......miracles

Yogis,
Isn’t spring amazing!

At this time of year the world around us is expanding and changing so quickly that my little mind can’t keep up! At the end of even a single day when I think back to all that I witnessed, touched, tasted smelled and heard I feel I could write a whole book!

Let’s take Wednesday as an example…..  Mommy wren has become accustomed to Phoebe and I hanging out directly below her home, which means we are serenaded each time she returns to feed the babies. A young fox trots out of the woods toward us until we are spotted. The toad in the hollowed tree stump allows me to capture a face only a mother could love. And as I walk up my front steps the face of a zinnia beams at me.

Fresh chives, arugula, sage and lambs’ quarters now available right outside my door for spectacular salads. My CSA box bursting with fresh dark greens, spring onions and asparagus make for tasty dinners.

I place tiny seeds in the dirt and a week later sprouts lift the heavy earth with their strong backs, finally freeing their heads to reach skyward.  My peony plants gift me seven incredible blooms, their petals so soft I long to dive in.

The aroma of fresh mint wafts through the house as I bring in daily cuttings for vases and smoothies and when I am submerged in the heady scent of honeysuckle on my run, I have to close my eyes to feel it. Too beautiful for words.

The meaning of the word ‘miracle’ is “amazing or wonderful occurrence," and it comes from the Latin word miraculum “object of wonder." Often described as an occurrence which cannot be explained by science or nature, and therefore is believed to be a work of the Divine.

Although science may be able to explain much of the above in formulas and hard to pronounce terms, it can’t describe the way my heart beats harder when a monarch flies close. Or how I tingle when the full moon shines on me while I in bed. It can’t explain the magic.

Isn’t the whole season of spring a miracle? Isn’t all of this a miracle? Is the fact that I get to play in it every day not a miracle? And the more you begin to look for the little miracles, the more are drawn into your path.

The other day I lay on the grass to photograph an orange butterfly. She patiently posed for several minutes as I shot from each angle only inches away. At one point she even demonstrated how she cleans herself. Two days later I walk out and there she is. I pull the phone out and get close. But this time she flies right on top of my camera and looks me in the eye as if to say ‘see me’ without the distortion of a lens. 

And so I did.

Spring! Isn’t she amazing…..
SARAH

.....the answer

Yogis,

First I have to share……. Those of you who read my ‘pennies from heaven’ a couple of weeks ago will get a kick out of this.

Getting ready to head out for a hike, I put my trail shoes on. As I’m walking down the steps I had that annoying feeling of my sock being sort of folded under my big toe. No big deal. After a couple more steps though I decided it was ridiculous to do a hike like that and took the shoe off. Out flew a penny!

I laughed, thanked Lakshmi (goddess of abundance) and stuck it in my pocket.  Fast forward to bedtime. As I am taking my pants off, the penny I had of course forgotten about came literally flying out of the pocket. My oh my. Obviously, this path, and my lesson have not ended. I decided a penny should travel with me throughout my day for now. Stay tuned.

On my Thursday morning run I was listening to the Universe for guidance on what to write this week. A couple ideas floated through but then I saw it. A bumper sticker which read ‘Tress are the answer’.

Cute I thought, but then the words poured in. Trees ARE the answer for so many of the things we humans are currently struggling with today.  Think about it:

• Our air now has more carbon dioxide then any time in the last 800,000 years…..Trees love carbon dioxide! And not only do they breathe it up by the gallon, they convert it into clean fresh oxygen for us!
• Flooding rains are causing havoc to our properties and homes…….The roots of the big old growth trees can’t get enough of it!
• The climate is warming……. Trees are nature’s coolant, blocking the strongest rays of the sun and keeping the moisture in. Think woods vs dessert.
• We are being bombarded with an elevated noise level of planes, cars, lawn mowers and blowers…… Trees are nature’s sound buffer. Why else would the word ‘hush’ be tied to the forest?
• Heating and air-conditioning costs are on the rise…….A house with a large tree strategically placed will stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Yes!
• Erosion has become an issue from storm water runoff…….. Once again, trees to the rescue, holding the earth in place!
• Issues with anxiety are rampant…….Being in the company of trees will lower the heart rate and calm the breath. ‘Forest Bathing’ is the new spa, and its free.  
• We are becoming less patient……. There is no better teacher of patience than a tree
• Pollution…..trees      Fewer species of birds….trees      Violence……Urban areas with more trees are shown to have less violence     Children spending their day looking at screens…..send them out to a big tree and their imaginations will bloom with the best playmate there is.

Tomorrow when you go about your day, please pause in front of one tree, ‘see’ it and give it the proper thank you it deserves.  And perhaps consider where in your yard one more could be planted……

A proud tree hugger,
SARAH

.....sly as a fox

Yogis,

My yard includes a large patch of woods with a creek at the bottom of a hill, so wildlife abounds.

Deer herds pass through and often hang out a few days, leaving behind telltale hoof marks in the mud of my garden. No mystery as to who ate all the heads off my black eyed susans. Deer are not known for their slyness. Nor are raccoons who make a raucous as they head home after a night of pilfering through our neighbors’ trash cans. Hawks cast shadows as they circle overhead while the chipmunks attempt to stay under the obvious leaf cover they prepared. 

And then we have fox.

We have always had fox. In fact, one year I stumbled across their den while walking the woods and was able to watch the four kits play. Another time I watched a fox catch a squirrel, it’s movement so quick it was a blur. But all in all fox sightings were spaced apart over time. They were something you remembered and mentioned to others. But all of that has changed.

Fox now are so prevalent they seem to ‘live’ amongst us. Where you used to spot them at dawn and dusk, any time of day is now fox time. There is one in particular that walks up the center of the street right smack in the middle of the day often. I now say hi and wave as if he were a neighbor passing by.

Another comes up through my woods and pauses at the fire pit before strolling through the grass almost daily. While quietly gardening the other day an adorable young one almost walked right into me, unaware of my presence until our eyes locked. Everyone on the street has stories and I am now hearing of other towns seeing foxes where before they were hidden.

So what’s up? Fox are known to be sly. When hunting they often go in pairs and pretend to play so the prey relaxes and watches only to have one sneak up behind it. When chased they lead you on a complicated path only to lose you and head back.  Why are they suddenly allowing themselves to be so visible to everyone?

I looked up the spirit meaning of the fox. Foxes represent stealth as their movements are agile and nearly silent. They signify that you are possibly being lied to, and cunningly led down a path that doesn’t serve you.  Leading you around by the nose. Hmmmmm…… Could the course we are on today as humans possibly need this fox message?

When fox crosses your path it can also indicate a period of big change coming, often one that is challenging and unpredictable. Yes, that feels about right……

Thankfully fox spirit can teach us to act swiftly finding new ways around the obstacles. Tuning into our awareness to see through any illusion and deception. Fox tells us to take wise action with discernment and quick moves. Some quick swift moves on our part are sorely needed these days……

The fox who laid down for me to take his picture has a message for us. Hopefully we are listening.

Cutting through illusion,
SARAH

.....it all began with a thought

Yogis,
It all began with a passing thought……as most things do.

I have always been attracted to the beat of a drum but never gave it much thought. That deep vibration enters my feet and fills me to my edges. There is something so primal about a drumbeat that I love. The drum is often referred to as the heartbeat of the earth which may be why it feels so natural.

I like to feel things and there is no avoiding a tactile sensation when in the presence of a drum. I remember being a child and feeling my own heartbeat quicken as the drums passed during a parade.  And there is nothing like being close to a drum roll to clear your thoughts away.  As an adult I have gone to a few drum circles to see what it felt like to be the one creating the beat. But it was always something ‘others’ do.

When I spent my week at Susun Weed’s for my herbal studies we were given the task one night of keeping a heartbeat rhythm on a ceremonial drum from sundown to sunrise. We each took two one hour turns as the fire keeper and then as the drummer. Having to slide next to the current drummer and hold the stick with them as the hand off was done so as not to miss a beat. Beating the drum alone in the dark while the others took turns sleeping.

Yet I never considered that I could be a drummer. But then I had a crazy thought……..

Why? Why am I always the observer or the visitor? Why can’t I own a drum and learn to drum? It was a novel idea. To me the ‘real drummers’ were much cooler than me. My perception of them was that they were somehow different than me. What was that all about? I had never questioned it.

So I threw caution to the wind and asked for a djembe west African drum for Christmas. And then at the last minute I thought ‘what the heck!’ and asked my sister for a hand drum as well. Both were under the Christmas tree.  Now I was a drum owner. Multiple drums!

The next step was to find a teacher. I put an add on our local listserv looking for a djembe drum teacher. A woman responded saying she had a drum teacher but we needed a few people. We each found one more friend and set up our first get together.

I lugged my djembe over…..only to walk in and meet Yolanda, a Native American woman who leads hand drum ceremonies! Thank goodness for multiple drums. We have now met several times and are learning the ways of the ancestors and hope to expand the circle. For the March full moon we gathered around the fire pit to sing and drum and were gifted with a visit from the owl. I paused to marvel at how now I was drumming on my own drum with others around the fire. A manifestation. Drumming feels amazing!

For the May full moon I will take another step forward and will be co-hosting a drumming event here with Yolanda. We will have drums and rattles for all, and we will fill the sky with the rhythm of the earth. Come and feel the vibration. Details on SerenityCircleYoga.com under 'The Events'.

And it all began with a passing thought……as most things do. What are you thinking about?

What you think is where you go,
SARAH

......pennies from heaven

Yogis,

Each spring without fail a few pairs of carpenter bees set up camp in my front porch wooden railing.  Small piles of reddish dust appear on the bottom of the railing, the telltale signs of their meticulous drilling. One of the partners always stands guard, hovering noisily over the middle of the stairs so that I must ask permission to pass with each trip out of the house.

The bees themselves cause some damage, but the real destruction occurs when the woodpeckers who nest behind us discover these bee homes. In a split second they can rip open a complete section of the railing, pleased with their tasty meal. An irritation and expense for sure, but I can’t bring myself to kill these beneficial bee creatures.

A woman came to pick up her CSA share last week. She only picks up here in summer so I hadn’t seen her in a year. As I shared my woe of yearly rail replacements, one of the bees stayed at eye height between us to keep watch on our movements. She shared her remedy which was to stick a penny in the hole when they leave. After a few times of this they move on to less complicated housing.

The next morning a penny dropped out of my pocket upstairs and I set it on the tub to use as bee prevention. But then after showering and dressing I forget. Every day I see the penny sitting and waiting, and then forget.

Skip to Easter weekend up at my family’s. After parking at CVS my mom and I were walking across the lot when an older woman parked in a handicapped spot got out of her van, using a cane. I saw her bend down to pick up a penny. I yelled over ‘your lucky day!’, to which she responded with a grin, “It is my husband. Wherever I go he leaves me a penny. He is here today. I call them pennies from heaven.”

Two days ago I am coming out of the Bethesda Coop store wheeling my cart across the lot. A car is waiting for me to unload. The lot is busy with several cars in search of spots but I see the door of the waiting car open and a woman step out. She leaves the car and comes toward me. It’s the woman from the CSA! ‘I had to find out if the pennies worked?’ she asked as cars patiently waited for us.

Are you seeing a trend? You might call them coincidences. I call them signs from the Universe which also happened to be my topic in classes this week. There is some message for me in the pennies right now.

I could brush it off or I can sit and listen. I am choosing to listen and go deeper. I googled the ‘definition’ and it reads….. unexpected benefits, especially financial ones. I will stay open for further word. Perhaps my recent money worries should be dropped. Maybe I am supposed to be dropping pennies on someone else. Lakshmi may be responding to my chanting letting me know that I am already abundant. Listening.

The sign posts are always around us but we often are too busy to notice. They can be words in a song, synchronicities, repetitive numbers, books, dreams, experiences. If you choose to tune in, they will guide you on your life path, removing some of the struggle of the journey.  Consciously watch for your signs this week and follow them.

I picked an oracle card last night. The message was ‘Surrender’. Ok.......

Tuning into guidance,
SARAH

....a new way of seeing

Yogis,

In the Washington DC area, we have a highway which draws one large circle around downtown and the close in suburbs of MD and VA known by all here simply as ‘the Beltway’. Most of us have a love/hate relationship with this 64 mile stretch of road. It is often the most direct or quickest route from point A to point B but at certain times of day, or if any incidents occur, it can become a parking lot in the blink of an eye.

To further complicate it, the beltway crosses the river twice, taking you from VA into MD and then back again on the other side of the circle. Therefore, for those who must cross over to the other state, if the beltway is congested, the next smaller crossover can be quite a distance away.

Over the past 10 years the hours of gridlock have grown exponentially. Many of us plan our outings, vacations and the restaurants we frequent based on the timing of the traffic. An overturned tanker on one of the river crossings just a few weeks ago caused five to seven hour trips home that night. Yes, it appears a change is required.

Our governor’s solution, backed by many who must commute and some who live in our neighborhoods receiving the cut through traffic, is to widen the beltway by 4 lanes. That is how it is done. Sounds simple, but of course it is not.

All of us living close, already hearing its hum when the wind blows our way, will suddenly become even closer. Some neighbors will lose their homes. Hundreds of trees will come down, joining the hundreds of others already being felled or dying from our overgrowth. And our already fragile river and creek, where I spend much time reconnecting to myself and what’s real will endure even more runoff.

All, so they say…….in the name of progress. Sigh.

If this expansion was somehow going to magically solve everyone’s commuting issues, I would try to rally behind it, but it’s smoke in mirrors. For a short time perhaps, there will be some ease, but with more road more development will quickly follow and more people will decide it is ok to commute further and we will be right back where we started. I feel like this is a band aid on a gaping wound.

We are seeing this problem with the same eyes that created it. We need new eyes. A new way of seeing.

In class we are working with our third eye center. Our energy of seeing what is real. Cutting through illusion to awaken. Not being swayed by the current consciousness. We sorely need this type of insight now for this, and many other current issues.

With the explosion of technology there is another solution and there are minds out there who given permission will not be blinded by how things have always been done. Think Uber, Airbnb, electric scooters dropped off in the dark of night, Paypal……

I myself keep asking a question. Why does everyone have to get in a car and drive a distance to a building to do their job? Some professions such as nursing may have no other choice (although even our medical appointments are beginning to happen online) but the majority of us push paper and given the right options could change our ways. 

But this would require a paradigm shift. An acknowledgment that what we are doing isn’t working. Taking a risk to believe in something out there that we don’t yet understand. Having vision.

The current solution already feels obsolete. My hope is for some new eyes to be opened before it’s too late.

Vision,
SARAH

.....life lessons from a garden

Yogis,

My garden is my continual teacher. Like any good teacher she surprises me with new ideas and demonstrates concepts in a multitude of different ways, but she also reminds me over and over of some of the most basic principles to make sure they take root.

This week she reminded me once again about the energy of empty space.

I was down on my knees removing the weeds (remember the definition of a weed is – a plant located in a place you don’t want it) from my circle. There is one particular plant that showed up a few years ago and now would love if I allowed it to spread and be the only plant in my wheel. So, one by one I was digging them out of this area........

I noticed that the red bergamot I planted two years ago is now spreading beautifully, creating a carpet in the south quadrant of the garden. The black eyed susans too have filled in their area quite nicely. Yet the area where I was doing my removal was now left bare as I removed these plants. Clear space. Empty. Somewhat satisfying to see this place of nothing that I had created. A void.

But then the garden whispered in my ear. Remember. A void is empty, containing nothing…….yet it contains the potential of absolutely everything. What is it that you want?

I know I don’t want that particular plant in this area, but if I leave the earth bare, without question something will grow there. May be a pleasant surprise or could be something even less appealing or stubborn. Instead, I should choose what I want and plant it there!

Once something is removed, and space is created energy will organize to fill it once again. Just look at your closet if you want a good example! It is a law of the universe and you can choose to work with it or against it. You can insist on a ‘weed free’ bed covered only with mulch and do battle all summer or plant a sea of lavender and mint in which to lie.  Which will it be?

No different in life. When something in our life isn’t serving us we often focus on its removal. If, however we aren’t clear on what we want in its place the new that sweeps in could hold the exact same energy. Negative relationships repeated one after another. A string of unsatisfying jobs. One addiction replacing another.  

This is why intentions are always stated in the positive. Don’t tell the Universe what you don’t want. Let it know clearly what you do want and then go to work co-creating it. The Universe loves clarity and has unlimited organizing power to draw things toward you. But you must plant the seed.

Zinnias. That is what I want in the space. I can visualize them now. A spray of vivid flowers covered with monarchs and hummingbirds.  Yes, that is what I want!

Time to buy the seeds……

What is it that you want?
SARAH

We love Bluebell season!