Ensoul Arts

happy spring!

Full Moon Drift

“We are all wanderers on this earth.

Our hearts are full of wonder, and our souls are deep with dreams.” 

― Roma Saying

February Beach

Being Human

 

 

Martin Luther King Day inspires thoughts in me about what it means to be human. I'm continually inspired by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and so was Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King referred to Thich Nhat Hanh as "an apostle of peace and nonviolence."  It has been a little dream of mine for several years for my boys and I to do a walking meditation with him while he still graces this world. I have a lot of details to hold and tasks to move through in the coming days. Today, I'm being gentle with myself as Thich Nhat Hanh encourages me to do. I'm enjoying the freedom of happiness in a cup of tea, listening to favorite folk songs about peace and social justice, and reading good poetry about the human experience. I always come back to this poem by John Soos, from Earth Prayers...so I edited this little photo of a lavender blossom. It greets me on my doorstep, even in the chill of January, and it seemed to want to be a star offering good words for life today. Cheers to keeping peace alive.

Reset :: 2012 Happy New Year!

eve of 11.11.11

The moon was full.

Lanterns glimmered and shimmered.

Little voices sang sweetly into the night.  

Happy (auspicious) Martinmas to all~

hello from our new 'hood

We've moved! It feels great to finally have the time to hop back into this space to say hello. Happy autumn!

 

 

 

following her lead

Happy May Day! We usually spend this day dancing a Maypole, tossing eggs under the arbor, or watching a vibrant Minneapolis parade and large scale puppet show. This year is different. We've spent the better part of the week since Easter with my mother. We are resting, and waiting, and trying to imagine transitioning into our new chapter of life beyond her final days...

brave green growth

Yesterday, the boys and I walked through a local wildflower sanctuary. It was surprisingly chilly out there with a daring breath of sleet in the air, yet we found many more buds pushing through dirt, green, and bark than just snow trillium and green tips. I was reminded of the perseverance and beauty of life, however fragile, even through bitter wind and unwelcome changes. We enjoyed a light hike and then warmed up with botanical drawing next to a blazing fire in the lodge.

Today, we woke up to a layer of slush snow on the ground... Yes, snow in April! I thought about complaining about this Minnesota life, but chose to take it in as an invitation instead. I rsvp'd by getting dressed in light layers of my favorite wool. Hey, I was feeling a bit naked thinking about packing up my tried and true winter wardrobe cozies. So, wool it is. For now. Oh well...

 

Espresso cheers to a lazy Saturday in a cozy smartwool camisole under an ibex hoodie with dreams of full on blooming and reaching to the Sun...

reaching out reaching in

To close the end of an exhausting couple of days with more to surely follow, I am choosing to take a bit of extra time to reflect on what's still good and well in our lives. My mother has been in the hospital the past couple of days experiencing significant pain and suffering as her cancer continues to erode her life forces. My family has just transferred her home to begin hospice care this afternoon. Deep grief and dark depths are already at the doorstep, but there is also a hum of peace. She is more at peace at home. We do miss her so much already... We thought we had more time... Though I have come through many losses, including the loss of my father in 2005, this is simply a new layer of loss completely new and foreign to me. Imagining a future without my sweet, spry, and magnanimous mom remains so difficult. I will keep trying. It's time for her to be set free now. What will always remain true in our lives is how fortunate we have been to experience the abundance of love and care that has existed under her protective and ever present wings...