A Caithness Moment

As another year draws to a close and the dark winter nights sweep deftly and silently into each short day it gives me chance to reflect on how a landscape can shape us. I have been thinking about this lately and how we as a species not only shape the landscape and imprint something upon it, but how the landscape in which we reside can define us.

I arrived in Caithness almost 9 years ago in a somewhat tumultuous state. I had turned 30 but I hadn’t still hadn’t found me. I was running away and running on empty, filling myself up with the wrong things and wondering why none of these ‘things’ weren’t bringing lasting fulfilment. But slowly and surely this landscape of seemingly emptiness began to fill me up. How could a landscape that seems to have nothing in it bring me so much healing?

Because Caithness, in this society of busyness and overconsumption, is a land that gives you what you need – space. Space to breathe and time to be. In a busy culture we are distracted from going inwards and pulled in every direction but inside. It’s only when you take your tired and weary self to a quiet, wild or remote landscape and truly sit with it and allow its pure energy to seep into your soul that you realise how thirsty you were. Thirsty for peace and hungry to know your soul.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t always an easy thing to do. The quiet, and the dark nights especially will draw out all the things from inside of you that you have been hiding from. Your issues will rise to the surface, sometimes painfully, but only by allowing the darkness in will you be able see your issues for what they are – shadows of memories and moments that linger and flicker, yet are no longer real.

It is my desire to share the healing, restorative power of this iconic landscape with others. My Creative Healing classes have been going wonderfully and I am leaning in the direction of running retreats and creative courses in some capacity in the future.

And my work too is becoming even more spiritual and light filled as I get more light full. It’s this light that I wish to share. I believe that step by step and person by person we can make this world a lighter and better place, and that the change begins with you. Are you giving your self the space it craves? Are you working on your self or hiding from your self? I’ll leave all these wonderful thoughts with you, but know that you are not alone. We are all in this together.

My last day for orders is Saturday 14th December. I am currently holding an End of Year Studio Sale to clear some space so lots of items are half price including some prints and my popular coaster sets. You can browse my items here –

https://havenhousehealing.com/shop/

Don’t forget I also have a calendar that this year is photographic and includes inspiring pictures of this far north landscape with inspiring quotes to motivate you through the coming year.

I’ll end with a poem that I wrote that clearly explains the effect this landscape has on me –

‘A Caithness Moment’

I’ll meet you out on the cliff tops

Where the gulls nest in the outcrops

We’ll see the waves break down below

Watch them as they roll to and fro.

I’ll see you up on the hillside

Where the view is far as is wide

We will wander through the peatland

From high Morven to Dunnet sand.

I’ll be with you out in the large skies

Where the clouds billow and roll by

We’ll gather down at the shore side

Where the birds call to the full tide.

I’ll be with you forever

In this land of peat and heather

We’ll take our time, enjoy the view.

This Caithness moment is for you.

Thank you so much for your sales and purchases this year and thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I never know where I am going, but I trust it is always good 🙂

Have a lovely Christmas,

Lisa xx