Why apple cider vinegar is good for you!
You can buy apple cider vinegar (ACV) in all supermarkets. A good example in New Zealand is Goulters apple cider vinegar (produced in Nelson) or Bragg’s apple cider vinegar which comes from overseas. Read on to find out what apple cider vinegar is good for and what I use this vinegar for, and more… Interestingly, […]
Improve your digestion
A healthy digestion and metabolism is key to good health. If these don’t function properly, our health is going to suffer, and that is not just the body, as research shows us also the mind. Most people’s digestion nowadays is not working at its best. One reason is that stress also hampers and affects your […]
How to switch off the stress response
In today’s world, we can quickly get stressed and overwhelmed. We all have endless to-do lists. But just because we have so much on our plate doesn’t mean that it needs to stress us negatively and that it should turn into chronic stress. Read on if you would like to learn about stress and what […]
A Weekend Retreat Experience at Kimi Ora Eco Resort
These special weekend retreats start on Fridays. My car is always so full when I pack it to go to a retreat that it looks like I’m moving out, and I’ve got everything in there but the kitchen sink. Then I enjoy the scenic drive to the Kimi Ora Resort in Kaiteriteri. This is a […]
Why do you sometimes feel guilty? & What to do about it!
If you pay close attention to your thoughts and your beliefs, you might notice that you often feel guilty. One study found that if you add up all the time you spend feeling mildly or moderately guilty, it can represent a substantial chunk of your time. Apparently, most people experience about five hours a week of […]
Into the Mystic – Part 5
My accommodation in Rome was at the Trastevere Hotel, in the old Trastevere district, on the west bank of the Tiber River, just south of St Peters Square and the Vatican, where my Cammino (Italian spelling) had come to its conclusion. That evening I went to a local Pizzeria to have my long-awaited reward for […]
Into the Mystic – Part 4
In this place of seamless unfolding, everything could take on the appearance of happening instantly. I’ve heard it referred to as the ‘Eternal Now’, which seems like the perfect description to me. At one level I had a sense of everything that I experienced happening in the same instant, and at another level I was […]
Into the Mystic – Part 3
What unfolded from here has been shared with very few in my life. I have regarded it as intensely personal – even sacred in many ways. Like so many other mystical experiences and insights I’ve had, I’ve kept it hidden to protect myself (and the experience) from questioning, disbelief, and even ridicule. For reasons I […]
Into the Mystic – Part 2
From where I am now, it is easy to see the moment of grace that so clearly illuminated the way home. It was early September 1990, and I had just spent three weeks at the Edinburgh Festival looking for acts for the 1992 NZ International Festival. I was the Festival’s Deputy Director at the time. […]
Into the Mystic – Part 1
Hark, now hear the sailors cry Smell the sea and feel the sky Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic~ Van Morrison – Into the Mystic ~ Ever since I was a child growing up on the shores of rural Lake Ontario, I have always known there was something more… a great mystery […]
How to stay cool this Summer with Ayurveda!
Summer has arrived with a bang this year, and even though it’s officially supposed to start today on the 21st of December, it feels like we’ve already had a whole summer of great hot weather. In Ayurveda, we know that increased heat can bring an imbalance of Pitta dosha, the mind-body-energy that works on hormones, […]
Gluten free or not?
What is gluten? Gluten is a general name used to describe proteins found in wheat and other cereal grains such as spelt and rye and to a lesser amount also in barley and oats. Any flour made from the starchy endosperm of grains contains proteins that are potentially problematic to the grain intolerant person. Gluten […]
99 Yoga Classes in Two Days!
Last weekend I attended the 6th national New Zealand yoga festival in Auckland. It was held at the beautiful Kawai Purapura retreat center in Albany, which is owned and run by the Wellpark College for natural therapies. The festival started on Friday evening with an opening ceremony and finished on Sunday evening with a closing […]
8 Key Ingredients to Genuine Happiness!
Some of us were born with a positive attitude, while others tend to be a little more glass half empty types, but experts agree that learning how to bring more meaning to our life is vital for us to be happy. Many books have been written about how to be happy. Why is it such […]
How to take time out and treat yourself!
Don’t we all need some time out to de-stress and recharge? I find that a weekend away is the perfect way to relax and to recharge our batteries. And a great weekend away could be a weekend retreat. If you are not sure whether going on a retreat would be good for you, this blog […]
7 Tips to Move it Not Just to Lose it!
It might not be summer yet, but now is a good time to get started on getting in shape for the warmer months – and feel great at the same time. Everybody knows that exercise, getting fit and staying fit is important. Movement is critical for good health and it’s not just for staying in shape but […]
17 Tips to keep the weight off while being on a holiday!
One thing is for sure – Kiwis like to travel. If you have planned a trip in the coming months, in New Zealand or overseas, then here are some simple ways to ensure that you don’t come back with any excess baggage. Whether travelling by plane, ferry or car, pack your own food Make gluten-free […]
The Illusion of Separateness
Albert Einstein knew everything was One. The new science of the ‘Quantum’ led him inextricably to that conclusion – though for many years it did not sit comfortably with him. Like many of his generation – and most since then, he had been schooled in the Newtonian and Cartesian paradigm of ‘atomism’ – the underlying separateness […]
Accepting and Loving Ourselves – the Key to True Well-being
I truly believe that everything in our lives is directly affected by how much we accept and love ourselves. In my experience, women are particularly hard on themselves and find it difficult to accept themselves as they are. Research shows that people who criticize and judge themselves tend to criticize and judge others as well. […]
It’s Not Your Job to Please Others
From the time we are little children we are taught that it is our job to please others – beginning with our parents. And it is a very hard habit to break – particularly as we are taught that we are being ‘good’ and therefore ‘worthy of love’ if we do that which pleases another […]
Spring into Action with a Liver Cleanse!
Do you feel a bit sluggish? Are you more irritable then usual? Maybe you sometimes feel nauseous or suffer from allergies like hayfever. These could be symptoms of a “sluggish” liver. Traditional practices such as Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine often give special attention to the liver, with detoxification being a springtime ritual. These are traditions […]