King offers blessing to mindfulness walks and breath yoga at Highgrove
The King has given his blessing to mindfulness walks and breathwork on yoga mats at his Highgrove residence.
Beginning in April, the public will be able to enjoy these holistic workshops at the monarch's estate in Gloucestershire.
In an email advertising the new sessions, titled Breathe Deeply at Highgrove, it was announced that Halen Breathwork – which specialises in breathwork and meditation techniques – would be running the event.
The ' mindfulness event', being held on Sunday April 27, will allow guests to 'explore the science of breathwork and discover its mental and physical benefits', which include improved sleep and reduced stress.
The monarch, 76, has long been a supporter of holistic medicine and has been advised on his health for many years by Dr Issac Mathai, who operates on holistic principles and runs the Soukya resort in Bangalore, to which Their Majesties are regular visitors.
Dr Mathai said in 2023 that he does 'medical consultations' with the King and Queen a few times a year, either in London or they visit him in Bangalore.
'We interact and do what is necessary to maintain their health and wellness,' the doctor explained.
Previously, alternative wellness therapies have been on offer at the King's Scottish stately home as part of a fund-raising charity weekend.
Chinese meditation, journaling and yoga were among the practices on offer at Dumfries House, costing £500 a head.
The new workshop at Highgrove Gardens, by contrast, will cost £125 per person and will last for half a day.
The advertisement suggested that it would 'help bring harmony between the mind and body'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Courier
3 hours ago
- The Courier
Angus South SNP hopeful vows to fight for 'scunnered' locals and independence
The SNP's Angus South hopeful Lloyd Melville says he'll fight ruthlessly for 'scunnered' locals who are concerned about health and education. Mr Melville, a councillor for the Monifieth and Sidlaw ward, will stand under the SNP banner at the Scottish Parliament election next year as incumbent MSP Graeme Dey stands down. Speaking to The Courier, the 24-year-old Holyrood hopeful set out his priorities in the local school estate and rural healthcare. Mr Melville, who party insiders say is among the 'next generation' of leaders in the SNP, told The Courier: 'We're listening to people at the moment. 'What they are telling us is that there are particular challenges around healthcare, the cost of living, around education. 'People are feeling a bit powerless and scunnered at the moment. My priority is to act on those areas. 'In healthcare, for instance, the Scottish Government is investing targeted sums to bring down waiting times, which is good progress but there is much more that needs to be done. 'What I pledge to do as the candidate is listen to communities across Angus South and ruthlessly and relentlessly stand up for those priorities in the Scottish Parliament.' He added: 'As a local councillor one of the things I've helped to do is deliver record investment in the education estate. 'I think there is more that needs to be done there in terms of rejuvenating the school estate in Angus and making further improvement. 'I want to make sure that we protect our rural healthcare setting and look at what more can be done to ensure that housing developments pays towards the cost of local services like health and social care. 'We know the impact that has, particularly in places like Monifieth.' Asked about his other priorities, Mr Melville says it would be 'remiss' not to say that he wants Scotland to be an independent country. 'That's very much up there on my list of priorities,' he adds. Asked how he would seek to convince voters in Angus, he explained: 'The onus is on us to make sure that independence is relevant. That's what the first minister is seeking to do. 'We have to make independence relevant and interesting again to ordinary folk. That's going to be my focus. It's about delivery in the here and now and relating independence to people's everyday concerns.' SNP MSP Graeme Dey has represented Angus South since 2011 and was re-elected in 2021 with 50.7% of the vote and a majority of more than 6,000. The Scottish Conservatives have selected anti-pylon campaigner and councillor Tracey Smith to face off against Mr Melville. She is founder and chair of the Save Our Mearns pressure group. The party came second at the last election.
The Courier
3 hours ago
- The Courier
Kirriemuir hub hosts launch of £1.5m dementia-friendly climate action initiative
Angus and Fife dementia centres will be at the vanguard of a pioneering climate change project for the nation's ageing population. On Thursday, Kirriemuir Connections dementia centre marked a £1.5 million National Lottery funding award for the Climate Wisdom initiative. It is being led by Outside the Box, a Scottish charity and social enterprise. Climate Wisdom brings together Meeting Centres Scotland, the Institute for Place, Environment and Society at the University of Heriot-Watt, and the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York. Scotland's first dementia meeting centre was established at Kirrie Connections. These are evidence-based social clubs for people with mild to moderate dementia and their families. Meeting Centres Scotland CEO Graham Galloway said the increasing effects of climate change are happening as the UK population is ageing. The 'make-do-and-mend' generations, from before fast fashion and throwaway plastics, could be among those to feel the greatest impact. 'In 2022, 19% of the population was aged 65 and above,' said Mr Galloway. 'By 2072, this could rise to 27% – equal to more than 22 million people. 'Older people are more likely to be the most affected because of underlying health conditions, reduced mobility, unsuitable housing, social and economic inequalities, and their limited role in climate planning. 'As we respond to climate change, it is essential to ensure everyone, including people living with dementia, can contribute to shaping our common future.' Climate Wisdom aims to support people to take positive, practical action on climate change. In the first two years, the project will focus on 13 meeting centres in Fife and Angus. Kirrie Connections said it was excited to be involved in this innovative project. 'Our members are keen to share their stories of how recycling was always a big part of daily life, hand-me-downs and no plastic tubs,' said a spokesperson. The lottery funding will support environmental arts, storytelling, reminiscence and nature-based activities. 'It aims to close the policy and practice gap between climate action and dementia support,' added Mr Galloway. Outside the Box said: 'This is a practical, hands-on and engaging project.' 'It will explore ways in which small everyday changes, that we can all do, will have an impact on climate change. 'Outside the Box is delighted to be leading a partnership of experts to ensure that older adults and people living with dementia are not only protected from climate risks but are leading the response.'
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Fears newly-discovered coronavirus is 'one step away' from infecting humans
A team of researchers from Washington State University fear the newly-discovered HKU5-CoV-2 coronavirus found in China could mutate enough to cause a pandemic Scientists have warned that a newly-discovered coronavirus could lead to another pandemic. Researchers from Washington State University believe the HKU5-CoV-2 virus, found in China, is only one "small" step away from mutating. This in turn could allow it to infect humans and cause a widespread outbreak. Experts are on guard due to the pathogen's close relation to MERS, a life-threatening virus that kills around a third of people infected. Adding to the fear is that HKU5 was first recorded in bats by scientists from the Chinese lab where some say Covid originally came from in 2019, resulting in millions of deaths. The latest study was published in Nature Communications and looked at a lesser-known group of coronaviruses known as merbecoviruses, which includes HKU5 and MERS-CoV. In it, a team from the US looked at how the new pathogen interacts with human cells. Professor Michael Letko, a virologist at Washington State who co-led the study, said: "HKU5 viruses in particular really hadn't been looked at much, but our study shows how these viruses infect cells. What we also found is HKU5 viruses may be only a small step away from being able to spill over into humans." It was found that a small change in the virus' spike protein could mean that it attaches to human ACE2 cells, which are located in people's throats, mouths and noses. At the moment, the pathogen is only spreading in bats. However, scientists are concerned that unregulated wildlife trade in China increases the possibility of it eventually being transmitted to other species. 'Pseudoviruses' were created in the lab that include the HKU5 spike protein but are ultimately harmless and cannot replicate. These were then introduced to different types of cells, with some carrying bat ACE2 and others carrying human ACE2. In the experiments, the virus glowed green when it had entered and replicated inside a cell. The bat cells lit up brightly, meaning that HKU5 can easily infect them. However, human cells showed hardly any response unless the virus had certain mutations. The fear now is that if HKU5 jumps to an intermediate animal, for example a mink or civet, it could mutate enough before eventually reaching humans. One theory over the origins of the pandemic is that it was caused by a leak from a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This gained traction after the Director of the FBI Christopher Wray said the bureau believes Covid-19 "most likely" originated in a "Chinese government-controlled lab". However, last year scientists who were part of a major international study rejected this popular belief. They instead claimed that it broke out from a wet market in Wuhan, China. Genetic samples of animals that were sold at the market stalls in 2019 found traces of the Covid virus in some species. Author of the study, Kristian Andersen from Scripps Research, said in the document: "This adds another layer to the accumulating evidence that all points to the same scenario: that infected animals were introduced into the market in mid to late November 2019, which sparked the pandemic."
