Story

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The "Be Kind" Sign

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The "Be Kind" Sign

Labor day is over and the first hints of fall are already starting to show in beautiful Eugene, Oregon. The maples are beginning to drop leaves, and the temps are just a bit cooler at night--finally blowing the smoke from the forest fires outside the town.

I was walking home this morning from my usual Sunday class at Mudra Yoga in Eugene, when I saw a man tear down an art sign that someone in the city had hung that said "be kind." This man tore it up, threw it on the ground, looked right at me, grinned, and rode away on his bike. 

I suddenly became very aware of myself and of others--what each of us puts out in the world. I realized that though I think of myself as "normal," I was, in fact, wearing yoga clothes, holding a potted plant, and wearing a hiking lumbar pack instead of a purse--in short, I looked 'crunchy.'

I realized that just as I was gaping at the man who in anger pulled down the sign, perhaps he was grinning at me because he thought I would be upset.

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A Reflection on the Capricorn Full Moon

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A Reflection on the Capricorn Full Moon

Sunday, July 9 marked a full moon in Capricorn, significant to me because it’s my sun sign.

I’ve seen a lot of astrologers lately who are writing about full moons. Full moons are a time to examine a completed cycle, to find wholeness in ourselves, and to look for balance in our emotions. But what does it all mean?

The emotive energy of the moon joining with the practical energy of an earth sign can be confusing. Often, when I’m doing readings, people ask for practical answers and examples to balance the abstract language of astrology.

Every life is unique, and our circumstances are distinct (just like our astrology charts). So, here is what this full moon meant to me: a lot of surprises, namely, I broke my back.**

I am okay, or I would not be writing this. I took a fall, and have a compression fracture in my lumbar spine. Luckily, there was no nerve damage, and I should be able to recover fully (although the jury is still out on whether my upcoming holiday plans will remain in tact).

This is, however, an excellent learning opportunity for me, not only in my daily practice as a yogi, but also in my self-understanding as a human being.

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On Knowing, Not Knowing, and Stepping into the Flow

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On Knowing, Not Knowing, and Stepping into the Flow

I’m about to go to my childhood home in Indiana/Kentucky for a visit this coming week. My wonderful grandma is turning 94, and I’m going to see my parents too.

Indiana this time of year (and Eugene, Oregon, these past few days) is sweltering. I love the heat, but I also love escaping into the cool AC of the house.

It can be strange to go back to my childhood bedroom, because there are so many reminders of a time in my life when I had only lived there, only known that home. It reminds me that there was a time that I didn’t know anything that would happen to me, or anything that I would do out in the world as an adult.

Going home reminds me of a time when I both knew things with certainty (school started at 7:42 and I had to go) and lacked any certainty (I mean, where was I going to go to college, and what would I do as an adult?).

Going home also reminds me that I still live in a version of this paradox. Knowing I need to work or buy groceries or teach a class, but wondering what my next steps will be or how I’ll choose to move forward personally and professionally.

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Review of the Joyful Heart Psychic and Wellness Fair in Eugene, Oregon

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Review of the Joyful Heart Psychic and Wellness Fair in Eugene, Oregon

I started today like I do most Sundays, teaching my regular yoga class at Mudra Yoga by Eugene's 5th Street Market, and then working with an astrology client.

But, today was a special day, because it was the inaugural Joyful Heart Psychic and Wellness Fair. I confess...

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The BIG Why: Why astrology, yoga, and folklore matter to me

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The BIG Why: Why astrology, yoga, and folklore matter to me

Do I believe that the stars literally affect everything on earth or that fairy tales are real? No.

I believe in the power and resiliency of the human spirit in the face of obstacles. I believe that people like you and I can harness our innate capacities for good, and use that good to create powerful and lasting change on this planet.

I believe that symbols (such as those in astrology, tarot, folklore) have power and depth that inspire us to new heights. And I believe that through it all, our physical body grounds us, sustains us, and allows us to create powerful, positive change.

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To the Women Who Might Be a Pre Existing Condition...

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To the Women Who Might Be a Pre Existing Condition...

To the Women Who Might Be a Pre Existing Condition...

I know you. I know what it’s like to go through your day unable to talk about the pain you’re enduring, silenced by culture or circumstance; stigma or men; or the fear of losing your job, boyfriend, or dignity. I know what it’s like to be unable to speak what has happened, and therefore, to not believe it’s really true. 

I also know the power of story, and how telling yours—even to yourself in the dark stillness of night—can help, can show you that surviving this is only a catalyst in your life, that the act of surviving means you still have life, still have a story to live out, and that you’ve already done something heroic by surviving.