Life as it is...

I have been incredibly busy lately. I've got the upcoming market season barreling towards me at a breakneck pace, homeschooling panics, household chores, family negotiations.. The usual life things, for the most part. It seems the upcoming festivals and farmer's markets put a bit more pressure on me than other things do, since they have to be done On Time or In Time.
I've been finding more motivation and happiness in creating this spring than I have in a long time. I'm grateful for that, as it makes it much easier to meet my goals! I struggle with perfectionism, though. Sometimes it's tempting to just stop instead of torturing myself with how things won't be just. so. But I can't do that, can I? I really do like making soap and I really like having a business.
I want to be the best soapmaker, I want to contribute financially to my family, and I want to do it on my time. Wow. No pressure, right? ;)

Well, it seems right now that the pressure has let up a bit. I'm enjoying creating new soaps, new scents, new things.. I'm enjoying thinking of taking inventory as "math" for my daughter, and making up a soap list as "writing practice". I love the not-quite-instant gratification of a beautiful, natural product that I feel proud to sell to people.

I hope I can recall all of this when I don't enjoy it quite so much. For now, it's bringing me peace to create and live and do it all together.

Maybe I should do The Artist's Way again...

Since last time...

We've had more snowstorms. Blizzards. Days of home bound craziness. So.. I did learn to knit. And I like it! And it is relaxing. It really helps me focus, something I'd forgotten about crocheting. It really is like meditation.
To be honest, my knitting is probably a lot more like meditation than my meditation is.

And I've started a knitting group. We meet on Saturdays at a coffee house downtown to chat and knit, crochet, whatever. Or to learn how. It's been really fun to meet new people and get a chance to sit with others.
I have so many new things going on in my life right now, I am glad to have a time to just sit and visit over yarn. Spring is always a busy time, and this year it seems more so (doesn't it every year?).
I hope you find some time to sit. Relax. Visit with friends. Breathe.

Peace

Awaiting A Storm

On a windy day 1, originally uploaded by randihausken.

We are under a Blizzard Warning right now, expecting quite a bit of snow and blowing in the next few days. Knowing that a storm is coming always makes me feel like I need to prepare! Go shopping! Buy food! Make soup! :) Every time I learn of a snow storm (before it starts snowing!) I wish I knew how to knit, so I could sit in peace - knitting and watching the snow.
Well.. I know how to crochet and there is no shortage of resources for learning to knit. But if I learn how, I'll discharge that little fantasy. The fantasy that I could have time knitting, making something useful, being quiet and observing the snow making everything new again.
So, why is this a fantasy? Why haven't I taken the time to make this reality? Is it because it is easier? There is no chance of failure or frustration in fantasy. There is no constant interruptions so familiar to people with small children. There is no learning curve, preparation, boredom, or failure.
But really... how Real are those things? If I knit something crooked and unusable, didn't I still enjoy knitting it? If I see those interruptions as moments to be more mindful, more present, then aren't they moments of clarity, instead of frustration?
Finding peace in our journey (to the kitchen, to the store, to spiritual enlightenment, to clean teeth) is the point, I think. I don't know why we are so drawn to fantasy, to things that are inherently UnReal.
The truth is, there is no learning curve, preparation, boredom or failure here now. Unless we make it. Every moment can be enjoyable. Every moment we are alive is a miracle, in and of itself!

I read a quote recently, although I can't remember where that really made me aware of how much we create in our mind, that isn't necessarily real:

Doubts do not grow branches and leaves.

Of course they don't! They only exist because we let them. We entertain them. We keep them going long after they would have been quiet. And get this: We don't have to. Feel them, let them go. How freeing! How amazing to think that we can stop feeling bad by Stopping Feeling Bad. Stop overanalyzing, fretting, putting yourself down, whatever it is. Breathe, see the sky, feel the wind, smell the coffee. It is right here and it is your reality.

Peace

A Peaceful Existence

Monastery, originally uploaded by Der Hannes.

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking on peace and how we can cultivate it in our lives. What brings me peace? What brings peace to my family? Our home? Our relationships with each other? Our relationship with the earth?


One of the things I've found a lot of inspiration and guidance from is A Quiet Mind. Robert offers a lot of food for thought and some great insight on how to find peace through acceptance. It is from a mostly Buddhist perspective, although I think anyone who has an interest in peaceful living and/or meditation would find a lot of good in it.

So, back to the point. How do you cultivate peace in your lfe? Do you cultivate peace spiritually? Physically? Is mental peace different from emotional peace? What about peace in our lifestyle, living simply?

I have so many thoughts on this that I am going to have to do many posts!! There are a lot of times where I am striving for peace in my life and failing miserably. How about you?

Some things I've been finding inspiration in right now are:

Mama Om - a blog by a mama of 2 boys, trying to live and parent peacefully.

Mindful Kids - I haven't had a chance to properly look over this website, but it looks very promising.

Peace

Sorting Out

So, I have this post on peace and how we can cultivate it in our lives that I've been working on. Of course, I have been anything but peaceful since I started writing it. The truth is, there is just so much (too much) to cover. The possibilities are endless. Where do I even start?
While I figure that out, I am doing a lot of reading. Books I've got out right now are:


Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu I've read this before a time or two, but I have finally bought my own copy.

Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh The author was recommended by a friend and this is the only one of his books I found at the library.

Awakening to the Sacred by Lama Surya Das I got this book from the library because it looks really interesting. It is a sort of "how to" manual on 'creating a spiritual life from scratch'. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

The Zen of Creativity by John Daido Loori I am not sure I'll read this whole book, but it looks interesting and has a lot of quotes and stories in it.

Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School Pretty self-explanatory here, I think. It gets pretty good reviews and our library didn't have it.

Peyton Place by Grace Metalious Because really, have you seen all the other stuff I'm reading? Everybody needs a trashy novel to break up all the learning!

Hopefully, I'll get a little perspective and be able to return to that bit of writing that is causing me so much irritation.

Peace

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. What do I plan to blog about? Well.. pretty much everything, I suppose. :)

For those times when we can't get it right, search fruitlessly and feel that we will never find peace.. invent it. There is a joy in "making it up" that all children know. Let's know it, too.

Make up some peace for yourself. Get it where you can.

Peace,
Cricket