Remember opening a new box of crayons. Vivid colors dance before your eyes. A waxy earthy scent fillsyour nose. Vibrant perfect points line up like a tiny rainbow.  You choose your favorite color and slide it across a page. Smooth. Satisfying. Simple.   Do you recall moments like these?   Some of us […]

My badger carving has an arrow pointing from its heart to its mouth. Zuni artisans, make these animal figures. They say this symbolizes the flow of life force energy. What stirs in the heart needs an outward expression. This arrow forms a “heartline” and is more than a decorative flourish. It reminds us to live

  Korean spice verbena stands outside the living room door. Round clusters of red buds will soon open to scented pink flowers. Our home will then fill with a fragrance that is both sweet and spicy. Roots of this pungent plant found their way into my garden some twenty years ago.   Turning to nature

Goldfinch’s changing colors.   Moon’s phases.   Magnolia’s blossoms.   Noticing Nature connects us to Deep Time. Time that is not measured in minutes but in moments. Deep Time reflects patterns that are not counted on a clock’s face but on the white faces of stars. When we experience awe and wonder we are in

  “My closets had never been so clean as they were when I decided to write a book.” A friend told me this. I knew exactly what she meant. It is that temptation to straighten things up before we start following inspiration’s tug. Somehow everything around us needs to be neat and orderly before we

    Early in the 12th century someone uttered the word “courage” for the first time. A new word was needed. The speaker took the word for heart and shaped it into a new form to express speaking from one’s heart. The word “courage” was born.     Words like “courage,” “compassion,” “gratitude,” and “resilience”

  Do you know the present everyone wants this gift-giving season? There is something that each of us wants. You will not have to push through crowds of shoppers to find it. It is never out of stock. It is affordable. Wrapping it is not an issue.   Fortune magazine reports that about 30% of

  We become what we seek. Our thoughts and actions shape us, like a potter’s hands that form a clay pot. Seek peace, and more peaceful moments will find you.   Last month, I ended my blog with this paragraph… I long to slip into silence. I read a poem. I become aware of subtle

Cool weather signals a move to indoor activities. Barbecues, block parties, and beach days are disappearing. Now we reach for sweaters and jackets. A desire to sit quietly, journal, or hike in thewoods might begin calling to you. We need to pay attention to these subtle longings. It is not always easy. Some days, news

  Crackle and pop sing the gravel under the car wheels as we pull out of the parking lot. Crow who greeted me on arrival now sends us on our way. Don spent time exploring New Mexico and Colorado. I led a five-day retreat here at Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, New Mexico. For