Tap, click, swipe, insert. The world in the fast lane. Buzz, bing, honk, screech, clang, bang, ring, shout. It sounds like an ordinary day, doesn’t it?
Moxie taught me to “trade” noises. She always looked for calm, silent places. Out in the wilderness, when she perked her ears and looked in the bush with much intensity, she made me pay attention to the sounds of nature. She got me “out of my head” and plugged into the invisible “sound making machine” that Mother Nature is. Oh, how I learned to love that…Phone was off, just the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, the creek nearby, almost “purring” gently in the meadow and the sound of birds, creating the most incredible song there was. We spent enough time out there to learn the art of “Bringing the forest inside”.
In this incredibly busy world, we seldom have the opportunity to go out for a walk in the park on our lunch break. It is simply not feasible. Most people out there work through their lunchbreak, rushing to get things done, in the hopes that they could potentially go home on time.
But what if there is a way you can “bring the forest inside”? The process looks different for each of us. However, it is worth putting the effort into seeing what works for you. It may be a short meditation, it may be a mantra you’re saying, it may be a poem you’re reading.
For me, if I cannot be out in nature, then, it comes down to music and images. I take five minutes sometimes, go to a more secluded place (yes, bathroom is an option if this is the only place you can be undisturbed for 5 minutes) and plug my earphones on. I play my music or watch my favourite you tube video with gentle waves on a sunny beach, or a virtual walk through the forest. I reset. I “bring the forest inside”. I regroup. I bring fresh, new energy to what I’m doing.
So don’t override yourself! Make time for those five minutes in the middle of a busy day to regroup, recharge, and take care of yourself. Trade your noises! Find your way to “bring the forest inside”!