Question

Are you feeling distressed over the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and beyond?

Did you know that there are now over 100 MILLION refugees in the world?

Have you ever wondered what you can do to help our world to be a happier and more peaceful place?

My Workshops are designed to reduce stress, build resilience and give everyone a really great time.

Since 2022 my Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting Workshops have been dedicated to all who are suffering from the scourge of war - and to all the millions of refugees world-wide.

Free Places

I’m currently offering refugees from all parts of the world - and their hosts - Free Places on my Workshop. Indeed everyone can register free using the Ukraine Solidarity Link. I invite all who are able, to give a donation towards the cost of running these workshops.

I raise the funds needed by playing music in the street - which is quite a challenge - so I really welcome these donations. My company, Ultimate Stress Solutions is a Community Interest Company and we are expanding our work but this depends on getting Grant Funding, so all forms of support are welcome.

This Event is great for all the family, all ages - including children from age 4 and upwards. Average self-assessed stress-reduction is 38%

Our world urgently needs less stress and more happiness.

Together we can Make a Difference.

Love and Peace - DurgaMata

If you have any questions contact me on

https://tidycal.com/durgamataoflondon/30-minute-meeting

Restore your Life-Balance

If you have a habit of prioritising the demands of work and the needs of the family over your own physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing, this may be your opportunity to restore your inner and outer life-balance and give yourself a treat.

Important Note

Children are welcome over the age of 4 - accompanied by an adult - but please register them as separate attendees. Materials for silk-painting are limited, and so is the space - so we need to limit numbers.

How the Stress-Reduction Works

The following photos

* A Mindfulness Exercise

* What is Forest Bathing

* DurgaMata - silk-painting demo

* Choosing the colours

* Silk-Painting

* Ironing

* Some of our new silk scarves

* We enjoy live music

* a Veggie Feast

* And packaging the finished scarf

Sharing food with friends is one of the most joyful ways of reducing stress and increasing happiness.

For our concluding 'party,' I provide a buffet of vegetarian dishes with options for vegan and gluten-free diets.

Conscious of health, this spread is low in sugar and processed foods.

There are no alcoholic beverages but an excellent range of teas and fruit-juices in addition to regular tea and coffee.

Music

I play the Pipe and Tabor. After the Forest Bathing part of the workshop I go outside and play to bring everyone together. Physical exercise is another important strategy for reducing stress and improving wellbeing, so I encourage everyone to dance. Then we all go inside the room to begin the Silk-Painting.

Once everyone has painted their silk scarf, and hung it to begin to dry, I provide cushions so that they can make themselves comfortable and rest - on a chair or on the carpets - while enjoying beautiful cello music. In the early workshops we had the music at the same time as eating but found that people tended to listen and forget to eat. So in later workshops I provided cushions and there is a music interval before the meals where participants can rest and enjoy the music.

Then, because my chosen cellist is both a brilliant musician and a good friend, he sometimes plays again as we are finishing the meal. The first recording is during the meal at a workshop in 2021. The next is from 2022 and the third is the concluding peace from the workshop in July 2023.

A Personal Touch

I like to fold and tie the silk scarves with ribbon myself, before placing them inside a plastic-pocket for you to take home, so that I can add a personal touch of love and oneness.

I have been practising meditation and mindfulness for many years. I am not an expert and I do not teach meditation, but I can share my own positive energy in a simple way, by appreciating the beauty of your creation and packaging it personally as the workshop is drawing to a close and everyone is enjoying the meal.

It is a privilege to share with you what I love and have found effective in my own experience of reducing stress and increasing happiness.

The Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting Workshop

written by Satu Liina Vai

I found DurgaMata’s workshop incredibly beneficial and an absolutely beautiful experience. We were gently, eloquently, and professionally guided on how to employ stress-reducing mindfulness strategies and we engaged in several of them.

Mindfulness and Peace

DurgaMata’s very presence is wonderfully peaceful and the atmosphere she created in the workshop is beautifully peaceful also. The mindfulness exercises were very helpful and we had the chance to practise the methods throughout the day.

The entire experience was conducted from a vibration of blissful calm and peace – and allowed us to inhabit the same frequency, and function within this lovely peaceful way of approaching things.

Overall the workshop was extremely helpful and useful, and I can now use the lovely silk scarf I painted as an anchor point to connect back to the lovely peacefulness.

Forest Bathing

In the Forest Bathing section of the workshop, we were invited to make our way through the garden and look for something that particularly caught our eye. If we wished we could draw it, write a description or simply observe. Afterwards, we had a lovely discussion about what we had observed and experienced.

I found the forest bathing to be a lovely experience of connecting with nature and a relaxing, meditative experience.

Silk-Painting

The Silk-Painting part of the workshop was an absolute joy. We were guided through an understanding of colour and the process of painting to create a beautiful, soft, delicate silk-scarf.

I found the colours to choose from to be beautiful and like visual therapy in themselves. The different shades were stunning.

The creation process was interesting and DurgaMata demonstrated two styles – Marble and Dapple – that we could choose from. I liked the way that DurgaMata talked about how we are able to play with the colour and how the silk plays with us.

We were able to choose several colours and decide what type of technique to use. It was lovely to see how the process worked and to put our focus on it in a meditative way. The finished scarves were all beautiful, some vibrant and some poetic works of art. The scarves also gave us a tangible anchor point to take us back to the peacefulness of the day and remember the mindfulness strategies which we had learned – whenever we were to hold and look at the lovely scarf we had painted.

Overall, a wonderful, creative experience.

Pricing

The above chart relates to the pricing before the start of the war in Ukraine - and the original prices still stand - full price is 150.00. The half-price option of 75.00 is still available. But when the war started I wanted to do something to help. I had no spare time or funds, but what I could do is offer a free option in solidarity with Ukraine and refugees from all parts of the world.

There is now a Free Option - in Solidarity with Ukraine

This is popular. You come free but if you are not a refugee or on a precariously low income, I invite you to make a donation to the costs of my workshops as many of the participants are now refugees themselves.

Hosts and Refugees come free and are not required to pay anything. I have been a host for two lovely ladies from Ukraine and I know that there are financial pressures on both refugees and hosts alike, so this is my way of 'making a difference.'

Take advantage of this special free offer.

Book directly from this Eventbrite page.

2023

Workshops will normally be held on the last Sunday of each month, excepting August and December when there is no workshop - In October the workshop is on Sunday 22nd as I have another event on the last Sunday of the month.

This is a link to my calendar to book a 30 minute call to explore any questions you may have. On the price list children are invited from 7 years old but I have reduced the age to five and can discuss logistics if you have younger children or members of the family who may have special needs.

https://tidycal.com/durgamataoflondon/30-minute-meeting

With a maximum of 16 places, I recommend that you reserve your place now to avoid disappointment as these workshops are inclined to book up very quickly.

Families are Welcome

Sponsorship and Special Events

Money-problems can contribute to stress and my workshops are designed to reduce stress not add to it. However I also need to make ends meet.

For now, I am giving the Free Option in solidarity with Ukraine - but in the future I will be seeking funding and offering sponsorship rather than giving my workshops free. Contact me to learn more about this.

I also offer Silk-Painting Workshops in Businesses, Schools, Care Homes and private homes - for Parties and Special Events. Contact me on -

https://live.vcita.com/site/DurgaMataofLondon/online-scheduling?category=xk3l5zoxrnhn8ky5

Who is DurgaMata?

I am a Silk-Paint Artist, Musician, Author, Teacher and Coach. I have been practising mindfulness and meditation for over 40 years and am an unusually positive and cheerful person, keen to share what I have learned over the years, to empower people and spread as much happiness as I can in the time that remains to me.

I am an artist, painting on silk as a form of meditation. I am a Pipe and Tabor player. I play in the street as a way of sharing the energy and joy I find in my meditation and mindfulness practice. I call it ‘lifting up the world one note at a time.’

In the workshops I invite a wonderful cellist to play soulful music and I also welcome participants who are musicians to come and play live music.

Ongoing Support

Coming to one workshop is not going to cure all your stress-problems overnight, but if you really enjoy it, you may like to come regularly. There will be a discount for group bookings and repeat bookings. There are more advanced silk-painting styles which you can explore and you will always have a good time. I also offer one to one Happiness Coaching and Mindfulness Teaching both online and in person.

There are costs for hall-hire, silk-painting materials, food and the music that need to be met - so in the future I will have to make a charge but I am looking for funding so I can offer sponsorship.

I also have a 9-week online Programme - The Seven Steps to Happiness - which takes the empowerment and personal development to a ‘higher level.’

My joy is in spreading smiles.

To learn more about any of these options - contact me on -

https://live.vcita.com/site/DurgaMataofLondon/online-scheduling?category=xk3l5zoxrnhn8ky5

The Why?

Life is hard and many people are finding it exhausting. The whole world is facing many serious challenges at this time. I think that if those of us who are feeling strong and positive can step forward and share our unique experience and skills we really can make a difference. We are all part of each other and we all have something good to offer to the world, even if it is only a smile of goodwill.

There are different ways of describing what I am aiming to do. Some people speak of ‘raising consciousness’ or strengthening 'positive energy.' It comes down to ‘spreading smiles’ - less stress, more happiness and practising mindfulness an other related strategies which build resilience. This is an afternoon that will lift and empower everyone who takes part.

To achieve this empowerment, I integrate Mindfulness practises and Conscious Breathing into my Silk-Paint workshops - and include Forest Bathing, a Shared Meal, Live Music and a Gratitude Circle to ensure the workshop is joyful and empowering.

The smiles speak for themselves.

What is Happiness and how does it relate to stress?

You can think of happiness like this - In the depths of our heart, there is a sun of happiness. But life is full of problems and difficulties which create clouds of stress that can cover up our inner sun.


Soulful creative activities like silk-painting take us away from the agitated mind and into the heart which is full of inner peace and joy. As the clouds of stress clear, our inner sun of happiness is once more able to flood our lives with its beautiful light.

Come and experience this transformative and empowering Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting workshop for yourself.

Enthusiasm and Delight

Regain the simple sense of happiness that we all enjoyed as children - when just being alive was exciting and we woke every morning with enthusiasm and delight.

This is what you can experience when you use mindfulness micro-practises to separate yourself from your busy mind and deepen self-awareness.

This is what you can experience when you spend time in nature, especially around trees in our Forest Bathing taster.

This is what you can experience when you lose yourself in the beauty of soulful creative activity such as silk-painting.

This is what you can experience when you listen to (or dance to) live music.

This is what you can experience when you share a meal with friends.

Put all these activities together into a four hour mini-retreat workshop and the transformation is palpable.

Booking is through Eventbrite here.

Contact me - if you have any questions on

https://live.vcita.com/site/DurgaMataofLondon/online-scheduling?category=xk3l5zoxrnhn8ky5

The history of my 'Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting' Workshops

I loved working as a teacher (I specialised in Religious Education and Art) but alongside my work I was getting abundant life-experience of stressful situations, both at home and at work. My own practice of meditation, mindfulness and creative activities like music and art gave me a depth of resilience - inner peace and genuine happiness - which I teach and share in my workshops.

I feel the need for joyful and effective resilience-building workshops is greater than ever at this time - so I have moved my Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting Workshops to a larger venue - in Kew.

This is the beautiful Marwood Room at St Luke's Church - convenient for everyone to access, with onsite parking and Kew Gardens Station only a ten minute walk away.

Corporate Workshops and Silk-Painting Parties

I also offer bespoke mindfulness-workshops for Stress-Management, Resilience-Building, Community-Development and Leadership Training, both face to face and on zoom. I focus on what I know works best - Mindfulness Training, Forest Bathing Outings and Silk-Paint workshops which combine mindfulness Micro-Practises and the Gratitude-Circle. Contact me to arrange a free 'taster' event.

I give Silk-Painting Workshops for Schools. I have current DBS certification and am trained in Mindfulness - (accredited by the Complementary Medical Association.)

I give Silk-Painting Parties for children, adults and senior citizens - and for Hen Parties.

These are in your own home or a venue of your choice.

contact me to discuss possibilities

https://live.vcita.com/site/DurgaMataofLondon/online-scheduling?category=xk3l5zoxrnhn8ky5

Learn to 'Surf the Stress.'

We all suffer from stress - but we can learn strategies to deal with it so that we stay on top. Then the challenges of life become more like a game than a battlefield. I call it 'Surfing the Stress.'

This workshop is a lot of fun, but also powerful because it includes learning and practising tried and tested mindfulness-strategies which you can put to immediate use - micro-practises which you can integrate into your busy life immediately, whatever your circumstances.

The event itself is creative and sociable . We have a lot of fun - but it is also empowering, as we learn some of the most effective tools for reducing stress, building resilience and increasing happiness.

Book your place now - or Contact me on this link

https://live.vcita.com/site/DurgaMataofLondon/online-scheduling?category=xk3l5zoxrnhn8ky5

Styles of Silk Scarves

In the workshop I demonstrate two 'styles' of silk-painting which you can choose from - 'Marble' and 'Dapple.'

Marble Style

Silk dyes are fixed by exposing them to steam - and Marble Style scarves are made directly in a microwave dish. There is a nice example (not me)of this process on YouTube -

https://youtu.be/YEsrZpGaV1Q

Dropping dye from a pipette the colours flow together organically creating beautiful patterns and marbling effects.

Thankyou for your positivity

It’s brightened my day

Charis Angel

Dapple Style

The damp silk is spread on a mat and pinched into peaks. This gives you more control over where to place the colours, giving a more even result. It also enables you to include white as part of the pattern.

I find that three colours usually work best. The colours are vivid - reminiscent of stained glass. You can also dilute the dyes to get softer, pastel shades.

The advantages with the Dapple Style are that we have more control over the process - and can include white as one of the colours.

The second of the photographs below shows the same silk scarf first ironed, then folded, beribboned and packaged in a plastic pocket.

The artist who painted this one, said she wanted her scarf to go with all her outfits, so she chose to add touches of a few extra colours.!

Packaging

You package your completed silk scarf in a plastic pocket. The packaging materials and ribbons are all provided along with all the materials necessary for creating your scarf and participating in the Mindfulness Exercises.

More photos from the Workshops in Kew

The following photos show participants -

watching my demonstration,

painting in process and

ironing the silk scarves after fixing the dyes.

These are all from recent workshops in the current venue - The Marwood Room, St Luke's Church, in Kew, Richmond.

Marble Style

Here is a Marble-Style scarf just being created in one of my workshops.

You create this style directly in the dish which then goes into the microwave oven for steaming.

Dapple Style

Here is a Dapple-Style scarf just being created in one of my workshops.

You create this style on the mat, first spreading it out flat and then gathering it into peaks and valleys. You can then have more control over where the dyes are placed. The dyes flow down the sides of the peaks often creating beautiful intricate patterns.

When you are happy with the colours, place some tissue in the dish to absorb excess dye. Then gather the silk gently and arrange it in the dish which will then go into the microwave oven for steaming.

Sharing our lovely creations.

These unique and beautiful silk scarves are barely an hour old - and they will go on to act as a physical anchor for all the mindfulness-learning.

Why Silk-Painting

It is widely known that many forms of creativity can reduce stress and aid wellbeing. Mindfulness-Meditative- Silk-Painting is a particularly effective medium to use.

If you place some paint on paper, the paint stays just where you put it. You are ‘in control’ because you choose the colours and they stay where you place them. Then you look at what you have created with a critical or appreciative eye. Your mind comes forward to judge your work. You either think, ‘ Oh! I’m no good at this, why am I wasting my time?’ and feel disheartened, or if you like the result you think - ‘Oh this is beautiful. I am so great,’ which can cause the ego to grow.

But when you paint on silk, in a meditative way, freely (without a medium like wax or gutta to block the threads) the experience is very different.

Touch the silk with one colour on your brush - or drip the liquid dye onto the silk from a dropper. The silk-fibres draw the liquid in and it spreads gently, at its own speed. Touch it with another colour and this blends into the existing colours, creating shades and patterns which you could never dream of - and they are all beautiful. There are no mistakes. There is nothing for your mind to judge or criticise because all the results are so satisfying. There is no competition, no disappointment- and all the thoughts in your busy mind subside as you are drawn deeply into the meditative experience of the painting.

This philosophy or 'inner attitude' is at the heart of all my work and one of the secrets behind the effectiveness of my workshops in 'raising consciousness' which I believe to be essential if we really do want to make a positive difference - either in our own lives or in the wider world. This change in consciousness is the magic behind true transformation and in this context it really does reduce stress, build resilience and increase happiness. Then, like the dyes in the silk, it spreads. We are all contagious. If we are in a joyful, peaceful mood, this will spread to those around us. That is the whole aim of my workshops.

The following account is written by Satu Liina Vai

I found DurgaMata’s workshop incredibly beneficial and an absolutely beautiful experience. We were gently, eloquently, and professionally guided on how to employ stress-reducing mindfulness strategies and we engaged in several of them.

Mindfulness and Peace

DurgaMata’s very presence is wonderfully peaceful and the atmosphere she created in the workshop is beautifully peaceful also. The mindfulness exercises were very helpful and we had the chance to practise the methods throughout the day.

The entire experience was conducted from a vibration of blissful calm and peace – and allowed us to inhabit the same frequency, and function within thTis lovely peaceful way of approaching things.

Overall the workshop was extremely helpful and useful, and I can now use the lovely silk scarf I painted as an anchor point to connect back to the lovely peacefulness.

Forest Bathing

In the Forest Bathing section of the workshop, we were invited to make our way through the garden and look for something that particularly caught our eye. If we wished we could draw it, write a description or simply observe. Afterwards, we had a lovely discussion about what we had observed and experienced.

I found the forest bathing to be a lovely experience of connecting with nature and a relaxing, meditative experience.

Silk-Painting

The Silk-Painting part of the workshop was an absolute joy. We were guided through an understanding of colour and the process of painting to create a beautiful, soft, delicate silk-scarf.

I found the colours to choose from to be beautiful and like visual therapy in themselves. The different shades were stunning.

The creation process was interesting and DurgaMata demonstrated two styles – Marble and Dapple – that we could choose from. I liked the way that DurgaMata talked about how we are able to play with the colour and how the silk plays with us.

We were able to choose several colours and decide what type of technique to use. It was lovely to see how the process worked and to put our focus on it in a meditative way. The finished scarves were all beautiful, some vibrant and some poetic works of art. The scarves also gave us a tangible anchor point to take us back to the peacefulness of the day and remember the mindfulness strategies which we had learned – whenever we were to hold and look at the lovely scarf we had painted.

Overall, a wonderful, creative experience. t,he Mindfulness-Joy Silk-Painting Workshop

written by Satu Liina Vai

I found DurgaMata’s workshop incredibly beneficial and an absolutely beautiful experience. We were gently, eloquently, and professionally guided on how to employ stress-reducing mindfulness strategies and we engaged in several of them.

Mindfulness and Peace

DurgaMata’s very presence is wonderfully peaceful and the atmosphere she created in the workshop is beautifully peaceful also. The mindfulness exercises were very helpful and we had the chance to practise the methods throughout the day.

The entire experience was conducted from a vibration of blissful calm and peace – and allowed us to inhabit the same frequency, and function within thTis lovely peaceful way of approaching things.

Overall the workshop was extremely helpful and useful, and I can now use the lovely silk scarf I painted as an anchor point to connect back to the lovely peacefulness.

Forest Bathing

In the Forest Bathing section of the workshop, we were invited to make our way through the garden and look for something that particularly caught our eye. If we wished we could draw it, write a description or simply observe. Afterwards, we had a lovely discussion about what we had observed and experienced.

I found the forest bathing to be a lovely experience of connecting with nature and a relaxing, meditative experience.

Silk-Painting

The Silk-Painting part of the workshop was an absolute joy. We were guided through an understanding of colour and the process of painting to create a beautiful, soft, delicate silk-scarf.

I found the colours to choose from to be beautiful and like visual therapy in themselves. The different shades were stunning.

The creation process was interesting and DurgaMata demonstrated two styles – Marble and Dapple – that we could choose from. I liked the way that DurgaMata talked about how we are able to play with the colour and how the silk plays with us.

We were able to choose several colours and decide what type of technique to use. It was lovely to see how the process worked and to put our focus on it in a meditative way. The finished scarves were all beautiful, some vibrant and some poetic works of art. The scarves also gave us a tangible anchor point to take us back to the peacefulness of the day and remember the mindfulness strategies which we had learned – whenever we were to hold and look at the lovely scarf we had painted.

Overall, a wonderful, creative experience. ready to put others down to achieve a sense of power and superiority - which is the opposite of spiritual progress.)

What is Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the universal human capacity to remain in the moment, fully aware of where we are and what we are doing, thinking and feeling. When we practise mindfulness, we learn that we are not the mind. We can observe our mind and notice our thoughts, with an attitude of warm acceptance and kindliness rather than being filled with worry, criticism or judgement. In mindfulness, we are getting to know ourselves better.

In addition to being 'in the moment' in Mindfulness, we also observe ourself with a particular attitude. This is an attitude of generosity, curiosity, playfulness, affection, compassion and kindliness.

Many people talk about the way that our mind is full of 'Mental Chatter.' It tends to be constantly 'commenting' on our life, with both negative and positive thoughts. When we practise mindfulness strategies, we simply observe our thoughts in a totally non-judgemental , non-critical and kindly way.

It's important to remember that energy is everything, and the more attention we pay to a thought, the more energy we give it - so it's important simply to observe our thoughts and let them come and go, just letting them pass, rather than judging them.

My workshop is all about reducing stress and building resilience so I encourage some discernment. Stress tends to come from external events over which we may have little control, but our mind often 'holds onto' painful or difficult experiences, adding to our stress. With Mindfulness, we learn that we can choose to encourage thoughts that are helpful and simply drop those which are adding to our stress.

As we watch our thoughts we can notice if they relate to past experiences - which may well be stressful. We are bringing that past stress into the present moment. The mind .can really contribute to stress if we do not discipline it with Mindfulness and simply bring our attention back to where we are and what we are doing, thinking and feeling, absorbed in the moment by moment experience of simply being alive.

Similarly, we may notice thoughts that relate to the future. We may be worrying about something which might happen. Again this may be creating unnecessary stress. Remember our thoughts are not who we are. They are stories we tell ourselves. And we can change and direct them. Remind yourself that 'It is just a thought' - a pattern of electrical energy passing through our brain. It has no substance so why let it disturb us and add to our stress? Again we can simply bring our attention back to the present moment which tends to be quite calm and peaceful.

I often 'talk to my mind' as if it was a little sister. 'Hey, are you Time-Travelling-again? Come back here and just watch the breath as it ebbs and flows, Watching our breath - or Conscious Breathing is an extremely powerful way of reducing stress.

Accreditation

I have been practising Mindfulness for over 40 years. I completed the 10-Week, 100 Hours Teaching Mindfulness Programme Given by Shamash Alidina, (one of the leading authors and mindfulness practitioners in the UK,) Part of our Assessment was to create a training video. On completion he wrote -

‘Thank you for your video DurgaMata. What a lovely view and a brilliant idea to make your video outdoors.

Your introduction to stress is really good, this is my area of expertise so I was very interested in hearing your description, really good!!

Your instructions are also really good, you have a very welcoming style that holds the attention well. I love your use of the scenery pictures during pauses.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable video that left me feeling somewhat uplifted afterwards, thank you so much.

We're happy to welcome you to the group of certified Mindfulness Coaches, Accredited by the Complementary Medical Association.

Mindfulness in this Workshop

In this workshop we explore several different strategies including Breath-work, listening and gratitude-exercises. These have all been clinically tested in trials and proved effective in reducing stress and depression.

It is important to recognise that each person is unique and what works for one person may not work for someone else. We need to learn and practise many strategies and find what works best for us. There is no one 'right way' to practise mindfulness but the strategies we use in our Workshop are very gentle and effective and they introduce you to the concept so that you can explore micro-practises which will fit into your own routine.

As with any practise, be aware of your own unique physiology. Never do anything which causes strain or feels uncomfortable. Go at your own pace and don't expect instant results.

Like any exercise, we need regular practise - with a patient, kind and compassionate attitude towards our own good selves. The Buddha said that our mind is like a Drunk Monkey. It is always jumping about and chattering - and it is a great description, so be patient with your mind. Each time your thoughts stray, simply observe that fact and bring your attention back to the current moment. Conscious Breathing is the first exercise we will practise together but you can also use mindfulness in walking, eating, taking a shower, doing the washing up - or travelling - just observe your own daily activities and play with it.

Conscious Breathing

Just One Exercise to leave you with

Conscious Breathing is the first exercise we practise in my workshop. Most people know that conscious breathing helps to reduce stress, but do they practise it? Any transformation requires action. Conscious Breathing is an exercise which, when practised regularly, really can make a massive difference to our health because it impacts directly on our stress-levels.

Much of our stress comes from our mind, worrying about things that didn't go so well in the past and things that might cause problems in the future. One of the best ways to reduce stress is to bring our restless mind into the present moment and one of the simplest ways to do that is to focus our attention on our breath.

Just watch your breath entering and leaving your body. This is Conscious Breathing.

Breathe out fully and then, feel the way your lungs automatically fill. Observe your inhale and make it a slow, gentle but deep breath in, right from the belly, using the diaphragm to fill your lungs with air. Then breathe out even more slowly.

Much of the time our breathing is shallow and simply adds tension to our neck and shoulders, because we are not breathing from the diaphragm. This kind of breath is also quite shallow as we are not filling our lungs - so we may not be getting the oxygen we need. This is something to be aware of and correct when practising conscious breathing - by breathing right from the tummy. It's often called Belly Breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing.

Take in a slow, deep diaphragmatic breath.

Hold briefly and then follow with a slow, gentle exhale.

Make your exhale longer than the inhale.

Stress and how it affects our body.

At every moment, there are countless activities going on inside our body, which are essential for life. We don't have to think about these automatic activities consciously. Our heart beats, our food digests we breathe in and out without giving these things a thought. These activities are governed by the Autonomic nervous system. And within the autonomic nervous system there are two competing processes - one for action and one for rest. These balance each other to provide us with just the right internal conditions for our body to flourish and thrive.

The Sympathetic Nervous System is all about Action.

The Parasympathetic Nervous System is all about Rest, Digest and Repair.

You may have heard about the Vagus Nerve which is active in the Parasympathetic Nervous System.

If we are in danger, we inhale sharply. The Sympathetic Nervous System jumps into action and closes down anything that is not required for our survival. This works well if the danger is physical, needing us to respond with fight or flight - but in our society today, many of the stressors are not physical, so the stress response can get switched on for most of the time with very little time to recover or repair. This causes many chronic illnesses including anxiety attacks, burnout, strokes and heart-attacks. It is known as Chronic or Toxic Stress and it can affect us all. But we can learn how to manage the autonomic nervous system and that starts with conscious breathing. Our inhale is linked to the stress-response.

When a danger has passed, we give a deep sigh of relief. The exhale is linked to the parasympathetic nervous system and when we exhale more slowly than we inhale, we stimulate the vagus nerve and 'turn down the volume' of the stress, while strengthening the parasympathetic nervous system and resetting the autonomic nervous system to rest, digest and repair.

RhythmicBreathing

Just knowing this one fact and practising Conscious Breathing with a slow exhale. Rhythmic Breathing is especially effective in reducing stress. Inhale to a count of 4, Hold for a count of 4, Exhale for a count of 8, Hold for a count of 2. Repeat this for a minute or two. You can do this, whenever you recognise the stress-level rising, will make a real difference to your wellbeing.

The Anchor

NLP uses many strategies which have been found effective in empowerment. One of these is Anchoring. While the Mindfulness Strategies we have been practising are fresh in your mind, you paint your silk scarf, and the learning is anchored in the silk.

In future, when waves of stress come rolling in - just hold the beautiful silk scarf you created in the workshop. Close your eyes and feel the peace. Your scarf will remind you of all the strategies we practised together the day you painted it. Look around and use the senses of sight and sound to bring you into the present moment. Observe your breath. Practise some Rhythmic Breathing. Observe how this changes your stress-level.

In the days and months that follow, you can practise the strategies we used and discover for yourself, experientially, which work best for you. Read more about mindfulness and watch some videos. Obviously, in a few hours I can't explore everything or completely free anyone from the clouds of stress or depression - but the workshop can introduce you to mindfulness practises which you can continue - and it may encourage you to take a stronger command over your own inner journey.

Stress and suffering are part of life, but they don't have to define who we are. We are the only person ultimately responsible for our own health and happiness. As we become more self-aware we can see what can be changed and find the courage to make needed changes.

If something can't be changed, see if you can change the way you think about it, changing your attitude so that it is less stressful. Acceptance of the circumstances rather than railing against them can reduce stress. And if you are not able to change something, protect yourself in some way. You can imagine you are wearing a protective suit of armour or imagine you are an eagle and soar above it. These are just a few strategies you can try.

Happiness tends to come from progress, from the heat of the battlefield, not from achieving some long awaited goal or idea of achievement or success.

Remember that everything is changing. The weather is constantly changing, winds blow and rain falls, as well as the weather bringing sweet sunshine and rainbows.

When stress is caused by external circumstances, we may not be able to prevent it but we can do much to stay on top of the situation simply by working with mindfulness and meditative practises which enable us to take the ‘bad weather’ in our stride - to ‘surf the stress’ and remain cheerful and in command of our reactions.

Always remember it is our responsibility to make the choices which will lead to a happier future.

To learn more, go to my websites

https://www.durgamataoflondon.com/workshops-and-retreats/

https://www.ultimatestresssolutions.com

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Disclaimer

By joining in on any of our Workshops, you agree and accept, that, by the simple act of attending, you are fully responsible for your own safety & well-being and that you will not hold the Host/s responsible in any way for any injuries or other loss that you may suffer.

The information provided in our Workshops is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses or treatment, consult a doctor or healthcare provider.

DurgaMata is experienced in working with clients who suffer from stress and depression but she is not medically trained. Her expertise comes from personal experience and years of practise. She is not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information and practises used in her Workshops.

If someone is suffering from persistent or severe anxiety or depression, they should take the advice of their doctor and not depend purely on the benefits gained in these workshops.

Conclusion

Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been practised for thousands of years. Practised within the Eastern traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism it brings inner peace and ultimately contributes greatly to spiritual enlightenment. In the West, some of these practises have been detached from their cultural and religious heritage and are used in therapy. I have selected a few of these for my workshops. I also touch on the importance of the emotion of wonder and spending time with nature. I am a Forest Bathing facilitator and I personally find time in nature is the best antidote to stress.

Silk-Painting

When we paint on silk, the creative activity draws us in, giving us the experience of concentration, being 'in the moment' where our mind is quite calm, enjoying the creative process. Any activity which brings us to be focussed on the present moment is very effective at reducing our stress. During the workshop we build on this and, as we take personal action through the creative silk-painting and soak in the beautiful energy which comes from the colours we have chosen to use to paint with - and the calming process of the painting itself, our inner-peace and happiness increases.

A Tribal Species

Human Beings are a Tribal Species. We are not physically strong as individuals but as a community we thrive almost anywhere. Positive Social Contact is an essential part of our lives and loneliness can be crippling. Sharing a meal together in our workshops offers the experience of friendship and is a great networking opportunity. As we relax and enjoy the vegetarian feast, there is often much merriment and laughter. This social aspect and the fun we enjoy contribute to reducing stress.

Live Music

Musicians who are happy to share in creating the live music come free of charge and add their energy and joy to the evening - and everyone is invited to dance. Physical exercise is another great strategy for reducing stress - and dancing is queen, when it comes to exercise!

We conclude with a peaceful visualisation which brings us together and prepares us to go back to our lives refreshed and empowered.

Something has changed. The outer situation in our life may still be the same, but it is not affecting us in the same way. The whole experience of the workshop has made a difference to how we feel and the skills we are learning and practising are practical tools which we can take forward and use in coming weeks, in our everyday lives, whoever and wherever we may be.

Whether or not you can come to this workshop, please tell your friends about it and reflect on your own situation. Do you make time for your own holistic nourishment, to balance and nurture mind, body, emotion and spirit? What we do today creates our tomorrow. Our future health and happiness depend on it. What changes could you make to improve your own wellbeing?

I wish you all the best for the future.

With love from DurgaMata

To learn more, go to my website