Utopia’s first Winter at the Water Temple...

Welcome to Utopia’s first Winter at the Water Temple...

Yes this is a favourite season of mine, mainly because I get to quieten down my life and reflect a little on life. This is the Water element relating to the Kidney and Bladder Zang Fu.  For more details follow link to the WATER Element.  Apart of the 5 phases of Chinese Medicine, which you have all heard me talk about and how important it is to live  life at a different pace over the winter months. Go to bed just that little bit earlier, or sleep a little later and that can be just an extra 30 min either side. Even one night a week can help. I remember reading early on in my studies the most important hrs of sleep are between 10 pm and 2am, and research backs up the belief of how important sleep is for the body and mind, how the brain function dimensions when sleep deprived.

Many of you know that Utopia health care had moved location late last year to High street Armadale, but not all have been able to visit these new premises and some are a bit apprehensive about what floatation therapy actually is. I first heard about it some 20 years ago and didn’t think too much about it except that it sounded like an interesting experience. (As many of you know I love all sports and activities associated with Water, even the fact of being a Piscean adds to this). The last 10 months has been a fast track journey to learn all I can about the benefits of Floatation Therapy and bring myself up to speed with how it fits into healing in the 21st century.

 The current research on (as it started back in the 1960’s by Dr John Lily) 

Sensory-deprivation, (which I prefer to call sensory awareness) also known as REST (restricted environmental stimulation therapy) happening in both America and China in the psychology department is very much focused on the mental health and effects on the brain.

But from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective I feel it is the most yin nourishing activity one can do to benefit the Kidneys, our “trust fund” as one of my early teachers called it, floating is possibly the fastest way to relax and slow down the adrenal running through your system, and when the adrenals are exhausted so is your body and mind and then illness begins in any system.  So to me it is obvious now why I have been so drawn to this therapy. I could talk/write on about all the benefits, instead please follow this link to one of Water Temples blogs which lead to other writing too.

Many of you know I moved to the country for 3 years to recharge my batteries and have time to think about the next phase on my life. Well I have returned to Melbourne excited and inspired by marrying all I know about the benefits of Chinese Medicine and the healing I have learnt over the last 20 plus years with this amazing therapy. The benefits of magnesium I have been talking about for years now, with products that I have had in clinic that so many of you now use on a daily bases ( well when you remember) please follow link

Yes I am off to the States to learn more in a few months at their Float Conference, and when the opportunity is open will connect with the profession in China as they too have a conference, and a hospital department dedicated to research, maybe one of Melbourne’s Hospitals or Universities on the cutting edge of science wants to come on board and start a research department focused Floatation Therapy

For those of you who think they will feel claustrophobic in a tank please read the blog we have written. The Water Temple has had most of my attention to date for obvious reasons, but it is now time to bring the 2 together as these modalities marry so well.

Come in, warm up, soak up the benefits of magnesium, while you lay back and float in one of our dream pods. Experience the combined benefits of what I do with a float after your healing.

Please sign up and like us on our social media sites in the footer below.  As I have stepped into this domain as well and will keep you up to date with the happenings at both Utopia and Water Temple.

But better still drop but, High Street Armadale has certainly changed in the last decade and become a real health and well-being hood.

And to finish a favourite winter dish sorry no picture

Lamb Shanks

Ingredients
Serves: 4 

·        4-6 tablespoons olive oil

·        4 lamb shanks, trimmed

·        5 tablespoons flour

·        1 leek, halved and cut into 1cm pieces

·        2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

·        2 carrots, roughly chopped

·        2 medium onions, chopped

·        12 garlic cloves, unpeeled

·        1 bay leaf

·        1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

·        1 sprig of thyme

·        1 sprig of rosemary

·        350ml red wine

·        600ml chicken stock

·        Sea salt

Directions
Preparation:20min  ›  Cook:2hours30min  ›  Ready in:2hours50min 

  1. Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees C .
  2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy, metal baking dish on a hotplate over medium-high heat. Toss shanks with flour to coat well; then shake off excess. Sear the shanks in hot oil until well browned on all sides, then remove from the dish and set aside.
  3. Add the leek, celery, carrot, onion and garlic to the baking dish. Cook until softened and lightly browned, stirring constantly; about 5 minutes.
  4. Season with the bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary sprigs. Pour in the red wine and chicken stock, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer.
  5. Season to taste with sea salt and place the lamb shanks on top of the vegetables.
  6. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place into the preheated oven. Bake gently until the meat is tender and falls off of the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
  7. Remove the bay leaf and herb stems before serving shanks with vegetables and sauce.