Self Care #2: The Basin / Kenrokuen

Continuing on from last month’s music-related Self Care post – another commonly cited method of practicing self care is walking, though to me the exercise is usually incidental to the feeling that one can get from simply being outdoors.

Viktor Frankl suggests that people can find meaning in their lives through many diverse avenues, such as personal creativity, the attitude we take towards things, and the experiences we have with the world. These experiences encompass not just interactions with other people but meetings of any kind that we perceive as deeply enriching or meaningful – and this can include something as simple as sitting and observing a scene of beauty, whether it be natural, man-made, or a mix of both.

On this front, I am a particular fan of what people often dub an ‘oasis of calm’ – that kind of park or space in a big city that somehow retains a sense of peace and seclusion in spite of its immediate surroundings. One of my very favourites in Dublin that I feel is definitely under a lot of peoples’ radars is the Blessington Street Basin, a short walk from O’Connell Street in the direction of Phibsboro. I have been lucky to work near this self-contained reservoir and its surrounding paths for several years, and particularly enjoy watching its transformation from a relatively barren rectangle in winter to a thriving burst of sound and colour by summer, with the green island of foliage pictured above as its centerpiece. That said, this winter they fixed fairy lights onto the trees, resulting in an augmented version of nature that looked beautiful in its own way as dusk approached…

There is a good little article on the Basin here:

http://builtdublin.com/blessington-street-basin-dublin-7/

..and should you ever find yourself on the outskirts of town going in the direction of Dublin 7, I would encourage you to take a peek.

Incidentally, some people have asked me about about the flower-in-water picture that forms the banner image for the Nozomi website, and it may not come as a surprise that this too was taken in a favourite park of mine – a garden in the Japanese city of Kanazawa called Kenrokuen (兼六園). It is famed as one of the three most beautiful gardens in all Japan, which is no small boast considering the number of beautiful gardens the country contains! Below is a selection of photos I took there, and looking at them I am reminded of why the great outdoors feels like self care to me – when all the right conditions are in place, I can experience a deep sense of connectedness with something much bigger than myself, where peace and tranquility stand side-by-side with the thrill of exploration. This harks back to the childhood joys of uncovering every nook and cranny of our local park and climbing the trees in the green near our house, so there is a sense of nostalgia there too. Altogether, a truly meaningful encounter, and a great way to recharge.

I wonder if any parks/gardens/forests or other places of beauty have had a positive effect on your life?

Simon