What do you love the most in the world :)i

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hey what do u love the most in the world - what makes your heart sing

I have found this is important for us -
Anchoring to our inner self what we love
What nourishes us -

Do you do it enough ?
Is it hard to do ?
Would u like to expand on it ...

[woodsgnome]

My heart sings to:
...Celtic/folk music;
...some classical music;
...creating good vibes for someone via words/actions/music;
...sharing information/insight/wisdom with someone;
...wilderness, esp. forests/rivers;
...books
...peaceful ambiance/passionate equanimity

So what makes my heart sing may be more about being than doing and/or a combo of the doing springing from the being.

[arpy1]

my heart sings to:

colours
music - baroque, classical, medieval, plain chant, lute, guitar, sax, jazz, blues, african/celtic, celtic, english folk....etc etc ad infinitum
light, sunshine, water, air
more light
the sea
ceramics
art/craft/sculpture
the natural world
quiet
kindness
love

[Multicolour]

Being in the sea
Art and craft with colours
Going to the movies
Hugging my partner
Hugging my cat
Feeling calm and happy with a friend (I wish this happened more)
Sitting in a forest
Eating fried eggplant

[Boatsetsailrose]

Love that we have similar themes of the creative / arts and nature

Both my favourite things -
I would like to do more art it always seems to take the back burner -

With nature my dream is to hire a rv
And travel scotland - being with the dark nights and the stars
And being with the trees and maybe seeing an eagle - if love to see an eagle

Magical times are ours

Yes woodsgnome being and the doing coming from the being
Mindfullness of now -
Would u like to share about your forest ..🌿🌲..be interested to hear

Arpy have you heard of Suns of arqa may just be up your street ✨

Muti colour do u swim in the sea ? 🌊

Feeling calm and happy with a friend - I'd like that more too ... Wonder if it's our high sensitivity ... Or because of cptsd in some way ....

[woodsgnome]

Boatsetsailrose asked: "Would u like to share about your forest?"

Somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific but it resembles your dream of Scotland when you say: "...being with the dark nights and the stars...And being with the trees and maybe seeing an eagle - if love to see an eagle." That's my daily experience.

Indeed, I'm in a 'green, dark forest too silent to be real', to borrow a line from an old song. It's isolated--but I wanted it that way. Eagles, bears, deer, owls, fox, fishers, martens, coyotes or wolves (they kind of swap territories some years; I prefer the 'yotes, they're much better singers, especially in chorus!).

There's humans about the area, even a nearby indoor/outdoor theatre setup I was once employed by and where I still have some slight involvement. Much of the population here consists of summer residents from metro areas with lake cottages scattered around the many lakes. The year-round residents include a sizable "first nations/native" contingent.

Been here 40 years, had doubts about being so alone until I'd remember why I did this...the cptsd footprints are all over the why I chose this path, and I finally accepted that the pluses outweighed the minuses. There's several large wilderness areas and pristine rivers nearby. Not to say I'll stay here; just 99% sure it's probably going to be the case.

The good--peace, quiet, beauty. Media? Lots of good radio, actually. Tons to read--my book collection is bigger than many small town libraries (and I don't have to drive to 'em ).

The not-so-good--hard to find accessible friends; had 4 who died couple years ago. They found me, as I don't reach out (classic cptsd freeze type). Inability to trust, all that.

What some would insist is lonely is just part of the equation--I needed it when I came here, still feel I do. I used to get out to different places, as I was also an actor--spent several winters in a city, then here in the summer. Like the cultural stuff available in cities, so it's a trade-off. City life might be nice in some respects--used to travel to find T's there (had 9, I think); on the other hand, living here constitutes a sort of on-going therapy all by itself. Couple T's even inquired if I'd ever rent to other clients they had.

So I'll stop, but my forest life is...different. My only surprise might be how pervasive the cptsd stuff has been; there's drawbacks to any paradise, it seems.

[Boatsetsailrose]

Thank you for sharing woods gnome 🌲
It blows my mind to be in an environment with the animal brothers and sisters you speak of - 🌿🐿🐕🐎
My daily life has the odd squirrel , birds and maybe a fox - deer if I get out of the city and bird of prey -
I am very interested in North American life and I dream to visit one day

Many people choose to live closer to the land and here  in the uk it is happening more . People choosing to live a more self sufficient life we have 'tipi valley ' in Wales a community
And why not I think it's easy to pick up on others fear hence judgement and take that on as being defective ( if we don't have enough of that already ! .
Living green is where we all come from historically right ?

Yep I get the relating to people thing - for me it is getting easier as I have healed some more and have better limits - good friends don't come by too often !

Quote ' my only surprise might be how pervasive the Cptsd stuff has been '
Yes quite - it takes up space rent free hey without a bloody invite '
Given to us as a pervasive gift - thank you 🎀🎁

But today I have deep gratitude to give my collection of internal experience a name and have people where we can relate and literature we can read -

My sanctuary is going on hikes with a group I joined - taking extra rest and taking action to heal
Tree hugging is a favourite of mine too -
I love being alone with nature - I learn a lot
But yes I can understand how cptsd plays on whatever and in some respects it's learning how to live with it -
Today we know we are good people - in spite of and that life is to be experienced how we best see fit for ourselves - this freedom many don't have and in some ways I see my disability has and is becoming my friend

All best wishes -

[Multicolour]

Boatsetsailrose yes I love to swim in the sea, it makes me feel immortal, like I'm part of the sea like plankton or jellyfish.

And yes, feeling calm with friends- it's hard because it's so hard to trust other people, so to relax even with someone you have every reason to trust is hard. I always feel like anyone could become scary at any moment, but I think over the years and years friends have become less scary. I want to feel safe with other people more than anything.

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hi multicolour 🐠
Immortal - how wonderful
Yes the Sea is so healing for us isn't -
Love that feeling of freedom
I've never swam in a tropical sea that I pray for
English Channel not quite the same !

Re trust around people - calm around friends
Yes I understand this - I am finding that the better my boundaries are getting its getting a bit easier but at times all
I want is to be alone -
The outer critic can be fierce sometimes and have learnt it's untruth and to drop some of those thoughts where can
Quote 'I want to feel safe with other people more than anything '
Yes that fear can rise and rise so working with that fear seems a good course to take - my t says the relational work is often the hardest to crack
Congrats on progress easy to forget we do progress and not to beat ourselves further but to foster kindness and compassion towards ourselves
Being kind to myself is something am learning - is wonderful ✨🌸

[BigGreenSee123]

There are many things I enjoy but are either inconsistent or wrapped up in a frustrating sense of longing and unobtainableness...all except one:

I absolutely love to drive in my car, blast the music, and sing. I love music and driving both on their own but there is something about them together that permits a sense of freedom I've never found elsewhere. In the summer with the windows down or the winter with the heat blasting, on the highway or on residential back roads, punk rock or indie folk, daytime or 2 am, good mood or bad.... It is the one thing I always love to do. 

[Boatsetsailrose]

Yes to that big green sea
Music 👏🎧the wonderful world
Of
Music
How healing --
I'm yet to experience the freedom you speak of as am learning to drive
One day I may see U on the highway
Enjoy ! ✨

[stacey]

What a lovely thread! I too love art stuff, though I'm an absolute beginner. I have a canvas sitting there waiting for me to play with paint on it but I'm too scared to start

I love art and nature, words and wisdom. If I had to choose two of my favourite things (please don't make me choose just one!) it would be dogs and trees. Two of the most beautiful groups on the planet

[Convalescent]

Music. And being really connected with someone. Someone who's quite like myself. A good conversation, a good talk.

[JohnnyBoy]

My loves are, my three beautiful rambunctious children, art in all forms especially music, writing (i believe the art of words to be the hardest of all, and in ways most meaningful), and cooking. I also love nature.