There is always something that stops me in my tracks as I take the boys for a walk in the mornings if I am truly present. The other day it was the sea of long shadows cast from tiny pebbles on the sidewalk at sunrise.
We walk this sidewalk nearly every day and I had never seen it like this. I just happened to glance down and became transfixed by the giant shadows growing from such small stones. Sometimes this happens when I look up at the light filtering through the trees or catch a spiderweb dancing in the wind.
Awe gives us perspective. Awe reminds us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves.
Awe occurs when we are mindful of our surroundings. We become present. And there is a long list of physical, mental, and emotional benefits from being mindful.
Heather, I invite you to open your senses up the next time that you are outdoors. Maybe it will be a tiny bit of movement that catches your eye, or a dance of light. Maybe a pattern in the bark of a tree. It can be anything that draws your attention. Allow yourself to feel like a kid seeing something for the first time. Explore it. Give yourself a moment to just be with whatever you notice and feel how you are in relationship to it.
I am leading a Mindful Outdoor Experience at MoonTree on Tuesday, October 11th from 5:30-6:30pm. We will take a short mindful walk through a patch of woods, then meander through a labyrinth by the lake. You can register with MoonTree if you are interested. I am also happy to craft a Mindful Outdoor Experience for your group at MoonTree as well.