Clear Skies, Clear Minds

by

Practicing Faith

If you’ve spent much time in the Rockies, you know that this time of year is truly the golden hour. Long, hot days followed by warm, starry nights. The rich, yet fleeting summers in Wyoming are wonderfully delicious, but woefully ephemeral. With so much to do and so little time, the summer months usually fly by before I even realize they’re fading. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in work and responsibility that we forget to make time to take advantage of these short-lived luxuries. To get outside and let clear skies clear our minds.

Sunrise Spirituality

This summer, I made a commitment to begin each day with a morning hike on the mountain or walk along the river in my small community of Casper, Wyoming. Always accompanied by my dog, Beau, and often by my husband, Jerry, this morning ritual has become a time of true spirituality for me.

But this wasn’t my intention when I made my initial commitment to take these daily walks. It was more about staying healthy, getting my steps in, and getting Beau some exercise. At first, I had to drag myself out the door, often convincing myself just to lace up my shoes before I was awake enough to give myself a chance to change my mind to squeeze in an hour of email instead.  

As the days progressed and my new habit set in, I began to relish this time. It became less about the routine, and more about embracing the opportunity to cultivate a deeper spiritual relationship with God.

Building Spiritual Habits

Whether it be the gratitude ping-pong Jerry and I play as we walk, the time I’m able to spend talking with my aging parents, or quiet time taking in the natural beauty I’m surrounded by, I’ve not yet had a morning outing where I didn’t feel an immediate deeper connection with God.

Often this connection feels more profound than what I’ve recently experienced during Sundays in church, where we’d expect to find it. There is something about taking time to mindfully meditate and allow ourselves to just BE.

Cultivate Your Spirituality

Are you ready to cultive your spiritual connection through nature? Here are three things to kep in mind.

  1. Start small

You don’t have to climb a mountain or trek a certain distance to benefit from being outside, or disconnecting from indoor routines. I’ve found that sometimes walking without a destination in mind helps me be ok with not always having a plan.

  1. Be present

Focus on being in the moment. Your mind might tend toward rehashing old frustrations or worrying about the work you need to do. Just notice what your mind is doing and bring your attention back to where your feet are. Take in your surroundings, your feelings, and cut yourself some slack.

  1. Make time

It will always feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. There is always more work to be completed, more emails to be sent, and more planning to be done.  I believe that allowing yourself these moments, though, will be undeniably worth it.

As I look back over the years, I realize that slipping back into too much roof and not enough sky is a common refrain for me. I wonder how I get out of the habit of granting myself these uninterrupted moments. I suppose that it can feel somewhat selfish, taking time away from my desk or my computer. But this summer, I’ve found that these “selfish” moments are where the real work gets done. Where I am able to open myself to the opportunity to talk directly with God, embrace my spirituality, and reflect on what I want out of each day. I give thanks for this time of renewal. In Creating a Culture of Renewal®, we emphasize that renewal begins within. Don’t I know it!  I hope you’ll give yourself the gift of renewal by taking unhurried time with God in nature.

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