To love unconditionally, to be happy and grateful for the little things in life, we humans have a lot to learn from our pets.Gratitude quote

To love unconditionally, to be happy and grateful for the little things in life, we humans have a lot to learn from our pets.

Gratitude blessings to you, AstarteAlison

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully. Gratitude quote. Steve Maraboli

When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully. When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light. Steve Maraboli

Love this gratitude quote, it can often be hard to be the first to shine a light when all around appears to be darkness. However daring to shine that light and smile even when you really don't feel like it can often so lift your spirits and affect those around you. Practising gratitude is a fabulous way to lift your spirits on a daily basis, especially on those darker days. 

Blessings of gratitude to you, Alison xxx

Nothing ever happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now. Positive Mindfulness quote. Eckhart Tolle

Nothing every happened in the past that can prevent you from being present now; and if the past cannot prevent you from being present now, what power does it have? Eckhart Tolle

This is a quote from Eckhart Tolle's brilliant book A New Earth: Create a Better Life
 "Responding to a radical crisis that threatens our very survival – this is humanity’s challenge now.

...humanity is now faced with a stark choice: Evolve or die.

What is arising now is not a new belief system, a new religion, spiritual ideology, or mythology. We are coming to the end not only of mythologies but also of ideologies and belief systems. The change goes deeper than the content of your mind, deeper than your thoughts."

Click on the image below to find out more about this fabulous title

We can't always know the pain our friends feel but we can be there for them. Positive quote on friendship

We can't always know the pain our friends feel but we can be there for them. We can never truly understand another's pain, we cannot walk in their shoes. What we can do though is just be there. We can't take the pain away but we can be a shoulder to cry on and a friend to talk to, eventually a friend to laugh again with. The best thing about having a true friend is that you are not alone, there is someone to turn to when times are hard.

However much you feel you can't help, you can, just by being there xxx

Samhain, soft and gentle, descending graceful on the haunches of the year. Ruth Calder Murphy

A beautiful poem on Samhain's eternal beauty.

Shared from the very talented Ruth Calder Murphy. Find more of her wonderful work here: http://www.ruthmathews.net/ruth.htm

The Brief Eclipse
- By Ruth Calder Murphy - 

Samhain, soft and gentle,
descending graceful on the haunches of the year -
Ancestors smile on the backs of shadows
and the veil shimmers and almost disappears
on Autumn’s burnished breath.
The fragrance of decay hangs in your arms and on your warm exhale,
the welcome sleep of death
that leads to rebirth and risings
to greater, higher things.
How did your loving face, your comfortable embrace,
so full of wisdom, love and tender grace,
become eclipsed by sweets and tricks and treats
- and worse, by blood and gore, by villainy and more
than any other season must endure?
How did your transforming power
become the Evil Hour,
the scourge of days?
Samhain, soft and gentle, your heart ablaze with Autumn’s gold,
you’ll not be hijacked, ‘slaved and sold,
for, strong beyond the knavery and tricks,
You’re more profound - and more secure and more eternal sure -
than any transient eclipse.

The Gratitude Pumpkin, a fabulous way to celebrate Samhain

OK here is my next attempt at decorating a pumpkin! Just like my pentacle pumpkin this one is really easy too, you just need a permanent marker, preferably in black so that it stands out nicely. And of course a pumpkin!

So, this is the Gratitude Pumpkin. I got the idea from the website http://www.oneartsymama.com Amy there has loads of wonderful ideas for things you can do with children, well worth a visit.

In making my gratitude pumpkin I first lit a candle, orange to honour Samhain; I then sat for a while meditating on all the I have in my life to be grateful for. I then proceeded to put write some of those things onto my Gratitude Pumpkin. I just wrote the words around the pumpkin, trying to follow the curve but it's not that easy to do, your attempts may come out more artistic than mine! You could write the words randomly all over the pumpkin that would look fabulous too I think.  

This is an exercise that all the family can join in. Children could make their own with supervision or can join in with a Family Gratitude Pumpkin. Most of all, have fun and as you do it, really feel in your heart, the gratitude that you feel knowing you have all these things in your life.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Gratitude Pumpkin in front of my Wendy Andrews Samhain Altar

I do try and practice gratitude every day, thinking of three things to be grateful for before I fall asleep each night. Writing the words down like this really cements that gratitude in your mind, reminding you that however difficult life gets there is always so much to be grateful for.

So enjoy getting creative and make your gratitude pumpkin today. I would love to see any examples of your work!

Samhain blessings, Alison 

Positive effect of kindness. Wayne Dyer

“The positive effect of kindness on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain has been proved on research studies. Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that makes us feel more comfortable, peaceful, and even blissful. In fact the role of most anti-depressants is to stimulate the serotonin production to alleviate depression. Research has shown that a simple act of kindness directed toward another improves the functioning of the immune system and stimulates production of serotonin in both the recipient of the kindness and the person extending the kindness. Even more amazing is that persons observing the act of kindness have similar beneficial results. Imagine this: kindness extended, received, or observed beneficially impacts the physical health and feelings of everyone involved.”

Scientific benefits of being kind!!  I'm sure that being kind is something that comes naturally to you all, still its nice to learn about the benefits!

Blessings of love and kindness to you, Alison

Imagine you are sending light out all around you. Thich Nhat Hanh. Positive Inspirational Quote

" Imagine you are sending light out all around you. All your words, thoughts and actions are going in many directions. If you say something kind, your kind words go in many directions and you yourself go with them. We are transforming and continuing in a 

different form at every moment" Thich Nhat Hanh

I love these words from the wonderful Thich Nhat Hanh. The words we speak are important and we should choose them carefully. If we speak kind words to people those kind words will spread like a ripple on a lake throughout the universe in many directions. So speak kind words whenever you can. Shine your light, let everyone see it. 

Thich Nhat Hanh has written many wonderful books one of which is 
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

"Lucidly and beautifully written, PEACE IS EVERY STEP contains commentaries and meditations, personal anecdotes and stories from Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader. It begins where the reader already is - in the kitchen, office, driving a car, walking in a park - and shows how deep meditative presence is available now. Nhat Hanh provides exercises to increase our awareness of our own body and mind through conscious breathing, which can bring immediate joy and peace. Nhat Hanh also shows how to be aware of relationships with others and of the world around us, its beauty and also its pollution and injustices. The deceptively simple practices of PEACE IN EVERY STEP encourage the reader to work for peace in the world as he or she continues to work on sustaining inner peace by turning the 'mindness' into the mindful.

'This is a very worthwhile book. It can change individual lives and the life of our society. ' H. H. the Dalai Lama."

Enjoy shining your light, bright blessings to you, Alison 

 

Never underestimate the power that is, and has been, within you. Koulouris. Positive Inspirational Quote

Never underestimate the power that is, and has been, within you. Koulouris

You are strong, stronger than you think you are, never underestimate yourself, you can do it, you are amazing! blessings, Alison xxx

It is the sweet simple things of life which are the real things after all. Beatrix Potter Gratitude Quote

It is the sweet simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Beatrix Potter

It is often the simple things that we forget and they are often the things that we should be most grateful for. How can we not express the deepest gratitude for a beautiful sunset or the warm touch of a child's hand in ours? If we practice this gratitude daily we learn to appreciate these sweet simple things are realise just how amazingly important to us they really are.

Sweet blessings to you, Alison xx

Make all your friends feel there is something special in them. Christian D Larson inspirational quote

"Talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel there is something special in them."

 Christian D Larson

I am enough. I practice kindness. Molly Mahar Quote free positive affirmation card

"I AM ENOUGH. I am full of sparkle and compassion.  I genuinely want to make the world a better place.  I love hard.   I practice kindness.   I’m not afraid of the truth.  I am loyal, adventurous, supportive, and surprising.  I am a woman.  I am enough. I make mistakes, but I own them and learn from them.  Sometimes I make a bunch of mistakes. " Molly Mahar

Mollly Mahar's words are inspirational. She says words that really make us believe in ourselves.  You are enough. I am enough. We are all enough. We are all doing our best. You are enough I am enough. Say it out loud.  I am enough. Say it in the mirror to yourself everyday. Smile at yourself and say it again. I am enough. I make mistakes, I fall, I get back up again. I practice kindness.  I start each day afresh with a new pair of eyes, a fresh outlook on a brand new day. I practise loving kindness throughout my day and this makes the day more beautiful and worthwhile. My day has more sparkle because of it. We never know what each day will bring; what challenges and what pleasant surprises but we will rise to the challenges and welcome all the pleasant surprises. 

If you would like to keep this as a free positive affirmation card then feel free to save it to your computer by right clicking on the image. You could then set it as your background or print it out and place somewhere you will see it everyday, for example the back of your front door.

Some more amazing words from Molly:
"I accept that a sense of wonder is something to cultivate. I accept that I sometimes self medicate with alcohol, with filling my life full of busyness, with going into self imposed isolation.  I accept that I crave financial abundance, a freedom to do what I want, when I want it.  I am still enough."

You are enough. I am enough. We are all enough

Kindness blessings, Alison xxx