I am getting so excited about my return to the Chartres Cathedral in Chartres, France next week! If youâve been following my adventures these last couple of years, [blog post: Life is Messy] you know Iâve become an outspoken labyrinth enthusiast. I find this ancient spiritual practice so deeply effective, enjoyable, and revelatory, Iâm telling anyone whoâll listen and everyone I meet. (Okayâmaybe Iâm not THAT overboard, but itâs not far off.)
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I have so much enthusiasm about labyrinth practice, I just want to know more, do more, and lead. Thatâs why this trip is for me to do my Labyrinth Facilitator Training with Veriditas in the most well-known and well-walked labyrinth in the world; the blueprint for thousands of other labyrinths: Chartres Cathedral.Â
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Since youâre going to hear a lot more in this space about labyrinths and meetups and pilgrimages and events, I thought Iâd answer the first main question that comes up:
Whatâs a labyrinth? And is it like a maze?
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A labyrinth ...
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few."Â ~ Shunryu Suziki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
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I donât love crossword puzzles in general, but I do the New York Times mini-crossword everyday. I love it! Itâs little, itâs timed, and it makes me think. One of the first things I noticed about myself when I started doing them on the daily during Covid was that my mind tended to lock in and lock down on what I think an answer should be. To change my mind about that was nearly impossible. I could almost feel the answer I had running a rut through my brain, digging a deeper and deeper thought trench until I couldnât get out.Â
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Hereâs an example: âWhat do you mean the answer isnât âfresh'? Itâs gotta be âfresh.â Thatâs the only five letter word for ânew!â...OhâI see. âNovel.â Yeah, that works too.â
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This, to me, feels like an expert mind. I thought I absolutely knew it, but I didnât. Surely the Times had it wrong this week! Had I come to th...
It's that time of year, and life, again. But this time it's even worse. This era is coming to an end...
Last year around this time I realized I needed to step back from my to-do list and step fully into the transition taking place: Nate was graduating high school. It was a happy-sad time of letting go and launching our oldest bird from the nest. (Remember this one? "Maternity Leave for Graduation")
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After he was settled in his new life at school, things settled into a new normal, and my blogging, podcasting, teaching, coaching, and retreats returned full force. This has been an exciting year of yoga and intentional living for us all!Â
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And here we are again, but now it's Havia's turn to fly, and that's it for this nest. (Our dog Lila just said, "Excuse ME?") And I'm just as emotional, or more, than last year. I'm happy-sad all over the place!Â
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And when my emotions run high, my creativity runs low. (This is very chakra two, by the way.)Â
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I will happily continue teaching in ...
Do you have wise friends? Or at least ONE wise friend? Thankfully, I do. Several, actually. And when they drop a wisdom bomb on me, it sears in my mind and hopefully pops up when needed. I needed this particular wisdom bomb recently, so I hope this resonates with you as well and proves useful in the future...or perhaps right now.
This was several years ago, and I was sharing with this friend something that was happening in my life at the time. I honestly don't even remember what that thing was. I only remember her response. She said, "Things from God are simple and clear. Things not from God are confusing."Â
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Recently I was faced with a decision and I was trying to discern if something was an opportunity or a distraction. This "opportunity" sounded so great! But I couldn't get a really clear picture of what it actually entailed and exactly how I would benefit if I signed on. But it was so tempting if it was really true! I was having the hardest time deciding!Â
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And then I remember...
I hope you are feeling well today and are in the groove of Springtime! The bluebonnets are finally out here in the Texas Hill Country, which always makes me happy. Theyâre not as spectacular as last year, but theyâre doing their best, Iâm sure!Â
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And now with the New Moon behind us, Iâve been reflecting on our last Chakra Savvy⢠Intention session. It was so powerful! As we went through the process of setting our intentions, I realized something that I wanted to bring to you here, and thatâs how to create a powerful intention that will bring about the changes you truly desire. There is a skill to this, and Iâm here to help!Â
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First, it really helps to settle the mind. If you ask your active mind a question, you wonât get at your deep heart answers, which are closer to your soulâs desire. So begin by settling your mind with some simple breath and movement connection. (In this weekâs Chakra Savvy podcast episode 57 I take you through these steps more in-depth, so tune in wherever ...
I donât know about you, but recovering from Daylight Savings was tough for me this year. I was discombobulated for a week! As if that wasnât enough, I also got hit with a nasty bout of poison ivy, then I jammed my finger in a fallâso letâs just say sleep has been challenging and fitful these days. And I know Iâm not alone in this.
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Whenever I work with clients, sleep always comes upâbecause it impacts everything! Our mood, digestion, energy, and even relationships are all affected by how well we rest. And so many things can knock us out of our rhythm: travel, illness, unexpected guests, new work projects⌠Like they say, the only constant in life is change.
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Thatâs why self-compassion is key. When life throws us off, we donât need to panicâwe simply hop back on that routine train as soon as possible. Shaking things up from time to time is good for you! But over time, regularity is what regulates your nervous system. And a regulated nervous system makes it easier to fall asleep and...
I'm hearing a lot of confusion-, frustration-, and whip-lash-created stress out there. I know a lot of you are taking a social media break, while some are tuning out of news. And I am all for whatever helps you keep your sanity! So much so that I dedicated a whole podcast series to Fostering Equanimity During Times of Change.
We often talk about âchange,â but sometimes "chaos" or "turbulence" is the better word. And when life feels out of controlâwhether through political shifts, cultural upheavals, or personal strugglesâit can deplete our third chakra, leaving us exhausted and powerless.
So regardless of the cause, if youâve noticed yourself:
âď¸ Feeling low-energy
âď¸ Avoiding tasks
âď¸ Losing motivation
âď¸ Struggling to focus
âŚyour solar plexus chakra (Manipura) may be in need of support. And this week's podcast episode is all about it.
This week I invite you to try an acknowledgment practice. At the end of the day, simply write down three things you DID today. Think of it as a gra...
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⨠Itâs happening.â¨Â
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This is a little dream (okayâHUGE dream!) Iâve had since I went on a retreat to Chacala, Mexico with Dr. Deb Kern through One Yoga Global in 2023. Every day there was an immersion in sun, surf, saltwater, and stars. I couldnât believe I went to bed at 8:30 and rose at 5:30, all without the help of alarm clocks (unless you count the birds). I felt in touch with the natural rhythms of life, as the pace was slow enough to lose time hanging in a hammock by the ocean, and punctuated by delicious meals made from the on-site farm. The practice studio is open-air or controlled temp, and the staff is kind, helpful, and professional.Â
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â¨Â Itâs heaven.â¨Â
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I can still taste my morning coffee, seated in big comfy chairs overlooking the coast as I watch the pelicans dive for breakfast. Staring out into space has never been so satisfying. The digital world just slipped awayâŚ
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â¨Â Iâm going back.â¨Â Â
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And I want you to come with me.
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May 10-16, 2026 Iâm hosting Chak...
How are you feeling these days? Are things moving along, or are you feeling kinda stuck or stymied? I feel like every week is one long back-and-forth between these energies. So Iâm doing my best to hold onto the âOMâ inside like a zip line and just let it ride.Â
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This past weekend I found myself cleaning out files and drawers and getting things in order for no particular reason. Then I remembered something a wise woman said to me at a gathering I was at several years ago. After I told her I was feeling stuck but cleaned out the garage, she said,
âMove the material, and the spirit will follow.â
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And just like that I knew what she meant! Energy begets energy, and overcoming inertia in one area can affect the others.Â
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I realized it was happening in the reverse. I know my Life is moving in a certain direction, but I donât know what that looks like in the material world yet. So what was I doing with the files and drawers? I was preparing the way. Whatever is mine to do next will ...
Well, itâs happening again. Itâs starting to sink in that my second and youngest child (Havia) is preparing to leave the nest. Last year around this time I was surprised at how emotional I was about preparing for our first, Nate, to leave for college. This time itâs not catching me off guard, but itâs just as intense!Â
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In a mere six months from now she will be moving into her dorm at the University of Iowa where she will begin her studies to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, her life-long dream. And Nick and I will be empty-nesters. Yay! And awwwâŚItâ ALL the feels.
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In this weekâs podcast Episode 52, TRUST, I talk about her trip to the acupuncturist, how she inspired me with her trust, and I read to you from Anodea Judith's Eastern Body, Western Mind about trust as a chakra one issue:
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âTrust or mistrust is the basic element of your first chakra program, which is a foundation for all the other programs that follow. Trust enables your body to unfold from its cramped posit...
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