I recommend somatic experiencing exercises which can be quite the transformative journey. Watch Dr Arianne Missimer guide you through three powerful somatic exercises designed to help you break free from the mental chatter in our heads and reconnect with your body's wisdom. Whether you're seeking stress relief, mindfulness, or simply a deeper sense of presence, these exercises are your gateway. Join us as we explore gentle movements, breath awareness, and mindful stretches that will anchor you to the present moment. Remember we are focusing on our inner bodily experience rather than how 'effective' the stretch is. Timestamp: 00:00 I ntroduction 00:14 What You Need To Know About Somatic Experiencing 00:56 1st Somatic Exercise: Butterfly Hug 01:53 2nd Somatic Exercise: Wipe Away 02:37 3rd Somatic Exercise: Goddess #somatics#somaticexercises

Lebo Grand is a South African author and speaker. The quote above is a thought-provoking one. It suggests that we should focus on our physical experiences and sensations rather than getting lost in our thoughts and worries. By doing so, we can enjoy life more fully and be more present in the moment. Babette Rothschild in 'The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment talks about the symptomatology of PTSD: "In PTSD a traumatic event is not remembered and relegated to one's past in the same way as other life events. Trauma continues to intrude with visual, auditory, and/or other somatic reality on the lives of its victims. Again and again they relieve the life-threatening experiences they suffered, reacting in mind and body as though such events were still occurring. PTSD is a complex psychobiological condition.” ― Babette Rothschild, The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment Somatic exercises are one way of working with the body - focusing on our inner world: our bodily sensations including our breathing - so we can relax our bodies and release the tension.

The vagus nerve is a superhighway of communication between your brain and your body, affecting your mood, digestion, heart, and immunity. The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve or cranial nerve X, is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system which controls involuntary body functions. It is tasked with regulating critical body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion. The vagus nerve carries motor and sensory information to different organ systems of the body, including: Cardiovascular system, including the heart and major blood vessels Respiratory system, including the lungs and airways Digestive system, including the throat, esophagus, stomach, and intestines It also provides sensory information to the skin and muscles which, in turn, stimulates reflex actions like coughing, sneezing, swallowing, gagging, and vomiting. The sensory information stimulates body functions like sweating, salivating, mucus production, and the urge to urinate. For those who do not have access to a VNS device or want a more natural approach to treatment, there are practices which may help manage autonomic dysfunction. These at-home treatments are thought to stimulate the vagus nerve by slowing the heart rate and reducing emotional stresses that can trigger or worsen vagus nerve disorders. Examples include: Deep breathing exercises: Slow, conscious breathing is thought to stimulate the vagus nerve, not only improving heart rate and blood pressure but also easing digestion.7 Mindfulness exercises: These include practices like yoga and tai chi in which respiration is synchronized with body movements. Some studies suggest such practices can improve vagal nerve tone, leading to a slower heart rate and lower blood pressure. Foot reflexology: This massage-based practice has been shown to slow heart rate and respiration, lower blood pressure, and increase oxygen saturation, suggesting that it positively stimulates the vagus nerve. Music therapy: It is thought certain types of music can positively influence moods and elicit a beneficial autonomic response. This may be especially true with low-frequency sounds delivered with slow, rhythmically structured music. Cold-water immersion: Facial immersion in cold water is thought to indirectly stimulate the vagus nerve. This is evidenced by the fact that, after the initial shock of cold, the heart rate will begin to slow. Open-water swimming may have the same effect. It is unclear whether any of these techniques directly stimulate the vagus nerve in the same way as electrical VMS, but each is known to trigger a positive physiological response that can help relieve stress and improve moods.

Vagus nerve exercises are good for us. They can help manage anxiety. Understanding the influence of the polyvagal nerve and our limbic system can help us breathe through our stress. In this video Sukie Baxter shows you three vagus nerve exercises to rewire your brain from anxiety. She also describes what anxiety actually is (and the surprising reason why it’s good for you) as well as what to do when anxiety hits.

So, how is your emotional health? Emotional health is defined by four markers: our degree of self-love, of openness, of communication and of trust. Watch the wonderful film from the School of Life to interrogate your level of emotional health. It is important to check in with yourself. How is your self esteem? Prevention is far better than cure? FURTHER READING “One way to start assessing how badly we have been knocked by our early years – and where we might therefore need to direct most of our repair work and attention – is to identify a range of markers of emotional health and imagine how we fare in relation to them. At least four central ones suggest themselves…”

Rediscovering yourself is a process of reconnecting with your true self and finding a sense of purpose and fulfilment in life. It involves exploring your inner self and identifying your values, passions, and goals. You can rediscover yourself by focusing on five domains of awareness (STEAM) and asking yourself a question to explore each domain: Sensations: What do you sense in your body? Thoughts: What are your thoughts? Emotions: What are you feeling? Actions: What are you doing? Mentalizing: What are you thinking about other people’s thoughts? By reflecting on these domains, you can expand and deepen your self-awareness, which may help you to feel a greater sense of inner well-being and offer direction for how to find personal fulfilment. Rediscovering yourself can also mean taking action to reconnect with the things you used to be passionate about and the goals you once had. Try taking an inventory of what is important in your life and changing your priorities accordingly. Rediscovering yourself can have many benefits such as: Increased self-awareness: Rediscovering yourself can help you to become more self-aware, which can lead to greater emotional intelligence and a deeper understanding of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Greater sense of fulfilment: By reconnecting with your true self and identifying your values, passions, and goals, you can find a greater sense of purpose and fulfilment in life. Improved relationships: Rediscovering yourself can help you to develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others, which can lead to more meaningful and fulfilling relationships. Reduced stress: By gaining a greater sense of inner well-being and direction in life, you may experience less stress and anxiety. Increased creativity: Rediscovering yourself can help you to reconnect with your passions and interests, which can lead to greater creativity and innovation. In addition to these benefits, rediscovering yourself can also help you to develop greater resilience, improve your decision-making skills, and increase your overall life satisfaction.

I am a great fan of marking Beltain and the changing seasons. When I was sent this video, I wanted to share it as I love the work Butser Ancient Farm do. So sit back and enjoy and if you spot me, let me know:-) It's Beltain! The original May Day festival celebrated in the Iron Age, and our biggest event of the year! Every year, we hold our Beltain Celtic Fire Festival to mark this ancient festival, complete with live music performances, morris dancing, incredible drumming, and of course the burning of a 30ft wickerman. We've been holding this celebration at Butser annually since the 80s, and this video captures the best bits of one of our favourite festivals -- 2022! To everyone who joined us, thank you for making this event so special 💚 We hope to see you at Beltain in the future! Butser Ancient Farm is an open-air experimental archaeology museum and active research centre, learning about the past by recreating it. Our experiments are world-renowned, and our buildings include a Roman villa, Celtic village, Stone Age farm, and Saxon halls — all reconstructed from real UK archaeology, and open to be explored! We do everything we can do share our passion for the past, from visitor opening and school groups to filming our experiments for bitesize documentaries! See behind-the-scenes of our experimental archaeology and help directly fund more research! For the price of a coffee, watch over 100 short documentaries and discover our ancient past. Visit http://www.butserplus.com to learn more!

Many people fear change but it is a fact of life - we have to change as do the seasons. If we look to nature, we can gain strength from the solidity of trees and the yearly changes. I love to embrace the seasons, whether it is the sun on my face and arms in summer, the wind in autumn and the frosty nip in the air in winter. And don't forget spring and the new growth, gentle warmth and the lush colours. What is your favourite season?

I have recently started having a Gong bath once a month and have found it a wonderful way to relax. If you would like an idea of what it is like, give this a listen. Headphones are recommended as well as lying down somewhere comfortable, maybe with a blanket covering you and an eye mask. I find it an ethereal, connecting experience between me and the universe! This is a full length Gong Bath with a selection of Paiste Gongs played by Martyn Cawthorne of Gong Spa (headphones recommended). The gongs include all the Paiste Bronze Gongs (no.s 0,1,2,4,6,8 & 9), two Paiste Symphonic Gongs (36" and 38") and Paiste's Mercury, Saturn and Neptune Planet Gongs. CDs and downloads available from https://gongspa.co.uk/shop/ Big thanks to Korg UK for the loan of a few of the gongs to make this video series possible. Huge thank you Jan Koblanski, Kyle Martin Clarke, Brad Ingham and Mike Donnery for helping to make the video series. Massive thank you to Freddy Khattab, Circle of Life, Former St. John the Evangelist, Bacup. Hope you enjoyed the video.

Blink and you're the sunset side of 50 - where does the time go? Do you wonder what you do with your time? Yes, we need time for work and for our families yet do you take time for you? Do you take time to wonder? Ten minutes with a journal noting your thoughts, being creative or just jotting down your musings is your time. Whether you are sitting in the garden, the park or just gazing out the window with your tea - what are you thinking about? Your thoughts matter - get 'em down, not for others but for you. If you have the luxury of more time and more freedom - time or financial - how are you going to use it?

According to Wikipedia, a father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. Yet is that it? From what I have observed and read, fathers today come in various forms. He is no longer always the traditional married breadwinner and disciplinarian in the family. He can be single, co-habiting or married; externally employed or stay-at home; gay or straight; an adoptive or step-parent; and a more than capable caregiver to children facing physical or psychological challenges. Psychological research across families from all ethnic backgrounds suggests that fathers' affection and increased family involvement greatly encourage children's social and emotional development. Two to three centuries ago, fathers’ roles were mainly about serving as breadwinners and the conveyers of moral values and religious education to their children. This began to change with the advent of industrialisation and urbanisation and as factories became the major source of employment, fathers became distanced from the household and their families. Growing rates of abandonment and illegitimacy led to the development of welfare programmes to assist widowed or unmarried women in supporting their children. In more recent times, the changing economic role of women has greatly impacted the role of fathers. Between 1948 and 2001, the percentage of working age women employed or looking for work nearly doubled–from less than 33 percent to more than 60 percent. The increase in financial power made paternal financial support less necessary for some families. Along with the growing autonomy of women, related trends such as declining fertility, increasing rates of divorce and remarriage, and childbirth outside of marriage have resulted in a transition from traditional to multiple undefined roles for many fathers. Today’s fathers have started to take on roles vastly different from fathers of previous generations. In the past, research on child development has focused more on mothers fulfilling their children’s needs. However, more recently, research has increasingly focused on fathers. This is due to the growing role modern day fathers play in caregiving. One study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) concluded that fathers tended to be more involved in caregiving when: they worked fewer hours than other fathers; they had positive psychological adjustment characteristics (e.g., high self esteem, lower levels of depression and hostility, and coping well with the major tasks of adulthood); mothers worked more hours than other mothers; mothers reported greater marital intimacy; and when children were boys. Other research on the role of fathers suggests that the influence of father love on children's development is as great as the influence of a mother's love. Fatherly love helps children develop a sense of their place in the world, which helps their social, emotional and cognitive development and functioning. Moreover, children who receive more love from their fathers are less likely to struggle with behavioural or substance abuse problems. References: APA (2005). Lesbian and gay parenting. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/parenting.aspx. APA (2004). Briefing sheet: An overview of the psychological literature on the effects of divorce on children. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/cyf/divorce.aspx. APA (2003) ACT Against Violence program for incarcerated fathers. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from www.apa.org/pi/prevent-violence/programs/incarcerated-fathers.aspx. APA Monitor (2007). Stay-at-home dads report high job satisfaction. Vol. 38(9), pp. 57. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from www.apa.org/monitor/oct07/stayathome.aspx. APA Monitor (2005). Meet the renaissance dad. Vol. 36(11), pp. 62. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from www.apa.org/monitor/dec05/renaissance.aspx. APA Monitor (2005). Stepfamily success depends on ingredients. Vol. 36(11), pp. 58. Retrieved June 15, 2009 from www.apa.org/monitor/dec05/stepfamily.aspx. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief (May 2009): Changing patterns of nonmarital childbearing in the United States. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db18.htm. Coley, R. L. (2001). (In)visible men: Emerging research on low-income, unmarried, and minority fathers. American Psychologist, 56(9), 743-753. Fagan, J., & Palkovitz, R. (2007). Unmarried, nonresident fathers' involvement with their infants: A risk and resilience perspective. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(3), 479–489. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (2008). America’s children in brief: Key national indicators of well-being. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved June 19, 2009 from www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2008/ac_08.pdf. NICHD Early Child Care Research Network (2000). Factors associated with fathers' caregiving activities and sensitivity with young children. Journal of Family Psychology, 14(2), 200-219. U.S. Census Bureau (2009). Single-parent households showed little variation since 1994, Census Bureau reports. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html.

Part of my MSc dissertation is exploring the influence of fathers. Has that changed over time? Just how important are Dads today? What role do they play in the modern family where they do not need to be provider and protector? Dr. Anna Machin is an Oxford University-based evolutionary anthropologist, author, and broadcaster who has spent ten years researching the psychology, biology, ​and behaviour of new fathers. In this TED talk she explains why this new-found knowledge means that we need to change how we talk about dads, moving away from lazy stereotypes, to acknowledge their unique and special role in their children's lives and the power they hold to bring about real positive changes to inequality in our society. She researches the evolution, neuroscience, psychology and biology of our closest relationships; lover to lover, friend to friend, parent to child. Dr Machin is passionate about sharing the outcomes of her work with the public and helping to make all our relationships healthier and happier. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.