Inspired by Zen Habits

Some of you may have seen Leo Babauta's blog zen habits listed in the sidebar (under Currently Inspired By). I've had it listed there for a while, but haven't written about why I find it inspiring.

The blog is very simple, even stark. White with black text, no images, no ads, no lists, boxes, or sidebars. He writes about mindfulness, productivity, and minimalism, and many of the posts are written as lists or how to's. The advice is generally concise, helpful, and easy to read. Implementation, however, is always more challenging. Sometimes I can get lost in reading through the archives, but I find the most effective way for me to use his blog is to limit myself to reading one or two posts at a time on a topic I feel that I need a push on at that moment.

As recommended by Leo Babauta (and many other experts on time management), I have cut back a lot on the amount of information I take in, including the number of blogs I read. In fact, zen habits is now the only blog I peruse on a regular basis. I find that it is one of the few blogs that inspires me to do something more than just read more blogs.

If you have not visited zen habits yet, here are a few posts well worth checking out. I also recommend looking through the archives.

Monk Mind: How to Increase Your Focus
Top 20 Motivation Hacks - An Overview
Minimalist Fun: The 100 Things Challenge
lessons from a car-free life

Meditation Inspiration - more Gail Straub

In a previous post, I mentioned Gail Straub's book Circle of Compassion. I am still finding myself inspired by the short meditations and gentle reminders throughout this little gem of a book.

I don't spend a lot of time in the car, but usually when I am in the car alone, I listen to news or music. Today, I decided on silence. This evening I was leafing through Gail's book, and this page caught my eye:

"When I am alone driving in my car I use this as quiet time; I empty out, I pray, I remember what I am grateful for, I am quiet."

The silence was good. My mind was still busy within that, but I feel I am more conscious of that busyness now. Meditation has helped give me that moment of awareness about what's going on in my head, and at that moment I have a choice to continue or not. When I fill the quiet with music or news, it distracts me, and I don't notice my thoughts. That moment of awareness doesn't come, or is easily missed. The quiet is important for me. I strive to be aware even in the loud and distracting moments, but Gail reminds me to create quiet in-between time in which to practice bringing greater awareness from the meditation cushion into the rest of my life.

Inspired by MLK

“We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘person-oriented’ society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”

                                                                        ~Martin Luther King

There are a lot of crazy things going on around the world of late. A lot to get angry, worried, and scared about. How do we deal with all of it? Many of us can't, so at some point we just tune out.

I know for myself that I need to limit my intake of news and other media. I like to know a bit about what is going on, but not too much. For me, the best way to stay positive is to keep focused on the things I can do something about.

That's what this quote reminds and inspires me to do - focus on people and on building a person-oriented society in my own community.

How do you cope with bad news overload? Who or what inspires you to focus on the positive and to take action where you can?

Inspired by... Barely Balanced

When we were in Florida, we attended a renaissance festival at which we saw the group Barely Balanced perform. Advertised as featuring sharp knives and stupid humans, my favorite  parts were the acrobatics and juggling. Dan's family purchased a DVD of their show which also included some basic how-to's and now Dan and I are practicing for our own show!  Well, not really, but we are working on one trick for fun. I also want to get some clubs so I can expand my juggling skills and I'm thinking about building a balance board. 

Who wants to see me try to juggle, hula hoop, and stand on a balance board at the same time? 

Monday's Inspiration - Penny Colman

To everyone who has fought and who is fighting and who will fight for the rights of women everywhere.

I'm reading Penny Colman's new book, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World (to be released in May).

I appreciate the dedication (quoted above) and Penny certainly fits the description herself. Through her writings she preserves the memories and honors incredible women and their achievements. 

I met Penny a couple of years ago when she was a guest author at a Reading Retreat sponsored by BookWomen.

I liked her style and enthusiasm about her writing process and about the women she writes about. Although I believe, like Penny, that, "Women’s history is an antidote against taking hard won gains for granted and against being duped into thinking that we have to keep proving ourselves," I often find history books Boring. But Penny does the work -- she reads (and professes enjoyment) all the background -- books and letters and documents -- and condenses them in a style that is informative and engaging.

Penny is being featured as the Feminist Writer of the Month at the Veteran Feminist's of America (VFA) website.

Her biographical statement:

Penny Colman writes about illustrious and fascinating women and a wide range of significant and intriguing topics in her award-winning books for all ages. Born in Denver, Colorado, in 1944, she grew up in North Warren, Pennsylvania, on the grounds of a state mental hospital, where her father was a psychiatrist. In 1960, she joined a group and rode her bicycle (plus took a few train rides) across the U.S. In 1964 she dropped out of college, worked in a frozen food factory in Sweden and hitchhiked throughout Europe, including to Turkey and Greece. Between 1965-1970, she graduated from college and graduate school, got married, and had three very close-in-age children. In 1987, as her children were graduating from high school, Penny Colman embarked on a freelance writing career and has been going full steam ever since. (Amazon.com)

I'll let you know what I think about her new book when I finish it. I plan to review it for Story Circle Book Reviews.  Meanwhile, here's a smattering of Penny Colman's previous titles.

Inspired by... Dali

We recently visited the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL. I thought I was familiar with his work before, but I was amazed and inspired to see the tremendous depth and breadth of his work and creativity. He worked in many different media, styles, and sizes, collaborated with other artists, writers, and creative thinkers, and refused to be boxed in to one category.

The museum itself was newly opened and specifically designed to house his work.

Instead of continuing with my own interpretation, I want to share with you with some of Dali's words and images and let you interpret them in your own way.

"Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing."

Telephone in a Dish with Three Grilled Sardines at the End of September, 1939

"It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning."

 Average Atmospherocephalic Bureaucrat in the Act Milking a Cranial Harp, 1933

"What is a television apparatus to man, who has only to shut his eyes to see the most inaccessible regions of the seen and the never seen, who has only to imagine in order to pierce through walls and cause all the planetary Baghdads of his dreams to rise from the dust."

Sugar Sphinx, 1933

"I don't do drugs. I am drugs.

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic."

 Hallucinogenic Toreador, 1968-1970

 

Dali Fishing, 1954 (Philippe Halsman)

"Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure - that of being Salvador Dali."

Garden Inspiration and Resources

Since this is the time of year when I am dreaming of and planning for the gardening season to come, I thought I'd share some of my new and old favorite gardening resources with you.

Photo from You Grow Girl

Books/Magazines
Eliot Coleman's The Winter Harvest Handbook, Four-Season Harvest, and The New Organic Grower
John Jeavons' The Sustainable Vegetable Garden or How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine
Gayla Trail's Grow Great Grub and You Grow Girl

Organic Gardening Magazine
Mother Earth News
I also love to browse the gardening section at my local library for books with lots of photos and garden plans. Though I rarely use specifics from this sort of book and don't recommend buying them, they can help generate ideas for my own garden.

Seed/Plant Catalogs
Fedco
High Mowing Organic Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds (also has great tools)
St. Lawrence Nurseries - cold-hardy fruit and nut trees
Lee Valley (tools only, no plants)

Photo from Organic Gardening

Online Resources and Eye Candy
Seed starting chart from You Grow Girl
Farm Hack - a resource for making your own farm and garden tools and equipment
Martha Stewart Gardening - also features some practical DIY projects
Path to Freedom - Urban homestead in Pasadena, CA

What are your favorite gardening resources and inspiration?

Monday's Inspiration - Young Adult Fiction

 

I've recently been reading some novels that are designated "young adult" fiction.

As the times have changed, of course, so has the content of books directed at 14-21 year-old readers. We, who grew up on The Catcher in the Rye and initially wondered if Judy Blume's books were appropriate for our children, may be out of touch with the styles and issues that are now the young-adult book norm.

In addition to Harry Potter and his magical forays, young voracious readers are thinking about bullying, suicide, gay love, and other sexual preferences -- including fooling around with vampires (perhaps just another version of hormonal bad-girl/rebellious boy couplings). Young adult novels often focus on a single theme. They tend to be fast-paced and don't get sidetracked by side-plots. Some are serious, others are silly. And surprisingly, many challenge the reader with complex ethical dilemmas. 

The Hunger Games, a wildly popular young adult novel (with very definite cross-over into the adult market) is at once engaging, exciting, and depressing. The bottom line - set in a post-apocalyptic world,  children are sacrificed and forced to engage in gladiator fights to the death. Yet in this series there is strong character development as well as fast plotting. Rebecca and I both read the whole series -- and agreed. Our friend Heather seemed to inhale the three books during her christmas break after we suggested them to her. I am still waiting to hear if my brother found them readable. Highly recommended.


I also just finished If I Stay. This is how the book is described in a starred review in Publisher's Weekly:

The last normal moment that Mia, a talented cellist, can remember is being in the car with her family. Then she is standing outside her body beside their mangled Buick and her parents' corpses, watching herself and her little brother being tended by paramedics. As she ponders her state (Am I dead? I actually have to ask myself this), Mia is whisked away to a hospital, where, her body in a coma, she reflects on the past and tries to decide whether to fight to live. 

I realize that recently the so-called adult fiction that I have been reading may be intellectually interesting, somewhat complex, often too pat and that I find myself more drawn into the emotional life of the characters in young adult fiction. Often wiping away a tear or gasping with fear or anger.

And an interesting note about young-adult fiction in the news....

The most controversial young adult book at the moment is one that was written in 1884. Of course, I am referring to The Adventures of Huck Finn. Although in the nineteenth century books were not categorized by age group, there were books published that appealed to younger readers. Because of the over 200 times that the N-word is used, many schools have chosen not to allow teachers to require the reading and discussion of Huck Finn. There is a move to replace the numerous mentions of "nigger" with the word "slave." 

A slippery slope the replacing of offensive words in published works. Twain wrote in a different era. 

Will we -- readers and educators -- allow the conscious re-writing of history to placate critics?

What do you think about current and historical young-adult books? Any you recommend?

Monday's Inspiration - Online Art Classes

Wandering around the internet I continue to find incredible inspiration and resources.

A wordy person like me might want to shake up her perspective and add a visual aspect to her work.

One of the ways to do this is to create a Visual Journal.

The art supply company Strathmore is offering some free online Visual Journaling workshops.

Check them out.

Of course, I've signed up for all three of their 4-week classes that are offered this season. All entail weekly video and print instructions. And there is a classroom with forums to ask questions and share photos of your projects. I am inspired by looking at the pages some of the students have created -- they are running on a slideshow at the classroom site.

Currently there are over 800 people in the class...and like most online classes only some join in the discussion.

I also recommend Artellaland -- for a creative boost. Check out their site and get on their free enewsletter list.

Monday's Inspiration – December 27

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. From my own personal experience, it can be a catalyst for enriching your life. -- Ali Edwards

Some people recommend choosing a theme for a new year. I find that inspirational. The theme should be succinct. What is my focus, my intention for the year -- in one word?

For me, the One Word serves, depending on the day and my mood, as a filter, a mantra, or a pep talk. On days when I am floundering or feel overwhelmed by the length of my to-do list, if I reflect on my One Word I choose better, I make sure I add some task – no matter how small -- that connects me with my One Word, with focus and intention.

In past years I’ve done this informally, by myself without sharing the concept or word with others, but without a specific plan, my focus was somewhat haphazard. Sometimes I’d remember to return to my word, sometimes I’d forget about it for weeks or months. In the past I choose active encouraging words – words that to me had flow and movement – like The Year of Vitality, or Creativity, or Exploration. And our sabbatical (June 2008 – May 2009) was titled The Dream Year.

This year I’ve decided I could use some inspiration and encouragement …and have signed up for an online workshop titled One Little Word offered by Ali Edwards (author of the above quote) at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Here’s how Ali describes the class:

I plan to bring my word into my life more consciously and concretely and make it more visible by creating an album to hold my thoughts, challenges and inspirations. You're invited to join me on this journey.
Each month you'll receive an email and an invitation to visit the One Little Word classroom. Inside the classroom, you'll find a gentle reminder message, encouragement to refocus, and a simple creative project to complete related to your word. At the end of the year you'll have an album that celebrates and honors your word - making it that much more concrete and visible in your life.

I’m looking forward to it. And, with some hesitation,  my word for 2011 is Aging.

Perhaps not as active or expansive as my former themes. With Aging I want to consciously explore the changes in my thoughts and feelings, plans and questions about Turning 60.

Hope you join me on this journey…formally or informally.

What’s your One Little Word for 2011?

Monday's Inspiration - Dec 20

Reading online, clicking links, finding sites that aggregate -- that have done the work for me, to find diverse resources that I can peruse for education and entertainment especially online resources that I might not have found by myself.
A waste of time?? Yes, certainly sometime. And I can be a couch-computer-surfer in the same stereotypic way as a TV couch-potato.
But this is fun...
Here are two sites I find interesting.


 RightBrainTerrain
The tagline is "create, propagate, motivat" and they highlight a Word section that describes itself as
"Weekday distractions, inspirations, and the rediculous," (yes, their intentional change of spelling)

AND

Brain Pickings

Their tagline is "Curating eclectic interestingness from culture's collective brain."

We believe that in order to improve or even fully understand a concept (or product, or idea, or argument), you have to first understand all the little pieces that surround it. Pieces across art, design, music, technology, philosophy, religion, politics, philanthropy, neuroscience, psychology, sociology, anthropology, ecology, you-name-itology. Pieces that make your original concept stronger, smarter, richer, deeper and more impactful.

This is Brain Pickings. It’s about tidbits of stuff that inspires, revolutionizes, or simply makes us think. It’s about innovation and authenticity and all those other things that have become fluff phrases but don’t have to be. Mostly, it's about ideas — revolutionary new ideas that no one has seen or thought of before, and old ideas that most have seen, but no one has thought of in this way before. Because the cross-pollination of ideas is what allows us to harness our own creativity by building a fascinating, diverse, relentlessly inspiring library of other people’s.

And, yes, despite the pageantry fluff of it, we do all want to “make the world a better place.”

You can also follow them on facebook...which means you'll get headlines and links in an easy succinct format.

WHAT DO YOU READ ROUTINELY ONLINE THAT IS OUTSIDE OF YOUR USUAL TYPE OF READING CHOICES? WHAT DO YOU FIND INSPIRATIONAL ONLINE?

Monday's Inspiration - Dec 13

 I am inspired by...reflecting on the past year and thinking about hopes and goals for the new one approaching.
And I like pithy questions or writing prompts to help me.
 In that vein,
have you heard about reverb10?
Via email or their website, there are daily end-of-the-year writing prompts. Simple questions that you can pass on by or stop and muse for awhile.

Here is how they describe themselves...

Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Use the end of your year as an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead. With Reverb 10 - and the 31 prompts our authors have created for you - you'll have support on your journey.

I especially liked this one posted recently:

Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? 
(written by Author: Sam Davidson 50 Things Your Life Doesn't Need)

I'm thinking....what about you? Anything come to mind immediately?

Monday's Inspiration

I love lists and I like reading about what others find inspirational....so here's today's choice. Written by a man from India - isn't the internet a great connector? And check out the last one on the list -- follow the link -- it IS funny.

What do you find inspiring?
What shakes you out of the winter doldrums?

*****************************************
Life isn't always hunky dory. No matter how good we are at what we do, and how well we plan things out, we do get stuck. That's when we need inspiration - inspiration to move on, to do what we are supposed to do, to start something new, to build what we were trying to build...inspiration to carry on with life.

This article has a number of tips to help you find inspiration. They are written keeping in mind everyone who's stuck at something, doesn't matter what it is, is looking to get inspired. Hope you find some of them useful.

1. Talk to someone you love.

2. Watch a kid play. Watch how he lives in the present, enjoying every moment.

3. Watch a movie.

4. Read a book.

5. Read an inspirational story.

6. Watch a TED video that inspires.

7. Watch a Youtube video that inspires.

8. Recall great moments from past.

9. Think about the things you are good at.

10. Strike up a conversation on Twitter.

11. Connect with someone on Facebook.

12. Join a LinkedIn Group.

13. Browse through Flickr photos that inspire.

14. Check out Boston.com's Big Picture.

15. Listen to music.

16. Attend a music concert.

17. Get back to that sport you stopped playing.

18. Read an autobiography.

19. Read about the life of your favorite sportstar.

20. Read about successes and failures.

21. Read about underdogs who overcame.

22. Find a date.

23. Get married and start a family.

24. Draw something.

25. Read about something you've never read.

26. Visit a place you've never visited.

27. Learn a language you thought you could never learn.

28. Get some inspirational wallpapers for your computer.

29. Read some inspirational quotes.

30. Take a walk.

31. Go on a long hike with a group of people.

32. Call up your old friends and relatives.

33. Sing out loudly.

34. Join a dance club.

35. Use StumbleUpon.

36. Go out with your camera and click some pictures.

37. Scour through the archives of your favorite websites.

38. Write anything. Don't think, just write as the thoughts come.

39. Meditate in solitude.

40. Spend some time with nature.

41. Break your routine. Do something unexpected.

42. Read poetry.

43. Watch a play.

44. Explore religion.

45. Exercise. Do yoga.

46. Scour through Delicious.

47. Watch the sunrise and sunset.

48. Volunteer for a noble cause.

49. Help someone with a task.

50. Teach and share knowledge.

51. Create a blog on Blogger or Wordpress.

52. Get started with Tumblr or Posterous.

53. Play with your pet.

54. Cook something amazing.

55. Celebrate a festival you've never celebrated.

56. Camp in the woods for a few days.

57. Form a new habit.

58. Quit something you've always been trying to quit.

59. Take part in a marathon.

60. Listen to what people around you have to say.

61. Remember, only Google has the answer to life, the universe and everything. ;)

Inspired by...

the fall foliage, and the interaction between natural and man-made objects.

 

What inspires you to take your camera out?

Meditation Inspiration - Gail Straub

In Circle of Compassion: Meditations for Caring - For the Self and the World, Gail Straub writes:

Constant busyness is a form of violence.

I acknowledge that too much busyness steals my

capacity for compassion toward both myself and others.

Overextending myself is sometimes tempting... there is so much important work to be done. What I tend to forget is that when I don't take the time to care for myself, I have less to share with others too. This book is an excellent reminder for me of the importance of always seeking a balance in my life ... between work and personal, activity and quiet, company and solitude, what I do for others and what I do for myself.

Inspiration and Intention - Bike Riding

Since I got back from Spain, I have been riding my bike quite a bit, mainly just to get from one place to another without using my car. I intend to continue using my bike as much as possible for commuting, errands, and general getting around purposes. I also would like to ride a bit more for fun and try to encourage others to ride more too.

I used to hate riding my bike anywhere with cars and other vehicles around. I am just starting to get more comfortable with it, and I thought I'd share some of the strategies that have helped me out for those who are interested.

1. Go slow and steady
The whole experience of getting around on a bike can be pretty daunting for a beginner - getting in shape, keeping your bike upright, avoiding potholes, paying attention to traffic, not getting hit by a car,  navigating, etc. I think the best way to deal with this is to start out slow - literally riding at a slow speed, so you're not breathing hard, and also taking fairly short jaunts to start with. As you get more confident, you can gradually build up to riding longer distances and/or a faster pace.

2. Ride with others
Especially on a longer ride or a ride to a new place, I feel much more confident and enjoy myself more when I ride with a friend. Riding with one or more people also increases your visibility to motorists.

3. Don't skimp on safety
Please buy and use a helmet. Ditto for a bell, and front and rear lights if you ever ride at night. Having the right safety equipment not only keeps you safer, but in my opinion makes you more confident on the bike. It is also wise to carry a multi-tool, a spare tube or patch kit, and a pump or a CO2 cartridge. You may also want to invest in something to carry cargo on your bike instead of your person, whether that's a rear rack with a milk crate attached, or some sort of fancy basket or panniers. Keeping your bike in good working order is also essential. You can take your bike to a shop for regular or tune-ups, or pick up a book on bike maintenance and do it yourself.

A pretty and functional bike basket seen on the streets of NYC

One resource I have been inspired by lately when it comes to bikes is Let's Go Ride a Bike, a blog written by two women who make riding year round look easy, fun, and even stylish. One of them lives in Chicago and rides her bike year round! The blog features how-to instructions and videos, photos of cute bikes and cute people riding bikes in stylish outfits, and plenty of inspirational ideas for ways to have more fun riding your bike, build connections with other cyclists, and more. I recently went on a bicycle picnic excursion with a few friends, after seeing it suggested on their blog. Photos from the picnic are below. I forgot to take any with the bikes, but I swear we rode them!

Meditation Inspiration: Pema Chodron

I love these tiny Shambhala Pocket editions for travel. On my Spain trip, I brought Awakening Loving-Kindness (Shambhala Pocket Classics) by Pema Chodron. I already own her book The Wisdom of No Escape: And the Path of Loving-Kindness and these are basically the same book (with a few edits), but I bought it anyway because I wanted a travel-size version and I find myself reading it again and again.

One of the chapters I found inspiring on my trip is called Sending & Taking, and it is about tonglen practice. This is basically a practice where you take all the good stuff you feel and send it out into the world for others to share in, and you take all the bad stuff (pain, fear) in the world and experience it personally so that others don't have to. She explains "This pain can be of benefit to others because I can be courageous enough to feel it fully so no one else has to." I know, I know... you're probably thinking "but it doesn't work that way" and on a certain level you're right. But I think the practice is really about developing compassion and that if you are able to do that, it really does benefit others. Pema explains that it means "you have the aspiration to be able to walk into any situation and be of benefit."

What do you think about this idea? And what would it take for you to "walk into any situation and be of benefit"?

INSPIRATION - Morning Pages and ORDINARY

 

I write daily...I start my day with a cup of coffee and my journal (Blueline hardcover notebook with grid pages) and write my Morning Pages, a technique first described by Julia Cameron in her book The Artist’s Way:

Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages-- they are not high art. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind-- and they are for your eyes only.

Sounds easy, huh?
I don’t recall my initial reaction when I read that... but I was encouraged by Julia Cameron’s description and her explanation for writing in the morning – before one’s inner critic wakes up. And that got me – my sporadic journaling often had a self-conscious quality to it. I’d write during crises but didn’t maintain the journaling habit during “ordinary” times because I was waiting to write something profound. Something interesting or insightful, pithy or witty. Just not ORDINARY.

Now that I’ve kept it up – having written Morning Pages almost daily for over 15 years – I know it is more about the process and less about the details. Oh, every so often there is something I wrote that I want to save – to reflect back on or to include in another piece of writing. But what’s most important to me is having a place to check in daily – to keep myself honest and to watch my own patterns. I notice when a seed of a thought grows into something larger because my morning pages notebook is the right environment for it. Or when a thought or feeling that I’ve been ignoring recurs (what I describe as “keeps knocking on my door”) and so I finally listen to its message.

I find it easy to credit the morning pages process for my big accomplishments and projects – from writing books to taking the Dream Year sabbatical. I also know that it continues to be helpful on a daily basis. Acknowledging and understanding and, in essence, honoring my ORDINARY life.