Green Fingers: A Cherished Garden

At the end of this month my grandparents move out of the house that’s been their home for the last 45 years. It’s a place that’s so familiar to me – a place that has always felt like home. The kind of place that when you walk through the front door, you’re enveloped [...]

A Simple Way to Find Understanding, Peace and Wisdom

Last semester at university I taught the wonderful poem The Thought-Fox by Ted Hughes, and I was struck at how incredibly rich natural metaphors can be to describe the human condition.  It’s something that I try and tap into in my own writing, both here at The Calm Space and in my personal creative writing, [...]

Ceremonial Nature

The city of Edinburgh has a riverway which runs through the very heart of the cityscape.  The Water of Leith flows past fecund allotments, historical sandstone structures, new riverside luxury developments, muddy football fields and busy intersections.  Past graffiti slogans, traffic crossings, Starbucks and builders’ yards.
The river itself is accompanied either side by a variety [...]

The Gift of Noticing

Amy drives her family crazy! She flings herself from cars, crouches on roadside kerbs and generally acts in a rather odd manner… but there’s a reason for this behaviour and we’re blessed she’s sharing it with us this month…

Who Are You Not To?

Once again, Amy paints such a beautiful picture with her words and her photography – showing us nature’s reminder of how to live our life to its full potential…

A Suburban Storm

With her incredible way with words Amy again entices us with an invitation to experience a summer storm with her – with lessons about regret, the power of nature and abandoning the shackles of expectations. You’ll be entranced…

The Spider, The Seed & The Swallow: 3 Lessons on Trust from Nature

Once again, Amy graces our pages with her beautiful photography combined with evocative words on three lessons we can learn about Trust from the wonder that surrounds us in nature…

Waves of Kindness

When our minds are feverish with worries and cares, sometimes it takes a very special place, a very special moment, to heal us with the waves of kindness… Welcome Amy Palko to our writing team!

Your Breathing Space for April

The true spirit of conversation consists in building on another man’s observation, not overturning it.