Creating a softer life for myself
Self care. Pausing. Tending to me.
Let’s begin with a gentle invitation today…
an invitation to soften your eyes as you look at this photo.
Let you eyes gently fall into different parts of this photo.
A photo of a bumble bee in/on a pink rose.
Gently cast your eyes back over the photo.
A little bee in the delicate petals of a rose.
Imagine being that bee held in the delicate petals of the rose - Imagine what the petals would feel like, smell like, taste like…
Imagine being the rose, what do you imagine it would be like to have a tiny bee nestled in the inner folds of your petals?
These are the first few adjectives that came to me when I looked at this photo 1
Soft.
Gentle.
Delicate.
Surrender.
Exquisite.
Calm.
What about you? What words come to you?
Today’s little letter is a gentle reminder to do just that…to snuggle down into something soft and exquisite, something that has tenderness and softness, and something that invites a depth of surrender and a sense of holding.
We are humans, we have lots of moments in our daily life where we just keep going…
and going
and…
going…
where we keep pushing through the-whatever-barrier because,
well...
Just Because!
(I was going to say “because I should” however I wrote a piece on removing the word “should” from my vocab so for now I’m just going to say, “Just Because!”).
We are such a busy species. We do and do and do.
So, today I am going to invite you to PAUSE
Taking gentle pauses in the doing is important.
It says "I am listening to my heart, my soul, my energy."
It says "I can leave that just now, because it is more important to pay attention to the birds, the running stream, my tiredness and my need to slow down.
It says, "I am choosing to be gentle because life is too precious and I wish to enjoy more of it."
It says, “I am choosing consciously to fill my own cup up with what my heart, mind, emotions and soul needs at this moment in time, because I too am important.”
I’ve been listening to my body more and having rests during the day. Do you ever have those days when your body is too tired to hold itself up and your eyes are too tired to stay open and in effect your energy is crying out to pause, stop and rest.
The other day I took a hot water bottle to bed in the middle of the day! and curled up and slept.
I haven’t slept in the middle of the day for ages,
and when I woke I felt soooo much better.
Sure, it was the fact that I slept.
Yet it was also the fact that my whole energy was given permission to
PAUSE,
sleep even
and STOP FOR A WHILE.
It is Wednesday.
It is the middle of the week.
Maybe you are unable to snuggle down with a hot water bottle and go to sleep at this moment in time, (or maybe you can?!) however you maybe able to
look outside your window and notice the changing colours of the day,
noticing the way the wind blows the leaves on the trees
noticing the way the shades of light and shadows of darkness dapple and play upon your window pane,
noticing the way the birds are flying and the bees are buzzing.Maybe you are able to drink your cup of tea slower and really taste the flavour of what you have chosen to drink.
Maybe you are able to take your shoes off and wriggle your toes, or slowly massage your own feet or hands or head.
Maybe you are able to consciously walk half your normal pace and physically slow down your movements.
Maybe you are able to step outside and sit under a tree, feeling the trunk of the tree upon your back as you look up and see the leaves, the branches, and the sky above.
Maybe, and hopefully, you are able to shut down the computer, turn off your phone and sit or lay quietly for many moments in another room without any distractions.
Maybe you are able to pick up your sewing, your book, your writing, your drawing and enjoy a few moments of just being with your creative side.
Maybe you are able to get a massage or have a long soothing bath.
Maybe you are able to play with and pat your furry/feathered/scaled friend in mindful and loving way.
Maybe you are able to close your eyes for just a few minutes,
and then when you reopen them do so gently and softly,
looking with soft gentle eyes all around your room
So my friend,
let us stop and pause together,
let us take a few moments out of the day to slow down together
let us take a few moments to step beyond this time and space and consciously step into a slower more mindful moment in time.
Until next week…
please be gentle on yourself
and may you take some conscious YOU TIME this week.
PLEASE WRITE AND SHARE WHAT YOU DO TO SLOW DOWN AND FILL YOUR INNER CUP. By sharing what you do, you open doors for others to step in and thus try.
What do you like to do to slow down and fill your inner cup?
What do you like to do that makes you feel held and nurtured by you to you?
How can you create a soft and gentle life this week?
What can you recommend to others to try?
photo credit: Unsplash - Robert Thiermann - B9Jalz6SO-s-unsplash
Sunshine naps fill me to the brim. I love cozying into the suns embrace while listening with all the sounds of Natures symphony. All the buzzing vibrations of pollinating friends, the gentle call of birdsong, the trees dancing with the wind. I love smelling the warmth of the sun touching plants around me, feeling pitter pattering paws walk past me as the pups find their napping spots. Embodied Reception, engaging my Wholeness in sensory receptivity with the request of peaceful replenishment. I feel myself drift into the liminal as dreams begin to reveal through my consciousness. Wisps of guidance arrive in imprinted messages. And sometimes after only a few moments of this sweetness, I rise awake and feel fully nourished.
Other times, a whole day is required to fill my depths. And more often, its something in between. 🌬🌀
Beautiful message. Thank you