Credit_CHristian Heeb.jpg
While social distancing makes a bike ride along Cannon Beach a no-no for now. You can still use the images to find a place of zen at home.

News from around the world has been grim. Many of us in North America are now joining friends and family around the world in trying to flatten the curve of the Covid19 pandemic.

Here in Canada, it has meant social distancing and staying indoors. My family has developed new routines to help the days pass faster and one of my personal favourites is the time I take each morning for quiet reflection before the others are up. Luckily, there is no shortage of spaces online that help.

If you’re ready for some zen, I suggest turning off the news for a little while and focusing your attention in a different direction. These options should help.

Take a trip to Oregon (Virtually)

I spent some time in Oregon a few years ago and loved the laid-back, full- press-on-nature vibe. Recently, the state’s travel arm released its favourite Moments of Zen, and other virtual tours, in hopes of offering some mindfulness to people who can’t get out into nature at this particular time.

Among the offerings are twenty-minute video escapes that take viewers to all seven regions around the state, including:
A musical performance at The Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon
Painting Autumn colours at Lithia Park in Southern Oregon
Watching waves lap the shore in Samuel H. Boardman State Park on the Oregon Coast

Credit: Travel Oregon

Viewers can also virtually explore some of Oregon’s iconic sites in 360-degree video, including the Columbia River Gorge – the largest designated National Scenic Area in the U.S. – and Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood – the only ski area in North America open year-round.

Plus, Oregon State Parks’ Whale Watching Centre in Depoe Bay is live streaming whale watching!

Visit Travel Oregon on Youtube or at www.traveloregon.com .

Try a Meditation App

The Calm Meditation App has a list of free resources for everything from getting you through the day to helping you sleep at night to teaching your kids to meditate.

Remember the sound of the sea

Water has always been an important sound for me. Listening to crashing waves in different places around the world has to rank among my most relaxing moments ever. This quick 3-minute meditation offering from Velas Resorts transports you to the sea:

Have a Mental Health resource at your fingertips

Finally, One of my new favourite resources is Dr. Julia Alleyne’s Wellsense.net blog. Her articles offer plenty of tips for current stresses. She speaks to some of the benefits of meditation in her post below:

That’s it for now. Stay well.