EX-HALE your way to Relaxation…

How about if we all had a certain magical power within us? A magical power which can ease stress and tension, reduce anxiety and make many of life’s stresses feel manageable… Oh wait – we do! Our own breath is a hugely powerful resource which many of us can learn to tap into very simply and with incredible results.

As yogis have known for centuries—and, as medical science is beginning to discover—the breath has amazing recuperative powers. By controlling the breath (a practice called Pranayama), the yogis found, they could alter their state of mind.

Not all breaths are created equal. A great, simple breathing exercise for calming both the nervous system and the overworked mind is a timed breath where the exhale is longer than the inhale. When your exhale is even a few counts longer than your inhale, the vagus nerve (running from the neck down through the diaphragm) sends a signal to your brain to turn up your parasympathetic nervous system and turn down your sympathetic nervous system.

The sympathetic nervous system commands your fight or flight response, and when that fires, your heart rate and breathing increases, and stress hormones like cortisol start pumping through your bloodstream, preparing your body to face the threat. If the threat is, “A lion is chasing me and I need to run for my life” this is helpful. If the threat is, “I am late for work” this is not a particularly valid threat, and in fact it can be damaging to the other systems of the body.

The parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, controls your rest, relax, and digest responses. When the parasympathetic system is dominant, your breathing slows, your heart rate drops, your blood pressure lowers as the blood vessels relax, and your body is put into a state of calm and healing.

Here’s how to Ex-hale your way to Relaxation:
1* To begin, sit still and tall somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes and being breathing through your nose.

2* Inhale for a count of 1. Hold the breath in for a count of 1 and exhale gently, counting out for 4… and finish by holding the breath out for a count of 1. Keep your breathing even and smooth.

3* If the 2-4 count feels too short try increasing the breath lengths to 4 in and 6 out, or 6 in and 8 out, and so on. But if longer breaths create any anxiety there is no need to push yourself. The most important thing is that the exhale is longer than the inhale, not the absolute length of the breath.

Namaste! x

7 Steps to soul-mind and skin luminescence

Marion Stone, natural skincare expert and LIA therapy facialist par excellence offers 7 healthy lifestyle tips for obtaining a radiant glow from the inside out – look and feel luminous in soul, mind and skin.   We are delighted to have Marion on board as a key part of our retreat hosting team and just love her practical, simple steps – read on to glide from the bronzed glows of summer-time into a September skin and soul that shines:

1. CLEANSE AND MOISTURISE – EVERY NIGHT!

Whether it’s a day in the city or a day in Ibiza; the pollution of the city, the dehydration and exposure to ageing rays of the sun, the salty air, layers of suntan cream and dusty / dirty roads will affect the condition of your skin.  So it’s important to get that all off at the end of the night. EVERY NIGHT! If you don’t it will all remain on your skin, rub down into your pores AND rub off onto your lovely pillows too.  A good nightly cleanse is so much more important than a morning ritual because our skin repairs when we sleep. DON’T cleanse your face with shower gel… PLEASE……get a good cleanser that is right for your skin or it can make it even more oily / dry. And always cleanse with a flannel or mitt so that you gently exfoliate at the same time.

combination / oily skin: choose one with rosemary, lavender,  jojoba or tea tree – something balancing and calming.

 dry skin: needs a gentle cleanser that hydrates so one with rose and camomile is great.

sensitive skins: can look for calendula, which is soothing and healing.

Top Tip: Think about how your skin feels after cleansing – if your skin feels TIGHT it is a sign that the cleanser you are using is too astringent and can strip the skin of its natural sebum (oil) on the epidermis.

2. DARK LEAFY GREENS!  (JUICE or EAT )
Seems obvious I know but do you really eat enough? Whatever you eat in your diet I can guarantee you that eating MORE dark leafy greens will give amazing results to your skin AND give you more energy. Look for seasonal greens at local farmers markets for the freshest, most vitamin packed fare.  Broccoli, Kale and Spinach all are liver boosters which boosts the brightness of your skin too.  Needless to say… organic and locally sourced is THE way.
And whilst we are on the subject of nutrition…

3. COFFEE OR WATER & LEMON? Hmmmm?
I know, you hear it all the time. We all bang on about it. But I can truly say with conviction that starting your day with a hot water and lemon will be AMAZING for your skin. It alkalises the body (whilst coffee makes it acidic – ouch! Acid reflux) and helps to cleanse the system of any toxin build up whilst rehydrating your organs – including your skin – the biggest organ of all. Remember: toxins means dull skin – fact.

4. LIE BACK AND THINK OF YOUR WRINKLES!! 
Yes, going to sleep on your back really works – trust me I’m 50!
I’d like you to do an experiment right now for me:
Rest your head sideways, on your hand, I mean really rest it heavily as you would on a pillow and look at it in the mirror……see what I mean? Now imagine doing that for 8 hours a night, every night.
If you practice lying on your back while you sleep you allow all the tiny facial muscles to relax naturally PLUS you will reduce the wrinkles in your décolletage too. Double bonus time!

5. WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS…
It is a proven fact that a more positive attitude to life produces and more positive life. Take it from me I’ve been on the opposite side of this philosophy! So watch those negative thoughts because they produce stress and we all know where stress can take us.

6. MEDITATE 
Meditation calms the mind and reduces stress. FACT. Reduced stress in your life reduces wrinkles. FACT.
Learning to focus on the present moment that is your breath (rather than worrying about your future or dwelling on the past) is a powerful tool to combat stress and anxiety.
This is why my HEALING FACIALS really work like no other facial you have ever had before. Guiding you through a relaxing meditative visualisation at the start of my treatment stimulates your mind and body to go into a floating state of relaxation. This allows all the tiny muscles in your face to soften and release any tension….so you’re half way there even before I’ve started the whole gorgeous facial.

7. INVEST IN REGULAR ME TIME!
I know, I know, you don’t have time. But just as with meditation, it is so important to take time out for yourself as a priority in your busy schedule. Many people merely wait for their once a year yoga and wellness retreat or holiday – and this can be a great “reset” – yet to keep glowing all year around, schedule in “me-time!” as often as possible and feel the benefits of the extra energy  zings!

I know this all may sound like a lot but little by little on a daily basis will bring huge benefits to your well-being.

Contact Ibiza Retreats to book a healing holistic HEAVEN facial with me (see below) I’m really looking forward to meeting you.

Love, light and luminesence!

 

Attachment-1 Want to experience Marion’s healing hands and an LIA therapy facial?  It gives you an indulgent, 30 minute massage of the shoulders, neck, face and head; releasing tension, and stimulating those oh so important blood and lymphatic systems for a plump and lustrous looking glow….from the inside out, luxurious all natural products for sloughing off dead skin and improving circulation with peelings followed by a zinging bee-venom face mask to incite natural collagen production.

Visit her website www.marionstone.com for further information or email info@ibizaretreats.com for a special autumn offer!

 

Think GLOBAL, eat LOCAL

Do you often “buy organic” because you want the most nutritious, ecologically sound and, quite honestly tasty and delicious produce?   Yes – organic is definitely better for your health – and vital for the health of our beloved planet, however, the best for your system and our eco-system, as well as being the most nutritious, is organic produce that is locally sourced… and also in season, rather than being flown in from thousands of miles away.  

Health organisations around the world concur that this is the best way to maximise your intake of vitamins and minerals. And whether you are eating a fresh apple in England or Germany, Tomatoes off the vine in Italy, or a cold slice of fresh Ibizan watermelon in summertime, s well juicing you up with an all-natural taste-sensation, doesn’t it make you feel instantly more alive?

Create harmony within your body and with the environment around you through honouring the ebb and flow of nature’s abundant offerings season by season.  

Eat seasonally and locally: listen to your body…. and you will FEEL the benefits of this.. root vegetables are earthy, denser, grounding and comforting during the autumnal and winter months,  the cooling and rehydrating qualities of cucumbers help the body maintain its equilibrium in the heat of summer time.  All whilst benefiting the world around you:

* Save on carbon output and noise pollution from planes and save the oil and petrol fuelling the trucks that carry produce across the world.

* Invigorate the local economy and inspire local farmers to grow healthy produce without the use of toxic chemicals whilst minimising the use of preservatives that aid longer shelf life.

* Encourage more love and respect for your countryside by appreciating the seasonal produce that magically appears, from heart-shaped tomatoes to the August-September flush of grapes, figs, almonds and persimmons, Ibiza is juicy and abundant… what fresh fare is local to you now?

* Nourish your system by ingesting food that has come directly from vine and field to table that is as full as possible of vitamins and minerals, supporting organ function and energy requirements by eating what is in season.

* Create awareness and spread the EAT LOCAL consciousness amongst family, friends as you glow with more health and energy!

We are ever-more inspired by the expanding network of healthy organic restaurants and cafes around Ibiza! Amongst many…  wonderful places for meetings too… we are passionate about Passion cafes from Ibiza town, to Playa D’en Bossa, Santa Eulalia to BFit (thank you Lana Love for sewing more seeds of love – literally!) – La Paloma cafe and restaurant in San Lorenzo have a permanent place in our hearts (and what an amazing “final lunch” for retreat-guests to gather and feed before they enter the retreats), ditto for celebratory suppers! – whilst Wild Beets in Santa Gertrudis has shaken up our palates with new raw sensations and when in Benirras…. we simply head for the SeJuiced bar after our morning swims and early evening snorkels for meditational communions with the fishes..  San Joan village is home to the sophisticated Spanish organic cuisine at the higher-end Giri cafe or take a quick-healthy fix trip down The Rabbit Hole in San Rafael.

We get our glow on with daily juices and smoothies!

We are juice-and-smoothie-junkies of the healthy-happy kind- drinking pure goodness in the easiest-to-digest when on your feet, or in the heat, before and after teaching yoga and in-between coaching and wellness sessions.   They help our digestive system to stay relaxed whilst we focus fully on our clients.  Find juices all over the island and… wondering what to do for produce? Organic farms like Can Muson near Santa Eulalia are blossoming all over our white island, Community-conscious cooperatives offer you a box of produce in return for some weeding, watering and picking handiwork , or,  for door-to-door delivery –   contact ibizencoorganic@gmail.com you can have plenty of fresh seasonal produce delivered to your door for your own amazing juice creations.    Wonder what to do with the excess? Simply soup or stew those left in the box, or put all in the oven, with garlic and fresh rosemary for a delicious, flavour-infusing roasting…. mmmmmmmmmm

Mother Love Retreat

November 9 – 14th relax for 4 nights & 5 days in stunning Atzaro Spa-Agroturismo  – Join Larah, Ann & team to welcome Mothers to retreat with much-deserved love relaxation and pampering.  Join us for sacred time for restoring your strength and wellbeing through daily morning yoga and pilates, gentle coaching, sharing circles,  rejuvenating massages, sumptuous brunches & healthy and nutritious cuisine, heart-felt treatments, massage & reflexology workshops for bonding with your baby.  From 1499 GBP / 1799 EUROS all inc. single occupancy for mother & baby.   Including 4 hours daily babysitting! 

Enjoy vital you-time in Atzaro’s beautiful balinese spa.   Swim in the lap-pool amidst the orange trees, receive pampering, healing treatments from our world-class team.   Larah & Ann’s compassionate hosting includes Life and wellness coaching  1:1’s so we can tailor-make your time to meet your specific needs, and in sharing circles with other mothers to help you rediscover your self  and your space – time and physical and emotional needs within your new role as a mother.  Leave refreshed, rejuvenated and relaxed with a “Moga” (mummy & baby yoga) self-practice designed just for you – and a holistic wellbeing life-strategy to support you back in reality. 

** Including 4 hrs babysitting daily and care for each mother & baby’s special requirements and needs. Read all about it here and we are very happy to Skype to discuss your specific needs.

Enquire here now. 

New Years 2014 Yoga & Revitalisation Retreat

28th December – 3rd JanuaryWould you like 2015 to be your best-ever year?   Larah, Susie, Faye and team welcome you to their New Year-New You Yoga and Revitalisation Retreat: Ibiza’s sparkling winter light will ignite your inner-fire with plenty of positive inspiration.   Begin each day with body and mind-warming Yoga, develop fresh focus with life & wellness coaching. meditational walks in nature, and lovely energising visualisations for plenty of heart, body & mind clarifying revitalisation.   Our mindful flow yoga practice is tailored to all levels, with stress-releasing breathwork, guided meditations and energy-rebalancing techniques to create healthy, empowering habits for 2015.  We welcome you with warm Ibiza oil massages and include self-massage & reflexology workshops to detox your organs, long beach walks blow-away cobwebs and knee-high-sea-walks (New Years Day swim optional!) will boost your lymphatic system!  With rituals to release past blockages and intention-setting to create positive new beginnings, we complete with a sunset hike & cliff-top meditation, plus nutritious, seasonal, purifying soul-food and plenty of positive energy.  All in the  nurturing home-from-home atmosphere of our gorgeous hill-top retreat.

From 865 gbp/€1095 sharing / 1095 gbp/€1365 single occupancy

* Enjoy long coastal & beach walks – and maybe brave a January swim…

* Dose-up with Vitamin D refuelling winter-sunshine

* Relax into fire-side conversations with like-minded new-friends

You will come away with a clear life-plan, feeling  nourished, stronger, calmer, revitalised and ready to embrace all of 2015’s sparkling opportunities.

enquire now or read more about the retreat details here