Recognizing & appreciating our oneness with Nature
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Eeva at Wanders the World.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Dan at Danventure Travels.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Jane at Jane Lurie Photography.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Tina at Travels and Trifles.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Pam at I Choose This.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate D.S. Chauhan at Travel and Share.
A big thank you to my friend Jyothi at Travel Explore Enjoy for nominating me for the 10 Day Travel Challenge!
The rules of the challenge are very simple. Post a favorite photo from your travels without explanation for each of 10 days, and nominate & notify 10 other bloggers to participate. Be sure to link back to the person who nominated you!
Today, I nominate Kelly at Compass and Camera.
This was my fifth ever blog post, written in April of this year. For Christmas, I have dusted it off and polished it up for reposting. Have a wonderful holiday.
It’s amazing how drastically things can change in a short period of time. When this year began, we lived a “normal” existence, but, as you know, since the inception of covid, life has been anything but normal. With the many reports we hear of death, disease, job loss, and an expectation of this trajectory to continue, the idea of gratitude might not be hitting a lot of folks’ radar. In the frighteningly grim existence that we now find ourselves, should we be giving thanks, as the Bible verse suggests?
Before the world changed, I went for a hike on a beautiful trail in northern Arizona. The sun was warm, the trees majestic, and the giant boulders seemed contemplative. The longer I hiked, the more profound my thoughts became, until finally, I arrived at a deep sense of gratitude. I found myself expressing love and appreciation for every tree and boulder I touched. This went on for a while until my heart seemed to overflow, and an intense feeling of tenderness engulfed me. Have you ever been overwhelmed with joy by a simple experience?
“. . . One who forgets the language of gratitude can never be on speaking terms with happiness.” ~John Robbins
According to a very long list of studies done on gratitude compiled by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine, the expression of gratitude has many benefits. These studies show that an individual expressing gratitude can benefit from lower blood pressure, better cholesterol levels, feeling more socially connected, experiencing less anger & anxiety, and better sleep. Bonus: some studies show that more gratitude also results in less materialism. Have you experienced benefits from expressing gratitude?
In the documentary What the Bleep Do We Know?, you may recall the water experiments done by Dr. Emoto and his team. Water from a single source was encapsulated in different vessels & “given” messages. The water that received messages of hate & other negativity resulted in crystals that were ugly, but those exposed to messages of love and gratitude were absolutely beautiful. That result causes me to consider how water in our cells must respond to expressions of appreciation from both ourselves and others.
“Everything in life is vibration.” ~Albert Einstein
You may have heard the idea that whatever you focus on increases. According to cell biologist Bruce Lipton, PhD, author of Biology of Belief, “Quantum physics acknowledges that the observer is a participant in the creation of (her/his) world.” Worrying or focusing on negativity reduces our personal vibration, which then infuses our creations with low vibes, resulting in unhappiness and unhealthy experiences. Researchers at the HeartMath Institute have proven that the regular practice of expressing sincere gratitude raises our personal vibration. Which then is followed by the desired outcome of higher vibrational creations and experiences.
Although it can be tough to switch into gratitude mode right now, maybe the verse “In all things give thanks” was given not as a religious edict, but as a practical way to bring light and hope into dark and difficult times. Express gratitude for the personal benefits. For your family. For your community. For the good vibes you can bring into our suffering reality. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world.”
Blessings for Gratitude,
Lisa
The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.
Happy holidays! I hope the season is one in which you find great delight, even with our current covid limitations. It can be an exhilarating time of year, with colorful decorations, extra-special meals and treats, and fun gatherings with loved ones. And gifts, of course!
Gift-giving has been a popular custom for hundreds of years. Initially, small gifts to help the poor were given at this time of year across many religious traditions. Unfortunately, this compassionate practice that epitomized holiday spirit has been all but lost; somehow, receiving gifts has become more important than giving. It is my prayer that this perception is changing as a result of the plight of those who have lost their jobs or homes due to covid. (Approximately 4 million Americans have been out of work for at least 6 months.) The winter holidays are a perfect opportunity to share the love in our hearts with everyone we know. By tapping into Nature’s abundance, we can give extraordinary, heartfelt gifts to those in need as well as friends and family without breaking the bank.
Experiences, in my opinion, are so much better than things in most cases. Give the gift of fun! Take a long, scenic drive together, an epic hike, a trip to the local arboretum or state park, take a picnic lunch and go fishing at a nearby lake, visit a butterfly garden, or create an itinerary for a post-covid trip! Camera and binoculars in hand, this might just be the holiday gift that never stops giving.
Home-cooked meals and baked goods make lovely gifts. Although I was expecting the opposite due to the pandemic, fewer and fewer folks seem to be preparing their own meals. Home-cooked dishes are superior in quality and taste to frozen, pre-made, and oftentimes, restaurant food. One of the delights of the holiday season (in normal times) is going home for a meal made by Mom or Grandma, right? I’ll bet you know someone who seldom – or never – eats a home-cooked meal. What could be a better gift for them than a prepared-from-scratch soup with some freshly baked bread?
Another beautiful food gift is a home-assembled fruit basket. Dress up a reusable basket with ribbon, glitter, paint, or whatever you have, and fill with your choice of oranges, pears, apples, wine or mineral water, small bags of nuts, cookies, or good-quality chocolate. Wrap it all up in cellophane (or don’t!) and remember to include a card!
Nature photo gifts are a winner, as well. Create a calendar, make some greeting cards, or put together a small photo album or scrapbook of a natural area your loved one wants to visit. Collect actual photos and cut-outs from online sources and magazines, including the articles, and add quotes and colored stencils to jazz it up! A great way of communicating heart-to-heart without speaking a word.
Finally, the best-smelling gift: a chai simmer pot kit! Gather the aromatic ingredients for chai, add a beautiful, fat orange and some fresh cranberries for color, print out the recipe (or write on a small card), and tie it all up in a clear bag with a festive bow. The tea tastes marvelous, and the kitchen will smell like the holidays after it brews!
Homemade gifts are often appreciated beyond measure. Pouring your love into something for the benefit of another is what giving is all about. This holiday season, show your heart to your neighbors in need, friends, and family with simple gifts of Nature that communicate the true reason for the season.
Holiday Blessings,
Lisa
The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.
Oh how we’re missing our annual winter trip to the beach. Cool, early morning walks in the surf. Breakfast and lunch on the balcony surrounded by palm trees overlooking green water. The moon and clouds playing hide-and-seek late at night, a brilliant shine reflecting intermittently on the sea. We always look forward to the trip, as it’s a balmy, breezy respite from our regularly scheduled winter. It also helps clear our heads, recharge our biological batteries, and reset our perspectives on life.
This year, thanks to covid, we are visiting the beach via our imagination, and we’re happy to have you join us. Studies show that actions we imagine can seem real to our minds, “tricking” the brain into providing us benefits as if we were performing those actions. Many athletes utilize this technique, called visualization, to attain their specific goals.
Ok, ready? Got your beach bag? We close our eyes, breathe slowly & deeply, and . . . smell the sea . . . picture clumps of seaweed in the gently lapping surf . . . notice the wet sand between our toes . . . feel the sun and wind on our skin . . . hear the forlorn cries of seabirds . . . and taste the salt on our lips. Be sure to wear your lip balm!
Let’s take a walk along the water’s edge and soak up the recurrent, grounding sound of the waves. According to an article from the University of New Hampshire, Is Being at the Beach Good for Your Health?, the beach can relieve stress fast. The heat of the sun, the sound of the waves, and your feet in the sand, the article says, are the reasons for this happy result.
While we’re absorbing the sun’s heat, (making sure we don’t overdo it) we are improving our health: increasing Vitamin D levels, helping prevent autoimmune disorders, and reducing our risk of certain cancers, according to Environmental Health Perspectives’ article Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health. Maybe we were designed to enjoy the feel of the sun on our skin for these reasons.
Enjoying the ocean air? Breathing the air at the beach can enhance overall health by diversifying the microbes in our guts, says Dr. Zach Bush, one of the few triple-board certified physicians in the US. The microbiome of most Americans, due to the standard American diet & overconsumption of antibiotics, includes a very small percentage of the 20,000 – 40,000 species of bacteria that constitute a heathy gut. Breathing in diverse environments can help in a big way.
Has your heart rate increased? We’re burning extra calories! Walking in the sand requires more energy than walking on, say, a sidewalk. If you’ve walked or jogged in the sand before, you know it’s a great workout. And if we’re going to indulge in those yummy vacation sweet treats and cocktails later, burning extra calories is a must!
Are you beginning to feel more of a connection with Nature? Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and author of Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do, says, While in the restful, contemplative state associated with observing or interacting with water, it’s also common to experience feelings of awe. Awe, he continues, increases our sense of connection with all that is.
Have you worked up an appetite? Ok, ok, we’ll go for lunch! I’m famished too! There’s a great little open-air Mediterranean cafe within walking distance . . .
Some day soon, we’ll resume our physical visits to the beach. But for now, our imaginations take charge, engaging our senses and prompting an array of health benefits. Thanks for joining us! We hope you had fun & feel rejuvenated!
Beach Blessings,
Lisa
The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.
Micro of the Macro 