Too many sensory details and feelings to share here in a comment, but by deliberately paying attention I feel like a child again. And that is an amazing feeling -- to be astonished with every little thing around you. I saw the other day for the first time in my life (and I am 46) a crocus flower. A single tiny flower in a hill slope that is still vibrant in my mind's eye. Oh, the joy!
Thank YOU, Fotini! I can’t tell you how much joy your comment’s given me. It’s even better than the sunshine outside my window. I’ll be floating around the garden today, pulling weeds and thinking about your crocus flower. xx
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to putting it into practice - and giving me more 'justification' for getting away from my desk sometimes! Since I started a gratitude/glimmer practice just over a year ago, I fully started noticing the small joys in everyday life, and I can honestly say it's changed my life profoundly as I seem to experience life much more fully these days and joy is something I can feel in my whole body, and dare I say it, in my soul - not just in my mind. I don't know if that makes sense, but this mindfulness and noticing each and every small thing in daily life just makes everything full-bodied and kind of 3D, it's visceral and very much felt inside me, not just superficially or fleeting. It's been a real awakening for me, and I LOVE learning about how our brains work, so looking forward to your thoughts around recalling/rewriting memory too!
Do let me know how you get on with the exercise when you do it, Cat. And yes! I started keeping an (intermittent) diary of small happenings each day a couple of ears ago—a record of just one good thing—as a kind of gratitude practice. When I do it consistently, it really helps with the brain fog that comes with this “time of life”. It stops my days from merging into one fog bank.
I tried to do it here on Substack but that kind of fell by the wayside. I think I’d like to re-start it though.
Yeah it is a lovely practise, I'm almost at the end of my little book that I've been writing my daily things in, and I might not start a new one straight away as I feel like I've really integrated the practise of noting the moments as they happen (and I write a small, 5 year, diary every night anyway), but it definitely was a big game changer for me - I really notice the moments when they happen and feel they 'sink in' better than prior to having that practise. I would love to see your moments too if you decide to share them again, whether regular or sporadic, it's just a lovely thing to share and a reminder to look and notice :) x
This was lovely and so inspiring, Miranda. And, like Susie, I can tell the work and intention you put into it. I was actually doing some late-season weeding while I listened, and that was the perfect activity for the exercise - so many sensory experiences to notice! It was also telling that once your audio ended, I didn’t jump right into listening to something else (which is my usual impulse). I was very content to be in the silence. I felt more peaceful than I have in days. So - thanks for that! 💜
Aaah, you've made my day, Jamie! What a lovely comment. I'm thrilled that you were able to stay in that space at the end of the audio. If you'd like to share anything that emerged during your weeding, I'll post a thread in the Subscriber Chat to get things started. xx
I can see - and feel - the work you have put into this Miranda, it is a gorgeous and illuminating read every part of which resonates loudly! I say that every time you publish a post - I know - lets call it a kindred Gemini spirit thing!
You couldn't have timed this better either... yesterday morning was a beautiful - actually, 'beautiful' feels like a lame word to use because it was so much more than that, lets call it a sublimely magical, breathtaking morning instead... I returned feeling high as a kite, my husband even said to me, 'I want some of what you're on!' I always feel elated after a walk but yesterday was one I will never forget, despite having walked those same steps a thousand times before. Everything, the air, the colours, the sounds... all were as if I'd stepped into a paradisiacal garden of Eden and just to highlight the whole effect, Mother N sent a fog bow which I have never ever been lucky enough to see before! I will DM you the photos, sadly only phone pics because I didn't have the right lens on my camera but still... I swooned!
Thank you, Susie! I really appreciate that. Kindred spirits for sure. I see how much you put into your posts as well. Every one is magical—like your photos. Thank you so much for sharing the fog bow photos. They are stunning!
I wish Substack allowed readers to add photos to comments because I’d love to share them here. Maybe, if you find the audio for this exercise useful at all, you’d like to share the results of your sensory walk in the Subscriber Chat and I can share them in my own sensory walk post in a couple of weeks time?
I did try earlier Miranda but for some reason there was no button for sharing a photo… where as there was in your personal chat… I’ll try again on my Mac later xxx
I don't think Substack allows photos in comments. I'm going to start a thread in the Subscriber Chat - we can share photos there. I'll tag you when I post it so you can find it easily. xx
I haven't done this yet but will incorporate when the weather is a little more cooperative. Beautiful ideas of adding more sensory experience to walking.
Too many sensory details and feelings to share here in a comment, but by deliberately paying attention I feel like a child again. And that is an amazing feeling -- to be astonished with every little thing around you. I saw the other day for the first time in my life (and I am 46) a crocus flower. A single tiny flower in a hill slope that is still vibrant in my mind's eye. Oh, the joy!
Thank you, Miranda!!!
Thank YOU, Fotini! I can’t tell you how much joy your comment’s given me. It’s even better than the sunshine outside my window. I’ll be floating around the garden today, pulling weeds and thinking about your crocus flower. xx
Weeds, flowers, soil and sunshine -- a perfect Sunday! Enjoy your day, Miranda :)
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to putting it into practice - and giving me more 'justification' for getting away from my desk sometimes! Since I started a gratitude/glimmer practice just over a year ago, I fully started noticing the small joys in everyday life, and I can honestly say it's changed my life profoundly as I seem to experience life much more fully these days and joy is something I can feel in my whole body, and dare I say it, in my soul - not just in my mind. I don't know if that makes sense, but this mindfulness and noticing each and every small thing in daily life just makes everything full-bodied and kind of 3D, it's visceral and very much felt inside me, not just superficially or fleeting. It's been a real awakening for me, and I LOVE learning about how our brains work, so looking forward to your thoughts around recalling/rewriting memory too!
Do let me know how you get on with the exercise when you do it, Cat. And yes! I started keeping an (intermittent) diary of small happenings each day a couple of ears ago—a record of just one good thing—as a kind of gratitude practice. When I do it consistently, it really helps with the brain fog that comes with this “time of life”. It stops my days from merging into one fog bank.
I tried to do it here on Substack but that kind of fell by the wayside. I think I’d like to re-start it though.
Yeah it is a lovely practise, I'm almost at the end of my little book that I've been writing my daily things in, and I might not start a new one straight away as I feel like I've really integrated the practise of noting the moments as they happen (and I write a small, 5 year, diary every night anyway), but it definitely was a big game changer for me - I really notice the moments when they happen and feel they 'sink in' better than prior to having that practise. I would love to see your moments too if you decide to share them again, whether regular or sporadic, it's just a lovely thing to share and a reminder to look and notice :) x
This was lovely and so inspiring, Miranda. And, like Susie, I can tell the work and intention you put into it. I was actually doing some late-season weeding while I listened, and that was the perfect activity for the exercise - so many sensory experiences to notice! It was also telling that once your audio ended, I didn’t jump right into listening to something else (which is my usual impulse). I was very content to be in the silence. I felt more peaceful than I have in days. So - thanks for that! 💜
Aaah, you've made my day, Jamie! What a lovely comment. I'm thrilled that you were able to stay in that space at the end of the audio. If you'd like to share anything that emerged during your weeding, I'll post a thread in the Subscriber Chat to get things started. xx
I can see - and feel - the work you have put into this Miranda, it is a gorgeous and illuminating read every part of which resonates loudly! I say that every time you publish a post - I know - lets call it a kindred Gemini spirit thing!
You couldn't have timed this better either... yesterday morning was a beautiful - actually, 'beautiful' feels like a lame word to use because it was so much more than that, lets call it a sublimely magical, breathtaking morning instead... I returned feeling high as a kite, my husband even said to me, 'I want some of what you're on!' I always feel elated after a walk but yesterday was one I will never forget, despite having walked those same steps a thousand times before. Everything, the air, the colours, the sounds... all were as if I'd stepped into a paradisiacal garden of Eden and just to highlight the whole effect, Mother N sent a fog bow which I have never ever been lucky enough to see before! I will DM you the photos, sadly only phone pics because I didn't have the right lens on my camera but still... I swooned!
The entire morning will never be forgotten!
xx
Thank you, Susie! I really appreciate that. Kindred spirits for sure. I see how much you put into your posts as well. Every one is magical—like your photos. Thank you so much for sharing the fog bow photos. They are stunning!
I wish Substack allowed readers to add photos to comments because I’d love to share them here. Maybe, if you find the audio for this exercise useful at all, you’d like to share the results of your sensory walk in the Subscriber Chat and I can share them in my own sensory walk post in a couple of weeks time?
I did try earlier Miranda but for some reason there was no button for sharing a photo… where as there was in your personal chat… I’ll try again on my Mac later xxx
I don't think Substack allows photos in comments. I'm going to start a thread in the Subscriber Chat - we can share photos there. I'll tag you when I post it so you can find it easily. xx
I haven't done this yet but will incorporate when the weather is a little more cooperative. Beautiful ideas of adding more sensory experience to walking.