Good Afternoon all!
Sat here just looking out of the window, with the doors wide open enjoying the sunshine and breeze, realising, that I know a lot of people don't take time for themselves. Perhaps because they just don't have the time, or perhaps they can't shut their brain off! I for one am the latter, so many times I've sat down and tried my hardest to clear my mind and just take some time for myself.
After many attempts, I finally come up with a routine. Sometime after dinner when it gets a little cooler and darker (i love the nighttime) and when the house is a lot quieter after everyone has been fed... I went outside and sat down in the garden on a Hamam towel, with 4 candles, one pointing North, South, East and West, so that I am in the centre as a balance between the directions.
I then put on some music, instrumental only, very very quietly almost inaudible, music which creates a calm atmosphere around me, (this will differ from person to person).
Many days beforehand, as I couldn't seem to find the time for this, I mixed together my favourite essential oil in an Almond carrier oil and rubbed it around my shoulders, neck and chest so that the subtle smell was all around me.
Primarily in this instance, I wanted to try and clear my mind and get lost in my own world as I haven't been able to do it in such a long time, I have a very vibrant imagination so I have always loved getting lost in my own world.
I said to myself 3 times, 'i am my mind and my mind is me', to try to focus on myself and my own mind instead of trying to remember and worry about everything for everyone else. Personally I like keeping my eyes open watching the beauty of my surroundings. I looked towards the sunset, following the lines that it could see from the reflection of the sun. Looking at the candle in front of me watching the flames flicker in the wind.
It took me a while, but eventually, I started to listen to the wind and the trees, next to the flapping of the bird's wings around me, each time drowning out the other 21st century sounds around me. Finally, I could balance all these noises and also hear perfectly the music I had put on.
I was finally able to focus on what's around me and nothing else, although there were car sounds and people chatting in the next few house gardens.
I also have upper back pain a lot of the time, and I read that if you focus on the pain and tense as much as you can, then slowly releasing each individual part whilst breathing out your mind gets almost tricked into thinking that the tension in your back originally has completely been released.
Nature is one of the greatest sources of calm, I myself put in the music as it has always allowed me to lose myself in my own world. Some find music an awful distraction and some prefer items such as budda bowls or metronomes.
I went to bed shortly after that, filled with my own world instead of the troubles in the real one. I have to say one of the greatest night of sleep I've had in a long time.
This isn't a bulletproof solution and its not for everyone, but it takes time to find what you want to do and what suits you, I just hope that this example helps you to start on your path to actually take some time for you and not feel like your being pulled in a thousand directions. Just because you may not be working through this lockdown with Covid-19, doesn't mean you can't focus on yourself. In fact its the best time to focus on yourself.
Don't be a stranger!
Charlie