SlowForm Living with Salema Veliu (private feed for salemayoga@icloud.com)

This Week’s Invitation explores* benefits of breath work on and off the reformer* the neuroanatomy of breath and movement* how breathwork can help challenges of the menopause to support Menopause Awareness Month * a reformer yin inspired breathing practice Lately, after an extremely busy six-month cycle of training in mat pilates, reformer pilates and more recently reformer yin. I’ve found myself in a slower, more introspective state—a kind of personal reform. Moments of pauses along the way have become essential to be able to take all the information in and then more importantly have quiet periods to see how l might fuse all of the elements that l’ve learn’t along the way into a offering/s. October, after all is a season of pausing, reviewing, and gently rebuilding.There’s something powerful about giving yourself the time to catch your breath—literally and metaphorically. I now find myself in a very different place: professionally, mentally, and physically. And truthfully? It feels like I’ve landed in a much better place.That said, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. There were moments along the way when I found myself holding my breath—not sure what would come next or where exactly I would land. Maybe you’ve felt that too?Of course, movement and meditation have been steady companions. But the one thing that truly anchored me—more than anything else—was breath work.Teaching pranayama as it’s known in yogic circles is something l’ve taught for over two decades but never imagined it would resurface the way it has. Something that feels like second nature to me has to always been starting each session/class of movement with a few minutes of breathing to help ground students in their receptivity. In other words helping them to land in the session without rushing them into the movement and at the end to allow their nervous systems to reset. In a world of constant stimulation we deserve to moments allow ourselves to switch off and go within, this l believe is reflected in our breathing and ultimately how we move and think after. What l found was because l started my reformer classes so differently, people were a bit shocked at first but then after the end of the class, people would come up and thank me for giving them the time to pause before they got moving. I have to say the response has been quite overwhelming and more importantly l am so happy that people are benefitting from doing it. Then as serendipity would have it, l recently came across some old notes from a workshop l taught back in 2018 for stress. These concepts felt deeply relevant to what I was relearning through my Reformer Yin training, and I began to see how I could adapt them directly on the Reformer—an element I’m now weaving into my developing Slowform Reformer Method.Reformer Breathwork in Menopause As l have been reviewing my knowledge of the nervous system in my reformer yin course, l also began to understand the relevance and importance for women in perimenopause, menopause and post menopause. During these periods it is essential to listen to what our body needs (and l’m talking from personal experience) rather than push through. Therefore, finding the right balance between our yang and yin energy when we move is key to a smoother pathway through this life transition. The main purpose of breathing techniques are to help shift the body into a more restful state—supporting the calming influence of the parasympathetic nervous system on the heart, lungs, and digestive organs.Reconnecting with your breath can be a powerful tool for navigating some of the challenges that often arise during menopause, including:* Insomnia:Practicing rhythmic, calming breathwork throughout the day helps regulate your nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep—and stay asleep—at night. Better sleep means deeper rest, more energy, and improved emotional resilience the next day.* Pelvic Floor Dysfunction:Diaphragmatic breathing engages and strengthens the deep core and pelvic floor muscles. Understanding the connection between the breath and pelvic floor movement can improve coordination, support bladder control, and enhance overall pelvic health.* Hot Flushes:Slow, controlled breathing has been shown to ease the intensity and frequency of hot flushes, helping you feel more grounded and in control when they arise.* Weight Gain & Cravings:Breath-led practices can support digestion by gently stimulating the organs and promoting movement through the gut. When combined with better sleep (a natural benefit of regular breathwork), you’re also less likely to reach for quick-energy foods or sugar-heavy snacks. Simply this is why breathing correctly helps during menopause. Hormonal shifts during menopause (especially oestrogen + progesterone) affect mood, sleep, energy & stress levels. Your breath directly influences your nervous system — helping you move from survival mode to a state of calm.* Down-regulate your stress levels * Reduce cortisol levels* Support your body through menopause Breath is a tool you already have —so why not use it wisely?Neuroanatomy of Breathing - How our nervous system works and how it serves usOur Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) regulates involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, respiration, and more. It has three main branches:* Sympathetic Nervous System* Known as the “fight or flight” response* Activates the body during perceived threats or stress (increased heart rate, dilated pupils, suppressed digestion)* Parasympathetic Nervous System* Known as the “rest and digest” system* Promotes relaxation, digestion, and recovery (slows heart rate, stimulates digestion). When we activate the parasympathetic system, the body slows, softens and begins to recover — cortisol lowers, digestion improves, heart rate eases.* Enteric Nervous System* Often called the “second brain”* A complex network of neurons embedded in the gut* It operates largely independently and manages digestion, but also communicates closely with the brain (via the vagus nerve, for example)It is also worth considering that both PSNS and SNS both send signals to many organs within the body. And did you know* The Enteric Nervous System contains over 100 million neurons—more than the spinal cord. While it’s part of the autonomic nervous system, it’s sometimes considered a separate entity due to its semi-autonomous functions and impact on emotions, mood, and even cognition (via the gut-brain axis). Thats why in every Reformer class I teach...We begin and end with conscious breathing. This balances the nervous system and sets the tone for your practice.Post-session, it brings the body into recovery mode — which is where the adaption, strength, balance and healing actually happen.Therefore, there should always be a moment of rest at the end of every session.Not just to catch your breath — but to allow the nervous system to integrate the work you’ve done. For example, when you rush straight out of class, you skip this vital recovery phase.Your brain, heart, gut and skin will thank you for taking that extra minute to pause.In this Menopause Awareness Month, let breath become your daily tool for strength, balance, and resilience — on and off the reformer.Get Your Reformer Glo on - How Breathwork Can Support Healthy, Radiant SkinAnd if thats not enough to champion why you should be paying more attention to your breath here’s another reason! It helps your skin.* Boosts CirculationDeep breathing increases oxygen flow, which nourishes skin cells and promotes a healthy, natural glow.* Reduces Stress-Related Skin IssuesActivating the parasympathetic nervous system can help calm inflammation, reduce breakouts, and ease conditions like eczema and psoriasis.* Improves DetoxificationConscious breath supports lymphatic drainage and efficient removal of toxins, reducing puffiness and dullness.* Enhances Sleep QualityBetter sleep through breath regulation allows the skin time to repair and regenerate overnight.* Balances HormonesBreathwork helps regulate stress hormones (like cortisol), which in turn supports clearer, more balanced skin.* Hydration + ElasticityImproved oxygen uptake encourages better nutrient absorption and moisture retention at a cellular level.Reformer Yin Inspired Boxed Breath Pranayama Practice on or off the reformerHere is one l practice a lot in my 1-2-1’s and group reformer classesBoxed Breathing (Box Breath) Practice Box breathing is a powerful, calming breathwork technique used to reduce stress, improve focus, and support the nervous system. It’s simple, grounding, and great for beginners or experienced practitioners alike.🔲 Imagine drawing a box with your breath. Each side of the box is a 4-count phase:Try it now: Guided Box Breath Practice * Inhale slowly through your nose for 4 counts* Hold your breath for 4 counts* Exhale gently through your mouth for 4 counts* Hold again for 4 countsRepeat for 4 rounds, and notice how your mind and body begin to soften.Repeat the cycle for 3–5 minutes, or longer if it feels good.To explore and find out more about Barre Body’s Reformer Yin training use the code AFFILIATE50 to receive $50 off any training at checkout! If you’re ready to elevate your practice, click the link below!REFORMER YIN TTFind out more about my slowform approach to reformer classes slowform reformer classes I finish with one of my favourite poems (by me!) Unfolding Your MythLight mirrors lifeReflecting back what we have chosen to ignoreUncovering undiscovered depthsWe find ourselves Answering enquiries through a different lensHelping us breathe againInto a new experience we goNot knowing what lays ahead or which way to goBreathing againSomehow finding the pathIlluminating forgotten insights and depthsA reminder of all that has been and what yet awaitsBreathing againWe unfold our own mythThank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you n

Nosara, Costa Rica - Blue Spirit Retreat DEC 24Welcome to SlowForm Living where l nestle into reflections on life inspired by slow living on the water, my love 4 movement, all with a touch of Aussie ease. Expect inspiring reflections, journalling prompts and movement and meditation practices to help you find your laid back vibeIt’s been a while since we last met. Much has changed, many reflections, big changes, and deeper insights have all been a theme for me since DEC 24. A real turning point for me, not just in terms of change, but in alignment—body, mind, and spirit in the way that they began to speak the same language, so l listened. During this transitional time, l took my cues from being on the water, watching and being more presence with the ebb and flow of the current, the current of change and cycles. Appreciating the ride of the past, but also on the look out for the next big wave to surf and the pauses in between to listen.As I grow older, I find myself reflecting more on the experiences I've lived, the influences that shaped me, and the inspirations I've acted upon—all of which have led me to this moment, l realise. I’m grateful to have lived my dreams and accomplished far more than I ever imagined, even when faced with seemingly impossible odds. I take pride in my journey—from training and teaching the London circuit, to traveling the world, leading retreats and events. Filming with online platform Grokker.On Retreat in Morocco On Retreat in Morocco Teaching on the top of the EMI Music building in LONDON (one of my regular and favourite gigs. Teaching at The Shard - LondonTeaching at The Shard - LondonEventually, leading me to find a home at the original TriYoga London, where I served as a resident teacher for over a decade. Working alongside the incredible Elena Brower since 2015 sparked another phase of profound growth, both professionally and personally. My teaching style and vibe have since been featured in amazing publications, podcasts, platforms, events, and collaborations.Teaching at the YOGA SHOW - London Teaching at Lululemon, Kings Road, Chelsea - LondonThen, Covid hit.In the second wave of the pandemic, I found myself questioning if I would ever reconnect with the person I once was—my style, my vibe, which somehow seemed lost. On top of that, navigating through perimenopause, I realised that I needed a profound change, both mentally and physically. With the unwavering support of my partner, I began to make progress. The universe, in its mysterious way, conspired to bring forced changes and unexpected opportunities, manifesting through chance encounters and meaningful connections. Slowly but surely, I was finding my way again.Returning almost full cycle in the process, as l found myself drawn to practicing pilates again, which is where l first started a transformation. Back in the day one of my teachers and friends, was a pilates and yoga teacher and l can’t tell you how much learn’t from her - invaluable. As l practiced more, l was observing all the time, from the hands on adjusts to her cueing and eventually became her assistant in her yoga classes. While l had never thought then about becoming a Pilates teacher and l had thought and with her encouragement to study and become a yoga teacher, which l went on to achieve. All my training to date had given me access to some amazing well respected global teachers who continue to inspire me and fuel my passion for functional and creative movement as well as practices in philosophy and meditation for my exploring mind. Teaching part-time while working l eventually gave up my main career (which was a good one at British Airways) l took a leap of faith and set up my own business teaching and coaching in London (which was hugely successful by the way!) Reminding me that when one door closes, another opens……Movement is a form of not only functional but creative expression. Returning home to this form - pilates, this time around has been and is different. Pilates helped me realise that it is ok not to have the same form/body and what l could do with it before. So l set out on another journey of self discovery towards building longevity, strength and resilience gracefully in a different way through a different lens, it’s taken a while but this is what happened to me along the way.At the beginning of the year while restarting a regular Mat Pilates practice, l started going to Reformer Pilates and absolutely loved it. Why? Because it was something new but also at the same time it reminded me of my early days learning Iyengar Yoga. From Iyengar’s hands on adjust to the cueing, l began to see a lot of similarities between Iyengar and Joseph Pilates so l was curious. The more l practiced the more l could see and feel that this is what my body needed in this cycle of my life and l am eternally grateful to Paula who was my very first reformer teacher for showing me the ropes (so to speak!). Deciding to retrain in another modality Mat Pilates back in May, was one of the best decisions l made this year, which was to become a catalyst. The journey continuing with another amazing teacher Naomi De Fabio later in June this time training in Reformer Pilates in London. Being back in South London and around Chelsea, Camden and Primose Hill really brought back a lot of happy memories of the life l had in London, before l moved just before the pandemic hit. Seeing some familiar faces along the way, coupled with being able to go the launch of HOME in Primose Hill, a new pilates and yoga studio opened by the formidable Jonathan Sattin (the original owner of TRIYOGA). Opening on the original site of the old TriYoga Primose Hill some fifteen years earlier, it was quite emotional to come home to where it all started, where l got my first big break onto the London and global scene.Now as l move forward along this new pathway, l am working with Barre Body in Byron Bay, in Australia in the Art of REFORMER YIN with the incredible Sam Sales, which l’m looking forward to sharing some insights with you as we move through the next few months online and in person. On the path……Always having been one with many creative ideas, carving out my own vibe and style as l’ve gone along life’s path. l was on the look out to find a new home for my style, my vibe- the authentic me, to teach without having to be put in a box, so to speak and being told what to teach and how to look? Enter The Ness Club…..A reach out on social media, instigated a conversation, instigated a meeting, instigated an amazing offer with support and respect for my experience and who l was.I was being seen again.An older teacher, one that doesn’t conform to stereotypes.But knows who and what she is and relishes in that energy. How refreshing. The real reset has begun. And more importantly, it helped me remember why l started……What a blessing. Returning to my authentic self this time around has meant fully embracing my laid-back vibe and style, deeply influenced by my travels, especially in Australia. The Aussie ease of living and being—my true element—has shaped the way I live. Although the weather here in Cambridge may not quite match the sunny shores, I've managed to recreate that same connection to water. It’s where I choose to live—by, next to, and on the water.SlowForm Living with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Your Invitation to Nourishment this week* A set of embodied prompts to help you return to centre — physically, emotionally, and energetically. Grounded in Pilates precision and Zen simplicity, these reflections guide you to:* Embrace precision as a pathway to clarity and confidence, not perfection.* Refine your focus to cultivate presence in movement and daily life.* Prāṇa Activation Practice to Center & Circulate energy.* Explore a Zen-inspired approach to showing up with sincerity, simplicity, and presence.A gentle call to notice where your energy is going, how your intentions shape your actions, and how nourishment and healing begins by listening and tuning within.To be honest, this is the first real moment I’ve had to land since returning from my recent trip to Spain. After weeks of planning, studying, travelling and teaching, I’ve finally allowed the words to arrive — not forced, just gently welcomed.AumYogaMarbella I’m writing this on the evening of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, from my quiet spot by the water here in Cambridgeshire. There’s a warm stillness in the air where various Dragonflies and paddle boarders skim the surface. The light lingers a little longer — an invitation to pause, breathe, and receive.May was both generous and genius — full of life, momentum, a few bumps, yes, but also breakthroughs. Since April, a quiet energy has been building — a re-focus, a reset, and perhaps most importantly, a renewed belief in myself and my path.Working alongside Elena Brower and our Hive consort has offered a grounded space for deep directionality — a word I’ve come to love — paired with clarity and spaciousness. That work was soon followed by my Mat Pilates certification, and now I find myself preparing for the next step: heading to London this week to begin Reformer training with the wonderful Naomi De Fabio. It’s been a season of authentic connections, unexpected openings, and the sweet surprise of my coaching practice quietly rebuilding itself — proof that we never truly start from scratch when we move from the centre.One of the core principles of Pilates is centering — the idea that all movement begins from a strong, stable centre. Not just physically, through the core and deep postural muscles, but energetically and mentally too.To be centered is to return to your source of strength.To know where you move from — and why.In Pilates, we train this with focus, breath, and intention. We return to the centre not to control, but to cultivate calm, clarity, and direction. Whether on the mat or in life, when you're centred, your movement becomes more meaningful, more aligned — and ultimately, more free.And when combined with precision, this becomes a kind of embodied meditation. A daily practice of remembering and refining.So what does all of this have to do with Prana, Precision, Focus, and Flow, you ask?Everything.These four elements have been the quiet threads woven through every endeavour that’s felt aligned, easeful, and purposeful. And the times where things haven’t flowed? I can honestly say one or more of those elements was missing.Returning to Pilates has taught me the beauty of precision — not to strive for perfection, but to move with intention, clarity, and awareness. A core principle of the method is control — not in a rigid way, but in a way that honours the relationship between breath, movement, and mind.Just last week, after covering a Pilates class, a student approached me and said:“I just wanted to say how helpful it was the way you explained the breath. It was so precise and supportive — it helped me feel more in control.”I smiled, surprised. I wasn’t sure what I had said differently. But it reminded me: people feel when you are present — when you’re focused.And then, during a mat class this week, the teacher mentioned my concentration, noting how “tuned in” I seemed. Again, a simple reflection, but one that echoed something deeper I’ve been exploring:* Where we place our focus, our energy flows.* When we move with precision, we create presence.* And when we honour the breath — our life force, our prana — we align with a deeper intelligence within us. In Sanskrit, prāṇa (प्राण) means "life force" or "vital energy."Breath is its vehicle: While breath (vāyu or shvāsa) is not the same as prāṇa, it's considered the main carrier or expression of prāṇa in the physical body.In yogic, Ayurvedic, and energetic systems (like traditional Chinese medicine's qi), breath and prāṇa are intimately linked, but not identical.* Breath is the tangible expression.* Prāṇa is the subtle force behind itPrāṇa Activation Practice: Center & CirculatePurpose:To awaken and circulate prāṇa through intentional breath, focus, and subtle movement. This practice calms the nervous system, strengthens internal awareness, and reconnects you with your energetic centre.Step 1: Ground & Centre (2–3 mins)* Come to a comfortable seated position (on the floor or a chair).* Rest your hands on your belly or heart.* Close your eyes gently.* Begin to follow the natural rhythm of your breath.* Soften your jaw, shoulders, and forehead. Whisper to yourself: “I am here. I am centred.”Step 2: Breath + Awareness (3–4 mins)* Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of 4, expanding the ribs sideways and back.* Exhale gently for a count of 6, softening your belly and jaw.* Visualise the breath as light or energy moving in through the nostrils and gathering at your centre (solar plexus or heart).* With each exhale, imagine tension melting and clarity rising.Breath in — I draw in life force.Breath out — I release what’s no longer needed.Step 3: Subtle Prāṇa Flow (3–5 mins)* Inhale: Sweep your arms up overhead as if drawing energy upward.* Exhale: Float your arms down as if moving through water, imagining you're spreading calm energy through your body.* Repeat 5–7 rounds with intention.* Keep the breath smooth and focused.Tip: This movement can be done seated, standing, or even lying down with just the arms and breath.Step 4: Seal the Practice (1 min)* Place your hands over your heart or navel.* Whisper silently:“I honour the breath. I return to centre. I move with purpose.”Pilates Integration: Ab Prep with Breath-Focused FlowPurpose:To deepen core awareness, coordinate breath with movement, and connect with the energetic centre (solar plexus), supporting clarity, calm, and grounded flow.AB PREP with Prāṇa Awareness* Lie on your back (supine) in semi-supine position: knees bent, feet flat, pelvis neutral.* Arms by your sides, shoulders relaxed, spine long.* Lightly place hands behind the head (elbows just in view) or rest them on your thighs for support.* Inhale: Expand the ribcage wide and back into the mat. Feel the breath circulate through the whole torso.* Exhale: Draw navel gently to spine. Float the head, neck, and shoulders up in one smooth line — gaze toward the thighs. Keep the pelvis and legs stable.* Pause: Hold for 1 breath. Feel energy centered in the core — steady and alive.* Inhale: Lower back down with control, maintaining length in the spine. Repeat 6–8 reps, syncing each one with a full, intentional breath.To progress: On your final rep, float your arms overhead as you inhale and slowly sweep them down by your sides as you exhale, echoing the Subtle Prāṇa Flow from your practice.From a Zen perspective, this is the very heart of practice:Noticing. Attuning. Returning.Using Zen practically invites us to show up fully in the moment — whether we’re washing the dishes, walking across the room, or cueing a movement. It teaches us that mindfulness doesn’t need incense or chanting (though those things can be beautiful), but rather the commitment to presence, again and again.As Zen master Dogen once said:“To study the way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self.”When we bring precision and presence into our daily actions, we disappear into the experience — the ego softens, and we move into flow. The doing becomes the being.That’s what happened today, while writing this. The water held the moment. The wind moved just enough. The words came.So, now I invite you to reflect on the following prompts:* Where is your focus right now?* Are you moving with precision or rushing to the next thing?* Can you invite more prana, more presence, more spaciousness into your flow?* Are you connected to your centre — your source?* Can you move through life with more intention, focus, and breath?* What would happen if you let precision be an anchor rather than a burden?* How might flow arise naturally when you let yourself be fully here?These reflections aren’t simply journal prompts — they’re embodied invitations. Part mindful inquiry, part movement meditation, they’re designed to help you return to your centre with presence and clarity. Rooted in Pilates precision and Zen awareness, each prompt gently encourages you to explore your inner landscape through the body — to notice where your energy flows, how your breath moves, and where your focus lands. Think of them as quiet companions guiding you toward greater alignment, nourishment, healing and connection — both on and off the mat.You don’t need a mat or a mantra to begin. You just need the willingness to listen — and return to your centre.Much of spiritual life is self-acceptance — maybe all of it.– Jack Kornfield To connect with me and my latest offerings please click on Salema's Offerings This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

This weeks invitation* 4 Pillars of Compassionate Presence practices to help steady our inner resolve * explore how to hold space for others without abandoning ourselves * how Zen wisdom can teach us the strength in stillness* a simple practical Pilates exercise to ground us in our own centre when life feels off-balanceWhen care is heavy, and you choose rest anyway...This week, I share a deeply personal reflection on taking a much-needed vacation — and the complicated guilt that can surface when you step away, especially when someone you love is navigating the early stages of dementia with a family member. As my partner faces his own family’s heartbreak, I find myself re-living the emotional terrain of my own mama’s decline from vascular dementia. The grief is still there — layered, slow, and deeply embedded.And yet, I chose to go.To rest.To breathe.To not feel guilty.l’m writing/recording this post from a sunny Marbella, grateful to be with old friends and even more grateful for some time to regroup, reorganise, reprioritise and most importantly replenish my emotional, physical and spiritual reserves ready for the new journey ahead. l’m here (in Marbella) not only to have a bit of a reprieve from life of late but to also help one of my oldest friends with her new project, a yoga and movement studio - Aum Yoga. Our friendship enduring marriages, divorces, coming of age, moves, deaths and the pandemic. However together again it feels like no time has past at all. A bit older and hopefully a bit wiser we connect and resonate again in the support of each other’s new projects. If you’re a regular listener/reader you are probably aware of my journey of late but if your not well l’ve been supporting and living with a partner diagnosed with a painful deep depression and whom as a result has become along unanchored from life’s path. However, now l’m happy to report is once again finding the strength, tenacity and inspiration to forge forward. My partners journey in some parts echoing some aspects of my own journey. Feeling disconnected from the person l once was due to my own perimenopause journey and learning how to best adapt to the next era.Being away. Not from life, not from love — just from the doing and trying to be there for those who need support and encouragement daily. The delivering. The giving-out-of-what’s-left-in-the-tank in different ways can wear you down both mentally and physically. It’s a double edged sword, on one side l sense the guilt of me needing some space to tend to myself and on the other side is that feeling of somewhat guilty while my partner carries the heavy and uncertain weight of a family member’s vascular dementia diagnosis.The guilt of not having the right words — only presence.The guilt of choosing rest when empathy whispers, “Do more.”But I’m learning that guilt is not becoming.It doesn’t soften the edges of suffering — mine, his or theirs.It doesn’t strengthen empathy — it distorts it.So I’m practising these Four Pillars of Compassionate Presence* Deep listening without self-erasure.* Inclusive Empathy (Empathy that includes me in the circle).* Replenishment as quiet resistance against burnout.* Embodied presence over perfection.Yet beneath all of this sits a quieter ache.A more personal one I didn’t expect to surface so sharply.Because I’ve been here before — with my own mama.Watching vascular dementia take her, moment by moment. Not all at once, but in slow, painful fragments l cannot lie was one of the most difficult dark times of my life. The repeated loss of recognition. The unpredictability. The deep, daily grief of watching someone you love disappear while still sitting across from you.Now, witnessing it again in my partner’s family is like standing in the echo of my own past. It’s not just empathy — it’s memory and the weight of it is familiar and heavy. Providing for someone with this dreadful disease is more than caretaking — it’s heartbreak in slow motion and it never really leaves you.So if I’ve needed more quiet lately, it’s not from absence of care.It’s the opposite.It’s the remembering. The reliving. The tending to my own nervous system before it frays again.This time, I’m allowing space to hold both:The love and the limits.The empathy and the edges.The urge to help and the need to rest.Guilt, I’m realising, has no place here.Compassion — for others and for self — is the only thing that fits.Zen teaches us:"Sit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself." Reminding me that not all healing is active.Sometimes our deepest strength comes from stillness — from being rooted, rather than reaching.When the mind wobbles, I return to the mat. One small act of strength that mirrors resolve from a Pilates perspective is The Pilates Half Roll-Back.Sitting tall, feet grounded, hands behind thighs.Exhale, scoop the belly in, roll halfway back. Pause. Hold your ground.Inhale to return — spine stacking, calm rising.It’s a physical practice in boundaries, in choosing how far to go, and when to return.This move reminds me:I can soften and stay strong.I can bend and not break.I can meet the moment — and myself — with compassion.Guilt, I’m realising, has no place here.Compassion — for others and for self — is the only thing that fits.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

This week’s offering comes from a place of quiet personal transformation and reflection, taking form in a meditation with a supporting poem, that l hope will resonate, providing support and nurturance for you in times of change. Over the past three months, I’ve been navigating a profound shift — body, mind, and soul. Journeying through my Pilates training and spending reflective time with the HIVE cohort of wonderful women. What started as subtle changes in my physical practice has rippled into the deeper layers of thought, identity, and energy through our cohort meets. Meeting resistance, softness, truth, and release along the way and in the process understanding my motivation vs intention. This simple poem reflects essence of that journey — the unravelling, the remembering, the tenderness, power, quiet truths and the quiet resilience that comes to the surface when we move through change with presence and let the layers fall away.(円相) EnsōIn the Zen teachings one word to ENCAPSULATE this essence would be Ensō which represents wholeness, the cycle of life, imperfection, and the beauty of the present moment symbolising the process of becoming, not perfection. It reflects the fluidity of transformation — just like my journey over the past three months. Often drawn in a single breathstroke, it embodies mindfulness and freedom.This week may these words offer you a gentle mirror for your own path. Whether you're in a season of growth, stillness, or searching — perhaps something here speaks to where you are, and reminds you that: You're not alone in the becoming.The Art of Moving with Purpose In a world that rushes, the art is not in how fast we move —but in how aware we are with each step.Whether lifting, reaching, walking, or still — every movement is an invitation.An invitation to return.To move with purpose is not to force.It is to listen.To notice the breath as it rises.To feel the feet as they root.To allow the spine to grow tall,not in effort, but in remembering its nature.Purpose is not intensity.Purpose is clarity.When we bring attention to motion,even the smallest gesture becomes meaningful.Reaching becomes intention.Rotation becomes freedom.Stillness becomes strength.Zen teaches: “When walking, just walk. When sitting, just sit.”In our practice, we might say:“When rolling down, feel the spine.”“When rising, honour the ground.”This is presence. This is movement with soul.So whether you're flowing through Pilates, still in meditation,or just standing in line —Move less to get somewhere.Move more to be somewhere.And that somewhere... is now.In a world that often feels like it’s always rushing ahead, lately I’ve been discovering there’s something deeply grounding about embracing both strength and serenity, through mindful movement. This isn’t just about exercising or working out—instead it’s about listening to your changing body, discovering its potential, and honouring it in a way that feels both nurturing and empowering. After having many and varied conversations of late this appears to be the realisation for many. As someone who’s worked in functional, creative movement and mental health for over two decades, I’ve come to realise that the practices of yoga and pilates combined can offer more than just flexibility or toning—they provide the foundation for functional movement, which translates into a body that moves well in daily life. That’s what I want to share with you today: how yoga, pilates, and functional movement have shaped my practice and how they can help you find balance, strength, and serenity in your own body.Finding Balance: Where Strength Meets SerenityStrength and serenity often feel like they live on opposite sides of the spectrum. One calls for power, endurance, and effort. The other asks for stillness, peace, and surrender. But over the years, I’ve found that true strength is born out of moments of serenity, and serenity becomes more profound when rooted in strength.Here’s how each practice contributes to that balance:Yoga: Building Calm from WithinYoga has been such a huge part of my life—it’s where I learned the art of stillness and breath. I’ve found that yoga doesn’t just open your body, it opens your mind and spirit as well. It allows you to be present with yourself, tuning into what your body truly needs.But yoga also challenges us. It asks us to hold poses that stretch and strengthen in ways that build both endurance and flexibility. It’s in those moments of holding a pose, when everything burns but you choose to stay, that you begin to understand how strength and serenity aren’t mutually exclusive—they’re intertwined. Yoga is where I first learned that functional movement isn’t just about looking a certain way; it’s about moving in a way that supports everyday life.Pilates: The Power of PrecisionPilates introduced me to the importance of core strength and alignment. While yoga stretches and strengthens, Pilates brings a new level of control and precision to movement. The focus is on building strength from the center—your core—and improving the way you move through space. I love how Pilates works deeply with the smaller muscles in the body, bringing awareness to posture, breath, and alignment.The beauty of Pilates is that it’s not just about becoming “toned”—it’s about creating functional strength that supports every day. I’ve seen first hand how Pilates helps to create a lean, strong, and flexible body—but most importantly, it’s about training your body to function better in every moment, whether it’s sitting at your desk, lifting a bag of shopping, or simply walking.Functional Movement: The Art of Moving With PurposeThis is where yoga and Pilates meet something truly magical—functional movement. In my own practice, I’ve found that understanding how to move efficiently, with control, and with intention has transformed my body in ways I didn’t expect. It’s not just about looking good or pushing through an intense workout—it’s about feeling aligned and empowered in every movement you make and taking into account recovery times. When we move functionally, we engage muscles in ways that make daily tasks easier, healthier, and more sustainable. It’s the little things—how you stand, sit, or bend—that make a huge difference. These practices give us the awareness to move with more purpose, more ease, and more control, which is key for longevity and a pain-free life.The Practices: Integrating It All - The Dance of the Soul For me, Practice is where all these elements come together. It’s not about doing everything perfectly, but rather giving yourself the space to explore, reflect, and integrate what you’ve learned. Practice is the perfect way to take the principles from yoga and Pilates and bring them into real life, whether it’s through a series of intentional movements or simple mindful practices.Why I’m Passionate About Sharing ThisThis is what I want for you—whether you’re someone who’s just starting out or a seasoned practitioner, I want to help you connect to your body, build a strong foundation, and cultivate serenity in a way that feels nourishing.That is why l will be offering personalised 1-to-1 sessions from mid JUNE 25 to guide you through a practice that is tailored to your goals—whether you’re looking to build more strength, increase flexibility, or simply move more functionally in daily life. The beauty of a bespoke practice is that it involves evolves with you, meeting you where you are and helping you move forward.Let’s create something together that works for your body, your life, and your unique journey. If you’re ready to embrace a balanced practice where strength meets serenity, I’d love to work with you. Let’s explore yoga, Pilates, and functional movement in a way that feels intentional, empowering, and, most importantly, personal.NOURISH U - Where Strength Meets SerenityBespoke 1-to-1 Pilates & YogalatesElevate Your Wellness with Bespoke 1-to-1 Pilates & Yogalates Experience a movement journey that is as unique as you.In today’s fast-paced world, your body deserves more than a one-size-fits-all approach. My private 1-to-1 Pilates and Yogalates sessions blend the flow of yoga with the precision of Pilates—enhanced with props like weights and resistance bands to create a more refined, mindful, yet strong conditioning experience. This tailored approach allows you to engage in a practice that is both nurturing and challenging, ensuring your body moves in the safest and most functional way.What to Expect* A personalised program designed for your body, goals & lifestyle.* Hands-on guidance with expert attention in every session when in a physical space/studio/home.* Verbal safety adjustment cueing when practising on online. * Use of props such as weights and resistance bands to deepen strength, mobility, and control.* Providing nurturance in a safe, functional, but creative way.* A harmonious balance of mindful movement and powerful conditioning.* Visible results in posture, muscle tone, and flexibility—Pilates sculpts the body, creating a lean, strong, and balanced appearance that radiates from the inside out.Ideal for:• Anyone that wants to delve a bit deeper and slower into functional anatomy to help with their range of movement, injuries.• Anyone wanting to sculpt, tone, and improve overall wellness through mindful movementSessions Available:📍 In the comfort of your home, Private studio sessions or online.🕰 Flexible, discreet scheduling for your convenienceThis is not just exercise—it’s a refined movement experience designed for lasting strength, elegance, and beauty.Spaces are limited to ensure exclusivity and focus.Enquire now for a consultation and begin your journey to a stronger, more balanced you.📩 salemayoga@icloud.com and via dropping me a message through this platform. 📷 https://linktr.ee/salemaveliu READY TO GO? This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribi

Practice You Deck Cards by Elena Brower There comes a time in every season of life when we are called to return to ourselves for strength. To pause. To notice the subtle disturbances of change emerging beneath the surface and meet them—not with resistance, but with curiosity, strength and grace.In this week's reflection, I invite you to explore how the Zen-informed lens of simplicity, presence, and compassionate awareness can help you return to your centre stronger, softer, and more connected with the most practical practice/s of Zen to help in times of unease. Over the past few weeks, as I’ve been preparing for my assessment and opening space to welcome new collaborations in my teaching, I’ve felt the stirrings of change—offering me new ways of working that feel more aligned with who I’ve become.At the same time, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Behind the scenes, I’ve been navigating some deep challenges. Living alongside someone diagnosed with severe depression is a quiet and constant weight. It takes strength to stay grounded—for myself, and for my partner. Some days, maintaining a hopeful outlook feels like balancing on a tightrope, one breath, one moment at a time, with my mojo nowhere to be seen.Yet in these moments, I’m reminded why my practices matter. They keep me anchored. They help me stay open, connected, and honest about what I need—and what I can offer—without losing myself in the process, this being the purity of human nature.PRACTICESOver the last couple of weeks l’ve not being able to join in with my HIVE cohort collective. However, Elena always one to follow up, dropped me a couple of short emails, making her support and nourishing presence felt. One of these was details about our next meet and some preparation for exploration for our session. Weirdly, it was about revisiting/creating/placing a vision of the future on our altars; tiny, concrete items. Honouring the past and the future, while keeping present in the present to keep our visions and project(s) alive and visible. I have many of these varied small altars around my home, where l go for refuge, strength and inspiration. Today as l was revisiting them, l felt the unease slowly ebbing away. On Unease & Returning to Balance: Mentally and Physically My partner often uses the word unease to describe how he thinks he’s feeling. But is unease just another word for being with NOT KNOWING?Unease is a natural part of living—especially in uncertain times. From a Zen lens, it’s not something to resist but to gently witness. Unease invites us inward, back to breath, back to presence. We don’t overcome it by force but by softening into what is. Manifesting from a Physical perspectiveFrom a Pilates and Pilates Reformer perspective: On the mat and/or on a Reformer, two Pilates practices that can support this return are Footwork exercises to ground and recalibrate through the feet and legs, and Spine Stretch Forward to lengthen the spine, create space, and release held tension. When paired with conscious breath, these movements become meditations in motion—restoring your centre with strength and grace.Mindful Communication: Speaking from StillnessIn moments of unease, our internal landscape can often feel noisy and/or heavy. Practising mindful communication can help us listen more deeply—first to ourselves, then to others. Inviting us to pause before speaking, to check in with our body, breath, and emotional tone, so we become less reactivate, which is a lot harder than it seems. I have been learning this highly important skill under the teachings and guidance of my mentor, thank you Elena Brower so much for reminding me, that less is more and that practice is where Zen truly resides. Zen teaches us that silence is not empty. It is full of possibility. When we communicate from stillness, we become less reactive and more rooted in truth. We begin to use words that honour both our experience and the space between us and others. This kind of presence fosters connection—not through performance but through authenticity.Especially when supporting someone living with depression, this type of mindful listening becomes an anchor. We hold space not to fix, but to witness—to offer our calm presence as a mirror of steadiness in the storm.In relationships, this quiet attentiveness can soften defensiveness and create space for honest expression. It fosters a climate where partners feel safe to be vulnerable without fear of judgement or urgency to solve.Honest Boundaries: Showing up with compassion without abandoning ourselvesChange often illuminates how much we’ve been carrying—emotionally, mentally, and physically. Saying no can be an act of profound self-respect.Zen invites us to return to the simplicity of knowing what is true in the moment. Not everything that calls for our energy deserves it. Honest boundaries don’t push people away; they create the conditions for sustainable closeness. When we honour our limits, we honour our energy, our needs, and our evolving identities.When living with or caring for someone navigating depression, clear and loving boundaries are essential. They allow us to show up with compassion without abandoning ourselves.In relationships, mutual respect for boundaries creates a shared sense of security—a trust that each partner can care for their own energy while staying connected.Emotional Availability: The Grace of Staying OpenIt’s tempting to withdraw when things get difficult and emotions become like a roller coaster. But true strength lies in staying present with what is—without needing to fix or flee. Emotional availability is the capacity to be with discomfort, both ours and others’, while remaining grounded.From a Zen perspective, emotions are not enemies—they are teachers. They come and go like weather, and our job is to breathe, observe, and let them pass. This spacious approach helps us stay connected in our relationships, even during challenging times.Supporting a loved one with depression asks us to meet their pain with a quiet steadiness, not by absorbing it, but by offering our stable presence—our willingness to sit with them in the shadows while rooted in our own light.In intimate partnerships, emotional availability builds a bridge between two inner worlds. It allows space for truth, even when it’s messy or uncertain, and creates fertile ground for deepened connection.Finding Your Mojo: A Zen PerspectiveWhen life feels flat or uncertain, what we often call "losing our mojo" is really a disconnection from our deeper rhythm. In Zen, this is an invitation—not a failure. Mojo isn't something we chase. It arises naturally when we return to presence and simplicity, through practices that ignite us.Zen teaches us that energy and inspiration flow best when we are not forcing. Your mojo is in your breath, your body, and the moments you slow down enough to feel.3 ZEN PROMPTS to start the enquiry of re-cultivating your mojo:* What brings me alive in this moment? * What am I resisting? * What am I longing for?These questions when asked in stillness, help you reawaken your natural vitality—quietly, respectfully, from the inside out.A Mudra for Strength & Grace: Vajrapradama Mudra (Mudra of Unshakable Trust)This is the mudra of unshakable trust. Interlace your fingers at the heart centre, leaving the thumbs extended and touching. Rest this gesture at your chest, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Use it when you need to reclaim your steadiness and inner power.Vajra means “diamond” or “thunderbolt,” symbolising clarity and indestructibility. Pradama relates to offering or confidence. Together, Vajrapradama Mudra translates to “Mudra of Unshakable Trust.”Affirmation: "I trust in my strength. I return to grace."Zen Sitting Practice: Returning to Yourself in Times of UneaseFind a quiet space and take a comfortable seated position. Sit on a cushion or chair, allowing the spine to be long but not rigid. Bring your hands into Vajrapradama Mudra or rest them gently in your lap.Let your eyes soften or close. Begin by simply noticing your breath. Allow the inhale to expand you, and the exhale to ground you.When thoughts arise, acknowledge them gently and return to the breath. Use this practice to anchor yourself in the now. Just five to ten minutes a day can cultivate the strength and grace you seek—not from outside, but from your own centred presence.In households affected by depression or emotional overwhelm, this daily ritual becomes a way to clear your own energy, reset compassion fatigue, and reconnect with your inner resources.For couples or partners, consider sitting together in silent support. No talking. Just breathing, side by side. This shared stillness becomes a silent vow—to be with each other in presence, not performance.Zen Relationship Practice: The Circle of PresenceSit across from your partner or loved one. Each of you places an object or candle in the centre to symbolise your shared intention. Set a timer for five minutes.In silence, gaze softly at one another—not staring, but witnessing. Stay relaxed and breathe naturally. If emotions arise, let them flow. If laughter or tears come, honour them.When the timer ends, bow gently to each other. This circle of presence cultivates intimacy without words, reminding you both that presence is the most sacred gift we can offer.Returning to CentreTo return to strength, balance, and grace is to come back to the truth of who we are: cyclical, sensitive, resilient, wise. Through mindful communication, honest boundaries, and emotional availability, we can strengthen not just our relationships with others, but also the relationship with ourselves.This is the art of living well. This is the nourishment that lasts.With a bowed heart and steady breath, in quiet service to your return.SThis Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

this weeks invitation and enquiry* confidence VS bravado the difference * embody confidence through Zen, brain, and muscle* journaling prompts to meet challenge and cultivate confidence honestly* a Zen Practice: “Returning to Centre” A Confidence 5 Step Cultivation SitLet’s start this weeks podcast and post with the main enquiry ‘How do you wear confidence?’ I’ve been thinking and asking myself this question a lot lately, as l think our perception of confidence changes with age. As over the past few weeks, l’ve come to realise that Confidence isn’t quite what l thought it was. It’s not about trying to be the best or shout from the roof tops, have the perfect post and/or body and face. But instead for me it is about welcoming in an type of soft anchoring. Coming from a quiet, rooted place of knowing that’s less about being “better” and more about feeling connected—to my breath, my strength, my purpose. A reflection from the Japanese concept of “gambaru” which loosely means “to do one’s best with quiet determination.” No drama. No ego. Just presence in effort. Confidence is not something that we’re born with, it’s something we rebuild, reshape, and re-embody through our various life experiences. Something l’ve personally experienced over past five years with changes in health, loss, and uncertainty. As we delve deeper into the element of Confidence from both a scientific and Zen perspective, we begin to realise that challenge isn’t something to avoid—but it’s the very terrain where confidence is forged.Losing confidence during the second half of the pandemic. Not all at once—but slowly. It slipped away through the cracks of long quiet spells, and the weight of uncertainty. Teaching, creating, even trusting my body—it all felt far away until recently, when I took the conscious choice to step back in once again. To retrain, to move differently, to begin again with fresh eyes and an open heart. Yoga, Pilates, Zen, and the deep anatomy work I’ve studied and continue to study have become my home base, my anchor. Challenging myself mentally and physically through retraining in a new discipline has reignited something I hadn’t felt in a while. That spark. That sense of direction and it feels great, even through l don’t quite know where it will take me? But the version of me who loved teaching, creating, and running her own thing is remerging not quite in the same form, but with more depth, more softness, more strength. Pilates, structure, Zen, movement—it's all helping me remember who I am.Sometimes rebuilding confidence looks like learning something new… and realising you’re not starting over but returning home.But what does confidence look like in our brains?Well our brains are designed to adapt. Neuroplasticity after all is the brain’s ability to rewire itself based on experience. When we face a challenge whether physical, emotional, or mental, our nervous system is activated. If we meet that challenge with conscious effort, focused attention, and rest afterward, the brain begins to encode that experience as resilience. Confidence then isn’t just a feeling but a chemical process. It’s biology in motion, a dance between belief and the body, shaped not only by past experiences but by what we choose to do with the present moment.At the heart of it? Your brain’s reward system.The brain’s reward circuitry, primarily involving the dopaminergic system, plays a central role in motivation, learning, and yes confidence. When you face a challenge and follow through, especially something just outside your comfort zone, your brain releases dopamine a feel-good neurotransmitter that reinforces the behaviour.Each time you complete something difficult, the brain registers it as a “win.” Even small victories like mastering a new Pilates move, holding a posture longer, or showing up for your practice when you didn’t want to light up the mesolimbic pathway, telling your brain:That felt good. Let’s do that again.Over time, these micro-rewards begin to reshape your internal narrative.Not just I can do hard things, but I want to keep growing.Interestingly, this echoes what the brain craves:Consistent, meaningful effort → reward → reinforcement.The result? A felt sense of confidence that’s less about being “better” and more about feeling connected—to your breath, your strength, your purpose.Embodied Confidence: Why Movement MattersPhysical movement especially structured, mindful movement like pilates or yoga is particularly effective at activating this system. But why? Well because it pairs mental challenge (focus, coordination, breath control) with physical effort (strength, endurance, precision). This integrated experience creates a potent feedback loop between mind, muscle, and mood.When you rise to meet a challenge physically, the brain responds as if you’ve done something meaningful (because you have). This not only boosts dopamine but also builds trust between you and your body, between you and your capacity.This is especially relevant in any movement we undertake. Challenging the body with mindful stress like strength work, Pilates, or complex motor patterns helps reorganise not just muscle but also our sense of self. With each small success, the body sends a feedback loop to the brain: You did that. Confidence begins to rebuild from the ground up.The Zen Colour of Confidence In the Zen tradition, colour is approached with intentional simplicity—each hue chosen not for decoration, but for its energetic essence and meditative effect. Historically, Zen temples favoured natural tones: earthy browns, soft greys, indigo blues, and muted whites, reflecting the impermanence and humility central to Zen. These colours calm the nervous system, support stillness, and mirror the subtlety of the natural world. In colour psychology, these tones encourage introspection, stability, and grounded awareness—qualities deeply aligned with the Zen ideal of wabi-sabi, the quiet beauty found in imperfection and transience.Shades of blue generally supports trust, darker blues especially promote confidence from a colour psychology perspective.Zen: Effort Without Clinging In Zen, we are taught to meet the moment as it is without attachment to outcomes. This doesn’t mean we don’t try, but rather that we engage fully and release the need for control. Dōgen Zenji wrote, “To study the self is to forget the self.” When we approach challenge from a Zen lens, it becomes less about winning and more about witnessing.What am I learning here?How can I move with what’s arising instead of fighting it?This presence-oriented approach softens the ego’s grip and allows us to move through difficult terrain with more grace. Confidence, then, isn’t about feeling bulletproof it’s about staying connected, moment by moment, no matter what’s unfolding.From a Zen perspective, confidence doesn’t come from external validation—it’s a quiet, rooted knowing. In Japanese, the concept of “gambaru” loosely means “to do one’s best with quiet determination.” No drama. No ego. Just presence in effort.The Integration and Practical Application of When science meets stillness, and movement meets mindfulness, confidence becomes a practice rather than a fixed state. It’s rebuilt through the body through breath, through effort, through pause. Through showing up again and again, even when unsure.It’s in the shaking legs during a Pilates hold.The quiet mind after a meditation sit.The decision to begin again, even when it’s hard.Confidence doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it’s just a whisper: Keep going. You’re doing it.Journaling Prompt: Meeting Challenge HonestlyCarve out 10 minutes, and reflect with honesty and compassion:Find a quiet space and take a few deep breaths. With pen and paper, explore the following:* Where in my life do I feel unsure or disconnected from my inner strength?* What small challenge am I currently facing that I could meet with more presence?* What part of me already knows how to begin again?Let the pen be your mirror.* Where in my life am I meeting resistance or self-doubt right now?* What would it look like to meet this challenge with curiosity, rather than fear?* Can I recall a time I did something hard and came through stronger? What did I learn?Let the words flow. No need to fix—just observe.Zen Practice: “Returning to Centre” — A Confidence a 5 Step Cultivation SitDuration: 10–15 minutes | Best done seated in stillness1. Settle the BodySit comfortably on a cushion or chair.Spine upright, shoulders relaxed.Let your hands rest softly in your lap or on your thighs.Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.Take 5 slow breaths. Feel yourself arrive.2. Anchor the Mind with Breath + MantraInhale: I am hereExhale: I am readyRepeat this silently for 3–5 minutes, letting the rhythm of breath and mantra begin to stabilise the mind. Feel the inhale gather presence, the exhale soften resistance.3. Gathā for ConfidenceNow, introduce this short Zen gathā (a poetic verse) to work with in your sit:With each breath, I return to my true ground.Nothing to prove.Only to be.Repeat this softly within, letting the words settle into your body. You might sync them with your breath, or let them drift in and out like waves.4. Inquiry in Stillness (Optional for last 2–3 minutes)As you sit in silence, ask yourself gently:* Where in my life do I feel disconnected from my confidence?* What part of me already knows how to begin again?Don’t force answers—just let the questions echo. Confidence in Zen isn’t bravado—it’s the quiet clarity of knowing you’re already enough.5. Close with a MudraBring one hand to the heart, the other to the belly. Bow your chin slightly.Whisper to yourself:“I trust in the return.”The TakeawayConfidence isn’t a fixed trait. It’s a process your brain and body want you to lean into. Each time we allow ourselves to be challenged and follow through, we’re not just pushing limits we’re rewiring our sense of self.So whether it’s through mindful movement, deep rest, or showing

This week l offer you * The deeper meaning and connection of grace through the lenses of Zen & Pilates* How alignment, breath & presence can support us well through midlife shifts* 4 super simple yet powerful embodied practices that anyone can do and which will support you:* Zen sitting for presence & emotional grounding* Pilates standing flow for balance & fluid strength* Lateral thoracic breathing to support your centre cultivating strength and calmness* Seated spirals for elegant, integrated movement“Grace isn’t just how we hold ourselves and move through space, it’s about how we meet life.”-Salema Lately, as I’ve been deepening my Pilates training and connecting with my inspiring cohort inside Hive guided by our fearless leader, Elena Brower - the themes of grace and self-care have been coming up again and again. These conversations have stirred something in me, and as a result I felt called to explore them more fully. That’s how this podcast was born.As we navigate the transitions of midlife and beyond, it’s easy to feel like we’re somehow falling short mentally, physically, emotionally, even sexually. Hormonal shifts can leave us feeling out of sync with ourselves, and suddenly the way we feel on the inside no longer matches what we see on the outside. Frustration, impatience, anger, denial… they creep in. Acceptance and grace? Sometimes they feel far, far away.If this resonates, you’re not alone and this conversation is for you. Grace is not a surface expression. It is not about getting everything right or making it look effortless. True grace is a quality of presence of moving through life, especially through seasons of any change, with softness and strength in equal measure.The Posture of Grace In both Zen and Pilates, the posture we hold is a mirror of our inner state. Grace is not about performing or pleasing, but about cultivating presence, receptivity, and integrity in the way we move, sit, speak, and live. It is strength softened with compassion, structure infused with breath, and movement anchored in awareness. Cultivated through discipline, stillness, breath, and embodied awareness. Whether you're seated in meditation or flowing through a sequence on the mat, grace is the quiet power that emerges when effort meets ease, when precision meets patience, and when your inner landscape aligns with your outer form.Zen & Pilates: Stillness and FlowIn Zen, the posture is part of the practice. The upright spine in zazen (seated meditation) is more than physical, it reflects the mind's capacity for presence. The invitation is to sit like a mountain: steady, grounded, aware. Grace, in this sense, comes from dropping into your natural state - unforced, undistracted, completely here. Grace is in allowing the breath to rise and fall without clinging. It is found in silence, in how we bow, in how we walk slowly and attentively through a moment.Pilates, too, asks for awareness and integration. Every movement begins from the "powerhouse"—the core—radiating out with control, balance, and breath. “It is the mind itself which builds the body.”-Joseph Pilates This is where the two systems meet: in their reverence for attention. Both Zen and Pilates train you to inhabit your body with awareness, to notice the subtle, and to move with intention.In Pilates, posture is physical precision - aligning the spine, engaging the powerhouse, and allowing the body to move efficiently and intelligently. Grace arises when control flows effortlessly into movement. As Joseph Pilates said, “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.” And happiness, when felt in the body, looks and feels like grace.Midlife and menopause can feel anything but graceful at times. Hormonal shifts, emotional waves, changes in posture, sleep, digestion, and confidence. But this is also an incredible opportunity to return to the body, to re-align, to soften and strengthen anew.Practicing the "posture of grace" doesn’t mean striving to be perfect. It means showing up with kindness, steadiness, and curiosity again and again.When we combine the wisdom of both, grace becomes a state of embodied mindfulness, a still point within the changing rhythms of life. And in midlife or menopause, when the body and identity shift, returning to the posture of grace can be deeply empowering.This week l offer four embodied practices to support you:Zen Sitting Practice: Rooted Presence1. Sit in stillness with an upright spine, either on a cushion or chair. Let your hands rest naturally, eyes softly closed or lowered.2. Inhale gently through your nose, feel your ribs expand outward. Exhale slowly through the mouth, softening the shoulders and jaw.3. Repeat silently: “I am grounded. I am open. I meet life with grace.”Just five minutes a day builds a deep inner posture of presence and compassion.Pilates Lateral Thoracic Breathing Practice: Cultivating Inner SpaceWhile in some mindfulness and yoga practices we sometimes breathe in and out of the stomach, in pilates the stomach muscles become home base to all the exercises we do which support the spine. It is for this reason that we have to move the breath up into the side flanks of the body the ribs, enabling us to work the ‘powerhouse’ effectively. 1. Standing or seated, place your hands on either side of your ribcage.2. Inhale deeply through the nose laterally—feel the ribs expand into your palms breathing out to your circumference. 3. Exhale slowly through the mouth and feel the ribs gently draw back into centre.Do 5–8 rounds. This breath technique supports core engagement, calms the nervous system, and invites spaciousness within the body.Pilates Seated Arm Spirals with Core Connection: Integration & Elegance1. Sit upright, cross-legged or on a chair. Engage your centre gently, navel to spine.2. Inhale to spiral your right arm up and out to the side, following the arm with your gaze. Exhale to return to centre.3. Alternate sides. Move slowly, allowing your breath to shape the motion. This practice strengthens shoulder mobility, spinal rotation, and coordination with grace.Pilates Standing Practice: Align and Flow1. Stand in neutral alignment: feet hip-width apart, knees soft, pelvis balanced, spine tall.2. Inhale, lift your arms overhead. Exhale, lower them out to the side with control. Repeat slowly 3–5 times, letting breath guide the rhythm.4. Then add a side bend, flowing from one side to the other with grace and control. Focus on staying connected to your centre.Grace in Practice, Grace in LifeWhether you're experiencing menopause, grief, transformation, or simply the everyday pressures of modern life, these practices offer a chance to return to yourself. To reconnect with your core, your breath, your posture - not to be perfect, but to feel whole and supported.Both Zen and Pilates remind us that how we move is how we live. Grace is not something we perform. It is something we remember—through the breath, the spine, the stillness between moments.From this place, we not only move better, we relate better, lead better, and age with wisdom and vitality.Let your practice be a prayer of poise.Let your posture reflect your peace.Let grace become your ground.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

This week your invitation to nourishment * a reflection on how to strengthen connection and ease in your relationships during Menopause * 3 simple and effective Zen practices and affirmations for patience, grace and communication* the science and zen of deep listening * explore the posture of grace * a zen circle a guided partner practiceBuilding upon one of my popular recent posts (below) this weeks offering for nourishment expands the essence of how to bring a deeper level of care to ourselves and our closest relationships at a time of change. Support in TransitionA Sunday walk in nature by the water with my partner yesterday sparked a pathway of inspiration and enquiry. Sensing that the type of conversation we were having throughout was somehow different to the conversations we have at home. Often influenced by background distractions such as tv, phones and emails. However, in nature without those familiar distractions there seemed to be more of a natural flow so our conversation, with no specific beginning or point. A effortless flow reflecting the essence of the meandering river, which we were walking alongside.During this journey, deep listening emerged and responses were graceful and supportive once in the flow. A much welcomed antidote to the sometimes frustration of not feeling/being like our old selves with unfamiliar responses and reactions during this biological shift. A profound transition that touches our emotions, relationships, and sense of self. Taking a leaf from a Zen perspective, this stage of life is an opportunity to slow down, listen deeply, and embrace change with openness, which is definitely how l would describe my Sunday experience. Referring to and living practically with some of the Zen teachings as well as being with nature on a regular basis, for me has been particular helpful during Menopause. Why?, well simply put they can remind us that impermanence (anicca) is the natural flow of life—our bodies, thoughts, and emotions are always shifting. Fighting change only creates suffering. But when we meet menopause with patience, grace, and real communication, it transforms from a struggle into a path of wisdom and connection.The Art of Stillness & SofteningPatience with yourself and others during this time becomes paramount in terms of how you take care of yourself and how you communicate your needs. Acceptance in why you are in any moment without comparison helps, it’s about being fully here, right now.Science shows us that menopause-related hormonal shifts can make us more reactive, more anxious, affecting mood, energy, and focus. Neuroscientists have found that certain mindfulness/ noticing practices can help because they strengthen the prefrontal cortex, helping regulate emotions and reduce stress responses.Patience is often misunderstood as simply waiting, but in Zen, patience is a state of deep presence and surrender. It’s about meeting each moment as it is, without resistance or urgency. During menopause, as emotions fluctuate and energy shifts, patience becomes both a challenge and a vital skill in maintaining inner balance and connection with others.1. Zen Practice for Patience: The Art of Stillness & SofteningStep 1: Grounding into the Present Moment* Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed.* Sit comfortably—either cross-legged on a cushion or with feet grounded on the floor.* Close your eyes or soften your gaze, allowing your breath to settle into its natural rhythm.Step 2: The Breath of Patience* Place one hand on your belly and the other on your heart.* Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, feeling your belly expand.* Hold the breath for a count of four, noticing the pause.* Exhale gently through your mouth for a count of six, feeling tension leave your body.* Repeat for five rounds, allowing each breath to lengthen and soften naturally.Why this works: Slow, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the body from stress to calm, reducing reactivity and impatience.Step 3: Observing Without Reacting* As you sit, bring to mind a recent moment where you felt frustrated, rushed, or reactive.* Without judgment, observe the emotions that arise—tightness, heat, restlessness.* Rather than pushing them away, imagine them as clouds drifting across the sky—temporary and ever-changing. Zen Insight: Just like the sky remains vast and untouched by passing clouds, your inner awareness remains steady even as emotions move through you.Step 4: The Mantra of Softening* Silently repeat: "Softening, allowing, flowing."* With each inhale, soften the edges of frustration.* With each exhale, allow the moment to be as it is.* With the next breath, flow into acceptance.Continue this for 5 minutes, feeling patience grow as you surrender to the present moment.Step 5: Bringing Patience into Daily Life* Next time you feel irritation rising, pause and take one deep breath before reacting.* Silently say: "I allow this moment to be as it is."* If speaking, slow your words, allowing space between sentences.* If listening, fully absorb the other person’s words before responding.Final Thought:Patience isn’t about suppressing frustration—it’s about creating space between stimulus and response. Through breath, presence, and softening, we cultivate grace under pressure, allowing menopause—and life—to unfold with greater ease.Grace: Moving Through Change with EaseGrace isn’t about perfection—it’s about flow.Zen teaches us to be like water, adapting to change rather than resisting it. Yet, it’s easy to feel frustrated when brain fog, fatigue, or shifting emotions interfere with daily life.Research on self-compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff shows that being kind to ourselves reduces stress and fosters resilience. When we let go of the expectation to be who we were, we make space for who we are becoming.In Zen, grace is not about effort—it’s about surrendering to the natural rhythm of life. Grace is fluidity in the face of challenge, the ability to move with change rather than against it. During menopause, when emotions, energy, and identity shift, grace becomes a powerful practice—one that allows us to soften into transformation rather than resist it.2. Zen Practice for Grace: Moving Through Change with EaseStep 1: The Posture of Grace* Find a comfortable seated position—on a cushion, chair, or even lying down.* Imagine a mountain—solid, steady, yet effortlessly meeting the changing winds and seasons.* Gently lift your spine as if being drawn upward, while keeping your shoulders relaxed and soft.* Close your eyes or lower your gaze.Why this works: A grounded yet open posture signals the nervous system to shift from tension to ease, allowing grace to become embodied.Step 2: The Breath of Surrender* Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to expand.* As you exhale through your mouth, whisper the word “surrender.”* With each breath, feel tension melting from your jaw, shoulders, and heart space.* Repeat for five slow breaths, letting go of the need to control or force.Zen Insight: Grace is found in releasing resistance. The breath teaches us how to let go without force, just as a river shapes stone over time—not through struggle, but through flow.Step 3: The Practice of Non-Grasping* Bring to mind a current challenge—maybe it’s fatigue, brain fog, shifting emotions, or uncertainty in relationships.* Instead of resisting or fixing, simply observe.* Ask yourself: Can I meet this moment without clinging or pushing it away?* Imagine holding a delicate feather in your hand—neither gripping it nor letting it fall, just allowing it to rest.* Apply this same energy to your thoughts, emotions, and body—neither forcing nor suppressing, but simply being with what is.Why this works: In Zen, this is the practice of non-attachment—the key to moving with life’s changes, rather than feeling trapped by them.Step 4: The Mantra of Grace* Silently repeat: "I move with ease. I meet change with grace."* With each inhale, imagine softness and acceptance filling your body.* With each exhale, release the need to be who you were yesterday.* Let this mantra become a rhythm—one that extends beyond this practice into daily life.Step 5: Bringing Grace into Relationships & Menopause* Next time frustration or discomfort arises, pause before reacting.* Ask yourself: Am I resisting this moment, or can I allow it to unfold?* When emotions feel overwhelming, place a gentle hand over your heart as a gesture of self-compassion and quietly say to yourself ‘How human of me to feel this way’.* Speak and move more slowly—grace is found in the space between words and actions. Final Thought:Grace is not perfection. It is the art of flowing with what is, trusting that every change is part of a greater unfolding. Through breath, presence, and non-resistance, we cultivate grace in the body, mind, and heart—moving through menopause and life with effortless ease.A Zen Affirmation Practice for Grace:When frustration arises, repeat:"Soften, allow, flow."Let the words settle in your body like ripples in water.Communication: 3. The Zen And Science of Deep ListeningMenopause can challenge communication—word recall slows, emotions intensify, and frustration builds. But in Zen, communication isn’t just about speaking—it’s about listening with presence.Science backs this up: Active listening triggers oxytocin, the bonding hormone, strengthening connection and easing tension.Zen Practice for Communication:Next time your partner speaks, ask yourself:"Am I listening to understand, or just to reply?"Pause. Breathe. Respond from a place of presence, not reaction.4. The Zen Circle: A Guided Partner PracticeThis simple practice helps you and your partner reconnect, using the Zen principle of the ensō (circle)—a symbol of wholeness and presence.How to Do It: Step 1: Set the Space – Sit comfortably, facing each other. Light a candle or simply take a few deep breaths together.Step 2: Draw a Circle – On a piece of

this week your invitation to nourishment* A Zen perspective on Vision* A personal experience on Vision during Menopause* Warning Bio Markers for Vision during Menopause* The Science of Menopause & Vision* How to advocate for your Vision* Solutions for Menopausal Dry Eyes & Ocular Allergies* Reflections on the emotional & spiritual aspect of changing visionTrue vision is not merely about the eyes perceiving forms but about the mind seeing reality as it is—without illusion, distortion, or attachment. In the Zen philosophy this is the essence of kenshō, the direct experience of one’s true nature. When we look at the world through the filters of desire, fear, or expectation, we do not truly see; we project. A clouded mind is like a rippling pond—unable to reflect reality clearly. But when the mind is still, awareness sharpens, and we begin to perceive the impermanent, interconnected nature of all things.Master Dōgen teaches that to see deeply, one must let go of the self—the "I" that clings and distorts. The great paradox is that the more we try to grasp clarity, the further it slips away. Instead, through presence and meditation, we allow vision to emerge naturally, like the moon reflected in still water. In this way, true vision is not about looking forward or backward, but about fully inhabiting this moment, where all truth resides."This week as I moved between appointments with my eye patients, I found myself drawn to taking some moments to absorb nature—pausing to reflect on how deeply interconnected our vision is with both our physical and emotional well-being. Leading me to reflect on the impermanence of our vision and how changes we may experience may in fact also not be so easy to diagnose. A personal example here, is how my vision had been changing quite a bit in the last few weeks, especially increased light sensitivity. My eyes feeling gritty and a bit sore, which l had initially put down to the weather and increased levels of pollen. But still, something felt not quite right. After wearing varifocal contact lenses and glasses over the past few years from single vision because my vision had worsened somewhat. I felt l didn’t need any aid for reading but just for distance, which is normally the other way around when we age. But here’s the real twist—after a last-minute visit to my optometrist on Thursday night I discovered that my eyesight has actually improved in less than a year! I’m now less short-sighted and leaning more toward monovision. Although my optom couldn’t give me a real definite answer if this was linked to hormonal shifts or just aging, but surely we need to put the two together don’t we? BIO MARKERS FOR VISION As we age our hormones age with us so bearing that in mind here ARE SOME MENOPAUSAL RELATED EYE SYMPTOMS you should be aware of look out for include dry eyes, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and even prescription changes. From an eye health perspective, menopause brings changes like:👁️ Light sensitivity – Increased discomfort in bright environments.👁️ Dry eyes – Due to reduced tear production as estrogen declines.👁️ Allergies & hay fever – Hormonal shifts can heighten inflammatory responses.The Science of Menopause & EyesSo what really happens to our eyes as our hormone levels change and age? Well during menopause, we experience declining levels of estrogen and androgen hormones which impact the structure and function of the eye’s tear-producing glands:* Lacrimal glands (which produce the watery layer of tears) experience a reduction in output, leading to dryness and irritation.* Meibomian glands (which produce the oily layer of tears) may become inflamed or clogged, reducing oil flow and accelerating tear evaporation.* Mucin production (which helps tears spread evenly over the eye) is also affected, leading to poor tear film stability.*WARNINGThis hormonal imbalance causes an increased risk of dry eye disease (DED), making eyes feel gritty, irritated, and sometimes excessively watery due to reflex tearing (the body's attempt to compensate for dryness).The Link Between Dry Eyes & Hay Fever in MenopauseDid you know also in addition to direct hormonal effects, menopause can also heighten sensitivity to allergens and histamines. Fluctuating estrogen levels can increase inflammation and immune system hyper-reactivity, making menopausal women more prone to seasonal allergies and ocular allergies (allergic conjunctivitis). This can exacerbate:👁️ Redness, itching, and burning sensations👁️ Swollen or puffy eyelids👁️ Increased tearing or mucus dischargeSomething else to also be aware of when using traditional antihistamines, to manage allergies, is that they can worsen dry eyes because they reduce tear production. This is why many women find their usual allergy medications less effective or more irritating during menopause.What to Do & Get Checked by Your Eye Care ProfessionalIf you’re experiencing persistent dry eyes, light sensitivity, or allergy-like symptoms, it’s essential to get a comprehensive eye exam that includes:* Tear Break-Up Time (TBUT): Measures how quickly tears evaporate. A low TBUT indicates meibomian gland dysfunction.* Schirmer’s Test: Evaluates tear production to determine if the lacrimal glands are underperforming.* Meibomian Gland Imaging: Checks for blockages or atrophy in the glands that produce the oily layer of tears.* Inflammation Markers: Some eye clinics can assess inflammatory markers in tears to determine if there’s chronic inflammation contributing to dryness.* Ocular Allergy Testing: If you have recurring redness and irritation, it may be beneficial to test for specific allergens.SOLUTIONS FOR MENOPAUSAL DRY EYES & OCULAR ALLERGIES Managing dry eyes in menopause requires a multi-faceted approach, including hydration, hormone-friendly nutrition, and targeted treatments. Here are some evidence-based solutions that can help:* Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support healthy tear production.* Lid Hygiene & Warm Compresses: Cleaning the eyelids with a gentle cleanser and using warm compresses helps unclog meibomian glands and improves oil flow.* Lubricating Eye Drops: Opt for preservative-free artificial tears or lipid-based drops that mimic natural tears. Avoid drops that claim to "reduce redness," as they can cause rebound irritation.* Humidifiers & Blinking Exercises: Increasing moisture in your environment and consciously blinking more frequently (especially during screen use) helps retain eye hydration.* Hormone Therapy (HRT): Some women find low-dose estrogen or androgen therapy beneficial for dry eyes, but this should be discussed with a healthcare provider.* Anti-Inflammatory Eye Drops: If inflammation is a major contributor, optometrists may prescribe cyclosporine (Restasis), lifitegrast (Xiidra), or corticosteroid drops for short-term relief.* Allergy Management Alternatives: Instead of traditional antihistamines, consider mast cell stabilizers (e.g., ketotifen) or preservative-free allergy eye drops that are gentler on dry eyes.REFLECTIONS ON THE EMOTIONAL & SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF CHANGING VISIONMenopause isn’t just a shift in hormones—it’s a shift in how we see ourselves and the world. Many women experience changes in clarity, confidence, and perception during this time. Adapting to the impermanence of vision—both physically and metaphorically—can be a powerful practice in embracing change with awareness.Have you noticed changes in your vision—physically, mentally, or emotionally—during menopause? Let’s start the conversation!Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

this week your invitation to nourishment* the importance of psychological emotional agility in menopause* the application of Zen Philosophy ‘skinbag’ in menopause * honouring transition truthfully* trusting and listening within* finding purpose * practices to regain confidence * a book recommendation Before perimenopause and the pandemic, I had always been a confident, self-assured person. As a wellness advocate, yoga teacher, and coach. I always felt in tune with my body and capable of navigating any challenges that came my way. I trusted my ability to balance my physical health, emotional well-being, and professional life. But everything changed when the world around us began to shift dramatically during the second part of the pandemic—and I started my journey into perimenopause.Suddenly and until very recently to be honest, I found myself feeling unsure and disconnected from the confident person I once was. The hormonal changes from perimenopause, combined with the stress of living through a global crisis and changing my work left me feeling uncertain, vulnerable and having terrible bouts of anxiety as well as fear. My mind and body no longer feeling like it was under my control. The hot flashes, the sleepless nights, and the sudden mood swings made me question my ability to cope. I felt overwhelmed and, at times, powerless. My once-strong sense of confidence took a real dip it was during this time that l decided to take a pause from teaching and healing others, instead turning the mirror onto myself.Emotional Agility in Menopause: Navigating Change with GraceMenopause is a profound transition—physically, mentally, and emotionally. With shifting hormones often comes a rollercoaster of moods, energy fluctuations, and moments of self-doubt. This is where emotional agility becomes essential. Rather than resisting these changes or feeling trapped by them, emotional agility allows us to acknowledge our feelings without being consumed by them.Psychologist Susan David describes emotional agility as the ability to experience emotions fully while staying flexible in our responses. In menopause, this means recognising frustration, sadness, or anxiety as natural responses to change—not as roadblocks, but as signals. By meeting these emotions with curiosity instead of judgment, we can make empowered choices about our well-being, whether through movement, breath work, lifestyle shifts, or simply giving ourselves more compassion.Menopause isn’t just an ending but instead a doorway to a new phase of strength, wisdom, and self-awareness. And when we cultivate emotional agility, we move through it with resilience, grace, and confidence and a new dawn awaits you.- Salema Veliu So lets get clear about some of the definitions of both confidence and resilience.* Confidence: Is that feeling you get when you trust yourself to handle things. It’s having your own back, knowing your stuff, whether it’s taking on a challenge, speaking up, or just being yourself without second-guessing. Confidence is that quiet belief that you can do it, even when things get tough.* Resilience: Is the ability to bounce back when life knocks you down. It's not about never feeling knocked down, but getting back up and finding your way forward, no matter how many setbacks you face. Trying to stay open and positive even in the most challenging of instances. Confidence isn’t about knowing it all—it’s about trusting yourself to navigate the unknown. Resilience comes from adapting and growing through challenges, not avoiding them. And emotional agility? Well that’s the ability to recognise, understand, and regulate emotions without being controlled by them. Psychologist Susan David describes it as “the skill to engage with emotions flexibly, allowing us to make thoughtful choices rather than reacting impulsively”. When we develop confidence, resilience, and emotional agility together, we don’t just withstand life’s challenges—we can grow from them. Adapting to Change: How the Pandemic and Perimenopause Shaped My TeachingIt was during the second part of the pandemic, combined with the onset of perimenopause, that threw me into a period of confusion and self-doubt. My energy was low, and the emotional toll of both challenges made it difficult to keep up with the demands of teaching. I found myself struggling to stay motivated and connect with my students in the way I had before. The physical changes of perimenopause left me feeling disconnected from my body, while the isolation of the pandemic made it harder to find any sense of normalcy. I felt overwhelmed and out of place, unsure of how to fit my own needs into the demands of my role as a teacher. Adapting with Intention: Listening to My Body and Mind, and Using the Psychology of Seeing to Envision a Different LifeAfter two decades of teaching, I knew it was time to take a step back and try something different. I recognised that I needed a break to recharge and explore other areas of interest. So, I revisited my background in vision science and psychology, and started working in clinical ophthalmology and optical settings. This shift allowed me to blend my passion for wellness with my professional expertise, creating a new perspective that enriched both my personal growth and my teaching approach. It was a refreshing change that reignited my passion and helped me reconnect with a new sense of purpose.Understanding the Hormonal Shifts: The Science of Perimenopause and MenopauseAs my body began transitioning through perimenopause, the science behind what was happening became clearer. The hormonal fluctuations—particularly the decline in estrogen and progesterone—were causing physical changes I hadn’t anticipated. Muscle loss, bone density issues, and a significant drop in energy were just some of the challenges I faced. From a scientific perspective, these changes made me feel like I was losing my grip on the control I had once had over my health and especially my teeth! In addition to the hormonal shifts, the pandemic's impact on my mental health was profound, especially at that time as l was on my own, without family or a partner, just my ducks, nature and my good neighbours. The isolation, the uncertainty, and the stress of adapting to a new way of life all compounded my feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. Moving into a new area just a few months before the pandemic struck I felt overwhelmed with no clear way out. My confidence plummeted, and it seemed like everything I had built in terms of self-trust was unraveling.Reassessing My Health & Exercise routine: The Importance of Pilates, Strength and Yoga ConditioningIn addition to the emotional and mental toll, I began to realise that my body’s needs had changed. The once intense, dynamic yoga practices I had once relied on no longer felt supportive. Instead, I needed something less chaotic which led me to incorporate Pilates, strength training, yoga conditioning and yin yoga into my routine to support my body’s changing needs. Regaining control of my body without overexertion. They bring a much-needed sense of calm and centredness to my emotional agility. Balancing Quiet Moments and Social Connection: Creating HarmonyDuring this journey, alongside my physical transformation, I realised the importance of balancing quiet moments with social interaction. During the pandemic, the isolation was intense. I found myself retreating inward, spending a lot of time in quiet reflection and journaling. Don’t get me wrong l do love spending time on my own however not quite the amount that was imposed on us. While this introspection helped me process some of the changes, it also reminded me of the importance of social connection. Something l had learn’t prior in one of my Neuroscience lectures, that humans brains are wired to be social and that it helps with longevity.So despite my desire for solitude, I recognised that reconnecting with others was crucial for my mental health. Re-engaging with friends, family, as well as communities of women who are also navigating the challenges of perimenopause has helped me feel less isolated. Giving me a new found sense of connection, belonging and support.Holistic and Scientific Approaches to Healing: Integrating Mind-Body Practices Now I focus on nourishing my body with a diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and protein, while essential oils like lavender and peppermint has brought me emotional balance. I also focused on breath work and zen practices to calm my racing thoughts and reduce the anxiety I was feeling. Combining these approaches allowed me to regain some of my confidence by actively nurturing both my body and mind.Confidence Restored and The Role of the Zen Philosophy ‘skinbag’ in Menopause Over time, as I embraced these practices and the changes in my body, I realised that my confidence wasn’t gone instead it had just transformed. The confidence I once had, rooted in certainty and control, evolved into a deeper sense of trust in the process of change. I understood that confidence doesn't mean always feeling strong or in control—it’s about trusting that you will figure it out, no matter what comes your way.The Zen "skin bag" philosophy teaches that our body is just a temporary vessel—a shifting, impermanent form that we inhabit for a time. This idea becomes especially relevant during life transitions, like perimenopause, aging, or personal reinvention. When we cling too tightly to how things used to be—our past identities, youthful bodies, or fixed expectations—we create suffering. But when we see change as natural, just like the breath flowing in and out, we find freedom.Instead of resisting transitions, we can meet them with curiosity and presence. The body shifts, emotions fluctuate, but our deeper self remains. By embracing impermanence, we let go of fear and step into each new phase with grace, resilience, and wisdom. After all, we are not just the skin bag—we are the awareness within it.The TakeawayBy embracin

this weeks invitation to nourishment* powerful lessons in communication with hormone changes and what you and your partner can do to be heard and supported* what you should know/consider about the andropause* practices that you can do individually or together* the importance of the bonding hormone * my top 5 ways to strengthen relationships Artwork by Andy DenzlerWelcome to NOURISH U, the contemplative podcast and newsletter is all about sharing holistic hacks, insights and solutions to empower longevity, creativity and peace of mind. All coming to you from my floating home on the water in Cambridge, England.The Male and Female Menopause Lately one of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is the importance of open communication in relationships—especially when it comes to expressing needs and emotions without guilt. Particularly challenging with hormonal changes, stress, and life’s transitions all affecting how we feel, both physically and emotionally, and holding it all in only creates distance. Instead of suppressing feelings or fearing judgment, I’ve found that honest conversations can build deeper trust and connection. A real-life example of this for me lately has been discussing how lower testosterone levels maybe affecting my relationship but interestingly how equally my partner is feeling the same. He has struggled with mood swings and depression for over two decades and is now sixty. However, he nor more importantly his health professional has ever questioned or tested if he has/is experiencing the Male menopause, also known as andropause even through he has presented with some likely symptoms. Andropause is the gradual decline of testosterone levels in men as they age, typically starting around their 40s or 50s. Unlike menopause in women, which often can happen more suddenly, andropause is a slow process that can lead to symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, low libido, reduced muscle mass, brain fog, and even depression. Reading various research information and discussing this topic together suddenly, the conversation shifted from just me wondering about my own levels to realising my partner should probably get tested too. To me, that’s what a real partnership is all about being able to talk openly about things that matter instead of shutting down and pulling away. Sharing how I feel whether it’s fatigue, the need for space, or a desire for support has not only strengthened my relationship but also created a safe space where both of us feel seen, heard, and valued. True intimacy isn’t just about being together it’s about understanding each other fully. Furthermore, its about learning together to navigate change.Testosterone is a hormone we make naturally but declines with age in both women and men and while not every man experiences severe symptoms, lifestyle factors like stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise can often make the effects more noticeable. But the good news? Healthy habits, hormone testing, and open communication can help manage and support this transition. Health, Hormones & Beyond: The Power of BalanceTrue health isn’t just about diet and exercise it’s about balance in all aspects of life. Hormones, the body’s chemical messengers, regulate everything from energy and metabolism to mood and sleep. When they’re in sync, you feel vibrant, clear-headed, and strong. But when you are experiencing stress, poor sleep, or unhealthy habits they are thrown off balance, you may experience fatigue, brain fog, weight changes, and emotional ups and downs as a result.Zen practices like meditation, breath work, and mindfulness can help regulate cortisol, the stress hormone, which in excess can lead to anxiety, inflammation, and disrupted sleep. Taking even a few minutes daily to center yourself can create a ripple effect, promoting clarity, calmness, and better overall health and enhance your relationships with others.The Role of Relationships in Hormonal BalanceEqually important are relationships—the invisible threads that weave our emotional and physical well-being together. Strong, meaningful connections release oxytocin, often called the “bonding hormone,” which helps reduce stress, enhance mood, and support heart health. Healthy relationships also help regulate dopamine and serotonin levels, which contribute to feelings of happiness and motivation.Hormonal shifts can impact relationships in profound ways. For example:* Women’s hormonal fluctuations (due to menstrual cycles, pregnancy, or menopause) can affect mood, energy, and emotional needs. Understanding and communicating these shifts with a partner can help build emotional intimacy and patience.* Men’s hormonal changes, especially during midlife, often go unnoticed but can have a big impact. Testosterone levels naturally decline after 30, and by midlife, men may experience irritability, lower motivation, changes in libido, and emotional withdrawal—sometimes referred to as andropause or “male menopause.”NOURISH U with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Navigating Midlife Hormonal Changes in Men & Strengthening RelationshipsFor men in midlife, hormonal fluctuations can lead to shifts in confidence, mood, and connection with their partners. This can sometimes create distance in relationships, especially if emotional changes are misunderstood or ignored. Here are some ways to nurture relationships during these transitions:* Open Communication – Talking openly about emotions, stressors, and needs can strengthen a relationship, especially when hormones impact mood or energy. Creating a safe space for vulnerability is key.* Physical Connection – Whether it’s intimacy, holding hands, or simply spending quality time together, physical connection boosts oxytocin, reduces stress, and fosters closeness.* Shared Activities – Engaging in new experiences together, such as travel, hobbies, or fitness routines, can reignite excitement and strengthen bonds. Exercise, in particular, can help men maintain healthy testosterone levels.* Mindfulness & Emotional Awareness – Practicing mindfulness together, such as meditation or deep breathing, can help both partners manage stress and hormonal fluctuations with more patience and understanding.* Nutritional & Lifestyle Support – A diet rich in healthy fats, lean proteins, and micronutrients (like zinc and magnesium) can support testosterone levels in men. Meanwhile, reducing alcohol and sugar can help stabilise mood and energy.At the core of it all, health isn’t just about what you eat or how much you move—it’s about how you live, love, and find peace within. By prioritising mindfulness, nourishing your body, cultivating meaningful relationships, and understanding the role hormones play, you don’t just survive—you thrive. ✨Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Thanks for reading NOURISH U with Salema Veliu! This post is public so feel free to share it. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

your invitation awaits to * Learn about the connection between periodontal health, hormones, menopause and HRT.* Warning signs such as dry and burning mouth, bleeding gums, gum disease and what you should do.* Tips to get your mouth back on track during perimenopause, menopause and beyond.* Resources and References - Documented research into Menopause and Oral Health. * Access to Vision insights in Menopause.Writing my SubStack has always been about creating inspirations and drawing on insights from my own experiences and research in life. Providing a springboard for information, connection, discussion to NOURISH U so that you can NOURISH LIFE.So this week l’m focusing and highlighting the connection between Teeth, Mouth, Eyes and Menopause, drawn from personal experience and research. And how we (sisters) need to advocate for more research on Oral Health, Hormones and the Menopause, to protect not only our teeth, gums and bones but our general health. 2025 has not quite started the way l had imagined however, that being said what l’ve learn’t about myself, my body, mind and mouth has been both invaluable and painful (but in a good way!). I’ve always tried to be healthy, exercising regularly, eating a health diet and reducing my intake of alcohol. However, when we are in the menopause cycle of events we often have to rethink our habits along with the type of exercise we do, the duration as well as diet and nutrition. So why don’t we take more notice of our oral health during this transition? My experience of going through some problems alongside researching these questions has lead to some very profound answers. Mouth, Teeth, Menopause and Other Factors - Setting the Stage My journey with my mouth in menopause started late November 2024, after having a few problems with one tooth in particular. I suppose l had been lucky up to that point as l had experienced very few problems (partly because my mama always looked after my teeth with appointments and so forth from an early age). As far as l can remember l only had one set of treatments over 30 years ago, and they were to deep clean my gums at my local dental hospital. Since then l had no fillings although l could have done better with trips to the Hygienist. Moving areas just before Covid, l was stuck, with no NHS nor private dentists available. It has become a sorry state of affairs in the UK where access to Dentistry is very restricted (unless you have the money to pay privately). However, l was able to see a hygienist coming out of lockdown. Unfortunately, by that time it had been almost 5 years since my last clean and that coupled with starting perimenopause during the beginning of Covid, my teeth were not in a good state.Back to November 2024, after finally finding a dentist, l was informed after a very thorough examination that l needed a Root Canal, and some treatment for my gums, although my mouth was Cancer free. Did l mention all of this happened a few days before my flight to Costa Rica, so l was advised against having the root canal or the other option, an extraction until l returned. Meanwhile the lovely dentist gave me two courses of antibiotics, including a spare box to take with me to clear the infection which had spread. However, upon my return l was in so much pain, this time the same side as the infected bottom tooth but the upper jaw. Again my lovely dentist (so lucky l found him) said hmm, you have an infection in a small pocketing area, which we need to attend too asap and you must go to the hygienist. By this time l was almost in tears, frightened that finally my mouth and teeth were giving up on me. Or perhaps, they were instead trying to signal me to take prompt action to protect my overall general health. Finally, we decided we could not save my tooth as the infection had penetrated deeper than we first thought, so an extraction was recommended and successfully achieved. Thankfully l’m now on a treatment plan with the dental therapist for some major treatments with my gums so l can save my bones…..l’m on my way to restoring balance in my mouth and hopefully helping my general health in the process. Warning signs to visit the dentist, periodontal health, and HRTA bit in denial, l thought oh l’ll be ok my teeth have always been ok, but l wasn’t really being truthful to myself, why? Well because l had noticed that l had been waking up with a awful dry mouth and seemed to have a burning sensation in my mouth that just seemed to come out of nowhere.Moreover, there was just something different about how my mouth was feeling in general. Women are often more intuitive than men when it comes to things like that. On closer inspection, l began to see my gums were beginning to recede and bleed, something that l didn’t have before. Dental anxiety began to creep in and then slowly overtake my thoughts, giving me mini panic attacks and a real fear for the dentist (something that l had never had before). So what was happening? Is/was there a connection between Menopause and oral symptoms? Furthermore, have you ever considered that the build up of harmful bacteria can also contribute to vulnerability for heart and neurological conditions such as strokes and heart disease. In a review of oral health and menopause data, the most common oral health symptom was periodontal health, with up to 60% of women experiencing symptoms [2]. Periodontal heath refers to that of the gums and connective tissues, which can experience significant change during the menopause.If your mouth is dry, you may notice clicking or difficulty in speaking, food may not taste the same and the dryness can affect swallowing. Overall, your mouth can feel more sensitive and your gums may bleed more when brushing.Chronic gum problems can lead to destruction of the bone supporting your teeth, known as periodontitis. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss – studies have suggested more than one in four (28%) post-menopausal women are likely to suffer from tooth loss within five years [3].- Dentist Dr Shabnam ZaiThe problems that l personally experienced is what finally lead me to start taking HRT. Within 48 hours something miraculous happened, l woke up on the 3rd morning with no more dry and burning mouth and reduced pain. After researching deeper, l found that it is the lack of oestrogen and progesterone that can impact and reduce production of saliva and increase inflammation which can cause other dental problems. You can access the full article here oral health and the menopause on Dr Louise Newsons website and app BALANCE. What’s interesting here is that there does appear to be a link via one study that taking the good HRT (body identical) lowers/reduces periodontal disease.References1. Delta Dental Breaking the Stigma: Let’s Talk about Menopause and Oral Health2. Dutt P, Chaudhary S, Kumar P. (2013), ‘Oral health and menopause: a comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management’, Ann Med Health Sci Res. Jul; 3(3):320-3. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.1179263. Bole C, Wactawski-Wende J, Hovey KM, Genco RJ, Hausmann E. Clinical and community risk models of incident tooth loss in postmenopausal women from the Buffalo Osteo Perio Study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2010 Dec;38(6):487-97. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2010.00555.4. Dutt P, Chaudhary S, Kumar P. (2013), ‘Oral health and menopause: a comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management’, Ann Med Health Sci Res. Jul; 3(3):320-3. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.117926Other Key Facts * If you floss just once a week (the recommendation of course is for every day) have a significant lower risk of a stroke and developing atrial fibrillation.* Researchers now believe that reducing oral bacteria and gum inflammation may play a role in protection brain and heart health.Tips to get your mouth back on track during perimenopause, menopause and beyondl was shocked when l finally got to see my dental therapist told and he told me that l was simply not cleaning my teeth correctly! He then preceded to show me really in great depth and detail when to clean and how.A few of my takeaways from the my last 3 months on this journey:* Speak to your doctor if you are either not on HRT or perhaps on a lower dosage and having any of the symptoms.* Make more of an effort to have regular screening with a dentist every 6 months if you are experiencing any of the problems l’ve listed. * In addition seek a professional that has experience in Dental Therapy as well as Dental Hygiene, as they train in dental/bone anatomy diagnosis. * Review your teeth cleaning with your dental hygienist. * Check when you last changed your tooth head (if electric) and the shape, l was told l was using the wrong shape for my mouth surprisingly. (New electric toothbrush Oral IOS 6 incoming as we speak). * Start Dry brushing, wiggle the dry brush around the gum tooth outline and in between to remove the brown slime which is the bacteria. * Use electric flossers and normal flossing* My favourite the Tepe bristle flossers. * Oil pulling (with coconut oil), although some dentists may not agree the ones l’ve spoken too generally do recommend using because of the anti bacterial benefits. Basically you swish 10ml or a tablespoon of oil around your mouth for 10-20 minutes, then spit out into a bin not in the sink as otherwise it will clog up your pipes. I generally do 10-15 minutes a day. YOU DO NOT INGEST IT! * The idea is that the bacteria which is like a light brown slime that can cause tooth decay, gum disease and a whole load of dental nasties is then removed naturally, rooted from the Ayurvedic tradition the results are positive. Using this practice also helps boost your immune system and fight inflammation (something that we experience more of during the menopause cycle. Oh and did l mention it also whitens your teeth naturally. So if something doesn’t feel right, make some notes and then go see a professional. ConclusionMore research nee

this week: your invitation to nourishment* a short but sweet reflective post on sisterhood and a potent women’s cohort gathering.* recommendations: apps and credited specialists to educate, track, inform and nourish your changing journey and what helps me.* a sprinkling of radical self care prompts.* a poem for change in menopauseSitting in a contemplative and generous and precious space this past week with a group of liked minded sisters in a cohort with Elena Brower one thing came to the forefront - the importance of sisterhood, being heard and the unease that we all sometimes experience from being the caregiver. As l sat and listened, l mean really listened to the other women’s life stories, the challenges and motivations to move forward both physically and mentally, l began to feel a deeper resonance with them, a sisterhood of sorts. Strangers united in a common cause - how to flourish, how to give, how to express and how to communicate what we experience and what we need.After my turn to speak, l was guided back to the importance of practicing a deeper of of awareness, care, love and respect for myself, by using I when l spoke to the group about my journey, values and motivations. I found this observation and comment from my mentor especially potent and nourishing, especially after surfing the wave of my partner’s journey with depression. Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free subscriber or make a donation.l feel that the concept of sisterhood; friendships and relationships became a little distorted and lost in the void of the pandemic. I’m not sure if you noticed it in your circle? But in mine all of my relationships changed, including the one with myself. Women, by nature are natural born care givers, we can’t help it is embedded in our DNA and re-enforced by societal norms and conditioning. However, during the perimenopause and menopause cycle, instead of giving all the time we need to make time for ourselves. Learning what we need during this transition change, how to ask for it and how to stay close to ourselves can be a real challenge, like Halle Berry recently said in an interview ‘ l thought l could just skip Menopause, it won’t happen to me”. Whilst, some women sail through Menopause without experiencing any of the symptoms, they are in the minority. With healthcare professionals generally lacking specific Menopausal training as Dr Mary Claire Haver mentions in the USA, unfortunately it is exactly the same here in the UK. Therefore, doing your research to advocate for yourself becomes paramount to ensure mental, emotional and structural stability to enjoy this period of change rather than dread it.The theme of sisterhood continued into my week, this time surfacing as l sat in my hairdresser’s chair. Being asked how l was? Although there was only myself and another lady present, l found myself inadvertently blurting out ‘Oh l feel so much better since l started HRT!’. With that comment, the conversational space opened up giving us a common ground to share our experiences and learn from each other, what a beautiful thing, menopause being the common thread that would unite us, strangers. As l sat in my chair, l shared some of the apps and official research that l had been reading for clarity in a world full of disinformation, on certain topics around menopausal health. During our conversation, the other client said something that really struck me, ‘We now have the control to decide how we go through these years, even if it means advocating for ourself’- wow so true. The women of today, are incredibly lucky. We have the some amazing individuals advocating for women’s health to be at the top of the agenda rather than at the bottom. Specialists in their respected fields they often share their frustration as well as ours with the lack of qualified professionals to help women during these years. Many amazing podcasts and substack’s including some of the following listed below, whom give us the necessary information needed to make an informed decision about how we want to proceed with our life in the 2nd Act- this is radical self care this is taking our power back. Reclaiming our power, ultimately effects our confidence, something too that can be easily lost due to changes in our brains during the menopausal journey. Therefore, beginning to use the I statement in our communications can help empower us to change our narrative in how we move forward. - Salema My go to list: These are just some of the amazing women, if you don’t know them already leading the cause for better health at every stage of menopause.DR LISA MOSCONI - Neuroscientist -Women’s Brain Health DR MARY CLAIRE HAVER - Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD, FACOG, MSCP is a board-certified Obstetrics and Gynaecology specialist, a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (formerly the North American Menopause Society (NAMS)), a Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist from, and a passionate entrepreneur and best-selling author with a focus on women’s health.DR JEN GUNTER - OB/GYN, author of The Vagina Bible and The Menopause ManifestoDR Kelly Casper - Urologist - Empowering women in midlife. Urologist, Tedx Speaker, Thought Leader 🎧Podcaster: You Are Not Broken™️Dr Salas Whalen - EndocrinologistDr Vona Wright - Orthopedic surgeonAPPS TO TRACK yourself and symptoms I’ve always used an app to track my cycle as well as any symptoms throughout each month on my apple health app. However, now taking HRT as well as vitamin supplements, l wanted to record when l take these and if and when l experience any symptoms.* Also it is worth remembering (after doing a lot of research) that not all menopause supplements are compatible with HRT, therefore do you research and if your not sure contact the vitamin/supplement company to ask.* One recommended supplement that says you can take alongside HRT is the Health & Her Menopause Multi-Nutrient Support Supplement 60 Capsules.* Balance with Dr Louise Newson * Health and Her Essential oils can also help one of my favourites that gives clarity and generally makes me feel better is peppermint. Elena’s Guide Radical Self Care Prompts* where, what and how is your energy being directed* what are you releasing? * how are you caring for yourself? * how are you feeling?* what is your vision/intentions for your life, health and relationships pre, during and post menopause* what do you need to take more notice of? * what is your body telling and showing you? * what does support look like for you? * how are you communicating what you need from yourself and others? It goes without saying that everyone is different, what works for one does not always mean that it will work for you, (l know l state the obvious). But there are always certain things to consider due to your family and self health history. Therefore, do your research, speak to a licensed professional to arm yourself with trusted knowledge and then come to informed decision on how you want to move forward, advocate for yourself. GET INVOLVED, ADVOCATE FOR BETTER WOMENS HEALTHA poem for menopause Artwork by Andy Denzler Unfolding Your Myth Light mirrors lifeReflecting back what we have chosen to ignoreUncovering undiscovered depthsWe find ourselves Answering enquiries through a different lensHelping us breathe againInto a new experience we goNot knowing what lays ahead or which way to goBreathing againSomehow finding the pathIlluminating forgotten insights and depthsA reminder of all that has been and what yet awaitsBreathing againWe unfold our own mythThank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast exploring the curiosities and complexities of life, providing various insights from science, nature, zen & various philosophies to help heal and inspire longevity. All of this coming to you from my floating lodge on the water in Cambridge, England.buy me a coffee/donation Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

this week your invitation: to tap into your visual intelligence to envision reality* illusions of the eyes and brain* learn more about vision and perception to live beyond our everyday experiences * a ted talk with Donald Hoffman and an introduction to his work* how to nurture your vision in nature * therapy for vision * daily eye hacks “Use the light that is within you to revert to your natural clearness ofsight.”-Lao Tzutapping into your visual intelligence to envision realityOur primary sense is VISION and one way of learning more about how our brain and mind sees our version of reality, is to see how we react to visual illusions, something l studied in depth through my University research. The brain has two hemispheres, each divided into four lobes. Each lobe is (largely) responsible for different functions. For instance the frontal cortex is responsible for decision making and planning; the temporal lobe for language and memory; the parietal lobe for spatial skills, and the occipital lobe which is entirely devoted to vision and the place where visual illusions happen.Now look at the image at the top of this post what do you see? perhaps a series of ripples but why? This is because of the seamless pattern of circles.Optical Illusions deceive our brains and play tricks on our eyes due to the array of patterns, light all creating a false sense of reality as the image our brain processes isn’t actually what is in front of us.philosophy and visionPhilosophy and vision are more closely linked than you may have imagined. Our perception of ourselves and the world around us are formed from perception and cognitive experiences from childhood.Lets get clear, pardon the pun! Vision can be used/talked about in two primary ways, firstly, how we see things to navigate our daily lives and out in the world. Secondly, how we want to envision ourselves and our lives to be. However, just like the mind, it is worth remembering that our eyes can also deceive us as well as aid us. Vision gives us our perceptions which ultimately guides our behaviours. Therefore, understanding how we construct our world and can influence our choices. my journey with visual perception and consciousness Gazing out of the window, into the beautiful surroundings of my campus at Cambridge, l found myself wondering how l got there. Coming to Cambridge as a mature student was partly due to my own love of philosophy and psychology and wanting to understand more about the human condition from a scientific perspective, the other to learn more about my mother’s Alzheimer’s. However, l could not have anticipated what would come next - studying Vision Science!. I remember the first day so well, because we had the most handsome looking Australian walk in and announce that he would be teaching us the statistics and vision modules. His passion for both topics was contagious. It was during this time that l was also introduced to the work of Donald Hoffman in Visual Perception and Consciousness. Whatever reality is, it’s not what you see.- Professor of Cognitive Science Donald Hoffmanwhy we should be using philosophy, yoga and science to understand our realityHaving studied about consciousness from the eastern teachings and practices l found it interesting to look at what the actual science had to say. Fascinated by Hoffman’s lab experiments, here was a cognitive neuroscientist that came to the table with a mindful alternative approach that blended science with philosophy, l was hooked. In Yoga we offered tools and insights to still the fluctuations of the mind. In these teachings we are also made aware of the veil of illusion (maya in Sanskrit and yoga philosophy), which are where our deceptions, and perceptions reside that influence our behaviours. A yoga practice or any mindful/noticing activity for that matter can help us cultivate some space between the fear based and destructive chatter of the mind referred to as ‘Chitta’ referenced throughout the 8 Limbs of Yoga Philosophy by Patanjali, especially in the first chapter on pure awareness.A quieting of the mind that brings clarity can also have an impact to refresh, renew, and improve our vision and for our life. Meditation and Mindfulness in a sense is giving our senses permission to just be rather than overloaded. As result better clarity of and in the mind, can often improve what we see. Noticing the greater details of life around us bringing us a greater appreciation in the process.Science now however, explores and asks another set of fundamental questions including ‘how can we trust what we really see? and ‘how do we construct /reconstruct our reality?’ Why is this important? Well because our perceptions guide our behaviours.Evolution has shaped our sensory systems (such as Darwins Theory) to navigate and survive in the world but to see reality as it is objectively but what if to see object reality is actually zero? And what if l told you that our senses are a just a cognitive filter which does the opposite to what we think? Meaning they might be actually preventing us from knowing the true nature of reality. One of the classic experiments that highlights how we are visually fooled is one of the first l conducted on starting University, was the hollow "Einstein Face" mask experiment. A simple but timeless example of how our perception works because we live in a 3d world. Living in a 3d world we interact in linear time with material objects, where our senses contribute to our perception and shape how we see reality. Science and the work of Hoffman focuses on recognising a fourth dimension - time and space.Yoga and some forms of spirituality teaches us how we might be able to live beyond the 3D experience, offering practices and insights to transcend limitations and to step beyond our conventional understanding of reality. Spiritual teachings see the 5D as our natural state of being as spiritual beings. It's seen as the ultimate goal—a state of oneness and connection with everything, which again Hoffman talks about in his exploration. To hear more you might want to check out Donald’s TED talk from 9 years ago, more relevant now focusing on time and space and consciousness.Do we really reality as it is?buddhism, yoga and vision Bearing this concept in mind it is easy to see why there might be a crossover from science into yoga and buddhism in regards to how we envision the world. Especially when we consider the important role of the ‘pineal gland’ which in yoga is known as the ‘third eye’, located in the centre of the forehead and is our seat of intuition, awareness and spirituality. In vision science this organ in the brain is also responsible for coding the light that enters our eyes. Another equally important part of the process is that when this happens it automatically stimulates the brains consciousness of ‘perception’. The crossover then into eastern philosophy is that it is believed that when light enters and kick starts your metabolic process in the body, our root cause of unclear thinking and vision becomes evident. Meaning our body remembers how we see, does this therefore mean the same as removing the veil of illusion (maya) to uncover the real nature of reality? Therefore, the real question from this piece today is, if we spend more time and research on exploring beyond our everyday experiences can we cultivate greater possibilities and freedom in how we live?“When you shift your focus from the physical world to the world of possibilities, everything changes.” - BasharEngaging Vision and Your Brain (in nature)Being in/and or exercising in nature, green open spaces, beaches, being by and on the water all have therapeutic benefits for our bodies and minds and especially our vision. Whilst it’s worth remembering that you should never look directly at the sun without protection, natural sunlight especially first thing in the morning is particular good for eyes and also setting our circadian rhythms. However, looking at the sun without protection can accelerate any cataract conditions, as they thrive in UVB light. That aside there are other important factors to consider in terms of what nature provides visually speaking, the lack of straight lines and urban shapes in particular giving our vision a momentary respite. Visual variety in the scenery and the saturation of colours has an impact to how we see. therapy for vision Vision can often help inform us of what needs to be addressed behaviourally as well as anatomically therefore, looking at the wholeness of you in other words (the whole picture of your life) and not only the symptoms can help determine the changes you may need to heal. Integrated Vision Therapy takes a holistic approach to identifying the causes of vision problems and developing noninvasive, natural strategies for treatment, including clear, easy-to-follow exercises, diets, and changes in daily habits.daily eye hacksWhen l am out on my eye clinics (normally 2 days a week) here are few simple hacks l give to my patients:blink - * Blink around 10 times very quickly.* Close your eyes and relax for 20 seconds while taking your attention to your breath.* Repeat this exercise about five times.palming -* Sit quietly with your eyes closed and take a few deep breaths to relax.* Rub the palms of your hands vigorously until they become warm and place them gently over your eyelids.* Feel the warmth of the palms being transferred onto the eyes and the eye muscles. You will feel instant relaxation.* Keeping the eyes closed, lower your hands and feel the dryness fade away gradually.* Once again rub the palms and repeat the process at least three times.near and distant viewing -* Standing or sitting with a bent elbow look at the tip of your index finger then look over it and out to the horizon.* Alternate back and forth x 10.use nature vision -* if you wear glasses and/or contact lenses have a half a day or day when you don’t wear either! Use your nature vision to exercise your eye muscles rath

this week: the invitation - simply to learn how to unbind yourself* a simple experience that has a deeper significance * a practice to nourish neuroplasticity* the three physic knots/disrupters that bind us+ news of an in person gathering Drawn from lessons of practical boating in learning knots, alongside a deeper introspection from some of my old Uni Neuroscience notes (found this weekend) sprinkled with some yoga philosophy, this is how this piece came to be.This past weekend whilst cleaning and tidying our boat as we are getting it ready to sell it, we came across many things…..One being a big cupboard of rope. Since moving onto the water just before the pandemic and having a mooring, l’ve had to learn how to properly tie ropes, whether it be to my then Kayak or now to the larger boats we have. It’s been an interesting learning curve. The Kayak mooring was just about doable, but mooring the other two….well let’s say its still a work in the progress, as my fiancee would agree. He an experienced sailor and boater makes it look very easy and is very patient with me. Watching him try and teach me about knots is fascinating to me. While l’m aware that there are some people who just 'get it' in other words those who can watch a demonstration once and then do it themselves straight away. There are others (like me) who take longer to catch on and remember the steps to tying a particular knot but then at the last moment get it wrong. In those moments l often find myself annoyed for not being able to remember how to complete the task/knot properly. Thinking about my experience, got me to thinking what is going on in my brain when l am trying to learn something new. Well our brains are made up of billions of cells, neuron’s. In the simplest of terms, the way these neuron’s are connected together determines how we perceive and do certain things. The connection from one neuron to the next is called a pathway. In other words when we learn something new, a new pathway is forged. The more we repeat the experience, the stronger the pathway becomes. However, it is the roll of frequency, in other words how often you repeat what it is that you are trying to learn paired with interest (of course), which has the capacity to strengthen the neural pathway required to complete that task and/or understand the concept. This ability in our brain to change and adapt according to our experiences is called ‘Neuroplasticity’ and becomes even more essential as we age. “Like in a system of freeways connecting various cities, the more cars going to a certain destination, the wider the road that carries them needs to be. The fewer car traveling that way, however, the fewer lanes are needed. Over time, these connections become thick, hardy road maps that link various parts of the brain and stimulating one neuron in the sequence is more likely to trigger the next one to fire.” (Bernard, 2010).BINDING AND THE MINDBinds are felt both mentally and physically, a form of restriction. However, while restrictions can be self imposed or imposed onto us from others and our environment. Binds from a mental, emotional and spiritual perspective are mostly self imposed. Stemning our beliefs originating out of exposure to trauma, depression, stress and illness. The feeling of not being able to do something showing up as disbelief or overwhelm will often deter people from trying something new and going outside their comfort zone. A GROUP PRACTICE TO ENHANCE NEUROPLASICITY This exercise is meant to be practiced in a small group setting. With a Small Group please create a small circle. Next* Balance a stick between the tip of your finger and the tip of the fingerof the person standing next to you. * Don’t hold the stick, but gently press the end of the stick with your fingertip. The resistance of the person next to you pushing back with their fingertip will keep the stick from falling.* Once the circle is formed, one person gently presses the end of their stick which will nudge the finger of the person next them holding up the other end of the stick. * Then when you feel your stick nudge one side, to then pass the nudge around the circle. When l originally did this experiment at Uni we timed how long it took the nudge to pass around the entire circle. It took around 15 seconds the first time, second time 12 seconds and third time 10 seconds. We then kept doing it until we consistently completed the circle in 7 seconds several times. These findings resulting in the formation of a neural pathway and us representing neurons and the sticks were demonstrating the electrochemical signals being sent from one neuron to another whilst learning something new. By repeating the task several times we were able to eventually reduce the time it took us the first time to do it in half. This demonstrated how and what we had learned to do had been integrated into our neural network.After this simple but effective practice, l noticed my confidence in trying new things growing, even those l didn’t particularly like. In the process being less judgemental about myself if I didn’t do it well or understand it the first time around. Instead l just reminded myself that if l hadn’t grasped it then it simply means that the pathway just hasn't been built yet, and know that I can work on that!Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.UNTYING OURSELVES holisticallySometimes when l think about these restrictions, knots and binds. I am reminded of the philosophies behind certain yoga poses, a theme that was and is always woven into the fabric of my physical classes and workshops.In yoga anatomy and philosophy Granthi is a Sanskrit word that translated to a “knot”. There are three granthis – Brahma Granthi, Vishnu Granthi, and Rudra Granthi – these three psychic knots are situated in the astral body (that which we can not see but feel). These three psychic knots are seen as disrupters to our energy flow. Blocking our energy centers (chakras).* Brahma -Location: base of spine: Psychology: fight or flight response, survival, development.* Vishnu - Location: between navel and heart: Behaviours: compassion, love, power, ego.* Rudra - Location: between centre of the forehead and crown: Unity, oneness, connection.In yoga, there is a practice to pierce through these knots and that is the use of Bhandhas (energy locks, which there are 5). The application of Bhandha practice can help loosen blocked energy and relieve an anxious mind and a uneasy body. I’m not going to lie, binding poses in yoga can be extremely challenging due to the range of motion and flexibility required. However, on the flip side they can help teach us how to loosen our grip of what we believe is possible and show us how to breathe through discomfort, cultivating space, possibility and freedom.(Photo taken from one of previous retreats in Morocco). Eliciting Neurochemistry through PracticeWhen we talk about changing the chemistry in our minds, we are really talking about the importance of frequency, repetition, skill learning as well as our curiosity to try and learn new things. Helping us emerge with new understandings and reducing self doubt and fear, which after all becomes the real reward of any practice. In Person GatheringFor those who maybe in or near the location of West Wickeram, Bromley. The venue is only a 30 minute hop on the train from London. A wonderful opportunity to come together in person for a small and intimate gathering exploring how to feel whole again through embodied practices, journalling, and dialogue. You can book and secure your place APRIL 5TH WORKSHOP Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast drawn from my life as a water nomad with prompts, insights and rituals for self care whilst navigating depression and menopause. Using simplicity and nature to inspire, heal and reinvent a better me and you. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge. Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast drawn from my life as a water nomad with prompts, insights and rituals for self care whilst navigating depression and menopause. Using simplicity and nature to inspire, heal and reinvent a better me and you. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge.Art of Attention Deck by Elena Brower and Erica Jago I’ve been thinking a lot about the title l’ve given this piece lately ‘Preparation is Self Care’ and how by considering that mantra maybe helpful in listening, healing and tendering to rediscover a better me and you!Let’s be frank here, as l mentioned in my last two pieces, l have been battling with some life challenges that really effected me more than l could have imagined, mentally, physically and emotionally. What helped? Simply and unapologetically taking some time out for most of January. Instead of planning my projects and goals, l did nothing. I needed rest, real rest and to ease in myself into 2025 gently and with self care whilst remaining a part-time observer from afar.Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Listening, Tendering and HealingOne form of healing that seemed to help me was the practice of deep listening in silence so l could climb underneath the doubt that was surfacing. That looked like less pressure and expectations and instead more pottering around mindfully, exploring and doing things that genuinely interest me. Preparation and Prayer Another aspect of this process was Prayer. I prayed every night for guidance and help to ease my physical and emotional pain not just for me but for my partner (never underestimate the power of prayer). I like to think of prayer as a form of preparation because after all guidance is what is been asked for. Answers arriving in the most unexpected ways and forms. I stayed close to my intuition retreating into the quiet spaces between my thoughts and finding refuge deep within. Whispers from WithinDuring menopause hearing these intuitive whispers can sometimes seem impossible. Our memories and mind shaped by our hormones become less tolerable to brainstorming, focusing and multitasking. The unclear mind makes it’s presence felt. Feelings of overwhelm with what lays ahead and the anxiety of running out of time replacing the once very capable mind instead.Simplicity, expression, resting, noticing and walking in nature and breaking environments. Slowly the whispers started to come forth beginning with:What is it that l truly seek? What should l be doing VS What would l like to do?What should l be doing VS What would bring me more joy? Not having all the answers clear cut but mulling them over in between daily chores of washing, cooking and so forth ideas and inspirations began to come forth.Vision Preparation For JoyFeeling well rested and in less pain l decided to finally collect some random short burst of scribbles on my laptop, phone and note book. All representing thoughts around what l would like to focus on and do in 2025. My vision and the words slowly emerging for ‘My 2025 The year of Self Care, preparation and reinvention.’ How l style my vision now days differs from in the past and also from whats out there in a flooded market of journalling. I just want to make mine as simplistic as possible. Therefore, at the top of mine l give myself a header like ‘My 2025 The year of Self Care, preparation and reinvention.’ Followed by a short sweet statement to myself.Using the following 8 simple headings and l began to get clarity, these are;Home - Any alterations, selling, leasing buying of property, moving Health - What needs my attention? And then take the necessary actionsRelationships - What do l need to improve, what do l need to discard? (behaviours and communications).Finances - Pensions, savings, debt - Where do l find yourself now where do l want to be? Hobbies - Doing more of what interests me alongside trying something newTravel - Where would l like to go, working through my bucket listWork - When am l now? Where do l want to be and then look at a rough timescale Projects & Other things l’d like to explore - What would l like to build and do? Next StepsI then make it into a pdf and have it on all my devices as well as a slightly shorter written one on my chalkboard. Serving as an homebase, for inspiration and accountability and from where l can add further journalling for joy. Personally as l write these headings and listen to what comes forth, l know l am preparing as well as healing and tendering to what my soul needs. How about you? Writing and speaking what you wish to create or bring forth can how a powerful healing effective not just on our psyche but also our neural pathways. Thanks for reading Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Thank you for subscribing. 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Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and practices provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Nourishing Life is a combination of a contemplative podcast with prompts, insights and rituals for self care and creativity to ignite the spark of honesty within unapologetically, whilst navigating depression and menopause. Written from my floating home in nature on the Great River Ouse, Cambridge.This week my fascination with maroon, earthy tones and smells comes forth. In a wonderful offering for you. Arriving in the form of a meditative practice to activate your Earth Star Chakra. Along with some essential oils recommendations and access to chakra harmonising yoga practice to help you restore and re activate balance. Including a little Stick man chart of some of my favourite poses to ground and balance. Rounding off with a sweet poem to hold close as you become daughter of the earth once more. Serving as a reminder for you dear reader and listener, of the innate light, strength and resilience that lays within you.Dedicated to all those souls feeling out of sorts and/or experiencing some form of despair and/or challenge. My wish for this piece is to simply to offer you some form of supportive nourishment. An aspect of myself that l’ve been reminded of and have been called to activate this past week. Navigating mental health support to my partner (diagnosed with severe depression) to my own health of dealing with dental issues. It has been a rather challenging start to 2025 to say the least. Seeking medical and professional help when absolutely needed of course, l lean back into simple and holistic practices for support and nourishment hence the purpose of this piece. Nourishing Life with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.CHAKRAS - Nourishment of a different kind Whilst some of you may be familiar with the chakra system, for those who are not, Chakra’s are invisible spinning wheels of energy placed at intervals along a main central energy channel (Sushumna Nadi) think a tubular shape that runs from our feet to our crown (think of you spine then visualise these spinning wheels of light along it). In addition there are another two main channels either side of this central channel which all start at the base of the spine and ascend through the head. These are Ida Nadi - A lunar energy channel representing Yin, which is symbolic of the moon, the left side of body, the feminine. Pingala Nadi represents a solar energy channel delineates Yang, noted as the sun, the right side, the masculine qualities.Ida and Pingala Nadis crisscross each other as they spiral upwards and connect to opposite nostrils. Where Ida and Pingala intersect with each other and Sushumna, are the seven main chakras. The chakras define cross sections of the physical human body, in the form of nerve plexuses, which house organ systems.Seven Chakras in total but what you may not know is there is an additional chakra referred to as EARTH STAR a chakra located below the feet that connects us to the Earth’s energy. Although not always recognised in traditional chakra systems, in certain ancient philosophies it is believed to add additional support to the 1st ROOT chakra in the main Chakra System. Boosting stability, survival and connection and eliminating fear. Providing a solid foundation for personal growth and wellbeing. In particular helping imbalances physically and emotionally. Each wheel is relative to our innate characteristics, emotional and physical, when these are out of balance we experience disease/disconnection. Rooted in the philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism, chakras hold a prominent place in the science of yoga helping to restore harmony and balance. EARTH STAR - an invitation to restore balance A bridge between our physical existence and our higher consciousness.Vasundhara – the Sanskrit name for the Earth Star Chakra – translates to:“Daughter of the Earth”The energy center beneath our feet inspires our connection with the core of the Earth and the collective consciousness of humanity. * The upward pointing triangle/pyramid represents fire, and the masculine. * The downward pointing triangle/pyramid signifies grounding in the earthly realm, stability and connection to the material world.* Maroon, brown and a deep earthy brown are the colours of the Earth Star Chakra symbol.* Associated Crystals: Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz.To learn more you can access a popular class of mine online introducing to the concept of the fundamental Chakras click the link below.CHAKRA IMMERSION CLASS PRACTICE to locate and activate the Earth Star Chakra Locating and activating the Earth Star Chakra requires mindfulness and intention. Here’s a simple exercise to help you connect with this powerful chakra which can be done by using essential oils and/or healing crystals such as Hematite, Black Tourmaline, and Smoky Quartz.* Place the relevant crystal into your palm choose from Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz.* Apply your essential oil or blend of three from the list below at the ball of both of your feet. This area is the location of an important Chinese meridian point called Bubbling Spring which has to do with strengthening your chi (life force energy) and promotes longevity.* Patchouli * Ylang Ylang * Sandlewood * Lavender * Find a quiet and comfortable space where you can sit or lie down. Alternatively standing somewhere quiet and/in nature. * Take a few deep breaths to relax your body and mind.* Visualise a bright, glowing ball of energy beneath your feet.* Imagine roots extending from the bottom of your feet, reaching deep into the Earth.* As you inhale, imagine drawing up the Earth’s grounding energy through these roots and into the Earth Star Chakra.* As you exhale, allow any stagnant or negative energy to be released back into the Earth.* Repeat this visualisation and breath work for a few minutes, allowing the Earth Star Chakra to become activated and balanced.PROMPTS to use and connect with ESCAs l mentioned earlier and a theme that runs through most of my posts and podcasts:* Spend more time in nature.* Have a regular walking practice. * Look up at the night sky.FINDING BALANCE ( In Perimenopause and Menopause) In navigating my own journey of a changing body and mind. One of the many changes l’ve noticed has been MY BALANCE, firstly physical and secondly emotionally. Returning back to more grounding practices such as standing poses in yoga and combining weight strengthening, a healthy diet and increase in walking have also contributed to restoring balance. Recommended Standing, grounding and balance poses Standing Split, W3, W2, W1, High Lunge, Half Moon, Tree, Head to knee pose, Standing leg pose Never really suffering from anxiety before perimenopause, l was almost giving myself full blown panic attacks from obsessive anxiety (for no apparent reason really!) Over the last two months. Finally, l found this wonderful device (and l am not in anyway affiliated with it!) but instead can just tell you how it’s basically got my anxiety under control now and improved my sleep (before my dental issues!). RESTORE BALANCE How it worksCalmCarry® uses gentle microcurrent therapy to promote relaxation and calmness.It stimulates the PC8 acupressure point in the hand releasing endorphins for natural anxiety relief, insomnia relief and mood enhancement.By balancing the body's electrical system, it reduces stress and anxiety.Targeting the triple warmer meridian, it regulates the stress response, fostering relaxation and calmness.EARTH STARCarrying the lightIn difficult and challenging times I return to a child like curiosity A distraction from the darkness of fear and grief I ask what lies beyond and beneath my feet?Rejoining a sacred core connection to all that isAncestral history coming throughPresent to receiveIlluminating potential Stabilising energy, giving lifeActivating energy, cultivating possibilitiesUnearthing wonder and awe An invitation to life’s adventures once morePrompting how and where l will stand To determine where l will landA star of the earth and the night skyl must remember l will always carry the lightA child of earth and later the starsA ball of radiant energy and light Thank you for subscribing. 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Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate your personal and life’s ever changing landscape.Nourishing Reality is a combination of a contemplative podcast and journal woven with prompts, poems, prayer and practices on how to navigate the challenges, changes and complexities of life in an overstimulated world, peacefully. Drawing upon Neuroscience, Yoga, Zen and Nature for inspiration and insights to heal, soothe and nourish your heart, mind, body and soul. Written from my floating home in Cambridge.Maybe it was because of the amazing four weeks prior to Christmas that made my experience of the festive period a little flat and out of sorts this Year. Or maybe it was because of the emotional difficulty in navigating a very rocky landscape of severe depression which my partner has. Peaking just a couple of days before Christmas Day and finding himself in A&E for two consecutive days. It was a real challenge and very scary to see someone in so much mental pain and worse still not being treated. Our final lifeline, coming in the form of a doctors ability to change his medication and to make some noise to our mental local health team finally saved the day (just!). Just to give you some context here, my partner was flagged up as suicidal in October 2023 and as to date has still not received the care he so desperately needs. Here in the UK it is a absolute disgrace, and having lived through these experiences of the lack of help and urgency. It is all too easy to see why so many people unfortunately end up taking their own life and not even for reasons you may understand sometimes.Needless to say from that period to now has been extremely heart breaking and very difficult to navigate. Add to the mix how l missed both my parents desperately and my family that are no longer with me and you can see why perhaps this Christmas has not been a particularly good one! We are sold the line of good times, festive cheer, family, parties and celebrations but what about those in distress, ill with no where to go or no one to turn too? During this time l’ve also found myself retreating from social media to a certain extent, again exhausted with the amount of advertising for ways to make a happy new you! Normally l would be reflecting, journalling and creating, however l’m still struggling to find that mindset under the current circumstances. So l’ve decided to give myself a break and instead decided to start my new year on January 31st and February 1st respectfully.I believe that the quietness of Winter really begins after the noise of Christmas. Making January and February pivotable and valuable months for us to retreat, rewire and replenish. The Japanese have a beautiful word that encapsulates this essence of this period ‘Yutori’. Representing the art of intentionally practising slowing down to breathe, pause listen and appreciate the rich beauty of life and nature can provide healing and nourishment.One of the many ways to cultivate this mindset comes from being with nature (for me (living on the water) and secondly by having a regular writing and yoga practice. Whether it be from writing a class, article or social media content. Putting your thoughts, insights and feelings onto the page can real help you connect with others who may also be feeling or going through a similar anguish or difficulty. Currently writing on Beth Kempton’s Winter Sanctuary, l am reminded of this, how writing and reading have the power to inspire, heal and connect. Bearing all the above in mind this are my four practices that will set the tone for my new year. So what will be the practices that reward you in 2025? My 4 nourishing soul powers to practice for nourishment are:* Showing Up (however uncomfortable) commit to my reading, yoga, studying, writing and travelling (all the things l love to do!) and to support others the best l can.* Structure, coming up with a simple daily, weekly routine and sticking to it! * Strength (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), maintaining my 6 days a week blend of nourishing yoga and weights practices. Starting a regular Zazen practice. * Spiritual practice (a little more attention bringing it into everyday life) putting some of the practice of Zen into my everyday life. Words of advice from my mentor Elena Brower.Salema, continue study, but mostly, I'm finding, just practice is where Zen lives for me.- Elena Brower WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER Invitations to help you nourish and flourish in 2025* Consider signing up as a free or paid subscriber or make a one off donation to access two weeks free yoga with me on Grokker.com. (Link given once you subscribe.)Nourishing Reality with Salema Veliu is a reader-supported publication. To receive 2 FREE WEEKS YOGA on Grokker as well as new posts, podcasts, audios and invitations to our online gatherings and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. * An invitation for nourishment and guidance. If you resonate at all with any what l’ve discussed today or in my previous posts and are dealing with difficult circumstances to navigate. Or maybe just feel out of the norm and need some gentle guidance and support, a friendly and un judgemental ear then maybe my Nourishing and Guidance sessions may be of benefit. Sessions follow a more simplistic and contemplative approach to personal development. l draw on some more traditional coaching frameworks alongside my working experience in holistic healing, spiritual direction and western neuroscience.Sessions offer a quiet, intuitive, spontaneous conversation and listening process, for both you and I. I will listen, ask questions, answer questions, and can offer gentle guidance to help you to nourish yourself and your spiritual life (if your open to it).Sessions are offered as a 40 minute or 60 minute duration creating a more affordable pathway for you. To keep the theme of simplicity you can do everything in one click just hit the link below. Select your time, book and pay hereTo read more click on the article below.* If you have found this or any other posts and podcasts of mine helpful please consider making a donation button below.Until next time, I’ll leave you with a potent prompt for contemplation and reflection Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.

Thank you for being here, reading, listening and sharing my work. I hope you may benefit in some way from the insights and ideas provided to help you navigate life’s changing landscape.After returning from a wonderful retreat of which l’m still digesting the resonance of. One important remembrance was illuminated, the importance of creating an inner sanctum, an inner refuge of comfort and honesty within. Part of that honesty personally speaking is that l can sometimes struggle to catch a moment to be experiencing or focusing on what l want to be experiencing, sound familiar? Caught up in my busyness, my day to day distractions and disruptions. Living in an overstimulated world and commitments to others and work also infringing on much need ‘me time’ to replenish. Studying the Buddha way is studying oneself.Studying oneself is forgetting oneself.Forgetting oneself is being enlightened by all things.Being enlightened by all things is to shed the body-mind of oneself, and those of others.No trace of enlightenment remains and thus traceless enlightenment continues endlessly.Dogen Zenji (1200 - 1253) So how can we nourish ourselves better? The answer may lay in our ability to reconnect to the practices of simplicity, structure and to the nature of life itself. For me personally practising cultivating more simplicity and structure in my days, cherishing the everyday things along with the things that interest me, has given me the reconnection to myself that has missing for a while. Especially being kinder to myself and unapologetic when it comes to taking care of me, has given me quiet reassuring support. Aspects emphasised by some golden nuggets of nourishment and added navigation by way of the teachings from the three heart minds on the retreat. Contemplation and simplicity can help cultivate a greater availability to listen deeply to what’s being presented by our inner voice and our “big mind” or “magnanimous mind”. In the teachings of Dogen Zenji and in his book “Instructions for the Cook”, we are shown how we can cultivate and adapt these attitudes to help us reconnect to our true nature/self. Using the following ingredients of the three heart minds:* Big mind/Magnanimous - can see everything as the element of stability.* Elders/parental/ nurturing - sees everything as parenthood, changes your chemistry. Is a mind of care.* Joyful - sense of kinship with yourself and in the presence of others. Savours everything.These three Heart Minds attitudes can help promote the conditions for nourishment and connection to all that is. Other parts in baking this nourishment can come from: re establishing our relationship with nature and simplifying our day to day structure. Providing the conditions for more nourishment, resilience, inspiration and better outcomes. Therefore, taking time to see what heart mind you find yourself resonating with may provide you with some insights into what areas of your life are needing a review. The 3 attitudes heart minds chemistry they elicit inside our bodies are stabilising.- Elena Brower My journey started over two decades ago, stemming from a mental and physical breakdown. During these two decades of study, training, healing and introspection some of the biggest takeaways for me have been: * Accept that we will always be a long term student of life. * Keep engaged with life. * Stay close to yourself by creating the conditions for ‘turning the light within’ whether it be in a meditation, a yoga practice or simply connecting to what you truly enjoy doing can help us recognise that inner voice and big mind. * Be grateful even in the most darkness of times (for something). * Always try and cultivate a buoyant sense that things will somehow work out even when things are going well.* Nourishment can come in many different forms from; physical and mental health, diet, nutrition, spiritual direction, creativity, and emotional balance.To realise one's true nature as no-self- a Buddha- is the fruit of zazen and the path of practice. - Charlotte Joko Beck Everyday Zen - Love & Work Seeing how these insights, drawing from the intersection of spirituality including Zen and Hinduism along with other frameworks such as neurolinguistic coaching, yoga, science, technology. l am now pleased to be offering a more personal, contemplative and supportive approach by offering one-to-one sessions for nourishment and guidance from January 4th, 2025. l’ve guided many others through physical and lifestyle transformations for over two decades. Along the way fuelling my own passion to understand how to harmonise our human design both physically and mentally. Equipping us to meet the circumstances we encounter navigate without judgement, fear and jealousy. Nourishment and Guidance sessions Are an opportunity to return to the light within, the natural you/self, your inner voice and big mind to re nourish you and your life. Sessions follow a more simplistic and contemplative approach to personal development. l draw on some more traditional coaching frameworks alongside my working experience in holistic healing, spiritual direction and western neuroscience.Sessions offer a quiet, intuitive, spontaneous conversation and listening process, for both you and I. I will listen, ask questions, answer questions, and can offer gentle guidance to help you to nourish yourself and your spiritual life (if your open to it). Post session I will email you a brief summary (normally the day after our session) of what we discussed along with any notes, insights or suggestions I’ve may have for you, even adding some homework along the way where helpful. Sessions can help those seeking inspiration, motivation, support, to get unstuck, or just to gain a deeper insight into your present situation in life. To do this l invite you to reassess how you are nourishing yourself and where you may need to make adjustments to bring yourself into alignment with your true nature. Sessions are available in 40 or 60 minute duration via telephone or online zoom call to discuss and explore your life/direction. During the call, I will practice deep listening and draw on my diverse skillset to see if we can find a deeper layer or another angle on your questions.As we work together, we can discern if it makes sense to work over multiple sessions to explore your questions more deeply and gain clarity (it usually does, at least initially) but you are always free to choose what fits you better.Your commitment A big part of this process is also journalling so please bring a note pad as well as your challenges, difficulties, to use the process to help your navigate life. Commit to create space in your life for the conversation, and to giving your full, honest and quiet attention to it for the duration of any exchanges and follow-up we share.Examples of themes l work with and how they may help you* Speech & language how you talk about yourself and your life, learn your patterns and how to rewire your narrative to create different outcomes and how that effects your brain.* Learn more about dispositional optimism and how to use it in manifesting best outcomes.* Review boundaries and structures in your personal and professional life and learn how to implement changes that are mutually beneficial.Particularly useful when you feel overwhelmed, in a transition such as changing jobs, relationships, moving, loss, illness and/or just looking for a fresh persecutive to navigate the changing landscape of your life.BOOKING & TERMS Keeping it super simple you can do everything on one click, book a time slot/appt then pay just click link provided below:40 minute session £60 60 minute session £100Sessions are offered as a 40 minute or 60 minute duration creating a more affordable pathway for you. Sessions are non-refundable (part of keeping you accountable!) with the exception of medical and other legitimate emergencies however sessions can be rescheduled. When I write, teach, coach and guide ,l do so not only for the love of this that I share, but because it helps me grow to as a student of life and connection.Some of you l know read and listen to what l share here, some of you subscribe, some share posts with your community, your family, your friends. Some donate, some subscribe freely or paid. So thank you, however to continue to develop my material and offerings l would welcome your support if you find benefit or inspiration from my work, but aren’t yet supporting it in some way, will you step up and support this place, this work, our work, our community?This is what I’m here for — are you here for it too?Nourishing reality is supported by readers and listeners - I’m grateful that you’re here. Everything here is freely offered, without paywalls. Please consider a paid subscription or one-time donation to support my writing. Paid subscribers get access to online circles. Founding members have access to a complimentary guidance + encouragement session- thank you. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Together we are stronger Thank you for subscribing. Leave a comment or share this episode.