Location Taken: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Time Taken: July 2012
I’m much calmer today than yesterday. Time has passed, the minor issues have faded away, and my site is behaving itself once again.
A touch of meditation doesn’t hurt, either.
I don’t meditate regularly, but any time I start to feel overwhelmed by the world, I go someplace calm, either close my eyes or stare at something naturally calming. And then I start focusing on breathing in for a count of seven, holding it for another seven, and then breathing out for a third seven. I don’t specifically try to clear my mind, since that’s the best way to get all sorts of errant thoughts popping up. But focusing on my breathing and how the air feels on my skin and other small incidentals like that tend to work fairly well. Then, once I’m in a peaceful state of mind, I focus my mind on one small point, such as the tip of my nose or the point two fingers are touching or the like. It’s another way to focus on the moment and let go all the worries of the day.
So try it yourself, the next time stress gets to you. Find a calm site, stare at the sea or something. (Sea photo provided for those lacking a nearby source.) And focus on the joy of living this very moment for a little.
I find meditating under a waterfall to be really effective. Well, at least meditating under my best waterfall substitute, the shower. But hey, gotta work with the tools you have, and at least the shower has warm water. Water dripping off my nose makes an excellent focus point, you know.
