By Jim DonovanShare
1. As you take your next breath, resist the urge to think of anything. Just experience the breath in it's fullest form. Try this for 60 seconds. Notice how you feel after 1 minute....
2. Find something in nature, like the sky, the stars at night or a flower. Look at it without classifying it as good, bad, beautiful or anything at all. Just have the experience of taking in the sight without thinking or judging. Notice if you "see" these things any differently when you aren't thinking about them.
3. The next conversation that you have, whomever it is, just listen as if they were telling you the most important information you've ever heard and without thinking of what you'll say next. Notice if your experience of 'listening" is different when you do it this way.
Good stuff Mr. Donovan. For #2, I had one of those moments in Italy this summer. While looking for interesting people and things to have a photo shoot with, my friends and I came across a large company picnic where everyone spoke English (surprisingly). They invited us, complete strangers, to join them for food and drinks in the park. Later that night while there, I laid on my back looking at the stars not thinking or judging them, just observing. With the wind blowing that cool summer night, it was one of my favorite and most vivid memories of the trip.
ReplyDeleteCurtis
Isn't it wonderful?
ReplyDeleteThanks Curtis. Italy is inspiring that way...
Jim,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree as well. Number 2 holds particularly true as we were on a cruise this past month, late at night sitting out on the deck and nothing but stars and a bright moon. We watched the clouds go past and noticed shapes in the clouds, which just made the night even better and more relaxing. Thanks for sharing.
Dave T.
Good suggestions. Will try them. :) Thank you!
ReplyDelete