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March 26, 2011

Organic/Natural Skincare — Cleanser Review

Filed under: Body Confidential,UD:BEAUTY — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 2:44 pm

Thea Euryphaessa reviews the crème de la crème of natural, organic, and irritant-free cleansers for Manchester (Leeds and Liverpool) Confidential.

Organic/Natural Skincare — Cleanser Review


It’s one thing to walk into a shop and be bamboozled under glare of bright lights and the spin of slick sales speak into a later, unwanted purchase. It’s quite another to spend time with products in the privacy of one’s own home in order to separate the wheat from the chaff, the unsung heroes from those overhyped products parading about as the Emperor’s New Clothes — which is what I’ve spent the past few weeks doing.

Fast approaching thirty-five, I’m much pickier these days about what I put on my skin. Therefore, products containing parabens and sodium laureth sulphate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) are out. As are products containing mineral oil, phthalates, alcohol, formaldehyde, petrochemicals, artificial fragrance and colourings, and phenoxyethanol.

Occasionally, I let irritants sneak through the net; for example the preservative, phenoxyethanol, although recently banned for use in certified organic skin care products by Ecocert and COSMOS (the new EU organic certification standard) does appear in a few of my absolute favourite products, but I make sure not to use those particular products every single day. Forewarned is forearmed. So, without further ado, here’s a round-up of the natural, organic, and irritant-free cleansers I’ve been most impressed by.

My absolute favourite ‘lazy’ cleanser is Weleda’s One-Step Cleanser & Toner — ‘lazy’ because I use it when I can’t be bothered with the rigmarole of washing and drying my face: a quick wipe with a cotton pad and my skin’s left deeply cleansed, soft, and refreshed. Free from synthetic preservatives, fragrances, colourants, and mineral oil derivatives it does, however, contain fragrance from natural essential oils which may irritate super sensitive skin types. Still, I can’t praise this product enough. In fact, I love this citrus-smelling milky cleanser so much, I’ve almost finished the bottle – and that’s with a bathroom full of cleansers to choose from. A must buy. £9.95 for 100ml. www.weleda.co.uk


The Organic Pharmacy is a range I’ve dipped in and out of over the years who deliver consistently stellar products that look glamorous too. Their Carrot Butter Cleanser (£32.95 for 70ml) ain’t the cheapest, but while moping about with a hangover I discovered it doubles up as a decadent face mask. Packed with nourishing anti-oxidants such as carrot, chamomile, and über-soothing calendula, I left this on for an hour before rinsing off to discover a surprisingly fresh and glowing complexion — most impressed. No wonder Kylie’s a fan. Free from preservatives, colourants, fragrances, and petrochemicals, I reckon Carrot Butter would be particularly effective after a long-haul flight or a day of harsh sun/wind-exposure. www.theorganicpharmacy.com


Caudalie is a brand which caught me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting to like them. Why not? Well, with their fancy packaging they reminded me of the other big cosmetic hall brands such as SK-II, Lancome, and La Prairie etc. I knew they didn’t use parabens, phenoxyethanol, artificial colourings, mineral oils, or animal derivatives but was still resistant… until I tried their products for myself. Wow. There are those brands I like in the sense of their packaging, their ethos (regards not testing on animals etc.), their eco-commitment, and then there are those products my skin likes — or, as in the case of Caudalie, adores. I’ve tried their Cleansing Water (£14.50 for 200ml), Toning Lotion (£14.50 for 200ml), and Gentle Cleanser (£14.50 for 200ml) for all skin types. Their Cleansing Water alone leaves my skin feeling plump and notably softer. I’ll cover their luscious, must-buy moisturiser (Vinosource Riche Anti-Wrinkle Nourishing Cream — £27 for 40ml) in a later article, but suffice to say, I’m smitten. This entire range is a must for thirty-something skin upwards. I can’t wait to try the rest of their products (particularly their body range). www.caudalie.com/uk


Trilogy is a consistently high-performer and reliable stalwart of contemporary natural skin and bodycare. Made in New Zealand, one of their directors was a journalist who, after spending her time sampling endless lotions and potions, put her money where her mouth was and set up Trilogy with her sister. With clear labelling you know exactly where you stand with the ingredients in all their products. Their Cream Cleanser (£22.50 for 200ml) is soothing and moisturising and particularly effective at ridding stubborn eye-makeup in one fell swoop. Interestingly, my forty-something boyfriend who suffers with ultra-sensitive skin has gravitated towards this product. And I have to say I’ve noticed a positive improvement in his complexion — smoother and brighter. With a change in seasons and the need for less moisturising, my skin has responded well to their soap-free Balancing Gel Cleanser (£22.50 for 150ml). My complexion tends towards being oilier, so although I couldn’t use the Balancing Gel Cleanser in the colder months, it’s a must for spring and summer. In fact, I recommend this product together with their Energising Face Lotion (£26.50for 100ml) for younger skin (teens, twenty-somethings). www.trilogyproducts.com


Pinks Boutique is a range I stumbled across on the deepest, darkest Internet. Supplier of manicure, pedicure, body, facial, and waxing products to industry professionals, their gorgeous-looking almost entirely natural and organic range is accredited by the Soil Association and hand blended in the UK. I sampled their Lemongrass and Mandarin Cleanser (£35.00 for 235 grams) which is included in their Lemongrass Facial ‘Try Me Set’ (£23.50). To be honest, anything with lemongrass in it is fine by me — a soothing, yet uplifting smell. This deep cleansing cleanser left my skin soft, radiant, and super clean with no tautness. Pinks have quietly established themselves as one of my favourite organic ranges — so much so, I plan to track down their nearest ‘Celebrated Spa’ and indulge myself. Recommended. www.pinksboutique.com

Last, but by no means least, Evolve is another natural and organic brand I stumbled across while poking about on the Internet and the one I rave about and adore the most. So far I’ve only sampled their Gentle Cleansing Melt (£12.99 for 100ml) and Multi-Action double cream moisturiser (£14.99 for 50ml). Thing is, their Gentle Cleansing Melt is so sublime I almost don’t want to tell anyone about it for fear of a frantic stampede and sell-out à la Waitrose’s ‘Bottom Butter’ — that’s how good it is. Perfect for hypo-allergenic skin, this stuff is incredible in a gentle, understated way. Unimpressive at first glance it smells like Vaseline but with a softer, gloopier consistency; however, wait until it’s on your skin and you start massaging it in — my-oh-my, it’s heavenly. It emulsifies on contact with water and is easy to rinse off taking all traces of eye-makeup with it. What a gorgeous product — and, so far, my absolute favourite. Great value for money too.  www.evolvebeauty.co.uk

:::

Thea is author of the inspiring memoir Running into Myself. Buy a copy from Amazon UK, Amazon US or, better still, order a limited edition signed copy direct from her publisher here (also ships worldwide).

“Thea’s personal journey is utterly compelling. I couldn’t put her book down. Thea manages to make Greek mythology not only understandable, interesting, and relevant to our lives today, but shows how it can be utilised as a tool for self development. She introduces ideas and ways of thinking that broaden your mind, and lights the way for others to follow.”

— Melinda Messenger (TV Presenter)

February 17, 2011

Lavender Barn Tea Room

Filed under: Food & Drink,Manchester Confidential Articles — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 5:10 pm

My latest food-related article for Manchester Confidential.

Lavender Barn Tea Room


Jam on top and cream underneath? Or smeared straight on the scone with a slathering of cream on top?

For me, it has to be the latter with a bottomless pot of freshly-brewed tea. You can keep yer cupcakes and your mocha-choca lattes with frothy bits on: I want afternoon tea and I want it in a traditional tearoom.

What’s long bugged me about Manchester is the dearth of dedicated tearooms. Lord knows the number of times I’ve bewailed the lack of them in the city. We’ve chains of coffee shops on every other corner. And then there’s the ever-increasing onslaught of cupcake shops springing up throughout suburbia… which is why my move to the outermost fringes of civilisation (aka Flixton) has actually done me a favour.

After mourning the loss of easy, 24/7 access to the city centre and refusing to pay inordinately high taxi fares home after nights out, I turned my attention the other way towards the Cheshire countryside. It’s turned out to be quite the revelation. Walks along the Trans-Pennine trail and Bridgewater Canal have unearthed numerous cosy pubs; there’s Red House Farm with its perennially-chirpy chef and adjoining farm shop packed to the rafters with local delicacies; there’s Dunham Massey ice-cream parlour where hairy bikers stop for a cone of the buttery stuff whatever the weather; and then there’s the tearooms — Tatton Park, Dunham Massey, and my favourite, Lavender Barn Tea Room.

Tucked out of the way in Dunham Town, this place frequently provided me a cake haven while writing my book. Not least for the fact they don’t mind at all if you only buy one pot of tea and sit there the rest of the day without buying ‘owt else. Not least for the fact their speciality lavender-laced scones taste heavenly with aforementioned jam and lashings of cream. Not least for the groups of muscle-thighed, spandex-attired cyclists who stop off en route for tea and wedges of delicious homemade carrot cake.

Ah yes, cake. Not the cup-bound ones, mind you. Apparently, they can’t sell the things. They tried, but no-one was interested. Country tearoom for country kin, this. None of that fancy-schmancy gubbins townsfolk indulge in. We’re talking traditional homemade cakes as deep as the Grand Canyon and as wide as, well, my bottom if I continue indulging in them.

And don’t even get me started on their home-grown, home-made lavender and honey marmalade which a neighbour switched me onto as a hay-fever remedy. I’ve no idea whether it works but it’s as good excuse as any for stocking up on it. In fact, all their lavender-based products are lush, particularly their hand-cream. You can also buy organically-grown lavender plants to take home.

I love this place for its ramshackled charm, its shabby chic, its laid-back farmhouse vibe. It sells pretty little things that bring out the girly-girl in me and has me cooing over things I’d never otherwise look at including bespoke, vintage painted furniture and twee ornaments. It serves its generously-portioned sandwiches and cakes on crockery that never fails to make me go “Aww…” In the summer, you can sit outside, spread your wares out on a picnic blanket, and revel in the scenery while the smell of lavender from the adjacent field washes over you. This, dear reader, is how all tearooms should be.

If you have children you may like to know they have ‘pony parties’ where wee ones get the opportunity to pet, brush, feed, and ride the ponies. Resplendent in lavender pink coats and accessories Katie Price would be proud of, together with the tearoom, it must rate up there as one of the most delightful venues in which to hold a kid’s party. Sure beats being led along Morecambe promenade on a tired-looking donkey in a sheet of rain, such were the joys of birthday parties past.

Actually, never mind the kids — I’m wondering if they’d let me have my birthday party there this year, seeing as it’s in the middle of June. Hire one of them there fancy yurts, glamp out in the field overnight, argue whether the correct pronunciation’s ‘scon’ or ‘scone’. Now there’s an idea…

Cost of Cream Tea (pot of tea/coffee and a scone with jam and cream) – £2.50

Address: Lavender Barn Tea Room, Dog Farm, School Lane, Dunham Massey, WA14 4TR. Tel: 0161 928 5377 Open: Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 4pm. Saturday and Sundays, 10am – 5pm. Also open Bank Holidays. For further details on Pony Parties call Amy on 07876 597 672.

February 11, 2011

Cupcakes and Macaroons

Filed under: Food & Drink — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 7:28 pm

Cupcakes and Macaroons

In my other life I’m a food, drink, and travel reviewer for Manchester Confidential (although, I’ll happily write for most anyone who pays me). Anyway, after being hermited away for far too long on the outermost fringes of civilisation (aka Flixton), I decided to bob in for a nosy, see what was going down in town (aka city centre Manchester).

Admittedly, I was lured in by the sights of English Rose Bakery‘s macaroons on a recent Manchester Confidential article but also took the opportunity to catch up with the ManCon staff who I hadn’t seen since the Christmas do. I also bobbed into Topshop in Manchester Arndale to see what West Didsbury based, And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, were up to. By the time I finished gossiping and got across town to English Rose Bakery‘s stall at the Manchester Valentine’s Day Market in Piccadilly Gardens, however, they’d been hammered; as had And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon. Looks like both of them face very long, very busy nights, tonight, cooking up further mouthwatering delicacies for the people of Manchester (and beyond). I have a funny feeling Saturday’s going to be even busier…

In case you missed them today, And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon will be on the 2nd floor of Topshop, in Manchester Arndale again tomorrow, Saturday 11 February, from 11am—7pm (although I suspect they’ll be long sold out before then).

Looks like Topshop’s staff and customers made light work of Dishes and Spoons tasty treats.

Keeping Wendy on her toes with a macaroon order for the Manchester Confidential staff.

English Rose Bakery’s salted caramel flavoured macaroons are to die for. Utterly luscious. The girls will be back in Piccadilly Gardens tomorrow (Saturday 11 February) for the second day of the Manchester Valentine’s Day Market.

And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon are based on 230 Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester (opposite the Coop). If you’d like to order their cakes online and have them delivered to your door, click here to visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter @dishesandspoons.

English Rose Bakery are based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. To find out where they’ll be popping up next or to order online and have their macaroons delivered to your door, click here to visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter @englishrosebkry.

~

Thea is author of the inspiring memoir Running into Myself. Buy a copy from Amazon UK, Amazon US or, better yet, order a limited edition signed copy direct from her publisher here (also ships worldwide). If you enjoyed Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love, you’ll love Running into Myself.

February 7, 2011

Escape from the City

Filed under: UD:TRAVEL — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 12:55 pm

Ahead of publication on Manchester Confidential, a sneak preview of my latest travel article.

Escape from the City

Thea Euryphaessa disconnects from the rat race and reconnects with nature in a luxurious eco retreat in Scotland

For my fella’s birthday, I whisked him away for a few days R&R to an eco retreat in south-west Scotland. To counter the inordinate number of air miles I clocked up last year, I decided to Keep it Green and opt for an eco-oriented, staycation instead. It’d have been greener still had we used public transport… but I wimped out and drove instead. Good job I did too, as our accommodation was set in a quiet, out-of-the-way location.

Situated between Castle Douglas, the official Food Town of Dumfries & Galloway, the charming Artists’ Town of Kirkcudbright (pronounced ‘kir-coo-bree’), and beneath the officially designated Dark Skies of Dumfries and Galloway lies the secluded haven that is The Waterhouse.

For a long time, eco retreats and hotels have been somewhat ‘design-challenged’ sporting sorry looking, down-in-the-mouth features. But the good news is, with a fast increasing number of architecturally-stunning, environmentally-sympathetic properties, green no longer has to mean drab.

Hand-crafted by the owners and local craftsman using timber from local and/or sustainable sources, The Waterhouse is the most well-appointed, ecologically sustainable property I’ve yet had the pleasure of staying in. Basking naked (the retreat is also naturist friendly) in the outdoor hot tub with the Milky Way wending its way through the night sky and a bottle of red to keep us company, it took approximately one hundredth of a second for us to unwind and, in the words of Prefab Sprout’s lyrical genius Paddy McAloon, ‘let the stars go free.’ Relaxing doesn’t get better than this.

Attention to detail throughout the property is second-to-none. The eco geek in me squealed with delight at the fact they use Method cleaning products (sad I know, but Method’s floor cleaner in almond leaves floors smelling nigh on lickable). I drooled over the fair trade, lambswool bedspread by Nkuku which my fella described as looking like a ‘cool looking, recycled cardigan.’ And if that wasn’t enough, eagle eyes, here, also noticed the property was furnished throughout with Matlock-based Indigo Furniture’s distinctive creations whose eco-friendly pieces are favoured by TV presenters Kate Humble, George Clarke, and Charlie Dimmock and are the height of sustainable chic: not cheap, but built to last.

But perhaps my favourite feature was the wood pellet biomass stove, which now rides high on my wish list for my dream eco home. A lover of real wood burning fires, I spent the duration cosying up by this low emission, economically-efficient alternative. The shower was solar heated (with mains back up), with the water supply to the house pumped and filtered from a well. The roof is clad with natural sedum minimising the retreat’s visual impact on the landscape, while the walls are lined and insulated with Thermafleece — better known as good ole’ sheep’s wool. Très cosy.

Being mid-winter an’ all, The Waterhouse’s magnificent gardens were still very much asleep. But in the local vicinity, spring was stirring in the shape of snowdrops and blossoms. From what I saw, however, I’m not surprised the gardens have been featured on a BBC garden programme and captured the attention of multiple gardening magazines. During the flowering months, they must look spectacular. I later discovered they’ll be open to the public on 19 June 2011 as part of the Scottish Gardens Scheme.

Our delightful hosts, Martin and Sharon, invite guests to dine with them on an informal basis if they wish. We enjoyed homemade fishcakes followed by venison pie and lashings of red wine which went down an absolute treat. In the spirit of sustainability, all vegetables are grown within the gardens while the rest of the ingredients are sourced locally. Martin also bakes a rather mean tasting loaf of bread. We made light work of their welcome hamper which, aside from the wine, was chock full of locally sourced goodies including handmade chocolates and duck eggs the size of golf balls.

On the subject of food, in nearby Castle Douglas we enjoyed a private tour of the award-winning Sulwath Brewery led by the impassioned and knowledgeable managing director, Allen Henderson. Although not a beer drinker, my ale dodging days finally came to an end when I sampled their full-bodied, citrus-laced, Solway Mist… promptly followed by a full pint of same said amber nectar. Infused with Seville oranges and New Zealand hops, this CAMRA award-winning Champion Speciality Beer of Scotland is a drink to be savoured in a chilled glass on a warm sunny day. Moreishly delicious. If you want to eat out in Kirkcudbright (less than three miles away), Kirkpatrick’s and The Selkirk Arms are highly recommended. Award-winning Polarbites, by the harbour, also does cracking fish and chips.

Less than four hour’s leisurely drive (and that included a lengthy stop for breakfast) from Manchester, Leeds or Liverpool and with no mobile phone reception or Internet access, The Waterhouse is the ideal romantic getaway for couples or harried urbanites wishing to disconnect from the hoi polloi and reconnect with one another and a sense of inner calm.

Open year round, The Waterhouse is a self-catering property with one double bedroom and a second bedroom with two bunk-beds. Address: 1 Stockarton Cottage, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, DG6 4XS. Tel: 01557 331266. For bookings and availability visit The Waterhouse website at waterhousekbt.co.uk

Sulwath Brewery, 209 King Street, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway. Tel: 01556 504525. For information on tours visit sulwathbrewers.co.uk

~

Thea Euryphaessa is the author of the inspiring memoir, Running into Myself. To buy a limited edition signed copy, click on this link (also ships overseas). You can also buy her book at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

“Thea’s personal journey is utterly compelling. I couldn’t put her book down. Thea manages to make Greek mythology not only understandable, interesting, and relevant to our lives today, but shows how it can be utilised as a tool for self development. She introduces ideas and ways of thinking that broaden your mind, and lights the way for others to follow.”

— Melinda Messenger (TV Presenter)

“This is a story that truly reveals its author. You’ll discover her beliefs, her flaws, her loves, her fears, her mistakes, her drive and her compassion.

And you’ll like her.”

— Rowena Forbes (Journalist)

February 5, 2011

Eat Pray Love — Movie Review (DVD Release)

Filed under: Manchester Confidential Articles — Tags: , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 3:50 pm

Ahead of the UK DVD/Blu-ray release of Eat Pray Love starring Julia Roberts on Monday 7 February 2011, and for those of you who missed it the first time around, here’s the movie review I wrote for Manchester Confidential last September.

Oh dear.

Even the ever luminous Julia Roberts who, as always, was aided and abetted by her pearly whites, couldn’t smile her way out of this one.

To be fair, it was always going to be a challenge dramatising what is, essentially, an interior journey. Add to that the legion of die-hard fans of the memoir on which this film is based and the heat was clearly on for whoever adapted it for the big screen.

Step forward the creator of hit TV show, Glee, Ryan Murphy; sprinkle a liberal dashing of good-looking blokes throughout; fold an assortment of lush, mouth-watering backdrops into the mix; set a Hollywood star on top; bake for an arse-numbing two hours and twenty minutes, et voilà! — you end up with this pile of tripe.

Roberts plays Liz Gilbert, a writer, who after several years of marriage and all the trappings of a successful career and lifestyle, decides this isn’t the life she envisioned for herself and wants out. After crying her eyes out to God on the bathroom floor one night, she decides to divorce her loving and seemingly innocuous husband, Stephen (Billy Crudup), and embark on a year-long quest of self-discovery. But not before she enjoys a rebound relationship with David (James Franco) — an actor Gilbert meets after watching him perform in a play she wrote.

After this relationship quickly deteriorates for reasons we’re never quite sure, she confides to her friend, Delia (Viola Davis), that she’s ‘lost her appetite for life’ and longs to ‘marvel at something.’

Soon after, she’s on her way. First of all, she spends several months in Rome, rediscovering the Art of Pleasure. For her, this entails learning the language and devouring all the gelato, pasta and wine she can. Cue countless close-ups of Roberts indulging in mouthful after mouthful of food. Oh, and young couples snogging at every turn. Because, of course, that’s all Italians ever do. Next is India, where she practises the Art of Devotion studying and praying in an ashram. Here she meets a fellow worshipper called Richard, played by a scene-stealing Richard Jenkins, who nicknames her ‘Groceries’ (because she eats so much) and sets her straight with a few spiritual home-truths.

She rounds off her year seeking balance (between pleasure and devotion) beneath the balmy skies of Bali. Here she parties hard with another hot young guy, before finally falling in love with an older Brazilian man called Felipe (Javier Bardem). I’m familiar with the book, but to be honest, was confused by the disjointed direction this movie took.

When not smiling beatifically and bathed in an ethereal golden halo of backlight, Roberts spends the rest of her time wearing a glib, monotone expression. But no-one’s buying it. Gilbert’s character is just too superficial to really care about. Here’s a travel writer with a self-confessed, forty-nine stamps in her passport, who longs to ‘marvel at something.’ “Lady,” I thought, “if you haven’t marvelled at anything by now, you ain’t never gonna get it.”

Then there’s the small matter of her ‘risking everything’ — but risking what, exactly? What the film fails to mention is Ms. Gilbert received a $200,000 advance from her publisher to write the book documenting her year-long sojourn.

I have no issue with the advance — she was an established writer with several successful books behind her. What I take umbrage with is the studio’s false premise and advertising tagline about ‘risking everything.’ Risk doesn’t come lined with an advance and the remainder of your belongings stowed in a lock-up somewhere. Pressure to come up with the goods, yes. Risk — nope, not buying it.Which leads me to another point: if I know I have to report back with a book documenting my shenanigans, what I’m not going to do is lie on a beach all day every day contemplating the meaning of life, while picking fluff out of my belly button: I’m going to be out there, looking for the story — meeting people, throwing myself into situations, creating moments. And it’s this air of contrivement that permeates every single scene of the movie.

Everything just seems so convenient and well, staged. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film so self-aware. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that America’s Home Shopping Network partnered with the movie’s production company, Sony, to launch a three-day marketing campaign selling products themed around the movie.

Movies are larger-than-life and often exaggerated and fantastical. But Murphy and his co-writer Jennifer Salt have taken the essence of the original story, removed any trace of nuance, and blown it up into a saccharine, schmaltzy caricature of itself with our heroine sailing off into the sunset of newfound coupledom. After all, that’s What Women Want, right?

4/10

(Editor’s note: Thea Euryphaessa is author of Running into Myself: A Journey Through the Soul of the Feat (runningintomyself.com) – a book about her own quest for self-discovery. Hence she knows all about the ‘Eat Pray Love’ experience although she didn’t get a $200,000 advance.)


January 25, 2011

And stretch and yawn…

Filed under: Body Confidential,Reconnect with Oneself,UD:WELLBEING — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 12:42 pm

My latest article for Manchester Confidential:

Thea Euryphaessa indulges in a Yin yoga session at the new YogaPilates studio, Chorlton (Mcr, UK)


I didn’t take up yoga until three years ago when a knee injury sustained during a marathon brought me to a grinding halt. Stubborn bugger that I am, I limped the remaining thirteen miles to the finish line like Hopalong Cassidy. Paid for it afterwards, though.

Any runner who’s ever had the displeasure of feeling their IT (illiotibial) band inflict untold excruciating torment upon their knee during every single step will have felt Eddie Izzard’s pain when he regularly had his IT band ‘stripped’ during his epic Sport Relief marathoning endeavour. How he continued, I’ll never know. My injury, however, drove me first into the arms of a myofascial release therapist and, soon after, into my first Pilates class.

Pilates must be one of the most subtle, stealth-like ways of achieving tone and strength I’ve ever encountered. After just one class, I stepped out onto the street, shoulders back, feeling several inches taller. Since taking it up, several strangers (I kid you not) have approached me to comment on my apparently excellent posture. It’s also a phenomenal way of increasing core strength for endurance events such as the marathon, helping drastically reduce fatigue across the back and shoulders, post-race. But it was my instructor who, on learning about my IT band issues, recommended I try Yin yoga as it works deep into the myofascia.

Myofascia (also known as the connective tissue) holds the muscles in place, much like how the pith of an orange holds the segments in place beneath the outer flesh. Until this point, I’d been reticent to try yoga. I had enough on my plate recovering from an injury and training for another marathon without contorting myself at speed in a heated room à la Bikram yoga. Running’s hard enough as it is. But much to my surprise, like Pilates, Yin yoga was another revelation.

I like to call Yin yoga, yoga for lazy so-and-so’s, although I’m not sure my instructor would necessarily agree or be best pleased with that description. In my opinion, Yin yoga is perhaps the most deliciously indolent style of yoga available but, paradoxically, one of the most challenging too. How so?

Well, in Taoist philosophy ‘yang’ is the hot, hard, fast, dynamic principle; whereas ‘yin’ is its complementary counterpart, typically characterised by cool, yielding, slow, soft qualities. So, in Yin yoga, rather than quickly moving from position to position in a state verging on the manic (which is how Ashtanga yoga felt to me), each position is held for several minutes – several very long, very challenging minutes. Several of the poses were developed and practised by sages to help them strengthen the body so they could sit for long periods of time in meditation. In fact, it’s said that Yin yoga involves some of the most ancient asanas around.

If you’re the type who spends every day rushing, flapping, always ‘doing,’ Yin yoga is the perfect antidote as it simply allows you to ‘be.’ For some, however, therein lies the problem: this simply ‘being’ malarkey can cause a fair few folk to get twitchy. With little else to distract and the gradual lengthening and deep stretching Yin yoga involves, there are those who find it difficult to fully surrender to each pose and hold it for the allocated time. But for lazy buggers such as me, it’s the perfect way to completely switch off, unwind and allow my body to do its own thing, in its own time.

I struck gold with my Yin yoga instructor, Mathew Godebski. Grounded and straight-talking, there’s nothing unnecessarily esoteric about the way he teaches, which is just how I like it. He also prescribed a specific set of poses for me to complement my running practice and help alleviate my IT band injury which, I’m pleased to report, has now fully healed.

If you’re interested in trying Yin yoga, Mathew’s new YogaPilates studio can be found at Unit 14, Albany Road Trading Estate, Albany Road, Chorlton, M21 0AZ. Yin yoga classes take place every Wednesday evening between 7.30pm – 9.00pm. For further details, visit his website at yogapilates.co.uk

~

Buy a signed, limited edition copy of Thea’s inspiring book here.

January 11, 2011

The Doctor will See You Now

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — urbandeva @ 3:55 pm

In the first of a new regular column for Manchester Confidential exploring Spirit & Soul, Thea Euryphaessa (aka Urban Deva) gets metaphysical with Taoist teacher and author, Stephen Russell (aka Barefoot Doctor).

I came across a blog of yours from a couple of years back in which you pondered cocaine-plus-vodka addiction particularly among women:

“So I’m looking around at all these powerful, beautiful women, these modern manifestations of female divinity and wondering about the roots of this insidious, low self-esteem syndrome, and wondering what could be done to remedy the problem.”

Had any further thoughts?

Well, yes. Though I’m not sure I’d be able to do this on a big scale. It occurred to me that people need love and nurturing and to be shown the possibility that they’d be OK without their self-destructive habits; that these habits were in fact an illusion, that the power to grant them social ease, confidence and presence they ascribed them was in fact something they gave themselves from within and really had nothing to do with the drug or alcohol. Based on this, I treated one woman with a whopping great €4k a month cocaine and vodka addiction, using quite a lot of hypnotherapy, some acupuncture, a lot of encouragement and positive feedback and a lot of visualisation. Within three months she was off the coke, and a month later off the vodka. This was over a year ago and she’s remained completely clean.

Another was hooked on twice-weekly cocaine binges and using a bit of hypnotherapy and a lot of self-esteem building over a six month period, she stopped four months ago.

However, both examples required a lot of my time, focus and energy, which isn’t going to work on a large scale, so in fact, I’m still in the same state of wondering.

You say you’ve noticed this (excessive use of drink/drugs) more in women? What do you reckon that’s about then?

Women have only very recently found their power. From Germaine Greer to Madonna to the Spice Girls, today’s modern empowered woman has only existed for a few decades compared to thousands of years of male domination. To be out and about having to exercise that power naturally triggers thousands of year’s worth of insecurities wired deep into the system; hence the need for a little confidence booster which the combination of alcohol and cocaine seems to offer so perfectly. Obviously the price to pay far outweighs the benefit. At the beginning and for a while after, it’s easy enough to kid yourself you’ll get away with it. However, it’s not just the women: everyone’s afraid of everyone — men are afraid of men, women are afraid of women, men are afraid of women, and women are afraid of men. Fear of ridicule, rejection, humiliation, being physically hurt or overpowered and so on. This fear, of course, is primal, mostly unconscious, and generally felt as no more than social shyness. Alcohol helps you over that and cocaine clears your head so you can keep on drinking. The men are doing it too; however, if you watch carefully, there’s always a lot more traffic moving through the women’s toilets than the men’s. At least it looks that way to me. Maybe I’ve been fixating on women’s loos to much, who knows.

Aside from being a confidence booster, do you reckon it may also point to a yearning, albeit unconscious, for the spiritual in an ecstatic sense? I often hear women (particularly British and American) say that they want to ‘get out of their heads,’ rather than just enjoy a relaxed, sociable drink. The extremity of the swing often borders on the maenadic…

Yes. I think the need to lift-off on a regular basis, to transcend the mundane, is fundamental to the human condition. Shamans have been doing it and leading others to it since we started out on the planet and this, of course, is common to both genders. And the yearning for a lift-off definitely arises from a yearning to touch spirit — the consciousness informing the party. Personally, I feel it lurking more in the party milieu than anywhere else — certainly more than in most churches or temples. Though I’d say this would be pretty much entirely unconscious on most people’s parts. I’ve often discussed it and presented this theory to the relevant parties at parties and have been met with derisive snorts, usually as a prelude to the other sort of snort.

Bringing it back down into the body, doesn’t sex also provide an opportunity to transcend the mundane? I’m particularly interested in the Taoist take on this.

Yes. In fact, the Taoists developed sex as a meditation and healing tool in itself. So, depending on how you did it, you’d achieve a different sort of altered state of  effect. It’s often misconstrued as being all about men retaining their sperm on orgasming, but in fact, is very little do with that. It’s about each party entering a deep state of meditation and remaining there by using slow breathing and muscular relaxation instead of panting and going taught; i.e. remaining fully mindful throughout the sexual experience. When done correctly, it leaves both feeling high, nurtured, energised and incredibly cheerful and optimistic.

Ah, that’s interesting. So the Taoists view the body as sacred, then?

Yes. The body is the arena in which we experience life and life is sacred so the body is sacred — but no more so than any ontological phenomenon. My own take on it, influenced by trance grandmaster Raja Ram, is your body is your temple, but it’s also your nightclub — you’ve got have some fun in/with it too, in other words.

Finally, do you have a simple exercise/affirmation that men and women could practise, together or alone, to encourage a deeper, more consciously embodied state?

A simple exercise to practise with someone/s or alone to attain a more conscious state — there are obviously an infinite number, but try this: sitting or standing comfortably, imagine a silver thread attached to the crown of the head being gently pulled upwards, thereby subtly lengthening the spine, especially at the back of the neck. Feel all the weight of the head, shoulders, and upper body sink downwards into the hips and legs, so the lower body feels grounded and the upper body, light and airy. Draw your mind backwards so you’re gazing out at the world from way further back inside your skull. Soften your heart area. Concentrate on your belly button and feel it moving to and fro as you breathe slowly in and out. This is the optimally aligned state. Now picture all the consciousness of the cosmos gathering into a column of light and pouring itself down through the crown of your head along the front of your spine and through your pelvic floor into the ground, washing away all mundane thinking and spiritualising everything about your life, the life of whomever you’re with, and the lives of everyone on earth, as it penetrates the ground beneath you and and suffuses the entire earth, imbuing you and everyone else with transcendent bliss forevermore.

(Thea and Barefoot got along so well, they’re collaborating on a talk or two in Manchester this spring.  Stay posted for further details.)

With thanks to Barefoot for his time.

~

Barefoot’s latest book, The Man Who Drive With His Eyes Closed, is out now. For further information, visit his website at superchargedtaoist.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @BarefootDoctor.

Thea is an author, life-coach, Reiki Teacher, and scholar of archetypal psychology who goes by the alter ego Urban Deva (pr. ‘day va’). You can follow her on Twitter @UrbanDeva. Her book, Running into Myself, is available now to buy/download from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

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