....messages from a tree

Yogis,

It’s hard to believe I have known him for 29 years now. More than half my life……..

I was only 25 years old when we moved into our west facing house on 81^st street. Fresh in marriage with a three year old son and an alley cat that my roommate and I had taken in during college to handle our mouse issue. 

There he was. You couldn’t miss him. From my bed I could see him through the front bedroom windows, with a tire swing hanging from one of his upper branches. His height and girth dwarfing the house. He watched me dream and saw my eyes open each morning. 

For the 20 years I lived in that house he watched over me as I raised three boys, housed multiple nannies, said goodbye to the cat, welcomed in a lab puppy and had to cut down the tire swing. He shaded birthday parties and was a good sport when the kids built miniature forts throughout his exposed roots. His branches offered an unending game of pick up sticks, and his leaves, a monumental raking effort each year which provided a sense of accomplishment when finally complete.  

Then we decided to move…..next door…..where we now face south. And we still face him. The picture above is taken from my bathroom window.  For the past nine years, each morning as I rise and go in to brush my teeth, there he is. As I open my front door, there he is. As I teach yoga, there he is.  Watching all of us.  But when he speaks to me the most is when I wake to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Everything dark. Quiet. He, slightly lit by the street lamp. Us, alone. 

Winter is the season of the earth energy. Slow, quite, centered. And the trees take center stage.  Without the distraction of colors, and smells, flowers and bright green leaves we see the trees exactly as they are. We notice. Each and every one an exquisite work of art. Each unique. 

I must admit that I do have some ‘others’.  The grandfather tree down on the bank of the creek behind the house where I sat daily for months when I was searching for wisdom.  The magnificent Sycamore as I walk up Persimmon Tree Lane which reminds me each day to look skyward.  Tall, squat, wide, narrow, poker straight or with a noticeable lean…..each with something to share but you must slow down to tune in.

I am reading ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’ which describes the languages of trees.  A tree can communicate in several ways, with its electrical impulses traveling at a mere 1/3 of an inch per second.  They remind us there is no hurry.  A friend shared with me a tree meditation where you hug a tree for a full hour, opening the front of your body to hear its voice.  I can see why an hour would be necessary…..and oh so worth it. 

My tree has stood tall through the droughts, blizzards, lightening and high winds.  He has even weathered the butchering of his limbs by our power company who promises to keep everyone from being inconvenienced by outages. The world whirls around him with consistent change but he stays steady and sure. His roots deep. I watch that.

If you don’t have ‘your tree or trees’ yet, let one find you this week. When you are out, move slowly. Notice them. See them. And one will pick you if you are still and quiet enough to hear it.  Remember…there is no rush, whispers the tree.

The young family who has moved in next door has now tied a rope swing to his uppermost branch to the delight of all of the neighborhood children. I can feel him smiling.

Earth,
SARAH

....the march (part 2)

Yogis,

When I was eleven I had a t-shirt that read  “Girls can do anything boys can do better.” 

I loved that shirt! I wore it with pride and quietly hoped boys might notice it because in seeing it they might see me. The me that always believed being female was an advantage. A gift. I remember never wishing I was a boy (in fact feeling slightly sorry for them.)

A girl had it all!  I could wear a dress one day and ripped jeans the next. Makeup when it felt right but the next moment hike in the creek and end up with mud on my face. I was smart and capable and could beat most of the boys in the swimming underwater contest since I could always hold my breath for quite some time. And best of all, when and if I chose, I could produce a baby and give birth.  I had the ability to be a mother.  I could do it all.  Yes, an extraordinary gift.

Now of course I have come to realize that my mother was able to install that sense of limitless power in me because of all of the millions of women who had gone before me. Our grandmothers. The wise women.  The ones who had that same inner spark, but at a time when the outer world wasn’t ready to see it….but they went forward anyway. They lit the path for me. So yesterday was my turn to do that for all of the little girls that will come behind me. 

Women are gatherers and yesterday was a gathering beyond imagination. Yes, there was a march at the end but the feeling tone was more of us all coming together. Being together with a purpose. The purpose yesterday was to demonstrate to the world that we don’t walk backward. 

When there is a concern, it is the women that mobilize. A sick friend……the meal making chain is put in action day one. A neighbor in crisis…….collections are done, items bought, things delivered…..all accomplished with a few emails. Yesterday happened because of one women’s post on Facebook. That’s all it took. We gather and we get the job done. 

Women form circles. Sacred circles where we sit, talk, share, cry, laugh. Be it book clubs, meditation groups, knitting circles or early morning running groups.  We find our tribe and  are fiercely loyal. Yesterday our tribe grew beyond imagination. Cities across the country joined us, but also women on every continent on this earth, our mother. I even saw a picture of a group with signs in Antarctica!  We circled the world.  But there are still many women who don’t feel included so we have a lot more reaching out to do. We are good at that, so let’s do it. Each of us. Leave no one behind.

But what struck me the most, and what will remain with me forever was the sense of complete peace downtown. Hundreds of thousands of people together for hours on end, often pushed against each other in human sandwiches where no one could move, yet not one harsh word.  No pushing. No irritation or impatience. I would glance into the face next to me as we waited to be able to even free our arms and they would simply smile. Everyone shared a vision and we were walking toward it hand in hand. That is the feminine power of creation. 

If I were to have that t-shirt  today I would tape over the words ‘boys can do better’. This isn’t a contest. We need the masculine but it must be equally partnered with the feminine if we hope to create the world we want. A softer, kinder world.  An open hand instead of a fist. The world has been male heavy for too long but I feel the pendulum beginning to swing back. The goddess has been awakened. 

My shirt now would simply say “Girls can do anything” because they can. And they will.    

Pink is the new black,
SARAH

.....the march

Yogis,

The march is approaching. All of the talk, hype, web sites and emails are behind us. This Saturday our feet will march on the earth……. Yes, I have decided to go.

I really wasn’t sure I wanted to go.  I couldn’t find the pulse of its purpose. What it hoped to awaken.  All I was hearing was what everyone didn’t want, giving it the sense of a protest. The energy of anger. One friend I asked quietly stated that she doesn’t march ‘against’ things and that struck a chord. I too felt the need to march ‘for’ something. 

In classes this week I began to lead us once again through the chakra journey. It all begins with earth.  Coming to a stop to notice NOW.  Right now.  Becoming aware of where you are….physically, emotionally, your health, your relationships, career and direction. Taking stock of things exactly as they are without judgment. You observing you.

This moment in time on our country’s life path, is as it is.  WE created it and you can’t struggle against this moment. This moment cannot be changed.  We must first accept it completely.  Letting out a big exhale and sitting with what is. Us observing us. No judgment. Only then can we step toward what we want. 

When we adopted Phoebe and she began exhibiting aggressive behavior we hired a trainer.  I wanted him to ‘fix’ her.  I was confident he would quickly show her that this unwanted behavior was wrong and had to stop. But I am the one that had it all wrong. 

First of all, his focus was not at all on her, but on me. I remember him watching me walk her and observing my knee jerk reactions and my not so effective corrections. My overuse of the word – no.  Then he began to show me the way.

I learned a lot of life lessons from Ralph, but there is one conversation that I hear in my head whenever I am now faced with a challenge.  Phoebe was charging the door, snarling and lunging at whoever had been silly enough to knock.  Me, holding her back by her collar with all my might using my new favorite word over and over, with each repetition louder to be heard over her anxious voice.  Ralph, calmly asking me – what exactly is it that you ‘want’ her to do? 

Dead stop.  Noticing myself.  Noticing Phoebe.  I was so focused on what I didn’t want that I had no clear vision of what I did want.  Show her what you do want. 

And being completely honest here…..it still took me a year to act on that.  Another year of pushing her and her pushing back before I had the inner strength to create a clear vision and then take the steps toward manifesting it.  Now when there is a knock on the door and she rushes, I ask her to go to her bed.  I have given her a sense of purpose and am clear in my direction.  My energy has shifted from confrontation to love. From aggravation to positive movement forward.

So as I head down to the march, that is the energy I will be taking with me. The energy of an open heart and a clear vision to welcome the goddesses from across the country.  All of them. The  feminine energy is patient, receptive, inclusive, nurturing, intuitive, vulnerable and empathetic…….and mighty strong.  Wow!  Imagine all of that creative power together in one place.  Unlimited potential. 

And once I am there I will not be distracted by how things are.   I will plant my feet firmly on the earth and visualize the world as I want it to be.  I AM fierce and……..

I can create anything when I do it with love,
SARAH

.....resolutions

Yogis,

So here we are in the New Year.  The beginning.  A blank slate on which we can create anything that we desire.  Anything…..  

But it’s already January 8^th and I haven’t even picked my resolutions much less implemented them!!  Yikes!!!  I’m a loser. But its ok because by around January 15^th almost everyone will have forgotten and we all figure we can make changes next year……..

This whole New Year’s resolution business can be stressful.  Everywhere you look are suggestions on what to do, how to change, what to give up and how to feel.  When I googled ‘New Year’s resolution’ the first result reads:

• A New Year's resolution is a tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere, in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior.

Oh my, which one do I start with?  This sounds unpleasant.

The next:

• 50 News Year’s Resolutions Ideas and How to Achieve Each of Them - Read through these useful tips on seeing your New Year's resolutions through and making a real improvement.

Obviously my life right now must stink.  And I need tips?

I think we have it all wrong.  New Year’s is equivalent to the new moon.  It is a time to go inward and take stock.  Becoming quiet and still to notice where we are on our life journey.  A time for the inner work which isn’t glamorous and we often try to avoid, preferring the quick fix of outer change.  It can be scary in there. Like stepping into the dark knowing there are probably some spider webs and who knows what else. If I don’t look, perhaps they aren’t really there. 

It’s a process that takes some time. The real changes we seek don’t come from the impulsive wishes of the mind based on what’s happening in the world around us. No. Real change only comes from a shift on the inside. The outer world will follow your lead.

And no better season than winter to take this on. Look outside. Nothing. Nature has grown quiet. The trees are mindfully tending to their roots and the sun is low in the sky so as not to be a distraction. Close your eyes and feel the silence. 

Take your time with this. There is no rush. Shine the light inside and be there with it all. There are no ‘undesired traits or behaviors’, only ones that no longer serve you in  fulfilling your unique purpose here on earth. Taking up space needed for your new growth.

And the best part, every day is New Year’s Day!  Every sunrise is like the new moon….a fresh start. A chance to shed the old and create the new. No need to wait until each January 1. 

I can create anything…..anything at all that I want……but only when I begin by stopping and looking inward. Go in and stay a while. Get comfortable. There's no rush. 

Noticing now,
SARAH

....my word for 2017

Yogis,

By now you know how I love words. Not necessarily their spelling or how to best use them in a sentence. But their essence.Their energy. How they make me feel. 

A friend gave me a candle over the holidays  She knows I use a lot of candles in my life. White in a mason type jar. A simple label. “Be Fierce”. 

Fierce. Yes!!!  As soon as I saw it I knew. That was it. The word that gives the feeling tone for my intention for 2017. For my vision. Fierce. 

I know, I know.  I am not exactly what you probably visualize when you hear the word fierce.  And I’m not referring to the definitions most widely found.  ‘Intense or ferocious aggressiveness’ – no.  ‘Violent and destructive’ – goodness no, not that either.  ‘Cutthroat or competitive’ – uh, NO. 

Fierce.  ‘Showing a heartfelt and powerful intensity’. Yep, getting closer. ‘The combination of a positive mental spirit, bold words and unapologetic actions used collectively’. Yes. I like that.  Brave. Loyal. Focused. From the Latin ferus -untamed. 

Fierce is the exhilaration I feel in a good summer thunderstorm. Being exactly who I am.  Moving forward with strength and courage. An inner unwavering strength to be bold. What I need more of right now.  

So my mantra for the New Year is ‘I am fierce’. I close my eyes and feel it in my bones. Stepping into my power. 

What is your word? You may already know it, but if not let the Universe know you want one and stay open. You will recognize it when it arrives. And once you have yours I would love to hear it.  Send me a note with…….

‘I AM _________’.  

Feel what you want and say it.

Hear me roar,
SARAH