Getting What you Want
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a blessing.
–Dalai Lama
The Point of Living
The point of living, and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best is yet to come.
- Peter Ustinov
A Citizen of the World
“I am a citizen of the world, and I have met, in my time, with so many different sorts of virtue, that I am puzzled, in my old age, to say which is the right sort and which is the wrong.”
–Wilkie Collins
Good Enough
“And, above all things, never think that you’re not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you very much at your own reckoning.”
–Anthony Trollope
Living in Belief
Beliefs must be lived in for a good while, before they accommodate themselves to the soul’s wants, and wear loose enough to be comfortable.
–Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
A Thought on Meditation
If I had not been already been meditating, I would certainly have had to start. I’ve treated my own depression for many years with exercise and meditation, and I’ve found that to be a tremendous help.
–Judy Collins
Our Dreams are Healing Remedies
Are you a dreamer? Whether you call yourself a dreamer or not, experts say that everyone has several dreams every night. Only those dreams that occur right when you wake up, you are likely to recall. Many are just forgotten. Do you know that how you remember your dreams depends upon your health, your personality, your motivation, new skills, and the part of the world you live in.
by Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN
I know some people that learned to use their dreams to solve problems, stimulate creativity and desire to be better, and improve their relationships. Other people often ignore and forget about their dreams. Either way, the dreams will come every night for a couple of hours to help you store your memories, sort your feelings, new skills you acquired during day, and to rest your brain.
“Dreams are illustrations from the book you soul is writing about you,” said Marsha Norman, an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist, who received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play Night, Mother. The dreams have sparked many genius ideas of the world’s most famous and talented people that later were transferred into the timeless books, music, art masterpieces, brilliant innovations, scientific discoveries and positive actions.
Listen now to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Don’t you think this chef d’oeuvre was written by him because of his pleasant dream? You bet, it came to him from one of his dreams. Beethoven was at this time in love with Giulietta Guiccicardi and dedicated his Sonata No.14, known as “Moonlight Sonata.” Their love relationship came to the end because she chose Count Wenzel von Gallenberg, himself an amateur composer. Their marriage was unhappy, but Beethoven never wanted to unite with her again and forgive her betrayal.
However, this the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time gave to the world his talent and one of the best musical compositions, the unforgettable “Moonlight Sonata.” You can listen to it in the morning when you wake up, and in the middle of a day when you feel upset or unhappy, experience loss of energy, or when you are struggling with problems or disease. You can listen to the “Moonlight Sonata” in the evening before you go to sleep. It’ll calm you down, enhance peace in your soul, and give you a sound sleep. You never get tired of this Beethoven’s timeless masterpiece.
Do you know that Socrates studied music, and the arts because of his insistent dream? Experts say that if you were forced to go without your dreams for more than just a few days, you would become irritable and confused, and you might even hallucinate.
“They tease me now, telling me it was only a dream. But does it matter whether it was a dream or reality, if the dream made known to me the truth?” –Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881), a Russian writer, essayist and philosopher, known for his novels Crime and Punishment, the Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov.
Read our next post about how the dreams can play a major role and inspire different religions, have the power to make heroes, motivate scientific discovery, spark literary and musical genius, and forever change the course of history.
References: The Little Black Book of Dreams: The Essential Guide to Dream Interpretation by Nannette Stone, Peter Pauper Press, Inc., New York, 2006;
Mama’s Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Living by Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN, Aurora Publishers, Inc., 2008.
Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN is an award-winning author, publisher, consultant, herbalist, researcher and entrepreneur. Svetlana is perhaps best known for writing her latest book, 2009 Gold Mom’s Award Winner, Mama’s Home Remedies: Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasures of Natural Life, which has become a best-selling book worldwide. Visit her blog at http://mamashomeremedies.com/
Noble Deeds and Hot Baths…
Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.
—Dodie Smith
‘Just Force’ the Key to ‘Just Peace?
By Amanda Salem
Upon accepting the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo Thursday, President Barack Obama spoke of the concept of “just war” and “just peace.”
“Evil does exist in the world,” said Obama. “A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince Al-Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.”
President Obama accepts the award at a time when the nation he is sworn to lead is at war — and only days after announcing a surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Many critics have complained Obama received the award before he had achieved peace. However, Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said the award would help the president achieve his goals.
Though the thought of leading a country through war and economic crisis is far from the responsibilities of the average American, the idea of selectively applying necessary force may be sound advice. While the path to finding inner peace on a daily basis may mean letting go of the trivial, it may also mean finding the things worth fighting for to achieve resolution – a “just peace” that is quite a noble prize.
The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.
Upon accepting the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo Thursday, President Barack Obama spoke of the concept of “just war” and “just peace.”
“Evil does exist in the world,” said Obama. “A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince Al-Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.”
President Obama accepts the award at a time when the nation he is sworn to lead is at war — and only days after announcing a surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Many critics have complained Obama received the award before he had achieved peace. However, Nobel Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said the award would help the president achieve his goals.
Though the thought of leading a country through war and economic crisis is far from the responsibilities of the average American, the idea of selectively applying necessary force may be sound advice. While the path to finding inner peace on a daily basis may mean letting go of the trivial, it may also mean finding the things worth fighting for to achieve resolution – a “just peace” that is quite a noble prize.
The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.
5 Steps to a Blissful Home
Sometimes it can be difficult to find bliss, so why not let bliss find you? Making your home environment more blissful is easy with these five simple tips!
1) De-Clutter
It’s difficult to be truly happy in a cluttered home. Little things that should be easy (like finding your car keys or wallet) become a hassle. A place with stuff everywhere can make a person feel overwhelmed, overloaded and a bit helpless. Who needs that kind of stress in their own home?
Start decluttering by taking a good hard look at your wants and needs. Are you really going to use those 65 paper bags you’ve been collecting from the grocery store? Recycle! And those clothes that you’ve been hanging onto with the hopes of wearing again? Donate!
Your home should be a place of peace and order, and the first step towards achieving that is getting rid of excess. You’ll be surprised how much you can live without.
2) Incorporate Calming Colors
Most of us live with white walls because, well, that’s the way they came. We suggest painting at least one room (most likely your bedroom) a calming color. Blues and greens are great for soothing what ails you.
If you’re a renter, it’s best to check with your landlord before deciding to paint. If it’s a no-go, buy large white canvases, paint them your favorite calming color and hang them on the wall. That way you’ll have a relaxing atmosphere and ultra-inexpensive art.
3) Bring the Outdoors In
Plants, flowers and other things found outdoors make for a blissful home because they breathe life into an otherwise blah space. Plus, certain plants have the ability to clean the air, meaning that your place is not only spruced up, it’s free of toxins, too.
Herb gardens, hanging plants, even dried flowers are fun ways to bring the outdoors in. If it’s relaxation you seek, invest in a little fountain and let the trickling water soothe you.
4) Make a Space for You
It’s important that your home be a place where you can express yourself, enjoy yourself and relax. If possible, carve out a little place in your home that’s entirely your own. Whether it’s a sunny corner where you like to read, or a space on the floor to meditate, make sure your home is equipped with space to decompress.
5) Celebrate Your Home (and the people in it)
We all swoon when we see a beautifully decorated room in a magazine. The problem is, even if we replicated that very room in our own home, it wouldn’t reflect who we are or what our families are about.
A blissful home is one where everyone is represented and considered. Kids should get some space on the art for their art and adults should be able to display their prized personal collections (within reason).
And it doesn’t matter whether your home could make the cover of a decorating magazine; if everyone is comfortable, happy and feels at peace with their space, then you’ve achieved a blissful home.
