August 2022

welcome to a place called here 

hello beloveds.

 

this is the first of what i hope will be a seasonal offering from my heart to yours.  

 

a way to stay connected season to season with ourselves, each other, our bodies and the land.  

 

a way to be with what is actually true, moment by moment, breath by breath.

 

through reflections from nature and tarot, mindfulness practice and my owned lived experience, i hope to offer something useful to help you navigate the wild terrain of each moment you experience in a time when being present can be painful.

 

we are facing more and more individual and collective grief, fear, despair and longing for something different.  

 

it can be overwhelming and scary. a bit too much to face, especially alone.

 

with the future more uncertain than ever, it's never been more important to learn how to make friends with the present.  

 

the truth is, the future is made in the present moment. 

 

how we care for ourselves and each other today has tremendous impact on how we will feel tomorrow. 

 

we think of time in seconds and minutes, days and weeks and months. but, the only time that truly exists is the past, the present and the future and they are all three connected. 

 

there is no separation between who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming. it’s a long thread without beginning or end. 

 

the linear story we tell about birth and death leaves out the parts we don’t understand--where we were before and where we’ll be after. 

 

that’s the mystery we hold loosely, the stuff of myths and storytellers. 

 

the more we dwell in the here and now the more we realize each moment is a story in itself. a story to live with each breath, each intention and the action that follows. 

 

bringing mindfulness into our daily lives requires patience and determination. most of us have habits that take us a way from ourselves. however, we can learn to cultivate habits that bring us home, to our bodies, to our breath, to the good ground beneath us.  

 

there is no urgency in this kind of cultivation. its a slow process. much slower than our culture suggests is appropriate. we can move at the pace of nature which is always right on time, even as it adapts to a rapidly changing climate.

 

looking at what's right in front of you, what you know for sure, noticing the breath in your body, noticing your feet on the ground, these are all ways to ground in something real and lasting, even as everything changes.   

 

the way things were is in the past. the way things will be is yet to be revealed. so what do we have? this moment. this breath. today's sunrise, tonight's sunset and everything that happens in between.

 

i'll meet you there, with my hand on my heart, leaning into discomfort and learning to become the refuge my beloveds need me to be in this place called here.

wisdom from the natural world 

stay close to the earth.

soak up warmth wherever you find it.

let go of what you outgrow.

feel your way over and around obstacles.

trust your instincts to keep you safe.

rest when you need to rest.

eat when you need to eat.

move when you need to move.

know you were made to survive.

know that death is a part of life,

grief a part of joy,

and transformation is inevitable.

nature practice at home

take a moment to reflect where you are in this season and what the natural world is reflecting back to you in this moment. 

 

go outside or look out the window. breathe. 

 

what do you notice? what do you sense? 

 

take note of the messages you receive and share with a trusted beloved.

 

consider that your place in the family of things can be found in the ground beneath you, the sky above, the breath in your body in between.

wisdom from the tarot

a message for us from Strength:

 

there is a way of being soft with your fears. of approaching them slowly, with curiosity and the willingness to listen to them. to learn what they are here to teach you. to meet them with love and acceptance, with no ax to grind but to understand. 

 

there is a way of being brave that feels like the gentle press of a hand at the small of your back, urging you forward through uncertainty and doubt. there is no need to force your way through fear. you can let yourself be carried by the courage that rises slowly when your desire for change becomes stronger than your resistance. 

 

move toward the things that scare you at your own perfect pace, guided by the beat of your heart, the pulse in your veins, the breath in your body.  there is no rush or urgency.  keep going and trust you’ll know when it’s time to take that next step and the one after.  there will be signs along the way that you are on the right path.  learn to see and trust them. learn to trust yourself.  

 

you can listen to a recording of this message here. 

tarot spread to go deeper

take the strength card out of your deck and place it in front of you.  

take a few slow deep breaths, dropping into a receptive space.  

pull three cards in response to these questions:

 

- where in my life am i in need of more courage?

- what is underneath the fears i have in this area?

- what can i do to move through these fears?

meditation can be easy

me taking a moment to connect with my breath before writing this section of the email.

simple, easy, imperfect practice.

you don't have to be still. you don't have to sit for hours. you don't have to stop thinking. 

 

these are common misconceptions about meditating that turn people off from the practice.  

 

and that's unfortunate because there are so many benefits to this practice.  

 

the point of meditation isn't to become a different person. it's meant to help you become more of who you are. to understand yourself better. to know where you fit in the family of things.   

 

if you are someone who can easily sit still and focus on your breath, great!  keep going and enjoy the benefits.  

 

if you can't easily do that and feel like that means you “can't meditate” i encourage you to experiment until you find a way to make it work for you. 

 

movement is ok. swaying, rocking, tapping a foot. whatever helps you feel calm and centered and helps focus your mind.  

 

a low humming in the back of your throat can give you something more solid to focus on than your breath. we breathe when we hum so it totally counts! 

 

let's be loose and lazy in our mindfulness practice. we learn more about life when we feel relaxed and joyful. if your practice isn't bringing you joy, see where you can ease up a little and make more space to enjoy yourself. 

 

consider the idea that there is no success and no failure in this practice. this is a non-binary experience where many things can be true at once and none of it is wrong. you are who you are. let meditation be the threshold you cross into witnessing, accepting and appreciating the wonder of your existence.  

 

meditating on your own can be daunting. especially if you've had negative experiences with it in the past. however, guided meditations are helpful because you have instructions to follow so your mind can hopefully relax a little more.  

 

i hope you enjoy the one i made for you here. it's about five minutes long and you won't have to be still or quiet. 

 

i hope as you move through the rest of summer, you'll take some time to play with different ways of practicing to see what feels good for your particular mind and body. 

thank you for being here with me.  

the next letter will arrive at the fall equinox.

may you find moments of pleasure and peace as the summer winds to a close.

sending so much love,

please hit reply and share any reflections you have about this letter.

i would love to hear from you.

also, please share with anyone you think may benefit.