Shining Tree

Retreating - something I'd always wanted to do but never had the time/courage to. This weekend I went to my first retreat - a health and wellbeing one on the edge of the Fens in the very inaptly named Salter's Lode!

For me the whole experience was amazing, humbling, healing, loving and peaceful. If you've never been on a retreat then I would urge you to consider it, a bit of time to yourself is something we all need at times.

If you're looking for a pamper me spa weekend where you come away and the outside of your body is glowing - then Shining Tree is not the place for you. Instead what I got was taken into the loving home of a couple whose sole purpose for the whole weekend was to care, look after me and teach me ways to help myself.

I had several treatments tailored to my own specific needs, I've been fed the most amazing healthy vegetarian food (I'll never look at a McDonald's again!!) and I've been generally loved, cherished and respected.

I went in pain from a lower back injury and trapped sciatic nerve, I am home - without pain. Gentle manipulation untrapped my sciatic nerve (I'm not a lover of the crunching that comes from chiropracters), yoga exercises have helped to strengthen the lower back helping to reduce the pain there.

When I went the whites of my eyes had turned a slight yellowish colour - something the doctors weren't concerned about, my liver function tests are fine, but it bothered me. I woke on Sunday morning to find brilliant white eyes shining back at me - the whites of my eyes are finally just that again.

This is not a quick fix solution, I know that years of weakness in my back will see the pain return if I don't actively do something to look after it - so I have been furnished with a yoga and meditation routine that will help with that.

I now know the importance of breath - obvious you would think!! But I've actually experienced the healing power of breathing properly and want to continue to reap the benefits of that. I may get some funny looks when making wave sounds with my breath - but I care not, I'm loving the healing benefits.

James and Kim have provided me with an important step in the next phase of my journey in this life and did so with humanity and humility - they are an amazing couple who have taught me so much in one short weekend.

The emphasis now is on me to keep up the good work and continue to treat myself and my body with the love and respect it deserves, the change in me recently is that I actually want to do just that. I want a long and healthy future, I now have some tools to help with that.

I'm likely to be a slightly hippier, veggie version of my former self - more in touch with my inner core, hopefully more rooted, but I know that those of you who count will cope with the new me.