Tag: self-care

My Burrow

‘Bedtime Stories’ by Jessica Boehman

I had put aside preparations for my Winter meditation retreat and I was curled up on my sofa, Bella purring beside me, both of us nestled in the warmth of my heated blanket. You never know how a retreat week will unfold, but in that moment my intentions felt so clear. I needed nurturing, warmth, cosiness and space. I needed to wrap myself up in care and compassion. I needed to gently hold my experiences, both pleasurable and painful, whilst allowing the retreat space and community to gently hold me. I could pull back a little; rest, restore, let things settle and fill myself up with compassion and courage, topping up my levels of resilience.

I often find images as powerful as words. They can capture a string of intentions in one single frame. I found a beautiful illustration that caught just what I needed. Looking at ‘Bedtime Stories’ by Jessica Boehman, I wasn’t just reminded of my intentions, I was feeling them. The girl reading, a little companion by her side. The bear and fox curled up in sleepy contentment. Soft, glowing light and warmth radiating within each burrow; vibrant, even within the peaceful, restful states. Even the night sky above has a kindness to it. Little stars of light and hope. Soft, wintery branches. Each glance brought to life the feelings of nurturing, warmth, cosiness and space. An opening of my body. A warming of my heart. A softening of my mind and a sigh of relief to have a peaceful inner space to rest in.

The image and feelings it evoked became a theme for my retreat week. During a loving kindness practice, I found myself imagining I was in the cosy cocoon of the tree roots, gradually welcoming others in one by one, making sure they were warm and comfortable and wrapping us all up in love and care. We sat around a fire, bright and glowing. We curled up on beanbags, wrapped up in soft blankets. We drank hot chocolate, sweet and comforting.

It was a lazy retreat, although I soon realised I was using the word lazy when I really meant letting go. Sleepy meditations. Cosy layers. Naps. Feeling no need to fill every space with activity. My Burrow has continued to be a place of refuge. Unlike the unhelpful avoidance and shutting down that I have swung towards in the past, it has given me a comforting place of respite from where I can continue to meet each moment with gentle, compassionate acceptance.

With thanks to Jessica at Hans My Hedgehog for her beautiful artwork and her permission to share.

A Week of Self-Care – Day 7 – Community

I’m pretty good in my own company. I need plenty of time alone doing quiet, reflective activities and this has been a key part of my self-care as I have been recovering from illness over the last few weeks, gently gathering my strength and energy in the peaceful surroundings of my home. I recognise the importance of this for me, but I also think it’s vital to feel part of my community. We all need a sense of belonging, of sharing and of company.Read More

A Week of Self-Care – Day 6 – Creativity

I can’t  remember a time when I wasn’t creating something; music, cards, sewing, crochet, knitting, writing, colouring and drawing, it doesn’t really matter what it is, it’s the process I love.  When I make something, I feel inspired, absorbed, hopeful and accomplished. I often think that as long as I have a creative outlet, I am okay.Read More

A Week of Self-Care – Day 5 – Nature

My home features on my ‘treasure of pleasure’ list most days and I feel particularly grateful to have my garden. Private and secluded by a mini woodland, it is my peaceful oasis. With labyrinthitis, I didn’t go beyond my garden gate for over three weeks, but I was able to sit outside in my wheelchair, listening to the birds, feeling the breeze and breathing in the fresh air. Even during my days in bed, I found myself gazing through my large bedroom window, getting lost in the soothing greenery and being entertained by plenty of visiting wildlife.

Connecting with nature is beneficial both physiologically and psychologically. Even if it is only looking through a window or having a plant in your room, it is known to have a positive effect. I find it incredibly grounding and it helps me feel part of a larger whole. It is a living, breathing meditation and I try to experience it in some way every day, often with the help of Bertie and Bella, who of course rarely leave my side when I am unwell.

 

‘A Tickle of Whiskers and a Nudge of a Paw’ – a post about the health benefits of time with animals, and my feline protectors, Bertie and Bella.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Autumn’ – a post on nature, mindfulness and changing seasons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Walking Meditation’ – a post about meditating while out and about, whether walking on legs or rolling on wheels.

 

 

 

 

A Week of Self-Care – Day 1 – The Call to Self-Soothe

A Week of Self-Care – Day 2 – Meditation

A Week of Self-Care – Day 3 – Nourishment

A Week of Self-Care – Day 4 – Movement

A Week of Self-Care – Day 4 – Movement

When subjected to bedrest, the body loses muscle mass at around 12% a week. Of course, it’s sometimes necessary to rest in bed when you’re unwell, and it’s what I needed during the most acute phase of my labyrinthitis, but that knowledge was a motivator to move. Not only that, but movement is vital to maintain healthy neural pathways to help my FND, and it is also as a key component of my pain management. Added to that, I knew that for my vestibular system (balance) to recover, it needed to be challenged. In other words, I had to move!

I have a range of movement practices I incorporate in my day, suitable for times ranging from when I have minimal automatic movement to those when my movement is at it’s strongest and most fluid. Even if my body is in a state of paralysis, it is still moving with the breath. That’s always my starting point, followed by mindful movement; a moving meditation that helps me regain body awareness. I then tap into my neurophysio techniques, working on my sit to stand as the basis for functional movement, and weight shifting side to side to generate some rhythm and momentum. My yoga practice ripples throughout it all. During the past few weeks I have practised yoga in bed, in my wheelchair, and I am this week starting to get back down on my mat. I am taking it incredibly gently, constantly tuning into my body and adapting what I do to meet my needs. To get some movement going feels liberating. My body feels alive as I sense energy coursing through my cells. I feel more present and I’m gradually regaining strength.

 

‘Adaptive Yoga Poses’ – In this toolbox you can find a month’s worth of adaptive yoga poses I completed in 2016 for the Mind Body Solution’s ‘Kiss My Asana’ Yogathon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘FND Movement Toolbox’ – A chart sharing some of the neurophysiotherapy techniques I use.

 

 

 

You can find an introduction on mindful movement by Breathworks, followed by a series of guided movements on Soundcloud.

 

A Week of Self-Care – Day 1 – The Call to Self-Soothe

A Week of Self-Care – Day 2 – Meditation

A Week of Self-Care – Day 3 – Nourishment

A Week of Self-Care – Day 3 – Nourishment

‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ I think Hippocrates got it right over 2000 years ago. It’s the underlying principle I follow and I am a firm believer that food can either fuel health or feed disease.

I’ve always been one for little often, a ‘grazer’ as I remember my Paediatrician once commenting. When I’m particularly unwell, my digestive system shuts down as energy is diverted elsewhere and I quickly lose weight. I turn to mini meals that are as nutrient dense as possible.Read More

A Week of Self-Care – Day 2 – Meditation

Meditation is at the heart of my self-care. It brings me peace and stillness, whatever turbulence may be happening outside or within. It grounds and settles me. It is key to my symptom management. It enables me to tune into my needs and it informs all other aspects of my self-care routine.Read More

A Week of Self-Care – Day 1 – The Call to Self-Soothe

Three weeks ago I woke up, went to get out of bed and veered violently to the right. With FND, my body can make some interesting moves, but this was a new one. I was unable to sit up or even transfer into my wheelchair. I had completely lost my sense of balance, my head hurt, I felt sick and I was utterly exhausted. My GP came out and diagnosed viral labyrinthitis, an inner ear infection. She prescribed medication to help with the acute phase and warned me that the illness was unlikely to mix well with my FND.Read More

Self-Soothe

I was becoming invisible, my body paling to the white sheets. As I lay on the hospital trolley, unable to move or speak, all I had was my mind. The strength of my thoughts and the images they created could take me anywhere. As I felt my heart sinking and tears pooling at my eyes I knew I needed to change direction. I focused on my breath. It gave me perspective. What was I feeling and where was it coming from? I felt utterly worthless. The actions, or lack of actions, by others during a time of acute illness in A&E had triggered an inner story; a deep seated belief that I knew to be untrue, yet at that moment I was compelled to believe.Read More

‘What do I need?’ – A Technique for Self-Care

Consciously Connected - what do I need?

George is a middle-aged man who lives in the States. He has a severe, progressive condition that affects all aspects of his day to day life, yet he is functioning on a higher level than many others with comparable disease. George practises mindfulness and is included as a case study in ‘Full Catastrophe Living’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn. ‘Within the limits of his disease, he is actively meeting life’s challenges rather than sitting at home and bemoaning his fate. He takes each moment as it comes and figures out how he can work with it and stay relaxed and aware.’ An example of this is how George does the weekly grocery shop for himself and his wife. He takes his time. He rests. He asks for help when necessary. He gets the shopping packed into light bag loads which he is then able to lift from the trolley to the car. The daily tasks he completes in this way bring value and meaning to his life as he is able to contribute to the running of his household, whilst self-managing his condition. Read More