Wellbeing in the classroom

Eczema relieved naturally

Eczema is a dry skin disorder that is triggered by many things e.g. environmental factors and stress. It normally has a genetic component, in which one of the parents suffers either from asthma or hay fever.

Although there are no known cures for this condition, it seems to respond well to complementary therapies.

Two years ago, whilst teaching a reflexology course, I had a mature student with severe eczema in the class. It was the first day of the course and we had covered some theory and now it was time for the practical aspect of reflexology.

When Mrs X laid down on the couch, for her colleague to work on her feet, I noticed the poor state of this student’s feet. The feet were red, extremely dry, dehydrated and with deep cracks in many places, especially around the heels and the big toes.

Cracked feet causes excruciating pain and problems with walking. Laying in bed at night with the heels toughing the sheet is agony. This lady had learned to walk on the balls of her feet, to lessen the pain.

When I saw the feet I wondered how we were going to proceed, as for the class to go ahead as planned, we are dependent on an even number of feet.

I knew that unless I helped this student, we would not be able to use her feet again in class. I told her colleague to not press on any area that had cracks on it.

I proceeded in finding out her medical history and she told me that she had suffered from eczema, since she was a baby. She had undergone all types of treatments for it and even been hospitalised, as a result of her severe condition.

No medical professional had ever been able to help her. She said that she was unable to do certain things e.g. washing up or chopping vegetables etc., as her fingers were also cracked.

Armed with all the necessary information, I recommended various things that I knew would help her. She has told me since, that she thought I was going to tell her that she could not participate in this class. She was mighty relieved when I wrote her a list of what natural products to take and what foods to eat and what to avoid.

Mrs X came by the school four days later and showed me her feet, which had started healing for the first time ever.

By the time she returned to the class one week later, there was a huge improvement in her feet. Her colleague was now able to work on her feet with light pressure. The skin had healed from underneath but not quite to the top, at that time.

She took all my advice albeit later admitting that she had not initially believed that it would work. As the months went by her skin improved more and more, to the point that her skin completely healed from the cracks. Her skin became softer and less dry and dehydrated. She became more comfortable in her own skin.

Reflexology Case study 2

Reflexology may relieve digestive problems

I met a lady at a local pamper show, when she decided to try a sample reflexology treatment, that I was giving at this event. Shortly afterwards she started having regular reflexology sessions with me.

It was clear from her medical history that she had been suffering from an array of digestive symptoms for a long time. She was chronically anaemic, since her teens. She had had a liver abscess and also endured IBS and bloating.

She had undergone a life saving operation, in which 2 feet of the small intestine was removed, due to a perforated small intestine. This has left her with an absorption problem, which means that she cannot absorb the much needed iron from her food. As a result she was regularly tired.

Her feet told a very true story about her gut. Both the large and small intestinal reflexes on her feet felt very hard and sore, when worked. There was also a hollow space on the small intestinal reflex of the left foot.

This client found her feet sore and sensitive, when I worked the intestinal reflexes on her first visit. However, she enjoyed the treatment and felt very relaxed afterwards. The second treatment was much the same. However, by the third treatment Mrs X was feeling less tired and was having more energy. Week four and five were pretty uneventful.

When the client returned for her sixth treatment (1 month later), she said that her GP had prescribed new medication. She said however that the medication made her much worse, so she had recently stopped taking it. On this occasion, she stated that her foot was extremely sore, when I worked on the intestinal reflex of the left foot.

After the treatment she told me that she wanted to proceed with fortnightly treatments, as she realised how much she had been benefiting from regular sessions.

Week seven and eight saw the same sensitivities in the gut reflexes but which had reduced in intensity, by week eight. When Mrs X returned for her ninth treatment, she had undergone a medical procedure to find out what was wrong with her intestines. Nonetheless this procedure had upset her intestinal balance and she felt very sore internally.

When my client came for her tenth treatment, she was still feeling uncomfortable in her gut. She then told me that her GP had diagnosed her with crohn’s disease and that she had received new medication.

Weeks eleven and twelve showed that the client was struggling with her new medication, which was evident in her left foot, as a very hard lump in the intestinal reflex.

By week thirteen this client’s intestines were much improved, as a result of unintentionally giving up her medication, when she had a head cold. This was again reflected in the feet.

At the time of writing, this lady’s digestive health is stable and she is coping better with life. It seems that reflexology has benefited her intestines, both directly and through the reduction in stress.

Reflexology Case study 1

You could be two feet away from conception

A young lady in her late twenties started having reflexology treatments with me in September 2009. She wanted help with her menstrual cycle, which at that time was every 60 days. She also told me that this prolonged cycle posed a problem in her becoming pregnant, which was very much her desire.

At the time of the first visit they had been trying for a family for 11 months with no result. It appears that her menstrual cycle was irregular since she stopped taking the contraceptive pill. She was also suffering from stress, due to a busy teacher’s job.

Whilst taking the consultation, I could see that her diet would create difficulties for her, in conceiving. I explained the issues with her current diet and how amongst other things was not as healthy or nutritious as it could be.

She told me that she had recently been thinking about her diet and wondered if she should make changes to it. We discussed the matter and she said that she would be willing to try my suggestions, to see if the combination of reflexology and the dietary modifications could benefit her cycle and lead to conception.

Upon working on her feet, I found sensitivities in the ovaries and the pituitary gland amongst other areas. The pituitary gland is the master gland of the body that controls the hormonal output of all the glands. This was an interesting link, which indicated how her situation came to be as it was.

When this lady returned after the first session she said that she felt better in herself physically and psychologically. She felt more relaxed and less stressed. She reported further improvement after the second and third sessions.

When the young lady returned on 4th session, she said that her cycle had shortened by one week. This was very encouraging, as it demonstrated that positive changes were taking place within her body, as a result of the reflexology and the dietary changes. My client was delighted with this result.

When Mrs X returned on her 6th visit, she reported that she really thought that the following month her period would return to normal. She continued to feel very well.

Finally on the 7th week, in December, this lady came and stated excitedly that she was pregnant! After 6 treatments she had managed to conceive! This was such great news! This client is very pleased that she decided to undertake reflexology.

From the 12th week onwards, she will be able to continue to benefit from reflexology. This time, to relieve any backaches or other discomforts she may experience, as a result of the pregnancy.

Mrs X is really enjoying the whole experience that reflexology has given her and would highly recommend it to anyone, who is struggling with conception. So why not arrange an appointment for a friend or family member. Alternatively, gift vouchers are available for any one of my treatments.

For further information, please call Katarina on 01206 735339 or visit www.katarinatilley.co.uk

Winter wonderland

Winter wonderland

This year has seen the most snow that can be remembered for a long time. Looking out of the window, it is a beautiful picturesque winter scene. Conversely, it has been highly inconvenient, when trying to get somewhere.

Incidentally, did you notice the stillness that the snow brought about? It is as if meditation has been brought to us rather than us trying to meditate. Of course that is providing you are not constantly bored, frustrated and/or angry, about the enforced slow pace of life at this time.

As nature has brought this to us, it means that this experience will ultimately be for our highest good. This is a phase for slowing down, reflecting and spending quality time with those whom we love. For kids it is a most magical time, as I remember from growing up in Stockholm.

Its cold winters brought endless outdoor joy – sledging, skiing, skating, snowball fighting, building snow men and igloos etc. The fresh air filling our lungs and improving our immune systems, did us a lot of good. In fact we were seldom ill, as a result.

After the Christmas period no doubt the physical body can do with more exercise and this is the perfect opportunity to dig some snow from our drives. Singing whilst doing this work, has a very positive effect upon our spirit and will soon cheer us up. Have you noticed how the ‘voice in your head’ quietens down when you feel tired after exercise?

Seen in the right light, this is a magical time but the key to accessing this magic is not to wish to be anywhere but right here, right now - in this precise moment in time. We have a habit of wanting to be anywhere but here and now and this is why we are never at peace. Take time to notice the peace and quietness this period has to offer.

Most probably you have also noticed the increased tiredness at this time. This is our body’s way of saying ‘I want to close down’. The cold weather makes us sleepy and lethargic. We feel like resting and sleeping more. Getting some early nights would be an ideal way to improve our wellbeing and peace.

Cooking with higher calories will also help us stay warm. We need the extra fat to keep warm, not only the essential fatty acids and olive oil but saturated fats found in butter and animal fat. Saturated fats also help the body make hormones, so the added bonus is that we will feel happier and more balanced emotionally.

We can also warm up the body with meat casseroles, fish pies and soups made with root vegetables, garlic, ginger and/or other hot spices. In this way the winter season can be survived with very little stress or negative effect upon the mind, body and/or the emotions. This winter can be a delightful, serene and joyous one, with a little know.

For further information about lifestyle changes, please call Katarina on 01206 735339 or visit www.katarinatilley.co.uk

Intuitive Card Readings

Intuitive Card Readings

We have a choice in each moment and as such we co-create our destiny with the Higher Power. The cards mirror the situation in which the client finds him or herself in, based on the clients thoughts, feelings, current, past events and on the influences at that time, without judgment or comparison.

The reading of Tarot cards has been practised for thousands of years, and was used in the ancient mystery schools to deliver their teachings in code. Tarot is often used in a predictive manner and more commonly to gather information about the ‘unseen’ world.

Nevertheless, Katarina knows all too well the implications of such methods. She also understands that life is a wonderous journey that unfolds in each moment. There is nothing that is set in stone.

Katarina’s aim is to help awaken the client to the endless possibilities within any situation. She gently guides the client from their ‘stuck’ place towards wholeness. Life is supposed to be a blissful journey with no purpose other than to enjoy each step along the way, by living our lives from moment-to-moment.

In this way we move from darkness to light and start ‘Living in the Light’ and this is the fulfillment of Katarina’s goal. Living life with awareness, happily and light-heartedly is ‘Living in the Light’ and this is what is meant by enlightenment. Heaven on Earth is not a remote place but a place deep within us, brought about by overcoming the mind.

The energies on Earth at this time are facilitating these changes within us. This is where the entire humanity is heading, isn’t that exciting? Let Katarina help you on your journey.

For further information please do not hesitate to contact Katarina.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year with a happy new you

Feeling full after the festive season? Have you made your new year’s resolution yet? A new year indicates new beginnings. This could be the year that you decide to lose the weight that you have been wanting to shed for some time, be healthier by eating better, look after yourself more or find another way to beat stress. The only one that can make this happen is you, perhaps with a little help from a friend or therapist.

The key to achieve your dream is that you need to want this more than you want to be in the other state. The wanting starts raising the vibration, for making the change possible. You also need to believe that this change is wholly possible. Without this belief nothing can actually take place. Belief is the starting point for the change that you are seeking.

We live in the midst of times that say that we have to be thin to look good and this often causes people to go without the nutrients that their body needs. This is the most common reason why people become tired, run down, chocoholic or binge on sweets and or ice creams etc. Chocolate for example contains magnesium, which provides energy and tryptophan aids sleep.

In the years gone by we used to eat according to the seasons e.g. soups and stews in the winter and salads in the summer. Now it is low fat foods all the year round. This takes its toll on our looks. Due to the recession, the old fashioned foods that our grand mothers used to make e.g. soups made from marrow bone stock and a leg of beef shin etc. are beginning to find their way back into the British diet again. Luckily!! Here is some real food!

The old fashioned foods are very nutritious and will help to keep the body strong and keep the skin beautifully youthful. My previous neighbour’s mother was an alert woman, who lived until the ripe old age of 96. She used to eat these foods and used to cook with lard. As a young girl she used to have dripping on her toast and drink unpasturised milk. This prepared her body for vitality.

In Mersea we have the opportunity to eat some of the best locally caught fish and shell fish. Not only are these foods highly nutritious and provide a healthy, happy mind and body, they taste delicious. People around the world living by the sea are generally very healthy.

The solution to losing weight is not starving yourself but to find out what foods you digest best and working out the ratio of the regular foods eaten. One of the reasons that too many carbohydrates can cause weight gain is that a protein type metabolises the foods very quickly, which leaves them hungry and as such will over eat.

For further information please contact Katarina.

Goodwill to mankind

Season of cheer and goodwill

With Christmas fast approaching most people are busy making plans on where and how to spend the festive season. Plans are being made on what presents to buy friends and family. This is a time for relaxation and fun, at least this is what we are trying to achieve. There is always such anticipation to this event that we end up becoming more stressed and tired than we would like to admit and fail to enjoy it properly.

Furthermore, Christmas is such a commercial affair these days, rather than a time to reflect upon goodwill. How many of us delve deep into our hearts and minds to think about how we can cheer a stranger up or perform a kind gesture that really means something to someone else? The truth is that Christmas can be a very sad time for some people.

It very important to be expansive and most of us could benefit from growing our awareness on how to become a contributor, for the good of the world. There are millions of people starving in the world that would like to be full up on one single day and many people suffering from pain that cannot afford to buy medicines to remove their pain for that one day in their lives.

‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ would be a good place to start. Whilst we are busy spending money on dresses, shoes, make-up or a new suit, we could stop and think about donating a little money to a good cause, so as to make a difference in the world. Any good action carried out will come back to us hundred fold.

People forget the fact that, we are all the same beneath our different races, religions and status in society. One way to explain how similar we are is to say that ‘we are the same sweet within a different coloured wrapper’. We all feel pain, loneliness and suffering at times. We are all looking for peace and happiness in life. It is not so difficult to identify oneself with another, if we really want to.

Give someone your time this Christmas, perhaps taking them out for a cup of tea. Write a letter or telephone somebody that you know is living on their own. Be an angel and surprise somebody by buying them a little gift, as a token of your love and care for them. Buy someone flowers to cheer them up. Make some mince pies for another. Invite your neighbours in for a drink.

There are so many things that we can do for another, if we get in touch with our hearts. After all Christmas involves cheer and good will. However, it is easy to forget others whilst we are young and in good health but we may need another person’s charity one day. Let this Christmas bring out the best in all of us, in service of others.

For further information, please contact Katarina.

Love

Love

Love is the substratum and fulfilment of life. Even the Beatles said ‘All you need is love’. No truer word has been spoken. We all know this to be true. Just think how good we feel when we receive love. What is more, we can never get enough of it.

Every living thing needs love to grow. A baby needs parental love, an adult needs love from family and friends and an animal needs the owner’s love – without this none of us would thrive.

Giving and receiving this type of love is relatively easy because they are our nearest and dearest ones. The very ones we feel belong to us. However often love is confused with attachment and lust and that is the reason why so many relationships break up. In this case either or both of these are more important than love in its glorious form of unconditional love.

When that type of love is not reciprocated in the way we think it should be then we feel there is something wrong with our relationship and then we decide to part. Few people realise that all relationships have something to teach us, whether this be patience, tolerance, forgiveness or even detachment. Ideally we would finish learning the lesson before moving on.

A relationship or marriage with a good dose of unconditional love is a beautiful and harmonious mutual sharing and blending of two people into oneness. Every stage of the relationship has its beauty if seen in the right light. We need a little more patience and the realisation that everything is cyclical and as such will always be subject to change.

However we try to limit love by trying to keep it fixed in the way it was when we first met our partner. This can only cause sadness. The relationship is meant to grow and change. The best thing is to go with the change.

Nobody really speaks about the fact that we are meant to find that love we seek, within ourselves. Nobody owes us anything, not even our partners. Having perfect love within ourselves, we do not crave or seek it from without and thus we are not subject to disappointments.
Furthermore we are then able to share it with everybody around us. Then those people having received this love will be inclined to pass this on to others and then what a perfect and beautiful world we would have.

This perfect world we are discussing is truly possible and all it takes is for all of us to give what we wish to receive and do this regularly. It is so simple but watch for its powerful effects.

Through giving what we wish to receive we start altering the vibrational pattern of the situation and start attracting the type of love we desire. In addition we feel happier giving this love, as we are the first to experience it ourselves, before having it met in another.

For further information, please contact Katarina.

Happiness

Happiness

Every individual is motivated by happiness. This is what we are all seeking. We are meant to be happy, this is our natural state but we have become accustomed to not experiencing the full happiness that we deserve. Happiness can be described as a state of mind or feeling of contentment, satisfaction, pleasure or joy.

We all experience happiness in various degrees and at varying times. Different things make different people happy. Some people love their job, whilst others find the same job a burden. Some love getting up on a Sunday morning to play football whilst others prefer to lie in bed.

However some things are relatively universal for example the striving for the perfect marriage or partnership, in order to be happy. Earning enough money to not have financial worries, has an effect on the level of satisfaction we may feel.

So, is happiness permanent? Not usually because the world is ever changing. For example; we buy a new car. We really enjoy the experience of driving the new car for a while but soon we grow accustomed to it, later bored with it and finally we want to purchase a new one. Where did the original joy go and why?

The world is ever changing because our thoughts constantly change. Happiness has everything to do with our thoughts. It has been said that there are no neutral thoughts. Every thought we think creates either a positive or negative energy. This energy attracts a like vibration to itself and as such brings more of what we were thinking about.

The good news is that we have a choice of what to think about. Every time you do not feel as happy as you would like to be, examine your previous thoughts. The answer lies in your previous thoughts, either they were positive or negative.

Now you can choose again, a different thought – a more positive thought. This will raise your vibration and attract to itself a like energy. You should now be feeling better and happier.

Simple isn’t it? Everything you think about you bring about. This is a very powerful but true statement. Perhaps you can now reflect over some of the things that you really wanted in your life and notice that you attracted those very things into your life, as a result of positive thinking. Voilà, happiness!

This means that you are already familiar with this process, but perhaps you had not realised it. You really can create the life you want, through positive thinking. The only criterion is that you have to believe that it is possible.

Happiness is infectious and everybody wants to be with somebody who is smiling and happy. It really does not take long for the happiness to be passed on to others.

We all know someone who is ‘happy go lucky’, who makes us feel better. Start being that person yourself and watch your life change. Go ahead, be mindful of your thoughts and spread a little happiness every day.

For further information about lifestyle changes, please contact Katarina.

Meditation

Meditation – the answer to good health

Meditation has its origins in the East and is an ancient form of mental discipline. It induces the state of relaxation and calmness and promotes personal development. The stillness of meditation can restore one’s mind and body to good health.

Meditation done properly can yield untold benefits to the meditator. In the short-term it can give clarity of mind, improved sleep and stress relief. In the long-term it can help the meditator to develop knowledge of the inner Self.

Often people don’t try it because they have heard that their mind has to be empty of all its contents. Perhaps they are even a little frightened of something, which they do not understand.

Meditation is really very simple. It can be done anywhere – sitting in a chair or whilst travelling on a train etc. One may for example meditate on one’s breath, visualise a beautiful country garden, one may meditate with a mantra (a spiritually charged word) or one can do a walking meditation. There are a number of ways in which one can meditate.

Meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce hypertension. The reason for this is that whilst meditating your brain waves slow down and thus your pulse and heart beat slow down. During meditation you are able to listen to your inner voice. This voice is the gentle, loving whispers of the Divine – your inner guidance.

As a result of meditation, one becomes clearer about the cause of one’s anger or upset and finds the solution to that problem inside of oneself. This knowledge will dawn upon the meditator’s mind as a form of inner knowing. We actually have all the answers inside of ourselves but we rarely give much time to listen to this important part of our being.

The inner Self is by far more important than the outer self. In the West we pay more attention to the outer self and thus know little of what is going on inside of us. The benefit of meditation is that the mind will become so strong, that when problems occur, the meditator will be able to withstand the problem without crumbling or resorting to anti-depressants.

We have to realise, that the problem is not the world but how we perceive the cycles of our life. They say “Accept life as it comes and you will find it a blessing”. This is easier said than done, especially without a form of mind control. So we could say that meditation is worth gold because it gives us a balanced perspective on life in all circumstances.

The awareness of the inner Self is the start of the awakening to who we really are. We begin to become aware, that we are more than just a body. We are in fact beings of light, living inside a body.

Through meditation we become more expansive in our consciousness and begin to cultivate positive attributes such as compassion. The enlightened sages of India practised regular meditation and benefited the world with their benevolence and compassion.

For further information about meditation and meditation courses, please contact Katarina.