Today, as I sit here typing, my heart is elsewhere. It is walking (silently) with a group of 100+ people along the banks of the Sandy River in Oxbow Park. I hear the leaves rustling underfoot, the sound of the waters of the river swirling over and around rocks just off to my left, the […]
Celebrating the Return of the Rain and Last Spring’s Tree Ritual
It is gray and misty and almost raining outside. After what was, for me, an unbearably hot summer here in the Pacific Northwest, the return of the mist and rain is unbelievably relieving. With a final (fingers crossed!) 90+ degree weekend behind us, the Autumn Equinox of yesterday has ushered in fall in a big […]
The Aftermath of Ritual: A Reflection
Five days have now passed since the Ritual of Letting Go was held on the banks of a shockingly cold river in the Columbia River Gorge. My memories of the ritual are ones of laughter, of beauty, of song, and of deep connection to myself, to nature, to the other participants, and to Water. Most […]
Committed Heart; Committed Action – a Real Life Example
Shortly after writing last week’s post talking about the two aspects of commitment (vision + action), I received a link to a truly incredible story told in a 15-minute video. The story is about a man in Northeastern India who, over the span of 30+ years, planted an entire forest. His forest is now home […]
The Medicine of Hops, the Hare
It was nearly a year ago when I first met Hops, the hare. I was stuck in one of those loops, one of those endless mental loops. My mind was circling and circling and circling, constantly repeating this one scenario that ended time after time with this super intense feeling of barely repressed terror and […]