Rooke Holistic Therapies

25/08/2025

18/08/2025

“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy,” Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet and playwright

I took this photo on my way to my favourite river swimming spot one hot afternoon. This lime stopped me in my tracks with all those lovely greens, especially in contrast to the parched fields and verges nearby.

At this time of year, the walk to where I swim reminds me very much of the walk from our campsite to the beach on childhood holidays in Dorset.

Much as I would love to live on the coast and swim in the sea whenever I feel like it, I do appreciate living so close to the very special Thames.

11/08/2025

I found this episode of Inside Health on BBC Radio 4 really interesting, and I am sure that you will too, so well worth a listen and 20 minutes of your time.

In it “James Gallagher looks at the evidence for claims that we could have been so focused on the health risks of the sun that we haven't paid enough attention to the benefits.”

James Gallagher looks at the evidence for claims the benefits of sun could outweigh risks.

07/08/2025

So looking forward to being based at this lovely new location soon!

04/08/2025

Caversham Hall will be closed for annual maintenance the last two weeks of August, so no classes on the 22nd or 29th.

This month we will be working with the energy of late summer, which is associated with the earth element in traditional Chinese medicine.

The spleen and stomach are the earth organs and represent energy descending.

The spleen is associated with thought and transforming ideas into action, also with empathy.

Harmony in the earth element results in good concentration and analytical skills as well as compassion. In disharmony it results in overthinking, worry and becoming stuck.

As Kenneth Cohen explains in his book Qigong: the art and science of Chinese energy healing “We are pensive when we are preoccupied with ourselves; we are overly empathic when we are preoccupied with others.”

Trust and acceptance can help counter pensiveness and over-empathising to bring balance in the earth elements.

01/08/2025

This month's calendar from Action for Happiness is all about how small acts of kindness add up to make a big difference...

21/07/2025

I have worked hard to become a qualified, insured and professional reflexologist and my membership with the Association of Reflexologists (AoR) is a reflection of that commitment. This short video explains what that means for you...

Discover the World of Reflexology with the Association of Reflexologists 👣Looking for a highly qualified reflexologist? Your search ends here! Visit our "Fi...

14/07/2025

Earlier this year the Formula Health Clinic in Pangbourne introduced a new treatment option: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).

HBOT is a non-invasive medical treatment that involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in a pressurised chamber. Traditionally used for conditions such as decompression sickness in divers, carbon monoxide poisoning and chronic wounds, HBOT has gained wider attention for its growing list of potential health benefits, from enhancing recovery to improving cognitive function.

My latest blog post explains more about it and how you could benefit

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT): its history, the physiological benefits, applications, what a treatment entails and what the future holds.

07/07/2025

I took this photo on a recent holiday in Sidmouth, Devon. It was the first time that I had seen the water clear there - it usually looks red from all the local cliff falls and unsettled weather! To be fair, I haven’t been in summer before. It had been a busy couple of months, so we made the holiday a DIY retreat with daily yoga classes, a couple of treatments (including my first experience of sound massage), walking and of course sea swimming - it was just perfect and I felt so different at the end of the five days compared with when I had arrived.

The summer months can feel a bit hectic, so I hope that you can make time to pause and reset on a regular basis, not just on holiday.

If a treatment or some qigong would help you with that, do get in touch. Email wendy@rookeholsitic.co.uk

01/07/2025

At a time when there are so many challenges globally, the Action for Happiness calendar for July is full of tips for helping us to feel more hopeful and resilient.

30/06/2025

My colleague Nickie Heape is returning to a great venue beside Wimbelball Lake in Exmoor for an autumn retreat 10th - 12th October, including yoga with lakeside views, star & planet gazing in the evening, a fabulous presentation about space, and a guided walk around the pretty and historic town of Dunster.

All rooms are ensuite, with views of the lake by day, and the dark skies of Exmoor by night.

See her website for more details: https://www.yogawithnickie.com/index.php?action=viewArticle&articleId=2.

 Join me a restorative weekend away, a rare chance to press the PAUSE button of life, an opportunity to be taken care of and nurtured in a stunning location, with wholesome delicious food, plenty of chill-time, and Yoga / meditation / relaxation classes to reset the body and mind.