Mindfulness - Gift of small things

Spectacular colours in the Ambleside car park

Practising mindfulness means being open, and yes the unpleasant will be in our experience but so will the pleasant. Being aware as we engage with our daily life can mean we receive lots of small gifts, the colour of the falling leaves, the birdsong, or simply that there was less traffic today. Mindfulness in daily life leads us to appreciate the beauty around us, to notice the seemingly mundane, to engage with nature, after all we're part of it. While at times we may feel at the centre of our own web of life, we have the freedom to explore the strands, to notice all the connections, to be one with all around us.

Try looking for things that make you smile, whether it is the dog walker with a reluctant Bassett Hound, the children playing on the rope slide, the spinning of a falling leaf, there are lots of small things that are out there and they can contribute to our sense of well being if only we're awake to notice.