Snowdrops already ceased flowering; trees started to show their buds. Probably slower than we would have expected but spring has finally arrived. No doubt that – in different ways – life brings extra challenges for everyone in these days, which makes it crucial more than ever to find our ways to open our minds and land variety into our lives.
This is an excellent chance to have a look around and get closer to nature again.
Are you completely alone at home or in your abandoned office? It is possible to do this on your own. Are you are stuck in the house with your children, who are busy all day in front of their computers? It’s high time to get them on the move. Or, by chance you are leading a childcare bubble? Go and play with the kids! It can be that you are quarantined, frustrated, and cannot leave your house at all. That is really a bad situation. But try this activity with one of your house plants. It may help to distract you for a couple of minutes…
Take a walk in the garden or in the neighbourhood where you are allowed to go or sit close to a bigger house plant in a way that you can observe either the soil or a part of the plant. If outdoors, bring a pillow or a sit mat, a magnifier glass and an approximately 1,5 m long string for yourself and for the kids you are together with. You are going to walk to a grassy or soil covered location.
When you arrive to a place you like, everyone chooses a spot to sit. Preferably not very far from each other but in a way that each of you has his/her private sphere. Rope round a circle on your spot with you string and simply start observing the organisms that live inside your circle. Do it without talking to each other. Use the magnifier glass if you like. If not inconvenient, imagine yourself as you were a snail, an ant or a tiny shiny insect that wanders around in the grass from leaf to leaf or from petal to petal on a flower. Allow yourself to immerse.
If you are the parent, or the leader of a small group you can tell in the beginning how much time all of you have for this mindfulness activity. 4-5 minutes are usually enough for the first time. You can give a sign to the others when it is about to 30-60 seconds left.
After the activity gather around or talk about everyone’s contemplation on the way back home. Don’t force anyone to talk. It may happen that you walk home in silence without talking to each other. And that is completely right also.
Just enjoy your time! 😊
You will find further activities in our Pappus toolkit available soon or our website…