What are Chakras?

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning 'wheel' or 'turning' and is used to describe the energy centres within the etheric body (aura). We have seven main chakras and many other smaller ones each connected to an individual sound, light and colour. Chakras allow us to absorb and transmit energy into and out of our environment and the people and objects within it. This is why the mood of others can affect us so greatly and why we often feel drained or tired after being around highly-energetic equipment such as computers. They are connected to our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual planes.




For the body to heal and be in full health, our chakras must be balanced and in alignment. When a chakra is fully functioning, we describe it as being 'open' rather than 'underactive' or 'overactive'. Learning how to bring awareness to our chakra system and how to re-balance ourselves, allows us to have more control over our health and live life abundantly.




Over the next seven months, we will be exploring each chakra in detail and suggesting ways to bring balance and harmony to that particular chakra. Once you gain this understanding, it will give you endless insights into the way our environment and the people in it interact and influence one another.



So make sure you don't miss May's blog post where we will be exploring the first chakra, the Root chakra (Muladhara).

'What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.'
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Meditative Reflection...

As part of my yoga teacher training course, we were asked to keep a meditation diary for 6 weeks to record and reflect on our experiences. It was a fascinating task and gave powerful results.

I originally found this 6-week diary quite a challenge and most of it was do with keeping a record of my thoughts and experiences of meditation, rather than the practice itself. Before embarking on this diary I was meditating at least four times a week and often daily but, by having to articulate how I felt about each meditation, I found myself wanting to meditate less. For the first two weeks I kept a written diary but for the rest of the time I decided simply to take note internally about how each practice was different as it then seemed less of a chore and more of a rewarding journey.

I began by trying both techniques suggested to us on the course and decided to stick with counting the breathe as I found my mind wandered less to general thoughts of past and future events. After a few sessions using this method, I decided to revert to the methods I had been using previously which seemed to suit my personality much better. These meditation methods included visualisation, simple breathing awareness and meditation to music. I found using just one technique restricted the creativity and versatility of meditation. I believe the meditation chosen should reflect the situation, time of day or desired outcome you want and, therefore, is constantly evolving.

On a much more positive note, I found that paying more attention to the way meditation affected me allowed me to move deeper into each practice and often left me feeling I had got more of the answers I was looking for. I had various experiences throughout the six weeks and have implemented many meditative skills into my daily life.

The most common and recurring experience I had whilst meditating was that of truly being and living in the ‘now’ and I have actually come to find this feeling rather addictive and productive. It is not uncommon for me to meditate on a particular problem or emotional state and very soon afterwards receive a phone call, email or epiphany that enables me to shift into a more positive way of being. Physically, I have felt very different after my meditations but always much more focused. This usually depends on the method I have used and how I felt before I began but nine times out of ten the physical feeling afterwards is exactly what I needed.

On some days meditation is much easier than others but I have created a visualisation that really helps me to let go of lingering thoughts. I imagine each thought as a word or image and encase it in a glistening, crystal-clear bubble then simply pop it with a pin and watch it burst along with the thought inside it. This allows me to acknowledge the thought but confidently release it. I usually need to do this a few times before falling into a deeper state of relaxation and the more frequently I meditate the less I need to do this.

As a holistic therapist, meditation comes hand in hand with my job as both the experience of giving and receiving a massage quietens the mind and encourages complete focus on the rhythms and vibrations within the body. Since exploring my meditation practice, I have noticed a deepening of my treatments and now feel I go through a kind of meditation during each treatment I give. This is hugely rewarding for me and has allowed me to understand my client’s blockages and work on a deeper energetic level.

Day to day I have been able to avoid potentially stressful situations by using conscious skills of observing thought patterns, being more present and breath awareness. I have also removed myself from negative environments and instead used these skills whilst exercising or being by the sea to clear my mind.

In the context of yoga, I feel that neither yoga nor meditation can be whole without the other. As pure meditation is about the mind and yoga is meditation of the body, I feel they are perfectly inter-related, so deepening my meditation practice has deepened my yoga practice and vice versa. I always do a mini-meditation before and after my physical yoga practice to focus my mind and draw awareness to my body. For me, the aim of each yoga practice is to maintain that meditative state throughout and only then can I truly progress and develop in both mind and body. To me, yoga in whatever form, is the ultimate meditation.
Looking back at this 6-week journey makes me realise that I got more out of it than was originally felt and it has taken me into a more conscious and reflective meditation practice, which I am looking forward to continuing and passing on to future students.

Why not try keeping a 6-week meditation diary yourself and see what answers you find?

Namaste.

Hot stone detox

I’m sure many of you have experienced a massage at some point in your life, maybe you were even given an indulgent gift voucher for your local spa this Christmas, but have you ever had or wondered about a hot stone massge? January is a great time to try hot stone therapy as it is a super detox massage with an abundance of other healing qualities that are often ignored.

Hot stones have been used for spiritual and physical balancing since 1500 BC and the benefits of thermal heat have been known and used for thousands of years. In 1993, hot stone massage was developed as an alternative therapy to offer a deeper form of massage that works on many different levels.

Hot stone therapy uses basalt stones (volcanic molten rock) which are excellent conductors of heat to massage and re-balance the mind, body and spirit. These basalt stones contain a powerful vibrational energy that assists the internal energy flow within the body and, as a result, directs energy to areas of blockage. As these energies move in and out of the body, negative energies are released and complete homeostasis is achieved when the body starts to facilitate self-healing and repair.

Physical benefits of hot stone therapy:
-Stimulates microcirculation and cell function promoting the rate of tissue repair
-Stimulates metabolism by 10-15% due to the rise in body temperature (great for clients wanting to lose weight)
-Effects last much longer than traditional massage, up to ten times longer
-Detoxifying
-Ten times deeper than traditional massages
-Stimulates the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins

Psychological benefits of hot stone therapy:
-Creates total well-being
-Dissolves stress
-Restores emotional balance
-Nurturing

During a treatment hot stone placement is used to re-align the chakras and concentrate on specific areas of blockage, while additional stones are used to massage the body. To get the most out of this treatment the body must be treated holistically and, therefore, at least one hour is usually needed.

As a therapist this is one of my favourite treatments to give as it can have such a powerful effect on clients and can tell me so much about blockages within the body. If you are intrigued and want to experience this wonderful therapy make sure you choose a therapist who understands the treatment fully and is passionate about its effects. Why not use this post to share your thoughts and recommendations of your own hot stone therapy experiences, they can be truly inspiring.

Here’s to a happy, healthy and exciting 2010!

Kirsty x

Fish on the menu ... but for how long?

Fish is good for your skin. In particular oily fish, like sardines, trout, mackerel and salmon, contain a large amount of Omega 3 fatty acids, which improve the health of your skin, and provide vitamins such as niacin and vitamins such as iodine and selenium. Nutritionists and complementary therapists are constantly suggesting we eat more.

So it was surprising that one of the key messages emerging from the ‘The End of the Line Debate’ at the Thistle Hotel, Brighton, on 30 September was that we should eat less fish. We are also urged to be adventurous in trying new varieties and always to ask the retailer or restaurateur which ocean the fish comes from and how it was caught.

As the panel comprising Huw Irranca-Davies MP (Marine and Fisheries Minister), Charles Clover, (Author, The End of the Line) Caroline Bennett (MD, Moshi Moshi) Mark Price (MD, Waitrose) and David Norman (director of Campaigns, WWF) presented their takes on the depletion of global fish stocks, it was clear that rapid action is needed to address the way in which the fishing industry is managed. There were calls for everybody, including governments, fishermen, retailers, restaurateurs and consumers, to play a role in nurturing the marine eco-system to keep disaster at bay.

The European Commission was recently persuaded to back a temporary ban on the bluefin tuna trade so it is possible to make a difference. However, serious changes to fishing grounds, methods, quotas and policing are crying out to be implemented and swiftly. And we should all be educated to expect smaller portions and different varieties of fish on our plates to prevent the huge wastage of undersized or unpopular fish which are thrown back dead or damaged into the sea. In short, an overhaul of a different nature is needed ... and our skin may have to receive its nourishment a little less frequently.

See the trailer for Rupert Murray’s acclaimed film ‘The End of the Line’ at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bedirwk95Oc

Coming Soon...Uniquely Organic Candle Shop

Coming soon to the Uniquely Organic website will be our brand new bespoke candle shop.

We are really excited about this because:

• We only use the highest quality 100% certified organic essential oils to fragrance our candles.
  
• Each candle is a one-off, making our candles an exclusive feature in your home, office or tranquil space.
  
• Each candle holder is chosen for its inpirational and distinctive appearance, shape and quality and we source them from all over the globe.
  
• We offer a bespoke candle making service, so if you have an interesting holder you want to make into a candle or want to refill an existing candle we can do this for you. You can even choose your organic essential oil fragrance
  

Before we go live with our new shop we wanted to ask YOU, what makes the perfect candle?

Post your comments on our blog or facebook group (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=50933693878) or email them to info@uniquelyorganic.co.uk

"Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddha

Is your chocolate bar being greenwashed??

For any of you who are interested in the welfare of animals and organic/ethical products should read this latest article by Fred Pearce at the Guardian...and consider where you buy your next chocolate bar from! http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2009/aug/20/cadburys-palm-oil

Miessence Certified Essential Oils

This month the fantastic people at Miessence have launched a complete range of 25 certified organic essential oils. The range includes:

Ylang ylang
Tea tree
Rose
Sweet Orange
Geranium

You can rest assured that all these oils have been sustainably sourced and contain no trace of toxic residue or pesticide.

'Miessence products are the purest on the market' (Narelle Chenery, founder)

The amazing healing powers of plants have been used to treat many ailments for centuries before conventional medicine was available and this could be one of the main reasons why so many people turn to aromatherapy as an alternative therapy.

Essential oils are easily absorbed into the skin or inhaled and enter our bloodstream by either route. Once in the bloodstream the specific essential oils deliver their healing qualities to wherever they are needed and give the body that helping hand needed to get back on the road to recovery and optimum health.

Click here to book your aromatherapy massage at Uniquely Organic