Sound bath

I had a bath, a sound bath. It was an amazing experience, I loved it and I am telling you all: you have to try it!

Sarah hanks from practice Yoga in Blackheath did some yoga to start with and then we lied down ready for this gong sound to go through our ears, bodies, senses, internal organs, opening channels, unblocking energy, releasing pain and relaxing, lulling us, taking us to the beginning of the times and through the Universe! That is what I felt...

So, a bit more about this therapy:

extract from http://gongsoundhealing.com/the-gong-instrument/

The Gong is one of man’s most powerful and oldest transformational and therapeutic instruments. It has been used for ritual, ceremony, prayer, and meditation since the Bronze Age. While its sound is relaxing and calming, centering and energizing, transforming and healing, gongs have been used in yoga, sound meditation, and vibrational therapy from the distant past to present.

When metal is being “excited”, electrons become highly charged electromagnetically and form a field of Plasmon (according to the late physicist David Bohm). The plasma field is being created off the gong and the listener becomes part of the field. Metal is the only material known where the electrons leave their atoms and join other atoms. When the activity of the gong ends, the electrons go back to their original atoms. Once the gong comes to rest, the Plasmons and the energy field collapses. When the gong is revved up again the Plasmon field expands and intensifies. The participants are being electromagnetically charged in a positive, benevolent and holistic fashion. Many walk away with a natural buzz that is some case has lasted for a week.

Gongs are useful in resolving emotional and physical dissonance. Magic happens when there is no separation between the gong, the player and the listener. Playing and listening to gongs is about spiritual, physical and emotional resolution – opening of doors and windows to the Universe, moving around energies, Universal energies – to enter a spiritual dimension. The Gong is a psycho-acoustic gateway to heightened states of awareness and consciousness. It is an ideal tool for stress reduction, stimulation of the glandular system, and to break up emotional blockages. When skillfully played, gongs stimulate and resonate all cells in the human body simultaneously and recalibrate the parasympathetic nervous system (heavy arms and legs as well as a regulated heart rate during a gong meditation are a sign of the re-calibration).

The Gong generates powerful multi-dimensional ripples of sound that grow into waves and bathe your entire body in streams of sound. These have been described as otherworldly, rhythmic, generating a sense of being on vacation, unfathomable, purifying, magical, sweet – like rich, rich chocolate cake, profound, out of body, celestial and harmonic…just to name a few.

From a sacred geometry viewpoint, a circle – the gong’s basic shape – represents a beginning that has no end. It is ever-expanding potential and represents our connection with the holographic nature of oneness. Throughout many traditions and cultures, it also stands as symbol for heaven, totality, perfection, unity, eternity, completeness and for inclusive harmony.

Thanksgiving, the harvest; practicing gratitude

Acorns Parents Talk and Craft Workshop

Saturday 4th October
 at Church of Ascension
10.00 to 14.00

Parents, Carers, Acorns leaders and assistants get together at this event where we create a sharing space for adults who care for young children, babies and toddlers, for open discussion and support on hot topics, likefood, sleep, gentle discipline, tantrums.


This is an opportunity for regulars and newcomers to come and open up about parenting issues; 
here you will get to hear and hopefully understand what we do at Acorns and how; 
the why is hopefully obvious to us: 
the Acorns group sessions are calmer and well structured,
 once the group is established things do flow and 
there are truly magical moments and there is a
 special peaceful energy.
 How to achieve this in your home?



A special craft follows, after a light lunch, with needle felting seasonal figures with Susanna Wallis all materials provided, you go home with your little creations!


£15 per person.
Adults only, babies under 6 months allowed only.

FULL MOON September 2014

The Full Moon takes place on 
Monday September 8th, 
the Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Pisces. 
As Chiron (the Wounded Healer) and 
Neptune (the Electric Blue Sea of Spirit) 
are both transiting Pisces, 
and Venus (LOVE) is in Virgo 
under the rays of the Sun; 
the energy of pulling in the higher energies of cosmic consciousness 
and healing are available to all of us.
 We only have to open our hearts, 
which in essence expands our consciousness.





http://www.space.com/27051-harvest-moon-supermoon-rises-monday.html

Happy New Moon in Virgo

All copied from:

http://astrologyofthesoul.net/tag/zodiac/

NEW MOON IN VIRGO

25 AUGUST 2014

It’s that time of the month again; time for a new cycle and a new phase. Since the last New Moon which was in Leo, I am very sure that you have enjoyed this period, with lots of fun and playful activities, which also coincides with the beautiful weather of the summer season. It is also a time when the children are off school, making it great for holiday periods. With all this excitement, we must be conscious that all things come to an end, and with this New Moon in Virgo taking place on 25 August, it will mark a new beginning, and as you know with every beginning, there must be an end.

So how can you look forward to this New Moon in Virgo and utilise it for your own benefit? This New Moon is continuing from the last New Moon in Leo, which was about fun, creativity and self-expression. With Leo being the Zodiac sign of the inner child, the New Moon in Virgo is where all of this creative energy is tidied up neatly so it can be of service to you. In order to get an idea of how this New Moon is going to manifest, let’s take a look at what Virgo is about. Virgo is the sign of integration. If we look at the symbol for Virgo, it is an image of a young maiden holding a chaff of wheat. Firstly, this symbol is showing us a connection and preparation to the harvest period. During harvest periods when farmers are gathering their crops, it is essential for them to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff in order to distinguish which crops are of good quality and of great use, and which crops are not up to standard or of any benefit. This also applies to separating what is useful and valuable from what is worthless in your life.

Virgo is the sign that is tidying up after the mess of Leo. It’s a bit like when children play and leave all their toys scattered around and then somebody has to come and tidy up the mess. Virgo is that sign where you are tidying up and integrating what is necessary into your life, by using precise critical judgement. This is one of the many reasons why Virgos have great attention to detail and are very often labelled perfectionists. It is not that Virgo is a perfectionist, but it is very directed towards ordering the world and utilising time and things in the most efficient way possible. A week or two away from the date of the New Moon in Virgo all students will be returning back to school, college and university. People returning back from their holidays will be returning back to work, so this is a time when you will find yourself in the realms of everyday routines and applying some form of order into your life.

This New Moon in Virgo is about integrating something new into your life that is of great service to you and others. Health, diet, nutrition, work and any other daily routines and rituals that are a part of your life are sure to be stimulated and magnified. You will find this time of the year much easier to discipline yourself as far as diet, losing weight and starting an exercise regime is concerned. Very often, people try to kick the habit of smoking or try a new diet plan at the beginning of the year, but most people end up failing to keep it up because it is not the appropriate season for it. The New Moon in Virgo is the perfect time of year to incorporate and integrate these disciplines in your life. You will find yourself paying greater attention to hygiene, health and diet. Now is a good time to start a new diet or change your eating habits. Maybe cutting out too much salt or sugar in your food and eating less processed foods. Perhaps even giving up smoking or eating foods that are more nutritious for your body and starting a daily exercise program.

What is also very interesting within the symbol of Virgo is that the young maiden is holding a chaff of wheat. Wheat is what is mainly used to make our bread and cereals which we tend to eat for breakfast. This is essentially a part of our nutritious diet and even the word cereal originates from the Latin word Ceres, who happened to be the mother Earth goddess of grains, crops and agriculture in ancient Rome. This is also a good time to go and see your doctor for a health check-up and ensure your body is functioning well. Areas of work are definitely magnified during this period, as work becomes very important. You may overwork and in fact, you may be working for or on behalf of others. You may find that the area of your work has increased but yet the salary and recognition stays the same. This is a time, depending on the nature of your business, where you may hire a new employee, or establish a set of new priorities for employees or yourself in a productive work situation. You will find yourself more focused on organising your workplace and setting new goals for yourself and employees, if you have any.

This is a wonderful time to do major housecleaning. There will be a feel and need to get your house in order and get organised, especially after the children go back to school, if there are any children in your home. You can find yourself being very critical, picky, and concerned with order within your surroundings and you may also be critical of others. Virgo is the sign that also presides over pets, so you may find yourself being drawn to wanting to get a pet, or if you already have a pet, that your pet becomes more of a focus in your life during this period.

So with this New Moon in Virgo taking place, be mindful and aware of your daily routines, work and health matters, as these areas are very crucial and will help you live a more fulfilling and balanced lifestyle. Make sure you are mindful of what you are integrating into your life, and being that it is a New Moon in Virgo which represents a new cycle and new beginning, be sure to integrate something new which is orderly and healthy into your life and daily routine. Make sure to separate the wheat from the chaff, just as the Virgo archetype needs to do.

Happy New Moon in Virgo

To find out more, tune in to the Cosmic Blueprints radio show athttp://www.oneharmonyradio.com every Saturday from 9am to 12pm GMT and come back next week to hear other cosmic news! We look forward to seeing you.

If you have any comments or questions or would like to have a personal reading done, please leave a comment, or email us at info@astrologyofthesoul.net

INTRODUCING THE PIKLER APPROACH TO THE CARE OF THE VERY YOUNG CHILD Special Conference on Pikler approach Saturday 28th June at Greenwich Steiner House We are pleased to announce the official launch of the Pikler UK Association on 28 June 2014 at Greenwich Steiner School, London, SE3 7SE www.pikler.co.uk Inaugural Conference DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT HIGH QUALITY CARE IS? introducing the Pikler approach to the care of the very young child 10.00 Registration and coffee 10.30 Welcome Oona Alexander KEYNOTE PRESENTATION 10.45 Dance with me in the heart Every baby is born expecting to dance the partnership dance, but they cannot dance it with us when we have forgotten how the steps go. Pennie Brownlee 11.45 “High quality” play - what does it look like when we let it happen Dorothy Marlen 12.30 Lunch 1.45 Workshops (see overleaf) 2.45 Pikler UK Association Official Launch Clare Caro 3.00 Loczy: A Place to Grow 3.30 Discussion 4.00 Concluding Remarks 4.15 Close of conference & Tea WORKSHOPS NEW STORIES FOR THE PARTNERSHIP DANCE Pennie Brownlee The underlying principles for true partnership with infants and children are different from the stories about infants and children which are held in our culture. In this workshop we explore stories and practices that bring bonded partnerships firmly into our culture. This shift is a shift into the heart and therefore, a shift in consciousness; it is the shift required to turn around our society’s pathology. WORKSHOP 2 NATURAL GROSS AND FINE DEVELOPMENT IN THE INFANT - AN EXPERIENTIAL WORKSHOP Dorothy Marlen Which comes first - crawling or sitting? What can happen when an infant is put into a position before he can get there himself? And what happens when you allow plenty of time for self-initatied movement? Finally what kind of environment and materials support healthy motor development? This workshop will introduce important research and insights into the natural progression of gross and fine motor development from the Pikler Institute. Come with comfortable clothing to change into and be prepared for floor work! WORKSHOP 3 PREVENTING & RESOLVING TODDLER CONFLICT Oona Alexander How and why do conflicts occur? Are there things we can do before the children arrive to support them to have less conflicts? And importantly how can we respond respectfully and effectively when conflicts do arise in our groups or settings? In this workshop we will explore how the Pikler approach helps us find answers to these questions. CONTRIBUTORS PENNIE BROWNLEE Pennie is a mother, grandmother, author, artist, teacher and self employed facilitator with 47 years experience in education. In 1983 she wrote “Magic Places: the adult’s guide to young children’s creative art work”, and has facilitated residential courses for parents and teachers in fostering children’s creativity since 1990. Following her summer school attendance at the Pikler Institute in 2004 - and influenced by Dr Emmi Pikler and Joseph Chilton Pearce - Pennie designed and delivered a two week residential training for educators and health professionals who work with babies, families and young children. In 2008 she wrote “Dance with me in the Heart: the adults’ guide to great infant-parent partnerships”. Her passion is sharing this liberating way of childrearing with parents. She travels throughout New Zealand sharing her enthusiasm with communities large and small. DOROTHY MARLEN Originally trained as a Steiner Kindergarten teacher, she now has over 20 years experience of running parent and child groups, courses, and trainings for parents and carers of the very young child. Her work was transformed by taking the Level 1 and 2 training in the Pikler approach to Early Childhood Education at the Pikler Institute in Budapest, in 2008 and 2010 - the first person from the UK to do so. She now offers workshops and consultancy to day care settings in the UK and runs Parent and Baby groups inspired by the Pikler approach, which she pioneered in the UK four years ago. She organised the first Level 1 Pikler® training in the UK in 2011-12 and is presently designing a new Birth to Three Qualification for carers of young children. This will incorporate important aspects of the Pikler Approach. OONA ALEXANDER Oona Alexander is an independent under 3s specialist who supports parents and professionals to find authentic relationships with the young children in their care. She comes from a Steiner background and now incorporates the Pikler approach in her work. Through her consultancy, Early Childhood Insight, she offers workshops, parent-child groups and one-to-one consultations. Oona trained with the first cohort of Pikler students here in the UK (they are now on level 2) and by the time of this launch she will have completed the 2nd level Pikler training in Budapest too. Her innovative groups, Child’s Play for Toddlers and Child’s Play for Babies, are informed by the Pikler approach. CLARE CARO Inspired by a group of Pikler-trained friends, when Clare herself became a mother she had enough information to start the relationship with her daughter following Piklerian ideas. With such an inspiring outcome, and eager to find more information, she gathered a large collection of articles about Dr Emmi Pikler and the Pikler approach - and so The Pikler Collection website came about. Through the research and the website, Clare is in contact with the Pikler Institute, Pikler groups, students and pedagogues around the world. Welcome to the first Pikler UK Association (PUKA) newsletter. Our fledgling organisation now has a constitution and a website and we are looking forward to our launch event in London.  The launch will be on Saturday 28th June  in Greenwich Steiner School, London. Come along and hear our inspiring speakers,  Dorothy Marlen the UK Pikler representative,  and Pennie Brownlee author of  Dance with me in the Heart,  who is working with the Pikler approach in New Zealand.  We are delighted to announce that PUKA is now able to offer membership to both individuals and organisations. Membership entitles you to early alerts of conferences, courses and workshops, plus a regular newsletter with a feature article and all news - just like this one - you will need to become a member to continue receiving the newsletter.  Membership will also entitle you to reduced rates for resources through our PUKA website shop, which will be up and running soon.  For those who join before our launch date, we are making an introductory offer: 18 months of membership for the price of 12 months.  Visit our membership page and join us www.pikler.co.uk/membership.  This first newsletter brings you a feature article by Dorothy Marlen, who tells the story so far: how did the Pikler UK Association come into being? You will hear how Dorothy singlehandedly pioneered this initiative, sowing seeds over several years. We aim to send out a newsletter four times a year so we look forward to connecting with you again in three months, when our feature article will be by Ela Pawluczuk, who describes a mother’s perspective on respectful care in the first year of her child’s life. With all the best from The PUKA committee,  Oona Alexander, Helen Bremer, Clare Caro, Elzbieta Pawluczuk, Samantha Greshoff, Dorothy Marlen.A Brief History of PUKA – The Pikler UK Association   By Dorothy Marlen The Pikler UK Association is very new – only now being officially born – not an infant yet and certainly not a toddler. Here is a brief description and summary of its conception and gestation in a country which has been unaware of the Pikler approach until recently. In 2008, on joining the Basic English Summer 2 week summer course at the Pikler Institute I was surprised to find out that I was the first person living in the UK to do so. Although participants for these popular trainings fly in from all around the world no one had ever come from the UK. I had only heard about the Pikler Institute and the exemplary care that had been developed there a year or so earlier. This was through colleagues in the Steiner movement living and working abroad in Europe and the USA who were involved in early childcare initiatives where the Pikler approach had been successfully integrated. No one in the UK, it seemed, knew anything about Dr Emmi Pikler and the work of the Pikler Institute. No one apart from Stephanie Petrie and Sue Owen who together edited a book called Authentic Relationships in Group Care for Infants and Toddlers in 2005. This book was based on the work of Magda Gerber who took the Pikler approach from Hungary to the USA and founded Resources for Infant Educarers. The first two weeks that I spent at the Pikler Institute profoundly changed my practice as an Early Years teacher and trainer. Afterwards I began to run parent and baby groups based on what I have more recently termed “the lemniscate of care”. This is the giving of respectful and conscious care, with full presence, to a young child, primarily during times of bodily care (the natural way to build secure attachment) delicately balanced with allowing the child uninterrupted time to move and play freely without interference (the natural way to ensure full gross and fine motor progression). These two primary needs of the infant and young child I had seen so clearly and exquisitely fulfilled through the talks and videos at the Institute. I began running mum and baby groups based on the Pikler approach soon after.  I easily saw the difference in the babies’ motor development and play as well as the quality of care and bonding with their mothers.  I observed how the unique approach originated by Dr Pikler revealed new ways of caring for babies.   But I was still a “singleton” as no one else from the UK had as yet ventured to Budapest.  So in 2009 I began to give introductory talks about the Pikler approach, to early year practitioners and parents, primarily in the UK Steiner movement. Returning to the Pikler Institute for another two weeks of training in 2010 I met a Dutch Pikler pedagogue, Hedie Meyling, who was assisting on the training at the Institute. I saw then that there was an opportunity to organise a Pikler training in the UK. Hedie agreed and in 2011 fifteen Steiner Early Years practitioners signed up for the Basic Pikler training. This was held in York, North Yorkshire during 2011-12 over approximately eight full weekends. By the time this first level Pikler training was competed in 2012 there were finally enough of us - six in total – who agreed to come together to form the Pikler UK Association and take up the committee posts. There are three members (Helen Bower, Elzbieta Pawluczuk and Clare Caro) who are not involved in the Steiner movement and three of us who are (Sam Greshoff, Oona Alexander and myself). Elzbieta now has some training at the Pikler Institute and is raising her child the Pikler way and Helen is a Pikler pedagogue, trained in Germany. Clare Caro is raising her two children the Pikler way and has started Nature Play parents and children in London, and created a wonderful Pikler resource for all people in the English speaking world calledwww.thepiklercollection.weebly.com. Awareness of the Pikler approach is growing in the UK now, and there are invitations to give talks to nurseries and Early Childhood carer trainings in mainstream. There are also more people from the UK making the journey to the Pikler Institute for the summer courses and a steady stream of visitors to the Pikler collection website. PUKA’s main aim is to bring awareness of the Pikler approach and practice to all parents and early childhood settings in the UK. It has taken six years to birth the UK Pikler Association. Hopefully before another six years is up, children in the UK will be benefiting fully from the new understanding of quality care which the Pikler approach promises to provide. Holistic Baby and Child Care (EYE) Steiner Waldorf with the Pikler approach to child development, play and care with a birth to three emphasis. Take a journey in learning and self development that will equip you with skills and confidence in caring for your children and supporting parents.  This pioneering course synthesises Steiner Waldorf and the Pikler approach whilst meeting the new EYE critieria. It is a part time Level 3 (EYE) training for childminders, parent and child group leaders and those wishing to care for the young child.  It starts in September 2014 in London with residentials at  Emerson College, Sussex. Visit www.emerson.org.uk/holistic-baby-and-child-care for more information. The Official Launch of PIKLER ASSOCIATION UKThe official launch of PIKLER ASSOCIATION UK will take place on Saturday 28 June 2014.     With the 1st UK Pikler Conference - DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT HIGH QUALITY CARE IS?  INTRODUCING THE PIKLER APPROACH TO THE CARE OF THE VERY YOUNG CHILD Talks by Pennie Brownlee, Dorothy Marlen, workshops and discussions.  To be held at Greenwich Steiner School, London. Registration fee including lunch £30 for members £40 for non-members.  For further information and to download the booking form visit  www.pikler.co.uk/upcoming-events  Workshop with Pennie Brownlee  We are delighted to be able offer a workshop with Pennie while she is in the UK all the way from New Zealand.   The full day workshop  'Anyway! You're Not The Boss of Me'  is suitable for all parents and teachers,  and looks at upgrading our ideas and skills around working partnerships with young children. To be held at Steiner House in London,  on Sunday June 29th. For more details visit www.pikler.co.uk/upcoming-events

May we invite you to the last of the special sessions this half term at 
Acorns Parent and Child group
Church of Ascension
Dartmouth Row

On Friday 30th May

 Kids yoga session

 10 to 10.45 am

Kids yoga for 4 to 9 years old (just kids, no parents!) We accept 3 1/2 years old if with parents staying.


Minimum donation £5 per family bring a piece of fruit to share.
there will be a short break for tea and light snack available at 10.45 when you pick up your children, a chance to briefly chat with the teacher,good byes at 11 am. 

 The parents may leave their children  at the yoga session in the large room, the space in the garden for outdoor play for the younger siblings if needed  or the small back room as a quiet 'waiting area' for the adults and toddlers who wish to stay while the older children are in the room with the yoga teacher. 

Please make your bookings asap through the website link now; simply write to me saying you are coming through the contact form.
Pay on arrival. Please bring a yoga mat if you have one. We have 4 spaces left!


http://www.greenwichacorns.org.uk/contact-us.html
Susannah, Mariana and the Acorns team.