A Little Soul in more Ways than One.

 April was a thinker.   The year's theme is discovery: of both the world and myself.  Now for the world I had decided to do religion for April.  I picked two of the big 5 because they were the most removed from what I know.  I picked Hindu and Buddhism.  I read Diwali, a children's book, because I figured it was as basic as you can get.  It was and I knew none of it.  I also read Letter to a Hindu and Dinner with Buddha.  For videos I watched on Great Courses: Hindu and the Vedas; Nationalization of Hindu; Three Baskets of Buddha; Pure land Buddha & Zen; Death, Rebirth, and Resurrection.  On Curious Stream I watched Ancient Genius: Buddha.  For audio I listened to:  Hinduism 101; Modern Buddhism; and Awakening of Buddha.  

There was a lot more of Buddha then Hindu.  Hindu is a more exclusive religion that has been politicized to the point where you can't really figure out why anyone would stay unless forced.  Buddhism is a religion that has branched off of Hindu.  Which I had no idea of.  It's a lot more relaxed and people oriented rather than controlling.  Kind of like a Jewish/Christianity relationship.  Connected and together, yet completely separate.  It was a fascinating discovery.  I loved learning about both.  Both religions are heavily reliant on meditation, which is something I discovered a couple of years ago.  I love mediation.  As an activity I did Vedic mediation and a couple of different Buddhist style meditations, as well as Buddhist mindful eating.  Great stuff really.  The more I did it the more I wanted to.  I will definitely be incorporating these styles into my practice. 

For discovery of self I wanted to study history of Passing for White.  While doing genealogy I discovered that a branch of my family had been going by either Negro or Mulatto as recently as my great-great grandparents.  So I wanted to learn more about the experience of people who had made the transition.  I read Sweeter the Juice and The Vanishing Half.  I watched Passing (the documentary, not movie); Netflix's Fredrick Douglass; and Hulu's Clotilda.  I listened to No Dogs, No Blacks, No Irish; Girl Trek's Harriet Tubman and Bishop Tutu and Alice Walker; and Go(o)d Morning with Curlynikki.  

For my experience I dug out some of my grandmother's recipe's and made a "soulfood" supper.  I'm sure she wouldn't have called it that, but I wanted to connect with her.  I don't really remember her much.  She had a walker and she lived in a nursing home.  She had kinky curly hair.  Her name was Lily.  Spelled like the flower.  I made fried chicken marinated in sweet tea.  It was good!  I shoulda made that before! 

This was a pretty eye opening month.  I feel like I really learned and connected with my past and the world.  I don't think May is going to be able to contend. 

There's a Place in France.....

 March was the  month of France and Art.  I didn't intend to pick the two together because they blended so much.  I mean, I was aware that France had a lot of art, but so does the rest of the world.  But, Paris is art and art is Paris.  Or so it is said.  For France I had a rule of no WWII and for art I stuck to the classics.  

I read " I Will Always Love You" which is about Mary Cassatt, an impressionist painter from the end of the 19th century and her relationship with art and Edgar Degas, a fellow Parisian painter.  I watched on Curious Streaming four videos:  Bon Appetite; Picasso; Mona Lisa; and The Secret Versailles.  On Great Courses I watched:  Normandy at Ease; Women and French Salons & English Coffeehouses; and Islamic Art.  I also watched "Under the Eiffel Tower" on Netflix.  I listened to podcasts Resurrecting Notre Dame and Artist Way.  The music I listened to was La Femme Pendu and Baroque.  These things taught me about the culture of France for the most part as well as the classics of the great painters.  I was introduced to not only the food of Paris, but how it is grown and the agriculture of the region.  I learned some history of France, specifically the 1770s as that was when my French ancestry came over and Marie Antoinette.  It was all very fascinating.  

For my art activities, I did an art journal called No Mistakes by Keiko Agena.  I also took a vacation to Santa Fe.  I had intended to go to the Georgia O'Keefe museum, but found out on arrival that you have to purchase tickets ahead of time!  But no fear, Santa Fe is swimming in art of all kinds.  So I got some experience in the culture of art.  

For self discovery this month I read two books:  Death of Innocence by Mamie Till and Recovery by Russell Brand.  I also had a vacation to the desert of the Southwest, made some donations, did some Spring Self-care challenges and Spring Hygge.  I did a meditation series on Commune with Koya Webb as well as listened to some podcasts by Jeff Kober, Joyce Meyer and Faith Hunt.  

I learned about France that they like to enjoy life.  Really enjoy it.  Art is beautiful.  The stuff I like anyway. It is wide and varied with something for everyone.  And though it is serious business when they do it, the world of galleries and museums do not get up early.  Not for anything.