Build A Wellbeing Wardrobe

The day has come to a close and your laptop closes along with it. You take a deep breath and sigh, shrugging off the day’s efforts. It’s a gentle expression of relief that comes naturally and feels so good. Well, it turns out that we can develop our ability to release stress in this way and pick up these stress-busting tools at any time.

If wellbeing on demand sounds too good to be true, then read on – we’ve outlined some widely used healing modalities used to strengthen the mind-body connection and make our recovery mechanisms stronger. So, increased ability to cope with emotional challenges quickly and a more complete bounce-back. We’re in – and we’ll be appropriately dressed in Loop cashmere.

The Beauty of Breathwork

You may have seen versions of controlled breathing techniques done by self-development thought leaders like Gwyneth Paltrow and Wim Hof. So, it may seem like the new kid on the holistic wellness block but Breathwork has roots that can be traced back to the ancient yogic practice of Pranayama, or ‘breath control.’

Various rhythms of breath are used to achieve different results, ranging from emotional release, trauma recovery and enhanced intimacy with your authentic self to higher state of consciousness that ignite spiritual evolution. In all cases, the nervous system is stimulated and led back to regulation over time. It sounds great, doesn’t it?

What to wear: Like yoga and meditation, Breathwork is best done in comfy clothes that won’t restrict your breathing. Heightened sensations and changes in body temperature are normal during practice, so we recommend our wide legged donegal knit trousers and a matching sweatshirt that’s cocooning rather than close-fitting.

Sense-ational Sound Baths

These immersive meditation spaces are springing up everywhere. In the spirit of community healing, there’s been an abundance of facilitators offering group sessions from trendy inner-city studios and sunny far-flung retreats alike.

During practice, you’ll literally be ‘bathed’ in sound waves. Gongs, singing bowls, tuning forks, rattles, chimes, and chanting are used to create resonant tones that are thought to have a healing effect on the mind and body. The resonance created is said to be penetrative – breaking up emotional and physical areas of ‘blockage’ and or any feelings of being ‘stuck’. Participants have reported everything from a peaceful feeling that’s carried from practice into everyday life, to decreases in chronic pain and other symptoms of illness.

What to wear: Sound baths are often done while lying down on yoga mats and there’s normally no activity required from you, so make sure you’re warm enough from the start. Some people like to echo the dress codes of traditional spiritual practices by wearing light and bright colours. We’ll be going in cashmere wrap cardigan and cosy cashmere socks.

Somatic Therapies – Move into healing.

It’s recently become widely accepted that the body can often carry the weight of our unresolved emotional burdens. Somatic therapies are healing practices designed to reduce stress physiologically, rather than focusing on verbal communication.

As Breathwork is a physical practice it falls under this umbrella of modalities, and so do dance and TRE therapy, a set of trauma releasing exercises that induce involuntary shaking in order to activate and get rid of pent-up tension and stress.

Devotees have reported increased ‘softness’ and flexibility in the body, better sleep, improved relationships, and a more positive outlook – which we imagine would happen with weekly sessions of ecstatic dance. We might just join in.

What to wear: You’ll be moving (perhaps a little, perhaps a lot) so it’s best to slip on something with the ease of active wear. Our cashmere hoodies are great because you can always unzip or remove them should you start to feel too toasty.

Check out our loungewear edit for chunkier knits for the trip home and capes and blanket scarves to wrap up in during meditations.

See you on the mat!