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Writings and Readings Blog

Madhu Bazaz Wangu

Day 308, Friday, November 8, 2024

Posted on November 7, 2024
in Being in Nature, Travel
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Reflections The photos included in this post are also featured on the cover of my book, "Images of Indian Goddesses." Such images had triggered the strong emotions while I was researching and writing my doctoral dissertation. I held them in my heart-mind for years. And then when I finally stood mesmerized in front of them all my emotions poured out. INSPIRATIONKali in Himachal While driving in the lower Himalayan Mountains with my husband, we viewed the River Bias as its flow shimmered in the deep valley. The intention of our trip in the state of Himachal Pradesh was to photograph the images of the Indian goddess Kali enshrined in the locally well-known temple. I had seen goddess photos in art history books, describing such local temples, and this one had attracted my...

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Day 307, Thursday, November 7, 2024

Posted on November 6, 2024
in Being in Nature, Creativity, Travel
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Reflections Magnificence of nature and magnificent art, music, dance-drama performances turn me speechless. Words lose their meaning. Coming from a writer, this is a significant declaration. In silence, my eyes well, heart hurts (in a good way) and my ego self dissipates. I merge into what I'm beholding as the matter turns into spirit. The object can be as small as a flower or a bonsai arrangement. Or as marvelous as Michelangelo's David. Inspiration A photograph of a great work of art is the mere memory of the original. In no way can it have the same impact as an in-person encounter. I experienced this when we visited the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy. I had seen the reproductions of Michelangelo’s marble statue of David, but was clueless about how I would...

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Day 306, Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Posted on November 5, 2024
in Cooking, Nonverbal Activities
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Reflections After breathing, the senses of taste and smell are elemental for living beings. Did you know these two senses are the oldest and essential for our survival? They play key roles in such basic processes as eating, avoiding danger and mating. Your nose knows even if your eyes are closed. When you are closer to sea, standing on freshly mowed grass, or next to wet mulch, you know what it is. But you cannot describe the smsell. You can only name the object that is giving away the smell hoping that what you say would resonate your experience in the mind of the other person. When we taste with attention, even the simplest of foods provide a universe of sensory experience. One bit of juicy apple, freshly baked bread, cool water...

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Day 305, Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Posted on November 4, 2024
in Creativity
4 Comments

Reflection We are perpetually embraced and nourished by sounds and sights. The continuous film running in the mind about the stories of past or future keep us from living in the sensuous gifts of the present. We don’t accept the invitation to good listening or good seeing until we are made aware of these. So awaken to your hearing the way you return to your breath when thoughts abduct you from the focus. When you give yourself entirely to hearing, passing thoughts are desperate to occupy the mental space. They want to bring the misery back. They grope and gasp. They are impediments to peace and tranquility of the present moment. Listen mindfully to the sounds and watch the thoughts melt away. Simply be aware of the "soundscape" with silences punctuating the sounds....

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Day 304, Monday, November 4, 2024

Posted on November 3, 2024
in Being in Nature, Meditation, Nonverbal Activities
2 Comments

Inspiration Seeing There is sheer joy in seeing. Watch nature through the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, the clouds, the ocean, the river, the waterfall, the lake, the flames, the crackling sparks. Whether you are a child or a ninety-year-old, you can never see anything better. How can one learn to use visual skills to the utmost? Start observing nature and art any day, any time. The details in painting, sculpture, architecture, and crafts will surprise you. Take in the sense of composition, color hues, gradations, and visual balance. See artworks viscerally. There is no logic to what you learn thus but you will begin to appreciate the world around you with new understanding. Whatever style or period of art charms you or touches your heart, keep looking at those works. Let them...

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Walk in Nature and Feel the Awe

Day 303, Sunday, November 3, 2024

Posted on November 2, 2024
in Online Mindful Writers Group
4 Comments

Good morning Friends! How familiar are you with the sensory world? Our five senses and the mind create meaning of the world that surrounds us. Yet we’re jaded to our sensuous power. Therefore the meanings we receive are dull as compared to their finest possibilities.What if we pay deeper attention to every sense while it is functioning fine? What if we don’t wait for something to go wrong? We begin to "see" instead of merely "looking." The words “look” and “see” are as different as “hearing” and “listening.” One is ordinary and the other mindful. So let's be mindful of what we see, hear, touch, smell and taste. There is seeing and, as Jon Kabat-Zinn writes, there is "being seen:" a caring person looking at you with kind and accepting...

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Day 302, Saturday, November 2, 2024

Posted on November 1, 2024
in Meditation
8 Comments

Do you wonder sometimes how is my body connected to the mind? What is the benefit of Body Scan Meditation? (For this meditation to be effective, I would change 2-minute body scan as suggested in this Inspiration to 5 or 10-minute scan) In the Body Scan meditation we practice to be mindful of the sensations that we feel on our skin. This is because skin and brain are connected. As is evidenced by the map in our brain called homunculus (The little person). The regions of the sensory homunculus correspond to the surface features of the skin. In this map the hands, feet and lips are huge compared to other locations. This is because of the high concentration of sensory nerve endings in these particular regions. The map and the diagram of...

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The image refers to the blossoming of Self after ten months of practicing Mindful Meditation and Journaling

Inspiration: Unblocking Your Creative Flow

Posted on October 31, 2024
in Journaling, Meditation, Meditation & Journaling at Ashby Ponds, Online Mindful Writers Group
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Day 301, Friday, November 1, 2024 Welcome dear Mindful Writers and Mindful Creators, This is quite an exciting morning for me as we begin a new phase on our ongoing creative and spiritual journey together. The goal remains the same only the Power Spot has moved. This month's (Month 11) topic is "Mindfulness, Awe, Wonder and Delight." from the book Unblock Your Creative Flow: 12 Months of Mindfulness for Writers and Artists. What a topic to begin with from our new home!We begin with today's Inspiration from Day 301; pp. 362 from the book mentioned above followed by the Journal Prompt and the Link to today's meditation. The time it takes to practice these is between 30-45 minutes. Enjoy the process! Inspiration Awe and wonderment are sacred emotions that kindle spiritual delight, tenderness,...

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Walking Meditation: 7:00 am, 62* F

Posted on October 25, 2024
in Meditation
6 Comments

My mind muddledI push the heavy garage doora gush of air blows in.The sound of fountain sprinkling over the pondshimmers, droplets dance. The waves ripple toward uneven edges where geese peck insects between wild grasses. Fisherman's Pond I breathebring attention to my feet.left right, left right, left right,Five hundred feet and Five hundred moremy attention clicks,the rest of the body not so. Magnolia Pond Step after step energy flows upward the lower legs, the kneesBend, bend, bend, bend,Thighs energize blood rushes to the lower back through the spinal cord, upper back, shoulders, blades. Cardinal Pond Tingling incites the fingertipsebullience wakes up the body. Senses animating the “auspicious pitcher,” the five coalesced in the head, mind at peace, heart open, awareness awakens.  One with all and all with One. ...

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Chicken, Lotus root slices in red sauce

5 Senses and Cooking

Posted on July 26, 2024
in Cooking, Nonverbal Activities
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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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