Tonight and Thursday, I welcome all to Spiritual Journey Thursday. Our writing community gathers together this month to celebrate summer. As your host, I offer the prompt, Nurturing Our Summer Souls, for you to ponder. Please see below the digital art I designed with photos and artwork from Jan Annino, Donna Smith, Fran Haley, and myself. The poster shares different settings that open our hearts and expand our minds to new possibilities.
Join me as I breath in summer air and imagine all the opportunities to relax, meditate, and free ourselves from the restrictive boundaries of our pandemic lives. With the recent opening of the summer season, there are more opportunities to travel and enjoy local and surrounding areas than before. New thoughts, new sights with family and friends lead to a refreshed attitude toward life.
Photos by Devin Hartnett
Local sights inspire me to embrace nature and engage in self-care measures that encourage the growth and development of a positive mindset. Do you agree? I nurture my heart, mind, and body when relaxed. I see the world through a different lens when sitting quietly and gazing into the quiet beauty of nature that is before me. How does nature affect your view of life?
There are many what ifs on nurturing our summer souls. Time is always an issue but being present in the moment allows me to find inner peace without the burden of pressing to-do lists. Watching clouds billow like powder puffs gently stroking the sky inspires me to see life differently. I know that I need to slow down, find a resting place, and just BE!
Reeds sway in summer's breeze
influencing
my
summer
thoughts,
influencing
my
journey
onward.
Influencing
reeds sway in summer's breeze.
©CV, 2021
In this simple skinny poem, a truth is revealed. "Let the earth heal us, and devote ourselves to healing the earth." -the Seven Whispers-Listening to the Voice of the Spirit by Christina Baldwin
This summer is such a turnaround time for me. I ponder the nurturing process of self-care hoping that quiet contemplation leads to self-renewal. My one word, begin, guides the way here in my new local. I plan on breaking the ties that bind me to freely explore new horizons. "For God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control." -2Timothy 1:7
©CV, 2021, Regency at Creekside, VA
new hope, new beginning
with each rising sunbreath-
life at the crossroad
©CV, 2021
Kevin, thank you for joining in with the Spiritual Journey Thursday community this June, I added your Twitter link with your wonderful video poem about decompressing this summer at the beach.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol. Here, as promised (to Jack) is a my reflection on the writing of my poem: https://dogtrax.edublogs.org/2021/07/01/how-a-poem-comes-to-be/
DeleteRita, thank you for your vivid collage of summer sights in Oregon. I know family is important to you as is nature. The lines in your tweet that resonate with me are: "breathing in sights & sounds along river and breathing in." Keep on savoring the sights of summer.
ReplyDeleteRita, thank you also for continuing a conversation on this topic at Twitter.
DeleteThank you for hosting and for this post... the breathing in, the quiet time of contemplation. I wish you a restful summer, Carol. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteWhomever wrote this, please add your name so I can personally thank you for joining us here.
DeleteCarol, I love your peace-filled post with so many moments that remind me to breathe and enjoy the summer's delights. Thank you. Your "skinny" poem is a perfect form for your thoughts about that photo. Lovely. Thank you for hosting this writing group today with your beautiful image, emails and inspiration.
ReplyDeleteWithout faith, family, friends, and nature filling my soul with peace, life would be difficult, Denise. I have been nurtured by the beautiful posts that have been linked. I think we all needed time to step back and savor the beauty of summer while remembering we need to just "Be" in the moment. Stay cool! Enjoy life!
DeleteThank you, Carol for hosting this month. The temperature sure has ramped up! It's nice to take some time to think about nurturing, what that means for us spiritually. You are such a wellspring of nature images and reflections. I love that I can count on you for that--which nurtures myself and many others. We need to plan a get together soon!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I look forward to spending time with you chatting, reveling in nature, sharing possibilities on how to nurture our summer souls, despite the heat. Thanks for commenting and sharing your post.
DeleteAs usual, you draw us in with words and images. I am late in posting. I hope to get it done before baby Stella arrives.
ReplyDeleteOh, Baby Stella is coming. Enjoy your little one. Mine are joining me shortly and Sierra is bringing her American Girl doll, Samantha, for tea. The next few days will nurture my summer soul as this afternoon's visit will nurture yours. Thanks for dropping by before your blessed event occurs. I look forward to reading your post whenever it arrives. No rush.
DeleteThanks for hosting, Carol!
ReplyDeleteRuth, it was a inspirational pleasure to host and gather ideas on different ways to move forward with being in the moment. Stay well.
DeleteCarol, thank you for hosting today. I note how many of your images contain water, a symbol of healing, cleansing, and life itself. I find your chosen verse from 2 Timothy to be exactly what is needed for these days - not a spirit of fear, but of power. And your little granddaughters nurture ALL of us! "Each rising sunbreath/life at the crossroad' - this is just exquisite.
ReplyDeleteFran, within the depths of our souls is a deep longing to find peace. Being restless and anxious for months during the pandemic increased the need to be still and in the moment without stress. This topic has laid a foundation for me to be cemented with all of you in a circle of inspired writing.
DeleteCarol: I just noticed that my comments were appearing under my granddaughter's name... who knew? Anyway, thank you for hosting, and for reminding us to relax and breathe and renew ourselves. As per your request, yes, I am glad to share the photo of my husband with you.
ReplyDeleteKaren, thanks for sharing the photo of your husband and his canoe. While I have never taken a canoe out but I am sure that it is a wonderful way to commune with nature and be present in the moment. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteCarol, thanks for hosting . I love these words from your post: "slow down, find a resting place, and just BE!" Summer, more than any other season, provides the time to do this. Blessings as you focus on self-care, self- renewal, and exploration of new horizons (some of that with your lovely grand girls by your side!
ReplyDeleteBeing still in the moment is something I do not do enough of but I think the stress of the move and all the other tasks led me off the chosen path to peace. Today's SJT readings has renewed my commitment for self-care, self-renewal, and exploration (as you said).
DeleteLike Fran, I too noticed the water, which made me ache even more for its absence in my summer (except for the rain, which we've had an abundance of). Alas, my true vacation days are coming to a close with summer school starting on Monday. Thanks for hosting, Carol, and making me dive a bit deeper to remember the little things that nourished my soul these past three weeks.
ReplyDeleteChris, you indeed found ways that nurtured your summer soul and still have time before the new school year begins to add on to your list. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and commenting. PS: I do long for my beautiful Long Island summer shores. Water bodies allow for restoration of our senses.
DeleteThank you, Bonnie Nieves, for you and your husband dedicating this summer as the summer of self-care. Your collage shares the experiences you have already enjoyed so far.
ReplyDeleteSee Bonnie Nieves' collage offering on Twitter at https://twitter.com/biologygoddess/status/1411007360680828932
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