Seeker.
Eternal Student.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” ~Matthew 7:7
In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey states “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” There is so much to understand in our internal and external worlds that we could spend our entire existence seeking. “Seek to understand” invites synergy into the equation and into the relationship. It invites wonder and curiosity into the space so we may achieve new and greater outcomes. It says to the universe or the God of your understanding, “I am open to learning something new. I am open to co-creating and co-evolving, as is my soul’s right to do, through the guidance of divine wisdom. I am listening.”
The purpose of this page is to share thoughts, materials, courses and events that I find inspiring and helpful in my own growth and healing. May they help you to not only seek, but to find the answer you already hold within.
The Land I Grew In
There is wisdom in these mountains, ancient secrets passed through time.
A blood line running through your veins, deeper than prospectors’ mines.
An Ayurvedic Guide to Fall
Using practical tips such as diet and activity choices, Ayurveda Practitioner, Melody Mischke, offers a wonderful guide to navigating Autumn. As she points out, “This season harbors a certain emptiness that can leave us feeling exposed and a little raw, but it is also filled with possibility—a time when we, too, can strip down to a quiet essence of being and savor the simplicity.” Ayurveda considers a seasonal routine, an awareness of and relationship to the changing seasons, to be a cornerstone of healthy living - providing sense of equilibrium throughout the year.
Blessed Was Your Birth
Whether this is your birthday, birth season, or not even close…may this day be a reminder of your ability to renew with each day and moment. Happy birthday, no matter on which day it falls, for every day is made complete by your existence within this universe.
For Your Birthday by John O’Donohue…
Grandmother Tree
Grandmother Tree
This Tree. The live oak
at Springer’s Point…
is the Grandmother Tree.
She has magic & wisdom in her
far deeper than mine.
Or yours.
“Here’s looking at you, kid.”
Every inch of what you see, every particle, every cell, is a testament to those who survived before you...and the you who has survived. For just a moment, look at yourself and just say “thank you.” For not giving up, for regenerating, for healing, for keeping me alive.
Calming “Fight or Flight”
Experiencing trauma leads to the activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System or the “Fight of Flight” response. Our cortisol levels spike, bodily functions deemed unnecessary temporarily shut down to conserve energy for fleeing danger, and our entire body processes information in an acute and intense manner. What happens when the body can no longer separate between a life-threatening event and a small change it could normally adapt to? And what can we do about it?
Rest. And don’t confuse motion with progress.
In a society where worth is correlated with production level, we often feel the need to overextend ourselves so that we never have a moment of “doing nothing.” We don’t want to be seen as lazy, yet we deplete our energy by doing more, by busying more. We offer less than our best selves to our work and our relationships because we’ve convinced ourselves that quantity is more important than quality.
Yesterday’s Grinds
While preparing for one of my morning classes the phrase came into my head, “Don’t make today’s coffee with yesterday’s grinds.” Simple yet poignant, it became like a mantra I recited. I realized how applicable it is to so many areas of our lives. The “grinds” of yesterday come in a variety of forms. Experiences, assumptions, disappointments, expectations, interactions, emotions, habits, patterns - these are our grinds. Instead of being energized by fresh ideas and clear-eyed vision, we are sipping a watered down, under-caffeinated cup of yesterday’s grinds. We step into situations in the same manner that we created them expecting something different to occur. Old grinds cloud the new brew and rob it of it’s potential.
Finding Balance
If we put too much time, energy or attention into one area of our lives, it makes it harder to build up the other areas. Slowly the begin to weaken, which eventually effects all areas. What are the areas in your life where the yoke is weighting too much on one side? What is so imbalanced that neither side is effective?
Live Oak Wisdom
It is human nature and human folly to take ownership of what was never theirs. From the gifts of nature to us, to the opinions of others about us, to the personal fears and pride within us...relinquish ownership of these and you behold freedom.
Sparrow Mindfulness
Mindfulness Exercise: Take a look around your home. What are the things that make you feel cozy, warm, things that soften the edges of a hard day? What are the things that bring you joy and inspiration...or make you feel calm and at peace? Are there things that no longer belong?
Free 10-Day Summit with Commune
From January 25 to February 3, you will receive a daily email that includes a 10- to 20-minute lesson. These daily lessons from an array of spiritual leaders, personal development authors, yoga and meditation teachers, and social and environmental activists.
A Reminder
You are holy and you are sacred, and there’s nothing you can do to change that.
The Capacity to Beautify
Our words and actions have tremendous power, yet so often we either forget this or chose to behave in a way that produces fear, injustice, and pain. What if, just for today, you chose to sow what you truly wish to reap.
Post from Cassandra Galbier
And today, we can accept that hindsight is 2020. All we have is today to show up as a human, ready to walk side by side with other humans, to do our best to create a sense of community wherever we are in the moment.
Shifting the Drama Triangle
In 1961, psychologist Stephen Karpmen first described "The Drama Triangle." Some call it the VSA (Victim/Savior/Abuser) Paradigm, but the idea is that we all naturally fall into one of these roles and once we are in the triangle we continue to rotate around to the other roles inevitably becoming the victim.
Important Information About Pets & Essential Oils
Unfortunately, many people who use Essential Oils know very little about them and know even less about the effects of EOs on their pets. After several discussions with friends this week, I thought a little information may be helpful for people hoping to avoid potentially harmful interactions with their favorite oils and their furry loved ones.