winter solstice

Winter Solstice – Internal Hibernation

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“Because it’s when the night is darkest that you can see the stars shine”

 

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

It’s nearly here…  Winter Solstice, the 21st of December, is the shortest day and the longest night.

Hibernation is the natural invitation from both the solar system, and our holistic systems.

 

Are you feeling it? A tiredness, a need to slow down, speak less, sleep more, “go inward” and rest?

 

However, this darkest time in the Northern Hemisphere is not a bad thing…. it is only in our 21st century ‘always on’ cultures have we been conditioned by a collective consciousness that ‘doing more’ equals happiness and success.

 

Yet, many of us are already realising and remembering that our happiness depends on our health.  Wealth is dependent on Wellness (and “Wellthy” is probably a better word).

 

So rather than resisting this seasonal slow-down, why not hunker down, nestle in, get cosy in yourSELF, with your loved ones or alone.

 

Relish this space and time to STOP and reflect…

 

Because now is the time, when we can most naturally tune in to see the insights shining bright – and all jewels of learning from the year of 2019 glowing.

 

So what are your jewels of learning from your life-rollercoaster of 2019?

 

* What have been your greatest challenges?

 

* What strengths have you called upon to overcome them?

 

* What qualities are you seeing more clearly in yourself? And in your partners, co-workers, family and friends?

 

* Is there anything you feel you want to forgive and let go of? Either in yourself or of others?

 

* What can you be most grateful for, that you have created, enabled or received?

 

And by reflecting on these questions, with the light of this new awareness, you can gently inquire of yourself;

 

* What will you do differently in 2020 so  that you can THRIVE and enjoy more health (the OPPOSITE of stress!) and happiness?

 

Remember – when YOU thrive, your world around you thrives too!

 

This Winter Solstice, as we slow down to then embrace the YULETIDE SPIRIT over the Christmas period, take this important – and deserved – time to enjoy the reflection.

 

Sending you our love and warmest wishes for a peaceful and enjoyable Festive Season,

 

Larah, Susie & the Ibiza Retreats Family x

community consciousness

Community Consciousness – sober, centered and enjoying high vibes!

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Photograph by Sophie Gomez Fonzo

When two candle-flames come together, the flame grows exponentially.

As the nights grow shorter and it gets colder doesn’t it feel good to get together, with other like-minded souls ?  Whether yoga, meditation, breathing, singing or even dancing together, when done with respect for one another, and one’s self, a certain magic happens and we come away feeling nourished at a heart-and-soul level.

 We are at a powerful turning point in humanity’s evolution.

We have spent too much time on Facebook, or alone in bed with our phones.

We are remembering how deeply good it feels to laugh, cry, sing, move, dance, practice yoga, meditation in silence or – equally – open our voices and share our stories with other open-minded, accepting and tolerant beings.

Because when we come together consciously, we are fulfilling one of the mot fundamental human needs: love and connection.   

Personally, being in groups where I can be myself, in my truth, helps me feel reconnected, seen, heard and also enables a vortex of energy in which, with common intentions, I can deepen my own experience and connection to myself. My inner-world and sense of spaciousness expands and I feel, in the right communities, a genuine raising of energy vibrations because I feel SAFE, my nervous system relaxes and I can rest into a rising sense of self-worth.

You, our retreat guests, give us as much positive feedback about the healing and inspiring process of forming a community dynamic as within your individual journeys on retreat.

For thousands of years, human beings have connected in circle, to smoke the pipe of peace, share the fire, eat together, sleep together to keep safe from wild animals, to pray, sing and dance for rain, sun and celebration.

We come as unique and magnificent beings whose energies, ideas and backgrounds weave a colourful and dynamic tapestry that is as enriching as it is interesting.

With so many of us living in individual apartments or homes, running our lives from our tablets and phones, a sense of disconnection can creep up and leave us feeling very much alonel being together like this enables us to be in the moment – to become present and feel more relaxed and in our zone.

So why not prioritise this November, as your mid-week radiator, your “in the diary non-negotiable” self-time to replenish your system with a positive self-love infusion of community-vibes?

Check our your local yoga studio for different and interesting events and experiences – because  it is much more than what happens on the mat.  The studios and shalas that are blossoming throughout our cities are becoming hubs for all sorts of consciousness-raising, good-vibes. They are creating “happenings” that offer opportunities for personal healing, growth – and above all the JOY of true connection.    

So, this November, make a promise to yourself of an ongoing commitment to nurture your own self-love and prioritise your self-care practices. Plan ahead where possible and make it an integral part of your day to day life.

And if you feel you are ready to invest further in yourSELF, have a look at our retreat calendar and join our beautiful community of like-minded souls on a transformational retreat.

We would be honoured to welcome you!

With love

Larah x

Embrace your Lunar Cycle for Deep Healing and Wellbeing

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By Larah Davis

Our lunar cycle affects us in oh-so many ways….

 

This month, in the days prior to my bleed time, I felt angry, frustrated, highly emotional.  My “peaks and troughs” rendered me physically, as well as emotionally exhausted and, by the time my bleed arrived, the gratitude I felt, for this blissful relief and tension release, was beyond words.

And I was.  Beyond words.  The pains and aches had felt almost like contractions in the previous days.

Thankfully, I track my cycle.

I could surrender, pamper myself.  Let my family and husband know that I was in this “late autumn” phase of my moon cycle and that I needed more time and space to rest.  

So their expectations of me dropped.  And I could drop my own self-made pressures to ‘do-do-do’ for my children, home, and beyond.
When my bleed began, I was able to stop.  

To bless and just ‘be’ in the quieter time I needed.  I turned off my phone and minimised external interactions.  (And I have a 2 children – both on summer holidays – so this is no mean feat! I can tell you!)

I slept longer, gently cuddled my family more, and as I had pre-negotiated this “self-care time” I was able to retreat alone to my bed, bend my knees over a bolster and drift in and out of trance-like meditative sleeps.

You see, I began to study Womb Yoga several years ago.  So many of our retreat clients come with high levels of anxiety, depression, report mood-swings, exhaustion, overwhelm, insomnia, infertility…. I could keep going.

These are ALL stress-related issues and from what I have observed over the last 10 years of leading, teaching and facilitating on our retreats, the greatest stress that we put ourselves under constantly is to “perform” when our physical body, our innate knowing, our personal rhythms, are actually asking us to slow down, stop, rest and receive.

 

In essence, your Lunar Cycle calibrates the ovarian cycle that completes with menstruation each month.  Yet even pre, during and post-menopausal women, can still utilise the cycle to map out our monthly needs, as a woman.


Waxing Moon / Inner-Spring – around days 7 – 13  (pre-ovulation phase)
Waxing to Full Moon / Inner-Summer – days 14 – 21 (ovulation)
Waning Moon / Inner-Autumn – days 21 – 28 (luteal phase)
Dark Moon / Inner-Winter – days 1 – 6 (approx)  menstruation

We all need the different internal ‘seasons’ which are naturally occurring, to both accelerate our creative projects, socialise and celebrate in Summer, to begin to slow down in autumn, reflect a little more, then rest and recharge in winter (where often the most amazing visions can flow forth) so that in Spring-time, from our winter of stillness, we are calmer, clearer fresh and replenished, full of new life and new zing!

By recording the fluctuations of your cycle you can recognise your emotional highs and lows, your energy peaks and troughs; you can identify when you are feeling physically and emotionally at your strongest and also know when you most need to ‘retreat’ and focus on your own self-care.


You can become the rider of your life horse, at one with the moon and the stars to strategise your diary to meet and negotiate all your challenges – and yes these challenges can include such events as children’s birthday parties – when you are in your all-powerful, high-vibing summer-time.  Your meditation retreat? Best in Autumn or Winter.  Your 5K race? Possibly Spring!
Do you see how this can work for you? How, in fact, with this tracking and awareness of your cycle you can enable your whole BEING to work with the most benefit for you, as you stop over-doing it when your inner-wisdom tells you to.

And instead…. be like a tree…. reconnect to your body, that comes from the earth and receive the nourishment you need – open up your branches to receive the light, the space and the time that you need.

You can use different Apps to track your cycle – like My Moon Phase Lunar Calendar

The world needs us to remember our connection to the earth – that we are “at one with the moon and the stars” (Desiderata).

Wellbeing Voices

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Of all of my years of Coaching, teaching, facilitating retreats, this May my dream to serve women leaders at the highest level became reality as we launched the first Wellbeing Voices residential program to serve the women who are serving our world to become a better place, at the highest and most dangerous and tenuous levels.

It was humbling and a deep honour to be present and seek to offer solutions for a Nobel Peace prize nominee, Vice president of an exiled political party who is seeking to inspire her country to create inner-peace.

Wellbeing Voices was born of shared visions, initiated by Silje Agustson, Vital Voices Board Member, our Ibiza Retreats client since 2015 and now-collaborator and my own dream to serve women leaders with vital tools and techniques to nourish their own physical, emotional and energetic needs.

As a former CEO, Silje knew, firsthand, that self-care and holistic health is the vital key to sustaining energy levels and enabling success in high pressure situations.  She invited me to create a bespoke program design the first Wellbeing Voices program to offer an integrated wellness experience to release stress and tensions, to maximise inner strength, inner-peace and fitness of body, mind and heart. And through this process, with workshops and experiences to allow the women space to deepen connections with themselves and each other, to empower the Vital Voices beneficiaries to rewrite their script for a sustainable future that starts with THEM filling their cups first, so that they have more to give.

With the invaluable support of Sagra Maceira de Rosen, Chair of Vital Voices Europe and Alyse Nelson, CEO and President of Vital Voices internationally, together we sponsorship was gained to fly participants in from around the world.  And together, with combined intentions, we realised the transformative power of coming together in a cohesive sisterhood to recharge and super-charge each others projects, political campaigns, international and internal peace-making.

“The women leaders that Vital Voices supports around the world carry entire communities and countries on their shoulders. The Wellbeing Voices Program in partnership with Ibiza Retreats could not have come at a better moment. The world is craving more women leaders but so often these leaders sacrifice their physical and emotional health to heal those around them. Over the course of six days, I watched these leaders release, exhale, focus on themselves and rejuvenate their mind, body and spirit. Many of the women who participated told me that this was one of the most valuable investments Vital Voices had made in them as leaders. I know each of us will carry the insights, practices and love from the week to fuel this important work forward.”       Alyse Nelson CEO Vital Voices

We welcomed beneficiaries from Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mumbai, Washington DC, leaders of countries, humanitarian peacekeepers, incredibly articulate, movers & shakers, socio-economic innovators and bright-eyed, lion-hearted peaceful-warriors.  As we shared stories, I learned about a whole other level of stress – these incredible women have faced all sorts of adversity – including life-threatening situations on many occasions.  And still they continue….  to be the change the world needs to feel, hear and see.

 

“In the face of a global emergency to stand  for women’s rights, many of us have committed so fully and deeply to the struggle that we have at times forgotten to care for the ever so beautiful invisible energy that moves us day after day.   

 Wellbeing Voices is a powerful, integrative space for body, spirit and mind that allowed me to pause, connect, recharge and return to the essence within me.  Much like an air filter, it helped me clean up, to fiercely share myself and work with the world again.”

Xiomara Diaz, Founder of UPNicaragua

Founded by Hilary Clinton in 1997 and US Secretary of State Madeline Albright, following following the United Nations Fourth world conference on women in Beijing, these leading ladies created Vital Voices to make space for women to be heard. The founders knew then what has now become a universal truth: that women are essential to progress in their communities. Our world cannot move forward without their full participation. Today, the organisation is the product of the women who have been involved, their insights into leadership and adapting to our changing world.

Under the guidance of CEO and President Alyse Nelson and integrated leadership boards, Vital Voices identifies a Woman Leader with a daring vision, and then the organisation partners with her to make that vision a reality  Through long-term investments that expand her skills, connections and visibility, Vital Voices accelerates her efforts. This groundbreaking approach is divided in to four areas of focus:

 

  1. Individualised Investments
  2. Signature Programmes
  3. Network activation & Global Advocacy
  4. Thought Leadership

 

Vital Voices invests in leaders because they take the responsibility to improve societies. They strengthen laws, create jobs and defend political freedoms.

Our investment in one woman leader impacts hundreds and thousands more. Vital Voices partners with women who demonstrate leadership that unites and inspires people, who exhibit visionary thinking and take risks to innovate. Each leader in their global network believes in mentoring the rising generation and shares her knowledge, experience and influence with others.

Our work with Vital Voices has only just begun – because we are all, as women leaders, vital voices for all those who cannot yet speak, due to trauma, fear of self-expression or political or religious repression, through working together, we co-create, we stimulate, we envision and dreams for peace and wellbeing for humanity, can begin to truly unfold

Life success can only happen when teachers, students, leaders, all of us are embodying “SELF-CARE” as THEY key to sustainable health and happiness.  We are seeing it and feeling it.in the blossoming yoga studios and wellness centers, in the kids on facebook and instagram going on strike to raise awareness about the damage we are doing to our planet to create wellness at the level of mother earth, in attitude and in proactive responsibility for our world.

Wellbeing Voices has also served as the launchpad for expanding our offerings for Corporate retreats.

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.