Stimulation and Relaxation – that’s what WI’s about!

Members have been out and about this month taking advantage of opportunities offered by the WI.  We heard that the Blythe Group meeting at Hill Ridware had been hilarious thanks to speaker Peter Slack, a dairy farmer from Derbyshire, while the County Federation’s Annual Council Meeting lived up to its reputation as a thoroughly good day out. The planning for it begins two years in advance and key speakers can cost thousands of pounds. This time it was TV celebrity Jeremy Spake of BBC’s ‘Airport’, other speakers being the World Treasurer of Associated Country Women of the World (who explained how the money we donate is targeted at small projects which make big differences to local communities) and the Chair of the WI’s own Denman College. Three of our members have just had a lovely weekend there, each on a different course – painting, making chutneys and preserves and exploring the ‘Square Mile’ of London – indicating the diversity of stimulating experiences on offer at this beautiful manor house in Oxfordshire.

 
PAULINE, SHIRLEY AND JAN OUTSIDE DENMAN COLLEGE (Click here for more photos)

Another member went on an SFWI day course to “Bring your WI into the 21st Century” by learning how to design this website.
It is hoped that as well as attracting new members, it will add another dimension to the WI for existing members, enabling them to share photographs and experiences while providing a safe environment for those who are not confident about using the internet. Anyone who misses a meeting can read about it online and there are links to other interesting sites. (See for yourself what it’s like at Denman College!)

Our speaker Janice Johnson who is a hypnotherapist, psychotherapist, counsellor and life coach, gave us a fascinating talk about her work. She stressed that hypnosis is a conscious state and it is not possible to force anyone do anything against their will, although it may seem so when hypnosis is used in the entertainment business. Her therapy can help with mental illness, behavioural problems, depression, fears and phobias and her clients range from children to people in their eighties, some of whom are referred by their doctors while others come privately. Most of them have in common a need to change some aspect of their lives combined with an inability to make that change themselves. This can be because they are unable to change their own perceptions of themselves or because at some time they may have misinterpreted the reactions or words of others. Words can have a very powerful effect on self esteem and it can be hard to relinquish negative feelings while stress and tension contribute to a feeling of helplessness. Hypnotherapy can have a positive effect because, in Janice’s own words, “Hypnosis creates a deeply relaxed state in which mental stress and bodily tension are reduced. In this relaxed state, the mind is usually more open to the process of change.” Clients may then be taught to understand the sources of their problems and take responsibility for overcoming them. Janice finished her talk by dimming the lights and teaching us how to relax, so effectively some of us must surely have dozed off since she said we had been relaxing for ten minutes while it seemed like only three or four!

Next month on December 7th is our Christmas Party for members only, but visitors will be welcome again in January. For information please contact Penny Bailey, using the link at the bottom of the page.