Nourishing your soul: self-care

Why it really matters now   I'm guessing that this theme will resonate with many of you as it does with me. We are having to cope with a climate that has become much more abrasive: and I'm referring not only to the weather, but to politics and plenty more. And it...

The physiology of joy   This excellent book is subtitled How to be strong and positive in a changing world: it's a short, practical primer on techniques to raise your personal resilience. William's books inspire me by their skill in presenting ideas which are...

It's about maintaining the lifeboat…   ​ The state of the world is so serious that these qualities may sound irresponsible. However, people in arduous conditions have traditionally had time out, such as respite care breaks, or shore leave. Frankly, normal life...

This is inspired by a recent Guardian feature, which explains why our nervous system finds uncertainty so stressful and exhausting. It may help to imagine that your brain is tailored to Neanderthal times, because that's largely true. Part of us still thinks that any...

An Easter retreat on Caldey island   I marked Easter with a five-day retreat at Caldey Abbey, a Cistercian monastery on a small island off the Pembrokeshire coast. It’s hard to evoke the depth of devotional atmosphere on an island with a monastic focus for 1500...

Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma   Do you have a view of what trauma is, and how widespread it is? I used to think it was something awful that happened to a small minority of people who’d been in a disaster or a war zone. Now, I believe that...

One of the reactions I bring to my challenges is a search for understanding, and systemic solutions. In recent years, I've reached the painful conclusion that the climate crisis is too large, complex and alarming to be understood. Systemic solutions are absolutely...