Simple Listening: The hidden secret to living my best life
Jane Shaw shares her story of living with alopecia at TEDx Stormont 2024
Resources
Simple Listening: Heart meditation
Guided meditation with Jane Shaw on the heart
Simple Listening Meditation: Stillness
Guided meditation with Jane Shaw on stillness
The healing power of awe
The idea of awe has become a much talked about phenomenon in the field of wellbeing and health, largely due to the work of Dr. Dacher Keltner. Keltner (2023) speaks of the transformative power of […]
The Art of Effortless Action
Life feels easy and enjoyable when we can reach a state of effortless action, sometimes referred to as a flow state. When we find ways to work in harmony with the natural flow of things, […]
Our need for social connection
When I deliver in person retreats and workshops I increasingly notice how people long for connection. Connection to others, connection to themselves, and perhaps connection to something bigger than themselves. Moreover, we have seen the […]
We should connect with nature to support our health
Over the last 50 years or so, our western consumer tech world seems to have increasingly separated us from the natural world. According to recent research we can regularly spend up to ten hours each […]
Dealing with uncertainty at work
A 2022 American Psychological Association poll reported that 81% of Americans experienced stress from global uncertainty resulting from the pandemic. When our income, home, economic, and political future are insecure it can raise a lot […]
New pathways, new possibilities: How the brain can change itself
At the start of a new year, it seems appropriate to talk of new possibilities for our wellbeing. How we learn a new task, how we adapt to our changing environment, or master a new […]
Elmfield Estate director Jane Shaw on what she gets up to at the weekend
Belfast Telegraph: The director of Elmfield Estate on getting out in nature with her dogs, why the works of Manchan Magan resonate deeply with her love of Ireland and her busy morning routines What […]
Burnout: Prevention and cure
How do you know if you are suffering from burnout?
Welcome to Elmfield Christmas Markets
Our three Christmas Markets have been carefully curated with the wellbeing of our visitors and the environment in mind. Enjoy a warm welcome to the Elmfield Courtyards where we have over 45 hand-picked small business […]
Small sips of wellness: Simple hacks to calm your nervous system
16 hacks to calm your nervous system
Why is psychological safety important in the workplace?
At the recent Trauma Summit at the ICC in Belfast, many of the presentations mentioned the importance of psychological safety when recovering from traumatic experiences. Researchers of the advanced trauma recovery models have been saying […]
Movement for life
In many cultures health is understood to be linked to our ability to move our body. If our joints are mobile, then we live longer. Practices such as yoga or chi kung allow prana and […]
And breathe! The power of the breath
Have you ever sat in a meeting with your heart racing, sweat starting to gather on your brow, wondering how on earth you are going to get through this challenge in front of you? You […]
What does it mean to be well?
The new year often means plans for a new you, new resolutions for your health and wellbeing. But what does it actually mean to be well? What is health? Does it mean physical, emotional, or […]
Tips and ideas for effective self-care
What is self-care? Here are some tips and ideas for effective self-care
Self-care allows us to care better for those around us.
What is self-care? Here are some tips and ideas for effective self-care
A royal seal of approval
The majestic setting of Elmfield Estate near Gilford in Co. Down, received a very special visit on Thursday 23 September when Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, attended Elmfield […]
Can Building Personal Resilience help us Adapt to Change?
So many industries have faced unexpected challenges over the last 18 months; staff shortages, uncertain covid regulations, price hikes in raw materials, and many more. This adds to the stress on our physical and emotional […]
Jane Shaw: Why I quit Brand Beckham to run wellness sanctuary on banks of the Bann
by Gail Walker 10 June 2021 Belfast Telegraph Twenty years ago she was a high-flier in a top London PR firm, but following a chance meeting one evening, her life took a very different turn. By […]
Can we access our compassionate witness when we mess up?
Trying replacing your inner critic with some self compassion
How can radical acceptance support our wellbeing?
“I was born when all I once feared—I could love.” (Rabia of Basra, c717-801) These words of Rabia of Basra speak to the need to accept ourselves through radical acceptance. The concept of radical acceptance […]
Experiencing the interconnection of life
“At times I feel as if I am spread out over the landscape and inside things, and am myself living in every tree, in the splashing of the waves, in the clouds and in the animals […]
Can you accept yourself exactly as you are?
Embodied listening supports your wellbeing
Can better listening support our wellbeing as we emerge out of lockdown? According to Stephen Porges, a neuroscientist researcher of human social engagement and interaction, our culture doesn’t support us to listen to each other […]
Managing anxiety
Why we should take care of our nervous system My heart pounded, sweat dripped into my already sticky palms, my face felt on fire. I watched as the door opened and the tall figure approached. […]
What helps us adapt to difficulties?
Consider what might support you during tough times. A mindful breathing practice can help.
The Peace of wild things
“I go among trees and sit still. All my stirring becomes quiet Around me like circles on water. My tasks lie in their places Where I left them, asleep like cattle. Then what I am […]
Social isolation affects us all
Social isolation affects us all, albeit in different ways. Dobzhansky (1962) said that “the fittest may also be the gentlest, because survival often requires mutual help and co-operation.” This speaks to how we can support […]
7 tips for wellbeing and resilience during the pandemic
Many of us are feeling anxious these days, whether from the threat of physical illness, economic hardship or general uncertainty over the future. How can Wellean Wisdom support us in a practical sense?
Guided meditation: midline grounding
A guided audio mediation
Guided meditation: Beginning with the breath
A guided audio meditation Short guided meditation using the breath to reduce stress and anxiety
Being in nature
Being in nature can support our health
Fear, trust and hope. What we learned through The Power of Story
In our recent online event The Power of Story, Molly Sturges asked, “How can I be a good ancestor?” What can we each do to contribute to a better, more ‘well’ society? Throughout the last seven weeks we have heard twenty-one different people share their personal and professional stories, uncovering what it might mean to be a well society. Each week we focused on a different area of society, from law and order to healthcare, from climate justice to the arts, to the media, youth and leadership. It was a rich and powerful conversation.
Start the day by connecting to nature
When faced with difficult times, support yourself by starting the day in nature
Free the Flow
When I reflect upon the concept of climate change, I often feel fear. How is flow related to something so large and so hard to lean into and face? Climate change isn’t a subtle share. […]
Listen for what’s not said
Working with high risk populations that have survived intergenerational trauma taught me to answer the question behind the question, understand the intention behind the mal-adaptive behavior, and give voice to the inner hurt, years of pain and suffering that lead to delinquent charge.
Gifts of the harvest
What gifts have we been given? Often they appear in disguise.
The Power of Story
Stories have a way of penetrating our psyche, offering us a reawakening or reimagining of ourselves. A story from ancient mythology, a folk tale, or a story in the latest film can resonate within. How often do you have the chance to feel your way through a story and offer it a place within your being?
What Does It Mean To Be Well? My Recent Story
Being well means something different for each of us, for our family, and for our society and at different times.
I lost my hair to alopecia a few years ago. I used to have long, thick, silky, brown hair, with a few greying streaks. I was devastated when it all fell out, but there was little I could do.
I chose not to wear a wig. I hate having things on my head. For me, it also felt false, a fake version of myself. And yet, I hated being seen without hair.
Thinking back over the last four years, I see now that I withdrew inward and stopped going out.
Social engagement in times of social isolation
How can we find meaningful connection despite being physically separate?
Meditation to tune into the fluid rhythms of the body
A guided audio meditation
Connecting with nature to support our wellbeing
Can the rose love me in the same way I love the rose? Is the natural world animated with soul I often wonder?
7 tips for wellbeing and resilience during the pandemic
About This Event Many of us are feeling anxious these days, whether from the threat of physical illness, economic hardship or general uncertainty over the future. How can Wellean Wisdom support us in a practical […]
How can you be better supported in a pandemic situation?
Can we look to the origins of what it means to be well as a response to the current situation? Is it enough to be resilient, or is there more?The Lancet recently described the current […]
Guided meditation: Body awareness scan for relaxation
A guided audio mediation Body awareness scan for relaxation
5 Top Tips to Create Safety and Resilience in the Body
My heart pounded, sweat dripped into my already sticky palms, my face felt on fire. I watched as the door opened and the huge man approached. Now feeling faint, I could feel the blood drain […]