This quick exercise is designed to introduce the idea of analysing and reflecting on the work of others, and to give you some material for your first learning log entry or blogpost. Books are to be read, looked at, and handled. So spend some time looking at a range of books from your home, in new or secondhand bookshops, charity shops, libraries or online.
Here are some really cool books I like -
Atticus - Love Her Wild | And if they told you to choose: a heart of a lion or a hair of a painter? - Rotem Biksenshefner | The Yoga Sutras if Patanjali | Eastern Wisdom - Nissim Amon | Design as Art - Bruno Munari | The Bhagavad Gita - translated by Stephen Mitchell
Mindfulness and Surfing - Sam Bleakley
I chose one book that I love dearly, I have found it in my friend's library (which we are renting the current house from), it was like finding a secret treat in a pile of hay.
It is called 'Mindfulness and Surfing'.
I will start and say I had a trauma from the ocean, while surfing (not that I was ever a good surfer, but thats a story for another day...) I have had a journey into trauma, PTSD, and fear, and I proudly came out the other side. Now, the ocean is a healer for me, and I only surf longboards and have fun. When I have found this book it was like a little treasure as if the universe have sent it to me. Not only the content is divine, I feel in love with the design of the book straight away (inside and out).
Here are some shots of the book -
| Mindfulness and Surfing - Sam Bleakley |
When I have found it, it was almost like the spine trapped my eyes. it said in white letter over a calm turquoise colour - "Mindfulness and Surfing", I didn't hesitate and pulled it out. The cover has this very cool rustic drawing almost liking like it was painted blue, then black on top and was drawn by exposing the black off the blue colour (We used to do this method in art class in primary school). or maybe a very rustic drawing with a black pen over a blue paper. The drawing of a man surfing a big wave on a big board, with some birds and boats in the horison. The letters of the name of the book were in gold over a black box. "Mindfulness and Surfing - Reflections for saltwater souls". I opened it immediately. I couldn't resist. the interiors have the same beautiful drawing in black and grey on every chapter, as well as on the edges of the book (the first and last spread) again, the same drawing of the cover but tiled all the way many times in black and white.
The interior has some interesting grids, and frames, just such a pleasure to read and keep drawing you further and further in...
I fell in love immediately.
I loved how the author Sam Bleakley is combining three very passions of mine, actually four - Mindfulness, Surfing, Storytelling and Design.
The book offers a calming, mindful practice, to feel how we and the ocean are basically one. the colours of the cover and the drawings along with the beautiful grids are giving a sense of such calmness and tranquility. The book gives you a mindful experience of reading too. You feel every little spray of wave the author describe.
Reflection
It was a very fun exercise, I liked exploring and really breaking down why a book really made me feel the way it did. I'm excited to see what's next in this new unit.