January 31, 2014 close the book...

Astral Insights

Chinese New Year - shed the skin of the snake, jump on the horse :)

“Decisive action, not procrastination, brings victory.

 Events move so quickly in a Horse year that you don’t want to gallop off in the wrong direction…”

Friday evening Fun?

How I Celebrate Chinese New Year

I made chicken and rice for our dinner and took this picture this morning of...

Jack Frost's beautiful handiwork

Kid President has a new video

Leaving this as is

M

Nighty Night

Off to grab my book now

P

Quant - quantitative analyst - saw it on The Crazy Ones with Robin Wiliams

Reading...

Speaking of reading, I think I'll leave this blog post as is and just close out the month.

Well-lived lives ... require balance, imagination, and risk.

January 30, 2014 - brrrr

"A toddler experiential learning - week one" Thank you Rosie

Brrrrr 7 degrees when I walked Misty this morning

"Camaraderie, where Conversation and moral support were the only things asked for and given freely." p.133 

Devin Daring

Eby Electricity Energy p. 153

Feeling your oats today? p. 152

Goat in a tuxedo p. 152

Halcyon p. 127

Inkling p. 145

"Just when you think you know the ending, it changes." p.151

Kate

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

p. 129

"Never argue with an alligator" p. 189

Outlandish p. 194

Pete Seeger : “This banjo surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.”

Quirky p. 128

Reading Lost Lake
Surfing a little too
"This would be so much easier if I was told what I'm supposed to find instead of just being given stupid clues." p. 195
Up early this am, work delayed until 11 am, giving me more time to read :)
"Village people" :) Janice, Shaun, Mom Valerie and Barbara

Whitney Miller's Birthday is today

Yellow House post Thursday am "Good morning Village People! What will today bring?"
Zen to Zany (Anita) posted: 

Snow DAY!! January 29, 2014

Art of Asking

Butter coffee

Chile spiced mango

Dipped in Dark chocolate

Engage my spirit

Feel it

Gratitude for

Horse stance
 "It occurred to me last night, that all I really have to do is, bring everything into my heart, and my heart into everything! Boom! Heart! Weave it!" ~ Meghan Griffith 1/28/2014
Jessica
Kelly's Birthday
Lackadaisical - what a word

Mandy Smith's Jewel of Winter

Neil Gaiman's Journal

Oops (Over did it a bit with the glue)

Pleasure was Palpable

Quiet corners

Reading

SNOW!

Two snow angels

Vichyssoie fog p.55 Help Thanks 

Wow

eXperientially
Yawning

Zzzzzz

A tribute to my yoga practice

Awareness

Brigid's Cross

Crow (Bakasana)

Dhanurasana (bow pose)

“Enjoyment and celebration of life have such a positive effect on us.” ~ Shiva Rea

Filling up with light and

Gratitude

Hanumanasana ~ Splits Pose

IT Band 

Jivamukti Yoga

Kundanasana

Lizard Lunge

Mind traps that hold us back

Need to breathe and be open

Opening the hips

Pigeon Prep

Quads

Reset

Sundial Surya Yantrasana

Thank you Meghan xo

Uuuuuttanasana :)

Variations

"Wake each day excited to bloom in a new way." - Karen Salmansohn

Yoga Journal images are amazing

"Zebra swallowtail on mint (boost)" by Mandy Smith

New perspective...

August : respected and impressive

Before today, I always thought of "august" as just a month

Cold? 

Do yoga!

Exhausted? do yoga...

Feeling blue? do yoga

Going crazy? do yoga... Get the Gist?

Have a good day :)

John, you made me smile, see :) "In my continuing effort to provide you with amusement, I send you this"

"Know you're not alone..." ~ Phillip Phillips

"Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride." ~ Gary Allan

"Magic is what we invent when we want something we think we can't have." ~ Sarah Addison Allen

"On my knees and out of luck, I look up." ~ Mumford and Sons

Puzzling

Quilling

Read more, computer less

Snow white Stonington by Valerie Randall

"Take the gentle path." ~ George Herbert

"Umbrella poles wrapped in strings of twinkle lights" p. 66 Lost Lake

Valerie, the picture of my great gram's church is stunning!

Winter garden walks offer new perspective

Way to go Mandy!!

eXpecting snow in the south today... schools cancelled - that's 2 "L"s folks!

Youngstown News

The Art of Giving - January 23, 2014

Bev Mecum - Student Curator

Detritus p. 16 Sarah Addison Allen's Lost Lake

Enigmatic : difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious. good word

Faculty and Staff work are impressive

"God's delivery girl" p. 120 Amy Grant's Mosaic
Horse, as in, year of the Horse

"I welcome you..." p. 105 Amy Grant's Mosaic
John's flute playing
Kindness
"Lead me on, Lord, Lead me on" p. 109

Meredith College

One word at a time

Prompting us toward one another p. 121

"Quiet voice of God" p. 121

"Revelation is not for the faint at heart." ~ Anne Lamott p.52 Help Thanks Wow 

“Sunsets are mini-meditations. They slow us down and wake us up.They reinforce our intentions and release endorphins.They remind us of a higher power.”

Tapas : heat from within 

U

V

"Whatever you bring to the table is enough." p. 105

"eXchange of caring and being cared for eXpanded" p. 122

written by Anita from...

Zen to Zany

Midweek Mayhem - January 22, 2014

Agog! Aghast! :)

Benedict Cumberbatch

Cogito ergo sum : thinking about one’s existence proves that an "I" exists; "I think, therefore I am." ~ Descartes

Elizabeth's on her first day of her last semester: "there was hub and there was bub."

Faith music Filters through all that

"Grace can be the experience of a second wind, when even though what you want is clarity and resolution, what you get is stamina and poignancy and the strength to hang on." ~ Anne Lamott Help Thanks Wow 

"How Mercy Looks From Here" by Amy Grant

"I think; therefore I am." ~ Rene Descartes

Janice hosted a lovely lunch to honor our friend's birthday

"Know you're not alone 'cause I'm gonna make this place your home" ~ Phillip Phillips' "Home"

Marvelous Martha

Nebulous - just because it's a good word - hazy

Oh

Pooh!

Quote : “Shine like the whole Universe is yours.” ~Rumi 

Reading 3 books at once right now: Mosaic by Amy Grant

"Sensitive, creative Souls need Support and recognition that it is real" ~ SAA 1/22/14

"Through the most ordinary things... life is Transformed" ~  Anne Lamott Help Thanks Wow

"Wish-fulfillment" ~ Sarah Addison Allen 1/22/14

"eXotic, like tasting turmeric or saffron after a year of eating pudding." p. 13 ~ Sarah Addison Allen's Lost Lake

Punctuation Marks and Yoga Birds

"Always, Always, Acquiesce to your own whims, especially when there's no reason not to do so." ~ Jane Eldershaw

Bird of Paradise

Crow : Bakasana

Down Dog

Eagle

Frog

Growth Mindset

"Hats" by Amy Grant - How have I never heard of this song? 

Isomodic principle : mood matching music

Jaw-dropping photos
"Kids love Bakasana!" from OmGirl blog 

"Laughter and irony are at heart reminders that we are... voyagers" ~ Eben Alexander

Matthieu Ricard: The Habits of Happiness

Pigeon Pose Patience

Quantum and the Lotus: A Journey to the Frontiers Where Science and Buddhism Meet

Reminders to Rest

Sunday yoga, Sunday cooking, Sunday afternoon naps

"This is the last great lesson your parents will teach you." (about 10mins into this video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hUSbs6gOe0)

Upeksha : means equanimity, non-attachment, non-discrimination, even-mindedness or letting go

Winky face ;)

Yes, the universe does have punctuation marks...

Something like a "to do" list

Become and Be Fully present
Current balance
Dessert for Monday's lunch?

Engage appropriately in this day

"Flexibility trumps perfection" ~ David Allen

Gestalt : essence or shape of an entity's complete form.

Higher powered

Imagine, then act on that Idea

Janice and Martha

Kindred Spirits

Looking through the Lens of Love

"Mind like water... Make a Map" ~ David Allen
New data
Outcomes, be specific
Pretzelized p. 24 Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamottt

Quickest bad mood zappers: sunshine, fresh air, laughter p. 13
Reading Mood Food by Jane Eldershaw

"Starfish Sunset"

Ted Talks: Louie Schwartzberg: Nature. Beauty. Gratitude.
Uniquely qualified
Vested interest
What is it? Write it down.

Zest

Upcoming events and the week in review...

"Bursting with Brilliant sunshine..." p. 116

Carmen Christopher and her Comic relief

Definitely many things for which I am so very grateful

Elephant Rock 

"Feeling the intensity of unconditional love." p. 131

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." ~ Cicero (106-43 BCE)

Hocus pocus video. click here. no idea why, but there you have it.

"I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be." ~ Albert Einstein
Jess updated her blog and pictures - yay!!

Kid President : "Hope is contagious. Spread it. (The flu is also contagious, but don't spread that.)"

"La-dee-dee-da-da-da... Abracadabra..."

Magic!

Neurosurgeon, Eben Alexander's Near death experience

"'Om' was the sound I remembered hearing associated with that omniscient, ominpotent, and unconditionally loving God..." p. 47

Quote by Einstein : "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is." 

Rise up

Stand tall

"Understood for the first time who I really was." p 124

"Vexed by some earthly concern." p.113

"We are connected as One through our Divine link with God" p. 161

Zeke, Jess, Liam and Kelly 4 make me smile :)

Saying YES! to Life - Victoria Morrone

Adventurers: "All is well... Don't worry,...All is well" p. 113

Be Fearless from Circles Of Inspiration by Anna Pereira

Chink in the Cloud Cover
Deity

"Expect a miracle"

Ferocious Passion for Completeness

Girl on the Butterfly Wing

Home is where your Heart is

Joy Jolt
Kindness. "Only Kindness matters" ~ Jewel
Linear Language doesn't begin to express LOVE
"...My guardian angel on the butterfly's wings" p.102
Neurosurgeon's Journey: NDE - Near Death Experience
Om "Orb of Light deep in the Core"

"Quest for security is nothing but a breath-retention contest in which everyone is as taut as a drum and as purple as a beet." ~ Alan Watts
Reading Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander
Spinning Melody
"There is nothing you can do that is wrong" p. 109 - "Thank you" p.113
Understanding
Vortex Voyage
Wildly spinnong
eXtraordinary eXperience

Yes!!

Zen-like