Where are you right now?
What if you took a moment to really notice this place? Perhaps there's a smell in the air: cooking food, damp earth. Or there's a subtle touch against the skin: moisture, sunlight. Or there's a symphony of sounds - a droning lawnmower, a humming fan - amidst a space of silence.
What colours and shapes greet the eyes?
What does the air taste like?
What do you notice - in the body and mind - as you connect to your experience of this room, this land, this earth?
For me, right now, my breath deepens. I feel a sense of opening and curiosity. I'm pulled out from my thoughts. There's a broadening of the tight boundaries I often draw around myself - a wider field of connection. I feel rooted, receptive, present.
In mindfulness practice, we often connect inward, sensing the breath or noticing thoughts and emotions as they arise and pass. At times, we might forget that mindfulness can extend to the entire field of experience. Especially if we often default to awareness of breath practice, it can be worthwhile to explore the outward-facing senses, too. We might notice an interrelationship, such as how an inner state of mind affects our perception of what's around us (e.g., consider birdsong - when trying to sleep). Or how this mindful attention outward affects the world within, perhaps shifting the quality of breath and state of mind.
In our next Mindfulness & Creativity session, we'll continue this mindful exploration of place. You're welcome to join us from your usual room, or from an outdoor space where you'd like to practice. We'll notice our inner experience - whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral - as we openly sense the world around us. We'll consider the value of connecting to our surroundings - how might it be helpful in daily or creative life?
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Hannah
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