Twitter used to be my happy place – conversations, camaraderie, the occasional inside joke and sly tweets; books, blogs, art, life – most of the discussions were centred around those topics. There were also the complaining tweets and the feeling sorry for myself tweets, and there was always someone who was ready to respond with some love or a funny gif.Continue reading
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 over on this page. xx
Devotion: what images does the word conjure up for you?
Until about a decade ago, it brought to mind images of the prayer room at home, of the temple I visited as a child, the church I sought refuge in during my teenage years when I was looking for peace.
Over the years, though, this image has changed. Devotion, for me, is no longer limited to prayer; it has become much vaster and deeper than that.
For me, devotion is about the tending of the flame: being deeply aware of my own needs and desires, inner impulses and self care. Because it is only when I am nourished and looked after on the inside that I can devote myself to the outside.Continue reading
Gratitude – it is a simple concept that most of us have grown up with: to give thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives. Be it through prayer or by saying a heartfelt “thank you”, gratitude is something we have been practicing since childhood.
There are also numerous scientific studies outlining the positive effects of regular gratitude journaling, ranging from improved self-esteem and athletic performance, to better relationships and reduced suicide risk, among others. There are websites devoted to gratitude journaling, ecourses to teach you gratitude, special gratitude planners, and a variety of blog hops devoted to monthly and weekly gratitude lists.Continue reading
Bring all your heaviness
and your despair
Your hopes and dreams
and desires too
to the crisp, white pages
of the journal before you.Continue reading
So, how often do you do nothing?
There was a time, a couple of years ago, when my standard answer to “what are you doing over the weekend?” was “Nothing”.
Of course, doing nothing is never really nothing. It’s what the Italians call “Dolce far Niente”, which translates to “the sweetness of doing nothing.” It’s not about being lazy, rather, it is the pleasure of savoring moments of idleness. There are a lot of simple things that we do when we are doing nothing – reading, dreaming, taking a nap, going for long aimless walks, watching the changing shapes in the clouds, having a leisurely brunch with friends.Continue reading
I think most of us take life and ourselves far too seriously. We take on the mantle of roles and responsibilities at work and home, and believe that we are indispensable, that the world would collapse if we played hooky from work, or didn’t organize the linen cabinet, or dust the shelves before the guests came over.
“What would people think” seems to be the constant refrain running through our heads as we rush through life, doing, doing, doing. Which often leads to burn out, a growing sense of irritation, and a disconnect from our very essence.
One antidote to this is to adopt a sense of playfulness in our lives.
I’ve been tracking moon phases since a few years now – new moon to full moon to new again. Initially, it was simply a way to make sure I got at least one art journal spread completed every month, especially in the hot, often humid summer months. Then I started adding in moon lore – looking at the astrological sign where the moon is and what its energetics are.
Slowly, I started looking at the moon phases as cycles of time, which gave rise to a fascinating question:
What if time was not a linear progression, as we've been led to believe? What if it is cyclical, which means we can always circle back to something over and over again? Click To TweetContinue reading
Your words flying through the air,
Poisoned darts that
Pierce right through the most tender,
The most vulnerable parts of my heart.Continue reading
The silence of the morning,
Broken only by the hum of the refrigerator,
The whirling of the fan,
The chirping of the birds on the big tree outside.Continue reading