15 minute read
WanderWome
Find your happy place
We all need different things in order to thrive – the trick is to find out what works for you. Some of us bask in full sun; others love the challenging conditions of a windy mountaintop.
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Most of us wouldn’t feel like our best selves if we stood around in a swamp all day, but this suits the alder down to the ground. Its secret is the bacteria that live in its root nodules. The tree supplies the sugars that bacteria need; the bacteria supply nutrients missing from the waterlogged soil. The result is that the alder flourishes where other trees can’t.
Attend to your core
Focus on building your inner strength and you’ll have a solid trunk to support you through the stresses of everyday life. Trees are masters of this – after all, their trunk has to support all the weight of their branches and foliage on the windiest of days. The centre of the trunk is called the heartwood and the black walnut, in particular, has some impressive inner steel. It is admired for its beauty and its strength, and its heartwood is so tough it can withstand huge force without fragmenting.
Get plenty of rest
‘Make hay while the sun shines,’ they say. And when it doesn’t? Put down your rake and take the load off. Conifers like the silver fir are pros at knowing when to take it easy. These guys keep their needles all year, unlike their broadleaf friends, so they can photosynthesise a little bit on sunny days in the winter. But they still slow right down at this time of year and focus on preventing water loss through their leaves.
These tips are extracts from the book How To Be More Tree – Essential Life Lessons for Perennial Happiness by Liz Marvin and Annie Davidson. Published by Michael O’Mara Books, the hardback is available to buy at amazon.co.uk
WanderWomen
It’s no secret that spending time outdoors and in nature is immensely beneficial for our health and wellbeing.
The outdoors has been a lifeline for many of us during lockdown – helping to keep us grounded and in-themoment when everything else has been so restricted and uncertain. Now, meet the mindful mum who has made it her life’s mission to help other women realise that all-important nature connection and grab its benefits with both hands. Anna Neubert Wood is the adventure-driven, nature-loving founder of WanderWomen, organising bespoke, outdoor experiences for women of all ages – from short bursts of fresh air and mindfulness all year round to half-day escapes, fullday adventures and overnight retreats in the Summer.
Adventure and mindfulness are at the heart of Anna’s rustic experiences, which combine elements of meditation, firemaking, sea swimming, nature-based arts and crafts, yoga play, and nature connection.
Anna’s passion – inspired by her childhood - is making outdoor adventure more accessible to women, to help them slow down, live more and connect with self, nature and others who are likeminded. “I grew up in suppressed East Germany,” she says. “Nature always meant freedom. “As a result, I’ve grown into someone who always questions systems, rules and the status quo. “My children didn’t go to school on Mondays for the first five years of their schooling. I didn’t want them to start school at such a young age so Mondays were our time for un-schooling, freedom, outdoor learning, boredom and, as a result, creativity. “My own children reminded me how everything is easier outdoors – conversation, conflict, life. They also taught me a lot about mindfulness and being in the moment. “Those were the most precious times with my children and I wanted to keep sharing the sense of freedom, mindfulness and outdoor adventure with humans other than my family. Working in an office just made me crave being outside more.”
WanderWomen was borne out of a vision board in 2018 and the rest, as they say, is history.
“Nature already holds the answers, whether we feel lost, upset or stressed,” says Anna. “When I’m outdoors I feel myself surrounded by lessons to lead me back to inner balance. “The waves of the sea remind me of my breath and the clouds remind me of the thoughts in my mind which come and go. “The tides of the sea and the seasons remind me of the cycles we go through ourselves as women and in life. None of us can be ‘up’ all the time. There has to be lows and there has to be a cold and painful winter in order to bloom again, be energetic and feel on top of your game. “Trees teach me to ground myself and wild creatures show me how to be in the moment. It all encompasses growth. “If only we chose to listen, read the signs and slow down as part of the process. There are always lessons, answers and solutions out there!”
Anna has, of course, had to postpone her experiences during lockdown but has enjoyed having the time to reflect and work on her business behind the scenes.
“On a personal level, I have really enjoyed the slowing down, reflection and rest,” she says. “It felt like such a gift to have my boys (now 11 and 13) all to myself again. They aren’t far off fledging the nest, becoming more independent and turning to their peers rather than their family. “Throughout lockdown, we have lived our best lives as a family. This time has taught me to take rest when it’s needed, accept the lows when they appear, enjoy life as it happens and, most of all, to be patient. “But I do worry about the impact all this will have on society, the economy and us as people. Unhappiness, anger, impatience and fear are apparent. “I hope people will remember to keep slowing down and seek refuge in nature, as well as continue to protect this precious planet of ours while we move forward. “We have to remember that we are nature and looking after the planet is looking after ourselves – and after future generations!” Anna is looking forward to resuming her WanderWomen experiences in the coming months and is confident that not too much will have to change. “Social distancing outdoors and in wild places is easy,” she says. “Everyone can take as much time and space as they want and need. “Groups are small so that makes things easier to manage. Sharing food might not be possible for a while, but I look forward to sharing home-made food and drink
again. I love integrating wild foods into my cooking and baking.” In the meantime, Anna has been busying herself making mandalas – a skill she learned during the flexi-schooling years – as part of the 100 Day Project, a free art project that takes place online globally every year. “A mandala represents the universe - wholeness, completeness. Creating a “For the second year running, I got involved in the 100 Day Project with my mandalas and, in 2020, this turned into a community project. Women from all over the world contributed their mandalas to the gallery over at the WanderWomen Instagram page. It’s been the perfect lockdown project to bond the WanderWomen community together!” Anna has lots of new projects in the pipeline, such as collaborations with other amazing women, online offerings and local markets. In the meantime, she has this advice: “Keep connected: to each other and to nature. Keep hold of the calm and keep inviting the peaceful feelings (that we
mandala from natural materials like petals, blossoms, grasses, sticks, shells and stones, is a calming and happinessinducing process. “It makes you aware of how perfect nature is already, with amazing designs in place, colours, synchronicity and symmetry. “Creating mandalas is meditation, yoga off the mat, mindfulness, and so much more to me. Establishing a daily practice mandala making is what keeps me sane and in touch with nature. I integrate mandala making on most of the WanderWomen experiences. have all experienced at one point or other during lockdown) into your life again. And don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. “Look after the sea and our planet - and remember that this is looking after yourself!” WanderWomen is a finalist in the Best Outdoor Wellbeing Initiative category of the Holistic Scotland Magazine Wellbeing Awards 2020.
Find out more at wander-women.co.uk or connect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using the handles @wanderwomenscotland and @wanderwomen9 respectively
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Summer Staycation
Get that holiday feeling without leaving home
Summer holidays might not be going ahead as planned this year, but you can still have a great staycation and create some lasting memories with the ones you love!
We asked five wellness experts to share their top tips for re-creating the perfect holiday vibe…
Bring the outside in
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan discovered that healthy volunteers who strolled through a pine forest for 15 minutes a day reported more positive ratings on a mood scale compared with those who didn’t. Psychologist Dr Audrey Tang, who is the author of The Leader’s Guide To Mindfulness, recommends recreating this by keeping fresh flowers, plants and colourful fruits around your home, which will also help to brighten your environment and keep you snacking healthily.
Practise being 8 again
“Think back to when you were a kid,” says Dr Andy Cope, who is the best-selling author of The Little Book of Being Brilliant. “The playground was a backdrop to discovery, adventures and first times. And now? Somewhere between then and now, you grew up. For most adults, playtime has ended. We no longer rise and shine. We rise and whine. To help you re-learn to have fun, it’s worth making a mental note of what’s called the ‘Pratfall Effect’, a phenomenon whereby you are deemed more attractive when you’re being a bit of an idiot. I promise you this is an actual scientifically proven fact. Imagine you’re at a wedding - an evening do - and the party’s slacking so you decide to take the bull by the horns and be the first
one on the dancefloor. Nobody follows. Not a soul. The Pratfall Effect says that rather than retire sheepishly to the bar, you should give it the full Saturday Night Fever. No half measures. The full Travolta for the full 4 minutes. Revelling in your faux pas and coming off the dance floor with a huge sweaty grin is the key to happiness and gorgeousness. It means you’ve got to put yourself out there. Somewhere along the line we exchange our shoe age for our chronological age, and I’m not entirely sure it’s at all a good thing.”
Reboot your thinking
A staycation is the perfect opportunity to reboot your thinking, according to personal development coach Bernardo Moya. “Take time to visualise and focus on what you want, not what you don’t want,” he says. “When you vividly imagine achieving your goals, you trigger a whole series of subconscious processes that will help you reach your target. You will be working toward your goals without even knowing it. If you’re not sure what you want, the answer may lie in your past. Look back for clues and valuable information about what you really enjoy doing and who you are. Then focus on finding ways to do more of that – of what brings you passion and purpose.”
Indulge in good mood food
Family wellbeing expert Danni Binnigton of healthwholeme.com says we should ever underestimate the impact of food on our mood! “To me holidaying is all about indulging,” she says. “Indulging in a new culture, foods, into being lazy or adventurous. It’s also about not having to cook every single meal for myself and my family, which is such a big treat. There’s one recipe that I make at home that gives me some of that feeling of indulging, and it’s super easy to make. It’s my Nut Butter Date Boats with frozen raspberry fillings. Simply cut in half a juicy date, spread your nut butter on top and top with a frozen raspberry (if you don’t have frozen raspberries you could also pop a walnut half or pecan on top). And then indulge! Eat slowly and absorb that mini moment of bliss. Voila – healthy, simple, sunshine on a plate.”
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Summer Staycation
Harmonise your mind and body
Physical intelligence experts Claire Dale and Patricia Peyton, who have co-written the book Physical Intelligence, say that even when we think we’re relaxed, we may have residual muscle tension and shallow breathing. “To make sure you’re truly relaxed, try meditative breathing,” suggest the authors. “Breathe diaphragmatically while counting each breath in and out up to 10, or try sequential relaxation by tensing and releasing muscle groups sequentially throughout the body. Work from toes to head, tensing on the out-breath for a count of five, holding for five, and releasing on the in-breath for a count of five. Retreat with time in nature, yoga and with family and friends. Experiment with healthy foods and drink lots of water. Make sure you wake without an alarm and get seven hours’ of sleep minimum daily. Minimise addictive treats such as sugar and alcohol and use your energy wisely by balancing high energy activities with opportunities to recharge.”
Family FUN
Try some of Rescue Remedy’s tips for a fun family fake-ation! Have a camp out – or camp in!
Camping is all about the atmosphere, so if you’re not able to go away, bring the essence of camping to your house. Whether you own a tent or not, you can easily recreate a camping experience indoors. If you don’t have one, build a fort using sheets and blankets, chairs or other bits of furniture. If you’ve got a garden and the weather is okay, bring all of these ideas outside! • Put up your tent or fort and lay out the sleeping bags. • Hide some stuffed toys around the room or garden to send the kids on a safari. • Add a little bit of reality by turning out the lights and using torches instead. • Hang some fairy lights across the room to replicate the night sky. • Eat a camp-side dessert, made up of s’mores and roasted marshmallows. • Put some outdoor animal sounds in the background on your phone. Journey around the world from home
Though you might not be able to explore the world this Summer, with a little imagination and creativity, you can bring those holiday destinations to you. Every day, or week, pick a new destination that you want to ‘visit’. From there, look up local recipes, mocktails and cocktails for the adults. Think homemade pizzas for your Italian inspiration, enchiladas for a Mexican flare or some tapas for a taste of Spain. You can play music from the country, watch videos or a documentary and even do a cultural trivia quiz at the end of the day. If you’d like to delve into it a little more, learn a few sentences and words in the country’s language and challenge each other to see who can learn the most. Visit rescueremedy.com/en for more family tips and ideas.
Feel-good fiction
Did you know people who regularly read for pleasure report lower levels of stress and depression? It’s thought that reading generates stronger feelings of relaxation than watching television or engaging in technology. In fact, reading is proven to be 68% better at reducing stress levels than listening to music; 100% more effective than drinking a cup of tea, and 300% better than going for a walk.
Now check out these Summer read recommendations from Rare Birds Book Club!
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Tackling everything from race to mental health and bad dates, Queenie Jenkins is the heroine you’ve been waiting for! She’s as refreshing, honest and as candid as it comes. The Pact
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
Fans of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before will love this wonderful rom-com about a woman who stages a fake romance at work to get back at
her ex. We Made by Rare Birds Book Club Layla Alammar was founded by Edinburgh-based Set in contemporary Kuwait, this is a fascinating and complex portrait of a woman Rachel Wood, who is a passionate advocate for women’s fiction. Her book subscription service is founded on the simple trying to withstand her principle that books should be family’s pressure to fun to read and selects only the enter an arranged most interesting stories – with marriage. gripping plotlines, amazing heroines, happy-ish endings and, when occasion calls for it, totally smouldering love interests. To find out more, or to sign up, go to rarebirdsbookclub.com
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