I am writing this article because I want to share with you my current experiences of movement forward, as in doing too much, which happens to be a conditioned habit of mine. With this too much doing, I get out of balance because I leave no time for being, allowing and noticing. I tend to be a very busy person always doing something, its part of my energetic nature. Recently I have seen a decline in my energy reserves, I feel tired more often, again unusual for me.
As a culture, we have been programmed to achieve and do. That brings me to the question when am I enough? When have I done enough? We are also always hooked into our electronics, cell phone, I pad, Television, media, music. This hook has become an addictive behavior for many; we have become so used to being engaged, active mind doing. When one is continuously doing, how does one recharge? The excepted, expected way to deal with always doing, even if your tired is to push through, ignore tired keep going. Unfortunately, that leads to depletion of some sort, which leads to the body making you slow down, via a cold or flu, or in some cases worse, an illness.
I am now working on recharging. I am permitting myself to stop when I am tired. I have also brought back a favorite practice of mine called Sit Spot.
This practice involves finding a quiet place in nature, where you won’t be disturbed, and you sit in stillness in that your area with for at least 30 minutes. It takes 20 minutes for nature to resettle into its natural way once you have disrupted it.
In the past, it was very had for me to sit in stillness for that period. But even then the gifts I received from this quiet time of sitting with open awareness, were and are instrumental in enhancing the way I see and experience life.
Now I find myself yearning for the time to sit with open awareness, in nature, not wanting that time of silence to end. I was to teach a second workshop about sit spot, but I was so tired I canceled it. I felt like I was forcing myself far too hard, pushing against a massive current that was stronger than me. After canceling the workshop, I took that time and sat in my sit spot. I sat there until I felt completely nourished. Sitting under my sweet willow tree, I leaned in, and I felt her support. It was as if she wrapped her arms around me, hugged, loved, and nurtured me. I didn’t leave there until I felt cleansed and refreshed, I sat all morning.
After my sit as my day continued to unfold, I was amazed at my energy, how it flowed freely through me again. The gifts and benefits of peace, health and increased strength that comes from giving self-permission to be, specifically in nature, are limitless.
I suggest making time for self to be in stillness in the outdoors, taking in everything through all your senses. Listen to the musical soundscape of birds, wind, and water. Allow your vision to open and expand, notice all you can see without moving your head. Feel the earth you are sitting on, notice the texture of grass, bark, rock, roots, the sun, or wind on your skin. Can you taste your environment on your tongue?
Have you taken time recently to stop doing and connect with being in the natural world? The gifts from the miraculous, mysterious, intelligent realm of nature are profound.