Blue Monday

It’s the middle of January, the day is gray. Christmas has gone and summer is far away. It is a perfect time to acknowledge and appreciate the small things in life that we normally take for granted. Small things like our breath, our eyes, our ears and our sense of smell. How wonderful it is to have two eyes! We can see the first snowdrops of the year and the small robins. We can see the smiles of neighbours, young children, family and colleagues and so much more. And with our ears we can hear the songs of the birds, the laughter of children, the wind in the trees.

When we peel an orange we can take our time to see the wonderful colour, to smell the freshness and to taste the juice and chew each segment. When we bring our awareness to our senses we can experience small actions with aliveness and appreciation. So take time today to appreciate your senses – the smiles, the smells, the songs and also to appreciate your breath as it sustains the life in your body.

Below are two simple exercises that you can try based on awareness of breathing.

On the link below is a calming meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh – it is 14 minutes long and can help you to relax and to get in touch with the simple things in life that you can enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA7atdaF4kM