Yogademia: Bittersweet Inspiration

Bonjour, mes amies, and Happy Labor Day! Voila Hang On Little Tomato's final guest blogger: Kiki of the wonderful Yogademia. Kiki always presents relevant and thought-provoking material, and I just knew you guys would love having her here. Enjoy and see you soon!!



as autumn draws near
our hearts feel closer
to this small tearoom
-Basho, Japanese poet (1644-1694)

Because autumn is a time of reflection and drawing inwards, tea on an autumn day reminds me of my past autumns spent in different cities and countries. These are sometimes wonderful memories, and sometimes very difficult to think about. Perhaps the memories and ideas autumn evokes for you are nostalgic, perhaps they are bittersweet, or perhaps they are more bitter than sweet.

When we talk of inspiration, often it is a powerfully joyful and positive feeling. Given how bittersweet autumn can be, this might not be a feeling you use for creative inspiration. Because of its vaguely negative tone, "bittersweet" might not be the inspiration you expected, or are used to. But rather than running away from it, stay with it, and savor it for a change.

Instead of turning your ideas and memories conjured up by autumn into personal drama, use them to fuel your creativity. "Bittersweet" is a powerful feeling to express in your writing, collaging, jewelry-making, painting, cooking, blogging, or whatever you do. There is nothing wrong with bittersweet inspiration; we're just not used to how strange it feels at the start.

Sipping tea outside on a crisp autumn day can help you see the sweet in the bitter, and the poetry in your difficult memories. Take the time for a single cup of tea outside to see what thoughts and feelings come up. The bittersweetness of autumn might just be the inspiration you need to expand your creativity in a completely new direction.

All it takes is a single cup of tea.

[Image credit: here}

Naturally Nina: You've Got Mail

Another fabulous guest blogger, dear readers. Check out Nina's beautiful, sweet blog here. And if you haven't already, please congratulate her as she is recently engaged!




Confession: One of my all-time favorite movies is You've Got Mail. Not only because I met my own love online (yes, that's right!) but also because of that little scene when Meg Ryan is walking to work (a bookstore) in Manhattan on a perfect fall day. I just adore the fall, and I always want to jump up and down when that first perfect autumn morning arrives. And who doesn't love the idea of "bouquets of sharpened pencils." Ahhh, I need to go turn on my DVD player...

So, now I'm curious, what's your favorite fall movie?

Nina

City Girl: Happy September!

Bonjour, mes amies! As you know, I'm leaving today for beautiful Vancouver, and although I'm sure I'll be tweeting like a maniac, I don't think I'll have time to blog. As such, I've decided to take this opportunity to do something a little different here, and without futher ado, I am SO excited to introduce you to Hang On Little Tomato's first guest blogger - City Girl a la City Girl Lifestyle!! CG is a dear blogger friend, and I knew she'd make an excellent guest blogger. Stay tuned for a couple more guest bloggers in the next few days. Enjoy her wonderful post below, and au revoir! Will see you soon. :)




I love September and it is not just because the air is ever so slightly cool and the shelves are bursting with back-to-school supplies. Yes, my addiction to notebooks is well-documented and, like a crisp new notebook, September and back-to-school time feel like a new beginning. A blank page full of possibilities. I get that feeling so much more this time of year than in January, though some of it might also have to do with the fact that my birthday is in early October. September is really a time of reflection, which culminates in my birthday and sets the tone for the rest of the year. Ironically, it was the year that I graduated from law school that I really realized that this back-to-school feeling can be mine any and every year and for the last four years I have embraced it every fall.

Some of the things I am looking forward to about September and this fall in general:

* Reflection time with my journal

* Fall colors everywhere - whether it is the leaves, the makeup or the clothes

* Renewing my yoga practice, as I tend to have longer practices in
cooler weather

* Squash and pumpkin and cooking wintry stews and soups and curries

* Wam beverages - I become a strictly ice tea gal in summer, so it is
nice to want to have warm beverages again

* Weekend days out and about exploring Washington, DC

* Planning - I become such a planner in fall. I am eyeing yoga
workshops for the next few months

And

* Notebooks, of course

{Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt}