More Traveling and Hotels
I'm back in the Seattle area doing some work. I basically drive around and collect data on power poles, which really is a pretty good time. The scenery is gorgeous and it hasn't rained, nice and sunny. The only downside is the traffic, which is ridiculous here. The great thing is how much time it gives me to ponder some of the material I've been reading and life in general.
I'm a hue proponent of being in nature, I think it's really healing to our senses and perceptions, and possibly at a deeper level. Nature is so effortlessly complex and beautiful, observing it kind of boggles the mind. It's difficult to grasp the scope, and why should we? Getting over the desire to label everything has taken me a while, now I just try to relax and take all the scenery and sounds and smells in while I'm driving around. I feel like nature tends to reveal more of itself when we stop trying to tell it what it is.
Carpet sucks for yoga, but it's good enough...
So that's one type of meditation I do on these work trips, just trying to be, observing while driving around and doing this work. The other spiritual practice I do is yoga in my hotel room. I'm still trying to reactivate muscles and reconnect to my body. I feel like it's a constant battle sometimes and consistency has been really helping lately. Working out any kinks helps me sit and meditate, whether I'm reading a book, which is usually meditative for me, or just sitting quietly.
My awareness of my body and surroundings has become more clear lately, and it's really valuable and beautiful in my opinion. I think doing this kind of self work where we discover our awareness and how we work is the most important use of our time. Different people find it in different ways, and some people don't even need a spiritual practice, but I really think it helps.
What do you think? Are you interested in awareness, consciousness, or the self? What practices help you see and experience things more clearly, how do you find understanding?
Sorry if I'm slow on responses this week, I'm fairly busy but should be able to read everyone's posts tonight and respond to any comments you have for me. Thanks for reading!
You have actually inspired me to get back to my yoga routine I've been skipping the past week. Yes, when traveling for any reason but especially work, it is important to bring in our regular self-care routines as much as possible, whether yoga or meditation or daily walks. Our bodies are already trying to adjust to a new place, so giving the body these regulating experiences I think amplifies their effects more than even when at home normally.
Have a good trip.
Thanks! Glad I inspired you a bit, I agree, we need to keep our self care practice going. The great thing about this trip is that I get to walk around and be outside and then follow it up with meditation and reading and some solitude :)
Plus the thai food ;)
Since I do my daily yoga in bed only (I prefer the Savasana pose, which I have perfected over time! 😉). This way, I can prevent dirty carpets in hotel rooms. A quiet intelligent move, right? 😀
By the way, I always located you energetically in the UK - didn't know, that you are from the US. Maybe a parallel existence you forgot to tell us about? Maybe also just another dimension - it's hard to differentiate them these days...
Oh nice, I always fall asleep when I do this... maybe I should do it when I'm not sleepy haha. I sometimes sit in bed and that works pretty well.
aha that's funny, you probably imagined me with a british accent. Maybe I go there when I sleep ;)
I am kind of happy and grateful that I need 15 minutes complete mental Silence in order to fall asleep. If I don't do that actively, I won't fall asleep! So among other more randomly scattered spiritual practises, this is the one which is naturally interwoven in my daily doings. And I love it! Not only do I naturally undo outdated thought patterns this way but I get clearer access to my subconscious as well.
I don't wanna waive this wonderful skill by any means! ☺ Because as I told you once, there is so much exciting stuff stored in our subconscious and keeping track of these insights and dreams helps tremendously in flowing most beautifully through this life and into our next and so forth..😉
Nice, that's kinda great that you can't sleep until you do. I do similar, usually meditating right before bed.
The subconscious is incredibly powerful and mysterious to me, some recommended reading that deals with it:
-Neville Goddard (older but good)
I usually find some level of understanding by observing the context I am in. My mom practices yoga from time to time, I will need to try it to see if it works for me hehe.
But if you mean the understanding of our world, I like to read a lot, every kind of subject, whether it is about money, or technology or science.
Reading is my favorite way to learn actually, I prefer reading to watching videos or hearing audios.
Yoga is kind of hard to get into at first, but once you get the hang of it it's an amazing tool to have at your disposal.
I've noticed you are continually learning! I used to be the same way, my way was sometimes through reading, sometimes through videos. I like how fast videos are. Audio is the biggest struggle for me, I get distracted
Yes, I'm interested in all these things, and I do similar.
I love to read. I find listening to music meditative as well. Not just hearing the song, but hearing the notes independently, each instrument. And what the artist is trying to say, in words and emotion through musical tone, and even what each instrument is being used to convey. Like part of a verbal thought or worded sentence, or even just an 'unwordable', heh, feeling. I can get lost in it. And sometimes, I think instead of revealing what the artist meant, that it reveals something about where my mind and emotion lies at the time. Subconscious things I've maybe not taken time to notice or have been suppressing because they're uncomfortable to face. And that will lead me to joy or tears or maybe just a feeling of calm. And it helps me feel centered.
I love to just sit in silence too. Especially outdoors. What you said about not trying to label anything, that really hit home with me. I try to do the same. Let it all come to me as it will, rather than trying to give it all names and meaning that only serve to stop it short - of being exactly what it is just fine on its own without any intervention from me. That's such a great point of perspective change. One that I try to use daily. There's a t-shirt that I saw one time, and I want it really badly, it's on my wishlist. It simply reads, "birdwatching goes both ways". That's just the best thing ever to me. We tend to forget that we're not the only sentient creatures around. The world is watching you too. Oh my. But oh how wonderful.
ooh, each instrument is a fun challenge for the ears, very meditative. I should start doing more auditory meditation.
This is an awesome comment, you know what's up, love the bird watching thing. The world changes as we do, everything else is like, "oooohhhh a normal human, thought they were extinct" when I'm in a really good state.
Bugs be like: Can't tell if gonna smash me, or just 'mirin
That's so funny, and true. I use this sometimes... https://mynoise.net/ Helps me sleep and chill out.
Ooh, I'll check it out, and be back to comment on your other replies
I failed twice for my driver's license (when I was already 34). I'm 36 now and I don't really care about the former. I try to practice mindfulness throughout the day. Since the start of this month, I start the day with a meditation session. I actually use an app called 'Calm' that I wanted to test for a week, forgot about canceling the subscription, then paid for a year, but it works!
I am hardly stressed out these days, way more mindful than in the past and my head is pretty clear. It might help that I'm in Spain, making my way to Portugal and being my own boss (living off some crypto investments) and Steemit.
By the way, to get back to the meditating while driving part, walking is my daily meditation, preferably in nature. If there's no nature around, I usually walk along a river. I need my daily walks.
You found yourself a new reader.
Saludos,
Vincent
That's funny, sometimes a mistake works out. Great that you aren't stressed, I'm also a big fan of walking in nature. Can't be beat for destressing, I think nature shows a side of life that isn't distorted in any way and something we really miss out on in our culture if we don't work for it.
I'm hoping my small innvestment and steemit take off soon too so I can work on some passion projects
Thanks for reading!
I take back the not being stressed. Let's just say that I was depressed for many years (with ups and downs), now I'm still stressed but I manage to deal with my emotions way better, know what to do about it and don't indulge in these (negative) feelings anymore.
Nature is key indeed and we need a little more than a plant or two in our office space or living room.
I wish you luck with your Steemit investment (and I mean that in the most positive way). All my money is invested in crypto currency and Steemit, which is tough these days as I don't have any other income, don't want to power down, so I have to sell crypto's but it's a challenge that I'm willing to take.
I believe in this system! Onwards and upwards and full steem ahead ;>)
Ya, I put a decent chunk in in December and January but never took profits so I'm just waiting... Crypto is a wild world.
Really glad to hear how things are working for you, I also was depressed and even apathetic towards the world a while back, I've been working on dealing with my emotions as well, it's hard sometimes but worthwhile! I'm pumped about steem haha, I would love to be making significant cash writing about topics I love, it would give me way more time to write and create too, which would be great because I sort of stifled that aspect of myself in the past