The Happiness Prescription

Kim Arnold, author of The Tarot Diet, chooses a card to help you shed pounds Surrender your worries, plans and fears for a peaceful night’s rest

This month’s card

A young man stands on a beach holding a golden cup. As he attempts to drink from it a fish appears. The Page of Cups is the card of the dreamer, someone who may have their head in the clouds but is also intuitive and extremely creative when they put their mind to a task.

If you are ready to embark on a healthier lifestyle, be creative, devise a system that works for you. Find a way that embraces your lifestyle but enables you to make better decisions – discover ways to swap bad choices for healthy options. Being under the influence of this card suggests you are in a creative frame of mind, so use this time for positive change. If you have avoided starting a plan of self-care, now is the time to begin it. You can do this!

With a little planning, determination and creativity, you could reach your goal in no time.

This month’s food

September welcomes a lovely selection of seasonal fruit and vegetables such as apples, figs, pears, pumpkin, and butternut squash, which

are all high in vitamins and can be transformed into beautiful, filling and healthy dishes.

Figs are often a fruit we forget about, however they’re rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and copper and are a good source of antioxidant vitamins A and K that contribute to health and wellness.

Figs wrapped in prosciutto and baked in an oven for 15 minutes are not only different but also a delicious and nutritious treat. And why not try this salad – it’s likely to get you addicted to this soft, chewy fruit in no time!

This month marks the transition to a new season. Just as the trees release their leaves, which are no longer required, Autumn’s spiritual vibe is all about saying thanks and then letting go.

Surrendering to the unconsciousness of sleep is perhaps the ultimate act of ‘letting go’. But many of us struggle to switch off at night, our minds churning over worries, regrets or that never-ending to do list. In her book The Magical Home (CICO books, £12.99), spellcrafter Cerridwen Greenleaf suggests the following tranquillity meditation.

YOU WILL NEED:

6tbsp almond oil

2tbsp jojoba oil

15 drops sandalwood essential oil 15 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops clary sage oil

A blue or green bottle with a tight cap

Mix the oils in the tightly capped bottle. Shake well and pour a little of the mix onto the palm of your hand to warm before using.

Rub the oil lightly onto your shoulders and neck as well as your temples and wrists. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and breathe deeply.

Then say out loud:

‘Remove from me all worry.

Remove all stress in a hurry.

No more will I lack sleep.

No more will I weep.

Tranquillity and calm, come to me now. With harm to none, so mote it be.’