7 days of stillness in nature
Would you like to join me on this 7 day challenge? Taking time out for yourself for at least half an hour in nature every day for 7 days.
Easy, right, we will just become still with no distractions and no phones and see what happens. So, are you in?
First choose a place where we can sit comfortably without being disturbed by anything (or anyone).
Then we need to make a commitment to ourSELVES. I find that sitting at the same time every day works best for me. I do this first thing in the morning.
“the quieter you become, the more you can hear”. ram dass
I do this daily. But it will be great to do this together knowing that we can support one another. This will help each other to stick to the process and it will be great to share insights as a community. I find that the longer I do this, the quieter my mind becomes. It is easy to sit in silence but, to sit in silence without listening to the mind and thoughts and follow them becomes the challenge. Staying present in the moment and connected to all around us is our true nature.
“Let silence be the art you practice” - Rumi
Each day I will send out a new invitation for the 7 days.
I have been using my hearing sense (sound) at the moment. Every time I do this I hear more and more, and my hearing is getting better and better. I am also noticing the sounds inside my head, a humming sound and sometimes there is a high pitched sound as well. Have you ever noticed the sounds inside you before (I think it may be the sound of the Universe)? Focusing on one sense brings me back to stillness when my mind wanders.
A fly buzzing past me becomes a real sensory joy
I am sometimes closing my eyes while I sit, this stops my mind interpreting what I am seeing. I do this while focusing on sound. I am playing around with turning my head and hearing if the noises change between my ears. There are flocks of birds that fly past me and the noise that they make flying together is something new and magical and I swing my head around to watch and hear them go by. Little things become a moment of pleasure…
the sound of the wind moving from the distance, getting closer making its way through the trees
I lose all time and space and become present in the moment of stillness within myself allowing my senses to awaken to the beauty around me. I am noticing all the little things as well as acknowledging the man-made sounds that go by without judging them. They are all a part of the whole and the moment. I feel still and enveloped within all that is.
some things to consider:
Find a peaceful place where you won’t be disturbed
Set a date with yourself and keep it
Choose one of your senses to keep you present and bring you back from your mind chatter
Journal what you are noticing
Don’t take your phone out with you - it is too much of a distraction
Be kind to yourself, it may be uncomfortable at first
Acknowledge your thoughts but do not follow them
The more you sit, the easier it is to become still
It really is about honoring your SELF!
The black silhouettes of the trees with the leaves changing shapes when the wind blows
Sometimes I sit outside at night time, by the moonlight. There are different sounds at night and I love the feeling that I am the only one awake and outside sitting, listening. The moon sometimes creates shadows that look soft and different than in the daytime. I think that my senses are sharper at night than in the day, more alert to the sounds and changes around me. If I am lucky enough to have a clear sky overhead the stars always bring me to tears by their magic. The way that they look just hanging up there in the night sky as well as the occasional shooting star which makes me giggle!
“It was a favorite sitting place. Every time I went there, events followed the same pattern. When I entered the glade, every bird in the place would take to the wing and vanish, shouting alarm calls, and the impalas—more antelopes, grazers, usually seen in gatherings of at least 20—would bark their own alarm call and vanish. I had emptied the place in an instant. I had broken it.”. - Excerpt from Simon Barnes Re-wilding yourself.
I am really looking forward to our time in stillness together, sharing and creating a sense of unity in our silence and stillness.
Email me HERE to join in on the 7 days of Stillness starting on 21st February.
Happy sitting! xx