TUESDAY TALKING TOOLS… LEARN SOMETHING NEW (AND MAKE A WISH)



In 2011 my boyfriend (now husband) and I were blessed to visit Varanasi, the holiest city in India. It has a very magical and spiritual vibe, especially when sitting on a rowing boat in the middle of the River Ganges to watch the sunset followed by a Ganga Aarti ceremony.

At dusk the Ganga Aarti ceremony is performed by a number of priests, it is a light and flower festival and it happens every single day at the Hindu Temple on the River Ganges. The idea is to show gratitude and respect to the river and the Goddess Ganga, and ask for blessings.

As part of the festival there is a ritual where you place a small lit candle inside a cup with leaves and flowers, then place it on the river and watch it float away, whilst making a wish.

We placed several candles and made several wishes. This was an incredibly beautiful yet emotional experience.

…and I’m not exaggerating when I say ALL my wishes came true 😉❤️

Travelling opened my mind to so many new things and really helped me appreciate the tool we all have as standard in our toolboxes, the ability to learn new things. Every single day.

Learning new things enhances your quality of life, boosts your confidnece, improves cognitive function, improves memory, reduces stress and can open new doors for you. It’s an extremely important tool for your mental health.

I’m not telling you to book a ticket to India today but I am encouraging you to pick up a book, head to the internet or speak to someone with the intention of learning something new. You only need 5 minutes. Have fun.

Have a knowledgable day… and maybe make a wish or two 😉

Ali xx

Ps. I also have another quite incredible story about what happened to me on that sunset journey. I will share with you all soon…

Photo credit: Me 😀