This June I am proud to celebrate 18 years in Homeopathic Practice. I would like to extend a big thank you to all of my clients over the years for supporting me in my work and hope to continue to be of service as a Homeopath for many years to come.

When I first came across Homeopathy in the early 1980’s I found that it worked tremendously well for me and cleared up both my skin problems and respiratory problems very quickly. I had initially self-studied Herbal Medicine and used to treat a few of my friends. I found though that for me Homeopathy worked better and with more long lasting results. I also liked the philosophy behind Homeopathic treatment.

My own Homeopath had trained at the School of Homeopathy in Devon and I attended my interview and started my training in September 1987.

I started my practice in Lewes and Brighton and worked in Madeira for a short while. I then moved to London and worked in Clapham for 12 years. At the same time I started to teach Homeopathy and worked for Purton House Homeopathic Center and The London School of Classical Homeopathy and subsequently at the University of Westminster where I still teach.

I now work from my home in Sussex and at the Hubworking Center in the City.

I have recently published an eBook Using Homeopathy to treat yourself and your family, if you would like to download the first chapter of this for free, click on the link here
 
Wishing you good health,
Mike

In his book “Raising the Bar” Gary Erickson, founder of Clif Bar Inc, tells the story of how he came to the point of selling the business he had founded, because that was the conventional thing to do.

Gary was sitting in the meeting with the buyers, and the lawyers, and his business partner, and a cheque for $60 million with his name on it.

He felt uncomfortable and told the meeting that he had to go out for a walk. When he came back he explained that he could not go through with the sale. He not only lost the $60 million, but he had to find another $60 million to pay his partner.

He could not go through with the sale because he knew that the trade buyer would not honour the values and purpose of the business that they had built.

Today Clif Bar is one of the worlds leading producers of sports food and a tremendously inspiring business that is committed to creating great products sustainably and with great working practices.

Starting or running a business can be challenging. Fortunately there are all sorts of books and advisors to tell you how things are done. If your business is an authentic business not all of the more conventional advice will sit comfortably with you.

A brand is defined by the behaviour of the business and as the business evolves that brand may be articulated to help customers and staff understand what the business is about.

The difference with an authentic business, is that the brand is defined by the authentic purpose, values and ideals of the people involved.

Authentic businesses are a personal expression, the artistic creation of their founder. They are not just about money and business, they stand for something significant in the lives of their creators.

When seeking advice for an authentic business it is important to remember that most advisors are unlikely to really understand the concept of authentic business.

I have worked with many people setting up their authentic businesses (see list below) and often they have been quite demoralised by some of the advice they have been given.

The important thing to remember is that if your business is going to be authentic - you ARE the brand. Your values and beliefs define how the brand behaves and no one else is better qualified to design the business than you.

If you are feeling uncomfortable with a route it may be because that route is off brand and you need to trust your intuition and find another route that feels better for you.

www.mysecretkitchen.co.uk
www.carboncoach.com
www.sailforlife.se
www.madweekends.tv
www.afriversity.org
www.network2012.net
www.themagicofbeing.com
www.mallorca-concierge-service.com
www.bizaripromo.com
www.himawari.dk
www.eurasia2009.com
www.whomadeyourpants.co.uk
www.seepotential.com

Drop me a line if you want some authentic support with your business or if my work has inspired your business - so I can add it to the above list :-).

with love

nx

neil crofts  - coach, consultant, facilitator
Authentic Transformation - join the evolution
neil@authentictransformation.co.uk
 www.authentictransformation.co.uk

First man: sometimes I’d like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice to continue when he could do something about it’.
Second man: what’s stopping you ?
First man: I’m afraid he might ask me the same question
Anon

It is very tempting to hide behind the mask of prudence, to temper our efforts with caution, to avoid exposure to risk or danger.

And not just tempting, it is positively encouraged in our society to play safe.

The English have a subtle double-speak to indicate when you have gone too far: “you are brave”, (with the emphasis on ‘brave’) translates as - “you are a mad and irresponsible fool”.

“The tallest trees catch the most wind”, “keep your head below the parapet”, “play it safe” - are the subtle mantras fed into our consciousness.

But where does it lead? Where do you get to with a life lead below the parapet? Do you get to your full potential? Do you achieve the extraordinary? Do you do amazing things?

So where is the edge? If our cultural conditioning places such an early limit on our potential, how do we know where too far is?

The reality is that we don’t. The “edge” is not a constant thing, it is a constantly moving, morphing thing. It depends on so many variables that, like the weather or financial markets, the only way to have any certainty about even the very short term, is to get very close to it and make subtle adjustments the whole time.

Colin Chapman, the mercurial founder of Lotus Cars, genius motor racing engineer and innovator used to say that “Any car which holds together for more than a race is too heavy”. Meaning that if you want to excel, you have to be prepared to face the edge of failure.

If we want to innovate, change, succeed, be fulfilled or do anything meaningful in life, love or business, we simply have to be prepared to stretch.

Stretch is where the learning and development starts. If we don’t stretch we don’t improve. If we don’t push ourselves beyond our comfort zone, nothing changes, we just loop around, same old, same old.

What is next for you?

More of the same, or more of life?

If you want help breaking out of old patterns in business or life, give me a call.

With love

nx

neil crofts  - coach, consultant, facilitator
Authentic Transformation - join the evolution
neil@authentictransformation.co.uk
www.authentictransformation.co.uk

“He who never risks going beyond his limits should not complain about the mediocrity of his existence.” Anon

That’s it, I have had enough. No more. We’re not a team and it’s not helping me in any shape or form. It’s holding me back and I resent it.

Last night I completed a nasty exercise which I devised to force myself to understand what my fat is like.

Now, I am not would you would call fat. I look fairly lean. I have a 31inch waist and run most mornings around the common so I am reasonably fit. It’s just that when I look in the mirror bare chested I don’t like what I see. I have flab over my pectorals so that they are pointy and loose. They jiggle when I move up and down. Jiggling is not good! I have a great desire to see my abdominals too. I bet they are great abs underneath.

I weigh 72kgs. When I left university in ’98 I weighed 88kgs. None of it muscle. I have been gradually honing myself and it has been a case of one step forward and three quarters of a step back, as I tend to use food as a means of reward and emotional crutch. No more. Celebrating losing fat with pizza does not work!

Last night I sat on my bed and held the roll of fat around my waist tightly. I gripped it. I wanted to feel it, get to know it, understand it. It was uncomfortable, for sure.

After a minute or two I wanted to stop. The blood or whatever was keeping it warm moved away, leaving my hands wrapped around cold fat, thinly covered by skin.

It’s was like gripping a roll of bacon fat and it got colder by the moment. Disgusting. It was horrible, lifeless and alien. It wasn’t part of me, that’s for sure. I carried on, hating the feeling, forcing myself to admit that I and I alone can rid myself of this worthless, nasty substance that inhabits my being.

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs suggests that the second level of human needs includes security.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow’s_hierarchy_of_needs

As I am in insecure about my body, I feel the need to address it, now. According to Maslow’s theory once I feel secure, I will then be able to fulfil the next level for myself, which are relationships and intimacy, which in turn will propel my self esteem and that will activate my “Self Actualisation” where peak experiences occur. Big stuff.

Finally I let go of the chilled mass and the relief was extraordinary. It had not been pleasant, but it had worked. I am adamant now that my fat has had its day. Small portions of healthy food, little and often and lots of exercise. Not difficult and with the variety of healthy food available and it will be enjoyable I’m sure.

I also considered what my dream shape and size would be. I visualised weighing 85kgs of muscle, with big arms, chest and back. A strong friend of mine weighs 90kgs and is an inch or two taller. 85kgs will do for me. I imagined what it would be like to be muscular and buff. Wow!

My plan is to get rid of this annoying fatty tissue, leaving only what is necessary for health. If I reduce my fat level down to bodybuilder standards (4-7%) then my fatty reserves will be too small and I’d feel weak.

Once I can see my abs, I’ll push on with a weight training programme and a high protein diet. My insecurity about my body is over. I have taken charge and nothing is going to stop me.

Warmest wishes,

Dan

The theme this year is “Allergies” and how homeopathy can benefit in helping people with allergic conditions.

Homeopaths are targeting people with allergies this summer as more and more people turn to complementary and alternative medicine to help with their symptoms.

This year’s Homeopathy Awareness Week (June 14 – 21) will highlight how homeopathic remedies can not only tackle the symptoms when they happen, but by triggering the body’s own system of healing, can help to stop the symptoms occurring in the first place.

Contact me to answer any questions about homeopathy and how it can help.

 “Homeopathy is patient-centred and a remedy is prescribed based on the patient’s symptoms and how they experience them. Remedies are mostly drawn from natural substances which are highly diluted and therefore non-toxic, making them suitable for all ages, including children and pregnant women.”

Research evidence backs up the use of homeopathy for people who suffer with allergic conditions.  Last year The Society was invited to give evidence at a House of Lords inquiry (1), which concluded that allergies were reaching epidemic proportions.

Results from a six-year study at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital showed the most marked improvements in children, with 89 per cent of under 16s with asthma, and 68 per cent with eczema, reporting improvement (2)

There are also a number of randomised controlled trials with positive results for the use of homeopathy in the treatment of hay fever and allergic rhinitis.

Symptoms of allergy are on the increase, affecting approximately one in four of the population in the UK at some time in their lives, with numbers  increasing by five per cent each year, and as many as half of all those affected being children (3).

Allergic symptoms occur when the body’s immune system over-reacts, interpreting a usually harmless substance as a threat.

References:

  1   House of Lords Science and Technology Committee – 6th Report of Session 2006-07: Allergy

    2 Spence DS, Thompson EA and Barron SJ. J. Homeopathic Treatment for Chronic Disease: A 6-Year, University-Hospital Outpatient Observational Study. Altern. Complement. Med. 2005; 11(5): 793-398: 89% of patients with asthma and 82% with eczema (under 16s) showed a positive outcome from homeopathic treatment.

3. Allergy UK (www.allergyuk.co.uk)

Mike Andrews Registered Homeopath

Clinics in London and West Sussex

mike@westsussexhomeopathy.co.uk

www.westsussexhomeopathy.co.uk