As a child of the sixties and growing up with my Grandmother, I believed she could work miracles. And over the years, I learned that she indeed could. Whenever someone in the family had a tummy ache or any kind of pain, she’d simply walk into the kitchen for the perfect…
Posts published by “Vidya Sury”
Hi! I’m Vidya Sury. I am a writer, editor, and the voice behind Collecting Smiles. Here, I share practical mindfulness guides, personal essays, and book reviews designed to bring calm and joy to your everyday life. Brand collaborations and creative partnerships are always welcome—let's connect!
There was a very strict monastery that followed a vow of silence. The monks were not allowed to speak. At all. However, there was one exception to this rule. Once in ten years, the monks had permission to speak two words. One monk, after his first ten years at the monastery,…
Have you found your Ikigai? Ikigai is a Japanese concept. Iki means “life,” and gai means “value” or “worth.” Gai comes from the word kai meaning “shell.” The concept dates back to the Heian period (794 to 1185), when shells were considered valuable. Thus, Ikigai is about finding value in one’s…