The Gift of Reiki
March 30, 2010 | Leave a Comment
I am really pleased to be able to offer my Reiki training courses to individuals and small groups within West Sussex. For further information please contact me by email through the Heart & Soul Gifts email address.
Here’s a little more information about Reiki and the training courses I offer.
Reiki is a powerful method of healing and a wonderful tool for self development. It can be a helpful way to relax, to become more centered and focused, and to cope with life’s challenges.
I am a fully qualified and insured Reiki Master Teacher. I offer professional training following the traditional Usui method of healing and provide ongoing support for individuals and small groups at locations within West Sussex.
To receive a free copy of my guide “Reiki, are you ready to grow?” please send an email which includes your contact details.
The benefits of learning Reiki …
Reiki is excellent for healing any physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues of any kind. It can create deep relaxation; help the body to release stress and tension and aid better sleep.
Reiki is a natural healing method that is 100% safe. It accelerates the body’s ability to self-heal and can be used with other healing modalities. It supports the immune system and can help with acute conditions (injuries), chronic problems (asthma, eczema, headaches, etc.) and addictions. It can also help to relieve pain.
Reiki can reduce some of the side effects of drugs and help the body to recover from drug therapy after surgery and chemotherapy.
Reiki increases vitality and postpones the aging process. It is suitable for young and old alike. Animals and plants love it! It removes energy blockages and assists the body in cleaning itself from toxins. It brings the body back into a natural state of balance and harmony.
Reiki raises the vibrational frequency of the body and helps with spiritual growth and emotional clearing.
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under The Gift of Reiki
Boo Boo Baby natural toiletries recommended by Heat Magazine
March 30, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Our fabulous range of Boo Boo natural toiletries for mother and baby received the thumbs up from ‘Heat Magazine’ in March.
Boo Boo are passionate about what goes into their products. By taking the finest quality natural ingredients they create skincare that treats, nurtures and makes even the most delicate of skins feel extra special. All their goodies are made in the UK, are free from Parabens, sulphates, TEA petrochemicals, synthetic colours and DEA. They never test on animals. Bottles are recylable and packaging is kept to a minimum.
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under In the News
Livia Firth announces Animal Tails as a winner at the Oscars!
March 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Livia Firth (wife to Colin Firth) talks about the wonderful ethical children’s label Animal Tails in her blog on the Vogue website. Animal Tails Fair Trade T-Shirts are available to buy at Heart & Soul.
“I was very excited to hear that there’s a bit of ethical fashion in the Oscar bags this year. I’ve learned a lot about the issues involved with cotton production in the last few weeks through this blog. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) recently brought out a new report Slave Nation about child labour use in Uzbekistan to pick the cotton harvest. Then there’s the well known pesticide issue. Animal Tails is a fanstastic Soil Association certified organic company that is also Fairtrade, designing beautiful children’s clothes and insisting on an ethical supply chain. It will be nice to see something so worthwhile in a goody bag.”
For more information about Animal Tails please click on the photo or visit gifts for children in our online shop.
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under In the News
Leesa Le May in Lindfield Life Magazine April 2010
March 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
It’s always a pleasure to meet people who enjoy putting something back into the community; their commitment to making life better for others is truly an inspiration. For this month’s feature I visited one such lady, a local artist, Leesa Le May, at her home and studio near the common in Lindfield. As well as teaching art to both adults and children, Leesa is one half of the dynamic partnership responsible for the very first Lindfield Arts Festival this coming May.
Having grown up in a beautiful village called Bewdley, Leesa took her degree at Birmingham University and later moved down to Sussex where she ran the dance school at the Kind Edward Hall in Lindfield for eight years. She then took a teaching and refresher course before setting up the ‘Lindfield Art Studio’ three years ago.
Leesa has an amazing amount of energy and surely anyone who needs a lesson in multi tasking would do well to follow her example. As well being mum to a young family, Leesa manages her own career as a contemporary artist and runs a variety of classes from her studio situated in her colourful working garden. Children’s classes are run on Saturdays and after school and each Wednesday evening ladies gather for a more social event, with the odd glass of wine thrown in for good measure. “I like the studio to have a party feel” says Leesa. “In the summer I hang bunting around the garden and we all sit outside, it’s great fun”.
Groups usually cater for 8-10 people who can work with a variety of media. “The group usually takes a vote on what they like the best and we spend the first five weeks of the course with one media and the second five weeks with another”. She continues “I encourage each student to work on one final piece that can be put on show and to create a sketchbook with all of their ideas”.
Having the opportunity to work with a variety of materials means there is plenty of scope to develop. Leesa loves pencil drawing and using charcoal herself. She also uses acrylic and pastels in much of her own work and describes her favourite area as being print making. “My aim is to help each student learn a variety of techniques and to develop a range of ideas so the ‘individual artist’ shines through. It’s a positive way to bring out creativity and to improve confidence. It’s also a great way to relax and enjoy some ‘me time’ ” she says. Leesa also provides private one to one tuition and help with GCSEs and scholarships, and says that one day she would love to be involved in the Gifted Pupil Programme run by primary schools.
Men are certainly not excluded and Leesa is currently arranging a special three week course just for them. Having run a few ‘gift days’ for men, where family members buy a day’s workshop for say their husband or dad, she realised it could provide a welcome change from their normal routine, especially when that may involve a stressed out life in the city.
“The idea of organising an art festival for Lindfield has been a dream I have had for the last ten years.” She says. “The only difficulty is that my work has had to go on hold for a while”.
Certainly plans for the festival are going well and it has attracted great interest from a number of well known organisations in terms of sponsorship. “We have got a wealth of talent right here in Mid Sussex and it will be great to celebrate it in this way. With the exception of workshops and evening events, all other events are free, so it will be a great way for the whole community to come together.”
So what is next I ask? “Certainly a holiday, then more time spent on my portfolio with a view to staging an exhibition of my own work some time soon”.
So watch this space!
The Lindfield Arts Festival takes place from 14th-16th May 2010, visit www.lindfieldartsfestival.com. Full details of events taking place will be announced shortly. On the evening of Saturday 16th May there will be a variety of events including a salsa party, a barn dance, a rock event and a stage play. Tickets priced at £5 each or £10 for a family will be available at Heart & Soul in the High Street in Lindfield. All proceeds from these ticket sales will go to the festival charity The Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice.
For more information about Leesa and her classes please telephone 07738 288730 or visit www.leesalemay.co.uk.
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under Lindfield Life Magazine
Big Swap – Heart & Soul Promotes ‘The Big Swap’ during Fairtrade Fortnight
March 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Heart & Soul, the popular gift shop in Lindfield, West Sussex announces some wonderful new product lines to coincide with the second week of Fair-trade Fortnight, 22nd February – 7th March 2010.
Two billion people – one third of humanity – survive on less than $2 a day. Unfair trade rules keep them in poverty, but they face the global challenges of food shortages and climate change too.
Heart & Soul buys from well known Fair Trade suppliers which include Nkuku, Saffron Winds, Windhorse, Animal Tails, Believe You Can, Putamayo, Barefoot Books, Kite Kids and Kazuri to name but a few.
For this year’s Fair Trade Fortnight Heart & Soul will be asking customers to join in The Big Swap which asks you to swap your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff. Your usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, your usual cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks, and your usual cuppa for a Fairtrade cuppa. This means that every time you go shopping, you can use your wallet to make a stand.
Swapping your usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff is a brilliantly small step to making the world a fairer place. It means that you get to show your support for developing world producers through what you buy.
To find out more visit www.fairtrade.org.uk and see how you can get involved.
Note to editors
Featured item Organdie Frame from Nkuku. Available to buy from Heart & Soul £19.95. This striking frame is hand carved from sustainable mango wood in a rustic finish. Size: 4×6 window.
Mango trees are initially grown for their fruit but once the trees reach a certain size and age, they stop bearing fruit. It is then that the trees can be cut down and used to create wood products. The removal of the old trees makes space for farmers to plant new mango trees. This not only means that none of the wood is wasted but offers a supplementary income to mango wood farmers.
Heart & Soul is dedicated to sourcing beautiful, magical, spiritual and ethical gifts. They are available to buy worldwide through the online store www.heartandsoulgifts.co.uk. Each gift tells a story. Lovingly designed and made by individuals who care about what they do, each gift carries the healing energy of the person who created it. The gifts are designed to enhance the senses, to motivate, uplift, relax, comfort, inspire and provide a deep sense of well being within each individual who touches them. They are fairly traded, handmade or locally made where possible, maximize the use of natural and organic materials and have packaging designed to be reused or recycled.
For further information about Heart & Soul and these featured products please contact Gabrielle Hall, Heart & Soul, 66-68 High Street, Lindfield, West Sussex RH16 2HL telephone 01444 484400 email gabrielle@heartandsoulgifts.co.uk.
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under Press
Competition to win a £50 gift voucher
March 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment
From the 1st March 2010, customers are invited to take part in our free monthly competition to win a voucher to spend in Heart & Soul. To receive an entry form please email enquiries@heartandsoulgifts.co.uk or complete one of our special entry forms in each of the stores.
Rules – No purchase is necessary. One entry per customer per month.
Good luck!
Posted by gabrielle | Filed Under All Posts, Coming Soon to Heart & Soul, Special Offers, Visitor's Book