It might have made for a fitting closing number to Monty Python’s Life of Brian, but few would suggest that the answer to challenges and disappointments is always to look on the bright side. There’s no one- view-suits-all solution, after all, and there are times when realism, pessimism and even cynicism might have a valuable …
Most people have their creature comforts, those small but significant things that lift the spirits, ease the mind and bring joy. They can make life bearable, even when the world seems unkind, hostile or unknowable. It’s easy to assume that such comforts are, by definition, material – plush bed linen atop the perfect mattress, a …
This meditative exercise connects mind and body. It takes between 15 and 20 minutes, so make yourself comfortable in a room where you won’t be disturbed. Lie on your back on a mat or rug on the floor, or on your bed. Legs can be flat on the floor or knees raised, whichever is most …
Read moreMindful body scan – how to nurture a healthy relationship between mind and body
Breathe Staying Home is a special edition to help people feel happy and calm while staying at home. The title is a collection of Breathe articles, filled with mindful ideas and activities, from stretches to start the day to writing exercises, from ways to rearrange art to puzzles and games. Not available in US, Canada, …
Uncertainty is a challenging beast. Caught in its grip, it can paralyse progress and destroy dreams. Sometimes, its causes are external and beyond one’s personal control. Over the past few months, communities worldwide have found themselves in a holding pattern, waiting for the day when they will once more be allowed to embrace loved ones, …
A touch of frost, a fl urry of snow, a sudden downpour, a bracing easterly wind – a spell of inclement weather often prompts people to scurry indoors, batten down the hatches and hole up until the worst has passed. And why not? There’s a lot to be said for sitting on the sofa, mug …
Snap, crackle, pop. What image do those three words bring to mind? A certain childhood breakfast cereal, perhaps? Add flicker, glow and enchant to the list and hopefully a more toasty picture emerges, that of an open fire, emanating heat and radiating comfort while simultaneously mesmerising and grounding those whose faces flush pink in its …
The humble Tadasana – also known as mountain pose – helps to create awareness of the body’s position and encourages healthy posture. Although it might look like simply standing still, there’s more to it than meets the eye. The foundation of all standing yoga postures, Tadasana should feel easy and comfortable to hold for some …
Tree-hugging’s an oft-maligned activity, those who practise it written off as weird, eccentric or quirky. Yet trees are one of nature’s most precious resources. They sequester carbon, ease flooding, moderate rising temperatures and nurture troubled souls. Surely it would be stranger not to acknowledge their presence, to take it for granted even and only raise …
What are you good at? Baking, running, writing? Are your talents visible, award-winning even, on display for all to see – the first-prize rosette for a lemon drizzle cake, the medal acknowledging a completed marathon, the winner’s certificate for a short story? No? Don’t worry. The reality is that most skills, accomplishments and triumphs are …
