.....words

Yogis,
In my love affair with words I have learned to respect the power each one holds. A word, like everything else in the Universe, is an energy. Sounds, which when put together in a particular way, form a vibration. Every vibration then in turn has an effect on whatever or wherever it is directed.

Words have impact.

We can feel it in our bodies. When I say the word ‘tangy’ I feel it in the upper body with an almost shiver like experience. But when I say the word ‘mellow’ the movement of energy is calm and low.

Every single word we speak affects the world……and ourselves. Words can bring unity, shame, lift spirits, anger or create joy.  Makes you realize how careful we should be with words. The old adage….think before you speak (although I prefer….feel before you speak.)

You know that inner voice who chatters all day long with no lunch break or vacation? We each have one and those internal words have the same effect. Words do not have to leave the lips to yield power. In fact, often inner ones are even stronger because they have us held captive.  

This is where mantra comes in. A sacred utterance…..  Words or sentences repeated which change your vibration.

We can choose the words for that incessant internal dialogue. It may not feel like it. The voice pretends to be boss, but buried below lies the quiet one who can decide what it says. Mantra can make this process a little easier.

Let’s try it together.

Fall has settled in here as acorns and leaves rain down. A season of letting go. We too can choose to let go.

Settle into your seat and get quiet. Notice you are breathing. Tune to that inner space. Once you feel you’ve arrived, mentally repeat the mantra ‘I let go’ and pay attention to any sensations in the body or changes in how you feel. Slowly Over and over. Try closing the eyes or repeating it only on exhales.

Choose the words that vibrate the way you want to.

This week may be the perfect time to work with this practice,
SARAH

.....never the same

Yogis,
Those who know me know I like going to the same places over and over. Whether a vacation to the Outer Banks or Stone Harbor (close to 40 years), the trails I hike, or the restaurants I eat in, I enjoy the act of returning. Again and again and again.

I was thinking about this while sitting by the Cabin John creek with Phoebe at my side. The park sits a mile from home and offers winding wooded trails and a running creek, all framed by incredible views with craggy rock formations. I have been there hundreds of times and usually in the same mile radius.

Many people may think it would be boring. Going to the same place day after day and seeing the same things? Don’t I want to go to new places? But nothing really ever is the same…..is it. In fact, every time I go, the creek is new.

Nothing stays the same.

Today it was the reflections in the water that caught my attention. A beautiful fall day with a light breeze causing a ripple on the surface, creating images reminiscent of impressionist paintings. Designs and swirls asking which way is up.

The trees that only last week wore a deep emerald green are now tinged with color. Early fallen leaves lay on rocks in reds and oranges. The songs of the insects softer now.

My reflection mirrors me as I carefully step rock to rock. Who I see below has also changed from years of these visits. A little creakier but strong. Wisdom lines carved in my skin. Small life shifts happen as seasons change.

A rock cairn will appear and vanish days later. The air, shadows, sounds…..vary every moment. Plants arrive and grandfather trees fall, blocking my path. I climb over. A new path will quickly form from footsteps of those who find a way around. Mushrooms come and go. Wildflowers. Snakes. An infinite number of potential differences from one day to the next.

Only because I know it so well can I see and appreciate the changes. The newness every time.

Same places.....never the same,
SARAH

....newer isn't better

Yogis,
One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is to roast them. Many kinds. Peppers, onions, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, beets…… often with small potatoes. Spread on a cookie sheet, massaged with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt and any herbs or flavorings that feel right. Perfect for this time of year. Easy and delicious.

I like to cook mine pretty well. To that point where their texture changes and they begin to crystallize a bit. Sweeten. Often seeming like a different vegetable from when I slid them in to cook.

Recently I opened up the pan drawer of my oven. In there lies a stack of baking sheets in a variety of sizes. And a variety of ages. The new ones sit shiny and clear of any stains. They look so pretty. Others are now dark and splotchy. At first glance you would think I hadn’t cleaned them, but I know I always do.

For a while I tended to grab the new ones. I prepared the veggies the same way and cooked at the same temperature but for some reason they weren’t quite as tasty. Hhmmm…… Then one time I grabbed one of the oldies but goodies. An aha moment ensued. They cooked better!

Of course. It makes sense. Like my cast iron pans the more they are used, seasoned and loved, the better meals they produce. New isn’t necessarily better.

I was given some wooden salad tossers a couple years ago. I love their look and as an avid salad maker, I use them many times a week. During clean up I would give them a good scrub with soap. I started noticing though they felt a little dried out when I held them. I began lightly rinsing them off with warm water, allowing some of the oils to stay intact.  They too now feel more alive and loved. Cleaner isn’t always better.

Applying the same principles now to my wooden salad bowl, I can see the colors deepening. Aging to perfection.

Our grandmothers knew this.

The earth could benefit from us all falling back in love with what we already have,
SARAH

.....harvest

Yogis,
Each morning I walk out the front door, and each morning there is a little pile of dirt next to the potted plant on the steps. I sweep it up and scoop it back into the planter. I can barely see the walnut that has been buried there.

The flagstone path leading to the driveway is littered with acorns from the old oak above. They crunch as I walk. I startle the mother deer and her two little ones resting in the front grass. I imagine they ate so many nuts overnight that they have an acorn hangover and had decided it was easier to sleep where they were then to stagger home.

Chipmunks scurry across the yard with cheeks filled. Oblivious to my footsteps as their focus has shifted to food storage. Collect and unload. Collect and unload. Newly flocking birds land in the trees creating a raucous as they feast. They all know.

It is harvest season. Seeds, fruits, nuts.  A bounty literally falling on us from above.

My garden knows it too. The herbs are experiencing their last blast of growth and asking to be used. This week I will make my herbed salts with the now dense sage and aromatic rosemary. It’s time to dry some oregano and put thyme in vinegar. I take seeds from the drying flowers and scatter them in other parts of the yard.

Using this time of harvest to prepare for winter.

My CSA veggie share is moving back into dark greens, eggplant, squash, garlic and potatoes. Foods that nourish. I had my first acorn squash of the season for dinner the other night. Amazing. No additions needed.

This harvest season reminds me each year of the magnificent abundance of our world. That we are all already rich.

I wrote this while sitting on the front porch. The entire time I was surrounded by the sounds of various critters scampering through dried leaves…..which will later be used to reinforce their nests. All reveling in the gifts that have been bestowed.

Grateful for the bounty,
SARAH

....catchy

Yogis,
Friday was dreary as we drove to the Chesapeake Bay. Humid, soggy and drizzling. Saturday morning was more of the same. In fact, the whole week had followed this exact same pattern. Frizzy hair and damp shoes the look of the day.

Yet the Universe delivered! A parting of the clouds exposed brilliant blue skies and warm rays of sunshine just in time for the main event. An outdoor wedding I was officiating of a young woman I have known her whole life and her fiancé I’ve had the immense pleasure of connecting to. These two were so clearly in love and I was given the honor of joining their lives together.

With grass as our carpet and trees the décor we began the ceremony in a gazebo. By the end there were not many dry eyes in the crowd. We could all feel it. Love.

Love is the most universal, the most tremendous and the most mysterious of the cosmic forces.
~ Teilhard de Chardin

These two love each other profoundly. The heartfelt vows they wrote and read publicly were a gift to us all. They emanated love. And love is catchy.

Cocktails in a boat shed let us all begin to know each other better which then drifted to a tent on the bay. The setting ……stunning. By now we were giddy. Couples holding hands. Hugs and toasts abounding.

Then the band started….. Now we are dancing together, caring not if we knew the person in front of us, forming circles, letting go into the joy permeating the night air. But it didn’t stop there.

The newlyweds have their own band and took to the stage. Looking around, the crowd was standing shoulder to shoulder singing and cheering as the bride and groom glowed. Everyone’s heart a size larger than when the afternoon had begun.

Weddings are special. A day to step out of the world and soak in a deep pool of love. And boy does it feel good!

They love each other. We love them. Through this we are all now joined.

Sunday morning as my eyes opened, the clouds had returned. Mist back in the air.

Love though, remained,
SARAH

.....pearls

Yogis,
Every one of us is unique. Each with special gifts we offer the world. Gifts that impact other’s lives and will one day leave a legacy when we no longer walk this earth. My father is no exception.

This weekend we all convened in NJ to celebrate the accomplishment of a 90^th birthday with him. Wow. Ninety years is a long time and he and the rest of us were ready to party. An afternoon event at our usual spot for big milestones with over sixty in attendance.

Also as usual, he made a grand entrance.  Walking in on my sister’s arm wearing a robe and hat, hobbling with a cane. A Kiss is Just a Kiss playing softly. The song suddenly changes to Stayin Alive, the volume escalates, the cane tossed, robe thrown off, his signature yellow lens glasses go on and a dance ensues. Those of you who know him can instantly imagine it.

But what struck me most from the afternoon was the ‘entertainment’ while we ate salads. Figuring everyone was sick of always hearing from my sister and I, the five grandchildren took over. Each stood and shared a few of Pop pop’s pearls of wisdom, while wearing yellow lens glasses of course. We all know and love his pearls. They are part of what make him….him.

‘Good enough’ my niece shared. Good enough is most often enough. No need for perfection.

‘Do good and avoid evil……..Everything in moderation…….Two must haves when considering a spouse – shared humor and political party….. When you go to college always go to class (even with a hangover, even if you don’t listen) and don’t ever sleep in your clothes…..Don’t EVER look at the dinner menu until you have received your drink.’

And the one I have taken to heart and try to live my life by is ‘Everyone is doing their best.’

They go on and on. All of us know them. All of us think of him each time we are in a situation where his words play in our head. All of us affected by his wisdom.

In his speech he announced he won’t pass…. He will die. Sooooo dad.

My dad is awesome,
SARAH

....roots

Yogis,
As a certified tree hugger (yes, I actually hug them at times), I have always been in awe of their roots. Certain trees allow us a view of them spreading above ground, giving a glimpse into what lies below. The fact that roots burrowing into dirt can feed and hold up trees that seem to touch the sky, through wind, rainstorms and drought for hundreds of years is incredible. And no two sets are exactly alike.

There are skinny roots and those grown thick and gnarly. Some that spread far and wide and ones that quickly disappear from view. Others crisscross along paths giving me a place to plant each foot as I hike through. The ones along the creek and river remind me of ballerinas dancing on the tips of their toes.

They are all intricate and beautiful in their own right.

Imagine my surprise when this ad crossed my feed:  How to hide unsightly tree roots in your yard.

Unsightly? What? Could this be serious? I looked it up and found that yes, it is a thing with many options from landscapers on how to get them out of view so your lawn can look neater. Tidier.

Yikes. Please don’t cover up your tree roots. Putting even a couple of inches of soil on them can suffocate the tree. Instead, sit with them, listen and take a good look. See them with new eyes.

Children know this. We have an enormous oak tree out front at the base of which my boys created little forts among the roots. My granddaughter recently commented on how intertwining roots under two river trees made the perfect nest area for a nap. She was right. They invite you in.

They weave and bend, intertwine and reach. A complex network creating stability in a shaky world.

My hope is we will not allow our world of marketing to do to tree roots what it did in the past to our precious dandelions and clover. Nature knows what she is doing and if we allow her to paint the world her way, we will be surrounded by beauty…..and nourished by her roots.

Nature as sculptor,
SARAH