Hello My Gypsy Friends!! We finally had a day without rain here in Chicago. It has been a really wet season and once we saw that Saturday was going to be clear (in between the storms both Friday and Sunday) we knew we had to spend some time in the sun. We have been taking the trip to the city every weekend for Montrose Dog Beach, but decided to change it up this weekend. The Illinois State Beach has a lot to offer and has a different vibe than most of the other beaches near us two leos. Our state beach is rocky!
There are more rocks than sand here and I would 10/10 recommend bringing water shoes if you plan on visiting this beach in Zion. But with that being said, look at the horizon, look at the clear water, look at the view!!! This place exudes peace, zen and tranquility.
One of the reasons I don't mind the stones is because, although this place has many visitors, you can get a private area to yourself. In the picture above you can see how many stones there are to the water. Where the green blanket is, is where the sand begins.
Behind us, facing our backs towards the water (pictured two photos down), you can see the larger rocks stacked up. You actually climb these down to the water. So by stepping into the water and beach area, you feel like you're in your own oasis. The area here is a loooooong beach, contrary to your typical beach where the water is in the middle and sand goes for miles. So you really have no choice but to spread apart here if you want to be in the comfortable sand.
Our everyday lives have so much hustle and bustle in them. For a happy relationship I believe it is important to get out of your habitual surroundings once in a while, away from kids and pets and spend some quality one on one time with your loved one. This doesn't just have to be with your significant other, but with friends and family you are close to as well.
If the beach allows, we light some incense and connect with ourselves as well as each other. On this particular Saturday, we lit rose incense.
Rose incense has anti-depressive properties and calms anxiety. Rose is also known as the "Queen of Flowers" in aromatherapy because it gives a sense of compassion, love and devotion, which was perfect for our zen beach day.
After some time in the water, Esteban asked me if I wanted to stack stones with him. I of course challenged him to see who could stack the tallest one. It was very interesting to stack stones with my husband because we both started to concentrate and focus on our own towers. We became quiet and peaceful. In the serene environment we could hear the waves crashing and feel the sun warming our bodies.
The act of balancing the rocks on top of each other is used in meditation and zen practices. Once you give this a try, you'll see why. You have to use the weight, shapes and forms of each rock to uniquely shape them. It takes patience and practice to create balance. Think of all the places in your own life you could use a little more balance.
We spent about two hours creating the perfect towers. I loved doing this with my husband because sometimes we had to take some stones off of the tower to fix the foundation. Once we did that, we could continue building it higher.
The Egyptians stacked stones to build their pyramids. Other ancient civilizations used these cairns (heaps of stones) as burial headstones. In modern times these towers are made to notify hikers of a turn in the trail. If you come across cairns, it is important not to move or alter them.
In the beginning we used the stones around the area we were in, however once we started to get a bit competitive we searched the entire beach for the perfect rocks. We even got back into the water to dive down into the bottom to search. Although this started as a friendly competition, it became a life lesson to our relationship. It was okay to do things separately, but together. Esteban made his own stack, as did I. Although we were concentrating on our own balance, we were doing it together. I learned from his proportions and he respected mine. Once we tried to create a zen tower together, it was more difficult because when you are stacking these rocks, you have to feel the movement of the previous layer. We eventually created one together, but the towers that came out the tallest were the ones that we made individually.
After we finished our creations, we ate some delicious cherries and continued to relax. The green tribal print blanket we brought to the beach is from our road trip to Dallas, TX last year. We also had piano music playing to complete our zen atmosphere.
Like I mentioned earlier, it is important to take time to yourselves from the everyday routines and connect on a deeper level with the people you love. We planned on going to the beach that day, but didn't plan our activities. The stone stacking came as a surprising treat for us. As we all know, you can plan the picnic but you can't predict the weather. Sometimes you have to let the wind blow you where you belong. This day brought peace, balance and more love into our relationship.
Tell me in the comments where you go to find a bit of peace and relaxation in your lives.
XO, Mariah
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