Observation Journaling

[salixj]

Pesach (Passover) cleaning is always exhausting, even if you don't treat Pesach cleaning like spring cleaning, and concentrate only on removing all leavened products. 

This year we were lucky to be able to hire someone for the toughest jobs, which have become more difficult for my husband and myself. Still, there is a lot of work, and we have more to do.

Shopping, cooking, washing the Pesach dishes, laundry. The list of jobs that are necessary for the Seder alone seems endless. We are always remembering something we haven't done.

And all that energy exhausted my mind as well. I found myself unable to focus on anything I was trying to listen to or read or whatever.

So I took a break. I went outside, laid down on the ground and looked about for something to write about, which turned out to be a small cat.

I sketched her, and described her in a few words, adding in as much detail as I could before she decided that being my subject was not worth her time. Which was about ten minutes. Not a great deal of time, my sketch is elementary at best, and my sentences few.

Yet, when I came in my mind felt sharper than it had before. The simple act of deliberately engaging my mind in something that wasn't too strenuous, but that required both a mental and physical action on my part, helped me to regain my focus.

When feeling overwhelmed by life, when  you feel your mind fog up, go outside and seek out an item within the natural world. A plant, an animal, the sun or rain. Sketch and describe what you are seeing and how you are reacting to what you see. Ten, fifteen minutes. The sounds and smells of the natural world will help revive your spirit, and the gentle study of a single object will help exercise your mind and help you move out of your mental fog.

Later, go back and reread what you wrote, and study the sketch. Draw out the writing and sketch into a story, poem or short essay.

As for me right now, back to getting ready for Pesach!