There seems ongoing competition between Manchester and
London, with the public often arguing over which place promotes the most ‘positivity’
or best ‘quality of life’ for the people there. These are popular tourist cities, commonly-called places
to ‘lose yourself’. After all, going to the city is often seen as a time of
‘looking out’ for things; whether you are looking for a certain purchase, particular
item of clothing, or even browsing a gallery or exhibition... yet what I want
to draw attention to is the situation that selecting such language to refer to
cities can actually be unhelpful. You are not just a consumer in an urban
space, you are a conscious, capable individual. Therefore, you shouldn’t just
be giving your time to cities, but cities should be giving time to you... and my minutes are in Manchester. With the
recent opening of ... in Manchester, as well
as the rise of social enterprise of Cathartic.co and the work of We Are What We
Are, it’s certainly giving the people a peace of mind...
Why does considering the mind come into it? Think mindfulness;
you’ve probably already heard it being talked about. It’s the concept which has
been taking personal development by storm, especially amongst students and
young people (with so many in Manchester): the technique is discussed by doctors,
celebrated by celebrities including a recent article from Ruby Wax, and even
resulted in a cross-parliamentary report last year. Focusing on the present and taking time to think about our own thought
processes are two of its key components; a personal focus in order to achieve peace.
Yet cities don’t always seem like peaceful places. On the
surface, so much of ‘enjoying’ Manchester seems marketed as ‘busy’ and ‘bustling’ – with the popularity
of things evaluated on the quantities of crowd they pull in. Yet what it is important to remember is that
there are still spaces in the city you can seek solace in. even if others are there,
these are some nooks and crannies which never fail to give a bit of
reassurance, allow you to reflect and look inwards. The city life is often
celebrated as a tie to ‘lose yourself’ – but I believe in Manchester it doesn’t
always have to be the case, hence this is place made for mindfulness, of a kind.
Because, what I have found, is that Manchester
is place where you can make yourself too; and have hope in it. It’s a city
which celebrates the ability of the individual and their expression, no matter
where they have come from; as seen in the regular open mic nights, integration
of students and professionals and pride in place.
Yet when I was in London for example, there was always this unspoken
pressure of making ‘it’ –
whatever ‘it' is– aspiring for a socially-fuelled, high-flying ideal which
never came any closer. My thoughts were always pre-occupied, reaching for the concept
of ‘success’ which was so often discussed, seldom seen. Yet all I found in
London was the reality of how alone this made me feel. I am not saying that London is a negative
city, I am just writing to share my experiences that it is a place which
boasts big dreams and aspirations, often
marketed as a place people can ‘escape’ to from their lives on the outside. Yet
escapism isn’t always the answer, because people’s original lives, thoughts and
personalities deserve just as much to be recognised too. Hence why I see
Manchester as a city of exploration rather than escape – and that’s a mindful
thing. There are some quiet places,
quirky concepts and creative initiatives as ever underway, which anyone can get
involved in. Here in Manchester, there is the ability to take time for yourself,
to ‘gather your thoughts’, as they say, and get to grips with you….
Some pieces of mine for peace of mind:
1)
The peace
of Parsonage Gardens – unlock a little oasis for you and your thoughts! Just off Deansgate, one of the busiest
roads in the city, you may be surprised find this bit of green space, complete
with flower plots and benches, so close to bustle. It certainly provides food
for thought; as it was historically an area owned by the Le Warre family and
used to cultivate food for a parish church. Little pockets left of history give
great occasion to reflect. St Mary's Parsonage, Manchester M3 2LF
2)
Considerations
at Castlefield – another place
you can gather your thoughts, as
well as enjoy some great scenery. Particularly
profound is the site of ‘Mamucium’ which marks the ancient Roman foundations of
the city. Not far from Bridge street and the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester’s
roman heritage rests – tucked away from traffic and tourists – in the form of a
partially reconstructed stone fort. Unlike the attention lavished on the preened
monuments of the capital city, Mamucium is comparatively quiet and provides
perfect food for thought. Considering all that has happened around it, and yet
parts still stand, complete with dedicatory Latin inscription, helps put things
into perspective
3)
Put
yourself in the present at Ziferblat – a quirky café really focused on
keeping things contemporary, and comfy too, is
Ziferblat; the social space where you pay 6p a minute. I beloive that
this accommodates mindful teachings of understanding the worth of the present;
and that a price s attached could be considered surprisingly constructive
rather than reductive. How so? The range of resources, free wi-fi and friendly facilities
at Ziferblat is enough to motivate anyone to spend their time in the most worthwhile
way possible to hem. You can help yourself to refreshments and the environment celebrates
the self; you are responsible for your own washing up, just as much as you are
responsible for what you create here, even if it’s plating the piano! Therefore
Ziferblat doesn’t put a set value you on time – that is up to you to create – beyond money http://www.ziferblat.co.uk/
4)
Make a
difference right now, with hats for the homeless – rough sleeping in the
Manchester area has doubled in the past year, a deeply saddening suggested estimate.
Paying attention to that and giving a real powerful piece of mind is ‘We Are
What We Are’, a clothing retailer and ‘non-prophet’ organisation selling stock
in Afflecks Palace. They are currently carrying out ‘Hats for the homeless’;
for every hat bought in store they will donate one to someone living on the
streets. These guys are articulate and passionate about their project; plus it’s
charity you can see shaping the present day – mindful in itself. Rather than a
big city conglomerate, this is intimate, honest Manchester at its very best http://wawwa.co/apparel/ Wawwa,
Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1PW
5)
Hidden
issues ; helping address the actuality of anxiety – there is a dance and performing arts group ‘Hidden
Issues’, based in Manchester, which really deserves some attention in terms of
the work it is doing to interact with those suffering from anxiety and mental
health problems. In the fast-moving modern day, the source if our anxieties can
seem pushed into the past, whilst worrying can have us fumbling over the
future. ‘Hidden issues’ helps people face the present, through performance;
running a number of dance and dramatic arts classes for people suffering with
anxiety. It’s now even supported by the O2’s Think Big Campaign, which is initiative drawing
attention to efforts made to uphold healthy minds https://twitter.com/hidden_issues
Instead of always looking beyond ourselves for
entertainment, this is a city which allows you to work within.
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