i am starting today with this song.the song that sung me to sleep last night.
i offer the whole of it to you, too.
all will be well.
xo
Showing posts with label song. Show all posts
Showing posts with label song. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
sacred life june summer sunday
for this 
i offer this:
"Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth. / Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself. / Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here... / Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you."
~ Nancy Wood, from Many Winters
and this:
"Tangerines are hanging heavy, glowing marigolden hues / Teasing a half pale moon / And I feel a pull to the blue-velvet dark and stars...
Together we glide through the blue-velvet dark and stars...
All it takes is a little faith, and a lot of heart / Sweetheart."
~ "Stars" by The Weepies
wishing you a day of holding - especially holding on to what you must do, glowing, gliding, faith & heart.
i offer this:"Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth. / Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself. / Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here... / Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you."
~ Nancy Wood, from Many Winters
and this:
"Tangerines are hanging heavy, glowing marigolden hues / Teasing a half pale moon / And I feel a pull to the blue-velvet dark and stars...
Together we glide through the blue-velvet dark and stars...
All it takes is a little faith, and a lot of heart / Sweetheart."
~ "Stars" by The Weepies
wishing you a day of holding - especially holding on to what you must do, glowing, gliding, faith & heart.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Sacred Life Sunday: flag day '09
happy !
i send you "Orange Sky" by the brilliant Alexi Murdoch:
may your day be filled with nourishing delicious*ness, connecting/reconnecting time with peeps you love & like, belly laughter & soulFULL music...
xo,
gem
ps happy flag day, bella! i know how you loved celebrating holidays like this one. i think we'll all always think of you on flag day. i love you, babe. so much.
!i send you "Orange Sky" by the brilliant Alexi Murdoch:
may your day be filled with nourishing delicious*ness, connecting/reconnecting time with peeps you love & like, belly laughter & soulFULL music...
xo,
gem
ps happy flag day, bella! i know how you loved celebrating holidays like this one. i think we'll all always think of you on flag day. i love you, babe. so much.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
across the river & back again
yesterday late afternoon, a trip across the river to my parents home for the evening & night. a walk with our fam's angel dog. breathing in the quiet, fresh, small town air. exhaling the city air & noise. our favorite pizza. mint chocolate chip ice cream. Marley & Me. a walk into town with dad for coffee (for him) & tea (for me). encountering neighbors along the way. sitting & sipping hot beverages on a familiar bench, one i sat on for the first time nearly 28 years ago while eating an ice cream cone. to bed just after 10 p.m. with her stuffed animal love tucked beside me.
waking at 6 a.m. rising to pain (still) in my left knee. in the shower, asking: "what is this pain in my knee telling me/trying to tell me?" listening to the answer.
stepping out of the shower & after some healing stretching, back into bed to write. then to read.
rising again. making my way back here, to my nest in the city. a smoothie. reading this post.
aware of a chain of aching hearts these days. a string of losses. first days, first occasions & first anniversaries of the grieving variety. deaths of children, grandparents, spouses, animal loves.
i sit here on this 3rd may saturday. the 3rd anniversary coming up. life as i knew it altered, shifted course (annihilated, disintegrated?), broke open on a 3rd may saturday 3 years ago. on this 3rd may saturday i can speak this, "i made my way."
so much i could say about what i mean by this ("i made my way") & not wanting to be misunderstood. for now, this - i made my way through. i crossed over. and, i am here. after the year+ of shock; after months/seasons long stints in the pitch black; after the devastation; after crawling, limping, walking around in the rubble. i am here. i weep & sometimes i sob, in thanks-giving, for my life, for my love, for my belief in the good/god/light...
listening to this song. to all who are tending to broken open hearts i sing you this, i pray you this, because i believe this, "Lights will guide you home..."
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
this weekend: a string o' gratitude
a string o' inspiration on my wall* new bathroom towels & cloths - hot pink, blue & white * a clean nest * jelly beans * wide open windows * wearing a fleece & leaving my hat, scarf & gloves at home * a 24 hour visit with a friend, dh, from college: talking at my "kitchen" table (this table is also the space where i do quite a bit of writing & art making); lunch at a new favorite restaurant; walking around the city; sitting in the park; people watching; delighting in the endless flow of reconnecting conversation; laughter; playing cards; vegetarian chinese for dinner; a sweet Lucy Kaplansky concert - i was touched by her spoken & sung words; preparing for a restful sleep in my twinkle lit nest; waking before dh, reading in my bed & appreciating the presence & the life & the breath of another; and, saying "goodbye" & "see you in june" with a thankful embrace * listening to Hallelujah & Let It Be * three loads of laundry laundered (involving 6 trips up & down 5 flights of stairs!) * a sunday afternoon & evening & night to treasure *
Monday, February 9, 2009
what i'm up to...
knitting every day.
preparing & sending out love mail.
out to lunch with friends, including two of bella's beloveds.
completed my latest volume of in tune tunes, made up of songs i collected-songs that spoke to me & for me-while journeying through recent days, weeks & months.
making & eating popcorn.
looking at the full moon.
having a snow day.
strengthening & healing my body. going to the gym & receiving bodywork.
scheduling phone dates with soul*sisters.
attended an urban priestess ritual.
planning a spring equinox ritual.
read one of the best posts ever.
dancing to this tune and this tune.
planning adventures for march & april: visits from friends; a trip to nyc; a trip to boston; and a spring equinox ritual.
looking forward to upcoming february festivities: a trip to virginia to visit two beloveds; a day of retreat; and tea, lunch & movie dates.
softening in the sunshine of warmer days.
daydreaming about the future i am creating.
put my Netflix account on hold. i may cancel it. we'll see. i'm leaning in the direction of canceling.
signed up for a free teleseminar with Christine Kane.
taking pictures every day. including this one:
preparing & sending out love mail.
out to lunch with friends, including two of bella's beloveds.
completed my latest volume of in tune tunes, made up of songs i collected-songs that spoke to me & for me-while journeying through recent days, weeks & months.
making & eating popcorn.
looking at the full moon.
having a snow day.
strengthening & healing my body. going to the gym & receiving bodywork.
scheduling phone dates with soul*sisters.
attended an urban priestess ritual.
planning a spring equinox ritual.
read one of the best posts ever.
dancing to this tune and this tune.
planning adventures for march & april: visits from friends; a trip to nyc; a trip to boston; and a spring equinox ritual.
looking forward to upcoming february festivities: a trip to virginia to visit two beloveds; a day of retreat; and tea, lunch & movie dates.
softening in the sunshine of warmer days.
daydreaming about the future i am creating.
put my Netflix account on hold. i may cancel it. we'll see. i'm leaning in the direction of canceling.
signed up for a free teleseminar with Christine Kane.
taking pictures every day. including this one:
Monday, December 29, 2008
go gently
i meet with b., my spiritual director, once a month. when our session is complete we make our way down the flights of creaky, wooden stairs to the front door. together. we hug and often b.'s parting (or, sending forth) words to me are, "go gently."
i remembered today, "go gently."
today i woke to sunlight.
today i am emerging tentatively and softly from weeks of darkness. weeks of cold. weeks of wet. weeks of sickness. weeks of heartache. weeks of tears.
i have been sorrow-full. sorrowful. it's the most perfect word to describe how i've been feeling these weeks.
today i feel relieved. relieved that the weight of this year's sorrow-full christmas season is lifting. this is my/our third christmas without bella (in her familiar physical body/form).
the first christmas was "the first christmas." the second christmas was not "the first christmas." and, this christmas felt like something else entirely. something for which i do not yet have the words to capture, contain and share.
i am in process.
for now, today, i offer this tune of gentle perfection:
and, if you, too, have been sorrow-full, heart-achey or anything of this sort, i wish you this:
"Beannacht" by John O'Donohue
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The gray window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colors,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the curragh of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
i discovered this prayer on the web earlier this year. today while at the library, without intentionally looking, i found John O'Donohue's book, To Bless the Space Between Us, and re*discovered this prayer. mysteriously/divinely i saw that John's heading for this prayer, "Beannacht", is: "A Blessing for the New Year." perfect.
i remembered today, "go gently."
today i woke to sunlight.
today i am emerging tentatively and softly from weeks of darkness. weeks of cold. weeks of wet. weeks of sickness. weeks of heartache. weeks of tears.
i have been sorrow-full. sorrowful. it's the most perfect word to describe how i've been feeling these weeks.
today i feel relieved. relieved that the weight of this year's sorrow-full christmas season is lifting. this is my/our third christmas without bella (in her familiar physical body/form).
the first christmas was "the first christmas." the second christmas was not "the first christmas." and, this christmas felt like something else entirely. something for which i do not yet have the words to capture, contain and share.
i am in process.
for now, today, i offer this tune of gentle perfection:
and, if you, too, have been sorrow-full, heart-achey or anything of this sort, i wish you this:
"Beannacht" by John O'Donohue
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The gray window
And the ghost of loss
Gets into you,
May a flock of colors,
Indigo, red, green
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the curragh of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
i discovered this prayer on the web earlier this year. today while at the library, without intentionally looking, i found John O'Donohue's book, To Bless the Space Between Us, and re*discovered this prayer. mysteriously/divinely i saw that John's heading for this prayer, "Beannacht", is: "A Blessing for the New Year." perfect.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
tuesday night treasures
- i heart holiday music sung by Johnny Mathis. thank you Liz Elayne for sharing this link.
- do you know Susan Tuttle? she is magical. have a look. and, her new book has just been released! hip hip hooray! oh wait, there's more! she's having a contest to give away a copy of her book. more information here. like i said, magical.
- moved by this post by Shari and her reference to "a place inside..."
- craving silence.
A day of Silence
Can be a pilgrimage in itself.
A day of Silence
Can help you listen
To the Soul play
Its marvelous lute and drum.
Is not most talking
A crazed defense of a crumbling fort?
I thought we came here
To surrender in Silence,
To yield to Light and Happiness,
To Dance within
In celebration of Love's Victory!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
at home in my lil' nest
i've been away from my lil' urban nest for days. i returned a short while ago. i turned on the heat & my twinkle lights & put on some of my favorite holiday tunes, John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas. i did all of this before taking off my coat or unpacking a single thing from my bags. my priorities: warmth, color, light & music.
i am filled up with the richness of recent days. family. candlelight. music. movies (this one on dvd and this one at the movie theater). hot cocoa with marshmallows. pie (pumpkin, apple & coconut custard!). a thanksgiving day walk with my momma, our fam's doggie dear and one of bella's dearest friends. the presence of family friends. [just a word about presence...it means so much, your/our presence. always, of course. and, especially, when people's hearts are broken and they are standing (sometimes barely, always bravely) in awe of the depth of the ache they are feeling. as it was for me this thanksgiving, missing bella so much.] snuggling with my momma on the couch and falling asleep while resting my head on her chest. preparing chocolate chip walnut cookie dough to freeze & bake at christmas*time. calling, texting & e-mailing beloved friends to say, "thank you for being. i love you." a haircut. getting a manicure/pedicure with momma. donating here. egg nog with nutmeg sprinkled on top. purchasing two of these. rest. finding these words at church this a.m.: "Someday after the long, dark waiting there will be Light..." hearing the invitation this a.m. at church: "watch. be watchFULL in the waiting."
it is the season of advent. a season i am celebrating. a season all are invited to celebrate as s/he wishes, as s/he is called. advent means: "a coming into place, view, or being; arrival." it is this that i am celebrating: a season of coming into place, view or being; a season honoring arrival & birth. as i begin my celebration of this season i am honoring the dark, the unseen, the waiting & the promise of light.
i am filled up with the richness of recent days. family. candlelight. music. movies (this one on dvd and this one at the movie theater). hot cocoa with marshmallows. pie (pumpkin, apple & coconut custard!). a thanksgiving day walk with my momma, our fam's doggie dear and one of bella's dearest friends. the presence of family friends. [just a word about presence...it means so much, your/our presence. always, of course. and, especially, when people's hearts are broken and they are standing (sometimes barely, always bravely) in awe of the depth of the ache they are feeling. as it was for me this thanksgiving, missing bella so much.] snuggling with my momma on the couch and falling asleep while resting my head on her chest. preparing chocolate chip walnut cookie dough to freeze & bake at christmas*time. calling, texting & e-mailing beloved friends to say, "thank you for being. i love you." a haircut. getting a manicure/pedicure with momma. donating here. egg nog with nutmeg sprinkled on top. purchasing two of these. rest. finding these words at church this a.m.: "Someday after the long, dark waiting there will be Light..." hearing the invitation this a.m. at church: "watch. be watchFULL in the waiting."
it is the season of advent. a season i am celebrating. a season all are invited to celebrate as s/he wishes, as s/he is called. advent means: "a coming into place, view, or being; arrival." it is this that i am celebrating: a season of coming into place, view or being; a season honoring arrival & birth. as i begin my celebration of this season i am honoring the dark, the unseen, the waiting & the promise of light.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
wildflowers
"Wildflowers"
by Tom Petty
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free
for bella, for me & for you...this perfect song that i heard tonight during my kundalini yoga class.
by Tom Petty
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free
Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by
You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free
for bella, for me & for you...this perfect song that i heard tonight during my kundalini yoga class.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
you & me...together
word*less these days. tear*full. in*spired. hope*full. thinkin' about the relationship between my november intentions (being new; being in process; and, being fear*less) & the election of Barack Obama/my heart*full & mind*full response to the election of Barack Obama.
i feel big, wide, connected, open. i feel light, proud. i feel awake, alive, resurrected.
i am thank*full. i am in awe.
i recognize aspects of my true nature when i watch/listen to/witness Barack Obama: grace, wisdom, integrity. this feels like such a relief. i recognize how long i've been waiting for this, too.
i am asking: how can i play a part now, in this hope*movement, this change*movement, this makin'-a-difference*movement?
and, i am dancin'.
i feel big, wide, connected, open. i feel light, proud. i feel awake, alive, resurrected.
i am thank*full. i am in awe.
i recognize aspects of my true nature when i watch/listen to/witness Barack Obama: grace, wisdom, integrity. this feels like such a relief. i recognize how long i've been waiting for this, too.
i am asking: how can i play a part now, in this hope*movement, this change*movement, this makin'-a-difference*movement?
and, i am dancin'.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
you are invited to a dance party
who says i/you/we can't have a dance party before 9 a.m. on a saturday morning? after all, i am a morning girl. who says i can't cry at my dance party while singing the second tune to bella?
care to join me? here are two tunes to get you movin'. especially if you've felt a bit off*balance, sick/achy & on edge this week...i had this kind of a week.
happy shakin' your booty & maybe even shiftin' your spirit! let me know if you joined the dance party. let me know if you sang the second tune to any*one(s) special.
first:
next:
more from me later...
care to join me? here are two tunes to get you movin'. especially if you've felt a bit off*balance, sick/achy & on edge this week...i had this kind of a week.
happy shakin' your booty & maybe even shiftin' your spirit! let me know if you joined the dance party. let me know if you sang the second tune to any*one(s) special.
first:
next:
more from me later...
Saturday, October 25, 2008
a saturday list
on the menu: (for tomorrow's home & love*made brunch...) spinach & mushroom omelets, yam "fries", pumpkin muffins, mugs o' tea & a double serving of catchin' up conversation.
prayer: (appropriate for these times, i think...) "We are aware that all generations of our ancestors and all future generations are present in us. / We are aware of the expectations that our ancestors, our children, and their children have of us. / We are aware that our joy, peace, freedom, and harmony are the joy, peace, freedom, and harmony of our ancestors, our children, and their children. / We are aware that understanding is the very foundation of love. / We are aware that blaming and arguing never help us and only create a wider gap between us, that only understanding, trust, and love can help us change and grow." -Thich Nhat Hanh
color: gray. the color of this day i am embracing.
enjoying: the unfolding of my saturday. waking without an alarm. a cup o' yogi tea (thai sweet delight) with this bit o' wisdom dangling from the end of the tea bag: "Grace brings contentment." healing minutes on the phone with a soul*sister. scrumptious sushi lunch with a dear friend...full of heart*full, rich conversation & appreciation for one another. being at home for the evening/night.
definition: grace (noun). 1. Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion. 2. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement. 3. A sense of fitness or propriety. 4a. A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill. b. Mercy; clemency. 5. A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence. 6. A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve. [definition found here.]
releasing: "have to" and "must".
welcoming: grace.
tunes: Ella Fitzgerald. the perfect voice for today.
remembering: an extra*special, extra*long re*connecting weekend celebration/love*fest in maine a couple o' weeks ago. gathering around tables of five or more at meal*times. making a feast o' home & love*made pumpkin pie & stir*fry. toasting to life & love. walking through a fairy village. seeing a great blue heron. drivin' & drivin' & drivin'. salad & pizza. a hot tuna sandwich. sunday morning bagels, fresh from the bakery, on the beach. days without television or radio. taking photos.
seeing: (from my 5th floor windows) the tops of orange*red & yellow*green trees.
feeling: a bit shy & quiet & soft lately. also feeling a bit anxious, stressed & overwhelmed in the last day +.
what's on your saturday list?
prayer: (appropriate for these times, i think...) "We are aware that all generations of our ancestors and all future generations are present in us. / We are aware of the expectations that our ancestors, our children, and their children have of us. / We are aware that our joy, peace, freedom, and harmony are the joy, peace, freedom, and harmony of our ancestors, our children, and their children. / We are aware that understanding is the very foundation of love. / We are aware that blaming and arguing never help us and only create a wider gap between us, that only understanding, trust, and love can help us change and grow." -Thich Nhat Hanh
color: gray. the color of this day i am embracing.
enjoying: the unfolding of my saturday. waking without an alarm. a cup o' yogi tea (thai sweet delight) with this bit o' wisdom dangling from the end of the tea bag: "Grace brings contentment." healing minutes on the phone with a soul*sister. scrumptious sushi lunch with a dear friend...full of heart*full, rich conversation & appreciation for one another. being at home for the evening/night.
definition: grace (noun). 1. Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion. 2. A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement. 3. A sense of fitness or propriety. 4a. A disposition to be generous or helpful; goodwill. b. Mercy; clemency. 5. A favor rendered by one who need not do so; indulgence. 6. A temporary immunity or exemption; a reprieve. [definition found here.]
releasing: "have to" and "must".
welcoming: grace.
tunes: Ella Fitzgerald. the perfect voice for today.
remembering: an extra*special, extra*long re*connecting weekend celebration/love*fest in maine a couple o' weeks ago. gathering around tables of five or more at meal*times. making a feast o' home & love*made pumpkin pie & stir*fry. toasting to life & love. walking through a fairy village. seeing a great blue heron. drivin' & drivin' & drivin'. salad & pizza. a hot tuna sandwich. sunday morning bagels, fresh from the bakery, on the beach. days without television or radio. taking photos.
seeing: (from my 5th floor windows) the tops of orange*red & yellow*green trees.
feeling: a bit shy & quiet & soft lately. also feeling a bit anxious, stressed & overwhelmed in the last day +.
what's on your saturday list?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
sunday's collection & offering
*holding in my heart: boho baby* and the beings who are lovin' him into birth, who are waiting to greet & embrace him!
*on my mind: The Secret Life of Bees. i went to see this movie on friday night and it continues to flow through and breathe in me. a movie about women/woman*hood, mother*hood, sisters/sister*hood, sensitive souls (makes me think of this post by Dancing Mermaid), wounded souls, hope, healing, the Black Madonna, a wailing wall, bee keeping, justice and love. i am honoring and experiencing this movie as its own magnificent creation (i.e., experiencing it without comparing it to the book, which is one of my favorite books of all*time).
*completed: my autumn cleaning in my little nest. this process took weeks and involved rearranging some things in my nest (e.g., creating a new space for my bike and finding the just right spot for a much needed new lamp); putting together two big bags o' goodies for goodwill; purchasing a new green table for my creation/art nook; tucking away spring/summer clothing and pulling out autumn/winter wares (e.g., clothing, pumpkin candles, scarves and a new/birthday-gift-from-my-momma comforter); and, creating an autumn altar made of treasures from my recent journey to maine.
*saw and heard (while sipping a glass of red wine): Gillian Grassie (for the first time!) and my soul*sister, t., perform last night. play*fully divine!
*tasting: a home*made movie mix o' 1/8 - 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips; walnuts; raisins; and jelly beans.
*wearing: bella's t-shirts. sandals earlier in the week and a fleece jacket later in the week.
*navigating questions like these: what do i need? what do i stand on, lean on/towards, look in the direction of, when i am feeling sad, off balance, scattered, stressed and/or overwhelmed? and, other questions, like those jen lemen speaks of in her post, "The Ache and Other Thoughts on Finding True North". what makes me ache? what's really alive in me? what's truly stirring my soul?
*learning: how to partner with me and to honor where i am and who i am in this moment. i have been single most of my life and by most i mean over 90% of my life up to this point. i am single now. and, i desire committed partnership/life partnership. experiencing, creating, building and celebrating life, home and community with a partner. i know that this is an essential piece/part of my expression as a human being/creation in the world. i trust that even in my single*hood that this desire is being taken care of, held, honored and created. i know that i am an active participant in the creation of partnership right now, in this moment. i know that being here in this place in my journey is where my real work (the soul*making work) is, it is what is called for right now and it is also where i find rich*ness and cause for celebration...no, i do not always remember this true wisdom. sometimes i am so sad about coming home to a space empty of physical beings (my home space is rich with spirit beings and sometimes i forget this, too!). yes, there are days when i don't experience touch, not even the slightest touch from another physical being...to write that last sentence, to speak this truth, is liberating. to say this is how it is for me. this, i am learning, is part of the honoring. to say exactly how it is for me. to honor the rich*ness and celebration and to know and name what is pain*full, so pain*full, at times...i am learning that full*fillment, value, worthy*ness, love and partner*ship are here now. this life o' mine looks like this (being single) right now just as others' lives look like being in committed partnership. my life is not less, i am not less (or broken). and, there is nothing wrong with me...i am being invited, guided, to treat myself as i would treat my partner and as my partner would treat me. for me, this means greeting me and embracing me at my own front door, asking me what i would like to eat/prepare for breakfast/lunch/dinner, asking me what would make my heart sing today and asking me what i need today/in this moment.
*this weekend: early to bed on friday night post-movie. a full saturday of autumn cleansing, errands, pizza and green salad dinner with momma and poppa pre-performance (see above "saw and heard"). sun*shine. being at home. crisp air. walking/climbing many flights of stairs (the elevator is being fixed in my apartment building; my nest is on the 5th floor). Sacred Life Sunday (see below).
*: waking naturally at 7:15 a.m. and tackling those loads of laundry (more than usual). writing (a truly grounding/re*centering practice for me). whole wheat pancakes with a bit o' syrup and a few red raspberries on the side for brunch at home. a soul*deep & reconnecting conversation with my soul*sister, d. a mid-afternoon walk in the sun*shine, under the blue sky. an early evening (great!) movie at home: The Visitor.
and, you? what are you collecting? anything to offer?
*on my mind: The Secret Life of Bees. i went to see this movie on friday night and it continues to flow through and breathe in me. a movie about women/woman*hood, mother*hood, sisters/sister*hood, sensitive souls (makes me think of this post by Dancing Mermaid), wounded souls, hope, healing, the Black Madonna, a wailing wall, bee keeping, justice and love. i am honoring and experiencing this movie as its own magnificent creation (i.e., experiencing it without comparing it to the book, which is one of my favorite books of all*time).
*completed: my autumn cleaning in my little nest. this process took weeks and involved rearranging some things in my nest (e.g., creating a new space for my bike and finding the just right spot for a much needed new lamp); putting together two big bags o' goodies for goodwill; purchasing a new green table for my creation/art nook; tucking away spring/summer clothing and pulling out autumn/winter wares (e.g., clothing, pumpkin candles, scarves and a new/birthday-gift-from-my-momma comforter); and, creating an autumn altar made of treasures from my recent journey to maine.
*saw and heard (while sipping a glass of red wine): Gillian Grassie (for the first time!) and my soul*sister, t., perform last night. play*fully divine!
*tasting: a home*made movie mix o' 1/8 - 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips; walnuts; raisins; and jelly beans.
*wearing: bella's t-shirts. sandals earlier in the week and a fleece jacket later in the week.
*navigating questions like these: what do i need? what do i stand on, lean on/towards, look in the direction of, when i am feeling sad, off balance, scattered, stressed and/or overwhelmed? and, other questions, like those jen lemen speaks of in her post, "The Ache and Other Thoughts on Finding True North". what makes me ache? what's really alive in me? what's truly stirring my soul?
*learning: how to partner with me and to honor where i am and who i am in this moment. i have been single most of my life and by most i mean over 90% of my life up to this point. i am single now. and, i desire committed partnership/life partnership. experiencing, creating, building and celebrating life, home and community with a partner. i know that this is an essential piece/part of my expression as a human being/creation in the world. i trust that even in my single*hood that this desire is being taken care of, held, honored and created. i know that i am an active participant in the creation of partnership right now, in this moment. i know that being here in this place in my journey is where my real work (the soul*making work) is, it is what is called for right now and it is also where i find rich*ness and cause for celebration...no, i do not always remember this true wisdom. sometimes i am so sad about coming home to a space empty of physical beings (my home space is rich with spirit beings and sometimes i forget this, too!). yes, there are days when i don't experience touch, not even the slightest touch from another physical being...to write that last sentence, to speak this truth, is liberating. to say this is how it is for me. this, i am learning, is part of the honoring. to say exactly how it is for me. to honor the rich*ness and celebration and to know and name what is pain*full, so pain*full, at times...i am learning that full*fillment, value, worthy*ness, love and partner*ship are here now. this life o' mine looks like this (being single) right now just as others' lives look like being in committed partnership. my life is not less, i am not less (or broken). and, there is nothing wrong with me...i am being invited, guided, to treat myself as i would treat my partner and as my partner would treat me. for me, this means greeting me and embracing me at my own front door, asking me what i would like to eat/prepare for breakfast/lunch/dinner, asking me what would make my heart sing today and asking me what i need today/in this moment.
*this weekend: early to bed on friday night post-movie. a full saturday of autumn cleansing, errands, pizza and green salad dinner with momma and poppa pre-performance (see above "saw and heard"). sun*shine. being at home. crisp air. walking/climbing many flights of stairs (the elevator is being fixed in my apartment building; my nest is on the 5th floor). Sacred Life Sunday (see below).
*
: waking naturally at 7:15 a.m. and tackling those loads of laundry (more than usual). writing (a truly grounding/re*centering practice for me). whole wheat pancakes with a bit o' syrup and a few red raspberries on the side for brunch at home. a soul*deep & reconnecting conversation with my soul*sister, d. a mid-afternoon walk in the sun*shine, under the blue sky. an early evening (great!) movie at home: The Visitor.and, you? what are you collecting? anything to offer?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
thursday night thoughts
this piece of today's post is inspired by e.soule.
what i like (brings tears to my eyes):
what i've been doing: being quiet. re*grounding at home, in my city, after time(s) away in recent weeks.
where i've been/going: (where i've been...) north for an autumn adventure with beauty*full beings, soul*sisters, members of my tribe, family. (where i'm going...) to see The Secret Life of Bees.
what i've been thinking: in death there is life and birth: boldly blossoming. in death there is hope: wild and true. love reigns.
and, this piece of today's post is inspired by this JOY + RIDE.
on the nightstand (thank you, s.!)...
am loving...the "Pamela's Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe on the package of All Natural Pamela's Products Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix. i made this recipe for the first time last night. scrumptious!
what inspires me about this fall? journeys north and south to be with beloveds. cups of tea; exta*especially enjoyed in the presence of beloveds. honoring/celebrating autumn with these creative bloggie wonders: 3191; A Beautiful Mess; Be...Dream...Play...; port2port press; my topography; Nectar & Light; the habit of being; abby try again...
what are three constants in my day?
1. a morning yoga/prayer practice
2. walking (to work, home for lunch, to the store, to the post office, to the train, to yoga class, up and down the stairs in my apartment building...)
3. bella's presence
what i like (brings tears to my eyes):
what i've been doing: being quiet. re*grounding at home, in my city, after time(s) away in recent weeks.
where i've been/going: (where i've been...) north for an autumn adventure with beauty*full beings, soul*sisters, members of my tribe, family. (where i'm going...) to see The Secret Life of Bees.
what i've been thinking: in death there is life and birth: boldly blossoming. in death there is hope: wild and true. love reigns.
and, this piece of today's post is inspired by this JOY + RIDE.
on the nightstand (thank you, s.!)...
am loving...the "Pamela's Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe on the package of All Natural Pamela's Products Wheat-Free & Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake Mix. i made this recipe for the first time last night. scrumptious!
what inspires me about this fall? journeys north and south to be with beloveds. cups of tea; exta*especially enjoyed in the presence of beloveds. honoring/celebrating autumn with these creative bloggie wonders: 3191; A Beautiful Mess; Be...Dream...Play...; port2port press; my topography; Nectar & Light; the habit of being; abby try again...
what are three constants in my day?
1. a morning yoga/prayer practice
2. walking (to work, home for lunch, to the store, to the post office, to the train, to yoga class, up and down the stairs in my apartment building...)
3. bella's presence
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
tuesday treasures
*this evening a man selling t-shirts at the corner of a major intersection in my city gave me a shout out as i put on my sunglasses: "you look like a million bucks!" i wasn't feelin' like a million bucks pre-shout out and then i was. i smiled and i was feelin' like a million bucks +.
*shortly after my "million bucks" encounter, i saw this sign, "God [who i understand to be God/Spirit/Energy/Source/Wisdom/Goddess/and more] is my pilot." amen. alleluia.
*"Where Are You Going" by Dave Matthews Band. have a listen here.
*this celebration: Day of the Dead. and, thinking about celebrating it in this way:
read more here and here.
what are your tuesday treasures (or grat*nours)?
*shortly after my "million bucks" encounter, i saw this sign, "God [who i understand to be God/Spirit/Energy/Source/Wisdom/Goddess/and more] is my pilot." amen. alleluia.
*"Where Are You Going" by Dave Matthews Band. have a listen here.
*this celebration: Day of the Dead. and, thinking about celebrating it in this way:
read more here and here.what are your tuesday treasures (or grat*nours)?
Monday, October 6, 2008
heavenly days
Boho Girl introduced me to the song "Heavenly Day" by Patty Griffin via this post. i needed to share this song with you. enjoy this:
i am blessed to be a part of creating & participating in an abundance of heavenly days in this love*full life. my days this weekend with my beloved friends, s & a, were heavenly days...
tonight as i sat down to eat a big yellow mug full of leftover (from the weekend at the lake) lentil soup i said this prayer of thanks, one of today's grat*nours:
Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing be full of bliss.
-The Buddha
may you be full of bliss...heavenly days & dreamy nights.
i am blessed to be a part of creating & participating in an abundance of heavenly days in this love*full life. my days this weekend with my beloved friends, s & a, were heavenly days...
tonight as i sat down to eat a big yellow mug full of leftover (from the weekend at the lake) lentil soup i said this prayer of thanks, one of today's grat*nours:
Now may every living thing, young or old, weak or strong, living near or far, known or unknown, living or departed or yet unborn, may every living thing be full of bliss.
-The Buddha
may you be full of bliss...heavenly days & dreamy nights.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
sit with me: Sacred Life Sunday
sitting & sitting with / being & being with were the rich threads woven throughout this weekend as i spent time at the lake, away from my city, with two beloveds from another city.
tonight i am filled up with these gratitudes & nourishments & more: fresh air (after eating sunday breakfast at the picnic table in the sunshine & saturday's walk around the lake & apple orchard); soul*nourishing food & drink (e.g., two bowls of homemade lentil soup, a stack of whole grain pancakes, hot cups of tea & glasses of red wine); John Denver's Greatest Hits (one of my all time favorites!); hope (after sharing my thoughts on business*building, home*buying, partner*ship & mother*hood); deep rest (after a nearly 10 hour sleep in our cabin by the lake on saturday night); and, love (for my two beloveds who listen, who see me & offer their wisdom & humor).
what are you filled up with tonight?
my
/my worship today included: washing dishes with care & taking a six mile morning walk with one of my beloveds, this generous one who i've known for 19 years.tonight i offer you these treats:
*this recipe for "hippie cookies" discovered here.
*a little bit o' John Denver:
*this wish: a night full of warmth and light...
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