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Mindfulness

Don’t Go Back to Sleep

Don’t go back to sleep. Magical things happen in the hour before dawn. This morning, awakened early by my little dog, Eos, I lay still for a few minutes, mulling over questions for which I have no clear answers. The only sounds outside were the call of a barred owl and the first songbird of […]

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Mindful Writing Mindfulness

Writing Mindfully for Transformation

We can practice writing mindfully to make order from chaos, to make meaning from our lives, and to heal. For centuries, people have been writing in their journals, writing memoirs, or writing the stories of their lives as a way to validate their everyday experiences and sometimes as a way to connect with other people […]

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Mindfulness

Destination Unknown: Embracing Uncertainty in a Changing World

Destination Unknown: I fell in love today. I fell in love with a painting. I sort of stumbled onto it, or maybe I was divinely directed to it. After spending a long time talking with Angela at Two Sisters Bookery about some of my upcoming workshops, she suggested that I go up the street to […]

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Mindfulness

Finding Refuge in Change

How can we find refuge in change instead of succumbing to the fear of it? ā€œRemember, 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 […]

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Mindfulness

The Comfort and Burden of Belongings, Part 2

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 […]

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Mindfulness

A Sense of Belonging in Nature

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 […]

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Mindfulness

Own Your Story

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 […]

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Grief and Loss Mindfulness

A Season of Death and Rebirth

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 […]

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Mindfulness

The Hour Before Dawn

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 […]

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Mindfulness

Letting Go

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 […]