Simple Pleasures, Everyday Joie de Vivre.

  Photo by volant on Unsplash Disclaimer Aromatherapy is a popular hobby around the world. It is sometimes recognised in mainstream medicine. Aromatherapy is a complimentary application only. Check for allergies by placing a little of your mixture on your wrist before use. Do not use the oils neat. The oils are pure and they must be mixed in a certain ratio with a carrier oil or water. Use at your own risk. The author takes no responsibility to reactions of any kind occurring to the body or mind during use of essential oils. If using an oil burner or scented candle be careful with the flame. If unsure please check with your doctor. Make sure you buy your oils pure from a reputable vendor.  Aroma-Therapy Did you know that aroma-therapy is recognised by modern medicine. Well it is, and it's a lovely thing to do. Engaging the senses is awesome and here are ways to experiment with your sense of smell: There are many types of essential oils within this article containing some of m...

 Yoga Definition yoga or   Yo·ga [  yoh -g uh  ] SHOW IPA noun a school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the  Supreme Being  or ultimate principle. any or all of the methods or disciplines prescribed in the Hindu philosophical school of yoga, especially a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve tranquility, control of the body and mind, etc. union of the self with the  Supreme Being  or ultimate principle. About Yoga The practice of yoga began in ancient India,. Yoga means to yoke, and it can mean to unite with God or to unite with the self. Yoga didn't enter into the Western world until the early 20th Century. But these days yoga is very popular throughout the western world. There are about a dozen different forms of the discipline of yoga and you can read about that here:  Types of Yog...

The bloody dishes! For years I struggled with this hang-up about doing the dishes. They don't bring me joy. What a headache! Lying on the couch in a state of inertia, knowing that there were dishes to be done and not being able to. It got on top of me. I did usually do them, at least I tried. At some stage I stopped using soap, I felt that with a scourer it was unnecessary, and that it was cheaper and more environmentally friendly. My dishes were always smudged though. It took me ages to work out that soap was helpful in doing the dishes. It's cleaner too, I'm so messy that I have to clean the house every morning.  Almost every night I would bail on the dishes and plan to do them in the mornings. I guess washing the dishes really only takes about 10 minutes. Tea-towels are nice but basically I would leave them to drain. With the dishes you can easily apply the Pareto principle, where 80% of the outcome depends on 20% of the causes. The parable being that If the kitchen is d...

Meditation is the practice of focused attention. It can incorporate mindfulness, witnessing and clarity by using sitting, breathing, chanting and movement exercises. It is a form of relaxation and can improve mental and physical health and some say it can help you to reach nirvana, or enlightenment. It is particularly good for stress and anxiety. You can practice it as much as you like, once or twice a day, but 20 minutes in the mornings is a good place to start. There is a saying in Zen that 'You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you are too busy, then you should sit for an hour'. When you sit in meditation, you sit cross legged with correct posture and practice deep breathing.  Meditate, Definition verb (used without object), med·i·tat·ed,   med·i·tat·ing. verb (used with object), med·i·tat·ed,   med·i·tat·ing. to meditate revenge. to engage in thought or contemplation; reflect. to engage in  transcendental meditation , devout religious contempl...

Photo by Fabio Comparelli on Unsplash Grit is a concept in the book 'Grit' by Angela Duckworth. It means passion and perseverance . In the book Angela has many examples of people who kept trying despite difficulties. People who committed  to things despite all the odds. People who are determined to achieve something no matter what it takes. It's really about taking the long road. In this article we will cover some of the characteristics of gritty people, so you too can be gritty and achieve everything you want to.  Back-bone  Backbone means strength of character. You are a good person, you do the right thing, you're conscientious, punctual, and you strive for excellence in all matters.  Confidence Confidence means being sure of yourself in everything that you do, it is competence, the belief that you can succeed at things and the ability to foster healthy relationships. You build confidence by experience and practice.  Courage Courage is the guts to embark on y...