Juxtapositions

I heard a hawk’s cry come through a starling’s beak. It was a perfect imitation. Messages come through however they can. Sometimes to break up monotony. Other times it’s a specific insight. Still other times, it’s just funny. We need juxtaposition to mingle and jostle healthy brain activity. I think this is true but I… Continue reading Juxtapositions

Focus on the breath

Are you breathing? It’s automatic and inherent to aliveness. It’s part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Do you breathe when you’re nervous? Do you follow or lead your breath? Inspire and expire; life passes through you with each respiration. Invisible nutrients are swallowed and released thousands of times a day. Clarity is a passing breeze.… Continue reading Focus on the breath

transformation betwixt land and sea

Plankton are abundant here. “It smells very biological,” said one man I met in the sparsely filled parking lot. One area in particular did smell like the brew of a million creatures. The South Slough Reserve is so understated, I think it goes unnoticed by the crowds. It was America’s first estuarine research reserve, established… Continue reading transformation betwixt land and sea

how i grew into my career

Check it out: I got to blog on someone else’s blog!https://www.incipitcareer.com/incipitcareer-the-blog I once worked as an editor, finding mistakes. I didn’t like having to look at things critically all day long. I think it’s a fun project, like a puzzle for some, and at times I felt that way. I just realized it wouldn’t enhance… Continue reading how i grew into my career

Hot flash stories x 2

Not my mother’s hot flash, by guest blogger, Kristi Lodge. I had my first hot flash in June 2018, in the waning days of my forty-second year.  My girlfriend and I went to Portland Pride.  On Saturday we found a café that served great breakfast and coffee within walking distance of our AirBnB.  I was… Continue reading Hot flash stories x 2

Generosity of spirit

Poetry group this month with Ilene and Carol jumped off with the theme of forgiveness. Ilene said once she got into forgiveness, it hit her, “ok, this is the deal.” She led forgiveness workshops and wrote, “nothing is as deeply raw as the time leading up to the act of forgiving and nothing comes from… Continue reading Generosity of spirit

Lichen sanctuary

Some of my best ideas start out as jokes. Such as, the lichen sanctuary. The lichen sanctuary would rescue wayward lichen. There would be ample space to relocate displaced lichen. This place would be a safety net for lichen that has been pushed out of its habitat, fallen out of a tree, and unable to… Continue reading Lichen sanctuary

How to be cheerfully non-attached yet seriously engaged

The more open to failure I am, the more I succeed. The less attached I am to outcome, the greater it is. The more ideas I present with back-up plans, the more they’re accepted instantly. If I ask with less worry, the answer bounces back with less stickiness. If I’m willing to not win I… Continue reading How to be cheerfully non-attached yet seriously engaged

Notes from January

We gathered on my living room floor near the flickering stove to start our group meditation. The orange tabby loitered in front of me. The small dog jumped in her round bed, 2 feet away.  “So, tell me what brings you here to meditate? “ The cat started to chase a bug. The dog stared… Continue reading Notes from January

Advice poem

If you don’t like groups, join several If you hate water, go swimming If you’re resentful, find the release. Start your day by leaving your Hang-ups in a jar by the doorway. The door is where the dervish waits. When you return, your hang-ups have transformed to change. The coins stacked up, they invest in… Continue reading Advice poem