This past week I have been having pangs of missing blogging. I haven’t really taken the time to do anything about it, but note the tug and think something tugging that strongly probably deserves a bit of attention in my life, especially since at this point, with the new part time job, my life is well set up to add blogging back in with no stress.
I have recently subscribed to delancyplace.com which daily sends a snippet of a book. Some I simply delete, some call to me. Today’s post actually supports my morning ritual of waking, connecting out into the All, and saying thank you. I was going to post it on Facebook but decided that I wanted something a bit more permanent, something I can find when I need it.
“Here’s a brief exercise that will raise your well-being and lower your depression: The gratitude visit. Close your eyes. Call up the face of someone still alive who years ago did something or said something that changed your life for the better. Someone who you never properly thanked; someone you could meet face-to-face next week. Got a face? Gratitude can make your life happier and more satisfying. When we feel gratitude, we benefit from the pleasant memory of a positive event in our life. Also, when we express our gratitude to others, we strengthen our relationship with them. But sometimes our thank you is said so casually or quickly that it is nearly meaningless. … Your task is to write a letter of gratitude to this individual and deliver it in person. The letter should be concrete and about three hundred words: be specific about what she did for you and how it affected your life. Let her know what you are doing now, and mention how you often remember what she did. Make it sing! Once you have written the testimonial, call the person and tell her you’d like to visit [him or] her, but be vague about the purpose of the meeting; this exercise is much more fun when it is a surprise. When you meet her, take your time reading your letter. ” from Flourish by Martin Seligman.
It seems that today will be a day of receiving grace – which translates in my world to happy unexpected synchronicity showing up. There was the above bit in my email inbox, and the following on my Kindle – I just finished the third installment of I Bring the Fire (warning: I got the first installment free on Pixel of Ink and immediately purchased II and III – this is unheard of for me and the author, C. Gockel, has me hooked – I will be spending more if she writes more I hope I hope! But I digress), and pulled up another book in the catalog, Create a Dynamic Year 2014 by Lisa Michaels. I opened to:
Imbolc traditionally celebrated on February 1 or 2, with exact astrological point February 3. Imbolc is the cross-quarter Wheel of the Year point following Winter solstice. Also known as Brighid’s day or Candlemas, it marks the starting point of spring….A great opportunity exists during Imbolc to ceremonially create a ‘treasure map’ or a creation journal, a collage of pictures and ideas that represents what you want to manifest in your life this year, a visual reminder of the creations that are ready to sprout, grow, and bear fruit.”
Today is a non-work day, freezing cold outside (tho I may go an take a few pictures to share), and perfect for that vision journal – right down my alley. I will put my own face in the middle of the page, add my word and phrase for the year and what I learned from last year, then spend some happy time with magazines and tape and paste and dreams. My big lesson from last year was that dreams are bigger than I can think, to release and lean into them – that’s what my vision will be. I will add a page or three or five to my vision sketchbook journals (vision mask here, starter for visioning here , how-to here) and have a lovely day of it. Maybe I’ll even forego the fire and let the furnace heat the house so I can focus on this – it feels really important!
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[…] are leaving January and moving into Imbolc/the beginning of February. Spring, believe it or not, is on its way. Beneath the frozen […]