Underground

'Underground' was one of my forgotten stories from the 1990s. I went back to it in 2016 as I thought it was written in just the right format that would suit WattPad. It takes place over two weeks and each day on the daily commute surreal experiences push the narrator to the edge of her sanity driving her into an alternative reality. It has been one of my more popular stories on WattPad. You can read my story here.

The six book challenge - poetry and mindfulness

These six poetry and mindfulness books look so lovely and I think are full of joy, comfort and wisdom. I have been enjoying dipping into them in recent weeks and hope to enjoy more of them, more in depth, in the future.

Poetry

1. A year of Reading aloud by Georgina Rodgers
2. Dream work by Mary Oliver
3. The emergency poet by Deborah Alma

Mindfulness

1. Gardening for mindfulness by Holly Farrell
2. The things you can see only when you slow down by Haemin Sunim
3. The mindful path to self-compassion by Christopher Germer

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1.       Music and Drama

I can enjoy music much more, now that I no longer teach it. I love classical music; 'Pictures at an Exhibition', Holst's 'The Planets'; pop music favourites are Kate Bush, David Bowie and the Beatles. I also love jazz and film music. Another great escape is drama. I love radio dramas, TV dramas, films, novels, even people watching when I'm out and about in London. I don't like drama in my own life, but often find it difficult to avoid. I think now I'm over fifty and have discovered Buddhism I want to simply be rather than rush around doing so much and keeping busy for not much reason. Music and drama help me to enjoy this newer way to life.

2.       Reading and Writing

In 2018 I read over thirty third wave therapy and Buddhist psychology books. I reviewed 26 of them and they made it into the 'A book a fortnight' bibliography for my 'Everyday is a Mindful Act' project. In 2019 I wanted to escape into fiction reading once more and chose six Mood Boosting books for the task, I have also been reading more poetry. It has been lovely to get back to these lovely literary escapes. While working out therapy for myself I also discovered that blogging has been a positive thing for my wellbeing and I should continue to do it. Sylvia Plath once described writing poetry as 'her deepest health' I know what she means. Being creative is important to human beings. I intend to carry on blogging and with other forms of writing as well.

3.       Walking and Water

One of the things I have been enjoying and appreciating for the past ten years or so is walking by the River Thames. I have walked the length of the Thames Path from The Thames Barrier to Hampton Court. My favourite bit is The Royal Festival Hall at Hungerford Bridge to Southwark Cathedral at London Bridge. Walking by water, whether it's a canal, a lake, the sea or a river, can be very therapeutic. I often dream of living nearer the sea, maybe, one day, this dream will come true.

4.       Art and Crafts

I have enjoyed taking photos and making pictures for my blog over the years and I now enjoy mindful doodling and colouring. As part of my art therapy endeavours I have made a point of visiting more art galleries and now I am practising Slow Art, concentrating on a work of art for at least 5 minutes. Art is great and I find it one of the things that gives my life greater meaning. Like art, craft is also important as a source of creativity and meaning in life. I have attempted many paper and fabric crafts over the years and sell them in my craft stall 'ALF Creations @ the Star Heart Cafe'. I find knitting to be the most therapeutic craft and these days particularly enjoying knitting snuggle muffs for mental health patients. A recent advance I have enjoyed is the idea of a 'Crafternoon' with my daughter, who works on her card game, while I often drink tea, doodle and knit.

5.       Mindfulness and Meditation

I started practising mindfulness in March 2018. I did the body scan with my daughter and started doing the breathing to connect exercise from The Happiness Trap. Sometimes, often, it feels like I'm in the middle of an ocean, in a rowing boat, with no oars. Sometimes it's good to meditate on this feeling and then to appreciate the smaller things in life, which you can do with mindfulness. I appreciate a cup of tea, cuddling a teddy, mindful doodling and colouring, listening to music, reading a book, contemplating water, clouds, trees, flowers, art. I think it is good to give yourself some time everyday to just be; with your breath and your body. I often do mindful meditation in the morning, at work, in the evenings, it helps me through my day.

The Patient Librarian

I have been working on ideas for the patient librarian for many years. These are some of the literary decisions I have come to about it.

Story Outline

Jasmine Peak, a goth girl in emotional turmoil, arrives at the United Free Hospital to spend a year working in the Patient Library. The patient library is situated three floors below ground level near the morgue and is run by the mysterious Patient Librarian, Mr Eap. Soon Jasmine is engrossed in her work and finding out all about the world, love, life and death which inhabit every corner of the hospital and can be explained by her new boss, Edgar, and the stories he holds in his collection.

The story is divided into three and I have in mind a number of Edgar Allan Poe stories I thought could be incorporated into each part.

Part One - Arrival
1. MS found in a bottle
2. Ligeia
3. William Wilson
4. The man of the crowd

Part Two- Captivity
5. A descent into the maelstrom
6. The masque of the red death
7. The Tell-Tale Heart
8. The Black Cat

Part Three -  Departure
9. A tale of the ragged mountains
10. The facts in the case of M. Valdemar
11. The cask of Amontillado
12. Hop frog

I'm not sure about the Poe ideas as yet, I think he will be in there somewhere, but possibly as a more subtle influence.

  

ALF @ The Death Cafe

As a preliminary to attending a Death Cafe; I visited St Mary's Church and graveyard on Harrow on the Hill and also did some mindful doodling and colouring on the subject.

   

I have wanted to attend a Death Cafe since finding out about them in 2013. It has been difficult organising time out from my busy life to attend one. I have been making an effort to make my life less busy and committed to attend the one happening in the Playground Theatre, Latimer Road, on the 4th October 2019.

Unfortunately the Death Cafe scheduled for the 4th October had been cancelled at the last moment. I went along to the Playground Theatre anyway. The Cafe Bar looked really pretty. The kind of place where you could happily sit for a while and contemplate your own mortality. On the way were many remembrances of the Grenfell tragedy so it ended up being a very poignant afternoon out.

 

I didn't spend all afternoon on my own. Two other people turned up and we spent a couple of pleasant hours discussing death and poetry.

Autumn Term Therapy

September is traditionally the start of a new school year. Even when school is but a memory, September can be thought of as a chance for a new beginning, of developing ourselves, starting on new paths of self realisation. You can begin therapy at any time, use it to help you. You have one life, you didn't ask to be here, be kind to yourself and do what's best. Therapies for the Autumn Term involve writing, whether working on my blog or writing poetry, facing fear through horror, Edgar Allan Poe or Dr Who, or just contemplating higher realms through tea or spirituality.