Client Spotlight: Pamela Sidhu

Introduce yourself, who are you and what do you do during the week?
My name is Pamela and I’ve spent the majority of my life immersed in the arts industry as a dancer. I now work as an actor, and model and spend most of my week freelancing across these disciplines. However, when asked who I am and what I do, I simply want to answer - a child. Forever learning; failing; growing and endeavouring to stay open hearted, and fully involved in life.

How would you describe your Reiki experience with Olivia to someone who is brand new?
With Olivia, you immediately recognize you are in safe hands. Oliva holds you with deep warmth, grace and love. A true healer. Though Reiki experiences are subjective, I think anyone who has a session with Oliva will experience an almost immediate release of stress and a feeling of deep relaxation. My reiki experiences with her have been powerful, impactful, and deeply insightful. A real sanctuary of clarity, peace, and healing, at moments in my life when I felt overwhelmed and lost. I feel so grateful to have encountered Olivia and her gifts, and would recommend her to anyone/everyone.

What are 3 rituals you come back to when you fall out of balance?

When life seems to fall out of balance, I naturally turn to rituals that anchor me, though as I get older these rituals have evolved. Falling out of balance is often an experience of increased anxiety or grief. As this is essentially energy, a strong aspect of my rituals involve the release of that energy, in an effort to return to myself. For me this looks like writing, runs and cold ocean dips. Movement has always been a safe space. Very little is able to permeate that sanctuary. I’ve found a similar peace in cold water. It pulls you into the present moment, forcing you to focus ONLY on your breath. It's such a gift to experience that profound peace, and connection with nature. She is a force to be reckoned with, and to connect with her through cold water is not only healing, but powerfully invigorating. I always walk away with renewed gratefulness for life, a deepened relationship with my spirit, and its connection to the greater whole.

What is your beauty regime?

My physical and mental health is my biggest investment, and I believe its intrinsically connected to ‘beauty’. I recognise that beauty is not, by any means, limited to your aesthetic. However, with aesthetic in mind, when I think of "beauty regimes", I think of skin health. Insert a massive, and heartfelt thank you to skin therapist Romy Burgess, for literally changing my life!!!

Skin is your largest living organ, and therefore healthy skin is an inside-out job. Over the years I’ve noticed my skin always reflects my internal environment (which I see as a real gift), guiding me to greater holistic health, even if the reality of breakouts is less than desirable. As a result, part of my skin regime is being present to / responsible of my mental health, and the other part is supporting my skin internally, so it can do its job. Each day I take the Bestow Gut Health, Collagen Boost and Beauty Powder - usually in a smoothie. Additionally, the Bestow Beauty Oil and Beauty from Beneath Capsules (B12/Zinc Complex.) I would highly recommend this company and their products. New Zealand founded, sustainably sourced and distributed, - packing a wide range of natural and organic skin nutritional boosters.

Secondly, I’m committed to my Dermaviduals skin care routine. Dermaviduals strengthens the skins protective barrier. It works with the dermal membrane structure of your skin, not against it - like so many other 'of-the-shelf' products. I use their Cream Cleanser; Suusmoon Lotion N; DMS Base High Classic Moisturiser; Vitamin Cream Mask (with vitamin A, C, E and B5); as well as their Sunscreen. For exfoliation I use the Osmosis Polish Cranberry Enzyme Mask three times a week, alongside at home dermal needling with my MTS Roller. I will adjust some of these products as we move into the warmer seasons.

AND finally, when we’re not in a lockdown, I try to visit Romy for an LED Light Therapy and PRIN mask facial. This is a lymphatic therapy facial mask, helping to oxygenate the skin, clearing out toxins and flushing it with nutrients. And I thiiiiiink that's it Unless of course you open the conversation of diet and hydration, but that’s a pandoras box for another day.

Who/what inspires/expands you?

My younger self inspires me to expand. I don’t want to let her down. I feel like part of my journey is returning to the girl I was. Returning to her magic, dreams and unapologetic joy, before all of it was censored, and she was made to feel and act small. I truly want to honour her, and live freely and boldly. Life is increasingly too short to not be all of you, all the time.

What mantra/piece of advice most resonates with you?

I’m constantly filling the tank with wondrous words, from the myriad of phenomenal humans whose thoughts I’ve been blessed to encounter. There’s simply too many glorious pieces of advice and mantras to pay homage to. One that comes to mind is a phrase I used to say to myself when I felt accosted by /or lost in a situation. “I am more than this moment.”

Another, which I have as the background on my phone, is a quote by Mooji. It reads ~ “Don’t be a storehouse of memories. Leave past, future and even present thoughts aside. Be a witness to the life unfolding by itself. Be free of all attachments, fears and concerns by keeping your mind inside your own heart. Rest in being. Like this life is always fresh and imbued with pure joy and timeless presence. Be happy, wise and free. What’s the other choice?”. 'Rest in being' is so powerful to me. I hear it calling me home. I feel the weight of everything lift from my spirit. It echoes the thoughts of Eckhart Tolle, and many spiritual writers/speakers, where the consideration is that 'the NOW' is the most precious thing there is. To realise deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. To accept it and, in doing so, find infinite freedom. Infinite peace.

Then there is LOVE. It is the original currency, the original human exchange. Its either in surplus or deficit, and I believe everything we experience in life is a by-product of this phenomena. At my very core I consider love to be the greatest energy in this multi-verse, and though I may not always honour it, I am actively trying to move with it and through it. In the Super Soul podcast OPRAH WINFREY:THE MAP, Oprah has a speaker that says “Blast them with love.” This is my mantra as I walk into spaces that feel intimidating -- audition rooms I see you.

What is a piece of advice you'd give your younger self?

I wouldn’t give my younger self any advice. I’m alive because of her. I am the person I am today because of her. Because of all her joy, and her pain. All her wins, and her fails. I would simply say a massive thank you for enduring, for never giving up. I would hold her and tell her she is deeply, unconditionally, loved. Tell her that she is safe. That she is safe with me. That I’ve got this.

What is your morning ritual?
In truth, my constant morning ritual involves snoozing my first alarm and brushing my teeth. Full disclosure, I set three alarms every morning because I’m absolutely terrified of missing it. As a result, I’m really working on changing my relationship with sleep, so I can better know/respect my own body clock, and prioritise sleeps magic / potential. I’d highly recommend listening to the Sleep Course on Insight Timer by Jennifer Piercy.

Anyway, I digress. I think the more enlightened response to ‘morning' rituals, expands across my whole day. As a freelancer, I don’t have a locked in schedule. It’s constantly changing, which is both a luxury and a big challenge. Therefore, I have a more relaxed approach. At some point during each day, I will devote time to a meditation, followed by coffee and a podcast. With the inclusion of movement, as mentioned earlier, these are rituals I always uphold.

You are a busy woman; how do you incorporate balance into your life?
As a freelancer I’ve had to incorporate balance by letting go of the rigidness of structure. I definitely need structure, but I’ve had to loosen the reigns in order to let life in. In this way I don’t feel like I’m constantly failing. Each day I identify the tasks or jobs, the immoveable rocks, that need to be met. I then allow my other priorities i.e. other work, chores, friends/family, hobbies/interest and self-care to trickle around the important tasks. Through this, more flexible structure, there’s usually room for everything, and I feel some sense of balance.