And what the heck is a dig-it-all reality, I hear you say? Well, it’s one where we don’t get lost in technology. Where we appreciate everything, where we interact with one another on a human level, where we engage, where we take nothing for granted, and where we GET INTO and ENJOY life, rather than wanting to escape.
A big part of being on our life’s journey is the realization that life is beautiful, and that there is nothing that needs escaping from. If we heal ourselves, then there is no need to escape, and in fact, in the long run, there is only so long we can hide from ourselves anyway! Sooner or later, everybody has to face themselves. Hiding behind a screen just isn’t going to work for that much longer.
So where we are heading, if this ‘digitalization’ of our reality continues as it currently is… what might that look like 10 years down the line? Do you want to be a part of that world? A ‘digital’ reality. I think I’d rather be a part of a ‘dig-it-all’ reality myself.
For me, I’m finding so many answers in nature. In connecting with nature, as a way of balancing out my time online. Nature is, frankly, keeping me sane in this day and age. I LOVE my time offline. I value it. I make it a priority. Yes, the internet is powerful; yes, it is amazing; and yes, it is helping change the world, but it needs balance. YOU need balance. Too much time in the digital world, makes Jack a very dull and slightly robotic boy.
Make some space
To sum up, yeah – the internet is amazing. No doubt. But we do need to be careful not to let the internet fill in all the spaces in life.
The space is what keeps us sane. We need the spaces.
Without the spaces – we go mad.
Our brains need space – thinking space, dreaming space, breathing space, space to process, space to rest, to quieten down, to turn off and to ponder.
To wonder.
To breathe.
To reflect.
To sloooow dowwwwn…
Your mind needs space.
So try not to fill in all the gaps.
The gaps are what make life BEAUTIFUL.
PART 2
21 PRACTICES
TO HELP
YOU SIMPLIFY
YOUR LIFE
PART 2
21 PRACTICES TO HELP YOU SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
‘And forget not that the Earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.’
Kahlil Gibran
Just as every good mechanic has reliable tools in a trusty toolbox that they can readily dip into, we, too, should have a set of handy skills and ‘spiritual’ tools we can readily access at any time – to apply wisdom and healing to everyday-life scenarios, or when life gets tough and throws situations your way.
The following 21 practices form the core of the excellent tools I have learned on my personal journey along the healing path and I encourage you to use them in your own life. Each one comes with a Warrior Practice for you to try. You can work through them in order, or dip in to one that catches your eye. You might want to create a practice schedule, whereby you commit to trying one new practice a week, either on its own or in addition to ones you have tried already. It really is up to you – I would just like to encourage you to bring as many of them as possible into your life. They are designed to help you simplify your life, and to reconnect with nature and with yourself to become an Earth Warrior. Take a slow, deep breath in… and out… and let’s dive in!
1. SLOW DOWN – LIVE IN THE MOMENT
The present moment is the most wonderful thing. It is a gift. That’s why it’s called ‘the present’. A key part of learning to slow down and live more simply is to practise living in the moment. The present moment is a place of peace, calm, kindness, compassion and clarity. The ability to be present is a sorely underrated skill in our world. It’s a place where our endless ‘monkey mind’ gets to finally shut up for a while, along with everything you thought you had to do today – your to-do list, your shopping, email checking, worrying about this, that and everything.
We are SO in our minds it’s not true. We make ourselves so crazy! We don’t need to do this. We just need to remind ourselves of the wonder of the present moment, the wonder that we often knew as children but have somehow forgotten over time. Think about when you were younger and bring to mind the children you knew. My guess is you have images and memories of playtime, hide and seek, making dens, seeing things with excitement, awe and wonder. Gradually, over time, the external world influences us and dulls this awe and wonder.
In those occasional moments when I really drop into the present moment, when I sit for my meditation or take a quiet walk in nature, really noticing how each of my senses are stimulated – that’s where the gold is.
When we are truly present we make good friends, good parents, good listeners, good lovers! We make good choices, good decisions and, well, life is just more enjoyable. So I invite you to close your eyes and take a moment to just let go of the clutter in your mind. The lot of it. And instead drop into the present moment. Close your eyes and say to yourself, NOTHING ACTUALLY EXISTS OUTSIDE OF THIS MOMENT! The only place that exists is here and now.
Warrior practice
Find somewhere comfortable to sit or lie down for a few minutes. Take a slow, deep breath in, and then exhale, feeling the air leave your body through your nose or mouth. As you continue to breathe slowly and evenly, feel your heart beating and notice the rise and fall of your belly. Focus on the ‘now moment’ – what is occurring in your body at each moment in time.
As you bring your awareness to what is happening in your body, you can let go of the incessant chatter in your mind. This might feel good, might make you feel anxious, or anything in between. There is no right way to feel. Simply observe how you feel and observe what is going on in your mind.
If you repeat this practice regularly – I suggest you start each day with it – you will soon start to find more tranquility, peace and calm in these moments, and this will soon spill over into all areas of your life.
Slowly and surely our crazy, busy ‘monkey minds’ will crave less attention as they realize we don’t need them in the same way any more. Our focus on the stillness increases and brings us into alignment with a calmer, more peaceful, clear and joyful state of mind. It takes work, it takes willingness and it takes commitment but, man, it’s worth it.
2. TAKE IT EASY – JUST ‘BE’
Us humans don’t operate very well when we’re permanently stressed out, when our brains are overloaded with chatter and noise, and let’s face it, it’s a pretty noisy world we live in. We need to learn the fine art of ‘takin’ it easy’.
And it is something of an art – learning how to really let loose, kick back and super-chill, but, man, is it an art worth learning. Chilling out is awesome.
A key part of becoming a master of chilling is learning how to drop the guilt we so often associate with not being busy all of the time. Many of us have been conditioned to feel guilty for taking our time over things – so lose the guilt. For good. Say to yourself, ‘I deserve to chill!’ Make yourself a ‘chill day’ in your week. Hell, make yourself two!