Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Mindful

Imagine with me:
Cold winter day.  The skies are a clear bright blue and sunlight streams in the window.  Far off and indistictly you can hear the sound of birds, traffic, people talking.  You are warm, sitting in a comfortable chair and under your hands you feel the texture of the blanket that covers you.  Look at the dust motes, they are making patterns as they swirl in a sunbeam.

Why are we doing this?
I was having a chat with a hypnotherapist.  Ha ha, no I'm not her patient, I'm probably beyond help.  She's doing research for a script she's writing and asked people to describe the most relaxing place they can imagine. I'm a contributor.
People who are asked, come up with a walk on the beach, waterfall in a forest, campifre on an island... Am I the only one who goes to a place much closer to home?  I hope it is a good sign that I am so grounded and happy in my surroundings.

Whenever I see dust motes caught in a sunbeam I stand transfixed.  It is my quiet spot, it triggers the happy hormones in my brain. 

We all need to hold still, take a few deep breaths and feel calm wash over us sometimes.  What do you imagine when you go to your tranquil place?  How many of your senses can you use to describe this place?  We would love to hear from you!


9 comments:

  1. Hello Megan,
    What an interesting exercise. To me the most relaxing place I can imagine is sitting in a large chair in the corner of a Library. Behind me are open French doors and I can hear waves crashing against a cliff. There is a fire going in the fireplace next to me, and on the little round table to my other side is a cup of coffee and a book, but I am just sitting there enjoying a cool breeze. Funny enough, everything in the room...walls, chair, fireplace, bookcases...is white, which is not a color scheme I would have in my home.
    Thank you for this great little exercise. It was a great way to start my day.
    Big hug
    Giac

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    1. Ah, thank you Giac! I can almost smell the coffee and the ocean. There is nothing I love better than escaping into a library!

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  2. Hi Megan! Interesting exercies indeed, as Giac salso said.
    My utterly most relaxing place is being in free nature in my own region: all species of animals, especially birds are flying around/whistling, the wind who blows through the high, old trees, barking farm dogs when I come along/cross their property, me greeting the friendly residents of the farms who know me and always greet me. I'm sitting on my bike, or I'm walking, and I.....I enormously enjoy of it all, with body and mind:D! My colors: natural, from Mother Nature and I'm so happy with it!
    Warm hug, Ilona

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    1. I think that is why so many of the old masters painted pastoral scenes, Ilona. To me there is also nothing lovelier than seeing nature, and the people who live close to it, at work. I always enjoy seeing photos of the area where you live, so beautiful.

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  3. There's no ONE place for me, but today, I'd love to be lying on the deck of a sailboat. The sun's warmth enveloping me while a gently blowing breeze tickles my face. The rhythmic rocking lulling me into deep relaxation. San Juan islands as the backdrop, no man made sounds to be heard, imagining the Orcas frolicking beneath me. That sounds like peace today.

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  5. Although I'm known for not being fond of snow I can easily understand your picture... For me it's this moment when getting awake when you're on the bridge between sleep and waking up without no urge to jump out of bed... and then noticing rays of sunshine through the shutters and (most important) listening to the songs of the birds. According to me there's nothing like the song of our blackbird to remember life can be beautiful... ;O)

    Greetings
    Birgit

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    1. Hmm, we don't get snow here in South Africa Birgit, so I only have this romantic idea of it in my mind. I'm sure it's wet and messy in real life! I can totally identify with those first moments of waking up peacefully and hearing bird song. I hope that you have a real spring soon, and whole flocks of blackbirds to sing to you in the morning!

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