Rachel Is Mindful

22/04/2026

Evocative, beautiful, inspiring, comforting, uplifting, relatable, affirming.......

Barbara Hepworths sculptures and garden at St Ives, Cornwall were all this and more 💚🩵💙

22/04/2026

Aren't these colours amazing? Isn't this absolutely incredible? It's Earth Day today.

To me, every day is Earth Day 🌎 💙💚🩵

​It’s a daily practice of noticing—noticing the way the light hits water, how buds and blossom are forming or bursting, listening to birdsong, feeling air or cold river water on my skin.

Today, I was amazed by the way the minerals in this cornish rockface created a palette of teals and blues that no artist could replicate.
​I reflected, how I/we am not separate from this cliffside or this water. We are all made of the same stardust and salt. When I connect with the wonder and gifts of life from the earth, I’m really just connecting with the deepest part of myself.

That feels deeply grounding and steadying. Especially at the moment with the turmoil on the earth.

​There is an invitation for us all, everyday, to fall in love with the earth, our home, our source, our essence of life.

Look for the magic in the light, the leafy growth, the new life of Spring, the rainbows, minerals, colours, patterns in plants, sounds of nature or the spray of the ocean or April showers.

It’s all a miracle and we are part of this miracle. How do you remember and connect with our home, our source, our essence, the earth?

​ #

19/04/2026

This was heaven on earth. Time out in an ancient woodland surrounded by bluebells. Tranquil and breathtakingly beautiful. Within minutes of being in the sea of bluebells, beneath the spring tree canopy, amidst the birdsong, I felt my body soften and I connected with the deep peace.

​It felt truly magical.
​Ancient folklore says such woods are "woven" with spells, where the flowers are known as Witch’s Thimbles. It was once believed that bluebells ring at midnight to call the fairies to dance. If humans were to wander into a drift of bluebells they would step out of time and into an enchanted glade, only returning many many years later, if at all.

​Science has a different perspective - Immersing ourselves in an ancient woodland like this is a full-body sensory experience that rewires the nervous system. The complex patterns of the leaves, the frequency of birdsong and the natural scent of damp earth work together to lower cortisol and bring a sense of calm.

​For me, more than anything, the awe of standing in that endless sea of blue is breathtaking and deeply nourishing. It's a blessing to behold and it makes my heart sing to be present for such natural beauty and to witness it.

Nature invites us to pause, pay attention and be present in the 'magic' of the moment.

Why rush on? Why miss such an incredible display of natures beauty and longevity?

For such a carpet to exist, they have been growing undisturbed for 100's of years.......that's awesome 💙

Research shows that experiencing awe reduces inflammation in the body and helps us feel more connected to the world around us. It’s a powerful "soft fascinator" that gives our busy minds a chance to rest and recover from it's usual 'busyness'.

​If you can find a patch of blue this week, take a moment to just be. Let the magic do the work. 💙

​

19/04/2026

"I am doing something by being present and letting this life lead. I am here"
💙🌳🦋🙏✨️

I started to write a poem, but then I kept daydreaming and looking at the trees and feeling the soul of the earth and her kindness. I couldn’t stop if I wanted to. I wanted to write something to explain why I haven’t been here, but then a tree called me outside, and so I went. I wanted to let you know I’m here, but I’m also so entranced by the beauty around me that I find it hard to describe. Then it all made sense. I am a poem. I am a daydream. Trees speak, and I listen. I am doing something by being present and letting this life lead. I am here. 💙🌿

Much love & respect, Carolyn Riker
Author of The Colors I Hear
Featured art by Lucy Almey-Bird

17/04/2026

Friday afternoon fun - Chester and I both love to open a parcel! This one was huge for its small contents...... which added to the mystery and fun 😁

I have a great plan to use this brilliant image taken by later in the year.....

I'll keep you 'posted' 😘 😀 🐾 🐶

teacher

15/04/2026

The MBLC - Mindfulness Based Living Course is a brilliant life changing foundation in practical meaningful calming mindful techniques and simple beneficial meditation.

Created by the Mindfulness Association this transformative, compassion led, programme teaches calm, focus, clarity and self awareness.

Essential, supportive life skills that help us navigate life with greater peace, presence and self awareness.

Mindfulness meditation helps improve;
💜Sleep
💙Pain
💚Anxiety
💜Resilience
💙Self compassion
💚Peace
💜Focus and concentration
💙Emotional regulation
💚Ability to cope with change, pain or stress

The course provides;
🌟Experiential learning through led practices and in person support
🌟Workbook
🌟Audios
🌟8 weeks of 2 hour weekly classes
🌟An introduction session and a follow-up group session

Suitable for absolute beginners or anyone with some practice/experience wishing to re-establish or deepen their practice 💚

Interested? Message me for more details or a chat to see how this course will help you

14/04/2026

A beautiful Spring morning in Harrogate connecting with other local wellbeing businesses who care about wellbeing.

Enjoying great company and useful chat.

Including;

12/04/2026

RIP to the £200 Heartbreak Heels! 👠🗑️

​They say love is blind. Apparently, it’s also stubborn as a mule.

​Meet the most expensive mistake in my wardrobe. I bought these for my wedding—£200 of indulgence. I justified it because:

🌼​They were “The Ones” 👰‍♀️
🌸​They were beautiful and matched my style perfectly
🌹I needed my feet to be comfortable o be on my middle- aged feet all day
🌻A choreographed first dance was a scary thought and these shoes seemed the perfect insurance against public humiliation

​The Reality? One shoe squeaked all the way up the aisle. 😂🎵 The second time I wore them, one heel and sole staged a coup and detached while I was crossing a road, almost catapulting me into oncoming traffic. I paid to fix them but at the third wear? SNAP again! For almost four years, they’ve sat in their posh box nestled in tissue paper, weighing me down. Every time I saw that box, I felt the sting of "wasted money" and the "shame" of a bad purchase. I was clinging to the wish that they were the shoes I wanted them to be, rather than accepting the broken n**e suede and plastic they actually are.

​✨ The Mid-Bin-Toss Epiphany:

​I realized I was holding onto a disappointment, not a pair of shoes. Here’s how reflecting with mindful awareness helped me throw them out, finally.....

💙​Acceptance: They are broken. No amount of "wishing" will make them something they weren't, nor ever actually wearable.

💚​Letting Go: The money was gone the moment I made the purchase. Keeping the shoes doesn’t bring the cash back; it just costs me peace of mind.

❤️​The Truth of "What Is": Living in the memory of a "special treat" was blocking me from enjoying the space in my cupboard (and my head!)

It's time to let go and live in the present. ​I’m choosing the truth of today over the fantasy of yesterday. Bye-bye, beautiful disasters. It’s time to clear space, in my head and heart and to walk light! 💃✨

​

10/04/2026

Step into Spring feeling brighter, lighter, clearer and calmer.

April availability;
Monday 13th, 3.30pm and 4.45pm Monday 27th, 4.45pm
One hour deep relaxation and energy reset, £45 Message me for May appointment times

08/04/2026

Beautiful beautiful thoughtful words here from Carolyn Riker, poet & writer They landed softly yet deeply with me this morning. Like "a tree to lean on" 🌳.

May they bring comfort and help you find your steadiness again today 🙏💚

Kindness spreads like wildflowers and lights up our lived landscapes......

Our moods navigate and adjust to the sea of life's changes. From one extreme to the next, we paddle along the swift currents, or we anchor and take a walk through open fields, and find a tree to lean against. Whether we are fully aware of it or not, we are constantly changing. Micro, nanoseconds of shifting sand paint the infrastructure of our sensibilities. Pebbles are worn to a soft cashmere. We change. We plummet, fail, fall, and make all sorts of mistakes, yet we learn from them. We brush off the dust, dirt, and disarray and map out a different way.

We are almost always learning something. We watch and listen to the cacophony of pompous, egregious voices. We feel the sharp threats of those in power, and while we might not think we can make a difference, we can and do. Very much like the micro, nanoseconds of shifting sand, we create change around us. We get our mail, stop, and say hello to a neighbor. We wave. We open a door and let the person behind us lead the way. Someone asks, 'Hey, can you give me a hand?' And we walk over and help with a bag or two of groceries. We find ways. Some of us write lovely letters and mail them off to encourage. It's their way of checking in, sharing, and showing kindness and love. Some of us offer to make dinners or bake cookies. These tiny moments aren't in our headlines, but that could help if they were. We'd see the generosity of people, scattered like wildflowers in all shapes, colors, and sizes. We'd feel consideration and compassion and kindness. What an example, we are! Let's dance to that without a grand ballroom. Let's keep a steady hum or a roar about what matters. It's not war. It's peace. It's love. It is you and me and us. Together, we make such a difference.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for your kindness. You and I are the change.

Much love & respect, Carolyn Riker
Author of The Colors I Hear
Featured art by Helen Braid

PS: Morning thoughts are some of my favorites.

07/04/2026

Sometimes it's enough to just play.....

Emmy is brilliantly demonstrating some really useful Mindfulness qualities here - such as;

💜 in the moment presence,
💜 curiousity,
💜 focus on 1 thing

Don't forget to take time out to play today.

Gift yourself a few minutes of fun and see what it feels like to immerse yourself in something non-productive 🙂