Conquering the Monday Blues

Waking up to yet another Monday morning, and I have hit the “Snooze” button more than I should really. Just five more minutes…and that was half an hour ago.

But instead of becoming yet another victim of Monday Blues, I figured I would welcome this fine morning with open arms and savour the freshness of the crisp morning air, shouting “Yay it’s Monday!”

I was startled by my own thought. While the whole world is grumbling and groaning about Monday, unwilling to let go of lovely, lazy Sunday, here I am, chirping about the first working day of the week. Contemporary man is completely sold to the idea of the weekend and, therefore, horrified by the idea of working seven days a week. People drag themselves through workdays so they can relax in the evenings. They endure the week so they can have the weekend. They work through the year so that they can go on leave at the end of the year. If we stretch the logic a little further, they put up with life so that they can relax in death.
I found these helpful little tips to get us through the work days, or maybe just shed light on the positivity that is all around us- if we only just take the time to really look around.

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Instead of justifying the need for a holiday, let us look at the quality of our working life.
Perhaps some Osho insights can help change the way we work.
The basic question is, do you enjoy your work?
Do you work wishing you could do something else? Is your work a necessary evil -- to earn a living or to fulfill ambition?
1. What and how What you do is not important, it is how you do it. Whatever you do, do it with deep alertness; then even small things become sacred. You can clean the floor like a robot; you have to clean it, so you clean it.
But it could have been a great experience; you missed it.
You cleaned the floor and that would have cleansed you. Clean the floor full of awareness; be luminous with awareness.
2. Remember yourself
One thing has to be a continuous thread: remember yourself.
While walking, say, "I am walking." While sitting, say, "I am sitting."
And feel the shift in your awareness. There will be a sudden spark.
3. Are you a perfectionist? Beware! What counts is being total, not perfect. This brings out the best in you. The very idea of perfectionism drives people crazy.
The perfectionist is bound to be neurotic. S/he cannot enjoy life till s/he is perfect. And perfection never happens, it is not in the nature of things.
Life is imperfect. Only death is perfect. Totality is possible, perfection is not possible.
There is a huge difference between perfection and totality. Perfection is a goal for the future, totality is an experience now. If you can get into any act with your whole heart, you are total. Totality brings wholeness, health and sanity.
The perfectionist forgets about totality. There is a big gap between how s/he is and how s/he wants to be.
And, of course, change can't happen now, it is always tomorrow or the day after. So life is postponed.
These are small tools, but they will help you see the gap between workdays and holidays decreasing. You will eagerly wait for work to begin.
And then you'll also say: "Yay it's Monday!"
***

“With every morning’s dawn, lift up your notes of thanksgiving, and let every setting sun be followed with your song. Girdle the earth with your praises; surround it with an atmosphere of melody, and angels will hearken from heaven and play your music.”

Ok now that is out of the way, you can curse me being an incessant and annoying morning person!!

Yes so it is Monday and another great weekend has passed me by. I was in London this weekend, as Sharon, Jo and myself planned to head to the Whirl-y-gig on Saturday night. We had been psyching ourselves up – hoping we would be surrounded by like minded fairies, hobbits, hippies and other fantastical creatures. But it turned out to be something quite different. There were a lot of young people – heck Jo and I thought this one young lad was attempting to pick us up when we were standing outside and he came over to ask our names. Jo shrugged him off (in a polite fashion as always!) and he responds by saying “It’s cool, no need, I am just trying to be happy.” After which we felt bad about assuming he was trying his luck with us!! How sad that we have grown up always being wary of people’s motives and intentions. I suppose there is just cause and reason for being wary, but still it is good to let go of this apprehension and suspicion, once in a while. Anyway back to my story…so we chilled out on the couches and gazed at the graphic/visual art on the screens above us. Wow! They are amazing, you get totally hypnotized and in trance with the images. They are so varied and random, but make for total and sublime visual pleasure. And we hadn’t even had one drink yet! We wandered around for a bit, but then decided to head back home and chill out there. Jo picked a daffodil on the way back to the tube station (and I had just written about daffodils in my Friday posting!!! The power of thought projection!) We got back to Sharon and Jo’s and played that funky music till the wee hours of Sunday. I don’t think we were disappointed with the gig – it was just not what we were expecting. I am glad we went there and we enjoyed the experience for what it was.

Upon rising on Sunday morning (ok more bordering Sunday afternoon!), we trekked to Camden (I really just cant get enough of that place!) and I bought some fire twirling sticks to practice with. For those who are new to the concept of poi – let me enlighten you! Poi is a form of reeling, juggling, weaving, and spinning with balls on ropes, held in the hands and swung in various circular patterns It was originally practiced by the Maori people of New Zealand (the word poi means "ball" in Māori). Women used it as an exercise to increase flexibility of the wrists and hands, and by men to increase strength in the arms and coordination. It developed into a traditional performance art and there are gatherings and practice sessions going on all over the place. So I will be twirling and spinning stick poi in my garden soon! And Sharon and Jo are getting poi balls so we can practice together and take them with to the Ozora festival in Hungary in August. I have attached a picture… We then tried our beat at a drumming circle group at Akwaaba in Camden - to take part in drumming is the perfect way to balance your energies and the energies around you. Even though I couldnt hold a beat at all for any length of time - I still enjoyed it greatly. It was very empowering to create a definitive beat and sound together, as one.

Now I am off to begin another day at the office – we are being taken out to lunch as a thank you for exceeding our projected figures. Whatever that means?!!

Safe travels and bless the day!

Love Orangeblossom xxx