Starting February

Camellia

M brought me a camellia flower from his garden, today!  The above photo is my attempt at taking a close up!  I could almost hear my phone saying, "What on earth is she trying to do now?"  LOL.  

Monday was a rainy day, but, Tuesday was sunny.  I brought the trash cans in, cleaned the shelves on the fridge door and organized them a bit, and started on the freezer.

What I have is a side-by-side fridge/freezer and that is the only freezer I have. The last time I organized the freezer and took a proper freezer inventory was in July 2022.  Since then, I've taken things out and put things in and tried to keep a record, but, I was not very consistent.  So, yesterday, I took everything out, shelf by shelf, wiped down the shelves and put things back, trying to keep things organized.  I've seen some freezers with pull out drawers, but, what I have are shelves that don't pull out and one bin at the bottom which does pull out!  

I have it organized so that I have mostly dairy items (frozen milk, butter, a small container of ice cream) and some nuts on the top shelf; mostly cooked items (including two packets of chicken curry and several small packets of moringa curry) and some fruits (the last packet of frozen peaches and a bag of quartered lemons) on the second shelf; vegetables on the third shelf (I have a shoe box sized plastic storage container to hold the packets of frozen corn and peas, etc., in one place so they are easy to find); several packets of grated coconut and at least 8 bags of grated and chopped zucchini still left from the summer of zucchini on the fourth shelf (time to make another batch of chutney, I think!); some meat (small packets of ham and a few packets of turkey meat, plus a ham bone for soup) on the fifth shelf.  The bin at the bottom also contains meat - 3 packages of sausages,  a bag of chicken wings, half a packet of hamburger patties, some turkey bones for soup, a small package of bacon (4 slices); and half a package of hot dogs!    

I also cleaned out the shelves on the freezer door although they were already fairly well organized.  I actually have one empty door shelf!  

Now, I have a better idea of what I have and what I don't have in the freezer and what items I might want to buy when they go on sale (chicken and ground meat or ground turkey).  I am also thinking of eating mostly from the freezer in February.  With that in mind, I made a turkey and vegetables soup for dinner, using some of the turkey bones and freezer vegetables (with leftovers for later).  

I feel I ended January on a good note because doing a freezer inventory was on my to do list for at least a couple of weeks!

On Tuesday, I was grateful for:
- What I was able to accomplish in terms of cleaning the fridge and organizing the freezer
- The blessing of a well stocked freezer
- Working appliances
- Electricity and natural gas to run the appliances
- A sunny day

Tuesday's joyful activity was video chatting with my daughter.

The Peach Tree on February 1

Which brings us to today - Wednesday, February 1.  My maternal grandmother's birthday.  Also, the birthdays of two of my cousins!  It was a sunny day, today, and I took a couple of photos of the peach tree.  The bees have discovered the flowers!

Bees in the Peach Flowers

As is my custom on the first of the month, I made milkrice and seeni sambol for brunch.  I was careful not to make too much milkrice because I didn't want to have a lot of leftovers, but, then, when M arrived to tend to the garden, he detected the smell of the seeni sambol that I had just finished making and asked me if I was cooking something, so, of course, I offered him some milkrice and seeni sambol, which he enjoyed.  The interesting thing is, even though I cooked less and had plenty of milkrice and seeni sambol for my brunch and served a bowlful to M, there is still plenty leftover for my brunch for tomorrow!  Maybe I didn't cook that much less, after all!  LOL.

I spent a fairly relaxed day, today.  I cooked the milkrice and seeni sambol in the morning, did a bit of weeding, walked in the driveway for 15 minutes (had the timer on), did a little walking meditation as well (walking with awareness of each step being taken), did the dishes, peeled and ate some of the homegrown pomegranates I had stored in the fridge (the peels had hardened and I had to soak them to soften them enough to cut them, but, the seeds inside were still fresh and juicy), watched the news, and spoke with my daughter.  She flew out to Hawaii, today, for her friend's wedding (daughter is a bridesmaid, again).  The flight was very turbulent, she said, but, she arrived there safely.  It's her first visit to Hawaii and she'll be there for a week.  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Daughter had a safe flight, even if it was turbulent
- M's help with the garden and being able to share
- Bees to pollinate the peach flowers
- Traditions and customs 
- Memories of my grandmother

Today's joyful activity was speaking with my daughter after she reached Hawaii.

Plans for tomorrow include tidying up the kitchen, a bit.

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

Almsgiving 2022

Reliquary

Today, Wednesday, January 5, my daughter and I held our almsgiving. 

The monks brought a new reliquary, that they had received on the first of the year from Sri Lanka with them.  They said that mine is the first house they've taken this new reliquary with them!  The presence of the reliquary transforms the house into a temple.  Reliquaries are usually kept covered with a cloth to keep out dust, etc., but the monks uncovered it to show me and I asked if I could take a picture of it (they know about my blog!)  I did not ask them about the relic that is contained within. There are probably just as many relics of the Buddha as there are pieces of the True Cross.  A person's belief and faith can transform something ordinary into something extraordinary. 

I woke up at 8:00 a.m., today and did all the tasks on my to do list.  Everything was done and ready by the time the monks arrived.

As is our custom, small amounts of all the food that was prepared for the almsgiving were served in small containers, along with water and juice (apple juice, in this instance) to be offered at the altar. 

Platter of Offerings to the Buddha

After the monks had had their lunch (they wore their masks before and after their lunch; we had our masks on the whole time) and chanted blessings, one of the monks walked through the house, at my invitation, and blessed the house by sprinkling blessed water (he poured some blessed water into a clean bowl and used a freshly picked rose from the garden to dip into the water to sprinkle around the house, from the front door steps to the back door steps.

Just before they left, I asked them if there was anyone at the Temple who might need a meal and served up a plate of food for them to take back.  There are usually three or four monks at this particular Temple although I only invited two and often, some people come to the Temple if they need a helping hand.  Daughter and I also shared some food with neighbor S and her family and I took a share over to friend R.  Almsgiving food is meant to be shared.  I was too tired in the evening to take anything over to neighbor T, but, I'll take some of the desserts over to her, tomorrow.  

Almsgiving Lunch

 

In the evening, I set about "erasing the evidence" - cleaning up evidence of the almsgiving.  All the chair covers and table linen were washed, dried, and put way, except for the few napkins and the one table cloth that have to be ironed (will do that, tomorrow, as I had put away the ironing board and iron).  Then, most of the dishes were put in the dishwasher and washed; the rest were washed by hand.  The dishwasher has been emptied, but, some items have not been put away in the cupboards, yet (requires climbing up on the stepstool to do so!)

Daughter's winter break ends today; she starts work, again, tomorrow (still working remotely from home, but, her office is planning to have them all return to the office, around the end of the month, rotating who will be in the office on any given day; apparently, they need to keep staffing levels to no more than 40% of occupancy capacity of the building due to Covid).  

Today, I am grateful for:

- Being able to have the almsgiving
- Daughter's help with all the work, before, during, and after
- The monks blessing the house as well as my daughter and me
- Being able to share some of the food with friends and neighbors
- Working appliances!

Today's joyful activity was having the almsgiving.  I feel it is a blessed start to the New Year.  

Plans for tomorrow includes more erasing the evidence - putting things back where they go until the next time, ironing the items that need ironing, and doing some paperwork.

How was your Wednesday?  What are your plans for Thursday?

The Garden at Summer's End

Yesterday, when summer ended and autumn began, I took a stroll around the back garden and took some pictures.  The garden is still green and thriving at the end of summer!  May I share some of my garden delights with you?

Red Okra

The okra, which was slow to get started, is doing very well and loving the heat!  I will definitely plant them again, next year, too, but, perhaps in a different spot in the garden.  I think there is a little too much shade for the okra where it is planted, right now, from the bottle brush tree and the curry leaf tree.

New Watermelon Vine

The watermelon vine that was grown from the newer seeds that M gave me (the vine that has produced "Baby" which is not pictured) is growing well, taking over the rest of the bed and escaping under the wire mesh to go where the zucchinis grew in the adjoining bed!

Going Where the Zucchini Used to Be!

Meanwhile, the old watermelon vines (grown from old seeds that I had) are starting to shut down:

Old Watermelon Vines

But, they've produced Wawa Melon and Walter Melon III (still clutching his feather, although it is pointing downwards, now, and no longer at its previous jaunty angle), which are continuing to do well!  I think they might require another two or three weeks to be ready for harvesting.

Wawa Melon

Walter Melon III (aka Dandy Macaroni)

Elsewhere in the garden, the potato plants (grown from regular supermarket potatoes that sprouted) have flowers!

Potato Flowers

They are so pretty that I am almost tempted to grow a bed of potatoes just for the flowers!

Nearby, the nectarine tree (newly planted earlier this year, which produced two delicious nectarines) is starting to shut down, its leaves beginning to turn yellow.  

Nectarine Tree

Also starting to shut down are the tomato plants and the recent almost 100F temperatures didn't help!  In fact, most probably both the Roma tomato plant and the Early Girl plant will be pulled up this Friday (and the last of the tomatoes picked).  Both plants produced well over the summer and I picked over 15 lbs. of tomatoes, total, from them. 

Early Girl Tomato Plant

But the serrano chili pepper plant is thriving in the heat!  

Serrano Chilies

The moringa plant's leaves are turning yellow, too, especially after the recent heatwave, but, there are plenty of moringa pods and flowers (sorry, the picture is very blurry; I'll try to take a better picture, next time):

Moringa Flowers and Pods

One last picture before I leave the garden tour, a peek into one of the flower pots:

Is That You, Lois?

I am grateful for a garden that has blessed me and my daughter with an abundance of fresh flowers and produce, through the year, and continues to provide joy, a pleasant hobby, space in which to spend time during this period of keeping social distances and staying home for the most part, and, yes, even an opportunity to meditate as I observe the cycle of life, the natural order of growth, decay, death, and renewal.

Thank you for coming along with me on the tour of the garden at summer's end.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Fifteen Years

Mother (one of the last photos taken of her)

It's been fifteen years since you left us, Amma.  It's hard to realize just how much time has passed; sometimes, it feels like just yesterday.  I can still remember feeling reluctant to go to the office that morning, after you had been ill the day before.  But, M was coming to tend to the garden, later that morning, and you were looking forward to him making French toast for you for breakfast, and his aunt Katy who was our neighbor from a couple of doors down was coming to check on you, as well.  I hadn't been at the office for very long when the phone calls began to come, one after the other - M calling to tell me he had to call the paramedics, cousin P calling to tell me I had better go home, and then, one of the paramedics, himself.  My supervisor and a colleague drove me home - my colleague driving my car and my supervisor following so he could drive my colleague back to the office, afterwards.

M said your last words to him had been to ask how it was going.  Earlier in the morning, you had told him, "I can't do this any more, M", and he had been concerned.  But, later, he had been in the backyard planting bean seeds and you had come to the sliding glass door at the back and asked how it was going.  He had given you the thumbs up and you had gone back to your chair in the living room.  That's where Katy found you, a few minutes later, unresponsive.

You always did love to garden.  Even when we lived in an apartment, you still grew things in pots!  You were someone who could poke a dead stick into some soil and have it grow into a flourishing plant!  I still feel your presence in the garden when I am there and M and I have a running joke that your spirit tends to the rose bushes and cause them to flower even when I tend to neglect them.  You will be pleased to know that we have bought new fruit trees to plant in the garden!  

Last year, I hosted a prayer gathering in your memory and went to the Temple.  This year, I am unable to do that, but, I do offer prayers in your honor.

May you be free from pain and suffering, from hurt and sorrow.  May you attain the ultimate release of Nibbana (Nirvana). 

Word of the Year: Upeksha/Equanimity

Last year (2020) was the first year I chose to select a word of the year and the word I chose was "Organized", although I didn't do a blog post about it (instead, I posted it on the online organizing group in which I participate).  I like to think that I was at least somewhat organized in 2020, although, perhaps not to the extent I would have liked!  But, being organized, for me at least, is a moving goal!  It will continue to be something I will strive towards, in this year, too.  

But, 2021 deserves its own word of the year!  I considered several, including "mindful", "purposeful", "faith", and "intentional", before I decided on my word, today:  "Upeksha".

Upeksha is a Sanskrit word.  In English, it is translated as "Equanimity" or "even minded".  It means having a stable, balanced mind that is not shaken by what one experiences, it means being composed, it means living a balanced life, it means being dispassionate, but, it does not mean being indifferent. 

I suppose I could have just gone with Equanimity as my word of the year.  But, I chose Upeksha, instead, because it has a religious significance to me.  In Buddhism, upeksha is one of the four states of sublime attitudes to be cultivated, along with maitri (generally translated as "loving kindness"), karuna (kindness, although, often translated as compassion, as well), and mudita (joy).  

I chose this word because I have a feeling that this sort of equanimity is something I will need this year.  It looks like it will be another year of many ups and downs, with much of what is happening being beyond my control.  Under such circumstances, when I haven't control over what is happening, then, I need to focus on what I can control, which is how I react and respond.  In which case, I would like to respond with equanimity or upeksha, in a composed, balanced manner.  That is the goal, at least.  How well I manage to achieve it is yet to be seen!  Wish me well, please!

Do you usually choose a word of the year?  Have you chosen your word for this year?

Hot on Sunday

Another hot day with the high being 113F.  That one degree of coolness from Saturday's high didn't make much of a difference.  In fact, I actually felt the heat more, today, than I did on Saturday.  I had the fans going from the time I woke up and, in the afternoon, I decided to go into the bedroom and put the window air conditioner on!  I was in the room from about 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Poor Dancer was most unhappy because my room doors were closed.  He didn't like being in the room with me because he doesn't like the noise the air conditioner makes and meowed to be let out.  Then, he didn't like it when he was allowed to leave the room because I stayed inside and kept the door closed!  He'd lie on the floor near the door, poke his paw under the door, and meow to be allowed in!  Five minutes later, he'd be complaining and asking to be let out, again!  We did this several times, this afternoon!

In between letting Dancer in and out, I colored another picture in the coloring book.  I was stressing about some paperwork I had to do, which I can't do until after my scheduled phone appointment takes place, which isn't until October (the earliest appointment date they could give me).  Coloring was a good stress reliever.  The picture I chose looked a bit like a stained glass window, but, I couldn't really tell if it was supposed to be a flower or a bird or any particular design.  It appeared to be just a random design to me.  Which was perfect, because, it meant I could select a random color for each little area and all I had to do was concentrate on coloring that section, without trying to make any sense of the design, itself.  It was truly coloring as meditation.

Coloring Design

The problem with turning on the air conditioner and staying inside the cool room is, the rest of the house feels like an oven when you come out of the room!  Even the fans blow hot air at you!  I thought it would cool off in the evening, but, it was still 101F at 9:30 p.m.!  I am very grateful, however, that the power didn't go out in my area, today (other areas of the city experienced power outages).  

I watered the back yard - with the sprinklers for the most part, but, watering with the hose those areas that don't get watered by the sprinklers (like the side yard and the potted moringa plants, etc.)  Then, I practiced the piano for a bit. 

Brunch was a scrambled egg and hashbrowns.  Later in the afternoon, I enjoyed an iced coffee "popsicle" - I had made some iced coffee, yesterday, and drank half of it; the other half, I put in the freezer which formed the popsicle.  Later, around 7:00 p.m., I had my evening cup of tea and dinner was spaghetti with meat sauce (thanks to Akasha who is the spaghetti influencer!)

Today, I am grateful for:

- The power stayed on all day

- The window a/c and fans

- Family and friends who call, email, and text

- Iced coffee "popsicles"

- Coloring books

My joyful activities today included coloring and video chatting with my daughter.

Tomorrow (Monday) is a holiday (Labor Day).  But, I will probably to my regular Monday cleaning schedule (laundry, dusting, etc.)

Monday's To Do List:

- Practice the piano

- Piano lesson (unless it gets rescheduled)

- Change bed sheets

- Load of laundry (bed sheets/towels)

- Dust living room & dining area

- Clean the fridge

- Take trash cans to the curb for Tuesday trash pick up

- Water the front garden

It is supposed to be slightly cooler, tomorrow, with a high of 99F.  That would be lovely.

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?  Will you be celebrating Labor Day?

Online Retreat

Temple Altar

On Sunday, I participated in the online retreat that the Temple had organized.  The above is a picture of the altar, taken with my cell phone, from the computer screen, so the quality is not the greatest.  But, it shows some Vesak lanterns someone had made in the background, behind the statue of the Buddha; they are all in white as appropriate for a temple.  The flags are Buddhist flags, originally designed in 1884, by a committee of Buddhists, including an American retired Army Colonel, Henry Steele Olcott, in Colombo, Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon).  The flag was first flown in May 1885, to mark the first Vesak Poya (holy) Day to be declared a public holiday by the ruling British government (Ceylon was a British Crown Colony from 1815 to 1948).  The colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and orange) are supposed to represent certain physical attributes of the Buddha with each color having a meaning.  The current flag is a modification of the original flag in size and the color of one stripe; there are variations of the flag in other Buddhist countries, but, this flag is recognized as a symbol of Buddhism throughout the world. 

Although I tried to go to sleep early on Saturday night, I didn't actually fall asleep until after 3:00 a.m.  But, I managed to wake up at 6:30 a.m. and I had my cup of tea and got dressed.  Had I actually attended the retreat at the Temple, I would have worn a white sari, but, since this was going to be held at home, I wore a long white skirt and a white blouse, which is a more casual attire.  Over which, I wore a shawl made from a white piece of fabric; the shawl is sort of a representation of the robes a monk or nun would wear and it signifies that one is an observant of the eight precept.  One wears it, cross body, going over one shoulder.

I logged on to the meeting site at 7:00 a.m., and the chief monk led us in meditation for the first half hour as we waited for more people to log in.  They had arranged for a full day of programs! 

7:00 a.m. - Log in and breathing meditation

7:30 a.m. - Morning offerings (of flowers, incense, food, etc.) to the Buddha, followed by the administration of the eight precepts.  The monks say the precepts and you repeat after them, undertaking to spend your day in accordance with these precepts.

8:00 a.m. - Breakfast.  Normally, at the Temple, breakfast (and lunch) would be served to the monks and those observing the eight precepts by other devotees (and they would also eat, afterwards).  The act of serving food to the monks and those observing the eight precepts would be considered a meritorious deed.  If one was observing the retreat at home and there were others in the household, they would be expected to serve the meals to the one observing the retreat.  However, in my case, I made my own breakfast.  I warmed up a frozen paratha (a type of Indian flat bread) and had it with onion sambol (seeni sambol). 

8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Sermon and discussion by a guest monk who logged in from another Temple, with questions and answers afterwards.  The Q&A session lasted a little longer than anticipated, but, that was good as it showed that people were actively participating.

10:10 a.m.- Loving-kindness (metta) meditation.  During this meditation, thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion are extended in ever widening circles, starting with yourself and going outwards to include family, friends, neighbors, community, state, country, the world, and beyond, to encompass the entire universe.  The idea is that whatever you wish for yourself (good health, well being, happiness, etc.) is also being wished for every other being, known or unknown, without any boundaries.

10:30 a.m. - Walking meditation!  The walking is supposed to be done very deliberately, being aware of each step, and each part of each step - putting the right foot down, shifting your weight to that foot, moving the left foot up off the ground, putting the left foot down, shifting your weight to that foot, lifting the right foot off the ground, putting the right foot down, and so forth.  The aim is not to walk far or fast, but to really focus on the process of walking.  I went outside for the 20 minutes of walking meditation. 

10:50 a.m. - Offering of lunch to the Buddha. 

11:00 a.m. - Lunch break.  Again, if we were at the Temple, lunch would have been prepared by other devotees and served to everyone, present.  As things stood, we each went off line and served and ate our own lunch.  I had rice with cabbage and cashew curry (I had a packet of previously cooked cashew curry in the freezer, which I had kept in the fridge, overnight, to thaw).  I wanted to keep it a vegetarian meal in observance of the day.

During this time, I listened to and watched a video of blessings being chanted. 

12:30 p.m. - The Temple program resumed with the chanting of blessings by the monks. 

1:00 p.m. - A sermon in English for the benefit of the Sunday school children (and adults, as well), with a discussion session, afterwards.

2:00 p.m. - Breathing meditation

2:15 p.m. - A short break to have a cup of tea or juice.

2:30 p.m. - Sermon and discussion, about the two main ways of showing devotion as a Buddhist - one being the participation in activities and rituals such as going to the Temple, offering alms to the monks, etc., and the other being putting the Buddha's teachings into practice by living according to the tenets of Buddhism.  One is considered good and helpful; the other is considered better and essential.  Again, the discussion went on for a little longer than anticipated, but, I found it to be very interesting.

3:45 p.m. - A short, 15 minutes "rest" break!

4:00 p.m. - Another sermon and chanting.

By this time, I had begun to get a headache.  I think it was due to a combination of insufficient sleep during the night, continuous screen time, and having to concentrate on what was being said!  Most of the sermons were delivered in Sinhalese, which is my first language.  However, it has been almost 47 years since I left Sri Lanka and I haven't had to use it as much, lately.  So, my Sinhalese is a little bit rusty.  Add in the fact that there is a more informal everyday spoken Sinhalese and a more formal oratory style used to deliver sermons, and I really needed to concentrate to truly comprehend what was being said.  Also, I might have been a little dehydrated and I was starting to get hungry!  I seem to need to eat something every 4 hours or so and it had been a little over 4 hours since lunch.  But, one of the precepts I undertook to observe was not to eat anything after 12 noon until the retreat ended.  I could have chosen to end it, then (doing so would have been easy; I just had to recite the regular five precepts I undertake on a daily basis), but, I was determined to stick it out! 

5:30 p.m. - Evening offerings and ending the retreat.  I was glad I was able to wait until the very end!

I really did enjoy this retreat and was glad I could participate, even with the headache and all!  If this opportunity was offered again, I would gladly participate - but, next time, I'll make sure I had plenty of water and juice to keep me hydrated and my blood sugar levels stable! 

The monks were holding the regular evening blessings later in the night, yesterday, starting at 8:00 p.m., but, I decided I would not participate.  It would have been just a little too much! 

Hope you find this post interesting. I've tried to explain just enough to give you an idea without going into too many details!  If you have any questions about anything I've described, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities.  Or, I can ask the monks for further information, if I need to.  Of course, there is quite a bit of information online, as well.  And, if you have read all the way to the end of this post, give yourself a big pat on the back!   

Friday

It was cloudy all day, today, too, but, it only drizzled a little in the afternoon.  Then, the clouds cleared and we had a little bit of sunshine in the early evening, before the sun set. 

I woke up feeling tired, in the morning, went back to sleep, and slept till noon!  Good thing I had cancelled the doctor's appointment that had been scheduled for today, otherwise, I would have slept right through it!  LOL.

Friend M came to tend to the garden in the afternoon, today, and he did some weeding and pruning.  He had a bandana with which to cover his face, but, I sewed him a face mask while he was here and he was happy to receive it.  One of his nephews is a paramedic and he had told M that the new protocol when they respond to an emergency call is, if the patient is ambulatory, they have the patient walk out to be treated outside; if the patient can't walk, then, the paramedics have to suit up in protective gear, completely, before they can go inside. 

During a break in the weather, in the afternoon, I walked up and down the driveway for about 15 minutes.  Neighbor S and one of her daughters were outside in their garden and I walked across the street to talk to them.  We kept our distance, but, it was nice to be able to chat with them for a bit.  I assured S that I was practicing the piano!

Also in the afternoon, I watched an online video of the chanting of Buddhist monks at the Temple of the Tooth, in Kandy, Sri Lanka.  They chanted a discourse known as Ratana Sutta (Pali) or Sutra (Sanskrit) or the Jewel Discourse in English.  According to Buddhist tradition, this discourse was originally chanted during a period of disease and famine in a city in India at the time of the Buddha.  It is recited as a special blessing for health and well being.  I felt better for having watched and listened to the chanting.

Brunch was half of an egg salad sandwich with fresh lemonade for a treat.  I had the other half of the sandwich with a cup of tea in the evening.  After tea, I watched the news and knitted (working on the sleeve of a sweater).  Los Angeles County, which has over 8,400 confirmed Covid-19 cases as of 12 noon, today, extended the stay at home order until May 15th.  I have a feeling it will probably go on till at least the end of May.

I practiced the piano after I watched the news.  Then, cleaned the bathrooms, washed the dishes, and cleaned the kitchen.  AFTER I cleaned the kitchen, I decided to cook!  LOL!  I seem unable to cook if there are dirty dishes in the sink!  I cooked the last of the green beans, the leek, and one of the potatoes friend S had brought me (the leek and potato were cooked together).  Then, I cooked a fresh pot of rice and had my dinner:

Dinner: Rice, Green Beans, and Potato and Leek  

I didn't want either the fish curry or any of the beef I had in the fridge, with my dinner, tonight, so, it turned out to be a vegetarian meal!  I froze the rest of the green beans I cooked today because I still have some of the previous batch of green beans in the fridge and that needs to be finished, first! 

Later in the evening, I video chatted with my daughter.  She has received the first package of the food delivery she ordered.  Apparently, the store is sending her order in several smaller shipments because the items are being shipped from different warehouse locations.  She said she sprayed the box with disinfectant and will leave it just inside her apartment door overnight and will open it up, tomorrow (no perishables in this box).  I'm glad she received the first shipment.  It makes me feel better, because, although I have family and friends down here, who have offered to do my grocery shopping for me, she doesn't have anyone up there to help her (and she is in the higher risk category because she has asthma). 

Today, I am grateful for:
- Daughter received the first shipment of her groceries
- M tending to the garden
- Being able to make M a mask
- Being able to watch the online chanting
- Fresh lemonade made with lemons from the garden

Today's joyful activity was watching and listening to the chanting, online.


Friday's To Do List
- Finish cleaning the kitchen (sink, counters, stove top) - DONE

- Clean the bathrooms - DONE

- Do one deep cleaning task - DONE

- Paperwork - NOT done! 

Saturday's To Do List:
- Start on the paperwork
- Bake banana bread

How was your Friday?  What are your plans for Saturday?

Amma (Mother)

My Mother 

Today is the 14th anniversary of my mother's death.  I've written about her, several times, for example here and here.  So, I won't repeat myself and bore you with details.   I am blessed to have had her as my mother.  I will be hosting tomorrow's prayer gathering in memory of her.  Today's plans include visiting her grave and the Temple.

Mother: 1920-2006

Anicca vata sankhara (All things are impermanent)

A Buddhist meditation

May you attain the ultimate release of Nibbana (Nirvana), Amma.

Almsgiving on Sunday and an Answered Prayer!

Before I describe my Sunday, I want to pause for a moment to link up with Angela on her Pause in Advent on this second Sunday in Advent.  Angela explains that "advent" means "coming" and she mentions a banquet where the host tells his guests, "Come, everything is ready."

I thought it was interesting that she should mention the preparation of a feast and inviting guests to come to it and how important the preparation of a meal and an invitation to participate seems to be across cultures and religions.

I have been spending the majority of the last few days preparing a special type of meal, called an almsgiving, to which I had invited the Buddhist monks from the Temple to attend and family and friends to participate.

My friend R stayed the night with me, last night, and we did as much of the cooking as we could do ahead of time.  This morning, R and I prepared the rest of the meal, warmed up all the curries that had been prepared earlier.

Almsgiving Lunch 

Almsgiving Menu:

White rice
Red rice
Rice sticks (noodles) with vegetables
Bread and butter

Cashew curry
Dhal curry
Curried garbanzo beans (and plain boiled ones for the one monk who is unable to eat spicy food)
Cucumber/tomato/red onion salad with hard boiled eggs, halved
Sauted green beans
Mallung (shredded greens - kale - with coconut)
Pappadum (fried lentil wafers)

Desserts:
- Variety of candies/sweets - thala guli (sesame and jaggery candy), chocolates, brownies, mini eclairs, individual chocolate mousse desserts
- Variety of fresh fruits, cut up (grapes, apples, papaya, persimmons, tangerines)
- Yogurt and treacle

Drinks:
- Orange Juice, water, hot water for the one monk who prefers hot water.


Before the monks arrived, I covered the living room sofas with white sheets as is our custom:

Covered Chairs

Of course, a certain kitty had to check it out:

"Who is on the covered sofas?"

"I'm hiding my face so Mummy can't see me!"

Fortunately, I was able to dust the sheets off before the monks arrived!  In any case, the monks like cats and there is a cat in the temple.

Everything was ready by 10:30 a.m., when cousin V, her husband N, and cousin P arrived.  We had a few minutes to chat, before the monks arrived at 11:00 a.m.  I bade them to enter in a more formal manner than I had greeted my cousins.  They brought the reliquary which we placed on the top of the tall, round side table in front of the bookcase (it is covered with a gold cloth).  The tray of offerings, vase of flowers, etc. were placed on the trolley table in front of it.  Blessings were said, and I mentioned my friend Tania and others who needed special blessings.  Afterwards, the monks were served their lunch.  My cousins and friend R helped with the serving. 

Monks Having their Lunch

According to the laws regulating the monks' activities, they need to eat their last meal of the day before 12 noon.  They may not eat again until they have breakfast the following morning.  They may not help themselves to any food that is not offered to them and they wait to be served.  They may not ask for anything for themselves, but, they may ask that another monk be served and, by tradition, when you serve one monk, you serve all the monks.  If they don't want any thing that is served to them, they indicate so by holding one hand over the plates or begging bowls (they didn't bring their begging bowls with them, this time; last year, they did).  Traditionally, the rest of us don't eat until they have finished eating and left. 

After the monks had eaten their lunch, they gave a sermon (on the subject of  the reality of change or impermanance), merits accrued from the almsgiving were transferred to our departed loved ones, and more blessings were chanted to bless everyone, including friend T and others. 

None of my Buddhist relatives or friends were able to attend my almsgiving, this year.  Cousin P, Cousin V and her husband, and friend R are all Catholic.  But, they came to help me and served the monks and listened to the sermon which followed.  As my daughter put it, I participate in their Rosary prayer gatherings and they participate in my almsgivings. 

After the monks left, we had lunch.  Then, cousin P left, but, cousin V, her husband, and friend R stayed to help me put away the food, remove the chair covers, put some of the furniture back in place, etc.  I packed up some food for them to take home, as well.

Then, I packed another container of food and we all went to the hospital to visit friend T (cousin V and her husband gave friend R and me a ride).  The food was for her sister and other family members.  We went in one by one, since only two at a time were allowed in her room, and her boyfriend was already there.  And that's where the answered prayer part of my post title comes in!  Friend T, who was unresponsive yesterday, was up!  Off the ventilator and breathing on her own!  Responsive!  Talking!  She has a weakness in her right side, but, she not paralyzed!  For someone who was given a 50/50 chance, she seems to have beaten the odds!  She thanked me for coming to see her!  We were all so happy!  I asked her sister when the ventilator was taken out and she said, shortly after 12 noon!  I know she had a lot of people praying for her and we are all convinced that her recovery is in answer to all our prayers!  It is nothing short of a miracle!

Then, we all came back to my house for a little bit.  After cousin V and her husband left, I drove friend R home.  I was tired after I came home, so, had a cup of tea and rested a bit.  Then, I dished up some of the almsgiving food to take over to my neighbor S, across the street, but, when I called her to tell her I was bringing over some food for her, she said she was just about to bring me some Armenian food her mother had made!  So, she came over with her food and I gave her some of my food and we both laughed about our food exchange. 

I called cousin P to give her the good news about friend T (she and her daughter had gone to see T, yesterday, and cousin P had said she was shocked to see her like that) and also called the Temple and spoke to the monks and told them the good news about friend T.  They were so happy to hear it.

Then, I put away the last remaining bits of food and washed all the dishes and pans! One load in the dishwasher and the rest by hand.  I will put them away, tomorrow, and do the laundry, tomorrow, too. 

Cousin P called me later in the evening to check on me and we chatted for a long time.  Friend R called, too, to say she felt guilty about leaving me to do the washing up by myself, but, I told her she had been more than helpful with all the prep work.  Besides, she has to go to work, tomorrow, while I have the whole day to put things away, etc.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Friend T's miraculous recovery
- The almsgiving went off very well
- My cousins and friend participating and helping me
- A working dishwasher!
- Neighbor S bringing me more food!

Monday's To Do List:
- Put away washed dishes
- Laundry
- Iron the table covers and cloth napkins
- Return the last few pieces of furniture to their usual places (the trolley table has to come back to the family room, one dining chair needs to be returned to the table, etc.
- Cover the family room sofas with dust sheets (those covers were taken off before the almsgiving, today)
- Take the trash cans to the curb
- Do as much erasing of evidence as possible

Thank you, everyone, who said you will keep friend T in your thoughts and prayers.  I want you to know that our prayers on her behalf have been answered! 

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday? 
-

Pause in Advent - Finding the Perfect Gift

Angela at Tracing Rainbows has published her first Pause in Advent posts, with the title Finding the Perfect Gift.  I am piggy-backing on her post!

The holiday shopping season has started with bigger sales and discounts being offered early because, we are told, Thanksgiving (celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November) came so late this year that there are six fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas!  Which means, there is less time to find that perfect gift!  Black Friday sales have been brisk, apparently, and there is Cyber Monday still to come! 

I like to give gifts to my family and friends.  But, I have a budget and a lot of my gifts are homemade or bought on sale.  Finding any gift on a budget is not that easy, never mind about finding the perfect gift!  While I am of the opinion that it is the thought that counts, over the years, I've learned that not everyone thinks that way!  For a lot of people, finding that perfect gift is important.

I don't know who is responsible for this need to find the perfect gift or why we feel we need to spend a lot of money to obtain it.  However, I think the Three Wise Men have a lot to answer for, with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh!  They raised the bar rather high, with their gifts, didn't they?  Those were not inexpensive or homemade gifts, were they?  They could have brought loaves of bread, jars of oil, or a woven carpet, but, instead, they brought lavish gifts, the very best of what they could give, to show honor to the recipient of their gifts, the child they've come so far to see.  And, by doing so, they showed what a gift should be - the best of what there is to give.  I think that is why we feel the need to find the perfect gift.

I, for one, don't think I can come close to their gifts with my jars of homemade jam or patchwork quilts or knitted hats that I will be giving, this holiday season, at Christmas to my Christian relatives and friends and on New Year to my Buddhist relatives and friends.  But, I do hope that the love, thoughts, and effort I put into them will elevate my own, humble gifts to the level of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  They may not be lavish gifts, but they will be gifts from the heart, and that, I hope, will make them all the perfect gift. 

Meditations and Musings

When I go to meditation sessions at the temple, we are told to live in the present.  We are told: don't live in the past and dwell on what happened back then or regret and fret about it (it's gone, over, done with, we can't undo it no matter how much we might want to), and don't worry about what might, or might not, happen in the future, but, rather, focus on the present, this day, this hour, this moment.  We are told to experience the present moment to the fullest, to be fully aware of it, to be fully present, if you will, in the present.

Of course, this doesn't mean that one mustn't make plans.  It's good to make plans, to have goals, to make preparations for various eventualities, but, don't put off living life to the fullest until some future date, don't while away the present until various goals are attained, and don't wish away the present.  Make use of the time you have, which is now, wisely and productively.

According to this way of thinking, reminiscing about the past isn't very productive, for what do you achieve?  There might be some happy memories, which are nice to have and can bring some happiness, but, often, one ends up feeling wistful and sad because those happy times are now over and that's not very productive. Or, we might remember the not so happy times or things, the bad decisions we now regret, the wrongs that others did to us, which fill us with anger, bitterness, and, even, hate and a wish for revenge that eat into us.  Constantly reliving the past doesn't achieve much; you can't undo it and do things over, differently, no matter however much you might want to.  It is better to move on. 

But, don't move on too far into the future, either!  Don't wait until certain things take place in order to fully live your life.  Some of us tend say, "I'll wait until I graduate, until I get a job, until I get married, until the child/children are grown, until I retire, until I am well again", etc. before we do whatever it is that will enable us to fully enjoy life - whether it is using the good china, or the handmade quilts, or travel, or grow a garden, or learn to play the piano.  Don't put off living until some future date.  Don't procrastinate. 

Of course, for us, as Buddhist, the one thing we are admonished to not procrastinate on in accruing merits by doing good deeds.  We are told to not wait until some time in the distant future to do good deeds, to do them now, in the present, while we can, because, the future is not guaranteed!  All we have is now, this day, this hour, this moment. 

I have been thinking on these things, lately.  I am very guilty of reminiscing on the past, recalling times and things both good and bad, happy and sad.  I am also guilty of putting off various things until some nebulous day in the future.  For a while, now, it had been until I fully recovered from the cancer (which was quite reasonable, I think) and until I retired.  Well, it's been 4 years since the cancer was diagnosed and 3 years since my last active treatment date.  I still have some health issues, but, I am well on my way to being fully recovered from the cancer.  And, it has been 1 year since I retired! 

I am going to turn 64 years in a few days; I am not sure how many more birthdays there will be for me to celebrate.    What am I waiting for?  If not now, then, when?  My goal for this upcoming year is to stop procrastinating and do all the things I've been waiting to do!  Starting with the much needed home repairs!  As for the meritorious deeds, the biggest one of the year will be in December, when I hold my annual almsgiving.  Meanwhile, daily prayers and meditations, being kind and compassionate in daily interactions with others, and trying to treat others with loving-kindness or metta (maitri in Sanskrit) in my daily life will have to suffice.

What do you think?

  

A Visit to the Temple on Saturday

Bodhi Tree (Ficus religiosa), Buddhist Flag, and Shrines

Saturday morning, after I had my cup of tea and replied to blog comments, etc., I put away the washed dishes from last night and cleaned the inside of the microwave.

Then, I did some paperwork and wrote out checks for two bills - gas and utilities.  My natural gas bill, was $19.07 (billed monthly).  I used 12 therms of the baseline allowance of 14 therms; anything above baseline is billed at a higher rate, which is why my winter gas bills are so much more!  My utilities bill, which includes electricity, water, sewage, and solid waste collection and is billed every two months, was $257.88.  I stayed well under my Tier 1 (lowest rate) allocation for electricity (allowed 1,000 kWh; used 289 kWh) and used 14 HCF (hundred cubic feet) of the 16 HCF of water I am allowed at Tier 1 rates.  The electricity portion of my bill was $59.25; the water portion was $90.16; sewer charges (based on water use in winter) amounted to $36.83 and solid waste collection charges came to $71.64 (a flat rate based on type of residence, not how much trash was produced/collected).

After that, I drove to the post office to mail the two bills.  On the way back, I stopped at the library to borrow more magazines.  I borrowed a few Better Homes and Gardens and Good Housekeeping magazines.  After I came home, I ate a salad (lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and grapes) for brunch.

Later in the early evening, after a cup of tea and an egg salad sandwich, I went to the nearby grocery store to buy some treats to take to the Temple.  I also bought 3 dozen roses.  Then, I came home, took a quick shower, changed into a white skirt and blouse, and went to the Temple.

The monks at the Temple are observing what is known as their "rainy season retreat".  The tradition originated in India when some people found fault with the Buddhist monks for going out and about, begging for alms, etc., during the rainy season there, because, at a time when roads were not paved, it was common to encounter worms and insects on the muddy roads and hard to avoid stepping on them, even accidentally.  Since Buddhism is a religion that advocates not causing any harm to other living beings, the people complained that the monks were not living up to that principle.  Therefore, the Buddha decreed that, thereafter, the monks would spend the rainy season in retreat at their temples and not go out and about as usual (there are some exceptions to this general rule), and the people supporting the temple would bring alms to the temple.

Buddhist monks in the Theravada tradition, all over the world, observe this rainy season retreat during the months of July, August, and September, ending their retreat in mid to late October, as that is the rainy season in India.  This period also corresponds to rainy seasons in Sri Lanka, as well as many other southeastern Asian countries.  The problem starts when one moves to a place like southern California, when this period corresponds to our dry season and our rainy season is actually in winter!  My daughter questioned this, when she was still a child, and was not very happy with the answer the monks provided, which was that, this is the time that the rainy season retreat has been traditionally observed and they are not willing to change it.  She has a very logical mind and thinks the rainy season retreat should be observed during the rainy season of the country in which the monks are currently residing!  Or, they should at least call it a different name!  Which makes a lot of sense, of course. 

Be that as it may, the retreat is still being called a rainy season retreat!  And every Saturday during this period of retreat, they are holding special blessing ceremonies or "ata visi Buddha puja" at the Temple, when the twenty eight known Buddhas, each of whom obtained Enlightenment under a  Bodhi tree, are honored.  Offerings of light (in the form of candles), flowers, and beverages are made to the Buddhas and the Bodhi tree is "bathed" with vessels of water, while blessings are chanted:

Individual Shrines with Offerings

Afterwards, the participants moved into the sermon hall to hear a sermon by a visiting monk from Singapore:

In the Sermon Hall

Traditionally, people sit on the floor or on mats or carpets, as a sign of respect to the monks who are seated on higher chairs.  These days, there are cushioned seats with back supports for more comfortable seating. 

There were at least 50 participants at today's ceremony.  A vegetarian dinner of rice and curries was provided for all by those who sponsored today's event.  Since the other families co-sponsoring the event had taken charge of the dinner, itself, the monks told me to bring whatever I wished to contribute, so I took mini chocolate chip muffins and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Afterwards, I came home and spoke with friend R, who had called.  We are planning to get together, tomorrow for a visit.

Today's joyful activities were the visit to the library and attending the special ceremony at the Temple.

Today, I am grateful for:

- The post office being open on a Saturday

- Libraries

- Being able to participate in a blessing ceremony at the Temple
- Being able to pay my bills
- Video chatting with my daughter

Saturday's To Do List:

- Paperwork/bill paying - DONE

- Post Office - DONE

- Library - DONE

- Clean the microwave - DONE

- Do some tidying - STARTED

- Buy flowers/desserts - DONE

- Go to the Temple - DONE

Sunday's To Do List:
- Get together with friend R
- Do more tidying

How was your Saturday?  What are your plans for Sunday?

Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas

Wishing all my blog readers a wonderful day.

May there be peace on Earth and may there be goodwill to all.

May all beings, whether feeble or strong, small or large, long or short, seen or unseen, dwelling near or far, born or yet to be born; may all beings, without exception, enjoy peace, happiness, and well-being.  (Adapted from the Karaniya Metta Sutta)

A Pause for a Birth

Linking up with Angela at Tracing Rainbows in the last Sunday of Advent, here. 

I would like to pause to reflect on the birth of a child and to reflect on the woman who was chosen to be the mother of the child.  Actually, I would like to reflect on two women who were chosen to become mothers.  For it is my opinion that, every woman who is chosen to become a mother, no matter how different their lives might be, are also very similar for they share much in common, no matter what the differences might be.

So, I choose to reflect on two women, born centuries apart, in two different countries; yet, they shared the common title of Mother.

It is said that one of them dreamt that heavenly beings took her to bathe in a lake and a white elephant entered her from her right side as she slept and her dream was interpreted to mean that she was pregnant with a son who would become a great person.  It is said that one of them saw the Angel of God who informed her that she would become the mother of the Son of God.

And when the time of birth was near, they both went on a journey: one to the country of her birth and her parents' home as was the custom; one to the ancestral home of her husband in order to comply with a census requirement.    One of them stopped at a park, en route, and her son was born while she stood under a tree.  It is said that heavenly beings appeared to receive the newborn baby son and the earth trembled.  One of them stopped to spend the night at an inn, but there was no room at the inn and so, she stayed the night in a stable where her son was born.  It is said that the heavenly angels sang and a star appeared in the night sky above the stable. 

One mother died seven days after the birth of her son and her son was brought up by her younger sister who became the child's foster mother or step mother.  One mother lived to see her son die upon a cross. 

One mother was named Maya and her name means "illusion" (although it has other meanings, as well).  One mother was named Mary, and her name seems to have various meanings, too, including "beloved" and "bitter".

Two different women who share the common bond of motherhood. 

As someone who follows the teachings of the son of one of these mothers, I wish all those who follow the teachings of the son of the other mother, a joyous Christmas as you celebrate His birth.

A Pause for Faith/Sraddha

I am pausing in my almsgiving preparations to link up with Angela at Tracing Rainbows, in her Pause in Advent.

This is a busy time of the year for many of us, as we rush about making all those preparations for whatever it is that we celebrate at this time of year, whether Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or an almsgiving.  Sometimes, we get stressed and frazzled by all the preparations.  Then, it becomes an onerous chore and we complain about all what we have to do and it becomes all too easy to forget why we are doing what we do, our original intentions, which might have been to express our devotion, to affirm our faith, to bring joy to others, or, simply to celebrate.

Yesterday, as I rearranged the furniture in the living room to accommodate the seating arrangements for the monks who will be arriving for the year-end almsgiving, I spent some time reflecting on what I am doing and why. 

"Sraddha" is a Sanskrit word (in Pali, the liturgical language of Buddhism, the word is "saddha") which means anything done or said with sincerity and faith.  By definition, it is intentional.  If one does something with sraddha, even the most mundane act becomes elevated into something that is meritorious and an expression of ones devotion and faith.   It becomes a meditation as one concentrates on what one is doing (moving a piece of furniture) and considers the reasons why: so the monks can be seated in a manner in which one doesn't show disrespect to them by turning our backs to one of them while serving another, because the disciples of the Buddha are worthy of respect and showing respect to them is a meritorious deed.  The faith comes in with the equating of meritorious deeds with beneficial repercussions, in the belief that good deeds or karma (karma means deed or action, in Sanskrit; the Pali word is kamma) will have beneficial results and that the accumulation of such beneficial results will make our present lives easier and better and will result in a better life after death, and may eventually lead to that state of Nirvana (Nibbana in Pali) at which point there is no more rebirth after death.

So, as I make my preparations for the almsgiving, I do so with intention, with purpose, with focus, with faith, with devotion, with sraddha.    Just as faith and devotion will lead to the lighting of Advent candles in other homes, on this third Sunday leading up to Christmas.  May our faith in whatever we believe, sustain and bless us and elevate all our actions from the mundane to an expression of devotion.

A Pause for Reflection and Prayer

Once again, I am linking with Angela at Tracing Rainbows for her Pause in Advent.  This week, she is pausing to pray.

I choose to begin and end my days with prayers.  The morning prayer is fairly short - I turn on the altar light, give thanks for a safe night, and pray for a good day.  At night, I recite several prayers,  pray for good health for myself and others, pray for those family members who have died, pray for my daughter, and for myself. In between waking up and going to sleep, I pray when I am driving, when I go for my walks, when I water the garden, etc.  Some people hum, I pray.

Prayer has sustained me through various difficulties and dark periods.  I prayed the entire time during my biopsy which diagnosed my cancer.  I prayed as long as I consciously could when I went for my lumpectomy and my cousin, who waited with my daughter in the waiting room, prayed for me during the surgery.  I prayed while I was being given powerful chemicals, drop by drop, intravenously, during my chemo therapy sessions.  I prayed while I lay under the radiation apparatus, while death rays tried to kill any errant cancer cells.  And, I know that many others prayed for me, too.  The monks at the temple,family and friends, members in the monthly prayer group I attend, members in the congregation in the church my daughter's friend's mother attends, several blogging friends who put me on their prayer lists, all held my daughter and me up in their prayers.  I know that those prayers, in combination of the treatments I received, and continue to receive, are what have enabled me to be a survivor of three years and counting.

Last night, at the monthly rosary prayer gathering, a special prayer was said for a member of the extended family whose cancer has progressed to an extent the doctors can't treat her any further.  A prayer for the end of her suffering; a prayer for a peaceful end to her life; a prayer for comfort and strength for her family.

This is the time of year when there is a lot going on, with many people busy with preparations for the upcoming holidays and festivities, decorating and baking and stressing over the perfect gift to give, etc.  It can also be a time when people feel more alone than at other times of the year, when all the festivities only seem to heighten the sorrows and lack in their lives.

So, I am pausing in my decorating to offer a prayer for those who have no homes.  I am pausing in my preparations of special meals to offer a prayer for those who are hungry.  I am pausing in my search for the perfect gift to offer a prayer for those who have nothing.  My pause in the middle of all my holiday preparations and gift making is to offer a prayer of empathy, loving-kindness, benevolence, and well-being to all living beings:

"May all being be well, happy, and at ease;
May they feel safe and secure"

From the Karaniya Metta Sutta or Discourse on Loving-Kindness.  The original Pali stanza reads:

Sukhino va khemino hontu
Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhi tatta

There are various translations in English, where the Pali word "sukha" is translated as happy, safe, comfortable, secure, at ease, etc.  But the intent is benevolence towards others.

May your day and the week ahead be filled with well being.

Headphones Anyone?

Some of you might remember when I received a Buddha-shaped air freshener, last year; I wrote about it here

I saw this at the dollar store, yesterday:

Buddha with Headphones Air Freshener

Yes, another Buddha-shaped air freshener!  But this time, with headphones!

I wish I could find the Christian equivalent of the Buddha air fresheners, with or without headphones!