Time: 10 minutes or less
Materials needed: 1/10
Sensory friendly
Spring and summer are wonderful times for color in nature. Try this simple color meditation on your own or with children or a small group.
We often go outdoors with an agenda. We want to exercise, we need to get something done in the garden, we're walking the dog. It's easy to get stuck in a plan without taking much time to reflect on what's around us. This meditative exercise is a fun and relaxing way to recharge your time outside. It only takes a few minutes and has a few easy to remember steps.
To start the meditation first go outside and look around for a plant or flower with color. It doesn't have to be a lot of color, or multiple colors, just something that stands out to you in some way and is still and easy to access. I like to start next to the dahlias growing in my yard because they just draw me in, but it could be any plant or flower you choose. Any color is welcome, and every color will likely produce different experiences with this practice.
Once you are in this space, next to your color, take a moment to simply be present. Hear the sound of leaves blowing, feel your chest rise and fall as you breathe. Close your eyes and take one large inhale count for 4 and exhale with a long sigh. Do this a few more times until you feel your body relax. You may find that other thoughts come in to fill the silence, but simply acknowledge that they have appeared and picture yourself lifting them gently in one hand and placing them back down.
Now open your eyes and look at the color you have started with, try to focus in depth on just the color you have selected. Name the color. Is it purple, yellow, magenta? If you are in a group, ask what names people would assign to this color. Sometimes people use standard color names, and sometimes they make it unique, sunny yellow or fiesty pink. There's no wrong answer. Now think to yourself, I wonder why I picked this color? What drew me to this color today?
Now that you have named your color, what types of imagery does this color make you think of? If it's pink, do you think of spring time, candy, love, or joy? If it's purple do you think of royalty, strength, richness? Whatever the color is, think about words or emotions you might associate with it and say them to yourself. If you're in a group, ask each other to share what this color makes you think of. It can be literal or subjective, specific or general. Take a moment to think about these associations.
Now that you have named your color, what types of imagery does this color make you think of? If it's pink, do you think of spring time, candy, love, or joy? If it's purple do you think of royalty, strength, richness?
Now alone or in your group, close your eyes and imagine this color is a light glowing down on you from above, bathing you in it completely, radiating downward in a gentle rich saturation. How do you feel? Does it make you feel empowered? warm? energized? peaceful? excited? calm? Take a moment to reflect on what feelings come up. Simply breathe and rest inside this color for a few minutes while you picture it washing over you.
When you feel ready, flutter your eyes open again and look at the plant with your color. How do you feel staring at this color now? Did your feelings or thoughts change towards it from when you first selected it? How does your body feel now that you have meditated on this color for a few moments?
If you'd like, you can now pick a different colored plant or flower and repeat this exercise or you can come back tomorrow and pick something else. It can be fun to do this with people and everyone picks different colors. Afterwards, discussing what the process was like can be very enriching and interesting.
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