We hope you’re are all glowing from inside to out during this wonderful time of summer we are being blessed with.
It seems to be a time when nations neighbourhoods and families are coming together, whether that be to enjoy the comradery of the football, or the wonderful weather and all the opportunities that brings to get outside and have some fun together.
With all this positivity about, and so many appealing options of things to do, you may have noticed that you have less time or inclination for your normal daily spiritual practices.
Well we’re here to say, that’s perfectly ok. When it comes to your spiritual practice, summer can also be a great time to go with the flow, do what feels good, and have some fun with it.
So, we wanted to share with you a few simple tips about how to weave the spirit of summer into your spiritual practice, so that it can a special part of your summer too.
1. Get your summer groove on
Spiritual practice doesn’t have to be rigid, you don’t always have to follow a set pattern or formula. Do you feel like doing some yoga in the park, reading on the beach, dancing round your garden to your favourite feel good songs, or simply taking a gentle quiet stroll round a lake. Doing whatever feels nourishing and good for you, is also part of your spiritual practice. Awareness here is the key. Do whatever makes you feel good, but simply remember to add some intention around it, to notice what you are doing and why, and then take a few moments to feel gratitude for whatever that was and whatever it brought you. Spiritual practice for the day, tick.
It could be as simple as, today I am choosing to take a long bike ride in the forest, because seeing the sun dapple through the trees, and feeling the breeze on my skin makes me feel free and refreshed, and I notice afterwards how the niggling thoughts I had about work that day, have shifted into a fresh energy and some brand new creative thoughts about the best next action to take.
Simply by doing this, you will notice so much more of how your summer activities have nourished and enhanced your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
2. Make the most of your motivation
Summer can bring with it a fresh new sense of optimism, positivity, get up and go. So make the most of it! This is a time to try some new things. Is there a new activity you have been wanting to do, a new health plan, even trying a new water sport, or is there a new more nurturing daily routine you have been meaning to get going with? Do it now! Just like we have all been yelling at our screens at the England team – take the shot now! You don’t want to get to the end of your 90 minutes of summer and feel like you let your chances slip the net. Now is the time make a start on putting into action all of those things on your vision for your life and your wellbeing. All the things that you just didn’t have the opportunity or energy to start when the nights were long and dark and the weekends were dull and grey. Don’t waste time with judgement as to what you have or haven’t yet done, just enjoy the moments you have now and make the most of them. You can also see this as setting yourself up with the best foundation to carry on your new found hobbies, or spiritual practices when the nights start drawing in again.
3. Be easy breezy with your practices
Summer is all about enjoying yourself, and that goes for your spiritual practice too. But we can still find ourselves getting triggered, or stuck in our thoughts, as normal life does still go on and have a habit of sneaking up and spoiling our sense of inner ease. So it is important to still maintain a regular spiritual practice as it will help you to have something in place to shift back into your summer groove as quickly as possible. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a big exercise, or take away from enjoying your summer days. Choose a practice that is easy for you to practice at any time, like gratitude. Let’s face it, it’s not that difficult at this time of year to find things to be grateful for. Washing that dries outdoors in a matter of hours and smells fresh for days, playing in the freshly cut grass in the park with your family, a chirpy smile from someone in the grocery store. The opportunities to feel grateful are so abundant, all you have to do is take a few moments each day to really notice and acknowledge them. A few minutes journaling this in the garden in the evening can be a great way to enjoy this practice, and really turn up the temperature on your awareness and enjoyment of this wonderful time of year.
To support this practice, we would also like to share with you a beautiful meditation on gratitude from the teachers at O&O Academy, which you can also practice and enjoy any time anywhere.