Reconnect this Autumn and Winter

We’re delighted to say that we’ve secured more funding from Sussex Community Foundation to continue our 4 week Reconnect courses offering more chances to get out into nature with others this autumn and winter.

This time of year can be so tricky for some but exposure to light, connection with people and the earth can be so helpful in warding off those winter blues.

We have courses running on nearly every day of the week so there’s bound to be one that will work for you or your clients. We’re also offering 2 gentler courses on Mondays for those who would love to join us but may have lower energy levels or less physical mobility.

For more information and to register for a place see Reconnect — Growing wellbeing

Join us for the Big Green Day Out

If you’re looking for something really rather lovely to do on Saturday 16th October why not take part in the Big Green Day Out.

Explore Sussex and discover all the wonderful green wellbeing projects that are doing such great work on a number of trails across Sussex. Tour the sites, meet the project leaders and experience the benefits of being outside in some beautiful locations.

For more information on the trails available including maps and info about each project see the Facebook event Big Green Day Out

We hope to see you there

Contribute to our video celebrating the arrival of spring!

Under the earth, new life is stirring. Though it looks like not much is changing above the surface, spring is on its way. Shoots are starting to emerge as winter turns gradually to spring, and the days lengthen and brighten.

In fact, this time of year was traditionally held to mark the beginning of spring. Today (1st February) marks the ancient Gaelic festival of Imbolc – a celebration of new life beginning to emerge, the stillness and chill of winter beginning to pass, and a reawakening to the fresh, hopeful energy of spring.

Announcing… the Hope Springs video project

To celebrate this important time of year, we are excited to invite you to join us in contributing to a creative, collaborative community project called “Hope Springs”! The aim is for us to come together in welcoming spring by making an inspiring video based on weaving together all of our creative inputs.

We invite you to keep your senses and creative spirit alive as you spend time in nature. What beautiful and hopeful signs of the arrival of spring capture your attention and your imagination? It doesn’t need to be anything special – perhaps just the buds emerging on a branch, a landscape lit up in the sunshine, or plants beginning to grow in your garden. Whatever speaks to you is wonderful.

What can I send in for the video?

Here are some suggestions of what you can send us to contribute to the Hope Springs video:

• Photos – of nature, artwork, craft projects, and more…

• Videos – of walks, magical moments, animals…

• Writings – poems, journal entries, reflections…

• Sounds – recordings of nature, self-composed music…

These are some ideas and perhaps you have others too…?

Where do I send my contributions?

We are very excitedly looking forward to receiving your contributions – the deadline for sending us your photos, videos, writings or sounds will be Sun 14th February.

Please upload your contributions here: http://bit.ly/grow_hopesprings — and send a message with the name(s) of your file(s) to info@growingwellbeing.org.uk to let us know what you’ve sent us!

Share the spring love!

In the meantime, get out there and get creative, and please spread the word to your friends and family. If you want to support us to promote this community project on your social media, please link this blog article and use the hashtag #hopesprings :-).

Lots of love and we wish you a hopeful and inspiring beginning of spring.

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Practice: Making magical memories

Hello everyone :-) This week we will be exploring how to make magical, multisensory memories of your favourite places. We all know how special it is to have even one place where we feel we can relax and just enjoy being there.

Where do you like to be?

For me, it’s a little patch of woodland on the Downs. I like sitting on the musky, soft ground or against a tree, feeling the coolness of the air and the shelter of the leaves above me. I can get lost in listening to the dancing of the raindrops on the canopy when the skies begin to open. The smell of the earth is grounding, somehow. This place helps me to feel held.

By taking the time to sit and really soak in all the different sensations and impressions of a place, you can begin to paint a vivid memory that lives inside you wherever you go. This memory becomes like a friend that you can bring back whenever you need to comfort and delight yourself.

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How to make your memory

Below are some simple invitations and questions to help you to experience all the richness of your place and build your memory. So have a play and see what finds its way into your magical memory:

What can you see?

Take in the whole picture – what view do you have? What things make up the view? What can you see close up? What shapes and colours can you see? What are the plants and animals that live here? What can you see that you like?

What can you hear?

Close your eyes and explore the sounds around you. Which direction does a sound come from and how far or near is it, do you think? Do you know what makes each sound? Which sounds do you like?

What can you touch?

What can your hands touch? Spend time exploring the different textures and shapes – rough or smooth, soft or firm, wet or dry.

What does your body feel like?

Feel your feet, or bottom, or back on the ground. Can you become aware of your whole body? Can you feel the air on your body?

What can you smell?

Reach around yourself and explore the different smells in your place. Try smelling the air, plants and trees, the ground, yourself.

What can you taste?

This is a tricky one! Be adventurous, be safe.

How does it feel to be here?

What emotions do you have? What thoughts come up while you are here? Is there anything you want to try to remember? Any words of wisdom for yourself?

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Caring for your memory

Visiting your place to make your memory is like planting a tiny seed in your mind or heart. With regular watering, the seed can grow into a beautiful flower.

So explore ways of caring for your memory. Perhaps you’d like to journal about all the sensations you experienced, either after the practice or in the evening before you go to bed? Or perhaps you can bring the richness of the memory back creatively — by writing a poem about your place, making a drawing, or crafting little objects from your place out of coloured paper or other materials.

All of these ways of caring help to foster a special connection with your place. With regular care, the memory can stay alive in your heart and mind, like a friend you can call on when you need them to remind you of the beauty in the world.

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How was it for you?

That’s all for this week, but we’d love to find out how you found this practice. Please share your stories, photos, creative inspirations and joys with us! Take care and enjoy building some beautiful memories.

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