the bare minimum (in a day ... of practice)

I had to add the above parenthetical clarification alas the prudence of anticipating perverse online lurkers (I just deleted ten gibberish comments on previous posts, the work of a computer Hal, offensive only in that it makes no sense.)

What I was thinking as I caught myself about to sling-shot into my day, was that in honoring Simplicity (my walking stick for the year) I need to clarify what constitutes the bare essentials for my well-being. What am I able to commit to on a regular basis? What is the bare minimum required to keep me more or less balanced, by which I mean, not capsizing into fast moving, murky waters?


So there I was, finishing my morning levee, mind racing with the to-dos for this packed day of appointments - Yes, I have the burden of an 11 am massage and 3:30 eye doctor appointment - and I had mentally squashed a half dozen activities into the coming 2 hours when I remembered: This.

It took my breath away.  All that anticipated hustle and bustle halted by one word: This. Well, two words really. And this ...

seeking: connection & simplicity (a spoonful of wisdom from a dear friend)

My life - this, and this - the threads that will form into some sort of pattern or design. Yet who is the weaver? Who is in charge of quality control? I immediately made my way to my meditation cushion, recognizing the need for a sacred pause.  As I settled in (okay, attempted to settle ... thoughts being like wild horses, they rarely become docile in an instant) I promised myself Ten breaths. This is doable. Ten breaths focusing upon rooting, grounding, connecting. Ten breaths to gather the energy of earth and heaven, bringing that into my heart and exhaling it back out into my world. Ten breaths done with full attention, commitment, gratitude and love can make a difference in my day and that is all I really need to think about. This day and how I choose to welcome and receive it.

I confess, I have a couple of bare minimum practices that I struggle to maintain. Yet doing so makes all the difference in how I experience my life. Still sketching daily (adding color through watercolor paints is a necessary prescription to combat The Blahs brought on by January's monochrome palette) and taking one photo a day.  Because life does change in the course of one day and I am committed to paying attention. You know, not wanting to miss the miracle ;)

And speaking of magical thinking (well, I was headed there and hoping others are following me) ... 
 
I am happy to announce the Winner of Spectrum 2015 membership: Laurie!

I have decided to take the time to think about things before immediately saying "Yes, I'll do it!". This year, if it doesn't feel right to me, I'm going to decline even if it makes someone not happy with me. Sounds simple but I know myself well enough that if I am not constantly present and aware, I will fall back into this self-defeating bad habit.

Congratulations Laurie! And here's to honoring your boundaries, honoring the space that "no" can allow.   Oh my woman, you have created some of the most lovely zentangle spirit guides and how have I missed reading your blog? Thank goodness for Connection and rediscovering your gifts.  

Spectrum 2015 launches May 1 but there is an early bird discount registration available through the end of January, so get thee over there soon to sign up and save! 

Thank you everyone for your comments. It was inspiring to read the many ways you are choosing to show up for yourself and honor sacred care. I know I will be borrowing some of your ideas. 
 

Spectrum 2015 (giveaway!)

I am excited - and a wee bit daunted! -  to announce that I am part of an amazing array of instructors participating in collective offering known as Spectrum.  This is the love child of Hali Karla who has done an inspiring job of gathering a beautifully diverse and rich group of women dedicated to self discovery, healing and celebration through a variety of means including art, photography, meditation, sacred ceremony, and so much more. In Hali's words:

Spectrum is a collective of holistic-minded artists, healers and visionaries
that have come together to offer a unique online experience devoted to awakening, exploring, deepening & celebrating your innate wisdom and intuition through visual journaling and more.

When you sign up for Spectrum, you will be receiving access to 25 workshops offered by some of my favorite teachers, writers & artists including Jamie Ridler, Julie Daley, and Lisa Sonora Beam, to name just a few.  Content will be delivered in 4 installments of downloadable PDFs which means you can work at your own pace, dip in and out and revisit whenever you like! And you will want to revisit some of these beauties ... just take a gander and drool at the individual listings HERE.

My offering is Mandala Moon Meditations, my on-going practice for the past years of creating a mandala each month to investigate and celebrate the wisdom of that month's moon cycle and how I experience that energy manifesting in my own life and consciousness.  It has been an incredible vehicle for deepening my connection to Nature and to understanding my own inner cycles and rhythms. By understanding the impact of the seasons upon my own energy, I have been better able to utilize that energy, knowing when to flow, when to create, and when to rest and recuperate.  I am excited to deepen my own practice as I share my work with others.

The first journal (pdf with 6 workshop/lessons) will be sent out on May 1, 2015 with subsequent deliveries on June 15, September 1 and October 15, 1015.  Right now there is an early bird reduced registration price of $99 available until January 31.  After that, the price is $120.  That's less than $5 per workshop! 

I have one membership to gift and am offering it via a giveaway here and through Facebook.  Leave me a comment here (or on the corresponding Facebook Thread) and let me know what is your intention for self care in the coming year? What one-thing could you commit to right now to deepen your relationship with yourself, as an on-going act of befriending and honoring the sacred being that is you? 

I will draw a winner on January 20 (the new moon of course!) and announce on the 21st.

Good luck! 

Full disclosure: I am an affiliate of Spectrum, so when if you register after following the link here on my blog, I will be receiving a percentage of that registration fee.