May 4 is a day, like any other day, with one exception: it\’s National Renewal Day!
To be honest, I wasn\’t even aware there was such a \”day\”…but I love it.
I especially love that its the day after National Garden Meditation Day as well.
The NationalDayCalendar.com website describes Renewal Day best:
\”Observed annually on May 4th, National Renewal Day was created for new beginnings. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, renewal is defined as “the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again: the state of being renewed.
A day that has been correctly placed in the spring, National Renewal Day is meant to reinvigorate us after a long winter. Whether we choose to refresh our souls or replace our old rugs with new, we are to set to work polishing up our state of being.\”
So with this information, I\’m issuing a challenge. A challenge to merge National Garden Meditation Day and Renewal Day into an epic, month-long practice that will leave us all calmer and more centered. A chance to \”reset\” reinvigorate after the longest of winter/springs EVER.
This brainstorm of mine is perfect during a time when travel is likely still not an option for many as the world struggles to reclaim a “new normal” after several intense months of battling the super-virus known as COVID-19. As the battles rages on, everyone is learning to be creative when nurturing their mental and physical health
So instead of wrapping up in a blanket and turning on the TV for the 112th time, let\’s all make a point to look at our backyard or garden with different eyes and commit to making that space a place of renewal.
So whether your Garden looks like this:
…or this…
…creating a greenspace sacred place for meditation and renewal is an entirely personal thing.
Poets and philosophers often compare the mind to a garden. In keeping with this idea, you can use meditation to cultivate healthy thoughts. These are three sample meditations using garden themes – planting seeds, observing the change of seasons, and welcoming the harvest.
What harvest will you welcome?
Essential Elements of a Meditation Garden
According to ALDMN.com, some of the essential elements of a meditation garden include:
Water feature: The soothing sounds of water encourages relaxation
Simplicity: Less is more! Simple lines and minimal clutter is key.
Items with Symbolism: Symbolism can mean another from totems to things that make your heart sing and mean something to you.
Separation from the Outside World: Your meditation area should be NOT in your driveaway or next to your neighbor\’s fence. Making sure your special green space is at least somewhat isolated is keep to making it a sacred place. If your yard is tiny, and neighbors are close, thing \”cocoon.\” Create a hidden secret garden that is accessible to you and only you.
Share your ideas for renewal in the comments below and search #NationalRenewalDay when you share this post on social media!
What if you could \”live\” inside the pages of the children\’s books your family reads? What if you could enjoy the same adventures as the characters? BookJumping is taking the solitary act of reading a book and transforming it into an event that can be shared with others. It\’s the process of pulling books off shelves and stories off pages. It\’s making kids\’ books come ALIVE by \”jumping\” inside the pages.
The ABC’s of BookJumping: The Best of Jump Into a Book is a concept that lets parents, caregivers, homeschoolers, and educators use the books they have on their shelves to create moments of “learning by doing” and reading all rolled into one!
This robust literacy-based e-book contains over 150 hand-picked book reviews, unique book-inspired activities and recipes, book pilgrimages, facts about classic book authors that we all know and love, and many, many reasons to spend countless hours “unplugged” and revisiting classic stories.
Making reading an adventure for kids and not a \”task/ chore/requirement\” is a great way to help them increase the desire to learn and keep them interested as well. Setting aside time as a family and selecting a summer reading list is a great way to not only make the idea of reading more exciting but also to involve kids in voicing their thoughts and options on what it is that they would like to read.
Re-ignite your child\’s love of reading and encourage screen-free family time today.
Get the details here and reserve your copy ASAP. The ABC’s of BookJumping: The Best of Jump Into a Book will be delivered to your eReader May 12, 2020.
