How grateful I am to be going slow in the Blue Mountains. My dear yoga friend Shakti and I are staying in a log cabin just out of Blackheath. It is a lovely opportunity to slow down after completing another six-day yoga therapy module in Canberra and before going to Sydney for the 50th IYTA (International Yoga Teachers’ Association) conference later this week.
Another opportunity to slow down and get up when my body says it feels like getting up, no alarm clocks! I have the time to do some yoga practice before enjoying breakfast. For the past two mornings I’ve been coming into the reception area and enjoying this amazing fire, check out the photo, as I can sit in here where there is WiFi connection and connect with you all whilst enjoying herb tea and lovely music, looking out on the natural bush land.
Yesterday morning at 8.30am was bird feeding time. Rosellas and king parrots come and eat out of your hand, beautiful birds enjoying their natural habitat. It was amazing to see how efficiently they crack open the seed and eat the inside, discarding the husks in a second.
After our morning admin tasks are complete, Shakti and I set off to find a place for lunch and exploring. Yesterday we enjoyed the delights of Loura, a beautiful mountain town with stunning gardens, intriguing shops and delicious food. We also fitted in some pampering as I was fortunate to walk into a massage therapy business and get a divine 90-minute hot stone massage. I am now all set for some more bush walking experiences in this beautiful part of our amazing country.
The mountain country allows me to go deeper into one of the three keys of slow living: presence. Yesterday, as I stood and looked out over the mountains, I experienced a sense of deep presence as I connected with the ancientness of this area, hundreds of millions of years old. There is a stillness and quietness in connecting into the depths of the land. As the sun set and I absorbed the yellow, orange and magenta tones, my whole being was here, every cell resonating with the vibration of presence as I breathed in and out, right in the moment.
How present are you right now? Can you find a place in nature today and connect into the earth, feel every breath and let nature into your cells? Feel free to share your experience in this space.
Till next week
Namaste
After reading your post I feel so much more present.
I to and feeling peaceful and present. I am at the farm, listening to the birds. Waiting for their little one to fly. Had friends stay, listening to their many interesting stories. I feel grateful and blessed.
Looking forward to yoga starting again. Love Marilyn😘💖😊