Don't Worry, Be Happy

One of the niyamas in yoga is contentment. Its not just being happy, because happiness is fleeting. To me, contentment is inner peace and sense of well being. Its taken me a long time to get to the point of having inner peace and well being, and letting go of the emotional issues that held me hostage for a long time. Once I realized I could just let them go and move on, it helped me find that wellspring of happiness and bliss.

 

I am a big fan of ritual and ceremony (after being an Episcopalian, how can you not be?). For me, whenever I am dealing with a lot of stress or feeling out of sorts, I do a grounding ritual. No, I don’t send myself to time out (although that could be good too!). Instead, I go outside and play in the dirt. I grab a handful of it, and feel it-texture, color, and smell. As I stare at it, I go through my list of troubles and stressors. After I am done, I throw the dirt behind me, and walk away. Its symbolic that these things are now in my past and I am moving forward.

 

Just doing a ritual with a handful of dirt didn’t bring me to where I am in terms of peace and contentment. It took a lot of work and soul searching on my part, and this is an ongoing process. There are many different paths to contentment and peace, and I have found daily meditation, yoga, and doing things that make me happy every day are my path. Think about what is on your path.

New Moon on Monday

One of my goals for this year was to find peace.

It's my one little word for 2014.  

I won't lie, almost 4 months in, it has been a struggle. I'm finding new ways to redefine what peace means to me, and some of the results have been surprising. I used to think that peace meant the absence of something. Instead, it's also the presence of things too.

I love the sound of my son's laughter, and hearing it stills my soul.

My cat purring quiets my mind.

Snuggling with my dog gives me a sense of well being.

Yoga settles me.

A good meal, with mindful preparation and consumption, can end conflict.

Just being. 

Ritual has also been a big part of my journey toward peace. 

It's a new moon tonight, and traditionally, it's a time to start something new. To be open to new possibilities. To manifest. 

I have been part of an Intenders Circle off & on for a while. One of the basic precepts is about manifesting, and I believe that it has great power in our lives. If you pray for something to happen and it does, you just manifested. You can do that by writing a list and reviewing it regularly.

You can also do it by using a blank check from the universe. Don't worry about how outrageous it might be, put it out there. If you believe it, it will happen. Trust that the universe will provide.

 The new moon is a great time to make a list of things you want to achieve in the next month. I use this time to set my goals. On the list for April, I've included:

Go to the gym 4 times a week

Get back on the Fly wagon with FlyLady

Drink half my body weight in water daily

Make healthier food choices

I also do some cleansing. I smudge my house at the new moon. It helps clear stagnant energies. The bonus is it smells great. 

I also cleanse myself. I take a detox bath, soaking in the tub and relaxing. 

Detox bath salts

1/2 c Epsom salts

2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

8-10 drops frankincense essential oil

Add to a hot bath, soak for at least 20 minutes

Most pictures come from Pinterest, other than the obvious ones of us

Hallowed Eve

Halloween is more than just trick or treating, pumpkins and ghosts. It was the traditional end of the harvest, and end of the Celtic calendar. As I spend more time scrapbooking, I am reminded that I am but one link on a chain going back generations and generations. The older I get, the more I appreciate that connection, and want to share it with my son. In addition to going door to door for candy, the day can be balanced with ritual. It is a night to have fun and frolic, yet also remember those who have gone on before us.

 

This year before Halloween, we are going to add more ceremony to our October fun. A few days beforehand, we are going to have a special meal celebrating the harvest. I found a great meal blessing:

 

 Tonight is one of the tree nights we celebrate Samhain

It is the end of the harvest, the last of the summer days

The cold nights wait for us on the other side of today

The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest

The success of the hunt all lie before us

We thank the earth for all that it has given us this season

And we look forward to winter, a time of sacred darkness

 

After dinner, we will take a cup of mulled cider (yum!) outside in a “formal” procession to our backyard, where our garden (usually) is. Every one takes a turn and sprinkle a bit of cider into the ground saying:

 

Summer is gone, winter is coming

We have planted and watched the garden grow

We have weeded

We have gathered the harvest

Now it is at the end.

 

Everyone will have their baggie of seeds that they will scatter in the garden. It’s a way of visualizing the circle of life, and it will be fun watching them grown in the spring. As they get scattered, we are supposed to meditate on our loved ones who have passed and say:

 

Gone from sight but not from the heart

You are remembered  and held in my heart

 

A final way of honoring of those who have gone before us (and my personal favorite) is to darken the room and have one candle burning in the center of the table. Using battery operated tea lights, our family takes turns lighting a tea light and sharing a memory about a deceased loved one. It’s a great way for our son to learn about those who have gone before him, and for us to reconnect with those who we desperately miss.

 

 

 

It’s a great prelude to a family Halloween party, where we can watch somewhat a marathon of Ghost Hunters, tell spooky stories and make a shrine to our ancestors. In addition to departed family and friends, I also include our departed pets because they were also part of our family.  I love incorporating this into our Halloween celebrations and having a spiritual component-since its more than just about the candy.

 

 

Spiced cider

 

½ gallon apple cider

2 c orange juice

3 cinnamon sticks

10 whole cloves

Zest of 1 orange

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ allspice

 

Bring all the ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer 15 minutes. Strain out spices. Serve hot