City walks and mindfulness
As an aspiring minimalist, I've found that being connected to my surroundings in all their forms, is not only easier but becoming vital in my daily life.
It's warm here in Copenhagen at the moment - unseasonably so in fact - and that has meant spending time outside is much easier. While I do enjoy walking at all times of the year, there is just something magical about walking around a city in late spring/early summer. The streets come alive again after a cold winter and very wet spring. Cafe's and restaurants set up more seating outside, people smile much more and are in general just much more friendly. I love this time of year.
While walking all over the city (usually no less than 1.5 hours a day, but most days around 2-3 hours) I feel like I know my neighborhood and the surrounding inner city area pretty well by now. But the beauty of walking (unavoidably) past many of the same places day in and day out, is that you notice the small things that change from day to day or week to week. This idea of mindfulness and complete immersion in my local community is one of the greatest parts of my daily walks. I notice new and incredible things every single day. Whether it's clear bird song on an early Sunday morning walk in the park or a strange and overlooked little piece of street art that I feel only I have discovered while being surrounded by others, it all adds to the intimate experience that's possible every day.
Being a minimalist, for me, has meant a significant downsizing of personal belongings (although that is still a work in progress), and this means that most of my belongings are black, white and grey. For a lot of people this palette will seem boring and totally uninspiring. To me it is the complete opposite. It gives me such a sense of calm and relaxation, that it truly does sharpen my focus and expand my perceptions when I do go outside.
While I try to limit my spending in general, I have also placed a self imposed moratorium on buying any new clothes until my birthday. This has only strengthened my conviction about minimalism and confirmed towards myself, that I have made the right decision in embarking on a life of "less". While walking through town on one of my daily walks with my dog, I particularly like to go into the heart of the shopping area here in Copenhagen, in the early morning hours. Depending on what time I get pushed out of bed, we will sometimes hit the streets well before any delivery trucks or tourists are out and about. If we walk a little later, the enjoyment of seeing the town come alive always reminds me of being on holiday. Do you know that feeling of walking early in the morning in a new place because of jet-lag, travel fever and pure excitement? Some of my best experiences in New York have been in the early morning hours, walking through Central Park with only the most dedicated of joggers. Having coffee at the only little breakfast place on the block with some of the locals and just breathing in the everyday life. That's how I feel in Copenhagen every morning. It's great and it means a shot of espresso is chased by an equally uplifting shot of serotonin from the beginning of the day!
Being mindful while walking can take many shapes. I have become obsessed with listening to news and informational/educational podcasts at the moment. While for some it may seem counter intuitive to being mindful of my surroundings if I have someone droning on in my ear, I have noticed that I tend to see things differently when I'm listening to something interesting. My brain will make connections in more or less subtle ways, linking what I'm hearing to what I'm seeing. That in and of itself is interesting. On some days though, I will purposefully silence my phone and put it in a pocket, focusing on my breathing and on one perception/sense at a time. For example, "this place always sounds really funny when you walk around the corner, going from complete silence (almost) to roaring traffic" or "this is where the shadows through the leaf canopy looks like rippling water when your are far away, down the path in the park".
Being mindful and adhering to a minimalist lifestyle is such a natural relationship in my eyes. I hope many of you have had the same experience - otherwise I certainly encourage you to get outside, every day, and experience the wonder of repetition and the deep knowledge of the area you live in every day.
A whole other post can be made about novel curiosity, exploration, travel and seeing new and inspiring sights - which I also happen to love! - but that's for another time.
The Bernstorff Park (north of Copenhagen city) where I often take my dog, because it is an enclosed dog park where they are allowed to run free and play with all the other dogs. It's a wonderfully large area that I can easily spend an hour or two walking in.