After I wrote my post yesterday about the good old days and what the old Pier 1 was like I began reading your comments that were coming in. Then I started googling around like I often do and somehow ended up in a self healing section of the internet.
Then of course I kept clicking and somehow I ended up on Pinterest looking at “self care spaces.” Amazing where the clicking can take you, isn’t it?
Keep in mind that I’d never even heard of this. But I liked the phrase, so I kept clicking. And before I knew it I was in a whole new universe, so to speak.
I spent hours reading about meditation and visualization, which I used to do back in the early nineties, and self care spaces. I learned a lot. And everything I learned brought me to yet another question. And another.
I looked about me at my little apartment and I am soothed by what I see, so I understood being calmed by your surroundings. But these concepts I was reading about took it a step further.
I sat and stared about me at the walls, the furniture, the plants, the view out the French doors. And I thought: I decorate my space to be soothing and pleasing. So maybe these people are truly onto something with their little self care spaces.
My apartment is my own little private oasis in a world that is stressful. It has been my quest to always seek new ways to “calm my space.” To come inside, close my door on the noise of the city and the craziness of the national news, and just let my mind wander.
I thought about what brings me tranquility. What, when I set my eyes on it, wrings the stress right out of my day? I asked myself.
I happened upon a store online called Buddha Groove. I felt a little silly looking at all the things I remember from the seventies. The things we talked about yesterday for instance. Back then I never considered myself a hippie like some of my friends. I was much too pragmatic.
And besides, I had a child when I was 17, so I didn’t have time to delve into the miracles of the universe or contemplate taking care of my mental self.
But something kind of strange happened during all this clicking about the internet. I felt so utterly peaceful. Not tired. Not worried. Not tired due to being worried.
I just felt tranquil as I looked at ways others have found to create their own private and peaceful bit of paradise.
So I decided I was going to keep digging into all this, maybe visit a store like I used to go to in Oklahoma City that was filled with incense and crystals and other illuminating things I was a stranger to. Now what was the name of that store? I wonder if it’s still there?
I remember how I felt wandering that store over 30 years ago. The atmosphere in that place was just so calm and serene. A balm for the soul.
I looked online and found that there’s a little shop called Spiritual Rose just a few miles away that I’ve passed hundreds of times and somehow never noticed. I plan to visit it out of curiosity and a yearning for more knowledge of all this I’ve stumbled across.
My “upcycle and repurpose and make things look pretty self” decided I could make my own little zen space. A space that, when I am looking at little things that are special to me in some way, might just bring that feeling back to me.
I found blogs about this topic, several in fact. And started digging into their archives.
The first blog I actually stumbled upon while I was searching yesterday was “The Decorista.” Now I have read The Decorista off and on over the years. But not recently. I saw that it is now basically a completely changed space on the internet. Go here and see for yourself.
It had the same online address, but now the actual blog is called “This Is Bliss.” I started reading her entries. Her blog still includes decorating like I remembered. But she has kind of veered off course into crystals and Buddhas and such.
Now that I really think about it, I’ve been edging toward this little by little myself without even realizing it. The Buddha statue and the plants and beads vignette in my living room, for one thing. Regardless of the fact that it’s right next to a big cow canvas on the wall. I’ve already got chimes softly tinkling in the background.
I’ve already got the salt lamps, found meditation spaces on Pinterest, and looked at Buddhas and crystals and such in online shops.
And I feel that I’m of an age when I can just throw caution to the wind and say “hey, let’s see what it’s all about.” No time like the present and all that.
What can it hurt to dig around (shove aside my pragmatic self, mind you) and maybe find ways to create my own decorative little zen space?
So I think I might do just that. I’ll have to kick myself every time that practical part of me thinks that it’s a little bit silly, metaphorically speaking. But I think I might just explore that hippie stuff I was too busy to give more than a passing thought to when I was young.
Here’s a couple of blogs I found clicking around on the internet.
One of the first things I’m going to look into is this idea I read about that one’s chakras can be blocked. Now I don’t yet know exactly what a chakra is, but I intend to find out just for the hell of it.
And maybe while I’m at it, I might go to this local store I found online and look at crystals.
Well, why not?
I’m off to take Charlie to his acupuncture appointment.
Hi Brenda,
I’m Nikita from ThePathProvides.com. I wanted to say hi! I’m so glad that you found me on your clicking journey through the internet and thank you for sharing my blog with your readers.
Please do not hesitate to send me a message if ever you feel like you wish to dwell deeper into the world of chakras 🙂
Lots of love,
Nikita
Well thank you. I have you on my Lovely Reads page located at the top of my blog above the header. It is alphabetized according to subject, so you might have to scroll a ways, but your link is there.
I guess sometimes falling down the internet rabbit hole can be a good thing!
My apartment is a space where I feel instantly soothed when I walk through the front door. It is the most serene space I have lived in for longer than I can remember. I love meditating, but have not been keeping up with it as a daily practice. Thanks for the reminder. As we age I think serenity becomes more important to us.We used to call the kinds of stored that you are talking about Head Shops back in the 70’s. I used to love going in and buying incense for my apartment. xo Laura
Hi Brenda. Here’s the zen-effing truth of it all, to use a cuss word. The hippies had nothing on you in the zen enlightenment department. You were enlightened enough to know that you needed to be a responsible person and spend your money on rent and groceries for your children instead of tickets to a Grateful Dead concert. You might not know about self care, but you’ve been doing it ever since your divorce by learning to take care of yourself on your own. There absolutely is not a greater example of self care on the world wide web than what can be found on your blog as you’ve navigated through the years since you left your home in Texas. The name of your blog, Cozy Little House, basically means Self Care House! You’ve done so much to learn about yourself and what works for you. As you delve into the self care information, don’t for a minute think that you are behind the times and these self care experts are ahead of you — it’s all right there in you already. Maybe there will be some bit of information, or some lovely object, that can help bring out some feeling of serenity, but, it’s already inside of you, and there have been other times when the serenity came to the surface when you visited some other decor blog or shopped at Wayfair or Kirkland rather than Buddha Groove. It’s all just information, it’s all just stuff. A statue of Buddha has no more meaning than a print of a cow unless you give it that meaning, and Buddha would tell you that same thing. That’s what his little smile is all about! Nothing matters, everything matters. Sometimes one kind of information and stuff speaks to us, and sometimes some other type does. It’s just nice to change things up a bit when we get tired of looking at the same old thing. Enjoy your journey, you’re already on it, but just know that the journey started inside of you and ends there too. You can keep on the journey without buying one more thing, really, but these blogs and shops are lovely places to visit and could make the journey interesting and fun. And, at some point, you might find yourself interested in something else. Even all of the hippies didn’t stick with crystals and fringed vests forever. Some moved on to jobs requiring suits and briefcases. But they might still have a box in the closet that contains their wire-rimmed glasses and a leather headband. I hope they do so they can show it to their grandkids! Have fun.
What a delightful comment! Thank you!
A very inspiring post, Brenda. I have for years off and on been interested in metaphysical subjects like crystals and meditation and all those “hippie” topics. Although, so often I get side-tracked by all the practical issues in my life. Since I share my house with three other people I don’t have much place for creatilng a meditative place although if I did some clearing out in my bedroom I could set up a little spiritual vignette. I think it’s great that you are drawn to explore another whole realm that can lead to peace and tranquility in your life. And this post is a good reminder to me to not ignore that whole area in my own life.
Thanks for a tho’t-provoking post. I read it with much appreciation for the topic and for you for touching on it.
I will check on this sounds so very interesting.
Years ago I did the meditating ,incense ,and all that !
It was very calming !
Will check out those blogs !
Maybe we can all become hippies again !
Thanks for sharing !
Peace and Love to all !
I get the same effect from reading my Bible. I remember Pier 1 from the old days. Being from the country, though, that store got a big “NO” from my Mama! LoL
Grace & Peace,
Pam
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s I had a great interest in crystals, bookshops, synchronicity, books written by Wayne Dyer, and art. I remember learning things during this time that seemed to calm and center me.
Somehow, I drifted away from those ways of thinking. I’m not sure how or why, but just the other day I was reading through some books from that time in my life and was thinking maybe it would be good for me to get back to that. I find myself getting very worried about things going on in our country right now that I feel rather powerless to change.
I intend to go back to the sites you mentioned and do some reading. Maybe it is synchronicity that you wrote about this today and I’m glad to have read about some calming things here. I also want to mention that I was not “disappointed” by anything you wrote today. I would never have thought of the phrase “just for the hell of it” being a curse, but many people are far more sensitive than I am.
Brenda-While you’re at it, you might ask Charlie’s acupuncturist to recommend shops nearby for Zen crystals etc. I believe the two often go hand in hand.
Don’t smudge sage with Charlie’s cough. My SIL burns strong incense and candles every day that set off my elderly mom’s bronchial coughing. But it is my brother & SIL’s house we temporarily live in so we can’t complain .
I feel that my entire house is peaceful and zen-like, too. Others have commented the same thing, so I suppose that’s true. As you know, I take yoga classes and do yoga at home, but I also meditate. I have to do guided meditations though. I can’t just sit still and breathe. It actually makes my anxiety worse. Maybe someday I’ll get there, but if I don’t, no biggie. I have guided meditation apps on my phone but you can also find them on youtube. They are very calming. You can find ones for whatever you want – relaxation, anxiety, relief from pain, trying to fall asleep, etc.
I do have one small Buddha statue holding a faux succulent and that’s placed under my big jade plant. I diffuse essential oils too, but I know you can’t do that because of Charlie’s breathing. In fact, I only do it in the back bedroom (“my” room) far away from my cats. I’m also familiar with Reiki healing and chakras – I took a certified class in level one 1-1/2 years ago. I haven’t really done anything with it; have only practiced a little on myself and my husband. Not sure if I have a desire to go on to level two. I bought books about it and only skimmed through them. I’d have to be really serious about getting into this before going on to the next level as it gets pricey.
Brenda, I love how you keep your mind open to new ideas or maybe it’s old ideas. You inspire lots of us to keep on learning. As to your cursing… honestly I’ve never noticed it so it must be to a bare minimum here. I live alone and many a day when things get hard and my back pain is killing me I curse like a mad woman. Somehow it relieves my frustration and I regroup and I’m ok. I was thinking about your post about Pier One. I used to love to shop and wish there but as a young Navy wife with a husband who redeemed buying anything I only looked. I go by one often now but never go in. I go to TJ Maxx and I’m trying to not buy much but instead I’m trying to declutter. Decluttering is difficult with my back but I’m trying to do a little along. I figure it came in here slowly so it may have to go out that way as well. Visiting your blog daily is a great I reserve for myself. Seeing your apartment is like going to a safe haven. an idyllic sanctuary. I love the green you are focusing on. It’s such a relaxing color. I do think that meditation is a powerful tool and something I’d be interested in learning more about. Just want you to know how much I look forward to your words and pictures… you’re like a reliable, good friend.
Looking forward to seeing where this new curiosity takes you and reading about what you discover!
When we work in our gardens, when we work with our flowers, when we sit and contemplate the beauty of our private spaces – essentially we have each, in our own ways, created sanctuaries for ourselves. Places where we can keep ourselves away from thoughts of the craziness in this world, where they don’t intrude. Where we are down to our essentials – getting our hands dirty planting and weeding, getting sweaty and icky and too much sun but enjoying cutting that grass all the same. Savoring the fresh air, the scents and fragrances that fill our space, the coolness of sitting in a bit of shade and having a cold drink afterwards. We do the same for ourselves indoors, too, to the extent we can. The best spaces that people instantly feel comfortable in are not the “show houses” – they are the spaces that speak to the hearts and souls of those who live in that space and decorated it, filling it with things over time, items we love, items of choice after years and years, and new things that speak to us NOW, because just like other things, we also change over time and so do our tastes and our choices. The biggest mistake a person can make is to decorate their spaces not according to what “speaks” to them personally, but to select what is “on trend,” etc. No comfortableness there, no sense of “aaaaaahhhhhh! This is MY (or OUR) space, made just for ME (or US).”
Beautifully said!
Amen to that.
There us a small village near here that have bookshops, crystals, candles and mediums. The ambiance is so calm and peaceful there. My daughter and I used to go there often. The rooms they have for reading are so restful and calming. We grew to being drawn to one certain person to go to for readings. I believe in the meditating and surrounding yourself with pleasing things that you love. I haven’t been there for ages. If I could walk better or drive myself I would go more often. The village, Cassadaga, is modeled after Edgar Casey’s Lily Dale. My friend went to Lily Dale on a pilgrimage and loved it. She was a great believer in all things spiritual. I will be reading these blogs you wrote about. Thank you for being you.
Love your adventure yesterday and the excitement it gave you. Your apt is very zen like and that picture of the patio w the grass in the foreground is simply amazing. You should buy some sage for smudging. My daughter uses it all the time in our house. It has a lovely smell and she lights one end and just walks around moving it thru the air. I always find it so calming. Let us know more about chakras please.
Love your message today. I am going to look into your ideas of self help. With all of the terrible things happening in this country and the world today we all need some peace and quiet. I have always had crystals hanging around, most in my windows. It is so relaxing to watch the rainbow colors on the walls.
I loved to go to Pier One, we would spend several hours looking at everything. Didn’t always have the money to buy but it was fun to look.
It is so easy to get stressed out today. I need to cut the TV programing and go to Netflix or Hulo, it would save me money. but there again I get stressed about doing it.
Hope all is well with Charlie and Ms. Ivy.
Love to all
I don’t have to see all the ugly stuff going on on Netflix.
Explore Reiki and Tibetan Bowls. Very sooothing and Reiki balances your Chakras. My BFF is Reiki and Tibetan Bowl certified and at the age of 65 has started her own business using those two principles of relaxation and Zen. I think your whole living space is a Zen spot so you are mostly there.
Oh goodness. Your BFF could help us all. Can you ask her what we should start with? What to focus on first? I admire that she started her own business at 65. How brave of her!
THE best compliment I ever got was when a friend told me that she loved coming to my place because it always made her feel calm and serene! I hope that is still true these 30 years later!!
Go for it, Brenda!
That is the nicest compliment. I don’t care if someone says oh your home is so trendy. I’d rather them say it’s a place that makes them feel good.
I need this so much today. I am out of my mind at work these days, and my time away from here is just as busy. I don’t do well when every second of every day is busy, busy, busy….I need down time, I need quiet time. Funny, I have started lighting my incense again when I get the rare moment to relax….I guess maybe my mind knows I need that? Nag Champa seems to calm me. I wish I could burn it in my office!
I know summer is your busy time of year. I can’t burn candles or incense right now because of Charlie.
I love this post! I always love finding something new and then going down the “rabbit hole” as they say and finding new and interesting articles, blogs and information I did not know about. Good luck!
I do too. It gives me something new to focus on.
Good morning Brenda! I enjoy your blog a lot. Is the store in OKC Craig’s Emporium?
I don’t recall. This was over 30 years ago. I just recall it being on Classen maybe.
Oh Craig’ Emporium is similar but not the same as Starwinds. I wish they didn’t move from the Paseo though.
Oh you mean Starwinds or something like that on Classen. Yes I miss it so much but you are right that it had a calming atmosphere. Do you remember the handsome young man with long black hair who worked there? Best candles and interesting books.
Wow, I was right. I just told the commenter above where I thought it was and I said I thought it was on Classen.
I enjoyed your new energy when reading this.
I was just thinking you had stopped cursing and then I was disappointed. Hope you enjoy shopping.
No, nothing seems to stop me cursing. Especially with all that’s going on in this country.
I had to read this twice fo find a curse. There are none. “just for the hell of it” cannot be considered a curse, so you go ahead, Brenda, find out about chakras for the hell of it and enjoy yourself doing it! Nice post.
I try to keep the cursing to a minimum here. But in real life, I’m like a sailor, as the saying goes!
Wow thks Brenda your post makes me want to look into this too.
I will start by going into the blogs you provided,
It will be fun! We’ll do it together.