Appetiser 1/25

@Stack of Stones

Meditation
Betsy stood pondering in front of the first exhibit. "Why do we stack stones on top of each other, Teeka?"
"Let's watch the VR," suggested Teeka prosaically.
The presentation explained that cairns have had multiple uses for millennia. Before the invention of lighthouses, stacks of rocks warned sailors away from Norway's jagged fjords. In Tibet, Buddhists used them in ceremonies to attract good fortune and balance out conflicting energies. Slowly and deliberately stacking rocks and getting them to balance is a way to practise mindfulness.

Appetiser 2/25

@Incense Smoke

"What's this "appetiser" about, Oksana?" queried Betsy.
Oksana listened on the headset briefly. "It explains how incense can make your home smell wonderful and create a relaxing atmosphere. Then it goes into a whole raft of precautions to take when burning incense at home."
"Well, that makes sense, I suppose," remarked Betsy judicially.

Appetiser 3/25

@Tibetan Singing Bowl

Betsy eyed the singing bowl interestedly. "Is that what the monks leave out for tips when they're singing in public? It's much posher than putting a hat out, isn't it?"
Svaha frowned. "Show some respect for culture! It isn't to do with Tibetan monks singing. You strike the bowl with the mallet and it resonates with a beautiful tone that aids meditation. Look, they're about to do a demonstration. Watch and learn!"

Appetiser 4/25

@Minimalist White Interior

"That was a really interesting immersion into the benefits of minimalism, wasn't it, Betsy?" remarked Paws once both pets had surfaced.
"Yup! Increased productivity. Less cleaning and tidying."
"More money! An increase in happiness and satisfaction."
"Fewer lost items—the amount of time I spend looking for things!"
"Minimalism seems to have all-round benefits!" summed up Paws.

Appetiser 5/25

@Ripple & Splash

"This is a good one, Betsy!" announced Kalila. "It explained that when we need an instant mood booster and stress-reliever, splashing cold water over your face gives you an instant reset. You feel calmer and can deal with stuff so much better."
"Why did you scream at the end?" queried Betsy.
Kalila looked abashed. "It's the virtual reality thing! They had a bucket of icy water and to finish they threw the contents right at the camera. I thought I was going to get soaked!"

Appetiser 6/25

Your pet won a great prize!

@Torchbeam in Purple Night Sky

"Wow! That was a really fascinating scientific-y immersion!" said Betsy, awestruck.
"How so?" asked Choose a name.
"Well, it asked how far up you'd need to be to be able to see the beam from the torch. Then it demon­strated that when photons leave the torch, they immediately start to spread out in a cone-shaped beam. Provided that they don't hit anything, each individual photon travels through space—forever! So it's not that the photons wouldn't reach you, however high up you are, but they'd be too diffuse to see."
There was a long pause. "What's a photon?" asked Choose a name.

Appetiser 7/25

@Balanced Pebbles

"Try this immersion, Betsy!" called DORTHEA. "In summary, balanc­ing rocks is seen by those who practise it as a meditat­ive and creative activity. It seems that the process of physically handling and balancing the stones provides them with mental health benefits."
"Interesting!" remarked Betsy.

Appetiser 8/25

@Glowing Candle

"This is a lovely guided meditation, Lady Aelfgifu," remarked Betsy. "You simply watch the candle flame as it gently flickers. Lighting the candle at the start of the meditation is a ritual that helps ground you in the moment. If you do this every day it helps you be patient, focused and more resilient and you may find you are sleeping better."
"Put the candle out before you fall asleep though, pets!" advised Lady Aelfgifu, into an imaginary microphone, looking into an imaginary camera.

Appetiser 9/25

@Teal Droplet

"This is another very nice experience," said Betsy. "Do try it, tails! The conclusions to a study about viewing water is that it's a very relaxing activity and reduces heart rate and blood pressure."
"You know, we're all going to be so relaxed on the coach home, Betsy!" remarked tails. "Right, let me just put the headset on."

Appetiser 10/25

@Malay Ceremonial Candles

"This is a really good immersion, Dong Dong!" advised Betsy. "It's a guided tour through the Batu Caves, which are a series of Hindu temples in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia."
"Oh yes, I did that one earlier. It said 'Batu' is Malay for 'rock'. It made me think of Simon Peter, you know?"

Appetiser 11/25

@Purple and Pink Sky at Sunset

Betsy sighed happily. "Another amazing experience, Roxas!" she said. "You explore this soft palette of pastel shades. It explains how colours act on your senses to calm you down. Having sooth­ing colours around you helps calm your mind, slow down your heart rate, lower your blood pressure and relieve anxiety."

Appetiser 12/25

Your pet won a great prize!

@Floating Feather

"This is a lovely image, Max," remarked Betsy.
Max listened to the audio guide. "It says if you find a feather float­ing on water, it means you are being guided to acknow­ledge the strength in tears and in ask­ing for help. Let anger come if it appears, for when it subsides, the tears will flow. Emotional cleans­ing and clear­ing is beneficial."
"Wow!" said Betsy. "So—what does it mean if you find a whole load of feathers float­ing in water -- on a duck, for example?"
Max replied a touch frostily, "I really couldn't say, Betsy!"

Appetiser 13/25

@Tranquil Nature

"You know—it's just a damp, mossy rock but in the dive you can smell the rain and focus on the detail," observed Betsy.
"We're seeing things in a new light, as it were," responded Flash. "We're paying attention to things we'd normally just pass without a second glance and realising the connections between everything."

Appetiser 14/25

@Spa Relaxation

"Ooh, the most lovely experience ever!" observed Betsy.
"We can all use a bit of pampering at times," responded Sebastian.

Appetiser 15/25

@Ritual Incense

"I didn't know this, Betsy!" said Flora. "This immersion was saying that the art of read­ing incense smoke start­ed in ancient Babylon—it's called Libno­mancy. The ancient Babylonians used incense smoke it to cleanse their space, fore­cast the weather, fore­tell whether the out­comes of battles would be success­ful and predict future events. Isn't that amazing?"
Betsy was sceptical. "I'd like to see it in action, Flora. But I'll probably stick to read­ing tea leaves, like everyone else does."

Appetiser 16/25

@Elegant Japanese Garden

"Do you realise it's over a whole year ago that we went to Japan, fiffy?" remarked Betsy. "I hope we go back one day. I loved their gardens."
"Yes," responded fiffy. "They aim to create a simple, minimalist, natural setting that inspires reflection and meditation."
"My auntie preferred an informal, whimsical garden. It was so informal and quirky that she lost the lawnmower in it."

Appetiser 17/25

@Foggy River Bank

"Ooh, that was beautiful, midnught!" breathed Betsy. "The immersion took you along foggy banks of the Ohio River, near down­town Cincinnati, at sunrise. It was remarkable. The fog dead­ens sounds and obscures a lot of the view but in a beauti­ful way. It's like the loss of one or more senses heightens the others!"

Appetiser 18/25

Your pet won a great prize!

@Calming Rainy Scene

"Ah! What is it about the sound of rain that is so relaxing?" queried Betsy.
Emerald leafed through the literature. "According to this, the vast majority of people like listen­ing to the sound of rain­fall. It is white noise that masks other noises. The spect­rum of the sound of rain appeals and is relax­ing because its frequency is 22.376kHz and it is bipolaric. What's bi­polaric, Betsy?"
"White noise, in technical terms, can be described as noise whose amplitude is constant through­out the audible fre­quency range."
Emerald looked indignant. "You're reading that from the brochure!"

Appetiser 19/25

@Pagoda Lantern Decoration

"Here's another reminder of our Japan trip, Betsy!" called out Beast. "Here's a little Japanese-style aid to meditation and yoga: a pagoda lantern surround­ed by natural stones. It says: 'Whilst creat­ing a mini relax­ation garden, it is recommend­ed to stay with neutral and earthy colors, such as white, cream, grey and beige.' "

Appetiser 20/25

@Beneficial Lavender

"It says here that in aromatherapy, essential oil of lavender is considered one of the most sought after for use. It is reputed to be bene­ficial for stress as it aids relaxation. In cosmetic and skin­care preparations, lavender essential oil is often utilised for its pleasant aroma but also for its many benefits for the skin. Lavender can also help you keep a shiny, thick, glossy and healthy head of hair!" Thinair drew to a close, consider­ing all the information.
"My Granny reeks of the stuff," remarked Betsy.
"Have patience, Betsy! Lavender aids sleep in the elderly."

Appetiser 21/25

@Harmonious Balance

"That wasn't quite what I was expecting!" declared Joker. "Mind you, I didn't know what to expect."
"Why, what was it about?" queried Betsy.
"The most interesting thing was about the science of tree rings. It's called dendro­chronology. As trees grow, they make rings of different widths and colours. Variation between rings occurs due to chang­ing seasons and environ­mental conditions over time. They can study the tree rings in order to date samples and gather inform­ation about past climates. That's called dendro­climatology.
Betsy grinned. "I'll bet the dendro­climatology results are, er, interesting! Are they published anywhere, I wonder?"
"Behave, Betsy!"

Appetiser 22/25

@Seascape Reflections

"You must try this one, Betsy!" urged Flip Flop Flap. "It's the most wonderful guided meditation! It's incredibly relaxing."

Appetiser 23/25

@Japanese Nature Bridge Scene

"This is a good point, Betsy. It says, 'Why should bridges be beautiful? It points out that bridges are often large and prominent structures, they have a long life­span and are a legacy form of art. Bridges are financed with tax­payers' money. We owe it to the public to construct some­thing as attractive as possible.' "
"That's amazing, Firefly. I'd never thought about it before, but that's right, isn't it?"

Appetiser 24/25

@Lakeside Peace

Beauty and Betsy were lost in the virtual reality scene in front of them. When it ended they sighed in content­ment.
Betsy tried to sum it up. "To sit beside a misty lake in total peace except for the sound of the water lapping against the deck and birds calling, is the best thing ever!"
Beauty concurred.

Appetiser 25/25

@Harmony in Silhouette

"There's nothing like the beauty of nature, is there, Millicent?" observed Betsy.
"Indeed! Water is very calming."
"There's me, a Yellow Lovable Labrador and you, a Millicent1, and we both feel the same way!"

Betsy has enjoyed contemplation, but it is time to go home. This Event is over now, but there will be more events in PnF soon!