I was at the University of Minnesota, first as an undergrad, then as an employee and grad student, from the late 1970s through most of the 1980s. During that time (and still?), the University had a strong feminist contingent. One of the things they did was scratch out the word ‘women’ on most of the …
I open my arms wide to accept and appreciate an abundance of blessings, Blessings I’ve imagined and blessings beyond my fondest dreams,* Blessings from the top of my head, all through and around me, to the soles of my feet, Blessings so that I might be a blessing to others. This is another part of …
So be it. So be it. So be it. So be it. So be it. Before I say those words, I lift my hands from my knees, bring them out to my sides, then reach my arms high to bring my palms together over my head, then bring them down in prayer position and rest …
…so that I may enjoy my life and home, tend to my field, and put my ass where my heart wants to be. It may seem odd or selfish to start with enjoyment, but I spent so many years trying to earn worth, working to prove my life mattered, that starting with enjoyment is the …
“I am all these things so that I can fulfill my divine life intentions: To be a creative maker, A good friend and partner, With an abundance of health and wealth in all its forms…” I believe we come to this planet for a reason, that we have some sort of intention before we show …
As I’ve been doing these posts on my morning meditations, I’ve made some changes. Changing ‘persevering’ to ‘gritty’ was one of them. Before ‘persevering’ the word was ‘persistent,’ but that one felt incomplete, as if I was rolling a rock uphill. I wasn’t all that happy with ‘persevering’ either, because it felt like walking through …
I have been authoring since I was in elementary school, when I wrote a story, copied it onto construction paper, drew illustrations, tore up a cotton ball for glued globs of snow, and punched holes so I could tie it up with yarn and read it like a book. This seems like a good time …
Brave isn’t necessarily Joan of Arc mighty on her white horse, sword held high. My definition of brave is more mundane: brave is saying or doing whatever needs to be said or done, despite any feelings of fear. Brave doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid. Brave means you act anyway. I was brave at fifteen when …
I should be able to believe that I’m intelligent because, as an adult, people have told me this, often. But my self-perception was formed in those comparative junior high and high school years, shaped by proximity. Facts: There were 1200 students in my freshman year high school class, 880 of us who managed to graduate. …
You? Kind? Seriously? Who are you kidding? These demeaning words come from the Inner Critic, the voluble, vociferous voice that goes wherever I do, the one who interrupts vulnerable moments. This ‘I am…’ exercise is not my invention. It comes from The Energy of Money, by Maria Nemeth. The exercise is called ‘Standards of Integrity,’ …