January 2021

How are we coping with so many people dying of Covid-19?

Grieving for a loss or trying to support someone who has lost a loved one?

All of us experience grief at some point in our lives.  When we experience it for the first time it can come as quite a shock.  It is often not talked about so it is hard to know how to deal with it.

In the UK over 100,000 people have passed as a direct result of catching Covid-19. On average for each person who passes, 8 – 10 people feel the loss of them in their lives.

The population of the UK is approximately 68m people and up to 1m of them are currently grieving. Many of them are young adults who did not expect to loose a parent so soon. 1m people is nearly 1.5% of the population, so probably all of us know someone who has lost a loved one and is grieving. The UK is not the only country in this situation. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Small experiences can bring great joy….

Snow has arrived in London! Well a sprinkling of snow has, but its enough to make a snowman….

I am like a child when the snow comes. I have never lost that sense of excitement and wonder of it. A walk in the park showed that I was not alone. On a dreary January day in lockdown London, it was great to see the children making snowmen and having snow ball fights. Their laughter was like a wonderful tonic.

I believe simple experiences can bring great joy. The way to happiness is en-joying experiences rather than ‘things’. They are available to all, as I saw today. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Covid-19: is it providing us with an opportunity to permanently change our lives?

Is Covid-19 creating a burning platform for change?

While it may not go away totally and we will have to learn to live with it, Covid-19 has forced us to change the way we are living and to consider what is important to us.

Loved ones are at the top of our prioritises – not unsurprisingly. Leading a simpler life has been a new experience for some and has made people question whether they need all of their ‘things’. Nature is valued more. Relationships and happy experiences enrich our lives. read more

By Alison Wem, ago

Rumi’s Reflection Journal: join Alison Wem on her journey as she experiences the Covid pandemic

Many of us feel constrained by the attempts of our governments to control the virus – lockdowns, curfews, isolation from our loved ones.

We are never really alone. Going within and reflecting opens up a whole new world. While meditation calms us, I have found having something to reflect on and to sense my own feelings, is a constructive practice that helps me to re-connect with the wisdom of my soul.

To help me with my reflections on Rumi’s poetry, I have chosen to use Paper Trail’s book – Rumi’s Reflection Journal. It gives me individual Rumi quotes to consider. Thank you Paper Trail. read more

By Alison Wem, ago