Spring, 2017

Welcome to My Blog! 

 Some may know that I wrote a book and published it last year. Once completed (after three years), I put that aside and moved on to other endeavors. But I found that I really miss writing! I have kept a journal for the last twenty years, where I held all my musings and secrets of my own changes and growth, and even that came to a slow pause. Although I do write a monthly e-newsletter as a preview to my events, it is not the same as writing my thoughts as they come to me, with the intention of adding freedom to creativity. I enjoy the process of putting my thoughts on a page and transforming them into hopefully some kind of seamless, or maybe even imperfect, story. I also appreciate others sharing their stories of life’s tidbits and synchronicities as well as deeper transformational narratives, so my hope is that folks feel the same way about my work and are inspired. 

 So, I welcome spring with my first blog. It is the season of birthing, the energy of newness, the smell of moist dirt and the blowing of winds reminding us of changes to come. I consider March the “bridging” month, offering me the space to move from winter to spring, clearing and cleansing all aspects of myself to prepare for planting seeds of new growth and opportunities. My body wakes up and welcomes the chance to walk more and to enjoy watching nature wake up alongside me, as my mental state becomes more awake and alive. 

 I also follow the spring messages from the Ojibwa Medicine Wheel in which I’ve been trained. I love that the names of the Moons during March and April are called Big Winds Moon and Budding Trees Moon, which tell us exactly what is going to happen at that time in nature. These phases remind us to live in harmony with nature, to accept and appreciate what is occurring even when we might not like it. Nature and all its inhabitants have lessons to teach us when we can open our hearts to listen and observe. Each element, animal, tree, plant, rock – everything – is alive with energy and has a spirit. Each of these can contain important messages for us but it is a practice to become quiet and listen to what they can tell you. I can walk by a tree and ask a specific question or just “what do you have to tell me today”, and almost always get an answer. You may believe that this is coming from you, that you are making it up. But I will tell you the answer is usually exactly what I need to hear, even when it’s not something I want to hear. I don’t think I would make that up! 

 The key is in the silence. In our overly busy, noisy world, there is nothing more I crave than silence and it is almost impossible to find. I walk all over the beautiful Lake County forest preserves and challenge the woods to dim the hum of traffic. But with lots of practice, I can block out the noise or distractions and calm my mind to find my inner silence. 

 What does Spring mean for you? Planting and tending a garden, detoxing your body, more exercise, cleaning out your closets or washing windows? (I remember my mom making a big thing of washing windows each spring and now I appreciate that so I can see the beauty of nature clearly through the glass.) Or do you wish for more meaning in your life, more community connection, or something that feeds your soul. Whatever it is, make an intention, write it down, and do it! 

 Next time, I will write about creating intentions and how to manifest them. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.