Pockets of Peace

7 October 2025

Today one of my Pockets of Peace is to spend some time harvesting autumn blossoms from the garden and put them in vases around the house. This simple activity causes me to slow down, breathe deeply, connect with natural world, and create beauty - all of which brings me peace.

Over to you...

What one Pocket of Peace are you choosing to create in your day today?

8 October 2025

Today one of my Pockets of Peace was to stop at what we affectionately call the 'meditation spot' (which is an old log on one of our daily walks) and to simply BE for 10 minutes. I drop out of my mind and fully inhabit my senses - breathing the pure fresh air into my lungs , listening to the birdsong and falling acorns, seeing the stunning view across the Dordogne valley, feeling the log and earth under me, and tasting the peace of the moment.

What one Pocket of Peace are you consciously choosing to create in your day today?

9 October 2025

Today one of my Pockets of Peace is some breath-led yoga. I have practised yoga for over 30 years now and my yoga mat is one of my peaceful places. Getting out of the head and into the body and breath is the simplest way for me to return to peace, regardless of what is going on in my life.

What one Pocket of Peace are you consciously choosing to create in your day today?

10 October 2025

Today one of my Pockets of Peace was a lovely stroll along the Vézère river amongst the falling autumn leaves.

What one Pocket of Peace are you consciously choosing to create in your day today?

11 October 2025

Today I am off to Edinburgh to spend a few days with my daughter, Georgia, who lives there. One of the ways that I create pockets of peace when travelling is by consciously sending loving-kindness (metta) to each person in the queues with me as well as all the security officers, ground crew, passport officials and basically everyone I encounter. It is a lovely practice and it supports me in staying fully present to myself and those around me.

Over to you... What pockets of peace are you creating in your day today?

12 October 2025

Over the years I have found that one of the easiest ways for me to create pockets of peace in the day is with mantra. There is so much beautiful mantra music available for streaming and it always calms me and restored me to my factory default setting of deep peace. I play and sing a LOT of mantra in my daily life at home.

I am currently in Edinburgh and, being used to the quiet of the deep forest at home, I now find that I can easily experience sensory overload in cities. So, today as I move around, I will have Deva Premal and Miten in my ears to soothe my system. Deva's new album 'The Inevitable Blossoming of the Heart' is particularly gentle and restorative. My challenge is not to sing along out loud when I'm in public!

What pockets of peace are you consciously creating in your day today?

13 October 2025

Today I am accompanying my daughter to the hospital to have a day procedure. As I sit in the day surgery waiting room it is the perfect opportunity to create a pocket of peace.

What always brings me peace in hospitals is the simple practice of gratitude. I consciously drop into my heart and feel into the deep appreciation I have for the nurses, doctors, and other staff, as well as the medical understanding and advances, the technology and systems etc that are here to support those who need them.

What pockets of peace are you creating as you move through your day today?

14 October 2025

As I travel by train through Scotland to visit my brother and his family today, I am creating a pocket of peace to do some self-inquiry into the important question "Would I rather be right or at peace?"

Holding on to the need to be right about something and to take a fixed position can really hold us separate from the peace that we crave. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh invited us to ask simply "Are you sure?" when we take a fixed position about anything or become anxious about some imagined future.

As I explore these lines of inquiry I already feel more peaceful.

What about you? What pockets of peace are you creating today?

15 October 2025

I arrived home this afternoon and have created a pocket of peace by harvesting today's crop of calendula flowers which I will dry to enjoy as tea over the winter. I couldn't resist having some now along with lemon balm, lavender and sage while diving into Marian Noel Groves' beautiful book - Body into Balance - while listening to the robins singing happily in the garden.

What about you? What pockets of peace have you enjoyed today?

16 October 2025

As a child I loved the crunch of dry autumn leaves under my feet and I still do today's pocket of peace was spent in the forest surrounding our home. There is something very peaceful and soothing about it - especially after the hustle and bustle of the last few days in Edinburgh.

What about you? What pockets of peace did you create for yourself today?

17 October 2025

One of today's beautiful pockets of peace was spent enjoying the delicious perfume and stunning colour of one of my favourite roses. "Take time to smell the roses" is an old adage but is also a timeless reminder to slow down and breathe deeply.

What pockets of peace did you gift yourself today?

18 October 2025

One of my pockets of peace yesterday was spent in what is apparently the largest natural open cave in Europe. It is on private land so rarely visited and is 1600m². It is breathtakingly womb-like and full of powerful feminine energy. To get a sense of its scale see the photo of my dear friend Gail in it. It is one of my favourite place to visit in this incredible region which I am fortunate enough to call home.

What about you? What pockets of peace are you giving yourself this weekend?

19 October 2025

One of today's many pockets of peace was some sweet grooming time with our old girl, Delilah. She loves attention so being groomed is heaven for her and very peaceful for me! And the birds love to use her fur to make their nests. Recycling at its best!

What pocket of peace did you give yourself today?

20 October 2025

With all the noise in the world right now, it has never been more important to create pockets of peace in your day. One thing that really supports this is having a dedicated space at home which allows you to step away from the noise, pause and reset. This is particularly important when you are going through change. It is something I have written more about in my blog called HOW TO STAY BALANCED AND NAVIGATE CHANGE.

For me, over the years our meditation space and altar has become a real sanctuary and today I was inspired to add a comfy chair where I can write my blog and journal as well as reading books that are meaningful to me. It feels so inviting that I'm not sure I will get much else done!

What about you? Have you got a dedicated peaceful haven in your home?

21 October 2025

Most afternoons, depending on my schedule, you will find me under the duvet for 20-60 mins with my eye mask on, pillow under my knees, phone on do not disturb and earbuds in while Ally Boothroyd leads me into my favourite pocket of peace of the day.

If you haven't experienced it before, yoga nidra requires no flexibility or movement. It is often now referred to by its scientific name - NDSR (non sleep deep rest). Disclaimer: I regularly do fall asleep but, even if I don't, I feel like I have had a full body massage and complete system reboot.

I credit this practice hugely for keeping me reasonably grounded and for calming my nervous system during what was an emotionally and mentally challenging transition between February and September this year.

If you have not yet found Ally on YouTube, I strongly recommend checking her huge library of recordings ranging from 10 mins - 3 hours. There is also a great playlist for insomnia if that is an issue for you.

What about you? What pockets of peace do you treat yourself to in order to calm your nervous system?

23 October 2025

Today's pocket of peace was inspired by one of my Transition Coaching clients and is a powerful little phrase which has brought so many pockets of peace into my life since I mastered it many years ago. You can watch the reel here.

Give it a go and let me know how you feel!

What about you? What mantras, affirmations or phrases bring more pockets of peace into your life?

24 October 2025

Don't forget that it's ok to withdraw from the noise and create pockets of peace in order to recenter, rebalance and reset.

Nowadays many people think that there is something wrong with putting the phone on to do not disturb or not responding to emails and WhatsApp messages as soon as they land. This instant response culture easily leads to burnout and the adrenal fatigue which so many people are suffering from. It increases anxiety levels and stress and causes overwhelm. And it often means that our responses are reactive, not well considered and can negatively impact the recipient.

In order to embody peace we need to live from the inside out - not from the outside in.

To do so, it is vital that we switch off from outside input regularly. Personally, I put my phone on airplane mode several times a day, have it automatically go to do not disturb from 9pm-9am, turn off notifications when I am focused on a task, and often leave it at home when I am out in the forest or because I want to be fully present for the person I am with. And, most days, I do not pick up the phone until I have done my morning writing, meditation and/or yoga practice. That way I am fully present to myself and centered in my body before getting pulled up and out by other people or what is going on in the world.

What about you? I would love to hear how you create pockets of peace from technology and external input?

25 October 2025

One of the most supportive steps for creating pockets of peace in your life is having clear, strong, healthy boundaries.

Boundaries are one of the most powerful forms of self-care - yet they’re also one of the hardest to master. Most of us were never taught how to set them, let alone communicate them clearly. Whether in our families, friendships, or work, blurred boundaries can leave us feeling drained, resentful, overwhelmed and, in general, far removed from the peace which we crave.

Sometimes the boundaries are for yourself to say NO to certain habits or way of being that you know disrupt your peace i.e. checking your phone or obsessive doom scrolling, drinking too much alcohol or always saying YES to others without pausing to check in with yourself first.

Sometimes they are boundaries that you need to set with other people by saying NO to their demands, ways of speaking to you or their behaviour patterns which are impacting you negatively.

So what are boundaries, and why do they matter so much for your wellbeing? How can you create more pockets of peace by setting and maintaining healthy boundaries?

I have created a FREE MINI-WORKBOOK for you to dive into. You can find it via my blog on HOW TO SET AND MAINTAIN BOUNDARIES.

What about you? What boundaries have you set recently so that you can enjoy more pockets of peace? Please share below to help inspire others.

26 October 2025

The clocks went back last night here in Europe and Samhain/Halloween is nearly upon us. So I was inspired to record this short 10 minute meditation on LETTING GO AND TURNING IN for you. I hope it brings you a beautiful pocket of peace today. Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel while you are there! I will be sharing more videos over coming months.

27 October 2025

Life is full of transitions and, as we all know, nothing is permanent.

In my own life I know that most of my greatest suffering has come from resisting life's changes and trying to cling on to something even when it is no longer serving or congruent with who I am becoming. It’s so easy to tense up and resist what’s shifting. Yet when we soften and learn to trust life’s rhythm, a deeper peace emerges.

For today's pocket of peace, I invite you to ask yourself what transition you are being called to move through this autumn. It might be a change in your career, relationship, lifestyle or spiritual practice. Personally, I am being called to drop into even deeper levels of peace and surrender as I move into this new phase of my working life with no financial certainty. It really is an exercise in staying firmly grounded in the present moment, trusting my inner guidance and taking the next clear step as it reveals itself.

Once you have identified and named the transition you are in this autumn, then ask yourself whether you are creating suffering for yourself by resisting the change or whether you can accept it and let the old way of being fall away now - as the leaves are falling from the trees.

If you’re navigating a transition and want gentle, grounded, loving support, I’d love to walk alongside you. Find out more here.

28October 2025

My poor body has been struggling with some kind of respiratory infection for the last week and I've had very little physical energy. It also hardly stopped raining last week so I spent most of it snuggled up indoors. On Sunday morning I felt a little better and the sun came out so my pocket of peace was to get out into the forest for a walk with Eoin and Delilah .

Spending time in nature is one of the simplest ways to restore yourself to peace. Immersing yourself in the plant kingdom (even in a local park), tuning in to the bird song, walking mindfully and feeling your feet kissing mother earth, and breathing the fresh air are all powerfully restorative, grounding and calming. And at this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere nature is creating such a spectacle for us with the changing colours.

So today I invite you to create a pocket of peace by spending some time close to nature. Don't forget that the more peaceful you are, the more peace you are sending out into the world .

What is your favourite way to connect with nature?

29 October 2025

Today's pocket of peace is a reading from the wonderful book UNTIL TODAY by Iyanla Vanzant. Watch the reel here.

I love the acronym she uses for peace...

Please

Excuse

All

Crazy

Experiences

What pockets of peace are you creating for yourself today?

30 October 2025

When you find yourself in a challenging situation which is triggering you emotionally and/or energetically, it can be hard to drop into a pocket of peace.

In the past I would have spent days in my mind obsessively trying to figure out how to resolve the situation or reacting out of my conditioned ego patterns. Inevitably, that just led to more suffering and complications for all concerned.

Nowadays, when faced with a situation in which I don't know the way, I simply acknowledge that fact "I don't know the way forward." Or "I don't know how best to handle this situation."

The very act of admitting my ego's powerlessness brings a some immediate relief.

Next I surrender the situation over. For some people that might be to God but, for me, it is more often handed over through mantra and invocation to one of the pantheon of Hindu goddesses. These are all representative of parts of myself and have different qualities - strength, compassion, letting go, abundance, wellbeing etc.

After years of Bhakti practice I now know which one I need to invoke because I have had powerful direct experience of them all. Today I know that I need to call in Durga's strength, courage, clarity and wisdom.

But, if you are new to this path and curious to explore it as a way to navigate life's complexities with grace, then I highly recommend these 2 beautiful books by 2 of my dear friends - AWAKENING SHAKTI by the late Sally Kempton and THE WAY OF THE GODDESS by the fabulously talented Amanda Ahern.

And, if that's not calling you then simply sending this prayer out to whatever beneficient beings you believe in can work wonders to restore peace - "MAY THIS SITUATION BE RESOLVED IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL CONCERNED." Then feel your feet on the earth, take some deep breaths, let it all go and do nothing until you are notified of the next clear steps.

31 October 2025

Every year as we move into late October, I feel a deep stirring within me. Samhain - the ancient Celtic festival on 31 October that marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter - is known as the time when the veil between life and death is at its thinnest. It’s a sacred moment to honour those who have passed and to acknowledge the constant cycles of birth, death, and rebirth that weave through our lives.

For me, this time of year carries a very personal resonance.

Today, in my Substack post, I share a special and very personal piece of writing with you which include some powerful questions so that you can create a meaningful pocket of peace today.

1 November 2025

Today's pocket of peace is inspired by our old dog Delilah who regularly falls asleep upside down like this! Like all dogs she is an expert at resting. When there is nothing exciting happening like walks, dinner, ball chasing or cuddles, she sleeps.

The vast majority of people I know seem to have forgotten the importance of creating periods of real rest (not mindlessly scrolling on your phone). For many it is go, go, go from the moment they wake up until they hit the bed at night and this is the same 7 days a week. Then they wonder why they get ill when they go on vacation and finally stop.

Here in the Dordogne, nearly all businesses and shops are closed on Sundays and many of them close on either Saturday or Monday too. The unnatural 24/7 culture of cities and what I experienced in the US doesn't exist here. People value work-life balance and family time too much to get sucked into that unhealthy paradigm.

I am a great believer in the power of 'radical rest' and many of my daily pockets of peace involve sitting or lying down, switching everything off, closing my eyes or reading.

So, this weekend as we move into November and journey into darkness here in the northern hemisphere, I invite you to create some pockets of peace by saying ...

"I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION TO REST."

Notice any resistance you come up against and be curious about it.

If you need some support making changes to your life that allow you to enjoy more rest and balance, I am here to help - so just click here to book in for a free exploratory chat.

What about you? Do you find it hard to rest? If not, I would love to hear what are your favourite ways to give yourself proper regular rest periods?

2 November 2025

One of the things that many of my coaching clients report that stops them from creating more pockets of peace in their lives is the unconscious drive to consume more.

To consume more, we need more money.

To have more money, we must work harder,

To work harder, we must use our precious time and energy in ways that drain us.

The resulting exhaustion, overwhelm and emptiness make us want to consume more.

And so the cycle continues.

This is endemic in our capitalist society.

As wise woman Robin Wall Kimmerer reflects so eloquently in her beautiful new book 'The Serviceberry' - "Recognising "enoughness" is a radical act in an economy that is always urging us to consume more."

I assume that, at the very least, most of you who read this have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, food in your fridge, clothes to wear, and access to clean drinking water.

So today, I invite you to create a pocket of peace with by taking the "radical act" of reminding yourself - "TODAY I HAVE ENOUGH".

This is a deceptively simple but potent way of creating more peace in your life.

Notice how it feels in your body to know that you have enough.

Notice how it changes the choices you make today.

Notice how it can open up time for you to do things that truly nourish you in mind, body, and spirit - rather than mindless consumerism.

Give it a go!

3 November 2025

For today's pocket of peace I invite you to explore your relationship with stillness. Check out the reel here.

One of the things that can really rattle my inner peace is when something isn't working as easily as it should or I can't figure something out. Like many people, I can get very stuck in my mind trying to fix the problem.

In her incredible new book, 'All the Way to the River', the courageous and authentic Elizabeth Gilbert shares this wonderful acronym and invites the reader to employ it in those moments.

PAUSE =

Perhaps

An

Unexpected

Solution

Exists

The simple act of taking a pause can create a beautiful pocket of peace into which inspiration can flow or unexpected solutions appear.

In our crazy, speeded up modern world, we seem to have lost the ability to simply pause, take a few breaths, step back from the issue and allow grace to lead the way.

So, next time you are caught up in your crazy-making mind and need to drop into a pocket of peace, I invite you to remember just to PAUSE and see if that unexpected solution reveals itself. It usually does!!