Morning Reflection and Guided Imagery for Your Day

Attempting to create some form of normalcy and routine in my life I have been waking up to personal development, reading, and reflection to start my days. It’s been mostly unsuccessful because there has not been a good spot to conduct this calmness in my day. I have been either on my bed, laying on the floor, or sitting at my dining table that is furthest from the windows and quite dark. I decided to pull out a folding table used for camping and put it near my window in my room. The bed serves as a place for my phone, iPad, and such. One of my dining room chairs is the perfect height with the table and I can sit, watch the birds play outside, Stella (my cat) who loves to watch them, and enjoy the greenery outside. It’s peaceful and perfect for what I need to do.

With all that said, I sit here today having gathered my things, prepared a book for personal development (I never actually get to), and turned on Spotify to listen to some peaceful music. Just wait, there’s a point to my story. So, as the first song came on the Peaceful Retreat playlist that I chose, I found myself really enjoying the ambiance that was created by this beautiful piano. I tend to enjoy classical music with strings or the piano when I am attempting to concentrate. To my surprise, the song is a lullaby by Arien Ness called Rasung Consciousness. I suddenly want to look up the work rasung but I will save that for later. I now have the song on repeat as I sit, write, and watch Stella go crazy from room to room while she watches the birds.

Can you picture the scene yet? If not, take a moment and do so. Close your eyes if you must. Find the song above if you’d like. Imagine a lovely sunny morning, freshly cut grass, well groomed bushes, birds playing and chirping, flying tree to tree with joy almost as if they are playing a game, gliding between the four main trees in this area. They dive bomb the ground, picking things up and head back to the trees, talking to each other, racing to the ground and back up to safety. They are obviously playing and maybe doing some hunting for food. I see them hopping on the branches, happy, healthy, and very much alive on this beautiful spring day. They seem quite pleased with the soft cool wind blowing through the trees. The weather is perfect. Not too warm and not cold – light and breezy. The trees feel like a small family — two large, full, robust trees with the perfect shade of green; one medium tree that has not quite fanned out to be as full as the other two, the branches and leaves centered toward the top like an up-do, leaves darker in color but very much alive; then there is one small, bright green tree reaching to the sky like a child trying to fit in with the adults, chest out, proud of it’s accomplishment of providing such beautiful leaves from its small, short branches, and single trunk. If the trees could talk or show expression I’m absolutely certain that they would each be smiling. I can see it now, the adults giving a loving smirk at the confidence the small tree has as it is attempting to come into its own. The medium tree not really caring what’s going on, doing its own thing, trying to be serious but laughing at the birds as if they are tickling it’s branches when they hop around excited. The elder two just watching, smiling, reaching for the sun, soaking in the warmth, open, and free. The birds fly close to the window and Stella is in awe making her typical trills as they come closer and closer to the window. Can you picture it now? It is a wonderful sight to see.

I encourage you to sit with that for a moment. Visualize the scene. Allow it to play in your mind. Watch the birds hopping on the branches, flying past the window, and playing in the grass. Do you feel the breeze on your cheeks or the warm sun on your face? Does it make you feel more open to receive today? Are you feeling light and airy? Are you smiling and don’t realize it? Does a sense of peace and happiness wash over you? What are you feeling? Are there words to express how you feel?

For me, the scene is one I find is often ignored in life. Taking a moment from our day to ground ourselves in the beauty that the world provides for us on a daily basis. It seems to be such a basic skill and yet we forget about it, take life around us for granted, and don’t always appreciate what is right in front of us. I began my day with one task in mind. To take in the beauty and fill my day with positive energy. My intention for this post was to bring peace and although I cannot remember the initial reasoning for beginning, it has molded into something completely different. Isn’t that what life is? We start off with one intention and many times end up down another path, doing something else, and more often than not, we beat ourselves up for changing paths. What if the new path was where you were supposed to be? What if the new path is better? How would you know? You could change paths and ensure you went down the other but the timing would be different. We cannot go back and change what we have chosen. Maybe you were supposed to go down the other path after this one?

My point is that life is fluid. It shifts. It changes. Sometimes for the better and sometimes taking us completely off track but what harm is it if you gained something from the experience? If you failed, you learned. If you succeeded, you learned. Life is funny like that. Our perception really matters. It can make or break a good day. So, I encourage you to stop and smell the breeze (yes, the breeze), freshly cut grass (if you don’t go dying from the pollen), and watch life around you as a spectator with the excitement of a child. You’d be utterly amazing at the world if you can see through different lenses. I can ensure that it will create a sense of calm in a hectic world. Anxiety will wash away, worries seem not so important, and your productivity will skyrocket. So, find a window and watch the birds while you drink your morning cup of coffee or afternoon tea. Life is much more simple than we make it. Happiness is within us all but we allow thoughts and emotions to take over, renting space in our heads, removing the peace, and replacing it with the desperate need to control everything. So, for now, in this moment, let it go, sit your worries aside (they will be there if you need them when you are done), take in the scenery (even if only in your mind), let it wash over you in this moment… tilt your head back and feel the warmth on your face, breeze on your neck and through your hair, your shirt ever so slightly touching your back as the wind passes by — extending your arms open, chest wide, hearts center toward the sky, and receive the light. Take slow deep breaths in and slowly exhale worry, doubt, fear, and anxiety. Are you smiling? You should be. Do you feel lighter, happier, and more free? Excellent! You’re ready to start or continue your day, feeling energized, peaceful, and calm.

Namaste.

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