Being mindful
Photography is my yoga, I’ve decided. It gets me out the house (sometimes), tones up my arms (a lot) and keeps my eye attuned to the present. I inhale deeply when I shoot pictures, holding the breath while i focus, then exhaling as I press the shutter. Photography is physical; writing is less so. For the next six months my focus will be on these two favourite disciplines of mine as I coax this book out of my brain; and what better way to start than with the support of a community of writers?
The very fabulous Bindu Wiles has created an online community space for us, called 21 5 800 – the idea is that for the next 21 days we will commit to five days of yoga each week and 800 words each day. It’s completely free (312 people have already signed up!) and along the way Bindu will be sharing inspiration with us including interviews with Marianne Elliott, Gwen Bell and *ahem* me (I’ve threatened promised to make a video).
She says: ‘The writing can be ANYTHING. Memoir, blogs, business plans, essays, fiction, free-writing, letters…….. ANYTHING. The point is to get writing again daily and to have the boundaries and challenge of a daily word count to reach.’
And as for the yoga… well, you know how I feel about that. But I trust these women – Marianne has created a special yoga video for us, so i have vowed to give it another go!
Sounds good, non? We start today so please come and join us!
* In other news, I’ve shared some tender thoughts on enoughness over on Tracey’s wonderful I Am Enough collaborative project.
Looks good! Off to check it out :o)
Thank you for sharing the 21.5.800 project! I just joined. :) And thank you for your thoughts on enoughness. It was a much needed gentle reminder.
Oh, thank god, photography as yoga, I’m saved :)
Gxx
I’m looking forward to the video. Being mindful is so underrated no? I love the image by the way.
I love this idea! Your intro is perfect as well…I adore when people recognize that yoga isn’t just that on-the-mat stretchy stuff. Photography is often my yoga as well and sometimes more effective than my on-the-mat practice. I look forward to checking out the link – thanks!
Actually, I just signed up!
I just signed up too! Thanks for sharing Susannah! xo
i would love to do it! but yoga.. i do it 2 a week at the moment just not sure i can ramp it up to 5!
I am really enjoying the topic of this post and love when you say “photography is my yoga”, i feel the same way, like a meditation … Although, I am a yoga girl for having experiencing it and appreciate its benefits immensely. Both an art of living. I am going to find out about this new community :)
That pretty well sums up my experience too. I keep coming up with all kinds of ingenious exercise plans, but the only thing that ever gets me off my rear is taking a camera out into the streets. That meditative quality – the patience and mindfulness required to capture that “decisive moment” – is what keeps me coming back.
Not that I’m likely join, but I just wanted to back you up. :)
Hmmm. This makes me think about how cool it would be to have a yoga and photography retreat.
xx
gosh, what a fabulous idea! ;)