Samskara 25 years ago, a boy and I were on our way to a cabin in Minnesota when the driver slammed on the brakes and yelled excitedly for all of us to get out.  It was the northern lights.  We spent the next 20 minutes laying on the hood of the car watching the sky dance.    I’m sure I felt elated and in awe.  But when I think back on that memory now, what comes up is different.  Over time, it changed.  The excitement and chatter quieted down and it became smaller - more condensed - precious.  Now, that memory brings me a little shot of teary-eyed grat ..read more

We are all created like the stars.  We are made from the combining and dividing and flowing cells of our parents.  And our parent’s cells didn’t appear out of nothingness; they were created from the same cycle of cells.  The remnants of the grandmother exists within the womb of the baby girl, and so it goes.   And this circle is imitated in the stars. It is predictable and foreseen.  As my area of earth heads into a total solar eclipse next week, I think of the many ancient cultures that charted the sun, moon and star cycles.  They headed into an ecli ..read more

Maya As busy humans we often go from one task to the next, one event to the next. Some of these tasks we have done a million times, and other events are new and challenging.  We each do different things and become unique people and build individualized lives.  And so it goes…   On Monday, I was in the middle of a task when suddenly my whole kitchen lit up.  It made me pause, look up, and shook me out of my thoughts.  I walked over and stepped into the spot where the spring sunlight was streaming in, to feel the heat on my skin.  It was a warm, lovely pause ..read more

and how can I get a shot of it I woke up the morning of Daylight Savings realizing I was out of coffee beans.  Ahh!!!  Needless to say, when I finally got my morning joe I savored that first sip like it was a long lost treasure. But as I cupped my hands around the warmth and savored that first sip of alertness, I realized something.  This was my first sip.  The caffeine hadn’t kicked in yet.  So why was I suddenly so satisfyingly alert?  Science calls it Relaxation Response.  It’s basically the opposite of “fight or flight”.  It’s when our body gets a ..read more

Try something new, and then bottle it up for later! We’ve all heard of “new car smell”, but what about “new experience”?  If we could find a cute little bottle of New Experience, what would be listed on the back?   Reluctant smiles, bashful pleasures, uncertain gratification.   Trying something new is a little teeter-totter of emotions.  There is the gentle shove of energy when we first sign up, enough to get us from scrolling past to clicking yes.  As it gets closer, that little unsettling swirl of unease begins to ripple around inside.  We step into the ..read more

One of my favorite things about yoga and hiking is choice.  There is a hiking path and a yoga style for each and every one of my many moods, wants and needs.  Meditation is the same way!  Let’s go through 4 major groups of meditation practices that work well for beginners.  1. There are types of meditation where we put our awareness outward.   You might focus on one thing, like sitting by a lake and focusing on the sight and sound of the waves.   Or perhaps move and actively notice the little things in your surroundings, like taking a silent hike. &nb ..read more

Overwhelming Moments Feeling momentarily overwhelmed is an experience we know well.  It washes over us, making us feel temporarily separated.  It cuts us off from our decision-making brain, which gives us that frozen feeling.  It turns off our awareness of others, which makes us feel like the world has suddenly turned against us.  It momentarily disconnects us from our center, which inflames and irritates us.  Even our body is rigid and walled off.  Ugh.  I know it’s a paradox, but a great strategy for breaking out is to make yourself small! Pull yourself ..read more

Cultivating connection through the Niyamas.    When we are able to stop and really connect with our people, it feels like…ahhhhh.  Not a dreamy “ahh” where every evening feels like a romance movie.  Not a gold star “ahh” that leaves you feeling like the perfect parent.  This “ahh” is more like relief - a letting go.  When we spend a few minutes looking in someone’s eyes and really listening to them, we loosen our grip on our own plans/worries/thoughts.  Ahhhh.   I love this empowering idea of putting myself into a loving mood instead of waiting f ..read more

And there’s a good reason why. Prana Every time I put on my deodorant, I smile.   It’s not really the deodorant - it’s the cardboard applicator.  Now, I fully understand that my little plastic-free deodorant is just a small drop in the bucket when it comes to healing the earth.  But this small choice of mine pleases me.  It makes me smile.  And therein lies key. Small things that make us smile are like a little pebble-drop in a big ocean.  The tiny energy spreads out in all directions in diminutive waves and then ripples out farther and farther, becoming ..read more

Aparigraha I love playing board games, the more complex the better.  I’m even part of a weekend beer and board game group.  But learning a new board game? Well, let’s just say I’m not the most coachable.  I really hate feeling stupid.  I know there’s enjoyment on the other side, but first I have to step through some pretty uncomfortable hours.   So how do we become more at ease with stepping into the uncomfortable?  Yoga philosophy suggests we begin by simply noticing that we are uncomfortable.  This seems obvious, but when we are feeling uncomfortab ..read more