Meditation

Today is technically my birthday and perhaps 3 other people I know as well. Well, between working two jobs, balancing a new van payment for the moment and meandering through life, I am going to do one thing today: meditate. With the last van, I finally got on well enough I could work 20 hours and pay the bills. I should be working on saving and planning for tomorrow but I haven't as well as I should be. I decided this summer when I simplified that for the first time in my life, I was going to take some much needed me time, not spend my money on odds and ends, and simply learn to do with less; too trust that fate would take its course... and it has...

Well, it has paid off in one way or another. I now work two jobs but feel emotionally stuck. I love what I do but its time to move into another area of what I do as well as explore some time with gardening and homesteading. I want to challenge myself. I never liked gardening but love eating, so its time to see about some harvesting jobs for next spring and maybe next winter. Its time for a change. And I read my horoscope today, interesting enough. The winds of change are upon me, the time for movement is soon but not yet.

Today I am going to think, just let the free hand of thought flow and lead me where it might, even away from the comfort zone. Maybe go through some more of my things and see what still holds value. Life changes constantly. Mostly, I feel a calling to tour the old Roman empire, to learn Latin and explore the beginnings of modern day society just for the fun of it.

I am interested in backpacking and using the van as a homebase, more biking but not hitchhiking. Of just taking off into the sunset and seeing what is out there. Just trusting that the guiding hands of Fate will reach through and provide for as long as this is my path.

It is the ebb and flow of life that things are right at one point and not in the next. I have already done and experienced so many wonderful things in my life time that I could pass now with no regrets but there are a few more things I want to experience so its with that in mind that I am embarking on a new journey.

Van dwelling is only one area of freedom I yearn for. There are WWOOF farms, crops to harvest seasonally, and international travel. I know international travel isn't permanent, its something that is part of life. But who knows where it will lead.

So I am beginning to look at what I have now materially and spiritually and see whats going to be useful. I haven't had the time in over 2 months to do a meditation and belongings run, its that time and the new van is starting to share its soul with me. I don't want to build permanent or bulky items that need to be stored when I am away in the future, just things to be comfortable can be taken out and used for several areas.

I am also starting to walk the night again, always a moon child getting a solar "charge" from the sun, gothic some might call it.

And in the green discussion, there has been a lot of discussion on downsizing, how about staying the same. Maybe the secret to life is indeed balance, finding what is too little and too much. Too much feels crowded and too little feels cold. Try seeing how little trash can be accumulated, see how many items can be reused for something personal, how many items can be mended or traded and what technology isn't a power hog but can provide for entertainment without a huge upfront cost. If the initial investment is small, then the ongoing investment will add up. If the initial investment is in quality and sustainability, then the end result is not having a new permanent bill.

Take for example a conventional bed, many people in the world don't have one and live in small areas where the bed can't be a permanent item. I have been sleeping on a mat on the floor or a foam pad for over a year now and I get quality sleep, can move my bed with me anywhere and use the space under it to do other activities. Dressers are overrated. They are big, bulky, likely to break and a pain to keep clean. Baskets, pull out drawers, organizer shoe boxes do just as good and are lite weight. Duffle bags and purses are great for organization, in general, its all on creativity.

Some other areas, I do one load of laundry a week and have been experimenting with hand washing the under garments instead of doing laundry 2-3 times per week. If the puppy would stop getting into my clothes, they would last longer lol.

My wishlist: I would like a flat panel to put with my main CPU and to watch TV on, a laptop, and ipod for hiking. I am going to sell some of the decorative stuff that isn't inspiring me these days to help pay for it. I would really like to get a new more energy efficient CPU but thats some mula up front. I also need a Mr Buddy heater for the van.

However, common sense tells me an ipod and a laptop would meet my needs and a flat screen panel could be hooked to the laptop to provide the same function but having two computers not always working at the same time is functional as well. And maybe just focusing on getting prepped for winter hiking and saving money is good too.