From Thursday 05 March 2020, the women's writing group is venturing online.

Unfortunately with a change in the late night opening hours at the shopping centre, our favourite place is no longer open long enough for us to meet. Having experienced difficulties in finding a free alternative, this seems the only option at this time, if I am to keep this group free to attend.

Zoom is free to download, and can be used with ease from your phone or laptop.

“Trees grow out of my body
I'm not sure if I planted them
or if they planted me"
- Ryan Van Lenning -

On the cusp of the Autumn Equinox, I met with a group of women at our local park between two impressive Cedar of Lebanon trees, for a mini-workshop entitled 'Women in Nature'.

The morning was an opportunity for us to gather to meditate and write within the presence of these beautiful trees, using nature as our inspirational guide.

Thursday evening we shared the space in John Lewis cafe with a much larger group of women who were knitting. Places for women to gather with ease is, ironically, not easy to come by. Hearing the other group occasionally in the background resonated with this month's theme: Free your Voice

For several years I've been dipping in and out of researching into what happens to women's voices as they age. I've even written about it.

Google meditation and you will be inundated with thousands of possibilities, amongst which will be familiar themes (many cliched) on how it will help you clear your mind (I'm still yet to understand how this is even possible), how it can change your life in 21 days (what happens after that time?) as well as epic journeys into colourful realms. 

Many are very sincere and well-meaning, but there's very few that will suggest using the very stuff of your life as the fuel for the practice.

When we get quiet (which is what our meditation practice invites us to do), that's when other elements put in an appearance.

All those uninvited visitors decide to drop in unannounced: thoughts, feelings; memories, etc.

We have a choice - this is the beauty of meditation, it's all about remembering we have choices.

You can use your normal default of burying your head in the sand and pretending these visitors aren't there (in effect, slamming the door in their face).

Time to Focus - our monthly meditation group for women, provides a wonderful space in which you can re-focus aspects of your life through the lens of meditation.

The group is suitable for beginners and the seasoned meditator alike, and offers 3 x meditation practices, discussion on our group reading guide as well as other aspects of practice and how it relates to our lives as women.

Refreshments are also provided.

Plus! You will see that meditation isn't always what you thought it was.

Looking to create a slower pace?

The weekly women's yoga class in Central Watford may be just the thing you are seeking.

The classes are gently paced but provide the right level of challenge for all women, irrespective of which stage of life you find yourself in right now.

A strong focus on encouraging a bringing together the many aspects of ourselves which have got fractured due to the busy aspects of our lives. In addition, there is a focus on pelvic floor strengthening that goes beyond simply doing kegels.

Returning home to ourselves through our practice

"How can one learn to live through the ebb tides of one's existence?"
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Many of you are aware, I recently visited the Isle of Iona for a much-needed break. It was in fact a writing retreat, but included silence from breakfast through to late morning each day. For me, it also allowed a re-investment in other aspects of my personal practice.