Amazing Dzogchen Beara

Sunrise on Saturday morning what a perfect sight to begin our day.

Stunning views on all the walks,

 Light changing with the cloud formations,

Still and silent,

 As the evening drew in,

 And a beautiful moon shone on the vast ocean of calm.

T'ai Chi Short Form to Shoulder Stroke and The Full Mini Form

Here are the lessons for this week, keep up the good work.


Short Form to shoulder stroke for Blackrock class from ann on Vimeo.





Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.

Dzogchen Beara - A Beautiful Journey

The flags were waving adeiu as Tricia and I drove away from Dzogchen Bears on Sunday afternoon.

Rainbows as I passed along the road near  Eyeries,

Then the magical ocean views,

 And pyramidal mountains to feed my dreams,

 Opening  my imagination in ways beyond words,

These magical journeys nourish my heart and spirit so much and now I am delighted to be drawing more people to this magical place of peace.  Tricia and I are delighted with the response to our second Retreat in Dzogchen Beara. We are all set for a wonderful weekend of Mindfulness and T'ai Chi Quiet and Connection.
Much Love and Gratitude Ann and Tricia 

The Power Of Smiling

  Recently I came across some new research showing that we learn faster when we smile. When we have that subtle upward turn in our mouth we also have an inward turn upward, a lift in our spirit.
 Try this yourself make an inward smile just hold it for a few seconds and a feeling of contentment will ensue. Now do the opposite turn your face into an angry frown and hold this expression for a few seconds notice how this produces a quite different and not so pleasant feeling. So knowing that smiling produces a more positive attitude and feeling I wondered why we don't just do it? Any practise including smiling takes a little effort, one must set an intention to be aware of one's expression and choose to smile. We are mostly unconscious of our facial expressions and are so busy with life to pay attention to our expressions. Learning to become more conscious moment to moment is one of the greatest benefits of T'ai Chi, Releasing, Mindfulness Yoga and all other arts that tune us in to awareness. Each time we begin an exercise in T'ai Chi  we remind ourselves to make an inward subtle smile, with the daily practise the smile becomes a habit, a positive habit that helps not just our mood but also helps to keep us healthy and live longer.
Ron Gutman's Ted talk is really interesting and confirms how beneficial smiling is for our lives.

The hidden power of smiling

Lismore castle such an imposing sight,

 Overlooking the Blackwater,

Flowing gently along these lush pastures.

There is something very restful about these calm autumn days.

It's been ages since we had such a dry autumn and time to enjoy all the colours,

that deepen with each week.

T'ai Chi and Mindfulness Retreat in Dzogchen Beara Almost Full

Our weekend in Dzogchen Beara is almost full just 2 spaces remaining.
  Taking time to nourish body mind and spirit is never more important than as the winter approaches, days are getting shorter and colder and we prepare to 'hibernate'. This is a great time to turn inwards and reflect on the year that is almost complete, to clear space in and around ourselves so we can be open to a fresh approach to our life. We all tend to repeat patterns in life and the only way to break free is by firstly recognising that we are stuck in the pattern. If we keep rushing around we never have the time to even realise that we are stuck.
In this weekend we will Stop the rushing and racing we will Slow Down as we move, We will Slow Down as we nourish ourselves with food, we will take the time to be fully present in each moment and allow this presence to awaken us to the wonder of life lived fully in each moment.
Take a moment right now to to Slow Down, notice your next breath and allow yourself to really feel it. notice it in your nostrils and in your chest , allow it to nourish every cell in your body. Give yourself the time for even just one l breath makes a difference . Now imagine giving yourself a weekend to breath in the fresh Atlantic Air to take in the vast expanse of ocean and sink fully into an experience of presence.  Join us and give yourself the gift of TIME.

This weekend will be a unique opportunity for you to get to know yourself through stillness, movement, and connection. With T'a Chi led by Ann McIlraith and Mindfuness with Trisha Lyne and fresh, locally sourced vegetarian cuisine by Maureen Fitzpatrick, this retreat promises to be a deeply restorative time for body and mind.
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Weekend Retreat: €200 including all classes, meals and snacks.

Accommodation: There is a wide variety of onsite accommodations available, please contact us for more details.

Contact: Ann McIlraith, 087 6616 800 / taichimcilraith@yaoo.co.uk
Trisha Lyne, 027 71980 / patriciajlyne@gmail.com

Great Day In West Cork

Playing with the ball in a circle. from ann on Vimeo.

We had a great session in Castletownbere today working on softness and connection in this beautiful setting.

A magical misty start to my journey west,  I couldn't resist stopping to take a photo of these cows.

Then they all came running towards me such beautiful curious animals.

The Paps were clear on my way home.

     
                 So soft and mysterious.