Do you know those days when we all feel out of ourselves, like we are just outside of everything looking in, in some way? BLUE, the Bluest of Blue. On those days there is this unexplainable sense of fatigue, sadness, boredom and most importantly numbness that we cannot get out. It’s the absolute mundane misery of being human.
But don’t get sad, because we all feel this way sometimes, there may never be an explanation for this ennui but you’re not alone.
Here are some things to do when you feel just jaded and numb.
Drink Water- This seems like such a little simple thing to do. But, trust that it works, sometimes I can feel my brain rewiring from the numbness. You can feel refreshed and think clearly on what to do next.
Go out get some fresh air- Perhaps we have been feeling this way lately because of lockdown, quarantine and all of the paranoia, I do not blame you it’s normal but going for a walk even a slow stroll down the street can rewire your brain, make you feel energetic and active.
Dance- It may seem weird because when you feel lazy you have no energy/ desire to do anything, but dancing is a great way to get some happy hormones going. You don’t even have to dance well, nobody needs to see it. It’s for you. So turn on some truly corny pop music and dance away.( No judgements)
Write down your feelings- Sometimes writing down how you feel can take the intensity of that negative feeling away. Think this- it’s out on the paper, It’s gone. It can help.
Watch something hilarious- When I feel the blues I watch Laurel and Hardy or some strange but funny video of a squirrel on a jet-ski . Laughing instantly takes that numb and sad feeling away.
Or just embrace the blues- I know it’s counterintuitive but sometimes just embracing the strange feeling can bring you some inspiration, some idea, some art you never knew you had in you.
I hope whatever blues you find yourself in right now, just tell yourself that it’s okay. Everything will be good.
P.S. If there are any creative ways you’ve found to take away those blues, please share… 🙂
Lyrics are everything to me, of course so is melody. But when beautiful melodies get intertwined with beautiful, soulful lyrics, listening to those songs turns into a meditative experience. As a song-writer, great lyrics are what I admire most.
Here are some very beautiful lyrics, the list will be an unending adventure. but these are the ones that marked me.
Thank You by Led Zeppelin
One of the greatest rock bands to have ever existed. They have countless lyrics that I could list but I love the opening lines to this song.
"If the sun refused to shine
I would still be loving you
When mountains crumble to the sea
there will still be you and me."- Led Zeppelin
Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen is one of the best song-writers and poets to have ever lived, He deeply inspired me to write better songs. He explored everything in his writing, love, loneliness, politics, religion…. This song is an epistolary form of song where he used amphibrachs as well.
"Yes and thanks, for the trouble you took from her eyes
I though it was there for good, so I never tried." - Leonard Cohen
Ces Petits Riens by Serge Gainsbourg
This is a French song by a very celebrated musician and composer Serge Gainsbourg. For those interested in international music, European music or the 60s music. He is where you should begin. He experimented with several genres and was a prominent composer in the 60s Yé-yé pop music scene.
"Mieux vaut ne penser à rien
Que ne pas penser du tout
Rien c'est déjà, rien c'est déjà beaucoup
On se souvient du rien et puisqu'on oublie tout
Rien c'est bien mieux, rien c'est bien mieux que tout"- Serge Gainsbourg
Translation:
Better to think of nothing
than to think nothing at all
nothing is already a lot
We remember nothing and then forget everything
Nothing is better, much better than everything.
1983….(A Merman Should I Turn To Be) by Jimi Hendrix
This is my favourite Jimi Hendrix song. Him at his best, incredible soulful electric guitar giving you the vibes of a cool aquatic experience. This song is also about wanting to get away from madness, violence of an uncertain world/war. Going back to the sea to be reborn. It will never stop being relevant.
"Hurrah I awake from yesterday
Alive but the war is here to stay
So my love catherina and me
Decide to take our last walk
Through the noise to the sea
Not to die but to be re-born
Away from a life so battered and torn." -Jimi Hendrix
Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan
Can’t talk about lyrics without talking about Bob Dylan…..
"Though I know that evenin’s empire has returned into sand Vanished from my hand Left me blindly here to stand but still not sleeping My weariness amazes me, I’m branded on my feet I have no one to meet And the ancient empty street’s too dead for dreaming."- Bob Dylan
Your Song by Elton John/ Bernard J. Taupin
One of the greatest song writing duos of course there are many other songs of theirs to be included. But this is a good old fashioned sweet romantic ode to love.
"If I was a sculptor, but then again, no
Or a man who makes potions in a travelin' show
Oh, I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do
My gift is my song and this one's for you..." - Bernie Taupin/ Elton John
Mer by Françoise Hardy
Françoise Hardy is my favourite singer. An important figure of the , 60s Yé-yé pop scene in France. This song is from 1971, from her best album La Question. Its very dark and soft, sweet and haunting, melancholic but a relaxing song on the album.
"Et la vague danse et joue, puis se brise
Et la mer, tout à coup, devient grise
Mon amour est si lourd à porter
Je voudrais doucement me coucher..."-Françoise Hardy
Translation
The wave dances and plays then breaks
And the sea suddenly becomes gray
My love is too heavy to bear
I'd like to fall asleep slowly..
There are obviously many more but I will leave you with this. 🙂
In a previous post “Ways to become one with nature” I wrote about the little changes you can make to be more connected with your surroundings to change your life.
To follow up on that, I thought “how do you now when you’ve entered that zone of divine connection? Is there a sign that tells you that you’re on the right path?”
Kind of…
When you get more aligned with the natural world, something shifts, it is very subtle at first, so subtle that you may not notice it. You may even feel that you’re not as connected as you’d like to be. You may feel there’s no way of knowing if you’re on the right track. So you may start looking for signs. And then there are some people who keep looking for signs and perceive every little thing to be a sign, I’ve been one of those people, trust me I’ve been the latter, it’s a pain. Don’t look for a sign in everything.
So, how do you know? Can you tell that your energy is shifting?
If I could describe it in one sentence it will be this: You will feel light, calm and more creative.
In short, you won’t have to look. You wouldn’t need to.
How to differentiate between a real sign vs. a “sign”
First of all, the signs from nature don’t feel like signs they feel like messages, they are much more than that, they are divine interventions that make you feel calm. CALM is the word. So if you feel anxious that something is a sign from nature, and that makes you panic, it isn’t a sign because a sign from nature needs to make you feel CALM to be qualified as a real sign.
If any thought makes you feel sad, angry, frustrated and afraid. That is not your intuition it is just a fear. Intuition is a force but has a lightness to it.
A divine sign is inspiring not demotivating.
If there is something you believe to be a sign, notice how it makes you feel. Does it make you feel passionate and energetic or does it make you feel demotivated? If it’s the latter then this is not a real sign from nature.
What are real signs like?
This is really hard to answer because they come in different ways to different people, but the underlying emotion is the same CALMESS. It can be a lightness that you wake up with, a good mood, something you desire beginning to materialize, your mind overflowing with ideas.
Signs are intuitions. Intuitions are not charged and they don’t unsettle you in the way fear does.
How to recognize an intuition?
You need to remind yourself intuition does not scream at you in your head, it is subtle feeling in your gut and even when an intuition feel strong it still has a sense of calmness attached to it, it is just a moment of something “feeling right”.
An intuition is a direct sign from nature. It has faith behind it.
Intuitions don’t make you feel doubtful. They don’t make you judge things or make you feel confused.
They are a green light
To be more intuitive you have to be connected with yourself and with nature and the more you connect with nature the more intuitions you will have. So it all comes full circle. 😀
How can you remember me every time Through the changes in seasons And time, my spirit and my mind The wind that caresses my skin Has always been there for me I feel free in a field of a thousand daisies In the laps of the natural world There is nothing to worry about No one to think about Just you and the whirlwind Of thoughts and of The sun and the wind Every time I hear a shatter Of my heart You better believe There’s always something to put it back together That’s the art
Of all those things that breathe the clouds Drink the rain Live under the sun Through the pain They rejuvenate under the stars We are all the same If they can bloom time and time again Why should I be so afraid? Sometimes I feel a spark of a little doubt that starts in my fingers It travels at the speed of light through my nerves It turns into a fear then explodes into a panic Its the oldest story of my childhood But being suspended between two valleys
The scariest of the winds inspire me And they don’t scare me they start a movement in my toes And I know where this goes The fear disappears There is only a serenity I have the natural energy
Around me It sets me free And it binds me
I’m always tethered to the ground But my head is in the clouds.
(This is a poem that I wrote for my spoken word poetry podcast. Link in the menu. :D)
Nature is a thriving prosperous entity all around us. And because it is always around us, at times we can get so deep in our own heads that we forget about the healing power of nature.
Nature can make our lives so much easier.
Just think about it when you see a beautiful sunset or a picture of a serene lake you always feel better. The beauty of nature is a universally delightful melody. And when we harmonize with nature, everything will start to make sense. Mother Nature has answers to all of our problems no matter how tiny or how grand they may be.
6 things to think about when you’re down
You are heard and communicated with, at all times. (You just have to listen)
Think of seasons, no rainy day lasts forever, so whatever is hurting you at the moment remember it will change it has to, by the eternal design of nature it has to, there can be no other way.
Think of your favourite element, windy days, soft rain, beautiful ocean, sitting by a fireplace or walking in a forest. Just close your eyes and think about any of these scenarios whichever one makes you the most calm.
Think of all the flowers that whither and the leaves that die and fall, they always come back, they always flourish again, so can you.
Think of the summer, it never fails you, it will get you going there are always warm memories. Think of nature they’ll come rushing back and uplift your mood.
Get inspired. Just walking in a park or wandering in a garden can bring out ideas that you never knew you had. And if you have an idea but don’t know how to go about it, nature will tell you, though her signs are subtle when you open yourself to this earth you will never again be oblivious to the forces.
In New Delhi, Photograph by me
Here are ways in which you can start to become one with nature.
Observe Nature– even if it is for 10 minutes, go outside or look out your window and just observe, what is the colour of the sky today, is there sunshine? What do the trees look like today? Is it raining? What sounds do you hear? Can you hear birds chirping? Just observe.
Listen to Nature– listen to the different birdcalls throughout the day, if you live in a city like me it can be hard to listen to anything but traffic but every now and then, usually around 4 pm all the birds start singing and they are always singing at dawn. When you try and start to listen, soon your energy will align perfectly with nature and you won’t even have to consciously try, you will just hear nature in its glory.
Show Nature that you are no longer oblivious- Just touch a tree, look at the sky and walk in a park and respect your surrounding environment.
Add a little bit of Nature to your house- Buy a small plant that is fairly easy to care for, or add floral scents to your home, paintings, drawings or pictures of beautiful landscapes. Be aware of this beauty at all times. Keep reminding yourself so it becomes part of you.
Somewhere in Switzerland- Photograph by me
When you start aligning with nature, something in you will shift, a lightness, a form of heightened sensitivity and a greater appreciation of beauty. You will become grounded, calm and more creative.
It will ensure that your health is better, your mental state is more serene, your habits will improve and you will feel lighter. And when you become this way your vibrations will raise.
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
Rituals can be hard to stick to, it’s like you’re riding high when you first plan out your routine and then get demotivated to keep it up, as the stress of the day gets in the way.
But little rituals can bring such calm and tranquility if you stick with them. They are this moments of peace that you give yourself, something you reward yourself with each night.
Here are a few starter ideas for an easy ritual for anyone looking to start one.
An hour and a half before going to bed wind up emails and social media habits. Light a candle and start getting ready to enter your zone of slumber.
Dim the lights and put on some music, any kind of music that brings you peace-jazz, classical, folk whatever soothes you.
Slip into something comfortable and carry out your nighttime rituals- brushing your teeth, taking off makeup or taking a shower, moisturizing etc.
Make some chamomile tea, chamomile tea is an incredible nighttime tea, it has a very subtle aroma and doesn’t really taste like anything but chamomile is said to be a calming ingredient. Or have some red wine while listening to your calming music.
When you finally lie down in bed, be grateful for at least one thing. Start slow be thankful for one thing and when you get into this habit start being grateful for at least 5 things in your life.
Wish the sky goodnight with its waning or waxing moon.
I know this can seem like it’s a long routine but it isn’t it can be compressed all you need is 20 minutes, if you can’t find that much time you can do this in 10 minutes as well with 3 key elements. Turn off social media, have some water, and skincare that’s it if that’s all you have time for.
You can be grateful for at least one thing even as you’re dozing off, just whisper thanks..
Books can be a great way to explore themes, lands and feelings we haven’t yet explored. Sometimes we read just because we have to or because someone told us “you have to read this” I personally can’t stand that, because that story may not be for me. But when you find a book that marks you, a story that transforms you, writing that transports you, you often wonder- “how have I not read this before?”
Here are a few books to escape into, (with short summaries) so you can decide for yourself if that’s a story for you. (If you haven’t already read them of course.)
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1938)
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again
Daphne du Maurier
The most beautiful part of this book is the atmosphere it creates with its words. The beauty of nature, the estate Manderley in Cornwall, the silent eerie and mysterious vibration that is sensual in its writing. It will transport you.
It is cinematic in it’s progression and that makes sense as it has been adapted into movies, it just has that cinematic quality.
Summary: A young American woman (the narrator) on holiday in Monte Carlo marries a wealthy Englishman Mr. Maximilian “Maxime” de Winter, after a brief encounter. She is often told by the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers about Rebecca, Maxime’s first wife. By being compared to Rebecca again and again the narrator feels less than, and isolated, she constantly tries to impress and please while being psychologically pressed by Mrs. Danvers. The story and its characters are haunted by Rebecca and her unseen presence.
There is an air of mystery around Rebecca and the lives of all characters in the book, a strange montage of lurking past and obscure future, it is a great book to sink into.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
This is my favourite book. It can be a slow-read even though it is a short book. But there is no comparison to any other book. This book stands at the top of lyrical writing that just plays with the heartstrings. It is a classic for a reason.
It creates a theatrical background and you can’t help but get deeply attached to how human the characters are. Whether they are good humans or bad they are so flawed that it makes this story that much more heart-wrenching.
Men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Summary: This book follows the lives of Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Daisyand Tom Buchanon in an entangled story about love, wealth, class, glamour and dreams. It is a whole world in its own right. It is sheer poetry and a statement about class, new and old money and glamourous 1920s lifestyle. The hero Gatsby is a hopeless dreamer, romantic who builds himself from the ground, looking for the lost love of his life-Daisy and navigating the high society, trying to build real relationships and gain real respect.
The Waves by Virginia Woolf (1931)
This book is harder to describe as it doesn’t really have a plot. But it is a kaleidoscope of memories, the sea, lives and feelings in soliloquies by the 6 characters. This will be hard to read if you do not enjoy stream of consciousness, however, if you do, this is a great way to escape.
I am made and remade continually. Different people draw different words from me.
Virginia Woolf
Tip: you can enjoy The Waves better if you don’t try to make sense of everything, see it as a thought process and let the words paint you an experience.
Jasmine is a beautiful flower that grows in tropical and subtropical regions. It has a very strong and heady scent making it a perfect accord to perfumes.
I get a warm, dizzy feeling with this scent, it feels like being in a late July daze. Because, it has a part in my childhood, I can recall summers filled with this scent in the south of India.
Every flower has its own symbolic significance. Jasmine has its symbolism rooted in romance, love, beauty and sensuality. These little flowers bloom at night. Perfumes that have very dominant jasmine notes are perfect to wear at night. It especially has the vibe of balmy summer evenings.
They are a great reminder of summer as they’re tropical flowers and they have a warm scent emanating the essence of summer heat, making their scent a sensual and cozy fragrance to wear in winters as well.
Here are 4 fragrances with prominent jasmine notes
J’adore by Christian Dior
This fragrance was made in 1999, it is very strong and heady and has Jasmine at its heart notes. It’s a feminine and sensual fragrance. There are several versions of J’adore including an Intense version.
Gabrielle Essence by Chanel
This fragrance came out in 2019 and it also has Jasmine as one of it’s heart notes, it gives a very warm feeling, its indescribable in how sensual it feels on wearing it on a gloomy day. It’s strong but delicate enough to wear it during day time as well.
L’Interdit by Givenchy
This fragrance was originally made in 1957 for Audrey Hepburn. It is noted in several fashion, history and cinema icon books that it was her signature scent. There have been several new versions of this fragrance.
Chanel N0.5
This is the most celebrated and popular fragrance. It came out in 1921 and is the most sold fragrance of all time and It has Jasmine at its heart. But this one is stronger than all other Jasmine fragrances. It’s very concentrated and is immediately recognizable and a very intense fragrance. A classic.
There are many other perfumes with jasmine notes, however, I find these particular ones to be the most sensual ones.
If you are someone not big on perfume but do love the smell of jasmine. Several natural essential oil roll-ons can be used instead.
Every perfume smells different on everyone -which one will you like the most will depend on your skin and your natural scent, but all these perfumes have an intense jasmine essence.
Poetry is the most beautiful flare that language can have. It’s a writer’s most creative tool. It’s the most sentimental that words can be. There is a poem for everything. For seasons, for a gloomy day or for a random Sunday. There is nothing too unpleasant or strange to put in a poem. The right poems with the right moods just fall in harmony perfectly together.
So, when poems are describing or exploring things and concepts that are beautiful to begin with, it makes reading them that much more lovely.
Poems that explore the subject of love, dreams, or when they describe the sheer aesthetic beauty of nature or a person it can really bring a smile to your face.
photographed by me
Here are 10 poems to read when you want some beautiful words just for yourself.
The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats
This poem creates a calming visual imagery, I find poems with nature imagery to be the most beautiful as they immediately play in our minds like a painting.
“And I shall have some peace there,
for peace comes dropping slow
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow….”
2. I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud ‘Daffodils‘ by William Wordsworth
This poem creates a beautiful image it paints with words of the obvious beauty that nature has to offer. It’s a light read and creates just the most delightful image.
“For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.”
3. The Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson
This is another poem with nature imagery but it is not about a person looking out on nature in marvel but nature itself flowing with it’s timeless divinity. It is a sublime poem about things much bigger than us much more powerful than us, forces that have eternal beauty.
“I chatter, chatter, as I flow To join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on for ever.“
4. Song of a Dream by Sarojini Naidu
This is a meditation in poetry. It is composed in such a delicate and positive way you can’t help but feel calm when you read it.
“And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang, And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed, And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowed……”
5. Que serais-je sans toi? by Louis Aragon
What would I be without you? is a lovely, romantic French poem. There are many translations available and videos reciting this poem in French with subtitles.
“Qui parle de bonheur a souvent les yeux triste
N’est-ce pas un sanglot que la déconvenue
Une corde brisée aux doigts du guitariste
Et pourtant je vous dis que la bonheur existe ….”
Translation:
Who speaks of happiness often has sad eyes/isn’t disappointment a sob?/a broken string in the fingers of a guitarist/ and still I am telling you that happiness exists..
6. “Hope” is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson
This is a motivational and sweet poem about hope.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all –“
7. Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? by William Shakespeare
This is one of my favourite poems as this speaks of summers. It is alluring in the atmosphere it creates.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;….”
8. Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
This poem will empower you, it is strong and a force in the way it reads. It’s great to read for some motivation.
“Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise…”
9. Dreams by Langston Hughes
This is a short but powerful and positive poem from the Harlem Renaissance.
” Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly.”
10. A Birthday by Christina Rossetti
This is a short poem about love and the happiness that comes with being in love.
“My heart is like a rainbow shell That paddles in a halcyon sea; My heart is gladder than all these Because my love is come to me.”
All of these poems are widely available online. These are short and sentimental to read again and again. They are filled with beautiful poetic tools and of course many interpretations.
Poetry can be calming to read and poems like these that have something positive about them are lovely to read before going to bed or after waking up.
We all feel low from time to time. When I feel the blues I find aromatherapy to be a quick fix, an instant mood booster. Though it may be temporary but most of the times what we need, is few hours of serenity to calm the mind to brainstorm solutions and a relaxed state of mind helps us think better and panic less.
I personally found that aromatherapy calms my mind, lifts my mood and helps me deal with my anxiety and panic-attacks.
Beautiful scents immediately take us to a specific time in our lives. I like to describe it this way- scent takes us on a journey to nostalgia now it may be good or bad but, when a good memory associated with a scent comes to us it’s delightful to be taken on the trip of aromatherapy . A specific cologne or perfume can remind us a specific person, a specific place, specific memory from childhood etc.
Note: Only do this if you are not allergic to fragrance. If you are on medication or have a specific health condition, please consult a professional.
Here are a few truly calming scents perfect after a stressful day.
Lavender
You knew this was coming, lavender is the first scent that comes to mind when we talk about aromatherapy. Lavender is believed to calm down the nerves and promote sleep. It can help with stress. Personally this scent works perfectly for me it sends me in a daze. It’s subtle but it works like sleep it slowly comes to you overpowers you and can make you feel calm. But it can be heady so, start slow with how much lavender you incorporate into your nighttime rituals.
2. Eucalyptus
Often used in balms and incense. It can promote relaxation, and help with a blocked nose and cold symptoms. Eucalyptus is quite strong so a little goes a long way. A lot of yoga studios use this during power yoga sessions.
3. Rose
Rose is the fragrance that most people have some memory with. A very common flower, a symbol of romance and beauty. So, if you’ve gotten a whiff of fresh roses on a beautiful day and it made you feel calm then, this would be a good choice. It can help with headaches and enhance mood.
4. Neroli
This is a bit rare because it’s such a specific scent that you may not have a memory with yet, however, it has a great relaxing scent that can help in enhancing mood. It is used a lot in spas and aromatherapy specific massages.
Blush Flowers-Photo by me.Lavender From Canva
How to use these fragrances
The most common way is by using Essential oils and diffusers. Add 3-5 drops of essential oil and dilute it in two spoons of water pour it on the top of the oil burner and set the tealight candle inside. Slowly it will heat the oil and water solution and spread the scent in the room. This is the best way to start using aromatherapy as you can figure out from a distance if this works for you.
Perfume, wearing perfumes/colognes is a personal form of self expression but if you find a specific scent that really calms you down then you use perfumes or perfume oils.
Pillow Sprays, these are a bit more subtle and faint but spraying them on your pillow can create a very delicate sense of aroma. Ideally all natural/organic and clean pillow sprays are recommended. Like natural distilled waters with lavender/rose extracts. Because they are safer for the skin.
Candles are the most common accent in aromatherapy as they are easy to find, last long and look aesthetic as well.
Bath or shower products if you enjoy taking showers or baths before going to bed then soaps, shower gels, shampoos with calming scents can make your bath experience feel like a spa. But this isn’t great if your skin is allergic to fragrance but if not. It can definitely help.
Photographed by me at the Fragonard Museum in Paris.
Scents are personal and your senses will immediately tell you if you like something or not and if it works for you or not, as scents create an instant emotional reaction. Scents add a great feeling of personality and calmness to the home as well. We can all use calming down and any way that helps even a little with calmness is worth a try.
daisies-in-the-wind 