Here Now —Ways to be mindful and find safety
As the water refreshes my burnt skin, I find my grounding by burying my toes in the ocean floor. My toes curl and uncover a sand dollar. I pick several up with my feet. I’m dollar rich as I gaze into the sky and see the faintest of rainbows against a white cloud. Looks are deceiving; that cloud must hold some rain within it to create such a beautiful array. The dollars in my hands are threatening to turn my hands yellow. My gaze returns to my treasure. I fling one high in the sky and it soars on the wind until it slices back into the ocean. I convince myself this isn’t torture to these hidden bottom feeding creatures. God created them moving slowly along the ocean deep. Here I am, a created one, with hands to hold them. I find purpose in giving them the opportunity to fly, with no need for wings. A moment of exhilaration I’m sure of it.
I’m dollar rich. I lay my head back and pick my feet up and float until I’m blissfully disoriented. The up and down of the waves carry me. Cradled in the ocean. Perfectly content to just be me—-designed, created, always dreaming.
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Mindfulness has a way of slowing us down and bringing us into the present. Our to-do lists, anxieties, and traumas tend to toss us between the past and the future. We forget here we are right now in this moment, living breathing expressions of beloved creation. When we practice mindfulness—the non-judgmental awareness of the present moment—we are telling our brains, you are here and you are safe now. Our senses are powerful tools to help us be mindful. Mindfulness has shown to reduce anxiety and decrease depressive symptoms, and has paired well with treatment for PTSD. There are many different practices and approaches. This moment that I wrote about above is one of my favorite ways to be mindful. So where do you start? Here are some of my favorite ways to be mindful:
Get out in nature! Engage the colors, sights, sounds. This could look like a mindful walk, planting a flower bed, or floating in the ocean while discovering sand dollars. ;)
Centering/contemplative prayer. This is a great way to engage God while being in the here-and-now. Spoiler alert: God wants to be present with you! There are several resources online to learn more about this way of prayer.
Engage curiosity. This can be done not only alone, but also with close friends. When you notice that fidgety friend bouncing their leg, get curious by listening to what that friend is nervous about without solving the problem. Just be present with them, listening more than talking. When by yourself, this may look like not pushing your feelings aside, but rather asking “what is this feeling telling me?” and “where do I feel it in my body?”.
It’s important to realize that being mindful is a practice, not a destination. It can feel so unfamiliar at first, but if you can commit to one mindful practice every day for the next 3-6 months your brain and body will thank you immensely.
If you feel like you want a jump start to integrating some mindful practices in your life, we have a retreat coming up October 2-5, 2025 on the coast of Charleston, SC. We would love for you to join us and provide your soul, body, and spirit with the care it craves.
