Roslin Glen is bursting forth with vitality and colour as Summer arrives filling us with delight and enthusiasm. Bealtaine or May Day has passed and the sun is out - Hurrah! It's a great time of year for foraging in the Glen, particularly for scrumptious nettles and wild garlic. The nettles are young, tender, juicy and full of flavour at the moment and are a nutritious addition to any dish. They are rich in various minerals and vitamins including vitamin C, A and B and high in iron, magnesium and chlorophyll. They are of immense medicinal value too and have been used for centuries in various traditions. They can be extremely helpful for conditions such as hayfever, eczema, osteoporosis or joint pain and much more. I have included two links at the bottom of this article if you would like to read more about their magical properties :)

Fresh nettles can be eaten raw (though fresh ones can prickle your mouth) or cooked. They can also be dried to make a tea to see you through the year and since they are in such abundance it seems a shame not to make good use of them. They are best in the Springtime, when the leaves are juicy and sweet, as the season progresses the older nettles tend to become more bitter and tough (though still very good!). When nettle foraging I tend to take a scissors, pair of gloves (or at least one glove for my picking hand) and a bag with me. I cut the nettles two or three inches from the top, usually with 6 or 8 leaves. Before cooking I rinse and wash them in a colander.

One common area of confusion is the difference between wild garlic and wild leek, both are edible, so you can pick and enjoy both. The wild garlic has much wider leaves, it lasts later into the season and has a large headed flower. Wild leek is not indigenous and threatens the habitat of the wild garlic. It has a narrow leaf and a small white flower. At this time of year you can see yellow seeds at it's tip. These too are edible though quite strong - you have been warned! As the wild garlic is competing with the leek I am mindful of where and how much I pick, while I sometimes take up the wild leek including the bulb to give the garlic a better chance of surviving. Here are a couple of photos to illustrate the difference between the two...

Nettles are very adaptable and can be used to replace spinach in your favourite recipes. You can't really go wrong so add them to whatever you are cooking, make a stock or blend a little into your smoothie or juice. And as I already mentioned they can be dried to make tea.


Wild garlic and wild leek can be eaten raw in salads or cooked, simply add to soups or other savoury dishes. In the picture opposite I used wild garlic in bruschetta and served it with salad. The exciting possibilities are limitless. Here are some more suggestions below that may inspire you... have fun!

Ingredients

• 100gms of seeds (sunflower or pumpkin or a mixture of both)
• Juice of a lemon
  
• Colander of nettles
  
• Around 8 wild garlic leaves
• Salt or tamari to taste
• Small carrot grated
• A dash of extra virgin organic olive oil
  

Method
Soak about 100gms of seeds overnight, can be sunflower or pumpkin or a mixture. Drain the seeds and blend all the ingredients together - it's that simple!

Ingredients

2/3 potatoes
Quarter a block of creamed coconut
tsp of vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Bag of nettles and some wild garlic
Any other green veg you might have such as chard, courgette or broccoli


Method
Cook the potatoes for 10 or so minutes, add courgette, broccoli (or whatever greens you might be using), creamed coconut and stock. When the potatoes are beginning to soften add the nettles and wild garlic, you only want to briefly cook them to preserve their nutrients.

Simply create your usual stir-fry, and add the nettles and wild garlic towards the end. Get creative :)

Here is a related article by my friend Trinity on the Benefits of Nettles including another soup recipe. Incase you were in any doubt about the healing properties of nettles here's a short article with 29 benefits of nettles. And if you are someone who enjoys a tipple now and then nettle wine is a traditional country wine that's enjoying a bit of a resurgence. It is a very dry, crisp wine that "retains a bit of a prickle" according to Lyme Bay Winery manager James Lambert. The winery recently made 3,000 litres of its unusual tipple using 40kg of nettles.

I hope to meet some of you in the glen with your foraging kit and would love to hear how you get on or let me know if you have any questions...

Happy Summer, Fiona

Fiona is a doula, reflexologist, therapist and plantbased foods enthusiast based in Roslin. She regularly holds workshops in Roslin and Edinburgh entitled "The Joy and Vibrancy of Plantbased Eating" and prepares vegan food for families and groups, as well as hosts vegan potlucks. She also runs healing retreats and is an airbnb host. She loves Roslin and connecting with the community here. Her website is www.fionareilly.co.uk or follow her facebook page - True Living

We all have creative endeavours that we would like to put more energy into. Ways of expressing ourselves that brings joy, fulfillment and perhaps a sense of liberation. Yet a myriad of things stop us and cause us to procrastinate. We find 101 other things to do rather than begin that project. There are dishes to be washed, facebook to be scrolled through and goodness knows what else to keep us distracted from that creative expression.

There are many reasons that cause us not to engage in those pursuits that we know will ultimately bring us delight and gratification. How awesome is the feeling of dancing, singing, creating whatever and giving ourselves into soulful expression. We usually have our own personal distortions and blockages around creative endeavours. One of my distortions is that I feel I need to be creating for a purpose, rather than for the sheer joy of expression. I need to be doing something that is productive and useful, rather than exploring or creating for it's own sake. It's an underlying belief that I'm working to let go of. There are undoubtably a myriad of other reasons that hinder us...

Many of us have blocks or negative self beliefs that inhibit our expression. It may be that we feel we're not good enough or fear we will make mistakes. Many of us as children will have unconsciously picked up messages about what is or is not okay and about our abilities and skills. A comment from a teacher, telling you your painting isn't right or a parent suggesting you need to do better next time can all impact on our willingness to express. It may be useful to acquaint yourself with your inner critic, find it's source and bring it out into the open.

I find that if I am feeling generally inspired and positive about life then it is easier to begin, so go for a nature walk or do some yoga or whatever it is that helps you to get in the space to begin (though be careful not to use this as another form of procrastination!). At other times you just need to begin something and five minutes later the creativity begins to flow. I find this with writing, I procrastinate big time and then once I start I don't want to stop. Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*uck speaks of the "Do Something" Principle. There is a generally held notion that inspiration leads to motivation which leads to action. Manson suggests that action isn't just the effect of motivation; it's also the cause of it. By doing something we can initiate motivation within us.

Mistakes are learning opportunities, every one who succeeded first took a big risk and probably failed many times. Madeline L'Engle was an american writer of children's fiction. She received 30 rejections of her book "A Wrinkle in Time" before it was accepted for publishing. (She then went on to publish many more books and become quite successful.) Here is what she says about this:
"Over the years I have worked out a philosophy of failure, which I find extraordinarily liberating. If I am not free to fail, I'm not free to take risks and everything in life that is worth doing involves a willingness to risk failure. This is what's true in all human relationships, unless I am willing to open myself to risk and to being hurt, then I'm closing myself off to love and friendship."

Are you willing to dare and risk? Are you willing to let your light shine? What else is there to do? What is the purpose of life?

Marianne Williamson suggests in A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles that our greatest fear is related to our light and success rather than a fear of failure.

Here are some questions that may be helpful for you to contemplate in supporting your creative endeavours.

Finally here is a TED talk Success, failure and the drive to keep creating with Elizabeth Gilbert author of Eat, Pray, Love. What is the task that love is calling forth from you next?

I wish you all the best in expressing your unique, authentic and wonderful you, Fiona

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It's become somewhat of a tradition that I write an article for the Festive Season. This year I have been feeling a sense of "Bah humbug!" I feel overwhelmed by the crowds, business and general mayhem in the city as people rush, cram and spend in order to achieve that perfect Christmas. Many people's lives seem to resolve around Christmas for the entire month of December, as they funnel their energy and expectations into December 25th.

I wonder where has the real meaning of Christmas gone and what the current scenario is costing us as a society? Many families struggle to make ends meet and Christmas puts huge financial pressure on already overburdened parents living in poverty. Many live alone or have lost loved ones and the happy family portrayals can heighten their sense of loneliness at this time of year. An increasing number of people are homeless and on the streets in the depths of midwinter, imagine how they must feel? Excessive consumerism endorsed at Christmas is having a huge impact on Mother Earth. There is an old saying that a picture says a thousand words and I think the one below does just that...

Over the past couple of months, I've really been struck and saddened by the destruction we are causing to Mother Earth. David Attenborough is raising awareness of this on the current series of Blue Planet II, where he informs us that there is an island of plastic the size of France floating in the Ocean, he describes a heart-wrenching scene where a mother whale carries her dead baby probably poisoned by plastic related toxicity and shows us corals that have been growing for up to 4000 years that are being eradicated by deep sea fishing. The destruction and poisoning of the sea life (and indeed all natural life) as a direct result of human intervention is massive. The exorbitant consumption that happens at Christmas emphasizes for me the extent of the absurdity. Green Peace have created this alternative Christmas advert to highlight the plastic issue...

Yet like David Attenborough, there is unquenchable hope within me. I am inspired to see so many people acting from a place of love and care. Huge numbers are working tirelessly and having a positive impact. A week ago I was out walking with my friend and her eleven year old son Zain. When he saw some rubbish on the ground, he began to pick it up and asked us to help. It was really heartening to realize what a difference picking up some trash could make. Since then I have been picking up rubbish more frequently and enjoying the resultant clear space, as opposed to grumpily judging whoever may have disposed of it in such a thoughtless manner. Thanks to young Zain I am reminded of how a little change within ourselves can make a big difference.

There is a short and well written article by George Monbiot entitled "The Gift of Death" that alludes to the harm that excessive gift purchasing causes at this time of year. While many of the gifts we buy have loving intentions, yet he highlights that 99% of purchases will be in landfill within 6 months. He recommends alternative ways of giving to others and showing our love that doesn't harm the planet "Bake them a cake, write them a poem, give them a kiss, tell them a joke, but for god’s sake stop trashing the planet to tell someone you care. All it shows is that you don’t."

Millions of inspirational things are being done to enhance the lives of others and the planet. One of millions of examples include that tonight the coldest night of the year with temperatures well below freezing thousands of people are sleeping in central Parks in Edinburgh and London in solidarity with the homeless. Hearing of such acts of kindness bring hope and joy to my heart.

Each little thing that we do makes a difference. One authentic smile or genuine act of giving can change the life of another and inspire others. We need to question what is happening within society and what best serves our needs and that of our whole system. We each need to acknowledge what is occurring and how we might challenge any apathy. "Pathological consumption has become so normalised that we scarcely notice it." (George Mionbot). Let's pay attention and notice what is happening. Chris Bohjalian said “A single, ordinary person still can make a difference and single, ordinary people are doing precisely that every day.”

So my wish for Christmas is that we can all find the love and rightness inside ourselves, may we express that into the world and be a little kinder to ourselves, one another and to the planet. May we all find the light of hope and joy within our hearts, wherever we are and whatever our circumstances. May we act from this place of love and hope, so that the world is a better place because we are in it. Here is an advert that illustrates how a little act of kindness can enhance the life of another (disclaimer: I am not in anyway endorsing Glade as a product (that would be ironic, don't you think?) I simply resonate with the sentiment in the advert :) )

Remember that "No act of kindness, however small is ever wasted" (Aesop). What can you do to feel and spread a little love, hope and joy at this or any other time of year? May you find and feel the answer within your own blessed heart.

With love and gratitude,

Fiona

The Greatest Festive Gift you can give
What do you want for Christmas
How to best serve the world?
The Gift of the Dead by George Monbiot
This December, it's time to put an end to the Cult of Christmas for once and for all by Sirena Birgman

It's late as I walk homeward by the light of the full moon. My own moontime is nigh and so my sensitivity and vulnerability is prominent. It's been an intense day, with immense sadness and grief. Sadness for what we are doing to Mother Earth, ourselves and all of nature. It began when out for a morning walk and "Farewell to Pripchat", a song by Christy Moore began to play on my ipod shuffle. This song beautifully and poetically tells of the impact of the Chernobyl disaster on the city of Pripyat. This is one of the thousands if not millions of stories relating to the insanity we are creating in the name of power, greed, a sense of safety, convenience and comfort... etc. It feels to me like we have entered a phase of mass extention, including that of our own human species.

Yet death was always inevitable. It begs the question, why are we here? What is our purpose? And I ask you the question "If you knew the world was going to end tomorrow, would you still plant an apple tree?". These chaotic and troubled times offer us great opportunities for growth, understanding and personal development. Rather than deny or avoid the probable unstainability of our current ways of living on the earth, let's embrace and acknowledge it. Work through the feelings we may have around it and find our purpose and heart song on the other side. As the quote here illustrates, maybe we have created the storm for a reason...

For me one of the things that has been really supporting me through this grief is feeling the support of the Earth and her energies beneath me. I know that I am always supported and never truly alone. I know that deep inside myself there is a place where all is in harmony. The world is full of distraction, yet we can always find peace within our own being. “Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm”. There is a place of pure presence where nothing needs to change. Through exploring, feeling and expressing within the challenges of this life, we locate our strength, we discover the depth of compassion and find love through all things.

The words below speak to me of finding my inner home within...

There are times when I need refuge, I need to focus internally and refuel my reserves. I leave the outer physical world behind and find the sanctuary of the womb again. While the babe is in the womb, it is supported by the energies surrounding it, the warmness and walls of the belly, nourishment through the placenta and underlying universal love. The symbology of the womb is always available to us whatever age and whatever is going on for us. When we pause and reconnect to our inner strength and truth we can re-emerge into the world energised, stronger and wiser. We can find support in one another and in the Universe around us too, as we are all connected.

In her show Wind Resistance, Karine Polwarth expresses many varied themes, one of the underlying themes is that of the symbology of goose skein. A goose skein refers to the way in which geese take it in turns to fly into the wind, reducing the wind impact for those who fly behind by as much as 65%, thus enabling the conservation of energy for those who fly at the rear. In the same way we can find support in one another and the Universe, when the methaphorical winds blow and the wild weather comes.

May we each find our own way home...

With love and blessings from my heart and womb space,

Fiona

Fiona is an Active Listening therapist, reflexologist, Openhand Facilitator and experienced doula. She is passionate about living true to her heart and soul and empowering others to do the same. She runs various workshops related to the vibrancy of conscious plant based eathing and women's issues including being childless/free and loves joining women in circle. Her website is www.fionareilly.co.uk or click here for her facebook page - True Living

Deciding to have a doula present at your birth is not right for everyone, though it is a choice that many people are now making for diverse reasons. If the idea of having a doula to support you before, during and/or after childbirth resonates, feel free to get in touch with a local doula for a friendly chat. Don't let cost get in the way of contacting someone to explore possibilities, most doulas offer reductions or exchanges and are open to negotiating something that works for you both.

When looking for a doula, it's not usually their expertise or how many courses they have done or the "package" that they are offering that is important. Primarily it's about connection, trust and relationship. It's about who you feel comfortable to invite to be present with you at a very sacred and intimate time. A time when you transiton from the woman you are to the mother you will be when you birth your baby. Feeling safe and secure is an important contributing factor to a smooth birth and so you want someone with whom you feel positive and secure, someone who helps to raise your oxytocin levels :)

Here are some questions to contemplate when choosing the doula that is right for you and your family:

• How do I feel in the presence of this person?
• Is this someone I can imagine hanging out with for a couple of days? Do we "click"?
• Do I feel strong and empowered with the support of this doula?
• Do I trust this doula? They will be sharing quite intimate moments with you.
  
• What is particularly important for me in a doula? Which doulas meet those needs?
• What does my gut instinct say about working with this doula or which one is the right one for me?
• If you have a partner how do they feel about each doula you meet? Do they feel supported and included?

As a member of the Scottish Doula Network and Conscious Birthing I encourage you to meet lots of doulas so that you find the doula that is right for you and your family. Each doula is unique and has various qualities and skills to offer. Sometimes we may suggest another doula that we feel would be a good match for you. We encourage you to trust your instincts and gut feelings. Pregnancy and birth is a time when we are particularly connected to our own truth and have a heightened sense of knowing.

You can read some testimonials about the benefits of doulas here.

I wish you all the best for your birth journey and beyond, if you have any questions or comments feel free to get in touch.

Fiona