How can we find refuge in change instead of succumbing to the fear of it? “Remember, those who don’t ask essential questions don’t find what’s most authentic. The soul of your pilgrimage, the heart of your destination, disappears, will be invisible, like the Grail Castle if you are too afraid or too proud to appear […]
The comfort of things and the burden of things continues to occupy my mind. I’ve transitioned this week from slow walks on the beach to running. I’m running again for the first time in years. It started by accident five days ago, and I’ve been running again every day since. For those of you who’ve […]
I feel a deep sense of belonging in nature. Last night I was on the beach for the first time in two weeks. I spent the past two weeks in the rolling hills landscape of the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., and most of my time was spent with other people. This was out of […]
When you own your story, you open the door to new insights, personal growth, and deeper connection. And you discover the power to let it go and create a healing narrative for your life. I spent time this week walking on the beach with two old friends. They, too, like to walk slowly in search […]
Today when I opened my eyes from my morning meditation, the first golden light had appeared on the trees. As I watched it turn to a brighter light of day, I was reminded that midwinter has passed, and the days are now gradually growing longer, the nights shorter. This is a season of death and […]
Presence to dawn is a lovely practice to begin the day. This morning, I am present to the pre-dawn stillness in the season of approaching winter. There are no sounds. This is my favorite hour of the day, and I thrive on the enchantment of the quiet and blue hues of light. As I engage […]
Opportunities to let go exist every day. Two days ago while walking on the beach at Oak Island, I found a perfect little channeled whelk in the surf. The snail appeared to be dead, so I took the shell home. As I sat at my desk observing it, I wondered what magic this shell holds […]
On several occasions this week, I’ve found myself looking around my living room, feeling comforted by my belongings and then feeling burdened by them. I’m fascinated by why people keep certain objects and what meaning they hold. When I was a young girl, my parents had an antiques business on the side, and they collected […]
The gifts of imperfection and vulnerability exist in our everyday world if we open to receive them. It was bitterly cold at the beach today. I hadn’t been in days, and I felt a sense of longing to connect with nature. I bundled up in a down jacket, hat, and gloves, and headed out. Again […]
Being in silence in nature is one of my greatest refuge. Yesterday I spent the day with a group of colleagues on a 100+ acre farm in the foothills of North Carolina. We’re all participating in a two-year program of study of presence and practice in nature. Our teacher, Carolyn, instructed us to go outdoors […]