We often hear the phrase “be present” in yoga classes. Sometimes this can be easier said than done whether we're referring to a yoga pose or to life off the mat. As we round out August (a.k.a. MY’s one-year anniversary month!), it can be a challenge not to turn our focus to the approaching fall. We’re already being poked, or pummeled, by seasonal marketing, from “Back-to-School” commercials to autumn displays in retail stores (eek, it cannot be Halloween already?!?). So you might be feeling a wee bit pressured to put an end to vacation mode, store the flip flops and floaties and prep for September’s work mode. If you’re nodding your head as you read this, take a deep breath and exhale. It is still early August. There is still time to enjoy this lovely summer!
You can encourage that “be present” attitude through daily self-care practices. When life becomes hectic, MY's Zainab Zakari enjoys silent walking meditations to help ease rising tension. “As a freelance writer and instructor, my brain can sometimes feel like it’s on a 24/7 work schedule,” she says. “I’ve learned that when I take breaks and walk outside, I’m much calmer. The time I spend away from my computer and my phone, pulls me out of a place filled with deadlines and never-ending to-do lists, and reminds me to simply appreciate the world around me.”
Walking meditations can be a practice in syncing the breath with each footstep or bringing awareness to each mindfully placed step. The aim is to ease the mind into a more peaceful state. If you’re new to this kind of meditation, Zainab recommends trying to remain silent for 15 to 20 minutes to start or longer if you’re so inclined. Observe the life around you, from the trees and the animals to the breeze and your breath. Without the distraction of speech, you can observe and enjoy moments that might have been ignored otherwise. Such as this picture of a sunset and birdhouse, which Zainab shot on a walk along Seneca Lake. Happy summer!
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