Pic of the week: The sun setting, upside down

                           THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Sunny Side Up: Photo by Christine Eaton

The mindful anchor in this photo: The setting sun, upside down.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)

The photo this week leads us to an abstract way of utilizing awareness/mindfulness. We've all seen sunsets and know that they range of a scale of beautiful, natural phenomena. When I was up in Burlington VT a couple weeks ago I watched the sun set on Lake Champlain. As I took photos I wanted to play with lighting and perspective. And, as a student of mindfulness, later understood that in doing so I was literally reinterpreting my relationship to the natural world, slowly. When you practice mindfulness regularly, shifts in perspective do happen. Sometimes grandly and sometimes gradually. Appreciation deepens. Understanding occurs. What I love most about this photo is that when you first see it you may not think anything is off. But, look closer and you see the ocean above the sun and the sun setting into the sky. If you look deeper, you see it. 

Try looking deeper into the natural world and discover how it then unfolds in other ways, relationships, decisions, etc. Perspective happens. Life awakens. 

Pic of the Week: The mighty, mindful Niagara

The Mindful Gallery's Pic of the Week

 

"The Mighty, Mindful Niagara"

The mindful anchor in this photo: You guessed it! The Niagara Falls.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)     

And Now….About the Mighty, Mindful Niagara

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Most of the time the answer I get to that question is, "Yes, but a very long time ago!". I've been there several times this past year in preparation for my wedding. The longer I spent there, the more I realized it to be a display of the relationship between chaos and peace, and how mindfulness is a bridge between both.  As you face the Falls they grab your attention like a hot torch (only not painful!). The roaring waterfall produces misty clouds and often rainbows. Across the street are towering hotels, casinos, numerous fast food joints and a museum for just about any silly thing you can think of. One side is chaotic, and the other, peaceful. While there is plenty in Niagara Falls to distract from the actual Falls themselves, they remain THE focal point. They will draw you in no matter what. So if you’re looking for a mindful vacation destination, you’ve got a great one here! And be sure to drop by Journey Behind The Falls, where this photo was taken. It’s quite breathtaking.