Blog | Mindfulness, Meditation, Journaling & Walking in Nature
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Writings and Readings Blog

Madhu Bazaz Wangu

Mindful Creators Group

Posted on September 4, 2024
in Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds
4 Comments

Dear Mindful Writers and Friends, I'm delighted to report that the Mindful Creators Group that I started at Ashby Ponds, Virginia where my husband Manoj and I live, is thriving. Wondering why I replaced the word "Writers" with "Creators?" The reason is that all of us in the group are not writers. Some of us are but many others are artists, photographers, potters, weavers or create in other ways. A vibrant community of 2,200+ caring and vibrant individuals ages 65+, Ashby Ponds is located in the quiet town of Ashburn. Dotted with five ponds with cascading fountains, the surroundings are rich with seasonal flowering bushes, wild grasses, climbers and lush trees that attract birds, butterflies and bees. I thought you might enjoy the photo of the Mindful Creatives Group we...

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Rendezvous with Natural Beauty

Posted on August 28, 2024
in Being in Nature, Travel
2 Comments

Have you ever experienced nature in such a way that everything disappeared and you felt consumed by your Authentic Self, your spirit? That your eyes well up and you feel fulfilled? I did. Twice. Once when I saw Michelangelo’s David and another time at Jasper National Park in Canadian Rockies. By the time we arrived at our last stop, the Jasper National Park, my husband and I had visited many parks and walked many miles. Our stamina was squeezed out. At the Jasper Lodge, as soon as we entered the cabin one look at the very comfortable beds and we wanted to sleep. Yet through the cabin window, the view of Lac Beauvert, “Beautiful Green Lake,” mesmerized. The weather magnetized. Reluctantly, we decided to take a short walk on the trail that encircled...

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In Grip of an Intense Emotion? Attend to your Physical Sensations!

Posted on August 22, 2024
in Meditation
4 Comments

Your body knows as much, if not more, as does your mind. It communicates with you via physical sensations. You can familiarize yourself with the sensations by practicing Body Scan Meditation from "Meditation for Mindful Writers III” using this link: https://cutt.ly/5jcYgcN BODY & INTENSE EMOTIONSWhen we experience an intense emotion such as anger, jealousy, fear, greed or hatred, the first thing that is energized is the body. Physical sensations are awakened followed by related feelings. But because we are in the grip of the emotion, egoistic thinking takes over. At once, we want to react. Our focus is on how to get back to the person who triggered the emotion. We are not even aware that body is sending signals of the situation. AWARENESS OF SENSATIONSAlthough the body sends us messages through sensations we ignore...

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Be Your Own Judge and Jury

Posted on August 15, 2024
in Journaling, Meditation
4 Comments

The best way to know what is going on with your life is to know what is going on within your body. Familiarity with your physical self allows you to know your present situation. The things you’re doing right and the things you are not doing right.  Body scan followed by a silent meditation is the only practice where you simply can’t lie to or cheat yourself. You’re closer to your Authentic Self—the clear blue sky behind stormy clouds. In the company of your Self, you know when you must hold yourself accountable for the minor or major situations. You do so because you want to take responsibility for your own negative thoughts, words or actions. You can’t deny truth to your Authentic Self. You just can’t. So, meditative mind becomes...

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Daily Reflections On Mindfulness & Creativity in 2025

Posted on August 5, 2024
in Daily Reflections 2025, Online Mindful Writers Group
3 Comments

Are you following Online Mindful Writers Group at: https://tinyurl.com/ycktmxwn? If so, you'll love what I have planned for you for 2025. At OMWG we are reading Unblock Your Creative Flow: 12 Months of Mindfulness for Writers and Artists. From January 1, I'll share "Daily Reflections on Mindfulness & Creativity." At OMWG we have so far explored topics such as Journaling, Meditation, Reading, Poetry, and Walking. Currently, we are reading and discussing "Mindfulness and Travel." Our topics for the rest of the year include Stillness, Silence and Solitude; Writing with Others; Awe and Wonder and Journey to Self. These subjects are pleasurable, life affirming and life transforming. Enjoy reading them! Beginning from New Year's Day 2025, I'll shift my daily posting to this website where you'll enjoy reading "Daily Reflections." This is...

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Chicken, Lotus root slices in red sauce

5 Senses and Cooking

Posted on July 26, 2024
in Cooking, Nonverbal Activities
0 Comments

Indian cooking lessons continue at Online Mindful Writers Group (OMWG): https://tinyurl.com/ycktmxwn Try Indian Cooking lessons at: OMWG: https: //tinyurl.com/ycktmxwn Did you know cooking is one of the few nonverbal hobbies that incorporates all our five senses. Seeing the colors of vegetables, grains, meats, spices Smells of freshly cut vegetables, ground, roasted and fried spices Sounds of food sizzling and liquids bubbling Touch when you wash, peel and slice the ingredients; when you eat with fingers And finally taste. . . oh, the taste! Cauliflower goes well with yogurt raita. Not only the five senses but your feelings affect the taste of any dish you prepare. For instance, if you are tired, angry, frustrated or envious and not in a mood to cook the food does not taste its best. Honestly, when I'm not feeling my normal self, I prefer...

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Dull Axe Verses Sharp Axe

Posted on July 13, 2024
in Nonverbal Activities, Online Mindful Writers Group
4 Comments

Lorraine Bonzelet, who is leading Online Mindful Writers Group this month inspires and reflect on the topic of "Mindfulness and Nonverbal Activities." (Full story at OMWG: https://tinyurl.com/ycktmxwn) For the last six years, arduous transitions left her feeling chocked-- as if a rope around her neck was being pulled tighter and tighter. The choking was not only taking away her will power but seemed to deprive her of oxygen. One of the many reasons was that she had stopped pausing and "sharpening her axe." Instead she kept chopping the tree of her difficult situations with a blunt axe. When she couldn't stand the pressure she forced herself to walk--for hours, at times even run to the point of exhaustion. The rope began to loosen, usually falling away completely. She decided to find...

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Mindfulness and Nonverbal Activities

Posted on July 10, 2024
in Nonverbal Activities
6 Comments

Mindful Writers, few hours a day give yourself a break from writing for hours and hours on your laptop or in a notebook. Turn your attention on the activities which do not use words. When you do so the universe blesses you with insights and ideas about your work in progress. When you are engaged in nonverbal activities new ideas float, creative sparks ignite as you sit in silence, walk in nature, cook, fold laundry, drive, listen to music, make art, dance, play with clay and so on. Mindful Writer Lorraine Bonzelet draws breath. Ready with her drawing pad and colored pencils, she draws a line up the page as she inhales, holds the breath for a few seconds as she moves the pencil over a bit. Then she exhales...

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Sowing, Sprouting, Budding

Sprouting at Online Mindful Writers

Posted on July 5, 2024
in Journaling
2 Comments

I apologize for being away for so long. From now on I promise to post at least once a week. On January 1, six months ago, we posted about SOWING at Online Mindful Writers Group (OMWG): https://tinyurl.com/ycktmxwn On April 1 we moved on to SPROUTING stage of the journey with all the creative minds who have been traveling with us from the beginning of the year. Since that time we have now arrived at the BUDDING phase. What we sowed and watched sprout has started to bud. We sit in silence and solitude and witness various colors slowly opening to full bloom. For the next three months we'll practice nonverbal activities such as walking and we would travel within the country and to foreign lands. Join me and our star guest-hosts...

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