Table of contents for Issue 10 in Project Calm

Think of the wonders of nature freely available to us, wherever we are. The spectacle of a sunrise or sunset, the horizon on which to fix our gaze, the dawn chorus of local birds. All play out daily, regardless of whether we’re watching, but if we do make a point of breaking with the usual routine to observe these marvels, how enriching to our spirits! Take time to soak it all up – the sun as it moves across the sky, shadows as they skirt the floor. Get outside and experience your own magic hour. The beauty of it is, it’s all waiting for you.…

BLACKCAP, UNITED KINGDOM Although mainly a summer visitor to Britain, more and more blackcaps are now choosing to stay for the winter, too. With a smart black (male) or chestnut (female) head, grey plumage, dark beaks and stocky bodies, they are distinctive little warblers with a fluting, buttery song that has earned them the flattering nickname ‘northern nightingale’. Listen out for them in woodlands, parks and gardens where they enjoy scouting for insects and berries in trees, hedgerows and shrubby undergrowth. TAWNY-CROWNED HONEYEATER, AUSTRALIA A bird of the warm coast and dry inland heaths, honeyeaters feed on nectar from a wide range of plants as well as small insects. Their melancholy drip-drop whistle is a calming voice among some of Australia’s louder avian inhabitants, and they are usually found all…

SALAR DE UYUNI A mirrored, endless reflection in the Andes The world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia is transformed into a giant reflecting mirror during the rainy season. The pools that are created above the bright, white salt create a spectacular, luminescent horizon illusion, with the sky seemingly both above you and below. THE 12 APOSTLES Australia's geology offers an awe-inspiring view There are, in fact, just eight apostles here despite the name: these limestone stacks in Victoria, Australia, seem to rise out of the Southern Ocean, and are almost otherworldly. The view of the sea and land is stunning, the horizon misting in the spray. SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS Nature’s breath-taking light show at the tip of the UK From here you can see the northern lights. The isolation of the…

@EMILYQUINTON It's no surprise that the Makelight founder notices beautiful contrasts. makelight.com @SARAJOHANNATRAVELS A traveller with a love of shady spots, natural tones and good coffee. sarajohannatravels.com @TRACEYLYNNELLIS Sunset chaser Tracey writes and photographs her wanderlust. twenty20.com/traceylynnellis/photos @JANICEISSITT_LIFE_STYLE Like the old masters, Janice's still life style is full of moody shadows. janiceissittlifestyle.blogspot.com @SHOTBYKAREN A regular contributor to #noticethelittlethings, Karen makes art from the everyday. @WHITEPEAK_RUTH Outdoor therapy, discovery and stillness from wellbeing coach, Ruth. whitepeakwellbeing.com @LOBSTERANDSWAN Jeska Herne captures dappled light in beautiful, often botanical moments. lobsterandswan.com @TAMSYNMORGANS A stylist can't help but look for magic. Tamsyn's pastels have a dark edge too. tamsynmorgans.com @YAYVM An illustrator and ceramicist with love for light and dark. yayvm.com…

How often are you encouraged to lose focus? It’s not the done thing in today’s world, yet that’s exactly what we’re doing this issue. Physically meander a while in a labyrinth – did you know it’s impossible to get lost? – or simply sit still and allow your mind to empty, rest, meditate. Put phones away, lose track of time, find the flow state walking or engaging in an easy, repetitive task. Often the answers occur to us when we cease chasing them. Turns out, our brains are pretty good at problem solving on their own.…

TAP TO DOWNLOAD DO IT YOUR WAY While you’re finding your own path, why not make your own art? Our cover illustrator this issue, Sofia Bonati, has kindly started you off with one of her labyrinth women posters. Pin it up as is, or stretch your creativity by colouring inside the lines, papercutting the halo or adding a touch of shining gold pen… Follow your joy! BE INSPIRED Want to take your own line for a walk, or a craft knife for that matter? Sofia Bonati’s print lends itself to so many customisations. Do as we’ve done and papercut the labyrinth shape – you could also back the poster after doing this with a different colour card – or use pencils or pens to colour in between the lines. Collaboration…

1 NO PYJAMA DRAMAS Anyone who denies slipping straight into their PJs when they get home of an evening is definitely lying. It’s one of life’s little luxuries right? Quality loungewear is high on our shopping list, and one of our go-to brands is Sleepy Doe, which has recently launched a new collection (and an excuse to stay in), inspired by one of our all-time favourite designers William Morris. The collection is designed with both mother and child in mind – there’s nothing cuter than matching your offspring’s sleepwear – with calming colour palettes in peach and ochre, emerald and duck egg, as well as the classic navy and oatmeal Breton. All the pyjamas in the collection are made from supersoft organic cotton and are sustainably manufactured in the UK.…

The simple, thoughtful art of designing, creating and cutting brings mindful calm and creative purpose. A chain of people holding hands has a further purpose: a social call to arms. Choose your pattern with care – a ditsy print for a nursery (we’ve provided one for you, left); newsprint for your office (or swap them around – challenge convention). Launch into multicoloured hues to brighten up a workspace, a library, a schoolroom, a street party. Join together with your neighbours, your colleagues, your friends, your family and craft a community joined hand-to-hand to brighten up walls and, yes, to lift the spirits.…

1 PICK A TOPIC Do you want to write about your butterfly obsession or your love of Margaret Atwood? Your newsletter can certainly be a catchall of different topics, but having a focus will help you find like-minded readers and plan in advance. 2 FIND A PLATFORM When you’re just starting out, Tinyletter reigns king. It’s free, it’s easy to use, and the landing page is ready and waiting. You’ll have to move over to another platform when you reach 5,000 subscribers. Mailchimp owns Tinyletter so it’s an easy transition, but it’s not free for large subscriber numbers. 3 DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE NUMBERS The average Tinyletter has a couple of hundred subscribers so don’t worry about the numbers, just concentrate on engaging with the readers you do have. Do pay…

First, could you tell us a little about yourself? I’m 51 years old, I’m an actor and sometimes a director. I live in London with my partner, the writer Laura Wade, and our two daughters. One is three years old and the other was just born. What time do you wake up (and why)? I’ve always woken around 6am. When I was at school it was to do last-minute homework. At university, I had essay crises in the early morning rather than work into the night, which has always been the sleepy end of the day for me. Since becoming a father I get up early to get my first daughter her milk and to dress her, and since discovering birdwatching, both Laura and I have enjoyed an early morning…

Come together in ritual, festival or relaxation. Whether you’re planning to venture near or far this season, make time to share the experience with others and create an element of pageantry as you do so. We’re looking to Japan for inspiration in this, and the wonderful world of Sado – the tea ceremony. It’s an opportunity to elevate a humble cuppa to a mindful celebration with friends, and in the process, practise due care, respect, thanks and hospitality. It’s how we all should travel, and host in return.…

Sado is founded on four key principles, attributed to the 16th-century tea master Sen Rikyu. Practitioners of tea ceremony aim not only to apply these principles in the context of the tea ceremony, but also to integrate them into their daily lives outside of the tearoom. They are as follows: 1 WA – HARMONY Living harmoniously with each other, but also with nature being movable, flexible and changeable. 2 KAI – RESPECT Having respect for the process and the ceremony, but also for each other, as well as the implements and equipment, through taking care and a muted, unassuming pride in the practice. 3 SEL – PURITY Purity, in this instance, refers to cleanliness and orderliness, but also to being authentic, clear and transparent – a purity of mind and…

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Tea ceremonies are usually performed in special tearooms, known as ‘chashitsu’. These are lined with tatami floor mats – you should avoid stepping on the places where they join up. You’ll be sitting seiza-style; on your knees on the ground. At home, you might think about moving furniture around to create a sense of space, adding floor cushions for your guests. Or you could also consider hosting a ‘nodate’ – a tea ceremony outside, like a picnic. SETTING THE SCENE For an authentic tea ceremony, you need to have the following in the room: Calligraphy: in the form of a hanging scroll on the wall of the room. This should be topical, relating to the season or theme of the gathering. A common theme running through all…

‘Songs to watch the light change as time seems to slow’ – that was our self-initiated brief for the issue 10 playlist. From chill-out to electronica, rock classics to beautiful instrumentals, we have just the thing to plug into once you’ve taken in the actual dawn chorus. So look to the horizon and time your visit for sunrise or sunset, and then lose yourself in the eclectic musical genius of Nitin Sawhney, Beck, The Cinematic Orchestra and more. 1. Sunset – Nitin Sawhney 2. Light (feat. Little Dragon) – ODESZA 3. Morning – Beck 4. Dawn Chorus – Beth Orton 5. Dog Years – Maggie Rogers 6. Skylark Interabang?! – Made in Heights 7. Time – Jungle 8. The Glow – Monogem 9. Then Comes the Wonder – The Landing…

I love the idea of a morning routine; a sacred time to tend to yourself before the world storms in and steals you away. The personal development world is so enamoured with this concept there are thousands of articles, websites and books dedicated to this holy grail. The morning habits of successful people seem to be of particular interest, as if replicating the first hour of Richard Branson’s day will change your life. He gets up at 5am and plays tennis, while former president Barack Obama hits the gym at a more leisurely 6:45am. Oprah Winfrey starts her day with 20 minutes of meditation then hits the treadmill. Despite this fascination with productivity hacks, I believe the most powerful morning routine is one that honours your energy levels and priorities.…

1 START A WILD JOURNAL Keeping a nature journal is one of the most rewarding ways you can connect with the wilderness. If you’re not sure how to get started, why not join the San Francisco-based Nature Journal Club on 11 September for their monthly outing? Learn to observe and record nature with illustrations, poetry and prose, surrounded by like-minded nature lovers in beautiful locations. Visit johnmuirlaws.com for more information. If you don’t have a journal club near you, why not start your own and gather together your sketches, scribbles and memories of nature? Hannah at lilyandthistle.com has put together a free online guide to nature journaling and where to begin. 2 WILDLIFE AFTER HOURS Make use of the warm summer nights in the UK by connecting with nature after…

PENCH TIGER RESERVE, INDIA The inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, this reserve is a hidden gem nestled in the lower reaches of the Satpura Hills. SIKOSAARI ISLAND, FINLAND Situated just south of Porvoo city, enjoy the reedbeds and birdwatching tower in the northeastern part of the island. RSPB MINSMERE, ENGLAND Listen to booming bitterns, Cetti’s warblers, bearded tits, blackcaps and nightingales in the coastal lagoons and grasslands of Suffolk. CAPE MAY, UNITED STATES A coastal hotspot for migrating songbirds, visit the bird observatory in spring to hear waves upon waves of different species. DAINTREE RAINFOREST, AUSTRALIA Believed to be the world’s oldest rainforest, listen out for southern cassowaries, honeyeaters, fairywrens and mountain thornbills. “A bird does not sing bacause he has an answer. He sings because he has…

1 INDULGE YOUR INNER LIFE In her book How To Be Bored Eva Hoffman explains that we need to cultivate a rich interior life in order to live meaningfully. Mind wandering is key to making sense of the world, and according to Dr Smallwood’s research, you can increase the amount of mind wandering you do if you think about yourself before engaging in an activity. So take time for self-reflection to discover more meaning. 2 MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR IDLE MOMENTS Driving, in the shower, using the bathroom – there are very few spaces where it’s not practical to access our devices, and we could treat these as sacred gaps where we can see where our brains take us. Letting your brain access its imaginative mode, even briefly, allows…

People crave comfort, people crave connection, people crave community.Marianne Williamson, American spritual teacher Research shows that being part of a group, and to help others to become part of that group, is one of the most effective ways to feel happier. Whether it’s a coffee morning spent chatting over a slice of cake, or taking the plunge by joining a swimming club, it seems we’re happiest when we enter in to what’s known as a ‘state of flow’. The term, coined by US-based ‘positive psychologist’ Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi, describes the positive physical, mental and emotional state that occurs when we become completely absorbed in an activity – absolute immersion where we lose track of time. Doing so with like-minded others only intensifies that experience. Harvard research shows that people who have…

If you’ve ever thought there’s too much mess and expense associated with screenprinting, think again. Craft presenter Stephanie Weightman’s new Screen Sensation printing system makes this detailed technique more accessible and streamlined, while retaining the same smooth results on a variety of surfaces, from card to fabric to wood. Whether you choose the original 12x12 unit or the new Screen Sensation Compact in the 7x5 size, your kit will consist of a base unit, frame and squeegee to pull ink with. Screen Sensation custom designed screens are also available in lots of themes. Here, we’ve used ‘Festival’. Let’s get started. 1. Select the mesh design you would like to print and make sure everything you need is within easy reach. 2. You can print isolated areas of the design by…

1 THREAD tinyletter.com/jeanhannah Jean Edelstein’s sporadic newsletter, sent “from a stoop in Brooklyn”, is delightfully about nothing and everything all at the same time. It’s a gorgeous read that will make you think. It landed her a book deal, too. 2 DOMESTIC SLUTTERY domesticsluttery.com A daily lifestyle newsletter covering everything from feminism and culture to food and fashion, written by Sian Meades and her Scotland-based writing partner Laura Brown. Each day has a different theme so you know what you’re getting when you open it up. 3 TEN THINGS lukeleighfield.fyi/ten-things/ Every Friday, Luke Leighfield pulls together a collection of interesting links that he’s discovered. You’ll learn something new every time, and it’s a nice one to dip into while you’re having your lunch. 4 NOUGHTICULTURE tinyletter.com/noughticulture Are you green fingered?…

First, could you tell us a little about yourself? I’m 50, a mum to three, an illustrator and a beekeeper, living in a field edged by woodland and water. What time do you wake up (and why)? I wake usually just before 6am, sometimes earlier depending on if the window’s wide open to morning song. The amount of light leaking through also plays a big part. Do you have a morning ritual? It begins with lying still, eyes closed, trying to work out how early it is, trying to read the state of the sky by determining the quality of light that has managed to leak through my eyelids, and I’m listening to the birds. Eventually I’ll give in as the volume of the choir increases. If it’s a school…

What does early morning mean? There is a 17th-century Cuyp painting in the Scottish National Gallery, Landscape with a View of the Valkhof, Nijmegen. It is a beautiful Dutch landscape of a tower in the distance, a river to one side, figures moving around in the scene. It is either dusk or dawn. And it is interesting to look at it and to think: which is it? To decide whether it is dusk or dawn. There ought to be about the same amount of light moments in both cases, yet they are completely different. The difference is in how you view the painting and depends on your accompanying internal state, your physiological reaction. What is the difference between dawn and dusk? In one case – the imagined state is of…

KOICHA/USUCHA Thick/thin teas Matcha is prepared in two different ways during a tea ceremony: koicha (thick tea) and usucha (thin tea). Koicha This is offered first, and the cup is shared among three guests, who take three sips each before passing it on (after wiping the rim with hemp cloth or kaishi paper – a folded piece of paper stashed in your kimono for hygiene purposes). It requires around three times more tea than usucha, and is gently whisked into the cup in order to ensure a smooth blend. Usucha The thinner tea is whisked or whipped into the hot water, and each guest will drink from their own individual cup. EQUIPMENT No tea ceremony is complete without the proper gear (‘chadogu’). You should invest quite a bit in your…

TIFFANY FRANCES Writer and artist Tiffany is based in Hampshire, UK. She compiles our travel news and wrote and illustrated our ‘Dawn Chorus’ feature on page 12. Her book Food You Can Forage is out now. tiffanyimogen.com LOTTIE STOREY Writer and blogger Lottie lives by the water in Bristol, UK with countless kids and kittens. She features anything that tickles her fancy on her blog and wrote our shadows study on page 28. oysterandpearl.com HELEN MARTIN Storytelling flair and curiosity led Helen to become a writer (she founded indie lifestyle magazine Lionheart). Read her musings on the horizon on page 20 and check out her travel tips on page 102. lionheart-mag.com WILL JARVIS Will splits his time between the British Westcountry and London, where he freelances as an art director…

What inspires you most? I find my inspiration in many things: nature, colours, people, books, stuff from the web. It might be a situation from everyday life, a shop window, a conversation with my son, or an absurd event I come across, everything can become an idea. What other artists are you drawn to? I love Escher’s imaginary worlds, Ozabu’s drawings, Klee’s colour combinations, William Morris’s nature designs and Gaudí’s architecture. When did you know you wanted to be an illustrator? I always enjoyed drawing, but it wasn’t until I moved to UK and started selling my art that I felt I could be an illustrator. When do you feel most relaxed? When I’m surrounded by nature, especially in the woods. Now that I live in Buenos Aires I miss…

When you’re comfortable at home, the next step is your community. Yes, it’s useful to look inward, but mindfulness encompasses outward-looking endeavours too. This issue we look at the wider picture around us – helping our neighbours, reaching out to new people and even creating our own tribes. It’s work with heart, a personal enterprise unrelated to commercialism to which you can give your all. Send love out into the world, and it’s true – it really does come back to you.…

THE GOLDFINGER FACTORY Goldfinger is an award-winning social enterprise in west London that combines community and creativity. It’s home to a furniture showroom, teaching space, craft workshops and a deliciously healthy café. The initiative fulfils its mission to ‘empower the community through craft’ by providing training to locals seeking employment in creative industries. In return for volunteering one day per week to support the work of the enterprise, local artisans are given access to workshop facilities to develop their craft, and studio space to showcase their work. The artisans donate their expertise and tuition to local trainees, who use materials otherwise destined for landfill to create bespoke furniture and interiors. Profits are invested back in to the community and used to fund future development work. goldfingerfactory.com STORM Combining the three…

Generally, you might think we send too much email. Our inboxes are a time suck: on average, we spend two and a half hours a day in our inboxes, sending and replying to emails. So it’s no surprise that sometimes we can feel overwhelmed, but thanks to the influx of excellent newsletters I’ve subscribed to, my inbox is fun again. I can pinpoint the moment my emails took a turn for the better. I signed up to a newsletter called Thread by Jean Edelstein, one of my favourite writers. The first issue I received was on the topic of dog walkers in Brooklyn; it was about life in New York and being part of a community. It was about everything and not much all at once. It took me out…

What time do you wake up (and why)? Some time before 5am in summer, a little later in winter. I sleep with sliding doors open, no curtains. It is usually the birds that wake me, even gulls – a joyful thing. It is the time I write or summer-garden, though I sometimes get caught up in social media, before my wife gets up. Do you have a morning ritual? I like to make tea in the dark. I think my senses may be heightened. Earl Grey in a pot, no milk. How does being awake early affect your life? It gives me time to be me, before the day begins. What time do you sleep? Mostly around ten-ish, give or take. Does your sleep vary through the year? I am…

First, could you tell us a little about yourself? I’m a writer. I present BBC radio documentaries and occasionally present for television. I write plays and occasionally I write articles. I perform my poetry on stages throughout the world. I am an Ethiopian Briton born in Wigan who lives in London. I am Chancellor of the University of Manchester. What time do you wake up (and why)? I wake between 5am and 7am. For as long as I can remember I have woken early. As a child I thought the world awoke as a theatrical production with me as the sole audience member. I thought everyone experienced this. Do you have a morning ritual? I write a morning tweet that describes how I feel and how the morning is to…

1 Seize the day. Your morning doesn’t have to be decided by what time you leave the house. The constant conventional rush: for breakfast, a bath or shower, in time for the bus or Tube or drive or walk to work, to get the kids to school. You can free the day, start in a different way, remove the race. 2 Build up to dawn, wake a little earlier, try half an hour. Skip Newsnight or Netflix, or whatever it is you watch. They will still be there. Savour the time. Avoid doing the same thing you always do or the day will fill like an incoming tide. What is it you wanted to do but told yourself you don’t have the time? Paint, possibly? Read more books? Bake bread?…

“Tea is a religion of the art of life”Okakura Kakuzo My English and Japanese relatives don’t have much in common, but the sound of a boiling kettle has always been a constant in my life – we are all big tea drinkers. The Japanese word for the colour brown is 'cha-iro', which literally means ‘colour of tea’. This should give you an indication of just how passionate we are about the stuff. There are so many varieties of tea in Japan – it is so much more than just matcha, with many different types suited for different seasons and different occasions. It’s not uncommon for people to take their favourite cup with them when they are out and about. And with good reason, too: I can’t remember a time when…

The principles behind tea ceremony – harmony, respect, purity and tranquility – are what we all aspire to in our lives. As human beings, we want to live peacefully with others and to be respected. By performing the ceremony for others, you provide both them and yourself with a physical manifestation or expression of that desire. It can also help to build a sense of community and solidarity. But we don’t have to execute it so formally; having people round for tea can do the same thing in smaller, subtler ways, even if it’s just catching up over a brew.…

SURPRISE MESSAGES These origami envelopes hide a beautiful surprise whether you stash a teabag and a message inside or not – they’ve been designed to unfurl into a beautiful contrasting flower when opened, much like a cup of jasmine tea. Follow our fold guides on the origami pages themselves and then assemble and decorate as suggested here.…