Barefoot in Kensington Park – centering relaxation

Feeling very jammy to have hit London during a mini-heatwave recently, the parks were blooming and Wimbledon sweated!

The first thing I did, after madly hugging my dear friend in Paddington, was to hit the park, whip off my shoes and pad around on the grass barefoot. After a 27hr flight, I needed to find my centre again and hugging a close friend, smelling the air and feeling the grass under my feet felt instantly grounding, reconnecting me.

I love the fact that when we revisit places or go somewhere new our ability to be present comes naturally. With a heightened sense of awareness, taking everything in via our senses, we can instantly feel more alive, focused and present and the mental zigzag between past and future seems to lose its grip on our attention. Mental space – we don’t give ourselves much of it these days, why not?

What I appreciate in meditation is that besides giving me some mental space, it’s given me an opportunity to become aware of and change my internal world of thoughts, habits and emotional patterns, nature has its own rhythm and meditation is one way to bring us into the present and tune into that same natural state and rhythm inside us, that’s why a walk on the beach or in the forest can make us feel so good, we’re absorbing and connecting with that natural state around us.

We can think of our breath being the transporter that can take us to that place. If you’re feeling a little bit disconnected, off-centre, anxious or overwhelmed then spend a few moments focused on your breath, try the short relaxation below or pop outside for a walk in nature – stop for a moment and notice what’s around you, really see, hear, smell, touch and taste the air around you. By giving our minds a little holiday we come back fresher, clearer, more focused and creatively inspired.

It filled my heart seeing the family and friends I did manage to see on our super-quick trip – still longing to hug more of my dear friends but what it did highlight was that when time was scarce my moments were filled with people I love and that’s really what matters the most, I hope you’re able to give yourself some mental space this week and focus on what really matters to you because we don’t get those moments back.

Peace out… Nicky xx