What became of Little Red Riding Hood? This podcast episode, another retelling of an ancient tale, meditative storytelling for adults. We begin with a journey back, to the development of our identity at age 7-9 years old, and breathing into that identity, sending intention and compassionate energy to that version of our young selves. SnuggleContinue reading “Stirring the Dark: Episode 2”
Author Archives: TerraLea
Cleaning the Gook on the Window. Or, how to love myself with integrity.
The window I face during morning meditation has a streak of bird poo on it. High enough that when I am seated and focused, I don’t see it. When I get up, I do see it, but I choose not to. I literally look through the gook on the window at the beautiful autumn leaves,Continue reading “Cleaning the Gook on the Window. Or, how to love myself with integrity.”
Stirring the Dark: Pandora’s Gifts
Through history, humans asked, ‘why suffering? Why can this life be so rife with violence, illness and disease?’ Why do good people suffer?” The answer is that all life is peril and possibility. The way to wisdom is seeing all life, all experience as material with which to practice presence, kindness and patience as we grow. All is sacred.
The Only Way OUT is IN.
Rhythms of the elements echo in our bodies, breath, and blood. Elemental air, water, earth, wood and mineral reverberate in every tissue, organ, and cell. These building blocks of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, sodium— all inform our human growth and development from first breath to last. The more we tune in to our earthiness, the moreContinue reading “The Only Way OUT is IN.”
Looking into the face of fear
I know it’s not Halloween yet, but I couldn’t resist. Pretty awful illustration of a terrifying squid, right? Only a mother could love. One day I was talking to a friend about fear; I asked what she was afraid of. She said, “Nothing, I’m not afraid of anything!” And the truth is, she is prettyContinue reading “Looking into the face of fear”
Which story do I choose: Divine constellations of light or blowing a fuse?
Our tour group of eight kayaks followed our guide like wandering ducklings out into Desolation Sound, off the north coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The sun was low in the sky, the clouds shades of purple and magenta, tree lined shores dark in shadow. We were on what we hoped to beContinue reading “Which story do I choose: Divine constellations of light or blowing a fuse?”
Happy face sticker on an empty gas tank?
“I’m fine.” “No, really, I’m fine.” “Just fine. Really.” I don’t believe it, do you? Our American culture teaches us to play ‘nice’, pretend all is well, that we are ‘fine’, when we are not— cuz’ nobody wants to be around a drag. Nobody wants ‘bad vibes’. And the truth may be that we areContinue reading “Happy face sticker on an empty gas tank?”
What is your hope buoy?
When I am feeling unsteady, uncertain, unmoored, irritated, triggered by whatever is current and present in my life—if, and that’s a big IF, I pause and notice, I can feel my face settle into lines and sags. My eyebrows fall, the corners of my mouth slide down, muscles of my jaw tighten and my neck constricts like angry snakes. You too?
Is this my deepest heart’s desire?
When I was seven, I hurried to the gym after school for ballet class. We giggled in the bathroom, wriggling into pink tights and black leotards, pulling on flat pink leather slippers and settling into our spots on the gym floor, as the record player music swelled with Tchaikovsky. Our warm-ups began with butterfly, kneesContinue reading “Is this my deepest heart’s desire?”
When Yoga Hurts.
When yoga hurts: Pausing with pain. Her directions were clear, “From all fours, sit back onto the heels, buttocks to calves, then lift and straighten the spine. Turn all ten toes under, settling all the weight down on the hips and balls of the feet, keep the spine straight, hold palms together at heart center.”Continue reading “When Yoga Hurts.”