Its a no-brainer that getting out-of-doors, even for just a few moments each day, is so very good for us and yet what we choose to focus upon in that time can make all the difference to the experience that we harvest.
When we quiet the incessant mind chatter and take a moment to see...to really see...the beautiful minutiae and the awe-striking cosmic display of the universe around us, this can become like a meditation within the very flow of life. I speak of all those commonplace moments that so often go unnoticed; as when light transfigures the wet surface of a road, ignites scraggy autumn leaves or when great white clouds the size of a mountain range rise suddenly above the city rooftops.
There is awe to be experienced in such moments. Once we become open to them, these moments start to appear everywhere as though newly arrived to embellish the morning traffic jam or the rainiest of walks to the shops.
Now attuned to see what we used to miss, we reconnect with the expanded viewpoint of our own highest self and so recalibrate our entire point of view to become super-expanded and regularly joy-filled. Much of the petty drama and stress of life seems to shrink down so small, from this broadened perspective, that it could almost disappear into the pavement cracks.
These moments also provide us with a daily reminder that we are the creator of our own reality because the more we invite them, the more we receive confirmation that what we are focusing upon really does become the defining aspect of our experience. Suddenly, it seems, there are moments of beauty and radiance all around us and life becomes filled-up to the brim with intensely wonderful experiences.
Taking photographs of these moments focuses the exercise even more and will amaze you with results that make your heart sing. In fact, the technical ‘failures’, when light fragments into rainbow colours or the view becomes super saturated with light, are often the most stunning and surprising photographs of all. Be warned: this practice can become addictive once started and may lead you into new territory, even painting or creating from what your eyes newly appreciate and yet the aim of this exercise is to capture rawest beauty, not a masterpiece.
In fact, I encourage you to snap away with no concern for the artistry of the outcome as these images are quite secondary to the effect that opening your eyes to such simple moments of loveliness will have upon your wellbeing, your health and the amount of gratitude and joy that fills your days
Take a small camera for a walk. Relax your eyes, disengage your thoughts (especially that self-critical voice) and allow your gaze to fall naturally upon whatever draws it. Take many, many photos and ditch all the rules, especially those that say ‘don’t point a camera towards light’ (though take care not to look directly into the sun). Enjoy and be amazed by the incredible results!
Now write a post or grab your camera or phone take and share your photos
1. Add the URL http://www.mindfulground.com/day-26-with-helen-white/ as a TrackBack link
2. Add a comment below with a few words about your post with a link to the blogpost
About Helen White
Helen White is a self-taught professional artist whose work is exhibited in galleries across the UK and beyond, including London and New York, as well as being held in private collections internationally. Her paintings of moments of light – which can be viewed at www.helenwhite.org - have been said to contain an energy all of their own, described by world renowned energy teacher Lee Harris (who has one on his wall) as ‘like a portal into another dimension’.
Her self-managed recovery from fibromyalgia and the profound connections that she perceived between creativity, expanded-consciousness, energy-awareness and balanced health led to the creation of a blog Scattering the Light which has added a growing readership to those who already follow her art. Now a featured author in the bestselling Adventures in Manifesting series, she shares her story and the connections she has made in her story ‘Beautiful journey, living with soul’ in the forthcoming book ‘Soulful Relationships’, now available to order from her websites.
