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kind of blue
January. (sigh) If you’d ask Thoreau about how to manage a blue season, he’d say “Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.” That’s quite a different…
Read Morefrom the outside, it looks like i’m meditating
From the outside, it looks like I’m meditating Assuming the noble posture feels like a homecoming after exploring seated practice from monks, mystics and madmen, through pages and in person, for three decades. Stillness is my home. Silence is my preference. And has been so since those early days when playing possum kept me…
Read Moredeath backyard
Squirrels. Mice. Ducks and their eggs. An unstable pigeon. Countless mourning doves. And bones and carcasses of unknown origin. These are just some of the casualties that my backyard has witnessed and, as a by-product, so have I. As I write this, I know there are several feathers being tossed around by the vigorous…
Read Morea mind of its own
Many moons ago now, I began exploring self-care practices and getting professional support for the residual stored survival stress from childhood trauma with every fibre of my…brain. I remember saying “I want to be well”. So, I analyzed, took courses, read books, set goals, reframed distorted thoughts, researched the latest techniques and implemented as many…
Read Morewhat do you need?
What do you need? What is it that you need right now? At this very moment. To get some clarity, can you take a moment to pause and orient towards yourself? Get quiet. Get curious. Listen with compassion to what comes up when you ask yourself what you need. You may…
Read Morebig clutter
“You manage clutter well”. This came from a visitor to my home many years ago now. Be still my organized heart! My guest was referencing my use of baskets, boxes, hooks, and other clever, hidden storage spaces to control the clutter. For me, visual calm in my environment creates calm in my body and mind.…
Read Moresacred fear
To be honest, the month of January felt like it had at least 965 days in it. I had a noble intention to fine-tune my gratitude radar this month. To notice glimpses of joy and moments of lightness to temporarily tune out the overwhelming division and discord in the world. The radar worked. Some…
Read Morea year of harmonic thinking
This time of year is naturally reflective for many of us. Our minds stroll through the aisles of the past and the shelves of the future lingering at points to notice particular items. These may be dusty experiences to let go of. Or gratitude when recognizing ones that warmed and bolstered us. Or maybe…
Read Morereading the body
I adore secondhand bookstores. And libraries. In fact, anywhere that books recline and bide their time until someone picks them up, thumbs through their pages and checks them out. I used to think it was just my imagination that my body felt distinctly different in those spaces. Surrounded by wall-to-wall books, the whispers…
Read Moretickled pink
R: You know how purple is your favourite colour? Me: Yup. R: And you know I’ve been looking for a secondhand canoe for a long time? Me: Sure. R: Well I just found us a purple canoe! Me: (me looking at the canoe tied to the top of the car) That’s not purple. R: Yes,…
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