Mindfulness matters

Mindfulness teaches us skills and techniques to help us deal better with life stresses and challenges. By practising mindfulness we develop the ability to be less reactive to the challenges we face in everyday life and learn to respond in a calmer and more considered way. Evidence shows that practising mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety levels, allowing us to experience more joy and happiness in our lives.

On Saturday 31 August 2019, Geilston Garden is hosting a morning of Mindfulness for Young Ones. This session will encourage children and their families to interact with the natural environment and find out more about the produce growing in Geilston’s kitchen garden. That afternoon, adults are invited to an introduction to mindfulness: What is mindfulness and why practise it? These mindfulness taster sessions will take place in the beautiful surroundings of Geilston Garden and will focus on engaging in mindful eating, walking and movement activities.

At Inverewe, Swedish-born artist David Sandum’s residency opened on Saturday 17 August 2019. With an emerging body of work entitled Evolving Impressions, David has been adding to the formerly blank walls with new paintings and drawings inspired by the garden at Inverewe. David spends his time between the garden and the gallery, making the most of his stay while sharing his experiences with visitors, volunteers and staff.

David’s Evolving Impressions exhibition is the latest in an on-going journey he’s undertaken since 2002. He became a professional artist who uses art and walking in wild places as personal therapy to help him recover his mental health, and emerge from severe depression at the turn of the millennium.

With David’s openness and willing to engage in sharing his own experience, Inverewe has teamed up with GALE (Gairloch and Loch Ewe) to help demystify mental health. A week-long programme of raising awareness activities looks to open up a positive discussion around mental health and wellbeing in the community.

Earlier in the summer, the Shearing Shed on Canna played host to a mindful Community Arts event. Designed to promote wellbeing, creativity and kindness, Fiona MacKenzie, Canna House Manager and Archivist, arranged for artist Raine Clarke to deliver a workshop for all ages, residents and visitors alike. Participants painted various sizes of pebbles in an array of designs and included a motivational word or phrase. The pebbles were all painted with the hashtag #kindnessrocks and then left in discreet places around the island for others to find and be inspired by.

Participants also had the opportunity to design and work on a gauze panel printed with leaves, grasses, feathers and other natural resources. The resulting work is displayed in the Canna pier waiting room.