nature meditation
Stay Spiritually Uplifted This Winter Holiday Season
For some people, the approach of winter is a fantastic time of the year. They love to walk amongst the golden autumn leaves, breathing in the crisp air that enlivens the soul, while looking forward to the festive holiday season.
For others, the holiday season is a time of fear and dread. It is for some that time of the year when they feel more bored, lonely, depressed and lacking in enthusiasm. I used to be one of those people. I could not wait for it all to be over, so the brighter days of spring could arrive. But these days I have a very different outlook. I have learned ways to lift my spirits during this time of the year. Yes, winter holiday period does not have to be a ‘dark night of the soul!’
If you are currently also dreading the fast-approaching holiday season, the following self-care strategies can help you turn this time of the year into a period of true joy and upliftment. It will assist you in navigating the winter through to the spring effectively and happily, while maintaining emotional well-being and keeping your spirits high.
Intentions & Goalsetting
It is always great to have something uplifting to look forward to, especially when the nights are cold, long, and lonely. This time of the year is the perfect opportunity to set new goals or personal targets that will add value and excitement to your life. No need to for New Year’s Eve to make your resolutions. Start setting those intentions
Once you have set your goals, begin to meditate on and visualize those intentions. Once you get your intentional energy rolling, the Universe will assist you in manifesting your endeavours by cosmically aligning you to the desired end result.
Finding Peace In Your Natural State
While doing a nature hike the other day, the thought occurred to me that we all come from nature, and we eventually also return to nature. This may be why we tend to feel so calm and peaceful when we are out in nature. When we smell a flower, hug a tree, or put our feet in the dirt, it reconnects us to our natural state and brings us back into balance.
It has been scientifically proven that we essentially consist of ‘stardust.’ Our physical body is made of elements that were formed in the stars over the course of billions of years. Our bodies have about 97 percent of the same kind of atoms as that found in the galaxy. As the rock band Kansas so aptly proclaims, “Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky. It slips away and all your money won’t another minute buy. Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind.”
When you look up at the stars in a clear night sky, especially if you’re in a place where the air is clean and at a higher altitude, one can sometimes see the milky way. In such a moment of awe and wonder, it seems to me as if all time stands still. One’s everyday worries seem miniscule and trivial in comparison to the magnificent vastness and endless beauty of the cosmos.
Our connection to nature further brings to mind the classical elements of earth, water, air, fire, and aether that is still observed in various spiritual traditions, such as Ayurveda, Wicca and Gnosticism. Our existence in this life is essentially a magical alchemy of these elements.
In today’s world we tend to focus so much on how things should be, instead of how they actually are. Maybe much of our modern discontent stems from straying so far away from our natural state of being?
Energy Work With Lunar Herbs
The Moon is traditionally associated in healing and metaphysical practices with several flowers and plants, specifically herbs. Many of these herbs are silver, grey, or pale blue, as well as green, much like the Full Moon itself. Many of these plants are also associated with water, or grow near it.
There are several ways to use herbs in your practice, such as ingesting it in teas or other edible formats, and burning it as incense to purifying ourselves and our living spaces.
During the peak of the moon cycle when it is at its strongest during the Full Moon, is a powerful time to reflect on our emotions, the subconscious, healing, and parts of the body associated with water (blood, digestive system, reproductive system). We can enhance this powerful lunar energy by drinking an appropriate herbal tea, or burning an incense blend consisting of lunar herbs.
Different herbs are associated with the different energies of the lunar cycle. If you are working through some difficult emotional baggage, try lavender, wild rose, lotus, poppy, or kava-kava.
Since the Moon encourages healthy consumption of water and moisturizing, herbs like aloe vera, coconut, chickweed, or marshmallow and aniseed roots act as both natural refreshers and soothers. They are excellent to ensure healthy water absorption, and gels made from aloe are well-known as natural moisturizers.
If you wish to deepen your levels of compassion and understanding during a moon cycle, try mugwort, wormwood, or passionflower. Many of these herbs are edible and delicious. Just be sure to double check first, before adding them to your salad or your teapot!
The Transformational Power Of Self-Care
As you journey towards the end of the beautiful summer season, prioritize self-care, as this is one of the most important things you can do for your mind, body and soul.
What exactly is self-care? Self-care is any activity you do intentionally to take care of your mental, emotional, spiritual, or physical health and well-being. It’s about giving yourself the time and attention that you need to thrive.
When you take care of yourself, the most critical person in your world, you can better care for others, and do your work with greater purpose. It becomes easier to show up fully and more meaningfully for others in your life. In this manner, we can be more present with our loved ones, pursue our passions with greater focus, and feel happier overall.
By showing love to ourselves, we become more open to giving and receiving love from others. When we radiate love and peace, we attract more love and peace into our lives. It’s a beautiful cycle of giving and receiving that creates inner harmony and outer wellness.
It’s essential to find time each day to do something that relaxes and rejuvenates you, whether it is reading, going for a walk, or taking a yoga class. Self-care is vital because it helps you to stay healthy as a whole person.
Making time for yourself can relieve stress and tension, improving your overall health and well-being. Additionally, self-care can help you to avoid burnout on multiple levels.
Make sure to schedule time for yourself every day. You can use this time to do something you love without any obligations or expectations. Nurturing your happiness to be the best version of yourself for others is essential.
Two Easy Ways To Start Meditating!
Meditation is the go-to spiritual practice for millions of people all over the world. Not only does it offer incredible benefits for clarity of mind and overall well-being, it is also a powerful self-care tool to help us navigate our lives for our highest good.
But, for newbies getting started with a meditation practice can be challenging at first. I often hear people say, “I can’t meditate, I fall asleep every time,” or “Oh, I tried meditating, but I got too distracted, because I can’t properly clear my mind.”
If this sounds like you, please know that many beginners struggle with the notion that in order to ‘properly’ meditate, one must sit motionless, eyes closed, and clear your mind of all thoughts, and that an inability to do so means that they’ve failed to meditate, or that meditation is ‘not for them.’
The truth is meditation is called a ‘practice’ because it really does take practice to develop and master. But that does not mean it has to be complicated or difficult. Anyone can learn to meditate. To develop your meditation skills more easily, I suggest you begin with a meditation routine in one of two ways: guided meditation, or nature meditation.
Guided Meditation
We have ease of access to guided meditations these days due to convenient advances in digital technology. Gone are the days of having to attend a meditation class in person, or struggling with audio cassette tapes! These days high quality guided meditations can be instantly downloaded or streamed from various websites, apps, and social media platforms. All you need is your smartphone, and a pair of earphones or a headset.