rituals – Peaceful Reader

Beautiful Days…

Focus on the positive

Remember in March when I posted about the amazing meditation retreat I went to in Minneapolis. Yes. Read about it here if you missed it. Sadly I didn’t follow through. Oh I’ve meditated sitting in my chair or walking around the library waiting for a class and that is all good. My goal though is to make meditation a daily practice; one where I literally getting down on the mat, bolster, pillow, floor, blanket, whatever and make it a ritual.

I’m not good with follow through sometimes. The only ritual I maintained as my kids were growing up was reading to them at bedtime. That I did without fail. I began other rituals like prayers, blessings, and poems at dinner time. That didn’t last. We do have meals together-that is a good simple ritual we’ve maintained. So reading and meals are my two rituals. Makes complete sense as books and food are priorities for me.

I got up on Saturday and did it, just rolled up my favorite blanket, lit a peace candle, and plopped myself down facing the wall.

I focused on all manner of positive words, thoughts, and phrases. My eyes closed I just let the thoughts flow freely. I thought about my family, peace, love, harmony, gratitude, forgiveness, my dog, the earth, ice cream, sushi. It was far from perfect but it was a good start. The peaceful feeling stayed with me all day long. I loved it. It’s the honeymoon phase. The important and hard part is to keep it going.

Join me in my 21-day challenge if you’d like to make meditation or any good ritual as part of your daily routine. What change would you like to make?

Namaste.

Hurrah, Library Day!

I spent a good portion of my day today (sunday) at my local library and wow, did I have a great time. Let it be noted here though I would have left with less if I had not been with Tina-she is the Queen of knowing ALL the good new books! I just finished Leo and the Lesser Lion by Sandra Forrester-excellent historical fiction and still need to share my thoughts about it and I just started Ruined by Paula Morris, at the urging of my friend, Angelle. I still have tons of books on my own shelves to keep reading so why add more to the chaos???
Yah, you know the “pain” I’m in…”Hi, my name is Michelle and I’m a book addict…”

Here is what I brought home:

First the picture books:
Osbert in Love by E.C. Kimmel
Puffling by M. Wild
Robot Zot! by J. Scieszka/D. Shannon
Panda Kindergarten by J. Ryder
A Really Good Snowman by D.J. Mahoney
Terrible Storm by C.O. Hurst
Knitty Kitty by D. Elliott
Red Ted and the Lost Things by M. Rosen
and Tacky Goes to Camp by H. Lester (Tacky is a family fav.-my husband has even dramatized some of Tacky for our children)Helen Lester’s site.

Chapter Books to read with little girl:
Willa by Heart by C.M. Paratore
Dog by Daniel Pennac
Look Out, Jeremy Bean! by A. Schertle-this one we started last night and reads really well!!
Piper Reed, Navy Brat by K.W. Holt

Chapter books:
The $66 Summer by John Armistead (historical fiction)
Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont
Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan (Sept. 11th events affect 3 teens)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
The Unfinished Angel by Sharon Creech (love Sharon Creech)
Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (great cover art)

Craziness…
Let it snow, let it snow so I can have a reading day…
Now I have a little mix of everything to keep me and little girl happy!
Going to the library to let our little ones play together and getting a chai tea are just perfect rituals for any given Sunday.
Happy Reading!!

Reading Ritual

After last night’s post about the lack of picture books at our before bed storytime, my peaceful girl showed me just how 21st Century she is using this cool tool, Screen Actor’s Guild site, which streams videos of SAG members reading favorite picture books. We listened to Guji Guji, The Night I Followed my Dog and My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother by Patricia Polacco. It wasn’t exactly the cuddly time (the videos did not stream well on my new computer?) I was longing for but she loved sharing it with me.

After psycho-analyzing myself I realized I’m just remorseful over the facts; she is growing up! Soon our bedtime reading ritual will be a thing of the past and it makes me sad. She’s my last baby and I’m not ready for this major change. Luckily, I think we still have a few years left before she dumps me but I will have to be prepared for the inevitable “I’m just reading this chapter book on my own, mom.” It happened with her two older siblings as well. The three of us read together, taking over the living room sofa. The last book we read was Summerland by Michael Chabon. Oh, that was a great summer!!

I’m glad my girl was able to share her new way of looking at/reading picture books. I didn’t bother to mention that I have this site on my school blog and have used it with classes-I didn’t want to spoil her excitement to share. What other sites are out there like this and do they always stream slow??

In the meantime I’ve mentally promised to enjoy all the storytimes I have left with her and to make them as exciting as I once did-reading under the covers, flashlights, etc. and I guess I will have to be on the lookout for thrilling picture books, websites and beginning chapter books to keep her interested.