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!
The fast paced world is something I muse on, something sometimes I feel stuck in, something I'm aware my body is no longer really up for. It amuses me further that I work in a field considered alternative, a field aware that this fast paced world suits few of us; yet still I try to push it. The programming is strong.
At a time, years ago, when I claimed Tax Credits and for a short time Housing Benefit, that feeling was intensified. I should be doing everything I should to do more, be more, have more. I feel it now if I sit in the middle of the day and watch something mindless, and at times it takes my partner to point out that I'm always on the go and sitting in the mid-week daytime is totally OK and to get over myself. He phrases it way better than that, but that's the drift. How we do enough to pay the bills (buying food, and organic food in particular, is important to me), slow, make those meaningful connections instead of surface ones our modern world seems to have a-plenty and have time for ourselves is something that intrigues me. In my former life as a single parent it was particularly challenging. Sharing the bills, tasks around the home and the rest now means I can breathe more easily, but I'm mindful just how many out there don't have this luxury. How far removed from communal living our society encourages us to go. For the purposes of what? Growth? For the machine, for the capitalist system we live with. Growth without stopping in our body has a special name, at times so feared some won't say the word and instead call it 'the C word'. Not the see you next Tuesday one; cancer. Not healthy for us, so I'm unsure how we think it can possibly be healthy for the planet. And yet the answer from the powers that be seems to be we need to do more, have more, be more, just do it greener. What about slowing? Consuming less? Growing less? Growth for growth's sake. That said, growing more food for ourselves could be a good plan. Growth is sometimes great. Anyway, as usual I digress. Reading two books (well, listening to one) at the same time is nothing new to me - often there's several on the go at the same time. I love it when they sync together, as the latest two have done. On Audible I've enjoyed Rest is Resistance by Trisha Hersey. There's an interview with her here which gives an insight, though I recommend the book strongly to anyone who has ever been close to burnout, experienced burnout, felt exhausted with the system or has an inkling something is not quite right. It's thought provoking, challenging in parts and simply brilliant. In my opinion and as the queen of my website I'm happy to share that here. My opinion. And this book. Alongside that, also from Amazon, but this time a self published work, 18 Months by Claire Sheffi. I first met Claire through our local triathlon club, and she's a delightful, engaging woman who has a great handle on beautifully expressed joy, in particular, though not exclusively, from the natural world around us. Juxtapositioning brilliantly for me alongside Rest is Resistance, Claire explores how something felt not right for a long time for her, and the book shares her steps to find a way of living that's more in tune with what she feels. She has some outstanding reviews on the book with one critical one (the reviewer didn't like her views on a recent global situation). I'm currently loving sharing views with others who oppose them, having conversations that challenge me, reading books that push me (I confess I nearly gave up on after his moan about a fabulous company owned a friend of my partner's). Anyway, whilst I might not resonate with views in some books, I feel there is so much to learn from those with other opinions to me. This book, 18 Months, I found a joy to read. I found myself wanting to go to bed early to snuggle down and devour it. That funny feeling of doing that whilst wanting it to last too. A sequel? Yes please. And yes too, as one review mentions, there are some typos, but I'm always bemused how some professionally published books do too. I think I've missed a career as a proof reader - or maybe just not yet begun it. Not that I've never spotted one on a re-reading of my blog... There is so much beauty, so much tranquility described, seeing the world through different eyes is a gift in itself. You could read parts of it alongside Alaister Humphries' Microadventures book. Claire describes trips to the Lake District on mini adventures, with others or with her Twatterdale (a gorgeous companion - not entirely unlike Hairy McLairy from Donaldson's Dairy). I won't go on too much, but to say go and read it. Thank you to Claire for sharing, for being vulnerable, and I hope many people get to read this almost meditative work on slowing, on being more connected to the natural world. I borrowed a friend's copy, but wanted to purchase one especially as it's a self published work, so have bought one to gift to a friend. The book made me smile, made me nod along, made my world a more reflective space. For all that I am grateful.
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I’ve had some really interesting conversations with people whilst away on holiday and wanted to share more here. Maybe the tides are turning or maybe I’ve spoken to the right people; it’s been fascinating for me. I talk to students and often there’s a fear of saying we work with homeopathy, there’s been so many times we’ve been attacked in the media and people at times repeat what they’ve seen or heard from The Guardian or other papers discussing homeopathy in a negative light. A colleague, on encountering negativity, asks what someone’s experience of homeopathy has been. Frequently it’s not been a direct, personal experience, but one passed on from reading/watching something. Anyway, my experiences in the first 3 days of our week away couldn’t have been further from that. First up was the artist from London who asked what I did and then told me that she’d been brought up by naturopaths, and how when bringing her son up (he’s 27 now) she’d used homeopathy to support his childhood illnesses. She’d had a kit which she used, in conjunction with support from the homeopath. She also had recurrent tonsillitis which the homeopath had used Merc (not the only remedy for tonsillitis - the symptoms must match) to treat the symptoms and she went on to describe the way they together addressed the cause of the recurring illness for her. No more tonsillitis. Then an Occupational Therapist from Warwick who when I said I was a homeopath nodded and said ah yes, you’ll see all age ranges with that work and we chatted for a short while about work and life. We shared a mini bus trip with a family from Norway. She told me, after asking what I do, that 6 years ago she’d had viral meningitis and used several alternative therapies including homeopathy to get back on her feet again and return to full strength. Last night at our bus stop, we got chatting to a someone from Italy who had not one but two PhDs who told me she had used homeopathy; she was ill at one stage and saw a Dr who was also a homeopath, finding it very effective. I don’t think I’ve ever had so many conversations in a short space of time with as many people who were homeopathy users (outside of a homeopathy college or conference experience), happy days! The week continued in the same vein. I've just a couple more accounts for you if you wish to read on... Whilst away, we used the Helios Homoeopathy 36 remedy kit for too much sun, insect bites, headaches and more. On the penultimate day of our trip, we were chatting to a waitress in our hotel, and after asking how she was she mentioned her head and stomach didn’t feel good. I said I hope she felt better soon. ‘Mum, go and ask if you can help her, she’s so lovely and you could give her a remedy.’ Ah, from the mouths of babes (or teens) and all that. Back when I graduated I’d have been running after her asking if I could help; now I’m far quieter about it, but my daughter was right, she had been super lovely and if I could help it would be fab. So I went to ask. With the help of another waitress to translate we talked symptoms, I asked questions to clarify, and gave a remedy that felt to match what she was experiencing. She was so grateful and they insisted on giving us a drink from the bar each (I did tell them it was someone else’s kind idea to help). The proof is in the pudding, a remedy can sound great on paper but doesn’t always help, in which case you need may need to change remedy or potency but to re-look at what’s going on and adapt to suit. I said I’d pop in in 45 minutes before we went into town. We called in, she told us she felt great; her symptoms had cleared, we discussed again when to repeat if needed and that was that. At dinner on the last night, we ate with a mum and daughter we’d met a couple of days previously; another conversation in a super positive light about homeopathy and the potential of it. It's not just the fact that I had positive exchanges with the people I chatted to, but also that everyone I spoke with about my work knew what I was talking about instantly which surprised me, even with my pigeon translation of the word 'homeopathy' into Greek or Italian. I have never, in a series of interactions with strangers, ever encountered so many people who not just were interested and open but aware and often had used it before. Loving the chats, loving hearing others' experiences of it. And loving that I'm now back to work and ready to spring back into action. I've just one space left for a new client consult in July - 20th at 12.30pm, then it's into August. More info on the image below: I hope you have a lovely summer - and if you're heading away, don't forget the fab little blue kit from Helios, or the green one from Ainsworths! With best happy wishes Em As ever I've been reading and musing and pondering and observing. Going through the current round of GCSEs perhaps has stirred something. Reading some amazing books - the latest being Entangled Life, also recently Finding the Mother Tree, Braiding Sweetgrass. Last year there was The Salt Path and our next Kindness Book Club we're reading Landlines. Long distance walking books seem to be a genre I'm enjoying, not so much the Audible book I listened to - I won't mention names - albeit he did and complained about the company PHD which has been utterly epic to my partner and having met their CEO the other day, you couldn't have met a lovelier man. So if you've read/listened to it, take the PHD complaining with a very large pinch of salt. But I'm enjoying being challenged too, listening to views I disagree with and calming my tendency to walk away. Whilst the book above had lots of moaning in I didn't resonate with, there were interesting viewpoints and I'm glad, in the end, that I persevered. I've also just finished on Audible the great work by Dr Gabor Mate, the Myth of Normal. I highly recommend. In several there is discussion about the damage humans are doing to our earth. Discussion how we may change and improve. And yet I can't help thinking we've been talking about this for ages. And in so many ways doing what we always do. Yes, we've electric cars, yes we've more green energy, but how about the costs to the planet to each of those too? Yes we educate our children about how we're all going to hell in a handcart. Climate anxiety is a thing. But mostly (and of course not entirely), mostly, our educational practices look very similar to how they did when I was at school. 28 years on, my daughter has studied Macbeth, the war poets, both of which I did. Where is Silent Spring? Where are the essays on the heart achingly beautiful existence that we have? We are still told the same story. Go out there, do as well as you can, achieve, achieve, get more, buy more, show us all how great you are. It's an interesting narrative if we're wanting to step away from the constant rape and pillage of our beautiful planet. `Several times whilst I was not quite recognising I was dealing with burnout I was hearing 'I'll sleep when I'm dead'. Teaching in college at the weekend on Lifestyle Medicine, the attitude of sleeping when we're dead (on the last statistics I have anyway) costs the UK economy about £40bn a year (Dr Rangan Chatterjee). Sleep - and rest - should be serious business. As so many times, there's no lecture from me; I'm re-learning a lifetime of being on the go. Single parenting, setting up my own business, having a lot of energy and enthusiasm for live, and coming from (at school at least) an academically driven background were perfect ways to continue my being on the go. I completed my dissertation early so I could volunteer in Thailand for 2 weeks on a trip helping out people with physical disabilities. I studied my Diploma in Reflexology whilst doing my final year of my joint honours degree. I was good at doing a lot. And continued. There's only so long it's sustainable for, or at least there was for me. So it has me thinking. If we're really concerned about our planetary future, or at least our future on the planet; perhaps we need a different way. Less striving (I recognise it's a part of the human condition - but how much is it nature? Does nurture play a significant part here too? My feeling is perhaps so), more rest, more downtime, less go, less sleep when we're dead. We know from our bodies that cells out of control that can't switch off creates one of our most feared diseases. And yet we try to run our lives like that, our country. We don't hear about rest and nurture, we hear about growth of economies. How we need to do more. We don't, perhaps, value rest as essential. In my supervision session recently, my supervisor asked 'What would rest look like?'. As a quick aside, I personally value my regular supervision highly. I consider it helps make me a better person aside from (hopefully) a more aware practitioner. I am a big advocate for regular supervision within our profession - and enjoy being on the other side too, as a supervisor for practitioners of homeopathy. Anyway, that question, a great one, I've played with, mused over and chewed since our session. Feel free to play with it yourself. I had one morning, when after a cacao enriched cake the night before, I was up at 5 and made these: Ah I thought, I'll text her with my 'here's what rest looks like'. I'm super pleased with my new shorts, and really enjoyed making them... but after pondering for a while, I'm classing it as creativity, not so much rest. I do think creativity can fit into a relaxing/restful state - but what I really needed was stopping. Non-doing. I read of people described as human doings not human beings and can really resonate.
So yesterday, in the sunshine, I took to the garden with a book a friend recommended years ago, Letters from Westerbork by Etty Hillesum. To be fair, it was my second choice, I can't seem to find the Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell, and it wasn't a light read. But it was uplifting, filled with optimism through the darkness and showed how much difference one person can make to the world around them. Gently when needed, exhaustingly at times. And, thinking about it now, when needed, Etty rests. What would a world look like where rest was as important as attaining more? I wonder it would be a gentler place. Would would it be like to teach our children, instead of terror about how it's all going wrong, how beautiful this place is. To lie on the grass and look at the sky. To lie on the grass and look at the mini-beasts all around us. Anyway, pondering. Trying out rest in different ways. I'm liking it. Love to hear what you think. With love and rest, Em x With thanks to Dr Tess Lawrie, who is, in my opinion an utterly remarkable being. Her blog highlighted the vast change in 20 years of Wiki statements on homeopathy. Homeopathy as defined by Wikipedia back in October 2003 said as their introduction: and now? Today I had a follow up with a lady I'd written about her case in a blog previously. Today she told me she was 85% improved from when we started working together. I'm hopeful that we can get to 100%, but 85% is a pretty good improvement. She's had the complaint for nearly 6 years when we met in November of last year. We've met 5 times in total, and she first described a chronic sinusitis and constant clearing of the throat. A massive build up of yellow mucus all day everyday. No relief from conventional medical interventions and had seen specialists in ENT. Today it's 'so much improved. There's less mucus, so much less mucus'. It improves each time she takes the remedy. Ears were a challenge - at one point they were talking about her perhaps needing grommits and her ears would pop. Not happening anymore. No stickiness in her ears now. Her recent hearing test was fine and she's been discharged from that consultant. No longer getting scabs inside her nose. From needing 3 tissues a night at our last session (massively reduced from the first time we met), it's down to 1 a night now. There was an issue with dust mites but last time we spoke I sent a remedy to help with that and there's been no further issues there. So, seeing it in clinic having life changing effects, improving qualities of life for people week in, week out; I'll leave the Wikipedia 'pseudoscience' opinion, and take that I see homeopathy do remarkable things and I'm very grateful for it. I keep seeing it referenced. ChatGTP will see you now for your scan. ChatGTP does something else. Will it transform healthcare? So I went to investigate and find out more about what it actually is. Chat GTP's own definition (I asked) is: 'Chat GPT is a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) model developed by OpenAI. It is a language model that uses deep learning algorithms to understand natural language and generate human-like responses to text-based conversations. Chat GPT is capable of engaging in a wide range of conversations and can be trained to understand various contexts, dialects, and languages. This technology has been used in chatbots, virtual assistants, and customer service applications to provide automated support and communication with users.' And in case you weren't aware (I wasn't), the name "ChatGPT" combines "Chat", referring to its chatbot functionality, and "GPT", which stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer. I went on to enquire about downsides and tech impact on the human brain and world around us and got a well worded, interesting and balanced reply. After our Wikipedia (locked so only certain people can edit the page, and pretty hostile towards homeopaths - this blog is worth a read of the comparisons of Wiki in 2003 and now) experiences around homeopathy, I thought today I'd ask for a Chat GTP opinion. Here we go: Me: Tell me more about homeopathy? ChatGTP: Homeopathy is a holistic system of medicine that uses highly diluted substances to stimulate the body's natural healing abilities. It was developed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in the late 18th century, and it is based on the principle of "like cures like." This means that a substance that causes symptoms in a healthy person can be used to treat similar symptoms in a sick person. Homeopathic remedies are made from natural substances such as plants, minerals, and animal products. They are prepared through a process called potentization, which involves diluting the substance in water or alcohol and then shaking it vigorously. Homeopathic remedies are believed to work by stimulating the body's vital force, which is the energy that maintains health and well-being. By addressing the underlying imbalance in the body, homeopathy can help alleviate a wide range of physical, emotional, and mental symptoms. Some of the key principles of homeopathy include:
So there you go. I was surprised, pleasantly so. After all that talk of AI, I thought I'd share a pic of yesterday's swim location. Gorgeous start to the weekend. Over the years I've learnt not to underestimate the power of simple. How a smile (from a stranger or a friend) can lift my spirits. How kindness, even when I've been at the lowest of places, has transformed the experience. How a hug can change the mood. My recent musings are over joy, kindness and the benefit of being a beginner... being a beginner at something is a feeling I really like. I love to dive in and enjoy new or different experiences, and recognise it's good for my brain to explore different areas. I am relatively competent at 'soft' crafts - crochet, sewing (hand or machine) and knitting but working with wood is a whole different place for me, the idea of it challenges me. My partner had been planning to make a woodshed, but we'd bought one and walking past a pile of wood daily got me thinking... So I looked for simple designs, found one I liked and thought was achievable and enlisted the help of my dad. I'm grateful for ever supportive parents, through the bad times, good and the oh how about trying this times. Anyway, this isn't even really about the bench, more that I'd loaded the wood into the car boot and a friend's teenage son was walking past with their dog. We had a short chat and I told him I needed luck wishing to me as I was off to make my first bench. Kindly he told me 'you've got this', before he continued on his walk. Small words, maybe even said politely as an automatic response, but to the receiver (that would be me that morning) they meant a lot. The bench making Sunday was a hot day and due to shoulder tension, I had an encroaching migraine, but was determined. I wanted to make my bench. My first wooden piece since CDT days in school in fact. Maybe on an easier day I'd have continued on without taking account or real notice of the kind words, but they really stuck with me. Banging nails in with a banging headache wasn't the most pleasant, and perhaps there was a good argument for stopping... but I wanted to complete it, and those words were a big factor in carrying me through. Now when I see the bench, sit on it, walk past it, I'm reminded of the power of a few simple words of kindness, and I'm on a mission to share it. Each time I leave the house I try to do at least one kind thing for someone I engage with on that trip. Often my trips out may just be a school run, so that may mean letting a car out, waving someone across the road or similar. Small acts, but I know when someone does them for me they have a positive impact on my day. Like Spike Millegan's Smile (though til googling it I thought it was called Smiling is Contagious) poem, I think there could easily be an epidemic of kindness. It might only take a few simple words. PS. Here's my bench :) PPS The bench has so much more kindness in it than even just above, from the wood that was gifted to us by a friend who'd demolished some outbuildings, my partner who'd brought it home, his friend who drove him back with it in his van, my dad who was prepared to hand-saw it to help me make it, his neighbour who lent us a circular saw to cut the wood... it's a real gift to have it and have made it. I'm recognising that I'm naturally curious about the world around me, as well as about modalities to help people. Helping is one of my primary drivers - though I have to contain it at times, and remember that if I exhaust myself running around that in the end I help no body else. That one has taken a lot of learning! But curiousity leads me down different avenues and I was reflecting this morning how for years, it has brought me back to homeopathy time and again. There are certainly other ways to help ourselves, plenty of them, and it's definitely not that this is the only one. But for me there's something about the depth, something about the breadth of potential, the life changes that I see working with this marvellous system of medicine, that nothing yet has come close enough to fixate my attention fully on. It's not about exclusivity - I love people having a team, and different areas bring different gifts for us. I regularly see Kristy - Massage and Angelic Reiki practitioner, I've recently engaged with a private Physiotherapist and am finding that brilliant. I have a Naturopathic/Functional Medicine Practitioner, Nicola that I continue to work with, and of course a homeopath. GP wise I've not found my ideal member of my team yet, though I've a practice that I use when I need it. I really like it when there's someone on the team that covers the conventional medical side of things - and for all of them, as and when needed. Integration is key in my opinion. I've studied various other modalities - I gained my Diploma in Reflexology during my third year of my degree and really enjoyed working with people using that, though there was something about homeopathy that drew me closer towards it. I spent a while studying Brainworking Recursive Therapy as I wanted to understand it more before recommending a client to work with a therapist in that field. My BSc was in Psychology and Neuroscience and I'm fascinated by the brain. Neuropsychology in particular - yes please - let me read, learn and know more about that. I'm currently moving towards the last few months of a year of studying Provocative Change Works, which integrates elements from Provocative Therapy, hypnosis and awarenesses of NLP - many practitioners of it have come from the work of NLP previously, or integrate the two. It's brilliant - and resonates with homeopathy in many ways, I really like it. Years ago, I undertook most of a diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition, but when events clashed with homeopathic conferences I knew where my heart resonated the most, and ultimately where I should be. For me, that's the key. There are brilliant ways of working, of being with clients who are coping with challenges and helping people to move forwards, hopefully in a healthier way. There are ways that each of us feel drawn to at different times. There are many things I've integrated from the learning I've done in other modalities within the work that I do in clinic, which I'm grateful for. There are practitioners I'm aware of that I recommend people to, where I see it might be helpful. This morning though I was reflecting on what it is that time and again draws me back to this wonderful world of homeopathy. I think the bottom line is the changes that I see unfold. The lady who'd had migraines since being 16 and would take multiple medications for them. I saw her in her 60s. Migraines that could last several days and be brought on by heat, noise, light... then being able to go to the fun fair with her grandchildren on a hot day and be unaffected. To write to me and tell me how her quality of life had improved. You can't ask for more than that. She came as had been chatting to another client whose son had had migraines leading to cyclical vomitting. Anything that brought up excitement could bring on a migraine - Christmas and birthdays being a big factor. We saw the frequency of his attacks reduce massively using what we call a constitutional remedy - a remedy that matches who he is as a person - but one Christmas he ended up once again being unable to stop being sick. A call to the GP suggested that he should go into hospital soon if he couldn't keep fluid down. We'd given a few acute remedies for a couple of days and not seen changes result, so back to the books. As chance, or synchronicity, or plain old magic would have it, we were on our way out to visit friends and could take a route past their house. So we did, and I dropped off a remedy. Thankful for texts to remind me of the speed of the reaction, within just over 10 minutes from dropping off the remedy, I had a message to say... actually I'll just share the messages here. I dropped the remedy off at 4.25pm. There was a brief relapse the next day, a repeat of the remedy which was Aethusa (fool's parsley) and a continued and full improvement. The remedy isn't in any kit, it's not one I've used before, but worked perfectly and the family had a Christmas day together, not spent with one child in hospital. Hooray for homeopathy. The image at the top of the page is a quote from a person who'd had relief from headaches that would last, at times 6 days on the run. Debilitating for her - and great to be able to help. As you can tell from the comment, there was some element of relief felt. Sometimes there's a feeling that you 'have to believe in it for it to work'. My experience has shown that's not the case. From our horse no longer having an eye disease, to babies being helped with homeopathy, to cynical clients... have a read of this: I left the first meeting feeling lighter & just a tiny bit optimistic. You may have noted these are all headache/migraine mentions or related to that. That's what brought me into homeopathy and is my susceptibility/weak spot. For other's it's digestive issues or joint problems... I can still end up with them and whilst for me they've not entirely disappeared, they've decreased enormously and I put that down to homeopathic medicine. I do love working with people who struggle with these, as I personally know how much easier life is without frequent headaches and migraine issues. The scope of homeopathy of course way exceeds just our head - there's the rest of the body, the emotions, mental outlook on life that can be influenced too. I had a lovely email from someone over the weekend telling me how improvements were unfolding just a few weeks on from taking a homeopathic remedy I'd given. I'll see how they get on when we meet at follow up - and if appropriate may see if I can share more. I'm excited to see how the case goes. My testimonials page has a few accounts of how it's helped other people, people of all ages and from all walks of life. One testimonials I wanted to mention here was particularly topical as I hear statistics of the numbers of people experiencing 'long Covid' symptoms: After having covid for the 2nd time my post covid symptoms really threw me. All of a sudden words that I never associated with myself felt normal - anxious, panicky, low, flat, demotivated, disconnected. I felt like I was a jigsaw and suddenly lots of pieces of myself were blacked out, invisible. I felt like I completely lost the 'me' of myself. This lasted months and then someone suddenly suggested homeopathy. I had never tried it before, had no idea what to expect. The 2 hour consultation with Em was therapeutic in itself - a reminder of who I am, who I have been. I started to take the remedy that she made for me a few days later. By the following week I started feeling different. Incrementally the colours started returning to the jigsaw. I can't describe the relief at feeling myself again. Working with homeopathy, we treat people as individuals - so to a certain extent, it doesn't really matter so much what the label is - how do they experience the symptoms is a guiding light for us. So it can be 'post viral fatigue' or 'long Covid', what we want to know is how do you do it? What is your experience? Who is the person who is experiencing this collection of symptoms?
I think I may have gone on long enough - to be fair I could talk all day about this, so perhaps that's a sign to stop for now! Happy to chat homeopathy if you'd like to know if it may be able to help you. Drop me a line anytime at em@emmacolley.co.uk or on my contact page here. With best wishes and gratitude, Em Our house is gearing up for GCSEs and so aware that stress is increasing here, I thought I'd put together a wee 'exam survival kit'. Not everyone struggles, or gets stressed - I used to have a friend who had a photographic memory and sailed through exams, heading off to Cambridge University without seeming to break a sweat. I guess this blog isn't for those who fit in that camp. I’m acutely aware that pressures differ depending on different schooling systems too. Remembering my experience at a local grammar school where the very top marks were aimed for and reflecting on my daughter’s comprehensive school parent’s evening, the experiences are very different. A potential pass grade was heard being applauded at a recent parent’s evening, and I smiled, thinking how different it would be less than a mile down the road when speaking about a similar grade it would likely be with horror (or at least back in my day), not being pleased with it and congratulating the student for work done. Pressures of course differ in terms of our individual experiences of the world. I was incredibly self-motivated, ‘knew’ I was going to be a vet and ‘needed’ to fly through some essential steps along the way. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I was also in a school that expected high grades, but for me the pressure was mostly felt from an internal place. Back in my time, I got what I consider to be really excellent GCSE grades. To anyone reading this going through these exam stages, particularly if you’re feeling the stress, it might help to know that no one cares now. I worked incredibly hard, pushed myself hard but I could have just passed everything and had the same results in my life. I'm not saying don't try, don't work hard; but definitely don't break yourself over them. Stories abound over people considered conventionally successful - Ben Fogle springs to mind - who perhaps passed one exam if I recall correctly. There are many roads to Rome as the saying goes. Being handed my A level certificate (2 Bs, 2 Cs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and General Studies), having gained grades which in hindsight, were good in the view of the general population, there were no words of congratulations shared. The student after me approached and having got all As in her grades got a ‘well done’. My Grandad had died in the lead up to my exams and having experienced horrendous migraines, I’d ended up at the Drs and being prescribed beta blockers. 2Bs and 2Cs were off from my predicted grades by one grade. Unbeknownst to me, my mum had explained the death of my Grandad to my university of choice and when I phoned, full of trepidation, to see if they would accept me; they said they were just discussing my case and would be happy for me to go on the grades that were set. So, hoop jumped. Looking back, that's what these tests are. A stepping stone to the next stage. Are they the only way across the river? No. Is how you cross the river reflective of how the rest of your life will pan out? No. Some look forward to them, love a test, others face them with dread. For most of us, especially in our younger years, exams are a fact of life. So this is my exam survival kit for those who are in the second camp. In short: Aconite Arsenicum Album Argentum Nitricum Gelsemium Helios Stress Relief Rescue Remedy or Emergency Essence Arnica Coffea Helios Sleep Helios Hay Fever And if I could give a dose of perspective too... for myself when I am doing things I'm uncomfortable with, I like to remind myself of difficult/challenging things I've done before. Or others near to me have. My sister underwent a 9 hour operation to remove a tumour the size of her surgeon's fist from her brain. A talk to 30 people? I can do that. I gave birth, and whilst in labour in my bedroom had 2 midwives, 2 paramedics, then was carried down the stairs after having relinquished the gas and air upstairs. Carried up the stairs through our front garden (the house was built into a hill), and up to the ambulance. Going to be a bit embarressed? I can handle that. I did my birthing experience. Aside from all the folk standing there/helping me, it was also one of THE most empowering experiences I've ever had. I felt connected to all the women of the past and future. Seriously incredible experience. And now, 16 and a bit years later, we can get through exam season. Might not be easy but it'll all be OK. So in more detail; my chosen remedies: Aconite - often known as a great remedy for shock and trauma. In an aconite state there's often a worsening around midnight. William Boericke, from one of our classic materia medicas, describes it as experiencing 'Great fear, anxiety and worry' that accompany every ailment, however trivial. Fears the future, a crowd, crossing the street. Music is unbearable, makes them sad. Feels as if what had just been done was a dream. Aconite is also well known for its ability to stop colds in their tracks. Taken on the first sign of a cold coming on, you can sometimes stop it fully happening. I think colds are a great immune system clear out - if happening perhaps a couple of times a year - the night before a big exam it might be nice to stop it if you can. Aconite 30c can sometimes be hugely helpful here. Argentum Nitricum - I was chatting recently with a student who was telling me this is her favourite remedy for fear of flying and has used sucessfully for herself and seen help others several times. It's a big anticipation remedy and can be really helpful for things like stage fright. Arg-Nit can be helpful where there is impulsiveness, they're fearful and nervous - thinks his understanding will fail. Arsenicum Album - this remedy is often known for helping with food poisoning, so if nerves are causing digestive disturbances it could be one to consider here too. Restlessness is seen, the person may change place continually. Sensitive to disorder and confusion. It's also one of a group of remedies well known for fastidiousness - having to have everything in the exactly right place before you start revising could be an indication this may be a helpful remedy to use. Gelsemium - often known as a go-to remedy for flu, which is also great for stage fright... and exam fears! Stacey Dooley describes using it in her video here for help with fear of flying. Gels can be helpful when there is a frequent need to urinate due to nerves. There can be weakness and trembling and that heavy limb feeling is often helped by Gelsemium too. Stress Relief from Helios. The clever folks at Helios Homeopathy have made some remedy combinations - this one has Aconite, Argentum Nit and Arsenicum in it as a combination. Historically called Triple A in the homeopathic community (although there are lots of Triple A combos - this is the one I've been most aware of), it's helped countless people through exams, driving tests and more. A great wee remedy to have in the pocket if needed. Onto a few more thoughts... Rescue Remedy, from Dr Edward Bach's range of Flower Essences, is available in a variety of forms - drops, pastilles and I think also a spray. In good health food shops (don't you love it when somewhere says that line? because bad ones won't have it in...), and all over online. For ease, and because I really love Helios, theirs is here. I'm a fan of the Australian Bush Flower Essences and they do a similar one, it's called Emergency Essence. Take as needed. I also like their Space Clearing Spray - and whilst on it, their Focus Essence too for encouraging conditions for learning. Arnica - probably the best known homeopathic remedy out there... often thought of for bruising, shock or trauma but less well known for it's effects on tiredness and jet lag. It's amazing for both! I've suggested it to nursing mothers who've been awake much of the night. If someone is over tired from studying too much, it could be a really helpful remedy to use. I went for pro-plus and Coke (the drink) during my uni exams, despite having a homeopathy kit - I wasn't aware of the brilliance of Arnica. Of course use within reason, and be sensible with rest, but it can be helpful if needed to help with over tiredness. Coffea cruda - can't sleep for all the thoughts whizzing around your head? Full of ideas, tossing and turning in bed? Restless and perhaps a little irritable? It's here that we see the brilliance of homeopathy - like curing like. You know what it's like when you've overdone the coffee? That's the kind of feeling that the homeopathic remedy Coffea may help with. Whilst we're on sleep challenges... Helios also has a sleep combo. Avena Sativa, Coffea, Passiflora and Valerian are the stars of this show. It's here. I really like individualising and using the most specific remedy for the issue, but at times, sometimes with those new to homeopathy, as well as more frequent users; these combination remedies can be hugely helpful. I'm aware that hayfever season often co-incides with exam season (seriously - who planned that one?!). If that's an issue, there's a combo for that too! Helios' Hay Fever combination here has Allium Cepa, Euphrasia and Sabadilla - three great remedies to help with lots of hay fever symptoms. How to take remedies? •In an acute case, my suggestion is to give the remedy and wait, if no response (as a rule) repeat after 20 minutes for up to three doses. If no change it’s possible it’s not the right remedy and you may need to re-look at the case... Helios (goodness this blog is full of love for this fab homeopathic pharmacy!) has a great advice line staffed by homeopaths. Advice is free and if you wanted to buy the remedy they suggest from there you can. There's also Ainsworths who have a similar service - and are equally great. The suggestions here are for acute help over the exam season... I'm grateful to have seen someone today for a follow up and had an update on their revision and recent exams. When we first met it was usual practice for her to be in the library til the early hours of the morning, feeling like she couldn't do enough, wasn't prepared and was very stressed about it all. We first met at the end of January this year and have had a few follow ups - it was our 4th meeting today. The client, let's call her Zoe as that's not her name, also did some work with CBT along the way too supporting herself with both homeopathy and therapy. She reported feeling loads better about her exams, having generally worked in the library til 9pm then gone home for food and sleep. Bedtimes had moved earlier - til midnight/1 ish instead of 2/3am. She'd earlier described having a pretty bad time at times due to the stress, and now was smiling, happy and told me things had been better than they had been for ages. Knowing that I was writing this blog, I asked if I could share some of her story and she was happy to. She'd had marks back during the time we've worked together and seen her stress decrease - and her marks increase. Social anxiety had decreased, she was taking up invitations to go out more and friends had noted she was 'sassier'. Feeling more like herself. And super smiley on our call today. Happy days! The remedy given was none of the above and was prescribed for her as an individual. A constitutional remedy. Who she is and how she experiences life were taken into account on selecting it. The acute remedies mentioned above have books (or at least equivalent of) written about each - there's just a snippet here. If you want more information, the Homeopathy UK app is a helpful source, as is the little book Get Well Soon by Misha Norland. It was a real joy today to hear the improvements that have been made over the last 3 months. I love working with students and seeing the shifts that are possible. Seeing smiles instead of stress is a perk of my job. I've a few spaces for new appointments left in May - several are next week... get in touch if I can help. With best wishes - and good luck! Em :) I feel a need to say I'm not talking about major trauma here, though I'm not saying don't try. Or don't achieve. But you know those niggly annoying things, it's them I'm chatting about here. Say you're cut up by someone in the traffic queue, someone talking too loudly on the train whilst you're trying to work, everyday things that we can allow to perculate and grow into bigger irritations. The penny dropped for me last week when my neighbour, who has probably been one of my biggest teachers, did what she has done over the last nearly 5 years and did her purposeful ignoring in front of someone else. I'm over the drama of it, and can relate to it being her show not mine and I don't have to participate in it. But still it irked a little. It wasn't acted out from a place of being respectful to another, or being kind, two values I appreciate lots. So instead of dwelling, I decided I'd look for 3 nice things I could do for someone else. Clearly somewhat enthusiastic about my idea, I set off to buy flowers, dropped one bunch off at a friend's, had one myself and put 4 in a bucket with a note saying that it felt like a day for a random act of kindness - if you'd like a bunch of flowers please to help yourself. By just after lunchtime there was just a soggy note (it was a gentle North Yorkshire drizzly kind of a day) and an empty bucket left. I'm a big believer in a random act of kindness and feel sure that really that's what makes the world go round, not gravitational forces and magic, but kindness. Rutger Bregmen's book Humankind* gives illustration after illustration of it. Intriguingly some of them are things I was taught whilst studying my degree - and here the other side of them is seen after his unpicking of original research or reports. He shows what happens when the 'real' Lord of the Flies occurs, when a group of school kids steal a boat and find themselves washed up on a deserted island for 15 months. There's a write up of it here. Bregman gives example after example of kindness (frequently not the story about incidents we were given) and the beauty of humanity shines through. Chatting about what to do when people aren't kind to you with friends one time, the answer came 'still kindness' and I mused on that. Kindness directed where? I'm all on board, but still the answer didn't provide, well, any answers for me. In the end I found more personal strength (and compassion for self and the other) from undertaking more of Kirstin Neff's Fierce Self Compassion work which is, well, totally brilliant and I recommend her book/website to people frequently. But this time I got it - for each time I get one of the nonsense moments (I'm on board with the fact that to me it makes no sense, to her probably all logical), I'll instigate a few moments of joy or kindness. And not just if events occur from the same person - if other things cause upset or hurt, I'll use the same strategy. 3 is the number that springs to mind, but I'm also aware of my disliking being told what to do - even by myself. So at least 1. Probably 3. What to do? It could be letting someone go in front of you in the car or supermarket, a compliment, a smile, a cake, bunch of flowers, setting up something nice for someone else - or yourself - let's not forget acts of kindness for ourseves. In a world where we rush about, busy busy style, stopping, slowing and doing something lovely for ourselves is a perfectly valid moment of joy or kindness in my opinion. Of course don't suppress your emotions, do allow yourself the time needed to process things if and where needed - but our brains are generally great at looking for the bad out there, and I'm a big fan of neuroplasticity (or as I like to call it neuropossibility). We can easily see the negatives, but what if we look for the joys, and how we can bring small joys to the world for and around ourselves? It may just be that the spectacles become more rose tinted by themselves. En-joy. With love, Em x PS Telling a friend (who happens to be an entirely brilliant coach) about my realisation and subsequent actions, she sent this blog on the topic that she'd found. Further evidence of kindness helping the world go around. Or at least feel more joyful. Love it. I have a feeling we can all co-create a more joyful, beautiful world from little acts of kindness, bringing moments of joy to each other. * I have no affiliation with Waterstones where the link goes to - but rather them than Amazon - that said, buy from wherever you like, or better yet, get your local library to get a copy (or 5) in. Love to hear what you think - and I love ideas for kind deeds so feel free to share away other joyful acts if you like. After 10 years working with it for other organisations, as well as my personal and professional use; I'm finally stepping back. I'm no longer working for others, and in my own world, things have streamlined. Twitter has gone, though I think that perhaps the account I set up in the name of my cats, for training purposes to use as an example, that may still be floating about in the ether. Instagram is now private, not quite gone as planned, after being begged by my daughter to keep it - she likes looking through the pictures if she's needing some memory lane time. Facebook's use has much reduced, and I'll see what it evolves into. It's still a great place to share information. I heard recently about the last blog which was a guest blog, being shared to someone a friend had met on holiday. Without that it appearing on facebook may never have seen it and their friend not resonated with it and felt less alone. So perhaps there's a time and a place. The Ceilidh at Christmas that I run, it's a great place to share info and tickets for that. And events/info aside I do love it. I really love the connectivity, the keeping up with people, the seeing pictures from foreign lands that I've not yet been and may never get to. There is, of course, a certain irony in sharing this blog on platforms too of course. But having taken (small but significant) steps away, and it's whilst still early days, I can feel more space. There's more space for creativity, for crafting, for reading, for pondering. I don't stop a lot, it's not (yet) part of my way of being, though I am working on it, but there's more space to slow without a need to keep in the thick of things, stay constantly connected. It intrigues me that there's an attempt to drag you back on there. 'Discover more. The more accounts you follow the more great things you'll see in your feed.' The more things you might miss in the real world. Put the phone down and spend a few minutes stroking a pet. Massaging yourself. Looking at the sky. No. See great things in your feed. Look down (at your phone). Don't look up. A day off Facebook and the organisation (of course I know it's automated, not personal but someone somewhere decided the concept was a great idea) feel the need to tell me that a friend added a new photo. Tempting to go and look, and go look I did. A day passed without seeing it, I'd probably have survived, though they were great photos. Of course this all taps nicely into the Fear of Missing Out (coined FOMO) for many. I'm pondering the opposite - JOMO - the Joy of Missing Out - and what mysteries may unfold there. It's not just within homeopathy that 'Less is more' is a key concept. Shakespeare quoted it: And of course the minimalist movement runs on it. Maybe it doesn't need to go altogether, but I am certainly feeling that less may indeed be more. I've played out with a no swearing challenge in February - I've called it No F***s February, though each time I've shared the title in full it has cost me £1. A collection at £1 a swear, I'm at £30 after 20 days... I've told my daughter and partner that they can decide which organisation/charity/fundraiser to send it to at the end of the month. I'd like them to send it to my friend's fundraiser for her friend (here if you're interested). It's a challenge I'm enjoying, much as I do indeed love the f word. March I plan for Media Free March. So no Facebook, though I'll still use Messenger as a messenging tool. A month of discovery and I'm looking forward to that too. Love to know your experiences and thoughts (please comment on the blog not on fb if I share it on there though!) Go well, be happy, Em :) |
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 |