My heart dances

via Arianna

It's so rare to add another quote to my list of favourites.  But when one hits you, it does.  And Rumi tends to be pretty high on the list.  It's an incredibly powerful time when you have presence of soul and a dancing heart.  It's been a while and it's good to be here.  New York, I love you.  

Reminders to meditate

"Don’t let your mind get weary and confused. Your will be still, don’t try. Don’t let your heart get heavy, child; inside you, there’s a strength that lies. Don’t let your soul get lonely, child; it’s only time, it will go by. Don’t look for love in faces, places; it’s in you, that’s where you’ll find kindness. Be here now, here now. Be here now, here now. Don’t lose your faith in me and I will try not to lose faith in you. Don’t put your trust in walls, ‘cause walls will only crush you when they fall. Be here now, here now. Be here now, here now."▼

--  Be Here Now // Ray LaMontagne 

You tie me up in knots, Tyler Knott

 Credit: Tyler Knott, via tylerknott.com

UPDATE: Also - when you have a moment today - you have to watch this little gem I stole just now from TK's site.  Your heart might just smile a little.  It's kind of what Devour Beauty is all about: http://vimeo.com/20843746  

For those of you who haven't heard of Tyler Knott, you simply must visit his blog and get a dose of this self-described "photographer, poet, artist, exploitable genius, thought translator, boy with faraway eyes...and Buddhist."  I stumbled across his Tumblr, and am now besotted by his beautiful way with words and visuals.  I particularly love his darling Daily Haikus on love, not to mention his poetry and his collection of quotes and songs.  Ok, so I like it ALL.  You should absolutely check out his page - firstly, he's incredibly talented and second, he's really quite adorable!  The former is of course a thing of beauty, and the latter, just an added bonus!

Choosing a wife...and a beautiful mind

“Choose a wife rather by your ear than your eye.”

- Thomas Fuller

via Dangerously Debonair

A healthy mind, is a healthy body

“Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries.”

- Astrid Alauda

via Dangerously Debonair

I've talked a little about meditation on this blog and its powers for changing the brain.  I also firmly believe that a a troubled mind has a great effect on physical health - don't let your inner critic overwhelm you, breathe deeply to minimise your stress and anxiety, and let compassion fill your heart and mind.  Your body will thank you.

On the transition from law to consulting....

“It is not enough to have a good mind…the main thing is to use it well.”

- Rene Descartes

via Dangeroously Debonair

Vignettes - chez Nish

When my house is tidy, my mind is tidy.

"Renew thyself completely each day" - Thoreau

Over the weekend the New York Times revealed what many of us have suspected for years, that meditation may change the brain.  My New Year's resolution was to meditate every day, so I found this article particularly fascinating.  An excerpt below, sums up the findings:

"M.R.I. brain scans taken before and after the participants’ meditation regimen found increased gray matter in the hippocampus, an area important for learning and memory. The images also showed a reduction of gray matter in the amygdala, a region connected to anxiety and stress. A control group that did not practice meditation showed no such changes."

You can read more about the study here.

Around 2004 Prof. Richard Davidson researched the brains of Tibetan monks meditating - his research also revealed a change in brain structure; specifically he found enhanced brain waves in the area of the brain tied to empathy and compassion.  Prof Davidson started his study with French monk Mathieu Ricard who has been called the "happiest man alive" (!): listen to him here. 
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Neuroscience aside, I'm learning, as I practice my mindfulness meditation, that a still mind is a beautiful thing.  Henry David Thoreau wrote:  "Renew thyself completely each day".  Meditation is the ultimate way to do that.  Ricard says that, "practicing meditation can give your day an entirely new "fragrance.""  My day definitely changes with meditation in the morning.