Nature/Gratitude

Has one ever looked at a knot in the face of a tree and thought, "That shouldn't be there. It's not very attractive."?

Has one ever scorned a cat for having one white whisker, or a ladybug for having uneven spots?

Do we think less of our family pets when they are ungroomed, or more of them for how much we paid for them?

Then, why do we look at an odd freckle on our faces, or one gray hair, or our messy bedheads, or our expensive/inexpensive clothes, and use them to judge who we are?

Are we not nature? Is the freckle on my arm any different from a knot in a tree? Are the wrinkles around our eyes any different from a tree's gnarled limbs? Is a balding head any different from a molting bird, or leaves in fall?

We are a part of life. We are born, grow, age, wrinkle, get sick, reproduce, and we die. Why do we run from the very nature of our lives?

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I recommend the practice of gratitude. I say "practice" in that it is an ongoing, ritualistic, essential method of recognizing and appreciating the life that we have. 

I have kept a small, plain black journal within my sight everyday for the past few months. When a feeling of gratitude strikes me, I write it down. I make an effort to examine every aspect as to why I am grateful for its presence in my life. I have written excerpts to my family, my freedom, the people in my life, my job, and most importantly, to myself.

When you open yourself up to acknowledging the great occurrences within your life, and when you pinpoint as to why you are the most crucial element of your life, your life begins to relax. Every time I write an entry, I feel enlightened, almost joyful, ecstatic. I know my own worth. I live in the moment, and I understand the value of the life that I have now. Negativity is watered down with every positive comprehension.  

It is a component to mindfulness, bringing yourself back to the present. And when one begins to live in the present, you no longer need to look behind yourself, and you cease those guilty peeks into the future. 

All that matters is now.  

Ohm.

For the past several months, I had been struggling to understand why certain things were happening to me. Physically, mentally, emotionally, and in my general life events. My mind constantly ran in circles over issues that had taken place weeks, even months prior. In all simplicity, I couldn't stop thinking. I worried about others' opinions and perceptions of me. I never felt that I could deny something simply for the reason that I didn't want it. I made excuses and blamed others for occurrences that were out of their control.

I'm sure most of us have felt this way at some point. And it's become normal to question everything; normal to pursue perfection in all it's fictive forms; normal to dull our senses.

Ever since my mother introduced me to Buddhism, I've done less thinking and more acting. Less questioning and more accepting. I am not, in any way, trying to push my lifestyle on you, but I would like to share with my readers how the practice of mindfulness has helped me with anxiety and depression.

I encourage those suffering with depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and an overactive mind to consider yoga, meditation, and Buddhist practices.

Yoga helps me center myself, and runs hand-in-hand with my Buddhist practices. As I drift into pigeon pose each morning, I ease into a meditative state, keeping pace with each of my breaths. The poses are less challenging everyday, and I recognize my body becoming lengthened, balanced, and toned. Yoga takes patience, persistence, and you have to want it's help. If yoga bores you, then you are not in the right mindset.

For those unfamiliar with Buddhism, it does not maintain the literal definition of religion. Buddhist practices follow no deity. The Buddha was not a god, but more a teacher. Upon reaching enlightenment, the man known as The Buddha vowed to bring his discoveries to the population. In reality, the word "Buddha" means "an enlightened one". Therefore, any one of us can become a Buddha. The practice is about accepting and seeing reality as is, and is customizable to each individual's preferences based on what works.

Meditation comes with numerous benefits, and is fast becoming a popular method for healing and steadying the mind and body. In a society that encourages the dulling of the senses, and in a public that is constantly throwing information in your face, meditation beings you back to yourself, and, if you allow it, back to nature.

From yoga's Savasana, to Buddhism's duhkha, to samu meditation, each exercise is formulated toward the outcome of mindfulness and healing. We must realize that our bodies are nature. Whether we believe it or accept it, we are bodies grown from nature. We will age, get sick, lose hair, our teeth will rot, our bones will weaken, and someday, we will die. It is the nature of life, and it is Reality. We are interminably running away from our natural lives, where death, age, and illness are scorned. When one takes the time to focus on the world around them, and when one becomes aware, we are accepting the world as is, and life becomes more precious. Worries and trivialities become useless, and we heal.

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I've been frequenting mindbodygreen.com as a guide and motivator. I fiercely recommend giving it a try. It offers articles and videos written and directed by teachers, doctors, fitness and health enthusiasts, psychologists, and spiritual guides, offering advice on the mind, body, and reconnecting with green, natural remedies.