Wordless Wednesday 6-22

The Wonders of Spring

I am very happy to join a new weekly photo challenge “Lens-Artists Photo Challenge” starting this week.

I sometimes wonder whether all pleasures are not substitutes for joy ~C. S. Lewis

For this week’s challenge, I am presenting ” the wonders of spring”

Magnolia bud

Cherry blossom

A rose

 

Liquids!

WPC

I live in the present!

“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love.”~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Walking up the hill

Enjoying colours on my way up

Resting on the top

Enjoying magical sky

Walking along the fjords

It might be for any reason but I am here now and I want to live it to the fullest. For this moment I belong here.

WPC

Nurturing Thursday And WPC: Unlikely

We in this part of the world are used to gray and wet days. You may remember from my earlier post that last year in June it rained for 26 days in a row. In such default weather settings getting some colours on the sky are one of the most “Unlikely” events but a little sun shine is enough to brighten our day and make us active ( hyperactive in my case 🙂 ). These two photos were captured unexpectedly.

Along the same lineof thought,  I would like to share a quote by Deepak Chopra for Nurturing Thursday

“Embrace the unpredictable and unexpected. It is the path to the infinitely creative in you.”

Nurturing Thursday: Lines or Illusions

The story behind this Nurturing Thursday post begins during my time with the book “The sun my heart” by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. I am in love with the book and read every page at least twice. I try to relate the stories in the book by what I have heard/learned in different situations  from different people in my life.

Then comes the weekly photo challenge theme: lines. I started looking for a photo with some interesting lines and I found one abstract phtograph. But with a questions, are these lines or just illusions? The line in this frame has only present neither past nor future.

As Alan Watts has said, ” I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in the present, which is what there is and all there is”.

Now its time to share some lines from the book to nuture ourselves:

“From time to time you may become restless, and the restlessness will not go away. At such times, just sit quietly, follow your breathing, smile a halfsmile, and shine your awareness on the restlessness. Don’t judge it or try to destroy it, because this
restlessness is you yourself. It is born, has some period of existence, and fades away, quite naturally. Don’t be in too big a hurry to find its source. Don’t try too hard to make it disappear. …

Do not turn your mind into a battlefield. Do not have a war there; for all your feelings-joy, sorrow, anger, hatred-are part of yourself. … To meditate does not mean to fight with a problem. To meditate means to observe. Your smile proves it. It proves that you are being gentle with yourself, that the sun of awareness is shining in you, that you have control of your situation.

 

 

 

Prolific!

For Weekly Photo Challenge!

A Late Awakening

A cold winter and springtime delayed the blooming season for tulips in Keukenhof garden in Lisse, Holland this year. Still it’s a beautiful place if one knows to breathe spring.

My second entry for this week’s photo challenge.

Nurturing Thursday: Awakening

Last two days I am watching and enjoying these crocus flowers. Until a few days ago they didnot exist but with a help of little sunshine, they are happily blooming. Today I spend some time trying to capture them with different angles. It was really hard. May be I should have had overalls. Do you know the best place to find wild crocus in abundant is an old graveyard.

Few days ago there was little discussion on a fellow blogger’s post about difficult times and how life is not fair for all. These crocus flowers inspired me to share a zen quote,

Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate ~ Zhuangzi

For Becca’s Nurturting Thursday and Weekly Photo Challenge.

 

Smiling is truly contagious!

A week ago, I chose smile as subject for my Nurturing Thursday.  Today I am presenting a series of photos for photo challenge with a hope that at least one will put smile on your face.

In a graveyard for a silent shoot!

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight ~ Phyllis Dille

Italian secret!

Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Happy riders on the road!

Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everybody’s heart~ Anthony J. D’Angelo

A cute black- tailed prairie dog

Tulip time!

Rainbow roses!

I smile like a flower not only with my lips but with my whole being ~Rumi