To view this newsletter in the browser, click here                 Issue #218       A newsletter from Creativegarh to help you live a life of passion, purpose and meaning.         Why does this life even matter?                     Because we may get the chance to fall madly, wholly, deeply, inexhaustibly in love while we are here. Because there is butter chicken to be enjoyed and there’s a portion of tiramisu with our name written on it. Because there are cats to be held and many dogs to be cuddled with. Because there are beautiful clothes to wear, beautiful people to hug, beautiful trees to sit under and beautiful sunsets to enjoy.           Because there are so many lessons left to learn. Because there are many stories to be read and many stories of our lives still to be written and many to be rewritten. Because our life could be an inspiration for someone to live a bigger life. Because there are roses to smell and there are dandelions to blow on. Because we are alive. Because we have been born in privilege and we need to honour the grace that we have been endowed with.           Because there are people to forgive. Because we have ourselves to forgive, too. Because we still have hundreds of books to read, movies to watch, series to binge on and smash burgers to wash down with beer. Because there is wine. Because there is cheese. Because there are photographs that still need us in them to become magical memories for people who love us.           Because there are books to be borrowed from people and returned with little love notes. Because we have felt hope running through our veins. Because we have love flowing through our being. Because we have yet to experience the depth of being in a state of flow.           Because we exist at the same time as northern lights to delight us and north stars to guide us. Because there are songs we haven’t heard yet. Because there are strangers we haven’t met who will become people we cannot imagine our lives without. Because somewhere there is a conversation waiting to change the direction of our life.           Because there are places where our feet have never touched the earth. Because there are rivers we haven’t swum in. Because there are mountains we haven’t climbed yet. Because there are streets we haven’t got lost in. Because in a tiny cafe somewhere in the world there is a table unknowingly waiting for us.           Because there are still people we haven’t said, ‘I love you’ to. Because there are people we haven’t thanked properly. Because there are people whose hands we need to hold a little longer. Because there are old wounds waiting to heal. Because there are parts of ourselves we haven’t met yet. Because there are mistakes we haven’t made yet. Because there are blank canvases. Because we live on a blue ball spinning through darkness and somehow there are mangoes, dragon fruit and chocolate.           Because whales sing. Because trees communicate. Because the moon moves oceans. Because there is another cup of tea. Because there is another road trip. Because there is another chance to say yes or no. Because we are living somewhere between our first and last breath. And because, somewhere there is another chance to begin again.           This one magical, beautiful life.           Always carry a pocketful of impossible dreams, hope in your back pocket, faith in your heart, a little courage, a ridiculous idea, and a strong willingness to live this beautiful life you have been gifted. And before you leave, please, please don’t forget to live.                 The world will decide the noise around you. You decide what you carry within you.                     There is a story of a young man who once asked a monk, master how do I stay peaceful when the world around me is full of chaos? What is disturbing you, asked the monk.           People, said the young man. People judge me. Some misunderstand me, some are downright rude, some talk behind my back, some simply don't acknowledge me. And then there is bad news, horror, terror, social media, arguments, pressure, uncertainty. I try to remain calm, but somehow the chaos outside always enters my mind.           The monk listened quietly and then he picked up a bowl, filled it with water and handed it to the young man. Hold this, and follow me.           The monk followed by the young man began walking towards a busy marketplace that was alive with chaos. Shopkeepers were shouting, cars were honking, children were running, dogs were barking, rickshaws were passing and people were pushing past one another.           The young man walked through it all, carefully holding the bowl. When they returned, the monk asked. Did you spill any water? No, said the young man. Were people shouting? Yes. Were there distractions everywhere? Yes. Then why didn’t you spill the water? The young man looked down at the bowl. Because I was only paying attention to what I was carrying and what was important to me.           And maybe, in that answer lies an entirely new way of living.           We spend so much of our lives trying to quieten the marketplace. But the thing is, the world has never been quiet. For centuries, people have disagreed, misunderstood, judged, betrayed, competed, complained, fought and many times behaved like complete idiots. Empires have risen and fallen, markets have crashed, families have argued, neighbours have gossiped.           Silencing the world permanently is not what we have the capacity to do. But not allowing the cacophony to enter our bowl, our peace, is what we are capable of.           No, being peaceful doesn’t mean becoming indifferent. It means, you don’t have to RSVP to every argument you’re invited to. That’s where you can make your attention the most powerful tool in your arsenal. Every opinion doesn’t deserve your attention, neither does every provocation. Every WhatsApp message doesn’t require an answer, every misunderstanding doesn’t require a defence.           When someone or something seeks your attention ask three questions. Does this deserve my attention? Is this within my control? Will my response create clarity or simply create more noise?           If something needs action, act. If something needs your voice, speak. If something needs correcting, correct it. If someone needs your presence, show up completely. But if something merely wants your reaction, perhaps you can let it walk past.           The marketplace isn’t going anywhere. There will always be noise. Your work isn’t to spend your life making the world quiet enough for you to finally be peaceful. Your work is to remember what you are carrying while walking through it. The world will decide the noise around you. You decide what you carry within you.             Our upcoming retreats                         Andretta Last 6 Seats Left 21st to 27th February     To reconnect to your inner child at a beautiful hillside retreat with 14+ soulful individuals will make this a life-transforming experience. See you at Andretta!   More details     Reignite conversation     Bhimtal Registrations Open 14th to 20th March     Bhimtal offers a rare kind of Kumaoni serenity. This landscape creates the perfect setting for inner work, allowing reflection to unfold naturally.   More details     Reignite conversation     Kasauli Last 4 Seats Left 4th to 10th April     The stunning vistas and holistic experiences at Kasauli create the perfect space for self-discovery and ensure this retreat is a transformative and unforgettable experience.   More details     Reignite conversation           This week, let's revisit     Kasauli September 2026                         Experience a life full of purpose                     The purpose of my life is to create a sensory experience by curating food.   Smita Roy Sakleshpur August, 2022         My purpose in life is to create & amplify infinite impact through the power of storytelling.   Raagul Ram Nainital May, 2022               For a daily dose of Creativegarh and our retreats, follow us here:                         creativegarh.com             You are receiving this newsletter because either you have subscribed to it through our website, interacted with us by filling an invite form or because you have asked us to put you on the database. 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