Thank you, Jim, for writing about being grounded. It brought me back to a time when I regularly was more grounded in nature, and your post has urged me to get back to what your therapist suggested to you. It also brought me back to a grounding exercise I used to do regularly when I needed to quiet myself down. I call this my quiet place. I have been in many natural beauty places, and I would go to these places in my mind often. Hi oing there, even for ten or so minutes, relaxes me as it must have when I had first experienced the scene. I am told that my unconscious cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. It works for me. For what may be worth to you and your readers, I’m passing it on.
When I was 18, I took a trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon with several high school friends. While there, we drove to Hopi Point, which we were told was the best pace to see the sunset. Our experience that evening was more just than a beautiful sunset. I can still see and experience it all even today whenever I choose to bring it being. It is always there waiting for me in my quiet place. I go to that spot in my mind not as a past memory, but as a present experience, as if were happening now. Then I visualize it and bring it to mind something like this. I take several deep breaths, breathing out distracting thoughts. I close my eyes and I picture this happening now.
I’m here at Hopi Point. It’s a beautiful evening, a summer rain has just finished watering the sage bushes nestled underneath the tall Ponderosa Pines on the rim of the canyon. The fragrance of the sage gives off a delightful fragrant smell. I walk over to the rim of the canyon and see the sun ready to set. I set down on the ledge. A beautiful bald eagle is gracefully being lifted up by the currents of the wind as it soars along the wall of of the canyon. Several dark rain clouds move in to partially cover the setting sun, and as they move, the sun bursts it’s rays into all directions, reaching far out on both sides of the horizon, reaching up high to the heavens and down low to the bottom of the canyon. It is beautiful. And I am here. The changing colors paint the entire canyon and all its tributary canyons with ever changing colors of orange, pink and red. Meandering peacefully through the bottom of the canyon is the Colorado River. It is touched by a ray of sun, and the river begins to sparkle bright like a string of diamonds. It is all so beautiful, so peaceful, so calm. I take it all in. I am so relaxed, so peaceful, so calm. I feel embraced and held lovingly by the canyon, and I embrace and hold the canyon within me. I am touched by the beauty of God. I know I am loved.
Jim, thank you for this timely message about balance and more. I too have always found water, particularly our oceans, to be a refreshing sanctuary in which to rest but also to revive my commitment to justice and peace. And, honestly, I hope the Democratic Party invites you to speak at our convention this year to, among other things, set the record straight about who Jesus was for a national audience. I also can't imagine a timelier message for this really dangerous moment in the history of this fragile democracy founded on the principle of separation of church and state.
Jim, reading your message moves me into gratitude and appreciation for your life and the many blessings you received and shared. God is so good! Psalm 23 is becoming more important to me as I will have my 71st birthday soon and also as I sift through the ideas and feelings about the possibility of an unwanted result in the November elections.
Jim I so enjoyed your comments. I’m originally from British Columbia, North Vancouver and all of Gods’ nature was my cloak until I made a dreadful mistake and agreed to move to Europe and beyond in my early 20’s when I was particularly young and foolish. I’m on your heels @ 75 died once and chased cancer and recurrent cancer away several times with I am alone and having quiet time with God paying attention to his instructions. I adore the ocean I miss it and my Country. I again thank you for your sharing of your wisdom in particular of respite for our souls. Many Blessings, Cathy Potter
Thank you, Jim, for writing about being grounded. It brought me back to a time when I regularly was more grounded in nature, and your post has urged me to get back to what your therapist suggested to you. It also brought me back to a grounding exercise I used to do regularly when I needed to quiet myself down. I call this my quiet place. I have been in many natural beauty places, and I would go to these places in my mind often. Hi oing there, even for ten or so minutes, relaxes me as it must have when I had first experienced the scene. I am told that my unconscious cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is imagined. It works for me. For what may be worth to you and your readers, I’m passing it on.
When I was 18, I took a trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon with several high school friends. While there, we drove to Hopi Point, which we were told was the best pace to see the sunset. Our experience that evening was more just than a beautiful sunset. I can still see and experience it all even today whenever I choose to bring it being. It is always there waiting for me in my quiet place. I go to that spot in my mind not as a past memory, but as a present experience, as if were happening now. Then I visualize it and bring it to mind something like this. I take several deep breaths, breathing out distracting thoughts. I close my eyes and I picture this happening now.
I’m here at Hopi Point. It’s a beautiful evening, a summer rain has just finished watering the sage bushes nestled underneath the tall Ponderosa Pines on the rim of the canyon. The fragrance of the sage gives off a delightful fragrant smell. I walk over to the rim of the canyon and see the sun ready to set. I set down on the ledge. A beautiful bald eagle is gracefully being lifted up by the currents of the wind as it soars along the wall of of the canyon. Several dark rain clouds move in to partially cover the setting sun, and as they move, the sun bursts it’s rays into all directions, reaching far out on both sides of the horizon, reaching up high to the heavens and down low to the bottom of the canyon. It is beautiful. And I am here. The changing colors paint the entire canyon and all its tributary canyons with ever changing colors of orange, pink and red. Meandering peacefully through the bottom of the canyon is the Colorado River. It is touched by a ray of sun, and the river begins to sparkle bright like a string of diamonds. It is all so beautiful, so peaceful, so calm. I take it all in. I am so relaxed, so peaceful, so calm. I feel embraced and held lovingly by the canyon, and I embrace and hold the canyon within me. I am touched by the beauty of God. I know I am loved.
Jim, thank you for this timely message about balance and more. I too have always found water, particularly our oceans, to be a refreshing sanctuary in which to rest but also to revive my commitment to justice and peace. And, honestly, I hope the Democratic Party invites you to speak at our convention this year to, among other things, set the record straight about who Jesus was for a national audience. I also can't imagine a timelier message for this really dangerous moment in the history of this fragile democracy founded on the principle of separation of church and state.
Jim, reading your message moves me into gratitude and appreciation for your life and the many blessings you received and shared. God is so good! Psalm 23 is becoming more important to me as I will have my 71st birthday soon and also as I sift through the ideas and feelings about the possibility of an unwanted result in the November elections.
Jim I so enjoyed your comments. I’m originally from British Columbia, North Vancouver and all of Gods’ nature was my cloak until I made a dreadful mistake and agreed to move to Europe and beyond in my early 20’s when I was particularly young and foolish. I’m on your heels @ 75 died once and chased cancer and recurrent cancer away several times with I am alone and having quiet time with God paying attention to his instructions. I adore the ocean I miss it and my Country. I again thank you for your sharing of your wisdom in particular of respite for our souls. Many Blessings, Cathy Potter