downtime is sacred. when asked what i did most of our recent tranquility tour, i giggle and confess that i looked out the window. for hours. days actually. and loved it.

in a culture that values productivity and making things happen, the notion of sitting fireside, strolling, or sipping tea at a sidewalk cafe for hours seems frivolous. {the french refer to strolling as flânerie and it’s a popular practice}. it appears that this downtime may be just what the soul needs.

stuck in an internet connection haze while juggling reading a book last night, i came across a great article on 99u.com on the value of disconnecting. i had just led the mindfulness workshop at tranquil space earlier in the day where preaching meditation, unplugging, and deep thinking were part of the equation. 

it was interesting to notice how feeling tired and ungrounded led me down a rabbit hole of switching from my book to quick peeks at my iphone in search of additional stimulation. isn’t a book enough? the only good part of last night’s juggling moment is that i stumbled across this article and it hit a reset button of sorts. i copied the link, put down my iphone, and couldn’t wait to share it with you.

to summarize the article and encourage a connection to mindful moments, here are the 5 suggestions for disconnected downtime:

1. rituals for unplugging {also on the tranquilologie weekly checklist}

2. daily doses of deep thinking {maybe during your morning or evening routines}

3. meditation and naps to clear the mind {let this be your daily mindful movement}

4. self-awareness and psychological investment {try a daily dose of exploratory journal writing}

5. protect the state of no-intent {try this during your weekly soak in the tub}

wishing you moments of mindful downtime. as we head into the hollydaze, we need these moments more than ever. carve out some space. disconnect. whittle your commitments. give the gift of your full presence. bisous. x