Author: Nick Hammond

Hosting the second, ‘New Year, New You’ Street Wisdom Walk in Borough Market on Friday 12^th Jan, I was joined by a fabulous group of six, who brought along a really wonderful range of questions.

Two antipodean friends, working in London on short-term visas, wanted to know if London was a place to stay for a while, or if there was time to develop a long-term relationship. Someone wanted to know whether to fully commit to a charitable venture in Nepal – Girls Empowered By Travel, and another whether to ask someone out on a date. One participant had the perfect question for a New Year adventure, wanting to know what 2018 would bring….

As usual the market and its surroundings provided plenty of inspiration – whether it was drawn from the wonderful sculpture by the late Alan Collins, the plaque identifying the location of Old London Bridge, a fish and prawn wrap or the (now famous) Take Courage sign.

I was particularly moved by a description of two seagulls flying over the river. One flying low and flapping frantically to stay airborne, and another effortlessly soaring high as if on an imaginary thermal. The message from this was clear – how can we be more like the soaring seagull, flying high and freely above the buffeting fluctuations of everyday life?

Those looking for relationship advice and nourishment, were heartened by the abundance of many loving families and couples strolling in an around the market; and this provided inspiration for one participant to send an email asking a close friend out on a date. Here was a thought that had been brewing for some time, but it was Street Wisdom that had provided the key prompt. Could we perhaps be looking at our first Street Wisdom wedding…?

A great Street Wisdom observation was provided by Sarah, one of our Australians working in London and wondering about the future. Walking past the Shard, St Pauls, Tate Modern and the Tower of London, she realised that London is an amazing place to be, for however long it lasts and living for ‘the now’ and savouring the moment, is the key to happiness.

by Nick Hammond

A Street Wisdom Wander in Borough Market.  8^th September 2017.

Despite the rather damp weather on this Friday morning, we still had nine intrepid and inquisitive wanderers gather together, at one of the entrances to Borough Market, London.

This is the third time I have run a Street Wisdom walk in Borough Market, one of my very favourite places. The terrorist attacks of a few months ago were terrible and tragic, but in the aftermath, it is heart-warming to see the market so busy and buzzing.

All markets are wonderful places and their importance to individuals and communities, was nicely summarised by this piece in the Borough Market Magazine – The Social Life Of Markets. ‘In an era of food deliveries, click and collect and supermarket self-checkouts; everyday personal interactions that used to punctuate our lives aren’t nearly as frequent as they once were. In fact, it is quite possible, in a city packed with millions of people, to go for long periods of time without ever really talking to anyone.’

It was surrounded by this welcoming crowd and community that we gathered opposite Monmouth Coffee shop on Friday morning.

Our group had come in from all over London – North, South, East and West. A few had arrived with set questions that they wanted answers to, but some simply wanted to wander and see what the street had to say.

One of our group was looking to develop her business, which provides environments for carers with young children to gather together. Seeing groups of old and young people on the street, suggested the idea of old and young people meeting together, to the benefit of both. This could be done in old peoples’ homes, which would be affordable for low income families and provide a positive experience for the residents. What wonderful and inspiring idea!

Another wanderer was taking a work break, looking for new opportunities and perhaps a new direction. Seeing a large amount of green space suggested fresh opportunities, whilst a large sign declaring – ‘TAKE COURAGE’, instilled a sense of purpose.

Another person, dealing with writer’s block, found inspiration from a gargoyle carving demonstration, taking place at Southwark Cathedral. These stone masons were creating amazing sculptures from featureless stone blocks. If they could achieve this kind of transformation, then filling pages with words must also be achievable.

Another wanderer was looking to manage different life opportunities, following the conclusion of major exams and changes to their personal life. Although interesting new opportunities were apparent, there were so many it was proving difficult to prioritise. In this instance, benefit was derived from the ‘slow right down’ street tuning task and the exhortation to move so slowly that ‘we could feel the hairs on our heads growing slower and slower…’. This person felt the overall result was ‘seeing everything in front of me’ and ‘enjoying each available aspect.’

One individual, also looking at new opportunities, was seeking a path that appealed to them (alone) rather than one chosen, because it was respected by other family members. 

There was a great deal of interest in repeating the Street Wisdom experience, either in groups or individually. We discussed ways that exercises could be done one, two at a time, to deliver shorter but effective experiences; and also how people could run events of their own.

Finally, I loved observations of Street Wisdom as a kind of ‘moving meditation’ and a technology that allows us to powerfully and effectively connect the present, past and future. What is now, what has been and what is yet to come. #loveborough

by Nick Hammond

@digital_filter