How do we connect with Self?
In my article entitled Education is Connection & Relationship we explored how all learning stems from three basic areas.
Connection with Nature.Connection with Self. Connection with Others.
If Education is indeed Connection with Nature, Connection with Self, and Connection with Others, then how do we make those connections?
In this article, we’ll discover a few simple and effective ways to connect with Self.
Connecting with Self
It’s no secret that we all need time to ponder, savor, reflect, examine, and pontificate on our lives.
The myriad benefits of time spent breathing intentionally, meditating mindfully, and fully appreciating our lives by giving gratitude and thanks cannot be overstated.
I personally find that I am best when I am outdoors riding my bike through the rice fields, sitting in a river, plopped in a muddy rice field, or wandering aimlessly down a trail.
I connect with myself through Nature with meditative acts such as riding my bike while pondering on the particular intensity and shade of sunlight and shadows thrown in front of me, noticing a lizard held fast to the side of a tree just barely noticeable, or perhaps, floating on top of the shallow seagrass beds at our nearest beach.
(We’ll explore more ways to connect with Nature in a future article. For now, we’ll focus on how to connect with Self even though for me it goes hand in hand with connection with Nature!)
What all these activities have in common is that they squelch the ceaseless conversation in my mind. That voice we all have in our heads that drones on 24/7. The monkey-mind. The unwanted roommate that never stops chattering.
Yes. I have it. So do you. But it’s crucial we turn it off once in a while, lest we start believing everything we think!
Once our mind takes a rest we can truly connect with our deeper selves. The chatter in our heads goes silent. We connect with something deeper. Something sublime. Our inner-selves.
So how do we shut it off? And what if we don’t have nearby Nature to escape to every day?
Here are a few easy examples that I use to help connect with Self.
The best part is that they’re all FREE, easy to do, and can be carried with you anywhere!
Square breathing
7–11 breathing
Give thanks
Seek out the small things
Get bored!
Spend long stretches of time just wandering and wondering.
Go for long walks with no particular destination.
Unplug from devices.
Make no plans.
Let boredom creep in and you’ll be surprised at how many cool and creative ideas will slowly slip up on you!
Let me know if you try any of these techniques or activities out.
I would LOVE to hear your results and progress!
