Nothing Changes but Everything

If you don't try
what do you have but regret
You don't have to be perfect or good
 Just do something
Something that makes your heart sing.

I wrote the words above last night in my journal. Lately, I am surprised by the elements of "stuckness" that seems to appear in my personal writing.I confess that I really had not taken the chance to check in with myself. So that could explain much.

Instead, I've been putting out small surface fires and not getting to the heart of the matter. The truth is that I've been going at an exhaustive rate these past six months and while many good things have happened, I have not had the time I need to nurture my soul.

However, I am not really in a position to do a major life overhaul. I have to find some good in the now in the situations and things that are causing me annoyance. Two things that I have learned over these years of practicing yoga and developing an authentic spiritual practice of my own is that everything changes and that your life needs your attention.

While this does not solve the things that I feel or problematic it does give me a little space to breath around things. I can take heart that these situations will change in some way. Whether, it will be my perspective or actual physical change, I can't say. 

I can also take heart that by paying attention to what is the birds chirping, the dishes in the sink,the bathroom trash, watering my plants, packing my lunch, my embroidery project and talking with those I love that I become attentive to my own life. 

Back to my journal entry{from above}. I wrote that after I realized that I was using the wrong fabric for my embroidery. The threads are getting all tangled and ugly on the underside. And if I am honest the picture side is not perfect. However, I realize that sometimes that's the way it is. I am not a great embroiderer{nor do I have hopes of becoming one}. I take making things serious but not too serious. My whole goal is to make and enjoy. In this way, I suppose nothing changes but everything. 

P.S.
I found this article very inspiring- it's about artist care.
This is such an inspiring series.

Have a sweet week!

A few of my days

“Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once.” ― Audrey Hepburn

I can't believe it is already the end of November. I don't know how this year has passed so fast. I can honestly say that this has been a year of unparalleled change. My life is nothing like it was at the beginning of the year, in many ways. All these constant changes has really made me mindful of the simple good things that give life rhythm.

Wreath making, time at the table, road trips and interesting locales. I do love the simplicity of fall.
How has life been treating you?

P.S. Thanks for all your lovely comments lately!

Small Pleasures: A List

My life is full of stories. Stories that I feel too tired to put to words these days. That is the downside of working a lot. You are moving too much to reflect. So, I have no lofty thoughts to share. Although, I hope at least one in the upcoming weeks. Instead I thought I'd share a few things I've come to appreciate lately.

Small Pleasures 
1. meals that made with real food. While, I "know the benefits" of eating whole foods actually doing so can be hard when you are in rush. I've been better about cooking at home, packing my lunch and saying no to things I don't want(or need to eat).
2. a cooking partner. (see #1). it turns out I am more likely to be up for collaborating on creative and healthy meals when I have a partner in the kitchen. 
 3. deep breaths.someone on my twitter feed(can't recall who, sorry) mentioned taking three deep breaths every time you feel overwhelmed. Over the last month, I've been practicing this and it does seem to help refocus me.
4.finding time for pleasure. last night, B. and I sat around reading and listening to music. I realized that I try to fill most of my days with something productive. It felt good just to have time to do a lot of nothing.
5. books. I'm listening to this audio book, enjoying this handbook, and being seduced by this enchanting mediation on beauty.
6. tea. i really can't imagine a day without it. can you?

What small things are giving you pleasure lately?

Inquiries and Outtakes

If we go down into ourselves, we find that we possess exactly what we need-Simone Weil

This fall has been busy and I have struggled with how to blog at any regular interval. That would not be bad if I did not "need" the encouragement that a regular practice can provide. So, I am toying with the idea of much smaller and more frequent sort of posts.  I am thinking about super short posts on compassionate eating, recipes, yoga/relaxation tips, poems, and other interesting things.  Not sure how this will play out but I don't seem to have the time that writing essays requires and seem to get in this all or nothing mind frame. What do you think about that format dear readers? How do you keep your blogging fresh and authentic, if you blog?

In the meantime,  enjoy these outtakes from my "Saturday in the City" with B{that's his shoe in the corner}.
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Made a version of these this weekend. Yummy,  if you like chickpeas and sandwiches.
Finished reading this delightful book. 
Finally realized that my YMX giveaway was over. Told you these were crazy times! Congrats to the lovely Charlotte, of My Pixie Blog-email me your snail mail address asap.

The Risky Steps

When you want to do something outside your "normal" realm of activity. You can come up against a large mountain of fear. Recently, I decided to dive in and do something that I have been wanting to do for a while. Leaping into this step even on small scale felt very risky and vulnerable. 

I honestly had a million reasons why I could not even take a small piddling step and then I just went for it. I just took a little step and announced in a small circle that my intention was to take a step. After that, I spent some time dreaming and planning about what the next small step could be. I know this is all very vague but things are still not ready to be unveiled. So, I took it. 

That's how life happens. You have to dream it and then take one small step at a time{if you are a fraidy cat like me}until you get somewhere.

What have I learned?

1.You have to take a step, even a small piddly one. You'll be braver for it.

2.Tell people what you dream. People who are trustworthy and on your side, it'll make a difference and give you someone to talk with.

3.Ask for the help you need. Do you need encouragement? tester? eyes? Ask for it and receive it.

4.Find a safe place to dream. Dedicate a notebook, a file folder, a posterboard,etc to just dreaming up things assoicated with your dreams.

5.Dream big. I know that often times it seems too risky to go for the juglar but sometimes we must.

What is one small step, you can take in the direction of your dreams today?

Miracles and Meaning

“Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future, therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey.”~John O'Donohue

Fall is typically the time that I feel restless, willing to undergo metamorphosis and transformation. And it is also, the time when I am tempted to leap into something head first. This has not always had the desired results and sometimes, it has worked brilliantly. Thus, I am not certain the best way to embrace change but I know that it is necessary.

So, I suppose the thing to do is trust. Trust that you can never really lose your way, your destiny or your grace. Trust in all your heart that your life is no accident but full of miracles and meanings.


What are you learning to trust lately?

Thoughts on Creating a Nurturing Practice

Today is the first of November. So, I made my usual list of goal and intentions for the month. In many ways, intentions can be powerful.

For me, they serve as a sort of guidepost. This month, my list is unusually long because I have to do a few unpleasant things that I've been avoiding and there are some things that have fallen to the wayside that I need to pick back up.

 One thing I want to have this November is a nurturing yoga and meditation practice. If there was ever a time that I need such a practice, it is now. Here's what I am thinking:

 1.Is it realistic? Knowing my life, my schedule, my budget, my goals ,is what I desire in terms of a practice doable? This means I have to discharge what everyone is telling me about building a practice and craft what is best for me out of the ground of my life.

 2. Is it personal? I am a picky Pat when it comes to yoga classes and personal sequences. I think that any given day what we need changes. While, it is true that sometimes we don't know what we need, I think that mostly we do. So, I try not to hold too tightly to what I think I want in terms of sequencing if it's a class but if it's my personal practice then I am spontaneous and flexible when it comes to sequencing.

 3. Is it life giving? Meaning does it give me the energy I need to encounter this world in a less self- centered way. While, I do believe a yoga practice is personal on some level, I don't think yoga is about isolation. After all, yoga is about union of the spiritual, the mental and the physical. Whatever you practice on the mat has to move from that space in some way. Thus, a mark of a nurturing practice is the practice of nurturing(or whatever it is that you need) qualities in your relationships with others and yourself.

In many ways, setting an intention seems a little new agey for me. However, there is a truth to what my mom(or someone ) use to say, if you don't know what you want you'll liable settle for anything. Notice that in my thinking I am not saying anything about duration, style or pace. I function best with sense of organized freedom but you should set your intentions in a way best for your inner peace. All I am doing is each day before I get out of bed or touch the mat asking, how can I make this an nurturing experience? The three thoughts are really just ways of navigating the spectrum of nurturing. Do you set intentions? If so, what are your intentions for this month?

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment here by November 15th to enter the YMX outfit drawing.