1. Bike Ride

Unhurried, enjoying the moment, the long way home.

It is in the stillness and presence of the journey that you will find yourself exactly where you need to be.

Some summer days beg for a slower pace, those days when the sun is shining but there’s just a bit of a breeze to keep you cool. Flowers are dancing in meadows, birds are singing along and a butterfly comes to rest on your shoulder as though to remind you to stop and enjoy the little things. Then there are days when you just don’t feel like being rushed or productive, those days when you’d rather spend time doing what you love with who you love and when you take the long way home, not because you have to but because the world can wait.

Pulling this card is your sign to embrace this kind of day. It will appear when you are rushing through life without being present for it. You may recognize the symptoms of moving too fast: feeling anxious, doing a lot but accomplishing very little, a lack of focus and getting lost in daydreams, feelings of doubt or confusion about the future or a deep desire to do nothing. These feelings aren’t manifestations of laziness or a lack of motivation; they are reminders that there is more to life than work and checking off another item on your to-do list.

This practice will bring you back to presence, allowing you to pull yourself in and be in the moment. Close your eyes for a moment and take four slow, deep breaths. With each breath you are going to focus on your senses: * With your first breath focus on feeling. Is the wind embracing you, and do you feel the sun’s warmth kissing your flesh? * With your second breath focus on sound, and try to connect with nature sounds such as birds, water, wind or the crackling of a fire. Listening to the sound of your breath is also a great way to bring yourself back. * With your third breath focus on sights, opening your eyes and looking around. Slow everything down as though you pressed the slow-motion button on life. * On your last breath focus on combining feeling, sound and sight and creating an experience curated by you and the life around you: a slower, intentional and more intimate experience of presence.