We are hiring
*********POSITION FILLED*********
Front Desk Staff
River Holistic is a very busy Holistic Centre based in Raheny, offering a vast array of Alternative and Complementary health therapies and multiple weekly classes in yoga, pilates, meditation and Mindfulness to name a few. We are looking for someone special to join our team to help to run our front desk on a part time basis, 3 daytime shifts (monday, tuesday 9.30am to 1.30pm and Thursdays 9.30am to 3pm) with possibilities of further hours.
Responsibilities including, but not limited to:
- Provide the highest level of customer service to all of our visitors with the goal of creating a positive and friendly experience for all of our clients.
- Engage with clients in person as well as over the phone and online
- Assist clients with appointments, information on the right therapy for them, class and workshop bookings.
- Ensure that the centre remains immaculate at all times and that any necessary supplies are always stocked. (we do also have a cleaner so for the most part cleaning will be minimal)
- Work as a team with all of the therapists and teachers as well as providing timely feedback to the centres owner on all studio issues
- Willingness to perform all other duties assigned by the centre’s owner (which will include-bookkeeping, assisting with social media, general marketing, assisting with the online and in-person shop)
Requirements
• Must have a broad understanding of Alternative and Complementary health.
• Customer service experience
• Be committed, reliable and punctual
• Be friendly, enthusiastic, courteous and a team player
• Ability to multitask
• Great organisational skills and attention to detail
• Friendly and professional phone and email etiquette
• Initiate tasks and perform duties with confidence and self-motivation
• Strong computer skills and social media skills
Starting: July 2022
To Apply: Email your CV in Word format to claire@riverholistic.ie including in your email a cover letter letting us know what makes you a great candidate for this position
Running with Reflexology
Running is great exercise. It is not only an intensive cardiovascular workout, but also involves other systems in the body, such as circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, muscular and lymphatic. Whether you’re a dedicated marathon runner or someone who only has time for a short jog at the weekend (like me), we’d all like to improve our performance, maybe increase our speed, distance or stamina and we’d certainly all like to be able to recover from a run quicker, decrease the muscle stiffness and avoid injuries.
How can this be achieved in a natural way? One answer could be Reflexology.
Reflexology uses specific techniques to pinpoint areas of stress before they manifest physically as pain or weakness and so it reduces the likelihood of injury. It takes the holistic approach – by working the entire foot and its reflexes, it stimulates the body’s own natural healing abilities and addresses imbalances throughout the whole body. Current research shows that Reflexology can help runners improve and stay injury-free and there are 10 important reasons why:
1. Lymphatic drainage – research provided by Monash University in Australia shows that Reflexology removes lactic acid from the legs four times faster than a regular massage. Lactic acid builds up during a run and it’s what causes muscle cramps, especially in longer runs such as marathons.
2. Circulation boosting – blood carries oxygen, nutrients, minerals and enzymes to all parts of the body. Stress and tension tighten the cardiovascular system and restrict blood flow, causing it to become sluggish. This results in the tissues becoming oxygen-deprived – the energy in the body becomes depleted, making all body systems suffer. Reflexology can keep the body’s circulation flowing smoothly, which rejuvenates tired tissues. It improves circulation to accelerate the healing process and reduce recovery time. This encourages all systems to return to a state of balance and harmony. Increased blood flow to muscle cells also increases their flexibility and so further reduces the risk of injury.
3. Reduces inflammation – Reflexology can be used to stimulate the adrenal reflexes on each foot, which in turn, encourages the body to release the hormone cortisol (a completely natural form of hydrocortisone), which has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, reducing swelling and inflammation from injuries.
4. Pain reduction – unfortunately all runners will be faced with an injury at some point and we all understand how important recovery is. As more of us are beginning to take a holistic approach to our health, avoiding drugs for pain relief, Reflexology can be a valuable tool because it can help to manage pain and accelerate recovery. It stimulates over 7,000 nerves in the feet and encourages the opening and clearing of neural pathways. It interrupts these pain pathways and reduces pain from sore muscles and joints. Reflexology also helps to stimulate endorphins, which promote our sense of wellbeing and decrease our perception of pain.
5. Deep relaxation – exercise is a stress, a positive stress, but still a stress. During a run, the body will trigger the production of adrenaline, which is the “fight or flight” hormone, allowing us to push ourselves. Reflexology balances that stress with a rest, which triggers the “rest and digest” response, allowing the body to reduce the level of stress hormones and recover physically, emotionally, and mentally. It relieves the body of tension, which promotes healing. The emotional and psychological impact of injury should never be underestimated. It is just as important to balance the mind as it is to balance the physical body.
6. Greater focus and concentration – Reflexology supports the central nervous system and targets specific stress reflexes on the feet to bring about a deep state of relaxation and inner calm. Many people report that they feel more focused with greater mental clarity after a treatment.
7. Improved sleep – healing is important after a run, no matter what the distance. Although going to sleep feels as if we’re switching off, it is a very busy time for the body because as we sleep, our bodies actually repair and restore themselves. While we sleep, our brains trigger the release of hormones that encourage tissue growth. This can help us recover from sports injuries such as sore muscles and sore joints. Reflexology can help because it increases the production of serotonin and melatonin – two important hormones that regulate sleep.
8. Boosts immune system – as a runner, I want to stay healthy and free from illness, so that I can be at my best. Reflexology stimulates the lymphatic system, which helps us fight infections. It helps remove toxins and increases our immune system’s effectiveness.
9. Lowers pulse rate – Reflexology has been shown to increase the carbon dioxide exhaled from the nose by 9%, which helps to lower pulse rate, which means the cardiovascular system is working more efficiently. Happy days for those hill runs or for those of us trying to improve our stamina!
10. Nurtures the feet – the force exerted on the feet during running are the equivalent of up to 10 times our body weight. So our feet, which are a relatively small in relation to the rest of our body, are exposed to hundreds of pounds of pressure during a run. Although the rest of the body, especially the knees, absorbs some of the impact, our feet deserve at least some attention and help. Reflexology can help to soothe away the tension in the feet and make them feel refreshed and ready for that next challenge!
Source: https://www.barefoot-reflexology.co.uk/blog/
Meditation; A Home Practice
Meditation; A Home Practice
Sunday April 28th
10:00 – 17:00
The River Room, River Holistic
Price €120
In Peace and Silence the Divine manifests. Allow nothing to disturb you
and All will manifest.
You should not put to much effort into your ‘seeking’; into what it is
you are truly looking for. With too much effort, or ‘trying’, a veil
develops or thickens.
It is through allowing that All Manifests.
To quietly await in total trust is the simple secret to finding the
sweetness!
Easy for me to type, easy enough for you to read, but how, humanly how?
The only way how is to go inward.
There is a Self in you capable of so much. The outer consciousness is
the physical consciousness tied to human mind body limits. The inner
consciousness is where the soul is seated and moving within and allowing
is where you will see the magic manifest.
The Upanishad says; “in men the self existent has cut the doors of
consciousness outward, but a few turn the eye inward and it is these who
see and know the Spirit and develop the spiritual being. Thus to look
into ourselves and see and enter into ourselves and live within is the
first necessity for transformation of nature and for the Divine life.”
What happens through Meditation?
Difference in Contemplation, Concentration and Meditation!
Difficulties in Meditation!
What is True Meditation?
Just some of the topics we will cover throughout this day, along with
time together in Meditation.
Further Information:
https://www.risespiritsoul.com/events.php
Pay Deposit €20
https://www.risespiritsoul.com/Book-Here.php
New therapy to the centre
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle hands-on therapy which originates from osteopathic medicine. It was developed by Dr. John E Upledger who was a Doctor of Osteopathy, a Professor in Biomechanics and a Researcher in Osteopathic Medicine.
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive therapy which is simple yet powerful and effective.
This gentle therapy can benefit everyone from babies, infants and children to adults and the elderly. It assesses the functioning of the body’s physiological system. Using a gentle touch it releases the body’s restrictions in the Craniosacral system.
It enhances and may help the functioning of the Central Nervous System. It is a holistic therapy which can help the client to employ their own body’s healing capabilities to bring about change, restore balance and create equilibrium within the body.
Craniosacral Therapy has been shown to benefit many conditions and systems in the body including:
- Headaches
- Digestive problems
- Back problems
- Behavioural issues
- Learning difficulties
- Immune
- Hormonal and Endocrine
- Musculoskeletal
Each 50-minute to 1 hour therapy session takes place in in a quiet, calm setting.
Foam Rolling Class
This is a one off class where you will learn all the best “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to foam rolling.
Foam Rolling is widely know to be very effective and used to prevent, treat and preempt injury related to exercise. If you run, cycle, swim, walk, gym, or go to circuit class you will inevitably carry some tightness, tension or discomfort. These distractions can be successfully compared with regular use of a Foam Roller.
In this class I will address common injuries and discomforts in the lower back, hips, thighs, and feet. At home it takes about 10-15 mins once or twice a week to keep these niggles and injury at bay. Anybody can use a Foam Roller and everybody can benefit from it’s therapeutic effect.After attending this class the person should feel they have the necessary tools and knowledge to combat their discomforts.
The class is 1.5 hours long. It will begin with an introduction to foam rolling, then an exploration of the techniques for specific areas and it will finish with a Q&A session.
All participants need to bring a Foam Roller, some water and a work out mat. The class will be help in River Holistic on Wednesday the 20th of March from 8-9.30pm
some simple ways to help your lymph system
Your lymph system is a very important system in your body that is composed of tissues and fluids that run throughout your entire body (much like your circulation system). However, your lymph system does not have the help of your heart to keep things pumping and moving throughout your body. Therefore, it is vital to make sure that you are helping your lymph system release and empty fluids to avoid any toxic build up (which can leave you feeling weak and unwell).
When your lymph system gets congested, it leads to your lymph nodes swelling, which causes pains and aches throughout your body. It will also result in your liver and kidneys becoming toxic, because the toxins and chemicals from your lymphatic system aren’t draining properly. As a result, this can lead to weight gain, poor circulation, hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, and being sick more often… among many other things!
Luckily, there are quite a few easy ways that you can stimulate your lymph system every day to release toxins and cleanse your body.
Here are some simple ways to help your lymph system that can be incorporated into your daily routine.
- Drink a cup of warm water with a slice of raw fruit: Eating raw (uncooked) fruits on an empty stomach will allow the enzymes and acids in the fruit to have a detoxifying effect on your system. Grapefruit, lemon and lime work incredibly well to stimulate the lymph system to drain.
- Skin Brushing: This can be easily done before a shower by taking a dry brush and gently massaging your entire body using small circular movements always working up towards the heart. This not only will exfoliate your skin, but will also invigorate your lymph system.
- Hot And Cold Showers: While showering, switch from using hot water to cold water. The frequent change in temperature will stimulate your lymph system to move as well as your circulation by expanding and contracting your body’s blood vessels.
- Exercise: By walking briskly or engaging in intense exercise every day, you will encourage the lymph system and lymph fluids to circulate to your kidney and liver so that they can be filtered and released from your body. This is were hydration is key, to help the body eliminate everything with ease.
- Drink Water: To help remove toxins and chemicals, your body needs plenty of water to filter the lymphatic system! Drinking water throughout the day will ensure your body is not only hydrated, but also detoxifying the elements that can make you feel lousy.
- Massage: Not like you need another excuse to get a massage, but a massage (especially deep tissue or MLD) works to move the lymphatic tissue to drain. It basically “squeezes” the lymph system to release impurities and make room for healthy nutrients to come in and keep your system healthy and functioning properly.
- Laughter: Getting the giggles causes you to take deeper breathes. As a result, this stimulates your lungs and circulation to work together with the lymph system!
Crystal Sound Bath
As the year draws to a close this Crystal Sound Bath & Intention Setting Workshop is the perfect opportunity to release 2018 and open to the year ahead. Come along and allow yourself to be bathed by the sacred sound vibrations of the quartz crystal singing bowls and tuning forks. The vibration and resonance of the combined instruments will enable you to move into a deeply meditative state through which your body can effortlessly repair and restore itself, your mind can relax and focus, and your heart can open to your souls desire for the year ahead.
Quartz crystal is known for it’s healing properties, and it’s ability to support clarity. Whilst the crystal bowls and tuning forks are made from quartz crystal they are also tuned to the frequency of the chakras, thus making them a potent companion in healing and manifesting.
Through meditation we will acknowledge the year that has been, and open to all that lies ahead in both our head and heart.
Whilst lying on a yoga mat snuggled in your blanket you will be bathed in the relaxing healing sounds of Crystal Bowls, Crystal Tuning Forks, and a variety of different sound healing instruments such as the Himalayan Singing Bowls, Gongs, Drum, Zaphir Chimes, Solfeggio Pipes to support you through this sound journey, before allowing a deep state of stillness to set in.
As each instrument is played the sound is absorbed inwards, working on the chakras, enabling the body, mind and spirit to move back into a deeper state of balance, and who doesn’t want more balance?? Through use of these sounds we begin to shed the dense heavier energy of daily life, thus rising our vibrational energy, allowing us to effortlessly attract higher frequency people and experiences into our lives.
Contra-Indications: please note this workshop is NOT suitable for people with a pacemaker, inflammation, advanced stages of cancer, cancer tumours, metal implants, having had surgery within 3 months and in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Places for this Crystal Clear Sound Bath & Intention Setting are limited to 12 people and require pre-booking / pre-payment.
Bookings & further information can be found here: https://www.loveyourlife.ie/crystal-sound-bath
Kids Yoga
Kids Yoga
Meet Cat:
My name is Catherine. I am a fully qualified Yoga instructor with specialisms in both child and teen Yoga. I am also a Primary school teacher with previous roles in Montessori teaching and special educational needs. I have always been interested in movement from a young age. I took my first Yoga class while at school, as luckily my teacher was also a Yoga instructor.
After a car accident in my 20’s, I came back to Yoga practice to help heal my injuries but found much, much more. I practiced on and off for several years and while living in the UK training as a Primary school teacher, I decided to take the leap and complete my Yoga teacher training as well. I studied traditional Ashtanga, Vinyasa Yoga, Children’s Yoga and Yoga for Teens with Yoga Alliance UK. I’ve completed various Yoga CPD courses and as a Primary school teacherI have full Garda vetting, first aid training, and a range of SEN and PSE courses to aid my teaching.
I am passionate about Yoga and the sense of wellbeing it brings to both adult and children’s lives. I love working with children and have over 10 years of experience in various educational roles. I aim to provide fun, accessible and happy Yoga lessons which will boost children’s health, wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem.
Basic class structure
Each of my classes follow a basic structure to include an introduction to class, breathing exercises, a group of poses or sequences, a game and/or activity, and a guided meditation.
Depending on whether the theme is used (e.g. Autumn/Christmas), each of those elements can tie into a bigger topic or idea.
Intro to the Class
Students set up for class by sitting in a circle. If theme based it is introduced here. I play soothing music and often use a candle or incense.
Depending on the activity level of the children I have a range of fun group warm ups or Yoga games to settle energy such as Musical Yoga mats, or more soothing activities such as ‘silent ball’ or ‘Yogi talking stick’.
After, we normally have check in time to see how everyone’s day has been, perhaps do ‘magic massage’ self-massage of head/hands/neck/shoulders or play the ‘Om name game’ chanting our names instead ofom to set a fun, relaxed class mood.
Breath
There are so many breathing exercises you can use with kids. With “Bumblebee Breath” for example I have students sit comfortably, then ask them to slowly inhale for a count of 3. On the exhale they will buzzzzz like a bee. This is repeated 3-5 times and I ask them to notice the sensations that they feel as they make this sound.
Other breathing exercises introduced to children would include Balloon belly, Candle blowing breath, Good in/Bad out breath, and perhaps the extended exhale. Breathing has an important impact on how we feel and learning these tools can help children in stressful or anxious times.
Yoga Poses
Traditional poses are used but I often swap out the names to fit with the theme or to be more child centred, for example using nature themed names such as Tree, Crow etc. In each pose, I discuss the qualities or sounds that the animals etc. make to encourage engagement.
Example series of poses:
Warm-up using traditional Sun salutations sequence, followed by basic plans as follows-
- Child’s Pose or “snail” – Discuss how snails are very small and still.
- Cobra pose- Inhale to rise, “hiss” as you lower back to the ground.
- Cat/ Cow – “moo” on cow, “hiss in cat”.
- Puppy pose – stretching long like a puppy waking up from a nap.
- Downward Facing Dog- walk out the heels like you’re walking a dog.
- Ragdoll or “Gorilla”- gently sway your arms from side to side.
- Dancer or “Flamingo” – find graceful balance on one foot.
- Squat or “Frog”- crouch low to the ground with great flexibility.
- Butterfly – gently flap your wings up and down.
- As time progresses we can move on to more challenging poses and sequences such as Dancing warrior or mini-inversions.
Children’s sessions are usually shorter, often have stories, games, myths and music intertwined for e.g. using story or activity breaks. I sometimes use the book ‘Being me and loving it- activities and stories to boost self-esteem or read other relevant children’s short stories. Alternatively, Yoga principles such as peace and honesty can be discussed, and kids often come up with some beautiful discussion ideas when they are relaxed and focused.
Also, once children are familiar with traditional sequences such as Surya namaskar or Dancing warrior I often give opportunities for them to lead, which tends to be very popular and builds confidence, focus and memory skills.
Games
Going around in a circle, I have each student share their favouritething in nature or favourite animal and we create a pose that looks like the animal. Alternatively, we make up our own poses or sequences to share. The whole class try each pose.
Guided Relaxation
With all students laying on their back with eyes closed, I read meditations such as the following example:
“Imagine that you are your favourite animal settling in for a long night’s sleep. Think about where you might be sleeping. What does this place look like? What can you feel in this place? It is warm or cold, soft or hard, wet or dry?”
“What can you hear in this place? Are there waves crashing? Is there wind in the trees? Can you hear other animals around you? What do you smell in this place? Are there fresh flowers or a salty ocean? Spend a few minutes in this place feeling totally safe and calm.”
Using this basic template, I create many different classes that fit with varied themes or concepts. Ages and attention spans of the students help dictate how long I will spend on each portion of the class.
- I also regularly use the book ‘The wishing star’ 52 meditations for children, which always proves very popular.
- Blankets and eye pillows can be useful to help the more active child fully relax into Sav asana.
- Each class and each student are always different.
Catherine Finnegan
Age group: 2nd Class to 6th Class
Cost– 60 Euro per child for set 6-week course
Start time– Tuesday’s 3:45pm to 4:45pm, to allow time after school to go home, snack, change and travel to class on time.
Booking: Contact Reception on 018310888 to secure your child’s space.
Yoga with Cat
Contact information:
Yoga with Cat-Facebook page
Email- edpe8a@gmail.com
Ph: 0833427624
Chair Yoga Class
The yoga chair has always been a useful friend and great teacher of Iyengar yoga. It allows us to explore our body better, get better extension and support to the spine, get deeper into twists, longer and easier into inversions and so on.
Chair Yoga class will be dedicated to learning how to use the yoga chair to improve our understanding and practice in different groups of yoga postures (standing poses, forward bends, back bends, inversions, twists etc.).
As always, we will also learn and practice Pranayama on the chair.
Our class provide a chance to practice yoga on a deeper level in a holistic way, connecting the physical and the organic body through yoga Asanas, each time with a different theme or subject matter. In addition we take the time to touch upon breathing or meditation techniques and inquire into different philosophical aspects of yoga that are at the heart of our practice.
Yoga asanas involve extension, exertion, as well as relaxation of the body. The aim of the movement is to align the body correctly. For a yogi, the yoga asanas described below are the foundation of every yoga practice. The objective of a beginner yogi is to understand proper alignment. Whereas a seasoned yogi strives to find greater depths and sustain the asanas for an extended length of time. Whether you are a beginner yogi or an advanced practitioner, adding a yoga prop will help to stretch, strengthen, relax and improve the alignment of the body, enhancing the experience of the entire yoga practice.
My practice has personally benefited immensely from using props. To recover from a cervical spine injury, I began experimenting with ordinary and everyday objects such as walls, chairs, cushions and blankets. Props have been a core element of several restorative yoga practices over the years. In fact, the chair has been an important characteristic of Iyengar Yoga for decades. The easy availability of chairs made it an integral part of my practice. I was able to do more with the help of a chair, accessing key movements and achieving more height, balance and stability. I could stay longer and relax in challenging asanas, thus attaining their maximum benefit.
Try these foundational yoga poses using a chair. As a silent instructor, it will help you enhance the understanding of each asana. Important thing to note: the chair should be stable, without wheels and without hand rest and make sure your come out of the pose just like you go in.
Improve your quality of living by working with Judit to renew your body, mind & spirit from the inside out
In a beautiful room with natural lighting and soft music playing. There will be a few yoga mats laid out, each with a folding chair in the middle plus some additional props such as a block and a blanket just in case you need some additional support for the practice.
Yoga has been shown to improve overall health when practiced regularly. As with many forms of exercise, it can be modified for people of varying abilities. Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that can be done sitting on a chair or standing on the ground while using the chair for support. It is beneficial for people with limited mobility and for those who want to practice yoga at their workplace. The benefits of practicing these chair yoga poses (called asanas) include:
•Improved flexibility. Flexibility allows us to do the activities we need and love to do, from twisting while driving to bending over to play with children.
•Better concentration. Incorporating breath work with the poses can help clear your brain of unwanted thoughts, improve mood and decrease stress.
•Increased strength. Body strength enables us to withstand falls and injury and helps us with balance.
•Reduced joint strain. Chair yoga reduces the strain on joints and muscles, which allows someone who is unable to stand for traditional yoga an opportunity to practice too.
Portability and convenience. You can do chair yoga nearly anywhere you can find a place to sit 💛
Mixed level classes On Thursday at 12:30 pm -1:30pm
Cost: €75 for 6 weeks or €15 drop in anytime if space is available
Contact Reception to secure your space 018310888
#I’M TIRED
I’m Tired.
Said every mother FOR YEARS.
What do these simple two words really mean.
I’m tired is code for I am getting by, I haven’t slept for a year, I haven’t had a shower or yes sometimes even a bowel movement without an audience and no longer than 5 minutes in a very long time.
I’m tired means I need help, I need a coffee, I need a break, but most of the time it means I am just about holding my head above water, while trying to keep our little angels alive, going to work and trying to be an adult, trying to keep a house in some order so a hazmat team is not needed or social services are not called because you didn’t have the energy to bath your children every night and resorting to a few quick wipes with a wash cloth every now and then, you don’t get time to shower so sometimes they don’t either.
I’m tired can sometimes be a call for help or just looking for a simple nod from another mother, letting them know that they are not alone.
I’m tired is not looking for a condescending tone of I told you two children was enough, these years are so precious you should enjoy every minute of it.
I’m tired will not last for your whole life span of being a mother but it is going to be your hashtag for a very long time.
When you are tired just try to find that right balance between keeping little humans alive, keeping yourself from looking like a human and knowing that your children think you are the moon, the stars and the sun all rolled into one.
These beautiful little humans don’t care about the “good housekeeping guide of 1952”, they don’t care about how clean they are, they don’t care about how clean the floor is (because they are only going to dump all their toys on it 5 minutes after you have cleaned it), they don’t care about how you don’t have a 7 course dinner on the table, sometimes a bowl of cornflakes sitting on the floor together can become one of their most precious memories.
So, my advice to you is that:
I’m tired has so many meanings, your children do not look for the finer things in life for happiness they will look to you to be there, in some shape or form, not all the outings that you just couldn’t face, but for the cuddles on the couch and the listening ear that no matter how tired you are, you will always give.
Please stop being hard on yourself if your children are happy, healthy and still get excited about seeing you, their moon, stars and sun, you are doing an amazing job.
I will not say it’s easy, I will not say it will end soon, however I will say I am tired too and I get you.
Claire
