Project Calm Issue 5

Each and every night, the natural world puts on the most spectacular light show for us all to enjoy, for free. Simply fetch a warm blanket, head out of the front door and turn your face upwards to the sky. With constellation stories and old moon wisdom in mind, we’re rediscovering the awe we felt as a child. By gazing out beyond, we also gaze within, finding our place within the universe. With a renewed sense of respect, thoughts turn to looking after ourselves better. Take a look at our healing recipes that make the most of nature’s bounty.…

1 COUNTRYSIDE FORAGING Somerset forager, Martin Bailey, runs regular foraging walks. Identifying, picking and eating delicious edibles, he also discusses seasonal eating and the nutritional values and medicinal use of plants. The conservation of species and their habitats is also a key element of his work. And, of course, there’s use and storage of wild food, and recipes. In September, Martin’s Bristol park walk examines the edibles growing there as well as exploring the fruits that can be foraged later in the season. Sample some of Martin’s tasty chutneys, vinegars and syrups. Or go on a mushroom hunt in October and November. In the New Forest and Bristol, these hunts cover the identification of fungi and the preferred habitats of different species. goforaging.co.uk 2 A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR SYRUP New…

Stars, those magnificent fixed luminous points in the sky, a combination of gases and dust held together by their own gravity, have held huge significance for people on Earth for thousands of years. From an important navigational tool for explorers past and present, to the zodiac signs with their personality traits, they have formed the folklore and religious practices of cultures all over the world. There are approximately 200 to 400 billion stars in our own Milky Way Galaxy and most are between one and 10 billion years old. Our closest stars are nearly four and a half light years away from us, so we never see the stars in ‘real time’. To journey through the night sky and identify a star, to see a cocoon of interstellar gas and…

ATACAMA DESERT, CHILE Stars, planets and clouds of dust and gas – from Saturn to the surface of the moon, remote Atacama has one of the clearest skies on the planet. It is both high and dry, shielded by the Andes Mountains, which create a barrier from the Pacific. HIGH VOLCANOES OF HAWAII With its position so close to the equator, high volcanic peaks – including the tallest sea mountain in the world – and lack of light pollution, Hawaii is an idyllic stargazing spot. Expect to see the constellations of the zodiac, Saturn and the Southern Cross. WESTERN AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK Due to Australia’s remoteness the night sky is vast and filled with stars. The view of the Milky Way, Magellanic Clouds and Southern Cross is beautifully clear, as are…

AN AMERICAN ADVENTURE Back in 2000, I spent three months travelling across the USA with friends. We took in so many landmark sites by day and by night but my favourite memory was arriving at the Grand Canyon after the sun had set. The sky was clear and vast, and we sat outside with a cold beer, gazing up at the stars and listening to the unfamiliar sounds of coyotes echoing across the cavernous rocks. We woke just before dawn, heading outside to watch the stars fade, the sky lighten and the sun rise. As with most things in the States, the Grand Canyon was so much bigger than we’d imagined (and our cabin disturbingly close to the edge!). The sky turned from indigo to aubergine to fiery orange to…

SKYVIEW LEARN SPACE FACTS AND ACQUIRE NIGHT VISION Set your location, date and time, and what you’re looking for, and the app will take you straight to your celestial destination. Search ‘Mercury’ for example and you’ll be taken to the planet, to follow its path and discover facts. When you focus on particular stars, SkyView will tell you their names and relation to their constellation. Selecting satellites will give you a brief overview of their history and when they’re at their highest point in the sky – take a look at the Hubble Space Telescope! The app is easy to use and kids will love the augmented reality (which you can turn on or off) – a real world environment with the addition of computer generated images. Viewing through the…