Lesley

Definitely feel more rested and relaxed as well as thinking about how mindfulness can just be doing simple things. Some people think mindfulness is a big complicated thing but it’s not! Doing Woodland Wakeup is doing things that you did when you were young, but stopped… why? I feel more curious about looking at things now and things like the fire. I don’t remember the last time I had an open fire, it was really good. I’ve never really done a camping thing with the fire. It was good learning to build the fire. I also liked the fire steel. 

(As a result of sessions), I don’t rush things as much. I take time to do things now. One day I stopped to sit down and have lunch in the sun when normally I would get a takeaway roll and walk with it but I saw there was a few wee chairs so I decided to sit. It was more relaxed, it was nice. Also I was on the bus going from the session when I got the bus home, I spotted a seagull really high up and watched it for ages. I don’t think I’ve really done that before. Normally I’d look at my phone but I thought it’d be good to look outside instead. 

I learned how to put up a hammock and how peaceful it is to lie in it. When my husband got a hammock I thought he was silly but I understand it now. I’m looking to get one out the back door. When you’re busy in the house you don’t often take time for yourself but at Woodland Wakeup it’s your job to do that. You do what you want to do. I liked the whittling with the knife and mallet. I think my right arm is bigger than my left (after working so much  using the tools!). I’ve still got a wee bit to go but my mushroom is nearly finished. It’s not something I’d have tried to do. My husband has tools that he uses all the time and we work together now. He has shown me how to use… He said, “I didn’t think I’d be showing you how to use a chisel!” Husband is surprised! 

Aye I do (feel more connected to nature than before), just going into that setting made me feel relaxed. I liked the mindfulness exercise we did where I was rooting to the ground like a tree. 

I felt more connected to other people in the group. Others seemed quiet to start with but I got to know them. 

I find the sessions absoutely brilliant! I don’t use those words very often. It’s great to be in the fresh air and not confined to a room. You got to do what you wanted. You feel like you’re doing things and it doesn’t cost a lot of money to do. Things that you can carry on doing on your own after. I liked the hapa-zome. I’d like to carry on doing that on my own and get better at it. 

Defo would recommend it, especially students at the college. ( Ayrshire Recovery College). 

I’d want to try making we gnomes or that plant bashing and learn more about tools. 

(5 words to sum up experience:) Brilliant Relaxing Informative Variety Hammock! 

I just really appreciate Natasha and Emma being really friendly, knowledgeable and approachable and made an effort to help people follow their interests. You could pick and choose what you wanted to do. It was good learning about what other people felt interested in as well as others in the group wanting to learn more about foraging and Natasha bought books for them to use.