February is a strange month to me. Spring is a month away, but this is often when the coldest days happen (usually on the rare occasion that someone talked me into going to a Mardi Gras parade). Here in England, winter isn’t showing much sign of releasing the Earth, though this has been a mild winter by comparison, they tell me. The temperature didn’t fall below freezing during daylight hours more than a handful of times. Mainly low 40s and upper 30s. I’ve loved it, though I was hoping to see some snow flurries in December or January. Alas. Maybe next year.
I set some lofty goals at the winter solstice (I like to operate in tune with the solar year rather than the calendar year), and now that the cross point between winter and spring approaches, I am seeing the first stirrings of the seeds I planted. I am maintaining a regular level of creative expression, nurturing a couple relationships I don’t want to ever take for granted, and taking better care of my body. Journaling and accountability that comes from sharing goals with supportive people have really helped, as these are basic goals I’ve had for a couple years but could never stick to for longer than two weeks. Baby steps. Small victories are still victories.
Since it starts in just a couple days, here are February’s suggestions for little ways to enrich your life:
- Reading for Fun: The Princess Bride by William Goldman. You can find it free online or on Amazon, and here is a free reading on YouTube. Your reading experience will not be ruined if you watched the movie last week.
- For a Challenge: Theogony by Hesiod. You can find it free online or on Amazon, and here is a free reading on YouTube.
- Artist: John William Waterhouse (1849-1917). I adore this artist! Look below for some examples of his art.
- Composer: Igor Stravinsky. Here is a sampling of his work. If you watched Fantasia as a kid, you might recognize some of his music.
- Movement: Yoga. Here is an instructional video on yoga for beginners.
- Game: King’s Quest II: Romancing the Throne, a point-and-click adventure game by Sierra. Graham became king in part 1, and now he’s off to rescue his bride-to-be. You can find this game in a three-pack with parts 1 and 3 of the series on GOG. Yes, we are seriously going to work our way through the series. Replaying them fills me with nostalgic joy and a bit of rage when the puzzles break from logic. The free fan remake (Romancing the Stones) is available here on AGD Interactive.
- Snacks: Pineapple. Here are some nutritional facts about this delicious fruit. I like to just munch on the chunks or mix the juice into some sort of blended drink.
- Scent: Cocoa. The scent of chocolate is pure bliss. Make a cup of hot cocoa to warm you up during winter. Honestly, the scent alone can satisfy some sweet cravings. Add a dash of chili powder for a wonderful little kick.
- Meditation: Body scan. Here is a video by Teik Yen Ko that guides you through the meditation technique.
- Journaling Theme: In your journal, doodle lambs and sheep in a meadow. Just draw little dot eyes and hooves on a cloud. The goofier looking, the better. The artistic component really helps me pay more attention to my journal.
I’m starting to think I should go through these items on by one for a deeper review of each. Maybe just one at a time… some other time. These are meant to just be a taste rather than a deep dive. Anyway… Try to incorporate as many of these into your life as possible over the course of February. Keep what you like. Nix what you don’t. By experimenting with these little samples, you just might discover something you love!
When do the first stirrings of spring take place where you live?
Magical Musings 