How to bloom where you are planted + an intuitive painting demo

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how to bloom where you are planted

As motivational quotes go, bloom where you are planted is one of the most ubiquitous phrases. But what does it mean? And more importantly, how does one know that they have it in them to bloom where they are planted?

The phrase stems from the natural world, where you can find plants, flowers, and trees blooming wild and free, often times in areas where you would least expect them. Like the Ginko trees in Hiroshima, Japan, which survived the nuclear blasts. Or the deodar trees that grow at the Tarkeshwar Mahadev temple near Lancedown, but are not found anywhere else in the area, because they actually grow at higher altitudes.

What this seems to symbolize is that with the right attitude and resilience of spirit, we can find within us the  strength to survive almost any adversity.Continue reading→

The joy of doing nothing

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the joy of doing nothing

How do you answer the question: What did you do today? Or over the weekend?

Most people I meet respond with the tales of dinners they went to, parties they hosted, sales they shopped at, or kilometers they jogged. In response to these stories, that are often filled with drama and anecdotes and news of the latest fashion or lack of good style options, my answer to this question is often: nothing.Continue reading→

On finding the strength to do difficult things

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finding the strength to do difficult things

I took my introverted, hermit self to my neighbour’s house for a story telling session on Saturday. It was a session on performance art and spoken word poetry, along with a mini workshop on poetry writing in Hindi. I assumed that I would simply be an observer, but no – that was not to be.

Not only did I write my first ever Hindi poem, I recited it too. Not once, but twice. In room full of strangers. With shaking hands and twitchy muscles, because I really am not good with public speaking.  Continue reading→

My depth year: planning my framework

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my depth year going deeper not wider

 

Last week, I spoke about the idea of a depth year, and promised to share my depth year framework once it was ready. If you’re wondering what in heavens a depth year is, I suggest you read last week’s post first; I’ll wait!

Now that you’re in the know, here’s my framework. My aim is to go deep in a couple of areas that are important to me. One thing that I’ve decided to do slightly differently is this: I’m not necessarily equating a depth year with a no buy or low buy year. There are some areas where I have decided that a no buy/low buy year works for me, but in other areas, I may buy something if I feel it is needed to help me go deeper.Continue reading→

On my art table: Finding beauty in the darkness

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finding beauty in the darkness art journal page

There is beauty in the darkness, if only we are brave enough to find it!

But how often are we willing to even acknowledge our bad habits; our insecurities and fears; our anxieties. How often do we stop and reflect on our inner voice, and on how mean it can be sometimes…oftentimes? How often do we justify our bad behavior by blaming someone else for the way we may have acted out? We have a choice in every moment: we can choose anger or acceptance; irritation or flow.

This does not mean we have to put up with bad behavior – it simply is about how we choose to react to it. We can respond to situations by ranting and raving; acting out in anger or irritation…and often, that is our default. Or we can calmly address the problem at hand, or assert our boundaries and simply walk away from someone else’s drama.Continue reading→

Going deeper, not wider: 2019 as a depth year

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what is a depth year go deeper not wider

At the end of 2017, I found this article by Ann Patchett on her experiment with a year of no shopping, and promptly decided to give it a go. The idea was to practice conscious consumerism, but let me just say, I sucked at it!

I think it’s mainly because I’m really not much of a shopper. I tend to think before I buy, and the things I splurge on are actually put to use. So, no shopping made no sense for me, personally.

Last month, I stumbled upon the idea of a depth year. Now that…that feels exciting!Continue reading→

The word: 2019

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word of the year 2019

It’s funny how we can take to some rituals like a duck to water. After spending decades setting resolutions – and promptly breaking them – I stumbled upon the concept of a word of the year and it just…clicked. There’s a delicious expansiveness to choosing a word as a touchstone for the year as opposed to setting resolutions. Where one is focused on a singular outcome, which means you can either keep your resolution or break it, the other encompasses myriad possibilities and unfolds in, sometimes, unexpected ways.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→