The View From the Hammock

OK obviously, I am in love with my hammock. We spend a lot of quality time together, mostly during warm weather, and if I don’t get outside for my special time, I feel it.

I love the view from my hammock – I always think that would be a nice title for a daily weather report. This is the actual view from my hammock today – it’s beautiful and clear in LA after a stormy day yesterday. It’s getting colder but the sun is still warm, so there will still be Hammocktime! (I always put this to MC Hammer’s “Hammertime” in my head)

I try to get out and spend some time, not only to relax, meditate, align with my spirit and reconnect with nature, but also for my daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun. There is something about relaxing in this particular spot – it could be that I’m surrounded by so much beautiful, lush greenery, a swaying palm tree, birds, butterflies and bees humming around doing their thing – or it could be my personal philosophy about why a hammock is so comfortable and conducive to total relaxation: I believe that being somewhat cocooned and totally supported while you rock back and forth may remind us of the same experience when we were babies. When we had no worries, no cares; everyone else took care of all of our wants and needs, we weren’t concerned about our body image or if we anyone liked us or if we were going to succeed…life was just simple and happy. For most. It may sound crazy but that’s my personal belief. Or it may be that we just associate it with a tropical beach and a Corona. Both make sense to me.

Sadly, it’s not so comfortable or relaxing to be outside when it’s cold, so we will have winter hiatus. I could get an indoor hammock, just as my brother has had for many years. Two hooks on either side of the family room are always on standby if they decide to bring out the hammock. But alas, mine is strictly the outdoor variety. Relaxing, meditating, aligning with spirit and reconnecting with nature will move indoors to my office with my spiritual alter and small coconut palm. Vitamin D will have to be supplemented.

As you will notice, there are a few not-so-relaxing elements in the area – a clothesline directly above me (which I use to drape vinyl over to shade myself when it gets too hot…handy!) or the other wires running diagonally across my view. That is actually an interesting story -

Those are telephone lines from the telephone pole in the corner of our backyard. When my parents first bought this house in 1949, (they looked at a model and put down $10 and moved in to their newly-built home two months later…hello…can we say “equity”??) the phone situation was much different than it is now. They had party lines (for those of you who are too young to know, everyone had to share a phone line in a neighborhood, much like extensions on a phone in one house, i.e. “Can you please hang up soon? I need to make a call”). And beyond that fact, some people didn’t even have a phone. I know…I’ll give you a moment to recover from the shock.

However, my father was a policeman, so he had to have a phone. Hence, the telephone pole landed in our backyard and we were the first in the neighborhood to have a phone. So I actually don’t mind seeing the wires – it reminds me of the long history my family has in this house.

My special little meditation spot in our backyard is behind the garage and surrounded by tall ficus trees, giant bird of paradise and pink hibiscus so it’s very secluded and private. It’s is truly my little oasis. I’m a bit sad that I won’t be spending as much time out there as the weather gets colder, but believe me, I when the sun is out and warm enough, you can bet I will be out there enjoying my precious Hammocktime! I may have to put up some hooks in my office…hmmmmm....although, it's not quite the same without the clothesline and phone phone wires.

That said, I highly recommend to anyone who is seeking some quality relaxation -  Get a hammock! And enjoy your own view, wherever that may be.

Wishing you a beautiful, relaxing day…
With love,
Tanna


Living Peacefully ™ is written by Tanna Marshall, Author, Holistic Consultant and Personal Coach. If you have any questions or would like more information about Living Peacefully, please contact:
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