Somatic therapy for stress, full moon sea swims and November events

Welcome to the first Dorset Wellness newsletter!

Hello, so glad you made it!

I’m Christine, a journalist and mindfulness teacher and Dorset resident. I’ve launched this project so people wanting to know what’s going on in our wellness community can get the information they need more easily.

I am also passionate about sharing ideas and inspiration for ways towards wellness that you can do when you like, and for free. That’s why I’ve written about sea swimming (scroll down for more). What better way to feel good in our beautiful corner of the world?!

Kicking off the interviews with practitioners is a conversation with Kelly Cooper who taught me mum and baby yoga. More than that, she guided our class towards reconnecting with ourselves amidst the chaos of caring for babies in the fourth trimester. Kelly is also a somatic therapist and I wanted to really understand why she has gravitated to this practice, what it does and who it’s for. She answers very honestly and vulnerably and her work is absolutely fascinating.

And of course to the events themselves! There are a lot but I’m sure there are even more going on I haven’t included. Please do send me info about things I ought to be listing in future months. (Comment below or email.) In terms of weekly classes there are more going on than my keyboard could keep up with so the focus will be on semi-regular sessions and one-offs like workshops and retreats.

I hope you find something useful and maybe even inspiring here. And please keep sharing the newsletter with others as there are plenty more great things to come. Next month (also know as peak sauna season) you will hear from a sauna master who talks candidly about the power of temperature extremes to calm her ADHD, and also how you can get out in a garden space for some horticultural therapy in December. Yes you read that right, in December.

Solidarity, singing and baggage to burn - my second full moon sea swim

Blurry photo possibly due to shivering

My first full moon swim was in the morning while the moon was just setting. I had guided a meditation on the beach while the moon set and the sun rose. It was magical. After the meditation we swam in the sea and a co-swimmer told me she had been to the full moon swim the night before and 40-odd people had turned up. That's a lot of people for our local sea swimming group. I needed to see what the buzz was about. Fast forward four weeks and finally I could experience it myself.

The evening of the hunter moon brought perfect conditions, a clear sky, gentle autumn weather and a few fun waves on an otherwise calm sea. I chatted with folks as we got ready for the dip and tried to gauge what had brought them along. Mostly people just wanted to get in the water and were on the lookout for a good time and excuse to do it. The full moon makes it feel like more of an event and a social thing, and of course the weather helped sway some.

Solidarity and singing

Before actually getting to the water there was already a feeling we were all in the same boat. Tips and words of encouragement were being exchanged and even more once in the water. "This is when the singing starts - it releases the…" I don't know how that sentence ended because she turned away, a wave crashed and I think I shrieked a bit as the chilly water reached my waist. Turns out I didn't care what the reason was I was very happy to start singing anyway if there was any way it could help the transition. And it did!

Dreamy seascape

There was a time I would have strode in to the waves with very high levels of dignity and no need for a shrill rendition of The Grand Old Duke of York (first song that came into my head). Alas, I no longer swim through the winters and now the cold just feels really cold.

With the temperature shock behind us, we bobbed around feeling great. There was no sign of the moon yet, masked as it was by a string of fluffy clouds on the peach horizon. By that point I realised we were in the middle of something unique. This was much more than a social event. We were physically connected by the cold sea, each of us having our own sharp sensory experience of the same body of water, under the same sky at the same time.

It didn't need any awkward acknowledgement of that in the moment, it just felt nice. And you could either have a float and a chat or swim off and take a moment to yourself. After a few minutes I chose the latter so I could connect with my senses a bit - notice the shape and pattern of the waves, the sound of the splashing and really feel the movement of the water against me.

There's a huge amount to work with if you want to use sea swimming for some mindfulness practice. I always try and include this in a swim so I feel like, at least for a minute, I've really arrived and been present with this experience in nature.

To the flames

It was only after most people had got out and my shivers were subsiding that the moon made its grand entrance into the night sky. That was when I realised people are there for the cosmic event too. "She's beautiful isn't she?" said one woman while getting dressed. "It was magical seeing it appear," shared another. I mentioned it was a hunter moon and someone responded, "Yes! It's all about change this one." "Oh yes, Pisces has just finished hasn't she?" said someone else.

No hands or bats were harmed here

Menna Jones has written about her two years swimming under every full moon. She said the full moon is a great time to let go of things which are no longer helpful to you - physical, mental and spiritual - and a good opportunity to let go of unhelpful negative emotions.

Meanwhile, Daisy Valentine, who hosts full moon and new moon ceremonies, suggests using the lunar cycles to set intentions. She said the ideal time to set intentions is at the new moon (which is 1st of November this month) and then use the fire energy of the full moon (15th November) to release the intentions to the flames for action and manifestation. This, she explained, is because the dark moon is yin, or feminine, energy - the time for reflection. While the full moon is yang, or masculine energy - putting things into action.

“…I feel it’s the bravest thing I've done.”

Sure enough, I had some baggage to burn. I took the liberty of blending advice from Menna and Daisy and wrote down something I was making an intention to quit. I asked my friend to capture the moment I released it to the flame and a second after the fire hit the paper, my friend's friend exclaimed, "Ooh! A bat!" And there it was flitting around in my peripheral vision as I felt relief saying goodbye to what I didn't need and also felt the flame getting dangerously close to my fingers.

One of my favourite comments at the beach that evening was from a woman quite new to sea swimming who said, "I feel brave. I feel it’s the bravest thing I've done."

I would agree. It feels joyous and bold and I would 100% recommend sea swimming to anyone. But, in particular, if you are looking for a free wellness boost in the colder, darker winter months when the freedom of outdoor activities in the summer feels like a distant memory, a full moon swim could be just the thing. Find an instant community. Find solidarity, even among the ones who like some quiet and swim away from the hubbub. Bring out the brave you. And don't forget to embrace the full moon energy to breathe life into some intentions.