10 years...

I have never been able to commit to something regularly for more than three years consecutively- so when i think about 10 years of marriage as of tomorrow, i am in awe.  I usually am the type of person that may want to quit when the going gets tough, when things seem so bleak that you don't know which where you are headed, when you keep repeating the same thing over and over again and don't ever seem to be making progress - so when i think about marriage and being with my husband for ten years, i say thank you to god for giving me the hope to keep going, but also thank you to my husband for not giving up.  It takes two of us to make this work - and as much as i would like to give myself credit for it all- he has an equal effort in this.  We make us work - in our own mad, crazy, unique way, we work well together.  What is it that made me not want to give up -because i believed that this is a journey, and that we are both learning from each other on this journey.   I gave it my all because i focused on the good rather than the negative.   I realized that the negative came to us in the form of blessings- to teach both of us to move on higher level, to see past pettiness and always look at the higher good.  That the negatives were and are part of our growth process and that these are lessons we each need to work on.  That sometimes the drama in our lives exist because we need to resolve them and move past them so we can live in harmony.  I also believe that our souls joined together for a reason - as opposites as we are, in being with him for the last ten years, i have come to see how similar we really are on a soul level.  And perhapts that's what keeps us going - because we have created a soul partnership.   So rather than finding fault with each other or blame each Other, we begin to take an internal look at our respective selves and work on the issues that trigger us so we can live in harmony together.  It is the willingness to be completely vulnerable and honest with ourselves first- once we begin to do that, our commitment to each other to make things work becomes stronger. So again the only word i can say is thank you, thank you, and more thank you - because if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be us, and if it wasn't for me, we wouldn't be us.  We have both committed to creating "us" and it is a beautiful thing.   It is hard work, it is effort, it 100% commitment, it is understanding, it is commuincation, it is alot of humor, it is a big task of non assumptions, and last but not least it is love.

Journal Prompt:  What makes me committed to ________________

Happy Journaling!

Famous writers on keeping a diary

http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/09/04/famous-writers-on-keeping-a-diary/

A wonderful article on the benefits of journaling as used by famous writers....
Enjoy!

Dreams to Ring in the New Year....

Only dreams give birth to change - Sarah Ban Breathnach-

Only dreams give birth to change
for without dreams we would be nowhere
we would not learn the things we are destined to do
Do you see how far you have come?

www.photozok.com

Do you see the distances that you have crossed? 
That is what dreams do -they make things happen.
But for that we must write out our dreams
one by one, two by two, three by three
write them down, blow life into them, and believe.
Believe in the beauty of this new day. 
Dwell in the silence of your dreams. 
And Give birth to them. 

The new year has dawned before us once again
to give us hope, to give us strength
that we have yet another chance
another chance at love,
another chance in forgiveness
another chance in humility
another chance in letting go
another chance to try once again
another chance in dreaming things that may seem unreachable.

The new year comes with a message that the circle of life must continue
yet the current that weaves the circle must be stronger. 
We must breathe love into the circle.
The New Year is yet another day to begin the first day of our lives
with a clean slate, brand new, to let go of the old and hope only for the good. 

There may be mistakes, there may be treading through the unknown, there may be uncertainity of the future. 

But what I know for sure is I am alive, I have survived and will move into this year with audacity and faith.  

 Luján Fraix : noviembre 2011

Journaling Prompt:   The New Year is here.  Create your own affirmation for the year to use for 2015.  Think of words that come to your mind, feelings, images that come to your mind as you think of the New Year.  

Happy New Year and Happy Journaling!


 

Kiss the Joy!

'All there is to do, right at this very moment, is breathe in, breathe out and kiss the joy as it flies."
- Dani Shapiro-

Kiss the joy as it flies, what beautiful imagery that comes to my mind as I visualize joy flying everywhere to different parts of the world, to loved ones dear and far, to strangers who may need a little love, to families grieving their loved ones, to children in war stricken grounds, to the sick, to all there is.   What the world needs now is more joy and joy everywhere so that it can be spread like fireflies lighting everyone it touches.   Kiss the joy with your deepest wish for your loved ones and let it fly high till it touches them.  Wish out joy and beauty to those around you and spread like wildfire because we are joy.  We are joy.  We say it ourselves, we will believe it.  And that is my wish for you all during this holiday season, that you get a kiss of joy wherever you are and spread it to the next person one and far.   We are living in a world that is filled with uncertainity, that is filled with violence, that is filled with fear.  

People act without thinking impuslively, selfishly, and recklessly not thinking about the dire consequences that their actions can have on others and the world that surrounds them.  While we may not be able to control their actions, we do have control of our thoughts and our intentions and what we choose for ourselves.   And if each one of us makes a resolution to choose intentions that are loving, kind, joyful and hopeful, we will be able to create a ripple effect which is what the world needs today.  It starts with us, and in our homes reminding  us of the goodness of life -but but not just for this season, but at least throughout the year.   There is a beautiful line from William Blake's Poem that says "But he who kisses the joy as it flies, Lives in Eternity's Sunrise."   Think of the glory of the sunrise, as the sun greets the sky with its charm, glory and beauty.  The feeling of saying good morning to that beautiful sun is pure joy, and we sit with it for a moment, and then go about our busy day.   But what if we sit with it for a moment and then breathe out joy to the world and for ourselves  before we go about the busy day.  What if? Just imagine.  
Happy Holidays One and All!

Journal Prompt: Write out your wish list for yourself, the world, your community, your friends, your family.  

Happy Journaling!

The Wishing Ball...

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Sometimes the words don’t flow easily when we want to write. We have the journal in front of us, our mind is racing, and even then, we just can’t get it out.   One rule I endorse is don’t push it, do something else so the words can flow.  Creativity and writing go hand in hand.  Here is one such example I want to share with you.   The holidays are here and we are once again trying to figure out what to get our friends, family, colleagues, etc.   I think that when we want to gift someone something, there must  be thought that goes into it.   Yes it is more work, but it is so important to really think about what it is that person needs – sometimes it is not always a materialistic thing – sometimes it is a matter of time with the person, sometimes it is  a gesture, sometimes it is something that we made, and when we put our feelings and thoughts into it, it gives life to the gift.  The receiver of the gift will always remember the thought that went into it, even after the gift has been used up.  The simple feeling of “oh, wow, that person really went out of their way to think about m-they remembered what it is that I like , they remembered my favorite  color, or they remembered I like dark chocolate or just something that makes them know that you are thinking of them.

So today, I was feeling a little stuck with my writing, my  journaling process and the turn it is taking – and instead of focusing on my stuckness, I decided to shift my focus.  For the last couple of days, I keep getting this vision in front of me of decorating glass balls for the holidays and make them into wishing balls – so I went to my favorite store, Michaels and went crazy –well let’s say I could live there.   And decided to experiment with what this small little voice inside me is telling me to do – I had never decorated a glass ball ever, I had no idea what to do and how it would turn out, but I decided to follow my gut.   I got home, it was empty – no one home, I put on some Krishna Das Music blasted, and got myself moving.  The process was intense –my hands messy, the floor messy, me trying to figure out why the pens I bought don’t work, and me wondering how I am ever going to get this glue off my hands.  The end product are photographs in this entry.  What does this have to do with gifting – it is a simple but thoughtful gift to give someone – the idea is write your wishes down on a piece of paper and put them in that glass ball and hang it as a decorative piece and keep it –knowing that one day in its own magical way your dreams will come true in the right timing and in the right way –just the way its supposed to be, but in the meanwhile just enjoy the journey.   Give it a try.  Listen to your gut, is it telling you to do something that seems childish, impossible, something you think will take a lot of time and work – do it – let it guide you because the journey of doing it is so important –it makes you believe in magic, joy, and what this season is really about.   Here are some pictures of my Wishing Ball!

Happy Journaling!

Give The Gift of Journaling this Holiday Season....

Give the Gift of Writing to others during this Holiday Season.

Writing your thoughts can help you reflect and get a more objective look at things.  Your journal can help improve your self-talk and it can help remind you what you think is important.  It can also help you declutter your emotions and your mind.    As Oprah Winfrey said, “I not only want to fulfill the mission of my purpose this trip to the Planet Earth, I want to do it consciously—so that I can revel in its splendor.”  Writing in a journal can help you accomplish that.  

  

Journal Seeker Gift Certificates are now available for your friends and loved ones.

Pick from 1 hour Journaling Session to a series of sessions cultivated to your own special needs.   Some examples:  Keeping a Gratitude Journal, De-clutter my Life and Journaling,  Food, Mood and Journaling,  Poetry and Journaling,  Creating more Mindfulness through Journaling, or it could be something as simple as Jumpstart to Journaling.   

Journaling is a great tool for children 8 and above because it teaches them tools to listen to their voices and a deepened love for writing.  

Sessions can be done via email/phone or in person.  

Gift Certificates start at $25, $50, $75 and $100

Included is your own special notebook, journaling prompts for optimum wellness, creativity and mindfulness.  

Email: Journalingcircle@gmail.com for more information or call at 201-658-3829.

In service,

Anjali Mani 

 

Gratitude Prompt Day 13

If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.”

― Meister Eckhart-

Today is Thanksgiving! Let us give thanks again and again. Create your own, ‘Be Thankful’ collage that you can read every day. Fill it with quotes, sayings, and pictures that resonate with you and keep it in a place where you can read it everyday. It would be a great family activity.