....the light

Yogis,
Winter is the darkest season. Right?

Yes, in some ways. It certainly has the least amount of daylight hours. With the sun hiding below the horizon until almost 7:30 and setting before 5 on the solstice we spend almost two thirds of our time in the dark. Add in all the cloudy gray days and it can feel quite bleak.

On the other hand, when the clouds part and the sun bursts through we have some of the brightest days of the year!

Our area is still packed in with snow and ice. A cold landscape where the air is crisp and incredibly clear. Throw in some sun beams and it is blinding as rays bounce off the white landscape. Almost dizzying. I am not a big sunglass wearer so I find myself squinting as I walk.

And since the sun moves low across the sky, her rays reach through windows into areas of my home that only receive direct light this time of year. My orchids are grateful.

The moon too shines brightly this time of year! This past week the big moon with no summer leaves and haze to filter her light, illuminated my backyard. Perfectly outlined shadows of bare tree branches painted on the snow. Even the slightest movement of fox or deer captured under her spotlight.

Yesterday robins returned to my yard. Flying in and out of our big holly they feasted on the bright red berries since the ground now offers nothing. In a colorless season, any shades that do arrive appear vibrant. The cardinal. The bluebird. Standouts with no surrounding competition.

In dark times we must seek the light. It is always there if we look.

Squinting,
SARAH

....gift of time

Yogis,
My youngest son gave me a certificate entitling me to a hike and lunch on the day of my choosing as a birthday gift. Knowing frigid weather was heading our way I quickly locked in on that Thursday. The forecast read partly cloudy with a high of 53. Perfect hiking weather.

He picked me up at 9:30 and off we went to hike the nearby Billy Goat trail. This trail follows along the Potomac River with much rock scrambling, climbs and descents.  I have done it many times, but it has been a while. Doing the entire loop takes between 2 and 2 ½ hours.

When you hike with someone you have each other’s undivided attention. Even phones are tucked away as hands are needed to grab rocks for the ups and downs. Moving together and finding a rhythm, we pass through incredible landscape. Sometimes talking but also in comfortable silence.

We pause at one of the high points to sit and take it all in. Yes, there was a lunch to follow but I was reminded of how the greatest gift is that of one’s time.

For those of you with adult children, you know what I mean. All we want is to spend time with them.

I have been visiting my very first hospice client weekly since the end of September. Each Wednesday I spend two hours by her side. Some weeks she is in a recliner and able to communicate a bit. It’s in those times that I learned about her and her life. Other times she is in bed and often cannot express her wishes.

For these two hours I sit regardless. No checking of the phone. No chatting with others in the house. My complete attention on her. Maybe reading poetry aloud or playing music that I discovered she liked. Chopin. Frankie Laine. Tony Stewart.

Other times I sit silently near her. Giving her the gift of my time.

In a world with so much attention on material items and experiences we can forget that even while the cost of giving time is nothing, the value is priceless.

Giving and receiving,
SARAH

....joy

Yogis,
I’m sitting here late Sunday afternoon watching the world turn pink as the sun sinks below the horizon. Low clouds make the blush in the air linger and mix with the smell of smoke from a fire burning in our family room. The closing curtain of a joy filled weekend.

The world is difficult right now. Yet if we are open to receiving it, joy can unexpectedly slide in. Often in the simplest of ways.

Saturday night I went to a friend’s dance party. After some mingling and yummy food, the music was turned up. Couches and dining table were pushed to the end of the room so the the old wood floors could act as a dance floor. Colored strobes lit the space as one by one people joined in. For the next hour and a half we stood in a circle and danced. No agenda. Not self-conscious. Twirling with flowy scarves in hand, swiveling hips with arms thrown in the air. Letting go.

Joy arrived.

Sunday I threw out an invitation to my sons and their families for brunch here at the house for whoever could make it. My sons showed up with three of my grandkids. Two of my son’s friends heard they were here and came by with their own children.

Watching the little ones dive into my toy closet for the same match box cars and figurines that their fathers had played with warmed my heart. Hearing ‘Nana’ yelled from another room when they wanted to show me something. Realizing how comfortable they have become in my home.

I hike through the woods with my oldest son and granddaughter to visit the hill he grew up sledding down. My granddaughter, with our shared love for nature, not wanting the hike to end.

Beams of joy turned on.

It is said that happiness and joy are different. Happiness measures how good we feel over time. Joy though is a bright light in this very moment.

Since it is only this moment that exists, let’s find simple ways to invite joy. I believe the more of these moments, the happier we are.

The simple things.

Glowing with joy,
SARAH

.....tribe

Yogis,
“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64’…….I am about to find out.

It was my birthday Friday. Driving to the beach I got a call from my parents who sang a slightly out of tune Happy Birthday (a family tradition).  

My sister and husband were also coming to host a birthday dinner for me on Saturday night.My sisters-in-law now live there and over the years we have become close with their two friends, and more recently with another who migrated east. The group of us often get together when we are down so Saturday was no exception.

Some time ago we realized we needed a text group to make it easier to keep in touch, share news and arrange details. My sister created it and named it ‘tribe.’ The label has stuck. Now it not only pertains to the way we communicate but also names a deeper level of connection we have developed.  

I looked up the definition of tribe. I took snippets from some to create one that fits the sense we have of each other. ‘A human social group that shares common language and core values, has a common sense of identity and feels a sense of belonging.’

Last night as we gathered around the table for the incredible feast my sister cooked with love, I realized how much we have all shared. The laughter. The caring. There for each other during some difficult times. Celebrating each other’s accomplishments. Knowing we can count on each other. No matter what.

We are always told how important community is to our wellbeing. At times I wonder exactly what that looks like. Then I think of the tribe.

Tribes come in a variety of forms, and often we have several. They can be family or friend groups. Women’s circles. Others who share a passion. A running  group. Yoga class.

I was given a birthday badge and headband to wear. Thoughtful gifts. A delicious cake. Plenty of hugs. Yet it is the warmth and sense of connection we feel at the end of the evening that I realize is the gift of community we seek.   

I belong,
SARAH

....word

Yogis,
How would I describe the energy of 2025?

What comes to mind is a carnival ride. Like a roller coaster where you never know what sharp turn is ahead. A steep climb and just as things level out a hurtling freefall. Or maybe the ride which spins so fast you become stuck to the wall with a frozen smile while the floor drops out from under your feet. Far from center…..

I don’t think we were designed for a life so fast paced and unpredictable.

After Christmas I began to open to what my ‘Word of the Year’ would be. Again this year it wasn’t easy for me. One word kept showing up though. Stillness. Yet I wasn’t ready to take that one on.

In the meantime, I had signed up to receive a daily email quote from Sadhguru, an Indian spiritual teacher my father had found to be down to earth, wise and thought provoking. In his free time, Sadhguru rides his motorcycle, long beard blowing in the wind, at times uses salty language and is sure to dance daily. I get the connection…..

On December 30 I open the  email to this quote, ‘In stillness, there is no time”.  Well, ok then.

As I try on the energy of stillness, I realize what I yearn for is a return to a stiller mind. One that is more present and centered, not pasted to the spinning walls of the world. And only by slowing body and breath will I find it again.

But as you visualize, you must also do. Otherwise the word is merely a passing wish.

I dig out and spread all of my painting supplies on the coffee table where I will sit often. I fill the bird feeder and watch the blue birds return to check out the home rentals. Unloading groceries I stop and peer into my bare oak tree.

I looked back thinking last year’s word was simple. That was actually 2 years ago, but I had kept it and added quiet on top. I am sensing a thread here that clearly must continue to be pulled through the fabric of my day to day life.

The world makes it challenging, but I intend to find stillness.

What’s yours?
SARAH

So long Santas!

....control

Yogis,
I was confident I had Christmas season under control. I was taking a relaxed approach, spreading out the shopping, cleaning and wrapping. I turn on the oven to preheat. Ten minutes later I go into the kitchen and find the oven temp is still 100. Uh oh.

A service visit and $200 later I smell gas while preparing tea. Three days and $2000 later a new oven is being wheeled in the front door as I am preparing for in person class.

Running errands, I can’t get the car warm. I feel heat blowing from my vent, but when I put my hand on the passenger side the air is frigid. Ugh. Instead of ho, ho, ho-ing, I am sitting in a car dealership.

The coffee pot decides she has done enough.

Isn’t it always when we feel the most in control that the Universe winks and reminds us of the truth? That we have absolutely no control over the outer world. Tough love.

Oh how we wish to control. People, places, careers, events, finances…… This is how we spend most of our time.

On this winter solstice I get quiet and close my eyes. Drawing my attention away from the outer world to go inside. Seeing the inner world.

My breath. The thoughts. How I am feeling. Emotions. Aches or tension. This inner world is the only thing I can control. The only thing.

But here is the best part! At any moment I can choose to change my inner world. And when changes are made inside, the outer world changes. The outer world is a mirror of what is happening inside. What power we hold!

That sounds hard! It’s not, but does require a practice. Discipline.

So many techniques available to create inner change. Yoga practice, meditation, breath work, affirmations, visualizations, switch of diet, change of what you read or watch…. The first step is noticing what is happening around you that doesn’t feel right. Then adjusting the inner world to match what you want on the outside.

Go within. Spend time on what you can control.,,and watch the magic happen!

Maintaining inner calm,
SARAH

Merry Christmas!

....look for the good

Yogis,
This morning I awoke to a light snowfall at the beach. Quiet, cold, peaceful. I made my way to the ocean to take a few pictures but soon a gust of wind had me hurrying back to the warmth of the house. Views of white flakes floating from the sky through the big window.  Cozy, relaxed, slow moving.

Pictures and videos began arriving. The winter wonderland scene from my sister with geese lifting from the frozen lake behind her house. Like a painting. A photo of my oldest granddaughter heading out the back door in winter gear. A big smile shows her two missing front teeth. Another of my youngest granddaughter on a sled with her dad heading down the street in front of their house. Excited.

The joy of a snowstorm.

I hold a warm cup of coffee in my hands. Phoebe chooses her cousin’s dog bed which is way too small but she curls herself tight. Maybe it is warmer or maybe because it is someone else’s bed. She falls into a deep sleep. I hear her breath. The trees outlined in white.

I am reminded of all the good in the world and decide I will choose to look for even more throughout my day.

I see the way my neighbor helps me by putting a package inside the house without hesitation. The warmth and pleasure of shopping in small local stores. The impromptu friendly conversation with the only other person crazy enough to be at the seawall in icy gale force winds. The dependable return of thousands of snow geese winter, after winter, after winter.

My sister-in-law bakes cookies to bring for dinner.

We live in a time of turmoil, and it is easy to be swept up in its swirl. Bad news served to us daily can change the lens through which we see the world. Our emotions, mood and even physical wellbeing feel an effect.  

Getting swept up in good does the same thing, but in the opposite direction. The more you look for good, the more comes toward you.

Where you look is where you go…….

Choosing to put on a different set of glasses,
SARAH