For today, just a simple, beautiful message.
"Though it is reflected in a thousand rivers, the moon itself is only one."
Showing posts with label simplicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simplicity. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Simple Aesthetics
Photo via Stock Vault
I enjoyed my all-time favorite simple pleasure today - a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice; or as I like to call it, liquid sunshine. All it took was 2 organic valencia oranges and a little elbow grease. There's no pasteurized juice out there that can even compete on taste (or nutrition), so I've stopped buying bottled juices all together (apple cider is a definite exception, however).
What simple moments of joy did you experience this week? In such a chaotic world, it's good to step back and recognize that sometimes the simplest of things can bring us incredible happiness. If you still need some inspiration, here are some simple aesthetics to get your simplicity juices flowing.
Photo via Holobara
Photo via Library News
Photo via Photomural
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Simple Poetry: The Haiku
Living more simply enables us to get to the point of things. When we free ourselves from excess (in its many forms), we have the opportunity to see the world around us more clearly and avoid confusion and distraction. When we free ourselves from excess communication, we are are challenged to share our perspectives carefully and accurately.
Enter the haiku. This form of Japanese poetry is concise and follows a 5,7,5 morea (what we in the West would interpret as a syllable) structure. The rules of traditional haiku poetry are rather strict, such as requiring that certain seasonal words be used to reference the natural environment and the incorporation of a kirej (also called a "cutting word", there is no english equivalent for a kirej but Wikipedia tries to explain it here). But despite these traditional rules the lyrically challenged can rejoice, because haiku need not rhyme.
I really enjoy haiku poetry for its brevity and clarity. It's amazing to me the emotions and visuals some haiku writers are able to convey in a mere 17 morea. Check out some of the poems below and see what you think. Note that many of these are translations and thus the english syllable count may not correlate directly to the 5,7,5 structure.
The winds that blow-
ask them, which leaf on the tree
will be next to go. - Kyoshi Takahama
After killing
a spider, how lonely I feel
in the cold of night. - Masaoka Shiki
First autumn morning:
the mirror I stare into
shows my father's face. - Kijo Murakami
In all this cool
is the moon also sleeping?
There in the pool? - Ryusui
Covered with flowers,
instantly I'd like to die
in this dream of ours! - Etsujin
Regardless of how you feel about the poetry, I think there is a lot to be learned from the great haiku masters. What could you be communicating more clearly? Why aren't you? How simply can you express your feelings? Now go ahead and do it! The more clear and simple you can be, the more effective your communication will become (and the less frustrating misunderstandings will occur).
No Impact Man Trailer
It is so fitting that as I blog about simplicity this week the first No Impact Man movie trailer releases! If you don't know about Colin Beavan's no impact project, check out his website here. I don't know if I am more excited to see the movie or read the book, both of which come out the first week of September. Check out the movie trailer below.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Simple Interior Design
I am a firm believer that you become what you surround yourself with. Craving more clarity and simplicity? Clean the clutter from your quarters and you're well on your way! So, in keeping with this weeks theme of simplicity, it seems only right to highlight some beautiful, simple, and serene interior spaces. After all, simple does not need to mean boring, cold, or overly minimal (sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?). Check out the photos below to see what I mean. I especially love the Helsinki Bakery design as it's a perfect example of how neutral, minimal design can be warm and inviting.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Meditation Techniques for Restless Minds
Image via Katrina Bos
As I mentioned yesterday, meditation is a great way to decrease stress and discover more simplicity (the theme of this week's posts) in our lives. Whether you are a meditative neophyte or you have tried your hand at a few different meditation techniques, I hope to introduce you to a few new ideas for calming your mind. In particular, since so many of us are running on overdrive day in and day out, it can be impossible to suddenly jump to a cross-legged position and clear our minds of any thoughts for an extended period of time. So instead of discussing some of the more intensive meditation methods, such as transcendental meditation, I'm going to touch upon 3 techniques that are good starting points for those of us who have a hard enough time relaxing before bed at night. So go ahead and give one of these methods a try today. Just 10 or 15 minutes of meditation is a great time-frame to start out with.
1. Breath Meditation
A basic starting point for many new to meditation, breath meditation involves focusing our attention completely on our breath as we inhale and exhale. To begin, find a comfortable seated position (on a chair, the floor, even recliner will do) and close your eyes. Begin to take slow deep breaths while counting, for example inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts. You can slowly increase the duration of each breath as you progress in your practice to obtain deeper, longer breaths. As you count, focus entirely on your breath, on your rib cage and then your whole chest expanding and contracting with each breath, on the feel of the air as it enters and exits through your nose. Be mindful of your heart rate slowing and your muscles relaxing. Continue to focus on your breath and your counts - this is a helpful way to empty your conscious mind of daily worries and thoughts. For visual people, you may find thinking of yourself as giant balloon slowly filling and collapsing. For more visual options, see #3. If this form of meditation is a bit too quiet for you or you have trouble staying still, then try#2.
2. Motion Meditation
For those who get a little restless when practicing traditional forms of meditation, give one of these physical meditative techniques a try. One option is called the "sweeping house" technique. For this method, you'll want to again find a comfortable seated position and turn your focus to your breath. When you find your attention wandering, take both hands and place them at the nape of your neck. Then, in one fluid motion, move your hands up the back of your skull, forward across the crown of your head towards your forehead, and finally flick your hands away from your head. The idea here is to physically scoop the mind clutter (i.e. distracting thoughts, worry, doubts) from your head and fling them far away. Repeat this motion quickly ten or twenty times, and then return to your breath meditation.
Still not feeling the seated-meditation vibe? Try walking meditation. In this practice, we are still focused on our breath, but we also draw our focus to the process and sensation of walking. Of course, you'll want to keep your eyes open for this form of meditation and find a quiet, safe place to practice in. Again, as you count your breaths, focus your attention on the movement of your legs, on the sensation as each part of the foot makes contact with the ground, on the gentle rise and fall of your body. Should unintended thoughts arise (this means anything not related to your breath and the mindful awareness of your body's movement), try the mind sweep technique explained above. You my also find a visual component helpful: When I practice walking meditation, I like to think of any negativity I carry in my body as slowly moving from my head down my body to my feet. Then, I picture the dark clouds of negativity being flung out of my body from the tips of my toes with each step forward.
3. Visualization Meditation
For those who think and learn visually, visualization meditation can be an especially rewarding practice. These forms of meditation tend to work best while sitting or lying comfortably, eyes closed. Again, draw your attention to your breath as a way to slow your body's rhythm and center your focus. You may want to try incorporating color visualization, such as envisioning your body slowly filling with increasingly brighter color as you continue your breath meditation. You may choose a color that represents an emotion or state of being you wish to embody. Trying to calm down? Fill yourself with a serene blue. Looking to embody your sensual side and feel more comfortable in your own skin? Imagine your body is emanating a luscious purple. Are you a little more abstract? Think of your body as a garden, working it's way from wilted and parched to lush and thriving as you practice. Maybe each breath brings with it another blossom or more foliage.
Another great visualization exercise can be found on Steve Pavlina's website titled Visualization-Meditation Exercise.
Wanting more?
If you'd like to learn more about the many benefits of meditation and various ways to practice this time-tested art, check out the websites below. Many, including How to Meditate, offer guided meditation videos and audio downloads which can be very helpful, especially when you're just starting out. For now, I'm off to practice some of my own breath and visualization meditation in preparation for a great night of sleep!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Lazy Sunday: Simple Relaxation
Photo via Random Wisdom
As I type I’m flying somewhere over the Mid-West, on my way back to Denver after a great weekend in Pittsburgh. Yesterday we went to The Warhol Museum and I was really excited to see some of my favorite Warhol prints and drawings alongside cases of Andy’s personal effects – including his gray and black wig! Ok, sort of weird for me to be so excited about a dead guy’s old fake hair, but I was. They even had original sketches of the elaborate shows he produced for the Velvet Underground and original costume drawings from his many movies and theater productions. If you’re ever in PA and share a love of things Warhol I would definitely go. If you don’t care for pop art or know about The Factory, it probably isn’t worth the $15 adult admission price ($8 for students).
Andy Warhol at The Factory via Magnifique
With midterm exams tomorrow, I am quite ready for this plane to land so I can get back to studying – unfortunately the tiny tray table makes my normally petite laptop seem massive and especially clumsy to maneuver, so breaking out my 10 pound accounting book is a definite no-go.
Were I not on a plane for the next few hours, I think this Lazy Sunday would best be spent doing some yoga, creating a highly nutritious and simple meal, and enjoying some meditation. I’m craving simplicity and clarity lately, and these activities seem the perfect way to start. Yoga is a great way to center your mind and body, build strength, and release tension and toxins from your muscles. Simple, fresh, plant-based meals are very easy for your body to digest and feed your cells with tons of nutrients and anti-oxidants to reverse the damage that stress and external contaminants (think air pollution, too much sun, chemical absorption) can cause. Finally, meditation helps slow our breathing and heart rate, decreases stress levels, and helps us to relax in order to attain deep, restorative levels of sleep. Never tried meditation before? Don’t fret; there are endless ways to get started. In fact, stay tuned, because today kicks off a whole week of simplicity-inspired blogging! First on deck? Meditation techniques for the meditative newbie. See you then!
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