Sanctuary

Hello again.

It's Monday, the weekend has passed by in a flash, as usual, and another week stretches out in front of us all.  Perhaps it's time for a little Sanctuary then?

'Sanctuary' can mean different things to different people and can be found in lots of ways, but right now, with autumn really setting in and Christmas on the horizon, it makes me think of being on holiday.  We had a wonderful time in Scotland this summer and, despite the changeable and cooler weather, we did have some lovely sunny days.  There is something magical about the scenery in Scotland.  It's incredible, and seems to change each time you go around the next corner, if you know what I mean.  Here are a couple of shots from some of our 'scouting for film location' days. 

Glencoe

From the shore of Loch Awe, just opposite Kilchurn Castle

Glencoe is simply breath-taking, and the photos I have don't do it justice.  I think we must have been unlucky with the weather there, as we hit rain each time we drove through the pass.  As you can see, we had great weather when we visited Kilchurn Castle.  The colours in this shot looking towards the mountains from the opposite shore are really vibrant.  We picked out this little bit of shore as a nice, quiet location for filming while we were looking around the castle, which was heaving with tourists.  So, we drove around the top of the loch, parked up on the side of the road and tramped through long grass and then very wet bog to this wonderful site.  It did feel a bit like something out of Swallows and Amazons, and you could see where people had previously camped and partied!  After much repositioning of a sinking camera and tripod (not to mention the cameraman!) we got some nice footage, and here's another shot from the shore across the loch to the castle.

Kilchurn Castle

Happy days!  Why not let us know where you escaped to this summer via the comments section, or how you find those precious moments of sanctuary?  I hope you enjoy the rest of your Monday.

Sanctuary: Enjoying the view...

 

Enjoying the view, because sometimes, pets need sanctuary too...

This is a cute shot of my English Pointer looking over the battlements of St. Mawes Castle in Cornwall, taken last summer while we were on holiday.

Have a great day!

Sanctuary: Enjoy Nature

Take a little time today and enjoy the beauty around you!

Sanctuary: The pleasure of pets

In the eyes of your four-legged friend, it never matters what kind of day you've had, where you've been, or what you've done...they will love you unconditionally.  How is it that they seem to know when you're feeling out of sorts?  They'll just come and sit beside you and 'lean', or rest their head in your lap.  I've read many times about the physical and mental health advantages of owning a pet, and it really does seem that stroking them is not only relaxing for them, but for us too!

Sanctuary - Nature

As I've mentioned before, in nature we can often find the peace that we seek. Also, I find that watching animals in the act of just being themselves to be very calming. One thing that I love about these ducks is that they look so calm on the surface as if they're just floating, but under the surface of the water their feet are flapping like crazy to push them along. They don't let what their feet are doing interfere with what's happening above water. They're just enjoying the moment. I love that!

Sanctuary - Nature

 

A walk in the forest always feels like sanctuary to me...

Sanctuary: Easter Monday at a classic car carnival

A beautiful old Riley - my dad had one in the 1950's!

Hello and Happy Easter Monday to you all, wherever you are.

Today, here in England, we have a bank holiday, so lots of people are having an extended weekend, which is always welcome (!) and a chance to do something different, visit somewhere new or kick back and relax.  How we like to relax is personal and different for everyone.  For example, if the weather is bad, I might curl up on the sofa with a book I can escape into, or I might do some knitting or sewing.  My hubby is mad about cars and loves classic car shows and museums, and if we get the chance, we visit.  He tells me the history of the cars and car companies, while I drool over my favourite old Jaguars, Healeys and Triumphs...  I spent many happy hours as a youth under the bonnet with my dad, learning how cars worked and getting covered in grease.  I've always been a bit of a tomboy!

Sanctuary: Meditation

Lately, I've realized that I have a lot of chatter that goes on in my mind and that chatter often makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, I'm not hearing voices or anything...I'm just being driven a little bonkers by my mind thinking of the next thing and the next thing that I need to get done. And I know it's normal to think things through as you go about your day, but I feel like it keeps me from being in the moment. That's one thing that I'd like to do more in my life...I want to live in the moment more and be present in the now.

So recently I've been reading up on meditation, because I always hear that it's an excellent way of bringing your mind to the present moment. I must admit, I've tried it once or twice but I wasn't ready. However, I think that I am now. So I'm going to give it a go. Finding that inner peace and sanctuary is so important these days especially in our increasingly noisy world.

As I did my research, I came across some tips on how to get started and I'd like to share them here. I'm sure that there are many ways to get going, but this seemed like a good practical way for me as a beginner.

Meditation Tips:

1. Find somewhere that is quiet, so you won't be disturbed.

2. Sit comfortably and if you're like me and tend to slouch sometimes, try to develop good posture as you sit, in a cross legged position if this is comfortable. It's very important to find what works best for each of us. (Note: I am not advising anyone to do something that would cause injury, so it is up to everyone to decide for themselves what works best. I am not an instructor. I'm just telling about what I have found out). I've also read that you can just sit comfortably in a chair, so I'm gonna try it out each way.

3. Cup your hands together with your palms facing upward and let your thumb tips lightly touch each other.

4. Put your focus on your breathing and notice the air going in and out. From what I've read this is key to the whole process. It redirects your mind and you're in the moment because you are concentrating only on your own breath. Even though my mind tends to wander in everyday life, I'm learning that my mind is going to of course wander as I try to still my mind for meditation, but that is okay. When the mind wanders I just need to recognize that I'm having the thought and then get back to concentrating on my breath. And from what I've read, the concentration builds over time. I like that idea. It is growth.

5. You can add a mantra if you like, but I think at this point I'm just going to do the practice with just concentrating on my breath. I know how I am and I think that if I do a mantra, I might end up getting off track. I think for me I just need to learn how to be quiet and let the silence in for a while ;-)  Later on maybe I'll incorporate a mantra of some kind. 

6. The last consideration is time....how long should we meditate? Well I've read about those who are very advanced and are able to meditate for very long stretches, but they've been practicing for years and I'm a newbie. I've read suggestions of ten to twenty minutes, so this is what I'll aim for. I'm going to build up to that though. For me, five minutes will be a real accomplishment, so I'll start there. As I said before, I like the idea of having to build...that leads to growth and that's what I'm aiming for :-)

Have you ever tried to meditate? What have been your results? Please leave a comment and share your experience.

Sanctuary

Hello readers.  It's Monday, and I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in the west of England it's raining heavily, it seems dark as the sky is the colour of slate,  and thunder is rumbling somewhere nearby.  On days like these, it's good to be able to find some sort of sanctuary in photos of better days, with better weather, in beautiful places, so I've uploaded a photo of Nunney Castle in the county of Somerset.

Sanctuary - Silbury Hill

This is Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, England. I took this photo one day last year when I was visiting. It's a beautiful and serene spot. I felt such peace there. It was a wonderful place to be alone with my thoughts and relish being alive :-)

~ Dori

Sanctuary

Sanctuary at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire

 Hi everyone, and a very 'Happy Monday' to you all!

I've been thinking about 'Sanctuary' and what it might mean to different people.  I'm sure we all have different ideas about it, and why we might need or seek it sometimes.  If we look at dictionary definitions we can see that it comes from the Latin Sanctus (holy) and can mean:

1. Refuge or safety from pursuit, persecution or other danger

2. A nature reserve

3. A holy place; a temple.

(From: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sanctuary)

I'm wondering what Sanctuary means for you?

Sanctuary - Self

I love this quote.

 

Very wise and true!

 

 

 

 

Sanctuary - Music

Welcome to the Sanctuary.  Today I'd like to share some beautiful music from YouTube with you.  I've been looking for a track that emanates peace and a sense of escape, but I didn't realise how long it would take me to choose the 'right piece' to share.  As a result, after hours and hours of listening (oh what bliss...), I couldn't decide!  So, here are three of the pieces that really shouted out to me.  Why not let me know what you think in the comments section below, or tell me which piece of music represents Sanctuary to you?

Sanctuary - Self

We always hear that change is constant and this is very true. Sometimes change comes so silently that we barely notice until we look back some time later. However there are times when change smacks us right in the face and gets our attention immediately. Change is very much woven into the texture of life, whether it is by our own design or by outside forces.

In my own life over the years I've changed things when I've wanted to get another result out of life. Sometimes it has been on the surface changes like changing my hair color and other times it has been about changing something within my behavior. It's often good to shake things up I think and see what else life has to offer.

Sanctuary - Health

  Throughout January, and now into February, my family has been in the grip of coughs, colds, sickness and sore throats.  My son had a nasty flu-like bug for about a month, my daughter had something similar but with the worst sinus pain she’d ever experienced (all in the midst of mock exams, too), and hubby had man-flu.  I’ve had a blocked ear and a really sore throat, on and off for a while, and it came back with a vengeance last week.  So aren’t you all glad you’re not living in this house?!  Perhaps there should be a sign outside the door painted with a red cross?  There might even be a man with a hand cart walking up and down the road beating some kind of iron drum shouting, ‘Bring out your dead’ in true Monty Python style.  Watch this to see what I mean...  The never-ending storms we’re experiencing here on the borderland of England and Wales don’t help, that’s for sure, but at least we’re not flooded, like lots of other people are across the country at the moment (and big hugs go out to everyone suffering).  It is so grey and wet and much colder today than it has been, and...well, it is like something out of a plague-ridden medieval drama.