MOTHER, CRYTSAL HEALER, YOGA TEACHER, MODEL AND DRESSAGE RIDER

Spring is in the air and with it comes a huge dose of positivity, meet Camilla our inspiring woman for April.

Camilla and I first bonded over our love of gemstones and crystals. I soon learnt that Camilla is so much more – she has the ability to focus her mind in such a way that she has created the most enriching life for herself built from many facets.

Not content with one career, Camilla has shaped her own universe and way of living that suits her and what she wants from life – let’s find out a little more…

Camilla thank you for being a part of our 12 inspiring people series this year.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mum to two adorable little monsters that occasional embrace their human form! They are the super energetic ages of 9 & 4! I am also a fur mum to two beautiful Lusitano horses that I compete at dressage. Then at the ‘bottom of the list’ as he puts it is my wonderful other half of 17 years! When I am just being me I am a holistic therapist specialising in crystals, reflexology & I’m a YMCA accredited Hatha Yoga teacher. In my spare time I enjoy embracing my inner Claudia Schiffer & can be found shooting on location or strutting my stuff on the runway!

How did you get into crystals?

My mum was a palliative care nurse & alternative therapist so growing up she often took me to craft fairs, holistic & spiritual events & I was drawn to crystals.

Then after school I was often in my mum’s unit reading, chatting & drawing with my mum’s patients, less strict back then & I started getting crystals for some of the patients. I started to notice how much people liked them & how happy they made them… Therefore, my love for crystals grew & my next big milestone of crystal discovery was being pregnant & then using them for the most beautiful hypo birth at home with my first son.

Exercise is a big part of your life, tell us what your day looks like?

For me exercise is like popping a feel-good pill. I either practise yoga, or ride my horses, or both every day. The majority of mornings I wake up early & have a lovely ‘sunrise stretch’, all animals do it, but us humans seem to forget & its so important to relieve any tension, increase blood flow, release endorphins & prepare the mind & body for the day. I teach yoga, either 1:1s or groups on Mondays, Fridays & Saturdays, then I always do dressage training on Tuesdays & go for a lovely countryside hack on Thursdays. If I’m not riding then you can find me mucking-out, shifting hay bales & woodchip, I call it my rural gym workout!

I know you don’t just exercise your body, you see exercising your mind just as important, why?

I view our minds as a very special ’muscle’ with three key ingredients., It needs nourishment through positivity, rest through sleep & a variety of exercise that’s both energising & calming. Many of us have very busy minds juggling, work, homelife, partners, children, animals etc but to truly exercise & expand the mind you need to be able to calm the mind into a state of relaxation. If you imagine a busy mind like a muscle, is in a constant state of contraction, which has connotations of tension, spasm, tightness, whereas extending means opening, lengthening & loosening.

Can you share your top tips for exercising the mind please.

Yoga is wonderful for the mind & body, there’s not many activities that truly connect the two & exercise both thoroughly. But if yoga is not for you then going for regular walks in nature & take what I term ‘bliss’ moments are wonderful. A bliss moment is just taking a few minutes to stop, breath & take in your surroundings, focus on what you can see, smell, hear & touch. Then most importantly close your eyes & smile to yourself. Another little tip is to hum, particularly before bed its scientifically proven to reduce stress & induce calm!

And what are your top tips for living an enriched life

Find something you are passionate about & give yourself time on a regular basis to become immersed in it. Believe in & trust in yourself to achieve what you want, set 3 goals every March (the real new year) however big or small, write them down, & go for it. Being a crystals therapist, I can’t help but suggest in finding ‘your crystal’ to help manifest what you want. New moons & full moons are fabulous to power-up your intentions..

Horses are a big part of your universe, what do you love about them and how did you get into competing?

My mum says my first ever word was ‘horse’! I started riding at 3 years old & fell more & more in love with them. I love all animals, but for me horses are incredibly special. They are naturally ‘flight’ animals & they have this calm, kind, knowing aura about them. They have an incredibly soothing energy that I’ve seen have the most transformational effects on children & adults over the years. If you are open to it they will connect with you on so many levels. I compete my older horse nationally at dressage & we can do some fancy ‘dance moves’ & often I can just think what I want her to do & she does it. Incredible really!

You also model, how did you get into that?

I first modelled when I was in my teens, however I have always been more Amazonian in build & suffered from really bad acne, so things didn’t really take off. Then a few years ago (well into my 30’s) I decided I wanted to model so I started manifesting it & believing it. I contacted a photographer to do a test shoot & there was a fabulous make-up artist there, she mentioned there was a charity fashion show coming up & a fabulous designer was showcasing… I contacted the designer to ask to model for her & abracadabra she said yes, became a really good friend that I then modelled for at London Fashion Week & it all grew from there.

Next week I’m shooting & styling a Country Life themed shoot for the fabulous Suffolk Life Magazine with the very talented photographer Elizabeth Ebsworth & I can’t wait so share how it went on the podcast.

What are the photography workshops you host?

We host styled workshops for all creatives including photographers, artists, designers, content creators etc at beautiful venues with stunning steeds & fabulous fashion, & these take place around the country. Themes have included wedding extravaganza beauty at the beach, cowgirls in the lavender & many more. Everyone is welcome & they are an opportunity for all attendees to grow technical skills, create unique content for pleasure or portfolios & to meet new people, make friends & network.

Tell us a little about the retreats you run?

I host Wellness Retreats at beautiful & relaxing locations. Some retreats focus on yoga, crystals & meditation, but others like my quarterly retreat at the stunning Down Hall Hotel & Spa includes spa treatments, champagne tasting & afternoon tea with all the trimmings. For me life is about balance & delighting the senses so at most of my retreats I embrace the ‘treat’ part of ‘retreat! Champagne, chocolate & lots of laughter are top of my list!

How can people book?

My new website will be live in a couple of weeks & everything will be listed & available to book on there. For now, I have a few Facebook groups & announce everything on my Instagram so please feel free to DM me. @camilla_sxx

If someone is reading this and they aren’t happy with where they are or what they are doing in life what would you say to them?

Be honest & be gentle with yourself. Remind yourself that we are all on a journey & generally there’s some twists & turns.. Before you think about what you are unhappy with, start with the things that make you happy whether you are doing them now or not. Writing things down, drawing pictures or making a college from photos always help focus. Talk to someone else about how you feel whether that’s a friend, partner or professional, its always good to talk & share..

And lastly, what are your favourite Sarah Verity rings and why?

What’s not to like, they are all such beautiful crystals, gorgeous designs & the rings are adjustable! I have Amazonian aka fat fingers, size s & t so I’ve always really struggled to find rings. I tend to wear more gold than silver & I’m currently wearing the beautiful rose quartz ring. Every time I look at it throughout my day it makes me smile. Rose Quartz is one of my very favourite crystals, known as the unconditional love crystal, that promotes peace & harmony & inspires compassion. I live for a world where everyone embraces their inner Rose Quartz!

Shop Rose Quartz and get your love here