Steve Parish - Photographer

This is what Steve wrote for his Google+profile and it rang so true with what I am about I had to share it.
“Educating others was my primary objective in starting the company. It wasn’t just about taking spectacular images, although that is extremely rewarding, too. It was about promoting an understanding for the importance of nature. The first step has to be to light a fire in someone — inspire them to learn more, inspire them to genuinely become one with nature, urge them to connect with it and to celebrate its beauty and diversity. Then let’s talk about saving it.”

Swimming with the Sharks

While at the Horizontal Falls I had the opportunity to swim with the sharks.....yes real sharks....but fortunately it was in a shark proof cage.

Me in the shark cage.

Sharks!!!

Once I knew the sharks couldn't hurt me, I was actually fascinated by them. Wouldn't it be good if we had a shark proof cage around us to protect us from the sharks we come across in our everyday life!
The water was beautiful & warm and it was a great experience.

If you are suffering from the effects of shark attacks in your everyday life, remember to take time out to enjoy nature and if you can't get out and about, give yourself the gift of a nature image to spend time looking at it. It has been proven through scientific experiments that spending time looking at nature has a positive effect on mood and stress levels and also increases productivity.

Beyond tender loving care: 'TLCs' promise health and happiness

Beyond tender loving care: 'TLCs' promise health and happiness

Interesting article that explains ways to improve wellbeing without medication.  Also supports time in nature and meditation as tools to wellness.

February 17, 2011

Lifestyle changes—such as getting more exercise, time in nature, or helping others—can be as effective as drugs or counseling to treat an array of mental illnesses, according to a new paper published by the American Psychological Association.

Spending time in nature can promote cognitive functions and overall well-being. 

Relaxation and stress management can treat a variety of anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorders. 

Meditation has many benefits. It can improve empathy, sensitivity and emotional stability, reduce stress and burnout, and enhance cognitive function and even brain size.  

 

Christmas gifts for all ages

Christmas is nearly here and people are finishing their Christmas shp. Ususaly it's the hard to buy for that are left till last. I was listening to a programme on the radio the other day and they had a young man, 25, on and he was saying that as he lived in a unit, he didn't have room for lots of stuff and it was difficult to know what to do with things people gave him. I was interested to hear this as it was also a comment I had heard from a lot of people in the older demographic who had downsized, so what do you get them????
Some ideas that came out of the discussion were

• Art - it could be hung on the wall and was something good to remember people by.
• Experiences - Something that they could do that they might not otherwise think of or have the funds for.
• Dining out vouchers - giving them time they could spend with their loved one.

One thing that a couple had received was a weekend away, nice gift, but out of the price range of a lot of people. He said it was great to get in touch with nature and have some time to de-stress, which is fantastic if you can manage the time off. But what do you do for those you know can't get time off or can't leave the kids, how can you give them a gift that will help them?

One answer is "Healing Art". Art that goes on the wall, so doesn't take up floor space and that gives them the healing gift of nature without them having to even leave home.

Studies have shown that spending time looking at images of nature helps you to de-stress and gives you a greater sense of community, so you are then more likely to make time for your family and friends whereas otherwise it may not have been a priority.

So if you are interested in experiences I would recommend Red Balloon or if you would like Healing Art then check out Red Bubble.

My site on Red Bubble is http://juliakharwood.redbubble.com so you can check out my healing art, but there are also lots of other great artists on there too. They also sell gift vouchers.

Remember at the end of it all if you are feeling stressed and worn out, give yourself a gift by allowing yourself some time out in nature, even if its sitting outside with a cuppa or if your stuck in the office, have a look at some nature images on your computer and allow nature to work her magic!!!

Nature Makes Us More Caring, Study Says

Want to be a better person? Commune with nature. Paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better, finds a new study to be published October 1 in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
"Stopping to experience our natural surroundings can have social as well as personal benefits," says Richard Ryan, coauthor and professor of psychology, psychiatry and education at the University of Rochester. While the salubrious effects of nature are well documented, from increasing happiness and physical health to lowering stress, this study shows that the benefits extend to a person's values and actions. Exposure to natural as opposed to man-made environments leads people to value community and close relationships and to be more generous with money, find Ryan and his team of researchers at the University of Rochester.

On a personal level, Weinstein says the take home message from the research is clear: "We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of," she says. Because of the hidden benefits of connecting with nature, people should take advantage of opportunities to get away from built environments and, when inside, they should surround themselves with plants, natural objects, and images of the natural world. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit," she says.