The Healthy Living Lounge

By Carole Fogarty,

Journaling is a valuable ritual that reveals clarity and gives a voice to any odd feelings you may have inside of you. Grab a pen now. A note from me yesterday over at Twitter

Getting Clear: A Regular Feature:

Life can be hectic busy, rushed and then rushed some more. At times, many of us I’m sure, wish we could simply run away from our daily routine and grab some much needed breathing and thinking space.

After my recent, very intense, five days spent supporting a dear friend in a rehabilitation centre I now have the urge to run away from home. Not forever of course, just for a while. I have an intuitive hunch that I need to regroup. I’ve done it before … twice. I simply believe a strong intuitive calling must never go ignored. Perhaps Santorini is calling me. Please, please, let it be Santorini.

BillandCathys Santorini Island

Running Away Is Much More Than A Holiday:

Running away (for me) means taking my boys and myself off to live in a totally foreign country, where everything is different; the view, the people; the language; the daily rituals.

I’ve enjoyed running away before by heading off to Bali for at least one to three months at a time. We blissfully live in a small village enjoying the delights of simple living and immersing ourselves in the local activities and culture. No trimmings like a TV or five star hotels. Eat locally, walk locally and enjoy locally.

Travel Memoirs Can Help You Find Your Groove:

To satisfy my strong “run away from home” intuitive urge, I am throwing myself into travel memoirs. It’s the first sensible thing one must do, explore destinations of course.

I have just finished reading Mary Moody’s book Last Tango in Toulouse this past weekend. Mary decided to run away from home at age 50 to live in a small, very rural town in France, leaving behind her husband, TV career and grown family.

She bought a cottage absorbed herself in local life and shares her adventures in France in a three part trilogy; Au Revoir - running away from home at 50; Last Tango in Toulouse - her affair and Long Hot Summer.

If you are feeling restless inside, and don’t know why, then Mary Moody’s books are fabulous.

Travel Memoirs To Inspire You:

Travel memoirs I’ve read before:

Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman Rita was a middle aged woman going through divorce, and simply up and left her rather glamorous lifestyle behind. She just knew, deep within her, that there was meant to be more to her life. She has now been traveling the world for 15 years. A very honest and open account of one womans journey to discover who she really is.

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert My favourite book for 2007. What can I say, this book will change your life.

Travel memoirs bedside my bed, right now:

When in Rome: Chasing La Dolce Vita by Penelope Green

Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull

The Long Hot Summer by Mary Moody:

Travel memoirs on order from our library:

Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure by Sarah Macdonald

Have you ever run away from home or are you planning too?

Is there anyone out there in the world today that wants to run away? Where would you go, or have you already been? Suggestions, inspiration and all wacky ideas welcome.

Under the Tuscan Sun:

If you are really, really, really feeling restless then watch this very short clip from Under the Tuscan Sun.

Peace, love and travel to you all, Carole.

Run away and join me in Bali for 5 days on my annual Womens Rejuvenation Retreat:

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By Carole Fogarty,

The crystal Sugilite is very useful for anyone with autism or learning difficulties such as dyslexia. It aids in mental co-ordination. A note from me yesterday over at Twitter

Natural Wisdoms: A Regular Feature:

Nature in all her wisdom and simplicity has provided us with many gifts to support and sustain our life here on this planet. The healing, cleansing, protective, nurturing and balancing qualities of mother earths crystals, are no exception.

geishaboy500

My love of crystals has been long and rewarding. I even completed a crystal therapy practitioner program which went for 6 weekends (yep 12 days) many years ago.

If you ever get a chance to join me in Bali on my Women Rejuvenation Retreat you’re in for a treat, with my crystal healing circle.

My main relationship however, with crystals, is to correct and balance the energies in my home and support the wellbeing of my children. I’ve even tucked crystals into my boys pockets on exam days to help them with nerves, concentration and focus. This, I must say, made them very popular with the girls.

Crystals Your Next Best Friend:
I can personally guarantee that once you start using crystals and experiencing their benefits first hand, crystals of all shapes, sizes and colours will become your next best friend.

You’ll have them in your bra or pockets, tucked into your hand bag and wallet, in your car, beside your bed, attached to your water bottle, under your pillow, as a bracelet, around your neck, at your front entrance or near your electrical equipment to ward off radiation.

Put Crystals In Your Bra On Low Energy Days:
If your boundaries are not strong then other peoples thoughts, words and emotions can effect your wellbeing and energy levels. You’ll probably feel as if you are being pushed around by life. A perfect example of this is on low energy days, when your boundaries are definitely more vulnerable and exposed to absorbing negativity or leaking vital energy.

A crystal or two in your bra or pocket on low energy days is an easy way to strengthen and protect your boundaries from the soup bowl of influences out there in the world.

Crystals I Personally Love and Use:

Strengthening your personal boundaries - Amethyst:
If you believe your personal boundaries are loose or damaged then they can be strengthened with amethyst. Amethyst will heal openings and strengthen your personal boundaries to the world.

Protect yourself from other people’s stress - Smoky quartz:
Smoky quartz in your bra or pocket is perfect if you feel you are constantly exposed to other people’s stress and frustration. A piece of smoky quartz can even be placed by the phone if that is how you are exposed to stress.

Energy vampires - Labradorite:
Instead of sucking blood there are friends, acquaintances, family, children and people who simply drain us of energy. The crystal labradorite prevents energy vampires stealing your energy and at the same time will seal your boundaries.

Deflect negative vibes - Black tourmaline:
Black tourmaline cleanses negative energy and creates a protective shield around you. Very useful indeed. Labradorite and black tourmaline combined are a wonderful working team for protecting you.

Protect yourself from gossip - Black tourmaline and fire agate:
Stop toxic comments about yourself effecting your body, mind and soul by carrying either a piece of black tourmaline or fire agate.

Keen To Find A Great Crystal Book:
I can happily recommend The Crystal Bible: A Guide to Crystals by Judy Hall. I own her books and find her knowledge totally aligned to that of my original crystal teacher’s principles. Her books are simple, easy to understand and have lots of pictures which, believe me, makes it easier to learn about your crystals.

Thanks for reading this post, Carole.

Join me in Bali this July for my annual womens rejuvenation retreat:

Remember my Wellbeing Toolbox is available to you 24/7

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Vetiver is my favourite essential oil. I dab a few drops onto the souls of my feet at night, to ground my energies and calm my mind, and calm my body. A note from me today over at Twitter

Comfort On the Go: A Regular Feature:

Switch your perception from believing red traffic lights are a time waster filled with frustration and impatience.

Idle moments at traffic lights, are precious gifts of time.

Use these moments wisely to support the flow of your day, boost your energy levels or better still invite a welcomed dose of good karma into your life.

Thinkpanama

Simply turn off your inner “complaints” and switch your thinking too: “this is a precious gift of time” and fuel your life with more goodness.

Clever Ways To Use Your Thoughts, Time and Energy at Traffic Lights:
Your resting moments as traffic lights are simply welcome opportunities to monitor your thinking and adjust accordingly.

1. Let go of toxic energies:
Visualize, in your minds eye a vacuum cleaner sucking all toxic energies from your extended energy body (auric field) that you may have picked up unknowingly, from people or situations.

Keep moving the nossel of the vacuum cleaner all over your body as it removes negative vibes from your hair, clothes, hands and body. Pay particular attention to your feet and to the back of your neck.

Continue until you feel lighter or your posture improves or sense a brighter glow around you or the traffic lights have turned green.

2. Repeat your favourite mantra/affirmation:
Write your mantra (in your minds eye) across the windscreen of your car. I use an imaginary big purple texta with fluffy bits on top. I then picture writing my mantra across the seats, the doors, floor, steering wheel until the car is totally filled with the good vibes of my mantra.

Alternately say your mantra out aloud or to yourself. Let the vibration of your words fill the car and flow out into the universe.

If you don’t have a current mantra or affirmation then here’s a couple for you.

“Today is the best day of my life”

“Good luck follows me wherever I go”

3. Send wishes of peace and healing energy to our planet:
There are many, many adults, children and animals around the world living in traumatic, fearful and abusive situations. Open your heart, close your eyes, now imagine a loving and peaceful energy reaching out to every living being on our planet.

5. Imagine a parking space waiting just for you:
Projecting anxious thoughts into the future such as, I’m running late or I’m not going to get a parking space, are not the most useful thoughts to have whilst sitting at traffic lights.

Shift your anxious thoughts across to what you want to happen. See your parking space waiting for you or see yourself arriving on time relaxed and stress free.

Become aware that the resting moments spent at traffic lights are an opportunity to monitor the quality of your thoughts.

6. Hand yoga for exhaustion:
Hand yoga quite simply can unlock stuck energy in your body and mind. Grab your ear lobes between your thumb and index finger. Allow the weight of your arms to gently pull on your ears. Breathe in through your nose and feel the build up of energy drain from your head, neck and shoulders.

Want some more quick and simply hand yoga postures for the traffic lights then click here.

8. Float your tongue to relax your mind:
I recently stayed with a girlfriend who shared a valuable piece of information. Did you know that if your tongue is resting on the roof of your mouth then its stimulating your mind and many other energy channels in your body. To settle a busy mind simply relax your tongue by allowing it to float in your mouth.

I’m now reading the book called High Performance Mind which explains in more detail the mechanics behind the tongue relaxation technique. You can see the cover of the book across to the right, where I’ve listed the books I intend reading this month.

If you find driving stressful:
Please read a previous article of mine called The Ultimate Guide for a Calmer Driving Experience.

Thanks for reading this post, Carole.

Join me in Bali this July for my annual womens rejuvenation retreat:

Remember my Wellbeing Toolbox is available to you 24/7

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What do you really, really, really, want?