WUNJO - The Rune of Joy
Years ago I bought The Book of Runes by Ralph H. Blum. It's a handbook for the Spiritual Warrior and the rune stones are an oracle providing a mirror and a little magic for knowing yourself deeply. I've consulted these runes many times over the years and value the way they consistently bring my focus directly to the heart of the matter. Wunjo (joy) is a rune that repeatedly appears for me - an inner urge to follow my joy always. It's a good way for me.
Writing is something that brings me peace, joy and exhilaration to share my inner world. Writing helps me make sense of myself and my world. I started writing for myself in high school. Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way introduced me to Morning pages and they have been my friend for years.
Tiny Moments
I’ve been wanting to say something for days, but I can’t quite get it out. It’s a quiet truth, one that’s easy to ignore and override. It’s that vulnerable risk that’s a little too scary to fully embrace. It’s the part of you that longs to be seen but is mostly shy. It’s noticing that…
My Heart
A year ago I shared a beautiful afternoon with Kristen and John. Kristen unveiled this amazing medicine painting to me for the first time. It was love at first sight and I am still completely mesmerized by each detail. It’s so familiar and so precious that I can barely believe it exists and that I…
The Best We Can Do
***This post took me 2 hours to write. It takes about 10 minutes to read. I posted it and then deleted it last night, but then reposted it today because I really do want to share even though it feels vulnerable.*** I’ve spoken with a lot of people in the past year who are struggling…
Spirit of the Forest
Walking slowly. Stopping often to listen and observe. Noticing the millions of details of these woods, trees, leaves and earth – each in their fluctuating states of growth and decay. I come here to transform myself, to let the natural world impress itself on me and not the other way around. I come here to…
Message from the forest
Message from the forest: Stay relaxed. Take your time with everything. Do not let the fast pace of the human world rush you. Do not be ashamed of your slow deliberate pace. Take steady, conscious steps and walk softly on the earth. Let your feet slowly kiss the ground. Feel the quality and weight of…
Wild Woman
Written before the photo shoot. Who is my wild woman self? What does she long for? How does she move through the world? How does she move her body? How does the skin of her face rest and revive itself? How does it feel inside of her when pleasure rises up through her root chakra…
First smell of fall rain
First smell of fall rainStoking my desire for moreLet go letting go Seasons change, people change, and I change. I want with all my heart to be the most current, accessible, and loving version of myself at all times. I can be all those those things and still struggle to let life flow through me…
Grey Hairs
A few years ago I decided to stop hiding my grey hairs. I’ve noticed my grey hairs growing in for the last maybe 5-6 years. For the first few years, I decided that I would use demi-permanent hair color every 3 months or so to cover the grey hairs and fade out gradually instead of…
Adrienne Mehri Shamszad
Last night Adrienne’s voice, her songs and the music she and her band played blasted my heart wide open and made tears stream down my face. She sang poems by Rumi, Hafiz and other amazing mystic Iranian poets in Farsi and it made me understand the longing to be overcome by the love of god.…
More Guns Than People
In 1998, I lived in Brisbane, Australia for 7 months while studying abroad. So many Australians I met were so curious to hear about what America was like. The number one question that I was asked was, “Does everyone in America have a gun?” I was confused by this question because I grew up very…
Self Love
For many years, I’ve been aware of my tendency to join in when life beats me up. If someone or something hurts my feelings, I will sometimes think all these terrible thoughts about myself in the aftermath. Other times I feel distinctly self-destructive. I’m often able to find mostly harmless ways to cope. Sometimes I…