Essential Guide to the Light
By Carol Grimes
Whether you are experiencing the darkness of the season, seeing darkness in the world at large, or feeling darkness in your life or in your mind, here are some ways to keep the light alive in dark times:
1. Observe Light
Observing light is both fun and calming. Try it next time you go for a walk, or need a quiet break from work. Take note of the light in the room around you. What is the quality of light on the floors, walls, ceiling, furniture? How about the light that is coming from lamps or open windows?
Go outside or look out a window. What is the light like in the sky and on the clouds? What patterns do you observe on trees and leaves? What shadows and light do you observe on the ground? Is the wind blowing and moving light around?
The observation of light is a powerful practice in mindfulness that will help to stabilize the mind, center you in the present moment, and bring your focus to something positive and beautiful.
2. Breathe & Slow Down
When life is feeling intense, fully focus on taking 3 breaths to give yourself a moment of pause and relief. Creating gaps in your thinking with a breath or two is beneficial for the brain, and research shows that people with less busy minds live longer.
Imagine you are breathing in through all the pores of your skin, especially when you are outside and can benefit from the clean oxygen from trees or plants. This also helps to increase prana or life force, which gives energy and a sense of connection.
3. Smile More
We hold a tremendous amount of tension in the muscles of our face, most of the time unknowingly. Not only does smiling help us to relax -- try smiling with the lips, eyes, and forehead to get maximum release of facial muscles -- but it sends neural signals to the brain that benefit your health and happiness, including the release of feel good neurotransmitters like dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Smiling is also good for your heart and blood pressure.
Next time you are feeling grumpy, try smiling with your face for 5-20 minutes, and set a timer to see if it makes a difference in your mood. Even the tiniest smile will help.
4. Your Environment Matters
Heading outdoors for exposure to the natural daylight can help reduce the effects of seasonal or mood disorders, and the visual aspects of nature can have a powerful soothing effect on the mind and reduce negative thinking, stress, and depression.
Make your home environment light and festive as well to help lift your spirits. On darker days, decorate with twinkly or fairy lights, turn on lamps in dark corners, and open curtains wide. Give your home a fresh feeling by bringing nature indoors and displaying flowers or beautiful branches to liven up your space.
5. Cultivate Kindness
Research shows that loving-kindness meditation/practice generates all sorts of benefits, including increased goodwill, kindness and warmth toward self and others, heightened compassion, kindness and empathy, and improvement of positive emotions, feelings of social connectivity, and overall well-being.
The traditional phrases are: May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I be peaceful, May I be at ease. You can get creative with your phrases, as long as they are a genuine wish of kindness and happiness towards yourself or others.
6. Practice Gentle Movement & Yoga
With a slower, more mindful, more gentle/therapeutic yoga practice, tension and stress is more effectively released from the body, which also has a profound effect on releasing stress and tension from the mind. Cranky joints and tight muscles will thank you for the opportunity to cultivate increased blood flow and circulation and will make your body feel warm and happy, and send positive signals to lighten your mind.
Ever noticed how your mind and heart feel so much better after a yoga class? That's because yoga truly is one of the best mind/body practices that exists, providing a unique experience to be fully present with heart and soul at the same time that you are nourishing body and mind.
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