Painting on a Friday night, music playing, dancing and singing out loud. I had to be home tonight, so since I couldn't be out on the town, I filled my time with activities I enjoy – painting and listening to music! I worked on two pieces. I finished the one I started last week and started a new one. Above is a video of me working on the first one, and below I've included a playlist of what I was listening to while working. I selected what Apple Music calls "Ariann's Station."

My second visit to Portugal, and this time I am glad I made it to the Algarve region! This beach was close to our hotel, which had walkway access to make the long trek (over a highway) to get to the beach. We set up base near to the entrance and soaked up some of the sun, which felt extra good since Portugal was still cold when we visited in July. After a refreshing (read cold) swim, I went for a walk down the beach to explore. I was completely blown away by the huge rock for

This week's practice is vocal toning which uses sustained sounds and your own voice's vibration to calm the nervous system. The vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve — which controls your body's rest and digest response — and can shift your brainwaves from an active state down to a calmer, more peaceful one. Your voice is literally an instrument for healing. In this practice you tone through seven vowel sounds, each associated with a different chakra — from the root all the wa

The portraits presented below are all captured while touring Trinidad and Tobago. Two of these portraits were taken in Paramin, Trinidad, on separate visits, and one was taken in Tobago, on my first trip to Twin River Falls. Paramin, Trinidad | Tour Guide Carlos is one of the well-known tour guides in the area, and I’ve been on more than one tour with him through the beautiful hills of Paramin. He is very personable and knowledgeable. You can see the love for his community

When was the last magical moment you experienced? For me, it was this past February. I think some of the magic was because this was a simple and new experience unfolding, in a place I have been to so many times before. I was in Tobago, and after lunch one day, my friends and I decided to head down to the beach to soak up the rest of the sun. One friend was knitting, the kids were going between the water and building things on the sand. We were chatting, laughing, swimming and

Driving to the hospital this evening, the road is very busy. It’s after 8:30pm on a Sunday and I am driving on St. James main road. People are liming, criss-crossing through traffic to cross the road, their hot packaged food in their hands as they make their way to their cars. Bright Lights. Music. Dancing. Action. The energy is vibrant. Life is happening. People are busy, happy and active. Nothing has stopped. And I am driving. Driving to the hospital. It reminds me of 8

I’ve been dreaming of the ocean. Floating, swimming, letting my head be submerged in the cool water. Emerging from the sea with my hair dripping wet. Happily plopping down on a sun warmed cushy towel, salt slightly burning my smiling eyes. Someone hands me a slice of watermelon and asks if I want an aloo pie. I sigh, contentedly. Yes, please. With all the fixings. I chomp into the watermelon It’s sweet, juicy, cold. I smile and sigh, contentedly. Not too much of the sauce, I

Texture is the first thing that jumps out when I see this photograph. That, and the deep tone of the blue filling the frame. I was in Barbados with my family and we were all enjoying a sunset cruise off the coast. We had a wonderful swim in the ocean, and I saw lots of fish as we snorkeled over a sunken wreck. It was magical and it reminded me I needed to put an underwater camera on my wish list. I, of course, brought my camera and as soon as I was dried off, I took it out t

These are two of the portraits I took at Knolley's Tunnel in Trinidad of the celebrated author and historian Michael Anthony who, within his career, had more than 30 titles published. On this occasion, we were on a drive with the National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago to look at different railway artifacts and the places the railway system ran through in the Rio Claro area. One of the places we stopped was Knolley’s Tunnel, which was opened in 1898. It is 660 feet long and is

This week's practice is a 10 minute Tai Chi and Qigong warm-up led by Sunny — a slow, intentional movement practice designed to prepare the whole body for movement, or simply to help you feel grounded and connected whenever you need it. The session begins with three grounding breaths before moving progressively through the body — ankles, feet, knees, waist, shoulders, wrists and hands. Throughout, the focus stays on relaxation, natural breathing and posture. No experience wit

It’s September 1st (how did we get here so quickly?) and it’s time for my blog every day challenge! This is the 4th year I am doing this challenge of blogging for a month straight, and the impetus of doing the challenge this month came earlier today because of a video I keep thinking about. I was in the garden cutting flowers for my office, and a phrase from the video I saw recently kept swirling in my mind. “Painter’s paint.” An artist was saying that during university he w

This week's practice is a short Qigong flow designed to reset and regulate your nervous system — perfect for when you need a midday pick-me-up or just want to shake off some tension. The flow takes you through three simple standing movements — jumping to activate the body and get the chi moving, arm swinging to calm and regulate the nervous system, and a shoulder and arm stretch that works through the meridians. No equipment, no mat, no changing clothes required. Led by Rebel

Research shows that just 10 minutes of meditation a day can reduce anxiety, lower stress hormones, calm rumination and improve sleep. A consistent practice has also been shown to support mood, memory, focus and emotional wellbeing. Ten minutes. That's it. This guided meditation by Sarah Wes takes you through breathwork and body relaxation, helping you return to a place of inner stillness and calm. Her voice is soothing, the visuals are beautiful and the whole experience feels

This week's practice is an 8 minute lymphatic and fascia flow. I really enjoyed doing this as break from my desk during the day! The lymphatic system is like your body's drainage system. Unlike the heart which pumps blood automatically, the lymphatic system relies on movement to keep things flowing. When it gets sluggish you can feel foggy, puffy, bloated and low on energy. This simple routine helps get things moving again. Led by Erin from Move with Erin, the sequence is don

This week's practice is a sound bath — a meditative experience where you're immersed in sound, typically from instruments like singing bowls, gongs or chimes. The vibrations and tones are said to help calm the nervous system, reduce stress and anxiety and guide you into a deep state of relaxation. You don't have to do anything. You simply listen and let go. This practice uses Tibetan singing bowls and is led by Tseyang, a certified Tibetan Yoga teacher with over 11 years of e

This week's practice is a mindfulness technique drawn from Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) designed to help you train your focus and return to the present moment. The idea is simple. Choose a small everyday object — a pen, a cup, a piece of jewellery — and give it your full attention for 5 minutes. First observing it with your eyes, then exploring it with your touch. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back. No judgment, just practice. Led by Lauren Woods of Well Mi

This week's practice is a body activation routine by Shi Heng Yi — and the philosophy behind it is simple: if you don't use it, you lose it. The routine works through joints in the body, starting from the fingers and gradually moving up through the wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and spine, all the way down to the knees and ankles. No equipment, no experience needed — just you and a little bit of space. It's designed as a morning practice but works just as well as a midday re

Chakras are energy centers in the body. When they're balanced and flowing freely we tend to feel more grounded, focused and at ease. When they're blocked it can show up as difficulty concentrating, poor sleep, or just a general feeling of being off. This short 5 minute guided meditation by Vibha takes you through seven chakras — from the root at the base of your spine to the crown of your head — using breath and visualisation to restore balance and flow. All you need is a qui

The Five Tibetan Rites is an ancient sequence of five exercises said to strengthen the body, open up the energy systems and focus the mind. Some traditions believe it dates back over 2,500 years, originally practiced by Tibetan monks as a daily ritual for vitality and longevity. This 12 minute session is led by Michaël Bijker and takes you through all five rites followed by a short meditation to close. Try the full routine here: Click here Give it a try and let me know how it

This week's practice is Qigong — a gentle movement practice rooted in Chinese tradition that combines slow flowing movements with breath and body awareness. Think of it as a moving meditation. This 10 minute routine by Thich Man Tue takes you through a warm up, two movements — The Frog and The Dragon — and some self massage. Perfect for stretching the whole body and releasing tension in the neck, back and shoulders. Try the full routine here: Click here for routine Bonus: A b