I was in my office yesterday afternoon when I became aware of how cold I was feeling.
It was beautifully sunny outside so I thought I’d grab a cuppa and sit out for a while.
I grabbed my phone and a magazine and sat down in my favourite ‘sit spot’.
After a few minutes fully absorbed in an article, I became aware of a little ‘chucking’ sound.
I looked up and a Grey Butcherbird bobbed around the corner.
I put my magazine down and started to watch him curiously exploring our Jack and Jill seat, the front step and some plants.
Suddenly he flew up onto a bare branch of a frangipani plant right next to me.
He looked at me curiously, tipping his head from side to side.
Then he sang to me for a few moments before flying off.
As he flew away, it drew my eyes to the trees and blue sky.
It was like a sort of reminder, ‘hey look up, notice what you can see‘!
I took a deep breath and really started to take note.
What can I see?
The trees moving in the breeze, the intensely blue sky, the yellowing of the leaves on the jacaranda trees, the fine cobweb strands catching the sun, and a whispy trail of smoke from a burn-off nearby…
I started to feel the sun’s warmth on my legs, the cool air on my face, feel the chair behind my back, and the ground beneath my feet.
Then I began listening to what I could hear.
Rainbow Lorikeets flying overhead, some crows in the distance, and the breeze through the trees.
I could smell a hint of smoke from the burn-off and taste and smell the aroma from my chai tea.
It’s a very simple 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.
Five things you can see, four you can touch/feel, three you can hear, two smell, one taste.
It’s a wonderfully simple mindfulness practice – but so calming – and the beauty of it is, it can be done anywhere, at anytime.
This morning I took my coffee outside (no magazine this time) and as I looked up I could see a flock of birds.
I scooted back inside to grab the binoculars, and wow! It was a flock of about 10 pelicans.
Sometimes I think nature just finds a way to remind us to look up…
Yours mindfully
Ann 🙏