H.E.A.L. & G.R.O.W.
The term self-actualisation goes back to the psychiatrist Kurt Goldstein, who believed that every organism had the need to fulfil itself at every moment and under every circumstance. He didn’t see self-fulfilment as a goal one seeks to achieve in the future, but something present in every breath. Maslow developed this concept further and applied …
Today, as I was walking by the local park I was hit by the smell of freshly mown grass. Even at home, as I am writing these words, I can re-experience the scent that I can only describe as green and somewhat sweet. I only recently realised how little attention I paid to maintaining, let …
Yesterday, as I was walking home, I spotted a garden overflowing with these humble grape hyacinths (picture below). I stopped to savour the moment. They reminded me of the garden in front of my childhood home in rural Romania. Happy memories of the time spent hunting snakes and bugs there flooded my mind. I took …
Belonging to a community comes with many blessings. One that I especially treasure is the safe space where emotional difficulties can be shared openly and vulnerably. The transformation the individual and the group undergoes transcends what we experience on our own. Recently, I witnessed someone express their feelings in such a group. I felt strongly …
Jon Kabat-Zinn says that the practice of meditation is an invitation to embody your humanity any time you want to, and you do it with the breath you take. Paying attention to your breathing as you go about your day, allows you to be present in your life rather than to be stuck in the …
Happy Saturday my friends, Yesterday, I felt sad – and for no apparent reason. Trying to escape the discomfort I started to create stories about the reason I might be feeling it. I analysed, rationalised, and put myself in an ugly mood in the process. Reasons scudded thought my mind like countless windswept clouds, and …
We all know what it feels like to be alone in a crowd, sometimes even around a family dinner table. There’s a lingering feeling of being different to those around us or feeling that for some reason we don’t seem to belong. Since the pandemic struck, we have had to cope with physical separation as …
I have the impression that more people embark on a conscious healing journey of the mind and the soul than ever before. The taboo and secrecy surrounding our mental health is slowly replaced by the idea that we need to nurture our minds not just our bodies. Whether you are struggling with chronic stress, finding …