Beth @ Ahimsa ♥

I would like to dedicate this months piece to a little princess warrior, who for her mere 4 months on this planet has continued to fight her challenges with grace, strength and unrelenting courage with more gusto than any adult. Feel better soon Elsie!

My mum isn’t one for fuss or attention, so much so that even if she knows I have featured her anywhere she won’t look at it! I know however that by the mere fact of me putting the words out there they will still reach her on some level.

I want to acknowledge all the beautiful, wonderful and brave mama beings out there this Mothers Day and to simply say to my own mama, thank you with all my heart  ♥

One of the first things people associate February with is Valentine’s Day. No surprise really considering we are bombarded from a commercial angle with all things love before Santa has time to wash and dry his suit for next year! I’m all for celebrating love but my problem with the commercial aspect of Valentines is it can leave some people feeling like there is something wrong with them if there isn’t another half waiting to shower them with the marketers dream that is Valentine’s Day. I love love but in all its wonderful forms, not just the romantic kind. One form in particular is more important than any of the others…your love for self.

When was the last time you showed yourself some love? Do you love yourself? Do you like hanging out with yourself? I am always amazed at the amount of people who come through my door who don’t know how to be by themselves, never-mind love themselves. Yes, company is great but learning to enjoy your own company too is equally as important. Taking the time to enjoy your own company is how we learn and discover things we never knew about ourselves. Things that help us grow and live life how we want to. It is important to note that loving yourself does not mean you are big headed or ego driven. Loving and accepting yourself enough to want to live a better, happier life is completely different to being so in love with yourself that you can’t recognise the areas you need to improve. There is no room for ego on the happier quest.

My Grandmother once told me that if you can’t truly love the whole of yourself then you will never be able to love another half properly (or something to that effect, she had consumed more than her usual tipple of whiskey to be fully comprehensible!).

So, with this in mind, I am encouraging you to start hanging out with yourself more. Nobody expects you to become a hermit but to simply be ok in your own company as well as others. Think about it …

We All Need Time to Reflect - Hanging out with friends and family is all well and good but doing it on a constant basis isn’t. We all need time to reflect and allow our minds time to process things. Being in a constant state of conversation and socialising is exhausting so enjoy the calming effect of zoning out and thinking of absolutely nothing.

Do Things on Your Own – When we do things on our own we are opening the door to new friendships, relationships and possibilities.

Be A Little Bit Selfish - I mean this in the best possible way of course! Do it just enough to allow you to focus on you and only you. Take some time to do the things you want to do and see how good it feels to not have to consider everyone else for a change. Enjoy the freedom of your own choices and your own terms!

Take Yourself Out to Dinner – This is not as scary as you might think! I love finding myself a cosy little corner somewhere and settling in with some good food and a good book. If it seems too much at first then start with a coffee, I promise you will feel empowered (and rather proud!) once you have tried it.

Get Yourself a Journal - You don’t even have to know what to write, in fact the complete opposite can be even more beneficial! Get cosy or go to somewhere you love, whatever works for you, switch off all devices and allow the peace to saturate your mind. Before you know it you will be filling the pages with random thoughts, feelings, ideas and more. Before you come back to the real world, give yourself a few minutes to absorb what came out, this is where you will learn and get inspired.

Take a Class  - try a class on your own, yoga, painting or whatever you like! The mere mention of yoga instils a calming image and who doesn’t want more calm in their lives. Even a walk on your own and allowing yourself to be fully present in it will work wonders. You could always be super mindful and walk to whatever your chosen class is!

Be Verbal – and by this I mean talk to yourself! Once you get past the strange feeling of doing this you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Make a point of looking in the mirror, really looking at yourself and tell yourself only positive things. Once you get more comfortable doing this you will be pleasantly surprised how much you have to say and how empowering it feels. At the very least, always tell yourself ‘ I Love You’. Those of you who have been to any of my sound healing sessions will know the power of saying this out loud.

I could go on and on but I wanted to share just enough to get you started rather than bombard you. Once you start hanging out with yourself more you will naturally know where to go from there. Trust the process and love yourself.

I dedicate this piece to all of us, that we may know love in all its wonderful forms ♥

How will you be using your January? I know many of you use it for the resolutions and new beginnings but something I have found even more effective is The Reverse Bucket List which you can revisit from last years piece. Enjoy!

Happy New Year wherever it leads you!

Beth @ Ahimsa ♥

I am however also greatly aware of the other side of the Christmas coin, the less shiny and more rugged one. I know it’s not a currency everyone can comfortably use and for that reason, this year I am not going to fill this space with all things wonderful and festive.  I do not wish to be a bah humbug either but merely to raise more awareness and acknowledge those that struggle this time of year and hold them close to my heart and healing intentions.

My work constantly teaches me about how others need help. Whatever their struggles are though there is always something we can do to help make a positive difference. And I repeat, always. That very difference comes in the form of love, kindness and compassion. So my message is simple this year – enjoy whatever your Christmas is to you but please also take time to acknowledge those who find it a difficult time of year by showing them some loving kindness. Kindness, no matter how small the act, can have the ability to change someone’s life.

Kindness isn’t just for Christmas but it’s as good a place as any to start. Another fantastic place to start is over at Make Today Happy Here you will find an amazingly big hearted and beautiful kind soul called Helen. Some of you might remember Helen from other times I have shared her caring spirit with you but for those who haven’t already discovered this inspirational woman I encourage you to connect with her.

Helen is constantly working to spread her kindness mission as far and wide as possible despite battling daily with CFS. Since launching this year’s Kindness Advent Calendar only a couple of weeks ago she has had literally hundreds of thousands visit her blog from over 172 different countries, BBC Radio, The Huffington Post as well as US news stations and numerous other media platforms cover her kindness campaign. And to top it all off, as of today her calendar has had over 300,000 downloads! How amazing is that….think of all that kindness!

This is great for so many reasons but for me I particularly love how no matter what, at the end of the day people want to choose good. Not only has Helen single headedly created this ripple effect of kindness, she has restored my faith in humanity. This is an incredibly high note to end the year on and I am beyond grateful to Helen and all those like her who actively make the world a better place. So get on board and be part of the bigger picture, help make a difference and let’s flood our planet with kindness.

You can also connect with Helen on Facebook and spread a little kindness here or if tweeting is more your thing then you can find her here ♥

* I offer this piece up for a peaceful, warm and loving Christmas for all, all those who struggle and to those who help to make a difference in our world

Over the last few weeks I have noticed a reoccurring theme in conversations with clients – how difficult they find it to say ‘no’ to others. Many expressed feelings of guilt when they used it, some didn’t kNOw how not to say it and others simply didn’t kNOw it’s perfectly ok to say it.

Talking through this once familiar territory with them reminded me of how I use to do it too. By saying yes to others simply to please them only served at making me feel frustrated and angry at myself. Nobody wants to feel like that yet somehow I would repeat the behaviour pattern until I ended up exploding and inevitably calming down before ending up like the label on a shampoo bottle – repeat, lather, rinse, repeat, lather, rinse. Productive? No! Thankfully I learned to speak my truth knowing that it was ok to do so once it was done in a positive manner.

If you find this a familiar scenario then now is the time to remind yourself that A) Guilt is a useless emotion so let it go and even more importantly B) No. Is a perfectly acceptable complete sentence, no further explanation is necessary so stop over explaining yourself! And C) Learning to say no will help you to set healthy boundaries while showing yourself respect.

This month I am encouraging you to try and put it into practice – if you find yourself saying yes but your heart is screaming no, take a deep breath before answering calmly. NO can be a highly positive and empowering word so don’t be afraid to embrace it!

Beth @ Ahimsa ॐ

* this months piece is as intentionally short yet as positive as the word no itself can be and I would like to dedicate it to all those out there learning to speak their truth.

Many of you will remember a few months ago I introduced this rather amazing, beautiful & talented young lady, Tracey McCann. I know Tracey made an impact on you as much as she did me because I received some truly heartwarming feedback after I shared her story. Tracey is passionate about helping others to see that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. She is living proof that no matter what our story is we can do anything if we believe in ourselves and adopt a positive mental attitude.

During some recent meditation I felt compelled to switch of all sounds and just sit with the silence. What followed in the silence was of incredible depth and power that it reminded me of just how invaluable silence can be. This in turn lead me back to the glimpse I caught of Tracey’s world since meeting her and felt it was worth sharing some of her joie de vivre again.

Tracey was diagnosed with Muscular Dystonia when she was only 8 years old yet words like inspirational, determined, belief and positivity only begin to scratch the surface of Tracey’s amazing spirit! Like the rest of us, Tracey has hopes, dreams and goals but what sets her apart from many of us is her unwavering dedication to making things happen and creating positive change in the world. She may not be able to talk the talk but this inspirational young woman can certainly walk the walk when it comes to going after what you want which, for someone who can no longer speak is indeed a pretty impressive feat.

Tracey is currently working on many different projects but is especially excited about finally being able to speak from the heart by sharing her full story with the world in her upcoming book. I imagine everyone who meets Tracey is left with the same realisation of what a powerful force she is. What amazes me even more is she has no voice yet I can hear her louder and clearer than a lot of others out there.

Do yourself a favour and watch her video today, guaranteed to leave you smiling.

Tracey’s youtube channel is under construction but you will be able to catch up with her again shortly through her various upcoming projects! Tracey has also asked me to let you know that she is always open to hearing from anybody who would like to share their own stories, thoughts or would simply like to reach out and say hello. We are all in this life together – if you would like to email Tracey you can do so on traceymc11@hotmail.com

* I would like to dedicate this months piece to Tracey and to all those like her out there working hard to make a difference for others. I am honoured that when I had nothing to say (which doesn’t happen often!) Tracey stepped in and said it for me. Keep shining your bright light x

Most of my summer was filled with family and friends returning from all corners of the globe (I never quite understood how something round can have corners!). These said corners included New Zealand, Australia and America, and all had the same mission as they crossed oceans and navigated their way through airports…spending time with those they love.

I have just waved off my big hearted brother and the beautiful Orla as they begin their journey back to Australia. Yes, my heart may be heavy but there was no denying the overwhelming feeling of love and sheer joy that not only comes with these visits but with the simple fact that they are my family. I am beyond blessed.

As I accept this final departure of visiting loved ones over the summer, I can’t shake that underlying happy feeling of knowing I have such amazing family. It is this feeling I want to sit and reflect on a little bit longer and encourage you to do the same as you ask yourself what exactly does family mean to you?

You will note more reference to family than friends but this is because I consider my equally incredible friends as family. They are the family I have chosen for myself. And with that comes the reminder that many of my family are also my friends. This summer has really shown me that there is a very, very, thin line between friends and family, if indeed there is a line at all. To me, we all live in the same camp and shelter under the same umbrella. This, I love.

Family for me is made up of an eclectic mix of personas, each of them as welcome as that moment when you wake up in the morning and realise you’ve another day to live.

Family to me is the unconditional love and acceptance for each other regardless of how much time has passed since last seeing each other or how many oceans there are between you. Of course, all the technological connections now available have made it easier to maintain emotional connections but nothing, absolutely nothing beats the real presence of someone you love.

The visits home are particularly magic, somehow knowing you only have limited time makes us behave in ways we wouldn’t perhaps ordinarily. We are more open on so many levels, we make more time for fun and are generally more focused on making every single moment count. It feels so good because this is how we should naturally be living all the time. Consider this your reminder!

Family to me is so much more than I could ever possibly put into words. It is no coincidence I AM can be found in the word Family. I am, like all of you, made up of many different parts and each of our different family members allow us to express these parts accordingly to ensure we can be who we are meant to be. Personally I find it pretty cool how I communicate differently with different people, those who fully accept me for who I am, whichever part it is at the time, I know I can call my family.

As you settle into a new month, take some time to think about what family means to you and their importance in your life. No family is perfect but learning to love unconditionally will go a long way towards making you all stronger and happier, both as individuals and as a family.

Family to me, is everything.

Ahimsa ॐ

I would like to dedicate this piece to some wonderful people I consider my family as they celebrate their gorgeous little boys first birthday. Happy Birthday JP!

Family is everything.

So many of us fall into that dreaded cycle of chasing the elusive happy; I’ll be happy when I get my promotion, I’ll be happy when I buy a bigger house, I’ll be happier when I’m two stone lighter, I’ll be happier when blah blah blah…..always in the future but never content with being happy in the now. Sound familiar? I am guilty of this myself sometimes, after all I am only human too but I always catch myself quick enough to avoid being swept back under the rug. I stop, breathe and remind myself that forever wanting more is not only exhausting, it is setting up a negative repeat cycle of defeat. Of course there is nothing wrong with wanting more but basing your happiness only on getting it is quite frankly, crazy and there’s already enough crazy in our world.

It’s important to point out that while fulfilling wishes is an absolute wonderful feeling it is even more important that we take the time to actually stop and reflect back on every single thing we have already achieved in our lives. I’m not talking just the big moments like weddings, births, dream jobs or graduations. I’m talking everything you can remember that ever made you feel good because you achieved it. Maybe you studied hard and got top marks, maybe you set up the business you always wanted to, maybe you came first in a singing competition or were just so happy you managed to enter despite your overwhelming fear of performing in public. Recall it all!

So with this in mind, something else I do to avoid falling into the elusive happiness chase is an annual Reverse Bucket List. And how does this work exactly? Well, we are all familiar with the concept of bucket lists, we also know the importance of gratitude and how practicing it can help us to live happier more fulfilled lives. So why not combine the two and try your very own Reverse Bucket List!

The reverse kicks in by reflecting on all you have already accomplished, even if it isn’t the way you planned your life to be, just be thankful for it all. To quote Gretchin Rubin in her book – The Happiness Project – “Gratitude is important to happiness. Studies show that consistently grateful people are more happier and satisfied with their lives. Gratitude brings freedom from envy, because when you are grateful for what you have, you’re not consumed with wanting something different or something more”.

Allow yourself some time to focus on doing your reversed bucket list but don’t over think it either. Simply allow yourself to remember happy moment’s right up to now. Quite often I find myself asking where will I start but all it takes is one good memory to create a ripple effect. Each year I do mine I rediscover so many wonderful things about myself with each memory sparking another that was long forgotten. I fall in love with life again and feel so fulfilled at everything I have achieved, usually giving me a much needed confidence boost. Another great thing about doing it is how it highlights across many levels all the important things in your life and therefore enabling you to realign and move forward.

Going back has never been so beneficial so get cracking! Enjoy reliving the good things and then move forward with grace and gratitude ॐ

I would like to dedicate this piece to all of those trying to find their happy.

One thing I feel every single one of us needs to understand is not only do we deserve time out and self nourishment, that it is in fact essential to our well being and existence. In short, it is not selfish to put yourself first, it is a necessity.

I am also very passionate about everyone being able to access some form of healing / services for our well being on every level. Occasionally my work allows me to be able to help that little bit more through projects such as this one…….NOW, is one of those times!

You can a book a Sound Healing Therapy or Indian Head Massage by;

Text – 087 1216655 or Email – beth@ahimsa.ie

All you have to do is book, pay what you can and pay it forward by showing some extra kindness to others. Its that simple!

Always follow your path with a full heart,

Beth ॐ