Phoenix Blu Retreats

The word relax, in my experience, teaching, practicing tai chi, guitar etc... makes people tense...

Much better is 'loosen and release'... try it.. and let me know..

Looking at the etymology, part of the word means 'back/again'... and part of it means 'spacious'.....

This makes sense... You can't go back!! It's not how life works...

Stop trying to relax. It's fu***ng you up. Instead, purposely loosen and release .. it feels great, who wouldn't want to feel great.

Picture for the algorithm
Stop trying to relax 👍

It was great to be back at Nexperia for a few days, showing the wonderful staff some of stress relief and wellnes benefits of Tai Chi.

Such a powerful tool to have in these fast paced times, feedback from the classes was really good, I'm glad it's making a difference 🙏👍

If you are interested in Wellness sessions for your company, drop us a line a [email protected] 👍👍💫

The Heavy Scales

There was once a woman named Miriam who carried a set of golden scales everywhere she went. She had been taught that it was her job to weigh everything—every person she met, every situation she faced, even herself. She would place thoughts and actions on the scales, trying to measure what was right and what was wrong, what was good and what was bad.

At first, she believed this made her wise. But over time, the scales became heavy, and the constant weighing left her weary. No matter how carefully she measured, no decision ever felt certain. No judgment ever brought her peace.

One day, as she rested beneath a tree, an old friend approached and sat beside her. He watched as she adjusted the scales again and again, sighing with frustration.

“Why do you carry those?” he asked.

“I have to,” she said. “If I don’t judge things correctly, how will I know what to do?”

Her friend smiled gently. “And has judging ever brought you peace?”

Miriam paused. She had never thought about it that way. She looked at the scales, so worn from use, and for the first time, she wondered what would happen if she simply… put them down.

Hesitantly, she set them aside.

At that moment, something shifted. The weight she had carried for so long lifted, and in its place, she felt something new—lightness, clarity, a deep and quiet knowing. Without the scales, she was no longer trapped in measuring and deciding. She was simply *free to see*.

Her friend smiled. “Now you will know, not by weighing, but by trusting. The truth has never needed judgment—only recognition.”

And so, Miriam never picked up the scales again. She walked forward, no longer measuring, no longer burdened—only seeing, only free.

Enhance your well-being with tailored 1-on-1 services including Craniosacral Therapy, Somatic Awareness Therapy, Qigong Tui Na, and private tuition in Tai Chi and Qigong. Our expert team is dedicated to providing you with personalized care. Visit our website for more information and to book your session today.
https://conta.cc/3D8jBKw

Enhance your well-being with tailored 1-on-1 services including Craniosacral Therapy, Somatic Awareness Therapy, Qigong Tui Na, and private tuition in Tai Chi and Qigong. Our expert team is dedicated to providing you with personalized care. Visit our website for more information and to book your session today.
https://conta.cc/4icZg7b

https://youtu.be/m-mLstQUKQ0?si=ayxzlnczmxqQweiH

What is Craniosacral Therapy? (CSTA) Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle way of working with the body using light touch. People may come for Craniosacral Therapy because they have acute physical pr...

I'm excited to invite you to a 2-hour class on connected movement in Tai Chi and Qigong. This practice has been a transformative part of my life, and I'm eager to share its benefits with you.

https://conta.cc/3ZUtR2l

Discover the deeper meaning of Tai Chi Email from Phoenix Blu Retreats Join us on October 13th Hello again, As we approach the upcoming Tai Chi and Qigong workshop on Sunday, October 13th, I wanted to share a deeper reflection on the power

Motivation Beyond Capitalist Ideals: Understanding AuDHD in a New Light

In a world driven by productivity, competition, and survival-of-the-fittest principles, it’s easy to assume that all people are motivated by the same factors: acquiring wealth, climbing corporate ladders, and exerting power. These capitalist ideals—emphasizing competition, accumulation, and control—dominate much of the cultural narrative. However, not everyone fits neatly into this framework. For individuals with both Autism and ADHD (commonly referred to as AuDHD), their unique motivations often diverge from these conventional, capitalistic goals, presenting an alternative vision of what drives human action and fulfillment.

People with AuDHD have distinct neurodivergent traits that shape how they engage with the world. Their motivations are often rooted in creativity, intrinsic interest, and personal fulfillment—none of which are necessarily tied to material success or the competitive ethos that defines much of modern capitalism. Let's explore how the unique motivators of AuDHD individuals provide a refreshing contrast to the mainstream focus on wealth and power.

Read on below :) 👇

Individuals with ADHD and autism often face challenges in integrating and coordinating the functions of the brain's left and right hemispheres. These neurodevelopmental conditions can disrupt the balance between focused, detail-oriented tasks (associated with the left hemisphere) and broader, context-based awareness (associated with the right hemisphere), leading to difficulties in both cognitive and motor functions.

Iain McGilchrist's work, particularly in *The Master and His Emissary*, offers a valuable lens through which to understand these disruptions. McGilchrist argues that the right hemisphere, "the Master," is responsible for perceiving meaning, context, and wholeness, while the left hemisphere, "the Emissary," is specialized for abstracting, categorizing, and dealing with specific details. In neurodivergent individuals, the left hemisphere’s dominance can overwhelm the right hemisphere's capacity to create a coherent, context-driven understanding of the world. This can result in fragmented experiences, where tasks, sensory inputs, and thoughts are processed in isolation, without being integrated into a meaningful whole.

For those with ADHD and autism, this imbalance often manifests as a struggle to see the "big picture," which can make day-to-day activities—like organizing tasks or understanding social cues—seem overwhelming and disjointed. McGilchrist's metaphor of the Master and the Emissary suggests that a healthier cognitive balance is achieved when the right hemisphere (the Master) leads, giving context and meaning, while the left hemisphere (the Emissary) executes detailed tasks in service of that overarching understanding.

The practices of Tai Chi and Qigong can support this balance by integrating body and mind, providing a way to reconnect the two hemispheres. In these traditions, the heart is considered the "Emperor," governing the entire body and ensuring a sense of harmony. Through slow, deliberate movements and focused breathing, Tai Chi and Qigong cultivate a sense of unity between mind, body, and breath, emphasizing wholeness over fragmented activity. These practices encourage a flow between left-brain detail and right-brain awareness, helping individuals find calm and meaning in their actions.

For neurodivergents, this embodied practice can be especially beneficial. By leading with a sense of purpose and grounding in the present moment (a function of the right hemisphere), Tai Chi and Qigong offer a way to create coherence in the many "little tasks" and motor functions that can otherwise feel overwhelming. These practices help shift attention from disjointed, detail-oriented tasks to a more integrated, embodied experience of life, allowing for better motor coordination, focus, and emotional regulation.

In summary, McGilchrist's framework and the ancient wisdom of Tai Chi and Qigong offer complementary ways to address the cognitive and motor challenges experienced by individuals with ADHD and autism. By fostering right-brain connectivity and leading with meaning, these approaches help neurodivergents navigate modern life with a greater sense of coherence and ease.

If you would like to learn more about how Tai Chi and Qigong can help neurodivergent people achieve balance and more comfort in life why not come along to a workshop or drop me a message :) 🙏

Join is in Wilmslow on Sunday October 13th :Connected movement through Tai chi and Qigong

https://conta.cc/4dBkmZ3