Page 26 - North Haven Magazine Issue 27 Winter 2023

An Approach For

De-Stressing

After The Holidays

by Angela Amendola, LMT

s a kid my mother would say, "look out the window and tell me what you see." I would pick something out, a tree perhaps, maybe a
Abird. She would then make me describe it in detail, bark, leaves, needles, colors, feathers. It was an artful way to get me to de-stress
and calm down from a long day at school.
We live in a society that values and rewards hard work, produc- just a bit of practice you will notice that your sense of inner peace
tion, deadlines, and achieving results. There's rush hour, work, the lasts much longer than the cup of tea!
rush to get home, children’s needs, and cooking dinner. There are
bills to pay, appointments, and events to keep track of, and we do
this day after day! Add to this social media and a constant stream
of news from all over the world and it's no wonder people feel
anxious, overwhelmed, and stressed.
The goal and deep need then, is to find a way to navigate the land-
scape of our lives and find a balance between everyday life and a
healthy mind- body connection. There are myriad ways people
use to step away from the frenzy. gyms and workouts, jogging,
yoga, martial arts or meditation to name a few. The fastest way I
know how to experience an effective and lasting respite from the
constant demands of life can be shared in two words: Use nature.
There are many ways to do this, here are two ways that are simple
and work.
If you have more time, the second version is going for a walk. It's a
People think they need to do all kinds of complicated things to simple concept but let's shake it up a bit. Leave the phone at home
find some peace when actually sitting down for a while and look- or at least turn off the ringer and don't look at it until you return.
ing out the window with a cup of tea can work miracles. The Jap- Walk without a destination, there's no goal of getting to any place
anese version is referred to as The Way of Tea. It is a beautiful and other than a peaceful, relaxed state of mind. Going for a walk and
relaxing way to slow down and appreciate all the gifts in one's life. really observing is what children do. Have you ever noticed that
Mine is perhaps a clunkier version but it's a quick and easy daily kids find the coolest stuff and see the neatest things while at play?
ritual guaranteed to refresh and renew. Relearn from them! Open yourself to all the joy you used to ex-
perience when you were young. Set no goal. Stop often, every 8
or 10 steps and see the world with fresh eyes. You don't need to
know the names of the plants, animals or birds you are seeing,
just appreciate them. Just gazing at the structure of a tree or plant
can connect you to the natural world we often forget exists just
beyond the four walls of a house, apartment, office, or cubicle.
There is also the Spiritual element to walking within nature. At
some point in your wandering you will notice the incredible, com-
plex simplicity that exists in everything you see. It's in the beauty
of a flower and the flight of a bird, from the smallest of bugs to the
mightiest oak. Indigenous people refer to The Spirit That Moves
in and Through All Things as an energetic connection that exists
within and connects all that we see to the Great Mystery. If you
walk or wander seeing everything as an aspect of Creation you
can feel that connection come alive. Step into a place where seeing
Start by making yourself a cup of tea and settling into a comfort- a deer glide across the landscape becomes a wondrous moment.
able chair. Take a few deep breaths, clear your mind and pour Perhaps look up and be amazed at the aerial dance of a soaring
your senses into the moment. Notice your cup, your chair and hawk. Appreciating the true magic of the moment will reconnect
surroundings. Smell the tea, feel the steam against your skin as you to the great mystery of life that constantly plays out all around
you drink, look out across the landscape and appreciate the beau- us. Give yourself the gift of a few minutes to breathe, sip, or walk.
ty whether it's all natural or manmade. Pick out one thing to ob- Step outside if only a few steps into your yard. Breathe in the nat-
serve and look closely. Don't hold back! The key component here ural world, exhale stress and step into peace!
is to put yourself into a state of gratitude and appreciation. With

North Haven Magazine - Winter Issue 2023
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