Tune in to switch off – introducing you to the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous systems

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– your KEYS to Evolving to your HIGHEST potential, consciously.

The parasympathetic nervous system restores the body to a calm and composed state and prevents it from overworking.

It helps you to:

  • Rest
  • Digest
  • Pro-create
  • Eliminate
  • Restore balance and equilibrium physiologically so that your body can heal and return to its natural state of wellbeing.

The sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, prepares the body for fight and flight response.

* Stimulates adrenals (the glands that sit on top of the kidneys) to

* Release adrenal/noradrenalin and cortisol which are hormones that

* Make you think/act/move more quickly

* Veins tighten so that your blood pumps more quickly

* Heart-rate rises and senses are magnified “you feel totally switched on”

 

Whilst being on and active is great for achieving your goals in small doses, when we are constantly “on” we become reactive rather than responsive, and find ourselves making choices out of pressure (anxiety & fear-driven)  because we feel we have to – rather than because of pleasure (because things truly feel “right” or good to us).

 

When we are ”on” too much the switch between the Symp and Parasymp nervous systems can get “stuck” in the Sympathetic side.  Which means you feel “wired” and tired but cannot sleep because our whole being – our mind-body-soul system – has forgotten how to switch off and slow down.

 

The restorative yoga, guided breath-led relaxations, yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) and guided Visualisation within the retreat are all designed to take you into the Parasympathetic side of your nervous system, so you “remember” and “reset” to create, be and, even, achieve more, from a place of holistic wellbeing in a state of “rest”.

 

After all, in the wild, Zebras would run away from Lion’s – and then simply stop and eat grass again – and this is why we as human beings had the same “on-off” system installed.  So it can be good to ask yourself: which wolves and lions are you running away from?  What do YOU need to do to reassure your MIND that you are safe and secure enough to slow down, so that your system – as a whole – can restore?

Join us online from 29-31st January to learn these tools and techniques and so much more! Join the Human R-evolution.

Photo credit: Sofia Gomez

Quarantine – the ultimate Svadyaya (Self-Enquiry)

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I landed back in the UK from Ibiza on the dawn of a new quarantine.
 
With two young children and – fortunately – a beautiful cottage on the side of a village, which overlooks vegetable gardens full of butterflies.
 
And, In spite of landing into an area of outstanding natural beauty I watched my ego mind spiral into frustration, anger, resistance of every teenage type
I became the victim of the circumstances….  I felt trapped, en-caged and enraged.  I lobbied the local MP and checked the WhatsApp streams every 2 hours to see how the government talks were unfolding. 
 
And then…
 
* I reminded my ego mind that I, me, Larah, personally, had made the choice to book the flights at exactly that time, on exactly that flight, and I had felt guided to do so. 
 
* I reminded my ego mind that, if I could surrender this resistance, I could, instead EMBRACE this opportunity to fully retreat, to ground and earth into England’s deep, replenishing green grass, soothing summer sunshine and wise and ancient trees.
 
*  I chose to celebrate this opportunity for deep Svādhyāya – the Sanskrit term which describes one of the yogic Niyamas, which means self-study, self-observation.  
 
* Arising early each morning (6am) to run, practice my yoga and meditate just after dawn, before the rest of the village arose.
I chanted mantras and meditated on the GIFTS that this situation was giving me, and enquired about the higher purpose of this experience, for me, at this precise moment in time. I wrote and mind-mapped and doodled and reflected, 
 
* I focussed on appreciating and loving every moment, every opportunity to receive the food being delivered, to pick the fresh beetroot from the garden, to soften with my children into a gentler rhythm without driving a car or interacting with too many other people. 
* I could see the magic of this time again and all the butterflies and nature just blossoming and blooming and thriving. All around me.  
 
* I could feel myself “dropping in”, my nervous system restoring despite regular high-wattage screams from my dynamic golden three year old, 
 
* Sleeping deep and rising with the dawn, this state of deep rest creates space for new inspirations to arise  Literally to breathe deep – t”ins spire” and to see things and life more clearly, to feel deeply aligned with my purpose, with visions and ideas and new “inspirations” arising. 
 
My overall sense of presence, expanded and life-became-mindfulness… walking with feet barefoot on the grass and the earth daily, rooting and grounding into the here and my patience with the children, which, lets be honest, is the ultimate “litmus test” deepened and expanded too.  Because, as I softened and became more aware of my own life state, moment-by-moment, I could be more present with and connected to them.  Because in the end, our children, are our ultimate life gurus – the clearest ponds that provide mirrors for our self-reflection.
 
And I genuinely feel deeply grateful, that spirit, creator: LIFE! gave me this extra opportunity to remember this.
 
 
Wishing you ALL well in your own inner-journeys of Svadhyaya….    
 
 
With love and blessings.

EASING out of Lockdown…

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Support to ride those human-evolution waves…

By Larah Davis, Founder and Co-Director of Ibiza Retreats

As country by country, the world begins to open up its flight routes again, how are you feeling, deep in your belly?

 Are you feeling ready to live better, happier, healthier from the learnings of this Global Pause?
Here are 5 keys to support you to Ease out of Lockdown – and ride the human-evolution waves
1. Get grounded – you deserve to feel safe and WELL in your own skin!
Are you feeling as safe and clear and strong as you deserve to?
The “collective conscious” can have a positive or negative impact on how you are feeling.  This is the “energy field” between you and everyone else around you…  in your community, in your online communities and this energy passes through emails, whatsap groups and facebook newsfeeds.
So every day – begin your day – not on the phone or social media, but by sitting on the earth and taking 5 deep breaths from your heart, to your belly to the earth.
Affirm by TAPPING into your thymus gland: “I am safe, I am well, I am strong”
2. Get centered into your own personal power! 
Choose what you are listening to and reading to begin your days with a positive, loving and empowering foundation before reaching out into the outer world for other information.
Get out of your head and into your body by stepping out of bed consciously and entering yourself.
Ground into your feet and inhale your arms above your help, press your palms together and exhale your hands back to your heart to find your center again.
Repeat during the day whenever you need to restore equilibrium.
 
3. Breathe deep and Choose information that helps you feel Strong, Well and Good
Inhale deeply and exhale even more deeply when you are reading ANY information coming through – from friends/family/news stories.
Yes it is important to stay “awake and aware:.
Yet even more important is YOUR WELLBEING FIRST – so whether you choose to believe it or not –  “be strong” to whatever comes your way.
Rather than letting it affect you in a fearful or unbalancing way.
Remember – The choice is YOURS (and you have the free will to believe or not believe, to listen or to change the channel to beautiful healing music!)
4. Reflect and Rewire! 
Have you gathered the insights and learnings from the enforced Global Pause to be able to re-emerge wiser, clearer and with “reset” priorities that focus first on your health, happiness and overall wellbeing – and that of your family, friends and mother nature?
This re-emergence is a phenomenal opportunity – to ride the waves of transformation that began when we had to sit still, turn inwards and navigate our inner-terrirotires.
Because when you can note down what you have noticed, about what felt new, or good in this Global Pause, what enabled your body and your nervous system – and maybe even your mind – to relax in ways you had forgotten…. you can Rewire your mind to focus on the way you WANT to approach life, your friendships, your social interactions, your family time, your working life – from a place of integration.   Where you have integrated YOUR truth, your needs, how you are feeling day to day, with what you choose to share with the outside world.
5. Lets go slow – and TRUST in life’s flow
There has been so much breaking down of old ways…. systems, businesses, old ways of living, expectations and relationships
Trust is a seed that we need to plant deep once again
Plant it with your intention “I trust in life”.
Cultivate Trust by proactively appreciating all the positive aspects of these challenging times, all the knowledge and learnings that have arisen.
Now go slow to deepen the connection to your self – your innate wisdom and those “quiet messages” from your intuition which will help you trust in life’s flow and allow the universe – through friends, family and synchronistic situations, ensure that your needs can be met.
It is a practice. to ease out of lockdown in the way that serves YOU – so that you can also choose to SERVE the world, by being a LIVING part of this HUMAN R-EVOLUTION – by honouring yourself, your intuition and your truth.
Day by day.
It is a practice….
And we are here, via whatsap, email and phone, to support you!
Feeling wobbly? Needing support through this transition?
 
Larah and Susie are offering 1:1 Zooms to clear the fears and anxieties and help you clarify YOUR path forward, integrating Quantum Coaching, Breathwork and Yoga Therapy.
You can email info@ibizaretreats.com for more information, or call us if you want to chat to a friendly human voice for all the details on 0034 663 093 499.
Or join our R-Evolution Retreat in September – where Larah and Susie will be with you as your co-creator life-guides!
Lets hold hearts and hands and KNOW that our WORLD is WELL and we are ALL on this transformational ride!
stimulant sober

Thinking about going ‘Stimulant Sober?’

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Join me on my Seven Day Challenge…

By Susie Howell, Co-Director of Ibiza Retreats

On the first day of the year, I made the decision to go ‘Alcohol Sober’ for January, to honour the end of what had unexpectedly turned out to be a really tough year for me. I decided that what I needed was to embrace the New Year and the new decade with clarity and focus!  And I must admit, throughout the long month of January, this decision has helped me to feel clear, calm and newly positive; so much so, that I am considering extending my abstinence as long as it continues to feel good for me.

Of course, exercise, healthy diet and plenty of sleep are factors that are also contributing to my Feel Good factor, as part of my self-care routine and holistic wellbeing, but this month of abstinence has given me food for thought.

It’s not that I felt I was drinking too much necessarily,  although having an active toddler combined with all the availability of the Christmas indulgences, it felt more like I was finding myself reaching for, let’s call it, “a something” on a more regular basis.

During my January month of alcohol abstinence, I’ve now noticed that “the something” I reach for has switched to the odd coffee or a black tea. And whilst caffeine is not an alcoholic drink, or nicotine or drugs, it is still a stimulant or “a fix” of sorts that I am using to change something in this moment.

It feels like something to reward, distract, divert or suppress a feeling or emotion and which offers that sense of instant gratification. Life ‘stuff’ happens, it ebbs and it flows and there are the inevitable ups and downs along the road, but I wanted to explore this pattern a little more closely.

For me, it’s less about the stimulant itself, but more about the intention behind it.

And here’s the science bit. Dopamine is known as the feel-good neuro-transmitter. This is the chemical which the brain releases when we eat food we crave and have sex. It is even released when we receive positive messages or social media feedback or undertake in any generally pleasurable activities. It gives us feelings of satisfaction and it’s linked to indulgent and addictive behaviours and patterns. Just so dopamine doesn’t get a bad press – it’s very necessary in us as it’s responsible for motivation, mood, attention and it also helps regulate movement, learning and even emotional responses.

So these “somethings” or stimulants literally take you out of your body and into your head.

Dopamine is active in the frontal cortex of the brain as well as the limbic (or reptilian) brain which in turn, sets off our fight, flight or freeze response. It stimulates the sympathetic side of our autonomic nervous system. Once the fight, flight or freeze response if activated = less patience = reactivity = anxiety = for example, lack of trust. In every day life this translates as living our lives in a state of constant reactivity and flux. That’s not the goal we really want in our day to day life – and it’s ultimately very draining living in this constantly ‘hocked up’ state!

So I would like to offer you to take part in the Seven Day Challenge with me.

First up in the challenge is the removal of caffeine! I’d love to know how you get on and what you notice during the week. Any positive affects or any observations…? Let’s talk about it!

So what can you do instead? How can we increase our Dopamine levels naturally?

  • Your diet! Eat foods rich in Tyrosine. In order to make dopamine, your body needs tyrosine which can be found in almonds, bananas, avocados, eggs and beans for example
  • Exercise – only 30 mins a day can boost your mood exponentially. This doesn’t mean an expensive gym membership – just get outside! Walk, cycle, hike in nature, take a yoga or pilates class – just bring daily movement into your life!
  • Undertake a meditation practice. Meditation improves dopamine. Fact. Check out our Ibiza Retreats Soundcloud page for Guided Meditations by our very own Larah Davis, or check our my favourite app Insight Timer, which has the best content of all the online meditation apps.
  • Prioritise sleep. This is the time when our body can rest, repair, regulate and regenerate and those all-important neuro pathways are repaired and renewed.
  • Listen to calming music. It’s a cliché, but it works! You can try this in conjunction with a deeply restorative yoga pose;  Viparita Karani  – or to put it simply, it’s just legs up the wall as the direct translation! This is a favourite of ours at Ibiza Retreats – and it really works! Lie down on the floor, facing a wall, on your back with your bum as close to the skirting board  / floor to ceiling join as possible. Shuffle your bottom up against the wall until it is as close to the wall as possible, with your legs up against the wall. And breathe…slowly, deeply, keeping your legs vertical, resting against the wall. This is a game-changing pose – it’s my ‘Go To’ restorative asana.
  • Add nutrients and supplements into your self-care routine. For example the nutrients  iron, niacin, folate, the B vitamin family and magnesium and the supplements Ashwaganda , curcuma, oregano extract and (caffeine free!) green tea have all been linked to increased dopamine production. You can have a blood test to determine if you are deficient in any of these. Add a high quality pro-biotic to keep the gut (the second brain) in tip-top health.

If you’d like to learn more about topics like this and how to make those big life changes, that will optimise your physical and emotional wellbeing join us in 2020 for one of our carefully curated yoga and holistic wellbeing retreats.

Here is a link to our full calendar … and we are offering 10% off for retreats booked before February 14th – which we are taking the liberty to re-frame as the day of…

LOVE AND SELF-LOVE!

You can email info@ibizaretreats.com for more information, or call us if you want to chat to a friendly human voice for all the details on 0034 663 093 499.

Wheel of Life Priorities – Self Coaching for 2020 Clarity

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As we enter into the new chapter that 2020 allows, let’s embrace the 2020 Clear Vision!

by Larah Davis, Founder & Co-Director of Ibiza Retreats

 

 

I invite you to take just 20 minutes to reflect on and feel into your priorities so that you can enjoy a year (and years ahead) fuelled by the sense of power, ease and trust-in-life that unfolds when you are truly clear.

“Clarity is power and power is in the now” – Spiritual Entrepreneur Mentor Keith Cunningham

Create an hour for yourself, take a walk, stretch, and put on, if you wish, some calming music that enables you to relax and feel good in yourself before sitting for a few minutes, with your hands on your belly to slow down your mind by focussing on your breathing.

Set a timer for five minutes and breathe in for 4 and out for 6.  Keep your breathing long, slow and consistent, without forcing.  Keep it easy.

Now look below at the WHEEL OF LIFE.

 

wheel of life

 

Look at each of these different areas of your life shown and ask yourself:

 

  1. How much time/energy/effort did you invest in each area of your life  in 2019? ( 0 – 10 )

 

  1. How much energy/positive reward did you receive in 2019? (0 – 10)

 

  1. What do you want to achieve, experience/receive in each area in 2020?

 

  1. What do you need to prioritise for your work-life balance so that you can enjoy the journey?
  1. Next – explore the action steps that you need to take to allow these intentions to unfold.

 

Keep it simple, realistic and compelling.  Remember – to enjoy the magic at the Top of a Mountain, you need to walk the foothills first!

 

If you would like more support to reflect and fine-tune your focus and goal-setting strategies, contact me directly at larah@ibizaretreats.com to book a private Skype Coaching session.

And join us for our New Year’s Co-Coaching call – for our Ibiza Retreats world-wide family.

TUESDAY January 21st at 5pm Ibiza Time and I, Larah, will be there to support you  to reflect on your own “self-care first” strategies for SUSTAINABLE success.

 

We will each share our top 3 intentions and reflect together, supported by each others presence energy and insights to feel clear, focussed and empowered to  grow and expand this year, in harmony with your own and your wider needs and responsibilities.

Community support can enable us to achieve so much more.  We will continue this co-Coaching calls once per month into 2020 enabling the Clarity to expand, deepen and enable our inner-calm and strength to grow.

I’m looking forward to sharing the journey with you!

 

With love,

 

Larah x