“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, and compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”
-Lao Tzu
Can we all agree for a minute that somehow, some way, life has become very hectic, stressful, and complicated?
I think we all sometimes dream of living a simple, happy life, but somewhere along the way we’ve gotten away from the simplicity. Part of it may be due to the fact that we carry pocket-sized computers with us everywhere, our smart phones, and feel the need to be connected to our technology 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. That kind of life isn’t simple, and it definitely isn’t relaxing.
So, how can you practice simplicity in your own life? Well, that’s what we’re going to be talking about today – practicing mindfulness, reconnecting with nature, and slowing down to realize that there’s beauty all around us in the world, if only we take the time to notice it.
Does slowing down and focusing on simplicity sound scary to you? If yes, you just might need this practice in your life more than you realize. Take a deep breath, relax, and bear with me here.
Mindfulness is about focusing on what’s right in front of you, and being truly in the moment. It means putting your phone down or turning the TV off during meals and actually tasting your food. It means focusing on the people you’re with and truly listening to what they’re saying. It means letting yourself actually feel what you’re feeling. Sometimes this can be scary.
Reconnecting with nature is another great way of practicing simplicity. When was the last time you went outside and just breathed in the fresh air or truly felt the breeze or the warm sunshine on your skin? When was the last time you walked barefoot across the grass? Has it been a while?
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.”
-John Burroughs
But sometimes a busy life does not give the space to get out.
Essential oils are a wonderful way to reconnect with nature. It is not the same, but still it can be a way of reconnecting with the earth. The plant material used for making essential oils are grown in nature. What you might not know, is that the plant material is harvested at specific times of the day and of the year to yield the most potent, beneficial oil possible. Sit with an oil, maybe it’s one that you love, or maybe it’s one that you haven’t experienced yet. Really smell the oil. What are you picking up from the oil?
Each essential oil has it’s own message, or energetic property, found inherently within each plant that is harvested to produce the essential oil. The different parts of plants that oils are made from, whether it be the leaves, roots, stems, leaves, bark, or fruit of the plants, has a function within that plant that translates into the essential oil.
For example, the oil translation of seed material is growth, reproductive support, nourishment, new beginnings, and protection. Need to anchor your practice in one of these core functions? Add cardamom, fennel, or coriander into your life, and remember to really stop and experience the oil and all that it has to offer.
The roots of plants anchor the plants in the ground and absorb nutrients and water that are vital to the plant’s health and growth. In the world of essential oils this translates to grounding, providing stability, supporting, and maintaining balance. To anchor yourself in these core feelings, try essential oils such as ginger, spikenard, and vetiver. Remember to really sit with and experience the oil.
I love that essential oils are easy and make a great addition to a simple lifestyle. No matter which oil you choose to use, you’re doing so many good things for your body and for your mind when you use them.
So, how else can you practice simplicity in our lives? Two words: SLOW DOWN. Life isn’t meant to be a giant rush from one job or commitment to the next. It’s not supposed to be filled with frustration and complications. Can you help it if things happen in your life that throw you for a loop and leave you frazzled? No, but what you can do is anchor yourself in the core feelings of simplicity and mindfulness so you can see the whole picture, realize what’s important, and control your actions from there.
Beauty is all around us, if only we slow down long enough to notice it and take it in. Notice the beauty in the people you’re around, really notice it. Notice how beautiful the flowers are in the park, or how pretty the lake looks when the sun glistens off of the water’s surface. Really notice it, and realize that the world is a beautiful place, we’re literally surrounded by beauty, we just have to take time to see it.
“Think of all the beauty left around you and be happy.”
-Anne Frank
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