In a newsletter this past spring, my dear friend Kelly shared a teaching she heard years ago: A Queen Never Rushes.  Since reading it, this phrase has been my guiding mantra.

Studies have found that imagining your life without something that you love -- as opposed to just feeling grateful for it -- has a greater impact on your emotional well-being.

When I take Pearl for walks (full moon walk in photo at top), I love to listen to podcasts. Usually I listen to business podcasts, but lately I've been enjoying a break and listening to something fun.

Last week I listened to David Whyte on On Being, where he talks, in part, about asking Beautiful Questions.

Attention is closely related to intention, which we are familiar with in yoga practice. We can set an intention at the start of the day or a task, which will guide our attention.

Here’s my question for you… When something’s got to give, what goes first for you?

(For me, it’s social activities. Next it’s making dinner -- I recently found a couple of local vegan meal prep services! And sometimes, yes, it's my self care.)

It's one of the most important questions we can ask when considering any kind of protocol or advice: "For whom and when?"

This is a common adage in Ayurveda and other holistic systems of health. But it need not be relegated to the medical field.

What kind of yoga class is best?

What should I eat?

Should I work out or take it easy today?

It's one of the most important questions we can ask when considering any kind of protocol or advice: "For whom and when?"

This is a common adage in Ayurveda and other holistic systems of health. But it need not be relegated to the medical field.

What kind of yoga class is best?

What should I eat?

Should I work out or take it easy today?

When you are nourished, you can do more...with ease. When you are rested, you make better decisions and are more focused.

Or put conversely, when we "power through" a rough patch, we stress our immune systems, we can be grumpy and impatient, and because it's not sustainable, we will burn out.

At the start of the pandemic, I offered a mediation called, "Of course."

As in, of course you bought all the toilet paper, of course you have a headache, of course you yelled at the dog.

Dear January,

I appreciate your enthusiasm, as you charge through the doorway of December 31 with streamers and a song. You cheer us on with gusto as we stumble out of the holiday snow globe.

It’s come to my attention that some people I think I have it all together.

I heard from several women in the 50/50 conversations that I can come across with a kind of perfection that's easy to idealize.

Yes, I am kind and compassionate, elegant and generous, self-aware and insightful, intelligent and good at what I do.

Through the filters of my values, I could step through the unexpected and feel guided rather than abandoned.

The 50/50 conversations are underway and what a gift this has been already! I've talked to ten women so far and have been touched by every conversation. In fact, this letter is based on one of those conversations.

In 50 days, I'll turn 50 years old. In honor of that, I want to talk with 50 women before my birthday.

I want to talk with you.

This summer I had a therapy session with a new person and gave her a brief overview of things that have happened in the past some-odd years… lost a child, got married, had cancer, moved…

This goes out to anyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong or fit in. Anyone in the Misfit Club.

It might be that you didn’t fit in with your family of origin.

Everything in nature responds to cycles and seasons.
Plants open and turn and close in response to the light.
Birds find food and migrate and mate according to the season.
The things in your garden - plant or vegetable - sprout and blossom and wilt and die in rhythm with a natural life cycle.

A new season is here! The weather has shifted, the light is changing and the holidays are upon us.

It’s a great time for a reset.

In case you haven't had a chance to listen to the Fire on the Mountain podcast I shared last week, I wanted to offer my favorite part of the story.

In the podcast, Ann Black shares how her family lost their home to the fire in the Santa Cruz mountains last year. Like all of the stories of fire loss and the devastation forest fires bring, it is a heartbreaking story.

There is a Taoist story of an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.