In this practice, you will venture out into the world and search for treasure, glorious bit of beauty and delight. The treasure you seek does not need to arrive in the form of gold or money. You will utilize your mindful attitude to discover the beauty that surrounds you every day. This practice will encourage you to notice treasures that you might ordinarily miss, or fail to appreciate if you don’t pause to look at the world with a mind and heart filled with wonder, curiosity, and gratitude.
Your treasure hunt can begin anywhere. Although natural landscapes, like forests, parks, or the seaside, can be particularly pleasant places to explore, you can also embark on a city sidewalk, playground, or even a school hallway. The actual location of your hunt is much less important than the attitude you bring with you. In order to discover the simple treasures, it’s essential to carry your mindful spirit. On an ordinary walk you are on a mission to get from one place to another. On this particular mindful walk, the purpose of the adventure is to notice beauty. Beauty can exist in many forms. Actions can be filled with beauty. You might watch as one person shows kindness to someone else by holding a door, offering a hug, or carefully listening. You might notice a gorgeous spider web covered in dew, shimmering in the morning sunshine, or the incredible colors, shapes, and patterns on a common weed springing up through the sidewalk. You might gaze towards the sky and see fluffy clouds that look like cotton candy. Use all your senses and you might notice the beautiful call of a mourning dove, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees, or waves lapping on the shore. You could pick up a rock and notice little specks that look like gold or crystals, or a gorgeous stained glass window in a neighborhood church. Maybe you lift your face towards the sun and feel the wonderful warmth of sunshine on your cheeks. Maybe someone walks past you and smiles or a puppy wags its tail. You might notice squirrels chasing each other round a tree, a butterfly, or a gloriously soft bed of moss.
Take a few minutes or a few hours and hunt for treasure. Let your heart be filled with the wonders of the world. When you pause to look for beauty, you will discover that beauty is all around, even in moments and places that initially seem quite dark and dreary. Become a person who spots stars and rainbows and you will also discover tremendous peace and joy. Enjoy the hunt and let it last a lifetime!
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