The Last Ity: Purity.

There we are: all 18 Ities done. And it has been lovely. Thank you swami and thank you Happinez Magazine for calling them to my attention!

I am a great believer in purity.

Blessed are the pure of heart!

Now, on a prosaic note, my husband will tell you that my house is far from pure most of the time, but I don't equate cleanliness with purity. My mistake, I'm sure.

For me, purity has more philosophical hues. I see a house as pure when there are no bad vibes floating around. And when there are (and in a house where there are adolescents there is no escaping them, alas, all that adolescent anger and angst), I strongly believe in getting rid of those vibes by letting as much fresh air in as possible. And by purifying by using frankincense and herbs like sage. And by playing beautiful music.

Okay. Okay.

Laugh if you must.

If this post makes you see me in a totally new (and dotty) light - so be it.

This is my belief. My conviction.

I have told you before that I do not believe in any religion, that I believe in the goodness of humans ( so call me humanitarian for lack of a better word), but I have also told you I have a very strong Pagan streak ingrained in my very being.

Where it comes from? Frith knows. It has always been there. When I was 4 I roamed the country lanes singing I was a flower child, princess of the faeries...so there you have it.

Back to purity.

What is more pure than a small child, uncorrupted by the beliefs of its elders? Or a young animal, still innocent? Or a flower? Or a brook? Or the dew on the grass in the early morning, when the people still dream in their beds and only the birds are awake?

I wish the world could be pure. Pure and innocent.

Yep. Always the dreamer...

I wish you a very good day. I hope those 18 "Ities"of the swami have given you some food for thought.

I have had a good time. Hope you have had it too! Peace, my friend.

Imagine - John Lennon

The 17th Ity - Generosity. (And books)

Almost done, followers of the swami! I wonder how you have been faring with the 18 Ities. It has been fun, but also hard sometimes. It has made me reflect, at least, and I have had a laugh at most.

Generous people have my admiration.

Some are generous with their time (good!), some with their money (nice!) some with their love (best!!!), and some have such generous ideas that I think 'now why didn't I think of that?'.

I have no idea who started with this, who had the generosity to think of it, but somewhere someone started spreading books around.

When I was in Amsterdam a week ago, we came upon an outside window sill which had a bunch of books on it and a card in the window: feel free to take one.

And last week I came across this  sweet little house on a street corner in Enkhuizen with a stack of books in it. Again - for free. The only 'rule' (if you want to call it that) was that if you took a book out, they asked you to put another one in.

What a great idea! It inspired me to start a little spreading around of my own. Now, whenever I buy a cheapish (but good) paperback, I pass it on. And I ask the person I give it to, to pass it on themselves. Most people react surprised but happy, and promise to do so.

And it doesn't have to be books, it could be anything really.

Generosity. Such FUN!

Sweet Charity - the 16th Ity.

Charity features in all religions - in some larger than in others, but you bet it is there.
Whenever I ask someone about what is best in their religion (and I frequently ask this question, as it interests me), this is often the first answer I get. You should do good deeds, share your wealth with those who have less, take care of the needy.

Then WHY is there so much suffering in this world of ours??? If all people who are of some sort of faith live by it?

Somehow it doesn't work...it is awry.

When I sold my flowers in a stall on a Kilburn street corner, a long long long looooooong time ago, I used to see the vagrants searching through the bins. Most of them had an alcohol problem. I was on a nodding acquaintance with some of them, and one of the females even talked to me from time to time. I had my money in a moneybag around my waist, and never once did I feel unsafe. I felt they recognised me as a non-threat, and they would therefore not threaten (or rob) me.

One time one of the men asked me for money, almost politely. I refused, told him it wasn't my money but that of my boss, but offered to buy him a sandwich out of my own lunch money. To my amazement and incomprehension, he started spouting abuse. He told me he did not want my charity (the bacon sandwich), he wanted beer money!

To this day I still do not understand what drove him to get so angry with me. I meant well.

My Mum always taught me to accept gifts gracefully, even if I didn't like them.  

Still. What I can relate to, is that if you are a proud person, and if you have to rely on charity for some reason, that must be really hard.

Oh well. We have a saying in the Wetlands: "It is better to give, then to receive". Even if this gift surmounts to nothing more than just a drop in the ocean, I believe this to be truth.

Magnanimity - the 15th Ity.

Only 4 Ities more to go folks, bear with me :-)

(Photo credit: vol.25)

Okay. I confess. This Ity has me stumped.
Magnanimity is NOT my strong point...

When you hurt me, I tend to want to lash out straight away, or if that's impossible, later. Perhaps even much, much later.
So the above picture is as much for me, as for you...

I do know the theory, that forgiveness is good for the soul. That you suffer most yourself by not being able to forgive. So magnanimity should be a balm, really.
Then why does it come so hard?

By the way, totally and utterly irrelevant, but I have just learnt from one of those infamous internet tests that give you a personality trait after 9 questions with 3 possibilities (I mean - why do I waste my time on that? beats me!) that - wait for it - my Native American spirit guide is a cat. So now I will not feel guilty any longer for 'slapping you around the face with my infernal cats' (not my quote - someone gets tired of my cats...poor thing).

Ah! 

Hey, Cat Hater! I forgive you!

There. That wasn't so bad.

Perhaps I will get the hang of it.