Emotional Reactions = Mental Illness? We must be Mad!!!

We have so much in the public domain of the necessity of a good work life balance it is difficult to think that so many people still do not understand that by ignoring the signs of being emotionally stressed, like anxiety, lack of confidence, prevarication, feeling bad tempered and memory loss. These are just some of the warning signs. This is the first way the body is communicating with us that we need to take action.
When things happen in our life – it impacts us emotionally, which then impacts our wider experiences.
We have so much in the news at the moment about the rise in Mental Illness. Now please don’t think I am saying there is no problem! There obviously is, however a great number of problems come about because nobody is taught or encouraged to listen to the communication that their body is constantly having with them.
No I am not referring to ‘hearing voices’ I am referring to the first communication system our body uses to talk to us – and that’s our emotional reactions to things. If we fail to take notice then the body will manifest physical problems to attract our attention.
So what could happen then? Could this scenario be the truth for many people?
When we have a negative emotional reaction our default is usually to push it down and pretend we don’t care, doesn’t make any difference to us, or think we are ok with it! We are in fact pushing those emotions down. After a while of reacting the same way we will begin to have embodied those reactions as a normal thing. Then we start to notice that we feel fearful, resentful or anxiety at times when there is no reason for it.
When we experience serious problems in our lives, it may be the loss of a job, a loved one, being attacked or mugged or bullied, the emotional reactions we experience are there for a reason. They are telling us not only that we are vulnerable but also that we have damage that needs to be healed. It is giving us a reference to be able to process the emotions. Sometimes the response is so intense that we can get lost in that emotion.
The usual response that my clients have had if they went to the Doctor, unable to bear the pain of bereavement, loss or anxiety any longer, is to be given a prescription for some medication to suppress the feeling . This then puts them in the ‘Mental Illness’ zone! When did Bereavement and other emotional responses become Mental Illness.
Bereavement like any loss or life changing event is a process that needs to be understood and integrated into our emotional, mental and physical states. NOT suppressed!
Dr Bach was ahead of his time when he understood that the seedbed for most disease is an imbalance in our emotional health. His very simple but extremely effective essences are the basis of the workshops we run at Energy Works.
Our vision is to empower as many people as possible to know enough about the essences to be able to support and work through any emotional upheaval in their lives. Knowledge is power! When you are able to change your emotional reactions you change your life and know that you are always able to help your self, even through the hardest times!!
Anna regularly runs courses for Therapy Organisations as CPD days. For further information on this or our courses at Ainsworths Homeopathic Pharmacy see our website http://www.energyworks.co.uk or call Anna on 07808 403059.

A Taste of things to come!

I am really looking forward to my approaching visit to Salisbury. I am running two workshops with my very lovely friend Rowena Fairbairn who is working so hard in the local area. If you think you would like to see these run in your area please let me know.

So what can delegates expect during these workshops?

The Carry on Caring workshop on Friday 24th February, does what it says on the header! The day is to support, inform, relax and inspire Carers, both professional and voluntary. We will follow the needs of our delegates, but overall they will experience lots of relaxation and learn how and when to release and diffuse unhelpful emotional reactions to challenging experiences. For instance  we will learn to use some amazingly relaxing ‘Hand Reflexology’ techniques to allow us to find a tranquil place among the hubbub of any stressful situation. They will also learn how to use Dr Bach’s wonderful flower remedies to release emotional issues and each delegate will leave with a combination essence to address their challenges.

On the Emotional healing course on the following 2 days, we will explore how Dr Bach’s flower remedies can help us deal with issues from our childhood and other stages of our development, information that is key to therapists as well as to our personal development. We will also look at specific remedies to help support us and our clients during the bereavement process, such as why Sweet Chestnut is the go to remedy for anyone facing or dealing with loss of a loved one.

The latter course is part of our Professional Flower and Vibrational essence Training.

Both Courses are valid CPD training.

Links for the courses are

Carry on Caring  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carry-on-caring-tickets-31060721454

Emotional Healing with Dr Bach’s Flower Remedies and the Chakras

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/emotional-healing-with-bach-remedies-and-the-chakras-tickets-31121435050

Please forward this to anyone you think would be interested as these will be running in Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northumbria in the coming months. If you want to get involved – your area can be in this list too!!

Thank you

with blessings

Anna

 

 

 

Thats the way it is with Dementia!!

I have just gone to write a blog to help promote my new workshops and am horrified to realise that it was 2015 when I last published a blog! Where did 2016 go? I know I am not the world’s most prolific blogger (understatement) but surely I have had things to share with you all over the last year! I know there have been many times I have thought of something I wanted to share. So what happened ….

Dont worry – I don’t think I am getting Dementia – not yet anyway, but I have been taking a big part in my Mothers care. As her Dementia has got to the point that she has to have 24hr supervision, I have been spending a large part of each month with her. As well as physically draining, as she becomes less able to walk and stand, the emotional demands are huge. I do not want to sound smug – but if I have any sanity left – it is purely down to my Bach Flower Remedies!!

The mental pressure of trying to communicate with the Doctors, Social Services, Carers and hospitals is among the most difficult, We are well past the stage where she would hide her post with hospital appointments in – she wasnt actually hiding them – but putting them somewhere safe !! Like in her underwear drawer. But the insistence of the hospital staff to ‘speak to her’ to change an appointment, when she can’t hear anything on the phone and doesn’t understand that she has an appointment anyway, is typically indicative of their lack of understanding of the challenges of a Dementia diagnosis.

To be fair it is very hard for anyone to know at what point one accepts that an individual is no longer capable of making various decisions, and these points are not a one off cut off. If you ask Mum even now – would you like a cup of tea or a cup of coffee – she will usually say ‘a cup of tea please’. Occasionally she will say – ‘I would like a coffee’ which when you give her coffee – she will usually say – ‘why have I got a coffee – I don’t drink coffee!’ Is it wrong to just give her what you know she prefers or should she be offered a choice? Personally I feel every choice or question asked of her is a stressful process, but this was not the case a year ago.

I had thought I could do a daily diary of looking after her – yes there are difficult times but also some very heart rending and some really fun times, like playing football with her while she was in her wheelchair in the garden last summer. Really I was trying to get her to coordinate her left and right movement as she was beginning to lose the ability to make her legs move where she wanted them to. However somehow it did not seem appropriate to discuss this awful process as it was happening, and although those of you who have been on my workshops know I am an open book about my life and experiences – I am not comfortable parading ones difficult times in public live on the internet!!

Anyway – the long and the short of this is my realisation that as well as therapists needing to look after themselves and be on a continual programme of self development, Carers and all those that work in the Care Sector – but especially those who are unpaid and often feel trapped into their role, desperately need help and support.

One of the greatest causes of Stress is the feeling that you have no control over a situation. By learning tools and techniques to help you release negative emotional states and relax at a cellular level we are taking some control back into our lives. We can manage our reactions – and part of that is having the tools to process the experiences more easily.

This is why I don’t blog too often – once I start I can’t stop!!
Please if you or any one you know would benefit from a day that will help them feel in control!! Please forward them this link
My first pilot of this new CPD workshop is in Salisbury in February. Do please register interest in Beds and Cambs, and Newcastle as the decision of where we go next will depend on interest.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carry-on-caring-tickets-31060721454

Dementia steals people lives! Not just the lives of those that have it – but those who care for them!! Bringing me back to where did 2016 go……………….?
with blessings
Anna
xx

Beating the Winter Blues

Is it just me or is winter suddenly rushing up on us? The days are now really drawing in at a rate of knots and cloudy days seem to lack any light at all. It is easy to see how some people find our British Winters hard to bear!

At 6pm there is a nip in the air – and the rather clement day-time temperatures seem to drop drastically as soon as the sun goes down.

Some people are already succumbing to colds and sinus attacks so what do we do?

I prefer a multi-pronged attack. I check through my 5 keys to health and vitality, and see how I can adjust, support and enliven every aspect.

My first key is – Lifestyle, including diet, working hours and habits, relaxation and exercise. For each, I see how I can maximise their effectiveness and harness the positive power they can exert on my health and my business.

The second is – Hereditary. I consider what the genetics and traits are that I have been handed that will support me, and which do I need to support.

The third is – Relationships; Our emotional state is the most powerful ally we have for good health and vitality. Who are we close to, who empowers us and who disempowers us! Are we empowering to be around?

The fourth is – Environment. This is one that that we can feel we have no control over, but understanding how it affects me helps me to strengthen my resistance to its effect.

The fifth key – is Attitude. This is so important that it can override any weakness (or strength) in the other four. A positive attitude is priceless in our quest for health and vitality.

I have been sharing these 5 keys and the hints, tips and tricks to stay fit, healthy and vibrant throughout the winter months with health professionals for over 20 years. They are not getting the information out to you quickly enough, so now I would really love to share them directly with you.

Maximise the effects of this life changing knowledge with personalized tips and remedies for you and your loved ones and join me at Colmworth Golf Club on Sat 28^th Nov 2015 and learn how to harness the power and effectiveness of the 5 Keys to Health and Vitality:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beating-the-winter-blues-tickets-19223141935

 

Anna in the Raw

People looked very relieved this morning at North Bedfordshire 4 Network meeting when my talk turned towards food! For those that are interested in why Green Smoothies may be good for them I am putting up this blog with the main points I mentioned as a reminder.

This is a huge subject and this was a very short (15min) overview. There is a huge amount of material available and I am happy to point anyone in the right direction.

1. Eating is the 3^rd most important thing we do ( after breathing and drinking water)
2. We eat to absorb the nutrients from the ground and the energy (sunlight) that we need to build, replace and heal our bodies, the two mix together to (photo) synthesise all the nutrients that we need for health and vitality.
3. I mentioned THREE important factors

a)      Maintaining a balanced Acid/Alkaline level – a healthy level is around 7.

b)      Enzymes are necessary for the digestion of our food and we have digestive enzymes in our digestive system, however they can run low and them use enzymes that are intended for other uses. Fresh food (fruit and veg) has enzymes in it, which solves the problem – unless you have heated the food to above 114 degrees in which case it kills the enzymes.

c)       Ensuring we are well hydrated (we are, or should be 80% water) when we are dehydrated we make many of our bodies processes difficult.

I recommended a simple way to improve our enzyme availability, and improve your Acid Alkaline balance is to drink (EAT) regular green smoothies.

Today I used an apple juice base and added carrot, broccoli, cucumber, kale and a banana. I whizzed it up in a Vitamix blender. I am pleased everyone was prepared to try a sample and that the feed back was so positive!!

For those of you who would like to explore further either contact me on anna@energyworks.co.uk and I will send you some recipes.

More information on our Acid Alkaline balance

http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/acid-alkaline.html    www.water-for-health.co.uk

Some books I mentioned – The Body’s many cries for water http://www.watercuretribute.com/

Green for life by Victoria Boutenko   http://greenforlife.com/

Now it’s up to you to make the difference!!

Happy exploring

With blessings

Anna

Five tips for a perfect Valentines Day

It is said that ‘Love is in the eye of the beholder’, which means that it is up to us to be open to feeling loved and being loved.

Enjoy being ‘in love’ not with someone – but with life and yourself. I don’t mean in a narcissistic sort of way, but in an unconditional ‘love of life’ sort of way. Allow any feelings of uncertainty, jealousy or envy to dissolve.

Your heart is the most powerful electo-magnetic organ in your body, our hearts send out the vibration of our feelings and attracts back our experiences. Change the way you feel and you will change your experience. If that sounds a tall order try some Bach Flower Essences to help you tune into the positive state of your emotions. We feel positive when our emotion state is in balance and we feel trust and faith in life and we are then in touch with our unlimited potential. When we are in tune with unlimited potential we are can do, have or be anything we want! Negative emotions creep in when we hold onto negative reactions to our experiences. We then begin to limit our potential. The essences retune us to our unlimited potential.

The next biggest influence is our thoughts so to enhance our feelings, instead of concentrating on what they do wrong,think about the things you love about them, tune into and enjoy feeling positive and loving.

 Ways to help you to do this include:

1. Make sure that spending time to together is top of your agenda, especially on Friday.
2. Remember how you felt when you first felt attracted to your partner and notice the feelings in your body.
3. If you are creative write a poem, if not simply write a note (by hand) and express 3 reasons you appreciate and love them.
4. Before you go out take a few minutes to play your favourite romantic music and sit facing each other. Take each others hands and notice how they feel, take your attention to your hands, do they feel comfortable? Then notice how your partners hands feel. Can you sense the blood flow, are they relaxed or tense?  Then smile at other and sense into the others eyes. Think to yourself  ‘I am in love’ Notice how your partner begins to radiate love back to you. If you don’t feel this straight away then practise this exercise frequently!!
5. Take ‘Heart’ Combination essence! If you have a set of remedies you can combine your own, if not you can order from Ainsworths Pharmacy on 020 7935 5330.

My ‘Heart 2014’ combination is  

Agrimony  – this essence seems to help us to know what is in our hearts, our deep desires.

Holly – to help us tune into the possibilitiy of unconditional love

Wild Rose – I find this essence helps me to feel in the moment – no distractions! 

Cerato –  seems to enhance our intuitive responses

If you want to know more about how the essences can help you take a look at our kindle book

‘Dr Bach’s Flower Remedies – tapping into the positive emotional qualities of the Chakras’

Have a wonderful Valentines Day!!

For courses on Bach Remedies and the Chakras go to http://www.energyworks.co.uk or follow me on 

Face book Anna Jeoffroy-Salmon

Twitter @annajeoffroy

Linked In Anna Jeoffroy-Salmon

Bach Flower Remedies – New Moon, New Year, New Start!

Is it just me? I have an unusually strong feeling of anticipation about this New Year. The moon has waned and so this is an excellent time for a little introspection and meditation in preparation for the New Year. It is an excellent time to release all things, thoughts, emotions and habits that will not serve us in the coming year. The Essences of Honeysuckle and Chestnut bud will enable us to prepare for the New Year.  1st January 2014, sees a new moon. An unusual phenomenon is that there will be two New Moons in January. When we have 2 Full Moons it is referred to as a ‘Blue Moon’ do we have a name for the second new moon, which especially in January would seem very auspicious?
As we make our plans and identify our goals for the coming year I recommend we be relaxed about it. Aspire to achieve without the stress and angst we often put ourselves through. This past year has been quite challenging and I keep being amazed that when I get too busy – things stop going easily, when I then ensure I spend some time in meditation and some time in nature each day – magical things happen. I always ensure that I spend a little time with my essences each day in quiet mindfulness.
I have a 2014 Essence which has proved popular as a gift over the Christmas period. As usual I prefer to focus on the positive aspects of the essences and so this essence is to help us focus our intentions so we may create the year we want.
Beech – to enhance our diplomacy – to allow us to see the good in every one and every situation
Holly – which I always see as pure unconditional love, this will help us to accept others as they are and rejoice in their successes without envy, jealousy, or resentment.
Hornbeam – has a reputation for helping us to focus and achieve mental clarity. Whatever our goals this year our ability to achieve them will be supported with this essence.
Larch – Is the remedy to engage our strength of purpose, releases any feelings of being overwhelmed or unable to succeed.
Mustard – Is a wonderful pick you up for any down days. If S.A.D. is an issue during the winter months I find this essence will help to retune me to the light.
Red Chestnut – This is the essence that helps us to be positive in all circumstances, to be a light for those that need it.
Water Violet – I feel this essence brings calm and peace to our lives, it helps to supports us as we integrate our human experience with our soul purpose.
It is no coincidence that I have 7 essences in this combination and that there is one from each of the Remedy groups that Dr Bach placed his essences into. These relate to the Annasations – or our creative process.

‘It is not what happens to us that defines us – it is the way we react to those happenings!’

Wishing you all an amazing 2014 full of everything you desire and the attainment and manifestation of your goals and aspirations.
With blessings
Anna

All dates for Ainsworths Bach Trainings are available on http://www.ainsworths.com

Bach Flower remedies – The Essence of Christmas !!

The Essence of Christmas

I’ve just got back from a brilliant 4 Networking meeting at St Neots, where I was thrilled to be the speaker at the last meeting of this group in 2013. Everyone was very interested in how we can all use Dr Bach’s Flower essences to enhance our Christmas experience.

Although we usually anticipate Christmas as a wonderful time with family and friends – we often put so much emphasis on things going well, that we inadvertently find ourselves in arguments and disagreements, or feeling disgruntled, let down or disappointed.

Ensure that this Christmas avoids all these pitfalls and is the best ever. The Flower Essences researched by Edward Bach have been used for the last 80 years by thousands of people lucky enough to know his effective remedies. They help us tune into positive responses in every situation.

You know the sort of thing, you give your mother in law her present, which you spent hours deciding on the ideal thing for her – she opens it, raises an eyebrow and says ‘ oh lovely – another one!’ Yes a challenge to stay in a positive mood! To resist the rise of irritation and anger – or even feeling totally deflated from this or others of the dozens of difficulties that can come up over the holiday season I have put together some suggestions of Essences that may help.

Holly – for everyone, this helps us to open their hearts to the family. The positive state is a pure protective unconditional love. When out of balance we can feel angry, jealous, envious and uncared for. If you are finding it hard to get into the Christmas mood this essence may help.

A great remedy for the cook is Centuary – this will help them to enjoy being of service without feeling servile! Although offering a helping hand in the kitchen will also show that their efforts are appreciated

If the previous year has taken it’s toll, a great remedy is Honeysuckle it will help us to integrate the experience and move forward (see my previous blog on this essence. For those who have lost something or someone – be it a relationship, a job or a loved one, then Sweet Chestnut will help them to feel less alone. The expression Dr Bach used was to feel trust in Divine Providence

To take the essences dissolve just 2 drops of each essence you want to take into a glass of water and sip. Do not take in alcohol.

I hope the ideas help to make Christmas a time of peace and joy for you and your families this year and that the New Year brings Peace, Health, Happiness and Abundance for you all.

With love and blessings

Anna x

For more information on Dr Bach’s Flower Essences go to  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kindle-Store/s?ie=UTF8&field-author=Anna+Jeoffroy&page=1&rh=n:341677031,p_27:Anna+Jeoffroy

 

Bach Flower Remedies – Pets and Guy Fawkes

My New Best Friends!!

They told me they were are not looking forward to 5th November so we explored some Bach remedies that may help them to enjoy it more!

If you are one of the millions of dog or cat owners you may be starting to be aware of your pets stressed behaviour as we approach Guy Fawkes. Unfortunately Fireworks are no longer confined to the 5^th November and as we approached the bewitching festivities of Halloween,  we began to experience intermittent bangs and explosions punctuating the evenings. If your dog or cat is upset by the noise you will be aware of the changes in their behaviour. With the increase in popularity of Fireworks to celebrate all manner of occasions from New Year, weddings and various religious festivals, many animals are now used to the noise, however if you have an animal who is adversely affected you will find this time of year a challenge.

I have listed the remedies which will be useful in a combination essence – however you will need to decide how your animal is reacting and administer as appropriate the  essences which will help to release the intensity of the experience for everyone (including your pet). I suggest that as well as giving them to your dogs and cats that you also take them yourself.

Essence Suggestions for Guy Fawkes

Rock Rose – For sudden shock  – Use especially if your pet is petrified – I.E. stiff with fright or panic stricken.

Red Chestnut – to ensure you are not all winding each other up! If you have more than one animal give it to the worst ones and the humans.

Star of Bethlehem –  to process the immediate reaction to sudden loud explosions.

Mimulous – will help us and our animals to anticipate problems and work with the Red chestnut so we do not project the potential fear to our pets.

Aspen  – is an important remedy to help us process and release the effects of the stress so it is not held in the system as tension . Use especially if your pet is shaking.

It is really no surprise that this list includes all the essences in Dr Bach’s group for Fear.

It is helpful to understand the way animals process fear – and that is they will often be very still while they feel threatened and then when the threat seems to have gone they will begin to shake, quite violently or display very excited behaviour – this is a natural reaction and enables them to shake the trauma from the fearful experience out of their system. Watch animals in the wild, they will shake off bad experiences and then settle down to eat and seem as if nothing has happened. Unfortunately domesticated animals have picked up our habits of a) remembering experiences and therefore anticipating problems before they happen, and b) retaining a memory of fearful experiences.

They also have an inbuilt and highly sensitive ‘flight and fight’ reaction that on hearing loud bangs will immediately create the desire to run fast and far. The fact that they are locked inside will add to their stress. I am not however advocating that they are let out. Not if you want to find them again! In fact the opposite may help, that is to keep them in an enclosed space so that they know they are  safe and are not expected to ‘guard’ the whole house hold against attack. A travel cage under the table will help them feel safer. They will also feel much safer is they are not left alone.

Ensure their water has a couple of drops of Recovery Remedy in it and if they are very distressed stroke them after rubbing a few drops on your hands.

I trust you, like us, will all get a chance to enjoy the show

With blessings

Anna

Bach Flower Remedies – Empty Nest Syndrome

Off they go! Into the unknown – the house is quieter than it has been for years, now it’s just the two of you, or worse still you are totally alone!

For some parents the void is a chasm in their existence while some can see an occasional positive chinque in the darkness that is the future unfolding……. I can prepare one meal at night instead of a menu…  The bathroom stays clean when it is tidied!..   There are two less machine loads a week to wash…… My petrol bill has halved –except when they need to get home for a friend’s birthday!

The more we can focus on the positives the better  we will fare.

It is a huge change in our lives when the youngest child leaves home, the wrench can be overwhelming, thank goodness then for Bach Remedies.

I am recommending my clients use

Walnut                 – to help us feel safer while we get used to the changes

Agrimony            – will help us to see the good in the situation ( the clean bathroom for instance)

Larch                     –  is a great help when we want to learn new things – study something ourselves or start a new business.

Honeysuckle      –  Helps us to embrace the future. Rather than clinging to the past.

Wild Oat               – to give us direction and ensure we take the next step.

Of course there is always the chance of a day when we feel so low – then is the time to employ

Willow                  – to give us the flexibility to adapt to a different lifestyle now and

Mustard               –  to lift the emotional droop.

One word of warning !!  Don’t get too used to the positives – the oldest could be about to move back in when their 3 years is finished!!! But that’s for another blog!!

http://www.energyworks.co.uk/phdi/p1.nsf/supppages/1992?opendocument&part=10

with blessings

Anna