Love and Joy Books give-away

by ingrid on October 14, 2011

Everywhere you turn, another passage into Joy.  ~the Joy Book.

It delighted me to realize that I  had to replenish my stock of Joy Books this month.  I’m so glad people love them!  I ordered a second printing and a few arrived gently damaged.  They are still beautiful and brimming with inspiration, and I want to give them away.  I’ve added some equally inspiring and also ever so slightly imperfect Love Books.  If money is tight for you, or if you simply love winning raffles- enter your name in the comments below, and I will draw 3 numbered doves from my teacup on Friday October 28th.  Three winners!  Chances are amazing!  Good Luck!

 

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On being enough

by ingrid on October 14, 2011

 

When my dear friend Jan Lundy asked me for a poem on “Enough” for her Contentment Course,  I found several in my collection What Holds Us.  This poem speaks to being enough.  I hope that as you read it, you feel yourself relax into the acceptance that you are, just as you are, enough.  This is what walking does for me: puts me at ease; unravels knotted places; soothes an over-thinking mind; restores a sense of belonging.  Perhaps scheduling some time in a beautiful place is a gift you might give yourself today.  I hope so!

Hold Me Until I Know You

Benevolent Universe,
Your fields stretch out before me.
Wild roses emit their sweetness.
Daisies sway on the hillside.
The world seems friendly, relaxed,
intimate with my secrets,
and accepting of all of me.
The road, lined with ancient walls,
does not ask me
for change or improvements
before setting forth along it.
If this is not a grace, please
hold me until I know you.

~Ingrid Goff-Maidoff

 

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The House Of Spirit

by ingrid on October 7, 2011

Something in me is so drawn to these words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Every spirit builds itself a house; and beyond its house, a world; and beyond its world, a heaven.” I think it is my own spirit that loves these words- that loving inner awareness that witnesses and guides my life.    I have an inkling that this spiritual self – or presence- or being- or soul – is here to experience life on earth in all of its delights and challenges, to learn some things, to participate and to contribute.  And I have a deep sense that this spirit is firmly seated in, deeply rooted in, and lives in love, all the while longing to remember to be in this world as love, in love, held by love and as a channel for love.

I have built a house here with my family- and it is a messy house and a colorful house and a joyful house.  It is a safe and comfortable house and, I hope, a loving house.  Beyond this house- the world that we live in.  And rippling out from this world, a heaven.  “All the way to heaven,” said Saint Teresa of Avila, “is heaven.”  My spirit knows that this is true.

Come friends, rest in the grace of this allowing.
Joy is the light radiance of our love affair with living.

I realize that creating a spiritual house is a common theme in many of my books.

Here is a poem from Moonlight and Remembrance:

Everything is sacred, precious.
I light candles, incense,
scatter beauty around my house:
color, delight, fragrance, spice,
texture, plants and flowers.
Let there be life and love
right out in the open.
Nothing to hide.
Nothing witheld.
Here foolishness,
simplicity and devotion
carry no shame.
Come friends, rest
in the grace of this allowing.
Joy is the light radiance
of our love affair with living.

 

And here is  one from What Holds Us:

Sanctuary

Because I want holy temples and sacred rites
invoking the gods to come and live with us here forever,
and I long for the perfume of intimacy
with the living timeless Divine,
I went on the world wide web and bought
amber incense, oils, and a hundred beeswax candles.
Beeswax for their honey fragrance,
and the golden warmth they’d give our home.
My good husband noticed them arrive in two boxes,
and I sheepishly explained
the more you buy, the cheaper they are,
And he laughed and did not chastise me
for being a frivolous fool.
Instead he took me in his arms and said,
“I love you.  You’re so much fun.”

This morning I glued some new House Blessings, and I thought of my own home, and the house of my spirit- the world my spirit builds, and beyond this world, a heaven.

HOUSE  BLESSING

This house is Love’s house.
It is a sanctuary, a garden, a safe haven.
May it be delightful.
May it be a home that encourages
creativity and peace,
togetherness and private time.
May it be an environment
that celebrates life, untidy and ever flowing.
May simplicity be honored in this house,
valuing love above all else.
May daily chores and small moments
all be approached with reverence and with love.
Mistakes may be seen as lessons learned.
Kindness, forgiveness, laughter, joy,
and calm enthusiasm
will nourish all who enter through its doors.
May all who visit leave refreshed.
May all who live in this house
live in contentment and harmony,
dreaming many beautiful dreams,
rejoicing in the way things are.

written by Ingrid Goff-Maidoff

from the book, Good Mother, Welcome

Friends, I wish you a deep sense of belonging in the house of your spirit! With love and joy, Ingrid

 

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4 new inspiring quote cards

by ingrid on October 6, 2011

Every spirit builds itself a house;
and beyond its house, a world;
and beyond its world, a heaven.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
(purchase this card)
Friendship is born at the moment
when one person says to another,
“What, you too?
I thought I was the only one.”
~C.S. Lewis
The lotus flower blooms most beautifully
from the deepest and thiskest mud.~Buddhist proverb
You be the wind to my waves,
and I’ll be the rain for your field.
You be the sun to my moon,
and I’ll never stop reaching for you.
You be the tinder for my fire,
and I’ll be the lake for your stone.
Two halves in the geat wholeness,
my love, this is what we are.
~Ingrid Goff-Maidoff
From the book, What Holds Us

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“There is an art to life- to living with love and joy and appreciation – and this is an imperfect art and a personal art- we must all find our own way.” ~Ingrid

 

I love the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi: an appreciation for the beauty of  natural imperfection.  I love how forgiving this feels – and wise, and down-to-earth-real.  When I couple the term Wabi Sabi with Joy,  I am reminded that joy is a natural state.  It is a state we can relax into~ an essential truth we carry inside us, and not some arrival at perfection to strive for.

LOVE…   APPRECIATION …   GRATITUDE… Wabi Sabi Joy

WABI SABI JOY

Weeds in the garden,
broken gate,
muddy boots ~
it’s a kind of joy.

Crack in the pitcher,
crumbs in the sink,
dust on the stairway,
cobwebs, joy.

This moment says,
don’t polish me ’til I shine.
Already perfect,
surrender into Joy.

I practiced Wabi Sabi joy all week this past week.  By this I mean I remembered that there is an art to life- to living with love and joy and appreciation - and that this is an imperfect art and a personal art- we must all find our own way. For me, this meant surrendering to what my heart wanted to do, rather than what my inner accountant thought I should do.  It meant working a little less- taking a little time off so that I could create a space in the basement for my daughter Bella to paint in.  She loved it.  She stepped into it, began to paint right away- and bloomed.  Oh my happy heart!

I also wanted to prepare the house ( imperfectly, but with love,) for the arrival of my daughter Rose and four friends from college who were coming to show Rose and her design partner Chelsea’s costumes at the Designer’s Showcase for Martha’s Vineyard Fashion Week.  I can’t resist!  Here are some pictures from the evening.

 

On Sunday we showed the girls Menemsha, and did a little photo shoot while there.  They loved it.  And then they were gone.  If you came to see me at the Artisan’s and I wasn’t there, I’m sorry!  Yet I’m so glad I opted not to go in to work on Sunday- to be fully present while my daughter and her friends were here- to participate in the celebration of life they were having.  So glad.

TEA CUP RAFFLE TIME:

Somehow, in the midst of it all, I managed to create 30 Joy Boxes that were ordered for a Joy retreat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made extras and would love to choose your comment number from my tea cup of numbered doves this week.  Comments are seldom, so your chances are very very good!  So leave a comment here by October 4th, and Good Luck!

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Vineyard Beauty

by ingrid on September 21, 2011

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The Joy of Self-Compassion

by ingrid on September 21, 2011

Keeping a joy journal is one of the many practices I recommend in THE JOY BOOK for tuning into the love and blessings in our lives.  Here is a beautiful prompt to write from inspired by the book, When I Loved Myself Enough, by Kim and Alison McMillen.  I first learned of this book at one of our retreats when Connie, a beautiful soul, graciously read from it to the group.  Kim McMillen begins this transforming exploration into self-compassion, love and wisdom with these words: “When I loved myself enough…” and writes from there, “I quit settling for too little.”  “When I loved myself enough… I came to know my own goodness.”

I don’t know why so many of us need permission to love ourselves enough- but we seem to.  Perhaps it is because our culture is driven by shame- the shame of wanting, the driving shame of unworthiness.  This summer I was curious to try “when I loved myself enough” as an exercise.   I began my own list of reflections which gave me so much joy that I want to share some of it with you in hopes you try this for yourself.

When I loved myself enough… I allowed myself to rest.

When I loved myself enough… I stopped looking for the sweet life in sugar and found it in other things- like Vivaldi, clouds, gratitude and appreciation.

When I loved myself enough… I stopped blaming myself entirely for the plight of the world…. I gave up judgment in exchange for beauty….I took good care of my body… I stopped looking for answers and stepped into the vastness of questions- by vastness, I mean the wide open unending wonder of it all.

When I loved myself enough… I treated myself as a friend. …I took all of the self-improvement books out of the house and concentrated instead on what I love: poetry, beauty, and a good uplifting story.

When I loved myself enough… I meditated more often…

When I loved myself enough… I saw my work as a celebration of beauty, life, love, and the triumph of the human spirit.

… I savored delicious instead of wolfing it down guiltily…

…I saw possible friends in everyone…

… I bought jasmine, orchids. orange trees and ferns and let them fill my home with fragrance and with life… I practiced QiGong,…I took guitar lessons…. I gave myself permission to goof off and sing…

Some of these reflections were of pleasant shifts toward self-compassion that I had felt myself making over the years.  Others were not yet actually true, but came to me as nudges from my soul- nudges toward wholeness, passion, and toward offering my gifts.

What would your list include, when you love yourself enough?

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Cultivating Contentment

by ingrid on September 14, 2011

I made a vision board last week, clipping photographs and words from magazines a friend had given me.  I also included favorite post cards and pictures of my family.  In most schools of thought, these boards contain lavish examples of an opulent lifestyle- something grand to aim for with one’s life.  Mine never quite look that way.  They exude a quiet spirit of joy, natural beauty, simple pleasures, celebration, poetry- I realize that what these pictures and words point toward is a sense of contentment.  In the center of this board are the words, “Love how you live.”  That’s what I want.

I’m excited that my friend Janice Lynne Lundy is beginning a year long course on creating a life of contentment this week.  She is including my poetry throughout the year.  Members of the class will receive a special discount for my books and gifts.  I am so happy to be included in this year long project.  I expect it will help me stay focused on this wonderful theme- contentment.  What does the word mean to you?

 

 

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these moments are like fireflies

by ingrid on August 22, 2011

…the moments are like fireflies, and the impulse is to want to catch them; to hold them with nostalgia; to bow with appreciation to each gift, each breath, each wonder as it unfolds.

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Taking Stock

by ingrid on July 25, 2011

In the whirl of summer, I want to pause today to post these photographs- I count my blessings and feel blessed.

A blanket, a journal, fragrant lilies, hummingbirds in the garden- a place to rest and dream.

The kids and cousins dressed up to go to the midnight showing of Harry Potter.two of my beloveds working on the shed…One of my beloveds on an evening beach…Part of my display at Night Heron Gallery on Main Street Vineyard Haven.

In summertime, life here feels so full, if I don’t pause and pinch myself, and remember that it is a beautiful dream, I can become exhausted instead – with the tugs of commerce, the needs of family, the bills to pay…. Yet this is such a beautiful dream… yes it is….

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