Hello, hello!!
Happy Monday!
Did you have a good weekend? Thanks to social media and the beauty of sharing, I know some of you did!
I had a great weekend – lots of outdoor time with family and friends. That’s really what summer is all about for me. Of course, now my family and I are all moving a little bit slower on this cloudy Long Island Monday. I could see it with others at drop-off for summer camp too. Everyone was just a little more quiet, a little more sunkissed. The side effects of being outside all weekend. But no complaints. That’s what #slowdownsummer is all about. Staying out way past dinnertime, or even bedtime. Laughing so hard it hurts. Listening to tunes. Feeling a little more care-free. It reminds me of being a kid – when the street lights come on and mom is still letting us run around the neighborhood – eating ice pops and catching fireflies. One of the true summer nostalgias.
Unfortunately, my kids haven’t been spending any time in our own neighborhood this summer. There’s been major road work on our block for about 3 weeks now, and they’re promising at least two weeks more. It will be great when it’s finished, but it’s turned our quiet street into one long construction sight. And we’ve had to park on neighboring streets, which, as it turns out, isn’t the worst thing. The extra steps have given me the opportunity to practice walking meditation. Instead of rushing to my car, I take my time – focusing on my movements and walking into mindfulness. It’s amazing how simple it is, and how often I forget. Meditation isn’t only about sitting perfectly still with your eyes closed, it’s about directing your focus, steadying your breathing, and paying attention – even when you’re in motion.
So, in honor of my daily walking meditations, I recorded a special guided meditation for you to try. It was actually at the request of a listener and I just happened to already be doing it myself. Ahh, how I love the synchronicities of life. I hope you can find some time to go for a walk too, and use it as an opportunity to nurture your mindfulness practice. Let me know how it went in the comments, OR post a picture from your walk and tag me @cultivateyourwellness in your stories on instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
It’s not on Insight Timer yet, but it’s on Youtube.
Listen to the meditation here!
I hope you have a great rest of your week. Enjoy your walk. And until next Monday…
Bye for now.