Have you ever walked through a forest, sheltered by the canopy above and buoyed by soft soil below? Life pulsing all around as birds swoop overhead, spiderwebs weave through trees, and baby ferns unfurl. You duck as acorns drop from on high, small creatures above nibbling on precious snacks. 

 

As I emerge from winter I feel like a teeming nurse log, a fallen decomposing tree with new growth bursting forth. Soft dead bark falling away, turning into soil, new ways taking form in my life as I grow and learn. All living creatures, humans included, are shaped and created through experience. A relational dance of becoming. 

 

Isn't growth a paradox? We have to prune, shed, and let go, in order to grow. There has to be death in order for new ways to sprout.

 

Given this, I have a practice of intermittently checking in with myself, “What is my why?” This inquiry is with compassion and curiosity, “Why do I do the things I do (work, play, travel, etc)…What are my values, are they currently driving my life?” I am asking my head and heart, with no judgment and no rules. I want my why to come from intrinsic values, not externally driven shoulds. Orienting and engaging me in the co-creation of my life. 

 

So what am I hearing from my why lately?? As I reflect on 4 years of building compassion retreats, 18 years of studying integrative therapy, and 39 years of life, my current why is: To share what I know. 

 

From my thousands of client-teachers, close mentor-teachers, and intimate family/friend-teachers (all teeming on my nurse log:), I have created a model to build sustainable compassion from the inside out. Just as Suzanne Simard notes, plants are, “elegantly giving and taking to attain exquisite balance.” We too, are co-creating ourselves in relationship, and my teachings are not solely mine, but rather a constellation of influences that offers the potential for shared harmony. 

 

I am calling the model (for now, remember all things are living:), 

It weaves together psychology, biology, ecology, and spirituality to transform criticism, comparing and competition, into a mindset of confidence, collaboration, and connection.

 

 

If my offerings are resonating with you, thank you for journeying alongside me. A nurse log literally does not exist without the love, influence, and company of friends. 

 

I would be grateful if you shared my work - and check out my new offerings below! I hope to practice with you.