The Soulful Vision Approach
The aim of Soulful Vision is quite simple. By teaching some photographic and contemplative skills we aim to move people’s everyday photography from:
see something that’s nice ~ quickly snap a picture
to
see something ~ pause to look ~ focus & create your picture
We take lots of pictures. The Soulful Vision method takes this activity, and adapts it to centre us in the present moment. This is achieved through the three steps below which is the basis of our approach.
It’s easy to be distracted and rush through modern life. We can be so concerned with the past or the next task that we miss the sacredness of the present moment.
Soulful Vision’s method starts by showing you some techniques used by photographers to help you notice the things which surround us, but we can fail to really observe: objects, nature, people and our own bodily feelings and emotions.
By momentarily pausing we can focus on what surrounds us and our emotions – both are important.
The Soulful Vision method aims to make us aware of the connection between our environment and the emotions we feel, in an accepting and non-judgmental way.
We’ll show you how your camera can be a means to be mindful for brief periods with all its benefits for our wellbeing.
By pausing throughout the day and developing our ability to focus we are in a better place to thrive in life. An ancient description for this is living life in all its fulness.
Life is not a burden to be carried, but a gift to be enjoyed.
When you leave our workshops and retreats we hope the Soulful Vision method will help you feel a deeper connection with life, and you will THRIVE in your relationship with nature, with yourself, with other people and, if you share a faith, then also with the divine – whatever that might mean for you.
Find out more and book a workshop or retreat
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a good photographer?
No. Modern cameras take great pictures all on their own. Our focus is not on the technical side of photography (although Steve will help if you get stuck) but rather we focus on how we see and being truly present to the things in front of us which we often miss in the busyness of life. Whist we welcome keen photographers onto our workshops, if you like taking pictures on your phone and perhaps sharing them with friends or on social media, you are more than qualified to attend one of our workshops and we would love to see you there.
Do I need an expensive camera?
No. You simply need a camera you enjoy using. This can be the one on your phone or if you have another camera bring this along to the workshop – then you have the choice of which to use. Our retreats and workshops do not focus on technique, but we will help you get the most out of your smartphone or camera.
Does this help with anxiety or depression?
Possibly. We all get unwell at times whether that is a mental illness or physical illnesses. It’s really important you see your doctor if you are unwell as there are many treatments available. There is a lot of research linking mindfulness to better health so our workshops may help you maintain better mental and emotional health but we are not an alternative to recognised treatments. If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, you must chat to your doctor or therapist before attending one of our workshops.
Is this art therapy?
No. Art therapy is practiced by registered practitioners, often working in mental health centres. There is a lot of research on the health benefits of mindfulness. Our approach helps make mindfulness accessible by showing you how to use the camera you carry around in your smartphone (or a normal camera) to centre in the moment for brief periods throughout your day.
Do you work in the corporate and public sectors?
Yes. We believe our approach has huge benefits for teams and we can provide a dedicated workshop for your place of work. The visual exercises we do help us realise how we all see and approach things differently. This can promote a better understanding of our colleagues, allows problems to be viewed from different perspectives and can build team cohesion which can lead to greater productivity and staff wellbeing.
Do I need to be religious?
No. Most of the major world religions have a contemplative tradition, and our background is found within the Christian tradition and we use a spiritual technique called visio divina. But, you do not need to share a Christian faith to benefit from a workshop. For Church groups and Christian retreat centres we frame our approach within a Christian narrative, but all our other work embraces a secular approach as we want these workshops to be open and of benefit to everyone. We have a lot we can learn from one another.
Our approach in a bit more detail
A bit of history
Steve first came across mindfulness when he was studying psychiatry at King’s College London. There were some clever folks there who were investigating brain patterns of people who meditate, and on the back of their research all the students at the time were invited to some workshops and seminars to learn about mindfulness.
Gazing into space isn’t my thing!
Steve gave this mindfulness thing a go, but to be honest, he found it a bit tough as, sitting doing nothing really isn’t his thing and he found he was easily distracted. Yet the research is clear, mindfulness is good for us because it centres us in the present moment, which is a fancy way of saying, we aren’t worrying about the past or future.
Accepting where I am
Mindfulness teaches us to notice what is with us now (our emotions and physical space) in an accepting and none-judgemental way. The reality is we cannot live in the past or the future – although our brains have a nasty habit of making us believe we can. Have you ever been anxious about something which might happen in the future? Your heart races, perhaps your hands tremble and you imagine the worst outcomes. Right now you are OK, but our brain is tricking us into believing we are living that future moment hence the thought process along with the physical and emotional reactions you feel. We won’t really know what will happen until we meet that moment we are dreading.
Photography can be mindful (mindfulness without trying)
A few years later Steve started to study photography, and he discovered, using the skills photographers are taught – things like composition, noticing light, colour and shadow, perspective, waiting for moments – photography is a very mindful activity. In other words, photography can help us find moments of calm in our busy lives. Steve found through this his photography he easily centred in the present moment, and it also helped manage some of the anxious thinking which arose form his experience of war.
Soulful Vision is born
That’s when Steve had the idea: could he run workshops and retreats which introduce people to some of these photographic skills? Thanks to the invention of the smartphone camera, we are taking pictures all the time. This would open up some of the benefits of mindfulness by simply adapting something we already do (take lots of pictures) rather than learn something completely new. I don’t pretend this is a mindfulness course. You will learn a lot more about mindfulness on one of those, but it’s a start and can help us live more fulfilling lives.
Steve started to experiment with two visual contemplative practices called the Ignatian examen and visio divina, practiced by monks and nuns throughout the ages. People in past generations have found these helpful and we now incorporate them into our workshops and retreats which makes our work unique because we combine the modern (photography) with the tools of past generations. These practices are based on a Christian spirituality, but you don’t need to share that faith (or have any faith) to benefit from practices past generations have found helpful. In the UK healthcare through the NHS traces its foundation to Christian monasteries with monks and nuns – (that’s why we call senior nurses, sister) but you don’t need to share that faith to benefit from the healthcare the UK offers today.
The Soulful Vision approach embraces the ‘5 Steps to Wellbeing’ which you can read about below, and over the years our method has developed into three steps: Pause ~ Focus ~ Thrive. These steps are described above. By focusing our vision and developing our skill of seeing, a greater awareness is brought into group processes, conversations are enhanced, and relationships with self and others deepened. This can lead to transformation and change, which we hope helps in a small way, build a more peaceful and loving world.
the 5 steps to wellbeing
The 5 Steps to wellbeing were researched by the New Economics Foundation and are endorsed by the NHS and the mental health charity Mind, aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole population.
You can read about the steps under each tab below, and how they relate to Soulful Vision retreats and workshops.
Evidence suggests that feeling close to and valued by others is an important human need.
Our workshops bring people together in a relaxed and affirming atmosphere. No technical critique of photos is allowed, rather we see each image as a gift allowing us to learn about ourselves and others.
Exercise is linked to good mental health.
Our workshops encourage you to be active within your own limits, using mindful walking to connect with your environment.
If you cannot get out of your house don’t worry, our activities will encourage you to be active within your home.
We rush through life, getting the children ready for school, running for the bus, working through the pile of paper on our desk – we don’t have time to notice the beauty around us.
Research has shown that when we ‘take time’ to notice what is happening around us our wellbeing is enhanced and and our life priorities are reaffirmed.
We think we need lots of time to ‘take notice but we teach you some basic photography skills around seeing light which help us slow down and take notice.
You’ll find it only takes a moment and is incorporated into your daily activities – no sitting crossed legged for an hour or more meditating! A moment is all you need to pause.
Learning can enhance our self-esteem and encourage us to be more active in life.
You will learn about contemplative photography and mindfulness on our workshops. More importantly you will learn about yourself, one another (family, friends and work colleagues) and our interconnectedness with nature.
You will be introduced to the nine principles of mindfulness which are: non-judging; patience; a beginners mind; trust; non-striving; acceptance; letting-go; gratitude; generosity.
There is a lot of research about the importance of community and some studies suggest that those who help others feel more satisfied in life.
Within our workshops and retreats we work together, to support each other in our quest to learn contemplative photography.
A powerful part of our day, is sharing our pictures with one another. This is a precious thing to give as our pictures reflect something of ourselves. We also give as we reflect what we see in each others pictures. Through this we learn how we each see differently which builds acceptance and relationships – but there is never any expectation or pressure to share more than we are comfortable with.