Finding Inner Peace Through Photography
Kim Grant
To be in a state of peace means we are free from disturbance. Free to feel at ease with ourselves and our lives. Free to be fully present in the moment.
We have all experience peace at some point in our lives. For you it may be fleeting, or maybe you engage with your inner peace regularly? Regardless of which applies to you there is no denying that feeling at peace is a lovely state to be in.
With a whole year of opportunity ahead of us, it can be easy to dive head first into new years resolutions or goals and ambitions for the year ahead. However, to be able to see these through, we must first create a solid foundation so we can ground ourselves enough to formulate a manageable direction forwards. To offer us the best chances of seeing our dreams through, throughout January Photographic Connections community members have been exploring their inner peace through their photography, by considering the places and environments that make them feel calm and peaceful. While we have members from all over the world, the vast majority are in the Northern hemisphere, where we are currently in the depth of the winter. While the shortest day has now passed and we look forward to welcoming in more light, the nights still remain long and the temperatures low. Winter is a time of year when we can more easily connect to peace. The world is more silent. Many plants and creatures are hibernating. When we connect with the natural rhythms of the seasons, a state of peace is more easily obtained. Winter is all about going within, resting and recuperating so we are ready to grow and flourish when spring arrives once more.
Throughout this blog you can see many images created and reflected on by community members, combined with some of the topics we explored this month. May sharing these with you bring you some inspiration and ideas so you too can connect with your inner peace this year.
The Woodland
It is no surprise that many find peace and solace in the woodland. Have you experienced feeling calmer and more at ease when near trees? Being in and around trees is very soothing to us humans, so much to the Japanese have a practice known as forest bathing dedicated specifically to this. Shinrin Yoku (as it’s known in Japanese), is where a state of relaxation and calm is felt when spending time in the woodland. By simply sitting amongst the trees free from devises and distractions, we naturally feel better. There is so much scientific research to back this up too. After all, if you think about it, we are very closely related to trees so it’s only natural that we would feel soothed in their company. Through our camera we can deepen our connection with their beauty and begin to truly see them in all their glory.
Jerry William
In the quiet of the wood, where whispers used to roam,
Now echoes the comfort of no longer being alone.
Where once the fog whispered, a solitary song,
Now conversation and laughter, to us now belong
In my backyard forest, where I once roamed alone,
now echoes with footsteps that are not just my own.
A friend walks beside me, through hues and light,
as we dance in the shadows and our spirits take flight.
Our warm communion in nature's endless grace,
I've found happiness in a friend's loving embrace.
Through the serenity of the forest we make our new start,
in my quest I found her beauty that has brightened up my heart.
Lakes, Rivers and The Coast
I am sure when many of us think about connecting with our inner peace, we instinctively think of the colour blue or water. There is nothing quite like sitting by water. It’s a full sensual experience, offering a mirror on calm days and immense sound on the wild ones. Just like woodlands, there’s been so much research into water and it’s healing benefits. With us being 60% water ourselves, we hold much connection to this element. There’s no doubt that without water we, and indeed earth, would not exists. It’s therefore lovely to see many connecting with their favourite waterways during January, offering peace, calm and a contemplative space.
Yvonne Jevons
This is one of my favourite images created in November 2022, my first time at this location. It had been a beautiful still sunny day, a few people around but not many. I spent several hours here, soaking up the peaceful surroundings and so enjoyed creating my first sunset images for many years. When I look at it, I can feel myself taking deeper breaths and breathing into the tranquility I experienced that day.
Parks and Countryside
Engaging with our inner peace helps us connect back to ourselves, becoming more aware of what truly matters to us. With a clearer mind and an open heart, we can calm our nervous system and begin to move forwards, with optimism and clear intention.
Local parks and countryside can offer a place of solace for many. These are great spots to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and sit for a few moments to reflect. I think it’s safe to say that many of us will have places like this that we like to go when we need some recharge time. Have you ever experienced being in a busy city and finding a quiet park or churchyard to go to dampen down the noise? Even amongst the busiest of places, spots of peace can be found. Through photography we can make images of these places to remind us of the feelings they evoke within us. There’s something so calming about looking at a photo of a spot that has been set aside especially for us to enjoy some peace and quiet. It is no surprise that places of remembrance, worship and ritual are in quiet places. We need to connect with moments of still to allow ourselves to feel what is within. As you progress through the year ahead, you may wish to connect more with these places. Take the time to feel the peace and make an image as you leave so you can harbour the feeling within every time you look back on it.
The Small Aspects of Nature
Isn’t the small and delicate aspects of nature so beautiful? By taking the time to notice and photograph them, we can enter another world, disconnecting from our troubled inner thoughts and begin to feel awe and wonder for all the little bundles of joy that surrounds us. While joy is a very different state to peace, peace can also be easily found in moments like this. By the simple act of observing, we begin to see that we are a part of something so much bigger than us. It doesn’t matter how you connect with your spirituality, but there is no denying that life all seems to be connected in someway, right? This includes us and all the small things we come into contact each day. Photography, and the art of noticing, can be, in itself, a spiritual practice (if you are open to seeing it in that way). When we feel connected to something bigger than us, it’s only natural to feel at peace. To know that all will be ok and that we are being divinely guided in every moment.
Finding Peace at Home
I am sure we have all experienced the peace that can be found out in nature but what about at home? We spend a lot of time in our homes. Making them as cozy and comfortable for our own needs can be vitally important to helping us sustain our wellbeing. Some may approach their whole house like this, while others will simply have a small corner to call their own. Setting up a space at home, where you can sit and connect with the things you love most, can form a vital refuge for us on a daily basis. Maybe you enjoy to read or knit or cook? Whatever brings you comfort and allows your mind to feel at ease, incorporating this into a space in your home can bring us safety each and every day, knowing it will hold and support us no matter that life throws our way. If you haven’t got your own place of peace at home, why not consider making one? Photograph it as you do so to remind you of how beautiful it is to have a place to sit and unwind.
Finding Peace Within
While we can find peace in many places, the ultimate state of peace comes from within. Seeing the image below created by Grant, reminded me of it’s very importance. It is believed that our whole reality is a reflection of what is within. While we all harbour the ability to express and experience all emotions and states of being, we can choose which path to follow. By practicing connecting with a state of internal peace, it will serve us well through all the experiences we encounter in life. We can often see this in many who dedicate their life to a spiritual path. They have a strong core centre that allows them to weather the storms. We can all practice tapping into this. It can be done through traditional methods like meditation and yoga. But what if I told you it can also be developed simply by connecting with nature or by learning to breath deeply? Creativity, and in our case photography, can play a role in this too. It offers us a tool to explore ourselves and the world around us, bringing many calming and uplifting emotions in the process.
Grant Smith
My place of peace is found deep in the quite places of my mind as I expand my source of energy and send it out into the world with loving kindness.
Going back to setting a foundation for the year ahead, how wonderful would it be to have that foundation build from a state peace? Photography gives us the ability to connect with the world on a much deeper level. To see what is around us but also to explore our inner world too. There’s is no denying that there is a lot of things happening in the world causing us stress. Finding a practice that allows us to tune into our truest essence and feel balanced amongst the noise, is so important. Could photography be a tool that you can use to tap into this?
I hope this blog post has given you some ideas on how you can find and connect with peace as you progress on your journey. Thank you to all the wonderful community members that have engaged with this theme and for all the beautiful images and stories shared on our platform. May 2024 be a year of growth and renewal for you.
Much love and blessings,
Kim x
