Secrets from The Book

This little book we like to call The Pink Book is neverendingly delightful. (Ok – if you think ‘neverendingly’ isn’t a word, think about it again. English is a living language. I’ve heard it said if you make up a word but people know what you mean, then it is now a word. Never mind that I heard that from – me). We started reading because we wanted to understand “Simple Abundance,” usually with a focus on ‘abundance.’ We wanted to learn more about comfort, about joy. As the back cover of the book says, we wanted to learn about “your own true path … a happier, more fulfilling and contented way of life.”

We kept reading because there are so many secrets and mysteries revealed, and nuggets bestowed. How were we to know there was so much marvelous information in this book? Sarah Ban Breathnach’s ability to turn a phrase into mystical scripture or riotous laughter is unparalleled, and that is for another entire post. What I want to share this time is my delight in the many wonderful people she introduces us to. Some of these people we have heard of, some we may not have. Last fall when I started reading this book again after a couple years absence, I was curious about a couple of the people she mentioned in a daily meditation. I wrote the names down and later in the day Googled them. I know I spent too much time on this – as I read about whoever it was, it led me to more names. But I found it fun to look these people up.

After that, I started looking up the people she quotes at the beginning of each daily devotion, and anyone she quotes or mentions for that day. I had about 500 unused business cards so I started using them as scratch paper for this project. I recommend this for everyone. (Not necessarily the unique use of useless business cards, but looking up people Sarah BB introduces). I love learning stuff I didn’t know (as long as it’s not math) just for the fun of it, you know?!! For instance, AGNES DE MILLE, who is quoted on January 4th, was an American dancer and choreographer and niece of Cecil B. de Mille, the famous movie director and producer guy. She choreographed the famous ballet Rodeo, and because of the success of that ballet, was invited to go to Hollywood and choreograph the dances in the musical Oklahoma. She also choreographed Carousel, Brigadoon, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Paint Your Wagon. It was just fun to find this out.

Here’s some more:

ZORA NEALE HURSTON (January 1) – American Folklorist and author. Wrote Their Eyes Were Watching God; she got a scholarship to Barnard College in 1925 and was the only black student at the time. She was also an anthropologist and knew Margaret Mead.

MELODY BEATIE (January 14) – Is an author, wrote Codependent No More, making the word ‘codependent’ part of our everyday language. She was at one time addicted to drugs and alcohol. After being arrested for robbery of a pharmacy (to get drugs) a judge ordered her to treatment for however long it took to get better, or go to jail. She opted for treatment. Her endeavors were to help others get sober.

RAINER MARIA RILKE (January 25) – I must admit, I assumed for a very long time this was a woman because of the middle name, but I thought it odd that a female would be named Rainer. (Pronounced Rye-ner Maria Rilka). He was a Bohemian-Austrian poet, wrote poems in German. He was apparently born René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke. His mother had a a baby girl who died at about a week old, and then sought to relieve her grief by dressing her only other child – our friend Rainer – in girl’s clothing. Doesn’t sound like a very happy childhood. As an adult, he changed the name ‘Rene’ to ‘Rainer’ because it sounded more masculine. (Yeah, but he kept the name Maria. What’s with that?). He met Leo Tolstoy in 1899. (Tolstoy would die in 1910). He apparently also knew the painters Rodan and Cezanne.

MARIANNE WILLIAMSON (February 3) – Ms. Ban Breathnach refers to Marianne Williamson many times throughout Simple Abundance. I had to look her up. If you Google her name, there is even something that comes up that is “Marianne Williamson Quotes!” Ms. Williamson is described as an author and lecturer, and a ‘spiritual activist.’ She also founded The Peace Alliance, which is a grassroots movement to have an official, legal “US Department of Peace.” (Good luck on that). Her website is very interesting. She has a section entitled “Citizenship;” I saw this and I’m thinking, “I’ll bet this isn’t an essay on where she was born or naturalized.” I clicked on it. It was a political letter. Not only is she an International Lecturer, but it looks like she gives weekly lectures in the Los Angeles area. She seems to be a very ‘together’ woman. "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure," is a very famous quote from her, often misattributed to Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Address. Ms Williamson has written many books, several of which spent a while on the Bestseller List.

SOMERSET MAUGHAM (February 10) – now, I’d heard of this guy, I thought he was probably a famous literary person or something, but I didn’t know for sure. This is what I found: he was born in Paris (1874) but his parents were British. French law said all children born on French soil could be drafted into French military service, so his father arranged for him to be born at the British Embassy, essentially British Soil. It is said that due to trauma and life turmoil (mother’s death when he was about 8, father’s death a couple years later, being sent to live with a mean ol’ uncle – ‘the vicar’ in England) he developed a stammer, which was with him for life. He was teased mercilessly and so developed the ability to throw out a stinging comment to others at an early age. He apparently used this ability in his writings. Of Human Bondage is one of his books.

MARY KINGSLEY (February 17) – was an English 19th Century Explorer. Her father was a doctor, a traveler, and a writer who held strong opinions regarding the injustices of the Native Americans. Both her parents died in 1892, and so she went exploring in Africa, and finished off a book her father had started on the culture of Africa. Ms. Kingsley is credited with strongly influencing Europe about the African People.

DAME JULIAN of NORWICH (November 26) – I cheated and went way ahead. I remembered this one from last year. S.B.B. refers to Dame Julian as a “thirteenth-century English mystic.” She was a mystic and was English, but since she was born in 1342 and died in 1416, that would make her a fourteenth-century mystic. She is famous for the prayer (I love this prayer), “All shall be well, and All shall be well, And All manner of things shall be well.” It is said that little is known about her but her writings. Her name is not even certain – the name ‘Julian’ came from “The Church of St Julian of Norwich.” Apparently, when on her deathbed in her 30s, she began having intense visions. She wrote her visions out (She got bettah), and the visions are the source of her famous work, “Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love.” Julian didn’t believe that suffering was a punishment from God, as was common in her time (think "Black Plague"); she believed that God wanted salvation for all. All this in the harsh 14th century. Amazing.


See – now wasn’t that fun? And there’s so much more. So happy reading, and happy Googling. Love to you all.
Victoria J Mecham

Beautiful Pink Book - Anatomy of a Book

This will be just a short post.

From some of my previous posts, you know how I love and am very grateful for my Pink Book. You probably remember that I gave my daughters, Megan and Jessica, The Pink Book for Christmas, nestled in a lovely basket. The Book shared this basket with an attractive pen holder, and wonderful colored gel pens for highlighting, a baking mix (pumpkin or spice bread), a mug, some assorted herb teas, scissors and paste (for working on the Illustrated Discovery Journal), a ‘golden’ framed mirror, a small journal (for the Gratitude Journal), a spiral-bound 3-hole notebook (for the Daily Dialogue), and an artists sketchbook (The canvas for the Illustrated Discovery Journal).

You might remember that I shared this news with my sister Roni and she decided to start The Pink Book again in the New Year. I learned of my niece Jennifer’s love of the Pink Book, and of her mother’s – my sister Teri. My niece Rachel also expressed some interest. (Later, my niece Alice informed us she had also begun reading The Pink Book – she said it was the one I gave her mother, Sherolyn, my eldest sister). That’s essentially how this blog came about; our desire to share our discoveries and personal ‘ah-ha moments’ – those meditations or devotions that resonated within us.

This book has timeless lessons and wisdom. This book feels good in your hands. It feels good to turn the pages. I hadn’t mentioned that Roni didn’t know where her original book was, so she decided to purchase a new one. She ordered it online. When it came, she found it wasn’t quite the same as the original book. For one, it was updated in 2005. It has some notes added by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The paper is not as high quality – rougher in texture. OK – bummer, but we go on. Not earth shattering.

But one of the saddest things is that it doesn’t have the lovely peach-colored bookmark ribbon attached. My heart was actually saddened when Roni showed me this. Opening the book with this marker was not only convenient but it just felt good. And when finished for the day, replacing it carefully – the end of the ribbon hanging below the end of the pages, the top of the ribbon looped carefully to keep it perfect, the length of the ribbon placed lovingly and smoothly along the crease between the pages - was like a closing prayer of thanks. I love the quaintness of this ribbon, the way it adds to the ‘specialness’ of this book.

Roni will surely be fine reading her book without the peach ribbon. I did give her some charming ‘fairy’ bookmarks, so it’s not like she will have to search each day for her place. I can only imagine that not including the ribbon was a cost-saving measure in this profit-conscious society. Which is just a shame, I think. What do you think of all this?

I love you all. Victoria J Mecham

More Joys to Meditate On

I think I might have mentioned that I am happy that I have my Pink Book back, but did I mention that I am deliriously happy? Yeah, I didn’t think I did. So now you know. Yesterday and today (and for several days to come, I suspect) I’ve been playing ‘catch up’ with the reading. I was thrilled to read the “Meditation: Many Paths to the Present Moment” for the March 2nd devotion.

I have been attempting to learn how to meditate for a couple of years now, and if I am honest, I can say that I am not very good at it. Therefore, I tend to give up on it after several weeks, or even several months. I think I have given it a pretty good effort, and I rejoice because I got some insight today. Keep in mind that I have read The Pink Book all the way through several times in the last 14 years. Also keep in mind that I have realized that most every time – no, change that to ‘every time’ and leave out ‘most’ – something different resonates with me. So imagine my excitement when I read that Joan Borysenko, “the gifted and inspired psychologist, scientist, and spiritual teacher explains that meditation is intentional concentration on one thing.”

I have never done any personal meditation with another ‘live’ person. Sure, I have been in groups where a facilitator has ‘guided’ us through a relaxation or meditation session - In stress management classes that I audited when I was at the Holy Cross Wellness Center (back in the 80s) and I had to evaluate a current course facilitator or hire a new one; in my daughter-in-law’s Chakra/Energy Field classes; even in High School, we had a substitute in girls gym who had us all lying on the floor and was talking us through a relaxation session. Then afterward, she admonished us to not run home and tell our parents that we had been ‘hypnotized’; this was the late-60s and the general population was much less sophisticated, especially about such subjects. But I have never had a ‘live’ human teach me how to meditate on my own. I have read about it from books; some I can remember specifically and some are just general and vague memories. John Assaraf and James Arthur Ray are two wonderful teachers who come to mind at this moment. Now, I love these guys as teachers, but my understanding of meditating was just not sinking in very deep. I ‘got’ that I was supposed to clear my mind of my routine daily thoughts. John Assaraf said to start with maybe five minutes, and after a few weeks I could start to work up to fifteen or twenty minutes. I remember being instructed to ‘focus on your breathing’ or to focus on the flame of a candle. Well, it’s not long before my mind is elsewhere! On the focus on my breathing thing, I could get fairly good at not wandering off to some problem or fantasy after a few days. What I did see happen over and over was that as time went on, I couldn’t ever get past five minutes, and eventually even that started seeming mundane and I had real difficulty wiping my mind for more than maybe 30 seconds (on good days).

So after reading the March 2 essay, I feel like I have been given permission to focus on a thought or subject that I feel is of ‘meditation quality’ and peacefully explore it. If my mind wants to switch from exploring Heart Coherence (go to www.glcoherence.org for this one) to pondering my grandchildren’s beauty, I may even let it.

Did I tell you I love this book?
Love you all.
Victoria J Mecham

Celebrate March! Joyful Simplicities for March

Celebrate! As in, total “Yaaaaaaaay! Woohoo! Zonino! I got my Pink Book back last night!!!! Well, I got it back yesterday when I went up to see Mother and Roni. But I spent the day listening, enthralled, to Leslie (she was visiting) tell about meeting up with a long-lost cousin on our dad’s side – Jerold. Or Gerald. I don’t know how it is spelled. Anyway he goes by ‘Jerry’. But I digress wildly, as I am prone to do. Roni and I also went on a long family errand, and then rewarded ourselves for a job well done by going to see “It’s Complicated” at the dollar theatre in Sugarhouse. Hence, I didn’t get home until late and I didn’t get to read much of my Pink Book. Before I went to sleep, I stacked some wonderful pillows on my bed (my favorite workstation) and re-read March 7th, 8th, and 9th so I would be ready to go today. A very pleasant note on which to fall asleep.

Upon waking this morning, I staggered into the kitchen to make my coffee. (Staggering is the way I wake up. I don’t know if it’s more ritual or deficiency). After my coffee was prepared and my computer started so it could get going while I started my day, I kutched up with my throne of pillows and read the Joyful Simplicities for March. There is such a richness there, I couldn’t get any farther in my reading before responding here.

Oh, the delights to be enjoyed, absorbed, undertaken. Have you read the Joyful Simplicities for March? How Wonderful they are, every one of them. Of course, I do have my favorites. I can’t wait to get some daffodils and bring them home.
I was in Oregon last March to visit my son Nate and his adorable and precocious children, Ambriel and Ascha. Driving from Portland to Corvallis along the back roads so I could enjoy the environment and the character of the area, we saw huge groups, clusters, fields almost, of daffodils in the medians and along the shoulders of the roads. Remembering them today makes me want to plant about 100 bulbs so I can have my own field of daffodils. I wish I had thought of this last fall, so I could be enjoying them right now. Alas.

Forcing fruit blossoms is a magical, mysterious thing to me. Shawn has already done this with cherry blossoms. I want to do it with apricot blossoms, but it is his tree, so I will see if he minds if I do this. I will have to have him watch over the process. He is magic about plants, and everything he touches turns to lustrous beauty, whether it is his forced blossoms, his impossible-for-anyone (except for him) to-be-successful-with orchids, his lush vegetable gardens of lettuce, carrots, kale, chard, tomatoes, peppers, squashes, etc., etc, or his luxuriant purplish-maroon amaranth, to his perfectly manicured and artistically sculpted lawn, his herb garden, his plants, flowers, and artifacts-as-art front garden, or his clever bower of hops plants over an outdoor seating area.

For March 17th, this year I want to try the St. Patrick’s Day dinner of soda bread, corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes, washed down with beer. Neither cabbage nor corned beef are favorites of mine, but it might be fun to make this an event. I have some wonderful Celtic music by some local boys, Kirkmount, that we should listen to, also. I must tell you about Kirkmount. I learned about them in 2000 when I went to a Mountain Man Rendezvous near Laramie, Wyoming with some friends. We had been there for several hours and I had lost track of my friends, I was tired from drinking beer in the middle of a hot day, I was trudging along and I was grossed-out because everything was dirt, and then I heard the wonderful sounds of an orchestra of angels. Then I noticed three very young men on the side of the dirt road, next to a large teepee-like tent, playing a cello, a harp, and a violin. Oh, I guess it would be called a 'fiddle' for this music. Also something I have learned is called ‘bones’. Up until that time, I didn’t know it was possible to so love Celtic music. It added to it that they were in 19th century, long red underwear; one was wearing his with a magical black tophat; one was wearing the underwear with some authentic-looking trousers and suspenders; the other was wearing a 19th century-style white shirt. (I don’t remember what his pants were). But I was so spellbound – I stayed there through the entire set, then I found their Aunt Vera who was wandering through the gathering crowd selling their CDs, and I purchased their CD “The Robin,” (on which they play Celtic standards and some of their own compositions). It is the most magical CD I own (and I have hundreds).

And then there’s the Vernal Equinox. (I have wondered about this name for quite some time. I think it’s a great name, vernal. I think it means ‘green’. OK – Dictionary.com says: “appropriate to or suggesting spring; belonging to or characteristic of youth.” Well then, I wonder how Vernal, Utah got it’s name? It doesn’t look particularly youthful or spring-like. Then there’s the Autumn Equinox. Why do we call the season “Autumn” - Well, ok, in the U.S. we mostly say ‘Fall’ - but we don’t call the other season “Vernal?” I know I digress again, but it is a good question).
Anyway – March 21st is my son Michael’s birthday. Every year, amazingly! So I want to celebrate it this year with him and his family, along with Shawn and his family (which is fair, since I live with Shawn). We could have Salmon cakes like Sarah suggests, and tender asparagus, and boiled new potatoes with hints of new rosemary, coated with butter (of course!). I think a delicate angel food cake with strawberries, or even just the strawberries themselves would make a delectable dessert. And Shawn even thinks this is a good idea. Can’t wait.

I am really itching this year (besides the reality of itching skin - not to mention hot flashes - due to dangerously low hormone levels, I mean this figuratively) to make the Living Easter Basket. We don’t really celebrate Easter as a religious holiday, but it is great fun to celebrate and honor Earth and the planets and the sun and the galaxy et al, as visible growing and greening returns. When Nathan and Megan were really young, I made easter baskets filled with colored eggs, a stuffed toy or two, and ripe luscious strawberries. I would like to do that again this year, but add it to the living basket. Another succulent treat!

Oh, I’m so grateful to have spring almost here. I know we are still due for a substantial snow fall or two, but at this time of year I can deal with it, it will be gone the next day. Oh joy, oh simplicity, oh vernal!
Victoria J Mecham

Oh, My Pink Book!

Just a short post here. I am bummed – waahhh! I left my ‘Pink Book’ in Roni’s car back on February 10th, and we haven’t been able to hook back up for me to retrieve it. One time I went up without calling first – my own fault. I knew it was her day off and just assumed she would have nothing else to do but wait around in case I might show up. Well, she wasn’t there. My $$ situation is tighter than tight, so I couldn’t afford the gas to go back immediately. She was going to leave the book in the house so I could get it even if she wasn’t there the next time I went up. So I went up two days ago to see Grandma Nor/Mother and wasn’t able to get it because she forgot to bring it in the house. (It happens). So – I am blue without my Pink Book! I so can hardly wait to get it back. Won’t be able to for another week or two. Alas...

Victoria J Mecham

Joyful Simplicities for February

Have you checked out the “Joyful simplicities” Section at the end of each month? I used to wait until the last day of the month to peruse these goodies, , mostly because I had a hard time remembering that they were there. Now I look through them with anticipation a t the beginning of the month to see what joyful things I can do each month.

This month as has some fun ideas, these are some that struck my fancy;

~ Wearing perfume each day in February. I love this one, I love smelling good, even if my husband never notices, It makes me feel extra feminine to wear perfume.

~Writing a love note to yourself form your authentic self. This one seems way out of my comfort zone, so I decided to write down things that I love about myself, and pat myself on the back for the things I manage to do right.

~Add a bit of lace to a suit or pantry shelf…This one admittedly seemed a bit 1990’s, but I did have a shirt that had shrunk in length, so I added a bit of matching eyelet to the bottom to add about 3 inches of length to it. It now fits perfectly, and I feel just a bit more feminine when I wear it.

~Try a red lipstick… Now we are talking, I love a good red lipstick, and as those of you who have tried it may know, it is difficult to find a shade you love that loves you back. I have a host of red lipsticks/ glosses and liners for special occasions, and who couldn’t use more red lip stick?

Listen to the music of Cole porter- I have to admit I did just this, and really he is not quite my cup of tea, I like his songs, just not when he is singing them. I saw DeLovely a few years ago, and really enjoyed it however. You could listen to any music that speaks to your soul. I personally love Ella Fitzgerald, or Billie Holliday.

~Create a sacred space; this one I plan on doing. I think like most women, I tend to put my family first and me last, and it really takes a toll. I hope that with my sacred space, it will be a place for me to go and read, or just relax (or escape), and listen to music, and best of al it will be a “Boy free” zone.

~Make old fashioned fudge for Valentines Day; or cookies, or brownies. I have a wonderful recipe for homemade truffles and will be making them to give away this year.

~ Become an incurable romantic; Alas, I am already an incurable romantic, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fan the flames. I plan on accomplishing this by reading at least one “romantic” book. For me this will be “Dead until Dark” by Charlaine Harris. (The books that inspired the true blood series on HBO). I also plan on cramming as many “romantic comedies” as I can into this month.

I hope you check the ideas out for yourselves, and would love to hear what you have tried.

Recognize What Makes You Truly Happy

February 5, 2010

Ahhhhh, it starts for me today. This meditation really resonated with me today. I can tell that it has before, at least two times – I have underlined different sentences in two different colors.

On this brisk but mild February day, Ms. Ban Breathnach counsels us to wean ourselves from outside input for a week or so, suggesting that often we are surprised that our opinions aren’t so much thought out as they are adopted from others – media, relatives, friends. She says, “Listen to the whisper of your authentic self telling you which way to go. We are always being shown the next step of our uniquely personal journey.” (I so love her writing – that sentence is just loaded with rich value and meaning).

If we are listening, if we pay attention to our deepest self, we can start to hear things we may have been ignoring in the past.

Sarah says, “Listen Carefully. Spirit is playing your song.” Now, that is music to my soul.

Love to you all.
Victoria