A River Flowing

>>>  This blog post contains photographs by Resting Nomad of women in their natural form. 
This work is intended for open-minded, free-spirited individuals. 
If you are easily offended, please look no further. 
Otherwise, I hope that you enjoy my work and feel inspired! <<<
NAMASTE
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“A woman in harmony with her spirit
is like a river flowing.
She goes where she will without pretense
and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself,
and only herself.”
~Maya Angelou

                           

Mandala Meditation .02

"We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it. And to take good care of it, we have to know it. And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it."     -Wendell Berry

Mandala Meditation .01

 No matter how busy life may get, I still find a moment within each day to notice and appreciate the tiny little things. Walking in nature is a form of therapy and I believe that everyone should have a subscription that includes a daily dose.  Unfortunately, for most people, finding a moment to walk in nature isn't as simple as stepping out of your back door. If such is this case for you, I promise that you can still find a moment of stillness and serenity if you have a tiny patch of grass or even a few weeds pushing through the cracks in the sidewalk. We are, after all, so much like those weeds that are striving to survive and thrive despite being covered by concrete. 

I love to just sit in one spot in the grass and see how many small things I can notice going on around me.  The way the blades of grass move in the breeze, the grasshopper enjoying a snack, tiny little ants busy working away... So much life in every little corner of this world! Lately, I've been roaming the land in search of tiny little things from nature that can be temporarily formed into a work of art... I gather flower petals, leaves, berries, seeds and the list goes on. Once I've gathered what feels like the right amount, I bring them to my sketchpad and begin to lay them out into a symmetrical pattern, a mandala. The entire process is meditative and gives me an opportunity to clear my mind, focus on my breath, absorb the therapeutic colors of each specimen chosen and lastly focus on the beautiful piece of art that will be swept back to the ground moments after being captured through the lens and visually admired till the pieces begin to wilt. 

I hope that you enjoy these nature mandalas as much as I do. 

To view more, follow me on Instagram: @therestingnomad

I will begin sharing a new mandala every Monday here on the blog as well. 

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 "To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, hold infinity in the palms of your hand and eternity in an hour." - William Blake

The Doorway...

Of all my experiences in this life... the one that I continue to return to and enjoy more with each passing time is the most simple of all experiences. I love to lie on the ground.

I love to lie on the ground and stare at the vast open space that is the sky. I lie there watching the clouds and sometimes the sky becomes so bright that I can barely stand to open my eyes. Even when they are closed, I can still feel the powerful presence of this space that surrounds me in all directions... This vibrational and encompassing sacred space. 

Lying on the ground and watching the sky is a completely different experience from standing and looking up. Each time that I lie down to the bare ground I feel this overwhelming sensation of succumbing my entire being to the soil below me... of resting my bones and being cradled by my nurturing mother, the Earth.  I feel as though I am some vulnerable creature that is exposing myself to the elements and the wild nature of this world, yet rather than being fearful of what could approach me I am accepting of all possibilities. I feel safe in my mothers arms.

I've begun to feel that it is becoming more increasingly important to me to make an effort to spend some time each day watching the sky. I think what captures me the most is the constant change, every single second looks different than the last and every day provides a completely new scene and experience.  The sky will never again look exactly the same as it did yesterday and never again will it look exactly the same as it does today. It's always changing effortlessly and constantly. Sometimes I just lay there smiling with tears streaming down my face at the absolute beauty of it all. How wondrous and magical that I am blessed to exist in this amazing Universe. 

I couldn't say that I believe in miracles because every moment feels like a pure miracle. I honestly feel this way... just watching an anthill could make me feel as though every little living parting of that ant hill is a complete miracle. It's all just life and it all just is.  It is absolutely amazing and I refuse to ever take it for granted and get lost in the sorrows of my own little life.  Once we realize that we are all connected... not only to every human being, but to EVERY THING... that's when we begin to feel a lot less lonely and see that our personal problems aren't quite as immense as we once thought them to be. Sure, it's easy to get caught up in that game with the ego, in fact, it can be difficult not to... but I think that's why I am so enamored and in complete awe with the sky. When I look at every thing I see "God", but to me... when I look to the sky it's like looking into the eyes of God. The doorway... When I walk through that door I am reminded of my place in this Universe and that it is more significant, powerful and lasting than my ego ever would allow me to believe... let alone to know.

So this is my encouragement to you...
Look up to the sky and if you have a moment then lay down too.
Breathe it all in and Love it all out.
Every single moment is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How will you spend it?

Magical things will happen...

Life has been really DREAMY lately...