Hello and Happy New Year to everyone!
From the bottom of our hearts, we wish all in our hive, as well as their loved ones and communities, a new year filled with peace, love, abundance, and delight in the little things. (Like Jazi, for instance! 🐝😉 ) By the way, have you noticed that even in the cold, or in places that are mostly cement, you are likely to find a wonder — a little weed pushing up through the sidewalk or a crack in the parking lot?!
Psychologist Dacher Kelner of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley wrote Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. He finds that taking the time to be present in nature and really looking at little things like the strength and resiliency of a weed or a flower pushing its way up through a crack in the cement can evoke a sense of awe in us. That sense of awe is good for our mental/emotional/physical state. Jazi notes that it can help us feel connected to all that is around us, too. Pausing, breathing, and looking closely for 15 seconds calms our bodies and helps us get through our busy, often challenging times.
Which brings us to this subject…we thought you might bee curious about something: what do bees actually do during winter? It’s been cold and rainy here for weeks now, and I haven’t spotted a single one of Jazi’s siblings. I miss them! When I asked her to explain, she got a bit camera-shy and came up with a better idea. Translating her memoir, Bee-Coming Strong, was one thing—but speaking directly to all of you? That’s quite another!! So, meet Beatrice, one of her adorable sisters, who does a far better job of explaining than Jazi felt she would have. She was delighted by her stage presence—and frankly, so was I!
Thanks to Wild Harvest Honey Farm for filming this up-and-coming star:
Pretty amazzing, isn’t it? Those little bee-ings have things so well figured out! Now I know how they’re staying warm without a fireplace or central heating! And did you catch how the older bees stay on the outside of their cluster so that the younger ones stay warmer? That is kindness in action! I’m sure MamaQueenzieBee is grateful for all her brood keeping her warm and safe.
A brand-new year has begun, and we have the opportunity to create with each breath, thought, and action, the kind of world we want to live in. Jazianzza wanted me to remind you that through our breath, we can all access that deep sense of calm—and from there, it can radiate outward to our families, friends, and all of humanity. Jazi and I hope that this little monthly newsletter creates a ripple of goodness and kindness in the world. Every ripple helps!
May you find many ways to spread your own sense of peace and goodwill in your home and community. The world is in desperate need of this, and it’s honestly not hard to do… we can offer a sincere hello to a stranger, plant flowers for the pollinators, or donate to some cause that helps uplift humanity and/or our beautiful planet. No doubt you are doing something like this already, or you wouldn’t be in our hive! We sincerely thank you for this. You are making a difference.
Wishing you a month of goodness flowing both to and from you.
Jazianzza Azzaza Buzzabee 🐝🐝🐝 & Anandamayi 🙏🏼☺️🙏🏼
Each person should see him/herself as though
the entire world is in delicate balance,
and with but one good deed,
he or she can tip the scales for good.— Maimonides
And as always, please feel free to share this newsletter with friends who have children or grandchildren, or are teachers, caregivers, bee lovers, or anyone else you think might benefit/delight from reading this. They can subscribe by simply going to AnandamayiBaker.com and filling out the form.