What a crazy time! Our entire world combatting a lethal virus, the flames of culture wars being ignited daily, chaos and mayhem filling our cities and civil unrest dominating our nightly news stories . . . the relentless pelting of our souls can be overwhelming and exhausting.
Is there an eye of calm in the midst of this hellacious hurricane? If so, where is it and how do we find it?
For me personally, my restorative oasis has been in the “Zenful” simplicity of nature. As I escape the confines of my “shelter at home” walls to explore new tree-lined trails on my bike, I exchange my mask for helmet and sunglasses and leave my cares and burdens far behind.
The beauty of the blue sky, the exhilarating feeling of the wind against my skin, gratitude bubbles to the surface with every turn of the pedals . . . quickly my anxiety gives way to joy.
A bright yellow butterfly flaps his wings beside me and comes to rest on a flowering respite. Joy.
Just up ahead at the bend in the dense woods, a mama deer and her little ones stop and stare. I come to a quick halt . . . stay very still and stare back. The exchange is peaceful and magical. Joy.
Nature’s version of the Hallelujah Chorus as sung by a colorful plethora of feathered soloists lifts my spirit to new heights as I pause to listen and try to identify the source of each beautiful tune. Joy.
Passing feisty furry companions out walking their humans always brings to mind the sweetness of a puppy’s nuzzle and the love and devotion a canine extends to his caretakers. Joy.
All of these sweet savored moments are examples of the “it’s the little things” mindset which opens the door of Zen into a more peaceful, calm and joy-filled den.
A message inscribed on my morning coffee mug:
CUP of JOY
FOR THE HAPPIEST DAY EVER
Today I will focus on all the good things in my life
I will radiate optimism and gratitude
I will think it. Feel it. Speak it.
I will see today as a new beginning,
Another chance to complain less and appreciate more.
I will be so happy that when others look at me
They will be HAPPY too.
Hoping all of you discover your ZENful path to JOY.
This article was written by a guest blogger. The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of Bob Lacey, Sheri Lynch or the Bob & Sheri show.
The Zen Den
Hello and welcome to The Zen Den. My name is Alison and while I am passionate about many things, my most inspiring driving force is human connection. Blogger, content writer, orthopedic exercise specialist, motivational speaker, international yoga pro, published songwriter, avid poker player, mom and wife are just a few of my titles. But when I do my job at NASA, I am known simply as “The Fairy Zenmother” a role I deeply love because people invite me into their space to help them find their center, relax and stretch their muscles and destress their mind. Here in the blogosphere version of The Zen Den, I invite you into my world where I will explore ideas for creating a better tomorrow and a kinder today. And hopefully, with insight, authenticity and humor; my words, observations and experiences will help you feel calm, centered, intellectually challenged and spiritually enlightened. Alternatively, if you have something you would like to see covered in The Zen Den, just let me know. Your feedback is welcome and valuable to the success of this blog. Finally, my heart is filled with gratitude to have this opportunity to share with all of you.
