'Then it got down off the mushroom, and crawled away in the grass, merely remarking as it went, 'One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter. 'One side of what? The other side of what?' thought Alice to herself. 'Of the mushroom,' said the Caterpillar, just as… Continue reading Mushroom Mindfulness
Imagine being a person who has been imprisoned inside, all of their life. Consider that on average our children spend 4 hours a week playing outdoors. To put this in perspective, for the 168 hours of a child's week, just 4 hours are spent out of doors. To look at this another way, less than… Continue reading Change your perspective
Sometimes it is just worth slowing down for a moment and appreciating a single plant. A plant worth pondering is the much-maligned stinging nettle. I have chosen this plant because holds a notorious reputation, and fear, in the young and the old. It maybe because of this that we rush past this plant on our… Continue reading An Ode to Urtica
How trees affect our mental and physical health is becoming increasingly well documented – but this article asks the deeper question of why? It began with knowledge that trees take the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and convert it to oxygen as part of their own respiration. Trees ‘clean’ air for us to breathe… Continue reading Why are trees good for us?
"It was dawn on the vernal equinox. The sun rose to warm the backs of the silver birch. We lightly tapped the bark and drank the sweet, pure sap as it rose to push out the first flush of foliage. The touch and taste captured the essence of spring and nature in a way that… Continue reading Foraging for Wellbeing
People’s increasing disconnect with the natural environment has widespread implications for wellness. Chronic conditions are increasing on a worrying trajectory; pain is exacerbated by stress and this can create the conditions for long term pain. Reducing stress on our bodies, including through nature-based practices, have been proven to reduce chronic pain and consequently provide a… Continue reading Nature: treating chronic pain
The crack of branches bent too far The rustle of leaves spring, summer or fall The soprano of limbs rubbing The groan of trunks bending in a gale The gentle kiss of leaves falling on the ground The fizz of wind through pine The quake of a storm through aspen The flap of a breeze… Continue reading The song of trees
"Not knowing what to expect I found the forest bathing session a wonderful experience. The delicious forest tea and biscuits in the heated tipi was the perfect ending. Camilla and Mark made everyone feel relaxed and welcome and the combination of a guided mindful walk, helping us tune into nature, along with their woodland know… Continue reading Forest Bathing for Carers
One of the 'upsides' of living in the wilds is that we can really catch the weather. Unseasonal snow fall might have caught us on the hop a bit but it has done two good things. It has forced the hurly burly of busy modern life and our crowded Isle beyond our horizon. All of… Continue reading Snowed in with time to reconnect
'Splitting logs is the part of the job Arne enjoys most. "It’s a therapeutic. And it’s not a very complex job. Routine really, but not boring. So many things happen in our everyday lives bother us and cloud our day. Often, if I’ve been to a meeting and gotten worked up about something or other,… Continue reading Chop Therapy: The Art of Being Present in Full Flow.
