The Meditation room remodeling completed.

WOW, John. You are one talented fellow. You do just wonderful work--both quilting and wood working. Beautiful! Gen

Very cozy, John. All the wood, quilts, and books make for a very inviting space. I would feel quite comfy there. :-)

Michelle in Nevada

I am very fortunate to have this house, which is a lovely old 3 story house with the attic being finished off and the place I have devoted to my computer area and meditating area. For years, we have lived in small houses and apts. But that was in California, where to have a house this size would have required a salary with a lot more 0's in it that mine did. I am willing to put up with the differences in weather and culture, to have this much space. I now can devote myself to my various pursuits within their own set environments, and so can my wife. And to think, it only took about 50 years to get here.

John

Hi John,

I know what you mean about the more affordable cost of living in the midwest. Before moving to Nevada, I lived in Kansas. Housing was much more reasonable than here, although Nevada is not nearly as bad California. Getting away from my numerous pollen allergies made it worth the move to the desert for me.

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

That is one of the things that will probably drive me out of the midwest. Allergies. I could never bring myself to move to Nevada, though. I always hated that drive across Nevada on US 50 from Utah and the parched barren sagebrush strewn emptiness of that road. I am sure there are lovely places somewhere in Nevada, and I hope you have found one. I like the Red Rock country of Southern Utah. or the southwestern desert. I actually have a Doctor who has proscribed some pretty effective allergy meds for me, and that mitigates the worst of it. But it would be better to do without, if that was possible.

John

Hi John,

Ah, I know Hwy 50. Like the bright side of the moon! HA! Actually, I will say Pahrump, about 60 miles west of Las Vegas, probably wouldn't look much different to you. I used to feel like you do about the desert, but I've come to appreciate it's subtle beauty. It takes time. You have to stop missing the green first.

I'm sorry you have allergies too. I went through two sets of desensitization shots at three years a piece. Kept developing news ones. Not good.

Michelle in Nevada

Great room John! I curious and evidently uninformed; but, what are "meditation supplies"? Michelle G.

Well, If you were living in California, they would probably include some form of Cannabis. But here in the heartland, and other non-trendy places, they might include Incense, of various kinds. Votive or other candles, mine is votive. Sand, black or white, to refill the bowl that holds the incense, when it becomes filled with ash for the incense. Matches and a small pair of Ginger "stork" embroidery scissors, to keep the candle wick trimmed to about 1/4". The door on the left middle section hides a small but meaningful collection of books and writings. It could be used for a small statue, if you are so inclined. I am not involved in the religious nature of meditation, so I laughingly told my wife that I was going to get a small statue of Buddha, and put it in there. Creating, thereby, a "Buddha in a Box". She, as she so often is, was not amused with my warped sense of humor. It is interesting to note when I ordered the candle holder from one of the new age sorts of places, I ordered it because I liked the look of it. When I received it, I found out that it was mined from a salt crystal mine in the Himalayas and it's use releases positive ions into the air and promotes well being. Well, with results like that, who needs the cannabis. That about sums up the contents.

John

Sage for cleansing/blessing, candles for focusing and light, small CD for playing music if desired, books or writings that inspire, pen and paper for writing, tissues to handle "sweating eyes" when that occurs.

G> Great room John! =A0I curious and evidently uninformed; but, what are

Well, If you were living in California, they would probably include some form of Cannabis. But here in the heartland, and other non-trendy places, they might include Incense, of various kinds. Votive or other candles, mine is votive. Sand, black or white, to refill the bowl that holds the incense, when it becomes filled with ash for the incense. Matches and a small pair of Ginger "stork" embroidery scissors, to keep the candle wick trimmed to about 1/4". The door on the left middle section hides a small but meaningful collection of books and writings. It could be used for a small statue, if you are so inclined. I am not involved in the religious nature of meditation, so I laughingly told my wife that I was going to get a small statue of Buddha, and put it in there. Creating, thereby, a "Buddha in a Box". She, as she so often is, was not amused with my warped sense of humor. It is interesting to note when I ordered the candle holder from one of the new age sorts of places, I ordered it because I liked the look of it. When I received it, I found out that it was mined from a salt crystal mine in the Himalayas and it's use releases positive ions into the air and promotes well being. Well, with results like that, who needs the cannabis. That about sums up the contents.

John

My dad, the elderly astrologer has a favorite book store. The Crystal Cave.

refers to it as 'The Hippie Bookstore'. It is full of a lot of new age 'stuff' that he has no interest buying in addition to a fine selection of books that he enjoys. Once one of the store gals heard my sister make the reference to it being the hippie bookstore and seemedto be pretty insulted. Not sure hippies are allowed in the OC butI doubt there has ever been a shortage of pot there. lolTaria

The hippies get a bad rap because they embraced eastern mysticism, and other esoteric pursuits, but it was the beatniks who first became involved with eastern ways. The book, "Dharma Bums", by Jack Kerouac, was my first entree into that strange and wonderful eastern way of doing things. That was before hippies were invented. I am a little older that the average hippy, and was so back then, during the 1960's in San Francisco, but I did marry one, and did engage in all of the various "endeavors" of that era. Much to my detriment, as that marriage did not last. And so it goes. What I find very interesting, here in the midwest, is that the local rednecks, now look like hippies in the 1960's, grow and smoke as much pot or more, and otherwise are indistinguishable from the originals. The only way you can tell a midwestern redneck from hippy, is the gun rack on the back window of the pickup truck.

John

John