Category Archives: General

I just returned from an incredible 10-day retreat. Actually, I returned about six days ago and somehow found myself dog-sitting at one house and cat-sitting at another nearby home for those days. (Note to self – I prefer being around animals post-retreat, rather than fast-paced, coffee-brain-type people; but I would rather not have to doContinue reading “Back from retreat, mind yearns for more”

It’s that time of the year again! Time to go quietly into the darkest time of the year. At least as quietly as a radiant compassionate smile, or the volume of full ripe noble silence. 🙂 I am participating in another dynamic Winter retreat that involves some silent meditation (Vipassyana or Shamatha), some Zapchen SomaticsContinue reading “10 day Winter retreat”

Recently, I was invited to a precious gathering. There was a yogini / acupuncturist, a yogi / health educator, a shaman / bodyworker and myself. (So you know this might be a potent evening!) We had dinner and then gathered for a 45 minute meditation. My friend led it. She introduced a Nyingma type ofContinue reading “Three Spaces meditation”

Hello dear readers, I am so very excited to be going to massage school in beautiful, sacred, pristine Crestone Colorado in January (later in the month). I will be driving out there, so just that road trip will be an adventure! I have started a Go Fund Me page to assist me in getting theContinue reading “I am so excited about massage school (want to donate to my massage education fund?)!”

Hello dear readers, As you probably have heard, I am heading off toward the setting sun in January, so I should say the low sun and cold days, driving West to go to a unique massage school. It is a heaven and earth school, meaning that in addition to massage techniques, they teach a lotContinue reading “In spite of prepping to leave for school, staying busy!”

Hello dear readers! I just got my home study books for massage school. Exciting! And it is amazing how many chapters they have assigned to have finished in the next six weeks – I think 2 or 3 chapters a week of reading will be necessary, plus memorizing countless muscles. Thank goodness I have aContinue reading “got my books for massage school; need to study :-)”

For all of you regular readers (thank you BTW!), I have been attempting to maintain a semi-retreat in the month of November – which meant doing one to three (or rarely four) hours of practice a day, in addition to maintaining a life as a lay person in Virginia, USA. The past couple days though,Continue reading “Semi-retreat stalling a bit, but virtuous conduct continues”

If you have been keeping track of my previous posts the past couple weeks, you will remember my mentioning being in quasi retreat. That is because it was my intention in the month of November to pretty much take time off. I have been doing that pretty well. But let me be clear. When theContinue reading “Semi-retreat is both contemplative & active”

Did 3 Sources qigong with a friend. Wow! It was about 50% warm up, lots of jiggling and bouncing, along with eye rolls, head roll, shoulders, elbows, knees, etc. Very focused on rooting (into the ground, into Mother Earth). Surprised there were a few tongue exercises. The main practice was more inner chi awareness andContinue reading “3 Sources Qigong; inner juicy delicious graceful dance”

My quasi-retreat is some days, anything but a retreat. For instance, yesterday I went out to my parent’s house (Mom and step-father to be precise) and loaded wood, made runs with the wheel barrow and stacked it in the wood shed. They should have enough wood for this winter unless it is extremely cold. NotContinue reading “Chop wood, carry water?”