The Mask

I marvel at how many people have been complimenting my "hair cut" lately...I haven't done a thing to it since I buzzed it for my 10 year high school reunion in October. It's just growing out, doing its thing. Some days, I squash it flat on purpose; more often lately, I've been ruffling it up a bit. Being winter in the high desert of southern Utah, any hair style must accomodate being covered by a beanie most of the time. ;) I wonder if what makes this haircut look good might be the smile that is on my face more and more as I meditate, do yoga, and strive to be loving and kind to myself, my friends, my family, and all sentient beings? Happy holidays! May whatever is in line with your highest good already be so. :)

Gorgeous grattitude

Just received an absolutely beautiful, gorgeous, simple, loving note from a dear friend I'd recently helped through a tough time. Probably took only a few moments to write and send, and it totally touched my heart to the core. Made me pause and soak up the loving for a gorgeous moment. deep breath. yum. What a blessing we can be to one another in this world!! Thanks, brother!

Road trip to nowhere

Hav you ever been on a road trip to nowhere? Sitting 2 or 3 feet from a good friend, he in the driver's seat, I sitting shotgun, we were kicking it to bijork, trancing out on a bass-boosted music-induced cloud, watching the dog run around and admiring the regality of Boulder Mountain, dressed in her formal white and green winter's best. The ice crystals drifted about, gathering here and there to record the dog's passing paw prints. We were traveling together, going no where, and loving it.

Returning from the Quest

I just came back from a 4 day fast in the desert with a dear spirit sister. I went out with the intention to find stillness and resonate in love, loving kindness, peace, and the ever-welling up joy that is our fundamental nature. The desert in November is a gorgeous place to learn stillness...I felt on some levels like I had actually entered the underworld. A lot of grief surfaced. Dreams about letting go, the pain of conflict and judgement in the context of contrasting beliefs held between my mom and I. The beginning of the dying of the limiting thought form that this world would be a better place without me...thank god for that!

Traveling to Japan this summer (mareinjapan.blogspot.com) was very healing. living at a temple there for a month went a long ways towards healing the wounds I experienced around monastic life in Thailand. I also discovered how much killing there is in farming and vegetarian living...I had gardened before, but I was pretty ignorant about what goes on day to day at a farm...enlightening, really.

I put down ACIM and my twelve step work when I went to Japan back in June. I traveled in Cali for about 2 months upon return. Nice to integrate with friends and family. More wounding came up. I returned to the Utah desert to vote, quest, and hopefully roll on to CO; and there is so much love in Wayne Co, I've lined up house-sitting gigs through mid-January and I'm working on crafting a life that resonates as truth for me. Falling into the arms of God through friends and red rock and doggie-love and horses... started working on my book again last night. daunted by the process at this point, but feeling ready to delve in again.