Peaceful Surroundings - Peaceful MInd

     No doubt when your environment exudes peace, so do you. The easiest place to begin is the outdoors.  The outside sets the tone for the rest of your environment which in turn impacts how you feel. There are several easy things you can do to surround yourself with peace, beauty and harmony. Here are just a few suggestions:

•  Do some gardening. This is a wonderful way to move the body and soothe the mind. Vary the task according to your state of mind - heavy digging when you feel like a work-out; gentle weeding when your more spiritually inclined. Enjoy the process and the beauties while you work.
•  Weed your garden. This might seem like a daunting task; however, you can turn your weeding into a checklist of inner resolutions, pulling out unwanted thought patterns and emotional imprints that can hold you back. Think of every weed you uproot you are eliminating bad habits.
•  Plant some seeds. New growth represents new beginnings. Everyday you start anew just as the seedling purges through the soil and transforms into a beautiful plant. Being able to see something of your own making (or at least facilitating) grow to maturity is one of the privileges of being human. Nourishing new growth you learn to still the distractions of the ego.
•  Make a Zen garden. There are tons on books on how to create a Zen garden. In a little sandpit you can artfully place rocks. Rake the sand around the rocks. Meditate on the beautiful pattern you have created. As an alternative to sand you can use gravel as it is lower maintenance.
•  Plant a tree. This is great for your mental health to take actions that require patience before results are seen - even stretching beyond your own lifetime. 
•  Feed the birds. You can feed birds, squirrels or any other wildlife especially during the winter when food source is scarce. It is always good karma to feed animals. Besides, you can also enjoy watching the birds and other animals eat the food.
• Install a water feature. A small pond in your garden is fabulous. You can cultivate waterlilies on the surface of the water to symbolize abundance. Place interesting rocks around the edges to create a sense of harmony between the pond and the surrounding environment. 

     A nourishing environment has a way of calming the body and the mind. Engage in different ways to beautify your surroundings and notice the physical changes that occur. Then, notice how these external changes impact you!  

Om!

Mary Jane Kasliner - Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com

Stepping Into The Unknown Can Be Exhilarating!

August 2019 Vol. 1, No. 2 Stepping Into the Unknown Can Be Exhilarating! Welcome to the Wisdom Buffet Writers Newsletter. Each month I invite you to explore some of chapters from our six book series that focuses on topics such as Happiness, Health, Love, Harmony, Power, Strength, Perfection, and Wholeness. Let's begin with stepping into the unknown... Stepping into the unknown is a challenge, but it also can be exhilarating. Fighting for your dreams and pushing boundaries takes courage, strength, and commitment. When you approach life from a position of strength and integrity - real change and growth can happen. A critical process in stepping into the unknown is to engage in each moment and be in a state of gratitude for new skills and knowledge gained. When you are focused you become stronger, more courageous, encouraged and motivated. Experiencing each step - rickety or not - and accept it for what it is, makes all the difference. This process no doubt means taking risks. Risk is, by nature, scary. It is unpredictable and leads down a path of uncertainty, potential criticism and humiliation. No wonder so few actually blaze that path. But should criticism and humiliation matter? In actuality, what counts is if you are willing to do what it takes to achieve. Part of stepping into the unknown is to vividly imagine, believe, and enthusiastically act upon an idea. It is living creatively moment by moment. This is the difference between actualizing your life situation and sitting in the background waiting for things to change. Think about it, in each moment, you can redirect the scene according to your thoughts. The key is to imagine what you want as if it is presently happening - not a year from now or when you think you will have the resources. Otherwise , it will remain a dangling thought somewhere in the ether.   Think of your future...Chapter 1 Strong, Perfect, Whole: Becoming Who You Want to Be available on Amazon or visit: www.thewisdombuffet.com Tips To Mend Your Relationship with Perfection Write down the qualities you have you're grateful for. Put them on small pieces of paper in a jar on your desk or nightstand. After 27 days, read them all. Throw them away and start over. It's okay to repeat some of the things. After the first 27 days, your life will change dramatically. You will feel a renewed sense of yourself and your life. 2. Try Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), also known as tapping. It helps release blocks and you can do it on yourself. 3. Make a positive change in your life. It could be leaving a job, like I did, or cutting off communication from someone toxic. Change self-defeating beliefs by listening to motivational and inspirational speakers, like Abraham Hicks. 4. Identify habits that have evolved from...Chapter 4: Strong, Perfect, Whole: Becoming Who You Want to Be available on Amazon or visit www.the wisdombuffet.com What's Love Got To Do With It? When we're young, most of us don't give too much thought to our health, and then before we know it, and the older we become, it starts taking center stage. It seems everyone is talking about it; everyone is doing something about it. Whether joining some new cross-training fitness class, jumping onboard the juicing and cleansing craze, or following the diet du jour, everyone is trying some new prescriptions for better health. As the years rolled by and life became more demanding, good health meant more to me. I soon came to realize the benefits of stress reduction techniques such and meditation and yoga to improve my mental and emotional health. Many times however, I would repeatedly sabotage myself and slack off, waking up to bad habits instead of my crossed legs and meditation. It wasn't until I grasped the concept of Wabi Sabi, that I understood my life wasn't just about setting and meeting one goal after another. It was about living, loving, experimenting, learning, applying and sometimes, even discarding. And most importantly, I was told... Chapter 7 Journey to Health Living Well From the Inside Out available on Amazon or visit: www.thewisdombuffet.com The Wisdom Buffet Writers are eight individuals with a common thread - Feng Shui - the ancient Chinese Philosophy of living in harmony with the natural rhythm of the Universe. Each practices some form of energy healing including yoga, Tai Qi Gong, Life Coaching, Environmental Healing, Reiki, Massage Therapy, and Chinese Medicine. To learn more about the writers, their philosophy, and their other books in the series visit: www.thewisdombuffet.com.   Happiness Health Harmony Love Power Whole Copyright © 2019 Wisdom Buffet Writers, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to our newsletter at our website, or one of our live classes or seminars. Contact us: http://thewisdombuffet.com/about-our-authors/ Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Gardens

Pound Ridge, New York

"A garden to walk in and immensity to dream in - what more could be asked? A few flowers at his feet and above him the stars."  - Victor Higo, Les Miserables

     There is nothing like spending time in nature to cultivate strength, peace and quietude. Whether you have a large piece of property or a window box, the simplicity of nature turns our focus inward connecting to spirit. 

     Working in the garden has other, less spiritual rewards. In addition to being a source of fresh, healthy produce, gardening can ease stress, keep you limber, improve your mood and connect you to a primal state. Here are some simple ways to create a Zen-like garden along with other key factors for outdoor spaces.

     Plants: Select evergreens, bonsai or potted succulents when configuring your garden. Try not to overcrowd the space but rather allow energy to flow freely between vegetation.

     Gravel or Sand: Create a pathway for peaceful meditation walks. These elements represent virtual water; an element that corresponds to introspection.

     Open Space: Select an area and keep it open to allow energy to flow.

     Water: Can be created by ripples in sand or actual pond with fish, waterfall or rocks. Actual water has a relaxing effect on the mind and body.

     Statuary: Add statues as anchoring pieces and place them near plants.

     Pots: Use a variety of pots in clusters. Plant a small tree in one and draping plant in another.

     A Place to Sit: Incorporate a wooden bench or large sitting strone to relax, read or meditate.

     Sound: Add an element of sound: a bird feeder, chime or waterfall.

     Space Constraints: If you have space constraints, work with window boxes, different decorative pots with herbs or flowers in them, small stones, and a chime for sound.

     Lighting: A lamppost is the perfect lighting source for the outdoors. Solar is a nice way to go and saves on resources.

     Energy FLow: Curving pathways allows energy to modulate just right.

     Scents: Flowering plants or herbs are wonderful relaxers or enhancers.

     Color: Vegetation or varying species offers accent colors to imbue the human aura.

     Balance: A mixture of shade and sunlight along with the use of light and darker - colored flowers brings harmony to the garden.

     Movement: Water ponds, flags, bird baths or feeders are fantastic ways to energize the property.

     Materials: Gravel, brick, slate, grass, or wood chips mixes up the texture for a fabulous feel and look.

     Direction: Work with the position of the sun on your property when choosing elements, colors, and images.

     Boundaries: Add a trellis, pergola, or fence for a sense of security and privacy.

  

     Functional Devices: Composts or a toolshed adds function to your outdoor haven.

     A strong healthy environment starts in and around the home and clearly has an important role in supporting good physical and mental wellbeing. It fosters security, confidence and comfort. It can impact your mood, behavior, motivation, relationships, and impact your overall immune system. There is no doubt you are as strong as your environment. Get in touch with your environment and let it touch you.

Mary Jane Kasliner

Feng Shui Yoga Girl - www.fengshuiyoganj.com