I walked out the front door of my Florida home, stepping into a sky-blue-bright day blazing with heat, only to find a chicken turtle clinging to the edge of my paver-patterned driveway. As I approached, thinking how much it looked like a painted turtle our children once raised, it appeared more lethargic than frightened.
Read MoreThink of a seed that has been hibernating through the long winter in the cold crusty earth waiting for just the right moment to reach upward through the soil toward the warmth of the life-giving sun to fulfill its life purpose, its dharma. This is the qi (life-force energy) of springtime….
Read MoreOf all the paired human emotions, love and loss cause the most challenge for me. As an only child raised and nurtured in the embrace of two warm and closely knit families, I dreaded the passage of time with its inevitable march toward separation caused by death….
Read MoreAs I really began to look around me, I became acutely aware that this moment was a gift. Its value would not be determined by the number of Facebook ‘Likes’ or the fact that I shared a photo with a friend across the country. This moment needed no outside validation. Nor did I, despite my habitual need to somehow capture it all and offer it up for public consumption.
Read MoreEach lunch and dinner began with the most incredible soups and almost always included a stew option. Here are three of our favorites from our favorite Tanzanians, who shared them with love.
Read MoreNo matter where you live - in the city or in the country - summertime in the Upper Midwest is a time to enjoy the weather, not to spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals!
Read MoreFinding ourselves surrounded by lions in the heart of Tanzania, we held our collective breath. Here’s what happened next – you can’t make this up – and what I learned from the experience.
Read More…my life was forever changed. The life-coaching program emphasizes tapping into your feminine side and women supporting women. These ideas led to being introduced to the concept of a Power Partner. A Power Partner is an intentional platonic friend who you support and who feels supported by you.
Read MoreInner wars and conflicts never pass without struggle. Whether the focus is on love, relationship, food, exercise, money, or anything else, once the inner struggle begins, we easily bog down, mired in the mud of indecision and inaction. Ask me: I’m expert on this one.
Read MoreWhen I am in a mindful place, I feel free to witness my thoughts by labeling them as simply a type of thought (i.e., future, past, fear-based), and release them, connecting back to my breath and body. This practice of being in the moment allows me to distinguish between what’s true in that moment and the stories that sweep me away for minutes on end.
Read MoreOne day the question “What brings you alive?” caused her to sit up. Her immediate response was, “Not a doggone thing.“ With eyes brimming and a knot in her throat, she wondered, “When did I become so small? I need more! I want to LIVE!” she proclaimed aloud.
Read MoreTrusting your heart demands not only deep listening but also deep feeling. You cannot think your way to discovering your heart’s deepest longing. You must hear and feel it and then give it voice, clearly and compassionately….
Read MoreCrystals and stones can lend support and provide energetic balance during this time. Each stone has a unique molecular structure and vibration, one created as the stone forms. It is the vibrational frequency of the stone that gives each its properties….
Read MoreWhether we share our family recipes, our own creations, riffs on classics, or recipes informed by traditional medicine, our hope is that our recipes and food stories provide nourishment of both body and soul. They are sent with love and warm wishes.
This holiday season we’re sharing some of the “golden-oldie” favorites…
Read MoreIn the dark days of winter, around the Winter Solstice, we long for the light of the sun. Our wintertime traditions with stories of bright stars, traditions of Yule logs and candles, and decorating with twinkling lights all serve as reminders to look toward the coming light in all its forms.
Read MoreWhen I was a girl, the Christmas holiday was a weeklong gathering of my mom’s five siblings and all of their children in my grandparents’ house. We all cooked, baked cookies, strung popcorn and cranberries to hang on the tree, played cards, and sang together in the days leading up to Christmas.
Read MoreIf you have not prepared Indian food, this vibrantly yellow curry is a great place to start. Once you have these spices on hand, you can use them in varying combinations to prepare a variety of Indian dishes in addition to various curries including biryani, korma, and vindaloo.
Read MoreThis all-natural, skin soothing body butter is easy to make with just a few ingredients that can be found at a natural food market or ordered online.
Read MoreI started to examine how the repetitive, mundane tasks of life – whether working on the farm with all it entailed or, later, attending to my own home with its demands for care and payments – felt in my body. The more I focused on the chore, the more aware I became of the emotions and sensations emerging.
Read MoreDuring this time of year, when we are reminded to pause and feel gratitude for our good fortunes and blessings, I realize that “thanksgiving” has not been an annual event for me in a very long time. The practice of yoga, mindfulness, and healing brings gratitude front and center – a daily pause kindled by the observation of life’s victories, no matter how small.
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