Burnings & Learnings – New beginnings for 2019

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“At the start of the New Year it is all too easy to set ourselves unrealistic goals, to punish or plan to deprive ourselves. We spend too much time focussing on how we think we need to improve, rather than celebrating the beautifully imperfect perfect humans we already are …”

by Larah Davis – Owner and Co-Director of Ibiza Retreats

 

Happy New Year Ibiza Retreats familia and friends…

After a very full-power year of joys and challenges, saying goodbye to 2018 felt very strong for me.  I felt exhausted, out of inspiration and in need of a retreat for the space and time to reconnect with myself and how I want to manage the many beautiful responsibilities of my life as Larah, a woman who LOVES music, horses, yoga, dancing, laughing, singing, cycling, travelling, sharing LIFE with dear sisters, friends and family. 

Because I had been trying to do it all, and had not been having enough “Larah time” to just be myself, I was completely out of balance by the end of the year. 
I was giving too much to my work – BECAUSE I love our incredible organization of Ibiza Retreats (in fact, Ibiza Retreats was my FIRST baby!) it was too easy to become totally immersed, which meant other areas of my life were neglected.  

Caring for my business feels GOOD because we serve a good purpose in supporting many of you to heal, grow and transform! Yet this was also causing me to feel guilty, frustrated and like I was not enjoying enough what I SHOULD be celebrating every day: my amazing, loving family and friends.
 
So I got on a plane on December 28th with my two year old daughter and went to meet a dear sister and soul-mate with whom we could retreat together, walk, talk, laugh, cry, download our “burnings” and share our learnings from 2018,  to begin 2019 centered, clear and connected to our new visions, heart-felt wishes and dreams. 

And what I received, whilst retreating myself, was time and space for my head to unpack the spiders webs of thoughts and self-analysis.
It gave me fresh natural views of mountains and trees that fields, sheep and blue skies that were NEW to my eyes, free of memories, thus offering new HEAD space for contemplation and self-reflection.
With this head space I could listen in more clearly to my body’s intelligence, reconnect deeply with my TRUE physical needs and actual energy levels, & recognising what was depleting me practically and emotionally.
I came away with clarity, peace and, after sharing tears, joys, life stories and laughter – I returned to my family, home and daily life REFRESHED, with clarity about how I want to LIVE this new year, at work, at home and at play.  I feel stronger, lighter and FREER and able to let go – yep DROP what no longer serves me.
I have got a true sense of higher perspective again and my HEART is singing and happy!
As we are all now into this new year, it offers a new opening…. a portal to infinite new possibilities. 
It is a blank slate, energetically and physically, onto which you can write a new story and become again the conscious creator of your life the way you REALLY wish it to be.And the wonderful thing to remember about this, is that this new blank slate is offered to us EVERY SINGLE DAY! In this first flush of the New Year enthusiasm, JANUS, the January God of two heads, invites us to look back without regret over the last year and then focus forward to the future.
A wonderfully simple strategy is to make a burn list and a learn list.
It is a simple way to accept, forgive and release what no longer serves you – and get your heart, mind and energy field focused in YOUR right direction for a magical year ahead.
 
You can lovingly and non-judgmentally look at each behavior/habit/or stress-causing pattern that you want to leave behind or “burn” and instead consider what you are “learning” to do, think or be differently instead.
This will clarify your new life choices and help focus your intentions for the year ahead.
 
A good way of looking at what you are “burning” is writing down everything you are aware of that creates stress in your life.   And yes… you may note that a LOT of the stressful situations arise from blurred lines between WORKING LIFE and HOME/FAMILY/SOCIAL/PRIVATE life which can create a state of serious overwhelm.
 
The Burning of what no longer serves you…
 
BURNING / LEARNING
1. Feeling overwhelmed by many responsibilities? / Keep things simple with only one meeting per day
2. Work Whatsapps / emails interfering with being able to happily “manage” family/social life? /  Create a phone altar to check in at designated times of day AND purchase a separate personal phone and choose when you feel most calm and clear to read/respond to emails.
3. Reaching for the chocolate every evening after supper?  / Only purchase chocolate on weekends and buy choco chilli tea instead! 

And then, from a more personal angle – these are some of my own…

  • Depending on others for positive feedback /   Appreciating all that I do, give and am and checking that I am not “doing to much” when I am demanding appreciation from others.
  • Saying “Yes” to requests because it feels good to make others happy  / Checking in with myself “does this feel like a pleasure or a pressure? Do I have enough time and space to commit to this right now?
  • Looking at what my husband doesn’t do around the house /  Using the power of appreciation to show my gratitude for everything he DOES to keep us warm, support the family – keep the laundry cycles flowing!
  • Putting pressure on myself to make it to every yoga class (and feeling bad when I don’t) / Choosing a flow of yoga classes that offer me time to be more dynamic and active and more nourished and receiving – less IS often more
  • Feeling guilty when I shout at or react to my children (rather than being the conscious mother I aspire to be!) / Writing up my lunar cycle – so that I can track the Spring, Summer (ovulation), Autumn, Winter (bleed) times and be gentle with myself on the more sensitive days, advise my family and diminish activities and responsibilities on those days!
  • Picking at food throughout the afternoon / Creating and sitting down to mindfully

Once you have your own selections of ‘burnings’ either outdoors, or carefully over a candle flame, release the burnings with gratitude (because EVERY thought, word and deed has got you to where you are NOW – today!) as much as you can…. And, with this purification process complete, and your inner-space cleaner and clearer, find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed to listen to this MANIFEST YOUR HEARTS DESIRE GUIDED VISUALISATION.
 
This will prepare you perfectly for creating a dream/vision board for which you just need magazines, newspapers and shiny things and this link will take you to a Guided Visualisation in how to make a Vision Board to align with your intentions, wishes and needs.
 
I WISH YOU an AMAZING 2019 where you truly can be your own POWERFUL creator of happiness and health BECAUSE you are living in harmony with yourself…

Larah xxx
 

ibiza retreats dawn

7 tips for ‘Turning Inward’ this Autumn

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7 Top Tips for Turning Inward this Autumn

 

To embrace the seasonal change, you can ride the slower rhythms and, just like the leaves fall gently to the earth, begin to let go of lifestyle choices and actions that sit better with the brighter days and shorter nights of summer-time. This less-is-more approach as you head into the mists and mellow fruitfulness of Autumn, will create the space to reflect, to “be” more with yourself, to observe what YOU need to feel good in the darker months . And even when there is nothing to “do” isn’t it all to easy to get sucked back into the screens and social media. Indeed, whilst the nights draw in, how do you NOT get drawn in to the energy-sucking online spirals but rather ride the essence of the autumnal energy? Well….

 

Here are 7 mindful Tips for turning inward holistically….

 

Calm and clear your mind, soothe your nervous system, nourish yourself physically and emotionally AND enable your summer-glow to last more sustainably…

 

(1) Create a clear and retreat-ful space

Zen-your-space – with an autumnal clean. Phone a friend to do this with you for their objective “refuse or recycle” focused approach and enjoy the head and heart space that this enables.

 

(2) Set the mood – with candles and music

Invest in candle to create a sense of warmth and harmony at home. Candles raise the vibration of the room that they are in and the soft light invites the mind to soften too, whilst using lemongrass or neroli (the oil from orange blossom) will gently uplift you after the sun has passed the horizon, geranium is rebalancing and rose heart-opening. Music – that is, the RIGHT type of truly “enlightening” music will gently raise your frequency, the vibrational frequency of YOU at a cellular level. Explore mantras and world-music that uplifts and inspires.

 

(3) Monitor and limit your screen-time

Rather than stimulating your mind and your neural circuitry, turn OFF the input min 2 hours before you go to sleep, choose to read, write, draw, meditation, sing… rest… be. In essence, tune in to YOU and you will feel more present, centered and HAPPIER guaranteed!

 

(4) Soup it up! – with mother natures’ medicine cabinet

Seasonal fruits, depending on where you live, will give your system exactly what it needs to replenish after the exertive summer heat. From apples to persimmons, pomegranates to pears.   And whilst the sunlight added zing to your summer stride, its time to dive in with deep earthy flavours from root vegetables, and more carbohydrate based squashes and tubers to give you the extra energy your body craves.   Warm your soul with cayenne pepper, turmeric and ginger as natural antibacterials and “inner-heat”makers to prevent colds and why not dare to forage! Soothe your kidneys and rebalance adrenals with fresh nettle tea.

 

(5) Relax and reflect – with meditations, baths and journals

Summer invites you to go-go-go, to seize the moment and stay out later at night. So now embrace the earlier nights, indulge in warm baths, hot water bottles and cosy bedtimes so you can write in your journal, review your learnings and your letting go’s, celebrate your successes and connect more deeply with your inner-stirrings… wishes, desires and dreams.  Press play on a downloadable meditation…. Or 2! Simply creating the space for new insights to arise gives permission for your soul to speak…. And when you are doing less, you can listen more, and more, easily.

 

(6) Open your heart…. And breathe

Yet to keep the pranic energy flowing and to awaken WITHOUT caffeine to over-stimulate, stretch your arms wide in bed in the morning and inhale over and above your ahead to invite your diaphragm to expand, your inhale to deepen and more oxygen to rush in. Exhale navel to spine to connect your core and contain the energy. Repeat 10 times and repeat again when standing on the floor.

 

(7) Put your legs up the wall every evening (in Viparita Karani)

The ultimate “deep trance” VIP yoga asana – this easy-to-do posture is a gentle inversion, optimizing blood-flow to your kidneys and adrenals, calming the mind, soothing your parasympathetic nervous system so that you can rest, digest and eliminate – at every level…. Optimizing you holistically for that deep, delicious sleep.

  • find a clear wall space
  • place a yoga mat, towel or blanket on the floor
  • sit sideways on to wall
  • raise legs up to the sky as you lie back on the floor
  • turn your toes towards your face
  • place your hands on your belly, thumbs and fore-fingers touching
  • enjoy long-slow deep full yogic breaths (belly, diaphragm, heart and reversed)

 

 

Om Shanti Om!

ibiza retreats

Retreat to Imagine your dreams into reality

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ibiza retreats

When you are amidst the challenges and responsibilities of daily life, how often to set aside “me time” to purely rest, be and dream?

Why is it that, so often, we put dreaming “last” on our to do lists?

As the medical world is beginning to recognise, due to all the functional illnesses presenting themselves, such as anxiety, insomnia and depression, these all have similar “symptoms” but no “root cause” that can be medically diagnosed.  Yet finally, modern medicine is beginning to hold hands with mental health professionals and yoga therapists who are collectively recognising that our over-active minds have been seriously stressing our holistic human systems.  From our schooling to parenting, to climbing the career ladder, we have been over-conditioned to “make things happen” and “get things done” – we have been programming ourselves to “succeed” materially, even if it pulls out of a positive life state, places pressure on our vital organs, sets our adrenals into overdrive.

 

We need to remember how to be like children more often… living from moment to moment, giving ourselves space to play, to have natural, stimulant free fun, which relaxes our whole system and creates the space for us to dream. Not only does this child-like space connect you to a higher-energetic frequency where you are feeling so good that you CAN you’re your mind and believe in new and better possibilities, this higher life state is one of infinite potential, connected to the third-eye and crown chakras, it also is the space of the “dreamer” within you who KNOWS that life can be colourful, magical and full of divine interventions.  It is in the dream-state that you are most open to the power of your heart’s intentions – to God or Spirit or Source guided INSPIRATION.

 

The value of dreaming (when you are awake!) is that it literally, opens your mind to allow your deeper desires and wishes to arise.  They may come as visions, inner-voices, or subtle senses of what you truly wish your life to be like.  And the caterpillar – chrysalis – butterfly metamorphosis demonstrates YOUR power to transform yourself and your life by dreaming:

 

The caterpillars new cells are called ‘imaginal cells.’ They resonate at a different frequency. They are so totally different from the caterpillar cells that his immune system thinks they are enemies…and gobbles them up–Chomp! Gulp! But these new imaginal cells continue to appear. More and more of them! Pretty soon, the caterpillar’s immune system cannot destroy them fast enough. More and more of the imaginal cells survive. And then an amazing thing happens! The little tiny lonely imaginal cells start to clump together, into friendly little groups. They all resonate together at the same frequency, passing information from one to another. Then, after awhile, another amazing thing happens! The clumps of imaginal cells start to cluster together!.., A long string of clumping and clustering imaginal cell, all resonating at the same frequency, all passing information from one to another there inside the chrysalis.”

 

“A wave of Good News travels throughout the system– Lurches and heaves…but not yet a butterfly.” Then at some point, the entire long string of imaginal cells suddenly realizes all together that it is Something Different from the caterpillar. Something New! Something Wonderfull!….and in that realisation is the shout of the birth of the butterfly!”                                              Happy Birthday Butterfly!!!

 

From Nora Huddles Book – BUTTERFLY

 

Dreaming is the secret to ongoing conscious transformation, to remaining connected to your  deeper wishes and soul-journey, to walking your true “path” in life, to giving space to allow your heart-felt needs to make themselves seen, sensed and heard. Dreaming for me, having just returned from a magical Ulpotha retreat, in emerald Sri Lankan nature, became as valuable as the yoga, the meditations, the kirtans, the incredible massages and ayurvedic treatments.   It unlocked my imagination. It reconnected me to the higher vibrations of truly believing (again) in my life as work of magical art – full of infinite creative possibility. I came away from the retreat ready to reconnect with my life in Ibiza, full of new energy and lightness. I felt like I was resonating with the beauty and open-ended possibilities of life. I felt excited about ALL that the future had in store – childlike, joyful and free.

 

So come on wonderful people, amidst these times of change and TRUMP, of Syria and the ongoing refugee crisis, this year, dare to spread your wings.

 

Put your dreams first! Life is calling you to live your TRUE colours more than ever before.

Become a butterfly in 2017….  Invoke your own IMAGINAL CELLS by joining us on retreat in Ibiza, nourishing your imaginal frequency by taking time OUT to tune in, rest, rejuvenate and dream!

chocolate mousse

For the Love of Chocolate; raw vegan chocolate mousse.

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When you’re feeling in need of a little self-love, there’s nothing better than a delicious dose of the dark stuff…

This raw vegan chocolate mousse is simple to make, and BEYOND DELICIOUS!

AND it’s made from only good stuff, so you can treat yourself and feel good about yourself all at the same time. Isn’t that how you should always feel?

Enjoy x

chocolate mousse

Raw Chocolate Mousse

1 cup water
1 cup coconut oil
60 gram cacao powder

1 avocado
half cup agave

Blend all together until it is smooth and creamy.

Put it in the fridge around 30 minutes.

Decorate the mousse with fruits, pistachio or coconut shreds.

Yoga & Horse-riding in Ibiza

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February & March 2015 – It is the perfect time to explore Ibiza’s magical countryside, with the stunning views from being, close-to-nature, part of nature, on horse-back OR on foot.  Mother nature calms us, heals us and provides the space and the stunning settings for new life perspectives, bringing about a natural feeling of wellbeing.  And, with yoga and breath work each morning, you will reconnect your head and your heart, experience new levels of enjoyment in the saddle and a deeper connection to and feeling for your horse.  For individuals, friends and mothers and daughters who want to share a special experience.You can also dd horse-riding to either the Just Stop! or Get Glowing Retreats.

You do not need to be yoga or horse-riding experts! This retreat is open to ALL levels, and is an opportunity to, disconnect from stress and pressures, to enjoy the space and time to breathe deep and reconnect with nature – and each other – to bond and become closer, whilst developing a yoga practice to complement your everyday life with techniques to strengthen body and mind.  Open your lungs to the salty purifying sea air with a long beach walk and pine-scented cliff-top sunset hike.  Relax and let go with a massage on arrival and a Bowen session with Lizzy to bring your body, mind and energy back into balance.  Nourish yourself with delicious vegetarian soul-food and enjoy 2 evenings of free time to adventure into some of Ibiza’s most atmospheric evening eateries.

With Ibiza Retreats’ mind-body-spirit concierge service to connect you with optional treatments & therapies from reflexology to acupuncture and facials.  Our team will help you tailor-make your time by tuning you into  the most special places to discover….  you can go with the flow and totally relax

Price: from 695 gbp sharing / 899 euros

Please read here for further information!

* 1 x extra night b&b can be arranged with pleasure – at 120 euros for 2 x people sharing.