Picture the blackest of nights. The sky is cloudless. It's warm enough to be sitting outside, and you're sufficiently far from sources of artificial light that your eyes can take in all the heavens have to offer.
What do you see? The chances are, you'll be staggered by the vast array of stars up there. Although experts differ somewhat in their view, it seems likely that in perfect conditions around two thousand are visible with the naked eye from any one place on the surface of our planet, and many many more when you peer through a telescope.
But the thing is, those two thousand stars are there all the time, even when you can't see them. In fact, even as we speak they're above your head at this precise moment. Clouds, ceilings and daylight may make them invisible to you, but they're right there, right now.
Of course it's not just stars that form a rich potential feast for your eyes. Everywhere you look, there's more to see than most of us for one moment imagine. Your world is full of detail and wonder, yet on a low day you may (like me) wander through it paying scant attention, eaten up with your own negative thoughts. Oh yes, I know what this is like.
However at any one microscopic moment, your mind can hold just a single thought, and it's a relatively simple trick to make this a neutral one (as you actively engage with your environment) instead of the unhelpful ones which are probably churning round and round in your head.
A night sky can be breath-takingly majestic. With an open mind, so can a walk down the street.
Delightful, Jon.
ReplyDeleteI like this! As I have been edging towards depressive thinking today, I have done exactly this; got into bed where I can see the sea breaking on the shore and the kite surfers in the shallows (lucky I know, to live so close to the beach!)Then I went downstairs and connected with my family and those in my household, determined to be close to what gives me joy, when I could so easily get lost in the anxiety and pain.It's an exhausting battle at times, but as I commit to noticing the good around me and the awesomeness of nature,it becomes easier to lift myself from the impending depths.
ReplyDeleteYes...too right. Today when I venture forth I shall 'really look at the snow, see the beauty in the trees laden with flakes and notice the shapes of icicles that hang in clusters all around.
ReplyDeleteI feel so much better these days and have learnt to live in the present. I know I am doing my best, I have come a long way and often use this technique to focus, relax and mindfully observe. Try it people.......it works. And if you find it too difficult today, remember......there is always another day......
Thank you Jon. Some great writing recently; yesterdays on the engine/dynamo was an elegant link with the mind/body connection and not one I had seen made before. Look after yourself. You give us all so much. With best wishes from she in the far North-West....
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon! Beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteI just love your writing, Jon. Sensible, and puts everything into perfect perspective. Thank you for a daily good start to my day!!!
ReplyDeleteSo true - I spent last December in the Caribbean on a cruise somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean sea where there was no pollution on New Year's eve 2011 the night sky was just amazing - the sky was almost three dimensional the myriad upon myriad of stars were so awesome: so too our mindfulness in small daily things can be three-dimensional if we take the time to "enjoy the moment" :)
ReplyDeleteI had an example of just this only yesterday. I dislike snow as I have negative associations with it, but on the way home from work last night I noticed that I was getting covered in tiny icy stars that disappeared into water as soon as I touched them. There was beauty even in that tiny thing and being able to see it meant that the evening went from a mediocre one to quite good just on the strength of these tiny frozen stars.
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