Greetings!
Gratitude has been coming easier this past week, as the weather warms up and Spring seems to be finally showing her presence…as a self-proclaimed “nature lover”, it certainly affects me during the winter months when I cannot get outdoors to spend time in nature. I absolutely love the woods, and find them not only peaceful, but healing as well, to my mind, body and spirit. When I spend an afternoon hiking in the woods, or even get to sit by a tree for a period of time, I feel refreshed, grounded, centered. Perhaps that’s why I love crystals so much…certainly during the winter months they serve as my earth-energy-connection, but now even moreso as spring arrives, I feel them emit a slightly brighter disposition as well, since coming from the earth they are still connected energetically to it.
We too, as human beings are “of” the earth, and being made up of matter, water and Spirit, have a huge and important connection to Mother Earth, which we sometimes forget in the drama or hectic pace of our everyday lives. It is extremely important for us to take time to connect to nature – to be in tune, or at a minimum at least notice her energies, moods, seasons, changes. By being in tune with the nature that surrounds us, we can stay connected to these Earth energies, and in turn, be better in tune with our own bodies and emotions. Being able to know or sense what we need to stay healthy and happy is a valuable – dare I say crucial – skill for each of us. The world we are living in today is much different from the world of 50 or even 20 years ago. Technology has allowed us to speed things up to a lightning-fast pace, and in order to stay in touch with ourselves as much as we do others via cell phones, texting, social media and other forms of modern technology, we need to get back to our inherent basics…our intuitive nature.
When things speed up, we miss details, as our mind struggles to take in everything while being over-stimulated. By nuturing our intuition, honing our emotional feelings or “spidey senses” as I like to call them, we can be proactive in any situation, large or small. Spending time in nature, allowing ourselves to step out of the current societal “norm” of being bombarded with stimulants such as texts, social media, tv and others allows us to s l o w d o w n…to notice the small details…to come fully aware into the present moment as we observe an animal or the leaves of a tree blowing in the breeze. Being in the present moment is what meditation is all about. Being still, allowing our minds to slow down, our bodies to just breathe, to catch up from the fast-paced world we currently live in. When we are able to experience the present moment, it is there that the wisdom of our soul can speak to us, clearly, and more easily heard. It is there we connect to the divinity of the moment; of ourselves; of this earthly experience and life itself.
Meditation is a wonderful tool for silencing the mind and outside chatter and helping us slow down to honor the present moment. While we offer many different forms of meditation at ZuZu’s – through introspective books, CDs, classes, mandala coloring books – I also encourage you to get outside, go for a walk, or spend time in nature, be it the beach or the woods, as often as possible. Even just 15 minutes a day encourages the body’s natural healing abilities, lifts moods, and is enough for you to notice a positive difference after just a week or two. So now that Mother Nature is gifting us with her lovely Spring energy and weather, I urge each of you to get out there and let nature do its magic!
Sincerely
Sue Ustas
Owner, ZuZu’s Healing Arts
