Recently I purchased a Zero gravity chair for my patio to lie in and simply do nothing and relax. The sun is warm and the aroma of this spring’s resplendent roses waft over me.
I am just thrilled with my chair. It is so ingrained in our culture these days, the importance of periodically checking out from everything and just residing in the peace and the silence of the present moment. And, before I received my first hearing aid at age four, I spent much time in this place of stillness and presence. But then I grew up, and like so many of us, I lost much of that early connection with stillness, until I started meditating in my thirties.
But even with my meditation practice, my life is so busy these days that I forget the power of just letting it all go for a little while. During this “time-out” in my chair I release my to do list and my thinking mind that is caught up in concerns for the future and ruminations of the past. I simply lie there and turn inward. In this place I can forget my many worries, my marketing plans for my memoir, my ideas for new paintings and contact the greater spacious awareness that holds it all. When I get in touch with this place it trains a “letting go” muscle, that only gets stronger with practice and puts everything in perspective. This is not easy for me, for I have been a lifetime “doer” and I have so much going on these days, more than ever it seems. But this relaxation and self-care feeds my body and soul. It is a beginning. Share your experience in the comments of how you take time for yourself. For those who are interested, here is the link to the chair!
I love it whenever people come together and share opinions.
Great site, keep it up!