Walking in an Inner Wonderland
Walking For Wonder
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking - Friedrich Nietszche
That old chestnut of a song, Winter Wonderland, contains some wisdom- to make life a wonderland we need to go for inner and outer walks. A pharmacist once told me that 20 minutes sunlight on our hands and faces gives us the daily sun vitamins we need - so walking can be truly revitalising. It also gives us time to walk through the talk in our heads - to turn over ideas about projects, ruminate on our relationships and simply let our thoughts wander. Walking feeds us with inspiring sights and sounds - from the dancing smile of a laughing child, the rugged face of a local tramp or the wind whistling through shivering leaves. Like all forms of movement, walking charges up our inner spark, reigniting our energies and reconnecting us with our natural rhythms.
I’m looking forward to stoking the inner fires with graceful, generous yoga teacher Ciara Jean Roberts at a special Winter Warmer workshop - Phoenix Rising please do join us this Sunday for a heartwarming sing and stretch.
Making the Impossible Possible
“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” - The White Queen, Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Our inner worlds can sometimes seem at odds with our external circumstances. We may find ourselves pushing to fulfil conditioned expectations or social obligations while inwardly longing to sit and dream by the fire. Creativity bridges the gap between our inner and outer world, inviting us to walk through the wonderland of the impossible before making it outwardly possible - to listen to our hearts desires, our crazy ideas, our whisps of inspiration. Singing requires us to listen for the magic of breath, melody, harmony, rhythm and to resonate with a song, a feeling, a story until it emerges as outward sound.
I am currently honoured to be working with Joanna Foster, Angela Reith and patients on the Singing for Breathing programme at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals on a composition that celebrates the wonder of breath, sound and song. This will be performed on 11th November at the exhibition of Jayne Wilton’s exquisite breathe artwork which makes the inner world of the breath visible.
Dreaming the world into wonder
Later on/ We'll conspire/ As we dream by the fire/ To face unafraid/ The plans that we've made/ Walking in a winter wonderland
We need the warmth of courage to fan the flames of our hearts desires. To make our world a wonderland we must act on our dreams. The solutions to so many problems - both personal and collective - lie within and at the tips of our fingers. I was recently inspired by a visit to Paxton Green Time Bank - part of a nationwide scheme enabling individuals and organisations to share and access skills, assets, time and resources. An hour is exchanged for an hour - whether that’s an hour of gardening, exercise or training - celebrating the value of our time and the wonderful wealth we have as individuals and communities. There is more than enough wealth in the world to end poverty - a tax of only 1.5% on some of the world’s billionaires would be enough to put every child in school and provide health care in the world’s poorest countries. You can sign Oxfam’s petition to help Even It Up and dream a more wonderful world for all of us.
Wishing you a wonder-filled November
Inner World - S Jaswant
Dear <>
I am surrounded by folks telling me they feel overwhelmingly tired here in London. It’s no surprise - even though the autumn has been unusually warm, we now have less time to soak up the sun’s rays. Yet in an urban environment, the production line carries on, insisting that all continue to output at the same level. We wrap our bodies in extra layers, yet can miss the summons to stoke our inner fires. Whatever season we are in, it is essential we nourish our inner worlds so that we can remain connected to our natural, creative impulses and re-energise our sense of enchantment with the wonder of life.
Dear <
I am surrounded by folks telling me they feel overwhelmingly tired here in London. It’s no surprise - even though the autumn has been unusually warm, we now have less time to soak up the sun’s rays. Yet in an urban environment, the production line carries on, insisting that all continue to output at the same level. We wrap our bodies in extra layers, yet can miss the summons to stoke our inner fires. Whatever season we are in, it is essential we nourish our inner worlds so that we can remain connected to our natural, creative impulses and re-energise our sense of enchantment with the wonder of life.
Walking For Wonder
All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking - Friedrich Nietszche
That old chestnut of a song, Winter Wonderland, contains some wisdom- to make life a wonderland we need to go for inner and outer walks. A pharmacist once told me that 20 minutes sunlight on our hands and faces gives us the daily sun vitamins we need - so walking can be truly revitalising. It also gives us time to walk through the talk in our heads - to turn over ideas about projects, ruminate on our relationships and simply let our thoughts wander. Walking feeds us with inspiring sights and sounds - from the dancing smile of a laughing child, the rugged face of a local tramp or the wind whistling through shivering leaves. Like all forms of movement, walking charges up our inner spark, reigniting our energies and reconnecting us with our natural rhythms.
I’m looking forward to stoking the inner fires with graceful, generous yoga teacher Ciara Jean Roberts at a special Winter Warmer workshop - Phoenix Rising please do join us this Sunday for a heartwarming sing and stretch.
Making the Impossible Possible
“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” - The White Queen, Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Our inner worlds can sometimes seem at odds with our external circumstances. We may find ourselves pushing to fulfil conditioned expectations or social obligations while inwardly longing to sit and dream by the fire. Creativity bridges the gap between our inner and outer world, inviting us to walk through the wonderland of the impossible before making it outwardly possible - to listen to our hearts desires, our crazy ideas, our whisps of inspiration. Singing requires us to listen for the magic of breath, melody, harmony, rhythm and to resonate with a song, a feeling, a story until it emerges as outward sound.
I am currently honoured to be working with Joanna Foster, Angela Reith and patients on the Singing for Breathing programme at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals on a composition that celebrates the wonder of breath, sound and song. This will be performed on 11th November at the exhibition of Jayne Wilton’s exquisite breathe artwork which makes the inner world of the breath visible.
Dreaming the world into wonder
Later on/ We'll conspire/ As we dream by the fire/ To face unafraid/ The plans that we've made/ Walking in a winter wonderland
We need the warmth of courage to fan the flames of our hearts desires. To make our world a wonderland we must act on our dreams. The solutions to so many problems - both personal and collective - lie within and at the tips of our fingers. I was recently inspired by a visit to Paxton Green Time Bank - part of a nationwide scheme enabling individuals and organisations to share and access skills, assets, time and resources. An hour is exchanged for an hour - whether that’s an hour of gardening, exercise or training - celebrating the value of our time and the wonderful wealth we have as individuals and communities. There is more than enough wealth in the world to end poverty - a tax of only 1.5% on some of the world’s billionaires would be enough to put every child in school and provide health care in the world’s poorest countries. You can sign Oxfam’s petition to help Even It Up and dream a more wonderful world for all of us.
Wishing you a wonder-filled November
Dreaming more wonder in your world
* Make time for a wonderful walk
- perhaps in a new and undiscovered place
* Acknowledge your wonderfulness
- celebrate and list your skills and assets
* Dream something different
- dare yourself to fulfil that secret dream
* Bring more wonder into the world
- do something to make someone’s day
- perhaps in a new and undiscovered place
* Acknowledge your wonderfulness
- celebrate and list your skills and assets
* Dream something different
- dare yourself to fulfil that secret dream
* Bring more wonder into the world
- do something to make someone’s day