
As the seasons change
The orange freckling the green,
as seasons change so do we.
Moving through this jigsaw of life.
Pathways, we choose to follow or forge.
Crunching,
listening.
Sophie Thomas
(she/her)

FAR, FAR AWAY
I hear the sound of evening bells
Far, far away
A gentle movement on a breeze
Another time, another day
Thoughts and visions intertwined
Whispers from a far off year
A gentle echo from my past
Awakening memories held dear
Like hopes and dreams of youth
When all were in their prime
Snapshots of years gone by
Ripples on the sands of time
Annie O’Donnell
Ways to cook a Grin
You can use the following methods in isolation, together with other smile practitioners, individually or all in the same smile period – wow what a time!
Step 1
Method 1: Set your timer for 12pm each day to reflect back on 5 things you have done for others. Use the results to reward yourself with a well-fitted smile. We suggest relaxing the brow and the nose and curling both sides of the mouth at the same time.
Method 2: Take 2 minutes to consider which part of your body most represents the shape of a smile. Focus your attention on this area and make it into an even bigger grin – the mouth is not permitted in this exercise. A hand or the tummy is reported to work well.
Method 3: Step into a communal setting and observe someone who is smiling. Mimic the movement and shape of their mouth until you find the ‘sweet spot’. Don’t copy their whole body – they may get suspicious.
Method 4: Our favourite. Taste and swallow something that produces the smiling effect quickly – turmeric, basil seeds, Xylitol, panjeeri, chicken broth, lemon in water and such things are recommended ones to go to.
Method 5: Find something with a strong smell. As the nose crunches up, bring the mouth into play. Experiment with the up, down, up , down motion, then moving this side to side until you have a smile. Hold for 2 minutes.
Method 6: Give the job of a smile to someone else – mother nature is always smiling, surrender to her and let her do it for you. Feel into her smile, it produces the same effect. We recommend bare feet on the ground, sitting in meditation and holding or handling a tree.
Step 2
Turning a smile from cool to really hot: if you really want to bake your smile well, imprint it and receive it at will, take a photo of yourself smiling. Then, look at the photo on demand, repeating the words, “Look that’s me, aren’t I great”.
Observe the smile rise and solidify. Pieces of this smile can be cut into slices and shared with others.
Carrieanne Vivianette