Neal's Yard Holidays Blog

Sound Therapy: What can it do for you?

Aug21

sound therapy for deep meditation and relaxation

I recently experienced something I had previously been cynical about – sound therapy. And for those who’ve never heard of it, this healing form of sound bath doesn’t involve being bathed in water but in sound or vibrational waves. As I lay on the mat, the therapist played different notes on a series of crystal bowls that are tuned to resonate when hit with certain instruments.
Twenty-five minutes later as the therapist gently ‘woke’ me I opened my eyes. The effect was like a cross between a nap and meditation. My friend claimed I slept as I was tired, however, I felt different, less foggy than usual and she noted my eyeballs were brighter. I felt that for the first time I’d reached a meditative state.

Sound therapy works on the basis that sound can have a profound effect on our neurological and other bodily functions as they have different pulses or rhythms and energy frequencies, e.g. our heart beats to the rhythms of three. Sound therapists use sound frequencies to interact with these in order to enhance and rebalance the body’s energy whether with gongs, drums, bells, bowls, tuning forks or the human voice. See video on sound bath therapy by CBS New York: Read more…

Posted in Healing retreats

Tagged nada brahma, sound bath therapy, sound healing, sound therapy

Where to go on holiday in September

Jul25

Let’s help you find where to go on holiday in September – we’ve rounded up some of the best places.

Summer isn’t over yet in September. In fact a holiday in September is best in the Mediterranean for example if you want to avoid the backing heat, yet temperatures are comfortable for the occasional excursions and also sunbathing on the beach and swimming in the sea. The water has gradually been warmed up throughout the summer, and still feels very pleasant even with a gentle breeze.

Besides, with kids back at school, the crowds have disappeared and prices have come down. You are lucky if you can go on holiday in September to benefit from more pleasant temperatures, lower prices, and less crowded places. It’s indeed a good choice to go on holiday in September and enjoy those benefits.

And if you don’t want to fly to the Med there are also home-grown destinations with so much to offer. Whether it’s Ayurveda massages in Wales or outdoor hot tub and spa in Yorkshire, there are plenty of retreats where you can immerse yourself in peaceful seclusion.

If you want to check local temperatures we recommend the BBC weather website for weather reports about two weeks in advance. Once you are away the Met office site provides also useful local details.

Here is our selection to help you find your holiday in September: Read more…

Posted in Hot destinations

Tagged Ayurveda Holidays, Holidays in the sun, UK holiday retreats, Weekend Retreats, wellbeing retreat, Yoga Holidays, Yoga Retreats

Lithium batteries on planes: 8 tips on how to travel safely with batteries

Jul19

Smart phone lithium battery being charged

With the summer holidays fast approaching, many of us will be flying out of UK airports for our annual holiday. As we know, airlines have detailed guidelines on what is allowed onboard and that includes taking lithium batteries on planes.

Lithium batteries are commonly used to power a wide variety of consumer goods ranging from mobile phones to laptops and children’s toys, however, they can pose a safety risk if not treated in accordance with transport regulations. While most lithium batteries are safe, some have overheated and caught fire, which could produce toxic and irritating fumes. Read more…

Posted in Travel safety tips

Tagged batteries airplane baggage, batteries flight luggage, flight safe batteries, lithium batteries safety

Summer Retreat Offers

Jun19

Summer is here and our thoughts turn to relaxing and rejuvenating retreats. A week or even a few days of yoga, meditation, massages, delicious vegetarian or vegan fare, all in a serene environment can do wonders for the mind, body and soul!

Neal’s Yard Holidays has a wide selection of summer retreat offers in rural settings such as quintessential English countryside and balmy island idylls – for more on this please see our recent blog on rural retreats. Walk in the woods and meadows, meditate under the stars or sun and just enjoy the summer.

Availability ranges from early July to late September so, go on, take your pick from some of the best summer retreat offers below:

Posted in retreat discounts

Tagged mindfulness retreats, Neal's Yard Holidays offers, Pilates Retreats, summer retreats, UK holiday retreats, Weekend Retreats, wellness retreat offers

Retreats in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

May24

coastal view of beach and island in Wales ©USp Neals Yard Holidays

To complement our recent blog on Rural Retreats in the UK here we are specifically focusing on retreats in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or ANOB, to use the acronym. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are designated to protect these areas of particular natural beauty including conserving both the rural landscape and the lives of those who live and work in them.

In these spaces characterised by peaceful pathways, sweeping downs, wild meadows and ancient woodlands we can find a sense of tranquillity and be at one with nature. Lovely at any time of the year, our ancient countryside comes alive in summer with trees and flowers in full bloom.

Posted in Retreats AONB

Tagged AONB retreats UK, earthing retreats, Healthy living, Meditation Retreats, mindfulness retreats, tai chi retreat, Weekend Retreats, wellbeing retreat, Yoga Retreats

Rural Retreats in the UK

Apr20

Rural retreats where you relax in hot tub with view of countryside in Yorkshire

As our cold winter has sprung into hot summer (for the moment skipping spring) we are drawn to the sunshine and to nature, and rural retreats. Instinctively we’ve known for many years what science now seems to prove, that being in nature nurtures us. A recent article in the Daily Mail discusses the ‘proven physical and mental benefits’ of spending time outside, from a walk in a forest (barefoot if possible) to a solo walk somewhere rural.

There are rural retreats in the UK that offer the added bonus of glorious countryside where you can connect with nature, as well as enjoy yoga on the lawn, meditative walks, or outdoor activities like stand up paddleboarding or just bliss out by admiring the bucolic views from an outdoor hot tub.

In addition to helping decrease stress levels, spending more time in nature helps us to re-energise and provides a heightened sense of wellbeing. The US Journal of Environmental and Public Health states (see published studies by NCBI): “Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth – whether being outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems – may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV (heart rate variability), … and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease.” Could support for better health literally be located right beneath our feet? Read more…

Posted in Wellness retreats

Tagged best rural retreats UK, countryside retreats UK, mindfulness retreats, nature connection retreat, nature retreats, rural retreats, sup yoga retreats uk, Yoga Retreats

How To Sleep Better

Mar20

When the clocks go forward at 1 am on Sunday we’ll lose an hour of sleep. Even if you’re not one of the one in three people who have difficulty falling and staying asleep or the one in ten who regularly experience insomnia, this news is never welcome. So, how can we all learn to sleep better?

Posted in Healthy Living

Tagged Healthy living tips, insomnia, sleep help, sleep improvement

International Women’s Day

Mar06

International Women’s Day seems more necessary than ever after a year where 300,000 women took to the streets across the globe in protest against President Donald Trump’s treatment of women as well as general anti-Trump feeling against his inherent sexism (and racism). This is all in stark contrast to 2011 when former US President Barack Obama proclaimed March to be ‘Women’s History Month.’

International Women’s Day resonates following a time when allegations against Harvey Weinstein and the wider Hollywood film industry have quickly snowballed into an international-scale revelation of seemingly infinite abuses against women (and yes, men too) in all industries followed by reports of abuses of women by leading charities and BBC reporters resigning over the disparity in pay… the list goes on. Read more…

Posted in Women's Topics

Tagged equal pay for women, equal rights, women's events, Women's wellbeing

Dark chocolate health benefits

Feb21

Easter is coming and the shops are already full of chocolate products, from eggs to bunnies. But as is increasingly known, there’s a healthier option that’s equally delicious: dark chocolate. The health benefits of eating dark chocolate, with a cocoa percentage of seventy percent or more (ideally 85 percent), mean the once-decadent sweet treat has now entered the mainstream. Certainly, here at Neal’s Yard Holidays we love our chocolate. Who doesn’t?

Posted in Healthy Living

Tagged dark chocolate Easter eggs, dark chololate, healthy Easter eggs, Healthy eating, Healthy living tips, raw chocolate

New wellbeing holidays: is one of these your next escape?

Feb14

Boat at Ayurveda Yoga Retreats Bentota SriLanka

Some of our cherished Neal’s Yard Holidays devotees recently told us they’d like to browse our new wellbeing holidays without too much fuss.

And why not? If you’ve been on a few of our retreats already, or if you’re simply pushed for time and want to know the latest destinations on offer, being able to see our new wellbeing holidays at a glance sounds like a pretty good idea. Of course, we couldn’t help but listen.