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Most of us are a lot more familiar with stress mode or survival mode than rest and digest mode. When our body perceives that we are in danger or threat, it switches to the fight/flight/freeze mode. It is a genetic in-built mechanism that protects us from harm, well that is what it was designed for, however, that is not always what it does. Sometimes how our body perceives is not correct. This system switches on and off all day long without our knowledge. When the body realises that it is no longer in danger, it switches to rest and digest. We can switch this mode on ourselves, every time we decide to take a few deep breaths, meditate, reset the Vagus nerve, or go and have a nice massage or reflexology treatment. So we do have the power to switch this mode on. How do you switch to rest and digest mode, I love the seaside that is my special place. I always come back refreshed and uplifted. The coming week is World Reflexology Week and to mark it I will be including anyone who books their reflexology treatment for this week into a prize draw to win a place at my Hands On Beginner's Aroma Head to Shoulders to Fingertips Workshop in November worth €100! To mark World Reflexology Week for reflexologists I will be hosting Let's Open The Practitioner's Casebook Part 2 - Endometriosis, Anxiety, Diabetes, Sinusitis & more.

When I was training which was a very long time ago now, I was very fortunate to have been in a class of twenty-six students, seven of whom were women between the ages of thirty-five and fifty years of age. The seven of us went to every single class without fail, out of fear of what we would miss out on! FOMO I believe they call it now! One of the subjects was a certificate in Health Store Management. As part of that course each week a relevant topic was lectured and we all paid attention as we were told that a question on our exam paper would be about one of these lectures. The first one was about Bach Flower Remedies. So amazing, here I was learning about flowers which I totally love and adore, helping to heal the emotional body. I certainly know that the fragrance alone raises the vibration, and also heals all bodies, so there I was absolutely and utterly hooked. I began to use them for myself and have done so ever since, even without any training, making guesses a lot of the time, they always worked anyway. The important thing about these remedies is that there are no contraindications which is wonderful to hear. But of course, you need to be trained and knowledgeable so you choose the correct ones, to get the desired effect. Having the ability to choose and make a remedy for a client with a specific condition, is indeed a mammoth task. When we learned that there was a remedy called the exam mixture which helped you remember information, we were definitely trying that one! So we set out to make it, come rain or shine! They were great that group of women! The important thing here is it needs to be used at the start of the course, as well as the information needs to be studied too! It does not magically plant information into your head, sadly! Every Friday those group of ladies and I, would treat ourselves to a sandwich in the local pub at lunchtime have a chat, and look forward to the early end of the class day and get home to our families to do our other jobs. Each person was given an item to purchase from the list of ingredients. The following Friday we all sat around the table all set to make up the remedy. We had brown glass dripper bottles, spring water, remedies, and lots of goodwill to make the mixture. We made a mother tincture first, which we all took our treatment bottles from. Immediately we began to use them and we exchanged notes regularly on how they were working. As we were diligently working away the barman came over and asked us what we were doing. When we told him he said, right so I didn't realise that I had a witches coven in on a Friday at lunchtime and laughed his head off! So the exam day came and true to form there was the question loud and clear and it was about hypnotherapy and Anton Mesmer, I will never forget it. I must say it was one subject that I didn't revise very well, but I was surprised as I could remember everything that needed to go down on the paper. Of course, the information has to be put into the storage system first, if it is to be successfully retrieved! I was amazed at how I could remember the name of that person and the dates to go with the information too. So after that, I used it many times during course studies and exam time. So every one of those nine subjects I brought along my exam mixture and so did the other six students. All through the exams which went on for a month, you could hear the squeeze of the dripper bottle and squirt as it went into the mouth of the receiver. On the way out of one exam, a student who was taking university preparation studies asked me what on earth were we all doing with the little brown bottles! When I told her she said, well you would think that you would share that with the rest of us then!! I told her it was an experiment and that we were not trained to give it to anyone else, but the interest in what the students from ‘Holistic Health Studies’ were doing gathered quite a following! So here I am finally embarking on a practitioner's course, (only thirty years later) where I will be taught to assess clients appropriately and prescribe the correct remedy. I am so excited to be able to offer this support alongside my other therapies, of course. As all illnesses have their origin in some emotional disturbance it will be wonderful to enhance treatments with a follow-up remedy for homecare use. The best testimonial is my own one for now. They have helped me in lots of situations alongside my other stress management tips tools and techniques. I used them with Geoff when we was having a hard time at mainstream school and they were super effective. So watch this space for future information, more magic awaits us! To find out more about my current Aromatherapy services & it's benefits click here

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived; happiness, sadness, knowledge, and all the others, including love. One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So, all the feelings prepared their boats to leave. Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment. When the island was almost totally under, love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help. Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, " I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere." Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." "I can't help you", Vanity said, " You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat." Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, " Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but I just need to be alone now." Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, " Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him. Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come, Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived on land the elder went on his way. Love realized how much she owed the elder. Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?" "It was Time", Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked. Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Realistically would you be able to tell me right now how many people are in your circle? Those you regard as true friends, support persons, or just people you love. I bet you can’t! Neither could I when I did this exercise first. It took me a while to sift through the people that I really thought should be regarded as someone in my circle. It helped me to examine what my values were regarding relationships. Lots of acquaintances popped up because of the nature of the work I do, but I couldn’t regard them as those in my circle. What is it they say? You are the sum of the nearest five people you are in contact with. Wow, I seriously needed to do an evaluation then if that was the truth and do a bit of reorganising! Then I began to really look at who I have in my circle that I really love and trust. Those really close to me I mean, that I could reach out and touch them at any time, either for help or advice, or just connection. Well, that narrowed it down to a lot fewer than I thought, that was a shock and a surprise. Being aware that people come into our lives, firstly to teach us, and then to assist us on our journey in life, helped when I began to look at who was doing that and who was not. Sometimes those entries are very exciting and the exits are very painful when the work is done. But have you ever looked at the fact that this happens because you are moving on with your journey? That you are talking the talk and walking the walk. So many in my circle were just talking the talk but not doing the work but liked others to think that they were. I found that rather sad, as it totally did not align with my value of honesty. However, it is a fact, one that I can do nothing about, just accept that is the case and move them out of the circle. Those who know me know that I am always there as a support person ‘no matter what’, both to students studying courses or clients and friends. But the ‘no matter what’ comes to an end, when I realise that they are not doing the work but occupying my time and getting lots of attention talking about their ‘stuff’. When you are an empath, and really are passionate about helping people to feel better and live their best life, this situation tends to pop up! So, when you do the work yourself, you see it really clearly for what it is. Now I don’t tend to fall into it quite so much as I used to. I always thought everyone worked as I did, applied themselves in courses as I did, and appreciated support from other people as I did, but sadly not so. That doesn't make it right or wrong, just people have different values, and that’s just it. Rounding off the edges of my circle was a tough one, but a really worthwhile one. It fortified my courage and reminded me of my dedication to my own work, what I am able to take responsibility for, and what I have decided I am not owning anymore, namely other people's ‘stuff’. So, are you up for rounding off the edges of your circle? What benefits will you get when you see a smooth rounded circle of friends and support persons? I can tell you from experience, that the benefits are infinite. If you think that rounding off the edges of the circle is what you need to do, I would be more than happy to assist you with that piece of work. Just email me at reginacurleylifecoaching@gmail.com or book a discovery call through the website and we can have a chat and set up an appointment for you. Don’t tolerate a jagged-edged circle any longer, get in touch this may be the best call you ever make!

NATURE HEALS THE SOUL I have loved nature, for as long as I can remember, and long before I understood its very strong healing powers. Any sort of outdoor activity always attracted me, from playing on the street to going to the park and the seaside. All contribute to the right environment where healing takes place i.e. within oneself. Soul soothing is a big practice of mine. When things are going a little ‘sideways’ there is nothing like the buzz from breathing in the fresh air of our local park or the salt air at the sea. I can immediately feel my head clearing and my nervous system resetting and calming down. It is a pity that today we don’t see many children playing on the street or running around in the park anymore. They are all too busy connecting with screens whose emissions switch on their adrenal glands and drive them into stress mode. I wonder what would happen if we had a screen lockdown, the way we have had a social one? Would children start to heal again? Would we have children that are less anxious and adults that are less angry? I often think about that. The world I was brought up in was one that didn't even have a phone in our house or a TV for that matter. I was seven before we got a TV and I had left the house to get married before my parents had a phone. We went to my Nanas to watch TV when it was on. Lots of kids from our road went in to watch the Lone Ranger on Saturdays and I liked Sooty & Sweep! Of course, in my Nanas, you got bread and jam and a glass of milk to keep you going! Delicious jam it was too! All the other kids thought so too! My Nana was a super lady. Short like me, tiny little feet and a very roundy tummy! She adored children and made us all very welcome. I can still hear her laughing when something funny happened. She was bossy too! I wonder who takes after her! She always said, that children should be reared by the seaside in summertime, where the salt air and the sea cleansed everything. She was actually correct. Out in God's fresh air, that’s where you all should be, and so we were. So if you are feeling low let nature soothe your soul. a sore soul, it’s the best cure it totally is.

There are so many beautiful nature spots around Dublin and Howth is one of them. Every August our community offers day trips to many different places and today it is Howth. The rain this summer has made all the other trips really miserable, but today it is bright and cheerful. As the bus winds its way through the roads while the passengers chat noisily awaiting their destination, you can feel the excitement. I saw a little post on Facebook recently with a picture of the seaside on it, and a tagline, ‘This is the only place where salt doesn’t raise your blood pressure’! I giggled but it is so true though! The familiar smell of the salt air, wafts in through the open window of the bus, as we arrived on the promenade.  The sound of the seagulls, the waves splashing in and the chatter of people, enjoying their day out. The ice cream shop is opening up and lots of coffee shops too. The strongest aroma is that of fish and chips. It just smells so gorgeous at the sea don’t you think, but here probably more than ever because it is a fishing port. All the fresh fish coming in and being boxed off and sold. Not as nice a smell as the one from the chip shop! So who is in the water? Lots of people gather around and take photos.  A beautiful seal threading water patiently. His two big black eyes stared up in expectation. What a beautiful creature. How graceful peaceful and focussed he is! What a surprise! Be still my beating heart! Imagine seeing the world from his point of view. Hoping and waiting in anticipation of a good deed or an accidental drop of a fish! Memories are precious, those I have of the sea are anyway. My Dad was great for watching the tide and bringing me to swim in the summer evenings when the water was quite warm. (Many moons ago) Old people then thought very highly of salt water's healing properties, the value of the air at the seaside, and of course, the day out away from the kitchen sink. My favourite place was the forty-foot in Sandycove when the tide was right in! But the sea is the sea, wherever it is, beautiful, powerful, calming, and relaxing. Time for fish and chips!

Buzz buzz says Mr. Bee, get out of my way I’m busy you see, Lots of nectar to gather today, The pollen is high and so am I, Your garden has flowers, I’ll be here for hours. So stay where you are, I have a task to complete, I’m carrying pollen on my little feet, You don’t need to prune, to water, or feed, Just let me keep gathering all that I need. Back to the hive where my buddies await, They guard my delivery coming into the gate, I am welcomed home and I guarantee, Soon you’ll have honey, for your evening tea. I was working in the garden removing the dead heads on the flowers and tidying up the fallen petals when this huge bee came buzzing by. He was full of anxiety I thought he might be on a deadline and his buzz was so loud! He fussed around from one flower to the other his legs absolutely laden with pollen. Every time I went in to tidy, he buzzed around me, to tell me to leave the space alone, he was working! The antics of him really amused me. He was getting the job done no matter what! I decided to write this little verse having watched him work away. Do you know that one spoonful of honey alone can keep you alive for twenty-four hours? We should use a wooden or plastic spoon when taking the honey from the jar, otherwise, the live enzymes in the honey die. Bees are the brain and heart of our eco-environment. Learning from this beautiful creature, he was not allowing anything to get in his way of doing his work, even me with my trowel, but when we plan and focus, we get can get good results too. Especially when we follow through on our plans. Sometimes I feel like a bee! Very busy and focussed. Making sure everything is exactly right for my clients so that the end product is the best it can be, sweet and wholesome. Clarity from the coaching session, tools, and tips to support the work put them all together and the end product is a good result. How are your plans and what are you allowing to get in your way of living your best life? Are you following your dreams or are you just buzzing around? Maybe it’s time to focus, get working, and get results just like Mr. Bee! If you would like to find our more about how I can help you to plan, focus and gain clarity with my life coaching sessions then do feel free to contact me, I offer a zero obligation discovery call to see where you are at and how best I can help empower you to live your best life!

The purple carry-on case got dragged up the mud and stone pathway until we found the most stunning streams of light beaming through the trees. We laughed as we must have been some sight! We were both carrying equipment for the work ahead. Looking a little like we were checking in at the airport! The anxiety was starting to subside, but the excitement was mounting! The photographer said, ‘This is it’, and we stopped to put the scene together for the first photo. My purple bag was filled to the brim with props, statues, crystals, scarves, remedy bottles, and outfits. A world of imagination in a purple carry-on bag! This beautiful place is full to bursting with tourists viewing this most stunning forest, with forty shades of green, the sun beaming, the sound of a waterfall thrashing down, and the many deep intakes of breath as visitors stood around in awe. I put my makeshift changing room over my head, (a large Kaftan!) and proceeded to put on the first piece of clothing for the photo shoot. I was positioned appropriately and away she went clicking her camera and suggesting ways to pose, as she does in her very professional manner, all the while gasping at the beauty of the streams of light she was capturing. (I was dying to see what she was talking about but I will have to wait!) The visitors continued to watch us as they went up to view the waterfall. She is so professional she waited for just the right moment. I might have been tempted to order people to move out of the way, so we could capture the scene, but no, quietly present that is my photographer! The fierceness of the sound compared strongly with the beauty of the scenery. The sound vibrated in the ground underneath me. I could feel the earth shudder. Pure Heaven, that's what I was thinking. The mist rising from the falling water, oh my, how beautiful. Where am I talking about? The Kingdom, of course, our beautiful county of Kerry. Torc waterfall with all its glory, tumbling angelic torrents of water down into the rushing stream below. Bouncing off the rocks as the water went its merry way. There is just something about rushing water that really brings me back to ground level and in touch with mother earth. Breathing in the fragrance of the forest and observing all the different types of ferns and moss growing all around the rocks, was just exhilarating. Because I live in the city I am bowled over with the beauty of the surroundings and I don’t want to go home. Apparently, it had been raining for weeks previously to this day but the sun shone bright and strong and it lit up the whole area, and added a more mystical dimension to what was already so magical, with its beautiful shades of golden. We moved on to the bridge and took some shots there. More magic and mystery. I could have stayed forever, but we needed to go. Packed up the purple bag and off we went back to the studio. Photography is a whole lot more than just taking pictures. I never realised that my photographer is an ‘awareness coach’. She encouraged me to try different ways of being while she took photos. Dipping into my courage department she moved me around and I stood in interesting greenery that felt so empowering. Emotions are a very important part of taking photos, but they also play a big part when you are the subject of the photographs being taken. The experienced photographer assists the client, to enjoy the moment, to acknowledge the positives, and to appreciate the opportunity to sit with yourself and just be, something we all find very difficult to do. After a long beautiful day, I took my purple case and checked in at Kerry Airport, waving goodbye to the scenery, the oxygen, the feelings of joy and detachment, and my beautiful photographer. Back to the grindstone and reality, but feeling somber and settled. My little powerful purple case, holding memories and the energy of Torc waterfall. Every time I use it I will remember, the experience, and the breathtaking views, but most of all the onlooking visitors, and the fun we had wading through the crowd. I am blessed and thankful for all the special things in my life that I often overlook. Can you find moments of gratitude at times of anxiety, stress or overwhelm? Do you have the tools, I certainly have lots to share in my Holistic Therapist Toolbox, remember you can always email me to arrange a chat to see how I can share them with you to empower you to live your own best life! Email : ReginaCurleyLifeCoaching@gmail.com View some of my services here:

Thirty-four years ago when Geoff was a year old I joined him in Barnardos Toy Library service in Tallaght. It was an amazing experience for him to be able to play with a toy and see how it helped him to grow developmentally, borrow it for a time and return it when into longer was useful, and move on to the next developmental phase. It was great for me too, as we had a room full of toys that he didn't play with, and I didn't understand then, he was not developmentally ready for most of them! It saved money and time and lots of frustration. The Toy Library was not just for borrowing toys, it was for education, socialising, and development. The project leader was an incredible person, she was way before her time, and her thinking was very futuristic. A parents' support group was part of the service too, where parents met every fortnight to meet other parents, talk about different stuff besides their child with special needs, learn, and have fun. She introduced me to the High Scope method, it is now a common model used in most playgroups, but then it was very innovative. It challenged my lack of patience, goodness gracious, it surely did. I had to unlearn lots of patterns of behaviour that I had myself, take on this new model and use it, and guess what the results were fantastic! Limiting beliefs I had by the dozen and she helped me dissolve them one at a time! All my basic training came from being part of that group. The toy library had one paid member of staff and the rest were volunteers. Later on, as the CE schemes became available they could add more to the service. Generally, when a child moved on out of the service to school, the parent was then asked if they wished to train and become a volunteer. Volunteering was a giving back to the service, for all the good things that we received, and most importantly to encourage other new parents, to continue the good work. The training was most unique just like the project leader! It took place on four Fridays in September. Those who were already volunteers joined on the last two when she held workshops educating us on those with specific needs. She empowered us mothers who came feeling very inadequate, with essential education. Most of all she facilitated us to see how much we did know and how valuable we were first of all to ourselves, our children, our home, and our community. During that training, I learned how to deal with issues without bringing my personality into it. A skill much needed when dealing with the inadequate special services that were out there at the time, and to be honest not much has changed. She really taught me the power of education. To take back that power when confronted with ignorance. That was one lesson I will never ever forget. Her teaching was done in a very gentle, empowering way. I went into that training feeling very fearful that I would not be good enough to assist at the STEP group which took place every Wednesday morning in the local health centre. It operated like a mini playgroup. Two and a half hours ten to half twelve. I came out of that group the first day and I cried all the way home. I could not believe that children could be so neglected and unloved and forgotten about, by the family that had brought them into the world. And that they lived right on my doorstep in Dublin. In the debriefing after the session, she told me, we had two and a half hours to make a difference, and if I could not get myself together that I was of no use to the service. That I needed to go home and have a good think about why I was volunteering and get back to her if I decided it was not for me. Well, I did what she said and I stayed with the service for six years, until I returned to college full-time, encouraged by her and with a glowing reference for my next teacher. One of the skills taught to us was to observe. We were given an hour to observe and six weeks to complete it. We were ‘key workers’ that's what they call them now, to a specific child for six weeks to follow what he or she did for an hour. It began starting at 10.00-10.15, write down what you see, not what you think you would like to see, that is the only way we can help this child. Be honest and truthful. Then the following week 10.15-10.30 until the hour was complete. At the end of that, we compiled the full hour and what the child was capable of doing, and what support he or she needed. Observe, but don’t absorb. If you absorb you will burn out and become unregulated emotionally and not be able to function at home. That is not the purpose of this exercise. I ask you, would you get that service now or any time from the education service? I don’t think so and we were volunteers! I use that skill to this day with my clients. Observation is a seriously important skill when working one to one and with groups. Having meetings and keeping the personality out, dealing with the topic and not the person, are all very important skills too. I had great loyalty to this organisation, it was the cornerstone in helping me understand my child with additional needs, what was best for helping him develop his potential, and what was good for me his mother, which in turn affects the family as a unit. There was a sibling support group, the first of its kind, where my older children could attend, talk to others in the same situation, not have to talk about their brother or sister with special needs, and be acknowledged for the people they were. Families with additional needs often have to ‘shelve’ the other children's needs in order to keep their heads above water. My children were invited by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, to the American Ambassadors' residence for a barbeque to celebrate the 4th of July. They were so delighted with all their pals from the sibling group. Imagine even their needs were met. Every year the volunteers attended the AGM of toy library Ireland. We were treated to more education, for ourselves mainly, lunch, and a great workshop in the afternoon. Sometimes it was away from Dublin and he had an overnight stay too. We opened a saving account and saved every week, so it was all paid for by the time the AGM came around. That project leader taught me that appreciating my talents, standing in my power, and staying open to learning, was a gift to behold. She was my ‘other mother’ in supporting me through so many challenges as Geoff navigated his way through our very inadequate education system. Her love of empowering women rang through in everything she did. Observe don’t absorb, I will never forget that statement for as long as I live. When I qualified she employed me to work with the parents group teaching stress management and mindfulness. A group I had joined myself as a young terrified parent not so many years previously. She’s a well-retired lady now and one that is still very well respected by the other members of our volunteer team, who too as I did, learned the basics from being part of that little organisation. So I leave you with this thought, education is power, observation is essential but absorption is not. Rock on Barbara you are my idol.

I was attending a funeral recently of a distant family member when I was really taken by the fact that funerals, while they are really sad of course because we have the loss of our loved one, but they can be happy as well. Listening to the eulogy and the contributions offered by immediate family members brings home how important it is to tell each other every day, how much we love each other before we cannot anymore. But actions always speak louder than words. For me, the words and the behaviour must match each other, or the ‘love’ word is not credible. In meeting family members that I have not seen for a while, a stroll down memory lane began. The conversation about my aunt and my mother who were sisters, their talent as dressmakers, their attention to detail, their perfectionism, and who they made garments for was enjoyed by all. The Royalettes that performed in the Royal Theatre, and lots of celebrities from RTE all attended with the utmost care. That was the day when hemlines and buttonholes were made by hand. My mother was the finisher and finish she did! The lengths that were gone to, to make sure that customers got exactly what they paid for, were second to none. How we enjoyed as children, sitting under the cutting table and playing with the button box. Those buttons were like jewels from the Orient, or slivers of fabric that fell from the table were transformed into dresses for our dolls. Our imagination took us to all sorts of exotic places just with those, simple little items. Mostly we talked about community and how things have changed now. Few people seem to care much about each other, not the way it used to be. Everyone helped everyone, that was how I was brought up. Nobody was isolated or singled out, everyone was supported, if you had it you shared it. Life has changed in so many ways, some good some not so good. The struggle for equality I am afraid has gone to the other extreme. Women's rights have changed their role forever, now they can’t stay at home to be with their children, whether they want to or not. The cost of everything, the changes in expectations, the pressure on everyone, for me, is really sad. I was one of the lucky parents that came from a generation that could stay at home. We just had less but I think our children had more. More of our time and attention, that day is certainly gone. So back to the present, where the crematorium is like a factory, one in and one out. Four funerals took place while I stood in wait. And I thought about how transient our lives are, how uncertain and unpredictable. Feeling my vibration starting to dip, using my tools, I choose to feel happy and content. They are the feelings that attract more of the same. So back to the future, to seeking out joy, to laughing more, to telling my loved ones that I love them every day. Regina offers QTT Quantum Thinking Transformation sessions & Holistic Life Coaching. She also has specific reflexology treatments available for bereavement & loss should you feel you might benefit from support. You can find info here https://www.reginacurleylifecoaching.ie/services-reflexology-qtt-holistic-life-coach-aromatherapist-reiki-reflexology-training-dublin

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a son with Down Syndrome. He is a Special Olympics athlete training in three sports. Four years ago he was selected to take part on the basketball team representing Team Ireland. The excitement the emotions, the overwhelming emotions I will never forget for as long as I live. Today Monday 19th June, we just got the news that Ireland's first gold medal has been won by Timothy Morohan, guess what he’s from our club South Dublin Sports Club winning the 5000 metres race. How wonderful is that? Not only that but it's a personal best! Double whammy! The expression on his face, and his mother's face as she hugs him in congratulations. He is so happy, she is so happy, that's what it is all about. When you know the athlete it makes it even more real. More to the point when you know what the experience is like, you are nearly going through it with them! The Special Olympics movement was started in the United States by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of J.F. Kennedy a pioneer in the worldwide struggle for rights and acceptance for people with intellectual disabilities. She began in her back garden in Maryland, imagine, and now it is one of the greatest events in the world. Special Olympics provides year-round sport and competition for athletes with an intellectual disability. The learning of the sport and the discipline involved along with the social aspect is just incredible how athletes make progress in every way possible. Discipline is the security that brings us all into touch! A group of trained voluntary coaches that say what they mean and mean what they say can make the biggest difference ever to a developing athlete. The volunteers are dedicated persons with a vision to assist your athlete to develop their potential. Seeing athletes excel in their particular sport is so emotional. I ran a swim club for ten years, so I know the experience of seeing them win and take their place on the podium for all to see. The pride, the joy, and the reward that's what describe Special Olympics. When World Games came to Ireland in 2003, the first time outside the United States, it was a huge event. We had an athlete on the swim team and she won a gold medal for backstroke. I screamed I cried I cried and cried. It is so wonderful. The end-of-year party is coming up in a couple of weeks, that's something to look forward to when the team comes home. The joy makers of this world, share their joy. Unbeatable Together, that's the theme for the 2023 games. Well, that's for sure, athletes volunteers coaches it all works! Clear your mind, improve your focus and find joy through meditation. i have put together a meditate with me series of audios to help you to do just that. You can find them on my YouTube channel here Part 1 - https://youtu.be/hAjJSMYx7Jk Part 2 - https://youtu.be/hAjJSMYx7Jk Watch this space for part 3 coming soon!

With the start of my new Meditate With Me Series I thought it would be a good time to share my meditation practice journey with you all as a meditation teacher. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a big meditation advocate. I usually tell people that meditation saved my life, and it did. I meditate every day, for my health and well-being. It has been such a consolation. Over thirty years ago I was introduced to a meditation class. At that time, it was not, as usual, to find meditation classes as it is now. The room was cream, beautifully peaceful, with a cream carpet. We left our shoes outside and were encouraged to be silent once we entered the room. It was a real sacred space. I found it very difficult at first because when I lay on the floor I would start to think about, did I turn off the cooker, what did I have for dinner, did I put the washing out! All the normal type thoughts that cross all of our minds, every day. Imagine 60,000 thoughts pass by every day whether we want them to or not. Meditation is about learning to quieten them down and not engage with them, so they don’t become a story. Not emptying our mind, as I was led to believe initially! The thought of emptying our mind is also a thought!! In the East, it is thought that we in the West, do not use the mind to its full potential. That it is like living in the basement of our mansion without having the keys to access the upper rooms which are most beautiful. I can certainly see what that means, and I do believe that in the West, we have a poor idea yet of just how powerful our minds are, but we are on the way to finding out. The benefits of meditation are numerous. Slows down, lowers blood pressure, calms the nervous system, engages the Vagus nerve, and the whole process is parasympathetic in nature. All lead us to better health, mentally, physically, and emotionally. It brings about clarity and peace of mind. In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter how long you meditate for, or what time of day. They are the details that are not important, but they are the ones that people focus on and then decide they can’t meditate. As long as you are practicing some form of meditation, it has its benefits. I am not a rigid thinker around meditation, if it is a stress to practice, then it is not useful at all. Make a time that suits you, if it fits in it stays in. When I teach classes, I usually finish with a short meditation. There is always one participant that will say I can’t meditate. That statement has been the catalyst in inspiring me to create a course for beginners and for those who think they can’t meditate. It has three modules to it, simple and easy with exercises for you to follow to help you find your way to developing a meditation practice. It’s a self-learn course with a dedicated Facebook group especially for you, where you can ask questions if you need to. You also have lifetime access to it so you can keep going back to it as often as you need to. I love the work of the great teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, he has been so influential in my life. His work is so simple. His explanations of things are also so simple too. That’s the secret really, keeping it simple not overcomplicating it. In meditation, we are learning to let go. Firstly, letting go of the busy outside world, so that we can give our mind and body a much-needed rest. But letting go of frustration, anger, and fear. Letting go is a skill, that we need to cultivate, it takes time and patience, patience with ourselves, and meditation is a great way to do that. If we can name the ‘something’ that we need to let go of, then we can easily develop our practice. Thich Nhat Hanh tells a story of a farmer who owned four cows. He woke up one morning to find the cows had disappeared. He went to the Buddha and told him his predicament. The Buddha said he hadn’t seen them. The farmer was in a real state of panic and told the Buddha that not only had his cows disappeared, but his crop of sesame seed had failed because they had been eaten by insects so therefore, he was thinking that because he had such a terrible year, he might kill himself. So, the Buddha suggested that before he did that, he should look for the cows in the other direction. When the farmer went off to look in the other direction the Buddha turned to his students and said, you are so lucky, you do not have any cows to lose! So, the suggestion is to put a name on the ‘cows’ that you want to let go of, in your meditation practice! Maybe it’s annoyance about a situation, person, or thing. Whatever it is, maybe use the acronym of the cows as a means to help yourself ‘let go’ and create a new way of being for yourself. Remember you are human and allow yourself the time to learn, but most of all the benefits way outweigh the time it takes to meditate. 💜 PLEASE SHARE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS WITH ANYONE YOU FEEL THIS MAY BE OF INTEREST TO 💗 Zen~ology my short course for beginners meditation is now live Click on the link for all details and to sign up if you wish https://reginacurleylifecoaching.thinkific.com/courses/zen-ology You can view the first of my Meditate With Me Series here on my YouTube Channel. https://youtu.be/ISx8o59PAbA I wish you a good experience on your journey to meditation.