📖 Buy My New Magazine (One week left to order) : https://www.lauralamn.com/vessel-zine

UPCOMING EVENTS

🙂 5th August - We Are Joy Fest Summer Gathering - I will be singing, performing poetry and leading a singing circle https://wearejoyfest.com/products/august-5th-summer-gathering

🌸 28th-31st August - Into The Wild Festival - I will be singing with the Garden Voices and running workshops https://in2wild.com/

ps here is the letter typed out if you can’t read my childish hand writing

Dear Kind Reader,

Today it’s been 60 days since I de-activated social media. I’m sure it’s doing good things for my brain & for my general state of mind. One of my friends pointed out to me that it might cost me opportunities not being on there. I would argue, as a self employed artist & teacher, that it most definitely will cost me, but it is a price I pay for my sanity. I care about tending to the creative fire, because it has saved me so many times. It has saved me from sadness, stress, restlessness, irritability & discontent. That is why I live a creative life & teach creative classes.

My most recent creative outburst is a zine filled with songs, poems & essays. All on the theme of recovering from social media addiction, slowing down, enjoying summer & finding peace. You have one week left to order, I’m printing a limited edition.

LOVE ALWAYS WINS
Laura
xoxox

It’s been a couple of months since my last email! Hope you are all well and enjoying your summer. We are having a particularly glorious one here in the UK.

After many experiments and research into the world of Social Media on 29th May I decided to deactivate my Instagram, Facebook and TikTok account (de-activating is quite close to deleting, you disappear from the platform but your data is there if you need to retrieve it one day)

I made this decision, after a series of incidents of my own making. I discovered the “virality formula” and had a number of posts get thousands of views, with the top one reaching 250k views. With this came increasing numbers of trolls and the comments became darker and crueler. Eventually it became very painful to even open the app, and I got a chill in my spine when I received a DM saying “I live in your town, if you go out at night I will get you”

The reason I originally signed up to social media, was to connect with my friends and share my creative projects online. But it has become a drain of both time and energy, and doesn’t seem to serve it’s purpose.

And after I de-activated I freed up time, headspace and creativity. The 20 minutes I spent preparing a post every day, and all the time I spent scrolling needed to be filled.

So, I started writing, painting and drawing more. And I got all inspired and dug through desk drawers and searched through journals to find other work I have made recently.

And I have put it all together in a little Zine called Vessel : An Anthology of Art and Writing

Anthology comes from the Greek Word Anthologia which means “a collection of flowers”. This is a little collection of poems, songs, paintings, drawings and essays to enjoy…

I am going to print a limited edition run this month.

PRE-ORDER ZINE

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

Other exciting news…

🙂 5th August - We Are Joy Fest Summer Gathering - I will be singing and leading a singing cirlce https://wearejoyfest.com/products/august-5th-summer-gathering

🌸 28th-31st August - Into The Wild Festival - I will be singing with the Garden Voices and running workshops https://in2wild.com/

I leave you with a photo from my dining table altar yesterday, decorated with allotment-grown flowers : Cosmos, Echinacea, Calendula, Marigold, Dahlia and Rose.

PRE-ORDER ZINE

We have had a heat wave, and I just love this warm weather and the long days. Our allotment has started to produce and we are enjoying stir fried spring onions, broad beans and spinach. We have a glut of strawberries, so I whizzed them up in the blender with vanilla. Then popped them in the freezer for heavenly ice lollies.

After a little bit of spinning round in circles, I have landed and found my focus for this year. After the Skillshare teacher meet up, I am so inspired to create more classes. I’m particularly interested in teaching the mindset and habits that underlie a creative life. I just launched a new class on Skillshare “Stop Waiting Start Creating - Say Goodbye to Procrastination and Overwhelm”, so if you are a member you can take the class. I’ve also made it possible to buy individual online classes directly from me in my Class Library. The Procrastination Class is just £10 if you purchase before 1st June.

Take the class on Skillshare : https://www.skillshare.com/en/r/user/lauralamn
Sign up directly from me : https://www.lauralamn.com/online-classes

📀 Our new album still sits dormant and liminal. Miranda returns from France in the mid-summer and then we will be able to re-start the project. Thank you so much for your patience.

One of my favourite albums is Hadestown by Anais Mitchell. I wondered what she’s up to these days, turns out she has a new band called Bonny Light Horseman. Their album “Keep me on your mind” is lovely.

I’ve been reading The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey, as recommended by one of my current fave teachers, Mami Onami. I’m finding the book a bit sluggish but there are some gems in there. I’m re-reading The Path of Least Resistance by Robert Fritz, which is a fantastic guidebook for a creative life.

I’ve been dreaming about making more matching clothes for me and my son to wear. We got invited to a costume party, and we put our clown costumes on, and then at the last minute my son decided he wanted to be a skeleton instead. At least I got this video of us looking so cute, he’s going to grow out of it soon. I’m planning some Autumn/Winter makes, my summer wardrobe is nearly all me-made. But I need to work on my warm clothes.

After a break from social media, because you all know, it does out head in. I’ve now been experimenting with short form videos on Instagram. A few of them have gone viral, but with it come a lot of hateful and cruel messages from Trolls. I question if it’s not the right medium for me? The best way I’ve my music has reached people is through retreat centres, singing circles and word of mouth.

I wrote this feminist chant, which has triggered the trolls.

Watch on Instagram

Youtube Link :

I’ve also started reading Alan Watts Tao : The Watercourse Way. I read a book on Taoism in 2015, and it turned my life upside down in the most amazing way, that I’m called to re-study this incredible philosophy.

I loved this podcast interview between Davina McCall and Robin Sharma all about re-invention.

I discovered the artist Christopher Corr and his beautiful work inspired me to get some gouache and I painted a quick little family portrait.

I leave you with the first posy from my allotment and front garden…

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOXOX

PS. New Summer Shows and Workshops added to my website. https://www.lauralamn.com/showsandworkshops

Subscribe now

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It’s been almost one month since I made a huge change in my phone use and am getting “phone sober”. There have been lots of hard things, but way more wonderful things.

And one of them is my “natural memory”. Rather than dreaming and thinking about things I’ve seen on social media that day, my mind drifts to people and prayers, memories and songs that spontaneously emerge in my mind. One of these was the “Just for Today” prayer.

This is the line from the prayer that grabbed me today “Just for today I will do at least two things I don’t want to do - just for exercise.” Our phones, and the addiction to dopamine, makes us always want to do the fun and easy thing, rather than the thing which will move us closer to something we want.

So one of the things I keep thinking about and wanting to do is start a podcast. I want to do it, but I don’t want to do it. You know what I mean? I procrastinate, I over think it. But today I just sat in front of the mic, and spoke about “The Value of Creativity and Spiritual Connection” Just a short 8 minute episode: LISTEN HERE

Scroll down for upcoming local events, recommendations and to come and pop in at our Creative Space

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

LOCAL EVENTS

📖 I’m excited to have partnered with Smartphone Free Childhood and we are putting on a local event on Tuesday 18th Nov, Smartphone Crisis - Discussion examining how smartphones are impacting children’s and adults mental health Interactive Talk + Community Building

🌸 After a little break over the summer I’m starting my women’s mini retreats again locally. The next one is named after the Serenity Prayer... Courage To Change Sunday 30th Nov Earlybird Tickets Available until 2nd Nov

Recommendations

📖 I’m re-reading Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill. A lesser known book by one of the self help greats.

🎵 I’ve been listening to this song by Ella Jenkins on repeat. A New Day’s Coming Soon

✨ Join My Online Creative Community - We meet Sunday Nights✨

Sundays 8-9pm : Creative Space - Song Catching / Word Smithing / Noodle Doodling

A reflective and creative space

​FIND OUT MORE

💌 Refer a Friend - Know a friend who might love my emails and my work, forward this email and then they can Join my email list HERE

Have you ever heard or spoken this prayer?

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
The courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference

This short and sweet prayer is recited at recovery meetings, and I’ve carried it with me for 17 years and it still works every time! When you start messing with things you can’t control, it messes with your mind!

Anna Lembke, in an interview about dopamine addiction, gave some inspiring advice “Just get on with the jobs ahead of you today”. It can be easy to get lost in your head sometimes. Be a bit Nike and JUST DO IT.

I’m going through some changes here, and working out my way as I go...

🏫 As of September this year I’m home educating my son - The decision is right for our family but it’s a huge sacrifice! This week we’ve been looking at the food chain in the ocean and how our clothes are made, amongst lots of play and connection - see photos at end of this email

💖 I’ve been phone sober for 21 days! The compulsion to check is waning. The lack of “fake connection” online is making me seek out in person real life connection. So I have two fun local events coming up...Smartphone Crisis / Discussion Evening AND Courage to Change / Women’s Retreat (scroll down for more details)

🎨 I’ve hosted two online Creative Spaces - Participants have used the space to draw, business brainstorm, write songs and write poetry. Come and give it a try. Sundays 8-9pm : Creative Space - Song Catching / Word Smithing / Noodle Doodling. A reflective and creative space FIND OUT MORE

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

LOCAL EVENTS

📖 I wrote my first book “Your Phone is Killing You” this year - I’m working out ways to reach new people with it. As you know I’m not on social media, so I’m excited to have partnered with Smartphone Free Childhood and we are putting on a local event on Tuesday 18th Nov, Smartphone Crisis - Discussion examining how smartphones are impacting children’s and adults mental health Interactive Talk + Community Building

🌸 After a little break over the summer I’m starting my women’s mini retreats again locally. The next one is named after the Serenity Prayer... Courage To Change Sunday 30th Nov Earlybird Tickets Available until 2nd Nov

Recommendations

🧒 I’ve been enjoying digging into the history of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. I love this podcast ...Twenty-six songs, play-party games, and poems selected from over 200 Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Folkways Records present a panorama of music performed for and by young children.

🎥 I edited a short clip from my last Creative Space, talking about what I believe about creativity (we are all artists) and about creative resistance.

🎵 Absolutely love this live performance from NYX at the State 51 Conspiracy. I’m obsessed with their cover of Dream Baby Dream

🏠 My friend Garavavati has just launched a beautiful shop of her weavings that she created in a year long course in Sweden.

Join My Online Creative Community - We meet Sunday Nights
Sundays 8-9pm : Creative Space - Song Catching / Word Smithing / Noodle DoodlingA reflective and creative space ​FIND OUT MORE

My son is going through his “Damien Hirst Era” where he tells me what to do. He wanted to copy this picture out of a book, and add more sea creatures to it.

My husband is very good at inspiring my sons drawing. I love these little cuties...

It’s one week since I started my self created Sober October phone addiction challenge.

It’s inspiring to see others getting involved! Do hit reply and tell me what you’ve changed.

If you’d like to know how my first week has been, I’ve written some unpolished, diary entries every day to document week one. READ HERE

I need this quiet time, to imagine and plan my work as I go forward. I launched my online community (school) in summer, and have learnt so much, and I have some fun plans. I just love being a facilitator/space holder...Would you like to come and have a taste of creative space with me? FREE EVENT This Sunday 8-9pm - Song Catching / Word Smithing / Noodle Doodling

A reflective and creative space. Maybe you’d like to give songwriting a try? or you love drawing? This is a creative held space, come and try :-) FIND OUT MORE

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

Recommendations

☪︎ I went to see the BEST SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I’m shouting because it was so good and I want everyone to see it. Find out more about I’m Muslamic Don’t Panic by Bobak Champion, if the show is coming near you, go and see it!

🥁My new favourite music for a kitchen dance party

⛰️ Olivia Fern has a new single. Love the epic music video

I’ve recently had some new subscribers because of my book sales - a warm welcome to you :-) I’ve been running this email list for 15 years, and there are some people here who’ve been reading my emails all that time. I strive to send out useful and inspiring emails and take you on my journey as an artist and a teacher. (It’s easy to unsu…

Read more

I've been so happy to see all the support received for my book.

The first print sold out in 48 hours, and I've got a new batch arriving tomorrow!

Would you like one? Get Your Copy HERE

Scroll down for a couple of lovely reviews :-)

After seeing my book online, the local leader of Smartphone Free Childhood invited me to represent their stall at Tonbridge Dragon Boat Race. It was great to have face to face conversations about this topic with local peeps and chat about my book.

I'm also planning to do a SOBER OCTOBER Phone Addiction Challenge, to support others in getting their addictions under control. Register your interest HERE

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

ps. If you are wondering about our album, we had a lovely recording session a couple of weekends ago, and made a huge leap in the project :-) Can't wait to share more later in the year

I'm writing to tell you....before anyone else...that I've written my first ever book :-)

And here's why...

Four years ago, my creativity suddenly exploded. I instantly felt clearer and calmer. It’s like a fog was lifted.…Want to know why?

Because I got my Social Media and Phone Addiction under control. I didn’t realise how much my phone was zapping my energy, creativity and focus. And now I’m free my creativity is soaring.

Understanding phone addiction and getting it in check has been so life changing, I have to spread the word! So....

I've compiled a mini book :-) This book is short and sweet, jam packed with helpful info. I've been obsessed with this topic for the past 4 years, and this book condenses my research and thoughts into an easy to read mini book.

In this Mini Book you will learn the basics of science of tech addiction, how it’s affecting you, and simple steps in how to transcend your addiction. GET YOUR COPY HERE

You can buy the E-Book which will be delivered instantly or a Signed Copy (I've only printed 20 for the first edition!)

YOU WILL LEARN:

🤫 How this addictive technology snuck into our culture, and why we need to think about legislation.

🔺Hormones of Addiction - Dopamine and Cortisol - The apps hack an ancient system in your body and brain; the dopamine system. This system is responsible for pleasure seeking, and it is unnaturally and overly triggered by addictive technology use. Our phones cause us to release cortisol, the stress hormone, which keeps us hooked to our devices.

🧠How Your Phone is Hurting You - The psychological damage that addictive technology causes is real and measurable. We may already be experiencing a number of symptoms.

🖐️Techno Vigilance - Technology, both on phones and laptops, needs to be utilised responsibly, with what I call “Techno Vigilance”. You don’t need to get rid of your devices, you need to remove the addictive components so you use them responsibly.

🧘Fill the Void and Transcendence - We use our phones to numb and avoid. We need to look at the voids in our life and start to transcend our addictive habits.

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

XOXOXOXOX

Ps. Students at my Online School, automatically get a free digital copy, and there is more on this topic as my school evolves.

Hope you are all having a lovely summer so far.

I made this little 5 minute video to share my love of Lammas, The Grain Harvest. See what's happening in nature at this time of year and meet some of my plant and animal friends :-) WATCH NOW and hear my little Lammas ditty HERE

A couple of little things I'd love to celebrate and share with you;

📱 My Skillshare class "Social Media & Phone Addiction - Why You Are Addicted and How to Reclaim Your Focus" has reached a 100 students! I'm glad to be making a little dent in this huge societal problem of phone addiction. If you are curious you can check it out HERE

🍒 I have found my new favourite corner of Youtube! I love listening to Yellow Cherry Jam whilst I'm doing chores or crafting.

Happy Harvest!

What have you harvested that you are proud of? What are you grateful for?

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

Latest Video....

Our little Lammas table decorations

Hope you are all having a lovely summer so far.

I made this little 6 minute video to document mid July. We are approaching Lammas, the grain harvest festival. So much is going on out there and I am enjoying making my own personal record. WATCH NOW

We are still having a little pause from album recording as a few band members have been away on S…

Read more

Just sending a little update as it’s been a while. Last weekend it was the Summer Solstice. Do you celebrate or mark this festival?

I spent some time in nature and made this little video about my observations. It’s a little tour of the nature in my village which calls out to me at this time of year. Meet damselfly, crayfish, meadowsweet and more. WATCH NOW

Where do you put your sadness? Sadness is a bit like rain. Clear blue skies can quickly change to a downpour. Sometimes when we are sad or tired we can turn on ourselves and be quite mean. But what if we greeted our sadness, the same way we greeted our best friend’s sadness? I like to put my sadness in things I make. You can hear it in some of my songs, see it in my art, or recently I’ve been crocheting my sadness. I’ve been making this crochet waistcoat during summer solstice, so I am reminded of this time of year in the colder (and sometimes sadder) months. Most of my creativity is born out of difficulty. I am drawn to making beautiful things, to draw me into beautiful states. I’ve recently been reading about repetitive activity and ADHD. I think all my repetitive creativity has helped my brain a lot. If you are local I am starting Singing and Stitching classes soon on thursday nights, keep your eyes peeled.

We continue to make progress with the album. We have moved our studio to Hannah’s outhouse, so we can permanently leave our gear out. Here’s a little snap shot of our draped fabric sound treatment (pro tip to sound treat a home studio : duvets and picnic blankets are your friend) In this test recording, Hannah played the flute. We might add it to a song or two, or we might stick to pure voices, let’s see.

Hope you are enjoying the sunny weather (if you have it where you are) And if it rainy or you are sad, please be kind to yourself.

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

XOXOXOX

If you read my emails and listen to my music, you might get the sense that I am doing some secret kooky stuff. And you would be right!

I recently came across the word "bio-hacking" but I prefer "bio-loving" (made that up). Basically all I care about is never wandering too far from ventral vagal, and keeping my DMN in check. Are you curious? Read on...

Yes, I do some weird and wonderful stuff to keep me sane and stable (and therefore consistently creative and confident)

Would you like to learn my kooky ways......

Just a quick reminder that my Live Zoom Lesson is soon....

Tuesday 27th May 8-9pm UK Time

Sign up for FREE here : www.LauraLamn.com/FREE

👁️ Learn how to stop procrastinating and being distracted

🏠 Build a strong, stable, calm and confident inner base

🌀Access the healing power of creativity

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

As the days are getting longer and nature is quickening, I too am blooming and bursting with inspiration.

And I have a secret…Do you know the answer?

What is the main secret behind my creativity?

The main secret is….through consistent practice I have developed an inner temple of peace and joy, which I tend to every day. All of my creative work emerges from this temple. When life gets wobbly and hard I spend more time in the temple.

It took me 10 years to build this sacred building on a dark, barren, dirty and sad landscape. This land could have been cleaned and cleared much quicker, if I’d have known how. And the building of the temple could have been much smoother and more fun, but it took me a painfully long time to find what I needed to build it.

I am working on an online immersion where I will be teaching, scientifically-backed, tools and techniques to cultivate creativity and calm. These tools took me from depressed, anxious and psychotic to creative, calm and stable.

Please could you do me a BIG favour and answer this one question, so that I make sure I’ve got everything covered.

LOVE ALWAYS WINS

Laura

XOXOXOX

As of writing this we are at 95% of our goal thanks to 99 amazing backers!

Would you like to join us on the journey and help us reach the finish line?

Pre-order our new album from £5

Every little helps towards our big mission.

Campaign closes in a few hours so act now : https://igg.me/at/ZwK9jCyyBkc/x/31524090#/

Everyone who pledges gets instant access to a secret digital goody bag (full of songbooks, art zines and mp3 downloads), and gets to join us on our journey to make this album.

I’m writing to let you know that we have just 8 days left of our IndieGoGo campaign. Thank you to every single one of our 56 supporters! Each name gets noticed - scroll to the bottom to see your names in ink, which will be printed in the Album Zine.

🛍️ You can preorder the album from £5 and every little helps towards our big mission. Everyone who pledges gets instant access to a secret digital goody bag (full of songbooks, art zines and mp3 downloads), and gets to join us on our journey to make this album SUPPORT NOW - If you’ve already pledged, you can access the goody bag HERE

🌈 It was very lovely to learn last week that our song Amazing, which was released in 2019 has just reached 10,000 streams on Spotify. Quite an achievement for an independent musician. Thank you to everyone who has been listening.

📹 I’ve recently posted a few videos on Instagram sharing about Amazing and our album campaign, but I know that the cheeky algorithm doesn’t always show my content to all of you. If you have 30 seconds please head to my Instagram and Like/Save/Comment on a post and it will help you see me in future.

Every name gets noticed…..(ps if you pledged after 10am today your name won’t be on here yet, I wrote the list out this morning)

Would you like your name added? This list will be printed in the album zine
SUPPORT NOW

LOVE ALWAYS WINS
Laura
XOXOXOX