Beaches, campfires, top-down car rides…summer has a unique charm that makes us feel free. Scenes from movies, books, and memories run through my head. It’s like feeling the sea salt air on your face. Youthful and carefree. ah….
But what happens when you go a step further? It doesn’t mean going back to your youth. (When I see photos of adults recreating photos from their youth, it’s a reminder of what it could be like.) That is, slowly, carefully, and lovingly extracting summer feelings from their perfect bubbles. , let’s take it further. And once it comes out of the bubble, sprinkle it into your current real life. Where do I start?
Summer landscapes are found in nature, right? Well, it’s easy to start there. Spending a few minutes outside sharpens your senses and clears your mind. Feel the breeze on your skin and feel the grass beneath your feet. Feeling our outer bodies gives us an opportunity to think about things other than worries. Remember, we’re bursting a bubble here. If we were to incorporate this into our real lives, it would probably involve spending a few minutes in our backyard. Or about 15 minutes walk. If it looks like it’s going to rain, please bring an umbrella.
Next is connection. Our summer bubble-like summer landscape is not lonely. Time and time again, research points out that our connections are the key to longevity and happiness. Just walking next to someone. Laughing next to someone. Someone reaches out to us when we travel. (Real life, right?) Our relationships don’t have to be cheerful and perfect, but if we want to sprinkle this important element into our current lives, we need to reach out to someone.
As we unravel that summer landscape further, we arrive at a different kind of connection. For a brief moment in that bubble, we felt like the universe was watching over us. That’s how life will be. OK, that’s a little ideal, but let’s not roll our knowing eyes yet. We were on the right path. We are taken care of. We are seen and watched. Not in an idealistic way, but in a universal way. Yes, it’s furikake.
Finally, don’t forget the practical part. We were moving around and being active, but we got tired and collapsed on our beach towels to rest. This is different from working and going to bed brain dead. This is when you need to go outside and move around or get a little tired and sit down for a little while. Physical movement, physical rest.
In yoga philosophy, memory is defined as waves of thoughts called vrittis. Vritti waves can push in useless debris and distort our daily lives. (For example, “Life was easier back then…”) But if we burst the bubble, our Vritti vibrations have the ability to bring wisdom into our lives.
Seeing clearly means looking straight ahead instead of looking back. You can see all the obstacles in your way. That may be the true rainbow we have been praying for.
Until next time,
Laura
