PROBLEMS WITH INSOMNIA?  Take part in an online study at: www.cambridgebrainsciences.com/studies/sleep-study ..  Professor Adrian Owen of the Brain and Mind Institute and his team are researching how lack of sleep impacts on our cognitive capabilities.

Summer blends from Innerscents include ‘Communication’ – our Harmonising and Jetlag blend and ‘Imagination and Perception’.

Cooling off and refreshing our busy minds is always beneficial and particularly now when there is a natural tendency to slow down and play. Water provides the refreshing element when the sun is providing the heat! Here is a meditation focussing on the soothing and refreshing effects that water can have:

• Sit or lie in a comfortable position with your spine straight. Take some deep breaths and, as you breathe out, allow your whole body to sink into the chair or floor.
• Feel your breath filling up your whole body, right down into your fingertips and the tips of your toes.
• As you breathe out, release any tension, pain or discomfort held in your mind or body……just let it float away with your out breath.
• Let your awareness now float to a large lake, still and frozen, surrounded by snow capped mountains. Sense the calm, depth and stillness of this lake. Imagine sitting and looking out over this lake. Feel your own inner stillness and depth, take as long as you need and enjoy the experience.
• Gently now let your awareness drift to a running stream that is just beside you. You can dangle your feet in the cool water. Sense the water carrying away heat and busy thoughts. See them drifting away with the ripples of water.

Enjoy this sensation, relax.

Only when you are ready…….

• …..come to a waterfall that is pouring out of rocks. Step into the waterfall and let the fresh, fast flowing, cooling waters pour over you. Smile, enjoy, relax. Take your time.
• Finally, find yourself at the edge of the ocean at sunset. Close your eyes and listen to the gentle waves lapping on the shore. As you breathe in, feel the waves coming into shore, as you breathe out feel them leave. Continue until you feel ready to stretch, open your eyes, and come back into the room.

To help these meditations, an indoor fountain is a great idea – there are so many available now in all sizes, shapes, prices and designs. The cooling sound of water, and its rhythm helps to bring balance.

See ‘www.innerscents.co.uk/about us/choose your blend’ or visit our online shop and go to ‘body’ for massage and body oils and ‘bath’ for bath and shower gels, these both link to our unique key for choosing the right blend for you at a particular time. Give it a try, use your intuition.