The morning starts slowly and gently ... ambling up to the kitchen, doing some tidying away after the night before, switching on the big hot water urn ... then some yoga stretches, meditation, a plunge under the waterfall in the stream, walking up the drove path amongst the sheep and lambs. It's a beautiful sunny day. I've been coming here nearly every spring for 18 years and I can't remember...

Catero and I drove down from Edinburgh starting a little after 2.30 pm and reached Fawcett Mill Fields in Cumbria less than three hours later. We've been to this lovely converted watermill so many times. Such a special place. We began - or this phase of meeting up with friends in 'groups' began - in 1991. I'd felt friendships with people...

Mindfulness - the mindfulness I experienced walking and camping in the hills was different from what I was expecting. This triggered thoughts that I classify under four headings: a.) mindfulness and simplicity. b.) what makes mindfulness helpful? c.) mindfulness & creativity. d.) the value of other altered states. I could write many blogs (and maybe I will) about altered states of...