Joy to the World!

when happiness happens, follow that stream, and see what else happiness brings...my resolve for the new decade is to be more joyous with my children, spend more time with my great niece, be at peace with my ex, eat delicious food, splendour in the grass, allow my shine, see more shine in others, stop being repentant and so damn catholic, stargaze, moon-bathe, see new sights, drive to the east coast and across the southern states, travel to Europe and India with my kids (et al?), mate with my own soul, sing with bob dylan, allow abundance to flow, meditate on that which is elevating for me, guide others towards their true selves, laugh, dance, sing & frollick as much as possible, build a home, learn how to play piano and guitar, share my joy!

November light

greys and yellows and greys and yellows and baby blues you bring us news of quiet and storms you branchy form, you are a song I look inside and sing along

Friday the 13th

The din of bikers setting the tone for today over here in Port Dover town...methinks I'll have to go and have a walkabout some time today...air is crisp and clear, and the riders are leatherbound, hmmm, biker din but inner quiet, resting after a very first in adult life, opening night for Lights on Broadway, kind of surreal, for lack of a better word, feels like I'm catching up with myself, I'm in this body but the persona is projecting itself through me, I am in suspension...I think I like it...so funny to have just left a theatre town only to jump right into the spectacle. Wonderful opportunity to observe the play of the elements; joyful creativity, transformation, love, but also scatterbrains, divadom and inertia, all present among us............................................................ Was remembering Dad the other day and thinking about his strong desire for peace...I am so glad he has found it.

what I am appreciating today

lakeview waking up to sunshine kids having time to play outside before going to school this morning kids' lunches half packed two full bags of paper bits for recycling, which came from three out of the eight office boxes sorted four boxes taken to storage clean office teaching yoga to teenagers seeing someone I haven't seen in forever networking community support cheques walking forests the ability to type quickly seeing, smelling, hearing, touching, tasting hugs healthy children being vulnerable being strong

November you are a song

You host the best parties I laugh hardest when I'm with you You are the descent, the pathway to my cave where heart light shines bright You hold my hand, and kiss my cheek sweetly with your clear blue death sky You move the air and I am caught in the scurry of last minute frenzy You are the anticipation of darkness as we head along on over to the day of the longest night November I like you because what else can I do, sit around all day and complain? Boring... and because you're real

thoughts on Ayurveda, Yoga, wellness and being "influenced"

For me the gem of Ayurveda is that it is a practice of self-love and self-care. Disease is dis-ease, lack of ease, lack of flow, and it begins in the mind (hence the usefulness of Yoga, which teaches us how to manage and control the modifications of the mind). Nourishing thoughts and beliefs serve to nourish the body. Destructive thoughts and beliefs have the opposite effect. (I can honestly not say if the flu vaccine is effective or not, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not terribly interested in engaging in the debate, except to reiterate the obvious that worry, anxiety and fear are not nourishing emotions.) If anything, I believe it's a question of choice. And we have the choice to believe and even rejoice in our inherent wellness and the cellular intelligence of the physical body. We can engage our minds in this practice of well-being by steering our focus towards the things that we love, laughing as much as possible, having fun with our children, removing should from our vocabulary, singing, dancing, caring more about what we think about ourselves than what others think about us, being in nature, trusting, releasing judgment, developing deep appreciation for and understanding of what we've already lived. Loving the body that carries our soul on this journey is paramount. To choose our thoughts and intentionally direct our focus is the ultimate practice of self-empowerment. Thus, if you choose to vaccinate, be firm in your belief that it is the best possible choice. For us in the northern climates going through a period of seasonal transition, with weather conditions that are erratic, cooling and drying, the natural inclination is to nourish the body with foods that are comforting, wholesome and grounding. The season of eating clear, fresh, raw foods for balancing heat is passed, and we are now wanting to cook stews and soups, and eat nourishing grains. This is the best time of year for eating meat, if you choose to partake. Taking time for "cocooning" follows the natural and environmental cycles. Alignment with nature is a very nourishing and grounding practice.

O Canada

Dear land of mine, land of ours, leaves and trees, flowers and bees, I'm on my knees bent on loving your glory. How did you get to be such a pretty line in the sand? Patriotism is not generally one of my finer characteristics, certainly not as it once was. I might get stirred by the odd Canada-US hockey game, but countries can really be a pain in the ass, what we all get ourselves into in the name of country. It really is absurd this notion of claiming the land - in fact I saw it myself just the other day while picking strawberries with my nephews...felt the ridiculousness of claiming my row of strawberries to young children whose only inspiration was the biggest reddest juiciest strawberry, what was I afraid of? That I wasn't going to get my share? In a five acre field of strawberries? Something screwy about that... Have to say though, so nice to walk with and among the many people on Canada day. Bumped into everyone, very nice. O and the fireworks? What a fabulous invention!!

a couple of special things I received for my birthday...

Well, something that I've been wondering about since the penumbral lunar eclipse of February 2009 is where did my cycle go? Seemed to have left me, but I guess it wasn't a total eclipse of the moon. What surprising joy to receive my dear old friend back for my birthday...the gift of perimenopause, the gift of drifting into the unknown...Ever so pleased to have her back, was much in need of a little blood-letting, fire getting a bit pushy in these days of sweat and sting... And then Wood-pecker arrived, in the guise of a birthday card from a dear friend, accompanied by drumming in the near distance, and then in his full glory, the best view ever of a Pilated across Lake Erie blue horizon...new rhythms beckon, uh-huh, oh ya oh dear, now to dive into the literal...

The streets of Stratford look different to me now. I'm seeing happy faces and good time-tourists, gone from my view are the worn out couples looking in opposite directions. This house is my home, and now it's for sale. I guess that's just the way it is. The safety of silence is soon behind me, but glad to know it's mine to choose as I like. Thank you dear strange time and space for bringing me back to the place where I started from. So much love yet to live...

a poem for my step-son on the occasion of his grade eight graduation

Elaborate your power Scale with finesse up the tower and SHAKE THOSE WHO WILL NOT ROCK! Break the ties that choke the mind Breathe deep and smile Pause, for a while Walk a mile without your shoes Dance to the blues Burn up the dung Clear out the grief in the lungs Suck on a cool plum Master the art of thumb twiddling Play fiddle, pound drums, doesn't matter Make pancake batter Shatter the brain games that drain the main Bask in the flask of inspiration BE THE NATION! Enjoy the creation