Yttrium

Yttrium said:

would other people join in and post pictures they've taken?

Oh yes, the wonders of nature are my favourite photographic subject!

) ( said:

I was a master at climbing them as a child.

I was a master at climbing up them; I never developed quite the same mastery of getting back down again!

Yes gladly,,I love trees,,I was a master at climbing them as a child.

Your tiny oak looks lovely, I know a gentleman who propagates them and goes out planting here there and everywhere. He loves trees and decided to give back to nature.

Last one I climbed was a few weeks ago Lol. It was a very large willow tree, I sat comfy where the main trunk split into various large branches, in effect it was allowing me to settle upon it and feel safe...

I was busy walking and gathering redkite feathers when I had the urge to relive childhood memories, I am fifty plus years old.

If I start a Topic - Relaxing Photos Of Trees would other people join in and post pictures they've taken?  

Hello Fuchsia. My tree was self-set. I get all the pleasure of watching it grow without any effort at all on my part. Hope your trees are thriving.

Hello Trogluddite.

I might be having similar problems to you regarding the traditional meditation but I'm going to persevere with it for another month or so just in case. I downloaded the free Smiling Mind App and listen to at least one of the sessions each day.

I used to enjoy walking alone in the countryside. It is relaxing and good exercise but I don't know if that counts as meditation(?) The point you make about experimenting with different environments etc is very interesting. I'll have a think about that.

Hello Yttrium, and welcome. I understand what you mean about your tree. I have managed to grow two little oak trees from sprouting acorns I found. I love Trogluddite's remark - "I can approximate sanity better when I have acess to the great outdoors". True for me too.

Welcome Yttrium.

Excellent name!  The description would fit me rather well, too - I was just explaining on another thread how I can approximate sanity better when I have access to the great outdoors.

I've found CBT very beneficial too, particularly when I saw a therapist who was an autism specialist. I can understand some people finding it ineffective, I did too with a couple of previous therapists, but I think that not knowing that I was autistic back then may have had a big part to play in this (both identified that something was present, but couldn't identify what.)

I've never had any success with traditional meditation or mindfulness; I seem to find it impossible by relax by doing nothing, it just seems to make my brain go even faster. I also struggle to see images in my minds eye (aphantasia), so guided meditation with imagery doesn't work either.

However, I think that I have other ways of achieving the same thing, which are maybe not recognised because they're unconventional. Making music is one of them; once I get going, I'm in a world of my own where the outside world can't touch me and I can attain a calmness which I've never found with meditation. As with your radio, certain sensory stimuli work well too - gazing into the ripples on water and certain geometric shapes (I never grew out of a toddler's mobiles maybe!) A lonely spot in the countryside to do it always helps, too. The principle of meditation is good, I think, but maybe try a few experiments with different stimuli and environments to see if you can draw out the ability.

The CBT is really helpful. I think I need to persevere with the meditation and give it a proper chance. I get to sleep by listening to radio4extra in bed for 3 or 4 hours!

You could use the whole photo, but just reduce the size or the resolution.

Acorns in a few years, eh?

Thanks Martian Tom I severely pruned my photo and now it works although the picture looks a little odd.

Great name, Yttrium.  I'm 59 now and was only diagnosed at 56.  Yes... Hell it was.  A lot of it makes sense now.

I hope the CBT and Mindfulness are helping.  I find the latter helps me to sleep.  I've learned to shut down my head as soon as it hits the pillow!

Your photo might not have uploaded because it's too big.  Try adjusting the resolution.  If you haven't got any software to do that on your computer, you could try downloading Gimp image-editing software.  It's free.  Downscaling resolutions is pretty easy.

I tried to post a photo of the tree but without success.  :D