Welcome to the world of Eye Matter, where we create connections that truly matter for people with visual impairment. Our mission is to entertain, educate and empower. Eye Matter has delivered over 200 Zoom events this year including book clubs, concerts, Zumba, creative writing, poetry and drama workshops. Our regular outings have included theatre trips, art galleries, sledging, zip wiring, sports days, comedy evenings, climbing the O2 and much more.
We appreciate there are times when support is needed in sight loss journeys and this is provided in our twice monthly ‘Surviving to Thriving’ Zoom grief programme (supported by our regular blog) and a twice a year in-person session.
Many of our facilitators are themselves visually impaired, enabling them to provide a more empathic service. Membership is completely free and allows access to a multitude of exciting opportunities both through Zoom and in-person.
Session 3 – Appreciating Beauty: Taking in the Good Through the Senses
Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing: An Experiential Course for Eye Matter as part of Marvellous Me Mondays - mmm
In Session 3, we explored how to take in the good through the senses by noticing moments of ease, enjoyment, and calm beyond sight. One of the first queries posed was “understanding the concept of negative bias. Is it a default in our being or a virtual part of ourselves?” In this session we were encourage to engage in the world around us where we were. What could we hear? What could we smell? What could we feel?
From this understanding we were encouraged to imagine these same sensations. Part of the informal process of mindfulness is there to encourage enjoyment of simple pleasures such as a cup of tea. Lauara suggested creating a list of these pleasures such as petting a cat and enjoying its soft touch or a the taste of chocolate.. One person shared how they enjoyed listening to radio dramas.
We practised slowing down, receiving sensory experiences, and allowing small moments of peace to land in the body. A reminder that beauty and nourishment are often already here, waiting to be noticed.
There were many examples shared such as, reflections from a particular experience and why emphasize always seemed to focus on what went wrong rather than the positive impact of the activity. For another it was the effectfrom visiting his allotment, despite the drizzle, to appreciate how the weather heightened the sensations of smells and bird song. Another member shared how they had entered the session with a blank canvas which became filled with sensations of walking along a shoreline and the association of memories, ”which brought an amazing feeling of peace”. Whilst one admitted that today’s session , “Feltlike it had opened up all my senses”, associating recollections from sitting in a rural setting, listening to the birds and distant mooing of cows.
Through mindfulness is the importance ofcultivating good intentions from appreciation. The idea to focus on contentment rather than striving for happiness. How achievement, associated with happiness, was given by one woman after successfully completing a hiking challenge.
Eye Matter Matters issue 40 has landed in your in boxes but you can also read it here:
www.eyematter.org.uk/eye-matter-matters-newsletter/:
This edition includes:
Forthcoming Eye Matter Zoom events
Eye Matter launches one-to-one counselling in February
Introducing our first trainee counsellor
New nine-week course for 2026: "Mindfulness & Emotional Wellbeing" led by Laura Brodie from "Adventures in albinism"
Eye Matter Outings
Join our confidence building drama improv workshop
A private Audio Described tour of The Hunterian Museum
In-person "Turning Surviving into Thriving" group Grief workshop with Joanna Williams
The London Museum
Be daring and do the "Skywalk"
Eye Matter’s volunteering opportunities
iPhone Voiceover trainers
Members Outreach Programme
Special Features
£5 covers your membership until 31st March 2026
The success of our first assertiveness training session
The magic of Sleeping Beauty.
A new NHS online hospital is being launched
councils to get powers to tackle pavement parking
Eye Matter supports VocalEyes' feedback appeal
With The National Lottery Community Fund – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
