A Beautiful Life

My mother had a gift for making home a beautiful sanctuary. What I learnt from her is that home is a sacred space, and regardless of whether we live in a castle or a tent, the intimate surroundings in which we ‘undress’ from the world says a lot about what goes on in our interior landscape. Our home is an accurate reflection of our inner realm.

I find when I’m feeling a bit scratchy and irritable it’s because things aren’t neat and tidy around me. Sometimes it’s easy to neglect the house when I’m caught up in answering emails or other admin things which suck up my time…or being chief chauffeur to my teenage daughter. The quickest way to shift my mood is to tidy, clean and declutter. When I prioritise that over everything else, calm settles over me again. In a world which thrives on more, more, more, the real beauty is to be found in less, less, less. When I walk into my home and the rooms are clean and tidy, I find myself melting and feeling totally relaxed. This is how I want to feel every time I’m in here.

I was reflecting on our childhood home, and how my mother pretty well raised us eight children on her own (my dad worked overseas for much of the time) and yet, I do not have a single memory of our living space ever being messy or dirty. Not only was our home clean and tidy, it carried a vibration of calm and beauty. Classical music was often playing on the stereo, and large, lush pot plants brought a sense of nature indoors. Incense filled the rooms with the scent of something mystical and magical.

Not only did my mother create a nurturing and beautiful home, she also managed a 700-acre property (again, while my dad was overseas) with dozens of horses, and maintained a thriving 4-acre garden.

She didn’t have a cook, nanny or gardeners. But you know what else she didn’t have? Social media. My mother lived from her heart, and created a life of beauty all around her. And she did so without distraction. Her focus was on creating a beautiful home and family life, and within that vision she found herself, and was immensely creative.

I learnt about living in community by being part of a family where everyone contributed to the smooth functioning of daily life. Not once in my childhood were dishes left on the sink. After each meal they were washed, rinsed, dried and put away. Laundry wasn’t left lying around. It was folded/ironed and put away. I actually did a lot of ironing in my childhood! Toys weren’t scattered here, there and everywhere. And yet, I don’t remember my mother having to nag us into tidying. If you were old enough to play with a toy or eat a meal, then you were old enough to take responsibility for tidying away. My mother created all our meals from scratch. We didn’t have take-away meals or processed foods. Sometimes I wonder how my mother managed it all, but then I remember: she got up early each day to meditate and do yoga outside on the grass before sunrise. By the time us kids woke up, she’d already squeezed each of us a fresh orange juice.

One of the things I hold most dear in my heart is the beauty-infused childhood my mother gifted me through her mindfulness. One of the words which keeps coming up in reviews of my new novel, Sisters of the Silver Moon, is: beautiful. I can only assume that is a legacy of the home life my mother so joyfully created for us. You can buy my new novel on Kindle or paperback. I hope you enjoy it, and that it fills your heart and home with beauty. ~ Veronika

 Five-star reviews of Sisters of the Silver Moon

Veronika Creates My Day

I have a favourite earthenware mug that has the words ‘I Create my Day’ on it. Having read Sisters of the Silver Moon I need a new mug that says ‘Veronika Creates my Day’. I was transported into a reality that I became totally involved in. I was surprised and a little sad, on finishing, that the characters were no longer part of my day. I enjoyed the mix of family conflict, herbalism, community, bees, tea, knitting and a life well lived. This was an easy, pleasurable read that connected me with new friends and I’m impatiently looking forward to the sequel.

A Beautiful Story

I really enjoy Veronika’s writing, both fiction and non fiction. This is a beautiful book. The narrative flows so well that you quickly get caught up in the story and don’t want to put it down. I would love to know women like these characters. I could have easily sat and read this in one go if work and family life hadn’t got in the way. I can’t wait for the next one.

Love, love, love it!

This wonderful book is a complete slice of heaven, a book to truly lose yourself in. Family connections, friendships, love and relationships. Full of the beauty of life, even in the darkest of times.

I love this book so much

I loved this book so much. I love the little moments of beauty in it, and I loved and felt for each of the characters. I didn’t want it to end.

Another beautiful book from Veronika Robinson

When you get to the last page you are going to be mighty relieved there is a sequel!! Beautiful characters that I totally fell in love with!!

A simply beautiful story

A simply beautiful story. It pulls you in, like being drawn into a warm embrace. Can’t wait for part 2!