Yay the sun is out! (sometimes) and it’s a joy to be out and about feeling the warmth on our skin.
Here are my favourite summer meditations to enhance mindfulness at this special but often action packed time of year.
1) Go barefoot
Well not all the time… Next time you are at a park or beach or even in your back garden, kick off your shoes and sink your feet into the moist grass (or warm sand!). Walk mindfully and with each step focus on the soles of your feet and the sweet sensation of walking across the Earth. Breathe as if breathing right down into your feet and as you breath out, breath out as if breathing out through the soles of your feet. Sense yourself connecting with the Earth and open up to feeling the support and strength that the Earth provides.
I strongly advocate lying down on the Earth too to soak up her healing power but look left to see what always happens whenever I try that…
2) Feel the warmth of the sun
Ok quick disclaimer -don’t do this in the heat of the day when the sun is strong, choose a time at the beginning of the day when the sun is just warming up. With closed eyes turn your face and body to the sun. Begin focusing on your breath to steady yourself and allow yourself to relax fully as you breathe out. Feel the warmth of the sun soaking in to every pore in your body. As you breathe imagine breathing in this warmth to the centre of your being. Allow the warmth of the sun into your core. Breathe out any dark shadows that are hiding themselves in your body. Starting at your head, imagine the sunlight filtering into and filling up each of the areas of your body. From your skull and brain, through all your internal organs right down to the bones in your little toes. Breathe in sunlight to these areas and breathe out all the yucky dark stuff, imagine all that sh*te just going up to the sun and bursting into flames. See yourself glowing with the warmth and energy of the sun, radiating this light out of each pore touching everyone that you know. Enjoy this feeling of sunshine, warmth and love from this wonderful Sun! When you feel ready to burst with love and sunshine, give thanks to the Sun before you finish.
(yes, this beach is in Scotland!)
3) Mindfully connect with the Ocean
Hopefully this summer you will make it to the seaside and when you do take time out to truly connect and receive the healing power of the ocean. You can do a walking meditation paddling in the shallow waters but my favourite is to take a seat and gaze out to sea. Pick a time when the beach is quieter and you won’t be so easily distracted by others. Focus on your breath and keep your eyes open so your gaze can take in the vastness of the ocean. Simply observe what the ocean is doing. Is the sea choppy and disturbed or is it calm and serene. Observe what emotions this brings up for you and as you breath out let this all go. Continue silently observing the lap of the sea as you breath and when you notice you have lost yourself in thought breath that all out and let the ocean carry those thoughts away, and begin again. Allow the rhythm of the breath to calm you, even though inside you may have other feelings. Focus on your breath and with each exhale, breath out that which no longer serves you in this moment and let the sea carry it away. When you have finished observing the sea, give thanks and go have fun!
