There is a beautiful quote I often hear or see printed—Happiness is a journey, not a destination. So much punch for a few words. As I considered this, I began to twist the words around, offering up—there are many happy destinations upon our journeys. Continue reading “Destinations All Along the Journey” »
> BlogMay
18
Yielding at the Market
On Saturdays I go to the Farmers Market. I go for the produce—to see what is in, to enjoy the surprise of a new variety of greens or pick up my staple sweet potato. I go to my reliable vendors who I know will be there offering their specialties. Nora will have her famed empanadas and her smile will glow to match the lilt of her Argentinian voice. Continue reading “Yielding at the Market” »
May
17
To Do is To Dawdle
Something drew me to the word dawdle today. Perhaps it is because that what I feel I am doing a lot of currently. I have plenty on my plate, as do most of you, and yet I still find time to dawdle. I think I also swept the word up because I like the way it sounds. It seems to sound just like what it means, especially if you say it in a long drawn out way…Daaaawddle. Continue reading “To Do is To Dawdle” »
May
16
To Focus is not to Force
I had a friend ask, rhetorically, “Every notice that things don’t quite work out when you try to force a solution?” I agreed. But somehow the agreement of the this and the action become separated when I’m in the throws of some difficult situations. I, and perhaps some others, dismiss this idea when we are looking for a quick fix or an answer to a situation that we think will get better if we just push through a little harder, a little tougher. Continue reading “To Focus is not to Force” »
May
15
There is No Just
When I was looking for a ‘real’ job after college, I worked as an intern at the local hospital—not in the medical area, but rather in the PR department. I wrote press releases, interviewed people for the newsletter, and helped put on events. I remember this job as one of the best experiences I have ever had. Mainly because I felt so grownup—there were no tips to count at the end of the shift. Of course, I was an unpaid intern, so I counted out nothing at the end of a shift, except some real life lessons. They are ones I still carry today. Continue reading “There is No Just” »
May
14
Time to T-H-I-N-K
A friend had a good mantra going for the new year. She used the word Think as an acronym to remind herself to be more mindful when she spoke. She would do a quick assessment, asking herself: Is what I am going to say, Thoughtful, Helpful, Intelligent, Necessary, Kind? It brings a good light to the saying, think before you speak. I have a feeling that my friend’s practice may be one you have heard before, but have you practiced it lately? Continue reading “Time to T-H-I-N-K” »
May
13
Mono-Tasking…
I’m stealing this word from a friend who heard it from another friend…so if you are out there other friend, thanks!
It’s no secret that we think multitasking is not just necessary to getting things done in life, it is just a part of how life is done. How often do you talk to a friend on the phone while driving, emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry, checking email…the list could go on, but those are all the ones I’m willing to admit to. Between technology and the constructs of a society that says more is better—it must always be better to work at more than one thing at a time. But, is that really better? Are we really getting more done? Continue reading “Mono-Tasking…” »
May
12
Be a Pansy
When I was growing up my mother taught Sunday School. Each May she would have her kindergartners cut the tops off their half pint milk cartons, fill them with dirt, and then plant a Pansy inside to take home to their mothers for Mother’s Day. I once asked her if she chose the Pansy for a reason—thinking of thriftiness or weather, but no. My mother said: The Pansy has a face that smiles up at you, like the simply smile of a child. Continue reading “Be a Pansy” »
May
11
We are All A Link
In some of my yoga classes, we work towards a goal pose—a pose that might be challenging or new to students. We do postures to precede the goal pose by linking together a sequence that helps get us to where we are going. In this way, we can start to appreciate the work that goes into getting us to the other side or new opening. We begin to understand that our ‘goal’ is really just the sum of parts all linked together. They are not independent of one another, rather they are critical to both the integrity and the outcomes of our practice. Continue reading “We are All A Link” »
May
10
Switch…One Gear at a Time
When I was in college my boss at a restaurant tried to teach me how to drive stick shift. He was a kind, patient soul…I really don’t know what he was thinking. As we took to the streets in his pick-up truck, I concentrated completely. I was pressing in the clutch and gripping the gear shift so hard I think it left imprints on my hand. As I pulled through one intersection and hiccuped my way down the road, he said: “That was good. Now the next time you take it to third gear go through second, rather than from first to third.”
I never have gotten the hang of manual transitions, but I would like to. I like the methodical approach to driving, where you are a part of the engines work to accelerate. I like being in tune as something warms ups and moves on. It is similar to what the change of season offers. As the warmer weather finally sneaks in, we have the opportunity to move into a different pace, adopt new routines, and switch up how we approach this thing we call life.
A yoga teacher that I have studied with offered the idea that when we are changing from one pose to another, from one season to another, from one place in life to another, we should do it with respect and mindfulness. She advocates for what she calls micro-transitions, taking a slow, deliberate approach to moving onto the next thing, the next phase.
Perhaps this micro-transition is us moving into a new season, understanding that even if the weather warms up fast, we do have to. Perhaps this micro-transition is applicable to something else in our life: a turn of life’s usual dynamics, a new job, or the return of something or someone that had been absent in our lives. With respect to those individuals who have the go-to-it, have-at-it sensibility, I offer the idea that making a shift, switching gears does not have to mean taking a leap, going from low gear to high gear or even vice versa. Rather, I offer the thought to honor ourselves and the world around us by taking it slowly, switching gears one at a time—and, yes, going through second before getting to third.