NEW THINGS TO DO, AND NOT TO DO-NOV 12, 2015

NEW THINGS TO DO, AND NOT TO DO –NOV 12, 2015

GANGA REFLECTIONS

As are all my journeys to India, this one has been different as well, bringing with it its own blessings, discoveries, insights, meetings with lovely new people and doing new things (and NOT doing many other things).

BACK ROADS OF LAXMAN JHULA

Today is the day after Diwali, Festival of Lights (and NOISE!!!)….things are now gratefully calming down.

DIWALI AT SWISS COTTAGE

Today I took the boat across the river from one side of Ram Jhula to the other for the first time…even though I’ve been coming here for nine years!  I actually prefer walking around and across the bridge, but today, had the urge to try the boat.  It was lovely…took about one minute to get across.

BOAT RIDE ACROSS GANGA AT RAM JHULA

Been relaxing a lot near my room-much more than is usual for me, and feeling very at peace with it as well.

Tomorrow I am going to the Buddhist Temple, Stupa, Monastery, in Dehra Dun…something I do every year and probably would not do if my friend was not here.

I am definitely not feeling the urge, or need, to write at all, but feeling extremely at peace with all that is happening, and NOT happening.  I seem to be in a very much needed “there is nothing I must do” spot.  It is truly a blessed feeling.

I’ve had interesting insights and AHA! Moments this past week as well, thanks to two “angels” who were sent my way, named S and M…powerful understandings and closures as well as profound changes on all levels as a result…emotional, technical/practical/perceptive, and Spiritual.

GANGA VIEW FROM UPSTREAM ON BADRINATH ROAD

It’s been a blessed, enlightening and empowering journey so far, and there is still quite some time to go. 
I remain open and accepting of all that is to come, with joy, love, gratitude, Faith and Freedom from Fear.

LAXMAN JHULA AT NIGHT

Namaste
Jane

BEING SPECIAL

Although this post is not specifically dealing with India, it was inspired and written during my recent visit, and so am posting it here as well.  Enjoy!

Some of us are ancient souls reincarnated once again, some of us are angelic beings who have chosen to be here for a specific reason, Some of us are human beings doing our best to make sense of our life.

Whoever we are, we are SPECIAL!

And we have chosen to be here, in this place, in this life, at this time for a very special reason. Understanding that reason, knowing what our special purpose here is, is vital to living a full, healthy, and complete life.
How do we know what our purpose is ? How do we know what makes us special?

Make no mistake,

each and every one of its IS special in his own way.

We begin to understand what our purpose is when we begin to understand what gives us JOY. Think of the things which you enjoyed doing and which gave you pleasure as a child. They may have been things that were different than what the other kids enjoyed doing, and at some point you stopped “doing your own thing” to fit in with the crowd. Or it could be something which your parents frowned on and so you stopped doing it to gain their approval, and love. There are many reasons for us losing touch with our purpose, and the first step is getting back to that place, feeling what it is that you are passionate about.

How do we figure that out? We begin by asking questions…

How do we express our creativity?…this is part of our passion and part of what makes us special . Perhaps our passion is helping others in some way…perhaps by teaching them. But we can teach many different things in many different ways. And we can use our creative talents to teach. If we enjoy writing and photography, we can teach just about anything using our ability to write combined with our photography. Or perhaps we have a talent for music or art, but have a passion for healing. We can combine these and become a dance or art therapist or heal through music. Or maybe we love animals but also have a passion to heal or be of service to people in some way. How about working with autistic children or adults using horses or dolphins to help heal. Perhaps we love the water…hydrotherapy.

There is no end to the ways in which we can reconnect with our passion, our creativity and our SPECIALNESS!

The important thing here is to begin questioning ourselves, delving within, going back to the days of childhood pleasures and connecting with our passion and creative talents. Putting them all together to create a “sweet spot” in our daily lives may not always be easy, but it is well worth the effort.

Be Unique…be Original…what makes you different is what makes you special!

Once we have discovered who we are, why we are here and what we are truly passionate about, what it is that makes us Special, and have found a way to combine that passion with our innate creative talents, we are on the way to living a satisfying, fulfilling, healthy, useful and very SPECIAL life.

And nothing will bring greater pleasure into each SPECIAL day.

And of course, remember to be grateful always for all the blessings that have been showered upon you to bring you to that wonderful SPECIAL “sweet spot”. Don’t forget to celebrate your uniqueness, your specialness, at every chance you get.

Celebration brings even more joy into your life, increasing your passion for what you are doing. It is the final piece in the puzzle-

Gratitude and Celebration come hand in hand in insuring more of the same wonderful, full, special life you have created for yourself.

Much love light and JOY

Jane

Butterflies and Freedom

Butterflies have always represented freedom to me. I have a butterfly tattoo (not small to be truthful) on my shoulder which many of the “normal” people in my life are not happy with, but again, it was a statement for me many years ago when I still felt the need to make such statements! 🙂

Last year, just before returning home from India, I came across this lovely creature on the road just outside my guesthouse, and once again, it shouted loud and clear.. FREEDOM. It sat still for a very long time allowing me to admire it and photograph it, as if saying “I am here especially for you and will stay as long as you need me to”.

It was of course a reminder that freedom is something we choose for ourselves – something we can have, and deserve, no matter where we are, and no matter what our situation is in life. It was reminding me that once I get home, I can easily choose to remain “free”, even once I return to the responsibilities and obligations of my reality when not in India. Freedom does not mean disregarding our obligations and responsibilities…it means choosing to be true to ourselves and our own needs and finding the best way to fulfill those obligations and responsibilities to others without negating ourselves in the process.

And of course the message is always timely.

I am now just two weeks before my flight back to India and it has been a long and hectic year plus since I left last time . Many things have found their way into my reality-many good and wonderful things – but also many stressful and energy draining things. I have not been all that good in keeping my balance…in watching out for myself…in being true to myself…and I have paid a high price in dis-ease. I have learned many lessons over this past year, have grown in many wonderful ways, but still needed a reminder of how important this FREEDOM is in my life.

Today, while scrolling through random posts on my India Journal blog, I came across the one describing my meeting with the butterfly above, and of course, the message was rekindled for me.

I know that I am on my way to India, albeit for a short 6 week sojourn, and I know that I must choose to make each minute joyful and stress-less. I am grateful for this blessing and know I will return both cleansed and rejuvenated, on all levels…but that I must also remember to cherish the blessing of FREEDOM to always choose to do what is best for myself, because without it, I will fall back into the same dis-balance and dis-ease which so plagued me over this past year.

I have been given a blessed message, once again…and pray for the wisdom to follow through with the insights it has given me – both in India, and when I return home. Even before this message, I had already made the decision to “vacation” completely while in India…see the post “To Cook or Not to Cook-That is the Question” …a decision based on a deep soul understanding of what is right for me. I must always remember to hear what it is that my soul requires, for that is the only true source of direction and guidance for my Higher Good. The mind tries to control, the ego to exert its power, to tell us what we “want” and the soul speaks softly and gently-telling us what it “needs”. Listening and understanding come in the quiet times – and these were sorely missing in my life this past year.

I find myself in a place of tranquility this past week, which I have not felt in a very long time, feeling “lighter” than I have for ages, and look forward to more of the same – based of course on my own choices – both in India and upon my return home.

The butterfly has reminded me once again that Freedom, and Freedom of Choice, are in my hands, and my hands alone.

with love light and JOY

Jane