ABCs of Self-Care from Big Purple Mommy by Coleen Hubbard, for Caroline

A is for having the Attitude that your self is worth caring for.
B is for Baths and... 
C is for Coffee - really, really good Coffee that you take time to enjoy
D is for Dancing, not one of my personal favorites but! Dancing produces ...
Endorphins and Exercise are the next items on Hubbard's list :)

F is for Food, especially, Food made with love that is yummy and nutritious 
G is for Grooming, not in an effort look good to or for other, but out of Gratitude for Self
H is for Hibernating, Hunkering down and "pulling in" sometimes
I is for Indulging every once in a while
J is for writing in a Journal
K is for Kin
L is for Love, big purple Love
photo by Joshua Behan
M is for Movies, Music, Meditation, and Massage. All great ideas for all Moms!
N is for a Night out and Naps or Napatree :)
O is for Old friends, keep'em close
P is for Pets
Q is for... "you guessed it - absolute Quiet."
R is for Reading, Rest, and Rituals
S includes but it not limited to Sex, Sleep, Solitude, Smiles, and Spiritual life.
 photo by Joshua Behan
T is for Therapeutic processes that children remind us to enjoy, like coloring
U is for Understanding the merits of being an Underachiever
V is for Vacations
W is for Walks
X is for relaXing
 Full Moon Yoga, July 14, 2011
Y is for Yoga
Z is for "Zooming out, widening the frame of our lens, and gaining perspective on our current circumstances." ~ Coleen Hubbard

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen

"Aglow with the plenipotent..." p. 238
"But the farmer holds back his heart and dares not trust to the generosity of nature, he listens..." p. 283
"Cuckoo of the Clock sang out the hours arrogantly over the rows, then it was itself sold, and flew off." p. 372

"...Earth was made round so that we would not see too far down the road."
Famous first line: "I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills." p.3 Out of Africa
Gambol ˈɡambəlverb gerund or present participle: gambolling run or jump about playfully.
"Here I am, where I ought to be." p. 4
Isak Dinesen (her given name was Karen) wrote this book in 1937
"...Joyously jumping up and down, and gambolling as they run, and swinging their small pale torches merrily. The woods are filled with a wild frolicsome life, and it is all perfectly silent."  p. 259
Karen Blixen went to Kenya in 1912
Logo on the spine and end pages of this book
"... meditating upon the joys of farm life." ~ p. 214

Ngong Hills, Kenya, East Africa
P.B. Shelley quote: "once in-- How the delighted spirit pants for joy!"
Quote that reminds me of my hometown: "It is impossible that a town will not play a part in your life, it does not even make much difference whether you have more good or bad things to say of it, it draws your mind to it, by a mental law of gravitation." p. 11
"Roads of Life" story/drawing - p. 259
Salt water quote is how I became aware of Isak Dinesen from Amy Lewis in ENG 358 Fall 2006
"To be lonely is a state of mind, something completely other than physical solitude; when modern authors rant about the soul's intolerable loneliness, it is only proof of their own intolerable emptiness." ~ Out of Africa
"Unconditional truthfulness which outside of him I have only met in idiots." p. 362
"...Vigour...Vital assurance and lightness of heart." p. 4
When in the end, the day came on which I was going away, I learned the strange learning that things can happen which we ourselves cannot possibly imagine, either beforehand, or at the time when they are taking place, or afterwards when we look back on them." ~ Out of Africa, 1937
"...out of the normal course of human existence, into a maelstrom where I ought never to have been..." p. 379
"You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying about the future." ~ Isak Dinesen
Zen -Mama image and quote seem a go way to end this one: 
https://www.facebook.com/theZenMama/photos/a.447240194427.237062.173730509427/10154550029224428/?type=3&theater

Finding Your Flow - Activating Love

http://www.artparasites.com/i-found-solace-on-the-road-in-the-kindness-of-strangers/
Beautiful image 
Deepak and Oprah meditation series
Even when I don't feel like doing it
Finding Your Flow
Going for a walk with Misty NOW
"Hold Hands firmly, Hearts gently" ~ Dove chocolate :)
I only got as far as a neighbor's house but!
Just had a great conversation, and feel so much better
Learning Life's Lessons, still...

Meditation is not an act that has to be done separately or to be achieved in isolation of the forests. It is a quality, which continuously gets enhanced with the habit of doing even the smallest of the tasks with full concentration.” ― Deep Trivedi, The Pulse of Wisdom

"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path." ~ Buddha
Open to the changes the universe has in store for us
Perhaps we will find a Buddha like this one for our new backyard
Quiet day after a full, busy week or trying to find time to find my flow - hmmmm...
Reciprocity came up a few times this week. 
Sacred Whole - deep breath - let that sink in.
Unusually great timing... since I plugged this in ^ before seeing the latest MC video :)
"...Vow to let go of all worries and anxiety in order to be light and free." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
We ourselves must Walk the path." ~ Buddha
“To eXperience love fully means eXperiencing who you really are.”
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself you have built against it.” —Rumi
"Zooming out, widening the frame of our lens, gaining perspective on our current circumstances." ~ Coleen Hubbard author of Big Purple Mommy. See  next post :)

The ABCs of Meditation by: Tamara Lechner

A is for Awaken Meditation is a way to awaken purpose, awaken health, awaken abundance, awaken connection, and awaken creativity. You can allow your true self to reveal and awaken your pure potential through meditation, including guided meditation or silent or mantra meditation.

 thank you, Julie :)

B is for Being: 

To sit and be—without thinking, without effort, without judgment—is the gift of meditation. We are not our past, nor are we our future. Be present.

C is for Connection

Connection is twofold: connection to self and connection to those around us. At first these might seem separate but as you connect to your source through meditation, the recognition that we are all waves of the same ocean deepens.

D is for Detachment

Detachment reveals the great paradox of life: In order to acquire something, you have to relinquish your attachment to having it. When you recognize the only genuine source of security is living as your true self, then you can more easily detach. Meditation helps you to get present and detach.

E is for Ego

According to Eckhart Tolle, author of books on ego like A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purposeego is any image you have of yourself that gives you a sense of identity. Ego likes to separate us from others rather than encourage oneness and connection. Meditation acts as a tool to silence the ego and allow the true connected self to be seen.

F is for Flexibility

People with flexible minds are adaptable, open, and resilient. Like bamboo in the wind, they are strong but pliable. Being flexible allows you to embrace your day rather than bracing for it. Meditation cultivates a flexible mind.

G is for Gratitude

Meditation reminds us how everything fits into a greater plan. It connects us with spirit, God, or the universe, and with this connection comes gratitude—gratitude for who we are and what we have. Gratitude has been proven to benefit our physical, physiological, and mental health.

H is for Happiness

Happiness increases when you meditate. Studies have shown that the centers for emotional processing are just one of the areas that change significantly with a meditation practice. People who meditate regularly report higher levels of well-being and are less bothered by aches and pains. This all translates to increased joy.

I is for Immunity

The immune system is highly influenced by your mind. Meditators get benefits to their immune system’s function, including increased antibodies and decreased inflammation.

J is for Joy

Meditation leads to joy. Once you believe that the universe is working for you and that everything is happening for your good, meditation can help by turning up your awareness and allowing you to witness the joy in every situation. You will begin to notice if and when you are struggling or resisting the natural flow.

K is for Karma

In its simplest form, karma might be described as an energetic loop where every action generates an equal force of energy that returns to us—what we sow is what we reap. In meditation, you tap into your ability to make spontaneously correct choices for yourself and for all those around you.

L is for Letting Go

Want to let go of a habit that doesn’t serve you? Meditation is a tool to allow you to step outside your pattern and change it. Meditation also helps you to let go of the past and forgive by training your mind to stay present.

M is for Manifest

Manifest can mean to reveal presence or make an appearance. When you meditate, you are more clearly able to manifest goals that align with your highest self.

N is for Namasté

This popular word, which you might have heard at the end of a yoga class, is both a spoken Indian expression and a symbolic gesture that means “the God within me greets the God within you.” Namasté is the recognition that we are all equal and share a common divinity.

O is for Om

The primordial vibration Om (or “aum”) is sometimes chanted at the end of meditation or as part of a longer mantra used throughout meditation. It is considered the most sacred sound in Hinduism and Buddhism.

P is for Peace

In the words of the Dalai Lama, “If every 8-year old in the world is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”

Q is for Quiet

Meditation is practiced quietly in order to quiet the mind. Note that quiet and silence are not the same thing in this case. When the world around you is loud, busy, or filled with distractions, the quiet that meditation provides doesn’t occur by turning off these stimuli but by focusing elsewhere, which gives you the perception of quiet.

R is for Raja or Royal Path

Raja yoga is frequently referred to as the “royal path to yoga” because it focuses on practices that take your awareness inward and promotes the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. Meditation is one of these practices.

S is for Subtle Body

This is where the magic happens—outside any physical construct and in a non-local place. Your mind, your ego, and your intellect all work together to form the subtle body.

T is for Transformation

Through meditation the mind and the body are transformed right down to a cellular level. Telomerase is another “T” word. It controls the age function of cells and recent studies have shown that meditation can positively impact the aging of cells by lengthening the telomerase.

U is for Unique

Your meditation is unique to you; there is no correct way to meditate. Whether it be mantra or silent, with music or without, in a group or on your own, whatever style of meditation works to keep you showing up for your meditation practice is the perfect style for you.

V is for Vitality

Meditation leads to vitality—the ability to flourish with a balanced physical, mental, and spiritual body. When your mind is at peace and you have left behind the patterns of stress and anxiety that are so common in today’s society, vitality comes more easily.

W is for Wholeness

Wholeness is also known as unity consciousness or the state of enlightenment, in which there is complete freedom from all conditioning, including habit, past experience, and karma.

X is for Ex- …

Meditation is helpful in kicking unhealthy habits to the curb. If you want to be an ex-smoker, an ex-drinker, or an ex-anorexia sufferer, meditation can help. Check out the Chopra Addiction and Wellness Center for more information on how to release unhealthy habits and get on the path to wellness.

Y is for Yoga

Yoga, the way many people think of it, is the asanas or physical postures; however, Yoga actually has four limbs: karmarajagyan, and bhakti.
http://www.chopra.com/ccl/deepak-explains-the-deeper-meaning-of-yoga

Z is for Zen

"Zen" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character "chan," which in turn is the Chinese translation from the Indian Sanskrit term dhyana, which means “the development of witnessing awareness.”

Self-LOVE, Self-nurture, Say: "I love me"

And Above All, watch with glittering eyes the whole world Around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely place. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it. " ~ Roald Dahl
Catalase : antioxidant enzymes that protect cellular
DNA as well as providing general health and reducing inflammation
Energy... goes freely again because we cherish our internal mechanisms the way mother nature told us." ~ Wim Hof
Fulfilling my purpose
Gracefully
Hanuman: TEACHING us to live lives of SERVICE and Take LEAPS of FAITH our HEARTS to lead the way while we PLAY every day!!!" ~ Meghan Kerr
"It is Well" Kristene DiMarco and Bethel Music - powerful video here
Chocolate Chip Cookie Latte' - oh my!!
Kamante : Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa, a young Kikuyu tribesperson 
"Love yourself first and everything else falls into place." ~ Lucille Ball
Murder Mystery tonight too:

Not easy, but Necessary
Quite Sunday morning Valentine's Day
"Through it all, through it all My eyes are on You Through it all, through it all It is well Through it all, through it all My eyes are on You It is well with me." ~ Kristene DiMarco
Wequetequock - what a great word! It means : "Land at the end of tide waters." A cove between Stonington Borough and Pawcatuck. aka. "home"

eXcited about seeing Meghan and Grayson tonight get "relaXed to the maX"
"You and I will be together till the universe dissolves."  ~ Rumi
Zest! Valentine's make me even more homesick than I already am :)
https://www.facebook.com/zestfreshpastry/photos/pcb.985814444798346/985814084798382/?type=3&theater

Sept 6, 2008 9:56 am

“This is my wish for you …that the spirit of beauty may continually hover about you and fold you close within the tendernesses of her wings… that each beautiful and gracious thing in life may be unto you as a symbol of good for your soul’s delight.

That sun-glories, and star-glories,

Leaf-glories and bark-glories,
Flower-glories / And glories that lurk in the grasses of the field…
Glories of mountains, and oceans,

Of little streams of running waters,



 Glories of song, of poesy / Of all the arts / May be to you as sweet abiding influences that will illumine your life and make you glad / That your soul may be filled to overflowing with the mystical wine of beauty and love / That happiness may put her arms around you, And wisdom make your soul serene.
This is my wish for you.”  By Charles Livingston Snell


gardengalFriday, September 12, 2008

Welcome February 2016

Antaeus : "remained invincible as long as he remained in contact with his mother, the earth." source
Better questions lead to Better answers and outcomes
Combobulate - why is that not a word? ahh... it is becoming an accepted word after all
Daffodil sighting - early am 1/30/16
Energized by Eating great foods and superfoods
Fulvic acid - interesting read at Wellnessmama.com
Grounded and Growing - Grow Goji Berry? Why not?
Hello? Cathy Rodgers, you are amazing!! :)

Ice-gazing awe Inspiring
Just BE and be
Kind
Lycium (Goji Berry) is an adaptogen tonic... Adaptogens help us adapt to stress... great info here

Mancragora officinarum Mandrake (and I'll bet you thought J.K. Rawlings made it up ;)
 thank you, Maura
Owl vs. Ostrich : avoiding, ignoring, pretend there is no problem? focus on Outcome. good article
Postlapsarian : occurring or existing after the Fall of Man. Thank you Jean Jackson - great word :)
"Quirky, awesome tradition of my alma mater." ~ Charis Hill's comment with this photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=972476382844&set=a.796473978074.1073741834.47301343&type=3&theater&notif_t=like_tagged thank you, Charis

"Remember, every pot needs to be replanted now and again if it’s going to grow. Embrace change and continue to become the person you were always meant to be." thanks for sharing this article, Kyle


Take a break. Turn around
Ultimate Hydration Recipe:
Virgil quote: "Love conquers all things; let us too surrender to Love
"Why a walk in the woods really does help your body and your soul" Thank you, Alisa :)
eXpand and eXperience...
Yoga with Holly, Liz, Jennifer, Beth, Mattie, Emily, and Charlotte - grateful for community