'You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals'.
MARIE CURIE
Sound Baths
One of our favourite energising, calming, healing & consciousness elevating experiences is sound baths.
A session typically starts with breathwork & guided meditation before laying down flat on a yoga mat. Various ancient instruments like Tibetan singing bowls or gongs are played to induce an altered state. Other instruments include crystal bowls, tuning forks, various chimes, didgeridoos & rain sticks.
Each instrument creates a different frequency & are layered together to create a deeply relaxing, meditative state.
Sound therapy activates the parasympathetic nervous symptom & disengages the amygdala which involves the fight or flight response. The sounds balance the brain & induce an altered state of consciousness. It is ideal for those who want to develop a meditation practice & be more present, but find it difficult to focus.
You emerge feeling centred, calm, strong & energised. You can find some great sound baths online but we highly recommend a live sound bath as you can receive the organic sound vibrations.
Meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years & is one of the most beneficial practices for a more conscious life. In the busy world we live in, it is important to be able to pause, go inwards & find space.
You become aware of your thoughts, you calm the brain, you foster a healthier brain & in the depths of meditation you experience pure state of consciousness. You are conscious but not embodied. Research has shown that meditation thickens the grey matter in the brain & the prefrontal cortex responsible for higher level thinking.
Try it in a studio or a group setting or find a dedicated space in your home to kickstart the habit and integrate it in to your lifestyle. It is not easy but it is important to be able to pause as it makes you more centered in everything you do. Try different forms of meditation to see what works best for you, whether it be guided, sound based, mindfulness based or mantra based.
Float Tanks
A sensory deprivation tank or flotation tank, is used for restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST). It is a dark, soundproof tank that is filled with warm epsom salt rich water.
The salt concentration is balanced so that your body floats on the surface. The first tank was designed in 1954 by John C. Lilly, an American physician and neuroscientist. He designed the tank to study the origins of consciousness by cutting off all external stimuli.
You enter the tank nude and are cut off from all outside stimulation, including sound, sight, and gravity when the tank’s lid is closed. As you float weightless in the silence and darkness, the brain enters a deeply relaxed state. They are an excellent way of combating stress, alleviating muscular aches and for reaching deep states of relaxation and creativity.
Ecstatic Dance
A form of expression and meditation using music and movement. There is no talking, phones or judgement. Just an open dancefloor, great music and welcoming people. It can be indoor or outdoor, usually barefoot. You are free to move and express yourself however you choose to. In fact, dance as meditation is as ancient as our humanity. Sacred dance is present in nearly all cultures and many religions.
You let yourself go and allow the music to take you where you feel. A range of music is chosen usually to encourage a journey of emotions. As our friend Renee Lacroix, the founder of Ecstatic Dance UK once said, ‘a great dance is when you dance, laugh and cry, all in one session’. Dancers are described as feeling a sense of ecstacy, feeling more connected to others, and to their own emotions. You are very in tune with your own body and the way it wants to express itself in response to the different tracks.
You are also witnessing everyone expressing themselves authentically through movement and that allows you to appreciate everyone’s difference as well as your own uniqueness. A great way to let go, reignite your creativity and to connect with your body in a whole new way.
Deep Tissue Massage
An incredible way to relax the body, increase blood circulation and destress. Sitting at a desk all day or having a physically demanding job can cause issues with our muscles.
We recommend a more therapeutic deep tissue massage such as Chinese Tui na which works on the meridian points in the body. These are places with more nerve points. The massage is designed to calm the nervous and increase the 'qi' or life force energy in the body.
Foraging
Foraging is the practice of collecting food from the wild, whether it be your local park, woodland, beach or forest and using it in your cooking. It is an activity reminiscent of our hunter gatherer days.
As much as we love being able to live in a world of industrial agriculture, we have also become disconnected with our food. Occasional foraging helps to establish a greater connection and appreciation of nature. To see how our food grows, where it comes from, what it tastes like when wild and how to recognise different types of plants.
It is advised to try this with a foraging guide who is familiar with the areas, edible plants and local regulations. There is some undeniable feeling of appreciation that arises from foraging, being in nature and then cooking what you collected. You tend to be more conscious of how you cook your foraged ingredients and treat them with care. Imagine foraging for your own wild mushrooms, herbs and berries.