Basically… my adult kids don’t fold their own washing

I have said many times in my morning sessions that I am learning to look this period of isolation as a home retreat.

It sounds and feels so much better to me that way and I would urge you to try to do the same, focus on your heart and moving away from the fear, panic, anxiety and worry. Practicing gratitude is a fantastic way to do this, by moving our minds to the things we are grateful for, no matter how small they are, it brings us renewed hope.

Now is the perfect time to look for joy in the small things, use the time to rest and recharge and to look after one another.

I would like to suggest that we try a little experiment and create our own home retreat, from a few hours to a full day or even longer depending on our circumstances.

In this blog I am going to give you some ideas to help you to set up your own sanctuary and then, who knows, perhaps we can set a date and have a virtual retreat together in the near future. 

How does that sound? great! Well let’s get going…

First, Create a daily retreat space.

Where could this be in your home, a space where you can be free from distractions, maybe tell the members of your family that this is your quiet space, a place where you can activate your senses.

Consider turning off your mobile phone and other devices, perhaps set your alarm for an hour before the kids wake up? Light a candle, play relaxation music and grab yourself a herbal tea.

So now you have set up your quiet space, what are you going to do there?

I am going to suggest meditation and if you have always thought of this as too woo woo then give me a minute and don’t run away just yet!

Meditation is a way to temporarily remove yourself from whatever situation you are in.  Perhaps you are too busy, maybe you’re stuck in a bad environment with a lot of negativity or could it be that the members of your household are not getting along in this current situation. Or maybe someone you care for is sick and you need a little break and a breather to recharge and reset.

When we meditate we separate ourselves from our usual situation and create a new, more pristine version, this is a personal reset and a way to set up new healthier habits to move towards a new you.

If this is new to you I would recommend trying guided meditation as it keeps you focused and stops your mind wandering off to the ‘to do’ list.

Over the last 6 weeks I have recorded over 20 live sessions which you can find free on my facebook page. So if you are a newbie and would like to give it a go, scroll through the videos on my Polly facebook page and begin to tune in to your inner self. I would recommend you start with the oldest video and work forwards and we have gradually changed and explored more deeply as we have meditated together.

As a bonus, you will also pick up some great tips to reduce anxiety and stress too. Skills you can keep for if/when you need them. So you’ve nothing to lose, only something to gain. Give it a go and let me know how you find it, I would love to hear all about it.

Then, once the meditation is done and you have acknowledged the feelings in your body and mind that come up it might be a fantastic time to experiment with some journalling.

Have you ever thought about writing your thoughts down, or journalling?

As many of us are facing isolation and perhaps anxiety and worry about both ourselves and others it can be a way of calming the mind. Slowing the monkey brain down and clearing some space in the mind for new, fresh, thoughts to come through.

In our morning sessions I have been encouraging journaling after our meditation, when the mind is quieter. 

If you don’t know what to write then I suggest writing 5 things down that you are grateful for. Gratitude brings hope and will lift your spirits. Or simply start writing, anything... keep the pen moving, don’t worry about spelling, grammar and all that stuff, just get it out of your head and onto the paper.

Try it once a day and aim for ten minutes of continuous writing, maybe after meditation or before bed, clear your mind and find your inner calm. These journals make interesting reading when we go back to them years later, it gives us an opportunity to see exactly how far we have come on our journey of self exploration.

So what about the rest of the day, if you’re at home or work, how are you going to treat this time as a retreat and keep your house in order too?

The thought of lockdown for many, may have filled us with a sense of dread. I know so many Mums with young children who really relish their own time at the gym or going for a run or just grabbing a bit of time for themselves and a cuppa while the children are at nursery, school or college. Mine are older now, 25, 22 and 19 and the eldest and youngest are here, with their respective other halves while we navigate this change of lifestyle.

I am trying to find the majestic in the mundane, a topic I recently explored in an art piece I made for an exhibition at the Bowery Gallery made up from hundreds of odd socks I have collected over a period of time.

Folding the washing, or pairing socks for example can become a time of mindfulness, if I take my time and practice gratitude as I fold and pair and separate. Being grateful for the big people who have created this washing!

It’s a time of going inwards and we don’t need to go out to do it.

How do you find a mindfulness moment?

Maybe you do something creative! I am sure some of us will have tried some things to spice things up a bit, like a new recipe or maybe potted some seeds or plants. And all these things are creative and activate the sacral chakra which I have spoken about in our morning live sessions.

But have any of you brought play in yet?

And laughed and had childlike fun?

Art is a fantastic way to bring in play as we may not be the greatest artist that ever walked the earth but we can have fun with it.

I remember my Mum saying the only thing she could draw was a cheque! 

So here’s a challenge for you for your own Home Retreat:

Grab yourself some paper, printer paper will do, and some pens, pencils, crayons, old magazines, scissors, glue….whatever you can find in the house that you consider ‘arty’.

Give yourself the gift of 30 minutes quiet, uninterrupted time and begin to create something.

Now I know from experience that the hardest thing is beginning, making the first mark on the clean white sheet of paper in case you mess it up, so I am going to get you started rather than leave it up to you.

Begin by drawing a circle in the centre of the paper- maybe draw around a cup or saucer.

Then imagine that inside the circle is you and outside is everything else: your family, friends, environment.

Now begin to draw, colour, cut, stick and see what transpires in 30 minutes. You might want to take longer if you really get into it! 

I would love to see photos of the masterpieces you create after reading this blog and if you feel you would like to share them with me please do!

There is no denying that the situation we have found ourselves in is hard but we can’t loose ourselves in negativity. Although times have change you are just as important as you’ve always been, make sure you don’t forget about yourself and look inward with compassion and kindness. Give yourself the space to breathe.