OUR LIVES AS WORKS OF ART

A portrait of the - would be - artist
As a young person, I fancied myself as an artist and spent endless hours working on sketches with pencils, crayons, and water colors. Most of that artwork is long gone - from me and probably from the planet. I even have a formal background in art – at least, that, according to the undergrad degree that I obtained years ago. But I never did much with it after college, just an occasional drawing or two. Of the little I did, I kept a small part and gave away the rest to people who I hoped would value them. I was just too busy guiding my efforts in other directions, that being, caring for a family and my lifelong work in public health. 

And during all those decades that I worked and raised two children - up through their university years, I kept busy with what I saw as my priority commitments.  With the “extra” time I had, I allowed myself to do needlework and some personal journal writing. There just weren’t enough hours in the day for artwork. I always said that, someday, when I could, I’d go back to painting or drawing and perhaps do more than just write in my journal.

Luckily, since retirement, I’ve found time to dedicate a lot of time to creative outlets that I thoroughly enjoy – cooking, blogging, crafts, needlework, and drawing. The products of these activities continue to be personal in scope. My interest in these endeavors just hasn’t found any commercial outlet. I follow the SPIRIT OF LOVE AND BEAUTY– through art. This path has brought me blessings of joy, love and light, which I gladly share with others. To the extent that I can, I freely share my art with family and friends, mostly through Facebook. And, of course, the artwork in this blog serves some small part of the Internet public at large.

Creative energy abounds.
As to my drawing techniques, they are mostly done is computer graphics. Playing with colors & form is a joy for me.  It usually goes something like this. I have a feeling about a subject for a drawing and envision a theme. Occasionally, the drawings appear to me from something I've seen on Facebook or even as part of a meditation or the content of a dream. Whatever the initial motivation, I hone in on the feeling and remembering the “feeling”, I begin to elaborate on it, letting colors and shapes go where they will. The computer drawing software lets me swiftly make and erase many versions as I expand on that feeling. So, I have the freedom to enjoy each stage of the process, adding here, taking away there. The outcomes often surprise me, expressing extraordinary kinds of energy in the form of design and the color.

To date, mine’s a totally a digital project and I haven't even printed out all of my drawings. I share them on the Internet through Facebook and  greeting card apps. When I do get around to printing, I usually do an 8" X 10" or a letter-size page. Often I display them with wood or plastic frames and put them on my walls or give them to friends and family. Perhaps my most successful ventures were two sets of printed note cards of my drawings that I gifted to family members - one was of flowers and another with Christmas themes.

Drawing: WHIMSICAL FLOWERS, 2014.

Our beautiful future.
We can all foster beauty in our world by relearning some age-old, but mostly forgotten, principles about WHAT’S REALLY OUT THERE. And WHAT’S OUT THERE is ABUNDANCE. Our lives aren’t too limited or too flawed. As a matter of fact, we’re not limited or flawed in any real way. We just ARE and life just is - LIMITLESS and MAJESTIC.

When we allow ourselves to sit quietly (especially in nature among trees and gardens) - even so little as 10 or more minutes – at peace and present to our surroundings, we are released from past mental burdens and we see all around us with new eyes  And, from that vantage, we can see ourselves, standing in bright, uplifting clouds of energy. These boosts can also come from many creative endeavors.  And, for all of us, these lifts are the crayons in our very own coloring book of LOVE.

We can make our lives into works of art when we take time to expect, recognize and accentuate the beauty in our lives. What’s more, it’s all part of the immense energy available to us everyday - all the time. So, feel the glow of LOVE’S strength in the world. Meditate on beauty, harmony and peace. In those moments, we stand proudly in the band of loving souls who see astounding beauty and hear harmonious music.

Leave all those habitual worries behind and look up. There is the beauty of the world. And, with that vantage of beauty, get busy and manifest the colorful, unprecedented reality that all of us long for.  This can happen in many creative ways - through dance, drama, fine and communications arts, music, as well as through heartfelt concern and support of people and other living things. There is much joyful work to be done.

MY LOVE FOR BLUE AND WHITE THINGS.

I want my home to celebrate the blue-and-white color tradition. New, old, traditional, vintage or folk, if it’s blue and white I love it all. You might ask: Why blue and white? Why not blue-and-green or red-and-white or some other combination? Well, I’ve discovered that a focus on blue-and-white is a very positive influence in my life. When I see blue-and-white around me in my personal space, I feel harmony and confidence.

Our pro-high-tech, consumerist society is plagued with industrial chrome, plastic grays and glossy black, colors which reinforce human-inspired activity and complexity. Color therapy research indicates that the combination of blue and white is a very special one that represents simplicity, sensibility, and aesthetics. To achieve harmony and simplicity of spirit, we need to rediscover the colors of our natural world.

The combination of blue and white can help us rediscover our true roots in nature. The blue signifies blue sky and the sea and symbolizes fidelity and serenity. White is the color of clouds, stars, and candle light and stands for purity, new beginnings, and unity. When combined, blue-and-white creates a sense of completeness and aesthetic harmony. And , as far as I'm concerned, all that adds up to domestic color therapy. That’s why I want the bulk of the things I acquire, make, and display in my home to include these colors.

As I’ve pursued my predilection, among other things, I’ve finally found a set of mismatched vintage dinner plates, saucer plates, and cups that make up my blue and white table collection. I like to see all the ways that the different dishes coordinate. And collecting disparate dishes is much less expensive than heading out to buy a complete set. They’re more interesting, too.

Mismatched blue & white dishes add charm to an informal table.

Perhaps my preference for these colors at the table has to do with my fond childhood memories of Blue Willow plates. Also, I have always been drawn to traditional Japanese home decoration and applaud their simple and dignified homes. Over many centuries, the combination of blue-and-white has been a strong element of Japanese style in home and table decoration. (Of course, the Japanese aren’t the only people to emphasize blue and white, and the folk art of many countries has a blue-and-white tradition.)

So, I’m always on the lookout for blue and white finds at the thrift stores. But I’m willing to go slow. I can’t just throw out or give away a lot of things just because they aren’t white or blue. What I’ve done up to now is add some blue-and-white things to my home – for example, some curtains and sheets, a tablecloth, napkins, dishes, and a few small accessories. As you might imagine, I'm also doing my best to emphasize natural materials - wood, stone, cotton, ceramics, etc.- at my house.

So, here’s my recommendation. Try out the power of blue-and-white in your decoration and see if it doesn’t help you to have a more complete and harmonious home. Choosing these colors should also help you find the strength to focus on your personal causes. Obviously, domestic peace and harmony depend on something more than blue and white house decoration. You must also simplify, de-clutter and clean your home.

 

MY OFFICE SUPPLIES, SCRAPBOOK, MEMENTOS, AND GREETING CARD DRAWER SHRUNK TO SHOEBOX SIZE

As you have seen from earlier posts, I fully believe in peace and harmony in the home. That's why I've been busy these past months striving for minimalism in my home. Among my first projects were getting rid of extra furniture items, excess bed and towel linen, and deplasticizing my kitchen.  So, recently, I knew I would have to tackle the junk in my drawers. And, just  a few days ago,  lacking more pressing things to do, I decided to open up one of my drawers and organize it.  My goal was to do this in one afternoon. It was after lunch and I hadn't done much of anything on such a rainy Thursday.  I started by opening the lower drawer of the two-drawer file cabinet in my bedroom.

I have had to face a lot of challenges in my transitioning to a lighter lifestyle and I've found that tidying takes a lot longer than you would think. Can you imagine that, at first, I thought paring down a whole house would take only a few months?  But the year is almost over and the more I work at it, the more I find major loads of junk that don’t need to be around my home. Looking hard for some justification, I like to blame this slow progress on my husband, who isn’t totally on board for this adventure. But, then, again I, personally, have a lot that I still need to do - what with the cleanliness, the organization, and the day-to-day clutter that I also help create.

It's good to have organized file drawers.

But, I did something today – I worked on clearing out misplaced things in the bottom drawer of my file cabinet. What I found was a unsettling combination of craft and scrapbook materials, English as a Second Language lessons (now dusty from my teaching days), pens, sundry office supplies, assorted greeting cards, and other mementos that I had “filed away” for some later date when I could get to them. Oh, and also I found a few knitting and craft patterns that didn’t’ make their way to the four large scrapbooks that I've dedicated to dreaming about and documenting my handiwork projects.

What went and what stayed.

I saw some improvement as the afternoon progressed. I organized and got rid of almost all the things that don’t have any place in this drawer, including, of course, my husband's misplaced files. That was easy enough.

I also discovered what looked like 100 greeting cards for all occasions and blank notes. Not being much of a greeting card person, that supply could easily take me well into my next lifetime.  Obviously, most had to go. I chose to set aside all the specific greeting cards for give away and keep about thirty with nice designs and a white page inside. Those – in my own handwritten note - can be used for birthdays, anniversaries, get-well and even for condolences.  They should last me a while and when they run out, I plan to buy totally blank note cards and print up the fronts with my own colorful artwork.

Office supplies continue to make up most of the space in the drawer and that’s the way it should be. I tossed the extras. For example, I kept only one of the four big letter stencil sets and about a third of the pens that I had collected over the past couple of years. Dried up glue and no longer working scissors quickly found their way to the trash can.

My personal documents were transferred to the top file drawer that I, as yet, haven’t organized the way I want.  Now, the ESL file is up there, too.

Crafty pages have been reassigned to scrapbooks on a shelf.

Smallish sundry mementos and sewing materials have found their way to a few boxes in the closet where I usually stash them.

I have to admit that I still have a smallish stash of pens and other highly useful office accessories near my desk and consequently, outside the bottom drawer. But, given their utility – by proximity – for the time being, they'll have to stay where they are.

Oh, and did I really get everything down to the sought after shoebox full? Well, that was just me, daydreaming, again. In truth, I haven’t accomplished all that I set out to do -- yet. But I now have a large pile of throw-outs and destined-for-the-thrift-shop that accounts for about half the former contents of the drawer. So, I guess it will take another rainy day inspiration to finish the task. And just cheating a bit - I have a couple of over sized boot boxes, on reserve, that might fit the shrunken contents of my second file drawer - whenever I get back to work on it.

CHARITY KNITTING CIRCLES ARE USEFUL & FUN.

I can remember a time a few decades ago when women formed circles for all kinds of activities. It was a way of strengthening relationships among women, most of whom were unrelated by blood or marriage. And it gave them an excuse to meet regularly as friends and neighbors and work for special purposes. My own mother was part of a circle for decades. They called themselves the "Safety Pin Club" because they all had babies and small children at around the same time. When they got started, their main purpose was to offer each other emotional support and useful hints on how to care for the young ones. The group was diverse and included Catholics, Protestants, and Greek Orthodox from several different national backgrounds. They forged long-term friendships and were still meeting as a group when they had grown children and grandchildren. Most of the time their activities were social but they also got involved in a few charitable activities over the years.

In the last part of the 20th century, what with more freedom for women and their incorporation in the workplace, fewer women seemed to have the need or time for social or charitable circles. Nowadays, many young women don't even consider the need for such a thing. But, for others, both young and old, there are still good reasons to organize themselves and meet - just as women.

Knitters often form circles to reach out other knitters. Whether wanting to learn new stitches or pass on needlework skills, the warm companionship of a knitting group enriches their love of knitting and comes to be an important part of social life. Members of the group also do more than sit around knitting. They share details of their lives, talk about their husbands, children, pets, favorite recipes and so on. Many circles are neighborhood clubs, while others are linked with churches, or workplaces. Some groups meet to knit while watching movies. Others are for mothers with small children. Men who knit sometimes join these circles. Whatever brings them together, everyone contributes to the conversation and shares knitting magazines, patterns and stitchery know-how. 

Recently, a number of women's circles have formed related to charity. And one of the most popular charities involves knitting and crocheting clothing or blankets and donating them to the homeless or the sick. These groups answer a desire to help those in need, but in a way that means more to them than just giving or collecting money for needy causes. And, for some, it's probably the best way to be charitable because they are using their time and  talents when they don't have much extra money to donate to needy causes.

Charity circles tend to be more open than those belonging to particular churches or formal clubs.They are more egalitarian because their primary focus is on helping others in need in the community and secondly, on making new friends who love to do some of the same things. They tend to be informal and free clubs - some meet weekly, others bi-monthly or monthly and welcome members of all ages.

Obviously, these circles respond to a real need to help. At the same time, they give women a sense of satisfaction by being part of a group involved in a common effort. While no group, small or large, can ever begin to do enough, it's the spiritual principle that counts here. Each knitted cap or scarf or blanket can mean the difference of a homeless person surviving a cold winter night, just as meals served to the hungry are really gifts from God. Those who get involved in these kinds of charities consider themselves blessed by being able to help in delivering those gifts. When they do things with other people's welfare in mind, from knitting a prayer shawl for a friend to making a blanket for a homeless person, they see themselves as using their loving concern to contribute to  social justice and peace.

Interested in doing something like this? Well, don't wait. Get involved right away. If you don't find a knitting group in your area, start out by seeking information at a local knitting shop, signing up for charity knitting newsletters and reading columns in knitting magazines. They are also a number of websites that give information on knitting groups nationwide. Some are done as online communities where people never meet face-to-face, but, instead, send in their contributions to a central place which takes care of the distribution to places and people in need. They keep in touch through photos and comments on these websites.

If you want to learn more about charity knitting, you can read a book or books on the subject. One good book, written by Betty Christiansen, is titled: Knitting for Peace: Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time.

The overall goal of charity knitting groups is to bring comfort and a smiles to recipients and let them know that someone is thinking of them - oftentimes someone they'll never meet. But the people invoved in these activites see their work as more than just a way of supporting those who need cheering up because of illness or social vulnerability. They also consider it to be a spiritual activity just as much as prayer and meditation are. It's a particular way of showing love for others and commitment to a better world - one that is pledged to making and sharing beautiful and useful things. It's all part of a new spirit of living the abundant life and making the world a kinder place.

Related posts
THE STRANGE CASE OF THE SOMETIMES PINK GERANIUMS.YOUR VERY BEST DREAM IS WAITING FOR YOU UNRAVEL OLD SWEATERS AND KNIT NEW THINGS.
IT’S BABY BLANKET KNITTING TIME AGAIN
"HELLO, HELLO. ARE YOU THERE?"
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
KNIT A TRIANGULAR PRAYER SHAWL
BE REALLY “GREEN,” WEARING A BULKY SWEATER
A LOT CAN BE SAID ABOUT A GOOD SCARF.
 

INDOOR PLANTS CAN HELP YOU HAVE THE ABUNDANCE GLOW.

The feeling that we live with shortages is a lie. Abundance is already here - starting today - when we are open to infinite creativity and refuse to compete for resources.

Plants are a marvelous creation - the very essence of our Earth. They were here long before us and we need them for survival. And remember they don’t need us. In fact, we have been their great destroyers, causing the extinction of millions of plants with our not-so-civilized ways of living. But plants are eternally forgiving and want to help us obtain the abundance that we long for. We just have to give them a chance. Having indoor plants is a good idea for everyone and especially necessary for those who live in cities where asphalt and concrete are most everywhere and green plants and trees are in short supply. This post outlines how to capture some plant-related abundance in our homes.

Unfortunately, for both our mental and physical health, the average US person spends about 90 percent of his/her time indoors. That means that we aren’t seeing much natural green except from out our windows at home or as we drive by. But when we bring some plants into our home, they give back to us some of the green-goodness that we are lacking. They not only lend beauty to our spaces, but also make us feel at ease and can even be a source of healing and food.

Plants can give your home the glow of abundance.

In fact, feng shui, a Chinese philosophy that spans thousand of years, points out how green plants not only improve the energy of indoor spaces but also are a remedy for other kinds of problems arising from being behind walls. And feng shui is not merely concerned with interior decoration or plant placement, but primarily with the flow of chi energy in man made and natural settings. This ancient philosophy also indicates that the healthier your plants, the more abundance they bring into the home. Fresh flowers bring luck and fortune into your home. For the same reason, dying and dried flowers are believed to bring bad luck.

Science today has proved what feng shui suggested centuries ago. Houseplants bring in beneficial oxygen and even lower electromagnetic pollution. Air conditioning, improved insulation, and other energy-saving innovations all reduce air exchange in buildings. We end up breathing the same polluted air again and again. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) created by man-made materials are also a major cause of illness. All these air-borne contaminants add up to a loss of concentration, depression and other diseases in what’s known as "sick building" syndrome. The good news is that indoor plants stimulate both the senses and the mind and help remove air-borne pollutants, making for healthier homes.

Two things to do improve your indoor air quality
First and foremost, if you want to feel better in your home, ventilate your rooms by opening windows. This should be done daily even if it can only be done for just a few minutes at a time.

Second, place some common household plants in the rooms of your home to increase air humidity and help your family to breathe easier. That's a real plus when it comes to fighting viral infections. And you don’t have to have a house full of greenery. NASA studies indicate that just one good-sized houseplant (6 to 8-inch diameter container) is enough to help clean up 100 square feet of your home. Of course, you need to keep the foliage dust free so that the leaves can do their job and keep the top of the soil free from debris.

Some useful houseplants for better air include three common household plants - areca palm, mother-in-law's tongue, and the money plant - all are effective in improving indoor air quality. Besides those mentioned, other research has shown that waffle plant, English ivy, variegated wax plant, asparagus fern and the purple heart plant are also good air purifiers. Some more great houseplants to consider are bamboo, palms, dracaena, peace lilies, jade plants, small ficus trees, rubber plants, and  weeping fig.

House plants can be food, too
Indoor-grown plants can also be a source of healthy food. A good way to grow these edibles is making a window or tabletop “farm.” Sprouts, cherry tomatoes, small citrus trees, and herbs - such as basil, mint, rosemary, dill, parsley, cilantro, and chives – all can be indoor-grown. In other posts, Grandma Susan wrote about growing sprouts and herbs in the home. (See related posts, below.) Today, homegrown microgreens - small garden veggies - have been added to indoor window and tabletop farms. Chia, cress, mustard greens, radish and arugula are some of the most common microgreens.

Larger than sprouts and smaller than baby salad greens, microgreens are harvested from two to five inches tall (about 2 weeks after sowing). At that time, they have a high quality taste and are most nutritious. And they add texture, flavor and healthy nutrients to all kinds of salads and sandwiches. They are also used as garnishes for a variety of dishes.

To grow microgreens, all you need are shallow, lightweight containers, soil, seeds and water and some sunlight. Seeds are soaked overnight, then sowed. Microgreens have short roots so the soil or mats that hold their roots have to be watered often but should not become soggy. Good sunlight and drainage are important to prevent rot and mold.

Related posts
SPROUTS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR SURVIVAL KITCHEN
GREEN GARDENS: GOOD FOR FAMILIES AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
TAKE POSITIVE AND PEACEFUL ACTIONS TO CONFRONT FOOD SHORTAGES
LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
LIVING IT UP WITH LESS: DECORATION IN A SIMPLE HOME

THE STRANGE CASE OF THE SOMETIMES PINK GERANIUMS.

I have white geraniums in my front yard. Have had them for about 3 years. I found them in a cracked pot - apparently one that fell off a truck that carried some one's belongings in a move from one house to another.

They’ve flowered beautifully in my yard these past 2 years after I finally got them out of their large cracked pot. They managed to stay alive over the short winter freeze in our area but stopped flowering at the end of December to begin again at the end of February. At first, I was covering them at night but later as I saw their impressive growth rate, I gave up taking that precaution.

So, you might say. Well, that’s nice but hardly remarkable – a lot of people have pretty geraniums. But I want to tell you something surprising about my flowers.

One day last December, the first wintering that these flowers did in my yard, I noticed a difference in their blooms. They were still mostly white but, from one day to the next, I saw them with a decidedly pink center on almost all the blooms. I was enchanted to see the change and thanked the flowers for such a beautiful color. Another rather strange change was the addition of some fine golden lines that look a bit like sunbeams in each bloom.  I wasn’t sure why they had a different December color but thought that perhaps they knew that they wouldn’t be flowering for a few months and wanted to put on a “good show.”

In January, the few remaining blooms disappeared with the cold weather. And at the end of February, they returned in full force and all blooms were totally white – just like they had been before.

This past week, at the end of November, my flowers made their annual move – from white to white with pink and tiny golden lines. I pointed it out to my husband. At first, he didn’t believe me because he had been in the yard the day before and remembered that the blooms were uniformly white. He was really surprised with the change and, also, with my story about the same thing occurring one year ago. He said I should take some photos – which I did. (They show some of the pink, but not as nicely as can be seen directly.)

The blooms had, in fact, turned partially pink, the very day after praying the rosary for Our Lady of Guadalupe. This was part of a neighborhood rosary chain, honoring Our Lady through a particular old image of Her (Una Virgen Peregrina), 60 or more years old.  The image is a long resident in our city that was carried by her current owner/caretaker to a home in our neighborhood. (Of course, at this time of the year, rosary chains are being enacted everywhere throughout Mexico and in US Mexican American neighborhoods.)

According to this particular tradition, the image of Our Lady stays in 45 neighborhood homes, 24 hours in each house, for 45 days and arrives along with a small group of neighbors who stop over to pray the rosary. This begins on Oct. 28 and finishes Dec. 11. On the 46th day - Dec. 12 - she returns to her permanent home for the final Anniversary Rosary. That night there's a huge celebration and even more neighbors attend.

I mentioned the association of the rosary to my husband and the possibility that the pinkish flowers actually were honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe. Pink is a favorite color for flowers that adorn images of Our Lady. (I noticed the same pink color change one year ago - also after the rosary prayers at our house, but I can't remember if it actually happened right afterwards or several days later.)

My husband was a bit doubtful about the association of the pink blooms with the rosary of Our Lady of Guadalupe but wanted to offer some kind of explanation of the strange occurrence. He said the energy must, somehow, be different at that time of year around our home.  Just why there would be different energy, but he couldn’t think up any particular reason.

So, who’s to say? Whatever the reason, the bright pink blooms with tiny golden lines are a winter gift of our geraniums to us and to the neighborhood where we live.

Update on Grandma Susan's sometimes pink geraniums (1-20-13).  Grandma's geraniums lived through several night time frosts with blossoms and all. All January blooms are only white just like they were before December.



Related posts
SPROUTS SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR SURVIVAL KITCHEN
GREEN GARDENS: GOOD FOR FAMILIES AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT COLLECT RAIN WATER FOR GARDEN USE AND WATER EMERGENCIES
LEARN HOW TO BE HEALTHY THE "NATURAL WAY"
LIVING IT UP WITH LESS: DECORATION IN A SIMPLE HOME COLOR THERAPY CAN HELP YOU REJECT CONSUMERISM

YOUR VERY BEST DREAM IS WAITING FOR YOU

Grandma Susan sometimes writes about subjects that can best be labeled “New Age”. The description,  New Age, generally refers to that what was done by our ancient ancestors in the realm of the sacred. These practices can be revived and carried out by us in our times. Those principles still work. It shouldn’t be confused with witchcraft or magic. It’s a kind of self-care and reaching out in a positive way to the universe – carried out according to some ancient laws. Though only a few, comparatively, several of Grandma's most popular posts have been on New Age themes.

They say that most of the time we are using only a tiny fraction of our brains. New Age practices such as dreamwork, meditation and some other "altered" states often help heighten our mind/body capacities. The real question is whether we are prepared to let these experiences into our lives. Beyond that, we have to  be open to living better lives (expanded heart, greater service to others) on the basis of these practices.

 

Going for your dream

So, you want to remember more about your dreams?  And think, maybe, that your dreams might be useful to you, if  they didn’t slip away from you so fast after you wake up? Well, yes, they can. And there are some ways to go about dreaming with a purpose. And you (probably) don’t have to consult a dreamworker expert on how to do it.

I decided to keep a dream journal a while ago, then, put it down, now it's on my agenda again. It's all good. I write notes and draw rough sketches about these dreams and related topics in my journal. Reflections on these entries have many times have helped me make important decisions or changed how I feel about things, in general. So, keeping a dream journal is a good idea in my experience.

 

Here's an exercise that you can do to begin focusing on your dreams. It's one way to make that best dream – the one you’ve been wanting - happen to you.This is my own purposeful dream technique, based on New Age practice, that you might like to try.

Night time ritual to ask for the dream you want

Moon phases can have an influence on sleeping and dreaming patterns. Many people do this kind of exercise in the New Moon phase, which is a very good time for beginnings and changes in your life. On the other hand, thecloser we near the Full Moon phase, the more dreams tend to be more vivid and feel more consequential.

Take off everything on your night stand – except your lamp. Dust the stand with a sweet smelling, light oil on a cloth. A few fresh flowers in a small vase or petals in a bowl of water also then can be placed on your stand, if you like. 

Take out a piece of a nice note pad and a pen that you like. Sit down and reflect on something in your life that you wish to develop or change, something that, for you, would be a ‘dream come true.” Write it on the sheet of paper. Make it a short note, not an essay. Two or three sentences should be enough if you’ve been thinking about it. Be as specific as you can. Don’t be in a rush to get started. If you're not totally ready, tomorrow or the next day might be a better time to do this exercise. You don’t want to hurry through some part of the ritual or be interrupted.

 

Make sure you have mental clarity about what you’re aiming for before you look for your dream. If your request is imprecise, the answers you get can be fuzzy and disappointing. So, state your dream request as precisely as possible to ensure better results. Any intention that is mentally focused on, written down on paper, and spoken out loud carries power.

Read what you've written out loud. Place the note on the nightstand, face up. Lay some tiny thing that you treasure on top, if you think the note could be knocked off during the night.

Then, say a short prayer, out loud or silently, with words of your choice, asking for clarity on the matter. Clasping the hands together, vertically, is a good way to center your focus on prayer.

Go to sleep as quickly as possible - no TV or conversations - and wait for the dream you want. Your sleeping arrangements don't have to vary from the normal. If you have a customary bed partner, you'll maintain your regular sleeping and dreaming rhythms.

See what happens. If the dream doesn’t occur the first night, don’t think you had some kind of failure. Try variations on the same topic each night for a week or more - each night writing out a new version of your note on a fresh sheet of paper. You may have to go through a whole Moon cycle to get the result you’re looking for.

Sometimes, circumstances during our waking hours will change the importance that we attach to a topic, whether because our wishes were accomplished or because they turn out to be less important than we thought they were. Then, we could imagine that our dream-self has taken care of our needs without being remembered as a dream.

Remember, art, humor, and the future all arise from the unexpected. We can dream the unprecedented reality we want. Go for your best one, governed by love and light. Just be ready for the unanticipated twist that almost always comes with future events. It's almost impossible to imagine, beforehand, the particular ways in which good things come into our lives.

Related posts
THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE
CHANGES PHASES OF THE MOON - MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MAY THINK.
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING
VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.

MAKE A BRIGHT COLORED AND INSPIRING COLLAGE FOR A WALL

In magazines, I’d seen some gorgeous collages that were framed and put up on the wall. I decided to make an easy one. I had a set of colorful paper doves from the dollar store sitting in my closet for months on end, waiting for some inspiration to use them. It didn’t take me long to remember them just lying around gathering dust. I knew that they would be a great elements for the collage I planned to make.

I wanted my collage to be simple, bright colored and inspiring. So, I came up with the idea. Doves are evocative as heralds of peace and also of change. So, the doves were for peace – a bedroom needs that - and the placement of the doves would be in something of a circle. That would reflect my idea of change – the transformation that I looked for would bring more energy and strength into my life.

I had an old, wood picture frame that I purchased at the thrift store. So, that was the inspiration for size. I took a pre-cut mat (16" X 20") for the frame, set out four colorful doves on four contrasting sheets of poster boards, and cut the sheets just the right size to fit. So, with scissors, paste, and some design thought, the picture “produced itself” in a matter of minutes.

My wall collage turned out really nice, and it brightens up the corner of the otherwise beige wall in my bedroom. The doves continue to inspire me.

How to make your collage
Choose a frame (or frame size if you still haven’t found the one you want).

Select a background color. In my collage there was no background. There was just the surrounding off-white mat - a neutral color so that the bright poster board would stand out.

Take 4 (or more) colorful poster boards (could also be pieces of felt) in bright colors and cut them up so that they fit in the frame or mat. These pieces can be rectangular, as mine were, or a different shape, depending on your design.

Glue down the pieces.

Choose a repeating theme that fits well to go in each rectangle. Just as mine were doves, yours could be butterflies, inspiring words, or hearts, leaves, flowers, etc. The materials for your theme can be paper cut-outs, foam shapes, large decals, paint stenciled items, etc.

Glue down the theme items.

Put the collage in the picture frame and up on the wall.

Enjoy your wall decoration. This collage makes a great gift. If it's a housewarming gift, you can use words such “home,” “family,” and “love” - all in English or in a few different languages.

Related posts

A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY

A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD

REPURPOSE OLD & DAMAGED PLATES INTO DECORATIVE PLAQUES.

LIVING IT UP WITH LESS: DECORATION IN A SIMPLE HOME

MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX

CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD

MAKE YOUR OWN JAPANESE CURTAIN 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN THIS FIRST FULL MOON OF SUMMER: TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES.

The sweet smell of midsummer roses.

After reading a recent article on how the unnecessary “busyness” of our society is making us sick, I decided to celebrate the midsummer full moon (July 3) by being strategically “un-busy.” And I’ll share with you one of my reflections (a time-honored guidance): remember to smell the roses.

One way or another, we aren’t going to see this (particular) midsummer again – ever. So, we need to appreciate it. Reveling in the sweet smell of July roses isn’t only for light-weights and vacationers, and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It is the very makings of human life. And, if we’re too involved being busy to enjoy moments of quiet sanity, then we’re destined to be anxious and unhappy people.

If the stars (and planets and moons) are correctly interpreted, then we can expect a lot of difficulties later on this summer. We need to use these first few days of July for reflection on how we use our time. Space and quiet can give us the inspiration we need to better understand our lives and to center ourselves, not only as admirers of, but also as part of natural processes – like the seasons, the land, the plants, and wildlife. By taking time to be relaxed in nature (staying in the now), we prepare ourselves (in a much better way than yard work, exercising at the gym, or seeing more movies) for meaningful work and for facing unexpected adversity. Yes, of course, most of us have paid work, housework and other pressing obligations. But, nearly all of us have some time off during the week or weekend, and we owe it to ourselves and to our Earth to stop doing so many things that hardly matter and use our precious hours more wisely.

Also, what we do, day-by-day, is the true example that our children (and grandchildren) have. Teaching them to do more (and more and more) with the hope that they excel - by the standards of our current burdensome society - isn’t the best way to help our children in the long run. It will only guarantee that they are as anxious as most of the grownups around them. We need to teach our children priorities. And roses and some carefree time in July are what it’s really all about. Children need to play, and a part of summer play should be outdoors. Extreme heat levels aside - there are always a few hours of the morning when walks can be taken or a garden hose can be turned on for improvised water play. And, whenever possible, some of their activities ought to be carried out in an unstructured way with minimal adult interference.

In May, I attended my granddaughter’s graduation from preschool. At the ceremony, the school director said some wise words. She said that the most important thing that we can give our children is a solid religious background. Soccer games, music lesson, even academic enrichment classes all can be nice, if not bombarded at children like target ball games at the fairgrounds. All those things are secondary. It’s the core beliefs that we instill in our children will (or won't) sustain them through life’s conflicts. For this reason, its our first duty to be sure that our children have a sound basis for living.

Seeing that our children have some religious instruction isn’t good enough. They will tend to follow what they see at home and in their neighborhood. Don’t let that be a never-ending stream of make-work activities. We can't be good models for our children if our own lives have strayed away from enduring principals. Use the plentiful energy of the first days of July to smell the roses and choose time and heart over money, prestige, and material things.

Related posts
HERE’S TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH IN 2012 & BEYOND!
PHASES OF THE MOON - MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MAY THINK.
THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE CHANGES.
CHOOSE WHOLE-FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR AN ENJOYABLE AND EARTH-FRIENDLY SUMMER.
LEARN HOW TO BE HEALTHY THE "NATURAL WAY"
VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.

 

TAKE GRANDMA'S 100 THING CHALLENGE

Despite the materialistic hype that's pounding at us every day, having overflowing basements, closets, garages, and drawers doesn’t make us better or more attractive people. And, it won't make us miraculously happy either - quite possibly the opposite. I think a lot of us feel that in our bones, but where do we start? A book and blog have been written about this dilemma. It’s about the 100 Thing Challenge, and it tells us how one person pared down his worldly possessions to an amazing, minimalist 100 things. He says that he’s been convinced by his experience. Here's what he recommends to reach such a goal: "Reduce (get rid of some of your stuff); Refuse (to get more new stuff); and  Rejigger (your priorities)."

I bet you'll feel joyful and spiritually uplifted, too, if you take on your own minimalist challenge. This is, of course, a tough choice to make. Many, if not most, US households have so many extra things. So, paring back to 100 – even a 1000 - things may seem like a monumental task. It’s clearly a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly – especially when there are other family members who may not want to sign on to such an ordeal.

Grandma's 100 Thing Challenge

It’s a smaller challenge, by far, than living with only 100 things but I believe it’s something we all can do and feel good about. It makes minimalism a work in progress. So, start out slow and do a little at a time. That way, it won't be so much of a burden. You’ll know that you can halt the process if suddenly you see (or feel) the need. My challenge to you is to give up one thing - duplicated in function or unused in several months - in your home every day for 100 days. Then, if you like the results you can continue giving up some more things for another 100 days, and so on. Maybe, then, you'll find just the right number of things for you - 100, 200, 300, etc.

Whatever the number of things you can get rid of, you'll be living without that much household disorganization and have more time to do meaningful things for yourself and others. Like many others, the very clutter and dust-accumulation around may be so depressing that you go out to shop for new things or plan more vacation trips - just to get out of the house.

I believe that people find grace through balance, and we can only achieve this when we take control of our own lives (not having our belongings own us) and pursue what's really important. Possessions, beyond a bare minimum, just get in the way. Having a suburban McMansion, despite the TV and movie hype, isn't “living the good life”. When we endlessly acquire more things, including duplicating stuff in our homes, we never settle in and enjoy what we've got.

Over and over, we’ve mistakenly told ourselves that life wouldn’t be complete without this "special" thing we are buying. But just as soon as this thing is brought home and tucked away, we start out the next day to the mall or the big box store to look for the next "special" thing - in what ends up being a never ending process. We mindlessly seek that momentary reward of finding that next thing - whatever it is and whether we need it or not. With this kind of consumerism, we are the dog chasing our own tail. You can just stop that cycle.

This is what the 100 Thing Challenge is about. If you try for a certain period - say, two or three months - to not buy anything beyond your basic needs, while recycling and repurposing all you can, you'll have a great sense of liberation. You will find that very few things make the new purchase cut - a useful tool, a book, a good wine, a small gift for someone who needs cheering. And, hey, you don't have to ditch family photos and heirlooms. The very best can be incorporated, into your new, organized lifestyle or given to a loved one who promises to cherish them.

Grandma's take on this challenge
If you remember, I already recommended the wardrobe editing challenge. For me, personally, wardrobe editing meant paring back to a total of 50 items. I continue to practice the wardrobe discipline - just buying a new item - usually the thrift store variety - when I really don't like something I have or have worn it out.

I give back the no-longer wanted items to charity or tear them apart, to use as fabric strips (or yarn, in the case of sweaters) to make needlework and other craft projects. I must say that I've seldom regretted giving something away or had a hard time replacing an item that later I found I needed. My personal goal is to have only enough needed for daily life and make absolutely no frivolous purchases. That means taking home nothing that hasn't been considered for at least a week. I’ll cheerfully give up just about anything with only a few exceptions. My rule is: If I haven't used it in three months, I can probably live perfectly well without it.

So, here’s where I’ve started with my own paring down process. Everything is fair game right now, except:
- Stuff that’s my husband’s
- Some few books
- Good quality and super useful tools for crafts and for fixing things.
- Collections count as one item. If everything goes in one small case, I count it as one item. But I can and will edit objects from any collection that I have.

I’ll know I’m well on my way to winning this challenge when all my personal things, including clothing, fit comfortably into a tiny room room or one small commercial storage locker.

Steps to begin your 100 Things Challenge
Put one item in the Challenge Box every day for 100 days.
Things that are "just trash" need to go out and not be included in this box.
Start out with duplicated items. Then move on to things that haven’t been used in 3 or more months
Make a list of what goes in the Challenge Box and add boxes as needed.
Take a picture of each box as it fills up, if you want a visual record.

After 100 days, you'll have accomplished these things
- Big “give-away” pile for charity
- Plans and organization to have a garage sale. To make sure that most stuff goes, try labeling a majority of items with "Make me an offer." (You might try selling the really valuable things on EBay.)
- Happier for having a lot less to store and/or dust.
- A bit more money in your pocket or savings account because you are thoroughly aware of what it means to buy and hold on to so many useless things.

Where to from there
So, I hope you start out your minimalism challenge by choosing to get rid of 100 things. You'll find it's true that the less you have, the less you have to worry about. You’ll amaze yourself at how free you feel - no longer burdened by the need to organize, store and maintain all that stuff. Just keep on paring down and you’ll feel even better. And that relief can be extended to other areas - if you're both convinced and brave. (You might try a week-long camping trip to see if 100 (or even less) items are enough to live with on the short term.) Besides your belongings, you could then move on to other minimalistic challenges that can cover other areas that tend to complicate our existence and contribute to the carbon burden of the Earth, such as:
- New digital gadgetry
- Media consumption
- Costly dietary items
- Non-essential energy and water use
- Long-distance and long-commute travel

Related posts
EDIT YOUR WARDROBE
EMBRACE A SIMPLE HOME
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE

THE NEW MOON CYCLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE LIFE CHANGES

 A more fulfilling life is always a possibility for us. But, often, we hesitant and can't seem to turn our heads away from our well-worn routines and see a new path. We can always opt for change. All in all, we are responsible for our lives. Universal power is out there forever flowing around us. You can access new levels of awareness and power by using positive thinking. Begin by visualizing the way you want today - and tomorrow - to go. Then try to live your day the way you want. Everything happens for a reason - no coincidences allowed. So, don't wait. Start now to use the power of daily reflection and the energy of the lunar cycle to help you achieve new goals.

Well, you’ve heard a lot, I know, about those new products that are sent out to you for a-30-day trial. That’s a concept that let’s you try out something new to you on a risk-free basis for one month. Sales people know that if you get started with something useful for 30 days, the chances are high that you’ll be buying their product for a long time. The same idea can help us develop new habits that improve our lives. There's strength in your convictions and, in a short period of time (28 days, new moon to new moon), you can launch yourself into a healthier and more successful life.  

Let’s say you want to seriously cut back on fried foods or sweets or give up cigarettes. And, of course, you're aware that getting started and maintaining new habits are hard things to do. On the other hand, it makes sense that if you can get past the initial inertia, the going will get much easier.

So, if you’re not sure where to begin, here’s a list of positive changes that people sometimes make in their lives:

- Exercise daily

- Keep a personal journal.
- Read for an hour a day on a subject of interest.
- Take part in a charitable activity that’s helpful to others and fulfilling to you.
- Have time for prayer or meditation every day.
- Establish an earlier bedtime.
- Work to maintain healthy and deeper relationships with other people.
- Take a long walk every day with someone (or with your dog).

 Also, you might like to review a couple of my earlier posts where I’ve commented on the advantages of beginning new endeavors during the new moon, and how the earth, moon, and sun relate in the following 27 days to help you achieve your goals. By using the energy of the new moon cycle, you’ll increase the chances that your efforts will be productive.

So, here’s the deal. Make a pact with yourself to establish a positive change in your life on a temporary basis – just 28 days or one new moon cycle. And, of course, it makes sense to concentrate on just one new habit at a time. After those 28 days, you can evaluate your experience and decide if you want to continue with that change. Could you do it? Of course, you can. It requires a bit of effort and commitment, but, hey, it’s only a bit less than one month out of your life! So, go for it.

As they say: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” And if you actually complete your objective, you’ll have 28 days of success behind you. And that should give you the confidence that you need to continue. This approach lets you test new habits even when you have real doubts about whether this change will be a permanent feature in your life. It will probably work out better if it’s something that you'll be doing daily or almost every day of the week. But it should also work if you think about your resolve for change each day, even if you can’t apply it on a daily basis.

Don’t worry so much about what you’ll do beyond those 28 days. Consider this a trial period and give yourself a chance to grow as a person, even if it turns out to be something temporary. Just think about the benefits you’ll gain from your effort in the meantime, regardless of the long-term outcome.

Now, here’s your chance to embark on one of life's amazing adventures — to find more meaning in your own life and, in turn, be a better influence on others. Creating new habits takes focus and attention to the details. So, concentrate on where you’re headed and what the benefits are – both along the way and where you want to be when you get there. Take your motivation from a source of power, inspiration and peace - whether you call that God, Universal Love, Celestial Law, etc. And remember to stay humble - you're not doing all this good stuff by yourself. You have help and you should be thankful for it! 

Beyond that, do your best to keep on course with your new commitment. A part of your success can come from reflections on your experiences that you write down in a personal journal. So, for one entire new moon cycle - 28 days, use journaling to help you visualize your goal and find the strength that can guide your progress. Here’s a sample journal survey that you can fill out each and every day of the lunar cycle. It will only take about 15 minutes in the evening to fill in your reflections. And it's sure to make a big difference on your feelings and actions the next day.

 

28 DAYS TO A LIFE CHANGE Day __ Phase of the Moon ____________ Calendar date _____________________ My new habit/resolve is to:__________________________________________________ ·   What did I do today that helps me succeed in my objective? How can I do it even better tomorrow? ·   What, if anything, did I do (or someone else do) that might harm my eventual success? How can I minimize that negative influence? ·   What did I learn (read, see, feel, etc) that I didn’t know about before or wasn’t sure of? ·   What one happy, unexpected thing am I especially thankful/blessed for today? ·   What one thing could I do tomorrow to make my life (or someone else’s life) better?

Related posts
IN THIS FIRST FULL MOON OF SUMMER: TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES.

PHASES OF THE MOON - MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU MAY THINK.
VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE
BENEFIT FROM NEW MOON FASTING
LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

HOW CONSUMERISM (STILL) TRIES TO FOOL US

What is consumerism?

From Wikipedia, we have this definition: “Consumerism is a social and economic order that is based on the systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in ever greater amounts.” And that’s the same mass consumption lifestyle that the majority in the U.S. practices or, practiced in the second half of the 20th century.

The consumerist system offers us promises: Having more and "better" things will bring us happiness and others will regard us as successful - maybe even envy us. So, the gist of it is: If we buy things – even those things that we don’t mostly need - like designer clothes and furniture, shiny new cars, expensive beverages and foods, etc., we will  feel happy and fulfilled. It's a hard sell. And who was out there was telling us that the happiest people are those who buy more and better? It was our old “friends” - our own commercial, mercantile society aided by thousands of ads from local sources, the mass media, and sometimes even “preached” from the pulpits.

Experts report that the average U.S. person faces three thousands ads each day. Most of the ads come from the usual three to four hours of TV watching, but add to that, signs and billboards, the faces of our buildings, and even the sides of our city buses, all urging us to buy, buy, buy….

Unfortunately, we – you and I - once went along with some of those ideas and got into a lot of trouble doing so, including debts, staying in jobs we didn’t like, marriage break-ups, foreclosures, etc. We found that each time we reached out to grasp just a little more, what we wanted always receded just a bit further out of reach. And, if we began to doubt in these illusions, we could always befuddle ourselves into a kind of psychological conformity with a never-ending supply of addictions, including smoking, drinking, legal and illegal substances, overeating, video gaming, and other vices - these things converting us into another sort of "consumers" .

The powerful even created an ideology of consumerism to scare us into conformity. They told us that continued economic growth (including job creation, in its moment) would eventually benefit everyone, and that no constraints to growth would have to be considered, including our natural resources. With more opportunities and greater technology, we would be able to overcome any momentary limitations, and that corporate rights to profits (otherwise known as a pro-business climate) supersede human rights, labor rights, and environmental protections. Somehow, private enterprise would find ways to overcome all our technological and resource problems. (And, even if it didn't turn out that way, we could still be entertained by the super-rich in reality shows. Afterall, it was our grandchildren and other generations to come who could pay the consequences. Right?) Remember how G Bush told us that, in the face of the 9-11 terrorist attacks, his patriotic duty was to wage an international war and ours was to continue shopping – at all costs!

But what about our “real” needs?

Of course, all of us have real needs and they include agricultural products and some essential consumer goods and services. And throughout most of human history, the consuming rich were few and "regular" people fought hard to fulfill even their basic needs. But at the turn of the 20th century, what with growth of US and European industrialism, came the "conspicuous consumption" of a whole class of rich people along with the emergence of some other major-league consumers, called the middle class. After WWII the American (Consumers) Dream came to include almost everyone. There was even the “War On Poverty”, a plan for the entire population to have their essential needs met - that and even more. The backing for the economic system that would end poverty, once and for all, was based on ever more complex technology and consumerism. That seemed to be our overriding hope, and we held on to it until the past few years when globalization, challenges to the middle class, unemployment and increased poverty pointed to a new societal phase where many people would again have to confront long-term hardship and scarcity. Also, by that time, we had become sadly aware of man-created shortages of water, clean air, fertile land, timber, etc. and the need to deal with immense quantities of trash on land and in the oceans.

How can we do to reduce the effects of consumerism?

In the face of the political and corporate interests that exercise so much power, we ask ourselves: "What can I do?" Too many people tell us that the answer is a resigned: “Nothing at all”. But that can’t be so. Individuals and groups can always take steps to change their own behavior with the hope that others will follow, sooner or later. First of all, we have to consider are our attitudes toward consumerism. If we aren’t too sick or too confused by substance abuse and other addictions, we should be able to deal with our reality. In the face of every single potential purchase, we need to ask ourselves, "Do we really need this? What do we already have that would serve the same purpose?" We need to see our lives as complete without a lot of material add-ons. We don’t need to “have” the best, quickest, or the fanciest. When we stop seeing the the things in this world and each other as commodities, we can then start using our hearts and minds for more enlightened purposes.

- Change your spending habits

Live simply so that others – people, plants, and animals, and generations to come - may have a chance to live. That means acquiring fewer material things and consuming less energy. There are books, magazines, Internet sources, and classes that can help us discover better spending habits. Follow the three-R’s: Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle. Buy products with less processing, less packaging, and that don’t hurt the environment.  Share your careful spending efforts with your family and neighbors. Don't be fooled into buying a bunch of things that are supposed to be "green" - many of them are just a trendier sort of consumerism.

- Organize and protest

Boycott services and products that harm our environment, society and people. Use your mouth, your letters, and your feet to march, when necessary, to protest wrongdoing. Tell others that you’re not being fooled again by a consumerist system based on unlimited financial gain, oppressive corporate law, and damage to the earth. Get together with others and talk about ways to be supportive of each others' efforts to make change.  Join political and charitable organizations that work for social harmony, resource conservation and a sustainable future. Oftentimes, the best place to start is in your local community. One project would be to make and distribute a phone directory of local small businesses that use and sell products based on quality and sustainability.

- Walk, bicycle or take public transportation

Cut back on your dependence on the car and on gasoline. Make use of public transportation whenever you can. There are a lot of short trips that could be made walking or bicycling. Staying in buildings, cars, and buses keeps us from contact with the natural world. Lower your carbon footprint by getting more exercise and experiencing nature whenever time and weather permit.

- Bake bread and eat simple, nourishing meals

Bake your own bread, using wholegrain flour (organic is best), and cook nourishing vegetarian or mostly vegetarian meals. It's a way of slowing down and celebrating life. When you can’t home-bake, then buy bread at a local bakery. When you eat out, choose 100% locally owned restaurants - not national operatives - that specialize in good, nourishing food at a reasonable price.

- Work less

In recent decades, the working poor and even better off groups, spend more time on the job. Most working people are overworked and exhausted. We don't need more things!  And we don't need to pay down all that debt we got ourselves into so fast. (Employers say they're waiting for the economy "uptick" to hire. We can wait for it, too, and pay the rest of our debts whenever it comes.) We've also got to save some money the best way we can for worse times that may appear down the road. Beyond that, we need to spend more time for our families and to do things more in line with creating a sustainable future. And every day, we should take some time for spiritual tranquility, meditation and prayer. This can be our motto: Let's work less, spend less, and be more alive, aware, and caring.

Related posts

HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SUGAR: CHEAP FOR INDUSTRIAL FOODS, BUT COSTLY FOR HEALTH AND THE ECOLOGY.

Use less energy at home

TWO-WHEEL OUT YOUR DOOR AND ENJOY THE RIDE.

EMBRACE A SIMPLE HOME.

REDUCE YOUR CARBON-FOOTPRINT.

TAKE POSITIVE AND PEACEFUL ACTIONS TO CONFRONT FOOD SHORTAGES.

TRY SWAPPING TO SHRINK YOUR WASTEFUL HABITS (WITH OTHER BENEFITS, TOO.)

COLOR THERAPY CAN HELP YOU REJECT CONSUMERISM.

WHERE TP IS CONCERNED, OBSESSION WITH SOFTNESS = ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER

GET OFF-GRID OR REDUCE YOUR DEPENDENCE ON IT

LOOK FOR WAYS TO BE MORE AWARE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.

BE A “USE-IT-ALL-UP” FOOD BUYER AND CONSUMER.

BREAD MAKING IS A HUGELY REWARDING ART.

Preparing vegetarian meals.