Harmony in Health

With spiralling mental health issues in young people and increasing eco-anxiety,  how can connecting to nature play a role?

In this episode we hear from three young people with a passion for nature and all that it can offer.  They discuss personal experiences in nature, their choice of career, and share their thoughts on sustainability; an insight into the role nature has in young people finding harmony in themselves and in the worl...

How does our environment affect our wellbeing?  In particular, how can 'precious spaces' be created in schools that offer children and adults space to be themselves?

 In this episode, Julia talks to Dr Emma Dyer, an educational adviser who works with many schools, psychologists, therapists and children, assisting in the creation of supportive environments.  They discuss what makes a helpful space, the need for sa...

Many people recognise that they feel better when spending time in nature.  Why is this and how can this connection with nature be nurtured?

In this episode, hear perspectives from three women who work in different ways connecting people to nature:  Leah McNally (London Wildlife Trust), Liz Ware (Silent Space) and Esther De Groot (The Really Green Gardener).

They discuss how nature can help wellbeing, touching on topics of diversity, ...

Bartosz Nowakowski, theatre director, shares some rich lessons from his work with actors, young people and struggling communities. 

Techniques involving rhythm, connecting with the body, coordination and simple presence, he says, can provide a path to deal with the experiences of life - creating confidence and trust.  

Here he discusses with Julia Outlaw some of his insights from connecting with actors, Bosnian re...

We all feel better after a good night's sleep but sometimes events in the world, or in our own habits, can make this elusive.  In this episode, team members Julia Outlaw, Dr Eleni Tsiompanou, Dr Hanna Poikonen and Dimitra Makarona discuss different holistic approaches to better sleep including our natural rhythms, ayurvedic teachings around diet and natural herbs.  They share what helps them rest in the day and practical tips ...

Harmonious cooking is about far more than calories or superfoods.   There are many health benefits available to us - physical, mental and emotional - from cooking and eating.

In this episode, members of the team discuss different aspects of cooking and harmony, including; comfort food, community, diversity, the gut microbiome, cooking as making music, and the magic of the act of cooking itself.  They share favourite foods ...

At this time of the year, the end of harvest, nature is rich with changing colours, temperatures and fruits.  It calls us to turn inwards and prepare for the winter.   

In this episode, members of the Harmony in Health team offer a rich hour celebrating Autumn and its relation to inner and outer harmony.    They discuss autumn movements and smells, nutrition, foraging and herbs for this time of year, and some traditions fr...

Music has the potential to bring people together and can make a huge contribution to our practical exploration of harmony. 

In this episode, Julia Outlaw talks to team member Sara Khoroosi about her work with music in the community: with children, displaced people, professional musicians and complete beginners.   They explore how to create space for freedom of expression, the richness that comes from working towards a perf...

Foraging has been gaining in popularity as people recognise the benefits of living more harmoniously with nature.  Of course, it used to be a way of life for many.   

In this episode, Konstantinos Tsiompanos shares his gentle wisdom and experience as environmental educator, forest school teacher and lover of foraging in a conversation with Julia Outlaw in which they touch on many related projects including; foraging for he...

Hippocrates, the renowned physician from Ancient Greece, is often referred to as the Father of Medicine. Although his contribution to understanding the causes of and treatment for all sorts of illnesses (including airborne diseases) was vast, many of his theories on health have been forgotten. 

In this episode, Julia Outlaw talks to Palliative Care consultant, Ayurveda practitioner and expert on Hippocrates, Dr Eleni Tsiom...

This is a trailer for our exciting Harmony in Health event on June 20. Details and booking on Eventbrite.

Julia Outlaw talks to presenters Anne Andenaes and Malgorzata Jablonska about the Summer Solstice in Norway and Poland. Ruth Routledge of Mind and Voice tells us about her work and will teach us a seasonal song on June 20.  A new presenter for Harmony in Health, Toral Shah, talks about the importance of circadian rhyth...

Harmony team member Julia Outlaw, herself a Long Covid sufferer, discusses this condition  and the impact of our course with two women who are navigating their path back to health with us.

Here are some quotes from the podcast, on Ayurveda, natural breathing and other ways to help restore balance.

• I'm understanding more the idea of working with my body and am getting to know what might help me heal
• The Ayurvedic inp...

When we were developing our Harmony in Health team, we were very keen to include people from the world of theatre.  Anyone who has read Stanislavski or Grotowski, for instance, knows that in their training actors explore mind and body in a profound way. The Harmony principles of interconnectedness, interdependence, diversity and adaptation - for example - are crucial in a theatrical production.  Performers can experience both diffe...

Julia Outlaw discusses this fascinating topic with team  member Dr Hanna Poikonen. Hanna is a dancer, neuroscientist and the founder of the WiseMotion method.

The microbiome is central to contemporary discussions around gut health and the immune system, but is only part of the complex ways in which mind and body interact. Neuroscience is no longer limited to a study of what happens in the brain and is increasingly investig...