Beauty: Realising Beauty

Description

Welcome to season 2 episode 4 of Unfurling, in which we explore the topic of Beauty. We look from various perspectives, and the theme is illuminated by learnings from the natural world and from our 'guides'. Here's what's in the episode:

~0: We share what’s drawing us to look at Beauty.

~10:00: We join our first guide, Nina Flowers, a creative brand strategist who collaborates with organisations that are looking to bring about positive environmental or social changes through their work. Working remotely from Barcelona, she's collaborating with a UK charity and the Mood Project in Spain. Nina also founded a nature-inspired skincare company called Artamay, which she is developing with her sister Emily in Wiltshire, UK. It’s small-batch skincare that’s organic, vegan, and natural with the philosophy of achieving healthy skin whilst 'protecting your wild'. http://www.artamay.co.uk / Insta: @artamayskincare and http://www.ninaflowers.co.uk / Insta: @ninaflow__

~30:00 We consider themes from our time with Nina, including the role of nature in sparking creativity, adventure, and wellbeing; authentic beauty and ageing; language; and 'protecting our wild'.

~33:00 We move to our second guide, Dr Tony Juniper CBE, who is Chair of Natural England, the statutory body that works for the conservation and restoration of the natural environment in England. Before taking up this role in April 2019 he was Executive Director for Advocacy and Campaigns at WWF-UK, a Fellow with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and President of the Wildlife Trusts. Until January 2018 he was an independent sustainability and environment advisor, including as Special Advisor with The Prince of Wales’s International Sustainability Unit. A campaigner, writer, and a well-known British environmentalist, Tony has, for more than 35 years, worked for change toward a more sustainable society at local, national and international levels. https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tony-juniper and https://www.tonyjuniper.com/about

~64:30 We reflect on our learnings from our time with Tony, including the place of beauty in a multi-layered approach to nature recovery; the importance of co-design and building metaphorical bridges; nature’s inspiration; and how context augments beauty.

~69:45 We close by drawing together our learning and themes for further reflection, and we share a poem.

To explore this and other topics further, please join our private Facebook group, 'Unfurling Podcast'.

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References:

~1: Sheela Hobden

~1: VIA Survey of Character Strengths

~4: Mental Health Foundation: Mental Health Awareness Week

~5: Merriam-Webster: “Beauty”: “the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit”

~6: International Dawn Chorus Day

~22: Artamay Dusk & Dawn Cleanser

~24: Artemis

~33: Resurgence & Ecologist

~38: National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949

~39: Natural England

~42: Yorkshire Dales National Park Hay Meadows

~43: Nature Recovery Network

~43: England Coastal Path

~45: East Devon AONB

~46: The Wildlife Trusts

~46: The National Trust