Cats

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I have to admit, at times I do envy my cats. Or more precise; not just my cats; pretty much all cats. It is just that I am in a better position to observe the threesome that look at me to open the food cans…

It is being said that dogs have masters, and cats have employees.
It seems to be true that dogs are more apt to to do things that will make a person happy. In a way, they even may go out of their way to do so.
This is not true for cats. Cats treat you as an equal at best, while doing whatever it takes to be happy themselves. That being said, they are absolutely perfect at guarding a space, be it physically or in energy. Yes, they do have a job; they just lack having a boss. And while at it, I as a human ~ while greatly appreciated for my ability to come up with a variety of tasty bits and willingness to open its containers ~ should really get with it and help out as best I can. (After all, those humans tend to be a bit dense.)

But this is not why I envy cats.
I envy them because of their aptitude to be themselves. For the way they do the things they do ~ whether it is their ‘job’ or just whatever it is cats do ~ while staying totally true to themselves. No compromises. Unless of course what I might interpret as a compromise ~ something like lazing about on my lap while purring loudly ~ is part of their plan. After all, the lap is comfortable, and when played right, the purring  will instigate petting. Petting that needs to be done ‘just so’. And if I don’t get it right; well there are other comfortable places to repose… No hard feelings.

It is one of those lessons cats can teach us; to be entirely true to ourselves, doing the things we (have to) do with grace, and not having any hard feelings when people around us ‘just don’t get it’. Knowing when to be persistent, and realizing when it is time to move on; either to something else, or by doing what we set out to do in our own way. Pleasing others because it gives us a sense of wellbeing; without ever giving up our own plans, our own values, or our sense of who we truly are.

No doubt any kind of (pet) animal has plenty lessons to teach us, but to me cats are in a class all by themselves.
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Meditation

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It has been a long time since meditation was something practiced by only a few; something mystical, filled with mystery; and therefore branding those who would engage in something like meditation as a pretty weird person…
In this point in time it is known that meditation has wonderful benefits like lowering stress levels, and staying or becoming more balanced. And many people meditate just for that reason; to find that quiet, peaceful spot within themselves, where they can rest and leave all the stress and troubles of their lives behind for a moment.

For others, that peaceful point of rest is only the starting point for their meditations.
Some may seek to deepen that point of peace more and more, allowing it to flow into their daily lives; in effect becoming an ever more peaceful person. Others may seek answers in their meditations; answers that elude them when they ‘think it through’. The idea is that while meditating, we tap into a different, higher frequency of our being which can show us new and different aspects of what is happening in our lives. And with new information come new solutions.

It turns out that meditation allows us to tap into ever higher states of being, which in turn gives us new and different experiences along the way.

A different form of meditation altogether is to direct our energies, starting from that point of peaceful rest, in order to bring a specific solution about in our lives.
For instance, that which we focus our attention on, that which we focus our actions toward will grow in our lives. So, if we want to manifest that new home into our lives, the thing to do is to actively start looking at houses that are available. Another thing we can do is to ‘meditate on it’. And in our meditation we can imagine what it would be like in this new home. What colors we would paint the walls, what shops or schools would be nearby… And just as we can put our physical actions toward finding ourselves a new home, we can pour energy into the process through meditation.
It doubles the effort, and in effect should double the outcome…

However, in meditation we may also see enough reasons to stay where we are living right now, to give up the search altogether. Or we may find that the timing for moving is not quite right yet… Or that we want to focus our attention on a different place. Or perhaps even that before we can make that move, we better make a promotion first…

All in all, meditation can be a great tool while living our lives; although never a substitute for actually living our lives.
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Without a reason

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We all tend to need a reason to do something. To get started. Some kind of motivation that gets us moving. And so, without an obvious reason, we may find it easy to push things to the back burner; to not have to think about them; let alone do something about them.

For me the reason has finally arrived to re-evaluate anything and everything that I have come to store in the attic of my house over the years. Things I may need; things I don’t know what to do with at that moment; things of value at that point in my life; things I couldn’t release just yet; and yes, the things I really do want to keep. Notice how it is only that last short sentence that is about ‘keeping stuff’?

The reality is that for whatever the reasons, over the years things have stacked up. And now that my home is changing, it seems to be a good time to see if what is in my home needs changing too. After all, I am not the same person I was ten years ago, or twenty years ago ~ so it seems silly to just assume that I still value the same things I used to value way back then…
So there is my reason!

Now, this doesn’t mean necessarily that I will discard of a lot of things ~ all it means is that it is time to re-evaluate.

Having said that, often when we set out to do something, hints come our way unbidden as to what to do next; or, in this case what to do with stuff stored in the attic.
Today my neighbor put up a sign in the window asking for a single sized mattress. It is something I have and don’t want to keep anymore. I was wondering what to do with it as it is still a good mattress ~ it would be a shame to just toss it out. On the other hand, I hadn’t planned on digging it up from the attic just yet… But given the fact that she needed that which I wanted to get rid off created too good an opportunity to pass up!
And so, with the mattress as a reason, the attic is already quite a bit more empty.

At the same time this also provided me with a reason to not start doing other things…

Having a reason to do something ~ or not do something, as the case may be ~ really does help us to get started. Where as without a reason, chances are we won’t…
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Where do I start?

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Have you ever felt there was so much to do ~ whether they are chores, projects, or just plain things you want to do ~ that you have no idea where to start? The sensation that you are staring this big ‘thing’ in the face that seems to be more than can be handled in one day ~ or by one person for that matter?

It is where I find myself this morning.
And it being a beautiful Spring day, the temptation is to not get started at all. To just walk away from it for yet another day in a row, and to go out and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts… The perfect excuse!
But an excuse nonetheless, and one that will surely put me in a similar position tomorrow as the project does still have a lot to be taken care of before the chaos dissolves and ~ in all likelihood ~ order suddenly reappears in my life.

Right now, that sense of order and everything being in its place is the argument to get going on whatever is left to be done. Which brings me back to the question; where do I start?
A long journey starts with a single step. The implication being that it really doesn’t matter which direction one takes that first step; as long as you take it. So perhaps that is how I should look at the mountain of little things that still is waiting to get done. To just start, and to take it from there. To stop analyzing and planning and thinking about it ~ to pick any one little thing and just handle it.

It is often the best way to go.
As long as we are thinking, planning etc., chances are that whatever needs to get done seems to become bigger and bigger in our minds ~ in turn making it harder and harder to get started. On the other hand, once we get started that big mountain seems to divide itself pretty seamlessly into a series of molehills that each are easy to handle ~ even by just one person.

The other thing is that certainly on a big project, it doesn’t need to be done all in one day either. There is nothing wrong with taking the time we need to handle each aspect of it properly and in its own time.

So I guess I will open the doors and windows to let the Spring weather enter into the room, and start tackling that first little molehill…
And go from there.
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Painting

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When I am thinking about ‘painting’, two entirely different things come to mind. First and foremost I am thinking of creating a painting; the art form that creates paintings ~ images, either realistic or springing from one’s fantasy that are expressed through painting, drawing etc. Then there is also painting in the sense of painting the walls; bringing a different color ~ and with that a different energy ~ into our homes.

Where the first brand of painting seems to be oozing creativity, the second option is more like a chore that needs to be done every once in a while. And as either result can be pleasing to the eyes, often the first type of ‘painting’ is given a higher value ~ at least as long as we like the image that is expressed.

After all, painting our house is totally different than painting a picture…
Or is it?

One could say that in either case we are painting a picture; it is just the canvas that is different.
In creating a painting ~ no matter how big the canvas ~ an object is created that brings out emotions from those who experience it. Those who see it. In painting the walls of our homes, the canvas is ~ at least part of ~ our lives. And when all is finished, the new colors ~ perhaps more specifically the new energy brought on by the chosen colors ~ paint a picture of this point in our lives that can bring out an emotional response from ourselves, as well as from those who come to visit.
Just like with a painting some may like what they see, while others may not care for it at all.

In a sense, rather than painting an ‘object d’art’, what can be more satisfying than painting on the canvas of our lives? Adding color where none may have been before; finding the tones in color that we sing our songs in. Creating an image of how we perceive our lives to be right now; or if we are not entirely satisfied with that, we bring out the colors of what we would desire our lives to be…

Painting on the canvas of our lives then becomes an act of manifestation. An image of what we would like to see when we look at our lives. An expression of who we truly are when all the masks drop away in the comfort of our homes.

And perhaps we will then find a painting; an image that is pleasing to us, that suits our colors, our space, that we will hang on the newly painted wall to enhance what we ‘have done with the place’…
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