EnChanting Meditations ......Om Mani Padme Hum

The Buddhist mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" is practiced more than any other in the world.
It creates a state of compassion that will manifest in subtle and obvious ways. 
The concept of chanting this simple mantra, is that when the heart and mind become united anything is possible.
So pick an aspect of your life you wish to improve.

*Om* helps you to achieve the practice of generosity,
*Ma* helps you to achieve the practice of pure ethics, 
*Ni* helps you to achieve the practice of tolerance and patience.
*Päd* helps you to achieve the practice of perseverance,
*Me* helps you to achieve the practice of concentration, 
*Hum* helps you to achieve the practice of wisdom.

Chant along and enjoy the relaxing images and you're already meditating.................

My Scruffy Gardener

He helps me with pest control mainly, so I reward him with raisins.......
He sits and watches my feeble attempts from just a foot away, probably checking to see if I'm do things right.
He's a scruffy old thing and he's always looked the same, even after a bath. So he can't blame it on a 'bad feather day'. I call him Steptoe and he doesn't seem offended.

Knobs and Knockers

Now this is what I call a letterbox, at first glance I thought it was a lion, but the nose, eyebrows and ears all look more faun-like, not that I've met many fauns recently, but sometimes you just kinda know these things.

It is on a door of a house in Kensington, London.

 

If You ain't Chanting, You ain't Living.......

The Chanting of sacred sounds sends a vibration of energy throughout your entire being, working right down to a physical cellular level and also on an emotional-mental and spiritual one as well.

 

Think of it like your own personal ultra-sound machine, that enables you to release all of those feel good chemicals and vibes that are so important for your health and well being, whilst raising your own vibration to a higher level.........

So good if you want to improve and develop yourself or want to help others....

Here is my favourite at the moment, my voice is not so sweet and I kinda rumble alongside it, but it's the intent that makes it all matter....

 

Give it a go, you have nothing to lose, but so much to gain?

St. Swithin - The Rain Man

Today is St.Swithin's day and my laundry has been on and off the line in equal measure, first showers then sunshine, then showers again until finally the sun won the day  - just like how life can be - remember that every cloud has a silver lining and I got the washing dry........ 

St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain

For forty days it will remain

St. Swithin's day if thou be fair

For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.

St Swithin's reputation is lost in legend with the only reliable information being that he was a trusted counsellor to the Wessex kings Egbert and Ethelwulf and was consecrated bishop of Winchester in the year 862. He was probably chosen for his rainmaker role, ascribed to St Medard in France and St Godelieve in Belgium, because his day coincides with the start of a recurring pattern in the weather.

St Swithin's Day was dry in 1995 and was followed by 38 days without rain. Ten years earlier it rained on 15 July and all 40 following days were wet.

There is a scientific basis to the legend of St Swithun's day. Around the middle of July, the jet stream settles into a pattern which, in the majority of years, holds reasonably steady until the end of August. When the jet stream lies north of the British Isles then continental high pressure is able to move in; when it lies across or south of the British Isles, Arctic air and Atlantic weather systems predominate.

Fresh Eggs and Friends

I had a wonderful Saturday, spent with my friend Chrissie, who treated me like Royalty and spoilt me with scones and cream for tea.

We chatted and laughed whilst her chickens scratched about or rested in the shade as we gathered their eggs. Then unintentionally we disturbed one of the hens who was in the middle of laying and as she jumped up and dashed off, the warm egg popped out. 'You can't get fresher than that' said Chrissie.

I was later sent home with six of the freshest and look forward to dipping bread into their bright yellow yolks.........