Surfhouse Hot Chocolate

Photo from Surfhouse Facebook Page

I mean... look at that cup of hot chocolate!! And the 4 toasted marshmallows!! The first time I ordered the Old Fashioned Hot Chocolate I was so excited about the toasted marshmallows I actually dunked my fingers in to grab one. My fingers got a little burnt, but it was oh so worth it!! It's a cup of absolute yummy goodness... probably over exceeds my sugar intake for the day... but a treat now and again is okay, isn't it? ;)

Surfhouse Cafe & Shop:
http://www.surfhousenc.com/

silence

because, in silence, i return to the true nature of the peaceful being that i am. because, in silence, i am aware of the entirety of life that surrounds me and of my connection to all. because, in silence, i feel the answers to some of my hardest questions. because, in silence, i am connected to Source, to Spirit, to God.

unplug iPod

music stops abruptly

cricket song instead

~Dr. SunWolf

positivity

...because I completely believe that the energy which we send out into the world is what is returned to us. living in a state of positive awareness brings such an abundance of good into my life and those around me.... for me, there simply is no other way to live.

"You end up attracting to you the predominant thoughts that you are holding in your awareness. Whether those thoughts are conscious or unconscious."

~Rev. Michael Beckwith

lila's tail

...because it's fantastically adorable how the thing seems to be on autopilot! you look at lila and the tail starts wagging, you say something to lila and the tail starts wagging... if she's laying down and i walk into the room... the tail starts wagging. can you beat that kind of positive response? if only we had tails to show how much we enjoyed the presence of those around us... i imagine that is what our smiles are for.

Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. ~Max Eastman

cake

because that extra piece of cake I took home from Temperance's baby shower yesterday was de-lish!!! yummy!!!

Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first. ~Ernestine Ulmer

prayers

...for though they are not a thing we can hold in our hand... behind our every request, our every intention is the power to bring comfort to those in need through the energy of our thought and the love and compassion of our hearts.

... may all affected by the Earthquake in Haiti receive the everloving presence of peace, love and compassion at this time. may they know comfort during this tragedy. may they know the healing grace of God through all who have come to help. may hands and shoulders be their strength in those moments of sadness and despair. may the light of God's love surround and blanket them wrapped in arms of love, enfolding all in peace.

massages

...because they're good for you... and they just feel oh so nice!! :)

"Why do we pay for psychotherapy when massages cost half as much?" ~ Jason Love

fuzzy blankets

...because when you're coughing, got the sniffles and feel like your head is in a fog there's great comfort in cuddling under the warmth of a fuzzy blanket...

Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra

Each morning I awake is met with the same routine... one which brings great calm & focus to the start of my day. I choose to rise with ease and calm and not rush to greet the day. My mornings used to consist of waking up to the music on the radio, jumping out of bed, showering and getting ready (probably with the radio and the TV blaring at me) and creating a mad rush to get out the door. Today is much different - While I do set an alarm I, typically, find myself waking with my internal alarm clock. I let Lila, my dog, out to take care of "things." :) In the calm & silence of the early morning I enter my yoga room to chant & envision a prayer of peace for myself, my loved ones and for the world in which we live in. (YES, I do this every day.) I allow the scent of sandalflora to fill the room and then return for meditation. After letting Lila back in, I feed her and then push the "play" button on the CD player to hear the healing chanting of the Dalai Lama as he recites the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. Now, I have recently learned there is some debate as to whether it is really the Dalai Lama. To me, though, it matters not. Dalai Lama or some other guy... the one chanting has a beautiful, deep, and haunting voice... and it isn't so much that it is the one chanting that makes listening to the mantra powerful, but hearing the vibrations of the words.

Why would anyone want to start their day like that? Do you think it sounds boring? I invite you to try a morning ritual in which you begin in silence and enter the day in calm and ease. This manner of waking sets the tone of my day, it allows me time to be silent, to focus, and to move in a manner that is meditative ~ reminding me to be mindful in ALL I do... not just to myself but in my relations with others, as well.

MAHA MRITYUNJAYA MANTRA

tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam

urvārukam iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

SIGNIFICANCE OF MAHA MRITYUNJAYA MANTRA ~ Devotees strongly believe that proper recitation of the Maha Mrityunjaya rejuvenates, bestows health, wealth, long life, peace, prosperity and contentment. It is said that chanting of Shiva Mantra generates divine vibrations that ward off all the negative and evil forces and creates a powerful protective shield. Besides, it is said to protect the one who chants against accidents and misfortunes of every kind. Recitation of the mantra creates vibration that pulsates through every cell, every molecule of human body and tears away the veil of ignorance. Hindus believe that recitation of the mantra ignites a fire within that consumes all negativity and purifies entire system. It is also said to have a strong healing power and can cure diseases declared incurable even by the doctors. Many believe Maha Mrityunjay Mantra to be a mantra that can conquer death and connect human beings to their own inner divinity.

Namaste, Peace & Love

a new year

Happy 2010!!

As we close the door on 2009 and welcome in the beginning of 2010 I am invited to, once again, reflect on the impermanence of all things. All things come to an end. And with that end... always comes a new beginning. It is an opportunity to always begin anew, to start fresh, no matter where we may be in life. The past is gone and the future, well no one truly knows what will come to be. So, give yourself permission to be in the present moment and enjoy the gift of your life NOW... as it is today. Say hello to 2010... to the beginning of a new year... to the beginning of wonderful & amazing adventures... to anything and everything that comes your way! There are no accidents in life and ALL happens as it should... so be a co-creator in the life you desire and be a part of this magical time that is NOW.

Namaste, Peace & Love.
Blessings to all for the best in health, peace & prosperity in the days to come!!