Mindfulness through Photography
Photography can be a form of meditation. It can help us calm our monkey mind and take some time for ourselves. Just like the breath in traditional meditation, we can find mindfulness in photography by staying present, slowing down and observing and photographing every day as if it were the first time. Discovering without judging strengthens our awareness and powers of observation, which can be transferred to ourselves and other areas, helping to build our resilience.
Learning to make the invisible visible – only with our smartphone, no photographic skills are required.
Health & Wellbeing
(Priority No. 1)
Increased stress and high demands reduce our ability to concentrate and think clearly, which in turn affects our relationship with ourselves, others, and the natural world, and thus our individual and collective well-being. Initiative, motivation, responsibility, increased happiness, optimism, and connectedness, as well as reduced anxiety, depression, neurotic rumination, and rumination.
When we remember that imperfection is a part of life, we feel less isolated when we’re not doing well.
Why Practice Seeing?
We must stop talking and learn to see again. Although ingrained in our history, we have forgotten how to ‘read’ pictures. At school, we learn to read and write the meaning of words, but we don’t know how to observe and describe things around us without ‘labelling’ (stereotyping). We must see with all our senses, follow our intuition, and develop trust in our feelings.
Miksang is a Tibetan word meaning “good eye,” which means that we observe attentively and gently in an open space. We can develop our “good eyes.” Close observation of the natural world takes us out of ourselves and away from our screens.
The magic is to be found in the process, not the outcome.
Use mindful photography and nature to stay sane, improve your well-being and build resilience in times of uncertainty and change.
Connectedness
We only exist in relationship. To practice mindfulness internally is to ignore half of who we are. Connection is the path to relationship. Relationship is the gateway to caring.
Mindfulness & Grounding
Calming our mind. Our brains easily fatigue, needing breaks to refuel, reboot, create and produce. Stop the “monkey chatter” in your head.
It’s your choice
Meet where life is and move toward from there. Decide how you see the world as a small but also monumental act and remember with curiosity and creativity.
Visions & Intentions
When I stop seeing the beauty around me, I experience a disconnect from my soul system. Again, our intuition and heart learn to follow what is important to us.
Mental health
Qualitative time in nature, calming down, regulating the nerves system leads to improved mental health, reduces and prevents stress, anxiety and depression.
Focus & Motivation
Mindfulness practice finetunes our senses and improves our focus. The camera as a tool, as an extension of our eyes, can help here. It can be an introduction to meditation practice.
Exclusive benefits
SETTINGS
Workshops – Online via Zoom or in person.
Language – I offer workshops in German and English.
TARGET GROUPS (examples)
Mixed groups – Enjoy exploring, find a creative outlet, have fun and exchange ideas in the group
Team building – Workshop in companies, with or without topic
Schools – Mindfulness training for teenagers and young adults.
People with a refugee background – Refugees often have traumatic experiences behind them. The course can help them build resilience and find inner peace.
Just time for yourself – mothers – Slip out of the role of mother and concentrate entirely on yourself and your inner voices.
CONTENT (examples)
Everything that positively influences our mental and physical well-being and health strengthens our resilience. A lot of these things can be trained, like a muscle. Awareness is the first step here:
- Compassion and care – If we don’t cultivate self-awareness and self-care, it becomes difficult to master these for life around us. So it is important to develop them for ourselves first.
- Intention to achieve what is important to us in life
- Learning to live with uncertainty and less worry
- Practice Gratitude
- Learn to rewake your nervous system
- Acceptance of Responsibility – let the reality be and be receptive to room for change
- Connectedness of Belonging – The feeling of belonging to something (echnology and being connected to something bigger than yourself. Connection is rooted in biological necessity. Belonging creates a sense of purpose.
- Attention of Awareness – Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary
- Curiosity of Creativity
- Allow the space for Play of Fun
“It’s not about creating the sun but removing the clouds so the sun can shine” -Michael Woods.
