Focus: concentration of attention
There are times when I catch myself being ultra-focussed – in an all too serious way. Business like, no room for fun or spontaneity. Part personality, part learned through my working life, I must remember to let this go. To soften, to surprise myself with fun. Go there…
Today was a beautiful day here. Instead of nose to grindstone, I took myself out for a walk. Down to the harbour, sun was out, it was warm. I used my new phone to take a picture so I could show you what a walk of 6 blocks can give me for a vista. Do you think I can figure out how to upload it from the phone? Nope…so, close your eyes and visualize: sunny day, about 11C (53F???), no wind. I walk six city blocks west to the harbour. Sun and warmth are captured by the buildings in the downtown. Ahhh. Once at the foot of my street, I lean on a railing and look out. I can see boats moored at the dock, sail and pleasure craft. The harbour here is closed in, so I can see ocean, but not the open sea; it is around the corner to the left. The buildings on the shore are fairly low-rise. It kind of reminds me of Europe. Sky is blue, with puffy white clouds. People are smiling. Kayakers are out on the water.
I had to get out today. Outside is important to me, and yet I don’t take the opportunity to go out as much as I would like -NO – need. Contact with nature is vital to living a vibrant life. Sometimes I get stuck in narrow focus: work, yoga, yoga, work. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy (and me a dull girl).
It is as good to expand on the outside, as it is on the inside through the yoga. For me it needs to be hand-in-hand…a broadening, an opening, encompassing. The more I focus on the inside – looking and listening for that internal guidance – the more I can be fresh, open, willing on the outside.
Letting in the light.
(Yes, I did go to yoga today too.)
~~SILVER LYNX~SILVER LINKS~~ 
I must definitely agree. We need to keep in touch with nature on a regular basis.
Have you ever taken a presence walk? It’s where, while you walk, you challenge yourself to keep all your attention on the present moment, surroundings, etc, instead of letting thoughts of the day, past, and future run through your head. It’s pretty awesome, makes you see and hear things so much more vividly than you ever did. I like to think of it as a form of meditation.
Haven’t tried that yet – but it sounds interesting. And most certainly a form of meditation. Any thing that can bring you into the present is meditation in my book.
I have tried a walk where you look for a particular colour – say “red” – and then when you get home you write about red and what you saw. (It was a writing exercise, but I don’t remember where I got it from).
hhmmm funny that you needed to be outside today…I too didn’t want to be cooped up. After getting my arse handed to me at yoga today I ended up driving around Green Valley for like an hour since I was already out there. I would have rather been walking by the ocean like you, but I made do! 🙂
I am a HUGE fan of walking around outside for no reason. I do it as often as I can. Sometimes it’s the only way I can really hear myself think, ya know? I do my best thinking when I’m moving.
I can see the nice picture in front of me. I am so longing for the spring, we have -10 C today and the harbor is frozen, but the sun is out!
I live in Victoria too! It was a gorgeous day! For me it was yoga in the morning and then a walk along Dallas Road in the afternoon.
Nice! I love walking along Dallas Rd, and down on the beach there too.