My MONKEY Mind Takes Ovaaah!

It is so hard to S L O W down in a world and economy which needs you to be in constant depleting motion. And there is nothing more agonizing than knowing you can’t sit down on your meditation cushion. What’s the alternative? Go into nature and let her teach you. Here’s a little story about slowing down.

The Sun Is Setting.

I’ve spent my day reading, studying, and working with a client. I’m exhausted. Now. It is time for sunset. Let’s go to the beach.

Squinting, I walk to the closest beach to me. All I can see is WHITE and BLUE. The ocean is glittering azure. It is stunning. The sand is soft, delicate, and hot.

My face scrunched to protect me from the sun ( why do I never seem to have sunglasses on?). And then I start to walk.

And I am walking, walking, walking.

Ten minutes later – I’m still walking. My mind is completely out of control. I’m not trying to think or not think. I’m just in the motions. 

My mind is randomly throwing up reminders. Hey, don’t forget to send so-and-so this… Oh, and follow up on that… Why didn’t I get that? Why did SHE say that to me during that call?

My feet are moving. I am oblivious to what is around me. I don’t even notice where I am or if there is anyone else near me.

I SEE him. He sees me.

And then, my toe hits something. I look down and I notice the pebbles.

Slowly the white of the sand is getting more and more nuanced. It is being filled in. I see the definition of tiny little grains. I’m also seeing shells.

Eventually, I sit down.

Now even the finest of grain is visible and alive to me. My fingers are touching it. 

All of a sudden, I notice the tiny little black holes puncturing the shore line.

And then that is when I see him. 

I see him and he sees me.

A Little Sand Crab.

He is halfway between his hole and the surface. In his left set of claws, he has an armful of sand. His tiny little translucent eyes on top of his head are locked into mine. He is frozen in the middle of his excavation.

Minutes pass. 

Eventually, he kicks out the sand into the edges of the flat shore and scuttles back into his hole. I realize he is not alone. All around him are little black holes. This shoreline is punctured. There are crabs upon crabs. Some of them are as tiny as a dot and some as large as my hand. 

I’m looking even closer now. That’s when I notice the shells are moving. Hermit crabs! 

These mischievous little hermit crabs are inconspicuously moving from corner to corner under their shells – like a poorly disguised parody of the British Airmen from Allo Allo. 

AND AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT… well, that’s when I know for a fact that – I’m there.

My mind has slowed down.

From White Blurs To Grains Of Sand

After the moment I just described…and many such moments – I find myself aghast. WHY? Why does it take so long to ACTUALLY see the grains of sand? How is it possible that I didn’t see any grains of sand or crabs or otherwise… just moments ago? 

It’s because my mind was so busy. But when I watch the crabs, my mind calms down. I begin to slow down. 

This is what Biomimicry means to me. I learned this term from Adrienne Maree Brown and I understand it to mean doing as nature does. 

To me, biomimicry is also shifting your consciousness to be aware of what nature is doing. It takes a lot of time and effort. But – whenever I do take the time to watch nature or act like nature – I learn this:

Nature is beautiful, powerful, intentional, wild, and playful. Slowing down to connect with OUR nature and the nature around us – TRANSFORMS the nature of our minds, soul, and heart. 

We move from the busy, busy, business of the To-Do list… and we get to a place of curiosity and wonder.

Why are the shells moving?

Why is this tiny crab staring at me?

Why are his eyes so transparent?

How is he using his claws?

Who has been here…? Taken while on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia

And that, my dearest loved ones, that is where the joy of life is.

In those tiny little moments when like a little child – we respectfully look at all that is…and ask WHY? HOW? And then…Wow. 

Here’s to you having a thousand Wowz today and every day.