Blue mountain irises danced in the wind on summer days at my cozy cottage in the Santa Cruz mountains. What a treat each day to be greeted by their gentle beauty. Yet, here in the parched landscape of central Texas, beauty also unfolds each day in more subtle ways. A small cricket makes its way towards that elusive source of water, the collection pot holding the overflow of moisture from the air conditioner overflow valve. The cricket pauses and sings for a moment. That sound, almost imperceptible, is as soothing and sweet as the energy of the blue iris.
How many times during your day do you miss the sound or sight of subtle beauty? So often, fear, stress, worry, anxiety, and pain become the predominant flows in life such that we are not able to notice the simple ways that God talks to us in the course of day through nature, friendships and other blessings in your life.
Take a moment today and make the time to immerse yourself if even for a few moments in the beauty of something small and subtle in your life.
Breathe
You can begin to notice subtle beauty by simply slowing your breath. When you breath shallowly, the mind tends to race in many different directions such that you miss the beauty right in front of you.
Breathe deeply right now and take a moment to experience that absolutely innate ability to feel into the very tangible aspects of everyday life and all it holds, and yet simultaneously feel into that realm of utter calm that is internal and stable no matter the outer circumstances.
Step out of Comfort Zones
Challenge yourself out of the confines of your comfort zones to elevate your spirit. Have you ever noticed that when your energy is low either physically or mentally, it can be helpful to change your scenery, try a new activity or visit with people who are not a usual part of your life? This change from your usual routine awakens the spirit and challenges your will muscle to do something out of the ordinary.
So take a moment and try something new even if you may not initially feel like doing it. Take a new dance class. Go kayaking if you have never tried that. Try a new qi gong flow. Discover yoga if your flow is usually qi gong. Go running if you usually walk. Listen to country music today if you usually listen to jazz.
When we allow ourselves to step out of comfort zones, we begin to heal the patterns that hold us rigidly to old messages and energy that often do not serve us best in life. It all begins with that one step out of your usual zone. Take it today!
Kay Hutchinson is a certified medical qi gong practitioner and acupressurist who uses the ancient tools of classical Chinese medicine to help people balance and grow their bodies, minds and spirits.
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