Lovely morning.It’s now the middle of November. There are only a few weeks left in the year, so for some of you work is getting busier. Some of you may have made new changes to your lives over the past year. Not only are you experiencing stress from work, but you may also be experiencing stress from relationships, and your body and mind may actually be tired, even if you don’t realise it. In such cases, you may find yourself feeling unwell during the change of seasons. At such times it is good to take some time out, even if it is only 10 or 15 minutes, to not think about anything else.
The other day the weather was fine and the temperature was pleasant, so I took my bike for a half hour ride to a big park. The trees along the way to the park were turning into autumn colours and it was nice to cycle in the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaves that fall from the trees when the wind blows. I stopped my bike and took a leisurely walk through the beautiful park. Normally on the way to work I would put on my favourite English songs and spend some time shadowing under my mask, but this time I just walked in nature. It’s a great way to get to know different sounds that I don’t always hear.
Of course, I could hear the sounds of small children playing in the park, the conversations of couples who were also walking in the park, and the happy whimpers of dogs playing with their owners. But after a short walk there was no one around and I sat down on a bench nearby, enjoying the scent of autumn, the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind, the sound of birds flying and singing, and the moment of silence. I forgot all about time and just looked up at the sky and watched the white clouds in the blue sky moving with the wind. I felt like I was being gently enveloped by nature, as if all the tiredness in my heart was being peeled away.
I felt like I was able to reset my busy, busy self by just being in nature without thinking about anything.
What is healing? Maybe it’s about being free from the constraints of everyday life and returning to your true self. Maybe it’s about focusing on your inner self and seeing yourself as you want to be. Maybe it’s not about waiting for someone else to heal you, but about being able to heal your own heart and mind. Sometimes we need to reward ourselves for all the hard work we do for our families, our work, our jobs, our studies. Even if it’s only for 5 or 10 minutes a day, it will help you to get back to your normal routine and get back to doing the things you love.