Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow. Frances Hodgson Burnett
In the book The Secret Garden the author states that thoughts are as powerful as electric batteries…. To let a sad (bad) thought get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you live.
Her solution was to retreat to her famous rose garden where two things cannot grow in one place. FHB. Therefore when a discouraged thought comes into mind, have the sense to push it out.
This week, I invite you to cultivate our own garden. Voltaire
Imagine Red Doors as your personal secret garden. A place to receive the vibrations of the gongs, to let go the busy mind to be replaced with a sense of calm, hope and positivity.
Walk as one at one.
Labyrinths are metaphors for our life journey. Its twists and turns represent road bumps while the circuitous path draws us towards our destination. It slows us down, tests our patience, and allows us to be fully present. Dr. Herbert Benson, Founder of the Harvard Mind Body Institute said it is one of the best ways to elicit the relaxation response.
We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down. Robert Sweetgall And not only do thoughts come clearly while one walks. Thomas Mann but walking cures all ills. Solvitur ambulando St.Augustine
Find a labyrinth near you to walk on World Labyrinth Day May 7, 2022. www.labyrinthsociety.org/labyrinthlocator
Say "Yes" to Quiet
International Noise Awareness Day was founded in 1996 by the Center for Hearing and Communication to raise awareness and educate the public about the harmful effects of noise on hearing, health and quality of life.
Noise is unwanted sound. Since the 1930's attention has been drawn to the effect of ambient sound.on our wellbeing. In the workplace unwanted noise reduces productivity, damages hearing, stresses the nervous system and impairs sleep. While children exposed to loud noises will suffer developmentally.
Quiet refers to calm and tranquility. Often in our busy lives we yearn for peace and quiet, linking one to the other. This week I invite you to 'say no to noise and yes to quiet'. Sit comfortably, close your eyes and breathe long and deep for one minute allowing your mind to become still and simply be.
Peace Begins With Me
Oh peace, there you are
Where have you been
All this time?
Right here inside you.
anon
Peace does not mean being in a place with no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. anon
Nobody can bring you peace but yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson
And As you change your thoughts the world around you changes. Louise Hay
So if there is to be peace in the world, there must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, there must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, there must be peace between neighbours. If there is to be peace between neighbours, there must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, there must be peace in the heart. Lao Tzu
Therefore, as gentle as a snowflake, let peace enter your heart. Japanese Proverb
And what better way than a visit to the studio?
Compassion is a verb. Plato
Compassion is a verb. Thich Nhat Hanh
This week a number of clients shared slivers of their COVID journey tinged with suffering, anxiety, stress and pain. They are the walking wounded who still hold ‘it’ together with determined strength and emotional fragility.
If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path. Buddha
They find their way to the studio. A place of calm in the city. This week I am reminded to Be (especially) kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle. Plato and that No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Leo Buscaglia
Kindness changes the moment. Empathy changes people. Compassion changes the world. Anon
Even keeled
In sailing a keel is the backbone running lengthwise from stem to stern. Traditional boats have a deep weighted keel extending below the water line to provide stability by means of a counter balance to the sails. When you are sailing, a strong wind pushes the boat over giving you the impression of speed however the greater the surface area of the boat that touches the water, the slower your speed through the water. The optimum angle is about 15°. Thus the optimum speed in a sailboat is actually nearly vertical. Or on an even keel. So too in life.
We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will never rest, we must learn to sail in high winds. Aristotle Onassis
In humans being on an ‘even keel’ means functioning normally after a period of difficulty or a person with a calm temperament. As we continue to navigate life with the restrictions of COVID imposed upon us I invite you to seek the path that allows you to remain calm in order to progress steadily towards your goals.
It is remarkable how quickly a good and favourable wind can sweep away the maddening frustrations of shore living. Ernest Gann
Be the calm
It's about finding calm in the chaos. Donna Karan
Not a day goes by without an eye catching headline escalating anxiety and fear. Long ago I learned to stop asking "what else?" I believe in taking a step back, gain perspective and focus on that which you can control. You can't calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass. - Timber Hawkeye
Deep down nature is inherently peaceful, calm and beautiful, The universe as a whole is perfect. The chaos is on the surface. - Amit Ray. Neutrality gives us the power of choice. One way of finding inner calm is through sound. “When one tunes in into nature’s frequency, life becomes change, change becomes hope!” - Aniekee Tochukwu Ezekiel.
“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.”― Pema Chödrön