Mindful Gail December 2025 Newsletter
- gailcalthrop
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to my last newsletter of 2025
What a busy year this has been for me. Lots of mindful activities and events and so many meaningful connections and relationships made with people and Nature. Thank you to all of you who attended my endeavours, who supported and encouraged me, who recommended me to others and gave me so much positive and interesting feedback. I truly appreciate all your support and care.
THE SEASON OF INNER CARE:
CONNECTION OF WINTER, NATURE AND OURSELVES
As we know, connection to Nature brings so many benefits to ourselves; exploring the many facets of growth and regeneration, exalting in the new vibrancy of Spring, the long light and abundance of summer, the ever changing colours and feasts of Autumn, and then in steps Winter, a time of slow down, rest and hibernating. And yet we humans, keep pushing through, expecting our energy and motivation to remain in a state of powered up and constant, as our natural rhythms ache to rest and restore. Winter gives us the chance to slow down, reset and replenish, tap into the long held connections to Natures rhythm of pausing, nesting, gathering lower energies in and resting. The research shows that connection to Nature in every season can benefit all aspects of our health, mental, emotional and physical, fostering emotional resilience, reducing effects of chronic illness, regulating emotions, lowering anxieties and stresses.
Nature befriends Winter, the decreased light, shorter days, colder conditions. It is a time of rest externally and finding growth deep within the earth, nourishing bulbs and roots, preparing slowly and tenderly, for Spring. When we echo this natural cycle, take time to rest, recharge and renew in these natural rhythms, we can alleviate stress, boost immunity, reduce emotional fatigue, creating more mental clarity and grow calmness.
Take the time to be in Nature. Notice the stark beauty of the bare limbs that adorn the trees, gaze up at the starry night and feel the vastness of the galaxies, walk in green areas, your garden and/or around you, and hear the birdsong; create mandalas with the treasures you find. Let Nature be your chance to reconnect to the healing and revitalising powers of a slower pace of life that we so naturally crave.
The festive season challenges need mindful antidotes:
These micro activities activate the calming, soothing side of your nervous system.
If in doubt, breathe out.
Run water slowly through and over your hands, watching the ripples, feeling the movement, watching the droplets. Dry your hands slowly.
Revel in the colour and scent of the Christmas tree and/or wreath for at least 20 seconds
Focus gently on candlelight
Hum or sing along with Christmas songs and carols
Remind yourself that this is a time of connection to family and friends; they need you, not what you can do or get for them. Give them the gift of your presence.
LUCKY WINNER NEEDED!
Quick, your chance to win a stay in a Devon beautiful getaway! This is an opportunity from Breathworks and ends soon, 21st December, so give it a go, you might be a lucky winner!
"Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow's troubles, but what it does do is take away today's peace."
Mindfulness Works! It can enhance all aspects of your life. Have a read of this article to see why it helps.
Mindful Events Coming up:
Monthly On-Line Mindful Drop In
Join me for a check-in meditation session, a chance to reconnect to your practice or develop a practice or just find out a bit more about mindfulness meditation. Everyone is welcome.
THE NEXT Monthly half an hour
FREE On-Line Mindful Drop In.
Wednesday January 14th at 7.30-8pm.
Mindful Evenings
at the Aqua Dolce Studios, Hampton Bishop, Hereford:
These evenings are a chance for you to connect to the deeply restorative inner quiet and calm we all have and which is so often overwhelmed by the busy lives we lead. Join me to restore and rejuvenate your approach to life.
Each session is £20
Booking is essential as spaces are limited.
Friday 30th January 6:30-8:30pm
Friday 20th February 6:30-8:30pm
Experience the Wonder, Wisdom and Delight of a Weekend Retreat
Join me for a very special Weekend that will nurture and nourish all aspects of your well-being, including mindfulness, yoga, creative activities, sound therapy, nature bathing and personal dowsing, all set in the beautiful Hellens Manor, Much Marcle. Give yourself a Gift, or a gift for a loved one.
Check out the link to book your place now and see all the details of this special event.
Early Bird Booking, available up to the end of December, of just £375 fully inclusive of all activities and facilitators, accommodation, food and drinks, access to gardens, grounds and woodlands and much more.
🎁 Give the Gift of Presence This Christmas 🎄
This holiday season, swap the stress for serenity. Treat your loved ones to the gift of mindfulness with a Christmas Mindfulness Gift Voucher , a thoughtful way to say “I care about your wellbeing.”
Perfect for:
Friends in need of a little peace
Family members who deserve a mindful moment
Anyone ready to start the new year with clarity and calm
The Shortest Day of the Year.
By Nadia Colburn
Even if there is only the smallest door
made of stone,
with no handle,
bend low,
put all your weight into it:
it opens onto the wide expanse
of where you’ve never been
groundless, blue, and untranslatable,
and there just at the edge of your vision
a single purple flower, rooting down.
I am grateful to all of you who have accompanied me on my mindful 2025 journey. I hope I will see you in 2026.
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
With love,
Gail
YOU TUBE
I have now added some new videos, please check them out!
I also recorded a few meditation videos during Covid and put them onto a YouTube channel. Their content can be helpful now as it was then, so have a look if you would like to follow guided practices. Follow the link HERE!
What I Offer...
Get in touch
Mindfulness crept into my life about 12 years ago after I completed a Mindfulness Based Reduction for Stress Course [MBSR], offered by my workplace, a Hospice. The teachings touched a need in me to want to experience life in a calmer and more enjoyable way; to find ways to be present helpfully to the way my life was unfolding rather than engage in battling with the automatic behaviours with repeating conflicting thoughts and emotions, with all the attendant emotional and physical fallouts.
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