Forced relaxation - sorting through a collection of buttons I have collected over the past 40 years of knitting and sewing. What to make next? …

Lovely words to start your day. ay open.substack.com/pub/ramdass/...

Thank you Kumud and #spiritchat friends for this enjoyable chat. With gratitude for you all.

A8: When you tune into gratitude, you start seeing and feeling joy in small little bursts throughout your day - the sun peaking through the trees on your bus ride to work; a dog wagging it’s tail on its morning walk. Consumerism teaches us to chase things when joyful moments surround us. #spiritchat

A7: That’s an important reminder Kumud - thank you. To let others know when you are grateful for them. #spiritchat

A6: Gratitude doesn’t mean that you whitewash the uncomfortable feelings with platitudes. Life is messy with pain and joy. A gratitude practice helps us tune into the whispers of joy when suffering is yelling at us, trying to get our full attention. #spiritchat

A5: I think we need to practice gratitude. When things are going poorly, it’s easy to wallow in the stress of it all and miss the little glimmers of joy that visit us during the day. #spiritchat

#ImageAndVerse It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful. - Brother David Steindl-Rast #SpiritChat #Gratitude #Thanksgiving

A3: I think the practice of thinking of 3 things that you are grateful for at the end of your day, helps you reset your mind before falling asleep. Perhaps it is the practice, moreso than the content, that is important. #spiritchat

A2: It’s difficult to be grateful when your basic human needs are not being met. There is so much suffering in the world - much of it manmade. #spiritchat

A1: It’s a conscious act isn’t ? A daily practice to reflect on the moments of your day that you are grateful for - a sunny day, a hug from a friend. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat

I am seriously considering my social media choices. I’ve already bailed on two platforms. As an early adopter, I initially enjoyed exposure to info and people I could never meet in my day-to-day life. Although there is some of this still, it is often drowned out by hate. Goodbye hate. Hello Gander.

“Don’t die with the music within you” “Sing the song that was given to you” It could be through poetry, dance, music, painting, writing... or even math, science, accounting 🙏🏽 💙 #Spiritchat A9

Have a great week everyone. It’s been lovely sharing this time with you. Thank you Kumud for creating this space for us to connect and reflect. #spiritchat

A9: Music brings us closer to the divine. You hear singer-songwriters talk about how the inspiration for some of their most popular songs comes to them like a gift. When we sing, play or listen to music, we are lifting the energetic cadence. #spiritchat

A8: I went to my first community sing-in called, All Together Now. The organizer teaches a bunch of strangers to sing a song during the 2 hours. This was the result. #spiritchat soundcloud.com/user-3692891...

A7: As a Tenor in a choir, when you are learning your part, it sounds very discordant, but the moment when you put the 4 parts together and your voices blend in a human chord - is magical. Singing in community is energizing and uplifting. #spiritchat

Have you heard of the French singer, PlumesOfficial who sings to animals? Animals love music too. #spiritchat www.instagram.com/reel/DMTHoXa...

A4: I learned how to play guitar in my teens and the music of Carole King, Jimmy Buffet, America, Bread, the Eagles - too many to list - was my backdrop. My part-time job earnings were spent on buying 45s, sheet music and going to concerts. #spiritchat

A3: I never turn my back on music. It is a constant in my life especially when walking. I also sing in a rock choir so need to practice every week to learn the harmonies. #spiritchat

Someone on the bus has Voltaren on and it is very calming. In addition to creating a cooling sensation on the skin, it is also soothing to the nervous system - a welcome addition in a chaotic world.

A9: I think taking a moment to recognize how and where feminine energy shows up in your life and becoming aware of it in others would be an interesting practice. #spiritchat

A7: We’re responsible for our own personal growth. I think some of us have become lazy in this regard and are not doing the work required to be decent citizens in the service to others. #spiritchat

A6: When exercise creative energy daily when they decide what to feed their families that day. Cooking is a creative endeavour that starts long before the pan bottom hits the stove top. #spiritchat

A4: I equate wealth with health. Without good health everything else sours a bit. The divine feminine helps us reconnect with the essentials of love, family, friends and home. #spiritchat

A3: When the power goes out, I have to rebuild my energy through self care. As someone who likes to operate with the pedal pushed to the floorboards, I have learned how to balance my “doing” tendencies with “being”. It’s a work in progress. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat Joining from Vancouver Island.

A8: I have lost my desire to write since Covid. I have 5 first drafts languishing - the characters floating in the middle of the Pacific or trying to find a killer - they are patiently waiting for my return. 😁 I percolating current events & will weave these voices into these books. #spiritchat

A7: It is a rarity for me to speak in anger so when I do, those who know me best, listen. I use the silence to check in with myself to find clarity before speaking. This helps me stay on topic and not bring in every annoyance into the conversation. #spiritchat

A6: I think I sense before I think so I usually trust my gut over words. Some people are very good at not telling the truth. #spiritchat

A5: i often need that period of silence to sort out my thoughts and feelings, and as a woman weigh whether or not I am able to risk my safety to speak out. It’s an unfortunate reality but true nonetheless. #spiritchat

A7: At the weekly rehearsal for the rock choir I am in, we do some warmups including a church song that we sing in 4-part harmony. It’s an odd pairing for a rock choir, but we all love it and it energizes us. #spiritchat

A6: I think it would be better for me to wake up my body first with a combination of yoga, Qigong and meditation before waking up my mind with puzzles. #spiritchat

A5: I look after my feet - not with pedicures, but with self massage, stretches and rolling the soles of my feet on a small ball. Relaxing the fascia in your feet helps relax your entire body and promotes a good night’s sleep. #spiritchat

A4 again - I numbered the last answer incorrectly. Birthdays and New Years are two times that I reflect, but I could do a deeper reflection. I once knew a couple who annually would book a day off work to review their lives just as you would a business. #spiritchat

A4: Routines provide structure to your day and a strong foundation to allow you to handle all the things that you have no control over. #spiritchat (sorry for the lag in participating. Kitty wants to play now that the sun is rising.)

A2: My morning routine has been hijacked by online puzzles - Canuckle, Wordle, Wordle, Waffle, Connections, Spelling Bee and to my utter frustration - Strands. #spiritchat

A1: I remember the first September after I graduated uni, it felt so strange to not be in school. It was a bit disappointing actually - the excitement of seeing friends, new classes and of course, office supplies. I still love notebooks and pens. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat Our current foster cat had me up at 3:30 am today. The silver lining is I am here wide awake with you while the rest of the city slumbers.

Thank you #spiritchat friends. These chats help me be more grounded for the week ahead.

I have missed most of the questions. 😁 A8: We honour the lives of our loved ones by being present so we can develop awareness of areas of our lives where we can be more kind, generous, less selfish - and we do better tomorrow. And the day after that. And so on. #spiritchat

A3: It’s funny. We spend much energy chasing money to buy things, status, power when the thing that makes me feel the most alive is sitting quietly in nature - and that doesn’t cost me anything. #spiritchat

A5: I’m not sure about that Kumud. I think if people were much more aware of the fact that one day they will die, they might be kinder while they are living. #spiritchat

Good morning #spiritchat friends. I hope you don’t mind me popping into the chat when I can. I am so very sorry to hear about Gary’s passing. He and I had several interesting chats over the years. He was a remarkable man who shared his wisdom generously.

A previously unreported network of hundreds of accounts on X is using artificial intelligence to automatically reply to conservatives with positive messages about people in the Trump administration, researchers say.

Have a great week everyone. #spiritchat

Sharing a beautiful moment from the trail to Botanical Beach. These quivers of beauty are everywhere if we slow down to appreciate them. #spiritchat

A6: I think every healing journey starts with one small step. #spiritchat

A4: I think awareness is key to healing b/c it often takes a mind shift to provide the inertia to follow a healing journey. However, sometimes we are so far down a hole of misery that we need a helping hand to be strong for us when we can’t. #spiritchat