[Fleecewife]

Work on a smallholding can seem endless and exhausting.  Try taking ten minutes out for this little exercise in relaxation, which will also put you in closer touch with your land.
Choose a fairly calm day and find somewhere really comfortable to sit outside, well away from the road if possible.
Sit down, close your eyes, and listen to your heart beat – take a few moments to slow both your heart rate and breathing.
Now, open your ears (but keep your eyes closed) and listen first of all to the noises close to you. These may be the breeze in the leaves, a scurrying rodent, your dog breathing,  hens murmuring contentedly, or your sheep sneaking up to see what on earth you are up to. This close you can even hear insects scuttling about and of course bees buzzing.
Once you have identified all those really close-up sounds, move your circle of sound out a bit to include the birds singing – try to hear them individually and identify them if you can. Birdsong changes with the seasons, so you can think of them courting, nest building, rushing about finding food for their chicks, new fledgelings yelling for mum, or the quiet time of winter when they are recuperating for the next season. Contemplate all these things. You may hear the sound of ripping grass as your flock grazes, dogs snuffling and barking, ewes calling to their lambs, your partner working not too far away, and of course the big sound of silence.
Widen your circle of sound again and you will hear a buzzard mewing as it soars, a distant tractor droning, a rookery of busy birds, a lark rising and singing its glorious challenge to the world, a plane passing overhead and traffic on distant roads.  I like to imagine the passengers in cars and planes and wonder where they are going on their busy lives.  Stretch your ears to hear every last sound you can.
Once you have heard as much as you can, open your eyes. You will realise that you can’t actually see most of the things you were listening to and would have missed if you hadn’t closed your eyes and relaxed into the day.

[SallyintNorth]

I actually felt my shoulders relax just reading your lovely description, FW!

Years ago, in my rat race years, a trainer once asked me if I ever stopped, took time out.  Back then we used to try to get a long weekend in Exmoor every couple of months; first morning, we'd be up and walk a circuit with the dogs.  Halfway round was a gate.  We'd lean on that gate and watch and listen, letting the rat race leach out and away and Exmoor seep in.  So I answered, "There's a gate in Exmoor I lean on from time to time."  "How long do you lean on it?", he asked.  "Oh, a couple of hours."  He nodded, satisfied; he knew exactly what I meant.

It's a funny thing, but I hardly ever lean on a gate for more than a few minutes these days!

[Sandy]

I love it out on walks to see and smell my surroundings, too often we just travel from day to day, I hope that some days we actualy stop and take it all in like a sponge. We used to go to the Tower with the dogs, thats only yards away, the Tower is high up and its fantastic to feel the wind fill you lungs!!!!! Nice day today as well, Happy St Patrics day!!

[Sylvia]

I shall do that this morning Fleecewife and push away all thoughts of should be doing this, should be doing that I'll make it a daily thing. Thank you for that

[Smalltime]

And some people don't get fishing? 

[Bert]

I often take time to stand and take in the fantastic natural scenery and wildlife around me. It defiantly dose you good. Love your approach to it fleecewife. Smalltime I'll be fishing tomorrow

[NormandyMary]

In themornings when I let the boys and the chooks out, if the weather is nice, I just stand in the field, take in a good few deep breaths and relax. Its so quiet where we are, the only noise we hear is that of farm machinery, although some mornings I will hear a cuckoo and a woodpecker. Lovely.

[Lesley Silvester]

FW love the concept but I live is a big town.  Can't get away from roads.  I do like to sit in my garden and block out distant sounds and concentrate on those close to - goats cudding, bees buzzing, birds etc.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I sometimes stop when out riding at the furthest and highest point of the ride and just sit there listening to the sounds of the birds and the farm animals and (best of all) the slight jingling as Liesel thoughtfully chomps on her bit.

I am lucky though, it is very quiet here considering we are on a hill in the centre of a huge valley so sound carries a lot and it's still quiet!! Apart from our geese at 3am when they decide to have a barney with each other of course....:-)

[deepinthewoods]

that started me off nicely this morning fw. thanks

[Sylvia]

I tried it yesterday and found that the sounds were coming from the outside in, as it were. First I heard the A30 in the distance, the a car coming up the lane and finally the bird song and the pig's contented huffings. I did find it relaxing though and will keep practising.

[jaykay]

I loved this , thank you 

[MAK]

I loved this too and good advice.

BUT - last night I watched "One foot in the Grave" when they went to a yoga class to de-stress . The instructor told them to relax - listen to their heart beat etc - then she died in front of the class !!!!!

I will leave it a bit and get Victor Meldrew out of my head  before I try this.

[jaykay]

 

[Lesley Silvester]

I loved this too and good advice.

BUT - last night I watched "One foot in the Grave" when they went to a yoga class to de-stress . The instructor told them to relax - listen to their heart beat etc - then she died in front of the class !!!!!

I will leave it a bit and get Victor Meldrew out of my head  before I try this.