Fiona, thank you for the poem, which I didn't know either!!
And thank you, Janice, for the reminder of the zen of food-preparation - I'm working, but trying to be light about it (oh dear, not the best adjective) - on changing eating habits and losing excess weight. Slow appreciation and ritual around good food is the way to go to tend to the emotional hole left by missing stodge and sugar, I feel.
Brenda, thrilled your sold the drawing - I really love that one! Perhaps you could do give meditative attention to making it a bit more obvious that your work is for sale... I think you need to keep reminding people of this prominently. And I'm sure that's not easy when the work is clearly so close to your heart.
Sat for 20 minutes first thing this morning. In the early morning last hour of sleep, I dreamed that my friend was going to miss his train and that I couldn't go with him anyway, as I longed to, because I hadn't packed my suitcase in time. Woke up and sat to meditate, body peaceful after a long night's sleep, but mind very fraught and all over the place. When it's like this I go back to counting breaths. Did not get beyond 6...
Hi all - I like the idea of counting breaths when your mind is particularly flighty - thanks Jean. I seemed to have settled on the image of a candle-flame (with eyes shut) as my favourite 'mechanism' - I like the way I can imagine it flickering but staying 'solid' somehow.
Jean - I agree about the slow appreciation thing being helpful in terms of eating - I very much like Susie Orbach's book 'on eating', do you know it? She advises you to eat what you want when you want, stop when you're full and work out your non-hunger reasons for eating and it all sounds very sensible to me. I've got better at eating this way over the years but there are still blips...
My partner has fitted me out with wireless so I'm back online properly, hurray. Although I've kind of appreciatd the 'only checking email twice a day' routine which has left more space for other things!
I thought to take the comment down, nothing's happened yet. But ah, so.
And, thank you, Janice, for reminding me of the blessing that food is. In this inbetween state, where I am living temporarily, I have one pot and one pan, lent by a friend. And a hot plate that's almost broken and only heats at high no matter what the setting. So food, well, in this bohemian lifestyle, is a pretty simple affair. And yet you remind me of the grace of the grains I eat...
Jean, thank you so much for your sensitivy to the nuances of our writing, and of our lives. I've always kept my creative/spiritual life apart from how I earned money; the latter not being that important. Something is shifting, though. I do believe the current focus of my meditation to unite creativity and finances, two very disparate parts of myself, does that on some level and opens me to the possibility of selling my work. But I also believe we're all telepathic, that we manifest abundance for each other. That we send out 'signals' to each other, and some of us respond. I don't attribute any of it to angels or a deity, but to the magnificence of each other.
And, oh, our bodies. Sweet and stodge is good, too! Denial, now that's something else. Often just eating less of what you enjoy most and getting more exercise, good brisk walks are great for that, will help one to tone up.
That dream, oh, it's like it's time to make that move, only you're not quite ready. Perhaps the train was a metaphor for your creativity- re the poem you just wrote. Letting yourself...
Many blessings to all this cold, crisp and clear Sunday morning.
Congrats, Brenda, on "probably" selling your drawing: if this transaction doesn't work out, I'm sure another will appear to take its place.
All this talk about cooking is interesting. I'm not a good cook, but I used to enjoy cooking when I had enough time to do it (I'm something of a slowpoke in the kitchen: I'd never make it in the restaurant business for sure!)
I find it more difficult to get motivated to cook good, healthy meals now that I'm living on my own: for whatever sad or sorry reason, I seem to think "Why bother?" And that's a shame, too, since I like eating home cooked things.
Hmmm, maybe I should add "cookery" to my list of Zen things I should do more often...!
I sat for 20 minutes this morning: my head wasn't quite there, but my body was still (and one out of two ain't bad!) I haven't done bows today but probably will tonight...unless I decide that snow-shoveling is exercise enough.
hey everyone, I didn't sit today. Sunday. Lie in/walk/lunch/antiques market...Day off with hub! Lovely!
Brenda, I believe in miracles coming from resolving innner tensions about money and how it relates to creativity. Exactly a year ago I was married to a painter who hardly ever painted, and certainly did not earn much money. He realised, during a family visit, that his relationship to money was connected to catholic guilt and bam!, he created http://shiftinglight.com he now paints every day and sells almost every painting. The relationship between what he gives out and what he takes in is at last in harmony. It is just like the breath, and I think meditation - though that was not his way - is a great way to explore how one feels about this relationship.
Perhaps you could start to feel into how the in-breath feels different to the out-breath...is there any guilt/sense of not deserving/ anxiety about letting it in? or haste to let it out...??????
Jean - I love that Brit word "stodge" ... may I borrow your perfect phrase "stodge and sugar"? I'll make up a song/poem to hum on my walks.
I share your 'working on losing excess weight' and try not to get obsessive about it ... so, let's 'be light about it' together
Sitting continues as always, although I don't report on it often. It's sort of like brushing my teeth ... just something I do. Maybe I should though since this is a community of folks who meditate and help and support each other.
Interesting dream, Jean. Much worry about time passing and not doing what you long to do.
Ruth: Fascinating. Good lesson about finding the key to unlock the door to one's dreams.
Brenda: Wonderful that things are shifting for you. And I believe you're right about all being tuned in to the signals we send out (for good or bad, I'm afraid! thus the need to watch our thoughts).
Lorianne, Devon, Fiona: Interesting on cooking and eating. Sounds like that book on eating the way French women do - smaller quantities of high quality food savored. I also love to putter in the kitchen and I make entire meals for myself alone all the time, but I work at home. When very busy it's not so much fun.
I sat this afternoon for 10-15 mintues (was away overnight with friends). Running a sleep deficit makes it harder to focus. Maybe I'll try counting breaths. (And sheep.)
Thank you for so many beautiful responses, Jean, lorianne, ruth, leslee... and for everyone's thoughts, we don't always mention everything in every comment. I appreciate this very much. While I still haven't heard, I do feel I'm finally fully accepting this path of creativity, which I've fought long and hard against all of my life, and perhaps...
Ruth, I especially loved your story of your husband. That's very inspiring, and tell him so.
It is possible to listen to our deepest spirit, where our gifts lie, and to give of them, isn't it?
These days I'm meditating in bed, covers around my semi-lotus sitting pose, just before bed for 15-20 minutes. The sleep afterwards is deep and refreshing...
After I walk the dog in the current cold snap, with its frigid North wind, I will meditate, and will focus on many blessings for each of you.
8 Comments:
Good morning!
Fiona, thank you for the poem, which I didn't know either!!
And thank you, Janice, for the reminder of the zen of food-preparation - I'm working, but trying to be light about it (oh dear, not the best adjective) - on changing eating habits and losing excess weight. Slow appreciation and ritual around good food is the way to go to tend to the emotional hole left by missing stodge and sugar, I feel.
Brenda, thrilled your sold the drawing - I really love that one! Perhaps you could do give meditative attention to making it a bit more obvious that your work is for sale... I think you need to keep reminding people of this prominently. And I'm sure that's not easy when the work is clearly so close to your heart.
Sat for 20 minutes first thing this morning. In the early morning last hour of sleep, I dreamed that my friend was going to miss his train and that I couldn't go with him anyway, as I longed to, because I hadn't packed my suitcase in time. Woke up and sat to meditate, body peaceful after a long night's sleep, but mind very fraught and all over the place. When it's like this I go back to counting breaths. Did not get beyond 6...
Hi all - I like the idea of counting breaths when your mind is particularly flighty - thanks Jean. I seemed to have settled on the image of a candle-flame (with eyes shut) as my favourite 'mechanism' - I like the way I can imagine it flickering but staying 'solid' somehow.
Jean - I agree about the slow appreciation thing being helpful in terms of eating - I very much like Susie Orbach's book 'on eating', do you know it? She advises you to eat what you want when you want, stop when you're full and work out your non-hunger reasons for eating and it all sounds very sensible to me. I've got better at eating this way over the years but there are still blips...
My partner has fitted me out with wireless so I'm back online properly, hurray. Although I've kind of appreciatd the 'only checking email twice a day' routine which has left more space for other things!
Morning!
I thought to take the comment down, nothing's happened yet. But ah, so.
And, thank you, Janice, for reminding me of the blessing that food is. In this inbetween state, where I am living temporarily, I have one pot and one pan, lent by a friend. And a hot plate that's almost broken and only heats at high no matter what the setting. So food, well, in this bohemian lifestyle, is a pretty simple affair. And yet you remind me of the grace of the grains I eat...
Jean, thank you so much for your sensitivy to the nuances of our writing, and of our lives. I've always kept my creative/spiritual life apart from how I earned money; the latter not being that important. Something is shifting, though. I do believe the current focus of my meditation to unite creativity and finances, two very disparate parts of myself, does that on some level and opens me to the possibility of selling my work. But I also believe we're all telepathic, that we manifest abundance for each other. That we send out 'signals' to each other, and some of us respond. I don't attribute any of it to angels or a deity, but to the magnificence of each other.
And, oh, our bodies. Sweet and stodge is good, too! Denial, now that's something else. Often just eating less of what you enjoy most and getting more exercise, good brisk walks are great for that, will help one to tone up.
That dream, oh, it's like it's time to make that move, only you're not quite ready. Perhaps the train was a metaphor for your creativity- re the poem you just wrote. Letting yourself...
Many blessings to all this cold, crisp and clear Sunday morning.
Congrats, Brenda, on "probably" selling your drawing: if this transaction doesn't work out, I'm sure another will appear to take its place.
All this talk about cooking is interesting. I'm not a good cook, but I used to enjoy cooking when I had enough time to do it (I'm something of a slowpoke in the kitchen: I'd never make it in the restaurant business for sure!)
I find it more difficult to get motivated to cook good, healthy meals now that I'm living on my own: for whatever sad or sorry reason, I seem to think "Why bother?" And that's a shame, too, since I like eating home cooked things.
Hmmm, maybe I should add "cookery" to my list of Zen things I should do more often...!
I sat for 20 minutes this morning: my head wasn't quite there, but my body was still (and one out of two ain't bad!) I haven't done bows today but probably will tonight...unless I decide that snow-shoveling is exercise enough.
hey everyone, I didn't sit today. Sunday. Lie in/walk/lunch/antiques market...Day off with hub! Lovely!
Brenda, I believe in miracles coming from resolving innner tensions about money and how it relates to creativity. Exactly a year ago I was married to a painter who hardly ever painted, and certainly did not earn much money. He realised, during a family visit, that his relationship to money was connected to catholic guilt and bam!, he created
http://shiftinglight.com
he now paints every day and sells almost every painting. The relationship between what he gives out and what he takes in is at last in harmony. It is just like the breath, and I think meditation - though that was not his way - is a great way to explore how one feels about this relationship.
Perhaps you could start to feel into how the in-breath feels different to the out-breath...is there any guilt/sense of not deserving/ anxiety about letting it in? or haste to let it out...??????
Jean - I love that Brit word "stodge" ... may I borrow your perfect phrase "stodge and sugar"? I'll make up a song/poem to hum on my walks.
I share your 'working on losing excess weight' and try not to get obsessive about it ... so, let's 'be light about it' together
Sitting continues as always, although I don't report on it often. It's sort of like brushing my teeth ... just something I do. Maybe I should though since this is a community of folks who meditate and help and support each other.
I'm grateful for your presence in my life.
Hello, all!
Interesting dream, Jean. Much worry about time passing and not doing what you long to do.
Ruth: Fascinating. Good lesson about finding the key to unlock the door to one's dreams.
Brenda: Wonderful that things are shifting for you. And I believe you're right about all being tuned in to the signals we send out (for good or bad, I'm afraid! thus the need to watch our thoughts).
Lorianne, Devon, Fiona: Interesting on cooking and eating. Sounds like that book on eating the way French women do - smaller quantities of high quality food savored. I also love to putter in the kitchen and I make entire meals for myself alone all the time, but I work at home. When very busy it's not so much fun.
I sat this afternoon for 10-15 mintues (was away overnight with friends). Running a sleep deficit makes it harder to focus. Maybe I'll try counting breaths. (And sheep.)
Thank you for so many beautiful responses, Jean, lorianne, ruth, leslee... and for everyone's thoughts, we don't always mention everything in every comment. I appreciate this very much. While I still haven't heard, I do feel I'm finally fully accepting this path of creativity, which I've fought long and hard against all of my life, and perhaps...
Ruth, I especially loved your story of your husband. That's very inspiring, and tell him so.
It is possible to listen to our deepest spirit, where our gifts lie, and to give of them, isn't it?
These days I'm meditating in bed, covers around my semi-lotus sitting pose, just before bed for 15-20 minutes. The sleep afterwards is deep and refreshing...
After I walk the dog in the current cold snap, with its frigid North wind, I will meditate, and will focus on many blessings for each of you.
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