Tag Archives: Retreat Days

Retreat Days: permission to start doing things a bit differently

 

The Retreat Day (which the T’ai Chi Room is organising with a host of partners) is a perfect opportunity to shake things up a little and make a break from the norm. As a full day in which to focus on yourself, Retreat Day Goers benefit from switching off, getting away from the hubbub that is daily life – and perhaps best of all, having the “head space” to reassess life. “Sometimes people need permission to go off and do something,” Annette Rainbow explains. Annette is one of the therapists at the Retreat Days.

“I have found that people need to be told what to do. It’s always helpful to have a routemap or some ideas to work with at home.”

Annette has been a part of the Retreat Days ever since its early ideas stages. Using this retreat to assess and make changes lends itself brilliantly to a softly softly approach. Retreat Day Goers spend a relaxed day with T’ai Chi, Yoga & Pilates classes all laid on, as well as a relaxation or beauty treatment. Integral to the “retreat” element is also the health & wellbeing talks, which clients can really benefit from once they have had a chance to really unwind and “de-clutter” their busy minds. Clients also take away with them a resource pack, which is brimming with ideas on organic skincare routines, massage techniques, gentle exercises, tips on good posture and breathing, meditation and healthy living recipes to reinforce the healthy lifestyle messages when clients are back in the real world.

I caught up with Annette, giving me the best excuse to book myself in for my own relaxation treatment!!

Annette Rainbow: Retreat days give clients a chance to re-assess life and permission to make a few changes

Annette Rainbow: Retreat days give clients a chance to re-assess life and permission to make a few changes

Annette, what brought you to aromatherapy massage & reflexology?

In the first 10 minutes of an introductory course I was hooked! I very quickly planned how much the full course, couch, oils etc. would cost me and how I was going to afford it.

I am a great believer in the body healing naturally. I think that there are other ways than simply prescribing drugs – new avenues of health.

On the massage course I was fascinated by the human mind and body. I wanted to use massage to help people – so I set up my aromatherapy massage business.

Helen:

It’s obvious, Annette, that you really believe in what you do. And it doesn’t stop there does it? There are so many other strings to your professional bow…

Annette:

That’s right, Helen.

What are the more diverse treatments you offer now that your business has grown?

I like to treat people as they present themselves to me “as a whole.” This can be massage, aromatherapy massage, deep tissue, Indian Head, Japanese face massage, reflexology, hormonal reflexology. I do quite a bit of work with fertility and am pleased to be able to report a really good success rate for this side of my work. It’s so rewarding.

I also offer counselling sessions – Neurolinguistic Programming, Time Line Therapy,® Hypnotherapy. I have helped people with phobias (the phobia can be gone in days), addictive behaviours, sadness, fear, guilt issues and bereavement.

Then on the more physical side – Abdominal & Colonic Massage; and Walker Technique, helping people with discomfort and pain.

Helen:

For the Retreat Days, you are happy to offer a bit of a bespoke treatment for clients who come to you, which is great because it means you can provide a massage which is relaxing, but which might concentrate on a frozen shoulder for instance…

Annette:

I’m a “fixer” – I like to work on problem areas so that clients leave feeling some relief from niggling pains. I use deep tissue massage for anything which is stuck and for lower back problems.

I can get to work quite quickly – I’m quite resilient myself, so there will still be lots of scope for some relaxing or uplifting massage techniques.

I go to lots of festivals in the summer so I can boast great stamina!

For the Retreat Days, I will be offering clients a treatment to suit their needs on the day. I would describe this as a combination treatment of – Indian head massage, reflexology, possibly some Walker Technique (if appropriate) and some abdominal massage.

Helen:

That’s fabulous – we’re thrilled to have your breadth of expertise! And all to suit the client! You will also be giving a short talk first thing about self-massage techniques, so all Retreat Day goers can benefit from your tips…

You spoke about Walker Technique – what are the benefits of this treatment?

Walker technique works on the fascia tissues. It can be used to relieve frozen shoulder, migraines, labyrinthitis and sinus problems.

What do your clients say about you?

First, that I am professional and this is an important driver for me. This isn’t a hobby. I get referrals from GPs and other therapists, so my reputation and word-of-mouth recommendations work well for me.

Helen:

I have been a client of yours for some years now – I would add that what I always appreciate is your aura of calm. And I love your cosy log-cabin treatment room!

What would you say are the main benefits of attending a Retreat Day in 2013?

I think that the Retreat Days provide a unique opportunity to just stop, relax and to learn a few new tricks about keeping yourself healthy, happy and long-term relaxed!

More about Annette

Annette Rainbow has a strong desire to help people through a varied menu of treatments. Annette also likes to teach and delivers tailor-made talks and will be delivering a short demonstration of self-massage techniques at the Retreat Day on 22 June 2013.

Annette’s contacts

t: 07790 813986 / e : annette@rainbow-touch.co.uk / w: www.rainbow-touch.co.uk/ t:@AnnetteRainbow

Retreat Days, featuring T’ai Chi, Yoga & Pilates

To book your place on this wonderfully relaxing, uplifting, rejuvenating day, please visit www.thetaichiroom.co.uk/Retreat_Days and download the Booking Form. For telephone/email enquiries please call 01993 822725 / email helen@thetaichiroom.co.uk.

Still availability for: Saturday 22 June 2013 (8.30am – 5.30pm)

Venue: Middle Aston House, Oxfordshire.

We look forward to giving you a warm welcome.

Emptiness: reconnecting with the inner you

Fabulous discussion at last night’s class around the impact of “emptiness” on T’ai Chi practice. I’m touched that students shared so much of themselves on this – so a warm “thank you” to all.

Emptiness is uplifting: reaching the inner you

Emptiness is uplifting: reaching the inner you

 

I wanted to distil a few key points – there are some quite profound lessons in life to be drawn from looking at emptiness and T’ai Chi practice. (I’m always drawing lessons from T’ai Chi!)

The concept of emptiness and inner stillness has its roots in Chinese philosophy. I’d like to refer to Buddhism and Taoism, which both have close links with T’ai Chi. Lau Tzu (possibly an older contemporary of Confucius) also talked about emptying your mind of all things in the old T’ai Chi classic The Tao te Ching. I need just to say that there are many idiosyncracies of the Buddhist and Taoist views of emptiness, which go way beyond this post(!) – but I have pulled out a few points which resonate with T’ai Chi practice.

 

Meditative aspects of T'ai Chi encourage a state of "emptiness"

Meditative aspects of T’ai Chi encourage a state of “emptiness”

T’ai Chi, meditation & emptiness

T’ai Chi is a meditative exercise and it’s the meditative state of mind which “emptiness” brings. Emptiness is a state of mind in T’ai Chi. Last night we each shared some examples of how we can use this relaxed state of mind in our everyday lives – when tricky situations arise which we find stressful, it is possible to condition ourselves to respond to a trigger – and tap into this “empty” state of mind – even without the movements. It’s like finding from within a cosy, safe place where there are no worries. We are protected from outside negative forces.

Enjoying the absence of wanting etc.

Within this space we’re calling emptiness, we feel without attachment, without desire, without dissatisfaction, greed, stress, anxiety or frustration… even if this is just for a short period.  T’ai Chi practice is a great opportunity just to let go.  With some time away from this collection of “wants” – through “emptiness” in T’ai Chi practice, we can gain a certain clarity of thought.

 

T'ai Chi symbol

T’ai Chi symbol

T’ai Chi symbol: what’s it telling us about our practice?

The T’ai chi symbol represents the constant flux of change. From this you can infer that everything is impermanent, and the argument, when played out in full, goes that problems come and go; feelings come and go; perceptions come and go. It becomes futile to worry about something which will change. One example from a student last night was that often she will be worrying about something – and without action (i.e. emptiness) – it somehow rights itself on its own. Inaction isn’t always a good idea – but it does have its place in our toolbox of “alternative perspectives.”

So the T’ai Chi symbol with its continuous curved lines, shows constant change. For T’ai Chi practitioners, we should note that the T’ai Chi Form (sequence of slow, graceful movements which lasts around 20 minutes from start to finish) needs to be practised as one continuous movement. We should think about there being no beginning and no end to the moves; one posture flows directly into the next, just like the curved lines in the symbol. More advanced students will start to “remember” the sequence by their continual flow of weight – something of a “Eureka” moment when you can predict what comes next just by the fact that, for instance, you have your weight fully in the right leg.

Enjoying emptiness in practice

Emptiness in T’ai Chi provides a quiet stillness. For me, I’m not taking this as an exercise to fully “check in” with how I’m feeling – I don’t converse in that way – it’s more of an awareness. In T’ai Chi we are encouraged to empty our minds of all thoughts; if a thought does crop up, we are to acknowledge it, and dismiss it… for the present moment at least.

After the end of the walking exercise in class, I will always invite students to “rest into the stillness” – that’s your stillness, whatever it means to you.

Last night students kindly shared with the group what they felt stillness meant to them in practice.  Here are the many benefits it brings:

  • A general awareness of our bodies & breathing
  • A calming influence (both in practice and as a “space” we can learn to tap into without even requiring the movements)
  • A state of mind where nothing matters (for that moment; we are in constant flux, remember)
  • A place to reconnect with yourself
  • Tuning into a general sense of who we are, and our interface with the world
  • An awareness of our inner strength & resources
  • A place in which to build confidence
  • An understanding of what we offer to the world

For me, the idea of connecting not only with myself; but also viewing my T’ai Chi practice as my interface with the world was an important one.  Not everyone felt the same about this, although one student came up with exactly the same example of this as me: there is a movement in which we collect energy in our palms and then turn the palms to release the energy. At this precise point, we both have the feeling of sharing what we have to offer with the room (in my student’s case) – and with the world in my case.

I use T’ai Chi’s principles to help tackle life’s little obstacles. Understanding this place we’re calling “emptiness” somehow strengthens those skills.

Ironically for me, it’s through this meditative movement that I am able finally to learn how to stop!

 

Retreat Day: Let your inner self blossom

Retreat Day: Let your inner self blossom

Retreat Days: reconnect to the inner you & feel nourished with time just to “be”

Retreat Days cater well for those just wanting to “stop” for a while – to empty your mind and tap into the inner you. It’s a great opportunity to have a proper break away from whatever is keeping you on the move all the time – away from your busyness.

Kind to body, mind & spirit – the Retreat Day allows you to “zone out” for a while; breathe deeply; stretch; relax & rejuvenate.

Places still available for the Retreat Day, featuring T’ai Chi, Yoga & Pilates:

  • Saturday 22 June 2013
  • Full day of relaxation & gentle exercises
  • Including meditation, breathing, stretching
  • Health & wellbeing talks
  • Nutritious two-course light lunch
  • Relaxing holistic massage/ beauty treatment
  • www.thetaichiroom.co.uk/Retreat_Days.aspx
  • Or call me on 01993 822725
  • Works well with a few close friends (the day is programmed so you will see each other!)
  • Takes place at Middle Aston House, Bicester, Oxfordshire (accommodation available)

Now I have some questions for you. Please share:

1. What’s keeping you busy just now?

2. How do you nurture your inner self?

3. What are your techniques for achieving some stillness in your daily/weekly routine?

4. How do you find clarity of mind – when you really need to take a step back and “see the wood for the trees”…?

Looking forward to hearing your strategies…

Warm wishes,

Helen, T’ai Chi Instructor and Organiser of Retreat Days, featuring T’ai Chi, Yoga & Pilates.

www.thetaichiroom.co.uk/Retreat_Days.aspx