January 23, 2012
How incredible to realize that this is the first morning with sunshine this year...
Nature is exploding in sounds, smells & colors...
And interesting enough, as I write, I hear thunder....
just to remind us that our comfort zone can change in an instant
One never knows whats behind the Mountain
So many people ask me exactly what my Spiritual practice is all about. I have a hard time explaining it, as a label/figure must always be present to make any sense.
I am devoted to my personal well being albeit sometimes I seem to be far from the track,
and I try my best to practice lovingkindness.
In Hinduism, spiritual path both my Teachers Vamadeva Shastri & Shambhaviji follow there is a term that defines what it is all about: Sadhana.
A complex and beautiful word. This is the simplest and easiest explanation I have read:
"Sadhana is a Sanskrit work whose root, sadh, means to reclaim that which is divine in us, our power to heal, serve, rejoice, and uplift the spirit. Sadhana practices encompass all our daily activities, from the simple to the sublime--from cooking a meal to exploring your inner self through meditation. The goal of sadhana is to enable you to recover your natural rhythms and realign your inner life and daily habits with the cycles of the universe. When you begin to live and move wih the rhythms of nature, your mind becomes more lucid and more peaceful and your health improves. Your entire life becomes easier." - Maya Tiwari
So to define myself with a term that I feel comfortable with, I am Sadhak.
A Spiritual Seeker. A Spiritual Student. Someone that is in pursuit of peace, happiness & lovingkindness.
I enjoy going to Temples, Churches, Cathedrals anywhere I can connect with the Divine, in whatever form it takes at any specific place. The world is my place of worship and Nature is the ultimate representation of God's eternal blessings & beauty.
A blessed Sunday to all.
Happy New Year !
Today is the first official day of the year... what did you do ?
I sat in the sunshine after 4 days of pouring rain.
With a book. - The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper.
Actually not a book, but my Kindle.
It's about a little boy who has a very special gold acorn that will save the forests !
more on it later, but I want to really talk about books.
I know I have many... some would say too many... I have never really counted them but they are all over the house. On shelves, tables, drawers... you name a place !
Half way through my morning I got an invitation from my daughter to join her on Shelfari.com so we can share our readings... (yes she did take after her Mamma) .
Well, this Shelfari has an option for you to upload your purchases from Amazon.com
So, according to my 'history ' with Amazon, I have since April 1997, purchased over 437 books. not bad... and the interesting thing was to notice the reading pattern. There were Garden years, Cooking Years, Art years, Spiritual years, Travel years. And that is only from Amazon. Not counting the Barnes&Noble or Watertone's attacks I always have when I travel.
The space and care all these books need is overwhelming! and in the spirit of eco-friendly less foot-print impact I converted to Kindle. Or was converted by a dear friend who mentioned I'd soon be found under a pile of books in the middle of nowhere!
So for the last 15 months, only Kindle downloads. The great thing is you get the book in 30 seconds... I'm not joking ! no visits to the post-office (who think I'm a teacher because of the smiling boxes from Amazon arriving, and of course only a teacher could read so much !!), no anxious waiting for the 23-35 day delivery to my small town in Brazil... nor postage costs!
So this brings me to my first 2012 project.
Find all my books, get new shelves made for them.
Dust them all...
Make a list of what I still have to and want to read....
and try and keep up my average ,according to my shopping record, to a book a week.
I really think Amazon should send me some freebies !!
But I have confessions to make......
I still miss the physical book.
I still long for a NYC library card
I still miss my smiley boxes arriving home with me
I still dream of being part of a Book Club
I still have space on my shelves!
May 2012 be a happy reading year to all.
If you can make it 1 book a month, it will enrich your life.
Exchange that ghastly soap-opera stuff for a good read !
New Year is upon us... and still there is so much we never got done in 2011.
I have plenty of projects that never got finished, but I have decided that at least my
little sacred space will be cleaned and ready for mid-night.
I know it can sound like a daunting quest, but I am so resolved that I started by washing my
bedroom curtains this morning (ok, I only have them in the bedroom and I do live in a tropical country and it is summer... but it's raining hard !).
I have put together a small plan to accomplish all I need done today.... and it's going to be a long hard working day !
Starting with the bedroom, clean freshly washed linens, curtains and all drawers reasonably organized - still have one to go. All paper work is in place, even if not finalized - yet !
No junk under the bed. Try and make room in a closet of cupboard to store in an organized manner all you still need to address and make a pledge to do so before the month of January is over.
I have started clearing clothes and accessories that I do not use to donate or get rid of. There are only so many shoes & bags one can use during a year. I'm not a fashion freak so all I have is usually very classic style (great help !) This is something everyone I know says they do but never get down to actually finishing ! Clear space for the new !!
Next I move into the bathroom and go through the medicine/makeup cabinet and get rid of anything that has expired or will in the next 45 days if I am absolutely sure I will not use it... do you really need 3 facial creams that are 3/4 used ? keep your favorite and make a mental note not to go out and get 3 new ones !
Makeup is something I find just goes adding up in the sponge bag... how many 7 year old mascaras do you have ? and eye liners? not to mention lipstick or nail polish.... ahhh the good feeling to know you really need to spend some quality time at Sephora to replace all that old dry stuff ! Make a list, really, a LIST and keep to it. You can go adding on as the year goes by.
Next, have a good look into your showers... If you are anything like me you will have dozens of open shampoos, hair creams and the outrageously delicious shower gels & soaps... I know, sometimes my shower looks ridiculous... but I love smells. Get rid of what is almost empty. If the packaging is good for further use, wash them and keep, if not recycle. Old little stubs of different soaps can be recycled into new garden soap bars - just add them to a jar with a little water (I'll post the recipie on a future post). Wash down the bathroom and add a new wonderful bar of soap for your shower when you have finished ! I like to put out a new toothbrush (the old one can go to the cleaning caddy) and a new toothpaste.
Then I move into the kitchen and make sure my shelves are organized and clean.
This is easy as I have open shelves, but if you are overwhelmed with the task just try and get things into a way that they don't come crashing down if you open a door. I clean the stove top, inside the refrigerator making sure everything is fresh and edible ! and then put all the washed dishes away... don't leave them hanging out in the washer because you will have to clear them out after your New Year's dinner tonight. The idea is also that you get things into a smooth flow for tonight and tomorrow morning... who ever wants to wake up to a messy kitchen on the very 1st day of the year ?
My daughter's room has been serving as a sort of hold-all for the last few months. I have no way of clearing it all out today, but at least I can organize somewhat and leave the bed cleared and the room aired and looking reasonably good.
The living area goes next. I have washed loose covers and have dusted the furniture. I will put away books that are hanging out on the dinning/work table and change the bunt out lamp bulb.
When all is done - yes my home is very small - I will sweep and then mop the floors.
A little water with tea-tree, lavender & rosemary ...
Where I live there is a custom of always having a new broom for the New Year so you don't sweep the same old things... For good measure I have a new grass one !
If you can't get one, wash yours down and if it is half dead just get rid of it and get a new one later....
I wash the outside entry way and dust the door mat. All done. It has taken a couple of hours but I feel great and lighter.
Fresh flowers everywhere, fresh fruit from the garden in a bowl on the kitchen counter , incense from India and some tea-lights in the evening and I am ready to welcome 2012.
Remember, you can only do so much. If you have anyone to help even better. But don't get over frustrated if it's not done to perfection. The intention of having an organized and clean house to welcome the New Year is what is important.
Wishes of abundant blessings, health & happiness !
" You are what your deep driving desire is.
As your desire is, so is your will.
As your will is, so is your deed.
As your deed is, so is your destiny ".
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
The Upanishads
translated by Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press)
Being away from home can bring great surprises.... changes in so many different ways
After almost 45 days I will return to my nest, my safe heaven.... my Paradise
It is .. " abandoned... empty, life- less.... as if a hurricane swept thru and everyone left in a hurry..."
Cleaning, clearing and re-kindling will be the end of year mission..... and work out why, when we leave our home it remains only a house and we must then learn to bring it back to life...
I am happy to share my journey and my discoveries along the way with you
Namaste
