Why does creativity bring joy? According to ancient Indian texts, the sacral chakra is one of the seven central energy points in the body. Located about four finger-widths below the belly button, it’s associated with the colour orange, pleasure and creativity. Its Sanskrit name, Svadhishthana, means ‘dwelling place of the Self’. What happens when your …
A long wooden table laden with fragrant foods and Mediterranean flora has been placed among the olive trees. Chairs of all shapes and sizes have been brought out in readiness for the long-held Italian tradition of dining as a family. Here, the Italian proverb, A tavola, non si invecchia, loosely translated as ‘At the table, …
Do you work in a caring profession but sometimes think that you just can’t do it anymore? Are you in a caring role with a friend or family member, or maybe even a poorly pet? Do you feel exhausted from caring for others and find it difficult to put your needs first? If any of …
Why are siblings competitive? Consider the following childhood scenarios. It’s the annual school sports day. Because you and your sibling have the same surname, you’re on the same team, both wearing your red shirts with pride and participating in cheering other pupils on when they throw further or run faster than the yellows, greens and …
Should I go with my gut? If you’re sailing through a cloudy night, without the stars as a guide, you need an accurate compass. You can’t trust someone else’s word that you’re going in the right direction – like a GPS signal, it might fail you. But a needle pointing north never will. This is …
What is a meadow and what is their practical purpose? ‘Sitting in a meadow is a balm for the soul – a meadow is the most peaceful and gently restful place I can imagine,’ says Wilson Wall. ‘Without meadows, we would lose pockets of diversity and serenity that cannot be replicated in parks and gardens.’ …
Read moreWhy are meadows essential for the environment and our mental health?
How can crafting help you to achieve focus and attention in a busy world? Craft is not just the final product or the how-it’s-made behind the objects in our day-to-day lives. It’s a continuing arc between past and present, a way of weaving together broadly gathered cultural influences, of keeping them alive and offering creatives …
Why is it important to question capitalist ideas about the best way to live? Of course, people need money, and they need enough money, but structures built around money and profit-making for some are doomed to fail the majority. This isn’t to advocate everyone moving off-grid and stopping work entirely. At this point in time, …
Read moreWhy is knowing when you have enough essential for mental wellbeing?
How the right fragrance can help with self-realisation In the summer of 2005, on a visit to the French Riviera, I came across the beautiful village of Grasse, home to the almost 100-year-old Fragonard perfumery – a treasure trove of all things fragrant, where you can see the noses at work and even mix your …
How did Kerry Ashby embrace the reinvention offered by a new career? Starting out as a florist, Kerry plodded along in her role, unfulfilled and frustrated, until, at 30, she swapped flowers for bandages and a career in nursing, retraining from scratch. Rising through the ranks, she found herself as head of paediatrics at a …
