Tag Archives: postaweek2012

Picnic Palooza!

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Last week Len and I went on a picnic at Three Oaks Recreation Area. A hubbub of activity, it was packed! People were swimming, sunbathing, boating, and fishing—all with the common focus on picnicking.

We saw all manner of picnic styles: from bags of take out, to gourmet grilling, and everything in-between; there was even a group who had their picnic catered. People were relaxed on a blankets, in lawn chairs, and at picnic tables; clearly enjoying their picnics.

All the while we were surrounded by flowers—gorgeous, purple-ice-cream-cone-looking flowers. My friend, Sandi, told me that they’re known as Blazing Star (Liatris Spicata). They definitely added to the festive ambience.

For me, a picnic’s not a picnic unless there’s watermelon involved.

In your eyes, what food makes a picnic a picnic?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Please visit HolEssence and our Facebook page

© 2012 Laurie Buchanan– All Rights Reserved

The Deadly Dash

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So I’m out taking photographs in the cemetery early one morning (don’t ask), and I’m passively noticing differences:

Every headstone has a different name

Every headstone has a different birth date

Every headstone has a different death date

Every headstone has a different epitaph

When all of a sudden—Bam!—it hits me like a ton of bricks. Every single headstone, without exception, has one thing in common. The dash between the birth and death dates.

Now the Universe has my rapt attention and I’m actively paying attention. That little mark—the dash—represents everything in-between; a person’s whole life.

The more I think about it, the more outrageous it becomes. A little “dash” to represent an entire life?!

I shared this observation with my friend Sandi White of Under Southern Skies and in her sage, Southern style she said:

“We start at the beginning of our lives and then seem to ‘dash’ for the finish line! If we’re lucky we make it a 90-yard dash instead of a shorter run.”

I intend to downshift and live the dash slower than a herd of turtles in a jar of peanut butter!

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Lucky Bamboo

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When we purchased our current building almost seven years ago, one of our friends gave us bamboo, explaining that it’s to attract good luck.

Those of you who know me well know that my thumbs are anything but green, so this bamboo is lucky indeed—lucky to still be alive!

In terms of feng shui—the Chinese art of placement—it’s said that five elements must be present in order for bamboo to be lucky:

Earth—rocks or pebbles the bamboo grows in

Water—the bamboo grows with

Wood—represented by the bamboo itself

Fire—a red ribbon/cord tied to the container

Metal—glass belongs to the feng shui metal element

Our bamboo only meets three of the five criteria, but it’s going gangbusters! Maybe it’s because, from the ceiling above it, there’s a crystal hanging from a red cord.

The number of stalks is significant to the type of luck:

2—Love and Marriage

3—Happiness

5—Health

8—Wealth and Abundance

9—Good Fortune

For the greatest amount of luck, it’s said that you should receive bamboo as a gift, rather than purchase it for yourself.

I define luck as the intuitive means of success on all levels. My friend Terrill Welch of CreativePotager says that luck is where preparedness meets opportunity.

How do you define luck?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

The Scent of Memories

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In mid-May our lilacs were in full bloom. After cutting a vase full and placing them on the kitchen table our house smelled like heaven!

When I shared this on Facebook, dozens of people responded. One in particular pulled at my heartstrings:

“My great grandmother died when I was five years old but to this day, whenever I smell lilacs, I have vivid memories of her and the lilac sachets in her lingerie drawer.”

Sight is our strongest sense for short-term memory. It’s estimated that up to 73 percent of our short-term memory is through what we see.

Smell is the strongest and most vivid sense for long-term memories. Certain smells can trigger memories we haven’t thought of in years.

We make memories through our senses and it’s through these same senses that we recall our memories.

Each of our senses makes its own connection for the same experience. When we see a dog and stop to pet it, we double our memory of it! When we think, talk, or write about something, we make even more triggers for that experience.

What memories are you making today for the future?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Please visit HolEssence and our Facebook page

© 2012 Laurie Buchanan– All Rights Reserved

The Art of Sharing

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Growing up, when we asked mom for a piece of gum—typically Juicy Fruit or Wrigley’s Spearmint—she usually said yes on the condition that my sister and I would share a piece. The one who did not break the stick in half was the one who got to select the half she wanted—first. That insured that the one who did the breaking did it as evenly as possible!

On a recent drive to check out an airport for glider planes, Len and I took Lexi and Willa along for the ride. Whiskered faces caught G-force out the partially-open windows as ears flapped blissfully in the breeze. The girls were having an enjoyable afternoon.

Until we pulled into their version of heaven on earth—Culver’s. Then tails started whipping in ecstasy as they shifted into unbridled glee! For them, there’s nothing more exciting than sharing a kiddie dish of vanilla ice cream.

What’s the last thing you shared with a friend?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Chop Wood, Carry Water

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“Before enlightenment—chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment—chop wood, carry water.” —Zen Buddhist Proverb

The duties are the same. The need is the same. So what’s the difference?
The frame of mind.

The practice of mindfulness—being in the present moment—invites us to focus on the task at hand. When we’re in the moment, everything becomes lighter; we’re not compelled to watch the clock.

When we’re fully present, we discover that work is no longer a burden.
Wood is chopped. Water is carried. Life happens.

At our house, one of our favorite areas to practice mindfulness is eating. Len and I share a middle name—Hoover. We tend to vacuum the food right off our plates!

That is…until we started eating with chopsticks. These wonderful utensils have caused us to slow down. To pause. To reflect.

What’s your favorite task to practice mindfulness?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

Squishy Buns – My Favorite Writing Tool

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Question
What do Barnes & Noble, the public library, and coffee shops like Starbuck’s, Caribou, and Conscious Cup all have in common?


Answer
The Goldilocks Syndrome—Papa Bear’s hard wooden chairs!

When writing, I sit for extended periods of time. This can result in painful bunuelos—not the tasty Mexican fritters; we’re talking sore butt cheeks!

I love my squishy buns. This ergonomically designed chair-topper feels like thick, gel-filled neoprene. The crease where it folds for easy storage in my backpack has a center-relieved groove that eliminates pressure on the tailbone—ahhh—making it comfortable to sit for hours on end (pun intended).

When our mind isn’t focused on sore buns, it’s free to court creative thoughts and original ideas and spin them into gold.

What’s your favorite writing tool?

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like A Chair for your Derrière? Take a Stand!

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Please visit HolEssence and our Facebook page

© 2012 Laurie Buchanan– All Rights Reserved

My Hat’s Off to You

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It’s the time of year when my big garden hat is handily located right inside our back door. Each time I step outside to “garden”—code for sitting in a lawn chair and enjoying a good book—I plunk it on top of my head. When I come back in I take it off and put it right back in its place.

In the United States (probably other countries too), My hat’s off to you is an expression we say to someone who’s done something we respect and admire.

In France, chapeau means hat, but chapeau! (with an exclamation mark) is used to express appreciation and approval.

Who is your hat off to?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Please visit HolEssence and our Facebook page

© 2012 Laurie Buchanan– All Rights Reserved

The ABCs, or rather EFTs, of Healing

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It’s been almost two years since I posted Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) – A Universal Healing Aid. That makes today the ideal time to revisit the topic as my blogging friend Sonal Pandey, author of Tap Easy—an EFT-oriented blog—is hosting a giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a free DVD, The Tapping Solution.

For those of you who may not know, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is an energy-based therapy that’s provided thousands of people with relief from pain, diseases, and emotional baggage. Simply stated, it’s an emotional version of acupuncture—except needles aren’t necessary.

Instead, you stimulate well established energy meridian points on your body by tapping on them with your fingertips. The process is easy to memorize and it’s portable so you can do it anytime, anywhere.

I encourage you to head over to the Tap Easy Giveaway Page and sign up for your chance to win this DVD that explores the many facets of EFT and teaches you about releasing pain, about the body-mind connection (how our emotions affect our body), how to clear limiting beliefs, and much more!

Coincidentally, the 2012 Tapping World Summit—a free online event on EFT and meridian tapping—is May 7−16.

Have you ever done EFT before?

Listen with your heart,

Laurie Buchanan

“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
— Laurie Buchanan

Please visit HolEssence and our Facebook page

© 2012 Laurie Buchanan– All Rights Reserved

Lunch with His Holiness the Dalai Lama

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On April 26 I had the unique opportunity to be one of eighty guests who enjoyed lunch with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Loyola University after he spoke to a crowd of 4,000 people about the importance of non-violence and human compassion.

Sitting in the second row, I had a clear view of the sacred chants, musical performances, and three high school students who read their award-winning essays in response to the Dalai Lama’s question:

“How can an attitude of non-violence counteract the prevalence of violence in our families, in our communities, and in international relations; and how can we as individuals cultivate and promote such an attitude?”

A humble man with a contagious smile, the Dalai Lama describes himself as, “A simple Buddhist monk.” Currently 76, he was proclaimed the 14th Dalai Lama at the age of 4 and became Tibet’s leader at 15. In 1959 he made a harrowing escape from Tibet over the treacherous Himalayans as the Chinese made a violent grab for power. He now resides in Dharmsala, India.

Never once using notes, the Dalai Lama spoke from his heart, calling on young people to lead the world toward peace. He said, “Concern should not be rooted in religion, rather, the focus should be on understanding.” And while his message was serious, he also shared stories that made the audience laugh:

His eyes sparkled with mischief as a recounted being a toddler riding on his mothers shoulders and using her pigtails to “steer” her in the direction he wanted to go in the event she wasn’t listening to him.

When he was ten or so, he and his older brother were not interested in studying—they liked to “goof off.” His spiritual teacher came to the conclusion that two “whips” were needed: a regular one for his brother, and a “holy” one for him (his was painted yellow). With a grin, he assured the audience that a “holy” spanking hurts just as much as a regular one.

In his message of hope the Dalai Lama shared:
“Change must start within one individual.”
“The future depends on the present.”
“The difference between violence and non-violence resides in the heart.”
“When we exercise a compassionate view, we let go of anger.”

In my perspective, the Dalai Lama is the embodiment of goodness. If we all emulated his compassionate attitude—one that is positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing—the world would be a very different place.

What’s one change that you can make for the better?

© lauriebuchanan.com