This past weekend I joined hundreds of family and friends in celebrating the life of our beautiful friend Richard. His love of poetry, food and drink, travel, his wife and sons, and his questionable safety around pond skating, especially at night, was fondly remembered between tears and laughter. Like so many across land and sea, I will miss him.
The poem below is the last entry in his latest book of poetry,
Way To Go
Pick up a copy at your local independent bookstore or Amazon in a pinch.
Amazon in a pinch.
What was not mentioned in the memorial service was his love of green tape, which I feel called to i
Grooving to this
Early acoustic Jack Johnson (2004-Pre In Between Dreams) with his band Sprout House Buddies
Spanish Flowers
I am also digging this 1968 Reggae version of this renamed classic by
Val Bennett
The Russian Are Coming
Sometimes I like to work through ideas/designs/connections using collage (paper + glue), but during a recent wander through the forest, I realized all the materials I need were right in front of me. Why sit at a desk looking at magazines to repurpose, rearrange, reimagine? Now I get to integrate all the things I love while creating: Being outside, using my body for a variety of movements, utilize my five senses while gathering material, and best of all, no toxic products, no landfill, and I get to smile as it blows away: storage needed!
Hand + Land Collaboration: Fern, Saxifrage, Birchbark, May 2023
Quote I'm relying on some mornings….
“Today is a perfect day. I've never seen this one before.”
-Maya Angelou
-Maya Angelou
Body Scans, focusing on the breath, Loving Kindness (Metta), Open Awareness, Vipassana, or MBSR are just a few of the many meditation styles one can take. But will they really make you calmer, more productive, less stressed, or more compassionate? Goleman and Davidson sort through the vast amount of scientific research on meditation and offer a concise overview of what's been proven and what some sloppy false studies have claimed. They outline clearly what specific styles do to your mind/body/brain and how long you need to practice to go from a
temporary altered state to a permanent trait change.
This read may save you time on the cushion so you avoid a practice that doesn't meet your needs.
This read may save you time on the cushion so you avoid a practice that doesn't meet your needs.
Until next time,
Jamari