Earth Day Meditation

French painter Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot visited Italy three times over the course of his career. While there, he worked in the open air, painting oil sketches and making countless drawings. Here, we see an ideal Italian landscape painted from memory and his imagination after his return to Paris. Looking at this painting, we can almost feel the warmth of the sun and hear the tranquil sounds of nature. Early morning light illuminates the edges of trees and transforms the green foliage to yellows, oranges and reds. A goatherd stands on the grassy banks of the still water and engages with a figure sitting at the base of a tree. A few goats frolic nearby.

Go outside and, using your senses, take a moment to appreciate the world around you.

Sit or stand with bare feet touching the ground and take a few deep breaths.
Feel the ground underneath your feet and, if you are able, press each toe down into the earth and notice the sensations of the foundation that supports you.
Now look all around you and notice the colors, shapes and textures of what you see.
Finally, close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you—even the most subtle, quiet sounds.
Take a deep breath in, breathing in what you feel, see and hear.
Take a deep breath out and exhale gratitude.