A baby giraffe’s life begins with a six-foot drop

— a head-over-heels tumble to the earth —

where she’s caught by tall grass, tended by her mother, and

soon begins the intrepid act of standing and walking on her brand-new, wobbly legs.

I am happily home from my Paris/Chartres trip for my Labyrinth Facilitator training, and I have to say it was a wonderful experience. Being back at Chartres Cathedral felt more like home this time. It was as if I never left! There is a beautiful timelessness there that I find very comforting. 

And yet once again, I was struck by my body’s response to the space and to the labyrinth. 

As I walked the labyrinth the first time, I couldn’t believe how shaky my legs were. Yes, it had been a journey to get there and I’m sure I was tired, but this level of shakiness was something else. From my sacrum down I felt jittery, weak, and wobbly. I knew I wasn’t going to fall – I was safe – but there was a tremble within me that spoke of new life.

Well, it’s happening again. It’s 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 it’s not catching me off guard, but it’s just as intense! 

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 awww…It’ ALL the feels.

In this week’s 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:

“Trust 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...