Q: “I’m a 28-year-old single woman. I don’t feel I have anything to offer to anyone. All my relationships seem have failed and I’m stuck in a dead end job …
Agony answers: Christmas Expectations
Q: Each year, Christmas gets more and more hectic and it makes me feel utterly exhausted. I’m separated from my husband, who now lives overseas, and I feel like I’m …
Agony answers: Dealing with anger & grief
Q: Sadly my father passed away recently and left everything to my half sisters, and nothing for me. I feel guilty because although I am grieving, I am also really …
Should I settle for less than true love?
Q: I am forty and never been married or had children. I have been seeing a man for six months who is lovely but I don’t feel the spark I …
How fit is your relationship? Take the Love MOT Quiz
If your relationship were a body would it be fit and toned, in the peak of health; or would it be fat and flabby, barely able to run for the …
What is a beach-ready bikini body, really?
Q: I dread summer. I’m overweight and every time I look in the mirror I feel sick. The idea of wearing shorts or – shudder – a bikini fills me …
Seasonal wellness – late summer shifts
My new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living, takes a seasonal approach to well-being. By making little shifts we can help keep ourselves in balance. So each seasonal section gives …
Moonbathing
Moonbathing. A sneak preview from my new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living (pre-order here). We’ve been worshipping the moon for millennia and summer is the perfect time to catch …
An ayurvedic detox for autumn
Here’s one of my favourite autumn cleanses, based on ayurveda. I like it for this time of year because it’s warming. As we prepare for colder weather, it’s best not …
Ayurvedic healing at Austria’s Schloss Pichlarn
I love Ayurveda, the 5,000 year old system of Indian mind-body spirit medicine. In fact, I love it so much I wrote an entire book about it. Yet I hadn’t …
Mugged by cookbook – fudge v lassi
I’ve just been mugged by a book. You ever had that happen to you? You’re minding your own business, looking for something or other and then a book just shoves …
Parkschlosschen – the 5,000 year old cure for stress
Review of the Parkschlosschen ayurvedic spa in Germany. Famous for panchakarma, the uber-detox treatment.
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Problem skin – psychodermatology and the holistic approach
Could a nutritional therapist cure your acne or eczema? It’s highly possible. Equally a psychiatrist could help. New approaches to ‘problem’ skin don’t always involve the latest hyped products. According …
Winter skincare – the ayurvedic approach
Ayurveda, the 5000 year old Indian system of natural health, teaches that we need to adapt our diet and lifestyle according to the seasons, in order to have perfect skin. …
Cut the hype and work with nature to soothe winter skin
The skin is our largest organ – all eight pounds (3.5 kilograms) and 22 square feet (two square metres) of it. It’s our coat, protecting us and regulating our body …
Simplify your life – making life that bit easier
When I was a child, there were no computers, no mobile phones, no Internet, no CDs, no DVDs. There was less choice in everything – from food to fashion to …
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)
Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is the secret behind many a healthy body and beautiful face. It has the ability to boost the immune system, clear sinuses and can stop a …
Ninja social distancing
Social distancing while out can be frustrating. You’re minding your own business, keeping your distance, being careful and then out of the blue someone wobbles directly towards you or a …
Exploring fear, anger, anxiety in the body
Honesty time. How are you feeling? How are you thinking you should be feeling? I’ve been up and down. There’s been a deep unsettledness, a struggle to focus on anything. …
Rites of passage lost – why it’s natural to have SAMO
I’ve been thinking a lot about young people being sent home from school, particularly those who should be taking their GCSEs and A Levels next term. Plus the students, like …
Deep breathing in the time of coronavirus
I’m not a epidemiologist or a bacteriologist or a doctor so the last thing I’m going to do is talk about how to tackle the virus. What I do have, …
The day a bra made me cry
The day a bra made me cry. Yes, really. Only having the use of one arm really makes you re-evaluate the way you do things. Since my accident and the …
The Butterfly Effect, embodiment and beditation – a guest post
Today I am delighted to hand over to Gertrud Keazor, founder of the magical Yobaba Lounge and one of the wisest, most wonderful people I know. She describes a simple …
The Part-Time Vegetarian – cookbook review and recipes
Feeding families can be tricky these days. I’m vegetarian while the rest of the family are confirmed meat-eaters. I would dearly love them to go veggie or, at the very …
Sometimes a Wild God
Sometimes you’re just browsing through Twitter, through the timeline of a friend. Just browsing, killing time, not really looking for anything much at all. Just watching the moments as the …
A walk down the rift
Poetry, nuclear power and the coast. A curious, incongruous trio. The Poetry Pin project was developed by Exmoor poet Christopher Jelley. ‘The concept of the Poetry Pin is simple,’ he …
Quaker wisdom for a shaken and stirred society
Life’s tough. We battle every day to make sense of a world which seems to be spinning increasingly out of control. Sometimes, with all the cruelty, injustice and intolerance in …
The Hedgerow Handbook by Adele Nozedar
Adele Nozedar is a bit of a legend. I first met her in London, way back when I was working on the Evening Standard, pretending to be a music journalist while she …
Marek Stefanowicz – The Cave
I’ve been waiting impatiently for The Cave to be translated into English for some considerable time. It’s a novel that’s also a guidebook on how to live consciously. But it’s not remotely …
What did you love when you were seven?
I’ve been silent for a while because I’ve been pondering, processing. When something rustles up my psyche, I find I need to let it settle. It’s like throwing a pebble …
Facebook as career coach?
What the hell do you do when your career seems hell-bent on sliding into the mud? Ask Google and then turn to Facebook, that’s what. Let’s backtrack. I’ve been a …
Agony Answers: Confidence
Q: “I’m a 28-year-old single woman. I don’t feel I have anything to offer to anyone. All my relationships seem have failed and I’m stuck in a dead end job …
The day a bra made me cry
The day a bra made me cry. Yes, really. Only having the use of one arm really makes you re-evaluate the way you do things. Since my accident and the …
Lululemon – crazy good yoga gear
I first came across Lululemon at Kaliyoga in Spain. ‘Ooh, look…Lululemon,’ said the woman next to me on the mat in the yoga shala. I followed her gaze and checked …
Po-Zu – eco-boots for style & comfort
I travel a lot, all over the world, and – regardless of where I’m going, there is one item of clothing that goes on every single trip – a pair …
Yoga isn’t just for skinny bunnies. Yoga isn’t a style thing. Yoga is for every body.
Fab, aren’t they? No, that’s not me – or Sharon. It started with a pair of yoga leggings. I was on Sugar Detox with the Body Retreat back in January …
Hooves – cool vegan shoes
I love Kickstarter. Not heard of it? It’s an online platform for crowdfunding creative projects. In other words, if you have some great project but can’t get (or don’t want) …
Facebook as career coach?
What the hell do you do when your career seems hell-bent on sliding into the mud? Ask Google and then turn to Facebook, that’s what. Let’s backtrack. I’ve been a …
Healing Rituals – bringing passion and purpose to life
In this crazy modern world, many of us are desperately seeking to find something to put us in touch, even if just for a moment, with the divine (whatever you …
Conscious writing – how writing from the soul can heal your life
I’ve been earning my living from words for the last 30 years. I’m the author of over 20 non-fiction books and have worked for pretty well all the national newspapers …
Testament (Or, Homage to Walt Whitman)
Right now words are not my friends. My mind doodles in images only. Yet still…words are our common currency and, if mine have fled, then needs must I burgle someone …
Biodanza – liberating mind and body through dance
Biodanza claims almost miraculous effects – more boosting of creativity, more freedom of expression and yes, better sex too. It also leaves you with boundless energy. Its fans claim it …
Gabrielle Roth’s 5-Rhythms – riding the wave
I met Gabrielle Roth many years ago, when I tested out her 5 Rhythms/Life Dance in London. Sadly she died two years ago, of lung cancer. I was reading my …
Purging – decluttering your way into the future
Right now my home looks as though a cyclone has torn through it. There are boxes containing hundreds of books lining the hallway, several huge parcels are waiting to go …
How to eat – the Viva Mayr way – for weightloss, energy and good health
The Viva Mayr programme is totally different from most detox programmes on offer. Forget juicing and raw vegan regimes, the Mayr doctors believe firmly that cold raw food is tough …
Natural exercises for better sight, without glasses
While at Yobaba Lounge I met an amazing woman called Bridget. She has devoted years to researching the best way to take care of our eyes, using a variety of …
Liver flushing – Polarity Therapy’s liver detox
A few years back, my GP raised her eyebrows and said my liver was unhappy. Mild understatement really. Bottom line? I was drinking too much alcohol. Now, nobody likes to be …
Kichadi and ghee recipes for autumn ayurveda detoxing
Detoxing doesn’t always have to be about salads, juices and cold rawness. I am a firm believer in detoxing with the seasons, and often recommend a warming Ayurvedic detox for …
Stubborn stomach fat & the stress factor
Like many people, I battle with my weight. Or rather, I battle with a very specific bit of weight – the wodge of flab around my middle that simply won’t …
Discover your own earth energy connection
How does the energy of a stone differ from that of a piece of wood? What does the river say as it flows past? Where are the secret shrines of …
Taming our ancestors
When friends wax lyrical about their family trees, I have always kept quiet, very quiet. My ancestors, sadly, were not a nice bunch of people. So I felt slightly anxious …
Holotropic breathwork – making the psyche whole
I’m lying on a padded mattress, surrounded by cushions and I’m breathing fast. The music is loud, deep, rhythmic, insistent. My body starts to curl and I have the strangest …
Wild Swimming
I’m not one of life’s natural swimmers – you won’t find me ploughing up and down the local swimming pool – but I can’t resist a spot of wild swimming. …
Stargazing – finding perspective
I’m truly blessed to live on Exmoor. It’s been designated the first International ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ in Europe and, come nightfall, the universe puts on a spectacular display. There really …
Beltane – the wild and wonderful festival of May
The lessons of May are about freedom, about energy and about determination. It’s a dynamic time – not just of growth but of destruction too. As Shan, pagan priestess and …
Discover your own earth energy connection
How does the energy of a stone differ from that of a piece of wood? What does the river say as it flows past? Where are the secret shrines of …
Ninja social distancing
Social distancing while out can be frustrating. You’re minding your own business, keeping your distance, being careful and then out of the blue someone wobbles directly towards you or a …
Sound healing – vibration, energy, frequency
I’m thrilled to see sound healing becoming more mainstream. ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration,’ said physicist Nikola …
Taming our ancestors
When friends wax lyrical about their family trees, I have always kept quiet, very quiet. My ancestors, sadly, were not a nice bunch of people. So I felt slightly anxious …
Family constellations – healing inter-generational trauma
I’m watching the most extraordinary scene. My own family dynamic is being played out in front of me, with strangers representing my parents, my grandparents, even myself. I watch, with …
Healing Rituals – bringing passion and purpose to life
In this crazy modern world, many of us are desperately seeking to find something to put us in touch, even if just for a moment, with the divine (whatever you …
Tai Chi – Moving Meditation
Watching experts practice tai chi is mesmerizing. They move like dancers in slow motion, perfectly balanced, perfectly graceful. Every movement is considered, every posture precise: it’s like a moving meditation. …
Stretching – for a strong, supple body
A stretched body is a strong, supple, flexible body. In the past stretching was the Cinderella of the fitness scene, something to race through before and after a workout. But …
Yoga 101- how to start your practice
Yoga is no new craze. In fact it’s one of the oldest systems of exercise known to humankind – at least 3,000 years old and possibly even older. Yet, amazingly, …
Be kind to your back
My back has always been my weak spot, my Achilles’ heel if we’re going to mix metaphors. It’s hardly surprising as I’ve spent most of my adult life hunched over …
Teamwork: the key to fitness success?
Is teamwork the missing key for getting fit? I think it could well be, for many people. See, there I was, running up a hill, a steep hill, carrying a …
5 ways to better buttocks
Nowadays when we ask ‘Does my bum look big in this?’ we’re often hoping the answer is ‘Yes’ as celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian champion the trend …
Veganuary at Bill’s – review
Over Christmas, my son James got me to watch The Game Changers – a documentary that debates whether elite athletes can perform well on a vegan (plant-based) diet. I found …
The Part-Time Vegetarian – cookbook review and recipes
Feeding families can be tricky these days. I’m vegetarian while the rest of the family are confirmed meat-eaters. I would dearly love them to go veggie or, at the very …
Food cravings – what do yours mean?
What’s your secret food fetish? Do you crave gingerbread men or have an uncontrollable urge for carrot cake? Is it impossible to start the day without a shot of coffee …
Spiritual dieting
If you’ve tried every diet going but the pounds still remain, maybe it’s time for a new approach. It seems that the answer to weight loss may not lay so …
Buddha bowl – the world in a meal
There’s something about a bowl – Buddha bowl, salad bowl, breakfast bowl – it doesn’t matter. I’ve always loved one-pot meals but now they’re becoming a bit of an everyday …
The 5,000 year old diet – with up-to-the-minute results
Over the years we’ve tried them all: fat-free, carbohydrate-free, protein-free. Raw food; diet food; no food. We’ve tried counting calories, combining foods and keeping them strictly apart. Yet still we …
Deep breathing in the time of coronavirus
I’m not a epidemiologist or a bacteriologist or a doctor so the last thing I’m going to do is talk about how to tackle the virus. What I do have, …
Seasonal wellness – late summer shifts
My new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living, takes a seasonal approach to well-being. By making little shifts we can help keep ourselves in balance. So each seasonal section gives …
Yoga nidra – for deep relaxation
I am exhausted. It’s the usual story – I had no idea just how tired I was until I stopped. Several years back I wrote a book called The Overload …
Neurogenic yoga – shaking away trauma with TRE
My first Neurogenic Yoga™ class starts off like any other. We gently warm up and then move into a series of sun salutations, followed by a range of common asanas …
Tibetan healing for balanced ease
Another dose of Tibetan healing… I’m sitting cross-legged on a cushion, mesmerised by the intense stare of the huge golden statue in front of me. Incense saunters around the room …
Sound healing – vibration, energy, frequency
I’m thrilled to see sound healing becoming more mainstream. ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration,’ said physicist Nikola …
Moonbathing
Moonbathing. A sneak preview from my new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living (pre-order here). We’ve been worshipping the moon for millennia and summer is the perfect time to catch …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Nourishing skincare for winter
Nourishing. Nurturing. Comforting. Soothing. That’s what we all need as we head towards the longest night of the year. We need it on all levels – in our surroundings, in …
Make your own natural beauty products
‘Do you have any recipes for natural cosmetics in your books?’ I was asked recently. The short answer is yes. The longer answer is, yes but not really enough to …
Make your own natural beauty products
‘Do you have any recipes for natural cosmetics in your books?’ asked Frankie Sachs on Twitter. The short answer is yes. The longer answer is, yes but not really enough …
Moor mud – celebrity beauty starts at home
Sometimes the oldest and simplest products are the best. Mud from the lowland moorland of Austria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia has been used for wellbeing for at least two thousand years …
The feelgood home
I’ve finally moved into my new home. It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work to bring this neglected little Victorian terrace back to its bones and …
Purging – decluttering your way into the future
Right now my home looks as though a cyclone has torn through it. There are boxes containing hundreds of books lining the hallway, several huge parcels are waiting to go …
What does your hall say about your personality?
Colour therapist Marie Louise Lacy, author of The Power of Colour to Heal the Environment (Rainbow Bridge) says that you can tell a lot about your personality – and those …
Ghost-free guarantee for homes?
Should all houses come with a clean bill of spiritual health? A decent neighbourhood, great local schools and a watertight roof are all taken for granted – but shouldn’t you …
What’s your home personality?
What does your home say about you? You may think it gives away no more than your taste in curtains or whether you’re tidy or messy: but in fact your …
Smudging – clear your home, your aura, your life
I was introduced to smudging at a workshop by the wonderful Denise Linn. The scent of the burning bundle of herbs sent tingles through my body and I could feel …
What did you love when you were seven?
I’ve been silent for a while because I’ve been pondering, processing. When something rustles up my psyche, I find I need to let it settle. It’s like throwing a pebble …
Savouring
I have an oracle card on my desk that depicts a shower of rich red rose petals and one word: SAVOUR (okay, let’s be honest, it says SAVOR – but …
Healing Rituals – bringing passion and purpose to life
In this crazy modern world, many of us are desperately seeking to find something to put us in touch, even if just for a moment, with the divine (whatever you …
Qoya – teaching women to be wild, wise, and free
The woman in front of me is dancing her pain, her grief, her anguish. She is so brave, so beautiful in her vulnerability that I have tears flooding down my …
Conscious writing – how writing from the soul can heal your life
I’ve been earning my living from words for the last 30 years. I’m the author of over 20 non-fiction books and have worked for pretty well all the national newspapers …
Testament (Or, Homage to Walt Whitman)
Right now words are not my friends. My mind doodles in images only. Yet still…words are our common currency and, if mine have fled, then needs must I burgle someone …
Meetings without masks – the new dating game
Dating is difficult. You can’t judge people by looks alone – yet that’s all that standard speed dating and apps like Tinder seem to offer. It feels superficial, totally lacking …
Who’s ruling your relationship? Your inner victim, prostitute or saboteur?
Are you stuck in a dead-end relationship but don’t have the courage to move on? Or, conversely, do you find yourself dumping an exciting new partner before the relationship even …
Opening to intimacy
I’m standing opposite a stranger and we’re gazing into one another’s eyes. We don’t say a word. We’ve been invited to ‘see’ each other, to meet the person beyond any …
Finding boundaries via Tantra
I’ve been the ultimate people-pleaser all my life, always trying to fit in, always being the good girl, the nice girl, the ‘Yes’ girl. Yet I recently discovered my ‘No’ …
Testament (Or, Homage to Walt Whitman)
Right now words are not my friends. My mind doodles in images only. Yet still…words are our common currency and, if mine have fled, then needs must I burgle someone …
What’s your water personality?
Waves crashing onto the seashore, wild and majestic or the limpid waters of a cool lake that caress your bare feet: whatever form it takes, we just can’t help being …
The Comparison Trap and how to avoid it
Have you fallen into the comparison trap lately? I know I have. Social media has always been a touch paper for comparison – all those posts of perfect bodies doing …
Exploring fear, anger, anxiety in the body
Honesty time. How are you feeling? How are you thinking you should be feeling? I’ve been up and down. There’s been a deep unsettledness, a struggle to focus on anything. …
Fearbusting – three simple techniques to release fear
Every time I go on social media these days I meet a thick fog of fear. The causes vary but the effects are always the same – people torturing themselves …
Radical Honesty – the hardcore prescription for losing stress
I was ten years old when I told my first lie. I can’t remember exactly what it involved but I can remember exactly how I felt – my stomach churned, …
Who’s ruling your relationship? Your inner victim, prostitute or saboteur?
Are you stuck in a dead-end relationship but don’t have the courage to move on? Or, conversely, do you find yourself dumping an exciting new partner before the relationship even …
Loving Leonard Cohen
I first heard Leonard Cohen growl in 1968. My brother came home with The Songs of Leonard Cohen, and said, ‘You have to listen to this.’ My mother, sister and …
Deep breathing in the time of coronavirus
I’m not a epidemiologist or a bacteriologist or a doctor so the last thing I’m going to do is talk about how to tackle the virus. What I do have, …
Fearbusting – three simple techniques to release fear
Every time I go on social media these days I meet a thick fog of fear. The causes vary but the effects are always the same – people torturing themselves …
The Butterfly Effect, embodiment and beditation – a guest post
Today I am delighted to hand over to Gertrud Keazor, founder of the magical Yobaba Lounge and one of the wisest, most wonderful people I know. She describes a simple …
Tibetan healing for balanced ease
Another dose of Tibetan healing… I’m sitting cross-legged on a cushion, mesmerised by the intense stare of the huge golden statue in front of me. Incense saunters around the room …
Red Tent – women’s sacred space
The Red Tent movement is taking wings, bringing women together in sacred space. How often do we move and speak with total freedom? How often do we let our inner wild …
Aromapsychology – how essential oils affect our mind and emotions
Lately I’ve been intrigued by the way essential oils can affect our mind and emotions. This burgeoning field is called aroma-psychology and it’s not being confined to the aromatherapist’s massage …
Seasonal wellness – late summer shifts
My new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living, takes a seasonal approach to well-being. By making little shifts we can help keep ourselves in balance. So each seasonal section gives …
Neurogenic yoga – shaking away trauma with TRE
My first Neurogenic Yoga™ class starts off like any other. We gently warm up and then move into a series of sun salutations, followed by a range of common asanas …
Tibetan healing for balanced ease
Another dose of Tibetan healing… I’m sitting cross-legged on a cushion, mesmerised by the intense stare of the huge golden statue in front of me. Incense saunters around the room …
Sound healing – vibration, energy, frequency
I’m thrilled to see sound healing becoming more mainstream. ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration,’ said physicist Nikola …
Functional medicine – truly holistic healthcare
Functional medicine is, I firmly believe, the future of healthcare. Last year I went to my GP with a series of health issues. We discussed my cough but, when I …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Are you psychic? Discovering the hidden part of your mind
Hallowe’en wouldn’t be Hallowe’en without tales of ghosts and apparitions, would it? There’s nothing more spine-chillingly delicious than sitting in a suitably darkened room (with just a fire or a …
Hallowe’en/Samhain – pulling back the veil between the worlds
Hallowe’en. Samhain. When I first wrote The Natural Year, around 20 years ago, the festival of Hallowe’en (All Hallow’s Eve) languished in the shadow of Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes …
Tonglen and Trump – healing with love rather than anger
Have you heard of Tonglen, the Buddhist meditation practice that lets you shake off emotions such as anger, jealousy, hate and fear? Holding onto hate clutters your psyche; it drags …
The Comparison Trap and how to avoid it
Have you fallen into the comparison trap lately? I know I have. Social media has always been a touch paper for comparison – all those posts of perfect bodies doing …
Discover your own earth energy connection
How does the energy of a stone differ from that of a piece of wood? What does the river say as it flows past? Where are the secret shrines of …
Ninja social distancing
Social distancing while out can be frustrating. You’re minding your own business, keeping your distance, being careful and then out of the blue someone wobbles directly towards you or a …
Functional medicine – truly holistic healthcare
Functional medicine is, I firmly believe, the future of healthcare. Last year I went to my GP with a series of health issues. We discussed my cough but, when I …
Simplify your life – making life that bit easier
When I was a child, there were no computers, no mobile phones, no Internet, no CDs, no DVDs. There was less choice in everything – from food to fashion to …
Spiritual dieting
If you’ve tried every diet going but the pounds still remain, maybe it’s time for a new approach. It seems that the answer to weight loss may not lay so …
Eat fat to lose fat – the good fat diet
Despite the supermarket shelves being packed with products marked ‘low fat’, ‘reduced fat’, ‘zero fat’, ‘fat-free’, many nutritional experts are less and less convinced by the demonising of fat. In …
Magnesium deficiency – have you got it?
A muscle in my leg started twitching. At first I barely noticed it but then it started to become really vexing. There I was lying in bed, trying to get …
FODMAP and the IBS link
FODMAP – the acronym everyone with IBS should know about. An increasing body of research from around the world indicates that following a low FODMAP diet can help over 75 …
Rites of passage lost – why it’s natural to have SAMO
I’ve been thinking a lot about young people being sent home from school, particularly those who should be taking their GCSEs and A Levels next term. Plus the students, like …
Meningitis – what you need to know
Meningitis. I really urge you to read this (I’ll keep it short) and then to find out more. And not only if you have young children – this disease can …
Unnatural motherhood? There’s more than one way to be a parent.
Let me confess. Before I had James I had never bathed a baby. I had never fed a baby. I had certainly never changed a baby. I had held one …
WHO says we should cut sugar – but is it enough?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is releasing its report Guideline on Sugars Intake for Adults and Children today. It recommends that no more than ten percent of our daily …
Natural baby – keeping your newborn safe
When I was writing my little book Spirit of the Nursery, it struck me that parents always want the best, the freshest, the newest, for their babies and yet, sadly, newest …
Natural birth vs Caesarian
The operating theatre lights were glaring as my baby was born. The surgeon was laughing about football and the radio was blaring some loud rock song. I had been pumped …
Opening to intimacy
I’m standing opposite a stranger and we’re gazing into one another’s eyes. We don’t say a word. We’ve been invited to ‘see’ each other, to meet the person beyond any …
Finding boundaries via Tantra
I’ve been the ultimate people-pleaser all my life, always trying to fit in, always being the good girl, the nice girl, the ‘Yes’ girl. Yet I recently discovered my ‘No’ …
Qoya – teaching women to be wild, wise, and free
The woman in front of me is dancing her pain, her grief, her anguish. She is so brave, so beautiful in her vulnerability that I have tears flooding down my …
Gabrielle Roth’s 5-Rhythms – riding the wave
I met Gabrielle Roth many years ago, when I tested out her 5 Rhythms/Life Dance in London. Sadly she died two years ago, of lung cancer. I was reading my …
The Sensuality Workout: Seven Steps to Heaven
Does your relationship feel flat? Have you lost the romance in your marriage? Is your bedroom about as passionate as the kitchen sink? The answer isn’t sexual acrobatics or a …
How fit is your relationship? Take the Love MOT Quiz
If your relationship were a body would it be fit and toned, in the peak of health; or would it be fat and flabby, barely able to run for the …
The Comparison Trap and how to avoid it
Have you fallen into the comparison trap lately? I know I have. Social media has always been a touch paper for comparison – all those posts of perfect bodies doing …
Rites of passage lost – why it’s natural to have SAMO
I’ve been thinking a lot about young people being sent home from school, particularly those who should be taking their GCSEs and A Levels next term. Plus the students, like …
Fearbusting – three simple techniques to release fear
Every time I go on social media these days I meet a thick fog of fear. The causes vary but the effects are always the same – people torturing themselves …
Neurogenic yoga – shaking away trauma with TRE
My first Neurogenic Yoga™ class starts off like any other. We gently warm up and then move into a series of sun salutations, followed by a range of common asanas …
Feeding your demons – an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice
Feeding your demons sounds like something out of a horror movie but turns out it’s an ancient technique from Tibetan Buddhism. You know how sometimes life just feels as if you’re …
Talking to strangers – the power of group therapy
Would you try group therapy? Recently I suggested to a friend that she try an intensive psychotherapy retreat. ‘But you have to talk about yourself in front of a bunch …
Loving Leonard Cohen
I first heard Leonard Cohen growl in 1968. My brother came home with The Songs of Leonard Cohen, and said, ‘You have to listen to this.’ My mother, sister and …
Witch Light – book review
It’s rare that a book really touches me these days. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher, however, moved me deeply. I’d read Fletcher’s debut novel, Eve Green, some time ago and …
A walk down the rift
Poetry, nuclear power and the coast. A curious, incongruous trio. The Poetry Pin project was developed by Exmoor poet Christopher Jelley. ‘The concept of the Poetry Pin is simple,’ he …
Marek Stefanowicz – The Cave
I’ve been waiting impatiently for The Cave to be translated into English for some considerable time. It’s a novel that’s also a guidebook on how to live consciously. But it’s not remotely …
Eco-literature for teens? Can books help save the planet?
I wrote my teen novel, Walker, several years ago. It’s the story of a boy who dies and who comes back to life as a shaman, a walker between worlds. It’s aimed …
Best books for boys
Best books for boys? Someone recently asked if anyone knew of good books for older boys; any books with good male protagonists. So I have had a bit of a …
Radical Honesty – the hardcore prescription for losing stress
I was ten years old when I told my first lie. I can’t remember exactly what it involved but I can remember exactly how I felt – my stomach churned, …
Talking to strangers – the power of group therapy
Would you try group therapy? Recently I suggested to a friend that she try an intensive psychotherapy retreat. ‘But you have to talk about yourself in front of a bunch …
Meetings without masks – the new dating game
Dating is difficult. You can’t judge people by looks alone – yet that’s all that standard speed dating and apps like Tinder seem to offer. It feels superficial, totally lacking …
Who’s ruling your relationship? Your inner victim, prostitute or saboteur?
Are you stuck in a dead-end relationship but don’t have the courage to move on? Or, conversely, do you find yourself dumping an exciting new partner before the relationship even …
Taming our ancestors
When friends wax lyrical about their family trees, I have always kept quiet, very quiet. My ancestors, sadly, were not a nice bunch of people. So I felt slightly anxious …
Dropping assumptions with Byron Katie
I first discovered Byron Katie while on retreat in Greece with Serenity Retreat . Or rather I should say that Byron Katie found me. I noticed a book sitting beside me …
The Butterfly Effect, embodiment and beditation – a guest post
Today I am delighted to hand over to Gertrud Keazor, founder of the magical Yobaba Lounge and one of the wisest, most wonderful people I know. She describes a simple …
Radical Honesty – the hardcore prescription for losing stress
I was ten years old when I told my first lie. I can’t remember exactly what it involved but I can remember exactly how I felt – my stomach churned, …
Tibetan healing for balanced ease
Another dose of Tibetan healing… I’m sitting cross-legged on a cushion, mesmerised by the intense stare of the huge golden statue in front of me. Incense saunters around the room …
Red Tent – women’s sacred space
The Red Tent movement is taking wings, bringing women together in sacred space. How often do we move and speak with total freedom? How often do we let our inner wild …
Talking to strangers – the power of group therapy
Would you try group therapy? Recently I suggested to a friend that she try an intensive psychotherapy retreat. ‘But you have to talk about yourself in front of a bunch …
Aromapsychology – how essential oils affect our mind and emotions
Lately I’ve been intrigued by the way essential oils can affect our mind and emotions. This burgeoning field is called aroma-psychology and it’s not being confined to the aromatherapist’s massage …
Veganuary at Bill’s – review
Over Christmas, my son James got me to watch The Game Changers – a documentary that debates whether elite athletes can perform well on a vegan (plant-based) diet. I found …
SPA-Hotel Jagdhof
Approaching Innsbruck airport, you fly right over the Alps, close enough to see their folds and crevices, their serrated peaks and sharp ravines. It’s a startling, spine-tingling terrain and a …
The Part-Time Vegetarian – cookbook review and recipes
Feeding families can be tricky these days. I’m vegetarian while the rest of the family are confirmed meat-eaters. I would dearly love them to go veggie or, at the very …
Witch Light – book review
It’s rare that a book really touches me these days. Witch Light by Susan Fletcher, however, moved me deeply. I’d read Fletcher’s debut novel, Eve Green, some time ago and …
ila Gold Cellular Age-Restore Collection
As you know, I’ve been an avid fan of ila products and treatments for years. I love them for their purity (not for nothing are they dubbed ‘beyond organic’), their …
Review: proto-col collagen shots
The thing that drives me nuts about so many skin creams and serums is that the claims they make are ludicrous: they defy basic biology. Take collagen for example. We …
Hallowe’en/Samhain – pulling back the veil between the worlds
Hallowe’en. Samhain. When I first wrote The Natural Year, around 20 years ago, the festival of Hallowe’en (All Hallow’s Eve) languished in the shadow of Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes …
Red Tent – women’s sacred space
The Red Tent movement is taking wings, bringing women together in sacred space. How often do we move and speak with total freedom? How often do we let our inner wild …
Feeding your demons – an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice
Feeding your demons sounds like something out of a horror movie but turns out it’s an ancient technique from Tibetan Buddhism. You know how sometimes life just feels as if you’re …
Taming our ancestors
When friends wax lyrical about their family trees, I have always kept quiet, very quiet. My ancestors, sadly, were not a nice bunch of people. So I felt slightly anxious …
Healing Rituals – bringing passion and purpose to life
In this crazy modern world, many of us are desperately seeking to find something to put us in touch, even if just for a moment, with the divine (whatever you …
Qoya – teaching women to be wild, wise, and free
The woman in front of me is dancing her pain, her grief, her anguish. She is so brave, so beautiful in her vulnerability that I have tears flooding down my …
Are you psychic? Discovering the hidden part of your mind
Hallowe’en wouldn’t be Hallowe’en without tales of ghosts and apparitions, would it? There’s nothing more spine-chillingly delicious than sitting in a suitably darkened room (with just a fire or a …
Hallowe’en/Samhain – pulling back the veil between the worlds
Hallowe’en. Samhain. When I first wrote The Natural Year, around 20 years ago, the festival of Hallowe’en (All Hallow’s Eve) languished in the shadow of Bonfire night (or Guy Fawkes …
Late summer yoga
Late summer and time to take care as this season can be tricksy. Imbalances around the stomach and spleen meridians can lead to feelings of poor self-esteem and a sense …
Seasonal wellness – late summer shifts
My new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living, takes a seasonal approach to well-being. By making little shifts we can help keep ourselves in balance. So each seasonal section gives …
Moonbathing
Moonbathing. A sneak preview from my new book, Ancient Wisdom for Modern Living (pre-order here). We’ve been worshipping the moon for millennia and summer is the perfect time to catch …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Healing Rituals – bringing passion and purpose to life
In this crazy modern world, many of us are desperately seeking to find something to put us in touch, even if just for a moment, with the divine (whatever you …
Prehistoric body postures
Ancient statues and prehistoric paintings give a fascinating glimpse into the lives of our early ancestors. The cave paintings of Lascaux, the Long Man of Wilmington, the Venus of Laussel …
What’s your water personality?
Waves crashing onto the seashore, wild and majestic or the limpid waters of a cool lake that caress your bare feet: whatever form it takes, we just can’t help being …
Floatation meets shamanism
As a journalist and author of books on health and wellbeing I’ve tried pretty much every technique and treatment going. All were interesting but there were only some I fell …
Modern Exorcism – the work of Dr Francesca Rossetti
“Are there any demons? Dark angels? An angel of death? Elementals of earth, water, fire, air or wood? Any negative animals? Birds, insects, reptiles or vermin?” The young woman lying …
Smudging – clear your home, your aura, your life
I was introduced to smudging at a workshop by the wonderful Denise Linn. The scent of the burning bundle of herbs sent tingles through my body and I could feel …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
SPA-Hotel Jagdhof
Approaching Innsbruck airport, you fly right over the Alps, close enough to see their folds and crevices, their serrated peaks and sharp ravines. It’s a startling, spine-tingling terrain and a …
Healing heart & soul with ila only at RAAS Devigarh
I will always take the tough call, the hard challenge rather than submit to the softness. Even when I go on retreat, it’s usually to do something extreme – a …
Finnish Sauna – baring everything
I’m sitting in a sauna, in Finland, by the edge of a lake. I’m stark naked and feeling painfully self-conscious. I seriously wish I had four pairs of arms, like …
Bohemia Suites & Spa – funky Gran Canaria hotel
Never make assumptions. I’d heard tales that Playa del Ingles in Gran Canaria was a slapper of a resort, high rise hotel hell punctuated by malls, bars and clubs, overrun …
How to eat – the Viva Mayr way – for weightloss, energy and good health
The Viva Mayr programme is totally different from most detox programmes on offer. Forget juicing and raw vegan regimes, the Mayr doctors believe firmly that cold raw food is tough …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Re-discovering feng shui
Feng shui – ‘acupuncture for homes’. Back in the 90s, it was all the rage. Well, to be fair, back in China, 5,000 years ago feng shui was all the …
Do our homes reflect our psyche?
Do our homes reflect our psyche? It’s pretty much a no-brainer. How could our living spaces not mirror our inner world? We personalise, decorate, embellish even the simplest spaces. Inevitably …
The feelgood home
I’ve finally moved into my new home. It’s taken a long time and a lot of hard work to bring this neglected little Victorian terrace back to its bones and …
Purging – decluttering your way into the future
Right now my home looks as though a cyclone has torn through it. There are boxes containing hundreds of books lining the hallway, several huge parcels are waiting to go …
What does your hall say about your personality?
Colour therapist Marie Louise Lacy, author of The Power of Colour to Heal the Environment (Rainbow Bridge) says that you can tell a lot about your personality – and those …
Are you psychic? Discovering the hidden part of your mind
Hallowe’en wouldn’t be Hallowe’en without tales of ghosts and apparitions, would it? There’s nothing more spine-chillingly delicious than sitting in a suitably darkened room (with just a fire or a …
Tonglen and Trump – healing with love rather than anger
Have you heard of Tonglen, the Buddhist meditation practice that lets you shake off emotions such as anger, jealousy, hate and fear? Holding onto hate clutters your psyche; it drags …
The Butterfly Effect, embodiment and beditation – a guest post
Today I am delighted to hand over to Gertrud Keazor, founder of the magical Yobaba Lounge and one of the wisest, most wonderful people I know. She describes a simple …
Sound healing – vibration, energy, frequency
I’m thrilled to see sound healing becoming more mainstream. ‘If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration,’ said physicist Nikola …
Feeding your demons – an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice
Feeding your demons sounds like something out of a horror movie but turns out it’s an ancient technique from Tibetan Buddhism. You know how sometimes life just feels as if you’re …
Bach Flower Remedies
My mother introduced me to the Bach Flower Remedies way back when I was a teenager. We’d spend hours poring over each remedy, deciding which combinations we’d make up for family …
Tonglen and Trump – healing with love rather than anger
Have you heard of Tonglen, the Buddhist meditation practice that lets you shake off emotions such as anger, jealousy, hate and fear? Holding onto hate clutters your psyche; it drags …
Yoga nidra – for deep relaxation
I am exhausted. It’s the usual story – I had no idea just how tired I was until I stopped. Several years back I wrote a book called The Overload …
Neurogenic yoga – shaking away trauma with TRE
My first Neurogenic Yoga™ class starts off like any other. We gently warm up and then move into a series of sun salutations, followed by a range of common asanas …
Soul Sync – a daily meditation practice to expand consciousness
Dan woke me up at 2am. I let him out and stood breathing in the soft night air. It had rained and the scent of the wet grass and foliage …
Simplify your life – making life that bit easier
When I was a child, there were no computers, no mobile phones, no Internet, no CDs, no DVDs. There was less choice in everything – from food to fashion to …
Stopping – when mindfulness falls short
I was wandering through the bowels of my computer when I came across this feature I wrote many years back. It struck a chord. Much as I think mindfulness is …
SPA-Hotel Jagdhof
Approaching Innsbruck airport, you fly right over the Alps, close enough to see their folds and crevices, their serrated peaks and sharp ravines. It’s a startling, spine-tingling terrain and a …
Walking as therapy
Every so often I realise my lifestyle requires a bit of a tweak. I need a fresh injection of motivation to exercise smart and eat well. So I turn to …
Healing heart & soul with ila only at RAAS Devigarh
I will always take the tough call, the hard challenge rather than submit to the softness. Even when I go on retreat, it’s usually to do something extreme – a …
Embrace the journey – liminal time for the soul
Last year I went to Mongolia. It was an epic journey: an overnight coach to the airport followed by two eight-hour flights, a day on the trans-Mongolian train and then …
Finnish Sauna – baring everything
I’m sitting in a sauna, in Finland, by the edge of a lake. I’m stark naked and feeling painfully self-conscious. I seriously wish I had four pairs of arms, like …
Yobaba Lounge – hip yoga hangout in France
So many yoga retreats these days tend to be sybaritic holidays first and foremost, with yoga sandwiched either side of sunbathing by the pool. Nothing whatsoever wrong with that but …
Facing fears and challenging assumptions
Years ago, I went on a group trip to Austria. Everyone decided to go paragliding but I was locked in fear. ‘I can’t do it,’ I kept saying. ‘Oh, but …
The fine art of bathing
I can live without most luxuries but I’d be hard-pressed to give up my bath. I know the world is split between shower people and bath people – and I …
Creative writing
They say that we all have a book inside us. Many of us dream of writing a novel, penning poems, scribbling an autobiography and yet few of us ever put …
Make your own natural beauty products
‘Do you have any recipes for natural cosmetics in your books?’ asked Frankie Sachs on Twitter. The short answer is yes. The longer answer is, yes but not really enough …
Walking as therapy
Every so often I realise my lifestyle requires a bit of a tweak. I need a fresh injection of motivation to exercise smart and eat well. So I turn to …
Food cravings – what do yours mean?
What’s your secret food fetish? Do you crave gingerbread men or have an uncontrollable urge for carrot cake? Is it impossible to start the day without a shot of coffee …
Spiritual dieting
If you’ve tried every diet going but the pounds still remain, maybe it’s time for a new approach. It seems that the answer to weight loss may not lay so …
Eat fat to lose fat – the good fat diet
Despite the supermarket shelves being packed with products marked ‘low fat’, ‘reduced fat’, ‘zero fat’, ‘fat-free’, many nutritional experts are less and less convinced by the demonising of fat. In …
The 5,000 year old diet – with up-to-the-minute results
Over the years we’ve tried them all: fat-free, carbohydrate-free, protein-free. Raw food; diet food; no food. We’ve tried counting calories, combining foods and keeping them strictly apart. Yet still we …
Yoga isn’t just for skinny bunnies. Yoga isn’t a style thing. Yoga is for every body.
Fab, aren’t they? No, that’s not me – or Sharon. It started with a pair of yoga leggings. I was on Sugar Detox with the Body Retreat back in January …
Late summer yoga
Late summer and time to take care as this season can be tricksy. Imbalances around the stomach and spleen meridians can lead to feelings of poor self-esteem and a sense …
The Butterfly Effect, embodiment and beditation – a guest post
Today I am delighted to hand over to Gertrud Keazor, founder of the magical Yobaba Lounge and one of the wisest, most wonderful people I know. She describes a simple …
Yoga nidra – for deep relaxation
I am exhausted. It’s the usual story – I had no idea just how tired I was until I stopped. Several years back I wrote a book called The Overload …
Neurogenic yoga – shaking away trauma with TRE
My first Neurogenic Yoga™ class starts off like any other. We gently warm up and then move into a series of sun salutations, followed by a range of common asanas …
Qoya – teaching women to be wild, wise, and free
The woman in front of me is dancing her pain, her grief, her anguish. She is so brave, so beautiful in her vulnerability that I have tears flooding down my …
Yoga 101- how to start your practice
Yoga is no new craze. In fact it’s one of the oldest systems of exercise known to humankind – at least 3,000 years old and possibly even older. Yet, amazingly, …