November is the month of Thanksgiving. This special holiday combines two elements that are essential to human wellbeing — celebration and gratitude. Celebration, from the Latin celebrātiō, means big assembly. In gathering with others for Thanksgiving we affirm the good that we have accomplished, and express gratitude for the results. Gratitude, from the Latin word […]
We are biologically programed to fear death. All animals are. By fear I mean that automatic response of fight, flee or freeze when faced with a threat to survival. A shadow passes over and the lizard freezes. It passes again and the lizard scurries under a rock. If caught, the lizard will struggle and even […]
August contains a powerful lesson in impermanence. Each year, school-aged children across the country foresee the ending of their summer vacation. It is a huge loss of freedom and play. This early conditioning of the school/summer cycle is so deeply etched in our psyches that as adults we still feel the loss, even if we […]
Almost every summer for the past 18 years, my husband and I have driven north to Oregon to spend time with his parents at their summer cabin. The cabin is remote, situated 4 miles down a dirt road, deep in a pine forest not far from the Deschutes River. It is so quiet you can […]
May is for Mother’s Day. Mother, mommy, mom. She is our first relationship in life. She carried us for 9 months inside her body. She birthed us, fed us, kept us warm and safe — to the extent that she was able. She also taught us about love, forgiveness and how to be. We have […]
April 1st – April Fool’s Day. The Fool inspired this month’s illustration. The Fool is the perfect next step to last month’s blog: A Leap of Trust. In the Tarot, the Fool is the first card in the deck. The number zero. It represents the individual at the outset of the journey. The Fool is […]
The month of February bring us love and revolution. On Valentine’s Day, we pay special tribute to that human desire to bond and connect. The full moon in Aquarius, however, brings change and transformation. A significant relationship inevitably contains some of both. Loving another human is a journey with many challenges. It may start in […]
Inspiration for this month’s illustration came from a recent dream. In the dream a voice explains: Occasionally, sea turtle eggs find their way into eagles nests. When they hatch . . . The voice trails off as a baby sea turtle falls from the nest. The dream illustrates the ludicrousness of trying to live like […]
In the dark of December comes the gradual returning of light. It is a time for celebration and joy. One way to express that joy is to sing in community. I love to sing. I guess that’s because I grew up in a family that sang. Throughout my early childhood, my parents and two sisters […]
November is a transition month taking us from the vibrant colors of Fall to the somber grays of Winter. It is a time of rest and renewal, when the earth sleeps. Even in California this is true as the light fades and the rain envelopes us in its shroud. I like November because of its […]
