Thursday, 5 August 2010
Optimism and Resilience in Schools
All in the Mind - Tuesday 17th November 2009:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nvhvn/All_in_the_Mind_17_11_2009/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nvhvn/All_in_the_Mind_17_11_2009/
"In a special edition, Claudia Hammond talks to the father of positive psychology, Professor Martin Seligman, about why optimism is not only good for your health, but could also help you live longer. Claudia visits a school which has introduced happiness lessons with some surprising results..."
Monday, 29 March 2010
Self-Compassion
photo by Jusin Jin http://www.horseboymovie.com/film-team.php
Introducing Kristin Neff and her work on self-compassion:
"Self-compassion is a concept borrowed from Buddhist psychology, and entails self-kindness, feelings of interconnectedness, and mindfulness."Her website: http://www.self-compassion.org/
From the Introduction of 'The Compassionate Mind' by Paul Gilbert, founder of the Compassionate Mind Foundation:
"What is extremely exciting is that the last 30 years or so have seen the science of psychology and studies of the human brain begin to put compassion, caring, and pro-social behaviour centre stage in the development of well-being, mental health and our capacity to foster harmonious relationships.."http://www.compassionatemind.co.uk/
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Beyond The Beauty Myth
(photo from http://photography-now.net/)
From p285 of "The Beauty Myth" by Naomi Wolf:
"And we will learn that what is good about "beauty" - the promise of confidence, sexuality, and the self-regard of a healthy individual - are actually qualities that have nothing to do with "beauty" specifically, but are deserved by and, as the myth is dismantled, available to us all by right of femaleness. When we separate "beauty" from sexuality, when we celebrate the individuality of our features and characteristics, women will have access to a pleasure in our bodies that unites us rather than divides us."
Friday, 29 January 2010
In Praise of Slow
Carl Honore, author of "In Praise of Slow", gives (a fast paced!) introduction to the Slow Movement:
From p34 of his book, where he talks about The Society for the Deceleration of Time, who run 'speed traps' in town centres:
From p34 of his book, where he talks about The Society for the Deceleration of Time, who run 'speed traps' in town centres:
A few sites that may help with finding your own tempo giusto:
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
The Fun Theory!
(photo from:http://www.flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/229632970/in/set-72157594253443546/)
From the Fun Theorists:
"We believe that the easiest way to change people's behaviour for the better is by making it fun to do. We call it The Fun Theory."
http://www.thefuntheory.com/
Monday, 25 January 2010
On Rest
From p153 of "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle:
"Your physical energy is also subject to cycles. It cannot always be at a peak. There will be times of low as well as high energy. There will be periods of when you are highly active and creative, but there will also be times when everything seems stagnant, when it seems that you are not getting anywhere, not achieving anything. A cycle can last for anything from a few hours to a few years. There are large cycles and small cycles within these large ones...the cycles of low energy...are vital for regeneration."
Roger Deakin: 'The Garden' on Radio 4
(Photo from: http://cotswoldbookseller.wordpress.com/)
or you can go directly to the website:
where you will also see a link to the other programme where he talks about his house.
Thanks to John for the links.
Sunday, 24 January 2010
In the Spirit of Mindfulness
From p78 of "Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn:
"If you believe in love, do you manifest it or just talk a lot? If you believe in compassion, in non-harming, in kindness, in generosity, in calmness, in solitude, in non-doing, in being even-handed and clear, do you manifest these qualities in your daily life?"Chinese inscription cited by Thoreau in Walden (on p79 of the same book):
"Renew thyself completely each day; do it again, and again, and forever again."
Now for some laughter therapy!
Patch Adams and the Gesundheit Institute run Humanitarian Clowning Trips! :o)
http://www.patchadams.org/
http://www.patchadams.org/
Oxytocin
Oxytocin lowers blood pressure, promotes growth and healing, and has a calming affect.
What leads to the release of oxytocin?
- touch
- warmth
- a full stomach
- sexual activity
- social interaction
For more on oxytocin:
"The Oxytocin Factor - Tapping the hormone of calm, love and healing" by Kerstin Uvnas Moberg.
Here is a link to one of her papers: http://www.richardhill.com.au/oxytocin.pdf
Stuart Weir, UK http://www.milkphotos.com/
We Are What We Do
Their motto:
http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/
From Robert F Kennedy:
http://www.wearewhatwedo.org/
From Robert F Kennedy:
"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the highest walls of oppression and injustice."
From Margaret Mead:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world."
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Oh The Issue of Work!
From p126 of "The Highly Sensitive Person" by Elaine Aron:
From Harold Whitman:
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who come alive."
I found this quote here:
The Visual Whispers of Tashan
From Tania and Eddie Tashan:
"We enjoy to tell stories, whisper, make film, invent words, smile, shoot photos, play real, visualise ideas, make love, walk, dreamscape, travel, draw, change the colours, collect stones and do magic."
http://tashanproductions.tumblr.com/
"This Voice" is by Ane Brun
A Bit More for the Heart
From Rilke: 
"Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now."
From p117 of "The Highly Sensitive Person in Love" by Elaine Aron:
"Doing even a little can bring more love into your life - you do not have to build Sangri-la in a day, or even build it at all. Some affection between you and someone else would do, and it is the rare person who does not desire affection."
These ladies might be able to help with matters of the heart if you need it:
Dr Jo Lee:
Marion van der Stad:
Wisdom of the Heart
The Wisdom of the Heart from the 14th Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1989)
- Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
- Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
- Sleep is the best meditation.
- Spend some time alone every day.
- We can never make peace with the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
- Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
- We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
- Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
- If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
- The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual's own reason and critical analysis.
Readings by Robert Macfarlane
There is a series of four readings by Robert Macfarlane from his book "The Wild Places", the first of which is here:
Episode 1: island
or you can visit Toast:
http://www.toast.co.uk/content/TheWildPlacesAW07.htm?menu=media
where you will be able to listen without downloading, and where you will also find the other three.
It's like having someone read to you - perfect for when you can't sleep.
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs from p98 of "Psychology" by Richard Gross (3rd Ed)If you are here, I imagine you share my interest in how we can thrive and support others in that too - I would absolutely love it if by chancing upon this blog you found the website of BALANCED VIEW. The peace and relief! I can't tell you.. please see for yourself, and thank you for your visit here x
The Outdoor Swimming Society gets a mention early on
From their manifesto:
"The Outdoor Swimming Society believes that it's time British swimmers had more fun...We believe it's time to get back to the joy of swimming under an open sky...We pledge to take our friends with us so they can join...We embrace the rejuvenating effects of cold water and undertake to strip and dip wherever we can."
From the Foreword to Kate Rew's book "Wild Swim" written by their patron, Robert MacFarlane:
A video from Kate Rew to get you in the mood:"There's nothing faintly class-based about all of this. What could be more democratic than swimming? What more equalising than near-nakedness? You need even less equipment than you do to play football. A bathing costume, if you insist. Then, just enough common sense to avoid drowning and just enough lunacy to dive in...
...wild swimming is about beauty and strangeness and transformation - but it's also about companionship, fun, and a hot cup of tea or nip of whisky afterwards."
Something for Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)
From p18 of Elaine Aron's book "The Highly Sensitive Person"
"We are the writers, historians, philosophers, judges, artists, researchers, theologians, therapists, teachers, parents, and plain conscientious citizens...Often we have to make ourselves unpopular by stopping the majority from rushing ahead. Thus, to perform our role well, we have to feel very good about ourselves."
A video from Local Natives to lift the spirit
Oh no! it seems that some computers chop the glockenspielist off! If that's happened, I urge you to watch it on YouTube to get the maximum benefit from this video! :o)
A good place to start
The New Economics Foundation (NEF) was commissioned in 2008 by the UK Government's Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Well-being to review the interdisciplinary work of over 400 scientists from across the world.
The aim was to identify a set of evidenced-based actions to improve well-being, which individuals would be encouraged to build into their daily lives.
They came up with Five Ways to Well-being:
The aim was to identify a set of evidenced-based actions to improve well-being, which individuals would be encouraged to build into their daily lives.
They came up with Five Ways to Well-being:
Connect
Be active
Take Notice
Keep learning
Give
I thought it summed things up nicely, so it'll be my starting point.
Friday, 22 January 2010
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