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  1. The Most Misunderstood word

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    Hypnotherapy is probably one of the most misunderstood words in the English language.

    To some it means  profound change, to others it means hogwash, yet others would say scary and loss of control.

    All of the above could be right and could be right off the ball depending on that  perception again - how you look at it.

    Hypnosis is not a lot really, it is the skill of the person doing the therapy part of hypnotherapy that makes the difference.

    Hypnosis is just a state of relaxation, particularly of the mind - nothing new there - most people experience it when they are very tired and go a bit zombiefied or just after waking when they might not be quite their normal selves.

    The most fascinating thing about hypnotherapy (the therapy part) is unravelling the intricacies around a particular problem, behaviour or belief.

    In some ways you could compare a hypnotherapist to that little guy, Rumplestiltskin who has the skill to quickly untangle the silk and sort out the buttons or whatever the king demanded.  Hopefully, unlike Rumplestiltskin, the hypnotherapist does not use his skill to barter for new born babies and such like.

    So if you go to a hypnotherapist who is able to understand your problem and find a solution reletaviely quicklyy - hopefully you will think hypnotherapy is profound.

    Yet one who is not that engaged and reads a script from a book giving you an 'off the peg' inferior experience might be decribed as practising hogwash.

    Yet again the one who likes to talk about putting you into a trance and taking control, talking about him/herself and how good they are, generally taking the credit for your subtle changes if any might be described as scary and taking control of you.

    I know which was I am proud to be.

    If you aspire to being a good hypnotherapist Rumplstiltskin style then a foundation course in the skills behind hypnotherapy is starting later this month.  The 25th October and you can still join it.  It's one day per month for 6 months and you could go straight onto the hypnotherapy Training Course afterwards - or not.

    Cost is £360 ring me and arrange to come in for a chat about it.

    Or read more about it here

    Andrea (stiltskin) Lowe.

     

     

     

     

     

  2. Latest Competition

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    comp photos 001

    Where is this picture.  It's a bit easier than the last one.  So the more accurate you re the better your chance of winning.  Name the street being driven along and you're more than likely a hum ding winner.  But remember you could be completely wrong and if no one else answer you win.  So well worth a go.

    Closing date is 30th October and the prize this time is a £7 voucher towards a therapy of your choice or a meal in Zen or a free Yoga class.

    Make your guess below and we will comment to give further clues.

  5. Zen Cuisine tips: cous cous

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    Cous cous is one of the easiest and quickest things to make and yet it is aso one of the things that many people can't get right.  When you make it yourself it tastes so much better than the pre flavoured packs you can buy that tend to be less than authentic in taste.

    Here are some tips:

    First decide what you want to use cous cous for.  Is it a salad in it's own right or a backdrop for something else like a tagine for instance?

    If it is for a tagine you want the flavour to be pleasant but not too distinct  in a similar way as  rice accompanyies a curry.

    So a basic original cous cous would be to soften a little finely chopped onion in oil and add a clove of garlic.  You need oil to keep the cous cous fluffy.  i use coconut oil.  Then add the amount of hot water recommended on the cous cous pack to the onion and garlic and stir in some neutral stock.  Add the cous cous and let it soak into the stock.  When the stock is absorbed check that it is moistened and fluffy when stirred.  You may need to add a little more stock.  Add seasoning to tasste and that's it.  So simple.

    For a cous cous that is an item in it's own right you can go to towh a little more.  the secret is to add all the flavouring and ingredients to the water before you add the cous cous.

    So you could add  a hot chopped chilli with finely chooped tomato or sun dried tomato  or substitute the chilli for fresh basil leaves if possible or dried basil.

    You could add corriander leaves chopped and with a squeeze of lemon and some lemon rind grated in.  Some much more tasty than a dried packet that you add water to.  And when you get a bit of the lemon peel in your mouth your taste buds are truly tantalised.  You can always used dried herbs but fresh taste diffferent (better).

    You could also add a selection of finely chopped vegetables or salad items.  Even with these whether pre cooked or raw the ingredients should be added to the water/stock before adding the cous cous.

    I think the reaons for this is that when you are soaking the cous cous it is absorbing the flavours of the water whereas if you add things later the taste sits on top of the cous cous rather than integrating into it.

    Think of your favourite flavours and use those to flavour your cous cous or for ideas check out some of the fried packets but make your own version. it will taste so much better  and made in minutes.  Also a fraction of the cost.

    We would love to know what flavours you try ...... let us know.

     

  6. Hi Ho Hi ho it's off to retreat we go

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    Or how to stretch a weekend into a week.

    We're off the the wild hills of Burnley today for our latest retreat.  Each time we get a new venue it's always a bit serious for us until we get there and make sure everything is okay.  We always like to bring the unique featrues of the venue to the retreat so tailor the weekend to do that. 

    This weekend is very different for us.  We are including into the weekend as much of the outdoors as we can and I think we are going to be lucky enough to have at least one sunny day.  So the field that is part of the centre and the small woods that they also own will be incorporated into our weekend as much as we possibly can.

    There is also a projector room with a big drop down screen which we are going to be using to show film/s in the evening (with popcorn hehe)

    The biggest difference/challenge for me is the catering which Zen are doing i.e. me with a lot of help from Barry and due to frequent requests that I couldn't keep ignoring I decided to take the opportunity to also offer some mini workshops/demonstrations on vegetarian cookery for small groups as the opportunity for a formal kitchen seemed too good to miss.  Soooo... the pressures on and i don't mean cooking (or maybe I do).

    I often feel as though I don't know my left from my right but always seem to get there in the end so i am sure all will go swimmingly well and I nominate Lesley to take over if I loose my ability to speak.

    Barry, who can be found looking at the moon quite often, has noted that this Sunday is a new moon which has special meaning 24 hours each side so on Saturday he will be incorporating some new moon posturing and  meditation and we will be holding a workshop on mandalas for the new moon too.

    A very different weekend will be had by all

    It takes a lot of preparation but the weekend is usually great fun and a fantastic weekend away that feels more like a week, so stretching in more ways than one.

    I will tell you more when it is all over.