For several years folks have been asking me to publish a collection of my artwork, maybe in a format suitable for mindful colouring activities. I’ve bounced the idea around for ages, but the challenges of winter of 2020 made it feel like the right time had come to work on it, particularly as so many of the physical community projects I’m involved in can’t be accessed right now, and folks are looking for therapeutic alternatives. Following the permaculture principle of multiple functionality, I wanted to produce something that was more than simply an adult colouring book, but also offers opportunities for note taking,  journalling, planning, reflection, inspiration and thinking during what for many of us are difficult times, and maybe even provide a bit of an alternative narrative and hope for what a time of ‘New Normal’ might look like…

And so finally here it is, Breathing Spaces for Relaxation, Meditation and Inspiration, available now from Spiralseed. Breathing Spaces is a large format book full of thought provoking and positive quotations from a wide range of pioneering thinkers, writers, poets and activists including Vandana Shiva, Lao Tse, Bill Mollison, Robert Hart, Wangari Maathai, David Holmgren and Arundhati Roy, with related illustrations themed around permaculture, nature, food growing and thriving communities.

As well as mindfully colouring the pictures using either felt tip pens or coloured pencils to enjoy the calming and stress-relieving benefits that come from increased focus and creative (non) activity, you can use this book to create your own ‘Breathing Spaces’ by taking some time out of your day to read the quotes and, if you like, take notes, write down or even sketch any thoughts you may have. What ideas or inspirations do they bring up for you? Maybe they will even help to kickstart new directions or projects you can implement in your own life or with your community, whether its deciding to grow more of your own food, set up a forest garden, get out in nature more often, give more support to your local shops and businesses or simply be a bit more mindful about how you prepare and eat your meals…

We’d also like to invite you to become part of our Breathing Spaces community by sharing your artwork, thoughts and ideas on our social media pages, Twitter @spiralseed Instagram #spiralseed Facebook #spiralseed

And if you don’t want to write or draw on your copy there’s a download code included so you can print out the illustrations and use them as often as you like. Every order also includes a bonus copy of our ‘What Is Permaculture?’ poster zine plus an exclusive greeting card. Purchase your copy here.

We’ll also be sharing images and quotes from Breathing Spaces on our Instagram page over the next few weeks, So why not follow us there, and join the conversation…

“already enjoying the mindful colouring in of my own recently purchased copy of ‘Breathing Spaces’…. intending adding an abundance of relevant ‘permaculture notes from other workshops/courses/books’ on the ‘blank’ adjacent pages to make my own unique ‘work-in-progress’… “ – Alan Charlton

Get your Breathing Spaces for Relaxation, Meditation and Inspiration here…