Written by Lawrence Jasper Menor
I often find myself confused, stressed, and left unfulfilled in the world's complexity. I often blamed the world and external sources for my dissatisfaction and unfulfillment instead of looking inward and taking full responsibility for my control.
It is cliché, but the truth in the meaning makes it so. When I find myself in the presence of Mother Nature, I find clarity in deeper introspection. The creations of man are but a beauty in itself. Still, suppose you look deeper into the towering structures and the incredible architecture. In that case, we find a society divided and broken by the social constructs but created to have a sense of unity and valuable community members. All you need to do is look at the world's current events.
Our ideologies and freedom to have an opinion are being cancelled. Our mental and physical well-being is being challenged by infectious diseases and words spoken and written. It is a challenging time for us all, and the thought of peace is desirable but may only be found within us first.
When I surround myself with divine creations of nature, I have peace in my soul and silence from the world's noise, and it is replaced by the songs of the birds, the wind rustling the leaves, and the brushing of my puffer jacket that hugs my body to keep me warm in Melbourne's Bipolar weather.
There's been a movement to remind us of nature. Many are encouraged to explore it and be reminded of its importance. Though I may advocate this, I believe it isn't the solution to all our problems; it may be a band aid for us, giving us time to rest and reset and revaluate ourselves.
However, many of our underlying issues do not lie in being present in nature. Nature can trigger an intensifier to remind us what is important to us, but it isn't vital.
That being said, I personally have a clearer mind when I am in it. It helps me understand that the issues I have can be solved in the arena where the problem is in, not outside of it. You either must face it directly or find the consequences of not solving them then and there as the solution, which may happen without your control. So in that event, it would be up to you to either take action now or let the dice roll and gamble your fate.
So let me return to my initial point of how nature gives us time to rest and reset. Struggles and issues will never end; we may face them continuously or in intervals.
Personally, my world is constantly surrounded by man-made structures, technology and digital space in which I magnify wonderful natural creations either through a window or a black screen. It is pretty sad to think about, but that's the world we live in. We have forgotten to be in the moment without our phones or being surrounded by any piece of technology.
When was the last time you saw the glittery sea of stars in the night sky, the glimpses of the Milky Way, or made images with your mind from the shape of the clouds and asked what others could see?
When did you last feel the grains of sand in between your toes and the soft but sometimes prickly grass that brushes your feet? To be intrigued by the shapes and patterns that flames create as they burn the pieces of wood to charcoal and ash?
When was the last time you sat around the fire pit, roasting marshmallows, sitting on your deck chairs talking and discussing life, reminiscing about the times of old?
Whether you're alone or with others, being in those moments can give us time to be away from the busyness of life and give us a crumb of time to reset ourselves without relying on the pieces of technology we have attached ourselves to.
I long to experience isolation from society, even for a short period, so I can find silence and be entertained by nature's wildlife and creations we may never fully understand.
As I mentioned previously, you do not need to be in nature to rest and reset. Our android like nature needs to be turned off for a moment; put your phone down, close the laptop and look up at the sky.
Let the sounds of society entertain you wherever you may be. The footsteps of the wood and rubber soles strike the ground, tapping keys and swiping screens. The chatter and laughter of people as they pass by, the acceleration of cars and ticking of pedestrian lights and the sipping of coffee and clinging and clanging of spoons and forks.
To rest and reset, a new environment isn't essential, yes it will be helpful, but all it takes is an intentional time for you to actively remove yourself from future thoughts, detach yourself from pass experiences and focus on what is right now.
Lawrence Jasper Menor
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Don't neglect the time to rest, it is important for our bodies to get ample rest. Also give yourself time to reset and realign yourself with your values and goals, so that you can find clarity in your journey. We hope you enjoyed this read and if you would love to practice an exercise to bring focus to the here and now, join us in our guided meditation with Liem Nguyen on episode 27 of the Okiru Huddle Pod streaming now on major platforms and video version available on Youtube @ Okiru.
Stay safe always, make it a great day and always choose to GET UP!
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Okiru Huddle Pod Ep. 27 - Guided Meditation
In this episode, we are graced with the presence of Liem Nguyen who will take us through a guided meditation. If you would like to join us, find a quiet and comfortable space so you can get the full value out of this meditation.
Listen to the episode HERE!