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5 highly effective practices for creating lasting happiness

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date March 14, 2025
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Creating lasting happiness

When terrible things are happening around us, how do we go about create happiness that can be lasting? First we have to remind ourselves that agony and happiness come from the same place – the mind. We have to create peace in our minds for the process to start.

I have created this simple daily practice to help you create harmony in the mind.

The Happiness Diary is designed to help you maintain a positive state of mind. It is only with a positive mind that you will be able to release painful emotional patterns and self-limiting beliefs that you have accumulated through your life experiences. This practice does not involve your brain; it involves your heart – just another word for your mind.

The following five guidelines, if practised daily, will help you to live more positively:

Gratitude
The power of smiling
Practising kindness
Doing without doing
Think, talk and behave positively

At the end of your day, sit down in a quiet room if possible and review the day’s events. Write a short paragraph on each guideline, detailing your experiences and your reactions to them. Recording this information will help you to reflect more deeply on your actions. Sincere reflection makes space for realisations, which opens the door to more clarity and the capacity to deal more positively with what life throws at us.

1. Gratitude

Write three things you appreciate the most:

In you: what do you like most about yourself? What gratitude do you feel for the good things you have done, and what more can you do to make your life better? How can you extend this gratitude to others who have helped you in some way?

In others: what do you appreciate most about the people in your life? How do you show it to them? If someone has helped you in some way, enjoy the feeling of gratitude you have for them.

In your current situation: if something or someone is creating a negative emotional reaction, try to see it as an opportunity for change. Negative feelings are a sign that something needs to be changed, and by finding the root of the problem we can see ourselves more clearly. Try to feel grateful for the opportunity.

2. The power of smiling

The world’s awful atrocities could stop us from smiling altogether. But smiling gives us strength, it gives us hope and most of all it’s infectious to those around us. As the saying goes: ‘Smile and whole world smiles with you.’ It makes a much needed connection.

3. Practise kindness

Do things for yourself and for others with kindness, love and with your heart without expecting anything in return. A kind act is never forgotten.

4. ‘Doing without doing’:

Try not to involve your ego when doing something for someone. In other words: do it but don’t advertise it – especially if you know that it will bring you praise and acknowledgement from colleagues, friends, family, etc. “Once you do a good deed, let it go.”

5. Think, talk and behave positively:

Thinking negatively leads to negative talk and behaviour. Be aware of your thoughts and think twice before voicing them if they will have a negative impact on others. To change a negative thinking pattern into a positive one requires vigilance and consistency. When you catch yourself having a negative thought immediately think about something good. With practice it becomes easier.

Be happy.

Master Oh

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Time to Talk Day ~ Leon McKenzie.

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date March 11, 2025
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Today is ‘Time to Talk’ day and it’s all about bringing people together to be able to open up and have honest conversations. We catch up with Leon McKenzie, a former professional footballer who played in all 4 professional leagues for a total of 18 years. After retiring from this sport, he turned his focus to boxing and reached professional standard, competing in the super middleweight class.

Leon is one of the most inspiring sports people we have met. He is open about his battles with depression and is using this experience to help others by being an ambassador for mental health as well as being involved with LAPS (Life After Professional Sport).

We invited Leon to meet Master Oh and experience one of his treatments. To celebrate ‘Time to Talk’ day, we share Leon’s thoughts and how he felt after meeting Master Oh. They are both from very different worlds, but have the same approach to life – positive energy is the key to a happy and fulfilling life.

Talking with Leon McKenzie

What do you feel are your biggest achievements in your life?

First and foremost, my children, however, I’m not recognised for being a dad! Then, of course, there are many moments throughout my career as a professional footballer that I’m extremely proud of.

As well as this, I’d say one of my biggest achievements was during my professional boxing career which I took up relatively late in life at 35 years old and then retired at 39. I reached Elite Title Level and was competing against guys who had been in the sport all their lives, and in that time I fought for 3 titles. I put my success down to my dedication over the past four years.

Looking forwards, my biggest achievement will be a documentary I’m currently working on which looks at why athletes are susceptible to mental health issues. I’m very excited about is as it has a very strong message about mental health which is so important to save lives, and I’m delighted that it’s gaining more focus. It covers part of my journey and also includes interviews with other athletes, some of whom have had their own issues and some haven’t.

What are the most notable obstacles/difficulties who’ve faced in your life?

There are many obstacles that have come into my life. Some are my own doing, and some are not. Some things I’ve been able to control, and some not.

Coping with injuries when you are a professional sports player is difficult. Then there’s, coping with trusting people when you work in a close-knit team; financial trust, emotional trust, any level of trust, and how to copy when you are let down.

Dealing with my own mental health issues. I suffered with depression probably from as far back as when I was a child. It was never really understood until I was an adult when I started educating myself about the reasons why I’m more likely susceptible to suffer. It transpires that certain things I’ve seen and not dealt with properly has manifested in some of my behaviour patterns, being self-destructive and how I’ve lived my life.

Depression has been a massive part of my life and still is. I try and cope with it and move forward. Everything you see me doing, is from the perspective of trying to be positive and push out that positive energy to those who do not have the strength to find energy in myself.

I met Master Oh, who is an energy master, and not something I have experienced before. I was open to it, because I know how important energy is, especially positive energy.

It was incredible. When I first entered the room and we started talking, he could feel my energy just from talking, from a spiritual point of view, from our original source. That is the main source of our positive energy.

He has a very unique way of doing things. Through his assessment, he knew I was holding onto a lot of negative energy. He treated me using accupressure which is a combination of touch and sound to release blocked energy at key points across the body. At first I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, it’s so powerful.

After the treatment, I felt relaxed and at peace.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

I love this quote from Michael Jordan, as for me, it says everything:

‘I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’

What do you say to people who are now in a similar position to you, when you were struggling?

Speak to someone who you trust and love, someone who isn’t going to judge you and loves you unconditionally. Then speak to someone professional. It’s OK to not feel ready to bare all your feelings, but at least it will start the process.

There are several routes you could take, for example, you could look at Psychotherapy where you go right back to childhood, or you might just seek counselling to be able to talk through how you feel. Just by talking starts the healing process, which is why I’m fully supportive of ‘Time to Talk’ Day.

All Health and wellness

Is He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti) the new Matcha?

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date March 6, 2025
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Is He Shou Wu, the new matcha? Matcha tea has seen a surge of followers due to its health benefits, such as reportedly enhancing metabolism, reducing stress, boosting the immune system and lowering cholesterol, as well as helping longer-term illnesses.

However, there is a little known herb in the West that can be enjoyed as ‘tea’ that is equally amazing. It is called He Shou Wu (also known as Fo-Ti) and is one of the most revered herbs in Asia due its extraordinary range of health-boosting properties.

Nine health benefits of He Shou Wu:

Longevity: recent scientific studies into the properties have confirmed that He Shou Wu stimulates the body to produce substances that promote longevity, among them superoxide dismutase, the most powerful antioxidant in the human body.
Combats burnout and stress: known as a kidney Qi tonic, it stimulates adrenal gland function and promotes general endocrine system balance. Qi translates to “vital energy” and refers to the original energy that fuels life. Fo-Ti works to increase our kidney/adrenal energy, which is where Daoists believe Qi is stored in the body. This also has the added benefit of calming the nervous system, making He Shou Wu an excellent tonic for those facing burnout or under high levels of stress.
Slows down and even reverses the growth of grey hairs.
Enhances blood circulation.
Provides high levels of iron and zinc and supports fertility.
Supports the liver.
Improves brain function and memory.
Enhances the immune system.
Protects and repairs DNA.

What is He Shou Wu?

‘He Shou Wu’ literally means “He’s Black Hair” in Chinese. Ancient Daoist texts dating to 812AD recorded that an old man who was weak and frail fell asleep in the forest and awoke the next day to see a tall vine next to him. He was attracted to the plant and proceeded to dig it up with all its roots, as was customary at the time in China, and took it home. He then prepared the herb according to Daoist principles, cooking its roots with clean water, and started taking it regularly.

His strength and vitality returned and within a week he became virile and fathered a child, which was a miracle. When eventually his hair turned from grey to shiny black, the whole village was in awe. He went on to live more than 100 years (some sources say 160) and fathered four more children. The man’s name was He Tianer, so the herb was named He Shou Wu, meaning “He’s Black Hair”.

He Shou Wu latte

I began drinking He Shou Wu after receiving a packet as a gift. The gift was intended to help strengthen my hair, which is what He Shou Wu is famous for. As well as hopefully serving its intended purpose, I discovered He Shou Wu is a great energy-booster and pick-me-up. I now have a He Shou Wu latte every day and recommend it as an alternative to coffee or traditional tea, due to its numerable health benefits.

Ingredients:

Almond milk
Cinnamon
He Shou Wu/Fo-Ti powder
Raw/manuka koney or natural sweetener (optional)

Method:

Stir one teaspoon of Fo-Ti powder into a saucepan of hot almond milk (enough for one mug). Let it come to the boil and sprinkle some cinnamon. Take it off the hob and let it cool a little. Add raw honey to taste. Enjoy!

All Body, mind and spirit

Energy you can’t see

Three ways to influence Qi in your every day life

Qi is invisible, but it does exist. The energy you can’t see. We probably know more about it than we think we do. For example, you can sit next to someone and immediately feel uncomfortable. You can sense tension or joy between people. You can feel calm when with people who are at ease with themselves.

If you watch parents of young children, they have become more sensitive to energy. If you wake in the morning and you’re still tired without good reason, you know you’re lacking in energy. Human energy is present in every cell. But what we don’t understand so well is how to encourage this energy and avoid depleting it.

Understanding human energy

Different forms of human energy can make you feel very different. Someone near you – their energy may affect you. Someone negative in your life can often affect your own energy unless you can control how it impacts you. Negative energy you carry around with you can re-surface as anger or frustration.

Three ways to encourage and protect your energy levels

Thoughts and intention create a path for energy to follow. If you imagine something positive happening, it will invariably start to happen. The same can also go for negative thoughts. Think positive thoughts and positive energy will follow.

Energy centres in our body and when our energy channels become blocked, this has an affect on our health. Deep-seated negative energy channels such as anger and frustration, or even past experiences can block these channels. Our Energy Treatments help to unblock these channels so Qi can move freely.

Judging situations and people mean we are giving negative energy and also filling ourselves with negative energy. By being non-judgmental, we are helping to maintain our Qi.

All Health and wellness

National Eating Disorders Awareness ~ Come as you are

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date February 25, 2025
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Eating Disorders ~ Come as you are

We see the return of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 25th – March 3rd), so we are focussing our blog on the seriousness of this illness. Many people understandably associate this illness with food, and they wouldn’t be wrong but what we really need to address is the underlying issues that reinforce the eating disorder. Throughout this blog we will look at the facts behind eating disorders and how we can help heal the person and not just the symptoms. The best you is you – come as you are.

What are Eating Disorders?

Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve disordered eating behaviour. This might mean limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means (e.g. purging, laxative misuse, fasting, or excessive exercise), or a combination of these behaviours.

It’s important to remember that eating disorders are not all about food itself, but about feelings. The way the person interacts with food may make them feel more able to cope, or may make them feel in control. Eating disorders include anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder.

Eating disorders can cause serious harm and may be fatal – anorexia has the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses. But even though they are serious illnesses, eating disorders can be helped.

What Causes Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex and there is no one single reason why someone develops an eating disorder. These ideas have all been suggested as explanations:

Genetics
Lack of ‘off’ switch
Control
Puberty
Social pressure
Family
Depression
Low self esteem.

Eating disorders are complex, and not everyone will experience the same symptoms. People will respond differently to treatment and can take different amounts of time to recover. Some people can be affected by more than one type of eating disorder or find their symptoms changing as they recover.

How Can Master Oh Help

We know that eating disorders are complicated and everyone is different. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms and people will respond to different treatments.

That is why at Master Oh, we understand that we can be affected by suffering and pain when we are disconnected from our original source or being. This feeling creates negative energy within ourselves and our physical environment. To reconnect, we need to re-energise and harness the power of Qi. Our mind then becomes clear, bright and beautiful.

What is Qi?

Qi is nature’s primary source of energy and the power that creates and supports life, keeping everything in balance and harmony. It is responsible for the communication between all cells, organs and systems in the body. It is vital to our wellbeing, relieving physical and emotional pain, increasing vitality and enhancing the body’s self-healing capacity.

A simple metaphor: like a car, which requires both a battery and fuel to run, human beings need both invisible Qi (the battery) as well as sufficient energy from food, water and air (the fuel) to sustain our lives, and one cannot replace the other.

Master Oh’s Energy Treatments are a powerful combination of acupressure and sound which help to open the energy channels and improve the flow of ‘human energy’ – Qi.

With his sensitive touch, Master Oh can feel how energy is circulating in your body and where it is blocked. He is also able to assess your energy reserves. He then works on your entire body, applying gentle acupressure on the main energy points to release blockages, clear toxins and recharge your energy system. Throughout the treatment he uses a breathing technique to make a sound vibration that transmits Qi deep into the energy channels.

After the treatment, many people experience relief from pain, stress and anxiety, as well as a new sense of calm, lightness and increased mental clarity. This positive frame of mind helps us to see things clearly and feel more in control. This sense of control can help those who feel they have to turn to disordered eating behaviour to in order to help them cope with the strains of day to day life.

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How energy treatments can help with infertility – Gina’s Story

Post author By Sonia Ideas
Post date February 21, 2025
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Gina explains how energy treatments with Master Oh helped her become pregnant naturally

I had fallen ill through the stress of caring for my Father who had dementia, I had given so much for so long, I couldn’t give any more, I realised I had to replenish myself somehow. I had read an article in Telegraph Stella Magazine about Master Oh and felt he may be able to help.

“My partner and I had been trying for a baby for 6 months”

Before hearing about Master Oh I had been feeling numb all over. I’d lost my trust in life and felt out of tune and disconnected. My partner and I had been trying for a baby for 6 months without any success. We were told because of my age our only option was IVF. Reluctantly we decided to go with this advice, I was prepared to do IVF with my head but in my heart I really didn’t want to go ahead with it.

After receiving a Treatment from Master Oh I felt a lot lighter and much more awake. I can now easily get up in the morning, I feel sharper and am much more productive. Then, after just four months of seeing Master Oh, I naturally became pregnant without the need for IVF treatment. My partner and I couldn’t believe it.

Energy flow and infertility

After the treatments I started feeling more comfortable around my abdomen area, because I had fewer blockages, the energy flow improved and it felt better having sex.

Since seeing Master Oh I have found my trust in life again and regained my intuition. I’m less emotional and not affected by other people’s negativity, I have more clarity and I feel a better judge of people.

Qi treatment with Master Oh

The Qi Treatment with Master Oh is deeper than other holistic treatments. it’s much more than just calming or relaxing, it’s another level. Like having a massage for your soul!

When you talk with Master Oh you feel he’s a good listener without any judgement, very patient and a wise soul, you feel peaceful to just be around him, all of which is rare in today’s world.

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Mastering meditation: step 3 – expectations

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date February 12, 2025
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I’m concluding my three-part blog series on meditation with some words of encouragement. Some people believe that meditation is exclusively reserved for the most spiritual, disciplined or mentally-focused among us. This is false, as by adopting meditation and mindfulness techniques you can manage negative thoughts relatively simply; promoting the inner peace which exists inside you.

Trying to meditate

It may be that you are reluctant to try to meditate, or that you have started only to give up quickly after a few frustrating sessions. Maybe you believe that you don’t know how to do it or that you are doing it incorrectly. Meditation is a learned skill. It does require practice and determination that will lead to improvement. If you are struggling with a busy mind and find it hard to switch off, start by trying it in combination with chanting or Qi training. The Qi energy you receive during both will allow you to quieten the mind and have a much more successful and enjoyable meditation.

Meditation does not mean a blank mind

Some class members explain that when they start to meditate they are easily distracted. They sit down and close their eyes, and all they can think about is their to-do list, their job or the day they’ve just completed. So they give up. It may be difficult to achieve a completely blank mind; however, this doesn’t mean you aren’t meditating. Part of meditation is to accept distractions as part of the experience. Clearing inherited energy patterns can significantly improve your meditation. Our mind is made up of the conscious and subconscious. The conscious mind is made up of all the thoughts, feelings and emotions from our life experiences, whereas the subconscious is made up of all the thoughts, feelings and emotions from our ancestors’ lives.

Being in the moment

When we meditate we are trying to just be in the moment. Meditation allows us to be really present with ourselves. During meditation our attention is turned inward for a specific period of time, often by focusing on our own physical/mental experiences. Despite widely-believed myths, meditation is not a strict process. It does often have a planned start and end point, but it is actually simple to meditate, even for beginners.

Having no expectations

I encourage you to step away from thinking that something must be ‘achieved’. The most dramatic results will come from allowing things to naturally unfold. Release any expectations you may have about what meditation will or will not do for you. The simple act of observing your thoughts, rather than becoming embroiled in them, is a sufficient goal for your practice. Stay curious about what emerges without trying to analyse or judge.

There are different approaches that you may wish to try and see what resonates for you: some people respond well to visualisation, some to mantra-based work and others to a physical or movement-based style of meditation.

Reflect on your session

I would like to end this blog series by encouraging you to celebrate the time that you have spent meditating. When you’re finished, no matter how long you have committed to, smile. Be grateful for this time that you gave to yourself. End your meditation respectfully. Be sure to slowly ease into the physical state. Take as long as you need to do this and instead of resuming your physical activities immediately, consider spending some time reflecting upon your session. You may also want to just spend a few minutes expressing gratitude for what you have and what you enjoy in your life.

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Mastering meditation: step 2 – developing concentration

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date February 7, 2025
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My previous blog reflected on the basic steps of starting a meditation practice. It’s very normal to struggle with a wandering mind during meditation time. Today I will talk about developing concentration. Without concentration it is impossible to meditate and a helpful technique to support concentration is to focus on the breath.

Focus on the breath

While a relatively simple suggestion, keeping your attention on the breath can be challenging. Attention is easily captured by a distraction, making you forget that you’re supposed to be paying attention to the breath. However, when you understand breathing physically, mentally and spiritually, then you will be able to use it to clear your mind very quickly. We all take breathing for granted. Everything breathes; taking in the new and removing the old. When you breathe in, you are taking both air and invisible energy into the body. When you breathe out, you remove carbon dioxide and toxins from your body. You can also use the breath to release old emotions and pain from your body. Everything including the universe is breathing. This movement of expansion and contraction is what keeps everything alive and in a state of balance and harmony. Therefore it is important to love and respect ourselves by paying attention and appreciating our breathing.

Focus on your abdomen

Start by focusing on your abdomen. The energy point just below the navel is called the ‘dangeon’. This is the most central point of our energy system and where our Qi energy is stored. We can imagine it as our battery. Start to breathe in deeply through your nose, letting your abdomen rise as it fills with air. Breathe out slowly through your nose, letting your abdomen fall. Continue to breathe deeply in and out focusing on the ‘dangeon’ and on your breath. You can count silently how long it takes you to breathe in. Then count how long it takes you to breathe out. If your breath in is shorter than your breath out, then try to lengthen it until they are both equal. For example, if your breath out is shorter, try and lengthen it to match the in breath. Once your breathing is even, continue to breathe in and out for ten minutes.

Focus on your dangeon

When thoughts come, don’t entertain them. Let them come and go without getting engaged. When you notice you are engaging with a thought or emotion, don’t worry about it – just gently return to the breath and focus on your dangeon. After some time you should feel your mind quieten. You might also start to feel a deep sense of stillness and peace. Breathing this way, while focusing on the dangeon, helps to correct the flow of Qi energy in the body, helping it to circulate in the right direction. This stills the mind and allows us to make a connection to our original mind or spirit.

Self-reflection

When we start to feel calm and peaceful, through breathing and focusing on the breath, then we are ready to use our mind in the right way. This is the best time to reflect on our day or on our recent actions and intentions. This is a process that can be very natural. When a thought comes, let your mind explore the situation from all angles, taking into account each person’s side of the story. If you see you did something wrong, you were disrespectful or unkind to others, then make a plan to rectify your actions. The more we do this, the better relationships we can build and the more positive energy we spread around us.

Chanting classes

Good breathing technique can also be developed in chanting and Qi classes. Some of the training steps work directly with the breath, using it to receive and circulate energy in the body, as well as open deep energy blockages. Chanting helps us to calm the mind and tune to the unique vibration of Qi, so we can start to receive energy and clear the mind. This vibration creates inner happiness and opens our heart, so we naturally want to share what we have with others. Chanting also strengthens the abdomen or ‘dangeon’, which is very important for both our health and vitality.

You can find out more about chanting and Qi classes here.

All Meditation

Mastering meditation: step 1

Post author By Mireia Nuñez
Post date February 5, 2025
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I often speak about how important daily meditation is to me.

It is through meditation that we can free ourselves of our thoughts, feelings and desires and be with our true essence, which is our spirit. Our spirit exists as stillness and has a very unique vibration. It is constantly emitting invisible light, love and energy to keep ourselves healthy and happy. It is the source of wisdom, unconditional love and energy which exists within all of us.

The more we practice meditation, the more we can strengthen the connection to our true self and practice our original nature, which is kind, loving, generous and compassionate.

When we are connected to our essence, naturally we feel peaceful and calm. This connection also supports our energy and at the same time it gives us the wisdom to make the right decisions and the responsibility to do more for others and the world.

Why practice meditation

Many people practice meditation to empty the mind of thoughts and find a moment of peace. In this ever-demanding world, we find ourselves constantly running around, unable to slow down and take care of ourselves. An overactive mind, as well as the resulting emotions, can deplete us of our human energy – Qi – and leave us feeling stressed, fatigued and lacking in motivation.

Trying to free ourselves from our thoughts, feelings and desires is definitely a good reason to practice meditation, for we all need to find stillness from our busy lives and not be ruled by our changing thoughts. When we find this stillness, our body and mind can recharge.

Although achieving peace of mind is a good reason to start your meditation practice, keep in my mind that this is only the beginning. In spirituality, the true purpose of meditation is to begin to connect to our essence in order to practice our innate beautiful nature and be able to make a contribution to the world.

When we connect to our essence we can learn to overcome strong emotions that come from our ego and sabotage our relationships.

During meditation is the best time to look at our emotions, especially if we are struggling with something. When we finally reach the point of stillness and connect to ourselves, then we can use this moment of clarity to revisit the situation and ask for these emotions to be cleared. If you practice this, you might just be surprised at the far reach of the results.

How to practice meditation

There are several ways in which we can meditate in order to come into contact with our true self to find peace and calmness, as well as starting to explore the higher vibration of the spirit which is coming from deep within.

Let us start with some basic introductory comments.

When meditating, find somewhere quiet where you feel comfortable and can relax without interruptions.

Pay attention to your posture. Try to make your back as straight as you can. Extend your chest out and hold that position, pushing your shoulders slightly back, until it feels right. This position supports the flow of energy around your body as it flows in a straight line from your crown chakra to the base of your spine. When you meditate or do any kind of energy training, if your back is not straight, it is hard to stay alert and can often make you sleepy. You want to be comfortable but not too comfortable that you fall asleep.

The next step is to pay attention to your breathing. Make sure you are breathing in deep and you are breathing from your abdomen, letting it expand and contract with each breath. When you start meditation it is natural for your mind to wander. One technique commonly used is to completely focus on one thing in order to slow and focus the mind, as well as stop all the other thoughts that arise. This is why people will often begin meditation by focusing on the breath. Deep breathing also supports the correct flow of Qi energy in the body.

Another type of meditation is to consciously clear your mind of thoughts, feelings and emotions and just try to sit with yourself. Try to feel the empty space and stillness inside you. When thoughts and emotions come, accept them. Believe that this stillness inside you is stronger and can embrace anything. If you feel pain or sadness, embrace it with love: emotions are like our children that need our care. If worries or thoughts arise, don’t engage with them; if it helps, tell them to come back later.

Regular meditation practice

I encourage you to try and develop a regular meditation practice.

Put all your effort into holding a conscious intention to sit down and meditate for a set period every day, and to practice diligently for the duration of the sit. It doesn’t matter how long you manage, being consistent will help your practice develop. Try and engage whole heartedly in your meditation, even for just a short while.

A great place to kick off your meditation practice is by joining Qi classes. They are run four times a day and are made up of chanting, movements and finally 20 minutes’ meditation. The vibration of the chants, as well as the movements, help you to open your energy system, receive energy and allow your Qi to flow correctly. This makes the mind very calm and peaceful and helps you to get more out of your meditation practice.

I often come across people who had found meditation impossible before joining Qi classes, and suddenly find they can meditate without any struggle. The energy you receive during the Qi classes clears the mind and makes you feel centred, peaceful and recharged.

I hope you benefit immensely from this post. In the next blog I will be explaining more about the importance of keeping your attention on the breath.

If you want to find out more about how to join Qi Classes at a Centre or online or call 0207 462 8811.

All Meditation

Mindfulness for leaders

Modern day leadership is fast-paced and stressful. Business leaders are inundated with high-pressured decisions requiring immediate action with little room for error. Study after study has shown the benefits of mindfulness.

First, let’s think of mindfulness as stopping your thoughts and being in the now with no distractions.

By practising mindfulness and helping people create a one-second mental space between an event and their response, it can be the difference between making a good decision and bad decision. One second can be the difference between a rushed decision that leads to failure and reaching a thoughtful conclusion that leads to increased performance.

Mindfulness can be the one-second lead over your mind and your emotions. It’s the difference between displaying anger and applying due patience.

How does this work?

Mindfulness changes how we engage with ourselves, others and our work. The practice changes how our brains work so through repeated mindfulness practice, brain activity is redirected from ancient, reactionary parts of the brain, including the limbic system, to the newest, rational part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex.

As a result, the part of our brain that controls ‘fight or flight’ and knee-jerk reactions becomes less active, while the part of the brain responsible for our thoughts, words and actions becomes more active.

How to start practising mindfulness

Observe the present moment as it is. It isn’t always about quieting the mind; it is more about paying attention to the present moment.

Let go of your judgments. When judgments arise, make a mental note and then let them pass.

Keep returning to the present moment. Mindfulness requires us to keep returning to the here and now when our minds start to wander.

Be kind to your wandering mind. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up; just consistently recognise when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.

Making the most of your leadership qualities

I would encourage you to try the following four tips to help make the most out of your leadership qualities:

Try to practice ten minutes of mindfulness each day to train your brain to be less reactionary and more active.
Avoid reading email first thing in the morning. Our minds are generally most focused, creative and expansive in the morning. This is the time to do focused, strategic work and have important conversations. If you read your email as you get up, your mind will get sidetracked and you’ll begin the slide toward reactive leadership. Making email your first task of the day wastes the opportunity to use your mind at its highest potential. Try waiting at least 30 minutes, or even an hour, after you get to work before checking your inbox.
Turn off all notifications. The notification alarms on your phone, tablet and laptop are significant contributors to reactive leadership. They keep you mentally busy and put you under pressure, thereby triggering reactionary responses. They cause damage far more than they add value. Try this: for one week, turn off all email notifications on all devices. Only check your email once every hour (or as often as responsibly needed for your job), but don’t compulsively check messages as they roll into your inbox.
Limit multitasking. It keeps your mind full, busy and under pressure. It makes you reactive. Try to maintain focus on a single task, and then notice when you find your mind drifting off to another task – a sign that your brain wishes to multitask. When this happens, mentally shut down all the superfluous tasks entering your thoughts while maintaining focus on the task at hand.

If you and your company would like guidance on how to practice mindfulness in the workplace, please get in touch.