morning light on the orchard at Kripalu

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

 

from This Amazing Day  by  e.e. cummings

 

And, yes, life these days is good and hard.



OM by Margarethe

"after I drew it, I scanned it and printed it double-sided, cut it out and hung it over the dining room table, a sweet little reminder......"     Margarethe

Vulnerability, Shame and Self-Acceptance

Kristin was featured on a radio program called "Voices in the Family" along with Brene Brown.
It was good to hear her gentle but firm voice answering the questions on the issues of self-compassion. If you'd like to listen, click here Vulnerability, Shame and Self-Acceptance

Mary Oliver, Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
      love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting---
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

Mary Oliver

couldn't find a better picture in clean blue air.. :(

Mary Oliver, The Journey

The Journey

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice --

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do --

determined to save

the only life you could save.

~ Mary Oliver ~

labyrinth at kripalu..

the path was covered by bushes and wildflowers..

made me wonder if i'm on the right path..

sometimes you just have to trust that the path you're on will lead you to the center..

where your deepest self meets an invitation of the universe..

loving kindness meditation for beginners

On Chris' website I found a series of guided meditations. 

At the training I recognized that both Kristin and Chris' voices and tones carry such a soothing quality which makes a guided meditation easy to focus and follow. 

So I downloaded several of them and first practiced Loving Kindness for Beginners. 

It was very calming and I have to say quite delightful!

Listening to and be guided by his voice certainly brought me back the memories of the room at Kripalu.

I tried to upload it on this page, but there's a problem with uploading.

If you are interested in, click here Loving Kindness Meditation for Beginners. 

(from Dr. Christopher Germer's website www.mindfulselfcompassion.org)

vulnerability is..

vulnerability is..
core of shame, fear, struggle for worthiness..

at the same time..
birth place of joy, belonging, creativity, love..

Brene Brown

she's good..

her book "the gifts of imperfection" was an eyeopener to my concepts of shame and vulnerability..

in fact, i got to know of Kristen through her book..

now i'm a huge fan of them both..

there is power and strength.. 
in embracing vulnerability..