| The rainforest in Central America taught me a | | | | sight that changes and reveals them to you differently. |
| wonderful lesson: if you can quiet yourself and truly | | | | This concept of focused attention and awareness |
| focus your attention on your surroundings, you will see | | | | turned a horseback-riding jaunt into the discovery that |
| a multitude of things that were seemingly invisible. To | | | | a tree might not just be a tree. My guide and I had |
| view the wonders that the rainforest offers takes | | | | been riding for nearly an hour, our horses running up |
| increased attention and awareness. The obvious | | | | and down the hills. We were very isolated and there |
| analogy to life is that heightened awareness will gift us | | | | was simply not a soul in sight for miles and miles. We |
| a life that offers to intrigue us, to expand our horizons | | | | rode past a large tree much like the others in Costa |
| and offer new sources of joy. | | | | Rica that spread their limbs in a horizontal fashion |
| My two teenagers and I traveled to Costa Rica | | | | when I heard Luis gasp. There nestled in the branches |
| recently for a 10-day vacation filled with adventure and | | | | of a tree was a coyote, something I never would have |
| discovery, not to mention a break from the routine. I | | | | seen had it not been for Luis' fine tuned attention and |
| had arranged the trip with a wonderful tour company | | | | eyesight. |
| so that we had a personal guide with us for the | | | | It wasn't only the rainforest that revealed it self to me. I |
| majority of the trip. Our trip had all been pre-arranged | | | | reconnected with my two teenagers as well. What |
| and included a tour of the capital, a visit to a butterfly | | | | with my work and their school, social life and teenage |
| farm, four days on the majestic Pacific coast where | | | | drama, the talk between us at home seemed to |
| we snorkeled, paddled an outrigger canoe, went deep | | | | revolve more around the mundane details of daily life |
| sea fishing and scuba diving and travel to the Arenal | | | | than true communication. Too much going on and not |
| Volcano where we explored the rainforest by hiking | | | | enough attention on the things and people that matter. |
| and zip-lining on a canopy tour. These were but some | | | | The change in locale and the absecnse of everything |
| but not all of our activities. | | | | that distracted us at home made for a renewed ability |
| The guide who really opened my eyes was a sweet, | | | | to be with each other. I noticed the little things that had |
| cherubic Costa Rican named Constantino. He picked | | | | evaded me at home: watching Jake and Sylvie |
| us up in his van at our hotel on the coast and spent | | | | walking with their arms around each other filled me |
| four days traveling with us to the area of the Arenal | | | | with joy. Having conversations that opened them up |
| Volcano and then on to San Jose, the capital city. | | | | reminded me of their intelligence and depth. I had a |
| Constantino has a deep respect and sense of awe at | | | | renewed sense of who they were and how blessed I |
| the nature that surrounds him. He has kept the delight | | | | was to have these incredible human beings as my |
| and wonder of childhood alive in himself. His knowledge | | | | children. |
| of the land is immense. He seemed to know all there | | | | It is the lack of awareness and focus that robs of us |
| was to know about his country and it's history as well | | | | so much in life. Something as simple as the art of |
| as everything that makes up the natural world in Costa | | | | listening to another person is a prime example. All too |
| Rica. He regaled us with stories. His life lessons were | | | | often when we are in a conversation, our minds are |
| endless but the one that stands out the most for me | | | | elsewhere and we miss out on most of what is being |
| was his lesson of awareness while in the forest. | | | | said and felt. In my training as a Life Coach, listening is |
| The creatures that we had discovered on the Pacific | | | | a skill that is highly emphasized. We are taught about |
| coast were both new and amazing but I told the kids | | | | numerous levels to listening. The first is where we |
| that in the wet forest (all the forests in Costa Rica are | | | | listen but don't really hear. Our minds are elsewhere or |
| so-called rainforests but some are dry and some are | | | | thinking of our next response. In the next level, we |
| wet) we would see even more. We had been in the | | | | focus out attention directly on the person without |
| wet forest in the Arenal area for a day or so when | | | | distraction. It is the third level that can reveal the most |
| they mentioned to Constantino that they really hadn't | | | | to us about the other person because not only are we |
| seen much wildlife at all in that dense jungle. That is | | | | focusing on what they say but we also are deeply |
| when our man in Costa Rica gave us his very wise | | | | aware of their presence, which allows us to tune into |
| insights on awareness. | | | | their total geography. This is where real communication |
| What he said to us was this: You can walk through | | | | takes place. |
| the rainforest for an hour and think that there is little or | | | | The same can be said about our own bodies. How |
| no wildlife there but that is far from the truth. The | | | | many of us don't recognize the signals our bodies |
| forest is extremely deep and dense and many of the | | | | attempt to send us because we are just not tuned into |
| creatures that reside there are camouflaged for their | | | | ourselves? Suddenly it seems we have a full blown |
| own protection. You need to concentrate your | | | | cold when all along our bodies were trying to tell us |
| attention and stop to really look. For instance, as you | | | | that one was coming on. Lack of attention to a |
| walk you could be totally unaware of the howler | | | | strained muscle erupts into a full blown crisis. |
| monkeys scurrying through the treetops. It is only when | | | | The world, our lives and the people in them will open |
| you stop and listen that you will hear the sounds that | | | | up and explode with revelations if we only pay them |
| they make jumping from branch to branch. Even then | | | | more attention. Take the time and make the effort to |
| you need to fix your gaze intently on the canopy of | | | | be more aware. Here are a few ideas: |
| the forest to notice their presence. When you do, | | | | - Slow down. When you become frantic, you lose your |
| suddenly you become aware of the life that exists on | | | | ability to focus. Simply noticing that you are in a |
| the roof of the rainforest. Monkeys everywhere! | | | | heightened state of activity is the first step. Stop and |
| As you walk, you might not see what is happening on | | | | take a few minutes to practice deep breathing. |
| the very ground you tread upon. Upon closer | | | | Everything will come back into focus. Take deep |
| inspection, we see a poison dart frog sitting at the root | | | | breathing breaks a few times a day. |
| of a tree. Gigantic ants are carrying leaves ten times | | | | - Stop multi-tasking. You may be handling ten things at |
| their size to build a nest and their anthill looks to be the | | | | once but you sacrifice quality with quantity. Studies |
| size of a small village. Butterflies dart amongst the | | | | reveal that focusing on one task completely will result |
| trees and plants. I even spotted a tarantula by simply | | | | in much better results. |
| fixing my eyes on the ground. If you can sit quietly and | | | | - Listen to your body's signals. You might be able to |
| concentrate, you might see the tree sloths that inhabit | | | | bypass an outburst of anger if you notice the signs |
| the forest. Birds are suddenly everywhere when we | | | | that precede such an outburst such as increased |
| stop and focus out attention on their cries. Toucans | | | | heart rate and a tingling feeling. |
| appear. With an increased awareness and focus, the | | | | - Take time for nature. Very little in life is as soothing |
| jungle that had seemed bereft of creatures comes | | | | and inspiring as an encounter with the natural world |
| alive. | | | | around us. A simple walk in the woods can be the |
| Constantino's wisdom became even more apparent | | | | recipe for a renewed sense of wonder, serenity and |
| as we set off for our canopy tour, where we rode a | | | | the necessary energy to plow onward. |
| sky tram to the very top of the rainforest and flew | | | | - Practice mindfulness. Perform your everyday task |
| from platform to platform on a zip-line! Constantino told | | | | with a sense of mindfulness, which might be translated |
| us that we would be able to discover the forest from | | | | as being aware of the present moment. |
| an entirely different perspective, much like the | | | | - Prioritize. On that never ending to-do list, what really |
| monkey's experience. We would be seeing it from the | | | | need to get handled today? |
| top versus the bottom and this could open up a very | | | | - Listen with mindfulness. |
| different and new vantage point. | | | | - Learn to meditate. It increases your ability to |
| He was right of course. Looking down at the rainforest | | | | concentrate, focus and be aware. Even ten minutes a |
| gives you a new understanding. It is almost like two | | | | day is highly beneficial. |
| separate worlds. There is more light which gives the | | | | Life is short but sweet. Take the time to taste all the |
| forest a different look and feel altogether. The view is | | | | sweetness. The old adage about stopping to smell the |
| a panorama of treetops, almost like green clouds. You | | | | roses is fitting but being fully aware of that rose is |
| see things on the top that don't exist on the bottom. | | | | even better yet! There is more to that rose than just |
| You are also viewing the wildlife that live in the trees at | | | | its scent. Don't rush through life and miss out on all it |
| eye level which gives you a new perspective, most | | | | has to offer. Cultivating awareness yields huge returns, |
| evident with the birds and monkeys. It is the angle of | | | | all of them good. |