Relaxation for creativity and healing

It sounds like a paradox, doesn't it? That relaxation can induce creativity, which sounds like an activity, and healing, which gives a sense of resting and recuperating. But it certainly does do both. In our busy lives, filling each moment with the activity of a human doing rather than a human being, we often don't reward ourselves with time for stopping, relaxing, that it is a luxury for holidays, or for people who can afford it. Not so, relaxation is essential.

When we have moments of creativity, Eureka Moments, as discovered by Archemides, they are invariably when our minds are relaxed, maybe walking in the countryside, lying in the bath, or just about to drift off to sleep. I used to keep a pad and a voice recorder beside my bed for these moments, when my mind had dismissed the day's To Do List and was enjoying a flurry of creative thoughts.

I had a creative flurry whilst out walking my dog in the rain yesterday, coming up with a title for a Coaching Programme I'm currently developing, and an article I want to write, enjoying the play on words as I kicked through the autumn leaves, watching Taya bounding about between the trees.

There are two people in my life who inspire these moments of relaxation. Emma Lane, a very powerful healer whose strapline is "Relaxation is a vital ingredient to health and well being," and Patrick Lucocq, a clinical hypnotherapist, who runs a Eureka Moment workshop.

Emma now resides in Devon, lucky girl. She is by far the most powerful healer I've ever met and is also a lovley person to know. If you're interested in her work, visit her website at www.emma-lane.co.uk.

I went to one of Patrick's workshops at The Drawingroom this week and had a really wonderful night's sleep. He will be running 2 more workshops there this year on 3rd and 10th December. Patrick's website is www.calmhorizon.co.uk.

Enjoy your weekend, find time to relax, let your mind go, your body will be grateful and you might come up with the next big idea for Dragon's Den!

So long, Ceylon

We waved goodbye to Sri Lanka 5 days ago now. What a truly beautiful country! The people, the landscape, the food, and the atmosphere of friendship and gentleness. Unless you're a Tamil Tiger, of course!

The Sri Lankan Buddhists have embraced the Hindu God Vishnu as their own, so all the beautiful Buddhist temples we visited also included an image of Vishnu, as well as their own god, Kataragama. I was suprised by the strong element of worship at all the temples, which is quite different from my understanding of Buddhism being a meditative faith, in fact more a way of life, where followers are encouraged to meditate on finding divine peace within their own hearts.

However, the Buddhist approach to all life was very evident. There was a real peacefulness and harmony in the way the people and animals share the same space, from the nonchalent ambling cows and the random roadside group of goats to the magnificent, celebrated elephants. The many scruffy, street-wise looking dogs lying in the road, were all carefully avoided by the weaving traffic of tuk tuks, cars and vans, and on one occasion our driver swerved slightly to avoid running over a scorpion! Such a difference from the frantic, fast-moving, enraged driving we're used to, and so much less stressful!! It even shows in the faces of the people, which are never more than a second away from a beaming smile.

After suffering from ulcerative colitis a few years ago, I regularly have problems with my stomach, but whilst in Sri Lanka I had no problems whatsoever, despite eating curry every day! It made the holiday so much more enjoyable, and it confirmed to me once again just how significant our mental and emotional well being is to our physical wellness. The absence of everyday pressures and anxieties combined with the general atmosphere of calm and giving were a far more powerful medicine than contained in any little white tablet. As Caroline Myss says in 'Anatomy of the Spirit', our biography creates our biology. I would highly recommend her book to anyone who is interested in addressing their own healing and good health from a holistic perspective, respecting each element of our being - mind, body and spirit. To me there is no deeper healing.

By the way, we booked our holiday through Travel Counsellors. PJ Van Zetten was tireless in finding us our last minute booking, and had the patience of Buddha himself as we examined our options. On our return journey, PJ checked us in online and we avoided the long queue at midnight, giving us time to meander round the airport shops and spend the last of our rupees. You can find PJ at http://travelcounsellors.co.uk/pj.vanzetten.