Thoughts on the world, homeopathy, mindfulness and food...
A collection of blog posts - feel free to respond with your thoughts and comments - I love to have feedback - thank you!
Most of my clients come to me having heard about me from someone else. The word of mouth option. Yes, I do lots of marketing, update the website frequently - and people do find me through these routes, but the majority of new people come to me as they've been recommended me by someone who's done well through the sessions. Or their child has improved significantly and they think they'll come too. People love to know what works for someone else, and equally love to tell you what helped them. And so I think that the Find a Homeopath website is particularly great in that it gives people an option both to share their good news stories and to read about what has worked for others people. It's a brilliant place to have a say - and it would be great if you'd share your story. It's just here: http://www.findahomeopath.org.uk/HaveYourSay and only takes a moment to complete the short sections. For homeopaths, these stories are valuable, for the public, who may have thought there was no other option for their dis-ease - they can be more than valuable. They can change lives. I can't imagine how it would be for me struggling through with migraine after migraine. As a patient said to me recently 'my Doctor told me that there were some people who just got headaches and I was one of those'. It's wonderful to see that after a lifetime of chronic headaches, she knows that she no longer has to be 'one of those people' and there are options out there. If you've a story to tell please share it. It could help someone just like you. Many, many thanks, Em x PS Just click here!
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I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with my Grandma today, in between a mindfulness peer support session and a Skype homeopathy appointment. Just to slow down for a bit was a luxury this week - it's been and is being a great week and very busy along with lots of lovely times. But what I really noticed was the stuff. And really the stuff that doesn't matter, the clutter that we accumulate, with no intent or need. It really set me to thinking about what's important in life, the people around me, the experiences. The empty jewellry boxes not so much. The relationships, the loves, the joys, the constant gifts that are unseen. And so I desire to slow down again from time to time, to really take in the moment. It's all there is right now and moving onto the next task with a burning desire to get it done and out of the way is dissolving the potency of this moment. So cuddle, love, laugh, be filled with joy. And don't sweat the small stuff. Easier said than done sometimes. But there is help out there should you need it. Homeopathy, I believe, can be one of the most potent ways of coming into the moment, into the here and now and being able to leave the past and the future out of it more. A well prescribed remedy, Jeremy (Sherr) used to tell us, can bring us out of the there and then and into the here and now. I don't think there is much out there to rival it in it's beauty and grace.
Mindfulness too, can be used, in one to one sessions, as a self taught activity and can create much more presence in the present moment, enabling us to sleep better, experience less anxiety and generally be happier. Like homeopathy, it can be used to great effect with both children and adults. Sending love and light, Em x We've just arrived back home from a wonderful year so far, the bad Welsh weather gifted us another day with our lovely friends so whilst not the intended plan I think every cloud indeed has a silver lining. I think I wrote about 3 blog posts on my way back although this one stands out the most right now so will share away. I was recounting another trip to a friend where my old car started to make a decidedly odd noise. Obviously I took the best course of action that I could and turned the music up so I could no longer hear it. Perfect. Until the noise got louder. Well, if at first something doesn't work - what's a girl to do but try again? Louder still. Problem solved. For a while. After a bit it didn't totally seem to be fixing the problem and after a call home to the number one mechanic in the family (thanks dad!) it turned out the AA was the best bet. Not wanting to hang around on the M60, and wanting to get to my appointment in Manchester there was only one course of action. Full volume and meet the AA at the location. I've heard people talk about our bodies giving these signals - others have compared them to a warning light on a car... You can either take the warning light out (give suppressive medication) or look to see where the problem is coming from, deal with it and the same outer result is apparent - no warning light. Homeopathy offers an option to look at where the problem is arising, deal with the issue and allow the symptoms to resolve. A gentle, non suppressive but incredibly dynamic and potent option. So to take the light out or fix the car? It's our choice. PS It's great to get back home and get started on the New Year calendar with the gorgeous Guy (see below although he does have significantly less clothes on on the calendar and as such is my constant inspiration to get myself doing yoga and pilates) from Finland kick-starting my 2014 in his brilliant way. We do still have a few calendars left (all the funds raised go straight to the wonderful Homeopathy for Health in Africa in Tanzania where they put it towards their life changing work with people who have HIV and AIDS). Just here for gifts and calendars. Thank you so much!
With love and brilliant, sparkly wishes for a fabulous, fun and very fruit filled 2014, Em x Having had a lovely morning so far and time to reflect on the start of a new year approaching I thought I'd put a few notes down here of my mental wanderings. Probably the biggest thing that comes to mind is all the New Year Resolution that get made. Each year people decide on new things that they're going to change - to eat better, to stop drinking, be more, do more. And each year it seems that within the first month many of those great intentions have fallen by the wayside.
Instead of radically changing ourselves, or at least intending to, how about growing to be ourselves more, accepting ourselves, getting to know ourselves even, and allowing that person to be and flourish. Judging ourselves harshly never allows us to be ourselves to our full capacity and yet how many of us do that? I know I've been in places where I've beaten myself up over things that have happened in the past - choices I may have made or not made. And ultimately, where is the value in that? Enough can happen around you to drag you down, we don't need to be doing that to ourselves. Homeopathy and mindfulness can both be invaluable in this process of letting go of the 'baggage' we don't need to take onwards with us. Speaking of letting go, that's one of my intentions for the new year - to free myself more from the clutter of things I just really don't use or need. On both a mental and physical level. From frying pans to clothes I've not worn for years but are still there 'just in case' (except for the nice dresses - you never know when there might just be a ball you need to attend!) We've already started, with books first, clearing out clothes and I'm trying with a one in, one out policy. And mentally, continuing with my 'morning mind dump' is another great practice to start the day on a lighter note. I do have aims for the new year so I'm not suggesting we do nothing, but maybe take time to think about the things we'd really like and make a plan instead of setting vague and nebulous goals. Learning guitar is high on my list, as is continuing to learn more around Natural Hygiene (the science of living according to our biological heritage), as well as studying and learning around whole food, plant based living and mindfulness. I've my big triathlon coming up, some amazing speakers I want to travel to see - and we're also off to WOMAD again. And I plan to do my first half marathon. All things that fit in with where I'm at at this point in my life - and that make sense to me. But if I do fancy having a go at burlesque for example - I'll make sure I get out there and try it. Do try different things, have a laugh - don't do everything because it makes sense as sometimes the best things make no sense at all. Jump in with both feet and don't look back. We really have no idea how long we're here for and can sit on the sidelines waiting for a sign, waiting to start. Do it. Now! So I guess I'm advocating reflection, thought and seeing where you want to be, how you want to be and moving towards that. Not thinking too much and getting trapped in a worry about doing it right, but a learning to accept and love yourself. Go do fun things for no reason, go jump in a river (with adequate preparation, people around you and an ability to swim of course), love, laugh and live for the moment and life to the full. We may come back (and I accept we all have different beliefs on this one), we may not, but it's unlikely we'll be here in this moment, in this body ever again. So let go of the self limiting beliefs, love it and be you. Because you can do that better than anyone else out there. As we all countdown towards Christmas I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for a wonderful festive season and brilliant start to the New Year.
It's great to be at this place, this pivot between the old year and the next, allowing room for reflection on what we want to attract to our lives for the next year ahead and beyond, and wonderful to be able to appreciate the gifts of the year nearly gone. For me 2013 has been on the whole a fantastic year with lots of learning opportunities, room for growth and a whole lot of fun. I want to thank everyone who's supported me on that journey and love being able to be there for others on their own paths towards health and fitness. With love and light - here's to healthy and harmonious times, Em x The hayfever season may seem like a long way off. It's not yet been the darkest day. Still, I believe that the best way to treat hayfever is by prescribing on the biggest possible picture, giving the remedy that matches the person as a whole and allowing time for this to work. Whether that be as a catalyst, enabling the body to begin to heal itself, allowing the immune system to repair and mend or however it works. The fact is it works. And starting treatment during the winter allows time for this mending, this healing to happen. My belief isn't that the homeopathy itself is healing. I don't believe anything heals except for our own bodies. I do think though that we get stuck, unable to mend due to a block, a repeating pattern we get stuck in, and sometimes this needs a little help, a nudge, a catalyst, to be able to get on and do it's own thing healthily again. Which I believe homeopathy is able to assist with. I see it happen time and time again. Too many times to be luck, placebo, or all the other things we get thrown at us. Anyway back to hayfever. Many people have their introduction to homeopathy through effective acute hayfever prescriptions and are blown away by the rapidity of response to the remedies. Acute prescribing is great and can cut down the need for hayfever meds. Sometimes it may be all someone needs. Usually my feeling is that they may need to repeat the acute prescribing, and the hayfever may be likely to return as it's not been addressed on a deeper level. Which is where winter comes in. Now, or January/February time is a great time to get going - to look at the bigger picture, the who someone is as a person and find a remedy to suit them as a whole person, instead of merely isolated symptoms. So give me a shout if you've any questions, or if you'd like to book in to address any issues. I'm happy to be working from the lovely Studio Pilates now on Tuesdays, from home on Wednesdays and from Craven Clinic on Thursday and Saturdays. And usually can be found with my head stuck into a book studying or appreciating the great outdoors (or both at the same time in summer) Mondays and Fridays (although I can be persuaded to work if people really can't fit into the other days)!
'History will surely judge us harshly if we do not respond with all the energy and resources that we can bring to bear in the fight against HIV/AIDS' Nelson Mandela
Not sure what it is at the moment but I'm incredibly conscious of what we can do as humans, people and empathetic beings. And it is so, so much. Really. I was sat knitting today whilst watching the nativity (my dad always laughs at me and says it reminds him of the women at hangings stood about knitting - he's a joyful soul!) and realised the enormity of it all. I'm creating a jumper for a friend which has a front, a back, two sleeves and a hood. As indeed many jumpers do. However being that I'm knitting this one it grows just one stitch at a time. There will be thousands already done and with just 17cm still to knit I reckon I've got approximately 2600 stitches to go. It would be easy to think I needed to do millions of stitches to create this garment and decide it was too much, and yet it's easy to do it too. Just one stitch at a time and now I'm so nearly there. And so with AIDS - although I sit here wishing it were quite as simple as my jumper example. However it would be easy to be overwhelmed and decide that there was too much to do so do nothing. And yet people see there is far too much to do and still do something. A friend from my Dynamis course, Sandy, is out in Tanzania as I type, Jeremy and Camilla Sherr set up and run Homeopathy for Health in Africa - with an absolute awareness of the enormity of the task, and yet still do their stitch at a time, patient after patient, gradually helping more and more people. Other friends have visited the project, other friends regularly support the project. A little at a time, a stitch at a time, a patient at a time. We can help. We can start to create change. Even, and especially perhaps, if the task is enormous. Thank you for reading, With love xx 1st December. World AIDS Day since 1991 when a group of 12 individuals brainstormed and came up with a simple idea. The red ribbon bow - a symbol of passion, a heart and love. 12 artists. One huge movement. I was thinking this morning about how many of us can feel too small to do anything worthwhile. And so we do nothing. But how about the flip side - do something even though it may amount to nothing? How about giving the big issue seller a spare £1 even if you haven't time to read the magazine? Or 'dropping' a couple of 20ps on a street to be discovered by excited children. A kind word to someone you've never met before? My daughter has complimented a train conductor on his tie and it was lovely to watch his face light up. A tiny act that can do so much. So today being World AIDS Day I'd love to suggest, well I'm going to suggest, that you help out a small but powerful organisation, working with tiny doses of life changing medicine. Life saving, life changing, status altering medication. I was so heartened to read the following from co-founder of Homeopathy for Health in Africa just recently: 'Aids prostitute for 15 years and a patient of ours since 2010, she just phoned me with the news that she has gone negative!! My weekend is fixed. And probably next week too — feeling wonderful.' Working against huge disadvantages, Jeremy and Camilla Sherr and their team of volunteers in Tanzania are doing phenomenal work. We as homeopaths, I believe, have a duty to get behind them and support it. The boundaries of possibilities are being tested and pushed back and a new day is dawning. Donations can be one offs, monthly direct debits, gifts are available to purchase for elements of the project, our fabulous 2014 calendar is available to brighten up your months with some gorgeous calendar girls (and guys). Even if you just sponsor us £1 right now for our Santa Fun Run we're about to head out and do (you can do this by texting RYJQ35 £2/£5/£10 or other required amount to 70070 or online here) then we'd love it. It's so easy to make a little difference. Or not to. Thank you, With love and gratitude, Em x Isla and I have decided that we're going to do the Skipton Santa Fun Run as a fundraising event for Homeopathy for Health in Africa. The date, co-incidentally, of the fun run is that of World AIDS Day and the Tanzanian NGO does most of it's work with people who have HIV and AIDS. So it felt to make sense to us. I would love to raise £500 - Isla, who is sometimes a little more ambitious than me - would love to raise more than this. She's gone to sleep tonight full of fundraising ideas to help us to get more. We're apparently off around her school selling wristbands (we do have children's wristbands here so if you'd like one in return for your sponsorship please just let me know). I would love it if you could sponsor us - even just a little makes a difference (I know it's over said but it's so true)... https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/emmacolley3 Thanks so much, Em You never, ever know where it might lead you. About 20 months ago my good friend Amber asked me if I'd like to do the Great North Swim. Well, knowing that there's THINGS that live in Windermere, knowing full well it's not hot (no volcanic springs in the Lake District apparently) then I thought I knew the answer. Going to bed and asking to dream about the right thing to do left me with further knowing the next morning. I'd dreamt about me standing on the bank, holding her children's hands and watching her swim in. That was enough for me. So I did the sensible thing and said no. But then she asked again. And by that point I'd decided to get on with life, say yes to new and unusual possibilities. So it was harder to say no, and I didn't. I got on and joined our local triathlon club and started training in a local lake. Which was a challenge in itself. It was cold, there were fish (sometimes you'd even see a dead one) and it was murky water. Plus I was being told what to do. Which I'm not very good with! Anyway to cut a long story short I did a mile swim with Amber and raised £500 or so for Homeopathy for Health in Africa. Having joined the Triathlon club I continued to train with them throughout 2012 and watched the Olympic Women's Tri with them. Our chairman recommended Chrissie Wellington's autobiography which I duly read, then went on to read more Tri texts finally chancing upon Scott Jurek's Eat and Run. Which I would say changed my life. I went on as a result of that to adopt a Whole Food, Plant Based (WFPB) diet, study a diploma in Nutrition as well as look further at WFPB eating, and in the end adopted a raw vegan diet for myself (which I love!). So I dare you - you never know where it might take you... Enjoy the ride! |
AuthorI'm a Homeopath working in the Skipton (North Yorkshire) area. I am also able to offer food intolerance testing using Kinesiology and advice around diet and lifestyle. |
07734 861297
em@emmacolley.co.uk Em Colley Homeopath Practitioner of Classical Homeopathy BSc(Hons) Psychology and Neuroscience Laughter Yoga Leader Focussed Mindfulness Practitioner |