this magic moment

well i went inside to find a pen and paper.
i made it back outdoors nearly an hour later, having sunk into the depths of facebook. blogs & emails...
upon leaping into my hammock, i found the laptop had remained glued to me, yet the paper & pen still lay inside.

so i will give in and record my reflections here, for myself and for you.

last month i attended a creative writing workshop with sweethome at breightenbush hot springs. it was my first experience there, and what a dreamy place! a real live thunderstorm blessed our final night there. as we laid in our cabin, we watched lightning crackle and thunder boom. as the storm passed, we made our way to the healing pools and sat under the falling rain and absorbed the heat, earth agni, ancient minerals, and soothing silence.

breightenbush hot springs...

 the river swollen with snowmelt.

i heard the bridge is a magical place to stargaze.

saving a list of new adventures creates magical daydreams.

 warm weather & long summer weekend camping

a new seat. 

today i am luxuriating in my backyard heaven. our two hammocks have found their summer homes. (of course june which i curse as "june-uary" will bring back some rains and force us back into the house.

as i reclined in my hammock i wanted to reflect deeply in this moment. the blue sky. wrinkly apple tree leaves waving to nobody in particular. the neverending wind, rhythmically sharing its blessing with all beings. the leaves dance with joy, frolic with blissful unawareness. unaware of the pain of self awareness. self realization is the path to connect us with all levels of consciousness and remove our humanness.
experiencing the embodiment of our divine nature.

cross section of compost... 

we are beautifying & utilizing.

 this truly is a summer of celebration & abundance.

 jai lakshmi!

the climbing roses are particularly vivid this year.

phoebe cat is very very happy these days.

making my momma proud.

faery door.

poppies reseed so well here.

lupine loves the windy climate of the columbia gorge.

all photos from my instagram feed. 

om shanti shanti shanti

Earth Hour

On March 26, 2011, pledge to turn out your lights at 8:30 pm for Earth Hour, a worldwide collective display of commitment to protect the one thing that unites us all--the planet.


This Earth Hour, when the lights go back on, we hope you go beyond the hour and think about what you can change in your daily life that will benefit the planet. Let’s work together to create a better future. Our actions can add up.

Someday I'll Fly Away

However, this week I will be working on my roots. Friday is my last day at work. Making the decision to leave my job has been the most exhilarating, scary, reckless and amazing decision I have ever made. Every move I have made in my life thus far always involved a calculated safety net. This time however, is different.

I have no job lined up. My portfolio is pitifully out of date. I can barely look at my resume before getting fed up and stomping away from the computer. This would explain the dearth of posting here, my inability to upload photos of my garden, adventures, and fun fun things. Everything in me is rebelling, trying to escape the 17 inch glowing screen. My body wants to open, not sit: stagnant for hours upon hours. Freelance is a possibility, since that would hopefully open up my office to hammocks and sunny parks surrounded by my fellow goofy Portlanders who can't stand to be inside during our glorious summers.

That is why my only gig lined up is teaching yoga! (Which you already heard about of course)

I want to get my hands dirty. Play in dirt all day. Brew some coffee, smile at children.

I believe that if I take this leap of faith, my dreams, my passions and desires will flower. Opportunities will present themselves. And I will have the freedom, the space, the grounded roots to be able to accept.

So this week I am grounding down. Finding my source of strength. Then flying free.

images via weheartit
*that first image reminds me of a fellow yogi friend's work: UpRoot by Stevee Postman

rethink

Recycling and reusing are integral parts of creating a better tomorrow, but its not until we begin to reThink, reFeel, and reLearn how to better support our roots that real change will occur.

Anodea Judith writes in her novel, Waking the Global Heart,
"In preparing for a cultural rebirth,  it is essential to understand the archetypal dynamics of our original birth... To live in the severity of Ice Age conditions, and hunt dangerious animals, was to understand the unequivocal power of Mother Nature. She was the Mother that provided everything - but Her rules were not to be trifled with. Breaking the rules could threaten a tribe's magical relationship with its surroundings, hence its survival. She was All."

Humanity evolved from dependent infants to curious toddlers, then independent children playing king of the hill. We find ourselves insecure yet willfully independent adolescents, self sufficient, yet haven't progressed beyond the self-absorption which is blind to the detriment of those affected by one's own actions.

In 2008 over half of America voted for Change. A charismatic man swept up in the bold energy of this country promised to embody this principle. The problem is not with the characters of the drama but the screenplay. We need to empower ourselves with the knowledge that a broken system must evolve. We cannot subsist through hate and dissent. America is not a two party political game, but a vibrant, diverse community.

So today, look around you. On the bus, in the park, in line at the grocery store. Honor the people that share your life. Find yourself interested in their path, how many steps it took for them to be in this very moment, now sharing their energy with you. What kind of energy are you sharing? All your life has prepared you for right now, and you are perfect.

Happy Earth Day!

{gertrude k}