Finding Beauty

In this hyper-stimulated, Type A, overachieving world, do you make time to find beauty?

I noticed while living in New Mexico that many people from there didn’t look up at the sky. I was always running outside snapping photos of sunsets, sunrises, and rainbows; gasping and saying, “Oh my god, oh my god,” with my dog standing next to me in the yard.

Living there brought me back to noticing beauty. I started speaking to plants, trees, stones, and animals. I was in awe almost every day.

I want to make some suggestions on how to bring beauty back into your life. You can do it even in a busy city. I would say it can become a practice for you. Stop, unplug for three minutes, and work your way up to 15 or more.

Close your eyes, take a breath, feel it in your body.
Listen, just listen. Notice the sounds you hear.

Today I hear many sounds but the sound of beauty is in the sound of rain that I hear.

Stay with the sound that you hear. Let it fill your stomach, your lungs.

Relax your jaw, your lips, your mouth. You may find yourself smiling slightly. Take time to look out the window. I see raindrops on the maple leaves sparkling in the muted light.

I notice I am smiling slightly, my body is relaxing.

If you see buildings, notice what the light is like on them. Can you see the sky? What are the clouds like?

Taking time to see beauty in everyday things can improve your health and wellbeing. Beauty may simply be the smell of something good to drink or eat. It could be a bird lighting on a ledge, the shape of a cloud. It could be music you hear, or the lilt of an Irish voice.

Do this several times a day. Break set, find your flow again.

Beauty will enrich your life and in turn enrich the lives around you. Take time, because without beauty, it may be just work for the most part, or worry or going from point A to point B. It could be crossing the things off your list.

So take a few moments here and there to refresh yourself, by noticing beauty. Immerse yourself in colors and textures, sounds and views.

Find the beauty out there, and you will also find the beauty in you.

Namaste.

Navya La Shay
8/21/15
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