The Breath of Inspiration- 3 Simple Practices
Taking it in… is the first step in the inspiring practice of breathing. The drawing in, sounds like such a natural thing, yet so many struggle with breathing. Holding your breath and shallow breathing are signs of imbalance in life. Here are 3 simple breathing practices to bring balance to the body and the mind. […]
In the Weeds: Determination and Pluck
Where some see weeds, others see wildflowers and even wishes. A weed is just a plant growing where you don’t want it to grow. I haven’t checked the stats, but I would say there is a billion-dollar business on the annihilation of weeds. It could be trillions!! There are invasive weeds that have been introduced […]
What’s in a Name?
“A rose by any name would smell as sweet,” according to Shakespeare. I would agree. I walk most days through garden, meadow, and woods, not knowing most of the names of the beautiful flowers and foliage I see. Because I know some of their names, does that increase their beauty? We as human beings find […]
The More Things Change…And the Yellow Beauty of the Woods
Times they are a changing, to say the least! It would be an understatement to say that these are uncertain times. Businesses are closed or offer limited services and schedules. Social distancing is becoming the new normal and isolation is growing; even with Zoom and Facetime calls, “going live” on Facebook, and of course…we still […]
Deep Needed Awareness…The Sleeping Dragon
“Don’t wake a sleeping baby,” “Let sleeping dogs lie,” and certainly, “Never wake a sleeping dragon.” All seemingly, well-meaning advice and yet there is something missing. Many of us live our lives taking in information from the outside, without listening to the “Dynamic Natal Affirmations” from within. We each have an internal guiding system, an […]
Fern: The Coil of Hope
“One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple” – Robert Frost. This was the first quote I found when I googled fern. It touched something so tightly held in my body. Something that at this time, seems so distance, so impossible, so needed. I am speaking of HOPE. A speck of hope can […]
The Presents of Joy
Have you ever jumped for joy, literally? I have been percolating this blog for a while. I had posted on social media a little PSA about that we must find joy. Still I couldn’t bring myself to sit and write. I had conversations this week about joy with friends and colleagues. I have faced the […]
Three Sisters…Plus one
“Make deep connections, not deep attachments (Yung Pueblo),” jumped off the screen at me this morning in my Instagram feed. I’m feeling antsy and scattered. My mind is full of “stuff”! I think it’s time to “take out the trash.” I want to do a meditation, write, get the day started…what to do first? I […]
Apathy, Sympathy, Empathy…Oh My!
To see the worst, to lack hope or confidence in the future, to buy into the doctrine that reality is essential evil is to live life wrapped in the cloak of pessimism. It is dark and bleak, leaving the forlorn taste of bitterness in your mouth. Certainly, a pandemic, death of people and businesses, riots, […]
Difficult or Complex?
What is life? Difficult or Complex? Recently, I have had the challenges of perspectives and acceptance. There is nothing new to me being described as an over-thinker, challenging, complex, feisty, a force and even difficult. They do tend to rub on me just a bit and leave me feeling judged. In the course 24-hours, I […]
Uncertain or Unwritten…
The language around where we are on Easter 2020 is CERTAINLY uncertain! We are spending much time at home. For some of us that is more than mostly alone. We are in a time of questioning, a time of pausing and a time of change. Some of us have had our businesses or practices limited […]
Whose Story is it Anyway? Finding Perspective
Tension in the narrative makes for a great movie or novel, but what about in your life? Tension in life is something to get rid of, to fix, to neutralize, right? It comes in all shapes, sizes, flavors, personas and seems to be around every corner. And, to bring balance to life can feel like […]
The Challenge Found on The Bottom of A Boot
Here we are in a time of a pandemic, imposed social distancing, feelings of isolation and uncertainty. Businesses are closed, practices halted, and routine is lacking. It feels bleak. Many questions circle and swirl in my head, competing for attention and resolve. I grabbed my boots to go for my solitary, contemplative walk in the […]
Ransom Note Poetry
Where does inspiration come from? How does it craft itself from the deep places inside, seeking escape and expression? Years ago, 2015, I mused with what I coined “Ransom Note Poetry.” I promise you I am not plotting any crime or sending these off in a sealed envelope. I would cut words randomly from magazines […]
Life Lessons from Earthworms
One day, while doing my solo contemplation walk, I came upon a parking lot full of earthworms. The ground was wet from the soft misting rain. There was a sad poetic water ballet of these worms moving across the pavement. It caught my attention, for a moment, then I walked on. Later, my brother texted […]
The Wobbles of Life
Solutions do not come from the same frequency in which the problem was create, paraphrasing a quote from Einstein. As the saying goes, what goes around, does eventually come around…but not in the same exact place or situation. Life tends to circle and cycle around, giving multiple opportunities to learn lessons. When strength training, the […]
Love Remains
Do you have that amazing dress or favorite shirt in the back of your closet, that you never wear? You know the one, you pull it out every now and then, maybe try it on, and then put it back. Do you have a person in your heart that you do the same thing with? […]
The Pain of Suffering
Suffering requires a responsive willingness. What an eloquent way to say, suffering is choice. Most lump pain and suffering together, as equals or even tethered twins. They are vastly different. The pain is a present moment experience, just step on a piece of Lego with bare feet. The nerves in your foot shoot the message […]
Portals of Perspective
I have fallen into this routine of walking in the woods each morning, early, as the sun is just coming up. There was something different about this morning. It was the first morning to the city’s “Shelter in Place” order. Driving to the park, I felt uneasy, like I was doing something wrong. I wasn’t! […]
Ah, Freedom!
I jumped into this wormhole of thought at the end of the day, after a seemingly unimportant wardrobe choice brought my attention to a deep dull ache. It was a small article of clothing. How could it possibly bring so much discomfort? And, yet it does. Many women at the end of the workday, when […]
Fierce Compassion
This morning as I was planning to descend the stairs to my studio to select a painting for the day, I looked at one that has been in front of me for years. She rests in my dining room where I do most of my computer work. She faces the entrance to my home, usually. […]
Garden Sunshine
One of my favorite things is to walk through gardens. There was a time when I wanted to be a landscape designer. Formal gardens with history have stories to tell. I am fortunate to have a beautiful local garden to walk through regularly. It has been a confidant for many years now. I can sit […]
Into the Woods
I didn’t grow up camping or being an outdoors person. I am not a fan of the creepy crawly bugs or the things that slither. And yet, my heart longs to stroll through the woods. Even just standing in a cluster of trees feeds something deep inside. This kind of experience ushers in solace, like […]