Nature Still Flows

For me the last month or so has been a bit of a struggle and as a result I've been feeling quite creatively blocked.  Sometimes it's hard to see the joy and magic when everything seems so hard. Today I wandered around my yard seeking some joy and I realise that even if I am not flowing, nature is certainly still in full flow!!

My little winter garden is full of little surprises, colour and a reminder that we too are all part of nature and will inevitably once again flow and flourish.

"When you are low with nowhere to go remember this, when you open your eyes, your heart, your spirit, yourself, there you will find the stranger called hope." ~unknown

I bought this orchard plant about 2 years ago and was alive with beautiful golden flowers. It hasn't flowered since but it looks like this year it will once again bloom...

New life......

    “Try to be like the turtle, at ease in your own shell” ~ Bill Copeland

Thank you little garden for sharing your beauty and joy!

Time Poor

So much to do and so little time!!

The clock talked loud. 

I threw it away,

it scared me what it talked. 

~Tillie Olsen, Tell Me a Riddle

It is very difficult to stay mindful with too many projects on the go.
So I guess my postcard challenge posts may not be as frequent as I had first hoped. It is great fun but also quite time consuming. So Liam and Gemma may loose touch off and on but they will always find each other again - who knows where or when but I am sure they will reunite at times throughout the year!

Inner Peace

If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without alcohol,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,

Then You Are ...

..... Undoubtedly .....

The Family Dog!

I couldn't resist sharing this.....so so true!

Tibetan Sand Mandala

This week we had some Tibetan Monks visit our local library so I had the opportunity over the course of the week to see a Mandala in the making and to attend a meditation as well as a Tibetan Love Concert.  This was a unique experience.

I have been fascinated with Mandalas for some time so I jumped at the chance to watch one being formed in the traditional way from sand. The Mandalas that I have attempted have been drawn or painted and I can not image being unattached enough to be able to destroy them upon completion. But this is the beauty of non attachment and this dissolution represents the transitional nature of life.

It is in the nature of cyclic existence that what has gathered will eventually disperse -- parents, children, brothers, sisters, and friends. No matter how much friends like each other, eventually they must separate. Gurus and students, parents and children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, and friends -- no matter who they are -- must eventually separate. ~ Dalai Lama

I sat and watched the monk as they worked meticulously away on the Mandala and I wandered. What are they thinking? Are they thinking? Their backs must really hurt siting like that for so long! The sound of the Chak Phurs used to disperse the sand was entrancing in itself and there was a captivating silence along with an energy of peace and harmony.

This Mandala represents Wisdom and Compassion.

Just beautiful......

LOL!

For those who have recently had a really good belly laugh, you would agree that laughter really can be best medicine!

*** Laughter is proven to be good for your health

Laughter relaxes the whole body
A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.

Laughter boosts the immune system
Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.

Laughter triggers the release of endorphins
The body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.

Laughter protects the heart
Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.  

SO GET LAUGHING!

Watch a good comedy, read a funny book, make a joke, jump in a puddle of water, fart out loud.

Whatever makes you truly LOL!

The Way of Tea

This week I read an article about the wanderful ritual of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. Also known as Sado, Ocha or Chanoyu in Japanese. This ceremony is not so much about drinking the tea, it is more about "preparing a bowl of tea from one's heart".

How beautiful would that tea taste!!

The man referred to as the tea master Sen Rikyu (1522-1591) studied tea from an early age. As meditation in action, the practice of tea developed in Japan alongside the practice of Zen Buddhism.

The tea used in the ceremonies is called "matcha" which is a powdered form of Green Tea. This is a very special event, where the host can spend days focusing on aesthetics, the appearance of the food, the utensils used in serving the food, and the decoration of the eating place.  This creativity and concern for beauty is so intense that tea can really be referred to as an art form. 

 

The Four Principles of Tea
These four principles infuse everything to do with tea ceremony and form the foundation for the spiritual in tea.
Kei – respect
Kei is a profound reverence toward all things, and is a characteristic of humility.
Sei – purity
Sei contains the thought of orderliness in life, cleanliness, and purity.
Jaku – tranquillity
Jaku means calm even amid the chaos. To be able to create the sense of calm is jaku.
Wa – harmony
Wa is the complete harmony of all elements: guests, utensils, nature and attitude.

"Leaving familiar reference points of the world behind, hosts and guests create a gentle moment, without past or future. Preparing and serving a bowl of tea is a discipline of mindfulness and awareness, a celebration of the senses and a journey to open heart."