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Monthly Reflection

July

Learning • Practice • Presence

Welcome.

If you’ve found your way here, I’m so pleased you’re here.

Living an Embodied Life has grown from a simple belief: that movement is about far more than exercise. It’s about the way we inhabit ourselves, the way we breathe, the way we pay attention, and the way we move through the world.

Over the years, I’ve come to realise that the studio is simply one expression of this philosophy.

The conversations we have there continue long after we step away from the Reformer or the Tower. They shape how we meet ourselves, how we respond to challenge, how we cultivate health, and how we choose to live each day.

This is a space for those reflections.

Each month I’ll share what I’m learning through the classical Pilates repertoire, my teaching, and the quieter lessons that emerge through practice and everyday life.

For more than twenty years, movement has been my profession. But over time, I've realised my work has never really been about teaching exercises. But the longer I’ve taught, the more I’ve realised that people rarely come to Pilates simply to learn an exercise.

They come because they’re searching for something deeper.

To feel stronger.

To move with more ease.

To reconnect with themselves.

Become more accepting and confident of themselves.

To breathe more freely.

To find a little more space in lives that often ask us to keep doing more.

Joseph Pilates understood this long before wellbeing became a modern conversation. His vision of a healthy life extended far beyond the studio. It embraced fresh air, rest, meaningful movement, nourishing food, curiosity and a balanced mind.

That philosophy continues to inspire me today.

Living an Embodied Life is my way of exploring those ideas—not as rules to follow, but as conversations worth returning to, month after month.

This first reflection begins where I find myself today.

July has reminded me that progress isn’t always found in learning something new.

Sometimes it comes from returning to the fundamentals with greater attention.

This month has been full of learning.

I’ve been continuing my Tower training, deepened my preparation for the Wunda Chair Training (starting in a few weeks), exploring new projects and have spent time teaching wonderful clients, and found myself returning again and again to Joseph Pilates’ original philosophy.

The more I study Contrology, the more I realise that the exercises themselves are only part of the practice.

What continues to inspire me is the quality behind the movement.

The patience to repeat.

The discipline to refine.

The willingness to notice the smallest details.

I’ve also been reminded that community is one of our greatest teachers.

Every class, every conversation and every shared practice offers another opportunity to learn—not only about movement, but about ourselves.

Perhaps that’s what living an embodied life really means.

Not striving for perfection.

Not collecting more exercises.

But becoming more present in the ones we already know.

As I move into August, I’m taking this reminder with me.

To practise with curiosity.

To teach with generosity.

To continue learning.

And to remember that the most meaningful progress often happens quietly, one thoughtful repetition at a time.

Thank you for being here.

I look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Until next month,

Salema

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“Everyone is the architect of his own happiness “

- Joseph Pilates

Photos Courtesy of Es Raco D’Arta and Ana Lui Photography

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who read, listened to and shared my last reflections, The Space We Rarely Give Ourselves. Your messages and the response to the podcast—now reaching over 8,500 downloads—have been incredibly encouraging. This article continues that conversation.

A few weeks ago, I shared some reflections on Joseph Pilates’ lifestyle principles and what they might teach us in a world that rarely slows down.

I wrote about the space we seldom allow ourselves. The constant pull of distraction. The feeling that, despite all our efforts to become healthier and more productive, many of us are left feeling increasingly disconnected from ourselves.

The response was overwhelming.

It reminded me that perhaps what so many of us are searching for isn’t another exercise programme, another wellness trend or another way to optimise our lives.

Perhaps we’re searching for something much simpler.

Our attention.

“This is where these ideas come to life.”

Video & Photo Courtesy of Es Raco D’Arta

There is no shortage of advice telling us how to become healthier.

Walk 10,000 steps.Lift heavier weights.Run further.Meditate.Journal.Cold plunge.Stretch.Eat this.Avoid that.

Every day we’re presented with another list promising to optimise our lives.

Yet for all the information available to us, many of us have never felt so disconnected from our own bodies.

Our attention is constantly being pulled elsewhere. Notifications interrupt conversations. Meals are eaten whilst scrolling. Work follows us home. Exercise becomes another task to complete before moving on to the next thing.

We’re forever doing, but rarely being.

When I return to Joseph Pilates’ writings, I’m always struck by how relevant they feel today.

Although he never experienced smartphones or social media, he understood something fundamental about human nature: our greatest challenge is often not physical ability, but our ability to pay attention.

Contrology was never designed as a collection of exercises.

It was designed as a practice of awareness.

Every movement asks us to notice.

How are we breathing?

Where are we holding unnecessary tension?

Can we create effort without strain?

Can we move with intention rather than habit?

These questions are as relevant today as they were when Joseph first developed his method.

In many ways, Pilates becomes less about movement itself and more about reclaiming our attention.

The Cost of Constant Distraction

Attention has become one of our most valuable resources.

Every app, every advertisement and every notification competes for it.

Without realising it, we begin to live externally, constantly responding to what demands our focus rather than consciously choosing where to place it.

Joseph Pilates invited us to do the opposite.

When practising the method, there is nowhere else to be.

You cannot perform a classical Reformer sequence whilst mentally writing tomorrow’s shopping list.

The work gently calls you back.

Again.

And again.

Your breath becomes your anchor.

Your movement becomes your conversation.

Your body becomes your teacher.

This, perhaps, is one of the greatest gifts of the Pilates method.

Not simply stronger muscles, but a quieter mind.

The Exercise Isn’t the Goal

One of the greatest misconceptions about Pilates is that success lies in mastering increasingly difficult exercises.

But anyone who has studied the method for any length of time knows the opposite is true.

The more experience you gain, the more you return to the fundamentals.

Footwork.

The Hundred.

Roll Up.

Leg Circles.

Exercises many people dismiss as “basic” become endless opportunities for refinement.

Because attention changes everything.

The movement may stay the same.

You don’t.

Each repetition offers another opportunity to notice something you missed before.

A little more length.

A little less effort.

A quieter shoulder.

A softer jaw.

A more complete exhale.

The exercise hasn’t changed.

Your awareness has.

Perhaps this is why Joseph Pilates famously said:

“Change happens through movement, and movement heals.”

I often wonder whether the healing he referred to wasn’t solely physical. Perhaps he was also speaking about what happens when we become fully present.

Beyond the Studio, Mat & Apparatus

The longer I teach, the more I’ve become to realise that Yoga & Pilates as well as other methods of movement doesn’t end when we leave the studio/gym.

Its principles begin to shape how we live.

We notice our posture whilst standing in a queue.

We breathe differently during stressful conversations.

We become aware of unnecessary tension whilst driving.

We choose to walk rather than rush.

Contrology therefore gradually becomes less about exercise and more about paying attention to life itself.

And perhaps this is what Joseph Pilates was really offering.

Not simply a stronger body.

But a more conscious way of living.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

In a culture that celebrates speed, productivity and constant stimulation, choosing to slow down can feel almost rebellious.

Yet slowing down isn’t about doing less.

It’s about noticing more.

Real strength isn’t found in how quickly we move.

It’s found in how deeply we connect with what we’re doing.

That, to me, is the enduring wisdom of Joseph Pilates.

His method reminds us that our attention is not something to give away carelessly.

It is something to cultivate.

His method reminds us that our attention is not something to give away carelessly.

It is something to cultivate.

This is where, for me, these ideas come to life.

When I began creating and curating Embodied Contrology , I realised I wasn’t simply creating a retreat to teach the Reformer.

I was trying to create the very thing I’ve been writing about.

I was thinking about space.

Space to breathe.

Space to learn.

Space to return to the original principles of the method without distraction.

A place to slow down.

A place to pay attention.

Not because we need more movement.

But because we need to pay better attention to the movement we already have.

Perhaps that is where real transformation begins.

To find a place where Joseph Pilates’ original philosophy could be experienced, not just discussed.

Set within the peaceful surroundings of Es Racó d’Artà in Mallorca, the retreat has been designed to bring together focused practice, thoughtful conversation and meaningful rest. Not as an escape from everyday life, but as an opportunity to return with a deeper understanding of both the Pilates method and ourselves.

If these reflections resonate with you and you’d like to experience them in practice, I’d be delighted to welcome you to Embody these teachings not just practice the physical.

→ Learn more about the retreat here:

Final reflection

“Where in your life could you replace more with deeper attention?”

Do you think we’re searching for more exercise, or are we really searching for something much deeper?

Share your reflections in the comments—I read every one.

Until next time, move with intention.

Salema

Practice You Deck Cards by Elena Brower

There comes a time in every season of life when we are called to return to ourselves for strength. To pause. To notice the subtle disturbances of change emerging beneath the surface and meet them—not with resistance, but with curiosity, strength and grace.

In this week's reflection, I invite you to explore how the Zen-informed lens of simplicity, presence, and compassionate awareness can help you return to your centre stronger, softer, and more connected with the most practical practice/s of Zen to help in times of unease.

Over the past few weeks, as I’ve been preparing for my assessment and opening space to welcome new collaborations in my teaching, I’ve felt the stirrings of change—offering me new ways of working that feel more aligned with who I’ve become.

At the same time, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Behind the scenes, I’ve been navigating some deep challenges. Living alongside someone diagnosed with severe depression is a quiet and constant weight. It takes strength to stay grounded—for myself, and for my partner. Some days, maintaining a hopeful outlook feels like balancing on a tightrope, one breath, one moment at a time, with my mojo nowhere to be seen.

Yet in these moments, I’m reminded why my practices matter. They keep me anchored. They help me stay open, connected, and honest about what I need—and what I can offer—without losing myself in the process, this being the purity of human nature.

PRACTICES

Over the last couple of weeks l’ve not being able to join in with my HIVE cohort collective. However, Elena always one to follow up, dropped me a couple of short emails, making her support and nourishing presence felt. One of these was details about our next meet and some preparation for exploration for our session. Weirdly, it was about revisiting/creating/placing a vision of the future on our altars; tiny, concrete items. Honouring the past and the future, while keeping present in the present to keep our visions and project(s) alive and visible. I have many of these varied small altars around my home, where l go for refuge, strength and inspiration. Today as l was revisiting them, l felt the unease slowly ebbing away.

On Unease & Returning to Balance: Mentally and Physically

My partner often uses the word unease to describe how he thinks he’s feeling. But is unease just another word for being with NOT KNOWING?

Unease is a natural part of living—especially in uncertain times. From a Zen lens, it’s not something to resist but to gently witness. Unease invites us inward, back to breath, back to presence. We don’t overcome it by force but by softening into what is.

Manifesting from a Physical perspective

From a Pilates and Pilates Reformer perspective: On the mat and/or on a Reformer, two Pilates practices that can support this return are Footwork exercises to ground and recalibrate through the feet and legs, and Spine Stretch Forward to lengthen the spine, create space, and release held tension. When paired with conscious breath, these movements become meditations in motion—restoring your centre with strength and grace.

Mindful Communication: Speaking from Stillness

In moments of unease, our internal landscape can often feel noisy and/or heavy. Practising mindful communication can help us listen more deeply—first to ourselves, then to others. Inviting us to pause before speaking, to check in with our body, breath, and emotional tone, so we become less reactivate, which is a lot harder than it seems. I have been learning this highly important skill under the teachings and guidance of my mentor, thank you Elena Brower so much for reminding me, that less is more and that practice is where Zen truly resides.

Zen teaches us that silence is not empty. It is full of possibility. When we communicate from stillness, we become less reactive and more rooted in truth. We begin to use words that honour both our experience and the space between us and others. This kind of presence fosters connection—not through performance but through authenticity.

Especially when supporting someone living with depression, this type of mindful listening becomes an anchor. We hold space not to fix, but to witness—to offer our calm presence as a mirror of steadiness in the storm.

In relationships, this quiet attentiveness can soften defensiveness and create space for honest expression. It fosters a climate where partners feel safe to be vulnerable without fear of judgement or urgency to solve.

Honest Boundaries: Showing up with compassion without abandoning ourselves

Change often illuminates how much we’ve been carrying—emotionally, mentally, and physically. Saying no can be an act of profound self-respect.

Zen invites us to return to the simplicity of knowing what is true in the moment. Not everything that calls for our energy deserves it. Honest boundaries don’t push people away; they create the conditions for sustainable closeness. When we honour our limits, we honour our energy, our needs, and our evolving identities.

When living with or caring for someone navigating depression, clear and loving boundaries are essential. They allow us to show up with compassion without abandoning ourselves.

In relationships, mutual respect for boundaries creates a shared sense of security—a trust that each partner can care for their own energy while staying connected.

Emotional Availability: The Grace of Staying Open

It’s tempting to withdraw when things get difficult and emotions become like a roller coaster. But true strength lies in staying present with what is—without needing to fix or flee. Emotional availability is the capacity to be with discomfort, both ours and others’, while remaining grounded.

From a Zen perspective, emotions are not enemies—they are teachers. They come and go like weather, and our job is to breathe, observe, and let them pass. This spacious approach helps us stay connected in our relationships, even during challenging times.

Supporting a loved one with depression asks us to meet their pain with a quiet steadiness, not by absorbing it, but by offering our stable presence—our willingness to sit with them in the shadows while rooted in our own light.

In intimate partnerships, emotional availability builds a bridge between two inner worlds. It allows space for truth, even when it’s messy or uncertain, and creates fertile ground for deepened connection.

Finding Your Mojo: A Zen Perspective

When life feels flat or uncertain, what we often call "losing our mojo" is really a disconnection from our deeper rhythm. In Zen, this is an invitation—not a failure. Mojo isn't something we chase. It arises naturally when we return to presence and simplicity, through practices that ignite us.

Zen teaches us that energy and inspiration flow best when we are not forcing. Your mojo is in your breath, your body, and the moments you slow down enough to feel.

3 ZEN PROMPTS to start the enquiry of re-cultivating your mojo:

* What brings me alive in this moment?

* What am I resisting?

* What am I longing for?

These questions when asked in stillness, help you reawaken your natural vitality—quietly, respectfully, from the inside out.

A Mudra for Strength & Grace: Vajrapradama Mudra (Mudra of Unshakable Trust)

This is the mudra of unshakable trust. Interlace your fingers at the heart centre, leaving the thumbs extended and touching. Rest this gesture at your chest, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Use it when you need to reclaim your steadiness and inner power.

Vajra means “diamond” or “thunderbolt,” symbolising clarity and indestructibility. Pradama relates to offering or confidence. Together, Vajrapradama Mudra translates to “Mudra of Unshakable Trust.”

Affirmation: "I trust in my strength. I return to grace."

Zen Sitting Practice: Returning to Yourself in Times of Unease

Find a quiet space and take a comfortable seated position. Sit on a cushion or chair, allowing the spine to be long but not rigid. Bring your hands into Vajrapradama Mudra or rest them gently in your lap.

Let your eyes soften or close. Begin by simply noticing your breath. Allow the inhale to expand you, and the exhale to ground you.

When thoughts arise, acknowledge them gently and return to the breath. Use this practice to anchor yourself in the now. Just five to ten minutes a day can cultivate the strength and grace you seek—not from outside, but from your own centred presence.

In households affected by depression or emotional overwhelm, this daily ritual becomes a way to clear your own energy, reset compassion fatigue, and reconnect with your inner resources.

For couples or partners, consider sitting together in silent support. No talking. Just breathing, side by side. This shared stillness becomes a silent vow—to be with each other in presence, not performance.

Zen Relationship Practice: The Circle of Presence

Sit across from your partner or loved one. Each of you places an object or candle in the centre to symbolise your shared intention. Set a timer for five minutes.

In silence, gaze softly at one another—not staring, but witnessing. Stay relaxed and breathe naturally. If emotions arise, let them flow. If laughter or tears come, honour them.

When the timer ends, bow gently to each other. This circle of presence cultivates intimacy without words, reminding you both that presence is the most sacred gift we can offer.

Returning to Centre

To return to strength, balance, and grace is to come back to the truth of who we are: cyclical, sensitive, resilient, wise. Through mindful communication, honest boundaries, and emotional availability, we can strengthen not just our relationships with others, but also the relationship with ourselves.

This is the art of living well. This is the nourishment that lasts.

With a bowed heart and steady breath, in quiet service to your return.

S

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this weeks invitation and enquiry

* confidence VS bravado the difference

* embody confidence through Zen, brain, and muscle

* journaling prompts to meet challenge and cultivate confidence honestly

* a Zen Practice: “Returning to Centre” A Confidence 5 Step Cultivation Sit

Let’s start this weeks podcast and post with the main enquiry ‘How do you wear confidence?’

I’ve been thinking and asking myself this question a lot lately, as l think our perception of confidence changes with age. As over the past few weeks, l’ve come to realise that Confidence isn’t quite what l thought it was. It’s not about trying to be the best or shout from the roof tops, have the perfect post and/or body and face. But instead for me it is about welcoming in an type of soft anchoring. Coming from a quiet, rooted place of knowing that’s less about being “better” and more about feeling connected—to my breath, my strength, my purpose. A reflection from the Japanese concept of “gambaru” which loosely means “to do one’s best with quiet determination.” No drama. No ego. Just presence in effort.

Confidence is not something that we’re born with, it’s something we rebuild, reshape, and re-embody through our various life experiences. Something l’ve personally experienced over past five years with changes in health, loss, and uncertainty. As we delve deeper into the element of Confidence from both a scientific and Zen perspective, we begin to realise that challenge isn’t something to avoid—but it’s the very terrain where confidence is forged.

Losing confidence during the second half of the pandemic. Not all at once—but slowly. It slipped away through the cracks of long quiet spells, and the weight of uncertainty. Teaching, creating, even trusting my body—it all felt far away until recently, when I took the conscious choice to step back in once again. To retrain, to move differently, to begin again with fresh eyes and an open heart. Yoga, Pilates, Zen, and the deep anatomy work I’ve studied and continue to study have become my home base, my anchor.

Challenging myself mentally and physically through retraining in a new discipline has reignited something I hadn’t felt in a while. That spark. That sense of direction and it feels great, even through l don’t quite know where it will take me? But the version of me who loved teaching, creating, and running her own thing is remerging not quite in the same form, but with more depth, more softness, more strength.

Pilates, structure, Zen, movement—it's all helping me remember who I am.

Sometimes rebuilding confidence looks like learning something new… and realising you’re not starting over but returning home.

But what does confidence look like in our brains?

Well our brains are designed to adapt. Neuroplasticity after all is the brain’s ability to rewire itself based on experience. When we face a challenge whether physical, emotional, or mental, our nervous system is activated. If we meet that challenge with conscious effort, focused attention, and rest afterward, the brain begins to encode that experience as resilience. Confidence then isn’t just a feeling but a chemical process. It’s biology in motion, a dance between belief and the body, shaped not only by past experiences but by what we choose to do with the present moment.

At the heart of it? Your brain’s reward system.

The brain’s reward circuitry, primarily involving the dopaminergic system, plays a central role in motivation, learning, and yes confidence. When you face a challenge and follow through, especially something just outside your comfort zone, your brain releases dopamine a feel-good neurotransmitter that reinforces the behaviour.

Each time you complete something difficult, the brain registers it as a “win.” Even small victories like mastering a new Pilates move, holding a posture longer, or showing up for your practice when you didn’t want to light up the mesolimbic pathway, telling your brain:

That felt good. Let’s do that again.

Over time, these micro-rewards begin to reshape your internal narrative.Not just I can do hard things, but I want to keep growing.

Interestingly, this echoes what the brain craves:Consistent, meaningful effort → reward → reinforcement.

The result? A felt sense of confidence that’s less about being “better” and more about feeling connected—to your breath, your strength, your purpose.

Embodied Confidence: Why Movement Matters

Physical movement especially structured, mindful movement like pilates or yoga is particularly effective at activating this system. But why? Well because it pairs mental challenge (focus, coordination, breath control) with physical effort (strength, endurance, precision). This integrated experience creates a potent feedback loop between mind, muscle, and mood.

When you rise to meet a challenge physically, the brain responds as if you’ve done something meaningful (because you have). This not only boosts dopamine but also builds trust between you and your body, between you and your capacity.

This is especially relevant in any movement we undertake. Challenging the body with mindful stress like strength work, Pilates, or complex motor patterns helps reorganise not just muscle but also our sense of self. With each small success, the body sends a feedback loop to the brain: You did that. Confidence begins to rebuild from the ground up.

The Zen Colour of Confidence

In the Zen tradition, colour is approached with intentional simplicity—each hue chosen not for decoration, but for its energetic essence and meditative effect. Historically, Zen temples favoured natural tones: earthy browns, soft greys, indigo blues, and muted whites, reflecting the impermanence and humility central to Zen. These colours calm the nervous system, support stillness, and mirror the subtlety of the natural world. In colour psychology, these tones encourage introspection, stability, and grounded awareness—qualities deeply aligned with the Zen ideal of wabi-sabi, the quiet beauty found in imperfection and transience.

Shades of blue generally supports trust, darker blues especially promote confidence from a colour psychology perspective.

Zen: Effort Without Clinging

In Zen, we are taught to meet the moment as it is without attachment to outcomes. This doesn’t mean we don’t try, but rather that we engage fully and release the need for control. Dōgen Zenji wrote, “To study the self is to forget the self.” When we approach challenge from a Zen lens, it becomes less about winning and more about witnessing.

What am I learning here?How can I move with what’s arising instead of fighting it?

This presence-oriented approach softens the ego’s grip and allows us to move through difficult terrain with more grace. Confidence, then, isn’t about feeling bulletproof it’s about staying connected, moment by moment, no matter what’s unfolding.

From a Zen perspective, confidence doesn’t come from external validation—it’s a quiet, rooted knowing. In Japanese, the concept of “gambaru” loosely means “to do one’s best with quiet determination.” No drama. No ego. Just presence in effort.

The Integration and Practical Application of

When science meets stillness, and movement meets mindfulness, confidence becomes a practice rather than a fixed state. It’s rebuilt through the body through breath, through effort, through pause. Through showing up again and again, even when unsure.

It’s in the shaking legs during a Pilates hold.The quiet mind after a meditation sit.The decision to begin again, even when it’s hard.

Confidence doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it’s just a whisper: Keep going. You’re doing it.

Journaling Prompt: Meeting Challenge Honestly

Carve out 10 minutes, and reflect with honesty and compassion:

Find a quiet space and take a few deep breaths. With pen and paper, explore the following:

* Where in my life do I feel unsure or disconnected from my inner strength?

* What small challenge am I currently facing that I could meet with more presence?

* What part of me already knows how to begin again?

Let the pen be your mirror.

* Where in my life am I meeting resistance or self-doubt right now?

* What would it look like to meet this challenge with curiosity, rather than fear?

* Can I recall a time I did something hard and came through stronger? What did I learn?

Let the words flow. No need to fix—just observe.

Zen Practice: “Returning to Centre” — A Confidence a 5 Step Cultivation Sit

Duration: 10–15 minutes | Best done seated in stillness

1. Settle the Body

Sit comfortably on a cushion or chair.Spine upright, shoulders relaxed.Let your hands rest softly in your lap or on your thighs.Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.

Take 5 slow breaths. Feel yourself arrive.

2. Anchor the Mind with Breath + Mantra

Inhale: I am hereExhale: I am ready

Repeat this silently for 3–5 minutes, letting the rhythm of breath and mantra begin to stabilise the mind. Feel the inhale gather presence, the exhale soften resistance.

3. Gathā for Confidence

Now, introduce this short Zen gathā (a poetic verse) to work with in your sit:

With each breath, I return to my true ground.

Nothing to prove.

Only to be.

Repeat this softly within, letting the words settle into your body. You might sync them with your breath, or let them drift in and out like waves.

4. Inquiry in Stillness (Optional for last 2–3 minutes)

As you sit in silence, ask yourself gently:

* Where in my life do I feel disconnected from my confidence?

* What part of me already knows how to begin again?

Don’t force answers—just let the questions echo. Confidence in Zen isn’t bravado—it’s the quiet clarity of knowing you’re already enough.

5. Close with a Mudra

Bring one hand to the heart, the other to the belly. Bow your chin slightly.

Whisper to yourself:“I trust in the return.”

The Takeaway

Confidence isn’t a fixed trait. It’s a process your brain and body want you to lean into. Each time we allow ourselves to be challenged and follow through, we’re not just pushing limits we’re rewiring our sense of self.

So whether it’s through mindful movement, deep rest, or showing up for that small promise you made to yourself today—know this:

Your reward system is watching. And it loves a comeback.

Confidence is not a pose we strike—it’s a process of remembering. Through breath, movement, and self-inquiry, we rebuild it, piece by piece, with presence and compassion.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

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This week l offer you

* The deeper meaning and connection of grace through the lenses of Zen & Pilates

* How alignment, breath & presence can support us well through midlife shifts

* 4 super simple yet powerful embodied practices that anyone can do and which will support you:

* Zen sitting for presence & emotional grounding

* Pilates standing flow for balance & fluid strength

* Lateral thoracic breathing to support your centre cultivating strength and calmness

* Seated spirals for elegant, integrated movement

“Grace isn’t just how we hold ourselves and move through space, it’s about how we meet life.”

-Salema

Lately, as I’ve been deepening my Pilates training and connecting with my inspiring cohort inside Hive guided by our fearless leader, Elena Brower - the themes of grace and self-care have been coming up again and again. These conversations have stirred something in me, and as a result I felt called to explore them more fully. That’s how this podcast was born.

As we navigate the transitions of midlife and beyond, it’s easy to feel like we’re somehow falling short mentally, physically, emotionally, even sexually. Hormonal shifts can leave us feeling out of sync with ourselves, and suddenly the way we feel on the inside no longer matches what we see on the outside. Frustration, impatience, anger, denial… they creep in. Acceptance and grace? Sometimes they feel far, far away.

If this resonates, you’re not alone and this conversation is for you.

Grace is not a surface expression. It is not about getting everything right or making it look effortless. True grace is a quality of presence of moving through life, especially through seasons of any change, with softness and strength in equal measure.

The Posture of Grace

In both Zen and Pilates, the posture we hold is a mirror of our inner state. Grace is not about performing or pleasing, but about cultivating presence, receptivity, and integrity in the way we move, sit, speak, and live. It is strength softened with compassion, structure infused with breath, and movement anchored in awareness. Cultivated through discipline, stillness, breath, and embodied awareness. Whether you're seated in meditation or flowing through a sequence on the mat, grace is the quiet power that emerges when effort meets ease, when precision meets patience, and when your inner landscape aligns with your outer form.

Zen & Pilates: Stillness and Flow

In Zen, the posture is part of the practice. The upright spine in zazen (seated meditation) is more than physical, it reflects the mind's capacity for presence. The invitation is to sit like a mountain: steady, grounded, aware. Grace, in this sense, comes from dropping into your natural state - unforced, undistracted, completely here. Grace is in allowing the breath to rise and fall without clinging. It is found in silence, in how we bow, in how we walk slowly and attentively through a moment.

Pilates, too, asks for awareness and integration. Every movement begins from the "powerhouse"—the core—radiating out with control, balance, and breath.

“It is the mind itself which builds the body.”

-Joseph Pilates

This is where the two systems meet: in their reverence for attention. Both Zen and Pilates train you to inhabit your body with awareness, to notice the subtle, and to move with intention.

In Pilates, posture is physical precision - aligning the spine, engaging the powerhouse, and allowing the body to move efficiently and intelligently. Grace arises when control flows effortlessly into movement. As Joseph Pilates said, “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” And happiness, when felt in the body, looks and feels like grace.

Midlife and menopause can feel anything but graceful at times. Hormonal shifts, emotional waves, changes in posture, sleep, digestion, and confidence. But this is also an incredible opportunity to return to the body, to re-align, to soften and strengthen anew.

Practicing the "posture of grace" doesn’t mean striving to be perfect. It means showing up with kindness, steadiness, and curiosity again and again.

When we combine the wisdom of both, grace becomes a state of embodied mindfulness, a still point within the changing rhythms of life. And in midlife or menopause, when the body and identity shift, returning to the posture of grace can be deeply empowering.

This week l offer four embodied practices to support you:

Zen Sitting Practice: Rooted Presence1. Sit in stillness with an upright spine, either on a cushion or chair. Let your hands rest naturally, eyes softly closed or lowered.2. Inhale gently through your nose, feel your ribs expand outward. Exhale slowly through the mouth, softening the shoulders and jaw.3. Repeat silently: “I am grounded. I am open. I meet life with grace.”Just five minutes a day builds a deep inner posture of presence and compassion.

Pilates Lateral Thoracic Breathing Practice: Cultivating Inner Space

While in some mindfulness and yoga practices we sometimes breathe in and out of the stomach, in pilates the stomach muscles become home base to all the exercises we do which support the spine. It is for this reason that we have to move the breath up into the side flanks of the body the ribs, enabling us to work the ‘powerhouse’ effectively. 1. Standing or seated, place your hands on either side of your ribcage.2. Inhale deeply through the nose laterally—feel the ribs expand into your palms breathing out to your circumference. 3. Exhale slowly through the mouth and feel the ribs gently draw back into centre.

Do 5–8 rounds. This breath technique supports core engagement, calms the nervous system, and invites spaciousness within the body.

Pilates Seated Arm Spirals with Core Connection: Integration & Elegance1. Sit upright, cross-legged or on a chair. Engage your centre gently, navel to spine.2. Inhale to spiral your right arm up and out to the side, following the arm with your gaze. Exhale to return to centre.3. Alternate sides. Move slowly, allowing your breath to shape the motion.

This practice strengthens shoulder mobility, spinal rotation, and coordination with grace.

Pilates Standing Practice: Align and Flow1. Stand in neutral alignment: feet hip-width apart, knees soft, pelvis balanced, spine tall.2. Inhale, lift your arms overhead. Exhale, lower them out to the side with control. Repeat slowly 3–5 times, letting breath guide the rhythm.4. Then add a side bend, flowing from one side to the other with grace and control. Focus on staying connected to your centre.

Grace in Practice, Grace in Life

Whether you're experiencing menopause, grief, transformation, or simply the everyday pressures of modern life, these practices offer a chance to return to yourself. To reconnect with your core, your breath, your posture - not to be perfect, but to feel whole and supported.

Both Zen and Pilates remind us that how we move is how we live. Grace is not something we perform. It is something we remember—through the breath, the spine, the stillness between moments.

From this place, we not only move better, we relate better, lead better, and age with wisdom and vitality.

Let your practice be a prayer of poise.Let your posture reflect your peace.Let grace become your ground.

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This week your invitation to nourishment

* a reflection on how to strengthen connection and ease in your relationships during Menopause

* 3 simple and effective Zen practices and affirmations for patience, grace and communication

* the science and zen of deep listening

* explore the posture of grace

* a zen circle a guided partner practice

Building upon one of my popular recent posts (below) this weeks offering for nourishment expands the essence of how to bring a deeper level of care to ourselves and our closest relationships at a time of change.

Support in Transition

A Sunday walk in nature by the water with my partner yesterday sparked a pathway of inspiration and enquiry. Sensing that the type of conversation we were having throughout was somehow different to the conversations we have at home. Often influenced by background distractions such as tv, phones and emails. However, in nature without those familiar distractions there seemed to be more of a natural flow so our conversation, with no specific beginning or point. A effortless flow reflecting the essence of the meandering river, which we were walking alongside.

During this journey, deep listening emerged and responses were graceful and supportive once in the flow. A much welcomed antidote to the sometimes frustration of not feeling/being like our old selves with unfamiliar responses and reactions during this biological shift. A profound transition that touches our emotions, relationships, and sense of self. Taking a leaf from a Zen perspective, this stage of life is an opportunity to slow down, listen deeply, and embrace change with openness, which is definitely how l would describe my Sunday experience.

Referring to and living practically with some of the Zen teachings as well as being with nature on a regular basis, for me has been particular helpful during Menopause. Why?, well simply put they can remind us that impermanence (anicca) is the natural flow of life—our bodies, thoughts, and emotions are always shifting. Fighting change only creates suffering. But when we meet menopause with patience, grace, and real communication, it transforms from a struggle into a path of wisdom and connection.

The Art of Stillness & Softening

Patience with yourself and others during this time becomes paramount in terms of how you take care of yourself and how you communicate your needs.

Acceptance in why you are in any moment without comparison helps, it’s about being fully here, right now.

Science shows us that menopause-related hormonal shifts can make us more reactive, more anxious, affecting mood, energy, and focus. Neuroscientists have found that certain mindfulness/ noticing practices can help because they strengthen the prefrontal cortex, helping regulate emotions and reduce stress responses.

Patience is often misunderstood as simply waiting, but in Zen, patience is a state of deep presence and surrender. It’s about meeting each moment as it is, without resistance or urgency. During menopause, as emotions fluctuate and energy shifts, patience becomes both a challenge and a vital skill in maintaining inner balance and connection with others.

1. Zen Practice for Patience: The Art of Stillness & Softening

Step 1: Grounding into the Present Moment

* Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed.

* Sit comfortably—either cross-legged on a cushion or with feet grounded on the floor.

* Close your eyes or soften your gaze, allowing your breath to settle into its natural rhythm.

Step 2: The Breath of Patience

* Place one hand on your belly and the other on your heart.

* Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, feeling your belly expand.

* Hold the breath for a count of four, noticing the pause.

* Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of six, feeling tension leave your body.

* Repeat for five rounds, allowing each breath to lengthen and soften naturally.

Why this works: Slow, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the body from stress to calm, reducing reactivity and impatience.

Step 3: Observing Without Reacting

* As you sit, bring to mind a recent moment where you felt frustrated, rushed, or reactive.

* Without judgment, observe the emotions that arise—tightness, heat, restlessness.

* Rather than pushing them away, imagine them as clouds drifting across the sky—temporary and ever-changing.

Zen Insight: Just like the sky remains vast and untouched by passing clouds, your inner awareness remains steady even as emotions move through you.

Step 4: The Mantra of Softening

* Silently repeat: "Softening, allowing, flowing."

* With each inhale, soften the edges of frustration.

* With each exhale, allow the moment to be as it is.

* With the next breath, flow into acceptance.

Continue this for 5 minutes, feeling patience grow as you surrender to the present moment.

Step 5: Bringing Patience into Daily Life

* Next time you feel irritation rising, pause and take one deep breath before reacting.

* Silently say: "I allow this moment to be as it is."

* If speaking, slow your words, allowing space between sentences.

* If listening, fully absorb the other person’s words before responding.

Final Thought:Patience isn’t about suppressing frustration—it’s about creating space between stimulus and response. Through breath, presence, and softening, we cultivate grace under pressure, allowing menopause—and life—to unfold with greater ease.

Grace: Moving Through Change with Ease

Grace isn’t about perfection—it’s about flow.

Zen teaches us to be like water, adapting to change rather than resisting it. Yet, it’s easy to feel frustrated when brain fog, fatigue, or shifting emotions interfere with daily life.

Research on self-compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff shows that being kind to ourselves reduces stress and fosters resilience. When we let go of the expectation to be who we were, we make space for who we are becoming.

In Zen, grace is not about effort—it’s about surrendering to the natural rhythm of life. Grace is fluidity in the face of challenge, the ability to move with change rather than against it. During menopause, when emotions, energy, and identity shift, grace becomes a powerful practice—one that allows us to soften into transformation rather than resist it.

2. Zen Practice for Grace: Moving Through Change with Ease

Step 1: The Posture of Grace

* Find a comfortable seated position—on a cushion, chair, or even lying down.

* Imagine a mountain—solid, steady, yet effortlessly meeting the changing winds and seasons.

* Gently lift your spine as if being drawn upward, while keeping your shoulders relaxed and soft.

* Close your eyes or lower your gaze.

Why this works: A grounded yet open posture signals the nervous system to shift from tension to ease, allowing grace to become embodied.

Step 2: The Breath of Surrender

* Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.

* As you exhale through your mouth, whisper the word “surrender.”

* With each breath, feel tension melting from your jaw, shoulders, and heart space.

* Repeat for five slow breaths, letting go of the need to control or force.

Zen Insight: Grace is found in releasing resistance. The breath teaches us how to let go without force, just as a river shapes stone over time—not through struggle, but through flow.

Step 3: The Practice of Non-Grasping

* Bring to mind a current challenge—maybe it’s fatigue, brain fog, shifting emotions, or uncertainty in relationships.

* Instead of resisting or fixing, simply observe.

* Ask yourself: Can I meet this moment without clinging or pushing it away?

* Imagine holding a delicate feather in your hand—neither gripping it nor letting it fall, just allowing it to rest.

* Apply this same energy to your thoughts, emotions, and body—neither forcing nor suppressing, but simply being with what is.

Why this works: In Zen, this is the practice of non-attachment—the key to moving with life’s changes, rather than feeling trapped by them.

Step 4: The Mantra of Grace

* Silently repeat: "I move with ease. I meet change with grace."

* With each inhale, imagine softness and acceptance filling your body.

* With each exhale, release the need to be who you were yesterday.

* Let this mantra become a rhythm—one that extends beyond this practice into daily life.

Step 5: Bringing Grace into Relationships & Menopause

* Next time frustration or discomfort arises, pause before reacting.

* Ask yourself: Am I resisting this moment, or can I allow it to unfold?

* When emotions feel overwhelming, place a gentle hand over your heart as a gesture of self-compassion and quietly say to yourself ‘How human of me to feel this way’.

* Speak and move more slowly—grace is found in the space between words and actions.

Final Thought:Grace is not perfection. It is the art of flowing with what is, trusting that every change is part of a greater unfolding. Through breath, presence, and non-resistance, we cultivate grace in the body, mind, and heart—moving through menopause and life with effortless ease.

A Zen Affirmation Practice for Grace:

When frustration arises, repeat:"Soften, allow, flow."Let the words settle in your body like ripples in water.

Communication:

3. The Zen And Science of Deep Listening

Menopause can challenge communication—word recall slows, emotions intensify, and frustration builds. But in Zen, communication isn’t just about speaking—it’s about listening with presence.

Science backs this up: Active listening triggers oxytocin, the bonding hormone, strengthening connection and easing tension.

Zen Practice for Communication:

Next time your partner speaks, ask yourself:"Am I listening to understand, or just to reply?"Pause. Breathe. Respond from a place of presence, not reaction.

4. The Zen Circle: A Guided Partner Practice

This simple practice helps you and your partner reconnect, using the Zen principle of the ensō (circle)—a symbol of wholeness and presence.

How to Do It:

Step 1: Set the Space – Sit comfortably, facing each other. Light a candle or simply take a few deep breaths together.

Step 2: Draw a Circle – On a piece of paper, take turns drawing a Zen circle. This represents your journey—imperfect yet whole, ever-changing yet complete.

Step 3: Speak & Listen with Presence – Each person completes these three sentences:

* “Right now, I feel…”

* “What I need most is…”

* “One thing I appreciate about you is…”

While one speaks, the other listens without interrupting or planning a response. Just hold space for the words to land.

Step 4: Close with Gratitude – Thank each other. Fold the paper and keep it somewhere visible as a reminder that you are walking this path together.

Final Thought: Flow, Don’t Fight

Menopause, like all of life, is a wave rising and falling. Through patience, grace, and real conversation, we ride the wave rather than resist it.

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this week your invitation to nourishment

* A Zen perspective on Vision

* A personal experience on Vision during Menopause

* Warning Bio Markers for Vision during Menopause

* The Science of Menopause & Vision

* How to advocate for your Vision

* Solutions for Menopausal Dry Eyes & Ocular Allergies

* Reflections on the emotional & spiritual aspect of changing vision

True vision is not merely about the eyes perceiving forms but about the mind seeing reality as it is—without illusion, distortion, or attachment. In the Zen philosophy this is the essence of kenshō, the direct experience of one’s true nature. When we look at the world through the filters of desire, fear, or expectation, we do not truly see; we project. A clouded mind is like a rippling pond—unable to reflect reality clearly. But when the mind is still, awareness sharpens, and we begin to perceive the impermanent, interconnected nature of all things.

Master Dōgen teaches that to see deeply, one must let go of the self—the "I" that clings and distorts. The great paradox is that the more we try to grasp clarity, the further it slips away. Instead, through presence and meditation, we allow vision to emerge naturally, like the moon reflected in still water. In this way, true vision is not about looking forward or backward, but about fully inhabiting this moment, where all truth resides."

This week as I moved between appointments with my eye patients, I found myself drawn to taking some moments to absorb nature—pausing to reflect on how deeply interconnected our vision is with both our physical and emotional well-being. Leading me to reflect on the impermanence of our vision and how changes we may experience may in fact also not be so easy to diagnose.

A personal example here, is how my vision had been changing quite a bit in the last few weeks, especially increased light sensitivity. My eyes feeling gritty and a bit sore, which l had initially put down to the weather and increased levels of pollen. But still, something felt not quite right.

After wearing varifocal contact lenses and glasses over the past few years from single vision because my vision had worsened somewhat. I felt l didn’t need any aid for reading but just for distance, which is normally the other way around when we age. But here’s the real twist—after a last-minute visit to my optometrist on Thursday night I discovered that my eyesight has actually improved in less than a year! I’m now less short-sighted and leaning more toward monovision. Although my optom couldn’t give me a real definite answer if this was linked to hormonal shifts or just aging, but surely we need to put the two together don’t we?

BIO MARKERS FOR VISION

As we age our hormones age with us so bearing that in mind here ARE SOME MENOPAUSAL RELATED EYE SYMPTOMS you should be aware of look out for include dry eyes, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and even prescription changes.

From an eye health perspective, menopause brings changes like:👁️ Light sensitivity – Increased discomfort in bright environments.👁️ Dry eyes – Due to reduced tear production as estrogen declines.👁️ Allergies & hay fever – Hormonal shifts can heighten inflammatory responses.

The Science of Menopause & Eyes

So what really happens to our eyes as our hormone levels change and age?

Well during menopause, we experience declining levels of estrogen and androgen hormones which impact the structure and function of the eye’s tear-producing glands:

* Lacrimal glands (which produce the watery layer of tears) experience a reduction in output, leading to dryness and irritation.

* Meibomian glands (which produce the oily layer of tears) may become inflamed or clogged, reducing oil flow and accelerating tear evaporation.

* Mucin production (which helps tears spread evenly over the eye) is also affected, leading to poor tear film stability.

*WARNING

This hormonal imbalance causes an increased risk of dry eye disease (DED), making eyes feel gritty, irritated, and sometimes excessively watery due to reflex tearing (the body's attempt to compensate for dryness).

The Link Between Dry Eyes & Hay Fever in Menopause

Did you know also in addition to direct hormonal effects, menopause can also heighten sensitivity to allergens and histamines. Fluctuating estrogen levels can increase inflammation and immune system hyper-reactivity, making menopausal women more prone to seasonal allergies and ocular allergies (allergic conjunctivitis).

This can exacerbate:👁️ Redness, itching, and burning sensations👁️ Swollen or puffy eyelids👁️ Increased tearing or mucus discharge

Something else to also be aware of when using traditional antihistamines, to manage allergies, is that they can worsen dry eyes because they reduce tear production. This is why many women find their usual allergy medications less effective or more irritating during menopause.

What to Do & Get Checked by Your Eye Care Professional

If you’re experiencing persistent dry eyes, light sensitivity, or allergy-like symptoms, it’s essential to get a comprehensive eye exam that includes:

* Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT): Measures how quickly tears evaporate. A low TBUT indicates meibomian gland dysfunction.

* Schirmer’s Test: Evaluates tear production to determine if the lacrimal glands are underperforming.

* Meibomian Gland Imaging: Checks for blockages or atrophy in the glands that produce the oily layer of tears.

* Inflammation Markers: Some eye clinics can assess inflammatory markers in tears to determine if there’s chronic inflammation contributing to dryness.

* Ocular Allergy Testing: If you have recurring redness and irritation, it may be beneficial to test for specific allergens.

SOLUTIONS FOR MENOPAUSAL DRY EYES & OCULAR ALLERGIES

Managing dry eyes in menopause requires a multi-faceted approach, including hydration, hormone-friendly nutrition, and targeted treatments. Here are some evidence-based solutions that can help:

* Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support healthy tear production.

* Lid Hygiene & Warm Compresses: Cleaning the eyelids with a gentle cleanser and using warm compresses helps unclog meibomian glands and improves oil flow.

* Lubricating Eye Drops: Opt for preservative-free artificial tears or lipid-based drops that mimic natural tears. Avoid drops that claim to "reduce redness," as they can cause rebound irritation.

* Humidifiers & Blinking Exercises: Increasing moisture in your environment and consciously blinking more frequently (especially during screen use) helps retain eye hydration.

* Hormone Therapy (HRT): Some women find low-dose estrogen or androgen therapy beneficial for dry eyes, but this should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

* Anti-Inflammatory Eye Drops: If inflammation is a major contributor, optometrists may prescribe cyclosporine (Restasis), lifitegrast (Xiidra), or corticosteroid drops for short-term relief.

* Allergy Management Alternatives: Instead of traditional antihistamines, consider mast cell stabilizers (e.g., ketotifen) or preservative-free allergy eye drops that are gentler on dry eyes.

REFLECTIONS ON THE EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF CHANGING VISION

Menopause isn’t just a shift in hormones—it’s a shift in how we see ourselves and the world. Many women experience changes in clarity, confidence, and perception during this time. Adapting to the impermanence of vision—both physically and metaphorically—can be a powerful practice in embracing change with awareness.

Have you noticed changes in your vision—physically, mentally, or emotionally—during menopause? Let’s start the conversation!

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this week your invitation to nourishment

* the importance of psychological emotional agility in menopause

* the application of Zen Philosophy ‘skinbag’ in menopause

* honouring transition truthfully

* trusting and listening within

* finding purpose

* practices to regain confidence

* a book recommendation

Before perimenopause and the pandemic, I had always been a confident, self-assured person. As a wellness advocate, yoga teacher, and coach. I always felt in tune with my body and capable of navigating any challenges that came my way. I trusted my ability to balance my physical health, emotional well-being, and professional life. But everything changed when the world around us began to shift dramatically during the second part of the pandemic—and I started my journey into perimenopause.

Suddenly and until very recently to be honest, I found myself feeling unsure and disconnected from the confident person I once was. The hormonal changes from perimenopause, combined with the stress of living through a global crisis and changing my work left me feeling uncertain, vulnerable and having terrible bouts of anxiety as well as fear. My mind and body no longer feeling like it was under my control. The hot flashes, the sleepless nights, and the sudden mood swings made me question my ability to cope. I felt overwhelmed and, at times, powerless. My once-strong sense of confidence took a real dip it was during this time that l decided to take a pause from teaching and healing others, instead turning the mirror onto myself.

Emotional Agility in Menopause: Navigating Change with Grace

Menopause is a profound transition—physically, mentally, and emotionally. With shifting hormones often comes a rollercoaster of moods, energy fluctuations, and moments of self-doubt. This is where emotional agility becomes essential. Rather than resisting these changes or feeling trapped by them, emotional agility allows us to acknowledge our feelings without being consumed by them.

Psychologist Susan David describes emotional agility as the ability to experience emotions fully while staying flexible in our responses. In menopause, this means recognising frustration, sadness, or anxiety as natural responses to change—not as roadblocks, but as signals. By meeting these emotions with curiosity instead of judgment, we can make empowered choices about our well-being, whether through movement, breath work, lifestyle shifts, or simply giving ourselves more compassion.

Menopause isn’t just an ending but instead a doorway to a new phase of strength, wisdom, and self-awareness. And when we cultivate emotional agility, we move through it with resilience, grace, and confidence and a new dawn awaits you.

- Salema Veliu

So lets get clear about some of the definitions of both confidence and resilience.

* Confidence: Is that feeling you get when you trust yourself to handle things. It’s having your own back, knowing your stuff, whether it’s taking on a challenge, speaking up, or just being yourself without second-guessing. Confidence is that quiet belief that you can do it, even when things get tough.

* Resilience: Is the ability to bounce back when life knocks you down. It's not about never feeling knocked down, but getting back up and finding your way forward, no matter how many setbacks you face. Trying to stay open and positive even in the most challenging of instances.

Confidence isn’t about knowing it all—it’s about trusting yourself to navigate the unknown. Resilience comes from adapting and growing through challenges, not avoiding them. And emotional agility? Well that’s the ability to recognise, understand, and regulate emotions without being controlled by them. Psychologist Susan David describes it as “the skill to engage with emotions flexibly, allowing us to make thoughtful choices rather than reacting impulsively”. When we develop confidence, resilience, and emotional agility together, we don’t just withstand life’s challenges—we can grow from them.

Adapting to Change: How the Pandemic and Perimenopause Shaped My Teaching

It was during the second part of the pandemic, combined with the onset of perimenopause, that threw me into a period of confusion and self-doubt. My energy was low, and the emotional toll of both challenges made it difficult to keep up with the demands of teaching. I found myself struggling to stay motivated and connect with my students in the way I had before. The physical changes of perimenopause left me feeling disconnected from my body, while the isolation of the pandemic made it harder to find any sense of normalcy. I felt overwhelmed and out of place, unsure of how to fit my own needs into the demands of my role as a teacher.

Adapting with Intention: Listening to My Body and Mind, and Using the Psychology of Seeing to Envision a Different Life

After two decades of teaching, I knew it was time to take a step back and try something different. I recognised that I needed a break to recharge and explore other areas of interest. So, I revisited my background in vision science and psychology, and started working in clinical ophthalmology and optical settings. This shift allowed me to blend my passion for wellness with my professional expertise, creating a new perspective that enriched both my personal growth and my teaching approach. It was a refreshing change that reignited my passion and helped me reconnect with a new sense of purpose.

Understanding the Hormonal Shifts: The Science of Perimenopause and Menopause

As my body began transitioning through perimenopause, the science behind what was happening became clearer. The hormonal fluctuations—particularly the decline in estrogen and progesterone—were causing physical changes I hadn’t anticipated. Muscle loss, bone density issues, and a significant drop in energy were just some of the challenges I faced. From a scientific perspective, these changes made me feel like I was losing my grip on the control I had once had over my health and especially my teeth!

In addition to the hormonal shifts, the pandemic's impact on my mental health was profound, especially at that time as l was on my own, without family or a partner, just my ducks, nature and my good neighbours. The isolation, the uncertainty, and the stress of adapting to a new way of life all compounded my feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. Moving into a new area just a few months before the pandemic struck I felt overwhelmed with no clear way out. My confidence plummeted, and it seemed like everything I had built in terms of self-trust was unraveling.

Reassessing My Health & Exercise routine: The Importance of Pilates, Strength and Yoga Conditioning

In addition to the emotional and mental toll, I began to realise that my body’s needs had changed. The once intense, dynamic yoga practices I had once relied on no longer felt supportive. Instead, I needed something less chaotic which led me to incorporate Pilates, strength training, yoga conditioning and yin yoga into my routine to support my body’s changing needs. Regaining control of my body without overexertion. They bring a much-needed sense of calm and centredness to my emotional agility.

Balancing Quiet Moments and Social Connection: Creating Harmony

During this journey, alongside my physical transformation, I realised the importance of balancing quiet moments with social interaction. During the pandemic, the isolation was intense. I found myself retreating inward, spending a lot of time in quiet reflection and journaling. Don’t get me wrong l do love spending time on my own however not quite the amount that was imposed on us. While this introspection helped me process some of the changes, it also reminded me of the importance of social connection. Something l had learn’t prior in one of my Neuroscience lectures, that humans brains are wired to be social and that it helps with longevity.

So despite my desire for solitude, I recognised that reconnecting with others was crucial for my mental health. Re-engaging with friends, family, as well as communities of women who are also navigating the challenges of perimenopause has helped me feel less isolated. Giving me a new found sense of connection, belonging and support.

Holistic and Scientific Approaches to Healing: Integrating Mind-Body Practices

Now I focus on nourishing my body with a diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and protein, while essential oils like lavender and peppermint has brought me emotional balance. I also focused on breath work and zen practices to calm my racing thoughts and reduce the anxiety I was feeling. Combining these approaches allowed me to regain some of my confidence by actively nurturing both my body and mind.

Confidence Restored and The Role of the Zen Philosophy ‘skinbag’ in Menopause

Over time, as I embraced these practices and the changes in my body, I realised that my confidence wasn’t gone instead it had just transformed. The confidence I once had, rooted in certainty and control, evolved into a deeper sense of trust in the process of change. I understood that confidence doesn't mean always feeling strong or in control—it’s about trusting that you will figure it out, no matter what comes your way.

The Zen "skin bag" philosophy teaches that our body is just a temporary vessel—a shifting, impermanent form that we inhabit for a time. This idea becomes especially relevant during life transitions, like perimenopause, aging, or personal reinvention. When we cling too tightly to how things used to be—our past identities, youthful bodies, or fixed expectations—we create suffering. But when we see change as natural, just like the breath flowing in and out, we find freedom.

Instead of resisting transitions, we can meet them with curiosity and presence. The body shifts, emotions fluctuate, but our deeper self remains. By embracing impermanence, we let go of fear and step into each new phase with grace, resilience, and wisdom. After all, we are not just the skin bag—we are the awareness within it.

The Takeaway

By embracing and incorporating more Pilates, strength conditioning, Zen and balance between quiet moments and social connection, I’ve rebuilt my confidence on my own terms in a way that felt authentic to the new me. I no longer view menopause transition as something to fear or resist, but as an opportunity to redefine my strength and resilience.

Confidence isn’t about being the same person I was before—instead it’s about evolving and trusting that the changes happening within me are leading to something more empowered and aligned with who I am becoming.

Throughout this weird, wild and whacky ride, l have found the practices of: simplicity, structure and boundaries have cultivated a deeper sense of ease, empowerment and self-trust. Confidence doesn’t have to mean having all the answers; it’s about trusting the journey and knowing you will find your way eventually! And more importantly knowing that it’s ok not to know, thank you Elena Brower.

NOW!

Moving forward with new projects, like pursuing my Pilates Diploma and diving deeper into hormonal health coaching, l am rebuilding my confidence. These opportunities are pushing me to expand my knowledge, refine my skills, and embrace new challenges. Each step I take in these areas is not only enhancing my professional growth but also reigniting that sense of empowerment and self-belief I thought I had lost. As I continue to grow in these fields, I’m excited to share what I’ve learn’t and learning to inspire others.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Book Recommendation

* Emotional Agility by Susan David

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this weeks invitation to nourishment

* powerful lessons in communication with hormone changes and what you and your partner can do to be heard and supported

* what you should know/consider about the andropause

* practices that you can do individually or together

* the importance of the bonding hormone

* my top 5 ways to strengthen relationships

Artwork by Andy Denzler

Welcome to NOURISH U, the contemplative podcast and newsletter is all about sharing holistic hacks, insights and solutions to empower longevity, creativity and peace of mind. All coming to you from my floating home on the water in Cambridge, England.

The Male and Female Menopause

Lately one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is the importance of open communication in relationships—especially when it comes to expressing needs and emotions without guilt. Particularly challenging with hormonal changes, stress, and life’s transitions all affecting how we feel, both physically and emotionally, and holding it all in only creates distance. Instead of suppressing feelings or fearing judgment, I’ve found that honest conversations can build deeper trust and connection.

A real-life example of this for me lately has been discussing how lower testosterone levels maybe affecting my relationship but interestingly how equally my partner is feeling the same. He has struggled with mood swings and depression for over two decades and is now sixty. However, he nor more importantly his health professional has ever questioned or tested if he has/is experiencing the Male menopause, also known as andropause even through he has presented with some likely symptoms.

Andropause is the gradual decline of testosterone levels in men as they age, typically starting around their 40s or 50s. Unlike menopause in women, which often can happen more suddenly, andropause is a slow process that can lead to symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, low libido, reduced muscle mass, brain fog, and even depression. Reading various research information and discussing this topic together suddenly, the conversation shifted from just me wondering about my own levels to realising my partner should probably get tested too.

To me, that’s what a real partnership is all about being able to talk openly about things that matter instead of shutting down and pulling away.

Sharing how I feel whether it’s fatigue, the need for space, or a desire for support has not only strengthened my relationship but also created a safe space where both of us feel seen, heard, and valued. True intimacy isn’t just about being together it’s about understanding each other fully. Furthermore, its about learning together to navigate change.

Testosterone is a hormone we make naturally but declines with age in both women and men and while not every man experiences severe symptoms, lifestyle factors like stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise can often make the effects more noticeable. But the good news? Healthy habits, hormone testing, and open communication can help manage and support this transition.

Health, Hormones & Beyond: The Power of Balance

True health isn’t just about diet and exercise it’s about balance in all aspects of life. Hormones, the body’s chemical messengers, regulate everything from energy and metabolism to mood and sleep. When they’re in sync, you feel vibrant, clear-headed, and strong. But when you are experiencing stress, poor sleep, or unhealthy habits they are thrown off balance, you may experience fatigue, brain fog, weight changes, and emotional ups and downs as a result.

Zen practices like meditation, breath work, and mindfulness can help regulate cortisol, the stress hormone, which in excess can lead to anxiety, inflammation, and disrupted sleep. Taking even a few minutes daily to center yourself can create a ripple effect, promoting clarity, calmness, and better overall health and enhance your relationships with others.

The Role of Relationships in Hormonal Balance

Equally important are relationships—the invisible threads that weave our emotional and physical well-being together. Strong, meaningful connections release oxytocin, often called the “bonding hormone,” which helps reduce stress, enhance mood, and support heart health. Healthy relationships also help regulate dopamine and serotonin levels, which contribute to feelings of happiness and motivation.

Hormonal shifts can impact relationships in profound ways. For example:

* Women’s hormonal fluctuations (due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause) can affect mood, energy, and emotional needs. Understanding and communicating these shifts with a partner can help build emotional intimacy and patience.

* Men’s hormonal changes, especially during midlife, often go unnoticed but can have a big impact. Testosterone levels naturally decline after 30, and by midlife, men may experience irritability, lower motivation, changes in libido, and emotional withdrawal—sometimes referred to as andropause or “male menopause.”

NOURISH U with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Navigating Midlife Hormonal Changes in Men & Strengthening Relationships

For men in midlife, hormonal fluctuations can lead to shifts in confidence, mood, and connection with their partners. This can sometimes create distance in relationships, especially if emotional changes are misunderstood or ignored. Here are some ways to nurture relationships during these transitions:

* Open Communication – Talking openly about emotions, stressors, and needs can strengthen a relationship, especially when hormones impact mood or energy. Creating a safe space for vulnerability is key.

* Physical Connection – Whether it’s intimacy, holding hands, or simply spending quality time together, physical connection boosts oxytocin, reduces stress, and fosters closeness.

* Shared Activities – Engaging in new experiences together, such as travel, hobbies, or fitness routines, can reignite excitement and strengthen bonds. Exercise, in particular, can help men maintain healthy testosterone levels.

* Mindfulness & Emotional Awareness – Practicing mindfulness together, such as meditation or deep breathing, can help both partners manage stress and hormonal fluctuations with more patience and understanding.

* Nutritional & Lifestyle Support – A diet rich in healthy fats, lean proteins, and micronutrients (like zinc and magnesium) can support testosterone levels in men. Meanwhile, reducing alcohol and sugar can help stabilise mood and energy.

At the core of it all, health isn’t just about what you eat or how much you move—it’s about how you live, love, and find peace within. By prioritising mindfulness, nourishing your body, cultivating meaningful relationships, and understanding the role hormones play, you don’t just survive—you thrive. ✨

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Thanks for reading NOURISH U with Salema Veliu! This post is public so feel free to share it.

your invitation awaits to

* Learn about the connection between periodontal health, hormones, menopause and HRT.

* Warning signs such as dry and burning mouth, bleeding gums, gum disease and what you should do.

* Tips to get your mouth back on track during perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

* Resources and References - Documented research into Menopause and Oral Health.

* Access to Vision insights in Menopause.

Writing my SubStack has always been about creating inspirations and drawing on insights from my own experiences and research in life. Providing a springboard for information, connection, discussion to NOURISH U so that you can NOURISH LIFE.

So this week l’m focusing and highlighting the connection between Teeth, Mouth, Eyes and Menopause, drawn from personal experience and research. And how we (sisters) need to advocate for more research on Oral Health, Hormones and the Menopause, to protect not only our teeth, gums and bones but our general health.

2025 has not quite started the way l had imagined however, that being said what l’ve learn’t about myself, my body, mind and mouth has been both invaluable and painful (but in a good way!).

I’ve always tried to be healthy, exercising regularly, eating a health diet and reducing my intake of alcohol. However, when we are in the menopause cycle of events we often have to rethink our habits along with the type of exercise we do, the duration as well as diet and nutrition. So why don’t we take more notice of our oral health during this transition? My experience of going through some problems alongside researching these questions has lead to some very profound answers.

Mouth, Teeth, Menopause and Other Factors - Setting the Stage

My journey with my mouth in menopause started late November 2024, after having a few problems with one tooth in particular. I suppose l had been lucky up to that point as l had experienced very few problems (partly because my mama always looked after my teeth with appointments and so forth from an early age). As far as l can remember l only had one set of treatments over 30 years ago, and they were to deep clean my gums at my local dental hospital. Since then l had no fillings although l could have done better with trips to the Hygienist. Moving areas just before Covid, l was stuck, with no NHS nor private dentists available. It has become a sorry state of affairs in the UK where access to Dentistry is very restricted (unless you have the money to pay privately). However, l was able to see a hygienist coming out of lockdown. Unfortunately, by that time it had been almost 5 years since my last clean and that coupled with starting perimenopause during the beginning of Covid, my teeth were not in a good state.

Back to November 2024, after finally finding a dentist, l was informed after a very thorough examination that l needed a Root Canal, and some treatment for my gums, although my mouth was Cancer free. Did l mention all of this happened a few days before my flight to Costa Rica, so l was advised against having the root canal or the other option, an extraction until l returned.

Meanwhile the lovely dentist gave me two courses of antibiotics, including a spare box to take with me to clear the infection which had spread. However, upon my return l was in so much pain, this time the same side as the infected bottom tooth but the upper jaw. Again my lovely dentist (so lucky l found him) said hmm, you have an infection in a small pocketing area, which we need to attend too asap and you must go to the hygienist. By this time l was almost in tears, frightened that finally my mouth and teeth were giving up on me. Or perhaps, they were instead trying to signal me to take prompt action to protect my overall general health.

Finally, we decided we could not save my tooth as the infection had penetrated deeper than we first thought, so an extraction was recommended and successfully achieved. Thankfully l’m now on a treatment plan with the dental therapist for some major treatments with my gums so l can save my bones…..l’m on my way to restoring balance in my mouth and hopefully helping my general health in the process.

Warning signs to visit the dentist, periodontal health, and HRT

A bit in denial, l thought oh l’ll be ok my teeth have always been ok, but l wasn’t really being truthful to myself, why? Well because l had noticed that l had been waking up with a awful dry mouth and seemed to have a burning sensation in my mouth that just seemed to come out of nowhere.

Moreover, there was just something different about how my mouth was feeling in general. Women are often more intuitive than men when it comes to things like that. On closer inspection, l began to see my gums were beginning to recede and bleed, something that l didn’t have before.

Dental anxiety began to creep in and then slowly overtake my thoughts, giving me mini panic attacks and a real fear for the dentist (something that l had never had before).

So what was happening?

Is/was there a connection between Menopause and oral symptoms?

Furthermore, have you ever considered that the build up of harmful bacteria can also contribute to vulnerability for heart and neurological conditions such as strokes and heart disease.

In a review of oral health and menopause data, the most common oral health symptom was periodontal health, with up to 60% of women experiencing symptoms [2]. Periodontal heath refers to that of the gums and connective tissues, which can experience significant change during the menopause.

If your mouth is dry, you may notice clicking or difficulty in speaking, food may not taste the same and the dryness can affect swallowing. Overall, your mouth can feel more sensitive and your gums may bleed more when brushing.

Chronic gum problems can lead to destruction of the bone supporting your teeth, known as periodontitis. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss – studies have suggested more than one in four (28%) post-menopausal women are likely to suffer from tooth loss within five years [3].

- Dentist Dr Shabnam Zai

The problems that l personally experienced is what finally lead me to start taking HRT. Within 48 hours something miraculous happened, l woke up on the 3rd morning with no more dry and burning mouth and reduced pain. After researching deeper, l found that it is the lack of oestrogen and progesterone that can impact and reduce production of saliva and increase inflammation which can cause other dental problems.

You can access the full article here oral health and the menopause on Dr Louise Newsons website and app BALANCE.

What’s interesting here is that there does appear to be a link via one study that taking the good HRT (body identical) lowers/reduces periodontal disease.

References

1. Delta Dental Breaking the Stigma: Let’s Talk about Menopause and Oral Health

2. Dutt P, Chaudhary S, Kumar P. (2013), ‘Oral health and menopause: a comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management’, Ann Med Health Sci Res. Jul; 3(3):320-3. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.117926

3. Bole C, Wactawski-Wende J, Hovey KM, Genco RJ, Hausmann E. Clinical and community risk models of incident tooth loss in postmenopausal women from the Buffalo Osteo Perio Study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2010 Dec;38(6):487-97. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2010.00555.

4. Dutt P, Chaudhary S, Kumar P. (2013), ‘Oral health and menopause: a comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management’, Ann Med Health Sci Res. Jul; 3(3):320-3. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.117926

Other Key Facts

* If you floss just once a week (the recommendation of course is for every day) have a significant lower risk of a stroke and developing atrial fibrillation.

* Researchers now believe that reducing oral bacteria and gum inflammation may play a role in protection brain and heart health.

Tips to get your mouth back on track during perimenopause, menopause and beyond

l was shocked when l finally got to see my dental therapist told and he told me that l was simply not cleaning my teeth correctly! He then preceded to show me really in great depth and detail when to clean and how.

A few of my takeaways from the my last 3 months on this journey:

* Speak to your doctor if you are either not on HRT or perhaps on a lower dosage and having any of the symptoms.

* Make more of an effort to have regular screening with a dentist every 6 months if you are experiencing any of the problems l’ve listed.

* In addition seek a professional that has experience in Dental Therapy as well as Dental Hygiene, as they train in dental/bone anatomy diagnosis.

* Review your teeth cleaning with your dental hygienist.

* Check when you last changed your tooth head (if electric) and the shape, l was told l was using the wrong shape for my mouth surprisingly. (New electric toothbrush Oral IOS 6 incoming as we speak).

* Start Dry brushing, wiggle the dry brush around the gum tooth outline and in between to remove the brown slime which is the bacteria.

* Use electric flossers and normal flossing

* My favourite the Tepe bristle flossers.

* Oil pulling (with coconut oil), although some dentists may not agree the ones l’ve spoken too generally do recommend using because of the anti bacterial benefits. Basically you swish 10ml or a tablespoon of oil around your mouth for 10-20 minutes, then spit out into a bin not in the sink as otherwise it will clog up your pipes. I generally do 10-15 minutes a day. YOU DO NOT INGEST IT!

* The idea is that the bacteria which is like a light brown slime that can cause tooth decay, gum disease and a whole load of dental nasties is then removed naturally, rooted from the Ayurvedic tradition the results are positive. Using this practice also helps boost your immune system and fight inflammation (something that we experience more of during the menopause cycle. Oh and did l mention it also whitens your teeth naturally.

So if something doesn’t feel right, make some notes and then go see a professional.

Conclusion

More research needs to be taken into the role of hormones in Oral Health, therefore please do kindly share or comment if this resonates or you know of anyone struggling with the general/dental health. Lets advocate to protect our teeth, bones, brain and heart during these years.

Dr. Jen Gunter saw your recent post so l wanted to contribute my personal experience of these issues.

VISION AND MENOPAUSE

l’ve now written a few pieces that have introduced considerations for Vision Health especially in perimenopause and menopause, you can check them out below.

You might also want to check out my free mini ebook blending Vision Science and Holistic Practices for healthy eyes, below. Learn more about the meridian’s, Acupuncture points, diet and nutrition for the Organs related to Vision.

Nourish Your Vision For Life Guide Feb 2025

16.7MB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast exploring the curiosities and complexities of life, providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity. All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.

If you would like to show your appreciation and continue to support my work then please consider the below.

buy me a coffee/donation

this week: your invitation to nourishment

* a short but sweet reflective post on sisterhood and a potent women’s cohort gathering.

* recommendations: apps and credited specialists to educate, track, inform and nourish your changing journey and what helps me.

* a sprinkling of radical self care prompts.

* a poem for change in menopause

Sitting in a contemplative and generous and precious space this past week with a group of liked minded sisters in a cohort with Elena Brower one thing came to the forefront - the importance of sisterhood, being heard and the unease that we all sometimes experience from being the caregiver.

As l sat and listened, l mean really listened to the other women’s life stories, the challenges and motivations to move forward both physically and mentally, l began to feel a deeper resonance with them, a sisterhood of sorts. Strangers united in a common cause - how to flourish, how to give, how to express and how to communicate what we experience and what we need.

After my turn to speak, l was guided back to the importance of practicing a deeper of of awareness, care, love and respect for myself, by using I when l spoke to the group about my journey, values and motivations. I found this observation and comment from my mentor especially potent and nourishing, especially after surfing the wave of my partner’s journey with depression.

Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free subscriber or make a donation.

l feel that the concept of sisterhood; friendships and relationships became a little distorted and lost in the void of the pandemic. I’m not sure if you noticed it in your circle? But in mine all of my relationships changed, including the one with myself.

Women, by nature are natural born care givers, we can’t help it is embedded in our DNA and re-enforced by societal norms and conditioning. However, during the perimenopause and menopause cycle, instead of giving all the time we need to make time for ourselves. Learning what we need during this transition change, how to ask for it and how to stay close to ourselves can be a real challenge, like Halle Berry recently said in an interview ‘ l thought l could just skip Menopause, it won’t happen to me”. Whilst, some women sail through Menopause without experiencing any of the symptoms, they are in the minority. With healthcare professionals generally lacking specific Menopausal training as Dr Mary Claire Haver mentions in the USA, unfortunately it is exactly the same here in the UK. Therefore, doing your research to advocate for yourself becomes paramount to ensure mental, emotional and structural stability to enjoy this period of change rather than dread it.

The theme of sisterhood continued into my week, this time surfacing as l sat in my hairdresser’s chair. Being asked how l was? Although there was only myself and another lady present, l found myself inadvertently blurting out ‘Oh l feel so much better since l started HRT!’. With that comment, the conversational space opened up giving us a common ground to share our experiences and learn from each other, what a beautiful thing, menopause being the common thread that would unite us, strangers.

As l sat in my chair, l shared some of the apps and official research that l had been reading for clarity in a world full of disinformation, on certain topics around menopausal health. During our conversation, the other client said something that really struck me, ‘We now have the control to decide how we go through these years, even if it means advocating for ourself’- wow so true.

The women of today, are incredibly lucky. We have the some amazing individuals advocating for women’s health to be at the top of the agenda rather than at the bottom. Specialists in their respected fields they often share their frustration as well as ours with the lack of qualified professionals to help women during these years.

Many amazing podcasts and substack’s including some of the following listed below, whom give us the necessary information needed to make an informed decision about how we want to proceed with our life in the 2nd Act- this is radical self care this is taking our power back.

Reclaiming our power, ultimately effects our confidence, something too that can be easily lost due to changes in our brains during the menopausal journey. Therefore, beginning to use the I statement in our communications can help empower us to change our narrative in how we move forward.

- Salema

My go to list:

These are just some of the amazing women, if you don’t know them already leading the cause for better health at every stage of menopause.

DR LISA MOSCONI - Neuroscientist -Women’s Brain Health

DR MARY CLAIRE HAVER - Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, FACOG, MSCP is a board-certified Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist, a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (formerly the North American Menopause Society (NAMS)), a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist from, and a passionate entrepreneur and best-selling author with a focus on women’s health.

DR JEN GUNTER - OB/GYN, author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto

DR Kelly Casper - Urologist - Empowering women in midlife. Urologist, Tedx Speaker, Thought Leader 🎧Podcaster: You Are Not Broken™️

Dr Salas Whalen - Endocrinologist

Dr Vona Wright - Orthopedic surgeon

APPS TO TRACK yourself and symptoms

I’ve always used an app to track my cycle as well as any symptoms throughout each month on my apple health app. However, now taking HRT as well as vitamin supplements, l wanted to record when l take these and if and when l experience any symptoms.

* Also it is worth remembering (after doing a lot of research) that not all menopause supplements are compatible with HRT, therefore do you research and if your not sure contact the vitamin/supplement company to ask.

* One recommended supplement that says you can take alongside HRT is

the Health & Her Menopause Multi-Nutrient Support Supplement 60 Capsules.

* Balance with Dr Louise Newson

* Health and Her

Essential oils can also help one of my favourites that gives clarity and generally makes me feel better is peppermint.

Elena’s Guide

Radical Self Care Prompts

* where, what and how is your energy being directed

* what are you releasing?

* how are you caring for yourself?

* how are you feeling?

* what is your vision/intentions for your life, health and relationships pre, during and post menopause

* what do you need to take more notice of?

* what is your body telling and showing you?

* what does support look like for you?

* how are you communicating what you need from yourself and others?

It goes without saying that everyone is different, what works for one does not always mean that it will work for you, (l know l state the obvious). But there are always certain things to consider due to your family and self health history. Therefore, do your research, speak to a licensed professional to arm yourself with trusted knowledge and then come to informed decision on how you want to move forward, advocate for yourself.

GET INVOLVED, ADVOCATE FOR BETTER WOMENS HEALTH

A poem for menopause

Artwork by Andy Denzler

Unfolding Your Myth

Light mirrors life

Reflecting back what we have chosen to ignore

Uncovering undiscovered depths

We find ourselves Answering enquiries through a different lens

Helping us breathe again

Into a new experience we go

Not knowing what lays ahead or which way to go

Breathing again

Somehow finding the path

Illuminating forgotten insights and depths

A reminder of all that has been and what yet awaits

Breathing again

We unfold our own myth

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast exploring the curiosities and complexities of life, providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity. All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.

buy me a coffee/donation

this week your invitation: to tap into your visual intelligence to envision reality

* illusions of the eyes and brain

* learn more about vision and perception to live beyond our everyday experiences

* a ted talk with Donald Hoffman and an introduction to his work

* how to nurture your vision in nature

* therapy for vision

* daily eye hacks

“Use the light that is within you to revert to your natural clearness of

sight.”

-Lao Tzu

tapping into your visual intelligence to envision reality

Our primary sense is VISION and one way of learning more about how our brain and mind sees our version of reality, is to see how we react to visual illusions, something l studied in depth through my University research.

The brain has two hemispheres, each divided into four lobes. Each lobe is (largely) responsible for different functions. For instance the frontal cortex is responsible for decision making and planning; the temporal lobe for language and memory; the parietal lobe for spatial skills, and the occipital lobe which is entirely devoted to vision and the place where visual illusions happen.

Now look at the image at the top of this post what do you see? perhaps a series of ripples but why? This is because of the seamless pattern of circles.

Optical Illusions deceive our brains and play tricks on our eyes due to the array of patterns, light all creating a false sense of reality as the image our brain processes isn’t actually what is in front of us.

philosophy and vision

Philosophy and vision are more closely linked than you may have imagined. Our perception of ourselves and the world around us are formed from perception and cognitive experiences from childhood.

Lets get clear, pardon the pun! Vision can be used/talked about in two primary ways, firstly, how we see things to navigate our daily lives and out in the world. Secondly, how we want to envision ourselves and our lives to be. However, just like the mind, it is worth remembering that our eyes can also deceive us as well as aid us. Vision gives us our perceptions which ultimately guides our behaviours. Therefore, understanding how we construct our world and can influence our choices.

my journey with visual perception and consciousness

Gazing out of the window, into the beautiful surroundings of my campus at Cambridge, l found myself wondering how l got there. Coming to Cambridge as a mature student was partly due to my own love of philosophy and psychology and wanting to understand more about the human condition from a scientific perspective, the other to learn more about my mother’s Alzheimer’s. However, l could not have anticipated what would come next - studying Vision Science!. I remember the first day so well, because we had the most handsome looking Australian walk in and announce that he would be teaching us the statistics and vision modules. His passion for both topics was contagious. It was during this time that l was also introduced to the work of Donald Hoffman in Visual Perception and Consciousness.

Whatever reality is, it’s not what you see.

- Professor of Cognitive Science Donald Hoffman

why we should be using philosophy, yoga and science to understand our reality

Having studied about consciousness from the eastern teachings and practices l found it interesting to look at what the actual science had to say. Fascinated by Hoffman’s lab experiments, here was a cognitive neuroscientist that came to the table with a mindful alternative approach that blended science with philosophy, l was hooked.

In Yoga we offered tools and insights to still the fluctuations of the mind. In these teachings we are also made aware of the veil of illusion (maya in Sanskrit and yoga philosophy), which are where our deceptions, and perceptions reside that influence our behaviours. A yoga practice or any mindful/noticing activity for that matter can help us cultivate some space between the fear based and destructive chatter of the mind referred to as ‘Chitta’ referenced throughout the 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy by Patanjali, especially in the first chapter on pure awareness.

A quieting of the mind that brings clarity can also have an impact to refresh, renew, and improve our vision and for our life. Meditation and Mindfulness in a sense is giving our senses permission to just be rather than overloaded. As result better clarity of and in the mind, can often improve what we see. Noticing the greater details of life around us bringing us a greater appreciation in the process.

Science now however, explores and asks another set of fundamental questions including ‘how can we trust what we really see? and ‘how do we construct /reconstruct our reality?’ Why is this important? Well because our perceptions guide our behaviours.

Evolution has shaped our sensory systems (such as Darwins Theory) to navigate and survive in the world but to see reality as it is objectively but what if to see object reality is actually zero? And what if l told you that our senses are a just a cognitive filter which does the opposite to what we think? Meaning they might be actually preventing us from knowing the true nature of reality. One of the classic experiments that highlights how we are visually fooled is one of the first l conducted on starting University, was the hollow "Einstein Face" mask experiment. A simple but timeless example of how our perception works because we live in a 3d world.

Living in a 3d world we interact in linear time with material objects, where our senses contribute to our perception and shape how we see reality. Science and the work of Hoffman focuses on recognising a fourth dimension - time and space.

Yoga and some forms of spirituality teaches us how we might be able to live beyond the 3D experience, offering practices and insights to transcend limitations and to step beyond our conventional understanding of reality. Spiritual teachings see the 5D as our natural state of being as spiritual beings. It's seen as the ultimate goal—a state of oneness and connection with everything, which again Hoffman talks about in his exploration.

To hear more you might want to check out Donald’s TED talk from 9 years ago, more relevant now focusing on time and space and consciousness.

Do we really reality as it is?

buddhism, yoga and vision

Bearing this concept in mind it is easy to see why there might be a crossover from science into yoga and buddhism in regards to how we envision the world. Especially when we consider the important role of the ‘pineal gland’ which in yoga is known as the ‘third eye’, located in the centre of the forehead and is our seat of intuition, awareness and spirituality. In vision science this organ in the brain is also responsible for coding the light that enters our eyes. Another equally important part of the process is that when this happens it automatically stimulates the brains consciousness of ‘perception’.

The crossover then into eastern philosophy is that it is believed that when light enters and kick starts your metabolic process in the body, our root cause of unclear thinking and vision becomes evident. Meaning our body remembers how we see, does this therefore mean the same as removing the veil of illusion (maya) to uncover the real nature of reality?

Therefore, the real question from this piece today is, if we spend more time and research on exploring beyond our everyday experiences can we cultivate greater possibilities and freedom in how we live?

“When you shift your focus from the physical world to the world of possibilities, everything changes.” - Bashar

Engaging Vision and Your Brain (in nature)

Being in/and or exercising in nature, green open spaces, beaches, being by and on the water all have therapeutic benefits for our bodies and minds and especially our vision.

Whilst it’s worth remembering that you should never look directly at the sun without protection, natural sunlight especially first thing in the morning is particular good for eyes and also setting our circadian rhythms. However, looking at the sun without protection can accelerate any cataract conditions, as they thrive in UVB light.

That aside there are other important factors to consider in terms of what nature provides visually speaking, the lack of straight lines and urban shapes in particular giving our vision a momentary respite. Visual variety in the scenery and the saturation of colours has an impact to how we see.

therapy for vision

Vision can often help inform us of what needs to be addressed behaviourally as well as anatomically therefore, looking at the wholeness of you in other words (the whole picture of your life) and not only the symptoms can help determine the changes you may need to heal. Integrated Vision Therapy takes a holistic approach to identifying the causes of vision problems and developing noninvasive, natural strategies for treatment, including clear, easy-to-follow exercises, diets, and changes in daily habits.

daily eye hacks

When l am out on my eye clinics (normally 2 days a week) here are few simple hacks l give to my patients:

blink -

* Blink around 10 times very quickly.

* Close your eyes and relax for 20 seconds while taking your attention to your breath.

* Repeat this exercise about five times.

palming -

* Sit quietly with your eyes closed and take a few deep breaths to relax.

* Rub the palms of your hands vigorously until they become warm and place them gently over your eyelids.

* Feel the warmth of the palms being transferred onto the eyes and the eye muscles. You will feel instant relaxation.

* Keeping the eyes closed, lower your hands and feel the dryness fade away gradually.

* Once again rub the palms and repeat the process at least three times.

near and distant viewing -

* Standing or sitting with a bent elbow look at the tip of your index finger then look over it and out to the horizon.

* Alternate back and forth x 10.

use nature vision -

* if you wear glasses and/or contact lenses have a half a day or day when you don’t wear either! Use your nature vision to exercise your eye muscles rather than just putting a refractive lens in front of your own lens.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast exploring the curiosities and complexities of life, providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity. All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.

During my most recent travels to Palma, and a stay in a wonderful, calming luxury eco resort, I began to reflect on why we find it so hard to give ourselves permission to find and create space in our lives.

This reflection has stayed with me since returning, and in many ways has become the foundation for a much deeper inquiry into how we live, move, and recover.

It is also part of the reason I felt so called to create my retreat experiences — as an opportunity for women to step out of the constant rhythm of doing, and into something more spacious, restorative, and intentional.

So why do so many of us find it so hard to give ourselves permission to find and create space in our lives. The much needed space that our nervous systems crave to find balance.

Not just the physical space, but the space to:

Pause

Rest

Breathe

Listen.

The space between responsibilities, expectations, and the constant pressure to keep doing.

This idea is not new.

In Joseph Pilates’ writing — particularly in The Lion in the Cage — there is a recurring theme that speaks to the ways in which modern life can confine, restrict, and disconnect us from our natural vitality when we lose touch with the body, the breath, and conscious living.

In many ways, he was already asking the same question we are still grappling with today: What happens when we become disconnected from ourselves?

As I prepare to give a presentation on the history of Pilates, and find myself dropping snippets of this fascinating lineage into my classes, I continue to be amazed by how many people — and even many teachers — are unaware that Joseph Pilates was perhaps one of the original lifestyle coaches.

Long before wellness became an industry, Joseph understood that health was never just about exercise.

As someone who has had to make quite a few major life changes in the past due to burnout in my thirties, and as a coach myself, this feels particularly relevant.

The lifestyle choices we make matter just as much as the supplements we take or the exercise we choose.

Most people know Joseph Pilates for the Reformer, the Mat work, or the apparatus that bears his name. Yet Contrology was never simply a system of exercises. It was a philosophy for living well.

Joseph’s principles for health included things we rarely associate with fitness today:

* Fresh air

* Daily movement

* Exposure to sunlight

* Rest and sleep

* Time spent outdoors

* Efficient breathing

* Good posture

* Natural movement

* Mental wellbeing

* Moderation

* Personal responsibility for health

These ideas are not abstract. They show up in how we move, teach, and inhabit the body.

When We Work Within the Method

In the method, control is never separate from awareness — precision is not about perfection, but about attention.

For those of us who work within the Pilates method — whether teaching or practising — these principles are not abstract ideas.

They show up directly in the studio.

In the way we move through the repertoire.

In how we organise the breath.

In how we approach effort versus control.

In whether we are able to maintain precision without unnecessary tension.

In classical Pilates, we are constantly returning to questions like:

Am I moving with control, or simply moving?

Am I using what I need, or overworking what is familiar?

Can I maintain length, support, and organisation while under load?

And perhaps most importantly — can I stay present within the movement, rather than rushing to the end of it?

This is where the method and the philosophy meet.

What strikes me is how relevant these ideas still feel.

Long before we spoke about nervous system regulation, stress physiology, burnout, recovery, or wellbeing, Joseph Pilates understood something fundamental:

Health is not built through exercise alone.

It is created through the relationship between movement, rest, environment, mindset, and the way we live our everyday lives.

Yet modern life often pulls us in the opposite direction. We celebrate productivity. We wear busyness as a badge of honour. We fill every available moment. So when we begin to feel depleted, our instinct is often to do more.

Train harder.

Work harder.

Push harder.

But what if the answer isn’t always found in doing more?

What if it is found in releasing more to creating some space?

Space to recover.

Space to regulate.

Space to reconnect with what the body is asking for.

This is something I see repeatedly in my work with women navigating burnout, hormonal transitions, perimenopause, menopause, and conditions such as endometriosis.

Often the body is not asking for more effort.

It is asking for more support.

More balance.

More compassion.

More listening.

Perhaps this is what Joseph Pilates understood all along. That true strength is not simply physical. It is the ability to live in a way that supports vitality, resilience, and wellbeing and longevity over the long term.

Maybe the space we rarely give ourselves is not a luxury after all.

Perhaps it is one of the most important ingredients of health.

Many classical Pilates schools also reference his original book which is still the primary source text practitioners refer to.

* Return to Life Through Contrology (Joseph Pilates, 1945)

* The Lion in the Cage: Joseph Pilates and his Legacy

Which of Joseph Pilates’ lifestyle principles feels most missing in your life right now?

For me, this question has been a continual thread through both my teaching and my own lived experience — especially following periods of burnout and major life change in my thirties.

It is also what has shaped the spaces I now feel called to create for others.

My upcoming retreat in Mallorca is one of the spaces where this philosophy becomes lived experience.

The environment shapes the nervous system more than we realise.

Not as an escape from life, but as an opportunity to step away from the noise long enough to reconnect with it more honestly.

This connects everything back to Pilates philosophy + embodiment.

A place where movement, rest, and reflection are given equal value.

Where the principles of Contrology are not just explored in the studio, but lived in a wider sense — through how we rest, breathe, and allow ourselves to simply be.

Because perhaps this is what Joseph Pilates understood all along: That health is not something we chase. It is something we return to, when we create enough space to hear ourselves again.

For full details and the brochure, DM me “PALMA” or view it here: PALMA PILATES

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Salemas Slow Edits is inspired by slow living on the water, my love 4 movement all with a touch of Aussie ease. Expect journalling prompts and movement and meditation practices to help you find your laid back vibe. Providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity along the way.

SALEMA'S / SLOW EDITS is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

this week: the invitation - simply to learn how to unbind yourself

* a simple experience that has a deeper significance

* a practice to nourish neuroplasticity

* the three physic knots/disrupters that bind us

+ news of an in person gathering

Drawn from lessons of practical boating in learning knots, alongside a deeper introspection from some of my old Uni Neuroscience notes (found this weekend) sprinkled with some yoga philosophy, this is how this piece came to be.

This past weekend whilst cleaning and tidying our boat as we are getting it ready to sell it, we came across many things…..One being a big cupboard of rope.

Since moving onto the water just before the pandemic and having a mooring, l’ve had to learn how to properly tie ropes, whether it be to my then Kayak or now to the larger boats we have. It’s been an interesting learning curve. The Kayak mooring was just about doable, but mooring the other two….well let’s say its still a work in the progress, as my fiancee would agree. He an experienced sailor and boater makes it look very easy and is very patient with me. Watching him try and teach me about knots is fascinating to me. While l’m aware that there are some people who just 'get it' in other words those who can watch a demonstration once and then do it themselves straight away. There are others (like me) who take longer to catch on and remember the steps to tying a particular knot but then at the last moment get it wrong. In those moments l often find myself annoyed for not being able to remember how to complete the task/knot properly.

Thinking about my experience, got me to thinking what is going on in my brain when l am trying to learn something new. Well our brains are made up of billions of cells, neuron’s. In the simplest of terms, the way these neuron’s are connected together determines how we perceive and do certain things. The connection from one neuron to the next is called a pathway. In other words when we learn something new, a new pathway is forged. The more we repeat the experience, the stronger the pathway becomes.

However, it is the roll of frequency, in other words how often you repeat what it is that you are trying to learn paired with interest (of course), which has the capacity to strengthen the neural pathway required to complete that task and/or understand the concept. This ability in our brain to change and adapt according to our experiences is called ‘Neuroplasticity’ and becomes even more essential as we age.

“Like in a system of freeways connecting various cities, the more cars going to a certain destination, the wider the road that carries them needs to be. The fewer car traveling that way, however, the fewer lanes are needed. Over time, these connections become thick, hardy road maps that link various parts of the brain and stimulating one neuron in the sequence is more likely to trigger the next one to fire.”

(Bernard, 2010).

BINDING AND THE MIND

Binds are felt both mentally and physically, a form of restriction. However, while restrictions can be self imposed or imposed onto us from others and our environment. Binds from a mental, emotional and spiritual perspective are mostly self imposed. Stemning our beliefs originating out of exposure to trauma, depression, stress and illness. The feeling of not being able to do something showing up as disbelief or overwhelm will often deter people from trying something new and going outside their comfort zone.

A GROUP PRACTICE TO ENHANCE NEUROPLASICITY

This exercise is meant to be practiced in a small group setting.

With a Small Group please create a small circle.

Next

* Balance a stick between the tip of your finger and the tip of the finger

of the person standing next to you.

* Don’t hold the stick, but gently press the end of the stick with your fingertip.

The resistance of the person next to you pushing back with their fingertip will keep the stick from falling.

* Once the circle is formed, one person gently presses the end of their stick which will nudge the finger of the person next them holding up the other end of the stick.

* Then when you feel your stick nudge one side, to then pass the nudge around the circle.

When l originally did this experiment at Uni we timed how long it took the nudge to pass around the entire circle. It took around 15 seconds the first time, second time 12 seconds and third time 10 seconds. We then kept doing it until we consistently completed the circle in 7 seconds several times. These findings resulting in the formation of a neural pathway and us representing neurons and the sticks were demonstrating the electrochemical signals being sent from one neuron to another whilst learning something new. By repeating the task several times we were able to eventually reduce the time it took us the first time to do it in half. This demonstrated how and what we had learned to do had been integrated into our neural network.

After this simple but effective practice, l noticed my confidence in trying new things growing, even those l didn’t particularly like. In the process being less judgemental about myself if I didn’t do it well or understand it the first time around. Instead l just reminded myself that if l hadn’t grasped it then it simply means that the pathway just hasn't been built yet, and know that I can work on that!

Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

UNTYING OURSELVES holistically

Sometimes when l think about these restrictions, knots and binds. I am reminded of the philosophies behind certain yoga poses, a theme that was and is always woven into the fabric of my physical classes and workshops.

In yoga anatomy and philosophy Granthi is a Sanskrit word that translated to a “knot”. There are three granthis – Brahma Granthi, Vishnu Granthi, and Rudra Granthi – these three psychic knots are situated in the astral body (that which we can not see but feel). These three psychic knots are seen as disrupters to our energy flow. Blocking our energy centers (chakras).

* Brahma -Location: base of spine: Psychology: fight or flight response, survival, development.

* Vishnu - Location: between navel and heart: Behaviours: compassion, love, power, ego.

* Rudra - Location: between centre of the forehead and crown: Unity, oneness, connection.

In yoga, there is a practice to pierce through these knots and that is the use of Bhandhas (energy locks, which there are 5). The application of Bhandha practice can help loosen blocked energy and relieve an anxious mind and a uneasy body. I’m not going to lie, binding poses in yoga can be extremely challenging due to the range of motion and flexibility required. However, on the flip side they can help teach us how to loosen our grip of what we believe is possible and show us how to breathe through discomfort, cultivating space, possibility and freedom.

(Photo taken from one of previous retreats in Morocco).

Eliciting Neurochemistry through Practice

When we talk about changing the chemistry in our minds, we are really talking about the importance of frequency, repetition, skill learning as well as our curiosity to try and learn new things. Helping us emerge with new understandings and reducing self doubt and fear, which after all becomes the real reward of any practice.

In Person Gathering

For those who maybe in or near the location of West Wickeram, Bromley. The venue is only a 30 minute hop on the train from London. A wonderful opportunity to come together in person for a small and intimate gathering exploring how to feel whole again through embodied practices, journalling, and dialogue.

You can book and secure your place APRIL 5TH WORKSHOP

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast drawn from my life as a water nomad with prompts, insights and rituals for self care whilst navigating depression and menopause. Using simplicity and nature to inspire, heal and reinvent a better me and you. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast drawn from my life as a water nomad with prompts, insights and rituals for self care whilst navigating depression and menopause. Using simplicity and nature to inspire, heal and reinvent a better me and you. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge.

Art of Attention Deck by Elena Brower and Erica Jago

I’ve been thinking a lot about the title l’ve given this piece lately ‘Preparation is Self Care’ and how by considering that mantra maybe helpful in listening, healing and tendering to rediscover a better me and you!

Let’s be frank here, as l mentioned in my last two pieces, l have been battling with some life challenges that really effected me more than l could have imagined, mentally, physically and emotionally.

What helped? Simply and unapologetically taking some time out for most of January. Instead of planning my projects and goals, l did nothing. I needed rest, real rest and to ease in myself into 2025 gently and with self care whilst remaining a part-time observer from afar.

Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Listening, Tendering and Healing

One form of healing that seemed to help me was the practice of deep listening in silence so l could climb underneath the doubt that was surfacing. That looked like less pressure and expectations and instead more pottering around mindfully, exploring and doing things that genuinely interest me.

Preparation and Prayer

Another aspect of this process was Prayer. I prayed every night for guidance and help to ease my physical and emotional pain not just for me but for my partner (never underestimate the power of prayer). I like to think of prayer as a form of preparation because after all guidance is what is been asked for. Answers arriving in the most unexpected ways and forms. I stayed close to my intuition retreating into the quiet spaces between my thoughts and finding refuge deep within.

Whispers from Within

During menopause hearing these intuitive whispers can sometimes seem impossible. Our memories and mind shaped by our hormones become less tolerable to brainstorming, focusing and multitasking. The unclear mind makes it’s presence felt. Feelings of overwhelm with what lays ahead and the anxiety of running out of time replacing the once very capable mind instead.

Simplicity, expression, resting, noticing and walking in nature and breaking environments. Slowly the whispers started to come forth beginning with:

What is it that l truly seek?

What should l be doing VS What would l like to do?

What should l be doing VS What would bring me more joy?

Not having all the answers clear cut but mulling them over in between daily chores of washing, cooking and so forth ideas and inspirations began to come forth.

Vision Preparation For Joy

Feeling well rested and in less pain l decided to finally collect some random short burst of scribbles on my laptop, phone and note book. All representing thoughts around what l would like to focus on and do in 2025. My vision and the words slowly emerging for ‘My 2025 The year of Self Care, preparation and reinvention.’

How l style my vision now days differs from in the past and also from whats out there in a flooded market of journalling. I just want to make mine as simplistic as possible.

Therefore, at the top of mine l give myself a header like ‘My 2025 The year of Self Care, preparation and reinvention.’ Followed by a short sweet statement to myself.

Using the following 8 simple headings and l began to get clarity, these are;

Home - Any alterations, selling, leasing buying of property, moving

Health - What needs my attention? And then take the necessary actions

Relationships - What do l need to improve, what do l need to discard? (behaviours and communications).

Finances - Pensions, savings, debt - Where do l find yourself now where do l want to be?

Hobbies - Doing more of what interests me alongside trying something new

Travel - Where would l like to go, working through my bucket list

Work - When am l now? Where do l want to be and then look at a rough timescale

Projects & Other things l’d like to explore - What would l like to build and do?

Next Steps

I then make it into a pdf and have it on all my devices as well as a slightly shorter written one on my chalkboard. Serving as an homebase, for inspiration and accountability and from where l can add further journalling for joy.

Personally as l write these headings and listen to what comes forth, l know l am preparing as well as healing and tendering to what my soul needs.

How about you? Writing and speaking what you wish to create or bring forth can how a powerful healing effective not just on our psyche but also our neural pathways.

Thanks for reading Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu ! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast with prompts, insights and rituals for self care and creativity to ignite the spark of honesty within unapologetically, whilst navigating depression and menopause. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge.

This week my fascination with maroon, earthy tones and smells comes forth. In a wonderful offering for you. Arriving in the form of a meditative practice to activate your Earth Star Chakra. Along with some essential oils recommendations and access to chakra harmonising yoga practice to help you restore and re activate balance. Including a little Stick man chart of some of my favourite poses to ground and balance. Rounding off with a sweet poem to hold close as you become daughter of the earth once more. Serving as a reminder for you dear reader and listener, of the innate light, strength and resilience that lays within you.

Dedicated to all those souls feeling out of sorts and/or experiencing some form of despair and/or challenge. My wish for this piece is to simply to offer you some form of supportive nourishment.

An aspect of myself that l’ve been reminded of and have been called to activate this past week. Navigating mental health support to my partner (diagnosed with severe depression) to my own health of dealing with dental issues. It has been a rather challenging start to 2025 to say the least. Seeking medical and professional help when absolutely needed of course, l lean back into simple and holistic practices for support and nourishment hence the purpose of this piece.

Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

CHAKRAS - Nourishment of a different kind

Whilst some of you may be familiar with the chakra system, for those who are not, Chakra’s are invisible spinning wheels of energy placed at intervals along a main central energy channel (Sushumna Nadi) think a tubular shape that runs from our feet to our crown (think of you spine then visualise these spinning wheels of light along it).

In addition there are another two main channels either side of this central channel which all start at the base of the spine and ascend through the head. These are Ida Nadi - A lunar energy channel representing Yin, which is symbolic of the moon, the left side of body, the feminine. Pingala Nadi represents a solar energy channel delineates Yang, noted as the sun, the right side, the masculine qualities.

Ida and Pingala Nadis crisscross each other as they spiral upwards and connect to opposite nostrils. Where Ida and Pingala intersect with each other and Sushumna, are the seven main chakras. The chakras define cross sections of the physical human body, in the form of nerve plexuses, which house organ systems.

Seven Chakras in total but what you may not know is there is an additional chakra referred to as EARTH STAR a chakra located below the feet that connects us to the Earth’s energy. Although not always recognised in traditional chakra systems, in certain ancient philosophies it is believed to add additional support to the 1st ROOT chakra in the main Chakra System. Boosting stability, survival and connection and eliminating fear. Providing a solid foundation for personal growth and wellbeing. In particular helping imbalances physically and emotionally.

Each wheel is relative to our innate characteristics, emotional and physical, when these are out of balance we experience disease/disconnection.

Rooted in the philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism, chakras hold a prominent place in the science of yoga helping to restore harmony and balance.

EARTH STAR - an invitation to restore balance

A bridge between our physical existence and our higher consciousness.

Vasundhara – the Sanskrit name for the Earth Star Chakra – translates to:“Daughter of the Earth”

The energy center beneath our feet inspires our connection with the core of the Earth and the collective consciousness of humanity.

* The upward pointing triangle/pyramid represents fire, and the masculine.

* The downward pointing triangle/pyramid signifies grounding in the earthly realm, stability and connection to the material world.

* Maroon, brown and a deep earthy brown are the colours of the Earth Star Chakra symbol.

* Associated Crystals: Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz.

To learn more you can access a popular class of mine online introducing to the concept of the fundamental Chakras click the link below.

CHAKRA IMMERSION CLASS

PRACTICE to locate and activate the Earth Star Chakra

Locating and activating the Earth Star Chakra requires mindfulness and intention. Here’s a simple exercise to help you connect with this powerful chakra which can be done by using essential oils and/or healing crystals such as Hematite, Black Tourmaline, and Smoky Quartz.

* Place the relevant crystal into your palm choose from Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz.

* Apply your essential oil or blend of three from the list below at the ball of both of your feet. This area is the location of an important Chinese meridian point called Bubbling Spring which has to do with strengthening your chi (life force energy) and promotes longevity.

* Patchouli

* Ylang Ylang

* Sandlewood

* Lavender

* Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can sit or lie down. Alternatively standing somewhere quiet and/in nature.

* Take a few deep breaths to relax your body and mind.

* Visualise a bright, glowing ball of energy beneath your feet.

* Imagine roots extending from the bottom of your feet, reaching deep into the Earth.

* As you inhale, imagine drawing up the Earth’s grounding energy through these roots and into the Earth Star Chakra.

* As you exhale, allow any stagnant or negative energy to be released back into the Earth.

* Repeat this visualisation and breath work for a few minutes, allowing the Earth Star Chakra to become activated and balanced.

PROMPTS to use and connect with ESC

As l mentioned earlier and a theme that runs through most of my posts and podcasts:

* Spend more time in nature.

* Have a regular walking practice.

* Look up at the night sky.

FINDING BALANCE ( In Perimenopause and Menopause)

In navigating my own journey of a changing body and mind. One of the many changes l’ve noticed has been MY BALANCE, firstly physical and secondly emotionally.

Returning back to more grounding practices such as standing poses in yoga and combining weight strengthening, a healthy diet and increase in walking have also contributed to restoring balance.

Recommended Standing, grounding and balance poses

Standing Split, W3, W2, W1, High Lunge, Half Moon, Tree, Head to knee pose, Standing leg pose

Never really suffering from anxiety before perimenopause, l was almost giving myself full blown panic attacks from obsessive anxiety (for no apparent reason really!) Over the last two months. Finally, l found this wonderful device (and l am not in anyway affiliated with it!) but instead can just tell you how it’s basically got my anxiety under control now and improved my sleep (before my dental issues!).

RESTORE BALANCE

How it works

CalmCarry® uses gentle microcurrent therapy to promote relaxation and calmness.

It stimulates the PC8 acupressure point in the hand releasing endorphins for natural anxiety relief, insomnia relief and mood enhancement.

By balancing the body's electrical system, it reduces stress and anxiety.Targeting the triple warmer meridian, it regulates the stress response, fostering relaxation and calmness.

EARTH STAR

Carrying the light

In difficult and challenging times

I return to a child like curiosity

A distraction from the darkness of fear and grief

I ask what lies beyond and beneath my feet?

Rejoining a sacred core connection to all that is

Ancestral history coming through

Present to receive

Illuminating potential

Stabilising energy, giving life

Activating energy, cultivating possibilities

Unearthing wonder and awe

An invitation to life’s adventures once more

Prompting how and where l will stand

To determine where l will land

A star of the earth and the night sky

l must remember l will always carry the light

A child of earth and later the stars

A ball of radiant energy and light

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

Nourishing Reality is a combination of a contemplative podcast and journal woven with prompts, poems, prayer and practices on how to navigate the challenges, changes and complexities of life in an overstimulated world, peacefully. Drawing upon Neuroscience, Yoga, Zen and Nature for inspiration and insights to heal, soothe and nourish your heart, mind, body and soul. Written from my floating home in Cambridge.

Maybe it was because of the amazing four weeks prior to Christmas that made my experience of the festive period a little flat and out of sorts this Year. Or maybe it was because of the emotional difficulty in navigating a very rocky landscape of severe depression which my partner has.

Peaking just a couple of days before Christmas Day and finding himself in A&E for two consecutive days. It was a real challenge and very scary to see someone in so much mental pain and worse still not being treated. Our final lifeline, coming in the form of a doctors ability to change his medication and to make some noise to our mental local health team finally saved the day (just!). Just to give you some context here, my partner was flagged up as suicidal in October 2023 and as to date has still not received the care he so desperately needs.

Here in the UK it is a absolute disgrace, and having lived through these experiences of the lack of help and urgency. It is all too easy to see why so many people unfortunately end up taking their own life and not even for reasons you may understand sometimes.

Needless to say from that period to now has been extremely heart breaking and very difficult to navigate. Add to the mix how l missed both my parents desperately and my family that are no longer with me and you can see why perhaps this Christmas has not been a particularly good one!

We are sold the line of good times, festive cheer, family, parties and celebrations but what about those in distress, ill with no where to go or no one to turn too?

During this time l’ve also found myself retreating from social media to a certain extent, again exhausted with the amount of advertising for ways to make a happy new you!

Normally l would be reflecting, journalling and creating, however l’m still struggling to find that mindset under the current circumstances. So l’ve decided to give myself a break and instead decided to start my new year on January 31st and February 1st respectfully.

I believe that the quietness of Winter really begins after the noise of Christmas. Making January and February pivotable and valuable months for us to retreat, rewire and replenish. The Japanese have a beautiful word that encapsulates this essence of this period ‘Yutori’. Representing the art of intentionally practising slowing down to breathe, pause listen and appreciate the rich beauty of life and nature can provide healing and nourishment.

One of the many ways to cultivate this mindset comes from being with nature (for me (living on the water) and secondly by having a regular writing and yoga practice. Whether it be from writing a class, article or social media content. Putting your thoughts, insights and feelings onto the page can real help you connect with others who may also be feeling or going through a similar anguish or difficulty. Currently writing on Beth Kempton’s Winter Sanctuary, l am reminded of this, how writing and reading have the power to inspire, heal and connect.

Bearing all the above in mind this are my four practices that will set the tone for my new year.

So what will be the practices that reward you in 2025?

My 4 nourishing soul powers to practice for nourishment are:

* Showing Up (however uncomfortable) commit to my reading, yoga, studying, writing and travelling (all the things l love to do!) and to support others the best l can.

* Structure, coming up with a simple daily, weekly routine and sticking to it!

* Strength (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), maintaining my 6 days a week blend of nourishing yoga and weights practices. Starting a regular Zazen practice.

* Spiritual practice (a little more attention bringing it into everyday life) putting some of the practice of Zen into my everyday life. Words of advice from my mentor Elena Brower.

Salema, continue study, but mostly, I'm finding, just practice is where Zen lives for me.

- Elena Brower

WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

Invitations to help you nourish and flourish in 2025

* Consider signing up as a free or paid subscriber or make a one off donation to access two weeks free yoga with me on Grokker.com. (Link given once you subscribe.)

Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive 2 FREE WEEKS YOGA on Grokker as well as new posts, podcasts, audios and invitations to our online gatherings and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

* An invitation for nourishment and guidance. If you resonate at all with any what l’ve discussed today or in my previous posts and are dealing with difficult circumstances to navigate. Or maybe just feel out of the norm and need some gentle guidance and support, a friendly and un judgemental ear then maybe my Nourishing and Guidance sessions may be of benefit.

Sessions follow a more simplistic and contemplative approach to personal development. l draw on some more traditional coaching frameworks alongside my working experience in holistic healing, spiritual direction and western neuroscience.

Sessions offer a quiet, intuitive, spontaneous conversation and listening process, for both you and I. I will listen, ask questions, answer questions, and can offer gentle guidance to help you to nourish yourself and your spiritual life (if your open to it).

Sessions are offered as a 40 minute or 60 minute duration creating a more affordable pathway for you. To keep the theme of simplicity you can do everything in one click just hit the link below.

Select your time, book and pay here

To read more click on the article below.

* If you have found this or any other posts and podcasts of mine helpful please consider making a donation button below.

Until next time, I’ll leave you with a potent prompt for contemplation and reflection

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate life’s changing landscape.

After returning from a wonderful retreat of which l’m still digesting the resonance of. One important remembrance was illuminated, the importance of creating an inner sanctum, an inner refuge of comfort and honesty within. Part of that honesty personally speaking is that l can sometimes struggle to catch a moment to be experiencing or focusing on what l want to be experiencing, sound familiar? Caught up in my busyness, my day to day distractions and disruptions. Living in an overstimulated world and commitments to others and work also infringing on much need ‘me time’ to replenish.

Studying the Buddha way is studying oneself.

Studying oneself is forgetting oneself.

Forgetting oneself is being enlightened by all things.

Being enlightened by all things is to shed the body-mind of oneself, and those of others.

No trace of enlightenment remains and thus traceless enlightenment continues endlessly.

Dogen Zenji (1200 - 1253)

So how can we nourish ourselves better?

The answer may lay in our ability to reconnect to the practices of simplicity, structure and to the nature of life itself. For me personally practising cultivating more simplicity and structure in my days, cherishing the everyday things along with the things that interest me, has given me the reconnection to myself that has missing for a while. Especially being kinder to myself and unapologetic when it comes to taking care of me, has given me quiet reassuring support. Aspects emphasised by some golden nuggets of nourishment and added navigation by way of the teachings from the three heart minds on the retreat.

Contemplation and simplicity can help cultivate a greater availability to listen deeply to what’s being presented by our inner voice and our “big mind” or “magnanimous mind”. In the teachings of Dogen Zenji and in his book “Instructions for the Cook”, we are shown how we can cultivate and adapt these attitudes to help us reconnect to our true nature/self.

Using the following ingredients of the three heart minds:

* Big mind/Magnanimous - can see everything as the element of stability.

* Elders/parental/ nurturing - sees everything as parenthood, changes your chemistry. Is a mind of care.

* Joyful - sense of kinship with yourself and in the presence of others. Savours everything.

These three Heart Minds attitudes can help promote the conditions for nourishment and connection to all that is. Other parts in baking this nourishment can come from: re establishing our relationship with nature and simplifying our day to day structure. Providing the conditions for more nourishment, resilience, inspiration and better outcomes. Therefore, taking time to see what heart mind you find yourself resonating with may provide you with some insights into what areas of your life are needing a review.

The 3 attitudes heart minds chemistry they elicit inside our bodies are stabilising.

- Elena Brower

My journey started over two decades ago, stemming from a mental and physical breakdown. During these two decades of study, training, healing and introspection some of the biggest takeaways for me have been:

* Accept that we will always be a long term student of life.

* Keep engaged with life.

* Stay close to yourself by creating the conditions for ‘turning the light within’ whether it be in a meditation, a yoga practice or simply connecting to what you truly enjoy doing can help us recognise that inner voice and big mind.

* Be grateful even in the most darkness of times (for something).

* Always try and cultivate a buoyant sense that things will somehow work out even when things are going well.

* Nourishment can come in many different forms from; physical and mental health, diet, nutrition, spiritual direction, creativity, and emotional balance.

To realise one's true nature as no-self- a Buddha- is the fruit of zazen and the path of practice. - Charlotte Joko Beck

Everyday Zen - Love & Work

Seeing how these insights, drawing from the intersection of spirituality including Zen and Hinduism along with other frameworks such as neurolinguistic coaching, yoga, science, technology. l am now pleased to be offering a more personal, contemplative and supportive approach by offering one-to-one sessions for nourishment and guidance from January 4th, 2025.

l’ve guided many others through physical and lifestyle transformations for over two decades. Along the way fuelling my own passion to understand how to harmonise our human design both physically and mentally. Equipping us to meet the circumstances we encounter navigate without judgement, fear and jealousy.

Nourishment and Guidance sessions

Are an opportunity to return to the light within, the natural you/self, your inner voice and big mind to re nourish you and your life. Sessions follow a more simplistic and contemplative approach to personal development. l draw on some more traditional coaching frameworks alongside my working experience in holistic healing, spiritual direction and western neuroscience.

Sessions offer a quiet, intuitive, spontaneous conversation and listening process, for both you and I. I will listen, ask questions, answer questions, and can offer gentle guidance to help you to nourish yourself and your spiritual life (if your open to it).

Post session I will email you a brief summary (normally the day after our session) of what we discussed along with any notes, insights or suggestions I’ve may have for you, even adding some homework along the way where helpful.

Sessions can help those seeking inspiration, motivation, support, to get unstuck, or just to gain a deeper insight into your present situation in life. To do this l invite you to reassess how you are nourishing yourself and where you may need to make adjustments to bring yourself into alignment with your true nature.

Sessions are available in 40 or 60 minute duration via telephone or online zoom call to discuss and explore your life/direction. During the call, I will practice deep listening and draw on my diverse skillset to see if we can find a deeper layer or another angle on your questions.

As we work together, we can discern if it makes sense to work over multiple sessions to explore your questions more deeply and gain clarity (it usually does, at least initially) but you are always free to choose what fits you better.

Your commitment

A big part of this process is also journalling so please bring a note pad as well as your challenges, difficulties, to use the process to help your navigate life. Commit to create space in your life for the conversation, and to giving your full, honest and quiet attention to it for the duration of any exchanges and follow-up we share.

Examples of themes l work with and how they may help you

* Speech & language how you talk about yourself and your life, learn your patterns and how to rewire your narrative to create different outcomes and how that effects your brain.

* Learn more about dispositional optimism and how to use it in manifesting best outcomes.

* Review boundaries and structures in your personal and professional life and learn how to implement changes that are mutually beneficial.

Particularly useful when you feel overwhelmed, in a transition such as changing jobs, relationships, moving, loss, illness and/or just looking for a fresh persecutive to navigate the changing landscape of your life.

BOOKING & TERMS

Keeping it super simple you can do everything on one click, book a time slot/appt then pay just click link provided below:

40 minute session £60

60 minute session £100

Sessions are offered as a 40 minute or 60 minute duration creating a more affordable pathway for you.

Sessions are non-refundable (part of keeping you accountable!) with the exception of medical and other legitimate emergencies however sessions can be rescheduled.

When I write, teach, coach and guide ,l do so not only for the love of this that I share, but because it helps me grow to as a student of life and connection.

Some of you l know read and listen to what l share here, some of you subscribe, some share posts with your community, your family, your friends. Some donate, some subscribe freely or paid. So thank you, however to continue to develop my material and offerings l would welcome your support if you find benefit or inspiration from my work, but aren’t yet supporting it in some way, will you step up and support this place, this work, our work, our community?

This is what I’m here for — are you here for it too?

Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Together we are stronger

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate life’s changing landscape.

Prompt cards by Elena Brower and Daily Ceremony

This past year has shown itself to be more of a potent year in terms of furthering self enquiry and reconnecting to certain practices. Helping me find a new degree of availability and presence to deal with some challenging aspects of life that have presented themselves. Navigating this flow with a deeper understanding of the whole and being really present in each moment has given me a deeper sense of calm and peace.

During the year, l’ve been gifted many wonderful opportunities to work and study with others. Providing me with a natural momentum to delve a little deeper under the surface, taking me into the unknown but some how familiar waters of Zen.

A resonance with some of the teachings that first occurred unexpectedly while taking some workshops two years earlier. I’ve been drawn to the naturalistic and simplistic practices that can more provide more easeful ways of being. Helping me understand how to be more available in this aging ‘skinbag’, this vessel that l have some how chosen to take me along life’s path.

Themes that were echoed in the presence of a wonderful week of self enquiry with Elena Brower, Marc Holzman and a wonderful diverse group of beings in Costa Rica a couple of weeks ago. Our time together a nourishing mix of mindful physical practice Zen teachings and holding council.

Whilst l took many special memories, moments, thoughts and wisdom away from this retreat there were a couple of teachings and discussions that really made me ‘view me ‘(this skinbag!) and life in a fresh light so thank you dearest Elena Brower .

Nourishing Moments

The first of these Nourishing moments, keeping it really simple came in discussing the importance of attitude, presence, availability and gratitude and how in turn they effect the outcome we experience in any moment.

I cannot remember the origin of this quote but it was spoken in our retreat and deeply resonated with me, especially the mantra/prayer.

The only choice we have to respond comes from our practices. The depth of the practices determine the depth of our choices.

Thank you for everything, l have no complaints - A prayer to go with the flow.

The Reward of Practice

Today l also include a short reading from Charlotte Joko Becks - EVERYDAY ZEN - LOVE & WORK that was given to me to read and absorb after enquiring about the concept of a no-self whilst on retreat.

The second Nourishing moment, was listening to the teachings in how we create or cook our life. Based around the teachings of Dogen Zenji and in his book “Instructions for the Cook”, we are shown how we can cultivate and adapt attitudes to help us reconnect to our true nature/self. Using the following ingredients of the three heart minds can elicit chemistry inside our bodies which are stabilising.

The Three HEART MINDS briefly are:

1. Joyful cultivate a sense of kinship with others and saviours all that is.

2. Elders/Nurturing sees everything as parenthood changing our chemistry.

3. Big mind/Magnanimous can see everything as the element of stability.

All promote the conditions for nourishment and connection to all that is.

As we approach the end of one cycle and the beginning of another, taking time to reflect on which heart/mind you are drawn to which is more dominate within you can help you identify where you may need to some adjustments for what you wish to experience in 2025.

May l take this opportunity to wish you all a peaceful festive holiday time. May it offer you a time of relaxation and connection.

Presence nourishes simplicity

COMING UP JAN 2025

Opportunities to work together

I will be shortly launching an invitation to work and practice together with my Nourishing and Manifesting Guidance sessions along with some group gatherings.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate life’s changing landscape. Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, audio, gatherings and support my work, please consider donating or becoming a free or paid subscriber.

How we engage with ourselves reflects how we engage truthfully with the practices of well being and connection.

Offering this prompt, this piece forms part of a two part series in exploring our three heart minds (taken from the Zen philosophies) together with the most recent findings from neuroscience in cultivating ‘dispositional optimism’.

A seed sown from a recent gathering l attended at the Upaya Zen Centre on the practices for gratitude and generosity.

Interestingly, in observing myself prior to joining, l noticed my ego whispering it’s thoughts in my ear… hmm what can this discussion give me that l don’t already know! Can l be bothered to attend as l’ve been a fan of manifestation for a while. However, after the hour and a half l came away with a completely different understanding and a changed perspective on gratitude and generosity and their connection to manifestation.

Unfolding with stories from others, l began to recognise how gratitude can enable us to maintain a healthy disposition in the mind. As we continued our discussion we also looked at the challenges of embracing gratitude especially when things are not going quite so well life. In other words when we are faced with traumatic or impossible situations, how can we be grateful then?

Navigating the roller coaster of life’s landscape can be a challenge but perhaps our superpower lays in the ability to find balance and acceptance between the positive and negative. Taking the middle path, taking equal time in both can foster the attitude of staying open and accepting (not always easy l know!). However, Psychologist Susan David author of Emotional Agility, believes it’s fundamental to our mental well being to master this skill/attitude.

Scientific research has hinted that practices and attitudes that harness this kind of mindset referred to lately as ‘dispositional optimism’ has the power not only to improve overall mental well being but also protects your heart health too.

We often talk a lot about our brains and minds but often forget to consider how our hearts fair in navigating the balance.

Manifestation does it exist?

Whether you believe in manifestation or not, l guess it all really comes down to your understanding and perception of it. In our current world you wouldn’t be out of place for wishing for better times.

Recently, l’ve been reading some interesting concepts taken from the latest neuroscience research on cultivating habits around expecting good things/outcomes. As a long time practitioner of both eastern and western science and philosophies, l’m extremely curious on how our minds and hearts can rewrite our narratives.

So what does the science say?

Recent findings tend to indicate that manifestation as we have come to now it in the present climate does not really exist. However, our ability to make a regular practice of connecting with what we want to bring forth, feeling it, talking it and visualising it can in actual fact elicit a certain chemistry neurologically as well as emotionally, making our vision more likely to occur. A key factor however, is this ability to stay buoyant with what is, that balance of walking the middle path.

Nonetheless a trap of manifestation is that we can sometimes be so focused on the results we want to achieve that we lose that feeling that things will work out!

Manifesting from the Eastern

When we lean into some of the teachings from the east we are reminded of the powerful influence of how the heart and mind working together shape our experiences. Rather than focus on material gain something that western manifestation is known for, the eastern teachings advise us to know yourself first so that you may come into alignment with your visions.

Neuroplasticity in Manifesting

In spending time getting to know and work on yourself, you are already changing the neuroplasticity of your brain. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that ongoing personal development and being a life long student is so important for us. Leading us to continually explore and revisit our patterns of behaviour/habits facilitating healing where needed and in the process making us more available.

Dr James Doty research findings suggest that ‘adaption, repetition and intention are all key players when it comes to the brain forming new pathways/circuits and being able to banish old habits and thinking that no longer serves us. In doing this we can create more grey matter in the areas of the brain that enables learning, performing and manifesting.

He goes on to highlight how attention and awareness are the two key elements that are equally important to manifest consciously. As manifesting without proper care and attention can lead to unsuccessful outcomes. Practices of mindfulness which cultivate these two superpowers can help us successfully lay and embed the foundations in our subconscious mind of what we would like to see/have.

In other words nourishing our reality still that does not mean that everything you envision will come to you but thats ok, theres always normally a reason that reveals itself somewhere along the path.

I wanted to share some extracts from Roshi Joan Halifax PhD, Buddhist teacher and Head Teacher of Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico from our gathering, as well as some of my own words to nourish your heart as well as your mind.

Deepening the Heart, Gratitude and Manifestation practice

Take a comfortable seat, place your hands in cosmic mudra or hands on heart.

Start to welcome a deeper awareness to your breath and invite your heart to be easy, that which has supported you so far in life.

Take a moment to feel your precious heart and its unique vibration.

As you do so you cultivate a greater availability to connect to all things, all beings.

Now repeat/affirm the following:

May l be grateful for this life whatever has been given to me, it has been given.

May l be grateful for those in my life, old, new and indifferent.

May l be grateful for those lessons that have been given to me hard, scary, happy and sad.

May l be grateful for the gift of this day.

May l be grateful that l have the heart, mind and body to serve.

Now feel what a generous heart and mind gives us and others.

Know that gratitude and generosity are siblings of each other.

Give life to life, don’t be driven by fear, hate, jealousy and preferences.

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Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts, podcasts, videos directly to your inbox sign up today!

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One of the first qualities l ever learn’t over two decades ago on starting my spiritual and yoga journey was the practice of Seva, which is the Hindu concept of selfless service that is performed without any expectation of reward for performing it. A concept that l fear is sometimes lost in our overstimulated and busy world. Seva is similar in part to the Buddhist principle of dana, meaning something like “giving,” “offering,” and “generosity.” It is a practice of connection of a coming together, cultivating empathy as well as respect.

I see more clearly the importance of taking time to be, be and listen to others from my work in the community. Two days a week l serve as a domiciliary eye health care practitioner, helping those with their vision. Sometimes not too old but very ill to those who are in their 90’s and still going strong. However, one of the most common things l hear is the loneliness, the cut off from society, from friends and family. In some cases l am the only person that they can have a chat with all week. Whilst it is not well paid financially, it rewards are emotional for me helping others who really need it. Experiences that also jot me sometimes to my core to remind how grateful l am for my body and life.

In our busy and overstimulated world (the saboteurs) for seva and dana. We can often find ourselves lacking the ability to pause, catch our breath and practice gratitude. All of which can prevent us from seeing where we are and more importantly what we can offer in every moment to ourselves and others. Therefore, having some helpful prompts can help you stay safe protect your energy and emotional intelligence.

A guiding reminder in terms of who we connect and give to and from can be found from one of the verses from the Bhaja Govindam by Shanaracarya.

sat-sangatve nissangatvamnissangatve nirmohatvamnirmohatve nishcala-tattvamnishcala-tattve jivanmuktihbhaja govindam, bhaja govindambhaja govindam mudha-mate

Good and virtuous company gives rise to non-attachment. From non-attachment comes freedom from delusion. With freedom from delusion, one feels the changeless reality. Experiencing the changeless reality, one attains liberation in this life. I-AM is the ocean of awareness. Realizing this, one feels “I am not the body and mind, although I have a body and mind.” Realize Govinda, realize Govinda, realize Govinda in your heart, O wise one!

From carpata-panjanka by Shri Sankaracharya. Translation by Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati

Prompts for Enquiry

Walking this path of of generosity, gratitude and service can be a tricky one due in part to our experiences. Our memories of events and what we witnessed as a child all impact our perception and equally our understanding.

Giving can be a enjoyable and mutually beneficial for both the giver and receiver. However, it can also be abused. Therefore, l’ve included a few helpful prompts to help you review and give mindfully:

* How do you perceive generosity, gratitude and service?

* How much is enough?

* How much is too little?

* How can/ do you preserve your ability to give?

* Is there equal give and take in your relationships?

One way to stay nourished while giving in any way is to check-in with and maybe review your boundaries, with yourself, others and your commitments.

REMEMBER

STOP TAKE A BREATH, PAUSE, REST WHEN YOU NEED WITH NO APOLOGIES.

Review your boundaries with yourself, others and your commitments to nourish your reality.

YOU’LL BE OK, YOU’VE GOT THIS.

Reverberating the essence of this piece a beautiful recommendation came across my Utube feed this morning which l’ve included below. This short interview really resonated with how l’ve been feeling of late.

WISDOM AT 96

The PATH

Over the last few months staying close to the unfolding truth of who l am has become more important in the growing noise and the stimulation of our world. Alert and walking hand in hand also with the changes deep within as well as the challenges life throws our way sometimes. I felt l need to change things yet again but in observing all of this, came a call for patience and understanding in the ever changing worlds of my interior and exterior landscape. Mainly recognising that simplifying, morphing and staying flexible have become more important to master in order to navigate these changing tides more peacefully. But how difficult when we’ve all become so ingrained into unhealthy habits, behaviours, and thinking with fear and anxiety.

STOP TAKE A BREATH, PAUSE, REST WHEN YOU NEED WITH NO APOLOGIES. YOU’LL BE OK, YOU’VE GOT THIS.

One great aspect to writing and connecting on Substack has been witnessing how many others have similar issues and equally interests. Showing how connection and empathy can give us the fortitude we need to accept, surrender and ultimately find the peace and joy that we all deserve. Hopefully inspiring others along the path.

Therefore, to walk this path of Generosity, Gratitude and Service, l have now changed how l offer Nourishing Reality with Salema. My wish and intention is to simply encourage a more affordable way to hold the space for connection, sharing, supporting and creating with each other, whilst at the same time supporting my energy, creativity and livelihood.

My general vibe and ethos since starting this Substack has always been based around the Hindu principle of Sevā . So currently everything I write, post and record here is freely offered for both paid and free subscribers, there are no paywalls here and everyone is welcome to comment on my posts.

However, of course if you feel drawn to express your appreciation for those writings and support my livelihood in a material way, your paid subscription or a one off donation is greatly appreciated.

Some of my posts moving forward will also have a “Donate” button like the one below where you can give a one-time donation if you’re not able to do a continuous paid subscription. 

Moving Forward 

Paid subscribers and Founding members will get access to monthly live circles (normally the last Sunday in every month) an online gathering portal to hold the space for connection, exploration, sharing, supporting and creating with each other.

A new addition for founding members you will receive a 1:1 lifestyle guidance and encouragement session of 30 minutes with me.

Current subscriptions

£4 a month 

£39/ year (£3.25/month)

£90 / a year Founding Member

FM Includes a complimentary guidance and encouragement session of 30 mins 

Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Forgive Us Our Trespassing 2012 - Moco Museum Amsterdam

These past few months, l have found myself leaning back into a practice that I first encountered as a child (like many) and which l’ve had an on off relationship with since - the practice of Prayer. Even through l’ve not been as consistent as l wished l do try! For when l do pray l feel it in my very soul receiving nourishment of a different kind. Nourishment from comfort, connection and somehow reassurance. A private conversation between me and a greater energy. The conversation, a reminder, a prompt for me to get real and recognise that I can’t do or control everything (something that us humans like to think we can!)

I’m writing this post for you from the pockets of quiet time in between my preparation to go on a long awaited retreat in Costa Rica with my mentor Elena Brower. Something l had wished, envisioned and prayed for, for a such a long time. Always believing that if it was meant to be then circumstances would align. Releasing the ask, sending the intention and then surrendering it up to the ether. Eventually a greater energy aligned and responded, so in a couple of weeks l’ll be there, god willing. l say that as I never take anything for granted (like l used to when l was younger!) l feel as we get older we are able to cultivate a different type of respect for and perspective on life. So I’m still praying that we are blessed with ease and good health to get us there safe and sound.

Coming from a mixed background, my mother Church of England and my father a Muslim. I remember being given both the Bible and the Quran at an early age to read with no obligations expected. Weirdly enough whilst at school one of my top subjects and qualifications was on Religious Education. All these many years later l did not think l would be writing on the topic of prayer.

As I’ve gone through my life, my spirituality has gained insights from various teachings and schools of thought heavily influenced by yoga training. A mix of spiritual philosophies that as to date have served me well and helped me through some of my darkness times. Echoing my belief that one school of thought or teachings does not fit all. Whatever religious or spiritual teachings and beliefs you feel drawn to prayer can be a powerful tool for healing and transformations. 

Recently, I’ve found myself increasingly leaning in towards writings and practices that hold the space for this line of enquiry. Observing, learning and adding insights to my spiritual and mental health toolbox as l go.

Visiting churches of all religions as well as temples all over the world over the past two decades has had a greater significance and profound affect on my emotions. Offering a sense of peace and acceptance. In return acknowledging, honouring and giving gratitude to all those who have gone before me (my ancestors and loved ones) and for the life l’m blessed to be living.  

Prayer can offer true evolution.

Stay open.

Stay close to yourself.

What do you see more clearly?

Inspirations have been abound for this post. From the influences of Andō and Elena BrowerChloe George to Coldplays latest album ‘We Pray’ to the latest work of Dr. James R Doty ‘Mind Magic”. Mind Magic is a new release, a gem of a book which unravels the myths around manifestation. Helping us understand our brains chemical reaction to these types of practices including gratitude, belief and visualisation as well as our emotions.

Prayer seems to be everywhere l look recently.

On a recent visit to one of my local churches ……..

But of course there are other essential ingredients in Prayer including faith, hope, belief and trust. However, the best thing of all is that praying costs nothing, just a few moments of your time each day to sit with yourself in a practice that can help you feel better.

The Crossover Between Manifestation and Prayer

I’ve always been a big fan of manifestation and have used the practice greatly over the years. Reading Gabby Bernsteins work as well as the work of the Hicks. But did you ever consider that Jesus was also an advocate for manifestation? Never losing his faith he spoke out about how prayer and manifestation worked together. On one occasion saying ‘Therefore l tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.’ Prayer is not simply about the words we say; it’s about what we are thinking on the inside at our deepest core. Another not so easy element of this practice, is of course practising acceptance. Acceptance of what unfolds and realising that things don’t always turn out the way you had envisioned, but to go with it nonetheless, where a type of detachment is needed. Fundamentally it is worth remembering that the basic foundation of prayer is about the willingness to connect and surrender with a higher energy in a very personal way.

Ask and it will be given to you.

Tips for Praying

* Keep open and aware.

* Next time your out and about check out a nearby church or temple and listen see what wants to connect with you.

* You can pray anywhere, anytime silently or non-silently.

* Be aware that sometimes the answers will come back as a feeling or that nagging feeling to take action.

* Try to keep you practice as regular as you can.

* Don’t overthink anything, keep it simple.

* The After Prayer check-in

* What has become clearer?

* How are you now feeling?

* PRAYING PROJECTS

* If you feel drawn to try praying then there are some good projects around. You can monitor your understanding and progress with a 40 day prayer guide at catching the wave .

One modern day prayer reading and inspiration series

YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK OUT is from Pixie Lighthorse

So try praying for a week and see what happens it must just surprise you!

Let’s make the world a less lonelier and a more kinder place

For further information and honest discussion go to TRYPRAYING

If you know of anyone who may benefit from this post and podcast please share here.

Zen's, the Concept of Non-Self and Its Resonance to and for an AI World

An invitation for nourishment in Life 3.0

om asato mā - sad gamaya - tamaso mā jyotir gamaya mṛtyor mā amṛtaṁ gamaya

oṁ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ~ Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 

Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.

Will the light of knowledge and Intelligence save or destroy us in the age of AI? And can we keep ourselves on the noble/ethical path?

This post and podcast continues an interesting dialogue l first started earlier in 2024 with a trilogy of posts, exploring the relationship between eastern philosophies including Zen and AI. The Aim simply was to illuminate and enhance our understandings of how by drawing on eastern and western science alongside technology we can re-cultivate an appreciation of being human and how to live harmoniously in an overstimulated world. Provoking us to rethink about our connection and obsession with technology as well as the future of life and work.

You can sample one of posts from the series below:

Why Your Presence Matters in an Algorithmic Society

Back in 2019 (just before Covid), l was asked to give a talk looking at human behaviours around knowledge and intelligence in our ai and techie world, based upon my work in this area. Part of this discussion, was to explore how some eastern philosophies may offer lessons and be relative to how we are behaving around and constructing technology and Ai?

So does how we behave relate to our self knowledge and intelligence and how we choose to navigate these important discussions?

Well let’s start by how do you define Knowledge? Most recognise knowledge as simply an acquisition and acceptance of facts, while intelligence points to the implementation of the facts wisely.

Knowledge can be the same in different individuals, especially if impacted under the same environment. Intelligence and intuition on the other hand, are unique to individuals. Furthermore, knowledge, intelligence, and intuition are precious human gifts given to us to experience and navigate the world in a linear and nonlinear way.

Therefore, can using the light of knowledge and intelligence from an eastern perspective help keep us on the noble/ethical path in the age of Ai?

The verse above taken from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad invites us to question and reflect upon how we perceive reality by prompting us to contemplate what is unreal? and what is real?

Perhaps, by applying this verse in our AI world could lead us to understand our obsession with engineering humanity? Providing us with possible insights into why humanity may want to consider merging with technology? For example with Machine/Cyborg technology and ai via computer mainframes and interfaces (Singularity) to become immortal but with a non-self.

Human vs Machine Behaviour

After attending various forums and conferences around the concern of transformative technology. It appears one directionality and intention for this technology is to extend life in another dimension where some of our human qualities won't transfer. 

However, if we look at human behaviour one of our main purposes in life is to seek and find happiness (which is strongly influenced by the enjoyment of the senses). If this is indeed true? Is our current and growing relationship with technology chipping away at our senses along with our emotional and social intelligence?

ZEN

Taken outside one of the four temples at Wat Pho a Buddhist temple complex in Bangkok, Thailand, with a 46 m long reclining Buddha and a large collection of Buddha images. It is one of the oldest and most important temples in Thailand, and a centre of education and traditional Thai medicine, where l studied for a month.

Zen, the concept of Non-Self and its resonance to Ai

Image taken from Kyodo News via Getty Images

In Zen Buddhism (slightly different from certain yoga philosophies which talk about the layers of the self). Zen follows the concept of a “no-self” referred to as (anatta) which forms a central pillar to the practices. Whilst yoga and meditation also asks us to sit with ourselves. Zen facilitates the same line of enquiry but from a slightly different perspective, using zazen (meditation) and satori (introspection) to go beyond who we think and what we are and join with all that is. Cultivating a state of “no-self”reflecting a deeper intelligence.

Zen and Eastern practices and AI - the possible learnings and conclusions

Currently, AI operates without any form of self-awareness and emotional consciousness, will that change one day? Perhaps but it lacks the ability for introspection, in other words to go beyond the ego and find that connection to the all which us humans have the capacity to do.

That being said there are two distinct differences in terms of this concept of '“no-self”. If we apply this concept to technology, namely AI we can relate it to the technological specification in design and programming, where as in Zen it represents an profound turning point spiritually.

Human behaviour

Examining human history, we can see recurring patterns of behaviour; greed, war, and pollution of the environment can be traced to a fundamental root cause - desire and the un connection to all. Perhaps then by looking at the history and impact of human behaviour on society as we move forward. We can ensure that we don't repeat the same mistakes as we enter into this new dimension and human evolution. 

Enter AI Ethics……

Neuroscientist and Philosopher Sam Harris in 2016 gave a Ted Talk on the future of life concerning some of these topics. Moreover, going on to say that many of us suffer from a failure of intuition and awareness which helps us detect a certain kind of danger.

One of the key issues that worried him the most was about the development of AI and how we seem unable to marshal an appropriate emotional response to the dangers that lie ahead. So why should we all be concerned about this? Well, because it ultimately reflects our emotional and social intelligence in how we perceive and respond to the world around us.

I first got into the Ethics around AI from attending a fascinating debate at University of Birkbeck, where l was studying. Bob Fisher is the head of Computer Vision and Centre of Robotics at Edinburgh University, and at the time was the advisory chair for the UK Commons Committee on AI Ethics for the UK. Inspired by his concern and vision l then went on to study aspects of ethics in the digital and AI arena.

How to live mindfully in our AI world?

Life is a difficult journey of up’s and down’s. In the technological era it presents us with even new challenges, challenges where we question our purpose as well as our existence. Therefore, it’s no surprise that we can lose our way. But scriptures, philosophies and practices from the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, as well as the Zen can serve us as a worthy roadmap. Keeping us on the noble path towards freedom, peace, and happiness and more importantly a greater connection to all which fundamentally is for what we are all searching for especially in the age of AI.

In my next podcast, l’ll be exploring another perspective of THE SELF and ‘Understanding the self’ this time from a psychological scientific perspective, so l hope you’ll join me then.

Until next time.

Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The pause between movements—the space between breaths—is where we connect to the deeper rhythm of life. It is where we encounter the stillness that grounds and nourishes

us.” Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Welcome to Salema’s Slow Edits.

A space where movement meets stillness, reflection, and curiosity. Reformer, Yin, Pilates, and gentle movement provide the canvas to explore life with intention. Inspired by the quiet wisdom of Movement, TCM, and Zen, I share practices, prompts, and reflections to help you move, soften, and live with more presence.

Salema’s Slow Edits flows with the rhythm of my life on the water and the laid-back energy of coastal Australia—open, grounded, unhurried. Movement becomes meditation, reflection becomes practice, and curiosity becomes presence.

More than movement.It’s presence. It’s practice. It’s life, gently edited.

Life in midlife is full of shifts—physically, hormonally, and emotionally. Peri- and menopause for women bring changes that affect our energy, strength, and how we move through the world. That’s why I’ve been exploring Reformer Yin, a practice that meets your body where it is, working deeply into muscles, fascia, and joints while supporting the nervous system.

In this podcast, I’ll share how this method l’ve been practising and teaching known as Reformer Yin can help reform your movement, restore balance, and renew your sense of vitality, not just for peri- or menopause, but for life as a whole.

Alongside my upcoming workshops at The Ness Club, we’ll dive into the components of the practice, explore its benefits, and give you practical ways to bring mindful, intentional movement into your everyday life.

So welcome…….

Peri-menopause and menopause are not just phases—they are whole-body transitions. Estrogen and progesterone fluctuations affect nearly every system in the body: connective tissue becomes less resilient, joints feel stiffer, sleep patterns shift, and the nervous system becomes more sensitive. We can begin to notice at first subtle changes at first in posture, core stability, and even energy levels. If these shifts are left unmanaged, they can contribute to chronic discomfort, reduced mobility, and a sense of losing control over your body and basically not feeling like yourself.

I was drawn to Reformer Yin because l was looking for practice that could help regulate and balance my nervous system/s. A practice which doesn’t fight the body but instead works with the body’s biology—its fascial structure, joint mechanics, and neuro-hormonal rhythms. And for anyone navigating peri- or menopause, that’s exactly the kind of practice that feels empowering rather than exhausting.

Unlike high-intensity workouts that push through fatigue or repetitive strength-only routines, Reformer Yin is a targeted, mindful movement practice designed to meet your body where it is, while enhancing resilience and functional capacity. It merges the supportive mechanics of the Pilates reformer with Yin principles of long, passive stretching, producing benefits that are particularly relevant for those navigating hormonal transitions.

REFORMER YIN - origins and key components

Reformer Yin is a fusion of mindful movements, intentional breath work, meditation Self massage, self enquiry, fascia and targeted myofascia release techniques.

12 KEY Components of this method/practice:

* 1. Taoist Yoga draws upon the practice, energetics and philosophy of Yin/Yang and the importance of balancing energies and our nervous systems in the body.

* 2. Traditional Chinese Medicine/Meridans- Shapes are inspired by the Chinese Meridian lines are held for longer to target energy pathways and fascia release.

* 3. Anatomy and pathology of movement through an energetic lens and skeletal perspective. Working with the body’s soft tissues—muscles, joints, and fascia—addressing both structural alignment and the common movement patterns that create tension or dysfunction.

* 4. The 12 Major Myofascial Lines of Thomas Myers, which show that muscles, tendons, and fascia are interconnected in continuous pathways, challenging the traditional “single muscle” view of anatomy. These myofascial meridians explain how movement in one part of the body can influence distant areas, creating a dynamic, integrated system that supports fluid movement and balance.

* 5. Nervous system awareness: Reformer Yin encourages working deeply with both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, creating awareness of how each influences movement, tension, and relaxation.

* 6. Breathing Techniques (Pranayama practices) from the Yogic tradition.

* 7. Chakras Yoga Philosophy.

* 8. Long holds for joints and energy: Reformer Yin uses extended posture holds to gently open joints, improve mobility, and stimulate the flow of energy through fascial and TCM meridian lines, supporting overall vitality.

* 9. Shapes are divided into Lower and Upper Body segments.

* 10. Trigger point therapy & stretching: Release tension in sensitive muscle areas with targeted pressure with (footbar, massage, or peanut ball) to improve flexibility in fascia and muscles through dynamic, static, or PNF stretching.

* 11. Hands on Assists for gentle support(with consent).

* 12. Supportive spring tension: Using lighter reformer springs to provide support rather than resistance, allowing safe, controlled movement and deeper access to muscles and fascia.

This method was created by my teacher Sam Sales at Barre Body Australia and represents her life’s work into understanding various forms of movement and body mechanics.

5 Ways that Reformer Yin Supports the Midlife Body

1. Connective Tissue Health

Hormonal changes reduce collagen elasticity, affecting tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Reformer Yin uses sustained holds and gentle loading to improve flexibility and tissue hydration, helping to maintain joint integrity and reduce stiffness. Over time, this practice can help prevent the loss of range of motion that often accompanies peri-menopause.

2. Joint Preservation and Low-Impact Strength

The reformer provides adjustable resistance that allows controlled, low-impact strengthening. This is crucial when estrogen decline makes joints more vulnerable to micro-trauma. By combining slow, precise movements with the reformer’s support, you maintain strength, protect cartilage, and reduce the risk of strain or injury.

3. Nervous System Regulation

Hormonal fluctuations often heighten sympathetic nervous system activity, increasing stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. The mindful, breath-focused nature of Reformer Yin encourages parasympathetic engagement, promoting relaxation, deeper sleep, and a reduction in systemic inflammation.

4. Postural Alignment and Core Integration

Perimenopausal shifts in body composition, spinal curvature, and pelvic stability can create imbalances. Reformer Yin emphasises spinal articulation, core engagement, and scapular stabilisation, retraining the body to move efficiently while reducing compensatory patterns that contribute to pain or fatigue.

5. Hormonal and Metabolic Support

Movement alone cannot replace hormonal therapy or lifestyle strategies, but Reformer Yin complements these approaches by supporting metabolic health, reducing chronic inflammation, and improving circulation. For many, this combination helps mitigate symptoms like bloating, pelvic tension, and general fatigue.

Why I Keep Coming Back

I was drawn to Reformer Yin because it doesn’t fight the body. It works with the body’s biology—its fascial structure, joint mechanics, and neuro-hormonal rhythms. And for anyone navigating peri- or menopause, that’s exactly the kind of practice that feels empowering rather than exhausting.

This practice isn’t flashy. It’s a clinically intelligent, intuitive, and profoundly respectful of how the body changes with hormones, age, and lifestyle. Every session feels like a reset: tissues release, muscles reconnect, my nervous system calms, and I feel more present in my body.

Why It Works Better Than Conventional Approaches

Traditional Pilates or yoga practices often focus either on strength or flexibility. Reformer Yin integrates both, with the added benefit of mechanical assistance and resistance modulation. This means midlife bodies can safely achieve deep tissue release without overexertion, while simultaneously activating stabilising muscles to maintain functional capacity.

For people in peri- or menopause, this is transformative: the practice addresses both the physical and neurological consequences of hormonal change. It’s restorative yet energising, gentle yet effective, and evidence-informed in its approach to connective tissue, joint health, and nervous system regulation.

Practical Takeaways

* Start with controlled sessions 1–3 times per week to allow tissue adaptation.

* Focus on quality over quantity: depth and precision matter more than duration.

* Use breath and mindfulness as part of the practice to enhance nervous system benefits.

* Combine with supportive lifestyle habits (sleep, hydration, nutrition, stress management) for maximal impact.

In short, Reformer Yin is not just a workout—it’s a comprehensive, functional approach to navigating midlife transitions. It equips the body to maintain strength, flexibility, and resilience, while simultaneously calming the nervous system and supporting overall well-being. For anyone looking to reform their peri- or menopause experience, this practice offers an empowering, clinically-informed path to body confidence, comfort, and control.

Thanks for joining me today! Reformer Yin is about more than exercise—it’s about listening to your body, moving with intention, and feeling renewed. If you’d like to explore it further, I’m offering 1:1 Reformer Yin sessions via Zoom—please direct message me if you’re interested. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for my upcoming workshops at The Ness Club, where we’ll dive even deeper into this practice. In future posts, I’ll also be exploring pelvic health, including how specific Reformer movements can support the body—and which ones to approach with caution.

SALEMA'S / SLOW EDITS is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

With National Stress Day coming up tomorrow 6th November, here's a little short and simple nugget of nourishment from a series of short videos recorded for the AntWalk platform. In the interview l discuss overwhelm, anxiety and stress and the antidote; simplify & prioritise. Key ingredients that have become an important part of my daily routine in the management of anxiety and stress.

In this short but sweet video post, I also discuss the influences of the pandemic on our behaviours. Lessons to learn and what we can do better too safeguard our mental and emotional intelligence and agility in our overstimulated world.

Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian: Forms of Life

The last week has been a pivotal one for me. Holding the space and resonating with the energies abound. l have sensed tides turning as realisations begin to emerge from past stories from long ago, stories that l did not fully understand and had blocked certain memories of until now. Trusting myself to follow the cues of my inner voice to quietly enquire and explore certain explanations. Now l feel l’m able from tracing these patterns that have been present for the past fifteen years to make a change. In part l’ve been able to do this from gratefully embracing the opportunity to slow down, and be present and savour every moment. Acting more simplistically and incorporating more periods of silence into my days thank you Elena Brower and Andō has also manifested and ushered in some new possibilities.

Yoko Ono

One of these new ventures is helping my close friend set up her new Yoga and Wellness Space in Marbella, where l will be heading early next year and hopefully hosting some workshops in 2025.

A work in progress ……..

Within this new window of opportunity, meetings to discuss potential new podcasts, presenting and filming projects have also emerged. Ans I’m also in preparation for wonderful travels to Costa Rica with my mentor the wonderful Elena Brower as well as spending some time back in Holland, these are potent times indeed as we head towards the end of 2024.

Enquiries for this time

Can you feel the energy?

How can you harness this energy to hold yourself and your vision?

Do you trust your vision? And more importantly does it belong to you?

November is always a significant one for me as it is my birthday month. So as l approach my 57th year on this planet earth, l’m not surprised to sense that certain shifts are afoot yet again. All of this also corresponding with the start of Diwali (in the Hindu tradition) taking place around the same time as the Scorpio New Moon.

Meaning that it is not unusual that during this time that we may experience feelings and emotions that want to make us both retreat and resurface at the same time if that’s possible! What l mean by that is that we are more likely to experience light bulb moments and then want to apply those insights into action promptly and of course mindfully. Therefore, staying open, aware and trusting yourself becomes key in this period of potential healing and personal transformations.

Enquires for the Self

Trusting yourself, do you trust yourself and what does that actually mean to and for you?

After chanting to Lakshmi 108 times yesterday in meditation, l was reminded of the importance to be: 1) Grateful, 2) Be of Service in some way, 3) Remain open, 4) Promote light. After sitting for a while in silence post meditation, l began to feel a quiet whisper and resonance of hope returning. Championing my inner voice of reminding me of my simple mantra for manifesting and celebrating life which follows below.

Feel it, Believe it, See it, Trust it

Prompts to help you Manifest your reality

Take a few moments sitting in silence and have a journal near by to follow these lines of enquiry:

What would you like cultivate and see more of in your life?

How can you feel, believe, see and trust in it?

How can you hold the faith and the space to just be and yet remain hopeful to manifest that which your inner voice is drawing you towards?

I look forward to hearing what you are manifesting and why?

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Nourishing Reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

In this weeks post l talk about how rituals create impressions that cause sensations and how by leaning into these sensations we can use them as a roadmap that can provide emotional intelligence for self knowledge. Contributing to creating a safer and kinder refuge for our inner world, one that we hope will continue to gives us learning, understanding and comfort. I also share with you my three STYLING Relishing a Self Sanctuary ritual/s; Gratitude, Manifestation and Prayer that l started at the beginning of October which l’ve found has cultivated a sense of groundedness, peace, manifestation and abundance in all forms.

One of my favourite and maybe lesser known pieces of Art by Banksy hanging in the MOMO MUSEUM IN AMSTERDAM.

I’m writing this on a rainy day from my floating lodge on the Great river Ouse here in the UK. Although Autumn and inevitably Winter bring there own challenges requiring a certain adaptation on our part. It is also a great time for reflection, a slowing down and relishing in the quietness that autumn brings.

During the last couple of weeks l’ve found myself drawn to leaning into cultivating a loose ritual of prayer every night before bed. I normally always say a silent prayer before l eat my food see below (a ritual engraved from my Jivamukti Yoga Days).

‘Thank you for the money to buy this fresh food and drink. l hope the least amount of harm was caused to the planet and the animals in the making of this food.’

I’m not an really what some might say a religious person by nature but fundamentally l feel myself as a spiritual being cultivating elements of hope, compassion, peace and gratitude for life, my life. Even through the traumas and challenges in the past have been hard to bear and even now, l’ve always leant into my yoga and spiritual practices to find comfort and some element of hope to cling onto.

The cliche you hear and see everywhere ‘Be thankful for what you have’ is a constant reminder of the importance of being present in every moment. More importantly the need to stop and pause at intervals along life’s journey, especially in this busy and overstimulated world we live in.

STYLING Relishing a Self Sanctuary ritual/s

I’m sharing with you my three practices that l started at the beginning of October which l’ve found has cultivated a sense of groundedness, peace, manifestation and abundance in all forms.

* EARLY AM

I have this great app on my iphone called Gratitude Jar every morning while l’m sitting in bed having my tea or coffee and contemplating the day ahead l jot down what l feel at that moment.

* DAY - MANIFESTATION

During the day l use my ‘stick it wall’ thank you Elena Brower not just for soft goals but also as my manifestation wall. Because we are visual creatures my nature what we see first starts a reaction/response. This is how l manifested my Costa Rica Retreat with dearest Elena next month (which l wanted to come true but still couldn’t really see how we were going to get there). Looking at this note created an imprint of belief in what l hoped would be achievable. Thank you Gabby Bernstein for starting me on this journey back in 2016.

* EVENING PM - PRAYER

Thank you Andō for the reminder.

Before bed l place my hands in prayer/namaste position thumbs to my forehead/third eye chakra to give thanks and ask for guidance, insight, support and inspiration in the areas of my life that l feel l need help/and/or clarification with to keep me on my highest path. During my experience of prayer l’ve observed that l listen differently not only to myself but how finding a deeper connection or resonance from that when l’m in meditation and corpses pose/relaxation.

If your interested in delving deeper, another conscious cornerstone and a profound and relatable resource (one of my other go too’s) is ‘The Reality of Being - The Fourth Way of Gurdjieff’.

Other holistic creative resources to get you into the vibe of prayers is the beautiful book by Pixie Lighthouse PRAYERS OF HONOURING, l cannot recommend this book enough!

RITUAL SENSATIONS

At the end of the day it is worth remembering that rituals create impressions that cause sensations. If we lean into sensations we can use them as a roadmap one that can provide emotional intelligence for self knowledge. Contributing to creating a safe and kinder refuge for our inner world, one that we hope will continue to gives us learning, understanding and comfort.

'“Transformations lead to changes that leads to an awakening within.”

Thanks for reading Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu ! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This week l share a heartfelt piece with you from my personal experience of living with someone who has clinical depression and thoughts of suicide.

I’ve been thinking of writing about the experience and learnings from my journey thus far for a while, but it is a hugely personal and vulnerable undertaking to do so and until now, l just didn’t feel l had the strength nor even a handle on it to do so.

That being said, l really wanted to do something to raise awareness and support for those who have mental health disorders and for the loved ones around them (like myself). Alongside the processes you have to undertake and the support currently available.

In less you’ve being living under a rock the last decade, then you’ll be aware of the rising epidemic of mental health disorders, especially clinical depression and suicide.

Even now we are facing an unprecedented epidemic of mental health disorders of seismic proportions (not helped by Covid 19). However, before the pandemic there were causes for concern amongst the medical psychological professions of not having enough qualified therapists to meet demand. Sadly, this has only got a lot worse since Covid.

In this week’s podcast, l explore some of the other concerns surrounding mental health and the serious lack of proper support to help those suffering and their loved ones.

Having experienced albeit very briefly during Covid 19 a period of depression and anxiety. l was lucky enough to find my way through with some professional support, yoga and meditation re cultivating my resilience in the process.

Whilst in the past l’ve provided some service to those with mild stress and anxiety, l have never treated anyone with serious depression. Why? Well mainly, because l’m not qualified to do so (even through l have a foundational degree in Cognitive Experiment Psychology). Secondly, it is such a complex field to navigate. However, what l have learn’t and experienced as a result of my studies is a basic understanding of how our brains work and how that effects our behaviours. Proving to be an invaluable source of help in rising to my most recent challenges.

Today, again l speak from first hand experience, on this occasion not about my struggles, but those of my partner.

One of the most interesting and complex things that l’ve had real difficulty with has been understanding the difference in my mindset and beliefs to that of my partners. What l mean by that is how l choose to see things even the most darkness of times. Somehow l still manage to cling onto hope and optimism. Yet, my partner just cannot muster any remnants of either. Instead preferring just to sleep (and not wake up - his words and not mine). Something that l cannot simply identify with, being the opposite of having experienced so much death from an early age and traumas along the way, l still love life.

So what can you do in that situation? Well firstly l’ve been working on my wounded inner child natter of, ‘oh well it can’t really love me if thats the way he wants to go’ etc, etc, which l’m not lying has been personally very challenging to balance that with loving kindness. My mentor Elena Brower had some wise words 'just listen’ and don’t try to fix. That being said, sometimes that just isn’t enough and due to the seriousness of my partners illness, clinical interventions had to be made.

THE CONCERNING LACK OF THE THERAPISTS COUCH

Growing up and watching TV shows and movies there was always someone in therapy. In American culture a visit to a therapist was/is considered normal just like going to the dentist. Yet in the UK (always behind the US), it still has not really reached the same accord.

Hopeful that my partner would get the help he needed and indeed be invited to a therapists couch for some proper life assessment, we were presented with the absolute opposite (here in the UK). A systematic catastrophic failure. I feel l can talk openly and honestly about how the system works here because l’ve been through the whole journey and as of yet we still have not received a satisfactory outcome.

This is what you are generally subjected to here in the UK as a patient:

* See the doctor who refers you to the local mental health team (generally waiting time 4 -8 weeks).

* If you about to self harm call 111 or 999 or go to A&E.

* After the referral to the local mental health team you are often offered some form of talking therapy normally CBT (which by the way does not always help, dependent on the type of mental health disorder you have). CBT is not a problem solve for clinical depression FYI.

* If you are requesting to see a Psychiatrist because you’ve tried everything else this is now not possible via the doctors or the NHS here in the UK. Doctors have to go via a third party Psychiatrist (who does not see the patient and instead relies on information from the doctor who is not a Psychologist for a diagnosis and recommended treatment options. Generally medicate medicate medicate! Is the cure here in the UK. Instead of finding the root cause (normally through some childhood and/or traumatic event).

* Pay privately (if you can afford it) typically £180 for 30 minutes consultation and assessment. However, even the last two that my partner saw only spoke about upping and adding to his medication.

I cannot tell you how many times that my partner has been on the brink of self harming and not wanting to continue with his life over the past year.

What to do? What l could l do? Heartbreaking, there have been times when l feel my heart has been broken over and over again because no-one really helps. Plus reminders of how l felt when my father passed away as a child and again later in life when l lost my best friend, my mama, resurfacing. It was tough.

What l realised during this time was how this was beginning to effect my sunny outlook, mental and general health. Which also got me to thinking of others who are living with similar challenges and situations.

Who can you speak to about what your going through?

How on earth can others even begin to understand unless they have gone through something similar?

These were/are just some of the questions that were/are bubbling away under the surface. Personally l’ve gone through a range of emotions from despair to frustration to isolation and everything in between.

So what is the support available for partners and family for those who have a serious mental health disorder? Well read on……..

PSYCHOEDUCATION - The emerging treatment

Mentioned finally by one of the Psychiatrists my partner saw privately. Psychoeducation is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention for patients and their loved ones that provides information and support to better understand and cope with illness. Generally undertaken by qualified Counsellors or Psychotherapists.

The goals being:

* Communicate basic knowledge and competence of patients and their relatives about the illness they are experiencing and/or being diagnosed with.

* Provide insight into the illness.

* Promote relapse prevention.

* Engaging in crisis management and suicide prevention.

Essential components of Psychoeducation sessions

* Etiological factors.

* Common signs and symptoms.

* Awareness regarding the early signs of relapse/recurrence.

* How to cope with the situation.

* Various treatment options available.

* When and how to seek treatment.

* Need for adherence to treatment as per the guidance of treating team.

* Long-term course and outcome.

* Do’s and dont’s for family members while dealing with the patient and their disorder.

* Clearing myths and misconceptions dispelling stigma.

Benefits of this Intervention

It is worth noting that Psychoeducation can be individual, family, group, or community based.

* Interactive sessions between the therapist, patient and family members.

* Support advice relative to the disorder in the form of information leaflets, audio.

* Provides knowledge about psychiatric illness and their management.

* Helping develop certain skills so that family members can manage the illness more effectively.

* Support groups for the family members and partners of the patients in sharing their feelings.

FOR DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIETY RELATED DISORDERS

“After a diagnosis of anxiety and/or a depressive disorder and performing necessary assessments, the mental health professionals should provide detailed information to the patient regarding the symptoms, causes, various treatment options, side effects of medications, need for adherence, and overall course and outcome of the disorder.”

“Apart from medications, the role of nonpharmacological measures such as activity scheduling and regular physical exercise is emphasised. Passive psychoeducation is very popular in patients with anxiety disorders. This involves passing on to the patients’ various resources such as books, pamphlets, or videos which explain clearly various aspects of anxiety disorders. Unlike active psychoeducation, here the therapist does not interact actively with the patient while imparting education about the illness.”

Sarkhel S, Singh OP, Arora M. Clinical Practice Guidelines for Psychoeducation in Psychiatric Disorders General Principles of Psychoeducation. Indian J Psychiatry. 2020 Jan;62(Suppl 2):S319-S323. doi: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_780_19. Epub 2020 Jan 17. PMID: 32055073; PMCID: PMC7001357.

learn more about psychoeducation

If you are someone you know is struggling here are some resources you can reach out to for SUPPORT via charities.

SUICIDE HELPLINES UK

STAY ALIVE

CALM Helpline 0800 58 58 58

ShoutText SHOUT to 85258

Samaritans 116 123

NHS 111 Option 2

MIND Sane 0300 304 7000

Remember

* STAY ALERT for critical signs for yourself or loved ones.

* SEEK HELP straight away.

Thanks for reading Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu ! This post is public so feel free to share it. If you know of anyone and/or loved ones who are struggling with their mental health please seek help urgently.

How to Style Your Emotions from Dopamine Dressing

In my teenage years! ( l always used to dress in black! maybe it was a sign of growing up with a lot of Gothic bands and being a Cure groupie! ). However, even years later, much later in my early days of yoga teaching, l would still only wear black most of the time! Whilst yet immensely practical and timeless, there are times when a bit of colour is needed to uplift your complexion as well as your mood.

Enter colour…….

MANTRA - LET ME BE MYSELF

Over the last three months shall we say, l’ve noticed subtle positive changes in my general mood. Even through dealing with a lot of life stuff going on! Including my journey with perimenopause and depression (not me) but someone very close to me. One could say it has been a bit of a challenge at times. But throughout it all somehow l’ve being feeling different, but couldn’t quite put my finger on why?

I began to notice it more through improving my exercise routine but that l feel only played a small part. Being inspired by other artists and stylists including the delightful Angie Smith and her laid back approach to styling. l somehow re found my love of clothes (something l had not really felt since my New York days!)

Being reconnected to shapes, textures, colours has offered me different insights into my thoughts and behaviours and thus conclusions (although nothing is ever set in stone). During this experience l began to cultivate new levels of acceptance which re-enforced that it is really ok to have your unique style regardless of your age or body. If you have a connection to what your’ve put together and wearing then simply put you are boosting your dopamine levels.

Dopamine (as l’m sure you know) is a neurotransmitter in your brain that reinforces behaviours that make you feel good, often affectionately referred to as the “feel-good” hormone. In other words when you’re doing anything enjoyable your dopamine levels start to increase.

“What we wear impacts our self image and ultimately represents and reflects what we think of ourselves”.

Matt Johnson, Neuroscientist

Studying the psychology of colour in my Uni days it’s clear that the science and psychology of colours has been around for a quite a while. In Eye Health, Vision Science, Interior & Exterior Design and Art.

And scientists are now saying there is a real trend emerging in terms of the impact of “#dopamine dressing”.

When l talk about “dopamine dressing”, of course l’m not suggesting you max our your credit cards on the latest trend, because you don’t need to spend money on new clothes to try dopamine dressing. That’s the beauty of it instead you can simply do what l’ve being doing, which is an edit of my existing clothes, selling some, giving some to charity, using what l have. Buying a few key pieces here and there that l can mix and match throughout the seasons. Thus saving landfill and doing my bit for the planet in the process.

Components of Dopamine Dressing

The Psychology of colour and clothing

However, as well as exploring how colours are relatable to certain feelings and behaviours we should also consider cultural meanings. As colours from culture to culture can sometimes differ in their symbolic meaning. A classic example of this is how ‘White ‘in the West is often interpreted as purity and new beginnings. In India and most Asian cultures it can also be used to symbolise death.

We can also look at how colour is depicted through the ‘Chakra System’ to help us understand where our energy maybe blocked and the emotions and behaviours that are related to specific colours, indicating why we may need to direct our attention too as a result.

A great resource for this area would be one of my all time favourite books Anodea Judith’s Eastern Body, Western Mind - Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self. Link below.

EASTERN BODY WESTERN MIND

The theory of ‘Enclothed cognition’

‘Enclothed cognition’ refers to the systematic influence that clothes can have on the wearer's feelings, thoughts, and behaviours through their symbolic meaning. Back in 2012 two Psychologists lead some ground breaking research and coined the following: The theory of ‘Enclothed Cognition’ they used this phrase to describe and note the influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes.

More than just colour, using our sense of sight, is the sense of touch. How something feels also affects how we feel. So putting both sight and touch together in dressing can be a powerful healing tool.

You can read more below.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008

My top 8 Dopamine Dressing Edits

* #DDE1 - Have a notebook, journal or even a sketchpad to note down and/or draw what you have and what you might like to look. Jot down suppliers that you like to go too as well as some new ones you might like to try. H&M and ARKET (are a couple of my favourites for the last year) where you can get many key pieces to replicate a designer look for a fraction of the price.

* #DDE2 - Note how you really feel about what you have chosen to wear, Why did you choose the items? What influenced you? How do you really feel in them?

* #DDE3 - Has anyone mentioned how you look in a positive way?

* #DDE4 - Consider other colours as well as the basic palette of creams, beige’s, white’s and black’s.

* #DDE5 - What textures do you like to touch and feel on your body?

* # DDE6 - Try and encapsulate your personality by adding, some accessories to the outfit.

* #DDE7 - AUDIT AND EDIT YOUR UNDERWEAR this is something l did at the beginning of 2024 and l can’t tell you how liberating it was and how it boosted my confidence in this perimenopausal body!

* #DDE8 - Experiment, take photos, put them out there if you feel comfortable enough. I’m not fashion influencer, but l’ll let you into a little secret l started a mini pet project over on instagram and l cannot believe the number of views l’ve had of my reels! All of which goes to show we are visual creatures by nature we see first and everything else comes second.

Salema's Nourishing Edits 2.0 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

PROMPT

So what draws you in?

I’ll want to leave you with this quote as l feel it perfectly encapsulates the essence of this piece.

“Whatever works for you is all that really needs to work.”

Dr. Johnson

Last week as l was driving around to my patients, l came across a very interesting discussion on a podcast details at end of this post, on how savouring an experience, no matter how fleeting can boost your neurochemistry.

We all know that mindfulness is good for us, but how about savouring? Is there a difference or is savouring just a new reedit of mindfulness? This is what l set up to explore……

A DISRUPTER TO SAVOURING

DISTRACTED EATING

Lately, I cannot tell you how many times when l’ve sat down with others to eat, the lack of this practice seems to emerge. I mean the speed of which people are eating, drinking, talking being on their phones all at the same time is quite alarming. I don’t know about you but l do find it rather rude if l’m being honest. I’m not sure whether it’s a culture and/or personal habit or just the over stimulated world we find ourselves in to blame, but either way it is not good for us on so many levels.

So what happens when you are talking, scrolling or watching TV while eating?

BAD EATING EDITS

* You don’t allow the; flavours of the food to settle in your palette, the vibrant array of colours and the texture of fresh food to infuse your senses with nourishment.

* When you're distracted, you might not pay attention to how much you eat or how quickly you eat, and you might miss the fullness cues that signals your body is satisfied. 

* If you are not mindfully eating your food, then you may not be biting or chewing in the right way affecting your digestion.

GOOD SAVOURING EATING EDITS and BENEFITS

* Paying attention to meals (or mindfully eating) has been linked to eating less later in the day.

* Aids weight loss.

* Reduces external eating (eating in relation/response to environmental stimuli).

* Reduces emotional eating habits.

WHY DON’T YOU

* Count how many times you chew a bite of food. This'll help you focus on the act of eating.

* Slow down. Fully chew your food, and wait a few seconds before taking the next bite.

Maybe it’s become more apparent for me because of the time l’ve spent in the past living in the Mediterranean, which was a masterclass in shopping to cook, cooking, entertaining and socialising. Whilst living in Greece l can still remember the times of sitting over freshly prepared food, pausing after each course or Meze (in other words letting our food settle) before drinking or speaking. Like in other warmer European countries sitting for a few hours at a family or neighbourhood gathering is a normal practice. I’m using food here as the concept, but really you can apply savouring to almost anything including Art of course!

SAVOURING vs MINDFULNESS

You may well ask so what is the difference between the two?

Many research papers reflect the positive affects of savouring the moment. Suggesting it is as simple as just taking the time to enjoy something that you would otherwise feel the need to hurry through.

In their book on savouring, Fred Bryant and Joseph Veroff go one step further by noting further clarification on the distinction between savouring vs mindfulness.

“When people savour, they too are mindful of their experience, but their attention does not remain totally open to incoming or internal stimuli. Instead, the savouring process involves a more restrictive focus on internal and external stimuli associated with positive affect. In that sense, savouring is a narrower concept than mindfulness.”

Bryant & Veroff

With mindfulness we notice the positive and good but we maintain an open, curious, and receptive awareness that is ready to notice other elements of our present moment – perhaps more good things, perhaps some unpleasant sensations, or perhaps some surprises. Savouring however, is going deeper into the senses and our memories to uncover smells, sounds, textures, colours, flavours and emotions. When you savour, you amplify the art of appreciation or gratitude for the positive aspects of your experience.

Let me give you a brief example so you can see the difference

Salema’s Mindfulness strategy: I am noticing the nature scene from my home on the water. I am attentive to my senses, my feelings, and my thoughts as l sit there. While also attentive to the myriad of details of that surrounds me. I allow myself to feel whatever it is l am feeling from moment to moment exploring and noticing.

Salema’s Savouring strategy: l notice the nature scene. l allow myself to be immersed in its beauty – the sounds, visual details, and pleasant smells. l take notice of something particularly positive – something that makes me feel good. It might be the sound of the gently ripples of water on my back deck, the wind hitting my wind chimes. l absorb myself in the details and l notice any positive feelings present within me. l Feel them fully as l enjoy the scene. I choose to stick with that positive emotion and appreciate how good it feels.

The distinction here is that savouring occurs when we deliberately try to enhance the positive – to prolong a good experience. It does take mindfulness to get us to our senses of taste or sight or smell - to even notice the good - in the first place. But that’s it. Mindfulness is noticing whatever is occurring in our attention – good, bad, or neutral. Mindfulness is not about trying to keep the good there or trying to create the positive. Keeping the positive is where savouring takes over.

Now l’ve clarified the difference!

When was the last time you really savoured something?

For a while (well lets say for the past two years) l now realise that this is exactly what l’ve being doing, somehow feeling different to Mindfulness. Therefore, savouring sounds less daunting and gives the impression that it is a practice of natural simplicity.

Since l moved onto the water, l spend most of my days balancing between nature and living in our overstimulated world and find myself often practising this ritual of Savouring, which has l feel increased my levels of happiness.

Whilst, l acknowledge that sometimes multitasking is necessary, do not make the mistake of doing it consistently, why? Well multitasking is the enemy of Savouring, simply put it disrupts our ability to focus on one thing at a time.

THE SCIENCE OF IT ALL

Savouring is a core pillar of the positive psychology movement, something l touched upon during my Academic studies. Savouring is positively associated with present happiness, percentage of happiness in a day, higher levels of self esteem, optimism and extraversion (Bryant, 2003). But, positive events alone are not enough to bring about happiness, people need to be able to attend to and appreciate the positive feelings that emerge from positive events (Bryant & Veroff, 2007).

Furthermore, another study from researchers have found what they believe is the part of the brain directly responsible for feelings of happiness, and the discovery could help us tap into these feelings more often. Whether that involves creating more moments of joy and contentment or savouring the moments we have for a longer period of time, we might one day be able to 'train' our brains to hold on to happy feelings.

Psychologist Aaron Heller and his team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in found that the brain's ventral striatum 'lit up' for the longest time on the MRI scans, indicating that this section of the brain's reward system is directly linked to sustained positive emotions. These findings could help us to better understand depression and mental health, the academics suggest, as well as enabling us to find ways to 'train' the brain to be happier for longer.

Heller and colleagues’ findings, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that the duration of activity in specific circuits of the brain, even over relatively short periods of time such as seconds, can predict the persistence of a person’s positive emotion minutes and hours later. The results and the study’s unique design contribute to a growing understanding of how mental disorders such as depression might be manifested in the brain. Depression affects more than 350 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization.

So what will you savour more fully going forward?

FURTHER READING AND LISTENING

Bryant, F. B., & Veroff, J. (2007). Savoring: A new model of positive experience. Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Dr Jamil Zaki Hope for Cynics

Listen on Apple Podcasts: 

Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Listening Within - How to Boss up Authentically

This week an extra treat in the form of an additional podcast/audio serving up some midweek inspiration.

Personally l always feel that September can be and is a transitional month. Signifying the end of one season, and often offering a pause for reflection, a moment to stop and take a breath before we head into Autumn. Just as we start to think about changing our closets to accommodate different conditions. We can also find ourselves making changes in our mindsets and behaviours that perhaps started bubbling away underneath the surface during the carefree days of the summer months.

So are you feeling a shift already? Well l certainly have, firstly from a group creative call with the wonderful Claire Venus and secondly, an impromptu dinner outing up to our nourishing local by boat under the moonlight!

As we sat outside (yes still possible with the aid of heaters now!) Discussions around new adventures, and making changes was well underway. As my other half is also starting a new business venture! On the way back from dinner it felt as if we were fully immersed in the illumination and energy of the partial moon from the water. Intoxicating us and making it’s presence felt, somehow reconfirming and relaying those particular energies of new beginnings and adventures back to us.

I’m saying all of this to give the following some form of laid back context! As over the last week or so l’ve had this, simply said, nagging feeling. Provoking me to get really honest and real with myself in terms of what l can and want to offer as opposed to feeling what l should offer.

However, some peste questions kept making their presence felt, which were:

* Is this really what l feel drawn to offer?

* Do these offerings align and are they reflective with who l’ve become? Or am l hanging onto the past?

* I am getting to caught up with what everyone else is offering and trying to be them in the process? I particular good one l think!

* If l change the tone of what l do and offer, will it be enough?

Going back to my group session yesterday just made these self enquiries hard to ignore and what l needed to address, provoking some interesting internal responses. All of which resulted in me rewriting my bio/profile alongside my offerings that were more attuned to where l am now and how l feel. As opposed to leaving me feeling drained by having to offer too much, that realistically l just don’t have the time to do just yet! (another great discussion point Claire) as this is not my full time career/job/path (just yet!).

Meantime l would just like to take this opportunity whether you are a free or paid subscriber, to thank you for supporting me and my work, it is such a privilege to have my work listened/and read.

So the refresh! Goes something like this…….

About me 

My name is Salema Veliu and l’ve spent over twenty years helping people from all walks of life including some celebrities! In inspiring creativity and passion in promoting good mental and physical lifestyle habits for living in an overstimulated world.

WHAT IS SALEMA’S NOURISHING EDITS 2.0 ? 

Is a simple and laid back creative, newsletter/audio/video to help you reedit, restyle & reset your life in an overstimulated world. Your bio weekly nourishing edit 2.0 podcast delivered from my home on the water directly to you.

WHY SUBSTACK - WHY NOW ? 

I believe we are in a time where less does really more more. Less noise, more simplicity and laid back vibes to restyle our live’s in an overstimulated world. This platform allows us/me to do just that by having everything in one safe hub/place you can connect to. A home for your/our creativity, inspirations and aspirations alongside addressing concerns for living in an techie world. A place where you can access online live events, video notes, audio newsletters and podcasts. Paving the way for something new!

Salema’s NOURISHING EDITS 2.0 is a carefully curated selection of topics brought to you each week especially for you in how to balance wellbeing, creativity and mindfulness rediscovering your own style for living in the process. Sharing insights, inspirations and recommendations that most people will resonate with, to live well in an our overstimulated world. Prompts, practices, mindful insights that you can implement straight away. Helping you reignite your creativity, reedit and restyle your life to get your life back on track and inline with who you really are/who you have become.

No judgement here. You’ll also find me (not too often!) posting notes on everyday thoughts and inspirations, or sharing someone’s work which has deeply resonated and got me to take action.

If you become a free subscriber you will get access to my Bio weekly Nourishing weekly edit. This will be a weekly reflective piece to help you navigate personal challenges, transitions and feelings in our technological landscape. Prompts, mindful insights and recommendations will help you ignite your creativity and restyle your life to get your life back on track and inline with who you really are. 

As a Free Subscriber, you will receive Salema’s Nourishing Edits 2.0 Bio weekly Friday podcast at 5pm GMT, and public notes. 

However, if you want more than this then you might want to consider upgrading to a paid subscription….

PAID SUBSCRIBERS - £6  Month/ £65 a year 

If you become a paid subscriber you will receive the following 

* Salema’s Nourishing Edits 2.0 Bio weekly Friday podcast at 5pm GMT, all notes, archive pieces.

* Every last SUNDAY (this month will be 29th September at 5pm GMT) a monthly LIVE NOURISHING intimate gathering leading with a theme Prompts and practices in the form of a either a reading, poem. chant or self-care practice cultivating clarity and inspiration.

* My life-in-style as a perimenopause woman living in a overstimulated world,  all the things that have helped me really, that l can’t live without including mindfulness, yoga, technology, science, art and fashion! 

* Lifestyle and Wellness tips, hacks and practices.

* Two weeks FREE on GROKKER to practice yoga with me.

So what’s the moral of this post l hear you ask? Well l guess it’s simply be you!

Salema's Nourishing Edits 2.0 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, audio notes, podcasts, online invitations and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Honouring Freedom In An Overstimulated World

And the Neuroscience and Spirituality of it all!

A potent but sweet post and podcast await you this week on exploring from two perspectives, neuroscience and spiritual on how habits and memories effect freedom. And how to honour freedom in an overstimulated world. Expect actionable prompts and two profound readings to inspire, an some science to nerd out on to understand your brain, mind and behaviour in how to cultivate and resonate with FREEDOM.

As we resettle ourselves after a period of nourishment of carefree times and sunny days. Easing ourselves into late summer and heading towards the fall, you might be asking yourself ‘how can l maintain this elusive feeling?

Well this week we’ll take a deep delve from two different perspectives one from a Neuroscientific and one from a more spiritual eastern point of view, so prepare to nerd out and feel enlightened!

Six Potent self-enquiry prompts to kick start our exploration:

* What does freedom mean to you?

* What does freedom look like to you?

* When was the last time you truly experienced freedom?

* Do you remember when you last felt truly free?

* What can you let go of into the flow of life? 

* How are you honouring your choice of freedom?

Inspired by a great summer so far and my recent paddles out on the water. Freedom is a subject close to my heart as a Sagittarius. An often yet elusive feeling especially living in our over stimulated and fearful world.

Personally speaking, l find the essence of freedom through being in nature, on my yoga mat and travelling, but how about you?

How did you respond to the first six self enquiry prompts?

So let’s open up the exploration into what freedom means and how you might achieve it even in the most difficult of circumstances from a Spiritual, and Neuroscientific perspective.

Whilst l was out on the water, l got to thinking is Freedom just the lack of fear that we can experience moment to moment?

So let us start by looking at some definitions.

FREEDOM

Liberated, non-confinement, self-determination, self-rule, flexibility, openness

the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants (mindfully)

#EDITING YOUR FREEDOM

After doing a recent closet clean up, l decided to also go through some old jewellery. In the process finding one of my first pieces from Rock and Raw Jewellery when l was one of the first ambassadors for the brand back in the day. Also one of my favourite pendants handed crafted from a beautiful little store in Main Street, Venice, CA.

Memories re-emerged of an simpler and more free existence. Amongst the decluttering, old wedding bands and pieces with memories made their appearance. Jewellery holds imprints of our experiences some good, some not. So with that being said l decided to say a thank you prayer for the experience and then throw them into the flow of life.

Thank you Pixie Lighthouse for the following words and lighting the way in your beautiful guide ‘Prayers of Honouring’.

Bless our paths as we leave a season of our lives behind and declare new footsteps, once again, as you have blessed us so many times before now. Bless the Wheel that keeps us turning and learning. Guide us to autonomy as we learn to make spirit-stuff our first priority and the closest matter to our hearts. Let us allow this in others, honouring their way- knowing that we each have our own sweet language with you.

Guide us to true freedom by showing us our part in everything-everything beautiful and of creation, as well as that which is unseemly and destructive.

Understanding the Neuroscience of Your Brain in FREEDOM mapping

Think back, when you experienced great moments of clarity, creativity and the overall feeling of being free.

Did you also feel fear or predictability in your feelings or actions at the same time?

And if so is the concept of Freedom just an illusion? A holiday away from the predicative mind? And furthermore can we just free will freedom into existence?

So let’s take a quick whistle stop tour of the the Brain areas that play they part in Freedom.

The Cerebral cortex is the largest site of neural integration in the central nervous system, divided into four lobes: frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal. The CC plays a key role in mapping attention, perception, awareness, thought, memory, language, and consciousness. Your brain’s surface’s outer layer of protected tissue.

Back in 2013 Professor Joaquin M. Fuster’s research documented that “the liberty or freedom to choose between alternatives is a function of the cerebral cortex, under prefrontal control, in its reciprocal interaction with the environment.” Furthermore he lead a fascinating inquiry into the cerebral foundation of our ability to choose between alternative actions and to freely lead creative plans to their goal. Nerd out on his research below.

Click here to download the file here

Other contributors and their roots that play their part in Freedom

* Trust - A belief and learned behaviour. A brain process that binds representations of self, other, situation, and emotion into a neural pattern called a semantic pointer. Affecting behaviours.

* Values - Similar to attitudes and beliefs encapsulating cognitive, emotional, and behavioural parts all affecting behaviours.

* Speech - Emotional and behavioural.

* Free Will - Cognitive and Volition, can also be connected to emotions affecting behaviours.

FREE WILL

I also wanted to touch upon the philosophical and scientific debate on Free Will to help you understand a little more your brain in the process. So you can access my presentation l gave at Cambridge a few years, pre pandemic below and come to your own decisions.

The Spirituality of FREEDOM

Whilst there any many great books on Freedom, in recent years the topic Freedom has somehow taken a back seat. However, that being said in J.Krishnamurti’s ‘The First and Last Freedom” (one of my go to books), whom is quite controversial in his views.

In his soul seeking book ‘The First and Last Freedom’ he makes mindfully clear that FREEDOM ultimately LAYS within YOU. Understanding Freedom can only be achieved from knowing your self, your mind and your body, exploring some of the following areas:

Awareness, Actions & Ideas, Beliefs, Fear, Desire, Death, Effort, Self-knowledge, Discipline, Loneliness, Suffering, Surrender, Love, Simplicity, Hate, Gossip. Self-centred Activity and Spiritual Teachers.

Expanding further on how habits effect freedom

The Book of Life, May 31, Harper Collins, 1995

Without freedom from the past there is no freedom at all, because the mind is never new, fresh, innocent. It is only the fresh, innocent mind that is free. Freedom has nothing to do with age, it has nothing to do with experience; and it seems to me that the very essence of freedom lies in understanding the whole mechanism of habit, both conscious and unconscious. It is not a question of ending habit, but of seeing totally the structure of habit. You have to observe how habits are formed and how, by denying or resisting one habit, another habit is created. What matters is to be totally conscious of habit; for then, as you will see for yourself there is no longer the formation of habit. To resist habit, to fight it, to deny it, only gives continuity to habit. When you fight a particular habit you give life to that habit, and then the very fighting of it becomes a further habit. But if you are simply aware of the whole structure of habit without resistance, then you will find there is freedom from habit, and in that freedom a new thing takes place.

It is only the dull, sleepy mind that creates and clings to habit. A mind that is attentive from moment to moment—attentive to what it is saying, attentive to the movement of its hands, of its thoughts, of its feelings—will discover that the formation of further habits has come to an end. This is very important to understand, because as long as the mind is breaking down one habit, and in that very process creating another, it can obviously never be free; and it is only the free mind that can perceive something beyond itself.

The challenges of cultivating FREEDOM in an overstimulated world

We live not only in overstimulated world but also a fairly repressive one made worse by the world’s media. Fear, violence, repression, depression and negativity are all regular features of our daily news cycle. Breading unhealthy habits, reactions and copping mechanisims. Therefore, to even have a chance of experiencing feelings of any type of freedom we need to take matters into our own hands!

Hacks for helping cultivate Freedom

* Have regular check-ins with yourself on what your doing, what you want to do and feel?

* Simplify, edit and reedit (as many times as you need) in terms of how you are living.

* Be honest with yourself and others in terms of happiness and joy, as well as what you are finding hard to accomplish or deal with.

* Allocate mini pockets of time to rest and recharge and step away from technology regularly, so that you may start doing one thing a day to take your nearer to where you want to be. Maybe it’s a phone call, an email, time to write, paint, create, learning more about what you can do to facilitate that progress to honour your vision and ultimately your freedom.

* Pre-order special offer still running but ends on Monday 9th, September so please click the link below to upgrade your subscription to access our online gatherings/meets together.

Salema's Nourishing Edits 2.0 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts, video, audio notes, live gatherings/workshops and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Hello friends,

Inspired by recent readings and yoga over the weekend and always weaving my theme of how to cultivate more nourishment in an overstimulated world. I offer this short but sweet meditation, mantra/affirmation practice as a result to help you reset, belief, trust, love and hope in yourself. Developing a reassurance and resilience within to allow more receptivity and creativity flow.

My hope is that it will give you strength to face what ever your facing currently, providing a reset for a refreshed mindset.

Take a comfortable seat (for you), once that feels connected and offers presence to your being.

Eyes can be closed, or slightly (3/4) open focusing on a spot about a foot in front of you.

Palms facing up, as you touch your thumb to each thumb type repeat the below.

Affirmation 1 : I believe in myself - repeat 5 times

Affirmation 2: I trust, love, hope - repeat 5 times

After practising one/or both sit with the remnants of the vibration and if feel drawn to note anything down grab your notebook and pen and jot away!

MY CURRENT BOOK RECOMMENDATION to understand and nurture these important key ingredients

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When the object is the same, but the mental field is different, the way of perceiving or the level of understanding the object will be different

- Patanjali’s YOGS SUTRAS, BOOK FOUR, SUTRA 1.5

This week the same sentiment out has been making it’s presence known to me ‘Slow down, what’s the rush?’ via many different forms/mediums. Maybe it has something to do with Mercury still being in Retrograde motion, prompting us to pause and revisit certain things. Nonetheless, l took heed of the message and in the process alleviated some of the pressure l’ve been feeling.

Reflecting on this non easeful feeling that was arising. l was reminded of the above Sutra and circled back to one of my favourite texts on ways to cultivate Freedom (a very important characteristic if you are a Sagittarius like me!)

In this written work, we are asked to reassess our truth, where we think it comes from and how to break freedom for self imposed restrictions that we have been influenced from. In the age of the Internet, AI and social media this is an important reminder to reflect upon.

The hope for truth and ultimate freedom can’t come from someone telling you what to do, say or even believe; it can only come from your creative self-understanding.

- J. Krishnamurti

When l talk about pressure, l am of course talking about my self imposed commitment in terms of a doing a Podcast a week as well as crafting my new discounted subscription offer package due Sept, (more coming on this during next week). As well as a busy week of catching up on Substack, Beth Kempton’s Summer writing sanctuary and meets/replays with Elena Brower for Simplify and thinking about the next steps forward, yes it’s been a lot.

Part of what Beth was speaking about this week really hit home in terms of committing to producing our work in terms of quantity and quality, and how the latter really should take centre stage. Her guidance serving as a gentle nudge that we should really stop to feel how we are feeling in terms of creating, timelines and ultimately how and when to share our work with others.

Like with anything in life, when you love what you do, you should never forget why you started and what your key purpose was/is. It is so easy when we are creating a business out of what we love to do to get swamped into the busy business of it all.

Therefore, constantly reviewing our structure and purpose regularly can prevent burnout and help us see how and what we need to adjust to move forward aligned.

Our passions/work, whether a it be a hobby or another source of income should be watered and nurtured with a loving attentiveness. Just as we do with gardening, cultivating a greater awareness and responding to what is needed to help the plants flourish, which often requiring changing things around.

Adjusting our choices and schedules where we feel necessary can often help us bring forward our best work, instead of falling into the trap of just churning mediocre works just for the sake of it.

Something that l like to affectionately refer to as FONKUWO:

F = Fear

O = Of

N = Not

K = Keeping

U = Up

W = With

O = Others

All of which in the age of the internet unfortunately has become second nature.

For that reason procuring even some intermittent time away from your creative projects can help reseed your inspiration and improve the quality of your work.

Some prompts to enquire how and if you are producing your best work

* What the key ingredients for you to produce your best work?

* Are your schedules and timings still really realistic?

* What did you base them on initially:

* How you felt?

or Observation of information/and of what other’s were doing?

* How influenced are you by social media?

* How are you creating?

* Is there a sense of ease to how you produce your work or do you always feel pressurised?

* Is there a thread of you running through your work?

* Is your heart still in what you are doing?

* Are you generous with yourself and your creations/offerings?

* Do you allow time for inspiration to create something valuable to offer to others?

* What is your purpose now?

* What is your goal now? Has it changed since you started your project/creation (which can be anything)?

* What or who has been influencing you, in the past and currently?

* Does the influence align with you true feelings?

* Do you currently feel at ease with what your doing? If not why?

Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

A snapshot from one of my reformer stretch/yin sessions @thenessclub.

Hello friends, it’s been a while…..October actually was my last full post.

Why the pause?….

Well there has been a lot of changes going on behind the scenes and these days l’m a bit more in tune with myself, knowing when l need to retreat, to regroup, to reinvent and when to push forward.

How about you?

Welcome back if you’ve been here before, and welcome if this is your first time.

I created SlowForm Living with Salema, as an invitation for you to slow down, pause and nestle into reflections on life inspired by my slow living on the water, my love 4 movement, travel and all with a touch of an Aussie vibe. Here l offer helpful journalling prompts along with various practices to help you find your laid back vibe to enjoy life and to help you connect with your purpose.

This is a free subscription currently however, if you would like to contribute an offering of thanks then you can donate here buy me a coffee

All subscriptions and donations greatly appreciated.

So what makes my first offering of 2026 different? Well it’s not just grounded in intuition and energy — but also in science-backed mechanisms showing the benefits of intentional practices like reformer yin can help you align with the season influencing your nervous system, stress response, and psychological resilience.

So let’s get started.

With pre Christmas organising and expectations still lingering in the air and now post festive holidays. You’ll be forgiven if you still feeling mentally hung over…….while you recover from the end of one year with expectations for the new year hovering overhead. Exploring realistic new daily structures, a new rhythm that is more in tune with you.

So how are you feeling dear friends?

Are you feeling depleted?

Do you find yourself already imposing too many goals and deadlines?

Right, take a short pause wherever you are right now - to breathe, be still and listen to what is stirring underneath the surface….

Some Prompts for this time………

What needs to be heard?

What needs attention ?

What needs to release?

What boundaries need to be honoured emotionally and physically?

What is emotional and physical nourishment looking like for you right now?

What are you feeling?

What do you need to feel safe?

Typically the winter months are for retreating, listening, eating warming foods and taking rest to prepare for moving forward in the spring. Many of these elements reflected through many eastern systems including Ayurveda, Yoga, Yin Yoga, Reformer Yin (which draws from TCM).

All of these systems share one thing in common - they honours seasonal transitions rather than rushing them, which is essential for nervous system balance.

Seasonal Biology and the Nervous System

From a physiological standpoint, any seasonal framework closely mirrors our modern understanding of biological rhythms. Human systems operate in cycles of stimulation, recovery, and integration. During winter and late winter, circadian rhythms slow, tissue repair increases, and the autonomic nervous system benefits from greater parasympathetic dominance.

When we ignore these rhythms and continue to push high output, the nervous system often remains in a low-grade sympathetic state. Over time, this can reduce recovery capacity, impair breath mechanics, and increase background muscular tone. The body isn’t asking for a reset—it’s asking for regulation.

The Winter / Water Phase in TCM

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we are currently in the Winter / Water phase—a season associated with conservation, storage, and deep restoration. This phase is governed by the Kidney and Bladder systems, which in TCM relate not only to fluid regulation and skeletal support, but also speaks to the body’s capacity for endurance, adaptability, and the body’s stress response for recovery, resilience, and nervous system stability

From a physiological perspective, this seasonal framework aligns closely with what we understand about human biology. During winter and late winter, metabolic demand naturally shifts, circadian rhythms slow, and the autonomic nervous system shows a greater need for parasympathetic dominance—supporting repair, integration, and energy preservation. This is not a time for abrupt resets or constant stimulation, but for gradual consolidation.

Kidney / Water Themes: Fear, Willpower, and Resilience

In TCM, the Kidney system is closely associated with fear and willpower. Practices that support this system are not about pushing through discomfort, but about building trust in the body’s capacity to adapt.

Reformer Yin encourages stillness without collapse, effort without force. This balance supports emotional regulation alongside physical resilience, helping individuals meet challenge with steadiness rather than reactivity.

Energetically, the Water element is linked to fear and willpower. When balanced, it supports resilience and quiet strength. When depleted, it can manifest as anxiety, fatigue, tension in the lower back, or difficulty regulating stress. Seasonal practices during this phase aim to preserve energy rather than expend it.

Seasonally, this phase asks for conservation rather than expenditure—creating the conditions for strength to be restored, not forced.

Yet so many of us go against this natural cycle and flow.

Tuning into these shifts—rather than overriding them—can be profoundly supportive. Perhaps this is why the Chinese New Year, or lunar calendar, often feels more aligned with who we really are.

For how can we raise our vibration to meet the start of new cycles if our nervous system is completely depleted?

Practising With the Season & Ayurveda

Seasonal practices are not about stopping movement—they are about timing and intention. Winter asks us to consolidate, integrate, and restore so that energy can be mobilised effectively when activity naturally increases.

Reformer Yin respects this phase. It supports tissue repair, neural integration, and long-term sustainability, rather than short-term output.

This is not a retreat from strength.

It is the foundation that allows strength, clarity, and momentum to return—more efficiently and with greater ease.

Equally, Ayurveda works with energies and elements of the universe as well as seasons. The universe is believed to be broken down into 5 elements: Earth - Water- Fire - Air and Ether which are also the five seasons of Ayurveda broken down into 3 types/doshas.

* Vata = movement, creativity, change

* Pitta = transformation, intensity, focus

* Kapha = stability, calm, nurturing

Everyone has all three doshas, but most people are dominant in one or two, which shapes their body, mind, digestion, habits, and emotional patterns—basically their natural blueprint. Ayurveda helps balance these energies through diet, lifestyle, exercise, and mindfulness, tailored to your unique dosha combination.

The Three Dosha’s

1. Vata Dosha – The Energy of Movement

Elements: Air + Ether

Qualities: Light, dry, cold, mobile, irregular, subtle

Body & Physical Traits:

* Usually lean or thin

* Dry skin and hair

* Quick movements and gestures

* Irregular appetite and digestion

Mind & Behaviour:

* Creative, imaginative, and quick-thinking

* Energetic but can tire easily

* Often adaptable but may feel anxious or restless under stress

* Love variety and change

Health Tendencies:

* Prone to dryness (skin, hair, joints)

* Can get bloating, constipation, or cold-related issues

* Balance with warmth, grounding, regular routines, and nourishing foods

Lifestyle Tips:

* Keep warm, stay hydrated

* Eat grounding, moist, and warm foods

* Maintain a regular schedule for sleep, meals, and work

* Gentle exercises like yoga, tai chi, or walking

2. Pitta Dosha – The Energy of Transformation

Elements: Fire + Water

Qualities: Hot, sharp, oily, intense, penetrating, light

Body & Physical Traits:

* Medium build, muscular

* Warm body temperature

* Strong digestion, good appetite

* Prone to rashes, acne, or overheating

Mind & Behavior:

* Intelligent, focused, ambitious

* Strong-willed and passionate

* Can be easily irritable or impatient

* Enjoy challenges and intellectual pursuits

Health Tendencies:

* Prone to inflammation, acid reflux, or skin irritations

* Can overwork or overthink, leading to stress

* Balance with cooling, calming routines and foods

Lifestyle Tips:

* Avoid overheating; enjoy cooling foods and environments

* Practice meditation or calming exercises

* Eat foods that are less spicy, lighter, and cooling

* Engage in moderate exercise, avoid excessive heat

3. Kapha Dosha – The Energy of Stability

Elements: Earth + Water

Qualities: Heavy, slow, steady, soft, cold, oily

Body & Physical Traits:

* Solid, strong build, sometimes heavier

* Smooth, oily skin

* Calm movements and steady stamina

* Slower digestion

Mind & Behavior:

* Loyal, patient, nurturing, and calm

* Can be resistant to change

* Enjoy routine, comfort, and stability

* May have a tendency to attachment or lethargy

Health Tendencies:

* Prone to weight gain, congestion, or sluggishness

* Can get depression or low motivation if out of balance

* Balance with stimulating, energizing, and light practices

Lifestyle Tips:

* Engage in regular exercise to stay active

* Eat lighter, spicier, and more energizing foods

* Keep changing routines occasionally to avoid stagnation

* Stay mentally stimulated and socially engaged

Do you resonate with any of the above?

Reformer Yin

Physical practices like Reformer Yin embody the philosophy of moving with the seasons, offering space to slow down, regulate, and reconnect, allowing the body and the nervous system to move through change with more ease and awareness. This way of marking time is more consistent with how the body actually functions. Human physiology operates through biological rhythms and adaptive cycles, not abrupt resets. Neural, hormonal, and musculoskeletal systems require periods of load, recovery, and integration to function optimally.

When these rhythms are ignored—particularly in relation to the autonomic nervous system—we often attempt to accelerate output at the very moment the body is signalling for down-regulation, recovery, and consolidation. Therefore, understanding how you hold, stand and support yourself reflects your approach to your physicality and wellbeing.

Why Reformer Yin Particularly Supportive Now

Reformer Yin offers a practice structure that aligns naturally with this season. The slower pace, longer-held positions, and external support of the reformer and its springs reduce unnecessary muscular effort and mechanical load which in turn allow the nervous system to down-regulate. Supporting vagal tone, improves breath mechanics, and helps restore balance between sympathetic drive and parasympathetic recovery.

Longer holds allow connective tissue and fascial networks time to adapt without force. This supports hydration of tissues, improves joint feedback, and promotes a sense of safety within the nervous system—key during the Water phase.

Reformer Yin encourages stillness without collapse, effort without force. This balance supports emotional regulation alongside physical resilience, helping individuals meet challenge with steadiness rather than reactivity.

A snapshot of a reformer yin class…….

Bridging the Western biomechanics/neuroscience with Eastern (TCM) Principles

The way you hold, stand, and support your body reflects how your musculoskeletal and nervous systems are organised over time. From a Western perspective, these postural strategies reveal learned motor patterns, load distribution, and autonomic tone. From an Eastern viewpoint, they also express how energy is conserved, directed, or depleted within the body.

Observing these patterns can offer insight into habitual holding behaviours—both physical and behavioural—highlighting where compensation, inefficiency, or stress responses have become embedded in the system.

Integrating Biology, Biomechanics, and Balance

Yesterday, after one of my classes, I found myself in conversation with a couple of students—one of whom is a biology teacher. She shared how much she appreciates the way biology and biomechanics are woven into the class, and how understanding why we move the way we do has helped her recognise her own patterns more clearly.

That exchange stayed with me, because it speaks to something fundamental. While Reformer Pilates is often associated with control, precision, and technique, it is also a powerful system of rehabilitation for both the mind and the body. The patterns we adopt in movement often mirror the patterns we live by. How do you approach physical challenge? Is it with constant effort and drive, or with responsiveness and adaptability?

From both Eastern and Western perspectives, sustainable movement requires balance. In Eastern frameworks, this is the interplay between yang (active, heated, outward energy) and yin (passive, receptive, restorative states). In Western physiology, this mirrors the relationship between the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).

Most modern life already places us in prolonged sympathetic activation—constant doing, processing, and output. When this state becomes continuous, it can lead to depletion, reduced recovery, and increased reactivity. Movement practices that only reinforce this pattern may unintentionally add to the load.

When we intentionally access parasympathetic states through breath, slower pacing, and supported movement, we begin the process of nervous system harmonisation. Over time, this reduces reactivity, improves regulation, and allows both physical and psychological resilience to develop.

Certain styles of Reformer, when approached with awareness, can offer a space to practise this balance—not just in the body, but in how we meet effort, challenge, and rest in life.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

SlowForm Living is inspired by slow living on the water, my love 4 movement all with a touch of Aussie ease. Expect journalling prompts and movement and meditation practices to help you find your laid back vibe. Providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity along the way.

All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.

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So this week, two worlds come together Eastern philosophy and Western Science, affectionately referred to as when East meets West.

Two powerful and relative verse’s/chants await you. Taken from The chapter on pure awareness from Chapter One of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra to Practice identifications and stilling the fluctuations of the mind. Along with four prompts to deepen your self enquiry, exploring how false memories maybe affecting how you see and understand your current reality. I’ll also be drawing from my days studying Memory during my time at Cambridge. Offering a brief introduction to Memory Pathology & Terminology presenting some insight to help you gain a new shifting perspective on how you perceive memories and ultimately your reality.

With a full and interesting week of entertaining, and preparing for new ventures and adventures, surprisingly l’ve found it more of a challenge to be creative. However, l should have known that (thankfully) that essence wouldn’t linger for too long. Able to catch the realisation arising of how l was subscribing to a somewhat false story and a reminder of how quickly we can revert to our old patterns and stories in our minds.

I feel so blessed to be joining my mentor Elena Brower towards the end of the year for reflection and learning more about how to sit and soften with life.

I’ve always had a duality of thought in terms of my belief that things happen for a reason and believing that we have Will Power, to make conscious choices that can change the directionality of our path in life.

One such thing happened to me this week, as l was on my patients (eye patients) rounds this week (my other part-time job for now!) I had been thinking the last couple of weeks about re-tipping my toes in the water to teach YOGA in real time at a physical place as opposed to online.

Looking at my route on Wednesday, l realised that one of my patients lived near one of my old yoga studios in Cambridge. I quietly whispered to myself and then re-affirmed out loud “If there’s a parking space right outside, then l will stop if not l won’t.” Yes, you guessed when l pulled into the road there was a free space right outside the entrance, so in l went to have a brief conversation on the possibility. Greeted by a new centre manager we hit it off straight away.

Nonetheless, that being said in amongst the joy, l also observed my mind beginning to negativity wonder and spiral. Old memories from a particular difficult time in my teaching profession resurfacing. Inferring and subscribing too old stories of unworthiness and imposter syndrome that one experiences from time to time, often more prevalent if you’ve had a long break away. Therefore, befriending your mind becomes essential for cultivating strong mental wellbeing.

Befriend YOUR MIND

Our Memory has multiple facets of memory within our memory! Therefore, understanding and bringing awareness to how your mind works from both an western and eastern scientific perspective can help you evolve and remove yourself from suffering.

My journey in Cognitive Experimental Psychology (When l had hair!)

Memory - A vast field for scientific exploration

During my time at Cambridge, l found the scientific study of Memory and Vision fascinating. Although now it’s even hard for me to recall the amount of material l actually studied. Another interesting side story to note here is WHY l went back to University as a mature student? Was to help my understanding of memory loss in Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients as my mother was greatly suffering from Alzheimer’s at the time.

This was some of my old scribbles on one of my many sessions with one of my amazing lecturer’s Dr Andrea Grieve who broke memory down in a easy and informative way.

So feel free to nerd out below!

Memory is split into two our conscious and non conscious.

Conscious memory also known as our Explicit/Declarative memory contains both our long and short term memories. Long term containing Episodic (events) and Semantic (facts).

Non-conscious also known as Implicit/Procedural contains our skills (habits) and conditioning (priming).

It is worth also remembering that memory has three main functions which are Encoding, Storage and Retrieval.

FALSE MEMORIES and the Impact on the Self

So what are False memories?

Basically False memories are recollections of past events that the brain has created, distorted, or reconstructed over time normally in a bid to protect the constructed self. Often found in PTSD patients but more apparent for example with witnesses in criminal trials, when they asked to recall what they saw and/or heard.

How we create False Memories reminders:

There is some memory that really isn’t memory.

There is something such as false recall:

Activation through word association.

Failure to recognise why that item is your mind.

Maybe some items are lending themselves to be incorrectly recalled.

The illusion of remembering events that have never happened is really possible.

Recognition is lower than recall.

Watch out for assumptions and claims.

THE impact on the SELF/MANY SELF’S/NOT SELF’S are repeating cycles of behaviour that can undermine our quality of living and experiences. Often fuelling fear and keeping us from experiencing some form of freedom.

How to unsubscribe to False memories and stories from an Eastern perspective

Meditation and Mindfulness

Embodied philosophy and chants

VERSE’S/CHANTS

YS1.2

yogas’ citta-vritti-nirodhah

When you stop indentifying with your thoughts, fluctuations of the mind, then there is Yoga, identity with Self, which is samadhi, happiness and bliss

YS1.12

abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah

Identification with the fluctuations of the mind is stopped by practice and non-attachment

I’ll leave you this week with some Embodied Prompts for consideration on False Memories

What are you currently subscribing too that maybe preventing your progress and joy?

Reflect upon any memories that are troubling/limiting to you that may not be quite as true as you think?

Do you often get confused when recalling certain memories?

What memories are you/have you blocked or struggle to remember?

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Photo taken from the top of the EMI Music Building London, where l used to teach privately on Monday evenings, loved that gig! And Simon Cowell did not attend!

This week my friends, something arose in me amongst life’s curve balls, clearing and organising my creative space and oh yes entertaining!

A new poem that just cracked me open as l was writing it. Taking me by surprise with tears dropping. Not sure why now and where it exactly came but it’s overwhelming presence was so strong that l was even writing it as l was still in bed on my phone notes!

As l was reading the words back to myself, they just seemed to take on a life of their own, possibly what some might to refer to as “getting the creative juices flowing”. However, this experience permeated a strong realisation and reminder on why we should stop and pause every now and then. As we do so we are giving ourselves permission and the opportunity to celebrate and be proud of all our achievements. In the process cultivating a kindness towards ourselves and giving gratitude for how far we’ve actually come and to say out loud ‘well done me’.

Firstly, let us start with the poem, affectionately entitled My Tiny Feet.

My Tiny Feet 

Look how far we’ve come 

In unison 

Through the rugged terrain of life 

My tiny feet 

Travelling the globe 

Treading many unfamiliar steps and pathways 

Allowing me to see the world 

Thank you my tiny feet 

For carrying the weight of my soul and so much more 

Always there to ground me 

In the remembrance of who I am 

Silent heroes 

Thank you my tiny feet 

With me at the beginning until the end 

Like a familiar friend 

A different type of gratitude arises 

Thank you my tiny feet 

For all our adventures and the reassurance 

On the trek of life 

Thank you my tiny feet

salemaveliu©2024

The many footsteps l’ve taken along Venice Beach, CA over the last. two decades.

SELF CARE PRACTICES AND REFLECTION FOR FEET

Typically when l think about feet, l usually think of pedicures and/or corns. A keen fan of reflexology. l’ve learn’t a lot about my blockages via my feet as well as my overall physical and mental health. For example, did you know (corns are said to reflect deep rooted levels of anger and stubbornness).

Prompts for self enquiry

* So when was the last time you really looked at your feet?

* The underside, the heel, the ball, general skin condition, nails (without polish)?

* What can or are they telling you?

l know l could give my feet more love than l do, foot scrubs, and overnight makeovers! Now a better work in progress.

Teaching Yoga for over two decades and spending most of my days in bare feet, flip flops or Uggs, maybe my feet are doing better than most!

CHANT for Finding your feet in a unsteady world

Reflecting on feet, the other self enquiry that came to mind was:

‘How grounded am I?’

With everything going on in the world, it can become very easy to get distracted by the overwhelming white noise, chaos and fear. In this times therefore, it becomes essential to cultivate ways to ground ourselves to navigate uneasy times.

One tool l have found super helpful has been to chant mantra’s. Particularly from the yogic text of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. While training with Jivamukti Yoga one of the first chants learn’t and used frequently in my subsequent classes was the following: particularly helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed and unsteady.

This chant serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between stability and ease, effort and surrender, in both yoga practice and life at large. In adapting these principles, we can cultivate greater mindfulness, resilience, and well-being, both on and off the mat. As we navigate the complexities of modern living, may we find inspiration in this ancient sutra, guiding us towards a life of harmony, balance, and inner peace.

Eastern teachings on where Inner Energy + Matter collide = Chakras + Humans

From a holistic healing viewpoint, the CHAKRA system is said to contain many of the answers we seek to understand ourselves; patterns and behaviours that influence how we interact and function. Originating in India over four thousand years ago and featured in many yoga texts. It is an ancient healing system based around our unique energy the meeting of physical and spiritual here on planet earth.

A very brief introduction follows if you haven’t heard about the Chakra system before.

Invisible in nature, Chakra’s (which they are seven and in Kundalini yoga eight) are spinning vortex’s of energy depicted in different colours to represent their relative placement and resonance to certain states of consciousness and emotions. If your new to entertaining this idea, then try and picture this, imagine your spine and either end of that, in this theory the spine is depicted as a tube referred as Sushumna Nadi.

We are focusing on just the first one today which is referred to as ROOT Muladhara, where the ELEMENT is EARTH located at the base of the spine. Representing survival, self preservation, stability, grounding, trust, prosperity, robust physical health, to be in the moment-present. However, the shadow or negative aspect of this Chakra is yes you guessed it FEAR.

In the physical practice of YOGA all standing poses are beneficial for strengthening this positive attributes of this Chakra.

Some other postures (which there are many) that may also be helpful to strengthen your tenacity (of purpose) are the following:

Childs Pose

Mountain Pose

Squat Pose

Standing Forward Bend

Bridge Pose

Photo taken from the top of the EMI Music Building London, where l used to teach privately on Monday evenings, loved that gig! And Simon Cowell did not attend!

WALKING MEDITATION

Is particularly good for stress and anxiety and the good news, any age can do it and you don’t have to be a yoga practitioner!

The great thing about walking meditation is that it can be done inside or outside. For the purpose of this post today, l’m going to talk you through an indoor practice as it was one of the first learn’t before l ventured outside to practice.

SIMPLE INDOOR WALKING MEDITATION PRACTICE

I remember one of the first walking meditations l learn’t was on my yoga mat.

Walking from the back to the front and then walking backwards to the rear of my mat. Surprisingly simple but very effective.

Really this practice is about cultivating more awareness and attention to your feet.

Lets start, choose where you are going to walk and then follow these simple cues:

* While walking you want to practice feeling the roll of the whole of each foot as you walk.

* Be aware and try to distinguish when your heel touches down on the ground and when your foot is flat on the ground & when your toe/s points back upward.

* Observe any sensations such as a warm sensation or perhaps even pain without judgement, just observing.

* If you find your mind wandering , gently return your attention back to your feet.

* Train your mind to notice when it drifts and return to the present moment.

To take this practice outdoors go barefoot and feel a greater connection to the ground, this is also lovely to do on the sand.

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My footsteps in the sand one of many the many steps l’ve taken along Venice Beach, CA over the last two decades.

This week my friends, something arose in me amongst life’s curve balls, clearing and organising my creative space and oh yes entertaining! A new poem that just cracked me open as l was writing it. Taking me by surprise with tears dropping. Not sure why now and where it exactly came but it’s overwhelming presence was so strong that l was even writing it as l was still in bed on my phone notes!

As l was reading the words back to myself, they just seemed to take on a life of their own, possibly what some might to refer to as “getting the creative juices flowing”. However, this experience permeated a strong realisation and reminder on why we should stop and pause every now and then. As we do so we are giving ourselves permission and the opportunity to celebrate and be proud of all our achievements. In the process cultivating a kindness towards ourselves and giving gratitude for how far we’ve actually come and to say out loud ‘well done me’.

So this week an offering of my latest poem, a walking meditation and a chant all lay in wait for you (the latter two available with the rest of the post out this Saturday).

Firstly, let us start with the poem, affectionately entitled My Tiny Feet.

My Tiny Feet 

Look how far we’ve come 

In unison 

Through the rugged terrain of life 

My tiny feet 

Travelling the globe 

Treading many unfamiliar steps and pathways 

Allowing me to see the world 

Thank you my tiny feet 

For carrying the weight of my soul and so much more 

Aways there to ground me 

In the remembrance of who I am 

Silent heroes 

Thank you my tiny feet 

With me at the beginning until the end 

Like a familiar friend 

A different type of gratitude arises 

Thank you my tiny feet 

For all our adventures and the reassurance 

On the trek of life 

Thank you my tiny feet

salemaveliu©2024

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This week my friends a delicious offering awaits you in my podcast this week. Exploring creating clarity to amplify possibility to honour your vision for life. Some prompts, a mindfulness practice for enhancing your vision and a new poem to ignite your inner vision. 

clarity की परिभाषाएं और अर्थ अंग्रेजी में

clarity संज्ञा

Clearness of thought or style; lucidity.

Clearness of appearance, uncloudedness.

Clearness; brightness.

Free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression.

Amplify की परिभाषाएं और अर्थ अंग्रेजी में

AMPLIFY क्रिया

Increase the volume of.

exaggerate or make bigger.

increase in size, volume or significance.

magnify.

Something (for me at least) happens when l look at clear crisp skies and summer sunsets. In these moments nature appears to amplify its presence, design, beauty and somehow it’s attitude towards me. Clarifying it’s position. Silently prodding my attention and asking my consciousness to become more aware of being present with all that is. It is often in these moments when my vision becomes clear with the voice of possibilities, possibilities for growth and evolution.

Can clarity help you redesign your attitude and become more present with that is?

Maybe the answers can be found from our past. Especially childhood, when l reflect on mine, happy smiles from playing in water and nature, summer gatherings with family and especially grandparents. Simple pleasures that brought connection, love, a sense of ease and instantly a profound sense of wellness all contributing towards cultivating a happy attitude.

Even now days when you can encourage younger children outdoors, they often get more pleasure out of playing in paddling pools and castles than playing with computer games. Bringing about a seemingly different type of connection, awareness and creativity. Enhancing ideas, encouraging cleaner communication and understanding. Unconsciously redesigning attitudes in the process.

My “Less is More’ theory cultivates and reflects at it’s core essence how simplicity can provide clarity, banishing confusion and overwhelm redesigning attitudes in the process.

How to create clarity to amplify possibility

Prompts for self enquiry and journalling

(In all of these enquires be very specific).

* What currently seems unclear in your current reality and how can you address it?

* Describe and/or visualise this aspect of your life?

* What does clarity mean to you and for you?

A mindfulness practice for enhancing your vision

Inside or outside take a seat or stand, from where you are spend a few moments taking in the view.

* What do you see?

* Now close your eyes for 5 full breaths and re-open your eyes.

* Do you see the same as before or are you noticing a different picture emerging?

* What is new? in other words what are you noticing that you didn’t first time around?

* In this view what has more amplification and stands out?

* Now as focus your vision on a viewpoint far away and then bring your attention to something very close by, in other words you are alternating between your distance and near vision. (*This exercise will stop your eye muscles from getting lazy and help nourish your vision).

If you wear glasses or contact lenses try this exercise first without the aid of refraction and then do the same exercise with the refraction of the glasses or contact lenses.

* Now take that clarity of vision and apply it to a problem or circumstance what do you see now?

* Are they other possibilities you could consider?

I’ll close this weeks podcast with a new poem, l’ve been working on recently so l hope you enjoy it. Until next time my friends.

Honouring Clarity

In all forms

The familiarity of certain impulses

Blinding our clarity 

Restricting our creativity 

What to do

Pause, take a breath, 

Reminding us that sometimes things are not what they seem

So blink to refresh

A vision emerges

Newly amplified 

Shedding a different light

No longer lines blurred

Uncloudedness reins here

Brightness freeing us from obscurity and fear

Into the comprehensibility of clear expression 

Asking the questions

What do l see and think? 

Clarity emerges

Clearness of thought 

A Sharper picture unfolds 

Now what do you want to see? 

©2024salemaveliu

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On Saturday l decided to do organise a virtual meet to give people an example of a monthly gathering l will be starting in September, a flavour so to speak.

The Video recording awaits you above. Consisting of video practices, a chant, a poem and some prompts on Blossoming and belief.

Although no-one turned up (honesty prevails here!) how human of me to feel this way (thank you Elena Brower ) to feel slightly discouraged. I decided to go ahead and continue with what l had planned to do anyway (and had fun in the process).

Somehow hearing the thoughts, and words l had written into a virtual existence was a good learning experience. Reminders of when l first started teaching online.

With the success stories we often hear on this platform, it can often become easy to get discouraged in our writing journey and the expectations ahead. However, if we believe in what we do and more importantly how we communicate it, through various mediums and words we use to tell the narratives we should keep going. Learning and observing as we go.

Thank you to Claire Venus for your reassurance and recommendations and thank you to Lyndsay Kaldor for the reconnection after those many years ago when we first met when l was teaching at Tri Yoga Chelsea, l’m excited for what we can co-create together.

Tri Yoga Gathering, Kings Road, Chelsea

The conclusion of this narrative is that we are always the student if when we think we’re not.

Prompt

* What could you put more belief into your current reality?

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Bloom - to open

Blossom - to grow and do well

Circle - unity, balance, connection, birth, growth, death

As l was resting in corpses pose after an intensive detox/twisting class, the following thought arose…..What does it really mean to live life on your own terms?

Not quite sure why that prompt suddenly entered my stream of conscious, maybe because l was trying to work through the stuff l’ve had to deal with the last few weeks it’s been intense and there was a lot of twisting in that class dear Elena!

In a yoga practice twisting poses can provoke stirrings bubbling away just underneath the surface to arise. Often triggering emotions such as anger, buried deep in our psyche, our muscles and more importantly our organs.

Laying there l realised, actually it was perfectly normal to be drifting along on that wave of thought. Feeling the reminisce of some of the strands from my most recent posts on blooming and blossoming. Gathering reflections from the past interwoven with the threads of possibility for the future.

Anger, regret, jealousy, and fear are all negative thought patterns that await us at the door to our minds trying to seduce us back into fear and unhappiness. Affecting our inner and outer behaviours that ultimately affect and create the landscapes that we choose to live in.

Don’t get me wrong, l also have my dark days of late, dealing with going through menopause to supporting a depressive family member. However, despite that l can normally pull myself up by my boot straps, somehow finding one thing to be positive about or focus on. My writing on here (has been a lifesaver of sorts so far!) along with my newly found love of gardening.

Nevertheless a thought that kept raising it’s ugly head in the background of my mind natter was victimisation. In this case, l’m referring to being held prisoner by my own internal natter (mindstuff) or Chittam as referred to in Sanskrit and yoga philosophy.

Often triggered and facilitated by negative experiences and thoughts patterns that we have had consciously or unconsciously for god knows how long? These patterns can often keep us on the hamster wheel of misery. A never ending repeating cycle of not really feeling like we are living how we really want. Building fear within, a fear that we don’t have what it takes to break free and often believing that we don’t deserve to thrive.

Of course, just to clarify l am not referring to victims of abuse or any crime, but instead our chittam (our mindstuff) as previously mentioned.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

yogas chitta vritti nirodha

Translation

YOGA = to yoke, to join, to unite

CHITTA = consciousness

VRITTI = fluctuation

NIRODAH = quieting of

A prompt that arose from deep within my psyche from witnessing these arising thoughts was how can l more fully live life on my own terms? and what does that actually mean?

What if it was basically about “How could l expand my passion?” and what actions would l need to take? Maybe it could be a review of the boundaries l have with myself and others?

With that in mind l came up with some following prompts which you may find helpful.

Prompts for “How to expand Your Passion?”

* Look at where you are (honestly) now with your passions or passions.

* How can you expand the scope of it/them?

* What could you do differently?

* What would it take?

* Can you envision it?

If you can see it and hold it in your minds eye, believe in it, then trust and allow manifestation and your intention to do the rest.

Prompts for how you can work with boundaries with self and others?

* Where and how much energy am l giving to others, myself, my passions? (And be honest!)

* Are there any changes that need to be made?

* How can l support myself fully as well as supporting others?

Living Life on Your Own Terms

Expanding Passion

Expansion like a blue never ending sky

Shinning bright

Illuminating and honouring vision and passions

Uplifting spirits along the way

Blessing me with ideas

Bringing possibilities for growth

Where was l last time you visited me?

What has changed?

When was the last time l truly smiled?

Passion for who and what?

When was the last time l truly smiled?

Realisations often ignited from a sunny sky

Revelations coming

Questions to answer

What do l want to grow within?

What do l want to see Blossom?

Always present as l head to my next destination?

Where will you take me next?

Thank you Blue Sky for helping me expand my vision and passion

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In this mindful lifestyle piece, l talk about my newly found passion to nurture nature along with my obsession with grasses and black bamboo! Along with a chant and an reading to ignite the more primal aspect of yourself.

Relatively new and to be honest fairly late to the game of gardening. l’ve been very surprised just how much l’ve grown to love it over the past few weeks. Not really sure if it’s because it’s just that time of the year here in the western hemisphere, where most plants are blooming. Or because l need nature just as much as nature needs me (at the moment!)

Nature the un-judgemental silent witness who allows me to make silly mistakes and watches my tears as well as my joy. A connection which generates a feeling of returning home emerges, memories of the past (being in the garden with my mother and grandmother, watching them tender the earth and chatting about all things plant based!). A surprising comfort arises, nourishing the anguish and replacing the negative thoughts with reminders of how to bloom in life.

A passion to nurture nature in this way, has provided a great relief and healing for me in times of change, uncertainty and difficulty. I will never underestimate the power of this practice, this practice of gardening which prompts me to change the directionality of my overwhelming thoughts. Busy with changing pots, my hands covered in earth a few days ago, the below sutra came to mind, one l used to chant a lot in my classes! (And it really works!)

When disturbed by disturbing thoughts think of the opposite

Vitarka-baadhane pratipaksa-bhaavanam

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

Pada 2, Sutra 33

Gardening healing distraction? Possibly but nonetheless an effective and productive one. Moving onto the water just over five years ago has had a profound affect on how l view the world, nature, myself and the connection with others. Putting me on a detour to explore another path, another aspect of life - nature and water.

Wanting a reprieve from our often busy and sometimes stressful lives, being with nature and water can be the antidote to help us re-cultivate balance. Providing great comfort as well as perspective, inspiration and creativity along the way. More than that it affords us a different kind of nourishment, one that we can’t always necessarily get from others or pets.

For more of these musings check one of my earlier posts below if you haven’t read it already.

Random connections and conversations

One of the most surprising outcomes from this new pastime, has been not only the depth of connection with nature but also with others, random connections in the most fleeting of moments.

‘Gardening’ a common thread that connects us can also help us re-cultivate and extend consideration and kindness to strangers (much needed in our world at the moment) l feel.

Recently on visiting a gardening shop, l was exploring and pondering on various kinds of bamboo (even picking a couple up and putting them to one side). However, to my far left a lady was viewing my indecision! Approaching slowly she started to offer some friendly advice on her experience with Bamboo. Suddenly we struck up a conversation and she recommended another place to try for some and mentioned they had 30% off too! Wow, l said thanks so much for taking the time to chat and suggest an alternative. With that l got in my car and headed off to the recommended place. Lucky for me l was able to pick up the last black bamboo plant (see 2nd row far right picture). It is in these simple moments where really can allow ourselves to be human, to be connected without fear, that in it’s self is priceless.

My gardening detour has contributed to me embodying more faith in myself as well as providing nourishment for my soul allowing me too bloom, especially after Covid contributing towards my evolution as well as restoring harmony.

*Note first row top right corner my first ever gardening bag! Sometimes it’s the smallest things that bring us the most joy!

Life and wellness lessons learnt

Of course you have to be in a certain state of awareness. Gardening produces a different kind of awareness, an awareness to your environment and the cycle of life as well.

As l’ve been designing my front and back gardening deck space. I’ve been particularly mindful of not cluttering the space with furniture nor lots of different varieties of plants. I wanted to keep it relatively simple and calming (as l felt that is what l needed for my mental health) and easy to maintain while reflecting the essence of ZEN.

After all our indoor and outdoor spaces are a reflection of our personalities and/or what we want to see.

We hand built this planter bench to house my two Japanese Maple Birch Trees. I have to say l’m really happy with how they are blooming and for the fact that l managed to keep them alive! Obviously the other challenge of gardening not to kill anything off!

It is this receptivity and awareness to watching how plants respond to the locations you put them in. We can then use that awareness we’ve cultivated and bring that into our everyday interactions.

Indoor nurturing

Taking what l love to do outside, inside turning my attention inwards. l wanted to create a small but effective and creative herb space in my kitchen. I love to cook with natural herbs (yes, there is also a place for bottled herbs) but having at least having a few regular fresh herbs feels different and aids a different energy to the space. Especially if you tend to spend a lot of time in the kitchen!

I found this great quality and purposeful mini greenhouse at Ikea details below.

IKEA ÅKERBÄR Greenhouse, in/outdoor/anthracite, 45 cm.

(If you like interior design you can also put different stuff! pieces in them for display purposes).

For more ideas on interior and exterior styling head over to my instagram profile stylingwithsalema_ here you can take a look at all the renovations we’ve done since we’ve been on the water, the garden, outside spaces, repurposing wood, furniture. As we try not to put anything in Landfill we repurpose everything. So you might want to take a look if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

Continuing reflections

Just as l rejoice in seeing seeds growing, blooming, declining, dying and rebirthing. I am reminded of the cycle of life, my life and that’s quite a lesson in itself.

Prompts and enquiries to help you bloom

* What are you nurturing right now?

* What needs your attention in a positive way?

* What would you like to grow? Can be anything not only plants!

An idea, a relationship, a business

* What needs to evolve?

* What would you like to see bloom?

* What time frame can/will you give it?

* What are you prepared to do to facilitate this growth and support the bloom?

An extract from Honouring Germination

By Pixie Lighthouse

Thank you for this miraculous day of reckoning.

Thank you for your unpredictable weathers which allows us to stay aware and awake, tuned in, turned up.

Bless the soil today for all of the little promises held safe.

To finish l would like to hold the essence in your minds eye and/or your heart this enquiry

What does it mean to really bloom?

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This week my friends a short but sweet post, and a 12 minute audio meditation and journalling practice awaits you for getting In-between the signal and the noise to enquire what is stirring beneath?

However please read the post first to have some context.

Lately, l’ve noticed this longing bubbling underneath the surface and this gentle inner voice nudging me to follow my intuition in creating more quiet moments to hold the space for myself as go about my day.

This week it came into clear focus whilst sitting in my car on Thursday (l’m blessed in that l only work two days a week). So as l was driving to my eye patients around the beautiful countryside and landscapes of Suffolk and Norfolk. Something happened……

I decided to have no sound, no sat nav, no phone, no music, no podcast. Just me and my natural environment. Immersed in and holding myself in a different kind of space. l was aware that l was beginning to listen differently, in-between and beneath the sound of the car. Even with the somewhat noise of the road, something was stirring. A feeling of having time to reflect on what was arising out of me, without the overwhelm and bombardment of information coming through the internet waves.

Pondering on this experience, l was reminded of the concept of Nada Yoga. So yesterday l felt drawn to picking up my Jivamukti Yoga book. One of the five tenets of this particular method is dedicated to ‘Nada Yoga’ which refers to the ability to cultivate a deep inner listening, listening within to hear the all universal sound of creation itself.

There are many interpretations of what this Nada Yoga means throughout various yogic scriptures. One of my favourite interpretations is from Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati:

Salutations to the Nadam, which is the inner guide and the inner life, the dispenser of happiness to all! It is the inner guru appearing as nada (sound). One who is devoted to the inner guru, the nada, the inner music, obtains the highest bliss.

As my mind was focusing on the road, it was also giving me subtle prompts to ponder on. One of them being, is this feeling of having more frequent periods of withdrawal from noise an aging thing? Or could it be that l’m already feeling the affects of long term exposure to technology? Perhaps so, as research has shown that certain signals and frequencies ‘referred to as ‘white noise’ can disrupt the readiness responses in the brain that influence our responses, perceptions, actions and interactions.

This inclination to take a step back and out of the interaction of busyness and noise could then be seen as a form of practising pratyahara- the going within and shutting out as many external sounds as possible to allow an inner sense of calm to emerge. However, in order to achieve that successfully, you first have to refine your ability to listen to the sounds around you, once you start to develop and refine a deeper level of listening, then you can start to turn inwards. Please listen to the audio for the practice.

As we grow more dependent and spend more time interacting with technology this practice becomes even more vital so we can balance our nervous systems.

But l’m not just talking about our smart phones, TV’s, laptops or even looking at the internet. I’m also talking about how your household appliances maybe affecting you? From how many you have? To where you position them? To even where the router/s are?

Why? Well because it’s not only when we use these technologies that we are at risk but when these devices are idle. Laying Idle these devices still transmit fluctuating radio waves which carry electromagnetic radiation which can damage the DNA inside of cells.

Even considering how far you live from Mobile masts and oh yes my new favourite pastime in restaurants and public places. Whilst most devices carry and omit lesser frequencies the fact is they still OMIT them.

Recently, chatting with my cousin, whose wife is an Engineer researching this topic for her research in Canada. We found ourselves at Lunch at a busy restaurant in Sloane Square on the busy Kings Road, in Chelsea, London. As we were discussing this topic deeper, he reached into his bag and took out the device below. An instrument I had never seen or used before. He began to record the strength of waves omitting from equipment/devices around us as we sat and had lunch. After we finished lunch l was astonished by what information we had gathered.

Verdict - not good at all.

So the bigger questions here are:

Is being consistently being connected to this technology radically disrupting patterns in the brain responsible for concentration, intuition and connection? Contributing to some of the potential areas of the brain that are normally involved in and damaged by Dementia and Alzheimers? If that’s a possibility does that mean that potentially we may see the disease start earlier in life due to the exposure of technology from an early age. Does that mean the Millennial generation will be more susceptible?

Simple Prompts, practices and actions to use as preventive measures/ to help restore those areas and Neurons of the brain which are reducing in functionality because of overwhelm and over exposure and to harmonise balance.

- Schedule time away from technology.

- Declutter and review devices in the home.

- Make a note of what you find helpful and what don’t you need and give it away if possible?

- Schedule time in nature, on the water, at the sea with no tech.

The essence of all beings is earth,

The essence of earth is water,

The essence of water is plants,

The essence of plants is man,

The essence of man is speech,

The essence of speech is sacred knowledge,

The essence of sacred knowledge is word and sound,

The essence of word and sound is Om.

Chandogya Upanishad

Photo from my progress in growing and nurturing my cornflower seeds this week.

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This is part 3 of 3 posts and podcasts dedicated living mindfully with technology.

My hope for this piece is to give you some insights and ideas to better understand and explore your true nature, the vrittis, (the disturbances and distractions of the mind), digital vrittis and the role that technology plays in this equation. Providing you with various teachings and practices to explore how to understand your true nature and find harmony in this technological world.

My ongoing love/hate relationship with technology and information via technology has been really tested these past few weeks. On one hand, it affords me increased opportunities to network and learn. On the other side of the coin it often can create a sense of overwhelm.

So why are l/we so affected by technology? Maybe some answers can be found by returning to some of the eastern philosophical teachings. In most of these lineages it is referenced that we are neither the body or mind or although we have both. Leading to the inevitable question so what are we?

Many believe that we are purely vessels or containers experiencing and absorbing wisdom… if we chose. However, in order to do that fully one must have a somewhat clear and uncluttered mind.

How to cultivate an uncluttered mind?

From first hand experience, l would definitely recommend to start by simplifying your day to day activities. Strengthening your presence from various practices such as chanting, movement and various forms of mindfulness, breathing exercises and meditation, can all help to reduce and soothe an agitated, upset and flustered mind.

One of the first chants l ever learn’t while training with Jivamukti Yoga in New York and London, was this Sutra taken from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras chapter 1 verse 2. Patanjali recommending one way of managing this aspect of our mind when in full blown overwhelm is to practice yoga (and/or meditation). Helping cultivate some relief and space to settle into our self’s/not self’s.*

The beginning of my chanting journey with Sharon Gannon, at The Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY, 2009 Jivamukti Teacher Training.

yogash chitta-vritti-nirodhah

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations, or whirlings, of the mind.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras I.2

* Yogas — To yoke, to join, to unite

* Chitta — Mind, consciousness

* Vritti — Modifications, fluctuations, mental chatter

* Nirodha — Controlling, quieting of, self training

Focusing on one thought/thing (as opposed to many at the same time) cultivates a richer awareness and perspective, helping anchor us into the present, (multi tasking relates to something different and there is a time and place for that!).

There are many translations of this verse from different lineages including:

The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga. —Swami Satchidananda (featured in the Jivamukti Yoga Chant Book.)

Although probably one of my favourites is from Swami Jnaneshvara Bharat.

Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration, coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field. —Swami Jnaneshvara Bharat

In yoga philosophy the mind is believed to have four functions.

* Manas is the aspect of the mind that records external stimuli.

* Buddhi, sometimes called “higher mind,” discriminates between and classifies these incoming impressions.

* Ahamkara is the ego mind, which filters everything through the lens of “I/me/mine.”

* The sum total of these creates the citta or “mindstuff,” a vast warehouse of conscious and subconscious impressions.

Vrittis

Are often translated and compared to thought waves. Vritti and Vritta also means to revolve to turn around, to spin in Sanskrit. I relate this spinning a couple of ways:

* Being on the hamster wheel of life and repeating the same patterns but expecting a different outcome. Reliving the same cycles (samskara’s) of feeling, emotions and habits (and not in a positive way).

* To turn inwards, revolve and learn into yourself.

While it’s true we experience thousands of thoughts as we move through our day. Patanjali gives us a further roadmap in how to understand, navigate and manage these thoughts by putting them into five types:

* Correct perception—something we know based on fact or observation.

* Delusion—misperceptions that lead to false conclusions.

* Imagination—fanciful or vague impressions.

* Deep sleep—the absence of conscious thought.

* Memory—recalling past thoughts or events.

Digital Vrittis

However, there are another kind of Vrittis, these are the unseen culprits at play in the background of our day to day living - technology and algorithms. I often think of Technology as a Self and it’s Vrittss (thought waves) as the algorithms themselves that drive it. Algorithms distract and disrupt our thought waves leading to addiction and overwhelm. Therefore having regular time away from phones, i-pads, as well any kind of technology can help quieten any repetitive negative and overwhelmed impressions.

Some of the Digital Vrittis include; stress, anxiety, dissatisfaction, distraction and stuck- ness people are experiencing from an unhealthy balance of Technology overload.

For example did you know the following:

* On a daily basis what’s the average amount of hours that UK adults spend on screens? 8hrs 41 mins

* What’s the % of people checking facebook every 10 minutes? 34%

* What % of UK children say that their parents spend too much time on their mobile devices? 69%

* What’s the % of UK adults admitting their spend too much time online? 43%

Below is a slide taken from a presentation l gave pre Covid it makes for very interesting reading.

So let’s park technology to one side and return to instead what we can learn from the eastern and ancient teachings. Lately, due to my natural curiosity l’ve also found leaning into the ZEN teachings of *SELF and NOT SELF. All allowing a different perspective to emerge.

In this exploration of MYSELF, l have found a wonderful, easy to understand and free podcast https://zenstudiespodcast.com/ by a Soto Zen priest Domyo Burk. Her Buddhist teachings on the emptiness of self have been illuminating and have deeply resonated with what l’m currently experiencing.

I share with you a brief but potent part of her teachings below in relation to the “Not Self”. Really enjoying learning more on this fascinating wisdom from the ‘Mahayana’ where the “true nature” of self being empty is discussed.

READING

The Buddha didn’t actually teach “the self is empty,” or, as some people put it, “the self doesn’t exist.” He wholeheartedly discouraged any speculation whatsoever about the true nature of self.

What he taught was anatta, or not-self. That is, a practice of recognizing each and every aspect of our experience, and everything we encounter, as not self. This is an absolutely pragmatic teaching.

The Buddha observed that the process of “I, me, and my making” led to dukkha, stress or suffering. To refrain from that activity led to relief from dukkha.

This is not just about giving up attachment to possessions or pleasure or power, this is also about dis-identifying with the five fundamental elements, that make up a human being – our body, sensations, perceptions, thoughts and volition, and consciousness.

Today we are going to finish with a chant of this sutra, so take a comfortable steady seat and place your hands in a comfortable position, eyes can be open or closed, your choice, then find your breath to anchor yourself. Please feel free to just listen or to join in and chant with me.

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Until next time my friends thank you for listening, sharing, and liking.

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Prompt card from the Art of Attention by Elena Brower and Erica Jago

Awakened and inspired by the triggers of past two weeks (being in the middle of morphing my relationship and condensing, two households into one!). I suddenly became aware of how l was really feeling about this big decision (moving in 24/7 with someone!).

Bearing witness to some unexpected responses arising within. Surprisingly I had many questions. One of which was how l will find the balance between that forged 24/7 connection while maintaining my own identity/self and mental health including (my closet!) in the process?

Many have been quite envious on how myself and Wim (that’s my partner) have the ideal living arrangement (currently!). Living in two separate lodges a few doors away from each other. Something, that we have maintained over the last 2 and half years. It has been and still is an ideal and unique position to be in, especially while getting to know someone.

However, there comes a time when life intervenes, presenting a new set of circumstances and opportunities. In those moments we are prompted to make choices. Choices that ultimately will change our life trajectory. A choice between a path travelled vs a path less travelled (or completely new) in some cases. A constant reminder of the impermanence of it all, life including relationships.

However, it is in our choices and subsequent actions that we give ourselves permission unconsciously or consciously to transition. Harvesting the seeds we planted for our vision and bringing them forth. Evolving and morphing our identity/nature and life in the process.

impermanence

the state of not lasting for ever or not lasting for a long time

Relationships are of course impermanent, morphing constantly from the early stages of dating, to moving in, getting engaged, to maybe even eventually getting married and beyond.

However, us humans are not always good with change, even through on some unconscious level we crave it. Often finding ourselves a little reluctant and anxious even when the conditions and possibilities for change present themselves.

Nestled in between my partners moving boxes! Amongst the chaos of the living room serious discussions were being had, what would need to go to storage?, what would be coming to my lodge?, what we would give to charity and finally what we would save for Holland? (as we plan to move back there eventually or maybe further afield!).

In amongst of all of these questions, I was beginning to feel my anxiety levels rising.

We had talked about doing it for a while, but now all of a sudden the universal aligned and it’s becoming our new reality.

Interestingly another curious thought popped into my mind….clothes and my lovely closet!

What can l say l love my new closet (having knocked 2 rooms into one 2 years ago to accommodate it) it was going to be purely for my clothes. At last l could organise and find structure again, it was bliss. Clearing the identities of the past reflected in my choices of a different kind, l was ready to start afresh.

However, now needing to reorganise the space but this time to accommodate our individual (yet connected) personalities to co-exist in and to begin afresh again.

Practicing right relationship to all that is

Merging throws up another interesting dilemma doesn’t it? How can you stay true to you and not get lost within a relationship, partnership or marriage?

Naturally cautious from a previous remembrance when l woke up one day looking in the mirror and not recognising myself anymore. No idea of my interests and what l liked to do, I was completely submerged into the abyss of someone else, l felt lost (but not in a good way). So how can l/we prevent this?

* Staying present to our individual feelings while at the same time being aware of others is start.

* Communicating preferences and needs mindfully can contribute to make transitioning a bit more easeful.

* Preferences can be reflected in boundaries, with ourselves and our significant other. Important for the allowing of both individual personalities to co-exist in a new arrangement and equally beneficial.

In order to practice right relationship to all that is, requires the recognition of impermanence, sometimes uncomfortable but often a gift in shifting perspective and upgrading the self. Loosening the grip of one identity to make space for a more flexible self. But is it this particular self whose the one who keeps tripping us up?

morph/ing

transition, change, or change someone/something, from one thing to another

True Nature vs Self

Often a never ending philosophical debate and exploration in many schools and lineages '“The Self”. Often hindered and hidden by ignorance the yoga scriptures give us a roadmap to understanding SELF. A famous teaching being around Self-Study, one of The 5 Niyamas (observances) of Patanjali’s 8 Limbed Path towards Liberation.

Svadhyaya (one of these niyamas) is translated as “to recollect (to remember, to contemplate, to meditate on) the Self.” Another term in yoga philosophy used to describe the essence of the self are ‘Kosha’s’ a Sanskrit word translated as layer or sheath. Illuminating the different layers of our being within, often referred to as sheaths or veils because they cover each other. The physical body is the outermost layer. The deeper layers include the emotional, mental, and causal bodies. At the deepest layer of one’s consciousness is the bliss sheath, which is said to contain our true nature, pure consciousness itself (probably the most important) to nurture and be aware of.

In Hinduism SELF is referred to as ATMAN representing the eternal core essence of the personality that moves onto another life after death.

However, recently studying some Zen teachings (all about finding one’s true nature). l’m beginning to entertain the concept of “not self” (ANATTA). Learning that Buddha taught the practice of not-self, which is where you learn to refrain from the habit of identifying the things you encounter as being part of self or belonging to self. Ultimately leading to our dissatisfaction and dukkha (suffering) when we want to be connected to Sukkha (happiness). Included in this cocktail of fundamental elements are our body, sensations, perceptions, thoughts, volition and consciousness.

Further reading and learning can be found on this topic via the Mahayana which discusses the “true nature” of self being empty. Celebrating the experience of the liberated self (Jivamukti -freedom from suffering) which functions beautifully when we actually understand it and recognise its empty nature.

“To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualised by myriad things. When actualised by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of enlightenment remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly.”

Dōgen

Japanese Zen buddhist teacher (1200-1253)

Therefore, l’m going to use this concept of “not self” to help liberate me from my fear and suffering in this transition and new circumstance. During the time l’ve also found helpful tot use two simple elements from Zen philosophy to transition with a sense of ease that is Prajna and Sila (as below).

Lessons from Self (my self) during this process

Awakening - to why l’m having the responses l am?

Attachments - to rules and how l want things to be and why?

Prajna (prag-nya) - what insights are arising? what insights can l draw upon in an non attachment way?

Sila (mindfulness) - how can l cultivate and bring more to this situation?

8 effective prompts to practise sitting with the concept of impermanence, self and morphing

What are you resisting currently?

Do you know why?

What self is present?

What self/s is/are hidden?

What would it take for you to choose the road/path less travelled?

What could you lose?

What could you gain?

What self do you want to be?

Interested as always to hear your comments and resonance and l thank you so much for reading, listening, commenting and sharing.

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This Week’s Invitation explores

* benefits of breath work on and off the reformer

* the neuroanatomy of breath and movement

* how breathwork can help challenges of the menopause to support Menopause Awareness Month

* a reformer yin inspired breathing practice

Lately, after an extremely busy six-month cycle of training in mat pilates, reformer pilates and more recently reformer yin. I’ve found myself in a slower, more introspective state—a kind of personal reform. Moments of pauses along the way have become essential to be able to take all the information in and then more importantly have quiet periods to see how l might fuse all of the elements that l’ve learn’t along the way into a offering/s.

October, after all is a season of pausing, reviewing, and gently rebuilding.

There’s something powerful about giving yourself the time to catch your breath—literally and metaphorically. I now find myself in a very different place: professionally, mentally, and physically. And truthfully? It feels like I’ve landed in a much better place.

That said, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. There were moments along the way when I found myself holding my breath—not sure what would come next or where exactly I would land. Maybe you’ve felt that too?

Of course, movement and meditation have been steady companions. But the one thing that truly anchored me—more than anything else—was breath work.

Teaching pranayama as it’s known in yogic circles is something l’ve taught for over two decades but never imagined it would resurface the way it has.

Something that feels like second nature to me has to always been starting each session/class of movement with a few minutes of breathing to help ground students in their receptivity. In other words helping them to land in the session without rushing them into the movement and at the end to allow their nervous systems to reset.

In a world of constant stimulation we deserve to moments allow ourselves to switch off and go within, this l believe is reflected in our breathing and ultimately how we move and think after.

What l found was because l started my reformer classes so differently, people were a bit shocked at first but then after the end of the class, people would come up and thank me for giving them the time to pause before they got moving. I have to say the response has been quite overwhelming and more importantly l am so happy that people are benefitting from doing it.

Then as serendipity would have it, l recently came across some old notes from a workshop l taught back in 2018 for stress.

These concepts felt deeply relevant to what I was relearning through my Reformer Yin training, and I began to see how I could adapt them directly on the Reformer—an element I’m now weaving into my developing Slowform Reformer Method.

Reformer Breathwork in Menopause

As l have been reviewing my knowledge of the nervous system in my reformer yin course, l also began to understand the relevance and importance for women in perimenopause, menopause and post menopause.

During these periods it is essential to listen to what our body needs (and l’m talking from personal experience) rather than push through. Therefore, finding the right balance between our yang and yin energy when we move is key to a smoother pathway through this life transition.

The main purpose of breathing techniques are to help shift the body into a more restful state—supporting the calming influence of the parasympathetic nervous system on the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.

Reconnecting with your breath can be a powerful tool for navigating some of the challenges that often arise during menopause, including:

* Insomnia:Practicing rhythmic, calming breathwork throughout the day helps regulate your nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep—and stay asleep—at night. Better sleep means deeper rest, more energy, and improved emotional resilience the next day.

* Pelvic Floor Dysfunction:Diaphragmatic breathing engages and strengthens the deep core and pelvic floor muscles. Understanding the connection between the breath and pelvic floor movement can improve coordination, support bladder control, and enhance overall pelvic health.

* Hot Flushes:Slow, controlled breathing has been shown to ease the intensity and frequency of hot flushes, helping you feel more grounded and in control when they arise.

* Weight Gain & Cravings:Breath-led practices can support digestion by gently stimulating the organs and promoting movement through the gut. When combined with better sleep (a natural benefit of regular breathwork), you’re also less likely to reach for quick-energy foods or sugar-heavy snacks.

Simply this is why breathing correctly helps during menopause. Hormonal shifts during menopause (especially oestrogen + progesterone) affect mood, sleep, energy & stress levels. Your breath directly influences your nervous system — helping you move from survival mode to a state of calm.

* Down-regulate your stress levels

* Reduce cortisol levels

* Support your body through menopause

Breath is a tool you already have —so why not use it wisely?

Neuroanatomy of Breathing - How our nervous system works and how it serves us

Our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) regulates involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, respiration, and more. It has three main branches:

* Sympathetic Nervous System

* Known as the “fight or flight” response

* Activates the body during perceived threats or stress (increased heart rate, dilated pupils, suppressed digestion)

* Parasympathetic Nervous System

* Known as the “rest and digest” system

* Promotes relaxation, digestion, and recovery (slows heart rate, stimulates digestion). When we activate the parasympathetic system, the body slows, softens and begins to recover — cortisol lowers, digestion improves, heart rate eases.

* Enteric Nervous System

* Often called the “second brain”

* A complex network of neurons embedded in the gut

* It operates largely independently and manages digestion, but also communicates closely with the brain (via the vagus nerve, for example)

It is also worth considering that both PSNS and SNS both send signals to many organs within the body. And did you know

* The Enteric Nervous System contains over 100 million neurons—more than the spinal cord. While it’s part of the autonomic nervous system, it’s sometimes considered a separate entity due to its semi-autonomous functions and impact on emotions, mood, and even cognition (via the gut-brain axis).

Thats why in every Reformer class I teach...We begin and end with conscious breathing. This balances the nervous system and sets the tone for your practice.Post-session, it brings the body into recovery mode — which is where the adaption, strength, balance and healing actually happen.Therefore, there should always be a moment of rest at the end of every session.Not just to catch your breath — but to allow the nervous system to integrate the work you’ve done. For example, when you rush straight out of class, you skip this vital recovery phase.Your brain, heart, gut and skin will thank you for taking that extra minute to pause.In this Menopause Awareness Month, let breath become your daily tool for strength, balance, and resilience — on and off the reformer.

Get Your Reformer Glo on - How Breathwork Can Support Healthy, Radiant Skin

And if thats not enough to champion why you should be paying more attention to your breath here’s another reason! It helps your skin.

* Boosts CirculationDeep breathing increases oxygen flow, which nourishes skin cells and promotes a healthy, natural glow.

* Reduces Stress-Related Skin IssuesActivating the parasympathetic nervous system can help calm inflammation, reduce breakouts, and ease conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

* Improves DetoxificationConscious breath supports lymphatic drainage and efficient removal of toxins, reducing puffiness and dullness.

* Enhances Sleep QualityBetter sleep through breath regulation allows the skin time to repair and regenerate overnight.

* Balances HormonesBreathwork helps regulate stress hormones (like cortisol), which in turn supports clearer, more balanced skin.

* Hydration + ElasticityImproved oxygen uptake encourages better nutrient absorption and moisture retention at a cellular level.

Reformer Yin Inspired Boxed Breath Pranayama Practice on or off the reformer

Here is one l practice a lot in my 1-2-1’s and group reformer classes

Boxed Breathing (Box Breath) Practice

Box breathing is a powerful, calming breathwork technique used to reduce stress, improve focus, and support the nervous system. It’s simple, grounding, and great for beginners or experienced practitioners alike.

🔲 Imagine drawing a box with your breath. Each side of the box is a 4-count phase:

Try it now: Guided Box Breath Practice

* Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts

* Hold your breath for 4 counts

* Exhale gently through your mouth for 4 counts

* Hold again for 4 counts

Repeat for 4 rounds, and notice how your mind and body begin to soften.

Repeat the cycle for 3–5 minutes, or longer if it feels good.

To explore and find out more about Barre Body’s Reformer Yin training use the code AFFILIATE50 to receive $50 off any training at checkout!

If you’re ready to elevate your practice, click the link below!

REFORMER YIN TT

Find out more about my slowform approach to reformer classes slowform reformer classes

I finish with one of my favourite poems (by me!)

Unfolding Your Myth

Light mirrors life

Reflecting back what we have chosen to ignore

Uncovering undiscovered depths

We find ourselves Answering enquiries through a different lens

Helping us breathe again

Into a new experience we go

Not knowing what lays ahead or which way to go

Breathing again

Somehow finding the path

Illuminating forgotten insights and depths

A reminder of all that has been and what yet awaits

Breathing again

We unfold our own myth

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.

SlowForm Living is inspired by slow living on the water, my love 4 movement all with a touch of Aussie ease. Expect journalling prompts and movement and meditation practices to help you find your laid back vibe. Providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity along the way.

All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.

SlowForm Living with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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2 Restacks

Hello friends and fellow earth lovers and welcome to another podcast Nourishing Time with Salema.

An evolving space dedicated to self enquiry, prompts & practices to be well, mean well and live well in the age of technology.

In this weeks post Lessons from Wood, Water and Algorithms - I’ll be talking about the idea of Kinship with nature in our techie world to help us find more zen in our lives.

Weirdly enough l had planned to write about something else this week. Well actually part two of a trilogy of exploring and finding balance in a tech and ai world.

However, like always in life things never turn out quite the way you think! Yet as l sit writing this from my waterside deck, it suddenly becomes clear that what l had planned to talk about can be woven into the fabric of this theme KINSHIP with nature to help us find a healthy balance with living in a techie world.

The nature aspect of this piece inspired by a wonderful intimate writing group meet last weekend with Elena Brower. We came together and pondered upon the importance of cultivating a kinship with Mother Nature and Earth (part of the Zen philosophy). Always such insight, joy, creativity and meaningful debate arises from these sessions. The first book she mentioned and read an extract from was ‘Wild Mind Wild Earth’ by David Henton, an instance resonance emerged with a longing to explore this author’s concept further.

WATER

In this group discussion we also interestingly got to talking about the bodies of water near us and what it means, and what it represents to us individually? Especially prevalent to me as five years ago l uprooted myself from my London life to living on a floating lodge. Writing and recording a podcast on this back in March, an invitation for you to revisit about the benefits of living, on or near water awaits you below.

WOOD

Anyway back to the wood! In renovating my Lodge, l began to witness a real shift in my mental health alongside a new found sense of connection with what l was creating from scratch. My hands on wood, in paint and soil. l started to consider what l could repurpose, to save from using landfill, this included the kinds of paints l was choosing as well as furniture and yes of course WOOD!. Building, creating and painting large exterior pieces as well as crafting small interior ideas and pieces my interest and kinship began to grow further.

But something else was emerging….Getting back to basics and simplicity alongside cultivating a greater appreciation for nature began to stir and awaken my creativity and healing, this was huge (and still is). Changing my perception on life, the environment, community, relationships and what really matters (to me at least!).

This connection with Nature and the environment has continued to evolve over the past two years. Learning more about plants and gardening (previously rubbish with these two topics!). Surprisingly, l’ve also now become a proper gardener. Something l didn’t really connect to in the past, often mistakingly thinking of gardening as an older persons pastime. Oh yes but l forgot, l am now old!, which leads me to enquire are these connections part of growing older and wiser? (Also part of our discussion). Of course this idea has been changed somewhat since the rise and popularity of gardening TV shows over the last two decades, alongside Jo Whiley talking about her garden and making it hip.

Anyway back to my gorgeous WOOD, seeing and touching wood there is something instantly familiar about this connection. A connection to the past, our past. Representing stability and commanding a presence, ingrained within wood bark are cycles and patterns from stories past. Inadvertently Tree’s have become the silent witness to mankind’s behaviours. Maybe that’s why we like to hug trees, we are wanting unconsciously to connect to that deeper wisdom of life’s cycles, and to be comforted and held by natures wisdom and realism.

Nature, Nurture and Simplicity - the silent healers and balancers in our tech world.

So why is this type of connection important? Well for a start it get’s us away from our screens and allows us to view the world simply and purely with no ai or enhancements. Another invitation awaits you below to view a previous related post.

Some lessons from nature included the importance of fortifying our strength and presence helping protect us against predators and how everything is impermanent (also part of the Zen philosophy).

As a global community, technology runs a large part of lives, escalated from the pandemic. We have become extremely reliant upon technology and ai, often helpful and convenient for our busy lives. However, the algorithms that drive this technology are astonishingly powerful observing and predicating our every move. Algorithms are the unseen predators that affect the chemical balance in our brains, as well as our behaviours and disconnect us from nature, from being human.

With the climate crisis and speed of technology, never has there been a more important and fundamental time to nurture nature and find a balance in using technology. Our very existence as humans depends on it.

Being outdoors, connecting with nature away from screens we can begin to re cultivate and restore healthy doses of Vitamin D, Dopamine and Serotonin, which screens and our interaction with technology reduce.

Below is an extract from a presentation and radio show l did pre Covid it makes for a very interesting read especially if you are a scroller! Therefore, setting a schedule that includes limited time on social media can not only benefit your neurotransmitters in your brain but can also free up time to get on with the real living!

Digital Dependency and Distraction decrease our Dopamine levels which effect our inspiration, creativity, adaptability, motivation and performance.

The human brain contains four major dopamine “pathways,” or connections between different parts of the brain that act as highways for chemical messages called neurotransmitters. Each pathway has its own associated cognitive and motor (movement) processes.

Dopamine is tied to your reward center, so if you don’t feel interested in specific activities or learning certain subjects, then dopamine levels will decrease in your prefrontal cortex. If this happens, then your brain will not feel the motivation to remember the facts presented to you.

Three of these pathways—the mesocortical, mesolimbic, and nigrostriatal pathways—are considered our “reward pathways” and have been shown to be dysfunctional in most cases of addiction. They are responsible for the release of dopamine in various parts of the brain, which shapes the activity of those areas.

I leave you with a poem that arose out of this writing session.

Until next time my friends.

Thanks for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Nature & Me

2 sides of the same coin? 

Blending into the environment 

Reflecting life, a two way mirror

Cycles embedded

Held by the comforting wisdom of the trees

Learning from stories past

Cycles embedded

Receiving, giving and returning

Reminded of the ebb and flow of life

Water somehow knows which way to go

Freedom within conformity? 

2 sides of the coin

An interesting ponder indeed 

Coming into alignment

Now balanced with a sense of ease

Planting new seeds

Nurturing a different kind of freedom emerges

Creativity blossoming 

A new sense of peace arises from watching and being with all that is 

Simplicity in action

Nothing more to be said 

salemaveliu©2024

Hello friends and welcome to another podcast Nourishing Time with Salema.

An evolving space dedicated to mindful self enquiry prompts & practices for zen living in the age of technology.

This week l start the podcast and post with a poem around self-worth as the thread. My last few podcasts have explored the importance of what it means to tap back into our unique presence. Cultivating presence helps us re-nourish our strength, resilience, confidence, self esteem and belief, belief in ourself.

Values & Virtues - The Joy of coming back to yourself Friends or foe? No road map as such, so how can l really know? Fear, the unfriendly signpost So who can l trust to show me the way now? Fields of green, nature becomes my friend A call to adventure Fiction or reality Old enough now to know Aligned or misaligned Did l go wrong? No need to apologise for whom l’ve become No more second guessing No longer under the influence Honesty with self Ascending and trusting my inner compass Freedom to choose what matters Moving along Making sense of LIFE from a fresh perspective Learning, a lifelong lesson Humble to stay open What do l see? A new way of being emerges Illuminating my path and strengthening my presence Honouring what is dear to me Relearned my worth Found purpose once more and found my highest myself salemaveliu©2024

When l consider presence, Value comes to mind. Our individual value as well as what we value, in other words what matters to us (secondary values). Both these primary and secondary values in affect become our navigational guide posts along life’s journey. Influencing how we show up in the world. It is during this journey where we often begin to question and explore how we can become the best version of ourselves.

Without these guide posts we can often feel life holds no meaning/purpose for us. Often asking the following questions frequently as we undertake said journey what is life? And what is my life purpose while l’m here?

So what is the answer for you?

Checking in with your values and virtues is a good place to start.

However, before we move on let’s just briefly clarify the different types of Values of which there are many but the ones below are the ones we’re focusing on today.

Primary Values:

Primary (Core) values are strong and normally centred around your beliefs on life, work, family and the world re-enforced by family, government and often religion but not spirituality.

Fixed and normally born out of our formative and early years.

Ethical, Cultural.

Secondary Values: Ongoing and flexible changes with age, environmental and mental state.

Material, Communal, Spiritual.

Now let’s define the difference between Values and Virtues.

VALUE (Importance)

Moral principles, ethics, code, standards, codes of behaviour, rules of conduct,  merit, worth.

VIRTUE (Moral Positive Traits/Attributes)

Dignity, honour, honesty, integrity, strength, talent.

Getting lost in others values, from what we see and hear all via the media does impact our values and virtues. Unconsciously making an imprint in our subconscious and often affecting our beliefs and behaviours in the process.

Without a strong sense of self, we can sometimes find ourselves lost. Lost in the abyss, of feeling like we are not enough. More prevalent in todays society with so much emphasis placed upon perfection. Being imperfect doesn’t seem to option or does it?

Getting to truly know yourself can be and is normally a lifelong lesson if you’re willing to be a constant student of life.

Our beliefs directly affect our values. Normally instilled from our younger years, our environment, parents, family and education they form part of our early identity.

However, our identify changes because of our experiences. Feeling lost can come from not realising that your values have changed and no longer match who you’ve become.

Therefore, trying to live by outdated values when you have changed as a person then becomes the disconnect. I’ve seen and experienced this so many times with clients when coaching over the years. A relatively simple issue to resolve if your willing to undertake a proper life review and every now and then.

Yes, you will have core values ingrained from that early childhood, however the other secondary values will have changed. It is in this realisation that you can break free by making choices that align with who you are in the present.

What follows are some simple prompts to help you explore, review and reset your values and recognise your virtues in the process.

Practice & Prompts

Go grab a pen and paper or your journal before we start.

Primary (Core) values are strong and normally centred around your beliefs on life, work, family and the world re-enforced by family, government and often religion but not spirituality.

So what are you core primary values? Can you name them?

List them and then ask yourself the following:

* Why do each of this p values matter to me?

* Where did these p values come from? Family, education, experiences?

* Are they still relevant to who l Am now?

* Am l still living by this p values really?

* What matters to me now?

* What would you like to change?

Secondly values are more flexible and open to change to understand these ask yourself the following:

* What matters to me currently?

* What motivates me currently?

* What do you believe currently?

* What is true for you about the world? your life?

* What are you contemplating currently?

* Are you journalling?

* What is the most interesting thing you heard recently?

* What are you most proud of when it comes to you?

* What’s the one thing you really want to do but have never done, and why?

* What’s hold you back from doing/ feeling how you want to?

* What can help you become the best/happiest version of yourself?

* What can you/needs to change?

It is often interesting to see how by our responses to these questions things we may not have realised about our growth and/or stagnation. So l invite you to be brutally honest. Acknowledging your self worth and find joy in coming back to yourself.

Thanks for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for being you.

Thank you for your presence, it matters.

Thank you for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Hello friends,

This little update is re-introduce or introduce to my podcast. I started this little podcast project of mine in late April and l am loving this method of connecting with you all.

I wanted to create a safe, evolving and explorative listening space that can offer you inspiring workable self enquiry and lifestyle prompts. Along with practices including meditations, affirmations, poems and maybe even some yoga every now and then! All with the aim to help you make sense of it all…LIFE l mean! 

In this podcast l draw upon many fields of wisdom including science and nature to help you design and live a healthy, simplistic and harmonious (ZEN) lifestyle in the age of Technology.

Managing devilish emotions and negative/fear based thinking can undermine our physical and mental health. Therefore, finding the middle path by learning about our emotional intelligence to work with both positive and negative thoughts becomes the key to cultivating more joy and fulfilment.  

Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung

A Kundalini healing prayer calling on all the different elements of this world for the healing of oneself.

So are you ready to reset your brain, behaviours and emotions to create a creative and expansive mindset that will reconnect you to your value and creativity? Encouraging your innate wisdom to blossom? Then you’re in the right place!

My Podcast Basics:

* All of my podcasts are 10-25 minutes .

* Weekly on Saturdays from 15th June (currently Fridays).

* Listen on Substack, Spotify and Apple Music.

* Revisit as frequently as you need to get yourself into your Zen Zone. 

* My podcast is currently free, but you can support me with likes, comments and shares. I would be so grateful if you could upgrade to support my work when l launch a paid subscription in September 2024.

This Podcast is For You If you feel/want: 

* Simple prompts, poems and practices to help you reconnect to yourself.

* Overwhelmed, stagnated and everything in-between! 

* You want to honour your vision for life. 

* Can find 10 minutes in your day to dedicate to self-care.

* Interested in learning more about Mindfulness, Zen and how nature can help you heal.

* Want to increase strength, resilience and confidence in you mindset.

* Reconnect to your value, increase your self worth. 

* Tap into what brings you joy.

* Cultivate more harmony, simplicity and ease as you move through your day.

* Interested in learning about your brain, mind and behaviours from a scientific and holistic viewpoint.

* Greet each day with a positive and abundant mindset.

So l’ll hope you’ll give me a listen and leave me a comment to let me know your experiences of the meditations, prompts, and poems.

Thank you for being here. 

Thanks for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

The one who is not afraid of the world, and who the world is not afraid of, is dear to me.

The Bhagavad Gita

Chapter 12 - Verse 1.5

Lets start this post by using the following prompt ‘How can you bring more harmony? And then define the word Harmony.

Harmony - The simplicity of finding balance, peacefulness, understanding, oneness, goodwill, and unity.

The answer may at first appear elusive my friends, living in a world that seems to thrive on increasing fear, aggression and violence. In our technological world at present, it is all too easy to slip into believing what we are hearing rather than seeing for ourselves through the news, false or otherwise.

Slipping out of balance with ourselves and others because of pressures, expectations, commitments, and illnesses. Factors that challenge our innate ability to be present with ourselves and others.

However, the good news is that we all have the flexibility and tools within to reconnect and tune into the essence of harmony. In the process doing our little bit to manage conflict, restore harmony, nurture relationships and manifest what we want to see.

I came up with my PEESTT formula that contains 5 simple practices that may help:

P - Presence: Being aware of your presence to yourself, to others, to the world.

E - Exposure & Environments: What are you exposing yourself to? Are you watching the news constantly? Are you listening or watching violence? Who is in your space? Do they bring support, nourishment, positivity and encouragement? Or is negativity present?

E - Expand your knowledge of the world.

S - Simplify: Review schedules, commitments and install boundaries.

T - Tune in with what brings you joy.

T - Travel (where possible),

When the Pandemic, although desperately horrific when the world stopped, we all changed, life changed. Covid slapped us in the face with the reminder that everything is impermanent. However, one positive aspect of the lockdown was the opportunity to reconnect with nature, appreciate our communities, practise meditation, mindfulness and yoga to help with the stress of it all.

When l saw the above verse (at the beginning of this post) taken from The Bhagavad Gita in a recent article, it resonated more this time around then when l had first read it. The verse encourages us to seek and find balance in all things worldly. Prodding us not to take things at face value but instead to do a little more enquiry by learning about nature, culture and society.

Coming from a mixed cultural background myself and having parents who loved to travel (my father the first from his village in Pakistan to win a scholarship to Cambridge) and a mother constantly trekking around Europe. You might stay travel and culture is in my blood. Living in Cyprus, Greece and Cuba with prolonged stays in Australia, Thailand, New York and LA. I was also fortunate to have a successful career that allowed me to experience life from many different religions, cultures and communities. Cultivating one might say a certain degree of worldliness and influencing how l see life, how l choose to live it and with whom. Evolving careers continued these threads of exploration and adventure when l was teaching yoga globally (for over two decades).

Me with my British Airways Crew, London 1997

With my beloved Jivamukti Teachers at Teacher Training Graduation, NYC 2009

With Shiva Rea, in Venice, California 2010

“The people we meet, change our lives forever”.

Travelling (where possible) even if it is to local gathering, community, wedding, concert, holiday, yoga retreat. Can often provide us with unexpected opportunities to connect with others. Saying YES sometimes can also unconsciously open ourselves up to meeting new people from other cultures in a relaxed environment, where differences maybe less threatening. More importantly finding a thread of similarity in our shared interests can allow us to hear, experience and respect life from different perspectives. In the process doing our little bit to manage conflict, restore harmony and nurture relationships.

Echoes of this particular sentiment played out for me last weekend. Receiving a last minute invitation to my friends wedding/blessing (they actually got married last year in Canada) so this was the English gathering. Normally not one for weddings, l surprised myself when l said yes straight away!. Even through it was a good two and half hours drive from where l live and l would be on my own, as Wim was back in Holland seeing his parents. It had been at least seven years as since l last saw Shab and Michelle. I had met them both when they had first walked into my yoga class back in 2011 and we had hit it off straight away. Since then deaths, marriages and Covid in between it was like no time had passed. A beautiful aspect of this experience for me was found in Michelle’s kind words of how much my classes and teachings had mean’t to her. Furthermore, how by attending those classes she had met other liked minded souls and forged other connections along the way.

Me & Michelle, June 2024

The Wedding! And the English Summer Garden Party - simply beautiful, June 2024

Being social and living in a friendly community can also have an enriching affect on your mental health. I am extremely grateful for where l live. My neighbours are varied in ages and backgrounds. Just sitting with some of them for a short while can be inspiring. Hearing experiences of travelling, living and working in different environments and countries allows a different perspective on life to emerge.

Notripophobia - Fear of not travelling or living a life without travelling

Immersing ourselves in studying other countries, languages and cultures can broaden our outlook upon and of the world.

A set of prompts that may help you realise and determine where there maybe an undeveloped source of potential and harmony laying dormant in your life. Furthermore, prodding your attention and uncovering what experiences you want to bring into your life now.

Prompts

* Talk to someone (mindfully of course) who you wouldn’t normally have a conversation with and find a common thread to start a short but sweet conversation. What did you learn?

* What can you notice and learn about that is different in your environment? What has changed from last time you viewed it?

* Are my current experiences helping me grow and flow or stagnate?

* What can you notice that is different in your view point to last week, last month, last year, last ten years?

* Change your words and language around you describe what you see? Like your seeing it for the first time. Your words are more powerful than you realise.

* What would l like to learn more about and why? How can it help me cultivate more harmony in my life and into the world.

* What would bring you more harmony right now?

* What would be helpful?

* What can you offer?

The world is hostile yes, but the world can also be a source of inspiration, to act, to care, to learn, to evolve, to care and to change. Reminding us of what it means to be truly human and the importance of connection. After all our brains are wired to be social.

Until next time my friends.

BE WELL, MEAN WELL, LIVE WELL

Thanks for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Thank you for reading Nourishing Time with Salema Veliu. This post is public so feel free to share it.