Retreat for you & your dog

🐾Calling all DOG LOVERS 🐾🐾

🐾 Do you want to slow down?

🐾 Do you want to deepen the connection with your dog?

🐾 Do you want a restorative escape in nature?

Join me in the heart 💚 of the beautiful Lake District (Rydal) for a wonderful weekend of rambling, relaxation & Reiki in collaboration with Lynn from Holistic Horse & Hound

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063481030744#

🗓️FRI 26 – SUN 28 SEP ’25

Includes –

🌳Forest therapy

🪽Reiki (for dogs)

👣Pilates & pampers (for humans)

💦 Dips & swims (optional)

🍏Fresh produce

🍽️ All meals provided

🛌🏽 Private rooms ** or shared 2 people/1 dog

£530 (plus a £70 damage deposit)

** £300 each shared room

Payment plan available

Secure your place here with a deposit

https://bookwhen.com/debbiechambers#focus=ev-sdbd-20250926000000

SMR – self myofascial release

SMR (Self-Myofascial Release) with a tennis ball is a great way to relieve muscle tension, improve mobility, and enhance recovery. It works by applying pressure to trigger points (knots) in the muscles, helping to break up adhesions and improve circulation.

Benefits of Using a Tennis Ball for SMR:

  • Targets small, hard-to-reach areas more precisely than a foam roller.
  • Increases blood flow and oxygen to tight muscles.
  • Reduces muscle stiffness and soreness.
  • Improves flexibility and range of motion.
  • Helps relieve tension from prolonged sitting or repetitive movements.

How to Use a Tennis Ball for SMR:

  1. Find a Trigger Point
    • Place the tennis ball against the muscle you want to release.
    • Apply gentle pressure by leaning against a wall, lying on the floor, or pressing with your hand.
  2. Apply Pressure & Breathe
    • Slowly shift your body weight to control the intensity.
    • Hold pressure on tight spots for about 30-60 seconds or until you feel some release.
    • Breathe deeply to help relax the muscle.
  3. Roll & Move
    • Move the ball in small, slow motions to massage the area.
    • Avoid rolling too quickly; slow, controlled movements are more effective.

Common Areas to Target:

  • Upper Back & Shoulders: Lean against a wall with the ball between your shoulder blade and spine.
  • Glutes & Hips: Sit on the ball and shift your weight side to side to release tension.
  • Feet: Roll the ball under your foot to relieve plantar fascia tightness.
  • Calves & Hamstrings: Place the ball under the muscle and apply downward pressure.

Tips:

  • If you find a particularly tight spot, pause and hold pressure rather than rolling over it quickly.
  • Avoid placing the ball directly on bones or joints.
  • Start with a softer ball if a tennis ball feels too intense, then progress to firmer options like a lacrosse ball.

Do you know what After Drop is?

I have been wild swimming for around 6 or 7 years – a mixture of Summer & Winter, wetsuit & costume, Lakes, rivers & sea.

I think I am a sensible swimmer, I respect the water and understand (I thought) cold water effects. Last week I went for an early morning short dip with a friend (never alone) Costume with boots & gloves and compulsory bobble hat! We stayed in for 8 minutes – slightly shortly than usual as it was minus 1.

I got out, put my robe on, walked to the car, felt fine. Started to dress then got the most overwhelming feeling of nausea – all I wanted to do was lay down. My quick thinking friend finished dressing me, put me in her car, put the heaters on, gave me a hot water bottle & talked to me continuously. Right there & then, I couldn’t think straight, I knew I didn’t feel like me, with a fast paced heartbeat & irregular breathing. Kerry decided to drive towards Pooley bridge in the hope of getting a signal to ‘google’ symptoms. (although I secretly think she was thinking of driving me to hospital) As it happened, we pulled over to get some water from the boot as I was unbelievably thirsty. I had a drink and the awful feeling passed as quickly as it had appeared.

It was a scary experience.

It can happen to anyone.

Often with absolutely ZERO warning.

I have since researched the symptoms and think it must have been a case of After Drop – the Outdoor Swimming Society has some great FREE information and guidance.

I especially thought the UMBLES was a really great way to monitor symptoms

Grumble – complain of not feeling well

Stumble – dizziness causing instability

Fumble – can’t work hands properly, doing up zips etc

Mumble – slurred speech or not making sense

Its never too early….

Bonfire night always seems like an indication to allow the Festive spirit to run freely – why not?
It doesn’t just have to be December….and let’s face it, we leave it until the last couple of weeks before Christmas & then try & cram it all in.

Lets get organised!!!get the fairy lights up (unless you are like me & have them all year round anyway!)bring in the foliage wear the sparkle – why keep it just for parties! write the cards, make the gifts, bake the cakes – have I inspired you yet?

OR…you can just be organised enough to book yourself onto my candlelight Pilates – see below
Did you know?….

even a 10 minute relaxation, can re-set your nervous system?
A gentle check-in with yourself – some deep breathing, a moment to relax.

You will get all of this within the candlelight Pilates – but with mulled wine & mince pies afterwards

Weekly ramblings – Yoga Nidra

As always – I hope you have had a wonderful week. 
What did you do this week to look after yourself?
could be a massage, a meet up with friends, an exercise class (I know a few!!)  or as simple as allowing yourself 5 minutes to just ‘sit’.
I am not great at that, so have been working on giving myself some ‘calm’ – I LOVE it!
It does feel a little bit indulgent but I do think that the benefits are worth it…..

see below 

 
Did you know?…….
 
Some of the benefits of being calm can –
 Help reduce stress Help improve mental clarity Help enhance creativity Help emotional regulation Help increase self-awareness 
Some ideas for creating your own calm

Yoga Nidra/meditation
Have a candlelit bath
Binaural sounds (must be with headphones)
Make a reading nest – & read!
Apply a face mask 


You can find a multitude of resources via the internet for yoga nidra videos or binaural sounds.
Here are a couple of my favourites

10 min nidra
https://youtu.be/_noquwycq78

11 min binaural sounds
https://youtu.be/_noquwycq78
 
We are all different though & the sounds/voices that are perfect for me, may not suit you – you can definitely get lost down a ‘rabbit hole’ of searching, when you are trying to find the one that suits you!

 

Weekly ramblings – 25 Oct

I am having a little transition from my weekly newsletter to an open post on here….for those that don’t like to be bombarded with endless emails, for those that have supreme security that keep ‘bouncing’ my mailchimp offering…..and for anyone else that may stumble across my random rambles. Hello.

How ‘calm’ are you? – I have been part of a wonderful ‘calm’ club for the last month, and am very much enjoying activities that I didn’t think I would. Its all about making time for you – doing something ‘different’ to what you would usually do – it does not have to be monumental or time consuming, just small steps to give yourself a little bit of self care. A phrase that hit home for me was……

‘Meet yourself where YOU are at’ – a perfect way to describe the idea. We are all different, all have different levels of doing or being & what may be achievable for one, may not be so for another.

I have decided to continue the Calm club ethos in November. This will be a private Whatsapp group where I will share some useful tools, ideas and tips to bring a little bit of calm into your life. Oh….and accountability!

NOVEMBER NURTURE – a perfect place to prepare yourself for any upcoming festive madness (& potential stress) Totally FREE to join – send me a message on Whatsapp if you would like to join me 07925 535586

What’s On? – November Offerings

You can book on for November sessions – dates are up now.

Book here https://bookwhen.com/debbiechambers

Longacre Barn sessions are block bookings, Bolton village hall & Coach house studio are PAYG. Zoom sessions, please message me for the link & payment details.

Have a lovely week …Debs xx