They had always supported each other through the biggest challenges in their lives, this one being the hardest and the cruelest, as the man she lived in partnership with slowly disappeared from her life as the disease ravaged his mobility and his personality, on-set dementia stealing his mind and his memory.

Even though she tried to slow down a little as she hit the first six months of her retirement. She filled every drop of time she could with things for her to do that would take her away from the stress of caring for dad at home.

Three days after dad was finally admitted to a full-time care home, his dementia having taken him away from us completely, mum was found collapsed on the downstairs bathroom floor with her loyal dog, Rosie, keeping her warm in her time of need. She was rushed to hospital, and there it was confirmed that diagnosis of cancer had started in her adrenals and spread to her kidneys. It was a rare form of cancer affecting only 1-2 people in a million. She did always say she was one in a million! Coincidently the only Adrenal Oncology Specialist worked out of Southampton General Hospital, so she was transferred over and administered a ground-breaking new drug. She was hopeful. She always had a smile for the endless stream of visitors from colleagues and friends who worked with her at the hospital. They made sure she had the best care she could possibly have, but despite all best efforts, the medicine proved futile. When she received the news that the drugs weren’t working, her body responded and within three weeks of saying her last goodbye to her husband, she was gone.

We had some incredible times in the room with her in the weeks leading up to her passing. I was curious to the energies that surrounded us all as she was getting ready to transition—from her telling her sister off for being in the way of their mum who had her hand out to her, to my brother who had a vivid dream a couple of nights before she passed about his best friend who had died who visited to let him know he was OK. Mum’s mum – always ready with mischief a cheeky grin – had passed over 14 years previously, but certainly made herself known to me and my sister in the days leading up to mum’s passing.

Even though my parents were practical people, mum and her side of the family were very tuned into ‘something more’. She used to say to me, “You know we’re from a long line of witches, don’t you?” There were times when I very much believed it! Their particular penchant seemed to be visiting each other when they pass.

In the early hours of one morning mum’s other sister sat upright in bed in her home in Australia, thousands of miles from what was unfolding in the hospital in England. In between sleep and dream her little sister, my mum, was at the end of her bed playing the piano they way they used to do together when they were little. “Lizzie”, my aunt said in her half-wake, half-sleep state, “You’re the brightest star in the sky.” A couple of hours later she got the ‘phone call from England to confirm what she already knew—that at the time her little sister was playing the piano to her she had passed.

I’ve always been a curious soul seeker. My gift is being highly intuitive and clair-sentient. I can be lost in a train of thought about someone, and when I get a email or message from them, or bump into them, having not seen them for year, it’s never a surprise. But for many of the years leading up to mum’s passing – and after dad’s a couple of years later – I pushed that all away, throwing myself headfirst into work. I left the Island to go back to London and focus on rising up the career ladder, becoming a clients services director in the fast-paced world of advertising. Much like my mum, I was trying to work my way through pain. I valued thinking over feeling, it was so much easier to control.

As time passed I felt purpose calling. I no longer wanted to help people sell ‘stuff’, I was much more motivated about what made them want to be successful in their own lives, and how they could move beyond what was holding them back, so I trained as a life coach, and then went on to become a Master Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner. I was transitioning away from a full-time job and into building my own business. Life, on the outside, looked perfect, but there was something seriously missing. I had been making decisions based on logic for so long I was a walking and talking head, disconnected from the neck down, which made it impossible to feel anything – no joy, no sadness, no… nothing. I realise now, looking back, that I was suffering from a depression of the central nervous system.

One weekend I was back on the Isle of Wight at a friend’s hen party. I had started to find my way to spiritual practices to try and make sense of what was going on, and maybe create an energy line where I could deepen a connection to mum and dad. What I didn’t know at the time was that what I most needed was a connection back to me. There was a tarot reader at the party. I had decided I wasn’t going to have a reading as I had an angel card reading booked for the very next day. Just as the tarot reader put her coat on to leave I found myself sat opposite her, “I’ve been waiting for you all afternoon.” she said. With every card turned, the story unfolded—water not able to flow, rivers dammed, the last two cards stuck together, the one on the bottom depicted an iceberg. “Kate, do you need any more indication that your energy is stuck?” “I know”, I said, “But how do I get it moving again?” “You’ll know.” she said, “You’ll know.”

So I went headlong into finding a re-connection on to my energy flow. I tried reiki, kinesiology, yoga, readings, crystals, you name it, I did it. I had started spending more time around spiritual people, I followed my curiosity to try things out. I had seen my friend Jayne doing something called Qoya, a somatic and spiritual movement practice with roots in dance, yoga, feminine wisdom, and shamanic principles based on Peruvian traditions. I had seen various pictures with her dancing in front of a gold curtain. “Qoya means Queen”, said the blurb. “A movement practice to help you remember that your essence is wise, wild and free. A connection to the divine feminine within you, and natural pulse of life.”

“Divine feminine? Qoya means Queen? Dancing?” I scoffed. I loved my friend Jayne, but for me dancing was something reserved for the kitchen at parties, or a wild night out at a club, and those days had started to pass me by.

One afternoon I found myself at a Qoya workshop Jayne was teaching at in London. As we moved through the pillars of Qoya to connect to remember our essence is wise, wild and free, it suddenly became true when it came to the free dance. There I was, spinning ‘round and ‘round with my arms aloft, I was that firework that Katy Perry was singing about. I felt like a kid again and was alive with a sense of joy that I hadn’t felt in years.

I came away from that afternoon with a belly full of cacao, and a knowing in my heart, “This is the thing. I’ve found it, and I’ve connected back to me.” I went to as many classes and workshops as I could, although there were still only two Qoya teachers in the UK. Back in 2017 doing sessions online wasn’t really a thing yet. It was great, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was supposed to be doing something more with this in my own work. Not that I had a clue what it would all mean. I was a life coach and a Master NLP Practitioner, surely people would think I’d lost it if I started talking about the divine feminine and getting people to dance? And, more than that, the training to become a Qoya teacher was in Costa Rica. I was transitioning out of salaried work to focus on my business full time, how would I justify the expense? But it wouldn’t leave me alone— no matter how much I tried to ignore it.

One morning I woke up, put my feet on the ground, and felt a full rush from the tips of my toes to the top of my head and settling into my heart. I had to go to Costa Rica. I had to train to become a Qoya teacher. It was time, my body and my heart knew. I see-sawed between this knowing and fear as I told my partner what I was thinking. Half of me wanted him to tell me that I was crazy for wanting to do it, half of me was already planning the trip. I said I’d go for the week, he said I should consider going for a month.

I took the solo adventure that started with a 24 hour trip from cold, grey London to 35° heat under the Costa Rica skies, travelling on an old American school bus to get the a place called Santa Teresa to learn how to teach Qoya. But something was off as I made this journey across the tropical green wilds of this beautiful country. I felt awkward, self conscious, clumsy and stupid. What if I didn’t fit in? What was I doing? Even as I watched the sun rising from behind the landscape it didn’t do much to lift the heaviness I had been feeling, and feeling for a long time. Like a void of nothingness inside my soul. Nothing made logical sense.

We danced and moved through a journey that Rochelle Schieck, the founder of Qoya, had set out for us throughout the week of training. We danced to let go, to shed layers, we danced our shadow, we danced in the sun, I danced in the shadow of the news that David Bowie had died. For the first time in what felt like forever, I cried as I felt his loss like a member of my own family,/ Grief flowed through my body. It became a gentle, yet powerfully cathartic process, because healing through feeling was the thing I needed most.

Every day we were invited to meditate and journal on what we were experiencing. I found that hard to do before Qoya, like something was trapped inside and couldn’t get out. Every morning I would wake up and head to the the beach. With the waves crashing onto the shores, and the world waking up, I meditated. I kept visualising a treasure chest wrapped with rusty chains that kept the lid shut. Each day we danced Qoya to a different theme, I would see colours behind my eyes—reds, blues, a lot of purple. In my meditations the lid of the treasure chest was opening to reveal an array of colours from within. I was curious to find out more, asking Rochelle what colours related to different chakras. Not that I knew much about what they were! The colours I had been seeing aligned perfectly to what we had been exploring in our body and our energy each day through Qoya. My wild colours were returning. My energy was flowing back through me. The treasure was revelling itself. It all felt like magic had woken up within me.

I returned to the UK the same person, yet so much more me. I felt more confident, more creative, more aligned to how I wanted to share my work. I had learned to listen to my intuition, which the volume had been turned down so low it was inaudible before. I followed where it whispered. I trusted the wisdom in my body, which I had been disconnected from for too many years.

My work and my creativity started to soar. Ideas would rain down with the water in the shower. I had an idea for creating a wisdom deck that brought all of the pragmatic elements of my work as a life coach and NLP practitioner blended with ancient technologies of breath work, chakra activation working with energy, along with the somatic movement elements inspired the powerful wisdom of Qoya. Practical Magic was born. The Practical Magic Activation Deck – a life coach in a box – followed a year later brought to life by a crowdfunding campaign of people searching for the intuitive mind-body wisdom in all of them.

Qoya and the blended melting pot of goodness that is Practical Magic has woken up something inside of me, and so many others that I work with, that will no longer sleep. Through an adventure of curiosity, creativity and somatic connection, more and more reveals itself. So too does community—I owe all of this work to the community of curious soul seekers who are on the path o discovering more through spirituality, wellbeing and self care. So when I had an idea in the ‘shower of dreams’ – as I affectionately call it – to create a festival to bring an incredible community of wellbeing practitioners together for a weekend, it felt right. I followed the feeling and knew deep in my heart and my bones that it had to be on the healing land of the Isle of Wight—the place I used to call home, and where my parents honoured me with so many lessons and so much love.

I tuned in—what if – as it had started for me on that day of the tarot reading – one day could start a journey of spiritual and discovery that awakens an adventure of mind-body-soul wisdom that lasts a lifetime? What if this could be an Awakening of self care, connection and wellbeing for so many others who need it more so now than they’ve ever needed before?

The Awakening Festival of Wellbeing, Self Care & Connection

The Awakening Festival of Wellbeing, Self Care & Connection takes place at Northwood House on the Isle of Wight across the weekend of 24-25 September 2022. You can enjoy over 50 different wellbeing workshops on the Saturday, including inspiring talks, yoga and movement, meditation and mindfulness, conscious living conversations, holistic therapies plus an evening of soulful fun and entertainment with The Glitter Party on Saturday evening. Super Soulful Sunday takes a slower pace with restorative yoga, breath and sound healing sessions to integrate a deep sense of connection from the weekend.

Tickets available from £75 for the Saturday, and £115 for the weekend from www.awakeningfestival.co.uk

Written by: Kate Taylor, life design & empowerment coach & Qoya teacher

Find out more about Kate Taylor and her work at www.katetaylor.co

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In Your Element Wellness Festival takes place on 6th & 7th July 2019 at the stylish boutique Columbus Hotel, and one of the best equipped fitness clubs in the French Riviera, World Class Gym. Outdoor classes and workshops will also be held in the stunning setting of Monte-Carlo, an ideal setting to experience all the elements.

FINDING BALANCE IN THE ELEMENTS

FIRE:       your energy, action, strength and movement

EARTH:   your body, our planet and nourishment

AIR:         your life-force, faith and trust

WATER:  your creativity, flow and imagination.

The four elements serve as powerful guides on how-to live-in synergy with nature. Every breath of air relaxes us. Fire gives us strength and energy. We learn to flow and be more fluid like water. The earth reminds us to heal and nourish ourselves. When we align with the four elements, we become more present and tap into the wisdom of life itself.

The festival has a local focus on Monaco’s principles of marine ecosystem preservation, as well as a more expansive look into awareness of waste, sustainability, and mindful eating, visitors will learn how to use the elements to elevate their lives but also how to preserve their rich natural state.

An exciting list of partners ensure guests are experiencing the excitement of Monaco as well as insight to the latest trends in health and fitness from visiting London experts. Football coaching with FMC Football Academy hosting kids of all ages; ICI Salad bars producing bespoke FIRE, EARTH, AIR &WATER salad boxes created by our nutritionists for the weekend.   Practice some mindful movement at our Silent Disco on the terrace of Monaco’s iconic STARS’N BARS overlooking the world-famous port. Just some of the classes on offer over the weekend.

OUR EXPERTS & CLASSES BY ELEMENT

FIRE

Chiara Lewis, nominated by Women’s Health as one of the most inspirational female PTs in London—musical theater performer turned fitness instructor and PT —has trained at Psycle London, Barrecore, Third Space & 1Rebel.

Chiara believes a strong healthy mind translates into a strong, healthy body and will be taking attendees through her signature class concept, ‘Total Body’.

Dan Luger is an ex-England rugby player and member of the squad who won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is a member of ‘Champions for Peace’ club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by a Monaco-based international organisation, Peace and Sport.

Dan will host a panel on the mental strength you are able to develop as a professional athlete, how to get yourself in the zone, and how to translate these athletic lessons to everyday life challenges.

Damian Fisher Founder of BOOST, Monaco’s number one outdoor training community specialising in group training. He will run a morning boot camp session modeled after this challenging workout program.

Kim Hartwell reaches great heights in the wellness world, as a climber, Yoga Expert, and travel and wellness influencer. She will teach her signature classes, ‘Flow Your Own Way and Ocean Flow Yoga.’ The program places heavy emphasis on balancing HIIT training, which is then complimented by a balanced yoga flow.

EARTH

Fanny Rigaud is a highly accomplished practitioner in holistic therapies including Tui Na (Chinese therapeutic massage), and Chinese dietotherapy, as well as a student of top Chinese Medicines teachers of New York and Paris. She will teach the benefits of Chinese Medicine to help improve energy in busy lifestyles: ‘An Introduction to Chinese Medicine, 10 Things you Should Know.

Naomi Buff is a Health Coach, Nutritional Workshop Leader, Menu Designer for The Monaco Restaurant Group, mother, and is certified in Eating Psychology. Her workshop will be focused on mind, body & nutrition with mindful cookery lessons.

Refuel Concept Naomi Teal, who healed her personal health challenges with a greater understanding of nutritional science, teamed with Bolko— a graduate in Sports Science who trains A-List actors, musicians, as well as premier league football players—will be sharing their expertise during a mix of fitness and nutrition classes and with raw snacks workshops.

Jasmine Hemsley is a London-based wellness and nutrition expert, Marie Claire’s 2018 influencer of the year, TV presenter and best-selling author of the East by West the cookbook.

Jasmine will share her vision of ayurvedic cuisine and wisdom behind her Eastern Wisdom for Western Wellbeing teachings, inspired by her travels in Sri Lanka and India.

AIR

Richie Bostock AKA The Breath Guy Bringing the power of conscious breathing to the masses, Richie’s mission is to remind the world how to #Breathwithpurpose. He will teach breathwork classes: Breath to Purpose and Breath to Bliss, meditation and speak about the importance of a clear mind.

Toni Jones is the founder of the Shelf Help book club, a book club and community dedicated to self-development. Toni will be hosting a shelf help book club to dive into her concept, bibliotherapy and connect attendees with books that inspire to look at themselves in a more positive way.

Kim Hartwell the yoga Expert is back for another activity, where she will present another new concept which will take attendees through a Dynamic Yoga session.

Jasmine Hemsley revisits her East to West Philosophy with a Sound Bath Healing session, focused on immersing the body in a sound frequency meant to heal the soul.

Bernice Robinson is a Holistic Reiki Master & Crystal Healer at The Connaught Hotel, in London–with a goal to provide complementary medical care by using the fundamental healing principles of mind-body by, incorporating natural healing.

WATER

Richie Bostock AKA The Breath Guy Richie’s conscious breathing practices will be explored even further, with water. Having trained under Wim Hof himself, you can expect some ice baths to make an appearance – if you’re brave enough!

Peter Lewton-Brain is trained in osteopathy and ex ballet dancer, currently working with ballet dancers around the world with their injuries and alignment.  His non-invasive manual therapy seeks to improve health across the body by strengthening and manipulating the muscular framework. He will bring his teachings to In Your Element by hosting an Anti-Ageing & Movement workshop

Naomi Buff shares her “Holistic, Realistic, Individual, Mindful and Compassionate” approach to wellness through physical and digital workshops. She will be hosting a delicious raw food workshop Eating for Good Skin.

Alice Hart Davis Journalist and author, Alice will share her nonsurgical approach to cosmetic procedures in her talk: The Tweakments Guide to a Fresher Face Tweakments Beauty Tried & Tested. Everything you need to know about skin and how to look your best, Alice is a wealth of knowledge in beauty and health.

Tickets– which include access to all classes, workshops, beauty treatments, expert talks, events and more– are available for both days, or one, from €50 to €80, and can be purchased here: https://inyourelementfestival.com/bring-balance-to-your-life-with-the-four-elements/#

For more information on In Your Element Wellness Festival 2019, please visit http://www.inyourelementfestival.com/

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The Largest Celebratory One:

Balance Festival

WHEN: 11th – 13th May 2018
WHERE: The Old Truman Brewery, London
PRICE: from £28

The UK’s largest celebration of fitness and wellness is back, and bigger and better than ever before.

Explore cutting-edge, sweat from every pore fitness classes from the likes of Another_Space, F45, Barry’s Bootcamp, Boom Cycle and more before delving into delicious and healthy samples from their incredible exhibitors such as Inner Most, Boundless Nuts, The Coconut Collobrative, HECK, Jarr Kombucha and many more.

Why not sit and take a break and learn from industry experts and discuss with the biggest influencers in the health, fitness, and wellness scene.

For more information or to book, visit: www.balance-festival.com

The Luxury Mindful One:

Awaken your Goddess Yoga and Aromatherapy Retreat with yogi Kirsty Gallager.

WHEN: 19-26th May 2018.
WHERE: South West of France.
PRICE: from £999

The incredibly talented Lululemon yogi Kirsty Gallagher and fellow host Jan Randall have years of experience in the health and wellness scene and have created this women’s only retreat to help promote a calm, clear and relaxing retreat where all attendees can experience mindful experiences and workshops for both their minds and bodies.

Workshops include: morning yoga classes, skincare workshops to create personalised scrubs and body creams, evening Yin Classes, the opportunity to learn about the benefits of different oils, health and nutrition talks and much more.

Set in the beautiful Les Passeroses Yoga Retreat, a beautifully renovated stone farmhouse situated in the fabulous rolling countryside, in the sunny South West of France. With a delicious vegetarian menu – home-cooked using seasonal produce frown in their own kitchen, herb gardens and orchard, along with market-brought organic good when and if available.

Included in the price: 7 night’s accommodation, daily breakfast, daily two-course lunch, daily three-course evening meals, chai and tiffin, daily yoga classes, daily magical skincare product making workshops and daily meditation classes.

For more information or to book, visit: www.kirstygallagher.com

The Influencer One:

Workout with Fitness influencer of the year nominee Aimee Long.

WHEN: 2nd June 2018
WHERE: London
PRICE: from £20

Join fitness influencer of the year nominee Aimee Victoria Long for her takeover of the stunning boutique members club The Curtain!

On the day Aimee will lead you through two sweat-worthy workouts starting with a 45-minute HIIT session, followed by a 30 minute stretch session.

After you have worked up a sweat, sit down with Aimee and ask her anything fitness, nutrition and beauty related in a Q&A session whilst you sip an espresso martini to retox after your detox.

For more information or to book, visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk

The Ultimate Female One:

StrongHer’s Ultimate Weekend.

WHEN: 2nd – 3rd June 2018
WHERE: Old Street, London
PRICE: from £20

StrongHer’s Ultimate Weekend, Old Street is a health weekend with a difference and an event like no other. Attendees have the opportunity to not only walk away with a new-found confidence in themselves, but also with an increased knowledge and understanding of
resistance training and awareness surrounding sustainable and lifelong nutrition.

Take part in the workshops that you want to do. You can choose from a choice of 14 different talks, workshops and seminars over the span of the weekend, with guest speakers such as: Grace Brown, Liv Tompkins, Hannah Mae, Laura Hoggins and Le’Nise Brothers.

So, if you have ever wanted to learn how to squat correctly, digest the fundamentals of nutrition, master your first chin up or take part in pre/post -natal training – this is the place for you, as there is something for everyone!

For more information or to book, visit: www.strongher.co.uk

The Secret Soulful One:

Soul Summer Yoga by Sweat and Sound

WHEN: 20th June 2018
WHERE: Secret location in Shoreditch, London
PRICE: £25

Prepare to journey to the unknown with London’s worst kept fitness secret – Sweat and Sound, in a beautiful secret space. Experience a serene Yoga practice and sounds to make you just float away!

The event features a beautiful and relaxing Yoga practice with mindful storytelling through live music – in a raw, stripped-back setting with a community of like-minded people, as you journey together soulfully, into the sunset.

This event is in conjunction with Souljourn Yoga, an incredible organisation whose aim is to raise awareness and funds for girls’ education in developing countries by teaming up with both local and international non-profits.

For more information or to book, visit: www.sweatandsound.com

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Lushington Chiropractic’s Wellbeing Day on 26th April was a great success with visitors of all ages, and raised over £100 for Dr Barnardo’s Children’s Charity. Their Guest of Honour was Dr Jonathan Andrews MB BS BSc (Hons) DCH DRCOG DFFP MRCGP, from Princes Park Health Centre. As well as cutting the clinic’s 12th Birthday Cake, he enjoyed the day and got his posture checked whilst he was there!

The Wellbeing Day included a range of talks from Lushington practitioners, with lots of self-help advice and tips. They also offered free posture assessments on the day with chiropractic advice and help. The Acupuncturists, Dr Carolyn Rubens (GP & Medical Acupuncturist) and Robert Bowley (Chinese Acupuncturist) were busy on the day explaining about how the two forms of acupuncture work.

All the practitioners kindly donated their time for free to help raise money for Dr Barnardo’s Children’s Charity. The most popular treatments were the massage tasters.

Lushington Chiropractic is an award-winning chiropractic and health clinic in Eastbourne town centre. Find out more about Lushington’s charity events.

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The Well Being Centre, Stone Cross opened in Spring 2015. Inspired by the Healing Field at Glastonbury Festival, the Well Being Centre is an environmentally friendly and holistic health centre for complementary and transformative healing work, in all its forms, on the edge of Pevensey Marshes.

It consists of 2 yurts; a big 24ft yurt for regular Yoga, Qigong and Meditation classes and a whole host of workshops that run throughout the year, including regular deeply restorative Soundbaths. The smaller 14ft yurt offers different therapies such as Reflexology, herbal medicine, Aromatherapy, Shiatsu, Massage (Deep Tissue, Acupressure, No Hands), Kinesiology, Reiki and Counselling. Both our yurts have beautiful wooden floors and woodburners. We use solar power to generate our electricity and heating is mainly woodburners sourced with wood from the farm and our neighbours.

There is parking available, shared lifts are encouraged, and a bus route passes close by. There are also ecological compost toilets with washing facilities housed in an original, beautiful polydomed, green roofed cedar cabin.

Open Day Programme



1015-1045 – Qigong with Nick Neter
1100-1130 – Dru Yoga with Jan Styles
1145-1215 – Crystal workshop with Min Peterkin
1245-1330 – Shamanic Journeying with Gabby Aluna
1400-1430 – Yoga Bliss with Eva Kristova
1445-1515 – Practical Herbal Medicine, Making and Tasting with Alice Bethany
1530-1600 – Chance to Trance with Joanna Harper

All workshops, tasters and demos £2 per person per session

Therapies available on the day

• Shiatsu with Ben Trowell and Louise Burt
• Reiki with Claire Nicole
• Kinesiology with Janice Browne

Seated Acupressure Massage with Lesley and Cathy
• Reflexology with Sara Macdonald
• Yasuragi Massage with Yuka Simmons

All treatments 15 minutes for £5

Counsellor Tory MacDonald is available through the day to discuss her work and your needs.

For more information on classes, workshops and therapies please check out glynleighwellbeingcentre.com or to contact Jon Ross or Nick Neter please email glynleighwellbeing@ gmail.com

Open Day
The Well Being Centre
Glynleigh Farm
Hailsham Road
Stone Cross
BN24 5BS

Sunday 7th May
10am – 4pm
Entry – FREE!

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