DAILY PLEASURES
jas
POSTED: Sat, 01/23/2010 - 10:11am
Daily Rituals
What daily or weekly rituals do you do that give you pleasure? Mireille quotes Valery in the beginning of the book, "...Doesn't the least observant woman -about-town look upon the implementation and ritual progress of a meal as a liturgical prescription? Isn't all of civilization apparent in these careful preparations, which consecrate the spirit's triumph over a raging appetite?"MIREILLE'S CALENDAR
Click here to view Mireille's CalendarACTIVE FORUM TOPICS
RELATED
FRENCH WOMAN'S MANIFESTO
French women eat smaller portions of more things. American women eat larger portions of fewer things.
STAY AU COURANT
Sign up for the newsletter to receive news, special features and more.
Visit the fan page on Facebook
snorklee
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 10:40am
My rituals?
There are things I do everyday, that probably qualify as rituals just because I do them everyday... but are they nourishing, meditative, enriching moments? Not really. Just things I do without thinking to get through the day. Reading everyone's rituals is giving me encouragement to look outside the routine shuffle through the day, and plant some moments of beauty, relaxation, and enrichment. I can see that this is what is missing in my day. The little rituals feed the soul and make a place for peace and pleasure, in a day that might not be the greatest. I'm looking closely at my lack of pleasurable moments in my life right now, and gathering ideas here.Sheri
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 10:53am
Enjoy!
This discussion has definitely gotten me to think about them and be more mindful when I do them. Speaking of, I'm heading off to a cup of tea.Marilyn
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 6:13am
My rituals
My rituals have changed since I retired, no longer the need (most of the time) to rush, rush, rush. I enjoy a leisurely cup of tea, courtesy of OH, most mornings, a stretch after I get up, shower, cleanse, tone and moisturise without fail, before an equally leisurely breakfast (usually). The morning is for household jobs, the afternoon for whatever I feel like doing (book group, pilates, meeting friends or just doing nothing). Before bed I always cleanse, tone, moisturise again and more often than not get 7 hours sleep. I do have days when I have to gather more speed and be at places by a certain time but no longer the work rituals. Admitedly I miss my salary but it's amazing how far a little pension can be made to stretch with, as Jean would say, frugality!! I have yet to decide after just over 2 years whether these new rituals give me greater satisfaction of mind and body or if I need something more, possibley the latter. I am giving it much thought at present.kit
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 7:46pm
You earned it Marilyn,
You worked hard during your "career" years. Your day now sounds lovely,nothing is perfect of course. But at the end of our days does anyone wish they had spent more(sometimes soul-destroying)time at work? Doubtful. You give me hope!!xoKATHYH
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 6:32am
Marilyn
Your day sounds lovely. Can you detail Cleanse..tone..moisturize, such as products used etc. I am not so nice to my face although I did buy an expensive cream from france that smells wonderful but I think that is about all it has done.Marilyn
POSTED: Sun, 07/29/2012 - 2:58pm
Kathy
I will email you this week as the weekend has been busy with DD and her husband visiting. It always gives me so much pleasure when they come but makes me sad when they go as I do not see as much of them as I would like, they have their own lives and I do not like to make too many demands on their time as they both have very time consuming careers. We bring them up to stand on their own 2 feet and then wish they depended on us more!! C'est la vie!!Miss Ryna
POSTED: Wed, 07/25/2012 - 8:43am
My daily rituals...they are
My daily rituals...they are not rituals at all, they are a long que of small ,but very important for me personally, actions. Morning: a run to get a newspaper, pick the lemon, smell the geranium leaves, do the facial, have two cups of water with lemon, one cup of coffee and read the latest messages on IPad, back to the bathroom....shower, body moisturising, hair, make up...day just started. Drive, work, steps up and down, stretching ( by bending over my students' shoulders), hot tea if there is a spare minute, a small lunch ( because there is no time for a substantial one). And prayers, prayers all the time - for students' good behaviour, for the managers' understanding, for the good weather to enjoy my afternoon. I only reached the afternoon time, but have mentioned so many things I do out of necessity but with the great pleasure. My afternoons and evenings are very busy as well- the usual night walks with my husband, chats over phone with my daughter, Skyping with Dad, and cooking, and stretching, and studying, and evening facials. And all of his- just out of the need to love and to be loved. Probably, the most important ritual that covers everything else- to love every moment of my busy life.Sheri
POSTED: Wed, 07/25/2012 - 10:17am
The last line
Your last line makes me want to go "ahhh" - to love it means we must be present in it...and that is wonderful.Miss Ryna
POSTED: Thu, 07/26/2012 - 3:12am
the power of NOW
Sheri, this your last comment reminded me of what I wanted to do for the last couple of weeks: to recommend you and everyone else who hasn't read it yet the book " The power of NOW" by Eckhart Tolle.. Something in your previous messages made me think about this book as a great read for you. The main idea of Tolle's books is : in the NOW, the present moment, we discover that we are already complete and perfect.Sheri
POSTED: Tue, 07/24/2012 - 1:56pm
My basic daily rituals...
Morning - A long walk, sometimes with a friend; some stretching and strength training; time reading my Bible and prayer; skincare (which was not as faithful until our Daily Rituals challenge); change my pillowcase (which I've found to be very pleasurable, feeling the sheets); hot tea; and breakfast sometimes with my husband. During the day - stretching and hot tea breaks. Evening - setting a beautiful table for dinner, more stretching, journaling for a few minutes (again, which I am more faithful in now), hot tea and skincare. The skincare used to be a quick wash and sometimes the "lotions and potions" - but those are faithful now and so enjoyable. Especially on my feet and hands, instead of just my face. What a difference it is making. The "extended" list I've posted on Facebook - it is more a list of what to do when I don't feel great and want to pamper myself with something other than food.Sheri
POSTED: Mon, 07/23/2012 - 1:42pm
Daily Rituals Challenge Complete
My challenge to myself helped me...I've enjoyed taking better care of my skin - and my hands show the difference! I've enjoyed the philosophical discussions and have realized that the two main reasons I didn't enjoy the rituals more frequently were (1) time/energy (meaning, for example, I would wait until the end of the day to journal and be too tired) and (2) not feeling like I or the caring-of-self at that next level were important enough to do so. Miss Ryna helped with that, so I've mindfully enjoyed those little "extras" the past several days, even between life's busy-ness. Thanks to everyone! And those who joined in - I hope it was enjoyable for you!Miss Ryna
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 1:21am
My approach to the rituals
Every day I do many usual small things, but I never thought about them as rituals. Probably that fact that Indo them regularly for a long time does make them my rituals, but I am very coucious to call them such not to make them sound as something compulsory and therefore- something my mind would like to sabotage. To know, how we start to dislike something only because we have to do it!? And may be because of this approach of pleasure rather than necessity, I not only almost don't skip my " rituals" but continue enjoying them. One of my conscious rituals is always to celebrate even the smallest achievement and to take time for reflecting on it. Another ritual: when things are not going exactly well, to do something pleasurable, even small. For example, few years ago, when I had to make a very tough decision in my life, I bought myself an absolutely stunning ( and absolutely unnecessary) hat and put it on streight away. Now, when I think about that period of my life, I straggle to remember what exactly the trouble was, but I remember very clear the hat and the compliments I received then. In some way, I hAve substituted ( my favourite activity) the sad memory for the more enjoyable ones. And considering, that our past does determine our present and future, in some way I have britened p my past. So, probably substitution is my ritual as well.Sheri
POSTED: Fri, 07/20/2012 - 8:58am
Brilliant!
Miss Ryna, you are brilliant for the celebration idea and the substitution idea. I will use both :-). And all of your questions and thoughts yesterday have begun to change things for me. I'll write more about the change later...for now I'm off to enjoy the rest of my morning rituals...(And hope you are feeling better - wonderful that you went to the library.)Miss Ryna
POSTED: Fri, 07/20/2012 - 9:23am
Philosophycal discussion for everyone
ISheri, I am glad you support my ideas of celebration and substitution. Today I had the feeling that you will review something about your own approach towards the rituals as such. I enjoy our discussion, especially as it aeveryone rather phylosophycal character, so we all can draw fom it. Enjoy your day, and I am looking forward to hearing from you. I felt much better today, so went to work for half of the day. The weather was very supportive: warm, sunny, quiet. That's why I decided to treat myself to the short trip to the library. Tomorrow I am planning to drive to the few nurseries to look for an insid plant for my new pot. It has to grow very tall ( that's the idea) and be able tolerate an air- conditioner in the same room. I am going ro enjoy this search, especially as I had managed to find a beautiful pot for it alreadyKat_G
POSTED: Fri, 07/20/2012 - 9:41am
An insid plant?
Never heard of those before. Sounds interesting.Miss Ryna
POSTED: Fri, 07/20/2012 - 9:49am
Inside, of course
Sorry, my IPad plays its little games. I was speaking about an inside plant ( to have in the house). I have a few different plants, including ficus, and now I want " the last touch to my lounge room" - a tall plant in the corner, in the very wide dark red potKat_G
POSTED: Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:39am
Ahhh
I thought it was a new plant variety. But I like the idea of having a ficus plantSheri
POSTED: Wed, 07/18/2012 - 11:19am
Daily Rituals Challenge
We're half way through the week. Journaling, hot tea, and stretching are better. Skincare rituals are happening wonderfully in the evening...the morning I'm still struggling. Way to go, Kimberly. Any new updates from anyone else on this week's rituals?Miss Ryna
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 1:06am
Are you a morning person?
Sheri, Imhope it's not too personal to ask about your rituals altogether, what they consist of. Remember you were going to include the whole list of them in one of your messages. I am asking about it firstly, because am genuanly interested, as it looks like our approach to the daily rituals is very similar.mand secondly, may be insisting all your rituals will help you to take a fresh look at what you plan for yourself. As you said that you are having difficulty following all your morning plans, probably you plan too much for yourself? I am a morning person, so I don't mind to get up very early to be able to do a lot of small but so important things for me. I do it with pleasure, it's not difficult for me, wherever many people are surprised why domI have to get up that early. I am much slower in the evenings, and don't plan much for this part of the day, just a couple of smallness ant things. What about you, are you a morning or an evening kind of person?Sheri
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 8:38am
Why???
Hmmm. You've really got me thinking. Why, if I enjoy the rituals and have time (yes to both), do I have "trouble" - especially with the morning ones and sometimes the ones as breaks in the day? That might be my journal topic for today. You've really stirred my brain today. Enjoy your spa and pamper time!Sheri
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 8:29am
Morning...
Definitely a morning person. I wake up with energy - lots of it, and then during late afternoon and evening it is gone. Your question makes me think of my timing of things I like to do and that I know will keep me centered (my rituals). (Side note - I will list them in the next couple of days since you are interested.) Anyway, the timing thing...1. since I have energy in the mornings I like getting up and getting things done - so a.m. skincare pampering usually gets put off, even though it would help me remember "I am as important as what I accomplish". And by evening, when I want to journal and reflect on my day, my brain cells say "Rest. Do it tomorrow." (And of course tomorrow becomes tomorrow becomes tomorrow.) I'll think about this timing issue some and see what ideas pop up. Thanks for stirring the question in me.Miss Ryna
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 9:21am
Am waiting to read your list, Sheri
I am enjoying this chat with you, because it makes me think why I don't postpone anything in the morning. Probably, because I treat every thing as a small pleasure rather than a ritual ( I wrote about my attitude towards rituals little bit earlier). Also, Sheri, may I make comment about your thought:" you are as important as what you have accomplished". I think that you should turn it upside- down: you are important. Full stop. Whatever you accomplish will contribute something extra to whatever you are already.....something like this. In this case, you remove the mood of compulsory action ( and our mind always tries to fight everything composure) and turn it into the mood of willingness to please wonderful ( already) yourself. I probably sound as the most dis- organized anarchist, but in reality I am a very self- disciplined person. I just developed my own methods to discipline my not such strong will power. I hope, it doesn't sound too boring.Sheri
POSTED: Thu, 07/19/2012 - 12:06pm
Not boring
Fascinating word interpretation, first. "Ritual" to me is in no way a chore or a have-to or mindless habit. The word ritual to me feels very rhythmic, calming, centering, mindful choice with meaning and pleasure. I picture the rhythm of an ocean wave at shore or sunrise/sunset when I think of ritual. Something I can "come back to" to ground me when other things in life get chaotic. Next, I like your reworking of my original phrase. "I am important. Full stop." It is not that my work is not important, I love it. But not using them in the same sentence keeps "me" separate from "out-of-me". Thanks! The list will come soon, likely in a few days.Kimberly
POSTED: Tue, 07/17/2012 - 10:45am
Tuesday!
I woke up and stumbled into the living room. Bella woke me up today. I think she was ready to go outside. We are still working on the potty training. 90% of the time she goes outside; I just have to become aware of her signals. Washed my face and burshed my teeth. Rubbed myself down with Watkins Vanilla Dry Oil Body Mist. Had a warm glass of water as they say it stimulates your metabolism and gets your digestive tract moving. I went and let out my girls and Mr. Ugly. It's kind of cute how they follow me through the yard because they know I am the lady who feeds them. I may do a little yoga this morning but I want to do it when Geoff gets home so we can keep his back feeling better. The Veria channel on Dish has a neat yoga class called Rock Your Yoga. It's actually pretty nice. I've got lentils and rice cooking on the stove. I got my Brioche pan in the mail yesterday so I think I will attempt a Brioche today. I hope you all have a fabulous Tuesday and I will let you know how the rest of the day goes with the rituals.Sheri
POSTED: Fri, 07/13/2012 - 3:08pm
Daily Rituals Challenge
I'm needing a little help getting "re-centered" "re-focused" - and small challenges help me. If you need the same, please join me. (And perhaps our journeying together may encourage each of us.) Here's my challenge to myself (and you): For the next seven days (Sunday-Saturday) to "make a conscious effort" to follow my daily rituals. These are rituals I enjoy and that center me mentally/emotionally/physically. (Unfortunately, they are often the first thing to go when time or energy seems limited.) So, whatever your rituals are, if they have slipped a little and you miss them, I challenge you to bring them back for seven days. And I commit to re-focus on mine.Sheri
POSTED: Tue, 07/17/2012 - 10:05am
Monday
I enjoyed lots of stretching -- especially last night, and full skincare rituals. This morning (Tues) is off to a great start.Kat_G
POSTED: Tue, 07/17/2012 - 10:19am
Sounds awesome
It's good that you're really taking this time to look after yourself. It's something people don't do often.Sheri
POSTED: Mon, 07/16/2012 - 9:59am
Updates?
For Kat and Kit and anyone else joining us, how are your daily rituals? Sunday I kept (and enjoyed) most of my morning and daytime rituals, and I consciously did all of my evening rituals. Whether a stretch break, a cup of tea, or my full skincare routine...I feel nurtured when I keep my rituals. How about you?Miss Ryna
POSTED: Mon, 07/16/2012 - 12:29pm
I started journal writing
Hi Sheri, I have started journal writing, and so far am enjoying it tremendously. I would like to update a wonderful thread on favourite quotes, including some recent findings, but am very short with free time at this morning. I am able to check on all the Sisters' messagese at work, but am not able to comment- the Department Intranet system prevents it somehow. When back home, I am busy with all the small things- rituals. Now its 2.30 am and I cant sleep due to some cold I have cought over weekend, so am updating on this threat. I was very interested to read your comment about the use of essential oils for body lotions. I do very similar things. Do you use these oils in your facial scin care as well?Sheri
POSTED: Mon, 07/16/2012 - 12:52pm
Oh, dear
How dreadful to miss your sleep. Congrats on starting journal writing. It can be so helpful. I use the essential oils that are already in the products I use. However, tea tree oil I use if a rare bump of acne tries to start. (Oregano oil if a good anti-bact too). If I can find a thread on skincare I'll post a couple of odd tricks I've recently learned.