“The earth is what we all have in common.”—Wendell Berry I love the warmth and brightness of sunny days, but I’ve always enjoyed the stillness that comes around as the rain starts to fall, as well. Creatures retreat to the warmth and dryness of shelters and home spaces. Outdoor work and routines are rethought, sometimes placed on pause. The world, at least as far as the rain clouds stretch, quiets. … Keep Reading
Our moon-time cycles are sacred. In our current culture, however, many seem to view this special process as an inconvenience instead of one to admire. There are a lot of ways to honor this beautiful monthly release. We can take time to support our bodies through eating warming and nourishing foods, spend time alone or with nurturing friends, and cultivate gratitude for the opportunity to surrender and to channel both… Keep Reading
“if you want to find God, hang out in the space between your thoughts.” —alan cohen It was summertime, and most of my friends traveled home for the break from school. I had a fulltime job that I loved—and so I stayed. Alone, yet rarely lonely, I spent my days working at the edge of the woods, reconstructing wetland areas and laying down thick layers of mulch while learning my… Keep Reading
one morning, when i was around 9 or 10 years old, i noticed an older lady standing in her front door as i rode by on the school bus. sensing a feeling of loneliness, i smiled and waved. she smiled and waved back. both a friendship and a ritual, across 2 windowpanes and several feet of front lawn and pavement, commenced. every morning, she would be standing there—waiting to share… Keep Reading
i don’t often think about the words ‘extrovert’ or ‘introvert’ (most of us are probably a blend of both). these words, however, have been surfacing enough during recent conversations to invite more thought about them. a few times, while talking about this subject, others have expressed feeling as though the time they choose to spend alone is somehow frowned upon—as though others question their innate need to step away from… Keep Reading
During the late 90’s, I began to really devote my attention, time and energy toward making some sort of difference regarding the ways that we interact with our planet. By then, it was apparent that population growth was the largest threat to our imposing resource use and to the natural stability of our planet. The collection of “stuff” (the journey that our material commodities take from production to packaging to… Keep Reading
I adore a good chuckle. Not just any variety of chuckle—a really hearty one. The kind that leaves you gasping for air, clutching your mid-section and complaining about how much your face hurts for minutes after. I love the variety of laughter that arrives when all inhibitions are released; when there is no worry about what’s right, what’s acceptable, what’s proper or how or what others are seeing; laughter that… Keep Reading
—8 Simple Ways to Slow Down & Restore Balance— Walk Solo-style in a forest or other natural area—barefoot. Clear your mind, and connect your body and being to the Earth; deeply breathe in the surrounding air. Turn off electronics Electromagnetic fields do their part to create feelings of imbalance within our minds and bodies. Turning off lights, computers, radios and switching your phone to airplane mode for long stretches during… Keep Reading
It has been well established that calcium and magnesium are needed to maintain healthy bones and a well-functioning body. What isn’t as well known, focused upon or shared about from the supplement industry is that using these (as well as other nutrients) in isolated form isn’t easy for our bodies. Many mineral supplements are derived from inorganic matter and, if not easily recognized and absorbed, can do more harm than… Keep Reading
“The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” —Eden Ahbez I want to experience a life of limitless lovers. I don’t mind if they have gray hair or no hair, if they’re young or old, if they live with 20 other people or alone. I don’t mind if they are men or women. I want to experience you and to love you. I… Keep Reading
“deep conflicts rage at the heart of modern sexuality…” —sex at dawn It’s been a few years since I’ve read Sex at Dawn. I read all books with the intention of filing away what I most resonate with, discarding the rest, and there was plenty packed into this book that stuck around to be pulled back to the fore and tossed around. Having contemplated paradigm shifts in relationships and the… Keep Reading
“Everybody has a part of her body that she doesn’t like, but I’ve stopped complaining about mine because I don’t want to critique nature’s handiwork. My job is simply to allow the light to shine out of the masterpiece.” —Alfre Woodard I love this quote, but I’ve never complained about my body. I’ve been around plenty of women who have and do. Joking around about the master feats of time… Keep Reading