Mindfulness Daily Check-In August 21, 2017
Nature and Mindfulness: Part 3
Hello everyone ! We're starting a new week today and so first a little throwback to the previous week-
Tell us how your week was? Have you been able to practice mindfulness in life?
Remember, it doesn't have to be hours of meditation or a lot of effort. Even if you tried to be present in the moment you were living, it's a big leap forward. Even if you didn't get a chance to do it, no problem ! You can try this week. 
Flowing Water...
This week we'll try to start with some calm, soothing sound of nature ! Flowing water's soothing sounds have long been associated with meditation, a well-known relaxation method. The way water, weather and sound interact, can produce an overwhelming sense of mental tranquility.
Standing beside a vast ocean or swimming in an epic lake brings inevitable awareness of this great, big world and your teensy, tiny place in it. Such awe-inspiring experiences make your brain happier, not to mention less stressed and more creative. The meditative state induced by water also engages the brains default mode network, essentially causing you to daydream in a way you wouldnt if you were more focused on a particular task. Activating your default mode network — allowing your brain to wander, free of stimulation — is known to produce some of the best problem-solving our minds can generate. And that is calming in itself.
Amazing ! Right? 
Click on the gifs below and float on ! Tell us what do you think.
(For a short note: DON'T feel intimidated by thinking that you have to listen to the sound for a long time. You CAN listen for whatever period you feel comfortable. )
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@KrinkTheMellowUnicorn @Pat @AutumnLeigh @tazcares @Kason @Power @kindsoul10 @melliotm@soulsings @sujaypai @ady23 @rumplesteeleskin @sensitiveShade5337 @basty @joyoussun47 @peacefulwarrior10 @lightforlife @sailorelix @kindsoul10 @yzzil @passionatepeyton @emunahhere @amiablepeace77 @helping2findaway @honeydinkley @politelychaotic @agreeablekite4304 @LilyLila @psalm139 @PiecesofYou @char1otte @fighter23 @emilyLanes @NoDramaBabyLlama @adaptiveLight27 @Deeperblue @JenSee @Jenna0903 @behindhazeleyes @adventurousfan @politeavocado @CrissiArabela @AMusicalSilence @BuddhistDracula @pinkmallow @stillLavender24
@SunFern
Thank you for this check-in. I so love natures sounds as my grounding for mindfulness!!
@RumpleSteeleSkin wow Rumple ! that sounds awesome
@SunFern I tried clicking on the first one and it is just what I need to let things flow around me. So many thoughts in this world but this is such a nice way of letting them flow by and do not have to grab them. Thanks for sharing this.
Also a reminder that today the Mindfulness Subcommunity is born. Thank you for everyone that participated in all ways to help have this happen. If you have not joined yet, there are still openings!
To join click here: https://www.7cups.com/home/mindfulness/
And let us know what number you are that joined (the one after the one posted on the mindfulness center home page, link above) by going here and adding a post https://www.7cups.com/home/mindfulness/
Welcome to the next adventure of the Mindfulness Center.
@soulsings
yeah, the feelings of going with flow of the soothing sound is pretty amazing and calming.
and three cheers for Mindfulness going sub-community ! 
fern, the first one created a kind of feeling of happyness, lightness and also a bit like "life is so easy" (hope you understand what i mean, like a child strolling along the path). the second one made created a feeling like wanting to go to bed and hide from bad weather and just lay down and relax.
@amiablePeace77 very interesting observations. I have not tried the 2nd one. The first one is so calming. :)
@soulsings
did you find it mood uplifting (1st one, the sounds)?
@amiablePeace77 I would say so I have listened to the first one two times through! 6 hours! I find it very soothing. How about you?
@soulsings
did not do the full length, just a taste, i like those sounds a lot.
@amiablePeace77
i like how you put it. sounds like you had a good time listening to them
@SunFern I tend to lean more toward the sounds of heavy rain and thunder when it comes to relaxing nature sounds, so haven't really listened much to this sort before
I was actually really enjoying the first of those two, but then it started getting more intense and I realised I was listening to an advert (I mean to be fair it was a lovely advert though 'Autumn Colours in Tohoku, Japan' if anyones interested ahaha) ... 
Getting to the actual one, I wasn't too fond at first but then focussing less on where the sounds were panned to it did grow on me a lot. Then in the second one the reverb kinda made me feel like I was in an indoor pool or something hmm... I may be a lottle over critical of sounds oops!
Thank you for those, always nice to explore different things 
@AMusicalSilence rain storms with thunder and lightning really clear my mind.