Attuned

Hints of Gladness - February 13, 2023

Video Meditation...

Take a moment and relax and meditate as you watch and listen to this video.

Be still.

Relax your shoulders.

Relax the area around your chest.

Breathe easily and be conscious of your breath.

Peace.

Hints of Gladness, February 12, 2023

In Bellingham, WA…

The ash-grey color of the cottonwood tree

The Birdsong greets me as soon as I step out the door.

The gentle sounds of a babbling brook.

A large eagle takes flight as I approach the trail

The smell of a cedar hedge

A hummingbird flies in front of me. It stays in one place like it's suspended in the air for several seconds as its wings flap at 53 beats per second and then flies away.

Trail greetings. I love it when people greet you on the trail like a fellow traveler. 

I love this Bellingham trail system that runs through East Bellingham.

It used to be a railway track. 

It's been transformed, into miles of suburban gravel paths. 

People are out here all day long walking, jogging, and riding bikes. 

So healthy!

Hints of Gladness - February 13, 2023

In Port Moody…

The beautiful maple, just outside my apartment whose leaves are starting to appear. The leaves are yellow, and when the light shines through them they’re like tiny yellow lights themselves.

The beads of water hang off the branches of the tree that I often spend time with that’s right across the street from where I live. 

I have a strong sense of "I am." 

Have I mentioned that before? 

Spending time with the trees only intensifies this feeling. 

To me that’s the vibe trees give off is that they just are. 

And when I choose to connect with that vibe, it centers me.

The amount of Birdsong is starting to increase out here and that gives me a lot of joy!

We’ve got buds on the trees! Spring is approaching!

Two seals surface and flap their fins. Something a little bit out of the ordinary. So playful. So fun!

Attunement. Definition - To bring into harmony. 

A person that lives from their heart is attuned to what their heart wants. 

Contrast that with attainment. 

Attainment is more extrinsic, isn’t it? More driven. A different kind of energy.

How do we discover what the heart wants? 

One way is to pay attention to hints of gladness! What brings you joy?

There are so many rules to follow!

If rule-keeping, being the good soldier, perfectionism, and people-pleasing are getting you down, pause a moment and get in touch with what your heart wants.

Go outside and get in touch with the wild heart of Mother Nature.