Build Resiliency: Two strategies to prevent collapse
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the pain and suffering that you are witnessing in the world, then know that you are not alone. In many of my conversations, I hear people sharing how overwhelmed they feel about the state of the world, their country, their community, and their family. Folks often report they are experiencing so many different emotions, the very definition of overwhelm, that they do not know what to do. Unfortunately, this response is not uncommon. Overwhelm often immobilizes us, making it appear as though we are apathetic.
I know you are not apathetic. What I suspect is that you are…
Gone is the hustle of summer.
As I harvest the last fruits of the growing season and find ways to preserve them, I feel myself shifting gears. Gone is the hustle of summer. With less daylight hours, I move indoors sooner, seeking cozy evenings on the couch surrounded by yarn or thread. The meals I crave and make are warmer and heartier. My attention turns inward. I want to dive deeper into meaningful topics and to listen closely to my ancestors. Just like the plants who move their energy into their roots at this time of year, I too experience my energy moving in and down. Autumn is the season of rootedness.
During Makerspace Open Hours (Wednesdays and Fridays between 2 and 5 pm), there will be opportunities to engage in rooted activities that celebrate the season and prepare us for winter…
Boundary Checklist Guide
Happy Fall! With the new season comes a shift in focus and energy. The Shakti Fall Calendar reflects the change in season with offerings that invite the preservation of what you have grown, practices that encourage you to slow down and reflect, care routines that ground and sustain you, and as always, ways to explore the interconnections among all living beings. Please consider the events listed under “Spotlights,” notice which ones align with your needs, and then register for them. We would love to spend time with you!
One point of reflection that arises for me at the beginning of fall is my boundaries. Similar to walking a fence line that keeps unwanted critters out and wanted critters in, I find that I need to check my boundaries for energy leaks that overextend my resources. Boundary checks are not about making someone bad or wrong. Rather boundary checks simply acknowledge the process of erosion over time and aim to shore up the gaps…
Welcome to September + Shakti Fall Schedule!
Welcome to September! In three weeks we celebrate the Autumn Equinox and enter a new season with a new fall calendar. From herbal remedies for the skin (Autumn Harvest Glow) to sacred release rituals (Take It to the Water) and everything in between, Shakti in the Mountains is building a healthy community by inviting people to share and to learn about practices that are kind, wise, innovative, regenerative, and helpful.
In addition to our monthly staples (Astrology Circle, Food and Tarot, The Red Tent, The Community Clinic, Chronic Pain Support Group, Slow and Low Yoga, and Makerspace Open Hours), we have brought back the monthly Mending Circle and are excited to host the Second Annual Handmade Holiday Fair as well as another Jolabokaflod. I am so very grateful to the facilitator guides who created new offerings for this fall. They are…
“What would Dolly do?”
Like many of you, I am mourning the death of Dolly Parton, who died on August 25 at the age of 80. As one woman wrote on social media, How am I gonna wake up, stumble into the kitchen, and pour myself a cup of ambition in a world without Dolly Parton?
It is hard to believe that she is gone. Her larger than life persona and her incredible generosity fooled a lot of us into thinking that she would live forever. Really, we just wanted to keep her to remind us that there is good in this world. Dolly Parton was the best of us. She taught us to take up space, to believe in ourselves, to look for…
A Recipe for Finding Balance
I’ve been thinking a lot about balance. What does it look like on the daily? How do I feel when I am balanced? What do I have to say “no” to in order to stay in balance?
I find it helpful to consider the state of balance as a recipe for a delicious pot of soup. (Is anyone surprised that I would use a food metaphor?) To make a good-tasting soup, you start with a base, add nutritionally dense food, and then season with herbs and spices. As the soup simmers – slowly cooking the food, an alchemical process happens. Individual ingredients change form. Flavor profiles shift. A bland potato transforms into something richer, more exotic.
Or not. If the soup is not well-attended…
The Betwixt Times: A Ritual for End of Summer
The brightest star in the night sky is Sirius. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Major which resembles the shape of a dog; consequently, Sirius is often referred to as the “dog star.” When Sirius rose in the morning sky (in mid-July), the Egyptians knew the flooding of the Nile would soon occur. The days to follow were some of the hottest days of the year; hence the expression
the dog days of summer. This is where we are now. We are in the dog days of summer.
We just celebrated the first harvest, Lughnasadh, and this Wednesday, August 12, marked the beginning of a…
What is the strength of your song?
The delicate House Finch with its red head and chest is native to Mexico and southwestern United States. Known for its bright, cheerful song, the House Finch was captured by a speculator, relocated to 1940’s New York City, and marketed as the “Hollywood Finch.” This marketing scheme was short-lived after pet shop owners, in an effort to avoid federal prosecution, released their illegal contraband. The liberated House Finch adapted quite well to suburban environments and rapidly colonized the entire East Coast. By the 1990s, there were approximately 40 million House Finches across the United States.
As you may have surmised, pet shop owners and their suppliers…
Something magical is afoot.
Something magical is afoot. There is a current in the air that signals an energetic shift: a change in the status quo which invites us to show up differently and to be more grounded in our power. No more hiding behind polite words and insincere smiles. No more going along to get along. No more pretending. Now is the time to get clear on what you want and take steps to make it happen.
Does this invitation frighten you or excite you? Maybe a little of both? Me too…
Finding Balance on the Seesaw: Small Actions That Shape Our Communities
One of the paradoxes or dilemmas that all humans must navigate is finding the balance between serving our individual needs and serving our community needs. I picture this paradox as a seesaw with personal needs on one end of the board and community needs on the other end.
Sometimes both needs are equally balanced and the seesaw is parallel to the ground. Other times the seesaw resembles a slide with one end of the board high above the ground. Seesaw placement varies over the course of one’s lifetime and often depends on the time and place you are in your life, familial and cultural expectations, and your mindset.
As you may imagine, our…