How do you begin each month, each week, each day? Do you have a ritual, a prayer, or an intention to mark all the new possibilities before you? Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, has this gatha, or poem, ritual for morning: “Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I […]
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Janus: God of Beginnings, Endings, and Doorways
The Poet’s Calendar – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow JANUARY “Janus am I; oldest of potentates; Forward I look, and backward, and below I count, as god of avenues and gates, The years that through my portals come and go. I block the roads, and drift the fields with snow; I chase the wild-fowl from the frozen […]
Read More...Singing in harmony: the benefits of singing in community
The people who brought us Icelandic Christmas also have a very high rate of participation in community choirs. Even tiny rural communities in Iceland have at least one choir, and adults and children get together to sing every week. Men’s choirs are the most popular, both in terms of participation and attending. Men’s choirs often […]
Read More...Listening to music aloud in your home creates more intimacy
Playing music aloud in the home generates more intimacy, according to a study by neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain On Music. “When music is playing at home, people become physically closer. The average distance between household members decreased by 12% during the in-home study. In the U.S., housemates (usually family members) spent four and […]
Read More...New Moon Ritual
This coming January 5th and 6th are the nights of the new moon, which is a good time for setting intentions. You can look over your New Year’s resolutions for the coming year, or set an intention about anything else you are inspired to bring to your life. Supplies: Candles Lighter Objects that are meaningful […]
Read More...Hygge
“I first heard of the Danish concept hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) four years ago, and I was thrilled to put a name to the aesthetic that I had been creating in my own home since I first had a home. Hygge does not have a direct English translation; “cozy conviviality” is close, but it is more than that. Hygge is like […]
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