Dharma in the Garden

Thanks

A BIG thank you to Karla King who offered to help me create a new banner for my blog using external and internal shots of my studio.  I'm really pleased with what Karla produced so wanted to give her a special mention.

Stirring up the soul

I came across a list of Veronica Hay's New Year Resolutions this week.  Not your normal lose weight, exercise more type resolutions, but real soul stirring, grabbing life with both hands, living your absolute best life type of resolutions.  I love this one:

"I want to write more about those things that really matter to me, with passion, the things that I know in my gut, the things that stir up my soul, and not give a damn about keywords or tags or where I rank in Google."

probably because it pretty much sums up my blog. There's no plan to what I write here and a lot of the time I don't always manage to put into words the wonderful ideas and images that are jumbling around inside my head.  I just write about the people, places and things that come into my experience and "stir up my soul".  I have no interest in keywords, tags or ranking although obviously I write a blog in the hope that someone will read it (even better if they enjoy it too)!  But I'll keep writing anyway because I love it.  Pure and simple.

Energise

In an effort to get this old body moving better I have ordered two of Shiva Rea's DVDs - Yoga for Beginners and Daily Energy.

I saw a few minutes of her Daily Energy workout on the Body in Balance channel last night - she has an amazing body (soooooo jealous) - and then I found my yoga mat behind the sofa bed in the spare room (it will sure do me a lot of good there!).  

So I thinking that with a little discipline and determination I could become stronger and more flexible but I want to learn yoga for my mind as well as my body.  I am not confident about going to a class right now so being able to workout in my own living room is appealing (no-one to see the saggy bits except me!)

Did do some de-cluttering of wardrobes and drawers today in the belief that clearing out the old will make way for new things to come in.  Despite the cold I opened the windows to allow fresh air and new energy to circulate.  There is a slow thaw in the garden (can now see a little of the grass!) but it's still too cold to venture outdoors or to do work in the summer house.  But I have a new Tuesday morning class starting soon at the local art gallery learning all about the collections and the role of the curator.  So lots of new and positive ventures on the horizon for mind, body and spirit.  

New look

Okay, thought it was time for a new look so have given the garden a bit of a make-over.  Might take a bit of getting used to but quite like the fact that it has a crafty, home-made feel about it.

I move beyond

I came across a piece of paper today which had the following typed on it. Obviously at some point I had found these inspirational words and typed them out.  For what purpose I cannot remember.  However, they align very much with how I feel today and how I want to move forward into 2010.  

(I can't take any credit for these words and I don't know who penned them but my grateful thanks to their author whoever and wherever they may be.)  

I move beyond old limitations and allow myself to express freely and creatively

Life is about change, and I adapt easily to the new

I choose to allow all my experiences to be joyous and loving

I relax into the flow of life and let it provide all that I need easily and comfortably

I forgive myself and others, release the past and move forward with love in my heart

I love and approve of myself, am at peace with my own feelings and stand tall and free

I am strong, capable, loving and lovable and perfect just as I am

I freely love and enjoy life, allowing it to flow through me, rejoicing in my self-expression

I allow every moment of every day to be joyous, harmonious and loving and I feel peace and comfort in every area of my life

I am enthusiastic about life and create it the way I want it to be and my life gets better and filled with more energy, vitality and passion every day

I extend love to people everyday -- little by little, task by task, gesture by gesture, word by word

I accept Divine guidance, trust the process of life and am always safe, secure and protected by Divine Love

I rest securely knowing that all my needs are taken care of, only right action is taking place in my life and all details take care of themselves

January

"January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
A frost-mailed warrior
striding a shadowy steed of snow."
Edgar Fawcett

Very apt given that the UK is in the grip of the coldest January in nearly 50 years.  A recent NASA satellite picture shows the entire country covered in snow.



It is beautiful, but I do long for Spring...

Floating

"The discipline that we would like you to exercise is to make a decision that nothing is more important than that you feel good, and that you are going to find thoughts that feel better. Your cork floating is the only thing that is worthy of discipline." Abraham-Hicks

Wishes

I have just received a small pack of the Angels of Awakening Angelic Wishes Oracle Cards by Daisy Foss & Laraine Krantz. There are 36 cards in the pack - 12 Wishes of Life, 12 Wishes of Creation and 12 Wishes of Love.  

Asking the angels for a wish of love for myself, a wish of life for others and a wish of creation for the world, I selected three cards at random:

Wishes of Love - I sing and dance to my own tune, I make a positive influence in the world
Wishes of Life - Ensure all creatures are safe and healthy
Wishes of Creation - Help nature maintain a balance of health for our planet

These are beautifully illustrated little cards and their messages are uplifting and inspirational.

Beginnings

"Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day is the world made new. Today is a new day. Today is my world made new. I have lived all my life up to this moment, to come to this day. This moment - this day - is as good as any moment in all eternity. I shall make of this day - each moment of this day - a heaven on earth. This is my day of opportunity." Dan Custer, Author

Organised?

Determined to get myself organised so have bought myself the Life Book Diary which has lots of space to jot down notes, has tear out shopping lists and fun stickers for all sorts of activities and events, even has a portable address book.  Have already started adding to the handy pocket at the back so suspect that all too soon it will be bulging with all the usual lists, receipts and bits of paper torn out of magazines that I plan to do something about and then forget.  These are the lists, receipts and bits of paper that were located in several other journals/diaries/notebooks that I bought in an attempt to "get organised".  The journals/diaries/notebooks that I start to fill until I discover something prettier/smaller/larger/with stickers.  But I will use this one. I will. I definitely will...