Tag Archive for: wellness

Sometimes we need help to rediscover our Glow…

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 By Susie Howell. Co-Director of Ibiza Retreats.

I am always amazed by the human condition and how people deal with life. It can be so beautiful and yet so cruel. There is so much pain and suffering in the world, but there is also so much joy and happiness and love. Sometimes we have to work a little harder to find the love and sometimes we need a little help to stay on track through the ups and downs, to hold our nerve through the waves and the deserts.
In this work that I am so fortunate call a career – or a vocation –  I am more and more fascinated by the true power of intention, of positive vibration and the absolutely unequivocal notion that mental health and harmony is at the root of leading a peaceful and happy life.
Mental health (or mental wealth as we prefer to call it) is not simply about ‘getting through’ life. It’s about the belief that every human being has a right to navigate their own pathway, fully equipped with resources of inner strength, compassion and self awareness, so that we can negotiate the twists and turns of life and all its unique challenges.
We all have tough times – and mental ‘dis-ease’ looks very different for each individual. But the way in which we view periods of ‘dis-ease’ in ourselves goes a long way to explaining how we can heal and be empowered through them.
We can do this by re-balancing, by grounding, by reconnecting – by doing the work (yeah – unfortunately it IS work!) that leads us towards self-realisation and teaches us the value of a daily practice to keep us anchored when the waters of life get rough.
We have just completed the first two Glow retreats of the season and I am starting to understand how profound the initial vision we had for this retreat has been and how this concept is really so right – for right now – for these challenging times and is so needed, by so many!
I have honestly been blown away by the impact that this retreat has had on the lives of the wonderful people who have joined us so far. I have received countless emails and updates from our Glow guests and it feels like such a privilege to be part of it.
It’s been a soul-achingly beautiful experience, and I am so full of gratitude for this journey that I am on right now.
Despite having a yoga retreat company and access to all the ‘tools’ possible, the last few months have been the most difficult of my life.
What my own experience is teaching me is that when your heart feels cracked open (and I really get that now) – you can accept and let in the LIGHT!
You can also access and let out all the love, empathy and compassion, kindness and raw human emotion that you have inside your heart.
You can let it wash out and pour over everything that you encounter and everyone you meet.
You can see the person standing in front of you with 20/20 vision and really look someone in the eye and say “I understand” and really mean it.
I have so much gratitude for what the last few difficult months have taught me. The raw-ness, the pain –  it has been hard, but now this huge ‘opening of a doorway’ into myself feels like an incredible opportunity for self-realisation and to let go finally of what is not serving me.
This is how I can best describe our GLOW retreats;
“It’s not something that is easy to define, but ‘to glow’ is a shining & inspiring state of consciousness; an internal understanding between your inner self and your physical body, which exudes and radiates, from the inside out, that shows a positive effect on every part of you, in body, mind & spirit.”
The concept was originally something we we worked on last year when we were defining and developing the retreats we offer. It just felt right and it felt good… The only way I know how to run a retreat is by creating an experience which appeals to me and which I would like to attend myself. I had no idea at the time how this retreat concept would unfold and how grateful I would be for this experience.
So, this is my invitation to you.
Be brave, be courageous and work towards being the best version of yourself that you possibly can. Navigate your inner compass and reconnect to your source. Give yourself this gift. In fact, it is not a gift –  it’s a necessity for life. Going on retreat should no longer be considered a luxury, but an incredibly important part of the self-care journey towards understanding and nurturing your mental WEALTH and doing what you need to do to be the best friend, daughter, partner, wife, husband, mother, father, friend.
Don’t focus on what it will cost you – look at the value of this connection back to yourself and how it will serve you on your life path.
I have been sent this beautiful testimonial from a recent Glow retreat guest, who has generously allowed me to share it, so that others can appreciate the transformation that can happen when you take that brave step towards your deserved happiness…..

Dear Susie, Morris, Sarah, Anna, Mar and everyone at Ibiza Retreats

I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to write and thank you. I had a blissful weekend with my family when I got home and then have been straight back into work (which gave me a huge headache on my first day). 
I can’t tell you quite how much you have done for me really. I can’t thank you all enough. Alongside Louise, Fay and Shambala, you have all played a very important role in my journey of recovery! I am once again present in myself and everyone I have seen has welcomed me back. My tone has normalised (apparently) and I am able to BE with the people around me again. I have been pouring love into my children and I hope that I have made it back to them just in time….I’ve learned so much about the practice of yoga that I didn’t know before and now understand what it can do for healing. I hope to continue somewhere here when I can find a practice that suits my schedule. I have been grounding and meditating every day, the children have also been doing this with me and it is really helping us all to deal with the stresses and strains of our overstimulated days! 
I think about you all regularly and hope that you are experiencing love and luck in your every day lives. Please do keep me updated with what’s going on and if there is every a space on a retreat going begging, me and my husband would jump at the chance!! 
Massive love to you all, you are doing the most amazing work. 
Crushing hugs,
XXXXX
If you are ready to join us, here is some more information about what you can expect to experience on the Glow retreat;
* Amazing yoga led by one of the most incredible teachers I have ever met. Anna McColl teaches yoga in a way which means you can really go inside yourself. Her cues and choreography are so beautiful and inviting that you find you can close your eyes whilst she teaches and really ‘feel’ into your own body.
Do you ever get that feeling that you are living a few feet away from your physical body? The yoga that Anna teaches brings you back to the present, to the moment – where you are truly alive. She breaks down the myths and scary bits about so many elements of asana and pranayama so that you can make huge progress in your practice whilst you are with us.
* A journey through chanting, mantra and meditation. We explain, we show up and we CREATE, as we explore the ancient mantra systems and chant to open the energy channels of the subtle body. You can expect huge transformations, without a doubt! A yoga practice is exactly that – it’s a work in progress and it’s a colourful journey towards the light within.
* A beautiful, soulful place to rest your head. Our retreat villa, Can Luminosa, is set high on top of a mountain in the pine forest with panoramic views of the mystical, tranquil North of Ibiza.
* Incredible soul-feeding, nourishing, colourful (you’ll be eating a rainbow!) food created with pure love by our chef, Mar Talavera. Mar’s passion and energy is really heartfelt – and you can taste it! It’s true that we are what we eat. We serve seasonal, mostly organic, totally home-made vegetarian food with some local cheese, honey and eggs. We can cater for vegans and most other dietary requirements or preferences. You will quickly see and feel the difference in your body and mind.
* Magical experiences which we like to keep a secret until you arrive! Mind blowing and existential openings to breathe in, absorb and then take away with you. Let go of what you think you need and fill yourself to the brim with all this new knowledge and understanding.
* A team of incredibly supportive, genuinely beautiful souls, who are all in service to you and are there to ensure you get the best from your experience with us. We are on hand to support you and your process throughout your time with us.
I’d love you to come and join us on this beautiful journey.
With love,

 

 Susie x

 

Dates for the GLOW retreats are:
* 11-14 May – Mini weekend GLOW
* 19-25 May
* 15-21 June
* 10-17 August – Summer GLOW
* 17-24 August – Summer GLOW
* 16-22 September
* 05-10 October

Energy Healing with Faye Reason

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Ibiza wellness expert Faye Reason began studying Reiki energy healing many years ago and offers a very special, multi-layered healing experience to her clients here in Ibiza. Incorporating ancient wisdom, shamanic and crystal healing as required, Faye works with angels and guides to allow the most powerful and positive energy to flow through her to support your healing journey. It is empowering and enlightening – authentic, loving, healing.

Faye’s specialty is her open-hearted care and total presence with every level of your being. She holds your space to ‘let go’ and dive deep within the treatment, to dare to be your true self, to open up to your desires, needs and dreams. Beginning with gentle meditation and breathwork, to enable you to consciously and unconsciously relax into a receptive state, Faye combines holistic massage, Reiki and advanced energetic and spiritual healing into your one and a half hour treatment. Her healing hands find physical blockages and softly, yet deeply, enable their release, whilst she intuitively channels the root causes for any physical or emotional pain or discomfort and encourages you to listen to, and learn from, the inner-meanings to ensure deep and lasting healing.

Faye’s own journey, which took her into the rainforests of South America to purify and study with great shamans, opened her heart and mind to greater dimensions. Her intuition is powerful and heartfelt, drawing from her time with the indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes in Canada where she learned about heart medicine. Her work is for those who want to seek their truths, and who need the couragement of her brave heart and experienced care to be able to properly let go and receive.

Clients more often than not express their appreciation with tears of gratitude – at having discovered the truth of the matter, for the opportunity to release traumas, limiting beliefs and debilitating fears. You will feel a greater sense of inner-peace, physical relaxation and connection to your purpose and your heart. Expect calmer, clearer thoughts, insights and the ability to be more ‘in touch’ with your true feelings after your experience with Faye.

Faye co-hosts the Ibiza Retreats Boutique Yoga & Detox Retreats alongside co-director and yoga teacher Susie Howell, where you can enjoy plenty of sacred one-to-one time and personalised Faye care. She also gives the welcome massages during our Get Glowing Retreats in addition to a wonderful energy-work and self-healing session. Book her special 90-minute transformative healing treatment on retreat or in a private session in your home or holiday villa – contact us for further information.

Spring clean your body, detox your mind

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How are you feeling at the end of the winter? Even if you are a regular gym goer, outdoors exercise lover or passionate yogi, chances are you have been spending the majority of time, not least because of the colder weather, inside lately. Winter time often sees us being more ‘indoors’ and ‘inwards focused’. The colder weather and longer, darker, nights encourage us to hibernate – and rightly so! Winter is the time of year for the ‘inner work’ as we say in Ibiza, and now, as the beautiful almond blossoms appear on the trees signifying the change of season, are you feeling your whole being wanting to open, expand and grow? How can you release the last of the winter blockages and step into spring with a clear focus, positive intentions and an energised, spring in your stride?

Well… It’s all about a good spring clean!
  • Physically. Work with springtime energies to do a physical detox or cleanse. There are many ways to do this, including juicing and raw foods. We love Verity Smith’s door-to-door nutritionist facilitated juice cleanses, tailored to your personal needs. Or if you are looking to retreat and detox on a deeper level, try Ilona Pantel-Ayal’s amazing holistic fasts held high on a mountain top in the beautiful Buddha House incorporating reflexology, massage, visualisations and many other supportive techniques. Otherwise, you can simply choose to lighten up your larder (and your life!) by eliminating stimulants like caffeine, good old PG Tips, sugar, wheat, dairy and all the stodgy carbs that, whilst great for winter warmth fuel, can feel heavy and unnecessary for the approaching warmer months.
  • Mentally. As you detox the body, you also create space to clear and cleanse the mind. Inevitably, stuff will come up! This ‘stuff’ could be things you may have been avoiding or things you have been seeking clarity on. Any situations in relationships, or in life, which are not clear will beckon your attention. Having a good holistic life coach or detox guide is vital to be able to reconcile and release any challenging emotions. The Just Stop! lifestyle detox retreats offer wonderful, fully-facilitated support so you can dig deep and transform any poison into medicine.
  • Energetically. When cleansing your system, you can expect to feel tired during the first couple of days. So long, slow walks in nature, gentle yoga and stretching are vital for supporting your lymphatic system to purify, calling on you to breathe more deeply and consciously. The yogic ‘pranayama’ techniques lengthen the breath, to expand the intake of new ‘prana’ or life force energy and enable deeper release of ‘apana’ or old, toxic, waste energy.
  • Spiritually. As you clear your space internally, it opens up a connection to your inner self, the deeper, truer part of you that enables you to know when you really are on your right path. This is a great time to consider your life purpose and how you are treating yourself and others in your life. Take time out to ask yourself those important questions and to connect with your potential for creating incredible projects this year.
  • Environmentally. Move through your home with some sage or palo santo, or good quality incense to intentionally clear the space in each room. Now be brave! Veto all the things in your physical environment that do not bring you feelings of peace, calm or happiness, and yes – that includes clothes! Follow the three-word rule: recycle, re-sell or retain. If there are things around you that don’t feel good to look at and are catching even a millisecond of your unconscious attention, they are potential energy drains. Get rid of them!
So what are the benefits?

You will soon notice how much clearer and lighter you feel. You will rest better, sleep better and feel stronger, calmer and more energised. Your appetite will diminish and you will be able to listen to your body more, to continue to eat and drink things that really are good and right for you and your system. Your home will become a place where you can relax and refuel and your ‘inner-world’ will also feel more peaceful as you listen to your inner guidance system more effectively. Welcome to living your life in flow!

Find more information here about Ibiza Retreats Just Stop! retreats – the perfect escape for an inner spring clean.

Wellness consultant: How to harmonise your heart

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What helps you feel most nourished and filled up with (self) love? Do you relish the energy given off by radiator-like friends? Do you sparkle like a star from the buzz of good social events? Or do you prefer the natural energy you receive from walks amongst flowers, grass and trees or from the sounds of crashing waves along a beach?

The heart is about one million times stronger electrically than the brain, so for a life of health and happiness (and therefore, sustainable success), keeping your heart’s energy charged can only happen when you nourish yourself holistically.

Whether you love the feel of a vibrant city or the sensory infusion of a colourful music-filled symphony, nourishing yourself in body, heart and mind is important.

  • Boost your body strength and beauty via exercise, oxygenating your system with hikes and walks outside, practicing yoga to tone and get your prana (life-force energy) flowing
  • Massage your mind with mindfulness in every day life by downloading this app and turning any testing tube-journeys into headspace practices that focus the mental-monkey-chatter and massage your inner-mind
  • Harmonise your heart and soul by using the power of appreciation to open and expand your heart’s vibration. The heart’s energy field is like a cyclical torus (imagine a doughnut shape) with energy flowing through, up and out. Where attention goes, energy flows – everything is energy.

It has been proven that as you point your focus on what you can appreciate – whether it is the warmth of the sun, or having functioning, healthy legs to walk on – you begin to notice much more of the good stuff you are so fortunate to have happening within and around you. Rather than getting stuck on what is exhausting and frustrating, or otherwise feeling negative, your awareness about the good stuff expands. Check out this TED talk by Mike Robbins – to find out more.

Simply put, appreciating external things nourishes you fully – the good thoughts and feelings multiply, helping you happily harmonise.

The heart is also five million times more magnetic than the brain. Like the ripples that expand outwardly when you drop a stone into a pond, by choosing one thing each day to nourish each part of your inner and outer self, your positive feelings and thoughts – in essence, your vibrations – will send out this message to the world around you. Being the magnet you are, you will start attracting more nourishing people, clients and situations into your life and become more nourishing for others via your energy.