Day 12... an orange

The hunger pangs set in so I dug through my satchel to find any remaining snacks that I'd packed earlier in the day. At first nothing, but then, a bright albeit tiny clementine appeared. It'd been a few days since I grabbed the little fruit while in a rush on my way out the door but I was delighted to find it.

I grabbed it, sat back at my desk and began to peel the outer covering away. My stomach growled again as if to say "hurry up, what's taking you so long." But the peel was thinner and forced me to slow down.  The citrus smell soon began to fill the room and my mind shifted to the many times I'd enjoyed an orange.

I find it odd that an orange, a citrus fruit which seems so summery actually reminds me of winter. A few oranges from the knapsack were enjoyed on many a ski-outing or finding a orange in the bottom of my stocking on Christmas morn. I always thought it odd that my parents found great delight in this tradition but as I grew up I began to cherish finding the simple orange... a reminder to be thankful and to strive for simplicity amidst the chaos.

And while I ate this orange, I paused to marvel in the wonders of this little fruit. So neatly packaged with a protective shell and all the imperfect yet perfect segments. A bit wonky each of them yet fitting together rather magnificently to make a sphere. I hadn't stopped in quite sometime to reflect on the food I was choosing to eat.

Food as peace. This topic is as vast and enormous as the actual food supply. We can consider food as peace at the individual level, family unit (however defined), within a community, nation and policy. And really it could be "Food, War and Peace" because at each of those levels there's an aspect of war and peace as it relates to food.

Day 12. Peace tip.

Take a moment today to reflect on food and peace. Reflect on one food item and marvel in it's splendor. Use this opportunity to slow down and savor what you've chosen to consume. 

~Peace,

Christina

Day 11... trees

Advice from a Tree

by Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,
Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view!

Fall trees along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico

Shelter, protection, fuel, shade, provider of communication through paper, habitat, protector of the earth, giving, sustenance, connected, strong, supple, beautiful, unique, community...

Trees as a metaphor of peace...

Day 11. Peace tip.

Sit for a moment and think about a significant tree in your life. Where was this tree? Describe the tree? What was special about the tree or what took place there? Now write yourself a little note or story about this tree. What can you learn about peace from a tree?

A tree can be the beginning of an adventure just as it was for Bilbo in the Hobbit.

Day 10... detox

“peace... it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. ”

— -unknown

As a child, we had one phone in the house. It hung on the wall, had the spirally-type cord with a rotary dial. At some point, we got a push-button phone but it never was quite the same as waiting for that dial to turn. Everyone answered the phone as you didn't know who was calling, you learned how to politely answer, and then find the person being requested or you took a message. It was a shared communication device.

There were two televisions in the house although they weren't used that much, at least not by today's standards. The radio played in the morning and the t.v. was rarely on the evenings...maybe because my parents tucked  me into bed an an insanely early hour.

In the basement, my father had this HUGE metal box that took up half the floor-space. I asked him what it was and he said "it's a modern computer." It was the early 80's.

And as we all know, there's been an explosion of technological advances over the past few decades. With upgrades to our computers, televisions, audio-listening devices, headphones, and our phones. We are truly spoiled with the access we have to information; not to mention how easy it has become to stay in contact with friends and family regardless of where we live.

But something's happened along the way and this increased ability to stay connected has introduced an odd element of disconnect, overwhelm, and chaos. We are constantly exposed to information, late-breaking news, advertisements, etc. Sometimes it seems like all the technology is screaming "more, more, more." The family phone is long-gone and now it's a personal device. My phone, your phone, his phone, her phone... not our phone. It's "mine, mine, mine."

Often times, we turn to the television to watch the news; some say it's for background noise, others because they need to stay current. Morning news, 5 pm news, just before bed news and then there's the specialized news channels to allow you access to the news 24-7. And the news isn't good. Even when there's a lull in domestic or world events, the news channels still seem to find the negative to report and not the good. Yet we tell ourselves we need to stay current, connected, and in-the-know about what's going on in the world.

As the quote at the top of the page says, peace is about finding that place in the midst of chaos not void of chaos. However minimizing exposure to some of the chaos might be just what we need.

Day 10. Peace tip.

Take a moment to think about the digital distractions you have in your life. Now, I'm not talking about sincere use of technology that allows us to quickly and easily access needed information. I'm referring to the interruptions your phone/texting, social media, the news on the television brings to your day. If you're feeling like you couldn't go without your phone or the news for a day, this tip is for you. If you find yourself making a list of reasons why this won't work, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself why.

Try it. Detox. Minimize the noise, the distraction, the chaos.

Let it go.

~Christina

PS - I want to be transparent in this process. This is a tough tip for me. I was able to get rid of "the news" over a year ago however, my phone is a different situation. It's a work in progress.

Day 9... knitted lessons

“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you”

— Deepak Chopra

You want peace, right? Yet, life seems like it's crazy busy, always on the go, so much to do and never a moment to spare. It's a busy time for so many whether it's preparing for a holiday season, school functions to attend for your children or grandchildren, more cooking to do, the never-ending deadlines at work, more social functions, and the gift-knitting, the list goes on...

So, you turn to your knitting for a little downtime.

You wind a ball of yarn in your desire to quickly get started, it knots like you've never seen before and after a few moments your frustrations begin to build.

You gloss over the pattern instructions while you watch your favorite t.v. show or listen to the news, only to find out a few (or many) rows later your stitch count is off. "But I read the instructions" you proclaim.

You sit down to knit and after you finish you realize you can't recall those moments you were knitting? Where did my mind wander?

We turned to our knitting because it brings us peace, right. But what about the scenarios above were peaceful? Maybe it wasn't the knitting itself that was "unpeaceful" but how we responded to the situation. Perhaps our attention was elsewhere meaning we weren't really engaged.in the process.

What is your knitting telling you?

Do you need to slow down, turn inward and focus on the task at hand?

Do you need to take a breath when the situation isn't going quite as planned?

Are you being intentional with your knitting?

Now, this isn't to say that there aren't skeins of yarn that are destined to knot, or poorly written patterns, or an appropriate time for mindless knitting. All these things are true but it's how we respond to these situations that provides each one of us with some insight...if we are listening.

Perhaps our knitting is teaching us the need to be more mindful with our actions. And that's how we can use our knitting to truly find stillness amidst all the chaos in our world.

Day 9. Peace tip.

When you knit today, focus in on the stitches. Watch your hands as you insert the needle, wrap or pick the yarn, move the needles, and allow the newly formed stitch to gracefully move from the left to the right needle. With one new stitch formed, think about this incredible act because each one of those new stitches is added to the next to create something beautiful.

Now, as you begin to pick up speed, repeat I - AM - HERE as you knit 3 stitches. Find a rhythm. Pay attention to your breath. Allow your breath to set the pace...inhale over 3 stitches and then exhale over 3 stitches.

Listen to your knitting. Is it telling you to slow down and be present?

What's your knitted lesson?

As an aside... let's say you don't knit. This strategy could be applied to almost anything. Perhaps even cleaning the house.

Peace to you today, one stitch at a time.

~Christina