What is a meadow and what is their practical purpose? ‘Sitting in a meadow is a balm for the soul – a meadow is the most peaceful and gently restful place I can imagine,’ says Wilson Wall. ‘Without meadows, we would lose pockets of diversity and serenity that cannot be replicated in parks and gardens.’ But what exactly constitutes a meadow? Nineteenth-century English romantic poet Christina Rossetti described them in her poem, In the Meadow – What in the Meadow?, as a place of ‘Bluebells, buttercups, meadowsweet | And fairy rings for the children’s feet’ – a depiction that might have appealed ..read more

How can crafting help you to achieve focus and attention in a busy world? Craft is not just the final product or the how-it’s-made behind the objects in our day-to-day lives. It’s a continuing arc between past and present, a way of weaving together broadly gathered cultural influences, of keeping them alive and offering creatives a foundation of material to learn, blend and build upon. Craftspeople and craft enthusiasts don’t seem to be motivated by nostalgia, however, so much as the possibility of retaining the spirit of craft – that is, the values and lessons it has to teach, respect for the ..read more

Why is it important to question capitalist ideas about the best way to live? Of course, people need money, and they need enough money, but structures built around money and profit-making for some are doomed to fail the majority. This isn’t to advocate everyone moving off-grid and stopping work entirely. At this point in time, most people live in capitalist societies – and I, as much as anyone else, like to have nice things. I buy clothes (sometimes too many), I travel, I drive an unreasonably large car and I work to afford these things. Modern life necessitates some of these things, while othe ..read more

How the right fragrance can help with self-realisation In the summer of 2005, on a visit to the French Riviera, I came across the beautiful village of Grasse, home to the almost 100-year-old Fragonard perfumery – a treasure trove of all things fragrant, where you can see the noses at work and even mix your own scents. I walked away with a small bottle of perfume named Miranda, a heady blend that smelled like vanilla ice cream mixed with coconut and a fresh bouquet of flowers. It garnered compliment after compliment. I was even told that I smelled like a box of chocolates. So, for the next 15 y ..read more

How did Kerry Ashby embrace the reinvention offered by a new career? Starting out as a florist, Kerry plodded along in her role, unfulfilled and frustrated, until, at 30, she swapped flowers for bandages and a career in nursing, retraining from scratch. Rising through the ranks, she found herself as head of paediatrics at a corporate healthcare company. Although at the top of her field, the 60-hour weeks and long stretches of time away from home took their toll and she reached a point of burnout. Instead of taking time off only to be thrust straight back in again, Kerry’s inner rebel kicked in ..read more

Why it’s rude to reject a compliment Do you think, these days, that you’re pretty good at taking a compliment? Maybe, when someone praised you in the past, you’d contradict them. ‘Oh, but it was easy,’ you’d say, or ‘Thanks, but I should have done better.’ But, since then, you’ve learned that rejecting a compliment isn’t polite. It’s equivalent to telling someone that their opinion is invalid, and that’s ruder than being gracious about what they think. Instead, you now say: ‘Really? Thank you,’ and sit on your desire to tell them it only took you five minutes / you bought half the ingredients ..read more

What is the draw of people-watching for creatives? ‘If you’re people-watching, you see how it’s a story evolving in front of you,’ says London-based artist David Richardson, whose work captures the scenes unfolding in the capital’s public spaces, be that a fish market or outside the Houses of Parliament. ‘You notice more, too, when you spend time looking at something for a long while.’ That’s when the details emerge – the passer-by taking snapshots on their phone, someone walking in an unusual way. But how does he decide where to stop and – politely – stare? ‘I find a scene that I feel is unus ..read more

How do people live a contemplative life in the modern world? Throughout history, people have retreated from the world. Laozi, the assumed author of the Tao-te Ching (the text is also thought to be the work of many people), was said to have been a recluse who shunned worldly life. However, Chinese spiritual recluses have a long history, one that continues today. The Zhongnan Mountains in north-west China have provided a home for Daoist hermits since the Qin Dynasty. Today, there’s a community of around 600 yinshi, or hermits, who welcome visitors seeking respite from a fast-paced world. Meanwhi ..read more

Why tradition and attention to detail are so important to bao buns Few people understand the elevation of this traditional dish better than the founders of London’s Taiwanese BAO restaurants, where steamed buns are the signature dish. While the bao originated in Chinese cuisine, in Taiwan, it’s the ultimate comfort food, made with a twist on the many varieties seen across Asia. And that notion of craftsmanship is prominent throughout BAO’s eponymous cookbook. Its co-authors, the restaurant chain’s founders – Erchen Chang, Shing Tat Chung and Wai Ting Chung – were inspired by the Taiwanese vend ..read more

How you can find exercise motivation in repetition Physical training can feel daunting if it means stepping out of your comfort zone. ‘It can be hard to force ourselves into uncomfortable situations in pursuit of a future good feeling that can feel quite far off,’ says Eloise. In addition, anything new might feel intimidating, and the excuses not to do something are often just the brain’s way of keeping you safe from something you’re not used to. The more you’re able to understand that and overcome it, the more consistent you can become. And the best way to train the mind not to fear exercise ..read more