Planet Mindful May/June 2021

Find ier calm

as life spds

up again

12

17

5 010791 821000

17

Issue 17

May/June

2021

UK £5.99

AU $13.99

CAN $11.99

USA $9.99

5 010791 821000

“The most beautiful things

in the world cannot be seen

or touched – they must be

felt with the heart.”

Welcome

Life is an amazing journey,

and the past year has

certainly had its fair share

of twists and turns. For

many of us, it’s been a

chance to step off the

rollercoaster and really

think about what we want and need to live

a life filled with happiness and purpose.

With that in mind, the theme of this issue is very

much about the changes and tweaks we can make to take

back control and move towards a positive future. On p20

we look at how we can hold on to that slower pace of life,

whilst on p26 we delve into the topic of self-love and why

this is paramount to wellbeing. Our feature on p78 also

shines a light on the world of cottagecore – a concept that

eschews the demands of modern, urban life in favour of

the rural idyll. Think traditional crafts, home-grown food,

and a feeling of true escapism.

As always, this issue is also packed with ideas to

support you on your eco journey – whether that’s saving

water (p51), reducing waste (p60) or cooking delicious,

low impact meals (p74). It’s also well worth having a read

of our article about wildlife gardening (p82) – it will make

you feel better about the fact you haven’t mown the lawn!

And finally, we are so excited to have launched our

new website this month – head to planet-mindful.com

and take a look. You’ll find expert advice, mindfulness

techniques, wellbeing breaks and a host of other ideas for

getting the most out of your one precious life.

Enjoy the issue…

nurture yourself

12

38

In this issue

74

7

78

82

34

46

88

protect the planet

embrace the moment

Contributors

the team

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THE HAPPY PLACE

“Be so busy loving your

life that you have no time

for hate, regret or fear.”

>

ECO STAYS

a mindful idea

The Creative Writing

Breakfast Club is a

‘free flow creative

writing hour’ with

writer Laurie Bolger.

The online sessions

bring people together

on Sunday mornings to

let creativity flow. £10,

eventbrite.co.uk

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Live well

Wholesome World is

an NHS-approved

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promotes healthy

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world around us.

Available from the Apple and Google Play

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£0.79 per month or £6.99 per year. 20% of

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>

How to...

one small change

Want to reduce packaging, food

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Expert advice

12 lessons

that will

change

your life

1

If you’re

n a tura lly

crea tive, be sure

to n urture this

2

3

>

4

Ch a llenge

yourself to

a wa lk, run

or cli m b

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

En joy th e

journ ey – li fe is

ever-c h a n ging!

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Staying slow

when the world

speeds up

For most of us, lockdown hasn’t been all bad. We

have learnt to slow down and spent more time

with our families. Some of us have taken up

creative hobbies and improved our culinary skills.

And many of us have enjoyed not having to do the

rush hour commute. So as the world begins to reopen,

it’s worth thinking about which changes added value to

your life. Were you overly busy with social engagements

before the pandemic? Have you been more mindful whilst

staying at home? When you are overloaded, it’s virtually

impossible to cultivate mindfulness, or at the very least,

it takes more of an effort. When you are less frantic, your

mind naturally calms.

You have learned a new way of living. Things that seemed

so important were taken away, and activities that fell by

the wayside now have a new meaning. No one expected

board games and jigsaws to make a comeback, but

they have. The world slowing down meant quality time

increased, at least with those in your home or bubble.

Think about what has been fun and nourishing. What >

“Slower living has more benefits

than you think. If you are

stressed all the time, you're

accelerating ageing.”

have you enjoyed and what will you

miss? If you are going to miss things,

make a point of scheduling them

into your diary. They may not be as

frequent as they were before, but a

level of discernment, noticing what

you enjoyed doing and sticking to it,

will help to keep hold of them.

Repeat after me, ‘Just because I can,

it doesn’t mean I have to!’ Use this

phrase as a mantra. There is no

need to accept every invitation. If

you haven’t spoken to someone for

a year and didn’t miss them, don’t

feel obligated to see them again.

I’m not someone who believes in

breaking plans unless there is some

catastrophe; I think integrity is vital

in self-love. If you are not honest

with yourself about your ability to

do things, you will let yourself and

others down, leading to self-loathing.

In my mind, the best way to do

this is to say no or if there is a group,

say, 'Let me see how I feel on the day'.

That way, everyone is well informed,

and you feel less pressured. You may

even feel anxious being in crowds or

meeting people; that’s fine. Be gentle

with yourself until you are back into

the swing of things.

Another option is to start small.

If you are not ready to go 'out-out',

meet a friend for a coffee and build

up from there.

If you are feeling overwhelmed,

put your phone down and take a

break. Go for a walk in nature or the

garden and leave your phone for 10

minutes. Only say yes to things you

want to go to. There is no need to

accept multiple invites in a day or go

out every night. Take your time, be

gentle with yourself. Nights in are

essential, too. If you fancy watching

Netflix and knitting, that’s your

prerogative. Don’t feel pressured to

be a socialite.

Slower living has more health

benefits than you might think. If

you are a person who is busy and

therefore stressed much of the time,

you are accelerating your ageing.

Ageing is the ultimate killer as it

causes disease – it’s decay in its most

literal sense. When you are stressed,

you are in ‘fight or flight’ mode

ready to battle or flee from danger.

The energy and blood goes to your

arms and legs away from your trunk

(organs) and brain.

When the stress subsides, you

are designed to drop back into ‘rest

and digest’ mode, and the blood

and energy goes back into your

middle section and brain. If you are

constantly stressed, your body never

has the chance to do its rejuvenating

work. It also compromises your

intellect – if you are in survival

mode, working on instincts, calculus

doesn’t compute. If you want to live a

long and healthy life it’s paramount

you have downtime and actually

recuperate. Remember, you can’t pour

from an empty cup.

It’s also important to understand

that fear, panic, stress and anxiety

compromise your immune system. As

we come out of lockdown, having a

robust immune system continues to

be vital. Anything you can do to avoid

or quickly bounce back from these

emotions will help you to optimise

your health.

Mindfulness is staying in the present

and noticing what is happening in

and around you. Do you feel anxious?

Consider what you can do to lessen

it – for example a walk in nature,

breathing, yoga, or a HIIT class. Step

away from the source of your anxiety.

If you are in a restaurant and it’s

getting too much, excuse yourself and

take five minutes outside. When you

feel calm, rejoin the group.

If the pandemic has taught

us anything, it’s that self-care is

essential. Stick with it; love yourself

enough to notice when you feel upset.

If you take time when you feel it

initially, it doesn’t need to escalate –

people tend to brush off their upset

until they break. Prevention is better

than a freak-out, so give yourself time

to gather yourself when you feel a

little off key.

Evoke tranquility

Sit down somewhere comfortable where

you’re unlikely to be disturbed for at

least few moments. This might be a spot

inside your home such as your bedroom

or bathroom, or outside in your garden.

Close your eyes and listen to the sounds unfurling

around you. Sift through the growl of traffic, the

cacophony of road works and chatter of people

in the garden next door until you find a naturebased

sound. There are plenty to choose from at

this time of year, from the whisper of the breeze

in bay leaves to the bubbling cry of a goldfinch.

Roll them through

your mind until you

find one that eases

your tension. Focus

your attention to

really hear the rise

and fall of that particular reverberation. Can you

pick out the subtle changes in pitch? As you listen,

feel your breathing deepen and your pulse slow.

Try inhaling deeply and identifying the scents

of flowers such as delicately ruffled sweet peas

or springy lilac blossoms. Allow hints of herbal

plants like mint, rosemary or lavender to wash

over you. If any are growing within reach, reach

out and run your fingers over the stems to release

the aroma more richly.

If the ruckus of passing cars intrudes on

your tranquillity, concentrate on converting that

hubbub into the rush of a river. It’s surprising

how effective that can be. Consider the energy of

a wild tributary and everything that flourishes

within it, from newts and damselfly nymphs to

kingfishers and osprey. Think of the earthiness

of the water, and the churn of its quenching

embrace. Conjure the warmth of sunlight playing

on its surface, breaking into ribbons over rocks

and aquatic plants like bullrushes.

Perhaps you have the capacity to control the

river you envision. Choose how fast or slow it

flows, the flurry of its motion, and the lives that

abound in its surroundings.

If your eyes flick open, breathe deeply and

gently refocus your gaze inwards. Visualise the

hues reflecting on the water – the azure of a

perfect spring sky, the varied greens of reeds,

trailing willow and duckweed, the white of a

swan’s fallen feather,

or the iridescent flash

of a kingfisher diving

after a fish.

Hear the river’s

voice as it alters with

different speeds:

chuntering over

stones, trickling, dashing and splashing along.

If a worry you’re aiming to escape bobs to the

surface, don’t try to push it back down. Instead,

consciously turn the thought over, transform it

into a single petal or leaf, and then release it for

the river to carry away.

Breathe in, breathe out, and curl your fingers

tightly until the tips press into your palms, then

unwind them loosely. Allow your fingers to ripple

as though you are dipping them into the water,

and summon the cool silkiness of that touch. By

combining an imaginative act with a physical one,

you are making a choice about how you feel. Draw

comfort from the moments you spend in this

frame of mind, and the knowledge that you can

return to this safe space whenever you want.

Learning to

love yourself

Self-love is the most beautiful

source of love that you can

receive because it comes

from you – and no one can

ever love you more than

you can love yourself. After growing

through many uncomfortable

relationships and friendships, I’ve

learnt that only I can love myself the

way I want to be loved.

You set the standard for how

you’re treated and you create

the boundaries for the love you

will and won’t tolerate. Setting

high expectations for others to

give you what you’re not giving

yourself is setting yourself up for

disappointment. The only person

you can ever have expectations of is

yourself. You know your capabilities,

and you know your strengths and

weaknesses; the beauty in this is that

you also know how you can improve,

learn, and heal.

When was the last time you told

yourself that you love yourself, or that

you’re more than capable of healing

and evolving? When was the last

time you encouraged yourself to go

for that job and elevate your space

to be around people who emulate

positive energy, just like you? When

was the last time you left a friendship

or a relationship because it no longer

served its purpose? Self-love is the

core of who you are. It’s one of the

most challenging experiences I’ve

grown through as it involves far more

than just looking after your exterior.

It’s learning to say ‘no’, learning to

let go, and learning to know what

you deserve.

My first understanding of self-love

came when I was eleven years old and >

>

my godmother gifted me a book of

affirmations. Before that, I thought

it was rather vain for someone to

love themselves. But questioning

that opinion led me to unlock this

beautiful part of my life which has

now inspired me to live with purpose

and confidence.

Our self-love can be challenged

daily by the way we choose to see

ourselves when we first look in the

mirror. My natural hair story sparked

a beautiful journey of self-love,

because until then I’d spent years

learning to love parts of me, not the

whole me. It was an unhealthy cycle

and I became dependent on it to feel

and look beautiful.

In order for us to grow and evolve,

we have to experience discomfort.

My dramatic moments of growth

have come from not being happy with

something, but now I’m in a space

of always wanting to grow and work

on aspects of myself, even when I’m

perfectly comfortable with who I am.

So, although I’m content with how I

look, I still make the effort to work

on my fitness, my diet, and even

nurturing the people in my life.

I was once booked for a self-love

campaign that required me to

write what I loved about myself

on sticky notes before I went on

set. At the time I was very low,

and for a long time had depended

on the words of others to boost

my self-esteem. Writing these

affirmations reminded me that I

had the power to describe how I saw

myself, and this made me feel good.

Since then, I’ve practised this form

of self-care at my events and also in

my journal whenever I’ve needed

to give myself a boost of positivity.

If we don’t speak to ourselves with

kindness, then how will anyone

else do the same? I strive to live a

life where I don’t need the words of

others to feed my soul.

As I journey through life, I know

how I want to feel. I want to walk

into a space feeling confident. I want

to know my beauty and my strength.

Affirmations have helped me to

identify that only I can acknowledge

who I am and who I want to be.

You’re your own source of happiness.

Create it and surround yourself with

it. Don’t depend on anyone else for

happiness or a sense of validation as

this can become unhealthy and toxic.

Building a sense of self-love before

receiving it from others is one of the

most valuable lessons I’ve learnt. This

journey takes time so don’t feel any

pressure to rush it.

I was once in a relationship on

which I’d become dependent for

confidence. At the time I thought

confidence was what I needed, yet

when my partner moved on I felt

lost. I realised I needed to begin my

journey from scratch, and I used

this opportunity to reinvent my style

and express my love for my natural

hair with confidence and power.

It was like having a

new canvas to paint

without worrying about anyone else’s

expectation of me.

As women, we were once taught

that our value comes from our

partner and their ability to see our

worth. We were taught to wait to be

complimented before complimenting

ourselves, so as not to be vain or

arrogant. It’s time to unlearn this

unhealthy behaviour and focus on

building and creating our own worth.

Once I figured this out, I realised the

importance of loving myself because

no one can take this away. No one

can take away your light.

Self-love is a journey, not a

destination. Remember that every

time you find yourself beating

yourself up for not meeting the

expectation you’d set for yourself. It’s

great to aspire to something and work

hard, but you might not get it right

first time and that’s OK. Trying is the

hardest part of the journey, but it’s

important to acknowledge that you

did it and next time you’ll know what

you can do better. We all want to be

perfect at everything we do because

we feel like the end project or the end

goal is the reward, yet that’s never

the end.

FINDING

THE

COURAGE

TO QUIT

When my siblings called me a ‘quitter’

as a teenager, it hit a nerve. I had just

stopped playing the violin after almost

ten years of lessons and I felt guilty for

wasting my parents’ time and money.

Though true, I denied the allegation vehemently. No one

wants to be a quitter. At the time it felt like an accusation

that I had thrown the towel in without properly trying.

Since then though, in my eyes at least, what it means

‘to quit’ has been redefined. I used to see quitting as a

failure. Now I see the flipside of the coin and perceive my

more recent ‘quits’ as successes in their own right.

As I grew up, the message that ‘winners never quit and

quitters never win’ was loud and clear. The narrative of

hitting rock bottom, only to climb back up to the top with

renewed determination, is often celebrated in the media,

with sports commentators revelling in that fighting spirit.

Yet life is no football game – there are neither winners nor

losers – and pushing yourself through a ‘losing’ streak can

sometimes do more harm than good.

Unfortunately, the negative stigma surrounding

quitting, which makes us feel like we are wimping out,

weighs on many of our shoulders. Founder and director of

Mariposa Coaching (mariposacoaching.co.uk), Sarah Clark,

specialises in using psychological approaches to help her

clients effect change, working to apprehend the sinister

shadow of this stigma during their sessions. Sarah’s first

line of defence lies in the name of her company. The >

word ‘mariposa’ means butterfly in

Spanish, symbolising the universality

and transformative nature of change.

“The media and the attitudes

and expectations of those around

us – who will all have different

generational influences – contribute

to other factors such as status that

may play a part in career changes,”

explains Sarah. “There may be

physical barriers to quitting too,

such as the financial implications of

becoming self-employed or forfeiting

a larger salary or pension.”

All this has you packing the

prospect of quitting into a box and

pushing it shamefully to the back

of your mind. Yet in many cases,

quitting should be admired. Realising

that something – whether a job,

hobby or relationship – that you

have invested your time, money

and even identity into isn’t

working anymore demands a huge

amount of courage.

Quitting often requires stepping

out of your comfort zone and

relinquishing your grip on the

systems that have kept you moving

along life’s highway. It requires not

fulfilling the expectations of others,

and rethinking your own expectations.

Quitting is that gut-wrenching ‘no’

that might come hand in hand with

an equally scary ‘yes’. It is the end of

a life in some ways, and the start of a

new one. Quitting is far from the easy

option, but sometimes it is the best.

Sarah says that many people who

approach her for coaching aren’t sure

what’s wrong: “They say that they’re

functioning fine, but that there’s

no zest. Things are ticking over, but

something feels out of kilter.” Sarah

explains that these feelings often

stem from an incongruence between

goals and values. Leaving something

behind in your life might enable you

to bring these into closer alignment.

At this stage – between realising

that something needs to change and

actually doing something about it

– weighing up the pros and cons of

your options is an effective way to

move beyond uncertainty. There will

be opportunities, costs and benefits

connected with both choices, but by

taking time to understand the goals

and values that are motivating you,

you’ll come to see which path to take.

Of course, as a result of social

pressure, the overwhelming majority

of people are intimidated by what

other people might think. The fact

is, you can’t change this. Sarah

encourages her coachees to take

responsibility for change. “It must

come from you. Increasing your

self-belief and self-esteem will help

block out the opinions of others and

bring what is going to be healthy for

you into sharper focus. You need to

prioritise your needs and goals above

– though not at the expense of –

those of others,” explains Sarah.

“You also need to consider what

needs to be in place in order to bring

about the change,” she continues.

“You’ll need a good support network.

Do you have the support of those

closest to you? And if you don’t,

how can you gain it?” Sarah works

with her coachees on assertive

communication, which means helping

people express their feelings and

needs more directly and honestly.

As well as this inner strength,

there will be practical issues to

contend with. Perhaps a career

change involves upskilling, or the end

of a relationship means getting out of

a joint mortgage or having to cough

up double the rent. Quitting well is

not instantaneous: “Quitting on a

life-changing scale is an experience,

a process,” Sarah emphasises.

“Sometimes it involves reinventing

yourself. Be patient. Everyone, yourself

included, will need time to adjust.”

In practice, this means quitting

slowly. Experiment by dipping a toe

in – or taking one out – and gradually

progress by spending more and more

time with this new venture, person or

past-time, and less time with the old.

However stressful and complex the

process is, quitting can positively

impact your life in unexpected ways.

“Many say it’s the best thing they’ve

ever done, and find that other parts

of their lives start coming together

too,” Sarah says. “In the long-term,

they have improved communication

skills and are better at boundarysetting

and keeping their own values

at the forefront of their decisions. I

haven’t ever worked with anybody

who has regretted making such a

change,” Sarah states frankly.

Quitting is not always a passive,

throwaway act. It can be one of the

most carefully considered decisions

you’ll ever make and has the

potential to empower your future.

THE SUMMER

SOLSTICE

It has been a tremendously

difficult year and at times it has

been hard to imagine a light at the

end of the tunnel. But the summer

solstice is an occasion we can all

look forward to – the sense of light,

life and renewal that it brings is more

welcome than ever. Coinciding with

the final stages of the roadmap out of

lockdown, 21st June 2021 will bring

much-needed hope, as well as new

opportunities for connecting.

For those of us living in the

northern hemisphere, it will be the

longest day with the most sunlight

in the year, marking the official

start of summer, according to the

astronomical definition of the

seasons. This is because, during this

time, the sun is the furthest away

from the equator. Also referred to as

Midsummer and Litha, this time of

year has been celebrated by different

cultures for decades.

In England, the summer solstice was

historically celebrated by gatherings

at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise.

Although banned in 1985, the

tradition was brought back and has

since seen crowds of around 10,000

people annually. It is not known why

Stonehenge was created, but it is

believed that it was used to measure

the passing of time via the sun. On

the summer solstice, the sun rises

behind the Heel Stone and for the

duration of the morning the sun’s

rays fill the centre of the monument.

While people were not able to

gather at the monument last year,

English Heritage – who manage

Stonehenge – live-streamed the

sunrise on their social media

channels so that people could

celebrate at home.

Multiple cultures celebrate the

summer solstice with bonfires. There

are different reasons behind this

tradition, but the recurring theme

is that fire is thought to keep bad

spirits away. The fire also symbolises

the power of the sun and represents

gratitude for the life that the sun

creates. It is also believed that the

ashes from a summer solstice bonfire

are protective and can be used to

keep bad spirits away.

In Sweden, it is common to

collect flowers and herbs the night

before the solstice, as it is believed to

increase fertility and assist in finding

a husband or wife. Folklore suggests

that during the summer solstice,

plants are more powerful, and if a

woman sleeps with wildflowers under

her pillow she will dream of her

future husband. It is traditional for

Swedes to dance around a maypole

wearing floral garlands in their

Midsummer celebrations.

The solstice brings long sunny days

that can be spent in nature, tending

to your garden, resting on the beach

or exploring outdoor spaces. The

extra hours of sunlight can lift spirits

and has been found to have a range of

mental health and wellbeing benefits,

including boosting serotonin levels

in your body. Why not have a picnic

filled with local produce, which can

be enjoyed with friends or family?

Make the most of the extra rays

of sunshine and take a trip to the

beach. Spending time in the sun helps

your body make vitamin D, which

has been found to boost the immune

system. Sunbathing can regulate

your circadian rhythm, which will

help to induce better sleep. Just

remember to stay hydrated and wear

sun protection when spending time

outside in the sun.

This year, the solstice coincides

with the International Day of Yoga.

It is the perfect time to practise

some yoga flows and breathwork.

Several free online platforms share

yoga exercises, including Yoga with

Adriene on YouTube. Due to the

easing of Coronavirus restrictions

(hopefully), it may be possible to take

part in a face-to-face class on the day.

The summer solstice is a magical

time filled with renewed hope,

celebration and gratitude. It is

the perfect time to reflect and set

intentions for the season ahead.

Celebrating nature is a great way

to deepen your connection to the

Earth and to ourselves, and spending

mindful time in nature is a great

grounding technique that can

increase your overall wellbeing.

Whichever way you decide to

celebrate the summer solstice this

year, it is an excellent reminder

of how precious our symbiotic

relationship with nature is, allowing

us to feel connected as one.

“In the end, just three things matter. How

well we have lived, how well we have loved,

and how well we have learned to let go.”

IMPULSE

VERSUS

INTUITION

Have you ever had a sudden, overwhelming

urge to dive into the local bakers for a sweet

treat? Did you ever follow an impulse to

do something kind for a stranger? Do you

sometimes find yourself saying something in

anger that you later regret?

An impulse is a decision made without thinking. It’s

usually driven by an emotional response to an obvious

external trigger: caving in and eating the family pack of

crisps; succumbing to the alluring stranger; hitting ‘buy

now’ in response to the tempting ad that popped up on

your Insta – these are examples of acting on impulse, not

intuition. Your inner wisdom is not guiding you to eat

more junk food, buy more fast fashion or hurl insults at

the woman who took your parking space.

That’s not to say that impulsivity is always a bad thing.

Sometimes, our urges lead us to do wonderful things, but

it can be a bit hit and miss so it’s definitely worth keeping

tabs on – running it past your rational thinking mind or

your intuition first.

Intuition and impulse are often confused, but there

are subtle differences that you can learn to recognise.

>

“Intuition is an inner knowing that

doesn’t require conscious thinking.

It doesn’t have the urgency that

characterises impulse.”

Intuition is an inner knowing that

doesn’t require conscious thinking.

It doesn’t have the urgency that

characterises impulse and it’s not

driven by emotions or whims. It is a

quiet, solid wisdom that arises when

we tune into ourselves. It’s in-tuition:

your inner teacher.

Until recently, not much

was known about intuition.

For many, what can’t be seen,

proven and documented scientifically,

is dismissed.

When you see a poppy unexpectedly

bursting through a crack in the

pavement, it seems unsupported,

but only because you don’t see the

vast network of roots and nutrients

spreading out beneath the crack.

Even a small gap can open up a

wealth of resources. Our intuition,

like the poppy, seems unsupported

and therefore unreliable because

we can’t see that its strong roots are

tapping into a vast and intelligent

unconscious mind. It provides access

to a lifetime of experience and

wisdom that cannot possibly be held

in our conscious minds.

Research suggests that our brains

are, essentially, prediction machines.

The unconscious mind is a supercomputer,

able to access the sum

total of our individual and genetic

experience in an instant, comparing

it with incoming sensory information

and making rapid calculations about

what will come next. In comparison,

the conscious thought process – the

one we are consciously aware of

– is far more cumbersome. Which

explains why, as Professor Hodgkins,

leader of a research project on

intuition at Leeds University, says,

“People usually experience true

intuition when they are under

severe time pressure or in a

situation of information overload

or acute danger, where conscious

analysis of the situation may be

difficult or impossible.”

One example he cites is of a

Formula One driver who braked

suddenly as he approached a hairpin

bend. He couldn’t explain his action,

but it led him to avoid a pile-up and,

arguably, saved his life.

“The driver couldn’t explain why

he felt he should stop, but the urge

was much stronger than his desire to

win the race,” Professor Hodgkinson

explains. “The driver underwent

forensic analysis by psychologists

afterwards, where he was shown a

video to mentally relive the event.

In hindsight, he realised that the

crowd, which would have normally

been cheering him on, wasn’t looking

at him coming up to the bend but

was looking the other way in a static,

frozen way. That was the cue. He

didn’t consciously process this, but

he knew something was wrong and

stopped in time.”

Both conscious and unconscious

thought are crucial to human

thinking. The two styles are

complementary and work well when

we learn to employ them together.

When even science is

championing intuition, it is surely

time to harness this connection

with our deeper wisdom.

It’s all in

the breath

Despite centuries of reports from followers

of Eastern traditions that slow breathing

can improve focus, bring a sense of calm

when we might otherwise lose it and even

whisk us away to an altered state of

consciousness, most of us still don’t take time out

from our busy lives to prioritise this simplest and most

unobtrusive of body movements.

Obviously, we breathe automatically day and night,

and most of the time we don’t give it a second thought.

And for a good while, neither did the majority of

scientists. Along with other air-breathing creatures, the

brainstem – one of the oldest parts of the brain – has

long been known to be in charge of setting the rate of

respiration, making sure that we keep oxygen flowing

into our blood via the lungs and that we let waste carbon

dioxide out. It does this day and night, from the first

seconds of life until the very last. In, out, in, out.

Studies of brainwaves during breathing suggest that the

strongest effect of syncing up with breathing rate comes

on an in-breath. It sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s also true:

when we breathe, we are literally taking inspiration from

the environment and the subtle clues that it contains.

In fact, that’s almost exactly what yogis and

martial artists do say: in martial arts ‘qi’ (sometimes

spelt ‘chi’) means breath but also focus and power. In

yogic breathing, or pranayama, you’re said to take in

‘prana’, which translates as breath, energy and universal

consciousness. Sharath Jois, the current guru of Ashtanga

yoga, tried his best to explain the benefits of this to my

Western ears. ‘When we breathe, it’s like we are taking

inside the positive energy through nature, from outside,

through breath,’ he said.

Passively observing your breath without changing it

is a key feature of mindfulness meditation, which may

explain why so many studies suggest that it can improve

both interoceptive ability and mental health.

Psychology studies suggest that, as well as being a form

of communication, emotional sighs – of the kind that

people produce when psychologists give them puzzles to

solve and don’t tell them that they are unsolvable – act as

a kind of ‘reset’ of the breathing system. Sighing returns

us to normal after a period of stress-related shallow or

irregular breathing.

Making a conscious decision to take control of the

sigh reflex is the easiest way to deliberately control

breathing for mental gain. A strategically timed deep sigh

can act like a mental full stop and capital letter, making

it easier to put a period of stress behind you before you

move on to something else.

This ability to hijack the sigh reflex is entry-level breath

control, however. The real power of breathing comes from

the way that we can also control the rate and depth of

our breathing rate and choose from a menu of body-mind

benefits. We can use it to calm down, focus and think

about what to do next.

>

With a little practise, we can also use breath control

techniques to escape from reality for a while, taking a

well-earned break from both body and mind. It’s easy

to do and can make a significant difference to how you

think and feel – for solid physiological reasons.

As a fidget myself, I know all too well that sitting

around and tuning in to your breathing doesn’t come

naturally to everyone. For some, the New Age, meditative

connotations of breath control are a deal-breaker. For

others, sitting still on a cushion is time that could be

spent doing something less boring instead. Whatever the

excuse, there is now enough robust science to show that

mastering the simple movements needed to control the

rate, depth and route by which you get air into your body

can become a handy tool to steer thoughts and feelings in

useful ways.

Mastering this range of bodily movements can allow

us to dial into the workings of the brain and the body,

change the settings of both and get the very best out of

the mind, whether you are on the move or at a desk.

Deep, slow breathing is a tried and tested method of

bringing a panic attack under control, bringing oxygen

and carbon dioxide back in balance and telling the body

to move from fight-and-flight back to a normal level of

arousal. If you are already breathing at a normal rate,

slowing it down further still can change your state of

mind to the point where you tune out from reality and

skip happily away with the fairies.

Buddhist monks have mastered the art of breathing

at three or four breaths per minute – taking one breath,

in and out, over the space of twenty seconds. This kind

of slow, controlled breathing can only come as a result of

making a conscious decision to override the status quo.

It’s not easy, but, according to a recent study, it’s worth

the effort – particularly if you’re looking for a drug-free

route to an altered state of consciousness.

How to have a

sustainable summer

Scenes of litter-strewn beaches and beauty

spots across the UK grabbed the headlines last

summer. With many of us planning to holiday at

home this year too, the problem of rubbish could

surge again – but it doesn’t have to.

There are simple steps we can all take to make this a

more sustainable summer by reducing our waste as well

as our carbon footprint. Whether you’re planning a day at

the seaside or an epic camping adventure, here are some

easy ways to make the most of the season without eco

anxiety. That just leaves the weather to worry about.

Start by creating a kit of seasonal essentials: sunglasses,

sun hats, washable napkins, reusable bottles and cups.

Don’t forget a bag for rubbish so you’re not adding to

overflowing public bins. If you own a car, stash games

equipment in the boot. Having everything you need easily

accessible saves time, hassle and money as well as waste.

No more having to buy a cheap plastic frisbee or football

because yours is still in the garage.

Use what you already have – old baby sets are great for

crockery, while towels can double up as a picnic blanket.

Not enough spare cutlery? Check out charity shops.

When you do need to buy new, opt for lower waste

alternatives where possible. Forego mini plastic toiletries,

for example, in favour of those with recyclable packaging

(such as bespoke sample sets from Circla, circla.co.uk) or

no packaging (such as Kind2 shampoo bars, kind2.me).

“Whether we’re having a staycation, or taking day

trips, we can be conscious of our carbon impact,” says

Vicky Smith, sustainable travel expert and founder

of sustainable travel company Earth Changers. How?

Prioritise low carbon travel and activities.

“Choose trains and renewable energy powered

transport over private fossil fuel cars,” Vicky continues,

“and leg power where you can – walking and cycling

tours, for examples.”

Mix energy-intensive days out, such as theme parks,

with low carbon leisure. The Big Butterfly Count, for

instance, takes place every summer and is fun for all,

while Lucy McRobert’s 365 Days Wild: A Random Act of

Wildness for Every Day of the Year contains a range of

nature-based activities to try.

If you’re going to visit a rural area, be sure to

familiarise yourself with the latest version of The

>

“Disposable charcoal

barbecues are the most

harmful of all – us Brits

get through more than one

million every year.”

Countryside Code, released this

spring, beforehand. It will help you

to avoid causing harm, however

unintentionally. This is especially the

case if you’ll have a dog with you. Just

search on gov.uk.

Wherever you end up, your summer

kit bag will help reduce food and

drink related waste – as can apps.

Download RWRD to find nearby

independent coffee shops and

Refill to locate places for topping

up water bottles, plastic-free hot

drinks, takeaway food refills and

zero waste shopping.

Want a sweet treat? “My favourite

‘zero waste’ tip for beach trips (and

pretty much any trip anywhere if

the sun is vaguely shining) is to

get your ice cream in a cone and

not a cup,” says Jen Gale, author of

The Sustainable(ish) Guide to Green

Parenting: Guilt-Free Eco-Ideas for

Raising Your Kids. Unlike an ice lolly,

everything is edible so “you can scoff

ice cream and polish your eco-halo

simultaneously,” she jokes.

More generally, avoid the singleuse

plastic wrappers found in petrol

stations and motorway services

by stocking up with sustainable

snacks ahead of time. Thanks to a

growing number of products that

combine taste with eco credentials,

this no longer means just vegetable

sticks and fruit. Bodyhero bars, for

example, combine rich chocolate

flavour with vegan certification and

fully recyclable packaging. They’re

also high protein, so a good choice

if you’re planning something more

strenuous than just sitting in a

deckchair.

If your favourite picnic food comes

in plastic packaging, could you make

it yourself instead? Whipping up a

dozen sausage rolls isn’t everyone’s

idea of a good time, but it could be

part of the whole picnic fun. The

same applies to barbecue dishes,

especially salads and sides.

Another way to make grilling

more sustainable is to trade meat for

plant-based dishes; consult Rukmini

Iyer’s Green Barbecue: Modern Vegan

& Vegetarian Recipes to Cook Outdoors

& In for inspiration.

Barbecue fuel also has an

environmental impact. As

Georgina Wilson-Powell explains

in Is It Really Green? Everyday Eco-

Dilemmas Answered, many charcoal

bricks are made from unsustainably

logged tropical wood and release

twice as many toxic particles as

gas-lit barbecues.

“Disposable charcoal barbecues

are the most harmful of all,” says

Wilson-Powell of an item us Brits get

through more than one million of

every year. “As well as being energyinefficient,

they are covered in singleuse

plastic and are non-recyclable.”

Eschewing disposable barbecues is

one tactic for reducing waste and

carbon emissions if you’re camping

this summer. A second strategy is to

avoid buying cheap equipment that is

unlikely to last more than one season

(or even one trip). Get what you need

by browsing sites such as Freecycle or

borrowing from family and friends.

There are even platforms

dedicated to sharing camping

equipment – a great choice if you’re

sleeping under canvas for the first

time. On Tentshare, for instance,

you can rent tents and items such as

roof boxes from owners around the

country (tentshare.co.uk).

Tentshare founder Rebecca

Heaps recommends a ‘leave no trace’

approach to the great outdoors.

“When leaving a camping area, it

should look exactly as you found it,”

she says. “Take everything with you,

take your waste home.”

‘Leave no trace’ is a great motto

if you’re heading to the beach, too.

As well as taking your own waste

with you, keep your eye out for

#2minutebeachclean stations that

are stocked with everything you need

to do a quick litter pick while you’re

there. Leaving a place better than

you found it is the ultimate

sustainable summer goal.

planet-mindful.com

Join us over at our beautiful new website to

continue your mindfulneß journey betwn

ißues of the magazine.

NEW

WEBSITE!

Saving

water

When it comes to bad environmental

habits, most of us know that wasting

water is pretty high up on the list of

the worst eco-offences. But, a focus on

water conservation seems somewhat

misplaced in a country like the UK, which is both

surrounded by water and subject to more than its fair

share of rain! So you’d be forgiven for assuming water

>

“It’s really easy to

make a dent in your

water consumption

without having to do

very much at all.”

preservation is more of a global issue than something we

need to worry about closer to home.

Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. Water

companies capture much less rain than people commonly

assume, and a record number of UK councils are now

under water stress. In fact, the UK has less available water

per person than most other European countries, and some

parts of England have less available water per person than

some African countries.

In order to keep up with our increasing thirst for

water – which works out at about 143 litres per person

every day – companies need to tap existing water sources

such as lakes and rivers, which can have a damaging

impact on natural ecosystems. And climate change, which

can see long periods of drought and heatwaves, is only

set to make things worse. The Environment Agency has

even warned that within 25 years England will not have

enough clean, safe water to meet demand.

It’s clear, then, that we need to do more to conserve

this precious resource – just one reason why not-for-profit

water-saving organisation Waterwise is running its annual

#WaterSavingWeek during May 2021. But with water

being such an integral part of our daily lives it can be

hard to imagine cutting back – laundry needs to be done,

teeth need to be brushed, and giving up that end-of-theweek

soak in the tub feels like a major sacrifice! The good

news, though, is that it’s actually really easy to make a

major dent in your water consumption without having to

do very much at all. Here’s how…

There are many straightforward, easy-to-install

water-saving devices on the market that will do a lot of

the hard work for you. A water-efficient showerhead, for

example, can save more than 26 litres of water during

an average seven-minute shower without affecting the

pressure at all, while a save-a-flush device in your toilet

cistern (also known as a ‘Hippo’) can save up to three

litres of water every time you flush. Better still, a lot of

these types of gadgets are available free of charge from

your water supplier. Just visit their website to see what

initiatives they run.

When it comes to conserving water in the bathroom,

most of us are familiar with the old adage ‘If it’s yellow,

let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down’ – and that’s

good advice! But there’s another way to prevent clean

water from unnecessarily being flushed away, and that’s

to stop using your loo as a receptacle for make-up wipes,

tissues, used contact lenses, gunk from the plughole, and

so on. Every flush uses up to eight litres of water, so these

‘occasional’ flushes really do add up! Get a small bin for

your bathroom instead.

Keeping taps running while you’re brushing your teeth,

shaving, exfoliating your face or whatever else you get

up to in the bathroom is a huge waste of lovely clean

water – up to 15 litres will end up down the drain while

you brush your teeth and a whopping 40 litres is wasted

during a shaving session. If you only manage one watersaving

activity, make it this one: turn your taps off when

you’re not using them!

Most modern-day appliances are built with efficiency

in mind and many even include special eco-settings, but

you can still take extra steps to make sure they’re not

using water unnecessarily. A dishwasher, for example,

will use less water to clean a full load of dishes than

it would take to do them by hand, but only if it’s a full

load. If you don’t have a full load, or you need to clean

items ASAP, wash them in the sink using a plug. The same

applies to washing machines – they’re designed to use

water most efficiently during a full load of laundry. If you

don’t have a full load, choose a ‘quick wash’ or ‘lighter

load’ option, which will use much less water and achieve

the same results.

The quiet drip, drip, drip of a leaky tap wastes far more

water than you might think. Over the course of a year, a

leaking tap will waste at least 5,500 litres of water – that’s

enough to fill a paddling pool every single week for an

entire summer, and yet we tend to ignore the problem

because we don’t think it makes much difference. Fixing

a leaking tap is usually a quick, straightforward job you

can do yourself, or a handyman or woman will make light

work of the task.

Uncovering the

power of hemp

What if I told you

a plant existed

that was a healthy

source of protein

and omega-3

essential fatty acids, could be used to

make more sustainable alternatives

to cotton, wood and plastic, while

boasting a negative carbon footprint?

You might think this was all too good

to be true and just the ramblings of a

plant-based lifestyle über advocate.

If I mentioned that this mystery

plant is in fact hemp, the nonintoxicating

variety of cannabis, you

might begin to understand why most

of us are unaware of its potential to

improve not only our own health but

that of the planet.

For the last 60 years, cannabis

prohibition has hidden hemp away

from all but its die-hard fans. Sure,

you might have seen the odd hemp

T-shirt emblazoned with a cannabis

leaf at a festival, or furtively rubbed

some of The Body Shop's hemp hand

cream into your cuticles when no one

was looking. The reality, though, is

that most of us will never have heard

hemp mentioned in the same breath

as sustainable agriculture or as an

alternative to plastic.

However, all this could be

about to change, with the timely

recognition of hemp’s versatility as

a sustainable, multi-purpose crop

that can be turned into everything

from CBD oil to car interiors,

that sequesters carbon from the

atmosphere and even cleans the soil

after environmental disasters.

The word hemp finds its origin in

old English and describes cannabis

sativa varieties that are low in the

psychoactive compound THC. So, in

essence, if you want to get high, you

can forget about smoking hemp.

While it’s estimated that humans

have been growing hemp for 50,000

years, the earliest fragment of hemp

cloth dating back to 8,000BC was

found by archaeologists in what was

ancient Mesopotamia. Hemp’s strong

fibres have been prized ever since

and utilised for everything from rope

and sails to clothing. In 16th century

Britain, Henry VIII was such a fan of

hemp that he insisted farmers sow a

quarter of an acre of hemp for every

60 acres they owned.

While hemp seeds are a modern

day go-to source of protein for lovers

>

of plant-based nutrition, they have

also been put to good use throughout

history in a number of different ways.

Lamps have burned brightly on hemp

oil since the time of Abraham, and an

early nomadic tribe, the Scythians,

used hemp seed oil to purify and

cleanse their skin.

For thousands of years, hemp

flowers have also been enjoyed

both in food and as a vital part

of folk medicine. Everyone from

ancient Chinese emperors to the

early Romans have used hemp in

medicines for treating everything

from pain to burns and seizures.

However, a rather unlikely

culinary source provides evidence of

an early hemp recipe. A dish destined

for the table of the 14th century

Pope, Martin V, included hemp

flowers boiled in water and mixed

with breadcrumbs, onion, saffron

and spices. And, just a

century later in what

perhaps is the earliest

example of CBD oil, crushed

hemp flowers were mixed

with oil.

By now you might be

wondering, 'if hemp is so

amazing, how come in this

age of modernity barely

anyone has heard of it?'.

There are plenty of theories –

some erring towards the realms of

conspiracy – as to why hemp fell out

of favour. While the development

of synthetic fibres such as nylon in

the 1950s certainly played a role,

international drug law, which largely

regulated hemp in the same way as

its psychoactive and illegal cannabis

cousin, was perhaps the main factor

in causing a subsequent decline in

hemp farming.

We are currently in the midst of a

climate emergency, and around

the world environmentalists are

on the hunt to find actionable

strategies to halt the damage

to the planet caused by climate

change. Of course, it would

be rather

simplistic

to suggest that hemp might provide

an answer to all our global warming

woes, but from a sustainability

perspective it has a lot to offer.

When we grow hemp, nothing

goes to waste. Every part of the plant

can be put to use, be it using the

seeds to make food, cosmetics and

fuel, the stalks for fibre or clothing or

extracting CBD oil from the flowers.

But unlike other food or fibre

sources like cotton, wheat or

soybeans, growing hemp doesn’t

emit greenhouse gases and actually

sequesters carbon from the

atmosphere. That’s because the

plants store considerable amounts of

carbon in their stems and roots. The

European Industrial Hemp Association

estimates that 1.6 tonnes of CO2 is

absorbed per tonne of hemp.

Not only that, but compared to

other crops such as cotton, hemp

requires little or no chemical

pesticides or herbicides, and uses

significantly less water for cultivation.

Studies also suggest that growing

hemp provides vital pollen to support

greater bee diversity.

Despite all these environmental

factors in hemp’s favour, the plant’s

continued association with illegal

cannabis means that UK farmers

must get a license from the Home

Office if they wish to grow the crop.

For many, this is an off-putting

barrier which is why organisations

such as the British Hemp Alliance

are calling on the UK government

to adopt a more progressive and

environmentally responsible position.

Over the last two or three years,

CBD has become a buzzword in

the global wellness industry. In the

UK alone, it’s estimated that CBD

sales are greater than vitamins C

and D combined.

Otherwise known as cannabidiol,

CBD is a type of compound found in

hemp buds and flowers. Unlike THC,

CBD doesn’t have any intoxicating

effect, making it legal to consume.

So why has the world gone CBD

crazy? It all started about ten years

ago in the United States when some

incredible anecdotal stories hit the

headlines about some children with

severe epilepsy who found seizure

relief from CBD oil.

Scientific research appears to

back up these reports and only last

year a CBD-based pharmaceutical

drug called Epidyolex was approved

to treat children with rare types

of epilepsy. Other trials are taking

place to see whether CBD could

help with symptoms of Parkinson’s,

Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia,

sleep disorders,

and anxiety.

It should be noted,

however, that the

types of CBD oil

available online or

on the high street

cannot be compared

with the purified CBD

drugs generally used in

medical research. A typical

over-the-counter CBD oil is

perhaps better described as a hemp

extract as it contains other naturally

occurring compounds found in

hemp. This is by no means a bad

thing, as these ‘full spectrum CBD

oils’ are thought to offer their own

wider benefits.

When it comes to making a

transition towards hemp, change

isn’t going to happen overnight.

Like everything, it all starts with

awareness. So, whether it’s choosing

a hemp T-shirt instead of cotton,

moisturising your skin with a

hemp seed oil body lotion

or putting hemp protein

powder in your morning

shake, it’s all supporting the

growth of European hemp

farming, which can only be

of benefit to our planet.

“Nature is painting for us,

day after day, pictures

of infinite beauty.”

REDUCE, REUSE,

REPAIR

We live in a world

that was never

designed to absorb

indestructible

waste. Today’s

disposable culture works against

the cycles of nature, spawning an

increasing amount of unwanted

stuff that’s not going anywhere

anytime soon. It’s plainly an

unsustainable model – and a perfect

reason to train ourselves back

into a mindset of treasuring our

possessions, rather than viewing

them as endlessly replaceable.

Luckily for us – and especially

for the planet – this mentality is

fast gaining ground, as ever more of

us embrace a ‘make, do and mend’

philosophy that was the norm in

previous generations. This is backed

up by a growing movement of

grassroots projects, encouraging us

to throw away less and look after

what we have. From repair cafés to

community lending programmes,

many of us now live alongside local

initiatives that can help us embrace a

more sustainable way of life.

An easy first step to throwing away

less is to repair rather than replace

things we already own. If you’ve

ever mended a hole in well-worn

clothing or pieced together a precious

item of broken pottery, you’ll have

a good idea just how satisfying it

feels to give your possessions a new

lease of life. However, many of us

don’t feel confident in our tinkering

skills, which is where repair cafés

and similar community mending

initiatives come in. The repair

café concept was started by Dutch

journalist and environmentalist

Martine Postma in 2009, and quickly

snowballed, with examples now in

action across the globe.

The concept is simple: a group of

volunteers comes together in a local

space and people are invited to bring

along their broken items to be fixed.

The sharing of skills in this way has

a fantastic range of benefits – and

not just to the planet. Kate Jerrold is

acutely aware of the broad positive

impact of such projects. She started

the Bristol Repair Café in 2012, after

>

a broken dishwasher started her

wondering why there was no such

scheme in her area, and realising

that she could be the one to do

something about it.

“The benefits to the planet are

pretty obvious,” she explains. “We

have about a 75 per cent success rate,

which is fairly typical of repair cafés

around the world, keeping literally

tons out of the waste stream.” But

Kate agrees that this is not the

scheme’s only advantage: “Fixing

someone’s expensive TV in front of

their eyes is almost alchemy. Seeing

that things can be mended, and often

quite simply, changes perceptions

around repair. People see that they

can learn some basic skills that will

keep their stuff out of landfill, and

also save themselves money having to

endlessly replace things.”

Of course, the effect on the

community is huge too, as strangers

help one another and forge genuine

bonds in the process. “Introducing

the local person who’s a whizz with a

sewing machine or a dab hand with

a soldering iron starts building real

sustainable networks,” says Kate. “I

found that people want to be part of

the solution, and repair cafés are a

really good entry into sustainability.”

With so many of these initiatives

now in action across the UK, it’s

simply a question of turning up

and marvelling at just how easily

many unused items can be brought

back to life!

And if you don’t have one in your

area? Why not make like Kate and

start your own? There are plenty

of resources to help you, including

a comprehensive practical manual

from Martine Postma’s Repair Café

Foundation (repaircafe.org). “I would

definitely say give it a go,” encourages

Kate. “I can genuinely say that there’s

no better way to spend a Saturday

morning than watching a whole

group of people helping each other,

applauding when the bust tape player

bursts into life and doing something

positive for the planet.”

While repairing is one brilliant way

to reduce the amount we send to

landfill, it’s also worth reducing

what we buy in the first place; a

concern that’s being addressed by

a rising movement of community

lending projects. Facebook borrowing

groups (where people can informally

request items from other members)

are prolific, but a more formal

initiative is the ‘library of things’

(LoT), a concept that’s gaining ground

worldwide. It works on a similar

basis to a traditional library but,

rather than loaning books, a LoT

lends out everything from handtools

and carpet cleaners to bunting and

cake stands (generally for a small fee).

It makes so much sense – who needs

an angle grinder taking up space or

wants to shell out for a candyfloss

maker when you may only need to

use these things on a small number

of occasions?

Maurice Herson is co-founder

of the Share Oxford LoT

(shareoxford.org), a project that

united his concerns about waste with

his interest in the sharing economy.

It has proved hugely successful,

with more than 800 members so far

and almost 1,000 loans made. “We

want people to realised that there

is an alternative to buying things

online and that it feels good not to

have to own everything you use,”

Maurice explains. At its heart, this is

a community group and being part

of it fosters a sense of fulfilment and

fellowship among its valued members

and volunteers.

And the benefits to the planet are

plain: “If we have a drill that’s been

donated to us because someone has

no use for it, and it gets used 20 times

by other people, the resources that

would have been used to make the

drills that they would have bought

have been saved, plus their money

has been saved – and by borrowing

from the library they’ve been part of

something bigger than themselves.”

Whether you’re planning a (socially

distanced) garden party, preparing

for home improvements or just

seeking a new jigsaw to tackle, your

local LoT makes an excellent first

port of call. If you can’t find one

nearby, it is possible to kick off your

own scheme – although it requires

more resources and dedicated space

than a repair hub. However, the

people already running these projects

are passionate about the cause and

are often happy to encourage and

offer advice to people interested in

setting up a new scheme.

Community-led projects dealing

in repairs, borrowing and such

like have played a significant part

in tackling over-consumption and

problems caused by our disposable

lifestyles in recent years, and have

proved empowering and bonding

for communities at the same time.

Best of all, such ventures are readily

accessible to all – making it easier

than ever for us all to play a part in

laying waste to throwaway culture.

The myths about

sustainability

1

Premium

and luxury

goods aren’t

sustainable

purchases

2

Carbon-offsetting is a great way

to combat global warming

>

3

Sustainability is

too expensive

4

Being an avid recycler will

help to solve plastic pollution

5

A single individual’s choices

cannot make a dent or difference

6

Buying organic is always

better for the planet

7

You must go all-in

on sustainability to

play your part

WARDROBE

WELLBEING

I

confess that getting dressed is

something I often do in a halfasleep

fog, if I do it at all these days.

Yet this most everyday of actions

can have a profound impact on our

wellbeing and on the planet.

Over recent years, there has

been a growing awareness of the

devastating impact clothing can

have on the environment. Fashion is

the second most polluting industry

on earth. Catherine Orpin founded

Touch of Tweed (touchoftweed.co.uk)

to change the way we view clothing

by focusing on sustainable practices

and natural materials. She explains

that: “most garments, especially

fast fashion ones, are made with

inexpensive, petroleum-based fibres

that don’t easily decompose, such as

polyester, nylon, and acrylic. These

fabrics will be in landfills for decades

to come.” Synthetic materials are one

of the main culprits behind ocean

pollution. Catherine adds that: “these

clothes also omit harmful microfibres

every time they are washed and even

clothing made from recycled plastic

bottles or a mix of organic materials

and recycled plastic release millions

of fibres throughout the lifecycle of

the garment.”

Being aware of the consequences

of our purchases can induce a sense

of guilt. Added to this, the rise of

greenwashing is making it harder

to distinguish brands who are truly

making a difference from those who

are just using it as a marketing ploy.

Our fashion fix can descend into a

vicious cycle of consumerism leaving

us unfulfilled, always chasing that

dream of a future purchase which

will transform our lives.

There is room for hope in the midst

of all this despair. One positive

change from the pandemic has been

a shift towards people seeking more

intentional, sustainable lifestyles.

Lockdown forced us to re-examine

what is important and what we take

for granted. Many of us questioned

the pace of our lives, as well as

the throwaway culture. There is a

growing movement of people making

more conscious clothing choices. It is

a practical way to support causes we

believe in, such as championing small

businesses or a vegan lifestyle.

Camilla Cheung, founder of

Wardrobe Wellbeing, is passionate

about personal styling with heart and

helping people to make sustainable

choices. I met with her for a styling

session, which started with us talking

through how my style had evolved

over time and how I envisaged

the future. We can opt to bring

elements from our past into our

current outfits, like a leather

jacket that is a subtle

nod to our rebellious >

“An important part of the

process is letting go of items

that no longer serve you.”

teenage years. Having a clear sense of

our personal style can help us to make

intentional decisions when we do buy

new, as we pick the shapes and colours

which we know will suit us and we will

wear again and again.

An important part of the process

is letting go of items that no longer

serve you. Pieces can acquire negative

connotations when there is a gap

between our expectation of ourselves

and the reality; making our peace

with this can be incredibly freeing.

Embracing the body we have and

who we are now can be a powerful

act of self-love.

With a more minimalist wardrobe,

we have the space to be more creative

with our favourite pieces. By layering

items, we experience novelty without

the guilt of buying new. This has the

bonus of maximising a garment’s

lifecycle. Playing with the silhouette

can change the personality of an outfit.

Pairing a slouchy jumper with a dress,

for example, can make it feel casual

enough for everyday wear.

Our clothing can have real emotional

resonance. Often, there are stories

connected with our pieces. My

favourite item is my black dress with

brocade detail which I chanced upon

in a vintage store in Bordeaux where

I was celebrating my 30th birthday.

Just holding it transports me back

and evokes those happy memories.

We can use the emotional power of

our clothing to our advantage; we

might pick a boxy blazer to give us

confidence in a meeting we are feeling

anxious about.

Sourcing vintage offers a great way

to connect with the stories behind our

clothing; each piece has a history of

its own. Vintage promotes a circular

economy, meaning reduced waste.

It enables us to dress in a way that

is unique to us rather than slavishly

following current trends.

Now, more than ever, small

everyday choices can have immense

power to shape our mood. In the

wake of the pandemic, there have

been huge social changes in how we

dress. Like many others, I donned

only athleisure for the first few weeks

with the intention that this would

oblige me to exercise and also reduce

the never-ending laundry pile.

After a few weeks of this

experiment, I noticed a subtle but

insidious change in my mood; my

sense of purpose was beginning to

unravel. With lockdown, many of

our usual tools for maintaining our

wellbeing are not available. In this

context, it’s even more important to

take small steps to make ourselves

feel good. Clothes can play an

important role; curating an outfit

can help us feel like we’ve put a

stamp on the day.

Camilla is hopeful this is a time

for us to reconnect with our clothes.

“As we come out of lockdown, I think

many of us are excited to

be wearing our clothes

again, recognising the

expressive nature

that comes from

within us when we

place our garments

on display.”

There is a real

opportunity now

for people to

engage in

clothing

with a conscience; making choices

that feel good and come gloriously

free of the guilt of fast-fashion. In

a world where we feel less and less

in control, taking small actions to

enhance our wellbeing is immensely

powerful. Our sartorial choices

empower us to positively influence

both our inner world and the world

around us.

We are a Clothes swopping website

with a difference, swop your best

beautiful but unwanted clothes directly

with us in exchange for credits to swop

out a New to You wardrobe.

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touchoftweed@gmail.com Touch of Tweed clothing touchoftweed

PLANET-FRIENDLY

COOKING

All the information on the climate crisis,

and what we as individuals can do, can feel

overwhelming. While we need to be real

about the seriousness of what's going on,

it's important to focus on one manageable

step at a time. We make 35,000 decisions a day; that's

a lot of potential for making a change. What we need,

of course, is a systematic change in our food system

led by our governments; but each small choice we make

matters and it is up to us as individuals to make different

choices as well as demanding action from those who hold

the power and purse strings.

Our food system has the single biggest impact on

the climate. It affects every inch of our planet and

every creature on it. If we want to help slow, and one

day (hopefully) begin to reverse, climate change, it is

widely agreed that the most powerful thing we can do is

eat fewer animals and more plants. For you, that might

mean one meal a day without meat, or it might mean

fine-tuning your vegan diet. However it looks, start from

where you are and don't look back. Change comes from

what we do next. Try to make sure as many of the food

decisions you make line up with how you want the world

to look and the future you want to see.

We are all learning. While I try to live as sustainably

as possible, I make mistakes. Sometimes I buy plastic

packaged goods and flown-in treats. If you look back over

my books – such as A Modern Way To Eat and A Modern

Way To Cook – you will see a shift in the ingredients I use

to cook and, while I have always cooked seasonally, I have

slowly moved away from some ingredients which have

a bigger footprint. In my mind we should celebrate our

successes not focus on what we have not done.

The food we eat quite literally builds and fuels the

bodies which we walk around in every day. The food

and farming systems we support likewise determine the

kind of world we live in. Food is the one thing we all have

in common, that we all engage with three times a day. It's

an important thing to focus on, inform ourselves about

and celebrate.

We need to bring some connection and kindness back

into the way we support our farmers and those who grow

and harvest our food, the way we shop (from supporting

local to reducing packaging), the way we store, prepare

and waste food and the way we honour our bodies and

our families with the food we put into them. It is all a web

of infinite connection. Let's put kindness and joy at the

heart of how we cook and eat.

I hope you enjoy cooking this selection of recipes, all of

which are big on taste but low on planetary impact…

>

Escape to the

Cottagecore

Cottagecore is as a concept inspired by a

romanticised, nostalgic view of rural life. It’s

true that amongst the 1.6 million #cottagecore

posts on Instagram, you’ll see an abundance

of floaty dresses, floral patterns, home-baked

goods and, of course, beautiful country cottages. However,

the ‘core’ of Cottagecore is a down-to-earth desire for

simple, creative, sustainable living which connects us to

the natural world. Ramona Jones, a Cottagecore author

and social media influencer (monalogue.co.uk) admits

that Cottagecore is indeed “about escaping into a pastoral

fantasy”, but she also says that “the overall aim is to

bring a sense of peace and safety”.

Ramona’s words help to explain why Cottagecore’s

popularity has soared during the pandemic. The appetite

for embracing a lifestyle that provides an antithesis to

the pressures and pace of the modern day is not new, but

periods of lockdown have helped to channel this appetite

away from the social and cultural ‘benefits’ of city living,

and towards what many perceive as a more traditional,

more comforting way of life in the countryside. In

addition, lockdown has heightened the need for our

dwellings to be calming yet creative places in which we

can feel safe to express different aspects of ourselves.

Within Cottagecore, this self-expression includes activities

such as knitting, sewing, and gardening; and there is an

emphasis on connection with nature, sustainable living,

recycling and upcycling. The focus on ‘traditional’ crafts

such as weaving and sewing helps to preserve the past

and safeguard the future by giving a new lease of life to >

“We turn to things that have

always brought us joy, whether

that’s baking, growing herbs

and flowers, or reading.”

practices that may otherwise start to

die out, and by reducing waste and

our growing reliance on consumer

culture. This, and embracing attitudes

such as ‘make do and mend’ and

‘it’s the little things in life’, are

what makes Cottagecore not just an

aesthetic, but a toolkit for a more

ethical, mindful way of life with

significant mental health benefits.

“I think in times of uncertainty

people seek comfort in simple

pleasures and pastimes,” Ramona

notes. “We turn to things that have

always brought us joy, whether that’s

baking, growing herbs and flowers, or

reading; they are hugely comforting

in times of stress”.

In her book, Escape into Cottagecore,

Ramona describes how anyone can

weave a little bit of Cottagecore into

their lives. “At the heart of it is a

connection with nature – you could

experiment with growing vegetables

in a garden, balcony or windowsill. If

you live in the city, you might want

to walk to work through a park and

spend a few minutes absorbing what

you can see, hear and smell”.

When it comes to traditional

crafts, searching Facebook or

Meetup (meetup.com) can identify

local groups in which to learn or

improve your skills. Alternatively,

there’s a plethora of online courses,

such as ‘Eat the veg patch’ and

‘Upcycling: vintage textiles’ at

learningwithexperts.com, as well

as sewing and knitting courses at

centreofexcellence.com. If learning

a craft doesn’t appeal, Etsy is an

excellent place to buy clothes,

jewellery, and furnishings. You

can even escape on a Cottagecoreinspired

holiday with companies

such as Sykes Holiday Cottages,

which advertise specific rentals

embodying the aesthetic.

Raven Edgewalker moved from

Norwich to rural Somerset where she

lives in a cottage with her greyhound,

a vintage sewing machine, and a

handmade spinning wheel, and runs

her own Etsy business, Greenwoman

Crafts, selling hand-crafted jewellery

and pagan-themed items. She reflects

that “until very recently I had no clue

about Cottagecore – until friends told

me that other than floral dresses, my

life and business are totally that!” She

adds, “I had a desire to create a life

and career that was sustainable (for

the planet and for my own health)

and as eco-friendly as possible –

recycling, reclaiming and upcycling

whenever I can”.

The interplay between

sustainability and wellbeing is

echoed by Janet Leedham, who

moved with her family from the

suburbs to rural Lincolnshire. “We’re

trying to bring our daughters up to

be environmentalists, so I think it’s

important that they know how to

mend or alter clothes. It’s great to be

able to spot something in a charity

shop and see its potential rather than

its faults. Also, my eldest suffers from

anxiety and activities such as sewing

and crochet are quite mindful. She’ll

often crochet just before bed to help

her get to sleep”.

‘Healthy, relaxing, and calming’

is also how Sophie Agrell describes

the benefits of spending time

outdoors, away from traffic noise,

street lighting, and crowds of people.

She lives on a smallholding outside

Glasgow, which she says brings “all

kinds of joys, most of which come

from being close to nature and the

rhythm of life. Living and interacting

with animals is also a very reassuring

thing; their trust is a real gift”.

But she’s keen to inject a note

of practical realism for all those

considering this lifestyle: “For large

swathes of the year, there’s mud

everywhere. This means wearing

wellies and waterproof trousers

(which are hideous and unromantic) –

floating skirts get muddy in moments!”

So no matter what your age or

where you live, Cottagecore could

help to bring a sense of calm,

nostalgia and comfort to your

hectic modern life.

Create a

wildlife-friendly

garden

“The more that

nature is left to its

own devices, the

more benefits it

can have.”

Summer is firmly on the horizon, which means

many of us are now thinking about sprucing up

our gardens – especially since they will be such

a prime location for socialising after a year of

pandemic restrictions. And what could be better

after months cooped up indoors than spending time in a

bright and lively garden thrumming with wildlife, insects

and natural activity?

There are around 24 million gardens across the UK

making up a combined area nearly four times the size

of all of our national reserves put together, so we have a

wonderful opportunity to help support British wildlife

– something that’s now more important than ever. “We

have so much amazing wildlife in the UK, but research

shows that some 44 per cent of species are on the

decline,” explains James Winder, programme coordinator

at Naturehood, a community project working to reverse

wildlife decline by connecting people with nature.

“This is a shocking statistic, but sadly one that doesn’t

come as a surprise when we consider that in the last

century human activity has removed 97 per cent of our

native wildflower meadows and around half a million

ponds,” he says. “Even our most-loved species are at

risk, including hedgehogs which were categorised as

‘vulnerable to extinction’ in the UK in 2020.”

The good news is that reversing this worrying trend is

really easy. “You can create a wildlife garden by simply

leaving everything alone,” says James. “The more that

nature is left to its own devices, the more benefits it can

have.” But he acknowledges that a completely overrun

garden isn’t to everyone’s taste: “It’s really just about

incorporating opportunities for food, water and shelter

into your plans.” He suggests spending some

time thinking about what you really want out of

your garden before making any changes. “Do you

want to see lots of birds? Or maybe you want

to help support our dwindling pollinator

population? Maybe you want to help hedgehogs

travel safely,” he says. “Any action – big or

small – will have a great impact.”

Creating a wildlife-friendly garden isn’t

just good for nature, either. Numerous

studies have highlighted the positive impact

spending time with nature can have on >

“Having water in your

garden benefits so much

wildlife, especially birds

that enjoy a splash

around.”

people’s mental health and overall wellbeing. So before

you pad down to the shed or head out to the garden

centre, keep these suggestions in mind.

Climbing plants are a good choice, providing year-round

cover for birds and insects. Ivy in particular is a great

source of food and pollen. Other winners are anything

brightly-coloured, which butterflies love, and native

plant species such as common rock rose and common

dog violet, which will support the local wildlife that

has evolved with the local flora. Sound a bit highmaintenance?

Simple wildflowers are a gorgeous addition

to any garden and don’t involve any more effort than

raking a handful of seeds into some soil.

One of the best features you can introduce is a pond –

having water in your garden benefits so much wildlife,

especially birds that enjoy a splash around. Don’t be

daunted by this prospect, though. As Helen Moffat from

the RSPB says, we should all rethink what a ‘pond’ really

is. “It can literally be an old washing up bowl dug into the

ground, with a slope or ramp at one side to help creatures

get in and out,” she says. Float a few corks in there too, to

give bees and other insects a nice resting spot.

Bird boxes, bug hotels, frog pots, hedgehog houses… there

are plenty of ready-made animal habitats available in

garden centres and home stores that can be popped in

your garden with minimal fuss – or you could have a go at

making your own. Bird boxes should be fixed two to four

metres off the ground on a tree or a wall, preferably facing

between north and east to avoid strong sunlight and wet

winds. Bug hotels do well in sunlight or light shade, while

hedgehog houses should be positioned in a quiet spot

against a wall, bank or fence, with the entrance facing

away from the north or north-east.

Every good host knows how important it is to feed your

guests, and your garden visitors are no exception. Plus,

putting food out for wildlife can be a huge help for them

in periods of harsh weather. Birds will be more than

happy with a simple seed feeder – just make sure it’s

positioned out of the reach of predators. Hedgehogs,

meanwhile, can feast on dog or cat food – crushed biscuits

or tinned (but not fish-based flavours) are fine. Or if

you’re worried a neighbourhood cat might take advantage,

you can purchase specialist hedgehog food from pet stores

and some supermarkets. Never give them milk, though –

it can cause diarrhoea. Provide fresh water instead.

EAST AFRICAN SHEA

BUTTER NILOTICA

DARK POMEGRANATE

SOY WAX CANDLE

ORGANIC ULTRA

CLARIFYING FACIAL OIL

Ethical

beauty

box

AVOCADO

NOURISHING FACE OIL

HARMONIA

MASALA CHAI

TRIMESTER

TRIO PULSE POINT

ROLLERBALL SET

AMAZONIAN RARE CLAYS

INTENSIVE BEAUTY BALM

WITH CORNISH ROSEHIP

AND CAMELLIA

TIMELESS ELIXIR

FACIAL SERUM

SISKYN

‘TRY ME’ SIZES

CINNAMON JONES

BEARD OIL

BELLA VIDA PINEAPPLE

PARADISO GLOW MASK

ORGANIC

MANDARIN BODY OIL

CONSCIOUS

POTTERY

To make the clay…

To decorate…

To decorate…

Foodie

breaks

B E S T

BUDGET

GETAWAY

RIVER COTTAGE DEVON

RATHFINNY WINE ESTATE SUSSEX

TUDOR FARMHOUSE HOTEL

CLERKENWELL, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

LOCH AN EILEIN COTTAGE NR AVIEMORE

>

CAWTHORNE HOUSE NORTH YORKSHIRE

BELMOND LE MANOIR AUX QUAT’SAISONS

OXFORDSHIRE

CHAPEL HOUSE CORNWALL

LLYS MEDDYG HOTEL PEMBROKESHIRE

Next issue...

ANYA

HINDMARCH

I struggle, to be honest. Walking is my saviour as you

don’t tend to check your phone and if I am with a

friend we tend to chat things through. I stretch and go

to the gym, which I also love. I have very bad screen

discipline and also work on Sunday evenings – neither

of which are terribly healthy but I haven’t found a way

round this yet. A long hot shower is my escape. There

aren’t any screens there!

I am trying to make it. I do meditate, and walks can be

great thinking time and are almost quite meditative.

I love massage and I love choral music. I find some of

the mindfulness apps good – Calm and Headspace. And

once a year I try to do a 10-day residential fast – you do

these amazing silent hikes through dense forests and

afterwards you feel truly oxygenated.

If in doubt wash your hair! But also ‘things come of

things’ – ie, if you do things, things happen. Also, just

don’t give up. Remember that fear and excitement are the

same emotion. Pay it forward. Nice things happen to nice

people. Be positive and positivity comes back and always

be kind. Say thank you. I could go on...

It is a book about doubt and my thoughts and advice on

being a mother, a step mother, a business woman and

entrepreneur. It is what I wish I had known when I was

younger and is written as a friend to a friend or a mother

to a daughter. It is horribly honest and, I hope, kind.

Just know that everyone feels the same way. Confidence is

a muscle that you have to exercise and nurture – you have

to gradually begin to trust yourself and stop doubting. It

becomes quite fun as mostly when you are scared you are

really quite excited. And remember that doubt keeps you

safe and humble. It is your friend.

That I am happy with less. That my family is everything

(and luckily I really quite like them). That we can make

huge changes to the way we live if we have to… we did for

Covid and we need to for the planet. That fashion needs

to change. We need to focus more on local and less on

global. And that community and science are incredible.

“What lies behind us

and what lies before

us are tiny compared to

what lies within us.”

A KISS OF LIFE

FOR HAIR

watermanshair.com

Planet Mindful May/June 2021

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