Feeling the Pulse and Breath of your HOME – BREATHING IN !!!

Every home Breathes. Yes, it’s true. One has to listen to it with some amount of awareness and remaining in a state of consciousness (even few seconds or minutes in a day works wonders).

I always knew about it, having read few books on subconscious mind and books like The Magic.  But it took me many years to understand this and implement it in my own life.  One has to feel the breath of one’s home since every home is an extension of one’s personality and behavior. Many things that go into creating a specific ambience in one’s home has so much to say about the members staying in that home, their likes, tastes and behavioural patterns.

When I get into a space of someone’s home, I sense the aura of that place and feel great doing it without being judgemental about anything.  Every home definitely has a story to say about itself and if you have an ear for it, you will get it right.

Just imagine a home speaking about herself (for me a home is a feminine concept since she requires a lot of pampering and cuddling).  The more you take care, she is going to give you more. Just imagine  coming back to this restful space after a tired day’s work. She will relate to you and welcome you just the way you left her in the morning. 

Smile at your door when leaving your home and see the difference it makes when you return.  You will definitely feel good coming back.  You will start noticing the change in yourself and this is where awareness and consciousness comes in.  Simply cribbing about your home and its drawbacks is in no way going to make her welcome you – she will respond back with a not so good smile. So lay your cards well, speak good words when in your home – she is listening to every word that you say.

As a child, I would always dream of my home being decorated in a specific fashion and that dream has come true. We got it done just the way we wished it for, suiting our personalities and liking.  We wanted the Indianness to stay and the authenticity to remain intact.   It’s been a definite hectic month for us, but after all the blood and sweat that went into creating our dream space, we feel good of having got it right.

I now feel in a meditative state when I am relaxing on my sofa overlooking the simplicity of the décor and the little artefacts that I collected for my home.  I felt the texture of the fabric and the smooth smoothness of my drapes – I now relate to smooth (pun intended). The rustic feel of my walls felt so heavenly yesterday and that was true meditation for me.  Those seconds of being with my HOME gave me a lot of peace and calmness which I never got even when I closed my eyes and tried enough to be in a state of meditation.

So, try this small trick with your home. Give your furniture, furnishings, the walls that warm touch and see every piece going alive and living life just the way YOU AND I BREATHE.

Yes, Every HOME breathes!!  Put LIFE into this living space and see wonders happening to your LIFE.

Love

Rekha Mahadevan

When life gives you lemons and you have a barni (PORCELAIN JAR), PICKLE IT!!!!

There is this nostalgia with the typical pickle barni (porcelain jars).  I remember come May and my mom used to pickle the spicy tangy mangoes, cut mangoes (avakai – in Tamil).

Years went by and with time, maintaining those barnis became a big hassle, when we shifted residence and just few years back, when we were clearing our storage for Diwali, I saw the same barni and it brought a smile on my face.  I asked Amma to wash it (which she was in no mood to- lolz) and I did it for a change.  I with that childlike innocence told my mom to store tamarind in it since I remembered my amma telling me that these barnis are specifically use to store salt, pickles and tamarind.  I just wanted to see those barnis get their due respect on our kitchen shelf and not somewhere in the storage shack.

I thought why on earth she had stopped using them.  She had a fairly big barni with a nice handle and it was quite heavy.  With the entry of plastics and Tupperware and so many other types of materials which have actually invaded our kitchens, somewhere the humble barni was stored away far from its due place like A no man’s land.

Even today the site of these lovely jars brings such joy to me and with the advent of Amazon shopping (Maddy aka Mahadevan) teases Amazon as AMMA ZONE) where you name it you get it.  So, I was on this hunt for these wonderful cut barnis and guess what -   I found them. 

Online shopping is definitely thrilling – no doubt on it.  But the thrill of holding and feeling a particular item in your hand and associating with it and having the happiness of buying it from a Brick and Mortar store is something which is incomparable.  So guess what, I went to Dadar, kirti market where I was literally ravaging through shops to find these barnis.

I am sure the people around would be amused to find someone look out for these age old models of jars but I was disappointed that I couldn’t find the round barnis and all he had were the slim tall barnis.  My search still continues.

Amma Zone aka Amazon does have these and if I am not able to find something to my palate then I have no other options but to seek refuge from these online sites but the pursuit ends with me ordering these online and I have been lucky to get these and place them on my dining table.  Every time I have my food, I have these wonderful spicy pieces of art gleefully looking at me and smiling to glory. 

Happy pickling!!!!  Enjoy a great BARNI day!!!

Love to all

 Rekha Mahadevan

The Beginning of 40 for me: Wings to fly – THE CHEMICAL LOCHAPHASEGet yo...

The Beginning of 40 for me:




Wings to fly – THE CHEMICAL LOCHAPHASE
Get yo...: Wings to fly – THE CHEMICAL LOCHA PHASE Get your wings to fly !! Do it today.   Make that small beginning today itself since on...

Wings to fly – THE CHEMICAL LOCHA PHASE

Get your wings to fly !! Do it today.  Make that small beginning today itself since one is not sure whether the mood would be right for tomorrow and the ambience you are seeking would be available tomorrow.

It’s been a year of not writing/blogging.  I would say that I had forgotten to think what I love doing – I spoke to my inner self to understand what gave me the pleasure and happiness that I was even a year back.  I had created a self imposed vacuum around me and I was the only one to blame for it.  It was getting depressing lately since I didn’t know what was amiss these days (was it the h omefront, or was it the office or was it ME).  Was it the hormones or the chemical locha that you may say –  considering I am in the mid 40s.  Self policing gets on your nerves at this time, since one is not sure of what and how to do it right.

I thought about it and immediately related it to my mother, aunts, cousins who I am sure would have gone through this phase.  Then why did anyone not speak about it ? Or did they speak and no one understood? Really tough.  May be speaking about these was considered taboo those days.  I spoke to my amma and she responded that she actually didn’t remember whether any of those things really bothered her those days. Guess she didn’t have the time on her hands like me.  Ours was a typical middle class family comprising of me, my little sister my amma appa and at times my paati (my paternal grandmom) came to stay with us. 

It was a rented chawl apartment with just a room and a small kitchen.  My Dad worked for a small company and mom took tuitions to support him in the household. May be she didn’t have the time to think of too many mundane things that I consider important and those that really trouble the lot like me – the current generation.

Yaa so getting back to what I really want to say – Rejoice in the fact that YES you are good at something.  Try working on it.  Getting back to something after a sabbatical is definitely not all that easy especially in your mid forties, but if a little effort and interest goes into finding your passion, you will surely not find the CHEMICAL LOCHA period all that boring.  YES, there may be days when the hormones trouble you a bit more than the normal days, but there will always be a Rainbow making its way with both the rain drizzle and the sunshine smiling at you simultaneously.

So get your wings to fly – YOUR PARACHUTES.  If you don’t know what they are, think a bit. Get it right away and FLY.

The MID FORTIES DIVA

R       e       k           h            a 

p.s  I am loving it today that I did manage to scribble something and smiling at the fact that I could manage it. So can YOU!!

Pongalo Pongal

A very very happy Pongal/Sankranti to all of you!!

Yes I am back again after a semi long lull.  Many thoughts in mind but what to write is still to be figured out.  True - this year I have also sort of thought that I need to make this resolution work.  The resolution of BEING MINIMAIST.  After having read the Minimalist blogs for more than 13 to 14 months, yes I have been inspired atleast to a quarter of myheart to go the minimalist way.

There is a lot of confusion in my mind as to whether it is really worth all it. At times, I feel yes it is worth it.  I will have less of stuff to handle.  Basically I am not a collector of items. The only thing that I love shopping are clothes and the accessories that come with it – like neck pieces, ear rings, finger rings that’s it.  This stuff itself is quite a lot in number at my home – yeahhhh but I am loving it and I am honest about it.

There was a time when I used to drape those lovely sarees and used to have this goodwalla feeling – even if it meant getting up half an hour early, doing the daily chores like cooking, cleaning and still stepping out of my home at 715 a.m.  With years passing by, these seem to have changed to absolutely impossible and honestly am like – is it really worth all the effort.

I am happy at this point in time wearing my kurtis and quickly stepping off my home with 2 bags in hand (which are functional) and it satisfies every shopping requirement.

So the next question is to whether one really needs all this stuff- cleaning them, storing them, ironing them is quite a hassle – it has come to that stage.

So hence, this decision of going minimalist.  Have seen a lot of my known acquaintances and friends being so judgemental about people wearing the same clothes and stuff at get togethers, weddings, birthday parties. Then there are those type who are comfortable the way they are.  So that’s it. Why bother about who is going to bother or comment?

I would rather use the saved money on travelling.  Travelling is one activity that me and Maddy are loving these days. The desire to travel, see places, go local markets, eat the basic local cuisine is really making me want more of it. A week left untraveled seems to me as if I have wasted that week without actually using it.  Yes, but as a working woman I have loads of things to be done at home as well, regular cleaning, clearing up the rooms – that’s where this original idea of going MINIMALISM was sown.

I felt that if we had less stuff, there would be fewer things to do and maintain and I could possibly use it for better things.  Anyways better late than never, so this year we try and be minimal when it comes to buying stuff and go MAXIMUM in travel (like the last 2 years)- YES, WE ARE LOVING IT AND THANK GOD FOR IT

Loads of love

Rekha

 

The 21 year old bundle of joy – JYOTHI – True to her name!!! Happy Birthday Princess

The 21 year old bundle of joy – JYOTHI – True to her name!!!

It’s been 2 decades and a year plus since the time this bundle of joy brought complete joy in our lives.  She is the light of our life, a lovely daughter, equally childlike in her heart, full of giggles and a complete tyrant as well (every teenager tries to portray all these qualities I guess).

To be honest, I grew up with her since I got her when I was barely of 21. With the support of my hubby and my parents/in laws, I too grew with her, The child in her and the child in me.  She was named Jyothi, Light – just absolutely true to her nature and quality.  Very naïve and just simple at heart.

When you are barely of 21 and just understanding the nuances of marriage, here comes the baby and you are taking care of this fragile little thing placed in your arms. When she smiled, I smiled, when she laughed, I laughed, when she cried incessantly, I didn’t know why the heck she was crying.  I remember the day when she had her first polio dose.  I cried much more than her and the doctor had to ask me to get lost. Am sure the little one would have wondered as to why Mommy cried (lolz).

So here she is… grown up into a matured little kid, definitely more matured than me (I take no credits for it). I no longer have to take up her homework, sew the button of her uniform or iron her stuff.  I have retired hopefully temporarily from all that work.  That means basically I have time to myself to pursue all the stuff that I once wanted to, but all the stuff that I frowned upon at one point of time, gave me joy for sure now when I think of it.

It was as if there was nothing more to be done, as she was growing up .  Simple school related jobs that appeared humongous  at one point in time gradually reduced.  I still remember the days when I would not tie her pony tail right. She would frown at me and also make a wry face when her white uniform (she was the PREFECT in her school) turned blue (not every day though), thanks to the Robin liquid which I emptied.  I can never forget Mondays for sure when the whites did not look like the whites and looked more like the sky blues (lolz).

Activities like covering her books to buying her school stuff, craft paper gradually reduced. God saved me and Maddy as Jyothi was brilliant at every project work most of the stuff that the school wanted her to do.  She got all her stuff related to project and did wonderfully at drawing, craft etc and with such finesse.  I am still not adept at doing calligraphy and charcoal painting like how she does.  Forget me, Maddy still can’t draw a proper straight line without using a scale (hope he doesn’t read this blogpost of mine – Fingers crossed) and if he has, he would agree to this as well.

So here’s wishing you and me a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY KANNA.  Love you loads.  The very point of writing this blogpost was not to make everyone realize about the love we have for you, but  this is just to try and figure out whether I am able to jot down even half of the feelings on paper,  The post has a lot of feelings and emotions and just written straight from the heart as always!!!

Remain blessed always and may you keep smiling and being the cute little kid.

Loads of luv

Amma

Om Asato Ma Sadgamaya

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya

Mrutyorma Amrutamgamaya

Aum Shanti Shanti Shantiprin

Mother Nature –Apologies to you !!!! SORRY TO YOU

First of all, sorry to you Mother Nature for having troubled you,  knowingly or unknowingly.  Why are you crying so much? Please be gracious enough to accept our apologies for the manner in which we have troubled you and JUST CALM DOWN. We are your children and we have committed blunders after blunders.

The downpour in Chennai is evidence that we have raped Nature beyond compare.  Please pardon me for using this language, but this is what is taking a toll on Chennai and all those places which have at some point in time affected with such downpours. We have friends, relatives who are stuck up in this massive massacred menace (if I may say so). Every minute and second that people are living is in fear till you stop this wrath of yours.

All of us are aware of the wrath of mother Nature.  What’s happened to her? Why is she showing her anger on her kids? Is she angry, is she sad or is she just taking back what we encroached upon? Even she is not aware. But I am sure as Humans we are.  But we beg of you to stop doing this taandav that has been engulfing our City of Chennai.  The city has been put to a standstill with roads, rail and air networks getting blocked. There are families who still have not been getting help, though there has been a lot of help from known and unknown people. The police and civic staff are doing their best. But in all this mess, the city of Chennai stand united. Inspite of all the differences in caste, creed and religion, we are one family.  We are the human family and as long as we understand this and live amicably, things are going to be good. 

This also bogs down to the fact that we cannot take anyone for granted and most of all Nature who has only given us without taking back anything in return.  However, when the limit is broken, the dam breaks and there is just destruction.  Let us all vow and promise to act as decent citizens, rather be HUMANS and make sure not to cross the limits/boundaries when it comes to all the beautiful gifts that nature keeps showering on us day in and day out.

Luv to all

Rekha

p.s.  Just like how we say sorry to our mother, amma, aai, let’s all just say sorry with all our heart and I am sure she is going to forgive.  After all, She is a Mother