If you can~ 🍃 still your mind, when chaos surrounds you, 🍃 observe life, without judgement 🍃 see freedom in having less rather than more, 🍃 hold the natural world, in reverence for the majesty she is, 🍃 appreciate simple pleasures and simple times, 🍃 regard kindness and gratitude, as two of the most important and beautiful human characteristics, And, 🍃 maintain your sense of self, in a world that’s constantly trying to shape you into something you’re not, then,… you my friend, will find peace as you sail upon, this funny little thing called life.
I don’t go to the forest to get away from the real world, I go to the forest to be with the REAL WORLD. The quiet, the beauty, the safe embrace of the trees, and the voice of wisdom that comes when the mind is still; these are things that provide a tranquil retreat and a peaceful haven from our busy human world.
Do you need a time out? step into the real world. 🌲🌲🌲🌲 Toni O’Keeffe🌹❤️
It’s easy to be in awe of the beauty in nature. Multiple shades of green draped over a forest. The way bold colours melt together to create a sunrise or sunset. The twinkle of stars, the fragrance of different flowers painted in every colour imaginable. The beauty of ocean waves rolling in and out leaving beautiful polished stones and shells behind. Tall grass dancing with the wind, song birds singing, clouds creating illusions in the sky. We appreciate and love all of it.
What if we looked at each other the same way, in awe of how beautiful, brilliant, colourful, twinkly and different we all are?
If we accepted one another no matter how we looked, sang, danced, rocked or rolled, wow this would be one happy peaceful, planet of twinkly, bright, dancing souls. 🌟
You’re allowed to stop, to rest, to reflect, and catch your breath. To find your sanctuary amongst the trees, upon the water, under the stars, in a field of wild flowers or on a mountain top.
Somewhere tranquil, uncluttered, and away from the noise, where you can surrender to the sound of your soul whispering all she wants you to know.
You’re allowed to step away from everything that ails you and everyone that demands something from you. You don’t have to explain why, you may not even know why.
Give yourself permission to take a break from all of it and drown yourself in peace. It’s in this peacefulness that our breath softens, our bodies relax, our noisy minds exhale and the answers we’re looking for come.
This is home. When we step into nature, we’re stepping over the threshold of our original home. The place we go to play, to grow, to heal, to feel loved, to rest and reboot the mind, body and soul.
So go home. Allow Mother Nature to feed your entire being. She will welcome you in, offer you sanctuary and never ask you to leave.
She will not judge or ask you why you came. She will calm you, allow you to catch your breath and, provide the air you breathe. She will ask for nothing in return.
Allow her to wrap you in the familiar comfort of her embrace and remember who you really are. It’s here, in our original home, that we experience our authentic humanness.
Oh, and while you’re there pick up after yourself.
Put that stuff down. You’ve done enough adulting today. Time to go outside and play.
We function better when we create the time to play outside. Outdoor play is good for our mental well-being, our physical well-being, in particular, our lungs, our hearts and our muscles. Outdoor play also does wonders for our spiritual selves, our relationships and our working environment.
Why are we drawn to the peaceful, unencumbered wilds of nature? ~ the awe of forest paths that magically transform when rays of light stream in between the branches of towering old growth trees or, ~ feel inspired when we set our eyes on majestic mountain peaks draped with snow, or, ~ melt into a state of relaxation gazing at an expansive indigo sky dressed in twinkling stars, or ~ fall into a state of peaceful reverence when we sink our toes into the sand and watch the rising and setting of the sun?
Why do these and the other sights, sounds and smells of nature call to us, arouse our senses, bring us comfort and cause us to pause and exhale?
I think this call into the wild is our deepest self calling us home.
Our DNA evolved in nature. Our ancestors spent most of their time in the natural world. We’re hard wired to live amongst the trees, near the water and under the sky.
It’s only been in the last couple of centuries that we’ve strayed away from where we belong and moved into loud overcrowded, concrete jungles and on to busy asphalt highways.
Numerous studies have shown spending time in nature is a natural remedy for stress, can lower blood pressure, boast immune system functioning, reduce anxiety, and improve mood. That’s a pretty good “pill”.
Yet, humanity spends trillion of dollars annually purchasing and consuming self help products and services to make us feel well, less anxious and less stressed; things we’d feel if we spent more time in the great outdoors.
Spending time in nature is like pushing the reset button and going back to our original factory😊settings.
Going into nature is peaceful, comfortable and reminds us of home because, it is home, it is where we’re meant to be.
When you feel the stress of our modern world impacting your well being, go home, stick your toes, your heart and your soul where they belong and BE well.
Individual freedom would imply you are not tied or tethered to anyone or anything. You are free to go, do, say or be whatever you want.
But, that’s not exactly the reality of the world we coexist in. We are individual human threads, interwoven across the colourful patchwork we call humanity.
None of us are completely free, nor will we ever be (well, until, you know😇). We are connected, whether we like it or not.
When the fabric at one end of the patchwork is torn, it affects us all and there is potential for ALL OF US to unravel.
It’s to our collective benefit ~ whether there’s a war, a pandemic or natural disaster~ to rally and support the piece of the patchwork that’s damaged or suffering. There’s a shared responsibility for “the whole”, to which we all benefit and to which we all have a responsibility. Bee’s get it🐝.
We spend a lot of time espousing our individual freedoms and rights, but not a lot of time teaching children (or ourselves) about our individual responsibilities and interdependence.
Despite what the song says, we are “NOT” Born Free. We are born into a hive that is completely interdependent and reliant on social cooperation. What happens to one of us, affects all of us.
“Bee” kind to each other and this beautiful, sort-of-happy, hive that is our shared home.
The Whimsey Angel 