Our bodies communicate to us clearly and specifically,

if we are willing to listen to them.

-Shakti Gawain

Our body's sensations are our greatest informants.

“Be mindful of intention.
Intention is the seed that creates our future.”
— Jack Kornfield

For the last couple of days, I have been blessed to experience the tranquillity of the holidays.

What is your gift to yourself this Christmas?

“Do something today your future self with thank you for”
— Anonymous

Have you sorted all the presents?

What have you chosen for yourself?

Do you remember that you are the most important person in your universe? No, a thought like this is not selfish; it is self-loving and self-caring. Your future self will thank you for it.

“The trees were dappling again.
They loved to dapple,
it seemed to be their favorite pastime.
They could use anything of course:
moonlight, starshine, candlelight, and rain.
Today they used the sunlight that the sky supplied,
and dappled nearly everything with it,
from grass, water, and stones,
to Lydia and Livy themselves
as they walked along the trail that led out of Mulberry Glen.”

— Millie Florence

“Who you are is defined by what you’re willing to struggle for.”

― Mark Manson
 

On Friday I had the pleasure of going to the live show of Mark Manson, who authored the book "The Subtle Art Of Not Giving a F*uck - A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life". It was especially pleasurable because I was not going on my own, but with two other wonderful women - and we made a good evening out of it. 

"Kia Kaha
Kia Maia
Kia Manawanui"

"Be Brave
Be Strong
Be Big-Hearted"

- Prayer at the New Zealand Citizenship Ceremony on the 11th of November 2024 at the Auckland Town Hall
 

Something amazing took place for me on Monday: I became a New Zealand Citizen. 

"The longest journey begins with a single step."
- Pantanjali
 

On a weekend away, I stumbled upon a "real" bookshop - the kind that SMELLS of books and invites people to BROWSE (pun intended) and CHAT about this and that. For me, time in a place like that is never wasted. I also found an intriguing book and decided to take it home - not only as a memory for this fantastic bookshop experience. The book is called "52 Ways to Walk" by Annabel Streets. The subtitle is "The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time". 

"The idea was fantastically, wildly improbable.
But like most fantastically, wildly improbable ideas
it was at least as worthy of consideration
as a more mundane one to which
the facts had been strenuously bent to fit.”

– Douglas Adams (Author of Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy

“Joy does not simply happen to us.
We have to choose joy
and keep choosing it every day.”
― Henri J.M. Nouwen

“What senses do we lack
that we cannot see or hear
another world all around us?”
— Frank Herbert

“Accepting means you allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling at that moment.
It is part of the isness of the Now.
You can’t argue with what is.
Well, you can, but if you do, you suffer.”
—Eckhart Tolle

“Ask yourself about the kind of life you want:
What would you do day to day,
and with whom,
and where?
Consider the life you have.
Do one thing today, however small,
to close the gap between the two.”
—Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

Rest in peace, Professor Minerva McGonagall of Hogwarts. 

"The fastest way to still the mind
is to move the body"

– Gabrielle Roth

Last week I had the pleasure of dancing with wonderful people. Just like that - for fun. No special moves, no agenda, just dancing. 

It made me feel very present. Nothing else mattered. 

Today I came across the above quote from dancer Gabrielle Roth. Before that I was reading about the concept of a "One-Thing-Warrior" in my daily journal. Since I was looking for a topic for today's Mindful Musing, I thought I'll bring them together:

• Moving the body to still the mind and 

• Being a "One-Thing-Warrior" this week

“Things which matter most
must never be at the mercy
of things which matter least.” 
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

We are spoilt for choice these days.

So many decisions are to be made in different areas of our lives.

How much are you guilty of procrastinating on the things that really matter?

I am.

There are exactly as many special occasions in life as we choose to celebrate.

- Robert Breault

We can choose to celebrate.

Celebrating can be a simple acknowledgement: "I did it", or maybe a smile and a nod to yourself, or reaching your arms up high or do a little dance on the spot. Your body will recognise it and produce your happy hormones. That alone will motivate you for more. 

When there is a big project ahead of you and you find you are procrastinating - maybe celebrate the smallest step you have done toward it. Or celebrate catching that thought that keeps sabotaging you. 

You are worth it.

Thank you, people of ancient Greece for your inspiration. 

My invitation to you today:

• Move into a posture or gesture of celebration - for the small achievements of our day. Maybe be courageous - and celebrate with gusto - like an Olympian.

This is your time. 

With my arms reached up high.

Mel 

How does a smile feel right now?

Can you try?

My invitation to you today:

Try a big and sustained smile - now

Notice how that feels.

You may want to try it when you feel unmotivated today or feel a slump and see what happens.

Or maybe you want to go out of your way for a quick hello and a hug - just because.

You are worth it.

“You are enough.

You are so enough,

it is unbelievable

how enough you are.”

— Sierra Boggess

“Sometimes you will never know the value of something

until it becomes a memory.”

― Dr. Seuss

Yes, I am a fan of classic Stoicism as I find big parallels to Mindfulness, Yogic Philosophy, and Mental Fitness (PQ). People may assume Stoicism is about repression or about denying yourself feelings, but that is not so. It is about observing what is so that we can rationally and objectively treat the world - just like in Mindfulness.