 "Flowers are the music of the ground. From Earth's lips, spoken without a sound." ~ Edwin Curran One thing that everyone can agree on is that flowers are beautiful. But why? What is it that makes a flower so beautiful? It could be the vibrant colors, the amazing fragrance, or the intricate way the petals are shaped and arranged. But, beyond the senses, there is more to the beauty of flowers. They are nature’s artwork- an expression of beauty by the formless, creative force that underlies all of existence.
Flowers are also beautiful because of the transformation they have undergone. What was once a tiny seed, grew to be a plant which then blossomed into a flower. Just like how crystals are minerals that have undergone a profound transformation over time, a plant goes through a similar process when it blooms. In a way, a flower shows us the subtle beauty that is inside us all, a beauty that is innate to all life on Earth. Flowers give us hope, encouraging us to undergo our own transformation so that, ultimately, we may blossom and share our unique beauty with the rest of the world.
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 Hello! We’re Nick and Sarah, the owners of Well Being! Some of you may have met us while visiting our shop and spa in Kings Beach, but how much do you really know about us?
We are both from England originally. Nick’s family moved to Walnut Creek, California when he was eight years old. Sarah moved to Tahoe in 2011, while Nick has lived here for over twenty years, after being drawn to the mountains by his passion for snowboarding. We first met in Lake Atitlan in 2008 while backpacking in Guatemala. Sarah visited Nick in Tahoe regularly over the next three years. During this time, we had many adventures together including several visits to Burning Man and a six-month journey through Australia and New Zealand. We were married on 9/10/11 after paddleboarding out to the rocks at Speedboat beach. When the ceremony was over, we “took the plunge” by jumping into the lake! When we are not at Well Being, we enjoy spending time with our two adorable cattle dogs, Blue and Bella, who we hike with every day. We love exploring our natural surroundings, riding our bikes in the forest and paddleboarding on the lake. We also love traveling, getting great massages and relaxing in hot springs. Back in 2013, as two massage therapists with a dream, we created Well Being with the intention of bringing more love, healing and positivity into the world. Our business has evolved over the years, but we still love what we do. Every day we are excited to go to work, doing what we can to provide people with a genuine sense of healing and connection that is so often lacking in today's world. So, next time you are in town, stop by Well Being and say hello! We’d love to get to know you!  "Without the rain, there would be no rainbow." ~ Gilbert K. Chesterton What is it about rainbows that always makes you smile? Maybe it’s the dazzling array of color being vividly displayed in a giant arch across the sky. Or maybe, on a deeper level, you understand the metaphor that rainbows only appear when there is rain. In life, there can't be 'good 'experiences without there also being 'bad' ones. It’s like how you can’t experience light without darkness. How you wouldn’t be able to appreciate peace without noise, or relaxation without tension. How would you even know that you are happy, for example, if you had never experienced unhappiness?
Rainbows are also impermanent. They are as beautiful as they are rare, appearing like a miracle in the sky and then fading away. You never really know how long rainbows will last, or if how long it will be before you see another one, so you really appreciate them while they are here. Come to think of it, life is also a miracle that only lasts for a limited time. Just like a rainbow, our impermanence is what makes our time here so precious. So, live your life like there is a rainbow in the sky, savoring the beauty of the experience while it lasts.  “The still waters of a lake reflect the beauty all around it. When the mind is still, the beauty of the self is reflected in it.” ~ B.K.S. Iyengar You often hear that meditation is the key to spiritual growth. But, have you ever wondered why? What is the link between meditation and spirituality? What is the point of spending time sitting still with your eyes closed, simply breathing in and out? Especially when you could be doing something more productive like exercising or checking emails. This week’s quote helps to illustrate the link between mind and spirit, by pointing out that, when the mind is still, it reflects the beauty of the self.
Think of meditation as your opportunity to still the waters of your mind. Don’t worry about what the point is, or that perhaps this is all a waste of time, because those are both just thoughts, just more waves in the waters of your mind. Notice your thoughts as they come and go but do not get caught up in them. Identify instead with the ever present witness, the awareness in the background of your mind that notices your thoughts taking place. That calm, silent witness between waves of thought is your true self. Simply breathe and let the mind be still. Just like a lake, when the mind is still, it becomes a mirror- capable of reflecting the beauty of existence, both within and without.  "The ripple effect stemming from a single act of love might be infinite in reach.” ~ Narissa Doumani If you throw a stone into calm water, it will produce a series of ripples that travel infinitely outward in all directions. Similarly, the actions that you take in daily life can have far reaching consequences that you might never be fully aware of. A simple act of kindness can produce a positive ripple effect that echoes throughout time. On the other hand, an act of hatred can send negative ripples out into the world which can have a far greater impact than you realize. Knowing this, it is your responsibility to create more positive ripples in this world than negative ones.
How can you accomplish this? Start with being kind to yourself. After all, your actions are a direct reflection of your emotional state. If you are feeling negative inside, then you are much more likely to behave negatively in the world. By practicing self-love, you establish an inner harmony that radiates from your being. The other way to create more positive ripples in this world is by being kind to others. A smile, a compliment or a helping hand can mean the world to someone in need of a pick me up. The idea is that your kindness will inspire others to also act kindly- which will then inspire even more kindness. So, make as many ripples as you can while you are here, knowing that each little ripple of positivity that you create has the potential to become a tsunami. |
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About The AuthorNick Hughes is a massage therapist, yoga instructor and co-owner of Well Being. Influenced by the ideas of Alan Watts, Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass, and Deepak Chopra, Nick presents his unique take on human existence with the goal of helping others live a happier life. Archives
September 2023
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