From the category archives:

Encouragement

Practicing Gratitude

May 7, 2010

Often, gratitude helps me reframe my thoughts. It’s been a difficult week in many respects, but I keep coming back to a profound sense of gratitude. At times, it simply wells up in me. Other times I have to intentionally call it to mind. I call this practicing gratitude. Like any other exercise, it takes [...]

Continue Reading 3

Aligning with Immensity

March 31, 2010

How much longer will you stay oblivious of the immensity of yourself? ~Rajneesh In some traditions we are told that we are nothing—a wretch even. In other cultures we are told that we are everything—my needs are the most important. We hear much talk of overcoming ego or stepping into our power. We get mixed [...]

Continue Reading 4

Splashing Inside My Chest

March 30, 2010

When the ocean surges, don’t let me just hear it. Let it splash inside my chest! Rumi I think of all the times that I have missed experiencing life deeply; all the times that life flirts with me, invites me, asks me to dance, and I fail to notice. I don’t notice because I’m distracted, [...]

Continue Reading 1

Gift from a Vulture

March 26, 2010

Vulture has gifted me in many ways over the years, and I’ll tell you part of that story now–a particularly poignant part. Vulture seems to show up when I’m about to make a big transition. It’s as if they are my travel guides during key times. Indigenous people have long viewed animals and birds as [...]

Continue Reading 6

How to Stay Grounded During Difficult Times (part 2)

March 24, 2010

In part one of this series, we began to explore the difficulty in remaining grounded during troubled times. Today, I am listing 8 ideas that have helped me move towards a solid sense of being grounded. I hope at the end of this piece you will share the ways you stay grounded. My readers and [...]

Continue Reading 4

7 Tips for Practicing Presence

March 22, 2010

This blog of photos and thoughts is written to inspire people towards contemplation and presence. I have found the practice of presence to be life transforming and enriching. The cool thing is that practicing presence can be fun! I look forward to my rituals and they are not burdensome. Below, I have listed seven ways [...]

Continue Reading 12

Silky Seeds of Life

March 19, 2010

This is a weed–Milkweed. Milkweed is the host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. What you see in the photos is the flower turned to seed. The silky threads are almost ready to release to the wind which will carry the seeds to their new destination. Those seeds embedded themselves into the soil somewhere last fall, [...]

Continue Reading 6

Rainy Day Treasures

March 15, 2010

I love wandering in the woods. I feel like I’m on a treasure hunt. Wet days like these often hold wonderful gifts–if I’m willing to notice. I’m pretty sure that these are raccoon tracks. Aren’t the toes fascinating? I can’t tell you how often I forget that rainy days can offer the best photo ops. [...]

Continue Reading 5

Letting Go

March 3, 2010

This Blue Jay seems to be grasping the branch with all his might. When he grasps so tightly, he has to place all of his focus right there upon that which he grasps, thus, his focus becomes very small and limited. When I am grasping, clutching, clinging to something, whether onto a belief, idea, person, [...]

Continue Reading 3

Beauty in Decay

February 16, 2010

I have several friends who are in a dark/decay season of their lives. Somehow I want to honor the beauty of those places. I want to support my friends to find the richness in those places. I want to encourage them to stay, just as I am encouraging myself to stay during those times. By [...]

Continue Reading 11

← Previous Entries