I spent part of this weekend in one of the most beautiful State parks in the United States: Deception Pass State Park (according to digital travel publication, Travel Lens).
At the West Beach you can say hello to an amazing Douglas fir tree that has witnessed more than 850 years of activity around it. The squalls and sea salt, the winds and the wanderers have not deterred this amazing sentinel. It remains still and grounded. Yet, it continues to grow, its bold and gentle curves of adaptation driving its survival. Its raw and rugged beauty is something special to behold.
This week’s invitation is to hold this majestic yet humble reminder to just be still. Be grounded in your place and be grounded in who you are.
Be.
Mindfulness is
“The awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Mindfulness is simply the knack of noticing without comment whatever is happening in your present experience” ~ Guy Claxton
Lisa Wellington is a Certified Mindfulness Teacher who writes about integrative practices that downshift stress, increase insight, and jumpstart joy.
She is best known for her work with law enforcement professionals as well as those challenged by housing instability and addiction. Trained in the Fine Arts at Washington State University, she specializes in group training that engages participants’ inherent creativity.
If she is not under a stack of books about psychology and spirituality, she can be found at a Puget Sound beach or nearby trail, always searching for the absurd, which is her superpower.
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
