My Soul Dog

April 1, 2024 Maeve Ferris

This has been the hardest week of my life. I have tried to hold it together when our world has fallen apart. I'm absolutely devastated that our beloved Molly left us on Friday 22nd March. My heart is broken into tiny pieces.

Molly battled for the last 3 years with less mobility and aging after 3 major knee surgeries. I have given her everything to care for her needs and I loved her more than I ever knew was possible.

She was my baby, a sister, my minder, my best friend. She chose me when she was a wild pup of 10 months old in Co. Meath. Since that day, my life has revolved around her. I chose jobs, houses, car, a lifestyle that would suit her, that would be best for her. I used all my savings for her operations, ongoing meds and hefty vets bills. I'd do it all again 100 times over for her.

Molly lived a happy, full of love life to 13 years and 6 months old. She only knew love and we had the wildest adventures from hikes to house parties, camping to cafes and lots of lazy lie ins. She grew up in the city, later on the beach and aged amongst the trees. Always by my side.

Molly had a party with her friends on her last day with steak, chicken, cake and so much chocolate. My Molly Bear drew her last breath with my arms wrapped tightly around her, surrounded by Jason and our wonderful friends Claire & Sarah.

I'm heart broken 💔 and so blessed she chose me, my life was and will never be the same again 💚💚💚

I have kept quiet all week about my pain, I didn't feel able to speak about Mol. I taught classes looking haunted and so very sad. I'm sorry I wasn't able to tell you in person and was distant. I just didn't have the words or the ability to keep moving once the flood gates would open. Mols was right there in a little glass vial against my chest with me. Now with class term complete I can surrender.

I'm taking a few days off, I've prescheduled posts etc to give me space to grieve. It would be a huge support if you could please book into classes starting 8th April at www.ebbflowyoga.ie as I won't be as "on it" as usual to send reminders or respond to emails.

Thank you for your kindness 💚

Molly may you always be wild and free❤️

Photo credit: Canines of Cork

Other Thoughts on Mother's Day

March 3, 2024 Maeve Ferris

The relationship we have or don’t have with our mothers and with motherhood, is in my experience, usually very complicated and multi-layered. Some mothers are no longer with us, some never were even as they stood in front of us, some of us have strained relationships with our Mothers, others tolerate, some say it’s good, but it rarely seems to be what we would have wished for. It’s easy to blame mothers for what they did not and/or could not give. And a lifetime of bitterness and blame can engulf us if we stay embedded in that place. The responsibility now lies with us as adults to parent ourselves, to care for our own inner child, if that sounds unfair, perhaps it could also sound empowering?

Winter Surf Guide Ireland -a Guide for Beginners

January 21, 2024 Maeve Ferris

Surfing through winter is daunting, it’s cold, the sea can look wild and inhospitable and without the right gear, quite frankly it’s torture! If you're a beginner to winters surfing, then it's all about the right wetsuit and thickness of neoprene, learning to read a surf report, get some buddies together and make winter surfing in Ireland more enjoyable!

The Omen Days (Lae na Céalmhaine)

December 29, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Omen Days are the Celtic version of the Germanic Rauhnächte, where, during this twelve-day period between Christmas and Women's Christmas, those enjoying this tradition watch for nature omens, providing insights into what the new year holds for us. Try one of the rituals or practices suggested for this in-between time of the year.

A thank you from Nepal

December 29, 2023 Maeve Ferris

A thank you note from Suzanne for our Charity Fundraiser Acupuncture Relief Project Nepal. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for attending the lovely yoga flow Earth into Summer hosted by Maeve in July, and to anyone who supported the fundraiser that I did not meet that evening, thank you also. The funds from this charity yoga flow were 100% donated to the non-governmental organsition (NGO) Acupuncture Relief Project Nepal.

Hiding in the Bathroom at Christmas

December 26, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Christmas overwhelm is a real thing. Ever found yourself hiding the bathroom for a moment’s peace? Or pretended to slip outside to take a phone call just so you could escape for a while? It’s okay to want to escape, to need time on your own. It’s normal to need this and you don’t have to feel guilty about it. Since learning I have ADHD, I found the words to understand and express this to myself and others. A blog about emotional self-regulation and managing your energy during the busy Christmas holiday festive season.

Winter Solstice Guide

December 21, 2023 Maeve Ferris

The Winter Solstice is celebrated on around the 21st December each year, this year in 2023, the astrological date is 22nd December at 3.28am, and time for the Midwinter festival. A blog about seasonal activities, Celtic and Irish traditions, mythology, wintering and slowing down over the Christmas season.

Christmas & Winter Book & Podcast Recommendations

December 17, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Reading is such a wintertime activity for me, and adapting to that energy is what seasonal living is all about! Rather than fight it, flow with it and get cozy - embrace slow and seasonal living. Here's a list of my top reads - books and also some podcasts to help you while away the Christmas and Winter days.

Days of Significance - December 18th

December 17, 2023 Maeve Ferris

My Mum’s birthday, has me thinking about days of significance - how they hold connections, memories and ground us in time, providing opportunities for reflection, for gathering and perhaps for celebrating too.

We are just a few days away now from the 21st December too, the Winter Solstice. Which for me, symbolises now - a link to our past, to those who’ve gone before, a more nature-led way of living and a waymarker on this path I’m walking. It’s a reminder of simpler times and an invitation to acknowledge where and who I am and the abundance I have in my life. If you are interested in learning more about and perhaps aligning elements of your life to the Celtic Calendar and seasonal living, you might enjoy my new "Celtic Wheel Yoga - Winter to Spring Series" starting from 11th January 2024.

Who should decide my value?

December 10, 2023 Maeve Ferris

A blog about Black Friday discounts, the pressure on small businesses like mine. The slippery elusive concept of value and who decides what is of value or not and why valuing myself is the best way to stay rooted and grounded.

What I hate about Christmas….

December 5, 2023 Maeve Ferris

A blog about what I hate about Christmas and Black Friday - from the waste our consumerism generates to the pressure on small businesses. The debt it drives up and the damage to the environment. A blog about supporting local businesses, spending more wisely and choosing more eo-friendly and sustainable gifts this Christmas in Ireland.

Eco-Friendly Irish Christmas Gift Guide 2023

December 5, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Eco-friendly Irish Christmas Gift Guide 2023

It’s Christmas and so naturally most of us will go and buy gifts for others, it’s a lovely thing, it’s admirable. But perhaps this year I invite you to do so with a little more care and thought for our planet and its finite resources. So here are my suggestions for some sustainable, eco-friendly Christmas gifts this year, all from Ireland. It features local, handmade crafts, books and activity suggestions for all the family.

Rooting into Winter

November 14, 2023 Maeve Ferris

As Storm Debi prepared to flex her power recently, I was finishing up our second last Seasonal Soul workshop of the year. With it fresh on my mind, I thought I'd share some of my musings with you…

Our theme was 'root'. We discussed reflections on winter, slowing down, and how we are feeling in this darker time of the year.
Seasonal Soul has been a really grounding part of my work and life for the last 2 years. We meet every 3 weeks or so during term time, taking breaks over Christmas and Summer and it's a way of connecting me to a more nature-inspired and connected life and way of working. It also offers a thread woven into a mycelium network of other women who also want to live life more intentionally. Walking a path that seeks to live more slowly, more mindfully, in harmony with nature; goes against modern societal demands and expectations. And I've learned it's definately not a simple switch over from one way of being to another. It's a meandering process of awareness, unlearning and experiencing. And like all walks into the unknown, it's best shared with the gentle support and encouragement of others.

As we seek to live more intentionally we ebb & flow on that winding trail, sometimes straying back into the frenetic, sometimes feeling very in tune. We discussed reflections on winter, this time of darkness, of quiet, of feeling peopled out(!). We live through winter every single year on earth, but often shun the dark, fearing it and avoiding it. Yet its a natural part of the cycle, as night is to day, the moon to the sun.

To give you a behind the scenes peak into the kinds of questions we consider in Seasonal Soul, I thought I'd share some journaling prompts with you, in case you might like to ponder them:

❄️In what ways are you currently preventing yourself from experiencing the wisdom of winter?

🌲This season I will embrace nourishing my roots by....

❤️What would it feel like to give yourself permission to spend some time in energetic hibernation?

Thank you for reading,

Maeve x

My Top 10 Winter Book Reads

November 12, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Winter is my favourite season in which to read. Enjoy my top ten winter book recommendations. A mix of memoir, fiction and non-fiction and heart-warming tales, perfect for seasonal escapism. Enjoy on cozy winter evenings and nights by the fireside, or for rainy days curled up on the couch. Listen as audio books on winter walks, nestled on the sofa or tucked up in bed to help you fall asleep. Add them to your seasonal reading list, your winter book club recommendations and save to your favourites.

Oíche Shamhna (Samhain or Halloween Night)

October 29, 2023 Maeve Ferris

All Hallows Eve or Samhain on 31st October is an ancient Celtic festival, one of four important fire festivals held throughout the year. To our ancestors, Samhain was the beginning of winter and marked the death of the Celtic year. A blog about Irish Samhain rituals, ideas on how to honour the festival in your own modern day life and some journaling prompts to help you pause, slow down and reflect.

It started with a promise to my dog

October 23, 2023 Maeve Ferris

It started with a promise to my dog….

I promised my beautiful dog Molly, that she would be able to run free. I breathed my dreams into her velvet soft ears that one day when we had more space, she would have a brother or sister dog to keep her company. I swore I’d have more time for longer walks, that I’d choose to play ball over answering emails. That we would have a different life, one in which we wouldn’t feel like this was all there was.

Harvest Time in Ireland & Lughnasa Celebrations

July 30, 2023 Maeve Ferris

Photo credit: https://beafordarchive.org/archive-image/untitled-3364/

The celtic festivals provide an opportunity to connect to spirituality in our modern day lives, to align with nature and her seasons and to pause and reflect on our own lives. Memories of the harvest as a child on a farm in rural Ireland and some modern day ideas on how to connect with Lughnasa or Lughnasadh in your own life today and mindfully celebrate the abundance in your life.

How to slow down time!

July 3, 2023 Maeve Ferris

It feels like summer time is flying by, the days slip away like sand grains from between my fingers. I can’t quite seem to catch it and hold onto this precious time as it eludes my grasp. Here are some of my latest blog ideas on how to slow down time, to savour the summer.

How to mark the Summer Solstice in Ireland

June 20, 2023 Maeve Ferris

The Summer Solstice on 21st June heralds the annual zenith of the Sun and there are the most hours of daylight and least hours of darkness of any day in the year. This is one of the power gates of the Wheel of the Year. It’s also the International Day of Yoga. Here are some ideas on how to celebrate and honour the Summer Solstice here in Ireland.

Does what I do even matter?

May 16, 2023 Maeve Ferris

There on my yoga mat, an existential crisis unfolded. What do I teach anymore? If this is considered yoga, is this what I want to be teaching? Does the yoga I teach leave my students “feeling it” on a physical level only, with just burning shoulders and a parched mouth to show for the hour on the mat? Do they leave feeling empty too? A blog about if yoga is simply stretching? And does what I do as a yoga teacher even matter?