Mandala Cymru

17/02/2026

Carl Sagan famously said that” WE ARE MADE OF STARSTUFF”. The full quote comes from his 1980 television series “Cosmos”:

“The Cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the Universe to know itself.”

What made Sagan such an amazing science communicator was his ability to say beautifully poetic things like this, all while being completely scientifically literal. We humans truly are made of the elements that stars create. We are starstuff.

So let’s break down what that means.

The chemical elements constituting human bodies—including carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen—were forged inside ancient stars and dispersed during supernova explosions. This scientific fact emphasizes our literal connection to the cosmos.

- Scientific Origin: Almost 90-95% of your body mass was created within stars.
- Nucleosynthesis: Stars act as giant factories, using intense heat and pressure to fuse simpler elements into heavier ones. When these stars die, they release these elements into space, which later formed planets and life.
- Interconnectedness: The phrase highlights that all life is composed of the same materials scattered across the universe, making us, as Sagan suggested, a way for the universe to know itself.

29/01/2026

Anxiety’s greatest trick is that it convinces us to care about and pay attention to everything, even things that, in the larger picture, do not necessarily matter. This can result in over-attention or fixation on things that are neither helpful nor relevant, which can lead to stress and burnout. When our attention is divided or stretched too thin, we lose sight of the true priorities of our lives.

The first step in learning to care less is reducing the stigma associated with caring less. To be clear: It is not about not caring; it is about intentional, directed, and prioritized caring. If we blow with every wind, we are bound to be swept away and overwhelmed by the force of the gale.

To care less about things, focus on what you can control, practice radical acceptance for what you cannot, and set firm boundaries on your time and energy.

- Practice Radical Acceptance: Acknowledge that fighting reality only causes suffering. Accept that situations (like mistakes or bad weather) happen, and avoid blaming yourself or others.

- Identify Your Priorities: Stop wasting energy on things that do not matter in the long run. Focus on your own goals, values, and the people who truly care about you.

- Set Boundaries and Say No: Protect your time and energy by saying “no” to things that drain you or do not align with your priorities.

And finally…

- Practice Detachment: View external validation as irrelevant. Your peace comes from within, not from the opinions ofothers.

26/01/2026

Being present is a state of “wakefulness” in which you are aware and engaged in this moment, just one thing at a time. It is becoming conscious of what is happening within and around you so that you can participate fully in life.
When present, you focus on what you’re doing rather than what you’re not doing. When putting your children to bed, you’re “with” them rather than preoccupied by a situation at the office or the footie on TV. While talking with your spouse, you let go of distractions to really see him or her and hear what he or she is saying.

Of course, sometimes you may fail to be present because a task seems unpleasant. Going to a different place in your head seems like a way to avoid a disagreeable experience. But, as Thich Nhat Hanh writes in his book At Home in the World, “To my mind, the idea that doing dishes is unpleasant can occur only when you aren’t doing them… If I am incapable of washing the dishes joyfully, if I want to finish them so I can go and have dessert or a cup of tea, I will be equally incapable of enjoying my dessert or tea when I finally have them… Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred.”

✨Benefits of Being Present✨

Being present is a powerful way of living which results in two benefits. First, you enjoy life more. You notice simple pleasures that emerge from your moment-by-moment experience that you miss when you’re unconscious o distracted. And second, you become more effective in dealing with life. You face it squarely. You step up to situations and, by so doing, tap into your inner resourcefulness. You learn to respond rather than react and gradually develop confidence in your ability to handle life.
Although bringing awareness to the present moment is an ancient practice, it has been well-researched since the 1970s. Being present is not natural. If you are like most people, your mind likes to “split” away from the present moment and go off on all kinds of side trips. So every time you notice, you simply bring it back to this moment. Then you do this again and again and again (to the 10th power).

01/01/2026

My Delilah all over as many of you in Penygroes can attest! 😆I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I’ve had to post on Facebook for help in locating her! 🤣🤣🤣

15/12/2025

12/12/2025

19/11/2025

✨💆🏻‍♀️WHY CHOOSE THE GIFT OF MASSAGE FOR A LOVED ONE?💆🏻‍♀️✨

Massage is a thoughtful gift because it promotes relaxation. It relieves physical and mental stress, and shows you care about your loved one’s well-being. It’s also an experience gift that offers a break from daily life, boosts mood through the release of endorphins, and can strengthen relationships, especially with couples massages. It is also a practical gift because it is universally applicable and avoids the hassle of finding the right size or style of a physical item.

💆🏻‍♀️ Types of Massages and Their Purposes 💆🏻‍♀️

✨Swedish Massage: Ideal for beginners, this massage uses long strokes and kneading to relax muscles and improve overall circulation.
✨Deep Tissue Massage: This technique targets deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, perfect for chronic tension and those who prefer more intense pressure.
✨Aromatherapy Massage: Incorporates essential oils to enhance relaxation and offer additional benefits, such as stress relief and mood enhancement.

💃🏻Benefits for the recipient💃🏻

- Stress relief: Massages reduce stress hormones, which helps ease anxiety and muscle tension.
- Physical well-being: They can increase flexibility, boost circulation, relieve aches and pains, and help with muscle recovery.
- Improved mood: Massages can stimulate the release of hormones, leading to an improved overall mood.
- Self-care and “me-time”: A massage gives someone an opportunity to relax, unwind, and focus on themselves.

✨Benefits for the giver✨

- A thoughtful and meaningful gesture: It shows care for the person’s health and happiness.
- Versatile and adaptable: A massage gift can be customized to your loved ones preferences.
- Experience over possessions: It’s a gift that creates a lasting memory.
- A “one-size-fits-all” solution: A massage voucher is guaranteed to be the “right fit” for the recipient, as they can choose the service that best suits them. 📞07933 110275 today to enquire🥰

massage

14/11/2025

Woohoo! We made it my lovelies! ✨💃🏻HAPPY FRIDAY💃🏻✨

Once upon a time we are all young and full of dreaming into how we wanted our lives to be. We think that we have all the time in the world and that we can achieve “success”, be perfect at what we were doing, and certainly feel we know what life is all about.

It was so hard to make mistakes as we think somehow that we have to be perfect in everything including our relationships and our appearance. It isn’t until we find ourselves at the other end of the human life cycle that all those “mistakes” take on an entirely different form.

And now we can hopefully laugh when we make mistakes, understand we will have forgetful moments, and accept our on going dramatically changing outer appearance. Knowing that inside we still feel the same person we always have been ….and that we are still learning what life, passion and creativity is all about!

In our teenage years, we find ourselves right smack in the middle of exerting our independence from parents and others who seem to want to set restrictions or interfere with our right to privacy, how we look or who we choose as friends and how much time we spend with them.

When we really think about it, as we get to the later stages of life, aren’t we doing the same thing? Severing our ties to the mainstream narrow perception of how an elder should act, think, be and exerting our independence.

For this is a time of life that is definitely filled with freedom to simply be the person you came in to be. Wrinkles and all. It is up to us to live as fully as possible while we have the ability to do so no matter what the culture says.

And that may mean getting up to some mischief, audacity in the face of restrictions, and some wildness thrown in here and there for good measure….with plenty of laughter on the way!

“Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” – Samuel Ullman

14/11/2025

Life! There’s just no stopping it.😊✨

13/11/2025

11/11/2025

Ever thought of going vegan? I personally am not and would never become fully vegan, however, there are many positive benefits to implementing personal changes in that direction. I’ve outlined a few of them below. However, it’s super important to remember that even the smallest of changes we make can have profound long term health and wellbeing benefits. I’ve outlined some below.

People go vegan for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. A well-planned vegan diet can support weight loss, improve heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and reduce the risk of certain cancers and type 2 diabetes.

🏥HEALTH🏥

🫀Heart health: Vegan diets are typically lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease.
🏋🏻‍♀️Weight management: They are often lower in calories and higher in fiber, which can aid in weight loss and management.
🦠Reduced disease risk: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
🫄🏻Gut health: Increased fiber intake can support a healthier gut microbiome.

🩺Other Potential Health Benefits🩺
In addition to the health benefits listed above, following a vegan diet may offer additional health benefits such as:

✨Reducing arthritis symptoms
✨Reduced risk of poor kidney function
✨Reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s

I personally opt for flexitarianism. Part-time veganism,” more commonly referred to as a flexitarian or semi-vegetarian diet, offers many of the health and environmental benefits of a fully plant-based diet while maintaining the flexibility to occasionally consume animal products. I do love bacon and cheese!🤣

So you guys do you because you know you better than anybody else.😊 Happy veg munching!😉🤪
🍆🥒🥔🌽🥕🥦🍅🥗🫜🧅🌶️🧄🍠🫑🫛🥬

10/11/2025

✨HAPPY MONDAY my lovelies✨

This morning we’re going a little nuts!😉

Just a few simple tips to ensure that you receive the max amount of nutrients available from the nuts that you consume.

So as my first illustration above lays out, by soaking our nuts in water overnight, we can make them more nutritious. This one simple hack improves their digestibility and increases the body’s ability to absorb some of the minerals they contain. This process helps break down compounds like phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, which can interfere with mineral absorption and make the nuts harder to digest. Soaking also softens the nuts and improves their flavor and texture.

🥜🚰Tips for soaking nuts🚰🥜

✨Soaking time: The ideal soaking time varies by nut. For example, almonds, hazelnuts, and pistachios need 8 or more hours, while walnuts and pecans can soak for 4 to 6 hours.

✨After soaking: Always rinse the nuts thoroughly after soaking before eating them.

✨ Enjoy them: You can eat soaked nuts as they are, or add them to recipes like oatmeal, smoothies, or homemade nut milks.

Why not give the above recipes a go and let me know how it went. Nut butters are incredibly easy to make and with these recipes being only 3 ingredients, the reward to effort ratio makes them super worth while trying!😁

Anywhoozle, have a fantabulous day and I’ll see you all tomorrow 😘