Keeping the Peace

I took a trip with my dad to the Japanese Gardens yesterday. I hadn't been there in a few years and we thought it would be a nice day to go explore the area and take some photos. When you first arrive to the gates they ask you to turn your phones on silent and ask that you don't talk on them to kind of keep the atmosphere peaceful and not disturb others walking in the gardens. Now I don't know if it was the quiet or the beautiful plants but I felt an overwhelming sense of calm in this place. I'm talking more than you would get from just being inside of a Library. It was amazing what an effect this place had on me. When I left I felt more at peace than I have in a long time; so it got me thinking, I need something like this more often in my life.

I've been really into finding new relaxation methods because these past few weeks I've been feeling like crap. This new term in school really kicked off with a bang that I was not ready for, and the fact that I'm getting less sleep than I used to isn't helping. I keep waking up in pain, feeling like my head of going to explode from grinding my teeth due to stress or sleeping on my neck wrong. However, I found that when I would take deep breaths every morning it would help to calm me down and, somehow, ease the pain. I know that some people like to meditate, or light candles/incense to get that sense of calm, maybe some do yoga...

I'm really looking for something to give me that peace of mind. Not just when I wake up, but throughout my day. I've been working on being less attached to my phone because I hate the fact that my phone is the first thing I reach for in the mornings. I've also been trying to read more. I think it's important for all people, but mostly young adults to really take a step back and relax even if its only once a week. So much is changing in our lives, we really need that time to ourselves. To relax for a moment and have everything be still and be okay.

I left the Gardens with a little souvenir; Tama. Maneki-Neko is based on the tale of this cat, Tama who brought happiness and good fortune to his owner. I thought he was cute but who knows, maybe Tama will bring me a greater sense of happiness this term. If you haven't been to the Japanese Gardens recently, or at all, I suggest you take a trip; especially if you're starting to feel like you need a little break from reality, or need to find your sense of calm.