Simple Pleasures: Ingredients to Feed Your Spirit

When we do something we love, again and again, our life comes to hold the fragrance of that thing. ~ Wayne Mullen

Cold air slips through the cracks in my doorway and around my windows. My cats lie curled up in balls; asleep on plump pillows. They hibernate most days now and only awaken from their dreamy slumbers for bites of kibble. They are unaware of our troops in the Middle East or our economy problems here at home.

What sustains you during tough times? Do you have a network of support? What are the things that comfort you when life seems to be filling your plate with more of the things you find unappetizing? Now is the perfect time to focus on simple daily rituals and pleasures as we live through more turbulent days ahead. Let's call these, recipes for rapture.

Every good recipe must include the right ingredients. Perhaps, it's buying flowers each week to put in your home or, on your desk at work. Most grocery stores have flowers available and you can include these weekly flowers as part of the menu for "feeding" your spirit. Maybe, it's taking a break from watching the news or reading the newspaper. Instead, listen to some music that you find particularly soothing. Try keeping a dream journal to capture your dreams or create a personal altar in the corner of a room. You can mix and match 'ingredients' according to your particular taste. The key is to create a recipe that is authentically soul-satisfying to you. For me, its cups of tea, a daily walk, and watching birds at my window feeder.

Or, be like cats. Take long naps. Choose the most comfortable and warmest of spots; preferably in sunshine and curled up next to someone. Stretch daily and, when it's warm enough, go outside for a little fresh air. Watch birds for entertainment. Play everyday. Make sure you have lots of toys available. Get a good cat scratch especially along the back.

To create a 'purrrrfect' life fill yours with plenty of simple pleasures and daily rituals that bring you comfort and joy.