I have come to believe that one of the most healing things we can do in our lives is appreciate the beauty and the blessings that abound around us. It never ceases to amazing me how much more there is to see in even the most common and familiar, when I take the extra time to look more deeply or from a new vantage point.
This idea of new vantage points is a teaching that has been coming to me particularly these last few years…coinciding with some other very significant life events. In addition to a new appreciation of the gift of our senses in general, something inside of me has awakened with my immersion into the micro-world of nature. Funnily enough, this discovery has seemed to become even more real through the lens of a camera and literally shifting my vantage point by peering at the world from different places and positions than I normally ever have in the past.
It was one such experience that led to this photo…As I was reviewing the final revisions for my book this week, I decided to recline on a sunny day in our garden. Hearing a happy community of bees right above my head, I peered upward—and saw these blossoms. I have noticed such blossoms a thousand times, but this time they looked so different— it was as though I was seeing them for the first time. Never before had I noticed the little hula skirts that precede the fruiting of the berries. In that very moment, my world changed.
Shifting how we view the world—whether it is the outer or the inner landscape, doesn’t need to be difficult. In fact, it may be that we are most able to invite these shifts most when we simply allow ourselves to breathe in the abundant beauty that is virtually everywhere.
Invitation for Reflection: Notice if it is possible for you to imagine looking into the eyes of someone or at something you already love and then zoom in just that little bit closer. What changes when your focus changes? What nuances or hues show themselves to you when you do this? Then, perhaps try zooming in again… just a little bit closer still. Again, notice if there is anything new you discover when you do this and allow yourself to enjoy the present moment awakening that occurs within you.
Notice what teachings, if any, this simple practice offered you about perspective? What are some other ways you might be able to use these learnings and how do you think they might impact your perspective of life as you do, if at all, and your ability to increase your world of pleasure, connection and compassion?
Theresa Nicassio PhD
Together we can make the world a better place…
Dr. Theresa Nicassio is a registered psychologist (#1541) and author of YUM: plant-based recipes for a gluten-free diet. Embracing a holistic perspective of health and certified as a gourmet raw food chef, nutrition educator and integrative energy healer, Theresa focuses her time providing psychotherapy to clients in her private practice in Vancouver.
