Small acts of kindness: Support a women’s sewing circle

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Ever so often, when I write out a cheque to NGOs like WWF or Cry, I wonder about the smaller NGOs that are doing excellent work but that I know nothing about. Rather than supporting these larger, globally established NGOs, I prefer to support smaller organizations that are doing excellent work in their areas. The problem, especially in a country like India, is in finding NGOs that do genuine work.

One of the NGOs we support every year is Asha Bhavan, which is doing excellent work to rehabilitate drug addicts. Recently, I learnt of another NGO – Project Why – from my friends Damyanti and Ishieta. Project Why was started by Anouradha Bakshi in 2000 with 40 slum children who wanted to learn spoken English and a handful of volunteers. It slowly expanded to include women’s empowerment initiatives, so the slum dwellers could support themselves and their children. Since 2007, over a 1,000 women have been trained at the women’s center sewing circle, including Renu, the sewing teacher.Continue reading→

On my art table: Constellation of Hope

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art journal techniques abstract art constellation of hope

I’ve been experimenting with abstract art recently, and it has been fun – challenging too, but fun. I find that I tend to slip back into slightly familiar territory when I am painting abstracts – adding in leaves, plants, flowers, or figures as a focal point and to try and bring everything together.

In this latest piece that I did, I was determined to keep it completely abstract, using only lines and shapes and color to tell a story. And what a story it turned out to be!Continue reading→

Organized vs Messy: What’s your desk style?

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Organized vs Messy Whats your desk style; messy desk; organized desk

A while ago, I saw this beautiful before and after post of an office-cum-creative space from the owner of A Beautiful Mess. She had done up the entire room in white, with a beautifully co-ordinated color palette and designated storage and wicker baskets for everything on a huge wall-to-wall shelf. The space looked organized and inviting. There’s also a certain feeling of calm that a predominantly white room exudes. It’s a pity that it is so impractical given how much dust and pollution we have here in Delhi.

But, I digress. Continue reading→

On building a mindfulness practice

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On building a mindfulness practice

I thought I’d share this month’s issue of Gypsy Wanderings to give you a taste of the kind of letters I share in my monthly emails. I enjoy writing these letters every month – it feels so much more intimate than blogging, and somehow, a lot more personal too. I imagine you, my dear Wanderers, sitting with a cup of coffee and reading these words, and I hope they strike a chord with you each month too. You can sign up for Gypsy Wanderings at the bottom of this post. xx

Hello loves,

I’m watching the sunlight dappling through the window; the gentle swaying of the leaves outside creating a flickering, fluttering pattern of shadow and light on the white marble floor. The boys {my two tom cats, Simba and Loki} are fast asleep by the balcony door. The house is quiet – all I can hear is the soft whirl of the fan and the chirping of the birds on the windowsill.Continue reading→

Tarot reading for October 2018

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It’s been a reflective September – a lot has come up in my journal for me to work through and integrate. And as I look forward, I wonder what the coming month has in store for me. Because as much as these are general readings for the collective, they contain clues and wisdom for me as well. And while I will do another reading that is specifically for myself, related to the exact areas that I want to focus on, these general monthly readings help me get a sense for the energetics of the coming month. I hope they do the same for you!

Tarot reading for October 2018

Remember, this is a general tarot reading for October 2018 for the collective. Continue reading→

#MondayMusings: What is your legacy?

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what is your legacy

The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave it neither power nor time. – Mary Oliver

I circled back to this quote time and again last week, as I sat down to refine my why, my purpose. Why do I do what I do? Why do I think it is important? What do I want to offer to the world? What is my legacy?Continue reading→

#MondayMusings: Emerging from the hermit cave

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As an introvert, my default state is to hide away in my hermit cave. I truly enjoy pottering about the house – the husband and I doing our own creative thing in companionable silence; reading; journaling; playing with the cats… But then, the cycle will turn and I’ll have a couple of weeks where my energy is more outward focused.

September, so far, has been all about  stepping out of the hermit cave more often than not, and it’s been fun! It started with a farewell party for a teammate at work, and continued with meeting up with friends both old and new. Yummy food, laughter galore, counseling sessions, venting, retail therapy: this month has had it all.Continue reading→