Seo an chéad seachtain le píosa go raibh aon suim agam nó fuinneamh agam smaoineamh chun tosaigh. Sular tharla gach rud a tharla le cúpla mí anuas ní raibh mé go maith ag pleanáil cúrsaí agus dátaí. Ach leis an mbliain nua ag teannadh linn bhí a fhios agam go raibh rudaí go raibh mé ag iarraidh a dhéanamh agus pleananna a raibh mé ag iarraidh leagadh síos agus anois TÁ SÉ DÉANTA AGAM! Tá mé thar a bheith bródúil asam féin!

This is the first week in a while that I have had any interest or energy to think about anything that is not directly in front of me. Even before everything went down over these past few weeks I was not great at forward planning but I did and have known for a while that there are a few things I wanted to pin down for the new year and NOW I HAVE DONE IT! And I am so proud of myself!

Chuir mé ríomhphost mí na Samhna amach inné (má suim leat a bheith ar an liosta sin cuir ríomhphost go solasrelaxation@gmail.com) agus leis sin a dhéanamh bhí orm na dátaí a shocrú.

I sent out my November update email yesterday (if you want to be added to the list for these monthly emails send an email to solasrelaxation@gmail.com) and in order to send it out I had to think about and organise dates.

Beidh dúshlán 5 lá ar siúl agam i mí Eanáir i mo ghrúpa Facebook 5 Lá de Chineáltas ón 11ú go dtí 15ú lá. Beimid cineálta linn féin agus leis na daoine thart orainn le linn an dúshlán seo le moltaí agus rudaí beaga le déanamh. Úsáidfimid an anáil agus aireachas le cineáltas a léiriú dúinn féin agus feicfimid le linn na seachtaine go dtiocfaidh an cineáltas amach agus go dtabharfaidh daoine eile in ár saolta go bhfuil muid níos cineálta leo. Más suim leat a bheith páirteach linn, glac ballraíocht sa ghrúpa anseo.   

I will be running a 5 day challenge in my Facebook group 5 Days of Kindness Challenge from 11th to 15th January. During this week we are going to use our breath and a sense of awareness to remember to be kind to ourselves. There will be daily reminders and little things to do to show ourselves and those around us kindness. If you’d like to join us, you can join the Facebook group here.

An tseachtain dár gcionn, ar an Déardaoin, 21 Eanáir tosóidh cúrsa 6 seachtain le leanúint ar aghaidh ag cothú an chineáltais sin; Ag Cothú Cineáltais Inmheánach. Tá an cúrsa seo dírithe ar héinne atá ag iarraidh an chaidrimh atá acu leo féin a fheabhsú agus mar sin na caidrimh atá ina saolta a fheabhsú mar thoradh ar sin. Úsáidfimid aireachas agus beidh an intinn níos ciúine le gur féidir linn an guth olc sin atá ionann ar fad a ísliú agus beidh muid in ann glacadh linn féin ar bhealach níos fearr agus níos éifeachtaí. Cabhróidh an cúrsa seo le codail, strus agus buaireamh agus tá an t-eolas ar fad ar fáil anseo.  

The following week on Thursday, 21 January, I will start Cultivating Inner Kindness, a six-week adult course for anyone who is looking to improve their relationship with themselves and with others. During our time together we will use mindfulness and relaxation techniques to ease our busy minds and create space for kindness and acceptance of ourselves and of those around us. This course will improve your home environment, help you to have a slower way of life and in turn reduce stress and anxiety. You sleep will also be improved. All of the information is available here.  

Huzzah! Agus maith mise as ucht rud éigin fiúntach a dhéanamh! Beidh Katie sa todhchaí an-bhuíoch as an obair seo ar fad!

Huzzah to me! I’ll definately be giving myself a pat on the back! Future Katie will be very grateful for all of the work I’ve done!

Bhí mé agus tá mé ag streachailt go mór le cúpla seachtain anuas. Tá go leor ar siúl agam leis an obair, an coláiste agus mo sheisiúin leis an gcomhairleoir, gan trácht ar an mbeirt a chaill mé le déanaí agus mar sin níor chodail mé go maith le tamall anois. Codail éadrom a bhíonn ann nuair atá mé in ann titim i mo chodail agus bíonn brionglóidí aisteacha agam, ceann aréir a scanraigh go mór mé. Dúirt múinteoir atá agam sa choláiste go mbíonn ár intinn ag labhairt linn tríd na brionglóidí seo agus creidim féin ansin, go bhfuil muid ag iarraidh ciall a dhéanamh den méid a tharla le linn an lae sna brionglóidí agus sin an fáth gur scanraigh an ceann ón oíche aréir mé.

I am and I have been struggling for a few weeks now. I have a lot on with work, college, therapy, not even mentioning the two deaths that happened too recently so I haven’t slept well for a while now. When I do sleep it’s a very light sleep and I’m having all of these weird dreams and last night’s dream really scared me! One of my tutors in college said that our dreams are messages our psyche is sending to us and that they can be an indication that our psyche is disturbed. If this is the case my psyche is very very disturbed...

Go hiondúil ní maith liom a bheith ag tógáil drugaí le fáil réidh le pian, b’fhearr liom an chúis taobh thiar den phian nó cibé a aimsiú agus é a leighis gan drugaí mí-nádúrtha...bhuel is maith liom a bheith ag smaoineamh mar sin agus ansin tarlaíonn rud éigin agus tá mé ag mothú go holc agus ag iarraidh go stopadh an pian láithreach...agus sin a tharla an tseachtain seo. Bhí mé ag smaoineamh ar bealaí difriúla go d’fhéadfaidh mé cabhrú leis an gcodail go nadúrtha agus ansin luaigh duine éigin Panadol Night liom. Níor chuala mé trácht air ach dá má rud é go d’fhéadfaidh mé codail maith a fháil leis bhí mé breá sásta triail a bhaint as agus bhí sé iontach! Níor imigh na brionglóidí ach mhothaigh mé amhlaidh is gur bhfuair mé codail maith don chéad uair le coicís.

Normally I don’t like taking meditation prescribed by the doctor or from a pharmacy. I would rather find the root cause and tackle that....bhuel that is what I like to think and then something happens and I feel like proper shite and I reach for tablets because they’re so easy, maybe too easy to access. The same thing happened this time. Someone asked me if I had tried any natural remedies for bad sleep and I said no but I had even gotten to the point of trying something not natural. She suggested Panadol Night. I’d never heard of it but wow did it and does it work! I felt like a new person yesterday after a slightly deeper sleep then I had been having. I still had my strange dreams but I felt much more like I had properly slept.

D’inis mo chara tí dom gur féidir leat a bheith gafa leis agus nuair a chuala mo mháthair gur thóg mé é bhí sí ar an bhfón láithreach ach mar a luaigh mé, tá mé ag streachailt le déanaí agus má tá seo ag cabhrú liom is leor sin. Ní bhaineann sé le héinne eile ach an oiread ach is léir nach rud a dhéanaim go coitianta agus mé ag smaoineamh an méid seo air go bhfuil an blag seo ar fad bunaithe air! Ach mhothaigh mé níos fearr agus sin an príomhrud! Tá an-seans ann go dtógfaidh mé arís iad freisin! Tá siad uaim le leanúint ar aghaidh leis an saol agus tá siúl agam má tá rud sa bhreis, tacaíocht sa bhreis uait féin go dtógfaidh tú féin é, nó go n-iarrfaidh tú ar duine éigin cabhrú leat. Táimid uilig ag streachailt, go háirithe le linn na bliana olc seo! I ndiaidh labhairt amach faoin streachailt tuigim anois go dtugann sin cead do dhaoine eile labhairt amach. Shíl mé go raibh mé liom féin ach níl mé. Táimid uilig ag streachailt inár mbealach féin.

My housemate didn’t react positively when I told her I had taken it and when my mother found out she was straight on the phone but as I have mentioned, I have been struggling. A lot and not sleeping was adding to the struggle so if taking medication helped me to get through the week then I was happy to do that. Although it is abundantly clear that I am not fully OK with my decision considering I’ve dedicated this week’s blog entirely to it... but sure look, I felt better and I’ll probably take them again. If I need it to survive right now then I need it. And that goes for everyone; we are 8 months into a global pandemic; we are in round 2 of who knows how many rounds of lockdown; if you need something to help you survive, if you need to admit that you need help or even just need to admit that you’re struggling please do it. Whatever it is. Nobody knows you better then you so please get the help and ask for the support when you need it because we all need it at some point. I have realised by being open about how much I’m struggling has given other people the permission they need to be open about their own struggles so please don’t think you are alone. I thought I was but I’m not. This year has been really shit and difficult for so many of us in so many ways. You are not the only one.

Dé hAoine an 13ú lá; deir roinnt faoi láthair go bhfuil mí-ádh ag baint leis an lá seo ach bheadh an roinnt sin faoi thionchar an phatrarc. Sular raibh an lámh in uachtar ag an bpatrarc bhí ádh mhór ag baint leis an lá seo do mhná. Lá an Bhandia a bhí ann, lá le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar an cuid baineann diaga atá ionann ar fad agus an timthriall de bhás, beatha agus athbhreith.

Friday the 13th! A lot of people seem to think that this is an unlucky day but those people would believe that because they are under the influence of the patriarchy. Before the patriarchy was in control Friday the 13th was considered to be a very lucky day. It was called the Day of the Goddess and was a time of celebration for the Divine Feminine that is within us all. It was a celebration of the cycle of life, death and rebirth.

Roghnaigh an patrarc an lá 13ú lá le híomhá ‘mí-ádh’ a chruthú thart air, toisc go bhfuil 13 timthriall ag an ngealach taobh istigh de 12 mhí; bíonn 13 ghealach lán agus dorcha in aon bhliain amháin agus toisc go leanann mná an timthriall na gealaí leis an timthriall atá againne go ginearálta bíonn 13 míostrú ag mná gach bhliain.

The 13th day and the number 13 has been considered unlucky for centuries. This is because the day is connected to women’s menstrual cycles. The moon has approximately 13 cycles – full moon to dark moon and back again – every 12 calendar months, on average women have the same amount of cycles as our cycles are connected to the moon.  

Ansin, an Aoine; baineann an Aoine leis an bpláinéad Véineas agus baineann Véineas leis an bhfuinneamh baineann. Sin fuinneamh cruthaíoch agus suilt. Tá an patrarc i ndiaidh íomhá olc a chruthú thart ar an Aoine. Deirtear gur mheall Eve Adam leis an úll ar an Aoine, agus ar an Aoine freisin go raibh air imeacht as na flaithis agus iontas na n-iontas, fuair sé bás ar Aoine chomh maith. Anuas ar sin, b’ea Aoine an Chéasta nuair a fuair Íosa Chríost bás.   

And Friday is the day of Venus, the planet of love, creativity and all things feminine energy. The patriarchy decided to make this day the day that Eve allegedly tempted Adam with the apple, it was also on a Friday that Adam was banished from Paradise, the day he repented and the day he died. This trend continued on until the ‘Good Friday’ that Jesus was killed.  

Ach tá mé ag iarraidh athghabháil a dhéanamh ar an lá seo. Tá mé ag iarraidh ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar na bandéithe atá ann agus ar an bhfuinneamh baineann atá istigh ionam féin. Bhí na fir, an patrarc agus fuinneamh fireann i gceannas leis na céadta bliain agus feicimid nach bhfuil sin i ndiaidh oibriú; ‘sé in am d’athrú! ‘Sé in am dúinn ar fad aithne a chur ar ár bhfuinneamh baineann agus ligint di a bheith i gceannas ar feadh píosa!

I personally would like to reclaim Friday the 13th. I want to return it to the Day of the Goddess and I want to celebrate and acknowledge my own feminine energy. We have seen what the patriarchy and masculine energy does when it is in charge so maybe now it is time to allow some feminine energy take the reins!

Mí na Samhna cheana féin! Agus tá mise go fóill ag snámh san fharraige! Seo an chineál smaoineamh a bhí agam nuair a thosaigh mé; go mbeadh sé iontach dá má rud é gur mise ceann de na daoine sin a bhíonn ag snámh san fharraige le linn na bliana ar fad ach anois tá mé ag smaoineamh b’fhéidir go bhfuil mé beagán as mo mheabhair. Agus b’fhéidir go bhfuil...

It’s November already! And I am still swimming in the sea! The thought I had when I started swimming was that it would be great if I could be one of those people who swims every day throughout the year, now I’ve reached the swimming in winter and I’m wondering if my sense has left me altogether...maybe it has...

Thosaigh mé le linn an samhraidh agus anois tá mé mar chuid de ghrúpa bean a bhuaileann le chéile uair sa tseachtain le dul ag snámh, agus téann cuid againn níos minice ná sin. Lean mé mo chroí anseo go Gaillimh agus isteach san fharraige agus anois tá cairde agam dá bharr. An chomhairle atá agam daoibh mar sin ná do chroí a leanúint, i gcónaí!

I started swimming during the summer and now I am part of a group of women who meet once a week to swim, and some of us swim more often then that. I followed my heart to Galway and then all the way into the sea and here we are now; with new friends being made during a pandemic. Huzzah! So my advice to everyone is to follow their heart, always!

Sin ar fad ráite, de réir mar a éiríonn na laethanta níos giorra tá níos mó tuirse ag teacht ormsa! Bhuel, níl a fhios agam an mbaineann an tuirse leis na hoícheanta dorcha nó díreach go raibh mé ag obair go dian le cúpla seachtain anuas agus ag dul i ngleic le go leor rudaí eile...pé cúis atá ann tá mé scriosta! Agus tá mé ag siúl go mór leis an Satharn a thógáil saor go hiomlán. Bhí mé in ann an Céadaoin a thógáil saor freisin agus cabhraigh sin go mór, ach ní leor lá amháin! Beidh orm é a thógáil go réidh le cúpla seachtain sílim agus ní cheart go mbeidh sin ródheacair agus muid i lár dianghlasála a dó! Ach fós féin, leis an obair ar fad atá ar bun againn ar líne, caithfimid a bheith cúramach go dtógfaimid sosanna, go háirithe muna bhfuil tú cleachtadh le bheith ag obair ón mbaile!

All that being said, as the days get shorter, I get more and more tired. My tiredness may be down to the dark or it may a result of a really intense workload these past few weeks and a lot to process at the same time, but whatever the reason is I cannot wait to take tomorrow off! I took Wednesday off this week as well and it was great! But one day was definitely not enough! I’m really going to be mindful over the next few weeks and try to generally take things easy, which shouldn’t be too difficult considering we’re in Lockdown Round 2 but with everything transferred to online I’m still pretty busy! Which is a reminder to us all to remember to take breaks and to take time off, especially for those of us not used to working from home. It can be so easy to do more work then you would usually because you’re doing it all from home!

Tá cúrsa nua do dhaoine fásta ag tosú agam an tseachtain seo chugainn agus is cúrsa iontach é d’éinne a bhíonn deacrachtaí acu sosanna a thógáil. Creating Inner Calm through Mindfulness is ainm den chúrsa agus tugann sé deis do na rannpháirtithe spás ina dteach féin a aimsiú leis an aireachais a dhéanamh ar feadh uair an chloig ar feadh sé seachtain. Cabhraíonn an cúrsa le héinne a bhíonn deacrachtaí codalta acu, daoine a bhíonn ag smaoineamh go leor. Nuair a bhíonn tú féin níos ciúine agus níos socraithe bíonn an domhain thar timpeall ort níos ciúine agus níos moille.

I have a new adult course starting next week that might be of interest to those of you that find it difficult to take time off. Creating Inner Calm through Mindfulness gives the participants the chance to find a suitable quiet and comfortable space in their own home to practice sitting in quiet and calm for one hour a week for six weeks. This course can help with difficulty sleeping, busy minds that won’t quieten and anxiety. When our inner world is calmer and quieter than our outer world becomes calmer and quieter.

Tá tuilleadh eolais ar an gcúrsa ar fáil anseo agus cuir scéal chugam más suim leat ann agus is féidir linn é a phlé.

There is more information about this course available here and if anyone is interested send me a message and we’ll have a chat about it.