An tseachtain seo, d’fhogair mé mo chéad cúrsa teaghlaigh don bhliain. Cúrsa Relax Kids a bheidh ann. Le linn gach rang Relax Kids téann muid trí seacht gcéim ina iomláine. Idir seo agus tús an chúrsa, ar an gCéadaoin, 3 Márta tabharfaidh mé cur síos duit anseo ar na céimeanna sin. Beidh an cúrsa ar siúl ar feadh 6 seachtain ag 4.30in gach Céadaoin agus tá sé feiliúnach don chlann ar fad, ach go háirithe páistí ag aois bunscoile ach bainfidh na páistí níos sine agus níos óige sult as píosaí éagsula de na ranganna.  

This week I launched my first family Relax Kids course of the year. Every class of a Relax Kids course includes seven steps. I am going to use this blog for the next few weeks to explain exactly what those steps are and what happens during each Relax Kids class. The course I will be running will be a 6-week course starting on Wednesday, 3rd March at 4.30pm and it is suitable for all families, particularly families with primary-aged children but older and younger children will enjoy different parts of the class. each course is completely tailored to the needs of the participants so everyone is welcome! And as it is an online class you can be located anywhere as well!

Tosaíonn muid gach rang le trí anáil domhain, isteach tríd an srón agus amach tríd an bhéal. Cabhraíonn an anáil seo linn féin a shuaimhniú agus a shocrú síos le go mbeidh muid réidh le tabhairt faoi rudaí nua. Iarraim ar gach duine na lámha a chur ar a mbolg aon am go ndéanann muid anáil domhain leis an anáil a mhealladh síos go dtí an bolg. Go minic nuair a thógann muid anáil bíonn sé gearr agus éadomhain agus má táimid ag iarraidh na anála a úsáid leis na intinn a chiúine caithfimid é a mhoilliú síos agus ligint den aer isteach sa bholg.

Every class starts with three deep breaths in and slowly out. Focusing on the breath and the use of the breath is a great way to calm the busy mind and it is the perfect way to start anything new or different. After taking three breaths with their hands on their belly the participants are ready for whatever new thing we will be doing! I always ask children and adults alike to have their hands on their belly during the deep breaths as it encourages the breath to elongate and to reach as far down as their belly. We so often have shallow, short breaths but when we focus on the breath and can make it longer and deeper we are automatically quietening our minds as we are taking the attention away from our thoughts and into our bodies.

Nuair atá sin déanta againn agus nuair a thuigeann gach duine céard a tharlóidh sa rang, seasann muid ar fad suas agus tosaíonn muid ag bogadh. Critheann muid amach ár gcolainn agus ag léimt thart agus ag fáil réidh le uair an chloig spraoi agus craic! Ansin imríonn muid cluichí; iarraim ar na páistí ligint orthu féin gur ainmhí éagsula iad. Is breá liom féin an eilifint a dhéanamh agus moncaí, capall agus coinín. Uaireanta iarraim ar na gasúir insint dúinn faoin ainmhí is fearr leo agus déanann muid sin chomh maith!

When this is done and when everyone understands exactly what will be happening during the class, we stand up and we start moving. We shake out our arms and legs and our bodies to release tension and to warm ourselves up to get started. Then we play some games. The games have had to change a little due to the online aspect of the classes now but they’re always a lot of fun! One of my favourite games is to pretend to be different animals; I love doing the elephant and the monkey and the rabbit and sometimes the children will tell me what animals they love and we’ll give them a go too!

Dár ndóigh, bhí ar na cluichí athrú beagán agus muid anois ar líne ach fós féin bíonn go leor spraoi againn. Deirim ráitis agus bíonn ar na páistí léimt chun tosaigh má tá sé fíor agus léimt siar muna bhfuil sé. Tá réalta beaga agam le focail orthu agus feiceann na páistí iad agus ansin bainim ceann nó dhó agus caithfidh siad smaoinigh ar céard a bhí ann roimhe sin.

Another game is that I say a statement and if it’s true the children and their parents jump forward and if it’s false the jump backwards, I also love getting everyone to make some noise or playing memory games.

Sprioc ollmhór atá agam le linn gach rang teaghlaigh ná go mbainfidh na páistí sult as agus le linn an chéad chuid den rang déanann muid go leor leor rudaí le go mbeidh am maith acu! Beidh an cúrsa seo ar siúl ar Zoom agus tá an t-eolas ar fad ar fáil anseo.

One of the main aims of every family class I teach is that the children have fun and the first part of the class is all about fun and jumping around and doing whatever we need to to get moving. All of the information on this upcoming course is available here.

Le tuilleadh eolais a fháil ar Relax Kids agus na táirgí álainn ar fad a chuireann siad ar fáil cuir scéal chugamsa ar solasrelaxation@gmail.com nó téigh go suíomh Relax Kids anseo. Freisin, beidh mé ar ais arís ar an Luan ag 6in ar mo leathanach Facebook anseo le píosa aireachais eile ón leabhar The Wishing Star. I mBéarla a bheidh sé ach má tá píosa aireachais uait i nGaeilge bígí i dteagmháil liom agus beidh mé in ann rud éigin a dhéanamh duit. Agus déan cinnte go dtagann tú ar ais an tseachtain seo chugainn le fáil amach céard a tharlaíonn le linn an darna cuid den rang!

Relax Kids have so many beautiful products and packs they provide for parents and children. You can always contact me on solasrelaxation@gmail.com if you have any question or you could go to the Relax Kids website here. I will be live on my Facebook page Solas Relaxation agus Relax Kids on Monday evening at 6pm (GMT) reading from one of the beautiful Relax Kids books, The Wishing Star and make sure to come back here next week to find out what the next steps in a Relax Kids class are.

Bíodh deireadh seachtaine álainn agaibh ar fad agus má tá ceist ar leith agaibh maidir le rudaí suaimhneacha nó aireachais bígí i dteagmháil liom!

Have a beautiful weekend, whatever it is you get up to and if you have any mindfulness or relaxation questions please send me a message xx

Grá mór,
Katie

Thosaigh mé mo chéad cúrsa aireachais don bhliain aréir agus bhí bean ann a bhí ag labhairt linn faoin obairscoile atá sí ag déanamh lena hiníon. Dúirt sí go raibh sí ag streachailt go mór leis agus nach raibh sí féin ná an iníon ag fáil mórán as. Ar deireadh dúirt sí go raibh sí le beagán dó a dhéanamh amach anseo agus é a fhágáil aige sin. “Ag pointe éigin caithfidh mé a admháil gur leor an méid atá mé ag deanamh,” a dúirt sí agus bhí mé thar a bheith sásta sin a chloisteáil!

I started my first adult mindfulness course of the year last night and one of the participants was talking about the homeschooling she has been doing with her daughter. She said that she has been really struggling with it over the past few weeks and neither she or her daughter are getting much out of it.
“At some point I just have to accept that the amount I’m doing is enough and that’s that,” she said and I was so delighted to hear that!

Tá go leor leor brú ar thuismitheoirí faoi láthair le hobairscoile a dhéanamh lena bpáistí féin agus mar sin tá an caidreamh idir an páiste agus an tuismitheoir ag athrú; tá an tuismitheoir ag iarraidh a bheith mar múinteoir agus tuismitheoir ag aon am amháin agus níl sé sin éasca agus do roinnt agaibh, níl sé indéanta!

There is so much pressure on parents at the minute with the schools sending work home for them to do with their children. This new teacher/parent/child dynamic is a new and challenging one, on top of the challenge of surviving through a pandemic!

Mar sin, mholfainn daoibh ar fad atá ina tuismitheoir, an brú a bhaint duit féin. Ní gá duit tú féin agus na gasúir a mharú ag iarraidh obair scoile a dhéanamh. Is leor an méid atá tú ag déanamh, fiú más rud é go bhfuil tú díreach in ann na páistí a bheatha agus sin é. Is leor sin.

So I would advise all and every parent reading this to take the pressure off yourself. It’s not going to kill the kids or you for the homeschooling to not be done or for you to take a break from it. Whatever you are doing, let that be enough! Even if today all you have managed to do is feed the kids, that is ok.  

Agus más féidir leat, moladh eile a bheadh agam ná an teach a fhágáil le haer úr agus beagán aclaíochta a fháil. Déan iarracht é a dhéanamh uair sa lá ar a laghad.  

And my next piece of advice would be to leave the house to get some fresh air and some exercise. Try to do this at least once a day.

Le linn an geimhridh bíonn sé an-éasca fanacht istigh. Bíonn an aimsir fuar agus fliuch agus bíonn sé dorcha níos mó ná go mbíonn sé geal! Ach, go háirithe i mbliana, mholfainn duit an teach a fhágáil ar a laghad uair sa lá. Déanaim féin an-iarracht dul amach ag siúl gach lá, ní théim rófhada gach lá ach mothaím i bhfad níos fearr i ndiaidh. Cuireann an aclaíocht an fhuil agus an fuinneamh ag bogadh thart ar an gcolainn agus nuair atá vitimín D nádúrtha ar fáil is ceart dúinn é a fháil an méid is mó is gur féidir linn!

During the winter months it can be easy to stay inside; it’s cold and wet outside and it’s dark more then it’s bright so inside is so much more inviting! But this year, more then previous years it is more important the ever to make sure you’re getting fresh air every day and whenever you do see the sun try to get out and get some of that natural vitamin D!

Bhuel! B’in an tseachtain is faide dá raibh ann! Níor shíl mé go mbainfidh muid an Aoine amach choíche! Níor thuig mé go hiomlán an fáth go raibh sé ag mothú chomh fada sin go dtí gur luaigh duine éigin an ghealach dorcha dom. Bhí fuinneamh na gealaí dorcha linn an tseachtain seo agus is am é sin le machnamh a dhéanamh, le bheith níos ciúine agus smaoineamh ar na rudaí gur mhaith linn tarraingt isteach chugainn sa chéad coicís eile roimh an ghealach lán. Mar sin, ag an am sin den mhí is féidir leis an bhfuinneamh aireachtáil níos troime agus má chuireann muid stád na doimhne le Covid, na scéalta faoi na hárais máithreacha agus leanaí anseo in Éirinn agus na scéalta ar fad ag teacht chugainn ó na Stáit Aontaithe ní haon iontas é go bhfuil an fuinneamh trom!

Well! That was the longest week on record! I didn’t know if we would ever get to Friday! I didn’t fully understand why it was feeling so long until someone mentioned the new moon. We have been in new moon energy this week and typically that means we feel more inclined to retreat, to meditate and contemplate. Therefore, at this time of the month the energy can feel heavier and with everything that is happening in the world at the minute it’s not very surprising that things feel heavier.

Leis sin ar fad tá mé ag iarraidh cúpla rud beag a mholadh duit le cabhrú leis an bhfuinneamh trom seo atáimid ar fad ag mothú!

And with that all in mind I want to give you a few tips of little things that could help you and your family right now.

An chéad mholadh atá agam ná gan a bheith ag breáthú ar an nuacht barraíocht. Ach ansin, céard is barraíocht ann...bhuel, an rud a dhéanaim féin ná ní éistim leis céad rud ar maidin. Má dhéanann tú sin ní chruthóidh tú ach droch-spíon don lá ar fad. Ní athróidh an nuacht mórán le linn an lae, mar sin is leor breathnú ar fhigiúirí (más maith leat ach cinnte níl gá!) faoi dhó sa lá. Pé nuacht gur gá duit foghlaim gheobhaidh tú é, luath nó mall ach ní fiú duit drochthús a chur le do lá nó droch-deireadh ach an oiread!

The first thing I would advise and that NEEDS to be said repeatedly is to ask you to stop watching and listening to the news so much. Starting the day listening to the news is only going to start your day off badly because there is so rarely good news at the minute! There is no need for you to spend the day watching figures or listening to the headlines, if there is something you really need to hear you’ll hear it and you won’t have to go looking for it.

Tá mé i ndiaidh labhairt agus scríobh neart faoin gcéad mholadh eile ach sin toisc go gcreidim go hiomlán ann agus b’in leabhar buíochais. Mholfainn do gach duine ar domhain leabhar buíochais a bheith acu agus trí rud a scríobh istigh ann gach oíche sula dtéann siad a luigh. Athróidh sé na smaointe a bheidh agat agus tú ag dul a chodail agus beidh tú ag smaoineamh ar na rudaí maithe a tharla an lá sin in ionad a bheith ag smaoineamh ar na drochrudaí.

I have written and spoken about this next tip a lot before but that is because it can change your life and that tip is to have a gratitude journal. I would recommend that you write at least three things on it every night. They don’t have to be big things just small simple things that you are glad to have in your life. Doing this before bed completely changes your mindset to be aware of the positive things that have happened during the day as you go to sleep, instead of focusing on the negative which is something we all do so well!

Ansin, mholfainn duit a bheith i dteagmháil le daoine taobh amuigh de do theach féin. Anseo in Éirinn níl cead againn buaileadh le cairde ach leis an teicneolaíocht ar fad atá againn tá go leor bealaí eile ann le fanacht i dteagmháil le daoine agus mholfainn duit sin a dhéanamh, go minic. Go minic bíonn muid sáite inár scéal agus saol féin agus déanann muid dearmad go bhfuil rudaí eile ann, má labhraíonn muid le daoine eile cuirfidh sin i gcuimhne duit go bhfuil daoine eile amuigh ansin agus nach bhfuil muid go hiomlán linn féin.

And finally, I would suggest that you stay in contact with people outside your home. With all the Covid restrictions a lot of us are being told to not meet people outside our household but that doesn’t mean you can’t stay in touch via video and phone calls. Talking to someone that is outside our house and that has other things going on is a reminder for us that we are not alone. This difficult situation is effecting everyone in different ways and when we aren’t meeting other people we can sometimes forget that.

Agus muna leanann sibh mo leathanach Facebook Solas Relaxation agus Relax Kids go fóill, mholfainn daoibh sin a dhéanamh mar gach Luan ag 6in beidh mé agus tá mé ag léamh amach píosa álainn aireachais ó na leabhair atá ag Relax Kids AGUS tá Relax Kids ag tabhairt moltaí do thuismitheoirí gach lá ó Luan go hAoine do rudaí deasa suaimhneacha gur féidir libh a dhéanamh leis na páistí nó díreach duit féin agus tá mé ag roinnt na moltaí sin freisin.

And if you are not following my Facebook page Solas Relaxation agus Relax Kids I would recommend that you do because every Monday at 6pm I will be doing a live video reading one of the beautiful meditations that are in the Relax Kids books and I am also sharing affirmations and tips that Relax Kids HQ has put together to support families during these strange, challenging times.

Bliain úr mhaith do mo chuid léitheoirí ar fad! Cé go n-airíonn an bhliain seo an-cosúil leis an mbliain seo caite... drochthús don bhliain atá ann le dianghlasáil uimhir a trí agus uimhreacha Covid19 níos airde anseo in Éirinn ná a bhí siad riamh roimhe! Ach sin uilig ráite, bhí an aimsir go hálainn ó thús na bliana, tá sé fuar go maith ach beagnach gach lá anseo i nGaillimh ó gur tháinig mé ar ais ó Bhaile Átha Cliath tá an ghrian amuigh agus chonaic mé pictiúir álainn de sléibhte, páirceanna agus bóithre clúdaithe i mbrath sneachta. Tá mé féin go pearsanta ag tógáil an dea-aimsir seo mar chomhartha maith. Níor thosaigh an bhliain rómhaith ó thaobh na paindéime ach tá rudaí deasa go fóill le feiceáil agus le braith, ach b’fhéidir go bhfuil sé níos deacra duit teacht orthu.

Happy new year to you all! Even if this year feels an awful lot like last year....we’ve definitely had a grim start to the year here in Ireland with our Covid cases higher then they have ever been and the whole country in Lockdown 3 BUT with all that being said, the weather since the beginning of the year has been beautiful! The sun has been shining here in Galway since I got back from Dublin and I have seen beautiful pictures from other parts of the country of snow covered fields and mountains so I am taking that as a good sign! With regards the pandemic and Covid the year hasn’t started out too well but there is still plenty of beauty to be found around us all!

Tá mé bródúil go maith faoi láthair toisc gur féidir liom rudaí maithe a aimsiú agus a fheiceáil. Ó gur chaill mé Aoife, mo chara agus Michael, m’uncail bhí an saol i bhfad níos deacra agus is ar éigean go raibh mé ag tabhairt faoi rud ar bith, gan trácht ar rudaí maithe a fheiceáil thar timpeall orm. Sin ráite, níor thosaigh an tseachtain seo, an chéad tseachtain den bhliain ró-mhaith.

And I am really proud of myself for being able to see that beauty! Since Aoife and Michael have died life has been really difficult and I was struggling to get up in the morning let alone to see anything good in the day. But for this first week of the new year I have definitely found lots of beauty around me. BUT I did also struggle this week.

Tháinig mé ar ais go Gaillimh ar an Satharn le go mbeidh mé in ann socrú isteach i gceart sula dtosóinn ar an obair ach bhí mé in ísle brí ceart. Bhí mé ag teacht ar ais go teach folamh agus fios agam nach bhfeicfinn éinne ach i ndiaidh píosa ióga agus codail maith mhothaigh mé níos fearr.

I came back to Galway on Saturday so I would be able to get back into work on Monday after settling back into things here but Saturday evening was tough; I was feeling really down and I couldn’t even pinpoint what had gotten me down (lockdown, January, bereavement; there was just so much to choose from...) but after some yoga and a good night’s rest I started to feel better.

Maidin Luain agus d’éirigh mé go luath le tabhairt faoin lá ach ní raibh mórán fuinnimh agam aon rud a dhéanamh. Tharla an rud céanna maidin Dé Máirt agus ar an gCéadaoin agus mar sin, bheartaigh mé gach éirí go luath ar an Déardaoin – ní fiú é nuair nach bhfuil fuinneamh agam cibé! Agus rinne mé an rud céanna inniu agus tá mé chomh sásta liom féin! Bhí mé ag cur brú orm féin nuair nach fiú é! Bhí liosta agam de na rudaí go raibh orm a dhéanamh agus tá mé á dhéanamh agus ag fáil beagán níos mó codalta ag an am céanna!

So on Monday morning I got up early because that’s what you ‘should’ do when you’re back at work and I didn’t have much energy or interest in anything. The same thing happened on Tuesday and Wednesday and finally by Wednesday I was starting to learn my lesson so I gave myself a lie in on Thursday and felt much better about the day and had much more energy so I did the same thing this morning and I generally feel so much better!

Tá mé ag tosú dúshláin 5 lá saor in aisce i mo ghrúpa Facebook an tseachtain seo chugainn agus an téama atá thart air ná cineáltas! Agus is léir go bhfuil an cur i gcuimhne ag teastáil uaim féin! Más spéis leat a bheith páirteach sa dúshlán ní mór duit ach ballraíocht a ghlacadh sa ghrúpa anseo.

Next week I’m running a FREE 5 Day Challenge in my Facebook group Cultivating Inner Happiness and kindness is our theme and I obviously needed to give myself some of that kindness already! If you’d like to join us all you have to do is join the group here and it would be great to have you with us!

Freisin, beagán tacaíochta a thabhairt do theaghlaigh atá ag streachailt anois leis an scoileanna a bheith dúnta in athuair, gach trathnóna Luain ag 6in beidh mé ag léamh píosa aireachais ó na leabhair Relax Kids. Mairfidh na seisiúin thart ar 15 nóiméad agus beidh siad feiliúnach do dhaoine fásta agus daoine óga. Tosóidh mé an Luan seo ag 6in ag an nasc seo agus bheadh sé iontach cuid agaibh a bheith liom!

Also, to give some support to families during our next round of school closures, every Monday evening at 6pm GMT I will be reading a relaxation meditation from one of the Relax Kids books live on my Facebook page Solas Relaxation agus Relax Kids. The session will take about 15 minutes and is suitable for all ages! My plan is to make this a Monday evening, weekly event until schools open again so hopefully some of ye could join me!

Agus an rud deireanach atá ag teacht aníos ná mo chúrsa aireachais do dhaoine fásta. Beidh an téama cineáltas againn freisin; sin cineáltas dúinn féin agus do dhaoine eile. Tosóidh sé ar an Déardaoin, 21 Eanáir ag 7.30in. bronntanas álainn duit féin atá ann; uair sa tseachtain go hiomlán duit féin, ar mhaithe leat féin ach feicfidh tú buntáistí do na daoine atá thar timpeall ort freisin mar beidh tú ag labhairt leo agus ag teacht chucu ó áit atá níos réchúiseach agus suaimhneach. Tá an t-eolas ar fad ar fáil anseo nó cuir scéal chugam ag solasrelaxation@gmail.com.

And the final thing I have coming up is my mindfulness course for adults. This six week course will also be focusing on kindness; Cultivating Inner Kindness which will involve being kind to ourselves which in turn will be reflected in our relationships with others. We will be starting on Thursday, 21 January and it is a beautiful gift to yourself and to those around you who will notice a change in you and you will be coming into your interactions with them from a calmer place. All of the information is available here and if you have any questions or would like to have a chat with me just send me an email at solasrelaxation@gmail.com.

Idir an dá linn, bíodh seachtain deas agus sábhálta agaibh ar fad agus bí cineálta leat féin agus leo siúd atá thart ort!

And in the meantime, have a beautiful, safe week! And don’t forget to show yourself and those around you the kindness you all deserve xx