The “Lure” of Mindfulness

Christine Allmand

One crisp autumn morning in 2021, we awoke early to hike our favorite spot in the foothills of western North Carolina. My four children and my husband, John, moved ahead of me about 10 minutes into the walk. Soft sounds of laughter and joy drew my attention to them. My gaze then took in the beauty surrounding us as I stood silently. Spending time in the mountains always felt like coming home, especially after the past year. Our lives had changed since the covid outbreak. The stress of a transforming world had begun to take its toll on my nervous system. The woods were a safe place for me to reconnect with the healing power of nature, releasing anxiety and clearing my mind of fears.

Breathing deeply, I focused on my body… the feel of my feet standing still; my face cold from the chilly air blowing over it; my belly relaxed feeling warm and at peace. My shoulders fell away from my ears. Tension retreated as I looked around. I became aware of the abundance of trees, the soft ground carpeted with fallen multi-colored leaves, and the stones and rocks scattered around. I felt a burst of gratitude for these mystical woods. The warmth from the soft sunlight peeking through the leaves that had not yet fallen became the center of my attention. Bright colors of crimson, burnt orange, and golden yellows surrounded me on all sides. Looking up again at the sky through the trees, I closed my eyes and felt a gentle breeze of cool air under the light of the distant sun. I found beauty in the precious present moment, let go of that which no longer served me, and embraced appreciation for my life.

I inhaled gratitude and exhaled stress. I took another slow deep cleansing breath. I inhaled love and exhaled fear. I got curious about the birds that I heard in the trees as they greeted me with their voices. A chirp here and a chirp there -- the sounds of a beautiful conversation made me wonder what they were saying to each other. Were they in awe as I was? Were they full of gratitude too? I smiled while watching them continue to fly from tree to tree exploring and communicating.

Noticing a sturdy log laying down next to the edge of the creek, I moved to sit on it. I saw my breath in the cool morning air as I walked towards the log. Lowering my body to rest on the fallen Beech tree, I became aware of the leaves and sticks scattered along the bed of the forest. I picked up a small stone that lay at my feet. As I held it, I felt its smooth cool surface. The weight of it in my hand was comforting. I could sense the energy of the earth as I closed my eyes again for another deep cleansing breath. Inhaling grace exhaling worry. I opened my eyes and saw where the two creeks met up ahead. I heard the babbling rush of water over the rocks in the bed of the creek. I was mesmerized by the clear moving water. The sound was soothing to my soul.

I could hear John and the kids near the creek. They were trying to hop along river rocks to get to the other side. Sounds of laughter reached back to me. As I glanced their way, another burst of gratitude melted my heart. Tears filled my eyes, soft gentle tears of comfort and joy. With a cleansing release of love, I whispered a big thank you to Mother Nature. I journeyed towards my family recounting all the blessings in my life and acknowledged the precious gift of joy that filled my heart. In that moment, with those people, I had come home.

As I close my eyes and think back to that moment, I feel pure joy and gratitude. I recall that it had been a long time since my body had felt the warmth and fullness of inner peace and happiness. I had been actively healing from postpartum depression and debilitating anxiety, and I was beginning to feel more like myself after years of being disconnected and discontented with myself and my life. My husband and I took our four children on a road trip for the weekend into the mountains. It was one of the first trips I had been looking forward to since the pandemic began. With the stressful year nearly behind us, we were all looking forward to spending time in the beautiful foothills near our lake house. That part of the country is one of my favorite places to be. There is something special about Lake Lure and the surrounding mountains. I found this spot as a child with my family on one summer road trip and I never forgot about it.

Returning to Lake Lure is one way I recharge my spirit. Spending time on the lake and in the nearby mountains is where I can release the stresses of daily life and recharge my body and soul by reconnecting with nature. I learn how to practice mindfulness, ground myself, and become aware of my internal and external world. As time moves on, and as I awaken to deeper wisdom, I realize that I can create that same spiritual experience regardless of where my body is standing. Those moments of mindfulness are no longer limited to being at Lake Lure. I get to experience them anywhere and that is a practice I am grateful for.

Christine Allmand, MSW

Christine sees herself as the Damsel that woke to the truth that saving herself was her responsibility; the Addict who realized she was powerless over everything except her own choices; the Mother who began to see the power in breaking generational patterns; and the Healer who came to know herself so she could help others know themselves.

If you would like to read more of Christine’s work, you can find it at: https://www.facebook.com/ connectingwithchristine