This post is going to be different than my usual ones. I often find my brain rushing from one thing to the next and never get a moment to sit down, breath and stop all the chatter in my head or the anxiety I feel rising. So I thought I would write a short, grounding practice to help let go of the day and really focus on breathing.
Follow these steps to help you relax in this moment.
Get yourself comfortable and relax your shoulders.
Take 5 slow deep breaths.
Imagine yourself walking along a country lane. You are enjoying time with yourself outdoors in the countryside.
As you walk, you decide to look for somewhere to sit down.
You find an empty field and walk into it, you take your bag off your back and use this to sit on.
Sitting in the middle of the field, you look around.
The field stretches for miles, on one side there is a forest.
There is no one else around.
You are alone.
As you sit there, you feel the air is warm.
Your body is neither hot or cold, but a perfect balance. Your breath slows.
You notice the clothes you are wearing, they are soft to touch and comfy.
You bring your right hand to your belly and your left hand to your heart.
Taking 3 more deep breaths you feel your belly rise and fall with each breath.
Looking at your surroundings, your gaze stops on the forest.
There is a slight breeze wisping its way around the trees.
You listen as the leaves flutter and dance in the wind.
Birds are flying near the trees and swoop and glide, they seem to be playing.
Other birds are singing their songs.
How beautiful it is to notice nature going about its day as you sit observing.
Taking another few deep breaths, you smell the air and it’s fresh and clean.
Looking up to the sky, you watch the clouds slowly making their way across, creating weird and wonderful shapes as they move. What shapes can you see?
Between the clouds, the sky is bright blue in colour.
The sun shines, but the light darts in and out of the clouds, casting wonderful shadows and rays on the ground.
The grass field you are sitting in is a luscious green, it’s a beautiful colour and you imagine cows or sheep munching on it getting the nourishment they need.
You reach out and feel the grass, you run your hand through it several times and enjoy how it tickles your skin.
You take your shoes and socks off and put your bare feet on the ground.
You instantly feel a connection to the earth. The ground feels cool, but invigorating against your feet.
You sit there for a moment, scrunching your toes up and down in the grass and imagine what it would be like to always be this closely connected to the earth.
Something small catches your attention just ahead of your left foot.
It’s a ladybird. It dots about on the grass. Opening it’s wings it flies towards you, landing on your knee.
It stops for a moment, and starts walking, you watch as it stops and starts up your leg, until it decides to move on, it opens its wings once again and this time you watch as it flies into the distance, before becoming so small it disappears.
You take 3 more deep breaths noticing how your breathing has slowed since you sat down and relaxed.
Focusing on your breath, your mind wanders, but each time it does, you make the conscious effort to bring it back to your breath. It’s difficult to start with, but you soon get into the flow of it.
After a short while, you glance around you again, but this time, you find a point to focus on. There is a big old tree in the forest, right on the edge, which sits out on its own. Almost like it is the leader of the trees.
You have a soft gaze on the tree, you take in it’s beauty, all the noughts, the branches, the holes, the lines, the leaves, the squirrel that’s popped it’s head up out of the trunk in the middle. You notice it all, taking it all in. Slowly breathing as you do.
You move your gaze around and take a few more deep breaths.
You pop your socks and shoes back on and slowly push yourself off your bag away from the ground.
You brush yourself down, put your bag on your back and set off through the field and back down the country lane.
As you walk you feel more relaxed, aware of your surroundings and at peace with where you are in your life.
You make a promise to yourself to make this practice a regular occurrence.
I hope you enjoyed this moment of calm and perhaps it will encourage you to go outside, find a spot to sit, breath deep and notice what you see, hear and smell, helping you to be mindful in the moment as well as stay connected to nature.
Have a great week and thank you for reading.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 