Feeling Tone or Vedana is an ancient concept known especially through buddhist meditation. Understanding that there is always a feeling tone present and that we have the ability (with practice) to notice it and work with it skilfully allows us to become less reactive in life.
Looking after our wellbeing is hugely important, in this video I take a look at the “5 Ways to Wellbeing Model” and how we can use it, especially when combining it with an adventurous lifestyle.
A yoga session designed for people who are new to yoga or anyone who would like to move their body and settle and calm. Set in a woodland environment to allow a feeling of being connected to nature. Remember, your ego is not your amigo, be kind to yourself and enjoy the process.
What is mindfulness? There are many descriptions and definitions. One easy way of understanding Mindfulness is with 6 words. Pay Attention. Let go. Be Kind. With a little bit of unpacking we can return ourselves into the essence of mindful awareness.
A nice gentle 20 minute session for anyone who is new to yoga or just looking for a steady session. Some nice chest opening postures, a little core engagement and upright postures before some seated poses to finish with the sun setting.
We got up early to catch the winters sunrise on a cold a crisp morning. This is a gentle yoga session good for beginners too. Enjoy the beautiful scenery.
3 Ladies booked in with Swoop Coaching for a 1 day outdoor therapeutic experience
This Model of Regulate, Relate, Reason comes from the work of Dr Bruce Perry, the model technically is structured towards helping to support children who have experienced trauma, however I think it can be equally as helpful when working with adults who are experiencing distress.
The Sanskrit words being Sthira (Stability, intent, strength) and Sukha (Comfort, ease, openness), these teachings can cross over into all areas of life. In effort we can find space for ease, and in ease we can find space for effort.
Do you find yourself getting caught up in chasing the favourable winds or spending extra energy in trying to avoid the unfavourable ones? Perhaps the answer lies in noticing their presence and learning to stay centred and balanced when they arrive.
Do we climb to feel capable, or feel capable in order to climb?
A wintery weekend in January we brave the cold and head outdoors for a local mountain bike ride with a lovely lunch spot, followed by a cold water dip at one of our favourite spots in the Peak District.
It's easy to get tired or frustrated when we keep coming back to the bouldering wall. A conscious effort and awareness as well as a focus on holistic wellbeing can guide us towards sessions that are bring more joy and intrinsic motivation.
The importance of play and being in nature for our own wellbeing can't be overstated, especially when it comes to developing young minds. Here's a little video of myself, Laura and Chris taking a young one for a safe and fun adventure.
Laura and Tom took the boat from Kalymnos across to the island of Telendos. After getting a bit lost on the way to the crag they only had a short amount of time to do a couple of climbs before heading back down to for refreshments and taking the boat back across.
Climbing at Dow crag, a hike around the Old Man of Coniston, some superb scrambles, a visit to the pudding stone, and of course a cold water swim and an ice cream. A perfect 2 days.
Many people think of themselves in terms of how competitive they are, and we often think of activity as a form of competition. But perhaps it is time to see beyond our cultural conditioning and discover other ways to experience our activities.
A family spent 3 days with Swoop Coaching having a fantastic adventure in the Peak District, learning how to climb and to have a connected experience in nature.
Social comparison is a part of being human, however through Mindfulness and Compassion we can not only soothe some of the hurt it causes us, but also find many more ways to cultivate peace and joy.
How is your relationship with fear? Does it get in the way of performing to your best ability. In this video I share a simple tool to help us to understand our relationship with fear and how we can manage it
With her big toe still broken Laura and Tom head out into the snow for a winter walk. They stop for a bagel and enjoy the view. Before heading back to the van they stop off for a very quick dip into the river, the extremely cold water meaning they spend less than a minute in the small pool before jumping back out and warm up in the van with a cup of tea and a piece of Christmas cake.
Our inner critic is loud and very believable, but what about our inner nurturer?
We all have the ability to create a sense of calm within ourselves, and we can use this ahead of time to prepare ourselves for an event that is looming in the future.
"When we strip away concepts such as competition and perfection we find at the heart of most activities a puzzle" finding that we can make more and more elegant solutions to a puzzle can have cognitive and psychological benefits for us.
Our life experiences, day-to-day-living and our mindset can shift and alter our resilience. In this video Tom takes a look at how we often inadvertently shrink our resilience and what we can do to help it to grow.
An early visit to Birchens edge in Derbyshire, climbing Captains Bunk, Orpheus Wall and a top rope attempt at Peaches, all finished off with a sunset cold water swim
Do you find yourself striving and placing undue pressure on yourself even during your hobbies? In this video I take a look at how can shift from “doing mode” to “being mode” and what it means to hold our goals lightly.
Our brain is hardwired to prioritise our survival over that of our happiness. However with mindful practice we can learn to ‘let in the good’ and cultivate a more positive mindset.
How much control do we really have over our desired outcomes? We often think that we need to fight hard for our success, but what happens when we practice the art of “letting go”
Mindfulness talks about the importance to 'not strive', but what does that mean and should we be thinking about non striving in our climbing or other aspects in our lives, and also what benefits does all of this have? In this video I examine these questions and also explore the role of non judgement, acceptance and compassion, which are all parts of the attitudinal foundations.
Mindfulness teachings speak of between 7 and 9 attitudes that we can cultivate in order to build upon our mindfulness practice. Embodying Mindfulness in day to day living as well as in our hobbies or sports can help us to enjoy more of the good stuff that surrounds us. We will still experience hardship and difficulties, but it certainly can help us from getting unnecessarily getting carried away with unhelpful thoughts.
Motivation is a big subject and it can be quite complex. I wanted to share some simple tools that I have found to be useful for myself and those I coach. I think that values and codes of conduct are underrated and rarely spoken about and so I hope this video shines a light on the subject a little more.
Laura and Tom make a quick weekend visit to North Wales to have some fun for Tom's Birthday. The weather wasn't quite as sunny and dry as predicted, but that didn't stop them from having an adventure and reconnecting to some of what makes life so special.
Our imagination can be a hindrance or it can be a help. In this video I share some ideas that can be very useful for reducing feelings of anxiety and nervousness and help to feel more confident for a big event.
Feeling Motivated towards our sports and activities is so important. In this video I share some simple tips towards being an awesome friend and partner, and I hope you can apply the skills to yourself as well.
A lovely steady mountain bike loop around Grangemill in the Peak District. The start of spring, a mix of terrain, a good beginners loop - 18 km.