Tag: Mindfulness

My Abundant Life 3-4-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

March 4th, 2026

Priming the Pump for Inspiration

“The well of Providence is deep. It’s the buckets we bring to it that are small.”

Mary Gladys Webb (English Romance Novelist and Poet; March 25th, 1881 ~ October 8th, 1927)

“You need to create a reassuring ritual for yourself to access your inner reservoir–that place deep within you inhabited by imagination.”

My Bucket List

Bath Soaking Ritual
Zion National Park

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-4-26)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“Soaking in an aromatherapy-infused bath in the outdoors is the ultimate luxury and path to Providence.” (Heather Houston 3-4-22)

“I find when I prepare my blog writings ahead so that in the moment I can be with my thoughts and creatively write is the best for me. The week can get away from me quickly. Today I was unwell and had probably my 3rd migraine ever and this one had the whole halo and colors to boot. I ended my day at noon, travelled home, changed into comfortable clothes and napped on the couch for several hours. I followed this up with a lazy watching of ‘The Lion In Winter’. The most important thing is I listened…listened to what my body and the Universe was screaming at me.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 71-72 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 3-3-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

March 3rd, 2026

Setting Aside a Personal Sabbath

“Anybody can observe the Sabbath but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week.”

Alice Malsenior Tallulah-Kate Walker (American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet, and Social Activist; February 9th, 1944 ~ )

“Some keep the Sabbath going to Church, I keep it, staying at Home.”

Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (American Poet; December 10th, 1830 ~ May 15th, 1886)

“It doesn’t matter what day of the week you set aside as your own personal Sabbath, it just matters that you keep one.”

“…meditation is intentional concentration on one thing, which can be either secular or spiritual.”

“This is what the Sabbath is for: reverence, rest, renewal, rejuvenation, reassuring rituals, recreation, rejoicing, revelation, remembering how much you have to be grateful for, and saying ‘thank you!'”

My Bucket List

My Church
Go on a Self-Drive Safari in Kruger National Park

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-3-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“My church is anytime I commune with nature…simple…sweet!” (Heather Houston 3-3-22)

“My Sabbath is for: gratitude, sexy-time, imbibing, pleasuring, devouring, relaxing, passion, creativity and most of all…LOVING my husband.” ❤️ (Heather Houston 3-3-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 70-71 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 3-2-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

March 2nd, 2026

Meditation: Many Paths to the Present Moment

“Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing about who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path whether you like it or not, namely the path that is your life.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn (American Professor Emeritus of Medicine and the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School; June 5th, 1944 ~ )

“…there are compelling physiological, psychological, and spiritual reasons why we should engage in regular meditation. It is the mortar that holds mind, body, and Spirit together.”

“…meditation is intentional concentration on one thing, which can be either secular or spiritual.”

“In this state creativity flowers, intuition leads to a deeper wisdom, the natural healing system of the body is engaged, our best physical and mental potentials manifests itself and we feel psychologically satisfied.” …Spiritual meditation, on the other hand…”will help you become aware of the presence of the divine in nature, in yourself and in other people. The love and joy that are inherent in Spirit–that are the very essence of Spirit–will begin to permeate your life.”

Dr. Joan Borysenko (Author; October 25th, 1945 ~ )

“…many different ways of meditating, depending on my inner needs: the golden mirror meditation, writing my daily dialogue pages, gazing into the flame of a candle, concentrating on a sacred word in a centering prayer, focusing on a poetic phrase to find deeper personal meaning, or setting out on a walking meditation.”

“…all-time favorite meditation is a small, moist piece of chocolate cake eaten with exquisite attention and tremendous gratitude. Any time we are fully present in the moment we are meditating.”

Dr. Joan Borysenko (Author; October 25th, 1945 ~ )

My Bucket List

Meditation
Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-2-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I have a meditation practice I follow: 10-minutes in the morning and at lunch with a 5-10 minute Spiritual time-out to reflect on my day before bed. I also commune with nature daily for 30-minutes which consists of a walk or quiet sitting outdoors. Putting meditation in small chunks throughout my day reduces stress and keeps me centered.” (Heather Houston 3-2-22)

“If being present is meditation, then my life is mostly meditation. How magical is that?” (Heather Houston 3-2-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 68-70 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 3-1-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

March 1st, 2026

“It is the first mild day of March.

Each minute sweeter than before…

There is a blessing in the air…”

William Wordsworth (English Romantic Poet; April 7th, 1770 ~ April 23rd, 1850)

Restoring Serenity to Your Daily Endeavors

“God give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed;

Courage to change the things that should be changed;

And the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.”

Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (American Reformed Theologian, Ethicist, Commentator on Politics and Public Affairs, and Professor at Union Theological Seminary; June 21st, 1892 ~ June 1st, 1971)

“…the time has come for us to stop associating serenity with things that cannot be changed. For we can dramatically change the quality of our lives when we consciously seek to restore serenity to our daily endeavors.”

“Sidetracked women, who scatter their energies to the four winds, never achieve serenity.”

“What we will gain from this exercise is the inner peace that comes from living fully in the present moment.”

My Bucket List

Serenity
Iceland’s Kirkjufell Mountain and waterfall at sunset.

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 3-1-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I am usually a six-trick pony. However, I am learning to focus on 1-task at a time to create more ease, efficiency, pleasure, and satisfaction when my mind, body and spirit is focused on one task at a time.” (Heather Houston 3-1-22)

“Happy month of my birth! I am embracing to be in less frenzy and more in flow.” (Heather Houston 3-1-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 67-68 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-28-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 28th, 2026

Creating a Sacred Space

“You must have room or a certain hour of the day or do where you do not know what was in the morning paper…a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are, and what you might be…At first you may find nothing’s happening…But if you have a sacred place and use it, take advantage of it, something will happen.”

Joseph John Campbell (American Writer; March 26th, 1904 ~ October 30th, 1987)

My Bucket List

Sacred Spaces
Explore New Zealand

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-28-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“The request is to create a sacred space. I use my whole house as a sacred space with heartfelt and gratitude inspired trinkets, babbles and pictures throughout it to remind me wherever I am, that I am thankful and loved.” (Heather Houston 2-28-22)

“After reading ‘Rediscovering Your Sacredness.’ I endeavored to create a sacred space in my home where I could concentrate all of my spiritual energies. I choose the quiet of the morning after cleaning the kitchen from the previous nights cooking to sit in the candlelight of my alter to remind myself of my sacredness and to center myself spiritually before my day unfolds. This quiet early morning solitude fills my soul. Even my dog Kiva looks forward to my intentional breathing and words speaking into the sacredness of all beings. The days I miss this devotional time, I feel the energy of the world beginning to build up within me. Similar to Buddhist teachings, I welcome in the world energy and slough it off daily and return it to the Sacred Whole.”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 61-63 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-27-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 27th, 2026

Committing to Your Spiritual Awakening

“I don’t believe; I know.”

Carl Jung (Swiss Psychiatrist and Psychoanalyst; July 26th, 1875 ~ June 6th, 1961)

“If you consciously work to bring more gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, and joy into your daily life, your world will be transformed whether you believe a Higher Power is guiding you or not. But if you commit to your spiritual awakening as the most important part of the process, something marvelous will happen. Life will not feel as fraught, as frazzled, or as fragmented as before because you’ll realize that the spiritual, the creative, and the practical can’t be separated. They each count. They each mean something. They’re all connected.”

“…ready ourselves with spiritual openness. …Spirituality is the sacred center of which all life comes, including Mondays and Tuesdays and rainy Saturday afternoons in all their mundane and glorious details.”

Christina Balwin (Author; April 16th, 1946 ~ )

My Bucket List

Spiritual Awakening
Hike Toketee Falls in Oregon

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-27-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I am excited to discover myself newly while at the same time love the being I already am. My thoughts today are on the people of Ukraine. I also have a pang of fear wondering if my son has been deployed to bolster the Ukrainian cause. If so, I send him all my protective motherly love to keep him safe. I love you Porter!”💝 (Heather Houston 2-27-22)

“Seems full circle as we began bombing Iran and hoping my children are not deployed anywhere near the Middle East. The “Sacred Center of Life” is the BEing present within the moment. My husband made Pho and the gloriousness was not just the first bite. It was the intentional shopping, the smell of the cooking beef bones, the cooking of the aromatics, and the final boil of the broth…all leading to the first sip of soup that unfolded the sacred beautiful creation. Relish the daily routine intertwined with the beauty of living in the moment.” (Heather Houston 2-27-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 61 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-26-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 26th, 2026

Real Life Begins with Reverance

“Let knowledge from more to more

But more of reverence in us dwells;

That mind and soul, according well,

May make one music as before.”

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson FRS (English Poet; August 6th, 1809 ~ October 6th, 1892)

“Reverence is that altered state of consciousness when you feel awe and wonder because you know you are in the presence of Spirit. Reverence enwraps you in perfect peace because there is no past or future, only the present moment, and you are one with Heaven and earth. There is no distinction between body and soul. Meditation can sometimes spiritually induce this special moment of Wholeness, as does creating something beautiful, whether it’s a meal, a painting, or a flower bed. Concentrating on one task at a time with care and attentiveness can invoke reverence as well.”

“…gratitude is the gateway to experiencing more reverence in our daily lives.”

“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you’ that would be enough.”

Eckhart von Hochheim OP (known as: Meister Eckhart or Eckhart) (German Catholic Theologian, Philosopher and Mystic; UNKNOWN)

My Bucket List

REVERENCE
See a show at Red Rocks Amphitheater

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-26-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“My daily gratitude gives me access to reverence. I also have begun to focus on one task at a time versus multi-tasking. In doing so, I have noticed my productivity and effectiveness has improved greatly.” (Heather Houston 2-26-22)

“BEing present is the juice! Reverence comes with being enraptured with the what so of the now. Not an intention, but to be actually in reverence of the moment you are experiencing. Whether it is running back to the car to pick up my saved shopping bags or whether I am watching a sunset…both have reverential experiences in each one. The access to the rapture of every instance or occasion is the magic of LIVING.” (Heather Houston 2-26-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 60-61 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-25-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant Life2 Comments

February 25th, 2026

Reordering Your Priorities

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose.”

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (Swiss-American Psychiatrist; July 8th, 1926 ~ August 24th, 2004)

“…the centrifugal forces of today.”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh (American Author and Aviator; June 22nd, 1906 ~ February 7th, 2001)

“I find it helpful to think of priorities as the wooden frame upon which we stretch the canvas of our days so that we may apply color and form to the work of art we are creating without the entire painting collapsing in the middle.”

“Quiet time alone, contemplation, prayer, music, a centering line of thought or reading, of study or work. It can be physical or intellectual or artistic, any creative life proceeding from oneself. It need not be an enormous project or great work. But it should be something of one’s own. Arranging a bowl of lowers in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day…What matters is that one be for a time inwardly attentive.”

Anne Morrow Lindbergh (American Author and Aviator; June 22nd, 1906 ~ February 7th, 2001)

“Today make getting in touch with the Silence within yourself your first priority. As you do, you will be amazed at how everything else seems to find its own order.”

My Bucket List

Blackfeet Warrior (Drawing w/Charcoal Powder); By: Jason Tako
Discover the magnificent, turquoise tiered waterfalls of Kuang Si, Laos

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-25-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“I wasn’t very good at finding the Silence within myself today. Work was very stressful and after a 9-hour shift without a break, I was pooped. TGIF!” (Heather Houston 2-25-22)

“My priority is sustaining a loving and happy marriage with my husband. We create one another each day newly and then live into the day as the best date/party ever. Truly, it is a remarkable life and way to live. I cherish also my inward attentive moments like now when I read and reflect on a daily devotional. Giving back to myself fills my ‘Battery’. Loving my husband is my most beautiful work of art!”

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 59-60 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-24-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 24th, 2026

Now That I’ve Gotten Your Attention

“Sometimes in your life you will go on a journey.

It will be the longest journey you have ever taken.

It is the journey to find yourself.”

Katherine Sharp Landdeck (Aircraft Pilot and Associate Professor of History at Texas Woman’s University; UNKNOWN ~ )

“…details of our days do make a difference in our lives, that no experience is ever just for drill, and that everything can be a springboard for inspiration if we are willing to be open to the goodness of life.”

“One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.”

André Gide (French Author and Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature; November 22nd 1869 ~ February 19th, 1951)

My Bucket List

DETAILS
Kenya Safari

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-24-22)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“My being-ness is all about the details. I love how a home feels when the details are sorted. It makes it feel less noisy, distracting and peaceful.” (Heather Houston 2-24-26)

“Chocolate, vanilla, choose. I choose to be in the present and embrace my journey today. I am intentionally planning my journey to visit my ancestors lands and feel myself in Indian country. I have made arrangements to rent a car and embark on an journey to locate my grandparents and great grandparents homes or the locations they used to be. I also want to attempt to find the cemeteries where they may be buried to soak up the hollowed ground. For me, this is a pilgrimage of my self. Turning in and returning to my sacredness within. I am excited to feel the flow and vibration of this journey and how it unfolds and adds to my life journey.” (Heather Houston 2-24-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 57-59 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.

My Abundant Life 2-23-26

On By Heather HoustonIn My Abundant LifeLeave a comment

February 23rd, 2026

Making Your Own Imprint

“God is in the details.”

Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe (German-American Architect; March 27th, 1886 ~ August 18th, 1969)

“You move into a completely empty house and start from scratch–money is not a consideration. Write down twenty specifics for your ideal home from architectural features to furnishings that are ‘must haves’ for you. …Are any of these items from your past? Where did you first encounter them? How long have you been dreaming about them? Are there any items from your childhood home?”

  • “20 Architectural Features & Furnishing Must Haves
    1. Sun porch (Grandmother’s House; 3-4 years old; I have always wanted this; not from my childhood home).
    2. Soft chaise lounge in sun porch (In a furniture store; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    3. Overstuffed leather chair with brass button brad detail in a library (Read in a book and saw in an old movie; grade school age; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    4. Library with leatherbound books and a fireplace (Read in a book and saw in an old movie; grade school age; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    5. Walk in pantry (Grandmother’s House; 3-4 years old; I have always wanted this; not from my childhood home).
    6. Large hearth in living room with a large threshold and bench area to sit upon in front of the hearth. (Grandmother’s House & Aunt Dot’s House; 10-12 years old; I have always wanted this; not from my childhood home).
    7. Fireplace in every room (saw in an old movie; grade school age; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    8. Claw-foot bath tub (Aunt Dot’s House; 10-12 years old; I have always wanted this; not from my childhood home).
    9. Gas 6 burner with griddle area stove/oven (saw on a cooking show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    10. Deep farmer’s sink in kitchen (saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    11. Marble counters in kitchen (saw on a cooking show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    12. Outdoor fireplace/fire pit (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    13. Outdoor kitchen and BBQ (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    14. Outdoor cabana with outdoor TV (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    15. Pool with jacuzzi/spa (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    16. Office shared with my partner (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    17. 3-car garage (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    18. Fenced yard so Kiva can play and go indoors to outdoors at will (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    19. 2 Walk in closets with dressing areas (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    20. Craft/Sewing room (I saw on a home improvement show; adult; I wanted this after I saw it; not from my childhood home).
    21. Window seats in dining room or family room (Grandmother’s House; 3-4 years old; I have always wanted this; not from my childhood home).” (Heater Houston 2-23-22)

“Next, imagine that your closet and drawers are empty. You need to fill them. What are the first ten things you would either hang up or put away? You may either keep favorites from your present wardrobe or buy entirely new items. Which comes first for you, comofrt or career?”

  • “10 Wardrobe Item Must Haves (Comfort is primary over career)
    1. 20 pair of soft cotton thongs
    2. 20 pairs soft cotton ankle socks
    3. Flannel pajama pants with soft long sleeve t-shirt
    4. Soft night sleep shirts
    5. Sweat pants and sweat shirts
    6. Jeans
    7. T-shirts
    8. Sneakers
    9. Sweaters
    10. Sexy Tops” (Heather Houston 2-23-22)

“Your kitchen cabinets are bare. You need to buy new china, flatware, glasses, and linens for everyday use and for entertaining. Where do you begin? What pattern do you want to see every day? What shape glass do you enjoy drinking from?”

  • “I would have a formal china pattern with a modern design and simple elegant flatware and a daily set that is less formal. However, I would use both interchangeably without concern for special occasions.
  • The formal china would be hydrangea floral pattern or a modern graphic design.
  • I prefer round edge glassware. Something with a heavier base feel. Stemware and martini glassware needs to be durable and yet as thin as possible.” (Heather Houston 2-23-26)

“The soap in the bathroom, the flowers in the garden, the book on the bedside table are all strong symbols of life in progress. …You look at theses details and a world unfolds.”

Charlotte Moss (American Interior Designer and Author; Unknown ~)

“By paying attention to the details–your authentic gestures–you give expression to the most personal of all the arts: making your own imprint on life.”

My Bucket List

Button Tufted Leather Chair
The Netherlands

“Before my story began…” (Heather Houston 2-23-26)

1972 Me…at my Aunt Carrie’s Baby Shower

“It is super fun to play a mental game of “what if”. I have eclectic taste which is combined with my love of texture and comfort. All pieces and rooms in my dream house would be useable versus art pieces. I love a house filled with love and lived in. A home needs to have character.” (Heather Houston 2-23-26)

“I reread my 2022 entries above for if I was to fill a new home with those items important to me, what I would fill my wardrobe with and the glassware and eating ware that I prefer. Fascinating that I put so much energy into this back then. Likely, because I had never even considered any of it as finances have always been strained, so survival was my only concern. Now I realize I am much more practical with what I want vs. need. I feel great in my on skin, so I am not on a quest to find things to flourish myself as I am enough without special clothes or furnishings. Truly blessed to be at this point in my life living abundantly vs. scarcity.” (Heather Houston 2-23-26)

–Ban Breathnach, Sarah. “Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy”. Grand Central Publishing. (1976). Kindle Page 56-57 of 501.

I challenge each of you on this blog series to post comments so we all can grow together.