Do you often experience moments of feeling present and calm? Or are you more likely to feel ‘super busy’ and overwhelmed as you rush from one commitment to the next?

It’s hardly surprising. After all, we live in a busy, fast-paced world. Many of us don’t just struggle to fit in work and family commitments, we must also deal with the mental work involved in organising and coordinating everything that goes into meeting these commitments.

In Chinese Five Element theory, autumn, with its clear blue skies and fresh air, is governed by the element Metal. Metal relates to the emotion of grief, to the lungs, skin and large intestine, and to immunity, boundaries and purification.

Today, SOL expert Florence Neville explains why autumn is the perfect time of year for re-establishing boundaries, resolving deep-rooted sadness and releasing what no longer serves us.

Chinese Five Elements Theory follows a five season cycle, dividing summer into two parts; early and late summer, because they both have a distinct and different feel. Each season corresponds with one of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) and supports, nourishes and prepares the body for the next season, creating a constant cycle of wellbeing.

In late summer, fire’s exuberant summer gifts give way to earth’s natural abundance of crops to harvest, tree fruits to pick, and pumpkins to make pies with!

What is Loving-Kindness Meditation?

Loving-kindness meditation is about cultivating compassion and love through mentally repeating a series of phrases. It’s a meditation of care, concern, tenderness and friendship that helps create a feeling of warmth for oneself and others.

The practice was originally called metta bhavana in the Pali language – metta meaning love {in a non-romantic sense}, friendliness or kindness, and bhavana meaning development or cultivation.

Loving-kindness is unconditional, inclusive love. There are no expectations of receiving anything in return. We begin by loving ourselves, because without this it’s difficult to extend love to others. Then we include those who are special to us and, ultimately, all living things. Gradually, blending visualisation and meditation phrases creates a lived experience, the feeling of loving-kindness.

Did you feel that slight chill in the air over the last few days? Can you sense that autumn is nearly here? No matter how old you are, this time of year creates a familiar back to school mentality. There’s a shift and change in our priorities and a desire to make the most of what feels like a fresh start.

For many, it’s also the beginning of a busy time of year. The lightness and ease of long summer days gives way to meeting deadlines, making plans, and preparing for more time spent indoors. This often means self-care gets pushed to the side-lines. When your to-do list is already jam-packed, it can quickly feel like another chore you don’t have time to complete.

So why do yoga? SOL expert Clem Balfour explains the benefits of a daily practice and shares advice to help you get back on the mat now the summer holidays are over…

SOL expert Pen McKinley-Rodgers joins us on the blog today to explain the therapeutic properties and benefits of each oil included in the Late Summer Blend.

Gabrielle Treanor is a writer and teacher supporting overthinkers to worry less and enjoy life more. She has spent years researching positive psychology and experimenting on herself to reduce her own overthinking and increase the joy she feels in everyday life. Today she’s sharing expert advice and mindfulness tips for business owners and freelancers who want to avoid burnout.

What is Overwhelm?

Psychologist Maria W. Deibler, PsyD, describes overwhelm as ‘feeling completely overcome in mind and emotion’. Essentially, when we believe an external stressor is too great for us to manage, we feel overwhelmed. External stressors are events and situations that happen to us. Basic examples include major life changes (both positive and negative), our immediate environment, unpredictable events, the workplace, social situations, and relationships.

Overwhelm can show up in a variety of ways. You may experience anger, irritability, worry, self-doubt and feelings of helplessness, but anxiety is probably the most common response.

Anxiety is what we feel when we’re worried, tense or afraid – particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future. It’s a natural human response when we perceive that we’re under threat and it can be experienced through our thoughts and feelings, as well as in the form of physical sensations like a racing heartbeat, chest pain or shortness of breath.