Hi everyone,
I hope you have had a good start to the year and that you have plans to look forward to whether they are immediate or in the future. I have banished resolutions in January, it feels like it’s a month we need to be kinder to ourselves.
Although with so little sunlight at this time of year, it can feel endlessly grey. I have approached this prescription with the focus of lifting some of the greyness you may have been feeling at work or at home. These are recommendations that may also help you slow down a little. I know I need this myself, so I hope there’s something in this prescription that will be helpful to you too.
The featured member this month is
Elena Taverner, Founder of Rediscovering Breath.
Mind & Body
Music
Playing your favourite music on days when you are not feeling on top of the world
can make such a difference. When I was a teenager, I used to love creating mix tapes for friends. This month I have created one for you. I listen to this playlist on
a long, dark evening when I am cooking. If I visualise myself running a shop, this music would be playing in the background. If the songs don’t appeal to you, perhaps someone in your household might like it. It’s on Spotify and is called
‘Chilled Emily’s Group’.
Click to listen to Chilled Emily’s Group
I am creating an Emily’s group running playlist so if you would like me to share it with you in the February prescription drop me a line at emily@emilysgroup.com
To Read
The Organized Mind
The Sunday Times bestseller
Daniel Levitin
This book caught my eye when I was browsing the shelves of my local bookshop.
I have to confess I have only read the first chapter, ironically because I am also reading two others at the same time. The first chapter of this book is entitled ‘Too Much Information, Too Many Decisions.’
The Inside History of Cognitive Overload.
This seems particularly appropriate and maybe I’ll discover I shouldn’t try to
read more than one book at the same time! The author, Daniel Levitin, argues
that it’s not that we need to take in less information but that we need to
have systems for organising it. I am really interested to see if the book
helps me organise my mind and work/life more effectively. I’ll share any tips
from the book with you in the next prescription.
To Listen
Image: BBC Sounds
Night Tracks
If you’re not sleeping well at the moment, you may want to check out
Night Tracks on BBC Radio 3. My friend Raj suffers from insomnia and says it helps him fall back to sleep when he listens to the show in the middle of the night. What he likes about Night Tracks is that you can’t predict what’s coming next. There’s all sorts of weird and wonderful music. Here’s the latest episode for you to check out.
Click to listen to Night Tracks
If, on the other hand, you need a soothing presence in the daytime then you can listen to Cerys Matthews’ Radio 6 show. It’s an eclectic mix of music and Cerys has the most calming and silky voice to soothe you into a zen-like state.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026wny
To Investigate
The start of the year is a good time to think about your finances as you may have money in a savings account or pension you’ve completely forgotten about so make 2025 the year to track these down.
My Lost Account is a free service that brings together three tracing schemes: UK Finance, the Building Societies Association, and National Savings and Investments, making it easy to hunt out accounts you may not remember having. You’ll need to set up a profile and fill in some personal details online to get started.
You can also try the government’s free pension tracing service – according to the Pensions Policy Institute, there are approximately 3.3 million lost pensions worth an average of £9,470.
TfL -If you are based in or travel to London this could be of interest to you. I have been checking my account and noticed that I have been charged double the fare on some of my journeys on TFL. So when I tap in with my watch and tap out with my phone even though it’s using the same bank card I get charged twice. I am about to start a refund process application, as well as apply for a refund for the Oyster card I have with £25 credit that was deactivated when I switched to using my bank card to pay for my travel. It’s not a huge sum of money but it’s the principle. Apparently, TFL have amassed a fortune of approximately £261million in unclaimed money.
To Entertain
Image:The Ponds Documentary
The Ponds (Netflix)
I was extolling the virtues of swimming at The Ladies’ Pond in Hampstead to my friend Fi recently. She said I should watch The Ponds on Netflix. It’s a wonderful window into the world of those who swim whatever the weather. The ponds have such a significant impact on the swimmers featured, many of whom face challenges in their personal lives.
It’s the kind of documentary that you need to watch without your phone close by. The pacing of it is such a healthy contrast to the speed at which most content is produced. It’s a perfect weekend afternoon gentle watch.
Click here to watch The Ponds
If you have never experienced swimming in the ponds, then make it a trip this summer. It’s a unique and magical experience.
It has made me wonder if other natural ponds or outdoor pools exist exclusively
for women? I have fond memories of swimming and lounging at another
‘all-women’ establishment The Sanctuary in Covent Garden.
I am sure some of you have memories like mine of being in its funny,
underground space with the infamous swing!
Swimming in such a nurturing and calming environment with other women of all ages makes me want to set up natural swimming lakes for women to bathe in. Imagine how restorative it would be and a percentage of the profits would go into supporting women who need refuge from tough personal situations by offering them free swimming sessions, workshops, a support network and counselling. If you know any philanthropists who would be interested in this idea, then do drop me a line.
EG Member: Elena Taverner
| About the member My name is Elena and I have been a Buteyko method certified breathing instructor since 2021. I trained under Patrick Mckeown at the Buteyko Clinic International. Patrick is a former student of the late Dr. Konstantin Buteyko, a Ukrainian doctor, who developed the method in the 1950s.Since qualifying and treating clients, I have researched other forms of breathing techniques and have used these in combination with the Buteyko method to help people of all ages. Clients have reported improvements in the symptoms of anxiety, improved concentration, blood circulation and focus. I live in London and offer in-person consultations and workshops. I am also able to do online sessions for people further afield or who are pushed for time. |
| What was the catalyst for becoming a breathwork instructor? During the pandemic, I listened to lots of health and wellbeing podcasts, but I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. Multiple episodes discussed breathing techniques, and it stirred an interest in me that made me continue to research the health benefits. I began by using some of the breathing techniques myself and realised that I was a chronic mouth breather and riddled with anxiety. Using the breathing techniques helped me so much and inspired me to become a breathwork teacher. Focusing on something so simple can have such a huge impact on our physical and mental health. Could you share a simple breathwork tip that could help members straight away? One of the simplest things you can do that will make a huge difference to your wellbeing, is to ‘shut your mouth and always breathe through your nose – day and night.’ Your nose is designed to deliver the air you breathe in the optimum way to your lungs and it has an in-built filter to stop those nasty bugs getting in! You may struggle initially, but if you persevere the benefits are huge. What do you enjoy about being part of Emily’s Group? In a cutthroat, competitive world, I find it so reassuring and uplifting that there is a space, like Emily’s Group, where women can share tips and recommendations on every aspect of life and in those tougher moments, receive true empathy, support and understanding without judgement. |
| Get in touch with Elena Elena would love to hear from you so do get in touch with her for a chat or work/general enquiries. You can email her at elena@rediscoveringbreath.com or check out https://rediscoveringbreath.com/?preview |
I hope 2025 has got off to a good start for you and do drop me a line with any comments on what you have read or if you have feedback on the new featured member section.
If you would like to invite a friend to receive the monthly prescription then please click the box below. To register to be an emily’s group member click onemilysgroup.com