The Blue Med(itation)
I was born by the sea. Its shades of blue were for many years the backdrop to my mornings. Living in a city like London I can’t help but miss it. Recently, I was lucky enough to go back home and enjoy a few sunny mornings walking along the shore of my old friend, The Mediterranean Sea, which inspired me to write this blog. I have never written a blog before, neither do I know the Dos and Don’ts so, I hope you can excuse my inexperience and I can still connect with you through my story.
Being in an open space, looking at the immense sea stretching in front of my eyes is like meditating for me. When I am by the sea, my heartbeat automatically slows down, cradled by the gentle movement of the waves, my breathing encouraged to match the rhythm. I feel at peace. My lungs can finally expand and take in all the beauty and wonder that nature has to offer in that moment. I feel free, innocent and young, playful…like in the olden days; light and unburdened; my senses focused and awaken. I notice the shades of blue that the sea displays, the speed of the waves, the textures, the foam, the smell and touch of the salty air. I look around to observe the seaweed, pebbles and shells that the current may have brushed out on the shore, whilst taking note of the coarseness of the sand.
I may sit on the sand and mess around with it, grabbing handfuls of grains and letting them fall slowly from above, my fist an hourglass, or rubbing small amounts between my thumb and my index finger. I may walk barefoot on it, enjoying the freedom my toes and soles feel in touch with the natural world. I may even approach the shore and eagerly wait for the salty waves to kiss my feet, my ankles, my sheens; feeling the sudden splash at first of the water and the dragging movement at the back of my heels of the waves drawing back in; embracing the initial cold sensation that I know will revive my circulation, and watching my feet turn red. Just like that I start walking on the wet sand, imprinting on it my heel, the arch of my feet, the ball of my feet, my toes; even if only for a few seconds before another foamy wave erases it, as if I had never been there.
I love the texture of the foam; countless bubbles together forming an incredible composition that goes from thick and with full consistency to an incorporeal vanishing residue. With each step, I continue to admire this mesmerising huge body of water and I stop to relish the warmth of the sunshine on my face and my body - the same sunshine that illuminated most of my childhood mornings. In that moment, I feel overwhelmed with gratitude at both the sun and the sea, that they still bring me joy and make me feel restored and energised, yet grounded and calm.
Before I leave back to the sand to dry my feet, I stare at the horizon, trying to take in as much as possible: the surroundings, the sea, the sun, the sky, the birds, the sand, the smells, the sounds and my presence in the middle of it all. And I picture those same waters, that same sunlight, that same sky stretching over and across, reaching other lands , other people, other animals; and I feel a connection to all things living.
Humans crave connection. We are not meant to live isolated lives. And our connection to nature is engraved in our DNA since the time of our ancestors. Meditation provides the space and the opportunity to pause, practise appreciation and gratitude, and feel lighter, calmer and more grounded; thus, rendering capacity to connect with ourselves, our desires and needs, with nature and its harmonious rhythm, and with others in am enaingful and nurturing way.
What does your meditation look like? How does it feel? Does it have a smell? How is it to touch? Whatever shape, colour or sound it takes, I invite you to go there, physically or with your imagination. I invite you to slow down, to stimulate your senses, to breathe in and out creating openness in your chest, gradually grounding yourself and feeling the connection with the world around you.
What are you grateful for today?
