Author: hrtristram

I am making Helping Hats, to support Oxfam's & Save the Children's artwork at the awful crisis in Yemen, and to support other charities too. Find out more about what's happening in Yemen and what work is being done to help, at these links: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/emergency-response/yemen-crisis https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/where-we-work/middle-east/yemen Helping Hats project - what it is, why it … Continue reading Helping Hats

Don’t Comment on Weight I would like to tell (or remind) people, that commenting on people’s weight, is almost always problematic, and can often be damaging and/or dangerous. For anyone who has had issues with eating disorders, dysmorphia or body image, any comments about weight can be very triggering for their mental health and overall … Continue reading Don’t Comment on Weight

There’s a tricky balance to find   Between making the most of each day And taking care of your needs, acknowledging your limitations   Between living each day as if it was your last, savouring every last drop with vim and vigour And taking care of your body and mind, acknowledging your need for rest … Continue reading A Few Floaty Thoughts About Balance

LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 4. HR. "Physical embodiment of whole hearted, blissful, magical, universal and very personal love." What’s the point of the LGBTQ+ Stories Project? Sharing people’s stories, increasing understanding, food for thought, busting myths, hearing individual voices, celebrating LGBTQ+ people. So, the fourth in this series of LGBTQ+ Stories, is from me - eek! … Continue reading LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 4. HR. “Physical embodiment of whole hearted, blissful, magical, universal and very personal love.”

LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 3. Emma. "Love is a bonding agent, just like glue and sometimes just as messy!" What's the point of the LGBTQ+ Stories Project? Sharing people's stories, increasing understanding, food for thought, busting myths, celebrating LGBTQ+ people. Many thanks to Emma for taking the time to answer these, and for being the third … Continue reading LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 3. Emma. “Love is a bonding agent, just like glue and sometimes just as messy!”

LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 2. AnnA. "I look at the soul and the heart first." What’s the point of the LGBTQ+ Stories Project? Sharing people’s stories, increasing understanding, food for thought, busting myths, celebrating LGBTQ+ people. AnnA wrote these answers FROM THE OCEAN! That’s dedication. At one point in the interview, AnnA expresses confusion about what … Continue reading LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 2. AnnA. “I look at the soul and the heart first.”

LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 1. Louise Tondeur. "I don’t think self-identifying language matters as much as real connection to friends and to people who get you." What’s the point of the LGBTQ+ Stories Project? Sharing people’s stories, increasing understanding, food for thought, busting myths, celebrating LGBTQ+ people. I really enjoyed reading Louise's answers, and I'm thrilled … Continue reading LGBTQ+ Stories Project! 1. Louise Tondeur. “I don’t think self-identifying language matters as much as real connection to friends and to people who get you.”

Isn't it interesting how your strengths can also sometimes be your weaknesses, and your weaknesses can also sometimes be your strengths? For example: somebody who is great at "laser focus," pushing forward with an agenda, getting good stuff done, etc., may also be quite blinkered by that quality/state, and unable to take a step back … Continue reading Strengths Can Be Weaknesses, Weaknesses Can Be Strengths.

When you're bottled up full with feelings, when experiences run both depressing and joyful, blank and vibrant, diverse and dull, when you're uplifted by company and also nourished by solitude, when you're lonely but exhausted by people, when you're saddened by sickening on-going health problems that make you fed up & itch to get on … Continue reading The Joy of Being Understood, and Other Things, written a bit Stream-O-Consciousness-y

Many times, I have experienced shame around things that are, essentially, just one of the many aspects of being human. I have also felt that shame dissolve significantly when simple conversations or exchanges reveal that everything one can experience, will have been experienced in some similar fashion by other people. You are not isolated in … Continue reading Not Hiding Our Human-ness

Bi+ & Pan, Attraction Beyond Gender, Consensual & Non Consensual personal language changes, LGBTQ+ community supporting each other, not bullying each other, and stuff like that. So, I’ve seen lots of things around recently about Bisexuality and Pansexuality that have really, really gotten under my skin. I tried to brush them off at first as … Continue reading Bi+ & Pan, Attraction Beyond Gender, Consensual & Non Consensual personal language changes, LGBTQ+ community supporting each other, not bullying each other, and stuff like that.

Very proud of GLOWchoir Brighton and friends! Here is a beautiful memento video of our Winter Sharing 2018, which raised £100 for MindOut, and lifted many spirits! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHJj8GX0MJ8 Video by the wonderful Mike South, https://www.mikesouthphotography.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mikesouthphotos/ Thanks Mike! Looking forward to more uplifting community singing times with you all again very soon! GLOWchoir starts again … Continue reading GLOW choir video, and upcoming fun!

Strength, Gentleness, the Human Voice, Dismantling “Feisty.” Isn't it wonderful how gentleness and strength are not opposites, and are in fact facets of each other, in some ways. I feel both gentle and strong, in different ways in different circumstances in changing waves. I see interconnectedness between gentleness and strength in many areas. For example, … Continue reading Strength, Gentleness, the Human Voice, Dismantling “Feisty.”

Quite a personal ramble, about stuff. In the run up to this Christmas I had been in a dark place. Privately so. Most people who see me day to day see the 'best' of me: my professional self in 'performance and service' mode, or my social self at the times when I've saved the energy … Continue reading Carols, Choirs, Tears, Fears, Health, Roots, Family, Xmas Rituals

A massive thank you to everyone who was part of GLOW choir’s End of Term Sharing on Saturday Dec 15th. You are all amazing! It was a wonderful wonderful evening, full of community, bravery, joy and love. Thank you so much everyone! Congratulations to GLOW Choir and friends for such a magical event. Everyone who … Continue reading Sharing the GLOW with MindOut!

I've been thinking a lot over the years about integrity. Honesty, transparency, respect, and particularly integrity. It's something I aspire to, care about, and do my best to maintain, in as far as any flawed human can. Muddy areas of thought, in some circumstances, can create unnecessary suffering, discomfort and confusion. Vaguery, in some circumstances, … Continue reading Thoughts on Integrity, Respect, Choirs, LGBTQ+ Groups, Allies, Inclusion, Biphobia, Animals, Saying No/Yes, and other such things.

The wonderful Jude Murray has made an e-book out of some thoughts I shared recently. Thank you Jude! It's a free book of encouragement and food for thought, for yoga teachers. Enjoy! https://healing-space.teachable.com/p/warning-contains-advice-free-e-book NB I taught yoga for about 7/8 years, hence the reflections shared in this free book!

Do any of your dear ones enjoy singing, but need encouragement? . Do they want help with specific technical aspects, such as pitching, tone/quality, rhythm, harmonising, expression, performance skills? . Do they need a boost of confidence and joy? Do they want to feel more confident with public speaking, or with using their voice in … Continue reading Seasonal Sonic Gifts!

Ahoy! Congratulations GLOW Choir and friends on a beautiful end of term Sharing in June, celebrating who we are and what we've shared this term, and raising funds for Educate & Celebrate.   The Marvellous Mike South (of Mike South Photography https://www.mikesouthphotography.com/ ) made this video, and I'm very pleased to share this GLOW Choir … Continue reading GLOW Sharing Video; New Term Soon!