Mindful Mondays: New activity every Monday

[Former-Member]

Oh @pinklollipop15 The beach sounds like a perfect spot for taking in all those elements & bring some presence.

Just walking bare foot on the sand has such an impact on me 👣

That picture + reference cracked me up @tyme I guess kids who have been instructed to stay in their spot might have a different opinion around the term 'sit spot'  🤣

[Paperdaisy]

Foot grounding or ‘Earthing’

Earthing involves direct skin contact with the earth’s surface and you can do this by walking barefoot in nature. You can do it on grass or sand, anywhere you are connected to the earth’s surface. It has been reported that earthing can reduce stress and improve blood flow as well as improve sleep.. who knows, worth a try!

This is something I love to do quite a lot. There is a park near me with some really lovely little pebbles and I often go and move my feet around in them. Feels so good and I love the sound it makes!

This exercise is simple and will hopefully make you feel more connected with your natural surroundings and relieve stress.

• Choose somewhere in nature that looks lovely to put your feet on e.g. grass, pebbles, pine needles, dirt etc.
• Take your shoes off and get involved! Squish your feet and toes around. Really press them into the ground.
• Notice the feeling on your feet, connect with the energy and the environment. For me, my feet get all tingly and I feel it travel up my whole body and feel instantly relaxed in my shoulders.
• Listen to the noise it makes if you’re swishing your feet in pebbles or coarse sand.
• Return regularly and enjoy the benefits!

I’d love to hear from you. Does anyone do this regularly?

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[cloudcore]

Mindful Monday Activity for the 21^st of March: Stone Stacking

Stone stacking, or rock balancing, requires patience and focus. It is a mindful practice that allows you to be in the moment, see opportunities, create belief in your personal power, and letting go.

Here are the steps:

1. Finding Stones
   The stones are like a puzzle and their shape, texture and size will determine how big or small your pile will be. Let the stones call to you, let the shapes, balance and rocks guide you to be a part of the creation. Visualise how they will look in a stack. (The stones for this exercise don't need too big or tall, be sure to be safe when lifting rocks!)
2. Breathing
   You want to remain calm; breathing evenly to as you position each rock on top of each other. Be conscious of how you breathe when you successfully balance a rock, and also when it topples off the stack. 
3. Appreciating your stack
   Take some time to appreciate your complete stack. How each rock sits upon the other, the limits you have tested and the opportunities you found to bring balance. Gaze at the shape of your stack, and reflect on the fears and doubts you've overcome to achieve this outcome.
4. Walking Away
   As with everything in life, it’s also important not to get attached to the outcome. When you’re finished, try pushing it over safely and see how it feels to let go. Nothing in this world is permanent, especially your pile of stones – the more comfortable with this idea we can be in our lives, the more inner peace we’ll find in each moment.

The next time you're out in nature, give this mindful activity a go!

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[Former-Member]

Oh brilliant - I really love this activity @cloudcore 
You know as a kid I always dreamt of being an archeologist (probably more accurate would have been a Geologist, but didn't know what that was at the time).
I was incredibly taken by rocks. pebbles, stones.
Some of the balancing rock formations I have seen in photos from this process you shared are just  incredible.
You've inspired me @cloudcore ❤️

[AussieRecharger]

We have a beach near us where there are hundreds of rock stacks.. It's a great way to pass the time and listen to the waves. 

[Krishna]

Hi @cloudcore   I have several stone stacks around my garden and really enjoy the art of stacking and then knocking them down. It’s a great mindfulness practice 🙏

[LookingHopeful]

While I agree with any premise that will get you to connect to the now and practice mindfulness but I think you need to put a disclaimer somewhere and ask people to 

PLEASE do not do this stacking in any National Park anywhere in the world. 

It disturbs the natural balance and homes of little critters. It also takes away from the 'naturalness' of the area. 

And if you do practice this is a public space, remove the rocks when you're done, just as is suggested. 

@cloudcore 

Sending love and thoughtfulness. And happy mindfulness

[cloudcore]

Yes thank you for the reminder @LookingHopeful ! Very important to consider our impacts on the environment and native ecosystems when we're using materials out in the world.

As stated, please do not stack any stones in national parks if you are planning to do this activity 😊

[tyme]

Mindfulness Three-in-a-row

Welcome to Mindful Mondays!

Now I'm sure in your youth, you've probably all played tic-tac-toe three-in-a-row. 

Sooooo, I sort of thought I'd adapt it so create a three-in-a-row mindfulness activity. 

Of course, participation is absolutely voluntary! It's just an idea to put out there.

The object is to complete three tasks in a row - whether vertical, horizontal or diagonal. Do this as many times as you wish! There's no right or wrong!

Reflection:

How did you feel after completing one or more of the mindfulness tasks above?

Did you notice any change e.g. breathing, heart rate, temperature, feelings?

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[Appleblossom]

Love it @tyme 

I noticed a gentle opening and relaxing in myself at just 'reading' the mindful activities you included in the diagram.  I do many of them spontaneously in my daily life.

Re the previous week's activity: I walked on a local beach recently and saw lovely shell and rock sculptures.  Most sandy beaches are used to movement and disturbance by waves and tides.  A little rock stack is probably fine and not a problem there.  Seeing the creations of others on a quiet beach really uplifted my soul.