to share laughter with friends and colleagues around the country... which is one benefit of the online time. I'm as ready to be seeing real people, having hugs and big face licks by now as anyone else (ah I appreciate everyone else might not be into the licks - perhaps I've spent too long around the dogs by now!). The gift of increased nationwide connection has been gorgeous and I think I'll continue in some form like this. I'm also visualising meeting in parks to laugh, maybe inside in the winter months or rainy days, let's see what happens. But for now, I've three sessions this coming week that anyone is welcome to join in with.

The sessions are given freely for several reasons - I'm aware I laugh more with others than by myself so it's lovely for me, I want to share it with others and I'm still in training as a leader of laughter yoga, so am sharing as a friend not a teacher. It really helps me consolidate what I'm learning in the classes to be sharing it so am very appreciative of those joining me. And importantly, I've felt the benefit of laughing through tough times and want to extend that to other people who may benefit too.

I love the Pay it Forward concept (if you need a good cathartic film it's worth a watch, starring the 'I see dead people' kid Haley Joel Osment) and the idea is really simple - if you want to work with it, enjoy the session then do something lovely for someone else. If you don't fancy the idea, then just enjoying the session works too :)

Laughter Yoga works by using laughter exercises and yoga breathing and can help increase the oxygen in our bodies and brains thus helping us feel more energetic, healthier and even perhaps more productive! Our mind doesn't distinguish between real and voluntary laughter, if done with willingness so the proven health benefits are possible to gain, and possibly even more accessible, from Laughter Yoga sessions than from relying on life in general making us laugh. 

This week it's half term holidays for me and times are slightly different to the last two weeks. I'm going for Monday at 4pm, Wednesday at 6pm and Friday at 4pm. Children are welcome to join in and have joined in with several of the sessions so far - even suggesting some laughter exercises that we all did together which has been great. 

Zoom links for each day are as follows: 

Topic: Laughter Time
Feb 15, 2021 04:00 PM London

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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79709560701?pwd=cVhNU051SW9xY1lBSXl2Z3JQZXpmdz09

Meeting ID: 797 0956 0701
Passcode: Fwuf1u

Feb 17, 2021 06:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 754 1300 6860
Passcode: fCW9gp

Feb 19, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 723 2402 9259
Passcode: fud6zV

Might see you there!

With love and laughter, 

Em x

It's been an interesting one! 

​Here's January. Finding my way towards emotional alchemy.

If you'd like to join me in Laughter Yoga, I'm currently updating times weekly on the blog here. Please read through the guidelines of earlier blogs, in particular reasons why you shouldn't do it. Also to be aware that I'm sharing it as a friend, not as a professional as am still in training. I've had some lovely feedback and it's great sharing laughter with others.

If you'd like to join me in my year of challenge, it's really easy - pick a few things you'd like to learn about, allocate them to a month or two months (not, perhaps, as I explained above 4 different things in a month... and I forgot to mention the Tony Robbins course that I signed up to and then realised I'd far too much going on!). Perhaps some reading, some activities you've always wanted to try but not got around to and jump in and give it a go. I'd love to hear from you if you decide to have a play with the concept.
​

Perhaps it's no laughing matter out there, and it would be fair to say I've had times the last week where it's felt hard going. That said, my regular dose of laughter time has often picked me up and got me back on my feet again.

There is something kind of magical about this to me, and the sharing of it makes it even more beautiful. I'm grateful to everyone who's attended a session over the past 3 weeks - can hardly believe I'm 3 weeks into my laughter journey! My leader training continues and happily so.

I am planning 3 sessions this week again, Monday at 10am to kick start the week, a hump day Wednesday at 4pm and Friday 4pm getting ready for the weekend.

You're welcome to attend, one, two or all of them. There's no charge - perhaps there will be one day - my daughter tells me I give away far too much - but for now, they're happily shared freely :) I'm sure there'll still be some of that even once qualified. For now though, if you want to pay it forwards somehow I'd love that, or just enjoy the session.

Monday 10am
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 8, 2021 10:00 AM London

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Meeting ID: 729 4279 3517
Passcode: s7Wik4

Wednesday 4pm
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 10, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 753 4617 7294
Passcode: Hqfy0s

Friday 4pm
Topic: Laughter time
Time: Feb 12, 2021 04:00 PM London

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Meeting ID: 770 1763 6259
Passcode: R89QjG

See you there!

Hoho hahaha ;)

​Em 

That old saying 'may you live in interesting times' has been on my mind a while now. For these certainly are interesting times. Whichever side of the fence you're on. Whether it's a 'medicate everyone and it'll all be OK', or 'where is the information about natural immunity and why is it all being suppressed?', we are being bombarded with information from both sides of the metaphorical fence.

Last week for example, a friend and colleague sent me this:

I don't really even know where to start! I could rant on about how the concept of anti-vaxx is one dreamed up by the media to help cause further division and shut down conversation - which in my opinion, having been branded with that stick, on the basis of my profession, I should know a little bit about. I could tell you about all the mums I know who breastfeed and don't question this, don't home educate, don't all become hippies camping out in a yurt plaiting their underarm hair. But I thought best to breathe, be aware and move on.

Interesting that we need to shut down 'skepticism of institutional authority and healthy living practices' though. Because why? No one should be questioned? I'm not talking about the 'Big V' question. I have no desire to. But healthy living? Really?? Surely the American Academy of Paediatrics would quite like some 'healthy living' folk out there?

But then, the next thing I saw was this from The Guardian: Lunar cycle has distinct effect on sleep, study suggests.

​So perhaps we are in tune with nature after all. Or quite 'natural'. Then today's Guardian article discusses a project where, along with vitamins, homeopathic products were sent out to over 1000 NHS staff in early pandemic days. Does Vitamin D combat Covid?

Years ago The Guardian printed a brilliant article by a colleague: I don't know how, but homeopathy really does work. Since then times have changed and sharing openly positive articles towards homeopathy are not the way the mainstream press goes. 

But perhaps, in these paradoxical times - are they a-changing back towards a more natural focus; is that why we need a big push back against it?

One to muse for sometime I wonder.

There's many things going on at the moment that aren't ones we want to laugh at. I've become a big fan of the idea that we can laugh because we can, not because life around us is necessarily all that funny (although of course we can still laugh then too!). And perhaps, after my lesson today which looked at the many health benefits of laughing, that we should laugh right now, to help improve our immune health, along with our mental and physical health.

I did some massive processing of shame over the last week, and whilst I won't go into the story here, enough to say that my newly found laughter practice, I'm very sure, helped with my resilience and ability to move through, process and deal with life in perhaps a more constructive way than hiding in a dark cave. 

I won't waffle on much more, just to say that I'm a huge Laughter Yoga advocate, albeit not yet a teacher (it's in my life goals). I'm sharing these sessions as a friend, not as a practitioner. They are all free. If you wish to attend and want to make a donation, I'm sure there's someone you know who would appreciate a gift, some flowers, a cup of tea making for them, a random act of kindness. There is no need to do any of these - the sessions are freely given, but if you'd like to, you're very welcome. I'm a big fan of the pay it forwards concept. At the end of this blog, there's a list of conditions/situations you shouldn't join us if you're experiencing, but as long as those aren't the case, you're very, very welcome to come along and laugh.

As one participant from Friday's session said:

"it should be on prescription. What a lovely way to spend some time. Thank you to all who participated. Hahahahaha xx"

I've added a session on the 3rd and 5th which should be online school friendly, in case school age folk, teachers or home educators would like to join in after their school day is done (that's if you're stuck to a timetable). They'd be very welcome, as they would to the other sessions if they'd like. I may offer child focussed sessions in time, but for now it's a free for all. Everyone welcome.

Sessions are as follows:

Monday 1st February:
Topic: Laughter Yoga session
Time: Feb 1, 2021 10:00 AM London
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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79061900389?pwd=VUFRUzV3M0MwNnlIYUxGS1ZUTFkxdz09
Meeting ID: 790 6190 0389
Passcode: Y3aydw

Wednesday 3rd February:
Topic: Laughter Yoga  
Time: Feb 3, 2021 04:00 PM London
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https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76920325154?pwd=aS9XSVU4QWNGN2VpTTBkWEhtTHdrQT09
Meeting ID: 769 2032 5154
Passcode: dQMiZ1

Friday 5th February:
Topic: Laughter Yoga session
Time: Feb 5, 2021 04:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74691561045?pwd=Q0czQXBvQURmSmNTeUZCTWpwbXJEUT09
Meeting ID: 746 9156 1045
Passcode: VLn73X

Might see you there! 

Have a wonderful weekend, week, time ahead. I love Wim Hof's saying at the end of his breathing exercises on YouTube.

"Have a good night, or a good day, and a good life.

All the love, all the power."

With love,

Em x