Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
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| Protection Charm Idea |
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| Idea of what it would look like in reality |
This will be one of my next developments.
Monday, 5 November 2012
New Developments
I hace drawn up some new ideas for the bracelets.
Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
I am still thinking about the distribution of the bands. Should they be given away free? Should only one capsule be on the band to allow space for others to be added? Where do people get the capsules from?
This will be one of my next developments.
Using it like a charm bracelet, people can add the selection of capsules to their band for their own personal protection trinket.
This will be one of my next developments.
Charm Bracelets
I have researched charm bracelets to discover their origins, powers and what people believe they can do.
Wearing charms began as a form of protection to ward away evil spirits or bad luck. Pre-historic charms have been known to be made of shells, animal bones and clay. However, materials such as wood, rocks and gems are now widely used.
They have been worn throughout history by a wide variety of people. Some are worn to be able to identify a person in the afterlife, as each bracelet is unique.
Medieval Knights wore charms to protect them in battle. Soldiers from WWII brought back small items such as bullets and shrapnel to create memories of the war.
Charm bracelets are usually unique and very personal. Although charm bracelets can be purchased, they are usually created or added to by the owner with items sentimental to themselves.
Wearing charms began as a form of protection to ward away evil spirits or bad luck. Pre-historic charms have been known to be made of shells, animal bones and clay. However, materials such as wood, rocks and gems are now widely used.
They have been worn throughout history by a wide variety of people. Some are worn to be able to identify a person in the afterlife, as each bracelet is unique.
Medieval Knights wore charms to protect them in battle. Soldiers from WWII brought back small items such as bullets and shrapnel to create memories of the war.
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| A 'Lucky Charm' bracelet. |
By adding your own items to a charm bracelet, it becomes yours own. It will more than likely have no use to anyone else, but it is unique.
Each piece tells a story, and that is what I want my band to do. I want people to see someone wearing one of my bands with a selection of capsules and ask 'What is that?' and for the owner to be able to tell their story.
Feedback
I have been busy working on from the feedback I was given at my critique session.
The feedback was positive, and I gained some very useful ideas as to how to develop my ideas.
One idea I have is to use this wristband as a charm.
Instead of attaching four assorted capsules to these bands, why not allow the owner to add to the band? Why can't they choose what forms of protection they want?
So instead of distributing these bands with four capsules, I will develop this and see how I could incorporate this charm idea, allowing the user to protect themselves in their own ways.
The feedback was positive, and I gained some very useful ideas as to how to develop my ideas.
One idea I have is to use this wristband as a charm.
Instead of attaching four assorted capsules to these bands, why not allow the owner to add to the band? Why can't they choose what forms of protection they want?
So instead of distributing these bands with four capsules, I will develop this and see how I could incorporate this charm idea, allowing the user to protect themselves in their own ways.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Distribution
I have an idea on how to get these to the public.
These wristbands could either be given as freebies or sold as gifts on a card which explains the bands.
Above is a design layout of the card these could be presented on.
Firstly, the band would be hung around a cut-out section.
The back of the card would explain what plants/herbs are contained in the wristband. For more details, a website link would be printed which will take the user to a page explaining the mythology and superstition of the contents, and how they provide spiritual protection/assistance.
The grey boxes on the from are to represent another idea I have had.
This would be where two packets of seeds are attatched. One for a Fern Bush, which removes and wards away evil spirits from your home. The other for Holly, which invites helpful spirits into the house.
This gets the user more involved and gives them an opportunity to learn more. Extra information will be provided on the back of the card and on the website.
These wristbands could either be given as freebies or sold as gifts on a card which explains the bands.
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| Layout |
Firstly, the band would be hung around a cut-out section.
The back of the card would explain what plants/herbs are contained in the wristband. For more details, a website link would be printed which will take the user to a page explaining the mythology and superstition of the contents, and how they provide spiritual protection/assistance.
The grey boxes on the from are to represent another idea I have had.
This would be where two packets of seeds are attatched. One for a Fern Bush, which removes and wards away evil spirits from your home. The other for Holly, which invites helpful spirits into the house.
This gets the user more involved and gives them an opportunity to learn more. Extra information will be provided on the back of the card and on the website.
Wristband Idea
Following up on the wristband idea, I have drawn up some mock ups of what it could look like, and what would be inside the capsules.
Each wristband would have four capsules.
These will change from band to band, but will contain four different plants/herbs/spices which either protect or assist the person.
An example would contain the following:
Wormwood - This protects from the Evil Eye
Periwinkle - This attracts money and fortune
Roses - This awards luck in love
Salt - This wards away demons and evil spirits
I have also decided on blue string/rope as the band, as through research i have discovered that in Greece, blue is the colour of the sky where the gods live and also wards away evil forces.
I also think it would be good to set up a small website where people can find out what they have in their capsules and how they benefit them and their spirit.
Each wristband would have four capsules.
These will change from band to band, but will contain four different plants/herbs/spices which either protect or assist the person.
An example would contain the following:
Wormwood - This protects from the Evil Eye
Periwinkle - This attracts money and fortune
Roses - This awards luck in love
Salt - This wards away demons and evil spirits
I have also decided on blue string/rope as the band, as through research i have discovered that in Greece, blue is the colour of the sky where the gods live and also wards away evil forces.
I also think it would be good to set up a small website where people can find out what they have in their capsules and how they benefit them and their spirit.
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
The Spiritual Nature of Plants
Through researching other charms and the likes which protect you from evil, I have found that plants and herbs are also used in many beliefs to give enchanted qualities to people.
From these sites, I have grasped an idea.
I like the idea of the bands with Nazar on which I own, and I already know how easy they are to wear/use.
What if I could use small capsules filled with parts of these plants or herbs to wear around the wrist? People could then easily wear them without any trouble and feel protected or feel the benefits of the items they are carrying.
I will start developing this idea.
I found these two website which give lists on useful plants and herbs and how they can protect the body and soul.
I like the idea of plants and herbs, as it is natural. They haven't been created by man, and can be found in real life.
I wanted to know what certain plants do for the people, so looked deeper into this and found a really useful page on other thing they can help/hinder with;
Some interesting ones are as follows:
Fern - Removes/Wards away evil spirits from your house.
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| Fern |
Wormwood - protects against the evil eye (similar to Nazar)
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| Wormwood |
Periwinkle - Attracts money
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| Periwinkle |
From these sites, I have grasped an idea.
I like the idea of the bands with Nazar on which I own, and I already know how easy they are to wear/use.
What if I could use small capsules filled with parts of these plants or herbs to wear around the wrist? People could then easily wear them without any trouble and feel protected or feel the benefits of the items they are carrying.
I will start developing this idea.
The Evil Eye - Not what I thought
I could not stop thinking about the Evil Eye.
I have worn two Evil Eye bands around my wrist every time I go out since I came back from Turkey in July.
I thought that the superstition that evil spirits are out to get me and I must wear these bands to protect myself was silly. But I still find myself wearing them and not being able to leave the house without them.
During my time in Turkey, i saw it everywhere. Every doorway had one either loose or built in above the frame or on the ground. Even some windows had them hanging above. Every car I got in, taxi's, busses, the coach from the airport, all had them hanging on the rear view mirrors.
Many merchants sold them in shops, some specifically dedicated to it.
I got my bands from wandering merchants, who walk around trying to sell them to tourists. In fact I didn't even pay for mine, he gave them me free because it was my first day in Turkey and I didn't have one yet!
I asked a Turkish woman what they were for and why they were everywhere. She didn't speak much English, but I depicted that they were Evil Eye's to protect from bad spirits. I thought it was a silly superstition then.
After doing a bit of research on it, I have discovered that I must have misinterpreted her. These are NOT Evil Eyes. The Evil Eye is a curse which attracts bad spirits. The blue eye I have here is called Nazar Boncugu, and it protects the owner/wearer from the curse and any other evil spirits.
And still, although I am not particularly a superstitious person, and I thought the idea was silly, I still wear these bands. They look good, and aren't uncomfortable. My thought is that if an entire country believe it helps, how can it be wrong?
I must add, it is not only Turkey who use this charm, however they are the most renowned for it.
But I like the idea that wearing something can protect you from evil/bad things. It is not something you need to think about, you don't have to go out of your way for it, you don't have to take any time for it. You can wear it around your wrist, around your neck, in your ear, wherever, and your protected.
I will do some more research into this practise and see what i can find.
I have worn two Evil Eye bands around my wrist every time I go out since I came back from Turkey in July.
I thought that the superstition that evil spirits are out to get me and I must wear these bands to protect myself was silly. But I still find myself wearing them and not being able to leave the house without them.
During my time in Turkey, i saw it everywhere. Every doorway had one either loose or built in above the frame or on the ground. Even some windows had them hanging above. Every car I got in, taxi's, busses, the coach from the airport, all had them hanging on the rear view mirrors.
Many merchants sold them in shops, some specifically dedicated to it.
I got my bands from wandering merchants, who walk around trying to sell them to tourists. In fact I didn't even pay for mine, he gave them me free because it was my first day in Turkey and I didn't have one yet!
I asked a Turkish woman what they were for and why they were everywhere. She didn't speak much English, but I depicted that they were Evil Eye's to protect from bad spirits. I thought it was a silly superstition then.
After doing a bit of research on it, I have discovered that I must have misinterpreted her. These are NOT Evil Eyes. The Evil Eye is a curse which attracts bad spirits. The blue eye I have here is called Nazar Boncugu, and it protects the owner/wearer from the curse and any other evil spirits.
And still, although I am not particularly a superstitious person, and I thought the idea was silly, I still wear these bands. They look good, and aren't uncomfortable. My thought is that if an entire country believe it helps, how can it be wrong?
I must add, it is not only Turkey who use this charm, however they are the most renowned for it.
But I like the idea that wearing something can protect you from evil/bad things. It is not something you need to think about, you don't have to go out of your way for it, you don't have to take any time for it. You can wear it around your wrist, around your neck, in your ear, wherever, and your protected.
I will do some more research into this practise and see what i can find.
Finding Spirituality in Sheffield
As a group we visited a few places in Sheffield City Centre within walking distance to see if we could find spirituality there.
As I went along a made notes of the surroundings, took some leaflets and recorded my feelings. Here is what I found:
Sheffield Hallam University Multi-Faith Centre
This is where we started.
I found this to be incredibly dull. The 3 rooms (two of which were labelled Quiet Room, one Meditation Room) were all exactly the same. They were all built the same as the studying rooms in the same building. Four painted walls, a table or two littered with leaflets about the need for equality and locations of local churches, and chairs dotted around the walls and centre.
Being below ground level, there were no windows, so only artificial light filled the room. I found this to be a little suffocating for somewhere considered to be a place to relax. In fact, apart from the paintings of waterfalls and stones, there was nothing natural in that room. The furniture was mass made Ikea like models, there were no plants or flowers, and the space was very limited.
Despite this, I tried to take part in the rooms uses. I sat in silence for a few minutes. I did not feel enlightened, peaceful or restful. I am not religious, but I do not think if i was I would find that room a suitable place to think and/or pray, due to the nature of the room.
Although this was not somewhere I would consider a good spiritual space, it did help me. I learned what I would NOT consider as a spiritual place.
Millennium Gardens
The Millennium Gardens, or Winter Gardens in Sheffield are home to the Millennium Galleries, and art museum, and a large indoor greenhouse full of exotic plants. The latter was our destination.
Being disappointed by the lack of anything natural in the Multi Faith Centre, I had hopes for the Gardens. I was unfortunately again let down.
Although this was near enough nature indoors, it was the knowledge that I knew it wasn't really natural that got in the way. It was strange to see these huge exotic trees inside a glass dome, feeling warm from the indoor heaters, but looking up and seeing rain hit the dome.
Another thing that broke any feeling of peace was the through-traffic of people. It is used as a bypass from the Peace Gardens to the next street, and way too many people just stroll by, getting in the way of any vibes even remotely spiritual.
We did not visit the Peace Gardens due to the weather. However, being from Sheffield and having been there many time I knew it would not be a spiritual place, failing the same way as the Gardens did; too much through-traffic.
Sheffield Cathedral
The next stop was the Cathedral, and as soon as I walked in I knew instantly it would be a much better visit than the previous locations.
We were welcomed in by the sound of a small choir practising their singing. The soft sound of their voices was very peaceful. Could sound be a key factor in achieving spirituality?
As I walked through the Cathedral, I admired the scenery. As I have already stated, I would not consider myself a religious person. However I can see why people would go to such places to pray, worship and reflect. It was so peaceful! You could hear every footstep you took.
What made the Cathedral unique from the other places we visited was the scenery. It was dimly lit by natural light pouring through dozens of stained glass windows and candles. The statues were beautifully carved from all sorts of stone and wood.
I also found the section remembering the brave soldiers who died at war in the Yorkshire Lancaster Regiment very moving. Could death and remembering the dead be considered spiritual?
Also the sheer scale was important. The Cathedral was huge, and had a lot of space to sit, walk, and admire the building. Nothing felt cramped.
Everything is the Cathedral looked like effort had been put in to build it. The walls, tapestries, ornaments and benches were all finely crafted.
Our final destination was a pub to reflect on what we found. This was a great way to think about what we had seen and felt, as we could partake in one legal drug many people use to achieve a sense of heightened spirituality: Alcohol.
But that wasn't my main thought at the pub. I still sat looking at the Evil Eye bands i was wearing around my wrist I got from Turkey. I cannot get it out of my head that people believe in an object to save them. I think its silly, but i still find myself wearing them...
As I went along a made notes of the surroundings, took some leaflets and recorded my feelings. Here is what I found:
Sheffield Hallam University Multi-Faith Centre
This is where we started.
I found this to be incredibly dull. The 3 rooms (two of which were labelled Quiet Room, one Meditation Room) were all exactly the same. They were all built the same as the studying rooms in the same building. Four painted walls, a table or two littered with leaflets about the need for equality and locations of local churches, and chairs dotted around the walls and centre.
Being below ground level, there were no windows, so only artificial light filled the room. I found this to be a little suffocating for somewhere considered to be a place to relax. In fact, apart from the paintings of waterfalls and stones, there was nothing natural in that room. The furniture was mass made Ikea like models, there were no plants or flowers, and the space was very limited.
Despite this, I tried to take part in the rooms uses. I sat in silence for a few minutes. I did not feel enlightened, peaceful or restful. I am not religious, but I do not think if i was I would find that room a suitable place to think and/or pray, due to the nature of the room.
Although this was not somewhere I would consider a good spiritual space, it did help me. I learned what I would NOT consider as a spiritual place.
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| Leaflet showing locations of local Churches |
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| Leaflet on equality in religion |
Millennium Gardens
The Millennium Gardens, or Winter Gardens in Sheffield are home to the Millennium Galleries, and art museum, and a large indoor greenhouse full of exotic plants. The latter was our destination.
Being disappointed by the lack of anything natural in the Multi Faith Centre, I had hopes for the Gardens. I was unfortunately again let down.
Although this was near enough nature indoors, it was the knowledge that I knew it wasn't really natural that got in the way. It was strange to see these huge exotic trees inside a glass dome, feeling warm from the indoor heaters, but looking up and seeing rain hit the dome.
Another thing that broke any feeling of peace was the through-traffic of people. It is used as a bypass from the Peace Gardens to the next street, and way too many people just stroll by, getting in the way of any vibes even remotely spiritual.
We did not visit the Peace Gardens due to the weather. However, being from Sheffield and having been there many time I knew it would not be a spiritual place, failing the same way as the Gardens did; too much through-traffic.
Sheffield Cathedral
The next stop was the Cathedral, and as soon as I walked in I knew instantly it would be a much better visit than the previous locations.
We were welcomed in by the sound of a small choir practising their singing. The soft sound of their voices was very peaceful. Could sound be a key factor in achieving spirituality?
As I walked through the Cathedral, I admired the scenery. As I have already stated, I would not consider myself a religious person. However I can see why people would go to such places to pray, worship and reflect. It was so peaceful! You could hear every footstep you took.
What made the Cathedral unique from the other places we visited was the scenery. It was dimly lit by natural light pouring through dozens of stained glass windows and candles. The statues were beautifully carved from all sorts of stone and wood.
I also found the section remembering the brave soldiers who died at war in the Yorkshire Lancaster Regiment very moving. Could death and remembering the dead be considered spiritual?
Also the sheer scale was important. The Cathedral was huge, and had a lot of space to sit, walk, and admire the building. Nothing felt cramped.
Everything is the Cathedral looked like effort had been put in to build it. The walls, tapestries, ornaments and benches were all finely crafted.
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| Newsletter from the Cathedral |
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| Even Christians Party? |
Our final destination was a pub to reflect on what we found. This was a great way to think about what we had seen and felt, as we could partake in one legal drug many people use to achieve a sense of heightened spirituality: Alcohol.
But that wasn't my main thought at the pub. I still sat looking at the Evil Eye bands i was wearing around my wrist I got from Turkey. I cannot get it out of my head that people believe in an object to save them. I think its silly, but i still find myself wearing them...
Spirituality - What is it?
What is spirituality? What can we consider as spiritual?
When I first got to thinking about spirituality, the stereotype images popped in my head of ghostly spirits floating out of bodies. But after thinking about it for a period of time, I found many different forms that spirituality takes.
Practises such as meditation, Ti-Chi and yoga are considered a spiritual medium. They all rely on the presence of peace, silence and contempt, and aim to improve the body and soul. Being at one with yourself gives the oportunity for self reflection.
This could suggest spirituality could be found in peace. Being happy in a moment, carefree and weightless. Not living, just being.
Of course, spirituality can be and is linked to the spirit or the soul. My first thought is that anything spiritual must in some connection to your own or someone else's spirit/soul. This could be through some form of ritual or ceremony, an event, an activity etc.
When I got to thinking into this a little more, I discovered more ways to open a gateway to the soul.
Drugs are a way for users to experience feeling and emotions through pharmaceutical means. LSD and the likes are renowned for the 'trips' they take you on. One can experience visions, out of body experiences, epiphanies and such through the use of drugs. And although the use of these substances is dangerous (and in many cases illegal), users continue to produce and use them as an entry to higher spirituality.
Many people, races and religions have been known to partake in all forms of drugs from ecstasy to cannabis to achieve this spiritual enlightenment.
One such set of people I find interesting are the Native American Indians.
The Indians were very spiritual people, and believed that this life was just a test for the spirit to enter heaven. They practised many activities in an attempt to achieve a higher means of living and to reach out to the spirit world.
One thing that did catch my attention from the Indians was the Dream Catcher.
These are designed to trap the evil spirits which bring you bad dreams, preventing them from entering your body.
This triggered a thought in my head which reminded me of the Evil Eye.
This charm wards away evil spirits. It is found in many foreign countries, particularly Turkey, where I first encountered it earlier this year.
So could spirituality be found simply by believing in the power of an item to grant peace to its owner?
When I first got to thinking about spirituality, the stereotype images popped in my head of ghostly spirits floating out of bodies. But after thinking about it for a period of time, I found many different forms that spirituality takes.
Practises such as meditation, Ti-Chi and yoga are considered a spiritual medium. They all rely on the presence of peace, silence and contempt, and aim to improve the body and soul. Being at one with yourself gives the oportunity for self reflection.
This could suggest spirituality could be found in peace. Being happy in a moment, carefree and weightless. Not living, just being.
Of course, spirituality can be and is linked to the spirit or the soul. My first thought is that anything spiritual must in some connection to your own or someone else's spirit/soul. This could be through some form of ritual or ceremony, an event, an activity etc.
When I got to thinking into this a little more, I discovered more ways to open a gateway to the soul.
Drugs are a way for users to experience feeling and emotions through pharmaceutical means. LSD and the likes are renowned for the 'trips' they take you on. One can experience visions, out of body experiences, epiphanies and such through the use of drugs. And although the use of these substances is dangerous (and in many cases illegal), users continue to produce and use them as an entry to higher spirituality.
Many people, races and religions have been known to partake in all forms of drugs from ecstasy to cannabis to achieve this spiritual enlightenment.
One such set of people I find interesting are the Native American Indians.
One thing that did catch my attention from the Indians was the Dream Catcher.
This triggered a thought in my head which reminded me of the Evil Eye.
So could spirituality be found simply by believing in the power of an item to grant peace to its owner?
The Brief
The brief I have been given is Speaking of the Spiritual.
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| Page 1 of the brief |
The full brief can be found at: http://www.thersa.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/706767/RSASDA2012-13_SpeakingOftheSpiritual.pdf
The brief is as follows:
'Design a service, product, environment, or communications campaign that addresses spiritual needs in contemporary contexts.'
In this form, this sounds both simple, and complex at the same time.
The required outcome leaves a very broad horizon to finish on. There are many ways this brief could be answered.
However, where the issue lies is this:
What is Spiritual?
What does spiritual mean? Who defines what spirituality is? Where can it be found?
This is going to be the start point of my research.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
RSA
The RSA Student Design Awards scheme has run for 88 years, and gives all young student designers a chance to answer briefs which relate to real life problems or situations, offering the chance to design a product, idea or concept which can help in the real world.
The website can be found here: http://www.thersa.org/
According to the website, the responses to the briefs are judged based on six criteria: social and/or environmental benefit, research, design thinking, commercial awareness, execution and 'magic'. The weighting of these criteria changes depending on the brief, so I will need to look into my selected brief to see what criteria I must meet to respond to the brief properly.
The website can be found here: http://www.thersa.org/
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| RSA Homepage |
Competitive Design
I have started this new blog as a tool to gather my research and outcomes for one of my first projects during my final year at University.
This project is based on competitive design. The brief is not written by the University or it's staff, but instead we are to apply and enter into an RSA brief.
RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts) run competition briefs every year where the outcomes can help in the real world. Winners of the briefs win a cash prize and a lot of publicity in the design world.
Although there are several briefs the RSA have provided this year, we have been selected one based on our specialism.
As my specialism is Motion and Interactive Design, my brief is based on Spirituality. I will go into this further on a following post.
In the meantime, my first step will be to research RSA via their website.
This project is based on competitive design. The brief is not written by the University or it's staff, but instead we are to apply and enter into an RSA brief.
RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts) run competition briefs every year where the outcomes can help in the real world. Winners of the briefs win a cash prize and a lot of publicity in the design world.
Although there are several briefs the RSA have provided this year, we have been selected one based on our specialism.
As my specialism is Motion and Interactive Design, my brief is based on Spirituality. I will go into this further on a following post.
In the meantime, my first step will be to research RSA via their website.
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