peace of advice

On my way home from a 4 day foray to Lancaster PA. I spotted this in the train station. Makes sense to me.

Spending time away gives one a sense of different locations and I do have to say there is a more everyday sense of peace in Lancaster than there is in N.Y.C.-maybe it has something to do with the craft fair I attended on Saturday or the women 2 women workshops I participated in on Sunday that dealt with everything from yoga , recycling ,rain water retention, composting, baby wearing (the concept was not new to me but the term definitely is!) and on and on. Very purpose driven and peaceful.

Meditation alert

Monday's plinthers have come online and at 9a.m. "Cathy" will be meditating for the world's children & she invites all to join in. Since Monday is Columbus day here in the states & thus a holiday for some, I would think all compassionate meditators would love the opportunity to join in this sangha.

Om shanti

You can go here to read up on more about this.

Images that give me a sense of stillness & calm and joy

I like the simple in life. As close as possible to nature. As little man made and as much God made as possible. I took these today and they are so simple - quiet - lovely - still. Life, unadorned, in all it's natural glory.

9/11-doves of peace & love

On 9/11/2009 the plinth was of interest to me as I wondered if anyone who presented on that date would do something related to 9/11. Then I saw some of this woman's hour. She had brought with her a collection of dove shaped balloons & as each was released it's wings would flutter. It was so peaceful & moving & beautiful & sad too. You can find her hour here . 9/11 was an odd day this year. Here in N.Y.C. it snuck up on me and then hit like a ton of bricks. The names were read and as it has been several years now, they take on a familiarity. You recall them and the photos that were to be found everywhere in N.Y.C. as relatives posted signs on every street light and wall, in hopes their family member was indeed alive.
I have one strong memory of that first month: At the time I was attending some amazing yoga classes on 34th street, by N.Y.U. medical center . Almost every day I would walk down 34th, on the way to & from class. I always passed this one apartment building and right after 9/11 outside it's first floor window sat the 2 boots of a fireman. They stayed there for what seemed like forever , like the signs posted on the long wall at N.Y.U. (which happened to be the site of where bodies were being brought when found at the Trade Center) . I never fail to recall that simple but poignant site, each time I have walked down that street & passed that building.

more yoga from the 4th plinth

If you are looking to be inspired and feel deeply centered go HERE . She did a wonderful and easy yoga practice on the plinth in honor of a program she participates in that brings ypga to prisons. She makes a wonderful case for yoga's place in prisons on her plinth page.
Om shanti...

meditation on the "plinth" in London, England

"One & Other" :
There is an interesting art happening going on right now in Trafalgar Square, England:From July 6-October 14th folks are being given 1 hour slots on one of 4 "plinths"=to do whatever they would like to do. This is an art piece and so much of what is being done is art making of one form or another.
I tuned in this past week and as I watched folks I did begin to mull over what I might do if I were one of the folks chosen to have a go at it. This evening from 11p.m.-12a.m. a man is meditating! It is one of the things I had thought about and it is ,no doubt, challenging . I was going to try & meditate along with him but found myself moved to chant instead & have found it quite calming-as it always is. I'll post some photos and a link to this hours footage in the next few days to make it easier to access but suffice to say I think this is the coolest thing!



You can go here to view whatever is going on at any given moment & go here to see this hour.

Yoga/peace/108 sun salutes

Are you into Yoga?
Are you into peace?
Are you up for trying to do 108 sun salutes?
Are you free on Sept. 19,20 & 21, 2009? (dates & times vary based on the location)
This is for you if you say "Yes" to any of the above:the global mala project is gearing up & you can find out more HERE
Time to start practicing my sun salutations...
Om Shanti

Are you into peaceful protests?

Let's talk about protesting for just a minute. I think we all would agree that the world could be a better place. There are things, big & small that need to be done to make everyone's lives better. We know this .
The actions needed to make these things happen can be the sticking point. knowing and doing are 2 very different things.
If you ask my husband he will probably tell you I am an "activist". That means I know what needs to happen & I take actions, when appropriate.
Sometimes, being an activist can be disquieting to one's inner peace. Confronting things & allowing yourself to be impacted & then making the decision to Do Something is not always easy, inexpensive, or popular. But you do sleep better at night knowing you have done what you can and helped in some small way to make a difference & make the world a better place.
With all of that in mind I am encouraging folks to go here & sign the petition regarding the signing of Michael Vick to the Philadelphia Eagles on August 13, 2009 for between 1.6 and 5 million dollars.
I held my breath when I heard the N.F.L. had reinstated Mr. Vick. I wondered "Who would sign this man to play on their team and represent their state?" I know our society can seem to condone actions that are awful and unforgivable & I wondered if folks would hold Mr. Vick accountable or let him slide due to his seemingly considerable talent. I would have taken this very personally if any of my home town teams here in New York took steps to sign Mr. Vick.
When I heard the Philadelphia Eagles had indeed signed Mr. Vick I had to wonder what kind of message they thought they were sending to their fans, their players, their sponsors and to the impressionable kids that follow sports & to the good people of Philadelphia as well as to animal lovers everywhere.
I could go on about the implications , I could vent , write letters , make posters . There is so much one could do in a situation such as this. While I watch what happens next with great interest one thing I have DONE is go here and sign this petition. It is a very little thing, a relatively small step & yet I slept better knowing I had done something ...

Happy

Things that make me happy today:

1. freshly vacuumed apartment(nothing like the absence of stray kitty litter )

2. Just cleaned windows in the apartment (I love how it almost looks like there is no pane of glass between you and the world outside.

3. Seeing my dear cats happy. Nothing like the eternal smile on Sandi's face or Nicki's sweet, yellow eyes.

4. A well constructed salad. (Home made , of course! This usually means the following ingredients are used:pine nuts,cranberries, crunchy lettuce or spinach

5. Lighting candles in the evening as the sun disappears for another day and dusk sets.(This is especially wonderful on cold winter nights=almost as good as having a fireplace)

6. Making art of any kind. I love creating things & I especially love making something for someone else.

7. Coming home to a letter in the mail box. Especially letters from artist friends as they choose wonderful stamps, have fantastic handwriting and make the most beautiful envelopes. The effect is such that it inspires me to continue the old art of letter writing much as I love the ease of email.

8. Recycling. Knowing that I am doing something good for the earth makes me very happy. Being able to use recycled materials in my art makes me even happier. (Like making a sketchbook cover collage out of a friend's amazing envelope.)

9. Opening up the bedroom curtains to sunny mornings. It starts the day off right and makes me feel like everything is going to go really well.

10. Bird song and rain hitting against the windows at night. Both make me very happy. I especially love hearing a bird, hidden in a bush or tree somewhere and being able to spot it among the foliage and identify it. Morning dove. Sparrow. Pigeon. Crow....

After ignoring all of the "Happy Lists" popping up in the world of blogs I finally caved in and made my own. If you happen to like reading other folks top ten things that make them happy go here . You'll find them scattered around the blog or under the listing of The Happiness Project.

Queens Crap: Trib: Bloomberg will not stop gassing until all geese dead

Queens Crap: Trib: Bloomberg will not stop gassing until all geese dead

Geese Peace

Ahimsa is a concept that feels right. When you see it or read about it or practice it -you just know you are on the right track. A sense of peace settles upon you that is unmistakable. In one of the follow up stories on NYC's geese killing this past week (800 dead and an estimated 1,200 slated for slaughter next week) I read about GeesePeace. You can read more about their concept here and as you read their text and admired their art and ideas, pay special attention to how it makes you feel. I think you'll notice a sense of peace, balance, compassion and Ahimsa-that feeling of calm and lightness of being.

Thanks to all who have signed the petition -it can be found here and reading some of the wise words written can be enlightening.

non-violence / Ahimsa

In response to the bird strike that brought down an airplane this past winter in N.Y.C. a plan to kill 2,000 geese was announced last week. Many organizations have come out against this plan, saying it will not work to protect anyone is is indeed cruel. (see here)

A petition has been set up to protest this action (see here) and I very much encourage folks to sign it and pass it on to others. I have always believed in non-violence (in yoga they call it Ahimsa) & I think this sense of compassion for all things should govern our decisions & actions.

Earth Hour 2009

Today is Earth Hour . What better way to spend that hour than beside an object easy to focus on, meditation for peace . Just a thought. OmOmOm

Flowers in the sun

At Jacob Riis Park today:a lovely window full of geranium flowers drinking up the sunshine . What could be more serene than that? 

peace at the beach

I found this while walking on the beach at Montauk Point with my mom today. I recognized it as a peace symbol right away but she was not so sure. What do you think? 

an image to meditate on

I found this photo in a Smith & Hawken catalog and saved it. Loved it but for the logo. I finally got around to matting it, gold leafing the mat and framing it this week. So serene. Back when I did yoga regularly I found just looking at a photo of someone doing an asana or in meditation was enough to soothe me. So I like surrounding myself with peaceful & beautiful images. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May the luck of the Irish be with you today & always!

The beauty of moss

Moss is one of THE most peaceful plants I know of. So gentle & soft & slow growing. & it comes in so many shades of green! If I was ever lucky enough to have my own garden, a section of it would be devoted to moss & ferns. There is something lush & lyrical about them. 

Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to all! I happen to love Valentines Day because it focuses on LOVE. I would like to think it is really about all love. So don't get swept away or turned off by the romantic love aspect. Just broaden your definition to include love of all things. I think great peace can be found in avoiding narrow definitions and by being inclusive. Remember, all you need is love. 

"L" : love with all your heart

"O": open your heart to whatever is happening

"V": value everything

"E": embrace it all 

Lunar peace

I love spotting the moon in the sky before sunset. 

peace of mind...

If you ever want to feel some deep peace : stand amid a forest of old trees. They are older than you, have seen a lot and know a great deal about life and peace. Just stand there and listen. 

More urban graffiti: Found this on my walk today. Hmmmmmmmmm.........................ommmmmmmmmm. 

Peace signs

I found this moments ago & fell in love with it. How cool! 

All God's creatures great & small

It is winter right now and every day that I get out to walk the forest and the park I spot an array of birds and squirrels and an occasional chip monk. I have taken to carrying bread crumbs & sometimes some nuts to feed the wild life I encounter. After tossing my crusts of bread into the trees today I spotted an entire GANG  of squirrels racing towards the food. Here is the one that stood still long enough to be photographed. I love animals. I happen to think they are smarted than we are. I do think we need to co-exist better with our furry friends. I will tell you this much-sitting on the freezing park bench, looking at this guy through my lens as the sun began to set for the day, I felt really happy. That feeling is not something you can buy in a store. That feeling is peaceful connection to all God's creatures. Did I ever mention I do yoga? Now might be the time to throw that into the mix before I start to sound like a tree hugger. I just happen to love and respect life, in all it's forms. As we say in yoga class:Om shanti. (PEACE)

The magic of music

When home this weekend I have been listening to NPR & several times there have been tributes to the music played for President Obama's inauguration. The magic of music tends to be that it resonates within one's soul . The lyrics are important too and the combinations of words & sounds is undeniably powerful.

 From "Simple Gifts" by Elder Joseph Brackett: 

' Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn , turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right. 

The fun of flying flags

I set up the flags today ( the small  one comes from my maternal grandparent's house)  in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day today & the inauguration of our  44th President tomorrow. I think people are excited about Mr. Obama because he represents our hopes & dreams. One of my dreams is for peace. Everywhere. Always. 

Which way to go?

As an artist I love signs. I love type. I love handwriting. Perhaps I even love graffiti-sometimes. It depends. Growing up in N.Y.C. there was a time when graffiti was everywhere . It presence has  diminished & it's artistry has as well. But one can still find interesting pieces here & there & it gives the sights a little interest if it is done well. Here are some examples found today:often overlooked  words scratched into cement-usually names and often followed by the lovely symbol of a heart/an unusual spray painted tag (it struck me as calligraphic in nature:as if it was done by pen stroke rather than spray can nozzle ) & the common street sign-perhaps it is pointing out the way to go in life rather than "just" the flow of traffic on the street...?   

More lovely snow

Early this morning we got more snow and as I looked out the bedroom window this serene scene caught my eye. A neighbor's collection of flower pots gathered against a wall-asleep & waiting for spring. 

LOVE

From today's walk: LOVE. Sometimes, it CAN be all you need. 

P.S. The green glass "love" is from a NYC waterside park & the image was added on 6/ 5/09

Peaceful ...

Some sights inspire a sense of peace-the very last leaves,still clinging to a branch in deep winter. A small creature going about it's day. 2 scenes from today that inspired a quiet,calm feeling when they caught my eye. 

P.S. If you are feeling restless or down or in any way out of sorts-go for a walk & take your walks in nature of some sort. You will return to home/work/life feeling so much better. I have found that over time, walks in nature have the same effect as doing yoga or meditation-a sense of happiness & a perspective of  compassion for whatever is going on & driving you out of balance & center. 

Peace in 2009

In the 1st day of the new year -a road trip . On the way, a peace sign we spotted on a car in front of us. As we drove to our destination, the sun began to set for the first time in 2009. Sun sets (and rises) tend to be great moments for tuning in to a sense of quiet, peace & beauty. May everyone's 2009 be filled with many lovely sun sets!