Evening Activity to Clear the Mind

After a full day many of my friends know that my favorite way to clear the mind and relax is to quilt, or knit. There have been studies done that show the repetitive activities of knitting or sewing activate the part of the brain that induces a type of meditative state. However a person does not have to do repetitive activity to achieve this, sometimes just focusing carefully on a difficult math problem or puzzle can clear the mind of the excessive fluttering from one thought to another. Calming the mind is not necessarily the Zen state but very close to it. And a great way to relax.

Zen State of Mind cont.

My favorite way to seek that Zen state of mind is

to start with three deep breaths and go for a walk, paying attention to the sound of my footsteps, if it is too noisy where I am walking I pay attention to my breathing, inhale, exhale etc... as I walk I take in the view of where I am at and say what I am looking at in my mind. If my mind wonders, I say cancel/cancel in my mind and make renewed concentrated effort to pay attention to where I am at or my breath or the sound of my footsteps. The more you practice waking up to where you are at and what you are doing the better you get at this practice, you may even discover that you do it naturally instead of listening to your minds incessant chatter about work, appointments, and other worries.

Zen State of Mind

Ekhart Tolle says, our minds are constantly racing about what happened yesterday, last year or next year. We are trained to think about the future from a very young age. We prepare for what we will be in our adult lives, where we will live, where we will work, who we will marry, where our kids will go to school, how much money we need for retirement. But what about today? Right now; in this moment? All too often we forget to stop and smell the roses that are right in front of us, instead opting to think about what to do when the flowers die and we have to replace them.Preparing for the future is a normal and important part of life, but being able to get back to center is just as critical. Rather than waiting to live later on in life, a Zen state of mind helps us live in the moment and enjoy life as it is happening.To be Zen is to have a clear and completely conscious perspective, even if just for an instant. Many of the thoughts that run through our brains are recurring even when we aren't aware we are thinking at all. It happens at home, at work, while we drive to work. You may recall a product that some have in their homes and offices called a "Zen garden," the theory behind this sand garden is that while they are raking the sand, nothingness fills the brain.How can one get a Zen moment with all the responsibilities in daily life? My next couple of posts will suggest how to get that Zen moment.

Mike Turned 64

Vacation

Well last week was a long awaited vacation. If I count the weekends I had ten days not scheduling my life away. I had a surprise visit from my Brother and his wife the first weekend, then a pool gathering at my mother's home on Monday evening, which included my youngest son, wife, grand baby, and his Nanny. Tuesday I dropped in to see friends who happened to be cooking a wonderful lunch of squash burritos with a Verde sauce, fabulous! Wednesday, Mike and I traveled to Tulsa to meet for a few hours of shopping with Robbin and the grandkids, and then dinner out once Scott could meet up with us. Thursday we traveled onto Ft. Worth to visit his brother in the nursing home and actually enjoyed some time getting to know his wife and step daughter better. By Saturday we traveled back by way of McKinney Texas where we stopped in to see my niece who was home recovering from back surgery, it had been at least eight years since I had seen her. We traveled on home to sporadic storms and then later fireworks. Sunday I woke up too late to attend church so I had a pajama day and sewed all day, over all a wonderful unplanned period of time off.

Dyeing Fabric

The Battlefield Quilters guild met a week ago for a retreat of fabric and fun sewing. The highlight of the two days was dyeing fabric, you can see my team partner was a few years younger than myself, but this craft knows no age. I worked side by side with both my grandmothers as a young girl, it is really cool to share with any age person.

Big Spring Park

Big Spring Park

As I walk near the stream running through Big Spring Park I look into a hollow of trees hanging silently over the water. Nearby are ducks swimming and scratching themselves as little children with moms, and grandmas are spreading picnic blankets and breaking out some lunch as they sit along the brooks edge. Flowers are in bloom, marigolds and petunias of fucia are arranged in special flower beds as you walk near the area where you can look at the giant sized goldfish swimming in the sectioned off pond. Journey further into the park and you hear the sound of children swimming in the pool and playing on swings and slides, yes it is summer in Neosho MO, what a great place to take a break from the office.