...and to chant.
This convalesence business is supposed to involve having lots of fun - they say it helps to produce 'happy' hormones, which help you to heal. And having been ill for so long you need a big dose of them. So, I've been trying to do that, in a modest way - no wild flings, but hunting for flowers, going for cycle rides and walks in pleasant places - reading easy, comfortable books and listening to lots and lots of Bach.
But the thing is that when you have realised the serious nature of life and have engaged in devotional service to God, becoming somewhat purified by it - Fun for the sake of it loses it's appeal. You want to get back to the real juice of life and the really important things.
So, I'm going to use this Lightning Process malarky to help me to do that. Tomorrow I'm going to start off a daily reading programme with a couple of good sessions. I've been wanting to finish The Teachings of Lord Chaitanya for several months, so I'll start with that, and consider what other books I want to read. No heavy studying for now, but trying to dive deeply into the nectar.
A little later, if possible, I want to start learning verses again. I came across a good programme on a Christian blog, where you learn a verse in seven days, then revise it once a week for seven weeks, then once a month for seven months. After which, it's likely that you'll have memorised it - course they don't usually learn them in Hebrew and English, as we learn both Sanskrit and the translation, but still, I think it could work well. You can learn more than one a week, of course.
I took a book out of the library today called " How to Read and Why" by Harold Bloom. I read half the first chapter in the library and thought it good. Solitary reading just for the sake of becoming a wise and thoughtful person, seems to be his creed. I thought it might give me some inspiration in reading scripture. (Besides which, he rates Jane Austen very highly. Ha!)
Another book that I found helpful was Sacred Reading; the Ancient Art of Lectio Divina, by Michael Casey. It's good to be reminded of the importance of sacred reading and how regular practise of it spreads to every part of us and our lives.
So wish me well, dear reader (of which there is only one, but he is very dear!).
This convalesence business is supposed to involve having lots of fun - they say it helps to produce 'happy' hormones, which help you to heal. And having been ill for so long you need a big dose of them. So, I've been trying to do that, in a modest way - no wild flings, but hunting for flowers, going for cycle rides and walks in pleasant places - reading easy, comfortable books and listening to lots and lots of Bach.
But the thing is that when you have realised the serious nature of life and have engaged in devotional service to God, becoming somewhat purified by it - Fun for the sake of it loses it's appeal. You want to get back to the real juice of life and the really important things.
So, I'm going to use this Lightning Process malarky to help me to do that. Tomorrow I'm going to start off a daily reading programme with a couple of good sessions. I've been wanting to finish The Teachings of Lord Chaitanya for several months, so I'll start with that, and consider what other books I want to read. No heavy studying for now, but trying to dive deeply into the nectar.
A little later, if possible, I want to start learning verses again. I came across a good programme on a Christian blog, where you learn a verse in seven days, then revise it once a week for seven weeks, then once a month for seven months. After which, it's likely that you'll have memorised it - course they don't usually learn them in Hebrew and English, as we learn both Sanskrit and the translation, but still, I think it could work well. You can learn more than one a week, of course.
I took a book out of the library today called " How to Read and Why" by Harold Bloom. I read half the first chapter in the library and thought it good. Solitary reading just for the sake of becoming a wise and thoughtful person, seems to be his creed. I thought it might give me some inspiration in reading scripture. (Besides which, he rates Jane Austen very highly. Ha!)
Another book that I found helpful was Sacred Reading; the Ancient Art of Lectio Divina, by Michael Casey. It's good to be reminded of the importance of sacred reading and how regular practise of it spreads to every part of us and our lives.
So wish me well, dear reader (of which there is only one, but he is very dear!).
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