slow down.
be still and silent.

some anthropologists, psychologists, healers and life coaches have defined well-being, using the wisdom of ancient spiritual traditions. for instance, angeles arrien suggests that restoring our health and well-beingbegins with song, dance, storytelling and silence, as do frame drummer layne redmond, 5rhythms founder gabrielle roth, cantadora clarissa pinkola estes and medicine woman and yogini, ana forrest.

and in her new book, martha beck invites us to experience four technologies of magic: wordlessness, oneness, imagination and forming. she affirms that “the procedure for reclaiming your true nature [well-being] and finding your way in the wild new world is always the same: drop into wordlessness, sense your environment and position through oneness, imagine what you want, and form things – situations, objects, relationships, projects, activities – that express your unique perspective. there’s a pleasingly brief word for this kind of radical creativity. it’s called art.”

the alchemical arts of journal writing, 5rhythms movement, vinyasa yoga, mindfulness meditation, ocean gazing, nature hikes, pleasure reading and sleep help restore my well-being.

{post prepared for 3SV wellness series.}

be in nature.
listen to the trees.

ease.

as always, i wanted it to be sexier (radiance, thrive, flourish) or more spiritual (grace, presence). but in the end, it’s the mantra i keep repeating to myself. to go easy on myself, the children, the challenge, the what is. to find ease in the moment (whatever the moment presents). to exhale, rest, ground, surrender. this year whatever i feel or do, whatever the day offers, i hope to meet more moments with ease (or at least with more ease than my long-standing default setting of fear and anxiety invites).

the buddhist mediation of lovingkindness is guiding me…
may i be healthy.
may i be happy.
may i be peaceful.
may i live with ease.

in the spirit of ease, i highly recommend this talk by elizabeth gilbert, encouraging all of us to go easy on ourselves.

be wild.

feel your feet.
be in your body.