It is easy to fall down on your kneesFrom a long poem and wonderful book by Mary Oliver called The Leaf and The Cloud (2000, p. 48):It is easy to fall down on your knees
when the shining rain begins to happen.
It is easy to be thankful
for the bundles of wild roses
ledged along the dune.
Is is as easy as if you were yourself a flower in the field,
the rain tossing you and tossing you,
until you are that flower—
as torn as muddy as golden as that.
—-
I have always loved those lines and remembered them, if not exactly, but their essence in my heart. Read more ›
A quick glance from afar and we might conclude something is spent, dried up, haggard. We might feel this way sometimes too — even as if there is nothing good or workable. Stopping and slowing and looking closely, we can still find a gem. Sometimes we need help from an outsider and their view.
As always for me, the star reminds there are many paths, many points that can lead to and support the same centre Read more ›
Balance. There is a concept in exercise physiology that to get maximum benefit, we need to alternate activity with rest, that we need to alternate more demanding activity with lighter activity, and that we need to have varied activity that differentially supports the development of flexibility, endurance, and strength. This sounds to me like a lesson for life. Students and hard-working non-students take note: in general one extreme or the other isn’t generally helpful. Read more ›
I imagine that the Forever inscribed and placed on this bench refers to the love and bond someone (or a group) has with another who is no longer living– a bond that will last forever. Encountering this bench made me feel quiet, and it made me also reflect on other bonds that we have and other commitments. Read more ›
Life can be full of distractions. Maybe life is one distraction after another on some level and sometimes satisfaction comes from engaging with what comes. I am moving offices May 1st and that has been one of my late winter/early spring distractions. To-do lists, anyone?
Of course, some things that come our way are very hard, painful, frightening, or sad. Then, if we can, being able to bring as much gentleness and care to ourselves (and others) Read more ›
It’s been a while since I’ve written. The mid and late fall were taken up with seeing clients and with supervision meetings–preparing for what did end up being my final exam to complete my registration for autonomous practice with the College of Psychologists here in Ontario. (Note: I’ve passed. I’m done!) Tragically, a week later I experienced a heart-breaking loss in my life. Then it was the holidays. I’m unfolding from all of this and am both getting back to routines, as well as consciously and deliberately working to create some new ones.
Today I would like to share a quote from a wonderful little book I read in the fall by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness. Read more ›
Today I watched the talk “How Economic Inequality Harms Societies” given by Richard Wilkinson at TED.com and I wanted to share it. The presenter speaks of the compelling relationship between the degree of income disparity in a country and the degree of health of the individuals who live there. Over and over again, the findings suggest that the greater the disparity, the poorer will be all the people’s health in that country, including people’s mental health. Read more ›
Sitting on my counter for the past while has been a beautiful, locally, lovingly, organically grown baking pumpkin. This weekend, it was time to use it, and I opted to make gluten-free pumpkin muffins. One of the first steps, after washing it, was to cut the pumpkin open. Trials with five separate knives later, mission was accomplished.
About one-quarter to one-third of the way through trying to cut the pumpkin open–and likely while I wrestled to pull a stuck knife out of the vegetable–I began to fantasize Read more ›
Let me begin with the introduction of some terms: spool (not the kind for thread), water box, elevation, drop, a “y”, underground services, mains, laterals, hydraulic…. Earlier this month, I faced an emergency of sorts when the sewer drain outside my home became completely clogged and damaged by tree roots.
This was an unexpected and vastly consuming situation, a problem I was unaware of but had clearly been developing for a long time until it reached some tipping point and then, voila! Read more ›
He accepted–really accepted whole-heartedly–that he was angry and jealous, that he resisted and struggled, and that he was afraid. He accepted that he was also precious beyond measure–wise and foolish, rich and poor, and totally unfathomable. He felt so much gratitude that in the total darkness he stood up, walked toward the snake [a source of great fear], and bowed.
–Pema Chodron, When Things Fall Apart, p. 5; [square bracket text added by Tracy]
You put your whole self in. You put your whole self out. You put your whole self in…. That’s what it’s all about.
— Lyrics from The Hokey Pokey
I believe concepts of self-compassion and emotion regulation are closely related.One aspect that can be found in both is the intention and action of honouring. Read more ›
