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Meditation Garden – Create Your Outdoor Sanctuary

Meditation is defined in many ways. According to one of my favorite authors, Eckhart Tolle, one conscious breath can qualify as a meditation.

This news is a huge relief to me because one breath is all I have time for most days.

When the sun and moon are aligned just perfectly, however, I’m handed the unexpected gift of an hour or two to sit, contemplate and connect…. yes, meditate.

Now that I’ve covered the “what” and “when” of meditation, it’s time to discuss the “where”.

Inside, my meditation alter is a small corner of my home office that I’ve claimed as my sacred spot, where crystals are arranged perfectly around books, rosaries, candles and other relics that remind me to connect with all that is higher than me while keeping my feet perfectly grounded to this planet (so many who connect with Spirit forget the “stay grounded” part).

 

Spiritual

Are all of these objects necessary for me to meditate? Of course not, but I can’t deny the immediate shift in perspective and mood when I sit down in my spiritual spot after a long frantic day. The smell of sandalwood and frankincense trigger a response in brain that reminds it to shut off, which is so necessary in meditation.

This summer evening was a cool 88 degrees in Las Vegas and I couldn’t help taking advantage of it by enjoying some time outside. As I sauntered over to my meditation garden I was struck by how neglected and sad it looked. I’ve spent so much time indoors lately that I’d forgotten how much more connected and spiritual I feel when I take my meditation outside. I wondered if this former outdoor sanctuary in any way reflected a neglected spiritual need within me.

Meditation garden

Before throwing away a decaying bouquet of flowers, I pluck off the living buds and toss them in my fountain

Before you write me off as dramatic or crazy, know that I’m already ahead of you in that area, we can agree to agree. The fact of the matter, however, is that your home is your sanctuary. Monks and nuns work tirelessly in the monastery or convent to create purposefully tended outdoor retreats to pray. Why should these spiritual spots and practices be left only to the sequestered divine?

Today, the kids and I have decided to get to work and rebuild our meditation garden. We’re de-spidering (yes, I know that’s not a word), planting, arranging and building. Check back soon for our “after” photos!

meditation garden

Meditation garden collage courtesy of #Muzy

 

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I love my garden statues. I don’t shop for statues the way I would clothing or curtains, rather I let them find me. To steal the phrase from Pier 1, I wait to “find what speaks to me”.

I have a great story about my big angel statue. I was shopping one day at Sam’s Club and saw this statue among other large garden items. They had boxes of them lined up next to each other. I thought it was beautiful. but I just continued on my way shopping.

From my kitchen sink I can see my meditation garden, and that night while washing dishes I looked out at this area and saw this empty spot that made me think of that angel statue. I had never considered placing anything there before, but all of the sudden it looked like it was missing something.

For several following nights, I looked out from my kitchen window and each time I felt like that statue was meant to go there.

I went back to Sam’s Club to find two things. One, there was only one angel statue left in stock. Two, it had been discounted in price to nearly half. Angel and I left Sam’s Club together and every night I see her from my kitchen, and sometimes I sit with her in my garden to meditate.

Meditation garden

Love my garden statues

 

Follow Our Garden Progress on Instagram!

My Instagram feed will, no doubt, be filled with all things “meditation garden” as long as you don’t mind the intermingling of cooking, fashion and wine photos.

 

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Losing The Blogging Weight with Mangodrin

You’ve probably heard of women trying to lose the “baby weight”, and may have fought the battle yourself to shed extra pounds that stick around way too long after the birth of your youngest child.

Not me.

Losing the baby weight was easier for me than losing the blogging weight.  After giving birth to three babies in two years, the only time I ever sat still was to nurse or rock them to sleep.  I was regimented in my nighttime routine of bathing and getting the babies off to sleep by 7:00PM  before collapsing into bed myself by 9.  So even if I woke up for feedings at midnight, I still had a good three hours of sleep under my eyes.

When my baby girl turned four I began blogging, and that’s when the weight came on. Routine bedtime became a thing of the past for me while I stayed up writing until 2 in the morning with potato chips beckoning me from the pantry.

My constant state of motion turned sedentary and food companies began sending me samples of the latest products to review for my blog.

Although I may not be considered “obese”, at 127 pounds I’m well over my target weight of 115.  Fortunately, the ladies of RECESS are giving me a jump start on my plan to get lean for bikini season with their #MangoChallenge 30-Day Challenge to “lose the blogging weight”.  At a recent Blogger Event at our local GNC Store, I discovered that I’m not the only blogger with this problem.

African Mango

RECESS Blogger Event for Mangodrin at GNC

I heard about the African Mango first on the Dr. Oz Show and thought about trying it out.  Mangrodrin is an all-natural patented formula made by a local nutraceutical company truDERMA and promises that I’ll lose “up to 28 pounds in 10 weeks”.

I’m in.

Follow me during the month as I work towards 115 pounds with Mangodrin’s #MangoChallenge.  I’m one of about twelve bloggers participating in the weight loss challenge, so if you want to check in on their progress or read about their individual struggles, head over to RECESS.

Join The #MangoChallenge

I love it when businesses want to share discounts and coupons with my readers.  During my #MangoChallenge I’m passing on a special discount for 30% off your entire order of Mangodrin.  This is a great opportunity if you would like to join me and share your results along the way.  This promotion is for online sales only by using THANKYOU in the coupon code section during checkout.

African Mango Mangodrin

use coupon code THANKYOU during checkout for 30% off your entire purchase

 

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“Rainy Day”

The recent rains in Las Vegas make me reminisce about past summer rainy days.

Living in the desert I appreciate rainy days more than others.  Raindrops pour down a new perspective on the city.  Nighttime clouds reflect Las Vegas and you can trace the city from the green illumination on clouds over MGM Grande over to the bright light shining from the Luxor looking as though heaven were shining the light down rather than the reverse.  From the Spilsbury home, just miles from the Strip, the transformation engulfs us in a peaceful warmth indoors.  Outside the kids explore the grounds and experience a new aspect to their backyard oasis.  We know this feeling will only last a day before the bright Nevada sun brings back the dry Sierra warmth.

 

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Rainy Day

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