Tag Archives: mental health

Get out of your comfort zone this Halloween

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vampire

The very thought of this will make your blood run cold

Get out of your comfort zone in a new way

Every Wednesday, I try to find something interesting that might be happening during the week ahead for you to try. I have come up trumps this week having found something that gets you out of your comfort zone in several ways.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method one

Firstly, you have to wear fancy dress! A witch, a devil, a dead schoolgirl, a lion, a president, come in whatever costunme you like. Some people love this, yours truly being one, others find it challenging.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method two

Secondly, you have to pack your swimsuit, hat and goggles. Did you read that right? Yup. The end of October in Ireland and you are being asked to put on your swimsuit in the great outdoors and show up at Sandycove Beach, Co,. Dublin at 10.45am on Bank Holiday Monday, Oct 28th. 2019.

Get out of your comfort zone: Halloween: method three

Yes, you got it – you’re going to jump into the ocean and do the Annual Vampire Swim! Now there’s a proper scare!

What the hell is the Vampire Swim

This annual swim has been happening for the past four years in locations all over Ireland, England, Scotland and Canada. It was dreamed up as a way to highlight the need for blood donations. I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for us to give blood. When people are ill in hospital a blood transfusion is life-changing. I think this Vampire Swim is a genius idea. You can register for this FREE event right here. And hey, even if you are too scared to jump in, you can always go in fancy dress, support the crowd and have the craic!

Keep an eye out for our daily posts. #mindfulmonday, #testimonialtuesday, #whatsonwednesday and #throwbackthursday

Meditation really can matter

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pomjune23-19

Meditation

Practicing meditation is one of the most powerful things I have ever done. I remember thinking I would never be able to meditate. My first encounter with meditation when I was around 19 and I went to a yoga class. At the end of the class we all lay down in Shavasana (or corpse pose as it’s known in English), the teacher put on some music and told us to meditate. I lay there with my mind racing, thinking about what I was going to have for dinner, whether I’d need to go to the shops or not, what I’d watch on telly etc. etc. How could I meditate? Nobody had ever taught me how to do it. I have since learned how to meditate by practicing and by reading more about the benefits of meditation and ways to do it that suit me. I once thought that you had to be able to stop all the thoughts in your head to be able to meditate. This is a myth and it is not possible. We have something like 60,000 thoughts a day so it is not possible to stop them. Even long time meditators are not able to stop their thoughts. With practice you learn how to not get caught up in your thoughts, you acknowledge them and then let them go. This is where mindfulness can benefit your meditation practice.

How do I start?

The simplest way to start meditating is to start, it’s as simple as that. Basically set aside even just five minutes a day to sit quietly and connect to the breath in your body. Practice focused breathing like 7/11 breathing. Breathe in for the count of 7 and out for the count of 11. By counting your breathing you will be able to focus on the breath rather than your thoughts. With practice this will become easier.

Can technology help?

You can listen to guided meditations if you find that easier. There are lots of apps available for free. My favourite app is Insight Timer, where you can explore numerous different meditations. If you ‘d like to read more about Insight Timer click here. Try a few different ones until you find the ones that suit you best. I particularly like guided visualisations as I find this a good way to stop getting caught up in my thoughts.

Choose what works for you

If you know the type of person you are and which of your senses you are most connected to it will make it easier for you to find a meditation practice to suit you. The best way to find out is to think about how you describe places. For instance when I have been on holiday and I come back I usually talk about the food I had, the place I stayed, how the people were. I am very visual with a strong emphasis on taste. The five senses are taste, smell, vision, sound, and touch. Trying different meditation practices based on these five senses will help you find out which one works best for you.

Start with just five minutes a day

Meditation is a great way to switch off our brains at the end of a busy day. It is a great way to focus our minds at the beginning of the day. Great way to relax and wind down in the middle of the day if we have been running around. Even just five minutes a day can make a difference. Start with five minutes and aim for thirty minutes a day. You will be surprised at how beneficial you find it.

If you would like to learn to meditate with a group of people, why not join myself and Amy for The Power Of Me morning workshop in June. All the best, Anne Marie Curran. Read more here.

Reiki Healing Energy explained

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What is Reiki Healing?

Reiki Healing (pronounced ray key) is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing.  It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive.  If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are capable of being happy and healthy.reikiman

It’s all about balance

Reiki is a holistic form of healing and works on Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual levels at the same time. The term “healing” refers to the balancing of energy in the body so that it may heal itself.

Reiki healing helps the client to heal and rebalance themselves; it stimulates the healing energies of the body and encourages the particular area of the body to heal itself.

One obtains this power to perform Reiki by being attuned by a Reiki master. This is done in four sessions in which the master activates the chakras, creating an open channel for the energy. The attunement process is not made known for general information, but is held in secrecy for only those being initiated. One of the main reasons Reiki has become so popular is its apparently pleasurable experience. Those who have experienced Reiki report feeling a powerful sense of warmth and security.

Some Hollywood celebrities who use Reiki Healing

Here is a list of Hollywood celebrities who find Reiki useful in their busy lifestyle – for example Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman, Helen Hunt, Naomi Watts, Kate Hudson, Macy Gray, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate Bosworth, Michael Flatley and Nicole Kidman.

Would you like to try Reiki Healing?

If you would like to sample a Reiki healing session, we will be offering complimentary sessions to participants at our Power Of Me Weekend Retreat

This holistic weekend focusing on Mindfulness and Journaling for increased wellness and focus will take place in beautiful Townley Hall, Drogheda, May 17-19, 2019. If you’d like to know more about Anne-Marie Curran, psychotherapist, well-being coach and Reiki Healer click here.

Vision Boards really do work

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vision boardVision Boards
You may have heard of these things called vision boards. You may be interested in learning how to make your own vision board. They are fantastic tools for focus and goal-setting. You can use pictures of places you would like to travel, your favourite car, dream lover, your dream body, your business goals, inspirational quotes, pictures of friends and family. Basically, anything that you love. For more information on how to make vision boards take a look at this article I published on Linkedin

Oprah Winfrey uses vision boards
Did you know that Oprah Winfrey uses vision boards?

“The media mogul, who pulled herself up from poverty to become one of the wealthiest women in the world, might be one of the biggest celebrity supporters of affirmations.

Her commitment started young: As a child watching her grandmother toil away, Winfrey says she’d tell herself over and over again: “My life won’t be like this. My life won’t be like this, it will be better.”

Besides frequently showcasing success stories of positive thinking on The Oprah Winfrey Show — and even discussing creating her own vision boards to realize her dreams — her many words of wisdom to fans include: “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe“.

Arnold Schwarzenegger also uses the power of visualization.
As a young athlete, Schwarzenegger swore by the power of visualization to reach his bodybuilding goals.

“I had this fixed idea of growing a body like Reg Park’s. The model was there in my mind; I only had to grow enough to fill it,” he explained. “The more I focused in on this image and worked and grew, the more I saw it was real and possible for me to be like him.”

Later, when he transitioned to careers in acting and politics, Schwarzenegger said he employed similar mental tricks: “It’s the same process I used in bodybuilding: What you do is create a vision of who you want to be — and then live that picture as if it were already true.

Read how actor Jim Carrey motivates himself
To stay motivated, actor Jim Carrey wrote himself a check for $10 million for “acting services rendered,” dated it for 1994, and carried it in his wallet for daily inspiration. In 1994, Carrey learned he would reap exactly $10 million for his role in Dumb and Dumber.

Want to make a vision board with us?
Join our Weekend Retreat, May 17-19th, 2019. Form more information click here

vision board

The Power of Me – Happy Valentine’s to me

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powerofmeAdios January! Sayonara winter! Spring is here. But wait, have those resolutions gone by the wayside and you’ve been under a duvet for the past month eating treats and watching Netflix? Who hasn’t? Who cares? So what, we say to that. Resolution Shmesolution. We can take it easy. Bit by bit. Bird by bird. Babysteps. But yeah, oh dear, another holiday, Valentine’s Day, is fast approaching. Well, we have just the ticket for you. Act The Maggot is thrilled to be offering a different spin on the annual hallmark romantic holiday. We’ve developed The Power of Me – a workshop for yours truly. Click on that “workshop” link for all the info. Yes, how about some self love, self care for Valentine’s weekend? Who is more important than you? Do you feel stressed, tired, exhausted, anxious at times? Do you have difficulty navigating all the different relationships in your life: work, friends, romance? Let’s get you grounded and relaxed. Have you ever tried meditation or mindfulness? Have your ever tried mindful journaling? Join us for this restorative two-hour session and learn some great tools for resilience and self care. Easy exercises that you can continue to do on your own. Why not take some time for yourself or come with a friend and go for a lovely lunch after at the fabulous Fumbally Cafe. There are still some places left. Get in touch – The Power of Me – Saturday, Feb 16, 2019 – actthemagggot@gmail.com

relaxation (ˌri lækˈseɪ ʃən)
n.
1. abatement or relief from work, effort, etc.
2. an activity or recreation that provides such relief; diversion; entertainment.
3. a loosening or slackening.
4. diminution or remission of strictness or severity.

mindfulness (ˈmaɪndfʊlnɪs)
n
1. the state or quality of being mindful
2. (Psychology) the practice of giving complete and non-judgmental attention to one’s present experience, used as a stress-reduction technique

meditation (ˌmɛdɪˈteɪʃən)
n
1. the act of meditating; contemplation; reflection
2. contemplation of spiritual matters, esp as a religious practice

Journaling may refer to:

Writing therapy, a form of psychotherapy
Writing in a diary

And just so you know – while we have serious intentions – our groups are relaxed and playful

Phrases

act the maggot

informal Behave in a foolishly playful way.
‘we’d all walk in a line behind him, acting the maggot, you know, imitating him’

Origin

Late Middle English: perhaps an alteration of dialect maddock, from Old Norse mathkr, of Germanic origin.
Pronunciation
maggot/ˈmaɡət/

DCU Recovery College

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Yesterday, I received this beautiful sunflower from my students and one of them brought in this poem by Mary Oliver which I asked her to read aloud for us.

Come with me
into the field of sunflowers.
Their faces are burnished disks,
their dry spines
creak like ship masts,
their green leaves,
so heavy and many,
fill all day with the sticky
sugars of the sun.
Come with me
to visit the sunflowers,
they are shy
but want to be friends;
they have wonderful stories
of when they were young –
the important weather,
the wandering crows.
Don’t be afraid
to ask them questions!
Their bright faces,
which follow the sun,
will listen, and all
those rows of seeds –
each one a new life!
hope for a deeper acquaintance;
each of them, though it stands
in a crowd of many,
like a separate universe,
is lonely, the long work
of turning their lives
into a celebration
is not easy. Come
and let us talk with those modest faces,
the simple garments of leaves,
the coarse roots in the earth
so uprightly burning.

sunflower

It was so appropriate for our group. I finished facilitating an experimental course with them where they played with drama, movement and creative writing and last week, I finished a drama course in Navan for the same organisation. Recovery College is a new venture and for me, working with them – has been an enriching, enlightening and very rewarding experience. I was given free reign to do what I do – design and facilitate course modules that are useful and empowering for adults working on their own recovery from mental health distress. It is encouraging to see people smile and have fun and feel safe while exploring their creativity despite what life has thrown at them. The power and support in these groups is inspiring. I wish them all the very best. Many thanks to the tireless efforts of Recovery College who are working so hard to provide much needed peer-led courses in this area. If you have an interest in mental health, work in mental health or have had mental health distress in your life, contact them and see if what they are offering this Autumn is up your alley. Most of the courses are on during the day.

FREE Secret Mindful Mondays

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shouldersAct The Maggot is running free monthly mindfulness taster workshops in random, secret interesting locations all over Dublin city this Spring and Summer. They will be on the first Monday of every month for just 20 minutes – these free sessions will happen immediately before your working day or immediately after. If you want to be informed, send your email address to actthemaggot@gmail.com with Mindful Mondays in the subject line – We are thinking 8.15am and 6pm – if you have a suggestion for other times please add this in your mail. You can also like our Act The Maggot Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to see latest developments. Namaste!

World Mental Health Day

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wmhdAct The Maggot is delighted to have been invited to deliver a fun, active session at Gateway Mental Health Association’s celebrations today to mark World Mental Health Day. Looking forward to acting the maggot with some bona fide maggots!