Coming back To (Blogging) Life

I've decided to really get this blog going. I've been posting but not really actively participating in the blogosphere. I should do that.

I'm going to try to find all of the blogs I used to love back when I actually blogged pretty regularly, and also try to find some new sites. If you're reading this, HI! This is a new blog and it's going to take some time to build up more info, followers, links, interesting... stuff, you know how it is. If you're an old follower from one of my previous blogs, I'm starting over. If you're new, welcome! Please, let me know if you are linking and/or following me, and I will do the same! I know I have lost some peeps so If I used to follow you but you don't see you blog listed, don't be offended, just let me know and I will put it back up. Stuff gets lost in the shuffle.

Please note, I don't intend to blog strictly about Zen and meditation. I will be blogging about motherhood, family, books, art, life in general, I will be posting photos and you know, the whole nine yards.

<3

Well, Here I Am.

I've started this blog to chronicle my journey to... well, I'm not even quite sure yet. Here is what I know:

In the past year, I have read 2 books that have had an impact on me. The first book, Hardcore Zen by Brad Warner. My first (and to date, ONLY) taste of Zen Buddhism. (Almost) everything I know about Buddhism is thanks to Brad Warner. Suffice it to say, I don't know a lot. But I know that I like it. I know that, for the first time, something actually makes sense to me. I could give you my whole background, how I was raised Catholic, got "saved" by Jesus a few times, always searching and wondering about God, life, purpose, energy, etc. I'm sure I will get into all of that in time. But this, this was something that finally felt right.

The second book was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is where I got the Idea for the name of my blog:

"Like most humanoids, I am burdened with what the Buddhists call the "monkey mind" - the thoughts that swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves, spit and howl. From the distant past to the unknowable future, my mind swings wildly through time, touching on dozens of ideas a minute unharnessed and undisciplined...
...The problem with all of this swinging through the vines of thought is that you are never where you are." - From Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is me! This is my brain! Having battled occasional depression and anxiety in my life, i am ready to find something, do something, change my lifestyle. Tap into that inner peace, find MY "God" or energy or whatever you want to call it, focus my mind and learn to meditate.

My goal is to search, try things. Different types of Yoga, Zen, Meditation. This blog is going to be my outlet, my journal, my scrapbook, a lot of things. I am not a writer, by any stretch of the imagination. I am a monkey mind seeking Zen, who wants to chronicle that journey!