The Happenings

Friday, April 24, 2015

Borrowed Light

Borrowed --
A tiny speck of light.
Sorrowed --
Dimmed daily by the night.

Light --
Bottled into life.
Drunk --
Trippin on each strife.

Love --
Is life and light, is one
Webs --
Into which all the dust is spun

Borrowed --
Dust & light from stars.
Borrowed --
Souls that are not ours
Thanks for lending
The time and I
Being -- Spending.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Springtime Shenanigans

#springtimeshenanigans

Coming soon!

Share in the comments what you've been doing in this amazing weather. I would love to hear :)

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Tom & I

It’s Tom and I’s anniversary today! Our 4th lap around the Sun together. I can’t believe it has been this long, only because it has felt SO short. My time with him has been filled with uncontrollable laughter, tickle fights, challenging conversations, empowerment, daily adventures, and larger adventures. The lessons I find through relationship with Tom have been…perfect. In the right quantities, at just the right times. Even the challenging parts, I find myself reflecting and thinking…”damn that was hard for me…but it feels like exactly what I needed.” I’m so grateful to be with him. He is always there to bring me back down to Earth with I fly out a little too far, and he is always ready to hold space when I ask. I am always pulling him further when he is too far grounded. This year it played out as a trip to Alaska.

Together we are constantly reminded of the wild significance of communication. Honest communication at ALL COSTS…even if your scared to say something, or afraid of hurting feelings, communicate. It hurts much worse to not know how to show up for one another. He has embraced and accepted me in all seasons and all forms. From lovely raging bitch to sweet gentle nurturer, he has loved and embraced it all. Tom, you are one hell of a human being. Thank you for your imperfectly perfect loving for the last 4 years, cheers to the journey <3

Pictures from 2011 <3

Monday, February 16, 2015

Valentines Mushy Gush

Valentine's day usually isn't celebrated in our situation because our anniversary is on the following weekend. Rather than try to milk each other for materials and goodies, we generally keep it to one day, the day we decided to be together.

This year we both ended up doing small little things for each other anyway :) It was amazing to see one small act trickle into another small act, and so on. For example, the day after my treat to Tom, I recycled those materials and shared some valentines day imagery and chocolate with my yoga students.

Jumanji, our cat, felt the loving too.

Love is for everyday, not just valentines day :) keep spreading it. ❤️ Tom gifted me a planter tray so we can start a garden this year! Small acts = big change.

Ms. Manji totally agrees :)

Sunday, January 4, 2015

2015- Cliche New Years Post

As we collectively begin moving into a new year, a certain vibe begins take place. As facebook displays the alga rhythmic outcomes of “your year in review”, I feel nudged toward self-reflection. Other messages in advertising/marketing that surround the New Year remind us that we can re-create ourselves with statements like “This is your year”, “Start the New Year off right by…”, “Want to kick off your New Year the right way?”, “Stay Fit this Year by…”, “#NewYearsFitnessChallenge, etc.

In self-reflection there is an opportunity to experience insight into death and the vibes of rebirth. We can reflect on moments of challenge, suffering, or defeat as well as moments of ease, pleasure, or triumph. Both necessary to life. Perhaps we might take a pause to evaluate our choices and reactions in those moments.

Accepting that those moments are gone, passed & dead, means accepting that the old you from those moments is also dead. Past is dead, making space for new life. Life saturated with contextual novelty; new stronger versions of the self and new vulnerable versions of the self riding each ever re-newing waves…crash, cruise, crash, cruise.

We can learn to ride the waves of rebirth (cruise) by accepting the waves of death/defeat (crash). As soon as we accept the crash, we’re cruising again. The old us is dead, constantly dying and crashing (successes, failure, and all) making space to move toward new patterns. Space to try new things, to rearrange, and to move toward greater love and compassion for others and one’s self.

Each time we wake up it’s like a cruise wave, a chance for rebirth. There is the choice to accept the yesterday self as dead, so that a new self can emerge. Crashes come and we struggle to accept the things in life that are out of our control. Surviving a crash means to accept it, go into the crash, submit to life, and to die to our mad desire to be constantly cruising.

Death/defeat and the feeling of failure give us the space and ability to grow, because to change or grow, something must die. In nature, a seed needs good soil drenched with microbial death and decay in order to grow into a healthy plant. So this year, I want to remember to accept the crashes as they come, but until then, cruise on.

I spent this winter solstice in Chicago with my boyfriend's family. It was a great experience. There is always a fleet of anxiety I get just before we go, and as soon as we arrive it dissipates. Growing up as, what Chi-town folks would consider, a country girl in Central Illinois I found a strikingly different attitude in Chicago.

“You are nothing special.”

There are just SOOOO many people, all the time, and pretty much at all hours just buzzing about doing things all different, some the same. Getting dipped in such a diverse and large population, for more than two days, enlightened this huge awakening that will carry me through this New Year. As much as I matter, I don't.

For the first time, I sat with this idea, rather than feeling offended by it. I chewed it up, swallowed it down and let it sink deep. It actually felt relieving. Each New Year I set out with the upmost ambition to change myself for the better, to make this New Year something to remember, or to "get it together". I have too much ambition, time to tone it down.

This year, I am trying something radically different. Instead of fighting and striving to change things in my life situation and self, I’m just going to sit with it, listen and feel it all: the good things, the bad things, the bitter things, all of it. Instead of moving toward the moment with aggression and greed to be productive and pleased, I’ll move toward the moment with surrender and softness. Why? Life is ready to be our greatest spiritual teacher if we choose to see it, and naturally our great teacher wants us to grow.

So for 2015, life decides.

More pictures from Chicago adventures.

Shed-Aquarium & City Skating mostly :)