A GOOD PLACE TO BE.

 

Spending Christmas in a conservation area surrounded by nature is a fantastic idea! It can be a great way to appreciate the beauty of nature and get away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. 

To make the most of your experience, you should consider researching the area and the wildlife that lives there. You could also look into any ABC activities or events that might be happening .

Without conservation there is not mushroom for anything else.

You could even bring along some birdseed and feed the birds to make the experience even more special.

However, it's important to remember to respect the environment and be mindful of your impact. 

Have a wonderful Christmas in a conservation area!

Time to take time and space.

Reflecting on the pandemic and reviewing your place in the ‘new norm’ post lockdown, can be scary.

 

The benefits of spending time outside and connecting with Mother Nature are many. Surveys have described the benefits in relation to: growth, health and wellbeing, cultural and emotional growth and attitudes.

 

A day retreat amongst nature is both beneficial to yourself and the environment and can be used as an opportunity to learn about your role in the world.

Many times we can we can get lost or over burdened the with life’s responsibilities but when we are in nature, our minds become more open and receptive to new ideas.

We can also use nature to teach us about life and our role in it and how to live it. This is why we are so grateful for nature because of its ability to help anyone in an emotional quandary.

 

The natural world provides us with a lot of opportunities.

 We can find where we are by looking at the emotions wheel and ask ourselves whether we want to remain where we are, or change?

 

We think that if we are able to look at the emotions wheel and see our emotions as they really exist, they will help us understand what they mean.

We believe that we need to be more aware of our environment and to be looking outside of ourselves and to give Mother Nature a chance to help us heal and for us to contribute back to Nature.

Health and well being during the past 15 years has had a growing body of research which does suggest that direct frequent experience of being outside particularly in contact with nature produces positive mental and emotional benefits for everyone.

 

There are times and places to be noisy or active or to be quiet and reflective.

By doing conservation work outdoors, we learn about relationships and develop communication skills that are effective along with producing a feeling of well being and regaining our peace of mind.

RCT

All Minds Matter.

Meditation.

Breathing exercises

 to reduce stress during the pandemic. 

 

Try slow breathing exercises in a safe well ventilated area or out in nature when you can. 

Take a couple of deep breaths initially to help ground the mind and create space, for new inner peace.

This practice may have a profound effect on your state of mind and should increase mindfulness and awareness.

 Daily practice often improves the quality of your meditation practice, allowing the breath to flow through your body naturally. 

Taking time to let go of unwanted thoughts and fears and learning to breath may help to deal with the days trials and tribulations, resulting in a better sleep at night.

Take care everyone,

From all at ABC

Please feel free to share our links of the abc website.

RCT.

Beyond the Autumn Equinox .

Moving into October and past the Autumn Equinox means the nights are closing: The equinox is thought to represent: "the period of struggle between darkness and light, death and life spiritually. It occurs when the night and day are equal.

-----------

We have just had our Harvest Moon and this has related to the timing of the autumnal equinox (September 22, 2020), with the full Moon that occurs nearest to the equinox being the one to take on the name “Harvest Moon.”

Their have been various studies on the effect on humans during periods of a full moon; especially those people with mental illness or how many crimes and fatalities occur during a full moon.Neurotic behaviour and accidents are also linked to the full Moon and could be subjective but fascinating all the same.

There is the age old theory that suggests since the Moon affects large bodies of water such as the ocean (tidal force) it must influence the human body which is approximately 60% water. Coming out of a full moon people can feel energised. 

---------

 Bats are thought to hunt by the silvery moon. Bats can be seen often best in autumn as the temperature begins to fall and the nights draw in, many of the small mammals that live in our fields, woodlands and hedgerows forage for extra food to store over the winter and look for a suitable site (a hibernaculum) to hole up in for the coldest part of the year. Other small creatures mice, voles, shrews and Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are also eating vast quantities of food to build up fat reserves which will carry them through to the spring.

  

Following this period of feasting or gluttony they retreat to somewhere suitably warm and safe to try to enter into a period of hibernation, which can last for up to four months of the year depending on the harshness of the Autumnal change in temperatures.

Also in autumn bats relocate to hibernation roosts and crevices looking for a constant temperature and to avoid frosts and freezing conditions e.g. caves, trees and built structures such as outhouse and barns perhaps. 

And it’s not just small mammals that hibernate:  Queen bees dig in for the winter and also some species of moths and butterflies, like the Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) which hunker down in grassy tussocks. Many of our reptiles and amphibians also hibernate. Adders find warmer crevices under boulders or in dry stone walls so be careful. Newt species spend the winter in the muddy banks of ponds, under paving slabs, piles of wood or in a handy compost heap.

 

Common Toads (Bufo bufo)  are thought to sleep out the winter buried deep in damp places such as leaf piles or compost heaps, before emerging to travel back to their traditional breeding sites in early spring such as the moorland ponds.

 

The Common Frog (Rana temporaria) which needs to keep damp is able to partially freeze in its state of hibernation before thawing out in spring. Occasionally such species come out of hibernation during any short sunny spells in the winter to make the most of the weak sunshine, only to return to their hiding place when the temperature falls again.

So spare a thought for our wildlife that’s out there sleeping through the winter, hidden away from view deep in their retreats, practising their own life saving techniques and waiting for the first signs of spring and hope as we make our way through the various lunar cycles from now till then. 

"Meditation is a great way to help stay in the now. Conservation preserves the future."

RCT

Life goes on.

 

The heather is holding on as summer draws to an end and wildlife starts to prepare for the approaching winter, eating more or stockpiling reserves.

Countries across Europe are seeing a resurgence in COVID-19 cases after successfully slowing outbreaks early in the year including the United Kingdom, which is worrying as the abnormal has now become normal.

We don’t know how strong the coronavirus comeback will be and how this compares to the infection numbers seen in the spring?

 It could be the result of more tests being done, who knows but it is important to stay safe and the need for time and space becomes Important.

We have not been able to be at Lime tree farm or any of us at ABC.

However, the skills learned and memories of people who have come on courses and those who have sadly passed away are still with us and can be touched upon in the nature that is all around us even in urban areas.Breeding waders (golden plover, lapwings, and curlew), leaving for the coast or pastures new. Wildlife makes most of the autumn food at this time with abundant rowan berries and blackberries.

THRUSH

Bright red rowan berries will be hanging heavy on the trees in woodland edges, and some parks. Open Moorland and hedgerows are a great place to roam.

REDWING

Sometimes it can be rewarding to see hungry birds like redwing, fieldfare, ring ouzels, and waxwings gorging on the fruits. Blackberries are magnificent at this time and if you stand still you may see field mice(also known as wood mice)foxes, and badgers who have a taste for them too.

 Apple trees, in late September, are a fantastic place to see birds and are a great habitat for bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies, all feasting on the fallen fruits. This abundance of insects also attracts feeding bats in the cooling nights.

This is still a time to grow and be in the here and now,to be still and to feel the breath of life all around us along with our loved ones and neighbours.

 Meditation Mindfulness and conservation is everywhere if we take the time to breath and appreciate the things we all have just for today.

Keep safe,take care

RCT.

H.old - O.n - P.ain - E.nds. (HOPE)

The coronavirus is no longer far away in China or Italy. It’s here, affecting over ninety countries, and it continues to spread worldwide with new cases cropping up daily. It’s all over the news hour by hour and there is a tangible sense of anxiety, stress, and uncertainty in the air. 

The mindfulness techniques we have learned and practiced at Lime Tree Farm have given us hope against some of the fears we face:

Our legitimate concern for vulnerable loved ones. 

Worries about working with colleagues and our future job roles and finances as stock markets collapse. 

Even popping to the supermarket has become anxiety-filled. This feeling of uncertainty and fear is one that we all recognize at a basic level, deep within our subconscious. 

We are in this for the long haul together and as more people fall ill, it is likely the changes to our lives will continue to increase; we need to find ways to cope (including what may seem like simple steps - recognizing the Spring, seeing the new daffodils, a sea of fragrant and beautiful bluebells).

Nature is a healer as temperatures rise and Easter is around the corner.

Metaphorical sunlight comes into our hearts and minds accompanied by the real sound of lapwings, pink cherry blossom dancing in the breeze (if only for a short while). Newborn animals are at their cutest, gentle reminders that everything has its season. A closer look and meadow flowers, buttercups, yellow rattle, eyebright, common sorrel, pignut, and red clover are a real sight to see.

At our location all this set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, to the majestic sounds of pairs of curlews, dancing up and down the April sky.

The name of the curlew is derived from the bird’s distinctive ‘curl-oo’ call that can often be heard on and off the moors. As they return to the breeding areas their characteristic call is a meditation in itself.

Breath, take a moment to embrace the now.

 Take a minute to reframe, to refocus.

  

Perhaps ask yourself what you can do to put "sunshine" into the world, positively affecting others in your community in this testing time. 

We at ABC are still attempting to be available for your support at this time (obviously there is a limit to what our resources can do; we are always willing to have volunteers to our project).

 Please call us on - Tel'+447851448812
or email - timeandspaceretreats@gmail.com