Saying Grace...

You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” — G. K. Chesterton

Journal Prompt: Say Grace before every activity you engage in today. Write about Grace in your Life.  The idea of offering everything you do to a higher power. Think about it as a practice. 

I say Grace..........

I see Grace....

Happy Journaling!

Gratitude prompts:

Gratitude Quote followed by prompt:

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” — Albert Schweitzer

Journal Prompt: Take the time to recognize someone who has ignited that spark in you. Who has lit that flame in you, and how can you tell them in your own words what they mean to you. This can be more than one person, because there are many individuals who have sparked that flame in us.

Happy Journaling!!!

I Give Thanks....

Thanksgiving is in two weeks to be exact.  It feels as if it has come too soon.   November has flown and here we are once again all gathering around to give thanks for all that we have.  Whether we go to our families or not, whether we choose to eat bountifully or not, one thing each of us will do in our own simple way - which is give thanks.  Give thanks for what? For this life.  This life that has been given to us and we continue to live each day is precious because it is ours to live.  And we are able to make it through another day and for that we give thanks.  We give thanks for the many wonderful surprises that have come our way.  We give thanks for the not so many wonderful surprises and for the work that is never ending and keeping us on our toes.  For in this too there is a meaning.  We give thanks for food that sustains us and keeps us whole.  We give thanks for our jobs if we have one, and if we don't have a job, we still give thanks for surviving without one -for there is a meaning of mercy behind that too.  We must give thanks for being able to eat, breathe this air, and be with our loved ones.  We give thanks for our health and that we are healthy, and for those of us struggling with a medical/health issue, we also give thanks for the support we receive from our loved ones, for the medical care we are receiving and the message that this illness may bring in order for us to make some lifestyle changes.  We give thanks for our friends who will be the ear we need when we are almost at our wits ends.  We give thanks for our sibllings, cousins who make us laugh and understand the craziness in us - because we are family.  We give thanks for our parents - they gave us life, and provided for us to the best that we can.  We give thanks to our grandparents who have created a tradition for us and a sense of history.   We give thanks for the things we take for granted that we see everyday before our eyes -the beauty that we see, the people in our lives - the joy and sadness both in our lives.  We give thanks for our partners, spouses, significant others without whom we would not know ourselves better and who accept us for who we are fully.   And last but not least, we give thanks to the ones we have lost -for having known them, for having them be such a big part of our life, and for creating an imprint.  We celebrate them and we give thanks for their presence.   We give thanks to so much more.   But more than anything, we give thanks to the Higher Power that sustains us, protects us, and loves us unconditionally. 

While it is not Thanksgiving day yet, what I want to stress with this is the idea of gratitude and what this can do for us.   And for the next two weeks begin to think of the little things that you are thankful for, and begin to notice your mood, your energy, your optimum well being.   The idea of gratitude only on thanksgiving day needs to extend beyond that day.  By being grateful, we begin to expand beyond ourselves, we begin to understand other human beings, and begin to look at things without taking it personally.  Oprah Winfrey stresses the importance of a Gratitude Journal.   A Gratitude Journal will make you perceive whatever difficulty that comes to you in a larger context.  It will give you the motivation to face whatever you face calmly and without fear.  It will help you look at what is really important in life and it will set your priorities straight.  What you once thought was important may not be as important back than and you come out a different person.   

As we begin to prepare for this annual tradition, let us look at the deeper meaning behind this holiday - the values, the togetherness, the community, and more than anything the ideal of living in gratitude each day.    For those of you who want to join me, I will be posting a Journaling Prompt each day through Thanksgiving that can deepen your sense of gratitude.   I will be posting it daily through The Journal Seeker and on my Facebook page.   I hope you join me, or better yet, think of your own prompts that can deepen this practice of  gratitude.  

Journal Prompt: Write your own Gratitude Poem beginning with the line:
I GIVE THANKS TO.............

Happy Journaling!

Heart Strings...

We make our way to the Church.  The concert is supposed to start at 7, but there is a huge crowd outside.   There is no assigned seating, and I say to myself - I hope we get good seats.  We go inside to obtain our wrist bands, and the lady says to me, there are some seats still availalbe in the balcony.  I rush up, and we find two chairs waiting for me and my husband.  I really won't be able to see the performer, and this time it is okay, because I am there to listen.  To close my eyes and listen.   I have waited for so long to hear him sing. I have him on my pandora collection, but to hear it live is something diffferent and I am excited.   And then it begins.   There is something beautiful about this evening.  We are in a spiritual place - a church, and there is a sign that says, " How Good it is when Brothers and sisters dwell together in harmony." This is a place of peace.  There is happiness, joy in the air. It is a wonderful moment.   Even more special because I am sharing it with my better half. And then it is time.   The opening act begins and have never heard them before but there is something soothing with their voices. And then it hits me, they are singing the Serenity Prayer, the prayer I say to myself many times a day -and have crafted a beautiful melody to it.   The lady next to me looks and me and smiles almost as if we were having the same thoughts.  And then it was time for the main act.  I am thrilled beyond words.   The first because in my natural element - with a similar community that have two loves - the love for the divine through music -and in this instance devotional chanting.   And then he begins:  "My Foolish Heart, Why do you weep? You throw yourself away again, Now you cry yourself to sleep.  My Foolish Heart, When will you learn? You are eyes of the world, and there's nowhere else to turn, Nowhere Else to turn."  I close my eyes and listen, and just like in meditation one is aware of the breathing, this time I begin to become aware of my heart slowly stirring.  It is almost as if my heart is the guitar and the strings are being played and with each string, I begin to feel an energy in me that is opening up. And so there I sat for the next three hours allowing myself to enjoy this total bliss not thinking about anything else but just being there. And that's what devotional music does to me.  It connects me to the Divine in a special way - that perhaps rituals may not, or a book may not, or a sermon may not.  The music speaks to the heart which is love and God is Love, and we are love.

That feeling I had in there was special.  It took me to a higher place, and I am sure at one point in our lives all of us have felt a sense of ecstasy for a fleeting moment, for an hour, for an event, and want to treasure onto that forever.   And that is what life is - we forget who we really are and what our real purpose is until we experience something that reminds us again and again.   

Think of something that captures the essence of Love.  Reflect back on an experience where you felt that joy, that unconditional love, that feeling where your heart was full of love -Close your eyes - and let that experience come back to you.  Imagine what you were wearing, the colors, the sounds, your thoughts - and as it comes back to you, slowly when you are ready begin to open your eyes and Write about that moment in the present.  Write for 10 minutes nonstop. 

Happy Journaling!

Some more Journaling Prompts.....

I've been on and off dabbling with this 30 Day Digital Journaling Prompts - where you receive a daily journaling prompt and instead of writing by hand, use the computer to do so.  I have to say, i love writing by hand, there is nothing like it.  This has been an interesting experiment and I share with you a couple of my favorite Journaling Prompts that I have used.

Journal Prompt by Jackee Holder which is taken from a line in a film called The Magic of Belle Isle that says " Look out there and tell me what's not there...and then write about it."  Here is my response:

I see colors, I see trees, I see fall foliage when I look out there, but what I don’t see is the maker behind this.  The maker, the creator who’s hand is unseen in all our doings –what form are you? Where are you?  I don’t see you, but I feel like I know.  I don’t hear you, but I feel like I hear you.  Your presence carries itself in an invisible aura and I wonder will I ever get a glimpse of you.  What I don’t see is the invisible helpers that pave our ways to make our path easier.   Out of nowhere, a prayer will be answered, out of nowhere, a phone call, out of nowhere a beautiful letter, and underneath it all I don’t see you who make it happen.  I do see the imprint of your work in my heart. I do see the messages you send to me through the universe.  I do see the beauty behind your work.  But what I don’t see is how you get it all done.  Sometimes you know what I want even if I don’t say it.  What’s not there is the physical presence which we need sometimes to make sense of things.  But then that’s the beauty in this, isn’t it – the beauty is being able to see make the invisible visible and you do that through your work.

Journal Prompt by Mari L. McCarthy, author of " 136 Free Journal Prompts." 
Find your favorite FOUR LETTER F word - something postive - i know where our heads go with this:)  Type that word up after you've dated your entry, then listen and write whatever your journal has to say:

My response:  FEEL.

Feel

Feel the sun on your back. Feel every emotion in your body and breathe it out.  Feel the desire to fly.  Feel everything because to not feel denies yourself the emotions that are stored in your body.  We store everything and we are not aware of how much accumulates in us.   We store our feelings of love- they spread everywhere –to our heart and when our heart feels good, we begin to feel good about ourselves.   Feel the anger and let it be processed.  Feel it, breathe it out and exhale.  Feel the anxiety, breathe it, and let it out with a big HA.   Feel what you need to feel because when you don’t you become numb.  You begin to freeze.  Your feelings are the mirror to your state of mind and when you begin to be aware of your feelings you begin to be free.   When you store your feelings and put them away you make room for more storage.  Feel what you need to feel and let it all go.  It is only a feeling – does it belong to you – no, it doesn’t.   It comes from you, but it does not need to stay in you – it needs  to leave you. 

Enjoy and play around with them...

Happy Journaling!

The Now....

There is a beautiful children's book called Milton's Secret by Ekhart Tolle.  Milton is a young 11 year old boy who is a happy child.  He lives with his parents, has a cat, and loves to play outside in recess.   But soon, things start to change for Milton - a boy Carter in his class begins to bully him.   Milton's mood begins to change.  He becomes withdrawn, now all of a sudden does not seem to keen on going to school-that is until his grandfather visits him and notices the changes in him.   Milton slowly opens up to his grandfather about what is occcuring in school - and his grandfather's response is - "Be in the Now."  Milton as you can imagine is extremely confused - "THE NOW?" what does that mean - and then the grandfather begins to explain to him - as best as he can - being in the now means not worrying about what is going to happen tomorrow or what is going to happen while on the way to school - but more so being in the now means just living in the moment.   Milton is still confused - as so many of us may be - until he has a dream.   The dream he has is of him being chased by a dog and some boys and he ends up inside an icecream store.   And he sees a woman who shows him the inside of the NOW - The inside of the now is very simple - learning to feel good about yourself - and figuring out what it takes to get you to feel good about yourself.   In this book, the inside of the now is Milton imagining himself to be filled with light - and if the light makes him feel good, then that's what he will do to keep himself in the now.  There is another key point in here - that about the bully - that he is sad, he is angry at himself, he is upset at something and so he takes out his feelings of anger, etc on someone else to make himself feel good about himself.

Milton's Secret has been made into a movie and I would strongly recommend this book to those in the school system and educators who are working on violence and anti-bullying measures. 
I bring this up because recently, my son started complaining of headaches - and very unlike him not wanting to go to school.  His words to me were " I Love school, and I want to learn, but I don't want people bothering me."   For me, this was an indication that he was building up tension  in himself.  Very unlike a child who is typically very verbal.  But just like in the story, the grandfather began asking Milton questions, we began doing the same thing.   I started asking, and he started talking.   The headaches since the time he has talked have subsided, but something else happened - he began focusing in the NOW.   The NOW for him is not worrying about what is going to happen when he goes on the playground, The NOW for him, is not thinking about the words he has to use to defend himself, The NOW for him means that while he is in class, he is going to enjoy class, and while he is in line, he is going to be in line and when he wanted to feel good about himself, he knew he could turn on that inner light in him to begin to feel good about himself.   We read this book together, and something in him clicked - he said he was going to try to focus on the NOW.   Is his story the same exact as Milton's? No it isn't.   Is it the same type of severity? No it isn't.  The issue is not about how mild or severe it is, the issue is about the effect this can have on someone if they do not have an outlet to talk about things - from both ends. 

At some point or the other each of us have been subjected to a similar type of situation - and we either internalize it just like Milton started doing or we begin to externalize it like the "bully" in the story.   What I liked about the book, is that it showed compassion - and learning to understand where the bully was coming from. So while it is not okay put up with their actions, it is okay to try and understand why the other person is hurting.   And it began to make sense for my son - he began to realize that we are not all bad - and if someone does bad things, it doesn't make them bad, but more so that maybe they need help or something has happened to them to make them do bad things.  

I share this personally for those that may be struggling with this either at home or in school or even in the workplace.  Just as I told my son, we always have a choice - we always have a choice to act or not act, to respond or not respond, we always have a choice to take what someone does to us personally or not personally - and if we begin to realize that, together we can create more healing communities and environment.    Below is the link:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/milton-s-secret-the-movie-from-the-book-by-eckhart-tolle

Journal Prompt:   If you have difficulty expressing what you are feeling, draw it out.   Drawing helps get the emotions out especially when the words are stuck somewhere.  Draw out the scenario that keep replaying in your head, Draw out the pain if that's what it is and describe what it feels like, Draw out the person hurting you.   Now once you have finished drawing, write for five minutes.   If you are doing this with a child, then just let them draw or sketch.   But have them do it more than once.   One more idea, sketch or draw what THE NOW looks like to you. 

Happy Journaling!

Cleaning out....

In a couple of days, six days to be exact, I will be celebrating my Hindu New Year called Diwali.   Those of you who follow my blog have read prior posts on Diwali and it being significant about celebrating the inner light within us.  It is a New Year filled with light and celebrating light.  We make way for the new by getting rid of the old.  Today, I write not about the significance of this tradition, but more so a particular ritual that has been passed down from centuries that is associated with this festival.   A month or so before the holiday arrives; homes begin preparing through the process of what we call “Diwali Safai,” or Diwali Cleaning.   There is a story about Lord Ram, the King of Ayodhya who was banished in exile for 14 years and after 14 years, the kingdom is preparing for his return to his city.  They prepare by cleaning their homes, their streets, their shops, and adorning it by making it look beautiful and filling the streets with lamps and lights.   So we too begin this process of cleaning – I have to say that growing up as a child, this is the one thing that has stuck with me no matter how much I try to let go of it – I clean – the draws, go through my old stuff, windows, whatever it is that I normally don’t get to clean on a regular basis, we spend time cleaning.   There is an inner significance with the cleaning – we are getting rid of the clutter.  Clutter in our heads, clutter in our minds, hearts and clutter in our homes.  By taking a physical stock/inventory of getting rid of things that we do not need anymore, we are involving ourselves in a symbolic process of letting go.   On a metaphoric level, to let go can take a lifetime – whatever it is we need to let go of – so this actual ritual of beginning with our material possessions is actually quite practical, because we are beginning with baby steps – we begin with our practical stuff – the stuff that we collect.  And think of how much we collect. 

It is very difficult to let go of things – things that we may accumulate because of memories, because of sentiment, because of habit – the same way it is very difficult to let go of situations, control, people and issues.  These go hand in hand.   When we let go of our material things, we begin the process of purification – we begin the process of being okay with having less and it makes it easier to deal with the clutter in our mind, in our hearts.  

I look forward to this ritual every year because it really is time to take stock of what I need, what I don’t need, what my habits are, and how to move forward.   There is something about space – empty space – it is freeing.  The energy is clear.  Think of going into a room that is overcrowded with stuff – what does your body feel like, do you feel stifled, do you feel overwhelmed, do you not know where to start.  That on many levels is an indication of our minds – the state of our minds – where we feel overwhelmed and need to fill that void so by accumulating things and collecting things we fill that void.   I have personally seen the difference when I clear an area of my house – the energy feels different, the space feels lighter, I feel lighter.   Because I have experienced it, and I like how I feel, it is something I want to continue to do.  I want to be free of clutter.  I want to simplify.   I want to have more of an inviting space in my home.   I want to have more an emptiness in my mind and be free of clutter in my head.  

And so I have over the years made this not an annual event but according to season.  Every season,  I begin the ritual of going through the clutter- of cleaning – of making space for newness and getting rid of the old.  I do this with my son – help him look at his stuff that he collects so as he gets older, the purchases he makes for himself are based on need not greed .  The rule is if you want something new, you have to clear out the old and make room for the new.   Go through your books –why do you need all these books? Go through your clothes – what do you actually wear? Go through your toys – what is really important to you?  And by doing that we begin to learn to live simply.   I realized that this year my cleaning for Diwali was not that overwhelming because I have been doing this on a continuous basis –I did not leave it all for one year to look at –through the act of breaking it into seasons – I am in doing an internal check in within myself to clear out the clutter.  To clear out the clutter – emotional, physical, mental, whatever it may be so that I can be emptied totally and be present.   And to take it back to this festival – to be present means to celebrate this holiday with all the qualities it symbolizes – love, beauty, happiness, forgiveness, truth, and prosperity.   Because in the end, it is these qualities that we are seeking to fill ourselves with - rather than the possessions.  

There are some great prompts to help with decluttering:

I make room for ____________________________

I wish to create a space that _________________________

I let go of ________________________________________

Happy Journaling!