Monday, November 22, 2021

Magnificent sunrise

Taken this morning by Emily Polis Gibson

When I walked out into the early morning sunrise, it was really lovely and I tried to snap a picture, but I figured that someone on my latest favorite place on Facebook would have done a better job of capturing it than I did. Sure enough, Emily Polis Gibson has a series of photos on the Seeing Bellingham group page. This is taken from her fabulous collection. I tried to link to her page, whether or not it works is not clear to me. But isn't it beautiful?

It's been a week of mostly difficult news stories. I've been trying to keep myself from taking in too much of the most dire ones, and looking constantly for some lighthearted stories to help keep me sane. I don't need to list them (although I did briefly consider it), since our news outlets keep going over and over them, just in case somebody somewhere thinks one might escape my notice.

I can't see today's date without remembering 1963, when JFK was taken from this world. But it is also the birthday of one of my favorite people, Karen Lynch, married for many years to my old boss Mickey Glantz. I was at their wedding, which people thought might not last, because of the age difference between them (something like 13 years), but these days it would not even be considered notable. Times and customs change over the years, sometimes for the better.

I am so grateful that I have recently begun a meditation practice of following my breath for 15-20 minutes each morning after I get out of bed and before heading out the door. I am amazed at how just that short practice has calmed my mind and given me a new way to find some serenity. Of course we breathe all the time, but how often do we pay attention to our breath? For me, it was pretty much never, and now I am aware that I am constantly breathing! It's one of the few parts of our nervous system that is within our ability to change. The breath is a barometer for our nervous system. If you're interested in learning more, you can check out the Yogic Breathing Study Guide

Once I started taking yoga on a regular basis, I was introduced to pranayama, using the breath to become more focused. From that link:
Both the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses serve a purpose. Ultimately, we are looking for balance and some degree of mastery over the nervous system, so that we see the purpose of each state and can use the practices of yoga to find a place of inner equilibrium. Yoga helps us to establish—and maintain—this balance of the two.
Hey, look at that! I did find something positive to give you today, on top of that wonderful sunrise. Perhaps the coming American holiday of Thanksgiving will spread throughout our country and shower blessings of abundance, peace, tranquility, and love upon us. It can happen and I'm willing to start with myself. 

:-)

17 comments:

  1. I think meditation can help you in a lot of ways.

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  2. I'm pretty sure (hopefully) people in the USA will celebrate and be thankful for reasons of being able to be with family & loved ones!!

    Yes, breathing & seeing this sunrise would start a day perfectly!!!

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  3. Thank you! I will look into being more conscious and breathing with purpose!

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  4. Thank you for the beautiful sunrise and the positive post. Need to work on calming my mind lately also. Of course if I just turned off the news that would help. That shower of blessings would be lovely. Let's make it so.

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  5. I think most people remember exactly where they were when they head the news of Kennedy's death. I was in Inuvik and came down from my classroom at twelve noon when were were told. It was a shocker.

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  6. That is an amazing sunrise! I find Hawaii beaches so calming, especially with similar colorful sunsets. With those pics and your photo of that hopeful sunrise, I take a deep breath and relax down. Thanks a bunch. Linda in Kansas

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  7. Simply glorious - and huge thanks to you for sharing the ways you keep carrying on.

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  8. That us a beautiful picture alright... but like you, I've been trying not to dwell on sadder news events, but keep finding myself getting too caught up in them.

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  9. That is a beautiful Sunrise! Hope you have a wonderful day!

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  10. That sunrise would put me in a great mood for the rest of the day.

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  11. Striking sunrise!
    I was 12 years old in class watching out the window as the janitor was lowering the flag and wondering why he was doing that when we got the shocking announcement over the intercom.

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  12. I have been seeing some amazing sunrise and sunset photos on Facebook the last few days, especially from out on the ocean at Rockaway Beach, where residents post photos on a Facebook page that I am linked too. Unfortunately since the construction of the huge houses to the west of us, we now see none of the glorious sunsets and very little if the sunrises.
    I am working on my holiday spirit. Providing a lovely holiday for my guests helps me too.

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  13. Love this post. May we all have more peace, tranquility, love and inner equilibrium.

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  14. Beautiful sunrise!!! It is amazing. Happy Thanksgiving, DJan.

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  15. That is definitely a gorgeous sky. I have reduced my listening to news. It wears me out. Art on the other hand listens to it all the time and I tell him it’s just going to raise his blood pressure.

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