Key to reconnecting with your true self

by Jelena
key to reconnecting with your inners self

In one of my previous blog posts, I’ve shared with you the scientific reasons why meditation is so good for our health. For me, it is the key to reconnecting with my true self. Since many of you wondered how I do it, here is a little snippet of my day in nature.

There are so many different kinds of meditation, that you cannot really go wrong with any. Just don’t overthink it. The more you try, the more you learn about yourself and you adapt. You are not meant to give up thinking “I cannot do this.” No, all you should do is keep looking for ways that will work for you.

I’ve learned that meditation brings the most benefits when practiced regularly. When it becomes part of your healthy routines you won’t need a special place or special setting to summon the calmness and peace within.

The key is to make an effort to spend quality time within yourself – paying attention to yourself. You can sit, you can run, you can brush your teeth, you can iron… whatever works for you, as long as you are present and aware.

I usually like to sit in some quiet, private place and visualize things, pray or just observe my thoughts. Sometimes It can feel like I didn’t manage to calm myself through meditation, but actually, those ones bring me lots of creative thoughts and solutions.

My spiritual teachers have helped me understand that I shouldn’t focus on how many minutes I do my meditations and how often. The goal is to understand the calm mind, the happiness and gratitude of your soul and transfer it to all areas of your life and all relationships you have.

No stress is too much for you because you learn to surrender your fears and controlling thoughts. You learn to appreciate the good and the bad because they help you grow.

Try it!

My meditation in nature

On a very recent trip in Tuscany for our friend’s wedding ceremony, I had a few hours to go for a walk in nature. It really was something I was yearning for after so many months in a city environment.

I love being alone in nature. Alone completely. But I have to admit, at first when I arrive, I feel a wave of fear come over me because I know that I’m I am an intruder. To some, I might be pray, too.

What if there is some snake hiding in the bushes? Just in case, for that particular reason, I stomp loudly with my feet. Don’t laugh, but it really makes me feel safer. If they hear me, they’ll get scared and run off. Novak told me it works. (It better work!)

From there on, I continue walking with a little mantra

I am safe, I am free, I am me

The insecurities and fears that I have at first are usually because I’m out of tune with nature. My ego is aligned with city noises and rhythms, but there is not much noise here. You can hear birds, insects, water, wind… all the relaxing sounds (and your mind complaining!).

My Ego finally loses its power once I start feeling the breath of my soul. It is real. It is there. At first, it is just a breath, but then you can start hearing its voice. It was always there, talking to me, although I couldn’t hear it because I was not in tune with myself. You cannot hear it with your mind. You need to let go completely.

When you hear the sound of your soul for the first time, you will always be able to find it again. No matter how loud the noise is, no matter where you are… there is a part of you that will always guide you there. That is the ultimate place of peace you can find within you.

For those moments of reconnection, I chose a hidden place to sit comfortably, somewhere I am not seen easily, and I start saying the prayer I learned in Ecuador with my teacher Elena.

Thank you spirits of Nature for allowing me to be here with my mind, body, and soul. I am here as your friend, as your family.

Thank you for nourishing my soul with your love and purity, for making me whole again.

Thank you, Mother Nature.

Then I breathe in and say, “Nature is in me” breathe out and say “And I am one with nature. Thank you. I love you.”

I sit calmly. I try to let go of my thoughts, although they are rushing through my mind and sometimes it’s not so easy to not engage with them. The sounds of nature help me to stay in the present moment. I am listening and feeling my body.

Meditation for me is all about letting my mind imagine things. For instance, when I’m in nature, I imagine I am a tree and I start feeling how my roots are going deep in the ground to connect me with the Mother Earth, with the soil… through underground waters, I get access to wisdom and health, I am nourished. All of the stress is transformed into pure energy of gratitude and I feel how my body is being filled with light and love. My arms are branches filled with flowers and wonderful green leaves. Around me are animals and birds who connect with me… We are one.

The feeling of oneness is what I seek for. I don’t want to feel “better than” or “bigger than” in any situation. I simply seek the place of calm and the place where I am connected to ALL.

I can read a book, I can relax on the grass… Sometimes I play some music in my earphones and dance without a care in this world. Nobody is watching! Yeeeey!

There is no right or wrong, really. It’s just nature and me. And it feels divine.

What are your favorite places to escape? What do you do to reconnect with your inner self? What are your favorite meditations? Excited to learn from you! 

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35 comments

Kristina Lalova February 8, 2019 - 4:48 am

Hi Jelena,

I love reading your blog posts! They are so positive! I try to escape every single day from reality because I know how important it is not to allow the outside world to silence my own inner voice. I always try to do what feels right in my heart and follow my intuition which is opposite to what I do in my job. I am forced to be rational but I am also a dreamer, and my daily 10-minute meditation helps me reconnect with my true self and listen to my own voice and what he has to say about my dreams.
My best escape is seeing the sunrise every morning when I am going to work. I am a morning person and tend to get up at 5 am and walk over to get the bus to work at 6:30 am. I go over a beautiful wooden bridge above the Willimantic River in Connecticut every morning. I perceive it as a privilege to hear the sound of the river and see the sunrise. And, even though it is pretty much the same every morning, I like taking a picture of the color combinations that nature can come up with whether I am watching the sunrise or the sunset. The other day I was walking again to University of Connecticut and I saw a rainbow. In that moment I realized how lucky I was. I hadn’t seen a rainbow in a very long time. It might have seemed weird to some people but it made my day and I was in a good mood the entire day. Whenever I have more time during the weekend, I love taking a walk in the park. My most favorite parks are Central Park in New York, Longwood Gardens and Penn Park in Philadelphia, and the Exotic Garden in Monaco. Whenever I am on a vacation and whenever I am traveling, I always try to escape the crowds. It can get too noisy and it takes away some of my energy in a way. But, another favorite escape is to lay on the beach and listen to the waves. I find it very peaceful and energizing. Honestly, the time, which I spend in nature, makes me feel the most alive, while the time, which I spend traveling, allows me to feel like myself and I feel free, if there is even such a thing. I look forward to your next blog post. Thank you!

Best,
Kristina

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Vuk February 8, 2019 - 10:08 am

Divan blog Jelena !
Dokaz da ovo sve ima efekta jeste, tvoja energija kojom pruzas ove divne bisere u nastojanju da pomognes ljudima da pronadu unutrasnji mir ili ti spokoj.
Velika retkos u današnjici.je
Hvala ti!

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Julia February 8, 2019 - 2:41 pm

Hi Jelena!
Since I am a student meditation started playing an important role in my life. It helps me escaping the feelings stress. pressure and anxiety especially during exam periods. Sometimes I get the feeling that everything is too much and I won’t make it. Then it is always time for me to take 10-15 minutes away from my study time. In these minutes I imagine myself in a place/moment in my past where I felt completely happy, calm and safe. When I started doing my meditations I was nervous while doing it because I thought “oh what are you doing you have to much to do, do things like this?!”. But after a while I realized that I was so much more productive after these 15 minutes. So in the end it gives you even more time that it actually takes. So amazing!
Love from Germany
Julia

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Nenad February 8, 2019 - 4:29 pm

Zaista hvala ti Jelena što nesebično deliš svoje znanje sa svima nama u nastojanju da nam pomogneš da pronadjemo unutrašnji mir za kojim toliko čeznemo.

S obzirom da nemam dovoljno često priliku da se osamim u prirodi meni lično prija da, dok ležim u krevetu, i pre nego što se uspavam, se jednostavno fokusiram na sopstveno disanje. Prvih 5 minuta misli (ili kako ti reče ego), napadaju sa svih strana, ali poenta je ne odupurati se, već jednostvano vratiti fokus na disanje kada god primetimo da nam je neka misao zaokupirala pažnju. Pre ili kasnije (uz redovnu vežbu to biva sve brže), ego se u potpunosti primiri, valjda shvativši da nema s kim da saradjuje:), i osetim veliko olakšanje. Kao da je sav pritisak tog proteklog dana jednostavno sišao sa mojih ramena, i sam legao da odmori do ujutru, kako bi se valjda narednog dana opet zakačio za mene xD.

Pozdrav za tebe, i nastavi da pišeš!

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 10:55 am

Dragi Nenade, hvala na podršci! Drago mi je da imaš neki svoj način opuštanja na kraju dana. Da, naš Ego neumorno radi. Ja se stalno borim sa njim :))

Puno sreće i ne daj se stresu!
Jelena

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Viktorie February 8, 2019 - 4:43 pm

Hello Jelena! Your posts are soo interesting ❤ I absolutely agree with you. Meditation helps me with my fears, anxiety and negative thoughts. I’m very sensitive person so you it really works for me. I don’t care where I’m. But the best place for me is my bedroom. I sit down, listen my favourite peaceful music, light a candle and just enjoying the present Mk ment. It’s so powerful. I believe in esoteric, that we all are connected with nature, universe and these things. Some people think that I’m weird, but i don’t care… I feel it. And when i meditate, i’m telling to myself that i’m safe, that things are going well, that everything has its reason, that my problems aren’t so big how they look. That i’m okay and loved. That i live in peace and love. But if i’m in stress, i don’t mind to meditace for example at school, in the bus, library or cafe. I just sit down, close my eyes and focus on my mind and thoughts. It is so helpful ❤

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 10:59 am

Thank you for sharing your experience! We people do tend to judge when we are seeing something different. It’s a shame, but that is again the work of Ego. Keeps coming in different shapes and forms. That’s why life is so wonderful, we have so much work to do on ourselves every day… just keeping our ego at bay is huge work. And yet we find time to judge others… ?‍♀️

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RADA SEAT February 8, 2019 - 4:49 pm

Amazing story, inspiring, love it…

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 10:59 am

❤️?

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Vlada February 8, 2019 - 5:51 pm

Draga Jelena,
Hvala ti na iskrenosti i nesebicnom davanju.
Ja meditiram prije odlaska na spavanje. To sjedinjavanje sa samim sobom je svaki put predivno iskustvo.

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:00 am

Hvala vama Vlado što čitate i radite na sebi ❤️?

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alessandra giovati February 8, 2019 - 8:47 pm

Dear Jelena, thank you very much for your posts: they are so interesting.
I usually do my meditation at home, in my bedroom: I sit on the bed or on the floor, in my husband side, just in front of the window.
I prefer do it in the early morning, when I wake up, before starting all daily commitments.
About nature I agree with you: it is another way to find calm. I live in a very small village and I see fields through the windows. When I come back from work I like riding my bicycle for a while and go in a little street around the village; there are no cars, so it is perfect.
I think we should learn to love nature and to respect it and to teach these values to our children. You are a perfect mum and teacher, because you are a nice person.
Kind regards

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:01 am

Aaaah bike ride through the village…. thank you for sharing! ?❤️

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Craig Woods February 8, 2019 - 8:48 pm

I find that the more I meditate (I started around ten years ago) the more the meditative state is seeping through all my actions effortlessly. Meditation also keeps us switched on and calm when a threatening situation arises. For example, I’m currently on a trip with my partner too in Krakow Poland. My partner is Japanese. She’s really quiet, shy and innocent. Just tonight as we were talking through the city, a fight engaged right before us and she was so shocked she froze in terror. I had to grab her by the arm and move her out the way as she almost got hit by a piece of wood. When it kicked off. I managed to keep my head. Everything slowed down and I was able to help her. I guess the meditation is working. Novaks another great example of it because I bet when he plays tennis without any anxiety he’s put into that meditative, gamma brainwave state. His winners and movement provably feel automatic almost like God is playing through him. Writing, drawing, running, doing the dishes, so many things put me in the true self where the beliefs of the past have no more power of me.

I’m going to send you the book I said I would when I get back to Liverpool. Your blogs always agree with what write in it. Thanks for the blog and I’m happy you guys had fun on your trip!

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:03 am

Exactly! That is how it feels when you are in tune! Everything is slo-mo! Hope your partner is ok. Much love and enjoy your travels!

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Padma Rajan February 8, 2019 - 9:14 pm

Dear Jelena…..I LOVED this post…..COMPLETELY resonated with me; everything from nature, Novak’s trick lol, the meditation, mantra from your Ecuador teacher, detaching from the city rhythms and aligning to the sounds of nature – sounded poetic and peaceful!

For me – my escape – walking outdoors by the river close to my home, yoga and meditation!

Loads of love from Florida,
-Padma

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:03 am

So glad! Thank you Padma! Much love to you too! ❤️❤️❤️

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Rosa Pavlović-Mirković February 9, 2019 - 12:01 am

Sjajan tekst.
Vrsta meditacije koju praktikujem zavisi od dana.
Ako je dan bio miran, dovoljno je da pustim neku laganu muziku i da se udobno smestim…ako imam neke veće izazove najviše mi pomažu slušalice u ušima i ples, sa što većom svesnošću pokreta.
U prirodi je ipak nekako najlepše, najlakše je biti svestan da smo jedno sa Majkom Prirodom, drugim bićima i da je sve u nama 🙂

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:04 am

Ples je tako divan način opuštanja, pokušaću i ja da ga uvedem u moje rutine. Hvala na inspiraciji!

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Monna February 9, 2019 - 1:26 am

Nice article, Jelena. Thank you for sharing. I rediscovered meditation recently, and making me to realize how important it is to get reconnected to my true self in the medist of craziness and distractions. I like to meditate in nature as well, for example, the forest.
You and Noak is a wonderful couple and in person. I’m following Novak for his tennis for many years, then I start following you on social media. So nice to get connected and do the life learning and discovery together.

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 11:06 am

Nice to meet you Monna! Thanks for your kind words and for following us! ❤️

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Bady February 9, 2019 - 4:16 am

Hi Jelena ! thanks for sharing this with is, this is just great, you are able to put the right word on my feelings and experiences ! Thanks to be such a happy life leader ! you are such an inspiring person to me I wish I will be able to help people the way you do!
I am currently in India in an ashram for a Yoga teacher training, this is amazing ! But actually it’s much more than this, I’m learning soooo much I about myself, about people, about life, about happiness, you would have love it, I should have brought you with me haha ! I’m also improving my meditation skills which are for the moment very bad haha 🙂 What we are learning during the philosophy class is so clooosed form your posts about, ego, habits, and true selfness…
Every people should have the chance to experienced that, to disconnect with the life full of stress that we have and than better reconnect !
Jelena , could you read WHEN YOU HAVE the time, I know you are so busy, but I took so much passion and courage writing you a message on Instagram, I wish you would read it one day ! my IG name is Laureebady 🙂
Thanks
Have a wonderful day !
Enjoy vacation with your family!

Laure

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alessandra giovati February 9, 2019 - 6:19 am

Dear Jelena,
thank you very much: your posts are always very interesting.
I usually do my meditation in the early morning, when I wake up, before starting all daily commitments.
I stay in my bedroom: I sit in the bed or on the floor just in front of the window and it’s a special moment.
About nature I absolutely agree with you. As I live in a very small village it’s easy for me to make a full-immersion in the nature, to hear birds, to see ducks and a lot of roes. When I come back from work I like to ride my bicycle for a while and ride in a very small street with no cars. I meet somebody time by time, but I am mostly alone. In this way I can really feel the nature and it is a wonderful sensation. It gives me peace and calm.
I hope that we all learn to love and to respect nature much more
Thank you and a big huge to you and your beautiful family

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Niv Kaplan February 9, 2019 - 8:03 am

I never really meditated as such, but it seems to me thst My meditation time is while I am swimming laps at the pool. I swim every day for an hour and a half (more or less) and during those 4.5 km, I find myself going through ups and downs as my thoughts run through me. I learned not to fight them but to let the be and pass through me. Rather than try to “clear” my mind, I simply look at what’s going through it, and like magic, mostly at the end of the session my mind clears up and I am living the moment. It’s really fantastic how the mind and body get synced at the end and I feel at peace with my self for a few precious moments.

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Nono February 9, 2019 - 11:30 am

Jelena you should repeat that mantra of yours – you are safe, you are free – to get back up when you fall (from the slopes for instance) 😉 much love and strength

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Vishal Pande February 9, 2019 - 12:50 pm

Your post is so true and so simple and easy to understand and grasp. I love meditating too but admittedly it happens in breaks.I would love to be regular. In meditation I realise I have two sould.One inner soul which is so pure and formless.It is infinite and is one like God.
I practice savasana too….
I admire you for your work

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Andrea February 9, 2019 - 10:07 pm

❤️Hvala Ti ❤️

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Carrie Bauer February 9, 2019 - 11:19 pm

Hello Jelena,
Thank you once again for sharing your insights into your spiritual journey with us! First I want to say that I am so sorry you had a scary fall while on your skiing vacation. I could tell how shaken you were over that during your live chat. I have had that happen on the slopes. No one likes the feeling of vulnerability, so remember that true confidence isn’t about suppressing pain or pretending that we might not get hurt in the future. On the contrary: true confidence comes from accepting those traumatic blows to our Ego, allowing ourselves to acknowledge the associated feelings, and finding ways to help us stay in the moment of restoring confidence. This will allow yourself the time and energy to nuture that particular situation and calmly try again. I think that was what Novak was saying too. I hope you are feeling better! I try to live every day with love and light and everyone knows how difficult that can be at times. I am blessed to live in Northern California, USA and out of my window I can see two huge volcanic mountains. I rely on these mountains every day that I am home. They give me peace and the energy I need to stay grounded. I meditate to help raise my vibrations and my soul awareness. I am very grateful every day as well and try to keep as mindful as possible.
Thank you again for bringing new information to help with my soul!
With love and light,
Carrie Bauer

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Jelena February 10, 2019 - 1:24 pm

Thank you Carrie! I was shaken and hurt, but at the same time I’m feeling so grateful for that experience. Your words are very wise and thank you for that. It resonates deeply with me ?❤️

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Michela February 10, 2019 - 10:34 pm

Hi Jelena, your blog is very interesting and I like what do you share with us. I don’t know if I can call ‘meditation’ my way to stay alone with myself but I always take care about my family (sons, grandsons …) so sometimes I feel the necessity to free my mind and isolate myself even for a few minutes. I like to take off for a walk along the seafront with my dog too (when weather is good), it’s very relaxing for me. I think I only need to do it consistently. Happy to share with you, thank you Jelena
Much love to you and your fantastic family

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Jovana Biljic February 13, 2019 - 12:22 am

Hvala sto deliš svoja iskustva sa nama. Lepo je cuti nešto novo.
Nisam još uvek počela da meditiran ali ću pokušati. A opustam se uz muziku, ovih dana klasičnu. Volim da pustim tihu muziku u pozadini i da čitam. A nedavno sam počela da primenjujem puštanje muzike i dok učim.
Prošli mesec sam odbranila master rad, imala sam ogromnu tremu i samo sam počela da dišem duboko i samu sebe smirujem.
A ove nedelje sam počela sa pripremama za svoj prvi polumaraton i nikada nisam trčala napolju u ovo doba godine. Prelepo je! Moj gradić ima reku (Lajkovac i reka Kolubara) i svaki put pomislim: ‘koja sreca sto imamo reku!’.

Radujem se novom tekstu. Pokušala sam da nadjem knjigu od do Sefali u Laguni, nisam uspela još uvek. ?
Ali svakako zapisujem predloge koje nadjem na tvom blogu.
Hvala!

Pozdrav!
Jovana

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Jovana Biljic February 13, 2019 - 12:44 am

One more thing- I’m practicing my English and I’m trying to read your Blog on Englis, it means a lot for me. And it’s something interesting to read and learn, instead of world’s or Serbian news (there is always bad news). Here I can enjoy with the happy end. ?

Thank you one more time!
Jovana?

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Daniela February 13, 2019 - 7:39 am

hello Jelena
In December 12 years ago I left my town and came to the city in search of work, the possibility of studying and having an opportunity.
Wow! How difficult, people who come and go in a hurry as if time were going to devour them, or realize that you are there, nobody eats at the table or in family as you were taught.
Little by little you are adapting to that rhythm of life that you do not reach the hours, the days, not even less money, I felt like a hamster on his wheel that runs and never gets anywhere, until I said “It’s time to stop” I do not want to survive anymore, I want to live and enjoy everything.
One day with a co-worker doing the activities and sharing some great mates, out of nowhere he asks me … would you like to do meditation? It’s very nice, I kept looking at it because it surprised me, I smiled and told him that I had crossed the idea but I ended up perhaps excusing myself because of what was unknown but at the same time my body or not I was asking for it and I did not listen So well … I’ve been meditating for 1 year and now I add a little yoga and reading to my routine. I’m hooked with your blog. ..wooow is amazing! the stories, experiences and the way you transmit it reach my soul. Thank you!
I only have to thank God, life, family, friends and those people who pass by and those who arrive to stay and mark your life and many times without knowing it … I am happy! !!
Jelena blessings and a beautiful family.
greetings and kisses from Cordoba, Argentina

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Craig Woods August 28, 2019 - 12:49 pm

Hey Jelena, it’s Craig Woods. I hope all is well. I thought you’d find this blog super interesting that I wrote. Read if you have time, I’d appreciate it.

https://divineconsciousness451476739.wordpress.com/2019/08/28/compassion-stimulates-the-vagus-nerve/

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satyanarayana reddy April 16, 2020 - 5:30 pm

Hi jelena,
Simply awesome.lots of respect for sharing such wonderful thoughts in your blog. The way you explained about connecting to nature is pretty good .you are an inspiration ?

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